- Third Coast Press

The purpose of life is a life of purpose. ~Robert Byrne
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continued on page 10
R
November 2004 :: Volume I :: Issue 11
‘04 ELECTION GUIDE
FROM THE CHICAGO LEAGUE
OF PISSED OFF VOTERS
What About All These Other Offices?
By the time you see this, November 2 may have
long passed. If not, you probably know where
your vote is going for the President of the United
States and Senator from Illinois”. But the Clerk
of the Circuit Court? You might have no idea.
Read our progressively oriented guide.
.....................................................page 3
To Form a More Perfect Union
Like its national counterpart, the local
Teamsters 743 union has long been widely
considered corrupt, crime-ridden, and indifferent to the workers. But a reform slate is
working to change that. The most recent election was filled with allegations of incumbent
voter fraud, but the reformers eked out an
apparent victory…which has led the current
leaders to call for another vote.
.....................................................page 8
WAL#SUCK
Wal-Mart Revisited
In our fifth issue, Third Coast Press reported
that the world’s largest retailer was considering bringing two stores—along with low
wages and loss of local businesses—to
Chicago. At the time, many community
members and politicians were opposed to it,
and it was unknown whether they’d be able to
come in. Six months later, little has changed.
It’s hard to keep track of it all, but Laura
Crossett has done just that.
...................................................page 20
You Can Power Your
House With THAT?
To many, it has become apparent that our
dependence on oil, coal, and nuclear power is
unsustainable. Some call for us to shift to such
energy sources as wind, water, and the sun.
But one Illinois farmer is going to help supply
power of an entirely different type. Hint: it
comes from…a cow.
...................................................page 20
The Public Waves
This issue, we have a couple of updates from
TCP media expert Mitchell Szczepanczyk. He
offers some good news about CAN TV,
Chicago’s public access TV stations. And he
warns us of some recent questionable decisions
that the Cable Commission has made.
.....................................................page 6
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE
Opening Thoughts...............................page 2
Word on the Street ............................page 3
Gripes & Grins ................................page 4
Progressive Breakdown .....................page 5
CCC Teachers’s Srike ...........................page 7
Food Not Bombs................................page 9
THONG ..............................................page 14
Remembering Mathew Shepard ................page 14
Alter-Thanksgiving .............................page 15
Reviews.......................................pages 16–17
Space-Time Continuum .........................page 17
Zine Scene ..........................................page 18
Ask RaceMan ........................................page 19
Kudra’s Kiss........................................page 19
Smart People Read ..............................page 20
Events Calendar..............................pages 22–23
Virtual Chicago......................................page 23
2004
Opening Thoughts
WE GOT A
LETTER!
RIK ADAMSKI Editor-in-Chief
Welcome to the eleventh issue of Third Coast Press. believe that the government’s current (about seven months ago, I spoke to
son
, Alex a
n d ri a K a l
t
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ns Ph
in a
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Distribution
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Re
py Editor: Marc R
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ryan A. Bush
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Third Coast Press • P.O. Box 577595 • Chicago, Illinois 60657 • 773/525-6730 • [email protected]
we T
ll
rite
W
ob
Ku
ac
, Nich
an L
Aaron Block
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,
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aphy Edito
r:
dra
r s : Ke i d r a C
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Kate
son,
p
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rina Pris
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ura C ross e
d o r f, Kari L
McCune,
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Anna Poplawsk a, Ada m R
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Fletcher
Hayes’
work
can
be
found
at
fletcherhayes.com. The Health in the Arts clinic gallery is found
at University of Illinois Great Lakes Health Center, 835 S.
Wolcott, Room #E144, in Chicago; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,
Friday, 8:30 AM–4 PM, Wednesday, 8:30 AM–3 PM.
nc
ws a n d
y Ne
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z
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es
end
o r f,
or:
Edit Lis a A s h k
s
re
atu
Fletcher,
As the Editor-in-Chief, I agree that we should have thought
to make sure to properly credit the paintings. It is crucial to our
mission to support local artists. We greatly apologize for the
omission.
—Rik Adamski
, Jennifer
Ro
oberts
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y
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B
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ru ,
J
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the
r D e w ar, Al a
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Very truly yours,
Fletcher Hayes
sa
llus
nd I tra
s Pho
a
ac
nis t s a
an
In your September issue, I was pleased to see the
great write-up on my friend Carrie Iverson’s Façade
Project at the Chicago Printmakers’ Collaborative.
Moments later, I was also delighted to find photos of
my own paintings, accompanying the article on the
Health in the Arts Clinic at the UIC Medical Center.
But my joy turned bittersweet, when I discovered
that there was no artist’s credit given to my artwork.
A simple “Three paintings by Fletcher Hayes” would
have been appropriate.
I am surprised that neither the writer nor the editor
thought to ask, “Whose paintings are we showing?”
Artists go to great expense to get their paintings “out
there” for the public to see. We appreciate any
publicity that results.
By the way, don’t miss the current exhibition at the
clinic’s gallery, of drawings and paintings by Laura
Coyle.
a
itchell Szcze p
ers, M
Som
eth
,B
too
e
sI v
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r
ger: K
na
a t io n M a
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We
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r:
ifth Horsem
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Th
Rik Adamsk
f:
i
o
gr
Lo
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huey
ant
s: E
mi
ly
i g ner: David
a n d C ir c
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es
LETTER TO THE EDITOR, OCT 11
Big Shoe, By Garth Liebhaber
. Keller, Nichola
p h ic D
w e so
m
tG
ra
TCPSTAFF
someone from downstate Illinois who said
he had never heard anybody say they were
against the war in Iraq). Not everyone is a
wonk who has been reading progressive
perspectives for the last four years. Not
everyone even knows what our arguments
are.
If we can get a fair hearing for our ideas,
I am almost positive we will gain far greater
popular support than we have now. After
all, if I didn’t think we were basically
correct, I wouldn’t be publishing this newspaper. But, at the very least, if we can work
in greater mutual respect, we can understand that most ordinary people on both
sides ultimately want the same things for
our country—freedom, safety, democracy,
justice, et cetera—even if we disagree as to
how to obtain these things. Anybody who
sincerely and passionately wishes the best
for our country and our planet should be
considered our friend. That doesn’t mean
that we shouldn’t fight for what we believe
is right. It doesn’t even mean that we might
not consider many to be grossly misguided.
But it does mean that we are fighting for
them, as well. We don’t care if a soldier who
dies in Iraq believed in his or her mission,
nor do we ask about the politics of an Iraqi
civilian who was killed by our bombs. It
doesn’t matter. We have lost a friend.
So, you’ve read my prodding of The
Movement this issue. I’m sure I will get
some e-mails from people who don’t like
this perspective, but that, too, is part of
democracy. Remember: I believe the movement we are creating now is the hope of this
planet. It is said that the people, united, will
never be defeated. But it is also said that a
house divided against itself cannot stand. 3
li s o
id
n
D
o
rr, Dorina Prisacaru, Adeline S
actions have amounted to a loss for our
country and a victory for our enemies. But
we must control that impulse if we want to
be what we should be.
The Left, at its best, has stood for
compassion, inclusiveness, and tolerance
for all people. If we stand for that, people
will naturally want to join us. If we do
not stand for that, we stand for nothing.
Perhaps, we can try to (stop me if I’m
committing heresy here) reach out to work
with each other, regardless of political persuasion, to come up with solutions to the problems that all Americans face. Some have
pointed out that many people on the Right
are too stubborn to listen to reason. Some
are, although it could be pointed out that
the Right Wing doesn’t have a monopoly on
that particular brand of stubbornness. But
there are millions of Bush voters who are
disgusted by what is happening to our
country. They may think he’s the lesser of
two evils, but they know he’s taking us in a
profoundly wrong direction. There is no
reason that such people couldn’t join us in
helping to take our country back, so long as
they know that their opinions will be
respected. That’s called democracy.
I’ll do a bit of self-criticism here. When I
am discussing politics with someone with
whom I have serious disagreements, my
goal is usually to beat them. I want to prove
them wrong. As they are speaking, I am
preparing my response. Do I really listen to
their concerns? Do I try to have compassion
toward their fears? Do I evaluate their arguments, trying to fully understand where
they are coming from? If someone says “I
am proud that my country is working to
bring freedom around the world,” do I
think, “I’m glad that this person values the
freedom of other people, even if we disagree
whether the government’s current action
will result in such freedom”? No, not
usually. I usually want to slam my perspective in their faces, to make them believe they
are painfully and dangerously wrong.
And do they listen to me? Of course
not. If my only goal is to argue, then the
person I’m speaking to will probably
only want to argue. If I want to prove
someone wrong, they will want to prove
me wrong. If I don’t want to assume,
until proven wrong, that the person I’m
speaking to is well intentioned, why
should they assume that I am?
I believe the vast majority of Americans
have a common ground from which we
could start meaningful discussions. Most of
us want to live in a better society and help
the people of the world. Many of the people
who support what is happening in this
country are looking at different information
and starting with different assumptions
If you’re reading this after November
2, there’s an elephant in the living room.
There’s been an election.
As of this printing, I have no way of
knowing who will win. But I do know a few
things. No matter who wins, The
Movement must not die, the work that has
accelerated over the last few years must not
end. No matter who wins, this country will
likely enter even more difficult times. No
matter who wins, I believe in the people and
our power to take back our government. I
am not suggesting that it does not matter
who wins; I think it does. But what matters
even more is that we do not quit fighting,
either out of a sense of victory or a sense of
despair. This election is a major battle, but it
will not necessarily dictate the future of our
country. That is up to we, the people.
So, where do we go from here, wherever
“here” might be? There are many answers
to the question, but I want to give you my
opinion on one specific element. Obviously,
we live in a very politically polarized nation.
Some say we are in a “Cold Civil War,” a
Civil War, fought (generally) without
violence, between the conservative/Right
and liberal/Left factions of our country.
I believe these election results—whatever
they may be—may very well further separate us. This will be perceived as a massive
win for a large section of our society and a
huge loss for another. There is a widespread
perception by both sides that our very lives
hinge on these election results. When they
come in, many people on both sides may
very well become extremely nasty.
I ask you to remember this. When
powerful bodies are doing something
that is against the best interests of their
constituents, they like to “divide and
conquer.” If you can keep people fighting
each other, they won’t be opposed to the
people who are really screwing them.
What the government is doing right
now is in the interests of almost nobody of
any political persuasion. Various factions
of powerful people would love for us to
believe that ordinary Republican or
conservative Americans are the enemy of
the Left. That is a lie.
The vast bulk of Republicans (unlike
most leaders of either party) are well-intentioned people doing what they believe to be
best for the country and the world.They are
our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons,
daughters, neighbors, and friends. Don’t get
me wrong; I strongly disagree with their
view of the world. But we are greatly
misguided if we deal with political disagreements by yelling, by harassing people, by
falling into hatred, by assuming all who
oppose us are all “brainwashed idiots.” It is
easy to do, particularly for those of us who
a,
November
r
::
og
Press
ap
Coast
:A
Third
her
s
2
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
3
CHICAGO League of Pissed Off Voters presents...
NOVEMBER 2, 2004 ELECTION
VOTER GUIDE
www.IndyVoter.org
WE ARE...
10% of the unemployed, 50% of the uninsured, 80% of the soldiers in Iraq, 95% of the students averaging $20,000 in college debt
AND WE ARE PISSED OFF!! WE ARE 18– TO 35–YEAR–OLDS AND WE ARE THE LEAST LIKELY TO VOTE.
CHICAGO CONTESTED RACES ONLY:
These aren’t all the races you’ll find on the ballot! Make sure you know ALL the offices that you will
be voting for. VOTE OUR SLATE and we can hold these candidates accountable after the election.
LEAGUE ENDORSEMENT SLATE
U.S. PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT
John Kerry/John Edwards (D)
Yikes! We’ve gotta fix this broken two-party system! Vote for affordable
healthcare, reproductive rights, funding for education and affordable
housing, and tax increases for the über-rich, not for working families.
U.S. SENATE (IL)
Barack Obama (D)
More access to education and affordable health care, tax relief for
workin’ people and not large corporations
U.S. CONGRESS
1st district: Bobby L. Rush (D)
Better health care options in underserved communities, teacher
development grants
2nd district: Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D)
He’s fought for more jobs and affordable housing on the South Side
4th district: Luis V. Gutierrez (D
Our strongest representative for immigrant rights
6th district: Christine Cegelis (D)
Supports single-payer universal healthcare, opposes the war in Iraq
7th district: Danny Davis (D)
Single payer healthcare, living wage, training for displaced
workers and ex-offenders
9th district: Jan D. Schakowsky (D)
Supports books over bombs, universal healthcare
CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY
Keeper of all the judicial records of the Cook County Circuit Court
Dorothy Brown: Increased public accessibility to court records and information
JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, COOK COUNTY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,
SALYERS VACANCY
Michelle Jordan: Environmental advocate and community activist
RETAIN JUDGES, VOTE YES
Appelate, 1st district:
Thomas Hoffman, Sheila O’Brien, Mary Jane Wendt Theis
Cook County Circuit:
Nancy J. Arnold
Richard B. Berland
Jennifer Duncan Brice
Charles Patrick Burns
Bernetta Bush
David Delgado
Deborah Dooling
Tomothy Evans
Thomas P. Fecarotta, Jr.
Susan Ruscitti Grussel
Sophia H. Hall
Laquieta J. Hardy-Campbell
Nathaniel R. Howse, Jr.
Arnetta R. Hubbard
Cheryl D. Ingram
Dorothy Kirie Kinnaird
Bertina E. Lampkin
Diane Joan Larsen
Daniel Michael Locallo
James Patrick McCarthy
Patrick E. McGann
John J. Moran
Dennis James Morrissey
Michael James Murphy
William Patrick O'Malley
Kathleen Mary Pantle
Irwin J. Solganick
Paul Stralka
Daniel J. Sullivan
Sharon Marie Sullivan
Edna M. Turkington
Dan Weber
Alexander Patrick White
RETAIN JUDGES, VOTE NO
IL STATE SENATE
No endorsements: No candidates support all of our issues.
Cook County Circuit: Richard J. Billik, Jr, NO
Susan Jeanine McDunn, NO
REFERENDA: VOTE YES
IL STATE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
5th district: Ken Dunkin (D): Extended funding for after school programs
8th district: Julie Samuels (Green): Activist for community-based development
and support for schools
11th district: John A. Fritchey (D): Sponsor of IL Civil Rights Act, to prevent
discrimination in local government programs
12th district: Sara Feigenholtz (D): Affordable healthcare for women and children,
increased funding for local schools
16th district: Louis Lang (D): Strong advocate for women’s rights, increased
tuition assistance to students
18th district: Julie Hamos (D): More access to reproductive healthcare,
affordable housing, better mass transit
Treatment On Demand: Shall IL state government provide adequate funding for
comprehensive and appropriate substance abuse treatment for any IL state
resident requesting service from a licensed-providing community-based
organization or medical care facility within the state?
Find your polling place: www.chicagoelections.com, 312-269-7900
Your ass was turned away from the polls?
You have rights!
www.pfaw.org or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE
Get in on the revolution! Sign our guide, get our guide online: indyvoter.org
40th district: Richard Bradley (D): Supports increased funding for higher education
I pledge to vote the Pissed Off Voters Slate
65th district: Richard Tashman (D): Supports access to reproductive healthcare
I will hand out this slate to all my friends
I want to get involved!
METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT
Protects the water quality of Lake Michigan (Our drinking water!)
Send info below to [email protected]:
Patricia Young: Against the privatization of the Chicago River
Name:
Barbara McGowan: Strong advocate for companies owned by women and
people of color
E-mail:
Gloria Alitto Majewski: Supports reduction of energy consumption
Paid for by the League of Independent Voters PAC. Not paid for by any candidate or candidate’s
committee. www.IndyVoter.org. 226 W. 135th Street, New York, NY 10030
Phone:
4
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
WORDon the street
By Kate Weinans, Photos by Adeline Sides
THIS MONTH’S POLL QUESTION
Are you planning on voting in the upcoming election? Why or why not?
Sports Pains
The Greatest Injuries of the Fourth Estate
Illustration and Story by Marc R. Keller
lexander Hamilton once said that those
who stand for nothing fall for anything.
Truer words have rarely been spoken,
especially when one is lamentably insulted on
a daily basis.
Every time we thumb through newspaper
sports sections or listen to sports talk radio
programs, we’re treated to the ill-mannered,
sycophantic rhetoric of sports columnists and
“shock-jocks” who insult our intelligence.
Whether it’s featured in print or transmitted
via satellite, the yellow (journalistic) plague
continues to spread throughout the fourth
estate by these sports pains. They condescendingly solicit misleading views of sports issues
and insult teams, players, management, and
even fans for a cheap, “info-taining” thrill.
Well, they’re not sports experts; they’re merely
overpaid servants of unrelenting media entities. Their nonsensical rhetoric might be
protected by the First Amendment, but
forcing us to conform to it isn’t.
Thanks to these corruptors of the fourth
estate’s integrity, we’ve believed for nearly 60
years that the infamous billy goat curse kept
the Cubs away from the World Series. It’s
possible that the Wrigley family bribed media
entities to perpetuate this particular lie. But
unless that goat worked for P. K. Wrigley, the
Cubs ruined their postseason opportunities
because of poor personnel decisions, their
inability to develop competent minor-league
talent, and their incessant frugality. They’ve
relied upon injury-prone veterans for productivity—and they always will, no matter who
owns the franchise. I’d sooner believe in a
third NBA comeback for Michael Jordan than
fault a harmless goat for the Cubs’ failures.
The misguided loyalty of these sports
jokes isn’t without its share of fan controversy. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay
Mariotti regularly bashes players and teams
if they don’t meet his expectations. As a “fan
of sports,” he has ripped the Cubs all season
long because they failed to capitalize upon
their early Central Division lead. Well, the
Cubs suffered numerous injuries and still
finished above .500 this year—but this arrogant fair-weather fan couldn’t care less! And
speaking of fan-bashing, Bears fans know a
A
Yes, I am going to vote. I just got custody of my
daughter and I want a good next four years.
