February 22, 2012
The
Portland Observer Black History Month
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O pinion
Page 19
New Prices
Effective
May 1 ,2 0 1 0
Martin
* _, ¿
CAPITA^: IT S’ AW ABOUT RISK "TAKlUO'!
Cleaning
Service
Carpet & Upholstery
Cleaning
Residential &
Commercial Services
Minimum Service CHG.
$45.00
A sm all distance/travel charge
m ay be applied
CARPET CLEANING
2 Cleaning Areas or
more $30.00 Each Area
Pre-Spray Traffic Areas
(Includes: 1 small Hallway)
1 Cleaning Area (only)
$40.00
Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area
(Hallway Extra)
Stairs (12-16 stairs - With
O ther Services): $25.00
Segregation is Still Alive and Well
Separate
communities
foster divisions
J udge G reg M athis
In the 80s, A m erica’s
n eig h b o rh o o d s becam e
m ore diverse as w hites,
blacks and other ethnic
groups began to live in
close proxim ity to one
another. It w as as if the ideals o f the
C ivil R ights m ovem ent w ere finally
com ing to life.
T hirty o r so years later, things
have changed, and not for the b et­
ter. As far as integration goes, this
country has taken a step backw ard.
A nalysis o f the m ost recent C en ­
sus data tells us that segregation is
alive and well. In fact, m ost people,
by
regardless o f their ethnic group, live
in n eig h b o rh o o d s that are o v e r­
w helm ingly m ade up o f people w ho
look ju s t like them .
B lacks are the m ost segregated
m inority group in this country; m ore
than 60-percent live in m ajo r­
ity black neighborhoods, w hile
only 4 8 -percent o f H ispanics
and 4 5 -percent o f A sians live
in monolithic com m unities. The
average w hite A m erican lives
in a n eighborhood that is 74-
percent w hite.
T his isn ’t the segregation o f the
60s, though som e o f the deep seeded
feelings and policies that created
that system still affect us all today.
R ather, m any A m ericans tend to
self-segregate.
It’s not as if blacks are falling
o v er them selves to live in all w hite
com m unities. O ur natural tendency
thr JJortlanh (Dbseruer
Established 1970
USPS 959-680 ________________________________
4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211
to ‘stick w ith our o w n ’, how ever,
has its draw backs.
W hen racial groups are sep a­
rated; that division creates an u n fa­
m iliarity with the beliefs and culture
o f others. T his lack o f know ledge
creates an environm ent w here ste­
reotypes and racial and ethnic bias
thrive.
A dditionally, segregated n eig h ­
b o rh o o d s lead to s e p a ra te , bu t
w holly unequal, services. In c o m ­
m unities w here the m ajority o f the
residents are m inorities, there is less
funding available for schools. As a
result, our children receive su b stan ­
dard instruction.
Indeed, m iddle class black c h il­
dren living in m ajority black neig h ­
borhoods are less prepared for c o l­
lege than low er incom e w hite c h il­
dren living in m ajority w hite c o m ­
m unities.
A n y o n e w h o liv e s in - o r has
v isite d - M ilw a u k e e , N ew Je rse y ,
D e tro it, C h ic a g o an d N ew Y ork
w ill no t be s u rp rise d th a t th ese
c itie s lead the n a tio n in s e g re g a ­
tio n . T h e m a y o rs o f th e se m e tro ­
p o lita n a re a s sh o u ld fo rm a task
fo rce an d w o rk to g e th e r, alo n g
w ith the fe d e ral g o v e rn m e n t, to
a d d re ss th e d iv isio n s th at s e g re ­
g a tio n c re a te s.
From purposefully creating d i­
v e rse , m ix e d -in c o m e n e ig h b o r­
hoods to developing a school fi­
nance system that equally funds
each child, there are num erous steps
cities can take to lessen the n eg a­
tive im pacts o f racial segregation.
Judge Greg Mathis is a longtime
advocate fo r equal justice. His life
story ofa street youth who rosefrom
jail to judge has provided hope to
millions.
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Area/Oriental Rugs:
$25.00 Minimum
Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool):
$40.00Minimum
Heavily Soiled Area:
Additional $10.00 each area
(Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying)
UPHOLSTERY
CLEANING
Sofa: $69.00
Loveseat: $49.00
Sectional: $ 109 - $ 139
Chair or Recliner:
$25 - $49
Throw Pillows (With
Other Services): $5.00
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