Corporate Roulette : Everybody Flays - Nobody Wins

Published Monthly by the Syracuse Peace Council - Founded in 1936 - ISSN 0735-4134

TES CeWNP%e'a Collectives, Committees & Projects Alliances, Coalitions & Contact s New people are always welcome to join any of these activites . Contact the ACT-UP 475-154 4 P.E.A .C.E ., Inc. SPC office at 472-5478 or the person listed to find out what you can do . American Friends Service Louis Clark 470-3300 Committee 475-482 2 People Against the Death Penalt y SPC Staff The Front Room Bookstore Alliance-Psychiatric Syste m Pat Bane 469-3788 Bill Mazza Joe Carpenter Survivors People for Animal Rights George Ebert 475-412 0 Linda De Stefano 475-006 2 SPC Press Bookkeepe r Alternative Media Network Persons With AIDS Support Paul Pearce Duane Hard y Jim Dessauer 425-880 6 Hotline Alternative Orang e Sandra 471-591 1 Organizational Maintenance Blaine DeLancey 475-489 8 Physicians for Socia l t Brent Bleier Alternatives to Violence Projec Responsibility 475-006 2 Andy Mager 607/842-651 5 Rainbow Coalition 27th C.D . Amnesty International 422-3890 Alan Rosenthal 472-433 1 The Peace Newslette r ANZUS Plowshares 422-318 1 Recycle First 471-280 6 ARISE 472-317 1 SANE/Freeze of CNY PNL Editorial Committe e Atlantic States Legal Foundatio n Diane Swords 478-744 2 Paul Pearce, Jim Foley, Karen Kerney, Andy Molloy, Pete r 475-1170 Save the County 637-6066 Carney, Will Ravenscroft, Debra Lyn Negus, Bill Mazza, Brya n Citizens Against Radioactive SEEDS 607/749-281 8 Dumping 607/753627 1 Seneca Peace Council 568-234 4 Duggan, Marie Margosian, J. Mole, Jessica Leiter CNY ACLU Service Employees Int l Marcy Waldauer 471-282 1 Chris Binaxis 424-1750 CNY Environmen t Sierra Club SPC Project s Janine DeBaise 437-648 1 Eileen Clinton 471-6069 Syracuse Network for Israeli- CNY N.O.W . 652-3823 Small Claims Court Actio n SPC-TV Coalition for Choice 677-9758 Center 443-140 1 Palestinian Peace Paul Pearce , Community Coffeehouse Social Workers for Peace Brent Bleier 479-539 3 Frederic Noyes 472-547 8 Aspen Olmstead 428-1743 Dick Mundy 445-079 7 Plowshares Craftsfai r EGOS 492-3478 Socialist Party Educators Social Responsibility Ron Ehrenreich 478-0793 Margaret Williams 422-420 1 Lisa Mundy 445-079 7 Spanish Action League Food Bank of CNY 458-1554 Sam Velasquez 471-3762 Volunteers Forum for Fellow Traveller s Student African-Amer . Society Marge Rusk, Duane Hardy, Susan Ashley, Chuck Durand, 423-0356 443-4633 Marian Waelder, Phil Boyle, Pat Hoffman, Lorraine Piazza , Friends of the Fillipino People Syracuse Community Choi r Carl Mellor, Eric Rossman, J . Mole, Mike Ruffo , John & Sally Brule 445-0698 Karen Mihalyi 428-8724 Kathy Barry, Paul LeBarge, Joseph, Brian Caufield , Gay/Lesbian Alliance 422-573 2 Syracuse Cooperative Federa l t 471-111 6 Sue Nuccio, Michelle Brisson, Dore e Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Studen Credit Union Assoc. (SU) 443-3599 Syracuse Covenant Sanctuary Pt pos Greens/Green Party Shirley Novak 446-6099 Statement of e Aspen Olmstead 428-174 3 Syracuse Cultural Workers The Syracuse Peace_ Council (SPC), founded in 1936, Hotel Employees 150 437-037 3 Dik Cool 474-113 2 is an antiwar/social justice organization . is community-based, Jail Ministry 424-187 7 Syracuse N .O.W. 472-329 4 autonomous and funded by the contributions of its supporters . Lesbian/Gay Youth 443-359 9 Syr. Real Food Coop 472-138 5 SPC- educates, agitates and organizes for a worl d Marxist Collective (SU) 423-973 6 Syracuse Solidarity 423-9736 where war, violence_ and exploitation in any form will no longe r Native American Cultura l Syracuse United Neighbors 476-747 exist. 3t challenges the existing unjust power relationships amon g Awareness Cmte 476-899 3 Rich Puchalski 5 NAACP Truth in People's History nations, among people and between ourselves and the environ- Van Robinson 422-6933 Leon Modeste 472-6955 ment . As members, we work to replace inequality, hierarchy , Natural Organic Farmers Assoc . S.U . for Animal Rights domination and powerlessness with mutual respect, persona l Ammie Chickering 365-2299 Christopher Moses 425-9362 empowerment, cooperation and a sense of community . New Environ. Assoc . 446-8009 University Democrats Present social injustices cannot be understood in isola- New Jewish Agenda Syracuse University 443-0958 tion from each other nor can they 6e overcome without recogniz- Paul Weichselbaum 478-159 2 Urban Leagu e ing their economic and militaristic roots . SPC stresses a strateg y North American Indian Club Leon Modeste 472-6955 that makes these connections clear . We initiate and support Ginny Doctor 476-742 5 Veterans For Peace activities that help build this sense of community and help tea r NYPIRG 476-838 1 Bill Cross 474-3762 down the walls of oppression . fundamental basis for peace an d Onon. Audobon 457-773 1 Westcott Nation Music Assoc . A 9 e Open Hand Theatr e Fredric Noyes 437-957 justice is an economic system that places human need abov Geoff Navias 476-046 6 Women's Center (SU) 443-4268 monetary profit. We establish relationships among people base d Pax Christi Women's Health Outreac h on cooperation rather than competition or the threat of destruc- Frank Woolever 446-169 3 425-3653 tion. Peace Brigades Internationa l Women's INFO Center Our political values and personal lives shape and reflec t Ed Kinane 478-4571 Diane Vance 478-4636 each other . ,in both we are committed to nonviolent means o f conflict resolution and to a process of decision-making tha t responds to the needs of is all . (If you do not see your group listed, please call & we will add it to the list .) S racuse Peace Council 924 Burnet Ave . S racuse, N .Y. 13203 315 472-5478

In This Issue: Were taking a bit of a detour south to document the effects of our foreign and do- Nov. 1992 mestic poicies . I guess it doesn't matter if our PNL 60 1 political policies consistently cause the death and impoverishment of countries (made up of New(etlt actual families and stuff) . You can tie it up with some stuff o n violence and kiddies, a personal piece (peace ) on helping out in Colrain, an interesting aside Table of Contents into fiction, a new review of an older book on an oldest problem, and a brief history into the A Social Revolution 4 politics of cooperation . SPC Page 5 Oh yeah, and something on bananas (o h Corporations Without Borders 6 Joy!) . The Deadly Costs of Free Trade 7 Its all here, I guess . You put it together , you pick up the pieces . the women are the key 8 . .." 9 The Peace Newsletter (PNL) is publishe d "It's Wrong to Confiscate monthly by the Syracuse Peace Council . SPC , The Invisible Box: Children, Culture & Violence 1 0 founded in 1936, is the oldest community-based 1 1 peace and justice organization in the United States . On Short Fiction The PNL strives to serve some basic func- Community Update 12-1 3 tions as the internal organ of SPC and as a foru m Cooperative Economics 1 4 for articles which discuss issues of concern to th e peace movement. The opinions expressed in the Hope in a Time of Mourning 1 6 PNL reflect the diversity of opinions within SP C In Review: The Creation of Patriarchy 1 8 itself . While we are not able to print every possible viewpoint, we do welcome yo letter and articl e Costa Rican Consortium 1 9 submissions as well as suggestions and assis- Unclassifieds 21 tance. The PNL has very reasonable ad rates ; cal l Community Calendar 23 or write for our rates . Movement groups are free to reprint articles and graphics, but please giver cred- its. For-profit groups, please inquire . The PNL is available on microfilm from University Microfilms, Inc., 300 N Zeeb Rd ., An n About the cover: Arbor, MI 48106 . Unfortunately, that's not all, folks. In fact we have just resigned ourselves to another four Subscriptions are $12 a year in the U .S ., $1 5 years. I'm assuming we now have a new president, it's been an interesting election watchin g in Canada and Mexico and $25 overseas . Th e institutional rate is $15 . The PNL is free to prisoners the trans-national power-structures decide who they want as front-man for the next four years . and low-income people . Your organization, co-op, I've been telling people I thought Clinton had it for sure, all the media seem to be treating hi m etc . can receive 5-25 PNLs each month . Our circu- so well . Even the New York Times has been breaking stories about Bush's involvement i n lation is 4500 . wrong-doings and atrocities. Quite a difference from four years ago when Dukakis couldn' t Contributions to SPC beyond PNL sub- breathe right for the press . It has almost been cute watching Bush and Clinton try to out- scriptions support our activist programs . We al - conservative each other, and then watch both of them try to out-Perot, Ross . It would all be ways need your support. Peace Newsletter/Syra- cuse Peace Council, 924 Burnet Ave, Syracuse , laughable if it weren't all so carefully orchestrated through constant polling and medi a NY 13203 . manipulation. Not at all unlike the revolving door between the military and the board-room , politician's adviser-rosters are a "who's who" in Advertising. PNL Distributors For example, take media guru Tony Schwartz, the fellow who brought us "Things g o Linda DeStefano, Yvonne, Joy Meeker , better with Coke," as well as being credited for single-handedly turning around Jimm y Jim Foley, Pat Hoffman, Elinor Cramer, Chuc k Carter's campaign with radical new TV spots (both Carter and Reagan directed over half thei r Durand, Rich Zalewski, Chrisian Siebott , campaign funds to TV advertising) . Utilizing the latest studies on the effects of TV on the Tommy Scott, Fredrick Noyes, Peter Carney , brain, national politicians are becoming responsive to the "wants and desires" of the peopl e Will Ravenscroft, Deirdre Laughland, Deb at a speed never before possible . We are no longer electing politicians, we are buying an imag e Douthi t that we have helped created . Or to quote Schwartz himself, "The goal of a media advisor i s to tie up the voter and deliver him to the candidate . So it is really the voter who is packaged Mailing Party Helpers by the media, not he candidate" (Nelson, The Perfect Machine, p .112) . Marge Rusk, Kathy Barry, Andy Molloy , We saw this happen more clearly than ever before during the buildup to the Gulf War . Joy Meeker, Gabe Barry-Caufield, Tim B ., As- literally tried on issues until he found the words and images that rallied the America n pen, Helen, Rose Manara, Ara Djamboulian , Bush . Somehow this election he just hasn't found another "incubator babies"(yet) . Joe Carpenter, Amy Horan, Jurgen, Bailey , people Fredric Noyes, and Brian Caufiel d Perhaps the latest incarnation was the Democratic primaries . We were given a number of images to choose from . Looks like we spun the barrel and wound up Clinton, although I December Issue Deadlines don't think any of the chambers are empty . .. Articles November 1 3 Ads November 1 8 "Click ." 4.// ~~Gt zz ~l.i Calendar Items November 18 A Social Revolution One Response to the discussion Electoral Politics in the '90s upstairs at the SPC Aspen Olmsted cooperatives have control over what product s the needs are sold. Consumer power is flexed by boy- of a soci- cotting corporate products that blatantly in - ety and crease suffering in exchange for the almighty they are confederated together so that ther e dollar. can be continuity in their actions, we ca n In Syracuse the cooperative movemen t create a financial strike against the govern- oting Everyda y already has a strong foundation . We have a ment. With dedicated membership the gov- y As I write, it is a few weeks before cooperative credit union that provides com- ernment can not shut us down, and a vas t the '92 presidential elections and I a m munity members with the ability to pool thei r amount of resources would be freed to go t o heavily involved in a dialogue over whether resources for the good of the community whil e projects ranging from community develop- we should hold our nose and vote for the lesser providing most standard banking functions a t ment to stopping world hunger . This financial of two evils or stick with our values and writ e a lower cost . On the Rise is a women's worke r strike would be the first step in bringing abou t in an independent candidate for president . I cooperative bakery which prov ides both whole - a larger nonviolent social revolution. am struggling with the whole debate becaus e some bread to the community plus empower- I don't want another male president and it doe s ing labor for the partners . The Syracuse Rea l Building Gender Equalit y not matter who receives the most votes o n Food Coop is a consumer cooperative retai l Thinking about a social revolution re - November 4th . We vote daily for the male ru n whole food store that brings whole foods to th e minds me of all the nationalist revolutionary multi-national corporations that run our gov- community while allowing members to re - movements that have helped to perpetuat e ernment. This voting is done through what w e duce their prices through sweat equity . There patriarchy in the name of the revolution. We choose to purchase and the places we pur- are also several projects which community need a movement that will eliminate all hier- chase our life staples . members are currently working on that wil l archy . Patriarchy is perhaps the most embed- There is an immediacy for change in the establish all kinds of cooperatives from foo d ded hierarchy in our present social system an d way our political and social systems distribut e buying clubs to low income sweat equit y without specific methods to eliminate it, our resources and power. This change will not housing. movement will be worthless . occur by rotating presidents every four or Equality does not just mean equal num- eight years while we continue to support th e Cooperative Movement and a bers of men and women involved in planning hierarchical institutions of our society tha t Social Revolution of our revolution. To offset our male socializa - perpetuate the dual degradation of humanit y The Syracuse Real Food Coop has estab- tion we need to provide for strong women' s and the environment . We need to build alter - lished a medium for community idea exchang e caucusing and methods for hearing softer natives that create opportunities for people t o called the two cent hoard . Recently a membe r voices . Perhaps men should remain quiet dur- create, work and play in democratically con - posed the question : "How can the coop as an ing all decision making and be there to jus t trolled, economically egalitarian, social an d organization work to stop world hunger?" A help in the implementation of those decisions . political institutions . vision passes through my mind daily of con - federated cooperatives, through the participa- Conclusion Cooperative Movement tory democracy of their membership, decid- However you vote on November 4th , The cooperative movement offers the ing that it is time for a social revolution . If we don't expect any change from the present building blocks for these new institutions . have established cooperatives to provide all exploitative system . Start using your purchas - Cooperatives are institu- ing power to vote for democ- tions that arc democrati- Electoral Politics in the '90s was ratization and equality . Take cally controlled by work- an open discussion co - sponsored by the Syracuse Greens and the Peace Council it a step farther and organize ers in the coops and th e . This yourself and some friends consumers who are mem- discussion marks the second event in the newly reactivate d into a worker cooperative and bers of the coops . This par- Upstairs at 924 Burnet . The first event was An Evening of start providing some of the ticipatory democracy has Poetry and Storytelling. Watch next month for excerpts from the many needs our community lead to the creation of all is currently receiving from kinds of empowering al- reading . If you have any interest in helping coordinate o r the corporate elite. ternatives for communi- participate in any activities Upstairs, don't hesitate to call ; I, cation and interaction . we're always looking forsomething new and exciting to do wit h Workers in coopera- Aspen is the financial tives manage through jo b our evenings anyway . .. Call 472-5478 for information on scheduling, help wit h manager at the Syracuse complexes that equall y Real Food Co-op and a divide creative work and more remodeling, or drop by the Peace Council to check it ou t member of the Syracuse rout work. Consumers in for yourself. Greens.

