A DALLAS OFFICE OF UN-CIVIL RIGHTS Page 10

A JOURNAL OF FREE VOICES SEPTEMBER 1, 1995 • $175 Riding the Bull in Dallas A Closer Look at Ross Perot's Checkbook Populism

BY MICHAEL KING OME PEOPLE KNOW how to throw a party... third-party issues was first announced, national and some just don't. politicians began calling Perot to ask to address S If you're scheduling your next big political the group. Perot decided "it seemed too good affair, don't ask H. Ross Perot to plan it for you. an opportunity to miss" to discuss the nation's Perot's United We Stand AmericaTM business, so he began adding to the invitation Conference (the trademark is Perot's), list until it grew to more than three dozen held August 11-13 at the Dallas Con- "experts," politicians, or would-be vention Center, while not exactly a politicians, including no less than ten de- bust, was hardly the celebration of cit- clared candidates for the Republican izen initiative and participation that presidential nomination, from Bob ("It's had been advertised. What was mar- My Turn") Dole to one Maurice Taylor, keted to members in the UWSA newslet- "President and CEO of Titan Wheel Interna- ter as the "Political- Event of the Century" tional." It is the Republicans, of course, who (Perot is nothing if not a salesman) became in are most worried about Perot's own presidential fact a wearyingly predictable beauty pageant for ambitions; they still hold him largely responsible Republican presidential candidates. for electing Bill Clinton, by default, in 1992. Nobody won. The inevitable result for the two-and-a-half day conference was I use the term "party" advisedly, since a strong un- a mostly numbing and eventually exhausting procession of pol- dercurrent of the conference was the ongoing argu- icy wonks and stump speakers, with barely enough breathing ment within UWSA over the possible formation of room to grab a sandwich or to duck out into the withering a third party, to take on directly the Republicans Dallas heat for a smoke. The "conference" had become one and Democrats. As confirmed by conversations more media opportunity for the usual suspects, "broad- with UWSA members in Dallas, there is a sizable cast," yipped Perot, "over C. -Span to an audience of sentiment within the organization to form an inde- millions," but with essentially no opportunity for the pendent party; in fact this conference had originally audience in the arena—let alone those invisible mil- been conceived, at the beginning of 1995, as a na- lions—to respond to the parade of "leaders" who tional meeting to address that question. In the delivered their spiels, huddled with Perot-vian manner, questionnaires had reporters, and then disappeared. been distributed, e-mail responses so- When questions were raised about licited, focus groups organized—but the conference format, UWSA organiz- by the time push came to Perot, the ers pointed to the Sunday workshop party conference had be- sessions (closed to the press), although come instead a coming-out "workshop" sounded like a mis- party for Republican debu- nomer: panels of "experts" on bud- tantes 410 get-balancing or tax reform would According to Perot he make yet more presentations, and then audi- spokesman Sharon • ence members would be invited to repond with Holman, when the "in- _ , - "questions" (one minute limit) or "comments" temal, small confer- - ence" to discuss Continued on p. 4 t KREni r< I - - . SEIZE THE DAY A POET GOES HOME Ronnie Dugger: "Not a Party, Pat LittleDog on Ricardo Sanchei A Movement." • Return to El Paso. DIALOGUE

If Not Democrats, Then...? Waco. They's a conspiracy (especially in I'm 61 years old now, and it's as much a Vidor) to dee-arm us all." mistake for me to read Ronnie Dugger When they get $5,000 ahead and own a now as it was in 1956. I read Dugger's ar- bass boat, they are quite certain they're ticle ("Democratic Sellout," 7/28/95), capitalists. wadded up my Observer and, screaming Oh there's a populist movement afoot in obscenities, threw it against the wall. Jefferson County all right, and its basic No, it isn't my belief that Dugger is tenets are those of fear of government and A JOURNAL OF FREE VOICES wrong which moves me to curses and vio- hatred of anyone who's the slightest bit We will serve no group or party but will hew hard to the different in color or philosophy. (Vote for truth as we find it and the right as we see it. We are ded- lence. It is my knowledge—arrived at icated to the whole truth, to human values above all in- grudgingly, with my heels dug in, as it school prayer, where our kids can learn to terests, to the rights of human-kind as the foundation of turn the other cheek. If you disagree, we'll democracy: we will take orders from none but our own were—that Dugger is right...God help us conscience, and never will we overlook or misrepresent all, because my Democratic Party ain't blow your ass off). the truth to serve the interests of the powerful or cater And even though most local city gov- to the ignoble in the human spirit. going to. Writers are responsible for their own work, but not Shades of 1954! The only thing that's ernments and school districts are seriously for anything they have not themselves written, and in near bankruptcy; even though local re- publishing them we do not necessarily imply that we really changed, politically speaking, is the agree with them, because this is a journal of free voices. ever-deepening entrenchment of corporate fineries and chemical plants- America. And even Dwight D. Eisenhower Chevron/Clark, Mobil, Texaco, Star Enter- SINCE 1954 could probably have defined integrity prise, Fina and others—have received billions in tax breaks; even though taxes Founding Editor: Ronnie Dugger without choking. Maybe. Publisher: Geoff Rips As all Observer readers must know, it on all our homes have been raised three was never easy to be a liberal in Texas. times to help make up the difference; and Editor: Louis Dubose even though all those companies are now Associate Editor: Michael King But for me, a former football coach, now a Production: Harrison Saunders cattleman who argued against NAFTA and actually complaining about current evalua- Editorial Interns: Todd Basch, Amanda Toering currently suffers from its effects (imported tions, most locals I talk to are in favor of Contributing Writers: Bill Adler, Barbara Belejack, tax abatements for multi-national corpora- Betty Brink, Warren Burnett, Brett Campbell, Peter Mexican beef) it has been doubly difficult. Cassidy, Jo Clifton, Carol Countryman, Terry That's not a complaint, merely an observa- tions. FitzPatrick, Richard L. Fricker, James Harrington, tion. "We need the jobs," they say. Bill Helmer, Jim Hightower, Ellen Hosmer, Molly But virtually nobody in the county Ivins, Steven Kellman, Deborah Lutterbeck, Tom Once more, "the center won't hold." I McClellan, Bryce Milligan, Debbie Nathan, Brad Tyer, feel myself dissipating and the deep core knows how many jobs have been "cre- James McCarty Yeager. of my beliefs again exposed and put to the ated" by tax abatements, and po pro-abate- Editorial Advisory Board: David Anderson, Austin; ment officials want to discuss the twelve Frances Barton, Austin; Elroy Bode, El Paso; Chandler test—just like the fifties. But I'm no Davidson, Houston; Dave Denison, Cambridge, Mass; longer young, nor strong, nor resilient; and to twenty thousand jobs lost here through Bob Eckhardt, Austin; Sissy Farenthold, Houston; there ain't no more young Democrats. Just layoffs by those very corporations. Ruperto Garcia, Austin; John Kenneth Galbraith, Cam- Yuppies. And younger kids with rings in Is this why we struggled for forty years, bridge, Mass.; Lawrence Goodwyn, Durham, N.C.; Ronnie? To end up here? And if I can't George Hendrick, Urbana, Ill.; Molly Ivins, Austin; their noses and ears, baggy shorts about to Larry L. King, Washington, D.C.; Maury Maverick, Jr., fall off their asses, and T-shirts that say vote for a Democrat, what then? San Antonio; Willie Morris, Jackson, Miss.; Kaye things like: Northcott, Fort Worth; James Presley, Texarkana; Neal Morgan Susan Reid, Austin; Geoffrey Rips, Austin; A.R. (Babe) IF IT'S GOT TIRES OR TITS IT'S Schwartz, Galveston; Fred Schmidt, Fredericksburg. TROUBLE. Beaumont Poetry Editor: Naomi Shihab Nye God I'm tired. Poetry Consultant: Thomas B. Whitbread In Jefferson County, Texas, we got a You and Tower Contributing Photographers: Bill Albrecht, Vic Hin- Ain't it just like the Texas Observer of old terlang, Alan Pogue. Republican congressman and state senator. Contributing Artists: Michael Alexander, Eric Avery, They beat Jack Brooks and Carl Parker, —the one that gave us that great Republi- Tom Ballenger, Richard Bartholomew, Jeff Danziger, Beth and radio in Beaumont sports Rush Lim- can U.S. Senator John Tower in 1961? Epstein, Valerie Fowler, Dan Hubig, Pat Johnson, Kevin You remember, you told us to vote for Kreneck, Michael Krone, Carlos Lowry, Gary Oliver, Ben baugh (eighteen million listeners nation- Sargent, Dan Thibodeau, Gail Woods, Matt Wuerker. wide), Chuck Harder, and some guy who Tower so we could get rid of him in 1966. calls himself the "The Black Avenger" and Senator Tower served 23 years as a re- Business Manager: Cliff Olofson says he ain't no African-American but a minder of the wisdom of your journal. Subscription and Office Manager: Douglas Falls Congressman Jim Chapman is birthing, Development Consultant: Frances Barton black. The OCAW and all the local trade sponsoring, funding, pushing and mother- SUBSCRIPTIONS: One year $32, two years $59, three years $84. Full-time ing an environmental project in the Piney students $18 per year. Back issues $3 prepaid. Airmail, foreign, group, and unions are whipped down, depleted to near bulk rates on request. Microfilm editions available from University Micro- Woods of East Texas (East Texas!) to save films Intl., 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Any current sub- non-existence, and about half their mem- scriber who finds the price a burden should say so at renewal time; no and protect old Caddo Lake from being one need forgo reading the Observer simply because of the cost. bership won't register to vote because they INDEXES: The Texas Observer is indexed in Access: The Supplementary "don't want to be on jury duty." Half of destroyed by pollution. Index to Periodicals; Texas Index and, for the years 1954 through 1981.77w Chapman challenged the local residents Texas Observer Index. those who do register don't vote at all, and THE TEXAS OBSERVER (ISSN 0040-45 I 9/USPS 541300), entire contents to work out an eighteen-point plan to copyrighted, 1995, is published biweekly except for a three-week interval half of those who do vote—guess what— between issues in January and July (25 issues per year) by the Texas Democ- study, clean up, and protect Caddo Lake racy Foundation, 307 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. Telephone: (512) vote Republican. 477-0746. E-mail: [email protected], while educating the local population about Second-class postage paid at Austin, Texas. Why? POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE TEXAS OBSERVER, "They gonna take my guns away. The 307 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. gummint's gonna do me like they done in Continued on p. 20

2 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995 EDITORIAL T HIserver TEXAS TLRA's Long Row to Hoe SEPTEMBER 1, 1995 VOLUME 87, No. 17 WHERE IS NOTHING NOVEL in the Texas Rural Legal Aid. Since Ronald Rea- paper shuffle that cost Berene Murillo gan was elected in 1980, government- FEATURES her quarterly Social Security credits and funded legal services, which programs like employer contributions, and then required TRLA provide for the poor, have been Riding the Bull in Dallas her to pay a fifteen-percent self-employ- under attack. In fact, TRLA has not been By Michael King 1 formally re-authorized since Jimmy Carter ment tax. It is a scheme as old as the farm- A Call to Hope and Action workers' minimum-wage law. A worker occupied the White House. So the program arrives at the worksite and a labor contrac- lives from appropriations bill to appropria- By Ronnie Dugger 6 tions bill, always vulnerable to attacks The Office of Un-Civil Rights tor hands the worker an IRS Form 1099. With one stroke of the pen, a laborer be- from the right—particularly from those By Carol Countryman 10 comes an entrepreneur—and the employer members of Congress who do the work of is relieved of the burden of withholding large agricultural interests. DEPARTMENTS and paying Social Security and income Unable to persuade the Congress to dis- taxes. It's entirely illegal, yet as common mantle the program, Ronald Reagan ap- Editorial as the short-handled hoe. pointed a Legal Services Corporation TRLA's Long Row To Hoe 2 What was unusual about Murillo' s case board hostile to the very agency it directed. James Galbraith was her employer. In 1990, Berene Murillo And there have been periodic assaults by hoed cotton for Texas A&M, at the Univer- Phil Gramm, who in 1985 attempted to Beware the VAT sity's experiment station at Hale Center, transfer the entire $300 million Legal Ser- Books and the Culture one of eighteen experiment stations A&M vices Corporation budget to the Depart- operates across the state. "This shows how ment of Agriculture, where it was ,to be A Poet Goes Home widespread these practices are," said Re- used for crop insurance and soil and water By Pat LittleDog 14 becca Flores Harrington, director of the conservation programs. (Seventy senators voted against Gramm's proposal.) In 1987, Head Like a Jukebox United Farmworkers Texas offices. Flores Music review by Brad Tyer 19 said she is concerned that a practice com- Gramm went after the $9.7 million ap- mon among large produce growers and proved for legal services for migrant work- contractors has now been adopted by pub- ers like Berene Murillo. AFTERWORD lic-sector employers. According to A&M's own legal counsel, OSE WERE difficulties faced by the Drilling for Labor History approximately four hundred seasonal agri- Legal Services Corporation in better By Paul Jennings 23 cultural laborers who worked at ten A&M times. With the Republican Party now in Political Intelligence 24 experiment stations were mis-classified. In control of the appropriations process, Phil the settlement, which is yet to be finalized Gramm might finally prevail. Currently Cover art by Kevin Kreneck by federal judge George P. Kazen, the folded into the Legal Services appropria- A&M system agreed to retroactively reclas- tions bills are restrictions that would pro- sify the workers, pay them $120 each for hibit the type of litigation that won Ms. poor, while Democrats like Charlie Sten- unemployment benefits they might have Murillo and some four hundred migrant holm pursue more pragmatic defenses of lost, and pay income tax and Social Secu- farmworkers the money and social security corporate farming and ranching. rity contributions that were not paid while credits denied them by A&M. In the Senate, the Appropriations Com- workers were classified as self-employed. Class-action suits, like the one TRLA at- mittee is chaired by Oregon moderate Re- Murillo is the named plaintiff in a class- torneys filed on behalf of the A&M farm- publican Mark Hatfield, who has for most of action suit, so the terms of the settlement workers, would be prohibited. Cases would his career been an advocate of legal services will apply to other workers who were not have to be filed one by one, making it so for the poor. Hatfield, however, is just the properly compensated by the A&M system. impractical to represent workers' interests sort of Republican who could provide an At A&M, Berene Murillo earned $3.83 per that not even legal aid lawyers could afford easy foil for the chairman of the appropria- hour, the same wage she currently earns at a to take them on. Lawsuits that generate tions subcommittee working on the Legal Hereford packing shed, where she sorts and legal fees paid by losing defendants would Services Budget: Texas Senator Phil grades potatoes. Her current job, she said at also be off limits, which in this case would Gramm. the August 15 Austin press conference have required the law firm to either take a Some of the more extreme restrictions where the settlement was announced, cut of what its plaintiffs received or to re- have already been eliminated, and with would probably last only a few more days. ceive nothing for its services. public pressure the TRLA's right to repre- She will move to another Panhandle pack- These restrictions will be debated in sent clients could be restored—unless Phil ing shed and work there until seasonal work September and October, as the House and Gramm (who got considerably better treat- in the fields begins in September. Last year Senate vote on a budget reconciliation bill. ment from A&M, when he was a professor she worked for six different employers and In the Texas House delegation, Republicans of economics) sees in Berene Murillo' s with her husband, also a farmworker, Dick Armey, Bill Archer, Tom DeLay, and pocketbook the opportunity to coax even earned $13,000. Joe Barton will take the lead in ideological more money out of his agribusiness con- The farmworkers were represented by attempts to dismantle legal services for the tributors. —L.D.

