Eastern Illinois University The Keep
The Post Amerikan (1972-2004) The Post Amerikan Project
2-1987
Volume 15, Number 9
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 IN THIS ISSUE: Nothing at all about the TV miniseries AMERIKA!
Bloomington -Normal /eb ruar';J - march 1987 25¢
a Rat You'r e a Rat all the way From your first sleazy deal To your last power play
When you're a Rat You've got powerful friends You can do what you want Th e means justify ends
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25¢
.About us
The Post Amerikan is an independent community newspaper providing information and analysis that is screened out of or downplayed by establishment news sources. We are a non-profit, worker-run collective that In this issue: exists as an alternative to the corporate media. Decisions are made Page collec tively by staff members at our regular meetings. 3 "Mayor sells we st side for $2.50"--City of Bloomington and development tycoon conspire to gut neighborhood. We put out nine issues a year. Staff members take turns as "coordinator." 4-5 "Panelogical pinheads"--Ratings on comic books are like All writing , typing, editing , hand cuffs on flowers. photography, grap hic s, pasteup , and "Comic book heroine saves Central America"--Guess what distribution are done on a volunteer this one's about. basis. You are invited to volunteer your talents. 6-7 "Censorship more dangerous than porn"--!& pornography harmful? Most of our material and inspiration "Is that my phone or their cash register?"--Just another for material comes from the community. Phoebe rant and rave. The Post Amerikan welcomes stories, graphic s, photos , and news tips from 8-9 "National Guard in Central America"--thanks Ron. our readers. If you 'd like to join "Polite dialog with Madigan ends in horror"--Local us , call 828-7232 aii0. leave a message constituent gets the cold shoulder from Madigan. on our answering machine. We will get back to you as soon as we can. 10-11 "Army wants peace group s out of high schools." "Civil rights march invades all-white town"--Changes We like to print your letters. Try to coming for Cumming. "P latoon: Insight through murder." limit yourself to the equivalent of two double-spaced typewritten pages. 12 "Miscellaneous animal victories (for once) "--Bob Barker If you write a short , abusive letter, treats animals better than women. it's likely to get in pri�t. Long, abusive letters, however, are not 13 "Attitude problems"--Self-defense book not as Jikely to get printed. Long, understanding as we'd like. brilliantly-written, non-abusive "C alifornia dreamin ' 'bout leavin'"-- letters may, if we see fit, be printed Representative Schroeder's p arental leave bill before· as articles. Be sure to tell us if Congress. you don 't want your letters printed.
16 The Underground Glutton An alternative newspaper depends very dir�ctly on a community of concerned people for existence. We believe that 14-15 Community News , Letters, and Classyfried Ads. it is very important to keep a paper like this around. If you think so too , then support us through contributions and by letting our ==e1c:::::xac:=::::xi==::xac::::::xac::::::x1C::::::Xic:::::�u � advertisers know you saw their ads in the Post Amerikan. The next deadline for submitting Post material is March 26, 1987. . K::::::)CIC:::::::ICIC:::::::ICi==::xac::::::xac::::::x1C::::::Xic:::::xlc:::::x ac:::::::::::>c l==::xac::::::::IC ac::::::xi==::x IC:::::::ICIC Good numbersI I L
Alcoholics Anonymous ....•• � ••.•828-5049 Post Sellers American Civil Liberties Union.454--7723 Moving? Bloomington Housing Authority •.829-33 60 Clare House (Catholic Workers).828-4035 Community for Social Action .... 452-4867 BLOOMINGTON Connection House .....•...... 829-571-1 When you move , be sure to send us your Amtrack Station, 1200 W. Front Countering Domestic Violence .•.827-4005 new address so your subscrip tion gets The Back Porch, 402 N. Main Dept. Children/Family Services.828-0022 to you. Your Post Amerikan will not Bloomington Public Library (in front) Draft Counseling ..•...... •••..452-5046 be forwarded (it's like junk mail--no Bus Depot, 533 N. East HELP (transportation for senior kidding!). Fill out this handy form Common Ground, 516 N. Main citizens, handicapped) .•...•828-8301 Front and Center Building with your new address and return it Ill. Dept of Public Aid ....•...827-4 621 Hit Shed, 103 E. Mulberry Ill. Lawyer Referral••..•.. 800-252-8916 to us, P.O. Box 3452, Bloomington, Law and Justice Center, W. Front St. Kaleidoscope ..•••..•..•.•.•••.•828-734 6 I4' 61702. Lee Street (100 N.) McLean Co. Health Dept ...•.....454-11 61 Main and Miller streets Mid Central Community Action •.•829-0 691 Name: Medusa's Adult World, 420 N. Madison Mobile Meals .•.••.•.•••...•...•828-8301 McLean County Center for Mike's Market, 1013 N. Park Street: Mr. Donut, 1310 E. Empire Human Services •.••••..••..827-5351 National Health Care Services- Nierstheimer Drugs, 1302 N. Main Pantagraph (front of building), abortion assistance, 1-800-322-1622 City/State/Zip:_ 301 W. Washington Nuclear Freeze coalition .•••••.828-4195 Tne Park Store, Wood Allin Occupational Development & People's Drugs, Oakland & Morrisey Center ...••...•.•...... •..828-7324 Red Fox, 918 w. Market Operation Recycle ...•...... •...829-0 691 Susie's Cafe, 602 N. Main Parents Anonymous ..•...... 827-4005 PATH: Personal Assistance Telephone U. S. Post Office, 1511 E. Empire (at exit) Help ...... •...... ••.•...827-4005 Th anks U. S. Post Office, Center & Monroe Or ..•...•...... ••...... 8 00-322-5015 Upper Cut, 409 N. Main Phone Friends ...•..•.••...... 827-4008 This issue is in your hands thanks to Wash House, 609 N. Clinton Planned Parenthood ...•medical •.827-4014 Sue (coordinator ), Laurie D., Laurie H., Washington and Clinton streets bus/couns/educ.. 827-4368 Dave , Melissa, Deborah, Val , Chris, Post Amerikan •••••.....••.•828-7232 Laurie S., Clarence, J.T., Susie , Peg, Prairie State Legal Service ..••827-5021 NORMAL Margaret, Bumper , Ralph, Kay, Randy, Prairie Alliance .•.•...... ••..828-8249 !SU University Union , 2nd floor ••..•••.....••.•••... Bill W. , Tim, Jan, Carrol Marty, and Project Oz 827-0377 , Hovey Hall, ISU (in front) Rape Crisis Center .•...•••••.••827-4805 Cathy. Midstate Truck Plaza, U.S. 51 north Sunnyside Neighborhood Center.. 827-5428 Mother Murphy's, 111 North St. TeleCare (senior citizens) ••.•.828-8301 Special thanks to Mark Johnson for North Broadway, southeast corner Unemployment comp/job service .. 827-6237 creative and dogged work on the Post & United Farmworkers support •••••452-504 6 White Hen Pantry, 207 Broadway Amerikan Benefit. UPIC ••...•••••••.....••••••...•827-402 6 (in front) Post-Amerikan Feb.-March 1987 Page 3 Early April fools . Mayor sells west side for $2.50
A large section of the west side was Why? Supposedly, after Snyder's recently declared a TIF district (Tax finished developing a truck stop and Increment Financing District) . whatnot, he'll pay taxes on the land at full value (significantly more than This means that the City of Blooming $5/acre), providing revenue for the ton acquires the land, moves everybody city. Also, the City would like us to out of their homes in the name of believe that the deal will provide eminent domain and condemnation, and urgently needed development in the West sells the land to developer Jack Market St . area . West siders disagree, Snyder cheap ($5 an acre!) . as the adjoining article explains .
