Inside: Third Wave Feminism
PUBLISHED BY THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA
March/ April 1993 Volume XXI Number 2 War in the New Era
Essays by Barbara Ehrenreich, Bogdan Denitch, and Michael Walzer
ALSO: Health Care Activism + Lesbian and Gay Struggles + Julia Reichert's New Film INSIDE DEMOCRATIC LEFT Justice Delayed On the Left by Harry Fleischman . . . 12 by Dorothee Benz ... 2 DSAction . .. 13 War in the New Era: Third Wave Feminism Thoughts on Interventions in the Post by Bonnie Pfister . . . 14 Cold War World, with contributions from Barbara Ehrenreich, Bogdan In for the Long Haul: Denitch, and Michael Walzer . .. 3 Notes on Julia Reichert's New Film Health Care Reform in Kentucky by David Glenn . .. 20 by Chuck Sohner . .. l 0 Jimmy Higgins Reports ... 24 cover photo by Enrique Marti/Impact Visuals
day bigots, too, shaU become a remember Birmingham's Sixteenth EDITORIAL shameful footnote in humankind's Street Baptist Church. The Septem struggle against fear and ignorance. ber 1963 bombing that took the lives The slow but steady gains of the of fo ur Sunday school students was JUSTICE gay rights movement over the last as sure a sign of progress a:-. the par quarter century have provoked a tial desegregation of the city that vicious and often violent backlash in preceded it. Violence is the last ref DELAYED recent years. Last year there were uge of those whose idea::; are losing BY DOROTHEE BENZ fo!Jr anti-gay ballot initiatives in the power. United States; one, in Colorado, Martin Luther King argued that The homosexual community stated passed. Ballot measure 9 in Oregon one has a moral responsibility to that they will infiltrate the schools and would have declared homosexuality oppose unjust laws. He defined un take ouer children at a young age. . "perverse and unnatural"; it failed, just laws, in part, as those that pre Because half of them are dead and are but not before two gay Oregonians scribe difference among human going to die because of AIDS, and they were murdered, and many more as beings, such a:-. segregatJ n statutes. need a new outlet to recruit. -- Dolores saulted. In October, gay Seaman Clearly, the military's ban on gays Ayling, founder of Concerned Par Allen Schindler was beaten and lac falls in thesamec.ategory, as does the ents for Educational Accountability, erated to death beyond recognition. anti-gay statute m Colorado. To New York Newsday, 2/8/93 In January three Marines dragged cha! lenge and overcome these laws is I am not afraid of the word 'tension' Crae Pridgen out of a bar and beat our obligation. We can begin by join .. .th e kind oftension in society that will him because, they said, they hated all ing the gay righb march m Washing help men [sic] rise from the dark depths of homosexuals. ton on Apnl 25. prejudice. - Martin Luther King, Jr., There are many who would ar Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963 gue that such violence is a reason to DEMOCRATIC LEFT There have been times in history delay lifting the military ban, lest when those who would exclude and mandated social tolerance provoke Ma11agi11g Editor persecute certain members of the more violence. The same was said in Michael Lighty human community claimed thatJews Birmingham in 1963. But it is always Produdion used the blood of Christian children wrong to delay justice because it Dui d Glenn in their religious rituals, just as they might provoke violence. Moreover, Editorial Committee now claim that gays will pervert and acceding to this argument gives J~nne Barkan, Dorothee Benz, molest children. Opponents of lifting power to those who would threaten Howard Croft, Mitch Horowitz, the ban on gays in the military clamor gays -- or any other vulnerable Sherri levine, Neil McLaughlin, that morale will be shattered by members of our society. Maxine Phi!lips making heterosexual and homosex That there can be no progress Founding Editor ual men share showers and foxholes, without struggle is an old adage, but Michael Harrington (1928-1989)
as once they protested the integration one that is nonetheless true. If Presi Ooall!Cnd< I.aft ([Sb.'I 016403207) I I ~od bimomhly t! 1' of blacks into the armed services. If it dential retreat in the face of right °"'1
2 DEMOC RATIC Lr.FT War in the New Era:
Thoughts. On Interventions in the Post-Cold War World The last few months have seen the U.S. participate in military interventions of all sorts -- unilateral and multilateral -- in coun tries as diverse as Iraq, Somalia, and Bosnia. How should U.S. democratic socialists respond to such actions? Following are two essays -- one by DSA Honorary Chair Barbara Ehrenreich and one by DSA Vice Chair Bogdan Denitch -- along with a short reply by Dissent co-editor Michael Walzer.
I. BARBARA EHRENREICH: "BREAK THE Aoo1cr10N" thout any overriding strategic lesson was to ban the media ~ntirely, as!in the considerations to justify them, media-invisible invasion of Grenada. The next, U.S. military interventions have and far craftier, step was to enlist the media W become increasingly arbitrary, directly in the war effort, which was what hap even whimsical. An intervention can be pened in Panama, and, most stunningly, in Iraq. launched to salvage a president's popularity, to Operation Desert Storm was our first made influence a domestic election (in the case of for-TV war. Admirers of this war can cite George Bush's contemplated raid on Iraq dur dozens of justifications for it; and surely some ing the 1992 Republican national convention), or response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait was called to amuse a lame-duck president during his final for (though it should have been offered before weeks in office. The most disturbing develop the damage was done, when Hussein first made ment in post-cold war interventions is what I his intentions known to April Glaspie). Noth call "wars of spectacle" -- military operations ing, however, justified the actual response, undertaken chiefly for their domestic political which was war, and of course a war which impact. The most promising development, punished hundreds of thousands of Iraqis while many would say, is the altruistic, "purely hu leaving the perpetrator more firmly entrenched manitarian" intervention, such as the ongoing than ever. one in Somalia. Both call for sophisticated and The reasons for war lie in Bush's domestic imaginative responses from a revived peace difficulties in the summer of 1990 -- the S&L movement. crisis involving his son and the beginnings of a The war of spectacle has evolved out of a feeble Democratic congressional response to slow and painful redefinition of the relations supply-side economics. And the war was, at between the military and the media. In Viet least until its disquieting end in the desert "tur nam, the military learned that the media could key shoot," a magnificent and gripping spec be another "enemy" -- undermining domestic tacle: CNN and the networks offered special support by revealing the daily atrocities that logos and theme music, even several-minute constituted the war. The first application of that long, gauzy, MTV-ish videos featuring flutter-
MARCH/APRIL 1993 3 War in the New Era
ing flags, handsome soldiers in the desert, Grenada on, I suggest that the anti-war move church steeples at home. ment raise the following three questions as The anti-war movement tried to counter loudly as possible whenever our leaders start with its own spectacle of mass demonstrations, contemplating a new one: but was easily eclipsed. Both print and elec 1. Why war? There will be countless provo tronic media ignored the demonstrations, shut cations at least as serious as the invasion of out the dissidents, and focused on the glorious Kuwait. The habitual response of nation-states crusade in the Middle East. For Bush, the whole to provocations is war; war is what nation-states thing was a great success, at least temporarily, -- with their standing armies and powers of and well into the summer of '91 commentators taxation -- are set up to do. I am not a pacifist; praised the war -- not for achieving any strategic sometimes, no doubt, war is the only possible or foreign policy goals - but for "bringing us response. But war is an instrument that has to be together," curing "the Vietnam syndrome," and used only with the greatest caution and reluc making us "feel good about America." tance, since its effect is always to extend the If the Gulf War knocked the wind out of the cycle of violence and revenge that leads ineluc peace movement, the intervention in Somalia tably to the next war. (And we may only see the would seem to have eliminated its very reasons bloody residue of Desert Storm when a genera for existence. This is unquestionably a military tion of Iraqi youths enters adulthood.) intervention - led by generals and involving a One lesson of Desert Storm is that anti-war massive deployment of troops -- but its aim education and persuasion cannot be taken up in could not be more kindly and pacific: safe an ad hoc manner on the eve of each threatened guarding the delivery of food to starving war. No amount of anti-war rhetoric will ever people. Somalia has elicited almost no dissent, be as stirring as CNN's kettle-drum theme except from a few isolationists on the right. If music. Education·and agitation against war - this is to be the pattern for future post-cold war and not JUSt against particular wars -- has to be interventions, the role of the left might well be to ongoing, persistent and clearly rooted in the Somali encourage them: starting with Bosnia and conventional morality ostensibly shared by us refugees marching on to wherever violence and cruelty all. Thou slzalt not, for example, kill. line up ata reign. 2. Why do it with the military? This is the feeding I think not, at least not without serious question Somalia raises. Certainly some armed center In reservations and, in most cases, protest. Draw personnel were required here, but a force of Kenya. ing the lessons of recent interventions from 30,000 troops? The net effect of Operation Re store Hope may be more ill wiU than good. Already sev eral children have been killed by Marines. (One boy was almost shot because he ap 1 peared to be hiding something in his hands. It turned out he was hiding his stumps, be l cause he had no hands.) And l of course the Marines do not speak the language or know anything about the culture they have intruded upon. In creasingly, they have faced stones instead of gratitude. Think how much more could have been accom plished by an international corps of skilled and culturally sensitive civilians -- accompa nied of course by 3000 or so armed troops - and capable of helping to repair infrastruc- 4 DEMOCRATIC LEFT War in the New Era ture, set up clinics and feeding centers, and with all the former intensity of the war on drugs. revive agriculture! We don't let people process coca leaves in their 3. Whynotprevent it next time, instead? One kitchens. Why? Because "drugs kill," and in lesson of Somalia and Bosnia is that the concept deed they sometimes do. Yet weapons have no of disarmament has to extend down to the most purpose other than to kill. The biggest anti conventional hAnd-held weapon. Yet the prolif intervention task for the peace movement eration of weaponry continues at a furious pace, should be to break our own country's ghastly augmented by China and the former Soviet addiction to militarism and weapons produc- republics. The growing worldwide economic tioo. ~ dependence on weapons sales puts humanity more at risk than at any time in our all-too bloody history. Barbara Ehrenreich is an Honorary Chair of DSA. I would like to see a campaign against the Her most recent book is The Worst Years of Our manufacture and sale of weapons conducted Lives. Her first novel will be published this summer.
