Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, October 12, 2011, Page 6, Image 6

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Page 6
October 12, 2011
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Pre-Spray Traffic Areas
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1 Cleaning Area (only)
$40.00
Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area
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Stairs (12-16 stairs - With
O ther Services): $25.00
Area/Oriental Rugs:
$25.00 Minimum
Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool):
$40.00Minimum
Heavily Soiled Area:
Additional $10.00 each area
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UPHOLSTERY
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Sofa: $69.00
Loveseat: $49.00
Sectional: $ 109 - $ 139
Chair or Recliner:
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Throw Pillows (Wfr/i
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Wall
Make sure our
voices are heard
J udge G reg M athis
O ver the last several
w eeks, the O ccupy W all
S tre e t m o v e m e n t h as
grow n from ju s t a few
dozen people gathered
in N ew Y ork C ity to hun­
dreds o f thousands spread across
50 cities big and sm all. T he m ove­
ment is spreading widely and quickly.
W hat exactly is that m essage?
It’s not clear that the O ccupy
W all Street m ovem ent has a set
agenda. If organizers w ant to co n ­
tinue to build m om entum and en ­
sure lasting change and reform , they
m ust have concrete goals for their
p ro te sts.
The protests began Sept. 17 with
a call for President O bam a to form a
co m m issio n that w ould separate
corporate interests from political
interests. It seem s organizers hoped
protesters w ould bring their
ow n agendas, unique to their
personal situations, to the
table.
Indeed, as you watch foot­
age o f the protests, you will
see that people do have their
ow n issues: they w ant jo b s, th e y ’ve
lost their hom es, they think g o v ern ­
m ent caters too m uch to big co rp o ­
rations.
bv
The concerns are varied, to be
sure, but th ere is one co m m o n
thread: A m ericans are frustrated.
The frustration is understandable:
W all Street received billions in bail
out m oney w hile the average A m eri­
can continues to struggle in this
rocky econom y. But, even am idst
1 ^Llortlanh (Ohseruer
Established 1970
USPS 959-680 __________________________________
4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211
frustration, a m ovem ent m ust have
clarity.
The O ccupy W all Street m o v e­
m ent n aturally causes one to reflect
on the Civil Rights and anti-V ietnam
m ovem ents o f the 60s: A m ericans
from all w alks o f life com ing to ­
gether as one voice, dem anding that
our elected leaders do the right thing.
T he difference is that the W all Street
protesters are still thinking as indi­
viduals and not as one cohesive
unit w ith a single set o f goals.
It’s not enough to say we w ant to
separate m oney from politics. If the
m ovem ent is to be ultim ately suc­
cessful, w e have to define w hat that
m eans. D o we w ant to ensure co rp o ­
rations can no lo n g er donate to
political cam paigns? Set a spending
lim it on how m uch m oney co m p a­
nies can spend to lobby C ongress?
O r do A m ericans ju st really w ant to
see C ongress invest in individuals
and fam ilies the w ay they invested
in big b usiness?
T hese are the questions that m ust
be answ ered.
As A frican-A m ericans we should
pay close attention to this m ove­
ment. G enerations o f inequities have
put our people in a particularly p re­
carious situation; w ealth that m any
o f us have been able to build in the
last few decades has disappeared
o v er the course o f this recession.
As the O ccupy W all Street m ove­
m ent sets and refines its agenda, we
m ust m ake sure we add o ur voices -
m aking sure o ur unique interests
are heard - to this call for reform .
Judge Mathis is a longtime ad­
vocate fo r equal justice. His life
story ofa street youth who rosefrom
jail to judge has provided hope to
millions.
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