In a surprise announcement �oday, Bloomington Mayor Jesse Smart told a stunned community that he had sold the entire west side of Bloomington to developer Jack Snyder for $2. 50. If you know the west side, you know Previously Smart had raised the ire neither is true . What brought on of west side residents by selling a the protest was a feeling of being large tract for $5 an acre to the used and neglected . It's great that wealthy developer, forcing a number MARC Center provides housing and of families to relocate . programs: many of us have family !living in their homes--but have you Snyder plans to use the first segment �- 11171""".... ' 'ever noticed where their homes are to build a truck stop, once the located? You wouldn't find any next families' homes are demolished, to door to east side condos and split compete with the existing truck stop levels. and six restaurants �nd five gasoline stations already on West Market Street. When west siders opposed the group home and the asph0lt plant, they were Coincidentally, the announcement of trying to say "enough ." Property the first sale in December came after What makes people angry are the value was not a concern; you don't Snyder purchased the "Mayor's Christmas usual things that would make anyone live on the west side if your concern Tree, " which was lit by the beaming angry. Local residents weren'� is property value . You live on the mayor a few days be�0re Christmas . consulted on the move, and an already west side because it's affordable, This second announcement comes close on wealthy tleveloper is getting fat it's family, and it's comfortable . the heels of the purchase of the breaks, turning the City into his At the same time, west siders are also "Mayor's Easter Bunny" by Snyder . eviction �gency at the same time . concerned about their neighborhood and appreciate a voice and consulta Snyder's plans for the large area of tion in their own future . City Hall family homes is still unclear. If Jack Snyder really wanted a truck and east siders might think us back Initial speculation is that he will stop on West Market, he could have it. wards, but we do like our voice heard convert the neighborhoods into an There is vacant land on both the north before we see the bulldozer at our amusement park. and south sides of the street, both front door. sides of the interstate. If families "Everyone has always considered the had to be moved, let him pay them The same outrage at being used and west siders and their strange habits, enough to make the move enticing . neglecited, besides �eeing blind well, quaint, " said the developer's stealing taking place at taxpayer office. Instead, the City can now use all the expense, is what is fueling current powers of government and eminent do protest over Snyder's truck stop. Planned themes for the amusement park main, the strength of the courts and include a "hillbilly heaven" in the law enforcement, to clear land for When Diamond-Star announced its plant West Front Street area, a "back of Jack Snyder . "Eminent domain" means site, you didn't see the cities using the plantation" Southern motif around someone can be moved if the move is eminent domain to clear f arnilies and Sunnyside, and a European "Hungarian "for the greater good of the communi landowners . Instead, a pretty price Village" in the northwest corner . ty. " A truck stop might be nice for was paid and some folks made off with Snyder's pocketbook, and will offer a nice little bundle in exchange for over-the- road truckers a choice their land. City government condoned the move, between Union 76's bland food and saying that most "west siders do Snyder's bland food, but little just fine, they'll just have to get benefit "for the greater good" is used to tourists in their neighbor apparent . hood living room. " Economic develop ment was promised too, as the Mayor At the same time, City Hall promises assured angry residents that those a shopping center and grocery store are not far behind . That's great, but non- Japanese speakers who don't get jobs in the auto plant can "sell what do these things have to do with lemonade" in the new theme park. a truck stop? · ****** Land is starting to tighten up around West Market, and I'm sure Jack Snyder · The above satire expresses the would have had to pay other developers frustration a lot of the west side a pretty penny to get a prime site- folks are feeling these days, seeing this way he gets people's homes and part of their neighborhood sold to a the city to do the dirty work. high-rolling, well-financed developer for a quick and easy $5 an acre . The0current "development" craze needs careful planning . It's great when an The current admir.istration in City auto plant, IRS office or State Farm Hall justifies the move, saying that expansion can bring more jobs. Second thoughts are needed, however, every Jack Snyder had to put up $400,000 It costs, but then, that's "develop time a developer wants to throw up in bonds before the City approved the ment." If west siders have to move, another restaurant, motel, or gas move, that three other developers were they should be given the same options station. offered the same package, and that as wealthy landowners, and have their somehow, because of this truck stop, bundle to show, too . Someone is going We don'� need the west side turned west siders will finally get their to be making big bucks off theiL into the automotive maze that the grocery store. former homesite, so residents have a east side is. Even with its prosperi right to share in future profits, ty the Veterans Parkway strip still Everyone knows that some change was just like Snyder . corning with Diamond-Star Motors . hosts numerous buildings that change their shingle every two or three Many people were willing to accept The prospect of more jobs is always months, unable to stay in business . that, in the hope that the resulting great, but let's not destroy afford One town can support only so many new jobs would help restore a blue able family housing in the process . awful restaurants . collar neighborhood that's been hard And let's think twice before erecting hit during the past six years of more flim-flam restaurants and gas Reaganomics. Many people castigated west siders pumps, especially at the expense of after neighborhood opposition established neighborhoods. But most developed over MARC Center building of all, if developers want develop a group home on the northwest side . ment, let them pay for it, and not use East side attorneys put words in City Hall as their bulldozer and people's mouths, saying that west eviction agency . siders were worried about property values and were prejudiced against --A lonely cry from the west the handicapped . Page 4 Feb.-March 1987 Post-Amerikan
Censorship in comics Panelogical pinheads
It never fails: give an arti st enough series title Elektra , for instanc e, Focusing on Marvel Comics ' Elektra: room to express themselves and before costs $1 .75) and are packaged for a Assassin series, WU SA's alarmi st news you can say Thomas Bowdler, you got an more Yuppifi ed audience . reporter catalogu ed scenes of atroci ty energetic group of "moral " pinhead s and vi olence in the books, then follow trying to take that room away from Strong objections ed with an intervi ewed parent who se six 'em. Latest group of creators to be year-old boy happened to look at the targeted by members of the censorshi p That hasn't stopped certain segments book in a comic book shop. bloc? Why , comi c book artists , of of the quasi-literate population from objecting to their mere pres ence, course. ? however. Foremo st with the ballyhoo Also int ervi ewed in the series Diamond distributor Geppi , abhorring You read abou t them last issue in the has been Steve Geppi , president of a the si tuation wi th irresponsible Po st's special State of Comic Books comi c book distribution company named arti sts and publi shers . Supplement--and perhaps in a group of Diamond Comi c Di s tributors . Steve's Sunday articles in the latecomer PantagraPh--the new stream of alter native comi cs that have grown in commercial viability with the spurt of comics shops: titles like Love and Ro ckets , Raw , Elektra : Assassin, Watchmen, and more ; titles produced for a more adult reader than your average issue of Spiderman ; titles that have individually managed to pi ss certain read ers off ju st because they 'don't pand er to the sixth grade level mentali ty of the basic mainstream comic book .
The story's a familiar one . In the 1950s , comic books faced public t ention has been biggest bone of con While the above titles have had their condemnation due to the prevalence and Eclipse Comics' the ni nth issue of share of critical acclaim (some in populari ty of crime and horror comics, ntained a graphic Miracleman, whi ch co last month's Po st, in fact), as well as an out cry that led to the kind of childbirth. Fantagraphics depiction of po sitive publi city, moneymen like Senate hearings that have currently animal comi c Captain � #5, a funny Geppi have been growing more vo cal got the recording industry sweating . th boy and that contained a scene wi over the last six months about their The comi c book industry 's response? f each other ; and girl animals ondling unease wi th the product. What's A self-imposed comic book code wi th #19, Fantagraphi cs' �And.Rockets really on the line is the fear that restrictions that were probably -panel se which contained a tame two distributors and store owners have of harsher than any outside agency al sex . All three quence depicting or being nailed for selling something would 've drawn . "adults of the comi cs contained an that might be objectionable to the front covers, only " advi sory on the morality armi es. Most comic shop re Comics code material was fairly even though their tailers come from a background that that has appeared mild compared to work would like to forget the comi c book t The comics code au thority has been in und erground titles, but that hasn' underground even existed; they prefer Geppi's ire. used on mainstream comi cs to thi s day, stopped them from rai sing their comi c book sex undercover and and though its guidelines have lo osened "Personallv, I am get tine: si r.k: bound by conventionali ty , whi le excuses for irrespon- somewhat since the times when even a tired of mak ing vi olence is mainly masked by impa ct sible pu blishers ," he writes in a lines'� Tho se few comi cs that manage to step over their bound s are di s com fi ting and perceived as potentially dangerous.
To date, none of the national nabobs of morali ty have cho sen to attack the comics industry , but that hasn't
\ stopped the Geppi s from trumpeting • . I their imminent appearanc e. Whether ( •· · ) �' the industry , in the form of big league publi shers like Marvel or ind ependents like Eclips e and Fanta graphi cs will choose to engage in anticipatory reins-pulling or no t is still unknown at present . If it does choose to start self- censoring even mention of drugs, for example , was circular di stribu ted to comi cs re its adults-only titles--well , hi story considered a no-no . (As an example tailers . Sure is rough dealing wi th shows what has happened when a bu nch of how ridiculous the code ' s those arty types , eh Steve? of paranoid publi shers try to pro tect restrictions were , an issue of The circular, sent out in late Fall themselves: instant regression. Spiderman in the late 60s was printed of 86, wa s in part stimulated by the without the code seal when Marvel _attention being paid to co mi cs by Bu t at least Steve Geppi won't have to Comi cs ran a cautionary sequence about several isolated packets of news go around apologizing for hi s comic the dangers of LSD . The sequence wa s media. In October, Washington DC books anymore . no different from the moronic anti CBS affiliate WU SA devo ted two days drug propaganda films prevalent in of teevee news feature time to the BS87 schools at the time , but code "sick heroes" of modern comics. officials were more concerned about subject and not content.)