4 Peace Newsletter 11/92 SVE!ACIISE PEACE COUNCfL PAGE Dinner and Trade As you go through the PNL this month , Happy Birthday Duane! you will come across constant references t o the most awesome and awe-inspiring dinner Ain't no way we'd be doin' it without you ... and talk with Rosa Galicia on Friday, Nov 6 , at 7pm . Now we basically want you all to the protest (at least for me), a theatricality wa s The Reality of Symbol come `cause we think these issues of labor , cast on the entire event, subverting its pur- I don't get it. I mean, she is a stron g trade and capital are central to our ever dwin - pose . woman, an excellent song-writer, and an ex - dling economy . I mean even Ross Perot ex- This is not in any way meant as a criticis m citing performer . These appear to be things w e plained the whole free-trade thing : "their wages of either the organizers or the event. Instead i t need more of . What we have is lots of pain , will have to come up a bit, ours will have to g o is a criticism of a to common organizing styl e hunger, exploitation and general ill-being ; none down a bit, and it sure will be tough on us al l that panders to the stale first. By deferring (I of which she has caused . Yet, she chooses to `till this whole thing settles out ." Now let's not know its not this simple) the context of the tear up a photo of a leading religious figure think that Ross's "us" includes the trans-na- rally to the police, what could have been a (for a few people's religion), and the "world " tionals who plan on taking advantage (in every alarmingly strong show of numbers was con- is outraged . As a good friend said, "well .. .i t sense) of the loosened agreements and regula- fined to a pen every bit ati real as the social was a two-dimensional representation of th e tions resulting from NAFTA . After all, isn' t control exercised by the US government ove r three-dimensional representation of.. .h IMI " the world's existence basically a means for Native Peoples daily . At one point in th e Get real America . corporations to consistently show profits o n afternoon the MC exclaimed to the crowd , Don't worry Sincad, if your musical ca- small graphs? I would so hate to force trouble d "Every time I look up from the stage, thos e reer is over, you can always sell thigh-masters CEO's to level off at a steady rate of income i n little barricades go back a little further ..." I on info-mcrcials . Of course you'd have to order to feed people or breathe or have extr a couldn't help feeling like one of those ham- shave your legs ... trees around ('cept the ones we farm an d sters who keeps getting a new habitrail tube burn) . Where would be that sense of achieve- each x-mas . I f I'm good do you think they'll ge t in Peace, ment? me a little plastic ball so I can roll around the Bil l Anyway, we need volunteers to set-up , city? serve, clean-up and do child-care . We're keep - Just more rea- flaminerinq Swords into ing costs of the dinner as low as possible to son to chal lenge our- allow as many as possible to attend, but we're selves to re-evalu- certainly wiling to feed you in "free-trade" i f ate our methods an d you help us out. So give us a call before Friday , our means . Creative PLOWSHARES Nov 6, and get ready to hear all about Ameri - alternatives need t o cans and their private business ... be found (consider- Police Protest ing They have th e (raftsfair So I was down in New Brunswick visit- money, the power, ing friends a couple of weeks ago, and we the media, and th e t decided to go into NYC for the Columbus Da weapons...hmmm) . ro o. y action spons ' cd by the League of Indigenou s About New Sovereign N, ons of the Western Hemisphere Brunswick, (LISN). All v, ell and good, we found a trul y I'm not one to diverse group of folks excited about the is- spread rumors, but sues, an impressive list of speakers from al l the Friends Of Ti m Southwest Community Center over this hemisphere, and a generally fast- (FOT) recently suf- 401 South Avenue paced and efficient coordination of the agenda. fered a striking Syracuse, N.Y 13204 So why was I so uncomfortable? After blow. After leaving much discussion throughout the evening, som e the Syracuse Real SAT. DEC.11 SUN. DEG.13- of us came to the conclusion that completel y Food Coop, incrimi - 10awt -5 1992 NOON against the will of the organizers, the NYC nating evidence has police had managed to subvert the control o f surfaced placing the demo . Everyone who arrived who looked Tim as not only "the sufficiently activist(?) was ushered into the plant," but as a long, thin park which had a stage on one end, dreaded, and no t and was ringed with about a zillion police an d subtle, tax collector their little blue barricades. The effect was (see pg .9). I can't disarming at best (if you'll excuse the meta- believe he used to or9anizQd by-$te SyracuSC Wince Counci l phor) . By controlling the initial experience of handle my food ... 9L4 but-net Ave. Syr. MY 152.0 3

11/92 Peace Newsletter 5 Corporations Without Border s Guatemelan Labor Activist Comes to Syracus e break the union and avert signing an agree- product s ment. In their effort, they divided the compan y assemble d Mesoameric a into several smaller corporations occupyin g elsewhere the same facilities, established a solidarista' , (but with at least 65% of the product's value company union, lowered wages, accused th e produced in the United States) . The labor union of bankrupting the company, and finally intensive aspects of the production proces s OSA UELIA GALICIA LOPEZ is co - fired 67 union members including the entire arc shipped overseas, taking advantage of th e founder and member of the only union executive committee. Workers protested and cheap, repressed labor force. The finished R to successfully withstand repression an d called for the reinstatement of the illegall y product is then imported back into the United legal intimdation and establish itself in the dismissed workers . The Labor Minister inter- States with no or low tariff. In Guatemala' s maquila industry in Guatemala . Maquilas arc vened and ruled on behalf of the workers, bu t case, pre-cut cloth is sent down, sown into assembly factories in Latin America that pro - the company did not comply with the rein- clothing, and shipped back to U .S . retailers . duce goods solely for export . INEXPORT statement order, and instead, dismissed all bu t Ms. Galicia, a single mother, began work- Co., where Ms . Galicia is employed, produce s 40 of the nearly 200 union members . ing at the age of nine as a domestic servant . At clothing for Sears, K-Mart, Ocean Pacific , Ms . Galicia and 27 other members of thirty, when she learned to read and write, she Guess, and other labels . SINTRAINTEX won a three-year legal battl e decided to become a skilled seamstress and Wages and working conditions in most and were reinstated in the workplace on July 6 , seek factory work . Her growing involvement maquila factories range from poor to abysmal . 1991 . She says that this victory is only th e in the union is part of a career that has made her Most workers, the majority of whom are beginning of a long struggle to strengthen he r today, at the age of 43, a nationally recognized women, are paid $1-$3 per day . Reports of. union and the many other unionizing efforts i n leader in the labor movement . physical and sexual abuse are frequent . Work - the maquila sector . Rosa Delia Galicia L6pez has been in- ers sit on backless stools and are often forced Maquila owners take advantage of duty - vited to the United States as part of a nationa l to work overtime. Warehouse-like factorie s free export status of the United Slates fo r speaking tour sponsored by the Network i n have few windows, fe w Solidarity with th e fans, no heat and limited People of Guatemala (often locked) exits . (NISGUA) . NISGUA Efforts to counte r provides national co- these abuses and fight fo r Out of Bounds• ordination for 17 5 decent wages by forming committees doing soli- unions are vigorously re- A Lesson In Free-Trade darity work with Gua- pressed . In 1991, nearly Rosa Delia Galicia Lopez, a Guatemalan labor unio n temala in the U .S. In all union leaders receive d leader, will be speaking on Friday, November 6, at 8 addition to conductin g death threats . Through th e p.m. at St. Vincent De Paul's Church at Hawley and Vin speaking tours, years, numerous union or- e NISGUA provides hu- ganizers have been killed . Streets. She will talk about her experiences organizin g manitarian aid topopu- Rosa Delia Galicia LOpe z the first union in the maquila industry in Guatemala lar based organization s represents the only legall y (Maquilas are factories in Latin America that assemble in Guatemala, coordi- recognized union in a nates anational Human Guatemalan maquila, goods solely for export) . Her presentation will be pre- Rights Rapid Re- now that country's fastes t ceded by a dinner at 7 p.m. featuring Central America n sponse Network an d growing industry . cuisine. Admission to the dinner is $4-15 sliding scale . supports the union-in- SINTRAINTEX, the Ms. Galicia's visit is sponsored by the Syracuse Peace formation in the Van union that represent s Heusen shirt manufac - INEX PORT workers, wa s Council, Central America Working Group, La L .U.C.H .A., Curer in Guatemala . established on July 26 , La Casa of Syracuse University, SU Women's Center, S U The tour is being 1986, and successfully ne- Anthropology Dept. and Witness For Peace . coordinated on the East gotiated a collective bar- For further information, contact the Syracuse Peac e Coast by the New En - gaining agreement . Dur- gland Central Ameri - ing the two-and-a-half- Council at 472-5478. can Network, NECAN , year bargaining process , in Boston, MA, and the factory owner Henry Volunteer for Set-up, Clean-up or Child-care ! Committee for U .S .- Robbins Cohen (a U .S . Please call the Peace Council to help out . You are Latin America Rela- citizen) and his manage- tions, CUSLAR, in ment fought vigorously to much needed and much appreciated . Ithaca, NY. ,