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 3 Continued from p.1 director from Florida, dismissed the proces- tive Republican and businessman (now re- sion of Republicans as a "beauty contest," tired), who had followed Perot's career in (five minute limit). And everybody, it was but echoed the organizational position that business and politics and viewed him as noted, had been issued a handy booklet for the whole occasion was an opportunity to "one of a kind." Like several other mem- written comments on each speaker, to be "educate the membership and the American bers, he recounted stories of Perot's private submitted to UWSA directors at the close public on the important issues." generosity (especially for the families of of business. A wan memory of activism military casualties), and was dismayed by lingered: one workshop session would be OR THE MOST PART, the audience press characterization of Perot as just "a devoted to "New Political Force: Party vs. was composed of Perot loyalists, in- millionaire who talks funny." Perot came Other Options." Advance press reports de- F cluding many professionals or retirees forward in '92 because "this country scribed significant internal dissent, includ- who could afford to spring for the several needed a leader," said Drew, and he is un- ing a few resignations, over the top-down hundred dollars and the time to attend. certain whom he could support for presi- planning and the lack of responsiveness of UWSA staff members particularly are dent if Perot doesn't change his mind. The the UWSA's leadership (i.e., Ross Perot). drawn from professional backgrounds— federal budget needs to be balanced, Under these circum- NAFTA and GATT re- stances, it should be no sur- versed—"there's been a prise that attendance was wholesale loss of jobs in less than half the 8,500 an- this country"—but he has ticipated, and that audience little hope for real change "participation" was largely "until the atmosphere reduced to loud applause at changes in Washington." appropriate cues—bal- Drew said he strongly anced budget (big hand); supports UWSA moving tax reform (big hand); anti- toward a third party NAFTA/GATT (very big ("sixty percent of our hand); campaign reform membership want an in- (big hand) and so on down dependent party"), but he the Perot line. Perot him- thinks it's an unrealistic self was an indefatigable, idea before 1998, at the relentlessly enthusiastic earliest. "It costs too host, from applauding the much, and it takes too opening singer ("Do you long." believe this beautiful Drew's colleague, Betty young lady never had a Montgomery, from Spar- voice lesson in her entire tanburg County, South life?!"), to congratulating Carolina, agreed with his each and every speaker— assessment, although she Democrat or Republican, thought that much larger inspirational orator or bum- political or economic bling bore—on the bril- events would likely dic- liance and efficacy of his or tate the direction of the her "solutions to our na- organization. "Something tion's problems." (David outside the organization Boren opened with a long will determine the future drone about restoring trust of UWSA." Montgomery in government, calling had joined UWSA be- cause of her concern over bravely for a return to bi- Max Shaffer's Uncle Sam decries jobs lost through NAFTA partisanship—after which two issues: balancing the Perot chirped, "Now isn't that the greatest businessmen, the military, the occasional federal budget and the loss of jobs. She had speech you ever heard in your life!" It was academic, doctor, or lawyer. They were begun as a local fundraiser, became county not exactly uphill from there.) Although a quick to recite UWSA's "core issues": a and then regional chairman, and now is the few oratorical highlights got the crowd on balanced budget, tax reform, campaign re- South Carolina state director, reporting to its feet, for seemingly contradictory rea- form, term limits...but less quick to sort Dallas. Montgomery described herself as a sons—Jesse Jackson, John Kasich, Marcy out what these abstractions might actually housewife; but her husband owns a textile Kaptur and Pat Buchanan all got warm re- look like, under the current system. Nearly business, and the passage of NAFTA, she sponses—the endless line of lectures was all of them initially had been drawn into the said, had a devastating effect on the indus- enough to daunt even the most stalwart C- UWSA by their enthusiasm for Perot's try. "But it's not just textiles. IBM is out- Span fanatic. aborted 1992 run for the presidency. Now, sourcing jobs. We're importing parts, and By mid-day Saturday, Perot's footsol- faced with Perot's public reluctance for an- exporting the assembly. There are four diers were understandably weary of the other attempt, and his dismissal of third ways a country can generate wealth— bombastic parade, and somewhat troubled party efforts—"a third party takes ten farming, fishing, mining and manufactur- by Perot's over-hearty enthusiasm for the years, and we haven't got ten years"—they ing—and we're systematically destroying speechifiers. "It's these guys that are the were hard-pressed to choose another candi- our manufacturing base." problem," said John Wagner of Ypsilanti, date. Eagerly or wistfully, many spoke of Platt Thompson is a former Texas Aggie Michigan. "He shouldn't be slapping them persuading Perot to change his mind. who once owned a geophysical exploration on the back, he should be kicking them in North Carolina state director Herb Drew company in Houston, but sold it to move the butt!" Tony Hernandez, a UWSA area described himself as a lifelong conserva- his family to Boise, "for quality of life."

4 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995 He's now Perot's director for Idaho and and James Spinosa. Also candidates for the conference. (Outside, welcoming signs California, and he affably describes the job state assembly, Long and Spinosa hardly warned against "inappropriate" attire.) as "herding cats." The California members look like professional politicians. Un- Shaffer's story was simple; the suit had have been particularly restless of late, shaven and casual, Long wore K-Mart helped him recruit Perot signatures in his pressing for a more activist UWSA, but cowboy duds, and Spinosa sported a southern Illinois neighborhood (near St. Thompson judges the membership overall gimme cap, t-shirt and jeans. Long recently Louis), and now UWSA members didn't as probably "fifty-fifty" for forming a third retired from his work as a pipefitter ("local recognize him without it. He acknowl- party. "We're pragmatists; we want to 274"); Spinosa said I could describe him as edged frankly that more than his outfit sep- know where the money will come from." an "unemployed water treatment operator," arated him from most of the professional Thompson added that he is increasingly having lost his six-year job a year ago over people in attendance. Originally from a skeptical of the whole notion of parties, a "patronage deal." Perot is their candidate, farm family, he now worked in construc- wondering "in the age of television, are although fresh from Pat Buchanan's arena tion ("when there's work") as a heavy parties anachronistic? I don't know." A denunciation of NAFTA, Long allowed equipment operator ("mostly backhoe, one-time Paul Tsongas delegate, Thomp- how he might vote for Buchanan if Perot which is pretty good right now"). But many son describes himself now as "anti-parti- didn't run. He described himself as a "con- of his friends are out of work, few could af- san." For him, UWSA is primarily a "hell servative," against foreign aid and affirma- ford a trip to Dallas, and he thought that of a catalyst" for the public discussion of tive action. Spinosa said he is an "ex-liberal they were largely unrepresented either on issues and finding "common ground" be- Democrat," but that "liberalism is dead. the stage or in the audience. "We're what I tween the parties. And you know what killed it? Liberals be- call the 'new poor class'; we were barely But not all the state organi- making it as it is, and now zations are waiting for 1996. they've shipped out the rest of The New Jersey chapter was our jobs with NAFTA." We invited to "take over" the es- "Liberalism is dead. And you know spoke just after Pat Bucha- sentially moribund state Con- nan's jingoistic exhortations, servative Party, and is now what killed it? Liberals believe and Shaffer said that he sup- running more than sixty candi- they've never made a mistake." posed if Perot weren't avail- dates for the state assembly able, he could probably vote this November. If they can for Buchanan. "He seems like manage ten percent of the cumulative lieve they've never made a mistake." an `un-politician' with backbone...we need statewide vote, they'll be established on the Long and Spinosa, like others among the somebody to go out on a limb for us." Jobs ballot. Their consensus issue is initiative small number of working-class people at and the economy were at the center of his and referendum, and most of the Jerseyites the conference, seemed more than a little concerns, and he believes a third party is sound like fairly traditional conservatives. out of place beneath the professional ve- inevitable. But he was saddened, based on Candidate Beverly Kidder is emphasizing neer of UWSA. Nominally conservative, his own experience, by the speakers' re- debt reduction and patronage reform, and they support school vouchers and privati- peated calls to do away with welfare pro- wants to put a stop to the influence of out- zation, yet they are suspicious of big corpo- grams. "If they abolish welfare, what will of-state money and PACs. She described rations, specifically their domination of the happen to the poor people? Will we turn the New Jersey organization as a "conser- medical and pharmaceutical industries. them out to the wolves?" vative, centrist" party, and believes the They described Perot as a "populist ge- But the poor weren't much with us in major parties "are being ruined by the ex- nius," and were wary of all the other candi- Dallas, neither on the floor nor at the dais, tremes." Norris Clark, the New Jersey state dates, whom they see simply as the repre- and when they were acknowledged at all it director, joined UWSA "out of a latent sentatives of "big government." Long was usually with incomprehension (Dick sense that something was wrong" in na- dismissed Clinton as a "socialist, with his Armey), disdain (Tommy Thompson), or tional politics—and at the encouragement socialized medicine." But Spinosa de- outright sneers (Pete Wilson and Phil of his wife, Athena, who saw Perot talking scribed the common UWSA people as Gramm). Of the speakers, only Marcy Kap- on television about the balanced budget "contrarians," and said with a sly grin that tur and Jesse Jackson said much of interest and immediately called UWSA. Athena is he is trying to get Noam Chomsky in as a to those absent, ordinary working people, a Wall Street stockbroker, and she believes speaker to the group. "Do you know what and Jackson captured succinctly the redis- a balanced budget will produce an "explo- gargoyles are, on medieval cathedrals?" he tributive theory of our current policy mak- sion of growth" in the U.S. economy. Pres- asked. "They tell you that gargoyles are ers in Washington: "They think the rich are ident Clinton, she says, betrayed his com- there to keep the evil spirits away. But I too poor, and the poor are too rich." Jack- mitment to a balanced budget, "even have my own theory. The common people son also noted the glaring absence not only though Alan Greenspan sat him down and were too poor and too ugly to be repre- from the conference, but from all current explained to him how important it is." Gen- sented by the stained-glass windows, and political deliberations, of a whole spectrum erally more optimistic about world trade they needed the gargoyles, so they could of America: "Those who could not afford (and therefore NAFTA and GATT) than talk to God, too. Well, now—we are the to go to the party, who were never invited, her colleagues, she thinks true budget cut- gargoyles." are now told they must pay for the party." ting—"first a freeze across the board"— In Dallas at least, a few did attempt to will come only after campaign finance re- N PERSON, there were only a handful crash. It goes almost without saying that form. But in a media age, she sees no need of Spinosa's "gargoyles" at the Dallas conference attendees were overwhelm- for a third party, citing Perot's first cam- I conference, but like their architectural ingly white; the few black people I spoke to paign as evidence: "If you're saying the namesakes they tended to stick out from turned out generally to be not members, but right thing you will capture the minds of the crowd. Max Shaffer was the most obvi- visiting observers or local civil servants ad- the people." ous. A tall, lanky man dressed in an Uncle mitted under Perot's last-minute fee The Clarks and Beverly Kidder seem a Sam suit, he presided over the entryway, waiver. A minor embarrassment ensued world—or at least a class—away from two where he was almost the only visible sign of their New Jersey colleagues, Joe Long of political vitality in the otherwise staid Continued on p. 1 8

