PITTSBURGH’S PEACE & JUSTICE NEWSPAPER
VOL. 44 No. 3, March 2014
IN THIS ISSUE:
Sister Barbara Finch’s Union Struggle
The Privatization of Prison and the Prison of Privatization
by Charles McCollester Prison nurse Sister Barbara Finch has been suspended following her efforts to unionize her fellow nurses. Rightwing ideologues trumpet the efficiency of the private-for-profit enterprise over public and nonprofit service providers. While private companies are more efficiently squeezing profit out of public taxpayer contracts, they rarely match the level of services that were formerly a part of normal operations. The present situation of nurses and inmates at the county jail offers a stark example. The privatization of nursing services effective September 1, 2013, was driven by Allegheny County’s goal of reducing the prison health services budget for the facility by $2 million. To achieve these cuts they replaced local non-profit Allegheny Correctional Health Service established by the county in 2000 with Corizon Correctional Health Care, a Tennessee for-profit company with many hundreds even thousands of pending lawsuits (google “Corizon lawsuits” to see) for medical negligence. Immediately, Corizon began to disrupt a functioning health delivery system for 2,700 confined human beings who are the responsibility of the people of Allegheny County.
UPMC Altoona RNs Strike —Page 4 Skyping with Noam Chomsky —Page 5
The first order of business was to reduce staff by combining jobs, firing health workers who protested and replacing them with lower paid workers.
Afghanistan: In the Shadow of War —Page 8 The NSA’s Role in Drone Strikes —Page 9 Gas Explosion & Oil Train Derailment —Page 12
(continued on page 11) Sr. Barbara Finch. Photo credit The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Pittsburgh Celebrates the New Economy this Spring by Ron Gaydos If you’ve been following the New Economy Working Group (NEWG) for the past year, you know the NEWG’s efforts involve both recognizing the inherent problems in the old “extractive” economy and the hopeful, practical solutions in a new economy. This month, on March 21 and 22, the New Economy Working Group will hold a celebration of the emerging New Economy in Pittsburgh. A variety of presentations, discussions, and workshops will articulate the roots of the current economy’s self-destructive, unfair nature and then engage participants interested in how the New
Economy can be developed further in Pittsburgh. We’re mixing it up with the Pittsburgh design, environmental, and development community on March 20 with a fun event: Green Drinks! No, not St. Patrick’s Day green, but sustainable green! This event will give the NEWG a chance to meet more than 100 people we may not usually come in contact with in these fields and enjoy the Map Room in Regent Square. That will take place Thursday, March 20, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Map Room at 1126 South Braddock Avenue in Regent Square. (continued on page 6)
Stop Sexual Assault in the Military by Ginny Hildebrand The film The Invisible War shows free rein for sexual assault against female and male soldiers within the U.S. military. I was inspired by the women and men in the movie. After tortuous experiences with one or more rapists and then with commanders who disparaged their claims, refused to investigate or prosecute and often even retaliated, these women were rising up, speaking out together and fighting back. (continued on page 8)
Remembering Pete Seeger —Page 13
Table of Contents —Page 2
In Memoriam: Father
Donald W. McIlvane Fr. Don McIlvane died on February 16 . He was a force to be reckoned with during his many decades of advocacy for civil rights. As a board member of Catholic Interracial Council and chair of the Direct Action Committee, he led the fight to address discrimination in the Catholic Church, including Diocesan textbooks and employment practices. In his 1969 paper, “American Catholic Church in Light of Current Black History,” he wrote that “the Church’s role is non-existent” and “paternal.” He was on the board of the NAACP, a leader in the local Religion & Race Council, the National Catholic Council for Interracial Justice and the Allegheny County Council on Civil Rights. He was involved in many protests, including with the United Negro Protest Committee and against discrimination by private clubs including the Moose. He protested racial segregation on hospital boards, in private fraternal lodges and in his own church -- regularly prodding Pittsburgh's Catholic schools to do a better job at racial integration. As recently as 2004, at age 74, he was arrested (and later acquitted) for civil disobedience on behalf of janitors protesting job cuts. His name is on one of the stones at Freedom Corner. th
The Thomas Merton Center works to build a consciousness of values and to raise the moral questions involved in the issues of war, poverty, racism, classism, economic justice, oppression and environmental justice. TMC engages people of diverse philosophies and faiths who find common ground in the nonviolent struggle to bring about a more peaceful and just world.
March 2014
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Next Month: Thrifty Fashion Show Plan now to attend and support our 21st annual Affordable Chic Fashion Show on Saturday, April 26 at East Liberty Presbyterian Church from 11am to 2pm. See next month’s New People for more information. The East End Community Thrift (Thrifty) is an all volunteerrun thrift shop, which provides quality, low-cost, used clothing and household goods, to the surrounding community. Thrifty is always looking for volunteers! If you can volunteer your time and strength (or have a gently used donation), please don’t hesitate to contact us at (412) 361-6010.
Table of Contents: Page 1 Sister Barbara Finch’s Union Struggle Stop Sexual Assault in the Military New Economy Celecration In Memory of Fr. Don McIlvane Page 3 Save the August Wilson Center 2014 Voter Calendar International Food Aid Reform Prisoner Pen Pals
2 - NEWPEOPLE
Color-Coded Justice Pittsburgh as a Human Rights City Page 4 UPMC Altoona Nurses Strike Giant Eagle Workers Organize for Bread and Roses Too Page 5 Noam Chomsky Skypes with Pittsburgh Adjuncts 4th River Free Skool Raised Roof Page 6 Economic Inequality
March 2014
www.thomasmertoncenter.org or call (412) 361-3022
TMC Projects:
TMC Affiliates:
Anti-War Committee info@pittsburghendthewar.org www.pittsburghendthewar.org
Allegheny Defense Project, Pgh Office 412-559-1364 www.alleghenydefense.org Association of Pittsburgh Priests Sr. Barbara Finch 412-716-9750 B.a.finch@att.net
Book‘Em: Books to Prisoners Project bookempgh@gmail.com www.thomasmertoncenter.org/bookem
Amnesty International info@amnestypgh.org www.amnestypgh.org
Capital’s End 724-388-6258, iamholtz@iup.edu CodePink: Women for Peace codepinkpgh@aol.com, 412-389-3216 www.codepink4peace.org East End Community Thrift Shop 412-361-6010, shawnapgh@aol.com
The Big Idea Bookstore 412-OUR-HEAD www.thebigideapgh.org The Black Political Empowerment Project Tim Stevens 412-758-7898 Black Voices for Peace Gail Austin 412-606-1408
Economic Justice Committee drohanmichael@yahoo.com
CeaseFirePA
www.ceasefirepa.org
Environmental Justice Committee environmentaljustice@thomasmertoncenter.org
Fight for Lifers West fightforliferswest@yahoo.com
www.fightforliferswestinc.com
info@ceasefirepa.org
Global Solutions Pittsburgh 412-471-7852 dan@globalsolutionspgh.org www.globalsolutionspgh.org
Formerly Convicted Citizens Dean Williams (412) 295-8606
Citizens for Social Responsibility of Greater Johnstown Larry Blalock, evolve@atlanticbb.net
Harambee Ujima/Diversity Footprint Twitter @HomewoodNation
PA United for a Single-Payer Health Care www.healthcare4allPA.org www.PUSH-HC4allPa.blogspot.com 2102 Murray Avenue Pgh, Pa 15217 412-421-4242
Human Rights Coalition / Fed Up (prisoner support and advocacy) 412-802-8575, hrcfedup@gmail.com www.thomasmertoncenter.org/fedup Marcellus Shale Protest Group melpacker@aol.com 412-243-4545
Pittsburgh Area Pax Christi 412-761-4319
marcellusprotest.org
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For General Information about the Thomas Merton Center:
New Economy Working Group Molly.Rush@verizon.net
Pittsburgh Committee to Free Mumia 412-361-3022 pghfreemumia@gmail.com
Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop
Pittsburgh Cuba Coalition 412-303-1247 lisacubasi@aol.com
Community Alliance 412-512-1709
Pittsburgh Campaign for Democracy NOW! 412-422-5377, sleator@cs.cmu.edu www.pcdn.org Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition jumphook@gmail.com; www.pittsburghdarfur.org Pittsburgh Haiti Solidarity Committee jrothermel@gpcfb.org 412-780-5118 Progressive Pittsburgh Notebook Call 412-363-7472 tvnotebook@gmail.com
Pittsburgh Independent Media Center info@indypgh.org www.indypgh.org North Hills Anti-Racism Coalition 412-369-3961 www.northhillscoalition.com Pittsburgh North People for Peace 412-367-0383 pnpp@verizon.net Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee info@pittsburgh-psc.org www.pittsburgh-psc.org Raging Grannies 412-963-7163 eva.havlicsek@gmail.com
www.pittsburghraginggrannies.homestead.com
Religion and Labor Coalition 412-361-4793 ojomal@aol.com
Roots of Promise 412-596-0066 brigetshields@gmail.com School of the Americas Watch W. PA 267-980-4878 nobler@thomasmertonccenter.org Stop Sexual Abuse in the Military 412-361-3022 hildebrew@aol.com Westmoreland Marcellus Citizens Group/ Roots of Promise 724-837-0540 lfpochet@verizon.net Who’s Your Brother? 412-328-2301 support@whosyourbrother.com
SW PA Bread for the World Donna Hansen 412-812-1553 United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) 412-471-8919 www.ueunion.org Urban Bikers urbanbikes@yahoo.com Veterans for Peace kevinbharless@yahoo.com 252-646-4810 Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Eva 412-963-7163 edith.bell4@verizon.net
TMC is a Member of:
Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network 412-621-9230 office@piin.org
Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Martha Connelly 412-361-7872, osterdm@earthlink.net
New Economy Job Opening
Page 10 The Most Senseless War in Page 7 Human History One Billion Been Rising for Muslims and Christians Justice Building Common Ground Garfield Learning to Love Trans Women Page 11 Page 8 Afghanistan: In the Shadow of War
Nun Gets 35 months for
Page 9 Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars NSA’s Role in Drone Strikes Veteran says he Protested Drones to “Uphold the Law”
Page 12 Protect Our Parks, Water, and Democracy Gas Explosion and Train Derailment in Western PA
Breaking into Nuclear Storage Facility
Page 13 So Long Pete Seeger Parallel Lives: Din Fine at Peekskill Page 14 TMC Lobbies to Close the SOA One TMC Intern’s Experience Join the New People Page 15 TMC Board news Shirley Gleditsch, Building a Community of Love In Memoriam: Three Civil Rights Leaders Who Changed Our Community
Civic Engagement Help Save the August Wilson Center Want to help #SaveTheAugustWilsonCenter from foreclosure and possible sale? Begin Brainstorming: What are the Top Ten Reasons Why You Want to #SaveTheAugustWilsonCenter? Write a letter to the editor. Make Sure You Sign The Letter: YOUR NAME, A Friend of the August Wilson Center #SaveTheAWC
Send one topic less than 250 words to letters@post -gazette.com . Send one topic less than 200 words to Newsroom@NewPittsburghCourier.com .
Go to www.savetheawc.tumblr.com for updates on the campaign.
Left: Save the August Wilson Center design by Ron Howard Sr. and Ron Howard Jr., posted on www.savetheawc.tumblr.com
Tell Congress to Reform the International Food Aid Program by Joyce Rothermel Last month, the SW PA Bread for the World Team hosted a workshop to learn about this year’s Bread for the World policy focus: reform of international food aid programs. Participants were informed by Larry Hollar, Senior Regional Bread Organizer, Paul Nelson, a professor of international development from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School for Public and International Affairs and Liz Fishback from Senator Bob Casey’s Office. Bread members and all who are interested are encouraged to contact their U.S. Senators and Representatives seeking their support in making our aid programs more effective in helping people in times of crisis and in fostering longterm solutions to hunger. Food aid programs can be strengthened in three ways: 1) By improving efficiencies by allowing more food purchases in or near the country where it is needed and reducing sales of Americangrown food in developing countries to fund projects. These changes will promote long term food security by directly supporting local farmers’ efforts to improve their lives. 2) By enhancing the nutritional quality of food aid and better targeting it to vulnerable populations such as women and children in the 1,000 days between a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s second birthday. 3) By protecting funding for emergency and development food aid.
These critical reforms to the U.S. food-aid programs can benefit an additional 17 million people while making sure U.S. tax dollars are used wisely. To join in this effort, please attend the upcoming meeting of the SW PA Bread Team on Wednesday, March 12 at 10 AM at Christian Associates, 204 37th
Street at Butler St., Suite 201 in Lawrenceville. If you would like to learn more about organizing a letter writing campaign at your church or organization, please contact me at 412-780-5118. Joyce Rothermel is co-chair of the SW PA Bread for the World Team.
