Volume 17, Number 2 (August-September 1988)

Fat / coming out / benefit pix / Xian soldiers

Bloomington-Normal Aug.-Sept. 1988

I

V.ol. 17 No. 2

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-=-=~-===~-==-==-=-=~
In this. issue: ·· ~·

On the cover: A self-explanatory comment on Meese's current ~;-;;~~==:=&41
status. No related article inside--we promise!

.. 2 ••.•• Page 2 stuff

3••.•. A funny novel, serialized; Double Nickel reviewed. I The Post Amerikan is an independent
4-5 ••. Advertising ridiculed; local digitized temperatures confused. community newspaper providing infor-
6 .•.•• Who gets hurt when too many animals co-exist? mation and analysis that is screened
? ...•. God's existence debated.
8-9 •.. Community news and letters. I out of or down played by establishment
10-ll.Trial of protesters detailed. news sources. We are a non-profit,
12-13.Lotsa pictures! worker-run collective that exists as
14-15.Visitor to Nicaragua gives account; ways to save the an alternative to the corporate media.

environment. We put out six issues a year. Staff

16-17.Don't poke at that fetus; Ms. Hippie's advice to yuppies. I members take turns as "coordinator."
18 •••• Dissatisfactions with our culture: skinny chauvinism and All writing, typing-, editing, graphics,
photography, pasteup, and distribition
loose usage.
I are done on a volunteer basis. You
19 ••.• Jackson victory reviewed; film stuff mourned. I are invited to volunteer your talents.
20-2l.Journalism review: what they~ say about a·strike.
Most of our material and inspiration

~ for material comes from the community.
The Post Amerikan welcomes stories,
graphics, photos, letters, and news

i tips from our readers. If you'd like
to join us, call 828-7232 and leave a
message on our answering machine. We
will get back to you as soon as we can.
Don't worry if it takes a while--we
don't meet every week.

22-23.Gay stuff: record review with enticing quotations, An alternative newspaper depends very

directly on a community of concerned

24 .••• Men turn monsters at whiff of spring. people for existence. We believe i t

is very important to keep a newspaper

like this around. If you think so

w r· iter~~ Is the pen mightier I too, then please support us by
than the sword? Well, telling your friends about the paper,
donating money to the printing of the
maybe, maybe not, but paper, and telling our advertisers yott:
it is better than a
sharp stick in the ~ saw their ad in the Post Amerikan.
eye. Tell the world The.next deadline for submitting
(or a small part of
I Post material is Thursday, Sept. 15.
it) how you feel in Material submitted after the deadline
the pages of the Post will probably not get printed.
Amerikan. Send ~ ==xP~SeHe;s~~

contributions--typed,

if possible, to BLOOMINGTON

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Law and Justice Center, W. Front St.

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Good numbers Gay & Lesbian Resource Main and Miller Streets
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HELP (transportation for senior Pantagraph (in front),

Alcoholics Anonymous ........... 828-5049 citizens, handicapped) ...... 828-8301 301 W. Washington
American Civil Liberties Union.454-7223 Ill. Dept. of Public Aid ....... 827-4621
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Exchange (CAPIE) ............ 452-0310 Mid Central Community Action ... 829-0691 Red Fox, 918 W. Market
Clare House (Catholic Workers).828-4035 Mobile Meals ................... 828-8301 Susie's Cafe, 602 N. Main
Community for Social Action .... 452-4867 McLean County Center for
Connection House ............... 829-5711 U.S. Post Office, 1511 E. Empire
Countering Domestic Violence ... 827-4005 Human Services ............ 827-5351 (at exit)
Dept. Children/Family Services.828-0022 National Health Care Services--
U.S. Post Offic~, Center & Monroe
Draft Counseling ............... 452-5046 abortion assistance .... l-800-322-1622
Nuclear Freeze Coalition ....... 828-4195 Upper Cut, 409 N. Main

Wash House, 609 N. Clinton
Washing Well, E. Front St.

Occupational Development NORMAL
Center .................... 828-7324
Avanti's, 407 s. Main
Operation Recycle ........•..... 829-0691
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Parents Anonymous .............. 827-4005 ISU University Union, 2nd floor

When you move, be sure to send us your PATH: Personal Assistance Hovey Hall, ISU (in front)
new address so your subscription gets Telephone Help ............... 827-4005 Midstate Truck Plaza, 'U.S. 51 north
to you. Your Post Amerikan will not Or ....................... 800-322-5015 Mother Murphy's, 111 North St.
be forwarded (it's like junk mail--no
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City/State/Zip:__________ _ UPIC ........................... 827-4026

Post-Amerit.u

to Li".e ana at.e for

Dear Friends, And so it was with me. I was huddled While Junior finished droning about my
in bed one blustery November day (heat non-existent rights, B/C crept about
Thanks so much for printing my letter and not being one of the benefits of my looking over my motley belongings.
sending me the June/July Post Amerikan. It's ill-gotten gains) when there carne a
marvelous and I thoroughly enjoyed it. little flurry of taps on my garret "This yours?" he said suspiciously,
door. holding up the "Communist Manifesto."
To somewhat repay you for your kindness, I am
Cursing, I threw back the threadbare "No, actually it belongs to Joe
enclosing the 1st chapter of my book "To Live blanket and stalked over to answer it. McCarthy."
I yanked the door open fully prepared
and Die for Unicor." (Unicor is the logo of the for another no-rent, no-heat diatribe, "Who?" said Junior.
but the apparition on the threshhold
Federal Prison Industries wherein some of us was not my greasy landlady. Later, in their LTD on the way to the.
courthouse, they gloated over each
labor 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, for$ .22 "FBI. Do you know why we're here?" step in the search-cum-capture.

an hour.) · "Of course I know why (,ou're here, you "And that's hou \ve gotcha I" cried
ignorant rnotherfucker, ' I thought; but Junior gaily.
You-may print it, serialized, if you wish, discretion being the better part of
cleaning up the language as you think best. valor, I merely nodded and stepped I1y only reply was a certain rude
Thanks again. aside to let him enter. He (Big gesture.
Cheese) slunk in, closely followed
Sincerely, by another agent, as they always Once in court, Judge England strode
swarm in pairs. in, smiled at me, introduced himself
Marta Helm and the reporter, and sat down. I
"Where's the gun?" quoth B/C. sat down too and thou?ht to myself,
CHAPTER I: "Busted Flat ... " "Gee. Maybe this wont be so bad."
"You have the right to remain And then he introduced the U.S.
The fortunate among us can divide silent ... " droned the junior G-rnan. prosecutor whose lip twitched in some
their lives into certain pleasant obscene semblance of a smile but
stages: childhood, marriage, "It's in the closet," I said, and whose eyes said, "Forget it, you
parenthood.... Then there are other started to get it. felonious bitch. I'm going to put you
poor bastards who find that some- a\vay for 117 years!"
where between infancy and the grave, Instantly, they both leapt into
a span of penal servitude has crept in! action, and before I could say "fuck Five ghastly minutes later, bail-less,
you," I was whirled around and my my ass was dropped in the Greene Co.
hands were cuffed behind my back. jail. There I was photoed, printed,
strip-searched, de-loused, and taken
"Anything you say .... " to a dark, dank cell already housing
2 lady guests of the state of Missouri
"This gun has been fired," cried B/C, and 1,000,099 roaches.
looking at me like I was some kind of
middle-aged red-neck terrorist instead For the first week, I screamed every
of a little, plump, nearsighted time I fotind one of the little
embezzler. bastards on me, in my long blonde
hair, in my bed, or cavorting through
"I took it out to the practice range my food; but then I said "fuck it,"
yesterday. I've never fired it at and learned to live with them.
another human being, for Christ's
sake." ("Although I could easily Later,,. I even got quite fond of our
make an exception in your case," I racing stable consisting of Native
silently added.) Crawler, Han-0-Roach, Sea-Trisket,
and Dan Roach ... but that's another
chapter.

Underground rebels with a cause

Dcubl~ Ni~;k~l i~ ~;al'~ pajama~
We (Blanche and Stella), three
gentleman callers, and one female The shoppe has old standards at the
companion (a growing entourage), fountain, like Black cows, Green
decided to visit the squeaky-clean- Rivers~ arid Banana Splits, as well as
looking 1950s style drive-in at the at the chrome-and-bubbles Wurlitzer
corner of Morrissey and Veteran's jukebox ("Jam Up and Jelly Tight,"

Parkway. As we Bloomingtonians say, "Wooly Bully," "Heartbreak Hotel,"
"It's where the old Streid's was, "Where the Boys Are," at a 1980s
before it burned down. suspicious
fire, too." quarter a play.) The cute polo shirts
($16.95) have real embroidered

appll,ques with a·groovy 50s logo.

The Double Nickel isn't at all like A less playful crowd might find some The chicken sandwich and fish
the old Streid's, though Streid's was sandwich, the only non-burger
also old-fashioned. Streid's had dark of the decor a bit strained (the sandwiches on the menu, were also
panelled walls and perfect steaks and bathrooms labeled "Dudes" and intended to teach us that this was a
white tablecloths and used to seat the burger joint, dude, and get with it!
hippies back by the kitchen door. "Darlin's" and the pink and turquoise They were just okay.

hula hoops mysteriously suspended like Double Nickel, unlike the olde soda
cobwebs in the corners). shoppe, is not a hangout. It's small,
and we we~e the~e at prime
The Double Nickel is bright, white, A more purist crowd might object to childfeeding hour. Though the jukebox
pink and turquoise, with whimsical the inclusion of Santana and the had the rare virtue of being quiet
ersatz (and some real) 50s Beatles on that classic jukebox. enough to talk through, the peace was
memorabilia, a burger and custard shattered _by the screams and whines of
menu, and ~elf-seating~-that is, you And a more uptight literate crowd the family dinner table.
can sit anywhere there's not already a might object to the sign, "This Place
squirming child. is Recomended to the Underground We thought a late-night visit might
Gourmet." show the Nickel's hanging-out
Underground Rebels who ordered soda- possibilities. Perhaps that's the time
shoppe specialties were delighted. The But even all those folks might be won when one shrugs into .one's boyfriend's
burgers (Double Nickel, Big Nickel, over by the french fries--hot, crisp, letter sveater, 1 vraps his big old
and Little Nickel, $1.59, .99, and with peels still sizzling and some class ring with angora, and goes out
49 cents) were fine, served on rich light spice to the salt. to get sweatily pregnant in the
yellow egg buns. The shakes and parking lot. You know, maybe those
concretes were too thick to get up the On the less aarvy side, the salads weren't the good old days, but their
straws, but universally acclaimed as looked uninspired, same as Arby's and revised version is mighty tasty.
excellent. (A shake has milk added; a not quite as perky as MacDonald's
concrete doesn't, making it as thick salads, lying pre-aade in little --Blanche and Stella
as ..• ) plastic coffins in a glass case,
mourned by the surrounding packets of
our female companion gloved over her dressing. But who goes to the soda
"Temptation," a Dixie Bell sundae with· shoppe to eat a salad? Probably very
caramel, whipped cream, and nuts. few dudes or darlin's would. .

~L-o-c~a-l-a-n-d--n-a-ti-o-n-a-l.-..--------------------Po-st--Am-e-rl-ka-n -V-ol-. 1-7 -Ro-. 2-A-u-g--sep-t.-1-96-6 p-a-ge-4----~·

M!:;i~;ellanecu:;i adverli:;iing
culrage:;i

So the Soviets are going to open up Ollie andBetsyNorth Just picture it. Following my secret
the airwaves to commercial advertising Need Your Help NQ~y! Marxist-Leninist agenda, I, the Balrog,
from the West, huh? I sure hope they leader of nasty foul-smelling leftists,
know what they're doing. Maybe they'd have carefully planned to overthrow
change their minds if they considered the nation and have assembled my
the miscellaneous advertising outrages powerful forces in Washington! I've
below. got evil communist spies--disguised as
the homeless--sitting outside the gates
Pantagraph padding of the White House and the Capitol
building! I'm just waiting for Colonel
The Pantagraph has proved once again • After 20 years a' a \1arine- a highly decorated hero- North to be locked up so they can
that it is the worst spent quarter in make their final thrust! At that
Bloomington-Normal--unless you get • After 5-1/2 vears at the \ational Secuntv Council where he very moment, there will be no one left
your jollies from advertisements. in Amerika-spelled-with-a-K to stop
worked so liard to rescue hostages. combat terrorism. and tight the red wave of communism from
I don't subscribe to the Pantagraph, blanketing our nation! A-ha-ha-(evil
but I picked up the Fourth of July communism - ' laugh as I gloat over the expected
issue to learn more about the Unity success of my secret agenda)-ha-ha-
Building fire. Mary Ann Flick and • Ollie North was thanked for his service bv an indictment ha-ha-haaaal
Sharon Gilfand of the Pantagraph staff brought by an_Independent Counsel in the District of Columbia.
had provided an informative front-page But no! Arrrrgh!l Drat, drat, and
article entitled "Downtown blaze still • Official Washington standi idly by to watch \orth fight this out double-drat!!! The American Freedom
sizzling." Near the end of the alone. Coalition is threatening to ruin my
article, I was struck by the following carefully-laid secret plans!!!!
paragraph. • His adversary- an Independent Coun,el with unlimited funds. Nooooooo!!!!! Nooooooooo!l!!ll
30 al!omeys. and 50 im e1tigators.
"The American Red Cross was at the The American Freedom Coalition also
scene by 3 a.m. yesterday with hot • It's a battle that "iorth Y.ill win. but he needs your help now to wants your money so that they can
and cold drinks and donuts, courtesy defrav legal costs and to as,ure that his famil\ is properlv blanket the nation with the "Fight
of Denny's Doughnuts & Bakery, which for Freedom" broadcast and get even
has four locations in the Twin Cities." guarded and that no harm comes to them. . . more people to add their names to the
petition that will save democracy.
• Help even the odds. \!ail \OUr contribution toda\ nr call the toll tree Proving that truth is indeed stranger
number beloY. to make your pleJ£e 1Visa and \ti,terCard accepted 1. (or at least more nauseating) than
the above two paragraphs of fiction,
Gift' are non-tax deductible. • here's the pitch.

1-800-521-0200 "Please.give financially as much as
you possibly can to keep the fires of
Give me a break. In a newspaper that's freedom burning .... With your help
and continued financial support, we'll
easily at least 50% advertisements, be here until Lieutenant Colonel Oliver
is it really necessary to stick in such North helps raise the flag of freedom
blatant plugs? I suppose I'd also ovel7 free men and women, boys and
girls, in nation after nation around
"contribute" coffee and donuts if I the world."
could get unpaid promotional
announcements in the Pantagraph. I'm It seems like they've forgotten about
s_urprised they didn't go ahead and a lot of people's freedom. What
~list the addresses of Denny's four happened to our freedom to help elect
. area locations. officials who'll stop the immoral
support of the contras? What happened
But what else should we expect from a to the freedom other nations' citizens
newspaper that thinks a half-page of have to choose their own form of
advertisements, Bloom County, and the government?
inane prattling of Bill Flick belong
in the editorial section? I have this feeling that if they raised
North's flag of freedom over me, I'd
North media blitz I P!e~hL' ch~trgc m; (Ontnhutlt)/l !11 my be twisting slowly in the wind.
\'j...,a \1,t'-il'rCJrd
It seems like everyone wants to do Kellog's claims much ado
their share to help Ollie North. \o...TI. #--------~·----
'-;ignature ____________ about Nuttin'. honey
The North Defense Trust--"the only
official fund sponsored by Oliver I ,_\\ll Kellogg's is under fire from members
North"--ran the accompanying ad in the I \lJDKI·.SS of the gay community for a television
July 7 Wall Street Journal. Jerry commercial promoting its Nut 'N Honey
Falwell's "Old-Time Gospel Hour" has ·The "Fight for Freedom" video is even cereal.
used a substantial part of its weekly more poetic in its rendering of the
fund-raising efforts to ask you to put Iran-Contra fiasco. It shows various The commercial shows four vignettes
your name on a petition to the well-chosen excerpts of North's second in which one person asks some variation
president to pardon Ollie North. For battle in his "Fight for Freedom"-- of lthe question "What's for breakfast?"
a large enough contribution, Jerry his electrifying testimony to the The response is "Nut 'N Honey"
will send you a videotape entitled Joint Congressional Committee. Also (pronounced "nuttin', honey"), and in
"Fight for Freedom" to preserve the shown is the (in)famous slide show that three of the four vignettes the person
Oliver North story for your generations we didn't get to see due to technical shows surprise to be called "honey."
to come. Coincidentally, the American difficulties.
Freedom Coalition recently purchased The final vignette in the commercial
an hour of local television time to Fdr some strange reason there are no shows an old West scene in which a
show "Fight for Freedom" and make the excerpts from the first battle in bunch of cowboys ask the cook, "What's
same plea to help desperately needy North's "Fight for Freedom" where he for breakfast, Cooky?" When Cooky
Ollie. displayed his knowledge of the Fifth responds "Nuttin', honey," the cowboys
Amendment. Maybe someone erased the immediately draw their guns and aim
Let's take a look and see what these tapes. (Rose Mary Woods, perhaps?) them at Cooky's head.
folks are saying, shall we?
One goal of the American Freedom The Coalition Against Media/Marketing
The North Defense Trust reminds us Coalition's broadcast was to get Prejudice (CAMMP), a Chicago-based
that "after 5-1/2 years at the National additional names on their "Emergency gay media ,~otchdog group, has led the
Security Council where he worked so Presidential Pardon Petition." (Try campaign to'get the public and
hard to rescue hostages, combat saying that one three times fast.) Kellogg's to recognize that the
terrorism, and-fight communism--Ollie Here's their sales pitch from near commercial promotes anti-gay violence.
North was thanked for his service by the end of the broadcast. Arthur Johnston, head of CAMMP,
an indictment brought by an Independent explains, "The bottom line is that
Counsel in the Oistrict of Columbia." "A simple phone call can make a one man calls another man 'honey' and
tremendous difference. There's never guns are drawn. This is unacceptable."
My, what a quaint way of describing been a time when we've needed it more.
North's activities. Let's not bother Right now powerful forces in Washington
with the fact that North was largely are preparing for their final thrust.
unsuccessful in achieving the They know that if they can finish off
above-mentioned goals. The North Colonel North and all he stands for,
Defense Trust must have realized that the communists can finish up with
the ad wouldn't have raised as much their plans and all we stand for.
money if it said "he worked so hard to That's why we need your help today.
send arms to Iran, illegally divert· ... The stakes are great, and we haven't
funds to the contras, lie to Congress, a moment to lose."
and falsify, shred, and secrete
documents." Such are the liberties Shades of McCarthy.
of poetic license in advertising.

