Because People Matter

Progressive News and Views January / February 2007

Impeachment Is Not Optional

And it will get their attention!
By Jeanie Keltner that Cheney refused to release crucially important
national energy policy deliberations or identify the
Impeachment is not optional. One doesn’t choose deliberators, this most secretive administration in his-
whether or not to enforce the law—unless you are Bush/ tory has ignored, thwarted, stonewalled, and rebuffed
Cheney. And that is just the problem. all congressional demands for information. Sen. Patrick
Impeachment was invented Leahy identified 65 such requests
in the 17th century to assert …the general US public the White House has rejected or
that the king was not above the seems unaware or indifferent refused to reply to (Bee, 11-24-
law. Edmund Randolph, the first 06). Without information there
US Attorney General under the to this administration’s can be no oversight.
new nation’s new Constitution unprecedented attack on our When soon-to-be Speaker
argued for the impeachment Nancy Pelosi took impeachment
power, observing “The Executive
constitutional protections off the table she was misreading
will have great opportunity of and liberties. the will of the voters who gave
abusing his power; particularly the Dems their majority.
in time of war when military force, and in some respects Remember the old joke about the man who bought
the public money will be in his hands.” Indeed, under the a donkey the seller swore was controllable simply with
cover of the War on Terrorism Bush/Cheney have grossly voice commands? When the mule refused to obey the
abused their power. new owner’s order, he brought it back to the seller, who
The system of checks and balances that protects us hit the mule with a big stick—and the mule then obeyed.
Poster from
against a tyrannical executive has broken down. To reas- “I thought you said this mule would follow verbal com- w ww.impeach
bush.org
sert that balance, to restore the Constitution, to ensure mands,” the new owner said. “He will,” said the seller,
accountability, to prevent the catastrophe of a wider war, “but first you have to get his attention.” November election showed that—miraculously—the
impeachment proceedings against Bush/Cheney must We must agitate for impeachment because impeach- voting public had broken through administration and
begin. ment is the fiery issue that will get their attention. Whose? media lies—the greatest propaganda system in history—
The charges? Illegal wiretapping, manipulating intel- It will get the media’s attention. Corporate media to reject Bush/Cheney’s war. But as Nat Hentoff noted in
ligence and lying to Congress and the American people is understandably reluctant to cover the many cans of an article on the 2006 Military Commissions Act—which
to start an aggressive war, illegal detention and torture worms that will be opened in an impeachment investiga- takes away habeas corpus for those the president defines
of thousands of innocent people, and gross negligence in tion because of their complicity in keeping these worms as “enemy combatants”—the general US public seems
the prosecution of the war and in response to Hurricane hidden in their cans. Ordinary hearings and investiga- unaware or indifferent to this administration’s unprec-
Katrina—to start with. tions can be relegated to back pages or late night slots on edented attack on our constitutional protections and
A call for impeachment is first a call for investiga- cable news, but impeachment is headline material. liberties.
tion—which is desperately needed. From the moment As such, it will get the larger public’s attention. The See Impeach, page 4

Sacramento’s Alpha Academy

Mentoring community youth
By Seth Sandronsky
These are tough times for black youth in Sacramento and
nationwide. They are more likely than other racial groups
to live in poverty, be a murder victim, drop out of high
school, be jobless and enter prison (www.jointcenter.
org/publications1/publication-PDFs/Dellums%20PDFs/
FinalReport.pdf).
Locally, there are people working on solutions to this
social crisis. For example, the Sacramento chapter (Zeta
Beta Lambda) of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has
launched the Alpha Academy, a partnership with Con-
sumnes River College and the March of Dimes.
In a recent Alpha Academy meeting, local African
American men mentored black youngsters, ages 12 to
18, to lead more positive and productive lives. The adults which involved the students listening to musician Kool
emphasized to them the Alpha motto: “We have power;
we will excel and we are in control.”
This approach “helps us to
make better decisions,” said Ber-
“We try to focus the youth on the
nard Watts, age 12. Ashanti Jack- the consequences of their
son, age 13, agreed, appreciating choices.” John Taylor, Alpha
newfound knowledge on “how
to overcome everyday obstacles.” Academy chapter president.
In all, 32 local youth partici-
pated with eight mentors, one of whom is Christopher
Hicks, Alpha Academy co-director. He and the other
mentors worked with the youngsters in small groups,
discussing present and past conditions of African
Americans.
“We learned about African builders in the 1600s,”
said Myles Taylor, age 12. Mike William, age 13, enjoyed
“learning history about our ancestors.”
Toward the end of the day, the youth tackled a
hypothetical dilemma involving ethics and morals titled
“found money.” Later, these middle and high school stu-
dents presented their findings and the reasons for them.
Travis Parker, CRC professor and track coach, dia-
logued with the youngsters during their presentations.
He queried them on their opinions, and urged soft-spo-
ken students to speak up.
“We try to focus the youth on the consequences
of their choices,” added John Taylor, Alpha Academy
The Alpha Academy is a partnership with Cosumnes River College and the March of Dimes.
Photo: Seth Sandronsky
chapter president.
To conclude the day’s activities, he led a lesson
Moe Dee. As his music played, Taylor questioned the
youngsters on the content of the lyrics. Then he assigned
youth to produce answers
due back to him, in writing, in a Inside this issue:
month. Editorials............................................. 2
The intergenerational union
of Sacramento’s Alpha Academy
Getting Over the American Dream.... 3
has its roots a century ago at Art Exhibit: “Dark Metropolis”......... 4
Cornell University in upstate After the (Republicans) Fall................ 5
New York. In December 1906, seven students organized Poetry Out Loud................................. 6
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the first intercollegiate fra-
ternity among African American men.
Poem: “Tears”..................................... 6
Alumni of Alpha Phi Alpha include the Rev. Mar- Big Media Goes After More................ 7
tin Luther King Jr., Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Radioactive WMDs............................. 8
Marshall, and author and scholar W.E.B. Du Bois. The Out Now!............................................ 9
Sacramento chapter of the national fraternity began in
1954 under the leadership of Dr. George Stewart, a local
Book Reviews.................................... 10
dentist. Media Clipped................................... 11
Currently, the Alpha Academy meetings are held Salute to Arline Prigoff..................... 11
one Saturday a month during a four-hour workshop in Peace Action...................................... 12
the Learning Resources Center at CRC. Scholarships are
available to high school students based on community
Pentagon Spies.................................. 13
service, academic excellence and financial need, accord- Ugly Realities in Palestine............... 14
ing to Taylor. Calendar............................................ 15
For more information, call (916) 691-7636. Progressive Media............................. 16
Seth Sandronsky is a co-editor with Because People
Matter.
 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER January / February 2007 www.bpmnews.org
because
People Matter
Volume 16, Number 1
Published Bi-Monthly by the
Sacramento Community for
Peace & Justice
P.O. Box 162998, Sacramento,
CA 95816
(Use addresses below for
correspondence)
Editorial Group: Jacqueline
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Sandronsky
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On the cover
Local youth in the Alpha
Academy at Cosumnes
River College. Photo:
Seth Sandronsky
Editorial
Jacqueline Diaz, Coordinating Editor for this issue
A New Year for Change
It is a new year. We have a new Congress, a tions between race and class, culture and in Sacramento (page 13).
new Defense Secretary, new agendas, some policy in the US and abroad. But it is not just about legislative politics
fresh faces in the political landscape and Overall, King’s vision required uncon- or scandal. Our focus really remains on the
the chance for a fresh start at defeating old ventional thinking, a willingness to embrace people affected. Paolo Bassi discusses access
problems—and there change and ensured to affordable home ownership (page 3); Seth
are many of them. “In this new year, let something that the guiding Sandronsky shows how one area program
In this issue of BPM, inform you. Let something force at the head of is reaching out to black youth (page 1) and
many writers share inspire you. Let something progressive action Maggie Coulter and Brigitte Jaensch describe
ideas for approach- remain the goal of some tough realities about what is happen-
ing some of these old enrage or propel you towards peace and well-being ing to people in the current Iraq war (pages
problems—the war positive action.” for others. It is not 8-9) and Israeli/Palestinian conflict (page
in Iraq, classism, civil an easy vision to 14). Read these articles, and consider how
rights, human rights, civil liberties, social jus- achieve, but ideal to consider. we can move in a better direction. Answer
tice—by offering new information, highlight- So let’s consider where the US is headed. the question: How can we support and foster
ing opportunities for activism or calling for Right now, it doesn’t seem too peaceful. In his positive action in our community, in the US
some personal reflection. article, “Out Now” (centerfold), Jeff Kravitz or abroad?
Also in this issue are quotes from Dr. considers the US role in Iraq, while Dorothy In this new year, let something inform
Martin Luther King, Jr. in honor of Black His- and Richard Wake (page 5) take a look at the you. Let something inspire you. Let some-
tory Month. These quotes should serve as a changing political climate post-November thing enrage or propel you towards positive
reminder of King’s mission, vision and aware- elections. Sacramento Media Group’s Char- action. Be encouraged by truth and the prom-
ness of the flawed US economic and politi- lene Jones gives the 411 on the threat to “Net ise of our young people. The theme for this
cal system. King’s goals were not bound to Neutrality” in the new congressional year issue is “A Different World is Possible”, but
race relations alone, but were instead keenly (page 7) as Dan Bacher shows just how out of this is only true if we can imagine it to be so
informed by the relationships and intersec- hand US government spying has gotten here and work for the changes required.
HELP BPM expand its circle of influence
By Jeanie Keltner, editor-at-large
I still remember the afternoon over 15 years ago widely in our growing area through a new com-
In Memoriam
(!) when the first subscription to the new version mercial distributor. Ruth Holbrook
of Because People Matter appeared in my mail- We need some new subscriptions (coupon on
box. We, the new editors—a small group of folks page 2) to help us expand our circle of influence.
from different peace and justice groups—were If you’re a subscriber already, then send BPM to As we prepared to go to press, the
so gratified. None of us had a friend or relative—either staff of Because People Matter was
done a newspaper before and “BPM has always to support or bedevil them. saddened to learn of the death of
we had been up most of the challenged the official But you don’t have to sub- Ruth Holbrook, a tireless activist
night putting out our first scribe; you can continue to
issue. But with that check lies and distortions that pick up BPM at your usual for our community, labor, peace
in hand, we had that if you dominate corporate place—and, to say thanks
and justice. Ruth died on Decem-
build it they will come feel- for all those free papers, just ber 1, after a 3 1/2 year battle with
ing. We had hoped the new
media.” send a contribution to 403 breast cancer. A memorial service
BPM would fill a need in 21st St, Sacramento, 95814. will be held on Saturday, Jan 20,
Sacramento, and we took that first quick response Every bit helps! 1pm. Central Labor Council, 2840
as a sign. The election showed that many people have El Centro Rd, Sacramento.
Now, a decade and a half later, with many awakened from their propaganda-induced igno-
thousands of hours of work by hundreds of long rance. In the face of the most powerful mind con-
and short term unpaid volunteers, you’d have trol system in history, we progressives have done For more information, please call
to say BPM has become a (minor) institution in an amazing thing: we’ve brought a traumatized George McAdow, 456-9282.
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I like to say BPM is the non-Fox news, and this war, but to question military responses in
BPM has always challenged the official lies and general. Progressive media (see BPM’s back page)
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BPM readers through the years have had much help us grow.
needed info about NAFTA and school privatiza- The Chinese book of wisdom, the I Ching,
tion and Afghanistan and Iraq, or peak oil, the says: “Many people fail on the verge of succeed-
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 www.bpmnews.org January / February 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

Getting Over the “American Dream”

Class and housing in America
By Paolo Bassi of a larger pattern of increasing insecurity for

