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lune 27, 2007
O pinion
Opinion articles do not
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views o f The Portland Observer
Candidates Should Address Global Poverty
Raise the issue
to make a
difference
Ji im ; e G keg M athis
The race for the white
house is a crow ded one -
both the D em ocrats and
Republicans have sev
eral ca n d id a tes all o f
w hom jockying for a shot at their
p a rty ’s no m in atio n . In such a
packed field, it is hard to discern
w hat the issues are. W e’ve heard
candidates on both sides discuss
im m igration reform , school im
p ro v em e n t, urban poverty and
more. All are important issues that
should be addressed. O ne hot topic.
by
how ever, has not been top o f mind
with the candidates: global pov-
W ith technology co n
necting the world in ways
most o f us couldn’t im ag
ine ju st a generation ago,
more and more people are
realizing the hardships
that many o f the w orld’s
citizens face on a daily
basis. And many o f us are
realizing that, on a planet full of
riches, such poverty is unaccept
able.
The U.S. has a responsibility to
take the lead on addressing global
poverty. W hat better way to shed
a spotlight on the issue than to use
the highly visible presidential elec
tions as a platform ? U2 singer and
activist Bono and form er Senate
leaders Bill Frist(R -Tenn.)andTom
D aschle (D -S.D .) see the campaign
as a perfect forum for addressing
world poverty. And so should you.
Daschle and Frist have joined
We, as African-Americans, can
take a page from Bono s book and
show' more interest and concern fo r
our ancestral continent.
Bono's O N E cam paign to fight glo
bal poverty and will travel the coun
try to talk with voters and urge them
to focus the 2008 candidates on a
plan that will com bat extrem e pov
erty and disease in the w orld’s
poorest countries.
World’s Poor Won’t All Fit Here
Powerful engines
drive immigration
W illiam A. C ollins
There are several pow erful engines driving
the juggernaut o f increased im m igration: C or
porations, unions, previous im m igrants and
co m p assio n ate ch u rc h es and n o n -çro fits.
These groups are all well organized.
Those opposing increased im m igration are
low-skill workers whose wages are driven down,
high-skill workers who have been replaced by
other cheaper, specially imported high-skill
workers; local officials and institutions left
holding the bag for im m igrant health care and
social services; and arm ies o f ordinary citizens
who feel that Am erica's traditional life and
culture are being underm ined by the current
influx. Not only are these forces w eakly orga
nized, but they are often accused o f bigotry.
Environm ental groups are left on the fence.
They're well aware that im porting destitute
folks from im poverished lands into our w aste
ful A merican culture is a big problem . Such
settlers quickly add to global* w arm ing and
further swell a population that already stresses
our nation's resources. N onetheless, many en
vironm entalists remain silent for fear o f being
labeled racist and o f w atching their organiza
tions' m em bership dwindle.
A m ong the im m igration supporters, corpo
rations naturally crave cheap labor.
Conversely, the unions normally worry about
saving all those jobs and civilized pay scales.
For the older im m igrant com m unity, a pro
im m igration stance is understandable: Let’s
bring over as many kin and com rades as pos
sible. Life is a lot better here, and the more o f us
there are, the more political influence we'll wield.
by
Individuals will be asked to con
tact the presidential candidates and
question them on their plans for
fighting global poverty and dis
ease.
This grassroots cam paign hopes
C om passionate organizations, in turn, see
the painful personal suffering am ong im m i
grants and plead for the governm ent to offer
Christ-like relief: Let's m ake them legal to pur
sue openly their virtuous hard-w orking ways.
W e average citizens favor im m igration for
our own purposes. First, we can get a cheap
hom e health aide for Aunt Edna. Then there's
the guy w ho knocks on our door with a cut rate
for mowing the lawn. Laying the patio com es
cheap too. Some cities w elcom e these workers;
others chafe.
And so with all this (corporate in particular)
political pressure, we may one day actually gel
a new law. The ill-fated proposal by the U.S.
House o f R epresentatives still prom ises to
greatly increase our population. It provides
A m nesty Lite for current illegals, som e 12 m il
lion. In the past, such am nesties have also
spurred a new flood o f undocum ented border
crossers, each hoping to be on U.S. soil when
the next opening com es along.
