Part 1: Deborah Harmon Hines Myrtle Gordon a Prison Experience Ben
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•IViMMH Mi ^— ML publication. WOMCN'and S reuse for required AGCNDA Part 1: Permission Deborah Harmon Hines Myrtle Gordon DFMS. / Church A Prison Experience Ben Chavis Episcopal the of Archives 2020. Copyright "'The Witness" by Valerie Maynard VOL. 65 NO. 2 FEBRUARY, 1982 sexism in three inter-related ways: The most important result is the 1) Perpetuating sexual divisions in marginalization of women in the UJUXXJBIXU3 the labor force in order to reduce the economy which creates a constantly price of all labor and maximize profits. available reserve supply of cheap labor. 2) Promoting a consumerist ideology Finally, women are the keepers and ljJSTTJSJid aimed most specifically at women who teachers of many, if not most, cultures. are encouraged to participate in the The perpetuation of distinct, diverse economy by purchasing products cultures is anathema to those who seek "guaranteed" to make them (and their LETTERS to sell Nabisco wafers to the indigenous families) feel more happy, secure, free people of Latin America and deodorants or esteemed. to the people of Malasia. In order to 3) Creating an ersatz culture of global survive, corporate capitalism must capitalism, which displaces women as penetrate national boundaries, ancient teachers and keepers of distinct religions and an immense variety of indigenous cultures. publication. ethnic cultures. As the Nestle's infant Most simply stated, sexism in the work formula campaign demonstrates, and Supportive of Labor force means that women's labor is corporations find it necessary to appeal cheaper to buy than men's. An all- I recently got a layoff notice as Colgate to women to sell products which reuse female production line in the U.S. costs shut its West Coast plant down. At a threaten to maim or destroy the for only about 1/3 as much as one conference in Los Angeles on economic individual consumer, the culture, or "manned" entirely by males, and only dislocation I picked up a copy of the both. Enormous amounts of corporate about 1/2 of that of a sexually balanced research money is currently invested in required November WITNESS. I have been a life- work force. In many other countries the analyzing women's roles in different long Episcopalian and a member of the disparity is even greater. cultures with a view toward using Episcopal Peace Fellowship for 15 Women predominate in the traditional values to convert women years. I didn't know the church was Permission production lines of many, if not most, of from enemies of global corportions into supportive of these labor issues. Glad to the labor intensive industries — textiles their figurative, if not literal, slaves. know itl and garments, food production and DFMS. Rick DeGolia / processing, and the rapidly growing Those of us who would challenge the Oakland, Cal. electronics industry. As Ehrenreich equation of political freedom and points out, these are precisely the "unlimited economic opportunity" must Church industries most likely to relocate from a dedicate a major portion of our Cutting New Ground more industrialized (and unionized) part resources to understanding exactly how Just a fan letter to you for that first-rate of the globe to areas where unions are and why sexism spells increased profit Episcopal issue of THE WITNESS — November, non-existent or impotent, and wages for the rich and even heavier oppression the 1981. The articles were particularly and standards of living the lowest. for all the poor. of interesting and cutting new ground, at The corporate consumerist ideology Linda Backiel least for me. Keep up the good work. encourages women to believe they Nationwide Women's Program God bless you. participate in the economy through American Friends Service Committee Archives The Rt. Rev. Paul Moore consumption instead of production. Letters . Continued on page 19 Bishop of New York 2020. Sexism, MNCs Interact COVER Copyright Congratulations on the sharply-focused The cover of this issue is adapted from Valerie article by Barbara Ehrenreich, "Multi- Maynard's sculpture, The Witness. The African- National Corporations Exploit Women American artist sees herself as a "conduit" who articulates social themes or personal emotions which on Global Assembly Line." (November cannot be expressed verbally. She is one of the artists WITNESS.) Attention to the interaction featured in the 22-minute film, "Black Modern Art," between sexism and economic giants is available for rental for $30 from Unifilm, 419 Park Av. long overdue. So., New York, N.Y. 10016. Her sculptures — in stone, Sexism is essential to the wood and metal, many expressing prison themes — are multinational's goal of transforming the shown while she comments on the origin and meaning planet into what Peter Drucker refers to of each work. as the "global shopping center." Global Valerie Maynard corporations literally capitalize on THE WITNESS THE EDITOR Mary Lou Suhor EDITORIAL SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Robert L. DeWitt CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Revolution on Thursdays Richard W. Gillett publication. Hugh C. White Waldo: Henry! Henry! What are you people. and doing in jail? While THE WITNESS applauds Henry: Waldo! What are you doing out of reuse these efforts to arouse citizens to STAFF jail? for Ann Hunter action across the board, we sense Susan Small he above dialogue, purported to an anomaly here. Writing about Bonnie Spady have taken place during one of the Los Angeles women's protest required T Lisa Whelan the most famous acts of civil in the December WITNESS, Joan disobedience in U.S. history, was Trafecanty hit upon it when she resurrected recently in a play said, "Being a middle-aged PUBLISHER Permission commemorating the event, "The woman, I find it very stressful to Episcopal Church Publishing Company Night Thoreau Spent in Jail." The be arrested for civil disobedience and I've made a promise to myself DFMS. dialogue recalls Ralph Waldo / Emerson's visit to the noted that I won't do it more than once a ECPC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Walden dweller who had refused year." CHAIR Church to pay his taxes in protest of H. Coleman McGehee Drawing the moral to the tale, President James Polk's invasion of we note that more often than not, VICE-CHAIR Barbara Harris Mexico. Without a declaration of white middle-class or upper class Episcopal SECRETARY war or Congressional approval, people are in positions to be the Helen Seager Polk had sent U.S. forces storming advocates for the oppressed and of TREASURER into the bloody slaughter of a can choose to go to jail or not. Robert Potter peasant army. Only one young Minorities and the underclass do ASSISTANT TREASURER Archives Congressman had the moral not have that luxury. Robert Eckersley courage to denounce the war — Thus, Chicanos like Maria Cueto 2020. Otis Charles Abe Lincoln of Illinois. and Ricardo Romero, driven, as Robert L. DeWitt Today, acts of civil disobedience was Thoreau, to get the truth out Steven Guerra abound, as latter-day Thoreaus about Mexico's oppressed history, Copyright Suzanne Hialt protest injustice; e.g., the are summoned for the second time Mattie Hopkins Plowshares 8 demonstrating before a Grand Jury in an action Joan Howarth against nuclear madness; church one can only suspect is designed James Lewis women in Los Angeles protesting to keep socially concerned and Joseph A. Pelham deportation of Salvadoran political activists off the streets. refugees from the United States; Similarly, Steven Guerra of the and most recently, Chicanos and Episcopal Church Publishing THE WITNESS is published monthly. Editorial office: P.O. Box 359, Ambler, PA 19002. Phone (215) Puerto Ricans refusing to testify Company's Board of Directors, 643-7067. Subscription rates $12 per year, $1 per before a Grand Jury in Brooklyn, and Julio and Andres Rosado, all copy. Copyright 1982 by the Episcopal Church claiming that the legal system is Puerto Ricans, are summoned Publishing Company. Printed in U.S.A.ISSN 0197-8896 being misused to harass their Continued on page 19 Introduction Black Women's Agenda by Janette Pierce n November, 1981 a national women's full response to the Gospel. by the mid-seventies. conference of Episcopal women I In late 1980, when the Task Force Subsequent to the conference, in Indianapolis heard four black began planning for Indianapolis the THE WITNESS approached the women forcefully express their three-person conference subcom- four women speakers and Task distrust of the feminist movement. mittee, of which I was a member Force officials as to the possibility of They perceived feminism as a white with Marge Christie and Dorothy publishing major excerpts of the publication. (woman's) concern which drains Brittain, recognized the tension talks to continue the dialogue in a energy from the liberation battle of and between racism and feminism as a broader forum. Permission granted, people of color. major block for women, the church, Part 1 of the series appears in the reuse The Rev. Barbara C. Harris, and society in general. But since the following pages. for priest in charge of St. Augustine of Task Force then had only one black Cassette tapes of the complete Hippo Church, Norristown, Pa.; member and the planning group was talks, as well as responses, can be required and educators Dr. Deborah all white, the problem was to ordered from Conference Corder, Harmon Hines of Nashville, Mattie address the issue in a context that 3901 Meadows Drive, Suite B-l, Hopkins of Chicago and Myrtle would have validity in the black Indianapolis, Ind. 46205. Write for Permission Gordon of Atlanta laid out "The women's community. Parentheti- two tapes entitled, "The Black Black Women's Agenda," one of cally, three black women now sit on Women's Agenda," total cost $9.75. DFMS. / three topics presented at the third the Task Force as well as a Hispanic national conference of the Episcopal and an Asian-American woman.