October 2012 New People

Published by the Thomas Merton Center

PITTSBURGH’S PEACE & JUSTICE NEWSPAPER VOL. 42 No. 9, October 2012

OCCUPY PITTSBURGH INSERT

Published by Occupy Pittsburgh

Trans-Pacific Partnership Protest Taken at the Allegheny County Court House— Rally Against the New Voter ID Law

Courtesy of DemocracyNow.org

Voter Registration Deadline - Oct. 9, 2012 If you are not registered to vote, or have moved since you last voted, or have a name on your photo ID that does not agree with the name on your voter registration card, please act quickly to register to vote for the November 6 elections!

The deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 9! It is one of two opportunities available each year to be heard through the election process!

If you do not have a photo ID as of this printing due to a change in the law in Pennsylvania, you will need one in order to vote in November. Your photo ID must be current and include an expiration date. For the latest information or if you have problems getting a free ID, call 866-687-8683 or visit www.aclupa.org/voterID. Continued on page 14

Issue No. 8, October 2012

Featured 

A New Economy



Medea Benjamin



Voting Deadline

Correction to September New People Article “Duquesne Adjunct Profs Unionize” the author was Jeff Cech not John Haer.

Courtesy Citizen.org

PASSIONATE AND MILITANT FOR PEACE

by Francine Porter

peace and social justice arena. The Big Idea Bookstore will be offering several of the books “WE MUST BE AS PASSIONATE ABOUT Benjamin has authored at an informal book PEACE AS OUR COUNTRY IS ABOUT signing after the dinner. Plans are also underway WAR.” - Medea Benjamin for Benjamin to speak on The University of Pittsburgh Campus, the afternoon of November On Thursday, 8th, through kind sponsorship by the Women's November 8th, at Studies School and the Graduate School of 6 P.M. at The Public and International Affairs.

Sheraton Station Medea Benjamin is an American political Square, activists activist, best known for co-founding Codepink and members of and the fair trade advocacy group Global the peace and Exchange.

Benjamin also was a Green Party social justice candidate in 2000 for the United States community will Senate. The Los Angeles Times has described gather to her as "one of the high profile leaders" of the celebrate The peace movement, and Benjamin was included in Thomas Merton San Francisco Magazine as being on the "power Center's 40th Anniversary and honor long time activist Medea list" of the "60 Players Who Rule the Bay Area."

Benjamin worked for 10 years as an Benjamin by presenting her with the Center's economist and nutritionist in Latin America and Peace and Social Justice Award.

Africa for the United Nations Food and The major fundraiser for the Thomas Merton Agriculture Organization, the World Health Center is sure to be a spectacular evening of Organization, the Swedish International celebrating the efforts of the progressive Development Agency, and the Institute for Food community, and a chance to hear Benjamin share and Development policy. Continued on page 11. her experiences, knowledge, and insights in the TMC 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.

October 2012

NEWPEOPLE - 1

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THRIFTY needs volunteer truck drivers...if you can help please call Shirley, Shawna, or Dolly at (412) 361-6010.

From left to right: Linda Loar, Dolly Mason, Becky, Shawna and little John Romeo, Shirley and Sarah, pose for a picture at Thrifty during a busy afternoon at the store!

TMC Board of Directors Rob Conroy, Kathy Cunningham, Michael Drohan, Patrick Fenton, Carol Gonzalez, Mary Jo Guercio, Wanda Guthrie, Shawna Hammond, Edward Kinley, Jonah McAllister-Erickson, Francine Porter, Molly Rush

TMC Standing Committees of the Board of Directors Board Development Committee Recruits board members, conducts board elections Building Committee Oversees maintenance of 5123-5129 Penn Ave. sites Membership Committee Coordinates membership goals, activities, appeals, and communications 40th Anniversary Committee Plans and oversees activities to celebrate TMC’s 40th year of service Editorial Collective Plans, produces and distributes The NewPeople newspaper Finance Committee Ensures financial stability and accountability of TMC Personnel Committee Oversees staff needs, evaluation, and policies Project Committee Oversees project applications, guidelines, and policies Special Event Committees Plans and oversees TMC fundraising events with members and friends

TMC COMMITTEES & PROJECTS Anti-War Committee info@pittsburghendthewar.org www.pittsburghendthewar.org Association of US Catholic Priests Fr.Survil@EmbraceAllOflife.us Book‘Em (Books to Prisoners) bookempgh@gmail.com www.thomasmertoncenter.org/bookem CodePink (Women for Peace) codepinkpgh@aol.com, 412-389-3216 www.codepink4peace.org East End Community Thrift Shop 412-361-6010, shawnapgh@aol.com Economic Justice Committee economicjustice@thomasmertoncenter.org

Pittsburgh Campaign for Democracy NOW! 412-422-5377, sleator@cs.cmu.edu www.pcdn.org Pittsburgh Works! (labor history documentaries) connections05@hotmail.com Roots of Promise 724-327-2767, 412-596-0066 rootsofpromise@gmail.com (Network of Spiritual Progressives) spiritualprogressives.pgh@gmail.com Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition jumphook@gmail.com; www.pittsburghdarfur.org Urban Arts Project mbbpgh@yahoo.com

TMC AFFILIATES 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 Amnesty International info@amnestypgh.org www.amnestypgh.org The Big Idea Bookstore 412-OUR-HEAD www.thebigideapgh.org Black Voices for Peace Gail Austin 412-606-1408 CeaseFirePA

http://www.ceasefirepa.org info@ceasefirepa.org

Global Solutions Pittsburgh 412-471-7852 dan@globalsolutionspgh.org www.globalsolutionspgh.org

Pittsburgh Committee to Free Mumia 412-361-3022, pghfreemumia@gmail.com Pittsburgh Cuba Coalition 412-563-1519 lisacubasi@aol.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

Citizens for Social Responsibility of Greater Johnstown Larry Blalock, evolve@atlanticbb.net

School of the Americas Watch of W. PA 412-371-9722, soapittsburgh@gmail.com

Haiti Solidarity Committee jrothermel@gpcfb.org 412-271-8414 www.thomasmertoncenter.org/hs

United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) 412-471-8919 www.ueunion.org

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

Urban Bikers urbanbikes@yahoo.com

Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Martha Connelly (412) 361-7872 osterdm@earthlink.net

Voices for Animals voicesforanimals@gmail.com 1-877-321-4VFA

Fight for Lifers West 412-361-3022 to leave a message fightforliferswest@yahoo.com http://fightforliferswest.mysite.com

Progressive Pittsburgh Notebook Call 412-363-7472 tvnotebook@gmail.com www.progressivepghnotebook.blip.tv

Human Rights Coalition / Fed Up (prisoner support and advocacy) 412-802-8575, hrcfedup@gmail.com www.thomasmertoncenter.org/fedup

Westmoreland Marcellus Citizens Group/ Roots of Promise 724-327-2767 murrysvillemarcellus@gmail.com

Marcellus Shale Protest Group melpacker@aol.com (412) 243-4545

The Pittsburgh Totebag Project P.O. Box 99204, Pittsburgh, PA 15233 www.tote4pgh.org

Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network 412-621-9230/office@piin.org

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Eva 412-963-7163 edith.bell4@verizon.net

Whose Your Brother?

412-928-3947 www.whosyourbrother.com

Pittsburgh Area Pax Christi 412-761-4319

Interested in getting more involved?

Contact the emails / phone numbers above.

marcellusprotest.org Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Community Alliance 412-867-9213

2 - NEWPEOPLE

October 2012

Veterans for Peace Icwheaties@aol.com

ACTIVISTS in the NEW ECONOMY “New Economy” Comes to Town. Oops! It’s Already Here!

by Molly Rush Sometimes ideas come together so that it’s almost inevitable that you’ll pay attention amidst the clamor of issues, protests, elections and dayto-day living. That’s how the “NEW ECONOMY” hit me.

First, I listened to Gar Alperovitz’ keynote speech at the Green Party convention on Democracy Now. He’s an economist I’ve long admired. He spoke about “transforming the most powerful corporate capitalist system in the history of the world” He went on to say that there are “10 million people involved in worker-owned companies.

One hundred thirty million are involved in coops and co-op credit unions... 40% of society.

Four or five thousand neighborhood owned corporations, thousands of social enterprises.”

He recommended a website, Communitywealth.org “(Where) you will find thousands of things that are happening on the ground that change the ownership of wealth and begin to green the economy, and it is part of the new deal that we’re going to build forward as we go on through the decade.”

Next, Sarah Byrnes, who was our CBC campaign intern ten years ago, came to visit family here. Turns out she’s working with the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) for Chuck Collins. He gave a talk on inequality for CBC back in 2001 when he was with United for a Fair Economy. His latest book is “99 to 1: How wealth inequality is wrecking the world and what we can do about it.”

Sarah and Church are working with - guess who - Gar Alperovitz! on the New Economy, bottom up initiatives in local communities.

The New Economy Working Group is composed of Institute of Policy Studies, YES! Magazine, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), the Living Economies Forum, and the Democracy Collaborative.