~Willie W., Bronzeville
Yes. The last [presidential] election was proof
of the importance of voting. We can’t invoke
change otherwise.
~Allison C., St. Ben’s/Lakeview
Yes. I want a presidential candidate that will be
open to international, and universal, bodies of
government. It’s important to insure the aliens
have a safe place to live when they land.
~Alison M., Bucktown
Absolutely. If we want a world leader to do
the things the public asks, it’s important to
register our votes.
~Kevin P., Wrigleyville
Yes. Because I always vote and it’s especially
important this year! A second Bush term would
be totally catastrophic. If Bush is re-elected,
we’re fucked.
~David S., Edgewater
Yes. I’ve voted in every single election since I
was 18 and not just the presidential elections.
You vote. It’s what you do. It’s actually even
more important to vote in the local school
council (LSC) and aldermanic elections,
because that’s the level where people start
their careers before they work their way up to
being in the major offices.
~Eddie W., Humboldt Park
Yes. It’s my right to vote. I’m tired of people
saying it’s not worth it. It’s my opinion and my
right to vote.
~Leo E.. Clearing
Yes. If you don’t use the ways you’re given, you
can’t complain. If you take part in the system,
then you have a right to criticize.
~Rebecca B., Logan Square
Yes, I’m voting, that’s correct. Because I want
to be a part of the democratic process.
~Abraham K., South Side…Burnside
Yes. I am undecided right now, but it’s my duty.
I’m not a believer in the two-party system, but I
can’t sit around and complain if I haven’t even
voted. Shut your mouth if you don’t vote.
~Mark S., Logan Square
Most definitely. I believe there should be
drastic changes and at the very least, it’s
important to exercise our rights. After the 2000
election, I realize we have to.
~Ronald C., West Humboldt Park
Yes. It’s the only means of exercising my
opinion about what’s happening on the planet.
~Fender T., Edgewater
Yes, of course. I’m a hard-core Republican and
a devout Roman Catholic. I’m an avid supporter
of George Bush because he has core values. In
a time of war, it’s important for a leader to
have strong, core values.
~James K., Bartlett, IL
Yes, I’m voting. It’s important to the country
and our future.
~Rachel F., Edgewater
Yes. It’s important for the survival of democracy. It’s the essence of democracy to be
informed and exercise our rights.
~Abe S., Edgewater
Blend in the Clowns
1. Dan Roan
2. Mark Giangreco
3. Dan Jiggetts
4. Carol Slezak
5. Mike Adamle
6. Corey McPherinn
7. Jim Rose
8. Mike Downey
9. Mike North
10. Hub Arkush
11. Greg Couch
12. Jay Mariotti
13. Rick Morrissey
14. Rick Telander
15. Elliott Harris
They’re not sports experts; they’re merely overpaid
servants of unrelenting media entities.
true adversary exists in WBBM Newsradio
780 Bears game analyst Hub Arkush. He
“steadfastly” slams fans who criticize Bears
players, personnel, et cetera, after each game,
depriving them their right to speak candidly
about the team they enjoy following. No
matter what he says, he’s never wrong.
Welcome to Chicago, comrades!
These sports pains dismiss the meaning of a
post-high school education. In May 2001, SunTimes columnist Rick Telander wrote a
column slamming Toronto Raptors phenom
Vince Carter because the latter decided to
claim his bachelor’s degree at a University of
North Carolina graduation ceremony, instead
of preparing for a crucial playoff game against
the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite Carter’s offcourt accomplishment that day, Telander
labeled his actions as self-serving. Why?
Because Carter stretched his college education
to its absolute limits? Of course! It’s ironic that
Telander, a Northwestern University alumnus,
idiotically dismissed the actual value of an
education with his comments. However, by
appearing at that particular ceremony, Carter
promoted the importance of an education
more than any NBA “Stay-in-School”
commercial—and I explained this to Telander
through an editorial letter. It was never printed
most likely because it challenged the SunTimes’ journalistic “integrity.” Now would we
really want more journalistic chaos?
These sports jokes should exercise more
social responsibility. They should realize that
their audiences aren’t just middle-aged, bluecollar males. The Sun-Times’ Elliott Harris
enjoys objectifying women in his Quick Hits
column, instead of recognizing their athletic
prowess. He regularly features close-up shots
of the buttocks, cleavage, et cetera, of female
athletes (such as tennis star Maria Sharapova),
and considers them sports-worthy. If I want to
view such gratuitous nonsense, I’ll read the
latest Maxim. The same chauvinistic refuse is
expressed by WSCR (670AM) mainstay Mike
North. Aside from his usual homophobic and
racial comments, he compromises his social
dignity by continuously referring to women as
“chicks” or “honey.” He even slammed, in a
recent Chicago Tonight interview, Los Angeles
Dodgers infielder Shawn Green because the
latter decided to observe the Jewish holiday of
Yom Kippur. What’s the problem? The First
Amendment entitles Green that benefit and it
always will.
Would these “info-tainers” feel lessened if
they acknowledged the sports universe’s
brighter side? In an era plagued by steroid
usage and selfishness, there are still sports
personalities involved in philanthropic efforts.
The Houston Rockets’ Dikembe Mutombo
helps build hospitals and schools in his native
Congo through the Dikembe Mutombo
Foundation. Chicago Bulls Chairman Jerry
Reinsdorf makes similar contributions.
Despite his poor public relations reputation,
he graciously donates money to various charities and raises funds for cancer research,
youth, and senior programs, earning him
numerous honors, including the Order of
Lincoln Award. I’d rather read about these
selfless heroes than selfish zeroes.
A highly popular superhero once said that
with great power comes great responsibility.
Unfortunately, these hopeless sports media
figures won’t recognize theirs anytime soon. 3
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November
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5
PROGRESSIVE BREAKDOWN
Yes, He Really Said That
Spotlight on Pat Robertson
“Homosexuals want to come into churches and disrupt church services and throw blood all around and try to give people AIDS and spit
in the face of ministers.”
ADAM’S RUST by Adam Rust
—The 700 Club, January 18, 1995
“I know this is painful for the ladies to hear, but if you get
married, you have accepted the headship of a man, your
husband. Christ is the head of the household and the husband
is the head of the wife, and that’s the way it is, period.”
—The 700 Club, Januaruy 8, 1992
“Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now
doing to the evangelical Christians. It’s no different. It is the same thing.
It is happening all over again.”
—Interview with Molly Ivins, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, September 14, 1993
“NOW is saying that in order to be a woman, you’ve got
to be a lesbian.”
—The 700 Club, December 3, 1997
“If anybody understood what Hindus really believe, there would be no
doubt that they have no business administering government policies in a
country that favors freedom and equality.”
MENTAL BLOCKED by Aaron Block
—The New World Order, page 219
“The Constitution of the United States, for instance, is a
marvelous document for self-government by the Christian
people. But the minute you turn the document into the
hands of non-Christian people and atheistic people, they
can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society. And
that’s what’s been happening.”
—The 700 Club, December 30, 1981
“(Planned Parenthood) is teaching kids to fornicate, teaching people to
have adultery, every kind of bestiality, homosexuality, lesbianism—
everything that the Bible condemns.”
—The 700 Club, April 9, 1991
Grand Canyon 84/92/99/04
By Tim Campell
SLAVE RIOT
Pine.
Thick and crisp in the nose.
The scent drags me to the precipice,
Then halts me all wide-eyed and nervous.
Here I stand breathing dizzy deep.
For the fourth time.
John Weber’s Under the Bridge Dictionary
BUCCANEER: The price of corn
Déjà vu: A comic from Gulf War I
6
Third
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November
2004
Chicago Cable Stories
Good News, Bad News
By Mitchell Szczepanczyk
If you live in Chicago and watch cable TV, you’ll want to know the details of
two recent developments regarding Chicago-area cable television—one positive, the other less so.
Victory in CAN TV funding efforts events brought choppy waters to smooth with a packed house, I got the chance to commission didn’t allow him to speak under
CAN TV is the fleet of public access cable
television channels servicing the Chicago
community. As Third Coast Press reported
throughout the past year, CAN TV spent 2004
in a series of funding struggles. In 2003, due to
a temporary freeze on RCN’s operation in two
cable areas, CAN TV’s cable funding dropped
by $630,000. In 2004, RCN defaulted on an
additional area, putting at risk another
$315,000. RCN officially petitioned the city to
get out of its payment obligations to CAN TV
in three out of four cable areas.
After the 2004 RCN default, the community responded with tremendous support of
CAN TV, and the backlash against RCN was
swift. Within two months, the Chicago Cable
Commission approved resolutions decrying
the default and levying a series of recordsetting fines. RCN responded to all of the
above by filing for bankruptcy, thus avoiding
the worst of the fines for the time being.
sailing. First, two Aldermen (Ed Burke and
William Beavers) torpedoed the vote with a
procedure called “Delay and Publish,” which
delayed the ordinance one final time. Then,
Mayor Daley came out publicly against the
ordinance; most of the time, his word means
life or death to any possible ordinances.
But Stone didn’t give up on this ordinance
and neither did the community. The hard work
paid off, as both Alderman Stone and Mayor
Daley brought a variant of the ordinance to the
September 29 Chicago City Council. This new
ordinance would provide 5 percent of the city’s
cable franchise fee to CAN TV and is expected
to be approved this month.
This ordinance serves to stave off the immediate funding problems, but other long-term
problems remain. For one, RCN (ever the
deadbeat) owes about $1.3 million in assorted
debts to CAN TV. For another, there are key
issues to wrestle with about how CAN TV is
address the commission in person and speak
my mind to my full satisfaction.
But not anymore. If you wish to address the
commission personally, and you aren’t an
employee of one of the major Chicago cable
providers, you must:
A. Submit your comments in writing before
the meeting begins.
B. Restrict your testimony to a maximum of
two minutes (unless the Commission chair
says otherwise, at his or her discretion,
under no specified rules for outlining
discretion).
What’s more, a comment can still be ignored
if the chair thinks that they are redundant or
irrelevant. No guidelines are given as to what
qualifies as “redundant” or “irrelevant.”
In the August 2004 commission meeting I
attended, I heard Commissioner Avis Lavelle
these new rules, and he wasn’t aware that he
had to deliver a request to speak in advance.
Moreover, because public comment is relegated to the end of the meeting, he had to sit
through the entire meeting before finding out
he would not be permitted to speak.
By the way, I had written in a comment of my
own to the commission shortly after the hearing.
The cable commission didn’t read it and
responded publicly by saying they had not
received any formal request for public comment.
At best, this might be seen as an overly strict
response to an extraordinary series of circumstances. At worst, it could be interpreted as
discriminatory to people who wish to testify but
are housebound and can’t attend, and is especially
burdensome to people who have poor language or
writing skills. Such a response certainly seems
counter to the duties set out for this commission
by the city’s Cable Ordinance, which includes
resolving problems brought to it by the public.
The hole in RCN’s wallet meant that CAN TV would likely find itself without expected funds and would be
forced to lay off staff and cut back services unless a way to raise the necessary cash could be found, and quickly.
But the hole in RCN’s wallet meant that
CAN TV would likely find itself without
expected funds and would be forced to lay off
staff and cut back services unless a way to raise
the necessary cash could be found, and quickly.
Then, Chicago Alderman Bernard Stone
entered the fray. On May 5, Stone proposed an
ordinance before the Chicago City Council that
would award 20 percent of the city’s cable franchise fee—more than $2 million—to CAN TV
to help fill the RCN gap.
The ordinance wound its way through the
Garden of Forking Paths that comprises
Chicago politics. It faced the City’s
Committee on Finance, winning unanimous
approval on June 18. The hope was that the
ordinance could come to a City Council vote
within a week. But the ordinance was delayed
until the fall for the purpose of exploring alternate funding possibilities.
No other possibilities were forthcoming.
But there was strong support for the ordinance in City Council, and an ordinance vote
was scheduled for September 1. Still, two
currently funded. The funding structure
assumes a competitive cable market in
Chicago, but the Chicago cable market is
headed in a monopoly direction. The
Stone/Daley ordinance helps for the time
being, but additional efforts will likely be
needed, lest the RCN debacle recur. Stay
tuned, true believers.
For additional information or to learn how
you can help, contact CAN TV at 312/7381400 or visit cantv.org.
Is the Chicago Cable Commission
snubbing the public?
In less positive news, we go to the Chicago
Cable Commission, the city-appointed body
for handling matters involving the city’s cable
TV system. The commission holds monthly
meetings in the basement of the Harold
Washington Library Center in downtown
Chicago. In January 2004, I attended a
commission meeting the day after RCN
defaulted on its CAN TV payment. Despite
arriving at the meeting 20 minutes late and
state the rationale for the rule change as being
“reasons of efficiency and beyond.” She specifically indicated that when five or 10 or 15
people want to testify, it can cause meetings to
be overly long and inefficient.
This might have been a reasonable argument when the RCN debacle erupted, when
you had not just 15 but hundreds of people
delivering similar comments (“Save CAN
TV”). But under most circumstances, very few
people come to these meetings, and fewer still
testify. And it’s not the same story being told
each time, even if the moral of each story is the
same. One just might learn something by
listening; I certainly did, by listening to
comments from teachers, attorneys, area filmmakers, and fellow activists. Why restrict
comment, particularly for those who have to
take time off from work (since meetings are
usually held on Tuesday mornings) to attend?
At the August 2004 meeting, there was one
gentleman in attendance who eager to address
the commission—with what, I do not know. I
didn’t hear what he had to say, because the
If you wish to contact the cable commission
on this issue (and it might be wise to do so
before your cable goes down or starts behaving
funny), you can contact them at 312/744-4052
or e-mail at [email protected].
UPDATE
I spoke with Jim McVane, the Deputy
Commissioner at the Department of Consumer
Services. It turns out that my comments weren’t
snubbed, just delayed from reaching the cable
commissioners due to some organizational
restructuring. Mr. McVane also described the
aforementioned meeting changes as guidelines to
help ensure smoother proceedings at commission
meetings. I agreed that smoother proceedings
were worth pursuing, but expressed my concern
that the guideline might be regimented into a
rule that might exclude legitimate public grievances. Mr. McVane said that he saw no evidence
of the likelihood of that happening. I responded
by saying that I hoped he was right, but I would
err on the side of caution until I can see evidence
otherwise. Time will tell. 3
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November
2004
7
Chicago City College Teachers on Strike!
Captions and Story by Garth Liebhaber
On Tuesday morning, October 19th, more than 500 City Colleges of Chicago teachers took to
the picket line after reaching a dead end with the administration. Members of Local 1600 cited
core issues, including a 400 percent increase in healthcare costs, increased class sizes, increased
work loads of more classes, and other management take-backs.
There has been very
strong student support
for the teachers, with
few crossing the picket
lines. This is contrary
to the administration’s
insistence that all
students must be in
class, despite laws stipulating that students can
not be academically
punished when unionized teachers strike.
As this issue
of Third Coast Press
went to press, the
City College
teachers are
still on strike with
the administration
refusing to come
back to the table.
City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Wayne Watson showed up for the cameras at the
student-organized rally on Thursday, October 21 on the green in front of County Hospital.
Watson made a call for the Teachers Union to come back to the table. However, Union
President Perry Buckley countered that the administrations’s unwillingness to negotiate led to
the strike. Buckley also stated he had not been contacted by either college administrators or
the federal negotiator about returning to talks.
Dr. Jafri, of Malcolm X Biology and
Macrobiology, has worked in the City Colleges
12 years.
Yvonne Harris, Chair of the Biology
Department, has taught at Truman College
for seven years.
For continuing updates and events, please check
CCTU.com and Chicago.Indymedia.org.
8
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
Cleaning Up the Union’s Dirty Tricks
Workers Fight Corruption in Teamsters Local 743 Election
By Kari Lydersen, Photo Courtesy of Joe Iosbaker
s the labor union representing workers at Silver Capital
Corporation’s mirror factory in Bedford Park, the leadership of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Local 743 was supposed to fight for the workers’ rights.
Specifically, it was their job to oppose the sudden,
massive lay-offs, with few severance benefits, that the
company proposed this summer.
A
Instead, many of the mostly-immigrant
workers at Silver Capital believe the leadership
of the union, which is one of the largest
Teamsters locals in the country, cooperated
with the Silver Capital owners and left the
employees out to dry.
Marcela Garcia, one of about 175 workers
who were laid off from Silver Capital in
September, decided to take matters into her
own hands. Garcia ran for office in Teamsters
Local 743, in the election cycle that ended
October 16. She was part of the seven-person
“New Leadership Slate” (NLS), which ran
against the seven incumbent office-holders.
The slate also included workers from the
University of Chicago, Provident Hospital, and
due to the high population of undocumented
immigrant members. These ballots are returned
to a specific P.O. Box for undeliverable ballots.
But, NLS supporters charge, Local 743 officials
took the undeliverable ballots and falsified votes
on them—for themselves—both in the last election and in this one.
Berg, a housekeeper at the University of
Chicago, noted NLS sent a mailing to the same
list of addresses that the local administration
used for sending ballots, on the same day they
sent them. When Berg and other NLS
supporters went to the post office on September
29, they had 295 pieces of mail returned, while
there were only 58 returned ballots in the election P.O. Box. On October 4, the NLS
“They’re corrupt. They don’t do anything for the
members of the union, only for the owners.”
Frederick Cooper, a Chicago lamp factory
where workers also felt betrayed by Local 743.
When the ballots were counted, NLS presidential candidate Richard Berg was ahead of
incumbent Robert Walston, Jr., 788 to 781. But
that was not counting 188 ballots challenged by
the incumbents, including every one cast by
Silver Capital workers. The executive committee
of the union was scheduled to decide what to do
with the challenged ballots on October 19, but
instead they held an emergency meeting
October 18 and declared the election void,
ordering a new election be held. The NLS sees
this as a blatant move to avoid losing the election, since the majority of the Silver Capital
votes were almost certainly for the reform slate.