!Amazing lbermc~line~

I Icunei in Dlccming1cn!
< One of the many sweaty pleasures of
having really, really hot weather is Such discourse is not only intensely
-~ knowing exactly how really, really hot interesting, but democratic:
it is. practically anyone can hold up their
end of the conversation.
--.1
Thus it is that temperature read-outs
~ Then you can amaze your friends in, on community buildings are critical to
the smooth progress of social life
o say, southern California, who love to during heat waves. Bloomington's
read-outs, however, are disturbingly
N hear the gory details of central at odds with one another, making us
suspect wild thermoclines from
Illinois weather. "Ninety-two neighborhood to neighborhood, and even
~ degrees? At eight in the morning?" block to block.

v~ they gleefully crow, knowing that they Noonish research one day found the
Magma Bank at Towanda and Empire
~ were right, they were right, they were claiming that the temperature was 79.
Downtown, the Pantagraph asserted that
Kellogg's sluggishly responded to ~ct right to move. it was 88, while just a block away the
CAMMP's initial protests. After People's Bank said 83. Many people
reviewing the commercial, Kellogg's _ You can also impress others with have noticed this alarming
concluded that the ad "in no way discrepancy, which is even more
promotes anti-gay violence" and refused g:~ comments like, "Yeah, I was working up distressing considering that the
to deal further with CAMMP. Kellogg's in the attic all afternoon while it Pantagraph normally makes very sure
chief executive officer C.E. LaMothe was 97 degrees outside," and then all that it agrees with the town bankers.
states the company's position that ~ can join in estimating what the
the cowboys draw their guns on Cooky Who are we to believe? If the
because "'Cooky' is telling the cowboys .• temperature up in the attic must have Pantagraph misreports the temperature,
there's nothing for breakfast." what does it mean about the rest of
been, if it was that hot outside. the paper? If the banks can't get the
Apparently Kellogg's intended these ~ Many a harmless and amusing evening numbers right on their weather
to be blind cowboys, since they can't readout, what might they be doing to
see the four full bowls of cereal, has been spent in such speculation. your account?
the pitcher of milk, and the box of
cereal Cooky's made available for Small talk, too, is enlivened by exact --Phoebe caulfield
breakfast. temperature references:

Many also point out that Kellogg's "Sure is hot."
interpretation is also inconsistent
with the other vignettes used in the "Yeah, it was 87 already when I
advertising campaign. As Village came to work this morning."
Voice writer Leslie Savan explains,
"Kellogg's deconstruction ignores its "Yep, and it's 97 out right now."
own ad ... Two of the three previous
vignettes in the same spot play on "It's supposed to hit 102
one character misunderstanding the tomorrow."
kind of honey intended ... (In the]
final cowboy scene ... [the] cowboys #
seem to have homosexual panic."
Diesel Dick's
CAMMP has been joined by the San
Francisco based Community United we specialize in complete automotive
Against Violence (CUAV) to continue GM diesel car repair and truck service
putting pressure on Kellogg's, which
still continues to run the offensive
commercial. CAMMP plans to initiate
a campaign to flood Kellogg's with
cards and letters of protest. •
Kellogg's address is 1 Kellogg Square,
Battle Creek, Michigan 49106.

I originally had mixed emotions about
CAMMP's campaign. With so many other
issues facing the gay community, why
should we be spending resources on
this rather subtle example of anti-gay
violence and homophobia?

But as the black and feminist
communities already know, even these
subtle messages play a major role in
shaping and reinforcing prejudices.
Major legislative and court victories
will not guarantee acceptance and
equality for lesbian women and gay
men. The fight to raise people's
consciousness and increase sensitivity
must be a part of the gay community's
war to obtain our rights. So yes,
CAMMP is right--it ain't just nuttin',
honey.

[Source: Rex Wockner, "Kellogg's
serves up ~omophobia for breakfast,"
Gay Commun~ty News, val. 15, no. 47,
June 19-25, 1988.]

--The Balrog

ANN MARG-ARET~
}...ENTILS(

f~IT2.

\HE [AT

foreign and domestic gas and di~sel

508 N. Madison
9:00 am-5:30 pm

828-1714

;;;;;;;;;~;f~;,t;;~~a;r,;;IIIIII1(1IIIIII~!Ill1(11(11(1IIII1(1IfIIIIII ~.

.Fer !he lcve cl an1mal:;i.· . r. ~
The six cats which she surrendered fared better. before It got out of hand. Yet, with veterinary
One muggy July day, while scanning the TV Cathy Nutter of Tazewell County Animal care so costly, a victim of fixed geriatric income
channels, I happened on a tragedy of hopeless Control had convinced Mrs. McFarland to would find it easier to put it off. In 1982, low
poverty, public welfare an~ good intentions gone relinquish the cats earlier in the day, and they cost spay/neuter programs may have been a fond
awry. The story is not tele-drama fiction--its were taken to the Tazewell shelter for adoption. . dream of animal welfare groups, and unavailable
stage is a Central illinois community. There are The publicity generated much interest in the to Mrs. McFarland.
no villains, few heroes, and many tragic victims.
felines, and adoptions seemed imminent. ePi.ethoerira. Animal Welfare Shelter is not tahevidlloagins,'
Channel 19 and reporter Dawn Robinson were It was their legal duty to take
on the scene as Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter "What is sadder," stated Ms. Nutter, "is that
(PAWS) forces descended on the home of we'd found homes to take a large number of the make decisions based on their condition and
Elizabeth McFarland, 64, of Peoria Heights. dogs." As private citizens, she and others had
The object of the invasion was seizure of 41 of placed a three-day advertisement in the Journal- adoptive impact, and proceed from there.
her 43 dogs, thus ending months of legal Star to seek people willing to adopt the pets.
maneuvers between McFarland, her neighbors Animal shelters are victims of overcrowding,
and Peoria County and village officials.
due to the "disposable" attitudes of society. It's
The first thread of the story is found in the June
14 edition of the Journal-Star, under the headline easier and cheaper to let a pet get pregnant, birth
"The 'dog house' will fall." The article
chronicles the efforts made on behalf of the pets Yet, when told on Friday before the Monday the offspring, then toss them away when they've
which were Mrs. McFarland's only companions. deadline, Mrs. McFarland refused to let Nutter
take them. "She said God was going to come to grown beyond cute. Heaven forbid that that pet
Living alone in a dilapidated shack with no her with his help on Saturday. I told her God
working tub or shower, and no electricity or gas, works through people, but she wouldn't listen." be "altered"--we love her the way she is, fecund.
her husband confined to a nursing home after the
amputation of both legs, existing on a fixed Lauren Malmberg, PAWS manager, observed, The government officials and suffering
Social Security income, Mrs. McFarland was, in neighbors didn't just wake up one morning and
her own wot:ds, "a prisoner of hope." Yet, she :·1 ~ow we'll end up looking like the bad guys say "Let's ruin Mrs. McFarland's life and
somehow kept those dogs and seven cats well-1 murder her pets." There were legitimate
fed and healthy. m this case, but I can't take the responsibility of concerns when such drastic steps were taken.
Forty-three untrained, fertile dogs are excessive
The surfeit of canines began in 1982 with allowing these dogs to be adopted ...They in anything but a managed kennel situation. I
Romeo and Ginger. However, indiscriminate share my home with one dog, and the fecal
interbreeding of these collie-shepherd mixes appeared docile and healthy. But they've never remains do accumulate. Now, multiply by 43!
swelled the ranks from two to 43 -in just six
years. Neighbors complained of the noise, the be_en socialized. You don't know what they
stench and the rats attracted by the waste.
Village officials obtained injunctions to remove might do among strange people .. ·. I've got 30
the animals, citing kennel laws prohibiting
keeping more than three dogs and cats. County other dogs at the shelter, some of them house- As for the heroes, Cathy Nutter and her friends
Board directors sought demolition of the ·must be highly commended for their generous
substandard house. broken, that are waiting for adoption. I'm attempts on behalf of Mrs. McFarland and her
menagerie. It took courage, commitment and
Under judicial orders, Mrs. McFarland spent sorry." .
more than $2,000 on efforts, including spaying love to try to defuse the situation.
and vaccinations, to keep her dogs. But when Of the five dogs which were spared immediate
all was said and done, her efforts were in vain. destruction, four were 6-week-old puppies--- Then, tJ:Iere's Channel 19 and its continuing
"healthy, well-fed, clean and innoculated against efforts to educate the public about animal welfare
On Monday, July li, four Shelter trucks came dis_e~se." The other dog showed· signs of
trammg, was leash-broken and responded to its issues. The "Pet of the Week" has become a
just before noon. Mrs. McFarland helped name when called. "They'll stay (alive) as long daily feature, due to the vast numbers of highly-
employees take 41 dogs, bidding farewell to as we have room for them, probably through adoptable pets available at local shelters.
each by name. By 4 p.m., all but five had been Monday (July 18), but I can't even guarantee Channel 19 was the only station to run coverage
destroyed. that," stated Malmberg. of tbe McFarland drama and used it as the top
story of its 5:30 broadcast. I flipped to the other
.~. I was unable to reach PAWS officials for the Peoria stations at 6:00 and saw no mention
outcome of the reprieve, so I cannot report made. Since then, the "Pet of the Week" has
\ whether any of the unfortunate dogs still remain
• alive. But, gentle readers, there are ·so many featured one of the cats seized, adopted, and
victims in this story that even the salvation of returned due to landlord problems.
those few could not diminish the enormity of the
tragedy. And, then there are the vi9tims. Of course, the
dogs which were destroyed suffered loss of life.
As I said, there are no villains. Mrs. McFarland, But that can be a blessing when compared to
had she altered Romeo and Ginger, could have their fate if they had been sold for laboratory
prevented her burgeoning animal population experimentation, as could have happened where
pound seizure is practiced. PAWS was a victim,
_,-. ,for no matter what; publicity of that sort is
always bad. Cathy Nutter was a victim, not
( only for the financial loss of three days of
newspaper advertisement, but as a
compassionate person who cared enough to do
something, anything.

But, the most tragic victim of all is Mrs.
McFarland. Not only has she lost her animal
companions, she must blame herself for their
deaths, for not taking Cathy Nutter's offer. for

losing her money and home as well. Demolition
?f the house she's lived in for the past 25 years
IS scheduled to begin within 90 days. With no
money or support, her future is bleak and lonely.

Sl6 N. Main St. I ~m not aware of any organized effort to help
this poor woman, but I intend to send a check to
BloomiDgton, DL 61701 help her get back on her feet. The address listed
in the Journal-Star articles was 4540 N. illinois
Conunon Ground has a wide selection of wholesomE'! foods, Peoria Heights. Please help her, if you can:
She's lost so much and needs to know that
natural body care products, vitamin and mineral sup- someone cares.

plements, and books for organic cooking and healthy

living. ·

By selling many foods in bulk, Common Ground reduces RAP, with thanks to The Peoria Journal- Star

your costs on nuts, flours, spices, grains, snack Channel 19, and Cathy Nutter '

mixes and many other items. You may also purchase

ju,;t the amount you need! Come see the gourmet

coffee beans and fresh produce section as well.

Experience a new and bealthier way of life!
~: ~9:W-5:il0 TTltut.-Sat.
t• -n

- - ' k• s-o.od~~, 5Jn0l:C • SUJW5. S1A}1«11-I}{\. •~ .
r _

Results are in! Readers split on God's boogers! Post-Amerikan Vol_ 17 Wo_ 2 Aug-Sept. 19&& page 7

Pc:;il Amerik~n Dpinicn Pcll.ttl: Conlewporary lleligiou~ lllilude~

Yes, readers, the results are finally in! And we On whether or not we control our lives: On the mentality of the Post Amerikan
at the Post would like to thank you for your I feel that my control over my life is like riding staff in writing this opinion poll:
participation in this highly sophisticated study. down 1-55 in a '75 Monte Carlo and trying to I feel I cannot answer these questions because
We were getting close to deadline with no talk to my girlfriend, pass a semi, get another your answers go the same extremes religious
responses, and then, at the last minute, just like beer from the six-pack, and find a decent radio people use. You're not being comprehensive
that scene from "Miracle on 34th Street" a postal station, all at the same time. Know what I enough to encompass people's true feelings.
truck drove up to our office and deposited seven mean? This survey is as much of a joke as Jerry Falwell
tons of mail on our doorstep. It took us the wanting my signature on a petition to pardon
better part of an hour to read it, analyze the data, On the nature of religion: Oliver North. I hope the article is just as funny
and destroy the responses that did not support I personally go for the "Chinese menu" method and as unintelligent as these questions.
our point of view. Out of the remainder, here of religion: gender of deity (s) from Column A,
are some particulary meritorious comments creed from Column B, any seven mortal sins Paranoid responses from Christians who
from Column C, etc. knew darned well we would make fun of
from you, our readers: Also, I think that cathedrals, mosques, and their responses:
synagogues should be converted to amusement You may poke fun at me if you wish, but I still
On God: p(lrks. This would involve the simple step of believe what I said.
Ms. God is a redneck from the Missouri charging admission.
bootheel, who smokes big cigars, drinks Jack This was bad for my health.
Daniels and pinches strange men in the A&P! On whether or not God has boogers:
If I were God, I'd arrange not to have boogers.

Does it matter?

Post Amerikan Vol. 17. No. 1 June-July 1988 Page 9 ANSWERS to the Post-Arnerikan Poll on
religion.
~~8. How do you feel God coufct·improve
to better meet your changing needs? 1. Christian. This term has been sub-
jected to so much abuse by assorted
A. This is blasphemy. You're going to burt. Well-wishers and phonies that I
B. I wish He/She would carry a pager. C!t"""'o~ must refer the analyst to the pre-
C. Every hundred years or so, He/She should face of C.S. Lewis' Mere Christian-
ity for definition.
hold a press conference and answer a few
2. Religion? That's like asking what
questions. role "Science" plays: impossibly
broad. Usually, most religions are
D. I wish He/She would remix liimself as a tools of the State for manipulating
an ignorant populace in times of
groovy environmental compact disc. stress. Obviously Christianity can
E. He/She could quit being so picky. (See #9.) be perverted in this way, though
Christianity is, by charter, apoli-
9 • What does God do with His/Her tical.

boogers? 3. I have an image of God -- a working
model that facilitates my religion.
A. The air is clean and pure in heaven, thus God Himself is surely beyond my
imagining. We know a little bit
eliminating their raison d'erre. about Him: about as much as could
be inferred about an artist by look-
Dear Reader: B . He/She wipes them in a hidden fold of the ing at his art.
This survey has been designed with the highest
concern for ethical statistical analysis. Please immaculate robe. 4. "E" makes as much sense as any, but
read all questions carefully and allow yourself any literal description of them,
sufficient time for a thoughtful consideration of C. He/She eats them and they become part of the scriptural or otherwise, is meta-
each answer. Feel free to add your own divine being.~. .~ ' phor.
answers (or questions!) in the unlikely event that
we have not thought of everything. Rest D. He/She deposits them on Earth as 5. This is getting redundant. I have
assured that your responses will be analyzed a working model for "life-after-
only by highly trained personnel from our republicans. death" and no illusion that it will
publication. compare to the reality. I Corin-
E. He doesn't have any, and this time you've thians 13:9-13 explains my answers
gone too far. to this question and questions 3,
4, and 6.
I. Do you belong to an organized
6. God's antithesis is entropy, non-
religion? being. God's enemy, the devil,
probably only wears red tights and
A. Christian horns to parties, and is, himself,
a lesser being created by God.
B. Jew '{5
C. Moslem 7. I control some things, not others.
It would probably surprise the hell
.kD. Buddhist ·,a...~ \ J , out of me to learn which are which.
Hedonist
I"'~I.J ! r 8. "B." But then we'd depend on Him
•~tJYou kidding? lt'~Jit(a bunch ofjive. too much and never learn to live
for ourselves.
'1.. Row do }'Ou ~ereeh·e tbe I'O\e of [c:epta4. Ho
of 9. If I were God, I'd arrange not to
~rgarneilizgeido_nl'ilnigtoiodnayis'sousrobceisettrye?source eaovenoaun~d ~Haeblol?utctc.th'e~ have boogers. But if he does have
A. I don't see how the could be any tter or them, I pick "D" (sorry).
- · teachmg ~~rw: of morality to future ....~-~--- .....
generationf.Nt:. worse !baD some ~rve been 10. • 10. If you only believe in God when
B: 'Tbe'y~m states of mirid-a mettta1 piB(MOf'" • · May we use y~ conunenrs? your life is in danger*, you are
B. Considering the chaotic state of the world"s avoiding realities that are cir-
=·:.~ n::JiBious gu.jdanoe now more paradise that exists after death. Non-smoking roommate/boarde·r wanted. cumnavigating the outskirts of
Own room & bath in historic house in your consciousness.
C. eligion is an archaic behemoth left from the C. They are real places. downtown Bloomington. Age/race/~ender
arlc Ages which should have no place in a .sexual orientation not issues. $250.+ Yes, you can use my comments if you
D. It's all a lot of hooey. get 'em right.
modem, scientific world. 6~~=~ ~~.utili tie•. Contact Paul at
D. Most organized religion serves as a haven for E. If God is truly just, they must exist, in the * (such as when stuck in traffic be-
interest of fair play. ~ tween a Pinto and an Audi 5000, wait-
people who crave a sense of affiliation and ing for the results of an HIV antibody
provides them with a rickety soapbox from F. If God is truly benevolent. there ia no Hell. test, or applying for a student loan.)
which to look down on the rest of tpe world.
because He knows we're jim miserable idiots My, what a serious-minded, statisti-
cally correct and erudite sermon! or
down here, and can forgive us our is it a survey?