Prisoner Pen Pals Needed! Please write to these individuals: Jimmy A. Dennis #BY-7796 175 Progress Drive Waynesburg, PA 15370 Kevin Inge #HW-6757 1 Kelley Drive Coal Township, PA 17866 James Jones #CM-5832 P.O. Box 999 1120 Pike Street Huntington, PA 16652 Christopher Vail #CA-3761 1600 Walters Mill Road Somerset, PA 15510 Jeremy Anthony #DQ-1846 1111 Altamont Boulevard Frackville, PA 17931 Jason Grisby #KD-8463 1600 Walters Mill Road Somerset, PA 15510 Demetrius Bailey #CP-7819 1 Kelley Drive Coal Township, PA 17866
Bro. Foster-Bey #HU-2427 K/ B2/ cell #29 P.O. Box 999 1120 Pike Street Huntington, PA 16652 Wayne Pettaway #HM-1581 10745 Route 18 Albion, PA 16475 Steven Wilkinson #AK-7133 1 Kelley Drive Coal Township, PA 17866 Cecil Brookins #EX-5574 P.O. Box 1000 Houtzdale, PA 16698 James W. Curry #BK-0245 175 Progress Drive Waynesburg, PA 15370 William Miller #GB-0894 10745 Route 18 Albion, PA—16475 Richard Hammonds Jr. #JD-8826 1111 Altamont Boulevard Frackville, PA 17931
- Stop and Frisk - War Crimes - Indefinite Solitary Confinement - Vatican Complicity with Sexual Abuse - Anti-gay Violence in Uganda
As Partners of the Center for Constitutional Rights
Stop by one of our upcoming events * Reception for Vince Warren, CCR, E.D. Monday, March 17th 6-8 pm Jules Lobel, CCR President 118 Yorkshire Drive, Pgh. 15208 * Color Coded Justice: The Legal Battle to End Stop and Frisk in New York City Vince Warren, Executive Director Center of Constitutional Rights University of Pittsburgh School of Law Teplitz Memorial Courtroom (Oakland) 3900 Forbes Avenue, Pgh. PA 15260 For more information please call (412) 241-6087
Pittsburgh as Human Rights City by Samantha Wechlser The Summit Against Racism was held January 25th at the East Liberty Presbyterian Church. There were many workshops that highlighted different issues of race in our community. One of these workshops was entitled, “Confronting Racism as We Build a Human Rights City.” In this workshop, representatives gathered from various fields to discuss public education, community development, police accountability, and reproductive justice. Among the participants, the biggest issue was how to hold city government
and residents accountable to Pittsburgh as a human rights city. Although Pittsburgh has been declared a human rights city, the appropriate actions for implementation have not been taken. In order to be a true human rights city, rather than one only in name, the city must take certain steps. One step would be to create community schools, rather than continue the pattern of closing local schools. Advocates suggest that these community schools function for the entire community, instead of just young students. These schools could have
recreational, cultural, and community resources in addition to the traditional education system. Wrap around services would range from medical and dental coverage to job placement services. Pittsburgh must also be willing to include city residents in the planning process. Where new development is taking place, the input from locals is crucial. After all, who is more knowledgeable about specific communities than those who live in them? Law enforcement issues also require attention. Officers must be held
accountable to local residents. Officials should respond when they are needed to help the residents, rather than focus on passing judgments about communities they are unfamiliar with. Finally, the value of all people must be recognized. Regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or any other factor, citizens must acknowledge the importance of all people. All human beings are entitled to human rights. Samantha Wechlser is a student at the University of Pittsburgh and an intern at the Thomas Merton Center.
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Got Union? Hundreds of UPMC Altoona RNs Strike for Patient Care and Job Standards by Barney Oursler In February, Altoona nurses took to the streets of Altoona and Pittsburgh by the hundreds—braving snow and freezing temps--to send UPMC a strong message: Patients before Profits! Six months ago— after acquiring Altoona Regional Health System and becoming Blair County’s largest employer—UPMC promised a standard of excellence for Altoona patients, nurses and the community. Six months later, however, the story has changed. During contract negotiations with unionized Altoona nurses, UPMC has pushed for a range of changes that would lower the quality of jobs, limit nurses’ right to advocate for adequate staffing and quality patient care, and refused the union’s proposed training and partnership with management to help improve patient outcomes. On February 1st UPMC walked away from negotiations, despite nurses’ commitment to continue discussions, so 800 nurses voted for a one-day unfair labor practice strike.
was time for a candlelight vigil, to mark the seriousness of their protest. However when the nurses returned to work the next day—after 90% had participated in the one-day unfair labor practice strike —many were turned away. Instead, UPMC is spending millions on expensive out-of-state temporary nurses. “UPMC says it does not have the resources to maintain our current contract, yet they can needlessly waste millions on temps,” said Paulla Stellabotte, RN. “This clearly demonstrates UPMC’s misplaced priorities—wasting money rather than And on Tuesday, February 11, hundreds investing in the future of healthcare for our of the Registered Nurses of UPMC community.” Altoona took to the picket lines to But rather than take this lying down, advocate for good jobs and quality care for and after two days of picketing in bitter the Altoona community. The sense of cold, more than 100 nurses from UPMC’s solidarity on the picket line was palpable. The nurses' determination was fueled by the continual flow of cars honking their support and the generous deliveries of food and coffee by local businesses. They marched and chanted through the snow until it
Giant Eagle UFCW Local 23 organizes for ‘bread and roses too‘ and to defeat draconian no-strike clause by Kenneth Miller Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 23 met in January and February to study our union contracts as they will expire at the end of June. Eight years ago the boss got the union to sign a draconian no-strike clause, one that prevents not only us from striking and picketing stores during the life of the contract, but also prevents striking and picketing at the non-union stores. Since this no-strike clause was signed, Giant Eagle has grown to include 20 more non -union stores in the Pittsburgh region, doubling its non-union footprint in Ohio and extending its non-union presence into Indianapolis. Our union officers pledge to have this restrictive clause removed from our contracts and replaced with a less restrictive clause more standard in AFL-CIO contracts. Presumably, this will make it easier to organize non-union stores in the future. Most Giant Eagle workers, especially those hired in the last eight years, are making poverty wages. Five or more worker tiers have been bargained into the contract that set wage and vacation accruement ceilings. Even with a substantial wage increase, many workers, all the newer ones, will be well below President Obama’s proposed new minimum wage of $10.10 an hour. We need to bargain for all workers who have ever worked at Giant Eagle, organizing workers from the past, present and future. A lot of people in this region worked retail at some point in their lives; at Giant Eagle, we need to try to represent all of them, not bargain away the rights and wages of young and future workers. 4 - NEWPEOPLE March 2014
Altoona hospital and their supporters came to Pittsburgh to bring their concerns about staffing, benefits and patient care straight to “the boss” at UPMC corporate headquarters on Thursday, February 13th. They roared down Grant Street with chants and pickets flying, making sure that Jeffrey Romoff got the message loud and clear: Patients before Profits! Barney Oursler is Executive Director of Pittsburgh UNITED, a coalition of faith, community, environmental and labor organizations focusing on making economic development benefit communities and create familysustaining jobs. Photos by Tamara Lefcowitz.
Many Giant Eagle Workers have advocates. Many are disabled or working with placement agencies that provide either job coaching or language support. We should expect everyone in the Giant Eagle employment system to participate in educating workers about their rights under the contract and in the union. We can be advertising access to the food banks with our union literature for goodness sake.
Even though the wages are low, stores. We are organizing to protect our workers, including those who are partjobs and to organize the work so that it is time, won paid health insurance at Giant sustainable and meaningful for us. Eagle. There are many part-time workers We have to ask ourselves what we are who maintain employment at Giant worth and whether we actually expect a Eagle for the health care. living wage and Fully paid health insurance is a positive health care from a Kenneth Miller highlight of our current contract. Other company like Giant works at Giant Eagle UFCW locals with similar employers have Eagle. I think we Store 47/Market recently had bosses try to leverage Obama should expect the District Robinson, is Care, the Health Care Exchanges, in basics and the good a member of UFCW bargaining. We expect Giant Eagle to try things in life from Local 23 and the and leverage the new Health Care an employer like Industrial Workers Exchanges and throw part-time employees Giant Eagle. That is of the World. off company-paid health care. They are why we made a turning the signature piece of federal cake that says, legislation the Obama administration has “Retail workers bargaining for bread and been able to deliver against us in roses too.” bargaining. We are being deGet your survey of Giant Eagle Workers started today! skilled. Giant Eagle A survey of Industrial Activity is an example of “concerted activity” as defined by the used to have sides of National Labor Relations Act Section 7. I think that Section 7 is applicable both inside and meat delivered. Meat outside of any particularly designated bargaining unit. This kind of activity is protected by the now comes precut and Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. boxed. We used to Giant Eagle Workers Survey Each Other: We should start by asking, “Are you now or make cakes in the have you ever been a member of a labor union?” and “Have you ever been to jail for justice?” bakery. Now I unload Then we should ask if they have a second job in retail and if any close friends or relatives work boxes of frozen sheet at Wal Mart. We need to know who is taking public transportation to work and who has child cakes. We used to need care responsibilities and who is involved with the criminal justice system. Giant Eagle workers more checkout people. are a vulnerable group living at the edge of poverty. The result of a survey should tell us how to Now the organize our asses out of poverty with living wages and an intact school system and safety net. company is Union Supporters Surveying Giant Eagle Workers: “Have you ever been involved in a directing customers to strike?” Can we fill out a wage worksheet so I can understand what the wage tiers are in your the automated union contract? What was your starting rate? What is your job classification? Is this a union checkouts. Giant Eagle? Which contract? What can I do to help you prepare for these contract negotiations Workers need to gain and support retail worker union organizing? skills at Giant Eagle so they can move from one Union Giant Eagle Workers Surveying Trades Workers and Vendors: Are you now department to the next. or have you ever been a member of a labor union? Hey, we are going into bargaining with Giant We need transferability Eagle now. We’re making poverty wages. Let’s exchange contracts and coordinate expiration of these union cards dates. Do you work at other retail outlets? What kind of company do you represent? Will you between contracts and take the New People along your route? into the non union-
Radicalizing Education Noam Chomsky Skypes with Pittsburgh Adjuncts by R/B Mertz February 4, 2014—Legendary linguist, philosopher, and political commentator Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus at MIT, addressed Pittsburgh’s Adjunct Faculty Association (AFA) over Skype. Prof. Chomsky spoke from home and answered questions ranging in subject from educational philosophy to organizing and bargaining tactics. Dr. Robin Sowards, general coordinator of the AFA, began the conversation asking Prof. Chomsky to address his own words about the responsibility of intellectuals, considering that the majority of academics are part-time instructors, and have less freedoms and privileges than full time faculty. Chomsky’s answer contextualized adjuncts as workers in an economy that benefits from “worker insecurity.” Chomsky pointed out that in economics, the costs to the consumer are not calculated; the economic “benefits” of this or that practice or idea only take into account the cost of doing business. What benefits “the masters” (Chomsky’s own phrase) is worker insecurity, such that workers cannot complain about their positions or seek to improve them, because they are so insecure. “How do you ensure greater worker insecurity?” Chomsky described adjuncts as the university’s “temps,” noting that the change from non-profit educational institutions to businesses has resulted in more administrators on campus, and fewer educators; “the dean used to be a faculty member taking time off from teaching, but now the dean is a professional position with
many sub positions— useless or harmful anyway.” assistant dean, assistant to One adjunct pointed out the assistant, etc.” that the argument for better Ultimately, as faculty working conditions is based positions are more on human rights, not precarious, “the costs are business. Chomsky to the students and the compared this to “asking a people who are being slave owner why he is okay drawn into these with slavery” –that, in other occupations … That’s words, the real concern is to called efficiency … [and] keep workers insecure by the costs to users are not any means necessary, counted.” without regard to ethical Chomsky argued that concerns. Chomsky this model is a response to suggested hitting the United Steelworkers Building, Downtown Pittsburgh — Lecturer the political activism of university where it counts— Robin Clarke sits close to the laptop’s built-in microphone to ask the 1960’s: “It was ‘the enrollment. As students and Noam Chomsky what he thinks about ways in which the university Time of Troubles’ because parents of students become follows a corporate business model, and what adjuncts can do to the people were getting more aware of the working stop feeling powerless. Chomsky, projected on screen from ‘civilized,’ and that’s conditions of university Massachusetts, faces a roomful of adjunct organizers. dangerous…they were faculty, where their tuition Photo credit Adjunct Faculty Association. fighting for their interests dollars are going, and the and entering the political scene.” To effectively. impact of this on the quality of address the issue of schools not Addressing the typical university education that universities provide, indoctrinating the young to be administration’s argument that nearly there may be more “consumer” productive, docile workers, Chomsky 60% of faculty work on semester-topressure on universities to improve pointed to student debt and reliance on semester contracts because schools working conditions for its employees. part-time faculty labor as examples of cannot predict enrollment from Chomsky insisted, “We are human discipline and control techniques to semester to semester, Chomsky beings with human rights. keep workers in line. “How [else] do emphasized that this was a control [Education]’s good for the individual, you ‘indoctrinate the young’? Well, tactic for the masters: “A lot of control it’s good for the society, and it should one way is to burden them with is for what’s supposed to be be good for the economy.” enormous tuition debt….Well, that’s a flexibility…So there’s underAt the conclusion of the disciplining technique. And another enrollment—that doesn’t mean people conversation, one organizer asked disciplinary technique is to cut back on need to be thrown out and insecure Chomsky, “What else do we need to student/faculty contact.” Paralyzing because of it…there’s all kinds of know? What else should we do?” student debt ensured that anyone who ways for adjusting for that…What if Chomsky answered, “You know what had been exposed to a university it’s the case here that the to do better than I do… Don’t be education would be rendered administrators are thrown out [if there frightened, and recognize that the economically, and therefore politically, is under-enrollment]…If labor has to future is in our hands.” physically, and socially insecure. be flexible, [then] so does Ensuring that a majority of faculty are management.” Chomsky related R/B Mertz is an adjunct at Duquesne underpaid and over-worked ensures university administration to workplace University and Penn State New that faculty will not be able to teach as managers: “Most of them are pretty Kensington.
