Oregon Advance Times_1968-04-04

Page 6 Oregon Advance/TIMES April 4, 1968 A Matter of Opinion: Names, Freedom and Other Topics by CHARLES DEEMER receive. But many make the It is ironic that at a time mistake of equating the dollar when many Americans are alone with freedom, as if to prohibited from enjoying the be free were no more than full benefits of their citizen- to be an unrestricted con– ship, other Americans volun- sumer. The example of the tarily are disowning the ad- Flower Children and of any– vantages they have by birth- one who voluntarily gives up right. By "dropping out," the advantages associated for example, a Flower Child with "middle-class" life, gives up the very economic suggests that the dollar is no security and opporturtity that lasting panacea to our ills. many a black man strives Most Flower Children do for. The irony renews a not come from the ghetto but complex but necessary ques- from families and traditions tion: Freedom for what? that in earlier years would Let no one deny that proper have inspired their entrance housing, food, clothing, em- into well paying jobs and three ployment, education and op- bedroom homes. Yet they portunity are the prereq- choose to abandon these op– uisites to a full enjoyment of portunities, the very ones the rights all persons must many black men strive to at- NEED A JOB? Need a Job or a change of Jobs? Attend the Job Search Class any Thursday nite at 7:30 at Albina Neighborhood Service Center, 59 N. E. Stanton - free. We won't find a job for you, "but we wi II show you how to find one. Sponsored by the Oregon Bureau of Labor Remember By Law You Have To Keep Records . ... Harvey L. Rice 1 A full-time trained Area Director 2 Simple, complete pre-printed records J Peace of mind and no worry on tax 4 A monthly bulletin service 5 Preparation of your annual income tax Call 227-1818 or 287-2212 We will gladly explain this unique plan without obligation. A SPECIALIZED BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS Whitney Real Estate Samuel G. Whitney - Realtor Fine Homes & Income Property Listings Wanted 4 Bdrm. Home - 4424 N. Kerby - Lge. Lv. Rm., Din. Rm., Kit. & Bath - Oil Heat - Low Dn. Pymt. or $300 Dn. on lease option. Income Tax - Federal State 2326 N.E. 11th 288-3784 1Jiuiane J!,. Barnell REALTOR BARNETT REAL ESTATE 27 N KILLINGSWORTH PORTLAND. OREGON OFFICE 289. 7354 RES 289 7354 M. McKinney & Co. tain, for a different life. Why? Ready answers are easy to find, from accusations of drug addiction to claims of priesthood. Only one answer, however, is relevant to the important question raised by the exodus of many youth from the mainstream of society: Freedom for what? In a sense it is ·a deceptively simple answer and no answer at all: Flower Children desert their "middle-class" op– portunities because THEY CHOOSE TO. And this, I suggest, is something any man should be permitted to do, for choice is the essence of freedom. The example of the Flower Children does more than illustrate the nature of free– dom: It reveals that many people choose to abandon the normal "middle-class" style of life for an alternative style. And here lies the importance of the question, "Freedom for what?" Too often the realities of our social climate, as con– trolled by the power struc– ture, pervert "freedom to choose" into a pre-defined "freedom to become middle– class." "Middle-class" ad– mittedly is a fuzzy term, but it does have a cultural range of import: ''being middle– class" often means to have the values of life-style of a white-Anglo-Saxon-Prot– estant. This is precisely the objection Stokely Carmichael and others make to "integra– tion." Integration in the past has meant "becomingmiddle– class" or, as Carmichael has put it, "becoming white." It is no accident that a neigh– borhood becomes officially "integrated" only when black people move into a white area, and not vice-versa. Thus, to get a decent home, a black man often has to move into a white neighborhood. Such a move has significant cultural consequences: some– times it means being around people who prefer Lawrence Welk to 8,8, King. THAT CHOICE, l submit, should not have to be made by a man who merely wants a decP.nt house! Freedom for what? Only one freedom counts, the free - dom to choose to live as one prefers. In the house of free – dom, all doors must be open. Indeed, a black man may pre– fer the white "middle-class" style of life, but if one does Words to Live By Things pec1iliar to white America: 1. Apple pie 2. Lynchings 3. Motherhood 4. Slavery 5. The Flag 6. Church bombings 7. Baseball 8. Ku Klux Klan 9. Life, Liberty and the Pur– suit of Happiness 10. Negroes Real Estate - Insurance Where one stop will fill most all of your insurance needs. From Home-owners, Auto, Marine to Bonds etc; Financing available on all Insurance Plans. 4944 N. Williams 288-6359 Authorized Agents ii·---. Rep. Hartford Insurance Co. and many others not, there is no reason this choice must bring with it a denial of the rights of citizen– ship. A change of culture should not be prerequisite to an enjoyment of these rights. Yet often it is so, and this is a subtle prejudice that weakens the foundation of "the possibility of America" Why Negro? by CHARLOTTE RUTHERFORD Semantics is defined as the argument over the meaning of words or terms. Many Negroes are finding it dif– ficult to accept the terms black or Afro.-American. The whole argument against the term Negro stems from the fact that the race Negro does not exist. No other language has a comparable word. People of color are merely called black or brown with no malintent. The word Negro came from megro in Spanish, meaning black. If we are to be called Negro, conversely white folks should be called blanco, i.e., Span– ish for white. The term Negro designates no geographical origin. There are specifically designated Caucasoid and Mongoloid re– gions of origin but no Negroid area. Therefore, Africa was the beginnings of our heri– tage so the term Afro-Amer– ican should not be distaste– ful to Negroes. By using the term Afro– American you acknowledge a geographical origin. Latin– American, Gerrpan- Amer– i cans, Italian-Americans, etc., etc., have existed with– out argument or shame for years. The Negro is the only ethnic group which has allowed and even sanctioned the elim– ination of his origin. He has allowed himself to be called by a nonexistent name. Even Webster had trouble trying to define the word. If you notice, a great many "Negroes" do not fit the spe– cified characteristics. But the die- hardf that feel degraded when, being referred to as black ("My skin is not black I") will die Negroes at heart, refusing to admit that in actuality they do not exist. The ' hope lies with the young people who are not ashamed of the basic color of black. Black is a unifying word. lt encompasses all people of color being used as the base of all variations. As long as Negroes exist as a frame of mind the idea of a united colored peoples will be difficult. But once the Negro admits his back– ground as Afro-American and his color as black, the great– est obstacle we have to over– come within the movement will be solved: The emergence of racial pride, nationalism. COAST as much as racial prejudice. to "become whi~e" in order Long-haired hippy postmen to move into a decent neigh– must soon cut their hair or borhood. "The possibility of lose their jobs. To some the America" is bigger thanpetty requirement makes sense. concerns over hair and pig– Not to me. lt is the same ment. Or is it? Freedom thing as asking a black man for what? • Auto Repair •toWING • EXPERT SERVICE • Complete Auto Repair • Ignition • Brakes • Carburation and • Automatic Transmission ....---Phone 284-9403------t 4072 N. WILLIAMS Ave. Main Office: 4950 N.E. Union PORTLAND, OREGON ,1211 New Eastside Location: 19043 S.E. Stark St. Solid Comfort in this 3-bedroom panelled home with elaborate fireplace - f.a. oil heat, beautiful hardwood floors. fcb. sliding glass doors. Fully modernized through– out. To see is to appreciate. $11,500- Mr.Scott. Getting Married? See this 2-brm. house. Neat - clean - gas - garage. $6,950 3947 N.E. 8th. 4-Br. 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