Berg is quoted on tdu.org, the Website of
Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU), a
progressive faction of the Teamsters that supports
the NLS. “We had filed numerous protests, but
they dismissed all of them. But when we won
despite all their violations, they decided to grant
one of our protests and order a new election.”
he NLS ran a similar reform slate against the
entrenched Local 743 leadership in the last
Local union election in 2001. NLS supporters
say the election was stolen from them, as they
believe the incumbents tried to steal it from
them this time. In the 2001 election, about 1,000
ballots turned up missing. It was later discovered
that union Secretary-Treasurer Diane
Strickland, one of the candidates on the incumbent slate, had a key to the P.O. Box to which the
undeliverable ballots were returned. Hundreds
of ballots for the reform slate were also invalidated, the NLS says wrongfully.
This time, Garcia and her supporters charge,
Local 743 leaders tried to do a similar thing.
The balloting is all done by mail, with ballots
sent out to the approximately 11,500 members in
workplaces around the region, including the
University of Chicago, Provident Hospital,
several nursing homes, and other health care
facilities. Many of the addresses on the union’s
membership list are outdated or invalid, largely
T
supporters found 291 additional returns. There
were only 205 in the election P.O. Box.
Since both batches of mail went out to the
same people on the same day, the numbers
should have been virtually identical—so why
were so many ballots missing? Berg notes that
candidate Diane Strickland again had a key to the
P.O. Box, even though it should have been a
neutral elections officer, not a candidate, who had
access to the returned ballots. The reform slate
has filed a complaint with the national Teamsters
administration about the missing ballots.
“So, they took them and will vote for themselves,” said Berg. “They’re doing the same
thing they did last time. They have a history of
being thieves, of connections to organized
crime, of doing things to enrich themselves.”
erg’s are not idle charges; there has been
substantial publicity about Local 743’s
questionable activity and connections,
including a long history of connections to
organized crime.
One man, Don Peters, served as president of
Local 743 for more than 40 years until 1988,
when the federal government ordered him to
step down and have no further involvement in
union leadership because of proof of his
involvement in organized crime.
The Chicago-based Police and Sheriff’s News
Service describes Peters’ time with Local 743,
including his connections to known Mob businessman Allen Dorfman:
“[Peters’] automobile was parked in the
driveway of Dorfman’s residence in
Riverwoods, Illinois, hours after Dorfman was
shot and killed in the parking lot of the
Lincolnwood Hyatt Hotel in 1983. What the
vehicle was doing there at the time of
Dorfman’s demise, one can only surmise. The
two men were known to be close personal
friends and Peters assisted Allen’s continuance
as the health and welfare fund’s administrator
even after Dorfman was convicted of
conspiracy and wire fraud in 1972. Dorfman
was always recognized as a man to be seen
B
Workers
protest in front
of the
Local 743 Offices,
12, 2004.
actually
threatened
to call September
immigration
offiwhen it came to pension loans
and manipulacials to report that many of the workers were
tive activities within the [Teamsters] Fund.”
After Peters was removed from office, he undocumented if they didn’t cooperate. Other
continued to exercise control over Local 743 union members point out that this is the same
through his handpicked successor, Robert tactic Local 743 has used in the past to influSimpson, who became its president. After ence undocumented workers.
“When we talk to people at different workreformer Ron Carey was elected the national
Teamsters head in 1991, he removed Simpson places [represented by Local 743] they’re not
and placed Local 743 in trusteeship, allowing surprised to hear about Galvan threatening to
the first democratic elections for the Local to be call immigration,” said Berg, who also ran for
held. But even with elections, members say, president on the reform slate in 2001. “They
Local 743 has continued to be controlled by know he does that and they’re glad we’re going
corrupt officials who use unethical and illegal after him.” [Representatives from Local 743
failed to return calls for this story.—ED.]
tactics to win elections.
“Every contract negotiation they’d say,
arcia, 47, worked at Silver Capital for 17 years ‘Sorry, we have to take [the company’s offer];
when she got the notice in August telling her if you don’t, they’ll call immigration,’” said
Esmeralda Cuevas, part of the reform slate and
she had only two more weeks to work.
In order to get any severance payments, she a worker at Frederick Cooper. “They’re
was told she’d have to sign a letter promising corrupt. They don’t do anything for the
not to sue or make any complaints against the members of the union, only for the owners.”
In May, Frederick Cooper reduced 80
company—or the union.
Garcia’s husband was also among about 125 workers’ workweeks from 40 hours to 32 hours,
workers, almost all Mexican immigrants, who significantly reducing their pay. Most of the
were laid off from Silver Capital. Their last day workers would have preferred being laid off so
of work was September 10, as the company they could collect unemployment and look for
vastly downsized the factory and moved most jobs to working part-time. But union leaders,
of its production to another facility in Arizona who wanted workers to continue paying their
dues, helped to ensure that they kept working at
to compete with products made in China.
Garcia noted that many of the laid-off workers Frederick Cooper. The local representative failed
were those with the most seniority. Now, the to file a grievance about the hours cuts, and
approximately 25 workers still at Silver Capital are workers say Local 743 President Walston was
completely uninterested in their situation. In
primarily hired through a day-labor agency.
Workers filed a complaint with the National August, they began organizing independently of
Labor Relations Board charging that Local 743 the union, spreading information and
violated its duty to fairly represent them by complaining about the cuts. By mid-August,
failing to negotiate a decent severance package. their 40-hour workweeks were restored.
Victories like that at Frederick Cooper give the
“There was a lot of tension there,” said
Garcia, in Spanish. “There was a lot of intim- workers hope to keep fighting the corruption of
idation. They would say you’re going to work the incumbents. Quoted on the TDU Website,
faster and if you don’t, you’ll get less pay. The SLS candidate Tondy Caldera said the reform
union didn’t support or advise the employees, slate will win any future elections as long as they
are fairly conducted. “Members are going to see
they were working with the owners.”
Workers say Local 743 vice president Jose what a dirty trick it was, to stop the count and
Galvan, who ran on the incumbent slate, revote because of the outcome.” 3
G
Third
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November
2004
9
Chicago-Area Activists Join Forces in Revival of
FOOD NOT BOMBS
Story and Photos by Dorina Prisacaru
new chapter of Food Not Bombs made its debut in the
Pilsen neighborhood on October 2, 2004.
The key organizer, Pong Khumdee, made it her personal
goal to gather volunteers and create the chapter. She wanted to
accomplish something tangible, rather than just showing up at
rallies and events: “I find it rather sad that there are all sorts
of protests and different kinds of activism in the Chicagoland
area, yet the most simplistic, down-to-earth, realistic action—
feeding those who are hungry—is being overlooked… . We are
not pumping those who show up with political messages; we
are not trying to turn them into radicals. Our goal is to satisfy
an inherently fundamental human need: Hunger.” Added
Pong: “As long as people put their hearts in it, it can be done.”
Approximately 10 individuals are actively participating in the
project. They assess what is needed through consensus, and
everyone takes on a role—such as getting the food, cooking,
washing dishes, driving, translating, and printing and distributing
flyers. Who exactly are they? They are members of one of
hundreds of autonomous chapters of Food Not Bombs around
the world, like-minded individuals who want to make a difference
in their communities.
A
While the group has so far been successful, they emphasize that
their work has only begun. They have ambitious goals, modeled off
Food Not Bombs, San Francisco. They are working on having a
mobile serving station, which would make it possible to reach
different neighborhoods, allowing more people to be fed.
The food that is being served is entirely vegan, in keeping with
Food Not Bomb’s philosophy of ethical vegetarianism. It consists
of rice and bean dishes, soup, potato casseroles, bread, tortilla
chips, and tea. There are spices at hand; even though the menu
is simple, it is meant to be a tasty, enjoyable experience. The
volunteers plan to serve a more complex menu in the future; as
the holidays approach, there will be an extra touch that will
hopefully lead to a higher level of variety.
Pilsen Food Not Bombs’ first day was very fulfilling. All the
food was eaten and those who came were appreciative and promised to bring their friends and acquaintances in the future. There
was no criticism from any of the residents, although the volunteers have gotten some heat from other individuals. They have
been called “trendy activists” and “philanthropists”, and were
even told they were involved in this project because they want to
“feel righteous.”
Pong finds the criticism perplexing. “We do not identify
ourselves with any of these things…What is the point of protesting
free food? It is like protesting freedom! I would like to see the
actions our critics partake in. Why don’t they use their experience
to do something constructive, instead of trying to essentially antagonize the movement? People need to be aware that doing Food Not
Bombs, in its own act, is a preparation for a much-needed, serious
shift in our society. We must be aware of our level of consumption,
the media, what we are putting in our bodies, and what we let seep
into our minds. We are taking back our humanity.”
There are many who are frustrated with our current system,
but do not believe they have outlets for change. For some, Food
Not Bombs can provide such an outlet.
Those interested in volunteering can simply show up at a Food
Not Bombs serving at 18th and Loomis for more information. It
takes place every Saturday at 5 PM. Needless to say, anyone who
needs food and a hot cup of tea is always welcome. 3
See the calendar on page 22 for more info on the Chicago Food Not
Bombs Chapters. To find out more about Food Not Bombs, go to foodnotbombs.net
10
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
continued from cover
!
N
W
O
D
D
E
T
U
O
NAVY SH
Coalition’s Website, savesenn.org. “In addition,
they learn about diversity (including religious
diversity) and artistic creativity.”
“I don’t know a single teacher who’s for it,”
says Carter Carey, Chair of Social Studies.
“Our school is being threatened by the imposition of a naval academy.” And Jennifer
Garrow, who teaches special education, adds,
“Senn High School has a pretty high SpecialEd population and if they add this naval
academy, I don’t know that the school will be
able to accommodate it. My fear is that
Special-Ed students, who wouldn’t have an
opportunity to get into the naval academy,
would eventually be put elsewhere.”
Primarily, the community objects to the
idea of a separate school operating out of their
high school. As Principal Hernandez explains,
“I don’t want us becoming two buildings—it’s
something that says ‘you don’t belong here.’
This is our home. The students love it; they
come here every day. They say we don’t have
good attendance, we don’t have a good graduation rate. Look at the statistics—we’ve got a
great attendance rate, a great graduation rate.”
he tensions surrounding the plan for Senn
came to a head at a meeting on the
evening of Tuesday, October 5.
It was a presentation turned into a protest
with the trappings of a pep rally. More than 800
students, parents, teachers, and community
members packed into the auditorium of Senn
T
High School for what was billed as a
“Community Forum” about Chicago Public
Schools’ plan to turn part of Senn into a naval
academy run by the Junior ROTC.
The evening began at 6 PM, when Save
Senn Coalition members gathered outside the
high school to greet people as they came and
distribute informational pamphlets about
Senn High School and the fight to keep it free
of a naval academy. Other members, many of
them students, circulated a petition
supporting the Save Senn Coalition’s goals.
Area peace activists handed out flyers of
“Questions the Military Doesn’t Want You to
Ask.” Andersonville Neighbors for Peace
distributed flyers reading, “Stand with
everyone who opposes turning Senn High
School into a military training school.” Matt
Johnson and Matt O’Donnell sat on a bench
with a “Books Not Bombs” sign. Both
students at Loyola University, they’d heard
about the forum via e-mails sent out through
campus listserves. “I’m opposed to the military, period,” said Johnson. “I’ve been trying
to get some counter-recruitment organized on
campus and then I heard about this.”
O’Donnell explained that he came to learn
more about the issues facing the school,
“Especially, the military going into lowincome schools and making promises that
won’t be fulfilled.”
Inside, there were tables with official Senn
e past, but
h
t
in
es
im
t
d
r
a
h
d
a
h
s
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h
Senn
and could
s,
t
en
em
ov
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im
t
ea
gr
de
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m
it has
ow.
n
l
oo
h
sc
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in
il
fa
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ed
ll
ca
hardly be
ecause
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e
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ie
d
e
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o
is
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c
“This calls for
this
f
o
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e
h
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o
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the Board is tramp regard for democracy.”
community with no
History teacher Jesse Sharkey speaks!
publications. Attendants were also asked to
sign in, though it was unclear for what purpose
and under whose auspices.
A little before the announced starting time of
6:30 PM, the official program started. People
were still streaming into the auditorium.
Students, many of them dressed in Senn colors
of green and white, lined the aisles with posters
in English, Spanish, and Urdu, among other
languages, declaring “SAVE SENN!”, “NO
NAVY!”, “SENN IS OUR HOME—PLEASE
DON’T DIVIDE IT!” According to the agenda
I received when I entered the auditorium, I’d
just missed welcoming remarks from Senn
Principal Judith Hernandez and 48th Ward
Alderman Mary Ann Smith. Smith has been
one of the naval academy’s chief advocates. “I
think they basically offer an option. A different
kind of discipline, a different kind of camaraderie, a look at a slightly different kind of
world,” Smith said in a story posted early
Tuesday evening at CBS2Chicago.com.
After Smith’s remarks, Deputy CEO of
Chicago Public Schools David Pickens told
the crowd that the presentation that evening
would “dispel misinformation” and “let people
know about all the great things the naval
academy has to offer.” His comments were met
with boos from the audience, although these
were nothing compared to what was to come.
Principal Hernandez asked students to give
the presenters a fair hearing, and Pickens
repeated several times that the academy would
not have any impact on the school. Instead, it
would be a small academy, like the one at
Bronzeville on the South Side. At CPS, he
said, “We like the high attendance rates, low
drop-out rates, and purpose—‘to build citizenship, teamwork, and discipline’—that such
military academies offered.”
According to the agenda, the introductions
were to be followed by an “Overview of the
Proposed Educational Program” for the military academy, given by Colonel Rick Mills.
Mills, who was accompanied by four or five
other military representatives in civilian suits,
had barely started speaking when the audience
began to boo and chant, “WE SAY NO!”
The chants continued as Mills repeatedly
tried to get the audience’s attention. Many of
them were now standing, some standing on
their seats, and when Mills attempted to show
the video, they turned their backs to him and
to the screen. At last, history teacher Jesse
Sharkey got hold of the microphone. “It seems
like people don’t want to watch the video,” he
said. “I’m proposing that we have a discussion
and some time for questions. We do not
believe this is a harmless plan, and we would
like to have some community input, and
perhaps some of us who have been following
this closely could answer some questions.”
Audience members began to line up and
speak at an open mike, and several people
volunteered to translate comments into
Third
More than 800 students, teachers and community members showed up to smack down the Navy.
Spanish and other languages.
“They’re taking the best third of Senn
School away from Senn students,” said one
woman. “Fairness requires that we give
students what they need. The naval academy
takes away a lot of what students need.” One
speaker, who identified himself as a teacher at
Senn, noted that opposition “goes much
deeper than the militarization of the school.
Our Special Education courses are already
over the limits. We have a full 7th period
lunch. Does that sound like a school that’s
being underutilized?” Another speaker said
that Senn is a model for other schools in the
city. “Given that Senn operates so well, we
have to question the motives of those who
come here to change it. I think it’s time that
CPS stop aiding the military.”
Alderman Smith, Deputy CEO Pickens,
and Colonel Mills and his colleagues, however,
seemed uninterested in such a format. As
audience members continued lining up for the
open mike, they filed out a side entrance.
It was often hard to hear the comments made
because of a poor sound system, but there were
plenty of people to talk to in the audience. At
times, it was just like any other high school
assembly. Groups of friends sat together, and
people moved around, catching up with those
they hadn’t seen in awhile. The sentiments ran
as high as those at any homecoming pep rally,
but for a different reason. Instead of uniting to
beat the cross-town team, students were uniting
to beat the JROTC and keep the naval academy
out of Senn. Maria Suarez, a current student,
summed it up. “We don’t want it—we already
got our minds made up.” And like a homecoming, former students came back. Khai
Huyneh graduated last year, but said, “I came
tonight because I was curious and I wanted to
give the school support.”
t was not the meeting that CPS had
planned to have—not the orderly presentation of their argument, followed by a brief
Q&A with the audience. Instead, they got a
rabble-rousing town hall meeting, which made
even some supporters a bit nervous. A report
by one attendant, later posted on chicago.indymedia.org, said, “Initially, [we] felt a little
uncomfortable by the crowd not allowing the
speakers to speak. We felt the audience should
at least give them a chance to speak in order
for us to then respond. After being there a
short while, we, too, joined in the resistance,
especially as I began to see the crowd’s
response in another light. As someone near us
said, “What a great education these kids are
getting in democracy!”
Community member Alan Booker, who was
in attendance that night, saw it the same way.
“What the Board of Education is trying to do
is appeal to our intelligence and decorum.
This calls for civil disobedience because the
Board is trampling on the kids of this community with no regard for democracy.”
Whether the civil disobedience that took place
at Senn that night will change what happens
remains to be seen. In the meantime, the Save
Senn Coalition will continue its fight. 3
I
To learn more about the Coalition or to get involved,
visit savesenn.org or e-mail [email protected].
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
11
Colonel Rick Mills silenced by the protests of the Senn High School Community.
14
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
Remembering
Nakerson
Nakey
Activist Group THONG Bares it All Matthew Shepard
Captions and Photos by Garth Liebhaber
If you can identify the Third Coast Press staffer in this photo, we’ll mail you his undies.
PRESS RELEASE FROM THONG
ctober 6, 2004, Chicago IL, Hyatt
Regency, McCormick Place—A group of
activists calling themselves THONG,
Topless Humans Organized for Natural
Genetics, crashed the Small Times
Nanocommerce 2004 cocktail reception. The
activists stripped to reveal painted body
messages about lack of safety testing and regulation of technologies often grouped under the
name “nanotech,” garnering catcalls of appreciation, chuckles, and lively discussion by
nanocommerce attendees.
