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Page A4
|uly 26. 2006
O pinion
Opinion articles do not
necessarily reflect or represent the
views o f The Portland Observer
Plight of Black Americans is No Joke
Bill Cosby doesn't wholly
understand leadership
by Phillip Jackson
Bill C osby’s remarks at the
2006 Spelman College gradua­
tion were widely reported but
not challenged in the media. In
short, Mr. Cosby wrongly told
the 500-plus female graduates
that it was “their turn” to save
the black com m unity in the
United States and that black
men were incapable of doing
this.
He said to the women gradu­
ates, "It's your turn. We want
you to lead in business. We
tElir
i
Apparently, Mr. Cosby doesn't
realize that only black men, with
the help o f black women and the
government o f the United States,
can solve the problems in the black
community.
want you to lead in
m e d ic in e .
We
want you to lead in
ev e ry th in g .” He
anchored his com ­
ments around the
m isstatement that
most black men are in jail. While
I agree with Mr. Cosby that too
many black men are in jail, a
more accurate representation
o f this num ber is between seven solutions for solving problems, unenviable task o f saving the behind— a dead weight on their
such as rebuilding family struc­ black co m m u n ity by th em ­ com m unity. A pparently, Mr.
and eight percent.
His solution o f women taking ture, economically revitalizing selv es, becau se they c a n 't. Cosby doesn’t realize that only
control over time will only in- com m unities and taking control Im proving and em pow ering black men, with the help of black
^Jnrtlanh (Observer Established 1970
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crease suffering, pain and divi­ o f the educational process of black w om en is inarguably a
siveness. Mr. Cosby should have our children in the home.
good thing, but it does not fix
re c o m m e n d e d
re ­
M r. C o sb y is w ro n g to the problem s that are plaguing
sea rch -b a sed , viable saddle black w om en w ith the the com m unity.
In fact, C o sb y 's
p ro p o sa l th at we
should give up on
black men and con­
centrate our efforts
and our resources on
black wom en will
exacerbate the prob­
lem . It lo w e rs
so c ie ty ’s ex pecta-
Jk tions for black men,
® leaving them further
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women and the government of
the United States, can solve the
problems in the black com m u­
nity.
I am, like Mr. Cosby, terribly
frustrated with the lack o f posi­
tive and productive leadership
by black men, but the solution is
not to destroy, ignore or wrestle
leadership from all black male
leaders. The solution is to find or
support new black leaders, men
and women who will do the real
work of saving our race from
a n n ih ila tio n . T e llin g b lack
wom en “ It’s your turn” is no
solution.
Phillip Jackson is executive
director o f The Black Star
Project, based in Chicago, III.
Wonder Why We Don’t Vote Republican
legislation sinee Reconstruction.
Politically, the GOP handling
of the renewal provided a signifi­
cant impediment for black Re­
publicans seeking office this year
and sends the message to Afri­
can Americans that
by M ichael K. F auntroy
their votes are wel­
The Republicans' handling
comed, as long as
of the renewal of the Voting
they don’t expect
Rights Act of 1965 repre­
much in return.
sents a unique ineptness that
If this is what
has resulted in their adding
R ep u b lican N a­
yet another brick in the wall
tional Committee
that separates them from
C
h airm an
Ken
African Americans.
M
ehlm
an
has
in
Even though the House
and Senate ultimately voted to mind when he goes to black com­
renew the Act, Republicans dam­ munities saying, “give us aehance
aged their ability to build a seri­ and we'll give you a choice,” then
ous relationship with African heaven help us all.
Along with the controversial
Americans by flirting with the
possibility of killing the most 2000 and 2004 presidential elec­
important piece of civil rights tions that clearly disenfranchised
black voters and the GOP's weak
standing among African Ameri­
cans, the GOP proves, yet again,
that it just doesn't get it with
regard to black voters.
The conservative uprising was
Look at poor
handling of
Voting Rights
W '
«SWf
\/ x \/
Join Mayor Tom Potter
& State Senator Avel Gordly
for the 4th Annual Wellness Within REACH Walk!
