Eastern Illinois University The Keep
The Post Amerikan (1972-2004) The Post Amerikan Project
8-1-1997
Volume 26, Number 4
Post Amerikan
Follow this and additional works at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/post_amerikan
Part of the Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Journalism Studies Commons, Publishing Commons, and the Social Influence and oliticalP Communication Commons
Recommended Citation Post Amerikan, "Volume 26, Number 4" (1997). The Post Amerikan (1972-2004). 210. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/post_amerikan/210
This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the The Post Amerikan Project at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Post Amerikan (1972-2004) by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. "Uranium should stay in the ground" Citizen Wayne & the Bio-Vamp ·. . .
BLOOMINGTON /NORMAL . NUMBHill4\H',f:l~ · · AUGUST/ SEPr.EMBER 1'997
}{o~'T t.A~1 Jo51 $ 9·~5 !I · f...ONGr f! 11-iA!S RLGH) (;E1YouR5 J"U5f S9.~ !! ~oDAY !!
(;ot..t.y[ I'M NoT 5uF$ E.xf.c:rLY WaAT -THoSE. ~RE ~
... 'Bur AT THAT ?RJC,E, Wf. Bt.T1tR BvY ,-wo!
~Ol ~911 'UOJ6u!WOOIB ZOL: I9 11 'uo,~u!woom 89~ 'ONJ!WJad ZS17£ xog iJ~!JJO lSOd P!Bd a61QSOd ·s·n ~OL ~9 11 'UOl6U!W0018 UP'f!JiJW\f lSOd 8JBt:llii"B . UO!PiJllO:) SSiJ.lpP\f U!BII'J 'N OOl 1 Alatoos IB~!JOlS!H ·oa uea1~1N ------BLOOMINGTON /NORMAL VOLUME 26 NUMBER4 AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997
In this Issue: Page 16--"Uranium should stay in the ground" Page 17--Citizen Wayne & the Bio Page 2--What you are lookin' at Page 10--Welcome to the Dollhouse Vamp & Lavenders cartoon Page 3--Community News; Letters review Pages 18-19--Seeing Red by Steve Page 4--McLean Co. AIDS Task Force Page 11--Execution of Innocence Eckardt Page 5--Mental Illness Awareness Page 12--Road trippin' readin'. Pages 20-21--Voice for Choice Pages 6-7--Poetry Pages Page 13--Eleanor Roosevelt Page 22--Labor News Page 8--Publication Denial Notice Page 14--3rd Encounters of the pig kind Page 24--Underground barfly Page 9--Notes from the Land of Anti- Page 15--World according to ~att Page 24--Lizard's ad fat
About us Post Sellers Good numbers The Post Amerikan is an independent Bloomington ACLU ...... 454-7223 Advocacy Council for Human Rights.830-2521 community newspaper providing informa AIDS Task Force, 313 N. Main (inside) AIDS Hotlines tion and analysis that is screened out of or About Books, 221 E. Front (inside) National...... 1-800-AID-AIDS down played by establishment news sources. Bakery Bane, 901 N. Main Illinois ...... 1-800-243-2437 We are a non-profit, worker-run collective ·Barnes & Noble, Veterans and Rt. 9 (inside) Local.: ...... : ...... 827-AIDS that exists as an alternative to the corporate Bus Depot, 533 N. East Circus Video, (Emerson and Main) Alcoholics Anonymous ...... 828-7092 media. Common Ground, 516 N. Main (inside) Animal Protection League ...... 828-5371 Front and Center Building Bloomington Housing Authority ...... 829-3360 We put out six issues a year. Staff members Gaston's Upper Cut, 409 N. Main (inside) Boys and Girls Club ...... 829-3034 take turns as "coordinator." All writing, Last Chance Newstand, 404 N. Main (inside) Clare House (Catholic workers) ...... 828-4035 typing, editing, graphics, photography, Law and Justice Center, 104 W, Front Countering Domestic Violence ...... 827-7070 pasteup, and distribution are done on a Lizard's Lounge, 612 N. Main St. Dept. of Children/Family Services .. :.828-0022 volunteer basis. You are invited to volunteer Medusa's, 420 N. Madison (inside) Gay & Lesbian Resource Phoneline .. .438-2429 your talents. Mystic Link, 1206 Towanda Ave. Su.4 (inside) Habitat for Humanity ...... 829-0693 Once Upon a Time, 311 N. Main (inside) HELP (transportation for senior Most of our material and inspiration for The Park Store, Wood and Allin (inside) citizens /handicapped) ...... 828-8301 material comes from the community. The Twin City Exchange, 411 N. Main (inside) Home Sweet Home Mission ...... 828-7356 Post Amerikan welcomes stories, graphics, U.S. Post Office, Center and Monroe IL Dept. of Public Aid ...... 827-4621 photos, letters, and new tips from our U.S. Post Office, 1511 E. Empire IL Lawyer Referral...... 1-800-252-8916 readers. If you'd like to join us, call828-4473 Wash House, 609 N. Clinton Incest Survivors Support Group ...... 827-5051 and leave a message on our answering Normal Lighthouse (substance abuse treatment) .....827-6026 machine. We will get back to you as soon Acme Comics, 115 W. North (inside) McLean Co. Center for Human Services ... 827-5351 as we can. Don't worry if it takes a while- Amtrak Station, 100 Parkinson McLean Co. Health Dept...... 888-5450 we don't meet every week. Babbitt's Books, 104 North (inside) Bus stop, (School and Fell) McLean Co. Humane Society ...... 663-7387 McLean Co. Peace Coalition ...... 828-7070 An alternative newspaper depends directly Coffee World CoffeeHouse, 114 E. Beaufort Mid Central Community Action ...... 829-0691 on a community of concerned people for Deadpan Alley Records, 129 E. Beaufort (inside) Mobile Meals ...... 828-8301 existence. We believe it is very important to Koffee Kup, 205 W. North Narcotics Anonymous ...... 1-800-779-6178 keep a newspaper like this around. If you Mother Murphy's,~1LNorth (inside) National Health Care Services/ think so too, then please support us by Champaign Babbitt's Books 614 E. Green inside abortion assistance ...... 1-800-322-1622 telling your friends about the paper, Occupational Development Center ... .452-7324 donating money to the printing of the paper, Operation Recycle ...... 829-0691 and telling our advertisers you saw their What's your Parents Anonymous ...... 827-4005 ad in Post Amerikan. PATH (Personal Assistance Telephone Help ).. 827-4005 new adcrress? Phone Friends ...... 827-4005 When you move, be sure to send us your new PFLAG(Parents, Families and Friends address so your subscription gets to you. of Lesbians and Gays) ...... 663-0831 Your Post Amerikan will not be forwarded (it's Planned Parenthood (medical) ...... 827-4014 like junk mail-no kidding!). Fill out this (bus/ couns/ edu) ...... 827-4368 Subscriptions to the Post Amerikan are handy form with your new address ap.d return Post Amerikan...... 828-4473 available for the low price of $6.00 per year for it to us, p_Q. Box 3452, Bloomington, IL 61702. Prarie State Legal Services ...... 827-5021 six complete issues. Name: ______Project Oz ...... 827-0377 Please send a check (made payable to the Post Rape Crisis Center ...... 827-4005 Amerikan) to: Post Amerikan, P.O. Box 3452 Street: ______Safe Harbor Mission(Salvation Army) .829-9476 Bloomington, IL 61702. City /State/Zip· ______Sunnyside Neighborhood Center ...... 827-5428 TeleCare (senior citizens) ...... 828-8301 This issue of Post Amerikan Unemployment comp/job service .....827-6237 Due Date: Voice for Choice ...... 828-3108 is brought to you by ... Western Ave. Community Center ...... 829-4807 The due date for submitting articles to the Youth Services of Mid IL...... 828-7346 Post Amerikan is: (please laser print your David, Gregg, Linda, Matt, articles in columns of 3" using Palatino 10pt. type if possible.) Ralph, Sherrin, Steve Sept. 15
PAGE2 POST AMERIKAN AUGUST/ SEPTEMBER 1997 Community News Letters
Dear Post Amerikan, Dear Post,
First of all, please let me thank you for your Sign me up for another year. Keep up the great coverage and contributions to the poetry scene job! I'm hoping some of my other friends here - here in Bloomington-Normal. It is great to see contact you. I especially enjoy Marcee Murray's coverage on local artists doing their thing that and the Native American sections and the would otherwise be ignored by the Pantagraph. environmental news. I really appreciate it. Love, Thanks again for your consideration and Sue support. Classy Fried Ad P.S. I saw the web site-- it looks good! easily yours, Starving artist needs work! Murals , sponge Dan Knestaut painting, anything creative. Please call Lori @ (309) 827-5491
The exhibition contains 92 prints, and will be Heel of the Boot: Prints supplemented by a showing of historic political prints and drawings, including work by bySueCoe Daumier, Goya, Grosz, Wojnarowicz, and Kollwitz. HEEL OF THE BOOT was curated by August 14 through September 21, 1997 Marilyn Zeitlin and Jean Makin at the Arizona Sue Coe lecture and reception: Tuesday, August State University Art Museum. Partial 26®7PM exhibition support is provided by the Illinois Panel discussions on domestic violence, animal Arts Council, a state agency. rights and other topics will be held on WRITE YOUR TEXT Tuesdays: September 2nd, 9th, and 16th at 7 PM For further information in the gallery. contact us at: 1 ...... 2 ...... 3 ...... 4 ...... 5 ...... 309.438.5487; fax309.438.5161; or vi~it our University Galleries is pleased to announce the website at 6 ...... 7 ...... 8 ...... 9 ...... 1 0 ...... opening of HEEL OF THE BOOT: PRINTS BY http: I I www .orat.ilstu.edul cfal galleries SUE COE, our first exhibition of the 1997-98 1 1 ...... 1 2 ...... 1 3 ...... 14 ...... season. HEEL OF THE BOOT is a comprehensive retrospective of Sue Coe's 15 ...... 16 ...... 17 ...... 18...... lithographs, monotypes and photo-etchings 19...... 20 ...... 21 ...... 22 ...... from 1979 to the present. The Good, The Bad 23 ...... 24 ...... 25 ...... Arriving in New York from England in 1972, Coe quickly found work as an Op Ed page illustrator for The New York Times, and also contributed and The Ugly THE DETAILS political drawings to publications such as • Mother Jones, Penguin Books, Discover, and in condensed version FOR SALE RAW. In 1979, she began to make WANTED photolithographs, taking a drawing and Has anyone other than myself noticed that the __ FOR RENT making virtually unlimited editions, selling Model Paris (last issue's recipient of "the FREE the prints initially for $5. Gradually, she Ugly" award) has been demolished and carted OTHER became actively involved in the various away via Stark Excavating? The only proof of printmaking processes, exploiting the its existence is the outlined foundation (and the expressive potency of woodcut, monotype, flag pole:_ no flag, just the pole). How MAIL TO: etching, photo-etching, and aquatint. clairvoyant of llle. How much do you want to bet that a parking lot will occupy that space in CLASSY FRIED ADS Coe has used prints as a vehicle to broaden her the future?! C/O POST AMERIKAN reach in expressing her outrage against P.O. BOX 3452 inequities of power and the vulnerability of the !his edition of the Good, the Bad and The Ugly BLOOMINGTON, IL 61702 powerless. Sharing the tradition of Francisco ts on break, but will be back in two months to Goya, George Grosz, Kathe Kollwitz, and John explore current housing design as opposed to Heartfield, she portrays the plight of victims homes built. fifty+ years ago. Everything from HOW IT WORKS: of war, economic injustice, violence, racism, the unexplamed popularity of octagon windows animal experimentation, and sexism. Despite to cul-de-sac streets will be explored. 1. A MAIL MATCHES AD OF 25 WORDS its unflinching examination of the misuse of OR LESS COSTS $5 AND RUNS FOR power as the artist sees it, Coe's work also Hope to see you then! ONE ISSUE. EACH WORD OVER 25 COSTS 50¢ ADDITIONAL. , contains much irony and humor. towanda!
AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE3 News from Mclean County AIDS Task Force
"Right Before Sex" HIV Positively
Lack of communication is one of the main factors contributing to the spread of HIV through anal intercourse, according to a new 1997 Grant Cycle study conducted by the University of California, San Francisco's Center for AIDS Los Angeles-- Applications are available for Prevention Studies. Gay and bisexual men who the 1997 cycle of PEN Center USA West's grant ~sually practice safer sex occasionally take· program for writers with HIV I AIDS. Winners nsks when seeking intimacy, the study ~eceive grants of $1,UOO. Eligible applicants revealed. These individuals often relied on mcluded writers living in the western and their partner's physical appearance, home Midwestern United States who are HIV environment, personal hygiene, and the ~ositive and actively involved in creating presence or lack of AIDS drugs to determine his hterary work. Eligible projects include fiction, crl.Je. ct~t cksuve- tv ci\i'~ ~IV status, instead of explicitly discussing the poetry, stage plays, and creative nonfiction. Issue of safer sex. The study was commissioned The application deadline is October 6, 1997. fwul A.I.D S. Re.sta.re-h.... by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, which was seeking to understand why HIV continues The program was established in 1993 in to spread among gay and bisexual men. response to the devastation in the l;terary community brought about by AIDS and to --Red Ribbon Review support the work of those with the disease. Th~ purp~se of the program is to encourage wnters With HIV I AIDS to continue and/ or finish a current literary project. Past recipients of the grants have included fiction writers Ron Some local resources Financial Assistance Athey and Joe Villalon, playwrights Michael Karns and Ted Sod, poets Gil Guadros, Ronnie Advocacy Council for Human Rights Financial assistance through MCATF continues Burke, and John Sakowicz, and nonfiction POBox5048 to be available to HIV+ clients who have not writers Robin C. Hardy and Michael Brennan. Bloomington, IL 61702-5408 used up all their eligibility. The program is supported in part by grants from 309-830-2521 They have emergency assistance funds for those the Lannan Foundation, the David Geffen Bloomington-Normal PFLAG in M~Le~ and Livingston Counties. They can Foundation, and proceeds from the sales of the book, The Way We Write Now: Short Stories Carol & Craig Cadnoic pr?~~de fmancial asistance for housing and 1211 Nicki uhhhes, groceries, and certain medical from the AIDS Crisis by Sharon Oard Warner expenses. (Citidel Press) Bloomington, IL 61704 309-663-0831 There are additional funds available through Applications are available from PEN Center PRIDE, Illinois State University your HIV Case Manager at the McLean County USA West, 672 S. LaFayette Park Place, #41, Campus Box 2700 Health Department. Certain items above Los Angeles, CA 90057. (213) 365-8500, Normal. IL 61790-2700 have. income and other eligibiltiy Attention: Sarah Jacobus. 309-438-2429 reqwrements. --Red Ribbon Review Gay, Straight Alliance --Red Ribbon Review 104 E. University St. Bloomington, IL 61701
Interweave c/o Lin Hinds 1707-B King Dr. • Normal, IL 61761
PAGE4 POST AMERIKAN AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 Mental illness awareness
Law Ruled Unconstitutional
The Illinois Appellate Court has ruled that The court reversed the 1994 murder conviction Monahan and colleagues asked two further the Guilty-but mentally ill law is of Eric Robles, an Elgin High School student questions. How does the rate of violence by unconstitutional. It will now go to the Illinois who killed his parents with the help of a former mental patients compare with the rate Supreme Court. classmate. of violence by other members of the community, and are the risk factors for violence any Critics of the guilty-but-mentally-ill verdict --AMI Illinois different among former mental patients than have said it offers a compromise between among other community members? They did a verdicts of guilty and not guilty when none second study of 500 people from the same exists. And they contend that it dangles the Only Modest Link community in which former patients lived and false promise of psychiatric treatment in found that patients with mental illness, and prison. Between Mental Illness those with major mental illness, such as schizophrenia, were no more violent in absolute The Appellate court said the law only confused and Violence terms than people in the general population. jurors, "We find that th '<;e misconceptions and However, patients with mental illness who misunderstandings encoura.ge a compromise Contrary to popular belief, the relation undertook substance abuse were more likely to verdict ... which is devoid of any substance," between mental disorder and violence is show violent behavior. wrote Judges S.L. Rathje and R. McLaren of the modest, say John Monahan and colleagues of 2nd District Appellate Court. the MacArthur Foundation Research Network --AMI Illinois on Mental health and the law. Their U.S. $8 milliun research was presented at a conference Judge Bob Thomas dissented saying the on mental health law in Phoenix, Arizona, on constitutionality has been upheld in the Jan 9-10. The findings, which will be fully majority of cases in Illinois and other states. available in July, are the culmination of 8 "Angel Baby" to be "The verdict clarifies for the jury the years of research in which 1000+ patients with distinction between a person who is not guilty mental disorders were assessed in the hospital shown at Normal Theater by reason of insanity and one who is mentally and periodically in the community to measure ill yet not insane and therefore is criminally ill. violence during the first year of their release. "Angel Baby," an award winning film will be This was then compared for violence with a shown at the Normal Theater on October 9 and 10 as part of National "Mental Illness "What this verdict does is gives jurors a cop large random sample of people in the general population. Awareness Week." out that makes them feel that somehow they're recognizing the mental illness, even The film depicts the struggle of a young couple though the finding is totally irrelevant" said The researchers found the link between mental with mental illness as they have a baby. The Paul Robinson, professor at Northwestern disorder and violence to be only modestly film received an 8.8 out of 10 rating. It will be University's Law School. "The mentally ill greater than chance. Previous research which shown at 7:00pm each evening. The film is an part of it really means nothing." confirmed this however, could not be put to use to improve the accuracy of clinical assessments. Australian production. A 1985 Tribune analysis found that about two The researchers pointed out that better ways (Please be aware that this film is of an adult thirds of the convicts sent to prison under the had to be found to improve clinical risk nature with intense themes. It is not suitable law received no regular psychiatric treatment. assessment, enhance the effectiveness of for children.) Today there are 159 inmates imprisoned in clinical risk management, and provide Illinois under the law. information for the reform of mental-health law and policy. Accordingly, the researchers --AMI Illinois proposed risk factors for violence in public health setting (panel).
GRANO PRAIRIE... FAMILIES AND FARMS «. qrc>up e>{ cer-fl{-;ed e>rq«.ni.::: fD;_d (-«.mily F«-rm> deliYer-inq F«.rm h-esh ~ fe> «.be>uf 100 fJfDe>minqfe>n!Ne>rm«.l (-«.milies dC>C>r>fees sin.:::e July Di(- l"!"!r; NOW ACCEPTING NEW FAMILIES TO OUR GROUP
CER T\FlED ORGANIC VEGETABLES-FRUITS-MEATS-EGGS-DAIRY-ETC. WORKSHOPS, FARM TOURS, NE'vVSLETTER EVERY WEEK kn<>W fhe f.cv-mer-s fh«.f «.du«.lfy qr6W ycvr ~ wifhcvf >ynfhelics «.nd >uppt>rf >m«.ll h..mily e>rq«.Y~iC ~minq in TlliY~C>is{ tJ« cg/e'Prt:?t;e E ar--t:h ])at a--t: evert ~&f FOR MORE-\NFORMA T\ON, PLEASE CALL l-8Q0-4f()()099 AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGES a portrait of the artist well, mr. white man? Alban Heruin: as a young man i passed a billboard Summer Solstice on my way to market. it showed a white man Songbirds weave trailing ohmigod, dick! & his special drink. melodies among boughfuls won't you look at this. white man said, of whispering leaves. check out that poseur "Coca-cola refreshes best!" sitting in the comer, so where is my coca-cola? The soil absorbs heat; quietly sipping his latte' is it in the fields winds alive with season's fire & scribbling in a nofebook. with the broken back children? embrace naked stone. it's probably beat poetry. is it on the dirt paved roads i don't know what with the choking dust - Dragonflies guard dew in condensed caches of shade, he thinks he's trying to do. &the scraggly herds? cool remnants of dawn. he's sitting in our coffeehouse is it in the hands trying to pretend he's cool. of the emaciated men? Sunshower waxes well, i bet he sucks! is it in my stomach? and wanes; with each passing cloud couldn't write his way i wouldn't' know the day seems to sigh. out of a wet biscotti bag. what having something there look at his black "star trek" cap, would be like anyway. Midnight sweats for us, pulled low over his shaggy hair. is it in my head refreshing mists cradle stars black baggy ragged sweater, buzzing with fever and flies? and halo the moon. worn osh koshes how about inside & beaten black work boots. the ramshackle shacks, --Matt Toczko you know he's just wishing lying on the dirt floor? he were just so cool. or perhaps deep inside but you can just tell a dry earth well? he's just no f#%*ing artist, is it in the eyes he's just wishing like hell. of my starving dau'ghter? but i tell you what, dick. well, mr. white man, he just can't be do i even get a coca-cola? any better than us. will i ever get a chance to refresh myself best? --Dan Knestaut --Dan Knestaut Shoved the seagull screams, its mind gone numb with the bleeding ntandSo\d sunset. hungry, it dives, throwing soo\(ssou9 caution like down to the stagnant Pacific air, shilttering the water . " c:y.cnan96 from whence all salt is borne soo~~ the fish aren't even awake t~ant\.\s\ but all flesh smells of it as never netmanen - before. flesh clenched in a fist .... ·ce smeared with grease and honey " seatch Set'l' between my shoulderblades. soo~ slip-sliding spine drenched in sweat skin bruises skin in pushing and slipping, driving us up from the sea and past the pleasures only monkeys will know to think on two legs such as man. replace the food-chain plan for fear with the prayer and service program of fear until your god becomes a hook-billed bird of pray feasting on the shame of sheep branded for salvation. replace the balance of nature with the clergy's need for meat and deny us our right to experience nature's subtle truths. Can we believe none are expendable as we laugh at the athlete staring down the seagull's gun? --Matt Toczko / PAGE6 POST AMERIKAN AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 T'was a Mighty Wrath CLAW OF AN ALBATROSS Deep in the shadows of my loneliness, I shed a mournful tear, The burning bush I had a little skirmish with the one that I hold dear, that did not bum, this piece of paper She pulled the house down round of me, aflame, an the claw I was all that she let stand, of an albatross T'was mighty wrath that she unveiled, scribbles with within her tiny hands, black ink, an the echo of my life She slipped away by cover of night, is shadow on the and me she did not warn, white forest, black all over a silly fight, birds of ink that she left me here to mourn! come an go. --Bert Fasking --John Firefly RAILROAD WINE MY LOVER Railroad wine, aging on the lips My lover was of a bluesman, --1 a piece of paper and he says the touch of my black I can hold my shadow fingers of ink, lover like a I YOUR POEM HERE. I and I hold my baby tender, as she does raisin holds I The Post Amerikan is seeking poetry a wrinkle, I submissions for the Poetry Page. me, the night. can almost I always touch If interested, please mail your poem --John Firefly a full moon I to: Post Amerikan, P.O. Box 3452, with the tips Bloomingtm, IL 61702 or e-mail to of my fingers, pamerikan@ aol.com. 1 an this poem I is a broken note We have the right to I that I would I ~ej~t any.::· _ play, that I would gather in my arms an re susitate, that I would call la infant ocean, that I would call embryo sky. --John Firely E I AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE7 .