~- S~aOs~sPes<"r!'6stoDltc•o>Ns·pTeT(a'.:k._.~Cc-I1E,:r".:f:>fl· r.l2\1.~IS ~ Geo.

5 . ow do you imagine ltfe after death?
A. Ask a stupid question.

B. There is ~one. Death is like e'!tinguishing a ·

candle. ·

C. It's something like going to Oklahoma City.
D. You walk out of the darlcness towards a

warm, blinding light. (See #3 C.)
E. You're greeted by deceased friends and

relatives and you have a bar-be-que.

F. You stand before St. Peter and God, who are

kind of like Siskel and Ebert, and you watch

a movie of your life, hoping there were a lot

.._r.-:,•o.f::rCeallyC11Aa!lJoJne"sIahead of you.

6 -Do you believe in the antithesis of

-; r ~ God---the Devil?
A. Yes, and if he doesn't put away that
5~~~
.accordion, fm going to scream.
W"- jj",.-1- The Devil is just a bogeyman created by

3 fJ ~to~~~~and
·
.:,t'f'~ mampulate vulnerable people.
C. Yes•. and .he's running your newspaper.
D. I believe m a whole host oflesser demons
Wh · h ~escription is closest to your but they're all in politics '
•c

conception of "God"? E. How else would you explain these voices

A. Your basic old white man with a white beard I've been hearing?
and a wh1te robe.

B. God.can be anything to anyone. 7 . How much control do you feel you

C. A blmdmg white light of pure truth. have over your life?

D. A benevolent judge. · A Everything is predestined.

Ji.. A hanging judge. . I'm lucky if I can control my bladder.

(.!:)"God·· is just a mythic figure humans have C. Government aside, you have control over and

created as a catchall explanation for our sole responsibility for your life.

incomprehension of the world. D. Ultimately, I have control, but God tells me

G. The George Bums character works as well what's right and wrong. ·

anything. E. About as much as a frog in a blender.

Post-Amerit.an Vol. 1711o. 2 Aug-Sept. 1900 page 0

Audilian~ ~ellar

"Cabarel" Take envircomenlal a~;liao!
Environmentalists can take action now
The Community Players of Bloomington by writing or calling Governor --Funding from the Solid Waste·
Thompson and urging him to sign Senate Management Fund. (Another bill passed
will open its 1988-89 season with the the General Assembly this year which
Bill 1616, the Solid Waste Planning corrects the legal problems with this
musical "Cabaret," directed by L. Jane fund.}
Thomley. and Recycling Act. The Act was passed
by the Illinois Senate in the closing This bill would require McLean County
Auditions for the show will be held at days of the session and had been to significantly improve its recycling
previously passed by the House. rates while making money available to
7:00 pm Tuesday through Thursday, help fund the start-up costs for more
August 9 through 11, at the Community Provisions of the Act include~ recycling and for long-range solid
Player's Theater, 201 Robinhood Lane, waste planning.
--Twenty-year solid waste plans
Bloomingtono Actors, singers, and Letters should be sent to the
required for counties over 100,000 Honorable James Thompson, State House,
dancers aged 16 and over are needed and the city of Chicago by 1991.
Springfield, IL 62706 with a copy to
for the show. Auditions will consist --Twenty-five percent recycling levels
of singing one prepared song, reaa1ng Karen Witter, Office of the Governor,
from the script, and learning a short by 1996 through curbside recycling and
dance routine. 2 1/2 State House, Springfield, IL
other techniques. 62706. Ms. Witter is an environmental
Rehearsals for the show will start
soon after· auditions and will be held --Grants to communities for recycling specialist on the Governor's staff,
weekday evenings. The shovl will run >- pilot projects. and she will be advising the Governor
on what action to take with respect to
September 16-18, 23-25, JO, and --Municipal leaf and lawn waste the bill.
October 1, 1988. For more information composting.
call L. Jane Thomley at 452-6952.

Ncl au Cbri~liao~ rigbl-~&~iog bigcl~
Dear Post-Amerikan '
that Chr10 st10 ans can't poss10 bly be - ~o 0
I enjoy reading your paper because a sincere. I don't know. But please tag--you wo~ldn't that to
different viewpoint is always useful remember that Christians, like members Buddh1sts
and refreshing. I share with your of any other group, are individual
staff an abhorrence of bigotry. human beings. No stereotype will or alternat1ve com1c sellers.
apply.
When some clod stereotypes gays, women, Go on to recognize that right-wing
blacks, punkers, or any other group, For example, I'm a Christian, some Christians aren't at the core of
you're quick to put them in their would say a fundamentalist or a Christianity--they're just louder
place. It's your duty as journalists, charismatic. But I don't look through than most and they buy more airtime.
and besides it's fun. the same narrow peephole as Jerry Be fair.
Falwell or Pat Robertson. I simply
So why do you stereotype all Christians believe what I read in the Bible and In Christ,
as right-wing phonies? You wouldn't I wish those two would be a little
tolerate bigotry against any other more open when they read certain parts George Wiman
group of humans, would you? of it.
Tb~ B~lrcg r~~puad~
Some Christians treat minority groups Jesus leaned very far to the left in
as unworthy--maybe groups of which social teaching, and during His tenure Dear George:
you're a part. So you feel your on Earth He associated with the most
experience justifies your prejudice. ignored minority groups--Samaritans You must have really enjoyed last
This reflects the same reasoning as the (compare to blacks), women, lepers issue's look at the Creator, huh?
employer who assumes all blacks are (compare to AIDS patients),
violent because one of his relatives prostitutes, the homeless, gluttons Seriously though, we do not stereotype
was once mugged by a black man. So and winebibbers (compare to anything all Christians as right-wing phonies,
he doesn't hire blacks. you like), etc. and this shows in our writings. You
don't say how long you've been reading,
Or perhaps you feel that because you Modern-day Pharisees ought to pay but our long-time staffer Deborah has
do not see the sense in Christianity more attention to this side of Jesus' written about her strong Catholic
ministry (as you've pointed out from beliefs in the past. And notice Jeanne
M~. Hippie time to time). But the Anita Bryants D'a~c's reference to spirituality in
and Phillis Schlaflys of this world her article this issue.
ahil don't represent every Christian--a
fact you ought to pay more attention Of course, we have our share of good
Dear Folks: to. Start by dropping the "Xian" atheists, as well.

Enclosed please find check--$12.00. Help! As you say, the Swaggarts and Falwells
Included in this is my complimentary of this world make the most noise and
subscription for Ms. Marta Helm--she Please! Save my friend from the buy the most airtime. As you say,
requested a free sub in the June/July right-wing influence of yuppieville some Christians treat minority groups
issue of P.A. This will alleviate my by starting his subscription without as unworthy. That's why they--not
further strain on the paper. The delay! Christians as a whole--receive so
remainder is for my renewal and a much of our attention.
$4.00 contribution. I am a prisoner --L.
also. You are also reading too much into
the term "Xian." This term is not
Sincerely, meant to degregate Christians as a
whole. To my recollection, only our
Mike Lockey good atheist "all mindless superstition
is dangerous" staffer Ferdydurke uses
P.S. I love Ms. Hippie! this term with any regularity. "X"
is a well-known and widely accepted
abbreviation for "Christ" that started
with the early Christians and is still
used today (e.g., Xmas). Ferdydurke
simply elects to use this abbreviation
instead of the name Christ in his
articles.

Thanks for your concern,

The Balrog

Post-Am•rit.u Vol. 17 Ko. 2 Aug-S.pt. 19&& pag• 9

lVlt:~aua ir:;ilF anauatb~rt=Jqeth
Williams at
t:anc:erl :;ilale~ Local artists are invited to 663-5793, or the Bloomington-Normal
participate in the first annual Art- Airport Authority at 663-?383. _The
Olivia recording artist Deidre McCalla In to be held Saturday, September 10, deadline for returned reg1stratlon
will perform in concert at McKinley in the Terminal Building of the · forms is September 1, 1988.
Foundation, 809 S. 5th Street in Bloomington-Normal Airport.
Champaign on Saturday, September 17, The registration form will list the
1988 at 8:00 pm. An Art-In is a one-day event where supplies needed, rules o~ the Art-In,
artists gather to work for six hours, and other important deta1ls. To~a~
Tickets are $7 in advance and $8 at at which time finished pieces will be number of participants ~ill b~ l1m1ted
the door. Tickets are available by judged and cash prizes ~warded. The to 100. Late registrat1ons w1ll be
mail from Wild Patience Productions, winning pieces of art w1ll be accepted if space permits.
705 E. California Avenue, Urbana, IL displayed for six weeks inside the
61801. A self-addressed stamped Terminal Building. The Art-In is being sponsored by ~he
envelope is appreciated. For more Bloomington-Normal Airport Au~hor1ty
information call (217) 328-4190. To register, an artist mu~t obtain a in cooperation with the Bloomlngton-
registration form by call1ng Jean Normal Artist Guild.
nD rec:yt:le~
PDs· videa~ at library
~cme pla~lit:~ The Bloomington Public Library's video plays comprise this collection;
collection has been greatly enhanced Julius Ceasar, Merchant of Ven1ce,
You can recycle several types of by the addition of more than 100 hours MacBeth, King Lear, Hamlet, Othello,
plastic containers at Operation of PBS programming on VHS video
Recycle, McLean County's not-for- cassettes. and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
profit community recycling center.
Recycling plastic is important to.our This award-winning collection was Vietnam: A Television History--13
environment because current plast:I.cs •. purchased through the John D. and programs.- This seri~s d?cuments and
are non-biodegradable, meaning that Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation examines the events 1n V1etnam from
they take up large quantities of land- Library Video Classics Project--a the 1945 revolution against the French
fill space and w~ste valuable nation-wide project to make tapes to the U.S. evacuation from Saigon in
petroleum sources when thrown away. available to public libraries at a 90% 1975. It places Vietnam in historical
discount off the retail price. The perspective--and lets its viewers make
Operation Recycle will accept a~l collection includes: their own conclusions about the
plastic milk, juice, and water Jugs; conflict.
detergent bottles (laundry and The Ascent of Man--13 programs. This
dishwasher); and car oil and series, written and narrated by Dr. A Walk Through the 20th Century with
antifreeze bottles. Jacob Bronowski, is a voyage through Bill Moyers--10 programs. In these
two million years of cultural documentary specials the noted
Bottles that cannot be recycled are evolution. It takes the viewer to the journalist Bill Moyers expl?res the
those that are made of a clear plastic places where great intellectual events major events and personal1t1e~ that
{soda liter bottles, mouthwash and took place and profiles the men who have shaped the last century 1n a way
vegetable oil bottles) or.those that motivated and shaped them. that attempts to rediscover, in his
contain a hazardous mater1al such as own words, "the vivacity of th~ past."
pesticides and herbicides. Other The Brain--8 programs. Using advanced The subjects of the documentar1es are
non-recyclable containers are graphics, intimate case histories, and as diverse as the century itself--from
polypropylene containers such as personal accounts, the world's leading an examination of the work of pioneers
ketchup bottles, syrup bottles, and brain scientists convey the essence of., in the public relations business to a
jelly squeeze containers. modern brain research and its bearing comparative analysis of Franklin
on the viewer's knowledge of human Delano Roosevelt and Adolph Hitler.
Recyclers may bring those containers psychology. They explore the role of
that can be recycled to the Operation the brain in vision, movement, sleep, A program guide explaining the
Recycle warehouse, to recycle drives, learning, language, mental disease, individual programs within each of
and to our eight drop boxes. Please addiction, aging, and memory. these series is available. Also, each
rinse milk and juice jugs. series carries complete public
Heart of the Dragon--12 programs. performance rights to allow in-library
The bottles are baled at Operation Each program in this series focuses and community group showings as long
Recycle and sold to.a Chicago fir~ on a universal activity, such as as no admission is charged. For more
which cleans and gr1nds the plast1c eating, working, understanding, information, call 828-6091.
and resells it for manufacture into believing, and profiles the Chinese
such items as wheels, plastic lumber, people themselves, from peasants to Dirc:;ibima Day
toy parts, and other non-food related factory workers, from Communist Party abservan.t:e
uses. leaders to artists, scientists, and
millionaires. It also explores China The Bloomington-Normal Nuclear Freeze
For more information, call Operation from ancient beginnings to modern Campaign will commemorate the bombing
Recycle at 829-0691. times to present an historical of Hiroshima with a program on citizen
overview. efforts at peacemaking and diplomacy.
Magic: ~hcUJ The program will be held at 11:00 am
maierialize~ Heritage: Civilization and the Jews-- on Saturday, August 6 at Fell Park
9 programs. This series was filmed {Cypress and Oak Streets) in Normal.
The Bloomington Public Library will and researched on location in 18
present an evening of comedy and magic countries. It reveals the texture and Earl Kingman of the Japanese Sister
Monday, August 8 at 7~00 pm. The content of Jewish civilization in the City Committee will speak on the
evening's featured performer will be context of other Western religious history of that organization. William
magician Vince Sampson. traditions through visits to L. White will then describe current
historical sites; the study of art, efforts in citizen peacemaking with
Children of all ages will see that the artifacts, and primary literary the Soviet Union. A potluck-picnic
hand is quicker than the eye when Mr. sources; and the use of rare photo- will follow the program. All
Sampson displays his slight-of-hand graphs and archival film. This is the interested people are invited to
tricks. He will also entertain them dramatic story of the interrelationship attend.
as he demonstrates unbelievable of Jewish civilization and the
escapes. cultures of which it was a part.

For more information about this ~ Claudius--12 programs. This story
program and other acti~ities for . encompasses the turbulent history of
children and the Bloom1ngton Publ1c the imperial family of Rome from
Library, call 828-6091. 50 B.C. to 50 A.D. as related by the
Roman Emperor, Claudius. It stars
Derek Jacobi and Sian Phillips, who
both won Academy Awards in Britain in
1976 for their portrayals of Claudius
and his malevolent grandmother, Livia.

The Living Planet--12 programs. 1988-89 DIRECTORY OF ALTERNATIVE AND
Anthropologist and author David RADICAL PUBLICATIONS
Attenborough takes a global look at over 300 periodicals listed; $3.00. ·
how organisms of every kind adapt to Write: Alternative Press Center, P.O.
their surroundings. This series Box 33109, Dept. D, Baltimore, MD
surveys environments throughout the
world and demonstrates how otherwise 21218.
unrelated animals develop intriguingly
similar solutions to their common
climatic conditions.

The Shakespeare Plays--? programs.
Seven of Shakespeare's best-loved

Post-Am.erikaa Vol. 17 Bo. 2 Aug-Sept. 19&& page 10

We were really riding high those first
few days of the trial. We felt
confident that the jury selected was
sympathetic, or at least open-minded.
The Assistant State's Attorney almost

let us have who we wanted on the jury.
Our opening arguments clearly
emphasized our intent to use the

necessity defense and set the ground-
work for educating the jury of the
U.S. role of torture, murder, rape,
'and genocide in El Salvador,

Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
These were the greater harms we were
trying to prevent.