T
lions of workers due to falling real wages, the loss Americans.
he much lauded “American Dream” of well-paid jobs, and the recent property boom. Economic globalization in the last two
has become part of and reinforces the In the last 10 years property prices have more than decades has slashed worker living standards in
dominant capitalist ideology imposed by doubled, only slowing down marginally in 2006. every free market economy. Even as better off
corporate and political US elites. This powerful In the Sacramento region only about 20% of the workers and the middle classes hang on with
dream has cleverly seduced Americans for nearly working population can even qualify for a median bleeding fingers, Americans should recognize
a century. It encourages working and middle class priced home. Working class Americans have been that Third Worldization is well underway in the
Americans to work hard and better themselves priced out of the market. The ability to live in secu- US. Those who doubt this only need look at cor-
socially by joining the propertied classes. In the rity and raise a family, relatively easy 30 years ago, porations like WalMart, which, while registering Sacramento
US, having the security of a house, something is becoming a privilege of the wealthy. record profits, burden workers with low wages, Progressive
very basic to a decent life, has But the property boom and greater health and pension costs. Events
been turned into a life-con- The idea that owning has benefited some. Existing According to the cold logic of global capital- Calendar on
suming aspiration. property owners feel wealthier ism, without a valid business or political reason, the Web
The American Dream has a house and tending and have access to cash through there is simply no reason to safeguard workers’ <www.
also been used to reduce class- the lawn on weekends refinancing. Home builders, living standards anywhere or anytime. sa cleft.or
awareness and class-based mortgage companies, realty Unaffordable housing means that wealthy g>
politics amongst US workers.
vaults working class agents and loan brokers all ben- individuals and property corporations can Labor, Peace,
Environment, Human
The idea that owning a house families into the efited from encouraging people accumulate more rental properties, extend their Rights, Solidarity…
and tending the lawn on middle class is fantasy. to enter the market at its peak. power and increase the wealth gap. This wealth
weekends vaults working class The federal government gap is now the same as it was in the late 1920s. Send calendar items
families into the middle class also recklessly encouraged the The property-based wealth gap is also exacer- to Gail Ryall,<gryall
is fantasy. The definition of working class is based property boom. Since almost two-thirds of the US bated by the tax write-off of mortgage interest. @cwnet.com>.
on a lack of independent sources of income and economy is domestic spending, Washington has The more expensive the home, the greater the
having little or no independence at work. So the partially masked manufacturing job losses by fuel- subsidy, while new homeowners are burdened
notion that home-owning workers will suddenly ing a consumer boom made possible by re-financ- with high property taxes.
start living meaningful, more secure lives is an ing and equity loans. This policy created record Another effect of prohibitive home prices
illusion plastered over real class division. In fact, personal debt levels, which, coupled with inter- is increasing racial and class segregation as the
the debt of home-ownership often shackles work- est-only mortgages, have become major economic wealthy gentrify and close the doors on the poor,
ers even more. liabilities immigrants and minorities. The idea of equal
There is little doubt that long-term, home Beside the obvious unaffordability of decent citizenship becomes meaningless with half the
ownership is financially advantageous due to tax housing, there are other troubling long-term politi- population tucked out of sight.
benefits, rising values, and no rent in old age. cal and economic effects of the recent boom. First, There’s only one conclusion. The American
However, this argument is in danger if property many who purchased using “exotic” mortgages Dream is defunct and damages the interests of
values keep rising and people are unable to pay are losing their homes now that loan terms have working people. Let’s discard the myth that home
their mortgage over one working life. And as changed, leading many middle and working class ownership is a passport to the middle class. A
home buyers are financing bigger price tags, families into bankruptcy. new political approach to housing based on
inter-generational mortgages of 50 or more years More broadly, if we regard housing as a right reality, not dreams, is needed—one that regards
may become the norm, as in Japan. in a meaningful democracy, then pricing out most housing as a right central to a decent life.
Beyond being flawed and unquestioned, the people will lead to social insecurity and instabil- Paolo Bassi is an attorney and free-lance
American Dream is slipping out of reach for mil- ity. However, unaffordable housing is only part writer based in Sacramento.

Working Class Art & Culture

New museum in the works
By Jeanie Keltner

W
hat a great idea! Kudos to Joe Moore, the founder
and director, and Allen Warren, the New Faze
developer, who propose a truly imaginative way to
revitalize the Del Paso Blvd. area: the California Central Valley
Museum of Working Class Art and Culture. That’s a mouthful
to say, and there will be another mouthful when the museum
opens in 2008 because the museum will feature the Edible Gal-
lery. This gallery will showcase the produce and cheeses from
small-scale local farmers and farmers’ markets as they appear in
the food traditions of the 50 or so different races and ethnicities
that Moore has identified in the Central Valley. The museum
will also feature special events and programs as well as function
as a research center, complete with a research library onsite.
The arts and traditions of the Central Valley’s wildly diversi-
fied population, including the first inhabitants, rarely make it
into the museums—and yet they are the living culture that has
shaped the unique quality of our area. This museum aims to
highlight the culture, contributions and diversity of the work-
ing class to Central Valley life. Paintings, baskets, photographs,
costumes, books, “traditions from home countries,” and the rich
musical landscape of the valley—blues, country, zydeco, folk
dance, border ballads—all will find a home in this treasure trove
of peoples’ creativity—a resource for students, scholars, and the
general public. We’ll be waiting for the opening!

Photos
Top: Ronnie Stewart, left, executive director, Bay Area Blues
Society, and Sacramento bluesman Guitar Mac, perform at
the reception announcing plans for the California Central
Valley Museum of Working Class Art and Culture.
Bottom: the architect’s concept of the museum/residential/
restaurant complex planned for Del Paso Blvd. at El Camino.
photos: Ellen Schwartz
 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER January / February 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Dark Metropolis
Irving Norman’s social
surrealism at Crocker
By Ellen Broms

W
ho would have imagined that the invited to leave notes
Crocker Art Museum would take a and what they write
chance on showcasing a little known reveals the intensity
anti-war artist? Artist Irving Norman was born of feeling aroused by
in 1906 and died in 1989. He was an immigrant Norman’s work. Visi-
from Eastern Europe. He fought in the Spanish tors note their visceral
Civil War with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and reactions to the work
saw action at the battle of Ebro in 1938. One thirdand agree with critic
of the American volunteers died during the war Michael Duncan that
from 1936-1939. For much of his life Norman was Norman’s paintings
tailed by the FBI because he was a veteran of the are “jaw-drop- From Work, 1977. Lithograph. Editions Press, 20x25 inches.
Courtesy Hela Norman
Abraham Lincoln Brigade and considered subver- pingly effective social
sive by J. Edgar Hoover because of the Brigade’s indictments” (Art in
link to the Communist Party. America, July 2003). Exhibit visitors agree with
Norman was a visionary. His paintings are Norman’s art is wonderful in form and color
enormous depictions of human suffering. The viewed from a distance, while mesmerizing up critic Michael Duncan that
“graphic” nature of Norman’s work has made close. An ultimate technician, Norman includes Norman’s paintings are
it a controversial exhibit. Museum-goers are thousands of individual figures (mostly nude)
in his drawings and
“jaw-droppingly effective
paintings. In his major social indictments.”
work, “War and Peace,”
even the blades of Books, 2006) released with the opening of the
grass are screaming. exhibit is available for purchase at the Crocker
Crocker now owns two store. Pictures of Norman’s work and essays by
of Irving Norman’s art essayist/critic Michael Duncan, professor of
works. One is in the American art and culture Charles Eldredge, long-
permanent collection time curator Patricia Junker, and Crocker’s own
on the second floor; chief curator Scott Shields are included. An excel-
the other is in the cur- lent resource to study an artist whose aim, he said
rent exhibition and was “to tell the truth of our time.”
will be traveling for the Crocker director, Lial Jones, and chief cura-
duration of the show tor, Scott Shields, must receive credit for mount-
before its return to ing this outstanding retrospective and the book
Sacramento. accompanying the show. The Crocker exhibit
The book Dark of “Dark Metropolis” ends January 7, 2007. The
Metropolis edited by exhibit will still be in California, making its next
War Wounded, 1942. Graphite, color pencil. 22x30 inches. Ray Day and Scott stop in Pasadena. For more information, visit
Courtesy Hela Norman. Shields (Heyday <www.irvingnorman.com>

Impeach from page 1 these sleepers to the gravity of our situation, to

A CNN poll reported that “most Americans
do not believe the Bush administration has gone
too far…in restricting civil liberties as part of the
war on terror.” Constitutional law professor Jona-
than Turley writes: “The strange thing is, we’ve
become sort of constitutional couch potatoes. I
mean, Congress just gave the president…despotic
powers…and you could hear the yawn across
the country…” (Bee 11-24-06). Impeachment
and the media furor it will generate will awaken
how close we are to losing the liberties that have
defined this country.
Impeachment will also get the attention of
our allies as well as our current enemies around
the world. It will act as an apology, a repudiation
on the part of the rest of the country of a corrupt mitted by an American President. If courageously
lying administration, proof that we reject these
lawless men and their despotic actions.
And it will get the White House’s attention.
Impeachment will be the stake driven through
the heart of an administration whose crimes
range from massive corruption to crimes against
humanity—especially since it nullifies the presi-
dent’s pardon power. If we had been more thor-
ough in prosecuting Iran–Contra—similarly a
criminal executive branch defying congressional
power—these same perpetrators, pardoned by
the first Bush, would not be once again striding
the halls of power. We can be sure that the abuses out for impeachment demonstrations. As in the
we know about aren’t the only ones—there are
still many “unknowns.”
Impeachment will also help the Democrats
be better democrats. Even after the strong
repudiation of Bush/Cheney at the polls,
Bush/Cheney still have all the power and are
dangerous to confront. And legislators are
rarely courageous. I’m not afraid of impeach-
ment disrupting Congress because I don’t
have much faith that Dems will give us what
we want. Whether because Bush/Cheney’s
illegal wiretapping turned up such good dirt
on our legislators or whether they simply
agree with (too) many Bush/Cheney posi-
tions, the Dems have been unimpressive in
their plans for the new Congress, especially
in their waffling about the war.
When an impeachment investigation
exposes the dark deeds connected with Bush/
Cheney’s hideous war, it will be impossible to
support the war. And possibly any war.
Former US attorney General Ramsey Clark,
our moral conscience since Viet Nam, wrote:
“Congressional proceedings for impeachment
can bring about open, fearless consideration of
the most dangerous acts and threats ever com-
pursued, they can save our Constitution, the
United Nations, the rule of law, the lives of count-
less people, and leave open the possibility of
peace on earth. Each of us must take a stand on
impeachment now, or bear the burden of having
failed to speak in this hour of maximum peril.”
<votetoimpeach.org>
Go online, educate yourself further, and
sign the impeachment petitions. Use these toll
free numbers (800-828-0498, 800-459-1887 or
800-614-2803) to call your Congress members
frequently. Get friends to call. And keep your eye
Viet Nam period, Congress didn’t want to end the
war or impeach Nixon. The people forced both
issues. We must do the same.
Let’s Impeach Bush
www.afterdowningstreet.org/petition
www.usalone.com/impeachment_investigation.php
www.impeachbush.tv/impeach/
www.impeachbush.org/
www.petitiontoimpeach.com/
www.petitiononline.com/lp001/petition.html
www.petitiononline.com/DropBush/petition.html
http://democrats.com/impeach-petition.
www.afterdowningstreet.org/downloads/petition
www.democrats.com/peoplesemailnetwork/88
California petition:
www.gopetition.com/online/8849.html
 www.bpmnews.org January / February 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

After the (Republican’s) Fall

What now? A post-election analysis
By Dorothy L. Wake & Richard R. Wake tice of big business writing laws that Congress

