'ri’e JJortlaub (©hseruer Page A4 lune 29, 2005 Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer O pinion OUKWHW&UNWA HAW a W K oHlH^WdHittóSÌKRT/MWSlóKV „YoU MEAN <5 oh ? what "ÀWE6ÉP S&otfAGr K tfUN?. , " RUMORS ’ AWe«t> RUMORS OF AM SA\o| New Food Pyramid Hard to Stomach Industry influence contaminated result by K athryn M ulvey Many o f us greeted the unveiling o f the governm ent’s new food pyram id with a m ix­ ture o f puzzlem ent and confusion. Indeed, the dizzying layers o f rainbow -colored lines helped distract from the fact that the food industry’s fingerprints are all over the new dietary guidelines-in ways that hurt rather than help consum ers. What most people d o n 't realize is that the U.S. D epartm ent o f A griculture’s original vision for the pyram id included visual indi­ cato rs to show people how often they should eat certain foods. Pastries and do­ nuts, for exam ple, would be m arked “occa­ sional.” But these guidelines are now no­ where to be found in the new pyram id thanks to giant food corporations and their lobby­ ists. P erh ap s the m ost g larin g e v id en ce o f th e i n d u s t r y ’ s i n f lu e n c e is th e g o v e r n m e n t’s r e f u s a l to re c o m m e n d w hich foods not to eat, w hile p u ttin g a strong em p h asis on in d iv id u al re sp o n si­ b ility . T he only m ention o f u n healthy foods in new dietary g u id e lin e s is a gentle rem in d er to “know the lim its on fats, su g ­ ars and s a lts .” Also m issing are recom m endations lim it­ ing the am ount o f food people eat. C onsid­ ering that 28 percent o f Am erican men and 34 percent o f women are obese, this om is­ sion is especially troubling. A m erica’s obesity epidem ic is now the nation’s second leading cause of prevent­ able deaths. U.S. governm ent guidelines on food and nutrition should provide specific recommendations to limit foods high in sugar and salt, which can contribute to obesity and other serious health problem s, includ­ ing diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood p ressure. O ur o rg a n iz a tio n is c u rre n tly su p p o rt­ ing national and in tern atio n al reg u la tio n s that w ould hold food m an u factu rers ac- co u n ta b le for th e ir c o n trib u tio n s to the global obesity epidem ic. Specifically m ea­ sures to cu rta il the p rom otion o f ju n k food and inform con su m ers ab o u t the dan g ers o f foods high in sugar, salt and fat. T he U SD A food pyram id is a trusted A m erican icon th a t m any o f us first e n ­ c o u n te r in grade school. It then follow s us th ro u g h o u t a d u lth o o d as we becom e p a re n ts o u rselv es, resp o n sib le for p la n ­ ning m eals fo r our fam ilies. S om ething so e sse n tia l to our w ell-b ein g sh o u ld n ’t fall into the hands o f the food in d u stry — or any o th e r p riv a te in dustry w hose bottom line could c o n flic t w ith w h a t’s b est for our health. T h a t’s w hat m akes the food in d u stry ’s in cred ib le in fluence o v er the g o v e rn m e n t’s dietary g u id e lin e s so hard to stom ach. Kathryn Mulvey is the executive director o f Corporate Accountability International, a membership organization that challenges irresponsible and dangerous corporate ac­ tions around the world. our health, cate of each other. Planned Parenthood. Community Left Behind “the interest of students at heart." The fact that one is willing to volun­ teer speaks clearly to the condition of the heart. W hat’s important is for people to be able to ask the hard questions. When hard questions by B yrd have been asked before, they are W hile some herald Portland often labeled as angry, hostile and Public Schools Superintendent passionate and don’t get answered. Vicki P hillips’ latest attem pt to Those seeking a seat on the de­ involve the com m unity in the re­ sign team were also asked to “pos­ configuration o f Jefferson High sess a variety of experiences in the School as a good faith effort, oth­ community.” W ouldn’t it stand to ers view Phillips’ plan as yet an­ reason that if one is raised in a other divisive tactic im posed by particular com m unity that they the school district, and that these would have enjoyed a variety of experiences? efforts will com e to naught. Last month, Phillips revealed the The design team is supposed to process by which the Jefferson clus­ be representative of parents, com­ ter design and planning team will be munity and faith based organiza- Jefferson cluster planning team should include all I f Phillips truly wants to deal with the predominantly black Jefferson cluster, then she should do just that, deal with the entire Jefferson cluster. comprised: The superintendent, along with the student representa­ tive of the board, would meet with and take recommendations for stu­ dents to sit on the design team from W hitaker and Tubm an M iddle Schools and Jefferson High School. The Portland Teachers Associa­ tion and principals would recom­ mend teachers. How can the design and plan­ ning team be defined as involv­ ing the com m unity w hile sim ulta­ neously defining the