·~ PUBLICATION DENIAL NOTIFICATION TITLE OF PUBLICATION __PQST _AM_ERIKAN AprLMqy_l_9__97 V26 N2 The above listed publication has been revi.ewed and denied in accordance with Section 3.9 of the TDCJ-ID Rules and Regulations for the reason(s) checked below: D (a) Publication contains contraband. D (b) Publication contains information regarding the manufacture of explosives, weapons or drugs. [] (c) Publication contains material that a reasonable person would construe as written solely for the purpose of communicating information designed to achieve a breakdown of prisons \ through inmate disruption such as strikes or riots. [] (d) A specific factual determination has been made that. the publicatioh is detrimental to prisoner's rehabilitation because it would encourage deviate criminal sexual behavior. D (e) Publication contains material on the setting up and operation of criminal schemes or how to avoid detection of criminal schemes by lawful authorities charged with. the responsibility for deotecting such illegal activity. REMARKS: ~ag_e__ ]J)___c_ont_a_tns __ma_teri__aJ __ 9_f_p.__ ril~j ql__Q_a_turg__.~· ______ __ LQ.U_a_l i fie s for c 1 i RP_in_g__. _E_Q.g e 10 [J_ __p ag~ J. ) ------ ------If there is a desire to appeal the rejection of the aforementioned publication, this may be accomplished by writ ing to the Director's Review Committee, P.O. Box 99, Huntsville Texas 77342-0099. The appeal must be mailed so as to arrive at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice- Institutional Division WITHIN TWO (2) WEEKS of the date shown below. ~1 System-Coordinators Panel Department/Unit ~une_3Q., __ l99L______Date Publication . __ e.o s_LAme ~.ikan ______Publisher/Sender __p___Q_Box 34_5_2______Address _ Bl oomi_!1_gton_Il_§l70Z _____ City/State/Zip Code DISTRIBUTION: Original - Vendor copy Yellow - Department/Unit copy Pink - MSCP copy (book denial) J1200 1- 193 (Rev. 2/91) AUGUST SEPTEMBER 1997 PAGES POST AMERIKAN I ··ie - Notes from the Land of Anti-fat . FEN-PHEN LINKED TO HEART DISEASE CHEAP SHOT COMMERCIALS SPICY CITY Fen-Phen, a heavily touted weapon in the War We collect cheap shot commercials in the Land This 'un is a close call. Check out the new HBO Against Obesity, may not be the wonder drug of Anti-Fat, and this Summer has had a bumper animated series, "Spicy City," by animator that the pharmaceutical industry has claimed. cropof'em. Ralph (Fritz the Cat: the Movie) Bakshi. The In addition to its links to Primary Pulmonary show's premiere episode- sandwiched between Hypertension, a seriously fatal lung disorder, a Tops on the list: the recent Diet Coke ad set in the typical Bakshiesque the images of recent study by the Mayo Clinic has found a an Italian village. In it, an Italian matriarch futuristic squalor and over-endowed cartoon connection between Fen-Phen use and heart tries to talk a young girl out of drinking Diet bimbos - contains a super-sized hero who finds valve disease. Coke. She doesn't need to drink that stuff, the self-esteem and love as a cyberspace avatar. elderly peasant woman says; without it, she'll Get past the initial humiliating imagery and grow up to be just as beautiful as the matriarch. some overdone "adult" moments, and there's a Fen-Phen is a combination of two drugs One look at the fat and careworn woman (with size-positive message in the tale. fenflurarnine, an appetite suppressant, and trademark mole on her face), and you just know phentermine, a mild stimulant. When the young girl's gonna be guzzling Diet Coke by Recommended for those who think Aeon Flux is combined they alter the way the brain the caseload. way too skinny. chemical serotonin is metabolized, affecting the patient's appetite. Although both drugs Quite a one/two punch: an ad that manages to EVERYTHING?!?!? are FDA-approved, their combination is not. be offensive to both fat and older adults! Good Sez a lot for our culture's ambivalence about the The Fen-Phen combo is comparatively new to work, Diet Coke! current beauty ideal and eating when the the diet scene, but it's taken off spectacularly. winner of this year's Miss Universe contest, In 1996, there were 18 million prescriptions For Dishonorable Mention, there's Pizza Hut's Brook Lee, tells the judges and audience that written for Fen-Phen in the United States summer ad. In it, a babysitter type is putting she'd "eat everything- twice" if she was given alone. together an order for a group of small kids. the opportunity to do anything she wanted. Whole focus on the scene is on which topping to Mayo Clinic's preliminary report was based on get for the group until a fat kid enters the room. You can't help but wonder: how many years of a study of 24 women living in the upper Then the babysitter decides she'd better order a food deprivation lead up to that heartfelt Midwest who had no history of heart problems. second pizza. Get it? He's a fat kid! So he's statement? The women had ~aken Fen-Phen for six to 18 gonna eat a lot! months. Each experienced a deterioration in billsher the valves of their hearts. As a result, one or How do they come up with this stuff? more heart valves in each patient had thickened and blood was regurgitating (or "leaking" backwards), making the heart work Pizza Hut has reportedly gotten a number of harder to pump blood throughout the body. To complaints for this ad, but, hey, if you wanna add to the bad news, eight of these women also add your voice, their customer service number is had newly documented pulmonary 1-800-948-8488. hypertension. Valvular heart disease is not a disorder typically associated with fatness. / The Mayo Clinic report is considered so serious that news about these newest findings are being disseminated before the article on it will appear in the New England Journal of if Medicine. Even the FDA, which historically ·/ has been wimpy when it comes to arguing with \ the Diet Megalith began sending letters to thousands of doctors, asking them to immediately check Fen-Phen patients for valve problems and report them to the agency. When it first came out, both the diet mavens and mainstream media promoted Fen-Phen as a scientific miracle cure for obesity, the "Killer Your local Internet Service Provider Disease." Those fears about possible side effects? They were pooh-poohed, while Pharma/ Pimp Researchers categorically On line with the World & stated that any risks were based on a guesstimated percentage so small that it was Environmentally friendly! barely worth worrying about. There were big bucks to be made in Fen-Phen, and even though FULL T-1 occasional cautionary statements would be • Mo~em made public to the effect that the drug should 28.8 Bank only be used by the "morbidly obese," doctors Global E-nil have been prescribing it for all sizes of fat- phobic patients. IRC Newssroups The results of this blithe faith in http:/ /www.ice.net Pharmaceutical Science? An uncounted number Tel net of women who will now require heart surgery to FTP email: [email protected] replace damaged or leaking heart valves. Worl~ Wia Web Phone: 4S4-INET (4638) AUGUST I SEPI'EMBER ~997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE9 The execution of in nocence innocence. He was convicted of the shooting Texas law requires that any new evidence must 'The recent developments of reliable scientific death of a storekeeper. On the day of the be presented within 30 days of the conviction, evidentiary methods has made it possible to murder he was at a fish fry with his friends Herrera's motion for a new trial was denied. establish conclusively that a disturbing number and relatives, many of whom testified to this The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Texas's decision of persons who had been sentenced to death at his trial. No physical evidence linked him by ruling that Herrera's claim of "actual were actually innocent."- U.S. Supreme Court to the crime, but three people who testified at innocence" was in itself not a constitutional Justice John Paul Stevens, during his opening his trial connected him to the murder. All claim - stating that the Constitution does not assembly address at the 1996 American Bar three witnesses received favors from the state forbid the execution of an innocent person so long Association annual meeting. for their incriminating testimony. Only sheer as that person had a fair trial at the time of luck saved Walter McMillian. After listening their conviction. Justice Harry Blackmunn Generally, Americans know very little about to a tape recording of a key witness's testimony attacked what he saw as an outrageous and who is executed and why. And they are against McMillian, a. volunteer appellate ominous decision by the court, declaring in his blissfully unaware of the potential dangers of lawyer flipped the tape to see if there was dissenting opinion that "the execution of a executing an innocent person. anything on the other side. Only then did he person who can show that he is innocent comes hear the same witness complaining that he was perilously close to simple murder." Leone} Our judicial system relies on a burden of proof being pressured to frame McMillian. With that Herrera was executed on May 12, 1993. called "beyond a reasonable doubt," which is fortuitous break, the whole case against intended to protect the innocent. But it is not McMillian began to fall apart. Every element We have no way of knowing how many innocent foolproof. As the late U.S. Supreme Court of the prosecution's case has now been people have been executed or how many Justice Thurgood Marshall once wrote: "No discredited. And all three prosecution currently remain on death row. We do know matter how careful courts are, the possibility of witnesses have recanted their testimony. On perjured testimony, mistaken honest testimony March 3, 1993, the County District Attorney that since 1970, over 66 people have been and human error remain too real. We have no joined the defense in a motion to dismiss the released from death row after being erroneously way of judging how many innocent persons have charges. Walter McMillian was finally freed. sentenced to death. As now-retired U.S. been executed, but we can be certain that there Supreme Court Justice William Douglas once were some." Cases involving innocent persons condemned to noted: :·one who reviews the records of criminal death are not all that hard to find and are not trials need not look long to find an instance No issue posed by capital punishment disturbs as rare as the public might imagine. An article where the issue of guilt or innocence hangs in the public more than the possible execution of printed in the Stanford Law Review in delicate balance. A judge who denies a stay of an innocent person A recent nationwide poll November 1987, reports of an extensive execution in a capital case often wonders if an found that fifty-eight percent of Americans are nationwide study that found 349 cases of innocent man is going to his death." disturbed by the fact that the death penalty wrongfully convicted individuals sentenced to might result in the execution of someone who is death. And the recently published book, In For the sake of argument, let's assume that actually innocent. This is the number one Spite of Innocence (Northeastern University there are some individuals who, i'n some sense, concern about the death penalty in our country Press), expands on the Stanford study and found "deserve" to be executed. The real question today. that since 1900 there have been 416 documented that should be asked is: Do we really need the cases of innocent Americans who have been death penalty? As long as capital punishment The most conclusive evidence that innocent remains a part of our penal system, innocent persons have been condemned to death comes convicted of potentially capital cases. persons will continue to be executed. It is from examining the large number of people who inevitable. were sentenced to death and later were lucky Unfortunately, once an innocent person has been enough to be able to prove their innocence and convicted and sentenced to death, their chances There are suitable alternatives. Those who gain release from death row. Consider the case of eventual exoneration are poor. This is favor the abolition of capital punishment do of Walter McMillian: because before the trial the defendant does not not advocate releasing convicted murderers have to prove anything. The burden of proof is into society. The choice is not between the Walter McMillian was released from on the state, which must prove guilt beyond a death penalty and unconditional r~lease, but Alabama'sdeath row after having spent six reasonable doubt. However, after the trial, the between the death penalty and meaningful years there because of perjured testimony and presumption of guilt shifts in favor of the state. long-term sentences. Life with no parole, or withheld evidence that pointed to his No'Y the burden falls on the defendant to prove natural life sentences meet the necessary to the court that they are not guilty. And it is requirements for the protection of society. no longer enough to raise a reasonable doubt- to Granted, some innocent people will still be overturn a conviction, the defenqant must wrongfully sentenced to life imprisonment, but produce "clear and convincing" proof of their since they remain alive, there remains the innocence. And this new evidence often must be hope of someday proving their innocence. But presented within a limited time. Seventeen once an innocent person has been wrongfully states limit the time to present new evidence to executed, no one can correct that mistake. 