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Page A4
October 24, 2007
O pinion
Opinion articles do not
necessarily reflect or represent the
views o f The Portland Observer
Renewed Vigor for Civil Rights
C arl P. W allace
Has the Joshua G eneration’s civil-
rights movement begun?
More than 50,000 people protested
and marched in Jena. Louisiana over
the disparate judicial treatm ent of the
six students known as the “Jena 6.”
People came from as far as Alaska
to join hands in the singing words of the
old spiritual song "Free at last. Free a,
last. Thank God almighty we are free
at last.”
Throughout this nation thousands and thou­
sands peacefully marched, rem iniscent of the
civil-rights marches of the ‘60s. Fists were
raised in the “black power” salute. Strangers
shared food, water and stories. Stories of
how it used to be. Stories of how they
marched with King. Stories of the struggle.
Maybe, maybe it has begun.
by
"W e shall overcom e” they also sang
the impromptu rap songs. Rap songs
us ole folks d o n 't want to hear. They
conjured up songs of Kanye, Ja Z,
Ludicris and Mary B. The music was
pumped up too loud and we ole folks
som ehow enjoyed what was sung.
Maybe the spirits o f our ancestors
were there in Jena and throughout this
nation rem em bering that it was the
young that led us to the Promised Land.
Maybe, maybe it has begun.
1 must ask the question though, how in the
world did all these people show up? 1 did not
see the call to come on TV. I did not read in
the newspaper weeks in advance to fly into
Baton Rouge, reserve a room in the Holiday
Inn and rent a car from Avis. My pastor did
not do a three part series on “No Justice No
Jesus.” How in the world did all these people
The tools of the Joshua
Generation are out there.
The cry to march, protest
and pray is being heard.
When the cameras panned the crowds on
that day all could see the massive number of
young people there in a town almost four
hours from New Orleans. Young people from
colleges and high schools from all parts of
America were there. "Baggy pants, sagging
pants, parts of underwear showing - didn’t
they look beautiful?”
The young people were not only singing,
Young activists inspire
show up? They used the tools of the Joshua
Generation.
The internet, YouTube, and radio person­
alities Michael Baisden, Steve Harvey and
Tom Joyner sent out the tribal drums to come.
A group of sisters in Cleveland called us to
come. Flyers printed and handed out, not by
mimeograph machines but by com puters, sent
the word out. To my utter am azement, my 89-
year-old Godm other received a text message
on her phone.
The tools o f the Joshua Generation are out
there. The cry to march, protest and pray is
being heard. “Let freedom ring. From every
m ountaintop to every m o leh ill...”- “No ju s ­
tice! No peace! No Justice! No peace! Free
the Jena 6.”
Maybe, just maybe it has begun.
Carl P. Wallace is M inister fo r Special
Projects with the United Church o f Christ.
We all want to keep our families safe.
Yet, year after year, more Americans die
With citizens, law enforcement working together
at the hands o f guns.
_______________________ f t
mendations for re­ ing programs and mandating
J
G
M
Targeting Gun Violence
by
udge
reg
athis
Guns kill nearly 30,(XX)
Americans every year.
U n fo rtu n a tely , it a p ­
pears firearm d eath s
won’t decrease any time
soon with incidents of
gun-related deaths, in­
cluding suicide, on the
rise.
The Chicago-based Joyce
Foundation, as part of an on­
going effort to end gun vio­
lence. recently partnered with
The International Association
of Chiefs of Police and issued
a report that provides recom ­
I1,f |Jnrtlan¡>
ducing gun v io ­
lence.
W ith so m any
A m ericans dying
se n se le ssly each
year at the hands
of guns, it is time
for the U.S. gov­
ernment to take real action to
end the violence. This report
points us in that direction with
fairly sim ple recom m enda­
tions, including requiring that
all gun sales take place through
federally licensed dealers; re­
storing funding to crime fight­
that private citizens safely
store firearms.