6 Peace Newsletter 11/92 The Deadly Costs of Free Trade Who Benefits From the Government's "Bright Future" Benjamin Dillon nomic growth is not the same as development . He believes that In Juarez, Sonora, economic growth has bee n with economic "amelioration" a democrati c enormous but development has not increased social situation will just fall into place . Some- at a rate high enough to accommodate th e how, he thinks that economic growth is inher- increasing population . For example, statistic s ently good. The free-trade agreement will ben - on homelessness are as high as 40 percent . efit none but the power elite. In addition, th e HE GLOBAL ECONOMY is in ful l Maquila industries pay absolutely no taxes to U.S. ruling class will benefit much more than swing now. The passage of the North Mexico . Moreover, the jobs are alienating and the Mexican ruling class . TAmerican Free Trade Agreemen t controlling and pay very little (80 cents a n Then there are the ecological consider- (NAFTA) seals the fate of a global economy hour) . We will see a similar phenomenon al l ations which go along with any issue of growth . with three competing blocks : North America , over Mexico with NAFTA . Let us not kid The White House says that NAFTA will dif- the European community, and the Asian Rim . ourselves, the U .S . industries want Mexico as fuse the concentrated industry along the bor- There are social and environmental costs t o part of NAFTA to exploit workers, especiall y der, and thus there will be less cumulativ e NAFTA. In fact, these costs have been going youth, for cheap labor. ecological consequences. Perhaps industry wil l on for nearly fifty years, since the dawn of An important aspect of economic growth he less concentrated, but it also will be muc h GATT—the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade. What is NAFTA? This is a treaty/agreement between the U .S. and Mexico that wil l "There are very real things wrong with th e remove tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade . global economy, but to deny the globa l The Mexican government will sign a treaty , which will leave Mexican states with no power economy is stupid ." h to decide whether or not they will comply wit - Dick Kemp, founder of the Border Ecology Project . NAFTA . On the other hand, the executive officer of the U .S. will sign the agreement. Thus, U.S. states will have the choice of al - lowing Mexican industry to distribute or pro- and the laws of capitalism is that they posses s tougher to monitor than the dense maquil a duce goods in their state . no morality . The prime question involved i s situation now in existence . At the border, at There are many costs to NAFTA and thi s what will make more money and what wil l least citizen groups (U .S . and Mexican alike) trend toward globalization . Perhaps the mos t create conditions for more growth . Morality i s have access to the industry . For example, Dic k unfortunate cause of these costs is that th e no consideration. For example, the multi-na- Kamp, founder of the Border Ecology Projec t U.S. and Mexico are by no means equal part- tional corporations take advantage of Mexico' s (near Douglas, Arizona and Agua Prieta, ners. Mexico does not have the infrastructure , poor environmental monitoring by dumpin g Mexico), has been able to participate in haz - education nor technology to compete with th e toxic waste in Mexico when they are suppose d ardous waste inventories of maquiladoras . U.S. in a "free" economy . Because of inequal - to export toxic waste back to the U .S . The only What he found was hideous, needless to say . ity, NAFTA will create a master-slave rela- time that morality becomes aquestion is whe n It will be tougher for groups like this to per - tionship between the two countries . Both coun - corporations believe it would be in their bes t form such research with diffused industry . It tries will be dependent upon each other, th e interest to appear moral by making tokenisti c will be more expensive for citizens to travel to U.S. in a dominant way and Mexico in a moral gestures . For example, there is muc h remdte areas of Mexico to check out what i s submissive way . This relationship alread y rhetoric around creating jobs and economi c really going on. occurs with imports and industry, especiall y growth for the Mexican people . Moreover, In conclusion, there are a good man y at the border. However, with NAFTA, more capitalism is a grow-or-die economy . This is negative aspects to the free trade agreement. U.S . industries will move further into th e apparent from the "need" to globalize to re - Social and ecological conditions will continu e interior of Mexico, and there will b e duce labor costs . "Screw the people . We need to worsen. People will lose more power over maquiladora-like problems all over Mexico to grow! " Multinational corporations inher- their own lives . The solution is not "economic (maquiladoras are the factories in Mexico ently must have this attitude to survive : protectionism," but rather recognizing tha t right along the border in an area known as an President Bush and President Salinas late capitalism will always lead to these ills . export-processing zone). Mexican subsidiar- would disagree with this (at least publicly) . With this recognition, people must overthro w ies and Mexican workers will be "paid slaves " Ironically, Bush would say that corporate im - capitalism and replace it with something tha t to American industry . perialism is great for Mexico . His speaks a actually considers morality ; something whic h There is a lot of rhetoric around NAFT A rhetoric of a bright future for the whole world , sees people as people and humanity as part of creating jobs, infrastructure and developmen t veiling the fact that its been great only for a the eart h in Mexico . The maquila industry has create d few people . Salinas believes that, with a forced Benjamin is currently studying at jobs and economic growth . However, eco- grow—or die economy, Mexico will improve . Antioch, concentrating on Social Thought.

11/92 Peace Newsletter 7 the women are the key recent experiences of the people and images of nicaragu a elena levy money. the nicaraguans say there are more sellers than buyers . people sel l whatever possible wherever possible . in managua, where the poverty i s more evident than in Icon . there are dozens of people at every traffi c S have spent quite a bit of time in the las t light, young and old, male and fe- year in nicaragua—thirteen weeks . the male, selling raffles, electric sock- 4 people in nicaragua have less and less ets, towels, bread, etc . according with each passing month . in july, people were to articles in the newspapers, ma y in noticeably worse shape economically than of the people hawking at the in- they had been in january . at present the EM - tersections had highly skilled jobs PLOYMENT rate (no error in spelling) i s when there was work to he had . 30%. nicaragua is second only to haiti in the i am painting a bleak picture only because the picture i s pervasiveness of the poverty of its people. Third World Resource s .5 million people, 100,000 young bleak . the fact that it's UNO with its 3 fore teachers, under- and not la frente (fsln) makes it even bleaker . men have been let go by the army since th e paid, have become unreliable in their work . UNO government took power in april 1990 . the fsln has lost much of the peopl e's trust an d it is really that had . there are no social whatever our beliefs about the military, wha t confidence through the leadership's self-ag- services, no aid for dependent children . not grandizement . we can discuss that anothe r these layoffs mean in practice is that 100,00 0 even soup kitchens. what there is, is families . young men (primarily) and young women, i n time, but certain policies of UNO are clearly It is the only thing people can rely on. the their teens, twenties and thirties, have N O worse. people who need medicines now hav e highest compensation soldiers disabled in th e employment and no possibility of obtaining to pay the whole price . they are no longer war against the contras can receive is 12 0 subsidized as they were during the sandinist a any. that's a lot of young people hanging out cordobas monthly ($24) . on the street, often drinking and smoking times, when no medication cost more than so what do we do? we who know that in marijuana, (in the part of nicaragua i live, Icon , about 50 cents. what does that mean? es claro . fact it is our fault (i know that's politically neither cocaine nor crack, has hit the streets i n it means you can't have medicine (govern- incorrect to say) . we do have a privilege main - ment statistics say 80% of the population i s a big way. i have been told it has hit on th e tained by the government who directly created atlantic coast much to the detriment of th e impoverished) . schools, primary included, re- the situation now existing . the contras were young people). the UNO government, want- quire uniforms and require students to pay for organized by the u .s., the election campaign ing to cut back government employment fur- their books, which are on loan for the yc2 r for UNO was paid for by the u .s ., the top ther, offered government workers some month s though they were provided by the u .s. govern - hierarchy in the church, most notably obando of pay as sever - ment . th e bravo, who has worked against the sandinistas ance pay, depend- forme r for the last decade (we found out only in the ing on how long school texts last month), also received monies from the u .s. one had worked , w e r e so though we are the ones who have spoken with the proviso BURNT , out against the government's policies still w e that they could no t no joke. 'arc also recipients of the privilege of living in obtain govern- what doe s the u.s. what do we do? ment employmen t that mean ? i think what we can do is work with for the next four many can't people . with people we have made connec- years t go to . abou tions with who we know do good work . who 80,000 worker s school . work for and with the people. in particular i accepted the dea l though one think the women of nicaragua are the key . as (which at time s secs man y always, they feel the poverty even more came to a value of poor fami- strongly, since they hold their families to- more than $1,000) . lies making Mesoameric a gether they have the responsibility for the now those peopl e herculea n children . they feed whomever they can, as are also unemployed. efforts to send their children to school . teach- . many people as they can . in my family where people ask me, "so what do they do?" for the ers' salaries are low. high school teachers earn for eighteen people (5 under two years old) the most part, more and more people eat only rice 450 cordobas/month, less than ninety dollars . only employment was the aunt, tia Leticia, 6 4 meals, often with beans, much less often wit h while food costs are about the same as they are years old, who made dresses and blouses on a anything else, even vegetables and fruits . not here. water costs, electricity costs etc . there- treadle sewing machine, slowly . and her hus- because there are none, but because there is no band, who had a shoe iron set in a door of the

8 Peace Newsletter 11/92

"It's wrong to confiscate ..." From a Weekend at Colrain, In Support of Randy Kehler and Betsy Corne r Marge Rusk Hadn't realized that we'd be participat- here in front of this house, now that it's alread y ing in a literally round-the-clock presence i n been sold and fairly bought by people wh o front of the IRS-seized farmhouse, not just a now are living in it? dilettant's 9 am-till-whenever-folks-feel-like- 3:45pm : a very quiet vigil, at least two sacking-out . No, eternal vigilance is the actual present at all times, not standing with picke t HE SIGN AT THE entrance, "It' s wron g price here. More like Seneca and Greenham signs, just being here, smiling pleasantly when to confiscate homes in order to forc e than I'd expected, though not as cold or scary . a car passes. No signs except the "It's wrong T people to pay for war" looks bullet - 5:45, a Veery thrush just introduced itself; a to confiscate .. ." and a huge "Swords into Plow - riddled. The scrapes and holes were actuall y Robin clucks in response. The loud Katydid s shares" banner high on the workshop wall . made by stones and, mostly, boots . But we're of last night are silent, but there's a thin twitter Our plan, to be useful here by vigilin g told the opponents do pack guns, presumabl y of crickets. I can hear in the quiet the oil lamp shifts so some of the regulars could attend th e just to intimidate us, and we respond by keep- breathing . war tax 'resistance conference, has worke d ing a camera in plain sight on the table. Look s May Foss, the cat of the residents of' out, with the bonus that, because it's such a pretty peaceful here in the ramada right no w Randy and Betsy's house, somehow becomes laid-back (literally!) presence, there's time t o though, on the 4-7 am shift . Pat's Echinacca a mediator between us tax resisters on th e discuss current topics—tax resistance and oth- grove (grove? they're pretty tall conellowers) road's edge and the people in the white farm - ers and to share philosophies and life histories catches the flickering of the oil lamp . house, behind the posted signs and U .S. flag, with both the Syracuse group and the folk s A rooster calls occasionally—in Nicara- 20 feet away . Foss is sweet and affectionate from other places . gua they'd cry "Loteria para hoy" to my cars . visiting with all of us and, judging by her sleek Marge is a volunteer at the 04b1 Having only arrived at 10 last evening, I ' black fur, she's cared for, not just "owned," by Syracuse Peace Council, a longtim e wonder what today's lot will be . It's 5 :30 now , the house occupants . Syracuse activist, and a world-class birder . SPC Note : For more information on with agorgeous pink-lavender cast under trail- As the clouds sail off just at the momen t the tax resistance of Randy and Bets y ing wisps of storm cloud . Must ask my tentmat c of sunrise, dawn comes of a sudden . The leading up to the confiscation and occupa- what the 1-4 am shift was like . More passing night-watch is done, but another vigiler and I tion of their home, see Feb 92, PNL, pg 15, cars then (only two so far this shift) . Did any will stay here, in the ramada of plastic pipe s "Tax Resisters Defy IRS," and March 92, PNL , epithets (or more solid objects) get hurled a t and sky-blue tarp, for another hour. pg 17, "War Tax Resistance News." If b y natural disaster or major calamity you n o the vigilers? Mostly what got hurled at our ten t I'd like to go hack to the soggy tent then, longer seem to have those issues, you're was sheets of rain, on the windy lashing tail o f and catch up on sleep, but there'll probably he welcome to come down to the house at 92 4 Hurricane Andrew . I'd thought the tent might too many interesting philosophical conversa- Burnet. The coffee's on. collapse, or fly me in it to the Kansas-heart- tions to share in ...like, what good are we doing land of the U .S., but its good geodesic for m held fast—though it took in some water .

