2008 Nov Dec

Because People Matter Progressive News and Views

November / December 2008

Energy Descent? Global Warming? We need to relocalize, now! By Paula Lomazzi and Patsy Byers

stuff from the Sacramento “foodshed.” At the last two Relocalize Sacramento! is an imperative, and it’s also Earth Day celebrations, we’ve had a table of free fruit the name of a grassroots group in Sacramento that’s part and vegetable “starts,” hoping to encourage recipients of the movement away from globalization and towards a to grow some of their own, and we also gave away “Stop more rational and rewarding use of Junk Mail” postcard packets and Relocalization energy and other resources. Relothe notorious Sacramento seed calization promotes the local proballs (like the ones made of clay and promotes the local duction of food, energy, services, compost in a workshop on alternaproduction of food, and goods, to meet primarily local tives to biotech and corporate food needs. It strengthens a community’s production during the 2003 Agrienergy, services, economic and food security by cultural Ministerial conference, and and goods, to meet making that community more then confiscated as potential terself-reliant and less dependent rorist projectiles by the Sacramento primarily local needs. on dwindling oil supplies. It also Police Department). strengthens “community” and the sense of “belonging” We have become a local voice for local action. We need to the place where you live. It is a global movement that more actual action and more people to act. We all must is neither nostalgic nor isolationist. So very much of our adjust our lives to the new paradigm forced on us during everyday lives depends on material inputs from outside this very unique decade in human history. Please join us our region (such as chemicals that are used to purify our in this endeavor, either by recommitting yourself to more everyday drinking water), and so much of our by-prodstringent conservation, recycling, and encouraging othucts and refuse is shipped away to become someone else’s ers, or by joining our group or our activities.  problem or profit (such as landfill “waste” trucked to We meet regularly on the first Sunday evening of Nevada and recyclable paper going to China). We need each month. Keep abreast of our activities with our to close the loops! website: www.relocalizesacramento.org. You can also Relocalize Sacramento! was formed in June of 2003. participate in our online projects via our wiki: www. We started by educating ourselves more about our relocalizesacramento.wikispaces.com, where we seek local resources and our region’s reliance on non-local to educate each other about our most vital systems inputs. We had a water study group to explore this most and local resources, and maintain a calendar of local basic of all our survival needs, with field trips to a water sustainability actions and events. intake facility and our region’s wastewater treatment Patsy Byers and Paula Lomazzi are among the foundplant. We have hosted a series of Eat Local Potlucks ing members of Relocalize Sacramento! who invite you to with guest speakers on sustainability, sharing delicious join them.

Relocalize Sacramento! members inside a pipe outside the wastewater treatment plant on one of the group’s field trips. Photo: RelocalizeSacramento!

A Relocalize Sacramento! potluck. Photo: Relocalize Sacramento!

Solar Cookers International

Tapping into the sun for cooking in Sacramento and worldwide! rate, and suffering respiratory and eye damage from the

smoke of fires. The repository of information on solar cooking is Can cardboard, aluminum foil, and a clear plastic bag found with Sacramento’s non-profit organization, Solar be used to cook and bake as well as Cookers International (SCI), your gas/electric stove and oven? founded in 1987. Initially promot…consider putting If you answered “yes,” you know ing solar box cookers, in 1995 SCI about solar cooking, something I’ve developed the ultra-simple CooKit solar cooking on done regularly during Sacramento’s solar cooker. With a CooKit, a clear your list of things to solar season ever since 1978. plastic bag replaces glass as the If you answered “no,” consider heat-trapping device, and a simple discover in 2009. putting solar cooking on your list of panel replaces the box. things to discover in 2009. You will Using a CooKit is simple. Food is learn an amazing, environmentally friendly skill, and you placed inside a darkened, covered pot. The pot is placed will also realize why this knowledge needs to be spread inside a clear plastic bag and set in the center of the to the 2.5 billion people in sun-rich developing countries CooKit facing the sun. CooKit panels direct sunshine who are using wood for cooking at a non-sustainable through the plastic bag to the dark pot, where light is absorbed and converted to heat. The plastic bag traps much of the heat and facilitates cooking most foods in 2-3 hours, with no stirring needed during cooking. Remove the pot with hot pads, take off the lid, watch the steam roll out, and see the perfectly solar-cooked food. It’s an experience that continues to delight me even after more than 6,000 solar-cooked meals. Because no water is needed for vegetables, fruits, meat and fish that already have plenty of water, solar-cooked foods have a great flavor as foods cook in their own juices. Bread and cakes can also be solar-baked with a CooKit. Go to a village in a developing country, and two daunting challenges face families every day—the lack of wood for cooking, and unsafe local water sources. SCI’s CooKit can contribute significantly to solving both of these problems, as it is doing in SCI’s Kenya projects near Lake Victoria. Heating contaminated water in a CooKit to 65°C pasteurizes it in a manner similar to milk pasteurization. To verify that 65°C has been reached, SCI developed a reusable, wax-based water pasteurization indicator (WAPI) that is included in the project. Villagers also have been taught how to check their water sources for contamination by testing for the fecal indicator bacterium, Escherichia coli, using two simple methods I’ve assembled into a Portable Microbiology Woman and child with CooKit in Nyakach, Kenya.

By Bob Metcalf

Photo: Bob Metcalf

See Solar Cooking, page 13

Bob Metcalf shows 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wangari Maathai the Colilert test results from water tested at the African Women and Water Conference, Nairobi, Kenya, July, 2008. Photo: Bob Metcalf

Inside this issue: Editorial.............................................. 2 Social Studies Famiy Style................. 2 Giving That Helps Others.................. 2 Too Big To Fail.................................... 3 Male Violence, Financial Terrorism.... 3 Kuehl on Schwarzenegger................... 4 Working Harder, Getting Nowhere ... 4 Georgia on My Mind.......................... 5 Peter Camejo Remembered.................. 7 El Porvenir—Water for Nicaragua.... 8 Sacramento NOW............................... 8 Gimme Shelter—Affordable Housing 9 Free Gaza Movement........................ 10 Trends in the Media Marketplace..... 10 Nuclear Weapons Policy................... 11 Peace Arts Xchange.......................... 11 Sacramento Area Peace Action......... 12 Global Warming................................ 13 Book Review: Fidel Castro, My Life.. 14 Something Fishy at McClellan......... 14 Calendar............................................ 15 Progressive Media............................. 16

 Because People Matter November / December 2008 www.bpmnews.org

because

People Matter

Volume 17, Number 6

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 Diaz, JoAnn Fuller, Charlene Jones, Jeanie Keltner, Rick Nadeau Coordinating Editors for this Issue: Jacqueline Diaz and JoAnn Fuller Design and Layout: Ellen Schwartz

Editorial

Jacqueline Diaz and JoAnn Fuller, Co-coordinating Editors for this issue

The editors for this issue of BPM invite you to read about the important issues of the day as covered by folks who live and work in Sacramento. Despair about global warming? Be inspired by the work of Solar Cookers International, and others who are working from here to make life better everywhere. Need some good news about the future of nuclear weapons? We have it. Wonder what happened to the pollution at the former McClellan base? Here’s an update. Confused

about the coverage on the fighting in Georgia? We include information and places to get more information. Our writers cover many of the important issues of the day, from healthcare to the financial crisis to housing—all from an alternative and progressive point of view, as usual. But we don’t stop there, we also tell you who is working on these issues locally and how you can get involved! Plus we list ideas for where to buy your holiday

gifts, such as the locally produced PAX peace calendar or a “CooKit” solar stove. Don’t forget, this paper is built on the volunteer efforts of many folks. We need folks to write, edit, and deliver the paper. Or you could help by introducing others to BPM with a gift subscription—only $20 a year! Coordinating Editors, Jacqueline Diaz and JoAnn Fuller

Calendar Editor: Chris Bond Advertising and Business Manager: Edwina White Distribution Manager: Paulette Cuilla Subscription Manager: Gordon Kennedy

How to Reach Us: Subscriptions, letters, punditry: 403 21st Street Sacramento, CA 95814 444-3203 Ads or other business: 446-2844 All e-mail correspondence: [email protected]

HAVE A CALENDAR ITEM? Send an e-mail with “calendar item” in the subject line. Make it short, and in this order, please: Day, Date. Name of event. Description (1–2 lines). Time. Location. INFO: phone#; e-mail.

HAVE A storY? We start planning the next issue of BPM the day the current issue hits the streets. Let us know by e-mail as soon as you have an idea for a story so we can consider it early in the process.

HAVE SOME time? (HA HA HA!) Well, you might have, and BPM always needs help with big and small tasks. Call 444-3203.

Copy Deadlines: For the Jan. / Feb. 2009 Issue: Articles: Tell us about your article by Nov. 15; article must be received by Dec. 1, 2008. Calendar Items: Dec. 10, 2008 Cultural events welcome! For details, see our website,

www.bpmnews.org Because People Matter is an allvolunteer endeavor to present alternative, progressive news and views in Sacramento. We invite and welcome your responses. To discuss a proposed article, or help distribute the paper, inquire about ad rates, or help out in some other way, call or write using the phone number and address listed under ”How to Reach Us” above. Please reproduce from any of the written contents, but do credit the author and BPM. Printed at Herald Printing by Graphics Communication Union DC2 pressmen.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Gift-giving that helps others and the environment

By Dorothy L. Wake UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund)—

www.unicefusa.org/shop Heifer International—www.heifer.org; Works with communities worldwide to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth through gifts and training that moves families to self-reliance. Sierra Club—www.sierraclub.org/store MADRE—international women’s human rights organization. www.madre.org. The Breast Cancer Site— www.thebreastcancersite.com The Hunger Site—www.thehungersite.com The Rainforest Site– www.therainforestsite.com The Animal Rescue Site– www.theanimalrescuesite.com; great gifts for kids, including finger puppets Note: You can sign up for daily reminders to click onto the last four sites to help fund mammograms for women in need, to help feed the hungry, to help preserve rainforests around the world, and to help care for rescued animals living in shelters or sanctuaries.

Want your gift-giving to help locally?

Make donations to local organizations such as food banks, Sacramento Children’s Home, and WEAVE in the names of those you are gifting. Many organizations send cards informing people that donations have been made in their names. And you can visit your local post office to ask about participating in Operation Santa Claus, which is a great way for families or work places to collectively contribute to kids in need. Happy Holidays!

Social Studies, Family Style No pilgrim costumes for this family!

By Jacqueline Diaz We homeschool our daughters. There were many reasons that led to this choice, but none that really had to do with disliking school. I attended, benefited and sometimes enjoyed my public school experience. My husband’s experience was similar. Yet when we weighed the possible schooling options for our kids, continuing to directly support our daughters’ learning beyond the time they grew to “school age” seemed like the best option for our family. And so far, we are having a great time. Many people think of homeschoolers and picture kids sitting at the kitchen table with workbooks, or think of homeschoolers as deprived of social interaction. Certainly there must be some families who are doing lots of workbooks or who would just rather hang at home, but in our community there are many more families who are out all the time, favoring experiential learning over workbooks. My daughter also takes classes with other homeschoolers sometimes, and this is how I discovered that there is one thing that bugs me about traditional school—social studies. I realized this when my daughter and I were thinking over classes for her to take and I began to begrudgingly read the descriptions for the social studies ones so she could decide between classes in various disciplines. These social studies classes all seemed fine, but I was concerned about perspective. Whose version of history would my daughter be studying? I just didn’t like the idea, and thankfully, she

A Tulsi Solar Box Cooker being used in Washington, DC to cook pizza. See story on Solar Cookers on page 1 Photo: Karyn Ellis

Jacqueline Diaz is a mother, teacher and poet living in Sacramento.

Learn the true news and then Teach Peace

Make a Holiday Contribution to BPM Mail donations to P.O. Box 162998, Sacramento, CA 95816 Help sustain local, progressive print media! Got time? Because People Matter is always in need of distributors and other volunteers. Please email [email protected] or call Paulette at 422-1787 for more information.

Check out www.teachpeace.com the website of the same-named organization in Davis. If you’re a teacher, you’ll be especially interested in their materials for teaching peace to people of all ages. But here we want to point out the site’s other extensive resources. Along with important articles from the world press on crucial topics in the news (like Russia, Georgia and Ossetia), there is also an extensive library of all the latest political documentaries to watch with a click of your mouse.

We appreciate your support! Please fill out this form and mail to:

BPM, 403 21st Street, Sacramento, CA 95814  This is a great paper! I’ll gladly subscribe for a mere $20.  WOW! You sound desperate! I’m enclosing $ extra to help out!  This is my opportunity to break into journalism and help get the truth out! I’ll help: Writing, Editing, Distributing, Proofreading, Anything!

On the cover

didn’t pick a social studies class this year. Nevertheless, this experience gave me flashbacks of years of schooling where I wondered if I would ever hear anything about myself as a Chicana and of being the only kid on the left side of the debate in my less-than-diverse classes. But quickly I let out a sigh of relief, thankful to be homeschooling. Our social studies plan while our daughters are still young is to share historical, cultural and political information and experiences with them. We won’t be plotting out goals or pulling for them to make specific discoveries through critical thinking, but I can’t say they’ll go without bias—without experiencing our own perspective on things (which is what most school social studies classes pretend to do). Our hope is that as they get older, they’ll continue to choose their own readings and figure out for themselves what seems most plausible or “real” to them. Until then, I’d just as soon skip getting to see them in cute little pilgrim or Indian outfits in a Thanksgiving play or reciting the “story” of Plymouth Rock. Instead, this year our Thanksgiving plan is to participate in the “Indigenous People’s Sunrise Gathering” at Alcatraz, commemorating the island’s occupation by American Indian activists in 1969. Luckily, you don’t have to be a homeschooler to join us. Go to www.alcatrazcruises.com/website/ sunrise-gathering.aspx.