Nanotech executives found themselves
chewing in slow motion, jaws dropping as
members of THONG, men and women of
varying ages, entered single file into the grand
ballroom of McCormick place, at about
6:45 PM, dropped their pants and took off
their shirts, revealing messages of “cut the
small talk,” “it’s a small world be careful,”
“small wonder, it’s not tested,” and “size does
matter” emblazoned on their chests. The
group then turned in unison to reveal another
tongue in cheek jab at nano-true believers:
“Plenty of Room at THIS Bottom.”
This message refers to the first talk on
nanotechnology given in 1959 by Richard
Feynman titled “There’s Plenty of Room at the
Bottom,” where he considered the possibility of
direct manipulation of individual atoms as a
more powerful form of synthetic chemistry.
Many common products that have been put
on the market without any safety testing
utilize nano-sized or manufactured particles
to create certain unique properties. There is a
gap in the current regulation of nanoparticles.
They have different properties from the same
chemical in larger form, but currently their
production does not trigger additional testing.
Some nanotech products have come to
market, including lotion with the properties of
the powerful sun blocker zinc oxide, which
goes on clear instead of thick and white. Also
O
available are fabrics from a North Carolina
company called Nano-Tex LLC, which are
used to make pants and shirts for Eddie Bauer,
Liz Claiborne and other brands. The fabrics
are coated with nano-sized particles that repel
stains or wick away moisture. These are examples of untested nano technologies that are
being used by humans everyday, but have not
been tested for toxicity in human beings or the
environment.
(For more nanotech products in use see
azonano.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1001)
Small Times conference organizers and
attendees appeared entertained by THONG
and eagerly gathered up the postcards the group
tossed as they left the room, depicting naked
painted backsides and the phrase, “We’re not
Guinea Pigs: TEST IT! THONG, Topless
Humans Organized for Natural Genetics.”
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of
matter on the atomic and subatomic scale.
THONG activists point to recent studies that
show that nanotechnology products, such as
“buckeyballs,” can penetrate the blood-brain
barrier of fish. They claim this proves that
nanotechnology should be subjected to rigorous
pre-market safety testing and federal regulation.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times,
Nanocommerce 2004, touted as an event that
would boost Chicago’s bid to become a
burgeoning center of nanotechnology research
and development, drew a relatively nano-sized
45 conference attendees, compared to the 450
expected.
THONG is a Chicago-based group of
concerned community members, professionals,
laypeople, students, and others who promote
sustainable technologies such as organic agriculture and indigenous intellectual property
rights, and a respect and understanding of the
interlinking nature of human and environmental health issues. 3
O
n the evening of Saturday, October 2,
more than 250 Chicagoans gathered at
Roscoe Street and Halsted Avenue for the
6th Annual Mathew Shepard Vigil and
March. In 1988, Mathew, a gay student at
the University of Wyoming, was brutally
murdered. While tied to a fence, Mathew
was beaten, pistol-whipped and left for dead
in near-freezing temperatures. He was
found 18 hours later by a cyclist who first
took him for a scarecrow. Mathew never
regained consciousness. With injuries too
severe to be operated upon, he died five
days later.
M
athew’s murder was one of several that
occurred around the nation at that time.
Chicago saw its own share of anti-gay attacks, as
well. In the month previous to Mathew’s
murder, several gay people were attacked within
100 feet of the town hall police station in Boy’s
Town, the heart of Chicago’s gay community.
One of the victims was beaten within an inch of
his life. Enraged that many of the supposed gaysupportive politicians did little to stem this tide,
the gay community activated nationwide as well
in Chicago to demand full rights. In the months
following the attacks, there were six major rallies
in Chicago.
uring the years leading up to the string of
attacks, many of the major gay rights organizations fell into the hands of Democrats who
took the gay vote for granted. Not only was
there inaction, but there was outright backsliding, such as Clinton’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
policy and the Defense of Marriage Act.
Referencing such developments, Andy Thayer
of Chicago Anti-Bashing Network points out,
“If the government says it’s okay to discrimi-
nate, what kind of message does that send to
the society at large?” Thayer further points out
the connection that the far right engages in
such hate mongering to further the dehumanization necessary to pass various anti-gay legislation. As a result, many gay activists have
stepped beyond merely asking for “tolerance”:
today they are not requesting, but demanding
their full rights. One example of this is seen in
the current equal marriage struggles.
For more info, visit: chicagothong.org.
Italian with a Touch of Mexico
GRAND OPENING
935 N. Damen
Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: 773-727-5292
Catering: 773-342-668
Creative ~ Hip ~ Energizing
Caffe
Breakfast ~ Lunch ~ Dinner ~ Sunday Brunch
D
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
15
Tired
of
Turkey?
Consider These Local Alternatives at
the American Indian Center of Chicago
By Kate Weinans, Photo by Adeline Sides
51st Annual American Indian Center
of Chicago POW WOW
Pow Wow is the time to meet together, dance,
sing, visit, renew old friendships, and make
new ones. It’s a time to renew thoughts of the
old ways and to preserve a rich heritage.
AIC welcomes and encourages all nations
and ethnicities to join their celebration!
November 12–14
Opens Friday 3 PM, Saturday and Sunday 10AM
UIC Pavillion
1150 W. Harrison St.
Adults: $10, children and seniors: $5,
weekend pass: $18
aic-chicago.org
Annual First Nations Film and
Video Festival
Highlighted Films
American Indian Graffiti: This Thing Life
Drama, coming of age
Directed by Tvli Jacob, 2003, 120 minutes
Inuuvunga Iam Inuk, I am Alive
Documentary
Produced by 8 Native Canadian Teens, 2004,
60 minutes
Moccasin Flats
Youth Drama
Directed by Randy Redroad, 2003, 22 minutes
Totem: The Return of the G’psgolox Pole
Documentary
Directed by Gil Cardinal, 2003, 70 minutes
The Shirt
Documentary, comedy
Directed by Shelley Niro, 2003, 5 minutes
Call or e-mail Dave Spencer for full schedule
First Nations Film and Video Festival advocates 773/275-5871 ext.18
and celebrates Native American film and video [email protected]
that breaks racial stereotypes and promotes
awareness of native issues.
General Admission: $5, Seniors and Children
Under 10: Free
November 15–21
Send your upcoming events to: [email protected]!
30th Annual Hip Hop Celebration
Saturday, November 27th 6–10 PM
American Indian Center of Chicago
1630 W. Wilson St.
All events are subject to change so please call
the AIC to confirm: 773/275-5871.
16
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
In Review
Ethiopian Diamond
Ethiopian Food
for Beginners
By Beth Somers, Photo by Adeline Sides
recently had Ethiopian food for the first
time. There’s no real reason that I’d never
tried it before. Ethiopian just wasn’t one of the
cuisines that regularly rotated through my
standard list of cravings. I usually go for Thai,
Italian, Cuban, burgers, Krispy Kremes—
mostly standard fare that doesn’t easily offend
the taste buds.
I
After deciding to take the leap into regional
African cuisine, it seemed only right to go to
the best Ethiopian restaurant I could find.
Anything that is worth doing is worth doing
well, right? My search led me to Ethiopian
Diamond in Edgewater.
Tradition reigns at the Diamond. Stews,
both vegetarian and meat-based, are served
atop pancake-like unleavened bread called
injera. The bread has a strong sour flavor and
a spongy, elastic consistency. Diners eat with
their hands, tearing pieces of injera to scoop
stew into their mouths.
We started out on a positive note with an
appetizer of lentil sambusa, a little fried treat
similar to Rangoon. It was perfectly crispy,
served with a mild dipping sauce.
Combination platters make it possible to
sample several authentic dishes.
I dined with a vegetarian friend and
happened to enjoy the dishes off of her platter
more than most of the carnivorous variations
on mine. The yemisir watt, red lentils flavored
with onions, was very good. Collard greens
with onion and garlic, also known as gomen,
were also tasty. The tikel gomen (cabbage and
carrots) and dinich aliche (potatoes and
carrots) tasted very similar to each other.
Neither of us was fond of the shimbra assa, a
chickpea “fish dish” that ironically comes with
no fish.
My combination plate included several
kinds of meats as well as delicious spinach
laced with garlic and onion essence. Kay watt
is lean beef cubes in homemade “Diamond
sauce.” I was expecting tender meat akin to
Western stews, but this was stringy. Doro watt
looked interesting on the platter. It’s not often
that you’ll see hard-boiled eggs and dark
chicken meat swimming in brownish-red
sauce. Despite its colorful appearance,
however, it tasted just like a standard-issue
hard-boiled egg. The chicken, marinated in
lemon and ginger, was flavorful. The lamb
selection, yebeg alicha, is served bones and all
and does not cater to the visual appetite.
Forget what you’ve heard about bone-in meat
being more juicy and tender than the stuff off
the bone. This lamb was dry and chewy.
So, I’ve done it. I’ve experienced Ethiopian
food, and I’d do it again. On my next visit, I’ll
keep these things in mind:
Tips for Ethiopian Food Novices
d There are two good reasons to go with
trusted friends. First is the Ethiopian
custom of gursha, the ritual of placing the first
bite of food into the mouth of your
companion to signify loyalty and friendship.
Second, remember that you are eating
without silverware. Do you know where your
date’s hands have been?
d You can’t judge a book by its cover.
Ethiopian food isn’t the prettiest of cuisines,
especially to those whose palates are less
experienced, but don’t let that deter you.
d Much of the cuisine is saucy and
pureed. Think applesauce or baby food. If
you are the kind of person who has a problem
with unusual food textures, mentally prepare
yourself before you dine Ethiopian.
d Many menu items are labeled “spicy,”
but it does not have the type of spices to
which most of our palates have become
accustomed. The kick of Ethiopian food
comes from various spices, not chilies, which
impart lots of flavor without the heat that is
usually associated with “spicy” foods.
d Stick to the vegetarian options. There
are many to choose from, and they are just as
filling as the carnivorous selections.
d If you are ordering for both meat eaters
and vegetarians, request that the two orders
come on separate platters to keep the
various food separate. My meat-laden
combo plate came interspersed with my
friend’s veggie combo plate.
Ethiopian Diamond is open for lunch and dinner
seven days a week Monday–Friday from
Noon–10:30 PM and Saturday–Sunday from 10
AM–11 PM They are located at 6120 N. Broadway,
Chicago, IL 60660. 773/338-6100.
Grandma June’s Sewing Circle
Sketch Comedy That
Puts You in Stitches
Grandma June’s Troupe Members
ketch comedy can be tough. The actors, usually six of them,
perform under lights that glare unforgivingly on their faces.
They appear without costumes and with no more or less
make-up than one might wear for a quick trip to the corner minimart for some milk. Their most common props, chairs, stand in
for anything from a living room couch to the seat of a taxicab.
Within the space of one performance, they move through any
number of characters and scenes that can last anywhere from 30
seconds to five minutes. Throughout, they stand in front of a
roomful of people, all of whom are waiting, their mouths slightly
agape, for a good laugh. They try, while attempting to make their
efforts look more spontaneous then strained, to deliver.
The writers have somewhat of a different challenge.
“There’s a time limit when [a sketch is] not funny
anymore,” says sketch writer Matt Micou. “Once it hits five
minutes you get some serious gray hairs. You gotta throw in
your fart jokes and get out.”
“There’s no back story in sketch,” says writer Mike Zapata.
“You have to tell the joke and be really fast. One out of 10 of
your sketches will work, and that’s okay. You just want to get a
lot out there and see if it works.”
Micou and Zapata have the experience to back them up. They
are both part of Grandma June’s Sewing Circle, one of several
sketch comedy troupes in Chicago. The group of seven writers, a
director, and an average of six rotating actors, began in the spring
of 2004 when the writers, all of whom were enrolled in Second
City’s Training Center, put up an audition for their first revue,
P.S.…You’re Fired. The show went up May 21 and ran through
June 18 at Donny’s Skybox in Second City. Their second revue,
The Kids are Not Alright, marks their first independent venture.
“We’re a group that went through and completed the
program and then decided to write shows and produce it
ourselves,” says writer Chris Bragg. “I’ve talked to people who
went through and wrote sketches and do nothing with it.”
Second City, the nationally acclaimed Chicago improv and
S
By Heather Dewar, Photo Courtesy of Grandma June’s
sketch training center, offers neither degree nor cocktail reception
upon graduation. Nor does it offer any guarantee of success. The
payoff comes in learning to do what Second City knows best.
“[Second City] makes you feel comfortable with putting up
your own production,” said Zapata.
“You learn about sketch writing, revision, how to put on a
show, do publicity, programs, house managing, theater
production,” said writer Scott Kanter.
Grandma June’s Sewing Circle is the product of that training.
to play their ideas off each other. Their goal is to create for the
actors onstage a strong emotional scene made up of action, not
just one-liners. Their humor, they have found, meshes.
“We’re brand new,” said Micou. “It’s weird how quickly we
all got along.”
While aiming for laughs puts these writers at the mercy of
their audience, they say there is something cleansing about
writing comedy.
“It allows me to divorce myself from my writing,” said
Their goal is to create for the actors onstage a strong emotional scene
made up of action, not just one-liners.
In the process of collaborating as writers and comedians, the
group has developed for themselves a personality of sorts. Posters
for The Kids Are Not Alright feature Scantron sheets with the
bubbles blackened in to spell messages like “Screw College” and “I
quit.” There’s also one with a picture of an airplane bombing a
school, drawn by the sloppy and irreverent hand of a kid, and
another with the words “You don’t need a test to be a rock star”
next to an electric guitar. It’s every kid’s dream when faced with a
test and a teacher who warns, “Keep your pencil inside the lines.”
The show itself is about just that—kids. The sketches touch
on kids picking on other kids, adoption, kids with gay parents,
a kid being drafted into the NBA, a daughter who fights with
her father. What makes Grandma June’s different is the social
commentary thrown in on the side.
“One of the things that intrigued me about Grandma June’s,”
said Frank Baumann, the show’s director, “was the variety and
depth. In one single show, it’s hysterical, but there’s also commentary about gay marriage, adoption, the poor fat kid getting picked
on. They’re funny, but they’re also saying something, a thing that
comedy groups are sometimes afraid to do.”
The writers’ creative process involves first developing sketches
on their own and then getting together every Sunday afternoon
Zapata. “It allows me to give it to an actor who can make it
funny. I feel like I’m a part of something bigger, it’s not just
‘my writing’” (he says with a weighty emphasis and angst that
befalls all aspiring writers).
“When you’re writing something for sketch, you let it go,”
said Micou. “You have to. It’s 10 times funnier than you ever
thought when you let the actors and directors get at it.”
As for the future of Grandma June’s, these writers and actors
may not be leaving their day jobs any time soon, but they’re
taking it one show at a time and having fun while they’re at it.
“If we were to break even, it would just roll over into the next
show,” said Micou. “We’re just interested in getting our work
out there.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if people from this group end up
going far down the road because of their drive and motivation
and talent,” said Baumann.
Stay tuned.
The Kids Are Not Alright is showing Saturday, November 6 and
Friday, November 12 and 19 at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western
Ave. Tickets are $8, purchased at the door or reserved by e-mail at
[email protected]. All shows start at 10:30 PM. Cash only.
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
17
Peel
Slowly
&
See
The Art of Keeping a Band Together
By Alan Jacobson
orking in any band ought to be done from
the heart. Working in a relatively unacknowledged rock-and-roll band must be a
labor of love. Bob Rogan has been laboring to
keep Peel together for the better part of two
years. The struggle gets harder every day. He
formed the band alongside a pair of close
friends, both of whom have since left the
group. The surprisingly accomplished documentary Peel 6s and 7s and debut LP Radio
Space serve as testaments to what an out-andout battle it is to keep a good band together in
a city like Chicago.
W
The Monkeynauts
By Nicholas Ivan Ladendorf
advertising, the skills and the programs I’ve
Title: The Monkeynauts
learned all became a background for everyCreator(s): Sarah Becan
thing. The design stuff just becomes just
Publisher: Jakze.com
another skill like Photoshop or Quark. I think
Format: Print
the things I do are content driven, and the
Price: $5.00
Pitch: A chronology of the first “volunteers” style of illustration and the way I put it
together contributes to the feel of the story.
of the space program.
t would be a crime to put The Monkeynauts
in a plastic sleeve and file it away. The
Monkeynauts is a book of high art and thus
should be on display. Usually, mainstream
comics are designed to be self-promotional,
vying to win the eye of comic shop patrons
amongst dozens of others just like it. The
production of The Monkeynauts, on the other
hand, is so different from that of a mainstream
comic book that a non-comic reader might
mistake this gem for a coffee-table book.
The story was originally created for the second
issue of Futurebomb, a sci-fi comic anthology. In
The Monkeynauts, we are shown glimpses of times
past when the idea of man traveling to space was
I
TCP: What upcoming projects are you
working on?
SB: I’m working on a 15-page comic for
Barrelhouse magazine. They contacted me with
a short story they wanted me to make into a
comic. I’m working on a third Ouija comic.
[My brothers and I] interviewed a 10-year-old
girl who claimed to be in love with my
younger brother. But [he] was on the board,
too, so I don’t know if that speaks to the poor
taste of spirits or my brother’s ego [laughs].
After that, if there aren’t any projects I’m
getting paid for, I’ve got a collection of short
stories I want to work on. I want to finish and
Usually, mainstream comics are designed to be
self-promotional, vying to win the eye of comic shop
patrons amongst dozens of others just like it.
more a titillating figment of would-be astronauts’
imagination than the progressively common
occurrence we find today. But, as provocative as
the idea of going into orbit first was, the spaceracers were more than willing to subject their
primate counterparts to the task until it was relatively safe. The illustration style adopted by the
creator for this tale is heavily referenced and
collaged with real images to remind us that
although the story’s narrator is a monkey on a
typewriter, the history and sacrifices made are
very real.
I recently met The Monkeynauts’ creator,
Sarah Becan, for drinks at Heartland Café.
release each one as mini, then put them in a
book.
TCP: Have you ever tried any other forms of
writing?