O
passes), raise the hourly federal minimum wage
K—we have a very imperfect political each of the seven newly established trustee from $5.15 to $7.25, cut student loan interest
system that, under the Bush regime, has areas—the same model of representation used rates in half, broaden federally-supported stem
degenerated into something even many for every other elected office. cell research, and permit government to negotiate
Republicans no longer recognize. Yet we must lower Medicare drug prices.
work with what we have now while simultane- State: In order for Pelosi to become House Speaker,
ously working for a truly democratic system that Yes—four more years for “The Termina- key House Republicans supporting the Bush
stands for economic/social/ tor” due to Phil agenda were defeated—like anti-environment
political justice. So, that said, Angelides’ very Richard Pombo (Tracy, CA).
is there anything about the This past election was about inept and weak Some challengers didn’t win, but they gave
November 2006 elections we change—especially about campaign and us cause to celebrate: Charlie Brown gave Con-
can celebrate?
Time will tell. But the
changing direction in Iraq. But lack of Demo- gressman John Doolittle a run for his money, and
cratic Party unity
even though Doolittle “squeaked by,” this close
news has been so bad for it is also widely viewed as being in providing key election demonstrates Doolittle’s vulnerability the
so long, even a glimmer of more against Bush than being support for theirnext go-around. And Dr. Bill Durston’s challenge
something better—some- gubernatorial of Congressman Dan Lungren was commend-
thing with potential for for the Democratic Party. candidate. But able. Charlie and Bill: Hope to see you again! We
restoring the balance of the voters of need you! CAAC Goes
power and reigning in an California saw And on the Senate side, we can celebrate
to the Movies
Almost Every
out-of-control puppet president and his regime through pro-Diebold voting machine Secretary what Bush himself described as “a thumpin’” of Month
standard-bearers offers some hope. And causes of State Bruce McPherson. Debra Bowen was the likes of Senators Mike DeWine (OH), Rick The Central America
for hope and celebration exist right here in “River clearly the best choice to ensure voting system Santorum (PA), Jim Talent (MO), and George Action Committee
City.” accuracy and security, improving campaign Allen (VA)—while celebrating the win of pro- shows interesting
contribution disclosures to candidates and ballot gressives such as Bernie Sanders, newly elected and informative
videos on social
Local: initiatives, and expanding voter registration and US Senator from Vermont. Sanders, described by
justice, labor
“There’s a new sheriff in town”—his name participation. The Nation as “the most prominent democratic struggles, and so
is Assemblyman Dave Jones. (So he’s not really Debra Bowen—the only woman elected to socialist in America,” previously served eight much more! Call to
the sheriff, but he’s certainly earned the title as a state constitutional office—and John Chiang, terms in the House of Representatives and is a see what’s playing
the Democrat for other local Dems to look up newly elected Controller, represent fresh faces champion for the working class, the environment, this month…
to.) Jones deserves a major portion of credit for of leadership and much-needed diversity in universal healthcare, civil liberties, and peace. WE ALSO HAVE A
defeating Measures Q & R (Arena taxes) and California’s Democratic Party. This past election was about change—espe- VIDEO LIBRARY YOU
CAN CHECK OUT.
kudos for championing working people/families. On two more positive notes, extremist Tom cially about changing direction in Iraq. But it is
1640 9th Ave (east
At best, local Democratic Party unity is McClintock (Lt. Governor Candidate) and Prop- also widely viewed as being more against Bush off Land Park Dr)
lukewarm. But on Measures Q & R, there was no osition 85 (presented as parental notification, but than being for the Democratic Party. Indeed, INFO: 446-3304
Party unity. The Sacramento County Democratic was an initial step in chipping away reproductive the newly elected Democratic leaders will have
Central Committee formally opposed these mea- rights) were defeated. a short honeymoon if they continue to give us
sures, while local Democratic officials (including more of the same by acting like Republicans and
those holding non-partisan offices—e.g., City Nationally: failing to show leadership and unity in drastically
Council and County Supervisor) openly and California will make history by producing changing course. Because after all is said and
vigorously supported the measures. And these the first female Speaker of the House. Nancy done, corporations remain firmly in control.
local Democrats have lost considerable credibility Pelosi isn’t perfect—there can be no “10s” in our And, although Pelosi has stated that
within the community. But their loss of credibil- current system of campaign financing and elec- impeachment is “off the table,” the people need
ity doesn’t stop with the disunity they displayed toral politics. But she voted against using mili- to demand that it be placed squarely on the
with Measures Q & R. For the most part, these tary force against Iraq (House Joint Resolution table and that Congress fulfill its constitutional
are the same Democrats who have been known to 114, Oct. 10, 2002). And she, along with Rep. responsibilities.
endorse conservative Republicans. John Murtha and others, is calling for redeploy- Dorothy L. Wake is a Sacramento area writer
If Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is ing troops from Iraq. and poet, and author of Mother Jones, Revolu-
expected to enforce party unity on issues that are Speaker Pelosi’s goal is to pass six priority tionary Leader of Labor and Social Reform www.
important to reversing the present course at the bills during the short period prior to Bush’s Statexlibris.com or www.amazon.com. Richard R. Wake
federal level, then unity must be expected among of the Union address. These measures would is an elected member of the Sacramento County
local Democrats to tackle real issues that affect toughen House ethics rules (end current prac- Democratic Central Committee.
working people/families.
And despite the Sacramento Bee’s unwar-
ranted and lone opposition, Sacramento voters
can congratulate themselves on passing Measures Related websites:
J & K. Every area of the Sacramento City Unified
http://www.worldcantwait.org – The World Can’t Wait—Drive
School District will now have equal representa-
Out the Bush Regime
tion. One trustee will now be elected from within
http://www.pdamerica.org – Progressive Democrats of
America
http://www.democrats.com – “Aggressive Progressives”
Write Your Reps! http://democraticleader.house.gov – Newly elected Speaker
To voice our priorities to Congress, faxed signed letters are fastest and Pelosi
carry equal weight as “snail mail” letters: http://www.votersforpeace.us
http://www.votetrustusa.org – National network of state-
Senator Barbara Boxer: FAX: Sacramento office: 916-448-2563 (no based organizations working for secure, accurate and trans-
Washington, D.C. FAX) - Phone: D.C. office: 202-224-3553, Sacramento parent elections.
office: 916-448-2787. Website: http://boxer.senate.gov

Senator Dianne Feinstein: FAX: Washington, D.C. office: 202-228-3954

- Phone: 202-224-3841. Website: http://feinstein.senate.gov

House of Representatives contact info: http://www.house.gov

Here are the sites to representatives in the Sacramento Region

Doris Matsui, Democrat, Fifth Congressional District
http://matsui.house.gov/
Dan Lungren, Republican, Third Congressional District
http://lungren.house.gov/
Jerry McNerney, Democrat, Eleventh Congressional District
http://www.jerrymcnerney.org
John Doolittle, Republican, Fourth Congressional District
http://doolittle.house.gov/
Mike Thompson, Democrat, First Congressional District
http://mikethompson.house.gov
 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER January / February 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest Tears

Sacramento Youth Competing By Terry Moore
By Jacqueline Diaz
I have seen the tears in a single
Poetry is alive again in US classrooms. From navigate and find the intersection between clas-
mother’s eyes
California to Wyoming and Florida, high school sical recitation and contemporary performance
She was crying at the politics that
Capitol students are studying, memorizing and per- practices. Through their recitations, they answer
prevented her from the good life
Outreach for a forming poems in class, on stage and in county where for them the lines between poetry and
Or at least simply a life that was
Moratorium and state-wide competitions. And all the while, drama end or if they do at all.
half-way good
on the students are actually starting to have fun with This year and last, I was honored to help
Her tears flooded the hood
Death Penalty. poetry—finding its humor, heartache and reflec- guide students through the competition process
Drenched the future
tive narratives relate to their lives. as a poet-teacher. Each school I’ve visited has
Washed away the positive hope
Third Mondays, In 2005 the National Endowment for the had students with promise, hope and aspira-
that was attempting to be born
11:30am to 1:30pm. Arts and Poetry Foundation began a pilot proj- tions shining through memorized verse. I’ve
She was eager but torn
L Street at 11th.
ect, called Poetry Out been stunned by the
Between trying to be politically
correct
We bring petitions, Loud, where Wash- Each school I’ve visited has dramatic talents of
And trying to protect
ington DC area high students like Ashleigh
literature and banners.
You bring yourselves. school students com- had students with promise, Yaya at San Juan High,
Her own dignity
peted in a poetry reci- hope and aspirations shining moved when Natomas
Her own pride
Cafe nearby for coffee tation contest. Recited Charter’s Yuliya Pri-
Her own integrity
after the vigil. poems reflected a wide
through memorized verse. lepina took on John
Her feelings inside
range of styles, genres Ashbery, and delighted
Finally
INFO: 447-7754
and time periods, and each poem was brought to by the rich performance abilities of students at
She illegally attempted to purse a
life through student performances. Luther Burbank High. I also remember students
can of Similac
Arts Chairman Dana Gioia and Poetry Foun- who didn’t make it to state finals but gave a
Looking over her shoulder as she
dation President John Barr recognized the need part of their heart to their poem, and instead
jammed it into her backpack
to revitalize poetry instruction in classrooms
Because it would not fit into her
and wanted to support a program incorporat-
tiny ripped purse
ing the performance aspects of popular poetry
What could be worse?
trends like spoken word and slam. Gioia and
Only her getting caught
Barr also made a point to ensure contemporary
Stealing a can of Similac for her
and canonical works were eligible for the com-
baby that could have been bought
petition so that students could choose from
Only she gave into the politics and
working poets to “the dead guys.”
lost her religion
Last year Poetry Out Loud expanded,
Gave into a bad decision
and the national competition had student
And now her babies will suffer and
representatives from each US state compete
see
in DC. Each state created a plan for selecting
That their momma wanted to, but
a state winner. For the program’s first year, the
couldn’t be
California Arts Council focused on involving
That mother who provided
schools in the Sacra-
everything
mento region. Ken
And we just continue to sing
Huffman, senior at Elk
Dance
Grove High School,
Juggle
became state champi-
Run races
on, solidly representing
Open barbeque joints
California at nationals
Overlook tear covered faces
last spring.
We just keep
Poetry Out Loud
Passing from hand to hand
continues to expand
funding opportunities
Peace Action Focusing on spinning rims instead
as states find ways for
on the Web
students from various
of spending in our communities
Keep up to date
regions and counties to
I’ve seen the tears of a single
on peace activism
compete. In California
mother
in Sacramento.
this year, over a dozen Above and left: photos of
Left to turn left instead of right by
Check out
www.sacpeace.org. counties from south- Sacramento spoken word artist
a frustrated lover
ern to northern Cali- Terry Moore, whose poem appears Reaching into empty air
fornia will participate, in the next column. Crying rivers that fail to find folks
including Sacramento
Photos: www.terrymoore.info who care
County. Through the
And we dare to mention the
Sacramento County
budget to sore ears
Office of Education, area schools are engaging in of frowning, bolstered their winning classmate.
And we squeeze funds for our
the program, ready to take on a widened com- These are only a few strong memories from the
highly regarded peers
petitive field. 2006 competition, who knows what students will
But what about that single mother
Students competing in the recitation con- have in store this year!
She won’t be vacationing in Europe
test are judged on six elements, ranging from For more information on Poetry Out Loud,
or on the beaches of Jamaica or
evidence of understanding to appropriateness visit www.poetryoutloud.org and the Sacramento
Spain
of dramatization. Preparation for competition County Office of Education, www.scoe.net.
It’s more than plain
involves formal practice, workshops, explication, Jacqueline Diaz is a California Poets in the
Can’t we change?
and sometimes tips from school drama teachers Schools (CPITS) poet working with Sacramento
Can’t we feed our single mothers?
or teacher-poets from California Poets in the area students for the Poetry Out Loud National
So they can cope
Schools. Key to the program is getting students to Recitation Contest.
Can’t we re-vote?
Or revoke?
Yes, I’ve seen the tears
And now my tears combined
Are rinsing away our chances
Cut the political dances
Let’s stand still for a moment
Feeling Tense, Achy, Stressed, or Tired? Because the last dance
Try Hands-on Healing to relax & re-energize.
Could be the last dance
That turns off the music
I offer Yin intuitive massage, on our children’s lives!
based on years of experience.
Let’s talk about how your body Terry Moore is a spoken word artist
can feel happy & healthy. living in Sacramento. A slam champion,
Moore also works for the Center for
Muriel Strand, CMT Fathers and Families. www.terrymoore.
916-457-7141 info
 www.bpmnews.org January / February 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