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 5 A Call to Hope and Action Let Us Rebuild a True Populist Movement BY RONNIE DUGGER ARE RULED by Big Busi- vancing working Americans' interests, val- from a similar project in New Zealand) the ness and Big Government as its ues and hopes? Where is the party of the American Alliance. paid hireling, and we know it. common person? It's no coincidence that But we will have to start small, "to begin Corporate money is wrecking popular gov- within the same historical moment we have humbly." When only a few come that is ernment in the United States. The big cor- lost both our self-governance and the enough. The women's movement for the porations and the centimillionaires and bil- Democratic Party. The Democratic Party, right to vote started when five women sat lionaires have taken daily control of our on which many millions of ordinary people down around a table in a parlor in Water- work, our pay, our housing, our health, our have relied to represent them since the loo, New York, six miles north of Seneca pension funds, our bank and savings de- 1930s, has been hollowed out and rebuilt Falls. The Populists' National Farmers Al- posits, our public lands, our airwaves, our from the inside by corporate money. What liance and Industrial Union started with a elections and our very government. was once the party of the common man is meeting of seven people in a farmhouse in It's as if American democracy has been now the second party of the corporate man- Lampasas County, Texas. bombed. Will we be able to recover our- nequin. In national politics, ordinary peo- I propose the emphasis on Populism be- selves and overcome the bombers? Or will ple no longer exist. We simply aren't there. cause the nineteenth-century Populists de- they continue to divide us and will we con- No wonder only 75 million of us eligible to nied the legitimacy of corporate domina- tinue to divide ourselves, according to our vote in 1994 did so, while 108 million more tion of a democracy, whereas in this wounds and our alarms, until century the progressives, the they have taken the country unions and the liberals gave up away from us for good? The question now is whether we on and forgot about that organic Senate Democratic majority and controlling issue. I propose leader George Mitchell ex- can found the first genuinely that we seize the word Pop- claimed late in 1994, shortly be- international democracy. If we ulism back from its many hi- fore he abandoned the Congress jackers, its misusers—the in disgust: "This system stinks. cannot, the corporations have us. George Wallaces, David This system is money." The law Dukes, Irving Kristols, Newt of life among us now is what Gingriches—and restore its Jefferson called "the general prey of the of us, also eligible, did not. original meaning in American history, that rich on the poor." The moment is danger- What is government about? As a worker of the anti-corporate Populist movement of ous. Democracy is not guaranteed God's told reporter Barry Bearak last spring about the 1880s and 1890s. Our point, our pur- protection; systems and nations end. If we the U.A.W. strike against the Caterpillar pose, is the well-being and enhancement of do anything serious now we might make corporation, government is about "control, the person. We are all those who believe things worse; if we do nothing serious now you know, who controls who." Ernesto the corporations are becoming our masters we are done for. Cortes Jr., the organizer who helps people and do not want to vote for candidates of The challenge of 1776 was one thing; the in communities in the Southwest to act to- any party dependent on them. We are all challenge of 1995 is another. The northern gether in their own interests, once ex- those who are tired of winning elections Europeans who were our country's claimed: "Power! Power comes in two some of the time but losing our rights and founders exterminated or confined millions forms: organized people and organized interests all of the time. of Native Americans whose ancestors had money." To govern ourselves, power is As Lawrence Goodwyn wrote in his been living here for 30,000 years. African- what we need. To get it we must want it and definitive work, The Populist Moment, the Americans were enslaved until the Civil organize for it. Populists were "attempting to construct, War; women were not allowed to vote for This is a call to hope and to action, a call within the framework of American capital- 131 years, until 1920. But after the aboli- to reclaim and reinvent democracy, a call to ism, some variety of cooperative common- tionist, women's suffrage, farmers', union, the hard work of reorganizing ourselves wealth." That was, as he wrote, "the last progressive, civil rights, environmentalist, into a broad national coalition, a call to pop- substantial effort at structural alteration of feminist and gay and lesbian liberation ulists, workers, progressives and liberals to hierarchical economic forms in modern movements, and much more immigration, reconstitute ourselves into a smashing new America," and when Populism died out the question now is whether we can found national force to end corporate rule. what was lost was "cultural acceptance of a the first genuinely international democracy. This is a call that we assemble in St. democratic politics open to serious struc- If we cannot, the corporations have us. Louis, next November 10-13, to pick up tural evolution of society." Well, like the Why is there no longer any mass demo- the banner where the People's Party Populists of that era, we are ready again to cratic organization we can trust and dropped it on July 25, 1896, and form our- resume the cool eyeing of the corporations through which we can act together? Where selves into a broad progressive coalition, a with a collective will to take back the pow- is the strong national movement that is ad- new American alliance to take power so ers they have seized from us, the power of that, in the words of John Quincy Adams, farm or no farm, job or no job, living wage "self-love and social may be made the or no living wage, store or no store, medi- The Observer 's founding editor, Ronnie same." I would suggest for a name, tenta- cal care or no medical care, home or no Dugger, lives in New York. tively, the Citizens Alliance, or (on a cue home, pension or no pension.

6 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995

e.10.00.10. 4.4 O, AS I WOULD HAVE IT, we are ciations and efforts into one new national have been reduced to shadows by employ- Populists; but we are many other movement. Let's not even start unless we're ers' use of sophisticated unionbusters and 5things. We are white, black, brown, in for that. If we are in for that, we might be by the corporations' government, whose every religion and none, young, middle- trapped one more year, but not longer. labor-management apparatus chains down aged, old. We are people who work, for a What has happened to us? Too much, too the right to form and maintain unions. corporation or a small business or a farm, much. In 1886 the Supreme Court decided, Compared with about one in three of the for our families or for ourselves, or we're insanely, that corporations are "persons" work force at the peak, only one in seven job creators, local merchants, small-busi- with the rights our forebears intended only workers now belongs to a union—if you ness people in the towns or cities, or we're for people. The corporations—mere legal exclude public employees, only one in nine. people who can't find work or have given fictions created by the democratic states Multinational corporations now employ up trying. We are ordinary people. Proba- that are their only source of legitimacy— about a fifth of the private American work bly we would be no better than the rich if disposing of the Populists and slipping free force and are getting bigger and more pow- we were rich. But we are not haters or from the states' leashes, have multiplied erful by the hour. Workers are falling into scapegoaters. We eschew violence; we be- into the corrupters of our politics and the in- paycheck poverty—by the millions we are lieve in active citizenship and, when it is ternational networks of greed and power becoming expendable hired hands, inter- needed, civil disobedience. We are progres- that we know today. Hierarchical, essen- changeable units of work, governed in sives; we are union workers, or nonunion tially totalitarian, and now gigantic and what counts by entities that have aban- ones who might be union if we weren't so global, in effect the corporation is the gov- doned the traditional quest for a loyal work afraid of the power and will of management ernment, here and elsewhere. The divine force, much less a happy one. Corporations to fire us if we organize or strike; we are right of kings has been replaced by the di- are extracting cuts in wages and benefits liberals; we are the poorly educated, the un- vine rights of CEOs. from their experienced workers, low- trained, the minimum-wagers harried from Jefferson wrote that what distinguished balling new workers in two-tier wage sys- one job to another with no security and no our new country from the Old World was tems, requiring mandatory overtime and health insurance or sunk on welfare, whose the absence among us then of the fatal con- hiring temps to reduce the fringe benefits grammar might embarrass high-toned re- centrations of private wealth that so de- they have to pay, and letting hundreds of formers, whose clothes might, thousands of workers go while too. We are feminists, environ- exporting their jobs to low-wage mentalists, peace and antinu- This is a call for the five- or ten- areas around the world. As a clear people, civil rightsers, civil worker at Caterpillar said, "They libertarians, radical democrats, year, one-to-one hard work of use you up and throw you away." democratic socialists, egalitari- organizing people and bringing Young male workers with a high ans; and we are moderates and school education lost thirty per- conservatives who believe in together many disparate cent of their real income in the family values, work, initiative twenty years ending in 1993, and and responsibility, but not cyn- associations and efforts into one the real wages of American pro- ics to whom the point of life is new national movement. duction workers have dropped profit and power. twenty percent in twenty years; Some of us are Democrats, average wage levels for men are some independent, some are or were for formed imperial Europe. Yet the gap be- now below the levels of the 1960s. As of Ross Perot, some follow Jesse Jackson's tween the very rich and the rest of us now 1993, forty percent of women earned only Rainbow Coalition, some of us are Green is morally more obscene than anything Jef- about $15,000 a year. Among Hispanics Party, New Party or the soon-to-be Labor ferson could have had in mind. One per- forty-six percent and among African- Party, some are libertarians about personal cent of the people among us own forty per- Americans thirty-six percent of workers do life, a thimbleful of us may be Republicans. cent of the national wealth. The after-tax not earn an hourly wage sufficient to lift This is not a call to get ready for 1996 poli- income of the top twenty percent of U.S. them out of poverty. tics, nor a call to citizens, Democrats or any families exceeds that of all other families other, to decide now whether or not to vote combined. Between 1977 and 1989 the one ANY MILLIONS OF US hunger for any particular candidate or party in percent of families with incomes over for serious discussion and debate 1996. The presidential race next year could $350,000 received seventy-two percent of M on public affairs, but major cor- well become a four- or five-candidate the country's income gains while the bot- porations now control much of the access November smashup of the two-party sys- tom sixty percent lost ground. In 1992, half to our minds and the selection of the sub- tem, and 1996, therefore, one of those rare of our families had net financial assets jects that we are encouraged to think about years of historic party realignment. But the under $1,000. Debts exceeded assets for from day to day. Twenty corporations own situation might also close back down into four out of ten of our families. In 1994, and control more than fifty percent of the usual choice between the two major- seventy American individuals and fifty- American radio and TV stations, newspa- party nominees. Some or many of us may nine American families collectively owned pers, magazines, book publishers and conclude in 1996 that we are trapped again. $295 billion, an average of $2.3 billion. major movie studios. In 1945, eighty per- The return of ordinary citizens to national The top fifty-one individuals and families cent of our daily newspapers were inde- politics through the Alliance might move owned $197 billion, an average of $3.9 bil- pendently owned; almost half a century Democratic officeholders back toward the lion. The two richest Americans, William later eighty percent of them were owned by people, or might provide a democratic Gates and Warren Buffett, and the richest corporate chains. The commercial televi- group setting for a reasoned decision on American family, the du Ponts, owned a sion corporations, which dominate the na- 1996 in place of the ego-driven chaos we total of $34 billion among them. The rate tional consciousness day to day, debase must now expect. But that is not the chief of child poverty in the United States is four and daze people with foolish and violent point. This is a call for the five- or ten-year, times the rate in Western Europe. programming. Before one of our children one-to-one hard work of organizing people Although no democracy can work with- is out of grade school he or she watches on and bringing together many disparate asso- out a strong union movement, U.S. unions the average 8,000 murders and 100,000

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 7 acts of violence on TV. There is no vision, Both parties lied to the people about the changes in cost-of-living components since and the people are perishing. disaster until after the 1988 elections and 1960 are factored into the government's For decades savings-and-loan institu- then we were stuck for the bailout bill of measures of poverty, about a fourth of us tions were required by law to provide low- half a trillion dollars. Forty-one million are in poverty, almost twice the govern- interest loans to help families buy homes. Americans, and rising, still have no health ment's official story line. Yet the Republi- President Carter "deregulated" interest insurance, even though they could have can Congress continues deliberately to rates, Congress deregulated the S&Ls, and been covered for nothing by the savings scapegoat and squeeze the poor and the el- their ensuing collapse destroyed the gov- from national health insurance such as derly to provide still more tax benefits for ernment's low-intereSt housing program. Canada's single-payer system. When the rich and the corporations, voting to give

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level, ...... ntrft lifions to SI 00 €rout d person who is a pertner the candidate's district; ' pintributions or any other pO ,.,qty by corporations.

Single-payer national health lns ura ,:s.,:100011/1/1111hqiiii • such as the Canadian plan, with autom universal coverage. ■ A doubling of the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation. A full-employment (3 percent tmemploy- ment) antipoverty policy rooted in a thirty- five-hour workweek with four- to six-week •.1. t '4 ■,; den and vacations; equal pay for equal work. • each eficial ac- ■ A huge public-investment program, in- 4-golv. 4,%**0 actions? cluding the creation of a community- efi owned , community-controlled public " loans. nursing-home system and a new profes- -714 9 0. 0 ;4,. -auntabillty sion of caring for handicapped and tie- . glected people, funded by the radical sim- plification of the income tax and the restoration of its steep progressivity, a permanent surtax on corporate profits and a steeply graduated annual wealth tax on

8 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995

tax breaks of $245 billion by 2002 primar- tirement of the aging chief of the A.F.L.- ily to the wealthy, while also cutting Medi- C.I.O., a woman is on both rival slates for This is Texas today. A state full of care $270 billion and Medicaid $182 bil- the new national officers, and black union- Sunbelt boosters, strident anti-union- lion during the same period. Both parties ists are demanding more influential roles in ists, oil and gas companies, nuclear cry out that the poor must work for their the leadership. A small but important ef- weapons and power plants, political welfare, but neither would dream of pro- fort, the Program on Corporations, Law, viding the public revenues necessary to and Democracy (P.O. Box 806, Cam- hucksters, underpaid workers and capitalize enough public-sector jobs for the bridge, MA 02140), is focusing on corpo- toxic wastes, to mention a few. poor to take. Benefits under the Aid to rate tyranny and on withdrawing giant cor- Families with Dependent Children pro- porations' privileges and immunities. gram were slashed forty-two percent be- There is of course no way to do justice here tween 1970 and 1991, yet Congress is still to the dedicated myriad other movements slashing them and seeks to end them as a for justice and equality in the country. ...k.i_. , „, federal entitlement. The oligarchy, tut-tut- All this is what needs to be fused, if and to . - ting against "class warfare" at every hint of whatever extent people and their organiza- RO , a politics that might threaten its wealth and tions want to be fused, into a pro-people na- 10010- privileges, has declared its own class war tional alliance. But can we reassemble and 2...... -1 against the poor. take power? Can a people so different in ori- Mostly we are shattered into sub- gin, race, religion and history know and care groups—split by race or by duels between about each other enough and act together in tic, the hurting middle, working and out-of- our common interests powerfully enough to \,..‘ luck classes, or enclosed within one-issue save the democracy and ourselves? Q ,. is- IIIP or special-focus organizations or efforts. "We, the people" ordained and estab- .."4._ ir What resources do we have to take power lished the United States "to...promote the 'WO Ir‘, and democratize the corporation? general welfare, and secure the blessings of We as a people are rich if we could just liberty for ourselves and our posterity" sky, w get at our own common wealth. As Ralph solely on our authority and power as per- Sis....t. ,4 Nader ,teaches, workers' pension funds sons. We did not ordain and establish the rw come to four or five trillion dollars, our United Corporations of America. Each one BUT bank deposits and savings accounts total a of us still has the same authority and power DO NOT , couple of trillion dollars and mutual insur- on the sole strength of which the founders DESPAIR! ance proceeds come to a trillion and a half; of the country declared themselves inde- yet all of this, our money and therefore our pendent of the King of England. We can roll" THE TEXAS power, is controlled by the corporations. use this same authority and power, our We as the people own about one-third of strength as citizens, to write a new Declara- the land in the United States, yet ranchers tion of Total Democratic Sovereignty Over 11IP server and mining companies ravage and pillage it the Corporation and make the United for next to nothing. The airways are public States, even if it will be for the first time, a TO SUBSCRIBE: property—ours—yet our politicians hand democracy that is actually governed by the them free to broadcasting companies, people who live in it, in our own interests which use them to control our minds. We and those of posterity. I don't know if we'll are fabulously rich, but the oligarchy con- do it or not. But we can. If we want the trols our wealth while we are privileged to power we can take it. We are entering now Name pay off the national debt, now more than the first great test of whether we, one na- four trillion dollars. tion's people who are as different as the Many millions of us know more than the people of the world, can govern ourselves. imperious establishment wants us to, and Can we see ourselves in others and the Address we are moving. The Industrial Areas Foun- other in ourselves? I believe the first great dation has organized people in many com- experiment in international democracy will munities around their own needs and succeed or fail on the answer we give col- City hopes, inventing new principles for authen- lectively to that question. We can or we tic democracy that can be applied any- can't, and the answer in events will be the where. The phenomenal movement answer we give to history. Let's try: Let's spawned by Nader gallantly fights on for revive and continue the American Populist State • the people's interests through scores of or- Movement on the strength of our knowing ganizations, and Nader is now considering that its best democratic passions have never the formation of a special national civic died among us. With Tom Paine, we will empowerment organization, 1,000 trained "lay then the axe to the root, and teach gov- Zip organizers who will form citizen-action ernments humanity." ❑ groups of 500 to 1,000 people in every (To join and help organize the Citizens ❑ $32 enclosed for a one-year Congressional district. A majority of peo- Alliance and to receive a planning docu- subscription. ple polled nationally favor the establish- ment for the November 10-13 meeting, fax ment of a major new third party; the New Ronnie Dugger at (508) 349-2501, e-mail ❑ Bill me for $32. Party and the Greens are showing encour- him at RDugger123 @aol.com or mail to

