John McCutcheon in Modesto: January 14, 2004

By JOHN MOREARTY

John McCutcheon will inspire and uplift you, move you to tears, laughter, and action at the Modesto Church of the Brethren, 2301 Woodland Ave (off Carpenter), on Wednesday January 14 at 7 p.m.

Folk artist John McCutcheon has become an annual mid-January event in Modesto, packing the house for the Modesto Peace/Life Center. Last year, the Center’s Song Circle opened the show in their shy public debut, leading more than 300 of us in “We Shall Overcome.” They stepped down, and there was a silence.

Then from a side door, striding through the crowd, came this slender middle-aged guy. He swept up on stage with a big bright banjo in hand, smiled without a word and cut loose—fingers flying, ringing and zinging through the big church hall, on and on for ten minutes or more, blazing skeins of glory in our ears and bones. At last he stopped, smiled, took a bow to rolling applause, and said “Hi! Thank you, it’s nice to be back in Modesto.”

It sure was. After the amazing banjo came piano kid songs, old ballads on the guitar, funny stories from twenty years on the road as a folkie, and a droll ditty of life in W’s America, “I wanna be a spy in Ashcroft’s army.” We all sang the chorus, including (by McCutcheon’s invitation) the spies among us.

It was a long and jolly first set, we were getting our money’s worth. Before the break for apple juice and CD-signing, he invited requests. I wrote a little note asking for “Christmas in the Trenches,” about World War One, which I’d heard him sing on KPFA.

The second set was more serious, with virtuoso solos on violin and hammered dulcimer. He sang “Christmas,” telling the astonishing story of singing it for German World War One veterans in Denmark, and I cried again. And he led us in the first song from his album “Water from Another Time,” a visionary song of hope:

“Alleluia, the great storm is over, lift up your wings and fly….”

I bought the album and sang the song in my truck on highway 99 back to Stockton. Next morning before getting out of bed, and for days to come, we played it over and over, loud:

“Little children shall dance and they sing, and play with the bears and the lions in the spring….”

In these times, we all need hope and joy. John McCutcheon sings to us.

Tickets are $16 in advance, $20 at the door, $5 for children under 12 and are available at the State Theater, 1307 J Street, Modesto, or by phone or credit card: 527-4697. Also at the Church office.

ACTION: For concert information, call 523-1438.  

Local flutist Elise Osner will open with music from her recent release of music for the Native American flute, Unbound.

Medicare proposals bad for seniors 
From CHURCH WOMEN UNITED

ACT NOW: Tell Congress Not to Renege on an American Social Pact by Capping Medicare

The Medicare drug benefit under debate in Congress seems increasingly more about a restructuring of Medicare than about offering immediate relief to Americans struggling to pay for their prescriptions. Conferees' talk of setting the stage for capping Medicare funding has gained momentum now that the Bush Administration announced its backing and Senate negotiators have just offered its own capping proposal. The so-called "bipartisan Senate staff option" would stipulate that general federal tax revenue account for no more than 45 percent of Medicare program costs. It would require the trustees of the program to declare Medicare "insolvent" any year in which general revenue financing exceeded that percentage. This option would also force Congress to consider (possibly filibuster-proof) measures to cut benefits, raise premiums, reduce provider reimbursements, or increase payroll taxes.

Meanwhile, depending on how you count, the current Medicare legislation would give away more than $200 billion to private industry. If Congress wants to rein in Medicare costs, it should cease giving handouts to the pharmaceutical industry and private insurance plans.

Capping Medicare would effectively break the sacred promise our government made to older and disabled Americans when Medicare was created in 1965. If Medicare were to offer the drug benefit proposed by the House, and the program were left as is under current law, the growing proportion of the program funded by federal revenue is predicted to reach the 45 percent cut-off sometime between 2015 and 2020.

