April 2016 - gaynflagstaff

One of Us
(a LGBAT Newsletter)
April 2016
Message from MOOG Music:
What’s Inside...

April Events, Info and Quotes

Why Presidential Penises are
Important by Rob Minor

Our Modern ’Management by
Crisis’ Crisis by Dale Ross
Volume 13, Issue 11
Friends of Moog Music,
Pages 2-5 North Carolina has been home to Moog since 1978. We treasure the community we
live and work in, however we strongly object to House Bill 2, which sancPage 6
tions discrimination against members of our family.
As an employee-owned company, we are a group of wonderfully diverse individuals
Pages 7-9 who share a passion for designing inspirational tools. Bob Moog believed, as do
we, that the most beautiful and innovative solutions evolve from harnessing the collective power of divergent ideas and perspectives. Exclusion limits our path to progress
and denies our living connection to each other.
The Moog factory and Moogfest are, and always will be, safe and inclusive spaces for
the LGBTQ community and their allies.
Synthesize Love,
Moog
Articles of interest to the LGBAT community:
Georgia Governor Vetoes Religious Rights Bill
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LGBT Republicans Struggle With Their Political Choice
First HIV Positive Donor Transplant Performed in the US
Bernie Sanders Unveils Plans to Combat HIV / AIDS
CA Bill Would Ban Government Travel to Ant-Gay States
Vote to Override SD ‘Bathroom Bill’ Narrowly Fails
What, Exactly, is an Orgasm
Don’t Sneak Video: A Video About Acceptance
April 2016 Events
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Tuesday, 7pm, January 13th– May 3rd– NAU presents CAL Film Series: British Academy Honorees. For more info, go to
Jazz, Priscilla and more.
 Sunday to Sunday, Mar 27th– Apr 3rd– Los Angeles Leather Pride. For more info, go to
LALP
 Thursday to Saturday, Mar 31st-Apr 2nd– Chubs in Paradise Chub Fest in Ft Lauderdale,
Fla. For more info, go to Chub
 Thursday to Sunday, Mar 31st–
Apr 3rd– Bears, Bikers, and Mayhem
Run in Gettysburg, PA. For more info,
go to BBM
 Thursday to Sunday, Mar 31stApr 3rd– Dublin, IRE Bears present
Bear Feile. For more info, go to Dublin
 Thursday to Sunday, Mar 31st-Apr 3rd– Parliament Resort of Augusta, GA presents Spring
Thaw. For more info, go to Thaw
 Friday, Apr 1st– April Fools Day!
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Friday, Apr 1st, 4pm– Museum of Northern AZ Paleontology Walking Tour. For info and to
register, go to MNA
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Friday, Apr 1st,5-8pm– 1st Friday Art Walk in Flagstaff. For details; www.flagstaffartwalk.com
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Friday, Apr 1st, 5-8pm– 1st Friday Art Walk in Sedona, For more info, go to SGA
Friday, Apr 1st, 5-8pm– Artist Reception– Tamar Kander at Sedona Lanning Gallery. Tamar Kander sees her non-objective
paintings as visual metaphors for experience; there are layers and layers of literal as well as figurative substance to each of her
works. The artist’s rich background includes growing up in Israel and South Africa, where she received her BA in Fine Arts. For
more info, go to Lanning
Friday, Apr 1st, 6-8pm– Celebration of Spring Night at Sidetracks in Chicago. For more info, go to Spring
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Friday, Apr 1st, 10pm– 3am– Barracks Night Sponsored by Fort Troff at Atlanta Heretic. For more info, go to
http://www.hereticatlanta.com/
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Friday, Apr 1st- Club Dump Truck Night at LA Eagle. For more info, go to Eagle
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Saturday to Sunday, Apr 2nd-3rd– Phx Pride featuring B-52s Saturday evening. For more
info, go to http://phoenixpride.org/
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Saturday to Sunday, Apr 2nd-3rd– 44th Annual Dance for Mother Earth Pow-Wow in Ann
Arbor, MI. For more info, go to http://powwow.umich.edu/
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Saturday to Sunday, Apr 2nd-3rd– Chattanooga, TN Pow Wow and Native Heritage Festival. For more info, go to Heritage
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Saturday to Saturday, Apr 2nd-9th– Gay Snow Happening in Solden, AUS. For more info,
go to Snow
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Saturday, Apr 2nd– Mesa, AZ Community College Spring Pow Wow. For more info, go to
Mesa
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Saturday, Apr 2nd, 7-11pm– American Youth Leadership Spring Pow Wow in Broken Bow,
OK. For more info, go to Leader
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Saturday, April 2nd, 9am-3pm– 2nd Annual Homco Community Home Improvement Show in Flagstaff. For more info, go
to Improve
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Saturday, Apr 2nd, 1-4pm– Sustainable Building Award Ceremony at MNA in Flagstaff. For more info, go to Award
[More events on the next page]
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April 2016 Events