60 days after conviction. Eighteen other states have limits that range from one to three years. What can you do? You can get involved, for no And they strictly adhere to that rule. Consider justice is done if everyone leaves the work of the case of Leonel Herrera: justice to everyone else. For a list of abolitionist organizations near you, send $3.00 Leonel Herrera was convicted and sentenced to for: The Abolitionist's Directory; The death for the 1982 murders of two police National coalition to Abolish the Death A New Age Emporium 1206 Towanda Plaza #4 officers. Some years after his conviction, an Penalty; 918 'IF" Street, NW Suite #601; Bloomington, IL 61701 attorney w.ho had represented Herrera's Washington, DC 20004. Or call Hours brother came forward with evidence that (202) 347-2411. Together we can make a Mon. 5p- Bp Winter Wren, owner Herrera's brother Raul, who had died in 1984, Tues., Wed., Tarot cards, books, music, jewelry, candles, crystals & more difference. Thurs. 1p - 6p had confessed to the murders. In addition Fri. 1p- Bp Sat. 11a- Bp Classes, readings, hypnosis, past l~e regressions Raul's son, who was nine years old at the time --Michael Ross Sun. 1p- 6p of the killings, gave a sworn statement that he PHONE 309/829-8898 email: [email protected] was an eyewitness to the crime and saw his Author's note: I am a condemned man on father commit the mu rders. However, because Connecticut's death row. I have been on death row since June of 1987. 1 am currently under a stay of execution pending the resolution of the appeals process. PAGE iO POST AMERIKAN AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 The criticism that Dawn receives from her that most actors only dream of. Welcome to the classmates leaves mental scars of distress and hopelessness. She fr.t(. q Jn pure fantasy when The strength of this movie is the truth behind Dol/house she is away from the ~alities of junior high. it. Director, Todd Solondz, retells his own childhood through the eyes of Dawn Wiener. Director-Todd Solondz Living in a suburb of New Jersey, where all the This off-beat comedy about puberty contains a Starring-Heather Matarazzo (Dawn Wiener) houses and cars look the same, Dawn is an form of laughter that most people are not used Co-Starring-Brendan Sexton, Jr. (Brandon outcast to society. Not being able to relate to to. This movie is like our character Dawn, McCarthy) Eric Mabius (Steve Rodgers) Josiah anyone, she subjects herself to a classmate different than most movies you have seen. Trager (Mark Wiener) Daria Kalnina (Nfissy named Brandon McCarthy, a bully who tells Wiener) her he is going to rape her after school While watching this movie, I sat and Rating-R everyday. remembered the Dawn Wiener who I went to Length-102 minutes school with, thinking how true to real life this Through all of this madness, Dawn finds some movie was. The torture that one girl takes from Remember when you were in the seventh grade? piece of mind with her obsession with high a class of heartless and cruel students is the The days of innocence when life seemed simple. school rocker Steve Rodgers, the type of guy basis of this wild story. Life was not that simple for one little girl that some day will be seen on MTV waving a named Dawn Wiener, whom her classmates guitar and screaming at the top of his lungs. Taking home a Grand Jury Prize at The referred to as the "Wiener Dog." This is Dawn's sanctuary that keeps her going Sundance Film Festival, Welcome lo the through life, and with absolutely no guidance Dollhouse is a must see movie. It is available Dawn was the girl in your class who went from her parents, she has to battle with these in your local movie rental stores today. through puberty at a late age and did not try inner demons by herself . out for cheerleading. Everyone had a girl like --Dennis Warner Dawn in their class, the girl who everyone Heather Matarazzo (Dawn) plays this role to made fun of at least once. perfection. If I had it my way, she would have won the best actress award at The Sundance Film Festival in 1994. Only eleven years old at the time, Matarazzo gives the performance C9nce L{pon a Time NEW Products at O.U.T. BOOKS Ol GIFTS O.U.T.. .Jt{ternative 'Books & (jifts Serving the Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Community with Books, Music, Videos & G!fis 311 N. Main, Bloomington, Illinois 61701 Voice (309) 828-3998 Fax (309) 828-8879 NEW BEAR & LEATHER PRIDE PRODUCTS Arriving in August! Stop in and see what's available! Rainbow Mickey Mouse New Stickers & Static Clings Show your PRIDE discreetly! K. D. LANG CARDS & POSTERS Rainbow Peace 1: c J ll ~ ~ ! flj £ ~ 1: ~ J s !· 1 .!! & NEW XENA PRODUCTS Arriving in August! Stop in and see what's available! Taking orders thru August 25th On the WEB! http://www.outbooks.com (catalog) http://www.outcafe.com ( cyber-cafe) Email: outbooks outbooks.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 11 ·.~. Road/ Trippin' Read in' Alas, the thick of summertime is upon us. The Lost Continent: Travels in Small With it, of course, comes the best time for us Town America adventurous folks to hop in our autos for a by Bill Bryson weekend (or two) of road trips. But, before you leave town to visit Elvis' grave or stroll BOOKS., Bryson, an Iowan transplanted to England, through the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, why not returns to Des Moines years later and decides to pick up some books on the subject of road travel across the continent in an effort to follow trippin'. (There are plenty titles available at ·READ in the steps of childhood vactions and search your local library.) Leave the conformist for the perfect American small town. guidebooks behind-and throw your hat to the wind. --but leave one of these books besides you. Bryson records an sard~nic account of his travels across thirty-eight states in a cross between Fiction mental memorabilia and social commentary. Spinsters Nothing it seems, escapes Bryson's wit. From by Pagan Kennedy speech patterns in the South to baseball caps "with plastic turd decorations," Bryson seems It's 1968 and Frannie and Doris, sisters and to cover all the unexplainable creations of spinsters, have been taking care of their father Americans. for their entire adult lives. When he dies, they hit the road in their Plymouth Valiant to It sure is great fun. Tunes to bring along take a much needed vacation. Frannie, the Road trips are not complete without certain novel's narrator, longs to continue her reclusive variables. Hard candy, a cooler full of cold life with her sister. But Doris, cut free of stuff in the backseat, an agreeable companion responsibility, wants to raise hell and get laid. and greaf tunes, of course. It doesn't always Their journey through the changing landscape take forever to get someplace, not if you have of America is an elegy to a lost time in the the right tunes. United States. The Passenger - Iggy Pop Surly sing it as you sit idlely in traffic while next to the "happy" suburban family in their mini-van. Go-Go's Greatest Hits Head boppin', bubble gum smackin' fun. Just watch the speed limit, o.k. Anything by the Carpenters, Barry Manilow or the Captain and Tenille Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Although listening for extended periods is not Europe recommended. by Bill Bryson The Velvet Underground & Nico O.K. maybe this isn't very suitable for an Run, Run, Run American roadtrip, but I'm reading this Make yourself feel like an outlaw. simultaneously with "The Lost Continent" and its anecdotes are just as hilarious. Even if you The Grateful Dead Non-Fiction haven.'t travelled through Europe, you'll enjoy Truckin' Bryson's muses of various cultural customs and Pretend you're a cowboy when you sing this.(?} pop cultural trends that differ in every region. On the Road with Charles Kuralt and • Paul Simon Charles Kuralt's America Road Scholar: Coast to Coast late in the Grace land by Charles Kuralt Especially effective if you are going to Century. Graceland. by Andrei Codrescu Kuralt's introspective and endearing views of everyday American life are probably the David Bowie Codrescu, the National Public Radio complete opposite of Bryson's. But that's not to Suffragette City say I don't enjoy them. commentator and poet, decided to travel the U.S. of A in search of its wonderul excesses and Coming of age music ironies. Codrescu' s witty and poignant From 1%7 to 1994, Charles Kuralt toured Any pop hit from your junior high and high perceptions of the absurd realities of America in a motor home to chronicle the lives school days -- admit to yourself you really contemporary American culture are always of ordinary Americans. What he found is a . (even in the smallest sense) like it. informed by recollections of his unusual country filled with an interesting bunch of people. upbringing in Stalinish Romania. Can you say musicals! You can find these titles, along with others just Grease (I only -- with the exception of Cool Kur~lt _had t~e gift of relating warm and fuzzy like it in the book, "The Traveler's Reading Rider from Grease II), Oklahoma!, West Side patnobc feehngs about our country by · Guide" edited by Maggy Simony --located in Story, Mary Poppins, etc. Get campy! Have introducing us to remarkably unremarkable your local library's reference section. fun! Drive safely! people. Happy motorin' --towanda! PAGE 12 POST AMERIKAN AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 · .. ~· "Eleanor Roosevelt's Crusade for Freedon in the Facist Era" Women's issues. Racial equality. Civil rights. But, many people do not know of her intense Emma Goldman, the famed anarchist, is quoted Peace issues. Economic justice-- the right of all support for economic justice --and, of course, as saying that women would gain equality "by people to health care, to a job and to a decent most of those goals have NOT been met to this Direct action," not by voting. standard of living. day. Zinn points out that the U.S. constitution and This sounds like a litany of issues propounded She wanted, for example, the right (as a government has from the beginning represented today by progressives. matter of law) to a job for everyone. (In this the interests of the wealthy and powerful. In reviewer's opinion, the issue of a right to a job earlier years, for example, government And they are just that. However, they are also at decent wages has the best chance of being a protected merchants, slave owners, railroads the same issues raised by liberals, such as First really viable political issue for the left in the and manufacturers, often to the detriment of the Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, some 60 years ago. future.) working class. A fascinating discussion of the leftist political But she wanted more than a right to decent Zinn outlines many movements which made activism of Eleanor Roosevelt is presented on employment. People, she said, also have the progress through struggle in the streets -- such one of many tapes offered by Roger Leisner and right to an education, to decent health care as union and labor struggles, abolition of Radio Free Maine, based in Augusta, Maine. (another important issue today) and to decent slavery, civil rights, women's liberation and housing. the anti-war movement. The tape, which traces Mrs. Roosevelt's "endless crusade for justice," includes a talk by After FDR died in 1945, Eleanor continued her Thesl} and other tapes can be ordered from Blanche Wiesen Cook, a university professor struggle for humanity through the United · Roger Leisner at Radio Free Maine, P.O. Box and author of "Eleanor Roosevelt: A Nations. She enthusiastically supported the 2705, Augusta, Maine 04338. The phone and fax Biography." Universal Declaration of Human Rights, number is 207.662.6629. which outlined economic as well as political Titled "Eleanor Roosevelt's Crusade for rights. --Allan H. Keith Freedom in the Fascist Era," the talk outlines her constant struggle against the forces (at Ms. Cook presents an Eleanor Roosevelt who, home and abroad) that were determined to although a great and fine woman, also had her impose fascism on the people of this planet. idiosyncrasies. For example, she went everywhere with "rotten, mean dogs" that Eleanor was not only one of the great women in snarled, barked and bit. And, of course, she had American history, but a true conscience of the her squeaky, trademark voice. nation in tbe period of the Great Depression and of World War II. This, of course, was the The Cook tape recounts the life and work of a time when Nazi and other fascist forces in true American patriot. Germany, Italy, Japan and elsewhere were Radio Free Mame offers many other tapes for planning to militarily occupy the entire world. sale. Another recent one is a talk by Howard Zinn, teacher, historian, playwright and Eleanor was definitely to the left of her author of" A People's History of the U.S." husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Titled "Beyond Electoral Politics: Toward (Although, in fairness to him, we should keep Social Change;" the talk was presented at MIT. in mind that he did stand for election every four years and she