II. BOGDAN DENITCH: "BUILDAGENUINEPEACEFORCE" neof the dividing lines traditionally oppose armed intervention even by admittedly separating socialists from liberals imperialist powers in alliance with the U.S. We are differences about the appropri were for U.S. participation in the Second World 0 ate foreign policy for the United War despite the fact that in addition to a war States, and aboveaJI, about power projections in against a fascist alliance, that war also fought to the form ofarmed intervention abroad. Liberals preserve the French, Dutch, and British em have tended to be interventionist, largely be pires, and ended with U.S. military and eco cause of their optimistic appraisal of the nature, nomic hegemony. The War also led to the Soviet motivation, and thrust of U.S. foreign policy. Union's hegemony in Eastern Europe and the Socialists have traditionally been, with the ex forcible establishment of communist regimes in ception of right-wing social democrats, op the region. The point is that military interven posed to armed U.S. intervention and very tion is not always wrong, even by the U.S., and skeptical about the general thrust of U.S. foreign socialists are not always pacifists, although policy. some pacifists are socialists. Of course we seek Most democratic socialists, and the major to change the United States so that it would be ity of DSA members, have tended to view U.S. capable of having a genuinely democratic for foreign policy as fundamentally based on the eign policy, one that would be allied with genu defense of U.S. imperial interests. This defense inely democratic and egalitarian forces in the could be cruder or subtler from case to case, but world. U.S. imperial, more rarely strategic, interests Most left-wing socialists, of whom I am one, were basic. Therefore, socialists have regarded took the position of hostility to both military with great skepticism the claims that particular alliances, a position sometimes described as interventions were undertaken for the purpose "Third Camp." During the Cold War, we clearly of defending democracy against totalitarian or differentiated between the "West," which in authoritarian threats, or for the purpose of de cluded parliamentary democracies, social fending the sovereignty of small oppressed democrats, and labor governments, and the nations. Warsaw Pact alliance led by the Soviet Union, Thus DSA has opposed the U.S. armed which consisted only of one-party dictatorial intervention in Grenada, Libya, Panama, and regimes. The point of our position was to insist Iraq, to name a few more recent ones, and most that the two alliances not only threatened the of its members were opposed to the war in Viet world with a nuclear holocaust, but subordi Nam at the time. I personally opposed the nated to their Cold War aims the struggles of Korean war, as did the majority of the organiza smaller states and the struggles for democracy. tion I was in. To be sure, most socialists, at least The two military "camps" not only distorted those I agreed with retroactively, did not always struggles for independence and democracy
MARCH/APRIL 1993 5 War in the New Era
democracy. On the other hand, there are cases in which U.S. diplomatic intervention - did help, particularly in cases like Namibia, where diplo macy took place in a multilat eral context or through the United Nations. • The world has changed in fundamental ways since 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet military alliance. The col lapse of the Soviet alliance has not eliminated communist dictatorial regimes: after all, North Korea, China and Cuba are still under one-party au thoritarian rule. However, this collapse has removed the threat of a nuclear war be tween superpowers and had the more ambiguous result of leaving the U.S. as the sole military superpower. This has greatly encouraged the ~ tendency on the part of the UN peacekeep throughout the world by insisting on linking U.S. to unilateral intervention, particularly in ing soldier these to the Cold War, but were also essentially the last days of the Bush administration. compares arms symbiotic. That is, the two alliances reinforced The tendency to intervene is a dangerous with Bosnian mlll each other and blocked the development of a thing for small countries that get in the way, and Hamen. world that could address major problems like above all a dangerous thing for the United the growing North-South gap and the develop States. It leaves endless possibilities for escala ment of human rights and democracy. tion and quagmires. It is a tendency constantly It was often pointed out that in given spe at war with the genuine, desperate need to cific situations one or the other alliance repre develop an international peace force, under sented the greater evil. Clearly in Eastern Eu United Nations auspices and command, for the rope the greater evil was Soviet domination, many situations that call for more than a hand while in a number of third world situations the wringing resolution of condemnation West, represented by the U.S., was the greater The United States is not the policeman of the evil. Angola, Mozambique, Nicaragua, and world -- nothing ever gave it the right to play South Africa are examples where the "West" this role. DSA's position must be that where clearly backed the more reactionary and op military intervention has become the last resort, pressive forces. It was not always that simple, it should take place under United Nations aus since the forces which the Soviet alliance backed pices and that U.S. forces should only be used, if were often very bad, as in the case of Amm in at all -- since there are places like Latin America Uganda or the regime in Ethiopia, or simply where historical reasons argue that U.S. forces followed disastrous economic and social policy, should not be used -- within the framework of as did most third world "socialist" regimes. international peace forces and under U.N. Nevertheless, the traditional DSA position of command. Building genuine international opposing U.S. intervention, and at the same peace forces under U.N. auspices, despite all the time being aware that many of the regimes in weaknesses and problems posed by present question were undemocratic, presented no day limitations of the U.N., is an urgent, major problems. As Grenada and Panama have illus priority in a post-Cold War world. trated all too clearly, U.S. armed intervention Yes, the United States should urge a more does not always result in the establishment of energetic policy on the U.N. Security Council 6 DEMOCRATIC LEFT War in the New Era
and on Western Europe in the case of former traditional U.S. attitude that U.S. troops only Yugoslavia. Much evidence exists that an ear serve under U.S. command and intervene uni lier, energetic intervention against Serbian ag laterally, as they did inSomalia. What is reason gression first in-Croatia, then in Bosnia, would able, given the technical and other resources the have been effective and relatively low in cost. U.S. has, is for humanitarian food and medical The U.S. and the countries of former Yugoslavia aid to be sent to besieged towns in Bosnia, in are paying today for the fact that Bosnian car cooperation with the United Nations. That should nage took placed uring the longest political floor have been done months ago. These planes show in the world, the U.S. presidential prima flying m the aid should be protected, so, again ries and election. During the election we were with U.N. cooperation, armed escorts for hu mostly oblivious to the world, except in the case manitarian aid are a reasonable step. Mobi oflraq, where a visible U.S. interest was at stake lizing support to let Bosnia defend itself would and a no-cost unilateral intervention could be another reasonable step. Contributing troops make the U.S. "stand tall" on the cheap. Mean to the U.N. presence there and in other hotspots while, the U.S. and Western Europe have aban around the world is a laudable step that would doned Bosnia and its Moslem and non-sectarian have an impact on the structure of our military majority to Serbian and Croatian nationalist organization. What is not reasonable is for the aggression. U.S. to arrogate to itself the role of a world At this time it is probably too late to restore policeman. That should be opposed by every Bosnian a non-sectarian Bosnian state. It makes inore consistent democrat and socialist. !m Muslims sense to let the Bosnian government defend protest UN itself today by removing the unfair U.N. block Inaction ade, which treats the aggressors and the victims Bogdan Denitch is a Vice Chair of DSA. His most during a visit equally, than to talk about armed U.S. interven recent book is After the Flood: World Politics and by Boutros tion. In any case, we should be opposed to the Democracy in the Wake of Communism. Boutros-Ghan.