com m unity ? In addition, it sets an im m easur­ able if not ridiculous criterion, insulting the intelligence o f the predom inantly black Jefferson community. No such criterion has ever existed in dealing with other are a s w ithin P o rtlan d P ublic Schools. The superintendent also sought individuals who possess the abil­ ity, among other things, to have tions, businesses, higher educa­ tion and school-based partners. A team made up of 15-20 individuals is wanted. This procedure m arginalizes if not om its genuine com m unity in­ put by creating a lottery like con­ dition w hereby m any hope to be selected to this so-called com ­ m u n ity p r o c e s s a n d th a t shouldn’t be. If Phillips truly wants to deal w ith the predom inantly black Jefferson cluster, then she should do just that, deal with the entire Jefferson cluster. Instead, Phillips defaults to a handpicked selection process that will not represent the many voices within the Jefferson community. She should reject this filtered process and open it up to the community. Otherwise, she will leave an entire community behind. Byrd is a local community ac­ tivist. c a t e u lt o u l W as your last annual EXAM 5 YEARS A G O ? Visit Planned Parenthood for afford­ able reproductive health services: • annual exams & pap tests • breast exams • cervical cancer testing/treatment • a full range of birth control options Did you know that you don't have to have an exam to start a birth control method? Ask about contra­ ception with an optional exam! We gl,idly accept insurance. Planned Parenthood of the ColumbiaAVillamette 1-800-230-PLAN • www.ppcw.org N ortheast Portland: Ì 3 ÌI NF 15th Ave, Suite 11 Southeast Portland: 12 11 s| .OthAve Vancouver: 5500 Nl 10'Hh ( I., Suite A Salmon Creek: 2105 NI 12‘tth St. Suite IO5 Subscribe! 503-288-0033 Fill Out, Clip Out & Send To: Il,e ^Jartlanh (Dbseruer Attn: Subscriptions PO Box 3137, Portland OR 97208 s u b s c r ip tio n s a re ju s t $60 p e r y e a r (please include check with this subscription form) N am e :_____________________________ T elephone : __ ___________ _ A ddress :________________________________________ ____________ or email subscriptions® portlandobserver.com I Two Wrongs Do Not Make it Right Appalling reactions to a temper tantrum by J ermaine A. W yrick tried to hit her principal, her arms were too short to reach her which precluded her from causing any harm. Moreover, five-year olds do not even know what the word reckless means. There is a clear line of delineation between the goals of the juvenile justice system and the adult criminal justice system. Certainly the measures taken by the three sheriffs who handcuffed her were punitive, which is consistent with the goals of the adult criminal justice system. A prom inent issue is whether the sheriffs violated her constitutional rights. At the time law enforcem ent arrived, the child was not A whirlwind of contro­ versy began when a video­ tape was released depicting the handcuffing of a five- year old African-American girl at her school by law enforcement officials after she was engaged in disobe­ dient and mischievous be­ havior. The public outcry led to an investigation as to whether the law enforcement officials exer­ cised bad judgment or conversely acted appropriately. Was she treated fairly? As with any five-year old, she was small, dwarfed in size, outnumbered and outgunned acting wrong because she had calm ed down by three law enforcement officials. Factually, and was sitting down. Consequently, she did she was sitting in a chair and calmed down when not pose a threat to anyone whatsoever, not the three sheriffs arrived. The sheriffs forcibly school authorities, classm ates, nor the sher­ stood her up, pinned her hands behind her back, iffs. The egregious conduct in escalating the put handcuffs on her. She screamed no and cried. situation - handcuffing her - constituted dis­ The scene was videotaped as part o f a classroom ruptive, reckless, and violent behavior itself, self-improvement exercise. Before the sheriffs and accordingly wrong. arrived she tore papers off a bulletin board and The actions of the sheriffs were reprehen­ punched an assistant principal. sible. unconscionable, and inexcusable. At her Her temper tantrum was caused by her jelly tender age, does this teach her the right lesson? beans being taken from her. What is appalling is Absolutely not! The law enforcement agency the actions demonstrate perhaps one of society’s should be held accountable and implement self- most pernicious evils - racism. A salient issue is improvement measures with respect to the treat­ whether a five-year old Caucasian girl has been ment of citizens, even the youngest ones, with treated the same way. Further, her behavior has respect to basic fundamental human principles been characterized as disruptive, reckless, and of dignity, freedom, and liberty. violent. How can a five-year old child who does Jermaine A. Wyrick is an attorney from not even have a weapon be violent? When she Detroit, Mich. How can a five-year old child who does not even have a weapon be violent?y