They write that the real solution to our economic, political, social and environmental crisis “requires a thorough system redesign to give priority to serving the real needs of people, community, and Earth's living systems.

Widespread public outrage creates an opening to reframe the public debate on economic policy choices and the assumptions underlying those choices about values, the proper purpose of our economic institutions, and the potentials of our human nature.

The basic design elements of the real wealth living economies we humans must now create are largely known. Indeed, millions of people are already engaged in local initiatives that are bringing the needed new economies into being.

It remains, however, to weave together the known elements into a holistic, coherent, and compelling vision of the possibilities at hand, translate that vision into a coherent policy agenda, and build public support through popular education and media outreach.”

(See neweconomyworkinggroup.com) I decided to convene a meeting at the Merton Center. Sarah agreed to return to discuss the New Economy, its potential in Pittsburgh, and her project, “Resilience Circles,” small groups of people who come together to learn about the economy, provide mutual aid and do social

action. IPS provides training for facilitators.

On September 11, 14 people met with Sarah to discuss the concept of a New Economy and ways to gain a clearer understanding of the many people involved in diverse projects and economic campaigns that are already active in our area. Think cooperatives, community gardens, green projects, reclaiming neighborhoods like Larimer or One Hill, for just a few examples.

The hope is that we can begin to meet with them, learn more about what they’re doing, and discover ways to facilitate that weaving together needed to develop that holistic and broader vision that can engage and move the broader community into action.

Pitt Social Work Professor Tracy Soska described this as a year of learning and engagement. Several concrete ideas grew out of this meeting: train two facilitators for Resilience Circles; invite local speakers to discuss their

work at a series of potlucks; do a field trip to Cleveland where a lot is happening; arrange a larger program in the spring with Chuck Collins and a local panel; begin a mapping project to research and disseminate information on local initiatives; hold a conference with Gar Alperovitz as a keynote speaker later in the year.

You are welcome to join the discussion at the meeting on Tuesday, October 9, 10 a.m., at the Merton Center. Please RSVP to molly.rush@verizon.net.

Will Vermont Have a Single Payer System?

by Paul Ricci On a Wednesday night I was at a meeting of the Western Coalition for Single Payer Healthcare (a group in Western PA campaigning for a national single payer plan to be enacted). The subject of state efforts to enact single payer system came up. I said that there were efforts in several states to enact it and Vermont passed it two years ago. A member objected saying that Vermont's plan is not single payer because it's administered by Blue Cross. This made me ask myself what a single payer system is.

I looked at the Vermont for Single Payer website and they do have a definition saying that "health care” is financed by the public, whose money is managed by the government or by a government-sanctioned agency... (the full definition can be read at their website vermontforsinglepayer.org/ what_is_single_payer).

If the government of Vermont indeed has sanctioned Blue Cross to administer their plan in a nonprofit capacity, then it does meet their definition of single payer.

As TR Reid in the documentary “Sick Around the World” (it can be seen here that there is considerable variability in health care systems around the world. Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands have systems which are administered by private insurers but heavily regulated by the government.)

Does that count as single payer? According to Vermont, yes.

Canada, the United Kingdom, Cuba, and Taiwan have healthcare systems which are administered directly by the government. This I believe is the type of single payer system which those at the Western PA Coalition would prefer. While there are good reasons to be suspicious of the intentions of Blue Cross or UPMC, we won't really know how it works until it is fully implemented.

We do have working models in other nations for universal non-profit systems, They are all good systems with outcomes comparable to Canada's. The commonwealth fund has studies which show that their health and cost outcomes are roughly equivalent with the U.S. forprofit system trailing.

I go to discussion groups like Drinking Liberally where many on the left do not really understand what single payer is.

They ask me questions like "Doesn't Massachusetts already have it?" I tell them no, because it leaves the for-profit nature of the current system intact which drives up the costs.

Paul Ricci is a statistician with a background in public health. He manages the website for PUSH-Healthcare 4 All PA (www.push-hc4allpa.blogspot.com).

October 2012

NEWPEOPLE - 3

Faith and Activism The Duquesne Adjuncts and Vatican II

by Charlie McCollester

interdependence of person and society, along with the necessity of promoting the common As we approach the 50th anniversary of the good. It strongly recognized the limitations of an opening of the Vatican II Ecumenical Council individualistic ethic. “Profound and rapid this coming October 11, we believe that it is both changes make it particularly urgent that no one, appropriate and necessary to question and ignoring the trend of events or drugged by challenge recent assertions by Duquesne laziness, content himself with a merely University that it should be granted a “religious individualistic morality. It grows increasingly exemption,” from the sanction and procedures of true that the obligations of justice and love are U.S. labor law in order to block adjunct teaching fulfilled only if each person, contributing to the faculty’s ability to organize, form a union, and common good, according to his own abilities and collectively bargain. The university’s position is the needs of others, also promotes and assists the particularly painful given Duquesne’s acceptance public and private institutions dedicated to of unions outside the academic disciplines, its bettering the conditions of human life.” history of promoting unions and labor education This brings us to the heart of the matter. In in the past, and especially the legacy of discussing the principles governing economic life Monsignor Charles Owen Rice, one of the as a whole the Council asserted: “Among the university’s most influential graduates and basic rights of the human person must be counted namesake for an annual endowed lecture on the right of freely founding labor unions…

Catholic social teaching. without risk of reprisal.” The document asserts The Second Vatican Council represented a that this fundamental right to a freely organized confident and robust attempt by the church to labor organization is rooted in the need for “the confront the world in a spirit of generosity and active participation of everyone in the running of tolerance and thereby transform the world into a an enterprise…workers themselves should have a more peaceful and just place. Sadly today, it share also in controlling these institutions, either seems that sexual and financial scandals, in person or through freely elected delegates.” combined with the influence of powerful Justice cries out for Catholics who still affirm reactionary financial interests, have combined to the spiritual optimism and joy of Vatican II to shrink the scope of Church teaching and make it consider the state of full time adjunct faculty at complicit in the growing global and national Duquesne and other local institutions. A full time economic inequality - today more extreme than at adjunct with an advanced degree teaching a full the time of the council, at levels not seen since faculty load of eight classes in two semesters will the Great Depression. The Second Vatican earn less than $25,000 a year and not receive any Council called for vigorous efforts “to remove as health care benefits. Given the steadily climbing quickly as possible the immense economic costs for students, the tuition money paid by a inequalities which now exist.” single student for a single class will pay the The Council’s pastoral constitution “The adjunct’s remuneration for teaching the same Church in the Modern World,” asserts the

Sr. Anne Montgomery dies

as divine obedience, rather than civil disobedience. The term ‘disobedience’ is not appropriate because any law that does not protect and enhance human life is no real law.”

Tiny, courageous and determined, she and I were the only women who participated in the Plowshares 8 action in 1980 at GE in King of Prussia, PA. I believe that our presence, a nun and a mother of six, made clear that this was no macho action, but an act of faith and hope that nuclear weapons could be abolished.

In the 1970s Anne taught at the Street Academy of Albany, where she experienced the challenges faced by the poor and people of color. In 1975, she went to East Harlem to work with school dropouts. May she rest in peace.

Molly Rush is a member of the Thomas Merton Center board and one of the Plowshares Eight.

Woody Guthrie Celebration and Sing-along Above: Sr. Anne Montgomery

With Performer Doug Morris

(Source: Society of Sacred Heart of Jesus web site www.rscj.org)

by Molly Rush Sister Anne Montgomery, RSCJ, who died at age 85 on August 27, served two-months house arrest last year for her sixth Plowshares action.

She served as a witness to peace in the 1990s in dangerous conditions in Iraq, the West Bank, Hebron and the Balkans with the ecumenical anti -war nonviolent Christian Peacemaker Teams.

Anne once explained her peace activism this way: “Civil disobedience is, traditionally, the breaking of a civil law to obey a higher law, sometimes with the hope of changing the unjust civil law. … But we should speak of such actions 4 - NEWPEOPLE

October 2012

Sunday October 28, 7:00 pm.

Pittsburgh Metro Area, Postal Workers Union

Hall, 1414 Brighton Rd, Pgh. Pa 15212.

Free will offering to benefit Merton Center.

Contact: (412) 361-3022

class. Classes are normally authorized for a minimum of ten students, so the worker’s share is 10% or often substantially less. President Dougherty’s salary is $552,000 a year. Does this give evidence of Catholic character?

What makes this situation more acute is that many if not most of these young teachers are carrying enormous debt loads as a result of the cost of a university education growing at twice the level of inflation for decades. How do these young faculty, teachers of the future generations of Catholic educated professionals, speak with a straight face about Catholic social teachings about economic justice?

This brings us to the issue of religious freedom and intellectual freedom in a Catholic institution of higher learning. Apparently Duquesne feels so insecure about the issue of intellectual freedom that it has to maintain the club of employment-at-will over the head of every adjunct. They are defining it as a question of power. It should be a question of negotiation between the elected representatives of the teachers who work for them and the administration. Explicit attacks on Catholic teaching by university employees in the classroom might be subjects for disciplinary action under a union contract. Full, free and balanced discussion of ethical and social issues, however, is a hallmark of a true university.