T he cu rren t stalled bill also w ould create
a “ tem porary w o rk er” program . Folks w ould
be invited to cro ss the b o rd er le g ally —m o
co y o tes n eed ed -to w ork here for tw o years,
and then go hom e. R ight! B ut no m igrant
w orth his h eritag e w ould ev er go back hom e.
H e'd sim ply d isap p ear into a city and becom e
yet an o th er illegal.
Let's also be mindful that the world still has
a couple o f billion poor folk who would prefer
to live here rather than w herever they are now.
W orse luck, they won't all fit. Better, we co n
struct a foreign policy to help them im prove life
at hom e instead o f an im m igration policy that
tem pts them to risk all by trying to com e to the
United States.
William A. Collins is a former state repre
sentative and former mayor o f Norwalk, Conn.
to broaden the presidential debates,
going beyond the urban and do
mestic issues to include global chal
len g es and p o ssib le so lu tio n s.
While many African-American read
ers may not be fam iliar with B ono’s
m usic, his interest and passion for
ending world poverty has reached
alm ost legendary status.
T hrough O N E and other initia
tives, Bono has used music and his
celebrity to discuss AIDS, m alaria
prevention, clean w ater system s
and more in African nations. W e, as
African-Americans, can take a page
from B ono’s book and show more
interest and concern for our ances
tral continent.
W e should be asham ed that
Bono and other w hite celebrities
have m ore passion for and know l
edge o f the birthplace o f our ances
tors than many o f us do. W hile
m ost blacks d o n 't have the wealth
to travel to the ‘m otherland,’ it
d o e sn 't stop us from educating
ourselves about the struggles o f
our brothers and sisters abroad.
Once we ’ re educateli about those
challenges, we can begin to m ake a
difference.
A s c a n d id a te s p ass th ro u g h
your state, raising funds and aw are
ness, organize rallies or letter w rit
ing cam paigns to the media that will
raise the issue and put the candi
date on the hot seat to take a firm
stance. Let them know you will only
vote for a candidate with a com pre
hensive plan to end urban poverty
as well as extrem e global poverty.
T hese elections are being w atched
w orld-w ide; let’s m ake them mean
som ething.
Judge Greg Mathis is national
vice president o f Rainbow PUSH
and a national board member o f
the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference.
Is the NAACP a ‘Dinosaur’?
Making the civil
rights group more
relevant
by W illiam
R eed
T h e v e n e ra b le
N ational A sso cia
tion for the Advance
m ent o f C o lo re d
People is taking it on
the chin nowadays.
The N A A C P's stellar legacy has fallen
on hard times and questions abound if
they can endure. Lack o f money and
that the status quo rem ains.”
Be either they “establishment" back
ers or bashers, neither segm ent is g iv
ing the N A A C P the love it needs. But,
N A A C P Chairm an Julian Bond has
appealed to the public'for help.
In an interview with The Black Press
N ew s Service Bond said the group
has, “asked our regular supporters to
redouble their contributions” and is
“asking anyone who has benefited
from the w ork o f the N A A C P to ‘show
som e love’ by putting a check in the
mail and becom ing a m em ber.”
Bond also said he has “called upon
our board m em bers and SCF T rustees
historical group ceases to exist, it
w ould be a shame.
Core supporters o f the N A A C P will
com e together in D etroit for their 98th
annual convention July 7-12. The
them e is will be "Pow er B eyond M ea
sure" and will include a "funeral" for
the "N -w ord.”
Is the NA ACP still relevant in black
life? U ndoubtedly it is. And, as soon
as it moves away from partisan politics
and back to the basis o f addressing
black and civil rights issues, the more
relevant in black life it will be.
In 1999, the N A A C P introduced the
“ K nock A cross A m erica" cam paign
during w hich its m em bers were asked
to go door to door to get at least 10
neighbors to join. If the N A A C P got 1
m illion new and paying m em bers by
y ear’s end, they’d have a $30 m illion
cash Bow and be able to bring back
w orkers and forcefully get back to the
basis o f their business.
For those con cern ed about this
icon, for a $30 annual fee, they can
receive a bim onthly m agazine on civil
rights and participate in local branch
activities, including elections.
F o r in f o rm a tio n on N A A C P
fu n d ra isin g call toll free, 1-877-
N A ACP98. Or write NA ACP National
H eadquarters 4805 Mt. Hope Drive,
B altim ore,M D 2l215.
If the majority of African Americans sit
on the sidelines while the historical group
ceases to exist, it would be a shame.
membership has resulted in the98-year-
oldorganization reducing staff and shut
ting down regional offices.