4th River Free Skool Raised the Roof by Cecil Merlin The 4th River Free Skool is a network of people – activists, parents, children, professionals, dropouts, and regular folks – who are focused on creating a culture of free education in Pittsburgh (and beyond!) We connect people who have skills and knowledge to share, with people who are hungry to learn. We host Teach-Ins – day-long events full of free workshops and community building. And our growing web presence provides educational and networking resources for anyone interested. There is a Free Skoolhouse. Yes, we have a building that we call our own, located in the Southern Hill District, but it needs a lot of work. So far we've had all of our events, classes, and even our meetings, at rotating locations. We've been very grateful for the venues that have hosted us, but we are ecstatic about being able to have a central location for
all classes and events. On February 1st, we held our first major fundraising event to raise the money that we need to fix our roof. We had an electronic dance party downtown, complete with raffles, live art, and lots of dancing! Throughout the evening we witnessed the transformational power of dedicated people coming together for a common good. There were laughs, prizes, great costumes, and even a 3-D printer! We surpassed our fundraising goal with flying colors. In the coming months, Free Skool members, as well as other wonderful volunteers, will be rolling up our sleeves and giving our building some much needed love. We are abundant with do-it-yourself spirit! If you'd like to know more about the 4th River Free Skool, get involved, or donate, check us out at:
- fourthriverfreeskool.com - 4thriverfreeskool.tumblr.com - twitter.com/4thRFS - facebook.com/4thRiverFreeSkool
Cecil Merlin is a poet, veteran of alternative education, and college dropout, and serves as the People's Librarian for the 4th River Free Skool. March 2014
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Economic Justice Economic Inequality - It Only Gets Worse by Michael Drohan Practically every other day a new report is released with ever more shocking figures on the state of inequality in the U.S. and the world. The latest to join this procession of damning reports is from Oxfam International in preparation for the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, in January 2014. The report, entitled “Working for the Few,” revealed that the 85 richest people in the world controlled $1.2 trillion, the equivalent of the entire wealth of the poorest 50% of the world’s population. It is not just that the figures are staggeringly obscene but that the rate at which this is deteriorating is mindboggling. Since 1980, the share of national income in the U.S. going to the top 1% has doubled, going from 10 to 20%. For the top 0.01%, their income has quadrupled over the same period. Robert Reich, in his new documentary “Inequality for All” produced in 2013,
gives his own set of shocking statistics on the state of inequality in the U.S. specifically. He states that the U.S. is the most unequal society of all the developed countries in the world.
Why Has Inequality Been Growing? The Oxfam report indicates that the cause for the rise in inequality is the increase in the power of capital over labor since the coming to power of Reagan, Thatcher and the neoliberal regimes around the world in the 1980s. Robert Reich in his movie expresses this reality in other words when he shows that since around the 1980s, the productivity of labor has increased dramatically while wages have stagnated in real terms. Thus an ever increasing amount of the wealth created has been appropriated by the corporate owners and the wealthy investors at the expense of workers and the poor. Accompanying
the appropriation of more of the wealth by the top layer has been the policy of government austerity. Austerity is a seemingly benign word describing a war on poor people through cutting social benefits and services while reducing taxes on the rich and affluent. There are three mechanisms through which capital has increased its power over labor and thus produced gross inequality. First, there is the process of globalization, which sounds like a benign word and is often used to suggest that the world has become a global village. Globalization in the real world, however, has been about moving jobs from relatively high wage countries to low wage countries, in other words a race to the bottom. All the so-called free trade treaties have been the bludgeon to engineer this process. President Bill Clinton was one of the prime engineers of this process with the pushing through of NAFTA in 1994. The latest step in the race to the bottom is the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) “free trade”
agreement being pushed by President Obama. The second mechanism to secure most of the wealth for the few is technology and the continuing technological revolution. Oh, yes, technology has its wonders and marvels but its underbelly is that it is used as a job destroyer. Everywhere and in all sections of the economy, people are being replaced by machines, computers and robots. Soon there will be no cashiers in all our stores, no booth controllers on the interstates or tellers in the banks, just to name a few sectors. The process is relentless and is destroying jobs and increasing profits and wealth for the capitalist class. The third mechanism, alluded to above, is government austerity measures. The cry of government is that social benefits and welfare are unaffordable in the present climate. Taken together, globalization, technology and government legislation to eliminate social programs constitute a trifecta for the perfect storm of obscene inequality. (continued on page 11)
Pittsburgh Celebrates the New Economy (continued from page 1)
National new economy voice Gar Alperovitz will appear on Saturday, March 22, and at the NEWG’s Celebration events. A national thought leader and author of Rebuilding America: A Blueprint for the New Economy (1984) and most recently What Then Must We Do? Straight Talk About the Next American Revolution (2013), Dr. Alperovitz is Lionel R. Bauman Professor of Political Economy at the University of Maryland and cofounder of the Democracy Collaborative. His opinions frequently appear in national
media. You won’t want to miss his appearances! We’re inviting several practitioners in the Pittsburgh area from various economic and cultural backgrounds to help conduct panel discussions and workshops, and the format will encourage participation from everyone attending. We are also inviting businesses that take the new economy approach to display their wares or information in a New Economy Market. People or organizations who would like to exhibit merchandise, crafts, information, or posters please contact
Apply for a New Economy Catalyst Award: The New Economy Working Group will be making small awards to people, organizations, and/or businesses that are helping to make Pittsburgh’s economy more resilient through work in the energy, food and agriculture, business and finance, and craft or manufacturing sectors. These are suggestions, so anyone dedicated to new economy principles is welcome to enter their idea. Ideas may be complete, or proposed with a well developed plan. The major criterion is the direct demonstration of the new economy principles of resource efficiency, environmental sustainability, and creating shared value. Ideas and projects will be evaluated on the basis of: 1. Advancing new economy principles 2. Feasibility 3. Replicability or easy adaptation to other areas 4. Human scale (sorry, funding is limited) To qualify, a project should demonstrate the New Economy principles of economic and business practices in which people, communities, and the earth really matter! Projects can involve renewable resource use, urban agriculture, cooperative organization, locally made products, community -sustaining finance, and other approaches to New Economy progress. Examples are: • Energy: innovative community or individual solar, bike-powered services, incorporating energy production in everyday activities or objects. • Economic: committee to start a local currency/lobby for public community banks. Benchmark based on number of businesses/ nonprofits recruited to participate. An economic equity report card for businesses or governments. Community supported industry or light manufacturing (like the community supported agriculture model). • Food: urban farms, beekeeping and by-product crafts, an innovative local distribution plan, or DIY growing kits. Who knows what you’ll come up with? To submit your idea or to inquire about the awards, submit the form at: www.newgpgh.wordpress.com/catalyst-awards 6 - NEWPEOPLE
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Eric Wilhelm at ericbwilhelm@gmail.com to reserve
space. While we are honored to have Gar Alperovitz at the Celebration, it’s not all about him. It’s about you, and your neighbors, and civic leaders, and business leaders, to more intensively work together to build the kind of economy that is democratically owned and operated. Friday evening, March 21, and all day Saturday, March 22, activities will be at the Baker Hall Adamson Wing on the campus of CMU. See the complete events schedule at newgpgh.wordpress.com or elsewhere in this issue. Anyone interested in learning about the New Economy could read What Then Must We Do? Straight Talk About the Next American Revolution by Gar Alperovitz. On the Wednesdays of March 5, 12, and 19, from 8:00 p.m.to 9:30 p.m., the New Economy Working Group will host a book group open to anyone interested learning and talking about how we can build the New Economy in Pittsburgh. attend a book discussion organized by NEWG member
Eric Wilhelm. The book group will take place at the Big Idea Bookstore in Bloomfield and will also be posted on the Thomas Merton Center's online calendar. Anyone interested in helping to coordinate events and help with outreach for the New Economy Celebration in Pittsburgh is welcome to contact Ron Gaydos at newgpgh@thomasmertoncenter.org
Lastly, a creative and exciting event like this – let alone the Catalyst Awards – cannot happen unless we have some funding. We’re raising funds the old fashioned way, with a grant TMC’s New Economy Working from the David Berg Center for Ethics and Responsible Business Group is hiring a part-time at Pitt and a generous contribution organizer: from NEWG members Cait and The Thomas Merton Center, a local peace Charles Lamberton, and now and justice nonprofit, is looking to hire a partwe’re asking you, dedicated time community organizer for the Center’s New reader, to contribute what you can, Economy Working Group campaign. The as soon as possible. organizer will work to identify, develop, recruit, To make this easy, you could mail and mobilize a diverse group of members, or drop off a check to the volunteers, and coalition partners to assist in the Thomas Merton Center formation of a sustainable, cooperative, and noting NEWG on the memo, or democratic economic system in the Pittsburgh go to our secure crowd-funding area. This is a one year, twenty-hour a week site, run by a local company assignment, which pays $15 an hour and may housed in a renovated hardware include evening and weekend hours. For more store at www.crowdasaurus.com/ information about the position, please visit projects/495-new-economywww.thomasmertoncenter.org/newg-pgh-jobopportunity. Please submit your resume and
cover letter by Friday, March 7, to organizer@thomasmertoncenter.org
catalyst-awards . Any amount is
appreciated! Ron Gaydos is the New Economy Working Group events chair.
Gender-based Violence We, who make up the editorial collective, spent a long time discussing this poem. The problem was the language. We thought of our membership, and how some of us might respond to the words of this poem, a true story of two transgender people who were killed for who they were. We thought about freedom to be who you are, freedom to speak, and how the Merton Center has always stood for courage, freedom from fear, and how we ourselves have stood in the street and said the words that needed to be said. We decided to publish the poem, using some symbols to stand in for words that might keep a reader from understanding the poem… violent words they are, tiny warning lights on the path to the violence inflicted on these women.
CLOSE TO HOME —by Gabriella M. Belfiglio
for Stephanie and Deon and all the fierce girls who dare to be themselves
The head policeman, Sergeant Joe, said there was no evidence to indicate the murders were hate crimes.∗ When was the last time he walked out of his house in a dress and heels, scared of what people would do? When did he last have to feel that onerous weight of others’ eyes? Hear the hate that comes out of people’s mouths just for existing: “hey f****t wanna s**k my d**k?” How often does Sergeant Joe wonder which bathroom to use when he has to pee? Tell me, did he even see their lifeless bodies— pierced with at least 10 bullets each? Stephanie wore a heart-shaped locket with a picture of her mother, Queen, around her neck. Queen says everything she liked herself— Stephanie copied: leopard patterns, strong-scented candles, dabs of Chanel No. 5 on her wrists and neck, Stephanie even bought a silver vanity table, just like her mother’s. Why, WHY, would anyone have hated her child so much? Stephanie thought everybody was her friend. Notes next to the teddy bears and flowers flag the spot they were killed. One reads: Deon, I am glad that I had the chance to tell you that I accepted the fact that you wanted to be who YOU wanted to be. Love, Aunt Sharon I picture Stephanie getting braids woven down her back, picking out the perfect hot pink headband to match her nails. I can see her inviting Deon over to get ready together—teenagers trying out what color lipstick looks the best. I imagine them climbing into their newly bought black Camry careful not to mess up their hair. Half a block farther and they would have been home. Gabriella M. Belfiglio is a artist and teacher living in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has been published in Brooklyn Public Library’s Folio, Poetic Voices Without Borders, Lambda Literary Review, The Dream Catcher’s Song, Avanti Popolo, Folio (American University), The Centrifugal Eye, C,C,&D, Podium, The Potomac Review and other places.
One Billion Been Rising for Justice in Pittsburgh by Scilla Wahrhaftig We danced, we sang, we rallied and we raised our voices for justice against sexual abuse and in support of those incarcerated for protecting themselves from sexual abuse. Three hundred strong we came together at the Doubletree Hotel, joining people from 200 countries around the world to call for justice. The room at the Doubletree was colorful with banners, messages: “The Revolution starts at home.” “Let us dance to end violence, let us shake the earth into awareness” “We must be tender with each other so we can be dangerous together” The day started with a rally and march from the steps of the City County Building to the Doubletree calling for protection from sexual violence. Ka’Sandra Wade was killed last year by her boyfriend in spite of Pittsburgh Police going to the house in response to her call for help. It ended with a march to the courthouse to call for justice for Charmaine Pfender. Charmaine has been incarcerated for 30 years, since she was 19 years old, for protecting herself from a man who was attacking her. Because the man died she is now in prison for life. It is hard really to give an idea of the energy and feeling of unity that was generated at the
Doubletree Hotel. There were serious moments when we recognized those who had died after being sexually abused, those in the struggle who had gone before, when Ka’Sandra’s family spoke of the wonderful person she was and when Charmaine’s mother Donna spoke about her daughter. There were moments of beauty when we got to experience an Indian classical dance in support of women. Mythili Ramakrtshna performed this dance for One Billion Rising in India in 2013. There were moments when we called out for justice, in song, spoken word and chants. Finally we came together to sing and dance to “Break the Chains,” the theme song for One Billion Rising. “This is my body, My body is holy No more abuses We are mothers, we are teachers We are beautiful creatures… Break the chains” We danced to break the chains – Pittsburgh Been Rising for Justice joining One Billion around the world. Scilla Wahrhaftig is Program Director of the American Friends Service Committee PA.
Garfield Learning to Love Trans Women by K. Briar Somerville Local organizers of a January 5 event called “Transmisogyny in Queer Communities” screened several YouTube videos to prompt discussion amongst attendees from across a spectrum of genders. Some relevant vocabulary words: Misogyny means ‘hatred of women.’ Transmisogyny affects trans women; this population experiences the intersection of sexism and transphobia (fear, hatred, or prejudice against trans people). Trans women are “those who were coercively assigned male at birth and identify or are identified as women/ female.” According to Ida Hammer of the trans feminist Trans Women’s Anti-Violence Project and the New York City Dyke March: “Trans women
sexualized assault from law enforcement while incarcerated.”