Big Media Goes After More

Congress to battle over “net neutrality,” media deregulation
By Charlene Jones

N
etwork neutrality, media consolidation? AT&T would not be required to negotiate with nication bills and deregulation efforts escorted
Sounds like trivial concerns of web surf- local governments on how to best serve a city by very large, very moneyed media corporations,
ers or TV junkies distressed about their or county. They would be standing to make billions
menu choices as the new Congress wrestles with given a national franchise, more. The consequence of los-
issues beyond measure in their consequence for with little local accountability ing access to diverse sources of
the future. The stink hole of war, nuclear mad- and few, if any, public interest Internet, television and radio
ness, an exiled habeas corpus, millions in poverty requirements to American fare is dire to a democracy
and a heating planet, is only their short list. communities. nourished by free informa-
Nevertheless, try imagining this. What if Cleared away by years of tion. Tell the media industry,
information about these controversial dilemmas “regulatory relief,” public inter- the FCC and Congress, corpo-
is selected, produced and distributed by only est obligations of broadcasters rate concentration and limits
three or four media conglomerates? How about and media concentration pro- to information threaten this
Internet providers excluding web sites of their tections have been eradicated, nation and its people.
choosing or speedier travel to selected destina- according to the public policy
tions available only to those who can pay more? group New American Founda- Charlene Jones is a mem-
Suppose Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp’s oversaw tion. In the 1980s the Federal ber of Sacramento Media
not only Sacramento’s Fox 40 television station, Communications Commission Group and the writing team for
but owned the Sacramento Bee and held licenses (FCC) eliminated rules concerning commercial Project Censored. For more info: JoAnn Fuller at
for the region’s radio stations? time limitations, ascertainment of community California Common Cause 443-1792
While watchers of the shift in Congress hope problems and non-entertainment requirements
for progress on many fronts, potential changes to while creating a simplified license renewal appli- Sacramento Media Group smg@commoncause.
the nation’s telecommunication law and media cation containing only five questions. It found org; 443-1792.
regulations should worry many because these market forces sufficient to regulate both com- www.commoncause.org
imaginings are all mercial and non-com- www.freepress.net
possible. “The consequence of losing mercial broadcasters, www.fcc.gov
This past year and repealed the Fair-
Congress tried to pass access to diverse sources of ness Doctrine which
an overhaul of telecom- Internet, television and radio had been established to
munication law that ensure that all coverage
would allow telephone
fare is dire to a democracy of controversial issues
and cable companies nourished by free information.” by a broadcast station
to compete in offering be balanced and fair. The Glossary:
phone, high-speed After that the 1996
Internet access and video services. In the name of Telecommunications Act, promoting a “competi- “Network Neutrality” is the Inter-
competition, telecom giants sought the legal pre- tive marketplace,” paved the way for the FCC to
rogative to give premium service to content pro- relax media concentration rules in 2003 allowing
net’s First Amendment, a principle
viders willing to pay for faster delivery—Yahoo, one company to own eight radio stations, three that prevents companies like
for example, if it paid up, would have a speedier TV stations, the only daily paper, the dominant AT&T or Comcast from deciding
search engine than Google. According to news cable TV provider and the largest Internet service
which websites work best for you
accounts (The Atlanta Constitution, 9/22/06, San provider in a community. It took a federal court
decision and Congress, moved by based on which sites are paying
public outcry, to push back this last them the most.
regulatory purge.
However, worries have not ceased.
Media ownership is again under “Media Consolidation” is a media
review and according to FCC Com- landscape controlled by a handful
missioner Michael Copps; the battle of massive corporations leading
against corporate domination will be
difficult. Commissioners who support
to little diversity in viewpoint,
increased diversity and oppose further diminished local programming,
ownership concentration are out- and increasingly homogenized
numbered, and have difficulty getting
information.
information from the federal agency
they serve. According to The Associat-
ed Press (9/14/06), a report suggesting
ownership concentration would harm
local TV was ordered destroyed by
the FCC. The study, initiated in 2003,
had analyzed data from thousands of
broadcast news stories gathered by the
Pew Foundation’s Project for Excel-
lence in Journalism.
Subsequent investigations by
public interest organizations, the
Benton Foundation and Social Science
Research Council, as well as the media
reform group FreePress, also con-
cluded reducing restrictions on media
ownership would not generate better
This fine documentary by Robert Kane Pappas presents or more local and diverse broadcast
a good picture of the effects of media consolidation. content. They strongly suggested own-
ership rules should be tightened, not
Francisco Chronicle, 9/8/06), the industry will loosened.
try again during this congressional session. The FCC and Congress will address media
Public interest advocates like Consum- rights of way and ownership matters fundamental
ers Union and Common Cause want laws that to American discourse. If net neutrality is com-
require network neutrality where companies promised, corporate control of the Internet could
handle all content in the same way, protecting reduce choices and stifle independence now
an open network and its vast informational fare. expected from the digital world. If current own-
Consumers would retain the liberty to choose ership rules are eliminated, communities could
sites and services they prefer, not only the ones become “company towns,” where one media
doing business with their service provider. conglomerate dominates the dialogue. Americans
Proposed federal law would also open the rely on locally owned newspapers and TV for
door for phone company competition with cable news. Protection of their rights to their airwaves
and satellite vendors by using their wire networks and to information from wide-ranging sources is
to offer television. Mammoth corporations like up for grabs. It is at risk in proposed telecommu-
 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER January / February 2007 www.bpmnews.org
Radioactive WMDs
Widespread disaster in the making
By Maggie Coulter
DU has created a major health crisis affecting
our state and local governments.
“The use of radioactive materials in
weaponry is a disaster for the planet”,
said Leuren Moret speaking at the Newman
Center in Sacramento on November 13. Moret is
an international expert on the effects of radiation
on public health and on the environment. She
explained the development of “depleted” uranium
(DU), its use and atmospheric contamination
From S.F. peace march, 2003
to raise public awareness of the problem. The
adjective “depleted,” clarified Moret, is a technical
term used for Uranium 238, a by-product from
the production of enriched uranium (U-235).
U-238 has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, making
it longer-lasting than U-235 which has a half-life
of 704 million years.
In her November appearance on Sacramento
Soapbox, Moret explained that DU and Agent
Orange were developed in 1943 as part of the
Manhattan Project. DU is not a thermonuclear
weapon, but a radiological one used to produce
dirty bombs, dirty missiles, and dirty bullets that
spread radiation as a poison gas. Because DU
30mm munitions—jackets and penetrators,
made with depleted uranium.
photo: United Nations Environmental Program
“Mankind must put an end to war, or war
will put an end to mankind.”
—Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
is dense, it penetrates
heavy armor to destroy
tanks, planes, and per-
sonnel carriers. Upon
impact DU aerosolizes
into tiny radioactive par-
ticles; very small doses
of these particles can
cause genetic changes,
neurological damage,
cancer, and other diseas- Leuren Moret
es, noted Moret. There photo: courtesy Leuren Moret
is no effective clothing
or gas mask to prevent
humans from absorbing DU. soldiers,” said Moret.
DU was first tested in 1973’s Yom Kippur Nevertheless, 18 states have introduced or
war, when the US government gave it to the passed legislation to provide for DU testing of
Israelis, then supervised its use to destroy Syr- veterans and soldiers serving since 1991. When
ian and Egyptian tanks. Its effectiveness led the Moret learned of a DU testing bill being held
US into full production. Soon all branches of in committee in Connecticut, she took the text
the US military and some foreign countries had of the bill to an anti-war rally in New Orleans
DU weapons. US use of DU began with the 1991 in 2005. Two local Vietnam vets took the text,
invasion of Iraq, fol-
lowed by the 1995 and
1998-99 grid and carpet
bombings of Yugoslavia.
It was used again in the
2001 attack on Afghani-
stan and 2003 attack
on Iraq. Most recently,
Israel used US-supplied
DU in its August assault
on Lebanon.
The British gov-
ernment has secretly
monitored DU levels
in the atmosphere at
its Atomic Weapons
Establishment site at
Aldermaston in south-
ern England. Some of
the data collected there
from 1998-2003 was
reported in March 2006
by Dr. Chris Busby, a
radiation expert for the
British government and
European Parliament.
Busby’s finding, GI’s child, born without arms
Moret shared, revealed photo: worldproutassembly.org
that 7-9 days after the
use of DU in Iraq in
2003, DU-contaminated dust and sand from the crossed out Connecticut, wrote in Louisiana, and
battlefields was detected in high volume air mon- were able to get it signed by the Louisiana legisla-
itors near Aldermaston. Dr. Busby calculated that ture in three months.
an average person living within 100 miles of the Moret also noted that while only 7,039 Gulf-
Aldermaston air monitors would inhale 23 mil- era soldiers had been injured on the battlefield,
lion DU particles in two weeks. This is alarming, by mid-2004, there were over a half-million Gulf-
explained Moret, because under the right condi- era soldiers on medical disability. This is a major
tions, cancer can develop from smaller amounts. health crisis affecting state and local govern-
“The British Medical Journal, Lancet, has ments. The federal government should recognize
reported alarming increases in many diseases and and address the health impacts of DU. Soldiers,
infant mortality since 1991,” explained Moret. their families, and the public are becoming more
“The rates of cancer, diabetes, birth defects, and aware of this problem.
neurological and neuromuscular diseases like The Pentagon has admitted to testing only
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Parkinson’s, Lou 270 soldiers for DU. “We know that the US
Gehrig’s, and Hodgkin’s have increased among government does not care about its soldiers,”
soldiers and the civilian populations in the said Moret. Instead, it’s up to the public to bring
affected regions,” said Moret. Medical disability action. Moret donated several DVDs on radioac-
rates for soldiers have also increased, and depart- tive weapons to the Sacramento Peace Action
ment chair at the US National War College, Dr. Library now available for check out. For info, visit
Terrell Arnold, was quoted admitting that US www.sacpeace.org or call (916) 448-7157.
Government–coalition deaths may be twice as For more information about DU effects,
high when long-term causalities are counted research and activism, see:
(http://hnn.us/articles/15001.html). The World Depleted Uranium Weapons
Getting information about DU to the public
is difficult. “There has been a cover-up at the
Conference
www.uraniumweaponsconference.de/
Federal level since 1991, by Congress and three Discounted Casualties: The Human Cost of
presidents. …As a result, no effective Federal bills Depleted Uranium by Akira Tashiro
were passed to address the health effects in US www.chugoku-np.co.jp/abom/uran/index_e.html

Out Now!
Democrats’ and Iraq Study Group’s plans for Iraq are dreadful
By Jeff Kravitz
N
ow that the Democratic Party has
regained control of both houses of Con-
gress, the debate over the war in Iraq is
finally taking center stage.
Unfortunately, the way Democrats are fram-
ing the debate would ensure our troops lose.
Instead of looking at history and sound military
policy, Democrats and the media are discussing
setting a timetable for a phased withdrawal of
troops. This type of wishy-washy talk will do
nothing but leave scores of our brave soldiers
dead or wounded and assure that the civil war in
Iraq will last for years to come.
Our troops deserve decisive leadership
that uses military logic at its center. Now is not
the time for the weak of heart, but those who
understand bravery must come to the forefront
to make hard, gut-wrenching decisions. We
must call with one unified voice for the rapid
and complete withdrawal of all American troops
from Iraq. This is the only way the US can pre-
vent total disaster.
We must call with one unified
voice for the rapid and
complete withdrawal of all
American troops from Iraq.
This is the only way the US can
prevent total disaster.
Every day since American troops have
entered Iraq, the various religious and ethnic
factions have grown more violent in their con-
frontation with our troops and with each other.
US soldiers are training the very insurgents who
quickly strip off their uniforms and fight them.
The Iraqi army and police forces have simply
become conduits for weapons to the various
militias. Death squads associated with the Iraqi
government terrorize entire neighborhoods. Our
soldiers learn who it is they are supposed to be
fighting on a day-to-day basis.
As long as US soldiers remain in Iraq, Iraqi
factions will be able to accuse each other of being
Costing Us Dearly
See the real costs of the war in Iraq
The National Priorities Project keeps a
running total of the US taxpayer cost of the
Iraq War. Find out how much the war in Iraq
is costing your community at www.costofwar.
com/index.html.
See Casualties in Iraq: The Human Cost
of Occupation edited by Michael Ewens at
www.antiwar.com/casualties/.
The Institute for Policy Studies pro-
duced a review of the mounting human,
economic, social, global and political
costs of the war in Iraq. Read it at www.
ips-dc.org/iraq/quagmire/.
CNN maintains profiles of US
and Coalition casualties at www.cnn.
com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties.
Hear from veteran voices and military
families who say Bring Them Home Now. Site
includes links to Veterans for Peace, Iraqi Vet-
erans Against the War and Military Families
Speak Out: www.bringthemhomenow.org.
Meet Gerard Darren Matthew. Sent home
from Iraq with DU exposure, his daughter Vic-
toria was born missing most of her right hand.
Article and picture at The Daily News www.
nydailynews.com/front/story/
236934p-203326c.html.
www.bpmnews.org January / February 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 
puppets for the US
occupiers. This denies
any formed Iraqi gov-
ernment the ability
to gain the support of
the people.
After three years
of fighting, the Iraqi
government has been
unable to control
the country’s capital.
The US presence in
Iraq defies historical
precedent. Histori-
cally, governments
that cannot control
their own capital for
even six months fall
from power. Nor has
there been a success-
ful government that
came to power after
the fall of a dictator
that was unable to
The screen shot is funny, but Bush isn’t the only disaster...
form an army and image: various websites
police force within
three years.
Any person who advocates phased with- casualties. Fighters see no need to waste bullets
drawal, “stay the course,” or Senator McCain’s call when no one is fighting back. This was true in
to increase US troops should be asked why they the Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan, the
believe US troops in Iraq will reduce the violence. Israeli withdrawal from both Lebanon and Gaza,
Each day US troops are in Iraq, the level of vio- the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, and the
lence increases. Civilian deaths are sharply rising, Vietnamese withdrawal from Cambodia. How-
and US troops died at an average of over three ever, there are no examples of effective phased
per day in October, now dubbed the bloodiest withdrawals.
month of the war for the number of civilian, What will happen to Iraq if the US with-
coalition and insurgent forces killed. draws? No one can say. Civil war will likely flare
The Democrats’ idea of phased withdrawal up, but could wind down in a relatively quick
would mean that as some troops withdraw, those manner. Without the US presence, various fac-
remaining would be weaker and more vulner- tions will be forced to compromise or one will
able to attack. Enemy forces would still consider attain an upper hand.
them legitimate targets. Moreover, the path to The future cannot be predicted, but recent
governmental power in Iraq is now based on history proves one fact. Each day our troops are
demonstrating that a faction’s forces have bested in Iraq, more young Americans and countless
the Americans. Small groups of remaining US Iraqis die in a pointless war.
troops would be sitting ducks. Let’s be brave and decisive, and withdraw our
As for Senator McCain’s call to increase troops now.
troops, any troops entering Iraq now would add Jeff Kravitz is a law professor and former
fuel to the fire. The people of Iraq do not want Green Party candidate for congress in Sacramento.
us there. The more US forces fight on in Iraq, the He can be reached at Kravitzlaw@aol.com
more Iraqis arm themselves to fight against us
and each other. This is an inescapable truth about
the war in Iraq.
The ideas now being floated by Democrats,
McCain and withdrawal solutions offered by the
US Institute of Peace’s “Iraq Study Group” are
naïve at best, and fail to address the consequences
of waiting for a “real course of action.” This
bipartisan study group is aimed more at finding a
middle ground in Congress than discussing what
would really work for Iraqis. In fact, the Iraq
Study Group’s report offers little new information
while advocating only for a transition of respon-
sibilities from the US to the Iraqi government
(including the privatizaton of Iraq’s oil industry
into the hands of Big Oil corporations) and the
possibility of phased withdrawal. It is clear that
as we wait for “solutions,” we continue to create
enemies who seek to harm the US.
The real course of action is clear if we can
imagine ourselves as Iraqis and recognize that
people naturally oppose foreign soldiers fighting
in their country, interfering in their politics and A rare photo of coffins returning from Iraq.
killing their people.
It is time to think responsibly, and the only
responsible thing to do is to withdraw quickly.
Withdrawal could be relatively simple. The US
would announce its plan to withdraw all troops
as soon as possible. We would cease all offensive
military operations. Troops would be recalled to “Our scientific power has outrun our
secure bases and would begin deploying from
Iraq by plane and transport convoys to Kuwait spiritual power. We have guided missiles
and then to transport ships.
Military history has shown that when foreign
and misguided men.”
troops announce their plan for total withdrawal, —Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
they are able to do so without suffering many
10 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER January / February 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Book Reviews