The proportion of the U.S. population with Medicare will rise to one in four Americans in 2030, versus one in eight Americans in 2000, showing a clear need for additional resources to fund Medicare. Despite the demographic reality, politicians are targeting Medicare for cuts while enacting exorbitant tax breaks for the nation's wealthiest. Congress must consider the Medicare budget within the framework of the United States' fiscal policies, and focus on designing a comprehensive drug benefit for people with Medicare without breaking its promise of secure and reliable benefits.

If the Bush Administration's proposed and enacted tax cuts of 2001, 2002, and 2003 were instead dedicated to Medicare and Social Security, the money would fund both fully for 75 years (Center for Budget and Policy Priorities 2003). People with Medicare spent on average $3,757 a year, or 22.3 percent, of their income on out-of-pocket health care costs in 2002. Those costs are projected to rise to $5,248 by 2025 (Commonwealth Fund 2002, 2001). In 2030, Medicare is expected to cover one out of every four Americans, up from one out of eight in 2000 (National Academy of Social Insurance).

ACTION: Contact your Congress member to point out that the present proposals will not help seniors, but instead will have the effect of cutting their benefits, and enriching the pharmaceutical industry. The increasing proportion of general federal revenues going to Medicare is not a sign of program insolvency. Instead it is a sign of trouble in the overall federal budget, i.e., huge tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. For more information, contact Church Women United, Legislative Office, 100 Maryland Ave., N.E., Rm. 100, Washington, D.C. 20002

This season's for giving: Food 
By MYRTLE OSNER

If you wish to give a gift to someone who "has everything" - or enough, why not give to an organization that helps people to help themselves? To honor that person, you can give a meaningful gift that will make a difference in the world. We all know places where people struggle to make ends meet, or actually to stay alive. They are in the news daily. But rarely do we have big media stories about those organizations that give people a chance to improve their lives.

Here are a two that are more than relief agencies, much as they are also needed in the world.

Heifer Project International: Of all the agencies I know about, this one gets my vote for grassroots feeding and life-enhancing capability. Started at close of World War II, instead of sending packages of food, HPI gifts food-producing animals. A group of people needing help must first organize themselves to request animals, and animal care training is provided and required. Here's the important part: the first born of the gift animal must be given to someone else in the community. In no time at all, it seems like, the whole village is eating better than it was before. You can give money for chickens, goats, ducks, cows, etc. (No, HPI no longer ships an actual cow; semen is provided to improve the genes of the native animals, which are already adjusted to the conditions in the country of receipt.) Granted, the people don't get instant food; on the other hand, it's the gift that keeps on giving. ACTION: Heifer Project, 1015 Louisiana St., Little Rock, AR 72202, 800-422-0474, www.heifer.org. Local Ceres office, 537-8996, has many events at which you can learn more about its work and international food issues.

El Porvenir: The organization started its work by providing the materials to build latrines, clean water wells, and wash houses (lavandarias). A more basic need than clean water is hard to think of. In much of Central America, earthquakes and massive floods as well as devastation caused by war and political upheaval have increased people's poverty. The latest project for El Porvenir is reforestation. Volcanic eruptions wiped out whole forests on mountain sides. Floods followed, causing erosion and making the area unfit for growing crops. Villagers start the trees in their own tree nursery, thus guaranteeing high success for the young trees. Headquartered in Sacramento but involved entirely in Central America, El Porvenir bases its work on community organizing. When a village organizes itself to provide the workers, El Porvenir provides the materials and sends staff to teach them how to do it. Simple techniques are used. (Have you ever heard of a "rope pump"? It takes minimal training and equipment.) Most staff are Nicaraguans and intimately acquainted with the culture and needs of the people. Many work parties have gone from this country to work with the people, and all report it as a life-changing experience. ACTION: Brigades are regularly organized to go to Nicaragua. You can provide money if you can't actually go to Central America to work. El Porvenir, 2508 42nd St., Sacramento, CA 95817. 916-736-3663, www.elporvenir.org.

