OPPORTUNITY
DANGER
CRISIS
The Chinese wo+dfor *'crisis" is composed of two characters: *'danger"and 'bpportunity." The coming decade will certainly be a time of danger as old patterns self-destruct; but it will also be a time of F e a t opportunity for new modes of lCfe to emerge.
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK -
.
Something i s happening down h e r e I f you ask anyone about C a r n e g i e , y o u ' l l g e t a s many answers a s p e o p l e asked, but i t ' l l g e n e r a l l y be good. T h e r e ' s something about t h i s p l a c e enough v a r i e t y G d e p t h o f a c t i v i t i e s and o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o make t h e p l a c e okay. S t i l l , c a l l s from p e o p l e s t i l l a s k i n g q u e s t i o n s l i k e "Can I come i n i f I come down t h e r e ? " o r "1s everyone i n t h e r e drunk a l l t h e time?" o r you h e a r from someone who d r i v e s by e v e r y day s a y i n g t o a f r i e n d who s a y s t o a Carnegie u s e r : "I s e e them on t h a t c o r n e r e v e r y day, t h o s e d r u n k s E pimps & d e a l e r s a t t h e Carnegie." So much f o r s t e r e o t y p e s . A group o f s t u d e n t s from C a p i l a n o C o l l e g e made a v i d e o h e r e r e c e n t l y ; a d i s p l a y o f p h o t o s t a k e n by s t r e e t k i d s g o t coverage on CBC TV n a t i o n w i d e ; G f o r some m y s t i c a l r e a s o n , i n t h e m i d s t o f c i t y - w i d e budget c u t s , C a r n e g i e g o t funding f o r year-round s t a f f a t Oppenheimer Park. Both Pam Brown and S t e v e
Johnson have done such an i n c r e d i b l e j o b t h e r e f o r months t h a t , when t h e c r u c i a l c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e i r work was presented t o t h e funding people, it g o t l i s t e d as an e s s e n t i a l s e r v i c e ! Oh yeah. A l i t t l e i t e m t h a t q u i e t l y p a s s e d unanimously a t C i t y Council ( i n t h e middle o f 5% c u t s t o e v e r y C i t y Department) - we g o t $125,000 t o f i n i s h r e n o v a t i o n s t o t h e l s t , 2nd G l a n e l e v e l f l o o r s b e f o r e Xmas a c t i v i t i e s . T h e r e ' s t h i s motley crew c a l l i n g t h e m s e l v e s t h e Reno's Committee who w i l l meet a f t e r t h i s goes t o p r e s s t o make a d e f i n i t e l i s t o f e x a c t l y what w i l l be done w i t h t h e e x t r a money. George P u i l , one o f t h e C o u n c i l l o r s , s a i d i n 1979 when C a r n e g i e ' s f u t u r e was b e i n g d e b a t e d t h a t p u t t i n g money i n t o C a r n e g i e ' w a s l i k e p o u r i n g i t down a r a t h o l e . J u s t r e c e n t l y he s a i d t h a t t h e C i t y o f Vancouver h a s a "moral obl i g a t i o n " t o s u p p o r t Carnegie. Bruce E r i c k s e n & Libby Davies s p e a r h e a d e d t h e b a t t l e i n t h e l a t e 7 0 ' s t o make C a r n e g i e i n t o a community c e n t r e . I f you send X m a s c a r d s , o r j u s t want t o c a l l them up a t C i t y H a l l G s a y t h a n k s
...
He Is Not Dead
I cannot s a y , and I w i l l n o t s a y That he i s dead. He i s j u s t away. With a c h e e r y s m i l e , and a wave o f t h e hand, He has wandered i n t o an unknown l a n d And l e f t us dreaming how v e r y f a i r I t needs must be, s i n c e h e l i n g e r s t h e r e And you - oh you, who t h e w i l d e s t y e a r n For an o l d - t i m e s t e p , and t h e g l a d r e t u r n Think o f him a s f a r i n g on, a s d e a r In t h e l o v e of t h e r e a s t h e l o v e o f h e r e Think o f him s t i l l a s t h e same. I s a y , He i s n o t dead - He i s j u s t away. James Whitcomb R i l e y
m
By PAULR
TAYLOR
'
1,
-1\
- REBECCA
PACT WITH THE STARS
3.
I knew h e r once, many t i m e s I w i l l l o v e h e r always She meant t h e world t o me. And I c o u l d n e v e r t e l l h e r so. Can i t be t h a t it i s f o r e v e r o v e r I missed my chance,
I would d i e when all seasons t u r n t o winter
and t h e winds of summer cold on t h i s s k i n , a s April t o September vanishes i n a long, vague moment of surrender t o the l a s t kinship of autumn.
1
In t h e sweetness o f t h a t hour, may I bear t h e t h o r n s and t h e hemlock Jpon t h e t i s s u e of my h e a r t , and c r y out l o t f o r mercy, ? u t acceptance. G a r r y Gust
-
The a s s t h a t walks & t a l k s , Given Canada away, Jobs go everyday, Mexico & U.S.A. Should klck h i s a s s , He has nc c l a s s , Catering t o Corporate e l i t e Nothing but a bag o f d e c e i t , Balroney, The a s s t h a t walks & t a l k s . . Brian Wagget The Lonely Wonderer
I ' m a l o s t s o u l j u s t wondering a b o u t . I o f t e n wonder why I was b r o u g h t h e r e . I r e a l l y d o n ' t b e l o n g h e r e . I'm always p a s s e d a b o u t . My Daddy. My Mommy, t h e i r M r . E Mrs. wonderabout. My Daddy, he s a y s he l o v e s me w h i l e h i s drowning h i s s p o u t , a s w e l l a s , h i s mouth, h e ' s proud t o be M r . Wonderabout. My Mommy, s h e s a y s s h e l o v e s me when s h e ' s w a t e r i n g h e r v e i n s and g i v i n g everyone a pump, s h e ' s j u s t b e i n g Mrs. Wonderabout. When a l l I r e a l l y g e t i s a lump i n my t h r o a t t h a t g o e s thump thump. P l e a s e ! ! Mommy, Daddy l e t ' s f a c e t h e p a i n s o we can g a i n o u r f a m i l y a g a i n . Before I'm f o r c e d t o become Son Wonderabout.
- from a hometown n e w s l e t t e r
.
So many many changes. - Whatever c o u l d I have been t h i n k i n g - To know e x a c t l y how I was f e e l i n g - To l e t t h i s p r e c i o u s l o v e s l i p away So s l o w l y , s o p a i n f u l l y - I f e l t i n my h e a r t o f h e a r t s - C u t t i n g i n t o s o deep and h a r d - and s o e n d l e s s l y f a t a l . - A s o r r o w t h a t w i l l always - remain w i t h i n me u n t i l t h e - end o f my d a y s f o r now and - f o r the eternal hereafter. - Where h a s s h e gone my p a r t n e r - Where i s s h e now Oh p l e a s e - S t a r s above me, l e a d t h e way - Up s o h i g h where you a r e - Shining h O ~ e f u i l O~ r ~ f a r - below b e n e a t h me. P l e a s e - Grant my wish, j u s t t h i s - once, s o a s t o p u t an end t o - t h i s eternal constant - s u f f e r i n g I am e x p e r i e n c i n g - i n empty s p e n t vacuums o f - my s o u l . U n t i l t h a t t i m e - when you d e c r e e my r e q u e s t . - Oh mighty l i g h t s o f l o v e o f - t h e u n i v e r s e . I w i l l always - continue t o search f o r her. - Everywhere; f o r e v e r , I - promise, I am s a y i n g t o you - u n t i l my h e a r t c e a s e s t o b e a t . - Because I am i n l o v e w i t h h e r . - I t i s t h a t s i m p l e , and a l s o - t h a t complex. I w i l l n e v e r l o v e - anyone e l s e , a s much a s I am - i n l o v e w i t h you Rebecca. - Because you a r e i r r e p l a c e a b l e You a r e p r i c e l e s s t o me. Robb L i v i n g s t o n e
Once-a-year C h r i s t i a n s : I must compliment you on t h e Nov.15 i ;sue. Now I know most p e o p l e t h i n k I r c a l l y d o n ' t l i k e you b u t t h a t ' s n o t true. I f t h e r e ' s anything I ' v e ever d i s l i k e d t h a t h a s a n y t h i n g t o do w i t h you is i n t e n s e o v e r - s a t u r a t i o n o f p o l i t i c a l i s s u e s p u b l i s h e d i n t h e newsl e t t e r , Most o f t h e t i m e t h e s e a r t i c l e s were s m a l l p r i n t G v e r y d i f f i c u l t f o r Seniors t o read. I u n d e r s t a n d how you wish t o u s e t h e n e w s l e t t e r a s a v e h i c l e f o r awareness b i t i t always seemed t o o v e r k i l l o r f i l l e r , j u s t t o make t h e n e w s l e t t e r b i z g e r . Nothing r e l i e v e s and r e f r e s h e s me more t h a n t o s e e t h e f i r s t 2 1 p a g e s s t u f f e d with p o e t r y , announcements G a r t i c l e s w r i t t e n by v o l u n t e e r s ! I can a c c e p t t h o s e two pages a t t h e end o f t h e n e w s l e t t e r d e a l i n g w i t h Mulroney's proposed c o n s t i t u t i o n a l changes bec a u s e o f i t s immediate i m p o r t a n c e . Anyway I b e l i e v e t h i s t r u e "Carnegie" N e w s l e t t e r i s a p r o d u c t o f t h e NDP v i c t o r y on Oct.17. I g u e s s you won't h e w r i t i n q l o f t y a r t i c l e s about scummy p o l i t i c i a n s , t h e i r s h e n a n i g a n s and unf a i r conservative policies. C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s t o you and t h e Carn e g i e r s who c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e v e r y c r e a t i v e Nov.15 N e w s l e t t e r . S t e v e Rose
I t ' s n e v e r a s u r e t h i n g b u t anyone interested in free tickets t o the Vancouver Symphony O r c h e s t r a can c a l l S t e v e Rose a t 874-5544.