aging signs of growth, and by the end of the Citizens Alliance, do The Texas Observer, 307 West 7th , year a new Labor Party will come into 307 W. 7th, Austin, Texas 78701. Please Austin, TX 78701 being. Insurgents have engineered the re- enclose SASE.)

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 9 The Office of Un-Civil Rights Dallas Federal Education Officials Don't Have Time to Protect Civil Rights They're Too Busy Violating Them

BY CAROL COUNTRYMAN HEN SHE READ the Ku Klux Ditto was concerned about the discrepan- hostility toward me and my group," Ditto Klan flyers that had been left in cies in standardized test scores between said. "From the very beginning the OCR Wthe boys' restroom at Young black and white students in the Henderson had no interest or concern whatsoever with Junior High School in Arlington, Deborah Independent School District. He was also our situation, and made no effort to expose Lott was stunned. The derogatory com- concerned that a disproportionately higher or confront racism and discrimination in ments, including threats directed at blacks number of black students were being disci- the system." and Jews, were particularly upsetting for plined; he believed that the school district Lott, organizer of the Mid-Cities Commu- and its administration maintained low ex- HAT DITTO and Lott didn't nity Council, a group of concerned parents pectations for the district's minority stu- know, however, is that for some who had organized to address racial bias in dents, and thus consistently and dispropor- Wfifteen years, the Region VI the Arlington Independent School District. tionately placed them in low-level and civil rights office itself has been repeatedly Her organization had been working for special education classes. What upset Ditto accused of racial discrimination and sexual months to confront what they described as a the most, he said, was that for twenty-three harassment. Since 1980, the Department of racially hostile environment in Arlington years Henderson ISD openly flouted civil Education has received numerous com- schools. rights laws and defied the Civil Rights Act plaints that supervisors at the Dallas OCR Unsatisfied with the responses of school of 1964, without any reprisals whatsoever have rejected black and Hispanic staff officials, Lott filed a complaint with the from federal agencies. Ditto first shared his members for promotions, demanded sexual Department of Education's Office of Civil concerns with district officials, who, he favors from female employees, and as- Rights (OCR), Region VI, in Dallas. The said, simply ignored the problems. He then signed impossible case loads to disabled OCR, a regional office of the Department filed a complaint with the Texas Education workers. Employees who protested say of Education, charged with enforcing fed- Agency (TEA), which investigated and re- they have been threatened with retaliation eral civil rights laws in Arkansas, ported that the conditions that gave rise to and physical harm. The hostility and in- Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Ditto's complaint had existed for twenty- fighting is so severe, employees say, that Texas, investigated Lott's complaint. three years, despite the district's being re- the office can no longer perform its duty. Several months later, when OCR find- peatedly "warned, cautioned and admon- "One would wonder how we are able to ings were released, Lott couldn't believe ished" by the U.S. Office of Civil Rights. enforce civil rights legislation when our what she was reading. The OCR investiga- When Ditto requested that the OCR own house is not in order," wrote Purnell tion revealed that black students were in- compel the school to comply with federal Johnson, President of the Equal Opportu- deed referred for discipline in dispropor- law, like Deborah Lott, he was utterly con- nity Alliance, in a 1992 letter to then-Edu- tionately higher numbers in eleven out of founded by the response he received. The cation Secretary Lamar Alexander (now a twelve schools, yet concluded that there OCR investigation confirmed gross non- Republican presidential candidate). "We was no pattern of discrimination on the part compliance with federal laws, including consider the problems that exist within the of the district. The OCR also determined the over-representation of minority stu- office for civil rights a moral disgrace." that the district had satisfactorily handled dents in special education classes, the Alexander, who served as Education the clandestine distribution of white under-representation of minority students Secretary from March 1991 to January supremacist literature, by providing sensi- in gifted-and-talented courses, and that, "in 1993, was aware of the problems that tivity training workshops for parents and every instance, black students scored sig- plagued the Dallas OCR and sent a Depart- students—although only ten to fifteen peo- nificantly lower than other students in ment of Education team from Washington ple had attended. In short, the OCR had achievement and educational ability." Yet to conduct a survey there. But employees come to the conclusion that no racial dis- in defiance of its own documentation, the claim they were misled by Education De- crimination or harassment was occurring in agency concluded that no discrimination partment investigators, who handed the in- Arlington schools. File closed. against minority students had occurred. As formation they compiled to Taylor August, While Lott was battling her school dis- proof, the OCR pointed to newspaper arti- the Regional Director of the Office of Civil trict in Arlington, about one hundred and cles that described the district's participa- Rights who was the target of most of the fifty miles southeast in the piney woods of tion in Black History Month. complaints. Johnson said he was told by his deep East Texas Frank Ditto was waging Ditto couldn't believe it. "That was the supervisor that he had better cease his ac- his own protest against against the Hender- craziest thing I had ever heard," he said. tivities on behalf of the Alliance, or lose his son ISD. Ditto, president and founder of "Here this district had continually flaunted job. the Rusk County Concerned Citizens, a its disregard of federal law, and [the OCR] That wasn't the first fact-finding mission group of mostly minority parents, also let them do it." the DOE conducted. In the late 80s, would turn to the OCR for help. Both Lott and Ditto believed that the Re- William Bennett, Secretary of Education on VI Office of Civil Rights was indiffer- from 1984-1988, sent a team from Wash- it to their concerns, if not downright hos- ington to investigate the problems in the Freelance journalist Carol Countryman tile. "I came close to filing a personal Dallas OCR. Employees, feeling they were lives in Kemp. complaint against the OCR based on their finally making some headway, related to

10 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995

_ Purnell Johnson and Olga Cardenez CHARLES DUKES investigators their personal stories of sex- ogy," and had an extraordinarily high num- must tolerate much abuse and harm for the ual harassment, discrimination and retalia- ber of EEO complaints, some relating to al- sake of his family and his survival." tion. Reams of information were collected, legations that had continued for more than a One OCR investigator, who has asked to boxed and sent to Washington for review. decade. In particular, Taylor August, the re- remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, However, employees were later told the port said, who had been regional director said the atmosphere in the Dallas OCR was material was lost in transit, and no action since 1979, was at the heart of most of those like that of a prison concentration camp. was taken to address their allegations. complaints. In fact, most of the complaints "When the Robert Ramirezes were being In 1993, faced with increasing EEO were instigated by minority staffers in the metaphorically beat up by the guards, we complaints originating in the Dallas office, OCR against Taylor August, a black man. looked the other way because we, at least, Norma Cantu, the Education Department's "The workplace is one characterized by weren't getting beat up by the guards." Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, re- hostility in which individuals must cope by tained John Harris and his partner Robert alienation, denial, isolation and anti-social OBERT RAMIREZ, a disabled Honig, of the Harris Consulting Group (a responses...this workplace of hostility ma- Vietnam veteran and Dallas OCR Maryland-based consulting firm), to inves- terializes not only in perceptions and atti- Rnvestigator, was one of the employ- tigate the Dallas OCR. (Before her appoint- tudes, but in the policies and practices of ees Harris and Honig found had been par- ment to the Department of Education posi- management," the report stated. The inves- ticularly targeted for reprisals by the OCR tion, Cantu had served as legal director for tigation also found that disabled employees administration. Ramirez, the Harris Report the Mexican American Legal Defense and were targeted and harassed and that their stated, had filed two sets of complaints Education Fund in San Antonio). medical records were improperly used "in against Taylor August, claiming discrimi- "I was appalled by what we found," Har- a way that violates the Americans with Dis- nation on the basis of his ethnicity and dis- ris said, after interviewing a majority of the abilities Act (ADA)." ability, and also claiming reprisals for fil- employees in person. "We also gave them a The Harris Group Management report ing earlier EEO complaints. questionnaire to measure their stress level. found that seventy-nine percent of the dis- Ramirez, who severely injured his arm in We were shocked at the degree of fear and abled employees and fifty-three percent of combat and suffers from post-traumatic intimidation these employees felt. The Hispanics suffered from high, harmful stress disorder, requires medical accommo- women were crying, some almost hysteri- stress. According to the report, the Dallas dation at work: a word processor and dicta- cally." OCR had twice the national norm of medi- phone to aid in the writing of reports and as- In a management report submitted to cal intervention for emotional and nervous signments and deadlines that can be Cantu by Harris and Honig, their investiga- problems and referred to OCR employees completed in a 40-hour work week. Instead, tion showed that the Dallas Office of Civil as "wage slaves" subject to "an involuntary Ramirez previously had been assigned ex- Rights was incapacitated by its "pathol- servitude, [under which] the employee traordinary workloads with immediate

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 11 deadlines—all without any accommodation did—investigating civil rights abuses—the reasonable accommodation, that he some- for his disability. The pressure of that per- stress is high and inconsistent, like a Chi- times would spend the night at the office or formance pace, according to written reports nese water torture. But when you add an el- pay personal attendants to help him try to from his physicians at the Dallas veterans' ement of bad management, you create a complete his work. The employee pushed hospital, was aggravating and accelerating powder keg." Gatewood, who was rendered himself so hard because "he feared losing not only Ramirez' physical disability, but partially disabled from exposure to Agent his job. That would have meant a return to also complicating the previously-diagnosed Orange and has been diagnosed with severe Social Security disability and a return to a severe depression associated with his PTSD from combat, asked for but never re- nursing home. For that reason, he was PTSD. The OCR asked Ramirez to present ceived accommodations for his disability, afraid to complain." The report says that the medical documentation before the adminis- despite submitting substantial medical doc- internal bleeding that caused his death may tration could determine what workplace ac- umentation. After pressing management to have been due to stress. commodation would be appropriate. accommodate his disability, Gatewood Ramirez complied and turned over the said, he received the lowest performance ISABLED WORKERS aren't the records. level rating of his government career, al- only ones who have complained of When Harris and Honig investigated, though he had received no advance warning D mismanagement and abuse at the however, Taylor August told them that of performance problems. OCR. The Harris investigation also found Ramirez had not complied with the request In an interview, Gatewood said the stress that forty percent of the female employees for medical documentation. When Harris became so severe that he suffered a ner- at Region VI reported sexual harassment and Honig challenged August by showing vous breakdown and was hospitalized for on the job. The reported incidents include: him the medical information obtained from ten days. The day he returned to work, intentional grabbing of a woman's breast August's own secretary—information al- George Cole and Gatewood's supervisor by her supervisor; a male employee's lewd ready on file—August reversed himself, presented him with a memo requiring him descriptions of his genitals; and supervi- saying that the division director, George to supply his full medical history and asked sors pressuring female employees for Cole, was supposed to keep dates. The report noted sixteen him abreast of that kind of individual reports of unaccept- information. Cole, when able sexual remarks and innu- confronted, stated that he be- Office of Civil Rights rules were endoes, and fourteen indepen- lieved Ramirez was still inconsistent and devised in such a dent incidents of unwanted being diagnosed and that he sexual advances or touching. had not seen anything re- manner it was impossible for disabled (When it released the report to cently from the VA. "We employees to comply with them. the press, two pages of details can only presume that either concerning sexual harassment Cole's statement is intended were censored by the Depart- to mislead or that he did not receive copies that he adjust his therapy schedule so he ment of Education.) of the correspondence provided by Dr. could resume travel duties for the office. The report also noted that although the Perry," the report states. "His statement Additional pressure came in the form of a OCR's management was well aware of the that 'the VA is not on record that they feel caseload and work schedule heavier than incidents of sexual harassment, the prac- he's got it [PTSD],' for that reason, appears what was required of other employees, de- tices had persisted and the individuals re- disingenuous." The report notes that at spite letters from Gatewood's doctor de- sponsible were neither disciplined nor de- least three VA physicians had diagnosed scribing his condition as tenuous at best, terred. "It really is a case of Clarence Ramirez with PTSD and major depression. adding that he showed "suicidal ideation." Thomas and Anita Hill all over again," one "We found Cole's adoption of a passive Two months after he checked out of the investigator said. "The federal government role in developing an accommodation self- hospital, on March 4, 1993 Gatewood at- simply does not know how to handle a serving and at odds with the guidelines. We tempted suicide. "I was the poster child for black man in a position of power who also note that Cole's perspective, which re- stress there," Gatewood said. Gatewood abuses that power." In 1994, Veronica flected views espoused by August, effec- has since resigned his position with the Davis, an OCR lawyer, filed a seven mil- tively established a discriminatory policy OCR and is currently a law student, but lion dollar lawsuit against Education Sec- against disabled employees." fears for his former colleagues and believes retary Richard Riley for incidents she con- "There is great hostility in the office. that if steps aren't taken to address the tends took place at the Dallas OCR. Davis' There always has been. But what I don't problems plaguing the OCR, the workplace lawsuit also alleges a failure to promote her understand is why headquarters in Wash- could become even more volatile. based on her skin color (she is a dark- ington won't remedy the problem," The management report also conveys skinned African American); denial of sick Ramirez said. "This is the Office of Civil those fears, and notes that disabled em- leave and being declared AWOL; and sex- Rights. We are charged to make certain ployees found themselves in a "Catch-22" ual harassment. that these very types of egregious acts do situation—OCR rules were inconsistent In her court petition, Davis alleges she not happen in schools and universities. Yet, and devised in such a manner it was impos- was the recipient of disparaging remarks they are rampant in this very office." sible for disabled employees to comply and sexual harassment from OCR regional Citing pending litigation filed by with them. Harris said that even though the director Taylor August. She alleges that Ramirez and others at Dallas OCR, neither employees would provide extensive docu- August specifically discussed her promo- Taylor August nor the Department of Edu- mentation of their illnesses and disabilities, tion with her, and requested sexual favors cation would comment on Ramirez' case or the administration would later conve- in order to ensure her promotion. Davis the other conclusions of the Harris Man- niently claim never to have seen it. was informed that she had thirty days to agement report. One of the more disturbing portions of report a complaint, which she did both ver- R.E. Gatewood, a former investigator for the EEO section of the Harris Report quotes bally and in writing. At this point, the the Dallas OCR and also a Vietnam veteran, an employee's statement about the death of stress became unbearable and Davis took a said the stress in the OCR was overwhelm- a quadriplegic co-worker, who had been leave-of-absence. Upon her return, she al- ing at times. "Just by nature of what we given such an extensive caseload, without leges, she was subject to retaliation for her