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Saturday, Apr 2nd– Ginger Pride Night at LA Eagle. For more info, go to Eagle
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Saturday, Apr 2nd, 11pm– Furball Dance Party in NYC. For more info, go to
http://www.furball.nyc/
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Sunday, Apr 3rd, 11am-7pm– OffSunsetFestival in LA featuring Pansy Division and
others. For more info, go to http://offsunsetfestival.com/
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Tuesday, Apr 5th– AZ Gives Day! Support Southern AZ AIDS Foundation. For more
info, go to Give
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Tuesday, 6-8pm– Open Mic Night At Chae’s Coffee in Sedona. For more info, go to
Coffee
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Every Tuesday, 6-10pm– Open Mic Night at Vino de Sedona. For more info, go to
http://www.vinodisedona.com/
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Wednesday, Apr 6th, 6:30-8:30pm– Queer Speed Dating at Center on Halsted in Chicago. For info and tickets, go to Dating
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Thursday to Sunday, Apr 7th-9th– Cherokee of Georgia Spring Pow Wow. For more
info, go to Cherokee
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Thursday to Sunday, Apr 7th-9th– Reiki Master Certification Training at Sedona
IAM. For more info, go to Master
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Thursday to Monday, Apr 7th-10th– Drenched Fur Bear Pool Party 12 in Erie,
PA. For more info, go to http://www.drenchedfur.com/
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Every Thursday at Red's in Sedona 6:30pm- Contact Greg at
[email protected]
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1st Thursday of the month, 7pm– Chicago American Veterans for Equal Rights
Meeting at the Center on Halsted. For more info, go to AVER
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Friday to Sunday, Apr 8th-10th– Bearaccus Men’s Weekend in Calgary,
AB. For more info, go to http://albearta.org/
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Friday to Sunday, Apr 8th-10th– Miami Beach Gay Pride. For more info,
go to Pride
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Friday to Monday, Apr 8th-11th– White Party in Palm Springs. For more
info, go to Circuit
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Saturdays, 11am-12:30pm– Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance in Chicago, Ill. For more info, go to http://www.dbsaglbt-chicago.com/
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Saturday, Apr 9th, 11am-5pm– 9th Annual Native American Heritage Festival in Radford, VA. For more info, go to Radford
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Saturday, Apr 9th, 4pm- ?- Dan’s Garden Party. Libation, snacks / fruits and socializing in the Garden. If the weather turns
cold or gets windy, we will move it inside for board games and socializing. For more info and directions– email Dan at
[email protected]
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Saturday, Apr 9th, 7-10pm– Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project presents Wild & Scenic Film Festival. For more info, go
to Wild
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Saturday, Apr 9th– Bear Beats Dance Party in Frankfurt, GER. For more info, go to http://www.bearbeats.de/
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Monday, Apr 11th, 5:30-7pm– On Community Connections Business Forum in Phx. For more info, go to One
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Thursday to Sunday, Apr 14th-17th– Song Kran 10th Anniversary Celebration in Bangkok, THAI. For more info, go to
http://www.gcircuit.com/
[More Events on the next page]
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April 2016 Events
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Friday, Apr 15th, starting at 7:30pm– Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra Concert 7: A French Finale. For tickets, go to FSO
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Saturday, Apr 16th– Record Store Day! Hundreds of independently owned music stores across the world will simultaneously
unite with the purpose of celebrating our culture and the unique place that record stores occupy both in their local communities
and the world.
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Saturday, Apr 16th, 10am-5pm– Opening Weekend at the Arb in Flagstaff. For more info, go to ARB
Saturday, Apr 16th, Doors open at 7pm– The X-Chain-G of Flagstaff presents the monthly bdsm play party. For more info, contact Craig at 928-853-1600 or [email protected]
Wednesday, Apr 20th– Enter Taurus!
Thursday to Sunday, Apr 21st-24th– Cherry Weekend Fundraising in Washington, DC. For more info, go to
http://www.cherryfund.org/
Thursday, Apr 21st [mountain standard time– 10:25pm]– Full Pink Moon! HOWL!!!
Friday, Apr 22nd– Earth Day! We only got one.
