Eastern Illinois University The Keep

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

10-1-2001

Volume 30, Number 5

Post Amerikan

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Recommended Citation Post Amerikan, "Volume 30, Number 5" (2001). The Post Amerikan (1972-2004). 255. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/post_amerikan/255

This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the The Post Amerikan Project at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Post Amerikan (1972-2004) by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Normal passes Human Rights Ordinance

BLOOMINGTON/ NORMAL VOLUME 30 . NUMBER FNE OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001

Enough.

Enough of blood and tears� --Yitzhak Rabin

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Page 27-0ur new music reviewer Page 2-Page 2 stuff Pages 10-13--National Coming Out Day Page 3-Community News Violation of prisoners rights Mark Neace, reviewsJoe Strummer The Strokes Page 4--Blue Moon Coffeehouse Pages 14-20- Sept 11/War Drive & Page 5--D.Wiatt wins award Page 21--Poetry New Angeles exhibit Pages 22-24--History of AntiRape Movement-­ Page 6-- Bienvenidos in US & McLean County Page 7-Hempstock or Bust ! Page 25--Spiritualism is a gentle religion Page 8--GLBT Page 26--0ff the beaten path Pick up a copy Page 9-More GLBT movie reviews by Dave

Copies of the Post Amerikan are now available for free at the following locations:

· · In this Issue: Bloomington AIDS Task Force, 313 N. Main About Books,221 E. Front Barnes & Noble, Veterans & Rt. 9 Good numbers Bloomington Public Library, 205 E. Olive About us Advocacy Council for Human Rights.830-2521 Burwells, 908 N. Main The Post Amerikanis an independent AIDS Hotlines Common Ground,516 N. Main community newspaper providing informa­ National...... 1- 800-AID-AIDS Crazy Planet Kitchen, 414 N. Main tion and analysis that is screened out of or Illinois...... 1-800-243-2437 Gaston's Upper Cut, 409 N. Main down played by establishment news sources. " Local...... 827-AIDS �eartland Community College, Raab Rd. We are a non-profit, worker-run collective Lizards Lounge, 612 N. Main Alcoholics Anonyrnous...... 828-7092 that exists as an alternative to the corporate Shockwaves, 415 N. Main Amnesty International-ISU.. . [email protected] media. Animal Protection League ...... 828-5371 To Your Health, 1214 N. Towanda' #2 Better Business Bureau...... 1- 800-500-3780 Twin City Exchange, 411 N. Main put out six issues a year. Staff members We Big Brothers/ Big Sisters ...... 828-1870 take turns as "coordinator." All writing, Normal Boys & Girls Clubs of B/N ...... 829-3034 typing, editing, graphics, photography, Clare House (Catholic workers) ...... 828-4035 Acme Comics, 115 W. North pasteup, and distribution are done on a Countering Domestic Violence...... 827-7070 Babbitt's Books, 104 W. North volunteer basis. You are invited to volunteer Dept. of Children/Family Services .... 828-0022 Campus Town, 121 W. North your talents. Gay, Lesbian & Bi teen drop in center.828-3998 Centennial Hall, ISU Gay & Lesbian Resource Phoneline ...43 8-2429 Coffeehouse, 14 E. Beaufort Most of our material and inspiration for Habitat for Hurnanity...... 827-3931 Deadpan Alley Records, 107 W. North material comes from the community. The Heads tart...... 662-4880 Ecology Action Center, 208 W. College Post Amerikan welcomes sto�ies, graphics, Horne Sweet Horne Mission ...... 828-7356 Mother Murphy's, 111 W. North photos, letters, and new tips from om: IL Dept. of Public Aid ...... 827-4 621 Movie Fan, 202C W. North readers. If you'd like to join us, call 828-4473 IL Lawyer Referral...... 1-217-525-5297 Normal Public Library,206 W. College and leave a message on our answering Incest Survivors Support Group ...... 827-0790 North Street Cafe, 205 W. North machine. We will get back to you as soon LIFE-CIL...... 663-5433 Stevenson Hall, ISU as we can. Don't worry if it takes a while-­ Lighthouse (substance abuse treatment) .....827-6026 University Galleries, ISU we don't meet every week. McLean Co. Center for Human Services ... 827-5351 McLean Co. Health Dept ...... 888-5450 Peoria An alternative newspaper depends directlv , McLean Co. Housing Authority ...... 829-3360 Bicycle Bus on a community of concerned people for McLean Co. Humane Society ..� ...... 664-7387 Illinois Central College existence. We believe it is very important to McLean Co. Peace Coalition...... 828-7070 keep a newspaper like this around. If you Mid Central Community Action ...... 829-0691 think so too, then please support us by Mobile Meals ...... 828-8301 telling your friends about the paper, Narcotics Anonymous ...... 827-4005 What's your donating money to the printing of the paper, National Health Care Services/ new and telling our advertisers you saw their abortion assistance ...... 1-800-322-1622 adcrress? Pnst Amerikan. When you move, be sure to send us your new ad in Occupational Development Center ....452-7324 address so your subscription gets to you. Parents Anonymous ...... 827 -4005 � ou� Post Amerikan will not be forwarded (it's PATH (Personal Assistance Telephone Help) .. 827-4005 hke Junk mail-no kidding!). Fill out this Phone Friends...... 827-4005 handy form with your new address and return PFLAG(Parents, Families and Friends it to us, P.O. Box 3452, Bloomington, IL 61702. of Lesbians and Gays) ...... 663-0831 Subscriptions to the Post Amerikan are Name.______Planned Parenthood (rnedical)...... 827-4014 available for the low price of $6.00 per year for (bus/couns /edu) ...... 827-4368 Street·------six complete issues. Post Amerikan...... 828-4473 Please send a check (made payable to the Post City /State/Zip______Prairie State Legal Services ...... 827-5021 Amerikan) to: Post Amerikan, P.O. Box 3452 Project Oz ...... 827-0377 Bloomington, IL 61702. Rape Crisis Center ...... 827-4005 Runaway Switchboard ...... 1-800-621-4000 Salvation Army ...... 829-9476 Due Date: This issue of Post Amerikan Safe Harbor Mission ...... 829-7399 The due date for submitting articles to the TeleCare (senior citizens) ...... 828-8301 Po�t Amerikan is: (please laser print your is brought to you by... . Unemployment comp/job service .....827-6237 articl�s m c�lumns of 3" using Palatino lOpt. WesternAve. Community Center ...... 829-4807 type if possible.); or submit via e-mail at: David, Linda, Ralph: Youth Build...... 827-7507 [email protected] NOV 15 and Sherlin

PAGE 2 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 ··1'

Community News

In a series of landmark reports on mental Walk for the Mentally Ill health, U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher has emphasized the need to eliminate stigma Assemble at the Colene Hoose School parking in order to promote treatment. His most recent lot at 11:00 a.m. report on "Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity," was released on August 26. In The walk will proceed down Constitution Trail November 2001, the World Health a short distance. At the half-way point, where Organization also is expected to release a trees have been planted in memory of persons report on the worldwide implications of mental who died before their time, a prayer will be illness. given and refreshments will be available. Any "Corporate irresponsibility in marketing donations will go to NARSAD for research on products of this nature is no limited to the Upstream mental illnesses. LIVING United States," Birkel said. "In a global 202 W. College Ave. economy, the offensiveness is multiplied Normal, IL 61761 The walk is a way to publicize and educate the public on the need for treatment of and considerably. Mental illness knows no Phone: 309/454-7508 medications for the mentally ill. boundaries." E-Mail: [email protected] Family to Family Education course coming Fall Web:www.communityIzone.com/ community I Watch for more information! livingupstream

NAMIWarns Sony and Mattel: Your This 12-week course is taught by two NAMI Mission is to: international reputations are at risk. trained family educators. Its purpose is to Our educated families who have a member diagnosed with schizophrenia, obsessive --Bring together local community members to NAMI has launched a protest of products are compulsive disorder, major depression, or address environmental and health concerns; marketed by Sony Corporation of America and anxiety disorder. (The course is not Mattel, Inc. that violate the U.S. Surgeon appropriate for persons who suffer from any of --Educate and empower the public around General's call on the entertainment industry to those disorders). environmental issues aimed at restoring the eliminate the stigma that surrounds mental health and balance of the earth; including our illness. There is no charge. Watch for the dates. own health; and

In an August 28 letter NAMI executive director --Promote environmentally safe alternatives to Richard Birkel, Ph.D., warned Howard Bloomington: 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 204 toxic practices when evidence of harm exists for Stringer and Robert Eckert, the CEOs of Sony N. Parkside in Normal. 7-8:30 p.m. (Across from people, wildlife, and the earth. and Mattel: "In both the United States and Parkside Junior High School drive). For abroad, your respective reputations are at information call Anne Olsen 309 I 454-4983. risk." The protest comes j�st prior to the First International Conference on Reducing Stigma Pontiac: Second Thursdays Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen moves and Discrimination, in Leipzig, Germany on For family members only 6-7 p.m. at Futures September 2-3, 2001. Board Room; 210 East Torrance Ave, Pontiac. Nineteen years ago, Clare house opened our local soup kitchen at the Holy Trinity Parish NAMI called on the companies to with draw For consumers and family members combined 7- Center. early this year we told that the the [offensive] products and to pledge to avoid 8:30 p.m. at Prairie Horizon Apartments' building would be raided and we would have to perpetuating stigma in the future. Birkel's CommunityRoom, 1520 S. Locust,Pontiac. For move. Thankfully, my own parish, St. Mary's letter also was sent to Jeff Kline,producer of information call John or Bonnie Plesko 815/842- on Bloomington's West Side, has opened their the Max Steel TV series. Specifically, NAMI 1514. doors to us, and we shall begin serving lunch in noted complaints from parents and people with the basement of the church in about a month. mental illness that: We are so grateful for the incredibly faithful Distorting message of Dorothy crew that has put in years of service chopping The Max Steel series, with a character, TV vegetables, making delicious soup from scratch, "Psycho," distributed by Sony, sends an Day creating sandwiches, washing countless dishes offensive, ster. -otyped message to children that and mopping floors, pouring tons of milk and people with mental illness are violent villains. As the daughter and granddaughter of Dorothy coffee and lemonade. All of this has been done Day, we feel compelled to speak about the use with respect and love and with a great deal of The "Psycho" action figure, with an exploding of her name and work in George Bush's dignity for the many at our tables. Such a great head, marketed by Mattel to children ages four commencement speech at Notre Dame. love has been shown by these workers over all and up, promotes stigma among youngsters who these years, and they have done it totally in instead need to learn that mental illnesses are Dorothy was an ardent believer in social the spirit of Christ, without any demand for brain disorders that require treatment like any justice, the rights of workers, and care of the reward. Their gift of service has been their other illness. disenfranchised. Her life's work was humble act of love for those in need. t dedicated to picking up the pieces of human Sony's violent video game, "Twisted Metal: wreckage, the result of policies that continue to We thank them and know thousands of meals Black," involving characters released from a be perpetuated by the Bush administration. It would not have happened without them. mental hospital, also perpetuates the stigma is shameful to have her efforts associated with that prevents people with mental disorders an administration that gives priority to And now we are forced into transition,and from getting help and impedes recoveries. corporate profiteering over human needs. many of the workers feel they cannot make Dorothy understood that a system was as that change, so we are looking for others to 'The insensitivity of these products is equally important as her ideal of personalism, help serve on Tues. and Thurs. to prepare a especially disturbing in light of the fact that where each takes individual responsibility for lunch for those who come in hunger and need. suicide is the third-leading cause of death the well-being of all. The speech writers for We work from 8:30 am until 1:00 pm chopping among teenagers and young adults in the United George Bush have distorted her message vegetables, making sandwiches, soup, and then States," Birkel said. "Ninety percent of regarding the works of mercy by using her words serving from 11:30 am until 12:30 pm. If you suicides involve mental illness. For children in their arsenal of deceit. would like to join the crew, please call Clare especially, taunts of 'psycho' and other House at 828-4035. epithets can be the first barrier to saving -Tamar and Martha Hennessy lives." --Clare House News -from Clare House News

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMER/KAN PAGE 3 Blue Moon Coffeehouse events

October 13-Anne O'MearaHeaton and Stuart Davis has grown into a sizable independent December 1-KarenSa voca andPeter Mulvey Davis artist while remaining unknown in the Our closingshow of the semester brings two We love presenting new musicians on the cutting mainstream music industry. But making well-loved artists of The Blue Moon edge and this special co-bill featuring Anne esoteric recordings is fitting for an artist whose Coffeehouse together in a co-bill Karen Savoca Heaton and Stuart Davis brings the best of this main inspiration comes from esoteric authors. and Peter Mulvey. Karen Savoca blurs the lines group to The Blue Moon. Anne O'Meara Hismusic has long been influenced by books between styles, bringing soul and funk accents to Heaton's love for her craft and for her audience such as the Tao Te Ching, Tibetan Book OfThe the pop I folk confessional song. Unique and is apparent in every stage gesture, every funny Dead, Cloud OfUnknowing, and a host of engaging, Karen Savoca has always known aside, and every stanza of every song. It is rare authors including Pierre Teilhard De Chardin, what she wanted to do. As a girl growing up in to see an artist entrance a room of listeners the Ken Wilber, and Jellaludin Rumi. Oh, and P.J. northernNew Jersey, she dreamed of being a way Heaton does. She magically brings the O'Rourke. While Stuart's fondness for upbeat singer ... "Hers is a voice that can move cold listener to another level. Heaton is a songs about sex, death, andCod may have stone." Her songs are"a blend of the personal classically trained pianist who dabbled as a Nashville keeping him at arm's length, it has and the universal," from haunting ballads to front woman vocalistin college rock bands. also brought him a passionate fan base, one slippery funk. While attending Syracuse Now as a performingsongwriter, Monica that is willing to put its money where it heart University she met guitarist Pete Heitzman Kendrick of the Chicago Reader calls Heaton is. To learn more about Stuart Davis, check out and found the partner she'd been looking for. "a hew age Ricki Jones."Lee According to Chris his website at: http://www.stuartdavis.com/ They perform with "the fearlessness of a high Smith, former writer for Performing wire act working without a net." Savoca's Songwriter, "Heaton is one of the finest writers October27-SONiA voice is an enchanting blend of whispered and performers I've come across in years; she is SONiARutstein disappear of fear returnsto melodies and edgy sass. Heitzman's a one of the standards by which I measure talent The Blue MoonCoffeehouse. Fans of this fiendishly good guitarist. They live in an old inthe New York community." Blue Moon dynamic artist are making plans to travel to renovated church in upstate New York where listeners will no doubt adopt similar standards IWU to catch this amazing singer-songwriter in they've recorded four critically acclaimed for new artists in the future. Long-time concert with the intensity that only she can records.. .Here We Go, Sunday in Nandua, On collaborator and guitarist Frank Marotta, Jr. deliver. An added treat, SONiAreturns the River Road and Walkin'the Bridge. comes in to support Anne in her Blue Moon touringin support of a new CD. SONiA writes Additional information about Karen Savoca is debut. To learnmore about Anne O'Meara with intensity and to-the-bone honesty while available from her Web site: Heaton, point your browser to: delivering her songs with both electric and http:// www.dreamscape.com/ alcove/ http://www.anneheaton.com acoustic guitars, a /1dylanesque" harmonica and a big voice that rocks a house. SONiA's It is with great pleasure to welcome Peter After eight albums and a decade of touring, writing draws from modern day subjects. She Mulvey back into the warm environs of The songwriter Stuart Davis is on the verge of delivers these songs with a powerful angst and Blue Moon Coffeehouse. His lastperfo rmance obscurity. The honey twenty-eight year old passion that moves people to dance, to smile or here found him in anoutdoor venue asthe May Danish stock has been carefully tailoring a to cry. Boston-based Rounder Recordshas temperatures steadily sank into the low 40s. 'strike it small' approach to match his unique released five disappear fear CDs, as well as Peter is a phenomenal performer, with huge pop sensibilities, and he's getting quite cozy in the critically acclaimed solo efforts, Almost energy, a quickfire, quirky take on life, an that crawlspace between the underground and Chocolate and Me, Too. This CD release show extraordinary guitar style (somewhere between the overboard. Having sold over fourteen is in support of SONiA's latest Live From the Leo Kottke's delicacy and Ani DiFranco's thousand CDs, most of them from the stage, Down Home! Fans acrossthe country respond to attack) ... a joy to see and hear. A truly talented SONiA's call to love out loud and to confront singer I songwriter, Mulvey is not riding the the difficult issues of our times-from the gravy train of Bob Dylan imitators ... [he] is at political struggle against censorship to those the forefront of the ranks of folk-rockers. His for human rights to the turmoil and triumph of dense lyrics, permeated with interesting the heart. Don't miss this opportunity to see images, writhe in monochromatic. melodies. and hear SONiA at TheBlueMoon What attracts Mulvey' s listeners is his Coffeehouse. SONiA's website is located at: unusual, bass-prominent tunings, coupled with a www.best.com/-joeo/soniasite/ funky, urban rhythm not usually associated with acoustic music. Ass the insightful lyrics November 10-Saffire: The UppityBlues that reveal the subtext of the situation-stories Women he writes about, and you have a mesmerizing The Blue Moon Coffeehouse welcomes The combination of elements. Peter Mulvey makes Uppity Blues Women back to the stage with modemrock and troubadour folk sound like their irresistible portions of sass and soul, natural bedfellows. Peter Mulvey's website is tradition and attitude, all in the name of the located at: http:/ /www.peterrnulvey.com/ blues. The vocals range from soulful to sexy, the lyrics are provocative and sly. Their blues have the wit and irony of the blues divas of yesteryear, with an updated twist. Saffire sails along a rockin' rollin' roadhouse-style, take no guff blues with the best and with enough verve to bolster their acoustic instruments. Moving with ease from standard blues to their own originals, The Uppity Blues Women can move an audience to tears from both laughter and sadness. The musicianship of this trio is genuine and studied. Their voices and instruments blend in harmonious precision. This ...$ I Monday Jagermeister is a band that hits the road and plays gigs from arenas to smoky lounges, always connecting •••5 25 Tuesday I Domestic Beer with the audience with their humor and seductive styling. The blues have never been Wednesday... $2 Long Island Ice Tea this fun, and we invite you to a special evening of entertainment at The Blue Moon with Hours:Monday -Thursday4 pm - I am Saffire: The Uppity Blues Women. Visit the Friday4 pm - 2 am •Saturday 8 pm - 2 am website to learn about Saffire: Sunday6 pm - I am http://www.uppityblueswomen.com/ l 16 N. Main �treet •Bloomington• ]09.829.2278

PAGE4 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2001 Local anti-rape activist wins award

presented numerous papers and workshops at On September 21, 2001, the Illinois Coalition -- ''Deborah was the person who trained us on national conferences. Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) presented providing an setting up our rape crisis center in Deborah Wiatt with a plaque at a ceremony . Springfield'." held in Springfield, commemorating her personal Individual testimony to Wiatt's contributions over 28 years contributions to the anti-rape movement. The --"As she did in Champaign." presentationincluded anecdotal recollectionsof Below are a few of the stories people told during ICASA member organizationsand the I CASA --"As she did in Peoria." staff. the awards ceremony in Springfield, on September 21, 2001: --"As she did in Chicago."