12 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995

• 411W complaint against August. She claiins her agement, and [then] legal would tear that Webster, Riley and Cantu of merely cover- phone and office were monitored, she was up and make us go back to the original ing for themselves. Johnson also ques- denied sick leave for doctors' appoint- draft. It was all so trivial." tioned how it was that August managed to ments, her pre-approved leave was can- The management report submitted to have his discrimination case heard and celed at the last minute for no reason, and DOE Assistant Secretary Cantu stated un- acted upon so quickly by department offi- her performance evaluation was lowered. equivocally that the ultimate victim of the cials, and he blamed Congressmen Kweisi Davis also alleges she was hit by her su- pathological environment at Dallas OCR Mfume and Bill Clay, of the congressional pervisor, Joan Ford. was the public. OCR work at Dallas, the re- black caucus, for interceding on August's Davis alleges that August and Ford tried port noted, is command-controlled, and behalf. In a letter to David Wilhelm, then- to force her to resign, and when she refused "professionalism and performance is sub- chairman of the Democratic National Com- to do so, she was investigated by the In- orned by fear and obedience." "There is no mittee, Johnson blasted the Clinton Admin- spector General's Office—for waste, fraud doubt in my mind, no doubt at all," John istration's handling of the situation. John- and abuse. The IGO monitored her mail Harris said, "that the quality of the work son was particularly outraged that OCR and credit card records and interrogated her was impaired by the work environment— deputy assistant secretary Raymond Pierce colleagues about her comings and goings. one that pitted the legal department against not only had introduced August to mem- According to Davis' lawsuit, her supervi- the investigators, and managers against bers of the congressional black caucus, but sor told her she would never be able to staffers." had described him as one of the OCR's make her charges stand up in court. Harris and Honig filed their final report "best" regional directors—after the Harris In the past, court intervention had been with Cantu in the Washington headquarters Management Report, calling for August's used to compel the Dallas OCR and other of the DOE in late 1993. The report noted removal, had already been completed. "It Department of Education offices across the that in recent years, of all DOE offices, the appears," Johnson wrote, "that Vice Presi- nation to fulfill their legal obligations con- Region VI office had the worst record, the dent Gore's call for the reinvention of gov- cerning sexual discrimination. In the 1970s, longest case processing time, and the high- ernment has fallen on deaf ears in the De- at the height of the women's movement, est number and percentage of pending partment of Education." women were filing complaint after com- "over-age" (past deadline) cases. The report "It's an old boy network," said investi- plaint of discrimination and harassment in concluded that at the very minimum, Re- gator Harris, "and very well-connected. public schools and universities. But some- gional Director Taylor August—who had Basically, they circled the wagons to pro- times years would pass before the OCR been re-assigned to Washington while the tect themselves....And the one really hurt is bothered to investigate. A court order, ob- Harris Group was investigating his office— the public they are charged to protect." tained by the Women's Equity Action would have to be relieved of his duty. League in the mid 1970s, finally compelled Instead, shortly after the report was filed, the department's civil rights offices to do August was re-assigned to the helm of the their job in a reasonable and timely manner. Dallas OCR—despite the protests of three (Author's Note: The Harris Management That court order was in effect for ten Democratic members of Congress from Review report to the DOE, as obtained years. But in 1987, after the court order had Dallas. In a letter to Riley, Martin Frost, through a Freedom of Information request, expired, a federal report revealed that the John Bryant, and Eddie Bernice Johnson had been heavily censored. Specifically, Department of Education was still doing an wrote that they had received "voluminous the Equal Employment Opportunity por- abysmal job of enforcing civil rights legis- complaints" from the employees at the Dal- tion of the report was omitted, and the final lation. The Congressional Committee on las OCR detailing harassment and threats ten pages of the management portion of the Education and Labor conducted a spot- by August, which had been confirmed by report—which state unequivocally that check of six of the ten OCR regional of- the Harris Group investigation. In their Taylor August must be replaced—were fices, and concluded in a report to the 100th judgment, Taylor August's return to the also omitted. After eighteen months of fil- Congress that "OCR's case-processing OCR would have a "severely detrimental ing FOI requests which generally received statistics reveal that the agency had not vig- impact on the OCR." no response from Department of Educa- orously enforced laws protecting the rights Upon hearing of August's reassignment, tion, I was able to obtain the reports from of women and minorities in education since OCR employees submitted a petition, anonymous sources within the OCR who

1981." In a significant number of com- signed by fifty-six of the seventy-six OCR felt this story must be told. —C. C.) ❑ plaint investigations closed between the employees, asking Secretary Riley to re- years 1983 through 1988, the committee consider. When they received no response, added (echoing the Texas complaints of the employees picketed outside the re- Deborah Lott and Frank Ditto), the OCR gional office with signs that read, "Norma, found "no violation" of civil rights statutes. do the right thing. Free our employees." Comprehensive Those findings do not surprise Olga Car- and "Vice President Gore, when will you Computer Services denez, who said she realized something reinvent the Department of Education?" was wrong within the OCR very soon after After August was reassigned to his duties A Holistic Appproach transferring there from the Dallas federal at the Dallas OCR, William Webster, then EEO office. "There was a fear in the of- Riley's chief of staff and now the White Troubleshooting, Consultation fice," Cardenez said. "Everyone was al- House Director of Scheduling and Ad- Installation, Upgrades, Repair ways so fearful." vance, told OCR employees that August's Networking "What they'd do if you filed a com- return to Dallas was part of a larger settle- Custom Database Programming plaint," Cardenez said, "was punish the ment agreement. August had filed his own Data Analysis schools you were investigating by punish- discrimination complaint with the depart- PC or MAC ing you." Cardenez said that when an in- ment. Webster assured the Dallas OCR Ongoing Comprehensive Support vestigator who was in disfavor with man- staff, however, that August would be given agement turned in a report or finding, the sensitivity training. Gary Lundquest 1405 West 6th supervisors would pick it to death. "Then Purnell Johnson and other black OCR in- we would re-work it to please upper-man- vestigators were furious, and they accused (512) 474-6882 Austin, TX 78703

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 13 BOOKS & THE CULTURE The Return of the Poet Ricardo Sanchez Comes Home to Live...

BY PAT LTITLEDOG —Kern Place Park, El Paso. tary information of those who lived below nio — Ricardo's in the latter city translated THOUGHT THAT I should find a place them. into Spanish: Paperbacks...y Mas! Jim appropriate to my subject: the El Paso burn, burn, burn Cody called, small press publisher of Ri- Ipoet Ricardo Sanchez. Maybe I should desde Wilshire a River Oaks cardo's Amsterdam Cantos, describing pick a place along the Border Highway, kern place to Sutton place, plans for a Border Voices Literary Festival, running beside the chainlink fence which burn, burn, burn.... scheduled for the last days of September in follows the Rio Grande, where his old El Paso, at which Ricardo would be the fea- neighborhood, Barrio del Diablo, has been This is also a good neighborhood for me tured reader if he felt good enough (or is buried under concrete and suffocates now to write something of Ricardo because it's still alive at that time, since doctors were with fumes from the El Paso water treat- my own old neighborhood, where twenty- apparently predicting no longer than six ment plant. Or maybe I should sit downtown five years ago I was living in a fixer-up months for him). There would be two days in the San Jacinto Plaza, which he cele- provided by a real estate broker who took of papers and poetry recognizing him as brated in his greetings to his hometown, pity on an almost homeless hippie and took one of the first poetic articulators of the sent last spring on his 54th birthday along me in—as the sort of pet artist the wealthy Chicano movement, ranging from aca- with news of his cancer. On the plaza , mul- sometimes tolerate. It was then that I first demic pieces delivered by such as Juan titudes still mill around large plastic-lac- heard Ricardo read in a downtown bar. So Bruce-Novoa and Luis Leal, to poetry per- quered alligators, the improbable emblems not everyone who lives in this neighbor- formances from Miguel Algal-in, Lao Del- of a desert city used to containing paradox hood that once struck the match to Ri- gado, Denise Chavez. at its heart. But Kern Place Park is closer to cardo's fury is rich, but it is undeniable Chuck Taylor called, another of his pub- my motel room, and I want to walk. It's also that many of El Paso's rich do live here. lishers. Every call brought stories of con- as much a part of Ricardo's El Paso land- And seen from the distance of south El nection and recollection—Jim Cody's wake scape as those other neighborhoods, al- Paso, the subtleties and nuances of exis- for his father, when he and Chuck and Ri- though not generally called a barrio, but an tence here are lost, so that all that may ever cardo and I and another one or two or three early subdivision once dominated by Jewish be known are the stories of maids and yard- fluctuated from bar to bar, regaling each families escaping the European holocaust. men brought back home with a little pay, other with bits of each of our father's lives. Today it is home to anyone with enough just as all that many Kern Place residents Chuck recalled the true beginning of friend- money to afford its sprawling homes and might ever learn of those living below them ship, when Ricardo helped him install a formal, watered lawns. is a bit of kitchen Spanish, plus stories fil- used radiator in the decrepit Valiant he In a way, this is as important a neigh- tered through police reports—unless some needed to make the move out of Salt Lake borhood to Ricardo's poetry and thought new point of view is sought and found by City and back to Texas. Bobby Byrd called, as was he turf of his old X-9 gang, which individuals on each side of these social publisher of Ricardo' s Eagle- contained the adobe house his father built barriers, marked off in street grids.—P.L. Visioned/Feathered Adobes, which I had himself for his family, with the help of Senor Don Loco-Canceroso as the jolly- given what I thought was a friendly review, friends. After all, it is Kern Place and its less / carcinogenic orchestrator waves his but which I would later find out Ricardo related subdivisions, climbing up the baton... disliked intensely (because of what I said he mountainsides into ever larger and more said, which he did say, but not the way I elaborate architectures, that helped define said it) which is the way these words go Ricardo's anger—the neighborhood he AST JANUARY, hours before his around and around in these circles which specifically named, in his call for revolu- scheduled surgery, Ricardo Sanchez seem to get smaller and smaller as we get tion twenty-five years ago, to be burned Lcalled his friend Dagoberto Gilb. "I'm older and older, a fact of our lives as writers down and used as a symbol in its burning dying, man," he told him, "spread the word." in provincial Texas. Some of us had chatted as Watts had been used as a name for black And so, in the days following, the word quite recently; others I hadn't seen or heard rage—because, as he explained, Chicanos traveled fast through the circles. My own from in several years. Ricardo's cancer, would not burn down the homes of their telephone rang again and again while the then, had set us all to talking, catching up on own families. Instead, they would choose to news was repeated, spreading faster than family histories, improbable cancer reme- run the flag of fire along heights which fire or even internet, illuminating old con- dies, new gossip, apologies for old affronts. overlooked without seeing and dominated nections and bringing us to talk long-dis- As we talked, Ricardo struggled. His without any intelligence of those being tance in communion over this old friend we cancer was pervasive and inoperable, occu- dominated, and where little curiosity shared. John Tilton called, the owner of pying most of his stomach and other vital resided even to find out the most rudimen- Paperbacks Plus in Dallas who once had organs and spread into every cell. Once supplied books and business savvy for us to opened by the surgeons, he was closed open stores with room for poetry and per- back up and sent home to be cared for by Pat LittleDog is a poet and writer who lives formance, first in Austin, then in San Anto- in Kerrville. his wife Teresa. No cure, he was told, was

