TEXAS 13 SERVER

February 24, 1984 A Journal of Free Voices 75C

tt rmo De Mc Joe

by ing Draw

Arms of War: MADE IN TEXAS BY TEXANS Austin line. A new NATO truck outfitted with anti-tank HEN NAVY LT. ROBERT GOODMAN rockets was designed in Dallas. Texas churns out was shot down over Lebanon in Decem- an array of weapons that includes motors for guided W ber, he was flying a Vought A-7 fighter missiles, computer programs for nuclear subma- plane built in Texas. The Huey helicopters that fired rines, and every American nuclear warhead. Among on people in Vietnam and now attack Salvadoran the fifty states, we rank behind only California and villages originally rolled off a Fort Worth assembly Virginia in sales to the Pentagon. (Continued on Page 9) • PAGE TWO The Valley Freeze

1111111111M1 eam II 11 II► 1. d 11111 11 1,1 Ili Willi! .1;1 and Other Unnatural I Disasters TExz3B Austin HEN GOVERNOR Mark White announced on The Texas Observer Publishing Co , 1984 Ronnie Dugger, Publisher February 2 the formation of the Texans' Valley W Disaster Relief Fund to provide a mechanism for Vol. 76, No. 4 7,12-. February 24, 1984 funneling money collected in the state's religious congregations to freeze-stricken workers in the Valley, he extolled the virtues Incorporating the Stare Observer and the East Texas Democrat, of charity, of the willingness of Texans to help each other which in rurn incorporated the Austin ForUm-Advocate. through extra-governmental agencies. "Don't ever get into EDITOR Geoffrey Rips a mindset that government should solve all problems," White EDITOR AT LARGE Ronnie Dugger warned. "Texans have always believed that [such a mindset is unhealthy]." CAREY McWILLIAMS FELLOW: Nina Butts But should the state be forced to resort to the charity of CALENDAR: Chula Sims Texas church-goers nudged by the collection plate to solve WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENTS: Amy Cunningham, Al Watkins a social disaster? Beyond that, why has a freeze — of SOUTHERN CORRESPONDENT: Bob Sherrill LAYOUT AND DESIGN: Alicia Daniel calamitous proportions to be sure — caused such widespread EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Frances Barton, Austin; Elroy Bode, Kerr- suffering and despair? ville; Chandler Davidson. Houston; Bob Eckhardt, Washington, D.C.; Sissy Farenthold, Houston; Rupert() Garcia, Austin; John Kenneth Galbraith, Cam- The freeze of late December 1983 that struck the Winter bridge, Mass.; Lawrence Goodwyn, Durham, N.C.; George Hendrick, Urbana, Garden area exacted at least $200 million in damage in the Ill.; Molly Ivins, Dallas; Larry L. King, Washington, D.C.; Maury Maverick, fruit and vegetable industry in Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr, and Jr.. San Antonio; Willie Morris, Oxford, Miss.; Kaye Northcott, Austin; James Presley, Texarkana, Tx.; Susan Reid, Austin; A. R. (Babe) Schwartz, Galveston; Willacy counties. It decimated the crops of an estimated 3,700 Fred Schmidt, Tehachapi. Cal. growers. In Hidalgo County alone, over 2,000 farms raise CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Warren Burnett, Nina Butts. Jo Clifton, Craig 75 different crops. Most of these farms suffered major damage Clifford, John Henry Faulk, Ed Garcia, Bill Helmer, Jack Hopper, Amy Johnson. — this in the third most agriculturally productive county in Laurence Jolidon, Mary Lenz, Matt Lyon, Greg Moses, Rick Piltz, Susan Raleigh, Paul Sweeney, Lawrence Walsh. the United States and the leading Texas county in terms of CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Alan Pogue: Russell Lee, Scott Van agricultural income. Osdol. Over 25,000 farmworkers in the four-county area are CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: Jeff Danziger, Dan Hubig, Kevin Krenek, Ben without employment due to the freeze. According to Ed Sargent, Gail Woods. Gutierrez of the Texas Department of Agriculture, about 6,700 A journal of free voices workers passed through the McAllen office of the Texas Employment Commission, one of four offices in Hidalgo We will serve no group or party but will hew hard to the truth as we find County, in the first eight days of processing for federal Disaster it and the right as we see it. We are dedicated to the whole truth. to human values above all interests, to the rights of humankind as the foundation of Unemployment Assistance, indicating that the numbers may democracy; we will take orders from none but our own conscience, and never run much higher than 25,000. "If anything positive comes will we overlook or misrepresent the truth to serve the interests of the power- out of this," Gutierrez told the Observer, "it will be that fill or cater to the ignoble in the human spirit. we'll probably get the most accurate figures in terms of Writers are responsible for their own work ; but not for anything they have not themselves written, and in publishing them we do not necessarily imply numbers." Many of the farmworkers live without gas and that we agree with them because this is a journal of free voices. electricity due to their inability to pay high December utility bills. Some are without water due to their inability to pay 'Business Manager Frances Barton to repair plumbing damaged by the freeze. Others live in Assistant Alicia Daniel unincorporated colonias that have never had plumbing. Most Advertising, Special Projects Cliff Olofson are without adequate food. Editorial and Business Office On December 30, Gov. White requested a presidential 600 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701 disaster declaration for the four-county area. That same day (512) 477-0746 state agencies began delivering funds from its Emergency The Texas Observer (ISSN 00404519) is published biweekly except for a three-week interval between issues in January and July (25 issues per year) by the Texas Observer Publishing Co;, 600 Management Pool to those counties for utility assistance, home West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701, (512) 477-0746. Second class postage paid at Austin, Texas. repairs, emergency food and shelter, and for public Single copy (current or hack issue) 75C prepaid. One year, $20; two years. $38; three years, improvement projects. According to White's office, these $56. One year rate for full-time students. $13. Airmail, foreign, group, and bulk rates on request. Microfilm editions available from University Microfilms Intl., 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, funds will total $2.5 million. Aside from some $116,000 drawn Michigan 48106. from the state's Temporary Emergency Relief Program Copyright 1984 by Texas Observer Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission. (TERP) and requiring matching local funds, the bulk of the POSTMASTER: Send form 3579 to: 600 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. money to be supplied by the state is flow-through money from federal block grants already designated for particular

2 FEBRUARY 24, 1984 community development needs. The governor used his office Sister Carol Anne Messina of the United Farmworkers to speed up or redirect the delivery of some of this money Ministry termed the federal aid a "disgrace." She called it to the Valley. He also asked Valley utilities and landlords "despicable that the state has to go begging to the private to defer action on unpaid bills. Then he called for the collection sector when we have money at the federal level for bombers plates to be passed. and fancy White House dinners." There have been complaints from Valley officials about the Larry Norton, an attorney for Texas Rural Legal Aid, is Governor's failure to deliver immediately on his promises of critical of the federal government's "lack of response to human emergency aid and to expedite grants made to the Valley before needs." "When the President declares an area a major disaster the freeze. A farmworker advocate said that after the first area," Norton explained, "the federal coordinator [for the 10 days of state funding, the money stopped coming. Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA)] coordinates According to Richard Montesdeoca, assistant to Hidalgo the federal, state, local and private programs. [The Valley's County Judge Santos Saldana, 18 pre-freeze applications for federal coordinator] Greg Solovey has done next to nothing public works projects have been approved, but only one has with respect to understanding, evaluating, and coordinating been funded. human needs. The federal coordinator can implement food "We need more flexibility in providing disaster assistance," programs. We had problems [with food distribution] the first White told a February 9 press conference. There are very three, four, five weeks. The federal coordinator did nothing." few mechanisms provided the state to deal with disaster relief According to Norton, Solovey has been more concerned and rehabilitation. When the last legislature passed the with loans for farmers. The only federal response to human Temporary Emergency Relief Program, it provided the needs has been the empowerment of Disaster Unemployment governor with, perhaps, his most flexible option. TERP Assistance, which is being handled by the Texas Employment specifies that state and county funds of no more than $5 million Commission. Norton cites the situation surrounding the use can be used to match emergency federal funding. The state of the Individual Family Grant Program, established under budget provided close to $2.5 million for TERP, but most the Federal Disaster Relief Act of 1974, as an "indicator of of this was depleted in the state's response to Hurricane Alicia. the lack of response to human needs." The program was The state's other options, as well as most of those of the designed for "emergency needs and necessary expenses for federal government, are geared more for situations in which individuals and families." It is only available when the state property is damaged or destroyed. Rather than being faced requests federal implementation of the program, which with an unemployment crisis, such areas usually enjoy an provides federal funds to match state funds three-to-one. It artificial economic boom with the influx of state and federal is generally used to assist families whose homes and funds for rebuilding. The freeze destroyed jobs, not buildings. possessions have been wiped out by a natural disaster. But Norton contends that there is nothing in the act prohibiting its use to address emergency needs and necessary expenses of farmworker families. The federal government, however, has argued against its use in this situation and has convinced N JANUARY 7, President Reagan declared the four the White administration not to request its implementation. counties eligible for federal disaster relief. This (There has been grousing among other farmworker advocates O opened up the possibility of assistance through such about White's reluctance to request additional federal funds federal programs as Disaster Unemployment Assistance, the and to exercise more boldness in shuffling state funds.) Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Farmers Home Administration. By February 1, $2 million in low-interest SBA loans had been distributed, mostly to nurseries and small UT WHY HAS this freeze been so disastrous for farm- truckers. Most growers will take several months to assess workers? the damage they've suffered; they have until July to apply B It is no secret that for the past several years the Valley for assistance. The SBA says it will make loans to growers has been suffering under the double-whammy of peso of up to $500,000 each. It expects 3,700 growers to apply. devaluation across the Rio Grande and recession on this side. Another $92 million will be available for growers and Unemployment before the freeze ran from 10 % to 30% businesses. The Farmers Home Administration expects to depending on the county and the season. 80% of the make low-interest loans totaling $18 million. Some large farmworker families had incomes below the poverty level, growers have predicted that it will take between four and seven and the workers averaged 22 weeks per year in which they years to return to pre-freeze production levels. could not find employment. Most Valley farmworkers depend Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance will be available on the citrus and vegetable harvest in the Valley for their to farmworkers through the Texas Employment Commission. winter and early spring incomes, followed by fruit and The benefits will run from $29 to $182 per week for 13 weeks. vegetable harvests in other parts of Texas until May, after 80 % of the farmworkers do not qualify for regular which they travel to Colorado, Wyoming, Michigan, and Ohio unemployment benefits for various reasons, including lay-offs before returning to the Valley. between fall harvests and the citrus season and the failure The Valley freeze has not only ruined ,the only source of of many farm employers or crew leaders to report wages or income for farmworkers for the thirteen-week citrus season to pay unemployment insurance. The disaster assistance is, — the period to be covered by Disaster Unemployment therefore, essential. The Texas Employment Commission, Assistance — it has also thrown cannery and sugar-mill however, is hopelessly understaffed to meet the demands of workers out of work. According to TDA's Ed Gutierrez. for this emergency. A TEC coordinator said they are working the first crop of onions there will be three times the labor night and day and on weekends to catch up. As of February pool needed because those who never traveled will hit the 1, only a little over 12,000 applications had been logged in roads looking for work, joining others who would still have at the Austin office with about 4,000 of these applications been occupied in the Valley. He said he has already received fully processed. The approximately 4,000 checks issued by warnings from officials in Florida, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, that date totaled $178,000, a $45-per-week average, indicating saying they won't be able to employ as many workers as that because farmworkers suffer low wages when working they had last year due to recession and weather difficulties they must try to survive on a pittance during a disaster. in those areas. In addition, Valley workers will be arriving THE TEXAS OBSERVER 3

in those and other states earlier seeking any kind of work. throughout the rest of the state." White's office is assisting In Hidalgo County the unemployment rate rose from 26% Valley Interfaith in presenting the proposal to the federal to 48% as a result of the freeze. Because it will take at least government while maintaining a low profile because, as one three or four years for the citrus industry to regain pre-freeze official explained, the Reagan administration would shy away levels, the unemployment crisis will last just as long. Robin from any project for which White's Democratic administration Alexander, a Texas Rural Legal Aid attorney, warns, however, could receive some credit. that "next year no one will bother to call it 'a disaster.' " While the growers will still be reaping the benefits of their Will the Reagan administration suddenly embrace a region low-interest loans, the farmworkers will probably be without suffering from the effects of Reagan policy on both sides of the benefit of unemployment assistance and emergency food the border, a region profoundly shaken by each cutback in and shelter programs. federal social services, a region, by turns, neglected and exploited (see "The Valley vs. the EPA," TO, The freeze has focused state and national attention on what 2/10/84)? has long been a disaster area for most of its inhabitants. The If Reagan does act to implement the public works proposal, four-county area is without a public hospital. Tropical and it will represent a 180-degree shift from the position outlined communicable disease rates are among the highest in the state. in his 1985 budget proposal. State Sen. Hector Uribe (D- Many people live in unincorporated colonias without the Brownsville) has denounced that budget's elimination of $10 service of water or sewage systems, some without gas and million in economic development grants for border businesses. electricity. The per-pupil funding for public schools is among He also criticized cuts in federal agricultural programs and the lowest in the state. Now people who in the best of times soil conservation funds, the elimination of community service earned $200 a week are without money for food, for heat, block grants, and the restrictions on industrial revenue bonds for clothing, for gasoline. which threaten to damage Valley "enterprise zones." In It is shameful that the state is not equipped to address the addition, Uribe said, the proposed 3% cap on Medicaid funding needs of farmworker families except by appealing to churches and the $326 million cut in student aid would have severe for charity. The farmworkers are essential components of an repercussions in the Valley. There would be a 13% cut in essential industry in Texas. Yet when farmworkers require basic funds for migrant education and elimination of federal funds services or emergency assistance, these are funded as acts of for alien education. This follows three years of federal cuts charity — dependent on the good will of the giver rather than for economic development (down 50 %), bilingual education the right to emergency assistance or public services of the (down 47%), job training (cut 50%), and energy conservation receiver. (cut 18%). On February 8, the Valley Interfaith community organiza- The Valley has long been 4 social disaster area waiting tion presented a $66 million proposal for public works projects to be declared. Unless federal and state governments find the that would provide employment and services for many Valley will and the means to address the structural problems in the communities. (See following story.) Gov. White praised the Valley economy, the disaster will only worsen, no matter how proposal, saying it provides "the basic services we enjoy many collection plates are passed around. G. R.

