ílíe^ I o r tla n ó (íDbseruer
Page A4
March 22. 2006
Opinion articles do not
necessarily reflect or represent the
views o f The Portland Observer
O pinion
Rebuilding New Orleans - No Red-Lining Please
Plans reminiscent
of uglier time
in America
M aim H. M orial
Nearly six m onths after the rav­
age of Hurricane Katrina, a new plan
has been proposed to rebuild New
O rleans that could shake the foun­
dation o f the basic rights to prop­
erty and freedom o f choice we
Am ericans hold dear. And it's hap­
pening as we speak.
The "Bring New Orleans Back Com m is­
sion” recently unveiled a plan that was not
only an affront to Katrina victims, but
sm acked of the exclusion, division and
social engineering practices reminiscent
o f an earlier, uglier tim e in this nation’s
history.
The proposal identified "certain neigh­
borhoods” for redevelopm ent and recom ­
mended the dem olition o f many o f the
city 's most racially diverse ones. Resi­
dents from areas like the Ninth W ard, New
by
O rleans East, and Lakeview would not be
perm itted to move back for at least four
m onths and would have to prove why their
neighborhtxxis should not be bulldozed.
These same neighborhoods represent al­
most tw o-thirds o f the city
and m ore than h alf its
homeowners. To add in­
sult to injury, the plan pro-
posedabu.id
or marshal the necessary support and re­
sources o f the federal governm ent to re­
build the city in earnest. T his lethargy has
caused some to ask if Am erica should
even invest in rebuilding New O rleans?
The answ er must be yes.
First, we must recognize that Katrina
was an equal opportunity destroyer. It
devastated the lives and hom es o f the rich
rebuilding plan should
write off, select out or rediine
any neighborhood.
v
°
in s m o ra to -
ing
riu m
th a t
w ould prohibit returnees from obtaining
city perm its for their contractors even if
they chose to rebuild and not sell their
property to the city.
The com m ission’s plan am ounts to a
m assive, red-lining schem e and a giant
land grab for real estate developers. M ore­
over, it has once again called into question
the ability o f local leadership to d em on­
strate any ability to unify the com m unity
and poor, black and white, the "haves”
and the "havenots". O ur nation’s core
values dem and that K atrina's victims have
the right to return, rebuild and recover.
And our nation’s history has reaffirm ed
that right, in every century, again and
again.
In the 19th century, the great city o f
C hicago was devastated by fire. Three
hundred people lost their lives, and 90,000
people were left homeless. Yet, Chicago
stands today as one o f the nation’s great
ce n te rs o f co m m erce, cu ltu re, m u lti­
culturalism and diversity.
In the 20th century, San Francisco was
ravaged by a great earthquake. It killed
more than 700 citizens and caused more
than $400 million in dam age. However,
today San Francisco is one of the nation
and w orld’s great cultural and financial
centers.
In 2001, New York City, was struck by a
terrorist attack w hich left nearly 3,000
people o f all races, creeds and colors dead,
and destroyed tw o great tow ers which
were sym bols o f A m erican strength and
com m erce. Yet, New York City is now
experiencing a strong econom ic rebound.
All o f these cities have risen from the
ashes. T h ey ’ve com e back from great d i­
sasters.
But, will New O rleans stand alongside
San Francisco, C hicago and New York as
a city that experiences a great rebound?
Am erica must com m it to invest its muscle,
its might and its will in the rebuilding of this
community.
P eople m ust have the right to return.
N o reb u ild in g plan sh o u ld w rite o ff,
select out o r red lin e any neig h b o rh o o d .
R etu rn ees need a " 9 /1 1 ” - like v ic tim ’s
co m p en satio n fund and fair rep ay m en t
at up to 120 p ercen t o f th eir hom e equity
for p roperty.
The federal governm ent should sup­
port the building o f a C ategory 5 levee and
flixxl protection system with coastal ero­
sion protections. W e could pay for this
system with some o f the $6 billion dollars
earned annually from oil and gas leases
lo cated alo n g L o u is ia n a 's co a stlin e.
Katrina survivors must retain their right to
vote and have the first opportunities to
work in the region. And finally, a memorial
to the 1,000 victim s w ho died m ust be
created to honor them.
The images and reality o f Katrina struck
this nation. It changed our lives, and it
changed the course o f events in our life­
time. New O rleans and the region need to
be rebuilt, but any plan m ust include ev ­
eryone.