Where our argument was quite

impressive and lengthy, the State's

argument was perhaps JO seconds,

stating that the necessity defense was

irrelevant to what happened on August

22 at the Arlington Heights Special
Forces Base. ·

Local activists go free after jumping fence The State's case was pathetic. Out
of 40 defendants, they only had to
Ncl guilly- -by prove 15 of us had been arrested
trespassing because the rest of us
"stipulated" (we confessed that we
trespassed onto the base after being
warned not to do so) so as to save
court time and allow us to get on with
our necessity defense. Each of the
15 non-stipulators were found not
guilty, on grounds of insufficient
evidence. That's right--not guilty,
in spite of several videotapes showing
us going over the fence or through the
gate and pictures of each defendant
standing next to a police officer!

The defense's case

re~~co cl ~~oily Our defense started with the testimony
of eight defendants, including Greg
We wept, we cheered. . • . What a included a large dummy of Uncle Sam, Coughlin, Ginny Poppen, and Robin
triumph to hear "not guilty" being holding dollar bills up in the air in Semer. They went into detail of their
read 26 times. It was a beautiful one hand and a bloody knife in the knowledge of the atrocities occurring
ending of a long campaign by the other. With him, we carried a in Central America, their attempts to
Midwest Pledge of Resistance. Our stretcher holding a peasant and a sign change the U.S. policy towards the
intent was to expose how the Special stating, "U.S. dollars pay for murder
Forces Base in Arlington Heights, in Central America." region, and why they felt they had to
Illinois, is being used in the U.S. protest the base. This testimony was
covert war in Central America. But Sixty-seven demonstrators were extremely moving and brought some of
is it over? Read on. arrested that day for trespassing
onto the base, including six of us the jurors to tears. Unfortunately,
For several years, the Pledge of from Bloomington-Normal. We knew
Resistance in the Elgin area has that we might need to get arrested in this testimony was also under a
been trying to find out just what the order to gain media attention of why constant objection by the State and
Arlington Heights Base's activities we were protesting the base and to the Judge's declaration that he would
entail. The base personnel themselves further expose the base in court. We
were very uncooperative in giving did indeed draw much attention onto reserve ruling on whether such
information. In general, the secrecy the base that day. However, the testimony would be allowed, or whether
of the base's operations was in itself military were absent, and they have the necessity defense would be
very suspicious. We were able to yet to make any public statement about allowed.
learn that the base houses the 12th our concerns.
Special Forces Unit and the J05th This was when the floor fell from
Psychological Operations Battalion, In the course of the next nine months, under our feet. The Judge opened the
both of which play significant roles several court appearances, next day by declaring that the defense
in Reagan's secret wars in Central continuances, and planning meetings, failed to prove that the actions were
America. We also learned the base 40 of us finally got to trial. The necessary to prevent a greater harm.
houses a unit titled Combat Electronic other 27 pleaded guilty with no fine For the first time, he really showed
Warfare Intelligence, which has been and a six-month court supervision. his true colors regarding his
used to monitor and control U.S. Bloomington-Normal participants Diane interpretation of the Illinois
opposition to Reagan's Central Perris, Greg Coughlin, and myself were Necessity Law by stating it was not
American War. able to stick it out to the end. Or intended to be used for broad contexts
is oi t the end? such as violations of international
On August 22, 1987, the Elgin Pledge laws, but in a more narrow context,
invited groups throughout the Midwest The trial such as running a red light to rush a
to join them in publicly exposing the victim to the hospital. The jury was
base (and others like it) for what it Our intentions from the start of the ordered to strike all the defendants'
is. Keep in mind that this was around trial were to show that our actions testimony heard the previous day.
the time when Ollie North was becoming on August 22 were necessary to prevent
a "hero" during the Congressional a greater harm being perpetuated by From this point on, the remaining
Iran-Contra hearings. Reagan was also the Special Forces in Central America. defendants' chance seemed very slim.
asking Congress for $270 million for This defense is normally used, for The defendants' testimony was not
aid to the Contras. Needless to say, example, if you criminally assaulted allowed to include anything more than
the Bloomington-Normal Pledge was a person who was about to shoot the background, residence, occupation,
eager to do what we could to help clerk in a 7-11 store. USing the etc. · The judge would not allow
expose ths base, as well as make a necessity defense in cases where the further testimony of knowledge of
statement of our disgust with-u.s. greater crime is international is a Central America or legal attempts done
policies toward our Central American new tactic. It appeared that we would to change U.S. policy. No personal
brothers and sisters. be able to use this "necessity feelings or thoughts of how the Base
defense" until the beginning of the is connected to atrocities in Central
The action fourth day of the trial. The judge America were allowed.
(Judge Madden of Skokie) had denied a
About 25 of us joined 500 others from motion by the State to disallow the Our lawyers and pro se defendants
all over the Midwest to participate necessity defense within a week before argued strenuously to show the illogic
in the action. We brought props witn the trial. of the judge's interpretation, but to
us which would help to express no avail.
ourselves, both to the media and to
the base officials. The props Expect witnesses

The situation did not ~mprove as our
lawyers proceeded witha:n array of
expert orrelevant witnesses. Pilar
Martinez is from El Salvador and has
been in the U.S. since 1983. She was
allowed to tell the jury that she is
in political asylum here, but not why
she had to flee El Salvador. She was
not allowed to testify that she
witnessed her daughter being tortured
by the Salvadoran military while U.S.
advisors looked on. Nor was she all
allowed to tell the jury that she
witnessed U.S. soldiers kill
Salvadorans.

Post-Amerit.aa Vol. 17 •o. 2 Aug-Sept. 1988

I always wonder whether the next Post benefit which made its m
can possibly live up to the last one--but it always percussion instru
does. From the arty bash nouveau in the loft of the way, it rained
the Eddy Building to the mind-exterminating repertoire is influ
(literally) clash at Robinson's to the wholesome talking blues and
folk-music-and-bake-sale at Miller Park · you might say th
Pavilion, we always have a real good time, and lyrical, they're no
so do our supporters. commentary, as e
that piggish paea
Last month's benefit at the Gallery fulfilled its Home Alabama"
promise, too. It started early, ended late, Home Iran" and
cemented old friendships and sniffed at new and "Somethin's
ones, and most of all, sounded great. It has dream." We onl
been wonderful to witness the growth of play longer to af
Bloomington-Normal's music scene·through the
history of the Post benefits---bands come Market and Main
together and break apart, but our favorite the excitement w
musicians continue to coalesce in new and 30s and 40s. Sin
exciting musical hybrids. smoky, steamy, s
her heartfelt rend
The evening began with solo performance by Mean, Mean Wo
Mike Hogan on acoustic guitar. Anyone who "Safety Mama."
has been here in B-N for any length of time will Peter Warshaw o
remember that Mike is our local virtuoso guitar and alto
guitarist/Composer, whose styles range from and Mike Hogan
classical to jazz to blues, with a little vintage professional-sou
rock and roll thrown in for good luck. Mike has and musical pow
played many a Post benefit before (and we love various crowd, w
him dearly) and this time, he treated us to some with delighted w
classical and lyrical pieces that formed a
soothing backdrop for people gathering and Susie's Kitchen s
saying hi. Casual listeners became more rock staples, "Ev
attentive as Mike's impressive playing became River," and "Mo
more intense. converted to a Po
anthem. Then th
Mike was followed by the rhythmic, meditative songs and we wo
quartet Tri, whose members include Lisa · their shirts off, b
Formosa (vocals, guitar), Ian Barford (guitar), formerly of Pop
John Spears (drums, vocals) and Cindy Bemis traveled all the w
(bass, vocals). (Post supporters may remember gig with the dash
Lisa and Cindy from past benefits as One Big Lee, Man of Few
Woman-ites and Cindy from Toxic Shock.) The Beedle, Peter "Th
group kicked it off with a wonderful rain dance, LVD. It w~s kin

Post-Amerit.aa Vol. 17 Bo. 2 Aug-Sept. 1983

magic with an African promising kiss under the mistletoe, when you
ument called a "rain stick." By don't even know whether the guy will be at the
d the next day. Tri's original next party.
uenced by a blend of folk,
d African rhythms, and though Our old friends the Patchouli-Scented Crazies
heir music is contemplative and carried the beat next. Completely inventive,
o strangers to social utterly original, the trio mixed experimental,
evidenced by their adaptation of intellectual and passionate approaches to electric
an to the White South, "Sweet
" with satirical lyrics like "Sweet music with a keen balance. Ed Pierce's guitar,
"Sweet Home Bloomington" Greg Pare's bass and John Ganser's drums
were each showcased in an usually even manrier
happenen' to your American in this exciting ensemble. Trying to describe
ly hope that next time Tri can this group's music is like trying to build a
fford us a nice downpour. chainlink fence around a herd of fireflies, so just
do yourself a favor and go hear these guys the
n changed the tenor but kept up next time they play.
with a return to jazz/blues of the
nger Laurie Dahlberg evoked the In lively contrast, Stumpwhoopt crooned us
some bluesabilly down-home-a-go-go. One
sinful side oflife and love with listener called their style "cryin' in yer beer with
ditions of classics like "''m a '80s angst," and he wasn't just a-kiddin. . Their
oman," "Do Your Duty," and rendition of "Take Me to the River" in which
singer/blues harpist Gary Hicks dug down to the
Mark Stairwalt on clarinet, bootheels of his soul, was like a boilermaker
on piano, Ernie Johnson on after a month of dry Sundays. Gary, Scott
sax, James McManus on bass, Lucas (drums), James McManus (bass) and
n sitting in on guitar, provided a Brian Smith (guitar) had barely gotten warmed
unding set. The emotional depth up when the evening was officially ended.
wer of this group entranced a
who punctuated the performance We were looking forward to our last and newest
whoops, crows and claps.
band No!No!No! But nonono, the Gallery
started the dancing with their
vil Ways," "Take me to the owner said, it's after 12:30 and the party has to
oney," which they cleverly
ost Amerikan fund-raising close down. This was the big disappointment of
hey stopped! A couple more
ould've screamed and ripped the night, and we will try to get a strict ·
but on well. Laurie Haag,
Smear and Toxic Shock, disciplinarian to keep all the bands to their alloted
way from Iowa to drum for this
hing vocalist/guitarist David X. time limits next time, if we can find one among
w Words but Many Licks, David
he Piano Slut" Warshaw and- the Post folks.
nd of like an extremely
As usual, the crowd at the Post benefit was the
best you'll find at any bar, any night of the year.
Good vibrations flowed like beer, and the

support for the bands was outstanding. Let's do
it again soon.

Post-Amerttaa Vol. 17 Ro. 2 Aug-sept. 19&& page 11 ·

Once again, our lawyers argued that --:t The pro se defendants further argued
such testimony was crucial in our that the Court's silencing of the
decision to trespass onto the base. Lippman is a lawyer himself. During facts of the Special Forces in Central
Again the judge considered the another argument for the necessity America perpetuates the U.S. Low
testimony irrelevant and denied the defense, he and the judge engaged in Intensity Warfare tactics by helping
defense of necessity. a lengthy debate/dialogue regarding to keep it unknown from the public.
the interpretation of the Illinois One defendant stated, "If we're guilty
Father Bill Hogan testified about the Necessity Law. Lippman related what of anything, it is for not doing
effectiveness of non-violent protest. is happening in Central America to the enough to stop this madness by our
He established that such protests are Nazi holocaust. He emphasized how the government in Central America."
more effective with the risk of arrest Nuremburg Tribunals established the
than without such risks. Father Hogan responsibility for citizens of a State Lastly, our lawyers reviewed for the
was also at the demonstration at the to take action if that State is jury the character make-up of the
base. He was was unable to articulate violating International Law. defendants. We consisted of teachers,
why he felt it was necessary to social workers, nurses, volunteer
protest the base, because the judge He described such actions as a workers for the homeless, pastors,
wouldn't allow it. privilege for civilians of the State priests, nuns, lay church workers, and
and a duty for agents of the State who laborers. Several have master's.
Evon Dilling is the co-author of two are directly engaged in such degrees and some have doctoral degrees
books, Nicaraguan Revolution and In violations. Civilians·exercising that relating to Latin American issues. A
Search of Refuge. She has also privilege should not be prosecuted by few have quit their jobs so they are
written numerous articles for a State for breaking a law in an able to devote full-time to peace and
journals. Our lawyers were able to effort to prevent violations of justice issues. Our lawyers helped
qualify her as an expert on Low International Laws by that State. the jury see how much we the
:Intensity Warfare (LIW) and to briefly Furthermore, judges and state defendants are like them, but that
describe LIW to the jury as using prosecutors have been found in finding us not guilty would not be an
language to mislead the general public conspiracy of violation of . act of civil disobedience. It would
about the use of U.S. military in International Laws if prosecuting be carrying out the law, because in
covert war; keeping information of citizens for such actions, providing· essence, during their deliberation,
activities and spending from the that such actions are not greater than they are.the law.
public; and deliberately misusing or the harm caused by the violation of
disguising the military by inter- International Laws.
changing civilian and military roles.
Dilling was not allowed to establish After hearing Lippman's arguments, judgment hour
the link between the Special Forces Judge Madden recessed to re-consider
(Green Beret) and the LIW concerning his interpretation of our defense. The jury could have gone either way.
Cer.tral America. Lippman's arguments were so sound. If they had followed the Court's
We all had great anticipation that our instructions by the letter, they
Once again, our lawyers gave very case may have been saved after all. probably would have found us guilty.
strong arguments. By this point, But no, the judge returned as stubborn But my guess is that we were able to
Judge Madden was becoming impatient as ever, and the jury was not able to get enough testimony in to persuade
and warned to ban further witness' hear Lippman's opinions of how our the jury that the U.S. policy in
testimony, if leading to the same actions on August 22 were justified Central America is madness. So they
defense. Our lawyers were able to in accordance to International Law and must have rationalized that we are not
continue, rationalizing that each U.S. activities in Central America. guilty by reason of being sane!
witness led to the next, and that all Later, a juror did state that they
were needed to prove our case. Closing arguments were for us from the beginning. They
just needed to justify finding us
One witness whom we subpoenaed failed The State's closing arguments were not guilty.
to respond and was excused by the short and weak. They barely addressed
judge. You guessed it--a member of the necessity issue and were able to What a victory for those of us risking
the Arlington Heights Base military say little more about their evidence, arrest to protest the U.S. war in
personnel! other than we "stipulated." Central America! Even without the
necessity ~efense, found DQ1 guilty!
John Coatsworth, a professor at the
University of Chicago, was our next Our closing arguments were convincing, On the other side, after all those
witness. His credentials qualified emotional, and confrontive of how the trips to Skokie, months of fund
him as an expert on Central America. Court handled the case. Our lawyers raising, and seven days of trial, we
He was allowed to go into more detail did a beautiful job of pointing out still don't know exactly how the
of how the U.S. set up the Contras, discrepancies in the State's case of Arlington Heights Special Forces are
trains the Salvadoran and Guatemalan proving us guilty. They also being used in Central America.
militaries, and uses Honduras as a questioned how our intent could not
military base. He was also able to The struggle goes on.
establish the legitimacy of the 1984 be relevant in a criminal case. The
Nicaraguan elections. His testimony pro se defendants courageously --Tom Hensold
even outlined how the U.S. covert war confronted the judge's withholding of
used such branches as the Special
Forces--though he was not able to facts and testimony from the jury--
refer to the Arlington Heights Base almost to the point of calling it a
(this testimony was not permitted by mock trial. Surprisingly, the judge
the judge). In general, Coatsworth allowed such criticism, only reminding
was only allowed to describe what was the jury that such arguments are not
already on public record. to be considered evidence.

The defense marches on BL/N CISPES

The more testimony we heard, the more Eal rad lc geiiU
alarming it was that we could not sway
the judge to allow our defense. Ralph Dear Friends, will sort them and publish them in a
McGeehee was our next witness, and he cookbook which we sell to raise funds
was quickly qualified as an expert on BL/N CISPES has done a lot of for CISPES.
the CIA, having served with them for fundralslng for the people of El
17 years. He began to describe how Salvador this year with the Walk The books will be a large 5 1/2 by 8
the Special Forces work with the CIA Against the War and Work-a-Day. We 1/2 inches with ten section dividers,
when our lawyers needed to argue that have asked all of you to contribute local information pages and extra
the jury be allowed to hear further and many of you have responded pages of helpful hints (like quick
testimony. Little of what knowledge generously. meals for meeting nights). They vlll
McGeehee had to offer was allowed as sell for about $5 each. We are hoping
testomony. He was allowed to define With all of this soliciting for funds, that all of you will contribute
"sheep dipping," when Special Forces we were reluctant to ask you to recipes and purchase a book. And we
are resigned temporarily to train contribute directly to our work. Yet, need to estimate the nuaber to order
Contras, Salvadoran military, etc., our work does cost money--to print, on the first printing because of the
then are re-assigned back to the mall, and copy, to provide price break. so please let us know
Special Forces. This "sheep dipping" informational materials (books, when you send ln your recipe how aany
is done for the purpose of offering paaphlets, buttons), and keep a supply books you want to purchase.
the U.S. deniability. of Nicaraguan coffee. So, we came up
with a fundralslng project that will Give your recipe a tit-le. Then list
Mathew Lippman was our last witness. give more than it costs--we are going the ingredients, using conventional
He has a list of credentials a mile to publish a cookbook! abbreviations (c, tsp, Tbsp, pkg, qt,
long and was qualified as an expert pt); then write the directions and
on International Law. Lippman was Here's how lt works. We ask you sign the recipe.
able to discuss how International Law changeaakers ln Blooalngton/Noraal to
was established, as well as the send us two to four of your favorite Hall lt to
Nuremburg Principles. He was also recipes (and after years of potlucklng
allowed to discuss briefly for the and working for change, ve know there BL/N CISPES
jury how this case relates to are good recipes out there). Then ve PO Box 4041
International Law. The jury was not Bloomington IL 61702
allowed to hear that we, as U.S.
citizens, had a responsibility to
protest the Base.