14 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995

rift,114•1.5 HAL MARCUS possible. Still, he voluntarily subjected had taken his teaching seriously, and de- had gone in separate directions and into himself to rounds of radiation and spite his illness wanted to complete the seemingly different circles. I wasn't pre- chemotherapy, while sorting through spring semester. For his dedication, as well pared for the beauty of his now-gaunt frame, mounds of well-wishes, prayers, chants as his brilliance, he was given a plaque and the striking definition of the facial and meditations sent to him from all parts from the Washington State chapter of the bones, under a skin become pearly and of the world and in various languages, Movimiento Estudantil de Chicanos de translucent. I hate to even say this now, that along with advice on both traditional and Aztlan (MEChA) as Teacher of the Year, such a terrible disease could create beauty. unorthodox treatments: various herbs and 1994-95. But in May, to continue the strug- But it is as if the more that cancer takes from their derivatives such as Marinol, the daily gle for health on his hometurf, he and his the body, the more of the spirit itself is re- drinking of one's own urine, the removal of family left Washington for El Paso. Soon vealed. In Ricardo's case, the grace of his all of one's own blood to be electrified, afterward, it was time to make my own El basic frame is now apparent, along with the then run back into the system. Whether any Paso return, to see him again in person. shock of the careless uncovering that has al- particular advice would be used or not, the The last report I had heard of him was a ways been a part of his poetry, his inherent range of it was symptomatic of the global news flash I happened to receive at the first nature. Even his face seems radically re- circle the poet had made of his life, and the of the summer. I turned on the radio and formed. The long hard wrinkle that had once distances he had traveled both physically heard Dagoberto's National Public Radio cut his forehead into two distinct halves and and intellectually from his original point of account of seeing Ricardo a short time after the bulges of concentrated tension on each departure, El Paso's south side. his return home. He had lost 120 pounds; side of it, pushing his heavy eyebrows into The sounds of his struggle continued Teresa was ever present; she was rubbing an almost permanent scowl, have disap- through the spring. I heard him speak to me his feet. peared, replaced by a calm serenity—this, in dreams. I read about his decisions on despite his definition of cancer as being "80 postcards sent by people I hadn't realized 0 WHEN I FIRST ENTERED his percent pain throughout the body." he even knew. He had become sick in his bedroom to say hello again after more I talked to him over a period of days, fourth year of teaching, at Washington 5than eight years of separation, I was sometimes with other friends. Teresa was a State University in Pullman. Although in somewhat prepared for his fragility and the constant quiet presence. His son Jacinto, previous years he had held short-term posi- almost inaudible voice, once so resonant just recently come into adulthood, was also tions lecturing and teaching in various col- and booming, now sunk into his pillow. He in and out, offering words of sweet helpful- legiate settings, his relationship with the was hooked to an IV unit, a bag of milky ness. I didn't want to tire Ricardo too much academic world had been tenuous and prob- fluid hung on a metal pole, with tubes at- and tried not to stay too long at any one lematic until this professorship had been tached to his chest, and with only a thin time. When he would first begin to talk, his given him, making him perhaps the only sheet covering him. His hair and beard had voice would be so weak that I could barely tenured academic in the country who had turned almost completely white in the years make out the words, so that I took to sitting gone from a G.E.D. to a Ph.D. without ben- since I had last seen him, back when our with him in his bed with my ear bent close efit of a bachelor's or master's degree. He bookstore days had come to an end and we to his pillow. But as we talked and recol-

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 15 lected and informed and exchanged, his The same police threat was made when I never thought that Nixon was less than voice would inevitably grow stronger. He they marched with La Raza Unida in El human, but I always thought he was inhu- gave me first the straight report—that Ams- Paso; if one rock was thrown, Ricardo mane, just like Reagan and Bush....Not all terdam Cantos was going to be republished would be the number-one target for police prison guards are pigs, but sometimes in by the Chicano Studies Department at UT intervention. He admitted that at that time my anger I would make a blanket indict- El Paso, that Selected Poems would be re- he was ready for armed revolution. When ment of everybody—because there was so published by Arte Public°. Then, he began Cesar Chavez asked him to join his move- much fury. to recall his first publishing days, and the ment, based in civil disobedience, Ricardo "One of the best experiences for me was 1970 book Los Cuatro, which he shared told Chavez that he didn't really want him going to Union Graduate School for my with three others: Abelardo "Lalo" Del- because Ricardo was too violent. If a cop doctorate. There I was, a man with a gado, Reymundo "Tigre" Perez, and Mag- attacked him, he would fight back; he was G.E.D., mixing with graduates from Har- dalene Avila, aka Juan Valdez. It was the not a believer in letting anyone beat him. vard, Yale. I went in there trying to orga- first Chicano anthology ever published. He was, after all, a "pinto viejo," as he nize everybody. But I learned to settle Teresa found a copy of the thin volume called himself; at the age of 29 he had al- back, listen to people, ask questions. I got and I read it that night: an explo- turned on to Paolo Friere, who sion of exuberance and anger, was almost assassinated by the whimsy and sexuality and raging Brazilian government. He was a political verbal activism. But high school teacher in the bar- what caught my attention most, rios, educating mestizo and in- 25 years after the four young digenous peoples. He gave these poets had stormed the linguistic rules for change: one, to name barricades in solidarity, was the your universe; two, to analyze background information on the what you've named; three, to re- poet Lalo, who had also grown flect on what you have named, up in El Paso, in El Segundo Bar- then to take action; four, to return rio, only blocks from Ricardo's to and expand the original defini- "Devil's Ward"—but a different tion. This is a continual process neighborhood, separated from which is spiral, not linear. So I Ricardo's by gang rivalry that read all kinds of stuff there, im- would only be transcended mersing in books again like in tluough devotion to a larger Soledad—because my prison movement and the broader per- years had been filled with books, spective each poet had gained a time of self-education." from stepping outside of his "So," I asked him, "20 years ago hometown boundaries to be pub- there were supposed to be some- lished with his former neighbor, thing like 12,000 prisoners in the but in Denver, Colorado. This state of Texas, and now there are echoed my own experience, as supposed to be 120,000 the the friendship between Ricardo number's up 10 times. What's and myself began only after we Ricardo Sanchez ANN SAVINO going on?" left our separated El Paso neigh- "Genocide. Who are the majority borhoods and found ourselves together on ready spent almost a decade of his life in of the prisoners?" the strange ground of Salt Lake City, Utah, prison, and even in prison he would not "Males—blacks, chicanos..." passing through its university. take physical abuse of any kind, refusing "And poor white trash." Ricardo recalled the year when this first even to pick cotton when ordered to do so. "Half of them drug related." book was published as the "Year of the For this attitude, he had spent a lot of time "It's a hell of an industry." Chicano," and said the four poets were tar- in isolation—and so he was really too "And so—can words change things?" geted by the police during a Denver march prone to violence for the leaders of the of La Raza Unida to the capitol; the movement. "Yes. That's the only hope. Our only demonstrators were told that if one rock RECALLED A COMMENT I had heard hope is that we can define our humanity in was thrown, the police would shoot to kill, recently, that it was true he had been ex- ways that are liberating. If there is no hope and that Ricardo would be their number- I tremely angry in his younger years, but in language, there's no hope in anything, one target. A guard was put with each of that he had softened with age. But then the and I refuse to believe that." the poets so that they would be constantly times themselves had also changed? protected. Ricardo's guard carried two "Bullshit," he said. He sipped a cup of ERESA HAS DUG through boxes guns, one for his own use and one for Ri- herbal tea, which Teresa had placed on his and found several of the books of po- cardo's. Teresa was there and also had a bedside table. "I still carry the anger. But I Tetry Ricardo has written and pub- guard, but she says that she wasn't fright- know that I cannot sustain the process of lished over the past two and a half decades, ened, that she was never frightened when education with rage. I cannot terrify young beginning with the thick Canto y Grito mi she was with Ricardo. But there was no ag- people. And the revolution is not hate. Liberation. It was the first book put out by gressive incident, and Ricardo read "Indict There was rage, and the rage is still there. Mictla Publications, which Ricardo him- Amerika" from this book on the capitol Conditions have not changed—for the bar- self founded, with a blank check received steps. rio, for migrant workers. But you have to from one of El Paso's early community or- ganizers, Dr. Ray Gardea. Now Canto y AMERIKA... move people to confront their fears. And you realize the enemy is not any particular Grito will be reprinted by Washington venomous putain nation, State University, and Ricardo has written a genuflector to dollar signs... color, but comes in all shades and shapes and sizes. The true enemy is fear and greed. new Afterword, which he gave me to read

16 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995 along with his other works. The books you.' He said, 'I'm not looking for money. style—published by Slough Press in make a small stack of poetry; several are You're the poet of the city. I'm the artist of 1989—called Bertrand and the Mehkqo- chapbooks, most printed by various Texas the city. All I want is the freedom to illus- verse: A XicAno Filmic Nuance. It is writ- small press publishers. These are the books trate how I perceive your poetry.'" ten in a spacey prose that utilizes parts of which have earned Ricardo a place as one Later Ricardo would write a poem about speech to create an entirely new language, of the fathers of Chicano literature—not on Manuel Acosta's murder, and so I asked just as Ricardo has used parts and experi- the basis of volume or appearance, but of him to say something more about his poetic ences of all of us to create his poetic con- content. elegy to his friend. "Manuel Acosta," he tent. Bertrand reminds me of Ricardo's The new edition of Canto y Grito will said, "had a habit of feeding anyone who definition of "Chicano" as connoting also include the original artwork of Manuel came to his door. Sometimes I would come something mixed, connected indigenously. Acosta, whose smoky-eyed portrait called to his studio, maybe two in the morning, It would do the text an injustice to call it "El Chicano" graced its cover when Dou- and wake him up, and we would drink cof- merely bi-lingual because the language bleday bought it from Mktla. I asked Ri- fee and tequila together. He lived right on here is more than a simple alternation be- cardo about the circumstances that brought the border. A young man in his late teens tween Spanish and English. Its range, Mktla into existence, and how his collabo- was hungry, and so Manuel fed him and which illustrates the possible linguistic ration with the renowned El Paso artist had hired him for yard work. He was a drug ad- choices a broadly-educated poet might come about. dict, doing trash drugs, and had terrorized commandeer, says something of the mixed Manuel, he said, had been living at his own Juarez neighborhood. nature of what we call English in itself— Hammett and Finley when Ricardo was a There is evidence that Manuel fed him the earthy Anglo-Saxon rolled up with child who walked by his house every day the night of the murder. He used a hammer, Latin legal and sexual grammar, fused with going to school. "He was a World War II scissors. It took Manuel a long time to die. the courtly diplomatic French, connota- veteran, a crazy man painting in the barrio, It takes a long time to kill an artist. He was tions of European conquests and occupa- but I never met him. Then the tions and subsequent displace- second time out of prison, I ments by original occupants, walked into a barrio program enlivened with oriental and and Ray Gardea was a board "But now all I want to do is to die middle eastern trade items. To member. I sat down at a type- at home holding Teresa's hand. this, Ricardo brings Spanish, writer and started writing po- Nahuatl, Harlem jive—all lan- etry, and he read it. He wore a I don't need a rampage... The guages dismantled into linguis- suit and tie, and he said he origins of everybody is family.• tic elements rearranged and would be honored to publish my recreated into something en- first book. I said, 'Who the fuck tirely new but amazingly com- are you?' And he embraced me. A short caught driving Manuel's van in Juarez, prehensible: time after that I was given a Frederick Dou- dressed in Manuel's clothing....The boy more horrifying than the jivaro outcries glass Fellowship in journalism and sent to was prosecuted in Mexico. I wish they had of jiveass Richmond, Virginia. The night before I arrested me and put me in the same cell as Aztekan XicAno reciting newly invented left, I met Manuel Acosta. While I was in his, my anger was so thick." traditional Virginia, the July 4, 1969, Time magazine Canto y Grito, the poet announces in its nalgahuatl ritual floricantos, it was an came out with his cover portrait of Cesar opening, will contain ultrapoeticrealsme a smorgasboiic Chavez, which I immediately recognized pensamientos, gritos, weltanschauung... as the artist's work from my El Paso barrio. angustias, orgullos, "I was on parole but was traveling all Ricardo says these days he is feeling penumbras, poeticas, very mortal. The English Department and over the country. A health project with the ensayos, historietas, Colorado Mining Council. South Texas the Department of Comparative-American hechizos almales del Cultures at Washington State are holding with the migrant health workers. Denver, son de mi existencia... Amherst, Washington, D.C. The parole peo- his job open for two years, but even if he ple were angry and said I was in violation. I It is written from the address of Aztlan, gets well, he doesn't think he'll go back. had been put on a speaking tour by the dedicated to Teresa and his children, his He wants to stay here in El Paso—near his American Program Bureau, which was the parents, his carnales. Enemies are named family. biggest speaking agency at the time, han- and caricatured. Deaths are mourned, pris- "When I was a young man, someone dling such as Al Capp, even ex-presidents. oners and their guards are remembered. La asked me if I had only six more months to But the parole people forced me to quit. Fi- raza in its largest sense comes alive. As I live, what would I do. And I said that I nally a group of people—Ray Gardea, Pete read through this book and the others, I would go on a rampage. But now all I want Duarte, Hector Bencomo—went to the pa- find bits and pieces of almost everyone to do is to die at home holding Teresa's role board in my behalf, so that the board fi- who ever touched Ricardo's life, so that the hand. I don't need a rampage. The myth of nally agreed to let me travel and simply sub- work in its whole creates a cosmic commu- the rugged individual? Simply a way to mit a letter once a year as to my nity, with the poet at its center. When I turn manipulate people to fight against each whereabouts. Mktla Publications was the last book over, I even find my own other. The origins of everybody is family." founded in 1970. It published, as well as name under a blurb I never wrote. A pub- there are poets Canto y Grito, El Politico by Jose Angel lisher asked me for it, then lost it and tried who create art Gutierrez and Voces de la Gente by Joe to recreate it using someone else's blurb. simply by being, Olvera. Then I gave up Mktla to the young But it's credited to a name I don't use any Simon Ortiz, Maya Angelou, people. more, and besides, I agree with what was Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Lalo Delgado, "When my manuscript was complete, said. What better use of our names and Nephtali Leon & quite a few others Manuel Acosta came to me and said, 'I words than as fodder for such poetry. and I feel fortunate hear you will be publishing soon. I'll illus- My own favorite of all the books is prob- to have known some of them trate your book.' I said, 'I can't afford ably the least sophisticated in its printing and heard their voices