The o n c e - a - y e a r C h r i s t i a n s a r e o u t Blind and d e a f t h e r e s t o f t h e again. y e a r , Xmas b r i n g s o u t t h e r e l u c t a n t compassion i n them. Come J a n . 1 , 1992 t h e e u p h o r i a o f Xmas s e a s o n w i l l have worn o f f and t h e w i l l become b l i n d and deaf t o t h e p l i g h t o f t h e poor. I t would be a l o t b e t t e r i f t h e y ' d show t h e Xmas compassion a l l y e a r l o n g . To t h e compassionate and k i n d p e o p l e who e x p r e s s i t a l l y e a r l o n g , Merry Brian Wagget
-
Steve, T h e r e ' s a f i l e with a s i n g l e black l i n e where t h e name u s u a l l y g o e s . Ins i d e i s a l l t h e s t u f f t h a t was submitt e d b u t n o t p r i n t e d - maybe 10 p i e c e s o f work o v e r 5 y e a r s . The p o i n t i s t h a t t h e n e w s l e t t e r c o n t a i n s what i s submitted - i f i t ' s poetry, a r t i c l e s , l e t t e r s o r what have you. Some t h i n g s a r e j u ~ ~t oto l o n g o r p o o r l y w r i t t e n , wandering w i t h no s t o r y l i n e , have out-of-date information o r a r e so s e l f c e n t r e d t h a t t h e y h a v e no meaning t o anyone b u t t h e w r i t e r . T h e r e w i l l always b e scummy p o l i t i c i a n s G t h e i r tlshenanigans" t o w r i t e a b o u t , b u t s t o r i e s on p o v e r t y , " f r e e " t r a d e , t h e GST, t h e c o r p o r a t e agenda, h o u s i n g , narrow-minded o r i n s e n s i t i v e p r o p o s a l s w i l l always need e x p o s u r e . Except f o r t h e a c t u a l p r i n t i n g , t h e e n t i r e p a p e r i s c r e a t e d from s t a r t t o f i n i s h by V o l u n t e e r s . . a n d j u s t because someone i s n ' t s i g n e d up f o r a 4% hour s h i f t a t a v o l u n t e e r job i n Carnegie d o e s n ' t make them any l e s s a Volunteer. PaulR
Taylor
More About Roaches O r d i n a r i l y , cockroaches a r e a s t h e y appear t o b e - s o l i t a r y , i s o l a t e d i n s e c t s p o t t e r i n g about t h e i r business, l o o k i n g f o r crumbs t o e a t and w a t e r t o d r i n k . What human b e i n g s may n o t y e t know about c o c k r o a c h e s i s t h a t t h e y have t h i s enormous t e l e p a t h i c p o t e n t i a l . D e c l a r e war on y o u r cockroach i n f e s t a t i o n G t h e y w i l l be transformed. For one t h i n g , t h e y w i l l go madly i n t o c o p u l a t i n g and r e p o r d u c i n g . For t h e second t h i n g t h e y w i l l become, n o t pottering individuals but, a telepathic mind made u p o f a l l t h e cockroach minds l i n k e d t o g e t h e r . Compare i t t o t h e human b r a i n c e l l s l i n k e d t o g e t h e r . Each f e e b l e cockroach mind becomes a c e l l i n t h e g r o u p mind. The g r o u p mind t h u s formed can E does communicate w i t h human minds, b u t usua l l y t o no a v a i l . The p e r s o n p l a n n i n g
a big s p r a y - u p o f t h e i r a p a r t m e n t f o r t h e n e x t day i s l i k e l y t o have dreams t h a t w i l l c a u s e him t o s a y , "Gee, I ha( t h i s w e i r d dream l a s t n i g h t ! I was on t h e beach and t h i s guy i n a r e d d i s h brown s u i t came up t o me and begged me t o s p a r e t h e l i v e s o f s o many i n n o c e n t men, women G c h i l d r e n . Then t h e s c e n e changed and t h e r e were a l l t h e s e dead I t was s u r e an awful dream." bodies. And t h e n t h e dreamer w i l l go ahead w i t h h i s s p r a y i n g , n o t comprehending t h a t t h e dream was from t h e r o a c h e s . Suppose y o u r p l a c e i s i n f e s t e d w i t h r o a c h e s and your r e a c t i o n h a s been s o s t r o n g a s t o s t a r t l e them i n t o t h e i r group-mind s t a t e . For one t h i n g , i f you look c a r e f u l l y , you a r e l i k e l y t o f i n d one roach always perbhed h i g h i n your room, on a p i c t u r e frame o r window moulding, m o n i t o r i n g e v e r y move you make. For t h e second t h i n g , remember t h a t you a s an i n d i v i d u a l a r e t e l e p a t h i c . I f you d e c i d e a s you go t o bed 'Tomorrow I ' l l move a l l t h e f u r n i t u r e away from t h e E a s t w a l l s p r a y ; t h e n e x t day I ' l l do t h e West w a l l ' ...few r o a c h e s w i l l d i e . They w i l l have u n d e r s t o o d y o u r p l a n s and a c t e d a c c o r d i n g l y . While you a r e doi n g i t a l o n g t h e East w a l l on t h e 1 s t d a y , a l l o f t h e c o c k r o a c h e s w i l l be ensconced behind t h e f u r n i t u r e on t h e West w a l l , r e a d y t o move en massc a c r o s s t h e room w h i l e you s l e e p between times. A l l human b e i n g s , a l l c r e a t u r e s , a1 p l a n t s , a l l l i v i n g t h i n g s a r c marvel1 o u s l y t e l e p a t h i c . One can l e a r n how t o p u t a s i d e t h e t h u n d e r of t h e consc i o u s mind and b e g i n t o r e c e i v e from p e o p l e , from p l a n t s and from a l l 1 iv-ing c r e a t u r e s . I t ' s a matter o f lcarni n g s i m p l e , wide-awake t e c h n i q u e s a n d . a f t e r you have l e a r n e d them, you w i l l n e v e r be a l o n e a g a i n because t h e r e w i l l always b e w o r l d s i n t o which you can a t w i l l , s t e p t h r o u g h .
By E R I C ERTCKSON -
ways t o p r o v i d e answers. T h i s s e a r c h i n g h a s , l i k e t h e s e a r c h i n g f o r t h e New World, become a n o t h e r encroachment upon North Ame r i c a n indigenous peoples. Not o n l y have t h e l a n d s been a p p r o p r i a t e d b u t now it app e a r s t h a t c u l t u r a l and s p i r i t u a l v a l u e s have a l s o been a p p r o p r i a t e d . The e v e r pres e n t need t o "owntt i s s t r o n g e r t h a n e v e r . New Age f a s c i s t s a r e e a g e r t o g a i n cont r o l and quick t o e x p l o i t indigenous c u l t u r e s . Books by t h e dozen a r e being marke t e d by such c h a r l a t a n s as Sun Bear, Lynn Andrews. e t al...The commercialisation o f C u l t u r a l Dyslexia ( o r Medicine Cards Anyone?) Native s p i r i t u a l i t y i s now b i g b u s i n e s s . Non-Natives a r e p r e s e n t l y g i v i n g workshop The p a s t two decades have s e e n a p r o f i l on " t r a d i t i o n a l drum making" h e r e i n t h e e r a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e w i t h themes such a s Lower Mainland. Sweatlodge; and o t h e r sar e t u r n i n g t o t h e e a r t h , ecology, conservac r e d ceremonies a r e being conducted f o r t i o n and t h e r e b i r t h o f Native American financial gain. This bastardisation of s p i r i t u a l i s m . I t seems t h a t once proud Aboriginal c u l t u r e i s f o o l i n g many l o s t European customs and v a l u e s have f a l l e n by s o u l s who a r e looking f o r enlightenment t h e wayside and t h i s i s t h e r e s u l t . Many and immediate r e t u r n s . T h i s new breed of North America's non-Aboriginal peoples, might w e l l be c h r i s t e n e d t h e 'Wanne-Be o r White immigrants, p r e s e n t l y e x i s t i n a T r i b e ' . S u r e l y t h e s e f o l l o w e r s must have s t a t e o f anomie. something, an i o t a perhaps, b u t a t l e a s t The S i x t i e s saw d i s i l l u s i o n m e n t with t h e something t o be proud o f i n t h e i r own c u l s t a t e of a f f a i r s a t home b o t h i n t h e US & tures of origin. It is not l i k e l y t h a t Canada. I t was n o t s u r p r i s i n g , c o n s i d e r i n g someone would t r y s o hard t o become somet h e war-mongering C a p i t a l i s t v a l u e s t h a t t h i n g t h a t t h e y a r e not u n l e s s , o f course, dominated t h e Western world. T h i s d i s i l l u t h e y do n o t l i k e who t h e y p r e s e n t l y a r e . sionment manifested i t s e l f i n a s e a r c h i n g C u l t u r a l s e l f - h a t r e d 'does n o t o c c u r i n f o r answers, by t h e "turning on, t u n i n g i n j u s t "people of c o l o ~ r ' ~o,r s o t h i s t r e n d and dropping out" m e n t a l i t y . I t was e v i d would i n d i c a t e . e n t i n t h e seeking o f gurus f o r " e n l i g h t T h i s t r e n d i s o f t e n masked i n t h e p r e enment". I t was e v i d e n t t h e n , and today by t e n s e of ' c u l t u r a l s h a r i n g ' . But a l l t o o t h e t u r n i n g t o Native American s p i r i t u a l o f t e n t h e i n v i t a t i o n t o s h a r e i s taken a s an open i n v i t a t i o n t o t h e s l a u g h t e r . H i s t o r y has shown t h a t you cannot, simply cannot, t e a c h a shark t o s h a r e . Native s p i r i t u a l i t y should n o t be l o s t i c t h i s dimestore approach t o e n l i g h t e n ment. I t should n o t be confused and l o s t i n t h e mishmash o f white l i g h t h e a l i n g , cosmic e n e r g i e s and pyramid power. I am glad non-Native men f e e l an u r g e n t need t o e x p l o r e t h e i r Jungian archetypes; however, I am c e r t a i n Native men do n o t need a 'wildman weekend' t o a s c e r t a i n t h e i r m a s c u l i n i t y . Is n o t h i n g s a c r e d ? Please, g i v e u s a break. By BOB K.
peoples. I f you a r e white, don't neglect your own ancient t r a d i t i o n s . They a r e a s valid as anyone e l s e ' s , 6 t h e ways of your m c e s t o r s need t o be honoured 6 remembered. "Raceff i s an a r b i t r a r y & meaningless conlept. Races among humans d o n ' t e x i s t . I f there ever was any such t h i n g a s race, there has been so much constant c r i s s c r o s sing of genes f o r t h e l a s t 500,000 y e a r s :hat it would have l o s t a l l meaning anyway. rhere a r c no r e a l d i v i s i o n s between us, mly a continuum of v a r i a t i o n s t h a t constm t l y ch'ange, a s we come t o g e t h e r & separi t e according t o t h e movement of people. Anyone who f u n c t i o n s i n what i s r e f e r r e 8 :o a s t h e l l c f v i l i s e d t f world is a c a r r i e r ,f the d i s e a s e o f racism. Does reading t h i s guide make you uncomlortable? Angry? Confused? Are you taking .t personally? Well, not t o f r e t . Racism ras c r e a t e d a big h o r r i b l e mess, E r a c i a l lealing can sometimes be p a i n f u l . J u s t r e ember t h a t Jewish people & people o f collur do not want o r need anybody's g u i l t . le j u s t want people t o accept r e s p o n s i b i l t y when it i s a p p r o p r i a t e , and a c t i v e l y 'ork f o r change. By AMOJA THREE RIVERS
: Ely Angel ( D o r i e ) *
* *
................................. She was an a n -g e l She w a s my p r e c i o u s gem L o t s o f bubbly l o v e & h a p p i n e s s Came from w i t h i n h e r h e a r t She was a n i n s p i r a t i o n a l p e r s o n She had a l o t of c o u r a g e I f e l t a s e n s e of r e l i e f She h a s no more p a i n I know deep down i n my h e a r t She is w i t h m e I w i l l always h e a r h e r v o i c e w h i s p e r i n g i n t h e wind I l o v e you mom B E Stevens
\ \ '' 1 , -* -- J --
<\-
Dear C a r n e g i e N e w s l e t t e r ,
>,, , I
/
\
'
\
I ' m w r i t i n g t o t h a n k YW f o r t h o words you've allowed t o be w r i t t e n i n t h i s n e w s l e t t e r E t o t e l l you 6 y o u r r e a d e r s a b o u t o u r r a d i o show. A c o l l e c t i v e o f u s have a p a r e n t i n g show on Coop Radio CFRO 102.7 FM ( j u s t down t h e r o a d a t Pigeon P a r k ) . We a r e c a l l e d ' f I n s t r u c t i o n s Not I n c l u d e d f f , I . N . I . f o r s h o r t . We a i r e v e r y Monday, u n l e s s we a r e pre-empted, from 4-5 pm. The f i r s t 45 m i n u t e s o f t h e show d e a l w i t h i s s u e s around t h e f a m i l y such a s Adultism, War Toys, C h i l d P o v e r t y , S i n g l e P a r e n t i n g , Environment E o u r C h i l d r e n , E Family H e a l t h t o name o n l y a few. The l a s t 15 m i n u t e s o f o u r show i s music E s t o r i e s f o r c h i l d r e n . We a l s o have 3 r e g u l a r monthly shows: * Healthy Living with C r o f t , ( t h e l a s t Monday, e x c e p t when i t ' s a theme show) a show-on h e h t h i s s u e s which a f f e c t u s a l l from p r e - b i r t h t o d e a t h ; * C h i l d r e n ' s Monthly M u s i c , ( u s u a l l y mid-month) which i s one f u l l h o u r o f music G s t o r i e s j u s t f o r c h i l d r e n , a v a r i e t y h o u r E theme shows f o r C h r i s t mas, New Year' s, Hal loween, Dinosaur hour, and o t h e r s ; " " W i l l I t Ever End?" I n t h e new y e a r we w i l l have o t h e r g - u e s t s on t h e t o p i c ~f a b u s e , e l d e r , farm, r e l i g i o u s . . t h e l i s t g o e s on. There w i l l be shows where w e ' l l open o u r phone l i n e s t o o u r l i s t e n e r s ; t h e o n - a i r number i s 684-7561 o r 684-7562. Coming up i n December a r e : Dec. 2 : S u p p o r t i n g t h e C h i l d r e n , when p a r e n t s go t h e i r s e p a r a t e ways. Dec. 9: W i l l I t Ever End?(Child a b u s e ) Dec.16: H e a l t h y L i v i n g w i t h C r o f t Dec.23: C h i l d r e n ' s C h r i s t m a s S p e c i a l . Dec.30: C h i l d r e n ' s New Y e a r ' s S p e c i a l ; Peace E Warmth f o r a l l Beings theme.