--''Deborah has always said that her goal was to Deborah Wiatt for 28 years has been a Rape -"Asshe did in Vandalia." Crisis Center (RCC) advocate, providing hot-line end rape in her lifetime--this has kept me 'working' through many difficult and information and supportive listening during the --"As she did in Charleston." problem-solving process for hundreds of local discouraging times. I want to be a part of her achieving this goal." victims, medical and legal advocacy for --"As she did in DeKalb." survivors and their families, training over 2,000 --''Deborah trained the women who started my RCC volunteers, rape-awareness educational --"And in Carbondale." presentations for dozens of local organizations center and made them understand that women of all rages, all races, of all religious affiliations, and classrooms each year, and training for --"And Rockford." medical and criminaljustice personnel. She has of alleducational backgrounds, are welcome and valuable to the anti-rape movement. That it been a tireless advocatefor rape law and reform --"And in Joliet." within our state. doesn't matter whether they are survivors or not, because all women know what it means to And so on ... Wiatt driving force behind reforming Illinois live with the threat of rape. This fundamental state legislation on sexual assault truth remains part of our training today."

Deborah has served on the RCC board for those --''Deborah has influenced our coalition's way of same 28 years and performed the daily conducting business. We make all decisions be organizational tasks necessary to sustain a social consensus and read her Process for Consensus New Angeles service agency. In her "free time," she has Decision-Making at the beginning of each through October 28 traveled to otherIllinois communities to assist coalition meeting." the people there with traininKand organizing A one time art-school laboratory for born and rape services, lobbied state legislators to adopt --''Deborah's vocabulary is an integral part of not bred Californians, Los Angeles is becoming a the Rape Shield Law, Rape Outcry Law, the only our history, but of how we continue to do destination for many young artists who might Rape Victims' Treatment Act, and helped rewrite what we do. Yearly, we have a retreat of all have at one time located to New York City. the sexual assault laws so as to encode gender member centers. At Deborah's insistence we call Interesting variations of West coast art continue neutral recognition for both assailants and it 'The Gathering," and we have named our to develop L.A.' s Venice, Chinatown, and Echo victims, criminalizing marital rape, expansion of conference room at our new offices the Park areas where burgeoning alternative and the definition regarding what constitutes sexual Gathering Room. With respect to Deborah and artist-run galleries are nourishing communities violence, and revising related statutes. our roots, we have named another room the of artists who have located there. ICWAR room."" Proof positivethat one person can make a New Angeles presents 22 artists beginning their difference --''Deborah has served as the heart and careers in L.A., including DwayneMoser's conscience of this coalition. She has continually photographs of movie stars' lackluster A state coalition of 29 rape crisiscenters has challenged member centers to be mindful of the mailboxes, Charles Irvin's disturbingly honored and thanked Deborah Wiatt for her fact that the anti-rape movement was and is humorous video of a baby playing with a phony unselfish work in the anti-rape movement. much more than a service provider--it is a social severed head, Mary Weatherford's dusky, have Those of us here in McLean County who change agent. " melancholic landscapes replete with worked with her, and benefited fromher California light and seashell accouterments, mentoring; had family or friends or even we --"I will always remember Deborah's pride in and RobertGunderman's kitschy but endearing ourselves who have received services through the McLean County Rape Crisis Center's Sculpey and colored pencil bird figurines. the Rape Crisis Center; all of us who can speak dedicated resolve to form as and remain "a out loud of the trauma of rape and our zero worker-controlled collective," operating with all Artists: Brian Barasch, Todd Brainard, tolerance for all forms of sexual violence; those volunteers. And I remember her patience at Samara Caughey, Tessa Chasteen, Robert of us who so appreciate that we have informed having to define again and again just what a Gunderman, Dave Deany, Jacques de Beaufort, and sensitive medical, law enforcement, and 'worker -controlled collective is'." Mari Eastman, Michelle Fierro, Katie Grinnan, criminal justice personnel, are sincerely grateful Micol Hebron, Evan Holloway, Charles Irvin, for Deborah Wiatt's efforts and dedication to her --"We are finally realizing Deborah's goal of Rob Keller, Robbie Kinberg, Daniel Mendel­ goal of making McLean County a rape-free zone establishing a Training and Technical Assistance Black, Maude Mink, Dwayne Moser, Joseph and ending sexual violence in her lifetime. Institute for Program Development in unserved Park, Dana Schutz, Pam Strugar, Phil Wagner, and underserved areas of the state." and Mary Weatherford. Curated by Bill Founding member of both local and statewide Conger. organizations crucial to combating rape culture University Galleries is located at 110 Center Deborah is one of the founding members of the for Visual Arts, on the Illinois State University Coalitionfor Rape Reform in Illinois, as well as a campus (off Beaufort between University and founding member of theIllinois Coalition of School streets). Parking is available in the Women Against Sexual Assault, which has parking garage off of University (located become the Illinois CoalitionAgainst Sexual behind the tennis courts). Assault. She has provided statewide trainings on crisis intervention, history of the anti-rape Saturday-Monday 12:00-4:00 movement, rape victims'services, feminist Tuesday 9:30-9:00 management, consensus decision-making, Wednesday-Friday 9:30-4:30 leadership development, volunteer . coordination, institutionaladvocacy, community organizing, coalition building, diversity, and multi-cultural appreciation. Deborah has also

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGES The immigration policy of "Bienvenidos Neighbors"

immigrants in the United States" is in itself a On Sunday, August 12, a group of Bloomington­ in Bloomington-Normal as the "invisible symbolic manifestation of a culture that Normal citizens organized an Informational Fair workers." We don't see them because they are recognizes that the nation was made and at the WesternA venue Community Center with cleaning buildings at night or washing dishes in continues to be made of successive immigration the purpose of reaching the Spanish-speaking restaurants" back kitchens. Her knowledge of waves. On the other hand, the history of population of the area, estimated in around abuses is first-hand. She can tell you of Mexican­ immigration legislation and policies shows the 3,800 people, including both legal residents and looking youth being stopped by the police for different ways in which the government has illegal workers. The group is called Bienvenidos having a rosary hanging from their rearview discriminated against immigrants, while Neighbors (Welcome Neighbors) and its goal is mirror and issued a ticket for driving with justifying its actions arguing that it was "to provide information that helps incorporate distracting objects. She knows of Hispanic necessary in order to protect the interests of the immigrants and non-native residents immigrants who do not use health and nation. successfully into the life of the local educational services because they are afraid that community." The group also wants to "educate something might happen to them if they show My preliminary assessment is that both and inform the community about the rights of their faces in public. immigrants, their value and gifts within the worldviews co-exist in the United States, but that the political system discriminates against community and on our responsibilities as their Thinking about the experiences of Kathy and immigrants. Thus, it is not completely strange neighbors whether it is as employers, teachers, Cristina I can see opportunity and beliefs that a pro-immigrant coalition was formed in health providers or friends." interacting in their motivation to organize. The Bloomington-Normal, but it must also be opportunity is the existence of Hispanic recognized that it is an initiative that goes One hundred people, approximately, attended immigrants experiencing alienation and against the current. If the political system does the Sunday event, among them: Mayor Judy discrimination. Their beliefs are based on the not reward pro-immigrant coalitions, we need to Markowitz and Representative Dan Brady. Also religious conviction that we all have a ask what motivates individuals to form and take present were representatives from District 87 responsibility to embrace the foreigner. and Unit 5 to help register children; the part in such coalitions. Bloomington Police Department to explain There is, however, another important element to Let's start with Mayor Judy Markowitz. In fact, safety issues and give advice on how to maintain highlight. The most enthusiastic group of the success of the coalition in bringing in your vehicle to avoid being stopped; the Health Bienvenidos Neighbors I believe were the representatives from several public and private Department and Community Health Care Clinic professionals working for public and private organizations is owed to the Mayor's support. to provide information on free or low cost service providers. These professionals offer What is Mayor Markowitz's motivation for physicals and immunization; and the services to low-income people and are having a participating in a pro-immigrant coalition? This Community Development Office to offer growing number of Hispanics coming to their is a question I have not yet asked directly. information on housing codes and offices for help. Their interest in participating in However, I don't think more votes is what landlord/ tenant issues. Around twenty local a pro-immigrant coalition is because they want motivates her. Hispanic immigrants are a . bilingual people also attended to offer their to do a better job. If Hispanics are going to be minority and many don't even vote. A colleague services as interpreters, if needed. Only a few of the people in need of their services, they want to suggested that maybe her motive was security: the people attending the event were actually learn about them to serve them better. Some encourage immigrants to come to the open in Spanish-speaking immigrants. Being able to service professional have even register for order to teach them "the rules of the game" and, reach the targeted population was a major Spanish lessons. concern that the event organizers made in the at the same time, keep an eye on them. Maybe, meetings at Bloomington City Hall. her motivation came from pressure exercise by people around her, especially by the two women Will Bienvenidos Neighbors achieve The first public events of Bienvenidos Neighbors who started the Bienvenidos Neighbors. its goals? were organized on April 17 and 18. On that occasion, a special invitation was made to Kathryn Luedke and Cristina Deutsch initiated There are two parts of this question that need to "community leaders, employers, health Bienvenidos Neighbors. Kathy Luedke works be addressed. First, in relation to the resident providers and social service providers." On for Eureka Co. and I have seen her a couple of community, the sustainability of the coalition April 17 they brought two speakers: Fred Tsao, times on TV offering religion classes. There are will largely depend on the support of Mayor from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and two motivating factors, I think, in her decision to Markowitz. She needs to be continuously Refugee Protection, to discuss Immigration start organizing the local community. The first involved. In order to keep her in the coalition, Rules and Regulations; and Lulu Blacksmith, factor is her religious background. I perceive she needs to realize that a pro-immigrant stance from Provena Medical Center in Aurora, to Kathy as a person who takes very seriously the is not going to hurt her chances for re-election. speak on Mandated Translation Services in Christian command of welcoming the stranger. This requires joining the national debate about Healthcare. On April 18 they showed American The second factor is her direct encounters with immigration.Can Mayor Markowitz make the Tongues at the Normal Theater, followed by a abuses committed against Spanish-speaking case that Bienvenidos Neighbors is not just good discussion led by Kathy Bly, ESL instructor from immigrants. One history she had direct for Bloomington-Normal but also good as a District 87. knowledge of was about a man stopped on 1-55 policy for the nation as a whole? and then arrested on an outstanding warrant In this article I would like to explore two issued in Californiafor another man with the The second part to this question needs to questions: What motivated the formation of a same name. Kathy was upset because the stop address the low turnout of Hispanic immigrants pro-immigrant local coalition in Bloomington - was not made on the basis of a traffic infraction to the events organized by Bienvenidos Normal? Will the coalition achieve its purpose? or vehicle problem, the man did not have Neighbors. So far, the coalition has not been adequate representation during the hearing, and successful in attracting the targeted population Why in Bloomington/Normal? no effort was made to contact his employer, of Hispanic immigrants. Maybe, as one even after he had showed police officers his pay colleague told me, the problem is that the The first question invites a reflection about the stubs. She also told me of stories she heard of residents really don't know much about uniqueness of the formation of a pro-immigrant local businesses who do not provide insurance Hispanics. 'They should have organized a coalition in Bloomington-Normal. One and health coverage to immigrant workers, or Kermesse, with games, food, and music, not an hypothesis is that pro-immigrant coalitions are sometimes even fire them without paying them informational fair," he said. This lack of not rare phenomena in the United States. On the their due wages. knowledge also reveals the weakness of an contrary, one should expect the formation of approach by which residents see themselves as such coalitions because, as the saying goes, "we Cristina Deutsch is Coordinator of the Western helping immigrants, but never really risking are all immigrants in the United States." A A venue Community Center's Hispanic being transformed by them. different hypothesis is that pro-immigrant Outreach. She and Kathy are old friends and coalitions are rareoccurrences because the their motivations for organizing the community --Carlos A. Parodi political system intrinsically discriminates are similar. Cristina is a Catholic born in Bolivia Associate Professor against immigrants and favors residents. with a strong sense of social justice. Her job as a Department of Politics and Government social worker has put her in direct contact with Illinois State University Investigating these hypotheses requires making Hispanic immigrants. In a panel at Illinois State an assessment of the national political context. University she described Hispanic immigrants Comment and suggestions are welcome. Please On the one hand, the popular saying "we are all write to: Carlos A. Parodi at [email protected]

PAGE 6 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 Hempstock or Bust!

A week after Hemps tock, neither Don Christen The 11th annual Hempstock festival sponsored Had not State Police and Sheriff's Deputies of nor Harry Brown had been charged with any by the Maine Vocals was held August 16-19 three Maine Counties been pinned down at crimes. Crook still threatens to take action. amidst State Police roadblocks, surveillance Harry Brown's farm in Starks, then back-up When contacted, Christen said that he was tired airplanes with infrared cameras, decibel meters could have been called in to prevent the "Let and disappointed; the attendance had been to measure "rock n' roll," and internal Cuba Live" people from getting needed down from the previous years' Hempstocks, and difficulties. But good vibes from Hempsters, medical supplies across the border. As Che as such, it was a financial setback for Maine great music from local and national bands, Guevara taught, "The Revolution must be Vocals. "It just goes to show, if they can't get you warm sunny days and cool pleasant evenings fought on many front." As Maine goes, so goes with the handcuffs, they'll get you at the bank." made Hempstock XI the best ever. the nation. But Don Christen and the Maine Vocals will Jada, 22 year old co-owner of Cosmic Charlies, a The Maine Vocals, founded by Hempstock forge on despite Crook's vow to shut down head shop in Maine's Ca:i.;ital, Augusta, said it organizer Don Christen, holds three major Hemps tock. Harvest Fest, where the annual best, "God bless the freaks for making festivals each year to promote legalization of "Size, Smell and Taste" contest is held, will take Hempstock XI a success." She was referring to marijuana and hemp: Freedomfest in July, place on October 5 - 7 at Harry Brown's the hundreds of people who dared State Police Hempstock in August and Harvest Fest farm in Starks, Maine. FMI, go web site roadblocks and harassment by Kennebec­ in late September. In 1995, State Police mainevocals.org. Somerset District Attorney, David Crook, a conducted massive roadblocks with search and former New York City cop. seizure outside Hempstock. That year, hundreds --Roger Leisner were arrested due to motor vehicle violations, Often labeled a "carpetbagger" by local OUI and other misdemeanors and minor Democratic Party activists, and accused of being felonies. This year, only a dozen or so were soft on white-collar crime, Crook has made arrested. harassment of the Maine Vocals and Don Christen his number one priority. His last Most Hempsters were not aware of what the attempt to nail Christen ended in a not guilty police were doing except for announcements verdict by a jury (see High Times issue # ????). from the stage. Coming in on Wednesday night However, on Hempstock o:peningday, or Thursday, there were no roadblocks. But Thursday, Don Christen announced to because of threats issued by Crook via his "Drug '-Iempsters that he and Harry Brown had been War" ally, the established Maine media, many •rved with a search warrant, and State Police Hempsters did not show up with "major buds." .iay be entering the festival grounds. Christen With the growing season still in progress requested that Hempsters respect the State in Maine, there was no "Maine home grown" Police and treat them with kindness. Christen available for photos. also asked Hempsters to get up and move around the next day when State Police would Some internalprob lems came forth this year. be flying overhead and filming with an infrared Some Hempsters talked about how some camera. Hempstock Security personnel were starting to act like bad cops and ignoreserious problems. Not having any other grounds to go after One woman reported a sexual assault at the Christen on, Crook was relying upon a count of Hempstock campground on Saturday night; by Hempstock attendees and decibel levels to Monday two men were being held by local charge Christen and Harry Brown with being police for questioning. Long time Hempsters over the permitted number of people; the town complained of teen-age males and their of Starks issued a permit allowing only 750 behavior. Some people are suggesting that people, and disturbing the peace. Maine Vocals events be adult only.