Vice: Dick Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presidency

by Lou Dubose and Jake Bernstein
Hardcover: Random House Publishing Group, October 17, 2006, 272 pages.
Reviewed by Jacqueline Carrigan, Ph.D.
Dick Cheney: CEO Vice President business and government), yet found his tal- struggles
ents did not serve him as a businessman. Hal- among
Lou Dubose and Jake Bernstein’s Vice: Dick liburton suffered from his leadership style, but the ruling
Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presi- benefited from his connections. In the five class that
dency is a startling account of the immense and years prior to Cheney, Halliburton received are played
growing power of our current vice president about $100 million in loans from a govern- out in the US
Some of the (and putatively true president) over the last 30 ment agency promoting American exports. government.
Places You Can years. Cheney has had his fingers deeply embed- But during Cheney’s five years at the firm it As Michael
Find BPM ded in the highest centers of power since Presi- received $1.5 billion from the same agency. Yates describes
dent Nixon. This early experience has shaped The book also includes a brief history in his book
Sacramento Area Cheney’s world view and our national policies of the now notorious corporations, Hal- Naming the
Coffee Works ever since. liburton and Kellogg, Brown and Root, System (Month-
Crest Theater and Enron, which would make a great ly Review Press,
Dimple Records, Arden basis for a case study on the corruption 2003), the ruling
Wy “In the five years prior to
inherent in the intersection of business class is divided
Flowers Restaurant
Galleria (29th & K)
Cheney, Halliburton received and government. on how best to
Grinders about $100 million in loans Dubose and Bernstein tell of a plan for US preserve capitalism. That is, there are those who
Hart Senior Center domination, starting with an attack on Iraq, feel that the government has a role in taming
Light Rail:
from a government agency being laid out in a 1992 report by Paul Wolfow- some of the excesses of the free market (the clas-
65/Folsom promoting American exports. itz (current World Bank president) and Lewis sic Democratic position). And there are others
2nd Ave/Freeport “Scooter” Libby Jr. (Cheney’s former chief of staff, who say the free market should be unfettered (the
Los Jarritos But during Cheney’s 5 years at
indicted on federal charges). The report was Republican position).
Luna’s Cafe & Juice Bar
Mercy Hospital, 40th/J
the firm it received $1.5 billion denounced by President Bush Sr. and attacked Cheney’s approach to government reflects
Mother India Restaurant from the same agency.” by Clinton, but Cheney adopted it as a “new the latter position, and his decisions offer insight
National University rationale for our role in the world.” The current into how the CEO vice presidency plays out. How
Pancake Circus, 21st/ He was there for Watergate, the Iran Contra Iraq war is described as Dick Cheney’s war, as it do corporations view the law or ethics? As things
Broadway affair, the first Iraqi war, and so on. Cheney’s reflects the culmination of his experiences within to go around to get what you want (profit). How
Planned Parenthood:
career is told in considerable detail, and he is the government and his ideology. would this view affect how businessmen would
Franklin Blvd, Watt
Ave., 29th St. portrayed as an extremely intelligent, unemo- While Dubose and Bernstein paint a fasci- run the country?
Queen of Tarts tional, yet unyielding ideologue who knows how nating picture of the vice president’s career, it Dubose and Bernstein tell us that the Demo-
Quick Market to work the political system to achieve his goal. portrays national politics as a reflection of the crats believe in government and act to bolster
Sacramento Bagel, Cheney, a cold warrior long after the fall of personal psychic troubles of an individual man and support it, while the Cheney-style Repub-
47th/H the Soviet Union, continues to push the arms who was burned by his early government experi- licans want to reduce the role of government,
Sacramento Natural race. He resisted international collaboration and ences and who set out to right the wrongs that and when that fails, they feel justified in gam-
Foods Coop
Sacramento Public
compromise for fear of losing America’s domi- the congressional Democrats and weak-willed ing the system and bending it to the service of
Library (Main & many nant position in the world. Republicans perpetrated on Nixon. We do not profit. Cheney was asked to defend Halliburton’s
branches) It is well known that Cheney did not serve in see the early days of Cheney to know why he operations in countries with questionable human
Starbucks (B'wy & 35th) the military (he had five draft deferments for the identified with this worldview so strongly, which rights records. “We go where the business is,” he
Taco Loco Vietnam War). However, Dubose and Bernstein would be necessary information if we are to replied. This statement puts his support for an
The Beat show that he was actively involved behind the place history in the context on one man’s psychic unprovoked war and the practice of torture in
Time Tested Books
scenes in every American military action since struggle. perspective—his ends justify any means.
Tower Theater (inside)
Tupelo (Elvas & 57th) the Korean War. However, a better approach would examine
Underground Books Cheney spent the Clinton years building Hal- the class basis of the worldview and decisions Jacqueline Carrigan is an assistant professor of
(35th St. near B'way) liburton (typifying the revolving door between that a person in Cheney’s position makes, and the sociology at CSU Sacramento.
Weatherstone Coffee

Chico Area

Davis The Power of Israel in the United States

Bogey’s Books
Espresso Cafe Roma
Davis Natural Food
by James Petras
Coop Paperback: Clarity Press, Inc. September 26, 2006. 191 pages
Newsbeat
University Mall
Reviewed by Dan Elliott
Nevada City
US Post Office Petras Blames AIPAC for Iraq War
The Power of Israel in the United States by
Where would you like James Petras is a book of enormous significance.
to see BPM? Let Paulette His subject matter is the influence of the America
Cuilla know, 422-1787.
Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on US
foreign policy. An emeritus professor of sociol-
ogy at Binghamton University, New York, and
a longtime social activist, Petras writes in the
context of the March 2003 US invasion and occu-
pation of Iraq.
“Petras lays primary blame
for US involvement in Iraq
squarely on AIPAC.”
President George W. Bush said that military
action was needed due to Iraq’s dangerous arma-
ments and Sept. 11 involvement. Accordingly,
US armed forces overthrew the government of
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Now the US public has realized that it was
lied into this war. Therefore, it becomes vital to
know who got us into this mess in Iraq, and why.
Petras lays primary blame for US involvement in
Iraq squarely on AIPAC.
Petra echoes the arguments
of US professors Walt and
Mearsheimer, who attribute the
US attack on Iraq as a result
of Israeli interests, and not
those of US oil companies, as
some critics claim. (Walt and
Mearsheimer’s abridged study
is at: www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/
mear01_.html).
Crucially for Walt and
Mearsheimer and Petras,
AIPAC gives top prior-
ity to the interests of the
state of Israel, even over
US national security. To that end,
AIPAC lobbies Congress and the White House to
do the bidding of the Israeli state.
Author and scholar Noam Chomsky dis-
agrees with this assessment of Israeli and US
policy. In his final chapter, Petras, in a very
courteous but direct and successful way, attacks
Chomsky’s credibility as a radical authority on
the causes of the Iraq war.
How accurate is Petras’ view of the US, Israel
and Iraq? The deafen-
ing silence with which
advocates of other expla-
nations have greeted his
book is convincing testi-
mony to its accuracy.
The antiwar, labor, civil
rights and all “progressive”
movements including most
“alternative” information
sources in the US are satu-
rated with Israeli influence.
This saturation has caused the
entire “progressive agenda” to
be put on hold in favor of mili-
tary adventures which benefit
only Israel’s drive to expand its
power in the Middle East, particularly Lebanon
and Palestine. The US populace needs to become
alert to this. Reading Petras’ important book—13
chapters and an index—is a useful place to begin
that learning process.
Dan Elliott is a Sacramento activist. Contact
him at cuibono@rcip.com to purchase The Power
of Israel in the United States.

Media Clipped
Prison Nation: Locking Up Surplus
Labor in America
D
oes bigger mean better? Yes, for the con-
ventional wisdom on the US economy,
the world’s largest in terms of output,
or gross domestic product. Thomas Friedman, a
columnist with the New York Times whose work
also appears regularly in The Sacramento Bee, is
perhaps the leading voice for this view.
For Friedman, citizens of developing
nations will prosper if their leaders emulate the
US model of growth. One of these developing
nations is India.
Lost in Friedman’s rhetoric is the fact that
the American economy also creates a big labor
market surplus. Typically, the likes of Fried-
man sidestep this ongoing human tragedy of the
grow-or-die US economic model. Talk about the
waste of a nation’s people.
Capital accumulation itself, as well as mar-
ket conditions of supply and demand, constantly
generates a surplus of labor. Under capitalism,
there are always too many workers for too few
jobs. Unemployment is built into the system.
Where do some of these job seekers end up
when they are not hired? One answer is behind
bars, especially in the USA, a trend that has been
underway for years and shows no sign of slow-
ing down. According to a recent report by the
Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics,
there were 2.2 million people held in federal or
state prisons in December 2005, a 2.7 percent
increase from 2004. The average annual increase
Arline Prigoff:
Working towards that “otro mundo”
By Henry Clark
B
PM is proud to salute Arline Prigoff, who
recently retired as professor of social work
at Sacramento State.
A passionate believer in networking and
“ She has influenced
generations of students by
opening their eyes to the
world’s injustices and modeling
a courageous, compassionate,
and intellectually informed
social activism.”
cooperation, Arline is loved and respected for her
contributions to Sacramento’s progressive peace,
labor, and race and gender justice groups.
As a Jewish child growing up in the US dur-
ing the Nazi Holocaust years, she saw herself as
a survivor, for had her grandparents not been
immigrants, she would have suffered a tragic fate.
She resolved to make a difference in her world.
Politicized in her high school years, she
attended civil rights activist Bayard Rustin’s sum-
mer camp. Then, as a precocious teen at Radcliffe
majoring in economics, Arline studied with pro-
fessors like Joseph Schumpeter, who trumpeted
capitalist values, and also studied Marxism. She
found the John Reed Society more to her liking,
and joined the famous organization, identifying
with its working class and union values.
In 1945 she married her high school sweet-
heart, Jim Prigoff.
When her four children went off to school,
Arline joined the work force, soon realizing the
www.bpmnews.org January / February 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 11
Seth Sandronsky
cent for white men.
of the US prisoner population has been 3.5 per- African American females “were more than
cent since 1995. twice as likely as Hispanic females and over
There is a gender dimension of this incar- 3 times more likely than white females to have
cerated population. The average annual rate of been in prison on December 31, 2005,” accord-
growth for incarcerated ing to the Justice Depart-
women has been 4.6 per- “US prisons are caging ment. “These differences
cent versus 3 percent for among white, black,
men during the past 10 surplus workers whose and Hispanic females
years. Women, like men, labor the American were consistent across
are surplus workers in the all age groups.” The
US.
economy does not need.” unemployment rate for
In a perverse way, the white women age 20 and
American economy provides both genders with up was 3.4 percent versus 8.1 percent for black
the opportunity to be free of employment. Such women and 6.6 percent for Hispanic women.
freedom! Without a doubt, harsh laws that sentence
Moreover, the US prison population is not non-violent drug offenders to decades behind
counted in Uncle Sam’s employment surveys. bars are propelling the rise of the US prison
There were 7.4 million persons unemployed population. At the same time, national minorities
nationwide in December 2005, according to the of both genders are more likely than their white
US Department of Labor. Now add the 2.2 mil- counterparts to be unemployed. In short, US pris-
lion incarcerated people for a total jobless figure ons are caging surplus workers whose labor the
of 9.2 million. American economy does not need.
African American men in their late 20s were This spiral of unemployment and impris-
locked up at a rate three times that of Hispanic onment is not an unfortunate byproduct of an
men and over seven times the rate of white men. otherwise rational economy. To the contrary, it
The racial disparity of young male prisoners is an irrational economy that requires more and
mirrors and magnifies the unemployment pattern more prison cells for those who have no chance
of the Labor Department’s household survey of of finding their way onto payrolls. Why should
December 2005 by racial groups. The jobless people of any developing nation wish to emulate
rate for black men over age 20 was 8.8 percent the job and prison conditions of the US?
versus 5.1 percent for Hispanic men and 3.9 per- Seth Sandronsky is a BPM co-editor.
necessity of get-
ting a master’s in
social work (New
York Univer-
sity1967)—and in
1984, earned a Ph.D.
from the University
of Illinois.
Her passion for
social justice took
her to Washington
on many occasions.
She marched with
Martin Luther King,
Jr., civil rights, and
anti-war protesters,
seeking to expose
the hypocrisy and
tragedy of the Viet- Arline Prigoff in a typical activity
nam War. She was photo: Jim Prigoff
tear-gassed at the
Pentagon and jailed
briefly on another occasion for peaceful protest. to Brazil for the World Social Forum in 2002 with
She has often been in the streets of Sacramento her husband Jim, known in recent years for his
and San Francisco—and Seattle— joining thou- photographic books on popular street art around
sands of others opposing unjust US government the world. In truth, the motto of that great con-
policies. ference might well serve as a symbol of Arline
Dr. Arline Prigoff has influenced genera- Prigoff ’s life as a scholar, teacher, and activist. For
tions of students by opening their eyes to the throughout all the years she has never faltered in
world’s injustices and modeling a courageous, proclaiming—and living—its ringing declaration:
compassionate, and intellectually informed Another World is Possible—“Un Otro Mundo es
social activism. She’s worked tirelessly to influ- Posible.”
ence the thinking of her colleagues in the field
of social work, and her widely used book, Henry Clark is a longtime colleague of Arline
Economics for Social Workers, had a powerful Prigoff in the Greater Sacramento Chapter of the
impact on perspectives in the field. She traveled Alliance for Democracy.
12 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER January / February 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Honor MLK
Stop pro-war foreign policy!
Mark your Calendars for March 17, 2007
Large demonstrations are being planned
for San Francisco and other US cities on the
fourth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq.