Post-Amerta:aa Vol. 17 Ro. 2 Aug-sept. 19&& page 14

Wilne~~ Icr Pea1:e delegatica

For the past 5 years, Witness For The Somoza dynasty ruled the country of political parties, and from the
until 1979 when it was overthrown by Secretary of the Conservative Demo-
Peace (WFP), an interfaith, grassroots, the Sandinista National Liberation cratic Party, one of the oldest po-
politically independent organization, Front (FSLN). The last period of . litical parties in the country. From
has been sending groups of North struggle for Nicaraguan independence them we learned much about the flou-
Americans to Nicaragua to experience from the Somozas, generally regarded ~ishing climate of political. activity
firsthand the reality of Nicaraguan as one of the most brutal, greedy re- and pluralistic nature of the current
life since the triumph of the 1979 gimes anywhere in this century, lasted Nicaraguan National Assembly.
revolution. from 1959 to 1979 and is referred to
as "The Insurrection." The departure W~ heard about land reform and ag-
On June 7, 1988, we were among a group of the last Somoza on July 19, 1979 is r~cultural problems and possibilities
of 14 people from Illinois, Indiana, called "The Triumph." from a representative of the Ministry
Tennessee, and North Carolina landing of Agriculture. Health care and medi-
at Augosto Sandino airport in Managua. Work project at evangelical church in Santo Domingo cal needs were discussed with doctors
Bloomington - Normal was well repre- in a regional hospital and in a small
sented by this group which included rural clinic. Effects of the contra
Greg Coughlin, a psychiatric social war were most clearly defined in dis-
worker at the Center For Human Ser- cussions with representatives of are-
vices, Bob Hathway, professor of math- mote agricultural cooperative in the
ematics at ISU, Rick Heiser, part- Santo Domingo area. These 4 people
time teacher in the local school dis- walked 3 hours through the war zone
tricts, and Susan Heiser, an element- to tell us about their struggle to
ary teacher at Irving School in build a decent life for themsleves
Bloomington. and their families despite having
been attacked and burned out 3 times
Because the Reagan administration by contra forces.
banned direct flights· to or from
Nicaragua in 1985, our route took us The years since mark the beginning of We directly experienced and shared in
from Chicago to Miami, then by "The Revolution," an ongoing process the deep religious faith of the ma-
Honduran airline to Belize, San in which Nicaraguan society is being jority of Nicaraguans by living in
Pedro Sula, Honduras, San Salvador, transformed from colonial subservience groups of 2 with families. Some were
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and finally and oppression of the majority by an affiliated with the Cathedral church
to Managua. oligarchy nourished and sustained by ~n Juigalpa, some with a Base Christ-
the U.S., to one of mass popular in- ~an Commu~ity (Liberation Theology)
Itinerary volvement marked by a commitment to · ~n a barr~o on the edge of town. In
land reform, education, health care, Santo Domingo we stayed with families
We were met in Managua by 4 Witness and a resurgence of cultural and who were part of a small Evangelical
For Peace long-term volunteers, political nationalism. Since 1981, (Protestant) congregation. Some of
North Americans who live and work in the U.S. has overtly and covertly the families who were relatively mid-
Nicaragua for a minimum of 8 months. financed a contra-revolutionary dle - class, by Nicaraguan standards;
Among the long-termers was Julie force whose aim is to reestablish many were very poor. Whatever their
McDevitt, a 1986 graduate of ISU. U.S. domination and to reverse the
She has been in Nicaragua since Revolutionary Process. economic situations, they welcomed us
April, having spent the previous and generously shared whatever they
Direct experience had with us. They were not paid for
5 months in Guatemala studying t~eir hospitality, nor did we leave
g~fts or material aid with them.
Spanish. Julie is the second ISU
graduate with the WFP long-term For 12 days! beginning in Managua, In homes with dirt floors, no running
team. Rose O'Donnell, ISU 1987, our delegat~on met with a wide water, and only intermittant electri-
completed her 8 month stay in April. variety of officials and ordinary city, we helped as best we could with
citizens. We discussed the move-
Gathering our luggage, which included ment_toward u~iversal literacy and household ch~res, visited with neigh-
boxes of mail, medical and other scarce publ~c educat~on with the Vice- bors, and tr~ed to focus our wills on
supplies, we drove to the WFP house in Minister of Education, we listened maintaining our health despite con-
Managua. The house is in a barrio to several hours of vehement anti- taminated drinking water, roaches,
called Las Piedricitas, and during the Sandinista sentiment from spokes- rats, and meager food supplies. We
1930s the neighborhood was home to people for COSEP, a right-wing came to understand and respect the
U.S. Marine Corps officers who were group of business people, from the constant struggle the Nicaraguans
in tne midst of one of their frequent Secretary of the Coordinadora Demo- face to maintain their health and
occupations of the country. cratica, a right-of-center coalition strength and to see their children
survive to adulthood.
The next day and a half were spent in
meetings with WFP staff and various Meet the 20% off
representatives of the Nicaraguan Whittier nny purchnse
government and members of opposing family. with coupon
political organizations. On June 9, the-y've
we left Managua and drove 2 hours been 1/3 off
south and east to the city of Juigalpa fighting nny purchnse
in Chontales department. We lived 1 for two with student 1.0.
with families in Juigalpa for the
next 4 days. hundred nnd coupon
-years.
On June 13, we headed east again, Offer good
to Santo Domingo. Though it is TM through Sept. 15.

only 25 miles from Juigalpa, Santo Metropolis Books One offer
per person, plense.
Domingo is 3 hours away because of 1203 A Main St.
its remote location and the con- Normal
dition of the steep, dirt roads 452-2144
leading to it. During our 3 days
in Santo Domingo, we again lived four blocks south of campus ------.....J
with families. At the end of that
time, we returned to Juigalpa for neHt to Normal Military Surplus
one night, then headed back to
Managua for 2 more days of meetings
before returning to Miami and
Chicago on June 20.

History

That is an overview of our trip,
but the essence of a WFP experience
is an intense, concentrated ex-
posure to life in a country that is
politically only 9 years old. Some
brief historical review will help
those who are not familiar with

Nicaraguan-U.S. history. The u.s.

has been involved in Nicaragua
since the 1850s, but recent his-
tory begins with the occupation by·
U.S. Marines from 1912- 1925, 1926-
1933, culminating with the imposition
of the 1st Somoza dictatorship which
was secured by the creation of the
National Guard, Somoza's private
U.S. funded army.

We worked alongside townspeople, help- araguan Revolution are difficult to Post-Amerikan Vol. 17 Bo. 2
ing build new pews for the tiny church Aug-Sept. 1966 page 15
in Santo Domingo, learning how effic- fathom, until we are willing to
iently a saw and a plane can be used ment on a desire that the war end and
when there are no other tools avail- cast aside our high school civics
able. We attended a wake and funeral that Nicaraguans be allowed to solve
for an elderly member of the Base class ideals and recognize the fact their own problems without the inter-
Christian Community in Juigalpa, then that powerful representatives of
walked in silent procession to the ce- powerful interests in this country vention of any superpower. Geraldo
metary on the other side of town. We and in transnational boardrooms
were moved by the gentle support the around the world are intent on Alfaro ~aiodf, the Democratic Conservative
family received from the quiet pre- maintaining economic dominance of Party, "We are worki ng within
sence of their neighbors and were the Third World.
humbled to learn later that our pre-
sence had been considered a gift to this political system. We can be ef-
the family.
fective. There are problems, but they
Sharing Iives
are our problems."
We were profoundly affected by shar-
ing in the daily lives of these peo~le. • ~ . ?_>~ . As a result of these experiences, we
At the end of his stay with one fam~ly, ';'):~¥~~~~~: . ...,,...,t·· :' 1 drew several conclusions. It is our
Bob gave them a Christmas card picture c..,..,....... assumption that Nicaragua is a sov-
of his own family as a keepsake. The
father of the Nicaraguan family re- Part of a mural !n Managua ereign government with the same de-
sponded by taking from the wall the sire for and right to self-determina-
only photo he had of his family and Nicaragua's Revolutionary Process tion as any other_government. There-
giving it to Bob as a remembrance of threat0ns the very heart of a world-
their time together. wide structure that requires ready fore, U.S. policy should be restruct-
access to cheap human and material
Greg had brought some colored pencils resources, to exclusive markets and ed to support Nicaragua's right to
and a tablet in his backpack and asked easily manipulated governments. As self-determination rather than work-
the children of his family in Juigalpa Nicolas Bolanos, representative of ing to destroy it. It is in our
to draw pictures for him. They drew COSE~said at the end of his long national self-interest to foster
litany of complaints against the friendly relations with our neigh-
their house, as children of 5 or 6 government of Nicaragua," ••. but we bors, and it is right to do so.
know that Reagan doesn't really
years always do, but added ~huge care about Nicaragua. To him, we The United States' military, political,
helicopter hovering overhead--part are just another piece of merchandise." and economic,war against Nicaragua
of the daily reality of life in a
country at war. Viva Ia revolucionl must end. In response to U.S. ag-
gression, Nicaragua is currently
Rick and I listened to first grade If the Nicaraguan Revolution succeeds, spending about 60% of its budget on
children read from their precious an example will have been set forever
first readers, and saw the pride in in history of a small nation resist- defense, compared to the 17% on de-
their parents' eyes as the children ing the vast wealth and force of an fense in the first budget of the Re-
showed us their new report cards, economic and military superpower. volutionary Government. In addition
the first fruits of their opportunity During our stay, we heard a wide
for education. variety of opinions from Nicaraguans to the thousands of deaths and injur-
about their country. We heard a great ies due to the war, this diversion of
We marveled at the beauty of green deal of support for the government, resources has limited the government's
mountains, lakes, and volcanoes, some very enthusiastic, some more ability to move forward in economic
steep, rugged roads lined with bana- qualified. Some people insisted they development, health care, and educat-
na and jicaro trees, hibiscus and were apolitical. A small minority ion, despite the evidence we saw that
bouganvilla. In these remote and voiced their angry opposition to the this government has taken as a prior-
lovely hills we knew that kidnappings government. We saw and heard about
occurred, homes were burned, and cam- shortages of food and medical supplies, ity the welfare and needs of its poor-
pesinos were raped and killed by the and of families separated by the war. est citizens.
contra forces which are trained, There was vir~ually universal agree-
clothed, fed, and armed by U.S. tax Specifically, members of this delegat-
dollars. ion recommend:

The reasons for President Reagan's 1. Cessation of all U.S. aid to the
obsessive need to subvert the Nic- · contra forces.

2. Immediate end to the U.S. trade
embargo against Nicaragua.

J. Payment of reparations by the J.I. S.

to Nicar~gua in accordance witn the
World Court ruling of 1986.

The Bloominton-Normal members of this
group hope to have a slide show ready
for interested groups this fall. In
the meantime, we would welcome any

interested individuals to contact us
for discussion in more detail of the
rich experience we shared with the
Nicaraguan people.

Ten 111ay5 l~ 5ave Mclher Earih --Susan Heiser

Ozone, "gre'enhouse effect," fossil 5. Recycle. You can sell or donate T~
fuel, NIMBY, chlorofluorocarbons,
plastics, waste-to-energy, recycling, newspapers, container glass, plastic n
garbage barge . . . have you heard of milk and detergent bottles, beverage
them? What can you do about them? cans, food cans, corrugated cardboard, £, AEGIS
and high grade office paper to
All of the above are a part of a recycling centers here in town. Call ll
growing solid waste crisis in this to find out more information.
country. The crisis has affected the r Test Facility
coastal areas and big cities first, 6. Avoid fast food with its many WARNING!
but its effects are being felt in items of .Packaging.
smaller communities as well where the s UNAUTHO.RIZED ENTRY
NIMBY phenomena (Not In My Back Yard) 7. Avoid disposable products. The .•: .. PF:OHIP.lTEDI FEDERAL
frequently makes it difficult, if not amount of garbage produced per person :: ·. ... . ..· LP~ \'\" F·F~CJHI:E:·I'TS E1\lTRY ~
impossible, to site new landfills. per day has gone up from just over .
three pounds in the 1960s to over s1x [J,ll,Nr.}Ef-:1 Hl-TECH. U·.SER-
Actions of individuals will make a pounds in the late 1980s. GU IDED. COlvlP LI(:l;, TED
big difference in the extent of this COYvlPUTER INVOL\lEDI
problem. Here's what you can do 8. If you have a yard, try making
today: your own compost out of grass I)
clippings, vegetable kitchen waste,
1. Become informed. Find out about and leaves. )
options other than landfilling and the
problems and benefits associated with 9. Encourage city and county _;
them. officials to develop long-range solid
waste plans with an emphasis on ·, .•
2. Don't buy products that are recycling and reuse.
overpackaged. The more packaging, the ..
more you are paying for items whose 10. Buy products made out of recycled
only benefit is to deliver the product materials. All glass containers have
to you. Currently 10% of each food some recycled glass in them, cards can
dollar is spent on packaging. be purchased which are made from
recycled paper, etc.
J. Buy items in packages that are
Don't let over-consumers ruin what is
reusable or recyclable--soda in left of our environment. We'll all
returnable bottles, salad dressings pay in the future if we don't change
in glass jars, etc.--and take home our habits today. It's up to us.
your purchases in paper sacks rather
than plastic bags. --Smokey Bear

4. Let companies know you are unhappy

when they switch to packaging that is
not necessary or not recyclable.

Reproductive technology Post-Ameritan Vol. 17 Bo. 2 Aug-Sept. 19&& page 16

l "'cmb ~a~ilb avi~lll Still more risks include:

--Greater chance of miscarriage
--Potential damage to the uterus during

embryo transfer

Reproductive technology. In a world that a Cleveland clinic which opened --Infection introduced into the uterus
where over five billion humans exist, last summer had infertile couples during embryo transfer
high-tech' scientists and doctors are paying $1,200 for an ~gg donor's
(ironically) finding new ways to help participation. Is th~s new hope or a --Ectopic or tubal pregnancy
create life. Admittedly, infertility new form of exploitation? --Risks from the tools and procedures
is agonizing for some couples. (In
my own case, when I'd accepted my Risks of in vitro fertilization include used for monitoring an IVF pregnancy,
infertility and considered membership hormonal treatment to superovulate such as ultrasound radiation,
in the Zero Population Growth Society, the woman. The ovaries become amniocentesis, and endometrial
I became pregnant. Granted, this is hyperstimulated. "Hyperstimulation biopsy.
not a solution for most people.) with powerful fertility drugs can
literally blow [the ovaries] up or Scientists still insist that embryo
Author Gena Corea, in The Mother burn them out, " quotes Corea. Now
Machine, says that new technologies the woman is not only infertile but transfer could be a boon to humanity.
touted as "new hope for the infertile" may experience early menopause or
could really bring "new despair." Why worse. "By the year 2000, it may be possible
does she make this statement?
Possible adverse effects of hormones to flush the embryos out bf every
Corea says that there exists a surface are more risks of the IVF procedure.
reality or foreground. In the "If the hormone administered to women single woman in the obstetrician's
foreground we see scientists and in IVF programs turns out to cau~e
physicians (as reported in the media) cancers or other diseases, the d~sease office as part of routine prenatal .
offering treatments for infertility may never be traced back to the IVF
or the prevention of genetic disease. program. The only reason DES (a drug ca nadr e~ett eabsotliict for every known genet~c
We see the smiling faces of the parents used to prevent miscarriage) was defect and if--and only
of test tube babies. We do not see discovered to be a cause of cancer
the background or underlying truths. was that it caused a rare vaginal if--the embryo is perfect, return
For example, the success rate on the adenocarcinoma. Otherwise, it would
surface seems very high. In December still be prescribed." that embryo to the woman's womb."
of 1980, of the 278 women who had
participated in known experiments Possible trauma to the ovary during Also, sex selection would be a part
with human in vitro fertilization egg "harvesting" is a risk of IV~.
(IVF), only three had given birth to "We do not know whether the surg~cal of embryo evaluation. Ditto sex
test tube babies. The success rate manipulation involved in IVF procedures
"was .04 percent--less than one adversely affects the ovary's secretion orientation. Nine years ago, a
percent." Was this cause for new hope of hormones." The follicle is
or new despair? punctured in order to suck out the St. Loui~paper carried a story about
egg. "The follicle is transformed
Cost of the IVF procedure using surgery into the corpus luteum which secretes a scientist who believed that
ranges from $3,900 to $5,000 according hormones that help maintain the
to the Chicago Tribune~ July 28, 1987. pregnancy. The full eff~cts of. the transsexuals suffered a chemical
"Infertile couples in Chicago and manipulation of the foll~cle are
elsewhere say it is not unusual to unknown." imbalance in the womb and this caused
spend $30,000 to $40,000 in an effort
to conceive a child." This is new women in IVF programs have undergone their "bizarre" behavior. (I remember
hop~--for the very rich. up to seven operations.to obtai~ an.
egg. Each time they r~sk compl~cat~ons this clearly. I was reading it in my
Also from the Chicago Tribune, we find from general anesthesia.
obstetrician's office at the time.)