Charlie McCollester is a member of the editorial collective and a renowned local labor historian.

UPDATE: The adjunct faculty vote decided for USW union representation. Duquesne University has pledged to continue to oppose them.

Faith, Politics and Power: The Catholic Church Today

by Joyce Rothermel If you like this title, then you will want to come to hear the presentation by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend on Tuesday, October 16, at 7:30 PM, at the Kearns Spirituality Center located at 9000 Babcock Blvd. beside La Roche College and behind the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Divine Providence. Just in time for the election, Ms. Townsend's talk will offer a message of hope and spiritual renewal!

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and daughter of Robert Kennedy, is the author of "Failing America's Faithful: How Today's Churches Are Mixing God with Politics and Losing Their Way." At the Kearns Center, Ms. Townsend will discuss the main themes of her book and suggest a way forward for Christians. She envisions a transformation embracing the peace and justice issues of our current era as intrinsic to the life of the Christian.

The talk by Ms. Townsend is the second in a series presented by the Association of Pittsburgh Priests. A suggested donation of $15 is requested. The third presentation in the series will be made by Bishop Thomas Gumbleton on "The Challenge of Peace in a Violent World.” It will be held on Monday, November 19, at 7:30 at the Kearns Center. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Sr. Mary Joan Coultas at 412-366-1124 or kearnsscl@pghcdp.org.

Joyce Rothermel is Chair of the Church Renewal Committee of the Association of Pittsburgh Priests.

Education, Partnership and Activism Education, a Basic Human Right

by Scilla Wahrhaftig “Education is a basic human right. Everyone should have the opportunity to go to school to learn and to feel safe while doing it,” states Maya Rosen, part of the American Friends Service Committee.

“I work with the most amazing kids in the world and the only thing that stops them from having a great life is opportunity and the only thing that stops them from getting opportunity is their zip code,” said Chuck Slayton, Counselor at Oliver High School.

Our education system is a totally two-tiered system with those that can afford it or have influence getting the sort of education that we all would want for our children, while the others get an education that is basically racist.

The youth from the AFSC, PA Racial Justice

Through Human Rights Youth Group have been looking at the disparity in our education system, and they approached the Youth Media Advocacy Project about doing a video about their concerns.

Each youth was interviewed for the video along with other educators in the area. The trailer for the video can be viewed at: afsc.org/video/educationjustice-pennsylvania.

What the youth and others interviewed clearly show are the racial disparities in the system. This was highlighted when they compared disparities between the suburban schools and their own inner city schools. The suburban youth talked about being issued two sets of books; one to have at school and one at home for homework, while the city schools are lucky if they have one set and are always short of supplies. Libraries, gym facilities, art and music were all totally inadequate in the city schools if not nonexistent, while the suburban schools had excellent facilities.

Within the city schools there are discrepancies as well. The all-black schools have fewer programs, facilities, and materials than those that have a mixed population. As Chuck Slayton says, it is all about zip code. Seven of the youth in the first year of the

Racial Justice Through Human Rights will have their schools closed down by the end of this year.

Raven Moore commented, “It hurts when your school gets shut down… you feel that nobody cares about you.”

Governor Corbett and our state representatives are in the process of deciding on the budget, and there are going to be massive cuts to the schools and education. This will set our school system back even more than it already is. The future of our children is at stake.

When you learn about civil rights and schools and you learn about how many fought so that different groups of people could sit in the same classroom together and learn the same things and you think about today and how unequal it is and people aren’t taking any notice. We are just taking a large step back and we should be moving forward.

Scilla Wahrhaftig is Program Director for the American Friends Service Committee PA.

The Power of Partnership

by James Kunz Unlike members of most other labor unions, the Building Trades usually go to work knowing that they are working themselves out of a job.

They build things and once the construction of a building, bridge or road is completed, the job ends, and unless the employer has another project to move you to, you are laid-off. These are great lifetime careers but they often require the worker to move from job to job and often from employer to employer. Yet knowing this, the Building Trades craft person still shows up with the work ethic, training, and productivity to allow the contractor to complete the project within budget and on time. It is this professionalism that often sets union construction labor apart from the nonunion competition. When the contractor is able to deliver a successful project it ensures that they are in a position to continue to effectively bid on future work that will provide continued employment for the building trades members.

The Western Pennsylvania building trades unions and their contractors have developed a partnership committed to bringing the highest standards to the industry. Like many partnerships we don’t always agree and occasionally argue, but we recognize that if we work together, both can benefit. The contractor can make a profit and the union tradesmen and women can have steady employment, earning a decent living with benefits.

It starts with a joint commitment to safety and training. The Building Trades Unions each provide state-of-the-art apprenticeship and journeyperson training programs which are jointly managed by labor and management. Here in Western Pennsylvania, the trades spend more than $11 million a year on training and safety which is funded by both labor and the employer. This training is consistently being updated to meet the demands of the industries in which the contractor and union members work. For example, over the last several years, the Building Trades have partnered with their contractors to develop and update a wide variety of green construction classes from solar hot water heating to wind generation to use of recycled materials to the use of biodiesel fuels and this will continue as green building construction grows in the region. These highly successful partnerships result in the best trained and most capable work force necessary to produce the high quality of work that makes the contractor successful.

In addition, we have partnered with the employers to provide the pension, annuity, health

care, and other benefits which the Building Trades member receives. These funds are also jointly managed by labor and management and allow Building Trades Union members to build a pension and maintain health insurance as they move from job to job and employer to employer.

Besides providing good benefits for the worker, these jointly managed funds have also helped finance many projects in the region by investing in funds that were created to provide loans and investments for local construction projects. These projects create jobs for the contractors who employ Building Trades Union members and also offer a financial return to the pension funds that invest in it. These funds are typically advised jointly by labor and management.

Finally, much of the work that the Building Trades and their contractors do is influenced by politics. Whether it is funding for roads and bridges or other infrastructure, tax incentives or other legislation to attract development, or

responsible legislation and regulation to both protect and sustain our environment while growing the use of the regions many energy sources, the Building Trades and their contractors have found common areas of interest to jointly engage in effective political action that benefits both the union member and the employer.

At a time when the labor movement is under constant attack, the cooperation and partnerships that have been developed over the years between the Western Pennsylvania Building Trades and their contractors continue to create a unified construction industry that will allow both to continue create economic opportunities that benefit everyone. To learn more about applying for the apprenticeship programs, which take in new people every year, look at their website, www.buildersguild.org/careers/ apprenticeships.htm.

James Kunz is the Business Manager of International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 66.

Occupy YOUR Education System NOW!

by Jonathon Clark Mass student protests in Quebec, adjuncts organizing in Pittsburgh and throughout the country, a trillion dollars of student loan debt, public school closings, and most recently a massive teacher strike in Chicago, the United States’ third largest public school system! Battle lines are drawn for a struggle between those who would turn our education system into a commodity that promotes corporate needs and those who want a system that belongs to the people and promotes the welfare of society.

Occupy Pittsburgh is putting together a teach-in that will bring together the many issues and disparate struggles within the education movements under the umbrella of the Occupy Wall Street movement and its focus on the 99% vs. the 1%. The teach-in will be held at the University of Pittsburgh on November 10th. Check in begins at 9:30. An opening discussion will bring us together in the struggle for educational democracy. It will include speakers on student organizing, teacher/worker organizing, and student debt. A free and democratically controlled education system is fundamental to a healthy society. It is our goal to organize a space to create immediate solutions and actions to take this crucial aspect of society back from the corporations who currently dominate it.

There will be break out groups that will focus on specific themes facilitated by a speaker on that issue. They will be designed for participation,

collaboration, and movement building. Some topics to be addressed include the role of unions, resisting tuition costs, student organizing, the role of students and the community, and challenging the rise of student debt, local, national, and global education struggles, and confronting the lack of ethnic, racial, and economic diversity in higher education.

Although much of the focus will be on college issues, there will be multiple discussions on issues facing high school students, workers, and community members. A free lunch will be provided.

Following the break out sessions a final plenary will bring everyone back together. A final action is being planned by the Occupy Pittsburgh Action Working Group. Please attend if you are new to these ideas, worried about what is happening to our education system, and interested in learning and helping shape solutions! Don’t just vent about how much your student loans are. Now is the time to fight back. Our city is not exempt from these challenges and must be organized in mind and body to resist.

What: Occupy Education System Teach-In. Jonathon Clark Our is a member of the Occupy Pgh. Education WorkingNovember Group, Pittsburghers for at When: Saturday, 10 check in starts Public Transit & the International Socialist Org. 9:30 am.

Where: Kurtzman Room, the William Pitt Union

What: Our System Teach-In Source: http://Education at theOccupy University of Pittsburgh thealiensinmybaseWhen: Saturday, November 10; check in at 9:30 a.m.

Contact:ment.tumblr.com Jon at Clark at jhclark1984@gmail.com Where: Kurtzman Room, the William Pitt Union at the for more information.

University of Pittsburgh.