SB: All the stories I come up with I end up
picturing as a comic. There’s one I’ve been
thinking about for six years. It will take me ages
and ages to work on, it’s 23 chapters, so it’s a big
piece. Because of how slow it is and tedious
comics can be, I keep thinking, “Maybe I should
just write this; maybe I should just write this,”
but I can’t, it needs to be a comic.
Third Coast Press: What sparks a comic idea TCP: What do you get out of the medium?
with you? The design, the story, the oddity?
SB: There’s a very primal connection to it for
Sarah Becan: I’d say the art and the design us as a species, the first written communicacomes second nature to me. I studied studio tion in almost every culture was pictographs.
art and then I somehow managed to trip and Using images to convey meaning; I think
fall into design jobs. As much as I thought that that’s what makes comics so powerful, because
it was a prostitution of my talent to use art as it’s not just writing.
Peel 6s and 7s
What better way to get to know a band than
viewing a highly invasive documentary?
Nikola Dupkanic knows this band well.
Whether Dupkanic knew them before gaining
their trust and creating a fine, mostly-fair
backstage documentary is irrelevant; the skill
used in handling both the technical and
emotional aspects of the new Peel 6s and 7s
DVD speaks for itself.
All film involves manipulation and the whole
of the piece makes the viewer feel a certain way.
Nikola was obviously a member of this (mostly)
drunken backstage party. With the digital camera
providing few disconcerting bumps in the visual
field, the graininess of the movie adds to the odd,
synthetic, home-movie feel and Bacchanalian
revelry. The viewer follows the ins and outs of
four young, heartfelt men trying to make it in a
band they love making music they love with
people they love. In this film, the theme of love
pops up more often than anything else.
When the bassist, Aaron, feels compelled to
leave the band before the recording of the Radio
Space LP, he doesn’t seem to have any bad blood
toward the band. The viewer is only offered a
deep, touching shot through a doorway of the
musician packing his bags. He speaks of love in
what is perhaps the film’s best interview, all shot
from below and in black-and-white, and almost
comes to tears when explaining how he needs to
be back by the ocean.
When Aaron decides to leaves the band, he
announces it to his fellow band members via
e-mail. Bob Rogan, singer, guitarist, and
leader, and a man whose laid-back style brings
to mind a Wilson brother (of recent film fame,
not classic pop) is extremely hurt that his old
friend and schoolmate would do this. Drama?
Sure. But 6s and 7s is filled with people you
can relate to and care about. And the end
product is great, as well. Even Bob is satisfied:
“I thought Nicola did us justice.”
Radio Space
And the music ain’t bad either…
A band that has gone through some
dramatic changes, their sole recording serves
as fine testament to the life—and drama—of
Peel. The group has been analogized to the
Pixies. I guess that makes sense. It is a band
defined by tension. If the documentary is any
indication, tension will live with the band
forever, but I think that’s true with anything
people put their hearts into. Heartfelt artists
are bound to be sensitive about their art, no
matter what. Back to the Pixies thing, the bass
lines have a Kim Deal solidness. And it
wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Bob Rogan’s
vocals possess similarities to Frank Black’s.
Nice analogies abound. The great cover art, a
very low-fi-looking affair replete with Space
Invaders and a pair of Time Pilots, offers a visual
clue that the music on Radio Space cements. Like
the Cars, beautiful, analog-sounding keyboards
not only color the tunes, but guide them as
well—providing a one-two punch of atmospherics and space-age propulsion.
The first track, “Radio,” provides a nice
start, with its inaugural voyage following a bit
of the trail left by Moon Safari. There’s no
dogmatism, though, as elements that define
the band take over. Bob Rogan’s distorted vox
describe problems that are not solved by song’s
end, as we witness John Clark’s keys eventually
taking him back into orbit.
“She’s A Ghost” follows, providing more of
Peel’s fine mix of keys that speak (saying “weeoo-wee-oo” in this case), solid backup singing,
and heartfelt vocals dealing with loss. The
sound remains consistent, a sign of a good
album. The breezy “6s and 7s” provides more
space-age ear-tickling, with some nice “Velvet
Underground Black Album” guitar dynamics,
and keeps the sound strong. Subtle horns
appear to lend a little muscle, suggesting a
band with growing confidence. Harmonicas
and Rhodes bass synth grooves (think “These
Eyes” minus the corn) also lend an earthy
strength to the time-shifting “The Bend,” but
the flutes that skirt around the album’s last
tune bring it all back home.
Radio Space’s final cut, “I Know I Can
Wait,” is such a fine merge of form and
content, it is really difficult to believe that it
comes from a band that has only been
together for about a year. But Peel manages to
knock off a Hell of a pretty single with its
mix of Pink Floyd atmospherics, Black
Francis vocals, and Chris Bielfeldt’s drum-kit
sensitivity adding precision to its stutter-stop
pacing. Sensitivity and emotion are all crisply
rendered. Peel is just beginning, with all the
struggles and freshness one would expect—a
band in flux, the sound a bit rough, but all
together rich with the excitement and
promise it suggests. Bob says look for more.
“We have some new stuff we’ve been writing
and it’s pretty far-out!”
The Final Word, for now…
Radio Space is a promising release from a
band that has the chops to become something
exceptional. Only trouble is, a band that keeps
losing members will eventually either crack up
from the tension or succumb to the simple
problem of not having enough people to man
the instruments. Amazingly, since the tearjerker scene in 6s and 7s, the drummer and
second member of the childhood trio that
formed Peel is now recording dry-eyed with
his girlfriend.
Now, Bob is alone, but the material keeps
coming. The labor of love that kept Peel
together seems to be rife with heartache. Will a
band seemingly predestined for constant flux
ever settle down so they can focus and get some
real work done? Rogan found my review to be
“A breath of fresh air after all this shit that’s
going on, losing the drummer—and he did it
via e-mail as well. What’s up with that? If you
know a drummer, you know a band in need.”
Hey, at least it wasn’t a Post-it. Interested?
Check peelband.com for details.
18
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
Dick: The
Man Who
Is President
By John
Nichols
Way of the Wolf
By E.E. Knight
By Alisa McCune
Way of the Wolf
By E.E. Knight, Roc Books
400 pages, ISBN: 0451459393
eing the first venture for Oak Park author
E.E. Knight, Way of the Wolf was originally published as an e-book by Time
Warner, then eventually picked up by Roc and
sold as a three-book deal to ensure it won’t be
the last. Way of the Wolf is the first in the
Vampire Earth series and promises to enthrall
us for years to come.
But first, a little background for this story,
set in 2065, is in order. In 2022, the world as
we knew it came to an end. Aliens who call
themselves Kurians took over Earth. The
Kurians do not come in peace; rather, they are
plotting sinister designs on humanity. Each
one controls a group of Reapers—vampire-like
wraiths who prowl the night stealing humans’
life force, or aura. These thefts allow the
Kurians to remain immortal. Some humans
are in league with them. Many consort with
them by selling out their neighbors. Most
humans have become mere cattle.
The protagonist, David Valentine, has had to
B
By Mitchell Szczepanczyk
Dick: The Man Who Is President
John Nichols
The New Press
224 pages
ISBN: 1565848403
L
The dichotomy of an “elite” group with immunity
from the Kurians and all the “sheep” who are
vulnerable presents many opportunities for the story
line to take unseen twists.
grow up very fast. His entire family died a
senseless death—killed, not by Reapers or
Kurians, but by humans. Valentine was forever
changed by that event. When Southern
Command, the remnants of the military,
come calling for volunteers, Valentine is
intrigued. His father had been a Wolf, an elite
military unit that engages in guerrilla warfare.
By embracing his destiny and becoming a Wolf
himself, Valentine is driven to find a way to
defeat the Kurians and salvage what is left of
humanity.
Way of the Wolf is the first of the Vampire
Earth series. As such, much of the book is
spent creating the post-apocalyptic Earth and
setting up Valentine as our hero. Valentine is a
so well fleshed-out and likeable, he endears
himself to the reader.
The storyline of Way of the Wolf is slow to
start, but once the action begins, it is gripping
and enthralling. The dichotomy of an “elite”
group with immunity from the Kurians and
ast month’s vice-presidential debate between
Dick Cheney and John Edwards brought
some of the more sordid facts about Mr.
Cheney (like his vote against a resolution calling
for the release of Nelson Mandela) to a wide audience, perhaps for the first time. If Edwards was
smart, he got some or all of his debating points
from a new biography of Dick Cheney called
Dick: The Man Who Is President.
Dick: The Man Who is President is the very
first biography published about our unelected
Vice-President. It is amazing that there had
been no biography of Cheney, who has been
White House Chief of Staff, Secretary of
Defense, CEO of a major company, and VicePresident. But Cheney basically kept his mouth
shut and left hardly any paper trail, which may
well have contributed to his success in securing
increasingly sensitive and powerful positions. As
a result, Dick is only 224 pages, but it’s no small
feat that Nichols found enough information to
fill a book of even this size.
The book, written by The Nation columnist
and media activist John Nichols, contends that
Dick Cheney actually runs the show. It’s hard
to dispute. The Bush family was grooming Jeb
Bush to become president, but Jeb lost the
1994 Florida governor’s race, leaving no time
to be ready for the White House in 2000. The
only Bush option was George W., who did win
his governor’s race, but had no tangible
achievements to his credit, left every business
he managed (and the state of Texas) in shambles, and had a demeanor described by a
National Review magazine writer as that of “a
fairly unpleasant 53-year-old teenager.”
Bush appointed Dick Cheney to evaluate
Vice-Presidential candidates. Curiously
enough, Cheney then appointed himself to be
Bush’s handler, er, running mate. In one
all the “sheep” who are vulnerable presents
many opportunities for the story line to take
unseen twists. Who is more devious and
deadly? The Reapers or your neighbors?
According to the author, “the story is just a
good yarn.” This is a very apt description of
the novel. What makes it such a “good yarn” is
the narrative. While Valentine is still a teenager
at 19, he is forced to face the very adult world
of war. Valentine’s quickly eroding innocence
allows him to make mistakes, yet still appear
strong and heroic. These characteristics
enhance his character and will make the series
a great read for all ages.
Way of the Wolf is E.E. Knight’s first book.
The sequel, Choice of the Cat was published in
May 2004 with a third novel, titled Tale of the
Thunderbolt, to follow in March of 2005.
Knight also published Lara Croft: Tomb Raider:
The Lost Cult, an adventure in the Tomb Raider
world, in August 2004. E.E. Knight has a very
extensive Website at vampireearth.com.
Zine Scene
Pages from the Altar to the Fast Lane
instance early in the Bush II administration,
when a gunman attacked the White House,
Cheney was at his desk making multiple decisions, but Bush was found at the gym working
out. In the days after 9/11, Bush was doing
photo-ops, but Cheney was in hiding most of
the time and spoke with decisive authority in
the rare public interviews he did give.
This summary doesn’t do Nichols’ case
justice. Nichols expertly presents a formidable
array of facts relating to Cheney’s power and
background, and in a manner that never
burdens the reader even though the story is
disturbing. The book isn’t just an indictment
against corrupt politics, but it also indicts a
corrupt media that allows spooks like Cheney
to get into office. Nichols suggests in various
points throughout the book that if Americans
had a functioning critical media, Dick Cheney
wouldn’t be in the White House today.
From a logistical standpoint, there was one
small problem with the book’s organization.
The main chapters of the book included
smaller sidebar stories placed inside the chapters and delineated from the main text with a
gray background. From a reading standpoint,
this might have worked if the sidebars were a
page or two in length, but they were sometimes several pages long, and I found myself
awkwardly having to keep my place in the
main narrative while reading. Making the
sidebars short enough to flip through quickly
or putting them in between chapters would
have made the book an easier read.
But this is a small criticism about the book’s
arrangement and is overwhelmingly surpassed
by the quality of the content of the book.
Every American voter should read Dick to
know more about who’s really been in the Oval
Office for the last four years.
The opportunity to meet
these strange and wonderful
people is the greatest reason
to start a zine, I assure you.
By Billy Roberts
The Most Romantic Wedding in Human History
If you write a zine long enough, you’re bound to start meeting
other people who write zines. At this point, you officially
become part of “the zine community.” Let me explain what that
means. Essentially, you will begin meeting lots of very cool and
dorky people who will often surprise you with how shy and insecure they actually are, and many good times are had. The
opportunity to meet these strange and wonderful people is the
greatest reason to start a zine, I assure you.
So, let’s get on with this review. The Most Romantic Wedding
in Human History is a one-shot story written by Christoph
Meyer, the same fella behind 28 Pages Lovingly Bound With
Twine. Christoph is just some cool guy from Danville, Ohio—
some guy I would most likely have gone my whole life
without ever meeting if not for the zine world. He’s always
putting out cool stuff, and this is another winner.
The Most Romantic Wedding in Human History tells the story
of his wedding ceremony, as well as some of the things that
happened before and after. Their wedding, however, was not
like most. “I don’t believe in marriage,” Christoph states on the
first page, immediately following with “I love my wife.” This
story is actually a story of love; there just happens to be a short
wedding in the middle. He talks about the rings from the
pawnshop, trying to tie his bow, where they went afterwards…
But all-in-all, you get the feeling that this was just a funny way
of doing something official. Oh, but I haven’t even talked about
the coolest part. The story has been cut up and pasted onto
pages of various romance novels! So, you get the whole thing
wrapped up in a bound paperback, each one decorated individually. Several pages lovingly pasted with Elmer’s Glue!
Limited to only 108 copies, so get it while you can!
Life in the Bike Lane
The scenario goes like this: Some kid named Dan finds
himself living in some ritzy-glitzy suburb of Phoenix, when
one day his old beater of a pickup truck gives out on him.
Rather than pay the $1,200 to fix it up, he decides to start
riding his bike, something very few people do in Phoenix.
This change in gears causes Dan to suddenly see things in a
whole new light—one that inspired him enough to write a
whole zine about it.
LitBL takes us through the process of detaching from one’s
automobile. It starts out as a challenge, then quickly turns into
a daily adventure, and from this comes all sorts of positive
outcomes for Dan. He feels empowered, healthy, and more
observant of the world around him. Page by page, he tells the
reader about how he “eventually found that cycling is an
entirely different way of interacting with space and time.”
This is a great zine for a number of reasons. It talks about
our addiction to driving, but does so in a down-to-earth way.
It’s easy to come off as preachy or condescending when
approaching this subject, but there is none of that here. This
is just some dude talking about how much more fun he has
riding his bike than he ever did driving. It makes you wish
you could go for a nice bike ride, instead of making you feel
guilty for driving your car. But it talks about more than just
bikes and cars; it spills over into our entire cultural system of
living. It makes you ask yourself what kind of life you’re
living, and if maybe you could be a little happier. But the best
thing is, this is all done through good writing that is actually
a lot of fun to read. Good zines and good bike rides…I don’t
know about you, but sometimes that’s all I really need.
Third
Coast
He’s out to save the Human Race…from itself.
By Lowell Thompson, Illustration by Marc R. Keller
Hey RaceMan,
Why do blacks receive preferential treatment when it comes to securing jobs?
—Worried Worker
Dear Worried,
Ah, finally, we’re getting somewhere. In my last column, I
bitched about the failure of my progressive Third Coast Press
colleagues to provide RaceMan with food for thought. Now, I
have the opposite problem—way too much to chew on. I have
32 questions in the queue.
So, I’ll start with a question that I’ve heard asked or
implied—both in the media and in person—for years.
The easy answer is another question: “Who says blacks
receive preferential treatment? Where are your facts?”
The idea that black Americans receive preferential treatment in
getting jobs is not just wrong. It is million-megaton-bomb, “The
earth is flat,” “There’s no such thing as evolution,” wrong. It’s a
kissing cousin to the Hitler-Goebbels Big Lie (but even more pernicious in its guise as a clueless query). In fact, my first reaction was
to blow the question off as just a racist red herring designed to keep
ol’ RaceMan busy answering bone-headed rhetorical questions.
But then I realized that, because of the amount of racial
misinformation perpetuated through our schools and our
media, there might be many Americans who would never
think to challenge the question’s questionable premise.
So, as a public service, I’ll do a little Race Ed. 101.
Like most “suburban” myths, the one regarding blacks getting
preferential treatment is based more on fantasy than facts.
Just one statistic should give you a clue. White unemployment is around 5 percent. Last time I looked, black unemploy-
ment was about 10.7 percent. (Of course, these figures vary
slightly day-to-day and expert-to-expert.) And, if you added
the growing number of people who are too discouraged to even
look for work, the disparity is even greater. The huge wealth
gap between black and white Americans is even more telling.
Experts estimate per capita white American wealth to be seven
to 10 times that of African-Americans.
In fact, the only “employment opportunities” I’ve noticed in
which black folks may be getting preferential treatment are for
positions as security guards, parking lot attendants, retail
clerks, burger flippers, prison inmates, and the like. I shudder
to think what the unemployment rate in black America would
be without Securitas, Wal-Mart, and McDonald’s.
Besides, I suspect that the questioner is really expressing
opposition to the idea of affirmative action. Many whites seem
to feel that it’s unfair. Even some blacks are opposed to it.
I say the idea of affirmative action for a reason. John F.
Kennedy proposed affirmative action for black Americans in
1961. It was meant to be an antidote to more than three
centuries of real affirmative action for white Americans. But
like another idea of the era, racial integration, affirmative
action has done better in theory than in practice.
Even at the height of its popularity, it was sporadically practiced—and then mostly in federal government jobs, agencies,
and programs. The anemic enforcement in the private sector
was left to the EEOC (Where anti-affirmative-action baby
Clarence Thomas was too busy pursuing Anita Hill to be bothered). A miniscule number of minorities actually navigated the
convoluted litigation system to win judgments against companies dumb enough to be blatantly racist.
But even half-hearted affirmative action is better than none. It
has made the life chances of many African-Americans (and
to myself this could come to no good, but the
three of us went off anyways. We ran up a set
of stairs, tripping and laughing, and I kept
goosing him with my finger in his asshole.