Name........................................................................................................................ Address.................................................................................................................... City............................... Zip........................ Phone.................................................. Email........................................................................................................................

Help keep BPM on the streets: Subscribe today! Already a subscriber? Buy a subscription to BPM for a friend or family member! Place an ad for your business or nonprofit group: continuing business card size ads are only $30 per issue. Volunteer! We need distributors to help get the word(s) out!

www.bpmnews.org November / December 2008 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

Who’s Too Big To Fail?

Corporate welfare vs. poor people’s welfare By Roger White

O

ne question that hasn’t been asked much those seeking government help would be made about the current financial crisis that to work, and would be stripped of their privacy could turn into a depression is who has and labor rights. Essentially, they would be made more of a moral claim on public dollars? Strugwards of the state in exchange for the $300 or so gling single moms on welfare? Or corporate dollars they received every month. These people banking titans who weren’t like “us” and have been deemed really didn’t deserve …it would take about 35 “too big to fail” by our compassion or years of aid to poor folk on support. They were Wall Street “analysts” and corporatists in “too small to matter,” welfare to match what just Washington? so to speak. Why worry this installment of Bush’s Looking at the about them? headlines over the last Now, when corporate bailout of Wall Street will few months about the banks and investment cost taxpayers” bailouts on Wall Street houses started dropbrought me back to ping like flies and 1995 and the debate looking for handouts, over welfare reform. Back then, we heard a lot bailouts, “debt packages” and other configuraof talk about dependency, the irresponsible lifetions of tax-payer monies in the late summer of styles of single mothers on public assistance and 2008, the talk coming from the responsible folks the sanctity of “middle class values.” was quite different. Instead of hearing about the While much of this talk came from the condepravities of a permanent over-class that has servative establishment, it was a Democratic grown dependent on government contracts, president along with a significant number of tax subsidies, and, when needed, bailouts, we Democrats in Congress that made the passage were told by people like Henry Paulson and Ben of so-called welfare reform possible. In that case Bernanke that companies like AIG and Bear the political class had come to a broad consenStearns (etc.) were just too important to be left sus—the days of big government were over (at to the vagaries of the market and that the $700 least in service of the poor) and from now on billion was a rescue, not a bailout. The nationally

syndicated conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt said it best, “Sure, we’re in favor of the free market—except when we’re against it!” Of course, the conservative House Republicans and progressive House Democrats who voted against the bailout were immediately admonished by folks like the moderate Republican political commentator and professional political class superego David Gergan to “grow up,” but their arguments for being against the bailout were never seriously engaged. Instead, we all were fed a steady diet of fear of what might happen if we didn’t hand out public dollars to the rich. Eventually the propaganda campaign worked, and the House voted in favor of the bailout. Whew. That saved the day. Now we can sleep at night, right?   In all, the federal government spends about $20 billion each year on the Temporary Aid to Families with Children program. That’s $20 billion for poor, single women with children each year compared with $700 billion for rich corporations and their stockholders for now. Put another way, it would take about 35 years of aid to poor folk on welfare to match what just this installment of Bush’s bailout of Wall Street will cost taxpayers. And when we actually compare what single mothers who are permitted to stay home with

See Corporate Welfare page 6

Male Violence, Financial Terrorism Taxpayer “sugar daddies,” “sugar mommies” asked to bail out “kept men” of Wall Street By Dorothy L. Wake

A

midst the worst financial crises in US loans—often home mortgage loans—sold history, I recalled a book by June Steto government sponsored enterprises, or phensen, Ph.D., published in 1991, Men agencies, like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Are Not Cost-Effective. Dr. Stephensen, a research In other words, they are US mortgages.” Is psychologist and author of many other books, it just a coincidence that the current bailout demonstrates how amount is the “men are bankrupting exact amount of “…a few members were our country.” China’s purchase even told that there would Stevenson nearly of mortgage two decades ago set loans? Answer: be martial law in America the annual cost of male Probably not. if we vote ‘no.’”—Rep. Brad violence—everything It’s reasonable from murder to “white to surmise that Sherman, D-CA. Man who requested anonymity protesting the $700 billion-plus bailout on collar” crimes—at $300 the US would October 6 at the corner of Fruitridge Rd. and Freeport Blvd. billion. Now, update that figure (undoubtedly want to cover China’s “purchase gone bad” Photo by Dorothy L. Wake threefold) and add what ended up being over in order to continue receiving loans from $800 billion the middle class is being forced to them to fund the Iraq war. “pony up” to bail out Wall Street and pay for deal US Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) “sweeteners”—a bag full of goodies ranging from argued for an alternative plan to cope with the tax breaks for NASCAR racetracks to children’s collapse of financial institutions. Putting Main wooden arrow makers. In an attempt to make Street before Wall Street, the plan included this bailout more palatable to Main Street, “conimposing a surtax on the wealthiest 400 US famcessions” were made by lawmakers. For example, ilies that garnered a $670 billion increase in their we will get shares in these “toxic assets” that wealth since President Bush has been in office. the rich need to quickly dump and the Federal Sanders and others argued that the middle class, Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) will whose standard of living has declined, should raise the insurance on our savings to $250,000. not be paying for these bailouts. Additionally, (How many readers have $250K in the bank?) Sanders called for stronger oversight of financial Many don’t realize that the FDIC has up to 10 institutions and an end to Bush’s deregulation years to pay up on that insurance. The taxpayer policies; a break up of huge businesses, like “sugar daddies” and “sugar mommies” can no Bank of America, that are swallowing up other longer afford these “kept men”—predators of all large corporations; and an immediate economic stripes, from the Wall Street big boys, to the men stimulus package which would put people back entrenched in warfare, to the common thugs who to work rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure are raping, murdering, robbing, and plundering. and moving us to energy efficiency and sustainBush’s monstrous bailout plan gives broad able energy. But unlike Sanders, most lawmakers authority and a blank check to the tune of $700 chose to “sell out” Main Street to profit Wall billion to unelected appointee Treasury Secretary Street. Henry M. Paulson, Jr., raising the national debt to I would have added to Sanders plan: No $11.3 trillion. Additionally, Bush demanded that chance for these criminals to receive “golden the program be shielded from judicial review. parachutes,” obscene buyouts, or any other beneInterestingly, according to Huffingtonpost.com fits. Rather, charge these financial terrorists with (“China’s Investment House,” 12/13/2007), China crimes—everything from domestic terrorism “purchased $700 billion in US long-term assets. against the people to fraud to influence peddling A huge and growing category of purchase has been the agency bond. These are bonds made of See Bailout, page 6

 Because People Matter November / December 2008 www.bpmnews.org

Arnold “Sweeney Todd” Schwarzenegger Slashes Health Reform Don’t be fooled, this guy is not on your side By State Senator Sheila Kuehl Over the past several months, State Senator Sheila Kuehl has posted a number of essays on her website regarding current state governmental issues that present information not usually available in newspapers. What follows is from the recent Essay #14, Arnold “Sweeney Todd” Schwarzenegger.

CAAC Goes to the Movies

Almost Every Month The Central America Action Committee shows interesting and informative videos on social justice, labor struggles, and so much more! Call to see what’s playing this month… WE ALSO HAVE A VIDEO LIBRARY YOU CAN CHECK OUT. 1640 9th Ave (east off Land Park Dr) INFO: 446-3304

On September 30, the Governor finished wielding his veto pen and, in one sweeping move, eliminated virtually every health reform measure that would have regulated the health insurance company monopoly. Health reform was not alone, bill after bill that would have benefited consumers, drivers, people who breathe, people who drink water, and just people who rely on their state government to protect them, had its throat cut. Like the crazed and vengeful barber in Sweeney Todd, Arnold slashed away at bills in a frenzy that he said over and over reflected his anger at getting a late budget. Is this any way to run a state? The obvious answer is no. To add insult to injury, his press release— breathtaking in its hyperbole and misdirection—was titled (try not to laugh) “Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Urgently Needed Legislation to Protect Consumers from Unfair Health Care Practices.” This title takes even his chutzpah to a higher level. He protected no one except the insurance industry. He chose a few bills that didn’t really bother the industry and pretended he had protected consumers. Nothing could be further from the truth.  It’s important to understand that vetoes of health reform legislation have very serious consequences. Because of these vetoes, there will continue to be very little regulation of the runaway health insurance market and no protections for consumers.

Universal Health Care Of course, everyone expected Arnold to veto SB 840, the Universal Health Care Act. His own plan, which failed to make it through the State Senate Health Committee, which I chair, would have provided a major give-away to the health insurance companies by requiring every Californian to buy health insurance or face a penalty,

with no caps on premiums, except for those who make less than $25,000 a year. He has been consistently hostile to the Medicare-like plan in SB 840 and vetoed it (for the second time), citing a study that did not even relate to the bill. 

Vetoes of Bills His Staff Worked On With Members

do that any more…but his standards are much weaker. Insurance companies can continue to rescind your policies whenever they take a backward look and “discover” a misstatement on your application. Poof, you never had a policy and must pay for all services rendered, yourself.

Veto of Balance Billing

He vetoed a bill that would have actually The Governor stunned most of the reform affected the practice of “balance billing” under advocates by also vetoing bills which health care providers now his staff had been working on routinely bill patients when they He [Gov. with authors, and which reflected not receive full amounts from Schwarzenegger] do portions of his own bill. There insurance companies with whom are several examples. Let me they have not contracted. The protected no begin with one of my own bills, bill would have required a partial one, except SB 1440. In 2006, I brought a bill payment to the provider while requiring health insurers to spend the insurance working it out between the doctor at least 85% of their premiums and the insurance company. The industry.  on care for their enrollees, which patient would not have been garnered a firestorm of opposibilled. As a consequence, balance tion from the insurance industry, and failed billing is allowed to continue.  in the Assembly. Late in 2007, the Governor included this provision in his own bill, and, when Other Vetoes that failed, his staff and mine worked together on He vetoed another important bill by that would a stand-alone bill. We took several amendments have improved access to the Major Risk Mediat his behest, all favorable to the industry, but he cal Insurance Program, the last chance option vetoed it anyway, as a part of his bloodbath of for those unable to get insurance because of health reform. Then he had the audacity to write serious medical disorders. He vetoed every bill a nasty veto message saying the bill was a “onethat would have added mandated coverage in sided, piecemeal approach to healthcare reform,” California policies (which insurance companies and adding that his bill would have been a total said were Just Too Expensive), maternity services, solution. Well, it would have been a total disaster, mental health services, hearing aids, inborn but he’s still smarting from not getting it. errors of metabolism, HPV vaccinations, you know, the sort of things you assume you might be Veto of Policy Rescission covered for.  In another stunning defeat for consumers, Few Bills Signed But No Reform Arnold vetoed an important bill, AB 1945, that would have banned rescissions by insurance The Governor did sign a few incremental bills, companies of policies when misrepresentations by ones that would not shake up the industry too applicants were not intentional and companies had much, and then, ballyhooed them as if he had completed their (very thorough) investigations of signed real health reform legislation. He signed the application. Instead of signing a bill that would a bill, which, most amazingly, he claims ends have actually done something, Arnold had the the practice of “balance billing” under which temerity to tout his administration’s “agreements” healthcare providers, receiving only a pittance in which companies promised that they wouldn’t See Schwarzenegger, page 6

Working Harder, Getting Nowhere What California’s new budget really means By Charlene Jones

R

ecent events reinforce what many people feel when paying bills these days, prosperity has escaped most Americans. Increasingly, federal policies strengthen an American social order dominated by a wealthy aristocracy. Currently, more than one-fourth of US workers earn poverty wages. While their productivity during the past several years grew by 11%, real wage gains amounted to nothing. In “The End of the American Dream, Working Harder; Falling Further Behind,” a September www.Truthout.org posting, Lee Sustar summarizes documentation from The State of Working America 2008-2009, published by the Economic Policy Institute, and The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker by New York Times reporter Steven Greenhouse to underscore his conclusion that living standards are declining at a rapid pace. For the first time since the Census Bureau began tracking such data, the real incomes of middle-class families are lower at the end of this business cycle than they were when it started. At the other end, the richest 1% saw its annual earnings almost double from 1979 to 2006. The top 0.1% did far better with annual earnings increasing 324%. For most Californians, state budget policies and practices have made this actuality no less painful. In addition to what was slashed before

the state budget could be signed in September, grams. His line item cuts will also significantly Schwarzenneger affect seniors, children penned over $500 miland adults with disabil…line item cuts will… lion in line item vetoes thousands with significantly affect seniors, ities, to hobble basic services mental health needs, and protections that community organizachildren and adults with impact millions. As tions, facilities and disabilities, thousands Republican legislaworkers who provide tors pledged no new supports and services, with mental health needs, taxes—which in effect according to California community organizations, results in costing famiDisability Community lies more, from parking Action Network. facilities and workers who and garbage collection Some examples provide supports and to school lunches and include: Home tuition—many, includDelivered Meals, services. ing California county Congregate Nutrigovernments, were hit hard again. tion Program, Senior Community Employment, According to the California Budget Project, Longterm Care Ombudsman and Supportive multiple years of state funding reductions have Services Program, Multipurpose Senior Services undermined critical human services programs. Programs, Alzheimer’s Resource Centers, LinkInflation affects counties in the same way it ages, Brown Bag Program, and the Senior Legal affects families, by eroding purchasing power. Hotline. The governor also reduced funding by Prices counties pay for fuel, utilities, employee more than $11 million for Adult Protective Serhealth coverage and other basic operating costs vices. The APS reduction is especially significant rise. Nonetheless, the state has not funded counbecause of its impact on people with disabilities, ties for actual operating costs for most human mental health needs, seniors and their families. services programs since 2000-01, requiring CalWORKS, California’s “welfare to work” procounties to do more with much less. gram that serves thousands of low-income chilWhile the governor sustains this practice for dren and families, lost an additional $70 million 2008-09, the state’s chronic budget problems on top of what the legislature cut in its budget continue to take a toll on human services proSee California Budget, page 7

www.bpmnews.org November / December 2008 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

Georgia On My Mind

Georgia’s integration into NATO is at the heart of the crisis By Richard Nadeau

T

he song “Georgia On My Mind” has been one of my favorites for many years. I have several versions of the song on CD. But lately it has been another Georgia on the far eastern shores of the Black Sea that I have been worried about. She does not bring me peace of mind. The worry emerged from hearing and reading the official American media and newspapers go into one-sided rants about the “unprovoked” Russian military attack on Georgia last August. Unprovoked? It was almost as if we were right back in the middle of the Cold War again, and our old nemesis, the growling Russian bear was back, and the Americans and Georgians were the innocents strolling in the woods.