W i l l I t Ever End?
For hundreds upon hundreds o f y e a r s c h i l d r e n have been abused - a l l k i n d s o f a b u s e . C h i l d r e n a r e i n n o c e n t . They a r e not sex objects, nor a r e they here on mother e a r t h t o b e n e g l e c t e d , abandoned, shamed, g u i l t e d , h a t e d , u s e d , f o r c e d upon, . e x p l o i t e d , e t c . They a r e n o t h e r e t o be abused p h y s i c a l l y , v e r b a l l y , mentally, through r e l i g i o n , t h r o u g h c u l t s o r whatever ... There a r e f a r more c h i l d r e n abused t h a n a r e n o t . Where i s t h e h e l p ? I f t h e r e i s no h e l p t h e s e c h i l d r e n grow up t o be d e s t r u c t i v e t e e n a g e r s . They end u p on t h e s t r e e t s , t h e y ' r e d o i n g d r u g s , t h e y become c r i m i n a l s , t h e y end up i n j a i l , t h e y c a n ' t keep a job, t h e y fall i n t o destructive relationships, t h e y have unwanted c h i l d r e n and s o on. They a r e d e p r e s s e d & d o n ' t even know i t . They become a d u l t s & t h e y a b u s e G t h e v i c i o u s c i r c l e b e g i n s a g a i n . These c h i l d r e n , t e e n a g e r s E a d u l t s need h e l p 6 o u r system i s n o t h e l p i n g . Our system keeps s i l e n t a b o u t a b u s e , a s w e l l a s o u r f a m i l i e s . These t h i n g s a r e n o t t a l k e d a b o u t - indeed we a l l f e e l u n c o m f o r t a b l e when t h e g r a p h i c r e a l i t i e s o f ' c h i l d h o o d abuse a r e exposed. So, whether o r n o t we have o u r s e l v e s been v i c t i m s , we a r e p a r t o f t h e c o n s p i r a c y t h a t c o n t i n u e s t o wreck young l i v e s . I ' m s a d t o s a y no one ex,capes abuse; i t i s i n a l l forms.
Maybe i f we h e l p e a c h o t h e r , c o u n s e l e a c h o t h e r , l i s t e n , s h a r e , s u p p o r t one a n o t h e r t o f e e l s a f e t o speak o u t , we w i l l b r e a k t h e s i l e n c e & grow s t r o n g e r . . t h e n we can h e l p t h e c h i l d r e n 6 t e e n a g e r s i n o u r l o c a l a r e a ( a good a s any p l a c e t o s t a r t ) . In healing o u r s e l v e s we h e l p i n h e a l i n g t h i s p l a n e t . Maybe t h e n t h e c h i l d r e n w i l l b e whole. J i m Mandelin was 4 w i l l b e i n o u r s t u d i o s at Coop Radio. Like a l l c h i l d r e n J i m d i d n o t a s k t o b e abused, it was f o r c e d upon him f o r f i f t e e n y e a r s . He t h e n went on a b u s i n g h i m s e l f and o t h e r s ( n o t s e x u a l l y ) w i t h o u t knowing why. He came t o a p o i n t where h e sought h e l p . A s t h e y e a r s went by i n t h e r a p y J i m uncovered 15 y e a r s o f b u r i e d p a i n , trauma E a n g e r . S i n c e t h e n J i m h a s gone i n t o h i g h s c h o o l s t e l l i n g h i s s t o r y t o t h e t e e n a g e r s . Some o f t h e s e t e e n a g e r s wnet up t o J i m a f t e r E t o l d him t h e y know how h e f e e l s . A l l t h e s e s t o r i e s need t o g e t o u t . One man a l o n e c a n n o t h e l p a l l t h e s e needy c h i l d r e n . We a l l n e e d t o h e l p E we a l l need t o be s t r o n g . We can no l o n g e r be afraid t o hear these s t o r i e s . Telling them h e l p s h e a l & i f we h e a l o u r s e l v e s E o u r c h i l d r e n t h e n we h e l p h e a l o u r l i f e s o u r c e - Mother E a r t h . By J a c q u i "I. N. I." w i t h David's h e l p .
Coop Radio
I (
T h i s p l a y of p l a y s was h e l d on Nov. 20 a t t h e Queen : E l i z a b e t h T h e a t r e : t h e p r o d u c t i o n C i t y of Angels. The l a s t p l a y I went t o s e e was The Phantom of t h e i Opera i n T o r o n t o , C i t y of Angels was a l o t more specz u y a r t h a n any o t h e r p l a y I ' v e s e e n . To p u t i t simply C i t was sunny, happy and n e v e r a d u l l moment. I t kept W everybody l a u g h i n g ! I f i t e v e r comes back t o Vancouver & i t ' s a "must s e e . " Bruce J o n e s 1% Pi
" D e s t i n y , o r karma, d e p e n d s upon what t h e s o u l h a s done a b o u t what i t h a s become aware o f " EDGAR CAYCE
For t h e l a s t couple o f y e a r s Newsletter a r t i c l e s have followed t h e c o r p o r a t e agenda - t h e p l a n o f t h e s u p e r - r i c h t o change laws, disempower governments & make E a r t h a bastion of corporate capitalism. "Free" t r a d e , while long sought by such simple c i t i z e n s a s John R o c k e f e l l e r & h i s good buddies a t t h e T r i l a t e r a l Commission, made l e g a l what owners o f t r a n s n a t i o n a l c o r p o r a t i o n s had been doing f o r decades. Conspiracy t h e o r i e s u s u a l l y make t h o s e o f u s wondering about them sound paranoid s o l e t ' s look a t some o f t h e f a c t s . - From 1200-1750 o r s o t h e I n d u s t r i a l Revolution saw t h e change o f r u l e r s goi n g from t h e m i l i t a r y t o t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l s t o t h e wealthy. A s wealth i n c r e a s e d , a c e r t a i n kind o f mind saw & used t h e many ways it could be manipulated. Kings, army & c o u n t r y came t o be c o n t r o l l e d by ( o r a t l e a s t were h e a v i l y i n f l u e n c e d by) t h e s e p e o p l e who had made accumulation o f money
t h e i r l i f e ' s work. I n t h i s time p e r i o d an Order wa.s formed - a a l l e d t h e P r i e u r e de Sion - which had a g o a l o f readying t h e world f o r t h e a s c e n s i o n o f J e s u s ' descend a n t s . I f t h i s b t o r y sounds c r a z y , g e t a book c a l l e d Holy Blood/Hol y rail - Near t h e end of t h e above p e r i o d t h e r e was a l s o a s t r o n g i n f l u e n c e on world a f f a i r s by t h e Masonic Temple, e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e government o f B r i t a i n and i n t h e emerging union o f s t a t e s i n America. Washington & a f a i r number o f people i n t h e f i r s t g o v ' t were a l l Masons. - 1750-1900, i n s t e a d o f t h e i n r e r n a l i s e d p i c t u r e p r e s e n t e d i n most h i s t o r y books with countries not i n t e r e s t e d i n anything o u t s i d e t h e i r own b o r d e r s , was r i f e w i t h waves of conquest & a g r e s s i v e competition. Seemed l i k e everyone wanted what anyone e l s e had & m a n i p u l a t o r s of wealth & power would u s e anything - i n c l u d i n g war - t o
.
a c q u i r e more. s i m p l i s t i c v e r s i o n s of 800 yrs. :oE hhstory 1900-1945 saw a world war, a depression e v e r w r i t t e n , b u t t h e planning o f superand a second world war. The f i r s t war r i c h people t o s t a y t h a t way has become s t i m u l a t e d t h e economies 6 l a i d t h e econo- more G more evident i n t h e l a s t few years. mic groundwork f o r t h e depression. There In 1972 o r '73 t h e e x i s t e n c e of t h e l a t a r e a l o t of people s t i l l a l i v e who reme s t Order became public. They c a l l e d themember t h e i r childhoods spent i n t h e s e s e l v e s t h e T r i l a t e r a l Commission & numbery e a r s - who remember t h a t , while a l o t of ed some 200 s o u l s ; t h b ! k i c h 8 s t , imosti;powr i c h people k i l l e d themselves, t h e poor e r f u l & i n f l u e n t i a l people on Earth. They j u s t s t a r v e d . The second war, l i k e t h e included owners & Chief Executive O f f i c e r s f i r s t ( l i k e almost every war e v e r fought) of t r a n s n a t i o n a l o i l c o r p o r a t i o n s , food was o v e r land, markets & wealth. Germany conglomerates, chemicals, drugs, media & wanted t o expand & fascism got w a r r i o r s & communications, arms' manufacturers e t c . i n t e l l e c t u a l s working t o g e t h e r ; Japan had from Western Europe, t h e Middle East, Japs i m i l a r requirements i n t h e P a c i f i c b u t an & North America. The Canadian branch i s c o u l d n ' t handle peaceful competition with c a l l e d t h e Business Council on National I t h e US. WBalth i s power 6 power i s wealth, Issues, but i s l i k e a j u n i o r p a r t n e r . Some s o throughout t h i s t h e owners went with c f t h e i r e x p l o i t s came o u t i n t h e l a t e 70s whatever t h e flow was. They a l s o s t a r t e d when it became c l e a r t h e y ' d engineered t h e seeing t h e need f o r concerted e f f o r t s t o e l e c t i o n o f Jimmy C a r t e r . I1 s t a b i l i s e growth p a t t e r n s ( c u t e phrase!). Since t h a t exposure they've gone behind - 1945 saw t h e beginning o f t h e Cold War t h e scenes again, but t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e i r which had both s i d e s doing a l l kinds o f influence a r e : IrFreer1t r a d e , p r i v a t i s a mean 'n n a s t y t h i n g s - o r so we've been t i o n , d e r e g u l a t i o n , ',& t h e emerging bugaboo l e d t o b e l i e v e . A t t h e same time, t h e r e of rlglobal competition1'. This l a s t i s bewere eno.mous expenditures on m i l i t a r y ing screeched about i n t h e i r media a s t h e equipment, much t o t h e d e l i g h t o f owners reason f o r c l o s i n g p l a n t s i n developed i n t h e military-industrial-complex. The c o u n t r i e s while f r e e z i n g wages 6 t r a s h i n g o r d i n a r y c i t i z e n s were l e f t t o s t r u g g l e s o c i a l programs. The joke i s t h a t t h e y ' r e with p u t r i d wages, unsafe working condillcompeting'l a g a i n s t themselves while t h e t i o n s e t c . Under communism m i l l i o n s were m a j o r i t y o f people everywhere pay f o r i t ; butchered, f e a r was rampant & t h a t system the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Monetary Fund and t h e had i t ' s own '!elitew p u l l i n g t h e s t r i n g s . World Bank a r e a l s o i n t h e i r hands. Okay. The above may be one o f t h e most
-
"This i s t h e t r u e j o y i n l i f e : b e i n g u s e d f o r a p u r p o s e r e c o g n i s e d by y o u r s e l f a s a mighty one, and b e i n g a f o r c e o f n a t u r e instead of a feverish, s e l f i s h l i t t l e clod o f a i l m e n t s and g r i e v a n c e s , c o m p l a i n i n g t h a t t h e world w i l l n o t d e v o t e i t s e l f t o making you happy. I ' GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
What follows i n t h e next few pages a r e words & i l l u s t r a t i o n s from t h e booklet ent i t l e d The Crisis o f t h e 1990's by Didi Anandamitra.