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Friday to Sunday, Apr 22nd-24th– Chowanoke Nation Pow Wow in North Carolina. For more info, go to Nation
 Friday to Sunday, Apr 22nd-24th– Bear Albany Into the Woods Bear Run in Albany,
NY. For more info, go to http://www.bearalbany.com/
 Saturday, Apr 23rd– SAAF presents 29th Annual Jell-O Wrestling Extravaganza in
Tucson. For more info and tickets, go to SAAF
 Saturday, Apr 23rd, starting at
7:30pm– My Big Funny Peter at Broward Center
in Ft Laud, FLA. For tickets, go to Bear
 Sunday to Sunday, Apr 24th– May 1st–
Chumley Cruise from SF. For info and booking,
go to Cruise
 Wednesday, Apr 27th– Kings Day in Amsterdam, NETH. For more info, go to King
 Wednesday, Apr 27th 6-8pm, Wed,
May 4th 6-8pm, Sat, May 7th 8am-4pm–
Volcanic Activity on the Colorado Plateau. Explore the fascinating way that magma is generated within the earth’s crust and mantle, how volcanic rocks are classified, and the general
characteristics of volcanic eruptions. Next we will learn about plate tectonic evolution of
Western North America during the past 70 million years and its relationship to volcanic activity in Northern Arizona. Our field
trip will include a short hike into a 50,000 year old crater and a chance to collect rocks brought up all the way from the earth’s
mantle by a volcanic eruption. For more info and to register, go to Volcano
Thursday to Saturday, Apr 28th-30th– Gathering of Nations Pow-Wow in Albuquerque. For more info, go to
http://www.gatheringofnations.com/
Thursday to Sunday, Apr 28th– May 1st– CLAW 16 Leather Run in Cleveland featuring Judy Tenuta. For more info, go to
CLAW
Thursday to Sunday, Apr 28th-May 1st– Bear Hunt XVI– Bears on the Bayou Bear Run in Myrtle Beach, SC. For more
info, go to Hunt
 Thursday to Sunday, Apr 28th– May 1st– Bear Week in Sitges, Spain. For
more info, go to Bear
 Thursday to Monday, Apr 28th– May 2nd– Sleazy Madrid Weekend in
Spain. For more info, go to http://sleazymadrid.com/
 Thursday to Monday, Apr 28th– May 2nd– Man Bears Great British Bear
Bash 19 in Manchester, UK. For more info, go to Man Bears
 Thursday to Monday, Apr 28th– May 2nd– Phurfest in Phx. For more
info, go to Fest
4
Get Involved!! Health Sites:
Parkinson’s: http://www.parkinson.org/
HIV and AIDS: http://www.hiv.com/
Diabetes: http://www.diabetes.org/
Kink Aware Professionals: KAP
Gay Medical Professional Directory-Directory
Come OUT!!! Don’t Sneak!
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Closets are for hangers, hats and shoeboxes, Be honest
with yourself and loved ones
There is nothing to fear, You are not alone.
You can be butch or femme. There is not a stereotype to
fit.
Loving the same sex is NOT A SIN!!!
Support is available (friends, family, lover/ playmate,
community members and online
Click here for reference- Come Out Now
AIDS IS NOT DEAD,
Play safe Always
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Know your partner
Use condoms and/or gloves
Don’t mix excessive amounts of drugs and/or
alcohol with sex, keep a clear upper head
STDs (and babies) are expensive risks of unsafe
sex
Get tested often–stay healthy
The Fight for a Cure is Not Over Yet!
HIV and AIDS are still here, current estimate at more than
36.9 million worldwide…
For more information about the fight against AIDS
http://www.amfar.org/
Quotes of the Month
“Conscience is a man's compass, and though the needle sometimes deviates, though one often perceives irregularities when directing one's course
by it, one must still try to follow its direction.”
-Vincent van Gogh, painter (30 Mar 1853-1890)
“Kindness is always fashionable.”
-Amelia Barr, novelist (29 Mar 1831-1919)
“Our homeland is the whole world. Our law is liberty. We have but one thought, revolution in our hearts.”
-Dario Fo, actor, playwright, theater director, Nobel laureate (b. 24 Mar 1926)
“Shelved rows of books warm and brighten the starkest room, and scattered single volumes reveal mental processes in progress -- books in the act
of consumption, abandoned but readily resumable, tomorrow or next year.”
-John Updike, writer (18 Mar 1932-2009)
“Beware of the stories you read or tell; subtly, at night, beneath the waters of consciousness, they are altering your world.”
-Ben Okri, poet and novelist (b. 15 Mar 1959)
Learn the Link-
There is always hope, don’t give up-
Between drug (and alcohol) abuse and the spread of HIV
Suicide Prevention Lifeline-
http://hiv.drugabuse.gov/
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
5
Why Presidential Penises Are So Important?
Minor Details By Bob Minor
By the second week of March, the discourse (using that word very loosely) of the Republican presidential candidates
had sunk so low that to call it “juvenile” would be an insult to our children. Just when we thought that the personal
attacks had lowered to a senior high level, they descended further to something like the taunting of junior high kids.
Whether it was about one candidate or another being accused of peeing in his pants, eating boogers, over-sweating,
or having to run to the bathroom for one reason or another, it was actually the fully-on-display latest in the circus that
GOP bosses are racking their brains to ring-master. Those Party leaders who created each of the caricatures on the
Republican platform and encouraged their rabid fans, now seemed flailing about to know what to do with the performers except either just to embrace them as if any of the candidates were presidential material or to enlist a previous presidential loser to attack the biggest ego they most feared would win the nomination.