With US encouragement and direction, NATO expanded into the Baltic Region and the former Soviet Republics who were encouraged to join and become part of the US military alliance.

Wars), and last but not least, the development and expansion of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in Europe. As author Steve Breyman pointed out in The Bush administration made hilarious hypo- an essay published in Counterpunch (Sepcritical speeches about respecting other states’ tember 22, 2008), the “benefits of NATO territorial integrity in the 21st century. A slew of membership include hundreds of thouhostile and alarmist American rhetoric from both sands of troops, thousands of tanks and political parties was followed by the arrival of aircraft, hundreds of warships,” and “thouAmerican warships carrying aid to Georgia. A US sands of American, British, and perhaps Navy warship anchored in the southern Georgian French missiles and bombs” ready for port of Batumi. Later the heavily armed guidedmembers collective defense. Breyman gets missile destroyer USS McFaul arrived. The arrival to the heart of why Georgia is on my mind of the warships came after a partial withdrawal with the following assertion: “The threat of Russian military forces from Georgia. This to use nuclear weapons first in a conflict after a Russian military invasion of Georgia—but is the cornerstone of NATO defense doconly after Georgia itself had launched a bloody trine.” The end of the Cold War did not military incursion into Ossetia last month. The bring an end to NATO’S horrid first use Georgian assault caused tens of thousands of policy. If Georgia is integrated into NATO, South Ossetians to flee into Russia. Some observ- it automatically becomes part and parcel ers claim that Russian-US relations are at their of the American “first strike” strategy. lowest point since the end of the Cold War. One would think that NATO would Like every American of my generation, “I have been disbanded after the breakup learned to hate the Russians throughout my of the Soviet Union, as occurred with the whole life,” as Bob Dylan sang it in his song, Warsaw Pact. Instead, with US encourage“With God on Our Side.” The evil and godless ment and direction, NATO expanded “communist” empire was seen as the source of all into the Baltic Region and the former evil in the world and conversely America was the Soviet Republics who were encouraged to source of all good and light. In the face of such join and become part of the US military an evil enemy, every American intervention on alliance. The NATO military attack on every continent was blessed with the impeccable the former Yugoslavia in the late 1990s label of defense. All North/South conflicts were against strong Russian and UN objections dressed up as East/West conflicts. American must have stimulated Russian nationaldefense spending grew rapidly. ism among ruling circles. They likely From the end of World War II until the implo- perceived it as an expansion of an aggression of the Soviet Union in 1991, the US pursued sive American military power into their a policy of “containment,” often using the very former sphere of influence. Additionally, it existence of the Soviet Union to wage counterin- is not inconsequential that NATO is now surgency wars in the third world against popular heavily involved in America’s growing liberation movements. In the process, it turned commitment to the intensifying war in Latin America into what author Greg Grandin Afghanistan. called in his book An Empire’s Workshop—a dark The recent US efforts to place 96 Patriot and violent history of the use of imperial power Missiles in Poland (now a signed deal), and the reality of US sponsored coups, support and attempts to place the accompanying for Contra terrorists, death squads, and masradar equipment in the Czech Republic, sacres. A sordid history indeed! Documents now have increased Russian fears of being surroundshow that the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, which ed and being vulnerable to a “first strike” nuclear followed the botched CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs attack. Both Poland and the Czech Republic are invasion of Cuba in 1961, nearly caused a nuclear members of NATO. Georgia’s integration into war. We are lucky to be alive today because the NATO is at the heart of the crisis. Soviet Union ultimately backed down from the It is also important to note that the crisis has military confrontation. occurred in the wider historical context of an In addition to numerous US foreign interofficial US policy of world domination and globventions (both covert and overt) and regime al military superiority, unilateralism, a loosely changes, the Cold War containment policy defined “global war on terror,” and a declared involved several components directed at the policy of the right to wage pre-emptive war and Soviet Union—surrounding the Soviet Union engage in the “first use” of nuclear weapons anywith US military bases and American friendly where and everywhere. states or client states, maintaining an official “first It is the same historical context in which strike” nuclear policy (and a concomitant “defensive” anti-ballistic missile program known as Star See Georgia Crisis, page 6

GEORGIA

Map showing South Ossetia in black circle. Map: www.nationslonline.org.

A refugee girl from the Georgian region of South Ossetia sits on a bed after her arrival to Russian territory in Vladikavkaz, the capital of Russian North Ossetia early on August 4, 2008. Refugees have been leaving South Ossetia for days now, anticipating possible heavy conflict. Photo: KAZBEK BASAYEV/AFP

 Because People Matter November / December 2008 www.bpmnews.org

Bailout Some of the Places You Can Find BPM Sacramento Area

Coffee Works Crest Theater Dimple Records, Arden Wy Flowers Restaurant Galleria (29th & K) Grinders Hart Senior Center Lido Cafe Light Rail: 65/Folsom 4th Ave/Freeport Los Jarritos Luna’s Cafe & Juice Bar Mercy Hospital, 40th/J Pancake Circus, 21st/ Broadway Planned Parenthood: Franklin Blvd, Watt Ave., 29th St. Queen of Tarts Quick Market Sacramento Bagel, 47th/H Sacramento Natural Foods Coop Sacramento Public Library (Main & many branches) Starbucks (B'wy & 35th) The Beat The Bread Store Time Tested Books Tower Theater (inside) Tupelo (Elvas & 57th) Underground Books (35th St. near B'way) Weatherstone Coffee

Chico Area Davis

Bogey’s Books Espresso Cafe Roma Davis Natural Food Coop Newsbeat University Mall

Grass Valley Briar Patch Sacred Bee

Greenhaven area

Buckthorn’s Coffee, 7465 Rush River Dr For a complete list, visit our web site: www.bpmnews.org. Where would you like to see BPM? Let Paulette Cuilla know, 916-422-1787.

from page 3

and bribery. One thing I’d gladly help pay for is their nice long stays in the “big house!” In the YouTube video, “Fear-mongering exposed by Mr. Sherman on C-SPAN” (www. youtube.com/watch?v=HaG9d_4zij8), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) describes the panic tactics used to scare legislators to pass the bailout bill: “The only way they can pass this bill is by creating and sustaining a panic atmosphere…. Many of us were told in private conversations that if we voted against this bill …that the sky would fall, the market would drop 2-3,000 points the first day, another couple thousand the second day, and a few members were even told that there would be martial law in America if we vote ‘no.’” There’s information to back up Representative Sherman’s disclosures. The Bush administration, in violation of federal law strengthened in 1878 by the Posse Comitatus Act, is preparing to use

Georgia Crisis the US has essentially abandoned the Geneva Protocols, abolished the ABM treaty, tried to block the establishment of the International Criminal Court and refused to ratify its statute after it failed. Currently, the US is involved in two bloody protracted and expensive “wars without exits” in Afghanistan and Iraq, and has been threatening military action against Iran in spite of Iran’s cooperation in stabilizing Iraq.

Michael Klare notes that the Georgian administration and Western oil companies to route the oil routes from Azerbaijan and the gas lines from Turkmenistan (which transits Georgia) through Turkey instead of Russian pipelines, played a greater role in generating the strong Russian response.

the US military to maintain order within our borders (www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/03/army. unit/index.html). According to an Army Times article, the soldiers could be called upon to quell “civil unrest.” Howard Zinn—historian, political scientist, social critic, activist, and playwright—states, “This current financial crisis is a major way-station on the way to the collapse of the American empire” (www.truthout.org, 10/02/08). David Sirota, best-selling author of The Uprising, wrote, “We now face market forces uninhabited by democratic governance…. This bailout, marketed as a speed enhancer, is an aggressive attempt to discard democracy’s checks and balances….” (www.alternet.org, 10/04/08). An $11.3 trillion deficit certainly is one way to erode or eliminate Franklin Roosevelt’s “New Deal” and more recent social “safety nets”—Social Security and Medi-

Corporate Welfare from page 3 from page 5 Finally, the overstretched nature of US military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan may have been a factor in the Russian decision to militarily intervene in the Georgia/Ossetia crisis. America’s convulsive domestic economic crisis and financial meltdown on the home front, partly caused by the long expensive wars, is another factor. The recent Georgia crisis during the China Olympics showed just how shallow those old “hate the Russians” prejudices that Dylan sang eloquently about have been buried, and how easily they can bubble to the surface with the slightest stimulation. It is also relevant that the crisis occurred in the context of the 2008 US presidential election and brought many moldy Cold Warriors to the surface yelping for McCain’s election bid. They were all screaming for blood and punishment. The established media provided the accompanying dramatic music and the dramatis personae. Nevertheless, it is important to look at the historical contextual realities and the power politics behind the crisis before passing judgment. Richard Nadeau has been a peace and environmental activist since the 1960s. He lives in Sacramento and is an editor with Because People Matter.

Further Reading and References Some argue that Russia’s historical ties with S. Ossetia are a factor. Others, like Michael Klare, note that the efforts by the Georgian administration and Western oil companies to route the oil routes from Azerbaijan and the gas lines from Turkmenistan (which transits Georgia) through Turkey instead of hooking them up with Russian pipelines, played a greater role in generating the strong Russian response. Competition over NRG pipelines and delivery systems are a part of the story.

care programs, etc. Will the bailout help the system function more smoothly? “Probably not,” stated John Pitney, American politics professor, Claremont McKenna College (Sacramento Bee, 10/05/08). Confirming Pitney’s prediction, on October 6, the Dow dropped nearly 800 more points. Stay tuned. The “bully boys” have had a big party to which we weren’t invited. But we’re being forced to pay for their party and clean up afterwards. The men who have had it their way for way too long have gone way beyond not being cost-effective. These guys are virtually breaking our backs. Enough! To track the US national debt and each citizen’s share of this debt, visit brillig.com/debt_clock/. Dorothy L. Wake is a Sacramento area writer and poet, and author of Mother Jones, Revolutionary Leader of Labor and Social Reform www.xlibris.com or www.amazon.com.

• "Russia Never Wanted War" by Mikhail Gorbachev, OP ED, New York Times: August 18, 2008. • “Russia and Georgia: All About Oil” by Michael Klare, Foreign Policy in Focus: August 13, 2008. • “South Ossetians flee cellars for safety in Russia” by Dmitry Solovyov Reuters, August 11, 2008. • “Russia Bashing Goes Prime Time: Reinventing The Evil Empire,” by Steve Lendman, COUNTERPUNCH: August 25, 2008. • “A Question For Candidates: Georgia In Nato?” by Steve Breyman, COUNTERPUNCH: September 12, 2008. • “Ossetia-Georgia-Russia-U.S.A.— Towards a Second Cold War?” by Noam Chomsky, COUNTERPUNCH: September 12, 2008. • “The Georgian Dogs of August—Or Smucks of Our Time” by Saul Landau, ZNET: August 28, 2008. • “How The US Invited A War in South Ossetia” by Eric Walberg, COUNTERPUNCH: August 12, 2008. • “Bush’s War in Georgia” by Mike Whitney, Information Clearing House: August 8, 2008, www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20478.htm

their kids while receiving assistance do—raise the next generation of children—to what bank speculators and financial “engineers” do, it should become clear that our next steps should be to let market discipline work its will on the banking industry, force those individuals in companies looking for a bailout to find honest work before they see a red cent from the public till, and bailout sub-prime victims and elderly retirement investors who trusted Wall Street with their life savings. While Congress is at it, they should also get rid of the work requirement in the welfare reform act. There is no bigger job than raising kids. Child-rearing is the real institution that’s too big to fail. Roger White is a criminal justice researcher with the Service Employees International Union. He lives in Sacramento.

Schwarzenegger from page 4

from an insurance company for services when they don’t have a contract with such a company, sends a bill to the patient for the “balance” of the cost. Although there were several stronger bills, he signed one that disallows such a practice only for Healthy Families and Access for Infants and Mothers programs, both of which are paid by the state! So YOU can be “balance billed.” He doesn’t care about that so long as the state can’t be. www.sen.ca.gov/kuehl Editors’ Note: The veto of SB 840 brought to a close six years of Kuehl’s authorship of the historic legislation, but not the end of future attempts. SB 840’s passage by the legislature in 2006 marked the first time in US history that a single-payer universal health care plan was brought to a governor’s desk. Kuehl credited the bill’s success to its widespread network of active supporters and the deterioration of the fragmented health insurance system. Proponents announced the legislation will be introduced next year by Assemblymember Mark Leno, who is expected to be elected to the State Senate in November.

www.bpmnews.org November / December 2008 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

Peter Camejo Passes Away

Honoring a progressive political activist and leader

“Everyone who met Peter, talked with Peter, worked with Peter, or argued with Peter, will miss the passing of a great American.” –Ralph Nader By Dan Bacher Camejo, the son of a Venezuelan businessman and a veteran of the anti-war movement as well as numerous battles for social justice and human rights, was one of the best political debaters I’ve ever seen. Most recently, he became a nationally known socially responsible investment planner.

