AmeriCorp: discovering the capacity of youth volunteers
NAACP counters hate with "Not in Our Town" posters
CSU Stanislaus partner university opens in West Bank
    CSU Stanislaus official sees hope in new university
Anatomy of racism
NORMAN SOLOMON -Resistance to a tightening grip of censorship (Media Beat)
New Age and intolerance
50/50 by 2020
Poem-The Things We Do for Fun

Peace Community

Peace and Justice Links

Living Lightly:

By SATYA ONORATO

As I reflect on my two terms of service with AmeriCorps programs, I continue to marvel at the capacity of youth to give back to their communities. I witnessed numerous examples of the positive impact of youth volunteers. One example was the Discovery Program, with which I volunteered in Baltimore, Maryland, last spring.

The Discovery Program, run by central Maryland’s volunteer clearinghouse Volunteer Central, engages inner-city elementary school students from low-income neighborhoods in service-learning activities designed to introduce them to becoming active citizens and to increase their self-esteem.

The Discovery Program met biweekly in the spring for six Saturday morning sessions. More than 40 students had an impact on the elderly, the homeless, and the environment in their community.

In April, the students sewed and decorated pillows for senior citizens in a nearby nursing home. Some students learned how to sew that day. With each pillow, students wrote a note for the recipient. "I hope you like this pillow," one student wrote. "I made this pillow especially for you," another wrote. During the closing reflection exercise, several students in my group told me that they felt good helping other people.

On National Youth Service Day, April 15, the students participated in a community-wide tree planting at Herring Run Park near their school. Some brought younger siblings and their parents to volunteer with them. The students learned how to plant a tree and received tips from master gardeners, including advice on how deep to dig their holes and how to spread the mulch around the freshly planted trees. I observed a master gardener complementing a team of student tree planters, and I saw the students’ faces light up.

In May, the students prepared more than 500 "I Care" personal hygiene kits for local homeless shelters. They also learned how their project would impact the community. The assistant director of the Center for Poverty Solutions led a discussion on homelessness during which she addressed the students’ stereotypes about the homeless.

During the following session, one student group canvassed the neighborhood around their school with fliers encouraging neighbors to keep the community clean. A second group picked up trash on a trail near their school. A neighbor living across the street from the trail offered water for the students. "It’s wonderful to see the kids pitching in," he said. "Thank you."

As a volunteer with the Discovery Program, I gained experience supervising youth and leading service-learning activities. I became more aware of the vital role youth can play as community volunteers. When I was in elementary school here in Modesto, I spent more time playing with Barbies and reading Nancy Drew books than I did volunteering. I envied the Baltimore students’ opportunity to make a difference and gain new skills.

Without question, a highlight of my two terms of service with AmeriCorps was the inspiration I received from working with youth volunteers. The young people demonstrated a high level of enthusiasm and a willingness to help others.

Because I enjoyed working with youth so much, I have decided to become an elementary school teacher. My AmeriCorps experience has made me much more aware of the potential my students will possess and has increased my desire to foster their civic awareness and commitment to making a difference in their communities.

"Democracy is a small hard core of common agreement, surrounded by a rich variety of individual differences."

—James B. Conant

By SUSAN BURCH

I was very saddened to read the letter to the editor in the Modesto Bee on November 4. Kevin Gant wrote describing his son’s first day at a school in Ceres. He was taunted by a group of other children chanting the n-word.

This kind of thing lets us know how much underlying prejudice remains in our area, because the children are acting out what they’ve heard. It’s obvious they’ve never been told it’s wrong. I’ve encountered adults myself who have expressed very intolerant views.

People say that words don’t hurt but there’s a special meanness and vindictiveness to racial taunts. It is also true that hearing prejudiced statements freely expressed leads those people who are troubled or unbalanced to vandalize property or attack people.