What’s truly extraordinary about it all is that the lower the discourse sunk, the more that the diehard melded with
their candidates. And those other Republican politicians who’ve given up trying to break up this schoolyard fighting, began scrambling to make sure that
when the sawdust settles they’ll on the side of the one they think will end up with the most power so that they could maintain their own power, positions,
funders, and status. With the only female Republican contender out, the boys settled for criticizing each other’s manhood. The taunts were focused around
all the conventional expectations of conditioned patriarchal manhood with who’s the scaredy-cat, who can’t take the taunting, who’s going to be unable to
fight like a man, who’s unable to control themselves, or, behind it all, who is the most “like a girl.”
But that wasn’t clear enough - it then it sunk to discussion of the ultimate symbol of manhood, who does or does not have a big penis. There it was: conditioned masculinity’s symbol of power, virility and the ability to control women was out on the table. No one who has studied gender was surprised that
all the debates centered around one’s manhood. Even the women on both sides of the aisle, after all, were analyzed with whether or not they had the biggest “balls” in the race.
The only surprise here was that there it was: in the open discussion in a presidential race. And those who stereotype gay men as only caring about penises
found presidential candidates who self-identify as heterosexual revealing their hidden obsession with the male organ. It was as if a dam broke. The Internet
was flooded with stories about penis sizes, micro-penises, and what insinuations such as “have you seen how small his hands are” really mean according to
science.
It was a discussion waiting below the surface ready to burst out, And thanks to the descent of the Republican contenders into bathroom references, there
it was. What those who study gender also knew was that this was not actually about the realities of a physical genital organ. It was instead another sign of
otherwise familiar phallic worship.
They knew that the phallus stands for more than anatomical data. It’s the word for the male organ as a symbol of power – power over other people, other
nations, nature, and the whole planet. Historical references have shown it so.
It has stood for patriarchy and its subjugation of women, who at times were even accused of penis-envy. It has inspired colonialism with its victim peoples
called “effeminate races.”
It has justified the rape of both women and men without a second-thought being given to what this meant about one’s sexual orientation. Instead it actually represented the reality of a man’s or an army’s power to express their dominance over the other.
And in a culture like the one we’ve developed, it symbolizes the ultimate manly man: the warrior. In American warrior-culture, therefore, our boys must
be conditioned to become warriors; and our girls, in turn, to become warrior support personnel.
Gentle, thoughtful, even intelligent non-kneejerk solutions are criticized through the lens of this manly, manly warrior. He is supposed to act decisively,
quickly, and immediately to protect the manhood of the nation and its people, who should be seen as his wards.
Hence, the criticism of our current president who doesn’t bomb enough (no matter how many drones he’s launched), is that he isn’t considered a real
manly leader because he consults with other nations, believes in talking to other leaders, even our enemies, and spends time considering options and consequences. By American warrior standards all of that sounds quite womanly.
Europe, or sometimes just certain nations that don’t kowtow to American manhood, is seen as effeminate. Europe has all those “nanny-states” after all –
like women they nurture their people rather than just punish them.
Sometimes, Europe even acts like disobedient children who don’t obey Uncle Sam’s orders just because they should know that we are their father to be
obeyed, we’re the daddy. Because of Europe’s impotence, we must keep U.S. military bases there so that American macho can protect them.
When Berkeley linguist, George Lakoff talks about the conservative way of seeing the nation as a family controlled by a strict father who “knows right
from wrong and has the ultimate authority to make sure his children and his spouse do what he says, which is taken to be what is right,” he’s talking about
the family patriarch. Applied to the national presidential debate, that model expects one patriarch to duke it out with the other to prove who the best –
that is the most manly - man is.
In spite of how much gender and gender roles have been highlighted by researchers and educators, in spite of how much both women’s and men’s movements have worked to change our views, when it comes down to today’s politics, it’s still about who can wield the biggest sword, who can convince us that
he is well-endowed with warrior manhood.
Robert N. Minor, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas, is author of When Religion Is an Addiction; Scared Straight:
Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to Be Human; and Gay & Healthy in a Sick Society. Contact him at
www.FairnessProject.org.
6
Our Modern ‘Management-By-Crisis’ Crisis
By Dale G. Ross, msw, Copyright Dale Ross 2016
(Permission to reproduce with credit)
We’ve all heard the classic phrase, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Well, in today’s fast-paced, winner-takeall, ‘no limits’ and ‘no fears’ lifestyles, this appears to have somehow been forgotten, and the stakes (and ‘pound of cure’ costs) are
staggering! For what it is worth, America is not alone, but I don’t believe that is an explanation, and certainly not any excuse, as we
continue to tout ourselves as ‘leaders of the free world’ (please recall that our current national budget includes 55% of every tax
dollar going to the military, and they are saying they need more...!?!). In reading almost any newspaper/media source these days, I
find the data compelling and increasingly overwhelming that we’ve gotten to the point of appearing to not even give ‘prevention’
any thought... it’s all about plugging one more hole in the overflowing embankments of rising rivers of drama, trauma and unexpected consequences. ‘History’ of
the issues is cited as ‘blaming’ and ‘not relevant’ to the severely needed immediate survival solutions... with money and power/control too often being the prime
motivators (now no longer even ‘hidden agendas’ of the supposed ‘conservatives’).
