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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (March 30, 2011)
Local News Teen her own. She has also been cited several times for misdemeanor crimes and is cur- rently wanted in connection with an assault, say police. The face that she’s been report- ed as a runaway before may have also led police to believe she might have done it again, police say. ‘... we have a lot of runaway kids ...’ Sgt Catherine Kent Sgt. Kent told the Skanner news that there are reports of runaway teens everyday in Portland. She couldn’t comment specifi- cally about the Vaughn case, as she wasn’t privy to the details, but said that many teens willfully leave home. “We could argue that any 15-year-old liv- ing on the street is endangered, but they would say something different,” Kent said. “Unfortunately we have a lot of runaway kids. On a day-to-day basis we could be tak- ing seven (calls a day).” Multiple friends and family interviewed during Thursday’s gathering said that noth- ing indicated that she was running away. Shandrea Farve, Vaughn’s cousin and close friend who was planning to meet with the girl the night she disappeared, said she was in a good, normal mood the night she last heard from her. According to phone records obtained by family, Farve was the last person to speak with Vaughn. She was last seen by family members waiting for the number 72 bus at 82nd Avenue and Thompson Street near Madison High School. Farve and Vaughn were plan- ning to meet and hang out, but before Farve could establish a meet-up spot, Vaughn uncharacteristically stopped answering her cell phone. Her Facebook account, heavily used by the teen prior to her disappearance, has also not been used since. Vaughn is a student at Helensview School, she weighs just over a hundred pounds, has fairly dark complexion with almond-shaped eyes and a big smile. Photo by brian StimSon continued from page 1 Family members console Vaughn’s mother Shaquita Louis,at left,being embraced by Desiree Turner, Vaughn’s cousin. A crowd of supporters, including the woman behind Louis, marched on Thursday at the North Precinct to demand police investigate the case. Medal continued from page 1 bravely in hand to hand encounters, one resorting to use of bolo knife after rifle jammed and further fighting with bayonet and butt became impossible. Evidence that at least one and probably second German was severely cut. Third known to have been shot. Attention drawn to fact that the 2 col- ored sentries first attacked continued fight- ing after receiving wounds, and despite of use of grenades by superior force, and should be given credit for pre- venting by their bravery the taking prisoner of our men. Three of our men wounded, of whom two by grenades but all are recovering, and wounds in two cases are slight.” The memo that has just been unearthed signed by Gen. Pershing is a game- changer, Fish said. “This is very exciting. There is every rea- son to hope that it could be resolved within the year. With Obama in the White House and with Sens. Schumer and Wyden press- ing the case, based on this new information, I think we all are very encouraged that we are one giant step closer to Sgt. Johnson receiving –after almost 100 years – the Medal of Honor. “The Army has what it needs and what it specifically requested and it is new infor- “Henry Johnson remains an incredible example of bravery and patriotism today, and it is time that he receive his long over- due Medal of Honor,” Schumer says in his press release. “One of the requirements for this award is a chain-of-command endorsement, and it doesn’t get better than the commander of American forces during WWI, General John J. Pershing. …During the ‘Battle of Henry Johnson’, there is no doubt that this American soldier displayed the extraordi- nary bravery and self-sacrifice that is at the core of this incredible honor. I urge the Army to reopen Johnson’s case, and grant him the recognition he earned so many years ago.” The US Army recommends the Medal of Honor for member of the armed services whose action are distinguished “conspicu- ously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty.” To receive the medal, the action on the part of a sol- dier must be one of “personal bravery or self-sacrifice so con- spicuous as to clearly distin- guish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life.” A second critical piece of evi- dence is Private Roberts’ eye- witness account of the fight, published in a pamphlet. Roberts confirms that Johnson repelled the attackers with his bolo knife and rescued Roberts. An eyewit- ness account is required to receive the Medal of Honor. The third new piece of evidence is a letter written by Col. William Hayward. Staffers from Schumer’s office discovered the letter was read into the Congressional Record on September 4, 1918, giving it added signifi- cance and legitimacy. Col. Hayward wrote to