III. MICHAEL wALZER: "WHAT IS REALLY POSSIBLE?" am grateful to the editors of Democratic Left condemnation." But here we have a situation of for inviting me to respond to these two exactly that sort, and these agents are (mostly) (rather different) expressions of what I wringing their hands. In fact, it is hard even for I take to be the majority view within DSA. Bogdan to imagine an intervention of any sort, All that I want to do here is to raise some anywhere, in today's world, unless the U.S. questions about the realism of Bogdan's and takes the lead. Yes, we should seek U.N . au Barbara's arguments. Any serious defense of an thorization; and maybe we should find a French alternative position will have to wait for another or British (or Russian!) general to preside over occasion. the affair. Would that have been enough to Bogdan actually favors (verb tenses are legitimate the "earlier energetic intervention"? tricky here) an "earlier energetic intervention" in If not, Bogdan should resign himself to a world Croatia and Bosnia -- an intervention that never where nothing more than salvage and relief is happened. Part of his explanation for why it possible (and it's not clear that there wiJI be never happened is the long drawn-out U.S. elec much of that either ifwecountonlyon the U.N.). tion campaign. Of course, that doesn't explain Barbara, it seems to me, needs to face the the failure of the U.N. or the European Commu same difficulties in her discussion of Somalia. nity to act -- unless one acknowledges, as he Suppose that we sent in a corps of "skilled and doesn't quite do, that neither of these organiza culturally sensitive civilians," with some 3000 tions possesses the political coherence or will to troops, disguised as U.N. troops or even actu act on its own. I grant that these are the desir ally U.N. troops -- from Nepal, say. And sup able agents of intervention "in situations which pose, further, that skilled and sensitive civilians call for more than a hand-wringing resolution of were fairly easy to kill, and were in fact killed in
MARCH/APRJL 1993 7 War in the New Era
large numbers. What then? Would she favor can foreign policy debate, is an analytic and sending more troops? And where does she retail critique. We need to ask in each case, one think she could find, in the world today, the will by one, what it is possible and desirable to do, to send them in? Or should we leave Somalia, and who might (really) do it, subject to what once sensitivity had failed, to its warlords and moral/political limits. rm Bosnian Muslims its gangs? protest UN The problem with the majority position, if lnocHon that's what it is, is that its critique of American Michael Walzer is co-editor of Dissent magazine during a visit foreign policy is, to mix my metaphors, both and a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study. by Boutros visceral and wholesale, whereas what we need, His most recent book is What It Means to Be an Boutros-Ghan. if we mean to play a serious part in the Ameri- American.
J l l
Socialist International Resolution on Cuba
The Socialist International observes the situation in Cuba with concern.
Internally, the economy is deteriorating day by day, and the plight of the Cuban people is worsening.
Externally, the continued illegal blockade by the U.S. is aggravating both economic and political conditions.
We appeal to the new U.S. administration to lift the blockade and declare itself ready to talk to Havana.
The Socialist International, anxioUJ to support a peaceful transition to a democratic, multi. party system in Cuba, without foreign interference, suggests to the Cuban government to free all political prisoners and initiate a dialogue with the patriotic and democratic forces.
-- passed by the Socialist International Council February 10, 1993.
8 DrMoctv.nc Lrrr Resolution on the war in Bosnia DSAcondemns the continued. persistent refusal of the international community, the present and past U.S. administrations. and the European Community, to take effectiv~ measures to prevent the carnage in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The world community, and particularly those governments which insisted on an early recogni tion of Bosnia, had a responsibility to protect that state from dismemberment by neighboring Serbia and Croatia and to ensure its survival.
DSA believes that:
The situation of women is especially bitter: The rape of women. special camps where women are kept to be raped, rapes In pu bllc places. mass and multiple rapes. all must be stopped!
The International Court of Justice should recognize these rapes as war crimes and punish these brutal and cruel acts:
If Bosnia is not going to be defended by the International community it must be granted the right and means to defend Itself by the lifting of the anns blockade. a blockade that in practice currently only affects the Bosman forces:
Delivery of food and humanitarian aid as well as the International inspecUon of the detention camps must be assured, by anned convoys if necessary:
Effective air cover should be provided to prevent violations of Bosnian air space. the bombardment of citles and use of heavy artillery and tanks by Serbian and Croatian forces;
The Vance-Owen plan ts unjust and unworkable;
Unlike the Vance-Owen approach, an effecUve plan would provide for the large part of the population that refuses to be forced to llve In ethnic enclaves. 1t would dlsann the milllla and destroy or control heavy weapons. provide for international courts and ·police to enable mixed populations to live together, punish war criminals, and U would not treat the Bosnian government as equivalent to the Croatian and Serbian nationalists:
Until a stable solution is found, the European Community and the U.S. must provide aid for the two million refugees, Including the establishment of safe havens in U.N. protected zones (which would be located In most Bosnian cities with mixed popula tions);
Where military intervention has become a last resort. It should take place under the United Nations auspices and U.S. forces should only be used within the framework of the international peace forces under U.N. command.