Valley Interfaith Wants Public Works By Scott Lind

McAllen before Governor Mark White last July funding. At the same time, they did When Valley Interfaith unveiled on regarding the Valley's pressing needs. express some concern over whether the February 8 a $66.7 million public works Reagan administration would approve Officials of Valley municipalities that large an amount. Valley Interfaith project proposal for the federal govern- were involved in the planning process ment, city officials across the Rio counters that in 1983, despite wide- that resulted in this proposal. If ap- spread skepticism about funding for the Grande Valley, not unexpectedly, en- proved, the labor-intensive public works dorsed it. Valley Interfaith is a coalition proposed transformation of the Harlin- projects would funnel $49 million in gen Chest Hospital into a regional of 40 Catholic and Protestant congrega- wages over a four-month period into the tions affiliated with Communities Or- indigent hospital, the organization was Valley economy, benefiting 18,485 able to convince Gov. White to provide ganized for Public Service (COPS) in farmworkers and other individuals left $800,000 for the project. San Antonio and other Industrial Areas jobless by the devastating December Foundation community groups. Valley freeze. Businesses would also benefit, But this time, Valley Interfaith is not Interfaith was responsible for the atten- and the lines of up to 1800 people a addressing the Democratic governor of dance of 1,700 members at a November day waiting for free meals at the San Texas. Representing a largely Demo- EPA hearing on toxic waste incineration Juan Shrine would undoubtedly begin to cratic constituency along the Rio in the Gulf [TO, 2/10/84] and for the shrink. Grande, it must appeal to Republican attendance of 6,000 people to testify officials who have not in the past Valley Interfaith leaders expressed demonstrated sympathy for social wel- optimism about the funding possibilities fare programs. But this is an election for this project. Officials of various year and elections have a way of Scott Lind is a reporter for the Valley cities praised Valley Interfaith's efforts, influencing courses of action. Some Monitor. expressing hope for receipt of such proponents of the proposed public works

4 FEBRUARY 24, 1984 the specifics."Shesaidproposed back inWashingtontodiscusssomeof proposal andhavingValleyInterfaith of theWhiteHouseCabinetoffice,said, Katherine Anderson,associatedirector administration officialswillapprovea proposed border-areaprojectsinTexas, project willbestudied,alongwithother project believethefactthatPresident point outthattheprojectwillresultin an electionyear?Projectproponents project ofsuchmagnitude—evenin New Mexico,Arizona,andCalifornia. balance theotherway. traditionally Democraticvotewilltipthe less optimistic,believingtheValley's Valley Interfaithproposal.Othersare bring officialactioninfavorofthe Reagan isrunningforre-electionmight Outhouse withmake-shiftshowerina plan offeranalternativetotraditional tion claimstoendorseawork-oriented on strainedwelfareandpublicassistance a reductioninfarmworkerdependence welfare programs? approach, wouldn'ttheValleyInterfaith networks. SincetheReaganadministra- "We lookforwardtoreceivingthe dent Reaganflyingallthewaydown to theRioGrandeValleygivea actions bytheDepartmentofLabor, million publicworksproposalandon speech onhisendorsementofthe$66.7 ployed farmworkersback towork. 2 %discretionaryfundstoput unem- Department ofHousingandUrban teams filmingReagan'spresence in Department torelinquishpart oftheir Development andtheU.S.Commerce traditionally Democratic countrywith commentators perhaps suggestingthat, Imagine CBS,ABC,andNBC news finally, Reagan hascounteredtheDemo- On thedayofproject'sunveiling, What arethechancesthatReagan Imagine, inthiselectionyear,Presi- Valley colonianearAlamo. the crowdsofMexicanshopperspump- devaluations, whichallbuteliminated period, wageslostamountedto$13.4 eliminated 20,000jobs.Inafive-week been traditionallyignored? counties, theinfrastructureofroads, from blowsexactedbytheMexicanpeso million. This,inanareastillstaggering search figures,theDecemberfreeze streets andutilitiesinanareawhichhas Such considerationscannotbeignored gen, orMcAllen,speakingtoassembled defense. Imagine,ifyouwill,Reagan the poor,thathecontinuallysacrifices about unemployment,thefateof crats% chargesthathe'sunconcerned impact beonthe in anelectionyear. turn thetideforReaganinValley? Valley Interfaithdelegates.Wouldthis in anauditoriumBrownsville,Harlin- social spendinginfavorofnational Frequent flooding causessewagefromouthouses toenter water. According toValleyInterfaithre- And whatwouldsuchaproject's colonias, cities, and

Photo by Alan Pog ue sales taxrevenuelosttoValleycitieshad made adentinfutureprojects. Already unemploymenthadclimbedto ing theirpesosintotheeconomy. comprise 73%oftotalprojectcosts. Texas DepartmentofHumanResources- Thousands arebeingfedweeklyin dollars inaidhavebeendeliveredtothe aspect andthewages.Andwages Valley Interfaith'sproposalisthejobs Rio GrandeValleybystateofficials. 17 and18percentinsomeareas, project categoriesinCameron,Hidalgo, ployed farmworkersandothersin funded souplines.Whatdistinguishes tion; streetandalleyclean-up buildup ofdeadbrashandothervegeta- health hazardsthroughremovalofthe clean-up toavertfuturefloodingand categories include:Drainagecanal various labor-intensivepublicworks curbs, hydrants,parkandrecreational Starr. andWillacycounties.Project example, Pharrofficialsenvisionusing damaged bythefreeze. palms andnon-indigenousshrubsfatally of agingmunicipalbuildingsandfacil- facilities; clean-upofvacantlots;repair repairs andrepaintingofstreetsigns, their towntoexpandsewage the morethan$2.6milliondesignedfor for thebenefitofindividualcities.For upgrading throughthetraditionalfederal difficulty obtaininggrantsforfacilities projects inmind,atatimewhen and expandcrowdedmunicipalfacil- treatment facilities,buildaBoysClub ities; and,finally,thereplantingof municipal officialsarehavingincreasing ities. Othercitiesprobablyhavesimilar routes. communities intheValley—wouldalso Already hundredsofthousands The projectwouldemployunem- But thesecategoriescouldbealtered Colonias — THE TEXAS OBSERVER ► vens usedfordrinking rural, unincorporated

5

Photo by Alan Pogue benefit from public works projects. of more than 175 pages which gives these jobs are created and someone can Colonia residents would be employed strikingly precise outlines of how many say, 'Here's work available. Now, get to improve the streets and drainage jobs in each category of work will be down to it.' " ditches. Most colonia streets are caliche created in each city, colonia, or county, At the same time, Montalvo said he roads, which become nearly impassable with dollar figures attached. is not sure how seriously the federal in times of light or heavy rain. With government will consider the Interfaith the brush and debris left in drainage The City of Brownsville, for example, proposal: "We do have a Republican ditches by the freeze, the lakes which would, according to the Valley Interfaith administration, and the Valley as a some colonias become during heavy recommendation, gain 2600 short-term jobs with total wages earned of whole is not noted for voting Republi- rains could become even larger bodies $7,432,928. Materials for these projects can." "[But] who knows?" he added. of water which, when left standing, would cost $537,000; equipment, "Perhaps people will look at the pro- would attract clouds of mosquitos. With $1,575,534; and tools, $329,740. posal, realize there's a basic need here, the mosquitos and animals killed by that we're going through [a difficult freeze and flooding, come infections and McAllen would see 2,083 jobs cre- economic period]." a greater load on the Valley's indigent ated, channeling $5,956,806 in wages health care delivery system. into the beleaguered economy. Materials City Manager Reyes Vela of Pharr Ofelia de los Santos, a Valley Inter- for the projects would cost $482,200; said, "I'm keeping my fingers crossed. faith leader, said an advantage to this equipment, $1,543,180; and tools, If the Valley can be funded for one-third proposal is that the entire region's $204,838 — for a total project cost of of that, we'll really be in good shape." problems are being addressed, rather $8,187,024. He noted that $66.7 million is "an than individual entities working alone San Juan would see 328 jobs created astronomical number to be funded at one to attract scarce federal and state funds. with $936,876 in wages, according to time." Should Pharr benefit, then The human element is served as well. Valley Interfaith figures. Materials construction could begin on a proposed $2.1 million sewer plant expansion "Jobs have been wiped out" she said. would cost $61,000; equipment, $239,690; and tools, $32,271. project, and there would be $250,000 "You've got people unable to pay their in municipal improvements, plus bills, who need to feed their families McAllen City Commissioner Leo $250,000 more to build a Boys Club. and who, in essence, have no hope for Montalvo, one of the "Los Cinco" Wai-Lin Lam, San Juan city manager, immediate relief except for what funds candidates in the past school board and come from the federal government. One said, "If President Reagan would put city elections which challenged his OK on this program, we'd really be of the worst scenarios is people leaving McAllen's traditional political powers, the Valley in droves to find work [only said, concerning the proposal: happy about it." to find no jobs in other locations "Sometimes goals are accomplished by So the race is on, and Valley Interfaith either]," she said. people who have ambitious dreams. We leaders will be meeting with federal Prior to unveiling their proposal, need to have dreams. We've got to shoot officials to go over the report and lobby Valley Interfaith representatives met for the sky and land in-between. We for Valley farmworkers. They go to with city government, city management, want to eliminate any kind of depend- Washington bearing letters of support county, banking, and agricultural offi- ency on handouts, on welfare. This from Valley officials. The ball is now cials. The survey resulted in a document dependency would be eliminated when in President Reagan's court. ❑

The Threat to Abortion Rights

By Martha Boethel

Austin pants, despite inhospitable weather. well represented at every level and in LEVEN YEARS after the Su- "Right to life" organizations took out every branch of government. preme Court decision in Roe v. full-page ads in Time as well as in local Accomplishing this last task is diffi- E Wade, legalizing abortion in the newspapers. cult: the right-to-lifers get wider media United States, a woman's right to According to Pam Fridrich of the coverage; while all three Austin network reproductive choice remains at risk. On Texas Abortion Rights Action League affiliates covered the January 22 march, January 22, the anniversary of the (TARAL), January is "a difficult for example, only one sent reporters to landmark decision, NBC News counted month" — time for putting on "a a TARAL-sponsored press conference. some 70,000 anti-abortion activists at a battleship mentality," struggling to Pro-choice supporters, who tend to Washington, D.0 ., rally; speakers there secure balanced media coverage, an- dismiss the marchers and the nasty ads endorsed Ronald Reagan and targeted swering "unpleasant" questions on call- and billboards, also tend to relax when six pro-choice Senators for defeat in the in radio shows, looking ahead to the they hear good news about the issue. November elections. A similar rally and year's legislative, judicial, and electoral The past two years have included a lot march in Austin drew 3,000 partici- battles. It is also a time for reminding of good news: In the 1982 U.S. constituents that reproductive rights still Congressional elections, more than two- Martha Boethel is a freelance writer and are not secure, that the opposition thirds of the pro-choice supported poet living in Austin. remains well staffed, well funded, and candidates won their races; the Senate

