Eastern Illinois University The Keep

The Post Amerikan (1972-2004) The Post Amerikan Project

8-1978

Volume 7, Number 3

Post Amerikan

Follow this and additional works at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/post_amerikan

Part of the Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Journalism Studies Commons, Publishing Commons, and the Social Influence and oliticalP Communication Commons BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE .PAID PERMIT NO, l68

BIDOMHC'I'ON, IL1,, 61701 page 2

We encourage you, the reader, to become more than a reader.

We welcome all stories and tips for stories, which you can mail to our office (the address is at the end of Anyone can be a member of the Post Decisions are made collectively by this rap). staff except maybe Sheriff King. All staff members at one of our regular you have to do is come to the meetings meetings. All workers have au equal If You'd like to work on the Post and/ and do one of the many different and voice. The Post-Amerikan has no or come to meetings, call us. The exciting tasks necessary for the editor or hi__erar'chical structure, so number is 828-7232. You can also smooth operation of a paper like this. quit calling up here and asking who's reach folks at 828-6885 or ask for You start work at nothing per hour, in charge. Andrea at 829-6223 during the day. and stay· there. 'Everyone else is paid the same. Ego gratification·and good Anybody who reads this paper can tell You can make bread hawking the Post-- karma a_re the fringe benefits.. the type of stuff we print. All 15¢ a copy, except for the first 50 worthwhile material is welcome. We copies on which you make only 10¢ a try-to choose articles that are timely, copy. Call us at 828-7232. relevant, informative, and not avail­ able in other local media. We will Mail, which we more than welcome, not print anything ractst, sexist, or should be sent to: The Post-Amerikan, ageist. P.O. Box 3452, Bloomington, IL 61701. (Be sure you tell us if you don't want Most of our material and inspiration your letter printed! Otherwise it's for material comes from the community. likely to end up in our letters column.)

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BLOOMINGTON Mr. Donut, 1310 E. Empire Book Hive, 103 W. Front J&B Silkscreening, 622 N. Main Eastgate !GA, at parking lot exit Doug's Motorcycle, 1105 W. Washington The Joint, 415 N� Main K-Mart, at.parking lot exit Medusa's Bookstore, 109 W. Front Small Changes Bookstore, 409A N. Main The Back Porch, 402� N. Main _ Lay-Z-J Saloon, 1401 W. Market ·The Book Worm, 310� N. Main Pantagraph Building (in front) South West Corner--Front & Main Mr. Quick, Clinton at Washington Downtown Postal Substation, Center NORMAL ana Monroe University Liquors, 706 W. Beaufort Common Ground, 516 N. Main Bl. Post Office, E. Empire (at exit) Pat's Billiards, 1203 S. Main North East Corner--Main & Washington Devary's Market, 1402 W. Market Redbird IGA, 301 S. Main 802 N. Morris Mother Murphy's, 111� North St. Harris' Market, OUTTA TOWN 920 W. Washington Ram, 101 Broadway Mall Hickory Pit, Galesburg: Under The Sun, E. Main St. Drug Store, 217 N. Main Biasi's Eisner's, E. College (near sign) Co-op Tapes & Records, Henderson St. 207 N. Main Discount Den� Divinyl Madness, 115 North St. Peoria: That Other Place, NE Adams 918 W. Market U-1 Grocery, Co-op Tapes & Records, N. Main St. 1110 E. Oakland Kroger's, Co-op Tapes & Records, 311 S. Main " " " , Windsor Sq. 523 N. East Bus Depot, Bowling and Billiards Center, Springfield: Spoon River Book Co-op 609 N. Clinton The Wash House, I.S.U. Student Center 407 E. Adams Baker's Dozen Donuts, 602 Kingsley Urbana: Horizon Bookstore, 517 S. Bi-Rite, 203 E. Locust Cage, ISU Student Union Goodwin Man-Ding-Go's, 312 S. Lee Midstate Truck Plaza, Route 51 North Pekin: Co-op Tapes & Records, Court St. Mel-0-Cream Doughnuts, 901 N. Main Upper Cut, 1203� S. Main Monmouth: Head's Up ------. ------5 _years ago

•

••• 'BlJOoMIN 1n the Post·Amerikan c:,•roN ,I NoRM?>.l.s 1973 I (�� The page three story of the July Post-Amerikan got to the heart of what the Pantagra:ph had suggested was a race riot at Bloomington's Skatin Place. Post reporter S. Dangerfield interviewed people who were on the scene, and found that the fights at the roller rink were not between blacks and whites. Instead black and white • ���BriiiIK�� kids rose up against a Bloomington cop who entered the place making racist comments and looking for a fight. The police were originally called to the rink to break up a fight which had already dissolved by the time they arrived, but they soon started another with their crude statements about black people.

Three stories covered then-President Nixon's visit to Pekin, lll., on July 5, 1973, A clever woman knows how to keep a man Smart wo­ the lOlst day of U.S. bombing in Cambodia. One writer described how his "STOP men are emasculating All women think about is their THE BOMBING" sign earned him �police escort away from the airport where Nixon looks A womans place is in the home If she can't get along on what I give her she can get herself a job Wo­ was landing. Another protester wrote about how she and the small anti-Nixon group men can't handle money I let my wife do all the book­ were shoved around by a burly Pekinite, attacked by old ladies with umbrellas, and keeping Why can't she do anything right' With her finally charged by a Nixon Secret Service man who pulled down the demonstrators' looks she doesn't need brains Women are only suited formonotonous work Just like a women to change .5-foot "STOP THE BOMBING" banner. her mind Allwomen want is to get married Men cre­ ate things, women create life Once they get married A nosy Post reporter dug up recent purchase orders for over $100 worth of photography they sit around and get fat A man works from sun to sun but a woman's work is never done Women like to supplies for the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department: 24 rolls of film, 7 be raped It's a smart broad who holds out for a license packs of photo paper, 4 gallons of developer and so on. Parks and Rec Superintendent All women do is gossip Women basically dislike other Woodworth, who bought the supplies, could think of just two pictures he'd taken for women Women are always so emotional Frigid bitch Career women are too damned independent Women Parks and Rec in the last·year. The Parks and Rec Dept. didn't even have access to cling like vines Women don't think Conniving female a city-owned darkroom--but Woodworth had a nice one at home. Ifshe goes to college she'll never get a man They're all alike I can't fi gure women out Never trust a woman The Bloomington-Normal Women's Liberation group reported on two programs held Behindeveiy great man is a woman ... . in July. One was a study group about the suffrage movement anrl the first women's rights convention at Seneca Falls in 1848 (130 years later, still no ERA). Ap.other was a discussion and demonstration of medical self-help for women.

A review of porno film "Deep Throat" said that "virtually every encounter (in the film� involves male dominance, humiliation fantasies, and an underlying misogyny that· together have become the hallmarks of pornography in America. "

• Looking back, I guess we covered the Big Three--racism, sexism, and imperialism-- in that issue, with a little local scandal thrown in to keep it close to home. It's a tribute to the human splrit that we weren't too depressed to put out the August 1973 t paper. --Phoebe Caulfield Police vs. Ba rker page J Shootout victim sentenced for

Beginning on April 22, the Pantagraph carried several stories, with the Pantagraph's standard smattering of inaccuracies and omissions, on a attempted murder shootout between Jimmy Barker and Bloomington police. Barker wrote to the Post and asked us having trouble with his left leg when the Post to make public a fuller more accurate story. The ordered Barker to halt. Barker says they did not; interviewed him in jail nearly 3 months after the Post interviewed Barker in jail, and this is his other police claim they did. shooting. He also said that his doctor told him story. injuries. ********************************************* (The original Pantagraph story on April 22 he may be sterile as a result of his reported that Barker fired at police first. For Jimmy Barker's prospects were certainly not some bizarre reason, the regular police report The shootout brought down five more charges rosy before April 21, but on that day they took a does indeed say that Barker shot first, although against Barker: two counts of attempted murder, sharp, definite turn for the worse. Shootouts the detective who signed that report stated in one of armed violence, and two of unlawful use with police have never been known to improve a his own supplementary report, dated the same of a weapon. person's future. day, that officer Moser fired first. All the supplementary reports but one agree that police Barker had been wanted by local police since fired first. It is legal for police to open fire to November 10, 177 for attempted murder and several stop the escape of an armed felon. ) In our interview with him and in a letter to the robbery counts. He had been living out of state local chapter of the American Civil Liberties after he and his sometime girlfriend, Ruby Reed, Barker says that he took off running after he Union, Barker reported instances of police got into a shooting incident--which provoked the heard the unidentified police say, "That's him, harassment and intimidation. attempted murder charge. He returned to this let's get him," and did not return their fire area in April. until police had fired sevE.ral times and he was When Barker was wanted by the police last hit in the leg. November on other charges, one frustrated cop On April 21, an acquaintance of Barker's called told Barker's mother, "Next time we see him, Bloomington police and told them where she thought we'll shoot him." Barker was and that he was carrying a shotgun. Barker also said that when police questioned two Police then went to the Illinois Street home of of his friends about the robberies he was charged Ruby Reed, the Bloomington woman involved in the with, they threatened to lock the friends up if November shooting, to search for Barker. In they didn't tell police who did the robberies. another search for Barker months earlier police had busted one of her windows to get in. Barker told the Post that after he had fallen to the ground and was handcuffed after the April Reed asked to see a search warrant. One of the 21 shootout, detective O'Brien stepped on his police replied that they didn't have it with them, neck, ripped his jacket off, stuck a gun in his and that if Reed didn't let them in, this time face so forcefully Barker's jaw was bruised, and they would break down the door instead of the then dared him to try to go anywhere. window. Barker states that he was not aiming for the While they searched (in vain) for Barker, police police when he fired during the shootout. He were very aggressive, flashing their guns around believes the two charges of attempted murder in front of Reed's children. against police stem from authorities "trying to make me look as bad as possible to the public Police searched Reed's home twice on the 21st. so the public will want a stiff sentence."

"Take hi m out" At Barker's pretrial hearing in July, many of the charges against him were dropped, including Three detectives -- Dennis O'Brien, Timothy the November· attempted murder charge and all Linskey, and Richard Ryan -- returned to the the robbery counts. The two charges of attempted area that night to look for Barker again, and murder against police, however, were not dropped, called in officers Edward Moser and Glenn Jenkins and Barker pleaded guilty. In the. Post's for assistance. Barker shot twice in the air with a sawed-off conversation with Barker, he clearly felt himself shotgun and believes that the police, none of whom to be innocent of the attempted murder charges, As they approached Reed's home near the Sunnyside were wounded, knew he did not intend to hit but in court a deal is a deal and this must have them. neighborhood playground, they noticed a man who been the best he could get. "was acting suspicious and looked as though he was The four of the five police who fired managed to hiding something under his coat, " according to the Although some of the charges �ainst Barker have police report. shoot at Barker 15 or 16 times among them, been dropped, he was sentenced to twenty years in according to an Illinois Department of Law prison for a confrontation with police where he was Enforcement investigative summary. Detectives Ryan and O'Brien then told the other shot at first and was the only one injured. police that they recognized Barker and that he had a gun. Officer Moser states in his supplement Insult to Injury The police were not injured and will not spend i.o the police report that Ryan told him "something time behind bars. Instead of paying for their like, 'Take him out,'" so Moser opened fire on violence, we are payirig theim..for it. It's their Barker was hit six times--below his stomach the running Barker. job. and in his thigh, buttocks, calf, and foot. He was in surgery and spent time in the hospital Moser did not mention whether the police, who --Alice Wonder after the shootout, and was still limping and were not in uniform, identified themselves or

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(across from Apple Tree Records) page 4 Post-Amerikan vol. 7 no. 3 Secrecy shrouds Normal's $100,000 favor to business

When the Normal Town Council decided June 19 to use these bonds to attract industry, so the law -- --�� do the Brinly-Hardy Co. a $100, 000 favor, it covers all cities. -I based its decision on secret information. 'PETRO-cHEMICA'l... I I CANCER. GROwrH RA.TE DEA'rHRA.'Tt The advantage to using tax-free bonds is that they · 1 The $100, 000 favor results from the council's carry a lower interest rate than what a business decision to issue tax-free municipal bonds to pay would have to pay if it went to a bank on its own. for a $650, 000 warehouse for Brinly-Hardy.

In Brinly-Hardy's case, the interest rate will be The secret information is the financial report that from 2 to 2 1/2 per cent lower, according to the company submitted on its operations for the Anderson. Over the ten-year term of the bonds last five years. this lower interest rate amounts to about $100, 000 1------­ that Brinly-Hardy won't have to pay to buy its new Although Brinly-Hardy's financial condition was warehouse. * only one of the factors the council considered

before making its decision, the companyv s ability In practice, the use of tax-free bo nds to buy to make a profit was probably the most industrial buildings also means a bonus to the important factor. financial institution that loans the money, in this case the First National Bank of Louisville. As City Manager Dave Anderson told the

Pantagraph: "Obviously, our main concern is that If the Louisville bank were loaning the $650, 000 any project in which we are involved in the directly to Brinly-Hardy, the bank would receive issuance of revenue bonds, we must be assured more money in interest payments but it would have But that may not be quite right. If Normal refused there will be no default. " to pay taxes op. that money. to issue its bonds, Brinly-Hardy could simply go to Danville or Springfield or Peoria or wherever. What Anderson means is that Brinly-Hardy must By buying $650, 000 in tax-free bonds, the be able to make a healthy profit so that it can pay Louisville bank will receive less money in interest In other words, this law makes it possible for back the bonds issued by the city. but it won't have to pay any taxes. businesses to play cities off against each other. They can simply say: we won't build in your town The natural question, of course, is: Why does a The net result is that the First National Bank of unless you help us. So there's a strong potential company that's making a healthy profit need help Louisville will make about $65, 000 more by buying for more and more of these cozy deals-- cozy for from the government? the tax-free bonds than it would by simply loaning the businesses and the banks, of course. � the $650, 000 directly to Brinly-Hardy. **

,�\c,'?. In fact, Normal has been contacted about tax-free ·O -<,,'Y As you might suspect, the Louisville bank is not bonds by two other firms, one of which is 11-"V � suffering hard times either. Bloomington's Schwulst Building Center. Schwulst lb"' and two of its officers presently face an antitrust t;l() :<;>lb Nonetheless, City Manager Anderson thinks that suit for allegedly restraining trade in the home­ ov issuing the tax-free bonds is a good idea. He � building industry in Bloomington-Normal. points to the fact that Brinly-Hardy's warehouse will employ 15 more people and will pay almost Still, it is true that the Town of Normal itself $13, 000 a year in property taxes. doesn't risk much by helping Brinly-Hardy since the town can't be forced to repay the bonds. Those are advantages to Normal, Illinois, but they do not account for the federal taxes that the The worst that could happen is that Normal's Louisville bank will avoid paying by buying tax­ credit rating might be lowered if Brinly-Hardy free bonds instead of making a regular loan. fails to pay back the bonds. A lower credit rating would mean that Normal residents would have to Anderson also says that Brinly-Hardy would not pay more when the town borrows money to build build its new ware"C.oi...se if it couldn't get Normal's roads or buildings. help to pay for it. But there's another kind of risk involved in the use of secret information to hand out such profitable favors to businesses and banks.

*Post-Amerikan calculations are based on a It's not that the secrecy is illegal, because it's 7 1/2 % interest rate on the tax-free bonds, a 10% not. The city apparently can keep financial The law that lets the city use tax-free bonds to rate on a regular loan (the prime rate is 9 1/4 %), information secret if it so chooses, and in this pay for Brinly-Hardy's warehouse started out as a a 10-year term for both, the establishment of an case Brinly-Hardy insisted that its profit records way to help cities that had high unemployment and escrow fund (with a 7% yield) to repay the bonds, be kept secret. low tax bases. (A tax base is the amount of and a rough approximation of fees for bond property that local governments can tax to get attorneys and the like. The danger is this: The granting of financial money· to pay for schools, roads a.J:?.d services.) advantage by public bodies on the basis of secret **Based on an effective corporate tax rate of 35% information is a classic formula for corruption. However, according to Anderson, it was thought instead of the 48% which corporations are supposed unfair to let only cities that were having troubles to pay but never do. --D. LeSeure

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AIR CONDITIONED In the hole ge 5 County jail: new image, pa

In a discussion this afternoon about the advantages of living in a nearby small town instead of Bloomington, samebrutal story ·I mentioned that it'd be nice not to have all these city cops all over, stinking the place up and making They didn't mention that as soon as shackle his ankles together and then everybody nervous. the conference was over, the guards handcuff his hands to his ankles, were going to throw Gaston in the leaving him practically unable to My friend, however, said that he'd hole for 14 days. But they-did. move. rather deal with the Bloomington cops any day than the county cops. And no one told Gaston's family and In the process, one of the guards friends that he was going to be in the grabbed him by the hair and banged his He said they were vicious. hole and get no visits or calls for head against the wall a couple times. two weeks. That caused a lot of He's right, and here's a story to confusion, family members thinking (Two weeks after Gaston got out of demonstrate it in all -too-graphic that the cops had managed to lose him jail, our reporter could still see the detail. completely for awhile. (One letter marks of the shackles on Gaston's that Gaston wrote to his fiancee is ankles.) In May, Isaac Gaston got a forcible postmarked three weeks after he sent invitation to 60 days in the county it out from the jail.) Gaston estimates that he remained in hotel. In the jail, he and his this undignified position from 9:30 am cellblock mates cleaned up their day Gaston says he was pounding away on till 6 pm. The guards came in and area--a central area with picnic the door to his isolation cell, left his meals on the floor, and he tables where prisoners eat, play demanding to call his folks. had to scoot over and eat his food cards, talk, and so on. (E vidently, he still hadn't got the no-hands, like a dog. message of King's county jail.) After the entire cell block population got moved twice and cleaned up two more day rooms, Gaston says he started complaining that the guards just wanted some free janitors to clean the whole jail.