At January’s Garfield event, a “Free CeCe” video explained the unfortunate situation of CeCe McDonald, a Minnesota trans woman who defended herself against an attack and was charged with second degree manslaughter and incarcerated. Since the event, CeCe has been released from prison. Videos from other trans feminist perspectives led to a group discussion of what to do next: Some wanted to form small groups to meet regularly and continue the discussion; others wanted to continue doing research about trans feminist strategies on their own at home. Others asked that people invest in existing queer service organizations like the Gay and Lesbian Community Center located downtown, the Persad Center in Garfield, and the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force in East Liberty. Some informed Pittsburghers brought up ongoing queer activist efforts, such as: the Free Chelsea Manning campaign; the movement in opposition to the University of Pittsburgh’s policy of expelling trans students for peeing in a bathroom that does not correspond to their legal sex; and the annual Pittsburgh TransDyke March. One of the trans women from Garfield pointed out that the traditionally underrepresented voices of trans women need to be actively included in community discussions, mainstream media, and organizational planning.
experience higher rates of physical and sexual assault, less advancement in education and more discrimination in hiring. They are more likely to be fired and denied promotions, more likely to do survival sex work or trade sex for housing and are more often affected by HIV. They are also more likely to have a court stop or limit their relationship with their children, are at K. Briar Somerville is a genderqueer member increased risk of incarceration, serve more of the editorial collective. time and experience greater physical and
March 2014
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War, Sex, and Gender Stop Sexual Assault in the Military, continued (continued from page 1) I thought we needed a local organization to back up national groups advocating for these women, including Protect Our Defenders and Service Women’s Action Network. The first place I turned to was the Thomas Merton Center. I called Diane McMahon and we called Scilla Warhaftig at the Friends Meeting House. With Scilla we planned a showing of The Invisible War to commemorate International Women’s Day in March 2013. That successful event launched our project, Stop Sexual Assault in the Military (SSAM). Thousands and thousands of rapes and other assaults every year could not occur without the broad complicity of the Brass, the Pentagon and soldiers who participate in or are aware of this sexual violence. Assaults could not have reached this epidemic level over decades without the complacency of Congress and the White House. We need to stir and mobilize public outrage to force effective legislation and the military’s compliance, so SSAM’s first goal is public education. Using The Invisible War as a powerful and unambiguous tool to get out the facts, we can put faces on the desperate urgency for change.
We are also now working with Tammy Ryan, who authored an amazing play on this issue, Soldier’s Heart. Tammy led us to the Bricolage Production Company. Together we’re creating an event for this coming March 8, International Women’s Day. It will feature excerpts from the film and play along with a panel discussion that will include a soldier and vet. It should be powerful. Of the 26,000 sexual assaults cited by the Pentagon in 2012, some 14,000 were against men, by men. This is astonishing to me. And the testimonies in The Invisible War by male victims are heartbreaking. Before joining up with Uncle Sam “to be all you can be in the army,” young guys, as well as young women, must become aware that one of the things they might well be in the army is a victim of sexual humiliation and gang rape. Only 3,000 of the 26,000 sexual assaults in 2012 were reported only 302 went to trial and only a small number of convicted rapists served any jail time. Survivors and their advocates say that the chain of command has a lock on the process of determining what claims get investigated, how rigorously, and if a prosecution should go forward. Often the attacker is
a superior officer or he knows the attacker and shields him, accuses the victim of lying, and often retaliates. It seems that commanders think that doing their job of “keeping good order and discipline” includes shutting up victims and preventing scrutiny of the sexual-assault-for-free policy in their units. Because of the military’s failure to convict rapists, servicemen and women and their advocates have come forward to demand that the handling of sexual assault cases be taken out of the chain of command and put into the hands of independent, trained legal personnel. A Senate Bill introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, the Military Justice Improvement Act (MJIA), does this. Some SSAM activists have visited with representatives of Pennsylvania Senators Toomey and Casey and some members of Congress. Senator Casey is a supporter of the MJIA, but Toomey is not. The MJIA bill could come up any day now, so we are asking people to call Sen. Toomey’s office and let him know that if he cares about U.S. troops, he should listen to them and support the bill they support, which is the MJIA. The Brass, Pentagon, President Obama and even
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Ginny Hildebrand is a founding member of SSAM and has been an active feminist since 1969.
Dismissed from the Jesuit community for his ‘obstinate disobedience,’ long time peace activist and author John Dear will speak at St. Mary of the Mount Church on Mt. Washington 5:30 on May 12 as part of his tour to promote his latest book, The Nonviolent Life. "How can we become people of nonviolence and help the world become more nonviolent? What does it mean to be a person of active nonviolence? How can we help build a global grassroots movement of nonviolence to disarm the world, relieve unjust human suffering, make a more just society and protect creation and all creatures? What is a nonviolent life?" These are the questions Dear poses in his new book. An internationally known voice for peace and nonviolence and author/editor of 30 books, Dear sets forth in The Nonviolent Life three simultaneous attributes that the nonviolent life requires: being nonviolent toward ourselves; being nonviolent to all people, all creatures, and all creation; and joining the global grassroots movement of nonviolence. Come hear Dear discuss his vision of nonviolence. His book will be available for purchase and Dear will sign copies that are purchased or brought. The book is published by Pace e Bene Press and can be ordered online at info@paceebene.org. Join us on Monday, May 12 at 7 pm St. Mary of the Mount Church in Mt Washington, Pittsburgh Contact: Joyce at 412-780-5118
programs — such as the cooperative in Kandahar — to improve the lives of the women. Bibi Rahella has broken cultural taboos and brought her young daughter of their to work. At 13 years, her daughter has blossomed into children, the a master seamstress. Khanungul, too, has been saved U.S. had failed by the co-op: for the first time her young sons and and lost their daughters are enrolled in school. But the bombs and trust – as had explosives continue. the Karzai In recent days President Karzai has refused to sign a government. security pact with the U.S., initiated secret talks with Without a the Taliban, and released sixty-five militants. Last security week a law passed both houses of the Afghan infrastructure, Parliament (which President Karzai has ten days to the women and ratify) barring family members from testifying against children have perpetrators of domestic abuse, including murder. Such A seamstress at work in Kandahar, very few developments, poised to reverse the gains of the past Afghanistan. Photo by Kalpana Biswas options. They decade as the U.S. troops withdraw, have sent shock speak of undergoing unimaginable hardships and abuse waves through the women’s movement. to remain bonded to the male members of their Frustrated by President Karzai, USAID has put some extended families — the only providers and protectors funding on hold, including to the co-op that employs to whom they can turn. Without a functioning Khanungul and Bibi Rahella. For the women, however, government or the checks and balances of a rooted their rights pale against the bombs. “When Mullah community, the men encounter few judicial or social Omar was leading this country, he was one blind man deterrents to modulate abusive or criminal behavior. and yet he had full control over the entire country with Khanungul, now 45, was sold by her stepmother to no assistance from the outside, and we were at peace,” her neighbor at age 5, and married to the family’s son says Khanungul. “Now with 40 nations here, America, by age 11. With adulthood, the husband drifted into Germany, France, and police at every street, how is it drugs, baccha baazi (pedophilia involving possible that this cannot be fixed?” Faced with the prepubescent boys), severe domestic abuse and daily barrage of bombings and dying children, the past neglect, of herself and her 13 children. This was under with Mullah Omar has begun to look rosy. the Taliban; she had no legal recourse. In 2006, when the Canadian forces mounted a major offensive in Kalpana Biswas is a documentary filmmaker based in Kandahar, her husband and married son were mistaken Pittsburgh. Her documentary film Jewels of for Taliban militants and shot dead. No compensation Kandahar is in post-production. She recently spoke was offered. in an event organized by the American Friends Since 2001, the international community has Service Committee PA on her experience in earmarked millions of dollars to fund community Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: In the Shadow of War by Kalpana Biswas The seamstresses in Kandahar fall silent as the music from a cell phone is interrupted by breaking news. They had heard four blasts in the distance earlier. Car bombs? Suicide bombers? Controlled military detonations? They listen anxiously. The newscaster reports suicide bombings in another province, and in Pakistan; no mention of the blasts. The music resumes, but the women remain deeply unsettled. Bibi Rahella (not real names), 30, a widow with three children, sews at a cooperative funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). She has no memories of playing or studying in her childhood; instead, of hiding, always hiding, to escape bombs and bullets. “Ever since I was a child there was a war going on. I don’t remember specifically which year, or which group was fighting which. I remember a lot of military tanks going by, always rockets and fighting. And we were moving a lot,” she says. Chronic terror, disease, death and displacement have shattered the lives of these women. Family members and friends vanish without warning - to different locations to wait out gun battles; to cities far from villages where the fighting is fiercest; to Pakistan or Iran for refuge or medical treatment. Young males disappear to escape arrests or conscription, leaving the women defenseless to feed their children. Last summer, I was in Afghanistan for several weeks interviewing and filming civilians to document the effects of war on everyday life. Most men, women and children I met were adrift, yet frozen in time — waiting to feel safe again; waiting to take control of their lives again. In their eyes, by failing to provide them with security and peace, to guarantee the safety
liberal Democrats like Claire McCaskill don’t want to disrupt the traditional chain of command and its sweeping powers. They claim it will weaken commanders’ authority in other crucial areas, like ordering soldiers into battle. They also argue that commanders ought to be able to do the right thing in sexual assault cases and relieving them of this duty is just taking the commanders off the hook. They’ve been let off the hook for decades. Mostly they’ve proven to be incompetent, incapable, or culpable. SSAM has discussed reaching out to high school students and campus ROTC programs and we’d like to help survivors get the help they need from the Veterans Administration, which has an abysmal record addressing the physical and deep emotional scars left by sexual assault. We can’t do any of this without more activists. We have a great core group that includes wonderful TMC interns. But we need more volunteers. We hope our spring campaign will help inspire people to move from outrage to action.
Activist & Nobel Peace Prize Nominee John Dear to Speak in Pittsburgh
Drone Warfare Left: “Freedom From Fear” t-shirt design by American graffiti artist Shepard Fairey (popularly known for his Obama “Hope” posters), depicting Tariq Aziz, a 16-yearold Pakistani killed by a U.S. drone. Proceeds from this t-shirt support the Unmanned college film screening tour.
Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars by Edith Bell The film Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars will be shown on Thursday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Friends Meeting House, 4836 Ellsworth Avenue, in Oakland. Robert Greenwald created this new documentary on the impact of drone strikes at home and abroad. The event is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee PA, Anti-Drone Warfare Coalition and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Pittsburgh. With this film the director joins the international effort to expose the financial and human costs of the U.S. military industrial complex. Interviews of victims, as well as of a former drone operator, document that innocent people are killed, not terrorists. as the U.S. media reports. It demonstrates the profit connection and gives pro and con drone arguments by politicians, academics,
military staff and activists. We are taken into the tribal areas in countries where the drones were dropped, putting human faces on the effects of these attacks. Footage of 16-year-old Tariq Aziz's life, his friends and family, his soccer play, his attendance of the conference and his death by drone two days later is shown. He was not a terrorist, nor a big value target, and being in Islamabad, he was easily accessible, which negates the three points used as arguments for drone attacks. Rafiq al Salam, a teacher, whose mother was killed by a drone, is interviewed , as are children in a hospital. Innocent people become victims, because the U.S. has to depend on local people for information on potential terrorists. They are often not reliable and might use the opportunity to take revenge on rival leaders. The drone strikes cause injuries and
death, destruction of infrastructure; fear and trauma at the sound of drones, but they also cause the survivors to want revenge, making enemies out of people who previously had no interest in harming the U.S. A former U.S. drone operator is interviewed and tells of his job and his psychological trauma.
The film also shows the profit side: corporations and universities who get billion dollar contracts to build drones and do research, creating jobs. Proliferation to other countries is discussed, manufacturing and possession of drones and its implications. The film ends with interviews with diplomats, academics, activists, concluding that military might is not the only solution. In Unmanned Robert Greenwald does an excellent job investigating the many concerns of the U.S. drone wars, looking at them from many perspectives. Edith Bell is the coordinator of the Pittsburgh branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
The National Security Agency's Role in Drone Strikes by Laura Victorelli Jeremy Scahill and Glenn Greenwald recently wrote an article entitled “The NSA’s Role in the U.S. Secret Assassination Program.” The article details the NSA’s use of geolocation for the tracking of drone targets. Geolocation, according to the article, is the use of metadata analysis, as well as cell-phone tracking to target suspected terrorist hot spots. The authors say, “Rather than confirming a target’s identity with operatives or informants on the ground, the CIA or the U.S. military orders a strike based on the identity, activity and location of the mobile phone a person is believed to be the owner of. According to Scahill and Greenwald, these drones are equipped with what are called, “virtual base-tower transceivers.” These devices create a sort of fake cell phone tower. This allows the NSA to track the cell phone usage without the suspected terrorists’ knowledge. This can track cell phones up to 30 feet of their exact location. This method has obvious drawbacks
as far as accuracy is concerned. According to the article, alleged terrorists have been switching cell phones, taking the sim cards out of their phones, or even allowed their young children and other family members to play on their electronic devices. This of course creates a huge problem when trying to track down the right person to kill. Instead of having intelligence on the ground, actually investigating the people being attacked by drones, they are basing it on cell-phone usage. It is not until after the attack has taken place that human intelligence investigates the scene to make sure the correct target has been hit. According to the article, approximately 273 civilian lives have been taken in Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, and most of all Afghanistan with drone strikes. Another big issue with this geolocation intelligence is that the people actually pressing the button and firing the missiles are not sure who is telling them to pull the trigger. They of course know that it must be coming from
somewhere within the government; but it could be the NSA, CIA, or even the executive giving the order. This is a great cause for miscommunication on the ground and within the government, as well. No one knows who to blame for civilian lives being taken in drone strikes because no one knows who has the last say when the attack takes place. Many people have criticized President Obama for the use of drone strikes, not only for their inaccuracy, but also for their de-humanization effect. Is he really the only one to blame, though? This could just be yet another example of what is known as groupthink within the United States Government. Groupthink is a phenomenon that occurs when members of a group lose their individual thoughts and ideas because of the views of the other people in the group. (For a well-known illustration of this, look up the “Asch experiment.”) Groupthink can be found in many points throughout our history. Many use the Bay of Pigs disaster and the War in Iraq as perfect examples of
groupthink. Could President Obama be under tremendous pressure from his advisors to give the okay on drones? It is hard to say. According to one anonymous JSOC operator quoted in the article, “I don’t know whether or not President Obama would be comfortable approving the drone strikes if he knew the potential for mistakes that are there. All he knows is what he is told.” It may be true that President Obama does not know the extent to the risk being taken by the United States military when implementing drone strikes, however, it does not seem likely. It is to be hoped that more information will be released to the public about the cruelty and de-humanization of drones, and the government will begin to feel pressure to change their ways. Laura Victorelli is an Anti-War/AntiDrone intern at the TMC. Laura attends the University of Pittsburgh and is a political science and international relations, as well as linguistics major.
