Portland Advocate_1981-06

Pages EDITORIALS Onward Christian Soldiers ... The Portland Skanner has in– formed the Afrikan-American comrr.– unity about prostitutes lined up wall to wall along N.E. Union Avenue, and for five months the BUF and supporters have been picketing Walnut Park's X-rated theatre also located on N.E. Union Avenue. Adding insult to injury, an adult bookstore re– cently opended its doors two blocks away from the theatre. Is the Afrikan-American community bordering along Union Avenue be– coming known as a "love for sale" and porno~raphic dumping ground? In its efforts to "close it down", the BUF has asked for help in order to picket the theatre. While "right ons" and c·lenched fist salutes boost the morale of the picketers, such gestures of good will will not close it down. More people on a daily basis are necessary, if ·the community wishes to see more acceptable forms of entertain– ment at the theatre. However, throughout the pro– test period, the question of where is the religious community is a profound one. It is hoped the Black Church will play a more active role, given its con– cern with morality and decency. Practicing what's preached should be the order of the day, similar to the "right ons" and clenched fists, daily or Sunday prayers along is not enough to chase the evil away. Black Folk Are Rational -After All As a result of hearings that focused on Portland Public School closures, a valuable lesson went virtually unnoticed. That is, when the Black communi– ty announces it will fight and protest actions detrimental to its well-being, white racist and neo-negroids say Blacks are irrational, emotional, seeking attention, and being devisive. Yet, when white folk protest by threatening to succeed, dis– enfrancise itself, etc., what then do we hear as public commentary? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! 'Treed' By lvancie Was the ouster of Charles Jordan as Police Cbmmissioner a case of 'the chickens coming heme to roost ... again ... under the mayoral wings of Frank Ivan– cie', or, was the ha\\kish Mayor 'clip– ping the wings of change' that appeared to be hovering over the police depart– rrent? While the Black United Front (BUF) was following the history of other cam– nunity groups in canplaining publically 'lHE PCRTLAND ADVOCATE Vol.l, No.2 June, 1981 The Portland ADVOCATE is published monthly by the Black United Front. ... all inquiries and caunents to: P.O. Box 3976, Portland, 00 97208, or call(503) 288-6700. All material subnitted to the ADVOCATE will be considered for publication and becane property of the ADVOCATE. The Portland ADVOCATE is carmi tted to articulating the Black experience fran a local, state, national, and international perspective. Serving as a voice of the BUF, The ADVOCATE will focus on Portland as its first source of infonna.tion, and will never be apologetic about its Black !Viewpoint - be it popular or unpopular. In our attempt to serve as a !voice for the Black ccmmmi ty, ~ ~lcane your caunents, suggestions, ~d contributions. about police abuse against Black people, Cbmmissioner Jordan was running around the city saying that nothing was wrong with the police treatment of Blacks. The recent wave of media revelations de– tailing police crimes against Portland– ers in general and Blacks in particular shows clearly the lie that Jordan was living. He himself, was in a to-the-death struggle with those he called "my offi– cers". Mayor Ivancie began public ~ blings against Jordan following the me– dia revelations and Jordan's limited ac– tions against two of eight police offi– cers who \\ere involved in the "oppossum incident". Consider the attitudes of the police and the mayor toward Jordan; salt that with continuing police abuse in our cam– rm.mity; pepper it, then, with Ron Still's sudden appointment as Police Chief AND the possible loss of any af– firmative action plan for the depart– ment, and \\e still charge the PPD with genocidal intent towards us. Until such time that Ivancie and his Police Chief show sensitivity and respect for Black people, \\e will continue to stand up and accuse those who \\Ould threaten our existence as a camrunity, and practice genocidal intent on us as a people. With those sudden and unexpected changes in the PPD we ask, "Who lost?" Jordan says he will do a crackerjack job as Parks Coomissioner. One 'wag' suggested that Jordan \\On't fight Ivancie because the mayor threatened to make him commissioner of the city's parking lots if Jordan challenged him, but ~ don't believe that. This cammunity certainly lost with his rarnval by Ivancie. Early in his career on the City Council, Jordan is reported to have said that Black folks did not elect him. That may be true, but he recognized, as did we, that \\e could unelect him if we collectively remove from him the mantle of Black community leader. That is a po\\er \\e do not have with Frank Ivancie, ho\\eVer, and Police - Chief Ron Still answers to Ivancie, not Jordan. 'nlat, then, is what \\e have lost. Still, the loss is not that excess– ive. At one point, it was difficult . to have our police canplaints adcepted as valid. Now, many people and groups have publically stood up and voiced concerns about the direction and con- trol of the police department. And Jordan responded. It was his finest hour as Police Commissioner. He was told By Ivancie that his time was up, but \\e are aware that our time is now. We cannot be fired for standing up. Further, \\e can and should \\eigh carefully the advantages of again accepting a Black leader ap– pointf'l(i ;_..., ''ll:lom we have no confidenc~ A Call For Afrikan Unity ''Th.e Afrikans had had, in the very center of the heartland on the conti– nent, a history from which their pos– terity could learn how unity alone pro– vides the conditions for strength and progress, and that each one of a thou– sand little 'independent' chiefdoms is but a standing invitation to the ag– gressors and ultimate domination for all. '' This passage, taken from Chan– cellor Williams' The Destruction of Black Civilization in reference to Af– rikans in antiquity, is very much re– lavent to Afrikans today. Throughout our history the many " ' independent ' chiefdoms" has blinded us to the comron cause we face as a people. If we, col– lectively, would only corre to agree– rrent on the source of our oppressive dilenma and move in unity to eradicate that source, then we as a race of peo– ple, would surely prosper. Just as Jews from around the world recently convened and reaffinred that ''never again" will they be the victims of an– other holocaust, we (whose losses have been much greater) should never forget the inhumme atrocities of slavery and continued denials and victimizations. We must identify our colii!Onalities and rally around than as an Afrikan people. Let us unite which will provide the "conditions for strength and progress". Black United Front P.O . Box 3976 Portland , OR 97208 Ujima 1• a kiswabili word meaning collective work and responsibility. The BUY bas functioned within the framework of a. principle which is practiced by its various coa:nittees . The expan8ion of coiiiDittee work is always appreciated, and giveo your interest , pleaae check one of the following BUF coaaittees : _La.~i!"' _Welfare -; .., ___________ ~; ------------ clip aDd return