This complaint landed Gaston in the hole (isolation cell) for one day.

Gaston evidently didn't get the message. After he got out of the hole, he got sentenced to lock-up following an incident where inmates were yelling out the cellblock windows at innocent passersby outside the Law Center (I refuse to call it the Law and Justice Center, and I try not to walk by the place myself because it gives me the creeps, and it isn't the inmates that give 'em to me either. It's those guys in three­ piece suits giving out all that Law, and no Justice to speak of, that hit me like cold iced tea on a new filling. But sometimes I ride my bike by, fast).

Lock-up means that the inmate has to County cop response: turn off the stay locked up in the cell all day water to his cell. That meant no rather than getting out to play cards drinking water, no washing water, and and to talk with the other cellblock no fl ushing water for two and a half When his hands turned blue, a guard prisoners in the day area. Gaston did days. Ick! did loosen his bonds, but did so get out to eat meals there, though. roughly. Still unenlightened, Gaston only In his case, lock-up evidently also pounded harder. By the time 13 days in the hole meant that if the guard forgot to put passed, Gaston was subdued. He lived him back in his cell after.dinner, he Proving that they could go beyond the rest of his sentence out silently, and went home. was supposed to go lock himself back mere ickiness, guards then removed in. Did you ever hear anything so Gaston's mattress from the isolation And the state gives out silly in your life? Who'd go lock cell, leaving him a cold metal frame awards for that new county jail, saying himself up when nobody even told him of a bed. it's a to? Not Gaston, that's for sure. model facility. Just goes to show where the state's at. This Law For not locking himself back up after Gaston pounded louder. Center is a sli8k modern shell dinner, Gaston got invited to a sheltering the same slimy crap that's conference with the warden, assistant Rising to new heights of viciousness, always gone down in the county jail warden, and social worker, who told five guards (Farris, Goldberg, and the courthouse, if you ask me. him to cool it and to conform. Steiner, Ledbetter, and one other, says Gaston), moved into the cell to --Phoebe Caulfield

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Mon. - Sat. 10:30 - 6 page 6 MEG's invisible agent: Bobby Friga

The Peoria-based MEG undercover narc not guilty, and is waiting for trial. squad is apparently experimenting That's why he didn't want the Post to with a new investigative technique: use his real name. using an invisible agent. People charged with selling marijuana to this Bobby Hastings of Pekin said it agent have never even seen him. The "blew my mind" when MEG arrested him agent is Bobby Friga, a Bloomington in February, 1978. He was charged cop who has been assigned to work for with selling a lid of marijuana to MEG since 1976. Bobby Friga the previous fall, Hastings told the Post he never saw The Post-Amerikan has talked with Bobby Friga until the MEG agent six people involved in four separate appeared in court. MEG charges alleging sales to Bobby Friga. All six people swear they Court records show that MEG informer never met the man. Rod Meyer was also involved in Hastings' case. Hastings 'says he has A Peoria man (who we'll call Sam) is heard about Rod Meyer, but never met charged with selling less than 30 him, and never sold to him, either. grams of marijuana to Agent Friga last In court, Hastings testified he never August 31. Friga claims that he and sol-d anything to Friga, and that he MEG Confidential Source #137 went to had never seen him before. The judge Sam's house, where Sam agreed to sell believed Hastings, and found him not a lid of pot. Friga claims that guilty. they were inside the house, that a MEG Agent Bobby Friga jo"int was passed around, and that Another Pekin resident is waiting for Friga pretended to smoke part of it. trial on several MEG charges, one of Bobby Friga is a Bloomington cop assigned to Friga claims that he also saw Sam's them an alleged sale to Agent Bobby work undercover for MEG. Friga lives at 508 wife inside the house. Friga claims Friga. This resident admits the Seville Road, Apt. 4 in Bloomington, and has that he gave Sam $30 for the pot, other sales he is charged with, but a non-published phone number. As the Post and that Sam gave the pot to Friga. absolutely denies knowing what MEG goes to press, Friga's latest ride is a silver This information is contained in is talking about on the alleged sale o Friga's signed police report, filed to Friga. He says he does not know Firebird with a multi-c lored stripe along the in the P€oria County Courthouse. who Agent Friga is. side and over the top, EY 2436. The above photo was taken in mid-May. But both Sam and his wife swear that Christine and Buddy Rich, of Mackinaw, Friga never came in the house--they admit to having met several MEG have never seen him before. Sam says agents. Buddy Rich is presently in the informer, whose name is Elmer the penitentiary for three separate The narc photos were mixed in with Streitmatter, was the only one who sales--one to Agent George Blackburn, other photos, and I handed the stack came in 'the house. No money and two to Agent Paul Brenkman. MEG of pictures--probably forty in all-­ exchanged hands, because the informer "special employee" Rod Meyer was also to Buddy and Christine. I told them promised to come back later with the involved. I didn't know which were narcs and money, and never did. (Sam thinks which weren't, and that I had no idea the informer was double-dealing on On a fourth sale, January 11, MEG if the agents they knew were in the MEG.) No joint wa s smoked either, charged both Buddy and Christine pile or not. although the informer did give Sam Rich, even though Christine says some pills which he claimed were LSD. she had nothing to do with it. That They correctly picked out a fuzzy Sam didn't take them. fourth sale, MEG charges, was made to photo of Agent Paul Brenkman. Buddy Agent Bobby Friga on January 11. Both Rich tentatively identified (and Buddy and Christine said they have correctly, it turns out) a photo of Feeling powerless to fight MEG, Sam never seen Friga, but Agent Brenkman Agent George Blackburn. Our photo of had already pleaded guilty to a lesser did come to their house on January 11. informer Rod Meyer was so poor we charge and was doing 90 days work didn't print it last issue, but Buddy release when the last issue of the I met Christine and Buddy Rich before Rich picked it out of the pile with Post-Amerikan came out. When Sam and the last Post-Amerikan came out. I no problem. his wi£e saw the two photos of Agent had a stack of photos which included Friga, they were absolutely some MEG agents, and I needed to find Although Buddy Rich had never seen positive that Sam never sold to the people who could identify them. Court Agent Mark Williams, he correctly agent--that the agent had lied records showed that MEG was selected that photo, too--going only completely on his police report. prosecuting Buddy Rich for alleged by a description a friend had given sales to Agents Blackburn, Brenkman, him. Sam has now changed his plea back to and Friga; so I looked up Buddy Rich. Two good photos of Agent Bobby Friga were in the pile, but neither Buddy nor Christine showed any hint of recognition as they looked over Friga's photos.

Christine Rich took a lie detector test about her part in the alleged Who is sale to Friga. The authorities told her she passed only one part of the test--the part where she insisted that this guy? only Paul Brenkman, but never Bobby Friga, had been at her house on January 11. We don't know if this man is an actual MEG employee, but he is definitely At her lawyer's, Christine saw a copy associated with the narcs in some way. He drove to the MEG office with of Friga's police report. According special agent Larry Wight as to Christine, Friga claimed he came inside her house on January 11. passenger. Both men entered the building, though the reddish-haired man pictured here left within fifteen Christine says she is comp letely minutes. innocent, and doesn't know why the lie detector test didn't vindicate her. MEG agents usually drive new cars, but they do have a couple older ones confi­ Despite her innocence, Christine scated from people MEG has busted. agreed to plead guilty when the This man drove an older green 4-door State's Attorney offered to drop the Ford Galaxy, JE 4132. A check with last charge against her husband in the computer at the Secretary of return. State's office produced the same result as license plate checks of all The results of MEG's experiment with · known MEG cars: the computer simply using an invisible agent are mixed. said "no record on file." Of four cases we know of, two are still pending, One defendant pleaded Anyone with information on this man guilty, and one was acquitted. should call the Post at (309) 828-7232. Despite a high acquittal rate, MEG may opt for the invisible agent technique of investigation anyway--underground newspapers printing narc photos can't interfere with it. Post-Ai�erikan August 1978 page 7 M.EG agent's undercover activities include necking

One MEG agent was involved in an workers' car. Both cars were now occupants of the Camaro were lost to intense romantic affair in Galesburg heading the same direction. the world. They never stopped May Jl, or else he just feels that necking, and the Post workers never heavy necking in public is an Eventually the Camaro turned off, saw their faces. essential element in preserving his and the Post workers followed. "cover." When the Camaro stopped, the Post Finally, the Post workers parked workers passed it. about a block away from the Camaro. Two Post-Amerikan workers delivering papers stumbled onto the MEG agent's The couple in the Camaro were in the After a few minutes, when the peculiar behavior as they drove by midst of a passionate embrace, so undercover lovers realized the Post Galesburg's Howard Johnson's May Jl. the Post workers couldn't see the workers weren't leaving, they couple's faces. stopped necking. The woman got out A shiny black 1978 Camaro--identical and scurried into a to the one driven by MEG agent Bill Maybe that is a MEG car, we thought. of the car The Camaro Muir and pictured in the Post--was We remembered how far MEG agent nearby apartment. off, and we never saw parked by the restaurant. Knowing Donna Hangen had gone to preserve driver too� that Muir was a Galesburg native, her cover in Bloomington in 1976, him again. the Post workers stopped, and one She and IBI agent Jerry Deen, when went into the restaurant for a pressured to snort the cocaine But we did get the license number: look-see. There were no MEG agents 407 665. inside, so the Post worker headed back for· the car. According to the computer in the Secretary of State's office, the When he returned to the car, he saw license plate on that 1978 Chevrolet a man and a woman getting into the Camaro should be on a 1968 Plymouth suspicious black Camaro. Fury convertible owned by Marlene Ziegenbein, 2015 Windsor in Pekin. The other Post worker said the two She is the wife of MEG Agent Terry people had left the Howard Johnson's Ziegenbein. from a back door, just as the Post reporter entered the restaurant. Since this incident, Agent Terry Ziegenbein has been spotted several Neither Post worker got a look at times driving a 1978 black Camaro-­ the pair's faces, because they were possibly the same one--with license kissing constantly as they walked they just bought, declared that they plate 165 854. The state computer from the restaurant to the Camaro. only did it in bed. After spending says "no record on file" when asked · Their faces were in constant contact. some time in the bedroom, Agent about this number--the usual Hangen emerged wearing only her response for license plates of The Camaro headed east. The Post panties, went to the bathroom and undercover vehicles. workers, who were headed west, back--all to convince onlookers that didn't give the Camaro another she and Deen really snorted the We· don't know if it was Agent Terry thought for another minute or so. coke and had sex. (That was the Ziegenbein, Agent Bill Muir, or They just headed west. reason Agent Deen gave in court someone else necking so heavily in testimony, anyway.r Galesburg May Jl. But we do know A minute or so later, the clever that Terry Ziegenbein and/or his driver of the Camaro, having taken Back to the curious lovers in the wife have been doing some evasive action and successfully shiny black Camaro. ·q�estionable--and possibly illegal convinced the Post workers that he --juggling of the license plates of was headed east, pulled up at a The Post workers drove by a few more Marlene Ziegenbein's 1968 Plymouth, traffic light next to the Post times, back and forth, but the a non-MEG vehicle.

PEORIA, ILL. Post-Amerikan August 1978 page 8

Portrait of a narc;: Rodney c. Meyer Narcs and th eir informers:

The kind of peop le who work for an At the same time, Meyer was working as under a false name. Stephens agency reflect its valu es and goals. an informer for several other area eventually resigned from MEG after his So we can learn something about MEG police agencies. Documents in Meyer's 1976 conviction for child molesting.) and its leadership by exploring the Tazewell County court file indicate he history and character of Rodney Meyer, was working for th e Pekin and Peoria People close to Rod Meyer at this time one of MEG's most trusted and relied police·departments, the Tazewell and --some of whom got busted by him--knew upon "special employees." Peoria Sheriff's departments, the IBI, Meyer as an unstable personality, who and the Tri-County Intelligence Unit. flew into irrational rages. Meyer It' s a sleazy story. frequently beat up on his wife, at On September 9, 1974, while working least once larnUng her in the hospital. MEG "special employee" Rodney C. for these police agencies, Rodney Meyer nailed down some of the recent Meyer sold JOO hits of speed to Jerry The marriage lasted only a year. MEG busts in Bloomington. Known to LaGrow, the Director of th e MEG unit. Records in th e Peoria County Courthouse MEG as Confidential Source #22, Meyer show that Meyer has ignored the court has been working for the secret police Meyer was busted for this sale a month order to pay child su�port--he hasn't off and on since they began op eration later, and he cried foul. He claimed paid ev en one of the $25-a-week in 1974. Lately, Meyer's work has MEG gave him permission to sell drugs. payments. produced a lot of busts mostly in Tazewell, but also in Peoria and Both Meyer and his wife passed lie * * * * * * McLean counties. detector tests, bearing out the seemingly fantastic claim that the On January 2, 1975, Tazewell County Meyer began working for MEG in 1974, secret police had OK'd drug sales. State's Attorney Brett Bode dismissed when he was 17. He was also dealing the felony drug sale charge against drugs. His supervising MEG agent In a couple months, Tazewell County Rod Meyer. knew about Meyer's drug dealing, and State's Attorney Brett Bode dismissed apparently approved. the sale charge against Mey_er. Th e defendant "may have been ent rapped by certain actions or omissions of law

* * * * * enforcement.agents," Bede's motion to dismiss said, Rodney Meyer grew up in Manito, Bode left the State's Attorney's Illinois, in the southwestern corner office in 1976, and is now in the of Tazewell County. He never finished ·public defender's office. A Pos t­ high school, because he wound up Amerikan reporter telephoned him spending some of his formative years th ere. in the custody of th e Department of Corrections, officially declared a "It was a very unusual case," Bode juvenile delinquent. He shot his remembered. "I was very mad about the . mother. whole thing." Afterwards, Bode told the Post-Amerikan, he chewed MEG out. In 1974, the seventeen-year-old Meyer "I made it clear at that time that I · got married. The Meyers' child was wanted nothing more to do with Rodney At that time Rod Meyer born in July. Meyer or his cases." was working for several law enforcement agencies at once, setting Here's how Bode remembered the case up friends and selling drugs. against Meyer:

Meyer worked w�th MEG agent Bill Meyer was acting as an informer for Stephens, who took the 17-year-old MEG on a regular basis, working with a informer illegally into bars like the MEG agent. Bode said he didn't Meyer had Kolisseum in Creve Coeur. remember the agent's name, but agreed fake ID's, which may have been it ?Ould have been Bill Stephens. provided by Agent Stephens. Bode said Meyer sold some drugs to a (During this same period, Agent Bill different MEn agent while working for Stephens got a forged transcript from MEG. That agent was Jerry LaGrow, MEG School to help a drug Bloomington High Director. informer enroll at Pekin High School

ABOVE: Rod Meyer turned his head just in time as he fled from a photographer in Bloomington last March.

MEG Agent Joni Dooley

The blonde woman pictured here is Joni Dooley, a MEG agent whose photos we printed without identification last issue. Originally from Eureka, Joni attended ISU at Normal before working for the under­ cover police. She has an unlisted phone m:mber in Peoria. According to an unconfirmed report reaching the Post-Amerikan, Dooley has changerl her appearance since these photos were taken in mid-May, donning fake glasses and wearing her hair in a curly Afro style.

Since the last issue, a young man Dooley bought some pot from in April has been arrested. The young man says he spent about 4 or 5 evenings with Dooley, who led him to believe they were developing a romantic relationship. One evening, the man told the Post, Dooley and he were planning to spend the night together. At the last minute, . however, Dooley went home by herself, because she said she was "too loaded�" As things developed, the undercover...MEG agent didn't go any further than kissing her victim goodnight a few times.

The young man said Dooley smoked pot with him, and was pretty sure she wasn't faking. "She definitely wasn't faking the drinking," he said. "One night she was so drunk I was worried about her driving home. "

Reasonable people realize, of course, that this pofice officer's heavy drinking, and her potentially dangerous (and illegal) drunken driving, are really minor when compared to the important work she was pursuing: busting the young man she was kissing goodnight for selling

her a lid of pot • . page 9 the slime leading the slime

After getting busted, Bode recalls, Meyer explained that MEG gave him permission to sell drugs. Bode said the MEG agent vehemently denied giving Meyer permission.