We found his wife struggling. The girl helped
out by tapping her mother with a rubber
mallet. Then, the baby came out in one big
slurp, with the mother’s bowels in tow … it
was so gross! I went up to her, and put my
hands on her, and said, “You are healed, you
are healed!” But I don’t know if she was,
because that was the end of the dream.
It was so graphic, I know it has to have
Illustration by Nicholas Ivan Ladendorf
some meaning. Am I a sacrilegious kind of
guy, or just desperate for attention? What
could it mean?
~Steve
Recently, I dreamed I was running on top
a hill in the snow and I could fly, heal, and
raise the dead (I seem to have resurrected a Hello Steve,
co-worker because it is mentioned later, but I
Thanks for writing. I’m always so intrigued
don’t really remember that part of the when I hear these types of dreams, because they
dream). Then I flew over a wrought iron have such intricate story lines. They are sort of
fence into Pat Robertson’s compound, but he epic. We have not only created a viable story
caught me when I tried to fly back out a thread, but have also woven a veritable cloth.
window. I was a little bit afraid of getting in These types of dreams truly exhibit our abilities
trouble, but he said he’d forgive me if I went to a) create elaborate and detailed storylines
to work for the cause of Christ. I’m an and b) draw lines between the dots that are our
atheist, so when he had me write out, “Jesus everyday activities.
is Lord,” I erased it.
There is so much here about religion, faith,
A woman I work with, (a woman who is gods, and the like, it’s impossible to ignore that
bossy—but not my supervisor) told me I was this is a topic you are weighing in your mind,
too free with my powers and should have but I can see parallels to a job-type situation
kept them hidden, especially when I resur- too. Whatever it is, this dream points to doubts
rected Ginny (that’s the bit I forgot).
you have about performance or proficiency.
Then a young woman came up to me. She
Snow is frozen/arrested emotion—in this
was a born-again Christian, and was thrilled case, atop a new challenge (hill). Perhaps you
to see me, the healer. I told her I could heal recently had to put the expression of your feelher body, but could offer no help to her soul. ings on hold in order to accomplish something.
She didn’t believe me anymore and left.
Then, you find out you have these superhuman
Next, I met a man and his 5-year-old qualities and feel no boundaries (fence) can
daughter. He told me his wife was about to hold you back. However, from the moment you
have a baby and that he wants his daughter recognize your powers you are faced with
to learn about the miracle of birth. I thought doubt, doubt, and more doubt from people
Dear Kudra,
Press
::
November
2004
19
women and other minorities) infinitely better than they were
before the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It’s hard to imagine now, but
even the likes of Michael Jordan and Barry Bonds were not
allowed to compete with their white counterparts until a generation before, when team owners and media moguls finally
decided the color of money was more important than the color
of one’s skin. For a nation that been an unapologetically “white
man’s country” for most of its history, we’ve come a long way.
But for one that has always held itself up as a model for the rest
of the world to follow, we still have a long way to go.
For those of us who aren’t sports stars or entertainers whose
talents and skills translate directly into millions of paying customers,
the improvement has been much less dramatic. Tellingly, the only
field in which affirmative action comes close to living up its billing
is for average Americans is our military, where non-whites get a
more or less equal opportunity to be maimed or killed.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t criticize America because I hate
it. I criticize because, in spite of its faults, I still believe in its
promise. I have to; it’s the only country I’ve got. But it is the
promise that gives me hope, not the reality.
I’ve got a suggestion for you. Instead of worrying about the folks
on the bottom of the national heap taking your job, get hot and
bothered about those at the top who have stolen your country. The
only minority that has always gotten “preferential treatment” in
America is the one percent who own and control most of our
wealth and almost all our politicians. Ironically, Bill Gates, Sr., the
father of the richest man in America, recently co-wrote book that
suggests he agrees with me. He and Warren Buffett, the second
richest man in America, were so embarrassed by the inequality
built into our tax system that they lobbied against the Bush administration’s efforts to kill the estate tax.
And, please don’t send me letters branding me a communist
or a socialist. I know a lot more about Groucho, Zeppo, and
Harpo Marx than I do about Karl. If I had to give myself a
label, I’d call myself a social-capitalist. You figure it out.
Here’s a revolutionary idea. Before our “leaders” invade
another country to force the blessings of American equality,
freedom, and justice down their throats, let’s try giving a taste of
it to the tens of millions of Americans who hunger for it first.
RaceMan Recommends:
> Wealth and Our Commonwealth
by William H. Gates, Sr. and Chuck Collins
> State of Black America, 2004
by The National Urban League
> America, The Book
by Jon Stewart and The Daily Show Writers 3
Send questions to RaceMan, anonymous submissions accepted, to
[email protected] or [email protected].”
around you. They are questioning the direction
and source of your strengths (Pat Robertson),
the wisdom of displaying/using your powers
(bossy woman), and the validity that you even
have them at all (the born-again person).
The one person who decides to go ahead and
trust you without question is someone who
needs help and only has you as his last hope.
Now, keep in mind, it’s only after you are rid of
the nay-sayers/”philosophers” that the next part
of this dream happens: You run gaily UP
STAIRS (charging full-steam ahead to bigger,
better, progressive places) to help with a birth.
Witnessing a dream birth is one of the coolest
symbols that we can dream!
A birth, in a dream, is an idea coming to fruition.
And like any birth, the one you helped with was
not clean or easy or pretty. But when it was all
over you had the cognizance and energy to fix it.
This birth, in particular, required additional,
unconventional assistance (mallet hits…) Don’t
discount this rather unusual help in relation to
your own situation. Perhaps, you recently enlisted
an unlikely helper to your cause, and found
him/her to be unexpectedly useful.
You say you weren’t sure if your superhuman
powers actually healed the mother, but I have a
question for you: What do you suppose would
have been the only reason, in this case, that your
healing wouldn’t have worked?
Doubt.
These three people believed in you and all of
the people in your dream are just manifestations
of the various parts of yourself. So please, don’t
doubt yourself, because certainly, if everyone
around you is making it their full-time job, you
have to be your own pillar of optimism. If you
doubt your abilities, who’s left to defend them?
This is a cool dream, Steve. I’m not sure how all
the religion fits in, except that faith is something we
all struggle with…and often, finding the faith in
ourselves is our greatest challenge. I wish you peace
in your search and strength in your journey. 3
Kudra
has been
interpreting
Dreams for
Friends,
family,
and random
strangers
for 13 years.
Send your dream to Kudra:
[email protected]
and for a limited time,
you are guaranteed a
free interpretation to
your dream, even if it’s
not published here.
Include your name and a phone number,
in case she does decide to use it.
20
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
Cow Power
A Grounding Solution to an Electrifying Concern
Story and Photos by Jennifer Roche
O
n a gently rolling hill on Doug Block’s Hunter Haven dairy farm in northwestern
Illinois, a concrete structure sits in the opened earth, nearing completion. It looks
like it might be a poured foundation for the basement of a modest, one-bedroom
home. But sometime before the end of the year, after an airtight cement ceiling has
been laid over the structure, Block will fill it with cow manure and heat it to 100
degrees. The structure will then trap the biogas that arises from the manure and
will use the methane found in it to run a natural gas-burning internal combustion
engine, producing electricity, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.
Block, a former winner of the state EPA’s
award honoring environmentally-responsible
farm stewardship, now stands poised at the
forefront of the alternative energy technology
called anaerobic digestion. Although anaerobic
digestion is a natural process that has been
used to deal with animal wastes for centuries,
it has only been in recent years that modern
digesters have become reliable enough to be
considered worth the bother.
The number of digesters in the U.S. has
climbed steadily to almost 50 and Block’s will
soon be one of three in Illinois. Digesters solve
believes that the environmental benefits are
meaningful. But digesters are not for every
farm. They require large volumes of manure to
work effectively and the technology has not yet
been scaled down for farms with fewer than
500 cows and less manure.
Digesters have also proven viable for swine
farms, but they have so far been less effective
with poultry and beef cattle due to the nuances
of how the animals are handled and the differences in the composition of their manure.
Humenik adds that the digesters’ ability to
generate electricity has not yet been “cost-justi-
power his milking machines
and other farm needs for free.
The excess will be sold for
about 3 cents a kilowatt hour
to Commonwealth Edison,
which, like all utilities, is
required by federal law to purchase power
from alternative energy producers. Based on
this math, Block could earn approximately
$25,000 per year producing electricity from
cow manure, a modest payback relative to his
initial $500,000 outlay.
“We’re producing electricity and that’s
Doug Block of Hunter Haven Farms.
On a national scale, the potential for power
from anaerobic digestion is considered limited
relative to established energy sources. For
instance, based on Block’s projections, he will
put about 110 kilowatts per hour back on the
grid, which will power about 110 homes. By
contrast, one of the Byron nuclear reactors
Although anaerobic digestion is a natural process that has been used to deal with animal wastes
for centuries, it has only been in recent years that modern digesters have become reliable enough
to be considered worth the bother.
a variety of environmental and farm management problems. In addition to helping manage
animal waste and generating electricity, they’re
also effective at reducing the significant ozonedepleting gases that arise from manure, and
they create some worthwhile byproducts like
fertilizer. Hans Detweiler, the Deputy Director
of Illinois Commerce and Economic
Opportunity, even points to their “neighborly”
benefit of reducing odors from farm operations, something he hopes will benefit the
rural tourism industry.
Frank Humenik, Professor and Coordinator
of the Animal Waste Management Programs at
North Carolina State University, says the technology behind digesters is sound, and he
fied” to the farmer. “We think that will change
as the environmental quality requirements (for
animal waste management) become more stringent and as energy prices continue to rise.”
To make his digester financially viable,
Block will rely on an intricate web of government grants, valuable byproducts, and environmental payoffs. He used two government
grants, one from the USDA and one from the
state’s “cow power” program, to offset half of
the almost $1 million construction cost. Block
will foot the bill for the other half.
When up and running, the manure from his
600 cows will produce enough biogas to
generate about 140 kilowatts per hour every
day. He’ll use about a quarter of that energy to
what’s getting the press,” explained Block.
“But, there’s a bigger picture.” In addition to
generating electricity, Block’s digester will
yield a byproduct of pathogen-free, odorless
solids that Block can substitute for the sawdust
he trucks in from Wisconsin to use as cow
bedding. He currently pays $100 per cow or
about $50,000–$60,000 annually for the
sawdust. By cutting this expense, he expects
he’ll pay off his digester investment in 10 years.
“People in this industry will build this and
do this if we can afford to,” said Block. “[We]
love the environment. It’s our life. But, we
can’t do it if we can’t pay for it.” He readily
admits that without the government grants,
there is no way his digester would “pencil out.”
visible from Hunter Haven on a clear day can
generate about 1100 megawatts per hour, or
enough power for a million homes.
It may be that until the technology becomes
more efficient or the electricity payback more
significant, anaerobic digesters will remain a
modest renewable resource—although that
may change sooner rather than later. In
September, the USDA announced that $9.5
million of the $21 million they earmarked for
promoting renewable energy initiatives will go
to 37 new anaerobic digester projects this year.
That’s more money than any other renewable
technology will receive under the grant—solar,
wind, and geothermal included. 3
Wal-Mart In Chicago
The Great Demand for Low Prices, Always?
By Laura Crossett
ast May, Third Coast Press wrote about a ballot to tip the balance.
Chicago Federation of Labor President
Wal-Mart’s plans to build stores in
Chicago and what some Chicagoans were Dennis Gannon berates Alderman Edward
doing to fight them. Since then, the Wal-Mart Burke (14th Ward) for championing and then
story has taken more turns than either abandoning the fight against Wal-Mart in
Chicago. Burke had urged Council members
Presidential candidate’s voting record.
On November 9, Liza Featherstone, co- to vote against the big box giant in March, but
author of Students Against Sweatshops and a helped to maneuver the West Side store
contributing editor to The Nation, will be through the committee process and win
reading from her new book, Selling Women approval. Burke claims he kept the ordinance
Short: The Landmark Battle for Worker’s Rights alive in order to give unions and others a
at Wal-Mart at Women and Children First chance to attach conditions on wages and
Bookstore, 5233 North Clark Street. To get benefits to the rezoning ordinance.
you up-to-date and in the mood, here’s a brief
summary of what’s been happening with Wal- JULY Reports circulate that Wal-Mart may
Mart in Chicago.
drop the fight for a South Side store. The
Wal-Mart had planned to open two stores planned South Side location is in a Tax
in Chicago—one at Chatham Market on the Increment Financing (TIF) district, which
South Side, near the intersection of 83rd and might subsidize some developments but
Stewart, and another on the city’s West Side, could also attach strings, such as wage and
near Grand and Keating. When we left off, benefit stipulations and environmental regucommunity groups and some City Council lations, to those who locate there.
members were gearing up for a fight.
The City Council’s Zoning Committee
approves the South Side store and the
JUNE The City Council votes on zoning measure is sent on to the full Council.
Alderman Joseph Moore (49th Ward) coordinances for the South and West Side WalMarts. The West Side ordinance passes; the sponsors an ordinance that would require
South Side is one vote short of a majority. Wal-Mart stores in Chicago to pay a
Mayor Daley declines the opportunity to cast minimum wage of $10.42/hour and to
L
Mayor Daley says Chicago can live without
Wal-Mart, but Wal-Mart may not be able to live—
or thrive—without Chicago.
contribute at least $3/hour toward employee SEPTEMBER The Sun-Times editorializes
benefits. Another measure, co-sponsored by against the wage-and-benefit ordinances
Alderman Burke, asks for a minimum wage of before the Council.
$12.43/hour and requires that 40 percent of
Tim Leahy, secretary-treasurer of the
the store’s merchandise be made in the USA. Chicago Federation of Labor, apologizes to
Alderman Emma Mitts (37th Ward). Mitts
AUGUST Wal-Mart’s contract to build the and Alderman Isaac Carothers (29th Ward)
South Side store expires. With living wage and claimed the CFL had started an intimidation
benefits ordinances still in the air, the campaign designed to defeat Mitts in the next
company chooses not to renew. Spokesman election because they opposed Mitts’ pro-WalJohn Bisio tells the Chicago Sun-Times, “It’s Mart stance. Mitts was instrumental in
not about a living-wage issue. It’s about an getting approval for the West Side Wal-Mart
ordinance that singles out just some—not store.
Developers of the Chatham mall send a
all—businesses in Chicago.” The South Side
location is still up for a zoning change vote by letter to Chicago’s aldermen promising that
the City Council, with both sides still hopeful Wal-Mart will not be among the stores in
that a yes or no vote will attract or repel the their project.
retail giant. “I am just concerned that WalMart is trying to play games here,” Alderman OCTOBER The Guardian, UK features a story
Moore tells the Sun-Times. “I have been on Chicago’s fight against Wal-Mart. As Walaround long enough to know that never rarely Mart reports continued growth and
means never.”
announces plans for new stores and superMayor Daley says Chicago can live without centers nation wide, opposition grows worldWal-Mart, but Wal-Mart may not be able to wide: The Guardian story is picked up,
live—or thrive—without Chicago.
among others, by the Tapei Times… 3
22
Third
Coast
Press
::
November
2004
Chicago Area Events
All activities are in Chicago, unless otherwise noted. Out of
town events are advertised ONLY if sponsors/endorsers are
organizing publicly accessible transportation from the Chicago
area. DON’T see your item listed? Don’t let us make that mistake
again! Please send your calendar listing to [email protected]
with the subject heading “CALENDAR.”
NOVEMBER 2004 EVENTS
ONGOING: “Silver City,” John Sayles’ drama about a
right wing candidate. Fiction mimics reality. Landmark
Cinema, Clark & Diversey. Info: silvercitythemovie.com
Thru O31: Festival of films from Iran. Siskel Film
Center, 164 N. State. Info: artic.edu/webspaces/siskelfilmcenter/2004/october/iran.htm
Thru O28: “Vera Drake,” Mike Leigh’s film drama of
a 1950s abortion provider. Landmark Century Cinema,
Clark & Diversey Streets.
Thru N1: “The Passion of the Bush: An Election
Show,” Theater Oobleck’s production follows the fate of
Bush and Cheney from Troy to Calgary, with cameos by
John Kerry & Mel Gibson! Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm,
Sundays at 7PM, Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N. Western. Special
show: 7PM, Monday, November 1. Info: 773/347-1041
Thru N28: “1984,” a new production of the Orwell
classic. Lookingglass Theater, Water Tower Water Works
building. Info: lookingglasstheatre.org/productions
Friday, October 29: Haunted Paeo Boricua Face
painint, candy, scary scnees, haunted house and more,
3-7PM at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, 2739-41 W.
Division St. Info: 773/342-8023 and prcc-chgo.com
Friday, O29: Critical Mass Bike Ride. 5:30PM,
Daley Plaza. Info: ChicagoCriticalMass.org
Friday, O29: Cornel West speaking on “50 Years
After Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS”
at Northeastern Illinois University. 6:30PM, 5500 N. St.
Louis. Info: 773/442-5449
Friday, O29: Benefit dinner for the Chicago Industrial
Workers of the World. Hear IWW General Secretary
Alexis Buss. 6:30PM, United Church of Rogers Park,1545 W.
Morse. Info: 773/834-4216 or [email protected]
Saturday, O30: Nicaragua Solidarity Committee’s
Annual Halloween Day of the Dead Salsa Dance!
9PM, The Heartland Café, 7000 N. Glenwood. We expect
this year’s dance to be particularly high energy as the broad
anti-war social justice movement has been places, from
Miami to Chicago to the RNC. Besides Iraq, Colombia,
Afghanistan, Housing and AIDS, from Haiti to Humboldt
Park, people have continued in strong expression of solidarity on the many issues confronting us. We have a lot to
share with one another and one of the best ways to build
solidarity is to have a great time celebrating all we stand for.