Evoking the Spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr
to end the war agenda and occupation of
Iraq
Martin Luther King Jr. poignantly linked
war and poverty in his famous speech, deliv-
ered at New York’s Riverside Church in April
1967. Sadly, King’s assessment of US foreign
and domestic policy would perhaps be worse
today than it was when King shared:
A nation that continues year after year to
spend more money on military defense than
on programs of social uplift is approaching
spiritual doom.
The greatest purveyor of violence in the world
today [is] my own government.
There is much hard work ahead for those
who want to change the direction of the US for-
eign policy Titanic which has already sent mil-
lions of the planet’s non-upper class passengers
to early graves. Here are a few opportunities:
Get your body to the anti-war contingent of
the MLK annual march
Sunday, January 15, 2007 (Info: 916-448-
7157). The march starts at 8:30am at Oak Park
Community Center (3425 Martin Luther King
Jr Blvd.), passes by Sacramento City College at
9am, and goes to the Sacramento Convention
Center (1301 L St.) where there is a job/health/
education fair from 10am-3pm. See www.
mlk365.org.
Let Congress hear your voice and feel your
presence
We cannot be deluded into thinking Demo-
crats will end the occupation or war agenda,
including Sacramento’s Representative Doris
Matsui. Matsui has continued to vote to fund
the occupation and has not signed on to HR
4232 (McGovern) which would end funding.
Unfortunately, Matsui did sign on to HR 282
accusing Iran of wrongdoing and allowing
sanctions, thus creating the false pretext that
the Bush administration needs to eventually
overthrow Iran’s current government.
Many of Matsui’s constituents have
received her recent letter which defends Isra-
el’s brutal assault on Lebanon in which Israel
reportedly used US -supplied cluster bombs,
depleted uranium, and chemical weapons.
Call Matsui regularly and tell her to sign
HR 4232 and agree NOT to vote for any more
funding of the Iraq occupation or support
US interference with Iran: 916-498-5600. You
can also visit her office, 501 I St., Suite 12-600,
downtown Sacramento.
US-made crisis with Korea
Like Iran (see Nov/Dec BPM, “The US Threat
to Attack Iran”), the Bush administration is seek-
ing a pretext to overthrow the government of
North Korea. Below are excerpts from a histori-
cal analysis by Brian Becker, written in October,
2006.
Looking back to 1994: ‘almost war’
In 1994, Clinton’s administration was on
the verge of initiating military action against
North Korea. At issue was North Korea’s plan to
develop nuclear power as an energy source.
Instead of escalating into a full scale war,
the two sides signed the General Framework
Agreement. Korea agreed to suspend and
freeze its program to construct “heavy water”
nuclear energy reactors in exchange for the US
agreeing to finance and construct light water
nuclear reactors.
North Korea, which had experienced
a catastrophic loss of energy supplies with
the collapse of its socialist allies in the Soviet
Union and Eastern Europe from 1989 to 1991,
desperately sought a replacement source. ...
[Light water reactor] technology does not pro-
duce the plutonium byproduct or waste that
could be enriched and used for the creation of
nuclear weapons.
Although North Korea lived up to its side of
the General Framework Agreement, the US did
not. Eight years passed before the US took even
the first steps to begin constructing the light
water reactors. Lacking energy sources, North
Korea’s agricultural system nearly collapsed.
[With] only 15 percent of the land [being]
arable, the absence of energy sources was a
kind of death sentence….North Korea was sup-
posed to collapse, according to…policy makers
in Washington, DC, the Pentagon and Wall
Street. But [it] survived. Its resilience opened a
short-lived shift in US policy.
In the final years of the Clinton administra-
tion, the US began moving back toward the
promise of the 1994 General Framework Agree-
ment… [But] the Clinton administration, like all
US governments, embraced the need to over-
throw the government in North Korea....
Sacramento Area Peace Action is an all-volunteer organization that
works to educate and mobilize the public to promote a non-interven-
tionist and non-nuclear US foreign policy and to promote peace through
international and domestic economic, social, and political justice. Join us!
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1967.
Bush White House changes strategy
In 2002, Bush used his state of the union
address to label North Korea as part of the
so-called axis of evil, along with Iraq and Iran.
Instead of normalizing relations with North
Korea and lifting economic sanctions, North
Korea was explicitly targeted for “regime
change.”
Bush’s open bellicosity and threats led
North Korea to unfreeze its nuclear program,
expel inspectors from the International Atomic
Energy Agency and announce that it would
pursue developing nuclear weapons as a legiti-
mate form of self-defense.
North Korea, like the entire world, knows
that the US government possesses 16,000
nuclear weapons and has adopted a nuclear
first-strike option against North Korea as part of
its official operational strategy. (National Secu-
rity Strategy of the United States, 2002).
Seeking nuclear primacy
The US, as evidenced by [the] invasion of
Iraq and destruction of its government, wants
absolute power. It wants to crush those who
seek independence, or even neutrality, from
the US empire. The idea that North Korea
could develop nuclear weapons is a sign that
resistance to Washington’s plans by formerly
colonized countries is possible.
This runs contrary to the strategic planning
of the Pentagon and the White House. Their
goal in the next decade is to retake the posi-
tion of US nuclear primacy. …All people who
fear the danger of new and even larger military
conflict must understand that the origin of the
threat emanates not from Pyongyang, but from
within the belly of the US military-industrial
complex.
Brian Becker works with the ANSWER Coali-
tion in New York and writes for Socialism and
Liberation magazine.

A Call for Occupation of Congressional JOIN SACRAMENTO AREA PEACE ACTION

Offices
Voices for Creative Non-Violence, formerly
Voices in the Wilderness, an organization that’s
been fighting to save the lives of Iraqis since
1991, is calling for a campaign of sustained
nonviolent civil disobedience to end the
Iraq War. Noting that resolutions supporting
“phased withdrawals” are not enough, the cam-
paign calls on all representatives and senators
to publicly pledge to vote against any addition-
al funds for the Iraq war and occupation. If they
don’t, non-violent civil disobedience is called
for at the offices of representatives and sena-
tors who refuse to make such a public pledge.
Voices can be reached at 773-878-3815,
occupationproject@vcnv.org; www.vcnv.org.
Annual dues are $30/individual; $52/family; $15/low income.
Name:________________________________________________________
Address:_______________________________________________________
City________________________________________ Zip________________
Phone:___________________________
Email:___________________________
____Here is my additional contribution of $_______.
____Please send me the newsletter only, $10/yr.
Send your check to: Sacramento Area Peace Action (SAPA) 909 12th Street, #118, Sacramento,
CA 95814. Or call us! 448-7157, email: sypeaceact@jps.net, web: www.sacpeace.org
 www.bpmnews.org January / February 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 13

Pentagon Spied on Sacramento Activists

Peace groups targeted
By Dan Bacher

T
he ground-breaking release of nine chapter of a US domestic group,”
reports by the Pentagon’s Threat and VFP. “This specific group is deeply
Local Observation Notice (TALON) into ‘counter-recruiting,’” and views
surveillance program last November 21 reveals the station “as their last chance
a chilling web of surveillance by federal counter to influence a decision to enlist,”
terrorism agencies directed against peace and according to the report.
social justice activists engaged in anti-war and The San Francisco Joint Ter-
counter-recruiting work, including George Main, rorism Task Force advised the
president of the Veterans for Peace (VFP) Sacra- commanders of the Sacramento and
mento chapter. San Jose stations of the protests. “It
The Pentagon released the reports under a appears this protest will most likely
lawsuit filed by the ACLU. The first report tar- be peaceful, but some type of van-
geted the protest at the Sacramento Military Pro- dalism is always a possibility,” the
cessing Station (MEPS) on November 11, 2004 by report ominously noted.
VFP and other local peace organizations. Main is concerned that his
personal emails were monitored
to obtain some of the material in
“The echo delay on my cell the report, although the rest of
phone was so bad that you the information was apparently
would make the statement, obtained through press releases
about the event distributed openly
listen for it being echoed back, to the media and posted on activist
and only then could talk again websites.
One specific quote listed in the
or respond.” George Main, report documented Main’s involve-
Veterans for Peace Sacramento ment in a demonstration: “The
chapter. promoter of this event further states
that there are 65 MEPS stations and
‘maybe one is located near you.’”
In response to the revelations of the Penta- This quote is particularly trou-
gon spy files, the ACLU called on Congress to bling to Main who explained, “This George Main at the Radisson Hotel in solidarity with the Israeli
investigate the widespread surveillance of politi- information was not from a press peace movement, and protesting the policies of AIPAC, which
cal and religious groups by the Defense Depart- release, but could have only been was meeting inside the hotel.
Photo: Dan Bacher
ment, the FBI and the Department of Homeland obtained by intercepting an email
Security. The TALON documents are the latest that I sent out to people on the VFP
in a series of domestic spying scandals that list a week on November 5, 2004. …Also the Meade and is part of the Joint Terrorism Task
include secret wiretapping by the National Secu- quote made it sounds like an implied threat—it Force,” he said. “What’s amazing is that that the
rity Agency (NSA) and the California National makes me sound like a terrorist.” report indicates that it was the 110th report that
Guard’s spying on Grandmothers for Peace. “This is absolutely outrageous,” said Main, day, so this group was very busy.”
“There is increasing evidence that the Pen- emphasizing that he believed his cell phone and “This shouldn’t be happening,” said Main.
tagon improperly targeted innocent Americans home phone were also tapped. “The echo delay “It is a touch ironic that I was in the US Army
for surveillance,” said Ben Wizner, an ACLU staff on my cell phone was so bad that you would Security Agency, whose chain of command went
attorney. “These documents send a chilling mes- make the statement, listen for it being echoed to the NSA. My first assignment was to monitor
sage that if you oppose the war, the military is back, and only then could talk again or respond. allies everywhere worldwide. Our motto was ‘In
watching you. That is simply un-American.” I couldn’t even hold a conversation with my wife. God we trust. All others we monitor.’”
Main blasted the surveillance of him and There was an eight-second delay all of the way The documents were released in response to
other anti-war activists disclosed by the release until this summer.” a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the
of the documents and noted that reading the Main’s idea for the demonstration came ACLU earlier this year after evidence surfaced
document has only recommitted him to working about after the election of 2004, when local activ- that the Pentagon was secretly conducting sur-
harder against the Iraq war, military recruitment ists were discouraged that another presidential veillance of peaceful anti-war and counter-mili-
and domestic spying. election had been stolen by the Bush regime. “I tary recruitment groups, including Quakers and
“What kind of father and what kind of knew that people were devastated that we had student groups. Coffee from
patriot would accept an America for his children been robbed again in the election,” said Main, “So far Congress has failed to investigate Nicaragua
that enjoys less freedom?” emphasized Main. “so I put out an email to have a demonstration in how the Pentagon collected the information on Support Sacramento’s
“Every GI sacrificed in Iraq pledged fealty to the front of MEPS on Veterans Day.” innocent Americans, and which other agencies sister city, San Juan de
Oriente, Nicaragua,
Constitution and its guarantees of liberty.” On the wettest November 11 ever, over 65 received these reports,” according to the ACLU.”
by purchasing organic
The documents released consist of nine demonstrators turned out—and federal law In addition, Congress has yet to act on the hun- whole bean coffee
reports from the Pentagon’s TALON database enforcement agencies were watching the whole dreds of FBI documents previously obtained by grown in the rich
that describe as “threats” several planned dem- time. the ACLU that show widespread surveillance by volcanic soil on the
onstrations at military recruitment stations, Ironically, Main himself worked in army Joint Terrorism Task Forces of peace activists, island of Omotepe,
including sites on college campuses, apparently counter-intelligence for 7 years during the Viet- religious groups, environmental groups and ani- Nicaragua.
considering domestic activists as some sort of nam War, so he had inside knowledge about the mal rights activists.” Thanks to the efforts of
the Bainbridge-Omotepe
“terrorist threat” to the country, according to the methods and procedures used by military in For more information on government sur- Sister Island Association
ACLU. conducting military surveillance. veillance of innocent Americans, including FBI in Washington, we are
The first report focuses on the planned pro- “The 902 Military Counter intelligence documents and The TALON reports, visit www. able to bring you this
test at the MEPS in Sacramento by “a Sacramento Group that monitored us is based out of Fort aclu.org/safefree/spying/27459lgl20061121.html. wonderful medium roast
coffee.
Dan Bacher is an outdoor writer, alternative Your purchase helps the
farmers on the island
journalist and satirical songwriter in Sacramento.
and helps support
Sacramento’s long
relationship with San
Juan de Oriente.
All profits go directly
back to the Nicaraguan
communities.