According to Bode, both Meyer and Meyer's wife took lie detector tests and passed. They said that the MEG agent had been in MeY.er's house and witnessed rTeyer selling drugs to another person.

Bode said he then confronted the MEG agent, who still denied giving outright permission.

"But the agent admitted being equivocal, " Bode said. "In my opinion, he was aware of the transaction, " Bode continued. "It was incumbent on the policeman involved to make it clear, in no uncertain terms, that Meyer should not be selling drugs. That was not done, " Bode said.

Explain�ng his dismissal of the case, Bode said, "In Meyer's case, it wasn't the entrapment, but it was an improper manipulation of the criminal justice system--police giving their informer tacit permission to violate the law in order to use that person to get other people,"

Referring to Meyer's and other informers' work for MEG, the former state's attorney said "I question whether 17 to 19-year-olds should be encouraged to become informers on their friends."

I asked Bode more about his statement that he told MEG he did not want any more to do with Meyer's cases.

"If a case depended in some way on Meyer's testimony, I might very well have dismissed it, " Bode said. "I don't think Meyer is a credible human being--he is an incredible �erson for the police or law enforcement to rely on, " the former prosecutor continued,

"I kind of got fed up with Rodney Meyer, " Bode concluded.

That was in late 1974 and early 1975, Rodne C. Me er, MEG informer (Drawing by Gloria Schabb) By 1977, MEG was using Rodn�y Meyer's y y services again, extensively. As a private attorney, Bode is now defending some of the people Meyer has been setting up. Bode admits that some of case, then MEG was willing to let against Rod Meyer before answering his opinions are colored by his more a dealer of 50, 000 hits of sp eed the defense's request for this recent familiarity with the MEG stay on the streets because he was information. informer. useful in catching people who dealt only a few hits--some pretty * * * * * * * * * * * twisted priorities for a narc outfit. By 1977, Meyer was working for MEG again, very actively. He worked with Jerry LaGrow's police report, dated * * * * * * * 9/9/74 (File Title : Hot Rod), agents Brenkman, Williams, Friga, and provides a glimpse into the mentality Blackburn throughout the summer and of Rodney Meyer and his employers. While his charge for selling to Jerry fall of •77, setting up a huge batch LaGrow was pending, Meyer apparently of busts--most of which came down in LaGrow's report describes his purchase planned to use his work record for Tazewell County in the first few different law enforcement agencies in of JOO hits of speed from Rodney Meyer. months of 1978. LaGrow quotes Meyer bragging "I just his defense. sold a pound of pot and ten hits of In March 1978, Meyer was working in Meyer's laWYer, according to a document coke. " LaGrow also quotes Meyer saying Bloomington, spending en�ire evenings he expects to get 2, 000 hits of sp eed in Meyer's court file, asked the state at DA's Lounge with MEG's new agents to provide some information he believed in an hour, and that he's sold 50, 000 Mari Groppi and Joni Dooley. Meyer hits in the past two weeks. "essential to the defense." was s�aying at the L & L Motel, using Meyer's laWYer asked the prosecution the name Ronnie Himmel, and claiming There are three possible conclusions to produce a list of all money paid-to he was from Havana. One person busted to be drawn about the accuracy of Rodney Meyer by the following law by Meyer said the MEG informer even LaGrow's quotes, each of them pointing enforcement agencies: the Peoria and flashed a driver's license in the name out what a scummy, sorry operation Tazewell County sheriff's departments, of Himmel. these secret police are running. the Peoria and Pekin police depart­ ments, the IBI, and the Tri-County Meyer's work in DA's Lounge and in 1) LaGrow could have simply invented Intelligence Unit. Bloomington was cut sh ort in late these quotes. March when regulars realized that he In addition, the document aEked that and Mari Groppi were narcs. Meyer was 2) Meyer may have been quoted the prosecution produce the addresses, chased out of the bar by a camera-. accurately, but may be lying. Such titles, and phone numbers of the snapping customer, and he never phony boasting would be typical of following people: Jim Dawson, Bob returned, the creep mentality already Kruger, Terry Fondriest, Bill Stephens, suggested by Meyer's other Tom Neal, and Hank Tayl.or, On April 20, 1978, Agent Mark Williams behavior, like selling dope and testified in a Tazewell County trial beating his wife and working for The Post-Amerikan has been able to that Rodney Meyer was still working the cops and turning in his identify only some of these peop le. undercover. He didn't say where. friends. Not surprisingly, each one identified turns ·out to be associated with some Anyone with additional information, J) Meyer may have been quoted law enforcement agency. especially regarding Meyer's accurately, and may have been whereabouts, should contact the Post­ telling the truth. If this is the The prosecution dismissed the c�arge Amerikan. (309) 828-7232. page 10

MEG's Undercover vehicles

Last issue, the Post-Amerikan published Other law enforcement agencies may A 1975 Buick with license 454 120 photos and des?riptions of MEG cars, have the same arrangement. _ checks to Robert Lickiss--the MEG agent along with their current license who was allegedly attacked in Monmouth numbers. we warned that MEG would Here is the list of previously in late June. probably change the plates on their unpublished plate numbers that the cars. computer says have "no record on file." Here is a list of MEG plate numbers published in the last Post-Amerikan: Following is a list of more plate 128 641--seen on a brown Camaro driven 416 738; 405 379; 237 852; 437 024; numbers to beware of. Some of them by MEG's Mark Williams. 381 427; JE 4132; 149 798; 356 184; were spotted on cars we know are MEG's. PH 7525--seen on a car at Agent Dean TH 1982. For others, the evidence we have is Bacon's house. that the computer at the secretary of EY 2436--seen on a silver Firebird with Anyone with more information on MEG state's office said "no record on file" a multi-colored racing stripe at the vehicles should contact the Post­ when asked about the plates. iga. home of MEG Agent Bobby Fr Amerikan at (309) 828-7232. NN 7642--seen on a Monte Carlo at the we know that MEG units have an arrange­ MEG office building. ment to pull the records on plates 165 854--seen on a 1978 black Camaro assigned to it. So does the IBI. driven by Agent Terry Ziegenbein.

A'30VE: Previously unpublished photos of MEG cars. At left, a Monte Carlo, bearing plate NN 7642. At right, a Buick which is apparently the personal car of MEG agent Robert Lickiss, license number 454 120. page 11 MEG threatens to frame newspaper editor

MEG Director Jerry LaGrow threatened LaGrow claimed that MEG agents had made to frame the editor of a Galesburg six purchases from Richardson, inside alternative paper, unless the paper the Galesburg store. A second agent stopped printing photos of MEG was supposedly watching from outside, agents. LaGrow made the threat May able to corroborate that the first JO, in a telephone call to Mike agent entered and left Richardson's Richardson, publisher of the store. LaGrow claimed that four of Galesburg Free Voice. the sales could produce charges of delivery of a controlled substance, Last issue, the Post-Amerikan while the other two were "turkeys"-­ printed photos of 11 people either delivery of a substance represented to employed by or associated with the be a controlled substance. LaGrow Peoria-based undercover narc squad. also claimed that his agents had Although the photos were taken already taken lie detector tests on without the agents' knowledge, the their reports. narcs did get wind of something about to happen. Mike Richardson doesn't sell dope. He doesn't sell any kind of dope. As MEG Director LaGrow sent a letter to founder of a head shop, as publisher the Post-Amerikan (which we put on the and editor of the town's controversial cover), asking that the "secret alternative paper, and as general photographs" not be published. troublemaker and irritant to Galesburg's establishment, Richardson LaGrow sent an identical letter, has always seen himself as someone the dated May 22, to Mike Richardson at authorities wouldn't mind "getting." the Free Voice. So he doesn't make it easy for them by selling dope. Since its beginning in early 1976, the Galesburg Free Voice has been an ardent How is Richardson sure the threatening MEG critic. Before publishing the phone call came from MEG? Richardson MEG Director LaGrow, Free Voice, Mike Richardson wrote for called the MEG office the same day, photographed at a meeting of MEG's Board the Post-Amerikan as Galesburg and had another conversation with of Directors. LaGrow threatened to file correspondent, covering news of the Jerry LaGrow. fabricated drug delivery charges against MEG area's western counties. In a third conversation, LaGrow Mike Richardson if he continued to print narc photos. The Free Voice and the Post-Amerikan announced that Richardson had to come have cooperated on MEG stories, and to Peoria two days later to take a MEG­ both papers reprint the other's sponsored lie detector test. photos of MEG agents. Richardson didn't take the test. an opportunity to defend himself Besides publishing the Free Voice, Richardson doesn't remember LaGrow's before charges are filed, if LaGrow Richardson works at Under the Sun, a exact words, but says the MEG Director ever follows through on his threat said something to the effect that MEG Galesburg gift shop which sells head . to frame Richardson. supplies like rolling papers, pipes, "could sit on" the cases against and other paraphernalia. Richardson's Richardson. Richardson remembers that Richardson said the Knox County state's wife owns the store. LaGrow said the Free Voice "could be attorney spoke with LaGrow, and that a fine little paper" and could make LaGrow confirmed asking Richardson to On May JO, 1978, Richardson says he Richardson "a zillionaire" if he take a lie detector test. received a phone call at the store would just quit printing pictures of from a man identifying himself as narcs. When contacted by the Post-Amerikan, Jerry LaGrow, MEG director. the Knox County state's attorney said Richardson says he is positively not he had no comm.�nt. "We've got six sales on you," LaGrow guilty, and that any MEG charges said, according to Richardson. "We're against him would be a frame-up. Free Voice editor Richardson says he going to have to go to the grand jury will not be intimidated by MEG's with this if you keep printing those Richardson told the whole story to Knox threats. He plans to continue pictures," LaGrow reportedly continued. County State's Attorney Carl Hawkinson, printing photos of MEG agents, whenever who reportedly guaranteed Richardson they are newsworthy.

Neur shipD1ents of Motobecanes just arrived More informers

Last issue, the Post published a full page of listings of known informers for the MEG unit. Readers were invited to furnish information which would complete the list. College & Linden Cycle Shop A lot of folks called up with information, and every Normal Illinois every bit of it is greatly appreciated. We are checking out the leads furnished by Post readers, but we can't print the name of an informer unless we get positive corroboration. That's why many readers will not see their tips printed yet. RAlE/t::;H But keep those calls coming in. Elmer Streitmatter is listed as MEG Confidential Source #137 in a Peoria County marijuana case. His last known address was listed as 4019 1/2 S. Adams in Peoria. SEKAIBICYCLES Timothy W. Otten is listed as MEG's CS #158 in another Peoria County case.

Telephone Dale "Jake" Evans works for the Department of Law Enforcement's Division of Investigation, formerly known as the IBI-- according to court 454-1541 files in a Tazewell County drug case. page 12 MEG arrests 'major drug ring'

A "major drug ring " was broken up when MEG arrested seven people indicted for drug delivery by a Peoria grand jury, Peoria County Sheriff George Shadid boasted at a June 29 press conference.

Shadid is a member of MEG's board of directors, and has apparently been affected by the undercover . organization's habitual inability to distinguish reality from fantasy.

The "major drug ring " certainly wasn't major. It wasn't even a ring.

Three of the seven arrested were charged with delivery of between 10 and JO grams of marijuana. MEG could have charged these unfortunates ? .., ? ? ? with a heavier crime if they sold . . . . . more than JO grams of pot, but We do�'t know this person's name, but he is definitely associated with MEG. He was a passenger apparently these "major dealers " in a MEG car driven by agent Friga, and has also been seen driving a brown Camaro--identical to weren't big enough to sell more than known MEG Camaros--to and from the office building which houses MEG's headquarters. a lid.

A couple of the people arrested aren't even charged with deal.ing in drugs-- they were busted for delivering substances which were not illegal, but which the defendants supposedly claimed were illegal. Such "turkey " sales are still a felony.

The members of this "drug ring" don't even know each other. The MEG agents apparently nabbed three sepa�ate groups of friends, and the folks in each group hadn't even heard of the folks in the other groups. Some of them met for the first time in jail.

-aer �i!l,,,: 1-----couPON , _____ I I I MEG agent Bill Muir I I undercover for MEG I Muir is a Knox County sheriff's deputy assigned to work . Both photos I were taken in mid-May; he's growing a beard in the later picture. Muir lives in Galesburg. I I I 1.00 I I I I I I I I I I I I OFF I I I I (WITH THIS COUPON) I I I I : on any I : large or I : family, : thick or I : thin crust : pizza. I I Good thru Aug. 7 ·-----COUPON----- 111 e. beauf ort normal MEG agent George Blackburn Blackburn is a Peoria County sheriff's deputy assigned to work undercover for MEG. page 13 MEG agent attacked in Monmouth

A Monmouth man has been charged with In the ensuing struggle, according to Boyd was already on parole for an attempted murder for allegedly police, Lickiss pushed Boyd out of earlier conviction for assaulting a trying to stab MEG undercover agent the moving car, and then jumped out police officer. He was being held in Bobby Lickiss June 27. Newspaper himself. The struggle continued until lieu of $1050000 bond. reports of the incident said that the Lickiss pulled his gun out. accused, Michael Boyd, suspected MEG undercover agent Robert Lickiss that Lickiss was a MEG agent fr,om At that point, Boyd turned and ran, Jr. lives with his parents at 810 information published in the Post­ and Lickiss did not pursue him. LaSalle in Marquette Heights, near Amerikan 's last issue. Pekin. He used to work for the MEG chief Jerry LaGrow said the MEG Marquette Heights police department, Lickiss' photo was not printed in the agent showed "unbelievable restraint" but left "a couple months ago," Post, but a photo of the car he in not shooting the running Boyd in according to the dispatcher who reportedly was using did appear in the back. answered the phone. The·1978 Pekin the paper. City Directory listed Lickiss as a According to police reports, Boyd's student. His home phone number is According to reports released to knife never penetrated the MEG's (309) 382-3321. newspapers by MEG chief. Jerry LaGrow agent's clothing. and Warren County deputy Robb Miller, When contacted by the Post-Amerikan, the attempted stabbing followed the After Boyd ran away, Lickiss went to Lickiss was reluctant to talk about MEG agent's purchase of marijuana local police, who rounded up Boyd and the attack in Monmouth. from two other Monmouth men. the two men charged with selling Lickiss the bag of pot. "You.'d better talk to my Director," After Lickiss bought the pot, reports Lickiss said, and he hung up." said, Boyd became suspicious and tried to buy the marijuana back. Boyd was in Lickiss' vehicle, with Lickliss driving. When Lickliss refused to sell the pot back, reports said, Boyd pulled out a knife.

Update on MEG agents The Joint Chris Cardinal, listed in last issue's Post-Amerikan as an undercover MEG agent, is now with General the Peoria Heights Police Dept.

Robert Lickiss Jr., 810 LaSalle, Store Marquette Heights (309) 382-3321, is a MEG undercover agent. He was Downtown Bloomington not mentioned in the last Post­ Amerikan. Lickiss is the agent who was allegedly attacked at knifepoint in Monmouth in late June (see separate story). Lickiss drives a 1975 Buick, license 454 120.

Marilyn Kohl, another MEG agent, also was not listed in last issue's Post-Amerikan. Kohl was responsible Looking for for some Fulton County arrests since the last issue.

John W. "Bill" Stephens, the MEG agent who quit in 1976 after a a companion? conviction for child molesting, is now living at RR 1, Hanna City, Illinois, according to information from the computer at the Secretary of State's office. Stephens drives a green Ford LTD, license ND 6955, CHECK OUT� THE LARGE which was parked at the "Sheriff's Department Only" parking in downtown Peoria in early June. SELECTION OF ·CORRESPONDENCE AND Hey folks, if you subscribe to the Post-Amerikan, you should let us know your new SWINGERS' MAGAZINES address when you move.