house and repaired some shoes . that was it . that was it . anything more than rice and beans was a luxury : a newspaper, onions , eggs, avocados, cheese, certainly toilet paper. i am not exaggerat ing . i am not choosin g the colors on my palette . elena's visit included work with th e woman's center, casa de mujer, which is in need of support of most any kind . A translation of a letter describing the work SYRACUSE of the center is available from elena o r Real Food Cooperative from the Peace Council. If you are interested in helping elena with donation s Many organically grown and produced foods: of much needed funds or supplies • Nuts. Grains . Seeds • Whole Clain Baked Good s (typewriters, children's toys, books) call or • Produce • Free Range Egg s • Cheeses • Chemical-Free Meat write (315) 472-5711, 1030 westmorelan d • Herbs & Spices • Fresh Fish Delivered Thursdays ave, syracuse, ny 13210, usa . And Much More 0% 618 Kensington Road elena levy is a writer and activist (off Westcott) 472-138 5 living in Syracuse, NY. Her collection of on - Fri 10 - 8, Sat 8 - 8 poetry Contradictions is available at th e Front Room Bookstore .

11/92 Peace Newsletter 9

The In Culture, Children and Violence ' Kate Donnelly ety at an early age? GI Joe, the Terminator, 30, the more aggressive was their behavio r Rambo, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . In when drinking, and the harsher was the pun- real life, violence is officially condoned on a ishment inflicted on their own children ." state level when a president invades a countr y The article also states that child experts rather than negotiating, and every time a per - agree that violent cartoons are inadvisable for son is executed by the state . young children . A panel of experts comment - T'S HARD TO PICK UP a newspaper or According to Nielson data, an average ing on the issue included those in the televi- magazine without pondering why our so - U .S. child will have watched 22,000 hours of sion industry who readily dismissed their re- ciety has become so violent. We condemn television by age 18, compared to only 11,000 sponsibility to our nation's children . Toy manu- the perpetrators, we mourn the dead, we blam e hours spent in school . A surprising article i n facturers do the same . They continue to argue forgotten values, but we still allow our chil- the August 22, 1992 TV Guide titled "How that, in a "free" market economy, children and dren to continually be entertained by violen t Much Violence?" chronicled 18 hours of T V parents decide what to buy. But what is avail - images . Television and movie producers an d shown in Washington, p .C . They reported a able on the shelves of stores'? Cheap mass - toy manufacturers still make excuses for vio - total of 1,846 individual acts of violence in produced toys which are overwhelmingly vio - lent entertainment : "It's no worse than wha t that time period . lent or sexist . What manufacturers choose to they see on the news ; we wouldn' t make it i f They went on to cite five major studies advertise often determines what children wan t people didn't buy it ." or buy. These days, cartoons arc 30-minute So why do we as adults buy it? Is there commercials for many violent toys . part of us that doesn't believe that violen t Violent and sexist themes are the nor m entertainment produces violent children, ' in video games, the hottest selling toys . or are we too overwhelmed by the immen - Out of 47 games rated as favorites in a sity of the problem'? Those of us who are 1991 Nintendo consumer poll, only seve n parents know too well the pressure put on do not have violence as a major theme . GI us by our children to see films and tv show s Joe, Terminator, and Teenage Mutan t and buy toys of violence. Many of us say Ninja Turtles figurines remain in the to p "no"10 most and still end up with violent , 20 toys sold . racist, sexist trash entertaining our kids . This November 26 and 28 mark the The problem seems too overwhelm- Eighth International Days of Protest ing for individual people to take on them - Against War Toys . People around the worl d selves. Action is needed on an organized will speak out and take action as the holi- level to keep members of the entertainmen t day shopping season begins . Action on an industry aware that people do not wan t individual and group level will give notic e violence to entertain their children . The that we do not want violent entertainmen t Stop War Toys Campaign, a project of th e for our kids . Action ideas include: War Resisters League, began bringing th e m leafletting outside toy stores, holding an problem of war toys and violent cartoons to Let the alternative toy fair, writing local TV affili - the forefront in 1985 . Since then, a broa d ates and the networks demanding better cross section of parents, educators an d know that children's programming, holding press con - activists have come together protesting th e ferences or public forums examining the proliferation of violent toys for our chil- issues, having a swap of violent toys for dren. violence is creative nonviolent toys, talking with other The issue has united people across parents and putting on presentations at class and racial lines because violenc e your school, writing letters to the editor; affects all of our lives . Children of color i n not cool. working for conflict resolution, multi-cul - this country are killed daily in the streets o f tural and peace studies programs in you r our cities, often by their peers . "By any schools, and, most importantly, talking t o means necessary" may be the cry of many that condemn TV violence's influence on kids . your kids . Let them know that violence is no t young African American youth, but what i s "One of the most ambitious and conclusiv e cool . A the motivation of children resorting to vio- studies (conducted by Dr. Leonard D . Eron WRL has broadened its focus, renamin g the Stop War Toys Campaign the Children & lence? Clearly, racism which produces ineq- and others) examined a group at ages 8, 19 an d Nonviolence Campaign . Resources avail- uity and despair, is the underlying cause, bu t 30 in a semirural county in New York State . able include an organizing packet for $7, a why are children so likely to blow each other The findings : the more frequently the partici - video for $20, & leaflets available for free. away instead of working together for change ? pants watched TV at age 8, the more serious For info write : Stop War Toys/WRL, 339 Lafa- What role models are they given by our soci - were the crimes they were convicted of by age yette St., NY, NY 10012 or call (212) 228-0450.

10 Peace Newsletter 11/92 T WAS AT MY friend Jeannie's apart- David put out what was left of his ciga- those "paid advertisement" shows that were ment. We both work as secretaries for an rette, bent over, and picked up the last slice o f always on lately . office supplies company that specialize s pizza. His mouth open, he was just about to "Michael Landon wouldn't cheat any - in desk organizers, paper clip holders, penci l start eating it when Jeannie pushed his han d body," I said, a slight waver of hurt in m y holders, address wheels, stamp dispensers an d back, lightly, with three red-nailed fingers on voice . "He has Values ." I looked at David . the like. Jeannie's boyfriend was there and th e the flesh of his arm . "Michael Landon's dead!" he snapped at three of us have just finished watching "Beverl y "Wait." mc . Hills Cop I1 ." An open-faced pizza box wit h "Have you had enough," she said to me . "Well, you're gonna die too! " I threw . one half-picked-at slice, rested on the coffee David's eyes were poking pins into mine. hack. table in front of us . I was sitting, legs curle d "I'm fine," I said and he immediatel y ".. .Yeah . ..But not for a while," he under, me, on the sofa, gurgling in the las t began chomping down the slice . mumbled, fidgeting in his seat, his hand around remains of my Diet Pepsi through a flexibl e Jeannie started flicking through the chan - Jeannie squeezing tighter, stretching her blu e red and blue striped straw . David and Jeannie nels again before she stopped at one . and black speckled, loose knit blouse jus t sat on the love seat perpendicular to where I " ...Authentic Desert Storm camouflag e enough so that I would see she was n't wearing was sitting . She had her arm extended over the gear! Shorts, only $19 .95! T-shirt, only $11 .95 ! a bra. right side of the couch and, holding the re- Pants and Jackets just $29.95! All just lik e "Stop fighting you two," Jeannie said . mote, she rewound the cassette . David was those worn by U .S . soldiers! Act now and I leaned back in my seat . David wouldn' t leaning on-her, heavily, one leg curled aroun d receive free of cost this Operation Deser t look at me . I wondered that if Michael Lando n her calf. He had his arm around her, squeezing Storm commemorative camouflage cap! " was president, would America be more like tight, his face almost touching her neck . His "Act now," I thought . "If you `act now ' Walnut Grove ? head only moved away from Jeannie's direc- they always give something extra ." Jeannie started flicking through the chan - tion when it was time to take another wrinkl e "Those shorts are pretty cool," Davi d nels again, before she put the remote down an d faced drag from his cigarette, which he held i n said. announced that she was going to get us som e his other hand, resting above an ashtray tha t "I don't think we should have fought the ice cream . was conveniently placed on the arm of th e war," I said staring at David and trying to "All I have is Neopolitan. I hope it's couch . sound as self-righteous as possible . I really okay," she said as she got up and starte d I sat staring at the pizza box, the pattern of didn't care but I wanted to argue . walking toward the kitchen . soaked-in grease spots covered by an eight "And let that maniac take over the Middl e "I'll help you," David said and followe d pointed cheese snowflake . I didn't want to tal k East ." her. He glanced at me but I wasn't payin g to David while Jeannie was fooling around "There could have been other ways — attention . I was still thinking about Michae l with the VCR . He resented my being there . He less expensive, less destructive ones." I re - Landon. wanted to get it on with Jeannie and I was i n membered something from a pamphlet I I looked around Jeannie's apartment . She the way, but that's why Jeannie asked me glanced at once. I could tell David was getting had her graduation picture out on a shelf near over, or the reason she said . I was supposed t o angry . some other pictures of what I assumed was he r stay over-night, and watch movies with them . "Yeah, and by the time they worked we' d family. The light on her answering machin e She wanted to be able to say "no" to Davi d all be speaking Muslim ." was flashing and an old episode of Donn a once and I was there to give her support . "Our "Sadam Shmadam," Jeannie interrupte d Reed was on the TV . I picked a piece of cheese relationship is just too physical," she said t o and changed the channel. Me and David stare d from the pizza box and despite the paper y me at the office the previous Wednesday . "We at each other . hairs on its underside, put it in my mouth can't base it on sex alone," and I nodded as sh e "These things arc a scam. If you're dumb, anyway. I has almost peeled all the left over went on. you're dumb . You can't do anything about it, " cheese when I began to hear Jeannie's soft "Can you hand me the remote?" Jeanni e Jeannie said. moaning coming from the other room . Bend- said, pointing to the TV remote in front of me, I looked at the TV . Michael Landon was ing over, I picked up the remote control an d her arm resting on David's knee . squatting on a carpeted floor, there was a boo k began flicking through the channels . 41) I picked it up and gave it to her. It was shelf behind him and he was talking about the Reprinted from Half The Fat, a publication very late and there wasn't much on . We sa t benefits of these cassettes that were supposed by the Experimental Media Organization o f flicking through the channels in silence . to make you do better in school . It was one of the SUNY Binghamton campus . 11/92 Peace Newsletter 11