This season's for giving: Homes 
By INDIRA CLARK 

The San Joaquin Valley is the richest agricultural region in the world. It is also a region of great social challenges. Poverty, unemployment, and health issues often overwhelm the lives of the Valley's farmworkers and other low-wage earners. Started 40 years, over 5,000 hardworking, low-income families have built homes through Self-Help Housing Enterprises. Apartment complexes and rehabs of older homes have provided improved living conditions for hundreds more. This year, Ohio State University released a nationwide study which found that home ownership helps boost children's educational achievement and reduce behavior problems. Homeowners tend to stay in one place longer than renters allowing children to stay in the same schools and families to invest more in the community. SHE studies have shown high stability among its homeowners over a period of 25 years and longer.

More recently chapters of Habitat for Humanity have helped families build good affordable housing locally, as well as raising funds for international self-help housing projects.

Invest in the lives of another generation of hardworking families who dream of the chance to build a new home and a bright future for their children.

ACTION: To send donation or volunteer, contact: Self-Help Housing Enterprises, P.O. Box 6520, Visalia, CA 93290-6520, www.selfhelpenterprises.org, and Habitat for Humanity Stanislaus County, 417 7th Street, Modesto, 95254, 575-4585, www.habitat.org

Cornel West to remember MLK in Modesto! 
By JAMES COSTELLO

Cornel West, noted philosopher, author, fiery orator, and professor of religion at Princeton University, will bring his trenchant views to Modesto on Saturday, January 24, 2004, 7:00 p.m. at the Modesto Junior College Auditorium as part of the Tenth Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration.

Controversial and inspiring, Dr. West will speak on "Race Matters," and will sign copies of his books after his presentation. As always, this event is free to the public, and sponsored by the Modesto Peace/Life Center, City of Modesto Neighborhoods and Recreation Dept., and Modesto Junior College.

ACTION: More details in the January issue of Connections. Celebrate the tenth anniversary of this remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr. with us. Save the date! Other sponsors are being sought. If you or your business would like to help defray the costs of this event, email Jim Costello at jcostello@igc.org, or call 537-7818.

Correction

Last month's issue included an article on local candidates' positions on various issues, "Local candidates present stark choices," by Lee Ryan Miller. An editing error inadvertently left out the responses of city council candidate Brad Hawn. We apologize for this omission and congratulate Mr. Hawn on his election to the Modesto city council.

Teaching Amidst the Neon Palm Trees 
By Lee Ryan Miller, Ph.D. 
1st Books Library, 2004 

Reviewed by Myrtle Osner 

This isn't your ordinary bedtime reading, and it didn't put me to sleep, but it did point up again the old adage, subject of one of Lee's chapters: "No good deed goes unpunished."

In telling his story of his year at Las Vegas' Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN), Modesto resident Lee Miller probably gives you more detail than you'd ever want to know about administration of a college. And yet, you can't stop reading, if only to find out what the next stupid decision is, the next bureaucratic rat's nest that foils his plans.

During his year at CCSN, Dr. Miller tried many innovative ideas for which he was recognized with grants. But for his big project, taking a group of students to Europe and teaching them Political Science at the same time, he incurred the wrath and jealousy of both the administration and student government. His proposal for travel stipends for needy students was denied. He did go on the trip. The students who went received a broad education in how European governments function and how they differ from the U.S.

Because of bureaucratic wrangles and some really bizarre political shenanigans, Lee was fired at the end of the year. It wasn't that he wasn't qualified, and the one good result was that, because of his contract, the college was required to pay him. But both the administration and the student government, each working at cross-purposes, shafted him.

No wonder he left Nevada. This should be required reading for those aspiring to teach in community colleges (although it's hopefully not like this in California,)

Update on “Jose and Maria”:  Cuban couple starts a new life in Canada

By LEE RYAN MILLER

Modestan Observes Legacy of Apartheid in South Africa

By LEE RYAN MILLER, Fifth in a series

January to May 2003 I lived on a ship that circumnavigated the globe. I was teaching political science on Semester at Sea, a program run by the University of Pittsburgh. Some 650 students participated; we visited nine countries and ten ports.