You can't rely on leaving a AT forwarding address at the Post Office, because 3rd • • class mail (like ours) isn't M£DUS0:5 800K forwarded. · (Your subscriptions to other newspapers and WOP.LO magazines probably will 77/u.$/' be /9 yr�. be forwarded, because 109 CJ. f'RONT oro/Q"�r- they are sent 2nd class mail.) BLOOMING'!ON page 14

Secret police round up

A McLean County grand jury indicted 22 ME'G undercover agent Paul Brenkman people on a total of 33 charges of was responsible for most of the drug illegal drug deliveries June 7. ME'G buys, followed by Agent Mark WilliamP undercover agents operating in the and Agent Terry Ziegenbein. Agent Bloomington area were responsible for Mari Groppi, working with MEG all of the busts. informer Rodney Meyer, made some of the marijuana buys. As the Post-Amerikan goes to press, 16 of the 22 people have been arrested; As is usual with MEG raids, the agents six haven't been caught yet. didn't do such a good job of buying the dangerous drugs they are supposed According to McLean County State's to be after. - Attorney Ron Dozier, the Post­ Amerikan' s printing of ME'G agents' At presstime, 24 of the 33 MEG indict­ photos was influential in determining ments are public. (The files on the the ME'G raid's timing. people not yet caught are still sealed.) Dozier said the Post-Amerikan's June­ July issue, released at the end of May, Of the 24 charges, ten--over 40 per blew the covers of the agents working cent--are only for delivery of in Bloomington. Though ME'G usually marijuana. One of the pot deals isn't waits up to six months after a buy even a felony. MEG is prosecuting one before making an arrest, agents "dealer" for delivery of between 2.5 hurriedly completed their paperwork, MEG Agent Mark Williams stopped bothering people for drugs, and took the cases they had to the ABOVE: This photo of Agent WiHiams was taken grand jury. in mid-May. Since the Post's last issue, he has reportedly changed his appearance, shaving his According to Dozier, one of the ME'G agents pictured in the ost-Amerikan face except for a fu manchu moustache, and P "had done a particularly effective job Mari Groppi, cutting his hair a little shorter. of infiltrating the drug subculture." According to Dozier, this agent was MEG agent just about to get close to "some big dealers," but the Post blew the (Photo taken from her agent's cover. The McLean County 1973 Danville High Yearbook. ) For more BELOW: The photo of Agent Ziegenbein on the prosecutor estimated it would take MEG "several months to infiltrate new information on Groppi, left was taken in mid-May, and the one on the agents into the drug subculture." see last month's Post. right was snapped in late June. Ziegenbein is a Pekin cop assigned to MEG, and lives at 2015 Windsor in Pekin. MEG Special Agent Terry Ziegenbein

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1 0 3 B R,0 A D WAY M A L L NORMAL, ILLINOIS 61761 Qlll

Bloomington residents

and 10 grams--a misdemeanor. Regulars at DA's say that Groppi and Meyer came in at least six or seven All the other marijuana charges are times, sometimes spending the entire for deliveries of between 10 and JO evening drinking. grams. (In previous MEG raids, agents tried to buy more pot at a given time, Groppi had to drive from Peoria each in order to charge the seller with night for this important investigation, delivery of more than JO grams.) while Meyer was staying in Blooming­ ton's L & L Motel--apparently at Six of the 24 indictments are for MEG's expense. delivery of a controlled substance. There were five PCP arrests, and one After several days of hanging out in for amphetamines, but no heroin, nor the Lounge, Meyer and Groppi any cocaine. eventually spent evenings talking with many of the bar's customers. In a third of the cases--8 of the 24-­ One customer who talked with the Post MEB agents did not succeed in buying went out driving with Groppi and any illegal substance. These eight Meyer, in Groppi's car, and the three cases charge that people sold a of them smoked pot together. substance to MEG, pretending the substance was an illegal drug, when Of the 26 indictments public so far, in fact the substance wasn't illegal. two of them--both pot cases--stem Such sales are called "turkey" sales, from Groppi's and Meyer's undercover and are still the basis for felony marijuana investigation. One sale charges, even though no illegal drugs allegedly occurrea at DA's, while the are involved. other was at Meyer's motel room, where the pot seller was attending a party hosted by the MEG "special When MEG was first set up, it was employee," instructed to go after sellers of heroin and other dangerous drugs, and While the names of agents responsible not waste resources catching petty pot for the Bloomington raid are now dealers. MEB has consistently ignored public, the informers' names are not. those instructions. Victims of this latest secret police round-up are encouraged to call the Based on MEG's investigative Post-Amerikan with any information. techniques in their latest raid, it seems that the undercover agents are willing to devote considerable resources in an active effort to make some small pot deals. RIGHT: Paul Brenkman has been a MEG agent In March, Agent Mari Groppi and MEB for over a year and a half. He also works full "special employee" Rod Meyer spent hours drinking in DA's Lounge trying time at a Mossville Caterpillar plant. He used to meet people who would sell them to work at Caterpillar's East Peoria plant, but pot. was transferred after he busted a batch of his co-workers.

Pot possession busts now MEG scrapes barrel's bottom

From the time it first began pot residue in it, plus an isomizer undercover investigations of illegal --a device sold in head shops for drug sales, the Peoria-based MEG distilling marijuana into hash oil. unit was instructed to go after the more dangerous drugs and leave After hauling off the marijuana enforcement of the marijuana laws to seeds, the joints, the two pills, local police. the bong and the isomizer, MEG agents planted a misleading story From the time it. first began, MEG in the Peoria newspaper. ignored those instructions and spent much of its resources busting young "Probe Concludes With Drug Raid," people for selling a lid or two of the headline read. The undercover pot. cop's spotting a bong in the house became a "six-week drug investigation" Now, it seems, MEG is prepared to go in the paper. The story was written a step further, spending its to imply that MEG agents, along with resources investigating pot Peoria Heights police and federal possession cases. narcs, had cracked an underground drug laboratory. The story said In early June, MEG agents, "laboratory equipment was seized," accompanied by a total of 7 to 10 and later said chemicals were la w enforcement officers, raided a confiscated. house in Peoria Heights. In the official inventory of goods MEG agent Larry Wight obtained the seized, filed in the Peoria County search warrant by asserting that an courthouse, there is absolutely no undercover police officer had been mention of any chemicals seized. in the house, and that the undercover There is also no mention at all of cop had spotted a bong with any "laboratory equipment." The marijuana residue in it. isomizer could conceivably be considered one piece of laboratory The MEG agent asked the judge for a equipment, but its description as search warrant, because possession such in the paper was definitely of a pipe with marijuana residue in meant to mislead readers into it is a violation of the cannabis picturing something other than MEG Agent Larry Wight- control act. what MEG actually found. Always ready to go into action against desperate After going all through the house As the Post goes to press, more than criminals, MEG agent Larry Wight (who smokes (at 2 in the morning), MEG agents a month has passed since the "six­ dope himself) obtained a search warrantwhen he found a few pot seeds under the week drug investigation" climaxed learned that some Peoria Heights residents had couch, three joints, and two pills with the big raid. No charges have a bong with some pot residue in it. Wight is a (which may be perfectly legal). even been filed. Peoria cop assigned to work with the undercover They also found the ?ong with the marijuana police. page 16 Post-Amerikan vol. 7 no. 3 •••••••••• ...... Fake alibi V#Orth 218 years? Lizzie Williams, who was sentenced chicken-stealing boyfriend, was to 218 years in p:r:ison in 1942 for granted asylum in Michigan by providing a false alibi for a Governor Milliken.

Williams had escaped from an Alabama *********************** prison farm in 1951 and remained free until this year when Alabama 'They grab, bloodhounds finally tracked her down on a street corner in Detroit Cancer in the kitchen/ where she preaches. Doctors released a report in Lane they rape' County, Oregon, that revealed that Alabama Governor Wallace demanded housewives had a death rate from London--Twenty angry feminists that Williams be sent back to prison cancer 55% higher than either white barged into a clothing shop to but Milliken refused to turn her or blue collar working women. The protest sexist ads. over after the black community of report suggested that the home Detroit rallied to her defense. environment is made the most The store had been advertising dangerous workplace by deodorizers, itself as the "Top Shop... The woman, who is now 60, was triec detergents, waxes, and other where girls look like girls and three times in two days by all-white cleaning products. men just look. " The women juries and sentenced to consecutive· plastered the shop with stickers terms of 20, 99 and 99 years by --info from Big Mama Rag that read: "Just look? They white Alabama judges. ******************** grab. They rape. " --OOB During the commotion, women shoppers joined the protesters, showing that they also objected to being seen as sex objects. New criminal code criminal --OOB/Zero News A crucial bill which would completely little debate and almost no public reorganize federal criminal law in attention. Opposition is mounting, this country is nearing Congressional however. Both the ACLU and the passage with a minimum of public National Committee Against Repressive attention or debate. The bill, known Legislation have protested S.1437. Rotting brain cells as s.1437 or the Criminal Code Reform --info from Sister Courage South Korea has sent more than 200 Act of 1978, has already been passed people arrested for smoking marijuana by the Senate and is now being pushed to an insane asylum where government through the House. Germans buy Thai womer doctors are trying to prove that pot smoking is part of a communist plot. The successor to Nixon's infamous About 2000 Thai women are "sold " into S.1, s.1437 threatens many civil prostitution in West Germany against Prisoners are asked questionP like: liberties. Provisions of the bill their will each year. "Are you a pot-smoking communist? " would outlaw many forms of political "Why do you rock and roll? " and "Can dissent, including many public Agence France Press reports that a demonstrations. Also endangered are you describe the sensation of rotting handful of West German men are the rights of persons accused of brain cells? " getting rich by "importing " young crimes, the rights of workers to women from Thailand by trickery. South Korea's President Park believes strike, and freedoms of the press. The women are reportedly persuaded marijuana use helped cause the fall Of special concern to women is a to go to Germany with the promise of Southeast Asia to communist statute which would forbid anyone of marriage to wealthy German men or from sending information on how to governments. of earning their own fortune by --High Times obtain an abortion across state being models or restaurant hostesses. lines.

Once in Germany, Thai women are The reputation of Ted Kennedy, the "rented " to brothels masquerading bill's chief sponsor, has helped e as night clubs or saunas for as The school tie push the bill through Congr ss with much as $2500 and are often sold A memo advising Congressional outright for $10,000. The clubs representatives who planned to then make up the cost of buying accompany President Carter on his ... ANY SIDE EFFECTS .. women by charging high prices for trip to Colorado to wear business BESIDES THAT TWllCH prostitution. suits has drawn criticism from a IN YOUR LEFT E'YE SOCKET? lawmaker in Colorado. '-..... The women rarely denounce their employers because of fear of Colorado Rep. Patricia Schroeder reprisals and death. reportedly complained on the House --Her Say floor that she doesn't even own a business suit. --Big Mama Rag Deportation for unionists Five hundred workers at Vogue Coach, Holocaust no alibi makers of recreational vehicles in A federal government memo called Sun Valley, Calif., recently joined the "Post-Attack Regi..stration Annual the United Auto Workers. But the Reminder " tells government employees company is using the Immigration and that after a nuclear war: LNS/cpf Naturalization Service (Migra) to smash the union before a contract "If you are prevented from going to can be negotiated. your regular place of work or prevented from reporting to an Farm animal? Eighty per cent of the workforce is emergency location because of an illegal Mexican immigrants. The enemy attack, go to the nearest Post Guilford County, North Carolina, company uses the threat of Office, ask for a Federal Employee Commissioner Gaston Faison is against deportation to force workers into accepting bad conditions and low Emergency Registration Card (CSC the establishment of a refuge house A skilled electrician makes Form 600), fill it out and mail it. for battered women: �ay. $3 per hour; overtime is forced and unlimited. "The Postal Service will attempt to "If the county takes in a woman who deliver the registration card to us. " is abused, " he said, "then what are Federal agents have visited the' plant However, it may be "a while, " the we going to do when some farmer calls to interview workers; those who government admits, before it can put in who can't tame his wild horse? you back to work. Are we going to tame it for him? " refused to cooperate have been fired --Mother Jones --Greensboro Record or arrested and now face deportation. Vogue has hired U.S.-born workers, at higher rates of pay, to repl�ce the immigrants.

Don't call the a·mbulance The union is now demanding a clause in its contract which would force After Alena Boronova, a Czech Boronova was sentenced to seven the company to rehire the workers veterinarian, was raped by two men, years in prison for the castrations, who were fired because of Migra she invited them to her house, a sentence which has drawn strong harassment and to prevent the use served them drinks spiked with protests from feminists in England, of Migra as a weapon· against sleeping pills, and castrated them. the Netherlands, and Czechoslovakia. workers in the future. She then called an ambulance. --Mother Jones --info from Off Our Backs Post-Amerikan page 17 •••••••••• vol. 7 no. 3 ...... , Baptists 'Stinky' \NOrks for cops? reject A man wanted for a 5-year series of victims and told the police of her rapes--called "Stinky " because of suspicions. his distinctive personal odor--may be working for the Berkeley Police Lt. Don Smithson, head of the Sex Bryant Department. Detail of the Berkeley Police Department, used "sophisticated Southern Baptists voted 2-to-1 According to a concerned woman, laboratory work" to rule out the against Anita Bryant in mid-June Stinky is a narcotics informer and a suspect, thus eliminating the need when the orange juice peddlar and well-known figure on Telegraph for questioning him or having him anti-gay fanatic tried to become Avenue. She first suspected the followed. Smithson also denied that that church's vice president. identity of the rapist last year the suspect ever worked for the after talking with one of his police. While Bryant told Southern Baptists that "1000 former homosexuals " had Members of the Southwest Berkeley written to thank her for helping Concerned Citizens, two of Stinky's them "see" their wickedness, more victims, and other area residents than 2000 gay rights supporters are now considering action to force demonstrated outside. Berkeley police to arrest the --LNS/Free for All Gray vacuum suspect. --info from Off Our Backs When travelers on the East Coast began to complain about dirty airplanes, the problem turned out to be an old one--virility. New KKK attacks gays The maintenan·ce men had been using More than 100 teen-age boys in late November they used baseball brooms instead of vacuum cleaners on reportedly have organized Ku Klux bats in an organized attack on the planes because they thought Klan chapters at two high schools in patrons at a club catering to gays. vacuum cleaners were "the tools of Oklahoma City and are waging a In that incident several people were women." campaign of terror against gays, injured, tires slashed, and cars according to an Associated Press vandalized. The youths also claimed Management consultants solved this release. responsibility for the vandalizing problem by painting the pastel­ of a large number of autos at a gay colored vacuum cleaners gray and "We are not just against blacks like meeting spot. No one was in jured labelling them "industrial vacuum the old Klan, " one youth told the in that incident. cleaner. " Then they held military­ ·AP. "We are against gays and the style competitions to see who was clubs that support them, and are One boy was quoted as saying, "The best at cleaning and taking apart going to try to shut them down ·only people we won't let in are his machine. because this activity is morally and girls, blacks, Jews, or dope socially wrong." smokers. We might consider Catholics Now it's macho to vacuum. if the time comes.� --New York/ Ms. The boys were quoted as saying that --GPU news I

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Normal Pekin ; Springfield Peorja on Main Lincoln Galesburg Peoria Nbrthside Decatur Macomb Post-Amerikan Vol. 7 #3 page 18 Stone's secret:

Then the appraiser looks the year and make up in "I'd say half the people who buy new cars don't without asking anyone who's not present (for a "black book" which comes out every week and know what the hell hit 'em." The salesperson who instance, they find out whether a married man can tells what a car like yours in similar condition made this statement knows what hit 'em, though: buy a car without his wife's approval). sold for last week in Illinois. But that's not the Don Stone Ford's eight-step system for pushing figure the DSF salesperson will tell you, most cars. 3. Land the customer on a car on the lot. The salesperson gets you set on a specific car by likely.

This system is outlined in a manual for sales­ picking up on your statements and subtle hints The salesperson will tell you a higher figure. people to memorize and practice until perfect. (like what you lovingly eye). The salesperson They've found that while 75% of the cars people The salesperson we interviewed attributes Don helps you make up your mind. Our source says, bring in are just average, everyone thinks Stone Ford's success (DSF sells more cars than "It's easiest with a weak person. If somebody they've taken such great care of their car that it any other downstate lot) to this system. doesn't know what they want, we tell them what should be above average or excellent. Also, many they want." . people shop around for the lot which will give Here are the eight things Don Stone Ford sales-· The demonstration ride. The salesperson we people have to do; if you buy a car there after you 4. them the best trade-in allowance on their old car, interviewed thinks this is a key to the DSF system. not which will give the lowest price on a new one. read this, at least you'll know what hit you: First, the salesperson starts the car and drives it around a long block, while explaining its special It doesn't cost Don Stone Ford anything to make 1. The first step is to greet the customer. The features like cruise control. you feel good about getting a high trade-in figure. salespeople are supposed to gain rapport, get on DSF knows you're not going to pay the full sticker a first-name basis with you, and check out clues They don't do this just so you can enjoy the ride. price and the salesperson already figures to give to your personality and beliefs so they don't Our source aays that many new cars, with low up a chunk of that sticker price in the bargaining offend you. For instance, if you have a Honk If compression and catalytic converters, are hard process. So what they do is take that chunk and You Love Jesus bumper sticker, the salesperson as hell to get going and feel funny to drive while add it to tli� true black book appraisal of yot r is supposed to pick up on it and not use four-letter � they're cold. "They don't want the customer to car, and tell you that's your trade-in allowance. words. start the car." After it's warmed up, the sales­ person lets you drive. If you need another person's So if you're looking at a i-iew car with a $7500 2.. Qualify the customer. In this step, they see approval to buy the car, they use the demonstration sticker, and they truly appraise your old car at if you're a serious buyer. The salesperson we drive to go get the other person who's needed. $1000, they're going to tell you your appraisal is interviewed said the system encourages Since this other person is often a family member-­ $1500 and try to sell you the new car for $7000. salespeople to "find out what they (the customers) a husband, wife, or parent--the drive often takes It's just the same as if they gave you the real want--not necessarily what they think they want or you home, where the salesperson makes use of a $1000 trade-in allowance and then sold you the new what they tell you they want. They may come in clever psychological ploy. Encouraging you to pull car for $6500, but at this point you're just saying they want a station wagon, but if you notice up in your driveway, the salesperson hopes that thinking about how much you're getting on trade­ they really look over a Mustang IT, you know that's the neighbors see the shiny new car. If the in. You're happier with Don Stone Ford. and the what they're going to buy. " DSF salespeople also neighbors ask, the salesperson will tell them that higher appraisal. find out how you stand financially. They ask what this is your new car. Our interviewee said, "You kind of payments you now make on your car, how say it jokingly, of course, but it really does have many more you have to pay, where you work, etc. If you're buying a used car, they pad the appraisal its effect." This ls so the salesperson doesn't waste time on this way: The salesperson sees the code on the someone who no bank will risk financing. In this window of the used car you want that says DSF got 5. Get the present car appraised. The appraisers step, also, the DSF salesperson figures out which the car for $3000. Instead of saying that the car at car lots basically just classify the condition of sells for (the standard mark-up on used member of a couple is the dominant force in $4000 $1000 your car as' rough, average, above average, or making the buying decision, and makes sure that excellent. the customer has the power to make the decision

MUTI AND JEFF JUST A MINUTE .I YOU HAVEN'T 1#1MONEY iN THE BllNK.' YOU OVER· DREW WHAT YOU HAD/ NOW You'RE USING THE BANK'S MONEY.'

cpf

How to turn a person into a

Sometimes the salespeople re�ort to tricks The DSF salesperson we interviewed (we'll to cut down the competition. Joe told us call him Joe) worked at Don Stone Ford for that if they approach a customer and figure seven months. When he left, there were 22 that the person is poor or unemployed and salespeople and only three of them had not likely to buy or get financed, the been there longer than he had. salesperson will say, "I have an appointment in a few minutes, but Jane Smith here will Joe told us that DSF always has too many be glad to help you," thus sticking Jane Smith salespeople all in fierce competition for buyers. to wander around the lot with a deadbeat for He says, "Salesmen have tripped each other, a while and forcing her out of the runnings. gotten into fistfights, " over who got to approach · a customer. No cooperation among sales personnel is encouraged at Don Stone Ford. There's no He said that they'll break' their necks to answer taking turns at approaching customers to insure · the phone in the salesroom, and he recounted equal chances for sales. In many car lots, an incident in which one salesperson smashed commissions are split if two salespeople are the receiver into another's mouth when he involved in the deal: the person who shows tried to grab the phone. the car one day may get 70% of the commission, and the person who writes it up the next day How does Don Stone get such enthusiastic may get 30%. salespeople ?