I thought reviewing a few mainstream media examples (often multiple headlines in the same daily newspaper, but also buried stories that one would expect to be
headlines), might help shape a constructive perspective of what shifts in our cultural priorities have occurred. Equally important is what we might do to shift back
towards some more helpful and informed perspective (s), where we might re-establish some ‘hope’ in our elected and appointed ‘leaders’ and their decisionmaking skills, as well as re-gain some ‘trust’. We certainly hear more than enough about the ‘bad guys’ and ALL they have extracted from those they have come in
contact with...
And, before I lose those readers who might tune out, assuming this is yet another ‘doom and gloom’ politically motivated statement of what’s ‘wrong with the
other side’ (no matter which side of politics you are on), please be assured this is about trying to live in today’s uncertain world, and I am not trying to blame anyone. ‘Accountability’, perhaps, again to figure out how to more safely, economically and humanly move these glacial issues forward (recalling that even the
world’s glaciers are crumbling at an increasing rate - sarcastic humor). For those familiar with my writings and counseling history (now 30 years in my private
practice), I am still optimistic about our future! I am increasingly uncertain about which pathways our designated ‘leaders’ are choosing to travel, however, and
don’t see much substance about the criteria in picking these pathways (or specifics and ‘values’ being used, and this is not a code-word for ‘family values’ which has
become a code-word itself these days!!!). I suggest to my clients that perhaps this period in our lives is hopefully a temporary ‘survival period’ and patience is important now to try and prevent as much ‘stress’ as possible (and its potentially physical and mental health harming consequences). Remember, returning to
‘thriving’ as soon as is reasonably feasible is still important, too!!! We can accommodate to almost anything, (like the survivors in World War II’s concentration
camps), but we don’t want to accept this as a lifestyle!?!
Being considered ‘conservative’ (and now to what ‘level’ of conservatism one belongs to these days, is much like choosing a denomination of a particular religion)
or simply stating one is ‘liberal’, neither of these help in understanding the criteria, expectations and decision-making skills that will be used. Sadly, once again, I
don’t hear either political party explaining how their goals will be developed and mature into decision-making skills towards what sustainable outcomes.
I find this is all too similar to the dysfunctional parent who says they are or will be ‘right’ simply because they are the parent and say so!?! Also, I keep reminding
myself and others that we are electing more than a President, and he/she is only one piece of our three-part federal government. No matter how much they appear
‘all powerful’, it is still Congress that passes the laws that run our land and to which the President swears to uphold and follow. Boundaries are important here,
too! Please remember this as our ‘election cycle’ has become a ‘constant 24/7’, and as we approach the November elections (before it starts all over
again...). Every vote counts and can potentially make a HUGE difference... the stakes haven’t been higher than I can remember in my 67 years!!! Nor has the
drama...very sadly! One Facebook quote referred to the way to stop an oligarchy is to have MANY people vote...
As an example, being of retirement age (IF people are feeling this is even possible in our rapidly changing culture and lives???), I found the occasional, sporadic
media stories of the pending shortfall in city and municipal pension funds stunning. According to the Federal Reserve figures, these civic organizations have $1.4
TRILLION less than is needed to cover the anticipated benefits that were negotiated as an ongoing promise for retirement!?! By law they were to have been set
aside to sustainable levels (but that’s only the law, and who follows those any longer - sarcastic humor). The ‘bottom line’ appearance of any particular corporation’s quarter, or government election cycle, has become all important!?! And, recall how most organizations have moved away from pensions altogether, to various types of 401-K retirement accounts (another story in itself).
To make this more concrete, the city of Chicago’s bond ranking was cut to ‘junk’ level last July, 2015.. Recall how Detroit recently went through bankruptcy,
which I’ve written about having lived through it’s creation my entire life. Chicago appears headed in a similar direction (except for the bond issue on retirement
being different, more complicating and possibly delaying similar consequences). Chicago still looks alive and vibrant, especially compared to Detroit!
While Detroit is doing a LOT to change people’s impressions and perceptions, there is also a lot more that needs to happen, too! Having come out of bankruptcy,
the new mayor discovered there is now an expected $490 MILLION pension shortfall!?! He has started an investigation into why the $177 MILLION that was
spent on the legal advice for the city’s bankruptcy didn’t come to this most recent and startling conclusion. This will possibly include having to hire yet another
advisor to determine whether the bankruptcy lawyers were correct in their determination or this most recent legal advice... the saga continues (the legal bills continue to mount, and people continue to not feel secure in what they might count on for fixed-income retirements).