6 FEBRUARY 24, 1984

last year defeated Orrin Hatch's pro- Reagan's activism in opposition to posed "Human Life Federalism" Con- abortion rights has extended far beyond stitutional amendment. Also last sum- rhetoric. The power of a president mer, the Supreme Court struck down opposed to choice is, perhaps, the most a range of restrictive state statutes and critical issue in the abortion-rights reaffirmed the basic guidelines set out struggle in 1984. The Reagan adminis- in Roe v. Wade. Opinion polls continue tration has worked to install anti-choice to indicate that a majority of voters representatives at all levels of the federal believe abortion to be a matter of bureaucracy, among them U.S. Surgeon individual choice. These circumstances General Everett Koop and Margaret have led political analysts such as Steven Heckler, head of the Department of V. Roberts of the New York Times to Health and Human Services. Anti- conclude that pro-choice activists "have choice bureaucrats have tremendous taken the high ground" on the issue. power to alter government programs, publications, and regulations. The final According to Peggy Romberg, direc- assembly tor of the Texas Family Planning of all U.S. nu- UT THE STRUGGLE for abor- Associaticin (TFPA), family planning clear weapons takes tion rights cannot be character- clinics and sponsoring agencies have place in the Texas Panhandle. Hous- ized as a linear process. There been audited in unprecedented numbers ton has more oil company headquar- are two basic components to the strug- since Reagan took office. An audit of ters than any. other city in the world. gle: one, for legal sanction; the other, 41 agencies conducted by the General The whole state reeks of Sunbelt for access. Both continue to be attacked Accounting Office in 1982 was intended boosters, strident anti-unionists, po- at every level, and access to abortion to determine whether federal funds were litical hucksters, and new industry services among poor women is more being used for lobbying or conducting and money. restricted today than a few years ago. "abortion-related activities." The audit, A survey of recent and upcoming events which included facilities in Dallas and THIS IS THE LOOK OF TEXAS clearly indicates the vulnerability of San Antonio, turned up no violations TODAY and the Texas Observer claims to the high ground. related to the provision of abortion has its independent eye on all of it. At the national level, 1983 was services and only a few "questionable We offer the latest in corporate marked by the following: practices" related to lobbying activities; scams and political scandals as well • The House of Representatives voted focusing on hazy federal regulation as as articles on those who have other, for a total cutoff of Medicaid funds for the source of the problem, the GAO and more humane, visions of what abortion, thus refusing eligibility even recommended that the Health and Hu- our state can be. Become an Ob- to those women whose lives are endan- man Services Department "make its server subscriber today, order a gift gered by pregnancy. (Funding for cases guidance in this area more specific and for a friend, or instruct us to enter a of life endangerment later was restored consistent." Romberg claims that the library subscription under your pa- in conference committee.) According to administration's efforts last year to shut tronage. TARAL, fewer than half of the Texas down lobbying by all nonprofit groups House delegation opposed the cutoff. receiving federal funds stemmed from % NS Congress prohibited health insur- frustration over the abortion issue. • Send the Observer to — ance benefits for federal employees from Romberg also reported an example of including abortion, except in cases of Reagan's awareness of the utility of name life endangerment, even through federal bureaucracy. When conservatives failed employees pay 40%o of their own in their Congressional attempts to put premiums. Title X family planning funds into a address • The President of the United States block grant, Reagan wrote Senator published an article in the anti-choice Jeremiah Denton, suggesting that what Human Life Review (an article expected could not be achieved legislatively could city state zip to be distributed widely as campaign be done administratively. His staff then literature), in which he promises to began an organizational shuffle which ❑ this subscription is for myself ❑ gift subscription: send card in my name continue to work to overturn Roe v. removed the office handling Title X ❑ $20 enclosed for a one-year subscription Wade. Reagan argues that the basic issue funds from its place in the hierarchy of ❑ bill me for $20 is not quality of life but "the sanctity federal health programs. Hired as of life." As adept in the article as in director of the newly independent Office My name & address (if different) — his speeches at ignoring the reality of of Adolescent Pregnancy and Family his own public policy, he refers to Planning was Marjorie Mecklenberg, a name another Supreme Court action, the 1857 woman with no experience in public Dred Scott decision: health administration whose chief cre- address Despite the formidable obstacles before dential was her work with anti-choice us, we must not lose heart. This is not organizations. the first time our country has been Most dangerous, however, is the state zip divided by a Supreme Court decision president's power to appoint Supreme city that denied the value of certain human Court justices. Sandra Day O'Connor, lives . . . At first, only a minority of though she refused to speak against the Americans recognized and deplored the moral crisis brought about by denying right to choice prior to her court THE TEXAS OBSERVER the full humanity of our black brothers appointment, authored the dissenting 600 W. 7th, Austin, Texas 78701 and sisters .. . opinion last summer when the Supreme THE TEXAS OBSERVER 7 Court reaffirmed Roe v. Wade. Statutes seat, Paul and Gramm are anti-choice; exists that provides funds for abortion struck down in the court's decision Mossbacher has stated that he would services). to look for abortion providers included requirements that a physician oppose a Constitutional amendment who offer reduced fees, or to seek inform abortion patients that "human restricting abortion rights. Democrats financial help through private funds or life begins at conception"; that doctors Doggett, Hance, and Krueger all have a Planned Parenthood loan fund. read patients a graphic description of the pro-choice voting records. fetus and of the abortion procedure prior Planned Parenthood's abortion assis- to obtaining consent; and that patients N THIS REGARD, no election is tance has made it a target of anti-choice wait 24 hours between signing consent unimportant. The TARAL staff groups in a number of communities. forms and obtaining abortions. / says it would like pro-choice voters Such services are supported through private contributions, often including The arguments O'Connor set out in to consider the issue in every 'state and local election. To that end, much of their funds from United Way. Anti-choice her dissent lay the groundwork for a groups have pressured many local possible future opinion overturning Roe work since 1980 has centered on grassroots organizing. "We've been on United Way officials to drop their v. Wade. Voting with her were justices support for the clinics. According to Rehnquist and White, who cast the only a political education binge," notes Fridrich, "trying to educate the pro- TFPA, this pressure had led in many dissenting votes in 1973. Two more cases to "strained relationships" be- votes would mean an anti-choice major- choice majority we know to be out there. - They encourage pro-choice tween the two agencies; some clinics, ity — and the next president very likely failing to get increased United Way will make at least two more court voters to question all candidates about their views and to let elected officials allocations yet hindered by United Way appointments, since four of the current restrictions against independent fund justices are in their mid-seventies. know that reproductive choice is a priority concern. raising, have withdrawn from United Way. In El Paso, however, the two The 1984 Presidential election, then, State legislators and even local gov- may determine whether abortion contin- agencies reached a compromise in which ernment officials have power to support Planned Parenthood receives only ear- ues to be legal in this country. Of the or restrict access to abortion. In Hous- eight top Democratic Party candidates, marked contributions (United Way ton, for example, county commissioners donors may designate a specific recipi- only Ruben Askew is opposed to the voted to cut off abortion funds for poor right to abortion. However, pro-choice ent for their contributions); its funding patients at Jeff Davis Hospital; hospital support has increased steadily ever groups are concerned that the vice- board members opposed the move but presidential nominee also be an advocate since. of choice. They also emphasize the The only private fund of which importance of working for strong pro- The 1984 Presidential election, TARAL is aware that supports abortion choice planks in party platforms — then, may determine whether services for low-income women in including the Republican platform, abortion continues to be legal Texas is the Rosie Jimenez Fund, named though that venture may prove to be in this country. for a McAllen woman who died from frustrating. an illegal abortion in 1977. The fund Other races, too, need attention: were forced to comply. One of the helps Medicaid-eligible women by reim- North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms and commissioners instrumental in securing bursing abortion providers for a portion Iowa's Roger Jepsen, two of the the cutoff, however, is not running for of their costs. Neither the Jimenez Fund Senate's strongest opponents of choice, re-election this year, and pro-choice nor the Planned Parenthood loan funds, are up for re-election this year. In Texas, supporters are hoping for an opportunity however, has the resources to fill the electing a pro-choice replacement for to restore the funds. In the legislature, gap left by Congress: nationwide, in the John Tower is a top priority — not to Fridrich reports, TARAL lacks majority first year after the Hyde Amendment gain new support but to maintain the support in both the House and Senate, took effect, federally-funded abortions status quo. Tower consistently voted although its staff has worked effectively dropped by 99% , from 600,000 to pro-choice, though he tried to avoid the with key committee members to avert 6,000. pro-choice label. He characterized him- restrictive legislation. TFPA also has Restoring full Medicaid funding for self as favoring a "states'-rights prerog- worked to help avoid cuts in Title XX abortion is also a priority for TARAL, ative," believing "that the federal family planning funds; Representative its national affiliates, and the many other government should [not] involve itself Bill Ceverha (R-Dallas) last year pushed groups active in support of choice. They in questions of appropriate or necessary unsuccessfully for a one-third cut in the hope the results of the 1984 elections medical treatment." Yet he voted funds, almost precisely the amount will enable them to focus on that task, against the Hatch Amendment, which usually allocated to Planned Parenthood rather than struggling against new would have dismissed Roe v. Wade and clinics throughout the state. attacks from an entrenched, anti-choice left either the states or Congress to settle The issue of access, however, reaches administration. They would like, then, the question of legality. Tower's voting beyond electoral politics. Access in- to be finished with the issue altogether. record may have caused problems had volves the availability of abortion "After a while, you begin to wonder," he decided to run again this year; anti- services in local communities, the ability says Romberg, "when can we stop? choice Republicans have been gaining to obtain those services without harass- When can we move on to other prob- strength in the Texas party hierarchy. ment — but, most important, it involves lems?" She has been working to According to the Houston Chronicle, affordability. The Hyde Amendment and maintain reproductive rights since 1973; Wayne J. Thorburn, who resigned last later Congressional actions severely she considers the issue to be even more year as executive director of the Texas restricted abortion services for low- basic and more important to women than Republican Party, estimated that 20% income women. Fourteen states still passage of the Equal Rights Amend- or more of the party's 64-member provide unrestricted abortion funding ment. Like her associates at TARAL, executive committee consider the fight for Medicaid-eligible women, but Texas she plans to stay involved as long as against abortion as the state's top is not one of them. In Texas, poor necessary. Like it or not, she concludes, political issue. Of the three major women seeking a legal abortion may opt "I think we're going to have to be Republican Party candidates for Tower's to go to a local charity hospital (if one vigilant for a long time."

8 FEBRUARY 24, 1984 Star Telegram, last year Fort Worth Pentagon] or in Congress you have to General Dynamics tried to charge the promise everything. It's three to five Weapons Air Force $9,609 for a wrench that GD times more complicated than it should (Continued from Cover) paid a subcontractor, Westinghouse, be. . . . It's certainly not all TI's fault." $5,205 for and that was originally In 1982, before the HARM contract purchased from its manufacturer for 8.4 was awarded to Texas Instruments, America's biggest weapons corpora- cents. Congress suggested that the Pentagon tion, General Dynamics, employs General Dynamics F-111 split the contract between TI and another 17,000 people here; other Texas defense company to lower its cost. But Paul Fort Worth General Dynamics began contractors employ fewer than a thou- Thayer, who was then Deputy Secretary sand people. There are companies that making bombers during World War II, have been building weapons here since when at one point it employed 32,000 World War II, and there are those, like people. Over the years, Fort Worth GD Fiscal Year 1983 in thousands the brand new Lockheed plant in Austin, built the B-24 Liberator, the B-32 Dominator, the B-36 Peacemaker, the Texas' Top Five that have only recently been lured to the Pentagon Contractors Sunbelt. B-58 Hustler, and the F-111, which 1. General Dynamics $2,038,689 "They're making so damn many went out of production in 1976 but still makes up, along with the B-52, the U.S. 2. Texas Instruments $640,067 weapons," a researcher at the Center nuclear bomber force. 3. LTV $498.244 for Defense Information in Washington 4. Pride Refining $456,888 remarked when I called to ask him about The F-111 can carry six short-range 5. Textron (Bell Helicopter) $411,642 a new Texas Instruments missile. With missiles, each holding three 200-kiloton the help of researchers like him, a sheaf nuclear warheads. (The Hiroshima Top Five Counties in of Pentagon contract listings, and inter- bomb was 12.5 kilotons.) Defense-Contract Revenue Tarrant $2,736,397 . views with people at the weapons plants, During the days of its , production, the 1. I put together the following catalogue F-111 was plagued by cost overruns, 2. Dallas $1,559,501 of some of the many weapons built in accidents, and a nine-year Senate inves- 3. Harris $573,350 $482,414 Texas. tigation into its price. In 1968 the first 4. Taylor eight F-111s went to Vietnam carrying 5. Nueces $404,062 conventional bombs, and within two General Dynamics F-16 weeks three of them had crashed because General Dynamics, the nation's num- of mechanical failures. of Defense, told Congress that the ber-one defense contractor, is also the As a corporation, General Dynamics Defense Department would ignore the biggest weapons maker in Texas. The has left some questions in its wake. In request to divide the contract, and in Fort Worth division of General Dynam- 1982 GD Executive Vice President P. the fall of 1983, according to the Fort ics builds the F-16 fighter plane, the Takis Veliotis resigned suddenly and Worth Star Telegram, Rep. Torn Van- Pentagon's "combat fighter of the fled the country after he was indicted dergriff of Arlington led a successful 1980s," a fast and maneuverable plane, for allegedly taking kickbacks from lobbying effort by Senators Lloyd whose slickest feature is a display of shipyard suppliers. According to the Bentsen and John Tower and Reps. the path that cannon fire would take Washington Post, a source close to Charles Wilson of Lufkin, Jack High- superimposed on the pilot's view of the Veliotis said that Veliotis is negotiating tower of Vernon, Tom Loeffler of Hunt, target, making it simple to hit the mark. with the Justice Department for immu- and Jim Wright of Fort Worth to award Each F-16 costs the Air Force $15 nity from future charges against General the entire contract to TI. million. Dynamics in exchange for information On January 4 of this year, Thayer "Fort Worth's performance can only about how the corporation has defrauded resigned as Deputy Secretary of Defense be described as outstanding," boasts the the Navy on submarine contracts. shortly before the Securities and Ex- annual report of General Dynamics, change Commission charged him with which makes tanks, cruise missiles, Texas Instruments HARM illegally passing inside stock trading ships, and submarines at plants outside information to other people. Texas. "Year after year its on-budget, The second largest defense contractor in Texas, and the 24th largest in the on-schedule performance yields the LTV B-1 fuselage highest operating profits of any division country, is Texas Instruments, makers in General Dynamics' history." of semiconductors — "components for Thayer was the chairman and chief almost everything you can think of," executive officer of LTV Corporation Fort Worth General Dynamics had in Dallas for twelve years. He left LTV $2.03 billion in Air Force contracts in according to TI spokesperson Dick Perdue — and the winner of a $7 billion in January 1983 to work for the fiscal year 1983, mostly for F-16s, Pentagon. LTV's annual report for 1982 running a "warfare simulation labora- contract to build 17,000 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles at its Lewisville included "a tribute to Paul Thayer," tory" to train pilots, and repairing F- which said, "His career has an Horatio 111 nuclear bombers. plant over the next ten years. HARM is an Air Force and Navy air-to-land Alger quality to it, characterized by a GD has been accused of trying to missile designed to knock out enemy unique blend of determination and make some of its profit by overcharging radar. resourcefulness. . . . Mr. Thayer left an for spare parts. According to Mark indelible mark on the company's history Thompson, writing in the Fort Worth "It's extremely complicated and it's very expensive," a top Pentagon ad- and was a major architect of its future." visor, Dr. Thomas Amlie, said about LTV in Dallas employs 10,000 people This is the first in a series of articles HARM. "They started out with a and has a $1.5 billion subcontract with by Nina Butts examining Texas' role in reasonable concept and the services kept Rockwell International to make part of the weapons industry. The series is putting more requirements on it. . . . the B-1 bomber. The Air Force has funded by a Carey McWilliams Fellow- It's called gold-plating. In order to sell ordered 100 B-1 s, long range nuclear ship from the Nation Institute. the program here in the building [the bombers that can fly at treetop level, THE TEXAS OBSERVER 9 beneath radar, and carry up to 32 triple system, which would have, say, ma- Tracor, an international corporation warhead missiles. Each will cost over chine guns, we would mount the headquartered in Austin, builds com- $200 million. system." puter terminals, consults with the Navy LTV builds two huge pieces of the on antisubmarine warfare, and makes B-1 fuselage that go from the back of Communications equipment the controls for MX and Trident missile the wings to the tail, are 60 feet long, Besides Texas Instruments and dozens "penetration aids" at its Austin facility. and weigh 14 tons. LTV's B-1 produc- of smaller companies, four of the major "Penetration aids" are little glass fibers, tion area was once the final assembly military communications makers in shot out to confuse radar, and flares to area for the A-7 fighter, now out of Texas are Tracor and Lockheed in decoy heat-seeking missiles. For fiscal production. LTV also made all of Austin, Rockwell in Richardson, and year 1983 Tracor had contracts with the NATO's Lance tactical nuclear missiles Electrospace Systems in Dallas. Pentagon for $74 million. at its Michigan plant and is developing Lockheed, the fifth largest weapons Rockwell International in Richardson, an antisatellite weapon, an Improved contractor in the country, opened its a part of the corporation that builds the Lance, and a hypervelocity missile — Austin plant about a year ago and MX, B-1 bomber, and space shuttle, a very fast bullet three inches in already employs 1,600 people. Austin makes radios for nuclear submarines and diameter. ("Basically the technology is Lockheed filled a $47 million contract terminals for the Air Force that send what's attractive," LTV spokesperson with the Navy in fiscal year 1983. information to satellites. Mike Hatfield said of the hypervelocity The Austin Lockheed facility does Electrospace Systems at Richardson missile.) Pentagon work exclusively — develop- and Dallas' Love Field contracts with ing computer programs to translate radar LTV MLR the Defense Department ($62 million in and satellite readings into displays on fiscal year 1983) and seven other LTV's biggest project is its $2 billion, screens for people aboard Navy ships, defense companies to do, among other multi-year contract with the army to submarines, and planes. things, the fitting of "shelters" — build the Multiple Launch Rocket System. The MLRS is assembled in an Arkansas plant, but the brains of the program are at the Grand Prairie LTV facility. The MLRS is a truck with a set of twelve tubes containing rockets Disarming that collectively hold 7,700 grenade-like RE YOU GOING to be whose contracts with the Pentagon devices which can be fired in less than for us or against us?" include one for "Bombs, Nuclear" a minute and can cover an area the size the public relations man and another for "Weapons M-60 of six football fields. The MLRS is A at General Dynamics in Fort Worth Combat 105mm Gun," put me on planned for deployment in Europe. asked when I called to say the hold for several minutes and took Observe• was doing a story about messages to call me that were never Bell Huey and Cobra Texas weapons builders. And so answered. Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, the began a series of conversations with There were people actively proud largest division of Textron, Inc., em- people whom I, as a disarmament of the weapons they make, anxious ploys 6,000 people and does about 30% activist, had considered before only to describe them and send us of its business with the Defense Depart- with anger and fear. They were the photographs. There were people ment, $411 million in fiscal year 1983. makers of the nuclear holocaust, I who complained about the difficulty Bell builds several helicopters, among thought. They had Congress under of getting defense contracts and the them the Huey (UH-1 Iroquois, named their thumb, and they profited by unwieldiness of the military bu- Huey because it used to be the HU-1) threatening the lives of people I love. reaucracy. And there were several and the Cobra (AH-1), both widely used It was they who perpetrated the arms — mostly women — who seemed in Vietnam. When American troops left race, uneasy about what they were doing, Vietnam, they abandoned 66 Cobra But I found the people at the like the woman who consistently helicopters, including 30 that had never weapons plants disarmingly human. told me that her corporation does been unpacked. The man at LTV in Dallas talked "only" 40% of its business with the. Hueys are used now by the armies about his kids. The Rockwell Defense Department. of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Hondu- spokesman laughed when I tried to The big corporation spokesmen ras. "We train pilots and mechanics translate his corporate talk into plain usually had carefully rehearsed from many countries around the world," language ("Does integrate mean put explanations of their company's said Bell spokesperson Marty Reisch. together?"), and the executive vice work and seemed to inhabit a world "The number of foreign governments president of Electrospace Systems of press releases and annual reports, that have our helicopters would be pretty was flattered when I thanked him while the people at the smaller substantial." Before Reagan's recent for clearly explaining a communica- companies were closer to what they lifting of the ban on U.S. arms sales tions system. make and bore for their weapons to Guatemala, Bell sold its commercial Some people would not talk to rather paternal feelings. version of the Huey to Guatemala and me. There was the man at Chrom- A man at a small truck manufac- trained Guatemalan army pilots in Fort alloy American Corporation in San Worth. turer in south Dallas explained how Antonio -- winners of a $29 million difficult it is to get Pentagon Besides building the helicopters, "we contract with the Air Force in fiscal contracts and how frustrating it is assemble the [gun] pods," Reisch year 1983 — who called me to design a system only to have it explained, "whatever it takes to hold "sweetheart" but wouldn't answer rejected. "It's a struggle," he said. the armament. The rockets or machine any of my questions. The reception- "This is all we have to rely on." guns are installed by the customers. If ist at San Antonio's Bosco, Inc., N.B. there is a system, such as a turret