Veteran Testifies that he Protested Drones to “Uphold the law” land - in this case committing crimes against peace, January 31, EAST SYRACUSE, NY—Excerpts from closing arguments testimony of Elliott Adams crimes against humanity and war crimes. Some have argued that our right to peaceably before Town Justice David Gideon regarding protesting drone flights from Hancock Airbase, NY: assemble and petition our government for redress is not
different way, maybe I could have heard. I do not want my brothers and sisters absolute; it does not mean I can do it anywhere, which now in uniform to be “Your honor, we are here before you as ordinary concerned citizens. Maybe we are citizens who feel the is of course well established. But surely no one would plagued by memories suggest we petition our government for redress to stop and guilt the rest of responsibility of democracy more strongly than the war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes their lives; memories average but still just being citizens. that could be avoided When I went to Hancock in October of 2012 I went against peace at the Salvation Army or at Starbucks. And, just as surely, no one would suggest we do it at if they only acted in to uphold the law, US domestic law, international law, the Post Office; while there are government officials accordance with the and US constitutional law. I believed and still believe there, they are not committing crimes. No, the only law now.” that I was fulfilling my rights, obligations, and appropriate place, and therefore, the constitutionality February— The responsibilities to uphold the law - by peaceably protected place is where there are government officials “Hancock 17” are petitioning my government for redress for the who are directly involved in and giving support to the found guilty of commission of war crimes, crimes against peace, committing of war crimes, crimes against peace and crimes against humanity, and inchoate crimes disorderly conduct Defendant Elliott Adams wearing two Veterans for Peace Patches: crimes against humanity. That Constitutionally incidental thereto and also to halt the commission of and acquitted of protected place must be Hancock Air Base. those crimes. trespassing. They And, lastly, I feel a personal need to inform my I was there also believing that key to the structure are each given 15 days in jail and defense of our republic is the balance of powers – brothers and sisters in uniform that they are and fined about $250. Elliott committing war crimes, crimes against peace, and that counter balancing triad of Administration, Adams is the last to be Legislation, and Judicial. Unfortunately the balance of crimes against humanity. sentenced. I know there were those who told me the war in powers in this nation is broken. The Administrative branch, from the President down Vietnam was illegal and I ignored them. But maybe if to Hancock Field Air Base, is ignoring the laws of the one more person had tried or if someone had tried in a March 2014 NEWPEOPLE - 9
War, Peace, and Faith The Most Senseless War in Human History Book Review: Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson (2013) by Michael Drohan 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I and one can expect, no doubt, a plethora of books and articles on this “most senseless of all wars” in the words of Scott Anderson. The tragedy of this war on so many fronts is almost beyond words. The claiming of the lives of 16 million people is but one aspect of the misfortunes it has visited upon humanity. Anderson’s book deals principally with but a small part of the conflict, but one whose outcome would lead to a century of wars, mayhem and dislocation. The part of the conflict Anderson deals with in great detail has been described as the “Great Loot” by which is meant the carving up of the carcass of the Ottoman Empire by the British and French imperial powers. Thomas Edward Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, who is the focus of Anderson’s book, believed that his participation in the war would result in the creation of an independent Arab nation only to be sadly deluded by the machinations of the imperial, colonial interests that dominated Great Britain and France in that conflict. Margaret MacMillan, the author of another recent book on World War I entitled The War that Ended Peace: the Road to 1914, states that “we still cannot agree on why it happened.” “Was it
caused,” she muses, “by the overweening ambitions of some of the men in power at the time?” She goes on to mention Kaiser Wilhelm II and his ministers in this context. Anderson, however, suggests that the Sykes-Picot Agreement, named for Mark Sykes of Great Britain and George Picot of France, junior advisors in the British and French governments respectively, revealed the real intentions and underlying interests the two main allies, Britain and France. The pact had secretly agreed on a new colonial division of the Middle East in the event of the defeat of the Ottomans in 1916. The existence of the Agreement only came to light when the Bolsheviks found a copy of the agreement in a trove of documents left behind by the Czar in November 1917. On this pact, Anderson asserts “no document could have more confirmed the Bolsheviks’ accusation that the slaughter visited on the earth over the past three years had been in the interest of temporal aggrandizement.” In the midst of all the secret conniving, T. E. Lawrence wreaked havoc on garrisons of Turkish troops with a motley crew of Arab Bedouin fighters. In particular, the rebels laid waste to the famous Hejaz railway that the Ottomans built from Constantinople to Medina. Although Lawrence knew of the secret agreement between his
government and the French, he still denuded the Germans of their African maintained the hope that the Arabs colonies and in the Middle East the would be given independence in the French took Syria and Lebanon and the event of an allied victory. Anderson British Iraq and Palestine. Anderson describes in great detail the month by quotes an American oilman, William month development of the struggle, Yale, who described the peace particularly between the Arab fighters conference agreement as “the prologue led by Lawrence and the Ottoman of the 20th century tragedy.” troops. Of Sykes and his infamous In an epilogue to the book, Anderson agreement, Anderson says “few people describes the Arab Spring of 2011 as the in history have so heedlessly caused so first time since 1918 that the Arab much tragedy.” people are having a say in its own future. In his book, Anderson also treats He adds “however many roadblocks are another tragedy, namely the intrigue that thrown up in its way, an element of civic resulted in the British decision to form a participation and personal freedom is colonial Zionist state in Palestine once being spawned that likely can never be victory over the Ottomans was achieved. boxed back up”. In those machinations, Chaim To say that World War I was a Weizmann, the future President of Israel, calamitous tragedy is a gross proclaimed “the Zionists had no understatement. Did the human race intention of trying to install a Jewish learn anything from it? The evidence state in Palestine at the end of the war suggests that we did not to date. In nor did they intend to start buying up World War II, the massacres and crimes land.” The truth, however, lay in the of World War I were repeated in spades. negation of his statement. Anderson’s book is a great contribution Anderson’s book is an extraordinarily to understanding the savagery of war and detailed account of the gory details of that war is definitely not the answer. the process of tearing apart the carcass of the Ottoman Empire. It was clearly a war Michael Drohan is a member of the of aggression against the Turks, as it was editorial collective and of the board of their lands that were invaded, occupied the Thomas Merton Center. and slivered up among the victors while they promised independence to the Arabs. In the Paris Peace Conference in —by Lita Kurth 1919, agreement on Around Milton, division of the Wisconsin spoils among The Rock River rises the victors was eats the sand from under the blacktop the principal activity. Britain Two Amish girls and France or Mennonite
Pittsburgh Muslims and Christians Building Common Ground by Joyce Rothermel What do I know about Islam? What would I like to know? How do I learn about Muslims? How many Muslims do I know personally? What would help me go forward beyond the stereotypes to build bridges? If you are a Christian and seek some insight about these questions, you are invited to participate in a spring conference by the Association of Pittsburgh Priests entitled: Muslims and Christians: How Do We Build Common Ground? The event will be held on Sunday, March 9 from 2 – 4 PM at St. Mary of the Mount’s Sullivan Hall, 131 Bigham Street in Mt. Washington. The goal in this conference is twofold: to learn more about Islam and to learn more about Christian responses to Muslims. The main speaker for the conference is Karen Hussaini. Her presentation is entitled: “Islam, the Quran, and Muslim Life and Spirituality.” Karen Hussaini is the leader of the Syed Farooq Hussaini Islamic Interfaith Network, an organization bringing people and communities together through respectful dialogue and action. 10 - NEWPEOPLE
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The suggested donation for the conference is $20. Checks can be made out to Association of Pittsburgh Priests and mailed to P.O. Box 2106, Pittsburgh, PA 15230. You can also register at assocpghpriests@yahoo.com and pay at the door. For more information about the conference, please contact Fr. John Oesterle at 412-232-7512 or johnoesterle2@gmail.com The Association of Pittsburgh Priests is a diocesan-wide organization of ordained priests and non-ordained women and men who act on their baptismal call to be priests and prophets. Its mission is to carry out a ministry of justice and renewal, rooted in the Gospel and spirit of Vatican Council II. Their general meetings are the second Monday of the month at 7 PM at Epiphany Administrative Center (next to the Consol Energy Center) in Pittsburgh. Joyce Rothermel is Chair of the Church Renewal Committee of the Association of Pittsburgh Priests.
COMMUNITY
In long, light Homemade dresses And white lace caps Enter the World’s Largest Culvers Restaurant Straight and clean Sisters perhaps They must have left their haying milking, sewing, jelly- making They eat and exit Past an employee Who washes smudges from the glass Their strong tan arms pick up the shovels Lying by a mountain of sand At the foot of the parking lot In dresses Calm, pristine they fill sandbags Side by side with men in jeans To save their neighbors’ houses and the World’s Largest Culvers Restaurant from the flood Lita Kurth is a member of the Working Class Studies Assocation, fiction and nonfiction writer, MFA Pacific Lutheran University, contributor to Tikkun, published in Blast Furnace, NewVerseNews, and others. A short-story, "Marius Martin, Proletarian" appeared in On the Clock: Contemporary Stories of Work (Bottom Dog Press).
Sisters and the System Maria Somma, the United Steelworker union organizer of the adjuncts. As nurses began The Privatization of Prison & the Prison of Privatization signing union representation cards, Corizon flew in a vice (continued from page 1) be checked daily. The sole work group president and a human resources Where the previous system assigned that was left basically intact was the Med specialist to hold a captive meeting with people to various stable working groups, nurses distributing pharmaceuticals to the staff warning them about the Sick call nurses, Diabetic nurses, Med inmates although meds were cut for consequences of joining a union. nurses, Intake nurses etc. with schizophrenic and bipolar inmates. In the meeting, Sister Barbara predictable schedules, Corizon began Corizon instituted an extremely responded to the corporate powers that if dismantling departments and forcing punitive labor relations system. Nurses people in the room wanted to truly nurses to move from group to group and were no longer allowed call-offs. Points discover what the unionization effort change schedules upon demand to plug were assessed against you whether you was about they could attend a meeting at holes in a system that grew chaotic. All were sick or subject to an emergency the USW. She was fired that evening. nurses were expected to do any task on situation or a family illness or funeral. With more than 50% of the nurses any shift with no consideration for Time off was refused without a month’s signing union representation cards, an family circumstances or experience with notice. election was scheduled by the National the assigned work. Another consequence of the prison’s Labor Relations Board for Friday Sister Barbara Finch, a long time private profit-making administration has February 14, Valentine’s Day, a day for activist with the Thomas Merton Center, been constant material shortages, even worldwide protests against violence served as a nurse on night turn. Barbara supplies such as bandages. Suppliers toward women. The workers voted 64-7 is a stalwart peace and justice advocate have been protesting to the county about to have a union and be represented by with deep family roots in unions, payments. The Post-Gazette reported in the United Steel Workers. member of the Religion and Labor December that the number of physicians County Controller Chelsea Wagner, a Committee, and advocate for universal serving the prison had dropped to onemember of the Prison Board, has been single-payer health care. She has walked third of the staffing many picket lines and participated in previously in place. many demonstrations for the rights of Constant disruptions other workers over many decades of in medication delivery engagement. prompted Deputy Corizon’s heavy handed labor policies Warden Monica Long caused the Sick Call nurses at one point to declare: “Staffing is to drop from five to one and Sister Barb at a crisis.” had to respond to the sick calls of 2,700 In response to the people. It was impossible to catch up, crisis and plunging especially since prisoners in detention staff morale, Sister cells for 23 of 24 hours were required to Barbara contacted
Sister Barbara Finch’s Union Struggle:
engaged and meeting with the nurses. Sister Barbara is being supported in this effort by her religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph, as well as a growing number of labor activists. Sister Barbara who has stood beside so many others in the struggle for justice in Pittsburgh, says “We have created a situation where more people are incarcerated than anywhere in the world. We have created huge social and financial costs by jailing non-violent offenders. We should be investing public resources in rehabilitation not imprisonment. But if we do incarcerate human beings, they should receive adequate health care and the workers who provide that care must be treated with respect for their professionalism and their labor.” Charles McCollester is a labor historian and author of The Point of Pittsburgh: Production and Struggle at the Forks of the Ohio.