The em battled group is out o f favor
with broad segm ents o f black A m eri
cans.
Michel M assie, chairm an o f the
black conservative group Project 21,
claim s the N A ACP is "adinosaur" that
needs to "come to grips with the fact
that A m erica has changed" since
the 1960s civil rights m ovem ent. A
Black N ationalist said on “The Black
list,” “They have truly lost their way
and have failed. They are people who
would go to great lengths to insure
to give or get $15,000 each by the
y ear’s end.” Bond estim ates that the
effort “will put more than $ 1 m illion in
our treasury.”
A cross A m erica there is a dedi
cated group o f faithful that will re
spond to B ond’s plea. They include
annual d u es-p ay in g m em bers and
N A A C P Special C ontributions Fund
Board o f Trustees “R ainm akers” such
as retired C hryslerexecutive Roy Levy
W illiam s, form er D isney executive
R o b ert B illin g slea and A n h eu ser
Busch executive W aym an Smith.
If the m ajority o f African A m eri
cans sit on the sidelines w hile the
William Reed is President and
Chief Executive Officer o f Black Press
International and publisher o f the
“Who’s Who in Black Corporate
America Register. ”
Zt?
NEW SEASO NS
Dignity for All
As communities o f faith, we up
hold the inherent worth, rights and
dignity o f all people. Faith com m uni
ties have a long tradition o f provid
ing hospitality, safe haven and sanc
tuary to those who are threatened
and in fear. We stand in solidarity
with the most vulnerable in our midst,
particularly immigrants whose lives
are being tom apart by raids and
deportations.
In particular, we are united in our
support o f the individuals and fami
lies affected by the ICE raid at the Del
Monte Fresh Fixxls plant on June
12, in north Portland.
W edenouncethisraidandall ICE
actions locally and nationally that
have trampled on the rights of work
ing people. We denounce the tear
ing apart o f parents from their chil
dren. the disruption to the fabric of
ourcom m unities, and the creation of
fear, hate and divisions that such
raids engender. We denounce the
hypocrisy o f a system that relies on
immigrants tobringfixxltoourtables,
yet crim inalizes these men and
women as they simply work to pro
vide for their families.
We are called by our faith to re
spond to these injustices. We cal I for
an immediate moratorium on al I raids
and deportations. We demand that
our legislators propose and enact
real, humane, and just immigration
reform that addresses the economic
causes o f global migration. This re
form must protect the rights of all
workers, uphold families, provide a
fair opportunity to our immigrant
M A R K E T
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 .
! In
•*TJ i
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)
t
brothers and sisters to work and live
am ong us, and provide a path to
citizenship for those who desire it.
Finally, wecall on our spiritual, politi
cal and community leaders to build
bridges o f understanding between
communities and across borders, and
to reject the racism inherent in our
nalion'scurrent immigration policies.
W e wi 11 work together to open our
hearts and our doors to those who
are suffering. Ourfaith and love know
no borders.
A merican Priends Service Com
m itte e ; A u g u s ta na L u th e ra n
Church; Bridgeport United Church
ofC hrist; Church o f St. A nne; David
A. Leslie, executive director, Ecu
menical Ministries o f Oregon; hirst
Unitarian Church; hr. Arm ando
l/ipez, Ascension Catholic Church;
hr. Charles IJenert, S t..A ndrew
Catholic Church; Holy Redeemer
C a th o lic C h u rc h ; A in sw o rth
United Church o f Christ Justice
C o m m issio n ; M eta n o ia P eace
Community; Ascension Catholic
Church Social Action Committee;
St. F rancis o f A ssisi C atholic
Church; Downtown Chapel o f Saint
Vincent de Paul Catholic Parish;
The Rev. Caroline J. I Jtzenberger,
St. M ichael an d A ll Angels Episco
p a l C h u rch ; T he R ev. D a n a
W orsnop, A tk in so n M e m o ria l
Church, I ’nitarian Universalist; The
Rev. D eacon M arla M cG arry-
l/iw ren ce, St. M ichael a n d A ll
A ngels Episcopal Church; The Rev.
John S. Scannell, rector, St. Michael
an d A ll Angels Episcopal; The Rev.
L yn n e S m o u se L opez, pa sto r,
A ins worth Uniled ( hurch o f I hrist.
I