10 FEBRUARY 24, 1984 described by Electrospace Executive makes rocket motors for guided mis- Vice President Bob Carrel as "a big box siles, including the Sidewinder and the with a door that humans sit in and Shrike, used in Vietnam. and the OPEN MONDAY- SATURDAY I0-6 AND OPEN SUNDAY 10- operate something." Electrospace in- expensive (about $ 1 12 million each) air- stalls racks, cabinets, air conditioning. to-air Phoenix, which has a hundred- and electronic equipment to make the mile range and its own homing radar. WATSON & COMPANY shelters into command posts that can be Hundreds of Phoenix missiles were sold trucked around — designed precisely for to Iran before the fall of the Shah. a situation like the Rapid Deployment Force moving into the Middle East. Ammunition BOOKS Electrospace also transforms the mili- In Texarkana, 1,360 people work at the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, tary version of the Boeing 707, the C- 60-i BIANCO STREET (PECAN SQUARE) 472.41E90 135, into an "airborne command post," a factory operated for the army by Day said Carrel, "chock-full of communica- and Zimmerman, Inc., which makes tions equipment and displays . . . so the detonators and shells for cannons. Lone commander of SAC [Strategic Air Star is one of three army plants in the Good books in every field Command, the command of our nuclear country that make finished "projectiles" JENKINS PUBLISHING CO. bombers] could fly with battle plans and for the 155 millimeter howitzer, an The Pemberton Press American cannon used in El Salvador. execute them from the air." Army spokesmen say they cannot track John H. Jenkins, Publisher "We've been doing that for 14 whether the shells made in Texarkana Box 2085 Austin 78768 years," said Carrel, "anything that end up in El Salvador, but they say it 6 needs doing on those aircraft." He is a possibility. explained that one contract was to ANDERSON & COMPANY provide an exploding stairwell that could COFFEE be detonated when the pilot needed to ESIDES THESE Pentagon con- TEA SPICES cut 20 seconds from take-off time. tractors, the Department of En- TWO JEFFEItSON WARE AUSTIN, TEXAS 78"'31 "We always like our investors to ergy operates the Pantex facility know," Carrel said, "that we have an outside Amarillo, where every Ameri- 51.2 453-V533 office of about a hundred engineers in can nuclear warhead is assembled from Send me your list. the D.C. area that do think-tank work. parts shipped in from around the Name They work directly for the Defense country. Although Pantex officials re- Communications Agency, an office that fuse to verify the number, it is believed Street reports directly to the Department of that Pantex turns out three nuclear City Zip Defense. . . . When they have these warheads a day. exercises where they send out subma- Defense Department contracts in "LENINGRAD IS HIP . . . MOSCOW IS NOT! rines and command posts and communi- Texas totaled $8.2 billion in fiscal year From the Introduction by Alex Beam, Moscow correspon- cations centers around the world, our 1983 and included contracts with oil dent Business Week. people will man those posts . . . with refineries, universities, construction Political Jokes of Leningrad firms, electric utilities, shipping compa- recording and data-keeping machines "At least in Leningrad, laughter is not one of the vanishing and test the . . . value of these systems. nies, grocery stores, and counseling commodities." John Lofton, Washington Times "That puts us in a unique position — services. What I have described here are doesn't it? — to guess what may be only some of the largest weapons con- "These jokes are sarcastic and cynical marking disenchant_ ment. What did you expect?" coming down the pike that needs tracts. John Bark-ham Reviews

improvement or modification." copies of Political Jokes at S4.50 the legendary Please send me But, Carrel said, the unique position per copy. I have enclosed plus $0.63 to is not an unfair position because "there's cover postage. A 20 0/0 discount for orders of 5 or more. a very long time, like years, between Name when a need is noted and when it gets RAW DEAL Address Steaks, Chops, Chicken City/State/Zip solved and a piece of hardware actually open lunch and evenings Make checks payable to Silvergirl, Inc., gets into the field because of the 605 Sabine, Austin No Reservations Mail to P.O. Box 4858, Austin, TX 78765 extremely over-burdened and awkward 4111111111111•1111111111M■ procurement system that the military has. NEW ORLEANS' FINEST EASTSIDE MOTEL "Now there's so much pressure on the military not to pay too much for nuts 410wARDjounson5 EAST and bolts and alien wrenches that Closest on 1-10 East to Downtown 3 Minutes to additional paperwork is being instigated French Quarter that takes even more time. . . . While we like to think that we can anticipate what's coming, this process of taking • RESTAURANT • COCKTAIL LOUNGE • COLOR so long goes against this competitive TELEVISION • PRIVATE SWIMMING POOLS • advantage." FREE PARKING • PHONE IN ROOMS • COURTESY CAR • CONVENTION FACILITIES • Guided missile engines SIGHTSEEING TOURS LEAVE FROM MOTEL • In McGregor, a small town near JcralOns Tele 504-944-0151 Waco, 450 people work for Hercules, MOTOR LODGE • 4200 OLD GENTILLY RD • I-10 EAST, LOUISA ST EXIT Inc., which manages a "naval weapons NEW ORLEANS, LA 70126 TOLL FREE 1-800-654-2000 industrial research plant," where it

THE TEXAS OBSERVER 11 scene, while Garcia lay injured at the Update on Garcia Case (TO, 6/3/83) side of the road. All parties seem to agree on that much, though from there on the stories diverge violently, drawing much of Kyle to one side or the other. Holt and his attorney and the Depart- Trying Times ment of Public Safety officer who was at the scene present a version that goes something like this. Garcia was bicycling along Farm-to-Market Road in Hays County 150, taking up much of the road, when Holt and Dees turned onto the road, heading east into town from the high By Jeff Barton school. As their pickup pulled around and Cyndy Slovak Garcia, a car rounded the curve from the opposite direction. As the truck moved back into its lane to avoid the Kyle communities view each other in Kyle car, Garcia swerved in front of it and and the quality of justice in Hays County was struck. Seeing that someone was HE FATHER of the star eyewit- injured, the boys raced for help, natu- ness says justice wasn't done, and, to some extent, throughout rural Texas. rally heading for Holt's grandfather's T but that it's over now. office. Since then, supporters say the But for county road worker Joe "Personally, I think those two boys boys have been maligned by the press Garcia and the two Anglo high school committed a crime and got away with and made victims of a sort of reverse students accused of running him down, it," says Susan's father, Art Villareal, discrimination. who also testified at the trial. "I think it isn't over, and isn't likely to be for The happenings, as described by a long time. Garcia still suffers the it [the case] was poorly prepared and eyewitness Susan Villareal and others physical effects of the controversial poorly presented to the jury. The district attorney did not get his ducks in a row. who have become involved on Garcia's incident which put him into an Austin behalf, differ starkly in almost every intensive care ward last April, while 17- It makes me wonder if he really wanted to." detail. This side of the story tells of two year-old Alan Holt and 16-year-old youths who stopped to harass a young Michael Shane Dees must deal with the Not everyone in Kyle feels as athletic Hispanic, who threatened and stigma and unrelenting questioning Villareal does, of course. Judge Holt's shortly thereafter ran him over, who associated with a case which, in many family has a long history in Kyle — Holt then left the scene not to seek help for people's minds, remains unresolved won re-election easily in 1982 — and Garcia but help from influential relatives despite a jury verdict. a good portion of the community, and friends for themselves. This side of In truth, even for young Susan especially among the town's Anglo the story speaks in terms of good ol' Villareal, the pivotal witness, the minority and the members of the socially boy networks, coverups, subtle ethnic aftershocks of that April evening linger. dominant First Baptist Church, believes prejudice, and bitterness. the Holts have been as much victims of "They look at me like, 'What are you Garcia's attorney, former Travis doing coming in here and stirring up the incident as Garcia, what with the County Justice of the Peace Mack all this trouble like this,' " Villareal said embarrassment of newspaper stories and the pressures of legal fees and court Martinez, believes race was a key during a brief interview in mid-January. factor, blaming the incident, in part, on "I'd like to move, really. I hope to move appearances. "institutional racism." soon to Austin." To demonstrate their support, more But even in the Mexican American Joe Garcia and the others first made than a score of Holt sympathizers took off three days from work to sit through community not everyone sees the case the local papers shortly after Garcia was in such brown and white terms. Juan struck by a pickup truck the evening of the whole of Alan's trial, offering psychological and sometimes vocal Palomo, now the Central American April 7 while bicycling along a farm- correspondent for the Houston Post and to-market road just outside of Kyle, a support during the proceedings. In addition, sheriff's deputies sheltered the a former managing editor of two now- town of about 2,500 20 miles south of defunct publications, the Hays County Austin. The truck that struck Garcia Holts as much as possible from what Citizen and La Otra Voz, does not doubt carried two youths, both Anglos from they considered a hostile press, while that the two Anglos may have received nearby Hays Consolidated High School; court employees and courthouse officials preferential treatment, but he sees the exchanged pleasantries with their old one of the boys is a grandson of Kyle case more in terms of class structure and acquaintances, Judge Holt and his Justice of the Peace James Holt, Sr. small-town relationships. family. That was in stark contrast to That event set the stage for a local Palomo points out that the basic drama still in serialization: it set the Garcia, who sat alone and confused through much of the trial, on medication battles over race and minority represen- stage for a year of events that would tation were fought in Hays County in test how the Anglo and Hispanic as a result of his injuries and suffering from partial amnesia. the 1970s, when rebels broke away from the Democratic Party establishment to Cyndy Slovak and Jeff Barton are co- Holt's trial left a number of contradic- form winning coalitions of college publishers of the Onion Creek Free tions unresolved. But from police re- students and professors (from Southwest Press. Barton is a sixth generation ports and testimony at the trial, two Texas State University in San Marcos, resident of Hays County. This article pictures can be pieced together. the county seat), white progressives, relied partly on court reports from Free After the collision, the two high Mexican Americans, and blacks. Today Press reporter Sheri Sehneyer. school students drove away from the the college students have turned mostly

1 2 FEBRUARY 24, 1984 conservative or apathetic, but Mexican

Americans, with a little more than 30% .,• of the county's population, hold two of four seats on the county commission — one gained when Dan Campos of Kyle unseated a white incumbent in 1982. Hays County elected Mexican American county commissioners, city council members, a San Marcos mayor and school board president before Austin elected Johnny Trevino and Richard • Moya.