The specific priority of DSA, given its limited resources. must be to organize aid for democratic socialists. free trade unions. peace and human rights activists through out former Yugoslavia and in Bosnia. A fund has been established for that purpose. DSA Lricals are urged to hold public meetings to sensitize public opinion to the situation of women in Bosnia. Passed by the DSA National Interim Committee February 21. 1993 (e MARCH/APRIL 1993 9 matterofquick, effective organizing. Like Sena tor Harris Wofford in Pennsylvania, Governor Brereton Jones was elected in Kentucky in 1991 FORGING A in large measure on the health care issue. Less than three months after Jones took office, DSA National Director Michael Lighty came to Lex ington during an organizational tour. The HEALTH CARE Central Kentucky local hosted a small meeting of community activists at which Lighty spoke persuasively about the urgency of the health crisis and the virtues of the Canadian single payer plan in providing universal coverage at COALJTION IN the lowest feasible cost. The formation of the ; Health Security Network followed quickly. Its first major event was an open-microphone town meeting on reforming health care financing held on April 23, 1992. This was a notable achieve KENTUCKY ment because it gave those attending the confi dence and enthusiasm that later produced an overflow crowd, twice as large as expected, at a BY CHUCK SoHNER public hearing held by the Governor's Task trike while the iron is hot" is a Force on Health Reform the next month. time-worn proverb that might be It is clear, thirdly, that DSA would not have traced to blacksmiths sweating been able to enlist organizational allies in the Sover their anvils in the Bluegrass Health Security Network had it not already ' ' developed a reputation as a reasonable and horse country. Following this wisdom, the DSA local in central Kentucky, striking while the responsible partner in previously established health care issue was heating rapidly, initiated a coalitions. DSA's leadership in health care was political coalition that warrants dose attention. built on a history of cooperative endeavor in This coalition, the Health Security Network of such groups as the Central Kentucky Council Kentucky, has played a major role in one of the for Peace and Justice and the Pro-Choice Alli most closely watched health reform movements ance. No one was as responsible for this record in the nation. of dependability as Jim Ryder, who had served While the outcome of the Network's efforts as co-chair not only of the DSA local but also of remains in doubt, it has successfully pushed the the Peace and Justice Council. The latter organi health care debate in Kentucky to the left, while zation, a vital part of the Network, coordinates significantly increasing DSA's visibility in the the social action campaigns of more than a state. This sort of work is a model of how DSA dozen groups, religious and secular alike, in the locals can raise radical consciousness in their Lexington area. Given his past track record, it is communities while making relevant and effec natural that Ryder chairs the Network's weekly tive interventions in ongoing political struggles. meetings, held at the Central Christian Church. The story of the Health Security Network's Whatever the attributes that successfully birth contains several ingredients conducive to launched the coalition, it generated its own the formation of a broad and diverse coalition - momentum thereafter. After its initial town - long the preferred vehicle for DSA activity. meeting, the Network submitted a health re The primary ingredient is an issue like health form "white paper" to the Governor's Task Force care that generates wide interest. The broader and held three press conferences to publicize its its impact, the larger and more heterogenous the recommendations. In September it sponsored a potential coalition. The Health Security Net panel discussion featuring two members of the work, for example, embraces nine organizations state legislature, including the only one who is a including 'the Christian Church in Kentucky, physician, along with a hospital administrator League of Women Voters, Community Farm and a leading consumer activist. Two months Alliance, Kentucky Association of State Em later, after the governor announced that he ployees (AFf, AFL-CIO), and the Kentucky would call a special session of the General As Disabilities Coalition. sembly devoted to the issue, the Network con The second crucial ingredient is timing, vened a statewide conference in the state capi which is partly a matter of luck and partly a tal, Frankfort, under the title "Citizens' Special 10 DEMOCRATIC LEFT Session on Health Care Reform." Delegates representing 40 organiza tions agreed to a statement of prin ciples that emerged from the ses sion. During the first week of Janu ary, the Network held a news con ference in the rotunda of the capitol that was covereq by Louisville and Lexington TV stations, major news services, and the state's two largest newspapers. Spokesperson Rich ard Mitchell, a professor at the Uni versity of Kentucky school of den tistry, urged legislators to be guided by four principles ofreform: univer sal and equal access, cost contain ment, funding through progressive and equitable taxation, and consumer choice democratic process by directing the Task Force among health care providers. he established to solicit public comments in a On February 20, about a month before the series of open hearings held throughout the special legislative session was scheduled to state. This, in a sense, legitimized the DSA begin, the Network conducted an all-day con initiated Network, which was further strength ference in Frankfort to train interested citizens ened when it was joined by two members of the Chris Dyke, in the complexities of health care issues and the Task Force itself. President or the lobbying techniques that can be most success The Network has maintained an admirably Frankfort Area fuJly employed in personal contacts with legis flexible and democratic character. It has not Labor Council, lators. More than 100 people attended work required any of its constituent groups to aban speaking at the shops and heard a wide variety of speakers don their own independent political activity. February 20 including State Representative Leonard Gray, Central Kentucky DSA, for example, published health care who has introduced a single-payer health bill in its own health care issue sheet and authorized a conference. U1e Kentucky General Assembly, and State meeting of its co-chairs with a local state repre Representative Marshall Long, who chairs its sentative regarding its conference for a single Appropriations and Revenue Committee. payer plan. Clearly, enthusiasm is mounting, consensus is Moreover, DSA and other progressive building, and support is broadening for funda voices in the Network have already affected the mental reform. tern'\S and context of health care debate. Largely For whatever reasons, Governor Jones's gone are phrases like "socialized medicine," most recent proposals have moved toward while the concept of health care as a right rather those advocated by the Network in several than a commodity is frequently articulated and important respects. He has abandoned his ini seldom challenged. Similarly, the coalition tial hopes U-lat managed competition alone provides an expanded forum for a critique of might drive down medical costs and now sup capitalism because of the obvious and abject ports rapid imposition of publicly determined failure of free market forces in the health care price ceilings. Moreover, he has resisted advke industry. to gradually phase in expanded coverage and Finally, the Health Security Network of insisted that all Kentuckians be insured at the Kentucky has increased DSA's visibiLity and inception of the reform program, including the prestige, while providing another model of the nearly half million who now are not. The imme broad coalition which we have long believed diate political task is to move both Jones and the essential to significant social change. Organiza legisJature away from reliance on ''managed tionally, it has afforded an invaluable opportu care" HMOs competing for the business of en nity for doing good while doing well. rm larged insurance pools toward a single-payer Canadian model. While the Governor's final pJanmaycontain Chuck Sohner is a co-cltair of Central Kenhtcky DSA serious flaws, he indisputably invigorated U1e and a former co-chair of Los Angeles DSA. MARCH/APRIL 1993 11 ILLINOIS co-sponsored a public forum en Former DSA Youth Organizer titled "What Do We Want in the First Jeremy Karpatkin directed Carol 100 Days and What Can We Do to Mosely Braun's field operations in Help Get It?" Over 275 people at her successful campaign to become tended this forum, at which DSA the first African American woman Honorary Chair Barbara Ehrenreich in the U.S. Senate. and Hofstra University Professor by Harry Fleischman On March 12 the West Subur Michael D'Innocenzo spoke. ban branch of Chicago DSA held a New York City DSA held a major forum and debate on the forum on February 25 entitled "Can North American Free Trade Agree We All Live Together?: Leadership CALIFORNIA ment. Speakers