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It's been more than 10 years since the last American troops return from Vietnam and now Oregon has its own memorial to those who served in the war. Tonight we'll hear what it means to those most affected by Vietnam. You can't believe that your son is gone because you just can't believe it. And so this was a this was something that I myself was determined. I was just determined that I was going to see this thing through. Every year in Oregon tribes of Native Americans from all over North America gather for a special celebration. It's called My own show and it's a way for the tribes to share dances and other cultural traditions and maintain these traditions for future generations. Tonight we'll get an up close look at this colorful gathering and find out what time for means to the participants. Good evening I'm Jim Swenson. And I'm with Campbell booth. Welcome to this edition of French Street Weekly. In looking back over the past 25 years

Vietnam stands out as the key event which reshaped American values and attitudes. It wasn't a popular war and debate over how it was fought will probably never end. But recently a memorial was unveiled in Portland that may heal some of the emotional scars for the people who struggled to get the project finished. It was a very personal victory broadminded has the story of Oregon's garden of solace. On walls of polished granite they rested. They were the dead they were the missing. They are 791 young men from Oregon who marched off to the Vietnam War never again to return home alive. So many deaths and for the living. So many questions still haunt.

Some have sought answers a way to heal. And that's the idea behind this recently completed Vietnam Veterans Memorial here in Portland's Washington. Part. This six hundred ten thousand dollar project began among a group of vets and the parents of one Marine who was killed in Vietnam. Many others volunteered time money and materials. It took five years to build what for many was a dream all from private funds. But this story is really about healing a long journey some talk to mend the wounds of war. How do you really. Do live on a what day hundreds gathered to dedicate the memorial and to remember those who never returned. The rain one vet said it was as if God was shedding tears. There were old soldiers and old uniforms. Their stories are still new.

Charlie always held the middle part of the bottom line at the top until I only had to go home and I thank you. There were other questions of a young. Rising. When you're gone you're. Gone. Thing so that it still bothers. Me. And there were those like Fran and Frank rush. And May of 1969 their son Jan a Marine corporal was killed in Vietnam. At 22 he died a hero trying to rescue several marine buddies wounded and pinned down by enemy gunfire. For that Jan was awarded the Bronze Star posthumously. We share a deep and abiding sympathy for the pain and anguish suffered by

those whose loved ones were taken from them by this war. To those of you who survive this conflict that took the lives of those we want to remember here. May this memorial be a part of your healing. Fran and Frank were part of the original organizers of this memorial for five years they lived and breathed raising money for their dream of building one. Thank. You lose a family member of yourself. Until five years ago. You couldn't talk to me about Vietnam. I just. I didn't care. I just couldn't talk about it I cried a lot.

And so this has been a healing process. I had a call but I wanted to know how to get that Mario on in memory of all the boys not just Jan and Maurice anyway. I never thought well ordering. On another day. The speeches are over the rush to come back. They keep coming back every day now to walk. We were naive then says Fran about the war. Vietnam is just some little country few of us have ever heard of. The government she says failed so many of our

boys. Danny. Knowing that his. Father's name is here. Does that help you cope. Better. Every day. Every day. And that's one of the like to hear. His name up there. It helps that. You. Have. Sound. Does it sound strange to you. But I've accepted I've accepted it. You look at all the. Posts. What a waste. What a waste. The. I just think. I think war is hell. I don't understand it never will and.

I think this is just a total waste of Young's men's lives. On. What. We have. Mayor. Nutter. Who for 18 years following their son's death Fran and Frank say they shut out the world. But now with the memorial built in their rush Cubs say they're just beginning to learn how to live again. It's taken us a long time but I think it's a healthy. I think it's a healthy feeling and God willing it if we both can keep healthy. We'll make up for lost time. Silence not parades welcomed Rob Thayer home from war. While many seemed eager to forget Vietnam Rob couldn't. He was one of fifty seven thousand Oregonians who served overseas. It was memories of fallen buddies that brought him here. Volunteering time to help build the memorial. Even giving up sleep some times to work here. Now for

getting offered great. Hard shift at his job. I want people to remember. The sacrifices that were made during that war. I don't want to forget these people. I want them to remember them because they. Lived. And they touched our lives. Fehr enlisted in the Army and served as an infantry squad Sergeant between 1000 and 67 and 68 at the time Rob was 21 years old. Just 10 days before going off to war he married his junior high school sweetheart. Young men going home were now out in the bush with bullets flying. He soon learned Vietnam was something very different. You know it just suddenly comes to you that this isn't a game that I'm going to die for no more. It's not a movie. It's not somebody it's war story as it's it's the real thing.