Then there is the question that is • raised concerning the situation had it been reversed, as Martinez has sug- gested, with a white victim and brown occupants of the truck. e Few Anglos in Kyle believe that either u Pog

Holt or Dees meant to harm Garcia n • la

physically. Many will privately admit A

they can't swallow the whole story as by

presented in court, but most of these to • , believe that if Holt and Dees were out Pho looking for trouble they only meant to Center Street, Kyle. scare Garcia, not to run him down. In turn, some of these people are inclined occurred, did the legal structure utilize authorities failed to provide basic prepa- to feel that Anglos are being subjected full, or even appropriate resources, on ration for key prosecution witnesses. to a double standard. the case? Susan Villareal, who was walking her "I'll tell you who the real minorities Was equal justice applied to Holt and bike beside her neighbor Garcia when are today," said a middle-aged white Dees? Did Garcia, in other words, get he was hit, says District Attorney Bill man in a downtown coffee shop. "We're a fair shake? More broadly stated, the Rugeley failed to check with her about the minorities." question might be: Is it possible any- crucial parts of her testimony, including In Kyle, where Mexican Americans where in rural Texas — or anywhere which of the boys was actually driving. make up 70 % of the population, he is at all in Texas — for a poor, resourceless Villareal says she was never asked to right in a sense. But in a broader sense, Mexican American high school drop-out put a name with a face, nor shown any absolute Anglo supremacy was never from an inauspicious family to have an pictures of the two boys, and she didn't questioned until relatively recently. In equal chance in our legal system against know which was which until Holt 1983, Kyle hired a Mexican American middle-class Anglos from well-known walked into the cafe where she works police chief, but the mayor and the families? as a waitress and her boss identified him. leadership in the Chamber of Com- If it is possible, then in Garcia's case, Rugeley made no apparent effort to sort merce, the Kyle Industrial Foundation, at least, the system fell sadly short. the matter out before trial, putting the Lions Club and the Volunteer Fire In the juvenile case, where Judge prosecution witnesses Villareal and Department remain white. It is chang- Howard Warner issued a gag ruling White up as contradictory witnesses, ing in Kyle, yet change comes slowly early on, officials promised to act with White's testimony supporting to these institutions. swiftly, both in the interest of justice, Holt's contention that Dees was driving. When the Catholic Church lost its and the interest of Dees, then a high The D.A. had earlier explained to bingo hall to commercial development school sophomore, who was using a reporters that Holt could be prosecuted this fall and then tried to rent out the hardship license the day the truck struck simply because he was in the truck and city hall as other organizations do, the Garcia. had allegedly joined in the threats. city council — under pressure from the Martinez wanted Dees certified to Susan Villareal and her father both local First Baptist Church, which draws stand trial as an adult. That motion was say they feel-like Rugeley left them at additional members from the over- denied by Warner last summer. On the defense attorney's mercy on the whelmingly white Austin-oriented sub- February 15, Dees' juvenile case was stand without making much effort to divisions and farm country surrounding dropped on a motion by the district explain seeming contradictions raised by town — voted to ban bingo from city attorney because of "conflicting evi- the defense. Rugeley also repeatedly hall. The night the council considered dence" in Holt's trial, a fact that rankles failed to object as defense attorney the subject, several prominent older some members of the Mexican Ameri- Roger Zimmerman presented the jury citizens in the audience muttered out can community. with innuendos about Susan Villareal's loud about "Meskins and Catholics" That rankling is nothing compared to personal life and her credibility, though taking over the town. the hard feelings over the way the Holt Rugeley did point out to jurors that investigation and trial were handled. Villareal was new to town, "with no UT THE REAL issue in this case, While Garcia partisans say DPS officer axe to grind." at least the issue as it has now Daryl White — who, coincidentally, Rugeley did ask jurors to ponder why, B evolved, is not whether Holt and must work closely with Judge Holt on if Holt and Dees were only concerned Dees are racists who chose to run down traffic tickets — went out of his way about Garcia, they passed up 35 houses someone with dark skin and dark eyes. to round up witnesses to testify that on the way into town to their The issue is, once the incident had Garcia was riding well into the road, grandfather's for help. Other than that, THE TEXAS OBSERVER 13 the defense mostly had things its way. job. Now he is back at work, but on that an investigation is underway. Garcia's family and friends, many of restricted duty and heavy medication, According to reliable sources, though, whom arrived at the scene shortly after which clouds his future, even though he the Commission has received another Susan had flagged down a passing car has a sympathetic boss in Commissioner complaint about Holt, accusing him of and then pedaled home for help, com- Campos, who describes Garcia as a racial discrimination. plain that Susan's account was all but model employee before his injury. Through various cases over the course dismissed by White and sheriff's depu- Despite county health insurance and ties at the scene. of the year, District Attorney Bill a small settlement from Dees' insurance Rugeley has managed to anger a large White took jurisdiction in the case company, Garcia is heavily in debt with number of Anglos as well as Mexican because it was outside the Kyle city medical bills. His wife Eva, who was Americans. limits. He did not separate the boys for the family money manager — particu- questioning, measure skid marks at the larly since the injury — never learned Early in 1983, Rugeley hired Linda time, or hold the boys. He conducted to cope with the stress generated by the Rodriguez, the county's first woman and a follow-up investigation in Judge Holt's whole incident, and now the two have first Mexican American assistant district office. separated. attorney. That blunted criticism of Says Greg Toomey, a Kyle officer With Eva's pictures and some of the Rugeley's purported insensitivity to rape and later Acting Chief, who was among furniture gone from the five-room, cases but did little to help when Rugeley the first to arrive on the scene, "They unpainted wood-frame house, almost the failed to get a conviction on a county had access to the Kyle police depart- only decorations are Catholic saints and ment, Hays Sheriff's department or their photographs of the couple's 4-year-old own office. Any one of those environ- daughter, Daisy, gone with her mother. ments would have been a more impartial During the cold spell over the holidays, atmosphere. I don't know how objective water from broken pipes peeled up part standards can be maintained on the of his floor. He has no money to fix proverbial home turf of the elected JP the pipes, but his brother and a. neighbor Convicting who is blood relation [to the accused]." are helping out. Toomey also said he saw numerous "I ustd to be able to fix ,anything," skid marks at the scene, though White he says. "I can't fix anything anymore; the Victim told jurors he found none. Toomey said I get confused." He believes his eyesight his first impression at the scene was that is continuing to worsen and he still has aggravated assault had taken place and back and leg pain. His medical bills are By Paula Manley that he would have treated the case as piled high in a shoe box he keeps in such had it been in his jurisdiction. his home's tiny living room. He still Austin Toomey, however, was never called can't remember what happened last N FEBRUARY 19, 1983, to testify at •Holt's trial. Nor was April 7. Paul Hernandez was Toomey's partner that day, Chief James "I wish I could remember; I wish I clubbed by police officers Burke. D. A. Rugeley explained that could understand," he says. Garcia says 0 after a Ku Klux Klan march in one was off in Wyoming and the other he is not bitter toward anyone, and he Austin, where he was among nearly was "gone," and, he told the San is painfully appreciative of, friends and 3,000 anti-Klan demonstrators. Marcos Daily Record, he did not know strangers who have helped, him in the Hernandez, a community organizer how to get in touch with either of them. past year. Still, in an interview shortly known for his criticism of police In fact, both are, and were at the time after New Year's, he wondered aloud, brutality, received a severe concus of the trial, enrolled in a Houston law though almost apologetically, if Rugeley sion, fractured rib and wrist, and school. Their addresses and telephone "really did his best for me." He says a gash in his head which required numbers are on file with the Kyle police he rues his ignorance of the judicial eight stitches. Video footage of the department and the Onion Creek Free system. beating made national network Press had no trouble tracking them Alan Holt still declines to talk about news. Three weeks later, he and down. the affair. "I don't want to talk about two friends were charged with In the end, it took the all-white jury it," he says politely. "I'd just appreciate resisting arrest. eight hours over two days of it if it were all dropped." Almost one year later, Hernandez deliberations to declare Holt innocent of There, at last,, he may have found was brought to trial and found guilty the charges. Neither youth was ever common ground with Garcia, in a way. as charged by an all-white jury. charged with leaving the scene of an "I try to go on, I have to," Garcia says. After the verdict was announced, accident. According to jurors, the first "If I started going down I'd go all the Co. unty Attorney Margaret Moore vote was 7-5 for acquittal, then 10-2 and way I guess. . . . About what happened, said in a television interview that 11-1 before a verdict was reached. I try to forget. That's all I do. But I she was "very satisfied with the can't." Juror Billie Robinson, who voted for verdict" and that "people must be acquittal on every ballot, said jurors N JANUARY, "in order to clear the held accountable for what they do." "felt like we didn't have all the facts." air," County Commissioner Dan What she did not discuss were the Several other jurors raised similar / Campos filed a request for an circumstances surrounding complaints after the trial. "We all felt official investigation with the state Hernandez's trial and conviction: let down," said juror Marion Gregory. Commission on Judicial Conduct, ask- • The two original charges filed Today Garcia's cause has just begun ing them to look at the propriety of against Hernandez on February 19 to fade from public attention, but for Justice of the Peace James Holt Sr.'s were class C misdemeanors, each him the battle is only beginning. He involvement in the case. went back to work in September but The commission generally works in Paula Manley lives in Austin. suffered a seizure and passed out on the secret and will neither confirm nor deny

14 FEBRUARY 24, 1984 commissioner who had been videotaped privately to being frustrated by the lack ing to missing city funds. According to allegedly stealing county gas or when of support from the DA. County com- city officials, Rugeley waited until ten he plea-bargained a case involving the missioners, in turn, were embarrassed minutes before the Grand Jury hearing unprovoked stabbing death of a handi- last summer when Rugeley advised them to assign the case to ADA Rodriguez. capped youth, even though he had they were breaking state law by the way In the resulting confusion, the city got witnesses and, according to sheriff's they paid themselves travel expenses. At only one of the three indictments it officers, a signed confession. When considerable cost to the county, the sought. (Since then, the grand jury has representatives of a beleaguered home- commissioners revamped the procedure; reconvened to hand down a second owners association from a poor section when the Onion Creek Free Press indictment.) of the county went to Rugeley for help checked on the statute, the state Attorney Rugeley was unopposed for re-elec- against developers, who they claim were General's office and the association of tion in 1982. Lawyers say his $47,000 violating county road and health stan- county governments both reported that a year salary is not enough to attract dards, they say Rugeley told them he the law Rugeley based his opinion on good attorneys to the job in a growing could do nothing to the developers but had been repealed in 1971. Most county with a growing workload. Other could have the residents evicted for recently, Rugeley angered Kyle city lawyers in the county say the established living in a substandard subdivision. officials and investigators. The city was defense attorneys will support Rugeley Many police and sheriffs officers accusing a former city secretary of against opposition because he is such from around the county will admit corruption and official misconduct relat- easy pickings. ❑

punishable by a maximum $200 as a result of his conduct February fine. Three weeks later, following 19; he, too, has a brother running conversations between Austin Po- against Hernandez for the state lice Chief Frank Dyson and County legislature. Attorney Moore, these charges • The local "County Courts at were dropped and a more serious Law" rules provide that court charge of resisting arrest was filed. assignments be made randomly in Resisting Arrest is a class A order to prevent "justice shop misdemeanor punishable by a maxi- ping." In Hernandez's case, the mum $2,000 fine and a year jail Court of Judge Leslie Taylor was sentence. Class C misdemeanors selected by the County Attorney's are within the jurisdiction of Munic- office rather than randomly as- ipal Court; Class A misdemeanors signed. go to County Court. 0 • At the trial s outset, much of 0 • A pool of more than 40 eligible the evidence Hernandez's attorneys a jurors derived from Travis County considered important to his defense voter registration rolls included a was not allowed by Judge Taylor, total of three minorities. The prose including the APD Internal Affairs Paul Hernandez cution automatically struck the only investigation of police conduct two Hispanics, and a black man was February 19, Chief Dyson's public officers. While being cross-exam- disqualified after stating that he had comments about the incident includ- ined, a police officer conceded that "lost all faith in the criminal justice ing those about the police Hernandez "could have been system." "overreaction ,' and information pushed." • A woman who witnessed the regarding previous brutality com- In closing, defense attorney Da- beating was questioned prior to the plaints against the officers involved. vid Rodriguez appealed to the trial by the Austin Police jurors' common sense. He urged Department's Internal Affairs Divi- them to consider the video images sion. She was repeatedly shown URING Hernandez's week- they had seen over and over during videotape of the incident while long trial, the prosecution the course of the trial, and the officers attempted to persuade her 1,..f offered testimony from ten inconsistencies within the that the tape showed Hernandez witnesses — nine police officers and prosecution's case. "kneeing" an officer in the chest. one DPS officer. In their final The final , word belonged to She could not be convinced. argument, the prosecuting attorneys prosecuting attorney Berkley Bettis, • Rupert Ortiz, who was one of pieced together officers' testimony who quoted from "A Man for All three officers required to undergo to create a picture of Hernandez Seasons" in an exchange between psychological evaluation for his use charging a police line— a provoca two characters who argue about the of excessive force during the inci- teur defying police officers who merit of "God's law" as compared dent, is the brother of Hernandez's were already faced with a hostile with "man's law." Bettis rested his political opponent in the race for crowd and the fear of a riot. case with one character's conclu- the Texas House of Representatives Hernandez, and co-defendants sion: "Yes, I'd give the Devil in District 51. Maria LimOn and Adela Mancias benefit of [man's] law, for my own • Another officer involved in the (who were acquitted), testified that safety's sake." As he reached the incident, Hector Polanco, has a they were unable to obey a police word, "devil," Bettis turned dra- history of brutality complaints command to "move back" due to matically and pointed his finger at against him, one of which Hernan- pressure from people standing be- Hernandez. dez assisted in filing. Polanco also hind them and that Hernandez was Seven hours later the jury re- underwent psychological evaluation pushed from behind into police turned a guilty verdict.