Contact: Jon 984@gmail.com for info.

October 2012

NEWPEOPLE - 5

Activists Focus on Mother Earth Environmental Protection for the Common Good The Merton Center signs the Chambersburg Declaration Wild Law, Local Sovereignty, the Rights of Nature, and Democracy Schools

by Wanda Guthrie The Thomas Merton Center recently signed the Chambersburg Declaration, a document that redefines and strengthens the rights of individuals and local communities as well as the rights of nature. This is a call for a Pennsylvania Constitutional Congress.

When large corporate polluters come to town with development plans that could threaten community health and viability, local governing bodies that want to keep them out often discover that their existing ordinances and laws leave them with no protection. But with the help of an innovative non-profit organization things are beginning to shift.

The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), a non-profit Pennsylvanian law firm, collaborates with communities to prevent them from becoming unwilling victims of corporate pollution.

CELDF’s innovative strategy has already helped dozens of government bodies, including the city of Pittsburgh, draft and pass rights-based ordinances that promote local sovereignty and the rights of nature. The ordinances establish local self-government and “the people’s authority and consent,” and specify that “corporate entities…shall not enjoy special privileges or powers under the law which make community majorities subordinate to them.”

Some ordinances go beyond the rights of people to recognize the rights of natural communities and ecosystems, stating that they also possess “fundamental rights to exist and flourish.” Local residents are also granted legal standing to enforce the rights of nature on behalf of those natural communities.

CELDF’s services are in such demand that they founded the Democracy School, which trains elected officials and others on how to effectively assert their rights and pass local ordinances. They will be conducting a Democracy School for the Thomas Merton Center Board of Directors. We hope to sponsor many more Western PA two day Democracy School Trainings.

Though Western jurisprudence has made great strides in human rights and responsibilities toward one another, the rights of the rest of the Earth Community is largely ignored. As we move toward a wider understanding of rights, we are challenged to govern in a new way that respects the inherent rights of all members of a diverse and often unfamiliar Earth Community.

The idea is to govern ourselves in a restrained and respectful way that contributes to the health not just of humans, but to wider ecological communities.

As Cormac Cullinan writes in his landmark book, Wild Law, “the ultimate source of jurisprudence and of law shifts out of the homosphere and beyond human control…it follows that human jurisprudence is embedded within, and bounded by, the larger and more significant Great Jurisprudence.”

The goal of shifting our colossal governance structures to a new philosophical framework is an ambitious one. Yet there are many promising initiatives taking hold all over the world. In 2008, Ecuador became the first country with a constitution that recognizes the rights of nature.

“Nature, or Pacha Mama, where life is reproduced and occurs,” the new constitution reads, ”has the right to integral respect for its existence and for the maintenance and 6 - NEWPEOPLE

October 2012

On Behalf of the Spiral

by Danielle Maggio

regeneration of its life cycles, structure, functions and evolutionary processes.” Other initiatives, just as Bolivia’s “Law of Mother Earth,” and the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, an international document that was birthed in 2010, indicate a new momentum for recognizing the rights of the Earth Community.

One fresh example can be seen in the ongoing work to expand the ideas inherent in the Public Trust Doctrine that has been emphasized

by Canadian scientist Maude Barlow. She sees the potential for this doctrine, which is still a part of United States common law, to stand for the broader principle that Earth’s fundamental elements – its air, water, minerals and soil – must be protected for the common good.

Curse the bigots who tied the witches to the dunking stool — acabussade Sisters drowning in their sex, strapped to an illfitting cage prepare as they always have to be penetrated in all her secrets

Wanda Guthrie is Chair of the Environmental Justice Committee. She offers a special thanks to Liz Marshall, attorney for Genesis Farm.

The astronomers Name the microscopic strings of energy they can’t find but know are there, anti-reason Magik is for the freaks

Wild Law Saturday Potluck/Book Study begins November 3 at TMC.

Green Your Money

by Wanda Guthrie Erin Pischke is leading the way to Green Your Money by closing his bank account at PNC. He has handed out 450 leaflets and is withdrawing his money from the Squirrel Hill Branch as part of a state-wide level; by the Earth Quaker Action Team, a faithbased organization working to build a just and sustainable economy through nonviolent direct action. He needs your help! Contact Erin at pischkee@duq.edu.

The current campaign of Green Your Money is BLAM! (Bank Like Appalachia Matters!), a strategic effort to get PNC Bank out of the business of financing mountaintop removal coal mining. The group’s intention is to shine the light on PNC, one of two primary financiers funding this devastating surface mining practice that has destroyed over 500 mountains and 2,000 miles of river and streambed in Appalachia. Green Your Money is the newest initiative of the BLAM! campaign, dedicated to organizing individuals, faith communities, and other organizations to close their bank accounts with PNC. The group recently completed a 17-day, 200-mile walk across Pennsylvania from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, taking their campaign to a statewide level.

Wanda Guthrie is Chair of the Environmental Justice Committee of the Thomas Merton Center.

“Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul.”

Thomas Merton

Curse the institutes (mind locked in tense building) who expropriated the magical virtue from the body I am not this discipline.

“The body had to die so that labor-power could live.” Silvia Federici.

Curse the authorities who snatched the hanged bodies and handed them to the anatomists Be weary of laboratories where ‘knowledge on the body is gained’ while the practitioner is executed

The sharper tool we need is our own awakened selves. replenish the commons dance to each other know your instruments If you can’t make love don’t argue about it Measure time as it is measured by the solar system: either creating or destroying Occupy Pleasure Town the line between lovers and comrades is annihilated, drenched in the secret sauce (drift) A psychic break is necessary for survival, so is dissent.

Danielle Maggio is a Preschool teacher and museum educator at Children's Museum.

UPMC UNION ORGANIZING

by Kenneth Miller The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) here in Pittsburgh has put in an all out effort to organize three of Oakland’s largest UPMC hospitals. For months, 10 - 20 organizers have been on the ground leafleting, charting, house calling, and meeting. There are nearly 7,000 workers at these three hospitals and organizing them all into the union requires talking to all of them, advising them of their rights.

UPMC has been fully engaged in an antiunion campaign for many years, and this year’s SEIU campaign has caused them to increase their efforts. At Magee Women’s Hospital, nurses in the cancer ward have anti-union literature posted in their bathroom stalls. UPMC is offering better than usual raises this year.

There are meetings where the boss does antiunion presentations. Workers are speaking up and challenging the anti-union assertions their bosses are making in these meetings. Some workers are exercising their free speech rights at work and talking about the union on the job.

With 7,000 workers involved in this union effort, members of the Thomas Merton Center bound to know some of them.

Kenneth Miller is a member of the TMC Editorial Committee.

International Activism Haitian Micro-Bankers Arrive in Pittsburgh to Study Business at Duquesne students and reaches out to members of the community to serve as financial sponsors.

Committee members assist with class registration, as well as healthcare and social needs.

On August 15, Chedlin Gerve and Fredler Jean-Louis arrived at the Pittsburgh International Airport and are now settled into their host homes and classes at Duquesne University. I would like to introduce you to them, asking you, our New People readers and Thomas Merton Center members, to welcome them into our community. Both will be invited to our 40th anniversary dinner at the Sheraton at Station Square on Nov. 8 where you will Fredler Jean-Louis and Chedlin Gerve have an opportunity to meet them and learn about their critical work in Haiti!

by Joyce Rothermel Fonkoze, their employer, includes two institutions working together for the single goal of For the 16th year, Fonkoze, Haiti's alternative helping Haiti’s poor remove themselves from bank for the organized poor, has sent two of their poverty and create a democratic economy in Haiti. employees to Pittsburgh on scholarship to study at Duquesne University. Each year Fonkoze requests • Fondasyan Kole Zépol (Fonkoze), which in the scholarship from Duquesne University. When English means “Shoulder to Shoulder”, is a Haitian the scholarships are approved, two of the Fonkoze non-profit microfinance institution on the cutting employees are selected. edge of the delivery of rural financial services.

The Pittsburgh Regional Haiti Solidarity New branches are created and nurtured to increase Committee, an affiliate of the Thomas Merton profitability while at the same time developing Center, is the third partner in the annual endeavor. new products, providing educational programs for The Committee recruits host families who clients, and measuring success rates of clients. generously provide room and board for the two Photo by Joyce Rothermel

• Fonkoze Financial Services (FFS) is a Haitian commercial microfinance institution that takes profitable branches and well-tested products from Fonkoze and expands them to hundreds of thousands of Haitians, especially those in rural, hard to reach areas. Since the end of 2006, FFS has established itself as a stable, profitable organization.

When Chedlin and Fredler return to Haiti, they will take on increased responsibilities and make greater contributions to the success of these important efforts in Haiti.

Consider supporting a Fonkoze student! Each year several sponsors are needed to help cover some of the financial expenses for the project that are not covered by Fonkoze and the host families through their room and board. These include health insurance, monthly bus passes, cell phones, and medical needs not covered by insurance (dental, glasses, etc.) You can join the Fonkoze Family by becoming a “One Month Sponsor” for one of the Fonkoze employee scholarship recipients this year.

