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Page A4
March 7, 2007
Opinion articles do not
necessarily reflect or represent the
views o f The Portland Observer
O pinion
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W akeup Call
I have just read the Feb. 7 edition
and with special attention to the
" America'sCradle-to-Prison Pipe
line” opinion by Marian Wright
Edlelman. It must be viewed as a
wakeup cal I!
In talking about the criminal
ization of poor and minority chil
dren who enter America’s “Cradle
to Prison Pipeline" Edleman is re
ally talking about any family with a
family income o f $100,000or less.
Take the Duke University sex
scandal. If those young men had
been from mostly poorfamilies, they
would have been "railroaded" into
prison and their families would have
lost their homes in the defense of
their sons.
Troop Support
Stickingayellow magneton your
car or wearing a Nazi/Communist-
like flag lapel pin is not ‘supporting
the troops.’
I was drafted and served over
seas during Vietnam. Supporting
the troops means protecting them
from being sent intoacivil warinad-
equately equipped and under-pre
pared. It also means impeaching
George Bush J r. and Richard Cheney
for lying the U.S. into wars.
I
For all for the ambition o f a
District Attorney to keep its job,
when it is over, not much w ill hap
pen to the DA. And the rich fami
lies will be out a lot of money.
When the same or similar thing
happens to the rest of us, we are
left in poverty. The criminal justice
system is not about justice it is
about money.
Many businesses have found
it to be very good business to
have their production plants lo
cated in the prisons. An English-
speaking work force in a controlled
place. In addition, they can say,
"Made in America". This will lead
many of us to be victimized by the
"Prison Industrial Complex".
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John Sweertey
Southeast Portland
It is outrageous that Republi
cans label any plans to provide
soldiers with proper equipment
and training “anti-troop". It is
the Republicans who have re
peatedly sent our armed forces
in to c o n flic t in a d e q u a te ly
equipped and under-prepared.
Then when these same troops
re tu rn hom e the VA is
underfunded so that there can be
massive tax cuts for the top 1
percent of the population.
C. Currey, Southwest Portland
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Ending Homelessness in America
We can’t forget those living on the streets
For the last several years, the
black empowerment movement has
focused on closing the education
and income gaps; we want to level refuge in shelters and on the streets,
the playing field, so to speak, so our often with their children in tow.
people are better able to reach for Men returning home from prison,
and grab that elusive “American cut off from their families for years,
dream.” This is an honorable goal often find themselves without hous
and the work must continue. How ing.
A ccording to the U.S. C onfer
ever, we can’t forget those indi
viduals and, often, families, living ence o f M ayors, about 16 percent
on the streets and in shelters, in o f hom eless people are consid
unthinkable conditions, in cities ered m entally ill; 26 percent are
substance abusers, 13 percent are
across this country.
A large p e rc e n ta g e o f the em ployed and 9 percent are vet-
nation’s homeless are African-
American. As our people collec
tively strive towards a middle class
life and all the benefits it provides,
we must remember and support
those ofour people who don’t have
.
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access to a basic life necessity: O W e i t tO ttlP Ill tO
shelter.
New data released by the De erans.
America, often well-regarded
partment of Housing and Urban
Development revealed that more overseas for its wealth, has histori
than 7(M),(MX) people sought shelter cally ignored and discarded its most
at least once during a three-month vulnerable citizens; these numbers
period in 2(X)5. Nearly half of these are a clear example of that.
If service providers, community
people were black. One third of
them were families,with children. leaders and most importantly, the
Since the data only counted those government, work together, these
seeking shelter and not those liv numbers can be reduced. By pro
ing on the streets, the number of viding supportive housing services
homeless people in this country, - that provide counseling, life skills
and the number of black homeless training and other services - for
in particular, could be much higher. abused women, recently released
Many homeless women are vic inmates and drug-addicted indi
tims of domestic violence: having viduals, we can begin to tackle this
no safe space to run to, they seek issue.
Prevention strategies, including
a c o m p re h e n siv e , u n iv e rsa l
healthcare system, one that covers
the treatment of mental illnesses,
will also help reduce the homeless
population. The creation ofjobtrain-
centers and
affordable hous
ing units in urban
a re a s - w here
p o v e rty
and
homelessness go hand in hand - is
yet another way to address the
issue. O f course, all of this would
require a long-term financial com
mitment from the U.S. government.
The powers that be would have
to rethink the country’s spending
Many o f these men, Women
and children are our people; we
NEW S E A S O N S
M A R K E T
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priorities - less on war, more on
education, housing, social services
and urban development.
As individuals, we too can and
should rethink our priorities and
play ap art. You can support your
church’s em ergency shelter, if
they have one. If they do n ’t, re
search local organizations in your
area that support and em pow er
the homeless. G o one step further
and write your local legislators,
urging them to support programs
that will help break the cycle of
hom elessness. M any o f these
men, women and children are our
people; we owe it to them to get
involved.
Judge Greg Mathis is national
vice president o f Rainbow PUSH
and a national board member o f
the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference.
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N O W D E L IV E R IN G
Y o u r fa v o r ite n e ig h b o r h o o d g r o c e r y s to r e n o w d e liv e r s
g r o c e r ie s r ig h t to y o u r h o m e o r o ffic e .
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w w w .n e w s e a s o n s m a r k e t.c o m
you click, we deliver, (or pull up for pick up)
Long Past Time to Recall Troops
Time for an exit
strategy
like Chuck Hagel saying it’s time to
bring our troops home. Now is the
time to put aside any kind of
differences we may have had in
by S tate R ep . C hip
the run-up to the war. If s time to
S hields
stand up for ourtroops. If s time
Sen. Avel Gordly,
to stand up for their families,
Rep. Diane Rosenbaum
and say there is a way to bring
and several of my col
ourtroops hom e... and the time
leagues in the Oregon
to do it is now.
Legislature filed House Joint Me
Last session, I remember hoping
morial 9 urging Congress to op with all my heart that another reso
pose the president’s plan to send lution this session w ouldn't be
even more troops to Iraq. It also necessary because the war would
urges the Congress and president be over. I regret today that is not the
to develop an exit strategy from case. We the co-sponsors felt this
Iraq and begin troop redeployment was an important dialogue to have
no later than August 2007. W e’re in the Legislative Assembly.
calling it the Oregon Homeward
The message from America in
Bound Act of 2007.
the last election was clear that we
This memorial, like asimilarone cannot afford, in either blood or
we introduced in the 2(X)5 session, treasure, to provide security for
was intentionally crafted to avoid Iraq forever.
partisan finger-pointing and recrimi
You can help by calling your
nations in the hopes of gathering legislator and urging them to vote
bipartisan support. I am happy to yes on House Joint Memorial 9, the
report that this effort has paid off. Oregon Homeward Bound Act of
Rep. Brian Boquist, a Yamhill 2(X)7. The Legislature's number is
County Republican and I reached a I-8OO-332-2313.
com prom ise on resolution lan
Enough is Enough. It’s time to
guage. He has agreed to sign on in bring our troops home.
support.
Chip Shield is a Democrat rep
At the national level, we see resenting north and northeast
courageous Republican senators Portland in Salem.