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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 2007)
Cl'l,|jn rtla n ò ©bseruer Page A4 lanuaiy 17, 2007 Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer O pinion NWStCtfME*» POHGHMBNT Zt? I f Y o V re AV/AR. ckvaì HAC >4Ht> KBOO Strives to be Welcoming KBOO 90.7FM is a community radio station that relies on hun dreds and hundreds of volunteers who do everything from music DJ’ing to news production to training other volunteers and more. In our rich and vibrant community, disputes arise between individuals, and we take them very seriously, particularly if any form of harassment may be involved. Tyrone Hines recently made such a complaint. I found Mr. Hines to be a very pleasant and reasonable person. One challenge in interpersonal disputes is that two reasonable, thoughtful people may have different interpretations of the same incident, and that was our finding in this case. People like Mr. Hines are the lifeblood of our station, and I am truly sorry that he felt unheard or disrespected. With the help of a KBOO board member, I spent many hours working on the complaint, and we did follow up fully with both parties. One important correction io your story (Portland Observer, Jan. 3 issue) is that Mr. Hines did not claim sexual harassment by the “volunteer coordinator” as stated in the photo caption. Our Volun- teerCoordinator is a full-time professional staff member and she had no role in Mr. Hines’ grievance. The complaint was against a volunteer who is no, an employee. Whatever may happen with Mr. Hines, we feel it is most important to make sure each and every reader of The Portland Observer knows that we strive to make KBOO a welcoming, vibrant, multi-cultural organization, and our doors are open to everyone, regardless of race, gender or creed. We host monthly volunteer orientations and ongoing training in engineering, news and public affairs production, all free of charge. 1 ^ YOURE AWARCfclMhKL BUT A OME O f I f Y oorh ah A merican W CRÏMlHAô— t ' 'WÎBUNAl-ÿ* t y .¿fair, râvkeyi- ¿/E.'S I NL—?/- I I ¿7 w e THE 4(oST VioieVT ¿NP HMMiuATiHff PÖdX V . z Y^U-WE IA' ì S hìn © ' lb DÎE 1 DÎ g HÎT y Arthur W. Davis KBOO Station Manager Are Your Investments Adequate to Help You Meet Your Childrens Education Needs? M aking the G rade : A Step-by-Step Guide to Education Funding Learn How To: • Estimate Educational Expenses • Plan A Strategy Based On Expected Cost and Time Frames • Weigh The Various Savings Alternatives, Including Education Savings Accounts, Section 529 Savings Plans and More Hosted by: Hakim Jones, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning Associate Guest Speaker: Hakim Jones January 19,2007 @ 6:00 p.m. Seminar location: Sabin Elementary Auditorium, 4013 NE 18"'Ave., Portland RSVP: Hakim Jones @(503) 221-7600 This is a free seminar, with limited seating. Reserve your place today. B2B's Ujima Esh<? and A6 (African American AIDS Awareness Action Alliance) present: Bringing Fairness to Justice System Conyers goes after mandatory minimum sentences by J udge G reg M athis The House Judiciary Committee, underthe di rection o f Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich„ will soon begin hearings on the controversial manda tory minimum sentenc ing laws. Up first: a review of the sentenc ing disparities in cases involving crack and powder cocaine. In Conyers'40 plus years in Con gress, he has supported legislation to protect and advance civil liber ties, ensure equal protection and access to the voting booth and protect women from violence. Conyers is one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black C au cu s, sta rte d in 1969 to strengthen African-American law makers' ability to address the con cerns of black and minority citi zens. Conyers' commitment to social justice is a welcome and much- needed addition to the justice sys tem. The leadership of Conyers should pu, a new face - one that is fair and balanced - on the American justice system. At the height of America’s ‘war on drugs' mandatory minimum sen tencing laws were put in place to punish dealers. They require judges to hand down se, sentences to in dividuals convicted of a crime, re gardless of extenuating circum stances - Was the individual co erced? Do they have any previous convictions? A ccording to the Drug Policy Alliance, m andatory sen dangers o f crack or pow dered tencing failsto d eter crime cocaine. There is, how ever, a dif an d , as o rig in a lly in ference in the type o f user that tended, do not punish big- favors the tw o drugs: because of tim es d e a le rs. Instead, its much low er street price, crack m a n d a to