Groups need money, so we hold SALSA DANCES! We ask
$10-15 per ticket, sliding scale, in advance. Tickets are $12-15
at the door. Info: 773/973-6529 or [email protected]
Saturday, O30: Free film showing/discussion of parts
of Frank Dorrel’s film,“What I’ve Learned about U.S.
Foreign Policy,” which will include analysis on U.S. war
by Martin Luther King, Jr. and former CIA agent John
Stockwell, Bill Moyer’s “The Secret Government,” and
history of the U.S. in Iraq in “Genocide by Sanctions” as
well as some recent assessment by Seymour Hersh. 2PM,
Albany Park Branch Library, 5150 N. Kimball Ave.The film
showing will be followed by discussion on the U.S. war and
occupation, and what we can do to stop this. Sponosr:
Albany Park, North Park, Mayfair Neighbors for Peace and
Justice. Info: 773/250-3335.
Saturday, O30: “$ELECTION: Take Us To Your
Leader,” part of a series of public artworks throughout
October to make and show election art, guest speakers,
open discussions, and street performances, inviting
people to share their thoughts on leadership and create
art in the process. 1–4PM, Polvo Art Studio, 1458 W. 18th
St. Guest speaker Reverend Finley C. Campbell, antiracism activist, at 3PM. Sponsored by Anti Gravity
Surprise. Info: polvo.org
Saturday, O30: Non-violence training, a workshop
taught by Ken Butigan and Cynthia Okayama Dopke.
10am, New Hope United Methodist Church, 7115 W.
Hood. Info: 773/775-1215 or [email protected]
Saturday, O30: Call for Justice: March for Peace, a day
long Peace March, from Wheaton to Geneva. “We will
bring unmistakable focus on tragic loss of life in this war on
both sides.We call for an end to the war.We call for bringing
the U.S. troops home.” To draw attention to the tragic loss
of life in the Iraq War, marchers will carry approximately
100 cardboard replicas of coffins. Some will be draped in
black cloth representing over 13,000 Iraqi civilian dead.
Some will be draped in US flags, representing almost 1,100
U.S. service personnel killed. The Peace March will proceed
from Wheaton’s Second Baptist Church, through Winfield
and West Chicago to Geneva’s historic Kane County
Courthouse. Churches will toll their bells along the march
route, to recognize those killed in the Iraq War. 9aM, kickoff rally, Second Baptist Church, 1520 Avery, Wheaton, IL
featuring Michael McConnell, Rev. Andre Allen, military
families and more (free parking available all day in 2nd
Baptist Church parking lot). By Metra train, exit at
Wheaton’s College Ave. Station, follow signs, 1 block south
and 1block east to the rally site.10AM, march begins. March
options: Participants are welcome to March the length that
suits them: 2 miles to Wheaton Train Station (approx.
10:45AM arrival); 4 miles to Winfield Train Station (approx.
11:15AM arrival); 6 miles to West Chicago Train Station
(approx 12 NOON arrival); 13 miles to Geneva’s historic
Kane County Courthouse (approx. 3:15PM arrival). Note:
Write it Down: Thursday & Friday, November 4 & 5
The Bankers are Coming!
T
The Bankers are Coming!
he elections are November 2nd, but the real, and unelected rulers are invading two days
later! Hundreds of top-level bankers will meet at the Intercontinental Hotel to discuss
the PATRIOT Act, Iraq, and the FTAA! On November 4th we will see the invasion of
hundreds of unelectable, unaccountable, undesireable villains. A virtual army of
vampires, only days after Halloween (and the election) will come to suck our poor dry,
then flap away into the night. The Bankers Association for Finance & Trade (baft.org) will
descend upon our city for their Annual Conference on International Finance. BAFT’s Board of
Directors includes top executives from CitiGroup, US Bancorp, Bank of America, and most of the
other largest US bank corporations, and corporate membership includes major banks all over the
world. Among those participating in the Annual Conferense are “over 225 senior bankers together
with corporate executives and management of government agencies.”
What will they be doing at this Conference? Besides discussing free trade and international
finance, focused workshops will discuss the PATRIOT Act, the US Port Authority and terrorism,
the Trade Bank of Iraq & the Coalition Provisional Authority, and the FTAA. This is a call for all
poor people, concerned persons, and vampireslayers to resist and harass rich white, well-dressed
male vampires that may lurk near the Intercontinental Hotel on November 4th and 5th. We call
for autonomous actions and all groups intrested to participate with this call as a part of the
Beyond Voting campaign. The World Business Forum will converge on Chicago two weeks later,
so let’s give BAFT a preview of Chicago’s resistance. Brought to you by the Exaggerated-SenseOf-Self-Importance Collective, [email protected]
Geneva Train Station is 2 blocks south of the closing rally
site. Closing events: 3:15–3:45PM, standing silent vigil, on
Geneva’s Rte. 38 bridge over the Fox River. 4–5PM, closing
rally at historic Kane County Courthouse, 3rd St, 1 block
south of Rte. 38 featuring Kathy Kelly, military families
against the war, music & more. Return transportation (to
the east) is available on the METRA Chicago to Geneva
Line. More info: faithpeace.org, [email protected] or
630/768-9305 Sponsors: The West Suburban Faith-based
Peace Coalition,American Friends Service Committee, Fox
Valley Citizens for Peace and Justice, Second Baptist
Church of Wheaton, Pax Christi DuPage, College of
DuPage Campus Greens, Voices in the Wilderness,
McHenry County Peace Group, DeKalb Peace Group,
Rockford Peace Ministries, Eighth Day Center for Justice,
End the Occupation Naperville, Education Not Empire,
Food Not Bombs, Lombard Mennonite Church, Parish
Partners for Peace, Pax Christi St. Thomas, College of
DuPage Pride Alliance, Sisters of St. Joseph–LaGrange, St.
Francis Xavier Peace & Justice Group and more.
Saturday, O30: Nicaragua Solidarity Committee
Halloween Day of the Dead Salsa Dance, 9PM,
Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood (kitty corner from the
north exit of the “Morse” stop on the Red Line “El”).
Organizers expect this year’s Day of the Dead Dance to be
particularly high energy as the broad anti-war social justice
movement has been from Miami to Chicago to the RNC.
Benefit for the Nicaragua Solidarity Committee. Tickets
$10–15, sliding scale, in advance. Tickets $12–15 at the door.
Info: 773/973-6529 or [email protected]
Sunday, O31: Documentary and live call-in
program on CAN TV examine 9/11 and American
foreign policy. Chicago Media Action presents the documentary, “Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear and the
Selling of American Empire,” at 5PM on CAN TV21.
Immediately following the screening of the documentary,
CMA will host a live call-in discussion with co-director,
Sut Jhally. Chicago viewers are invited to call in with questions and comments from 6–7PM “Hijacking Catastrophe:
9/11” places the Bush administration’s false justifications for
war in Iraq within the larger context of a two-decade
struggle by neoconservatives to dramatically increase military spending in the wake of the cold war. The documentary examines how American power is globally expanded
by means of military force while civil liberties and social
programs are curtailed at home. Chicago Media Action
(CMA) is a Chicago-based group dedicated to monitoring
and analyzing media in the Chicago area and to building
Chicago’s independent media. CAN TV provides coverage
of events relevant to the local community and gives every
Chicagoan a voice on cable television by providing video
training, facilities, equipment, and channel time for
Chicago residents and nonprofit groups. CAN TV’s five
local, noncommercial cable channels CAN TV19, 21, 27, 36
and 42 reach more than one million viewers in the city of
Chicago. Info: 312./738-1400 or cantv.org
Sunday, O31: Capitalism Gives Me The Creeps!
On Halloween, join an anarchist street theatre parade
where ghosts ghouls and the undead are being relocated
from Hell to the surface land where things are really
heating up. Bring costumes, noisemakers, and a merry
spirit. 2:30PM at Milwaukee/North/Damen, just north
of the Damen blue line stop. Flyer available at
chicagonewyork.net/dontjustvote/halloweenbig.pdf and
chicagonewyork.net/dontjustvote/halloweenquarter.pdf
Sunday, O31: “Crisis in Africa,” with Thomas Derdak
of the Global Alliance on Africa. 10AM, Third Unitarian
Church, 301 N. Mayfield. Info: 773/626-9385
Tuesday, N2: One State, Two State, Red State, Blue
State! POST-ELECTION PARTY, an Election Day Bash
to Benefit Chicago Indymedia and Third Coast Press.
6PM–2AM, The Hothouse, 31 E. Balbo. The event will offer
Chicagoans a place to keep an eye on unfolding election
coverage through both network news and internet sources,
celebrate the momentum of U.S. progressive political movements since the dawn of the Bush era, and sample a smorgasbord of local live music, political art, spoken-word poetry
and political satire. It’s the party of the decade, after the
election of the century. Includes music from Rebecca F
(folk/rock), Star People (hiphop/reggae), PAL (punk), and
the Chariots (emo), screenings of a provocative new film,
shorts from producers including the Guerilla News
Network, Street Level Youth Media, and a plethora of other
artists and entertainers. Spoken-word poet Triple Blak,
recently featured on Def Jam Poetry, will perform between
the bands. The two groups chose election day for their
benefit both to highlight the need for a truly free and independent press for the survival of democracy and to provide
a space for alternative coverage and discussion of unfolding
events. Besides their commitment to putting on a great
show, they’re encouraging people to use the event to forge
new alliances and fire up interest in political activism in
metro Chicago. Admission to the event is $10–50
dollars…or more for donors who are willing to contribute
more. No-one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Attendees must be 21 or over. Info: Jessica Pupovac,
773/744-2414, [email protected]
Tuesday, N2: “$ELECTION: Take Us To Your Leader,”
part of a series of public artworks throughout October to
make and show election art, guest speakers, open discussions, and street performances, inviting people to share their
thoughts on leadership and create art in the process.
Election Night Extravaganza. 6PM–close, Handlebar, 2311W.
North Ave. Performers include Mrs. Rao’s Growl, Spunn,
Dan Godston and Joel Wanek. 9:30PM, music/poetry open
mic. Info: handlebarchicago.com, anti-gravity.info
Tuesday, N2: “Emitai,” Ousmane Sembene’s film
drama of a Diola village in Senegal & the French military. 7PM, Doc Films, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th. Info:
773/702-8574
Wednesday, N3: Whoever Wins the Election, the War
on Iraq Continues! Stop the War, End the Occupations
post-election candlelight rally. 5PM, Federal Building, 220 S.
Dearborn. No matter who wins the election, the illegal and
unjust war against Iraq and the occupations of Afghanistan
and Palestine must end. We demand that U.S.troops be
withdrawn from Iraq.Thousands have already died in a war
that cannot be won. Join us to tell the President, we want
peace and justice hereand around the world. Sponsored by
the November 3rd Coalition (list in formation):
Andersonville Neighbors for Peace, Chicago Anarchist
Network, Chicago Coalition AgainstWar and Racism,
Chicagoans Against War and Injustice, Dupage Against War
Now, Historians Against War–Chicago, National Boricua
Human Rights Network, Palestine Solidarity Group, Peace
Pledge Chicago, Prairie Fire Organizing Committee,
South Siders For Peace, Students for Social Justice. To
endorse, contact Peace Pledge-Chicago at: [email protected] or call 312/494-5840 and
send $25 to Peace Pledge, 2502 W. Division, Chicago, Ill.
60622. More info: peacepledgechicago.org
Wednesday, N3: The Three Arts Club of Chicago
presents the Yoko Noge Trio. Call 312/944-6250 for
tickets ($20 standard admission for one concert, $150
series admission for eight concerts). threearts.org
Wednesday, N3: Help ensure adequate funding for
CAN TV! At the September 29th City Council Meeting,
Mayor Richard M. Daley and Alderman Bernard L. Stone
introduced an ordinance that will help close the funding
gap created from the failure of cable competition in the
City of Chicago.The ordinance calls for CAN TV to receive
5% of the cable franchise fee that is currently paid by cable
companies to the City. Funds generated from the franchise
fee will help bridge the funding gap caused by the loss of
RCN in 3 out of 4 of its cable areas. The ordinance is
scheduled to be forwarded to the full City Council for a
vote at its November 3 meeting. Help ensure passage by
attending today’s meeting at 10AM, City Council Chambers,
121 N. LaSalle St., 2nd floor. Info: 312/738-1400 or cantv.org
Wednesday, N3: “Standing with the Women of Iraq.”
Coordinators Persheng Vaziri, Larilyn Sanchez and Molly
Fink ask what has the U.S. invasion and occupation meant
for the women of Iraq? In this program their passionate
statements of resistance are intercut with actions by Code
Pink, Women in Black and others who have been at the
forefront of protests against the war in the U.S. Part of the
weekly “Shocking & Awful” program series on CAN TV,
Cable Channel 21 in Chicago, 11–11:30PM. Info:
[email protected]
Wednesday, N3 & N17: Free Aaron Patterson &
Chicago 3! Stop the Cover-Up of Police Torture In
Chicago! Aaron Patterson is a dedicated Black community
organizer who spent 17 years on Illinois Death Row for a
crime he did not commit because members of the Chicago
Police Department tortured him into making a false confession. In January, 2003, Aaron was released from prison, one
of the Black men granted clemency by then Gov. George
Ryan based on evidence of police torture, prosecutorial
misconduct and racism. On August 5, 2004, Aaron, 40, was
arrested while driving on a Chicago freeway and charged
with selling heroin, marijuana and guns. Police had been
tracking him for months, yet failed to turn up any drugs or
guns in his possession. If convicted, Patterson could spend
the rest of his life in prison. At separate locations, Isaiah
Kitchen and Mark Mannie were arrested as co-conspirators
(Aaron, Isaiah and Mark are the Chicago 3). Once again,
Aaron Patterson has been framed for crimes he did not
commit. Join the Aaron Patterson/Chicago 3 Defense
Committee. Meetings are held on the first and third
Wednesdays of the month, 3–5PM at the Temple of Mercy
Association (upstairs), 7757 S. Halsted Street. Info: 773/2507229 or subscribe to [email protected]
Wednesday, N3: “Standing With the Women of
Iraq,” program on CAN-TV cable channel 21 at 11PM.
Program examines what the US invasion and occupation has meant for the women of Iraq. Part of the Deep
Dish TV “Shocking And Awful” series.
Thursday, N4: Hear Professor Debra Evenson speak
on “The History of U.S. Government Restrictions on
Travel to Cuba.” 6:30PM, DePaul University, 2250 N.
Sheffield, Student Center, Private Dining Room. Sponsor:
Celebración de Nuestra América and the Center for Latino
Research. Info: depaul.edu/~dialogo
Thursday, N4: Election Post-Mortem sponsored
by Open University of the Left. 7PM, Acme Arts
Center, 1741 N. Western
Thursday, N4–Thursday, N11: Reeling—Chicago
Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival. For
schedule and ticket info, go to reelingfilmfestival.org
Friday, N5: Chicago Anti-Bashing Network live
call-in show on CAN-TV, 6:30-6:55PM on Cable
Channel 21 in Chicago.
Friday, N5: The Puerto Rican Alliance and Exelon
present “The 6th Annual Cuatro Festival
Puertorriqueno 2004.” The Chicago Theatre, 175 N.
State Street. Info: 773/342-8023 and prcc-chgo.com
Friday, N5: “Renaissance Revolution Post Election
Party for the People.” 5PM, HotHouse, 31 E. Balbo. 5PM,
Renaissance Revolutionary art exhibit opening; 7PM, film,
Eyes of the Rainbow on the Life of Assata Shakur; 9PM, DJs,
etc. Sponsor: Assata Arts Project. Info: 866/230-1857
Friday, N5: “Our Choices, Our Lives: Abortion and
Social Equity.” Author and activist Karen Kubby
discuss the book, “Our Choices, Our Lives: Unapologetic
Writings About Abortion.” 7:30PM, New World Resource
Center, 1300 N. Western. Info: [email protected]
Saturday, N6: John Hope Franklin, historian and actvist,
speaks at the Northwestern University School of Law, 375 E.
Chicago. 10AM. Part of the Chicago Humanities Festival.
Saturday, N6: Michael Ignatieff, author and human
rights activist, speaks at the Chicago Temple, 77 W.
Washington.10AM. Part of the Chicago Humanities Festival.
Saturday, N6: Chuck D, Public Enemy’s founder,
speaks on “Hip Hop and the Digital Divide.” 2PM,
Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington. Part of the Chicago
Humanities Festival.
Saturday, N6: “What Should Progressives Do
After the Election?” 7PM, UIC Chicago Circle
Center, 750 S. Halsted. Hear Ahmed Shawki of
International Socialist Review. Info: 312/458-9380 or
[email protected]
Saturday, N6: Dinner/raffle benefit for Families of
the Wrongfully Convicted. 5PM doors open, 3947 W.
Division. 6PM, dinner. $6–10 donation at the door. Info:
[email protected]
Saturday, N6: Luis Rodriguez, award winning
author of Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days
in L.A., will return to Chicago to speak at a dinner to raise
funds for the newspaper People’s Tribune/Tribuno del
Pueblo. The program is titled The Revolutionary Media
and the Dream of a New World, and will offer political and
cultural highlights from the 34 years of the People’s Tribune,
its sister publication in Spanish, Tribuno del Pueblo, and from
People’s Tribune Radio. Luis Rodriguez, who is a frequent
contributor to these and other newspapers, will comment
from his experience on the significance of a revolutionary
perspective in the media and the imagination required for
building a new world. Doors open 6PM, UNITE! union
hall, 333 S. Ashland. Dinner at 7PM, program begins at 8PM.
Tickets $15 (includes dinner).