Dr. Richard Seed also says in Corea's

book 1 "You can snip out some cells
from an embryo at certain stages of
development and determine the sex of
the embryo. That's been done now in

cattle, horses, and, I think, pigs."

Who decides what is a perfect embryo?
Who decides what is the right sex?
Is this new hope for humanity or new
exploitation? Is this a "womb with a
view"? If so, who is doing the
watching?

Gena Corea states that "we have words
to describe medicine as a healing
artr but none to describe it as a
method of social control or political
rule. " What is the true reality?~

Dear M~. Dear Trekkie: Please don't use my real name. Instead, sign
me,
Hippie Quite the guilty conscience you have there, '·
Trekkie, but in my book, having an imaginary
Dear Ms. Hippie: dalliance with an imaginary character from an Material Girl
imaginary world does not constitute cheating. In
I am a 29-year-old gay man. Due to fear of these troubled times, we must rely upon our Dear Material Girl:
AIDS, I have begun to practice monogamy f?r dreams and imagination to supply us with that
the first time in my life. Although my lover IS which we must do without. And as far as I This poses a troublesome question which I have
wonderful, I still miss the variety of the good know, they haven't yet figured out a way to recently been asking myself. What defmes the
old days. police our dreams. Besides, it is Ms. Hippie's yuppie? Are they the scourge of the culture,
opinion that monogamy should only be practiced with their superficial, self-serving, consumerist
On top of this, I have run out of weed and my during waking hours (and then only on practices which they defend with feeble
suppliers are all dried up due to the drought. Tuesdays and Thursdays during leap year-- arguments about how they want to reinvest
THC withdrawal always causes me to have [sigh] but I guess I'm living in the past). So go "passion" into their lives? Or does "yuppie"
strange dreams. ahead, Trekkie, pork away to your heart's simply refer to someone who is on the career
delight. Just make sure you set your alarm for track and makes enough money to have a nice
Two nights ago I dreamed that I was offered a the next morning. margin of income for leisure?
tryst by three naked young men, including a
tennis player I had lusted after, who was P.S. Thanks for the compliment. Turning a gay In either case, I think I know a way to assuage
handcuffed to the bed. Explaining my current .man's head is high praise indeed for any gal. your guilty conscience about your flaccid
monogamy trip, I said thanks but no thanks. politics. Start giving away some of your
Love, Ms. Hippie dough, or better yet, volunteer some time to a
Last night I dreamed that Lieutenant Commander goo4 cause. You have to pick some whack-o
Data, the android officer from the television Dear Ms. Hippie: radical causes if you're going to shake off the
series Star Trek: The Next Generation, offered yuppie strangle hold. Just imagine, next time
to show me that he was indeed fully functional. • I just love your column! I just never dreamed you're having a power lunch and your
I accepted, and he was. that I would be desperate enough to be one of companions mention their charitable gifts to
those needing your advice on handling the '80s. public television--you can tell them about your
My question is this: Was I being unfaithful by involvement with the Jewish Lesbian Daughters
having sex with an android? While I was in school, I had no money and so of Holocaust Survivors (however, Ms. Hippie
had no trouble living in a politically-correct, non- would like to warn you that if you are interested
· Love and Kisses, materialistic manner. But now that I'm out of in this particular organization, you will have to
Troubled Trekkie school and earning a salary, I'm afraid I'm dump the Mercedes). Imagine regaling your
becoming a yuppie! colleagues with stories of throwing your body in
P.S. Loved that picture! You're so beautiful, it front of whaling boats in the North Atlantic over
makes me wish I were a lesbian. Bean sprouts and rice cakes have lost their Thanksgiving, while they were busily brushing
appeal; now I crave veal and spinach in puff egg wash on their Canard en Croute.
pastry and soft shelled crab sauteed in caper
butter. The quaint static-filled sounds of AM Revel in eccentricity. Having your own private
radio are no longer tolerable; I now insist on the hairdresser and color chart does not make you an
purity of digital audio. Then last Saturday, I had individual.
this irrepressible compulsion to Armor-All the
interior of my Mercedes. It was then that I Peace.
realized I had a problem.
Readers: Do problems of life in the post-70's
So Ms. Hippie, please check with your have you in a quandary? Send your questions to
psychological experts. Am I hopelessly addicted "Ask Miss Hippie," care of the Post Amerikan,
to yuppiedom? Is there any hope of recovering P.O. Box 3452, Bloomington, IL 61702.
from this materialistic madness in life?

Locally, St. Francis Hospital in Peoria alone! Should a man try to fly with Post-Amerit.an

was considering an IVF clinic around the wing of religion alone, he would Vol. 17 Ro. 2 Aug-sept. 1966 page 17
the time that the Pope was visiting quickly fall into the quagmire of

the U.S. The Pope nixed the idea. _ superstition whilst on the other hand, Thump~Dn
However, area doctors are appealing with the wing of science alone, he
to a higher power--the board of would also make no progress but fall
directors at Methodist Medical Center. into the despairing slough of
materialism."

Finally, in Paris, France, in 1912, a

Persian man named Abdu'l-Baha addressed Today we could rephrase that to read ~uppurl~
an audience with these prophetic words: "spirituality" and "technology."
"Religion and science are the two Will one control us completely or
wings upon which man's intelligence will a balance be achieved? Does

can soar into the heights with which humankind care? What will it choose?

the human soul can progress. It is
not possible to fly with one wing
•••••• MPC.hOied.yBwenoinxve5e,3Ws3'7yAomlliinagn8c2e00o3 f North America •••••• mid111il ery !There is good news for some mothers and babies who live in Canada and the United States.--Jeanne D'arc

• •This year they will have the benefits of care from a group of health care providers which the World Health
• •Organization refers to as the international specialists i~ normal childbirth. They will be cared for by midwives.

•• ••Unfortunately, the vast majority of U.S. and Canadian families will not have any access to midwives. While once

• •abundant in midwifery resoun:e.r, these countries report less than 5% of births attend~d by midwives today. For the

• •remaining 95%, the health and financial costs are alarmingly high.
• •Each year the 20 largest industrialized countries are ranked according to maternal and infant mortality (deathl and
• •morbidity (injuryl rates. Canada ranks I Oth and the U.S. is now 20th. Babies born in some North American cities

• •today have the same chance of surviving birth and the following first weeks as tho_se in many third world countries.

• •Women giving birth in North America face a 2-3 times greater chance of undergoing a Cesarean delivery than those
• •who deliver in countries with the lowest maternal/infant mortality and mordibity rates.
•• ••WHAT DO THESE COUNTRIES WITH THE LOWEST MATERNAL/INFANT MORTAUTY AND MORBIDITY WHAT DO WOMEN WANT? Well, one thing
• •RATES HAVE THAT THE U.S. AND CANADA DON'T? A WIDESPREAD SYSTEM OF MIDWIFERY CARE. some women want is midwives to assist
• •ALL OF THE COUNTRIES WITH THE LOWEST MATERNAL/INFANT MORTAUTY AND MORBIDITY RATES during childbirth. With Governor Jim
Thompson's support, Illinois women
• •IN THE WORLD UTIUZE MIDWIVES FOR AT LEAST SEVENTY PERCENT OF AU. BIRTHS. may be able to have more choice and
••• •••In addressing the concerns of maternal/infant health in North America, The World Health Organization has called control over their lives and bodies .
• •for the maximum utilization of midwives as the most cost effective and appropriate primary care givers for all (See proclamation.) Supporters of
• •childbearing women in all settings. midwifery and members of the Midwives
• •We are far from meeting these recommendations. The midwives practicing in Canada and the U.S. today are deeply Alliance of North America (MANA) urged
Thompson to sign this proclamation
• •concerned about maternal/infant health care in North America. They are dedicated to providing quality"tare and he did. This is rather amazing
• •despite lack of government recognition, support and often legal harrassment. Of the 210 member nations in The since in Illinois the official status
• •World Health Organization. only 9 have no provisions for midwives and Canada is one of them. In over half of the of certified nurse and direct-entry
• •states in the U.S.. independent midwives face legal jeopardy for helping women in birth. (lay) midwives (including RNs) is
•• •The Midwives' Alliance of North America was founded in 1982 to build cooperation among midwives in North still under a legal cloud which has
• •America and to promote midwifery as the standard in health care for women and their families. MANA is the only yet to be resolved .
• •midwifery organization of international scope which includes all midwives, regardless of educational background
• •and training, in its membership. MANA provides valuable support for today's midwives practicing in North America. Why do women want midwives? There
are many reasons. A midwife has more
• •The midwives of yesterday would have greatly benefited from an organization such as MANA than likely given birth herself and
"•'•. ••• ~~l!ID~~. MANA feels that all families in Canada and the U.S. should have the health benefits which exist in countries such ascan relate to the laboring woman's
• ~~--....-_...---. birth experience. A midwife is not
Finland. Holland. Norway. Switzerland, Denmark. Sweden and Japan. In the next year we plan to launch several so quick to use high-tech interventions
campaigns promoting midwifery in North America. We will be working to: which can harm mother and child and
• •- encourage the training of midwives possibly the whole family unit. A
midwife will not give an IV of pitocin
• •- educate the public about midwives and public health issues relating to maternal/infant health to speed up contractions so she can
• •- work closely with state/provincial and national legislators and health groups in developing -get to her golf game. Seriously, the
• •health care policies which include midwifery care and access for more North American 'families. accompanying letter from MANA better
• •MANA continues its important work aiding midwives who face legal jeopardy; helping to organize midwifery groups explains why we need good midwifery
• •at the provincial. state and local levels; providing continuing education through conferences; implementing care. Support your local midwife!
• •affirmative action policies for both professionals and consumers; building a Mexican delegation and providing
• •representation on an international level; acting as a network for midwives and sharing Information. --Another mother for
• •Unfortunately the important work we feel must be done cannot be supported through membership fees alone. We better birth

• •must have your support. WE CANNOT SERVE MOTHERS AND BABIES WITHOUT IT. WHEREAS, midwives are dedicated to the
•• ••You can assist in the growth and establishment of childbirth options and midwifery in North American by making a care of women during pregnancy and
birth and treat each woman's pregnancy
• •donation to MANA today. Your generous gift will go toward completing the necessary tasks of promoting and according to her unique physical and
• •defending midwifery. By helping us, you help yourself. your children and your grandchildren. personal needs; and
• •Any amount you can give is needed and greatly appreciated. THANK YOU for your donation.
• •' WHEREAS, midwives offer pregnancy
•• ------------------------------------------ ••YES, I SUPPORT MIDWIFERY AND MANA: screening, prenatal care, and child-
• •Please remit in U.S. funds to: birth classes and counseling to
1 pregnant women regarding nutrition,
••. •, MANA. P.O. Box 533. Cheyenne. WY 82003 pregnancy, family relations and post-
0 Here is my donation of: partum concerns; and
•0 $200 0 $100 0 $50 0 $25 0 $10
WHEREAS, midwives offer cost-effective
• •0 Icannot donate at this time but support the work of MANA. care to low-risk women and bring
• •Please include me on future requests. high-risk women into the medical
•• •Name health-care system when these women
• •Address __________________________________ otherwise would not have secured a
We greatly appreciate you passi!li our plea along and listing any health-care provider; and
others we may contact.
Contacts: WHEP~AS, the Midwives' Alliance of
Name North America and the Illinois
Alliance of Midwives have set aside
Add~--------------------- this week to tell the public about the
services of midwives and where those
City services are offered;
Prov/State - - - - - - - Postal Code/Zip --------
THEREFORE, I, James R. Thompson,
Name Governor of the State of Illinois,
• •City proclaim July 25-31, 1988, as
• •Prov/State - - - - - - Postal Code/Zip --------- MIDWIFERY AWARENESS WEEK in Illinois.

•• ••Are you a midwife or a childbirth educator? 0 Yes D No
Add~s-----------------------------------

City
Prov/State - - - - - - Postal Code/Zip ----------

WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE AS AN AD IN 1998: WHAT WE HAVE AS AN AD IN 1988 INSTEAD:

WHO MAKES MILLIONS Of HOUSECALLS Who makes about 15,000,000
WORLDWIDE A YEAR? MIDWIVES&
housecalls a year?
Isn't it nice to know II THE MID-STORK! II
some things still come (Adapted frqm design in ACHI' s In this self· service, carry-out
home-delivered? world, Isn't it nice to know soma
Babies, !or instance, ":Jidwest 11emos, 11 Dec., 1979) things still coma home-delivered?

So, why midwifery and The Pantagraph, for instance.
home birth?
Talk to women who've You gat it carrier-delivered to your
tried them after other doorstep, early every morning, 365
exReriencesl A great days a year. Or, by mail, every day
majority will tell you the Postal Service delivers. What·
they prefer the proven ever the situation, we bring The
SAFETY, CONTROL, CONVEN- Pantagraph to you. And it only
IENCE, AND PLEASURE costs about 30 cents a day for so
offered by their own homes much convenience- not to men·
with experienced women lion so much news, information and
as attendants. entertainment. Don't miss out on·
the ease of Pantagraph home delivery. Renew today!
Don't miss out on the
informed choice of a The Pantagraph
home birth. Consult
a midwife today!

Aug-Sept. 1966 Post-Ameril:an Vol. 17 llo. 2 page 16

In a culture that's energetic in its zest to uncover Otherwise sensitive adults who wouldn't dream For that matter, those of us who live with or are
new groups to pick on, one group of Americans of making overtly racist remarks, think nothing attracted to larger men or women have had their
consistently has been considered fair game. of making patronizing comments to fat own set of stereotypes to face.
When mainstream comedians want to have a joke acquaintances. It happens so consistently that
at someone's expense (without offending any of some folks have been driven to life-threatening Two nationwide groups have arisen to address
the power groups with large media clout), surgery (e.g. stomach stapling) or yoyo dieting. these issues in the past few years. The National
there's always one cluster of folks they can The latter, doctors are discovering, can be more Association to Aid Fat Americans (NAAFA) is
target. In a land where standards of personal physically destructive than relatively stress-free an organization of plus sized citizens who've
appearance are dictated by a strained fatness. taken on the media, job discrimination issues
combination of puritanical prejudice and sexual and other modes of attacks on fat folks' self
titillation, one group has been regularly Let's get one point straight here: we're not esteem. NAAFA produces a regular newsletter,
stereotyped. talking about fitness. There are several good educational material, as well as convening a
programs in the country for large Americans (the yearly convention.
Fat Americans have been incessantly battered by
a culture that's forever making bigoted 'i~i [i-~:-1 An offshoot of NAAFA is the Fat Admirers'
assumptions about them. Bolstered by a $10 Special Interest Group (FA-Sig), a less
billion a year diet industry that has successfully . ......... :::-_::_· formalized support group comprised of partners
brainwashed mainstream America, fat bashers -. of fat men and women and those who are
have been having their way with the self esteem attracted to them. To date the FA-Sig has
of "overweight" men and women. (Heck, even primarily devoted itself to the publication of a bi-
this paper has had its share of bloated capitalist monthly newsletter filled with articles, criticism
caricatures--when today's rich creep is more and outlandishly fantastic fiction, though its
likely to have retooled themselves in their private editor has also made some appearances on the
gym.) daytime talk show circuit.

In a country where men and women have lost Fat liberation is not an issue that's caught on
their jobs for being "too fat" for the company's with the major media (in part due to its classist
image, where large couples have been refused associations), but its proponents have been
for adoption on the basis of their "unhealthy" growing in confidence and numbers. As long as
size, where "No fat chicks" bumperstickers are there are people who find that size has limited
considered cute, where eating disorders like their options in life, the movement will continue
anorexia have increased frighteningly, the issue to be necessary.
of fat oppression is more than a matter of finding
Joan Rivers depressing. W. Barbers

Can we talk about this dieting bizness? It's a big 'Tell1ne I was born to befat/" (For further information on the fat liberation
movement, write NAAFA, P.O. Box 43,
thing and getting bigger as the media shaped Women At Large program is the most prominent- Bellerose, NY 11426. For a year's
view of *HOT* turns more and more -check out their videotape). It is possible to be subscription to the FA-Sig newsletter, send $18
musclebound. Yet 95% of all diets fail in the both fit and fat, both the medical profession has
long run (an appalling record) and not through so promoted the thin=fit equation that the data is to 7247 Capitol Station, Albany, NY 12224.)
any weakness of will.