Community Update

Syracuse classmates, teachers, and the police. One of Alternative the most surprising results of the survey was Media just how many individuals reported being ha- Network rassed by classmates many years after the fact . It is clear that harassment in school is extremely common and often bnual, leaving a longlasting impression on the victim . Anti-Discrimination/Gay/Lesbian / As a result of anti-Gay/Lesbian harass- Syracuse Alternative Media Networ Violence Project Update ment and violence, many respondents indi- (SAMN) is presenting an Evening of Wor t On October 15th, a community foru m cated that they have changed their behaviors . by Jan Phillips—"Making Peace" and "I a was held to share the results of the discrimina- The changes fall into two major categories— land: A Journey to the Center ." Ms. Phi11il tion/violence survey done this past summer . A either to withdraw from places and people tha t has graciously donated these multi-mediap r total of 238 surveys were completed, with the may be a risk for the Gay/Lesbian-identified, sentations as a fund raiser for SAMN . Ti breakdown of respondents being 49% Gay or to seek avenues to build self-esteem, gathe r event will take place at 7 :30 pm, on Thursda men, 41% Lesbians, 6% Bisexual men, 4% support, and develop skills for self-protection . December 3, 1992 at the Zodiac Club, 3 1 Bisexual women, and 1 person who did no t The survey looked at the occurrence o f Franklin St . in Armory Square . specify sexual orientation . The respondents domestic violence and harassment within the Jan describes her latest work "Iceland: were primarily Caucasian/White (94%) and Gay and Lesbian community . Unfortunatel y Journey to the Center" as a collection of ph n ranged in age from 17 to 63 years . Both the results were not significantly differen t tographs, music and poetry which captures tl income and education level were significantly from those experienced in the heterosexua l essence of a spiritual pilgrimage to it higher than that of the general population . A community . Forty-three percent of the women Snaefcllsjokull Glacier, claimed by man y significantly higher percentage of Lesbian s and 39°I° of the men reported that they have he a spiritual center of the planet. (66%) described themselves as part of acoupl e experienced some form of domestic violence "Making Peace" is a multi-media sli d living together than did Gay men (28%) . With or harassment in their life . show using photographs, narrative and mus the election coming up, it is interesting to not e The vast majority of respondents did no t from around the world to celebrate the o n that 75% of the respondents voted in the las t { at the time ; report incidents of harassment o r ness and diversity we share as a human fami l general election and 83°k; are currently regis - violence based on sexual orientation . Seven The images include powerful portrait s tered to vote . percent had reported all incidents and 21 % people from many places—Japan, Europ The survey asked respondents to docu- hadreported some incidents . There were man y China, India, Nepal, the Philippines, the Midd ment discrimination based on sexual orienta- reasons given for not reporting. The majo r East, and North America where they are i tion in employment, school, public accommo- ones arc: volved in both peacemaking activities and t i dations and a number of services . The greates t • Fear of coming out/being ou t everyday work of their daily lives . areas where discrimination was experience d • General fear of making a repor t Jan Phillips is a photojournalist, pu b were in employment (23%) and in police pro- • Fear of further victimizatio n speaker and multi-media artist whose we tection (23%) . With regard to employment, • Feeling that the incidents were not seriou s has appeared in the New York Times, A lack of promotion and poor job performance enough Magazine, Christian Science Monitor, Ha i reports were cited as the most frequent types • Feeling that nothing would he done anywa y ers, Cline Reader, World Encounter, and dt of discrimination . • So used to putting up with harassment as a ens of newspapers and magazines through ( The next most frequent forms of dis- matter of course that we often don't even thin k the country. She has presented her and crimination were in public accommodations to report. visual productions to over 100 organizati t (18%) and housing rentals (11%) . Respon- In the case where reports have been made , and universities around the world and has v dents experienced both denial of services and the police response has been mixed . Half of several state and national awards for wri t inferior services with regard to public accom - those who reported felt negative about th e and photography . Ms. Phillips is co-edito modations . police response and 44% felt positive . While The Blatant Image : A Magazine of Femi . Many respondents reported being ha- there were respondents who described th e Photographyand the author ofMaking Pec rassed, physically assaulted, and/or havin g police as sensitive and helpful in some in - One Woman's Journey Around the Worla property vandalized solely based on thei r stances and homophobic, hostile, and threat- sexual orientation . Eighty-six percent of al l ening in others, the most common adjectives respondents have been called anti-Gay/Les- used to describe the way the police handled a the survey findings, there was an infor bian names in their lifetime . Fifty-six percent situation were "professional," "efficient," an d discussion on reactions and possible acti reported being threatened with physical vio- "indifferent ." The feelings described after call - The next steps for the project committee lence as well. More men (40%) experienced ing on the police were most often mixed . be to complete a formal report and target s t such incidents in the vicinity of known Gay / Respondents felt as if they did the right thin g agencies and the police department to s Lesbian establishments than did women (22%) . and, at the same time, were often frustrate d the information . If you are interested in ge Also more men (22%) believe the incidents t o and felt like they wasted their time . a copy of the final report, please sen d be AIDS-related than do women (8%) . The findings from the Syracuse surve y request to GLAS, PO Box 1675, Syra c The survey also looked at specific group s were very similar to those done in other area s NY 13201 . of potential perpetrators including family, of the country. Following the presentation of

12 Peace Newsletter 11/92 Community Update

Altered Space Sane eze BDPds (IO2IB.L7ij Sustaining a Lifetime of Activism : Peace Award to Audrey Shenandoa h Altered Space Altered Again ! Fur Trim Is In and Still Hurts by Cara Burto n We are extremely pleased to announce The artist-run, non-profit gallery "Altered Fur coats, once the height of style, ar e that Audrey Shenandoah of the Onondag a Space" has metamorphosed with some ne w now widely known to demonstrate the cruelty Nation will receive the annual SANE/FREEZ E faces and a new location at 922 Burnet Av- of the fur industry. Fur coat sales are down . Peace Award at the November 22 Peace A ward enue in Syracuse (next to the Peace Council) . Many fur salons have closed . Dinner, at the Sheraton University Inn . This year Altered Space operates under th e The fur industry is fighting hack, how - Our keynote speaker is Randy Kehler , management of returning artists Susan Pec k ever, by using fur as trim on many garment s life-time peace activist, founder of nationa l and Anita Welych, as well as Melissa McElroy - and accessories . Fur collars are the fad . Fur SANE/FREEZE, and a major force in startin g Elve, Peter Sandwall, and Vanity Wood . mittens, car muffs, lining, and hats are com- our local organization . The current "Nuclear Last year, Altered Space featured exhib- mon . These items are available not only in Times" magazine identifies Randy as one o f its by outstanding local artists . The directors exclusive stores, but also in discount depart- the ten most influential peace activists in th e hope to expand on these activities by offering ment stores . "Just a little bit" of fur is per- US. His steadfast redirection of war taxes t o shows celebrating the diversity of culture, ceived as O.K.—even affordable. It isn't! constructive community work, and the result- age, background, philosophy, and aesthetic. These bits of fur are still obtained by the ing confrontation with the IRS, have led to a Future goals include the development of edu- same cruel methods as fur coats . Foxes, mink , growing war tax resistance movement, an d cat ional programs and exchange exhibits with rabbits, coyotes, etc. are still trapped, farmed , greater awareness of our skewed national pri- artists in other cities and countries . gassed, electrocuted and poisoned to obtai n orities . The artists are busily renovating the Ar t fur trim . In this year when we consider the legac y Deco former office building which houses the The acceptance of fur trim can bring hac k of Christopher Columbus, it is essential t o new Altered Space and anticipate a gran d the desire for fur coats . The fur industry wants look to the people who were here long befor e opening before the end of the year . us to believe that wearing fur is a matter of us and whose peaceful government could serve For more information contact Anita choice, with no serious consequences . Please as an alternative model . At a time when peace- Welych at 463-6765 (H) or 655-8283, x 1 1 l choose compassion over cruelty ! makers find it difficult to persevere, it is im- (W). You can help prevent such cruelty by : portant to recognize life-long activists such as • boycotting the purchase of products that are Audrey and Randy, and to look to the thou - made or partly made of fur , sands of years of perseverance that form the dominant opinion or not . But those who • telling stores that sell such products that yo u Audrey's heritage . hear must carry that information further, sinc e oppose the sale of fur items , Many of you have heard Audre y the mainstream media do not cover many • support retailers that refuse to sell fur, an d Shenandoah tell stories and read her poetry a t items of importance, or often misrepresent • join People for Animal Rights in their Fu r Community Choir concerts . You may also what they do cover . Free Friday demonstration November 27 . know of her environmental work . It is interest- For this reason, Audrey does not wis h For more information call 652-868 l (day) ing that her thinking on peacemaking has bee n that we seek articles in the mainstream medi a or 475-0062 (eve) . less publicized . An excerpt from her addres s about her . Instead, she hopes we will sprea d Remember: Every little bit hurts . at the Global Forum on Environment an d knowledge among ourselves and through ,our Development for Survival in Moscow in 1990 own publications. "I have said these things t o is included in Wisdomkeepers, by Harry Arden people . (Passing them on) becomes the onu s and Steve Wall . She calls for changes in pri- of whoever acquires knowledge. They have a orities: "Far too much money is expended on responsibility to share it ." the military . .. The purpose of these high mili- We hope you will share knowledge abou t Women's tary budgets must be the anticipation of vio- this dinner by posting the flyer and invitin g lence. As a mother I demand that our sons not friends. The Sheraton University Inn is at 80 1 INFO be raised to die in war . War is irrational, it s University Ave . in Syracuse . A cash bar i s causes suspect . If we are to live on this plane t available at 6 pm . Dinner and presentation Emergency Meeting of th e we must eliminate warfare, which is harmful begin at 7 pm . Special features include a General Membership of to all living things ." blessing written for Audrey by author Jac k the Women's INFO Center Audrey says "Many people of peace hav e Manno, and music by a Community Choi r Wed., November 11, 7pm been persecuted through the centuries. I be- ensemble . Reservations are 535-S55 sliding lieve that the time of persecution has passed ." scale and must be received by November 11 . at INFO, 601 Allen St., Peacemakers are being heard whether theirs is Call 478-7442 for more details . (315) 478-463 6