In attempting to forestall outside control, comic book publi shers effectively ghettoized the ar+.form for COMICS SPECIALTY SHOP years by surrendering to the DREAM TH OPEN llam · 6pm mon. ·sat. assumptions that 1.) all comic bouKs were for kids and 2.) all comic book readers needed their delicate li ttle Where Adventure Begins New Comics in 2:00 p.m. Thursdays psyches protected. Wide Selection of British & Japanese Imports The underground comics movement 10% off All Role Playing Games changed that, as did a growing Underground Comix constituency of mainstream comi c book readers who went into their adulthood Wide Selection of Posters eithe� remembering pre-code comi c work nostalgi cally or wishing to continue the co mic book habit without 1···············����··················, having to feel childish about it. Few : Bring in this coupon : ·• . of the comics produced today for the ; and get a FREE COMIC BOOK ; comic shop consumer carry the code • • seal , bu t, then, their intend ed : Limit $2.00 Limit 1 : audience wouldn 't have it any other • . • ; E xp1res April 15 ; way . • • •...... •.•••...... •.•.•.•. : Most are priced beyond the means of your average young kid (where main stream superhero comics go for 75¢ these days , an issu e of the limi ted- 101 s. linden normal, ill.· 61761 Post-Amerikan Feb.-March 1987 Page 5
1-··-·-·-·-·��·-�·-·-··--·-·-·-·-··--·-·-·�-··-··-, i i 1 Colllic books: ! Comic b ook heroi ne saves l I ! What's what? 1 Central America I. : I I I i i ! For those unfamiliar with the types of i Here's the premise : "An evil monster has taken over the mind of the next i comics being produced today, the fol- lowing division would be probably help- i pre sident of the United States, and a i I psychotic ninja assassin is the only ' ful : i person who knows this and can stop � i it." Pre tty standard comic book fare, i 1.) Mainstream : the bulk load of the i but add this detail� the ninja is a ! comics industry ; produced by companies woman. A psychopathic bitch, . that are pieces of a conglomerate (DC !. according to Frank Miller, the creator i is owned by Warner Communications, for i of Elec tra: Assassin. i instance) ; primarily devoted to super- i· 1 Bill Sienkiewic z, re sponsible for :! heroes and humor aimed at a pre-teen I Elektra's artwork, describes the market ; available at bookstores, super- i ••• ••• I seriesa s " punk Ne w Wave. i\ markets, and neighborhood Mom and Pop I It's counterculture. Very political." i stores. (Examples : Spiderman, Batman, I As depicted in the series, the world Donald Duck.) is a pre tty grim place where it is i I hard to differentiate between good and I evil--you know, kind of like real I 2.) Alternative : an outgrowth of the I I life. The characters face moral I growinq comic shop phenomenon as well I dilemmas of major proportions, and I as critical interest in comic book \ reality is subject to the perspective i art ; produced by independents pri- i. of the character perceiving it. i marily, though both Marvel and DC have I I Strong political themes pervade i their line of direct market titles ; a broader spectrum of subject matter I Eleck tra. The heroine was the victim I of child abuse, eventually ending up \ (though still depressingly overfilled \ i in an insane asylum, the victim of i with superheroes) aimed at a teen brutal shoc k treatments. This Central and older audience ; primarily available i1 Amerikan madhouse is under the control i through comic book shops. (Examples : i of the United States government as Elektra, Love And Rockets, Miami Mice.) i part of its covert operation, and the 11'. I rest of the story builds on our to further their cause. That could n't 3.) Underground : counter-cultural i heroine's attempts to sqbvert that really happen here, could it? l 1. operation . i comix born of the sixties; produced by For the comic geek, there is plenty of I independents who have stubbornly hung i I The storyline takes on more irony with supernatura l action, great big guns, on into the eighties; a much more per- iI each new revelation in the Iran-Contra and things blowing up real good. sonal street-level orientation to sub- iI i affair. The evil politician is a Elektra's male companion is a sort of aimed at adult audiences ; availctble \ I jects blend of Ronald Reagan and Richard buffoonish ex-secret agent, drawn as a i at comic shops (though usually behind i Ni xon, a nightmare in itself, and has super macho caricature of Charles i counter) or through mail order. (Ex- I only two expres sions, serious and Bronson, usually wielding a gigantic i arnples : Furry Freak Bros., Gay Comix, I smiling. No matter what angle his weapon of some sort. He is no match Weirdo, Zap!.) body is turned to, he always faces the for Elektra, though, and they form an i \ reader. His band of bureaucrats alliance that eventually turns into i l romance� The -0nly truly objective i I freely use all forms of persuasion, L..-.���-··-··-··-·���·-·-··-·-·�-.. -·-·-·�-·.:-.. -.. ..i including drugs, torture, and murder, character in the serie s is a female agent named Chastity, desribed as "a heroic bureaucrat." She's a strong, tough, by-the-book secret agent who tries to work for good within the system.
As for Elektra herself, this is no role model in the mode of Wonder Woman. She walks the line between good and evil, usually ending up on the good side but bringin g all manner of chaos in her wake. She is not fig hting evil for the forces of good, but rather for revenge for what has been done to her in the past. Her emotions, as well as her eyes, are kept shrouded from the readers, who 1956 1957 1961 are left to fill in a few pieces for themse lves •
•-- "" "- \lOLl Perhaps even more striking than the plot lines is the artwork in Elektra. 111112 North St. Sienkiewicz has taken a mixed media ��,,.t 452-6712 approach, using watercolor, pencil, and collage for a surreal visual effect. Deep reds pervade throughout, giving the visualization a very � . emotional, pas sionate feel. The artist admits to having been very Videos Posters influenced by David Lynch's Eraserhead, and works for that Jewelry Tapestries "repulsion-attraction force" that makes the reader uncomfortable but Tour Shirts Buttons attracted at the same time;
Rockin' this town This is no average comic book. It isn't sexist, it takes a strong since 1968 political stand without being righteous or reactionary, and it is demanding of the reader. Though extremely violent, the violence is not romanticized but rather shown for what it is--ugly and painful for the victim and sometimes even the pe rpetra tor. Elektra: Assassin does for comics what Platoon does for war movies.
A side note : Elektra creator Frank Miller is one of the comic crea tors who have refused to work on any comics under the new rating system (see accompanying article).