did not.) Zinn' s thesis is essentially this-- Voting has its place, but much more important is political For her progressive efforts she was constantly organizing and activism. Mass movement and vilified by the press and by other right-wing mass actions do much more to move society in a elements in society. She is quite well known for progressive direction than voting for the lesser her efforts to encourage racial tolerance and end of various evils in an election. discrimination. She touted the benefits of education for the masses. She supported the Some of the newer political movement -- such efforts of labor. She supported women's rights as the New Party -- have their positive (and even had press conferences for women aspects, Zinn says, but political achon is more journalists only.) important than elections. AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 13 Third encounters of the pig kind Well, well, well. July has all but faded into Besides police harassment reports,people have August, and with summer's heat comes another used the Third Encounters phone number (829- fiery installment of .police harassment stories in 9920) to relay helpful tips on combating the the Bloomington-Normal area. This edition heinous efforts of our government to squash the m trks the end of the full first year of this pot subculture out of existence through a feature, and the start of a crazy second. Thanks campaign of deception, illegal legislature, and to the readers brave enough to share their bizarre amounts of common funds (not to mention harrowing tales, at least three instances of cops their motives behind said policy). These are behaving like pigs have been covered in each of always welcome, and some of them deserve a the last six Post Amerikans, and there are second mention here (they do no good buried in back issues ... ). already enough stories coming in to keep things going for the foreseeable future. As long as cops ---SOW your seeds everywhere seeds will stomp on the rights of peaceful citizens and grow. This saps their resources eradicating enforce policies that are obviously evil (such scattered patches and reminds people that as ... urn ... marijuana prohibition), there will be it is wrong to practice genocide on anything nature intended. room here to expose their shame in a public forum. ---CARRY a piece of clean (pot resin free) paraphenelia on your person or in your Exposing police harassment and the vicious, car. This effectively weakens the pigs illegal lengths they will go to to enforce false right to assume paraphenelia is policies that are wrong to begin with is, of necessarily DRUG paraphenelia (and course, the primary function of THIRD the subsequent search with false probable cause. understandably shouted, "Get that light out of ENCOUNTERS OF THE PIG KIND. This is ---GRANT permission to residence searches if my eyes!", possibly with an added expletive. important, for it shows both the sheer scope of He was answered by a male voice, "This is in pig occurrence in McLean Co., as well as the you are really wasted. There are several incedence where police without warrants your eye," at which moment the flashlight diversity of the people it effects. As many was pushed against the caller's eye socket "until occurrences are not isolated happenings, the searched houses with the permission of the residents, only to have all physical his head turned against the brick wall. The victims of such barbaric policies need to know caller tried to get up and escape, at which time that they alone are not effected, that a much evidence thrown out of court because the permission grantor was too stoned the assaulter identified himself as a Normal bigger problem exists. By printing the actual cop and arrested the caller for resisting arrest. stories, as they are told to me, my hope is that 'to give permission (and thus had felt intimidated by the pigs ... which With,no warrents out, no verbal discussion with the rest of the public may come to know the the pig, and no immediately prior crimes being human side of the stories, beyond statistics and certainly isn't hard to believe .... ) ***An anonymous caller offered a $50 reward commited by the caller (or ever), he still the rare police policy criticism in the doesn't know what arrest he was resisting! mainstream media. The fact is that the police to anyone able to get into Task Force 6 as an undercover informant, and submit to the have been assuming greater controls than We The next tale has to do with a Normal cop who The People have ever agreed to, they are using Post Amerikan the names and photographs of at least two active undercover has gone to abnormal extremes, even coercive their authority to enforce personal prejudices, extremes, to push his religion on random and the legislators are granting them even more informants who take the vilest of deeds seriously. Official Task Force 6/Police individuals who (rightly) question the invasive powers than ever before as you read established mainstreamism he has latched this. It has to stop somewhere, and each documents detailing the persons' pig involvement is necessary to! PAGE 14 POST AMERIKAN AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 The world according to Matt create a SO~·~phere that is hostile to What is a- Pig? their eff~~~~oflhe manifold positive reasons fcJf.~ ~ef:Po~ war o11 _ To assure that only those ~serving insult take peaceful pea>,m, the b~(~is that pot busts offense to the term "pig," when used to describe are hate~~·~.(,_...... ~ . an officer of the law, I offer this explanation. .... ~·~~]:- ·-~ Not every cop is" a pig. It is unfortunate, but we need them to p~otect us from murderers, rapists, muggers and.molester!i. In this function, cops are hard-working men and women who put their lives on the line for the safety of society, and they deserve nothing but respect. However, when a cop steps outside of his/her duty to protect and serve, and instead enforces the docile are just another laws that do nothing but rend to shreds the life group of conqyi$,!a..dQrs; ~onaries, klansmao · · and liberty of honest, tax-paying and and Nazis. ~~,da.Pig~l;: ·· '· , In this season of energy sapping humidity and otherwise law-abiding citizens, that cop is a ib£'J'ri& ~S·N V·:. :;,; .., : ' , ... refreshing evening breezes, The World pig. Inthis~~~~~~b~..cops. Some According To Matt is chilling out. In following look t}w~w~iwAer~ pci>t is cpncemedi the issues look for the fourth installment of These With that definition, it can be said that any rest ...... ~.~JW'~ mom once.said,~'Pigs' Fated Times, and, as the season of rebalancing cop who has participated in a marijuana bust is is as PigSf~:': · · ., · · , ' .. , . • . · · 1 ripens, the grim truths about Godmoney and a pig. These people in no way deserve any other spooky shit all to apparent to objective respect, and it is every moral citizen's duty to --MattToczko scrutiny in the world around you. ---..;~--- -·------·---· established '968 ---- -~------. ---- . ------·------~- mcrr:rm 8 0 ~m~~~~ ~~~~~UITARS [(]LB3J _p & THINGS I).1J lll 1/2 NORTH Sl 452-6712 AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 15 "Uranium should stay in the ground" "Death is everywhere that uranium touches ... I hope that the relevance of the words that I the destructive properties of uranium are In his analysis of the workings of the quoted in this article is clearly seen. On the unleashed the moment it is mined from the corporations, Mander presents what he calls one hand is the corporation hustling to meet its ground. Native people tell us that uranium the "eleven inherent rules of corporate deadline. On the opposite (and opposing) hand sho,lld stay in the ground -- but their voices are behavior." Among them are the corporations lost in the wind. Tribal people possess the ar~ !he Native_people who are resisting the profit imperative, its growth imperative, that rrurung of uraruum out of their ancestral sacred knowledge of the past that could help heal lands. it will be competitive and aggressive,' it will be and restore the earth -- but their views are in amoral and irresponsible;"it will dehumanize, conflict with the nuclearized, neo-colonial and it will act in opposition to the natural mindset of the multinational energy world. corporations. We in the west are in possession of the most advanced strain of ignorance the world has ever developed ... Native people Given the native people's deep and abiding don't think this way. By resisting the repeated incursions of industrial society into their lands, their cultures and their religions have heroically preserved a world view understanding of the seemingly obvious truth which. carries the concept of sacred earth... that we can't live without the natural world It's time we listened." ~t was inevitable that their society would co:ne tnto conflict with corporate drives and hungers. Those words are part of a booklet that was printed to promote the World Uranium hearing held in 1982. They are quoted by Jerry Mander And it truly all does come down to "the concept in his book In the Absence of the Sacred: The of sacred earth." One society knows, feels and Failure of Technology and the Survival of the understands that concept. One society doesn't. Indian Nations published by Sierra Club One society is capable of walking in balance Books. and beauty. The other seems absolutely · determined to eat and eat and eat and to shit out its poisons until there is nothing left alive. As I write this on July 10, Illinois Power is working to restart the Clinton nuclear power plant by their stated goal of later in July. How important is it for us to grasp "the concept ofsacred earth?" How important is it to breathe? -Gregg Brown Tribal good times had by all 202W. COLLEGE AVE. NORMAL..ILUNOIS Last June I had a chance to attend the Return to The dancers performed their art gracefully in B17B1-2el52 Pimiteoui Intertribal Pow Wow , held annually their brilliant colored attire. All ages, from l:30BJ "'154-31 BS in Peoria. A friend and I went on Saturday and toddlers on up, participated in the festivities. decided to return on Sunday as well. Stop by and Booths displayed many beautiful works of art visit us! The two days were filled with powerful and traditional crafts. No matter how long you experiences in an atmosphere that was were there, you couldn'tpossibly take it all in. profoundly different from those that are usual The Ecology Action Center forme. My friend pointed out that the people . attending's faces did not have the pinched look is a walk-in information While I was on that land [a wooded park just that they normally wear in the cities. It was and education center about outside of the city], I saw teepees against a washed away in the good care of the shamans. ecological issues. treeline with !he hazy smoke of campfires lingering overhead.The drums beat a constant Much wisdom was encoded upon the days' The Center offers you: reminder of the heartbeat of the Earth Mother. experiences, wisdom touching many levels, Hundreds of little bells woven into the dress of conscious and otherwise. Synchronicities the dancers rang out in many-pitched voices. popped around us and embedded their messages - a lending library in us. Few came away untouched, unmoved, - field trips The Spirit Fire burned for four days, and was unchanged. · - classes and workshops attended for the entirety. This four day vigil - volunteer opportunities was shared by four firekeepers. Every so often Next June, when this weekend draws close, one of the firekeepers would throw sage or watch for signs. Return to Pimiteoui. sweetgrass on the fire, and everyone in the area Open 2-5 pm was smudged with its smoke. Gregg Brown weekdays and by appointment· A large bird of prey circled lazily on the air, watching a» below with its keen eyes. PAGE16 POST AMERIKAN AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 Citizen Wayne and the Bio -Vamp In corporate ethics, the difficulty lies in what The trouble with the nature-lover? They've A Shadow of the Bat trilogy buries Ivy in an we don't know. When Bruce Wayne withdraws got the meaning of life aJI wrong. To coolants anti-drug message. Jason Woodrue would take funds from a research project, in Batman and and diesel fuel. So much for truth and justice. over the world with pot, but she'd rather run Robin, we don't know where his professed off with the stash - of money. "ideological differences" lie. From Eco-Survivalist to (Un)Natural Woman In one Legends of the Dark Knight comic Ivy is A possibility is that Wayne went shopping for a bright student who's published on "Complex a token nature cause. After all, the project's Batman and Robin's Poison Ivy blends the Plant Animal Forms." After suffering as botanist claimed her animal plant cross extremes of the DC comics. Woodrue's test subject she's emotionally breeding could save plants from extinction. volatile and is "drawn to abusive men" -this In The Poison Tomorrow, Ivy conspires with a time, to a profiteer for whom she creates a But something is rotten far from Gotham. Deep capitalist to "Poison" baby food. His plans