Once someone has been the victim of a hate crime it is almost impossible to regain a feeling of security. Realizing that strangers you have never met can be that hostile just because of race also brings the realization of vulnerability, that it could happen at any time, anywhere, to you or to your family.

A really effective way to discourage prejudiced statements and the acting out that they inspire is for communities to make a strong statement against intolerance and hate crime. When people realize that their opinions and actions are not popular with a united community they are unlikely to continue.

A poster has been designed showing figures of all races with hands joined and the motto "PEOPLE UNITED AGAINST HATE". The mottoes, "Say No to Hate Crime" and "Not in Our Town," also appear on it. It is very attractive and would make a very strong community statement displayed in the front windows of homes and businesses along the more traveled streets of our city. This kind of public display of conviction has proven very affective in other communities.

The NAACP has joined with others to form the "Not in Our Town" committee. Our committee is very interested in placing these posters in homes and businesses. We are holding a contest so the project will become a fun competition. We’ve decided to ask groups to take part in this contest because that increases the manpower and it’s also more fun with a friend or two to visit homes and businesses and ask them to display the poster. Our definition of "group" is very informal. We’ve even had two or three people form one on the spot.

Our objective is to place them on the most traveled streets in order to get the most effectiveness. Groups will be assigned streets. When they are done with one street they can ask for another one if they wish. A few afternoons put in by a group will be helpful. Even having one or two posters on a block will make a statement. It should make prejudiced people think twice before talking or acting out their feelings.

The registration period for entering the contest ends on December 31. The contest runs Jan l through April 30. The group that places the most posters will win a beautiful original painting, an award winning watercolor by Judith Starr.

By TINA ARNOPOLE DRISKILL

The well received new series, Poets’ State, continues Saturday January 13 at Modesto’s State Theatre with the visions of six area poets.

Stanislaus area residents of all ages are invited to participate in an interactive poetry workshop led by former Modestan Lee Herrick from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Following a dinner break the six featured poets will present a program of readings beginning at 7 p.m.

Lillian Vallee, a published Modesto poet and Modesto Junior College English teacher, will act as master of ceremonies. Modesto’s poet laureate, debee loyd, will share her work along with published poets Sheila Landre, Lee Nicholson, Gary Thomas, Gillian Wegener and Herrick.

A dessert reception and book signing will follow the readings.

By SALLY MEARS

In the last two years or so I’ve discovered that the New Age movement is a very bad thing according to some people. I have read New Age magazine many times when I want to learn about things like health, herbal remedies, exercise and a variety of other things. A Christian friend of mine was shocked when she saw this magazine at my house. I consider myself to be Christian too, so I thought I’d better research this New Age movement.

I selected two sources: "New Age, humanism and Satanism—protecting your family" an audio discussion group led by Frank Peretti, a religious author and speaker, and other religious figures. Already, I am seeing no unbiased representation. Still, I listened to the audiobook.

Here’s what I found: These four men discuss how humanism and this New Age movement is corrupting our youth. Throughout, the subject of their animosity reaches to Hinduism and Buddhism. All the while they speak of these religions and other philosophies as being synonymous with Satanism. As they speak about each of their personal experiences dealing with Satan, they are constantly encompassing anything not specifically Christian. Then it really gets crazy: they claim a majority of our youth is involved in the occult and satanic worship and that some children’s clothing companies purposefully put satanic symbols on their garments. They even go as far as saying that the Peace Sign we have seen for so many years is actually a satanic symbol, being an inverted goat’s head!

My second resource was the book, The New Age Movement and Biblical Worldview, by John Newport. This books states that, like the native Americans who put value in Creation and nature, the New Age followers are also Anti-God.

First of all New Age is not ‘new’. New Age is many things, only one of which is a movement of sorts. But for me and most people that I know, New Age is a catch-all phrase that covers anything from natural remedies to feeling better about yourself through exercise, yoga etc. I really take offense to people that always look for the evil in what they do not understand, nor do they care to learn. If all that negative energy could be harnessed and used for something good, like setting an example of tolerance and compassion this world’s problems would begin to rectify themselves.