included Carol and the Politics of Diversity." NYC Sonoma County DSA has Travis of the UAW, Marvin Golden DSA will devote much of its energy during the coming months to de been organizing congressional vis of Greenpeace, philosophy profes its to promote a single-payer health sor Dennis Temple, and a staff feating the organized slates of con reform plan. member from the office of Repre servatives running for Community DSAer Bob Niemann won a sentative Harris Falwell, a Republi School Board seats in elections to be handy re-election to the Santa can. held May 4. New York DSA's an Monica Rent Control Board. Mean The 35th annual Chicago nual convention will be held on while, Los Angeles DSA has been Debs /Thomas /Harrington Dinner April 24 at the Advent Lutheran active with endorsements and cam will be held on Friday, May 7. The Church in Manhattan. paign work in Los Angeles City dinner will honor Julian Bond, who Council races. The local has been helped to launch SNCC in the early especially supportive of the candi 1960s, and Molly L. West, who OHIO helped to found the Coalition of dacy of Jackie Goldberg, a progres Mahoning Valley DSA will Labor Union Women in the 1970s. sive, openly gay former school host a May Day picnic in Lake Mil board member. ton State Park during the afternoon The first West Coast Socialist MINNESOTA of May 1. The picnic is intended to Scholars Conference will be held celebrate labor's heritage and labor Twin Cities DSA has devel April 16 and 17 at UCLA. agitators past, present, and future. oped a high profile within the Min nesota left. Activists in this local CoLO RADO have helped to organize demonstra tions at the governor's mansion SOCIALIST The Boulder DSA organizing against budget cuts and a campaign committee held a hugely successful INTERNATIONAL NEWS for progressive income taxation in meeting on January 26. Professor DSA National Political Com Minnesota. Manning Marable addressed a mittee member Jo-Ann Mort at crowd of over 100. Over half of the tended the Federal Council of Can attendees expressed interest in ada's New Democratic Party in Ot working to form a full·Aedged DSA NEW YoRK tawa on January 23 and 24. She local, to be called Front Range DSA, Karen Marie Gibson, co-chair joined members of the NOP and that will encompass Denver, Doul of the DSA Youth Section, spoke to Mexico's Party of the Democratic der, and surrounding foothills the Ithaca DSA local on March 8 Revolution in a discussion of the towns. Front Range DSA activists about her experiences with the proposed North American Free have already begun active work youth section's investigative visit to Trade Agreement. with the Colorado branch of the U.S./Mexican border in Janu DSAers Bogdan Denitch, ary. Jose La Luz of DSA's National UHCAN, the national coalition of Christine Riddiough1 and Motl Zel advocates for state-level single Political Committee will speak in manowicz attended the Socialist payer health care systems. They are Ithaca on April 2. The Ithaca local is International Council meeting in also prioritizing campaigns for the devoting most of its organizing ef Athens, Greece on February 9 and repeal of the anti·gay rights Amend forts to the health care battle. 10. The Council was addressed by ment 2 and for progressive income Nassau County DSA and the the illegally ousted Haitian presi taxation in Colorado. Long Island Progressive Coalition dent Jean-Bertrand Aristide. 12 DrMocRAnc Lr.FT DSAction Save the date NAT.IONAL HEALTII CARE: THE FIGHT AHEAD DSA Organizing Institute We know America's best-kept secret: Only a single-payer June 25 -27 svstem can control costs now, promote choice of provider, and cover everyone with comprehensive benefits. Drew University The Congressional Budget Office agrees! -- 75% of Americans are willing to pay higher taxes to Madison, NJ improve access to health care - 68% of Americans are willing to pay higher taxes to re Join Steve M.u, Frances Fox Piven•, .ind Irving Howe for ,;a weekend of 1tr.itegy, .i.nalysi1, .ind tactics. form the health Care system (Wall Street Journal/NBC poll. l/28/93) So let's get the message out: eliminate private health in surance, establish a publicly-administered, progressively eleventh annual financed system of health care for all! Socialist Scholars Conference Towards a New America t/ Tell Hillary we want single-payer! Politics of Identity Hillary Rodham Clinton A Critical Encounter with '68 Chair, President's Task Force on Health Care Reform Bogdan Denitch Elaine Bernard 1600 Pennsylvania A venue NW Daniel Singer Frances Fox Piven Washington, DC 20500 Major Owen Cornel West t/ Days of Reckoning for Congress Maria Elena Alves Joseph S. Murphy Hold town meetings with your representatives. Urge co-sponsorship of the McDermott April 9, 10, 111993 Conyers-Wellstone Bill! Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) 199 Chambers Street, New York City t/ National Day of Action April 1 Don't let the insurance companies fool us anymore! Friday night 7 · 9:30 pm Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Contact your DSA local or call the national office at 212 962-0390. Fax: 212 227-4205. For more information call 212 560-0101. For inexpensive dorm housing call 212 932-2300. WEST COAST SOCIALIST SCHOLARS CONFERENCE 1~------, 1993 Registration Form NEW REALITIES, NEW IDENTITIES: Make checks payable to "Socialist Scholars Conference" and mail to: I Socialism and Empowerment Socialist Scholars Conference I CUNY Graduate Center I 33 West 42nd Street, room 800 I April 17, 1993 New York, NY 10036 University of Colifornio, Los Angeles Pre-registration forms must be received by March 29. I Pre-registration: D $15.00 (student/low income) I Speakers: D $25.00 (regular) Total amount enclosed: I Rlllly Acuna • Karen Boss • Bogdon Denitch • Angie fo"· Edna Bonocich I need child care for children ages_, _, _. Professional child care I Mie ()gyis" • Mona field • Sherna Gluck • Sondra Hole • Harold Meyerson for toilet-trained toddlers 3 years and older will be provided on I Mark Ridley-Thomas • Irwin Silber • Ed Sojo• • Rudy Torres • •;nvited Saturday and Sunday during the day. I Name(s) ______hr ioloonotioo, please contact: SocioliSI Community School, Address______Apt. ___ I P.O. Box 77027-161, Posodeno, CA 91117·6921 I 818.]97-7640 City______.State __ Zip ____ I I c._. • S•iolill Community School • Demo Facing the Questions of Equity and Inclusion in the 1990s BY BONNIE PFISTER hat does it mean to be a feminist in the New Directions for Women. Future issues of NDW will 1990s? While the idea of young women include a WAC-edited pullout section. reinventing feminism sounds exciting, W some of the activists in the trenches fear Grassroots Actions, Simmering Frustrations that they may be merely "reinventing the wheel." WHAM, Women's Health Action and Mobili Two of New York City's most prominent di zation, has logged nearly four years of solid organizing rect-action women's groups grapple with this fear and on reproductive health issues, flourishing in low-budget the complex issues surrounding racial diversity and obscurity relative to WAC's recent ascendence. WHAM coalition building, while struggling to maintain a full has been known among New York feminists as the calendar of upcoming actions. standard-bearer of clinic defense, protecting women's WAC, the Women's Action Coalition, has health clinics around the city from the weekly attacks become a national media darling in the 12 months by anti-choice zealots. Grassroots work is done in since it was formed, mainly by artists and communica committees ranging from the practical, such as self tions professionals in Soho and downtown Manhat help and herbal healing, to the more theoretical, such tan. Born in the "year of the woman," WAC mobilized as the proposed lesbian- and gay-inclusive curriculum women's fury following the Clarence Thomas confir in the New York public schools. Like WAC, WHAM mation hearings into attention-grabbing actions mix has a history of spontaneous, creative actions, among ing anger, wit, and stunning visual images. These them draping a banner proclaiming, "No choice, no included maintaining a presence at prominent rape liberty" over the eyes of the Statue of Liberty in 1991, trials, picketing in front of art galleries that under numerous office takeovers of pharmaceutical compa represent women, and a Mother's Day action (featur nies recalcitrant in the study of breast cancer and HIV ing the famous WAC drum corps) at Grand Central related illnesses, and the controversial 1990 protest Terminal protesting the billions of dollC}rs owed in during mass in St. Patrick Cathedral of John Cardinal back child support. WAC Stats is a slick 64-page book O'Connor's hateful lobbying efforts. with statistics on a range of topics, and "Women Ig Members and former members of both groups nite," a 30-foot audiovisual slide show, is touring the express their frustrations with WAC and WHAM in nation, with photos of it recently gracing the cover of various ways; some women in WAC worry that their 14 DEMOCRATIC LEFT organization is too firmly rooted in ...... , ._.