are designer drug. As in the film, Ivy's the in a rain forest, Foundation funds bring forth a to profit by peddling the antidote. Hers are to embodiment of polluted nature gone amuck- a super soldier- for sale to a mini meeting of the quicken the apocalypse. The "New Eve" will virus and a drug that Batman finally evades. UN. The botanist reacts with horror as her lead the natural survivors, skipping "the wars She traps herself by succumbing to love, ending plant toxin "Poison" pumps up the power of the and destruction ... inevitable as the rest of up back in the menta) institution to play the other raw material, a convict. humanity realizes its folly and panics." love-me, love-me not game with a Daisy. As her old nerdy self, Poison Ivy confronts Two other stories focus on crime and punishment The House and Garden TV episode plays out Citizen Wayne at one of the many splashy in a Jess revolutionary vein. the furthest extreme of Ivy's function as an benefits. Wayne touts the importance of object of masculine anxiety, Fatal Attraction coolants and diesel fuel, tosses aside her Detective Comics has Ivy contribute to the style. She apes reform while reproducing scholarly plan for manufacture clean-up and debate on how to weigh human and plant life. herself (alas, she's married a man for his greets media with his trophy super model. She lets two doctors die while whining to DNA, as if this wasn't what traditional Batman about public response to an acutely marriage was all about anyway), with no Meanwhile, Mr. Freeze continually absconds alle~genic man's vendetta against Gotham concern for the danger wrought by the with hefty diamonds to fuel a quest to cure his plants. "Sure, some useless citizen gets himself murderous plant-monsters her children become. wife's cancer. Wayne will cast his princely lot murdered and you and the cops are there like a with this radical - investing, at the film's shot! But some maniac kiUs miJJions of The range of these plots is rather like the one dose, in cancer research, and in turn, the values innocent plants .... The press calls him The realized in Batman and Robin. As Ivy becomes of family and love. Weedwacker' and everyone has a good laugh." less the.environmental evangelist she preys more on men-for revenge, or as the woman One of the problems, of course, is that the lady In the "Eternal Youth" episode of the current done wrong who yearns for true love. is a vamp: Evil Jason Woodrue had dosed Isley TV series: Ivy runs a fake health spa to punish with her own medicine. But Poison "becomes" capitalists. One CEO hails from a "company A subplot, yes, but the film portrayal of Poison her. In true harem style, Ivy strips off a that leveled a thousand year old forest for a Ivy offers a critique worth considering. Are monkey suit to reveal new powers of beauty, strip mine." Turning the woman into a tree, Ivy Batman and Robin, as Ivy suggests: "militant seduction, and a kiss "to die for." In campy pronounces the sentence: "You and your kind own arms of the warm-blooded oppressors, animal come-ons she offers favors to Batman and Robin, Mother Earth a debt, and I'm going to see that protectors of the Status-Quo"? among others: "My garden needs tending." you pay it." When the finger points at Wayne he pulls a Kathy Lee: "One of my greedy ~ Lisa Prothers Before Batgirl "kicks Ivy's botanical butt," she directors made a deal with a slash and burn AND ONE. Fo~ yoiJ ... .•• MY TRe.v:· . \ '~f.t), ~• l AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 17 Seeing Red 500 Years of Slavery In the beginning-say the year 1500-Europe And every U.S. president from Kennedy to Bush Of course it's true that Laurent Kibila himself mined human beings from Africa. Some 100 welcomed him to the White House. (JFK is no re-incarnation of Lumumba, Malcolm X, or million were harvested, sold and used as actually dispatched a U.S. Air Force plane to Che Guevara. (Actually, Che, who led Cuban slaves; perhaps 75 million of them perished in Mobuto, along with a crew to fly it for him.) internationalist volunteers against imperialist the process. 1 forces in the Congo in 1964-65, described Kabila Meanwhile, Washington utilized Zairian as a man rarely /seen near the battlefield, but For 350 years the West plugged relentlessly territory to launch counter-revolutionary often found in posh foreign hotelsll.) Nor does away at this lucrative business, doing the best operations against neighboring Angola and Kabila's career as a diamond smuggler during they could with whips and small wooden Mozambique. UNIT A and RENAMO forces, the 1980's represent a pedigree of a "Marxist boats. respectively, killed hundreds of thousands of ideologue." civilians and wreaked unheard-of devastation But of course Western attacks on Kabila have But by 1880 Europe at last had the technology on these countries struggling with newly-won nothing to do with ways he might deviate from to move beyond the crude gathering of human independence from Portugal (1975 on). revolutionary democracy .12 muscles and brains, technology equal to truly continental plunder. Then in 1995 Tutsis in neighboring Rwanda rose It's the prospect of losing control of the heart against a government they felt sure was set Of Africa that has the West "deeply Now blest with iron boats, steam shovels and upon genocide. France quickly intervened and concerned." For now the scum of the earth is on locomotives-plus rifles, machine guns and re-installed the Rwandan "dictatorship. the run: RENAMO, UNIT A, the Hutu artillery-Europe embarked on a far more Within weeks the Rwandan government genocidal forces, Serbian mercenaries, and of sophisticated exploitation of both human and unleashed the most intensive program of course Mobuto himself. non-human African resources. Now Africans genocide in human history; easily 800,000 could be pressed into slavery without the butchered in 3 month's time. (Exhausted As for the anti-humans in Western capitals bothersome business of transport, and forced to killers would machete their victims' Achilles' how else to describe those who deployed these strip their own land of gold, diamonds, rubber, tendons so they could get a night's rest secure in monsters? they are not happy at all. timber, ivory, and more. the knowledge that tomorrow's slaughter could not run away.) For tpem, 500 years of nightmare pale before The "Scramble for Africa" was on. five days of revolutionary rule. Yet unbelievably Rwandan Tutsis, along with From 1880 to 1910 every square inch of the Hutu allies, managed to rise and overthrow the Think it's "human rights" they're worried "Dark Continent" was seized by Europeans genocidal government. Soon thereafter Mobuto about? (with the dubious exceptions of U.S. declared his intention to deport Zairian Tutsis dominated Liberia and Italian-dominated (already resident in the Congo for some three Think again. Then look at the Congo, smile, Abyssinia [Ethiopia]). hundred years) and chalk up a long, long-overdue victory for humanity. For Africa the real nightmare had just begun. Now Zairian Tutsis rose as well, and the march It was "the vilest scramble for loot that ever to Kinshasha was begun. Within seven months Reach Eckardt at [email protected] disfigured the human conscience."2 the population of Zaire threw itself into joining the uprising-electing local committees 1 Malcolm X on Afro-American History (New York: And the horror was the worst in the territory to run things, ending systemic corruption, and Pathfinder Press, 1970), p. 64 grotesquely dubbed 'The Independent State of freeing themselves of dictatorial rule-and, in 2 Joseph Conrad quoted in "Mr. Kurtz, I Presume" by the Congo. "3 This vast land was the personal late May, ridding their country of Mobuto once Adam Hochschild, 14 April 1997 New Yorker dictator. and for all. magazine. This article is a rare gem in the mountain of literary analysis of Conrad's The Heart of Darkness. Over the next thirty-odd years the West's But before the revolution was even a week old, Hochschild's message: the book was a semi man, now self-christened Mobuto Sese Seko the Western press raised charges of fictionalized documentary, for crissakes. Kuku Ngbendu Wa Zu Banga ("the all "dictatorship," "betrayal by the men 3 All credit for the exquisite word "grotesquely" goes powerful warrior who by his endurance and ... thought [to bE!] liberators" and a~'disturbing to Adam Hochschild in his recommended piece" It will to win goes from conquest to conquest, bent toward social control." Takes a Villa" in the 24 March New Yorker magazine. leaving fire in his wake") received more than 4 c.f. "It Takes a Villa" one billion U.S. dollars in American aid alone.7 'The.More the Congo Changes, the More it 5 c.f. "Mr. Kurtz, I Presume" He was allowed to drink deeply of the plunder Stays the Same," headlined the Christian 6 as famously described by John Gunther (author now flowing freely to the West. Western troops Science Monitor. The New York Times printed known for the book Hiroshima) were dispatched to que~l uprisings against him. alleged words from an unidentified Zairian: 7 "Wiley's Dictionary" in comic strip B.C. "defines "Frankly, we ~ere freer under Mobuto."8 'foreign aid' as 'when the poor people of a rich country Mobuto became one of the ten richest men in the give money to the rich people of a poor country."' world. He built seven vast palaces in Zaire Then there was "long-time Mobuto opponent ... 8 Christian Science Monitor 30 May; New York alone, and another on the southern coast of the democrar" Tshisekedi, who had Times 24 May. France. Weeks would pass where it Mobuto nonetheless somehow managed to serve three 9 Editorial, Chicago Tribune 21 May. decreed that no Zairian name except his could terms as Prime Minister under Mobuto. Why 10 Electronic Mail and Guardian 29 May.. be mentioned in the national media. had the "Marxist ideologue"9 Laurent Kabila 11 See the excellent 32-page account "Che Guevara refused to give the government to him? Why and the Congo" in the #220(Nov/Dec 19%) issue of At the same time, all education and medical the West had polls, for crissakes, showing New Left Review. · care ground to a halt for lack of funds, as did Tsishekedi the more popular. 12 Unfortunately space does not allow exploration of all other rudimentary services including the other complexities: the rivalry between France and maintenance of driveable roads. (The national Forget that "political dissent is far from the U.S. for penetration of the Congo, and Western bank had become Mobuto's personal checking banned. Tshi~ekedi-supporting newspapers hopes to turn Kabila into a new Mobuto. account.) Per capita income for average continue to denounce Mr. Kabila vigorously and Zairians fell to a nearly immeasurable Rwandan T~tsis in opely racist terms. tO" US$80 f year. Hunger and plague swept the Forget, too, that the May 28th mass country. mobilization for Tshisikedi began with 150 people and topped out at 800. " . . ~· . . ,.~ How Sweet it Is Glory be! Now that communism is dead and treatment-they want freedom. Why would a Red harp on this matter so much? markets are free, racial justice in both the you might ask. What about the fight against United States and the world is on the way. Why should a lead-poisoned Black child of a capitalism? sixteen year-old illiterate single mother get Why the very President himself recently urged treated any different then a white child of First of all, in a real sense there is no "struggle a national conversation on racial matters AND wealthy college-educated couple? Sur,e, the for socialism" separate and apart from fights announced he's considering an apology for white kid is going to an air-conditioned, by the oppressed for justice, peace, and a decent slavery. Then-just two days later-Clinton c;:arpeted school with small class size where standard of living. Nonetheless, there's no unveiled a strategy to at last truly liberate teachers with PhD's expect achievement. doubt that the foul, profits-first capitalist Africa: the "Partnership for Growth and system needs to be replaced by a people-first Opportunity." But they're both kids. system before environmental apocalypse or the inevitable next World War gets us all. 