ry m in im u m s is associated with poor, minority .have sent record numbers and urban users, while pow der o f people o f color and cocaine tends to be favored by women - an overw helm ing num more affluent users. N o n v io len t drug o ffe n d e rs ber of them addicted to drugs - to jail, many of them for life, despite would be better served by a drug the nonviolent nature o f many of treatment facility but are, instead, sentenced to long sentences - over theircrim es. crowding prisons and running up a The laws have been especially The laws have been especially detrimental to black women. detrimental to black women. If prison expense tab that is now in caught acting as a courier for her the billions. Conyers has long been a critic of drug dealer boyfriend, a woman would receive the same, stiff sen mandatory minimumsand believes tence she would had she actually that no distinction should be made sold the drug. As a result, the num between crack and powder cocaine ber of black women in America’s during sentencing. We only have prisons has skyrocketed over the to look at Congressman Conyers’ track record to know that the up last 10 years. When the penalties for drug coming hearings will go beyond possession were set, the punish the surface and dive deeply into the ment for crack was set higher be issues, an important first step to cause lawmakers believed crack wards change. Judge Greg Mathis is national was a more dangerous drug - and associated with more violent be vice president o f Rainbow PUSH havior - than pow dered cocaine. and a national board member o f Research has shown that there is the Southern Christian Leadership no real difference in the potential Conference. Hey, the Rich Have Problems Too by J im Promoting Life and Health In the Black Community January 2 0 -2 1 ,2 0 0 7 FREE: CommUMTV Health TalkBack; Health Screenings; Teen Summit; Arts 6 Crafts food, Entertainment, Education!!! Community Resources!!!! Saturday Jan. 2 0 ,10:30am-3:30pm PCC (Cascade) - Student Center Building HIU/HIDS ministries Outreach Sunday Jan. 21 For more information call (503) 417-7991 EaM Weekend h an event o f Brother To Brother s Ip m a Edw? program and n sponwored hv The Afncan American A ID S Awareness Action Alliance <A6> The Portland Chapter o f L IN K S , Inc . Self Enhancement. Inc Br«aher To Brother. Inc . Collective Care Services Inc Multnomah County Health Department. O ffice o f WQomen's Health. Oregon DHS H IV /S T D /T B D im «on. Oregon O ffice of M ulticultural Health. The Bridge Builders. Inc Portland Community College (Cascade). The I'rh an league of Portland, Inc and Gilead Sciences. H ightower Forget about fishes and loaves for the masses - what about caviar for the 'Forbes' rejectees? As anyone who has read the New Testam ent knows, Jesus spent most of his life among the po o r and the shunned, rather than hanging out billion dollars just to be num ber with the rich. Indeed, he frequently blasted the 400 on the list. Sure, such ultra- avarice of the wealthy elites of his riehiesas Bill Gates, Michael Dell, day, even declaring that, "it is easier and all five W al-M art heirs easily for a camel to go through the eye of acquired “ Forbes" status, hut a needle than fora rich man to enter what about Maftha Stewart, Steve Case, and others whose incomes into the kingdom of God." But, gosh, if Jesus visited our fell short this time and were un country today, surely he would feel cerem oniously dropped from the the pain o f the modern rich - list? Forget about fishes and loaves wouldn't he? for the masses - what about caviar For example, consider the tragic for the “Forbes" rejectees? agony of "wealth status." let's take Also, wha, many of us ordinary the case of some swell who’s sitting riff-raff fail to understand is that on $999.999.999. Are you aware that while the rich have so much money, this poor wretch does not even it costs them a bundle to live. make the “Forbes” list of America's Were you aware, for example, 400 richest people!?! that there was a 10 percent hike las, In this year's ranking, it took a I year in the price of a Sikorsky s-76c helicopter with VIP options? No, I dare say you were not. Also, the price of six-passenger Fear jets is by up to $350,000 this year - and you don't even wan, to know about the c o st o f h o u sin g in the Hampton’s! Yes, while Jesus focused on the ptxirand the wretched, he also kept a wary eye on those who chose to serve mammon. And so should we. Blessed are the rich, for they will inherit the fate they so richly de serve. Jim Hightower is the best-sell ing author o f "Thieves in High Places: They've Staten Our Coun try and It 's Time to Take it Hack."