__ knee-jerk liberal-left rhetoric, squelch ing debate considered not politically correct; WHAM members reluctantly admit that their group has trouble sustaining action past abortion-cen- / tered concerns. But both groups share a widespread angst over their mainly middle-class, college-educated white women constituencies. Each is strug gling to confront the issue of internal racism and whether greater racial diversity within the group is thesolu- r..llll&a• tion. "Always Two Movements" Personal Reflections "No one who does what we on the Next Feminism do wants to believe they are racist," said Sandy Morris-Snyder, one of WHAM'sfoundingmembers. Partof WHAM's Resisting Racism Commit tee, Morris-Snyder faulted the ten dency among white women to look to Ginny Coughlin women of color to point out racism. DSA Youth Organizer "It's very hard when you have people who rely on you for that," she Brooklyn, NY said. "If I continually [have to point At a recent student environmental conference a women's out racist incidents], the only thing caucus, as at every left-wing student gathering, left the main room you come away with is, I won't do to meet. As we left, we saw that we were leaving behind very few this, or this, or that, but you haven't men. It was then that we realized that women comprised more looked into yourself to find out why than two thirds of the conference. We used the caucus meeting to this thing is offensive. That's the only celebrate the energy and creativity that young women had brought way you are going to change." to this conference, and bring to the student movement. W AC's Committee on Diver In January, the DSA Youth Section sponsored a student sity and Inclusion is also exploring and youth delegation to meet with workers in the maquiladoras of this issue. Committee members are Mexican border cities. There we talked to young women who are vocal at weekly WAC meetings and organizing independent organizations to demand better living organizing discussions on these top and working conditions. Because almost all of the maquila work ics. Still, from the outside looking in, ers are young women, their organizing is led by young women. some groups of women of color are On campuses, in Congress, and in lalx>r unions across the wary of these "white women's or globe, women are changing politics. We bring energy, spirit, ganizations." ideas, and commitment to the movement for social justice. "It's always sort of been two Young college women in the U.S. -- the daughters of the movements: the one that is called the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s -- a re more and more feminist movemen£, and what does becoming the leadership of the student movement. Women's or that mean really ...and then there is ganizations are helping to redefine campus issues and women's the other women, who are struggling leadership of other progressive organizations is changing the along," said Wilma Montanez, coor issues, strategy and tactics of left student politics. dinator of the Latina Roundtable on For those of us who are socialist feminists, it is a duty to Health and Reproductive Rights. A learn about and understand U1e struggles and gains of our sisters veteran of nearly two decades of that now allow us to lead the student movement. It is our organizing for women, Montanez said challenge to use an understanding of our history to build a that any analysis of why groups like multiracial student movement that addresses the globalization of WHAM and WAC are not racially the economy and the implications of free trade, and works in diverse must first recognize the de solidarity wiU1 our sisters who are organizing in labor unions gree to which they are rooted in clas- across the globe. MARCH/APRJL 1993 15 sism. Personal Reflections ''Even in these new groups there are still these class issues, which when on the Next Feminism they boil down to it, it's really about who gets to be in charge. They usually invite women of color at the end, after they've set the agenda. They call you in to color the event," she said. Kris Raab If dealing with racial issues is to hot to handle for white feminists, DSAMember Montanez suggests that they begin with Washington, D.C. class. "If these women understood the DSA is essential to my feminism and my activism. In my issues of poor women, m [the New first local, I acquired many crucial tools: leadership and organiz York] area they would automatically ing skills, feminist meeting process, a cogent analysis of power re be working with women of color," she lations. And I would be lost without the smart, articulate, said. Success is not necessarily meas dedicated women I have met in DSA who always challenge and ured in turning out women in mass inspire me. numbers, but in making logistical ad Time and again, though, I hear DSA women -- from new- • justments, such as providing child care. comers to veterans of NAM and DSOC-- say they feel alienated "Maybe these meetings and disrespected. We share stories of being cut off or dismissed shouldn't be done in the Village all the in meetings; of feeling we have nothing to say at conventions time. Maybe there should be meetings (while in the endless line of men at the microphone there are in Bushwick, in the South Bronx," she plenty with less than nothing to say); of hearing "women's" issues said. derided as "soft"; or even of hearing DSA men mock a discussion J of violence against women. Partly because of this, most of my Race, Oass, and Community contact with DSA these days is through women's brunches, But the quesbon of organizing where I can enjoy the thoughtful analysis and debate and the I outside of one's own community is a solidarity of my comrades without fearing a tiresome run-in with j tricky one, said Ann Volkes, 43, a found sexism. ing WAC member. Citing last sum mer's unrest in Washington Heights around police insensitivity in a largely Latino community, Volkessaid an offer to take WAC uptown was not accepted by local groups. "It's not an issue of race, but an issue of community," she said. "You should respect what women who live there are telling you... We can't define it for them." WAC has already picked up on classism as a more far-reaching issue than race, and the Economic Violence Committee is working to point that out, said Artelia Court, a committee mem ber and coordinator of the child sup port actions, which she stresses are not just white women's concerns. The state court system often incorrectly and un fairly assumes that black men lack the ability to pay child support, leaving women of color even more unprotected by law than white women. Several WHAM members re cently completed the first of series of in tense resisting-racism sessions, and Morris-Snyder said she has noted dis- 16 DEMOCMTIC LfFT Personal Reflections cussion oninclusion on the WHAM floor from women who may not on the Next Feminism raised the issue before. In particu lar, WHAM's organizing on the plight of Haitian refugees held at encampments at Guantanamo Bay for their alleged HIV status caused Barbara Ehrenreich some women to question whether this were an appropriate issue for DSA Honorary Chair U.S. feminists. In response, it was Syosset, NY mostly women who had been ... through the resisting racism ses If feminism means anything, it must mean equality for all sion who illustrate the links be women, not just white women, or corporate lawyer women. Consider tween the oppression of women the Zoe Baird scandal: I must say that I did not feel tremendously well and of refugees. represented by a lot of the feminist commentary around the time of her "I think people are begin nomination. Baird was grilled about her child care arrangements, which ning to notice more things," she would never have happened to a man. But what I kept thinking was, said. ''When are we going to focus on the other end of this?" What does "Direct action has to ex feminism mean in a society where one woman can make $500,000 a year, pand, just like the definition of re and another woman, who takes care of the first woman's children, makes productive rights has to expand," $5.00 an hour? I'm not saying this as a matter of being p.c., or to make she continued. "It's not just abor token gestures at the issues of class, race, and ethnicity. My mother used tion rights, but the rights to have a to dean homes. She used to dean boarding houses. So, yes, I look child and not raise it in poverty, to forward to the day when female nominees for high office are not treated have adequate health care, to have in a sexist and arrogant fashion. But I also look forward to the day, when, access to an education... All these for one thing, available public day care is so good that Zoe Baird and things matter to a lot of different l MARCH/APRIL 1993 17 Books, Videos, Etc. Available From DSA! Essential Reading for the Clinton Era O The Worst Years of Our Lives: O New! Race Matters I"eoerent Notes From a Decade of Greed by Come! West by Barbara Ehrenreich A new collection of essays /Jy DSA Honorary Chair A collection of sltorttr pieces /Jy DSA Honorary Chair Barbara Cornel West. Broad, insightful, prophetic thinking. Ehrenrtid1. Serious but fim. New York Newsday calls it a "rare Beacon Press, 1993, softcover, $15.00 treat . • . utterly dazzling. w AVAILABLE IN APRIL. Harper-Collins, 275 pages, 1991, softcover, $10.00 0 New! After the Flood: World Politics 0 Breaking Bread: Insurgent Black Intellectual Life and Democracy in tlte Wake of Communism by bell hooks and Comel West by Bogdan