Call me at the Merton Center (412) 361-3022 for more information about the Haiti Solidarity Committee and how to become a sponsor.

Joyce Rothermel is the Secretary /Treasurer of the Pittsburgh Regional Haiti Solidarity Committee.

Dialogue Between the Government and FARC in Colombia

by Daniel Kovalik According to Colombia’s El Tiempo, 75% of Colombians want a dialogue between the Colombian government and the guerillas. And, this stands to reason, for Colombia has been devastated by over 50 years of armed conflict which has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians (between 50,000 to 250,000 of whom were “disappeared”); left over 5 million persons internally displaced (the largest internally displaced population in the world); and given a pretext for the Colombian government, with the aid of its paramilitary allies, to wipe out progressive organizations, including trade unions, working for social change. On a grander scale, the Colombian conflict has provided a convenient pretext for U.S. military intervention in that country and the entire region and has been the biggest hurdle to the dream of Latin American integration.

It is therefore welcome and monumental news that the Colombian government recently confirmed rumors that it has signed an agreement with the largest guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) to commence peace talks as well.

Experience has shown that such peace talks are fragile. Colombia has gone through a number of peace processes, but they have all ended badly thus far. The most notable failed peace process took place in the 1980’s when the FARC agreed to end the armed insurgency in return for being able to participate in Colombian political life through the Patriotic Union party (UP). In a great act of treachery, the Colombian military and paramilitary death squads responded to this deal by murdering around 5,000 UP leaders and activists, and the FARC commenced hostilities anew.

Meanwhile, as The Miami Herald reports, both sides of the conflict have made it clear that they will not cease armed conflict during the peace talks; on the contrary, battles between the guerillas and the Colombian military and police

have increased in recent months. More troubling, the main non-violent group calling for peace talks – the Patriotic March – has been increasingly vilified by the Colombian government (quite untruthfully) as FARC supporters, and a number of Patriotic March leaders have been threatened, jailed, killed or disappeared with increasing frequency. And, just as these peace talks have commenced, and as such attacks against peace activists have escalated, the Colombian government has cut in half the support for the beneficiaries of its government protection program – a program which purports to protect peace and social activists from these very attacks. In short, there are many reasons to be very cautious in our optimism for these talks.

At the same time, there are reasons for hope.

For its part, the FARC took an important step in the direction of peace earlier this year by renouncing its longtime practice of kidnapping (a tactic of raising money through ransom). As for the Colombian government, President Santos has exhibited much more openness to peace talks than his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, and has been much more moderate in his rhetoric about the guerillas and about the Colombian non -violent left as well. Santos has even begun a land reform program which purports to give back land to Colombians (particularly those of the indigenous and Afro-Colombian community) whose land was seized unlawfully during the conflict.

While it remains to be seen how successful this program will be, and while the program itself has inspired paramilitary groups to violently attack those standing to take back land that the paramilitaries wrongfully seized during the conflict, the overture is an important one for the guerillas whose primary demand over the decades has been meaningful land reform.

Finally, the accelerated growth of the peace movement in Colombia, most notably through the establishment of the Patriotic March, will

add critical support to these talks.

As usual, the important wildcard is the United States – the financial backer of the Colombian military and the author of Colombia’s anti-insurgency program beginning in 1962. The only way that the peace process will be successful is for the U.S. to support the process, or, at the very least, get out of the way to allow it to go forward and prosper. So far, the U.S. has shown no willingness to support peace in Colombia, instead opting to exploit the conflict to retain its last military beachhead in the Latin American region – a region which, much to the chagrin of the U.S., is increasingly radicalizing and turning leftward. A key factor in the peace process, then, is a strong movement of citizens in the U.S. who will support peaceful actors, such as the Patriotic March, in Colombia, and put political pressure on the U.S. government to allow peace to flourish in Colombia. This is a momentous opportunity for President Obama to finally earn his Nobel Peace Prize (3 years after the fact) and we must encourage him to seize upon this opportunity.

As a final note, the Cuban government must again be applauded for playing its positive role in this process. As it has in the past, Cuba hosted the initial talks which led to the commencement of this peace process, and, along with Norway, will continue to host such talks throughout the process.

This tiny island, much vilified by our government, continues to play its positive role in our hemisphere for peace, regional stability and public health. The shamefulness of the U.S.’s continued blockade of that country grows each day as Cuba outshines the U.S. in terms of its contributions to the world.

Daniel Kovalik is a labor and human rights attorney living in Pittsburgh and teaches International Human Rights Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

October 2012

NEWPEOPLE - 7

Activist Actions Democracy vs. Corporate Rule—Act for Change NOW

by Edith Bell Petition to Challenge Corporate Power needs volunteers for petition drive, starting on Election Day Challenging Corporate Power is a phenomenal undertaking. Today we see the unwarranted influence of corporations on everything from foreign policy to domestic environmental policy, from price setting and bailouts to favorable corporate tax policies, and trumping rights of human citizens, communities, cities, states, even nations.

We cannot expect our official representatives in the government to change the situation, because they are beholden to these powers. It has to be a grassroots effort to amend the U.S. Constitution, since by law corporations have the same rights as human beings.

Peoples Right vs. Corporate Rights, Democracy vs.

Corporate Rule is the issue.

It is up to us ordinary people to use our numbers to start working on it.

The talk by David Cobb and George Friday of Move To Amend in Pittsburgh in July resulted in the formation of an informal coalition of people, some representing organizations (AFSC PA, Coffee Party, Move On, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom).

We are planning a major (only with your help) petition drive starting on Election Day to take advantage of most people’s disgust with the blatant influence of money in this election through attack ads.

We believe that people coming out of the voting booth will be ready to sign a petition to get money out of politics and strip corporations of their personhood.

The petition will read: “We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme

Thwarting Democracy: The Commission on Presidential Debates

by Josh Zelesnick In a country that calls itself a democracy (even though this word is never mentioned in the Constitution) what kind of choice is there in choosing the “lesser of two evils”? In fundamental ways, when we vote, we’re only maintaining the status quo. It’s blatantly obvious that both the Democratic and Republican parties are in bed with corporations and the business elite (just look at Federal Election Commission data). Thanks to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, it’s very clear, the more money you acquire and hand out to buy your interests, the more free speech you have.

Even though I’m not hailing this as the solution for our rotten election system, one way to actually have a political choice in this country is to allow all candidates on the ballot to debate each other. In 2008, four candidates were on the ballot in Pennsylvania—McCain, Obama, Nader (Independent), and Barr (Libertarian)—but how many people actually knew Nader and Barr were running until they were face-to-face with the ballot?

With the exception of Perot (whom I discuss below), third party candidates have been barred from presidential debates since 1987, when the Commission on Presidential Debates seized control of the whole presidential debating process. In the 2012 election cycle, there will be at least four candidates on most of the ballots: Obama, Romney, Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party), and Jill Stein (Green Party). Think of how interesting and challenging it would be if these latter two were added to the mix to discuss their plans for America.

Republicans and Democrats must be forced to debate third parties. The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) is simply a non-profit private corporation created by the Republican and Democratic parties in 1987—forcibly replacing the League of Women Voters (LWV), who allowed third parties to debate—to make sure no third parties could debate against them.

According to George Farah, author of No Debate and spokesperson for the non-profit Open Debates (opendebates.org), much of the money that finances the CPD presidential debates comes from private corporations that have "regulatory interest before congress." Anheuser-Busch and Brown Brothers Harriman New York (a bank) are two of the biggest sponsors of this year’s debate events (there are ten sponsors total in 2012). Tobacco giant Phillip Morris was a major sponsor in 1992 and 1996.

Commission co-chair Frank Fahrenkopf—the nation’s leading gambling lobbyist and the President of the Gambling Association—has even said, "We’re not going to apologize for trying to influence political elections." Nancy Neuman, former president of the LWV, explains the difference between her organization and the CPD quite clearly: 8 - NEWPEOPLE

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One of the big differences between us and the Commission was that the commission could easily raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions. They did it very quickly in 1988.

Even though I would go to some corporations, I would be lucky to get $5,000. Why? Because under the commission's sponsorship, this is another soft-money deal. It is a way to show your support for the parties because, of course, it is a bipartisan commission and a bipartisan contribution. There was nothing in it for corporations when they made a contribution to the League. Not a quid pro quo. That's not the case with the commission.

According to the CPD website, in order for a candidate to qualify to debate, she/he must 1) be constitutionally eligible, 2) be on enough ballots to be able to win, and 3) have at least "15 percent of the national electorate as determined by five selected national public opinion polling organizations…"

The first two criteria are reasonable, but it’s the third one that exposes the true face of the CPD. In the past, getting 15 percent has been impossible, and this arbitrary number was chosen exactly for its impracticality in a world where mainstream media almost never reports on third parties. You may recall that Ross Perot debated in 1992 with just 9 percent of the vote. This is because Clinton and Bush (I) allowed it. In 1996, even though Perot again had 9 percent of the vote at debate time, Clinton and Dole refused to let him speak. Why? Because Clinton was soaring in the polls and didn’t want anything to change. The Republican and Democratic campaigns agree on and sign a secret, private, "legal" contract months in advance. This “contract” decides who gets to debate, how many debates there will be, the format including what topics can be raised, and even which passive moderators will host the debates.

