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(The Page A4 |Jo rtlan h © bseruer November 23. 2005 Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer O pinion Katrina Aftermath: An Unnatural Disaster The unnatural disaster of racism swept dents would own more assets, and the away the savings accounts and credit cards mule would now be a Buick. Nor has this unnatural disaster abated with which poor black people could have bought the ir escape. A century o f J i m Crow today as I learned from my ownexperience. laws barred black families in the South from Almost immediately after Katrina hit my certain schools and jobs. Social Security town, I saw spray-painted signs warning benefits were not available at first to do that looters would be shot and killed. I was mestic and agricultural workers, the occu warned by a white neighbor not to move pations of most African Americans at that time. Due to discrim ination, most black World War II veterans were unable to use the GI Bill, which gave most white veterans the homeownership and col lege educations that have made their children and around too much lest I be mistaken as a grandchildren so prosperous. The unnatural disaster o f racism swept looter. When my daughter came to get me from away the cars with which poor black people could have escaped Katrina. Almost a third my damaged house and drove me to her of residents of the Hooded neighborhoods home in Indiana, we were turned away by did not own the cars on which the evacu a white motel clerk i n 11 linois on the pretext ation plan relied. If the promise to the freed that there were no vacancies. A later phone slaves of 40 acres and a mule had been kept, call confirmed what their sign said, that then six generations later, their descen rooms were available. 1 also experienced Institutional racism hit us as well by E mma D ixon first-hand racial discrimination in gas lines and in food and water distribution lines by a police officer. The world noticed that the evacuees stuck in the SuperDome and those turned back at gunpoint at the Gretna bridge were mostly black. But who noticed that the first no-bid federal contracts went to white busi nessmen, cronies of white poli ticians? It’s hard for me to believe, but this persistent racism is invisible to many white people. A Time Magazine poll taken in September found that while three quarters o f blacks be lieve race and income level played a role in the govern ment response to Hurricane Katrina, only 29 percent of whites felt the same. The color o f money is green, but the color of poverty has a darker hue. Families in the flooded black neighborhoods of New Orleans had a 2004 median income of only $25,759 a year, barely more than half the national average. Why? Louisiana is a low-wage, anti-union state. Many workers When will we rebuild our society so that everyone, regardless of race, has the means to escape the next disaster? ’ When Hurricane Katrina tore up the roof of my house, it didn’t care that I’m black. My white neighbors, like my black neighbors, saw trees fall on their homes and saw their refrigerators rot and mold. They, like I, lived without electricity or phone for over a week after that color-blind natural disaster. But an unnatural disaster hit us as well, the institutionalized racism that began cen turies ago. The flooded areas of New O r leans were three-quarters black, while in dry areas African Americans were a minor ity. Over the years, many well-off white people have left the city for gated subur ban communities. The remaining whites tend to live on higher ground. have pay so low that they receive public housing and food stamps. New Orleans voters made history by approving a citywide living wage in 2002, bu, a court blocked it, allowing poverty wages to con tinue. Last week I drove home to Louisiana. In my neighborhood I hear the constant buzz ing of chain saws removing uprooted trees, and the sounds o f hammering as roofers repair endless numbers of damaged roofs. The fragrances of Pi neSol and bleach tinge the air as residents attempt to save refrig erators and rain-soaked carpets. I thank God that my family and I survived the storm and that the recovery has begun. Yet I ask myself when the other recovery will begin. Katrina revealed the racial wealth divide in New Orleans and the unnatural disaster that caused it. When will we rebuild our society so that everyone, regardless of race, has the means to escape the next disaster? Emma Dixon of Mandeville, La. is a financial literacy educator with United for a Fair Economy. Protecting Our Children and Senior Health Both federal and state governments have introduced legislation intended to make healthcare more accessible, but confusion in federal law and a lack of funding for state proposals prevent these initiatives from making a big enough impact. A national, comprehensive and uniform health plan is needed to ensure A merica’s most fragile by J udge G reg M athis Most Americans feel the sting of rising citizens are protected. Last Wednesday marked the beginning healthcare costs. But those most hurt by the skyrocketing medical fees, pricey pre of the new Medicare prescription drug scription drugs and expensive insurance plan. But instead of being excited about the premiums are society’s most vulnerable: new change and the seemingly vast amount of options to them, eligible senior citizens children and seniors. Healthcare system needs national solution URSDAY, PE r 3 I F FAN Y CENTER ■ 1 4 1 0 M O RRI enrollment penalty, add ing deadline pressure to an already confusing and stressful selection pro cess. T he change in M edicare’s prescription drug plan isn't the only healthcare-related reform happening in the are confused. Before deciding on one of the several country. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, D-Ill., has dozen plans available, seniors much first introduced his All Kids plan, which makes figure out which plans work with other affordable insurance available to the chil state and federal assistance programs. dren of working parents. In Massachu Then, they have to decide which plans setts, the legislature is negotiating com their local pharma peting plans to cover all of the state’s half cist is registered million uninsured residents. Oklahoma re with. When all these cently started to enroll small companies factors are consid and their staff in a program that would ered, many are learn offset insurance premiums for company ing they don’t have paid health insurance. While the state plans are encouraging, much choice at all. Seniors have un it’s simply not enough. The healthcare til May to enroll in a system cannot be repaired state by state. plan; if they miss the Reform has to begin at the national level. People of color have a lot at stake here. d e a d lin e , th e y ’ll have to pay a late- The vast majority of black children and The poor state o f America’s healthcare system directly affects the African-American community. seniors are un- or under-insured. By advo cating for a comprehensive, nationally funded health plan, we can ensure our community’s most valuable resources - our youth and our elders - are cared for. According to recent data, uninsured Af rican-American children are 20 times more likely not to receive the medical care they, need. Parents aren't able to take their chil dren for regular check-ups and a variety of medical issues go undiagnosed. The poor state of America’s healthcare system di rectly affects the African-American commu nity; for us, making sure the system is re formed is, literally, a matter of life and death. In the meantime, take advantage of the resources that are available - studies show that many of those eligible for subsidized healthcare programs don’t enroll. If you’re a senior and you need help figuring out the new Medicare drug program, call 1 -800- 633-4227 or visit www.medicare.gov. Judge Greg Mathis is chairman of the Rainbow PUSH-Excel Board and a na tional board member o f the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Reality for Too Many People Nearly a half million people turn to Food Bank B y R achel B ristol J ohnson KEEPTHE P. ir r 4 f* LD AIDS DA 5: AA É LA R E FREE 7:30 PM *4 f ¡ I and R on As we have all seen in the past weeks, poverty is often invisible until a catastrophe exposes it for the world to see. Yet poverty and hunger are realities every single day for too many people in our state. In the Portland area alone, an estim ated 540,000 people turned to the Oregon Food B ank’s Port land M etro Services for food as sistance last year. The Food B ank’s just-released statistics on “The State o f H un ger’’ in O regon show that more than 2.2 million people in Oregon or approxim ately one in five resi dents ate meals from em ergency food boxes last year - and that Oregon rem ains am ong the 10 hungriest states in the nation. These statistics make it clear that much work rem ains to be done to help the n eediest O regonians among us. The good news is that Oregon Food Bank, with the generous help individuals and businesses in this com m unity, continues to diligently do everything it can to help meet local needs. But with the costs o f basic needs in O r e g o n — s u c h as h o u s in g , childcare, m edical bills and pre scription costs — continuing to rise while federal dollars allocated for food stam ps decrease, they need your help more than ever. We urge you to please contact O regon Food B ank’s Portland M etro Services at 503-282-0555 or w w w .oregonfoodbank.org to learn more about the ways you can help the m ost vulnerable m em bers of our com m unity, such as: D onate M oney: The Oregon Food Bank can m ultiply every dollar donated by recovering and distributing food. Your donation can also help fund program s that address the root causes o f hun ger. Lend a Hand: W hether you can help assem ble em ergency food boxes, transport food to those who need it, or sort and pack donated food, volunteers are al ways needed. Pull T ogether aT eam : Get oth Cl,r Jlortlanb (©bseruer Established 1970 USPS 9 59-680 _____ _______________________________ 4 7 4 7 NE Martin Luthe r King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211 Charles H. Washington E ditor M ichael L eighton D istribution M anager .' M ark W ashington C reative D irector : Paul N eufeldt O ffice M anager : K athy L inder ers involved to help stop hunger in Oregon. Ask your com pany for support through sponsorships or a gift-matching program. Consider starting an annual food drive am ong m em bers o f your fam ily, com m unity, faith group or co workers. Make Your Voice Heard: C on tact your local and federal repre sentatives to express your sup port for federal program s that make a big difference in the fight against hunger. It’s an im portant way to help ensure that the needi est am ong us have a voice. We shouldn't w ait for a disas ter to hit the N orthw est before we take local action; poverty and hunger are realities every single day for too many people in our state. We urge all M ultnom ah County residents to take action today, because no one should be hungry. Rachel Bristol is the execu tive director o f the Oregon Food Bank and Ron Johnson is chair man o f the organization’s board o f directors and vice president of Portland General Electric. Send address changes to Portland Observer, PO Box 3 1 3 7 , Portland, OB 9 7 2 0 8 Subscription« are $60.00 per year E ditor -I n -C hief . P ublisher : ¿ST TICKETS BY RHONE FROM TICKETS WE ST IN PORTLAND J O J -2 1 4 -T IX X (8499), OUTSIDE OF PORTLAND 8 0 0 -9 V 2 T IX X OR ON LIN E ATWWW.TICKETSWEST.COM. FOR SPECIAL TICKETS TO THE EXCLUSIVE PRE-DANCE CONCERT DINNERS* AUCTION PLEASE CALL S O 3 -2 8 4 - U S S O R VISIT US ONLINE. SEATING IS LIMITED. 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