On late Saturday afternoon, eight State The music made the whole weekend worth it. Policemen entered the grounds and went as far Starting with Inner Peace's lead singer declaring as the top of the hill. Accompanied by a that she was "sweatin' like a whore in church," videographer, they were treated with respect to the fired up "garage rock" of Central Maine's WYRED, to the smooth, ectasy ridden sound of and left after about 15 miles. It was plain to see Perpetual Motion Machine with the vibrant horn that the State Police would rather be somewhere of internationaljazz great Don Stratton, to the else and considered the whole exercise to be performance art rock of FUNL, to the Pink ridiculous. One officer said, 'Tm too old to be Floyd/Frank Zappa fusion of Psycodelic wasting my time on personal vendettas," Breakfast, to the danceable, funky reggae referring to Crook's persecution of Christen. sounds of Portland based Stream to the hard, drivin' southernrock of the SouthernRock All­ Ironically, at the same time on Saturday Stars, to Hempstock's long time house band afternoon, about 80 Maine "Let Cuba Live" Between the Lines. activists were demonstrating at Coburn Gore, a border crossing between Maine and Speakers from Harry Brown to Marijuana Barbie Quebec/Canada. A month earlier, American to David C.J. Bunn urged Hempsters to stand up border officials had confiscated medical supplies for their rights. Dana Beal of the Million bound for Cuba via Canada. This time, Steve Marijuana March organization spoke about the Burke urged his "companeros" to "walk," and recent march in London and the Bobbies more than two dozen Border Patrol and State announcing a moratorium on pot busts. Bunn of Police were overpowered by Mainers hauling the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition computers, a hospital gurney, crutches and talked about the medical uses of Marijuana. other medical supplies, who then walked to the Throughout the four day festival, Don Christen border and quickly handed the supplies to their kept Hempsters informed on what the police Canadian "companeros." According to U.S. were up to, where the roadblocks were being set Customs, 25 boxes were detained and 87 will up and what to do if the police came on the make their way to Cuba. grounds.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGE7 ··ic

Bloomington-Normal welcomes you, but only if you're straight

Being a homosexual in Bloomington-Normal can Admit it--you love us already be frustrating as well as easy. Human Rights The people of Bloomington-Normal are good Bloomington-Normal can be a generous, people at heart. They come together in times of understanding community, as evident by its Ordinance passed crisis and need and help others without generous donations following the September 11 The article that was going to be in place of this hesitation. Yet, for all of their warmth, their tragedy in New York and Washington. Its one was something had some information in it blindness, and resistance to homosexuality keeps support and capacity for understanding exceeds about a meeting on October 18 to discuss Bloomington Normal a difficult place for many cities' much larger and diverse. Normal's Human Rights Ordinance and local homosexuals to feel welcomed and embraced. efforts to add sexual orientation to the wording. All across Bloomington-Normal, a person can see We at the Post Amerikan decided to pull it --Your gay neighbor, co-worker, and casual the signs that say "Racism--Not in Our Town." because Monday, October 1, the Normal City acquaintance Yet, the subject of homosexuality is brushed Council, with a vote of 5-2, passed the aside and talked about only in dark corners. ordinance. In the town of Normal, the new Almost everyone on Bloomington-Normal is Human Relations Ordinance not only includes friends with or knows someone who is Oct. 11 is National Coming Out Day race, color, religion, sex, marital status, homosexual, whether they know it or not. Every year on this day, the Human Rights ancestry, national origin, age, disability and Campaign Foundation sponsors hundreds of matriculation, but it now includes sexual B-N says ''Not in Our Town" to racism, but gay and lesbian public education events, which orientation as well. Hooray for Normal! homophobia's still okay thousands of high school and college students participate in. One of the purposes of the wording of the In fact, most everyone in Bloomington that have revised ordinance is so that people won't be homosexual friends are in strong support of Isn't it time you join us by coming out to your discriminated against based on sexual homosexual equality, which basically means a family and friends? Or, if you've already come orientation in housing or employment. The person cannot be discriminated against, based on out, isn't it time you help others by starting a ordinance defines sexual orientation as "the her or his homosexual orientation. Yet there are gay-lesbian student organization? Organizing a perceived state of heterosexuality, those people in this town who choose to be gay-lesbian awareness day? Or joining the homosexuality, or bisexuality." against homosexual equality. Those hypocrites Human Rights Campaign. who claim to be open minded about racism and This is a great step for the town of Normal. Freedom of Speech are the same people who Groups like the Advocacy Council have been stand up and say "No" to homosexual equality. In addition to National Coming Out Day, HRC fighting to get this ordinance passed for a long sponsors the National Coming Out Project, an time. A similar attempt failed in 1996, but Coming out, when a person openly begins telling ongoing project to promote honesty and with the help of the American Civil Liberties people about her or his sexual orientation, can be openness about being lesbian, gay or bisexual on Union and Equality Illinois, they made a very scary and sometimes painful process. When campus, in the workplace and at home. Its difference in Normal. a person comes out, s/ he needs to feel secure and public education and outreach programs, such comfortable. Bloomington-Normal, for all of its as Coming Out on Campus, open a dialogue Now that Normal has made this great step support of and generosity to strangers, is with gay and straight Americans and urge gay, toward equality and the true meaning of human unwilling to open its arms to those people who lesbian and bisexual people to come out and get rights, perhaps it's time (or past time) for are part of the community. Many people cite involved. Bloomington to do the same. religious or personal reasons for their opposition, but in truth, these people are scared For more information, contact the Human Rights Virtually the same idea of human rights based by what they do not understand. Many of the Campaign's National Coming Out Projectat 1- on sexual orientation has gone before people who oppose homosexual equality believe 800-866-6263. Bloomington's politicians before, and they the myths and stereotypes that typically turnedit down. But now, since Normal passed follow the homosexual lifestyle. They choose to the Human Rights Ordinance, perhaps that can remain ignorant about the truth that influenceBloomington's politicians a little. homosexuals are ordinary people leading After all, this is supposed to be a "Not in Our ordinary lives. Town" town, right? Shouldn't that include not only racism, but every violation of human rights from sexism to ageism?

If you want to make a difference in Bloomington, call or write your alderman or write Judy Markowitz, the may<_?r of Bloomington. Every little bit helps.

--David Hall

PAGES POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2001 A message from Elizabeth Birch Falwell/Robertson 0 Some of the most difficultand important statements acts of decisions in the lives of gay, lesbian or bisexual people surround "coming out" 6 that is, deciding "domestic terrorism" to be honest and open about our sexual orientation. The fact that you are holding this The Church Council of St. Luke Union Church, booklet is a sign that you may be questioning 2101 East Washington, Bloomington, condemned your sexual orientation or you know someone the statements of the Rev. Jerry Falwell and who is doing so. This booklet aims to answer Pat Robertson at their regularly scheduled some of those questions and refer you to other meetingon September 18, 2001. Expressing helpful resources. anger and dismay the Council decried the statement as an example of "domestic Gay people are everywhere, and every day, terrorism," intended to cause division and more of us are deciding to live honestly. This is hatred in the country. One member commented, critically important to our community because "This is the same tactic used by the terrorists to the only way we will stop the discrimination we disrupt the country. These clerics stir up face is to reveal our true selves to our friends, prejudices and biases and let their followers do our families and our neighbors. National polls the dirty work of murder and destruction." I.:t have shown that people who know someone his statement Falwell blamed the ACLU, who is lesbian or gay are far more likely to abortion providers, gay rights proponents and support equal rights for allgay people. So in the federal courts that banned school prayer for effect, coming out may be one small step for a the attack on the World Trade Center and gay man or lesbian but it contributes to the giant Pentagon. "These people have so weakened the leap we are making for allgay people, today and US spirituality that God has lifted his hand of in the future. protection on our great nation."

Ifyou arethinking hard about whether and how "We've got to do whatever we can to provide you should come out, you're probably the alternative perspective. This is not how wondering, "What is this going to do to my life? Christ would have us respond to this tragedy. Will my family accept me, will my friends still We need to embrace all of our brothers and like me? How do I know if this is the right thing sisters regardless of political persuasion and to do?" These are all valid questions and you are orientation," another Council member reflected. not the first person 6 nor will you be the last 6 to St. Luke Union Church is a union church of the struggle with them. But it's my fervent hope that Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United just as the earliest gay activists paved the way Church of Christ and has committed itself to for me, today's lesbian, gay and bisexual leaders social justice and inclusion. Council President are helping to make life easier for you. Dottie Metcalf stated, 11All are welcome to Christ's table." We must stop this intolerance! Let me assure you that while being an openly lesbian, gay or bisexual person in this society -from Rainbow Connection newsletter isn't easy, it is so much more gratifying than being in the closet. Lying and hiding, worrying that someone will discoveryour secret, consumes a lot of personal energy and detracts from the quality of a person's life. No one should 4b9'E. Grove St., .Bloomington be denied the opportunity to thrive and flourish as a full human being because his or her sexual home: 829.. 631 8 orientation is different from that of the majority. hom- o·ph.o - bi-a work: 217-244.02070 Our community has come a long way in the e-mail: ka rens@uiuc;edu decades since the rebellion at the Stonewall Inn (ham'd to'be d) Zl· -which began the modern gay rights movement insec�rity abcut --but it still has a long way to go. And this Representing citizens' booklet can't give you all the answers about the being \\t.+trose)llJQt coming out process but it will give you some. And then it will point you toward other ideas, inte:trests, i�su.eS; & resources that canhelp you as you grapple with the life-altering and potep.tiallylife-enhancing decisionto come out.

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 9 National Coming Out Day: To

Introduction Being attracted to someone of the same sex can with someone of the same sex. That's why we're your sexual orientation.Coming out is a maJor be frightening 6 so frightening that you may shocked when it happens. life decisionand as with reaching any other deny your feelings, or th row yourself info dating personal milestone, you might seek professional the opposite sex, just to prove you are not gay or Unless there's someone gay in your family, you help through the process. Just remember: The lesbian. probably never considered the possibility that anxiety you are feeling is probably the result of you yourself might be lesbian or gay. Moreover, family or social prejudice against homosexuality, But then the feelings come up again. You try to you probably have heard many negative not homosexuality itself. put them out of your mind but you can't. stereotypes of gay and lesbian people 6 but most Finally, you stop resisting, and in that instant, of these are based on erroneous or inadequate Being Gay or Lesbian is Natural your world changes. You discover that being information; what you need are the facts. You've probably heard people say that men are with someone of the same sex feels better than "meant" to be with women, and women with being with the opposite sex ever did. But what The Facts About Homosexuality men, that being gay or lesbian goes against will this mean for the rest of your life? No one knows how many people are gay, nature and morality. But if homosexuality were lesbian or bisexual. The best estimates we unnatural, why would it occur, generation after Certainly, life is more challenging if you are gay currently have indicate that between 3 percent generation, despite strong societal prohibitions? or lesbian. It requires that you develop the and 6 percent of the population is gay. However, The fact is same-sex love has occurred courage to honor your own experience of love even the most reputable estimatesare colored by throughout history, in every nation and culture above anyone else's judgments about it. But you the fact that many people are afraid or unwilling on Earth. It is a natural variation among can do it. Millions of people have, and many say to be identified as gay or lesbian, even in an humans, and if you look hard enough, you'll it was the best thing they ever did. anonymous survey. So the true number is probably also discover that it has occurred probably even higher. But whatever the number, somewhere in your family's history. When In creating this publication, we have talked to the facts are the same: people say homosexuality is unnatural, they some prominent gay men and lesbians about mean it is against their preconceived idea of their experiences of coming to terms with their Homosexuality is Not a Choice; what is natural. sexual orientation, and coming out to others. Homosexuality Chooses You Among them: U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, Some people say that homosexuality is a choice Being Gay or Lesbian is Not a actor Wilson Cruz, and Essence magazine to discourage you from being in a gay or lesbian "Lifestyle," It's a Life Executive Editor Linda Villarosa. We hope you relationship. But think about it for a minute: Did It's sometimes said that gay and lesbian people find what they say helpful. you choose to have feelings of same-sex live a gay "lifestyle," a word chosen to trivialize attraction? Why would you? The fact is: us and to imply that all gay men and lesbians How Do You Know? Homosexuality is not a choice any more than subscribe to the same values, characteristics and There is no one way people realize that they are being left-handed or having blue eyes or being dreams. The fact is we're not all the same any attracted to the same sex. Some always know it. heterosexual is a choice. It's an orientation, a more than heterosexuals are. Some of us have Some learnit at puberty. Some figure it out it in part of who you are. The choice is in deciding one lifelong relationship, some have many. college. Some recognize it only after getting how to live your life. Some wear distinctive clothing, some do not. married to someone of the opposite sex. But Some are liberal, some are conservative. Some whenever the feelings come up, almost everyone Gay People Are Mentally Healthy are affluent, others are poor. The only thing we wonders: How do I know if I'm really gay, In the 1970s, the American Psychological all have in common is that we love people of the lesbian or bisexual? Association and American Psychiatric same sex. Association revised their positions on On the one hand, it's very simple: If your homosexuality. Both determined that Gay Men and Lesbians Constitute strongest emotional and sexual attractions are to homosexuality is not a mental disorder. people of the same sex, you're gay or lesbian. If Families Nonetheless, some people might try to tell you Some people talk as if there are two optionsin they're equally strong to the same and the that you are sick and that you need professional opposite sex, you're bisexual. life: You can marrysomeone of the opposite sex help to "change." There is no scientifically valid and become a family or you can be gay or evidence that people can change their sexual lesbian and be excluded from the definition of On the other hand, sexual orientation is orientations, although some people do repress it. confusing because most of us were raised to family. This is patently untrue and is a position But because being gay is not a disorder, there is perpetuated by religious political extremists think of ourselves as heterosexual. Our parents, really no reason to try change yourself. teachers and our culture told us that some day, who have a stake in portraying gay people as But it's OK to seek help in dealing with the outside the mainstream. The fact is that lesbian we'd meet someone of the opposite sex and get confusing feelings you might be having about . . as married. No one ever said we might fall in love . or gay male couples are much family as heterosexual couples. And if you dream about having children, you can do so if you're gay or lesbian. Many gay and lesbian couples have children through adoption, artificial insemination or previous relationships. Plus, all the scientific evidence to date shows the children of gay couples are just as likely to grow up happy and well-adjusted as the children of heterosexual relationships.

Some of the Most Talented People Are or Were Gay or Lesbian If anyone ever suggests that your life won't add we specialize in up to anything if you're gay, remind them that: GM diesel repair Plato was a lover of men. So were Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Bayard Rustin, a leader complete automotive of the black civil rights movement, was gay. So and truck service were Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Marcel Proust and James Baldwin. Shakespeare wrote about a foreign and domestic man's love for a man. Poet Emily Dickinson wrote about her love for a woman.