,
t r a l i a , 61% of t h e wealth o f t h e r i c h h a s been i n v e s t e d i n s t o c k market s p e c u l a t i o n . In Tokyo 4 Taiwan, p l a y i n g t h e stockmarket ha.s become a n a t i o n a l o b s e s s i o n & quick p r o f i t s from manic s p e c u l a t i o n have caused many people t o l e a v e t h e i r jobs. One m i l l ion people i n Taiwan, from o f f i c e c l e r k s t o bar g i r l s , v i s i t t h e i r stock brokers d a i l y , & even g o v ' t o f f i c i a l s a a l l Taiwan t h e " r e p u b l i c o f Casino.It This s p e c u l a t i v e bubble has a l r e a d y begun t o b u r s t , with t h e plummeting o f s t o c k markets i n Tokyo & Taiwan (6 t h e USA & Canada). Many economists b e l i e v e t h a t t h e next d e p r e s s i o n w i l l s t a r t i n Japan, where t h e s p e c u l a t i v e bubble i s even worse t h a n i n t h e USA & Canada. (NEWSWEEK (Nov.'87): "Forget t h e c r a s h o f '87. That was j u s t a c u r t a i n - r a i s e r . The n e x t blow t o t h e marke t s is coming from Japan. Tokyo's hyperinf l a t e d s t o c k exchange is c r u i s i n g f o r a f a l l . Foreign s t o c k markets w i l l t o p p l e l i k e s o many k i n g p i n s .I1) A c r a s h on t h e Tokyo s t o c k market could throw Japanese i n v e s t o r s i n t o a p a n i c & f o r c e them t o s e l l o f f t h e i r f o r e i g n a s s e t s , > t mpay t h e i r loans a t home. This sudden l o s s o f Japane s e investments would c r e a t e f i n a n c i a l chaos i n t h e USA & elsewhere & r e s u l t i n a g l o b a l economic c a t a s t r o p h e . I n c o n t r a s t t o t h e e u p h o r i a o f t h e boom y e a r s o f t h e ' 8 0 1 s , t h e r e i s now deep pessimism on both Wall S t . & Bay S t . Recent surveys showed t h a t 4 2 % of Wall S t r e e t exp e r t s p r e d i c t a b i g c r a s h w i t h i n two y e a r s . 2350
4
LONDON
The coming g l o b a l s t o c k market c r a s h w i l l n o t cause a d e p r e s s i o n , b u t it may t r i g g e r i t . (Stock market plunges a r e p r e c u r s o r s of a l l major economic c r i s e s , which u s u a l l y s e t i n 3 t o 20 months a f t e r t h e s t o c k market drops. In 17 o u t o f t h e l a s t 18 r e c e s s i o n s , t h e r e have been market drops o f 10% o r more p r i o r t o t h e r e c e s s i o n . ) The s t o c k market c r a s h o f 1929 no doubt c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e Great Depression o f t h e 193 0 ' s , b u t it was t h e chaos i n t h e banking system t h a t r e a l l y brought on f i n a n c i a l c r i s i s . .4s economist L e s t e r Thurlow s a i d , "Stock markets d o n ' t b r i n g economies down - c o l l a p s i n g banks b r i n g economies down.I1 When banks f a l l , people p a n i c 4 t h a t l e a d s t o t o t a l economic c o l l a p s e . And t h e banking system throughout t h e c a p i t a l i s t world i s i n deep t r o u b l e due t o g i g a n t i c & i n c r e a s i n g DEBT.
THE DEBT CRISIS The s t a g g e r i n g c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f wealth i n t h e world today i s brought about n o t j u s t because t h e wealthy own t h e l a n d & i n d u s t r i e s , b u t a l s o because t h e y own t h e banks & t h e r e f o r e c o n t r o l c r e d i t . The poor - i n b o t h developed 6 developing c o u n t r i e s have been f o r c e d t o borrow i n o r d e r t o s u r v i v e , & through t h e i r c o n t r o l o f t h e banks, t h e r i c h a r e b l e e d i n g t h e poor. (The p o o r e s t 30% of p o p u l a t i o n s i n developed c o u n t r i e s have n e g a t i v e wealth - t h e y n o t o n l y have no money, t h e y have l a r g e debts. Developing n a t i o n s , f o r c e d t o b o r r ow from t h e IMF & World Bank, - t h e samelit) The banks have made i n c r e a s i n g l y r i s k y l o a n s t o t h e s e poor & d e s p e r a t e c r e d i t o r s , which h a s r e s u l t e d i n an e x p l o s i o n o f consumer d e b t . I n t h e USA & Canada, consumers a r e paying an average o f 30% o f t h e i r i n comes t o make i n t e r e s t payments on d e b t s . And t h e banks have l e n t more t h a n $400 b i l l i o n t o T h i r d World c o u n t r i e s , where r i s i n g p o l i t i c a l & s o c i a l u n r e s t may soon force these nations t o stop t h e i r interest payments. If o n l y one major d e b t o r n a t i o n l i k e B r a z i l , Mexico o r Argentina d e f a u l t s on i t s l o a n s , i t w i l l produce a domino e f f e c t c a u s i n g massive bank f a i l u r e s . Over h a l f o f t h e USA's t o p t e n banks ccluld c o l l a p s e from f o r e i g n d e b t d e f a u l t s . There i s a s t o r y about t h e loomirrg d e b t
c r i s i s . P r e s i d e n t Bush, P r e s i d e n t Gorbachev & t h e P r e s i d e n t o f B r a z i l once j o u r n eyed t o Heaven t o s e e God. Bush asked God, " W i l l t h e r e e v e r b e communism i n t h e USA?" God answered, "Maybe, b u t n o t i n y o u r l i f e Then Gorbachev asked God whether time c a p i t a l i s m would b e e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e S o v i e t Union. God answered, "Maybe, b u t not i n your l i f e t i m e . " F i n a l l y t h e Presid e n t o f B r a z i l asked whether B r a z i l would e v e r be a b l e t o pay back i t s d e b t s t o t h e m u l t i n a t i o n a l banks. God r e p l i e d , "Maybe, b u t n o t i n my l i f e t i m e . " Many banks have d a n g e r o u s l y overextended themselves, l o a n i n g amounts worth u p t o seven t i m e s t h e i r c a p i t a l r e s e r v e s i n i n creasingly r i s k y investments - t o finance s p e c u l a t i v e investments (corporate takeo v e r s , shaky r e a l e s t a t e p u r c h a s e s , junk bonds) & t o b a i l o u t d e s t i t u t e c r e d i t o r s , i n r i c h E poor c o u n t r i e s a l i k e .
."
Loads of money About two-th110a01the T h ~ r d World's 5 1 . 0 0 0 b~lllondebt was ~ lent by around 55001 t h e w o W's prlvale banks trom N3rth A~n~rlca. Japan and Europe between the late 19CiOs and early 19t)Os M o s l ot the lending came from the largest US Banks - Bankers Trust. Bank of Amer~ca.Chase Manhattan. Chem~cal.C~t~corp. Contmental. lll~rno~s. F~rstCh~cago.Manu. lilcturers Hanover. Morgan Guaranty' - and the~rcounterparis ~nJapan.Germany.France and the U K The rest came Ifom government sources
Now t h e i r d e b t burdened c r e d f t o r s a r e una b l e t o pay back t h e i r l o a n s , 6 s m a l l banks 6 f i n a n c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s a r e a l r e a d y c o l l a p s i n g - l i k e t h e F r i e n d l y buj-lding s o c i e t i e s i n A u s t r a l i a E t h e Savings and Loans i n t h e USA. And t h e banks a r e n e x t . I n t h i s s i t u a t i o n o f dangerous i n s t a b i l i t y a n y t h i n g could t r i g g e r a g l o b a l f i n a n c i a l c r i s i s : a c h a i n r e a c t i o n o f d e f a u l t s by Third World n a t i o n s . . a s t o c k market c r a s h s t a r t i n g i n Japan E t h e USA c a u s i c g corpo r a t e b a n k r u p t c i e s E an e n s u i n g p s n i c . . a n o i l c r i s i s & a war i n t h e Middle E a s t . The c o l o s s a l US d e b t makes t h e s i t u a t i o n even more dangerous. The USA h a s f a l l e n from t h e w o r l d ' s c h i e f l e n d e r t o t h e
w o r l d ' s l a r g e s t d e b t o r . The USA i s s i n k i n g under a mountain o f d e b t - more t h a n t h a t o f Mexico, B r a z i l , Argentina, P a k i s t a n & t h e P h i l i p p i n e s combined. TbCal US d e b t , . public & p r i v a t e , i s over $8-tkillSon about 30 t i m e s g r e a t e r t h a n t h e t o t a l mone y supply. H i s t o r y h a s no example o f any n a t i o n o r empire accumulating such d e b t without c o l l a p s i n g . CAPITALISM WILL BURST LIKE A FIRE-CRACKER The s w e l l i n g d e b t & t h e s p e a u l a t i v e bubbl e on t h e s t o c k markets w i l l soon c o l l a p s e i n a huge c h a i n r e a c t i o n l i k e a house o f c a r d s . A s P.R. S a r k a r warned i n 1987, "Capi t a l i s m w i l l b u r s t l i k e a f i r e cracker.. . The e x p l o s i o n w i l l come i n 2,513 o r 5 y e a r s . I t w i l l s u r e l y come w i t h i n 10 y e a r s . " The depression w i l l occur i n t h e i n d u s t r i a l s u b s e c t i o n o f t h e commercial economy, hav- ? ing widespread & d e v a s t a t i n g consequences 1 f o r humanity. 1 More E more s m a l l banks & f i n a n c i a l i n s t - 1 i t u t i o n s ( l i k e insurance corporations, b u i l d i n g s o c i e t i e s , e t c . ) w i l l f a l l and s t o c k markets w i l l c o l l a p s e . We have seen t h e c o l l p a s e r e c e n t l y o f a number o f wealt h y i n d i v i d u a l s such a s Alan Bond i n Austr a l i a , Donald Trump i n t h e USA & A s i l Nadi r i n t h e U K - men who s p e c u l a t e d w i l d l y on a massive s c a l e & were u l t i m a t e l y brought down by t h e burden o f t h e i r d e b t s . There w i l l b e a widespread p a n i c & a run on t h e b i g banks, E t h e n we w i l l s e e a Great Depression. Almost no p a r t o f t h e world will e s c a p e economic chaos, f o r t h e e n t i r e c a p i t a l i s t world i s i n e x t r i c a b l y i n t e r l i n k e d . . The communist world w i l l a l s o n o t be s p a r e d , because o f i t s dependenc e on western c o u n t r i e s f o r food & o t h e r p r o d u c t s . The c o u n t r i e s o f E a s t e r n Europe w i l l s u f f e r g r e a t l y because t h e i r economi e s a r e a l r e a d y u n s t a b l e due t o t h e i r l a r gely unsuccessful e f f o r t s t o convert t o free-market c a p i t a l i s m . Those c o u n t r i e s which w i l l s u r v i v e b e s t a r e t h o s e which a r e l e a s t dependent on o t h e r n a t i o n s f o r e x p o r t s o r imports, o r can conduct t h e i r f o r e i g n t r a d e on a b a r t e r b a s i s : f o r example, I n d i a o r China.