--LH (Sources: Amazing Heroes, v. 89, 197'4 1979 1980 1981 1982 and Comics Interview, 134)� Page 6 Feb.-March 1987 Post-Amerikan Censorship m o re dangerous than
It is a widely held view that those Censorship is the control of what It is certainly a powerful ad, but who read pornographic material are people may see or hear, write or many, many more books than those more likely to commit sex offenses, read, or see or do. When a govern mentioned have been banned--recently. because they learn to see such ment or a private group feels endan Due to the recent Meese Commission's behavior as rewarding or because gered by free expression, it often report on pornography, Waldenbooks the reading stimulates them to act turns to censorship to protect its published a list of 52 books that have upon their sexual fantasies. basic beliefs. In the United States, been "challenged, burned, or banned the Bill of Rights and the Supreme somewhere in the United States during This idea is completely false. None Court are supposed to serve as checks the last fifteen years. " Here are of the scientific studies on the on unlimited censorship. The following just a few of these books and the causes of child abuse or violence is an advertisement in a popular reasons that so�e individuals It is true that pornography arouses Censorship can cure the world of people--although not all are affect problems like violent crime and ed, and those that are affected child abuse. If you believe respond in different ways. �hose information and ideas cause most likely to be aroused sexually problems--instead of people. by porn are the young, the college educated, the religiously inactive, Censorship can help everyone agree. and the sexually experienced. Most If you weren't free to read or hear men are aroused; women often experi dissenting opinions, or to express ence arousal mixed with guilt and your own, it would be a lot easier disgust. to agree ... just as easy as it was in Nazi Germany, or as it is today The point is that exposure to porn in Cuba, Iran, and the Soviet Union. rarely causes any major changes in the viewer's sexual behavior, except Once we make exceptions to the for short-term increases in mastur freedoms guaranteed us under the bation or sexual intercourse with First Amendment, anything can regular partners. No effects on happen. Ten years ago, the city sexual morality have been found, nor of Miami banned Mother Goose. is there evidence that porn causes Other victims have included sex crimes. Shakespeare, and even Ms. magazine. In fact, the legalization of porn in Right now, some Americans are Denmark in 1966 preceded a decline in trying to abridge your constitu * The Color Pu�ple, hy Alice Walker. arrests for sex crimes, anywhere from tional freedoms so they'll be able "TroublL1g ideas about race relations, a 56% decline in arrests for exhibi to choose what books and magazines ;-,i.'".·r,' s relationship to God, African tionism to an 80% decline for voyeur you read, television shows you see. history, and human sexuality. " 1984. ism. These declines are not trivial. The arrest rates may be partly due As an American, you have the freedom * Flo�ers for Algernon, by Daniel to a higher tolerance of such behav to say NO to censorship. Say it Keyes. "Explicit, distasteful love ior, but the statistics show that the today--tomorrow may be too late. scenes. " 1981. legalization of pornography has re Freedom is everybody's business. duced sex crimes in Denmark. * Lord of the Flies, by William Golding-:- "Demoralizing as it implies that man is little more than an animal." Ob scenity defined 1981. * Ordinary People, by Judith Guest. During a study in 1973 which looked "Obscene, " "Depressing. � 1982. at exposure to porn by several groups, there was no clear-cut pattern of * The Shining, by Stephen King. antisocial sexual activity following "Contains violent and demonic posses arousal by pornography. Erotic sion and ridicules the Christian material was a factor in a few of religion." 1985. the offenses, but sex crimes are more likely to be associated with lowered So books that have troubling ideas, inhibitions due to alcohol consump depressing chapters, religious criti tion, re jection by wives or lovers, cism, or love scenes should be burned. and talking with friends who suggest Well, that certainly does not leave crimes. Perhaps we should outlaw too much, does it? Is there a method alcohol and marriage to reduce sex to all this madness? It appears there offenses? Or maybe legalize prosti is. There are numerous possible tution? excuses to justify censorship, but "moral censorship" is by far the most Fortunately, we still have a semi-free, common. semi-sensible government. In 1967, Congress created a national commission on obscenity and pornography to study the matter. In 1970, the commission reported finding no reliable evidence that porn caused crime among adults or delinquency among younger people. The commission recommended repeal of all Rope Crisis Center laws prohibiting the sale of porno graphy to consenting adults. Apparent ly, some one or some group stifled all action on this report. of Mclean County In 1973, the Supreme Court developed new guideli'nes for judging whether WE'RE A NON-PROFIT VOLUNTEER GROUP WHOSE MAIN PURPOSE IS TO OFFER material is obscene, in the case.of Miller v. California. According to ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THEIR FRIENDS the guidelines, material can be con AND FAMILIES. sidered obscene "l) If the average FEMALE VOLUNTEERS ANSWER OUR CALLS, BUT BOTH MALE AND FEMALE comm ni person, applying contemporary � VOLUNTEERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR CRISIS ASSISTANCE, INFORMATION AND finds that the material, ty standards, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS. taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; 2) If the material shows in a clearly offensive way, If you want to talk to one of us sexua conduct specifically defined as obscenel by law; and 3) If the Call PATH 827-4005 material lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific and ask for the value. " These are the standards, much debated in the intervening years, which are still in use today. Rope Crisis Center continues ... Post-Amerikan Feb.-March 1987 Page 7 MASCULINITY FATHERING Many governments or groups try to MILITARISM MEN'S HEALTH protect their standards of morality MEN & VIOONCE SPORTS POETRY by preventing people from learning about or following other standards ANTI-SEXIST POLITICS · MAU SEXUALITY GAY ISSUES S�me people believe they have the right to force their values on others. FEMINIST ANALYSIS SPIRITUALITY or GAY/STRAIGHT INTERACTIONS ANTI-SEXIST MEN'S HISTORY Obs cen ity Interested? . cash. regist�r? Readall about it in Changif1$. Men Like worldy-wise women, GTE is now In addition to the righteous indigna a nationwidejournal of theanti-sexist selling what it used to put out for tion aroused, obscenity prohibitions mo�t. : merr'.5 free. You probably noted with alarm, are believed by many persons to con R<1u!ar subsmp1ion 512 <•issues) \ "'o S.mplc copy of currentue iss SJ.SO as I did, that ominous GTE envelope flict with the 1st and 14th Amendments \.s-""vict bearing on the outside the dreadful to the U.S. Constitution, which say words, "PLEASE REPLY IMMEDIATELY TO that there shall be no law abridging THIS IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT YOUR the freedom of speech or of the press. Ellis Corso Sr. TELEPHONE SYSTEM." However, in Roth v. United States (1957), the Supreme Court ruled that GTE Mgr. Anyone who's been around the block "obscenity is not within the constitu ls�ues in Gender, Sex & Politics knows that in GTEse, this means "OPEN tionally protected speech or press." 306 N. Brooks Madison, WI 53715 827-1811 YOUR CHECKBOOK AND WRITE US A CHECK FOR THE BALANCE SHOWN THEREIN OR YOU This holding, the first to deal WILL HAVE A NASTY SURPRISE WHEN YOU specifically with the constitutional Consenting adults 'fRY TO CALL THE THEATER ABOUT WHEN THE issue, was reaffirmed by the Court in Even if v1e DO assume that pornography MOVIE STARTS TONIGHT." 1973 by a margin of five to four. On possibly leads to emotional and moral the other hand, the same court held crippling which, with all due respect, Eventually, you' 11 do it. The in 1969 that prosecutions for the we cannot assume, then the State still Illinois Commerce Commission has given private possession of obscene material has no legitimate right to prohibit them the go-ahead to charge us 75 are unconstitutional. consenting adults from viewing it. cents extra a month to maintain the From the evidence that does exist, wires and jacks in our homes. Many people are confused today about findings show that individuals tend exactly what constitutes obscenity and to simply exhibit their natural Of course we don't have to pay--only what is legal. Even many lawyers and tendencies after viewing porn--but if we want "GTE REPAIRCARE: A judges don't know exactly what to say in a heightened manner. If viewing CONVENIENT EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN FOR when they are asked. One justice who these materials does cause a small CONTINUED WORRY-FREE PHONE SERVICE." knows his mind is Supreme Court Justice minority of the populace to actually The letter tells us that "you can also William Brennan. He wrote the dissent harm another person, then there are decide against REPAIR CARE coverage, ing opinion for Paris Adult Theater I � other legal avenues for retribution �d ��ke �� chances" (underlining v. Slaton, 413 U.S. 49 (1973). mine). Ha rdly sounds convenient and to be obtained. worry -free, does it? "If, as the Court today assumes, a If, on the other hand, the State is state legislature may act on the attempting to force upon us conditions You can either fix those wires and assumption that commerce in obscene that will limit our own moral freedom, jacks yourself (if you like going to books or public exhibitions focused