PAGE 10 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 yourself, to others & more

or While it took time, Linda says her family finally More recently, musicians k.d. lang and Melissa triend, a relative a teacher. Tell thatperson let go of thefantasy of the person she was and Etheridge, and actressesEllen DeGeneres and you have questions about your sexual came to accept the real LindaVillarosa. Amanda Bearsehave come out as lesbian; and orientation, or you're trying to come to terms actors Wilson Cruz and Mitchell Anderson, with your sexual orientation, and you'd like to The worst did happen to actor Wilson Cruz: His record producer David Geffen, Olympic talk. Say you've come to them becauseyou trust father threw him out. swimmer Greg Louganis and Olympic skater them. Rudy Galindo, and U.S. Rep. Barney Frank have come out as gay. If you don't already know someone like this, consider talking to a school counselor, a therapist, or a member of a gay and lesbian "I lived in my car for three months," Cruz recalls. Coming Out student group. Gay-straight alliances exist in For a year, he and his father barely talked. Then Coming out means identifying yourself as gay, many high schools and colleges. There are one night, My So Called Life aired an episod� in lesbian or bisexual. The first and toughest support groups at most gay and lesbian which Cruz's character was thrown out of his person you have to reveal this to is yourself. community centers. Many communities have house for being gay. Cruz's father was watching. Then you can deal with friends and family. For lesbian and gay switchboards. You mil!ht sePk many people, the coming out process is difficult. out nearby churches or synagogues that minister "He called me up after that, and it was very But most people come out because, sooner or primarily to lesbians and gay men. And there moving. He saw what I went through on an later, they can't stand hiding who they are any are many gay youth and coming out sites on the emotional and a physical level, and started to more. Once they'vecome out, most people have World Wide Web, including the Human Rights see what he'd done wrong. Now, I wouldn't say to admit: It feels much better to be open and Campaign's National Coming Out site, which it's a complete transformation but he's definitely honest than to lie and hide. you can access through http:/ I www .hrc.org. a lot more accepting of me. We talk all the time, (See Additional Resources for more details.) better than before I came out." MelissaEtheridge, singer: [People] think they'll lose everything if they come out. This did not While Wilson's experience was more dramatic happen to me at all. In fact, everything came than most, it shows that even people who react back tenfold. Testing the Waters negatively at first can come around in time. It You can get a sense of how accepting your may not be easy for you to give themthis time. Ellen DeGeneres, actress: For me, [coming out] run, friendsand family are by the things they say, or But don't be discouraged. In thelong hasbeen the most freeing experience because don't say, when the subject homosexuality nothing helps as much as patience. people can't hurt me anymore. of comes up in conversation. You might try to bring it up yourself by talking about gay issues Andrew Sullivan, writer: ... to me, it was like in the news - such as the Ellen TV show, or the Spirituality and Coming Out being in a black-and-whlte movie that suddenly debates over equal rights in the workplace for Many people find strength and support from converted to color. lesbians and gays. Ifyour friends' or your their faith as they struggle to come out as gay, family's reactions are positive, chances are lesbian or bisexual. At first, this might sound Coming Out to Yourself they'll be more accepting of you. But keep in like a contradiction, since so many organized "Growing up, I feltthere was something about mind that it's easier for most people to accept religions teach that homosexuality is wrong or me that truly setme apartfrqm other kids. But I gay men and lesbians in the abstract; it's a bit immoral. But most religions also teach that God didn't have a grasp on what it was," says different when it's "my son"or "my daughter"or is merciful. Youth activist Jamie Nabozny was Candace Gingrich, a spokeswoman for the even "my best friend." raised Pentecostal and hoped to become a Human Rights Campaign and half-sister of minister someday. But he was gay and thought House Speaker Newt Gingrich." Telling Friends the only worse thing he could be was Satan When you're ready to come out to your friends, himself. Sohe tried to put his same-sex "I had a few fleeting crushes on girlsand, then, a you may be lucky enough to have some gay or attractions aside until, one day, he had a talk full-blown crush. Inside, they felt right and lesbian friends to help you. But heterosexual with God. normal. But at the same time, I didn't have any friends can also be staunch supporters. Choose way to process those feelings because I didn't carefully as you reveal this fundamental part of know any gay people or know that I knew them. "I walked as far as I could into a big field. I was yourself. Many gay people find that the friends I felt that I would risk something if I expressed crying, praying and hollering at God. I said, I've they thought would be most judgmental were my feelings." read the Bible, I've prayed, I go to church three the first to drop them, while those who seemed times a week. Every time I have a homosexual unlikely allies offered the strongest support. Candace started playing on a rugby team, and thought, I rebuke it in the name of God and yet Along the way, you might lose a few people , for the first time saw women being openly still I'm gay. Either you're not there, or you don t whom you thought were friends. But you1l learn affectionate to each other. "It was like being give a damn that I'm gay. It took me a li�le many valuable lessons about what the word . dropped into what was originally a foreign while but then I realized God was OK with it. "friendship"means. country but, once there, I realized it was my The God I really believed in was not a God that hated or condemned people." country of origin. I thought, Wow, the feelings Actor Wilson Cruz, who played Ricky on TV's I've been having are normal. It is OK to be who I My So-Called Life, says he was fortunate. 'There am." This is an experience many people go through. was a group of us who had been friends since Faced with a conflict between their religion and junior high school. I think we all knew everyone Coming out to yourself means recognizing and their feelings, many people come to realize that else was gay but we never said anything to each accepting that you're primarily attracted to the the God they truly believe in could never other. . same sex. But how do you get from recognition condemn people for loving. Some peorle, hk� to acceptance? It helps to talk to someone. But writerand lecturer Brian McNaught, fmd their 'Then, in the beginning of our senior year, we all who? And what should you say? spirituality even helps them come out. started to come out to each other. I came out first, and they were relieved that I told them and '1 found strength in Christ's messageabout Coming Out to Others then they were relieved to tell me. It was very being true to yourself, " says McN aught, "in Some people come out when someone asks them cool because by the end of the year, we had an loving yourself, being willing to suffer fo the if they're gay or lesbian. Others make a point of � incredible support group and didn't care what sake of what you know is right, and trusting that pulling people aside and saying, 'There's anyone else thought." a power greater than myself loved me just the something I have to tell you." way I was." "She said, This isn't really who you are. This is a If you choose the latter op tion, ask yourself: phase. You can change. You can go to therapy. "Who is the most open-minded and caring person I know who is also the least likely to be "But I said, No, thisis who I am, and I'm happy." cont shocked, threatened or put off?" This might be a

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 11 Additional resources

The Human Rights Campaign _ 919 18th Street, NW, Suite 800 B If You Already elong To One Washington, DC 20006 Religious Organizations Minority Group ... 202-628-4160 Emergence International "I was taught from early on that Latinos and National Coming Out Project e-mail [email protected] people of color are looked down on," says 1-800-866-6263 PO Box 6061-423 Wilson Cruz, who is Puerto Rican. 'Then to be http:/ /www.hrc.org Sherman Oaks CA 91413 homosexual on top of that is one more thing people can look down on us for." The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force InterfaithWorking Group 2320 17th St., N.W. P.O. Box 1170 Cruz, who played a gay character on My So­ Washington, DC 20009 Philadelphia, PA 19101 Called Life, felt it especially because his Latino 202-332-6483 215-235-3050 http:/ /www.ngltf.org heritage strongly rejects homosexuality. 'There http:/ I www.iwgonline.org / are certain expectations of what a man is supposed to be, and when you don't fitinto Parents, F arnilies and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Dignity /USA (National Office) those molds, you're seen as less than worthy of 1176 "M" St., N.W., Suite 400 1500 Massachusetts Ave., #N.W. your race. Washington, DC 20036 Washington, DC 20005 202-467-8180 202-861-0017 "But I've learnedthere are certainexpectations http:/ I www .pflag.org 800-877-8797 you will never live up to, and you have to get to http: I I www .dignityusa.org the point where that's OK. What's helped me is Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund remembering that I'm only here to be as honest 120 Wall St, Suite 1500 Affirmation: United Methodist for Lesbian, Gay and open as I can be in the life that's been given New York, NY 10005 and Bisexual Concerns me. I also expect that anyone who is going to be 212-809-8585 Evanston, IL 602 in my life is going to have to love and http:/ /www.lambdalegal.org 847-733-9590 understand that." [email protected] National AIDS Hotline http: I I www.concentric.net/ Umaffirm/ As an African-American lesbian, Linda Villarosa 1-800-342-AIDS went through a similar learning experience. 1-800-344-7432 (Spanish) World Congress of Gay and Lesbian Jewish Confused and not sure about her sexual 1-800-243-7889 (T.T.D.) Organizations orientation, she did not explore her feelings http:/ I www.ashastd.org/ nah/ P. O. Box 233 because she was trying to fit into a white Washington, DC 20026-3379 neighborhood and didn't want to do anything National Black Lesbian & Gay Leadership Forum http:/ /www.wcgljo.org others could think of as wrong. 1436 U St., N.W., Suite 200 Washington, DC 20009 The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Finally, in college, "I came out because I couldn't 202-483-6786 Baptists stand not being myself any more." But then she P.O. Box 2596 went to work at Essence magazine and was National Latino/ a Lesbian & Gay Organization (LLEG") Attleboro Falls, MA 02763-0894 again afraid to come out. "I think what happens 1612 K St., NW Suite 5 508-226-1945 when you're black is you feel your community is Washington, DC 20006 WAB [email protected] an oasis against some of the white racist people 202-466-8240 http: I I members.aol.com/ wabaptists/ index.htm you know, and you become really afraid you're http://www.LLEGO.org l going to lose that." BiNET USA P.O. Box 732 The United Methodist Church But, once again, she found she couldn't stand Langley Park, MD 20787 The Reconciling Congregation Program hiding any more, and she took the chance: "My 202-986-7186 3801 N. Keeler Ave. boss and I were in her car coming back from a http:/ /www.binetusa.org / Chicago, IL 60641 weekend editorial retreat, and she was saying 773-736-5526 something about fixing me up with her brother­ National Center for Lesbian Rights http:/ /www.rcp.org in-law. And I just blurted out, I'm a lesbian. She 870 Market St., Suite 57 was embarrassed about the brother-in-law and San Francisco, CA 94107 Interweave: Unitarian Universalists for Lesbian, very kind . And that Monday, I came out to just 415-392-6257 Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns about everybody else at work, and everyone was http: I I www .nclrights.org 25 Beacon St. fine." Boston, MA 02108 CDC National Prevention Information Network 617-742-2100 A year later, she came out to seven million http:/ /www.cdcnpin.org/ http:/ I www.qrd.org/ qrd / orgs/ UUA/ interwea readers in a widely acclaimed Essence article she ve.txt wrote with her mother and was later promoted National Associationof People With AIDS to executive editor of the magazine. Villarosa 1413 K St., N.W., 7th Fl. Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan now writes for The New York Times. Washington, DC 20005 Community Churches 202-898-0414 8704 SantaMonica Blvd., 2nd Fl. http://www.napwa.org West Hollywood, CA 90069 310-360-8640 National Minority AIDS Council http:/ /www.ufmcc.com 1931 13th St., N.W. Washington, DC 20009 Books 202-483-6622 http:/ /www.nmac.org / Beyond Acceptance Griffin, Carolyn Welch and MarianJ. Wirth & More Online Resources: Arthur G. Wirth, Out Proud, The NationalCoalitionfor Gay, St. Martin's Press. Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth: http: I I www.outpro ud.org BI Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out Hutchins, Loraine, ed., andLani Kaahumanu, Youth Resource Alyson Press http:/ /www.youthresource.com Homosexuality: The Secret a Child Dare Not Tell Kaufan, Gershen & Raphael, Lev, Doubleday. cont PAGE 12 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 Inmate tells about violation of 18th Amendment at Indiana prison

I hope this finds you spiritually, mentally and open the windows. When other men physically well. complained and filed grievances, they were threatened with additional sanctions and some Transgender Warriors: A History of Resistance were persecuted by property shakedowns and from Joan of ARC to Rupaul I arrived at this facility 7-2-01. After 15 years intimidations. When word reached family Dennis. Feinberg, Leslie, behind the walls at Pendleton where I had members and they called to inquire what was Beacon Press. established many friends inside and out, had a goodjob and conduct record,the Indiana happening, the administration told them the Department of Correction (1.0.D.C.) in its whole story was a fabrication. Homosexuality: The Secret a Child Dare Not Tell infinite wisdom, uprooted me and sent me to the . Cantwell, Mary Ann, worst facility in the state. On August 9, 2001, l.D.O.C. investigators came Rafael Press. to this facility in response to the many Change is often difficult, but I'm not by nature a complaints filed. Prior to their entering the Now That I'm out What Do I Do complainer, however this place is in a class all dorm, the men were let off bed restriction and Thoughts on Living Deliberately. McNaught, its own! the windows finally opened. However, in Brian, retaliation for complaining to the authorities St. Martin's Press. For instance, and for the record: about the 18th Amendment rights violation which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, Now That You Know: What Every Parent Putnam Correctional Facility: once investigators left the men in cubical 1, Should Know About Homosexuality On August 2, 2001, following the installation of building 17 south were again placed on Fairchild, Betty and Nancy Hayward, new window screens, a small hole was indefinite bed restriction. HBJ. discovered in one screen in the southwest corner of a 120-man dormitory. In punitive retaliation The State of Indiana files criminal charges One More River to Cross: Black and Gay in the 15 men in that section of the dorm were against its citizenry for failing to provide America ordered dosed. adequate ventilation for children and pets. Boykin, Keith, How can Indiana Department of Correction Anchor Books. The punishment remained in place throughout employees at Putnamville Correction Facility the following week despite the fact that one of disregard state and federal laws by depriving Outstanding Lives: Profiles of Lesbians & Gay the screen installers admitted making the hole prisoners of ventilation on sweltering summer Men during installation, and despite the fact that it days, revert to medieval torture by subjecting Brelin, Christa & Michael J. Tyrkus, eds., was the hottest week of the summer, with heat men to sweat-box conditions, and no one is held Visible InkPress index warnings over 100 degrees being broadcast accountable? over TV and radio. Passages of Pride: True Stories of Lesbian & Gay An investigation should be held into the Teenagers Some men became ill and required medical conditions at Putnamville, and criminal Chandler, Kurt, treatment. Still, the administration refused to charges filed against those in charge. Alyson Press. --Marvin H.

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OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 13 .·�.-. ' �

An eye for an eye leaves the whole

Show an affirming flame Times of great national crisis bring us Gas station owners alone cannot bear the blame. others, like me, think they must be unthinking, immediately to two things: poetry and Americans express their initial fears--over jingoistic, flag-waving cretins, rather than the quotations. As Billy Collins, the U.S. poet impending blizzards, Y2K, or terrorism-by proud, anguished, but reflective American laureate noted on NPR's "Fresh Air", last night: hoarding. Some of my students sai9, that citizens they are? "We turnto poetry, the 'poor little match girl', grocery stores in their communities were packed the 'neglected' art-not the novel. We don't say the night of September 11, though I didn't notice "For evil to triumph, men of good will need only 'let's go to a movie; that'll make us feel better.' much business that evening at the local Jewel on do nothing. " We turnto poetry." To that I would add we Oakland, when I stopped in for a quart of milk --Edmund Burke turn to poetry first, as an emotional, almost and a can of Iams' cat food. Another young visceral response, for comfort, for solace, for woman said that when she went to CEFCU on During all the pre-September 12th homage to the perhaps the most civilized of human impulses. the 12•h, that some older people were trying to WWII generation-the thoughtful HBO series Quotations come later, as we contemplate and withdraw all their money, convinced the "Band of Brothers" and the embarrassing movie reflect further. government would appropriate their funds "Pearl Harbor," the dedication of the long­ wholesale for the war effort. delayed WWII National Monument-we have I hadn't thought about it quite like that before, honored the survivors of what Tom Brokaw but he's right. On September 11, during NPR's We cannot smirk too much. Those panicked calls "the Greatest Generation" for their special coverage, commentators and anchors CEFCU customers are the generation of the sacrifice. As well we should. Yet we should kept reading from W.H. Auden's "September 1, Great Depression, though perhaps only children also recall the shame of our racially segregated 1939," written in response to the Nazi invasion in the 1930's, when $5 a week was a good salary, forces, and concentration camps, like Mazanar, of Poland: and a nickel bought a loaf of bread. Then came where Japanese -American citizens, as well as­ WWII, with ration books and leg make-up, law-abiding, legally resident Japanese aliens I sit in one of the dives because closely rationed silk stockings had to be found themselves in the aftermath of Pearl On fifty-second Street preserved for all but the most special occasions. Harbor. Uncertain and afraid In the days before nylon, silk had to be reserved As the clever hopes expire for parachutes. For fifteen years, their parents Their civil rights were abrogated, their property Of a low dishonest decade; taught them to make over and make do, and and businesses forfeited, their sons offered the Waves of anger and fear never, but never throw anything out that might "opportunity" to join the armed forces so as to Circulate over the bright prove useful later. Quite a contrast to our "low "redeem" themselves and their families for And darkened lands of the earth, dishonest decade's" disposable cameras and being guilty of "looking like the enemy." Very Obsessing our private lives; contact lenses. Oh, don't get me started on that likely, since no one so incarcerated could be The unmentionable odour of death one! proved disloyal, much less a spy, just confirmed Offends the September night. too many people's suspicions as to just how "Patri otism is the last refuge of the scoundrel." devious "those people" were. "Life imitates art. " --Dr. Samuel Johnson --Oscar Wi lde After the panic buying, though, came reflection Yet the all Japanese-American 442/100 RCT set Auden's poem seems spooky in its prescience, and unity, which gratifying and heartening aside the unconscionable insult and injury of the locating the narrator in New York City, another though to see, cannot gloss the ugly incidents Exclusion Act, signed in February of 1942 by man having a drink to steel himself before around the country. A Muslim woman, none other than FDR, adopted "Go for broke," confronting the world, his world, gone mad. identifiable by her headscarf, was jumped and as their regimental motto, and fought like Now Auden, still in that bar, speaks to us from beaten to a pulp by three or four people in demons in the European theater. Last year, beyond his grave, across space and time, where Sacramento. She'd gone out the afternoon of former President Clinton awarded some of its we have moved from World War to possible September' ll or 12 to buy groceries. The last I members the Congressional Medal of Honor. Global War. No mystery as to why Bob Edwards heard, she's still in a coma. Yet every December 7, some Japanese-American and Alex Chadwick kept reading Auden to us citizens report being the target of hate crimes­ during those first awful, stupefying days. NPR call-in shows fielded anguished contacts rocks thrown through windows, harassing from Muslim and/ or Arab-Americans, afraid to phone calls, physical threats. With time comes reflection, after the initial panic leave their houses and go about their lives in that made people floe).< to gas stations, only to those first few days after the attack. One "Look, teacher, the birds are on fire!" --Child, evacuated from school on the morning discover Casey's General Store demanded $5 a sobbing woman said, 'Tm an American; this gallon at the pump. Casey's franchise owners isn't fair." The correspondent, a woman, asked of September 11, witnessing flaming human later claimed they were only trying to preserve her if she considered not wearing her headscarf, bodies fall from the nearby World Trade their supply, and that unconscionable price hike since the caller self-identified as Euro Caucasian, Center really wasn't meant to gouge. To which we all a third generation American citizen. I realize When I reflected on that shameful moment in replied, "Yeah, right." good journalists have to be willing to ask obvious or even seemingly stupid questions to American history, I turned again to poetry, this time to Edith Sitwell's "Still Falls the Rain," "Never tie your shoelaces in a watermelon get good responses. Nonetheless, my immediate written in response to German air raids on patch." response was "Why should she?" London, ca. 1940: --Chinese proverb As the caller herself said, not to wear the headscarf would violate her religious and moral Still fa lls the Rain- Since then, on September 12, to be exact, a principles. Should Orthodox Jewish men not Dark as the world of man, black as our loss­ Galesburg, Illinois Casey's owner donated the wear their yarmulkes? Or their wives not their Blind as the nineteen hundred and fo rty nails profits from his September 11 gasoline sales to headscarves because someone might think Upon the Cross. ' charity, in the name of his customers. He, too, they're Muslim? Should Hassidic men cut their made the above claim about preserving supply. beards and side locks, so as not to be confused The images, from CNN, from newspapers, from He would do well to remember the sage Chinese Time, Newsweek, People, came to me again and comment about shoelaces and watermelons. with pious Muslim men? Should devout Christians not wear their crosses? Or other again. Those first frantic hours and days until I Even the appearance of chicanery, no matter how heard from friends and relatives in New York inadvertent, can forever mark you as a citizens not wear their red/ white I and blue ribbons? Nor fly the Stars and Stripes, lest City, and the grief I felt for 6,000 dead: none of watermelon thief. _ whom I'd never met; grief at my own violation, my country'sviolation:

PAGE 14 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2001 world blind.