Denitch This provocative and captivating dialogue discusses issues DSA Vice Ch.air Bogdan Dmitd1 reflects on the histori ranging from theology and the left to contemporary music, cal implications of the demise of Leninism. Thoughtful film and fashio11. and timely. South End Press, 1991, 271 pages, $12.00 Wesleyan University Press, Softcover, $17.00 0 Organizing for Social Change: A Manual for 0 Christian Socialism Activists it1 the 1990s by John Cort by Kim Bobo, Jackie Kendall, and Steve Max A classic essay on faith and the stmggle for j11stice. An incomparable handbook. Orbis Books, 1988, 416 pages, $19.00 Seven Locks Press, 1991, 271 pagts, $20.00 Books by DSA Honorary Chairs Democratic Socialism 0 New! The Ethical Dimensions of Marxist Thought 0 Fear of Falling: Tlte Inner Life of t11e Middle Class by Come! West by Barbara Ehrenreich A searching look at Marxism /Jy one of America's liveliest DSA Honorary Chair Barbara EhrmreicJ1 dissects the middle thinkers. class and examines how its anxieties shape its political and Monthly Review Press, 1991, $18.00 cult11ral outlook. Pantheo11 Books, 1989, softcover, $11.00 0 Socialism and America by Irving Howe 0 171e Mean Season: 171e Attack on the Welfare State DSA Honorary Ch.air Irving Howe explores tire history of socialism by Fred Block, Richard A. Cloward, Barbara Ehren in America from the time of Eugene Debs to the present. reich, and Frances Fox Piven HBJ, 1977, Softcover, 218 pages, $7.00 The authors analyze the Republican war on the poor and the welfare state. A healthy antidote to neoconservative rhetoric. 0 ''Toward a Democratic Socialism: Theory, Strategy, Pantheon Books, 1987, softcover, 205 pages, $9.00 and Vision" by Joseph Schwartz Published by DSA, 8 pages, $1.00 0 Debating P.C. Edited by Paul Berman with contributions by DSA Honorary Chairs Barbara 0 Socialist Fonon, DSA's Discussion Bulletin Ehrenreich, Irving Howe and Come! West A series of viewpoints on DSA 's vision of soCimism and'"" The most comprehensive collection on the controversies organizational mission. This one's a must-read. s11rro11nding mu1tic11Ituralism and "political correctness. w Published by DSA, Spring 1992, $3.00. Laurel-Dell, 1992, softcover, 338 pages, $8.00 0 "What Is Democratic Socialism?" Published by DSA, 1991, pamphlet, free L.:======:::J Radical Reading for 1993 I======~ 18 Df.M 0 "Socialism Informs the Best of Our Politics" TOTAL AMOUNT OF ORDER$___ _ by Michael Harrington 0 Payment encle>l>ed 0 Charge my credit card Published by DSA, 1988, 4 pages, $1.00 If paying by Visa or Mastercard please fill in credit card number, Youth/Campus Politics expiration date, and sign below 0 "Organizing for Reproductive Freedom" OvtsA D MASTERCARD An important guide for student and youth activism. Credit Card Number ______Published by DSA, 1990, 46 pages. Expiration Date ______special price: $1.00 Signature X ______ D "Youth Section Organizing Manual" Pli!asl! ret11rn this forrn w1tl1 payml'nt to DSA, Publhhed by DSA, 1990, 72 pages, $3.00 \.___ ....:.1;::..5 =D:::..:ut=c/1 St., #500, NY.t NY 10038 g_12l!J62-_03'"""9"""0.___ .,, . DSA MARCH/APRIL 1993 19 In for the Long Haul Julia Reichert's new film Emma and Elvis explores the question of sustaining lifelong radical commitments BY DAVID GLENN ntergenerational trends and conflicts usu original interview footage of Alice Walker, Greil ally don't fare very well as the subjects of Marcus, Angela Davis, and others -- implicitly mainstream media stories. In 1984, when pose nagging questions. How, after the era of I dozens of magazines simultaneously the New Left, did the Reaganites come to domi "discovered" yuppies, the new stereotype had nate America's political life? And how, after the it that the typical yuppie was both a 27-year-old promise of the sixties, has Alice's everyday life investment banker and a former 1960s radical, come to seem so flat and limited? implying that the Chicago riots of 1968 were led Alice's unhappy equilibrium is disrupted by sixth graders. And we all know too well that when she meets Eddie (Jason Duchin), a 24- news coverage of current student activism is year-old videomaker who helps create a brash, more likely to contain glib phrases like "remi essentially anti-political "underground" niscent of the sixties" than any serious discus weekly program for a public-access cable sta sion of the issues at hand. tion. Eddie has his own dissatisfactions. He It's a relief, then, to see the witty and subtle sees Dayton as a stagnant backwater, political treatment of two generations of activists in activism as the domain of earnest hypocrites, DSAer Julia Reichert's new film, Emma and El and Alice's "sixties generation" as a sad bunch vis. Reichert's best-known previous films, the of sellouts and cowards. Th~se expressions of Oscar-nominated Union Maids and Seeing Red hostility and contempt are, of course, partly (made with her former partner Jim Klein), were masks for a deeper yearning for freedom and documentary explorations of the lives of radi meaning; and, sure enough, Eddie finds himself cals who came of age in the 1930s and 1940s. drawn to Alice and her post-sixties aura despite Now, in her first fiction film, Reichert tells a tale himself. of burned-out New Leftists and younger For Alice, meanwhile, Eddie and his friends postpunk counterculturalists searching for are a revelation. She dismisses them at first as meaning and community in Dayton, Ohio, in cynics and nihilists, but their edginess and their 1989. old-fashioned bohemian marginality stir her Emma and Elvis's central figure is Alice energies. How could she have missed this vi Winchek (I 20 DEMOCRATIC LEFT fully, Reichert tells this hopeful story of re dashed hopes -- learning to survive spiritual Alice (Kathryn newal, which Hollyvv'ocxl would probably tum fatigue and political defeat -- is, according to Walker) and to mush, in a nicely messy and ambivalent way. Reichert, one of the great potential benefits of Eddie (Jason Emma and Elvis never becomes too sentimental intergenerational bridges between activists. Duchln) gaze or too pat "Bridge-building must become a more con at the Miami Reichert says that the notion of intergenera scious kind of work for DSAers and other radi River. tional solidarity and understanding has driven cals." much of her career, both as an activist and as a Reichert wants to take care, however, not to filmmaker. As a student activist in the 1960s, obscure or trivialize genuine difference!i of char Reichert was struck by how little she knew of acter between generations. She wrote the initial her predecessor radicals' history. "We'd won treatment for Emma and Elvis with Steven der, 'Who are these gray-haired people at our Bognar, a writer who was24 at the time "You'll demonstrations?"' she recalls. In the early notice that the sixties don't necessarily come off 1970s, living in what eventually became a NAM so well," she says. She also stresses that she has media collective in Dayton, Reichert began to learned a great deal from interacting with conceive of films that would reclaim the history younger activists. "There's somewhat less ear of the early-twentieth-century left. Union Maids nestness than· there was during the sixties. uncovers the histories of working-class women There's very little planning, very little formal organizing trade unions in the 1930s; Seeing Red leadership. They try things and l want to say, explores the lives of U.S. activists who joined the 'Wait! Wait! You can't do that!' Out they make Communist Party before and during World it work." Warn. The new film's climactic scenes, in which "How do you survive as a long-term radi two generations of Dayton activists use guerilla cal?" asks Reichert. "It seems to me that this is media tactics in order to preserve the integrity a worthy question. It's the fundamental subject of the public-access channel, were inspired in of Union Maids, Seeing Red, and Emma and Elvis. part by a real-life battle - the 1990 Cincinnati All three films deal with figures who have expe demonstrations against the prosecution of a rienced a great flowering, a great sense ofexpec museum showing the work of Robert Mapple tation, and then lived through a period of thorpe, which occurred as Emma and Elvis was dashed hopes." being shot fifty miles away. Reichert says that Leaming to live through such periods of she attended the early Cincinnati demonstra- MARCHh\PRJL. 1993 21 Reichert says that she's glad that she and her cowriters chose to set the film in 1989, rather than in some amorphous present. "Tiananmen Square, despite the horror of the massacre, was an inspirational event," she says. "I see the summer of 1989 as a global turning point. In early '89 you sat there and thought, 'Oh, my God. Bush. Another four years. Maybe another eight years.' But then with Tiananmen Square, the Eastern European revolutions, the freeing of Mandela, you began to see people taking power into their own hands." Emma and Elvis now "seems like a window onto the recent past," says Reichert. "It helps us to see how far we've come. Alice wouldn't be Alice and Eddie wouldn't be Eddie if the film were set in 1992." Reichert is hopeful that the political mood will continue to swing leftward, that the Clinton victory will open up space for radicals. "Pretty soon it's going to be