This election season third party candidates like Green Jill Stein (on at least 37 states and D.C.) and Libertarian Gary Johnson (on at least 47 states and D.C.) are already on enough ballots to make winning the presidency a mathematical possibility.

What they’ll never get is the irrational 15 percent of the national electorate that corporate money buys.

Let’s remember that Abraham Lincoln’s Republican Party was a third party formed to contest the extension of slavery into the territories. They decided not to ignore the slavery issue, and Lincoln won the election in 1860. In just this way, third parties can help shift conversation away from a limited sphere of ideas and toward acknowledging genuine failures of the existing system.

Court’s ruling in Citizens United, and MOVE TO AMEND our Constitution to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.”

If you can help on Election Day, please let us know, when, where, and which polling place you can cover. We will provide you with petitions, hand outs, talking points etc. Contact Edith at 412-661-7149 or email edith.bell4@verizon.net. Check the TMC eblast for the date of our next meeting.

“Practically every important issue in American politics is tied to Campaign Finance.” Harvard Professor Lawrence Lessig.

Edith Bell is coordinator of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

About Steve Biko

by Benjamin Eckert Born in 1946, Steve Biko was a student organizer and activist for the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

While studying medicine at Courtesy of Creative Commons the University of Natal, Biko began organizing students to work toward political self-reliance in the face of racially-motivated oppression. There, he helped found the South African Students Organization (SASO). Much of Biko's work in SASO grew into what is now known as the Black Consciousness Movement. Biko's influence was so great that he was expelled from the university and banned by the government. It was prohibited to quote him.

"Black man, you are on your own" was the rallying cry as the movement fought against the oppressive forces of the South African government. The struggle reached a breaking point on June 16, 1976, when thousands of high school students in an area known as Soweto in Johannesburg took to the streets to protest the introduction of Afrikaans (a West Germanic Language) in their schools. Approximately 700 people were killed by South African Security forces. The event became known as the “Soweto Uprising”. The harsh reprisal ignited unrest throughout the country, strengthening the resistance. Aware of his role in uniting political dissenters, the South African authorities increased their efforts to silence Biko. On September 6, 1977, he was arrested in Port Elizabeth. He fell into a coma after being beaten and tortured for 22 hours while in police custody. On September 11, 1977, he was transported to a prison hospital in Pretoria where he died the next day. His death sent shock waves around the world and brought to light many of the horrors of apartheid. Over 10,000 people attended his funeral. The police in the incident were never charged. Few figures have inspired as many people to work for social change as Stephen Biko. Biko left his mark on the history of South Africa, and on the global discourse of social justice. He awakened the consciousness of a people to begin to fight against their oppressors. He paved the way for the eventual election of Nelson Mandela in 1994. His legacy is an inspiration and an obligation.

October 9th is the last day you can register to vote.

People have fought and died all over the world for us to be given the chance to pick those who might lead us. We have an obligation not just to those activists such as Steve Biko, but to ourselves and our communities, to ensure we get involved to protect our rights that they fought and died for.

Joshua Zelesnick teaches a writing course on the “Citizen” at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. Benjamin Eckert, a 22 year old student at CCAC Boyce, helped register students to vote, and was an He is a poet and activist and is on the volunteer active participant in Occupy Pittsburgh. organizing committee for the Adjunct Faculty Association, which awaits union recognition.

Activist Culture & Events CAPITAL’S END to Begin at the ISTANBUL GRILLE

by Harvey Holtz This article lays the framework (both theory and practice) for a new community organizing and friendship building effort, entitled “Capital’s End,” which will be launched on Saturday, October 27, at the Istanbul Grille in Lawrenceville. (See ad on page 10.)

Part I - Theorizing “The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas, i.e. the class which is the material force of society is at the same time its intellectual force.” (Marx and Engels, 1846.)

While it is essential to understand the impact of the forces that Marx and Engels refer to, we must realize that there are gaps in our society where alternative, resistant, and transformative structures exist as well. This is my purpose for creating Capital’s End, a space where our combined efforts can be directed towards transformative change.

In the economic sphere, new relations of production (class relations) are being born within the belly of capitalism. Worker cooperatives, employee stock option plans, credit unions and public banks, as well as resilience circles, Part II – Practicing How Can Change Happen?

Capital’s End is designed to provide a space where the full diversity of “active work” groups and individuals working for change may: (a) have a social space to share ideas across issues, to build concrete bridges and to form deeper analyses; (b) help to create the deep friendships that allow a trust that enhances our possibilities; and (c) form a culture that binds us theoretically, practically and personally. We must, however, maintain the essential independence and differences that create diversity of structures and ideas and the independence of groups. Each event will be dedicated to a particular theme.

The structure will be the responsibility of the Capital’s End “active work” group. The content of the program will be the province of the “active work” group that is conducting that week’s café.

The First Cafe: will feature a COSTUMED HALLOWEEN PARTY on Saturday, October 27, 2012, beginning at 7:30 PM.” The theme of the first café will be “The New Society.” It will focus on models for a new society and/or the various institutions in that society. Ideas might include those that focus on a sustainable agriculture, anarchism, a new capitalism, socialism, communism, etc. One idea might be to choose to come as (be) a person in that new society (I hope that includes interesting garb.), come together as a collective, but come in

sustainable agriculture, and a wide variety of other models represent these new forms of production and distribution. Unlike many reforms that take the values and relations of capital for granted, alternative reforms can be somewhat autonomous of capital and pave the way to a new economy and a new society.

These new economic reforms are ideological as well as material. Capital’s End is designed to focus on social forms of transformation that are part of the broader society. As an organizing tool, Capital’s End is also designed to help alleviate the alienation (fragmentation) that many of us experience in our work and in our lives.

Although there is variation in the degree of fragmentation among our different forms of active work, our work is often a “means to life” instead of life itself. We separate our “active work” from our lives, especially the “joie de vivre,” that is a result of our dancing, (as Goldman says) singing and playing.

Moreover, alienation takes the form of the fragmentation of our struggles, which can appear as unconnected to the theory that may link them instead of having a praxis that connects theory and practice (“active work”) in an unending spiral. Additionally, it would also be helpful to

have a social structure that connects all of our groups like Capital’s End. Our work often does not provide enough space for building deep friendships, other than the limited instrumental and entertainment relationships that dominate capital. Deep friendships are built through face-to-face contact and shared experiences over long periods of time.

Deep friendship builds the forms of trust, and primary ties, antithetical to capitalist social relations.

Capital’s End is a way to build a strong basis for community, along with creative essential solidarity that is fuel for our “active work.”

Capital’s End intends to be a somewhat unique step in that direction.

Sustaining ourselves in the best of health begs for our integration with nature, our control over our own work, social relations of friendship, community and solidarity, and the integration of our work lives with the rest of our lives, especially with our “joie de vivre.”

To conclude, “active work” is inclusive of all of those creating and working for social change. It includes nothing less than those involved in transition, activists, anarchists and others.

whatever makes you smile.

Subsequent events will take place on Sundays, beginning in November. The tentative subjects of November’s programs include: November 4 - “The New Economy;” November 11 “Climate Change and Sustainability;” November 18 “War;” and November 25 “Active work” groups.

Although each event will be dedicated to the evening’s theme, we intend that the program connect to the café’s stated goals. Capital’s End will also require continual critique so that our aims and our programs can evolve through this face-to-face interaction. The TENTATIVE program concerns the topic of the evening and its relationships, as well as essential diversities and includes: (a) a definition of the topic and active goal, (b) group political, community karaoke and dancing (c) the performances of local, diverse bands, (d) scheduled poetry/rap, (e) open microphone encouraging creative cultural production, (e) the display, discussion and sale of art, (f) a “call to arms” by the presenting group, (g) for the good of the order. Additionally there will be space for critique as well as space for “active work” groups to distribute literature.

dinner at the Istanbul on Wednesday’s - as a place to socialize to achieve a critical mass for community and friendship on a second evening. Eventually, we might have our own place.

The goal of Capital’s End is to begin a dialogue and a practice, not to state truth or what must be. The intent is to heal the wounds of division – we need each other.

THE ISTANBUL GRILLE is a place for fine TURKISH dining. You might also consider dinner before the event or at any other time - tell Josh that Harvey sent you.

The ISTANBUL GRILLE is located at 4130 Butler Street / Pittsburgh 15201 – the phone number is (412) 251-0441. One might consider

RSVP’s to the Halloween Party (iamholtz@iup.edu) would help to better serve Josh and our needs of food and drink. BYOB. If you would like to be involved in the “active work” of Capital’s End, CONTACT HARVEY (iamholtz@iup.edu) or (724) 388-6258.

Harvey Holtz has been a member of the Thomas Merton Center Board. He was a member and often chair of the Department of Sociology at Indiana University of PA and has been an activist for most of his life.