Still fa lls the Rain "Imagine all the people living life in peace." Still fa lls the Blood from the Starved Man's wounded After her excellent presentation, we continued --John Lennon Side: discussing the material. Then her pager went He bears in His Heart all wounds,--those of the light off. After she left, I explained its significance to 10,000 students at Illinois State rallied for peace that died, the class. on Thursday, September 13, and had The last fa int spark administrators and clerics of all faiths, as well as In the self-murdered heart, the wounds of the sad "An eye fo r an eye leaves the whole world student leaders speak, advocating charity, uncomprehending dark, blind." caution, preservation of our ideals about civil The wounds of the baited bear- --Young woman's placard at Harvard liberties, and resistance to the "me tooism" that The blind and weeping bear whom the keepers beat University's campus rally for peace, week of characterizes prejudice and persecution. On his helpless flesh ...the tears of the hunted hare. September 11. McLean County itself has raised close to a $1,000,000 for disaster relief, much of it at ISU Well, the pager went offplenty, Wednesday, that day. Local congregants at New Covenant September No Christian I, yet I must ask what other image 12, and still calls now and again, two Community Church and the Unitarian Church weeks conveys anguish as profoundly as Christianity's later. So when it comes up, we talk about contacted the Imam of the Islamic Center, and the Exclusion Act volunteered most enduring icon, the crucified Christ? of 1942, or ask a student' their services as "watchers," so the rhetorically, how it would feel if he were Muslim faithful could pray together, Still, what do I say to my nephews, Matt, 11, and targeted as the "enemy" because he, so blonde undisturbed, the Friday following the attack. Jeremy, 6? How do I help them process all this? his eyebrows are platinum, were assumed to be S�meone else sent me an e-mail, showing How do I process it? Is my life to be bracketed Scandinavian, in the event that the U.S. went to pictures of people all over the world, including war with by the threat of Apocalypse? I was 6 during the Denmark. "That would suck," Sam the much-vilified Palestinians of the West Bank replied. Cuban Missile Crisis. When things to came to a "Yes," I concurred, "that would suck �remember the footage of Palestinians dancing big m head, that day in October, my entire Catholic time." the streets, celebrating the Attack?), grieving school was herded into church to pray. That was So I tape appropriate editorial cartoons on my over America's misfortune. I confess, viewing strange, because we usually only went to Mass office door, and seize teachable moments in my those pictures reduced me to tears. Nonetheless, on Fridays. I remember being really angry with classroom, and make a particular point of all these positive things made me proud, proud the adults, because I was convinced that the smiling at anyone, on campus or off, who might to be an American, proud to be human and world would end that day, and I wouldn't get a be a target for the bigotry outlined above. I write alive. chance to grow up. I had such plans. for the Post Amerikan, and write letters to my young nephews, and sign peace petitions, and cont "Thereis no pleasure in life, so I don't care if the participate in vigils. Last Friday, when campus bombs come and I have to die along with my officials asked staff, faculty and students to wear children. But, the Un ited States should know . red, white and blue jeans, after some soul ;, that the Afghani people are not their enemies. searching, I did. I wanted my students to --Leilama, 38-year-old mother of 6, preparing to understand that to disagree with policy, or to flee Kabul. object to bombing Afghanistan back to the Stone Age, should not be confused with disloyalty or To their credit, public officials from Illinois lack of love for one 's country. Governor George Ryan to President George W. Bush responded immediately and continuously As have other Americans all over the country, I by urging people not to target people who look give blood and money for disaster relief. I take Middle Eastern or Muslim, by attending pride in the outpouring of American generosity interfaith prayer services with clerics of every for victims of the disaster and their families. faith, by visiting Islamic centers and mosques, Two days after the tragedy, New York City by urging tolerance and repudiating bigotry. We authorities begged people not so send more must all, each and everyone of us, make a clothing or bedding; a few days after that, no special effort to do just that, and make a point of more rescue volunteers or supplies; a few days reaching out to those around us who wear after that, SPCA officials announced no one else turbans and headscarves, who may look Middle need enquire after pets orphaned by the Attack Eastern, who read the Qu'ran rather than the on America, as all surviving animals had been Bible or the Torah. We must make these, whether adopted. Nor do they need any more pet our fellow citizens or simply just our fellow supplies. In fact, the warehouses overflow to the human beings, feel safe and welcome. We do point where New York authorities are looking not need to revisit the Exclusion Act. for other areas in need across the country.

Educators fondly refer to "teachable moments," Blood banks have to freeze donations by the gallon, and they're still flowing. My those unanticipatedevents in the classroom that appointment is next Tuesday, the earliest I could dovetail neatly with the lessons at hand. For get that coincided with my schedule. When I instance, in my Women in Literature class a few tried to call the local Red Cross September 11, years ago, a young woman who volunteered the lines were jammed. I drove over, and they with the McLean County Rape Crisis Center had to put me off for at least a week. gave a presentation about misapprehension of sexual assault as an act of passion rather than violence. (Think of Rhett Butler carrying Scarlett up the stairs in "Gone With The Wind," or your average bodice-ripper romance). The student did not tell the class that she carried a pager, and that she was on call for the RCC, though she had told me.

OCTOBERtNOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 15 students, who hadjust celebrated her 10th Plebeian: An ancient Roman who in the blood of Giving blood, money, and advocating in my wedding anniversary, Roberta died just short of his countrystained nothing but his hands. classroom, however, didn't seem like enough. I her 48'h birthday. Some guy was afraid he would Distinguished from thePatrician, who was a had to do something more. So, when I heard be late for work, and now my friend is dead: saturated solution. that Bloomington-Normal Citizens for Peace and --Ambrose Bierce Justice, which mee!.1' at the Unitarian Church at Tears leave no mark on the soil 1713 E. Emerson, in Bloomington, was forming, I Or pavement; certainly not in sand In 53 B.C. E., General and politician Marcus went. The first meeting, on Friday, September Or in any known fo rest; Licinius Crassus, a Roman citizen from an 14, stunned the organizers. They expected never a mark on stone. ancient Plebeian family led an army of 40,000 about 30 to 35 people; at least 128 showed up. One would think that no one in Persepolis men into Parthia, an ancient country that Eventually, we formed various sub-committees: or Ur wept. encompasses what is now all of Iran, part of one on the Environmental Effects of War, Iraq, and most of Afghanistan. Ostensibly to another to lead a letter writing campaign, You would assume that, like Alice, further the reputation of the Roman Empire, another for a petition drive, still another to help we would all be swimming, buffeted though unprepared for such hostile desert and foment good relations with Muslim and/ or in a tide of tears. mountain terrain, unwilling to heed the counsel Arab-American citizens and resident aliens, to But they disappear. Their heat goes. of his junior officers, megalomaniac, offer them friendship, comfort, solace and Yet the globe is salt egomaniacal Crassus, greedy for glory and safety. with that savor. wealth to rival Pompey's, but too impatient to study the military tactics of an opposing army First, though, we began by talking. During a My friend Roberta died again for me on September 11, experienced for generations in waging battle in general discussion period, when, as in a Quaker 2001. She died 6,000 times that day. the foothills of the Urals, led his army into the meeting, people stood to speak when the spirit worst disaster in Roman military history. moved them, the first speaker, a man, stood to recite these lines from Ginsberg's "Howl": Enough. Enough of blood and tears. The Parthians, military horsemen who awed --Yitzhak Rabin Chinese and Mongol warlords, no slouches themselves when it came to raising a I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by 58,000 American soldiers and other military madness, redoubtable cavalry, breeding enviable personnel died in Vietnam, but an estimated warhorses, or training crack archers, cut the starving hysterical naked ... 3,000,000 people altogether died as a result of Roman army to pieces. Only a handful of what the Vietnamese call the "American War." Roman soldiers survived, and very few indeed He followed with his hope that we would That number would include civilians as well as made it back to Rome. As for Crassus, he was eschew hysteria, and look at this situation and North and South Vietnamese soldiers, not to fragged by his own troops, probably surviving the circumstances that lead to it in all their mention Cambodians and Laotians. And for officers. Many an American veteran of the complexity. He held his toddler daughter in his what? I for one refuse to participate in the Vietnam War would no doubt appreciate that arms, and wondered in trepidation as to what reconstruction of American involvement in particular sentiment. sort of world in which she would come to age. Vietnam. One of the best things the boomer generation accomplished thus far was ending "Pray fo r the dead, and fight like hell fo r the our involvement. It was a stupid, pointless, "A ct as if what you do makes a difference. It living. " wasteful war, and we should never have does." --Mary "Mo ther" /ones interfered, let alone allowed our involvement to --William James mire us in Southeast Asia for over a decade. Many others stood to speak, all movingly, but That sentiment does not for a moment disparage That night, as things drew to a close, I looked two stand out in my mind. Carroll Cox, a the sacrifice of those with their names on The around the room and wondered how many of retired English Professor from Illinois State Wall, or those who came back. However, there those attending were veterans of the anti-war University, recalled that in 1965 or 1966, about is no honor in a lie. movement of the '60's and '70's. How many of thirty-five people assembled at this same site, us marched, and petitioned, and sat-in, and trying to take some adion of protest against the An estimated 6,000 people died September 11, agonized, and felt the divisiveness of that Vietnam War to the capitol in Springfield. "If and more of the surviving injured have died particular historical madness rip our families we had had this many people gathered to take since, mostly burn victims. As I pointed out to a and communities in half, and then in half again? action then, as we do here tonight, we might­ young woman in class, who wanted, in her grief I was a few years too young then to do more have save a million more lives." and rage, to carpet bomb Kabul, it would not than wear my armband during Vietnam War help anyone if more innocent people were to Moratoriums, sign petitions, and engage in Later, a young man, a Palestinian-Americ.an, die. raging arguments. Now I am old enough to do gave heart-breaking testimony to harassment more, I thought. And a cold hand seized my and abuse-his girlfriend's brother, a Green Besides, there is so little infrastructure in vitals. Beret, phoned a demand and threat, to the effect Afghanistan to begin with, what would we he better stop seeing his sister. This young that destroy besides possible terrorist camps? So now I must turn again to poetry, to try to man, a graduate student, is afraid to walk to his Would reducing the Ural Mountains to gravel loosen that chill hand's grip. I'll end where I car, to go out in public. He has good reason­ mounds lessen the hate that motivated the began, with Auden: the FBI tallied at least 300 hate crimes, including Attack on America? Afghani refugees have murder, directed toward people of Middle­ been flooding across the borders to Pakistan and Defenceless under the night Eastern or sub Indian Continental appearance in Iran, in anticipation of American military air Our world in stupor lies; the two weeks between September 11 and strikes. Would obliterating the Khyber Pass, Yet, dotted everywhere, September 25. Ironic points of light rendering the ancient Silk Road a memory, bring Flash out wherever the Just back the dead, or faze terrorists who already And then my turn came. I briefly recounted my Exchange messages: have no fear of death? teachable moments, my continuing strategies May I, composed like them with my students: "But when I hear stories like Of Eros and of dust, For that matter, ground troops, as veterans of yours," and my voice started to break, "I have to Beleaguered by the same the former Soviet Union's Afghani War would ask myself, how much good am I doing." Negation and Despair, be in formidable terrain. The Russian veterans Sometimes, Life has a nasty little way of Show an affirming flame. · of the Soviet-Afghani War, which in the 1980's slapping me silly. became for the Soviet Union what theVietnam --Dr. Attitude War became to the U.S. in the 1970's, would Josephine remind us that Afghani-Stan has been a When I got home that night, I recalled If you want to work with Bloomington-Normal a poem I first read aloud for graveyard for invading armies since the Romans Jacobson's "Tears," Citizens for Peace and Justice call Roberta, killed, invaded. a memorial for my friend 309 /828-0235 for meeting times. suddenly and stupidly, last December 26. She walk the dog. Conditions in had gone out to For more information use the email address get very icy in winter. While upstate New York below. killed her ."' the driver of the car that struck and Email [email protected] instantly wasn'.tspeeding, he was going too fast for the conditions. A college professor, at work on a series of books for high school AP English

PAGE 16 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2001 ··ie

Reactions

Like most people in this country, I have a clear honest response than attempts to encapsulate recollection of where I was when I learned of the the event with political, religious or even World Trade Center attack. I was riding to work cultural rhetoric. Pure emotion--even violent, on 1-74, listening to altema-country on WWHP, frightening emotion--was truer to the event even when the a.m. deejay broke in between songs to if it does go against my personal grain. tell us that something bad had happened in New York. Soon as we heard the basic story, we Even now, more than a week later, I find myself switched over to our National Public Radio more attuned to the fact-speakers than I do the station for the ongoing news story. I kept the artists or the politicians. Just last night on more radio on all day at work (we didn't have a cable­ channels than I get on my digital cable box, the ready TV and I was fifty minutes away from networks broadcast a national fund-raiser to home), locked into NPR. Did the same thing raise money for victims of the attacks: lots of the next day, too--after watching the visuals the big-name actors and singers doing readings and night before, of course. The first time I switched songs in tribute to the fallen. I tried to watch away from the radio was when arts and culture and found I could only make it through a single interviewer Terry Gross asked the country's poet recitation and half a song. Though I agreed with laureate if there was a poem that captured what the need for fund-raising, the performance itself was going on in people's minds and hearts at (solemn celebs posed before an artfully staged this time. set of candles) felt like emotional blackmail.

I go back to those days, and amid all the I can already hear the aesthete response: "But conflicting political thoughts, one point remains that wasn't good art - that was sentimentality on pretty constant: in a moment of extreme crisis, a grand scale, the pandering of popular hard information was my most valued currency. entertainers." Perhaps. But even bad art has the power to momentarily transport us, and --for I note this with some small measure of surprise. me, at least, that just wasn't happening. As a free-lance writer and habitual critiquer of arts and entertainment, I know I tend to filter much of my experience through a critic's mind. In the end, it comes down to this: I've long found art to be a greater source of As horrifying as it is to consider, the destruction personal solace and comfort than religion--and if of the World Trade Center and Pentagon is both , that sounds secular or godless, than so-be-it. But less and more than many of us have tried to solace and comfort were not what was required make it. When I saw the act on television that in those first shocking days. night, I didn't see "an assault on freedom," "an attack on globalization" or "the seeds of What I needed (and got) was information about American foreign policy being sown." I saw an the event and those who were directly affected act that I knew was resulting in the end of by it: the women and men who'd lost their lives thousands of human lives. That was plenty to Kindred Spirits is the haunting cry of a wild­ in the attack - and the ones who were risking mull over all by itself. voiced wilderness seer and the ecstatic song of an theirs in the still collapsing buildings. What I Earth lover, a person intoxicated with the beauty and wanted were clear stories about the full nature Several times during coverage of the assault, I diversity of life. -From the Foreword of the assaults on the World Trade Center and heard commentators describing videotapes of Pentagon. I didn't want art; I didn't want the event as looking like "something out of a theories; I just wanted as much plain fact as I movie." But that, too, diminished the could get. importance of what we were seeing. When we Kin.d�ed see a building explode in some cotton candy I also found political punditry equally pointless action flick, we know - unless we're too young to Sp;,,.;fs: (and a lot more offensive). For some folks, differentiate between real-life and fiction - that Sacred Earth Wisdom political theorizing is as much a part of their life no one's really getting hurt. What we saw on Jesse Wolf Hardin as art is in mine. But all the early attempts to those videos was too matter-of-fact, too gut­ put a conceptual framework around this act of wrenching, to be mere artifice. It was pure Foreword by ·Ralph Metzner unspeakable violence frankly did a disservice to reality: not a symbol, not a metaphor, just awful the people who had died and to those who were truth. A profound book for those struggling in the aftermath of the attack. What who long to streng then may have been an attempt at making sense of In the weeks to come, a lot of us are going to feel their deep kinship to the event wound up smelling of the rankest the need to cover up that awful truth. But form of political opportunism. whether we use patriotism or intellectualism, Earth and her creatures. gung-ho jingoism or skepticism, old-line beliefs Wolf's rich and sensuous I make this point about folks on both the left and or new ones, right or left wing analysis-I'm writing style will stir and the right, incidentally. A remarkable number of afraid that the fundamental reality of all that awaken ancient memories writers and rhetoricianshave shown themselves we've witnes�d will still remain. in your soul. to be singularly tone-deaf when it comes to gauging the feelings of the rest of us: whether --Bill Sherman it's a self-righteous jackass like Jerry Falwell September 22, 2001 ...fr esh, fu ture, wild, refined, all at once, which should be no sur­ trying to lay the blame for the attack on the left prise-that's how the real world is-my respects to Jesse Wo lf Hardin. -Gary Snyder, Pulitzer Prize-winning author community; a pontificating blowhard like David

Horowitz seizing the moment to slam for:ner Wolf powerfully brings us into the presence of our animal elders, W eatherwoman Bernadine Dohm; or lock­ reawakening us to the lessons they have to teach us in the recov­ stepped lefties like Noam Chomsky parroting ery of our own instincts and aliveness. This is a fiery, passionate our history of questionable actions in the Middle and important book. -Paul Winter, Paul Winer Consort East - it all came across as crass and insensitive: For infonnation onWl/f's attempts to corral a collective feeling of shock $20.00 plus $6.00 S & H pubHc presentations, counsel and push an ideological agenda. or wilderness retreats, contaa: ISBN 1-8931 83-06-8 8.5 x 11 • 248 pp.