Nun Gets 35 Months for Breaking Into Nuclear Storage Facility by Lisa Batarangs In 2012 an elderly nun and two peace activists were arrested after cutting fences to get onto the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where the U.S. processes and Sister Megan Rice (back center). stores enriched Photo and article credit The Knoxville News uranium for Sentinel. nuclear bombs. The activists were found guilty of sabotaging the plant and damaging federal property. In a ruling in February, Sr. Rice was ordered to spend 35 months in prison, her co-defendants have been sentenced to 62 months each. The judge expressed concern over the fact that the demonstrators showed no remorse. He also said that he doubted that the protesters had caused any real harm. Rice said in her closing comments “Please have no leniency with me . . . to remain in prison for the rest of my life would be the greatest gift you could give me.” (More about this case will be presented in the April New People.)
Economic Inequality - It Only Gets Worse
Cartoon by Russ Fedorka
only be achieved by workers and citizens committed to social justice working to reverse the power and control of capital. (continued from page 6) “Extreme wealth and inequality is speech, President Obama called Efforts to increase the minimum wage economically inefficient,” the report inequality one of the defining issues of and to advance the right of workers to What to do? continues, as it leads to less demand and our time and he promised to even to take organize are all integral to a struggle The Oxfam Report makes a number of slower economic growth. Moral or unilateral action where possible. While which will be mammoth if the trend is to arguments to show how bad inequality is moralistic arguments, however, cut very the promised measures will make minor be reversed. for society and humanity. “Extreme little ice with the masters of the inroads on the inequality issue, his wealth and inequality undermines economic universe. Appealing to the broader policies on so-called free trade, Michael Drohan is a member of the societies; it leads to far less social better nature of the affluent and proving specifically TPP, cannot but exacerbate editorial collective and of the board of mobility,” the report states. Again it that their wealth is deleterious to the inequality crisis. the Thomas Merton Center. proclaims “richer people are happier if humanity and the planet is by and large a More fundamental achievements in the they live in more equal societies.” dead end. In his State of the Union battle against inequality, however, will March 2014 NEWPEOPLE - 11
Fight the Fuel Leaks Activism to Protect Our Parks, Protect Our Water, & Protect Democracy by Wanda Guthrie It looks like not only our water, air, and soil are being contaminated, but our democracy as well. Advocate activists continue to say no, help those in need, and show up!
Protect Allegheny Parks: When Rich Fitzgerald was running for Allegheny County Council Executive his opponent, Mark Flaherty, uncovered email correspondence to the former Executive Director Kathryn Klaber of the Marcellus Shale Coalition. Two of the messages in those emails still resonate today. Rich said, “The Chief Executive of Allegheny County is the most influential political office west of the Susquehanna (sic). He or she sets the agenda for all of Western Pennsylvania. It is more important than a state senate, state house, or even a congressional race.” The other very short statement: “I need money and I need it fast.” Protect Our Parks (POP) will continue to question Allegheny County Council about fast decisions for fast money and the power of the Chief Executive to influence Council Members on something they may find themselves liable for in the future. The explosion and fire in Greene
County along Meet the Shadbush Environmental Justice Collective: with the underground gas line explosion that left a crater in the ground 60 feet deep by 50 feet wide, burning three homes, are giving rise to more serious concerns. Rich Fitzgerald has stated that Allegheny County would stand to County Council Meetings are twice receive about $100 million dollars in monthly, always begin at 5 p.m., and are revenue from fracking right outside the scheduled on Tuesdays. Please come and park. Where did this figure come from? ask questions on February 18, March 4, Will County Council be responsible March 18, April 8, and April 22. and can residents sue those who voted Contact your County Council Member for this measure? What about and ask some hard questions. For more homeowners insurance on properties information please go to close to these fracked wells? What about www.protectourparks.org and sign taking inventory of Deer Lakes Park and the petition or download a brochure. finding out just how much this park Spill in West Virginia: needs and the approximate cost? Are Environmental Justice Volunteer county council members relying on the Intern and Shadbush Environmental State Impact Fees to cover the cost of all Justice Committee Member Casey Pegg repairs for damages that are the fault of will be taking a hiatus to go to West the gas industry?
Virginia. He will be working with West Virginia Clean Water Hub which has been coordinating deliveries of water and needed supplies through direct response to requests from community members as well as establishing relationships with particular communities in need after the toxic chemical spill followed by 100,000 gallons of coal slurry that poured into eastern Kanawha County.
Shalefield Stories:
“Fracking is impacting the lives of families living in its shadow. It’s time for their voices to be heard. That’s why we’re supporting the Shalefield Stories project.” —John Rumpler, Senior Attorney, Environmental America Shalefield Stories has received a boost from environmental groups nationwide. The book costs $5 and can be purchased with an online Thomas Merton Center Project donation to Shalefield Stories. All proceeds go to providing water to 53 families without water in Washington County. Wanda Guthrie is the TMC Environmental Justice Committee Chair and a member of the TMC Board.
Life in a Sacrifice Zone: Gas Explosion and Train Derailment in Western PA by Wanda Guthrie In a recent Op Ed in the New York Times, Sean Lennon wrote that his father could have chosen to live anywhere, but he thought he chose New York because “being a New Yorker is not about class, race or even nationality; it’s about loving New York.” And we love Pennsylvania; West Virginians love West Virginia -- in fact, every bioregion on Earth is intimately tied to a bioregion that supports and sustains the well-being of their particular habitat. VANDERGRIFT, PA— Derailed train spills at Sean goes on to say, “Surely the voice of the ‘sensible center’ would least 3,000 gallons of crude oil in February. ask to stop all hydraulic fracturing so Photo credit The New York Times. that our water, our lives and our planet is seriously injured. The fire was could be protected and preserved for intermittently reigniting as children generations to come.” You would think. waited for the school bus and sat in their classes. The Department of A gas explosion: Environmental Protection (DEP) was When the community of Bobtown, checking the air with hand-held monitors Greene County, heard, felt, and for volatile organic compounds, but this witnessed the natural gas accident, the is tricky at best. They plan on taking air people, water, air and soil became one samplings a little further afield, closer to more sacrifice to the industry that homes and schools. promises much and continues to produce The PA DEP is seriously understaffed instant and lasting harm. In fact, if these and the three inspectors could not get go unchecked, these disasters will cause within 500 feet of the well pad. DEP the sacrifice of all life in the area and on Secretary Chris Abruzzo said it was Earth as well. “fortunate” that the nearest house was As I recount this story I ask you to about a half mile away from the remember that this fire was unable to be exploding drilling site, yet Abruzzo and controlled. It started at 6:45 a.m. on a Governor Corbett continue to defend Act Tuesday with a crashing boom that 13, the law that would allow gas well shook the whole area and produced pads and the attendant infrastructure to flames that shot into the air releasing be built just 300 feet from homes, smoke and fumes throughout the region. schools, day care centers, hospitals, or A special unit, Wild West, the only any other structure in Pennsylvania. responders who had the skills to put out A train derailment: the fire, arrived on a plane from Texas eight hours later. There still is no word On Thursday, February 6, a 120-car about a plan they will develop to cap the train carrying heavy Canadian crude oil well. One worker is missing and another derailed and spilled in Vandergrift, 12 - NEWPEOPLE
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Westmoreland County, Megantic, Quebec, killing 47 people and Pennsylvania, adding to a string of decimating much of the small town. recent accidents across the country. Much of the focus is on phasing out There were no injuries or fire when 21 older tank cars, known as DOT-111s, of the tank cars came off the track and that do not meet the latest safety crashed into an industrial building by the standards. These are prone to puncture Kiskiminetas River. This was pretty and fire during accidents. It is unclear lucky as 19 of the derailed cars were what type of cars were involved in the carrying oil, four of which spilled Vandergrift accident. between 3,000 and 4,000 gallons of oil. The two other derailed tank cars held Wanda Guthrie is chair of the TMC liquefied petroleum gas that did not leak. Environmental Justice Committee. After a series of accidents, federal officials said that the type of crude oil being shipped by rail from Canada through the U.S. to Texas refineries may be more flammable than other types of oil and should be regulated. This particular train contained Canadian oil and was on its way to an asphalt plant in New Jersey. This accident comes ahead of a Senate hearing concerning the safety of transporting crude by rail, a major political issue, but the hearing was delayed by snow. The accident was the second in less than a month in Pennsylvania. A train hauling crude on a CSX railroad jumped the tracks and nearly toppled over a bridge in Philadelphia on January 20. A train carrying Bakken oil from North Dakota last July derailed and The Thomas Merton Center is a proud consumer of TriEagle Energy. exploded in Lac-
Political Music History Parallel Lives:
So Long, Pete,
Pete Seeger and Dan Fine
It’s Been Good to Know You by Bette McDevitt He was sentenced to one year’s by Bette McDevitt The mainstream media has given wide imprisonment, but in May 1962, Seeger’s Dan Fine’s experience at Peekskill, coverage to the death of Pete Seeger, conviction was overturned. The court, in when he was a medical student at Yale, January 27, at the age of 94. It seems that its reversal, held that “. . . the indictment was to bring down the wrath of the he belonged to the world, not just the was defective government progressive left whom he supported with because it failed to upon him, as it music and his every act. The Thomas define properly the did to Pete Merton Center will celebrate his life with authority of the Seeger. a concert on his birth date, May 3. Local subcommittee to His recollection musicians will perform Pete’s songs. conduct the of the event 65 The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette gave us a hearings.” years ago is start in an interview with Mike Stout, Even before he vivid. “The first local political activist and musician, on was called before concert, January 29, two days after Pete’s HUAC, Seeger was scheduled for death. In this story, we’ll focus on unable to work August 27, Pete’s courage in the face of repression because of his 1949, did not and how his actions both paralleled and political beliefs. He PEEKSKILL, August 27, 1949— Vigilantes take place impacted people in the Pittsburgh area. was singing with wreck a car in a riot delaying Paul Robeson’s because a group Dan and Anita Fine, long time Merton the Weavers, at the performance. Photo credit Associated Press. of vigilantes Center members, shared some of the same peak of their destroyed the experiences as Pete Seeger, beginning popularity, when radio stations refused to site. Then, a week later, Sept. 4, as a with the Peeksill Corncert in 1949. Anita play their records and all their bookings public response to the right to assemble, remembers Pete coming often to were canceled. It would be the mid 60’s 20,000 people came from New York Brooklyn, where she lived then, for the before the television blacklisting was City and beyond. Pete Seeger organized Henry Wallace presidential campaign in lifted. it, and Robeson was the main 1949. Just before she met Dan, he was at During this time, Pete came to Oberlin performer. It was very well the famous Peekskill concert in 1949, College, where I was a student. As Pete organized. The Furrier’s Union, a very organized by Pete, where Paul Robeson said, quoted in the Smithsonian left wing union, and veterans of the and other artists performed to raise money Magazine, “I think it was 1953. I was Lincoln Brigade, established a security for the Civil Rights Congress to defend singing for $25 a day for a small private perimeter, on land donated by a farmer. left wing people. 20,000 people came for school in New York City. And I was “Around 2 p.m., the concert began, the concert, in the face of threatened keeping body and soul together with $25 and Robeson and Seeger performed. All violence. That violence materialized in a week; maybe I’d make another $25 on day long, a large number of people the form of rock throwing and Dan Fine the weekend. But then some students recruited by groups such as the was among the 100 injured. Seeger and from Oberlin asked me to come out. They American Legion spent the afternoon Robeson made it down the road lined said, we’ve got the basement of the art getting juiced up and making a pile of with rock throwers. department and we think if we pass the rocks. All the roads of egress were One car, according to a New York hat, we’ll make $200, so you’ll be able to blocked off except one and on both Times story, carried Woody Guthrie, Lee pay for the bus trip out. So I took a bus sides of the roads, people lined up with Hays, Pete Seeger, Seeger's wife Toshi out to Cleveland and they picked me up, huge piles of rocks. Cars got pelleted by and their infant children. Guthrie pinned a and sure enough we made more than that stones. And the State Police did shirt to the inside of the window to stop it passing the hat. The next year I sang in nothing, didn’t arrest or stop them. shattering. "Wouldn't you know it, the chapel for 500 people and I got $500. They were allies. Before the concert Woody pinned up a red shirt," Hays was And the year after that, I sang in the took place, there were many calls for to remember. Seeger used some of the auditorium, which had 1000 people and I police to provide protection. It took a thrown rocks to build the chimney of his got paid $1000. So that was when I long time to leave, and our group stayed cabin in the Town of Fishkill, New York, started going from college to college to behind to provide security. I had been a to stand as a reminder of that college. Actually, this is probably the friend of Paul Robeson Jr. from high incident. Pete wrote a song about the most important job I ever did in my life. I school. Robeson, Sr. was pushed down concert, called “Hold the Line.” introduced the college concert field.” so he could not be hurt. He made it out Both men, Pete Seeger and Dan Fine Many years later, I had an opportunity okay. My car windows were were called before the to thank Pete Seeger for completely broken. I got hit in the face. House Un-American opening my eyes, when he My upper jaw was fractured, and my Activities Committee, was in Pittsburgh for the eye was harmed. I had double vision. the raging witch-hunt Remaking Cities One doctor’s office was open, and he for Communists that Conference. I had stopped sewed up the laceration. It turned out poisoned the nation in at the William Penn that he was German. He said we had during the 1950’s; Hotel to make a phone brought this on ourselves. I spent the Seeger in 1955, Dan call, and there he was in whole time lecturing them that this was in 1953. They both the lobby, in his pea coat the beginning of fascism. We got an declined to answer the and Greek sailor’s cap, ambulance and returned to New Haven interrogatoin, based with his banjo, waiting to Hospital, where I was operated on for on the First go on a trip on the river. eye surgery.” Amendment, freedom His interest in cleaning up After finishing undergraduate school of speech and his own river, the Hudson, at Yale, Dan Fine served two years in assembly, and the was to become a hugely the Navy, before going to medical Fifth, the right to not successful project. I tapped school, He was at Peter Bent Brigham Pete Seeger “on the deck of the incriminate oneself. him gently on the Hospital as a medical resident and as a Clearwater, the sloop he built to The committee shoulder, and told him I Teaching Fellow at Harvard Medical raise awareness of pollution in the inquired whether wanted to thank him for School, when he received his subpoena Hudson river” —linnetmoss.com Seeger had performed coming to Oberlin, and to appear before the House Unfor the Communist Party and he replied, changing my life. He said “Oh, but I owe American Activities Committee, to be “I have sung for Americans of every thanks to Oberlin. I had nowhere else to asked if, as a student at the Yale political persuasion, and I am proud that I go at the time!” How very like him to be Medical School, “...he had participated never refuse to sing to an audience, no so modest. in Marxist studies or activities of young matter what religion or color of their skin, Communist organizations.” Dan said, or situation in life. I have sung in hobo “One of the main reasons I was called Bette McDevitt is a member of the jungles, and I have sung for the before the HUAC was because of the editorial collective. Rockefellers, and I am proud that I have concert at Peekskill.” never refused to sing for anybody.” Dr. Fine informed his superiors at
Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and Harvard Medical School that he had been summoned and that he intended to be uncooperative. The Dean of the Medical School urged him to cooperate with the House Committee and sent him on to see Dean Erwin Griswold, of Harvard Law School, who regarded himself as a champion of civil rights. “I met with Dean Griswold,” said Dan. “I again explained my position, and he harangued me about my egotism, my inflated conscience, and unimportance of my position, and the need to put the needs of Harvard above all else by cooperating with the HUAC.” The institutions at Harvard were not pleased with Dr. Fine’s appearance before the HUAC. When he defended his fundamental freedoms, he was reprimanded and punished. Although he was not fined or sent to jail, he was told by a committee at Harvard that he was “guilty of misconduct” and was told that he need never apply for a position again at Harvard. So much for Dean Griswold’s championship of civil rights. There was more to come, and another Pittsburgh connection. “When I was a HUAC witness, I was still a member of the US Naval Reserve. In the following year (I assumed as a belated consequence) I was asked to sign a ‘loyalty’ oath affirming that I was not a member of any of thousands of organizations on the ‘Attorney General’s List’ of ‘subversive organizations.’ Following my refusal, I was given an ‘Other than Honorable Discharge’ from the Navy dated 1954. Over the years I had repeated unsuccessful hearings before various naval boards trying to reverse it on constitutional grounds. Finally, toward the end of the Carter administration, a final appeal hearing opportunity was presented. I turned to the famous civil liberties constitutional law firm of Rabinowitz, Boudin et al (the father of Joni Rabinowitz, retired co-director of Just Harvest) for help and representation, and was assigned a young attorney Jules Lobel as my advocate. [Jules Lobel is a professor at University of Pittsburgh Law School, and president of the Center for Constitutional Rights.] Finally Anita and I met Jules at the Pentagon, and had a hearing before a board of bemedalled, beribboned Navy and marine officers. Jules presented and defended his brief to this unfriendly group and was questioned in detail, including about my Peekskill experiences. Many months later I received in the mail an Honorable Discharge from the Navy dated 1954.” Bette McDevitt is a member of the editorial collective. Her granddaughter, Jennifer McDevitt, did the research on both the Fines and Pete Seeger before the days of the Internet, when she was a student at Miami University, Athens, Ohio.