hy Av. Annndamitrn Ac. o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n owns a s t a g g e r i n g 35% o f t h e n a t i o n ' s w e a l t h . A r e c e n t s t u d y by t h e Ilarvard School o f P u b l i c H e a l t h found t h a t i n r e a l i t y , " t h e r e a r e two Americas. One i s g l i t t e r y & r i c h . The o t h e r i s a c o u n t r y where many hard-working p e o p l e who have p l a y e d by t h e r u l e s now f i n d t h e m s e l v e s d e s t i t u t e & hungry.'* About 20 m i l l i o n Ame r i c a n s go t o bed hungry a t n i g h t . According t o economist D r . Ravi B a t r a , a u t h o r o f t h e b e s t - s e l l i n g book The G r e a t Depression o f 1990, j u s t b e f o r e t h e l a s t G r e a t D e p r e s s i o n i n t h e 1 9 3 0 ' s t h e r e was t h e same i n e q u i t a b l e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f wealt h w i t h 1%of t h e p o p u l a t i o n c o n t r o l l i . n g 36% o f t h e w e a l t h . I f you look a t t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f w e a l t h i n t h e USA s i n c e 1800 on t h e g r a p h below, you w i l l s e e t h a t whene v e r t h e r i c h e s t 1%of t h e p e o p l e h e l d a major s h a r e of t h e n a t i o n ' s w e a l t h , a G r e a t Depression o c c u r r e d .
*1
Looming G r e a t 1Depression. T h r e a t o f world - and n u c l e a r - war. Global w a t e r s h o r t a g e . Rising s p e c t r e o f unemployment. R e l i g i o u s s t r i f e . Environmental d e v a s t a t i o n . S o c i a l disintegration. We have h a r d l y e n t e r e d t h e 1 9 9 0 ' s & t h e world seems t o b e c o l l a p s i n g around u s . What i s t h e c a u s e o f t h i s ?
EXTREME CONCENTRATION OF WEALTH
1-
Share 01 Weallh Held by the Rlchesl 1% In lhe USA
IW
I-
veer
D r . Batra says t h a t depressions, l i k c eve r y t h i n g e l s e i n n a t u r e , have o c c u r r e d i n P.R.Sarkar e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e c a u s e o f c y c l e s . The economic shock o f each d e p r e s o u r economic c r i s i s i s extreme c o n c e n t r a s i o n r e d i s t r i b u t e d t h e w e a l t h t o some e x t i o n o f w e a l t h . Over d e c a d e s , t h e . l w e a l t h : ~ i n t e n t . Then o v e r a s i x t y y e a r p e r i o d o r s e c a p i t a l i s t s o c i e t i e s h a s been c o n c e n t r a t e d v e r a l g e ~ . e r ai to n s , w e a l t h a g a i n accumulat by i n h e r i t a n c e i n t o f e w e r & fewer hands ed i n a few hands t h r o u g h i n h e r i t a n c e , & t h e poor a r e g e t t i n g poorer & t h e r a t e a t a n o t h e r d e p r e s s i o n o c c u r r e d . You can s e e which t h e r i c h a r e g e t t i n g r i c h e r i s accfrom t h e g r a p h t h a t we a r e on t h e k n i f c elerating. edge a g a i n - we a r e now on t h e b r i n k of I n t h e USA, A u s t r a l i a & many c o u n t r i e s of Western Europe & e l s e w h e r e , t h e r i c h e s t 1% a n o t h e r Great D e p r e s s i o n .
RISKY SPECULATION You may ask 'Why does t h i s extreme conc e n t r a t i o n of wealth cause a depression? To answer t h i s q u e s t i o n we must look a t t h e behaviour of very wealthy people. Suppose f o r a moment t h a t tomorrow you g e t a l e t t e r i n t h e m a i l informing you t h a t your f a b u l o u s l y wealthy grandmother has d i e d & l e f t you 50 m i l l i o n d o l l a r s . What w i l l you do with i t ? Most people d o n ' t have t o t h i n k l o n g t o f i g u r e t h a t out. I~ouses, c a r s , planes, t r i p s a b r o a d , b o a t s , wardrobes, j e w e l r y , a r t ...most o f o u r d e s i r e s would b e f u l f i l l e d . We would spend t h a t money on some goods & s e r v i c e s t h a t would s t i m u l a t e p r o d u c t i o n , & p e o p l e would b e employed t o produce t h o s e t h i n g s . So spending o u r money would b e n e f i t t h e economy. Now imagine t h a t you have a n o t h e r v e r y r i c h grandmother &, a f t e r you f i n a l l y g o t e v e r y t h i n g you wanted from t h e f i r s t o n e ' s i n h e r i t a n c e , t h e o t h e r grandmother d i e s & you've g o t a n o t h e r $50 i , . i l l i o n ! Now what a r e you going t o do w i t h a l l t h i s money? Economic s t u d i e s on v e r y w e a l t h y p e o p l e showed t h a t a s p e o p l e become wealthy t h e y purchase goods & s e r v i c e s : t h e y i n v e s t i n i n d u s t r y & p u r c h a s e h o u s e s , c a r s , e t c . But when t h e y have e v e r y t h i n g t h e y c o u l d p o s s i b i l i t y want, t h e y s t a r t s p e c u l a t i n g w i l d l y - t h e y s t a r t p l a y i n g w i t h t h e i r money, l i k e t h e comic-book c h a r a c t e r Scrooge McDuck. They gamble r e c k l e s s l y on more and more r i s k y , s p e c u l a t i v e i n v e s t m e n t s , e s p e c i a l l y on t h e s t o c k market, b e c a u s e t h e y have s o much money G power t h e y can throw c a u t i o n t o t h e winds. T h i s h a s a g r e a t impact on t h e whole e c onomy, because t h e s e w e a l t h y p e o p l e cont r o l a major p o r t i o n o f it.: Wen t h e i r wealth i s t i e d up i n s p e c u l a t i o n & i s n ' t being i n v e s t e d t o c r e a t e p r o d u c t i o n & j o b s t h e e n t i r e economy s u f f e r s . P r o d u c t i o n f a l l s , unemployment i n c r e a s e s & p e o p l e become p o o r e r . Meanwhile t h e s t o c k market becomes deranged w i t h a d e l e r i u m o f g r e e d - a " s p e c u l a t i v e bubble" t h a t g e t s b i g g e r and b i g g e r u n t i l i t b u r s t s . * * A good example of a r e c e n t "bubble" i s t h e A u s t r a l i a n mining boom os t h e 1 9 6 0 ' s
e n d i n g i n t h e Mineral S e c u r i t i e s c r a s h o f 1971. Due t o demand from t h e USA & J a p a n , t h e r e was a l a r g e i n v e s t m e n t i n mining companies i n t h e l a t e 5 0 ' s & 6 0 ' s . A t f i r s t t h e i n v e s t o r s bought s h a r e s b e c a u s e t h e y e x p e c t e d good d i v i d e n d s from t h e comp a n i e s ' p r o d u c t i o n . But a s s h a r e p r i c e s continued t o r i s e , t h e s p e c u l a t o r s got i n volved - n o t buying t o g e t a d i v i d e n d b u t expecting p r i c e i n c r e a s e s s o they could "buy low & s e l l h i g h . ' ' The bubble f e d on i t s e l f and more & more p e o p l e g o t i n v o l v e d . A t f i r s t j u s t b i g time operators invested, b u t t h e n m i d d l e - c l a s s f a m i l i e s , t h e n worki n g - c l a s s f a m i l i e s & even s c h o o l c h i l d r e n d i d . But, a s D r . B a t r a p o i n t s o u t , when t h e small-time people g e t involved i t ' s a s u r e s i g n t h a t t h e bubble i s a b o u t t o b u r s t . And it d i d . Many b i g & s m a l l mining companies went b a n k r u p t . F o r t u n a t e l y t h i s b u r s t was c o n f i n e d t o a s m a l l s e c t i o n of t h e economy - u n l i k e t h e s p e c u l a t i v e bubb- * l e o f t h e 1 9 8 0 ' s which h a s pervaded e n t i r e " economies & e n t i r e s o c i e t i e s . "
,
T h i s i s i n f a c t e x a c t l y what h a s happened i n c a p i t a l i s t c o u n t r i e s throughout t h e "economic expansion" o f t h e 1 9 8 0 ' s . I t was an " a d r e n a l i n high" of w a s t e & s p e c u l a t i v e f e v e r which s p r e a d t h r o u g h o u t s o c i e t y , a f f e c t i n g t h e middle c l a s s e s & even t h e manu a l l a b o u r e r s . Everyone h a s been encouraged t o borrow more t h a n t h e y can a f f o r d t o buy consumer goods & t o s p e c u l a t e on land & stocks. This "get-rich-quick" m e n t a l i t y has a c c e l e r a t e d t h e r a p i d d e g e n e r a t i o n o f s o c i e t y a s more G more p e o p l e a r e t u r n i n g t o crime - b o t h s t r e e t - c r i m e & w h i t e c o l l a r c r i m e - t o s a t i s f y t h e i r i n s a t i a b l e des i r e f o r m a t e r i a l goods.
