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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 2017)
Page 12 August 30, 2017 New Prices Effective April 1, 2017 O PINION Martin Cleaning Service Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG. $50.00 A small distance/travel charge may 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) $50.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area (Hallway Extra) Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services) : $30.00 Area/Oriental Rugs: $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool) : $40.00 Minimum Heavily Soiled Area: $10.00 each area (Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $109 - $139 Chair or Recliner: $25.00 - $49.00 Throw Pillows (With Other Services) : $5.00 ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949 Worst Time to Roll Back Affirmative Action Enrollment rates still not equitable J essiCah P ierre There’s a saying: “When you’re ac- customed to privi- lege, equality feels like oppression.” I thought of that when I heard about the Trump administration’s recent moves against affirmative action. According to The New York Times, the Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Jeff Ses- sions, is looking for lawyers to work on “investigations and possi- ble litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in col- lege and university admissions.” Well, that’s the point of affir- mative action, right? When President John F. Ken- nedy signed an executive order on affirmative action in 1961, the intent was to counteract discrim- ination that minorities faced in the job hiring process. Since then, by many colleges and universities have instituted similar standards to make sure women and students of color are given a fair shot at re- ceiving a higher education. But the way Trump sees it, it’s white students who are discriminated against. There have already been a number of cases where white students have challenged universities that implement affirmative action. But in 2016, the Supreme Court decided in Fisher v. University of Texas that affirmative action is in fact con- stitutional and doesn’t hurt white students. End of discussion, right? Wrong. After the 2016 presidential elec- tions, a new poll was released by HuffPost/YouGov showing that more than half the nation thought that blacks and Muslims faced a lot of discrimination. Yet the same re- port revealed that most Trump sup- porters believed white people were the real victims of racial bias. Now, Trump’s Justice Depart- ment is trying to rally that base by arguing that affirmative action hurts white students. This argument assumes that students of color no longer face discriminatory barriers. But if you read the news, it’s obvious that this isn’t true. The horrifying white nationalist rally and domestic ter- rorist attack in Charlottesville, Vir- ginia is more than enough to prove that minorities are still a target. But beyond that, African Ameri- cans still face economic strains due to racial bias. A 2011 study, for ex- ample, found that the median white household wealth remains about 16 times greater than average black wealth. Receiving a college degree is of- ten touted as a pathway to econom- ic security. But last year, a study by the National Center for Educa- tional Statistics showed that racial divides remain. While college en- rollment is increasing across the board, it found that enrollment rates for college-aged white stu- dents (42 percent) remain higher than for both black and Hispanic students (34 percent.) White students also graduate college at higher rates than black and Hispanic students, according to a recent report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. While affirmative action has helped lower some barriers created by racial bias, black and Hispanic students still lag behind their white peers in enrollment. Overall, can anyone really say the practice is keeping whites down? Racism permeates every aspect of our economy and society — whether it’s police brutality, the criminal justice system, housing discrimination, the racial wealth divide, or college admissions. Stripping away affirmative ac- tion, one of the only race-based practices meant to counteract these issues, would send a direct message to racist whites that the administration has their back — at the expense of the livelihood America continues to take from people of color. Jessicah Pierre is the Inequality Media Specialist at the Institute for Policy Studies. Distributed by Oth- erWords.org