Peter Camejo, Green Party gubernatorial and vicepresidential candidate and longtime progressive political activist, passed away in Folsom on September 13 at the age of 68 after a long battle with lymphoma. He was a vociferous opponent of the Patriot Act and other attacks on our civil liberties and rights since Camejo was a leader in the Free Speech Movement in the 1960s at UC Berkeley. “I really think the Patriot Act violates our Constitution,” said Camejo. “It was, it is, an illegal act. The Congress, the Senate and the president cannot change the Constitution.” He was also a great advocate of the need for third-parties in a country dominated by a twoparty system that’s controlled by the rich corporate elite. Camejo was also a fierce fighter for fair

election laws and practices in the US. After Camejo ran as the Socialist Workers Party’s (SWP) presidential candidate in 1976, he continued to advocate for third party participation by helping found the Green Party. He was the Green Party candidate for California Governor three times, in 2002, 2003 and 2006. And in 2004, he ran for Vice President as Ralph Nader’s running mate. “Peter Camejo was a man of great passion and boundless compassion for the poor, uninsured workers and for immigrant workers in their struggle for justice and legalization,” said Mike Wyman, 2006 Green Party candidate for Attorney General. “He became a leader in the environmental justice movement and helped organize communities of color around environmental issues that affected them directly.” Peter Camejo speaking in Sacramento in 2003. “Peter was a friend, colleague and Photo: Jim Prigoff politically courageous champion of the downtrodden and mistreated of the entire Western Hemisphere,” said Ralph Nader. “Everyone who met Peter, talked with Peter, 1861-1877, The Rise and Fall of Radical Reconworked with Peter, or argued with Peter, will struction, California Under Corporate Rule, and miss the passing of a great American.” The SRI Advantage: Why Socially Responsible Camejo was born in the US and grew up in Investing Has Outperformed Financially. Venezuela. A man of many interests, he was also Peter is survived by his wife Morella, his on the 1960 Venezuelan Olympic team. daughter Alexandra, his son Victor, three brothHe was an author of books on investment and ers Antonio, Daniel, and Danny, and three grandhistory including Racism, Revolution, Reaction, children Andrew, Daniel and Oliver.

California Budget from page 7

bill. The funding would have gone to counties for administration costs, employment-related services and child care for CalWORKS recipients. The governor also made reductions of over $7 million to mental health community-based services dealing with managed care and additional reductions to the California Discount Prescription Drug Program and several line item vetoes to specific programs overseen by the Department of Public Health including public and ennvironmental health, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Prostate Cancer Treatment Program. Year after year, state policymakers force service providers to tighten their belts. In the short run, this helps close chronic budget gaps. However, there will be long term and more intractable con-

sequences, both fiscal and human. Failing to provide counties with funding, and continuing to cut human services programs will likely contribute to increased poverty and an escalated slide in standard of living. The rising cost of food and fuel, the disappearance of affordable health care and loss of homeowners’ wealth in the mortgage crisis along with a woefully under-funded safety net means class inequality in California and across the US will become even greater. California’s budget action does little more than belie the American myth of upward mobility—if only one works hard enough. See www.cdcan.us and www.cbp.org.

Place an ad for your business or nonprofit group: Business card size ads only $40 (or $30 if run in multiple issues). Call 446-2844 for more info.

Charlene Jones is a consultant who writes for BPM.

Best   Burger the burgers and fries are  described  as  legendary

Biting into this feast, the first thing you notice is that you can taste the beef. The French Ground Steak Burger w/cheese is the thing to order. That is a mouthful to say, and it’s definitely more than a mouthful to eat. Featuring

Harris Ranch Steak freshly ground and formed into a 1/3 lb. patty. Stop by soon. Nationwide Freezer Meats 1930 H Street, Sacramento (H and 20th Streets) 444-3286. Just remember H20 stands for H and 20th Street ««««

 Because People Matter November / December 2008 www.bpmnews.org

El Porvenir

Providing clean water and better lives for rural Nicaraguans By Virginia Wenslaff

W

hen JoAnn Fuller told a friend and me that one of the focuses for the next issue of BPM was going to be good news projects, we both immediately agreed “you should include El Porvenir!” Many BPM readers are already familiar with EP because its “Founding Mother,” Carole Harper, is a long-time Sacramento resident when she’s not living in Nicaragua. But below is a brief summary for those not familiar with this terrific organization. El Porvenir is a nonprofit organization whose El Porvenir has mission is to improve served over the standard of living of poor people in Nicaragua 75,000 people in through sustainable selfmore than 380 help water, sanitation, and reforestation projects. villages! In 1990, it was incorporated in California as a nonprofit organization eligible for IRS tax-deductible contributions. Over the past 18 years, EP has grown from an effort to provide clean water for one Habitat for Humanity project village to an organization that supports self-help projects in many villages. These projects utilize simple technology and locally available materials and can be repaired and maintained by the community. Now, EP has 13 staff in the field, and carries out 70 or more projects each year in 6 different regions. Their reforestation program has provided for the planting of over 300,000 trees, and EP has served over 75,000 people in more than 380 villages! As an example of the need for EP assistance, only one of every eight families has potable drinking water in Wiwili, Nicaragua, in the northern part, bordering on Honduras where EP opened a new region in January 2008. It’s difficult to reach, and in an extremely poor region, but that’s why it was chosen. El Porvenir’s goals are to improve the health of poor people, especially the children, and to reduce infant mortality; to lessen the physical burden on women and children of carrying water; to support self-help, community-initiated efforts in rural villages; to transfer to

the villagers skills which they can use to improve their lives; and to preserve the watersheds on which the water projects depend. How does EP work? EP does not initiate projects; they respond to requests for assistance from rural villages. Village residents elect their own water committee, provide all labor on a volunteer basis, and take responsibility for the long-term maintenance of all projects. EP encourages the committee to include women among their members, provides technical experA finished well in Las Lajas, Nicaragua. tise and education, and funds the primary mate- Photo courtesy El Porvenir. rials needed to complete the projects. Staff visits the projects periodically after work tour—groups of 10-15 people who share life in a their completion, to verify that they are still in good Nicaraguan village and work with villagers on a water, working order, are being maintained by the community, sanitation or reforestation project. Or join an educaand continue to provide for the community’s water and tional tour of the projects. Or a special birding tour sanitation needs. to see Nicaragua’s splendid birds. If you’re 55 or older, The Nicaraguan Director of Operations receives you can sign up for an Elderhostel Service Project trip project proposals and approves them. The Board of (www.elderhostel.org for costs and details). Directors, all of whom have either lived in Nicaragua One great suggestion: If you drink bottled water, finor traveled there to visit EP projects and staff, approves ish off your last bottle. Then keep refilling it with tap funding, determines policy and budget for the orgawater, and each time you refill it, donate the amount nization, and provides administrative and fundraising you would have spent on bottled water to EP. You’ll help services on a volunteer basis. Carole Harper recently both EP and the environment at the same time! retired from her long-time role as president for a very You can contact El Porvenir at info@elporvenir,org; well-deserved rest after her years of dedication to EP. EP phone 303-861-1499; address 1420 Ogden St., #204, recently moved its headquarters to an office in Denver Denver CO 80218. At the website www.elporvenir.org and also has an office in Managua. you can donate directly or find out about upcoming How can you get involved or contribute to this great tours. organization? Donate money online at the website or Virginia Wenslaff is a long-time activist and member to the address below. Volunteer. Or travel with an EP of the Central America Action Committee.

Sacramento NOW Bringing positive change to local women By Hillary Hodge self-defense class in order to help women feel safe and The National Organization for Women (NOW) is empowered in their community. NOW hosted worldknown for its politics. The president of the organization famous self-defense instructor, Midge Marino, and shut at the national level, Kim Gandy, was recently a guest down the street to symbolically and literally reclaim the on the Comedy Channel’s Colbert Report discussing streets as safe. The event was attended by a number of their endorsement of Barack Obama for president. women from many different backgrounds. NOW’s signs can be seen in history books at rallies Sacramento NOW is involved for the passage and ratification of in a number of fundraising proj…Sacramento the Equal Rights Amendment, as ects for a number of causes. The well as for the legalization of aborNOW’s endeavors chapter recently participated in tion, for pay equity, and for peace. the Sacramento AIDS walk. “I love are organized by NOW has an infamous reputation when my friends, family, comfor being a group of loud and wild volunteers and the munity and beliefs come together,” women. That’s why the Sacramento chapter is always said Jennie Reiken the organizing chapter might surprise you. for NOW’s participaSacramento NOW, currently looking for fresh faces volunteer tion. “The AIDS walk was another headed by myself and Heather and new ideas. heart warming event that we were Minton, has its roots in comprivileged to be a part of. It was munity service in the River City. wonderful to gather, laughing together and walking for For years, members of this political organization have a good cause. ” Sacramento NOW also had members committed their time to projects at the local women’s walking to raise money in the American Cancer Socihomeless shelter and to ending domestic violence. The ety’s Breast Cancer Walk as well as Sacramento’s walk chapter has done clothing drives to collect interview for mental health. suits for women entering the workforce. It has donated All of Sacramento NOW’s endeavors are organized time and money to Women Take Back the Night, an and participated in by volunteers and the chapter is annual demonstration and education project to raise always looking for fresh faces and new ideas. Each one awareness about how violence permeates the lives of of NOW’s front women has a day job and the women of women worldwide. NOW have made their activism their paid work as well. Recently, the television news media highlighted The employment roles for the leadership vary as much Sacramento NOW’s response to a series of sexual as much as the women in them but outline the progresassaults that took place in downtown Sacramento. The sive and caring politics at the heart of the chapter. women of the chapter organized and paid for a public

Sacramento NOW members in front of the AIDS Quilt. Photo courtesy Sacramento NOW.

Between the work and volunteerism, one would think that Sacramento NOW would have no time to party. On the contrary, the chapter is very excited to be hosting an Election Results Roll-in Party the night of November 4th at the Badlands night club. The price of admission is $25 per individual ticket and the party is open to the public. The proceeds from the event will go to facilitate NOW’s dedicated and continuing community service. Or join us for monthly meetings on 3rd Thursdays, 7 pm, at the Hart Senior Center at 915 27th Street (27th & J Street). We discuss feminist news, actions, and opportunities. The SacNOW board meets weekly on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm. www.sacnow.org. Hillary Hodge is a member of Sacramento NOW.

www.bpmnews.org November / December 2008 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

Gimme Shelter

You can make a difference in our local community!

By Rachel Iskow

B

eing homeless should not be a crime. It is critical that we dispel Having shelter should not be out of myths about who lives in reach for those who have few financial affordable housing. resources. Parents should not have to stand by as their children develop diseases due to the myths about who lives in affordable housing. unsafe homes in which they live. Racist neighIf there is a proposal to locate housing for the bors should not have the power to stop the conpoor in your neighborhood, get involved, turn struction of developments which will provide out to meetings, and then welcome your new housing for low-wage workers. Housing has neighbors once the development is constructed. long been a market commodity in this country, Second, demand that owners of rental housing with profit as the driving be held accountforce. As long as the price able for the physical of having a roof over one’s condition of their head outstrips the ability properties. Owning of households to pay for and renting housit, housing will continue ing is a business. It to be an economic and should be regulated social justice issue. as such. Restaurants, What is our job as barber shops and progressives when it nail salons are all comes to housing? inspected regularly First, advocate for safe, for health and safety affordable housing in violations. There is our communities. There no such proactive is an insufficient supply Norwood Estates (opened in 1993) and Annex (opened in inspection requireof housing affordable 2001) is located in Del Paso, near Highway 80 and Silver Eagle Road, with 59 units made up of one, two and three ment for rental to people of different income levels. Communi- bedroom apartments. This propery serves families below housing in most 50% and 60% of area median income. jurisdictions in this ties need a larger supply Photo: www.mutualhousing.com. country, in spite of of multifamily housing the fact that detebuilt for households of all sizes and types. riorating housing conditions, such as mold and Show up at public hearings where approvals for water intrusion, is well documented to lead to multifamily housing developments are being childhood illness such as asthma. Low-income considered. Write letters to the editor on the people in fear of eviction, especially non-Engneed for housing that low-wage workers, lowlish speaking immigrants who don’t know their income seniors, and disabled people can afford. rights as renters, are forced to pay rent to live In November 2006, California voters approved in deplorable conditions. In Sacramento you Proposition 1C, which made available funding can find neighborhoods for housing affordable with blocks and blocks of to low- and very-lowhomes in unsafe condiincome residents of tions. Property owners the state. In Novemshould not have the right ber 2004, voters to be in business if they approved Proposidon’t meet basic houstion 63, the Mental ing and safety codes. Health Services Act, No home or apartment which made available complex should get so funds for services and deteriorated that it has housing for mentally to be demolished. disabled homeless In the City of Sacraindividuals. The housmento, housing activing and homelessness ists, advocates for the crisis had become real poor and neighborhood for Californians, and associations lobbied for we all wanted to be a proactive rental houspart of the solution. ing inspection ordinance Fast forward to today. for almost two years. Financial subsidies Earlier this year, after are available, advobeing stalled by elected cates and nonprofit officials, the City Council developers are putting finally voted to approve housing deals togetha rental housing inspecer, but the process tion program. All rental has slowed down and housing will be inspected many times stalls to a Victory Townhomes, opened in 2003, is a community once every five years, halt because of racism of 21 three and four bedroom townhomes. It boasts a and fear. It is frequent computer lab, community room, beautiful grounds with and if any part is found unsafe, the owner will play equipment, and is the first multi-family affordable in our own region housing complex in Sacramento to use solar energy. have a limited amount that neighborhood Photo: www.mutualhousing.com of time to fix the probopponents of spelem. If not, the owner cific housing developwill no longer have the right to be a landlord. ments show up at public hearings and sway the All owners of rental housing will be required vote of elected officials. It is critical that progresto register a local contact with the city and the sives show up at these same hearings, focus on renters. This helps put a stop to the common the need for housing for low-wage workers, the problem faced by renters of properties owned disabled and elderly. It is critical that we dispel

Mutual Housing at Lemon Hill in South Sacramento, near Highway 99 and Stockton Boulevard. Lemon Hill has 74 units made up of one, two, three and four bedroom apartments and townhomes, serving families below 50% and 60% of area median income. Photo: www.mutualhousing.com

by out-of-area or out-of-state owners. There is no such inspection program in most jurisdictions in the region. Progressives are needed to advocate for ordinances in Sacramento County and elsewhere. See below on how to get involved. Ordinances like these make a huge impact on the quality of life for families without resources and without other housing options.