'Course cynics are already trying to tarnish Fact is, only a racist would think Black people these shining moments, grousing that the can't handle a challenge. It's like saying But the actual form that modem capitalism President's Big Speech on race was given on a Africans without electricity can't compete with takes is imperialism: a few wealthy vulture Saturday-after the Sunday papers were nations preying on a mass of nations so already printed and TV news is almost non ;osoft. relentlessly that most don't even have clean existent. running water. The same relationship is to: ~ow-with a Democratic President elected reproduced inside the vulture countries toward But that's just the same people complaining , to a second term for the first time since FDR and people once of Third World origins: Blacks in there weren't any proposals made for bettering a fine Republican Congress-a truly historic all countries, Irish in England, Turks in the lot of Black folks. moment has arrived. Welfare, desegregation, Germany, etc. etc. and affirmative action are being lifted off the Hell-looo?! The President is talking about necks of Afro-Americans. And Africa itself is People who happen to be citizens of an racism. Get it? Jeez-some people just can't finally given a chance to compete. imperialist country and "white" needn't feel recognize progress. guilty about their relative privileges-but they · Can there be any question that, were Ma:J;"tin must realize they have them. Fighting for And what could be more important than Luther King, Jr. alive today, he would say "free affirmative action, school desegregation and helping the 700 million people of Africa, the at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty-we world's most impoverished continent, where are free at last." . the cancellation of the debt "owed" by the many live without medical care, education, or Third World to imperial banks are at the heart often even food? * * * * of fighting for a better world. The belly-achers-oops, make that the Regular readers of this column (who easily It's what seeing Red is all about. complainers say the whole Partnership recognized the above material as satire) may amounts to offering to drop U.S. tariffs on some have noticed that an overwhelming Visit Eckardt's web page at seeingred.com and 1,800 African goods if the Africans will drop preponderance of pieces dealing with the Third leave your responses (discussion forums are barriers to U.S. goods. They say it's just a ("under-developed") World and racism. (It being organized). Or send e-mail to strong-arm move to take over Africa's markets, struck me, too, as I compiled them for my new seckard t@aol. com that people in mud huts will be competing Web page which can be found at-plug, plug against Boeing, DuPont and Microsoft. www .SeeingRed.com). So? Don't they need some competition to get them moving? The naysayers moan about the constant drain of money out of Africa, especially the heavy interest payments to Western banks. But wouldn't canceling Africa's vig on the juice just reward encourage lack of thrift and industriousness? (Hell, let's call a spade a spade here: wouldn't it reward plain ol' Black laziness?) That's the same damn mistake we made with welfare: letting food and medicine go to moms and kids who needed it. That was just a racist conspiracy to keep Black folks dependent on The Man. And hey-there's another step forward: the President's plan to ''end welfare as we know it" goes into effect July 1st, freeing perhaps a million poor children from the degradation of getting food aid and medical treatment. But if all this big stuff is too much for you-after all, all politics is local, right?-just take a look at Chicago public schools where the School Board just announced they were taking over ("reconstituting") seven high schools. (One of them had just 4% of the students achieving at their grade level.) Now they're flunking almost half the kids and making all the staff re-apply for their jobs. "Bout time, no? Let the moaners go on about segregated schools and unequal funding. Black folks have had it with the old ways, and so has the President. Afro-Americans don't want no favors, no special AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE 19 News From Voice Eckardt on Africa Late term abortions Edgar supports HB 382 allows for civil action by the woman's infrequent in Illinois abortion ban parents if the woman is a minor. According to the Illinois Planned Parenthood Although Governor Edgar is likely to sign a On July 17, Governor Edgar amendatorily Council, even with the amendatory veto, HB bili banning late term abortion procedure vetoed HB 382 (Abortion Ban). The 382 is unconstitutional. IPPC states that the dubbed "partial birth abortion" by the anti amendatory veto strikes the provision that definition used in HB382 is unconstitutionally choice movement, according to Illinois Public all~ws "the father of the fetus" to bring civil vague. Because the definition of the banned Health officials, no one in Illinois used that a chon. Governor Edgar did not recommend any procedure does not use medical terminology and procedure in the past year. That information other changes to the bill. does not describe medically recognized was contained in the Public Health procedures, it could apply to numerous abortion Department's annual report on abortion. The bill now goes to the Illinois General procedures. According to IDPH, there were 53,613 Assembly to consider Edgar's recommendation procedures performed in Illinois in 1996. That to change the bill. The bill's sponsor, Rep. IPPC also states that HB382 includes no was a 2.5 percent increase from the 1995 number. Peter Roskam, has called Edgar's exception for cases in which a woman's health . recommendations for change "technical." Tt is threatened. In addition, the bill contains a Tom Shafer, an IDPH spokesman, said abortion appears that the General Assembly will act on very narrow life exception which would force a providers are asked to list the procedures they a motion to accept this change during the Veto woman to undergo a more dangerous procedure if use. None of them reported using the late term Session, scheduled for Oct. 28- 30, and Nov. 12- it would suffice. method that was banned with Edgar's 14. signature. The legislation bans abortions, The U.S. Supreme Court, in Roe v. Wade, except to save the life of the mother. Shafer If the General Assembly accepts the governor's Planned Parenthood of Southeastern said of the abortions performed in Illinois, amendatory veto, HB 382 will: Pennsylvania, and other cases has found that 1,248 of them came after 20 weeks and 74 of states cannot ban abortion prior to viability. In them at 24 weeks gestation or later. Ban the late term abortion procedure dubbed addition, any abortion ban must include "partial birth abortions." exceptions to protect a woman's life and The IDPH report also stated that 434 abortions health. were performed on girls ages 14 or under, a Would allow for the banned procedure to be decrease of 32 from the previous year. The performed only if the abortion is "necessary to Current Illinois law bans abortions after procedure was performed on 4,814 girls under at save the life of the woman because her life is viability (usually 24-28 weeks) except when 18, a decline of 39 from 1995. endangered by a physical disorder, physical the woman's life or health is threatened. illness, or physical injury, including a life endangering condition caused by or arising from Source: The Pantagraph and Illinois Planned the pregnancy itself provided that no other Parenthood Council procedure would suffice for that purpose." Promoting abstinence Congress is hoping that abstinence reads based education will reduce teen pregnancy. Last year's welfare law guaranteed $250 Post Amerikan million in abstinence education grants. States must match every $4 in federal money with $3 in state money; the result is that almost $440 million could be spent on such programs in the next five years. Many states are worried that the abstinence only program will not be effective and will not mix well with current programs that provide information about birth control. Despite the concerns, only Connecticut has decided to pass on the money. Wyoming and New Jersey are undecided. Under federal rules, the abstinence programs should teach that sex outside of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects. Other approved topics include how to reject sexual advances, why drugs and alcohol make that more difficult and the importance of becoming self sufficient before having sex. This contrasts with "abstinence plus" programs which discourage sex but also talk about birth control and disease prevention for teens who might have sex anyway. In 1995, 66% of teens reported having sex by the time they graduated from high school Yet many Subscribe to the Post Amerikan politically conservative states like Arizona 6 issues I $6 bucks say they believe abstinence will work. Send check payable to Post Amerikan P.0. Box 3452 · Bloomington, rL 61702 PAGE20 POST AMERIKAN AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 ~··._ For Choice Arizona, which has the nation's fourth proven effective in reducing teen pregnancy, highest teen pregnancy rate plans to use the "Seven out of ten teenagers are already' money plus an extra $2 million for a media sexually active by the time they're 18 years campaign. Other states plan similar old," said Joyce Walker Tyson, deputy director campaigns- Maryland plans to put up of communication and development for the billboards that read "Virgin - teach your kid Washington-based Advocates for Youths. "To it's not a dirty word." Other states are focusing teach abstinence only is ridiculous." on 9-14 year olds who have not yet had sex. Many are focusing on mentoring, self-esteem But abstinence-only advocates disagree. They and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. say the program didn't work because it didn't emphasize abstinence until marriage; that sex Colorado decided to take the money but has is for procreation, and that childbearing is best promised not to abandon family planning and within a marriage. "It's a very hard job to sell HlV prevention programs already underway - this message of abstinence," said Patrick "given that almost half the kids in high Pagan-Fitzgerald, senior policy analyst for the school are sexually active," said Barbara Heritage Foundation. "You've got to give good Ritchen of the health department. reasons." To Kirby, the California failure highlights Despite the push for abstinence, even states and important need. "It's very important to like Arizona are not eliminating family conduct vigorous research to find out if a planning programs. Private money will be used program works before implementing it to help print brochures telling teens in rural broadly," he said. We couldn't agree more. Arivaca, in southwestern Arizona, where they can get birth control. The town has no place to Source: The Pantagraph Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Carol fill prescriptions for birth control pills. For Moseley-Braun, voted in the minority to allow teens and adults alike, it is an hour drive to fill federal emp!oyees' health insurance coverage such a prescription--the result is that family Senate interferes with include abortions. Sen. Barbara Boxer, said the planning assistance is not very accessible. measure unfairly "singles out female federal women's rights--again said Sen. Patty Murray, another opponent, who · A California researcher has concluded that a said the amendment would "take reproductive major abstinence-only education effort in that Federal employees who want abortions would health of women away from women." state did not work. The California model has have to continue paying out of their own been seen. as a model for similar programs pockets for the procedure under a measure the The amendment was to the 1998 appropriations elsewhere. Douglas Kirby, who conducted the Senate approved July 22. The act was part of a bill covering the Treasury Department, the research for the California Office of Family $22.5 billion spending bill. The all)endment, U.S. Postal Service, the executive office of the Planning found that the state program called approved 54 - 45, "would permit federal president and some independent agencies. It is '~Education Now and Babies Later," had no employee health plans to cover abortion only up to $1.1 billion over current spending but is impact on teens' sexual intentions or behavior in cases of rape, incest and threats to the life of $456 million less than President Clinton 17 months after it started. the mother," said Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, requested. The Senate approved the spending who sponsored it. bill 99-0. Kirby thinks the program didn't work because it was too brief, but others think the more Allowing federal health insurance to cover Source: The Pantagraph serious difficulty is that it did not include other abortions would amount to a "tax-payer contraceptive education. subsidy of abortions for federal workers" since the government pays about three-quarters of The debate about what can be done about teen the premiums, he said. The ban has been in sex reflects a national concern about the rate of force since 1984, except for 1994 and 1995. teen pregnancy. Each year 200,000 teens 17 and under have children, most of them out of wedlock. There has been a small decline in that rate in recent years, and advocates credit local education efforts for the reduction. But there is widespread disagreement over what • kinds of education works best. The abstinence-only philosophy advocated by social and religious conservatives is embodied in the legislation last year that provided $50 million for state education programs. Congress said the programs should focus on sex within marriage as the standard of American sexual behavior (just like all members of Congress do), and that sex within marriage is the only healthy