  


 
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14 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER January / February 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Ugly Realities in Palestine

Human rights violations abound in Gaza and West Bank
By Brigitte Jaensch

K
illed in Gaza this past year were civilians
like six-year-old Rawan Farid Hajjah,
who died along with his sister and moth-
er, the seven Salmeya children—Basma (16),
Somaya (17), Aya (9), Yehya (10), Nasr (7), Huda
(13) and Eman (12) and newborn Shahed Saleh
Al-Sheikh Eid. All died in Israeli air strikes.

“There are more than 550

permanent Israeli military
checkpoints in the West Bank,
plus more temporary, “flying,”
checkpoints. When they’re
closed, the sick can’t go to the
hospital. Workers can’t get to
work. Kids can’t get to school.”
Sacramento Gaza: Coming back from kindergarten across the wall.
Soapbox Palestinian civilians are under attack from
Progressive Talk Show the fourth most powerful military in the world.
Access Sacramento,
The Israeli occupation is in its 39th year and tary checkpoint, is too often closed. vetoed UN Security Council resolutions critical
Channel 17
with Jeanie Keltner & 80 percent of Gazans know nothing else. Fifty Expatriate Palestinians who’ve worked in the of Israel. Thus Israel is protected from official
Ken Adams. percent of Gazans comprise 850,000 children, all West Bank for decades can’t get visas anymore. criticism and protected from international laws.
Monday, 8pm, Tuesday under age 15. Their tiny world is surrounded by Residents who get to travel don’t know when Palestinians don’t have military might and are
noon, Wednesday, 4am. a wall and razor-wire-topped fencing on three they’ll be permitted to return home. Students blocked from legal recourse.
Now in Davis, Channel sides. There are two openings into Gaza. Karni from the occupied territories can’t study in an Israel-apologists in the Democratic Party
15, Tuesday, 7pm. checkpoint is closed 85 percent of the time and Israeli university any more. And beginning this as well as Republicans assailed former President
Rafah checkpoint almost 100 percent of the time. January, it will be illegal for a West Bank Pales- Jimmy Carter for calling the Israeli Occupation
On side four, the Mediterranean Sea, there are tinian to ride in a vehicle that has Israeli license “apartheid.” South African Archbishop Desmond
Israeli gunboats. The gunboats shell Gaza’s beach- plates. Tutu, who lived through South Africa’s apart-
es. F-16 fighter jets fire missiles. Apache helicop- What Israel does is “collective punishment” heid, dubbed it “Israeli Apartheid” in 2002. John
ters drop ordnance. Houses are flattened and cars and it’s illegal under the Geneva Conventions. Dugard, Special Reporter on Palestine to the UN
burned. The night sound is the whine and boom “War crimes” is the term used by B’Tselm, the Human Rights Council, says “many aspects of
of missiles followed by the wail of ambulances. Israeli human rights group. Last year the Israeli Israel’s occupation surpass those of the [South
Since July, more than 400 Gazans have been parliament passed a law, effective back to Sep- African] apartheid regime.” For example, the
killed and more than 2,000 wounded. Our main- tember 2000, which forbids Palestinians to sue Israeli military uses mortars, rockets, missiles,
stream news outlets don’t report this. If too many the Israeli government for damages. bombs, against unarmed Palestinian children,
Palestinians are killed at once, like the 18 mem- And the US government is complicit. In women and men.
bers of an extended family in Beit Hanoun, Israel August 2006 and again in November, the US Brigitte Jaensch is a human rights advocate.
claims “terrible mistake” or “technical problem.”
Also targeted is life’s support: the electric
power plant, bridges, roads, government build-
ings and houses. Since the power station was
bombed in June, one million people live without
electricity, without water or sewer pumping. No
elevators operate in the multi-story apartment
buildings. Hospitals rely on generators that wear
out. Dialysis and other critical hospital machines
aren’t running. Medicine can’t get through Karni
checkpoint. Fuel is scarce. The only supplier is
Dor Energy, an Israeli company.
And what about agriculture? Basic needs,
including food supplies are kept out of the occu-
pied territories. In just one month the Israeli
military uprooted 5,500 olive and citrus trees,
800 palm trees and 73 acres of vegetables. Also
gone are seven acres of greenhouses and 200
acres of irrigation systems torn apart by Israeli
forces. When there is a surviving harvest, it rots
at Karni checkpoint, held back by Israeli military
resulting in more than $30 million worth of rot-
ted produce.
Gaza’s 1.4 million residents are hermetically Left: A Palestinian boy in front of the cordoned-off area of the Old City of Hebron in the
West Bank where 500 Israeli settlers have declared their permanent homes.
sealed off from the world, strangled by Israeli Photo: Don Knutson
military actions.
One Israeli newspaper theorized that the
Israeli military is especially vengeful in the West
Bank (and Gaza) to compensate for its poor
showing against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The West “The wall was originally conceived by [former Israeli Prime Minister]
Bank isn’t included in the cease-fire. Illegal Israeli Yitzhak Rabin to be put along the border of Israel—along the Israeli territo-
settlers beat and shoot Palestinians in the West ry—to prevent cross-border raids by Palestinian terrorists. But when Rabin
Bank. They throw stones and scream murderous was assassinated, [former Prime Ministers Ariel] Sharon and [Benjamin]
taunts particularly at children and the elderly. Netanyahu had the idea: Let’s use it to confiscate Palestinian land. We won’t
Israeli soldiers enable them. build the wall on our border. We’ll build the wall on Palestinian land. And
There are more than 550 permanent Israeli we’ll make tremendous intrusions to encompass settlements that already
military checkpoints in the West Bank, plus more exist, and other areas on which we want to build settlements. So that’s what
temporary, “flying,” checkpoints. When they’re they’ve done… Gaza’s completely surrounded by walls.”
closed, the sick can’t go to the hospital. Workers
can’t get to work. Kids can’t get to school. Qalqui- —Former President Jimmy Carter speaking with freelance writer John
la, population 35,000, is completely encircled by Freeman for Sacramento News and Review in December, 2006.
an Israeli wall. The only opening, an Israeli mili-