Thinking about giving to Thomas Merton Center ?

Then give on Wednesday, October 3rd and have your donation matched by Pittsburgh Foundation as Part of the citywide Day of Giving 2012.

Donations must be made online beginning October 3, 2012 from 12:00 a.m. ET until 11:59 p.m. ET Donate at : www.pittsburghgives.org.

HEALTHY YOUNG ARTISTS—GIVE SOCIAL JUSTICE A VOICE! by Julie Sokolow On Friday evening, August 24th, Healthy Artists, threw a one-of-a-kind party at Assemble, uniting health care advocates, young people, and artists. Health care advocates, Molly Rush and Be Well! Pittsburgh’s Jude Vachon took the stage. Their talks covered issues such as the Affordable Care Act, Single-Payer, and Voter ID issues. The talks were followed by a creative workshop in which young people and artists created art around the issue of health care reform and presented their ideas to the audience.

Afterwards, local conceptual artist/folk-singer Jenn Gooch performed, followed by the indie glam-rock Dazzletine. The host of the event was the unique organization, Healthy Artists. The group produced a free to watch, online documentary series in which young Pittsburgh artists discuss their lives, their work, and their experiences with the current health care system. The topic of health care particularly affects the young artist demographic; many artists work non-traditional jobs and part-time jobs that do not provide health insurance. Additionally, the largest uninsured pool in the U.S. is comprised of young people in the 1929 year age range. Healthy Artists aspires to give voice and exposure to these young artists, while bringing vitality and artistry to a serious social justice issue that has yet to fully connect with a youthful population. To watch the series and learn about future events, visit: www.healthyartists.org.

Julie Sokolow is a filmmaker, musician, and writer, living in Pittsburgh, PA. She is currently directing a feature documentary entitled Aspie Seeks Love and she also produces the Healthy Artists documentary series.

October 2012

NEWPEOPLE - 9

COSTUMED HALLOWEEN PARTY

CAPITAL’S END ISTANBUL GRILLE AT THE

“The New Society” Saturday, October 27, 2012 – 7:30 PM

Come as a member of your new society. Come as you like. All are welcome.

- sustainable agriculturalist, anarchist, new capitalist, socialist, communist, a collective, or any others –

Live local music, poetry/rap, talk, collective “political” karaoke, open microphone, display and sale of art, a “call to arms,” and an opportunity to build friendships, community and solidarity.

FINE TURKISH CUISINE

“My dinner was so good, I had to either lick the plate or forsake Dr. Atkins.” (HH) Enjoy the soup of the day, the salads, the hot and cold appetizers, the succulent dinners and the daily desserts – the lamb gravy was exquisite, “Eggplant Moussake” is the signature dish.

Arrive hungry for “a nosh” or a meal during the café, or dinner before the café or at any other time. (Tell Josh that Harvey sent you.)

Josh Gokalp, the owner, has provided us with a beautiful and valuable space at no cost to us.

The Istanbul Grille 4130 Butler St. Pittsburgh, PA 15201 For dining reservations, call (412) 251-0441 ISTANBULGRILLE.COM Capital’s End Café Halloween Party, RSVP to iamholtz@iup.edu.

The RSVP will help Josh plan adequately for food and drink - - - - and BYOB.

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Capital’s End provides a social space for the full diversity of individuals and groups working for social change: (a) share ideas across issues, build concrete bridges, form analyses; (b) create the deep friendships of trust that enhance our active possibilities; (c) build a culture that binds us theoretically, practically and personally, while maintaining the essential independence and differences that celebrate diversity and independence. Each café will be dedicated to a particular theme .

Subsequent cafes will be on Sundays, beginning in November. The tentative subjects will include: November 4 - “The New Economy;” November 11 - “Climate Change and Sustainability;” November 18 - “War;” and November 25 - “Active Work” groups.

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Activists Work to End the Wars Medea Benjamin to Receive Merton Peace & Justice Award Continued from Page One She spent four years in Cuba, and has authored three books on the country. Her books, reports, and articles have examined global issues of hunger and unequal development.

Ms. Benjamin's work has focused on improving the labor and environmental practices of U.S. multinational corporations, and the policies of international institutions such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Her organization, Global Exchange, was instrumental in organizing the protests against the World Trade Organization in Seattle in December 1999 and is a leading advocate of the concept of "fair trade" that puts labor and environmental needs over corporate profits. In May 1998 Global Exchange was credited in the Washington Post as a group that has "put labor rights on the human rights agenda."

Ms. Benjamin has become a key figure in the anti-sweatshop campaigns to change the garment and shoe industry. When the Clinton Administration formed the Apparel Industry Partnership to come up with standards to eliminate sweatshops, Ms. Benjamin interceded by urging the Partnership to address the rights of garment workers to earn wages that cover their basic needs. She has since become a leading national figure in the effort to pressure U.S. companies to include a living wage provision in their corporate Codes of Conduct.

Global Exchange's campaign focusing on the giant sports shoe company Nike put the national spotlight on factory conditions overseas, exposing the long hours, low pay, unhealthy environment, and physical abuse that young women workers endured in Indonesia, China and Vietnam. Global Exchange mobilized US Congress people, college students, women's groups, environmentalists, civil rights organizations and athletes to pressure Nike to agree to independent monitoring of their overseas factories and to increase the pay of the factory workers. The Campaign achieved its first major victory in May 1998, when Nike agreed to independent factory monitoring by nongovernmental organizations and raised health and safety standards in the factories. The Campaign is still mobilizing the garment and shoe industry around a living wage and the workers' right to freedom of association.

Since the September 11, 2001 tragedy, Medea has been working to promote a U.S. foreign policy that would respect human rights and gain us allies instead of contributing to violence and undermining our international reputation. In 2003 Benjamin co-founded the left wing feminist antiwar group Codepink: Women for Peace, which advocated an end to the War in Iraq, the prevention of future wars, and social justice.

Her work for justice in Israel and Palestine includes taking numerous delegations to Gaza after the 2008 Israeli invasion, organizing the Gaza Freedom March in 2010, participating in the Freedom Flotillas and opposing the policies of the Israel lobby group AIPAC. In 2011 she was in Tahrir Square during the Egyptian uprising. In 2012 she was part of a human rights delegation to Bahrain in support of democracy activists; she was tear-gassed, arrested and deported by the Bahraini government.

In 1999 Ms. Benjamin helped expose the problem of indentured servitude of garment workers in the US territory of Saipan (the Marianas Islands), including a billion-dollar lawsuit against 17 U.S. retailers profiting from the workers' plight. She also launched a campaign focusing on the giant retailer Gap, exposing their

abuses in Saipan and elsewhere around the world.

Ms. Benjamin has also been a key advisor to the student anti-sweatshop movement, helping to shape a model university Code of Conduct and monitoring guidelines.

With the garment, shoe and toy industries moving so much of their production to China, in 1999 Ms. Benjamin, along with the International Labor Rights Fund, spearheaded a campaign to promote workers' rights in China. The Human Rights Principles for US Businesses in China has been endorsed by major companies such as Reebok, Levi Strauss and Mattel, and a NGO/ Company Working Group has been set up to oversee the practices of US companies in China.

For over twenty years, Ms. Benjamin has supported human rights and social justice struggles around the world. She was instrumental in building US. support for the movement to overthrow General Suharto in Indonesia and has been fighting for the right of self-determination for the people of East Timor. She has been involved in supporting the Peace Process between the Zapatista rebels and the Mexican government, has fought to lift the embargoes against Cuba and Iraq, and was active in cutting US military aid to repressive regimes in Central America.

Her books include the following :The Peace Corps and More; 175 Ways to Work, Study and Travel in the Third World and Bridging the Global Gap; A Handbook to Linking Citizens of the First and Third Worlds. These books examine the myriad ways North Americans can get involved in sustainable development-including working overseas, ethical tourism and alternative trade, sister cities and material aid, human rights activism, and changing US. corporate and government policies. Medea also edited and translated the award-winning book Don't Be Afraid, Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks from the Heart, the moving story of a campesina leader.

She also helped produce the public TV documentaries The Fight for Land and Liberty, Indonesia: One Struggle, One Change, and the anti-sweatshop video Sweating for a T-Shirt. Her books on Cuba include Cuba: Talking about Revolution, The Greening of the Revolution: Cuba's National Experiment in Sustainable Agriculture, and No Free Lunch: Food and Revolution in Cuba Today. Benedita da Silva: An Afro-Brazilian Woman's Story of Politics and Love, is the life story of Brazil's first poor, black woman senator. Her most recent book, Drone Warfare, Killing By Remote Control is a comprehensive look at the growing menace of drone warfare, with an extensive analysis of who is producing the drones, where they are being used, who are "piloting" these unmanned planes, who are the victims and what are the legal and moral implications. But this book is also a call to action, with a look at what activists, lawyers and scientists are doing to rein in the drones, and ways to move forward.