The Earthen Spirituality Project To order call 1.800.366.0264 I'll be honest. There's a part of me that was Box 516, sympathetic to the howlers: the men and Reserve. NM 87830 www.concentric.net/-earthway Swan•Raven women who reacted to repeated re-viewings of & Co. that second plane crashing into the WTC with wails of rage. In its way, thi� seemed _a more

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMER/KAN PAGE 17 Defend democratic rights, oppose war moves

1) The slaughtering of thousands of people in qualitative is yet to be seen ... but gain they Therefore the fight to replace their rule with that office buildings and on airplanes are repugnant will. of the enormous majority is a life-or-death acts utterly alien and hostile to all fighters for question for the world's peoples and justice and equality. Killing civilians is a 4) There will be no division within the U.S. environment. weapon--often used--of the capitalist class, ruling class to press forward profound assaults enemy of humanity. There is no doubt that the on political rights, and to assert its ability to take 6) To begin with, we must defend political rights hands of imperialism/ capitalism-say a wealthy any violent act at any time and any place. and oppose any and all military action -the two businessman trained by the CIA-- will key fronts of U.S. imperialism's offensive. be found involved in these inhuman acts. 5) Phrases from the rulers and their propaganda engines like "Pearl Harbor," "a schism in 7) At the same time, we should not waver before All opponents of barbarity, indiscriminate history," and "things will never be the same" the lynch-mob climate of the propaganda murder, and injustice should dearly and calmly reflect their deadly-serious intent to seize this offensive surrounding the so-called "Attack on speak as Havana did in its first statement: 'The chance to profoundly accelerate World War America." The 800,000 Iraqi children killed by Cuban government totally rejects the acts of U.S. militaryI economic operations, the terrorism reported today, Tuesday, in the United #3 --a war against their own population, a war hundreds of Palestinians killed by U.S.-supplied States and offers its condolences to the people to rollback all the gains won by workers, weapons, and the millions of Africans murdered o and authorities of that country for loss of life. women, Blacks and other fighters f r peace and by capitalist poverty deserve not one atom less Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque informed justice. A war to bum the Bill of Rights. of solidarity than those killed in the September the press that Cuba's historical position is to 11th attacks. We can be confident that sober and 'totally condemn and reject terrorism wherever A war to establish their right and ability to use patient explanation unfogged by patriotism and it comes from and against whoever it is nuclear weapons against anyone they deem foe, other foul illusions will ring true to many ears. perpetrated."' unscathed behind a multi-billion dollar missile shield. No restrictions on democratic rights! 2) Whoever the perpetrators of these attacks -­ No money for war! and whatever their motivation-- the sole A war to crush their imperialist competitors, and beneficiary is imperialism, especially the most a war to invade the world's non-capitalist --Written for SeeingRed.com by Steve Eckardt, violent force in the world: the government of the countries to re-establish the inhuman system of 12 September 2001. United States. capitalism ...under U.S. domination.

Driven by an insupportable system --whose 3) The U.S. ruling class will seize this enormous normal functioning sooner-or-later produces tragic opportunity to drive forward their every economic collapse, war, and fascism- U.S. reactionary plan and fantasy . Whether the imperialism can ultimately follow no other yardage they will gain is quantitative or course.

A Cycle ( the 509 year war)

Dear america,

Pennsylvania makes me sick, as does the have witnessed much violence, real & What did you think was going to happen? Do & murders of people throughout the past 509 hollywood, glorified & praised . My youngest you think the events in n.y. & d.c. are a first years in the name of power. memories as a child were feelings of confusion strike? Those "acts of war" were just a ab out why there is violence and hope for peace continuation of a 509 year long war on soil that Do not forget those planes that "attacked prevailing. i always felt a pulling toward knows the taste of blood. We stand here now america" were named after our own country and studying acts of peace and those who stood up and cry "why?" when people all over this land a word for unification, those human beings that for it, many eventually killed by violence, i cry cried why as we took their land and murdered flew them into those buildings were even for them too. Most of all my fellow human their men, women and children, centuries ago. trained by us. The headlines could have easily beings, i crybecause the cycle of violence is still read: America, You Reap What You Sow, and rolling strong. Then we established ourselves as the land of the that too makes me sick. It has been said that free, we strong-armed our power & greed into america was attacked because ifis the "brightest Reports are many about the unity of people other lands day after day. Even as america was beacon for freedom" and what can you do helping & supporting in n.y. & d.c .. Now i ask crying and angered, people in other countries when "you're fighting a phantom who doesn't you, WHY has that feeling of unity not broken were crying and angered at OUR actions on even make themselves public.'' the cycle violence and replaced it with a cycle their land. Our military force, our weapons, our of love? finances are causing many to ask the same Violence was made because of the facts of question- why the unnecessary violence and violence & power carried out by america on a --matt erickson death? daily basis in other lands are not made public to

We learn the cycle of nature in school & home as their own people. They can be found IF you dig we grow in our own smaller cycle of life and deep and pull back the cover ups and that too makes me sick. If you are angered sick by death, the cycle of violence is an even smaller & reading my words, understand this: as i write one within the others. The cycle of nature is before & beyond our existence, the cycle of life & this, i am crying, over all these words & all death we cannot escape, the cycle of violence IS those actions. i have seen & heard many peoples within our control. If you watch the news on stories of fear & loss through the news and i cry t.v. and listen to the radio you will hear human for them also. beings demanding more death. These demands make me feel sick, the death of those in n.y., d.c. My name is matt erickson, born and raised in america which i have traveled around and outside of in my short life. Growing up here i

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 PAGE 18 POST AMERIKAN Sept 11 & the need for the Friends: globilization of civil liberties As a result of the carnage in New York and Washington, the government of the United The terrorist attacks of September 11 were more of a pious Muslim should not be viewed as the States has taken a whole series of repressive and than attacks on America; they were crimes signs of the enemy in our midst. They should military actions in what its President is declaring against humanity. By branding their evil deeds actually be viewed as the affirmation of "the first war ofthe 21st century." These include as jihad, the suspected perpetrators have sought American democracy and respect for civil sealing U.S. borders, grounding all non-military to endow these deplorable acts with the sanctity liberties by peoples who have been forced to airplanes, flying combat aircraft over 31 major of religion. It is incumbent upon us all not to leave their original homelands by the deplorable cities on a 24-hour basis (these three measures provide a sanctum for thesecriminal "corrupters actions of the likes of Ben Laden and his recently lifted), the stationing of aircraft carrier of the earth" by attributing their evil deeds to associates. Thus an attack on Muslims and battle groups off the shores of New York and Islam, the religion of peace. The holy Muslim Middle Easterners in our midst is an attack upon Washington, the vast mobilization of police and Book (Qur'an), validating the Old Testament, the democratic principles that they and we all military forces, and the appropriation of $40 states that "Whoever killed a human being, shall value and cherish. billion for war measures both domestic and be looked upon as though he had killed all international. humankind; and whoever saved a human life We should be vigilant that in our desire to shall be regarded as though he had saved all avenge these crimes we do not tum to The Secretary of State has announced U.S. humanity." Commencing every act "in the name militarism, ethnic and religious profiling, or the intentions to not only attack terrorists, but -­ of God the compassionate and the merciful," like curtailment of civil liberties. On the contrary, we reminscent of Nazi and Israeli "collective their Lord, Muslims all over the world seek to be should seek a global strategy that strengthens punishment" practices-- the countries they reside compassionate and merciful in their daily civil liberties and civil societies in the Middle in. What's more, Powell said the countries with conduct. With such high moral standards, it is East and South Asia. We should recall that the the potential to aid possible future acts of terror atrocious to view the criminal acts of the militarist strategy of the 1980s against the Soviet will be targeted as well. (Note that Cuba is on terrorists and their associates as Islamic. Union provided the breeding ground for Ben the official U.S. list of "terrorist nations.") Laden and his associates in Afghanistan and The network of terrorists who initiated these Pakistan. To root out terrorism, we should seek This is just the beginning. The crest of this criminal acts has also, in the past two decades, a global alliance that contributes to the growing wave is not visible. terrorized the innocent peoples of South Asia democratization of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi and the Middle East. These criminals have Arabia, Kuwait and other countries of the Meanwhile propaganda engines continue to fan destroyed the foundations of civil society and region. As a first step toward this strategy, the the flames continuously, day and night. Heart­ seriously curtailed civil liberties in the countries United States should demand the extradition of wrenching stories are intercut with pictures of of their operation. Thus Muslims, Arabs, Ben Laden and his associates to the International Palestinians celebrating the carnage. One U.S. Palestinians, Iranians, Pakistanis and Afghanis War Tribunal at The Hague to put them on trial tabloid devotes the entire front page to the are not friends of these terrorists; they have been for their crimes against humanity. Instead of words "BLOOD FOR BLOOD"and then the primary victims of their intolerance and responding to indiscriminate violence with editorializes, "REVENGE. Hold on to that their public unaccountability. Seeking civil violence, this will contribute to the development thought. Go to bed thinking it. Wake up rights that have been denied to them, many of international institutions that guarantee chanting it." A mosque in suburban Chicago people like myself have migrated to Europe and global accountability and foster the expansion of was besieged by a mob of 300,while others have to the United States. civil liberties on a global scale. been shot at. Arab-appearing people have been As we mourn and seek revenge, it is significant attacked on the street"countless times" (Arab ­ --Mohamed Tavakoli-Targhi that we do not turn against the people who American Anti-Discrimination League), while physically resemble the suspected terrorists who graffiti like "VENGEANCE," and "BOMB THE are far out of reach. The headscarf of a Muslim Associate Professor of History MIDDLE EASf" have been scrawled in public woman, the turban of a Sikh, and the long beard spaces, including bathrooms, across the country. Illinois State University American flags blossom from homes and businesses everywhere; many areas report that it is virtually impossible to find an American flag The Price to buy.

The full extent of the tragedy of Sept. 11th is yet if the FBI or CIA or whoever know when I get A spontaneous email campaign has to be known. It will not only be measured in up or go to bed, or even what color my mushroomed to show the world that "Americans lives lost, or in the slide of the precious dollar. I underwear are. Just do what you gotta do, and are strong and united" by standing outside with can promise you that the horrific attacks on the protect me." a lit candle at 7pm tonight. World Trade Center buildings will contribute to the mass acceptance of a New World Order and Some might think it's a good idea to avenge This is what a war drive looks like. its all-powerful police, with restrictions on the ourselves on Bin Laden, even if it displaces right to travel freely, and new laws that make thousands of impoverished Afghanis, drives It can only be meet with clarity and sobriety. personal privacy a thing of the past. Pakistan into the hands of extremists, and strips the residents of the "free world" of the last of The new issue of Seeing Red is one small Surveillance technologies that Americans their "inalienable" rights. But the multinational contribution towards that end. It would have criticized as too invasive a couple coalition that goes after them will be the is in the act of being posted, but is visible now at months ago will eventually become vanguard of a future none of us are ready to http:/ /www.seeingred.com/index2html> in an unedited form.The lead commonplace. Who will dare protest JI if it deal with. The countries that join it will be the s1�1 ns to make us 'safer' "when they put video major players that determine what goes on in editorial is pasted below.

G ••1eras on every street, confiscate all personal the coming years, not only in central Asia but Peace and solidarity, JI weapons," issue us electronic and DNA also in the towns in Indian and the mountains of identity cards, or read every private letter and New Mexico. steve eckardt email that we send out? And our so-called "security" will have been I've learnedthat 85% of the citizens of Great bought with our privacy, and our liberty. A bird Britain now support a law to require the is in some ways safest in a cage, but it pays with ·cont carrying of national identity papers, listened to the sky. George Bush ask us cooperate if we're stopped and questioned on the street, and heard a citizen Caveat emptor. Buyer beware. at a town meeting tell the president "I don't care --Jesse Wolf Hardin

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 19 Not another Vietnam

situation is not a continuation of two o posmg supporters (private organizations or p As the nation mourns the dead and missing forces, such as Democracy and Islam. If it were ?overnments). Still, history has shown us that it victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks, such a situation, the Clinton or Bush 1s extremely difficult to hunt down guerrillas we all need to keep this horrible act in tha� find support among the common people of Administrations would have been able to perspective. The Bush Administration has �heir respe�ive nations. Witness the Viet Cong proceed as the Kennedy Administration had begun to formulate a global response to these during the CubanMissile Crises. m South Vietnam, the IRA and Sinn Fein in attacks. Unlike the responses delivered by the Northern Ireland, and the PLO and Hamas on Clinton Administration, these actions will be the West Bank. Aerial bombing alone simply No, what we have today is a war with an long and drawn out, not one-time missile attacks ideological force that does not seek cannot do the job. What is there to bomb? on a factory or a terrorist base. History has Empty government buildings in Kabul? A geographi�al, political, or economic territory. shown these earlier responses are worthless. A These particular terrorists are not freedom mountainside cave in Afghanistan? A deserted night or a week of missile attacks have no effect fighters who have been mislabeled "terrorists" training camp consisting of tin shacks and mud on a people who live by guerilla tactics. And it huts? The questions mount daily as Americans for political expediency by the United States.

is perhaps this perception of the coming long · pray and reflect. They are, instead, a group of religious zealots war that has many Americans apprehensive and �h� seek the ult�ate destruction of a way of afraid. Emails, interviews, and town meetings One point that has been cropping into the media hfe m favor of their perceived vision of have produced a series of discussions lately is the dreaded phrase "another Vietnam". traditional Islam. In a case such as this, there is concerning the "right" thing to do, the ''best" way Perhaps it is the horrible memories of the no room or time for negotiation. OsamaBin to seek and find justice. Gnawing questions are, La�en, unlike Ho Chi Minh, who sought the Viet�am Warthat were broad casted daily on the how many more Americans must die before this everung new networks or the fear of another asSistance of the United States during the 1940s coming war is over? Is it right to kill innocent and 195 s, has never offered to negotiate or 58,000 dead Americans that gives life to this � people in Afghanistan or another Islamic nation? _ phrase. In any case, we should look at this �ork w1thm any political framework other than Especially in reference to Afghanistan the coming war not as those of theearly 1960s his own. Thus, with an enemy of this nature, the question leads to the next image of delivering only recourse is military and covert action. looked at Southeast Asia. Remember, Vietnam tons of bombs on a nation that has recently Careful pl�ng and patience by the Bush was the �attleground to stop the spread of _ _ ended a ten-year war with the former Soviet Adrmmstrahon will then--hopefully --lead to communism, an ex�ension of the domino theory Union and then engaged in more battles within such a united show of force by the United States of the 1950s. This_ hme America is not involved _ its own borders. How much can a "medieval" and its European, Asian, and Islamic allies that in an ide?logical war within set geographical countryside be devastated in the name of the the remains of the zealots will seek reason boundaries. Afghanistan is one nation that is terrorist attacks in the US? instead of suicidal attacks. If not, then their involved, but it is not the beginning and end of destruction should be and will be imminent. . the conflict. Vietnam was a continuation of the The Bush Administration has presented their Cold War with the Soviet Union and China·' a concept of justice as the seeking and destroying As far as the "anot er Vietnam," perhaps it is conflict between Democracy or at least � of all terrorists, terrorist camps, and terrorist then, when the Umted States and its allies have Capitalism and Communism. The current come to �he point of either negotiation or overt destruction that we need to review the past, present, and future. Something the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon_ Administrations did not do very well. Vietnam policies often overlooked essential historical and political issues while disseminating the dying domino theory. Administrative indecisiveness and cultural arrogance helped to lead Americans into the Vietnam quagmire. The Bush Administration, specifically President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary Powell, AttorneyGeneral Ashcroft, and National Security Advisor Rice ... ohily, now thiltwe 'ue got your ilftention ... have all emphatically addressed the issue of a concerted all out effort against the terrorists The Movie Fan can deliver. .. "'.�le maintaining diplomatic and military dil gence. At this time it is pinpoint military No, we do not carry sex films � action by both missiles and selected ground BUT we DO carry movies that ARE sexy forces that is needed. The strongholds must be destroyed. The terrorist leaders must be killed and interesting or if you prefer just plain or brought before the world court. And, simultaneously, the United States must extend strange in an off-the-beaten-path its helping hands to Islamic people, even if that kind of way. Hmmm? means coercing Israel to ch ange its hard-line position on the Palestinians.