Secondly, regarding the intolerance of other religions, I personally don’t believe that God would hold demographics against us. Just because some people weren’t born into a Christian religion, are they damned?

Maybe some of these high and mighty should look in their own backyard and see without clouded vision for once and take a glimpse at the false idols they themselves worship (fancy cars, boats, money, power...) Maybe they need to get back to the roots of what it’s all about: Love thy Neighbor. Being judge and jury over others is the greatest blasphemy of all.

Setting a good example by your actions will naturally draw in those that are searching

By MYRTLE OSNER

The targeted audience for the conference "50/50 in 2020" was high school girls currently serving in student government office. Unfortunately few of were able to attend the conference focusing on increasing the number of women holding public office to 50 per cent by the year 2020. However, the audience of women, some of them aspiring to office and others already there, did get some wonderful pointers on empowerment.

Pat Paul, now chair of the Board of Supervisors, told of all the years she has given the women’s point of view. Many speakers echoed that sentiment: that women think differently than men and we need to hear both, since this country is more than half women. Pat Paul named her victory ( as the establishment of a domestic violence court. Pay equity issues are another of the issues she has kept before the Board.

In the first panel, Patterson City Councilmember Becky Campo, Mickey Peabody, formerly on the Oakdale City Council, and former Modesto mayor Carol Whiteside, now President of the Great Valley Center, spoke of ways to get in office. They advised serving on other committees first so that you get known is not only helpful in getting name recognition, but you learn a lot about how things work. Mentoring of young women by older seasoned women was strongly recommended to all attending. Whiteside stated that campaigns are emphasizing power and money nowadays. She believes that we should be talking about quality of life and aspiring to greatness. "It’s about the moral climate," she said. Campo spoke of how hard it is to hold public office; she had a baby while in office, runs a full time business, and is in a wheelchair. But her attitude is all upbeat.

The election process has become hostile and women are fearful for their families. We need to bring more civility into the process so leadership can be more positive. We have a very diverse society and need to bring everyone to the table in our discussions. Up to now the white male has been the establishment but we are moving to a very different pattern, said Whiteside. She mentioned the IDEAL program of Great Valley Center as one way to train young people in government. Applicants are needed now for the program beginning in February.

In the second panel, Odessa Johnson, who is both a Modesto School Board member and a Regent of the University of California, spoke about the perils of public office. "It costs lots of money," she said. Voters want to know, "What else have you done?" so it is imperative that you do a lot of work in the community as well as serving in appointive positions. Time involvement is the biggest peril, she believes. She also reminded us that "Your life is an open book,"

"There’s never enough time," was echoed by the others. "You need a ‘wife’ said Lynne Meredith, court commissioner. Kenni Friedman, Modesto City Councilmember, paid tribute to her husband for his support. "He’s a great cook," she said. Not only is family important, but so are the friends who stand by you through thick and thin. Meredith said, "Public involvement can be very taxing on your relationships,", again mentioning her supportive family.

Sandra Benetiz, who was just defeated as Mayor of Riverbank, spoke of how disappointing it is to lose a race when you know there is lots of work out there that you would like to finish. Her two big pieces of advice were refreshing: 1) Keep your sense of humor. 2) Don’t become self-important. "You have to take care of the families," she believes. Being the only woman on the council meant that she had to bring the women’s point of view and her big project was opening up the Riverbank swimming pool for the children. when the rest of the council were focused on other things. She believes that a child care center is much needed in Riverbank but isn’t sure if the present council will see that need.

Friedman focused on the history of women’s suffrage and how we are inheritors of their ideals. She named priorities: Doing the right thing. Stepping out ahead. Asking why. And in order to do all this, you have to learn to organize to get what is wanted A shared vision is necessary to translate your vision into reality.

All the speakers agreed that you have to have a high energy level to serve in public office and be well organized.