And that point came home real fast. Like this is it. You're here. And that was a scary feeling. Twenty years after returning from a war he calls a mistake. Rob there works at a paper mill in Vancouver. He says he's been able to put Vietnam behind him. But there have been bad dreams. And one robin others he's served with are children. They are chased by a dead man. A friend of Robb's who was killed in the war. I don't remember you know I don't remember waking up feeling frightened about it. But you remember waking up thinking yeah bad things. Yeah thinking about it and wondering you know why is why is

it. Why does this come to me tonight you know that's hyper thought. It took me a long time to get in touch with with the feelings of. Loss and remorse for these people that I knew I. I cared very much for these people but when they died. I shut that out for years Rob kept those feelings buried. But he couldn't forget friends who had died in battle. Friends like rested both had served as squad leaders in the same platoon. I miss him you know because I can't. And. It took me a long time to get in touch with her. Yeah. At the time it did not sink

him. I guess we didn't allow it to. For Rob there. And Fran and Frank Rushkoff this memorial's most important value is helping others get in touch with their own feelings about Vietnam. You could see it almost everywhere. On the day of the dedication and faces and unjust years. People might look at the problem as the sadness and the tears. As a negative thing and I think they're wrong I think that is very positive. Because it gives people a chance to. To get in touch with their feelings. War has a price. We need to do as much as we can to avoid it because the price is too. Much. It gives me something to place other than just my

own things to come and. Think about when I want to know. What's here for putting up another's or the names of the missing in action. Paddys has been a Robert has been M-I as since July of 1066. A surveillance pilot on a secret mission his army plane is believed to have crashed in Laos. You know the whole human trail. It was never found. What goes through your mind when you come here. And see your husband's name on the wall. I wonder where he is. There were 40 men still listed as am I a from Oregon and the years since her husband was declared missing. Pat enough has raised two sons and never remarried. You know people would say when are you married and I said Oh yes. You are. Well you know what your husband do. Well. I'm a widow. My husband is missing. I guess I'm a widow

possibly he could still be alive. Maybe I'm not a widow. Patti says realistically she doesn't believe her husband is still alive. I don't live in the past anymore she says. You go forward. What do you hope that people will learn from this. I hope that it keeps it open and now that this many man from Oregon still haven't been accounted for. I would like to know for my own. Peace of mind. There are those who may never find peace of mind about it. There are scars that may never go away. But for many others many survivors of that war. Some of them feel there's now a time a place to heal. And they say it's at this garden a solace. Among them is. The St.. The.

Organizers of the Oregon Vietnam memorial still have to pay off about $100000 before all the debts are settled. It's hoped that corporate and individual donations will cover those costs. And. Our next story is also about a group of people who want to make sure that their role in American history is not forgotten. For Native Americans preserving cultural heritage and traditions is a top priority among all tribes. One way to display these traditions is by having tribes from around the country gather for a big celebration. And one of the biggest happens every summer in Oregon. Coco Chanel has the story of the gathering known as.

Well here they are to really celebrate him. Well everybody. Everybody everybody here but I got three of us and I don't know we'll be here. We're working everybody. Yeah I'm very much for you with your PIO she commemorates the signing of the 1855 treaty with the US government forming the confederated tribes of the worm's brain. Today it is a Palau a time of competitive dancing and singing a celebration for the whole family. Nathan GM nicknamed 8 ball as the MC for every year he gave us a rare view of this Native American celebration off the top of my head I can see you. Have. Maybe still. Time. Need

to plan my having mastered for my full bloom around here that. The New York days. We had nothing but a T piece. That was a coming of progress you know it's a lot of work to prove anything. I met a lot of the local people put their piece appear in the Bible for users to stay with same as twisting your tense. Mobile homes and I know we. Do have to referee a rough now with television on her condition enough with three other test stores. So we can socialize and I get our meals down fast. Competition is one of the main reasons a lot of people here are judged in a different category. Fancy a traditional. Fourth Man. For staying with the dealings. In the oil fields contests.

There's individual hands team competition and their judges up on their abilities. He's home with the drum. That's the reason why he's maintaining good feeding time with her job. The faster you can leave the facts for the rest. If they stop they must stop all. The beauty and artistry of the dance means far more than just competition to the dancers. My name's John Mayer's Wasco tonight I know my dancing is just part of the traditions from our. People from way back you know as a society. They join groups or societies to learn character building lessons from the traditional teachings and ceremonies of the tribe. Dancing is part of the tradition that the young man had grown into manhood and now the young guys that are. You know going through these societies. There are no other. Women. Start. Him on top rockers. That's where you have.