Marc H. Mortal is president and chief
executive officer o f National Urban
League and former Mayor o f New Or­
leans.
MMMMI
Energizing our Social Justice Movement
ing for that very thing.
The "O ur Right to Return and
Rebuild” march and rally is d e­
signed to respond to the tw o trag­
edies that traumatized
by J udge G reg M athis
so m a n y p e o p le ,
many o f them black:
In the hours, days, weeks
and m onths follow ing H ur­
Hurricane Katrina it­
ricane Katrina, countless
s e lf
an d
th e
people showed their sup­
governm ent’s inabil­
port for the storm ’s victims
ity to respond to the
by making financial contri­
needs o f those a f­
butions. The services the
fected.
money funded were and are still
In the afterm ath o f Hurricane
very much needed.
Katrina, the federal government was
However, more than six months slow to send aid to the hardest hit
after the worst natural disaster in areas, slow to rescue survivors
Am erican history, the residents of trapped in the heavily flooded city
New O rleans also need a push for and slow to find suitable shelter for
social justice. On April I “, Rainbow those lucky enough to evacuate
PUSH will be in New O rleans, call­ the city before the storm hit.
Supporting
Rainbow/Push
people o f color. A m ericans, A fri­
can-A m ericans in particular, can­
not allow this blatant disregard for
hum an life to persist.
The Katrina tragedy has been
com pared to “Bloody Sunday.” On
Sunday. March 7,1965, civil rights
m archers, looking to bring atten­
tion to voting rights violations,
began a peaceful m arch out o f
vides stable housing for evacuees, Selm a, Ala. They only m ade it six
many of themelderlyorill, and they’ve b lo ck s, to the E dm und P ettu s
yet to ensure adequate funding for Bridge. There, police officers at­
the rebuilding process. Katrina has tacked them with tear gas and billy
b een lo n g g o n e , b u t the clubs; several m archers w ere in­
government ’ s incompetence contin­ jured. The assault was filmed by a
ues to victimize thousands of people. news crew and televised for the
The Katrina tragedy has shown entire nation to see. A m ericans saw
the country - and the world -th e firsthand the type o f brutality and
way this governm ent discounts the victim ization black citizens en ­
lives o f the poor and the lives of dured.
Katrina has been long gone,
but the government's
incompetence continues to
victimize thousands o f people.^
U n fo rtu n a te ly , th e g o v e r n ­
m ent’s efforts h av en 't improved
with time. Recently, the federal
government cut off temporary hous­
ing to thousands of Katrina evacu­
ees. Yet, several thousand trailer
homes, caught up in governm ent
red tape and bureaucracy, are sit­
ting unused.
Government officials have Io yet
to reveal a long-term plan that pro­
Support for the civil rights m ove­
m ent grew after "B loody Sunday.”
H u rric a n e
K a tr in a is th is
g en e ratio n ’s “ B loody S u n d ay .”
W e m ust now begin to put our
voices and our m oney behind the
energized social justice movement.
As National V ice President of
Rainbow PUSH, 1 urge you to sup­
port our efforts, beginning with the
New O rleans march.
T o learn about other ways you
can help advance the movem ent,
call PUSH at 866-559-4004 or visit
w w w . h ttp ://w w w .re tu rn -a n d -
rebuild.org/index.htm .
Judge Greg Mathis is national
vice president o f Rainbow PUSH
and a national board member o f
the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference.
NMMMMMW
Youth Services Model For All
dro p p ed m ore than 4 0 percent,
w ith additional cu ts b eing c o n ­
sidered for n ext y ea r - a reckless
budgetary d ecim atio n o f the p ro ­
gram s and services that help keep
ch ild ren out o f tro u b le an d on the
rig h t p ath . If w e k n o w w h at
w orks, how can w e allow the
g o vernm ent to ignore the im m e­
diate needs o f ch ild ren , p articu ­
sc h o o l and su m m er program s, larly poor and m inority ch ild ren ?
E lim in a tin g y o u th se rv ic e s
as w ell as jo b s. T hese are am ong
the right preventive investm ents con d em n s us to m uch m ore pain
in the long run in term s o f o u r
in o u r n atio n ’s youth.