Interior of a unit at Los Robles in South Sacramento, near Highway 99 and Florin Mall. Los Robles has one, two three and four bedroom apartments and townhomes serving families below 50% and 60% of area median income. Photo: www.mutualhousing.com

Want to get involved locally? There are ample opportunities. Email smha@mutualhousing. com and the staff of the Sacramento Mutual Housing Association will plug you in. We’ll make you aware of public hearing dates, provide facts for letters to the editor, or help you get involved in the struggle for rental housing inspection ordinances and policies that support the homeless. Do you like to work directly with people? We can hook you up with volunteer opportunities in our housing communities. We seek volunteers who understand technology and can teach computer use to low-income youth and adults, who can staff homework clubs in our mutual housing community rooms; and who want to help us get fresh, affordable produce to families. With your help, we can put safe and affordable housing and communities at the top of the local agenda! Rachel Iskow is the Executive Director of Sacramento Mutual Housing Association (SMHA). The mission of SMHA is to develop housing that is affordable to a diversity of households. Our housing builds strong and stable communities through resident participation and leadership development. SMHA is currently housing over 2,600 lowincome people in Sacramento and Yuba counties. Find out more at www.mutualhousing.com.

10 Because People Matter November / December 2008 www.bpmnews.org

The Audacity to Help: the Gaza Boats The Free Gaza Movement gets to Gaza Noon Hour Witness Against the Death Penalty. Third Mondays 12noon to 1pm. 11th and L Streets State Capitol INFO: 455-1796

Sacramento Soapbox Progressive Talk Show Access Sacramento, Channel 17 with Jeanie Keltner. Monday, 8pm, Tuesday noon, Wednesday, 4am. Now in Davis, Channel 15, Tuesday, 7pm.

By Brigitte Jaensch

O

n shore, the cheering and banner-waving crowd welcomed the SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty. Why the heroes’ welcome? By coming to Gaza, the boats and their 46 passengers (private citizens from 14 countries) on Saturday, August 23, 2008, broke through Israel’s siege on Gaza. Last December, we invited Paul Larudee and Darlene Wallach to Sacramento to tell us about the Free Gaza Movement’s project. They said they would buy or lease a boat, then sail from Cyprus to Gaza, defy the Israeli blockade and bring supplies and hope to the people of Gaza. As we listened, we were both intrigued and incredulous, but we came to realize these folks knew what they were talking about. They’d been to the occupied Palestinian territories and were familiar with Israeli intimidation. They’d been confronted by those fanatical settlers and trigger-happy soldiers. Larudee had been jailed. Yes, they were well aware of the potential risks. And yes, they still wanted to try to sail to Gaza to break the siege. After months devoted to fund-raising, getting the boats ready, working with Cyprus’s officialdom, protecting the boats from sabotage, the Free Gaza boats left Larnaca. The Mediterranean was stormy. An “unknown” entity “jammed” their communications systems. But they did it. The SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty broke the siege of Gaza. The next week, they left. Some passengers stayed on, and seven Gaza residents left on the boats. Ten-year-old Saad was leaving to be fitted with a prosthesis. One of his legs had been blown off by an Israeli bomb. Leaving broke the siege as much as arriving did. Since 1993, when Israel built a prison-like wall around Gaza, it’s been called “the world’s largest open-air prison.” Inside are 1.5 million innocent Palestinian children, women, and men. At Erez, Karni and Rafah checkpoints, Israeli soldiers decide if persons or items will be permitted to come in or go out. Mostly the soldiers nix every-

The SS Free Gaza arriving, with the Gaza skyline shown behind it. Many small welcoming boats came to greet the SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty. Photo: Free Gaza Movement

thing and everyone. Inside Gaza, Israeli bombs have done Hurricane Katrina-like damage—to people like Saad, and to their homes and belongings; to power plants, water treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, and schools. Israeli tanks and bulldozers plow through fields and destroy crops. Soldiers nix materials so Gaza can’t repair the power plant. There are electricity outages. Suddenly power goes out at the hospital in the middle of an operation. In homes and stores, refrigerators stop and food spoils. Soldiers nix medicine, food, and gas. Mothers don’t eat to save the food for their children. People run cars on cooking oil. Others resort to donkey carts. The United Nations calls the Israeli siege a “humanitarian crisis.” Paul Larudee and Darlene Wallach, those who went to Gaza in August and those who

will make future journeys know when people make cruelty; it’s up to other people to reject that cruelty. There will be more trips to Gaza. Larudee, Wallach and the others with Free Gaza are raising funds, getting the word out, trying to lease a more suitable boat—some entity seems to be “jamming” their effort. And they’re providing mail service for the people of Gaza! They have the audacity to help. We cannot let the people of Gaza be forgotten. We all need the audacity to help. Please go to www.freegaza.org to make a donation and to see videos, photos, and articles. Brigitte Jaensch is a Sacramento-based human rights advocate.

Trends in the Media Marketplace: Is more becoming less? By Ron Cooper Newspaper subscribers, TV viewers, and radio listeners are struggling to understand many trends in the media marketplace. Major newspapers are teetering on bankruptcy. Corporate consolidation impacts local stations. Questions about digital television may cause millions of sets to go dark by February. Here are four major media related issues to watch. All are in transition–stay tuned.

Additional Digital Television Channels: How will they be used? The focus has

Peace Action on the Web Keep up to date on peace activism in Sacramento. Check out

www.sacpeace.org.

been on how consumers can receive local digital channel broadcast signals after February. But the stations are quiet regarding their plans for the new digital spectrum they were given by the FCC. These new digital channels could be the source of new local programming and other creative uses. Or the stations could find other, more profitable uses of the spectrum granted to each of them. These channels are the public airwaves and would offer communities the equivalent of four to six additional digital TV channels for every current analog channel assigned. Shouldn’t the public know and be able to weigh in on what their plans are?

AT&T U-Verse discriminates against hearing and visually impaired! In 2006,

AT&T paid millions of dollars to lobby for legislation promoting “U-Verse” as a competitor to the cable industry. As the new digital technology is made available in Sacramento and other cities, the U-Verse system discriminates against

the Public, Education, and Government Access channels (PEG) they were mandated by law to serve. The PEG channels are delivered by AT&T in such an inferior way that the CA Utility Ratepayer Advocates produced a video warning consumers to beware of the U-Verse product. Because the screen size is reduced by two-thirds, captioned programs are hard to see. To view the PEG channels via U-Verse is a complicated process taking more than 60 seconds. The intent of the AT&T discrimination against PEG channels is to discourage their use and deprive thousands of communities from using these local media outlets. Expect cities throughout California to fight back in the coming year.

Media Ownership Consolidation challenges Speaking Truth to Power! Now

that six corporations control more than 70% of all primetime TV and radio content, concerns about press censorship are rapidly becoming moot. These major corporations are deciding what news is fit to air and what isn’t–what news serves their corporate interests and what does not. “Censorship by omission,” is how Bill Moyers (PBS) describes the many conflicts of interest he has observed. Embedded journalists tell the point of view of the military but not of the many victims of war. News department budgets are cut; seasoned journalists are fired and complicated stories of corruption and intrigue are left untold. Large metro newspapers are pushed into bankruptcy by expected profit margins of 20-25%, leaving journalism to inexperienced and unfund-

ed Internet “bloggers.” Ignored by the press means government corruption, incompetence, and propaganda go unchallenged. Candidates for election cater to their media partners, each needing the other and hiding the truth to the detriment of an informed citizenry. The journalists of the past would be appalled by these trends. Who will do the investigative digging in the future?

Can new technology and the Internet insure fairness and fill the media void?

Newspapers going out of business? Don’t worry, bloggers will pick-up the slack. PEG channels going dark due to lack of funding by local government and the cable industry? Don’t worry, YouTube to the rescue. Literacy rates falling and the publishing industry on the wane? Never fear, text and instant messaging is all the reading we really require. Complex challenges reduced to simplest power point terms? Not a problem, see the world in “black and white” and simple solutions are all that is required. The complexity of the human condition told in five minute Internet stories? Still too long; shorten it to 30 seconds. These issues concern all advocates of true democracy. We don’t lack information. We lack understanding and analysis. If you’d like to be kept up to date on these and other media issues, contact the Sacramento Media Group at smg@ commoncause.org Ron Cooper is the Executive Director of Access Sacramento and a member of the Sacramento Media Group. He can be reached at (916) 4568600 extension 112.

www.bpmnews.org November / December 2008 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 11

New President, New Nuclear Weapons Policy? The door opens to a nuclear weapons free world By Cara Bautista

T

his year and the next have opportunities for nuclear disarmament the likes of which we haven’t seen in decades. With the 2008 elections behind us, and a new administration scheduled to reevaluate nuclear weapons policy in 2009, growing support for a global effort to eliminate nuclear weapons, and a Congress that has cut funding for new nuclear weapons, we have a window of opportunity to change US nuclear weapons policy.

The Agni II, capable of delivering nuclear warheads, on display in New Delhi, India. Photo Raveendran/AFP

Throughout its tenure, the Bush administration has reiterated a nuclear posture that neither addresses our modern security needs nor is in line with international non-proliferation sentiment. The administration has proposed, time and again, plans for a refurbished nuclear stockpile and infrastructure that would support the most offensive US nuclear posture in the last 60 years and encourage development of nuclear weapons by other nations. Such plans would remove nuclear war from the realm of the unthinkable, and place it into the real world of tactical war planning. The last eight years have distorted the world’s dialogue on nuclear weapons. Instead of talking about when and how to make reductions, we have been fighting back a new build-up. Now is the time to call for US leadership toward a nuclear weapons free world. To do this, we are building on several opportunities. In January of 2007, four unlikely figures

took up the cause of nuclear McCain and Obama supWe can turn the abolition: former Senator Sam port reductions to our end of the Bush Nunn, Clinton’s Secretary of nuclear weapons arsenal. Defense William Perry, Reagan’s Both supported a global administration Secretary of State George P. treaty to ban the producinto a defeat of Shultz, and last but not least, tion of fissile material for Nixon’s right hand, former Secweapons. These areas of the Bush nuclear retary of State Henry Kissinger. agreement mean that there doctrine. These men authored an opinion will be a significant opporeditorial that appeared in the tunity to restore American Wall Street Journal outlining steps the US must leadership towards a nuclear weapons free world take to lead the world towards total disarmament. in the next administration. In their words, this would be “a bold initiative To truly make the world safer from the nuclear consistent with America’s moral heritage,” that threat, the next president and Congress will need “could have a profoundly positive impact on the to quickly take concrete steps to back up this security of future generations.” These surprising vision: allies, with their weighty credentials, gave new • As the cornerstone Strategic Arms Reduction legitimacy to the cause of nuclear abolition in a Treaty (START) between Russia and the US way that few could. expires next year, work with Russia to ensure The usefulness of the US nuclear arsenal is verifiable reductions in both nuclear arsenals. increasingly in question. Nuclear weapons can • Take nuclear weapons off of hair trigger wipe out millions of people, millions of families, alert. in the blink of an eye. Fear of the terrible power • Secure loose nuclear material and weapons of nuclear weapons has defined US foreign policy throughout the world. for too long, from the Cold War, to the war in • End nuclear weapons testing by ratifying the Iraq, and the threat of war with Iran. Enemies of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. the past, such as the USSR, either no longer exist US security interests lie in promoting global or don’t pose an imminent threat. Furthermore, stability and cooperation, something that can’t our main security concerns don’t come from be done with nuclear weapons. The US does nations with clear borders. Oversized and aging not need nuclear weapons. In fact, America and nuclear weapons stockpiles are a liability to US the whole world will be safer as we take steps to security, contributing to threats of accidental achieve a nuclear-weapons -free world. launches, nuclear proliferation, and nuclear Peace Action West advocates for a foreign poliweapons falling into the hands of terrorists. cy that embodies the best values of the American We can turn the end of the Bush administrapeople. As a membership organization with close tion into a defeat of the Bush nuclear doctrine to 50,000 supporters, we foster broad-based civic and a referendum on the future of the US nuclear activism to create a strong voice for peaceful arsenal. Will the next president’s nuclear weapons and pragmatic solutions to global problems. Our policy defer to Bush’s reckless vision, embracactivities serve as a bridge between the public and ing a new generation of nuclear weapons and the officials who make decisions that affect the the doctrine of preemptive attack? Or, will the lives of millions of people. next president reject the mistakes of the past and advance a new agenda for a world without Cara Bautista is the Deputy Political Director, nuclear weapons? Peace Action West For the first time in history, both presidential Contact Peace Action West: candidates in the 2008 elections endorsed the www.PeaceActionWest.org vision of a world free of nuclear weapons. Both 510-849-2272

Peace Arts Xchange

Working for peace, one month at a time 2009 is the fifth year the Peace Arts Xchange (PAX) Calendar Group has created a wall calendar. For the third year, the illustrations come from school children, drawing and painting their visions of peace. In 2005, a SMAC ArtScapes grant gave the project enough funds to meet its costs, but it failed to gain approval as a sanctioned Sacramento Unified School District activity. With a quick glance at the PAX website, the group was deemed “too political!” Since then, sympathetic teachers and parents have provided the resources and support to enable the children to make the art. Selecting the work to be published from the numerous submissions has been the hardest part of the project. Plans for the next calendar are still incubating. It’s an all-volunteer effort. If you’d like to contribute to it, please contact [email protected]. If you’d like to buy the 2009 calendar, and have a daily reminder to work for peace at home and in the world, they are available at The Avid Reader, in both Sacramento

and Davis, Nestware in Davis, and Sacramento Area Peace Action.