In this series, I present excerpts from my journal and commentary on the societies that we visited.

South Africa is a beautiful country richly endowed with considerable natural resources, well-developed infrastructure, and a large class of highly educated professionals. By all rights, it should be a rich country. It is not, and never will be, until it is able to overcome the social consequences of centuries of brutal conflict between racial and ethnic groups.

Our ship arrived in Cape Town, South African on February 19, 2003. Before I describe my experiences, I will provide some background on South Africa's unique history and society.

Most readers are probably familiar with the system of Apartheid, the brutal system of racial segregation under which the white population subjugated and impoverished non-whites. Under this system, whites forced blacks - who made up some three-quarters of the population - to live in impoverished "homelands" comprising only 13 per cent of the country. Whites depended upon black labor, but black workers were forced to live in squalid "townships" on the periphery of prosperous white cities, or in same-sex dormitories near white-owned mines and farms.

But South African society is not just black and white. It is composed of a multitude of racial and ethnic groups. Blacks, who make up 75 per cent of the populations, are divided among dozens of ethnic groups, speaking diverse languages. Whites, who make up 14 per cent of the population, are divided between the majority Afrikaners-Afrikaans-speaking descendents of the original Dutch settlers-and the minority English-speaking descendants of their British conquerors. Nine per cent of the population are Coloureds, Afrikaans-speaking people of mixed Afrikaner/black descent. There is also a sizeable minority descended from Indians brought by the British to work as laborers.

These groups have a history of bloody conflict with one another, and political divisions remain to this day. For example, Coloureds and Asians fear domination by the black majority, and most vote for the Afrikaner-dominated National Party despite the fact that this party was responsible for the racist system of Apartheid. Most blacks, in contrast, support the African National Congress (ANC). But blacks of the Zulu ethnic group tend to shun the ANC, supporting instead the Inkatha Freedom Party. Afrikaners still mistrust English-speaking whites, a legacy of the brutal Boer War, and resent their economic dominance. As a result, whites are divided among different political parties.

Our ship docked at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Just beyond the gangway lay a huge outdoor shopping mall, as nice as the fanciest mall in the U.S. Not unlike in upscale American shopping malls, most shoppers were middle class and rich white people. The blacks, Coloureds, and Asians I saw were mostly doing low-skilled work like manual labor, food service, and security. For example, in a restaurant, I noticed that all the patrons and their waiters were white, while all the bus boys were black or Coloured.

My several-mile walk to downtown Cape Town one day gave me an interesting perspective on South African urban life. The city looked clean and prosperous, and by the waterfront were lots of new, modern shops and condos. Downtown Cape Town was a mixture of modern and older architectural styles. But I saw no crumbling buildings, and few signs of poverty. This stood in stark contrast to the townships on the outskirts of the city, which I will describe later.

While downtown, I visited the District Six museum. District Six was formerly a mixed-race neighborhood in Cape Town. Apartheid was only adopted as official government policy after 1948, and the segregation of neighborhoods was not completed until the late 1960s. District Six was one of the last neighborhoods to be segregated. The Apartheid-era government had decreed that the cities would be all white, and made the blacks move to the townships ringing the cities. The residents of District Six demonstrated and protested to no avail: they were expelled, and their government bulldozed the neighborhood tearing down every structure except churches.

The former residents, however, continued protesting, and no developer was willing to build in their. The only new structure ever built was a college that the government constructed on a small portion of the vacant land. Today, the college and some churches are the only structures still standing in District Six. It is an eerie ghost town surrounded by a bustling city.

The museum was excellent. It was small, but it gave you a good sense of the rich community life in District Six before its demolition, the protests against its destruction, and the impact of this event on the lives of its former residents. The museum has been funded with grants from groups in the U.S. and Europe. The docent I spoke to on my visit was a former resident of District Six, and his first-hand accounts of its history greatly enriched my understanding of this microcosm of South African history.