Fatness isn't just a matter of gluttony (though it skewed on this. The average fat American has Bloom County Blunder
admittedly can be). Genetic predisposition can spent so much of their life straining their system
play a role; so can poverty-level eating habits. at the behest of doctors that we don't know what Just as we were scurrying around getting articles
By the first I mean that different bodies a large population of comfortable fat people ready for this issue, the Pantagraph ran an
assimilate food differently and some folks are looks like. episode of "Bloom County" in Preview that's a
just plain born to put on the pounds: this has prime example of sexist fat bashing in action.
been shown in studies following the There's an even more basic issue at stake, of As part of a sequence where various male
physiological growth patterns of separated course: the right of any people to go through life characters in the strip have been fantasizing
twins. By the latter, I mean what every dieter untrampled by institutionalized bigotry. Much about their "ideal woman," the strip depicts a
knows: eating thin is expensive. For those on a of our culture's fat bashing has an undeniable roach's fantasy: a fat femme (in hair curlers, of
low-income diet, heavy starch is a mainstay. sexist base (though I remember reading a course) wantonly munching junk food and
"feminist" analysis of size that also broadly scattering crumbs. Fatness equals slobbishness.

Thirty per cent of Americans are considered labeled fat women as victims of their own desire This isn't the first bit of fat stereotyping that
"significantly overweight" by contemporary Bloomster Berke Breathed has indulged in, but
standards. The diet industry rolls on, backed by to be "motherly"--a patronizing bit of bashing in it's certainly one of the most repellent. And this
insurance companies and a medical profession itself), as any woman who's had trouble finding from a comic strip that is generally (mis)
that barely understands the mechanics of fat work because of her size will tell you. perceived as liberal in its orientation!
gain, as well as a profusion of weight loss
But fat men have had to face the problem, too.

quacks. l nclber unique rani nrave

Yes, there it was, on Veteran's they stayed in, and this one is going gave a well-read eleven-year-old girl
Parkway, an English teacher's to be just like !_t. Not unique at a million dollars to decorate a castle
nightmare come vividly to life. A all. with.
huge sign by a construction site,
reading, "Another Unique Signature Inn If the motel were interesting However, it looks like nothing else
Hotel." architecturally--if it were shaped along Veteran's Parkway, and
like a big easy chair, for example--we everything else there does look like
I might not have the phrasing exact, might be able to call it unique, everything else. That's why I defend
because someone finally took the thing loosely, even though there might be Jumer's against my friends who object
down, but the usage is etched in my other motels shaped like large pieces to its obvious phoniness, tackiness,
mind like the inside of the of furniture in the world. This usage and so forth. In that three miles or
Indianapolis Greyhound station at would probably not give English so of benighted boxes, it's an oasis
midnight. teachers the cold-sweat heebie- of silliness.
jeebies, though a few derisive sniffs
Words are supposed to mean something, would be heard. Imagine if everyone who built along
and unique is supposed to mean Veteran's Parkway had decided to have
something unique. One of a kind. Not But the Signature, from every visible whimsical pseudohistorical or mythical
like anything else. Completely aspect, is the most ordinary, boxlike, architecture. Dennison Ford in the
singular. Thus, the word is rarely blah-looking motel imaginable. It form of a giant pirate ship. Bob Evans,
used--correctly. looks not only like other Signature a huge clogged artery. Computerland, an
motels, but like other motels in English cottage, with roses. We might
Thus, you just can't have another general. Indeed, it's the antithesis get tired of it, but our city wouldn't
unique anything. Especially another of unique. look like a clone. And we could
unique motel in a chain of motels. always wonder what the next structure
The very idea of its being in a chain This brings us to the issue of Jumer's going up would imitate, instead of
cancels out the idea that it is unique Castle Lodge, which is also not knowing full well.
in any way. In fact, the non- unique: the Jumer's in Peoria and the
uniqueness of a motel in a chain is one in Champaign look much like it, . It would be kinda unique.
one of its selling points--people go kind of like what would happen if you
there because they liked the last one --Phoebe Caulfield



Post-Amerikan Vol. 171fo. 2 Aug-sept. 1966 page 20 There'5 mere tc a5!rike

journalism review

It's a sad fact that the news media-- ; to provide a $200 million loan fund to
help Hormel build its new plant.
a big business in its own right--just
doesn't care about labor news. The The last one means the workers, for
Nation has noted that while most all practical purposes, loaned Hormel
$200 million!
papers have business reporters--often
writing stuff that looks like Chamber Hormel told the UCFW and Local P-9 the
of Commerce handouts--almost none agreement was needed to save jobs.
have labor reporters. The final result? The 3,000 jobs at
the olu plant became 1,500 a~ the new.
The Los Angeles Times, in a 1985 poll,
discovered how anti-labor the bias Hormel claimed it was entitled to cut
was. The general public was asked, the pay because the packing industry
"In a business/labor dispute, which was in hard times as shown by the
side do you generally take?" bankruptcy of Wilson and the sale of
Armour.
Thirty-two percent of the public took
Time and Rewsweek bought this, but the
labor's side, 33% took business, and facts from Business Week and the
35% were undecided or would wait until _Progressive cast grave doubts on these
all the facts on the conflict were in. claims.

In contrast, editors of newspapers Grave doubts
were asked the same question. Only
7% ilf the editors said they would

favor labor. Fifty-four percent said
they would favor business.

Stunned by this data, the United Auto Wils~n did file for bankruptcy, but it
Workers took a poll of the 100 largest wasn t because of high wages. The
newspapers in America on labor-related
issues. true story of Wilson, the largest pork
processor and fifth largest meat
Only 15% favored legislation requiring packer in the U.S. at the time, was
employers to give advanced notice to more involved,
their workers of plant closings. And
not a single one favored the Gephardt Wilson had lost $2.8 million the first
trade amendmendment.
half of fiscal 1983, but the May 9
The anti-labor bias showed up in 1984 Business Week showed that loss was
at Reader's Digest when editor-in- heavily due to errors in judgment by
chief Edward Thompson was fired by the Wilson. The firm, the magazine ·
Digest's board of trustees for being
overly critical of the Reagan .reported, had suffered its financial
administration. beating in livestock trading by
misjudging which way hog prices were
No strike coverage going.

But it's in strike coverage that labor In October 1984, Local P-9 members And the bankruptcy filing was not a
really gets the shaft, Even the New real distress call, Business Week
York Times failed in this during a were hit with a 23% wage cut, from
phone company strike a couple of years explained. Even after the filing,
ago. One reporter covered the $10.69 an hour to $8.25. That cost Wilson's chair, Kenneth J. Griggy
supervisors running the phones and
another covered the strike's effect the average worker $100 a week. said, "We are emphatically not going
on the city. But no reporter was sent out of business."
to talk to the strikers.
An arbitrator restored wages to $8.75 Then why file bankruptcy?
The media's failure is over-
whelmingly obvious if one takes a but allowed the company to cut Wilson claimed it needed to get out
big strike and follows it from begin benefits, including coverage under the from under its union contract. But
beginning to end. This article will company insurance plan. Even worse, UFCW officials said Wilson never
follow the 1985-86 strike at the the cuts were made retroactive to contacted them to ask to renegotiate
Hormel Meat-Packers Strike in Austin, September 3. That meant that workers the contract.
Minnesota. who had used the health plan between
September and October found themselves You may not believe the union, but how
This. article will state issues owing money to the Hormel plant for about this from the May 30, 1983
involved in the strike and then tell retroactively-not-covered medical and Business Week: Continental Illinois
what the wire services, networks, and dental bills. The company deducted Bank and Trust Company of Chicago,
newspapers ignored. these debts from the workers' handling Wilson's accounts reported,
paychecks. having been surprised by the
The sad part comes when you flip bankruptcy, "We honestly felt they
through the Reader's Guide to And don't forget the Hormel workers (Wilson) were coming to us to seek an
Periodical Literature and discover had made big concessions over the amendment" to the frim's current
that Newsweek, for example, only had previous five years. In 1978, Hormel financing.
one article when the police and had threatened to close its old Austin
National Guard were called in. plant, even though the meat-packing In fact, Wilson's bankruptcy filing
Neither Newsweek nor Time had articles facility had begun in 1891 under fou was so fishy, Business Week--not a
on the strike's settlement. founder George A. Hormel. union supporter by any means-- had an
editorial attacking such bankruptcies!
The best recommendation I can give The company threatened to shut down
anyone following a strike is to keep unless the workers agreed to a new The editorial said, referring to
up with Business Week magazine, the contract with these provisions: (1) bankruptcy filings by an asbestos
Prog~ssive, and the Nation. I know No strikes until three years after a company and Wilson, "Neither Wilson
Business Week is not a pro-labor new Austin plant was completed--a Food nor the asbestos companies
magazine, but it had more information seven-year-no-strike clause, (2) appeared bankrupt, yet all say they
on the strike than any two other production standards would be higher, were forced into Chapter 11. But
"mainstream" publications combined. and (3) incentive pay for workers at Wilson was solvent."
the old plant would be put into escrow
Note the issues to be cited in the
rest of this article. They will come tc:::::::Mte:::::=eiC:::::=tte:::::=ete:::::=ete:::::=ete:::::=Cte:::::=ete:=ete:::::=Cte:=ete:::::=eac::::::::::xte:::::=eac::::::::::x
up in later labor disputes, even if i ~ ~~ ri¢ ~~ ~~I
a food company is not involved, ~ In the Eddy Building ~
~ A~~~ST !~~:~;; Inte=ational Mail Art 2:-F 6 ~0i0r~0-'-0,0:vo:::e ~~0s0c-u:'e00fij~~O ~

Status of industry ~4 Dan Wilson--guitar, vocal 7:45 21 Tarot by Ronda DelBoccio ~
6 Drake Scott--performance art
Before the strike, Hormel finished -22,29 Mark Stairwalt--music workshop/
1984 with the most profitable quarter ~ 7,8 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
in its history and record earnings 9 open rehearsal
of $38.6 million. Business Week Belly of the Beast--based on
reported that the "Austinplant, which 23 Mike Hogan--music 7:45 ~
employed about 1,500 of the company's the book by Jack Abbott 25 Little Nook & Cranny--
nearly 5, 000 workers, is the most , Make Art--with our space and
efficient in the industry." reformation gig
supplies
The workers were represented by Local Third Mind--improv music 7:45 26 Armageddon--and more 7:45 ~
P-9, which was organized back in 1933. Kids' Weekend-- 27 Open Performance--3:00-6:00
The national union was the United Food
and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). Kids' day on the 13th 30 David Franks--poetry reading
Kids I exhibit on the 14th
Ernie Johnson, Preston Jackson-- 31 Women in Labor Movement and .n
. Bound F_or Glory Singers
Music by accomplished jazzers
For more 1nformat1on ,- ·
7:45
Writers' Bloc--workshop with call 828-3199 or

Mark Valentine 828-4377. Other dates to be

announced!

te:=Cte:=Cte:::::=Ctc::::::;)Cte::::::::)Cac:::::=tte:=ete::::::::)Cac:::::=tte:::::=eac::::::::::xte:=e~te:::::=eac:::::=t

Post-Amerit.u. Vol. 17 Bo. 2 Aug-Sept. 19&& page 21

lhan ~a~hal ycu 5ee en lhe ne1115

The Armour case was equally suspect.

Greyhound Corporation had sold Armour

to the ConAgra Corporation. ConAgra
claimed it had to drop its employees'
wages to keep the Armour firm afloat.

Questionable cases

But Business Week's December 19, 1983
issue had doubts about that. ~

"If they (ConAgra) can pull it off

(reopening Armour without union work

forces), they'll have that $166
million acquisition price back so fast
it will be the best investment they
ever made."

So Greyhound made money selling Armour only to learn that contrary to what P-9 did not give up, once forced out
to ConAgra. And ConAgra, which claims UFCW told them in 1981, the actual of business. Its old members filed
it needed to cut pay, stood to make a contract had no wording barring as NAMPU (North American Meat Packers
fortune. And it did. ConAgra owned cutting of basic wages. Union), a new union with the National
Banquet Foods, the frozen food dinner Labor Relations Board. The NLRB
company. Since Armour already sold The angry local filed a complaint with approved the new charter, and the
food to institutions, Banquet was now the UFCW against the executive but union filed a bid for a certification
able to get institutional business UFCW president William Wynn refused to election so Hormel members could vote
which it did not have before the sale hear the case. if they wanted to be represented by
of Armour to ConAgra. the independent NAMPU instead of a
·stop tbe strikel· UFCW local.
As Business Week noted, "The
combination of Armour's refrigerated Of course, as Business Week noted in That ,triggered the third issue the
distribution system with ConAgra's its February 17, 1986, issue, "The media ignored.
will give the company greater leverage Austin battle (local vs. UFCW) is
in wooing grocers ..•. " embarrassing to Wynn, an influential Phony settlement
member of the AFL-CIO executive
And there was the case of Rocco council. If P-9 wins its strike, Hormel and the UFCW had things
Enterprises, world's largest turkey other locals may demand that the UFCW apparently under control. The Austin
processor, who provided the turkeys step up its battle with the industry." City Council, acting as Hormel and
used by Armour. Like Armour, after UFCW lackey, passed an ordinance
the sale to ConAgra, Rocco claimed the P-9 hired a consultant to get public outlawing leaflet distributing by P-9
union wasn't good. Rocco announced publicity and got a support group set (later challenged by the ACLU).
that a majority of the workers at its up to provide food and funds for needy
Dayton, Virginia, plant had signed a strikers. But when.the NLRB recognized the new
petition to drop a UFCW local. NAMPU in July 1986, the company and
But the UFCW, not content to let its the national union realized the
But in March 1985, the National Labor local fend for itself, struck savagely w?rkers might, since still unhappy
Relations Board's regional director at P-9, acting as if it were Hormel Wlth the wage cuts, vote to certify
ruled the company had bribed workers instead of a union. NAMPU as their union. Strikes might
to vote out the union! That shocking come again.
bit of information came from the March When scab workers were brought in by
1986 issue of the Progressive. Hormel, strikers arrived to protest So in August 1986--reported in the
and the National Guard was called out, November 1986 issue of the Department
So you can see the packing industry triggering Time and Newsweek coverage. of Labor's "Monthly Labor Review"--
wasn't quite the poor little thing it Hormel and the UFCW settled on a new
made itself out to be. By January 23, 1986, the National contract.
Guard was escorting the scabs to work.
P-9 vs. UFCW On March 4, the UFCW told Local P-9 And strangely enough, Hormel, which
to stop the strike and stop striking cut wages from $10.69 an hour to
Although you seldom hear about it, a for the old $10.69 rate. The local $8.25, agreed to move wages to $10.70.
national union will often fail to help stayed on strike. The national union And the UFCW, which had told P-9 to
a local in its wage fight. stated it would only pay benefits to stop striking for $10.69, went along.
P-9 workers if they stopped striking.
In fact, big national unions can get But the deal turned out to be kinky
so sloppy, the federal government has Then, on May 9, 1986, the UFCW broke indeed.
sometimes had to step in. Back in the strike by taking over the local--
1944, there was the case of Steele vs. imposin·g trusteeship--and ousting the The Charter Committee of the new
Louisville and Nashville Railroad, officers! NAMPU discovered that there is some
where a court ruled a union failed to fine print in the contract. If the
properly handle grievances of black That triggered an April 12 protest in Hormel plant in Fremont, Nebraska,
workers at a railroad when the union Austin featuring Jesse Jackson and settles at any time for lower wages,
had responsibility for handling 5,000 unionists from 40 states. the lower wages go into effect at
employee-employe~ grievances. Austin!
The UFCW froze all funds at the bank,
In Vaca vs. Sipes in 1967, the United got the post office to impound P-9 Second, Hormel has just called for
States Supreme Court ruled that if an mail, and shut off P-9 phone service, wage cuts, hinting it may shut down
employee was unfairly fired by a Halstead reported. without them.
company and the union failed to
properly represent the worker in And one last item. This·
grievance hearings, the company could
be ordered to rehire the worker with appeared in a letter in
back pay, and the union could be
ordered to pay legal fees! the April 1988 issue of

In the Hormel strike, Local P-9 Labo£ Notes magazine.
decided it was tired of giving up more It seems that Ken
and more concessions. So, after the Kimbro, the head UFCW
no-strike contract ended, the local trustee who shut down
1,500 workers in Austin went on strike
on August 17, 1985. P-9, has had some
interesting luck come
Even though Hormel announced an 83% his way after bulldozing
rise in corporate profits on August
20, UFCW refused to support P-9 and P-9 from the Hormel
ordered it to accept a mediator's path. Labor Notes
proposed concession contract. reports Kimbro-nDW has

When Fred Halstead researched his a job as assistant
study, "The 1985-86 Hormel Meat- employment manager of
Packers Strike" (Pathfinder Press, F.D.L. Foods in Dubuque·,
1986), he discovered the local felt
the UCFW had ripped it off. Iowa.