then it is definitely wrong. Those �he hardware store and messing around on obscene conduct, have a tendency . in power can always give some kind of inside your walls instead of finding to exert a corrupting and debasing argument alleging that a certain type out when the movie starts); you can impact leading to antisocial behavior, of behavior causes oneself harm, � nvite a perfect (you hope) stranger then IT IS HARD TO SEE HOW STATE especially if that harm is theoretical in to poke around; or you can call in ORDERED REGIMENTATION OF OUR MINDS and nearly impossible to prove or GTE "for a repair visit at the new CAN EVER BE FORESTALLED. For if a measure. We must curb this atrocious standard charge of up to $70" (the State may, in an effort to maintain intervention into our private moral going price of either keeping a or create a particular moral tone, and sexual freedom at every possible starved child alive for 7 months or prescribe what its citizens cannot step. getting a salon perm that might wildly read or cannot see, then it would seem improve your life). that in following the same objective Individuals should have complete a State could decree that its citizens control over their own bodies and Well, I grew up in Joliet and respond MUST read certain books or MUST view minds. But under the principle of readily to Mafia logic, so I'm sending certain films" (emphasis added). legal moralism, the law may attempt card back saying "Yes" to REPAIR Right on, judge! !!!.z to control or prevent what is con CARE. Besides,· if I don't decide sidered by the majority as "immoral before April 1, it'll cost an extra behavior." This attempt is wrong. $10 to sign up. Although some individuals are unable Bas ic rights to protect themselves from the myriad Over 1,000,000 Illinoisans got this dangers present in this world, that hard-to-refuse offer; if all of them is simply an unfortunate fact. say yes, that's $9,000,000 extra Freedom of expression is one of the dollars (the going price of a central most basic of all our constitutional The law guards us from harming others, american country) a year for GTE rights in this country. The limiting but when it tries to stop us from without any extra work. Who sai no of this expression by censoring harming ourselves, there is no place one writes effective letters any �more? pornography would be just the begin to draw a line. Many laws are already ing for all types of limitations, in effect to limit our ability to do --Phoebe Caulfield opening the door to continued censor what is considered as harm to our ship in the form of book burning, selves. That does not mean they are curtailing of religious freedom, right. To keep a few indiscreet elimination of free political thought, individuals safe, the law is depriving and diminishing many other of our the majority of us our freedom of most fundamental rights. choice. I believe that pornography should not be censored when it involves consenting · Acceptable risk adults. Child porn is the only restric tion I would place on what should otherwise be a completely free-ranging I believe that it is correct to allow enterprise; all other pornography human beings individually to choose should be done with only the discretion whether or not they wish to place of those directly involved to guide themselves within danger. Many laws them. To support these claims, I presently permit far more dangerous refute the two most popular arguments activity than that which is outlawed supporting censorship of pornography- Is skydiving dangerous? Does raceca We needwrit ers! the paternalistic argument and the � Send your driving put one in harm's way principle of legal moralism. main pains unnecessarily? Is drinking and then to swimming hazardous? All of these the activities are purely for sport and Post, P.O . Box Moral ity the individual's personal enjoyment' 3452, certainly not by any stretch of the Bloomington, imagination "necessary." IL, 61702. The paternalistic argument says that If we don't stop this practice of the readers of porn will become lawmaking to "protect individuals emotionally, sexually, and morally from themselves," or at least draw crippled. Right from the beginning, a line somewhere, it will continue proponents of this argument find that unabated until we are unable to read they�absolutely cannot prove, in any what we desire, unable to drive our way, these ridiculous and irrational own cars, and perhaps be prohibited claims. Such an attempt (at this A hilarious cartoon histo from eating what we wish. Other � time) is akin to trying to prove the ·of the good old U.S.A. people DO NOT have the right to stop By Estelle Caro .Rhoda Grossman existence of God. In both of these l me from doing to myself what I wish and Bob Simpson arguments, we must assert that the to do, as long as I risk harming burden of proof rests upon those no one but myself. That should be attempting to prove a disputed claim, ' the most basic right of all--to do not upon those who maintain that the with one's own mind and body whatever current state of affairs must be one desires. preserved. This is one of the basic ·::��}�:-·�'- l ·duced rates for multiple postulates of sound logic. : c�rie.) ;---....· _,._..=I_..·_ I-"'J i= --Kent Kuszajewski = ,·:,.. . Feb.-March 1987 Post-Amerikan Page 8 Post-Amerikan Feb.-March 1987 Page 9 bilize for National Guard in Central America Mo Mas sachusetts and Maine refused to The Reagan admin istrat ion is using allow their Guard members to deploy what they call a "low intensity in Central America . Next , the gover strategy" in Central America to re justice & peace nors of Kansas , New Mexico , Ohio , assure the U.S. public that their Vermont and Washington also refused policy is neither me nacing nor danger to allow deployment ·i n Honduras . The Ap r il 25, 26 , and 27 may be an ous for U.S. troops . In reality, this governors of New York and Arizona have uncomfortable three days for the pro is just a new term for "counter reserved the right to say "no" on a war , pro-interve ntion, and pro insurgency warfare ," the same strategy ,�, case-by-case basis , and the governors Aparthe id forces of the U. S. that failed in Vietnam. Arms sales, of Minnesota and Wiscon s in have pri government . economic assistance , military training, vately told activists that they would and devel opment aid are integrated do the same . ·On Saturday Apr il 25, the Mobilizat ion into a comprehensive program to advance for Justice and Peace in Ce ntral U.S. interests. Winning a counter 111 I This has been an empowering process Am erica and Southern Africa Coalition insurgency war means changing the way will hold a march and rally in people view the world at the grass for everyone at the grass roots. Through demonstration (some involving Wash ing ton , D.C. On Sunday Apr il 26 roots --both in Central America and I 1 civil disobedience ), petit ions , educa there will be an interfaith worsh ip here in the U.S. ser vice fol lowed by training in non tional events , let t er-writ ing campaign s, violence . On Monday , Ap r il 27, those The Nat ional Guard is an integral phone -ins , vigils and laws uit s, the grass roots are having an incred ible members of the coalition and others part of Re agan 's strategy in the who wish to par ticipate after Sunday's region . The Army Nat ional Guard impac t, and are making this into a tra ining will engage in a participates in military construc nat ional issue . Many states have demonstration of non-v iolent civil tion , med ical and civic action pro made it a campa ign issue during this disobed ience . elect ion year . grams , and military maneuvers to train the Honduran Army . This The Mobilizat ion Coalition wou ld like provides a public relat ions cover A me asure of our impact can be seen in the government and the people of the for extensive militarizat ion . It also the attempt , sponsored by the Pent agon , U.S. to know that they are aware of provides for back-door deployment of to take away state governors ' ability our co�ntry's par ticipat ion in many U.S. troops in Central America. Since to veto deployment of their Nat ional illegal and immoral acts in Central they are being . sent under the auspices FIRST BLOOD: CENTRAL AMERICA Guard . Legislat ion to this effect has Ame rica and in Southern Afr ica. of training, they do not need Congres been proposed by Representat ive G.V. sional approval. Mont gomery (D-MS). The National In Central America ou r government is : Governors Assoc iat ion strongly opposes "By the end of 1987 , 51% of the Army 's Guard un its from each state have their it , and the Nat ional Governors Conven The Air Nat io nal Guard is as involved combat forc es and 52% of its su pport --Esca lat ing its terror ism and war own specialt ies that they practice tion passed a unanimous , bi-part i san as the Army Nat ional Guard . Air Guards forces will be in the Army Nat ional aga inst the people and government of during maneuve rs in Honduras . The resolut ion to fight the Montgomery from 15 states in the last year have Guard and Reserve ." Webb also stated Nicaragua through CIA-d irected Contra Missouri Guard contributed engineers Ame ndment . been flying regularly to Panama , the that "The Army reserve components now force s. and road construction workers. The headquarters of the U.S. Southern provide 50% of the Special Operat ions Kentucky Guard worked on public rela On July 15 , 1986 , James Webb said , "The Command . From there they make embassy Forces , and 90% of the psychological --Prov iding massive economic and tions . Two units from the Oregon Guard governors ' authority has become a runs into every country in Central operat ions and civil affairs unit s are military aid to a gove rnment in El spent two weeks in military maneuvers vehicle to debate or influence fore ign America with supplies, including mili in the reserve components ." Nat ional Sa lvador that is bombing its own with the Honduran Army . Art illery tary supplie s. People in California G�ard ,and military Re serve un its cost policy . This is no longer a case of people , repressing church and human un its from the Pennsylvan ia Guard found out that California Air Guar.d ' s only a fract ion as much as re gular a few isolated incidents. It is a rights wor kers, and protecting those spent a mo nth training in Honduras . 