Saturday, Aug. 19th at 9:00 AM
in Dawson Park (at N .Vancouver & Stanton)
Music, food, & fun!
$20 registration, children under 10 free!
Contact the AAHC to register
at 503.413.1850 or www.aahc-portland.org
led by a group of Texas Repub­
licans who objected to the con­
tinuance of Section 5 preclearanee
requirements, among other con­
cerns.
These requirem ents, which
have protected minorities from
onerous and unfair electoral ad­
ministration decisions, require
states to win federal approval of
any electoral change before it is
instituted.
The Texans, arguing that the
requirem ent is no longer nec­
essary, wanted the requirem ent
dropped. Their fallback posi­
tion was that if their state should
be subject to this rule, then the
entire nation should as well.
Calling for national coverage
seems reasonable on its face
but, upon further scrutiny, can
only be seen as an effort to
dilute federal protections for
disenfranchised voters who live
in jurisdictions with continuing
histories of shaky electoral ad­
ministration.
Some o f the representatives
who participated in the upris­
ing were clearly delusional about
the reality of voting inequities.
O ne la w m a k e r. R ep. Jo h n
C arter, was quoted in “The
Houston C hronicle,” saying, “ 1
don't think we have racial bias
in Texas anym ore.” Rep. Henry
Bonilla said, “ It would be dumb
to discrim inate, that is the last
thing anyone is trying to do.”
These assertions fly in the face
of America's recent electoral his­
tory and shows either an arro­
gance or ignorance about how
elections are administered.
If the Republican Party wants
to overcome its low favorability
ratings in the black community,
then responsible party members
in Congress will have to step up
and do the right thing - wrest
control of the party from those
who want to move the country
backward.
Michael K. Fauntroy is the
author o f the upcoming book.
"Afros and Elephants: Republi­
can Party and the Black Vote.
Use DNA to Resolve Old Cases
are sure to be many more Alan
Newton’s out there; they de­
serve a chance to be heard.
A cross
the
country, there are
thousands of de­
fe n d an ts, c o n ­
by Jt dge G reg M athis
victed 20 or so
22 years ago, Alan New­
years ago, fight­
ton was convicted of rape,
ing-just like Alan
robbery and assault. For
N ew ton - for
22 years, he maintained
DNA testing in
his innocence and, as a
th
eir case. The
result, was denied parole.
courts,
in the in­
For nearly 12-years,
Newton fought for DNA testing, terest of true justice, should see
certain it would clear his name. It to it that those requests be hon­
did. And now Alan Newton is free. ored in a timely manner.
Far more often than our crimi­
But he’s lost 22 years of his life -
years that he can't ever get back. nal justice system would like to
While the government can't admit, innocent people are falsely
make up for Newton's lost time, accused and wrongfully con­
it can do right by the thousands victed for crimes they did not
of men and women who have, commit Yet many, including Su­
for years, been rotting in cells preme Court Justice Antonin
around this country, holding on Scalia, would argue that the num­
to their innocence. The criminal ber of false convictions in the
justice system must ensure that nation’s courts is insignificant
DN A testing be made available to when compared to the number
defendants in older cases. There of times the system gets it right.
Innocents are
wrongly
convicted
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But these mistakes cost the
country in more ways than one:
tax dollars are spent to bring the
wrong person to trial, while a
criminal is left free to walk the
streets, threatening our safety.
DNA testing is not a perfect
science. Much is left up to forces
that can’t be controlled. How­
ever, with more and more people
being exonerated by the testing,
the criminal justice system should
make it a priority to use the tech­
nology, whenever possible, in
older cases. If someone was
falsely convicted, the tmth needs
to be brought to light immedi­
ately. Like Alan Newton, those
wrongfully accused men and
women can never get the lost
years back. But, by quickly pro­
viding access to testing, the sys­
tem can ensure that more time
won’t be lost.
Judge Greg Mathis is national
vice president of Rainbow PUSH
and a national board member o f
the Southern Christian Leader­
ship Conference.
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