okay to be a radical again, because liberalism will be the mainstream. The next radicalism, I hope, will be a more practical kind of radicalism, with less in fighting - with more of a sense of 'roll up your sleeves and do the job."' n David Glenn is Program Assistant at DSA. Julia Reichert tions expecting to find only a small band of on the set with forty-year-old artists. Instead, she found a c:ta·~ huge, racially diverse group in the streets, with UPCOMING SCREENINGS OF Larry Banks. the prominent participation of lesbians and gays. "The spontaneity and diversity in Cincin EMMA AND ELVIS: nati flew in the face of the political logic of the eighties - that no community will work with March 27 and 28: Cleveland, OH (Cleveland any other." Cinematheque) Living and working in middle America has become a conscious commitment for Reichert. May 7 - May 13: Chicago, IL (Facets) She entered Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1964, and she's lived continuously in May 14: Austin, TX (The Dobie Theater) southwestern Ohio since 1970. She chose to stay at first because of "wanting to be where I was June 4: Pittsburgh, PA (Pittsburgh needed," with a sense that there was probably a Filmmakers) surplus of radicals on the east and west coasts. She's since developed far deeper roots in the June 4: Ithaca, NY (Cornell Cinema) Midwest, however; she was able to finance Emma and Elvis entirely through Ohio-based EMMA AND ELVIS IS NOT AVAILABLE ON investors. She now spends much of her energy nurturing other Ohio filmmakers, teaching VIDEO. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ARRANGE part-time at Wright State University in Dayton. FOR A 35 MM SCREENING OF THE FILM ON After screening Emma and Elvis several YOUR CAMPUS OR IN YOUR. COMMUNITY, times, she says, she realized that "this is much CONTACT: NORTHERN ARTS ENTERTAIN- more of a regional film than we'd thought while MENT, WILLIAMSBURG, MA 01096. we were making it. Viewers on the coasts sometimes seem not to relate to the theme of PHONE 413 268-9301 radicalism in the Midwest, the sense of being nowhere and not having any community." 22 DEMOCRATIC LEFT Goodbye, Gary... September 7, 1961 - December 17, 1992 Eleven days after disappearing from San Diego, Gary Lucek, longtime DSA member and former Financial Manager, killed himself in the Armstrong Redwoods Forest near Guemeville, about 60 miles north of San Francisco. Gary had struggled with clinical depression for many years. Gary joined DSA in 1983 with his former lover and friend Bill McCann (who later died of AlDS) through the sodalistfeminist study group at the newly formed Barnard-Columbia chapter. He went on to contribute to DSA in many ways. Organizationally, Gary spent many of his weekends, after long weeks, putting our fiscal house in order. Politically, Gary strove to make DSA a more gay-positive organization. In an article for the Activist, Gary wrote of his efforts: "You can't know how my lavender light adds to our socialist rainbow if you're wearing shades... " Because he was equally frustrated with apolitical tendencies among gay men, he went on to form a gay men's reading group at Columbia that thrives today, and another in San Diego, where he moved in 1991. Culturally, Gary dragged DSA's youth section parties kicking and screaming into the 1980's and 90's with dance tapes he made under his persona "Gayjay Fag." But Gary's most meaningful connection with DSA was probably per sonal -- the close friends he made. Angry and gentle and alive, Gary lived his politics as few do. We are grateful for Gary's life, however short, and miss him very much. Amy Bachrach Chair, New York City DSA Job Opening DSA National Director The National Director supervises a five person ~taff, a tlttlhu·s & Sc11sc SS00,000 budget and is responsible for implemen1ing DSA's 0 national program o! activities. Admini~tr11ive, fund raising, the economics r and political skills are essential. Candida1es must be in agree ment wilh DSA aod iis activities. Experience wilh movement magazine lor :~:cribe. organiz.auons or campaigns a plus. non-economists ~o~i!!~ The projected staning date for lhe new Dollars & Sense demystifies Sense, Satinnal Daectoc is October lS. economics and provides left 'Dollars & Sense is One analysis of a variety of a reliable parachute Summer into the mysteries of Compensation: Low lhirties, excellent benefiis. trends including lree trade, the worla economy. Street, Applications: DSA Person.oelCommiuee, IS Dutch St #SOO unemployment, the deficit, I never leave Somerville, New York, N.Y. 10038. consumer debt, taxes, the home without it." MA 02143. environment, and more. -- Alexancler Cockburn DSA is an Affinnalive Action Employer. If your mailing label contains CLASSIFIEDS ACTMSTS wanted to organ "A SHORT APPREHENSIVE ize low income neighborhoods ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE History of the World." Hu the code "91/ nationwide. Fight for hous AMERICAN LEFT, now in morous, leftish, outrageous. ing, health, education. Con 06" or "91/12," PAPERBACK, 970 pp., doz 192 pp., ill. $10.00 Softcover, tact ACORN, 522 8th St. SE, $16.00 Hardcover. Postage then this ls ens of entries on and/or by Washington, DC 20003 (202) DSAers. $29.95 from Univer paid. Write to Brainerd Books, your last issue 547-9292. sity ofllHnois Press. Ask your Box 25153, Lansing, MI of Democratic bookstore to stock it! 48909. ift. Send your COMMUNITY JOBS, socially MEET OIHER LEFf SINGLES renewal dues responsible job opportunities. DEATH ROW INMATE 15 yrs through Concerned Singles ($40.00 regu Subscribe to the only nation needs friends, Ron Spivey, Box Ntwsletter. Men and women 3877G4104, Jackson, GA 30233 lar, $20.00 who care about peace, social wide listing covering organiz ing, disarmament, labor, en justice, and racial equality. student/low vironment, and more. $3.50/ CLtssified advertising rates are $2 National and international sample. $12/6 issues. Box per line, S.50 per column inch. Pay income) today! membership. All ages. Since DSA.. 115 Dutch Street 051516 P St., NW, Washing mmt inaduance. Thereisa 20%dis· 1984. Free Sample: Box 555-D, count if 11d(s) run twoor more times. t500, New York, NY ton, DC 20005. Stockbridge, MA 01262. We reserve the right to reject ads. 10038 MARCH/APRIL 199.3 23 Jimmy Higgins Reports both Democrats and Republicans. We can look forward GIANT SUCKING to a tenure that challenges business as usual at the DoD. SOUNDREDUX No doubt about it, the cold war is over. The Economic Policy Institute has re leased a study exploring the decline of BASH COUNTERS U.S. manufacturing jobs as firms move The Federal Hate Crimes Statistics Act, passed in 1990, to Mexico, whose repressive govern requires the FBI to compile statistics of bias attacks ment has worked to maintain the rock against lesbians and gays. The feds seem to be getting bottom wages and poor environmental off to a poor start, however -- their data for 1991 show standards that corporate leaders love. huge, improbable state-by-state disparities. For ex According to the EPI report, the flight of ample, the FBI documented only five total bias inci manufacturing jobs is likely to worsen if the North dents of alJ types -- racist, religious, and homophobic - American Free Trade Agreement is ratified. Write to - in the entire state of California for 1991! Local gay your congressional representative and demand the rights organizations, meanwhile, tallied reports of over defeat of NAFrA! EPI's report, entitled Manufacturing 450 bias attacks against homosexuals in San Francisco Employment in North America, is available for $5.00. alone. Write to Public Interest Publications, P.O. Box 229, Arlington, VA 22210. Add $3.00 for shipping and handling. GE VICTORY The anti-nuclear organization INF ACT 1s claiming vic UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT tory in its eight-year boycott campaign against General In a move still .turning heads from the Pentagon to Electric. On November 23, GE announced that it will be Berkeley, DSA Vice Chair Ronald V. Dellums has as pulling entirely out of the nuclear weapons industry. sumed the chair of the House Armed Services Commit The boycott was given a huge boost a year ago when the tee. Known for his fiery oratory in support of peace and documentary film Deadly Deception, an expose of GE, justice, Congressman Dellums has won the praise of won an Academy Award. SAVE THE (NEW) DATE: Democratic Socialists of America Join Barbara Ehrenreich, Jose LaLuz, and Come! West at the --Join us! Members of the Democratic Socialists of 993 DSA convention America work in immediate struggles for justice - as we build a movement for long-tenn social change. We bring to our work a strategy for building alliances among social movements and a vision of a more just and equitable society. Join DSA and become a card-carrying member of the largest and most exciting democratic November 11-14 socialist organization in the U.S.! NAME - ADORE!» ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Crrv /STATE/ZIP PHONE UNION /Sotoot/0RCANIZATION Los Angeles, CA OSendme more informationabout DSA. 0 Encloetd art my duttl a $60 susLlliner a $40 regular 0 $20 low-income/student Make checks payable to DSA, and return to DSA: more information soon 15 Dutch St., #500, NY, NY 10038. (212) 962-0390