146th Tactical Airlift Wing has been military units . Guard and Reserve demonstrated way for dissent groups , gui lty of gross violat ions of human Arizona sent a unit of bilingual flying as many as three times a week unit s are trained and equipped so that state legislators and state governors rights. Guard MPs to work on the road building to Central America out of Van Nuys the Pentagon can rely on them rather to seize a forum to debate fore ign s were sent No roads to war project . Guard med ical unit Air Nat ional Guard base since 1978. than enlarging the Air Force, Army , policy ." --Tr ansforming impoverished Honduras both Iowa and Colorado . It is The Air Guard has taken over a task and Navy . from into a gigantic military base for use on Saturday , February 21, over 900 that ten years ago would have been the estimated that 20 , 000 me n from 40 Our intent from the beginning was to .demonstrators from Bloomington, by U.S. , Contra, and other foreign job of the regular air force . Re sistance to Nat ional Guard deploy states have participated in Guard blow the cover on their "low- intensity forces. Carbondale, Champaign , Charleston, ment in Central America has co me from exercises in Honduras during the last strategy" and to force them to wage Decatur , Jacksonville , Normal , Peoria ' Since implementation of Nixon 's total the gr ass root s and involves solidarity, three years . Missouri State Repre their war openly so that the U.S. Rock � sland , Springfield, and other force policy in 1973, the Nat ion al · human rights, and pledge of re sistance sentat ive Mike Burton says , "Ninety public would have to confront it . We locations around the state gat:1ered --Gr a nting military aid to the Guard no longer funct ions as a state organ izat io ns . This issue prov ides a percent of the u.s. presence in have taken the first big step in doing at �he entrance to the Springfield Air Gua tamalan army that is responsible milit ia . It has become an essent ial local handle for peace groups to make Honduras is the Nat ional Guard ." just that . N tional Guard base to voice their for widespread massacres, the use of part of the nat ional military under � the war i'n Central America visible disapproval of the intensification strateg ic hamlets for population the control of the Pentagon . Accord and allows us to challenge Reagan 's The resistance movement won its first --Peggy Moore of U S. mi litary presence in Central control, and the highest rate of ing to James H. Webb , assistant : foreign policy through .the governor two victories when the governors of from RECON America . Between January 10 and disappearances in the We stern Pentagon secretary for reserve affairs , and legislature of ea ch state . May 10, over 900 Illinois National Hemisphere . Guard members will be sent to Honduras to participat·e in "trainings ." 'I 'he --Rejecting opportun ities to end the protesters opposed this deployment conflicts through political Central America, family farm problems . s a continuation of illegal and se ttlements prov iding secur ity for � i oral U.S. policies against all. � Nicaragua . It was their intention - -Implicat ing us all in the killing of to stop "business as usu al" at the Polite ialog with Madigan en s n base . innocent men, women , and ch i ldren. d d i most in remote areas don't own cars , have farms to bank foreclosures at the rate The protesters held up a "Wall of In Southern Africa , our government is : The thing that bothers me the in the back of the room, no one no marke ts, are subsistence farmers .) of 3 per day . ·(In contrast, Witness," a 65- foot mock brick wall is that for a 20 minute le sson in bothered to introduce him or explain , had to wait his pre sence . "You know the Indians " (did he mean Nicaragua has a policy of no fore plastered with the names and photo --Continuing to support the South frustration tolerance I the Ethiopians ?) "couldn 't ge t those closures, low interest loans, and graphs of victims of the Reagan on a list for a full year . Afr ican government through a sanctions Incredible , Madigan 's hostility and fo od donations to many of the poor returning the poor to the land .) administration 's Central Amer ican policy that contains major loopholes twisted thinking . We began by stating for lack of transportation." policy. Further , eight individuals that , among other th ings, allow U.S. Tuesday , Feb. Rep . Ed Madigan , we did not want the Illino is National "No Roads to War " is the theme taken chose to act in solidarity in an act compan ies to reinvest the ir profits 17 , "Oh, " we US Congressman, was seeing con Guard to be use d to build the roads que�ied, " the US is planning up by peace groups throughout the of non-violent civil disobedience : and make shor t-term ex tens ions of a hun ger relie:f prog stituents in B-N . I was told the connecting the newly built US bases ram for Honduras ? " country oppos ing the illegal use of they formed a human blockade on the credit. time . allotments were a measley 10 established for a quick invasion of "No , I didn't say that . Now your Na tional Guard troops turning road leading to the base , thereby minutes. I did expe ct it to be an Nicaragua . He reasoned, "I believe time 's running out . Get to your Honduras into the staging site of the denying entrance to all vehicles . --Persisting in intelligence intense , confrontational time , but I the Guard should be trained in wet purpose here ." invasion of Nicaragua . From January cooperation with South Af ric a's did no t expe ct him to lower the slick and dry conditions , in heat and cold , to May , Illinois troops will leave Spirits were high as the protest military and secur ity forces even as mask of a profe ssional po litician . as much like the ones they 'll We parried back and forth ,the dialogue every 2 weeks to do their fair share . got underway . When the first car those forces repress and tor ture )o::>ssibly be needed to :fight in ." its occasionally be ing broken with one of Reliable sources state that the approached the blockade , members people , includ ing church , trade un ion , He ne ver even bothered with the mask. A his lon g blank stares. Mo st of his Florida Guard engaged in combat stood firm . National Guardsman Un ited Democratic Front, and student Af\er shaking hands , he sat glaring, But what about the leg alities of in logic (I use the ter m loosely) was December agai nst Sandini sta stepped out and tried to break the leaders. waiting for my fr iend and me to establishing permanent bases out- forces ' that the Soviets are bad people , so vi olating US law . line in order to enter the base . No start . There was another "blue suit" side of Congressional approval Pl ease protest the US is justified in breaking any t ese actions! Join in de dice--he had to crawl underneath . --Supporting South Afr ica's econom ic (violat ing the War Powers Act)? He 0 monstra- . laws , international or na tional , in tions! Contact Later , a woman drove to within feet replied, "What do you call a per your representatives' strangulation of its neighbors by the pro cess of protecting US R qu est a NO of the demonstrators and shouted , � vote to fu rther Contra · refus ing to prov ide those ne ighbo r ing mane nt base ? An airstrip? A road ? intere sts . To him, it seemed, Central don't care! " She had to turn aid : Contact your local Pl edge of "I count ries major econom ic support and by These services are for the Hondurans , America is a place for East/west cold around . particularly bellicose Resi stanc e to help work against A cutting off aid to Zimbabwe because of to take food to market." (Ho ndurans war games . another Vi e tnam in Central America . Guardsman drove right into the line , its cr iticism of U.S. pol icy . but then retreated . The blockade He offered no response when we Franci s Boyle, a U of I professor wa s victorious. --Refus ing to push Sou th Afr ica to end affirmed that the Nicaraguans we en speciali zing in internati onal law its illegal occupation of Namibia. countered on our August trip were surpri sed a group here recently w n willing to die before accepting the he All the wh ile , the crowd chanted , he declared that the on ly "legal " --Al lying itself with South Afr ica in return of the Somoza National Guard sang , and shared personal convictions recourse Ameri cans have to influence about the' war in Ni caragua . The its war aga inst An gola by providing as rulers , or before accept ing U.S. fore gn po licy is ma ssive civil dis presence of local , county , and state covert aid to the reb e l group UNITA. domination in any form . � obedience . Take action now, be fore police was seen , but hardly fe lt; the more US troops engage in co mbat and --Supporting rep ression aga inst We told him about the effe ct that the group karma was too strong . "The more innocent Central American lives all never be defeated ." legitimate representatives of the arms race has on the family farm . As people united sh are lost. The dem onstration ended in celebration people of South Af rica and Namibia. the de ficit skyro ckets with nu clear arms expenditures, the re sulting of that strength . Mr . Madigan 's atti t ude mad e it clear The Mobilizat ion for Ju stice and Pe ace economic climate means death to that this admini stration needs a If unity was ever needed , nm) is th� in Central America and So uthern Af rica private ownership of family farms . He had the nerve to claim farmers .are strong and determined radi cal resis time (this means yo u) . Fl�Jrida urges you to come to Washing ton and tan e before it wi ll relinquish its be tter off than ever, wi th billions ? · National .Guard members have recently join in the struggle. When thousand s available to them in loans . He told policy of destruction. stated that in December thc:y were of our voices are joined , we may be us to review our sources be tter before involved in combat against Nicaragua . he ard. And if we are heard , the we quo ted them. (How patroni zing. ) The time is now! illegal and immoral ac ts of our --MJ government may be stopped . instructions." ''Now, here's his fe eding American farmers are losing the ir --Diane Speir Page 10 Feb.