But at Stone's, the person who closes the deal He doesn't pay them. gets the whole commission, even if all they do is write up the sale. The original salesperson All the sales personnel are on straight may not be on the lot or may be busy with commission--they get only a percentage of another customer when the buyer comes in to the total price they sell a car for. As Joe close the deal, and that's just too bad. This pointed out, this way, even if DSF gets only is one reason that customers get heavy a couple sales from each extra salesperson, pressure to sign the papers the same day they it makes a profit--because the salesperson look at a car. doesn't get a salary. Post-Amerikan Vol. 7 #3 page 19 8 steps to sue Another Don Stone Ford technique salespeople cars), they will say that the car sells for $4500 or use on reluctant customers is to start asking $5000, so they can offer you more for your old The salesperson brings this worksheet to you in if it's something personal: if the salesperson car. (Sometimes people complain that they talk the office and hopes that you okay it, but only is black, for instance, they'll suggest n,at to 2 or 3 different salespeople about the same car one out cf twenty customers takes the deal your hesitance is due to the fact that they're and don't hear the same price twice: the reason without haggling, which is done in step #7. black, or a woman salesperson will suggest is the different amounts of padding different 7. Closing. The salesperson tries to figure that it's because she's female. They hope salespeople do on the appraisal.) out what the customer's objection to the deal that you'll buy the car to prove your lack is: whether it's the down payment, the sii� of prejudice. 6. Write-up. At this step, everything goes down of payments, or what. Then they try to talk on paper. If you're an astute reader, you've you out of each objection. If they can't, they The salespeople are taught that if they let you noticed that you've never yet said, "Yes, I want get out of that office without signing the this car." Part of the DSF system is to ram you have no authority to lower the price. They have to ask the sales manager. This way, papers, they'll lose the sale. You must buy through these steps without giving you an the car before you think about it too hard, appropriate place to say, ''Whoa, wait a minute!" they can say, "Gee whiz, I don't know if I can because the whole purpose of the sys1em is - Our source asserts that "50% of the people �ho buy get a better price, but I'll try." Then the to get you not only to buy a car, but to buy cars there sit down the next day and say, 'What salesperson goes to the sales manager, who 11' it for more than you really wanted to spend. the hell did I do? lowers the price just a little, and the sales­ person brings it back to you acting like you're If the salesperson can't get you to sign, they For the write-up the salesperson sits you down in lucky to get such generosity (while really the move on to step #8. an office, offers you soda or coffee, and hustles off salesperson and sales manager have been to a sales manager, closing the door on you. The discussing how much they can possibly get from 8. Help. The sales manager comes into the salesperson tells the sales manager everything you). office. This person is " an old pro, with a they've found out a:>0ut you, and the sales manager super strong personality. " They use even fills out a worksheet with these items listed on it: This process is repeated a few times. It's harder-sell techniques. Our source said, called "callousing": getting you prepared to "If somebody's weak, they're dead." 1) The fake appraisal figure of your old car. pay more than you intended to pay in the first place. The process here is called "hammering. 11 2) The sticker price of the new car (er the asking The sales manager pound, pound, pounds the price for a used car, which is $1000 over what In DSF's system, the salesperson doesn't customer, and may throw politeness aside. Don Stone paid for it) unless it's on sale. consider the fairness of the sales tactics. The reasoning is that if they make you mad Some techniques play on the customer's and you stomp out, they were going to lose 3) The difference between the two: if you're guilt. "If somebody says, all these figures the sale anyway, so there's really no risk. trading in a car with a padded appraisal of $1000 look real nice, I really like the car, but I for a car with a sticker price of $7000, this figure just gotta sleep on it (or I gotta look around This is the Don Stone Ford System, and every. would be $6000. some more), the salesperson says, You've salesperson uses it. Much of it seems just taken about four or five hours of my time here, common sense, but making it into a step-by-step 4) Suggestions for financing plans: down payments, and I've completely devoted myself to finding . process makes it much more deadly. The how many payments at how much per payment, the car for you, here, sign right here," sales erson we interviewed was good at it, a:1d etc. making you feel like you've been a jerk to p DSF wanted him to move up, "but I just didn't waste their time. have the heart for that kind of stuff, " he admitted.

NEWSPAPERS t - ' 1MAGAZINES sales machine The high turnover is due partly to anxiety produced by the stiff competition, and partly to the large number of firings. If a sales­ person doesn't sell a car for a week, they're fired. COIN { This pressure to sell has a direct effect on the customer who's buying a used car. Joe STAMP

was a good salesperson, and never had to · SUPPLIES worry about his quota; therefore, he'd try to steer people away from junky cars. But he says, "Some salespeople would sell people cars that were just terrible--that

would need a new transmission a week later, I --, a $500 repair, something like that. " GREETING:

These salespeople no doubt didn't like selling CARDS junk, but had to in order to keep their jobs. "Run outa steam for a coupla weeks, and they can you," summarized Joe.

According to Joe, DSF never turns back an odometer, but they don't do much else, either. "Generally, they don't do anything to the used cars. Clean'em up, and park 'em." Sometimes they'll fix appearance flaws on a really nice used car, since most people buy cars mainly by appearance.

So the customer never knows whether the 5 AMA" PM ------.. salesperson is just selling a car, or saving MON-SAT\ a job at any cost. And each salesperson 5AM-ll!30 PM1 knows, as Joe says, "There's always plenty of other people who need that job. " SVN. Post-Amerikan Vol. 7 #J page 20

How Don

You may be curious about just how much money Don Stone Ford makes on each car they sell. If you just consider the profit margin--the difference between what DSF pays for a car and what the sticker price is--it doesn't seem exorbitant.

On small cars, like Pintos and Chevettes, you can never haggle a salesperson down too far from the sticker price, because the markup is only 3-5%. The highest markup is on a car like DSF's sham contests an LTD with lots of options, on which the sticker - price will be about 19 1/2% higher than the invoke. If anything can be sleazier than Don Stone Ford's for instance, if you were driving a 1971 car, they other cars' markups are strung out between these sales techniques, it's Don Stone Ford's contests. could send you a letter this year reminding you extremes. On new trucks, DSF charges $2000 that your car is aging and inviting you to DSF. over the invoice price. Remember when you got a card in the mail from DSF with a metal key attached to it? The rap Another heavily publicized contest invited people Considering that items like clothing and food are promised that your key might open one of two to come guess how many Big Mac boxes were marked up 100% for retail sales, and necessities padlocks on cars at the DSF showroom. If it did, crammed in a Fairmont on the DSF lot. The like !olling papers and hash pipes are marked up you won the use of the car for a week, or some closest guesser was to win a prize of $500. 300% or more, the new car markup seems low. such thrilling prize. Dennison announced the winner to DSF workers at But Don Stone isn't in business for his health (or No one won. Steve Dennison, general manager a sales meeting. The winner was a customer who yours). There is a lot of money yet to come of DSF, admitted at a sales meeting that our source knew. Later, he found out that she was after they get that sticker price. they never got around to sending out the ten never notified that she won the contest, and she winning keys (five for each padlock). never received the $500 prize. First, there's the interest on the loan. When you buy a car at DSF, you sign a sales contract that Our source, who was a salesperson at the time, Again, our source estimates that DSF made one calls for so many payments at so much percent, said that DSF made one or two car sales a day . or two extra sales a day to people who came in totalling so many dollars. DSF sells this contract from people who came in just to try their keys in just for the contest. to, say, Corn Belt Bank for cash. Corn Belt the padlocks, which were placed so that people had gives DSF the price of the car loan plus half the to walk across DSF's showroom to get to them. Our source is also very suspicious about how the interest they'll collect over the years, and Don These people would not otherwise have even big drawings are conducted. He says that the Stone Ford has no more to do with the transaction: looked at new cars. winner of the drawing from the key promo just th� car is owned by the buyer and the bank. happened to be a man from Heyworth who buys Another fringe benefit DSF got from the contest 3 or 4 vehicles a year at Don Stone Ford, and So if the interest on your loan over the years will was a file of potential customers. People who the winner of a drawing for a Jeep Golden Eagle total $500, Corn Belt will get $250 of it and DSF tried their keys also got to enter a drawing. On at DSF in Peoria just happened to be Denny Stone, will get $250 of it. the entry card, you had to write what kind of car Don's son. When we found this hard to believe, you currently drove, thus giving DSF valuable our source chuckled, "Oh, yes it could be a

_ information to use in future sales promotions-- coincidence •..'sure, it could be. ,,--

Summer

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10 - 4:30 Mon. - Sat� Sale!

750 Honda oil cooler--1 only New Harley drag pipes, all Was $39. 95, Now $27. 50 models--List $39. 95, Kaw. 900 4 into 2 headers-- Now $29. 95 2 only--Was $139, Now $50 1 set BSA 650 TT pipes, new, 3 used fairings--Cheap ! ! List $39. 95, Now $25 Metric wrench sets--My cost 1 set Tri 500 TT pipes, new, Metric socket sets--My cost List$ 39. 95, Now $25 1 Harley Electra Glide front 1 set early Sportster fork end--Complete, $175 tubes, 6", used--Now $25 4 sets Harley Fat Bob gas 1 set early Sporster fork tanks--Y:our choice, $50 tubes, 10", used--Now $25 1 used springer--$175 Post-Amerikan· Vol. 7 #3 page 21 Stone Ford makes big

Now, you could go directly to Corn Belt and get a good deal." It'll pay for a valve job, but the It should cost $5 or less. One standard figure for the loan yourself, without going through DSF. You car shouldn't need a valve job in the first three such coverage is $1 per $1000 worth. In fact, would end up paying about the same amount of years unless something went wrong at the factory. credit unions throw it in on loans free, the 1st interest, but Corn Belt would get all of it instead National Bank of Peoria throws it in free, and a of only half of it. Needless to say, your sales Almost every buyer buys the extra warranty. lot of banks in Bloomington will throw it in on the manager will discourage you from arranging the loan if you:ask them. loan yourself. Then the salesperson starts talking about the ravages of the salted streets in the winter on But almost everybody buys the Credit Life and The banks that work with DSF are willing to take your car's body. They have two sample hoods, Disability Policy from Don Stone Ford. (The the loss of half the interest in exchange for the both subjected to the salt mixture that Normal insurance company splits the take 50/50 with convenience and extra business they get from the uses on its streets. One is grungy, and rusted, DSF.) arrangement. but the other one is shiny and perfect--it's been treated with ECP rustproofing. And the job is So here's what you've added since you signed the DSF's salesperson tries to find a bank that will be guaranteed for 5 years, adds $100 to the resale papers: willing to buy your sales contract--that is, that price of the car, and so on. trusts you to pay back the loan regularly. If you Extra Warranty: $139 work at Caterpillar, Eureka, or Modine, they And you can get your car rustproofed right there Rust job: 139 barely have to check--they know your credit's at Don Stone Ford for only $139 more. Insurance: 300 good at any bank. Total $578 It's a good idea to rust proof a new car, but But if you're financially shaky, they might call K-mart does exactly the same thing for $40, our several banks. One source explained, as a last source said. E$930938'-�' ' � , ' resort, "We might call up at ten till five, get hold of the loan manager, say, hey, this guy looks Almost every new car buyer buys a rust proofing pretty good, and he'll say oh, okay, I'll buy it." job from Don Stone Ford. They get the loan manager to buy the contract without a credit report, because they know that's Then you go on to the finance officer to finish the the only way it'll get bought. money transactions. And the finance officer says, "Did you know that you could die tomorrow After you sign the papers, there's still more of a heart attack and not be able to make these money to pay. First, the salesperson says, ''Well, payments? Or you could get injured at work?" But if you had $578 extra jingling around in your you know our new car warranties are only good Don Stone Ford, luckily, has a Credit Life and pockets, you've already used it in the down for 12 months or 12, 000 miles, but you know I Disability Policy that wi:l make the payments for payment. But don't worry, DSF will finance that can warrant your car for 36 months/36, 000 miles? you in such a case; thus, your loved ones won't $578 for you at the same rate as your loan--and It's only $139 extra." The warranty is $25 have to run out and get jobs to kf�ep up the car collect interest on it. So the extra $578 adds deductible, and doesn't cover maintenance, or payments. about $50-60 onto th� finance charges, and Don things like the clutch of a standard shift car; in Stone Ford gets $25-30 of it (the bank gets the fact, our source says, "If you blow an engine, it's DSF will sell you $5000 worth of this term insurance other half). for $300. Have you thought about taking the bus?