Back in 1981, the local had ratified It is a Hormel
a wage agreement after a UFCW subsidiary.
executive told the members the
contract allowed for no cut in basic Did you see that in any
wages.
media news stories?
When Hormel cut the wages in 1983,
the local appealed to an arbitrator :·wno said feed fem a few scraps and they'll leave you alone? 1 --Steve LaPrade
'

page 22 Post-Amerit.aD. Vol. 17 Bo~ 2 Aug-Sept. 19&&

MOTHER, IF YOU DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW, Nalicnal
YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE ASKED.

~;ewing cui· day

The current step of my coming out about him in these basic social
process has been in two parts. What situations. I realize that today
you see before you now is the result it's a political statement. But if
of one part of the process--my writing enough people keep doing it long
for the Post. Maybe I'm deluding enough, it will be as natural and
myself, but I hope that these writings normal as talking about the spouse
do make a difference and contribute and kids.
to our struggle for equality.
National Gay Rights Advocates (NGRA) ·Come out, come out,
and The Experience Weekend, along The other part has been on a more wherever you are
with other gay groups, have designated personal level. I'm soon to be moving
October 11 as "National Coming Out Day and changing jobs so that my lover So remember to take your next step in
'88." and I can finally be together. After your coming out process to celebrate
two years, the weekend commuting will National Coming Out Day, October 11.
October 11, 1987, was the date of the be over. My problem was how to handle I know I have several possibilities
historic March on Washington, in which the explanation of my resignation to for my next step, for I still have a
600,000 people gathered to let this my coworkers. My answer--the same long way to go.
country know that the gay community way I just did in this paragraph.
will not be kept in the closet anymore. Remember there is a lot of love and
As Rob Eichberg, founder of The Why do you people support out there; often it's our
Experience Weekend, states, "But what own fears and homophobia which must
got missed (that day] ... by many people need to come out at all? be overcome. To provide help and
was the experience of coming out in a support, NGRA has assembled a "Coming
very private and personal way to the A funny thing happened on the way to Out Day Kit," which can be obtained
people closest to them, who can really the Post Amerikan benefit last night. by contacting Greg at NGRA's office
become our allies." I ran into a young friendr and we in Los Angeles. The address is 8380
talked about my upcoming plans to · Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 202,
So to celebrate the first anniversary move. I naturally mentioned how happy West Hollywood, CA 90069, and the
of the March on Washington, gay men I was to be moving closer to "my phone is (213) 650-6200.
and lesbian women are being asked to lover." She immediately responded,
take their next step in their ongoing "You don't have to say THAT!" Just one more thing. My latest NGRA
coming out process. It is hoped that
National Co~ing Out Day will help to She probably didn't realize that she mail.ing stated, "National Coming Day ..,
remove the invisibility of gay people hurt me with that reply, but the "it's-
and the repression that results from will take place on October 11,
that invisibility. okay-by-me-but-just-keep-it-out~of-my­
1988 .... " If you can't celebrate
Jean O'Leary, executive director of sight" reaction is not uncommon.
NGRA, explains. "Until we eliminate Many straight people just don't National Coming Out Day, at least be '··~'
that invisibility, people are going understand why gay people have to sure to celebrate National Coming '
to be able to perpetuate the lies and come out.
the myths about gay people and, in Day. It' 11 be loads of fun. ·•
essence, force us into a closet not It's really quite obvious when you
of our own choosing." think about it. If you are straight, --The Balrog ~
you openly express your sexuality
The process of coming out every day. Everyday conversation Sources:
includes what's going on with the
It is important to note that National family, or what happened on the date NGRA July mailing.
Coming Out Day is for you to take you were on last night. You probably
your next step in the process. It's know most of the names your coworkers' Mark Vandervelden, "Coming Out:
not the next step; there's no magic spouses and know many of them Leaders Set Aside a Day to 'Take Your
hierarchy engraved in stone to follow. personally. Young people in love (or Next Step." The Advocate, Issue 500,
lust) walk down the street holding June 7, 1988.
My own coming out experience (still hands. Over drinks, your friends or
in progress, like most other people's) coworkers point out that particularly ••••••••••••••••••••
has been a long and difficult one. good-looking man or woman.
When I finally connected my feelings Hey, gay~!
with the word "homosexual" (which had Face it. Our sexuality is an integral
always been given an evil connotation part of the socializing we do every Creal idea !
when I had heard it), there were about day. Can you imagine the strain of
two years of doubt and questioning. hiding these basic details of your Send your coming-out story to the Post
Am I really a homosexual? Can it just life in the face of such a situation? Amerikan. Inspirational or depressing,
be a phase I'm going through? Believe me, it's not easy. it's sure to strike a chord somewhere.
And thinking of a pen name is so much
The lack of positive role models must So to those with these subtle or not-
have contributed to those feelings. so-subtle "keep-it-in-the-closet" fun.
The only gay man I knew in the dorm attitudes, I'm not trying to flaunt my
was so closeted he undressed under sex life when I mention my lover. My
the sheets in the dark to avoid his lover is my family, so I will talk
roommate. He was Christian and felt
terribly guilty about his Rape Crisis Center ---
homosexuality. He envied his friend
in the dorm across the street who had of Mclean County
been exorcised of his homosexuality
and claimed to have seen the demon WE'RE A NON-PROFIT VOLUNTEER GROUP WHOSE MAIN PURPOSE IS TO OFFER
leaving his body. ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THEIR FRIENDS
AND FAMILIES.
I still remember the look of terror FEMALE VOLUNTEERS ANSWI;R OUR CALLS, BUT BOTH MALE AND. FEMALE
on my first lover's face when we were VOLUNTEERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR CRISIS ASSISTANCE, INFORMATION AND
together in my apartment (just talking) SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS.
and there was a knock on the door.
He jumped up like a shot and cringed If you want to talk to one of us
behind the drapes, "Don't let anybody
know I'm here." A Girl Scout selling Call PATH 827-4005
cookies had driven a 35-year-old man and ask for the
to panic.
ROpe Crisis C~nter
Fortunately, those days are gone,' I'm

much more self-assured. (Hmmm, sounds

like there might be a song there.) I
finally did discover (especially
through the Post Amerikan) that there
are gay men and lesbian women who are
proud to be gay. And I have become
one of them.

Gay music review , Post-Amerikan Vol. 17 Ro. 2 Aug-Sept. 19&& page 23

Rcmancv~ky and Pbillip~ ride an
"Emciicnal Rcllert:ca~ier"
"And why should anyone have a say Door" which takes a look at violence
As to whom we should the excitement of men, parties, and against women; "Waltz for the New
popularity. Age" for a laugh at our current
and shouldn't lay? obsession with mantras, -windham Hill
They think it's sinful, This is followed by a tongue-in-cheek, music, and holistic massage; and
laid-back tune, "Give Me a Homosexual." ''Family -of Lovers" which reminds us
well I think it sucks Since the AIDS emergency, it's been a of the debt we owe to the previous
Having laws that tell us long time since we've had a fun song generation of lesbian women and .gay
celebrating gay sex. men.
how we should f ...
"The Sodomy Song" gives us a biting
... ornicate. " comment on the Supreme Court's inane

Lyrics like these can mean only one decision in Bowers v. Hardwick. With
thing--Romanovsky and Phillips are a strong synthesizer-background and a
back. (You didn't think the Smothers rather jerky melody, we are treated
Brothers came up with those lines, to a delightful collection of
did you?) one-liners about this outrageous
violation of our civil rights. It
Fresh Fruit Records has just released should be obvious to anyone that "Only
the couple's third and best effort to an asshole would care/What goes into
date, "Emotional Rollercoaster." our assholes and who puts it there."
This one's even available on compact
disc for you digital audio fans. The album ends with an upbeat tune,
"Be on the Safe Side," which tells us
Ron Romanovsky and Paul Phillips share that we don't have to stop loving
the vocals, with Ron usually backing each other and ourselves.
up the duo on acoustic guitar or piano.
Ron also does the majority of the _ Ron asks us, why bother with those "Emotional Rollercoaster"• reminds us
music and lyrics, with (as Ron puts real and pretend heterosexual men? that we aren't just "ho-mo-SEX-uals,"
it) Paul "being a midwife to most of "Give me a homosexual/One who's but we're gay men and lesbian women
the songs and a co-parent to the rest." perfected his oral technique/! ~ike a who have a full, varied, and loving
man who's had practice/Give me a guy lifestyle to be proud of. Ron and
The duo continues to shun the typical who's fluent in Greek." Paul have clearly grown in their lives
commercial route and pursue their own together, both spiritually and
light and folksy style. The result I've always felt Ron and Pa~l's main musically, and we're fortunate that
is a refreshingly enjoyable album weakness was their serious side. they've chosen to share their emotional
celebrating the many facets of the Their treatment of somber topics never rollercoaster with us.
gay lifestyle. seemed to fit their style and resulted
in weighty melancholy songs that never --The Balrog
The lead song is "Straightening Up managed to interest me.
the House"--and they do mean [By the way, I doubt if you'll find
straight-ening. After all, what else This time it's different. Although I this one at Musicland. If you're
is a gay couple to do when mother is was dreading the album's mandatory interested in "Emotional Rollercoaster"
coming to visit for their first song about AIDS, "Living with AIDS," or Romanovsky and Phillips' earlier
Christmas in their new home? So ... I was pleasantly surprised. This is albums, write to Fresh Fruit Records,
a slow-paced, powerful song celebrating P.O. Box 4418, Berkeley, CA 94704.
"Tomorrow I will put away your gay our strength and determination in the Or if you prefer, write to me c/o the
pride shirts/And our Halloween face of this crisis--a far cry from Post and I'll send you a copy of the
assortment of jewelry, pumps, and the depression of Bronski Beat's "Dr. order form.
skirts/Then pack up all the books by John" or the sorrow of the Communards'
Quentin Crisp and Rita Mae/And the "For a Friend." Ron and Paul are to Also, I'm always looking for lesbian
'His & His' towels that you bought me be highly commended for this joint and gay music for my collection. If
yesterday." effort on the music and lyrics. you have any suggestions, please write
and let me know.]
The title song, "Emotional
Rollercoaster," is a catchy tune to Other songs include: "My Mother's
do the twist to, telling the story of Clothes (The Drag Rag)" about those
the ups and downs of a relationship. fun dress-up days; "The Woman Next
Ron and Paul sing of the uncertainties,
the fantasies, the passion, the erratic
moods, and the drooling over some new
boy which all contribute to the
emotional rollercoaster so many of us
have experienced.

"I've Created a Monster" reminds us
that our plans for love can backfire,
as that shy naYve young cutie discovers

NGLTF survey shows...

Cay~ and Pclllic:~ De Mix
Last issue, I reported on the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) that this result reveals two things
survey of the presidential candidates' about the gay community, "[F]irst,
stands on gay and lesbian issues. that people are placing the Dukakis
NGLTF also conducted an extensive record in context--he is not uniformly
survey of its membership, which bad on our issues, for example, AIDS
revealed a politically active gay funding and insurance coverage for
community with a broad array of employees; and second, that NGLTF
concerns. members are not single issue voters."

Over 24% of NGLTF members responded The latter claim is supported by the
to the mail survey. Of these 98% ranking of issues given by respondents
were registered voters, with 96% voting to the NGLTF survey. Overall, handling
in the last presidential election. A of the AIDS emergency was ranked as
substantial 70% of respondents have
financially contributed to political the most important issue. Economic
campaigns. issues and foreign policy issues tie
as members' second most important
When asked to choose one candidate as concern. Gay and lesbian issues ranked
their choice for President, the NGLTF third, with the candidate's integrity
members show that they listen to how placing fourth.
candidates treat (or fail to treat)
gay and lesbian issues. Of members Levi summarized the survey results by FINE GAY. ENTERTA1HMEN
responding, 36% picked Jackson, 22% noting, "Our membership continues to
named Dukakis, and 12% chose Simon. -lN CENTRAL: llUNOIS
No Republican made it out of single impress us with the breadth of its
digits, with Dole receiving 5% and "OPEN NIGHTL,Y 'TIL 4A.M.
Bush receiving 2% of the total vote. concerns. This survey confirms what
PRESENT THIS AD AT THE BAR
As I reported last issue, Dukakis many of us have suspected all along-- FOR A DRINK. LIMIT ONf PER
provides only lukewarm support on gay
and lesbian issues. So his strong that the gay/lesbian community is not CUST~MER PER NIGHT
showing in the survey surprised some a on~ issue constituency. We want
NGLTF staffers. But Jeff Levi, the government to recognize and affirm
Executive Director of NGLTF, believes our lives, but we also want a good,
humane government."

Source: --The Balrog

NGLTF, Task Force Report,
Spring 1988.

Post-Amerit.aa Vol. 17 Mo. 2 Aug-Sept. 1900 page 2-i

The ~pring Ibing

Today was hot--a torrid summer dav. Then it happens. A male voice hoots Sometimes people tell me I overreact:
I was being a hero, walking to the out of a passing vehicle. l1aybe it's I make more of this hooting than I
New York Deli, a few blocks away, just a howl or a whistle or maybe it's should. They say, "It's just because
because my hungry co-workers were all something more specific, like "Hey, of your work with the Rape Crisis
too busy to go out and the delivery baby, ya wanna f@ifk?" or something Center that you think this is all
guy at the Deli hadn't shovm up for slightly less articulate. \,fuatever connected. Some of those guys mean it
it is, it's some variation on the as a compliment. And besides, it's
~mrk. traditional reminder that you could be mostly just mindless teenagers with
the random victim of a sexual assault. their hormones running wild. It's not
Really, I'm not much of a hero. I something men teach their sons to
rather enjoy walking downtmv-n on a The spring thing. I love spring. help keep women in their place."
hot summer day--feeling the sun I hate the spring thing.
beating down, baking the sidewalk, Haybe they're right.
burning the street. l1y body feels I hate the spring thing because of how
loose, free, \varm: unfettered and it makes me feel. Not the reminder Anyway, I was walking back to work
like I'll never be cold again. part. I've worked as a Rape Crisis from the Deli, and I heard this
Center advocate and educator long hooting from a parked truck. And I
So, I was walking back from the Deli, enough that it doesn't make me feel thought, Could this be my chance .for
you see, really feeling good about less safe or more scared. In fact, action? So I stopped. I deliberately
myself, life, the world. And then sometimes I don't even hear those turned to face my tormentor and fixed
the spring thing happened. hoots except on the periphery of an arctic stare on the occupants of
my awareness. this truck for a full sixty seconds.
~aybe I'd better tell you v7hat the There "'as no mistaking my meaning.
spring thing is. But when I do hear them I feel mad.
Boiling mad. Fighting mad. Killing The thirtyish man squirmed,
You may know about it and call it mad. And I don't like that. Because uncomfortable. He turned and said
something else, or you may push it usually I'm a fairly peace-loving, something to his prepubescent
out of your mind because it's so even pacifistic person. companion. I thought, Perhaps my
nasty to think about. message has been received.
When I get mad like that, I want to
What I call the spring thing is that do something. I want to stop the car I turned away ready to reclaim my
moment that happens late in the or truck and force the occupants to summer -clay.
winter, maybe before spring really hear a week-long tirade about how
gets here. It happens usually on that this behavior degrades them as much as Someone from the truck hooted again.
very second spring-like day, when you it does the \·JOmen they holl"er at. :I;
have some notion that the next ice age want to holler something back that --Haggie
hasn't really come, that the world will ruin their day. I want to take
might blossom again, that you might a blowdart-our-of my pocket, one
live to see a human face smiling as it that's so strong and accurate I could
approaches you on the street instead flatten the tires of the passing
of grimacing and heading for the vehicle. Maybe I \vouldn' t stop Hith
nearest shelter. the tires.

You're a woman--young, middle-aged, You can see why I don't like feeling
old--it doesn't matter. You've just that way.
let down your guard against the
elements; perhaps you've shucked your
muffler, gloves, and hat, maybe even
unbuttoned your coat.

what bin()

pe~son

tbe

post arne~iban 7

+

Perhaps you've seen her at vespers. Soft-spok~n
and devoted, pure of thought---she asks for
nothing because in her wisdom, she knows that
the meek shall inherit the Earth. She's the
very vision of untrammeled faith, with an
inner sweetness that touches all who know her.
Wait a minute. She-e-it, man, did you say the
Post Amerikan? Well, that's very different.
I thought you said the Pope American.

Yes! I, too, seek an inner sweetness Yes! I'm tired of covering myself with sack cloth
(or whatever) that will touch everyone and ashes. I'd much rather wear a Post Amerikan ·
who knows me. And if you don't have any T~shirt. Here's nine bucks, and I'd say it's
of that, I'll take a year's subscription darn well worth it.
to the Post (that's Post) Amerikan.
Here's four bucks. Don't spend it all S M L XL
in one place. size (pick one)

My name here My name here

My address here My address here

My city My state My zip My city riy state My zip
Bloomington, IL 61702
Clip this coupon and send it to Post Amerikan, P.O. Box 3452,