-March 1987 Post-Amerikan Quest for peace demanding an end to the violence in The Quest for Peace campaign is Bloomington-Normal residents will once Central America, and asking the again have an opportunity to actively expected to be launched locally within oppose the U.S. administration 's war national media to report which aid the next month, with various collection points for supplies . Volunteers are on Nicaragua by collecting supplies to nourishes life and which aid fosters needed to contact churches, schools and be sent to that country. From January destruction and death. to April, local Pledge of Resistance private groups for donations and and Witness for Peace groups will join By June , 1986 , the Quest for Peace assis tance in collecting supplies . a nationwide campaign to send camp aign had raised $27 million, See phone numbers below if you are educational and medical supplies and matching Congressional appropriations able to help . clothing to Nicaragua. for the Contras . Over 600 organizations and thousands of Upcoming articles in the Post will The Quest for Peace was launched in individuals took part in this effort, focus on partic ular areas of need . December, 1985 , with the goal of striving in a non-violent way to Please begin now to collect these matching Congressional aid to the br ing about peace in Central America. general supplies : s ummer clothing ; aspirin ; band aids and gauze ; paper, Contras with humanitarian aid to the · people of Nicaragua. It began as a In light of the continued support by pens , pencils, and crayons ; misc . challenge to the U.S. Congress, the Reagan administration for the educational supplies . Contra rebels attacking Nicaragua, the Quest for Peace is continuing its Quest for Peace is also in need of humanitarian aid campaign . Its goal monetary donations . Each dollar is to send $100 million in medic ine, donated ships $50 in aid . Thus, food , clothing and school supplies for $5,000 will send a 20-ton cargo the people of Nicaragua by October, container of donated supplies averaging 1987 . Once again it is hoped that U.S. $250, 000 . The Quest for Peace goal of citizens will respond by matching $100 million in humanitarian aid Contra aid with humanitarian aid for becomes just $.42 per person when Nicaraguans . divided among all the people in the ) U.S. Supplies sent to Nicaragua through the Quest for Peace are distributed to a For more information or to help in any number of organizations in Nicaragua . way call Julie at 829-1889 or Diane at Last year , aid from the Quest for Peace 829-4377, or call 452-5046 and leave a reached over 150 communities, refugee message . Your call will be returned . camps, hospitals, health centers and schools . rmy wants peace g roups out Of hig h schools voluntary , throughout our na tion 's n tial request for a preliminary The UoS· Army is seeking to over- � � hi story ....Beca use the Board on a inJunction. was deni ed in federal dis turn a landmark court decision trict court , and the group appealed . nu mb er of occasions permitted the whi ch grants equal access in high publicati on of advertisements advo schools to groups countering the On Ju ne 6, 1986, the U.S. Court of cating military service, there can presenc e of the mi litary . Thi s court Appeal s for the 9th Circui t rul ed that be no qu estion but that the Board decision, according to the Army, "poses COMD 's rights indeed had been vi olated intend ed to open the newspapers for ad a signifi cant threat to military re vertisements on thi s topic ..." cruitng." The outcome of thi s case and issued a ru ling in favor of equal access in h�gh schools for groups could have broad and lasting implica "Th.e Board canno t allow the pre challengi ng the activities of Selective ions for peace organi zations nati on sentation of one side of an issu e, but Servi ce System (SSS ) and military re wide . prohibit the presentation of the other cruiters . Th e appellate court found side ." The case originated in 1982 after the �hat the �chool distri ct had engaged in vi. ewpoint-based discrimination when Gro ssmont Uni on High School Di stri ct The Army's request to intervene as a it banned COMD 's adverti sing . It in East San Diego , California, over co-defendant at the appellate level ruled that mili tary recrui ting ad s ruled student journalists and banned was rej ected by the 9th Ci rcui t, as was were in. herently poli ti cal and contro advertising in student newspapers by a request for a rehearing . The case versial . the Committee Opposed to Militari sm mu st now return, however, to the Dis and the Draft (COMD) . COMD filed trict Court for a trial to determine In explaining its ru ling, the suit agai nst the distri ct charging a court whether COMD should be granted a per said : "There has been opposition to vi olation of its Fi rst and Four manent injunction. At that time , the military service, both compulsory and teenth Amendment rights . COMD 's Army could again attempt to intervene . In arguing for the right to join the _,-. school distri ct in the case, the Army declared that the deci sion "po ses a signi fi cant threat to mi li tary recruit ing •...At issue are no t ohly ad s in student newspapers , but also access ( to school job fairs and counseling offices, which may well be cu t off if poli tical groups mu st al so be given equal access .....Any decision that impai rs the access of recruiters to the high schools affects the vi tal interest om1non of the U.S " Th e Army wants to use the power of the court to dictate our First Amendment _m--· una - :- ri ghts and to secure uncontested in fluenc e over young people. COMD in tends to oppo se the Army 's action and NATURAL FOODS to defend the po sitive preced ent est ablished by the 9th Circui t's deci sion. COMD needs contact with individuals S16 N. Main St. who can provide expert testimony on a vari ety of subjects relating to the Bloomington,IlL 61701 cas€ : The nature of military jobs, the po litical nature of the mili tary , Common Ground has a wide selection of who lesome foods , and the controversial aspects of mili natural body care products , vi ta.min and mine.ral sup tary recruting , for instance. The p�e�ents , and books for organic cooking and healthy right of high school stud ents to have living . • access to alt ernative information on military enlistment and the draft is By selling many foods in bulk, Common Ground reduces now at stake. Y?Ur costs on nuts, flours , spices , grains , snack �ixes and many other items . You may also purchase The Army has eno rmous resources in its JU�t the amount you need ! Come see the gourmet attack on our 9th Circuit vi ctory . co�fe7 beans and fresh produce section as we ll. COMD could use contributions . Send Experience a new and healthier way of life! them to COMD , PO Box 15195, San Di ego , CA 92115. Donations of at least $25 ·04 an additional savings of 10% on all purchases , can be made tax-deductible by maki ng you may purchase a discount card for an annual fee the check out to "Pro ject YANO ." of $10.00. __..r-, J,. --Ri ck Jahnkow, l from RECON • .. .� soodurvy� ..s..J no).£ ..SUJV-'5· SU}lU1JJ}(l �· \ Civi l rights march i nvades all-white town their point with vigor and astounding The civil rights moveme nt fina lly "We 've come back to claim our land ! " numbers , some ten times what was arrived in all-white Cumming , Georgia , Wi lliams yelled. originally ex ected, wh ich seemed to January 24 , a generation behind the p disarm those who gathere d to ye ll One local man was angered by the time s and 75 years after the last of racial slurs . the black re sidents were ch ased out . inconvenience ca used him by the But there remains the issue of what marchers . "Le t then goddamn niggers There we re 60s-style hippies and 80s the massive "March ag ainst Fear and wa lk a mile for diapers . " Listening style punkers , middle-age d white Intimidation" actually accomplished. to the children yell "nigger go home!" co uple s, children, a fe w dogs , and made it obvious how racism in Cumming old-time rs from the civil rights ha s been perpetuated. When the demons tration was over, movement of two decade s ago . Indeed, the snow had turne d to mud and the for the marchers , it was sweet As the crowds headed home best intentions to doubt In Forsyth , a young . repayment for the previous week when black man and a you County l ittle had change d. ng wh ite man stood a small group of 75 mar chers were acro ss the street from each other and harangued by ro ck- throwing wh ite exchanged insults. Ralph Taylor, 56, said he joined the Whites carried supremacists . signs that read "Black Trash 20 , 000 marchers out of curiosity. " and "Rednecks , White Skin , and Bl "I ' d ne ver been here before be cause ue , along Collars ." of the reputation. " Taylor doubted The Reverend Ho sea Williams he would return to Cumming . "I with Core tta Scott King , led the two But the brightest sign haven 't seen anything to make me want mi le march from the outskirts of wa s the hatred --eyes filled with fire and to come back ." Cumming to its county courthouse . vo ices filled with rage Williams praised the marchers and the . Such was the aftermath of the South 's town but said the real heroes we re I van Lup ino bigge st civil rights march since the those who marched the we ek before . -- 6os , a demonstration that required "The marchers