Johnson’s wife: “Your husband, Pvt. Henry Johnson... has been at all times a good soldier... of fine morals and upright character. To these admirable traits he has lately added the most convincing proof of fine courage and splen- did fighting ability. I regret to say that he is at the moment in a hospital, seriously, but not dangerously, wounded, the wounds hav- ing been received under such circumstances that everyone of us in the regiment would be pleased and proud to trade places with him.” Over the years campaigners have sought the Medal of Honor for Sgt. Johnson, including: Johnson’s son, Tuskegee Airman Herman Johnson; Vietnam Veteran John Howe; former N.Y. Rep. JoeDio Guardi; and former N.Y. state Rep. Michael McNulty. In 1996, long after his death, he finally received the Purple Heart. In 2003, Schumer helped campaigners obtain the Distinguished Service Cross for Johnson in 2003. But the injustice still rankled. After all, Johnson’s stupendous bravery under attack is the stuff of legend. Staff from Schumer’s office discovered Col. Hayward’s letter had been read into the Congressional Record on Sept. 4, 1918, giv- ing the letter more significance and legiti- macy. Commissioners had held holding a series of hearings before receiving a mysterious dump of information from the FBI that commissioners say they have to evaluate before moving forward on their decision. Meanwhile the prosecution of 19-year-old Mohammed Mohamud, accused of attempt- ing to use a weapon of mass destruction in an FBI sting operation arranged around a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Pioneer Courthouse Square, is slated for a May hearing to determine when his actual trial will take place. Also still in play is an ACLU-backed law- suit challenging the federal government’s “no fly” list, in which local Sheik Mohamed Abdirahman Kariye is one of 10 plaintiffs who allege that the airplane exclusion process is unconstitutional. Kariye has been brought up by federal officials on “terrorism-related” charges since 2002, when airport officials falsely claimed there were “traces of explosives” in his luggage. He has never been convicted of any violent crime. Perhaps the biggest example of what crit- ics consider to be anti-Muslim government profiling was the case of Beaverton attorney Brandon Mayfield, a member of the Bilal Mosque community, who was in 2004 wrongfully arrested after a local FBI agent erroneously linked him to terrorist bomb- ings of a train in Madrid, Spain. Mayfield and his family won a $2 million settlement from the federal government, which admitted that its investigation was flawed. The climate of fear and persecution such cases bringing to otherwise quiet suburban communities has led to a broader movement to open up the Muslim community and bridge gaps in understanding between faiths all across the state. Ahmed works for Intel and has led the Bilal Mosque in participating in more than 400 interfaith events over the past several years. Houdroge was born in Lebanon and attended Portland Community College and Portland State University, graduating with a degree in electrical engineering. He has been managing the affairs of the Islamic Center since its inception in 1993. He also serves as a religious advisor and is an active community member in Beaverton. The presentation follows the Commission’s regular business meeting at 6:30 p.m., and includes a question and answer session. For information go to www.beavertonoregon.gov/HRAC. mation. The Army set a very high bar and it looks like we will be able to meet it.” Standing in front of a statue of Sgt. Johnson in the New York capitol, Sen. Schumer told reporters from the Albany Times Union that the memo from Gen. Pershing adds considerable weight to the campaign, because it shows the chain-of- command endorsement required by the Army. ‘ ...the 2 colored sentries first attacked continued fighting after receiving wounds ... and should be given credit for preventing by their bravery the taking prisoner of our men’ Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com Muslims continued from page 1 ing understanding between and within many social and ethnic groups in Beaverton, not just the Muslim community. Although Oregon seems an unlikely front in the federal prosecution of terrorist cases, there have been many. Many media reports over the years show that both the Islamic Center of Portland and the Bilal Mosque in Beaverton have been the targets of unsubstantiated accusations of fundamentalist radical activity since at least the 9/11 attacks in New York. Consistent reports also indicate a steady stream of anti-Muslim harassment across the state, including the recent incident of an incarcerated Muslim beaten at the Inverness Jail in November, 2010. The City of Portland is currently recon- sidering its position on refusing to partici- pate in the Joint Terrorism Task Force. City march 30, 2011 The Portland Skanner Page 3