Simple in theory, the pro­
posals would require a coordi­
nated effort between federal
and local governm ents, law
enforcement and the com m u­
nity to actually make a differ­
ence. W ithout the necessary
funding to fully realize these
ideas, the plan just falls flat.
With proper support, crime
fighting programs co-designed
by community members - law
e n fo rc e m e n t and c itiz e n s
working together - can be put
in to place around the country.
In some neighborhoods, such
a program would have police
officers patrolling beats on foot,
familiarizing themselves with
residents and ’hot spots’ for
crime. In other areas, it would
involve working with commu­
nity organizations to encourage
residents to report and or turn in
unregistered/illegal firearms.
The possibilities are endless, but
only with adequate funding.
Government must also get
stiff on gun laws. Instead of
bowing to the powerful pro-gun
lobby, which spends millions
each year to make sure law­
makers support their interests,
Washington must consider the
safety of the American public.
Gun sales should be highly
regulated and easily tracked.
Individuals with a violent past
should not be allowed to pur­
chase guns.
Penalties for those who are
caught with them should be stiff.
Most Americans support gun
laws that make sense. We all
want to keep our families safe.
Yet, year after year, more
Americans die at the hands of
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guns.
It is time that this country puts
its resources behind a sound
firearm prevention plan. Joyce
Foundation and IACP have laid
the groundwork. Now it is time
for the federal government to
build upon that and develop a
strategy that can be implemented
on a national level.
Judge Greg Mathis is na­
tional vice president o f Rain­
bow PU SH and a national
board member o f the South­
ern Christian Leadership Con­
fere n c e.
MMMMNMMMMMNHNMMMMMMMMMMNMMMI
Abandoning America’s Promise
Congress spends for war but not children
U.S. R ep .
C arolyn C. K ilpatrick
The failure to override Presi­
dent Bush's veto of the State
C hildren's Health Insurance
Program (SCHIP) abandons
Am erica's promise to afford
every citizen life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness.
When the wealthiest nation
prioritizes excessive spending
on a morally and fiscally bank­
rupt war in Iraq while the needi­
est children go without health
by
insurance, we have for­
feited our commitment
to America.
According to a re­
cent CBS News poll,
81 percent of Ameri­
cans endorse this bi­
partisan legislation that
would have preserved
coverage for six million children
currently covered by CHIP, ex­
tended coverage to nearly four
million uninsured children, as
well as ensured dental cover­
age and mental health
parity.
This fully funded bill
would have allocated
$ 1(X) million in grants
for new outreach ac­
tivities to states, local
governments, schools,
community-based or­
ganizations, and safety-net pro­
viders.”
The Bible teaches us that a
new day will dawn when the
’las, will become first and the
first will be last.’ Congress and
President Bush have banished
our chi ldren and the underserved
to the back of the line. We can
and must do better.
The C ongressional Black
Caucus, 43 Members from 21
states, representing 40 million
Americans, is resolute in our
position to ensure health care
for 10 million children and to
protect the overall health and
wellness of our most vulnerable
citizens.
C ongressw om an Carolyn
C. K ilpatrick, D -M ich., is
chairwoman o f the Congres­
sional black Caucus.
b e tte r t0
Right Investment
Mayor Potter’s decision to help establ ish a Day Laborer Center
makes me feel very proud of being a Portlander.
The Mayor and the majority of the Council members under­
stand that is the right thing to do. Portland is a city where concern,
compassion, and common sense are used daily to find answers to
the various problems that affect our city.
The creation of a Day Laborer Center clearly is the right thing
to do not only because it will make our community safer by
providing a secure, clean and organized location for the contract­
ing process between employers and day laborers, or because it
will reduce abuse by unscrupulous employers, but because day
laborers are part of our community, they work hard and pay taxes
and deserve, like every other citizen of our great city, a safe and
secure place to look for work.
Day laborers provide a service to our city and by doing so they
are contributing to the growth and the betterment of Portland and
surrounding areas. I applaud and support Mayor Potter's decision
to help establish a Day Laborer Center because it is the right
investment for Portland.
Felipe Lora
Southwest Portland
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