Th ink Movie Fa n Since September 11, 2001, the Bush think... DVDs / fo reign titles Administration has put forward plans that movie sales I knowledgable staff resemble this two-fold action: military and easily the best mix of titles in the Twin Cities covert response and improved US-Islamic Every 12th movie is free ! close to both campuses relations. There has been no talk of the "light at Must have Drive�s License & Major cied1tC.rd the end of the tunnel" or "a coming turning point" as Vietnamera politicians wereso fond of espousing. The realities of the Vietnam War are still with us, and that is the starkest reason forus DOWHTOWn noRmHL not to experience "another Vietnam." ·451.4443 For those who may not remember those days of war and governmental deception, a review of Sun-Thur 10:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. the Pentagon Papers or David Halberstam's Fri-Sat 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. book The Best and the Brightest will point out the enormous differences between the political times.

--Glen Bush

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 PAGE 20 POST AMERIKAN The Poetr

How to make an impression The Hitchhiker

Look the interviewer in So alone, so alone. the eyes. Speak clearly. Barefoot with elephant bell bottoms from the days of flower power. Ee-nun-see-ate. Make casual references He travels erewhon, so to meet an unknown friend. to celebrities you know. Quote dead people, Enchanted by those that have something to asservate. especially in tongues you don't understand, Seeking answers that adolescence asks. then sum up their knowledge

with a quick golf anecdote. · Reinventing himself with each new ride. Play an instrument, but don't practice too much. Being an impostor was better than his current reality. Let people say you could have been great. Intentionally oblivious to the creeping creepy itsy-bitsy­ Play a sport, spider-lecherous-fingers walking toward his leg, or but just enough The vulgar propositions made by men in plaid pants, and to get a six pack. Polkadot shirts, that all have the same face. Searching for dawn Otherwise people will think you are a jock. "No, thank you," he days, reassured by his lightning fast I guess we listen to the stories Smile at children. fists. Time for a little soul enriching sauntering. to try to understand Have children, Not quite there yet he declares - "I'll get out of here." make some sense especially outside of marriage. of what hi,ls transpired People will secretly --Nik Zarick Maybe a word consider you virile. maybe the eyes A voidthe suburbs of one who was there like the plague. Contract a venereal disease and become will have inspired a spokesperson for Trojan. the laity awakens Meaning Tell them afterwards. to what went on Sue McDonald's. these dreams are not my own And the dawn Ask for a Happy meal yet the needle has tightly sewn Will break again as part of the settlement. a world of assets and security Understand that when Write haiku on the the screen is all a blur to me The dust has settled and the air windows of the Sears Tower is clear using pigeon shit. inside a stifle whirlpool spinnin round We will hear Adopt hundreds of homeless cats, antagonist trying to bring it down A message from the earth then donate them to children did you stop to see the faces behind the door? to let us know in China. were they mere victimsof selfish/ wanting more? From the beauty and good of life Strap hollow dynamite to your testicles, Love will grow. march into an abortion clinic could it be this perception won't fitin? screaming "Fuck the Ivory Tower," say, when the day is done, can you look within? Lin Frog Simmons and hold the SWAT team at bay until how do you define who you are? you receive a 20 piece McNugget meal. without preachin of your job, your house, your car? Just before it arrives, allow yourself an exclusive are you a caged bird? do you want to be set free? SkeeserDaze with the 7 o'clock news. can you embrace the thought of tomorrow's uncertainty? Keep eye contact and Inside our walls, our illusions wither and rot another hand, another press the trigger cursing grateful for what I have got quarter (who needs just as they pan to the interviewer. another beer?), four I won't stand for dreantspackaged and sold of a kind still beats --Jeff Stumpo life is a mystery and needs to miraculously unfold a full house. I'll give it a try, and then try again nothing' s wild this late take my shot, or five or ten in the ski season... where do the tourists go I'll take the possibility, the chance when the lifts stop running? of heartbreak from a passionate romance herded from slopes to parking I'll cry a river, then use it to sail away lot pastures, richest cattle to discover, create, fight, dance, and play YOUR POEM find stables with jacuzis and wet bars ... I want to break down walls, spread love around they always return starting from the heart where this desire is found H,ERE. in the morning... And unthread where the needle has put seams mooing nervously on shuttles Because these, these are my dreams. they wonder why The Post Amerikan is seeking poetry basket check always stinks -- Corey Moe submissions for the Poetry Page. like a bar, we wonder why they wear such fucking If interested, please mail your poem to: goofy hats. what the hell Post Amerikan, P.O. Box 3452, is a skeeser Bloomington, IL 61702 or e-mail to: anyway? pamerikanusa@ netscape. net --Matt Toczko , We have the right to reject any poem. ------

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 21 History of the Anti-Rape Movement

With the anti-rape movement gaining strength They testified for the bills--the Rape Shield Law for trainingmanual, brochures, and pagers, and nationally, it followed that rape crisis centers and the Rape Victims Emergency Treatment the Township grant paid for a shared would begin in Illinois as well. By 1973, both the Act--in front of the judiciary committees of both coordinator with the newly formed Countering Chicago and the Champaign County Women the Illinois House and Senate and worked with Domestic Violence. Against Rape were established. In the fall of individual legislators to help garner support for 1973, three women from Bloomington-Normal the bills and to educate law makers about sexual The old problems of politics and ideologies began organizing the Rape Crisis Center of violence. reared their ugly heads, and the RCC decided McLean County. not to re-apply for the grant. Although the membership in CRRI was Although the name McLean County Women extremely small, the four women represented In 1979, local funding agencies became Against Rape was considered, it was rejected four different legisla�tve districts (one RCC concerned about duplication of services and because the org anizers wanted women to be member was registered to vote in Rock Island administrative costsand became interested in able to find services rapidly and with little County) and thus truthfully claimed they the idea of umbrella agencies which would serve trouble, and they felt most people would look represented a statewide coalition. many different needs. The local funders and first for the word "rape" in any telephone book The two bills were eventually passed and signed many local social service agencies urged the new or service listing. into law, due in large part to the work of the CDV and the RCC to merge since, after all, they four members of CRRI. were both dealing with "women's issues." By January of 1974, formal speaking engagements were being given and calls were By 1977 there were 12 rape crisis organizations The merger talks were no more successful than being taken sporadically. By March, the Rape in Illinois (Bloomington-Normal, Champaign­ the coordinator experience had been, both Crisis Center had printed its first brochures. Urbana, Chicago, DeKalb, Downer's Grove, because of basic differences in political views Edwardsville, Joliet, Kankakee, Peoria, but also because of an inherent difference in the In September of 1974, the first volunteer training Rockford, and Springfield) as well as several philosophies, beliefs, and goals between the session was held and the RCC became a 24-hour other groups and organizations (Illinois NOW, anti-rape and the against domestic violence service through a networking agreement with Chicago Ecumenical Women's Center, Hyde movements. PATH. Park Women Students) who were concerned about the issue of rape. The RCC grant monies were lost, and the center During the first years of operation, the RCC had had to decide whether to continue or to give the two types of volunteers--hotline workers and In the spring of 1977, representatives from most services over to the now fully funded CDV. The advocates. The hotline workers had shifts of of the rape crisis centers and several other board was divided on the question, but it took a three or six hours for one or two days per organizations met in Peoria and formed the consensus of the board to disbandthe month. They would sit by their home phones Illinois Coalition of Women Against Rape organization, and one member blockedthe during their shifts and would answer any calls (ICWAR). question, preferring to keep the RCC together PATH forwarded to them. If an outreach was and rebuild. needed, the hotline worker would contact the The original purposes of ICW AR were to help advocates on duty who would do the outreach. the rape crisis center workers feel less isolated, Four other women joined her in that effort, and to unite the women working across the state to the Rape Crisis Center was started again with Advocates were the only people allowed to train feel united, to discuss the various issues and another handful of women. One of the first volunteers, do speaking engagements, network politics involved in anti-rapework, to establish a decisions made by the new board was to never with other social service agencies and state-wide library and archives, and to work on again accept public funding. institutions, speak to the press, perform legislation which would benefitrape victims. professional trainings, and sit on the board. Just as the RCC had lost funding due to political Advocates also filled in any gaps in the hotline ICW AR met quarterly, having meetings differences,many other rape crisisorganizations schedule. alternately in the Chicago metropolitan area and were also losing their funding. The Law downstate. There were only two offices-­ Enforcement AdministrationAgency (LEAA), a Although that original system was workable, it Convener and Recorder. The Convener state-wide police board which had given several required, ideally, nearly 100 volunteers. When presided at the meeting and the Recorder took centers most of their funding, found a new cause the volunteer force began to dwindle, a new and distributed the minutes. The offices rotated to endow with their money. system was devised. The hotline work was every meeting in order to discourage hierarchy transferred to the advocates and a pager system and to encourage women to learn necessary Several rape crisis organizations simply was used for all calls. leadership skills. The woman who was the disappeared because they could not operate Recorder at one meeting became the Convener without the LEAA funds. Others were forced to There were no more hotline workers-everyone at the next and a new Recorder was chosen. find other means to survive: Chicago WAR was trained to do both hotline work and became part of the Women's Services at the advocacy. Volunteers carried a pager 24-hours a ICW AR quickly became involved in legislative Loop YWCA and Champaign County WAR day for one week per month. In addition to activity. Governor Dan Walker had appointed became the Rape Crisis Services of A Woman's direct client contact, training, speaking, and an Illinois Rape Study Commission with Senator Place. Still others either hired staff or used board work, the Rape Crisis Center members Aaron Jaffe (D-Skokie) as its chair. ICWAR valuable volunteer time and energy to focus also helped spread the anti-rape movement worked closely with Senator Jaffe during the late entirely on finding the funding necessary to throughout Illinois by helping to organize and '70s and early '80s to draft and lobby for continuethe much needed victim services. train volunteers for centers in DeKalb, Peoria, legislation beneficial to rape victims. Springfield, Joliet, Kankakee, and Downer's Watching sister organizations and their Grove. Although most of these legislative proposals problems with mainstream funders underscored never even got out of committee, the efforts gave the RCC's decision to take no money unless it In 1975, two members from the RCC, one the ICW AR members good practice in legislative was locally generated donations. member from Champaign County WAR, and matters and afforded ICWAR a great deal of one Member from Springfield's Rape credibility on a state-wide basis. This truly was In 1982, the federal government created a block Information and Counseling Service, all of a state coalition, and members of state grant for rape crisis services. ICW AR applied whom were also members of the National government came to view ICW AR as a force to for, and received, Illinois' portion of the funds, Organization for Women, formed the first be reckoned with. $183,000. It was the first time that the state of Illinois state coalition to help lobby for the Illinois had allowed a private, not-for-profit During the same period of time, the RCC had passageof to bills which had been introduced coalition to administer and distribute funds accepted small grants fromthe McLean County into the Illinois legislature. They called their instead of a state agency. ICW AR was in the Health Department and the City of Bloomington organizationthe Coalitionfor Rape Reform in unique position of governing, funding, and Township. The Health Department helped pay Illinois (CRRI). monitoring itself.

PAGE 22 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 in Mclean County

The governingbody of ICWAR added the office After initial training, PATH volunteers will of Treasurer and established elected, one-year answer sexual assault phone calls and the Crisis offices. Soon after, ICWAR established an office Team will respond to any hospital calls. Both in Springfield and hired three staff members-­ the Crisis Team and the RCC volunteers will J I I \ 1 ' director, fiscal officer, and secretary. As new respond to police and court needs. I I I monies, both federal and state, became available, ( \I I ICWAR--now ICASA (Illinois Coalition Against Eventually, the Rape Crisis Center services will I , Sexual Assault) became the logical repository of be taken in by another community agency. At .FI ' ) I the money, since there was now a precedent for this writing, PATH, Countering Domestic allowing a coalition to monitor funds. Violence, and the YWCA have all expressed interest. In 1983, an !CASA-written sexual assault statute was passed by the Illinois General Assembly PATH and the Crisis Team are committed to and signed into law. The law took effect on July ensuring quality, continuous services for victims 1, 1984. Although it is constantly being revised of sexual violence are available in this and refined, it remains one of the most community. comprehensive sexual assault laws in the country and has a feminist, victim-oriented base. The Rape Crisis Center of McLean County was Almost every aspect of the law has been legally the last all-volunteer anti-rape organization left challenged, and the law has won every time. in the United States. A handful of women began the group in 1973, and a handful of women will As the coalition and the funding for sel"Vices pass it on in 2001. Twenty-seven years for a grew, those same philosophical and political worker-controlled collective is certainly differences that had been existent from the something to be proud of, but it is time for a beginning arose again. The RCC quickly became change. The youngest of the original members the only rape crisis service in Illinois which was recently turned 50, and all the remaining unfunded and all-volunteer, and as new centers volunteers are tired. It is time for them to move were added to the coalition, they were funded on. ·· immediately. IF YOU HAV E BEEN\RAPED They do not leave behind the same community, The Rape Crisis Center would not accept major however. They leave rape crisis services to a CALL THE RAPE HOT LIHE funding from ICASA, although it did receive county in which the hospitals treatvictims with several one-time grants for printing. By the time dignity and respect, where the police are ICASA had a staff of almost 20, two offices (one respectful and kind, where the state's attorney in Springfie]d and one in the Chicago takes cases to court that in most counties in metropolitan area), 30 member centers, and a Illinois wouldn't even be considered. budget of over $12,000,000, it became clear that the uneasy alliance between the RCC and They leave behind media which acknowledge a ICASA was doomed. victim's privacy while honoring the public's right to know. They leave behind a generation When the differences finally became too much or more of people who can talk about rape out for either entity to bear, the RCC and the loud, with their parents, their friends, their co­ Coalition parted ways. A friendly relationship workers, their partners-adults who cannot remains between the two organizations, remember when this wasn't so. however, because both are committed to actively opposing sexual violence. They leave behind a community which has been significantly and infinitely changed. Calls to the Although the Rape Crisis Center has been hot line are far less than they used to be, in large through several changes, cutting the on-duty part because victims have less need to talk to time for one volunteer to 12 hours per day anonymous strangers when they can talk to their instead of 24, necessitating two on-duty teams families and friends. Wr ite fo r afr ee 2 - issue trial subscription daily, and allowing men to carry the pagers Name being two of them, it remained much the same The OK/Not OK Touches program, which has Address as it was in the beginning. been administered by The Baby Fold, Chestnut City, State, Zip ------Health Systems, and Planned Parenthood, was The decisions not to take funding and to keep an created and facilitated in conjunction with Rape all-volunteer staff were not lightly come upon Crisis Center volunteers. Until this year, the and were frequently revisited. There are RCC had been a presence at every single Culture advantages and disadvantages to both, and up Fest. to now the board had always come to the conclusion that the current system is the best The community can be proud of the Rape Crisis one for the RCC and for the community we Center's accomplishments and certain of its continue to serve. continued presence and commitment to victims and survivors in this new incarnation. As of the end of September, however, the RCC will change significantly. PATH volunteers and The "rape-free zone" envisions by the staff, the Center for Human Services Crisis organizations founders has not yet been Team, some Countering Domestic Violence realized, but that dream will be kept alive in medical advocates, and the remaining members McLean County for years to come. of the Rape Crisis Center will begin the transfer of services away from an all-volunteer --Deborah Wiatt organization.

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 23 History of the Anti-Rape Movement in the U.S.