We recently decided to take our annual Thanksgiving/anniversary Chicago trip in Las Vegas, after we learned we could fly and stay at a hotel in the middle of The
Strip, for less than the hotel room alone in Chicago (we’ve ‘outlived’ our regular Chicago hotel, which is being replaced with a high-rise condo and the recent finding of a neighboring hotel is somewhat similar, except for the rates during holidays)!?! Which of Chicago’s ‘city fathers’ were watching as this situation emerged in
this third largest American city?!? Here’s where ‘history’ might have made a huge preventative difference, just as Detroit didn’t do, either. As the saying goes, “Is
anyone minding the store?”.
[Our Modern Continued on the next page]
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[Our Modern continued from the previous page]
Then there are the retirement funds of pooled companies, too. The federal laws were recently changed. What criteria was used by Congress and for what anticipated outcomes, or was it as it appears to be yet another ‘back-room bargaining session’ of politics as usual in December 2015 ?!? According to the Washington
Post newspaper, “This much is currently known: The law applied only to multi-employer plans, pooled retirement funds that support the pensions of unionized
workers. They include truckers, miners, supermarket clerks, custodians and construction workers. Under the law, plans that were in critical and declining condition could choose to go through a process, including a vote by members, to trim retirement benefits. The idea behind the legislation is that by trimming benefits,
the plans could save themselves from failing altogether. If plans become insolvent, members are left to rely on federal pension insurance, which, when it comes to
members of multi-employer plans, is itself dangerously underfunded and offers only meager benefits for former workers.” Again, was anyone minding the BIG
businesses that have come to this point, as they appear to have neglected their store’s employees?!?
To give some idea of the scale of this newly created situation (through changed laws to address the neglect of legally required funding of retirement benefits), the
Washington Post went on to say how the new law defines critical and declining plans as those projected to become insolvent over the next 15 years [plus some
other criteria]. Among some of the biggest funds in danger of reducing benefits were: the Teamsters 411,000-member Central States pension fund; the Bakery &
Confectionery Union & Industry International Pension, which has 114,000 members; and the Automotive Industries Pension Plan, which has
26,331 members. Also on the list is the United Mine Workers of America 1974 Pension Fund. That plan is considered so impaired that it could not fix its financial
problems by simply cutting benefits under the new law. The plan has 115,00 members. Please recall, again, ‘pensions’ were expected to be guaranteed fixedincomes for people to retire on, and now these have become an uncertainty... talk about ‘trust’ and ‘safety’ issues!?!
Shifting to even the national past time of football (yes, it too has become a football to its own decisions - humor), the safety of its players has become a contest of
politics. You may recall that in August of 2013 the NFL reached a $765 MILLION settlement with its former players over head injuries. This proposed settlement
was to supply funds to wounded players, and exams for future concerns, as well as $10 million for research and education (according to Wikipedia). Well, today’s
media headlines state Cowboys football team owner, Jerry Jones, said he wants to see more research before he’s ‘willing to concede a causal link between football
and the brain disease of chronic traumatic encephalopathy’, or CTE!?! He said he doesn’t disagree but said he’d like to see more research before he can
‘categorically’ say that he believes a link has been proven. Interesting, is that the previous proposed settlement was thrown out by a judge saying it was inadequate
to deal with the expected number of claims!?! Now, after the prior proposed settlement, an owner is questioning whether such an issue really exists?!? Another
case of what’s ‘reality’?!? After they already proposed a HUGE settlement, now someone is questioning if the original argument was even valid... sadly, it’s becoming to sound ‘SO American’ to me - sigh!!! I suggest this is another HUGE example of the consequence of ‘neglect’!
To remind the reader, I see these situations as HUGE ‘macro model’ examples of the tragically, traditional ‘dysfunctional family’. These ‘issues’ most often become merely ‘tests’ to see who will fall in line with the family’s political ruling party, or who is considered the ‘enemy’ (and anyone not on the ruling party’s ‘side’
is considered an enemy... details to be sorted out later to justify their position or line in the sand for that day or issue, IF anyone remembers the original starting
issue after a round of drama and trauma). This is, again, all about boundaries!!! Pushing ‘buttons’ has become a national pastime (no longer limited to afternoon
soap operas)!?! Now we have night-time soap operas, under various hospital and police dramas, and the ever-running ‘reality shows’... While they can be entertaining, and even discover some amazing talents, I would question why there has to be only one ‘winner’???
On a global level, 138,280 migrants and refugees have arrived in Europe from Greece by sea, according to the U.N. refugee agency. At least 410 have died attempting to make the crossing by sea. It was reported that so far the European Union member nations have taken in just a few hundred of the 160,000 pledged last
September.