THE TEXAS OBSERVER 15 OPEN MONDAY- SATURDAY 10- 0 AND OPEN St 'NDAY 10--, • DIALOGUE •

WATSON & COMPANY dreary but required reading except for the likes of you . . . but there are no Endearing likes of you. BOOKS "Endearment . ." — magnificent, seminal!! Review Murphy L. Dalton, Jr., Dallas, Texas 604 BLANCO STREET (PECAN SQUARE) 472.4190 This is to thank you for the stunning film review by Michael Ventura, I had recently decided to let my "Endearment, Pass By." It was every- Ronnie Dugger: "Heard's accounts subscription die out. Two things thing a film review ought to be, bringing of the Bees in hiding are the pure gold changed my mind: (1) an effort to to consciousness all the reality and truth of real history." represent more Hispanic-related issues; we were lulled into forgetting as the film Bryan Woolley (Dallas Times (2) the critique of "Terms of Endear- worked its magic on us. I had almost ment." Herald): "It ought to be right beside forgotten those nagging doubts that were the Alamo books." all but drowned out in the laughter and Linda Cuellar, San Antonio, Texas "The Miracle of the KILLER BEES: tears of the film. While art can delight 12 Senators Who Changed us, it must also be judged by the Texas Politics" statement it makes. Ventura's analysis I want to send my congratulations to by Robert Heard of that statement is masterful. Honey Hill Publishing Co. Michael Ventura for that thought-pro- 1022 Bonham Terrace, Austin, Texas 78704 Let's.hear more from Michael Ven- voking and refreshing criticism of Terms $7.95 plus $1.03 tax and shipping tura! of Endearment. Raymond J. Lawrence, Brooklyn, The difference between "art" and New York "entertainment" certainly adds a new dimension to my thinking, especially * * * about the "gah-gah" movies that are so Well, well, well. Finally I found an popular with the viewers and with the ' intelligent analysis of Terms of Endear- critics. I do wonder why we apparently COPYINGinnys SERVICE g ment, written by someone whose name so desperately need our emotions stimu- lated, but only if our values are not Copying • Binding I didn't know in the Texas Observer which I read only on occasion. We challenged? Printing .Color Copying disagree on details such as how charm- Patricia Magruder, Dallas, Texas Graphics •Word Processing ing it is to jump on someone and throw legs around waist. But no quibble over * * * larger matters. Austin • Lubbock • Son Marcos Hooray for Michael Ventura's review Thank you for a moment of pure joy of the movie "Terms of Endearment." and a reminder that we may not be Living in the boondocks as I do, I rarely moving back toward the thirteenth see a movie, but while in a neighboring century with quite the speed I had city some time ago a friend induced me thought. And thanks especially for to see this one. It was the biggest pile remembering The Gay Place. A real of mawkish tripe I ever encountered. I book! fiat's walked out during the last 1/3rd. It cW1 (-About? W. T. Tucker, Liberty Hill, Texas Thereafter, I was astounded to note that the two clowns who review movies for Parisian Charm. Omelette & public televison both picked this as the Champagne Breakfast. Beautiful I'm a rock-ribbed Reagan rooter who best movie of 1983. Ventura has Crepes. Afternoon Cocktails. also believes, like that other reactionary, vindicated my confidence in my good Gallant Waiters. Delicious Dostoyevsky, that "Money is the Blood taste. Quiche. Evening Romance. of the Poor." T. 0. would indeed be Bill Kugle, Athens, Texas Continental Steaks. Mysterious Women. Famous Pastries. Cognac & Midnight Rendezvous. In short, it's about everything a great European style Alander Associates restaurant is all about. MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS he Old St Box 111, Salisbury, Ct. 06068 Our services have been found to be of particular value to clients whose business 310 East 6th St. philosophies have become disarranged. Austin, Texas

16 FEBRUARY 24, 1984

• POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE • In a February 1 forum for Demo- USDA in research and demonstration whom were from the North." cratic senatorial candidates taped by projects. Texas Representatives Mike Austin's public television station, According to Hamilton, the "vote" Andrews (D-Houston), Tom Loeffler was actually an assessment made by a KLRU, Bob Krueger and Kent Hance (R-Hunt), Charles Stenholm (D- found they agreed on several key foreign newspaper published for Capitol Hill Stamford), Bill Patman (D-Ganado), employees-. An article in the September policy questions. Krueger said he felt Jack Hightower (D-Vernon), Jack Fields the deployment of Cruise and Pershing 2, 1976 edition of Roll Call stated that (R-Humble), Bill Archer (R-Houston), Krueger "is perceived, by top Congres- II missiles in western Europe was an Phil Gramm (R-College Station), and sional staffers, to be the most effective "appropriate response" to Soviet de- Steve Bartlett (R-Dallas) voted against ployment. Hance also supports the the bill. freshman Democrat." An aide to Krue- deployment of the missiles. Hance went ger called the distinction a matter of on to say that he supports the "build- 1/ Writing in the February 10 Dallas "semantics." down" concept on nuclear arms. Times-Herald, Arnold Hamilton found 1/ Speaking at Marycrest College in some inaccuracy in a statement Demo- Krueger also called the invasion of Davenport, Iowa, George McGovern cratic senatorial candidate Bob Krueger Grenada "justifiable interference." He called President Reagan's election-year made to the Observer said that our security was threatened by in an interview plea for organized prayer in public published November 11, 1983. Hamil- the existence of the 10,000 foot runway schools a "cheap political shot." The ton refers to the Krueger assertion, son of a Methodist minister, McGovern on the island. Hance concurred that the 4 6 invasion of Grenada was necessary. . . and I was voted most effective, continued, "He seldom seems to attend and I was voted that by my colleagues, Krueger suggested establishing long- church or services of any kind, yet seeks by my 92 freshman colleagues, most of term oil-supply relations with Latin prayer in public schools." Li American countries and setting up a scholarship program for 10,000 Latin American scholars per year to study in this country as a way to begin to solve 328WOMEN FOR BARRIENTOS INVITE Yo u the political problems in that region. To A SADIE HAWKINS DAY FUNDRAISER Lloyd Doggett responded to this BARBARA B. ALDAVE • GLORIA ALSCHBACH • SUELLEN BASS proposal, saying it did not address the HE HELPED US IN THE HOUSE AGUILERA • JOSIE B. ALVA- • NANCY BESHORE-WACIUMA real problems involved. "I have no LET'S HELP HIM WIN THE SENATE objection to educating foreign leaders," RADO • DEANE ARMSTRONG • SANDRA J. BOCKELMAN • • ANITA ANDERSON • LESLIE In ten years in the Texas legislature Gonzalo LINDA M. BOND • GLORIA BER- he said. "It's fine, but it's another thing Barrientos has a solid record on women s J AUSTIN • GINNY AGNEW -to adopt a non-interventionist foreign issues, consumer issues, family issues, health MEA • ELIZABETH BOONE • • MARIA Z. ALLEN • SALLY issues, education issues, environmental issues KATE BRAUN • VERNA BROWN policy." • . ANDRADE • BETTY ADAMS • people issues. ING • DOROTHY BROWNE V In a letter to state Health Commis- • JOSE FRANCO-ALVARADO Show your support on • SHIRLEY BRUCH • BAR- Sadie Hawkins Day • GWENDA ASHLEY • ZURIA BARA H. BUTTREY • MARGIE sioner Bob Bernstein, state Sen. Chet Saengerrunde Hall Edwards (D-Duncanville) blasted Dr. AUSTIN • ROSE ARREDONDO (next to Scholz Garden) BIENEMANN • ALICE BREARD Jerome Greenberg, TDH Associate • YOLANDA ALMENDAREZ Wednesday, February 29 • PATRICIA BRITTON • JAC- 5 - 9 p.m. Commissioner for Preventable Disease, • FELICE AROCHA • DIANE QUELINE BLOCH • ADELA for statements made in a guest column BOSQUEZ • DEBORAH BROWN • GINNY BALLARD • MARIE BARGAS • SUSAN F. BASH • MINNETTE BAUTISTA appearing in the January 28 Austin • BECKY BEAVER • PHYLLIS BRINKLEY • MARTHA BOSTON • JUNE BREWER • JOHANNA BON- NER • SUSAN BRADSHAW • ELLEN BEST • ALEX BLACKERBY • ROSE BROOKS • BARBARA BUMP • American-Statesman. In the column LINDA CANGELOSI • MARY G. CANTU • MIM CARLSON • LINDA CARRASCO • ANNA MACIEL CHOO • JO CLIF- Greenberg wrote: "Famine and acci- TON • MARIA PATRICIA CAMINOS • JANET S. COBB • JO ANN CAMPOS • LUPE COLLINGE • TEXANA FAULK dents are killing more people than all CONN • MARTA COTERA • JUDITH CASSETY • JANE ANN CHURCHILL • MARY M. CLANCY • ROSEMARY the chemicals put together, and one COFFMAN • CATHERINE P. COOK • LORRAINE CAMACHO • MARGARET A. COOPER • TRACY COR- good-sized war will kill more people TESE • SUZANNE CHESNER • SHELIA ENID CHEANEY • DORIS E. CAMERON • BARBARA CILLEY • NANCY than 30 years of exposure to dioxin, COLLINS • OFELIA CARRIZALES • MRS. R. T. CHAPA • DIANE CABALLERO • RITA CUEVAS • GLORIA COR- EDB and every other chemical you can PUS • GRACE CAMACHO • AMELIA CRUZ • ANN L. DAUGHERTY • MARTHA DICKIE • DEIRDRE DAR- name. Let's put things in perspective." ROUZET • ELENA DE LA GARZA • SUSAN J. DASHER • LORRAINE MOYA DELGADO • NELLYN DIAZ • DIANNE "Should the people of Texas not be DEBOIS • KATHY N. DUBOSE • EVA DAVILA • AMANDA DOAN • MARY ANN DOUGHERTY • PRISCILLA concerned about issues of child-care, DOUTHIT • PAULA S. EATON • PAMELA ENGLAND • . LINDA ESCAMILLA • • NORMA ESCOBEDO • HILDA ESTRADA • SUSAN ELEY nursing homes and health since they • DOBBIE FENTON • JUDY KENDAL FLEISHMAN • JAN FRIESE • ALICIA FUENTES • SANDRA M. FITZPATRICK • MARIA LUISA FLORES • SHUDDE FATH • won't kill as many people as a 'good- LORNA FIKE • MARGARET J GOMEZ • BELINDA GUADARRAMA • MELITA G. GUAJARDO • MARY LOUISE GUTIERREZ • ALICE sized war'?" Edwards asked Bernstein. GIL • JENNIFER GILCHRIST • JANIE GODINEZ • DARA J. GRAY • BEVERLY GRIGGS • ERICA BLACK "If I used Dr. Greenberg's perspective, GRUBB • CELIA GUAJARDO • STELLA GUERRERO . • CONNIE GUTIERREZ • SHEILA GUZMAN • CHRISTINE we could abolish the Department of GALAVOTTI • MARISSA GRANT • NAOMI E. HALLMAN • REBECCA HARRINGTON • LYNNE HUDSON • MARIE Health because its responsibilities are B. HANNA • MARJORIE HERSHEY • BARBARA HINES • MARIA HOLMES • LIZA HALLMAN • EMMA minuscule in respect to war." HARLEY • SANDRA K. HAUSER • ELAINE K. HENRY • LUCILLE HERRERA • PATTY HERRERA • SHARON WENDLER HERSH • DOLORES ALVARADO HIBBS • SUSAN HISLE • . AND MANY MORE ... ✓ The chemical crisis provided some impetus for the passage of a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives advocat- ing organic farming to reduce U.S. BARRIENTOS agricultural dependence on chemicals. 4 AMU / i l The bill passed, 206-184, and would TUXAS * lSIA _ ili. 1 n 1,,,, provide $10.5 million to be spent by the ,,,,,,,,,H„,,,,,,,, , I. ' (-) H A 3330' A,,shn 1 X '8764

THE TEXAS OBSERVER 17 • BOOKS AND THE CULTURE • Shrake's "Pancho Villa" A Case of Unearned Grandeur By Ray Reece

Austin all those others were written for money both declared and undeclared. — this one's written for love." Had Alas, the next few scenes of the play USTIN SCREENWRITER and Shrake discovered that he loved Pancho former sports pundit Edwin diminish still further the likelihood of Villa? If so, why? Shrake has turned his hand, at saving grace for Shrake's Pancho Villa. A The play doesn't answer that ques- It is now that we discover the meaning, least temporarily, to the very different medium of live theater. He has written tion, nor any other question of substance such as it is, of the "Wedding Day" and co-produced a two-hour drama regarding either Villa or the human in the play's title. Among the items on called "Pancho Villa's Wedding Day," condition, either in our own troubled era which we feast our hearts in this which ran from January 6 through or in revolutionary Mexico of 1916 — sequence is a pile of dead "Mexicans" January 22 at the Zachary Scott Theatre but especially not in our own era. This lying crumpled on the stage — victims, Center in Austin. is a pity, for Shrake's apparent purpose we assume, of General Villa's heroics in the play is laudable. He seems to be in the sight of God. Then we observe Pre-production hoopla regarding exploring the concept and persona of a pair of Mexican peasant women Shrake's play was intriguing. The co- hero: what goes into the making of one, fretting about the loose ends in their producer and principal investor was and what can we learn from the study lives while casually picking the dead Nick Kralj, owner of Austin's Quorum of a hero that will be of value to those men's pockets. Club, with other investors coming from of us living ordinary, unheroic lives in the ranks of the city's cultural booster Enter General Villa, suave and self- a period of history that is staggeringly elite. The premiere of the drama, puffed though dusty from battle, who devoid of authentic hero figures? according to Kevin Phinney of the Austin awes the hell out of the peasant ladies. American-Statesman, was to be "a star- Shrake sets an explicit tone for this With one of them, named Flora (played studded gala of Hollywood and New inquiry with an opening soliloquy by by Raquel Gavia), the General comes York proportions," where "local lumi- Pancho Villa himSelf (played by Rodney straight to the point: is she married? No, naries will mingle with stars, producers Rincon), who rides onstage amidst flares she says, cow-eyed, her breast enlarged and filmmakers, all anxious to see the and battlesmoke, mounted imperiously by the wallet she has lifted from the writer's stage debut." Phinney hinted on a plaster stallion, from which he corpse nearby. Terrific, says Villa with that the play would go on tour following dismounts to implore the audience to a Spanish accent: she will become his its Austin opening, with stagings possi- join him now in the glorious adventures bride at once. No matter that Villa is ble in New York. San Antonio, and that we are about to behold — the already married to a "real wife," as he Mexico. adventures of war. We can all be heroes calles her proudly in a later scene -- tonight, Villa proclaims, thumping his a wife who in fact will dispatch Flora Most intriguing, of course, was chest with its crossed bandoliers and from the stage like a pesky roach, just simply the fact that one of Willie lifting his eyes for divine benediction. as she has dispatched other of the Nelson's old Lone Star buddies, a Whereupon he draws his pistol, whirls General's concubines (whether with or homegrown writer of unprofound movie and fires at an unseen foe as the stage without children or pensions is not scripts ("Kid Blue" and "Tom Horn"), goes dark and the heavy plaster stallion revealed). And so does General Villa was making the leap to a stage produc- rolls backward whence it came — an take this maiden Flora to be his wedded tion, where want of profundity is harder expensive, motorized prop that does not wife, and so, when the priest has left, to disguise than on the silver screen. appear again. do Pancho and Flora descend to the What did this mean? Had there been an I wince in my seat at this early linking connubial couch for the flabbiest epiphany in Mr. Shrake's life — a sex/love scene perhaps ever staged in searing new perception of the human of heroism with military swagger and Austin. condition that could be expressed only mayhem. It seems to inflict a wound in through the force and immediacy of live Shrake's protagonist from which he will theater? Shrake added to the intrigue be taxed to recover even by demonstrat- with a remark he made to Phinney in ing other noble properties of character WENTY MINUTES into the the American-Statesman: "The reason historically associated with classic dra- drama, therefore, we are bur- that Pancho Villa' is a play where all matic heroes. Except for Charles Bron- T dened with a "hero" who struts the other scripts became movies is that son groupies and jingoistfc Reaganauts, like a peacock and loves to play there is no way to package such a fiction Marines, who shows no sign of compas- of heroism in the ominous year of 1984, sion or remorse at the corpses of • Ray Reece is the author of The Sun with the human species trembling on the peasants heaped on his battlefield, who Betrayed and other works of journalism, brink of self-extermination via social- sanctifies his warrior's lusts with illicit fiction, and drama. ized mass murder in the guise of wars weddings to women whom he discards