- most of them had never before talked about In the years since those first turbulent ones, most these experiences with anyone, and those who women (and now, men) find validity in both had did not use the word rape. They theorized perspectives. If a woman wanted to report her that the problem must be much larger than rape to a law enforcement agency, someone had anyone had ever imagined. to deal with changing the legal system and advocating for new laws which would benefit In January, 1971, the New York Radical future victims. Feminists held the first public "Speak Out on Rape" and in April they held the firstnational But if the culture did not change, rape crisis conference on rape, andthe anti-rape movement center workers, emergency room nurses, police, • was born. As more women in other parts of the and prosecutors could spend an eternity just country began organizing and talking to each picking up the pieces in a never-ending cycle of other, they began to discover that rape and victimization. The common fear of women-the sexual violence were not the sole property of fear of sexual violence--is a fear that unites us New York City. all. The anti-rape movement places its emphasis on that common bond and its strength in its Whether the women came from cities or small paramount concern for the victim,regardless of towns, from the coasts or from the com belt, the age, gender, or circumstance. reality was the same: women got raped. And the women who got raped did not tell anyone The anti-rapemovement is still growing and because there was no one to tell. changing. Some centers have died, others have reorganized, a few remain very similar to those Suddenly, women realized the truth of the Black first few. Most retain at least some attitudes of Panthers"slogan, "If you're not part of the Over 130 years ago, British philosopher John their activist ancestors. All fight constant battles solution, you're part of the problem," Stuart Mill wrote about the treatment of women and rape for funding and energy. A comparison of the crisis centersbegan to spring up across over recorded history in his book, The Subjection the writings of theanti-rape movement of the 1970s country, beginning in big cities and in college of Women : .\'. . the vilest malefactor has some and today as we enter the 21st century reveals towns. These first centers, started between wretched woman tied to him, against whom he late some significant changes. The dominance of a 1971 and 1973, were based on very strong can commit any atrocity except killing her, and, and shared political analysis of rape and a strategy very vocal feminist principles. Both if tolerably cautious, can do that without much their for social change has been eroded. The changes politics and their philosophies had their danger of legal penalty." Two waves of political roots in in the anti-rape movement reflect a decline in the anti-war and the civil rights movements feminism and other allied social movements . the radical politics of all social activism. have brought women from the status described These women were joined in their efforts by by Mill to that which we enj� f today. The establishmentof rape crisis centers across women from the National Organization for the nation is a testament to the hard work of Women (NOW) whose feminism was just as The first wave of feminism grew out of the countless women. The resources available to strong but whose politics and philosophies abolitionist movement of the 1800s. A July, 1848 survivors from such centers is without question differed greatly. meeting at Seneca Fall, New York is often one of the most significant and tangible results referred to as the birth of American feminism. of the anti-rape movement. The leftist women, usually younger, angrier, After many long years of struggle and advocacy, and more idealistic, sought change through interrupted by three wars, and the fight for As is common within all movements, the daily demonstrations, civil disobedience, Take Back freedom from slavery, the 19th Amendment to challenge of providing a critical service with the Night marches, and a near-constant speakin the Constitution was approved, giving women g limited resources makes maintaining a conscious the right to vote. The feminists also embraced out against a society which encouraged rape and political analysis very difficult. But we can reforms in child labor laws and prohibition, both woman-hating. never cease the discussion and debate on local, of which were seen as threats to women and state, and national levels around the important families. The NOW women, generally a little older, political issues affecting the future direction of liberal, and more established, sought change the anti-rape movement. Between the passage of women's suffrage and through legislation, rallies, articles in the rise of the new wave of feminism, the United newspapers and magazines, and attempting to As the movement grows and changes and States was struggling with organized labor, alter the societal institutions (legal, medical, people with different perspectives come and go, three more wars, the civil rights movement, and psychological, educational) which perpetuated the issues will differ fromlocality to locality and the anti-war movement. The establishment of rape and woman-hating. from day to day. Only through vigilance and the National Organization for Women in June, tenacity will our voices continue to be heard. 1966 is usually credited with sparking While the goal of the two groups of women feminism's second wave. NOW sprang from were the same, their tactics and their ideologies There are now over 500 rape crisis centers in the the third national conference of the commission were so totally different that they caused United States. They started because a few on the status of women. Other new feminist problems in some communities. In larger cities women got angry. Perhaps when all women get groups, usually more radical and with much the two groups sometimes split, with one group angry the movement will no longer be needed. younger members, had their roots in the anti - focusing on counseling and victim services and war and civil rights movements. the other fighting for social change and --Deborah Wiatt alternatives to the present system. But most A wide variety of women, from NOW, the communities did not have that luxury-there radical feminist groups, and small groups of were simply not enough dedicated, caring, and women on college campuses began reading concerned feminists to quarrel over how to get some of the newly published women's rights the job done, because the job itself was so materials and meeting together to discuss the overwhelming. issues which arose from their readings. The In most places, the differences were either groups, some very formally orgai:ii�ed and some resolved or trucesformed as the women not, were called consciousness raismg groups. involved concentrated on their shared concerns about the problems of sexual violence and the As they talked, they made one very important victimization of women and agreeing to discovery: almost every woman had had some disagree about their significant political sort of violent, unwanted, or uncomfortable differences and their disparate views on other sexual encounter. Women began to realize just related issues. how widespread the problems of sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual intimidation, and sexual violence really were. They also realized that

PAGE 24 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 ··ie

Spiritualism is a gentle religion

Spiritualism is a gentle religion. Its principles janitorial services are done. No maintenance is open to all. They intend to be a center for declare, " We make our own happiness or being done; there are cracked windows and spiritual growth and healing in this area. They unhappiness as we obey or disobey Nature' s peeling paint all over the church. They refuse to wish to have their Lyceum room returned so spiritual laws." No fire and brimstone here. let the Church hire a new pastor - at least not that they have space for their growing Founded in the mid-19thcentury, Spiritualism one whom they would pay a salary and allow to congregation. They wish to have a regular draws from Christianity, but goes beyond the live in the parsonage. This is in spite of the fact minister and access to the parsonage. It doesn' practices of traditional Christianity into other that attendance has gone from4 or 5 people a seem like much, does it? ancient religions. week to around 30. One can' t help but wonder if these issues If you attend services at the J.T. & E.J. They have beeninvited many times to sit down would have arisen if the church established by Crumbaugh Memorial Spiritualist Church in with the Church Board, to attend services, to the LeRoy, you may find a discussion of how come to a potluck dinner. Always they have Crumbaughs had been a mainstream Christian current planetary alignments are affecting world refused. Finally, frustrated but determined, the denomination. It isn' t hard to imagine the hue discord, or an introduction to Transcendental Church Board voted to secure an attorney and and cry that would have arisen in that case. Meditation. You may be invited to attend a take the matter before a judge, since it was felt The matter goes up before Judge Ropp on seance. A devotional service usually consists of that the Estate Board was quite clearly violating October 16that 9 a.m. The congregation of the prayers, hymns (some old, some new) a sermon, both the letter and the intent of the will of J.T. J.T. and E.J. Crumbaugh Spiritualist Church asks a sacred reading, and messages given by and E.J. Crumbaugh. for your prayers and good thoughts. We know mediums from the spirit world. that justice and religious freedom still live in This was a difficult decision to make, as this is a America. You will find people of different races and church that tries to be gentle in all its dealings. religious backgrounds, young and old, wealthy There is a spirit of joy and healing in the church Rev. Bryan McCotter, the last permanent pastor or down on their luck. The people are friendly, that is apparent to all who enter .there. The of the Spiritualist church, died in 1996 after a open-minded and accepting. Most consider intentions of the Church board and the long illness. Because of this, attendance had themselves on a personal spiritual journey. congregation are simple: they wish to continue dwindled drastically at the church. Several They dislike the term " new age," declaring that the tradition established by J.T. and E.J. questionable things occurred at this time. the beliefs they embrace are ancient and rooted Crumbaugh, to keep the Spiritualist church inmany traditions. But one thing that they have --Lissa Small in common is a strong spirit. They' re going to need it, beca�se this church is fighting for its life.

TheCrumbaugh church was established by the wills of J.T. and E.J. Crumbaugh, a wealthy farming couple in LeRoy. The Crumbaughs' only child, an infant known as " Bright Eyes," died in infancy. Heartbroken, the couple turned to spiritualism in an effort to contact their child. They found great comfort in this, and left their estate and farms in trust to establish a library for the town of LeRoy, and to establish a Spiritualist Church there as well. Mrs. Crumbaugh left her home as a parsonage for the pastor of the church. The Church and library were built • We believe in Infinite Intelligence.

according to the terms of the will, and for many • We believe in the phenomena of nature, both years, things proceeded as the Crumbaughs had physical and spiritual, are the expression of Infinite Intelligence. intended. Services were held regularly, the � - SUNDAY SERVICES • We affirm that a correct understanding of Estate Board that administered the trust worked such expression and living in accordance therewith, constitute true religion. with the minister and the Church board to keep LYCEUM SUNDAY AT 1 PM CLASSES ON SPIRITUALITY DEVELOPMENT • We affirm that the existence and personal things running smoothly. But things have identity of the individual continue after the changed. change called death. MEDITATION AND HEALING AT 2 PM • We affirm that communication with the so­ called dead is a fact, sciemificaily proven by Just prior to Rev. Mccotter' s death, John the phenomena of Spiritualism. Tompkins, who was simultaneously president of DEVOTIONAL AT 2:30 PM • We believe that the highest morality is con­ tained in the Golden Rule: "Whatsoever ye LECTURE THEN MESSAGE SERVICE (CLAIRVOYANCE) the Estate Board and president of the LeRoy would that others should do unto you, do ye Historical Society, somehow acquired the also un!o them." church' s Lyceum (Sunday School) room for use •We affirm the moral responsibility of individu­ POTLUCK DINNER AT 3:30 PM als, and that we make our own happiness or as a historical society museum. Apparently he unhappiness as we obey or disobey Nature's signed a contract from himself to himself to sign physical and spiritual laws. • We affirm that the doorway to reformation is it over. never closed against any human soul here or hereafter. The Estate Board made a serious attempt to • We affirm that the Precepts of Prophecy and Healing are divine attributes proven through close the church after Rev. McCotter' s death, 102 S. PEARL STREET Mediumship. but was thwarted in this. The parsonage has LEROY, IL been closed since 1996, and the Estate Board WWW.CRUMBAUGHCHURCH.ORG refuses to grant the Church board access to it, in {WEB SITE CONTAINGS LINK TO U.S. DIRECTORY OF SPIRITUALIST CHURCHES.) direct violation of the will of E.J. Crumbaugh. 309.962.9076 WE ARE CURRENTLY IN NEED OF AN ORGANIST. Currently, the Estate Board gives the Church $100 a month towards operating expenses. They DIRECTIONS: TRAVEL I74 EAsrro LEROY EXIT. TU RN LEFT, PROCEED TO STOP SIGN (RT. 150) TURN LEFTONTO PEARL Sr. pay the utilities for the church. Beyond that, RIGHT. TU RN they do nothing. Only the most rudimentary

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 25 ..... � . . . .. ;� . . l ' ;

Off the Beaten Path

Hello! Or should I say hello movie fans? My Paradise Lost 2--This non-rated documentary is AmoresPerros--Mexican movie kicks the door name is David, and I'd like to give you some fascinating and genuinely disturbing. The down. Frantic and edgy, this movie pushes the tips on movies that you can put on your high­ original examined the case of three murdered envelope on many levels. We follow three priority must see list. A lot of very good movies children and the three teenagers who were individuals as they enter uncharted waters never play in Bloomington-Normal or play a convicted. Questions remained though as to if following a horrific car crash. The stories week so catching it on video is a great way to the West Memphis three were indeed the involve animals: a young man who gets see some knock-out films. You have to love killers. New.evidence is introduced and some involved in the underground world of dog discovering a cool flick. Okay, so you walk into of the ambiguous areas of the case start to fray. fighting; an injured supermodel' s designer pet a movie store and suddenly your mind goes Gripping from beginning to end, Paradise Lost 2 disappears into the apartment's floorboards; blank--you have no idea what to does not disappoint--it does raise even more and an ex-radical turned hit-man rescuing a watch ...hmmm ... take your Post Amerikan questions though. gunshot Rotweiler. Amores Perros was named along, flip to the movie review page, and then Best Film at dozens of film fests, and its you have at least a half dozen choices, just a director, AlerjendroGonzalez Inarritu, is one to The Acid House--Form the writer of slight warning: my movie tastes do run a tad keep an eye on. Trainspotting comes this hilarious and off-the-beaten-path. With that in mind, enjoy hallucinatory head trip of a comedy. After the picks and write me if you catch any films ingesting some acid our hero (?) is plunged into that are must-see movies. Poor White Trash--Title alone you know what a series of wildly bizarre situations. We trip you are in for--a good trashy-fun comedy, and it along and follow hopeless losers, psychotic more than delivers. Set in Carbondale, Illinois neighbors, wayward wives and general (Hmmm?), it stars Sean Yong (of Blade Runner) offbeats. Fairly hardcore and intense in parts, as a misguided but determined mother who The Acid House is a fantastic look at the wants her son to break free of the trailer park "chemical generation." great soundtrack life by graduating college and becoming a includes Oasis, Belle & Sebastian, and The family therapist. Things are not easy for Yong Chemical Brothers. Check it out. because she has to rescue her son and his idiot friend after they get caught roasting up a Chevy Vega while they're trying to rob a convenience store. Yong has been abandoned by �r:' '"\"! her one-eyed pro-wrester husband and has lost ;:;- �, " her job. She's at rock bottom when she agrees to y "' � \...\ ' ,,.. �'·� ·-· i..: '( ::: t i· ! r-1 � go on a crime spree with her son and two others, .,�trt> �.. so she will have the money to send her son to � \)! � Southern Illinois University. Best laid plans � go awry and the camp is put in high throttle. �' ·-.,_, ""' Kind of even, but overall; it's very funny. ..:. 1' � ; :+. ,,,,.. "' +; :I �,, 1 l � The Dish--Sam Neil (of Jurassic ... � Park) shines in .,,., h �.... this charming Australian comedy. Flashback � �. � to Apollo II' s astronauts' walk on the moon. � � ' t�ll � t:..f11 ·· � There's a 1000 ton satellite dish in a small 1 •• I � ...... ' . : Aussie town that is to beam the historic first ...... , \ ...... _ � "�" .. � .,___.. . � l step around the world. As the moment fast � ll::. � � � approaches, the dish malfunctions and an ...... � offbeat Aussie crew plus a straight-arrow � ... . ' """'.. �� NASA supervisor scramble to fix it on time. ·� � � � The Dish is based on the true story of how the .,,,. �- � biggest television event in history was almost a , � � � � a ncrshow. Tune in. u m qJ. � � � � .,,., s t fr agrance ot dye. • s"' --Dave 4 .. Pute glycetine oap, withou , f\ A"' � 'C � Embec:lctecl with ;" ;-.,;.. lt,,o� .. � �� Ask about one-of-a-kincl wite-wtappecl Willenclotfjewehy. �

PAGE 26 POST AMERIKAN OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2001 · ·1c

Audio Ammo

JoeStrumrner & The Mescaleros The Strokes Global A Go-Go(Hellcats Rec ords) Is This It (RCA)

New York City, 42nd Street where hustlers When I first heard the title of Strummer's most hustle and pimps pimp the beat - something recent release Global a Go - Go I thought my God exciting is happening in NYC and it's called what is he thinking? All my fears were laid to The Strokes. In just six months, two singles and rest after the first listen. a EP (The Modem Age). The Strokes have taken their hook-laden rock n roll angst to a Let me start by saying this is one of the best major label and released a fine debut. A new releases of the year and would be all the rage if rock n roll ? Well certainly a welcome change in only it was titled "Global a go-go" by The Clash. this era of musical shite. The title track which kicks off the record brings to mind early Most songs on this record would fit right in on Pavement. The Strokes have been compared Sandinista however this is not a Clash record; it heavily to sounding like The Velvet is a collective affair written and played with Underground which is not entirely off-base passion in every sense of the word. however,they bring an almost perfect balance between content and style. The record was The first track "Johnny Appleseed" is possibly recorded in a very lo-fi punk rock kind of way one of the best songs Strummer has ever come over a month and a half. The vocals which are up with - a rootsy folk diddy with an organ fuzzily distorted and buried deep in the mix intro that sets your foot-a tappin' from the get give the album a retro feel. From top to bottom go. this is a solid rock album that heeds attention. If your one of the lucky ones you've got a copy The title track is another fabulous romp taking with the track "NYC Cops" - because of the you from Bulawayo to Stalingrad while name recent terrorist attacks in NYC the band has dropping everyone from Bob Dylan to Buddy decided to pull that track from the record in Rich and Big Youth. which the chorus is "New York City cops, New York City cops they ain't to smart ...." out of Another stand out track is "Shaktar Donetsk" a respect to the police and rescue crews. If you dig song about a group of Yugoslavian immigrants dirty, passionate rock music without the trying to sneak into England in the back of a bullshit, try on The Strokes. truck - while no-one thought to let a little air in for breathing purposes; 54 people died. --Mark Neace

Strummer always was one to move forward, never to sit back and chum out the same three­ chord rumble on every album and this record is no different. There is a line in "Bhindi Bhagee" the fourth track, when someone asks, "What's your music like?" Strummer's reply after some thought is "It's got a bit of ragga, bhangra, 2-step tanga, mini-cab radio, surf beat, OCTOBER @ TH E LIZARDS LOUNGE backbeat, frontbeat, backseat, brit-pop, hip hop, rockabilly, lindy hop and a bunch of player's MON TU ES WED THUR FRI SAT really letting go! 5th: TBA, 6th: TBA. Open pm 8 pm 9 Do yourself a favor and go buy this record and $2.00 pitchers Mic $1.00 pitchers tell people about it - better yet go see this band 13th: •live, the songs are full of bravado and a heartfelt Night 12th: TBA, Every Every Every 10-96 \'nessage not heard round these parts in some 9 pm Thursday! $1 .00 pitchers 8pm; rock 'time. Be aware and give yourself at least 20 9pm Tuesday ! Wednesday ! $2.00 pitchers minutes to take in the wonderful old Irish rebel Reggae 19th: 20th: song "Minstrel Boy" which closes out the Chris The Night I TBA, 8 pm Post-a-polfooza, record. pm & Hubbards Ladies $1.00 pitchers 9 $2.00 pitchers Joe Night Joe Kool is back and it's gonna take a nitcomb to 26th:Taxi War 27th: TBA, 9 pm get rid of him, I for one am glad for that. Acoustic 9 pm Dance, 9 pm $1.00 pitchers $1.00 pitchers $2.00 Ja m Pitchers

party

9 pm 9pm

DRINK SPECIALS

Mon. $1.50 Domestic bottles

Tues. $2.00 Well Drinks

Thurs. $4.75 16oz. Long Islands

Fri. $5.50 32oz. Long Islands or King Lizards

Sat. $1.75 bottles of Leinies

For future shows . . . www.thelizardslounge.com . Oct. 20

Stumpwhoopt 1 to close

Nick Roseman (acoustic)

(acoustic)

The Lizards Lounge 612 N. Main, SLM