We’re all hearing about the crisis in Syria, too. According to the extensive summary on Wikipedia, on August 20, 2014, a new U.N. study concluded that at least
191,369 people have died in the Syrian conflict. The UN thereafter stopped collecting statistics, but a study by the Syrian Centre for Policy Research released in
February 2016 estimated the death toll at 470,000, with 1.9 million wounded (reaching a total of 11.5% of the entire population wounded or killed). The U.N.
estimates that 6.6 million people are internally displaced. When one also considers refugees, more than half of the country’s pre-war population of 23 million is in
need of urgent humanitarian assistance, whether they still remain in the country or have escaped across the borders.
Then, in a small ‘page two’ insert on ‘nation+world’ news, on March 21, 2016 the Detroit Free Press had a brief, four paragraph story titled: “WHO’S RUNNING THE COUNTRY? Political crisis leaves Brazilians reeling.” One, of the four paragraphs, read, “After overseeing nearly a decade of economic growth and
social gains for poor people, the ruling Workers’ Party appears helpless as Brazil plunges into economic and institutional collapse. During the last week, an array of
judicial actions, government reorganizations and media revelations have left it unclear who is governing the world’s fifth most populous nation.” It concluded yet
another nation’s population is calling for the removal of its president, and this country is including demands the former president be sent to prison...
While we renewed diplomatic relations with Cuba (after nearly 90 years!), within our so-called ‘United’ States, tensions are again rising between states ‘rights’
and Gay/LBGT ‘rights’. Florida, Virginia and North Carolina have all proposed/passed legislation that would allow/(promote?) legal discrimination against Gay/
LBGT individuals whenever an individual had a ‘strongly held religious belief’ against an individual’s lifestyle/behaviors (or suspected behaviors?). Some of this
legislation is even broader than only Gay/LBGT discrimination - anyone is potentially subject if in opposition to a person’s ‘strongly held religious belief’ about
anything - period?!? And, companies (like Disney’s film studios in Georgia) are stating they will leave states that have non-inclusive laws. The mayor of San Francisco has banned travel to these North Carolina because of their discrimination laws. Tragically, even after our Supreme Court weighed in on the basics of Gay/
LBGT rights (including marriage and its 1,000+ rights), individual states are finding ways to ‘work around’ this!?! How MANY more people will get caught in this
continuing ‘crossfire’, until it can once again be clarified that America does not allow such bullying of anyone?!? While they may be correct in challenging the
‘letter of the law’ (and get away with it for awhile longer), what about the ‘spirit of the laws’?!? Why does each ‘minority’ have to fight to gain the ‘rights’ of supposedly ‘everyone’ else??? Shifting gears slightly, the very successful Facebook computer company recently had a ‘very public’ tax restructuring in Britain, where it
decided to award bonuses of $396 MILLION to its U.K.-based staff over the next three years in a bid to offset the amount of tax it has to now pay the U.K Treasury
(and will list this as a taxable expense)!?!
[Our Modern Continued on the next page]
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[Our Modern continued from the previous page]
This, while a research report seen by Reuters new agency, ahead of publication, said the Ukraine “no longer has sufficient funds to finance the programs need to
properly protect the public...”. They said “this means the radiation exposure of people still living in the contaminated areas [near Chernobyl] is likely increasing”. What will be the costs to their citizens from this ‘neglect’, and the social, political, and economic ‘fallout’ that will spread far and wide? Will this, too, become a new ‘management-by-crisis’ model others say they need to adopt to be economically competitive??? Our own federal government reported last week that
20% of all federal loan borrowers for college loans have defaulted on their loans. That translates into $121 BILLION of loans in default. The data also shows 40%
of all student loan borrowers are not making any payments, resulting in some sort of forbearance, delinquency or default! What does this say about America’s
statement of the importance of education???
On the same page was a story of how a Metro Detroit county jail is getting a $202,000 full-body scanner to detect non-metallic items hidden under clothing of
people entering their jail!?! It went on to report there are 20 full-body security scanners in 17 facilities registered with the Michigan Occupational Safety and
Health Administration’s Radiation Safety Section, according to the state’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (how’s that for department headings,
which of course anyone would know to check out - again, humor intended). The article also detailed how some of the scanners used in Michigan lockups came
from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA check-points in airports) and were previously used to screen airline passengers. The scanners are among 251
units removed from service in 2013 because the manufacturer could not develop enhanced software to enable the units to comply with new FAA privacy requirements. The TSA had bought the units for nearly $42 MILLION. Perhaps, American consumers are not the only ones getting stuck with declining appliance
lifespans (humor, that we’re all paying for through our private incomes and tax dollars, too)?!?