' Since 2001, how ever, the Bush crim inal ju stic e sy stem , in c ar­
ad m in istra tio n has p ro p o sed a ceration and oth er public costs.
red u c tio n in funds o f nearly 66 C o n serv ativ e estim ates p lace the
p erc en t fo r federal y outh p re ­ total savings o fd iv ertin g on e child
v e n tio n an d in te rv e n tio n p r o ­ from a lifetim e o f crim e at about
g r a m s . A c tu a l f u n d in g h a s $1.5 m illion. M ost im portantly.
M arian W right E dei . man
• T he crim inalization o f ourchil-
d ren has reach ed a d an g ero u s
In crease.
R esearchers and practitioners
p re fe r m entoring, tutoring, gang
p revention, substance abuse pro ­
g ram s, dropout reduction, c o m ­
m u n ity service, nurse visitation
in itia tiv e s , a n d q u a lity a f te r ­
by
that ch ild has the o p p o rtu n ity to
su cceed in life - an o p p ortunity
that is each p e rso n 's G od -g iv en
right.
T h ere are m odels fo r how we
can help m ore o f o u r-n a tio n ’s
Missouri breaks juvenile lockup trap
d iv isio n ’s recen tly retired d irec­
tor, w ith b u ild in g an d sustaining
the c o u n try ’s fin est state ju v e n ile
co rrectio n s system . D ub b ed the
“ M issouri m o d el” by reform ers
in o th e r states, it em p h asizes re-
c o u n se lo rs.
W hen a young person co m ­
m its a crim e, ju d g e s generally
reserve co m m itm en t to a D iv i­
sion o f Y outh S ervices resid e n ­
tial facility for o nly the toughest
-------- o f cases - ab o u t 1,300
ea ch y ea r. F o r m o st
youths, “aftercare” c o n ­
sists o f a p ro lo n g ed rela­
tio n sh ip w ith a case m an ­
ager. M any y o u th s are
also assig n ed a “track er”
- often college students,
— ® o r so m etim es resid en ts
* 'If we know what works,
how can we allow the
government to ignore the
immediate needs o f children
ch ild ren . T he state o f M isso u ri’s
ap p ro ach is one. E xperts praise
M is so u ri’s D iv isio n o f Y outh
Services as a “guiding light.” They
c r e d i t M a rk S te w a r d , th e
h abilitating you n g offen d ers in
hom ey, sm all-g ro u p settings that
incorporate co n stan t therapy and
positive peer pressu re u nder the
direct gu id an ce o f w ell-trained
hours, and th ese facilities o ffe r a
w ay station for teen s afte r leav­
ing a resid en tial facility.
H ow d o w e know M is so u ri's
ap p ro ach is w o rk in g ? A lo n g ­
term rec id iv ism stu d y sh o w ed
th at o n ly 8 p erc en t o f y o u th s
released in 1999 w ere in carcer­
ated in y outh o r adult co rrectio n s
three years later. A n o th er 19 p er­
cen t w ere sen ten ced to adult pro­
bation. T h is m eans that nearly
th re e -fo u rth s o f th e s e y o u th s
avo id ed prison or p robation for
at least three years. C o m p ara­
tively, M isso u ri’s results are re­
m arkable.
o f the y o u th ’s hom e co m m u n ity
- w h o m o n ito r th eir p ro g ress.
Marian Wright Edelman is
M issouri also o p erates 11 non-
president
and fo u n d er o f the
residential “day treatm en t” c e n ­
ters y e a r-ro u n d d u rin g sch o o l Children's Defense Fund.
Letter to the Editor
OFF
TAX PREPARATION
RAPID REFUND
■ JflCKSOH HEWITT
MS'
*
u
m
w
i
TAX SERVICE
Insist on Exit Plan
W hile attem pting to improve his ever-dim inishing
poll ratings and distract the American public into
thinking we still need to be in Iraq, the president
is found once again relying on the doctrine of
staging pre-emptive attacks.
Instead of using such Orwellian inspired tac­
tics (e.g„ never-ending war) for his public rela-
tions campaign, the president needs to come up
with an exit strategy with a timeline to bring our
troops home. Congress, on both sides of the
aisle, has an important responsibility to stand up
to the president and insist on an exit strategy,
which will stop the Iraqi insurgency that is fueled
by the presence of our troops.
Ty L. Brubaker
Southwest Portland
il,r Jlortlanb (Observer Established 1970
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