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Ope n 9:30 am to 5 pm Mon.- Sat. DEMON STRATORS SAY. • • Better active today were my type, The former, who to an empty chair with the name of Wendell Kelly (President of Illinois bec�me known as the Vitesse group, easily made it. there and back. Power) on it. The protesters filed by, each with a petition of The r�st of us needed a little The Sun Spot help in Greg's van, about midway, twenty-five names or so, and placed Greg gave us a five or six mile the petitions in a stack on the chair. by B.C. headstart on the Vitesse group and As they slowly walked the hot, P.O. Box 463 let us out about six miles from the sticky asphalt road, the protesters Bloomington, Ill. 61701 rally ..Before we had gone more than sang out clearly, saying "Wendell three miles, however, the Vitesse Kelly, Wendell KBlly, Can't you On Saturday, June 24, about a group was back ini'ront again. Oh hear? Can't you hear? We won't dozen bicyclers gathered at the well, It was nice to finally get let you build it! We won't let you Bloomington Courthouse, cheered on there. build it! Is that clear? Is that by forty onlookers. Petitions clear?" pinned to the bikers' backs read The rally featured speakers from all the cities involved: Jacqui Protesters disagreed about what "NO NUKES!" in big red letters. to do with the 2300 petition signatures In small letters, the petitions Ti�pel from Bloomington; Sam Day, editor of the since Illinois Power was going out asked Illinois Power to close down Progressive magazine; and Skip Laitner, form editor of of its way to avoid receiving them. th� Clinton nuclear power plant and er the Critical Mass Journal. It was a One faction felt that since the turn towards safe, responsible hot, steamy day, and folks baked in pe titions were addressed to IP, they forms of energy, The Prairie the sun to hear the words about should be sent there, care of Wendell Alliance had collected over 2300 nuclear power. The children had Kelly. Another faction felt that the signatures regionally un this the right idea--they played under petitions would only wind up in the petition, and groups from Bloom­ waste basket, so what's the use? A ington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, the water faucet. Kristen Lems pleased the crowd by playing some anti-nuclear third faction felt they would wind Springfield, Mason City, and songs Throughout the rally, hikers up in IP's domestic surveillance Clinton marched, biked or rode : and bikers from around central Illinois file, along with the photos that men from their home towns to Weldon continued to dribble in, carrying in dark glasses on the other side Springs State Park, ten miles from petitions. of the chain-link fence took. A the Clinton nuke, for a rally. fourth faction, mainly from Bloo'ming­ After the rally; a caravan of ton, felt the petitions should go The Bloomington bikers left the � 40-some vehicles formed up funeral­ to the Illinois Commerce Commission, courthouse at 8:30 Saturday morning, style to solemnly deliver the peti­ because they will make the decision while TV cameras whirred, people tions to the site of the Clinton to close down the plant, not IP. cheered, and Illinois Power Company's Atomic power plant, where Illinois Further, the petitions would under­ undercover agent took notes. The score IP's unresponsiveness to the route followed Bunn Street south Power Company said it would be sure . not to be . As it turned out, atomic public and pave the way for Prairie ·along a scenic 36-mile route. There power plants all over the country Alliance's legal intervention later was only one breakdown--me. My were s�ut down on Saturday, June 24, this summer, when IP's planned 15% chain jammed on a set screw that -�"te hike will be opposed before the was deeper than usual since I had to avoid conflicts between atomic workers and anti-nuclear protesters. In the end, the originals taken the child seat off the_night � sent to IP and copies to ICC. before. But, with the assistance (Demonstrations happened all over of Greg Stoewer, who (along with the country on June 24.) Ralph Dring) followed the bikers·, :;ewhere on June 24 The Clinton nuke funeral pro­ the bike recovered and the hike ceS"Sion parked along Route 10 nea June 24 was the date for the continued. r the plant's main gate, Two hundred � �ly at the Clinton nuke, because ic:: coincided with a huge rally at There were definitely two kinds people formed up three abreast to walk the 1-ast half-mile or so to the site of the once-planned Seabrook, of bikers that day: those that could the plant•s'locked chain-link gate, New Hampshire, atomic power plant, and those that couldn't, The latter

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Coming in Augusi WED 2nd --BOO RADLEY THURS 3rd -- FAITH FRI 4th -- SON SEALS (BLUES) SAT 5th -- ALESHA THURS 10th -- NICKLES FRI & SAT, 11th & 12th -- ARROW MEMPHIS LIT· Z ·J SILDDI FRI & SAT, 18th & 19th -- KOKO TAYLOR AND NEW BLUES MACHINE THURS 24th -- HAVANA DUCKS 1401W. MARKET 827·9484 FRI & SAT 25th & 26th -- JIM SCHWALL BAND . Post-Amerikan vol. 7 no. J page 2J than radioactive tomorrow 15, 000 people thronged onto an of Miami. cooling system. Wherever they go, 18-acre tovvn dump near the plant to though, there will be concerned demonstrate against the plant. The Near Limerick, PA, 40 people citizens rising up to oppose it. demonstration was legal, so those walked 37 miles on a "safe energy I doubt that the plant will ever be who did not wish to be arrested walk " to join a rally of JOO folks built now. I hope, with a little could participate. Like the Positive opposing two 1100-megawatt plants luck, that we will have the same Energy Convention we had in central that are 40% complete. The Phila­ success with the Clinton nuke. Illinois, the Clamshell Alliance delphia-based group directing that Shut it down! put on an alternative energy exhi­ protest is called the Keystone bition at the site, to show that Alliance. there are safer, saner, cheaper and more responsible sources of energy than Closer to home, the newly­ atomic power. Speafers included formed Sinnissippi Alliance ln Pete Seeger, Dr. John Gofman, Sara Rockford, IL, turned out 200 people Nelson of NOW, Barry Commoner, at Lowden Memorial State Park to Dr. Benjamin Spock, Dick Gregory, oppose the Byron, IL, nuke and and Amory Lovins. Music by nuclear waste storage at Sheffield Jackson Browne, Pete Seeger, and and Morris, IL. Their rally included Utah Phillips, amon� others, made a balloon launch like the one the it a pleasant day. Prairie Alliance carried off this spring. Other demonstrations included the following: In Satslop, Washington, In Manchester, NH, 2, 000 people e lJOO people of the Crabshell Allianc marched four abreast, completely staged the first occupation of the encircling the county courthouse twin 1100-megawatt nukes planned where members of the Nuclear Regu­ there. In Burlington, Kansas, latory Commission were considering llied against 1000 ra the Wolf the arguments for stopping con­ Creek nuke. The Bailly Alliance struction of the 10% complete gathered 200 protesters to oppose Seabrook atomic power plant. Their the Bailly, Illinois, nuke and to decision? Close it down!!! Right hear Sidney Lens of the Progressive now (July 21) !! The crowd went magazine. In Miami, the Conchshell wild! The vote was 2 to 1. If Alliance rallied against nuclear they want to build it, they'll have waste transport through the port_ to find another site and �nother

Gen Tel provides a convenient pe rch for these unusually cheer­ ful demonstratorE. Clinton hiqher-ups unqualified

An anonymous undated xeroxed letter addressed to no one with no return. address arrived at the Prairie Protesting bicyclers make a final check of their equipment prior to their Alliance the other day. It was from ride to Clinton. A small band of onlookers try to conserve their energy "an energy conscious consumer watch­ • before cheering the nuke protestors on their way. dog group" that is "extremely concerned about Illinois Power Company's Power Plant in Clinton." It referred to the 51 "precious, skilled human beings" recently killed by faulty construction techniques at the Willow Isl�nd nuke in West Virginia, Treasure Chest and expressed fear that such accidents of can be expected at Clinton. According to the letter-writer, the shockingly poor quality of work going Bloomington-Normal into the Clinton plant is the result of "poor management and engineering," which is a result of the contractor • McDona ld's • Kjrby •University Car Wa sh (Baldwin Associates) choosing personnel for critical positions more • Burger King • K-Mart •McLean County on the basis of the buddy system than on engineering competence. B.F. Go odrich • Hardee's • Sambo's The letter, apparently written by •Radio Sha ck someone very familiar with the inside �Ta co Gringo •Aamco story at Clinton, claimed that •Long John Silver "Baldwin's chief engineer and his •Skate America •Mid as assistants do not have the •Nautilus Spa mechanical engineering degrees •Bucky's necessary to handle the critical • Holiday Cleane rs pressure components on which thousands of lives will depend." In particular, These merchants have furnished all your treasure chest Gift Certificates. the writer cites a March 1978 So when in the neighborhood, stop in and say hello and please patronize reorganization with Baldwin which promoted "several unqualified yes-men these merchants. to responsible positions, despite Thank you. advice to the contrary from well­ qualified individuals, causing some of Bloomington-Normal Treasure Chest the well-qualified individuals to resign, thus leaving more room for management yes -men.... A 1 ist of six 401 Livingst on Bldg. 828-7314 names of such individuals was included. Personal checking by phone P. S. We have some new merchants going in our booklet. If you have corroborated the truth of the letter, already purchased our booklet we will notify you to come in and although the individuals listed did pick up your new certificates at no charge. As additional merchants not admit to knowing who wrote the letter in question. The group will join we will notify you. go public on Labor Day. Expect some fireworks ab out then . .--Energy meets alements at convention-- Around about midnight on Satur­ and BC, who came in tied for dead and serves on the local sheriff's day, June 17, the participants in last in the fathers' run, got cer­ posse, stopped by at the end to the first annual Positive Energy tificates. The certificates said congratulate the Convention fer Convention weren't altogether sure in part, "the individual named being "an extraordinarily clean it would be a success. The wind above has shown a superior ability group." The grounds were as clean howled and the rain pelted down. to translate the power of the sun and pretty as they were before we Campers got drenched and the wind into demonstrable action, and came, as they should be, almost-carried off the big green thereby deserves all the accolades party tent, but by Sunday afternoon, and respect of the community for We like to believe that the success was in the air, outstanding fortitude, perseverance, people who made the first annual and skill. May the Sun Force be Positive Energy Convention a success Saturday morning, exhibitors with you throughout your journey on have a deep reverence and respect that had not set up Friday evening Mother Earth, " fo r Mother Earth. Some of the par­ began to stream in. Exhibits in­ ticipants, like the Prairie Alliance For Safe Energy Alternatives, have cluded a variety of solar water Not to be outdone, Shiree translated this respect into a heating systems, space heating Vaughn of Solar-Ray Systems, Inc., drive to protect Mother Earth from systems, do-it-yourself projects, of Peoria offered a drawing for a those that would callously threaten insulation, federal and state dis­ free installation on a solar space her. It is as Jackson Browne says, plays on renewable energy, and a heating system purchased from her "Some of them were angry at the way go od variety of arts and crafts, company, Brad Guidy of Alternatives the Earth was abused/By the men who even a wood-fueled pottery firing and More also got into the game by learned to forge her beauty into Saturday afternoon. holding a drawing for a free hammock made by the cooperative community The sky flashed with lightning of '.I'win Oaks, The game-like atmo­ and roared with thunder about 11:00 sphere was continued on Rodeo Hill Saturday night. Then the rain and by Randy Switchtenberg of Funk's the wind hit with a fury, rocking Activity Association, who led a the old VW bus my family and I group of people in New Games, were trying to sleep in. Sleep cooperative games in which all can was out of the question, so we play and nobody loses. Some of the watched out the rain-streaked win­ games played were Parachute Ball, dows as the storm tore and battered Dragon's Tail, Hunker-Hauser and at the tents pitched around us. Go-Tag.

power."

The P.E.C. was not only fun and educational, it was also a chance for the exhibitors to get to know each other and their interests. Many exhibitors came back with more than sunburn, The Prairie Alliance came back with a new chapter in Mark Chaddon's exterior skele­ Peoria. Denise O'Brien found an ton nylon umbrella tent was the outlet for her macra-weave. Jem-Sol first casualty. The 50 mph winds of Springfield found a better supplier drove the rain right through the Music was provided by Dallas of collector compo1:ents-- Sundui t. skin of the tent, drenching its McGee and Tim Piper. Dallas played Many exhibitors cam e back with what inhabitants and driving them ou� to mellow �ock while Tim followed up they wanted: a list of concerned spend the night in the car. Next, with a solo act that included such people interested in doing something the wind lifted a heavy eight-foot haunting favorites as Jackson responsible for their own energy table that had been leaning against Browne's "Before the Deluge," a need s. the old oak tree on top of Rodeo Hill particularly appropriate selection and de posited it on Tim Piper's for a gathering like the Positive , The Second Annual Positive tent, inches from his head. Tim Energy Convention. Rnergy Convention will be scheduled spurted out of the tent and spent next summer. Keep in touch with the the rest of the night in the front One by one, pe ople packed up Sun Force, and we'll see you next seat of the VW bus. their exhibits and pulled out late year!· Sunday afternoon. Soon the P.E.C. Charlie Bates of Interphase was only a vivid memory, a reminder had rented a 161 by 20' party tent by B.C. of what can be if we just set our P.O. with sidewalls to protect his Model Box 463 minds to i� and cooperate with one Bloomington, 111. 61701 A Ford and his infrared scanner from another. Old R.J. Hunnicutt, who the elements. About ll:JO Saturday smokes Malboros, wears a cowboy hat, night the storm ripped out a huge oaken stake at the northwest corner, and soon the tent was billowing up like a parachute, ready to fly. Only the frantic effots of Charlie, larry Knuth and others to tie the THE tent corner to a truck saved the night. For a while only keeping the truck .in reverse could hold down the tent. Within an hour or so, che storm abated. It was followed later by a drenching downpour, but that was a relief compared to the earlier storm. By morning, the sky was clear and we wer·e all ready corner of Monroe & Center for Sunday.

Over in the Rec Hall on Sunday, the Singing Harris Family belted out some gospel rock to an enthu­ Fridays siastic crowd, but some of the Convention exhibitors felt a little shortchanged, since the exhibit *Happy Hour 5-7 pm * f res snacks time really came down to the time between noon and J PM, the only time the Harrises were not singing. Friday· Sunday Denise O'Brien, whose exhibit of wallhangings and macra-weave was more 1portable than the others, just moved No cover for ladies down to Rodeo Hill for the day. *Li vs Entertainment

The crowds started streaming in on Sunday afternoon, to the delight *reek� country & country reek of the exhibitors. Dr. Yahya Safdari of Sun Systems, Inc., of Eureka Budweiser & Olympia on tap sponsored two Grumman Sun Runs. Each was a footrace of o.8 miles, The first race was for non-fathers, and the second for fathers only, since Open til 2 a.m. Friday & Saturday it was Fathers' Day. The winner of each race received a certificate worth $350 towards the purchase of a solar water heating system .from Sun Systems. There were more than enough certificates of accomplish­ ment to hand out--even Tim Piper In Chicago Post-Amerikan August 1978 page 25 Gay Pride Parade attracts local marchers On Sunday, June 25, five members of chants ("3-5-7-9, Lesbians are mighty of religious organizations (the gay the Bloomington-Normal Men's Group fine ") and songs ("When the queers go Catholic group , Dignity, included some went to Chicago , where we met a former marchin' in ..•"), and we happily priests in traditional costume). member, to participate in the Gay joined in. Pride Parade . One of the strongest political state­ While much of this behavior seemed ments of the day was made by the yello stood how important The parade was the final event in the frivolous , we under stars which most marchers wore on their both personally and politically, Gay and Lesbian Pride Week 1978, which it is , arms . They symbolized the gay for gay people to proclaim openly that community's sympathy with the anti-Nazi ran from June 16 to June 25. The they are proud and glad to be gay . And activities of the preceding week demonstration which was supposed to we were reminded of just how serious a have taken plac e in Skokie on the same included a candlelight vigil, a publ ic declaration of gayness can be: picnic , a number of workshops and day . In fact, one group , the Stonewall some gay school teachers wore masks to Brigade, had announced its intention to speakers , an interfaith religious emphasize the danger they face in service , a Mr. Windy City contest, an march in Skokie in opposition to the exercising their Constitutional rights Nazis . open Town Hall Meeting , and a dance. of free speech and association. The Pride Week theme was "Our Time Has Come ." Anti-fascist sentiments were al so expressed in various signs and T-shirts Gay and Lesbian Pri de Week is that spoke out against Mrs . Bob Green celebrated annually in every major (a.k.a. Anita Bryant) and her city in the country . These Pride hypocritically Christian campaign of Weeks grew out of the 1969 Stonewall hate and oppression. riots , a reaction to police harassment b in New York that has become the Boston Much of the personal thrill f taking Tea Party of the gay liberation part in this parade Dame not from the movement. Events in the anniversary participants , but from the thousands of Stonewall grew over the years into of onlookers . (Just how many saw and the present week-long series of participated, we don't know. The programs and demonstrations of gay Pantagraph and the Chicago Tribune solidarity. both failed to carry any stories on the march; the Peoria paper, though, The membeTs of the B-N Men's Group did report that 240,000 took part in wa�ted to take part in this year 's the -San Francisco parade. ) march as an expression of our support of gay rights and our kinship wi th We were amazed and encouraged by the gay women and men everywhere . We crowds of people who lined the streets wanted to experience the fun and the to watch. Th ey often applauded and political excitement that come from waved,. some blew kisses and cheered, a mass display of "blatant " everybody seemed to be smiling and enJoying the event . homosexuality. For a couple of hours there were total acceptance and shared joy, wichout any hint of · Our expectations were no t hostility or rejection. It was all disappointed. Even though it rained right to love one anoth er--no one had heavily on our way to Chicago , the to endure taunts and jeers or worry by 1 p.m. and the weather cleared about being busted for lewd behavior. parade began on time . (If god was on (Even some of the cops who were there their side , we decided, she/he/it to control traffic chatted amiably apparently didn't want to miss the with marchers and seemed to enjoy our amusing sight of thousands of gay antics.) people making a spectacle of themselves.) We came back to B-N knowing , of course, There were many other outright . that we'd once again have to confront And visibili ty did seem to be the expressions of political awareness. a much more unpleasant reality. -But J keynote of the day. Gay people in all Groups such as the Gay Socialists and we also carried back some strength and states of dress and undress were the National Gay Task Force marched a lot of good feelings about ourselves. everywhere (some with signs that along with community groups (Peoria, We had demonstrated our solidarity with aggressivelr pro claimed "We Are Iowa City, Indiana) and representatives gay people and affirmed the right of Everywhere "). Many of the floats all people to be themselves. were sponsored by bars and discos in Chicago; they were generally bedecked with men , some in full drag , others in very skimpy nylon briefs. Not all the drag costumes were Looking for gay commercially exploitative , however. Many of the men in women 's clothing mo cked the stereotypes of femininity by exaggerating their bustlines and otherwise calling attention to the male or lesbian absurdities of so-called female fashions . One especially stunning instance of gender-f**k was the man in the elegant gray limousine whose magazines? stylish dress of glorious white feathers was smartly set oi'f by his well-trimmed beard. Another particularly humorous example • of sexual satire was staged by a group · nrouso� aOOK which called themselves Latino Housewives, Local 68. They carried a lavender banner and dressed as typical domestics, complete with aprons , ·· tJOILD. � . bandanas around the head, and the carpet sweepers in hand : most of them al so it had dark mustaches and hairy legs . ' "'k." Although we didn't have a theatrical act worked out , the six of us "flaunted" our socially unacceptable_ love and affection for one another (and for members of the same sex in has one of general) by linking arms and holding hands as we marched down Clark Street on the way to Lincoln Park. the largest selections Behind us was a group of lesbians from Milwaukee �ho had come to Chicago on a chartered bus . Since they had in central Illinois been drinking beer on the way , they were in raucous good spirits--they led our section of the parade in T ! I -page 26 I --from Divinyl Madness folks ob·scuue manaue I I rating system as follows : I I P=paraquat I I IG=Illinois Greerl M=Mexican C=Columbian H=Hawaiian GIBBO NS LONGHAIR Steve Gibbons Band-Down in the Bunker­ Professor Longhair-Live on the Queen Polydor PD-1-6154 Mary-Harvest SW 11790