The amount paid for the scanners (which then didn’t meet the new FAA standards) is almost the same amount as the nearly $50 MILLION Michigan’s state legislature just passed to simply keep Detroit’s public schools open until the end of this school year. Classrooms are still being closed due to teacher ‘sick-outs’, even
after 100’s of building code violations were finally reviewed by Detroit’s city inspectors (the initial cause of the teachers’ desperate actions to get attention to these
dangerous building problems) and the city had to enter into a ‘consent agreement’ to get the repairs done on the initial 26 schools. The school district has $3.5
BILLION in total debt! The 46,000 students had a 3% college-ready rate, based on the results of students who took the ACT test in 2015!?! They have been under
several state appointed managers for several years. Again, is anyone mind this educational ‘store’??? The Michigan legislature approved $1.2 MILLION to hire
multiple law firms to prepare the governor’s legal representation concerning the Flint lead poisoned water system crisis, at rates of $415 an hour for partners and
$285 an hour for associates!?! While stating he wants ‘transparency’ (since Michigan is just one of two states where the governor and other legislative bodies are
not subject to the Freedom of Information Act), his initial request for legal finance was $249,000 (just short of the $250,000 amount requiring approval by the
legislature)!?! This is in addition to the legal representation the governor is receiving through the office of the state Attorney General. They continue to state that
they don’t believe anything illegal was done by the governor...
NBCNews.com reported The Centers For Disease Control have told Congress of the emerging health threats coming to the U.S., like the Zika virus, and their
worries that letting the health systems in other countries fall apart will eventually cost American lives and even more money than prevention would. And they say
unless they're allowed to build up better surveillance systems, new diseases will continue to catch the world by surprise. House Democrats have sided with them.
"The money appropriated for the CDC to fight Ebola is meant to be spent over the next five years to build public health infrastructure and detect, prevent, and
respond to future outbreaks. We cannot abandon this fight simply because the threat appears to be diminished," said Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro. "Congress
must pass an emergency supplemental appropriations bill and help the CDC prepare for and respond to the Zika virus. Republicans need to put people above principle and give the CDC the resources needed to address Zika. There is absolutely no reason why we should limit ourselves to fighting one dangerous outbreak at a
time." said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, as she urged her fellow representatives to pass the measure before they went home for
two weeks. But Republicans say they can see more than $1 billion left over from the Ebola fight. They've also rejected requests from Democrats to fund Obama's
$1.1 billion ask for fighting opioid addiction and to help pay to clean up the lead-in-water crisis in Flint, Michigan. I suggest this is yet another tragic illustration of
Congress’ neglect being potentially as abusive as if they were aggressive passing hostile legislation. Again, in working with clients from dysfunctional families, I
point out my belief that neglect is just as painful as abuse (in the long run), in that it doesn’t supply the necessary requirements for people to feel ‘safe’, and equally
important, ‘happy’. Life can, and I believe should, be more there merely ‘surviving’, and especially more than simply ‘one day at a time’!!! I would remind readers that, perhaps, people need to learn the importance of the concepts of ‘cooperation’ and ‘negotiation’ (and in good faith!), rather than our current models of
‘competition’ and ‘power and control’ (so often taught to us by our dysfunctional families, cultures and centuries of war...). We can do this!!!
In conclusion, IF the ‘craziness’ of our current trends continue, perhaps, a useful question might be, ‘Is this the unraveling or possibly the reweaving of society as
we know it’ ??? I proposed this as a short motivational writing back in 1998 (available in my online book, “Stopping The Madness” at Amazon.com). I’m still
‘hoping for the best’, even while being heavily distracted with our current and increasing neglect and lack of ‘planning for the worst’, just in case - smile.
..............................................
Dale ‘Butch’ Ross, msw (Licensed Social Worker/Counselor/Therapist) Private Practice, founded 1985, 206 Americana Plaza, 28475 Green eld Rd, South eld, MI
48076, (248) 544-7041. Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CAADC). His online book on men’s, Gay/ LBGT and Leather/Kink issues, “Stopping The Madness” is available at Amazon.com (click ‘look inside’ for contents and sample articles, cost - $6), he was a founding member of the Leather
Institute For Education (LIFEDetroit.org) and is a board member of the Michigan Band of Brothers Leather Community titleholders group (see Facebook). Dale has
ad- dressed Men’s, HIV/AIDS and Gay/LGBT issues for three+ decades. He created and taught two of the first graduate courses on the issues of Gay/LGBT clients
for seven years for the Wayne State University School of Social Work in Detroit, MI (where he always included a section on Leather/ Kink); served on four HIV/
AIDS speakers bureaus; was a member of the Board of Directors of the former Michigan Alcohol & Addiction Association; President of the Southeastern Michigan
Information and Referral Alliance; first President of Wellness House of Michigan (alternative housing for persons with AIDS); helped establish Wellness Networks,
Inc. (education, referral and coordination of HIV/ AIDS, now a division of the non-pro t state- wide organization AIDS Partnership of Michigan); and was a
“therapist”, and consultant, to a five-city syndicated television news segment on relationships. During his personal time, Dale enjoys antiques and new art with his
Spouse, Ron, for the last 37 years (Dale having been an antique dealer for eight years and Ron now owning his own antiques and new paintings gallery, The Golden
Fig, in Birmingham, MI), and participating within the newly emerging International Leather Community... a rather full and passionate life thus far.
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