Community Update 11/92 Peace Newsletter 13

EGe4 4 Full Cooperatives Reuniting Production and Consumption

Howie Hawkins public subsidies for private economic infra - socialism . What Marx and Engels lost in dis- structure, and a dearth of public goods . missing the utopian socialists is that a move- Worker and consumer cooperatives were ment for social change needs to prefigure th e a response to the break down of the direct link s social relations of the future in the practices of between production and consumption that were the present. N PREVIOUS ARTICLES, I have dis- produced by the progressive expansion o f Marx and Engels' state socialism, Buber cussed the advantages of consumer an d notes, contains a fatal contradiction . How, I worker cooperatives over capitalist enter- market relations during the Middle Ages . To end the antagonisms, domination, and socia l asks Buber, can the spontaneity, free associa- prises . n Consumer cooperatives organize purchas - and ecological ills that a market econom y tion, and direct-democratic participation i inevitably produces, workers and consumer s social decisions so indispensable to the fulfill- ing power so that middleperson and retai l profits stay with the consumers instead of need to be reunited at the community level . At ment of the socialist ideal emerge from th e community level, the economy is more trans - state? The state institutionalizes a separation draining out of the community . Worker cooperatives end the exploitation of labor by capi - parent, the scale is more human, and therefore of the people from the decision-making clas s the community level is more amenable t o of professional politicians and bureaucrat s tal so that surpluses stay with the workers in . This professional po- the community instead of draining out of th e democratic creation of a rational, efficient , that populates the state community to absentee owners . and cooperative economic plan . litical class has an interest in maintaining it s In cooperative communities, productio n power over society. Consumer and worker cooperatives thu s end exploitation within , each firm . The sur- would he for use by the community, not for a The idea that the state will "wither away" profit realized in the anonymous market . The once private ownership of the economy has pluses created by each cooperative accrue t o s - the cooperators who patronize and work in the limits of worker and consumer cooperative been eliminated is naive . State capitalists sim co-ops instead of to a small property-ownin g and the ideal of cooperative communities has ply replace private capitalists, and ordinar y been explored by Mar- working people are still exploited by a rulin g elite. But consumer and tin Buber in his Paths class . The oppressive legacy of East European . Buber statism calling itself socialism demonstrate s worker cooperative s in Utopia alone, competing in a The idea that called these coopera- that state socialism is a contradiction in terms . tive communities "ful l "People say," writes Bubcr, "that Social - market economy, do not resolve the problem of the the state wil l cooperatives ." ism is the passing of control of the means o f production out of the hands of the entrepre- exploitation of weaker firms by stronger ones . "wither away Utopian Social- neurs into the hands of the collectivity; but again, it all depends on what you mean by Market relations between ism once private `collectivity.' If it is what we generally call th firms, even if they are co- Buber's Paths in e `state,' that is to say, an institution in which a operatives, inevitably cre- ownership of Utopia (1949) is an ates a mercenary spirit of attempt to recover the virtually unorganized mass allows its affairs to be conducted by `representation,' as they competition along with the economy relevancy of the uto- the drive to dominate pian and libertarian call it, then the chief change in a socialis t society will be this : that the workers will feel market competitors . Ev- has been elimi- currents of socialism. ery firm in the market has It reviews the ideas o f themselves represented by the holders of power. But what is representation? ....the more the incentive to take ad- nated is naive. thecarly socialists like vantage of others because Saint-Simon, Fourier , a human group lets itself be represented in the management of its common affairs, and th in the market everyone and Owen, who wer e e must buy cheap and sell dear to survive . criticized by Marx and Engels in The Commu- more it lets itself be represented from QJtside, the less community life there is in it and th e Nor does an economy of worker an d nist Manifesto as "utopian socialists" who did consumer co-ops resolve the endemic prob- not "scientifically" attach their ideals to a more impoverished it becomes as a commu- lems of market economies ; the volatility of social force capable of bringing about socia l nity . For community ...declares itself prima- market imbalances that produce cyclical un- transformation . For Marx and Engels, thi s rily in the common and active management o f employment, unused capacity, and general force was the workers who would be driven b y what it has in common, and without this it waste; the vast income disparities that leave s circumstance as capitalism developed to tur n cannot exist ." the wealthy's needs met and the poor's need s against the system . wanting; and the incentive for firms to exter - Buber has some quibbles with this criti - Renewing Society's "Cell-Tissue " nalize costs onto society and the environmen t cism of the early utopian socialists, but for our What state socialism misses, according that result in pollution, resource depletion, purposes, we need to focus on a key insight he to Buber, is the question of the social units a t has in criticism of Marx and Engels' state the base of society that will serve of the cells

14 Peace Newsletter 11/92 of anew society. Rather than top-down chang e effective in degrading face-to-face associa- organization of produc- imposed by the state, Buber projects an or- tions of people into an atomized mass, th e tion, which in turn was ganic restructuring of society from below : "a anonymous clientele of the faceless bureau- but a step toward the renewal of society through a renewal of it s cracy. union of production and cell-tissue." Capitalism destroys the face-to - The relevance of the utopian socialists , consumption in a coop - face sinews of cooperative relationship as i t Buber argues, is their projection of local socia l erative community . The final step was th e extends market relationships to every sphere units based on an "organic alliance of produc- federation of cooperative communities in or - of social life. tion and consumption in a comprehensiv e der to create a socialist society through the "When we examine the capitalist soci- communal form." The foundation of social - creation of socialist communities, the cell - ety," writes Buber, "we see that it is a society ism will be created, Buber contends, throug h units of socialism that would continually ex- inherently poor in structure ....By the structure the organic-federative growth of cooperativ e pand and federate . of a society is to be understood its socia l communities. These early experiments failed in the content or community-content : a society can Here Buber draws on the anarchist-feder- final step . Most of the communal experiment s be called structurally rich to the extent that i t alist tradition of libertarian socialism as op- were successful economically, but they faile d is built up of genuine societies, that is loca l posed to the centralist-statist tradition o f to federate into an oppositional movemen t communes and trade communes and their step Marxian socialism . He reviews the ideas of that could challenge the prevailing capitalis t by step association . What Gierkc says of th e the anarchists : Prodhoun on confcderalism a s order. As isolated cooperative islands in a sea Cooperative Movement in the Middle Ages i s the alternative to statism, Kropotkin on "th e of expanding capitalist competition, they were true of every structurally rich society: it is alliance of intensive agriculture with decen - gradually reincorporated into the capitalis t `marked by a tendency to expand and extend tralized industry" in agro-industrial commu - system . the unions, to produce larger associations ove r nities with a measure of self-sufficiency, and Meanwhile, socialism under Marx's in- and above the smaller associations, confed- Landauer on the need to prepare the ground fo r fluence focused strategically on organizing at erations over and above individual unions, all- revolution with cooperative experiments tha t the point of production and seeking state power . embracing confederations over and abov e prefigure the new society and develop people' s The cooperative movement settled for the particular confederations.' At whatever poin t capacity for self-government. lesser goal of the making individual consumer we examine the struc- and worker co-ops survive in a capitalis t ture of such a societ y Full Coopera- economy . But in settling for the lesser goal , we find the cell-tissue BUSINESS tion they abandoned the goal of replacing capital - `Society' everywhere , LOOKS FOR The origina l ism with a cooperative society . i.e., a living and life- BIG WAR modern cooperatives Worker co-ops that survived isolated in a giving collaboration, an PROFIT in Europe and North capitalist economy were seized by the spirit o f essentially autonomou s America that were capitalism and ruthlessly exploited every op- consociation of human founded by utopian portunity in beggar-thy-neighbor competitio n beings, shaping and re- socialists in the just like any capitalist firm . shaping itself from 1820s and 1830 s Consumer co-ops that "thrived" in th e within. Society is natu- were far more vision- capitalist economy (as in Scandinavia and i n rally composed not of ary t han cooperatives the U.S. farm economy) grew not by the con - disparate individual s today. The plan was federation of participatory units, but by be - but of associative unit s to start with a con- coming bureaucratic organs of passive mem- and the associations sumer cooperative . bership for hundreds of thousands of faceles s between them . Under But rather than use consumers. Today they function much like capitalist economy and the State peculiar to i t cooperative purchasing to save money fo r any corporate wholesaler or retailer in th e the constitution of society was continuall y each household, the households in the coop - market. being hollowed out, so that the modern indi - erative would pool the savings achieved This kind of cooperative movement pose s vidualizing process finished up as a process o f through cooperation . The goal was to save no threat to the social atomization, inequality , atomization." until the consumer cooperative was able pur - and other social and ecological wrongs that I would only add here that it is not onl y chase land and machinery and establish a capitalism fosters . Consumer co-ops and "the State peculiar to [capitalism]," but th e Cooperative Community based on a balance d worker co-ops combine people only aroun d state as such that hollows out the grassroots mix of agriculture and manufacture to mee t limited interests that are often competitive participatory structures of society, leaving an the community's own consumption needs . with each other in the market . If they do no t atomized mass . The market degrades ethica l This was the union of production and con- cooperate with each other with the goal o f human relations based on mutual aid with sumption in a humanly-scaled community for creating confederations of full cooperatives , amoral money relations based on atomized which Buber coined the term "Full Coopera- they are not suited to be cell-units of a ne w competition . But the state bureaucracy re- tive." places mutual aid with hierarchical command The cooperative organization of consump- and obedience relationships that are just as tion was but a step toward the cooperative Consumption Con't on pg.2 1

11/92 Peace Newsletter 15

Hope in a Time of Mournin g Fasting and Reflection: Bringing the Third World Home Bruce Friedrich fasting seems never to have been questione d ments equal to three times total internationa l in Church history . In the Bishop's Peace Pas - aid in 1987) ! toral in 1983, the U .S. Bishops call fora Frida y Our blindness to government duplicity is fast-day for peace . Carl-Kabat-House in Ger- adduced by a recent two-part article in th e many requests that people fast for a Nuclea r Washington Post on the situation in Somali a Test ban on whatever days they feel are sig- (10- I l August 1992) . It mentions in passing a t RECENTLY COMPLETED a twenty - nificant . For me the period between the "Trin - the end of the first article that Somalia plant s five day water fast: I fasted as a personal ity" test (heretical name of the first Nuclear abundant crops (guarded by the army), and i n I repentance for my part in the sins of the test: July 16, 1945) and first bomb-drops (fro m passing at the end of the second article that th e Nuclear nightmare . From six in the mornin g a base code-named "Papacy") required littl e United States at one time built a huge army until six at night during the weekdays (seven - thought: our Catholic-worker house had al - base and airport there (to fend off the commu - teen days) of the fast, I sat in front of the ready chosen those days for our daily vigil s nists in Ethiopia), both now abandoned . The Department Of Energy (the branch of ou r two-years running . articles neglect any analysis of where th e government which oversees Nuclear Weap- On a more practical level, fasting repre- crops go or what it means to export more than ons research, development, and testing) with a sents apersonal repentance for my complicit y their land can sustain (much for our livestock sign. I prayed, thought, talked, handed out a in this society . The U .S . represents 4 .7 percent to sustain our meat/dairy-eating needs) at arti - few thousand leaflets, and attempted to figure of the world consuming over 50 percent of the ficially low world prices, while their peopl e out exactly what it means to me to live in a resources; presently, 700 million people in th e starve and our own grain rots in warehouses . country which possesses and tests Nuclear world do not get enough food to lead an activ e The Nuclear depravity is part of ou r Weapons. , and healthy life ; over twenty million peopl e government's world socio-economic policy. The practical aspects of owning Nuclear starve to death each year . We convince our- The weapons are the culture's trump-card in Weapons give one quite a bit to ponder (poi - selves that this disparity is either beyond our enforcing our policy and feeling secure in our soning the Earth, proliferation, violation o f control or (worse!) normal . Yet it is a situation hegemony, and we have deployed them a t Native land rights, idolatry, moral degenera - actively enforced by our government which is least thirty-three times between 1945 and 1976. tion, etc.), but I will start from the assumptio n anet debtor with many of the poorest countries Indeed, anyone who doubts our willing- that my "audience" sees Nuclear Weapons a s in the world . Furthermore, most imports fro m ness to use Nuclear Weapons should simpl y bad, in order to discuss a few personal issue s the Third World go exclusively to pay off pas t look at recent budgets, which allocate hun- which strike me as less-addressed within the debts (in the 1980s, Third-World debt pay- dreds of millions of dollars to maintain a flee t peace movement : personal repentance and the ments quadrupled, with third-world debt pay - of eighteen specially shielded planes within a Biblical call to hope . hour of the President and his staff. Every- I decided to fast fo r where the President goes, he is accompanied an array of reasons, but the by secret service agent carrying a briefcas e central reason was the bib - called the "football" (it is all a game!), in lical history of prayer and which are the codes to authorize Nuclear fasting as the key symbo l War. Strategic Air Command issues simu- of total dependance on lated attack descriptions and retaliation ap- God: Moses received the proval codes roughly 25 times each month commandments during a (oops, they say : boom) . Where does all this fast; Elijah and Jesus initi - confidential info come from? Washingto n ated their ministries with Post: July 21, 1991 . fasts; the mission to the I feel a deeper commitment to look at my Gentiles began after fast- consumption choices . As example: what does ing and prayer on the par t it mean to me to drink a coke in a'country of the apostles; Jesus tells which, according to "The Other Side," con- us in Mark's Gospel that sumes 47 gallons of soda for every 37 gallon s some evil spirits can be of water (while more than half of the world cast out only by fasting . cannot even obtain disease-free water)? Wha t The history of fastin g does is mean that every twelve ounces of beer is strong in all the spiritual I drink puts six cents in the U .S. Treasury, traditions, and it continue s three of which goes to the Department o f to this day. All the deser t Defense? What does it mean to support my fathers promote fasting, coffee, sugar, fruit habits, in the light of and the spiritual fruit of "In case of emergency, repeat after me : Our father .. .. " massive collusion between the USDA and

