October 3. 2007
PageA2
Rid World of
Nukes, says
Obama
(A P)~ Democrat Barack Obama
called for ridding the world of
nuclear weapons Tuesday.
Obama argued that U.S. policy is
still focused on the defunct Soviet
Union instead of combatting the
nuclear threat from rogue nations
and terrorists. The United States
shouldn't unilaterally disarm, he
said, but it
must work
with other
nations to
phase out
w eapons
and co n ­
trol atomic
material.
"Here's
w hat I'll
as
Sen. Barack Obama say
president:
'America seeks a world in which
there are no nuclear weapons,'"
Obama said.
"The best way to keep America
safe is not to threaten terrorists
with nuclear weapons— it's to keep
nuclear w eapons and nuclear mate­
rials away from terrorists,” the Illi­
nois senator said. Aides said the
process Obama envisions would
take many years, not just a single
presidency.
Obama's address marked the fifth
anniversary of an anti-war rally
where he announced his opposi­
tion to invading Iraq.
photo by
M ark W ashington AT he P ortland O bserver
Bring the Troops Home Rally
Johnny Crawford makes a political statement during Saturday’s march and rally to stop the wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Hundreds of people gathered for the event, sponsored by local peace and justice groups, churches and KBOO Community Radio.
Hill Fires Back on Thomas Book
C liarence
Racial Disparities Doom
City’s Exclusion Zones
THOMAS
Inferior program needs replacement, says mayor
Thom as’ assertions.
"I was truthful. What I described
happened
actually did happen, and
em
p
lo
y
e
e
at
the
(AP)--AnitaHill,
Education
Depart­
what
I’ve
learned is that it’s hap­
whose sexual ha­
pened
to
many
women in the work­
ment
and
the
Equal
rassm en t a lle g a ­
Employment
Oppor­
place,”
Hill
said
in an interview
tio n s
ag ain st
tunity
Commission,
Tuesday
on
ABC’s
“Good Morn­
C larence Thom as
was
a
mediocre
em­
ing
America.”
nearly derailed his
p lo y ee w ho was
She said she believes the work­
S uprem e
C o u rt
used
by
political
place
environment is better now
nomination 16 years
opponents
to
make
for
women,
but added that Tho­
ago, said Tuesday
MY
claims
she
had
been
mas’
approach
"is really so typical
she stood by her
G randfather ' s sexually harassed. of people accused
of wrongdoing.
account of his be­
Powerful
interest
They
trash
their
accusers.”
hav io r, d isp u tin g
groups and “left-
In the 1991 hearings, Thomas
Thom as’ assertion
wing zealots draped adamantly denied Hill’s accusa­
in a new book that
in flowing sancti­ tions that he made inappropriate
the charges were
mony” were out to stop him at all sexual remarks, including refer­
politically motivated.
“I stand by my testimony” at a costs and chose “the age-old blunt ences to pornographic movies.
1991 Senate Judiciary hearing on instrument of accusing a black man Thomas says he did talk about X-
the nomination. Hill wrote in an Op of sexual misconduct," he writes. rated movies while at Yale Law
Ed piece in The New York Times. "I He described Hill as touchy and apt School, adding that so did many
will not stand by silently and allow to overreact and said she com­ other young people in the 1970s.
Hill is now a professor of social
him, in his anger, to reinvent me.” plained to him only about his re­
policy, law and women’s studies
In his book, "My Grandfather’s fusal to promote her.
Hill, who is also black, disputed at Brandeis University.
Son,” Thomas says Hill, his former
Justice says charges were political
I
<'4L)N
New data finds a racial disparity lems by lacking adequate treatment
in how the city excludes people options.
As an alternative to the zones,
from exclusion zones, signaling the
end to a constitutionally question­ Potter and City C om m issioner
able means for barring hundreds of Randy Leonard will co-sponsor a
citizens from their homes and neigh­ resolution calling for increased
funding for programs that have cut
borhoods.
After also determining the Drug recidivism among chronic offend­
and Prostitution Free Zones have ers through access to drug treat­
not been effective in eliminating ment and a reserve of 57 jail beds for
the drug addiction driving these those refusing help.
Portland consultant
crimes, Mayor Tom
Potter allowed the
controversial ordi­
nance to expire.
“ I have c o n ­
clu d ed th at both
p ro g ram s are no
longer serving their
intended purpose
and act only to sup­
press a serious com-
- M ayor T om P otter
m unity pro b lem
rather than solving
it," said Potter, who was police chief John Campbell developed research
during their implementation. “I be- on contract with the mayor’s office
I ieve there are better, more effective that revealed what critics had long
ways to solve drug dealing and suspected - the zones unfairly tar­
prostitution so businesses and geted the poor and minorities -
neighborhoods can be free from especially African Americans.
After four months of indepen­
the toll these crimes take on our
dent analysis, Campbell’s data re­
livability and sense of safety.”
For 15 years, Portland police of­ vealed that African Americans ar­
ficers had used the zones to pro­ rested forexcludablecrimes are more
vide neighborhoods with a tool to like to be excluded than Cauca­
remove drug users and sellers from sians. Forall zones, African Ameri­
high-crime areas. But principal lev­ cans are excluded 68 percent of the
els of government now criticize the time, compared to 54 percent for
laws for not getting at the root Caucasians.
The police had responded to
causes of neighborhood drug prob-
previous suspicions of a disparity
with a number o f changes, includ­
ing this year's development of the
Racial Profiling Committee to iden­
tify policies and practices that lead
to disparate impact on communi­
ties of color and adjustments to the
recruitment and hiring process to
increase the number of minority
officers.
But the recent report issued by
Cam pbell's firm includes a state-
I believe there are
better, more effective ways
to solve drug dealing and
prostitution.
k
ment criticizing these efforts, say­
ing, "The Portland Police Bureau,
institutionally, has seemed incuri­
ous about testing the hypotheses
developed to explain apparent dis­
parities.”
While theexclusion laws had been
popular with some neighborhood
and business groups concerned
withcrime.Potterencouragedamove
forward, saying, “We call on all
Portlanders to work with the Port­
land Police Bureau in developing
problem-solving strategies to stop
street drug dealing and prostitution
in every area of our city."
Anti-Hate Rally to Respond
A series o f ev en ts are u n d er­
way to co u n ter a w eekend g a th ­
ering o f neo-N azi racists to the
Portland area.
“ Hammerskin Nation" hasn't
disclosed w here in town it will
hold its 2()th-annual gathering.
¡Subscribe
!
i
A venue and w ill include p e r­
form an ces by M ic C renshaw
o f H ungry M ob, C ristien Storm
o f the “ If Y ou D o n 't, T hey
W ill” anti-fascist cam paign, and
W a lid a h Im a r is h a o f G o o d
S ista/B ad Sista.
^Jortlanb (Dbseruer
OMr&USend/ ? !
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s u b s c r ip tio n s are j u s t $60 p e r y e a r
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but local civil-rights activists have
already held tw o music festivals
and a teach-in to respond.
An an ti-hate rally this S a tu r­
day, O ct. 6 starts at I p.m . It
w ill be held at L ents Park on
S o u th e a st H o lgate and 92nd
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