Mondays
ONGOING EVENTS
Sacramento Poetry Cen-
ter hosts poetry read-
ings. 7:30pm. 1631 K
St. INFO: 441-7395;
w w w. s a c r a m e n t o
poetrycenter.org.
1st Mondays
Organic Sacto:
Counter ongoing
threats to our food.
6:30pm. INFO: www.
OrganicSacramento.
org.
2nd & 4th MONDAYS
UUSS/SAPA Peace and
Sustainability Commit-
tee. 6-8pm. INFO: Peace
Action, 448-7157.
3rd MONDAYS
Capitol Outreach for a
Moratorium on the Death
Penalty. 11am –1pm, L
Street @ 11th. INFO:
447-7754.
TUESDAYS
Sacramento Area Peace
Action Vigil.4-6pm. 16th
& J Sts. INFO: 448-
7157.
1st TUESDAYS
Amnesty Int ’l, Davis
Chapter Meeting. Int’l
House (10 College Park).
7pm. Free Pizza. Invited
speakers. INFO: www.
humanrights.ucdavis.
edu.
2nd Tuesdays
Gray Panthers. 2–4pm.
Hart Senior Ctr., 27th &
J St. Info: Joan, 332-
5980.
4th TUESDAYS
Amnesty Int ’l. 7pm.
Sacto. Friends Meeting
House, 890-57th St.
INFO: 489-2419.
4th Tuesdays
Peace and Justice Films.
7pm. Peace Action of-
fice at 909 12th Street.
INFO:448-7157.
WEDNESDAYS
Christ Unity Church:
Speakers and Music.
7pm. Cost: Donation.
9249 Folsom Blvd. INFO:
368-3950.
1st WEDNESDAYS
Peace & Freedom Party.
7pm. INFO: 456-4595.
2nd WEDNESDAYS
Sacto 9/11 Truth:Ques-
tioning the “War on
Terror.” 6–8pm. Juli-
ana’s Kitchen, 1401 G
Street, at 14th. INFO:
sac911truth@gmail.
com. 372-8433.
3rd Wednesdays
CAAC Goes to the Movies.
7:15pm. Info: 446-
3304.
Thursdays
Daddy’s Here (Father
Enhancement Program).
Men’s support group; info
on custody, divorce, raising
children. 7-8:30pm. Free!
Ctr for Families, 2251 Florin
Rd, Ste 102. INFO: terry
@fathersandfamilies.com.
424-3237x 205.
Thursdays
House of Spoken Words.
7–10pm. Colonial Café,
Stockton Blvd. & Broad-
way. $5. INFO: 308-
2766.
3rd Thursdays
National Organization
for Women (NOW). 7pm.
INFO: 443-3470.
FRIDAYS
Shiny Object Digital
Video/Fools Foundation
Film Series. Weekly in-
dependent/foreign films,
www.bpmnews.org January / February 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 15
January / February Calendar
documentaries. 7pm.
1025 19th St. $5. INFO: Saturday, Jan 6 Send calendar items for the Mar.–April 2007 issue to <bpmnews@nicetechnology.com> by Feb.
484-0747or www.shiny- Freedom From War Monthly Meeting.1–3:30pm. 10, with “calendar item” in the subject line. Make it short, and in this order, please: Day, Date.
object.com/screenings. Blanchard Room, Davis Library, 314 E. 14th St, Name of event. Description (1-2 lines). Time. Location. Price. INFO: phone#; <email>.
Davis. INFO: Mary Wind, windml@gmail.com,
1st Fridays (530)758-8431.
Beginner/intermedi- For online calendars of progressive events, go to www.sacleft.org and
ate tango class. 8-9pm. Tuesday, Jan 9 www.sacpeace.org.
Social tango dancing. Film Sir No Sir. 7pm. Davis Library Blanchard
9pm–12am.YWCA, 17th Room, 314 E. 14th St, Davis. Free. Info: Free-
& L, Sacto. $10 for lesson dom From War, (530)758-2362 or windml@
and social dancing. INFO: gmail.com. Thursday, January 25
Kendra.kambestad@ Lecture in honor of Ruth Holbrook. Human rights
tango-renaissance. Wednesday, Jan 10
lawyer Ann Fagan Ginger speaks on New Paths
com or www.tango- Sacramento 911 Truth: Questioning the War on
for Action. 7pm. Coloma Center, 4623 T St.
renaissance.com. Terror, monthly meeting. 6 - 8pm. 1401 G St, Sac.
INFO: 456-9282.
INFO: sac911truth@gmail.com; 372-8433.
1st FRIDAYS Thursday, January 25
Community Contra Saturday, Jan 13
Lecture. “Bin Laden’s Chessboard” by Ben Sher.
Dance. 8-11pm; 7:30pm Continuing seminar on foreign policy and nuclear
Eclectic Lecture Series, lectures with discussion
beginners lessons. Clunie weapons. 11am–1pm. Hart Center, 915 27th St.
presented by Ben Sher. 7-9pm. Green Room @
Auditorium, McKinley INFO: 916-482-4627.
Sierra 2, 2791 24th St. Free. INFO: 798-1072.
Pk, Alhambra & F. INFO: Tuesday, Jan 23
641-7781. Friday, Feb 2
4th Tuesday Films. In Debt We Trust: America
Before the Bubble Bursts, shows the role, level of
Film: Iraq For Sale. 7pm. Davis Library Blanchard Monday, Jan 15, 8:30am,
2nd Fridays Room, 314 E 14th St, Davis. Free. INFO: Free-
control, and impacts resulting from debt, credit Join the anti-war contingent MLK
Dances of Universal dom From War, (530)758-2362 or windml@
Peace. 7:30–9:30pm. card companies, and the banking industry. 7pm annual March, Sunday, January 15,
gmail.com.
Sierra 2 Ctr, 2791- 24th 909 12th St. INFO: 448-7157; sypeaceact@ 2007 (Info: 916-448-7157). The
jps.net. march starts 8:30am at the Oak Park
St., Rm. 10. $5–$10. Tuesday, February 13
INFO: 361-3153. “The Attack on Higher Education.” Background Community Center (3425 Martin
Sunday, January 14
Annual People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo
discussion for the Feb. 15 Marxist School panel. Luther King Jr Blvd), passes by Sac-
3rd FRIDAYS INFO: see box below.
Blueberry Blintz Brunch, featuring Michael Sands ramento City College at 9am and
Progressive Free Thought
Exchange. Discuss topics talking about and singing the songs of Woody Thursday, Feb. 15: goes to the Sacramento Convention
of interest to atheists, Guthrie. No-sugar and No-wheat brunches Class Struggle at CSUS: A Marxist Analysis of Center (1301 L St) to the job/health/
agnostics, humanists. available. 10am–Noon. 4774 Marlborough Way, the assault on academic excellence. A panel education faire. (Above: Scene from the
INFO: pfxofsac@ Carmichael. $10 or what you can afford. INFO discussion with faculty and students. 7–9pm. 2004 march.)
prodigy.net. and RSVP: 481-5566. Sierra 2 Ctr, Green Room, 2791 24th St. INFO:
see Marxist School box below.
Saturdays Sunday, Jan 14
Workshops at La Raza “Iraq, Islam, Democracy and the War on Terror” Thursday, February 22
Galleria Posada.1–3pm. presentation by Ayad Al-qazzaz, CSUS prof. of Lecture. “The Neocon Liberal Hawk Consensus”
1421 R St. Under 18, Sociology. 2pm. Unitarian Universalist Society of by Ben Sher. Eclectic Lecture Series, lectures Sacramento Valley Branch,
Sacramento, 2425 Sierra Blvd. (2 blocks north of
$1; Students over 18, with discussion 4th Thursdays. 7-9pm. Free. Women’s International
$5; Adults, $10. Info: Fair Oaks & Howe). Free. INFO: 483-9283. League for
Green Room @ Sierra 2, 2791 24th St. INFO:
446-5133. Peace and Freedom
916-798-1072.
Monday, January 15
presents:
1st Saturdays Anti-War March. Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Saturday, February 24
Health Care for All. March. Starts 8:30am at Oak Park Community (Registration deadline Weds, January 24) Early
10am. Hart Senior Ctr, Center (3425 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd), passes Music Workshop. Sacramento Recorder Society Perspectives on Venezuela
27th & J. For universal by Sacramento City College at 9am and goes to
sponsors “Music of Peace from the Cold North.” Friday, January 19, 7-9pm
access to health care. the Sacramento Convention Center (1301 L St) to 9:30-4pm, Central Methodist Church 5265 H St.
Info: 424-5316. the job/health/education faire. INFO: 448-7157 $45 ($5 discount for members). Day-long work- Sacramento Friends Meeting,
or www.mlk365.org. shop features renowned international instructors
1st SATURDAYS Eileen Hadidian and Hanneke Van Proosdij lead-
890 57th Street, Sacramento
Sacramento Area Peace Thursday, Jan. 18
ing 16th and 17th century music from Northern Directions: 369-8046.
Action Vigil. 11:30am– Doyle Saylor, Cohost of KPFA radio show “Pushing
Europe. The workshop offers instruction for
1:30pm. Arden and Heri- Limits,” speaking on Marxism and Disability rights.
voice, recorder, viol, lute, harp, and early wind Slides and narrative by Don Knutson, who trav-
tage (entrance to Arden 7–9pm. Sierra 2 Ctr, Green Room, 2791 24th St. eled to Venezuela in late November, witnessing
instruments. INFO: Billie Hamilton, 451-7614
Mall). INFO: 448-7157 INFO: see Marxist School box below.
or billieham@maxnexus.org. the December presidential election in which Hugo
Chavez was elected to a third term and document-
2nd & 4th Sats Saturday, January 20 ing the Venezuelans’ fascination with democracy.
Tuesday, February 27
Community Contra Memorial for Ruth Holbrook,. 1pm. Central Labor
Book Discussion: The Right to be Lazy, by Paul
Dance. 8-11pm; 7:30 Council, 2840 El Centro Rd. INFO: 456-9282. Don visited several cooperatives and other govern-
Lafargue, Karl Marx’s son-in-law. Led by Mike ment “mission” programs to reduce poverty and
lessons. YWCA Audito-
rium, 17th & L Street. Tuesday, January 23: Monasky. 7–9pm. Sierra 2 Ctr, Rm. 11, 2791 24th also saw how members of the opposition have
INFO: 641-7781 “The Limits of Electoral Politics” Discussion led St. INFO: see Marxist School box below. adopted “Rovian” political strategies which have so
by Jackie Carrigan. 7–9pm. Sierra 2 Ctr, Rm. polluted the wells of democracy worldwide. Final-
3rd SATURDAYS 11, 2791 24th St. INFO: see Marxist School ly, Don will discuss his concerns about how much
Sacramento Area Peace young women in Venzuela devote themselves to
box below.
Action Vigil. 11:30am- their personal appearance (the “Miss World/Miss
1:30pm. Fulton and Mar- Universe syndrome”) and ask what that does to
coni. INFO: 448-7157 them as people and what the consequences are for
Sundays
The Marxist School of Sacramento the Bolivarian revolution.
Sacto Food Not Bombs.
P.O.Box 160564 Sacramento, CA 95816
1:30pm. Come help dis- September–October 2006 Activities
tribute food at 9th and
J Streets.
Point of View Speaker Series
SUNDAYS Lectures are held in Sierra 2 Ctr, Green Room, 2791 24th St., 7–9pm
Gather for President’s message
Watch for time and date!
Community Debke les-
sons 3–3:50pm, children Thursday, Jan. 18: Doyle Saylor, Cohost of KPFA radio show “Push-
and 4– 5pm adults. President Bush has promised to share with the nation
ing Limits,” speaking on Marxism and Disability rights.
Yosemite 187, CSUS. his new program for “moving forward in Iraq.” Sac-
Free, open to all ages. Thursday, Feb. 15: Class Struggle at CSUS: A Marxist Analysis of ramento Peace Action wants to gather to listen to the
Beginner level adults the assault on academic excellence. A panel discussion with faculty and plan and discuss responses.
welcome to come to the students.
children’s lessons for ex- Unfortunately the White House has not set a date. As
soon as Peace Action learns the specifics, they will email
tra practice. INFO: nca- Discussions/Classes
sac@arab- american. their lists, post it on www.sacpeace.org, and add the
Discussions are held in Sierra 2 Ctr, Rm. 11, 2791 24th St., 7–9pm. information to SAPA’s phone message at 916-448-7157
net or sjpsac@gmail.
com (530) 902-4000 so that people can gather at the Dose Coffee House at
Tuesday, January 23: “The Limits of Electoral Politics” Discussion led 1825 Del Paso Boulevard (920-3367), which serves
1st SUNDAYS by Jackie Carrigan. wonderful coffees, teas, freshly-made sandwiches, and
PoemSpirits. 6pm. Re- muffins at good prices and has a large, flat TV high
Tuesday, February 13: “The Attack on Higher Education.” See website
freshments and open on the wall.The Arden-Del Paso light rail stop is only
mic. Free. UUSS, Rm. 7/8, for readings on this background discussion for the Feb. 15 panel. blocks away.
2425 Sierra Blvd. INFO: Tuesday, February 27: Book Discussion: The Right to be Lazy, by Paul
481-3312; 451-1372. Lafargue, Karl Marx’s son-in-law. Led by Mike Monasky.
1st Sundays
Zapatista Solidarity Co- “Capital” Reading Group
alition. 10am–noon. We’ll be starting Chapter 2! Extended book discussion, Vol. 1 of Capi- Peace Action Vigils
909 12th St. Info: 443- tal, by Karl Marx. meets 7-9pm, 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, at
3424. TUESDAYS: 4-6pm. 16th and J Streets. Be Visible For
SMUD, 6301 S St. (the new building!), Timberline Rm. 3, 3rd Floor. Preferred
Peace.
2nd SUNDAYS edition of Capital is Vintage Books 1977, translation by Ben Fowkes. It’s not
1st SATURDAYS: 11:30am-1:30pm. Arden & Heritage
Atheists & Other Free- too late to join! (entrance to Arden Mall).
thinkers. 2:30pm. Sierra 3rd SATURDAYS: 11:30am-1:30pm. Fulton and
2 Center, Room 10, 2791 INFO: www.marxistschool.org; email info@marxistschool.org; 799-1354.
Marconi.
24th St. INFO: 447- All activities are free and open to the public. INFO: 448-7157
3589.
Because People Matter
Alpha Academy: Mentoring
January / February 2007
Progressive News and Views
Progressive Media
Access Sacramento TV
Cable Channels 17 and 18
Sacramento Soapbox: Progressive Talk Show
w/ Jeanie Keltner & Ken Adams. Mon 8pm, Wed
4am. (In Davis: Channel 15, Tues, 7pm.)
Being Gay Today: Thurs 6am, 10pm, Sat
6am.
Democracy Now!: Weekdays 6pm, 12mid-
night, 5am.
Media Edge: progressive documentaries,
including local productions.Sundays 8–10pm
Other sources for Media Edge
Davis, Channel 15, Sundays, 8–10pm.
Nevada County, Channel 11, Mondays,
10:30pm –12:30am. West Sacramento,
Channel 21, Mondays, 9–11pm.
Dish Network Satellite TV
▼ Channel 9415, Free Speech TV.
Democracy Now!: News and Analysis. Mon-
day–Friday: 8am, 12pm, 7pm ET.
▼ Channel 9410, Link TV
Democracy Now!: Monday–Friday, 11am.
Mosaic—World News from the Middle East:
Tues–Saturday, 4:30am and 10:30am; 4:30pm
and 10:30pm.
Radio
▼ KVMR 89.5 FM
BBC News, M-F 6, 7, 8am;
News & Attitude with Travus T. Hipp, M-F
7:30am; KVMR Morning News, M-F 8:05am;
Stories & Songs with U. Utah Phillips, Sun
11am; Soundings (Science), Tues noon;
Rabble Rousing, Wed noon; Full Logic
Reverse, Thu noon; Who Cares? (Health),
Fri noon; KVMR Evening News, 6pm daily;
Democracy Now!, Mon-Thu 7pm; Women’s
Show, Mon 8pm.
▼ KCBL Cable 88.7 FM
▼ KYDS 91.5 FM
Saturdays, approx. 3–4 pm., followed by Coun-
ter Spin from the media watch group FAIR:
Our Prison Nation
INSIDE:
The War in Iraq
Community Youth
▼ KDVS 90.3 FM
Democracy Now!: Mon–Fri noon.
Free Speech Radio News (FSRN) Mon–Fri
4:30pm.
Printed Matter on the Air (interviews with
local writers) alternating with
Panic Attack (attorneys and guests discuss
what makes people panic): Mon 5pm.
Making Contact (int’l radio seeks to create
connections): Tue 8am.
Proletarian Revolution (focusing on politi-
cal, social, and economic issues) alternating
with The Simple Show (talk show on human
rights): Wed 8am.
Speaking in Tongues (labor, environmental,
social, and political topics. Callers welcome,
interviews frequent): Fri 5pm.
Memo Durgin and Eddie Salas (Public
affairs and music of the Chicano/Mexicano
people): Sat 6–8pm.
▼ KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley
Democracy Now!: Reports on US and world
news. M–F 9am.
Living Room: Chris Welch. M–F Noon.
Seven Generations: M–F 1pm.
New Directions: including visionary astrolo-
ger. Thur 2pm.
Flashpoints: News and analysis. M–F 5pm.
▼ KSQR 1240 AM (TalkCity Radio Sacramento)
Progressive talk radio all day long with
Christine Craft, Thom Hartman and others.
▼ KCTC 1320 AM (AirAmerica Radio)
Progressive talk radio all day long with Randi
Rhodes, Al Franken, and others.
▼ KZFR 90.1 FM Chico
People Powered Radio! managed and operated
by volunteers, provides mostly locally produced
and community oriented programs.
Chew On This!
“Chew on This!”, a monthly progressive
TV show, can be seen on these cable
channels:
Access Sacramento Channel 17 (Com-
cast, SureWest) and Davis Community
Television Channel 15 (Comcast) the first
Sunday of the month at 8pm.
West Sacramento Community Access
Channel 21 (Charter) the first Monday
of the month at 9pm
Nevada County Television Channel 11
(Comcast) first Mondays at 10:30pm.
Check out our Web site <www.pcwp.
org> and click on “ChewOnThis!” We
need volunteer help in many ways. If
you have video production skills, or-
ganizational skills, writing or research
ability, or if you just have ideas to share,
please email us at <chewonthis@pcwp.
org>
Sacramento and Central Valley Indymedia: www.sacindymedia.org.
BLACK AGENDA REPORT
The weekly magazine of African American
political thought and action
www.blackagendareport.com
Incisive. Insightful. Independent radio commen-
tary, twice each week from Black Agenda Report
Radio. Freely downloadable broadcast quality
MP3 files for radio stations or personal use.
The Black Agenda Report is led by
Executive Editor Glen Ford
Glen Ford is a veteran journalist and seasoned
broadcast professional with a career stretching
back more than three decades. Ford conceived,
co-founded and hosted America’s Black Forum
in the early 1980s, and was lead editor, co-
publisher and founder of the internet magazine
Black Commentator, till leaving there to start
Black Agenda Report. Ford is based in Jersey
City NJ.
Managing Editor Bruce Dixon
A native Chicagoan living in exile near Atlanta,
Bruce Dixon is a longtime and incorrigible
activist whose most recent internet home was
also Black Commentator.
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