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O pinion
Opinion articles do not
necessarily reflect or represent the
views o f The Portland Observer
Removed from the Mainstrain
by
J udge G keg M athis
Ten years ago, the federal gov­
ernment committed itself to lifting
women out of poverty and reduc­
ing the number of families depen­
dent on welfare. Over $50 bi 11 ion in
public and private funds have been
invested in programs designed to
prepare low-income women for sus­
tainable employment.
While this push to reform the
public welfare system drew criti­
cism - much of it deserved - many
poor women appear to be doing
better than they were a decade ago.
The same cannot be said for black
men. While the nation was focused
on uplifting poor women, brothers
fell behind.
W e’re familiar with the troubles
that plague our men - lack of jobs.
lure of the street life, a prison indus­
trial complex dedicated to feeding
on our youth - but, according to a
recently released report, black men
are worse off than we previously
thought. The study revealed that
half of all black men living in the
inner city fail to finish high school.
Dropping out, more often than not,
leads to prison - among dropouts
in their late 20s, 34-percent have
spent time in prison. By their mid-
30s, 60-percent of black men who
dropped out of high school have
served time.
The study goes on to list other
heartbreaking facts - record-set-
ting incarceration and high unem­
ployment rates, low high school
completion numbers andeven lower
college graduation figures... the list
March 29. 2006
Don't abandon black men
streets. It’s a dangerous cycle.
This country must begin to in­
vest in black men, the same way it
invested in low-income women. If
black men are to thrive, the govern­
ment must put more money towards
educating our men, rather than in­
carcerating them.
Lawmakers must support train­
ing programs - job and life skills
training - that will provide our men
with the tools they need to become
productive
citizens. Inner city high
many sisters are raising their chil­
schools
should
develop retention
dren alone and, as more black
women realize their "American programs that specifically target
dream" by graduating from college at-risk teens; keeping our boys in
and becoming homeowners, the gap school is the first step to curbing
between our men and our women these disturbing trends. Commu­
will only widen. With fewer posi­ nity organizations should provide
tive male role models to look up to, after-school tutoring and mentoring
our boys will fall victim to the and actively recruit troubled teens
While the nation
was focused on
uplifting poor
women, brothers
fell behind.
goes on and on.
Despite the progress made by
other segments of American soci­
ety, black women included, the black
male reality has become more and
more removed from the reality of
mainstream America. This discon­
nect only serves to damage our
already fragile communities: too
to sign-up. Additionally, the crimi­
nal justice system that appears to
destroy black men must be reformed.
As African-Americans, we have
a duty to our people; when one
o f us is doing w ell, we m ust
reach back and help another.
We m ust begin to take personal
responsibility for the men in our
lives and en sure they stay on
the right track. I t’s going to
take a lot o f w ork to bring black
men back to w here they need -
and d eserv e - to be. But, if we
fully com m it o u rselv es to the
task, we can lift our brothers up.
Judge Greg Mathis is national
vice president o f Rainbow PUSH
and a national board member o f
the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference.
Successful Lives Depend on All the Facts
‘Abstinence
until marriage’
not enough
by
A nn L. H anson
Today in our country and else­
where around the world, many
battles are being waged. There are
battles over terrorism, poverty, im­
perialism, human rights - the list
goes on and on. Many fail to rec­
ognize a battle over what type of
sexuality education should be
taught in public schools. This is­
sue has been around for years - but
its importance has never been
greater.
It is important to differentiate
between what we mean by “per­
sonal values” (often rooted in one's
eral funds, a program
needs to follow very re­
strictive guidelines as to
what can be taught. In­
formation about contra­
ception focuses on fail­
ure rates. No informa­
tion can be shared about
sexual orientation.
As much as many
adults would like to think differ­
ently, many youth are engaging in
sexual activities that result in unin­
tended pregnancies and sexually
transmitted diseases. Reputable
studies show that children receiv­
ing comprehensive sexuality edu­
cation - including abstinence - are
far more likely to protect themselves
from negative consequences when
they become sexually active. And
their attitudes about sexuality will
be far more positive than those who
Adults clinging to a just
■ W f j say no ’ sexuality education
may be putting their
B w r l children at risk.
\
deeply held religious beliefs) and gious or a non-religious group -
"moral values” or “societal values” taught as universal truth. Instead,
that most people share like hon­ commonly held values we hold as a
esty, responsibility, human dignity, society (honesty, responsibility,
selfworth, human dignity, and com­
and compassion.
In a family setting, personal passion) do seem appropriate for
sexual values should be taught. incorporation into public school
However, it is not healthy in our sexuality education.
Over the past ten years, our gov­
democratic society to have the per­
sonal sexual values of any one ernment has spent more than a bil­
group - whether that group is one lion dollars funding “abstinence-
of the many variations of Christian­ only-until-m arriage” sexuality
ity, Judaism, Islam and other reli­ education. In order to receive fed­
Blinded by the Tax ‘Kicker’
State revenue system
needs reform
by S en . A vel G ordi . y
O regon possesses many unique
qualities that are the envy of other states,
but the tax rebate program enacted in
1979 known as “the kicker" is not one of
them. Oregon remains the only state with
such a law on the books.
This law would be more appropriately
nam ed a fte r fu tility ’s n am esake
Sisyphus, who, blinded, spends eternity push­
ing a massive boulder to the top of a mountain
only to have it tumble back to the bottom where
he must star, over again.
Oregon’s unique kicker law requires the state
economist to predict the future within a two
percent margin for error despite the fact that our
unique state revenue system is uniquely un­
predictable. We are blind like Sisyphus.
Oregon’s revenue system is
the most volatile in the nation,
yet the kicker law requires the
state to estimate its future bud­
get as if income tax revenue is
stable enough to be predicted
two years into the future. The
task— like Sisyphus’— is futile.
The kicker law does not re­
liée, actual need, neither at the
time the prediction of tax rev­
enues is made nor at the time the future arrives
and the real numbers become known. By then,
it is too late to adjust budgets.
The “carrot" that has made the kicker law
popular is the promise that taxpayers and cor­
porations might receive a rebate if state rev­
enues exceed Sisyphus' best guess by more
than two percent.
But those rebates cannot be predicted ei­
ther, and the “stick” of budget uncertainty
haunts Oregon like— like Sisyphus' mountain,
unmovable in every sense of the word, impas­
sive in the face of extraordinary human suffer­
ing and in the face of opportunities to invest in
O regon's education continuum: Pre-Kinder­
garten, K-12, community colleges and the uni­
v e rsity system . T he e n tire sy stem is
underinvested.
I urge Oregonians to recognize the structural
barriers to stability and adequacy that O regon's
revenue system and the kicker law impose on
Oregon’seconomic potential and our children’s
futures. We need to work to reform and restruc­
ture our revenue system so that it meets 21“
century needs.
Sen. Avel Gordly represents northeast and
southeast Portland in the Oregon Legislature.
have received education that often
is based on fear and shame.
How can we, as adults, model the
values of honesty, responsibility,
self worth, human dignity, and com­
passion to children if we withhold
information they need in order to
make healthy decisions? Adults
clinging to a ‘just say no’ sexuality
education may be putting their chil­
dren at risk.
What do our children want and
need? The book, Faith Matters,
edited by Rev. Steve Clapp, shares
the results of a study of almost
6,(XX) religious youth representing
a wide range of denominations.
Those youth who had received full
information on the prevention of
pregnancy and sexually transmit­
ted disease were not any morelikely
or less likely than other youth to
have been sexually active - but
none of them reported pregnancy
or a sexually transmitted disease.
Those youth who did not re­
ceive that inform ation were not
as fortunate. The youth in the
study were virtually unanim ous
in saying that they needed more
inform ation on sexuality and that
they yearned for adults in their
lives who could be more open
and honest with them.
As adults who lovechildren, let’s
listen to what they are telling us. It
makes a difference what type of
education they receive. Their lives
may literally depend on it.
Ann L. Hanson is minister fo r
children and fam ilies and human
sexual advocacy in the Witness fo r
Justice and Peace ministry fo r the
United Church o f Christ.
Censure First Step
It’s about time that somebody stepped up and said w hat's right. I,
is not about being popular or worrying about stepping on other
people's toes. It’s about sending a message to President Bush and his
supporters that it is not okay to break the law and continue working like
nothing happened.
A clear message must be sent. Censuring is the first step to sending
that message.
Nathan Wenk
Northwest Portland
War Doctrine Disaster
The Bush doctrine of pre-emptive wars has been a disaster in Iraq—
making America and the world less safe.
Instead of a public relations campaign, the presiden, needs to come
up with an exit strategy with a timeline to bring our troops home.
Unfortunately, U.S. troop presence helps fuel the insurgency. Iraq
will best be able to achieve stability when U.S. troops leave.
Congress has an important responsibility to stand up to the presi­
dent and insist on an exit strategy. Unfortunately the Republicans
ninning Congress w on', stand up to Presiden, Bush.
Matthew Cox
Southeast Portland
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