Insensitive, at best

Call me a traditionalist. Sentimental. Tied to routine, even. But every December 25th, I want to read an editorial in Oregon’s only statewide daily paper that talks about Peace on Earth and the spirit of the season. On July 4th, I expect something about Independence and the importance of the Constitution. And on the third Monday in January, – hey, what a coincidence, it’s January 15, Martin Luther King’s actual birthday – I turn to the editorial page hoping for insightful analysis on the status of racism and civil rights in Oregon.

Not only was there no such editorial in The Oregonian today, there was nothing about Martin Luther King Day on the front page. Nothing on the top half of the Metro section. You had to search down to the bottom of that page, to read the hard-hitting headline, “Students move beyond celebration on MLK day”. This fluffy article contains insights on the status of racial equality in Portland today, as spoken by children aged 11 and 12. One asserted Dr. King would “be proud because there’s much less segregation.” Really? How does that match the fact that at Lincoln and Wilson there are fewer than 20% non-white students, while Jefferson has 66% black students? Does it matter that Lincoln will soon be closed to transfers from other high school enrollment areas? And is it inequitable that at Wilson and Lincoln, students can take French, German, Japanese, or up to 5th year Spanish, while at Jefferson even the most capable linguists are only offered two years of Spanish? Have we really fixed segregation and inequality in Oregon’s public schools? Can we talk about that? Not in the statewide paper, on Martin Luther King Day.

Instead, The Oregonian chose:
Front page headlines – Measure 37 and campaign finance reform in the state Legislature;
Metro section – lead article on helmets for skiers and snowboarders; and
Editorial banner – advising the Portland City Council to refer charter reform to the voters.

The hearing on Charter reform isn’t even until Thursday – what made this the most important thing the editorial board could possibly have said on the national holiday to honor the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?

Racial injustice and striving for equity is not something that should be limited to the Miami Herald‘s Leonard Pitts’ column. It matters here in Oregon. Pitts concludes today: “It is a fine and noble thing to have a dream. But having a dream is no excuse for accepting an onerous status quo and waiting passively on ‘someday’ to make things right. A dream is not an excuse. It’s a responsibility. And now is the time.”

I believe the responsibility for changing the “onerous status quo” of ongoing racial inequality in Oregon belongs with each one of us. That now, today, was the best day of the year to help everyone think about that.

And The Oregonian decided Portland City Charter reform is more important.

Insensitive, at best.