MAX WEBSTER In his third effort Gibbons serves up Henry Roeland Byrd cut his first his ro ck'n'roll with side dishes of record in 1949 at the age of thirty­ Up My Sleeve-. Max Webster-Mutiny cQuntry and humour . Dave Carroll's one. His in novative personal style Capitol ST 11776 steady steel guitar accounts for much of New Orleans piano has since of the country . And Gibbons' own influenced such R&B figures as � third try These guys are back for rical contributions provide the producer/musician Allen Touissant , who every ly and they're getting better humour--from "Mary Ain't Goin' Home ": calls him "The Bach of Rock 'n'Roll. " Variety carries Kim �itchell's time. This particular recording of the · . guitar from bi ting to gentle �t a "So the black and white they mix it Prof., his first live LP, was done in moment's notice. The compelling · up , 1975 aboard the Queen Mary at a party keyboard work of Terry Watkinson sets They have a cocoa kid from the lo vin' thrown by Paul and Linda McCartney. the pace for "Astonish Me ", a cup , It includes standards such as Hank y mellow masterpiece. The genuinel _ An' if the powers that be don't Snow's 'Movin' On' and the well-known music is often unusual , occasionally interrupt, 'Stagger Lee.' Longhair handles both This is creative , if inspired. .. Things could be alright ." with spirit , but he re ally shine s on erratic, rock'n'roll. Insane lyricist the instrumentals , 'Mess Around' and touch, as Pye Dubois adds the final "Big J.C ." is about a religious card 'Gone So Long.' All this aQd it still in "Beyond the Moo n" : player. On this tune Gibbo�s, usi�g do e sn't make me jump around the way a his talk-sing style , sounds more like good blues-boogie piano album should . "acid warped the global fetus Dylan than Zimmerman ever did. "Eddy Oh well , maybe it's the syncopated 8/8 like the bourgeois look at feel Vortex" gives us a dose of fifties rhumba beat with the· superimposed and cadillacs rock a la Elvis. The variety doesn 't triplets.... two thousand years we crossed up jesus always work . A hilly album , but thinking he'd make ends meet eternal horizons are, boring anyway. * M * christ no " * M *

WARNING : · This album should not be handled by Andy Gibb fans .

* H * JAPAN Japan-Adolescent Sex-Ariola SW 50037

There is no doubt that an invasion is happening. The question concerns its source and direction . The fusion TRB of funk and punk is about as likely as chocolate-covered wa termelon . But Tom Robinson Band-Power in, the wi th.David Sylvian 's raw vocals and Darkness-Harvest STB 11778 Mick Carn's ever-thumping bass it has arrived. Some of the mo st grating Charisma. It almost seems like too moments are reminiscent of Parliament. much. Outspokenly supportive of the Then , in step Rob Dean and Richard gay revolution, lyrics dripping with Barbieri (guitar and keyboards ), political activism , an album cover Sylvian's vo ice gathers an increased which sports a 'Ro ck Against Racism' THE CARS se�se of detached sneering , and we are sticker, tall and good looking , and served a dish of spacy , but tight , the guy can play rock'n'roll , too. The Cars-Elecktra 6E-135 controlled punk. 'Television' and Since their pro-gay stand helped them 'Suburban Love' are both standout gain public prominence and their Take a liberal pinch of Lou Reed, add cuts. The former draws a frightening political involvement endeared them to a spoonful of Jonathan Richman and the picture of cinematic existence. The the British press , it is ironic that Modern Lovers , stir in some latter, however unwittingly , makes a TRB's first hit , "2-4-6-8-Motorway ," synthesizer and a little commercial lyrical statement of direction : is a straight ahead ro cker with accessibility and you've got the Cars meaningless lyrics. The rest of the at their best. This shines through "Earth , wind ... two LP set, however, fairly roars particularly on 'My Best Friend's Earth , wind , and fire revolution , with cuts like 'Ain't Girl,' 'You're All I've Got Tonite,' Cannot take me Gonna Take It,' 'Up Against th e Wall ,' and 'Just What I Needed.' The rest of Take me much higher... " 'Better Decide Which Side �ou're On ,' the tracks range from almost 'You Gotta Survive ,' and 'Power in the ridiculous to interesting. So who * hi- gr ade M * Darkness .' In addition, each of the cares? The Cars don't care. They're aforementioned cuts is a top-notch here for fun. Take 'em at the ir word : rocker. Robinson's voice is compelling in an almost religious "i don't mind you coming here manner--somewhere between Billy and wasting all my time Graham and Bruce Springsteen in his ··cause when you're standing oh so near prime . The band is good. Robinson i kinda lose my mind ... " sums up his own feelings in a New ODZUNINS Musical Express interview: Right. Cover of the month award goes to Bill * C * (I think) LaBounty 's new LP for his surreal "Politics isn't party broadcasts and desert lineup of transparent goddess­ general elections , .. ·. it's everyday like hitchhikers . Bob Dylan has too life for everyone who hasn't got a much help . Springsteen must be tired cushy job or rich parents . I got no or overconfident. Racquel and Lucy illusions about the political left any are still pissed at the Stones, whose more than the right; just a shrewd disco version of "Miss You" is idea which of the two sides is gonna DAVID GILMOUR climbing the charts like Spider Man . stomp on us first." David Gilmour-Columbia JC35388 silence is golden Just look for the fist on the cover. Gilmour , who has played with whispering makes such a fuss Sutherland Bros. and Quiver and Roy talking is ol d 'n' * H * Harper, as well as be ing Pink Floyd's yelling is ridi culous regular guitarist since the 1968 departure of Syd Barrett , attacks his 'til next month , first solo LP with a well-deserved artistic confidence. Stepping into the quaker his regular role as guitarist, Gilmour RAM JAM strolls right on through keyboards , vocals , and production. The latter Ram Jam-Portrait of the Artist as a is clear and smo oth a la Pink Floyd. Vocals and keyboards are adequate , Young Ram-Epic JE 35287 while Gilmour's guitar gimmi ckery is A second effort from the group that concise and tasteful as al ways. made 'Black Betty• a household word. Altoget her an enj oyable album which You like Aerosmith , Rush, Ki ss , or Ted probably won't blow you away , but should leave you far from Nugent ? Well , here's ano ther one. Ho , hum ... disappointed. * c * * IG * Post-Amerikan vol. 7 no. J Dallas McGee page 27 From the Hauraiian Village to the shores of Manitoba

For long over a year, a white men could earn acceptance the media? In a series of con­ band named Dallas McGee has been in a trj�e by passing a series of tinuing articles we'll cover the shuffling equipment and people tests, climaxing with the image of group's Canadian tour and its around bars in central Illinois. a great white buffalo. This effect on their development. Now, it looks like the struggle signified passing the test, a might earn the boys some steady physical and mental trip. "Day --Tim Barwald income and exposure through a Atlanta'Fell,'' the other tune national agency in Nashville, penned by Dale, is just a fantasy which is sending the group to with a "what if" plot. Canada later this month. Getting to that point is still an effort, Our final composer, Jim, what with passports, duties, has turned out "Possum Blaes" 2.nd contracts and schedules to be "I Can't Play Country Music," figured out. It's a great feeling the title for the latter coming from to have been around when a bunch the parting remark of the guitarist of friends decided to try and that Jim replaced. John, bassist, pull together a group with the is always dressed for the occasion, intentions of fulfilling a life's and bo th in clothes and in music is ambition--music.

Dallas McGee's present line up, playing together since Novem­ ber of last year, consists of Dale Humphries, guitar, sometimes fiddle; Bob Bogaert, keyboards, regular guitar; Jim Phillips, handheld guitar; John Evans, bass; and Mike Matthewson, percussion. P.S. Every Wednesday evening They are generally known as a (6 PM to midnite during the sum­ country rock-fl�vored group. mer: 9 PM to midnite during the Those of you who have caught one fall and spring semesters) I run of their live local sets at the a radio show called "Quintessence," Lay Z J Saloon or the Hob Nob / which often features a live per­ in recent months can testify to just a punk at heart, Mike, latest formance by a local group or indi­ their stage presence. Dale stands to join the group, adds new and vidual as well as conversation as the spokesman, but Bob's tighter licks each time through a about the music they play. Support charisma lends spontaneous ver­ set. your local musicians by tuning in. biage before and after many of the That's on WESN 88.1 FM, non-com­ tunes.' The group performs Ego? Setting up their own mercial educational radio. If material by Marshall Tucker, Chuck equipment, tearing it down, loading you are a budding talent and would Berry, Waylon Jennings, Neil Young, and unloading, taking turns driving be interested in parLicipating, Merle Haggard, Lynyrd Skynyrd, to and from jobs, doing th eir own please contact me through Divinyl and Warren Zevon. booking, advertising and PR, every­ Madness Records in Normal, body puts in time, including re­ hearsals. What carries the group Hear Willy Berry, Wed. July 26, beyond the jungle of barbands wlll on "Quintessence." be happening shortly. Too many good bands live and die from over­ play in the same area. Dallas McGee is moving out of the area for a while, going to Canada for ninety days of work on the road. Some of the band members are leaving families, jobs with "steady" income arranging for things to run smoothly

while they are away. It's a big -- i: r- --, chance, but life on the road seems ----, r'" , to keep bands healthier, and Dallas r - -, ,.--- 1 McGee is not interested in becoming a "house" band for local bars,

Bob, Dale, and Jim are the So what does the band see after }$� composers for the group, with Canada--a chance to reach a larger Bob spending more time over the audience, become more proficient pen than the rest, Previous to musicians, national exposure to Dallas McGee, Bob played about town, solo, for a few years, and in a duo with Jim as the Dwayne Hoover Band. The group performs four of Bob's songs. "Montana Lou , " as Bob tells the story, is about an old man living in Chicago as a junk hunter, who repeatedly insists that his junk could sell for much more in Montana, If that's too deep a concept, there's "I Can't Stand The Thought." When a rela­ tionship hits the crossroads and beyond, there are sometimes memories that rekindle the flame, but other times, "I just can't stand the thought of waking up next to you." "While You're Up" and "You Make Me Feel," one of Bob's ealiest pieces (circa 1970 ), are the other two Bogaert originals performed by the band.

Back a few moons, Dale hung around with Timothy P and the Rural Route J. Evidence of this associa­ tion keeps popping up wi.th the occasional appearance of Jerry "Muttonhead" Erickson, pedal steel player for Timothy P, who wil l sit in with the group when he's in town. One of Dallas McGee's best numbers is Dale's "White Buffalo" a tale based on an Indian sundance ceremony, where page 28 Post-Amerikan Disco entertainment centers vol. 7 no. 3 Caution: maq be hazardous to qour health

"Disco music makes it possible to have In 1938 'The Merchant of Yonkers, written by He later revised the play and retitled it The disco entertainment centers. Disco playwrite Thornton Wilder, opened on Broadway . Matchmaker -- and this time it was a su�ss, entertainment centers make it possible Thornton wrote this play to help degrade the but for all the wrong reasons. People did not for mellow, laid back, boring kinds of current techniques he was so opposed to by see the satire in it, but instead enjoyed it for II people tO meet each Other and reprOdUCe. satirizing them. Wilder's complaint stemmed the very pretentioness and "harmlessness" --Frank Zappa, 1978 from the type of theatre he was subjected to in Wilder was trying to makefun of. The Matchmaker his youth (the 19201s). was later adapted to become the musical Hello Dolly! Which was one Kno cking disco ain't much fun . When of the most spectacular you criticize a four billion dollar This type of theatre had its roots in the nineteenth successes in American theatre history--but business (most of that without airplay) century and in Wilder's words, "was connected again for the wrong reason, ironically. you 're bound to get some flack . If not with the rise of the middle classes--they Incidentally Hello Dolly! is the musical version from the people who are really into wanted their theatre soothing. " of a play which was a revision of a play which was disco musically , then it's from the One of the ways in which these people tried to an adaption of a translation of a play people who buy it for dance music. based on a character and situation in Moliere's . I have no objection to the latter "soothe" their theatre (or have it "soothe" them) L'Avare (The Miser). It surely holds some people , except there must be better was to make it as separate from their own "real" dance music than "Shake your Booty ." lives as possible. "They ...removed, cut off, kind of record for this. and boxed the action. They increasingly shut the Saturday Night Fever showed what the I asked Don Coven, a dance instructor play up into a museum showcase. " at ISU, what he thought of disco "disco scene " is all about . The music is loud enough to deafen you and the music . He told me that disco music is Out of this came the box seat, the proscenium arch, a good way to get people dancing and I lights could fry your optic nerves. agree with that . The people I am melodrama and "realism. " By the time Wilder Watching disco boys and girls show against are the ones who hold forth on became a regular theatre-goer, one who was aw are themselves off and hearing the cheap the musical virtues of disco . I feel of these movements to stifle free expression and "lines" they use on each other is enough the same way about the people who of what the theatre had lost by then, the type of to give any sane person brain damage . expound on the great virtues of the plays in vogue were "harmless" comedies and movie Saturday Night Fever. Unfortunately Saturday Night Fever was farces (with occasional serious dramatic pieces a big success because of the disco thrown in to try to convince enthusiasts that the Don 't get me wrong ; I·- ended up liking scenes which I have just described and the movie when I finally forced myself art was not dead) which totally ignore the the draw of John Travolta . Travolta to go and see it. But in discussions of presence of an audience. is a very good actor but unfortunately the movie, I found that my reasons for his large following has most a teeny­ liking it were different from mo st The Merchant of Yonkers was based on a play bopper mentality . I thought the disco peoples'. which founded the "boxing up" movements, scenes were sick and therefore showed the "disco scene " in its true light . The following paragraphs in smaller Einen Tux will er sich Machen (Johann Ne stray, But mo st people went to the movie just type are a Quote from "The Vienna, 1842), but expanded its farcical to see the scene that I disliked. Development of Innovative Staging qualities to the extreme. Wilder also turned Conventions Used in the Ma jor Plays asides into long speeches to the audience. The My favorite scene in the movie was when of Thornton Wilder, " 1976 , by John play failed on Broadway in 1938--the same year Tony (John Travo lta) wa lked out of the c . Wiseman. as the success of Our Town, another Wilder play. 2001 Odyssey discotheque after winning ·a fixed dance contest and shouted over his shoulder, "this place is a sh*thole ," Basically that is what discoes are . But the Saturday Night Fever fans didn't realize this . They enjoyed all these disco scenes while I almost threw up on my popcorn.

The music in Saturday Night Fever is all I'll teach you to play & you can buy throwaway pop . Watching Tony and his friends playing on the Brooklyn bridge the guitar of your choice. to the s.trains of "Night on Disco Mountain " was enjoyable but I could see modest Moussorgsky rolling over in his *Guitar Lessons *Over 200 Guitars grave . in Stock After the disc-jockey at 2001 Odyssey *Special Folk & finished playing "DisM Inferno " (if you just said · "burn baby burn " ten years Pop Classes ago you coulda ' been shot ), he put on good uptempo disco number . (There are *Music & ·Accessories a few. ) Only two people remained on the dance floor . So much for taste in music . 105 BROADWAY NORMAL ·452.&412 The dancing could almost be called throwaway also , but it was done well enough to be called good. Tony , the disco King of the 2001 , told his friends , "You could dance as well as I do if you would just practice ." Of course robot moves don 't take a whole lot of practice .

·BOOKSTORE What I really liked about Saturday · Night Fever was how Tony finally gave ... - up living for the disco and was going to try to do something with his life . I&. (We won 't find out if he does till the 0 sequel comes out.) Although some a: people would have called the ending a. corny , it had a real message for people -, today . But according to Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, the world is no t into z me ssages any more . 0 z "· ..But like I said, it's a good thing that all that music is there for all those yeople. Because without it their lifestyles would lack something ." --Frank Zappa, 1978 Women's Boolis, Health Care, Non -sexist Children's --Dynsdale Literature, 25-cent l.lsed Books and MORE Christian defeated J'Jdge Hugh Goodwin of Fre sno , Calif., an admitted Christian, regula rly ordered convicted persons to attend church as part of their sentences. He was defeated for reele ction la st June . --Ms . page 29 IWW fights for Virden workers

Virden , Illinois--The Industrial to the land and unafraid to stand up Workers of the World (IWW , the for their rights . "Wobblies") are something out of the history books , circa 1915. A militant Wh en the workers at Mid-America class-oriented labor organization Machinery in Virden , which rebuilds which took in every and any worker, heavy road equipment and tractors , their muscle was broken by the U.S. were upset over unsafe conditions and Government in the Red Scares of low wages , the only answer was 1919. unionization.