SPECULATIVE BUBBLE ABOUT TO BURST In a l l t h e c a p i t a l i s t c o u n t r i e s w i t h an extreme c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f w e a l t h , t h e r e i s f r e n z i e d s p e c u l a t i o n on t h e s t o c k markets. A whole new c l a s s o f p e o p l e have emerged who have become w e a l t h y w i t h o u t i n v e s t i n g i n t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f any goods o r s e r v i c e s b u t o n l y t h r o u g h t h e s t o c k market. In t h e USA 85% of t h e p o p u l a t i o n "play" t h e s t o c k market (as opposed t o 8% i n 1929). In Aus-
1
'
WARNINGS OF IMPENDING CRISIS
WORLD WAR 111
In many c a p i t a l i s t c o u n t r i e s t o d a y , e s p e c i a l l y t h e USA, t h e r e a r e i n c r e a s i n g warnings (once few & s c a t t e r e d , now s w e l l i n g in number E i n t e n s i t y ) o f a monstrous e c onomic c r i s i s looming on t h e h o r i z o n . John Kenneth G a l b b a i t h h a s c a u t i o n e d t h a t a l l the problems p r e s e n t i n t h e American economy j u s t b e f o r e t h e G r e a t Depression o f the 1 9 3 0 ' s a r e p r e s e n t a g a i n t o d a y . Over half o f t h e 100 t o p c o r p o r a t e e x e c u t i v e s surveyed by t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Wisconsin said t h e r e i s a "high p r o b a b i l i t y o f a maj o r d e p r e s s i o n i n t h e n e x t 10 y e a r s . " F e l i x Rohatyn, Wall S t r e e t f i n a n c i a l exp e r t , warned, " F i n a n c i a l l y we a r e l i v i n g in t h e l a s t d a y s o f Pompeii." And economi s t John King s a i d t h a t w i t h t h e mountain of d e b t accumulated s i n c e 1945, "we w i l l experience t h e most v i o l e n t c r i s i s i n Ame r i c a & t h e world t h a t we have e v e r seen." The Mideast c r i s i s w i t h i t s sudden i n c r eases i n o i l p r i c e s h a s a l r e a d y t r i g g e r e d a r e c e s s i o n . When war b r e a k s o u t & t h e o i l f i e l d s a r e i n flames, global o i l p r i c e s w i l l s o a r E economies w i l l c r a s h i n a worldwide d e p r e s s i o n .
A s global t e n s i o n s i n c r e a s e & people a g i t a t e f o r change, d e s p e r a t e l e a d e r s may t u r n t o war t o d i v e r t p o p u l a r a n g e r a g n i n s t an o u t s i d e enemy. And i n a s e v e r e d e p r e s s i o n , c a p i t a l i s t c o u n t r i e s may r e s o r t t o war a s t h e l a s t hope t o s t i m u l a t e t h e i r s t a g n a n t economies. Economic d e p r e s s i o n s i n t h e USA have been overcome s e v e r a l t i m e s by massive expcndit u r e s on dar. The following c h a r t c l e a r l y shows t h a t e v e r y major economic d e c l i n e i n t h e USA has been followed by a major war. World War 11, t h e Korean War, t h e n Vietnam.
HOW WILL THE DEPRESSION AFFECT OUR W S ? Unlike t h e d e p r e s s i o n o f t h e 1 9 3 0 ' s which was d e f l a t i o n a r y , t h e coming d e p r e s sion w i l l be i n f l a t i o n a r y . Governments w i l l p r i n t more & more money t o p r e v e n t a t o t a l banking c o l l a p s e , & c u r r e n c y w i l l r a p i d l y l o s e i t s v a l u e . We may f i n d o u r s e l v e s i n t h e same s i t u a t i o n a s Germany i n the 1 9 3 0 ' s when r e s t a u r a n t owners f i x e d t h e c o s t o f a meal a t t h e end of t h e meal, because i n t h e c o u r s e o f e a t i n g t h e German mark had o f t e n become s o d e v a l u e d t h a t i t was n e c e s s a r y t o r a i s e p r i c e s . As more & more p e o p l e become u n e m ~ l o y e d , s o c i a l w e l f a r e programs such a s s o c i a l s e c u r i t y , food stamps, medical a i d , e t c . w i l l b e cverwhelmed, & m i l l i o n s w i l l b e l e f t o u t o f t h e r e l i e f pregrams. S o c i a l chaos w i l l e r u p t t h r o u g h o u t t h e world a s people can no l o n g e r t o l e r a t e t h i s extreme economic h a r d s h i p , 6 demand s o c i a l change. Governments w i l l t o p p l e u n d e r t h e p r e s s u r e of f u r i o u s p o p u l a t i o n s .
Nosttadamus p d l c l e d (ha1 m.~nlrd World W u w u l d take p h In lrourd 1993-5. and would .(art from lhc Mlddk EuL S m n of lhc 20 h p t mllltary eslabllshmenb ~n lhe world vc In Ihc Mlddk ~ S vllh L even tntcmKdtatc ran* rmsallm c s p b k orc h c d d umpona end posslbly nuclearwarhads. By 1992 Imn. lnq.U b a . P r l d s l a n u d I s n e l w t ~ all h a w Ihc o p a d l y lo wage nuckar w u .
Not o n l y i n t h e 2 0 t h C e n t u r y , b u t f o r t h e l a s t 200 y e a r s s i n c e t h e War ,3f 1812, wars have p u l l e d t h e US economy o t ~ to f r e c e s s i o n o r d e p r e s s i o n . When t h e r e were m i l l i o n s of unemployed d u r i n g t h e Great Depression of t h e 1 9 3 0 q s , World War I 1 was launched. I t r a p i d l y doubled i n d u s t LONGWAVE
CYCLES OF INFlAnON. P R O S P E W & WAR 1780-2000
A
,
r i a l c a p a c i t y & ended t h e d e p r e s s i o n . The Vietnam War ended t h e economic d e c l i n e o f t h e 1 9 6 0 ' s . And now t h e l a s t - d i t c h e f f o r t by t h e c a p i t a l i s t e l i t e t o s a v e W e s t e r n economies may p r e c i p i t a t e a 3rd World War.
HOW TO STOP THE COMlNC DEPRESSION? P . R . S a r k a r h a s s a i d t h a t we can a v e r t t o t a l economic d i s a s t e r i f we r e d u c e t h e wealth d i s p a r i t y t h a t caused t h e Cepression, thereby reducing speculation i n t h e economy. D r . R a v i B a t r a a d v i s e d t h a t a w e a l t h t a x o f 5% on t h e r i c h e s t 1% o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n would w i p e o u t t h e US b u d g e t d e f i c i t & cool t h e s p e c u l a t i v e f e v e r - & prevent a depression. But t h i s is e x a c t l y what c a p i t a l i s t countries w i l l never do, f o r they a r e governments n o t "of t h e p e o p l e , by t h e people & f o r t h e people," b u t of t h e r i c h by t h e r i c h & f o r t h e r i c h . I n f a c t , t h e economic p o l i c i e s t h a t h a v e been f o l l o w e d by most c a p i t a l i s t c o u n t r i e s today a r e e x a c t l y t h e opposite of what s h o u l d b e done. F o r example: * D e c r e a s i n g t a x e s on t h e r i c h ; * Deregulation of t h e banking system, allowing risky loans f o r speculation; * P r i v a t i s a t i o n of industry; * High r a t e o f i n t e r e s t ; Economy r e c o v e r y b a s e d on e x p o r t s . T h e s e p o l i c i e s , known a s Reagonomics, T h a t c h e r i s m o r " s u p p l y - s i d e economics;" have given massive t a x c u t s t o t h e r i c h . Supply-side economics i n s i s t s t h a t t h e extra wealth of t h e r i c h w i l l f u e l invest I w n t i n i n d u s t r y & " t r i c k l e down" t o t h e poor Rut i.n f a c t t h e o p p o s i t e h a s happened: t h e e x c e s s money o f t h e r i c h h a s n o t been invested i n production but i n increased s p e c u l a t i o n , & t h e p o o r h a v e become p o o r e r . S u p p l y - s i d e economics i s now b e i n g c a l l e d " s u p p l y - s l i d e " economics. Yet e v e n i n t h e f a c e o f imminent c o l l a p s e p o l i t i c i a n s r e f u s e t o t a k e any h a r d decisi o n s which would b e p o l i t i c a l l y u n p o p u l a r . So economies c o n t i n u e on t h e i r s l i d e toward disaster.
*
.
THE RIGHT POLICIES: PROUT A new socio-economic o r d e r must b e e v o l v ed t h a t w i l l r e d u c e t h e d i s p a r i t y o f wealt h & i n c r e a s e p r o d u c t i o n & p u r c h a s i n g powe r . T h i s w i l l i n c r e a s e t h e c i r c u l a t i o n of money t h r o u g h o u t t h e whole economy & t h e whole p o p u l a t i o n , & t h e economy w i l l a g a i n become h e a l t h y & dynamic. What a r e t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f s u c h a new economic o r d e r ? >k G u a r a n t e e d p u r c h a s i n g power - employment f o r a l l ; * Key i n d u s t r i e s & c e n t r a l b a n k s o r g a n i s e d a s p u b l i c u t i l i t i e s , on n o - p r o f i t / no-loss b a s i s ; C e i l i n g s on w e a l t h ( i n c o r n e l i n h e r i t a n c e ) * Worker o w n e r s h i p : c o o p e r a t i v e s a s a m a j o r s e c t o r o f t h e economy, i n c l u d i n g c o o p e r a t i v e banks ; * D e c e n t r a l i s a t i o n o f economic d e v e l o p ment i n t o r e g i o n a l , s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t units. These a r e some o f t h e g u i d i n g p r i n c i p l e s o f PROUT, a n acronym f o r P r o g r e s s i v e U t i l i s a t i o n Theory propounded by P. R. S a r k a r PROUT i s now a world-wide movement o f men & women o f a l l r a c e s & p e o p l e s , who s e e k a n a l t e r n a t i v e t o c a p i t a l i s m & communism. The g o a l o f PROUT i s t o c r e a t e a harmonious s o c i e t y t h a t e n s u r e s t h e w e l f a r e of a l l c r e a t u r e s , n o t o n l y humans b u t a l s o animals & p l a n t s . PROUT a d v o c a t e s a b a l a n c e d economy w i t h d e c e n t r a l i s a t i o n o f economic power t h r o u g h l o c a l - l e v e l planning & an e x t e n s i v e system of p r o d u c e r s ' & c o n s u m e r s ' c o o p e r a t i v e s . It a l s o a d v o c a t e s t h e r e - a l i g n m e n t o f n a t ional & state/provincial boundaries t o form s e l f - r e l i a n t economic z o n e s . Each economic z o n e o r samaj w i l l s t r i v e f o r t o t a l s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y i n t h e product i o n of a l l e s s e n t i a l s of l i f e - food, clothing, housing, education, medical a i d , t r a n s p o r t & e n e r g y . A 1 1 t h e human & n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s o f t h e a r e a w i l l b e maximally u t i l i s e d t o ensure s e c u r i t y o f b a s i c needs f o r a l l i n h a b i t a n t s , b o t h human & nonhuman. Sounds like a u t o p i a n scheme? The p r o t o - t y p e s f o r t h e s e f u t u r e s o c i o economic z o n e s are now b e i n g p r a c t i c a l l y m a t e r i a l i s e d i n every c o m e r of t h e world.
*
.