Apartheid was dismantled in the early 1990s, and the first black majority government was elected in 1994. Recently, the government has decided to allow the former District Six residents to return, and is giving them money to build homes on the sites that they formerly occupied. It remains unclear what will be done for those whose sites are now occupied by the college.

• Learn more about the District Six Museum: www.districtsix.co.za
• Learn more about Semester at Sea: www.semesteratsea.com
• Read more stories from Lee Ryan Miller: www.LeerRyanMiller.com
• Read installment 1, Modestan gets a peek inside Castro’s Cuba
• Read  installment 2, Modestan observes poverty and inequality in Brazil
• Read installment 3, part 1 of Modestan visits the Amazon Rainforest
• Read installment 4, part 2 of Modestan visits the Amazon Rainforest

Next month: A visit to an impoverished South African township.

UNICEF meets health needs for world's children
By PHYLLIS HARVEY

Modesto has in the past held an observance of United Nations Day. Somehow that has not happened lately, but one program the United Nations sponsors is UNICEF, which should not only receive recognition but our support as well.

Hugh Downs, Chair Emeritus, reminds us that every year more than six million children in developing countries die from causes that are either directly or indirectly attributable to malnutrition. Millions more are left vulnerable to illnesses, crippled or intellectually disabled, due to lack of needed critical nutrients to grow and stay healthy. For instance, lack of iodine has far-reaching implications, especially on a developing embryo, and is a leading cause of preventable mental retardation and/or profound deformities. Every case could be prevented with the use of iodized salt, a simple solution that has been in place in the U.S. since the nineteen twenties.

Since 1944 UNICEF has been working to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in 90 nations around the world. The result is 70 per cent of all households in developing countries consume iodized salt, protecting 90 million newborns each year from significant loss in learning disability. However, 41 million children are still-born each year, unprotected from iodine deficiency.

ACTION: You can help by sending a generous gift to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF at 333 East 38th St., New York, NY 10016.

CIVIL LIBERTIES: Cornerstone of American values
By MYRTLE OSNER

The October Stanislaus Connections outlined the effect the Patriot Act would have on libraries. The following is excerpted from League of Women Voters US President Kay Maxwell's statement on the League's reasons for opposing expansion of the Patriot Act.

The League strongly believes that basic civil liberties must be preserved and protected as the nation seeks to guard against terrorism and threats to national security. These beliefs have long been held by the LWV. Our policy stems from many studies culminating in a position that emphasizes government protection of individual liberties against major threats to basic constitutional rights

The League of Women Voters is deeply concerned with the Administration's plan, which would allow subpoenas to be issued without obtaining approval from judges or grand juries, and make it legal to hold suspects without bail.

We are equally concerned about proposals that would create an overly broad definition of terrorism so that government action could be directed against protesters and organizations that voice disagreement with the policies of the leadership of the U.S.

We believe that the Patriot Act allows government officials to obtain information on library patrons and bookstores without probable cause and without a warrant and we support efforts to amend the act to protect the privacy of library patrons and bookstore customers.

The League is concerned about the potential impact that the Patriot Act could have on the checks and balances of government. We believe that accountability and responsibility to the people require that unnecessary secrecy between the President and Congress be eliminated. The courts must be kept apprised of and have the opportunity to review the actions of law enforcement. It is up to Congress to keep close watch on the Act's implementation, and continue to support the fundamental liberties guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution.

These are challenging times. We recognize that there are real and serious terrorist threats. But like the League members of the 1940's, who lived in another time of grave crisis for America and the world, we ask that you work to preserve the greatest degree of civil liberty in the fight against terrorism.