But a small and militant minority They turned first to the United Auto "kept the faith " through the years , Workers, who scorned them as too small preaching "industrial unionism, " (7 workers ). So instead , they went to publishing th eir paper and continuing the IWW, and in July, 1977 1 5 of the 7 their agitation for a worker's world. signed recognition cards , al so joining LNS/cpf Industrial Union 440 , the Metal and Recently they 've resurged, organizing Machinery Workers , of the IWW, Four CETA workers in Chicago , transit days later, Mid-America locked out the Midwest. With IWW pickets at these workers . auctions , many buyers were afraid to purchase Mid-America's rebuilds . The Th e National Labor Relations Board, IWW estimates the company lost doing a card check, recognized the IWW $250,000 through· this tactic . as legally representing the workers , forcing the company to pay back wages Almost a year after the IWW had first for the lock-out. been recognized, Mid-America tried a new tactic---running away . Mid-America The IWW continued to petition for a claimed t.o be closing down (which it bargaining session with the company , didn' t), and laid off union members . but was continually turned down . All the while, the company was busy Mil itant union members like Jim D'Aunoy building a new shop about one-half were laid off as "damn instigators " mile south of its old facility. and "insubordinate, " but three of their replacements , upon seeing shop condi­ But in a strong union town, the company tions , joined the unidn within a week. has to run much further.

With wages varying from $3.50 to $3 .75 The IWW threw up pickets at the con­ an hour for heavy labor and numerous struction site on June 7, which were unsafe conditions , it was no wonder honored by buildings and trades the workers were anxious to unionize. workers . So far , construction has remained halted, costing Mid-America There were charges that heavy machinery hundreds of dollars daily in "down lifts had no brakes , fire extinguishers time." were empty or in the wrong places, and LNS/cpf according to Bob Swaggerty, who worked UMW and UAW members from nearby mines in the paint shop , the ventilation was and factories have spontaneously workers in California, irrigation so bad that he'd "cough rust for a picketed the site in support , even canal diggers in New Mexico and heavy week" after a day in the paint shop . though legally only two pickets can be machinery workers in Virden , Illinois . present. The 9nlY' attempt to cross Foreman Fred Schroeder was notoriously the line was made on the afternoon Virden is a typical Southern Illinois slow filing compensation papers , so of June 7, when four Illinois State town, surrounded by coal mines and that even after injuries, Fred often Police squad cars escorted a truck corn fields , criss-crossed by rail­ "couldn't find the papers ," according load of building materials across the roads , boas ting a cafe or two and one to one worker, leaving the injured line . Supervisory personnel drove the_ main drag . without help . The IWW eventually truck. filed 53 unfair labor practices Southern Illino is , beneath the calm charges against Mid-America, winning The company is trying to sue to stop surface, has always been a hotbed of 37 convictions . these pickets , also . union militance. The United Mine Workers have strong roots here , the After court injunctions limited the The IWW organizer at the site, Dick Progressive Mine Workers were founded workers to two pickets , the IWW hit Devries , charges Mid-America is also here , and Mother Jones is buried here . upon the tactic of hitting Mid­ part of a national price-fixing system, The National Guard has frequently America in its pocket booK. engineered by an ITT subsidiary , visited this end of the state. It is a lantl of few rich and many honest, Thorpe Enterprises . Thorpe delivers Mid-America sells mo st of its heavy instant print-outs of all new and upright but poor working people, close machinery at auctions throughout the us ed equipment , which gives a fir� like Mid-America an edge in charging high prices for "taking junk , getting it running and painting it up and pawning it off, " in the words of Downs Im port Devries. Mid-America, a small but determined firm, seems to have suffered no small financial loss to stay non-union. Auto Service But the IWW has a long tradition of struggling through the toughest battles the best foreign car service in for the workers who everyone else ignores. And if their history prov�s Mclean County. correct, the workers in Virden will be enjoying better conditions before long .

We can order Boman Astrosonix sound systems Strike fund contributions can be sent to the Industrial workers of the World, for your American or foreign car at discount prices. 752 w. Webster, Chicago , Il 60614.

Installation with --MgM . finesse in foreign cars. Send in those clippings Since every crime committed by a Vunder homosexual becomes a "homosexual crime " in the establishment media , the National Gay Task Force is Jing ™ compiling a list of ma jor heterosexual crimes of violence , with special emphasis on crimes against children .

Clippings of such crimes can be sent to : NGTF , 80 Fifth Ave ., NY , NY 10011 . Shaffer Dr., Downs 378�4321 --Lesbian Tide ------�

· \·· page 30 Post-Amerikan ·. . . : ·· : · . ·. .· .·· �·. . . .1..•· vol. 7 no. 3 9. . 9. . ... �· . . �·· S

Album prices qoinq up at Sm all Chanqes Small Change s Bookstore would like to (re commended retail price is $6.oo) . State no good for kids have women 's music available to So for the next month , that is until Bloomington-Normal . So for the past Aug . 20 , we will sell our albums for Dear Post Amerikan , year we have stocked albums by $5.50. So , folks , if you want to performers like Holly Near, Malvina beat the rising cost of women 's Recently I talked to an individual Reynolds, th e Berkeley Women' s Music music hurry to Small Changes before who married a girl who already had Collective , Cris Williamson , Alix Aug . 20 . two small children . He had felt that Dobkin and Willie Tyson . she wa s starting to neglect them, On the subject of women 's music, Small and for her sake and the children 's All of the records are released by Changes Bookstore has information on he convinced her that they would women 's music compani es such as the Third Michigan Women 's Music receive better care from adoptive Olivia , Redwood and Urana . These Festival. This will be happening from parents . An adoption .was carried companies provide women artists with Aug . 17 to 20th . The festival wi ll thru despite protest from the former an alternative to dealing with the feature Alive , Teresa Trull , Sweet husband . And later this second larger, exploitative , male-dominated Honey in the Rock, Therese Edell , couple was divorced also . What was labels . But being small and . Woody Simmons and many more exciting the cause of the failure of the alternative means that costs are high women performers. For more family group? for these companies and so women 's information, contact Small Changes. albums tend to be priced higher than I reluctantly informed this individual other albums . Closer to home , Small Changes will of my perceptions of child care in soon be adding to its stock of music Illinois from my own dealings with Over the past year the cost of all by lo cal women artists . Along with DCFS . I told him that he probably albums has risen, and women 's music songs by Kristin Lems , a woman from made a mistake about adoption because is no exception. Although we would Champaign, we will soon be carrying the children were likely to receive like to keep women 's albums at a a new singl e by a Bl oomington singer, less care than what they got from the price that makes them available to as Marita Brake, The titles of her two natural mother in an adoptive or many people as possible , we have songs are "The Other Side of Now" foster home arranged by the state . decided that we can no longer and "Joy in the Morning ." continue to sell them for $4 .50 --Small Changes Collective Previously owned children are not always treated fairly . American culture spe cifies a good housekeeping seal of approval which is not No more free VD treatment necessarily guaranteed by income of parent or caretaker, It is a matter This spring the McLean County he said: " The idea is that a guy of social status . Any help an Health Board unanimously voted fiddles around and goes out and gets individual may be seeking from a to begin charging those who could af­ VD--why should we pay for his pro­ social agency may be greeted with a ford it for venereal disease treat­ miscuousness (sic )?" condescending attitude . It 's ment at the county clinic in Normal . always the case . When the Post asked Ben why the Board This reverses the Board 's 4-2 vote changed its mind in mid-stream about Nancy Miller on January 24, 1977 , to make VD charging for treatment , Boyd first treatment there free to all county answered: "The policy has never been residents . changed."

When the Post asked Ben Boyd, the And then said, "I don't know . If health department director, why the you've researched it, you know more clinic is charging for VD treatment , than I do' about it."

•YI . VL ESI ti us- Worth St Norma. I ��Q,+s'f �;is:i..1 . "boY\'t Let 5..a.mmer � �OU. uSi\l 'wrSAn&� Oo({j'7

D\\liY\W . 'f.aso\\ � '\\� -\b�e, Sll'N\ffi�'r

Post-Amerikan page 31 vol. 7 no. 3

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I dent ify narcs Stop narc' s racket Dear Persons , Post-Amerikan : one of our "good" friends . He told us he was "out of a job, his wife ki cked I have just finished reading your I have just read your article on MEG him out of the house , had no money·, no June -July issue and am sending in for agents . It is the mo st down-to -earth place to stay, " etc . Generally a subscription . story on this subject I have ever read . shooting us a big sob story . Let me say the only true story . I have one comment on you·r MEG Well , my husband being a really good article (s). I'm sure you 've checked .You said you would we lcome any info on guy felt sorry for Friga and agreed to your information very carefully for these agents . I would like to say arrange for him to receive a gram of the ones you included and I hope you some things about Bobby Friga . He is dust, so Friga could make some money wi ll continue that in the future , the biggest liar in Illinois . My to live . We thought this would be the A lot of inno cent people can be hurt husband and I were only 18 when he was end of it but no , Friga kept calling by being labeled narcs or informants busted. Married for only five months . and harassing us constantly to get him by mi stake (or some times . some more grams . intentionally by someone holding a We party and everything and for about grudge ). six months in late '76 we sold some As it ended, about May I think it was , Yours truly , stuff to our "friends ." This Friga about 4 a.m. we were awakened by cops Maureen Pimley guy was introduced to my husband by banging our door down . My husband was arrested for seven counts of selling a controlled substance . Bond set at $JO ,OOO. We had to raise $J , OOO to **************************************' get him out of jail. Later we hired a lawyer for $7 , 000 . we were very very lucky that Rick received only 5 years You Low Down Slime , probation and fines for this garbage .

Only Drug Pushers are against What I am trying to say is that Friga undercover Drug Agents . The rest of and any other agent will shoot any The slime that the people in the country are glad kind of bull on you to make a bust. they are catching the Slime . I · They don 't care if they play on human never bought one of your slimy sympathy or whatever to make enough devoured MEG· newspapers and I know now I never busts to keep that lousy racket going . will . Sorry to spill out this big story but I just don 't want anyone else to be (unsigned) .suckered in by these creeps , Friga will lie about everything. Thanks a lot. Your paper is the greatest. ************************************** Sincerely , Gale Bowers Support gay prisoners

Post Amerikan : can do for incarcerated gays . A GRAINS!o-....1-� -+-+• defense fund can be a help to us all MEATS i-'t-o!---1-+-+-+-+- As a gay activist the past 7 yrs . by sending funds to Sister Evelyn in the fede�al prison system under Ancilla, Convent of Transfiguration, extreme pressure from the government 's 495 Albion Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio , harassment , I finally came up for 45246 (513-771-5291 ). You can get an parole on 6/7/78. The 7 yrs . in on update on my situation and others by a 20-yr. sentence should have been contacting my attorney Jona long enough for anyone on a non­ Gildschmidt , 828(D) East Main St ., violent crime but I was given a Robinson Center, Carbondale , Ill . split decision and finall� denied 62901 (61 8-457-0414) . parole by the regional offi ce in Kansas City , Mo . Many gay brothers have died the past few years inside the Amerikan The discrimination against gays that prison kamps , as well as outside in have come up for paro le is quite one equal struggle for all! Help apparent the past few years in bo th support that cause to avo id the future federal and state prisons . The bruta l holocaust! and inhumane treatment of the gay In struggle with you Tl/ £ f:D. A. IS HELPING TO POISON YOV.'.' brothers/sisters can only turn one to John Gibbs THA TS l?IDIC UJ. Ot/S PA RA NOIA // personal hatred of these capitalist officials . Plus the outside r.ights of gays are going fast down the drain· each day! ! Voters. depress him There must be unity among us all on Dear Post people: more aware of the power in numbers , a demand for a federal gay rights In Cl eveland , voters can decide to let bill_, I suggest a "walk for righ cs Just wanted to add some thoughts on an their school houses sit empty. In and survival " be organized in San article on the News Briefs pages of California, voters passed P roposition the last Post , The article deal t with lJ, a measure Francisco , Calif ., to Wash , D.C. , and George McGovern, June 17' joined by all that are concerned fqr the defeat recently of ordinanc es in said smacked of racism because state civil, human rights . Plus rallies at three U,S. cities that had protected welfare recipients, largely black and prison doors in support of our · gay peopl e in areas of employment , chicano , woul d be directly affected. incarcerated brothers/sisters , housing , etc . I believe this unfortunate trend will The past year I wa s in New Mexico I don't bell"'eve the Am erikan legal continue. Think of the possible State Prison where the government has system is to bl ame for these defeats . measures that could conceivably be placed me in a conspiracy to get me Nor do I think one or two religious placed on ballots . We had all �etter in a serious po sition. This is due denominations can be blamed, Gay become aware soon of the potential to legal actions , filed in the pa st people in St, Paul , Eugene and Wichita dangers to our way of life that could few yrs . and embarrassing the suddenly found themselves stripped of be brought about by the power of government . their equal rights because the majority misguided masses. of the voters in their cities saw fit --R. Jay Gibson What I have seen is the mo st unhuman to remove the anti-discrimination laws acts against gay brothers that exists ! from their cities ' law books . - In 7 months we had filed several suits, and the brothers have much The efforts of individuals and groups support now. I was placed ba ck in that have worked so hard for so long federal after filing some 10 writs to get these measures passed will have about conditions , treatment , mail. been in vain if this dangerous trend A.C.L.U. of Denver has taken up legal continues . It should be pointed out action against the officials there on that town and city councils as well as conditions suits . county boards across the country have passed ordinanc es to protect gay Much support is ne eded in New Mexico people. So the lawmakers canno t be pri sons as all fed, state pens ! I blamed , Instead , the responsibility FREE: Women 's brown hiking bo ots , request that all brothers , sisters should be placed on a misinformed size 9A or 9AA, in real good join in to check to see what they el ectorate, condition . Call 828-4998, ask for Lynn . People have seemingly beco.me more and Marital fight provides excuse for police · violence · There's certainly one thing to be said for App arently Officer Wilson was not in a baby's dresser. John says he "damn some of our local police. When talking mood, because he then grabbed near passed out. " opportunity kno cks, they're ready. John's arms and pulled them back. This caused Jo hn, who was at that point Tish and the police then had the baby and In}u ne of this year, Tish Beeson called standing up near the door and holding the car keys, and they split. John ran on Bloomington police to help her deal the baby in his arms , to drop the baby . downstairs after them, meaning to ask with her hu sband John . She and John John crouched down and caught the baby Tish to stay and talk. Once outside, he had been fighting, John had been in his lap. Tish took the baby. grabbed the keys again, from the car physically abusive, and she wanted him ignition. out of thei� ap artment while she moved John then snatched the keys to the car their baby and her stuff out. and tried to leave again. This did not Wilson grabbed John and threw him onto · meet with Officer Wilson's app roval the back of the car. John, who has been One of the two officers who responded to either. under a do ctor's care since November her call seized his chance to indulge in 1977 for a work-related back injury, some violence of his own against John Wilson grabbed John by the throat, then rolled to the ground. Wilson pushed Beeson. choking him and throwing him into a John's face against the pavement and held chair with such violence the chair leg him there, with John 's arm twisted John had changed the locks to the ap art­ broke off.- behind him, until Tish left. ment door in his wife 's absence and was sitting on the couch feeding their five­ He was hollering and cussing at John-­ Wilson's treatment of John left bruises month-old babywhen Tish arrived with for example, the officer screamed, on his neck that lasted for a week and Bloomington cops Rhoda and Wilson. "You little sonofabitch, give her the scrapes on his face and leg. keys !" John offered no resistance

John knew that his wife was on the way except for initially trying to push Wilson I certainly don't envy police the difficult over and had called his lawyer, who , aw ay , which didn't do a whole heck of a jo.b of interceding in couples' fights . But John says, had advised that 1f Tish had lot of good. Officer Wilson's behavior was clearly no key to the door, it would be illegal uncontrolled, excessively violent and for her to bust in. Tish was very unhappy at this sudden uncalled for. turn of events and said to Officer Wilson, However, Tish did indeed bust in the "Let him go. " At least Wilson didn't charge John with door, while the police watched. resisting arrest and disorderly conduct , Wilson, however, was just beginning to a frequent by-product of police brutality . Tish and. the police entered the ap artment, get into it. Still holding John by the and John refused to give up the baby and throat, he started banging John's head --Alice Wonder started to leave the ap artment. repeatedly on the har� surface of the

lookS like a sleepy, serene

community. look · again.

If you listen to the city fathers, the Pantagraph, the civic boosters and the phony speechmakers, you would think we lived in a l930's Hollywood set. But let's look behind the scenes. Each month since ENC LOSED IS $3. 00 FOR THE NEXT 12 ISSUES. April 1972, the Post-Amer�an has be en denting th.Rt serene fa cade, printing the embarrassing truths the city fa,._thers would rather overlook. Take an­ name other look at Bloomington-Normal. Subscribe 'to the Post-A merikan.

address city state For the next 12 monthly issues, send $2. 50 to Post­ Amerikan , P. 0. Box 3452, Bloomington; IL. 61701. < zip