sexual activity. Officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services say 47 states and Washington D.C. have indicated they intend to apply for a piece of that money. One fear is that some states will eliminate their other programs and focus only on abstinence. The problem with that approach is that abstinence-only programs haven't been AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE21 Labor's own~Radio: WCFL's Airwave Struggle WCFL: Chicago's Voice of Labor, 1926-78 by Communications Commission (FCC), seeking a are shining examples of WCFL's critical strike Nathan Godfried, University of Illinois Press, "clear-band" power station for labor. Labor and support and innovations like the "Junior 1997 ISBN: 0-252-06592-1 other civic groups fought for public space on the Federation Club," a children's show with a airwaves, their efforts overwhelmed by union message, that attracted 40,000 letters Should labor have its own mass media, its own commercial broadcasters. By studying Nockels' from young listeners in 1929. newspaper, radio and TV stations? The losing battles, one learns how the our present qu2stion is frequently asked and usually radio system triumphed over public use. The central struggle that marked WCFL is one positively answered. But has anyone actually that labor must still wrestle with today-- do studied the problems of competing in the mass Maintaining a station and audience was a drain you dilute labor's message for a mass audience? media marketplace? on CFL resources. Under Lee WCFL made money How do you sustain an expensive medium like with its popular disc jockeys and sports. Labor broadcasting without resorting to advertising? Someone has tried, and that experiment is well programming appeared in news shows. The documented in "WCFL: Chicago's Voice of station's final effort in the 1960s was an all-out Keeping advertisers happy and still sending a Labor." When radio was new, Edward Nockels, push to become the rock and roll top-40 Chicago union message was never a happy medium, but secretary-treasurer of the Chicago Federation powerhouse. The station briefly beat WLS but WCFL made the effort. There are helpful of Labor (CFL), pushed for space on the then slid into red ink, leading to its sale in lessons here for today's unions, struggling to airwaves. for 52 years the CFL controlled a 1987. effectively reach mass audiences. radio band, mixing idealism with commercialism. This is an in-depth book, chronicling Nockels' battles with the FCC plus station programming Reviewed by Mike Matejka Like any high-tech enterprise, 1920s radio was and promotional efforts over the years. There Union News- July 1997 not cheap. Once it gained its licen~e, union donations were not enough to sustain a station. How was WCFL going to attract the public who found soap operas, comedians and music on their "Family Friendly Workplace radio dial? WCFL decided to fight commercial Act'' a trick make employees work long, hard hours one week and broadcasters on their own terms. They had then slash 'the amount of time they work the next week. studio musicians, in-house personalities and The company would end up not owning a penny in sports coverage, all trying to win the average by Senator Carol Moseley-Braun (D) of Illinois overhme or a minute of comp time to a worker assigned listener. Godfried's book traces WCFL's effort, to put in 60 hours one week and 20 hours. the next week. contrasting Nockels' idealism with the business The Senate is considering the so-called "Family unionism of CFL President William Lee (194F Friendly Workplace Act." Doesn't that sound This Would amount to a pay cut for American families 84). Under Nockels' the station served not only wonderful? The sponsors could just as well have called who depend on overtime pay as a major portion of their labor but farm and other progressive it the "Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice Act." but income. This legislation would abolish the guarantee organizations. Nockels fought the Federal that wouldn't have made the actual bill any better. of pay for working more than 40 hours a week for 65. million workers, many of whom pay for food, shelter, There is something to the old cliche that you cannot education and retirement for their families with this judge a book by its cover. In this case, the sponsors of money. With the growing gap between the rich and the the "Family Friendly Workplace Act" tied this fancy poor, and with the middle class working harder than ribbon of a title around a legislative package that ever, working Americans have little room to give on would hurt working people in general and would be wages. detrimental to working parents in particular. There is a third big problem with this proposal. The Since parents would end up with less control over their sponsors talk about wanting to strengthen families, but work schedule and less money to pay for raising their that's only lip service if an employee could be required TUESDAY - $1 DOMESTIC BEER families, it would be more accurate and more honest to to work 65 hours one week and 15 hours the next. Apart WEDNESDAY - $1 CALL DRINKS call the bill the "Paycheck Reduction Act." from the affect it would have on take home pay, it OJ - TUE, WED, THUR, FRI, & SAT could lead to schedules that would cause chaos, not just HOURS: Supporters of this business-backed legislation claim it for working parents, but for their families. Imagine if MON-THUR 4PM-1AM I FRIDAY 4PM-2AM . would" give working people the flexibility to choose mom was home early one week and then not home for SATURDAY 8PM-2AM I SUNDAY 6PM-1AM between overtime pay and compensatory time off or dinner at all the next. flexible credit hours. 316 N. MAIN BLOOMINGTON • I am not a single working mother. I know what it means (309) 829-2278 Would it really? to have to balance family and work. My concern is that employees would not, in fact, be I believe that employers and employees working given a choice between overtime and choicetime. If together can have flex time, can have work schedules this bill becomes law, employers still would decide that really do serve the interests of families, but that which work~rs who agree to take comptime rather is not what this bill does. than the overtime pay that many families rely on to help make ends meet. If employers really want to make workplaces more family friendly, there are many realistic options John Sweeney, the president of the AFL-CIO, has available without changing any laws. voiced this same concern. "Employers could discriminate against employees who want overtime The 40 hour week and the right to overtime are pay, and employers would control when employees protections that the working people of America fought could use comptime." he said. A workplace atmospher1 to secure. Blood was shed and people died in the would emerge that would cause employees to believe struggle to create a work week which people could see that their jobs depend on choosing comptime instead of daylight, see their children, and build their overtime. . communities. We should not take lightly efforts to erase the victories of America's working men and There is aw>ther big problem with this bill. It would women, victories that have strengthened America's eliminate t11~ 40 hour work week. In its place, there working families. would be an 80 hour, two-week work period. What's the difference? There's a big difference. Bosses could --Union News July 1997 PAGE22 POST AMERIKAN . AUGUST I SEPTEMBER Underground Barfly Hello fellow barflies. I must say that I am ashamed of myself for last issue's U.B. I didn't even review a bar! I've decided to use a 4 beer mug (4 being highest and 1 being lowest) description of each individual place. This place, like Bonker's, is a place to escape colors and the cushioned seats mixed with some Whatdyathinkathat? Huh? Huh? the young freaks. However, unlike Bonker's, soft R & B, jazz or blues makes Soft Touch a they have made rules to keep the young freaks perfect place to bring a date. Even the dance OK, let's get to business! out. Dig this: you have to be at least 25 years floor, of which are usually made out of some old to go there and there is a dress code. Don't cheap linoleum product and an eyesore, was Moe's let the dress code scare you; it's just a rule to wood, and classy So all you single barflies, and Just kidding. keep out the potential assholes. For example not so single too, take a hint from the they don't allow baseball caps that are tilted Underground Barfly of Love and take your to the side, etc. It really isn't that bad. I was sweethearts to Soft Touch Lounge. wearing blue jeans with a hole in the knee and There are also a few pool tables and dart at-shirt and I didn't get hassled. boards & stuff. Nothing to really write home about. Bonker's Keeping in mind that this place has not been in business for very long, their alcohol selection Another thing that I must say about that place was kind of lame. Definitely below average. I was that the bathrooms were absolutely This place was definitely a pleasant surprise. was very surprised to see mostly the cheap, not impeccable! There were a couple of urinals, as This was a nice cool neighborhood bar where a cheapest, kind of booze in that place. I did find usual, but there was also a little room where person can go after a hard day's work to have 'a some decent scotch, but not what I would have the. toilet was; and dig this--it had its own drink. It's not your usual B-N college-type bar preferred. But, as I said, they're just getting sink! I couldn't believe it! Maybe I'm just with a bunch of young freaks acting stupid. their shit together. So I sat and drank my naive, but was one of the things that sold me on (Mind you, I have nothing against young freaks; scotch. Then I decided to check out the jukebox. that place. Wow! A sink in the "toilet room." I was one myself at one time.) It's just a mellow · place with a jukebox, a pool table, a few dart The jukebox was very impressive. It was filled Soft Touch Lounge is located at 401 N. Veterans boards, and some video games. with the best kind of blues, R & B, and jazz. Parkway in Bloomington. If you find that What a selection! Everything from Ray confusing, it's where Tuxedo Junction used to be. The music in the jukebox is filled with mostly Charles to Billie Holiday to Miles Davis to ... pop country balanced by some good 'ol country. you get the picture. Needless to say, I put a lot But if you're not in to country of any sort, there of one dollar bills into that thing. is some good classic rock that can be dug. All in all, I would say that this box is geared mainly And let me tell you that the environment was towards ~ older crowd--probably 25ish to perfect for having a scotch and listening to some 50ish--but good music is for everyone (21 years cool tunes. It was a large room that just by itself old and up, that is) and this box has the good could make you relax. The dark--not too dark-- music for the ears that want to hear it (and the cash that pays for it). And while your listening to the groovy music that your drunk ass paid for, you can have a drink from their average selection of barfly juice served by one of their excellent bartenders. And if you look carefully, you might see a few surprises among those bottles! Another thing I liked about this place was the canned beer that they sold. Can ya believe it? Pretty cool, huh? After a few canned Buschs, you're going to want to take a piss. The men's bathroom is very clean and respectable; a nice place to relieve one's self from the leftovers of alcohol. My sincere apologies to the female barflies. My gender does not allow me to inspect your places of bladder relief; but since women's toilets are usually cleaner than men's, I will give it the U.B Stamp of Approval sight unseen. I never played any pool there, but the average sized pool table looked like it was in pretty good shape. I don't usually like video games in bars because they're too noisy and they can distract me from my drink (fat chance!). But the video games in this place are nice and quiet. Video golf and 4 video poker machines (I wonder if they pay off) are all that this place has to offer in the way of modern technology, except, of course, the 4 electronic dart boards, which are noisy, but not too annoying. So if you want a nice, mellow place to go to escape the young freaks, go to Bonker's. It's open every day at lOam, except on Sundays when it opens at noon. Bonker's is located at 1507 S. Main in Bloomington. AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1997 POST AMERIKAN PAGE23 612 N. Main St. Bloomington, ll 827-9580 monda:y tuesday $3.00 PITCHER~ MILLER LITE. BUD LITE $3.00 PITCHer~ BLUE~ JAM WI MlLer LITe. TWIN CITY GROOVE BUD LITe 9PM $1.25 DOME~TIC BOTTLE~ $1.75 WELL DRINK~ $1.50 HEINEKEN~ OPEN MIC W!ED FROM BLUE~ WI BROTHER JED ANDREA HOWARD • friday ·sun ay OPEN MIC W/ RETRO DANCE MIX JAME~ CI~CO OF D.J. 3Rl) ~UNDA Y MARKET MICRO BREW ~PECIAL' $1.50 CORONA $~.00 320Z.. $2.~0 PINT~ OF ALL LONG I~LAND~' MICRO BREW DRAFT~ Downstair9 Bar · A · .., r=u1 Open1ng . ug. ..J-.J •••