last we ek didn 't have more than 2, 200 na tional guard and the National Guard and the GBI police to keep the peace . And even (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) to then, peace was a tenuo us thing . protect them , " he said. A a few rocks and slew of racial Williams organized the first march to epithets were hurled at marchers . bring blacks back to the county wh ich There we re some ma jor incidents , but ha d driven them out in 1912 after a some 60 people were arre sted, most of black man alle gedly raped a white them among the 1,0 00 jeering Ku Klux woman . The man was lynched, and Klan-le d wh ite wh ite cou nter blacks fled the county , leaving demonstrators . The mar chers made behind the ir land and their home s . ...._Mo_v ie_R ev_iew� l atoon : I nsig ht through m u rder Apoc alypse No w). It te ll3 things as What is even more disturbing than this What I have to say about Ol iver they were. simpleminded moral conflict is that Stone 's Pla toon is simple , although my Storre allows it to be resolved in such thoughts �r e-al so in radical Apparently, it is still necessary to a way that it seems that "good" can disagreement with just about say that the po litics of Vietnam were win out. The private ultimately gains everything else I've heard or read the most important reality of that revenge for Elias' murder and redeems about the mov ie. we in Vietnam? as war . W!:!Y were his own partic ipation in the war by Norman Mailer put it. Platoon - killing Barnes. It is perhaps unusual First, Platoon is not an anti -war acknowledges without seeming to care that the bad guy is one of us, but the movie. �e ither is it a pro-war movie. the soldiers knew ·why that none of more impo r tant po int is that the bad Rather, it is a movie that promotes a they were in Vietnam. The fact guy, which ever side he is on , can be "willingness to particip ate." Stone remains, as true today as it was then, defeated . portrays the Vietnam war as morally that we inter fered with Vietnam's ambiguous, but he does find VALUE in legitimate need to rid itself of the What Stone seems to find crucial is it. This stance makes Pla toon a ra uch vestiaes of decades of colonial rule. the idea that war itself (even the more dangerous movie than Ra!!!_bo. In th� reg imes of Diem and Th ieu we most inde fensible war ) is capable of Ram bo convinced adolescents that war asked Vie tnamese and Americans to die generating its owrr worth and interest. fantasy is "neat.n But Platoon for oligarchy, for the rule of the War remains the place where a young convinces ad ults that--morality and pr ivileged . man can go to find out about himself po litics aside--there is so mething to and his wor ld. Platoon may not be be ga ined from participating in war. And what is "realistic" about the pa triotic, but it does preserve the central dramatic conflict of the Ro mance of War . But this is the film's largely mov ie? The good sergeant, Elias, unspoken ideology. What the film and competes with the bad sergeant, To my mind, th is romance keeps Stone's its fans say overtly is that the film Barnes, for the heart and mind of the movie firmly entrenched in Western is "realist ic." It is supposed to be innocent, young pr ivate. Sounds like Death Culture and its willingness to realistic because it is not Hollywood black hat/white hat to me. find war an acceptable response to "politica l" (unlike f2!!!..!.!!9. !!2m e and pol itical and social si tuations one does -n ot like. In that sense, our present attitude toward Nicaragua and our support for the Con tr'as is precisely like our Vietnam experience. Stone is determined to overlook the OPPORTUN ITY fact EQUAL that the rest of the wor ld (espec ially the third world) is not a me rely theatre in wh ich America can act out its moral paradoxes. The destruction of Vietnam and the deaths HOUSING of IN thousands of Vietnamese is not justif ied by the possibility that we learned something about ourse lves. Vietnamese lives are real lives. But UR RIGHT! for Stone, as for Aud ie Murphy's IS YO classics, the "go oks" remain curious, pajama clad, wind-up toys who traipse through unfairly the jungle in a foreign and If you feel you have been denied housing or treated finally non-human way. . religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, physical of race, color, Unfortunately, the critical reception or mental handicap, or because you have children under 14 or of Platoon may be colored b'your desTre-tofinally "welcome home the require the use of a guide dog, contact the vets." No doubt some sort of reconciliation with Vietnam veterans is desi rable. But not if it means having to become reconciled to the war itself as well. Not if it means I an have to say there was value in what Bloomington Hum they participated in. �he Vietnam war wa s an un just war that sion no one should have supported . It was Commis supported becau Relations se , as Stone himself points out , many believed in stupidities li at ke Patriotism . Nevertheless, it is important to say that Platoon replaces Patriotism with stup idities of its 828-7361, Ext.. 218/219 own , which, I fear, will in the long run contribute to the betrayal of yet another generation of warrior/victims . The Bloomington Human Relations Commission is here --Teddy Boy to assist and to help. Page 12 Feb.-March 1987 Post-Amerikan Miscellaneo nimal victories (for once) I � � ' Pu rveyors of bad taste recently lost - ' Every animal activist and person of a major battle to renowned animal � conscience mu st applaud his brave activist Bob Barker. Bob has been the stand . Celebri ties who are willing host of the Mi ss U.S.A. pageant for 20 to open themselves to the deri sion Adoptions years , and adds a certain touch of and scorn of their audience can only class to otherwise vacuous video-fare . be an inspiration to those of us who If you want to give a thoughtful gift have far less to lose for airing our to yourself or someone else, adopt a "Beauty contests" represent all that beliefs . Kudos, Mr . Bark er! Please whale, manatee, or ra ptor . For a very is trivial and unnecessary on don't let the controversy h�lt your reasonable donation, you wi ll help television: mediocre talent , glitzy crusade. We need your vo ice. Every fund the care and feeding of an production numbers , jiggling bosoms , fu r coat hurts . endangered animal , receive a certifi and jello-brained bimbos . They are cate and photo of the adoptee , and in an affront to women, and a sure-fire most cases , have "visi ting audience grabber. And , for the most Observatio ns privileges . " It will a.Lso make you part , they 're harmless . Thi s month 's column is sadly qui te feel great . sparse, lacking much in the way of However, this year one production hard news {I haven 't yet received my numb er made Bob tak e a stand . Every Pi ck from a list of 70 migrating newest Citi zens for Animal Rights humpback whales. Cost; $15, Offered young miss was to wrap herself in newsletter ). Therefore , I submi t for flowing (real ) furs and parad e ar und by : Whale Ad option Project, Inter ? your approval some personal national Wildlife Coalition, 320 stage , singing some inane song which observations . in my mind could only be a paean to Gifford Street , Department FC , Falmouth, MA 02540 . senseless slaughter . Why do so few TV seri es feature families with pet members? Even Bill With the pageant short days away , Bob Cosby , in an epi sode thi s season, informed the producers that he would Would you rather save a manatee? would no t allow Rudy to adopt a dog. Offered by : Save the Manatee Club, not appear unless the real furs were Pets enrich our lives, and tel evi sion replaced by fake alternatives . 1101 Audubon Way , Maitland , FL 32751 . does no t reflect the vast ma jority of Cost : $1 5. Imagine the hue and cry that such an viewers who do share their homes with announcement would create! Hi s timing family pets . Perhaps the actors are could no t have been better, for there How about a bird of prey? Offered by : just afraid that they will be Ad opt-a-Bird Program , Fl orida Audubon was no time to find a replacement for upstaged by Felix or Fido . him ; mu ch simpl er to raid local Society, 1101 Audubon Way , Mai tland , boutiques for humane alternatives . FL 32751 . Cost : $1 5 for hawk s and A recent tabloid cover at the super owls ; $20 for bald eagles. mark et screamed that Liberace 's dying In an "Entertainment Tonight" inter wi sh was for someone to care for his Thus ends ano ther column . If you are vi ew post-pageant, Bob sp oke his mind " " children, and the accompanying photo aware of any animal outrages that on the situation. He could not showed him wi th two beau tiful borzois . condone the exploitation of animals, should be shared , drop me a line in It 's ironic that thi s pi tiful man care of the Po st Amerikan, P. O. Box and he knew his part icipation would should have such warped values . He have been tacit approval . While I 3452 , Bloomington, IL 61 702 . You may loved his dogs , but flaunted priceless remain anonymous if desi red , but did not have the fore-thought to jot His fu rs and fur coats in his shows . rememper that unless one is wi lling down his exact comments, the jist of feather capes represent countless hi s words was to make every person who to speak ou t, tho se who cannot speak tortured creatures who se only crime will continue to suffer in silence. does wear real fur feel shame and was being born beautiful . ridicule for their thoughtless actions . --RAF Conscious Calendar MARCH 1987 SVNP AE M.ooN DAV BL ULE .S OA Y FP. lcND.S DllY FR IED DA Y SHllTTE R DA Y 3 '{ MOV'1E- .·S E...n,� you r Al\T EXt11BeT1orJ : GAY PE'oPLE '.s E.: 5..., 9,"'�t--i on� -h.>... ,.ROAi>� ALL•ANC "PON.\MVE : 'GAY -H"' no:i calen,;l,._..- RoADS•DE: """1roGRA PM s PARENTING- "'" 10 f'.0. ti..e Po s+ , •• StNCI!': \(\30 � e i".. t>ox 31.\S2-, 13\.., ,. cp..-ns. "'+ 112 FA 11{CfULJ>ijALL (.;; 17 c z_ C.VA GALLE-wtY :t: