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Opinion articles do not
necessarily reflect or represent the
views o f The Portland Observer
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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.
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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."