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 17

0,1111,• ,,,..

tintinnabulating, singing E 1 with enough strength to crush encaging bars... I feel fortunate myself to have become mixed and rearranged by the simple fact of Comptroller John Sharp my coexistence within the circle of Ricardo invites you to the poet's words, as the movement contin- ues through El Paso, creating new possibil- a reception in honor of ities through the spiraling of such self-in- vented dialogue. And so Ricardo has returned again with a new face, to an old place, to begin another cycle. ❑ The Legislative Study Group

Thursday, September 14, ANDERSON & COMPANY 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. COFFEE TEA SPICES TWO JEFFERSON SQUARE AUSTIN, TEXAS 78731 Cafe Noche fit 2 453-1533 2409 Montrose Boulevard Send me your list. Houston, Texas Name Street $1,000 Sponsor • $500 Host • $250 Patron City Zip $100 Friend • $25 Individual

J L

Continued from p.5 ganization is run. In the lobby, members re- mained convinced that Perot's running ("in called with animation hometown victories the Democratic primaries, maybe with when an invited group of black students concerning county appropriations, swing Marcy Kaptur—what a ticket!") is the only from Alabama, who had hoped to address elections, campaign reforms. But within hope for their forlorn Party the country. the conference on the problems of young the arena these would-be activists were "All this don't mean shit," said Wagner, people, were instead marched through the treated as the studio audience for a tele- "unless Perot runs." media room like a traveling exhibit; they vised media circus—Ross' Celebrity And if he does, will it mean much more? complained to the press that rather than lis- Roundup and Right-Wing Rodeo—and for The UWSA is not a political party not only tening, the UWSA wanted only to show the most part, they seemed all too eager at because Perot doesn't yet want one, but be- them off: "They don't even want us to be their appointed task, half-consciously flat- cause it's a pasted-together coalition of heard." tered that these Washington Big Shots had test-marketed, generic opinions which So it was refreshing, on Saturday condescended to tell them what they were paper over differences in class, race, gen- evening, to discover a small group of Dal- supposed to want to hear. der and political interest. To the extent that las-area Hispanics vigorously protesting it is "populist" at all, it is a checkbook pop- both the growing Republican attacks on UT IT LEFT A BAD TASTE. I ulism, relying entirely on the fact and immigration, as well as the blinding white- bumped into two of the loneliest promise of Perot's enormous wealth to un- ness of UWSA—Perot hadn't bothered to B UWSA members in the hall on Sat- derwrite its entirely conventional—and invite even a single Hispanic speaker to urday afternoon (sometime between the class-bound—reformism. It has no cau- address the conference. The protestors unbearable Pete Wilson and the inconceiv- cuses, no internal mechanisms of action aimed especially at Pete Wilson (whose able Bob Doman). John Wagner and Dan and dissent, no continuing local institutions conference speech was matched in unctu- Eller, from Ypsilanti, were wearing large beyond the undeniable enthusiasm of its ous hypocrisy only by the unspeakable green buttons captioned "Democratic Pop- members, united primarily by their admira- Phil Gramm), now riding the racialist ulist Caucus"; the card for their janitorial tion for H. Ross Perot, the rube-next-door- wave of California's Proposition 187, but business back home reads "Populist Con- who-hit-the-jackpot. Yet among them are they had little good to say for most of the tractors, Inc." and is embossed with a pic- many—barely visible in Dallas—who participants, including "legal" immigra- ture of Andrew Johnson. They were among might be the ground troops in a real pop- tion's latest darling, Barbara Jordan. Ex- the very few present who would admit to ulist alternative, if one existed. cept for a tiny herd of skulking smokers being Democrats—although, like appar- So in this at least, the Republicans are and a handful of reporters, their voices ently everybody else in the building, they probably right; if Perot doesn't run, the ma- went unheard. loathed Clinton, who, they said, is "in the jority of "Perot voters" will bolt for the Re- But in that, they were hardly alone. The bankers' pocket." As for a third party, they publicans, and we'll get Dole as Clinton, or Dallas conference made most vividly ap- thought it both too late and pointless: "You Clinton as Dole. If that is, as the conference parent that except on the applause meter knock your balls off and end up with one promised, "Preparing for the 21st Cen- and the occasional Republican-frightening percent of the vote." Although disap- tury," it looks to be dreary millenium. ❑ straw poll, rank-and-file UWSA members pointed by Perot' s cornball drum-beating have little to say about how the national or- for his string of celebrity guests, they re-

18 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995 ats!"....wfp ftwroe40+1.*ni. +.!•••••*^.., Head Like a Jukebox Don Walser "Don't Know Nothing But Great Old Songs"

BY BRAD TYER "Nothing valid or true is ever canceled out—you can add to it or increase its sig- nificance with resonant symbolism if you know exactly what you're doing, but even the most peasantlike or humble truth re- mains a grain of gold and therefore a plus factor in the world." —Seymour Krim, "What's This Cat's Story?"

F NASHVILLE, or country radio for that matter, had any cojones whatever, I Austin-based singer Don Walser might not be necessary. But since Nashville's hat- act culture continues to create "contempo- rary country artists" out of tight jeans and sharp jawlines, and since you'd have a bet- ter chance of hearing the Rolling Stones on your local country station than anything by George Jones or Merle Haggard or, Lord forbid, Bob Wills, there's an almost perfect void in which Walser can ply his trade. That trade is traditional country music, pre- sented lovingly straight and without gim- mick, and Walser has all the tools to make himself king of the hill: a preservationist's sense of mission, a crack band, a head full of what he calls "all those great old songs," and the soaring, diving, yodeling voice of a 300-pound angel. Folks, finally, are begin- ning to take notice. Walser grew up in Lamesa, Texas, in the

southern Panhandle between Lubbock and ALAN PAPPE Big Spring, son of a mother who passed Don Walser away when he was 12 and a father who go outside and sing it. It was kind of like a my life I've not learnt any songs that aren't spent most of the year working night shifts record playing in my brain." great old songs. I don't know nothing but at the local cotton oil mill. The way he re- If Walser's head is like a jukebox, it's a great old songs," he says, giggling at the members it, the young Walser spent his jukebox that would fill a warehouse. He thought. youthful nights alone, listening as the figures by now he's got the words to well For years, Walser's singing career took a sounds of Mexican border stations and the over a thousand tunes tucked away in his back seat to the demands of family—"I Grand Ole Opry beamed into his sleep head, and from Spike Jones to Eddy don't mind starving," he says, "but I didn't through the family radio. He was singing at Arnold, they're all classics. want them to starve, you know..."—and it four, and carrying a plastic guitar with him "I did everything right as far as the wasn't until the 1980s that he started selling to school. "I had a gift back then," he re- songs, all my life," he claims. "I never did self-produced cassettes of his faithful takes calls. "I could hear a song one time and Top 40 ever, because I seen those guys that on the great old songs, alongside a few se- learn it. My cousins used to bet on it. We'd have to get together two or three times a lect originals, at shows. Last year, Walser go into this drugstore and they'd find week and learn the new stuff that's on the took retirement from his job with the inter- someone and say, 'we'll betcha a nickel radio. They're constantly throwing away nal audit division of the Texas National that you can play any song on this jukebox great old songs to do the mediocre songs, Guard, and Austin's Watermelon Records and we'll go outside and Don'll sing it for because three-quarters of everything that's signed him up to record Rolling Stone From you.' They won a lot of money off me that recorded is not any good anyway. I don't Texas, a vibrant slab of country nostalgia way. Sometimes they'd play one I'd never care if it does make it to the charts. In six produced by Asleep at the Wheel's Ray even heard before, and I could learn it and months it's never heard of again, and a lot Benson. Rolling Stone is Walser's first of it don't deserve to be heard again. product to receive national distribution, and Brad Tyer is a freelance writer and music "But what I try to do is learn those songs it's sold in the neighborhood of 40,000 critic living in Houston. that everybody just had to hear. And so all copies to date, garnering Walser glowing

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 19 press in the national music media. This Continued from p. 2 July, to keep up with demand, Watermelon released two more CDs—The Archive Se- "Just last night, a its value. Chapman said his program held ries, Volumes 1 and 2—compiling the cas- young lady brought her the promise of long-term benefits in sus- sette material on disk for the first time. tainable growth and eco-tourism. Meanwhile, Walser has spent much of grandmother out, and Chapman should be praised for his ef- the past year on tour, gigging nationally another lady had her forts. But the Texas Observer crowd (TO with Tish Hinojosa, Butch Hancock and 6/2/95, "Oil & Timber Desperados"), turn- Santiago Jimenez as part of The Border mother out to hear me, ing the usual logic on its head (hello, Sena- Tour earlier this year, and also playing fes- and that happens tor Tower), wants Chapman hung from the tivals from Nashville to Milwaukee, with a rafters. One of the eighteen points in the brief stint playing parking lots on the every time I go plan was rejected by the community and Americana-laden Wal-Mart Tour. The Cal- somewhere." Chapman saved the other seventeen by ifornia Lottery recently commissioned giving in on the one (Horrors! Impurity! Walser to do radio and television spots Tarnish! Tower!). Texas built around "Home on the Range." Amidst of twentysomethings drags its elders out to In the eyes of the John Tower Observer crowd, Jim Chapman would the flurry of activity, he tries to maintain a his shows. steady Austin schedule at Babe's and "Just last night, a young lady brought have been a much better man had he done Jovita's. "I just have to play in those little her grandmother out, and another lady had nothing. But Caddo Lake would have suf- places," he says, "because the fans kind of her mother out to hear me, and that hap- fered. The children of East Texas would have been forfeited. And the condition of depend on it, you know?" pens every time I go somewhere. The Of course radio play is still negligible, younger people are bringing the older peo- Texas' environment would have been and Walser expects nothing more on that ple out to hear, and I get such a big kick worse. We need more progressives like Chap- front. "I'm old and I'm fat and I'm playing out of watching the older people. Those man who are willing to get out in front of music that's 40 years old. And apparently old songs were great back then, and they they just don't want that kind of music on their constituencies, educate their minds, haven't changed any. and mold programs to improve our state the radio right now." "Somebody asked me the other day: that the people of Texas will support. The But Walser's rewards come from nei- `y' all sing all kinda different songs, Merle ther the radio nor the money. It's more the Haggard and George Jones and all the old holier-than-thou, go-to-hell-for-trying Texas Observer serves teary-eyed look he says he sees on the stuff.' And I told 'em yeah, you know they sanctimony of the faces of an older crowd that hasn't heard have all those tribute albums out on Bob only to injure our friends and give comfort these songs performed in years. It's also Wills and Merle Haggard and different to the enemies of the environment. the musical bridging of generations that ones—well, we give 'em tributes every God Bless Texas and Jim Chapman. occurs with his occasional, and well-at- time we play. We live those old songs." tended gigs at otherwise punk clubs like ❑ Don Martin Austin's Emo's, or when a younger crowd DeKalb

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20 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995 JAMES GALBRAITH