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Thomas Merton Center Activism TMC Lobbies in DC to Close the SOA by Lin, Yuhan Thomas Merton Center members will attend the “Spring Days of Action” with SOA Watch in Washington DC from March 31 to April 1, an action aimed at closing the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) formerly known as the School of the Americas (SOA). Since 1946, SOA, a U.S. Military Training Center in Fort Benning, Georgia has trained students from all over Latin America in various military and interrogation techniques; many of its graduates became notorious dictators, and they have applied those skills in a brutalizing war against their own people. Such inhumane action has harmed hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans through torture, rape, and assassination. SOA has been the target of criticism
from the broader public for several years now. Under such pressure, on January 17, 2001, the SOA renamed itself in order to distance itself from its own controversial historical background and the overwhelming public criticism. However, the savage actions have continued under this new name. What SOA’s graduates have done is not just the actions of a few “bad apples.” This is something that the U.S., a democratic society, should not be supporting. It is urgent to shut down the SOA in order to stop the further violation of human rights. The Thomas Merton Center, represented by our SOA Watch Chapter, has been protesting against the SOA for decades. Every year, members of TMC drive to Georgia to demonstrate, demanding the closure of the SOA. During the “Spring Days of Action,”
we lobby our Congress persons to pass bills for the closing of WHINSEC. On March 31st, we will attend a workshop on youth advocacy along with advocacy training, which will be led by SOA Watch’s advocacy coordinator, legislative organizer, and activists with decades of grassroots lobbying experience. It will be a great opportunity for us to meet with other activists in the nation as well as around the world, who share the same passion for human rights as we do. On April 1st, we will be lobbying on Capitol Hill in the early morning. We will meet the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania’s 14th congressional district, Michael F. Doyle, who is in favor of preventing violations of Human Rights generally. In 2007, he urged President Bush to uphold his promise of sending peacekeepers to Darfur to help stop the genocide there.
We are looking forward to addressing our concerns on SOA with him in Washington DC. It is hard to believe that in the 21st century, our country is still treating human beings with violence. We urge the suspension of tax monies going to the SOA. Our mission might not be fully accomplished within a day, but we are working on it, and we believe that there is a bright future if we pursue our objective with determination. Join us in DC on March 30-April 1. For information about transportation, contact Lin at the Merton Center, Tel: 412-3613022 Email: lynnyuhan@hotmail.com Lin, Yuhan is a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in political science and pursuing the Global Studies Certificate.
One Intern's Experience at the Thomas Merton Center by Russell Noble If you’re a college student interested in human rights, you’ve probably considered interning at the Thomas Merton Center. What makes the Thomas Merton Center unique is the freedom it offers its interns to pursue whatever they feel most passionate about. While Diane McMahon, the kind and affable managing director, will offer interns projects if they haven’t decided what they want to do, she is also very accommodating of their own interests. When I began at the Merton Center, I was unsure of exactly what interested me. When Diane told me about School of the Americas Watch, an activist group dedicated to shutting down a U.S.-based Latin American military training school, I researched the issue and agreed to do what I could to reinvigorate the Pittsburgh chapter. If you care deeply about one of TMC’s existing projects, there are several ways
you can involve yourself; if your passion isn’t represented by a project, nothing is stopping you from creating a new one. As far as job or graduate school applications go, the Merton Center provides many advantages. Thanks in part to my experience at the Thomas Merton Center, I will begin my first term at Harvard Law School in September 2014. My experience organizing and leading a Pittsburgh contingent to the national vigil at the gates of the School of the Americas was instrumental in my law school application. I was able to write my personal statement about a Costa Rican lawyer I met during a workshop at the protest. Having “Calculated costs, planned schedule, and recruited 9 activists for the protest of a military school in Georgia” on my resume certainly piqued the interest of my admissions interviewers. And of course, Diane, who supervised
and encouraged me throughout the School of the Americas project, wrote a glowing letter of recommendation for me. What’s more, if you take up a project at the Merton Center, you’ll learn plenty, mostly by educating others. By preparing presentations and speeches about the School of the Americas for legislative aides and Pittsburgh’s own activist community, I learned about the history, politics, and media attention that helped shape the institution. Delivering these presentations and defending my views honed my skills in persuasion and public speaking. Also, since a cause is nothing without a strong core of supporters, any intern at TMC is bound to build a large network of friends in the social justice community. It’s easy to while away your time at the Thomas Merton Center doing only office tasks (which are still important), but the Center offers much more than
that. The true value of a TMC internship lies in the vast array of projects vying for your attention and the many like-minded people equally enthusiastic about each. Whatever you want to tackle, whether it’s reproductive rights or environmental duties, policy in Homewood or Haiti, prison authorities or the Port Authority, every intern can find something she’s passionate about at the Merton Center. By acting on those passions, you build a strong foundation for success in any field. Russell Noble was an intern at the Thomas Merton Center and led the Pittsburgh chapter of School of the Americas Watch in the fall of 2012 and the spring of 2013. He is currently a senior studying Philosophy and Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh.
Become a New Person : Join this newspaper by K. Briar Somerville & Kenneth Miller Without many perspectives, this paper cannot reflect peace and social justice news that is relevant to the people of Pittsburgh, and without many volunteers, this free paper would not reach you at all. The newspaper you are reading is produced monthly by an open group of volunteers, interns, and staff who strive for consensus about the content we publish. The New People Editorial Collective wants your involvement. Here’s how you can help: 1. Join the New People Editorial Collective by attending our newspaper planning meetings. We meet twice a month at the Thomas Merton Center, a nonprofit social justice action center located at 5129 Penn Avenue, Garfield 15224. Upcoming meetings to plan the April New People are Tuesday, March 4 and Tuesday, March 18. (Meeting times can also be found on the calendar on page 16.) The news, cartoons, and poems in our publication are about labor rights, pacifism, civil liberties, the environment, human rights and more. Come exchange 14 - NEWPEOPLE
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ideas and help shape the content of the New People by suggesting stories and sources, or share with us your editorial and journalistic skills. 2. Become a New People distributor: Come help pick up bundled stacks of New Peoples at the Thomas Merton Center early each month and take them to places where they will be read (often libraries, places of faith, coffee shops, businesses, etc.). We need volunteers with access to transportation who are willing to deliver papers to stops that were part of previous volunteers’ paper routes. Last year the New People distribution team lost a dedicated volunteer with the death of Dave Thomas, who was a member of Veterans for Peace and regularly took newspapers to locations in Braddock, Swissvale, and local universities. One way we can honor his memory is to continue serving the communities he served. There are also sixteen stops in the Hill District in need of one or a few volunteers to deliver to them. In the last several months, these stops have been covered by rotating alternate
distributors. If you are unable to make a monthly commitment, consider volunteering to occasionally cover other people’s routes. Do you have ideas of places where you think the New People should be available? You can also contact us about starting your own new paper route. Some distributors take stacks of newspapers to events and show people articles related to the event published in the paper. Some distributors take the New People to work with them and initiate conversations about New People content with their coworkers and share industrial union organizing strategies. Because distributors get to go out and engage with readers of the New People, we often solicit the distributors for their opinions of the articles and encourage them to help cover the news. 3. Advertise in the New People at www.newpeoplenews.org/ advertise . About 3,000 copies of the
New People make their way to activists and communities around the Pittsburgh region each month. Many of these readers have an interest in supporting green, alternative, or locally owned
businesses. When you advertise in the New People, you get to reach this readership and support local independent media. 4. Submit content to the New People: Send your articles, poetry, photos, and events to the New People by filling out the form at www.newpeoplenews.org/submit. If you don’t have access to a computer, send mail to the New People at the Thomas Merton Center. 5. Subscribe to the New People by becoming a member of the Thomas Merton Center: See the membership form on the back page of this newspaper (page 16) for information on how to get the New People delivered to your home or email every month. For more information about how to get involved, call the Thomas Merton Center at 412-361-3022 or email newpeople@thomasmertoncenter.org