18 FEBRUARY 24, 1984 like dirty socks. Where might it go from the General will murder Bierce and thus vehicle, with luminous renderings in here, we ask — to a little tryst between guarantee the journalist's immortality. particular by Timothy Miller as Bierce drunken soldiers and braying sheep, Villa has concluded, in fact, that this and Amparo Garcia-Kassens as Bierce's perhaps? A little harmless fun behind aspiration on Bierce's part — to attain self-indentured servant woman. Rodney the cantina? the status of a world-class hero by dying Rincon, faced with the difficulty of No. We go to what is intended as the at the hand of a real hero — is the hidden breathing credibility into Pancho Villa- central focus of the drama: an historic reason for Bierce's having sought out as-Patton, did the best he could, albeit and potentially heroic encounter be- Villa in the first place. This makes the woodenly here and there, with rather too tween Pancho Villa, the legendary General even hotter under the collar. much of the glossy bourgeois about him. Mexican Robin Hood, and Ambrose Bierce meanwhile has decided to It is true, finally, that the costumes, Bierce, the famous American journalist prevent Villa's raid on Columbus by set design, and special effects were who wandered into Mexico at age 72 shooting him, which he raises his rifle impressive, ranging from Villa's motor- — riddled with consumption and politi- to do — and does not because he cannot. ized stallion to flares, smokebombs, and cal disillusion — where he met and made So Villa calmly pulls his pistol and plugs a very elaborate, virtually continuous friends with General Villa, then disap- his friend instead, establishing the multimedia extravaganza flashed on peared in 1916. We are frankly relieved terminal crisis of heroism in the play. either side of the central stage. The at this innovation in Mr. Shrake's If the General truly has loved this man, director and production manager report- drama. We are hoping it will salvage and if the General truly believes that all edly had a budget in excess of $30,000 the wounded beast. We silently congrat- the poor fellow wanted was a little for these gew-gaws, and they sure ulate the anglo playwright for introduc- immortality via the General's serape- enough went on a spending spree. They ing an anglo character about whom he tails, and if the General truly possesses went too far, in fact: the lavish special might be licensed to contrive with some the expansive gentilesse of a world-class effects overwhelmed the small theater authority, unlike his treatment of the hero — will he not now summon the and heightened the illusion of a Charles Mexicans in his story. nearby reporters to view Bierce's body Bronson spectacular transported to a To some extent, it works, at least in and telegraph the news to a waiting bandshell. I kept expecting a T-Bird and the early going. The character of Bierce world? a Charger to careen through the theater (played by Timothy Miller), though He does not. As though to crown the at some point, with Villa chasing Bierce slightly overdrawn in terms of sputtering steady series of indignities which he has down the dusty streets of Las Palomas. decrepitude, is still by far the most wrought on himself throughout the play, El complex and convincing figure in the the General orders his goon squad to cast. It is Bierce, for example, alone take Bierce's body up into the mountains among the males on stage, who exhibits and feed it to the buzzards, ensuring that .\,1-1 and Associates a modicum of respect and concern for the world will never know what became 502 W. 15th Street Austin, Texas 7870• the otherwise violated females — in of him. Whereupon the sweet prince, REALTOR Representing all types of properties particular a woman, rejected by Villa, in a parting moon of arrogance by the in Austin and Central Texas who attaches herself to Bierce as a playwright, delivers a soliloquy to the Interesting & unusual property a specialty, voluntary slave. And it is Bierce's audience in which he congratulates Ln 477-3651 cynical tirades at other Yankee journal- himself for having kept his promise to ists, whom he considers lazy vultures us. "We're all heroes here." he insists, feeding on the struggles of the desperate, shrilly, as he is borne off to battle on HEALTHY that offer virtually the only attempt at the shoulders of his cadres, who hold substantive thought and reflection in the lighted candles while chanting atavisti- LUNCH play. cally: "Villa, Villa, Villa . . ." The crux of Bierce's role, however, I can hardly applaud for all the blood is found in the sudden reversal that on my hands from watching this Bron- SUNDAY occurs in his friendship with Villa. This son movie disguised as a play by Edwin BRUNCH is also the denouement of the drama: Shrake. What have we witnessed here? ... AND SANDWICHES, CHILI, the crisis that erupts here, growing into A study in heroism without heroes? A TACOS, CHALUPAS, AND a lethal standoff, represents the remotely faithful accounting of the RESTAURANT BAKED DESSERTS. historical Pancho Villa, who inspired a JUSTIN'S.ICE CREAM playwright's final opportunity to wrest AND FRESH YOGHURT. something genuinely heroic from one or demi-nation of oppressed Indian peas- SOUP AND SALAD BAR. both of his principal characters. Can he ants to take up arms in a passionate 11:30AM UNTIL 5:00 PM do it? Let us have the drumroll, please. struggle for justice, liberation, dignity, MONDAY THRU SUNDAY. 224-4515 Villa has worked up a lather of rage and land? (It is nowhere recorded that Ambrose Bierce was murdered in Mex- • at Bierce for opposing his plan to stage •■•• • • •• ico by Pancho Villa.) Or an effort by :'101016.; 4' 4 • 111••■ • • '1.• a daring raid on the U.S. border town • V V • v • Ir of Columbus, New Mexico — a plan the playwright to do exactly what Villa that Bierce believes will backfire on thought Bierce was doing — to gather Villa at a dreadful cost in human lives. unto himself a bit of unearned grandeur Villa believes that his former friend is by riding the myth of Pancho Villa THE opposing him for other reasons, both of across the willing minds of a friendly, them unsavory: one is that Bierce is a hometown theater audience? GREENHOUSE Yankee snake after all, who wants to Some Austin reviewers of "Pancho Villa's Wedding Day" (see accompany- protect his countrymen on the border ABOVE THE KANGAROO COURT from the fatal sting of the General's ing article) have dodged the problem of DOWNTOWN RIVERWALK attack; the second, rather more imagina- the play's insipidness by focusing on the 314 NORTH PRESA tive, is that Bierce has deliberately cast, staging, and special effects. Cer- SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS provoked the General's anger in hopes tainly the cast was stronger than the

THE TEXAS OBSERVER 19 innovation in theater review that might be called the "over and Theater and Its Critics under" technique. In its issue of January 13, in a tight little box of six-point type labeled N AUSTIN TODAY, as per in turn feeds the coffers of the "Recommended," Chronicle re- haps in other Texas cities, boosteristic American-Statesman viewer Neal Herr devotes the first there appears to be a healthy and other local media institutions. of two unreadable paragraphs not renaissance emerging in local thea- With these unsubtle connections to the substance of Shrake's drama ter, with a growing number of in view, here is a sampling from but to the casting and exorbitant original plays being written for the Austin press of the dodge-ball production values. He ends that first production in local houses. Such a "criticism" attending the opening paragraph with a fail-safe Austin renaissance, if it is to blossoni and of Shrake's play. Kevin Phinney's crowd-tickler: "Boz Arts Produc- evolve toward viable, high-caliber brief review in the American- tions has gathered Austin'sfinest regional theater, must be accompa- Statesman (January 7) is headlined: talents to launch this name-droppi

nied by high-caliber criticism — 6 ` Paricho Villa' makes memorable play." Then, with assurance t informed, objective, demanding showing." Phinney opines, for the casual reader will slog I): criticism that strengthens and starters, that "Bud Shrake, a writer farther, Herr opens his sec embellishes the efforts of writers, for 30 years, shows promise as a paragraph candidly: "The o players, and audiences alike. The playwright" (this being the first weak link in this sparkling colla swans on stage should be identified attempt at live theater by a writer ration is the play itself." as swans and the turkeys as turkeys, well known for cowboy screenplays The venerable John Bustin fol regardless of the social bojangle and and sports journalism). "The Villa lowed suit on talk radio with a prior status of the writers and other legend," writes Phinney, "lends three-minute evasion of the truth principals involved in a given itself well to Shralce's larger-than- about "Pancho Villa" that inclined, production. life conception. - On the other hand: per the newsprint reviews, toward This sort of criticism was deliber- "Shrake's script, falls prisoner to the such phrasing as "memorable" an ately withheld -- most notably in Villa myth — while Villa the folk "recommended," while avoidin the Austin American-Statesman — hero is visible throughout, rarely is such terms as "confused,' from the Austin premiere of Edwin Villa the man. - (I guess you could "morally hollow," and "eve Shrake's new drama, "Pancho call such a knot of phrases a triple implicitly racist.'' There maxi Villa's Wedding Day." What oc- non sequitur.) been more scrupulous review' curred, in fact, was a silly miscar- "There is some fine stuff here the play in other local media, li riage of critical justice that typifies nonetheless," writes Phinney, who The Daily Texan, but I didn't s the often deferential treatment of then races through a summary of them and neither did most of local art celebrities -- to the the drama in two short paragraphs other theater-goers in Austin. W detriment of the public and other devoid of any - fine stuff' what- most of us innocently read an artists -- by local critics either ever, as far as I can see. This in heard were the falsifie d blinded by the aura of famous fact, is where the critical dodge sets genuflective items cited above (phi names or massaged by editors who in, with Phinney substituting a a pair of additional puff-pieces,: belong to the same clubs as the cigar-stump capsule of the action the American-Statesman, includi celebrities and their well-heeled for honest analysis and evaluation your standard opening night dr' patrons. of the play as serious theater, which by society writer Lee Kelly, where , I do not know what clubs Mr. Shrake intended it to be Phinney the rich folks get their names Shrake may frequent, but I do know continues his misleading juggle with emboldened in print). What most 0 he comports with a rustically glam- praise for Rodney Rincon, the actor us noticed, finally, was the ad fo orous bevy of good old boys that who plays Pancho Villa, and for the play in the American-States seems to include such Austin swells director Jim Fritzler, who "delivers with its misleading quotes fro as Willie Nelson, writer Gary his most understated direction yet. local reviewers and the "Sold Out Cartwright, publisher and (If this production was understated band across the middle. filmmaker Bill Withff, football -- with titanic battles and $30,000 Poor and pandering criticism., coach Darrell Royal, and restaura- worth of high-tech gimmickry on makes for poor and panderi teur Nick Kralj. This circle of shiny stage -- then Gone With the Wind theater, That applies equally objects naturally intersects with was a home movie.) The critic other arts that might be subject' is some of the wealthiest movers and closes his little conceit by calling renaissance in booming Texas cities' boosters in Austin, which explains Shrake's drama "the most memora- — poetry, fiction, painting, photog- in part why Mr. Shrake was able ble piece of original work to reach raphy, sculpture, dance, and archi to obtain the opulent production and Austin recently" --- a jolting insult tecture. In Austin we should aspire marketing budget -- surely close to to several Austin playwrights who to something grander for our city $75,000 -- that his Hollywood- have fielded works in the past few that a cultural cotton candy empo- imitation epic required. The backers months that are far superior to this rium, littered with cheerleaders, of the play and their good friends, one (particularly "Final Touches" from which serious artists and in turn, are pillars of the local by Ken Johnson). consumers of the arts must wander business elite who control Austin's The Austin Chronicle dodged the in search of nourishment for the growth and profit machine, which poverty of "Pancho Villa" with an soul. R. R.