Peace Arts Xchange Presents 2009 Children's Peace Calendar

You can pick up your 2009 calendars In Davis: Nestware at 204 G Street Avid Reader at 617 Second Street In Sacramento: Avid Reader at1600 Broadway Sacramento Area Peace Action office at 909 12th Street, #118

They make great holiday gifts. Suggested donation: $12 each. For more information on the calendars, contact Janice Nakashima at (916) 393-7690

Coffee from Nicaragua Support Sacramento’s sister city, San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua, by purchasing organic whole-bean coffee grown in the rich volcanic soil on the island of Omotepe, Nicaragua. Thanks to the efforts of the Bainbridge-Omotepe Sister Island Association in Washington, we are able to bring you this wonderful medium roast coffee. Your purchase helps the farmers on the island and helps support Sacramento’s long relationship with San Juan de Oriente. All profits go directly back to the Nicaraguan communities. $9.00 a pound. Available in Sacramento at: The Book Collector, 1008 24th St.

If you are a tenant and you are worried that your

landlord has allowed the rental property to go into foreclosure, see this site for information that might help you! www.tenantsforeclosure.blogspot. com/ Alison Brennan is a long-ago tenant activist. She lives in Sacramento.

 



#" %
-&*'
"%+()$%)( ,")!
-&*'
+#*( Registered Representative for securities and

Investment "*+)
()*&++"-
."+!
)'++
&-*+')*
'
%)"
%)


&-*+%&+ Advisory Representative, Protected -"*')0
()*&++"-
'
")*+
")%+"-
"&&"$
+.')#

")*+
")%+"-
"*
&
"&(&&+ of America. Investors "*+)
&-*+%&+
-"*')
) "*+)
."+!
+!
,)"+"*
&
/!& 
'%%"**"'&
*
"$    


")*+
")%+"-
"*
&'+

*,*"")0
')
"$"+
'
)'++
&-*+')*
'
%)"


    
        
  
 
 
  


    



 

)
 ")&,%
'$%)&     

    

12 Because People Matter November / December 2008 www.bpmnews.org

Sacramento Area Peace Action (SacPeace)

916-448-7157 • [email protected] • www.sacpeace.org Latin America: Unity on the Rise By Gloria La Riva

several days, they return home, with their vision intact. Already almost one million poor people have been treated. Is it any wonder that the people of Latin America and the Caribbean feel such solidarity with Cuba and Venezuela? Bolivia, under Evo Morales’ presidency, and Nicaragua, under Daniel Ortega’s presidency, have now formally joined ALBA. It is safe to say that Morales’ and Ortega’s elections, as well as that of Tabare Vásquez in Uruguay, Rafael Correa in Ecuador, and Fernando Lugo in Paraguay, were inspired by Venezuela’s and Cuba’s alliance, resistance and development. A Long Way from Operation Condor This progressive development is remarkable when we review the history of US imperialist policy in Latin America, a region it has long considered its “backyard.” The US has militarily intervened in Latin America dozens of times to repress popular resistance to repressive governments, defend US corporations, and overthrow democratically elected governments including Guatemala’s Jacobo Arbenz in 1954 and Chile’s Salvador Allende in 1973. Using billions of dollars in military and economic aid to rightwing governments, Washington sought to crush popular insurgencies and revolutionary struggle across Latin America. Through a US-directed policy of exterminaBolivian public-works workers from Oruro, protesting in La tion, through mass disappearPaz for better benefits and conditions, July 30, 2008. ances, kidnappings, and massacre, Photo: Gloria La Riva in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Paraguay, of a new constitution in 1999, with its Uruguay, Venezuela, Colombia guarantees of employment, housing, education, and Peru, tens of thousands of students, peasants social equality, and state control over Venezuela’s and workers were brutally murdered. vast oil resources. With oil resources no longer A return to civilian governments in the 1980s siphoned into Wall Street coffers but instead used and 1990s did little to alleviate the people’s suffor internal development, the Venezuelan people fering. Instead, reactionary elected leaders, like are enjoying major improvements in housing, Carlos Andrés Pérez in Venezuela, and Carlos jobs, universal education and healthcare. Menem and Fernando de la Rua of Argentina, To be expected, the “Bolivarian Revolution” pursued economic policies in line with IMF and has incurred the wrath of the US government, World Bank demands. Their disastrous neo-liberwhich has been intent on destroying Venezuela’s al policies embodied in Free Trade and Structural progress. The US engineered a coup in April Adjustment Programs largely bankrupted their 2002, and in December 2002, a sabotage of the countries’ wealth. oil industry that crippled the country. There have While the US government continues to try to been several documented assassination attempts overthrow progressive governments like those on Chávez and the opposition is receiving milof Chávez and Morales, our task as part of the lions of dollars in National Endowment for progressive, anti-war movement in the United Democracy (NED) funding. States is to demand the withdrawal of US military Although the Venezuelan people proved their in the region, and an end to US aggression in power by returning Chávez to the presidency Latin America. We cannot allow Washington to after the coup, and are the driving force of their turn back the clock in Latin America and the revolution, Venezuela could not have survived Caribbean. Washington’s offensive without the assistance of La Riva, who is a union activist, filmmaker, Cuba. presidential candidate, spoke in Sacramento Cuba’s and Venezuela’s alliance was formalized on September 7, 2008. She has met with Hugo in July 2004, by a groundbreaking pact called Chávez and Evo Morales and traveled extensively the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas, or to Cuba. ALBA, as it is known by its Spanish acronym. Signed in Havana by Fidel Castro and Hugo Get your STOP WAR Chávez, the agreement is the antidote to the soLawn Sign! called Free Trade Agreement of the Americans. It provides for Cuba and Venezuela to marshal their Order from SacPeace, human and material resources for the benefit of 916-448-7157 both peoples and also all of Latin America. Sliding scale $5-10. In the Military There are now 14,000 Cuban medical person& Need Help or nel in Venezuela, who provide free healthcare to Want to Get Out? millions. Illiteracy was eliminated in a two-year massive literacy campaign directed by Cuban GI Rights Hotline: 800teachers. 394-9544; girights@ objector.org, Cuba and Venezuela formed Operation Miracle, with the aim of curing six million blind www.objector.org Courage to Resist: 510- or severely-impaired people throughout Latin 488-3559, America and the Caribbean. The affected indiwww.couragetoresist.org viduals are flown into Cuba where their vision is restored by surgery and other treatment. After After more than 60 years of US domination post-World War II, with military coups, dictatorships and misery for hundreds of millions of people in Latin America, the deepening resistance to this domination has led to hope for real change. A series of elections in the first decade of the 21st century has ushered in leftist and prosocialist governments throughout the continent. It is a reflection of the masses in motion, who are demanding radical economic and social changes in their homelands. A turning point was Hugo Chávez’s election in 1998 and the Venezuelan people’s adoption

Book Review The Tyranny of Oil: The World’s Most Powerful Industry—and What We Must Do to Stop It by Antonia Juhasz From Kirkus Reviews (Reprinted with permission of Kirkus.) “Big Oil has turned our democracy into a farce,” claims liberal activist and Institute for Policy Studies fellow Antonia Juhasz, author of The Bush Agenda: Invading the World, One Economy at a Time, in this timely, blistering critique of the world’s most profitable industry. Nearly a century after the 1911 breakup of Standard Oil Trust, notes the author, a reconstructed trust comprised of a handful of powerful oil companies formed through recent corporate mergers—more than 2,600 in the US petroleum industry from the 1990s to 2004—now dominates much of the decision-making of the American government. During the eight years of the Bush administration, this “oiligarchy” of wealthy firms has spent billions of dollars on political contributions and lobbying to ensure that it is “coddled, subsidized, protected, and preserved by the US government.” Juhasz argues that oil companies have made possible, and directly participate in, the unregulated speculation in oil futures that has helped drive oil prices upward (at a time when available supplies in storage tanks exceed global demand). Despite their assertions to the contrary, they are not interested in green alternatives—most invest less than 1% of total capital expenditures on alternative energy—but only in finding more oil in places (tar sands, oil shale, oceans) where extraction will be costly and harmful to the environment. Further, says the author, their quest to control world oil reserves was one of the causes of the US invasion of Iraq and for a massive ongoing realignment of the US military, with bases and deployments following the world’s oil supply and transportation routes. Inspired by muckraker Ida Tarbell’s landmark 1904 book The History of the Standard Oil Company, this white-hot polemic explores many of the industry’s complex and secret practices, including zone pricing, which sets wholesale and company-owned gas-station prices according to geographic zones (and explains why gasoline prices can vary greatly among stations within a few blocks). Juhasz believes a growing populist movement will demand Congressional action to break up the current “spawn of Standard Oil: ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Marathon, Valero, Shell-US, and BP America.” Explosive fuel for the raging debate on oil prices. Antonia Juhasz spoke in Sacramento on October 30, 2008.

www.bpmnews.org November / December 2008 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 13

Global Warming:

The “Incontinent” Challenge for the New Millennium By Rick Bettis

G

lobal Warming is at the top of the agenda for most environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club and the Union of Concerned Scientists, as well as numerous other organizations and many nations, states and provinces and local governments throughout the world. For example, the League of Women Voters’ Agenda for a New Administration calls for “…immediate, highest priority comprehensive actions to combat climate change.” It has been recognized as a serious threat not only to the natural environment, but also to the economy and public health and safety. Global warming can occur in natural cycles; however, research clearly demonstrates that it is now being primarily caused by emissions of human-generated greenhouse gases (GHG). These emissions, of which 80% is carbon dioxide, include methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor, are thickening our atmosphere which traps outgoing reflected infrared solar radiation, causing warming. Even though these facts are still not acknowledged by a few, such as George W. Bush, the scientific community is in nearly unanimous agreement that the looming crisis is largely manmade. Following exhaustive studies, the United Nations-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), composed of 2,000 of the world’s most respected scientistsm agreed. The IPCC was the co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore, whose book, traveling presentation and film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” brought this issue vividly to public attention. Information predictive of this problem has been available since the 1950s. During the Carter Administration in the 1970s this writer participated in technical studies underwritten by the US Agency for International Development estimating the potential impacts of global warming on water resources and agriculture productivity worldwide. Al Gore’s widely acclaimed 1992 book Earth in the Balance also extensively evaluated this very serious problem. Studies by the California Climate Change Center indicate that the GHG sources in California are: Transportation, primarily the automobile 41%; Industrial 23%; Electricity generation 20%; Agriculture 8%; Residential 5%; and Commercial 3%. Deforestation increases warming, because trees no longer sequester the GHG. The IPCC has projected warming of two to ten degrees F by 2100. Impacts, some of which are already occurring, include: • Sea level rise of at least two to three feet by 2050 with melting of the ice in the Arctic, Antarctic and Greenland; with a potential of as much as 20 feet, by 2100 if GHG emissions continue to increase at the current pace. These increases could result in severe flooding in coastal and low-lying areas, such as the Delta. • Reduction of the California snow pack by 30 to 90%: this would severely reduce our available water supplies since the snowpack provides much of our critically needed water storage. Winter recreation would also be damaged. • Increased energy demand up to 20% and reduction of hydroelectric-generated energy by up to 30%. • Losses of forests and increases in wildfires, increasing losses of lives and property and air pollution. • Losses in natural habitats and wildlife. • Major losses in agricultural production due to reduced chilling times needed for plant, fruits and nut growth; the expansion of weeds that are adaptable to climate change; and reduced water supplies. • Increased periods of extreme heat, with severe health effects, especially on at-risk communi-

ties, such as the elderly and disadvantaged. • Worsening of air quality, especially healthdamaging ozone, the formation of which is increased by higher temperatures. • Higher ocean temperatures causing more intense storms and flooding. The intensity of hurricanes will increase as will the “Pineapple Express” storms we experience in California. Efforts to reduce emissions include: • The 1997 UN Kyoto Accords wherein 132 industrialized nations pledged to lower emissions below 1990 levels by 2050. Only Australia and the US declined. The Bush administration has stated that the negative economic impacts of emissions reductions are excessive. • California Governor’s Climate Action Team 2006 (CAT) report commits to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. • In 2004 California passed AB1493 requiring new automobiles to lower emissions by 80% by 2050. Manufacturers have unsuccessfully attempted to block this law. In 2006 California AB 32 requires stationary sources to reduce emissions to meet the CAT goals. Business and industry had strongly opposed this bill. Both of these bills were authored by Assembymember, and soon to be State Senator, Fran Pavley (D Agoura Hills), and were signed by the Governor. The California Air Resources Board is responsible for implementing these bills and is in the process of formulating policies and regulations. • Sacramento’s Mayor Fargo signed a pledge, along with over 400 other mayors, to reduce emissions to below the Kyoto requirements. The city has also adopted a Sustainability Plan that outlines their climate change reduction policies. • Specific actions being pursued include: 1. Enhancing public transportation to reduce driving and the development of more fuelefficient and more energy-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles. Travel by transit substantially reduces GHG emissions; train travel is far superior to air travel with respect to GHG emissions. 2. Design and development of communities that are more compact and consist of an integrated mix of uses, such as commercial and residential within the same building. These communities will be oriented towards the use of transit, walking and biking. 3. Low or no emissions energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal. 4. More energy-efficient buildings and homes, including better insulation, white roofs, fluorescent lighting and other energy efficient appliances; and the planting of more shade trees. 5. Water conservation, including low-water-use landscaping. The treatment and pumping of water uses approximately 20% of electrical energy. 6. Industry energy conservation motivated by a “Cap and Trade” system, where more efficient industries can sell or trade GHG credits to less efficient businesses. 7. Enhanced use of the essential goals to REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE all resources, products and materials. We should all determine our very revealing GHG “footprint.” There are numerous websites that provide a user-friendly means of making this calculation such as www.climatecrisus.org or www.ucs.org. We all have a responsibility to change our lifestyles in a manner to combat this serious threat to our earth and lives. Rick Bettis is a water engineer and long-time environmental activist in Sacramento.