K. Briar Somerville and Kenneth Miller are members of the editorial collective.
Thomas Merton Center News Shirley Gleditsch, Building a Community of Love in the East End of Pittsburgh by Colleen Dougherty The 2014 Thomas Merton Center New Person Award will be given to Shirley Gleditsch, and The East End Community Thrift Store (EECT) family in recognition of their tireless dedication to the East End Community in Garfield. This annual award honors groups working for justice and peace in the Pittsburgh community and will be presented on May 22, at 7:00 at East Liberty Presbyterian Church in their social hall. Shirley, who founded EECT in 1993 with Kathleen Conologue, has been steady at the helm of this thriving TMC project since the doors opened. The idea behind “Thrifty” was to provide a reliable source of income for The Merton Center, while offering affordably priced clothing and household goods and a voucher program for those in need of these resources. Twenty-one years later, everyone agrees that was certainly one good idea! Shirley’s wit and dry sense of humor are trademarks of her personality, as is her tenacity, all handy attributes for a person running a hectic, all volunteer neighborhood store. Her older brother Robert had Shirley figured out at the age of five, advising their mother, “Mom if you want Shirley to do something, just tell her to do the opposite.” Shirley was raised in the Pittsburgh area, and attended Langley High School, wonderful years of opportunities and friendships that have lasted a lifetime. Her teenage summers centered around counseling in church camps. She recognized early on that she reveled in the camaraderie of working with people in groups, especially youth, and that she loved the outdoors. She majored in music education at Grove City College, then embarked upon a career directing church choirs and teaching Christian Education. For ten years she was the Youth Director at Third Presbyterian Church in Shadyside. In 1954 Shirley married Bill Gleditsch, who became a Presbyterian minister. They spent much of their married life in Warrendale. where they served others in parish congregations and within the larger community. Eventually, Shirley began professional work in sheltered youth programs. She and Bill became foster parents to two teenagers, Judy and Michael, who forever remained a part of their family. The children and Bill have all passed away. Shirley is now the proud grandmother of ten. During the 1980’s Shirley was a member of the Pittsburgh North People for Peace in Wexford. She grew increasingly concerned by the immorality of nuclear weapons and the U.S. government’s unconscionable policies in Central America and was
eventually led to the activism of The Thomas Merton Center. The work of the Center inspired her and became her own. In 1995 she took part in the Peace Train, an historic journey of women activists from around the world, who went by train from Finland to China, taking their concerns about injustice to the Non-Governmental Organizations Forum. Twice Shirley ventured to Nicaragua and Honduras with Witness for Peace delegations. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Thomas Merton Center and as interim Acting Director. She counts many of the distinguished activists who have led, nurtured, and worked within TMC throughout the years among the people she most admires. In her eyes they stand beside Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Dorothy Day. A bio of Shirley must mention that she has been a car salesperson, a restaurant owner, and the proud collector of over 200 giraffes. And if you’re a baseball aficionado, well, ya gotta talk to Shirley! You can find her behind the counter at Thrifty directing the myriad tedious tasks required to organize the donations flowing in from the community and of course befriending the latest soul that crosses the threshold. Shirley credits the many others who make Thrifty tick, particularly Dolly Mason and Shawna Hammond, her intrepid co-managers. While delighted with the success of the store, she finds even more satisfaction in how its become a warm and wonderful neighborhood gathering stop, an outreach of love and connection and how “the store gives many people an opportunity to serve others.” Nothing matters more to Shirley than friends, and she enjoys a wealth of deep and abiding friendships. “The people I feel close to have always been the people that are doing things, since I was 12 or 13.” After 50 years in the woods of Warrendale, Shirley is settling into her new house in Garfield. “I love it!” she laughs. “I love city life. I feel like I’ve come home.” Her shortened commute to work and to her beloved place of worship, Community of Reconciliation in Oakland, where she is a lay minister, has added untold hours to her week. It’s anyone’s guess what she’ll do with them. When asked if Thrifty is the accomplishment she’s most proud, without hesitation she replies, “No. It’s just what I am doing now. There’s so much to do. We can’t just sit around.” Colleen Dougherty is a community advocate and long-time volunteer of the East End Community Thrift Store.
In Memoriam: Three
Civil Rights Leaders Who Changed the Face of Our Community by Molly Rush I joined Catholic Interracial Council [CIC] in Pittsburgh in 1963, where I was fortunate to meet some extraordinary leaders, two of them CIC board members. At 27, I was a neophyte to social action and learned so much from their example. Three of them died within three weeks of one another. Sister Mary Dennis Donovan died January 7th. Beyond what appeared in the January New People, she was very active in CIC, a leading figure in educating and advocating against racism, including racism in the Catholic Church. Elise Bennett and her late husband, Major Richard Bennett, were a team. An officer in the military, he was a speaker for CIC and she worked to organize our events.
Their leadership and grace as African Americans was so impressive. Much has been been written in the paper about Wendell Freeland, who, among many other activities, led the Urban League of Pittsburgh and, with the late Rev. Leroy Patrick, ended segregation at the Highland Park Pool. I got to know him through the Allegheny County Council on Civil Rights, an impressive Coalition of community and organizational leaders. Since I was available during the day I represented CIC on the council. They were all people of courage whom I greatly admired.
Molly Rush is a co-founder of the Thomas Merton Center and cochair of the editorial collective.
Update from the TMC Board President by Mary Jo Guercio will be recognized for their tireless Although Punxsutawney Phil and the dedication to the East End Community in other prognosticators are predicting six Garfield. The annual award honors weeks of winter, I am excited to know groups working for justice and peace in Spring is “just around the corner”! the Pittsburgh community. Shirley and The snow, cold temperatures and bad Thrift Store supporters will be presented road conditions have not stopped the with this well deserved award on May board of directors, staff, members, 22, at 7:00 at East Liberty Presbyterian volunteers and other social conscious Church in their social hall. I hope to see individuals from trying to ensure we stay you at the event and join me and the staff the path of implementing the principles and board of directors as we honor of peace and social justice. Shirley and volunteers of EECT for their In the January edition of the New tireless work in providing a much needed People I wrote briefly about the strategic service to the community. and tactical goals of TMC. This month I Recently, TMC was granted a three would like to take the opportunity to year grant from The Pittsburgh update you on some of the activities Foundation. The award is for $15,000 taking place in order to meet those each year, for the next three years, will goals. The three items are: the enable TMC staff, specifically, Marcia community organizer, the New People Snowden, Intern and Office Coordinator, award and the TMC internship program. to mentor, supervise and train the interns Over the past two years TMC placed as they embark on their careers in the much of its energy on stabilizing the social justice field. organization by placing time and Special thanks to the following interns resources in developing a strong and for their help this semester: Jessica Au, healthy infrastructure. Lix Dennis, Mae Elias, Kasey Jones, Diane McMahon, the Managing Qing Li, Zi Li, Megan McGill, Shawna Director, as well as the Board of Porter, Justin Sewak, Junwei Shen, Directors of TMC worked very Hannah Tomio, Samantha Wechsler, studiously to develop work and advisory Yizhou Wu, Lin Yuhan, Xiaoyuan Ze. groups to help TMC build a structure that Interns are vital to TMC, and the will enable our organization to thrive as community. The students are currently we move forward. enrolled in undergraduate and graduate Now that the infrastructure is on a programs from many of the local colleges better foundation, TMC is excited to and universities. The current students expand its capacity by hiring a part-time, come from diverse backgrounds and 20 hour per week, community organizer. bring energy, new perspective and talents The job description has been developed as they learn, with hands-on and vetted through the standing experiences, the issues of social, committees of the board of directors. At economic, environmental and human the board of directors retreat held in right justices. January, it was decided by consensus, We are grateful to The Pittsburgh that the New Economy would be the Foundation for their generosity and focus area for the community organizer. commitment to improving the lives of Given the many issues concerning the individuals in the greater Pittsburgh treatment of the working poor, the area. We are excited to have bright, unemployed, healthcare for all, and fair energetic and committed interns. Please and equal treatment of female join me in welcoming them to the TMC workers, the community organizer will community! be very, very busy for the next year! Mary Jo Guercio is the President of the As you may already have heard, Thomas Merton Center Board. Shirley Gleditsch, and The East End Community Thrift Store (EECT) family March 2014 NEWPEOPLE - 15
March Pittsburgh Activist Calendar Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Regular Meetings:
Saturday
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South African activist/ musician Hugh Masekela’s 75th Birthday Tour. 7 pm at the New Hazlett Theater
Cesar Chavez Day: “There is no such thing as defeat in non-violence.” —Cesar Chavez
Women’s Herstory Month: “One is not born a woman, one becomes one.” —Simone de Beauvoir
Book’Em: Books to Prisoners Project First three Sundays of the month at TMC Contact: kurbaga@comcast.net Women In Black Monthly Peace Vigil 2nd Sunday 10 to 11 am, Ginger Hill Unitarian Universalist Church, Slippery Rock Anti-War Committee 3rd Sunday at 1:30 pm at TMC, 5129 Penn Ave., Garfield, PA 15224 Anti-Drone Warfare Coalition 3rd Sunday at 1:30 pm at TMC
Mondays: Association of Pittsburgh Priests 2nd Monday, 7—9 pm, Epiphany Administration Center, Uptown
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LGBTQ Christian Workshop 12pm – 6pm St. Brendan's Episcopal Church, 2635 McAleer Road, Franklin Park
Rally Against Union Busting at UPMC 11am-12pm 600 Grant St., Pgh., PA
New People Editorial Collective Meeting: 10am at TMC
Memorial for Father Don McIlvane 6:30 pm, Providence Heights Motherhouse, 9000 Babcock Blvd., Allison Park, PA
(March 6-9) Kinks, Locks & Twists: Env’tal + Reproductive Justice Conference @ CMU, 5000 Forbes Ave, Pgh, PA. Visit: www.kinkslock
Tri-State Sustainability Symposium 8am-5pm Temple Univ. Performing Arts Center, Philadelphia, PA
Stop Sexual Assault in the Military 3pm—5pm Bricolage/ Fifth Wall Theater, Downtown
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Pradeep Indulkar’s High Tower Film Screening 7pm at CMU’s Porter Hall
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Muslims and Christians Build Common Ground 2pm4pm at St. Mary of the Mount’s Sullivan Hall, 131 Bigham Street in Mt. Washington
LGBTQ Homeless Youth and Young Adults 5:30– 8pm @ CLASS, 1400 South Braddock Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15218
Film Screening: Standardized (How Testing is Ruining Public Education) 5:30-7:30pm @CMU’s McConomy Auditorium, 5000 Forbes Ave., Oakland, Pgh., PA 15213
SWPA Bread for the World Mtg. 10am-12pm 204 37th Street, Suite 201, Lawrenceville
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Bowling Extravaganza for Protectors of Mingo (Coalfield Justice) 1-4 pm Legacy Lanes, 5024 Curry Rd., Baldwin, PA 15236
The State of Pgh Public Schools Community Dialogue, 6-8:30 pm @ East End Coop Ministries, 6140 Penn Circle North, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
New People Editorial Collective Meeting: 10am at TMC
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Film Screening: Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars 7:30-9:30pm Friends Meeting House, 4836 The Theology of Ellsworth Ave, Peace, 12:10— Pittsburgh, PA 1:15pm, CityCounty Building (9th floor), 414 Grant St., Pgh.
Thursdays: International Socialist Organization Every Thursday, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Thomas Merton Center GlobalPittsburgh Happy Hour 1st Thursday, 5:30 to 8 pm, Luke Wholey's Grille, 2106 Penn Ave, Strip District Green Party Meeting 1st Thursday, 7 to 9 pm, 2121 Murray, 2nd floor, Squirrel Hill Black Political Empowerment Project 2nd Thursday, 6 pm: Planning Council Meeting, Hill House, Conference Room B TMC Potlucks! Are on occasional Thursday evenings. Interested in having one on an issue that’s important to you? Contact: mcmahond@thomasmertoncenter.org
Film Screening: Triple Divide (about fracking) 10:30am -12:30 pm, CooperSiegel Library, 403 Fox Chapel Rd, Fox Chapel
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Placing Humans and Society in Relationship with the Light of the Gospel 12:10—1:15pm, Wellness Meets City-County Pgh's Built Building (9th Environment floor), 414 Grant 12–2 pm Rivers St., Pgh. Club, 301 Grant St., 4th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA
New Economy “Green Drinks” Networking, 5-9pm @ Map Room, 1126 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square, PA
New Economy Celebrates with Gar Alperovitz 2pm-8pm Frick Fine Arts Building and CMU’s Baker Hall, contact: <newgpgh@ thomasmerton center.org>
D-Jam 2014 (Benefits the Greater Pgh Food Bank) 7:30 pm @ Rex Theater,1602 E. Carson St. South Side, Pittsburgh, PA
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Urban Green Growth Collaborative 5:30-8:30 pm Kingsley Center, 6435 Frankstown Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force’s 28th Annual Benefit 6-10 pm @ The Twentieth Century Club 4201 Bigelow Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15213 www.patf.org
PETE SEEGER TRIBUTE CONCERT: Saturday, May 3, 7:30 pm First Unitarian Church, Shadyside Featuring local social activist singers like Anne Feeney, Ginny Hildebrand, Mike Stout, and more!
Subscribe to The New People by becoming a member of the Thomas Merton Center today! As a member, The New People newspaper
Watch your TMC e-blast for details on a Young Adult Activism event!
Mail this form and membership donation to: Thomas Merton Center, 5129 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15224
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will be mailed to your home or sent to your email account. You will also receive weekly e- Select your membership level: __$15 Low Income Membership blasts focusing on peace and justice events in __$15 Youth / Student Membership Pittsburgh, and special invitations to mem__$50 Individual Membership bership activities. Now is the time to stand for __$100 Family Membership peace and justice! __$500+ Cornerstone Sustainer Membership Join online at www.thomasmertoncenter.org/join__Donation $____________________________ donate or fill out this form, cut out, and mail in. 16 - NEWPEOPLE
Wednesdays: Human Rights Coalition: Fed-Up! Every Wednesday at 7p, Write letters for prisoner’s rights at the Thomas Merton Center Darfur Coalition Meeting 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 7-9 pm, 2121 Murray Ave., 2nd Floor, Squirrel Hill. 412-784-0256
stwists.org/ register/
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Tuesdays: Women of Men Incarcerated Network 2nd Tuesday, 7:30-8:30pm, St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 18 Schubert St., North Side
March 2014
Fridays: Hill District Consensus Group 2nd Friday, 10 am — 12 pm, Elsie Hillman Auditorium, Kaufmann Center 1825 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Amnesty International #39 2nd Friday, 7—9 pm First Unitarian Church, Morewood Ave. 15219
Saturdays: Black Voices for Peace Vigil to End War, Every Saturday, 1—2 p.m., Penn Ave. and Highland Ave., East Liberty Citizens for Peace Vigil Every Saturday, noon to 1 p.m., Forbes Ave. and Braddock Ave. Project to End Human Trafficking 2nd Saturday, Carlow University, Antonian Rm #502 Fight for Lifers West 3rd Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 pm, Thomas Merton Center Save the date: Monday, May 12 at 7:00 pm John Dear’s The Nonviolent Life book signing tour visits Pittsburgh at St. Mary of the Mount Church in Washington. Co-sponsored by the Thomas Merton Center. Contact: 412-780-5118
Or Become an Organizational Member:
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