20 FEBRUARY 24, 1984 SOCIAL CAUSE CALENDAR° -1 Notices on upcoming events must reach CENTRAL AMERICA call: San Antonio. Dr. Jim Legler, M.D., the Observer at least three weeks in ASSISTANCE (512) 433-2334 or 223-9549; Austin. (512) advance. The Border Association for Refugees 478-3378, or 478-8260; San Marcos. (512) from Central America (BARCA), Edin- 353-8064. burg, has volunteers available to speak to FREEZE BENEFIT groups about the hardships of refugees and WITNESS FOR PEACE Charlie King will play at the Beauregard their legal concerns, including extended American citizens are staffing a full- Club, W. Alamo St., San Antonio, to voluntary departure, resettlement, and time border watch program along the benefit the San Antonio Bilateral Nuclear political asylum. Call (512) 381-0002, Nicaragua/Honduras border. "Witness for Freeze, March 1, 8 p.m., $5. 399-2401, or 787-0033, Sr. Jo Ann, for Peace," to show nonviolent resistance to more information. The Valley Inter- U.S. covert and overt intervention in those PEACE MEET religious Task Force for Central America countries. Organizers in different states are Houston peace organizations will meet is recruiting volunteers for the Witness for staffing the program for specific times. March 1, Central Presbyterian Church, Peace program in Central America. Call The Reverend Buddy Summers. Corpus 3788 Richmond, to discuss how to (512) 787-7283 for information. South Christi, is organizing Texans for a week's coordinate their activities. Call (713) 688- Texas Aid to Refugees of Guatemala border watch in July. Call or write Rev. 3803 for details and to register group (STAR) is a new San Antonio nonprofit Summers to volunteer: 4220 S.P.I.D. representatives. organizization providing medical supplies #212, Corpus Christi, 78411, (512) 852- and financial aid to those working with 8755. In Houston, call West Cosgrove, PEACE CONCERT Guatemalan refugees in Mexico. To help, (713) 864-8956. A dinner and concert of hammered dulcimer music by Wintergreen will benefit the peace and disarmament activi- 9 4 9 9 9 9 9 ties of the St. Paul Community Drugstore, 9 4 x 4 9 San Antonio, March 10. Dinner and first WOMEN'S DAY—AUSTIN WOMEN'S DAY—SAN ANTONIO set, 6:30 p.m., $10; second set, 9 p.m., Austin women are planning a series of Events. for International Women's Day $5. Call St. Paul Community Drug Store events commemorating International will take place in San Antonio at the for reservations, (512) 226-0636. y Women's Day, March 8, to show solidar- Kenwood Center, 305 Dora. on March ity among women and their desire for 5-8. The public is invited to all events. peace. Events will be held in wheelchair Admission is free with donations accepted. Progressive Organizations 9 accessible locations; a schedule in Spanish. For further information contact Susan English, and Braille is available at The Observer has built up lists of organiza- Guerra at (512) 732-7329. The events tions in Texas we regard as progressive. The Bookwoman, Womenspace, and Celebra- include: March 5: Women's Opportunity editor invites communications recommending 9 tion. Call Sue Beckwith, (512) 474-5388 Workshop, 10-11 a.m. March 6: Poetry organizations for inclusion. We will generally for information. Highlights of the week reading, 10 a.m.-noon; Rap session: print the listings for Austin and Around Texas include: March 5, International Pot Luck Women of the '90s (for 10-16 year olds), in one issue, followed by Dallas, Fort Worth, 9 Dinner and Dance performance, First 3:30-5:30 p.m. March 7: Bexar County Houston and San Antonio in the next. The (--. Unitarian Church, 4700 Grover, 7-9:30 Women's Center will discuss low-income complete list is available for a $5 processing p.m. March 6, Issues and Contributions women's programs, 10-11 a.m. March 8: fee to any group deemed progresive in purpose. of Arab Women, films and talk by Information Fair, noon-6:30 p.m.; display HOUSTON Elizabeth Fernea, Academic Center Audi- of women's work, Artists in Hiding, all ACLU, 524-5925; ACORN, 523-6989; 9 torium, UT-Austin, 7-9 p.m. March 7, day; Joan Suarez, of the San Antonio AFL- Americans for Democratic Action, 669-0880; Women Under Apartheid, films about CIO, will speak at 7:30; film, The Salt Amnesty Intl., 626-0625; Casa Juan Diego, women in the Black liberation struggle in of the Earth will be shown at 8 p.m. 869-7376; Centro Para Inmigrantes de Southern Africa, Dougherty Cultural Arts VOCES DE LA MUJER Houston, 228-0091; CISPES, 524-4801; Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd., 7-9:30 Citizens' Anti-Nuclear Info. Team (CAN IT), p.m. March 8, Women for Peace Pro- Voces de la Mujer, an exhibition of 522-3343; Citizens' Environmental Coalition, 9 Chicana artists from the Southwest, 523-3431; Citizens' Party, 434-1350; gram, call 474-2399 for details. Latin American music celebration, Cactus Cafe, sponsored by Women and their Work and Common Cause, 774-3923; Demo. Socialists Mujeres Artistas del Suroeste (MAS). will of America (DSA), 645-6522; Gay Political 9 UT-Austin, 7-9 p.m. March 9, Women Caucus, 521-1000; Harris Co. Concerned and World Issues Workshop about Guate- be at the Benson Latin American Collec- Women, 674-0968; Houston Anti-Draft Coa- 1 malan Indian refugee camps in Chiapas, tion, UT-Austin, March 1-12, and at Las lition, 529-4087; Houston Area Women's 9 Mexico, Carver Library. 1161 Angelina, Manitas Cafe. through March 31. Center, 528-6798; Houston Nonviolent Ac- noon. Women in the International Peace Reception on Intbrnational Women's Day, tion, 661-9889; Houston War Tax Resistance, Movement, discussion of women's peace March 8, 5-7 p.m. will be in conjunction 661-9889; Interfaith Cmte. on Central Amer- 9 camps. Dougherty Cultural Arts Center, with the National Association of Chicano ica, 526-3276; Interfaith Peaceforce of Studies Conference, Austin. Houston, 688-3803; Lesbian and Gay Demos. 7-9 p.m. March 10, Workshops and lunch of Texas, 521-1000; Metropolitan Organiza- ny theater. To be announced. Women's WOMEN'S HISTORY WEEK tion, 868-1429; NAACP, 526-3389; Music Concert, Dougherty Cultural Arts The third national observance of NICASOL (Nicaraguan Solidarity), 522- n Center. Events will be free or on a Women's History Week, a celebration of 0619; North Harris Co. Demos., Box 90704, `‘ suggested donation basis. women's social and political history in the 77290; NOW, 522-6673; Nuclear Weapons U.S., will be March 4-10. Houston Area Freeze Campaign, 522-2422; Park People, OBSERVANCES NOW is sponsoring an essay contest for Inc., 741-2524; Physicians for Social Respon- March 26, 1918, Gov. William Hobby sibility, area school children to encourage aware- 792-5048, or 774-4006; Pueblo to signed the bill giving Texas women the People, 523-1197; Senate Dist. 15 Demos., ness of women's history. Winners will be 862-8431; Sierra Club, 523-3431; Southern l) vote at primary elections and in nominating announced March 15. Call (713) 644- Africa Task Force, 528-1225; Tx. Coalition c conventions. 300,000 women registered to 8655 or 864-1772 for contest details and of Black Demos., 674-0968; Tx. Fathers for vote in the next gubernatorial primary, for information about other Women's Equal Rights, 960-0407; Toxic Substances helping defeat Hobby's opponent, Jim History Week activities in the Houston- e Task Force, 523-3431; Women's Lobby 9 Ferguson. Galveston area. Alliance, 521-0439. 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 c) THE TEXAS OBSERVER 21 Sprung Rhythms of the Heart

By Geoffrey Rips

WHOMP AND MOONSHIVER It was nine o'clock and raining. Therefore I By Thomas Whitbread Volunteered, announced, insisted I would go Brockport, New York: BOA Editions, Ltd. Provide. They got me into a sticky old 1982. 71 pp. $5.00 Two-piece rubber cement rainsuit, told me not To go, gave me a flashlight, and I went. Time was both fast and slow at once. I lost Austin An oar in the middle of the bay, said no HAT WE HAVE here is the genuine article — a To panic, and with light and paddling found poet. No qualifiers. Not a regional poet, though It again. No trouble in returning. . . . Next day .. . W his writing is grounded in the bedrock from which I walked out in the rain-drenched grass down through it sprang. Not a Texas poet, though Texas is as much with Rain-bearing bushes to the bay, and stood him as with those SuperTexans who round up dogies in all Against a fresh gale, which made anything kinds of corrals, mistaking formlessness for freedom, who Feel right. When I walked up and back, we were bleed the landscape dry with their nativisms, who depend on Four friends. Such happenings give worth to life. a parochial ignorance for their place in the state's versifiers pantheon (where seldom is heard a discouraging word). It is the poet's task to understand the order of the world The difference here is the craft and the breadth of vision and our place in it, even if that understanding is simply a and the sound. To jump right in: Look at the title poem. realization of our own ignorance. "But what of the sense that It's Gerard Manley Hopkins washed up on our shores. the complexity /Of what we do not know, and what we love/ And still do not much know, will baffle us?" Whitbread asks Whomp and moonshiver of salt surf on sand, in "Question." "Yet of each no, a yes," he declares. "Yes, Beer cans, rock, seawall: Galveston night vision Stevens, yes!" he adds to what must be a continual inner Anyseawhere hear- and seeable, incision dialogue with poet Wallace Stevens, also concerned with the Cut into land, incessant dentist's hand order of things and with the mind's mastery of that order. At drill, letless force, without countermand Order thump order order thump intermission If from each no, a yes, then from ignorance and despair, Thump order thump thump thump order No Permission understanding. In the poem "Post Card from Esna, Egypt," For surfers Danger Deep Holes yet all how grand. . . . Whitbread comes to terms with the unresolved circumstances Is this Hopkins' "The Wreck of the Deutschland"? No. It's of a friend's death, with his last postcard from that friend, the seawall at Galveston and the flotsam is made up of the saying, "No news from you, /A silence which has saddened things of this world. And the things of this world are insistent, me of late," with the eternal silence that has come between insisting upon order: "thump order order thump" — an order them. He comes to terms with this death not by penetrating that is elemental, broken down against the seawall. It is an its silence but by understanding its place in the order of things. It becomes, what Stevens calls, "the rock [that] is the gray order that, finally, is only heard, that insists with the sonnet's particular of man's life." insistence, that is known only in the sprung rhythms of the Surf and the heart. In "Pearl Harbor, 1976: An Agony Against Suicide," Hopkins called it "inscape" — the unique intrinsic pattern Whitbread tries to use his understanding of his own ignorance to affirm life. of objects and experience. Witness "The Best Place to Read Carlyle." It is an order that is personal but exact: Out of desperate non-knowledge of what to do Its on a plank dock on Lake Webb in Maine, I raise the dusty lid from the dusty keys Near Weld. You sit there in your trunks, in sun, Of my upright piano, and play the first Reading Thomas in a 1700-thin-page Movement of a Beethoven sonata .. . Anthology by Oxford, and when anything To help keep a friend from committing suicide Strikes you, you pencil in the margin, "Crux." .. . Out of a sense he has nothing to give others, He likes fine music. . . . So, now, playing • And if the order is understood and respected, then life can Out of a desperate non-knowldege what to do be lived with some degree of pleasure. In the poem "Pochet To save a life, I celebrate those dead Island," the poet begins as the outsider in a foursome. But Through any agency other than their own the order of things is observed. The outsider volunteers to . . . Better row ashore for more whiskey. Keep going, die only unavoidably, try Against time's foul cigar-smoked tooth-tear, than Out of desperate non-knowldege what to do Whitbread's Whomp and Moonshiver is published by BOA To kill yourself. . . . Editions, one of the several smaller publishers who have sustained good poetry in the wake of its virtual abandonment In coming to terms with the order of things, Whitbread by most large publishing houses in favor of more profitable comes to terms with himself. In "Beside the Sea, Ignorant fare. [the forces of nature are mindless and impenetrable]

22 FEBRUARY 24, 1984 TAX LAWCLINIC, INC. DALLAS, TEXAS75204 Thomas Whitbread ear hearsaninevitableconclusioncomingon. he creates.Thefactthathis"LoveSonnet"isaPetrarchan sonnet causestheeyetofollowanaturaldiscoursewhile but ratheraffordshimtheopportunitytoplayagainstforms The hazedustdeepens,sageissoft, Massachusetts inahayer'sloft. We exercisealivingeye. How shallwelive,beforedie? before/ Sherryrunsdry,necksags,andallfallsdown."In Perhaps myessence,whenall'sdoneandsaid. but anignoranceofmeaning?Toacelebrationlife Perhaps bysomeideaofmastery, And heartheoceanroar,andamself-chained. I stand,andwatchthecrowd,mourndead, And inspectmyinnerdikes,justliketheDutch. "Love ofLife,"Whitbreadasks: Now, isitthatIamtooself-contained? Take twentyminutestogetwet,explore In thoselikehim,whoriskwhatseemstoomuch. Stomach, youcrampme.whenIthinkofguts someone heknew"whodrownedknowingly." "Come in!theocean'sgreat!"I,inmyruts, Murderer," thepoetwatchesrecoveryofbody Of whatwewantandmean Saguaro blossom,andthesheen Into ourmindsinApril.So By takingArizonasnow Whitbread's attentiontorhymeandmeterisnotartifice Perhaps ananti-sea Deeps veryneartheshore, So, wheredoesallthislead—anunderstandingoforder Joy C.AL-SOFI ATTORNEY ATLAW

(214) 821-8995

Photo by Al icia Dan iel Printers —StationersMailersTypesetters - CompleteComputerDataProcessingServices "soon, — HighSpeedWebOffsetPublicationPress Trade —ComputerSalesandServices- FILITUIR/111 512/442-7836 P.O. Box3485Austin, Texas78764 This springsfromhisloveofsoundandgenerous understanding oftheorderthings. long aftertheworkofmostotherpoetshasdiedinmemory. A crispingpresencelikeagaspofair.... playfulness withsoundsandwordsinternalrhymes. polished andhoneduntilperfectly"natural."Thereishis Is nottheleaves',here,butbrightbluesky's. These aretheleavesofNovemberinTexas.No distinguishes Whitbread'spoetry.Thereis,ofcourse,hiscraft, Oranges, yellows,reds.Shadingsandsheens: No clarities,nofires.Thebrilliantglow Russets, rusts,burntumbers,andcharredgreens: in theordershecanbringtohisownignorance,that Is give,youfeedonthedead,andplaybyear. All hopesIhadoftodayyesterday? You werenothere.Clearlyyoucouldhear Aster anddisaster.CouldIsay The piningnow,thelong-since-pined-away. The specialsmell,ofpinesanddeepdecay, But, perhapsmostimportant,Whitbread'sworkresonates About thenatureoflove:thatsuddentake It isthedelightinsounds,words, Any spring-freshannouncementsImightmake. The suddennewwayIfelt,above Anything toyouoranyoneof As ifitwereanemblemofalllove: Wrapped itselfroundthecookingandstove Counseling —Designing Copy Writing—Editing You wouldhaveunderstoodwhatIhadfoundout Had youbeenhere,still,stillIverymuchdoubt

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24 FEBRUARY 24, 1984