ANS/LNS

16 Peace Newsletter 11/92

Corporate America to A personal note : The other day, a twenty - oppress the workers three year old woman was beaten and robbed in these fields with in front of our house. This was the twenty- particula r forth day of my fast, and I found mysel f vileness? What staying up listening to the police question her does it mean to and one of our guests (Brenda) as to particu- note the energy lars until 2am. and resources in- A few weeks ago, a high speed chas e tensiveness o f ended behind out house with the police beat - driving a car ing on a fellow with their sticks while w e (while 700 mil - watched and pleaded that they desist (again , lion of the word Brenda on the scene with me walking up just walks) or consum- after). The last few nights have been punctu- ing in a country in- ated by gunshots, with the seemingly unre- creasingly reliant o n lenting sirens . To say I am ready to be out of Nuclear Power and exploit- this city for a while would understate m y ing the earth to sustain our en- E~. con - longing for a respite from the chaos . Yet in ergy needs? What does it mcan to ? suming , general I embrace the chaos as opportunity : watch TV news, read the Post, or attend not achiev- opportunity to know the violence and evil that a movie when "ten business and financial ing, not accom- the structures of society enforce even on thos e corporations control the entire system of 6 2 plishing-- simply praying, being, waiting ; and within this society. My understanding of th e radio stations, 20 recording companies, 5 9 I have faith that thus is success : that the truth evil we enforce on the Third World (although magazines including "Time" an d will liberate and (as Dan expresses it .) "this far short of the true root meaning of compas - "Newsweek," 58 Newspapers including th e Lazarus world, seemingly dead, will be re- sion, "to suffer with") through Nuclear hege- "big four," 41 book publishers, and variou s trieved ." Empires have fallen ; and throughout mony perhaps profits from such experience . motion picture companies like Columbia and this time faithful people have attempted t o By the way, I have committed myself to water - 20th Century Fox . Three-quarters of the majo r offer alternatives . Our little lives, often seem- fast on Friday's when I am not involved in stockholders at ABC, CBS, and NBC are ing to move us sideways or backwards, matter other active methods of resistance; anyone banks... . (Parenti, Inventing Reality)? I feel a immeasurably, and our day-to-day choices to else? deeper commitment to analyze my consump - stand with the oppressed are our success and 1► tion choices and attempt to minimize the con - our joy. It look twenty-five days of sitting in Bruce is a member of the Dorothy Day sumer-interest in my life. Simplicity and as- waiting to realize that in the sitting is th e House, a Catholic Worker community in ceticism become ways of resistance, very sac - success--in the means is the ends : in each of u s Washington DC . He is currently serving a year in prison for refusing his probatio n rificial methods of bearing the cross of Jesu s is the hope . The time was indeed well spent . requirements after a Columbus Day actio n in day-to-day life, reminding ourselves tha t Alleluia. last year. are called to proclaim Christ's Kingdom . This fast has deepened within me thi s ------spirituality of hope (despite—because oil-- my heightened awareness of the atomic cul- Pe4a ture) by increasing my understanding tha t 4 T4 924 Burnet Ave., Syracuse, NY, 13203 (315)472-5478 God is omnipresent and my dependence o n q God is total. Dan Berrigan says in his autobi - -YES! I want to pledge $ a month, or $ a quarter to ography that the goal "is to conduct one's life the Syracuse Peace Council. as if something good were possible ." I fasted q -YES! I want to contribute $100, $50, $25, $Other, to the for my part in a culture which is celebratin g Syracuse Peace Counci l q •YES! I want to subscribe to the Peace Newsletter for $1 2 500 years of exploitation on this continent, a annually cultured whose hubris culminates in the tota l ▪ -YES! I support the SPC Statement of Purpose and conside r moral reprobation of the bomb and our will - myself a membe r ingness to use it . I meet my imperfections, my •YES! I want to volunteer at the Syracuse Peace Council weaknesses, my inability to give up, to empty , q and I attempt to be honest, a truly counter- NAME culture step in this myopic world of images ADDRESS and deceit. For twenty-five days, I broke many CITY, STATE, ZIP of the bonds of the culture, especially th e psychological bonds which stress consump - PHONE tion and achievement: I sat on a bench, not t

11/92 Peace Newsletter 17

MAL #40

On The Creation of t77t was eevlee wko told me Tke pi ov' blal finch Hall 111 the coffin, ske sai Patriarchy We nee SC'p'ceafed, veile d

Mervyn Adrian Joseph Women, depending on Aloe •ied women, vii c~i11 do .i kte s class and social status, 01\ the one side . span a lifetime as objects of history, whil e \'Vkoees cold slows on tke otlle e men, as writers, are sub- ERDA LERNER'S The Creation of Pa- jects and benefactors o f Tike wedge, tkotiscnd of Years Old . triarchyidentifies history as the recorded the history they produce. NO one qUe Sfioi\s if any IOY\geI' q events of men, not men and women : According to Lcrncr, "What women have done and experienced has since 1250 B .C ., women T Ycid itiof\ca l been unrecorded, neglected and ignored i n were shifted from the Nctl~YCl interpretation" (p.4) . Why? center to the edge of his- C {od-C rdalfled . The source of the one-sided recordings i s tory . This was done i n the authors—men . As a story has a way o f the law and through cul- leaving its imprint on its listener, men have ture by developing the '\'omeIA-6oXed, C.oYY mothfie Li / owY\ed used history, the recorded events of humanity, roles women played, and by 1250 Y .C. it 's c done deal

to promote their own story . Men have writte n because of' this shift , We Ci SIeY\C'd, Sealed his story and have written themselves the best women were also dis- deliVeeed . parts, played the leading role and held th e placed as co-creators o f spotlight for so long that, uncovering women' s society. history is more difficult than an archeological This complex , -Jvliclle I le l3 eisson dig. thought-provoking an d It has taken Lerner twenty-five years of pioneering attempt to return women as social Western culture, such critiques have been study, teaching and research to acquire the creators, is accessible because Lcrncr reveals , missing the historical detail to give them cred - knowledge necessary to write this volume . step by step, the process by which women ibility . Her knowledge of history and her use o f have been displaced. She also reveals, as par t The patience with which Lerner builds Mesopotamian law, the Bible, and the wealth of this process, her thesis : "I begin with the her arguments, as well as the solid historical of scholarship in the social sciences aids her i n conviction, shared by most feminist thinkers , evidence she gives her reader show grea t her quest to show that "like men, women hav e that patriarchy as a system is historical : it has intellectual rigor . The historical detail of always been a part of shaping and developin g beginnings in history . If that is so, it can h e Lerner's writing is powerfully liberating and society; uncovering women's history requires ended by historical process" (p.6). practical in that it serves to educate its reader intimate knowledge of his story and also re- Lerner uses the chapter titled "Defini- to the significance of women and, more im- quires the ability to critique what one has been tions" to allow the reader access to her mean- portantly, serves to give value to the role taught as fact, realizing that `the facts' ar e ing as she critiques his story in order to de- women play in shaping society . With the bal- influenced by male perception of reality." velop an understanding of women's historica l ance between her story and history in the In facing the challenge of uncoverin g reality: "In understanding this work I am par t process of being achieved, Lerner refocuse s women's history, Lerner has labelled the ten- of a group effort by feminist thinkers in a the spotlight on the historical stage and re- sion to claim a space for her half of humanit y variety of disciplines to rectify the neglect o f veals a complex picture, though one that stil l "the dialectic of women's history" (p .5) and women as subject of discourse and their ex- needs to be developed to include race . But The has, with care and precision, dedicated thi s clusion as participants in the formation of Creation of Patriarchy has, along with other volume to placing women at the center of the systems of ideas" (p.321). Lerner's defini- works by women and people of color, begun to dialogue with humanity's past . tions, when combined with her knowledg e widen the focus of that spotlight-in Western Lerner begins, like most historians, wit h and critique of history as well as understand- culture from the few to the many . the assumption that " . .. men and women are' ing herself as part of a community of women , Lerner, Gerda . The Creation of Patriar- biologically different, .. . the values and impli- reveal that " ... inequality among men and chy, Oxford University Press,1986 .243page, cations based on that difference are the resul t women was built. ..into the language, thought, 318 including notes . Available at the Front of culture" (p .6) . The Creation of Patriarchy and philosophy of Western civilization," an d Room Bookstore ofthe Syracuse Peace Coun- looks at the process by which History has been how "gender itself becomes a metaphor defin- cil. made his story : "Although questions of 'ori- ing power relations in such a way as to mystif y gin' initially interested me,-I soon realized tha t inequality and render this inequality in lan- Mervyn Adrian Joseph is an Oswego they were less significant that questions abou t guage, thought and culture invisible" (p.211) . Graduate currently employed as a Chil d historical process by which patriarchy be- While this explanation for woman's role in Care Worker at the ElmCrest Children' s comes established and institutionalized" (p .7) . society has been present in feminist critique of Center.

18 Peace Newsletter 11/92 Costa Rican Consortiu m Break from Banana Big Boy s Tony Avirgan Participants in the ne w consortium say their structure will eliminate the need for the transnationals and provid e greater revenues for the growers, shippers and retailers . GROUP OF COSTA RICAN banana The new consort ium hopes to gain growers is planning to use the wreckag e control of Del Monte Fresh Fruit, whic h A of Del Monte, whose parent compan y owns 100% of the Costa Rican Banan a Polypeck is currently under the control of a Development Company (BAND EC()) . British bankruptcy court, to build a new sys- BANDECO controls 10,000 of th e tem of banana marketing that will bypass th e 32,000 hectares currently under ba- powerful transnational corporations such a s nana production in Costa Rico . Chiquita, Geest and United Fruit . The Italian groupORZERO is als o A consortium of banana farmers has qui- vying for control of Del Monte, but th e etly moved to secure the financial cooperatio n Costa Ricans believe they are offerin g of major shipping company and supermarke t a different scheme, which should h e chains in Germany, Austria, Holland, Bel- attractive to the court . Sources involved say expansion of a banana plantation . Geest offi- gium, Italy and Switzerland . No move has yet the new consortium is prepared to pay $150 to cials claim they were issued permits to clea r been made to involve retailers in the U .K. $200 million for Del Monte Fresh Fruit if th e the land by local forestry officials . where the banana market is under light contro l bankruptcy c urt agrees . The Costa Rican growers involved in the of Geest, Fyffes and Jamaica Produce, or i n The Costa Ricans say officials o f new consortium claim to he more environ- the U.S. where transnationals are very strong . ORZERO and Del ; Monte held secret talks in mentally responsible than the TNCs . They say Under the new arrangement, the growers , Boca Raton, Florida during the first week o f they are committed not to expand into rai n shippers and retailers will be partners in a July. forests and will use biodegradable sisal twin e marketing system that will guarantee retailers Costa Ricans plan to launch their scheme to tie banana trees rather than the plastic twin e a fixed price and all three partners marke t in the next few months with initial productio n currently used . profits participation . Under the current sys- of 120,000 boxes, or one small shipload , Members of the new consortium, which tem, transnational corporations control th e weekly . Each box weighs 40 pounds . has not yet been named or announced, sa y banana trade and negotiate prices based o n BANDECO currently produces 500,000 they are challenging the distribution syste m supply and demand up to the time of deliver y boxes a week, all of which will fall to the ne w now because the banana TNCs have becom e at European and U .S . ports. consortium should they succeed in convinc- too greedy . For example, they point to th e ing the British Court to grant them control of moving of the TNCs into the shipping busi- Del Monte Fresh Fruit . ness . Ships owned by Chiquita and Dole are • Efficient Bananas are a boom business in Costa advertising cheap freight rates for their nor- • Experienced Rica qualitythis year will export 90,000,00 0 mally empty leg back to Costa Rica. This has boxes. Only Ecuador has a reputation for lo w angered shipping companies, some of who m • Professional quality, and annual production there is fallin g are eager to strike back by participating in th e Clean GtitteNs while production in Costa Rico is rapidly banana business under the new marketing rising . scheme. & Downs points Unlike Ecuador, Costa Rican grower s produce bananas on large plantations and hav e Tony is the editor for Mesoamerica, th e Cleaning • Repairs an annual yield of 3,000 boxes per hectare . publication from which this article was Preventive Maintenance Ecuador's small farms have a yield of 1,00 0 reprinted. Tony was an activst living i n Syracuse during the Vietnam era . boxes per hectare . The expansion of large Article reprinted from MESOAMERICA , 445-923 2 plantations in Costa Rica and the resultan t the monthly publication of the Institute fo r destruction of rain forests as well as the larg e Central American Studies, Apdo . 300-1002, San Jose, Costa Rica . Subscriptions are Many thanks to amounts of chemicals used to produce large , high-quality yields have alarmed environmen - $39.50 for individuals and $28 .50 for seniors Clean Gutters & Downspouts and students . for cleaning,.maintaining talists. Check out the Front-Roo m and repairing SPC's gutters Local officials of the British compan y Geest are currently facing charges for destruc- Bookstore's new selection of tion of 400 hectares of protected rain forest for periodicals and books at the Syracuse Real Food Coop !