Beware the Vampire VAT tax. If they save rather than spend, they business health. On this issue, Texas busi- Four years ago the Connally Task Force on don't pay the tax. nesses, workers, the poor AND the middle Revenue rejected the suggestion of Repub- This argument recalls the old line that class should make common cause. lican super-lobbyist Charles Walker that the law, in its majestic equality, prohibits Who is for the VAT, really? The answer Texas adopt a state Value-Added Tax, or both rich and poor from sleeping under is fairly obvious: rich folk who would not VAT. Governor George Bush has revived bridges. The poor would pay the VAT, be- have to pay, and those oil, gas and utility the idea. Bush has tentatively proposed cause they have no money to spare for sav- interests who would get out from under some new form of sales tax in Texas. An ings. The rich would not pay the VAT, be- their present property taxes. The VAT is a expansion of the sales tax base is one possi- cause they do have money to spare. Does better tax, in some ways, than a regressive bility; a net receipts tax or VAT is the that make any sense to you? expansion of the sales tax or a gross re- other. OK, so the VAT is unfair. Does it have ceipts tax (which has many bad features, So what's wrong with a VAT? Plenty. offsetting advantages in terms of effi- such as pyramiding onto the backs of small First, and foremost, VAT is unfair. It would ciency? The long-term answer is yes, many business). But Governor Bush should look add an unfair tax to an unfair tax system. economists do think so. But, as a new tax, elsewhere for the revenue that this state No matter how you dress it up, VAT is the VAT would be expensive to put in needs. another type of sales tax and Texas already place and to administer. CBO concludes: has one of those. A 1992 study by the "The substantial administrative and com- Congressional Budget Office begins with pliance costs of the VAT would offset these very words: "A value-added tax is a much or all of the economic benefit from general tax on consumption, much like a the VAT's efficiency advantage." Correction: In a column in July, I wrote retail sales tax." What about business competitiveness? that no "established" text before John New- Because Texas lacks an income tax, its National VAT supporters argue that a VAT man's 1992 JFK and Vietnam had reported tax burden is already the second most un- would be good for business, since it is im- Kennedy's October '63 decision to with- fair in the nation. And it has been getting posed on imports and rebated on exports. draw all U.S. forces from Vietnam, win or worse. According to a 1991 study by Citi- At the national level this argument is lose. Though most sources before and since zens for Tax Justice, the poorest Texans, doubtful, and CBO rejects it. But at the pass over the episode in silence, Arthur the lowest twenty percent of income earn- state level, the situation is even worse. Schlesinger's 1978 Robert Kennedy and ers, pay 17.1 percent of their incomes in Texas does not have customs facilities at its His Times had the basic story. Newman state sales and property taxes. This was up northern borders and cannot make those adds vital detail and documentation. Mc- from 12.4 percent as recently as 1985. The export/import adjustments. This little fact Namara adds his own confirmation and the middle twenty percent pay 8.4 percent, up would spell disaster for Texas businesses revelation that dispositive proof exists in from 6.2 percent. And the richest one per- and Texas workers under a VAT. the JFK tape recordings. cent pay only 3.1 percent of their incomes in state taxes—up all the way from 3.0 per- EXAS BUYERS would pay the full VAT— cent. They are the only group to have es- Tlet's say 3.5 percent—on all goods pro- caped a stiff rise in their state tax burden in duced wholly in Texas. On goods made recent years. elsewhere and sold here, the VAT rate sea The Congressional Budget Office study would only be on the in-state distribution • -• explains the effect of superimposing a 3.5 and retail value-added, a fraction of the percent across-the-board VAT. CBO esti- total (let's say 0.5 out of the 3.5 percent). • Inn mates that this tax would take 4.8 percent On Texas-made goods sold out-of-state, out of the income of the poorest twenty per- VAT would be collected on everything (,11)1, 1:\ . Ilcdt I cent, 2.8 percent out of the middle twenty, BUT the distribution and retail value-added ber c(I I', and only 1.5 percent out of the incomes of (let's say 3.0 out of the 3.5 percent). The V / ) ('\1(/(' Ilia (;la/ €)/ . 1 1C\Ic ° air the richest twenty percent. And the CBO practical result will be to shift the VAT ()// 1//f\icint: /\/(//h/ study shows that you cannot fix this defect base from Texas consumption to Texas pro- 0041° \\ 1)1•1\ by exempting necessities such as food, duction. Everything PRODUCED here will 110104 l . 111. (111( I 11010 . 011 (7h,, i711 housing, and utilities from the tax. A VAT be taxed, wherever it may be consumed; but .11Illei\f)h•r( . ' is regressive no matter what. goods produced elsewhere and CON- \I I 1)1 ■ 1) \III I k Bush's plan is short on details, but VAT SUMED here will not bear the full burden supporters offer one appealing argument in of the tax. This will reduce the competitive- Pets welcome Pkte - its favor. The VAT, they say, is a superior ness of Texas business, create unemploy- 1423 11th Street 10, tax choice, because it would give Texans a ment in Texas, and force down the level of right to choose whether or not to pay the Texas wages. iii Port Aransa‘,, TX 78373 q°0 Texas businesses and workers should be- call (512) 749-5221 ware. The VAT may sound good at first, James K. Galbraith is a professor Rc.-,cn Mil., . 4 at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public because it is advertised as a tax on con- • I0 Affairs and in the department of Govern- sumption and not on savings and invest- :re.. ment. But at the state level it is really a tax ment, the University of Texas at Austin. %leo ‘11/4 wl•N• on production, and it will not be good for

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 21 LABOR DAY 1995 Labor Day is a call for Americans to rededicate their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to the common welfare. Labor Day also summons us to renew our conviction that America means the building here of a human fellowship without social, political or economic restrictions - without ghettoes - without fears - without hopelessness, but with "liberty and justice for all," as the Pledge of Allegiance proclaims. The Texas AFL-CIO wishes for Texas workers a most joyous and safe Labor Day.

Joe D. Gunn Emmett Sheppard President Secretary-Treasurer

DIRECTORS ROSA WALKER RICHARD LEVY ED SILLS WALTER HINOJOSA WALTER UMPHREY, General Counsel

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

22 • SEPTEMBER 1, 1995 AFTERWORD Drilling for Labor History BY PAUL JENNINGS EARCHING OUT BOOKS on labor Although also concerned with broader history in Texas is a little bit like issues, George Green's The Establishment Slooking for water in the Panhandle— in Texas Politics: The Primitive Years, it requires a good bit of digging. Yet orga- 1938-1957, describes how organized labor nized labor in Texas has a history as color- was steadily driven from the political ful and diverse as its members: black mainstream in the days before Texas Re- longshoremen who formed a branch of publicans had a political party of their own. Marx's First International in Galveston in (Green now teaches at the University of the 1870s, a strike by thousands of Mexican North Texas.) Labor provided a convenient and Mexican-American pecanshellers in whipping boy for many aspiring Demo- San Antonio during the Depression, and the cratic politicians; in 1942, Pappy O'Daniel indefatigable Texas Farmworkers Union, used the phrase "Communistic labor leader which crisscrossed the state on foot during racketeers" sixteen times in a single the 1970s in a campaign for social justice speech. By 1947, the Texas legislature had and basic organizing - rights. But for the passed a "right-to-work" law as well as a most part, Texas labor history has remained number of other anti-union measures, such locked within the confines of academic dis- Emma Tenayuca INS as one that outlawed "mass picketing"— sertations, out of reach of the general read- TEXAN CULTURES CULTURES defined as three union members within ing public. ing with hundreds of union members about fifty feet of one another. In frustration, a To start reading up on Texas labor his- the histories of their locals. O'Connor's pro-labor legislator offered up an amend- tory, begin with Ruth Allen's Chapters in book includes histories of the big refinery ment that called for the immediate execu- the History of Organized Labor in Texas. locals—in Beaumont, Port Arthur, Hous- tion of all union members in Texas. The Published in 1941 by the Bureau of Re- ton, Pasadena, and Baytown—that still measure failed, sixty-three to eight. search in the Social Sciences at the Univer- constitute the backbone of the Texas labor Finally, for those who want to see labor sity of Texas, this book was one of the tan- movement. But it also describes the short- ride tall in the saddle, there's Elmer Kel- gible benefits of the University's brief lived field locals, since vanished, that ton's western novel, The Day the Cowboys flirtation with institutional liberalism in the sprung up in boomtowns like Borger, Quit, loosely based on the Panhandle cow- 1940s. Allen's book contains chapters on Goose Creek, Kilgore, and Burkburnett. In boy strike. The hero is the laconic Hugh the famous cowboy strike of 1883, the cam- Burkburnett, for example, the union Hitchcock, who joins the strike despite ini- paign against the use of prison labor in the claimed to have signed up 12,000 members tial misgivings and later runs for sheriff construction of the state Capitol, histories of and boasted the first oil field local led by a against the candidate hand-picked by the miners' and oil workers' unions in Texas, woman. big ranchers. Hitchcock is polite to women, and a fascinating chapter on the background Along the Gulf Coast, dockworkers in takes good care of his horse, and is not en- of African-American labor in Texas. Sadly, Texas ports have had a long tradition of tirely sold on the benefits of collective ac- Chapters remains the only comprehensive unionism. Organized groups of longshore- tion. On the other hand, anyone who can treatment of the subject—despite being pub- men appeared as early as 1866 in Galve- take on, alone, an entire posse of gun thugs lished more than 50 years ago. (At one time, ston, and these locals often became cata- will always be welcome on a picket line. it was available free through UT, now only lysts for other groups of industrial workers Books Cited: in libraries or rare book stores.) concentrated along the coast. Gilbert Mer' s Ruth Allen. Chapters in the History of Or- To supplement Allen'S story of the oil Working the Waterfront: The Ups and ganized Labor in Texas. Bureau of Re- workers unions in Texas, find a copy of Downs of a Rebel Longshoreman, provides search in the Social Sciences, Univ. of Harvey O'Connor's History of the Oil a first-hand account of the rough-and-tum- Texas, Austin, 1941. Workers International Union (C10). (I ble world of internal union politics along Harvey O'Connor. History of Oil Workers think I found my copy at Half-Price Books, the Gulf Coast docks during the 1930's and International Union (CIO). Oil Workers In- although re-priced from the original 40's. In those days, rival groups of long- ternational Union (CIO), Denver, 1950. twenty-five cents to two dollars.) O'Con- shoremen battled each other as much as Gilbert Mers. Working the Waterfront: The nor, a talented progressive writer who went they did the strikebreakers and the police. Ups and Downs of a Rebel Longshoreman. on to publish a number of exposés of the oil Mers, who now lives in Houston, began Univ. of Texas Press, Austin, 1988. industry for Monthly Review Press, working the docks in Corpus Christi in George Norris Green. The Establishment in worked as the publicity director for the 1929, was an active participant in the vari- Texas Politics: The Primitive Years, 1938- union and traveled around the country talk- ous left-wing movements among maritime 1957. Greenwood Press, Westport, 1979. workers during the time, and later in his life Elmer Kelton. The Days the Cowboys Quit. his somewhat idiosyncratic political views Ace Charter, New York, 1971. Reprinted Paul Jennings is a freelance writer living in led him to join the International Workers of _ in the Texas Tradition Series, Texas Chris- Houston. the World. tian University Press, Fort Worth, 1986. ❑

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 23 Postmaster: If undeliverable, send Form 3579 to The Texas Observer, 307 W. 7th St., Austin, Texas 78701

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

Texas Re- Gramm. Forty-six percent of those polled stamps...Medicaid...AFDC." Dudley did V CAN'T BUY ME LOVE. not explain how taxpaying workers who are publican Senator Phil Gramm won the Iowa responded that Gramm was doing either good or excellent, while forty percent de- trying to avoid the immigration authorities Straw Poll and the electronic media all but are likely to become a "burden" on other tax- declared him president. Buried in Richard scribed his performance as fair or poor. article headlined Fifty-three percent of the polling sample payers. Perhaps if the INS receives its Waco Berke's New York Times funding, Dudley can use some of it to im- "Rivals Stack the Deck in Iowa's Straw Poll" rated Hutchison's performance as good or prove his grasp of political economy—at was the analysis of Jack Rife, the Republican excellent, while thirty-three percent rated taxpayer expense, of course. leader of the Iowa State Senate. Rife her performance as fair or good. In a nation- wide poll of Republicans, Kansas Senator "lamented that the poll has degenerated into V MEDAL OF FREEDOM FOR `a superficial beauty contest of candidates Bob Dole had a large lead over second-place Gramm, 48-21. And only Pat Buchanan, at VELASQUEZ. This fall the late Willie where the judges have been bought and paid Velasquez will become the second Hispanic for.' Gramm invested heavily in the event, twenty-one percent, had a negative rating to receive the presidential Medal of Free- bringing in fellow NRA darling Charlton He- higher than Gramm's fourteen. On to New Hampshire. dom, the highest civilian award given by the ston and former Chicago Bear player and U.S. in peacetime, and first received by coach Mike Ditka to co-host a barbecue for farmworkers' organizer Cesar Chavez. his supporters. Gramm even admitted that V IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN Velasquez, who died of cancer in 1988, IPB (Iowa Beef Packers), a meatpacking IN CENTRAL TEXAS. The Waco Tri- spent his adult life in civil rights and politi- giant, was busing workers in from eight of its bune-Herald (August 18) reported a series cal work. In 1974, he founded the Southwest plants. Wendy Gramm, the Senator's wife, is of raids on "illegal aliens" found working for Voter Education Project, which has regis- on the IPB board of directors, and a Wall companies in Belton, Copperas Cove, story that appeared during the Killeen and Temple. Marc R. Masferrer re- tered more than two million voters. Street Journal In an article by Maria F. Durand in the week before the event reported that IPB su- ported that the Immigration and Naturaliza- tion Service rounded up one hundred and San Antonio Express-News, former col- pervisors were pressuring employees to at- leagues of Velasquez recalled him and his tend the event. eighty-eight aliens working for fourteen Central Texas employers, including Fab- work, which began in the '60s when Ernesto Back home in Texas, however, Gramm's Cortes Jr., now the state director of the numbers seemed to be declining along with Knit Manufacturing, Fleetwood Homes, Plantation Foods, and other laundry, restau- Texas Industrial Areas Foundation, hired his national ratings, which weren't mea- Velasquez (then in graduate school at St. sured at the straw poll. A Texas Poll taken in rant and construction businesses in the vari- ous cities. The INS said it was responding to Mary's University) to help organize striking the first week of August showed Gramm farmworkers. Juan Septilveda, a former stu- leading President Clinton in a head to head numerous complaints of illegal employees, citing tips offered by "business competitors, dent of Velasquez and now his biographer, race for the presidency—but only by 43-39 said Velasquez' experiences among impov- percent. Asked if Gramm should run for the former employees and ex-lovers." During a news conference at the Temple erished South Texas farmworkers changed presidency and the U.S. Senate at the same him forever, and that he dedicated his life to time, as Texas election law allows him to Police Department, Gary Renick, chief INS organizing on behalf of "La Raza Unida" do, sixty-seven percent of the four hundred investigator for the San Antonio district, im- and the Mexican American people. and thirty-five Texans questioned in tele- plied that at least one motive for the widespread raids was his hope for INS ex- Speaking of his work in establishing phone interviews said no, while only seven- Southwest Voter, Cortes said "Willie took teen percent approved. When a Dole-Clin- pansion into the Waco area. He has pro- posed a Waco office for the INS, but federal the issue of voter .registration and was able ton match was proposed (among Texans), to make a difference by the force of his per- Dole fared better than Gramm, outpolling funds have not been forthcoming. Ray Dudley, employee relations and pub- sonality." Another colleague, Ignacio Perez, the President by 46-33 percent. A second added that "To [Velasquez], being a Mexi- Texas Poll of 1,001 Texans found that Re- lic affairs officer for the INS, described the "burden" placed on U.S. citizens by illegal cano in office was not enough. You had to publican Kay Bailey Hutchison, the state's keep your promises to the people." junior U.S. Senator, got better ratings than aliens: "Before you know it, they are on food ❑

24 SEPTEMBER 1, 1995

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