£b
Page A4
■ Z ID r I 11 T N 1vJl N
l'|J o rth tn ò (Observer
October 8. 2008
Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the Portland Observer. We welcome
reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com.
IB
A greater emphasis on trans­
building four or five story edu­
cational facilities, for example, portation alternatives also is
instead of the two-story build­ needed to alleviate parking con­
ings that were constructed in the cerns.
We can appreciate how the
last build-out. the campus could
15 other homes.
If PCC would consider higher grow while homes and business college district wants a deci­
sion on the bond levy before it
density on the Cascade campus. could be saved.
PCC Growth Pains
Proposed levy
fails at clarity
The follow ing is an editorial
o f the Portland Observer.
Portland Community College
is a vital resource for our fu­
ture, but it is not clear if a pro­
posed bond levy on the Nov. 4
ballot would make PCC Cas­
cade in north Portland grow in
a way that is prudent and makes
the best use o f lim ited re ­
sources.
PCC is a long-valued partner
in providing education oppor­
tunities to our diverse popula­
tions, especially the African-
American community.
We supported a bond levy in
2000 that made the PCC Cas­
cade a comprehensive campus.
This was a promise kept for
bringing all PCC resources to­
gether for an affordable college
education - all at one location
and in our own community.
While the expansion had pain­
ful consequences, with the loss
of neighborhood homes, a gro­
cery store, other businesses
and churches, PCC tried to al­
leviate future plans for growth
by promising to protect the re­
maining residential neighbor­
hood.
A major concern now is that
a $374 million bond levy on the
November ballot would include
monies for more property ac­
quisitions for PCC Cascade.
Options for the location of
future campus buildings are ap­
parently wide open with com­
munity involvem ent coming
after the bond levy election.
That doesn't satisfy a promise
the college district made in 2001
to direct future development
away from residential zones.
Nor does it follow a college
impact mitigation plan that calls
for surface parking lots to be
used for future campus build­
ings.
It's been shocking to learn
that since the last expansion of
PCC Cascade, an additional
$3.89 million has been spent by
the PCC Board of Directors on
property acquisitions in the
Humboldt neighborhood that
has left businesses and homes
vacant or demolished. The pur­
chases w ere m ostly along
North K illingsw orth Street
where future expansion is di­
rected by the college’s long­
term plan. However, one prop­
erty is outside that boundary on
a residential block shared with
/MAYDAY on WALL street
-
C
a - S
M
U.S. POÙÏBURO O/AES
SIBCttE
*
GET INVOLVED IN YOUR AIRPORT’S FUTURE
Racism Challenges Presidential Vote
Poll shows fear factor
in J udge G reg M athis
*«• .. . u
JOIN US AT A PDX AIRPORT FUTURES COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE:
• Learn about Portland International Airport projects and programs
• Share your ideas
• Free refreshments
• Children’s activities
MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2008 • 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Meek Professional Technical High School • 4039 NE Alberta Ct. • Portland, OR 97211
www.pdxairportfutures.com
Planning
© PORT OF PORTLAND
As a people, we’ve had to
overcome slavery, Jim Crow
and both system ic and indi­
vidual racism. It has taken gen­
erations, but w e’ve met the
challenges put before us and
made progress:
We are leaders in corporate
America. More and more of us
are graduating from college.
Some of us own homes and
businesses. And a black man
could very well be the next
President of the United States,
something many o f us never
thought wed see in our lifetime.
W hile there is still much
work to be done, we must ac­
knowledge that we have made
significant steps toward equal­
ity. Many whites have certainly
SEASONS
M A R K E T
uS
spends time and money on pub­
lic discussions and planning.
But PCC neighbors should also
have some idea about the im­
pact of a 'y es’ vote on their
ability to stay in their homes and
businesses.
frr Cdeira/e/
y o u r n e w ly r e m o d e le d
C o n c o r d ia N e w S e a s o n s M a rk e t!
S a tu rd a y , O c to b e r 1 8
11 a m - 4 p m
n o ticed it. And they
don't like it. So much so
that they may let their
fears g u ide them on
Election Day.
In a poll conducted by the
Associated Press and Yahoo
News, w hite A m ericans re ­
vealed that, not only do they
still view race and racism in a
very different way than blacks,
they also think that blacks are
responsible for the racial ten­
sion in this country.
Nearly 12 percent of whites
1 privilege, some white
w ould vote ag a in st
their com m on sense.
This, despite the fact
that Sen. B arack
O bam a has run his
cam p aig n not as a
black man but as an American
committed to change for all.
It w ouldn't be the first time
w hite voters let fear guide
them: In I982, Tom Bradley,
a black man, lost the C alifor­
nia G o v ern o r’s race despite
a large lead in the polls. Many
whites lied and tolled posters
they would vote for the black
Perhaps it is fairer to say
the some whites use fear as a
reason to keep racism alive.
polled believe that blacks have
too m uch in flu en c e in the
co u n try 's political process.
More than one-third of whites
polled said "most" or "all of the
racial tension in the U.S. is cre­
ated by African Americans.
It is ironic that, it has taken
100 years of grassroots, com­
munity and political organizing
for African Americans to gather
the few cru m b s w e ’ve a s ­
sembled to date. And, consid­
ering the size and scope of the
American pie, all we have are
mere crumbs. Perhaps there
are some whites who would
prefer we take our crumbs and
go away quietly. It is this be­
lief, which many whites pub­
licly hide, that could cause
some whites to vote Republi­
can in the Nov. 4 election.
Scared of what a black Presi­
dent could mean for w hite
can d id ate but, on E lection
Day, voted for his white op­
ponent.
Many w hites believe that
African A m ericans use rac­
ism as an excuse to get ahead.
Perhaps it is fairer to say the
some whites use fear as a rea­
son to keep racism alive. Fear
o f what will happen to white
privilege once full equality is
a reality.
Too much of America's his­
tory is rooted in fear and the
country is in the mess it is now
because we bought into fear. It's
time we rise above our individual
and collective fears, see beyond
race and class and decide what
is best for this country.
Judge Greg Mathis is vice
president o f Rainbow PUSH
and a board m em ber o f the
Southern Christian Leadership
Conference.
Your Care
Our First Priority
Dr. Marcelitte Lailla
Clti ropractit’ Physician
Wc are located at
1716 N.E. 42BdAve.
Portland, OR 97213
D e lic io u s fo o d s to s a m p le , g iv e -a w a y ’s,
g re a t d e a ls , c a k e a n d m u c h m o re !
I Heliveen Bmadivay
and Siimli Hlvd.)
• Automobile accident injuries
• Chronic headache and joint pain
• Workers Com pensation injuries
E A S Y & F U N TO S H O P • LOCALLY O W N E D & O P E R A T E D
C O N C O R D I A : N E 3 3 r d & K i l l in g s w o r t h P o r t la n d O R 9 7 2 1 1 • 5 0 3 . 2 8 8 . 3 8 3 8
V is it u s o n lin e a t w w w . N e w S e a s o n s M a r k e t . c o m
"Î
Call foranappointment!
(503) 228-6140