The body you know where. The Palau is a restricted Indian in fact eightball thought up especially vent for non-Indians the hockey dad. You can write a lot of people with careers to come down from commuter. And I thought well we could get them involved. Let's have a wannabe contest. A chance for them to come out. Because they're the ones that. Have to teach scenes how to dance for the John Wayne movies. And. We're not making fun of the people you know it's chance for them to get a rock and a break in the program. What's right for you. To get my car you need. Yeah man you know that. You know. You want to say you want to be hard to get out of. The carrier

you let it go. There's more to play I'm sure than dance arts and crafts to gambling in a parade or only a part of the festivities. There's also a rodeo with a wild horse race. But. JASON SMITH 1985 World Champion explained. You got a wild horse. And you put a halter on the wall or swing on the stoop. And the street people is doing let him out of the chute. And then you get a murder. Scene in the Seattle's threw open the writer. Your mother Wallace down saddle up and ride it between the fence and the barrel. Was.

The. I am sure that means let's celebrate we sing with this new little dance and. All night. All day. Because it is. The Drum. That makes our feel good. The next volume show will take place in late June at the Warm Springs reservation and visitors are welcome and it's a chance for everyone to experience authentic Native American cooking and the other colorful traditions of the various tribes. Well right now we want to update a story we did several months ago. Last October we reported on the arean Nations a group that favors establishing a white homeland in the northwest. They're headquartered in Hayden Lake Idaho. And their leader is the Reverend Richard

Butler a man with outspoken views on racial separation. It's a race this fall. All power rests in their hands. But today there is no place on the face of the earth that the white race is not diminishing in numbers appear where to go to what place you go to. We're diminishing while all the other non-whites are increasing. When we aired this story Butler was under federal indictment for plotting to overthrow the U.S. government. He's consistently denied those accusations. Court documents released in December say the FBI also suspects Butler of being one of several neo-Nazi generals around the U.S. who have directed various criminal activities. Butler has called those reports nonsense. His trial is scheduled to begin February 16th at Fort Smith Arkansas. There will be a total of 14 defendants and if they are found guilty each of the defendants could receive up to 20 years in prison. One of those other defendants is this man Louis Beam. When we ran this story Bean was a

fugitive but that changed a short time later. In early November he was captured by Mexican police in Guadalajara and extradited back to this country a few days later. Since then beam has been held at a federal prison in Springfield Missouri. He'll be moved to Fort Smith where the trial begins. And there was a recent development concerning another person in that story. This is the Reverend Bill Ross mith a Catholic priest in Idaho who's been an outspoken critic of the Aryan Nations. He has helped rally local opposition to butlers grew even after his house was damaged by a mysterious bomb blast in 1986. Well earlier this month Reverend Watts met told his parishioners that he will resign his post in June and plans to leave the region. While Smith said that he has to resolve some personal issues but he did not give any details. Well coming up next time on Front Street We'll take a close up look at Oregon's economic future. Governor Neil Goldschmidt has made the Oregon comeback a key theme in his administration. I think we're in a process of working with our citizens to make it better. And I think it is better. But boy we

just have a long way to go. And we just got to keep saying we're not going to stop until our people earn more. Too few of them need the government to support them. More kids can stay at home. The issue you raised can these kids find work in Oregon and as far as I'm concerned there isn't anything that's happened that I'll clip a clipping out of a newspaper and say Hey Neal you did it not one thing in this state that I put in a scrapbook and say it's over. The governor says he's determined to get Oregon's economy back on the upswing. Reporter Steve LaBelle will focus on the crucial questions facing business and industry throughout the state. The governor will outline his own priorities and we'll also hear from other officials around the state who say their towns are being left out of the org and come back. And we'll have a look at a social trend that's on the rise around the U.S. and in the northwest. Growing numbers of people are turning toward paganism performing rites and rituals that have evolved over hundreds of years. You might be surprised to find out who's getting involved in this trend. The new pagans say they are just everyday people who have found new spiritual awareness from these

ancient ceremonies. We'll find out what attracts people to paganism and get an up close look at some of their ceremonial gatherings. Those stories and more on the next street Weekly. Thanks for joining us tonight we'll see you next week. Good night tonight. Lord.

Lord.