11/92 Peace Newsletter 19 Deborah J. Welsh, Ed.D, ADTR ARE YOU WATCHING YOU R 1(cgsteterf Dunes/At(JVement 'fterapis t FINANCES WISELY ?

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egl A Socially Responsible Financial Services Cooperative 618 Kensington Road * Syracuse * 13210 * Accounts : 471-1116 * Loans: 476-5290 Since 1982

20 Peace Newsletter 11/92

Consumption can't fro m ti#4444*‘44 pg, l 5 Housemate wanted: if you want to Good Woman will do part-time society. They are nothing more than palliative s share a semi-cooperative, vegetarian , housekeeping work for older person . in a capitalist society. cat-loving apartment for only $175/ Live-in or live-out . Writebriefly to PO In reviewing this history of cooperative month on S . Beech (near Westcott ) Box885, E. Syracuse, NY with details . experiments, Buber comes back to the tw o call 423-4429. Available in January great principles of utopian and libertarian so- Struggling Newsletter looking for cialism that can guard against capitalist co - Will Type term papers or anything , interested people to populate small optation of the cooperative movement: the $2/page . Call Susan Ashley, 446- meetings, gather or write stories, or uniting of consumption and production in Full 2429, 8 :OOam-6:OOpm. Quality ser- work on graphics, layout and proof- Cooperatives and the Confederation of full vice at reasonable rates . ing. Offer experience with top-line cooperatives into a socialist counter-societ y computer equipment . No experienc e alongside capitalism and the state that ca n necessary. Diverse and open-minde d grow and eventually replace them. persons preferred . Call or stop by the However, it would he naive to think tha t Syracuse Peace Council, 472-5478 . the capitalists and state-managers will sit idl y repression of their cooperative movement, a PNL meetings held at 7pm Wed nights by while people resign from their old institu - cooperative movement today must also have a at 924 Burnet. tions to new cooperative ones . When the popu- political approach to defend and extend it s list movement of the late nineteenth centur y democratic cooperative economic sector . The started to do so, the robber barons and govern - political approach that complements a move- Needed! ment regulators tried to crush them . At som e ment for economic cooperation will be th e One working refrigerator to point as a cooperative movement grows, i t subject of my next article . replace one that doesn't, will begin to encroach on the powers-that-h e and a confrontation will occur. That mean s Howie is the director of Common works , at the Peace Council . that, like the populists who were (breed to a confederation of cooperatives, & the Economic Alternatives Project of the Upper Don't Let Peace Sour! form the People's Party when faced with the NYS AFSC. Act today.

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11/92 Peace Newsletter 2 1

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22 Peace Newsletter I1/92

SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 Z "Out of Bounds-A Lesson peace 1st & 3rd Thursdays : Gay & - roy Fair, cooperative and r Every Wed : PNL committee Lesbian Alliance meets at in Free-Trade" w/Ros a alternative toys and games, May Galicia, Guatemalan labor memorial, 381IO E. Genesee, noon-4 -Mexican Perspective on the 500 1 r meets at 924 Burnet Ave . New Trinity Parish House, 523 W leader working in maquila years controversy' w/ Dr. Jesus t members always welcome . 472- Onondaga. 7:30pm. industry. Sponsored by Tapia . Schine 304A, Syracus e Every Toss : Support &Self - 5478. 7pm. Syracuse Peace Council . Nov. 6-8: New Environment University . 7pm . Receptio n Education Group for Parents & Taste of the Arts presents David Dinner/talk . 7pm . St. Association Fall Retreat . At follows . Eve ry wed: Military and Draft Friends of Gay People meets at Counseling at Syracuse Peac Nelson, classical & jazz pianist . Vincent 's, Vine S . 472-547 8 Vanderkamp, Cleveland, NY . Plymouth Church, 232 E. e Plymouth Congregational for more into. Theme : Envisioning a New Onondaga St . 7:30pm . 474- Council . Noon- 3pm, Call Marge Church, 232 E . Onondaga St. Environment . Call 446-8009 for 472-5478 . . Free Gay Men's Support Grou p 4836. 12:15-1pm . meeting, Call 422-5732 for into . nfo. 9 People For Animal Rights 8 Public Meeting, Comm . 1 0 1 12 13 1 4 Lbary Assoc. i n mail, Every There Syracuse Greens NOW CNY Chapter mtg a t "Cohn didn't discover us" AIDS service provider group. Every Sunday. Pao PPeople's 60 Shopingtown 6 .45-8pm, movie about a group of 12:15-1:15pm . Bring lunch, 627 Minutes . Adelphi Cable Ch. 7, call 676-5120 or 475-006 2 meet at Southwest Community Marine Midland Bank, 360 S Lesbian Lounge Lizards in "The impacts and influences o f Center. 7P m. Warren, Syracuse . call 455- aboriginal people from W Genesee St . 475-2430. 8pm . Produced by Syracus e 7866. 7pm. Guatemala. Syracuse University , concert. Benefit for Lesbian/ Peace Council . the arrival of Europeans i n 7pm . Call SPC 472-5478 fo r Gay Youth Program of CNY . America" w/Prof . Luis Agrait (U . "Deathsongs" a play where place. May Memorial, 3800 E . of Puerto Rico). Schine 304A , Columbus has a conversation w/ Taste of the Arts presents Genesee St. 8pm . $10. 476- Syracuse U. 7pm. Reception Anacaona. Underground, Schine Video 'Beyond Vietnam, Lesson s Unlearned" At Academic Bldg North water. old Timey & Blu e 5833. follows. Student Center, SU. 8pm . A245, Onon. Community College. Grass music. Plymout h Every Mon : Lesbian & Ga y 11am . Spons . by Veterans for Congregational Church, 232 E . Youth Support group . 6-8pm . Onondaga St . 12:15-1 pm . Free. 443-3599 for info . Peace. 474-3762. Amnesty Intern lna! ?meeting at Mundy Branch 15 1 6 1 ibrary, 1204 S. Geddes S t 1 8 1 9 20 21 Black Eagle rrativ : The Community Lecture 'How 7pm . 422-3890. Every 1st & 3rd Mon: How the Syr . City Fathers Facepaint Narratives" w; Eli to Survive Sexual Abuse" " w 1 Syracuse Real Food Coo p Under-developed hie Inner Thomas, Native American artist Alan Andrews . Sports by J Council meets. 5:30pm . City, Spons . by the Syracus e at Books Sandwiched In, Curti n Catholic Charities . 1654 W. Greens, Grace Epis., 81 9 Auditorium, Galleries Central Onondaga St . 7-8pm . 424-1849. Madison. 7pm, 428 1743 Library . 12 :15-12 :50pm . Free . d Homegrown Reading Series w7 Taste Qt the Arts presents Bells "African Traditions in Lati n local author Elizabeth Mackey , & Motley, traditional & earl y America" Schine 304^, Syracuse French 6 Celtic folk music . r Jj Andrea Abbott. & Jame s NAACP general mtg. 7pm. cal U . Calf SPC 472-5478 for time . t Vermeulen . At Curtin Auditorium NAACP Office, 1125 S Salina . Ymouth congrega ti onal } r in Galleries Library. 7pm . 472- 422-6933. Church, 232 E . Onondaga St. 0400. 12.1 5 1 pm . Free . 22 23 24 25 26 2? 28 New Environment Associatio n Every Mon : ACT-UP mtg . 601 Syracuse Covenant Sanctuary General Mg and Potluck Allen St . (Women's INF at May Memorial, 3800 E Vigil Against the Death Penalt y O Genesee St . 7pm. Call Shirley Supper . Friends Mg House, center). 7:30pm . 425. 0673. at Columbus Circle, downtown 821 Euclid Ave. Topic 'Living in 446-6099 . Syracuse, noon . Pat 469-3788 . Community' . 6pm. 475-4188. / Every Thursday: "Evenin g Every Sunday : Support group .. Arabesque" Arabic television wr for former and current mental *1/ news & entertainment .5 :30pm . ' patients . Spons . by Alliance. r f Adelphi Cable Channel 7 . Plymouth Church . 3-5pm . Pegg y ' Anne 475-4120 . 'y Every 7hurs : Alternativ e 2 31 `Every Wed. Syracuse Cam- Orange mtg . Rm 130, Schin e mun itY Choir rehearsal . At Student Center SU) . 5 :30 Pm Every Tins:Women's sPPu on Its Peace Group, for Blade Women Only . E COH comers of Wescott 8 475-4898 tafor info. b2South • v~ Wti h h Ave . 6-7 m . Marilyn 476-9017 . 730Pm Call Karen 428-8724 fo r America Vigil, Fed bldg. .{ i food! Help 9 e et t PNL info. ' 1 out . 5-7 :30pm . A AllI welcome . 7:30p m 472-5478 . Every Tuesday; Gay, Lesbian EveEvery Sunday : Volunteer Bisexual Student Assoc . soctal . Every Wad Alliance m ember- Every Thursday: AIDS Support ship meeting. ll welcome. At needed d Eve Mon:'A 8:30 Pm-mid 750 Ost ru m Ave. Group for friends and family of U Kitchen . 1 ~.3 0 Pm Ca lI ry t Home with a ECOH 2nd 11 . crnrs of Westo 0 tt people1a w/ AIDS HIV-AIDS Task s:- Ann att a75-6761 . storytelling, poetry, myths . 8 Euclid. 2pm - callca 475-4120 1or Force of CNY 7pm . 627 W. Adelphi Cable Ch . Y . 1 0Pm . info. Genesee St .475-2430.

Collect a little piece of history... A Peace Council Exclusive! Quincentenial Special Cancellation Stamp s (no joke!)

One of Fiv e Special Issu e Columbus Stamp s

Columbu s Quincentennial Station October 10, 1992 Syracuse, New York 13202

Actual Commemorative US Postal Cancellatio n

POWER Syracuse Peace Council. Celebrating the Columbus Legacy Educating, Agitating,'and Organizing since 1936 So we know this seems weird but it seemed too silly to pass up . In other words, this is an actual ad , for an actual SPC Fundraiser : Each cancelled envelope (with on e Custom Designed Envelope of five Columbus stamps) is $2 + $ .50 printed in "fast violet" ink for postage and handling . Collect all four for $7 + $ .50! (the fifth stamp is not part of the original four ) Send orders to the SPC, or find them at the Front Room Bookstore & the Plowshares Craftsfai r For the Activist Stamp Collector (we know you're out there)

BULK RATE Pella e c U.S. POSTAGE 924 Burnet Ave . Syracuse, NY 13203 PAID (315) 472-5478 SYMMS% N.Y. PermitNa 2380

e4 e~ Pic/4e 544(444.

Educate, Agitate, Organize