-$I5 b k ~ r i1y11 5 . -$3h r;1t11e.1- bf.-$1.5 1):lrrCll I..-$50 AI%lid - $ 15 THL W C U S L L ~ C IS~ A ~IIBLIUTIOW OF nw I I . $ 0 I:orcst I A W I I - $ 2 0 CARNECIL COMINITT C E W T U L ASSOCIATIOW I%rucc 11.-$5 c i t l ~C . - $ 3 0 Ilticnnc S.-$20 (:lil:I)S - 6 5 0 Artlc1.m r.pr..m#tt tha vIaum o f lndlrlduml Nancy W. -$75 1 1 y. $ 5 contributor. mnd not o f lhm Ammoclmtlon. N e i l M.-$3 A l b e r t 11. - $ I 0 e r r y T . -$200 Bruce j . - $ 2 0 F I I E E - ~ I O I I I B ~ ~ O I ~ S . I I C C O Vishva / \ . - $ I 5 rcntla - $ 15 C i t y I n f o e t a f f can't accept t I .$ 0 lil l c n - $ 5 dolmtlonn for tl111 N e w l e t t e r , so i 11 ian 11. -$20 S u e H.-$90 you con I ~ e l p , f l n d P a u l l ' n y l o r 1 1 1 I . $ 5 Donald M . - $ I0 h e ' l l g l v e you a r e c e i p t . B i l 1 '1'. -$20 avc - $ I 0 Anr~ctt c 11. -$3O ancy . I . - $ 10 ' i I1 ~ ; I I I I ll. -$20 R h i n o s -$5.03 , a u g h i r ~ gI k a r -$200 Art VI. -$5 a l v a t ion Army Chi 1 l iwach -$30 Nl*:l~:l)l l l * ~ l , l ' S e r v i c e s S o c i e t y -$500 ) UII i r e d Cl~orcll -$50U(;;r;: l)owntown liar t s i d e Rcs itlent s t Assoc i a t io11 ( call l l c l p you wi t l l : 'anum S p a t h -$200 nonymous -$40.50 * ;my wc 1 f a r e prol) l cnis ~ 1 1 t l c ~ 1I ( .
DERA HAS BEEN SERVING THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE FOR 18 YEARS
Find an arrangement now a n d t h e n That s t i l l t h e c a r e s o f lengthened days A t r a n s p o r t t h r u some golden haze Yet e v e n i n b o o k s s t e e d s r o t t o bones Tarts are but dust; wind blown That f a n t h e f i r e s Where Q u i x o t e ' s r e l i c s b u r n Fearsome f a t e s f a t h e r e d by a Writer's turn. Read and b e l i e v e w h a t you w i l l A l l w i l l be revealed when y o u r l i f e i s s t i l l . I f e a r t h e F a t h e r , Son & t h e Ghost Ah! But I e n j o y Don Q u i x o t e m o s t .
Tom
C u l t u d Etiquette: A Guide Cultural e t i q u e t t e i s intended f o r people of a l l * k a c e s , " n a t i o n a l i t i e s , creeds - not n e c e s s a r i l y j u s t "white" pecple because no one l i v i n g i n Western s o c i e t y i s exempt. from t h e i n f l u e n c e s o f racism, racial s t e r e o t y p e s , r a c e & c u l t u r a l prejudices E anti-Semitism. I include a n t i Semitism i n t h e d i s c u s s i o n o f racism because i t ' s simply another m a n i f e s t a t i o n of c u l t u r a l & r a c i a l bigotry. A l l people a r e people. I t i s ethnocent r i c t o Lse a g e n e r i c term such a s "people'! t o r e f e r only t o white people & then r a c i a l l y l a b e l everyone e l s e . Created,,$ reinforced i s t h e assumption t h a t whites a m ..t h e norm, t h e r e a l people, E t h a t a l l others a r e a b e r r a t i o n s . "Exotic:" when a p p l i e d t o human beings, is e t h n o c e n t r i c & r a c i s t . While i t i s t r u e t h a t most c i t i z e n s o f the USA & Canada a r e white, a t l e a s t f o u r f i f t h s o f t h e owrld's population c o n s i s t s of people of colour. Therefore, i t i s s t a t i s t i c a l l y i n c o r r e c t a s well a s ethnocentric t o r e f e r t o u s a s m i n o r i t i e s . The term "minority" i s used t o r e i n f o r c e t h e idea o f people bf c o l o u r a s "other." A c u l t i s a p a r t i c u l a r system of r e l i g ious workhip. I f t h e r e l i g i o u s p r a c t i c e s of the Yorubas c o n s t i t u t e a c u l t , then so do those o f t h e Methodists, C a t h o l i c s , Episcopalians, and so f o r t h . A l a r g e r a d i o / t a p e p l a y e r i s a boombox, or a s t e r e o o r a box o r a l a r g e m e t a l l i c ham sandwich with speakers. I t i s not a "ghetto-blaster . ' I L;zre,v/)od~hns -
Everybody can blush. Everybody can t a n & g e t sunburned & b r u i s e . Everybody. Judaism i s no more p a t r i a r c h a l than any other p a t r i a r o h a l r e l i g i o n . Koreans a r e not taking over. Neither are jews. Neither a r e t h e Japanese. Neither a r e the West Indians. These myths are put o d t & maintained by t h o s e who a l ready have. I
One of t h e most e f f e c t i v e & i n s i d i o u s a s p e c t s i f racism i s c u l t u r a l genocide. Not. only have African Americans been c u t off from o u r t r i b a l r o o t s , but because of generations of whites p i t t i n g African aga i n s t Indian & Indian a g a i n s t African, we have been c u t o f f from o u r Native h e r i can r o o t s a s , w e l l . Consequestly, most African Native Americans no longer have t r i b a l a f f i l i a t i o n s , o r know f o r c e r t a i n what people they a r e from. Columbus d i d n ' t .discover diddly-squat. Slavery i s n ' t a condition unique t o Afr i c a n people. In f a c t t h e word "slaveft comes from t h e Slav people of Eastern Europe. Because s o many Slavs were enslaved by o t h e r people (including A f r i c a n s ) , t h e i r very name came t o be synonymous with t h e c o n d i t i o n . I'irl~rcill~ezwry 11 11 111/1?1 gr021/) Ircis bee~r (11 one c~r:~luuerl l i w or o m l h c ~ : North Americans were a l s o enslaved by Europeans. Because it i s almost impossib l e t o s u c c e s s f u l l y enslave l a r g e numbers of people i n t h e i r own land, most enslaved Native Americans from t h e c o n t i n e n t a l U,S. were shipped t o Bermuda & t h e West Indies, where many i n t e r m a r r i e d with t h e Africans. People do not have a hard time because of t h e i r r a c e o r c u l t u r a l background. No one i s a t t a c k e d , abused, oppressed, pogrommed o r enslaved because of t h e i r race, creed o r c u l t u r a l background. These t h i n g s happen because o f racism & anti-Semitism. There i s a s u b t l e but important d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e focus here. The f i r s t implies some i n h e r e n t f a u l t o r shortcoming within t h e oppressed person o r group. The second r e d i r e c t s t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y back t o t h e r e a l source o f t h e problem. Asians a r e not 9nysterious," " i n s c r u t ~i. a b l e u o r " f a t a l i s t i c .'I NaUivb Americans a r e not s t o i c , mystical o r vanishing. Latin people a r e no more hot-tempered, hot-blooded o r emotional than anyone e l s e . We do n o t have f l a s h i n g eyes, t e e t h o r daggers. We a r e l o v e r s p r e t t y much l i k e o t h e r people. Very few of u s d e a l with any
kind o f drugs.
Whv, irr science fiction, no matter how man? light gears yo21 go o ~ i it n spnce, is
everybody nlziiays white? Middle E a s t e r n e r s a r e n o t f a n a t i c s , t e r rorists, o r all oil-rich. Jewish a r e n o t p a r t i c u l a r l y r i c h , c l a n n i s h o r e x p e r t i n money m a t t e r s . Not a l l A f r i c a n Americans a r e poor, a t h l e t i c o r ghetto-dwellers. Most Asians i n t h e US o r Canada a r e n o t s c i e n t i s t s , mathematicians, g e n i u s e s o r wealthy. S o u t h e r n e r s i n t h e US a r e no l e s s i n t e l l i g e n t than anyone e l s e . I t i s n o t a compliment t o t e l l someone: I d o n ' t t h i n k o f you a s Jewish/Black/Asian/Latino/Middle e a s t e r n / N a t i v e American. ' I O r "I t h i n k o f you a s white." Do n o t u s e a Jewish person o r person o f c o l o u r t o h e a r your c o n f e s s i o n o f p a s t r a c i a l t r a n s g r e s s i o n s . I f you have offended a p a r t i c u l a r person, t h e n a p o l o g i z e d i r e c t l y t~o t h a t person. Also d o n ' t assume t h a t Jews o r people o f c o l o u r n e c e s s a r i l y want t o h e a r about how p r e j u d i c e d your Uncle Fred i s , no m a t t e r how t e r r i b l e you t h i n k he i s . I f you a r e white and/or g e n t i l e , do n o t assume t h a t t h e n e x t Jewish person o r p e r son o f c o l o u r you s e e w i l l f e e l l i k e d i s c u s s i n g t h i s g u i d e w i t h you. Sometimes we get t i r e d of teaching t h i s subject. I f you a r e white, d o n ' t brag t o a person of c o l o u r about your o v e r s e a s t r i p t o o u r homeland. E s p e c i a l l y when we cannot a f f o r d such a t r i p . S i m i l a r l y , , d o n ' t assume we're overjoyed t o s e e t h e expensive a r t i f a c t s you bought. Words l i k e "Gestapo," " c o n c e n t r a t i o n camp" an2 " H i t l e r " a r e o n l y a p p r o p r i a t e when used t o r e f e r t o t h e Holocaust. "Full-blood, ""half-breed,l'"quarter-blood" - any i n f e r e n c e t h a t a p e r s o n ' s '%-acew depends on blood i s r a c i s t . N a t i v e s a r e s i n g l e d o u t f o r t h i s form o f b i g o t r y E a r e d e n i e d r i g h t s based on t h a t b a s i s . ' t S c a l p i ~ i g " : a custom a l s o p r a c t i c e d by t h e French, Dutch E English.
Do you have f r i e n d s o r a c q u a i n t a n c e s who a r e t e r r i f i c except t h e y ' r e r e a l l y r a c i s t ? If you q u i e t l y a c c e p t t h a t p a r t o f them, you a r e g i v i n g t h e i r r a c i s m t a c i t approval. A s an e x e r c i s e , p r e t e n d t h a t you a r e from a n o t h e r p l a n e t E want an example o f a t y p i c a l human being f o r your photo album. Having n e v e r h e a r d o f racism, you'd proba b l y p i c k someone who r e p r e s e n t s t h e majo r i t y o f people on t h e p l a n e t - an Asian person. How many i s t o o many? We have heard well meaning l i b e r a l s s a y : t h i n g s l i k e : "This e v e n t i s t o o w h i t e . We need more people o f colour." Well, how many do you need? EO? loo? J u s t what i s your s t a n d a r d f o r p e r s o n a l r a c i a l comfort? People o f c o l o u r 6 Jewish p e o p l e have been s o a l l t h e i r l i v e s . F u r t h e r , i f we've been r a i s e d i n a p l a c e where w h i t e g e n t i l e predominates, t h e n we have been s u b j e c t e d t o racislri/anti-Semitism a l l o u r l i v e s . We a r e t h e r e f o r e e x p e r t s on o u r own l i v e s and c o n d i t i o n s . I f you do n o t u n d e r s t a n d o r b e l i e v e o r a g r e e w i t h what someonc i s sayi n g about t h e i r own o p p r e s s i o n , do n o t aut o m a t i c a l l y assume t h a t t h e y a r e wrong o r paranoid o r o v e r s e n s i t i v e . I t i s r,ot "racism i n r e v e r s e " o r "segregation'' f o r Jews o r p e o p l e o f c o l o u r t o come t o g e t h e r i n a f f i n i t y groups f o r mutua l s u p p o r t . Sometimes we need somc time E space a p a r t from t h e dominant group j u s t t o r e l a x E b e o u r s e l v e s . I f people coming t o g e t h e r f o r group s u p p o r t makes you f e e l excluded, p e r h a p s t h e r e ' s something missi n g i n your own l i f e o r c u l t u r a l connecti o n s . The v a r i o u s c u l t u r e s o f people o f c o l o u r o f t e n seem v e r y a t t r a c t i v e t o white people. (Yes, we a r e wonderful, we c a n ' t deny i t . ) But w h i t e p e o p l e should n o t make a playground o u t o f o t h e r p e o p l e ' s c u l t u r e s . We a r e n o t cool. Don't f o r g e t t h a t e v e r y w h i t e person a l i v e today i s a l s o descended from t r i b a l
,
How much money can you have and still get GAIN? You can have some money and still get GAIN. You can have:
* Transients: * Single employable under age 55 * Single unemployable under age 55 *handicapped, Single persons age 55-59, single non Canadian and single non-Canadian age 60 and over in Canada less than 5 years Single age 60 and up; single handicapped person Persons under age 55 with dependents Persons age 55-59 with one dependent (plus $300 for each additional dependent) Person age 60 or over with dependents,
* * * *
$500.00 $1,500.00 $2,500.00 $1,500.00 $2,500.00
person
Lessnesses Tone. Entombed t o begin. Formless. Meaning, a conduit t o c a r r y o u t . A hunger t o r e a c h , i f e v e r formed, soon envelops t h e s o u l . Motive i s born pure. A f a r c r y from being p u r e l y born. The f a r t h e s t c r y i s b i r t h . Bliss soon swallows up t h e chaos of womblessness ( l e t u s assume). S l e e p f o l l o w s . Then b l i s s , t h e n s l e e p again, u n t i l t h e i n e v i t a b l e - f a t e d - shock of f i r s t abandonment, from which no recovery i s e v e r p o s s i b l e .