ACTION: For info, contact League of Women Voters of Modesto, P.O. Box E, Modesto 95352, 524-1698. or League of Women Voters of U.S., 1730 M St., NW, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C., 20036

Speaking on behalf of our children: stop blaming the victims
By DAWN FRY

How many times have you flipped through the pages of a magazine or newspaper and seen images of children with captions like "Brats," "Bullies," or "Mean and Selfish"? Unfortunately, these are common occurrences in today's media. For some child advocates, these images serve as a call to action: We need to do something to help America's so-called "out-of-control" children. The problem is, while these negative images are a wake up call, they are not doing anything to help troubled children. In fact, they only add to the problem. By labeling children brats, bullies, or mean and selfish, we are imposing the very same behaviors on them that we teach as being wrong.

In Robert Shaw's book, The Epidemic: The Rot of American Culture, Absentee and Permissive Parenting, and the Resultant Plague of Joyless, Selfish Children, he asserts that "Our culture no longer offers what children need to truly thrive." That is, some children are so unruly because society has unknowingly taught them to act this way.

The "epidemic" that Shaw discusses is a result of a deeply rooted social system called Authoritarianism, a system of behaviors that manipulates and controls through pain and humiliation. These behaviors include blaming, shaming, preaching, moralizing, accusing, ridiculing, belittling, evaluating, labeling, threatening, judging, and punishing - all bullying behaviors. These behaviors disrespect, discourage, and devalue the person to whom they are directed. When such authoritarian behaviors are imposed on children, the end result is usually a loss of dignity and self-respect. Instead of helping them overcome their problems, these methods only make children feel worse about themselves, causing them to react by displaying the same authoritarian behaviors.

Authoritarian behaviors are so deeply rooted that even professional advocates who speak out against bullying resort to using the same tactics. For example, on an episode of his TV. show, Dr. Phil McGraw interviewed a teenage girl who was being verbally and physically abused by other girls at school. Since the accused girls refused to appear on the program, Dr. Phil delivered a message to them by looking and speaking directly into the camera. When he began to ridicule the accused girls and call them names, the audience immediately applauded and cheered with approval. Both Dr. Phil and his audience were advocating the very same behaviors that he was speaking against. Bullying is so deeply rooted in today's society, that it now seems reasonable.

Adding to our trouble, our nation as a whole has a reputation of being a bully because of our authoritarian behaviors. The San Francisco Chronicle recently ran an article entitled "9/11 Reminds Chinese of America, a Global Bully." In the article a student at the Beijing Institute of Science said, "America is a bully, so when someone hits back, it feels good." When bullying is directed at children, the cycle continues. Many bullied children end up being bullies themselves because "it feels good," causing others to feel like victims for much of their life.

Children learn from modeled behaviors. While it is true that some children are, as the media says, "out-of-control," they did not end up that way by themselves. Children are who they are because of their environment. They learn how to act by watching the people who are closest to them. The behaviors they see are the behaviors they will take on. This being said, if we truly want to help a child make a change for the better, we must first take a closer look at our own actions and behaviors. Ask yourself the following questions:

What kind of behaviors am I displaying in front of children? Are these the same behaviors I want them to show toward others?

Fortunately, alternatives to authoritarian behaviors exist. We are not powerless in our struggle for social change. Many child advocates not only speak out against these behaviors, but they also offer effective solutions that create physically and emotionally healthy children.

World-renowned experts and authors such as Alfie Kohn, Beyond Discipline, From Compliance to Community; Roger Schank, Coloring Outside The Lines; and David Elkind, The Hurried Child are social heroes of our time. They have been speaking out against the injustices of our system for many years, and their wisdom is bringing about a social change we desperately need.

By changing our childcare practices and behaviors, we can restructure our nation's intellectual, economic, physical, political, moral, and emotional values. Children are at the mercy of the people responsible for their care. Instead of speaking out against our children, we need to be friendly with them, and speak up for them. It is up to us to make a difference in their lives.

Dawn Fry is the founder and CEO of Helping Our Children Productions, a publishing company that provides educational CD's giving practical help to parents and childcare providers. Contact her at www.dawntalk.com; 925-209-0809.