Solar Cooking from page 1

Laboratory (PML). These innovative methods are also being introduced to the Water Resources Management Authority and the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation in Kenya, with a grant to SCI from the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund. Congress recently passed, and President Bush signed, a bill allocating $48 billion over the next five years to help treat and prevent AIDS ($38 billion), tuberculosis and malaria, tripling the amount allocated in the previous five years. There’s not a dime for solar cooking or for contaminated water, yet water-borne disease accounts for 40% of hospitalizations in Kenya and other developing countries. When I walk in a sun-drenched village in western Kenya, I’m struck by the fact that even if AIDS, malaria and TB were eliminated, there will be no future for the next generation unless they discover an alternative to fire, tapping into the only energy source they have in abundance— sunshine. SCI knows how to do this! Thanks to hundreds of Sacramento area SCI donors and volunteers, SCI is positioned to transform the lives of many millions of the poorest people worldwide. SCI extends an invitation to those of you who weren’t aware of SCI’s unique work to learn about it and join us to make this common knowledge worldwide. Check out the SCI website: www.solarcookers.org for solar cooking kits, cookbooks and other products. And see a water-testing and pasteurization album at: www.imageevent. com/bobmetcalf. Bob Metcalf is a Professor of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, and Board Chairman, Solar Cookers International.

A CooKit being used in Honduras Photo: Luther Castillo

Time Tested Books now buying

Political posters, handbills & pamphlets Books on history, labor, & politics Records of blues, jazz, rock, punk, world, R&B, & spoken word. And, of course, we are selling books & records, too! We are located at 1114 21st Street, Sacramento. Our new hours are M–Sat: 11am–7pm, Sunday: 11am–3pm (Please call for appt. if selling.) 916-447-5696.

www.timetestedbooks.net

14 Because People Matter November / December 2008 www.bpmnews.org

Book Review Fidel Castro, My Life: A Spoken Autobiography, transcribed by Ignacio Ramonet, Scribner, 2006, 736 pages. Reviewed by Leon Lefson

Of the many books written and published about Fidel Castro since he came to power in 1959, Fidel Castro, My Life is unquestionably the most definitive and authoritative of one of the greatest political figures of all time in Latin America. This remarkable new publication is a joint undertaking of Fidel Castro and a well-known French journalist, Ignacio Ramonet. Their collaboration lasted three years during which the most important facets of Castro’s life are revealed or otherwise touched upon. At 734 pages and $40 at your nearest friendly bookseller, the book is still a bargain as a masterful specimen of historical writing. The form of this spoken autobiography is unusual: it is almost entirely in question and answer form. This makes for easy reading and concentration on developments that had major impact in the evolution of Fidel’s historical and political thinking, the people that grouped themselves around him

Something Fishy

Local fishing group intervenes in McClellan toxic waste disposal fiasco By Dan Bacher The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) is seeking status as a “designated party” with state water quality officials to stop increased discharge of toxic chemicals into Central Valley waterways from the decommissioned McClellan Air Force Base. The chemicals would further imperil collapsing populations of Central Valley salmon, delta smelt, longfin smelt, theadfin shad, striped bass and other species, as well as endanger Sacramento area groundwater supplies. In a strongly worded letter to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board on September 10, Bill Jennings, CSPA’s Executive Director, formally requested status as a “designated party” in the McClellan Air Force Base toxic waste disposal fiasco. CSPA’s status as a “designated party” would allow the grassroots organization direct input into the renewal permit process to make sure that toxic waste is not discharged into Central Valley waterways from the base. Magpie Creek flows through McClellan and for decades carried the effluents of the base’s domestic and industrial waste treatment plants into the Sacramento River through Steelhead Creek above the mouth of the American River. McClellan is located approximately seven miles northeast of Sacramento in Sacramento County and covers 2,952 acres. Operations at the base involved the use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials, including industrial solvents, caustic cleaners,

Pizza by the slice

PIECES

“The most delicious and socially responsible pizza in town” —Jeanie Keltner

1309 21st St Between M and N

as the revolution took shape before and during the years in the Sierra Maestra mountains, the overthrow of the dictator, Batista, his triumphant march into Havana and what has happened in the years since. Ramonet spent 100 hours with Castro, as he explains in the introduction. During this time, we learn much about his early life as the son of a rich landowner with the views one would expect with this kind of background. As he was preparing for his professional training as a lawyer, the customary route for upper-class progeny, he began to read Marx and Engels, the French writers of the Enlightenment and others. These had a profound impact on his political evolution as a Marxist thinker and activist. From the earliest days following the revolution, as Castro began to implement the promises he made to the Cuban people for their support, he was faced with the implacable hostility of the US. For example, most of the sugar mills in Cuba were owned by Americans. One of Fidel’s first acts after assuming the presidency was to nationalize the sugar mills and large plantations with reimbursement to the owners. As the basis for determining their value, the Cuban authorities wanted to use the data submitted by the owners for tax purposes that greatly undervalued their properties. This became a sticking point in the US’s refusal to establish normal diplomatic relations with Cuba. As a consequence, Cuba was forced to turn to

the Soviet Union for assistance which continued until its collapse in 1991. To this day it would appear to be a miracle that Cuba survived since 90% of its oil and other necessities came from the USSR. Treated at length in the book are most of the historical watermarks during the 50 years of Castro’s reign: The Bay of Pigs, the Cuban missile crisis, the role of Che Guevara, Cuba in Africa, the emigration crises, Cuba in Spain and France and Latin America, among others. Following Castro’s illness and his relinquishment of power to his brother Raul, the Cuban colony in Miami salivated at the prospect of restoring capitalism and the free market system to their native country. So far, there appears to be little likelihood of this happening. The new generation that has grown up since their departure has been imbued with vastly different humanistic values, a vastly different culture, beyond the thirst for profit and wealth. As poor as it is, Cuba has a major export to third-world countries which the first world can’t match: doctors, nurses, educators and good will, instead of money seeking profitable outlets at whatever cost to the majority populations of those countries. So read this book and give yourself a shot of hope and encouragement that the future can be better than the times we are witnessing! Leon Lefson is a longtime political activist who is ever hopeful about the future.

electroplating chemicals, heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), low-level radioactive wastes, and various fuel oils and lubricants. Opened in 1935, for the vast majority of its operational lifetime, McClellan was a logistics and maintenance facility for a wide variety of military aircraft, equipment and supplies, primarily under the cognizance of the Air Force Logistics Command and later the Air Force Materiel Command. Unfortunately, McClellan also became a dumping ground for the Air Force’s toxic waste. “When the base was decommissioned in the late 90s, it was found that the operations at the facility had created a toxic wasteland,” said Jennings. “A major cleanup of the facility was put in place before large portions of the base were leased out to commercial enterprises. The base received a waste water treatment discharge permit as part of that clean-up effort.” In reviewing the permits application for renewal, CSPA has discovered that the requirements for discharge have been relaxed, allowing for a backsliding in the treatment and isolation of numerous harmful chemicals and other toxins that would be discharged into the valley waterways. “The discharges would be in violation of numerous state and federal standards and would put the valley fisheries at risk,” Jennings contends. In his letter to Mr. Ken Landau, Assistant Executive Officer of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, Jennings documented a plethora of violations of state and federal environmental laws in the proposed permit. For example, the proposed permit fails to contain mass-based effluent limits for toxic chemicals including Carbon Tetrachloride, Chromium VI, Dichlorobromomethane, 1,1-Dichloroethane,

1,2- Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, Tetrachloroethylene, Trichloroethylene, Vinyl Chloride and cis-1, 2-Dichloroethylene as required by Federal Regulations 40 CFR 122.45(b). The proposed permit also contains an effluent limitation for acute toxicity that allows mortality to aquatic life that exceeds the basin plan water quality objective and does not comply with federal regulations, at 40 CFR 122.44 (d)(1)(i) or the Clean Water Act. Nor does the permit contain effluent limitations for chronic toxicity, as required for compliance with federal regulations, at 40 CFR 122.44 (d)(1)i) and the Policy for Implementation of Toxics Standards for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California (SIP). The release of more toxic discharges into Central Valley and California Delta waterways would only further imperil collapsing Central Valley chinook salmon and Delta fish populations, along with impacting drinking water supplies. Four species of pelagic fish species, including delta smelt, longfin smelt, threadfin shad and striped bass, have declined to record low population levels in recent years, due to increased water exports from the Delta, increasing toxic chemical discharges in Central Valley waterways and an influx in invasive species. The last thing our collapsing public trust fisheries need is for the water board to allow the increased dumping of toxic chemicals into the Sacramento River and Delta! For more information about the CSPA, go to www.calsport.org. For the complete letter by Jennings, go to www.calsport.org/wq9-10-08b. pdf. Dan Bacher is a journalist, activist and satirical songwriter living in Sacramento.

Your subscription keeps us going! Have you sent in your subscription form??

ALLIANCE AUDIO-VISUAL & VIDEO

working for PEACE & JUSTICE and a proud sponsor of

“Because People Matter”

LCD COMPUTER & VIDEO PROJECTORS SLIDE & OVERHEAD PROJECTORS PA SYSTEMS – WIRELESS MICS – MIXERS SCREENS – TV MONITORS – PODIUMS AUDIO & DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDING

(916) 451-2658

offering a 30% to 50% discount <> <> <> for Peace & Justice events

www.bpmnews.org November / December 2008 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 15

November / December Calendar ONGOING EVENTS 11th OF EVERY MONTH: Sacramento 9/11 Truth Demonstration. 11th and L Sts, (Nov 11 at 16 & J Sts). INFO: www.truthaction. org, 916-372-8433.

2nd TUESDAYS: Peace Network (speakers and discussion), 6:30pm. Luna’s Cafe, 1414 16th Street. INFO: Sac Area Peace Action 448-7157.

MONDAYS: Sacramento Poetry Center hosts poetry readings. 7:30pm. 1719 25th Street. www.sacramentopoetrycenter.org.

4th TUESDAYS: Peace and Justice Films. 7pm. Peace Action, 909 12th Street. INFO:448-7157.

1st MONDAYS: Organic Sacr amento: Counter ongoing threats to our food. 6:30pm. INFO: www. organicsacramento.org. 1st MondayS: Sac Media Group. 6–8pm. Coloma Community Center, 4623 T Street. INFO: 443-1792, [email protected]. 3rd MONDAYS: Capitol Outreach for a Moratorium on the Death Penalty. 12 noon–1pm, 11th & L Street. INFO: 455-1796. 3r d MONDAYS: SAPA Peace and Sustainability Committee. 6–8pm. INFO: Peace Action, 448-7157. 3rd MONDAYS: Sacto 9/11 Truth:Questioning the “War on Terror.” 6– 8pm. Denny’s 3rd & J St. Info: sac911truth@gmail. com 372-8433. 3rd MONDAYS: Lesbian Cancer Support Group. 6:30 Bring partners or support people with you. Open discussions with everyone. INFO: Roxanne Hardenberg; ROXANNE1040@ aol.com. TUESDAYS: Call for Peace Vigil. 4–6pm. 16th and J St. INFO 448-7157. TUESDAYS: Improv workshop. Solve the world’s problems through improv games! 7–9:30pm. Geery Theatre, 2130 L street, Sac. $5.00, first time free. INFO: Damion, 916-8214533, [email protected]. 2nd TUESDAYS: Gray Panthers. 1–3pm. Hart Senior Ctr., 27th & J St.

4th TUESDAYS: (Odd numbered months) Amnesty Int’l. 7pm. Sacramento Friends Meeting, 89057th St. INFO: 489-2419. 1st WEDNESDAYS: Peace & Freedom Party. 7pm. INFO: 456-4595. 3r d WEDNESDAYS: CAAC Goes to the Movies. 7:15pm. INFO: 4463304. THURSDAYS: Urban Farm Stand, 4–7pm, River Garden Estates, 2201 Northview Dr. THURSDAYS:Daddy’sHere. 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. 568-3237x 205. 1st and 2nd Thursdays: Storytelling at the Hart Senior Center, 27th & J sts. 7pm. Free. INFO: 916362-9013, or PaulIdaho@ comcast.net. Fridays: Movies on a Big Screen. Independent, quirky movies and videos. 7pm. 600 4th St, West Sac. INFO: www.shiny-object. com/screenings/. 1st FRIDAYS: Community Contra Dance. 8–11pm; 7:30pm beginners lessons. Clunie Auditorium, McKinley Pk, Alhambra & F. INFO: 530-274-9551. 2nd FRIDAYS: Dances of Universal Peace. 7:30– 9:30pm. Sacr amento Friends Meeting House 890 57th St. $5–$10 donation requested. INFO: Joyce, www.sacramentodancesofuniversalpeace.

G o t Po l i t i c a l Humor? It’s an election year – arm yourself with the world’s funniest paper!