I
An end t o b l i s s . R e l i e f i s become t h e f o u n t o f consciousness. The s t e p down i s n o n e t h e l e s s t h e f i r s t - f a t e d s t e p towards t h e end o f s e l f l e s s n e s s . A change i n t o n e .
Meanings a r e l a t t e r l y t o y s 'soon' broken o r d r a i n e d of i n t e r e s t . There i s no r e t u r n t o b l i s s . What j.oy i s t o be found i s i n approximations. Joy i s a m a t t e r of meaning-fullness, n o t tone. Therefore woe unto t h e p u r i s t s , f o r t h e i r ' s i s a meaningless p u r s u i t : t h e p u r s u i t o f meaninglessness.. (To say nothing of t o n e l e s s n e s s . . . ) . Stephen Belkin
I
I
The Abandoned Cat
a
I saw him one morning, t h e abandoned c a t . I s t o o d on t h e b a l c o n y , l o o k i n g down \ and he paused by a bush, l o o k i n g up. He was o l d and b l i n d i n one e y e . I ' d a l r e a d y been warned n o t t o f r a t e r n i z e - - s o what c o u l d I do? I was j u s t p a s s i n g t h r o u g h , t h e house was n o t mine. But we s t o o d and r e g a r d e d one a n o t h e r i n s i l e n c e and I saw i n h i s one e y e t h a t h e had no hope, t h a t t h e c h i l d r e n ' s v o i c e s , happy i n t h e g a r d e n were f o r him b u t t h e dim memory o f a dream. Y e s t e r d a y , my h o s t fumed, t h e c a t p l a c e d no l e s s t h a n f o u r mouse h e a d s i n a n e a t row on t h e f r o n t d o o r s t e p ; t h e n he s a t back and w a i t e d . H i s reward was a s c r e e c h and a b u c k e t of c o l d water. Now, I look i n t o h i s e y e and know h e h a s acknowledged t h e r e i s n o t h i n g more h e can do. I t i s l a t e summer, and i n t h e l o n g g r a s s o f t h e b u i l d i n g p l o t o p p o s i t e a r e mice and a t h i n r u n n e l o f w a t e r . But a monster house i s p l a n n e d , and w i n t e r i s a p p r o a c h i n g . A t n i g h t , t h e moon hangs l i k e a b l e a c h e d bone. I s e e t h e c a t e n d u r i n g a t t h e b a s e o f a t r e e , h i s eye a s m a l l , l o s t s t a r i n t h e moonlight as the t r e e ' s f a l l i n g leaves t e l l t h e i r beads t o t h e g r a s s . He i s a l r e a d y sunken h a l f w a y i n t o e a r t h . By C h r i s t m a s he may i n h a b i t n o t h i n g more t h a n a memory, be b u t t h e s c a r on t h e a c h e o f my impotence. Dusty
WHAT A WORLD People running t o t h e i r jobs Making l o t s of money Too bad they c a n ' t buy "love." What a world
People b u i l d i n g l o t s of bombs Making l o t s o f f e a r Too bad t h e y c a n ' t k i l l "love." What a world But when t h e S p i r i t comes To s e a l us i n love What w i l l t h e y do? What can t h e y say?
People running f o r o f f i c e T e l l i n g o t h e r s what t o do Too bad t h e y d o n ' t say 'tlove.w What a world People k i l l i n g l o t s of people Making l o t s o f death Too bad t h e y d o n ' t know " 1 0 v e . ~ What a world But when t h e S p i r i t comes To s e a l u s i n love What w i l l they do? What can t h e y say? People judging o t h e r s Putting people down Too bad you c a n ' t judge "love." What a world People raping people Vengeance t o beat h e l l Too bad you can' t beat "love. What a world
But when t h e S p i r i t comes To s e a l u s i n love What w i l l t h e y do? What can t h e y say? What a world Dreamweaver
'out there' In r e c e n t months t h e r e have been a few a r t i c l e s on " f r e e " t r a d e w i t h t h e newest p a r t n e r , Mexico. Most have covered what i t w i l l mean f o r p e o p l e i n Canada. One gave a look a t c o n d i t i o n s i n Mexico f o r t h e v a s t m a j o r i t y of people t h e r e - what S a l i n a s ' s g o v ' t had done t o s t a y i n power E t h e r e g u l a r a b u s e s o f human r i g h t s by both t h e military E police forces. On Nov. 25, Regina Avalos C a s t a n e d a was b r o u g h t t o C a r n e g i e by a l o c a l a c t i v i s t i n women's s t r u g g l e s G a n o t h e r woman a c t i n g a s Ms. C a s t a n e d a ' s i n t e r preter. ( I ask forgiveness f o r not having names o f t h e o t h e r two women.). Regina i s i n Canada r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e o r g a n i s a t i o n UPREZ-CONAMUP, an acronym f o r t h e Spanish e q u i v a l e n t o f Popular Workers' Urban R e v o l u t i o n a r y Movement. She i s h e l p i n g w i t h e s t a b l i s h i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l bonds E a network o f b o t h people E communities who a r e f i g h t i n g back a g a i n s t t h e c o r p o r a t e agenda. Much media a t t e n t i o n i s f o c u s e d on the Maquiladoras - t h a t s k i n n y swath of l a n d a l o n g t h e US b o r d e r h b l d i n g scores of m u l t i n a t i o n a l s ' f a c t o r i e s .
Not g i v e n much a n a l y s i s a r e t h e many o t h e r measures t h a t t h e S a l i n a s g o v ' t has taken t o oppress with impunity measures t h a t Ms. C a s t a n e d a s e e s t h e r e s u l t s o f d a i l y i n h e r work w i t h t h e p e o p l e l i v i n g i n E around Mexico C i t y . She spoke o f community l a n d s , p r o t e c t e d i n t h e Mexican C o n s t i t u t i o n , h e i n g s o l d by S a l i n a s t o a g r i b u s i n e s s c o n c e r n s f o r e x p o r t c r o p s . Thousands of Mexican p e o p l e have been f o r c e d t o s e l l t h e i r l a n d a s t h e a l r e a d y meagre a s s i s t a n c e t o buy s e e d 'G grow c r o p s was e l i m i n a t e d . A t t h e same t i m e , t h e p r i c e s f o r what u s e d t o be produced i n abundance - c o r n , b e a n s , e t c . have climbed c o n t i n u o u s l y a s l e s s G l e s s l a n d remains f o r l o c a l l y consumed food c r o p s . Hundreds o f t h o u s a n d s o f p e o p l e have m i g r a t e d t o u r b a n c e n t r e s a s l i f e became a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e i n t h e c o u n t r y s i d e , b u t no r e l i e f was w a i t i n g i n t h e c i t i e s . Work i s t h e r e b u t f o r s t a r v a t i o n wages; a head o f a f a m i l y can b a r e l y e a r n enough t o f e e d one p e r s o n . A t s t a k e i n t h e s e c o r p o r a t e power and g r e e d games a r e t h e v e r y l i v e s E f u t u r e s o f m i l l i o n s of people. Regina E h e r f r i e n d s a r e b r a v e peopl e ; S a l i n a s & h i s c o h o r t s have murdered o v e r 100 l e a d e r s E community a c t i v i s t s s i n c e t h e '88 e l e c t i o n s . P r i o r i t i e s include fighting t o stop t h e " f r e e " t r a d e d e a l w i t h Mexico G e x p o s i n g t h e methods used by g o v ' t thugs - l i k e t o r t u r e , kidnapping/disappearances & p r i s o n without t r i a l . A t t h e same l e v e l Regina wants t o f o r g e l i n k s w i t h t h e most v u l n e r a b l e 8 l e a s t powerful p e o p l e s i n t h e US E Canada s o we can l a 1 s h a r e o u r r e s o u r c e s G i d e a s . I t was a p p r o p r i a t e t h a t s h e found much s u p p o r t i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e , t h e p o o r e s t community i n Canada. I f t h e dynamism h e r e i s matched by t h i s movement i n Mexico, i t ' s g o i n g t o b e a helluva f i g h t ! By PAULR TAYLOR
MPs approve remembrance day for 14 slain women OTTAWA - The anniversary of the 1989 massacre of 14 women in Montreal will become a national day of remembrance and a c t ~ o non violence against women under federal legislation passed Monday. &IPSunanmously approved a private memhers' bill declaring Dec. 6 to be a memorial day. On that day in 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students at Montreal's Ecole Polytechniquc. "I think de facto Dec. 6 will be a day of remembrance and this has put the official stamp of Parliament on that," said New Democratic Party MP Dawn Black, (New Westminster-Burnaby) who sponsored the bill. She expected the bill will next be approved in the Senate so it can become law. Black said she hoped the day would be used, not only for remembering victims, but also for action and education. "My intent is to commemorate the 14 young
women who were massacred in Montreal ... but also to put a focus on the issue of violence against women and the almost 100 women a year, who are nameless and faceless, who die as a result of domestic violence," said Black. She said the unanimous approval given by hIPs shows there has been progress in changing attitudes towards violence against women. Earlier this year, some Conservative MPs an a committee that studied violence against women objected to the group's final report entitled The War Against Women. "We've made progress, there's no doubt about that, but it's a long process to change attitudes," said Black. The Conservative government recently appointed a nine-member panel to investigate the issue of violence against women and report by December 1992. The panel, headed by co-chairs Pat ~ a r shall and Marthe Asselin Vaillancourt, will examine physical, psychological and sexual violence against women and recommend actions the government could take.
?%
%
I
P l e a s e GO^, Make t h i s empty f e e l i n g come t o a end. Give h e r t h e c o n s i d e r a t ion t o t e l l me s t r a i g h t o u t , what i s going t o happen. Not knowing i s t a k i n g i t ' s t o l e on my l i f e . Make i t end. Please.
8
7
0
The T r e a s u r e o f You
. . .To
l o v e w i t h o u t o b j e c t . O r end p r o d u c t , o u t of
the soul's exhiliration t o be l o v i n g . ABirthistle