Sunday, N7: “The Elections & the Struggle Against
War, Racism & Repression.” Inaugural Chicago
meeting of The Party for Socialism and Liberation. 2PM,
New World Resource Center, 1300 N. Western Avenue. The
Party for Socialism and Liberation (socialismandliberation.org), founded in July 2004, believes there is only one
alternative to capitalism: socialism. Capitalism is an enemy
of workers and all oppressed people. We need revolutionary
change. The capitalist class of bosses, bankers and landlords
has all the political and economic power in society,
completely dominating the mass media. Join us in a discus-
Third
sion of the meaning of the national elections and where we
go from here in the struggle for socialism. Speaking at the
meeting will be national leaders and organizers of the Party
for Socialism and Liberation including Caneisha Mills of
Washington, DC, Richard Becker of San Francisco, CA and
Beth Massey of Chicago. $5 suggested donation (no one
turned away for lack of funds). Info: [email protected] or 773/769-4181
Sunday, N7: “Annals of Revolt: 1968.” Hear Daniel
Cohn-Bendit, Bobby Rush, and others. 12:30PM,
Chicago Historical Society, Clark and North Avenues.
Part of the Chicago Humanities Festival.
Tuesday, N9: Puerto Rican Agenda presents
“Health Summit: Building a Community of
Wellness,” 9AM–1PM, Association House, 1116 N.
Kedzie. Info: 773/342-8023 and prcc-chgo.com
Tuesday, N9: There will be a march at 4:30PM over
to the office of Mary Ann Smith, alderperson of the
48th ward, who has supported the Navy seizing a wing
of Senn High School. There will be a rally/demo outside
of her office. Info: savesenn.org
Wednesday, N10: “The Art of Resistance.”
Coordinators Persheng Vaziri, Larilyn Sanchez and Molly
Fink explore the growing impact of artists and cultural
performances that have invigorated and enlivened resistance to America’s imperial war on Iraq. Part of the weekly
“Shocking & Awful” program series on CAN TV, Cable
Channel 21 in Chicago,11–11:30PM. Info: [email protected]
Thursday, N11: Veterans Day protest against the
war in Iraq called by Vietnam Veterans Against the
War. 11AM, corner of Wabash & Wacker, Chicago.
Thursday, N11: Chicago Social Forum planning
meeting. Info: [email protected]
Saturday, N13–Sunday, N14: “We Can End the Death
Penalty!,” the Fourth Annual Convention of the
Campaign to End the Death Penalty. Kent Hall, University
of Chicago , 1020 E. 58th St. Join family members, former
death row prisoners, and activists to take a look at our
movement, our victories, and our challenges. Activists from
across the country will gather for two days of lively discussions, workshops and guest speakers. Speakers include: Dr.
Barbara Ransby, noted historian and author of “Ella Baker
and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic
Vision,” speaking on “The Roots of the Civil Rights
Movement: Lessons for Activists Today”; Billy Neal Moore,
who spent almost 17 years on Georgia’s death for the
robbery-murder of a 77-year old man, speaking about the
circumstances surrounding his crime and the question,
“Should people be given second chances?”; Monique
Matthews, sister of newly freed Louisiana death row prisoner Ryan Matthews, will tell about the years of struggle
she and her family waged to save her brother from execution. Other special guests include: Shujaa Graham, former
California death row prisoner; Darby Tillis, exonerated
Illinois death row prisoner; Madison Hobley, pardoned
Illinois death row prisoner; Sandra Reed, mother of Texas
death row prisoner Rodney Reed; Gricelda Ceja, mother of
fomer Illinois death row prisoner Raul Ceja, who is now
serving a life sentence; and Mildred Henry, member of the
Enough Is Enough Campaign, whose son is wrongfully
imprisoned after being tortured by Chicago police.
Registration is $45, with an additional $10 for the optional
Saturday night dinner. A limited number of scholarships
are available. Nearby, low-cost housing is also available.
Info: 773/955-4841 or nodeathpenalty.org
Sunday, N14: The Arab American Action Network
(AAAN) and the Palestine Humanitarian Aid Project
(PHAP) present Marcel Khalife in concert. 7PM, The
Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance,
205 E. Randolph Drive, in Chicago’s Millennium Park.
Lebanese musician Marcel Khalife is considered one of the
greatest composers and masters of the oud, the fretless
Arabic lute. Beyond the disciplined instrumental work,
Kalife is most loved for his haunting and inspiring settings
of Arab poetry, including that of Khalil Gibran and
Mahmoud Darwish. Khalife is recognized for reshaping
traditional Arab music by broadening the discipline of the
oud, advancing its tradition as a solo instrument and
creating works with greater breadth and richness of sound
for multiple ouds. He is also considered one of the truly
unique Arab nationalist musicians in the history of Arab
music, as his lyrics strive and yearn for independence, selfdetermination, peace, and justice for the Palestinians, the
Arabs, and oppressed people everywhere. Tickets are $25,
$50, and $100. Proceeds from the concert will go to support
the AAAN’s community-based social service, organizing,
advocacy, and arts and cultural work, and to help build a
mobile, medical unit for the Palestinians in the West
Bank. You can purchase tickets from the Harris Center
box office, 312/334-7777, or by contacting the Arab
American Action Network, 773/436-6060. More info:
madtchi.com/aaan.shtml
Sunday, N14: Winter Standown for Homeless
Veterans, Humboldt Park. Info: vvaw.org/events
Wednesday, N17: Institute for Puerto Rican Arts
and Cultural Center fundraiser. 6–8PM, Chicago
Historical Society, Clark and North Avenues. $100
donation. Info: 773/342-8023 and prcc-chgo.com
Friday, N19–Sunday, N21: Close the School of the
Americas, United States military’s terrorist training
camp in Ft. Benning, GA. Info: soaw.org or 8th Day
Center for Justice, 312/641-5151.
Friday & Saturday, N19 & 20: Anime Sound & Vision
is an event featuring the “Crazy 88’s” from the “Kill Bill”
movie, as well as Japanese martial artists, traditional dancers
and musicians to promote Japanese culture through
Japanese anime. The event will be held at the Holiday Inn
O’Hare in Rosemont, IL. Info: animesoundvision.com.
Monday, N20: Fourth Annual Chicago-Area Teaching
for Social Justice Curriculum Fair, featuring a discus-
Coast
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2004
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sion on “Renaissance 2010” and NCLB. Sponsored by
Teachers for Social Justice & Rethinking Schools.
11AM–4PM, Orozco School,1940 W.18th St. Included in the
program will be: curriculum packets and units to take away;
samples of student work; videos; students presenting
curriculum with teachers; and workshops. Teaching for
Social Justice is a great opportunity for dialogue and
networking. For more information or for Curriculum Fair
fliers/posters, please see the Teachers for Social Justice
website at teachersforjustice.org or call 773/325-4352.
CPDUs available. Call DePaul Institute for Teacher
Development and Research at 773/325-1856.
Sunday, N21: Documentary on the life of Che
Guevara. 2PM, Schmitt 254, DePaul University, 2320
N. Kenmore. Info: [email protected]
Friday, N26: Critical Mass Bike Ride. 5:30PM,
Daley Plaza. Info: ChicagoCriticalMass.org
Saturday, D4: 12th Annual People’s Thanksgiving
sponsored by Freedom Road Socialist Organization,
4–8PM (dinner at 5PM), location TBA. Every year we gather
fighters from the main fronts of struggle in Chicago. This
year join us in recognizing those that have played a leading
role in these battles as we say: Dump Bush, End the
Occupations of Iraq and Palestine, Fight for Trade Union
Rights, Stop Wrongful Imprisonment, and Equal Marriage
Rights. This event also tells the truth about the history of
this country’s treatment of Native Americans, African
Americans, Mexicanos/Chicanos, Puerto Ricans and other
oppressed nationality people—a history of national oppression and racism. We don’t accept the myth taught in U.S.
schools that European settlers wanted to live in peace with
the Indians. The colonists came here to steal this land and
carried out genocide. Ours is a PEOPLE’S THANKSGIVING.Tickets: $20, includes dinner. Cash Bar. Proceeds
go to benefit Fight Back! ¡Lucha y Resiste! Newspaper. Art
and literature table, kids’ banner making. Info and tickets:
[email protected] Send checks payable to “Fight Back” to
P.O. Box 87613, Chicago, IL 60613
Saturday, D4–Sunday, D5: “Magical Activism,
Activism and Beyond,” a weekend intensive seminar,
December 4 & 5, 2004 1PM–9PM. each day. Activism is
more than just protesting. This workshop seeks to link
personal experience and spiritual practice to the larger
global web. We will examine how we each experience privilege and oppression, and how we can claim our privilege
to enrich and heal our society as a whole. By weaving cocreation and resistance, we will awaken imagination
within ourselves, and embark on the journey to change
consciousness on a societal scale. We will study histories
and theories of nonviolent activism to inform our process.
We will develop our personal intentions and concrete
actions for social change through grounding, aura exercises, deep visioning, accessing elemental and spiritual
connections in urban areas, and skill sharing. Please wear
comfortable clothing, and along with your journals, bring
the tactics you already utilize in your life, in community
building and on the streets. Classes will be held at Grace
United Methodist Church of Logan Square, 3325 W.
Wrightwood Ave. Cost is $75–150 sliding scale. Pay what
you can afford, no one will be turned away for lack of
funds. Reserve space by sending a $25 deposit by
November 12 to Chicago Reclaiming, Inc., P.O. Box 64976,
Chicago, IL 60664-0976. Info and registration also at
chicagoreclaiming.org. More info: [email protected] or 773/506-1099.
ONGOING EVENTS
ONGOING: 24/7 Union Picket: Support the Congress
Hotel Strikers! Congress Hotel, 520 S. Michigan.
Sponsor: HERE Local 1. Info: congresshotelstrike.info
Daily, 7–9AM: Democracy Now! is now in
Chicago! Amy Goodman, Juan Gonzalez, and their
guests are a daily independent source of news on
matters like the occupation of Iraq. WZRD, 88.3 FM
Mondays–Fridays, 3:45PM: Pacifica’s Free Speech
Radio News on WZRD 88.3 FM
Mondays–Fridays, 6PM: Pacifica’s Free Speech
Radio News on WLUW 88.7 FM.
Mondays, 6PM: Peace Pledge Chicago meetings,
2502 W. Division.
Mondays, 7–9PM: Twice-monthly meeting (1st and
3rd Mondays) of Andersonville Neighbors for
Peace, at North Shore Baptist Church, 5242 N.
Lakewood, Room 131.
Mondays: 1st Mondays of each month, 7PM:
Department of Peace Coalition meetings. Thomas
Ford Library, 800 Chestnut, Western Springs.
[email protected]
Tuesdays, 8AM: Silent Presence for Peace at the
Federal Building—Peace Vigil, Federal Plaza,
Dearborn & Jackson. 8th Day Center for Justice:
312/641-5151
Tuesdays, 9AM–NOON. Progressive radio show
on WZRD-FM, 88.3 FM
Tuesdays, 6–7PM: Weekly protest against the occupation of Iraq, northwest corner of 95th and Western
Ave. Proceeds the weekly 7:30PM meeting of South
Siders for Peace at the Beverly Unitarian Church, 10244
S. Longwood Dr, Chicago. Info: [email protected]
Tuesdays, Alernating (N9 & 23): Chicago Coalition
Against War & Racism general meeting. All who
want to organize against war and racism are welcome!
6:30PM, 1st Methodist Temple, 77 W. Washington (at
Clark), 2nd floor “Heritage Room.” Info: call 888/4710874 or e-mail [email protected].
Tuesdays, 7PM (2nd & 4th of each month): Hyde Park
Committee Against War and Racism weekly meeting
at University Church, 57th and University, Chicago. Info:
Life Beyond Metromix
By Keidra Chaney
n the past two or three years alone, it seems, there’s been an explosion
of Chicago-based webzines popping up. Under the radar of the coasts,
there are scores of people pumping out daring, creative online literature
and journalism at an almost alarming pace, with gapersblock.com
serving as the hub of our online community. Is there something in the
water? Are there that many underemployed creatives in Chicago in
need of an outlet? Either way, I’m not complaining (especially since I
consider myself among its ranks). Keep the great work coming.
I
I have to admit, the slickness of 606mag.com
led me to expect something close to a locallygrown answer to Time Out. Actually, it’s
gutsier, with highly stylized photography and
writings that lean toward stream-of-consciousness personal essays, with a few forays into
traditional feature-style journalism, profiles,
and the like. I give the editorial team props for
its inspired selection of content. Nine issues
have been published since its launch early this
year. Later issues are little scarcer with less
* * *
The Self-Publishers Event Council of
Chicago is a consortium of zinesters, bloggers,
and anyone else interested in self-publishing
and alternative media. They co-sponsored the
WLUW Record Fair this year and have an
online presence at selfpublishers.org, scant
though it is. Don’t leave without subscribing to
SPEC’s mailing list or checking out the
“Features” section, which re-publishes work
from local writers and comic artists.
Are there that many underemployed creatives in
Chicago in need of an outlet?
content, but there’s always something worth
reading. Check out the semi-regular “choose
your own adventure” themed interactive
features, and Battery, a regular “point/counterpoint” feature that focuses on various
Chicago-focused subjects like Block 37 or the
Chicago Film Office tax break. Issue #1’s
“Please Skill Me” is a thoughtful reflection on
Chicago’s dismal job market. Read it and weep.
Speaking of “work”: The latest issue of slick
Web-based quarterly No-East Magazine (noeast.com) takes a free-form, literary approach to
the subject with photos, abstract artwork, and
minimalist commentary. This issue takes something of an online chapbook format, but each
issue’s style and focus have thus far been
distinctive. There’s a lot of creative and ambitious content to be found, like issue #1’s photo
essay of women’s’ bathrooms and gapersblock
contributor Shylo Bisnett’s “failed” epidemiology experiment with bacteria culture from
the “L,” found in issue #2 (just read it; it’s less
creepy and more amusing than its description).
* * *
Did you know that Chicago is home to our
very own UFO news blog? Well, now you do.
TUFOP: UFO Info from Around the World is
at webfellows.com/blogger/blogger.html, and
while it hasn’t been updated since about May,
you’ll find alien speculation to amuse and/or
educate you for a while.
* * *
Thisisgrand.org, which features stories from
the CTA, has grown into a pretty impressive
Webzine in the past few months, boasting an
archive of more than 60 stories, poems, and
ramblings. They will be posting the results of a
photo contest this month. Definitely pay this
site a visit, if you haven’t already. The winners of
the Webzine’s photo contest will be displayed at
a contest kickoff party at photo gallery/lounge
Darkroom (2210 West Chicago) on November
14, and will be on display for a month. 3
chicagoantiwar.org/hydepark/hpcawr.html
Saturdays, 9AM: “Live from the Heartland”
progressive radio show. WLUW 88.7-FM. Info: heartlandcafe.com
Wednesdays, 3PM: Food Not Bombs: Meals for the
Hungry. Loyola El Station.
Wednesdays, 4–6PM: Northside Peace Gathering.
Three Cornered Island of Peace: Milwaukee, Logan
& Kedzie Aves. Protesting war and empire since Sept.
2, 2003. Info: [email protected]
Thursdays,1:30PM: “The Ministry of Truth,” a weekly
haven for left-wing thought and comment with Chicago
Media Action’s Mitchell Szczepanczyk. WHPK 88.5-FM
radio. Info:
[email protected]
or
whpk.uchicago.edu
Thursdays, 5–6PM: “Party from Damascus” radio
program on WHPK, 88.5 FM. Politics plus Arab music:
shaabi, pop, dabke, khaleeji and MORE!
Thursdays, 7:30–9:30PM: Neighbors for Peace
weekly meeting. St. Nicholas Church, 806 Ridge Ave.
Evanston
Thursdays, 7PM: Southside Slam. Open Mics at
N’diga Coffee & Books, 3510 W. 63rd Street. List opens
at 6pm, performances begin at 7pm. Bring a gently
used book and get in free ($2 otherwise, performers
free, no cookbooks please). Non-smoking, children
friendly environment. Info: 773/925-2517
Thursdays, 9PM: Homolatee, Queer Words and
Music, hosted by Scott Free. No Exit Café, 6970 N.
Glenwood. scottfree.net/homolatte.html
Every last Saturday of the month: Waukegan Foodnot-Bombs will be serving vegetarian and vegan food to
all those who wish to eat at Jack Benny Plaza in downtown
Waukegan. People who can bring or donate food are highly
appreciated, but the most important thing is your stomach
and your sense of social justice. Please contact the RedAlert
Collective for more info. redalertcollective.cjb.net or
[email protected]
Saturdays, 9AM: “This Is Hell” irreverent radio show.
WNUR 89.3-FM. Info: thisishell.net
E-mail [email protected] to send suggestions, comments, flames, manifestos, et cetera.
Saturdays, 2–4pm: Northside Peace Gathering.
Three Cornered Island of Peace: Milwaukee, Logan &
Kedzie Aves. Protesting war and empire since Sept. 2,
2003. Info: [email protected]
Saturdays, 5PM: Food Not Bombs serving at 18th St.
and Loomis.
Sundays, 1–2:45PM: Food Not Bombs serving free
vegetarian meals to the hungry @ corner of Lincoln and
Fullerton.
Sundays, Noon–1PM: Not In My Name weekly
vigil: End Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, Gaza
Strip & East Jerusalem. Water Tower Place, 830 N.
Michigan. Info: nimn.org
Sundays (2nd & 4th), 4PM: Chicago Indymedia
general meeting. 3411 W. Diversey, ring bell, we’ll let you
in. Info: 773/384-8544 or [email protected]
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN TO WAR &
RACISM, SPONSORED BY CCAWR
1. If the U.S. starts another full scale war on another
country besides Iraq, a protest will take place at 5PM+ at
the Federal Plaza, Adams & Dearborn Streets, Chicago,
the day the bombing begins. There will be a larger follow
up protest at the same time & place the day after.
2. In the event of a provocative attack on community
leaders or organizations in the Chicago area, CCAWR has
constructed a phone tree to mobilize the community to
quickly protest the attack, whether at a police station,
federal government office, or other appropriate place. To get
on the Emergency Response phone tree / e-mail list and
receive regular calendar updates such as this one, send your
contact information to [email protected]
Chicago Coalition Against War & Racism
[email protected], chicagoantiwar.org
312/458-9559, 888/471-0874