Send calendar items for the Jan. / Feb. 2009 issue to [email protected] by Dec. 10, with “calendar item” in the subject line. Make it short, and PLEASE use this format: Day, Date. Name of event. Description (1–2 lines). Time. Location. Price. INFO: phone#; e-mail. For the most current listing of Sacramento peace & justice events, go to www.sacpeace.org. For weekly updates, email [email protected] and put SacPeaceUpdates in the subject.

org, 916-832-4630. 4th FRIDAYS: Dances at Christ Unity Church, 9249 Folsom Blvd. All Welcome $5–$10 donation requested. INFO: Christine 4575855, www.sacramentodancesofuniversalpeace. org. 1st SATURDAYS: Health Care for All. 10am–noon. Hart Senior Ctr, 27th & J. For single-payer universal health care. INFO: 916424-5316; cnegrete@ comcast.net. 1st SATURDAYS: Sacramento Area Peace Action Vigil. 11:30am–1:30pm. Arden and Heritage (entrance to Arden Mall). INFO: 448-7157. 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS: Community Contra Dance. 8–11pm; 7:30 lessons. Coloma Center 4623 T Street. INFO: 395-3483. 3rd SATURDAYS: Sacramento Area Peace Action Vigil. 11:30am–1:30pm. Marconi & Fulton. INFO: 448-7157. 3rd Saturdays: Underground Poetr y Series, open mic plus featured poets. 7–9pm. Underground Books, 2814 35th Street (at Broadway), Sacramento. $3. INFO: 737-3333. 4th SATURDAYS: Sierra Permaculture Guild general mtg. 6:30–9pm. The Sacred Bee, 1451 E. Main St., Grass Valley.INFO: SierraPermaculture.org SUNDAYS: Sacto Food Not Bombs. 1:30pm. Come help distribute food at 9th and J Streets. 1st SUNDAYS: Zapatista Solidarity Coalition. 10am–noon. 909 12th St. Info: 443-3424. 2nd SUNDAYS: Atheists & Other Freethinkers. 2:30pm. Sierra 2 Center, Room 10, 2791 24th St. INFO: 447-3589.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Saturday, November 8

5K Fun Run and Walk. My Sister’s House hosts “5th Run for a Safe Haven.” All proceeds will go towards My Sister’s House and its efforts to stop domestic violence. 8-11am, William Land Park, Sacramento. INFO: Nilda Valmores, 868-7820.

Sunday, November 9

Tuesday, Dec. 9

Tuesday, November 11

Sacto 9/11 Truth Demonstration. 11th and L Streets, facing Capitol north entrance. INFO: www.truthaction.org, 916-372-8433.

Sacto 9/11 Truth demonstration. 16 & J Sts, (combine with sacpeace). 4:30-6PM. INFO: www. truthaction.org, 916-372-8433.

Tuesday, November 11

Or call 916-455-1217, or Save a Buck by ordering online! they’re experienced! published since 1991! it gives us hope - and it’s darn funny too!

w w w. H u m o r T i m e s . c o m

26th annual Candlelight Vigil for Peace and Justice.16th and J St., rain or shine! Bring signs and flashlights or windproof candles. 4–6pm. Gather after at Luna’s Cafe, 1414 16th St. INFO: 916-448-7157.

Thursday, December 11

Saturday, December 13

Discussion. The U.S. Empire Now. Mike Monasky will lead a discussion of the book American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century by Kevin Phillips. 7-9pm. Marxist School of Sacramento, Sierra 2 Center, Room 11, 2791–24th St, Sac. Free. INFO: [email protected], 916-799-1354.

Concert. Capture the holiday magic as the Sacramento Choral Society spreads the spirit of the season with candlelit processions, new and familiar carols and good cheer at the annual standing-room-only “Home for the Holidays.” 2pm and 8pm, Mondavi Center. Season and single tickets are available from $110 - $145 INFO: (916) 536-9065, ([email protected]) or visit www.sacramentochoral.com.

Wednesday, November 12

Thursday, December 18

Discussion. Doug Orr, “Where did the financial crisis come from and where is it going?” How, then can we get out of this crisis? Can New Deal-style programs solve the problem? 7-9pm. Marxist School of Sacramento, Sierra 2 Center, Curtis Hall, 2791–24th St, Sac. Free. INFO: info@ marxistschool.org, 916-799-1354.

Saturday, November 15

Fundraiser. EMPTY BOWLS Supper Fundraiser sponsored by the El Dorado Peace and Justice Community. Proceeds benefit the Upper Room Dining Room which feeds over 130 meals a day to the hungry in Placerville and to Heifer International. Supper includes: soup in a handmade (by local potters and school students) ceramic bowl, bread, beverage and Music by Coloma Celtic. 4:30-8:30pm. Suggested Donation is $15-$50 per person. INFO: Rich 530 622 6900, Carla 530 622 9549 or [email protected] or Diana 530 642 1120 or [email protected].

Thursday, November 20

Discussion. Jason Myers, “Public Good, Private Freedoms: The Core Values of Social Egalitarian Political Philosophy.” The role of political philosophy in policy debates. 7-9pm. Marxist School of Sacramento, Sierra 2 Center, Garden Room, 2791–24th St, Sac. Free. INFO: info@ marxistschool.org, 916-799-1354.

Saturday November 22

Meeting. Sierra Permaculture Guild general meeting. 6:30-9pm, The Sacred Bee, 1451 E. Main St., Grass Valley. INFO: SierraPermaculture.org

Resources for Enlisted Personnel & Veterans

Discharges • DEP • Discrimination • Gay • AWOL/UA • Harassment • Hazing• Conscientious Objection Free, confidential information from The GI Rights Counseling: free & confidential: 916-447-5706; www.therapistsforsocialresponsibility.org;

This election season is producing some of the BEST political satire EVER! Don’t miss out! Now available only by subscription, the Humor Times (formerly the Comic Press News) is bigger and better than ever, with more pages containing many hilarious new features! Send a check or money order for $18.95 for one year (12 issues) to: Humor Times, P.O.B. 162429, Sacramento, CA 95816

Convocation. Peace Pyramid quarterly convocation. Tom Blees, author of Prescription For the Planet, connecting the dots between controversial solution to the energy crisis and peace. 5 pm, 6009 Kifisia Way, Fair Oaks. INFO: Tom & Dar King, [email protected]; 916-241-9194.

Concert. Sacramento Choral Society announces the opening of their 13th Season featuring the 170 voice Chorus and full Symphony Orchestra. 7pm, Mondavi Center. Season and single tickets are available from $110 - $145. INFO: (916) 536-9065, ([email protected]) or visit www. sacramentochoral.com.

Hotline, www.girights.org, 800-394-9544

/

Saturday, November 22

Tuesday, December 9, 4-6pm, 26th annual Candlelight Vigil for Peace and Justice, an observance of International Human Rights Day (Dec. 10) 16th and J St in Sacramento, rain or shine! Bring signs and flashlights or windproof candles. Gather afterward at Luna’s Cafe, 1414 16th St. Sponsored by Sacramento Area Peace Action, Sacramento Valley Chapter of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and Grandmothers for Peace International. Information: 916-448-7157.

Film: Abolishing Corporate Personhood. 7-9pm. Marxist School of Sacramento, Sierra 2 Center, Room 12, 2791–24th St, Sac. Free. INFO: info@ marxistschool.org, 916-799-1354.

Saturday, December 20

Poetry. The National Champion Sacramento Allstars will perform at the special “SHOW” poetry series Christmas Jam. 7-9pm. Wo’se Community Center, 2863 35th Street off 35th and Broadway. $5. INFO: lisacarrera@sbcglobal. net, (916) 208-POET

Saturday December 27

Meeting. Sierra Permaculture Guild general meeting. 6:30-9pm, The Sacred Bee, 1451 E. Main St., Grass Valley. INFO: SierraPermaculture.org My Sister’s House is the only non-profit organization in the Central Valley which specifically addresses domestic violence in the Central Valley’s diverse Asian/Pacific Islander community. My Sister’s House opened its shelter or“Safe Haven“ in April 2003. It can accommodate up to six women and children and so far has provided more than 5000 bed nights of shelter to Asian/Pacific women and children. Funding for My Sister’s House is provided in part by its Run for a Safe Haven, held this year on November 8. INFO: 916-868-7820 www.my-sistershouse.org. 24/7 Help-Line: 916-428-3271.

The Marxist School of Sacramento November / December 2008 Activities Tuesday, November 11—The U.S. Empire Now. Mike Monasky will lead a discussion of the book American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century by Kevin Phillips. 7-9pm. Marxist School of Sacramento, Sierra 2 Center, Room 11, 2791–24th St, Sac. Wednesday, November 12—Doug Orr, “Where did the financial crisis come from and where is it going?” How, then can we get out of this crisis? Can New Deal-style programs solve the problem? 7-9pm. Marxist School of Sacramento, Sierra 2 Center, Curtis Hall, 2791–24th St, Sac. Thursday, November 20, 7-9pm, Garden Room—Jason Myers, “Public Good, Private Freedoms: The Core Values of Social Egalitarian Political Philosophy.” The role of political philosophy in policy debates. 7-9pm. Marxist School of Sacramento, Sierra 2 Center, Garden Room, 2791–24th St, Sac. Thursday, December 18, 7-9pm—Film: Abolishing Corporate Personhood. 7-9pm. Marxist School of Sacramento, Sierra 2 Center, Room 12, 2791–24th St, Sac.

INFO on other events: www.marxistschool.org; info@ marxistschool.org; 799-1354. All activities are free and open to the public.

Inside: Articles on the bailout, the California Budget, Global Warming, local groups with international impact, and of course, much more…

November / December 2008 Progressive News and Views

Because People Matter

Progressive Media Editors’ Picks!

ä Soapbox!—Jeanie Keltner talks with

activists and analysts from Sacramento and beyond about the issues of the day. Where to watch: Access Sacramento cable channel 17. Every Monday at 8pm. Call in comments on 2nd and 4th Mondays. Repeats Tuesday at noon, Wednesday at 4am. In Davis, on channel 15, Tuesdays at 5pm.

ä Media Edge—Sacramento’s own

magazine format show, covering local progressive events and speakers, as well as internationally known commentators, with clips from some of the best independent political video being made now. Where to watch: Access Sacramento channels 17 and 18 and Davis Channel 15. Sundays 8–10pm Nevada County channel 11 Mondays 10:30pm–12:30am, West Sacramento channel 21 Mondays 9-11pm. See scheduled segments at www.wethemedia.org. ä Democracy Now—Amy Goodman’s

award-winning magazine format show.

Where to watch: Access Sacramento TV, Cable Channels 17 and 18, Weekdays 6pm, 12midnight, 5am. Dish Network Satellite TV, Channel 9415, Free Speech TV, M–F: 9am, 4pm, 9pm, 5am, Pacific time. Link TV, Channel 9410, Monday–Friday, 8am, 3pm. KVMR 89.5 FM Mon–Thu 7pm. KDVS 90.3 FM Mon–Fri noon. KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley, M–F 9am

Progressive Radio Stations

äKVMR 89.5 FM ä The Voice, 88.7 Cable FM; and streaming audio on www.Accesssacramento.org; SAP Comcast Channels 17 & 18 ä KYDS 91.5 FM äKDVS 90.3 FM ä KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley äKZFR 90.1 FM Chico People Powered Radio! managed and operated by volunteers, provides mostly locally produced and community oriented programs.

Great Speeches and Interviews-Local and national speeches and interviews to challenge your thinking. An in-depth radio program on the current issues. Where to listen and/or download: Listen Sundays 6-8pm on Comcast Ch. 17, 18, set your TV menu to SAP or listen on The Voice www.AccessSacramento.org L i s te n o r d ow n l o a d f ro m w w w. archive.org/bookmarks/sgl Blogged on www.SacramentoForDemocracy.org

(Other) Progressive Newspapers

ä The Flatlander: a free community newspaper of fun, opinion and politics in the Davis Area. [email protected]. Publication every 2 months, next issue is April/May The Flatlander P.O. Box 72793 Davis, CA 95617 ä Likewise, we are greatly impressed with the lively goodlooking Midtown Monthly. It’s not political, but it has the kind of useful and delightful info about life, art, food and music in Sacramento and beyond that creates the sense of community needed for an uncertain future. Look for the Rock Creek Free Press in the back of some BPM stands and other places you find BPM (always at the downtown main library). It’s a great progressive paper with emphasis on the undernews. And just like BPM it needs support from the people who are sick of the disinformation news. Check it out and subscribe (after subscribing to BPM).

Here’s a hot tip! If you don’t have cable TV, and you do have a PC (doesn’t work on Mac), you can watch Access Sacramento programs as they are being aired by going to www.accesssacramento. org and clicking on the “Watch Channel 17” button at the top of the first page.

Don’t bitch at the media— become the media!

Have you taken the TV production training at Access Sacramento? Would you like to learn or put your technical talents to use? Soapbox! urgently needs crewmembers to help set up, run cameras, and take viewers’ phone calls on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month. Call 444 3203 if you’re interested in taking the training or joining us at Soapbox! for fun—and the best pizza in town, from Pieces.

Online News Sources:

www.Truthout.org: essays on current events, some videos, like Keith Olbermann’s MSNBC Countdown shows. www.CommonDreams.org News Center: Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community. www.Brasscheck.org: Progressive videos on many subjects, from Steven Colbert’s speech at the White House Correspondent’s dinner and speeches by leftwing MP George Galloway, to extensive information on 9/11 and the attacks on our civil liberties. www.TheRealNews.com: a nonprofit progressive website offering daily news videos including interviews and debates. They plan soon to expand to television. www.GoLeft.tv: Progressive Online Television. In the world of media monopoly, news has been replaced with a new invention called “infotainment.” GoLeft.tv is a progressive political T.V. news source that fills that gap between the media’s dumbed down infotainment and real news reporting. www.innworldreport.net: Daily professional viewer/listener supported journalism available in over 20 million homes across America. www.whatreallyhappened.com: 9/11 and other coverups.

Sacramento and Central Valley Indymedia: www.sacindymedia.org.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 2668 SACRAMENTO, CA