Ms. Benjamin received a Masters degree in Public Health from Columbia University and a Masters degree in Economics from the New School for Social Research. She lives in Washington, DC. To register for the dinner, be a sponsor, or to become involved in planning, please call the Thomas Merton Center at 412-361-3022 or visit the website at www.thomasmertoncenter.org.

Francine Porter is a TMC Board Member and Coordinator of Codepink Pittsburgh, Women for Peace.

Source: Alex Wong/Getty Images South America.

Members of Codepink Medea Benjamin (L) and Gael Murphy (R) protest during a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

2011 Thomas Merton Dinner Raffle Ticket Winner Report

by Bette McDevitt If you are a member of the Merton Center, you will be receiving in the mail, a packet of raffle tickets, with some nice prizes. We’ve found a good mix, and stayed with it; the first prize is two nights at the Edison Hotel in New York City, a sweet hotel, located steps from Times Square, and where August Wilson always stayed; a custom made bike from Bike Pittsburgh; a big bundle of tickets to theaters, museums and sporting events, and a basket of bottles of wine. Look at the website for the Hotel Edison, www.edisonhotelnyc.com, and you’ll want to make the trip yourself.

Nancy Crew, who along with her husband, Ray, won the tickets for various events and attractions in Pittsburgh last year. She said her favorite was the dinner cruise on the Gateway Clipper. “You live here in Pittsburgh, and think you know it, and then you see it from the water, and it’s a beautiful sight.” The Crew’s gave the rest of the tickets, including museum entrances, to out of town visitors.

We had such a good response from the museum, theaters and sport venues that we made two prizes. Rosemary Coffee, the second winner, gave away the Zoo and Carnegie Science Center free admissions to friends with young children, but she very much enjoyed using the ones to theater presentations downtown. “I am still taking advantage of the set of tickets to the Heinz History Center, with which I visited the museum itself twice, as well as Meadowcroft west of the city. It has been a great opportunity to extend some of my cultural horizons,” she said.

Helen Ortmann won the bike from Bike Pittsburgh and donated it to Occupy Pittsburgh to run errands. When the camp was dismantled, it was probably passed on to someone who doesn’t use a car.

The winner of the hotel prize was unable to use the award, due to illness, and regrets that she did not give it to a family member, before the expiration of the prize, which was one year form the date of issue.

Sell the tickets to your friends, or you can buy them up for yourself. Either way, it’s a great chance to benefit the Merton Center. We count on you, our friends, to keep the doors open to Pittsburgh’s peace and justice center.

Bette McDevitt is a member of the Merton Center dinner planning committee and the editorial collective.

October 2012

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Activists Working to End the Wars The Inhumanity of Drone Warfare

by Michael Drohan On Tuesday, November 8, we in Pittsburgh will have the great opportunity to hear Medea Benjamin, author of "Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control," speak at the 40th Anniversary Dinner of the Thomas Merton Center. (Register online at www.thomasmertoncenter.org.)

Shortly after the initiation of the Afghanistan War, Benjamin visited that unfortunate land and witnessed the reality behind the “precision bombs” on which United States military forces were becoming increasingly reliant. An entire mythology has been built up around the so-called wonder of drones. Benjamin explodes systematically these myths and exposes the naked reality and savagery of drone warfare.

The new frontiers for the use of drones are the Yemen and Pakistan. The New America Foundation recently published an article entitled “The Year of the Drone” in which it detailed the number of drone strikes in northwest Pakistan between 2004 and 2012. In that timeframe there were 302 reported drone strikes killing between 1,845 and 2,836 individuals of whom 17 percent were estimated to be civilians. The context of this phenomenon is that the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan has spilled over inevitably to Pakistan, and in a very real sense the United States now finds itself at war with Pakistan.

The Pashtun people, who comprise most of the Taliban, stretch across Afghanistan and Pakistan; and, for them, the national boundaries between Pakistan and Afghanistan are mere imperial relics infringing on their tribal lands. The Pakistani government, needless to say, does not want to embroil itself in a civil war by attacking its own tribal people while the U.S. government/military is “ losing patience," in the words of Leon Panetta, with Pakistan’s unwillingness to make war with the Pashtuns. But let there be no doubt, the U.S. is at war with Pakistan or at least with part thereof, even if there are no boots on the ground. The new warriors are drones, operated from McCree Airbase in Nevada, and their

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operators are Air Force men turned geeks who never see the battlefield.

Down through the centuries warfare has gone through several radical turning points from the days of hand-to-hand combat to today’s latest revolution with drone and robot warfare. In the 20th century, through air warfare and above all nuclear warfare, human beings crossed a threshold of savagery and brutality hitherto unimaginable. In the Second World War, the mass killing of civilians by carpet bombing and the destruction of the cities of Nagasaki and

methods of what is called “terrorism”.

These methods consist of violent attacks on institutions and symbols of power within the powerful states by very angry inhabitants of the dominated world.

Once again the victims by and large are innocent civilians such as in the Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001. This form of resistance has popped up in many corners of the world since the beginning of the 21st century with the resulting perception that terrorists are everywhere and have to be combated ruthlessly. Most of them are alleged to be part of an international network known as Al Qaeda.

One of the anomalies of the situation is that the elimination of one “terrorist” gives rise to the appearance of ten others in his/her place. This has been the case especially in Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Pakistan. The powerful countries of NATO, led by the United States, seem to have little comprehension of the multiplication of enemies that their actions give rise to. In the midst of this incomprehension, strikes with drones that take out the occasional alleged terrorist give the illusion of success and power. The drone strikes also give the illusion of total pinpoint accuracy, where only the designated enemy is “taken out." On several counts, however, their success is not only illusory but false. In both the real battlefield and the Photo courtesy of www.cndcymru.org virtual one, the identification of enemy Hiroshima with atom bombs represents the depth combatants has proven to be false on many if not of savagery and barbarity to which humanity had most occasions. descended. But now comes the age of the drones When troops on the ground and intelligence and the robots, and we have not yet grasped the agents in far away offices have little or no idea of full dimensions of what this has unleashed on the culture or language of the people they have humanity. identified as enemies, misidentification can be In his book “Blowback,” Chalmers Johnson expected to be the norm. Bombing of wedding or many years ago laid out the broad context in funeral parties can be expected to become routine. which it is helpful to view and understand much The responding outrage and hatred of the of what has happened in the sphere of warfare in presence of foreigners is little assuaged by the 21st century. According to Johnson, in the age perfunctory regrets and apologies. of overwhelming imperial military power dominating the entire globe, the resistance of the Michael Drohan is a member of the Thomas relatively powerless and dispossessed is Merton Center Board and chair of the Editorial constrained to the unconventional military Collective.

Activist Paths to Peace A New “SUPERHERO” Upgrade for Humanity

by Tim Cimino

one skill or knowledge area. Only a few courses humanity’s capacity (and your own capacity) it’s and books teach learning how to learn. urgent that it be developed and used as soon as Humanity could use a powerful new tool to 7. If people could operate on the top two rungs as possible. boost our ability to address our problems. This 14. A long list of benefits you can get in the next article introduces a powerful new educational few months is at the website – even if structure called super programs. First, some superprograms don’t spread around the world. preparatory thoughts: 15. A WARNING: Decent people will tend to 1. Imagine if superheroes like Superman really think, “I will wait and see, and maybe use existed. They’d protect and help humanity. superprograms when I get around to it.

2. In a sense, superheroes really do exist and Meanwhile, irresponsible corporations. powerhave been helping humanity for thousands of hungry individuals, and oppressive governments years. Great ideas are superheroes. Advances will tend to think, “Superprograms will give the such as agriculture, coin money, written well as the bottom two, it would dramatically most power to the first people to exploit them. language, democracy, the Scientific Method, and increase their capacity to learn and change their Therefore, I will investigate superprogram as most recently, the Internet are like superheroes lives – and the world. soon as possible!” – Thus, it’s imperative that because they are: a) super powerful; b) 8. Trying to learn without having all the decent people jump in as soon as possible. egalitarian (willing to help anyone who uses ingredients is like trying to bake a cake without 16. In other words, the decent people of the them); and c) practically immortal. all needed ingredients. Don’t make me eat that world are in a three-way race: They’re racing 3. Superheroes aren’t perfect. For example, cake! In other words, your learning will be against the accumulated impacts of their bad written language at first created an elite and the partial; it won’t stick; you’ll fail to apply it in all economic, political and environmental habits Scientific Method made possible horrific relevant cases; or it will be a struggle.

AND they’re racing against the oppressive weapons and complex ecological problems.

9. I couldn’t find a list of the ingredients needed governments and irresponsible corporations.

4. Super ideas are often undervalued at first. for learning on Wikipedia or anywhere on the 17. You may think I’m overstating the potential Perhaps hunter-gatherers ridiculed the first Internet. So I created a list and put it at power of this idea. But superhero ideas are often farmers since a hunter could instantly get food LOVELYPLAN.ORG. Surprisingly, between 15 simple. The Internet is complex, but agriculture but a farmer must wait months and worry about and 25 ingredients are needed, depending on the is basically putting seeds in the ground. Written insects, drought, and thieves. Papyrus could be learning task. language is simply marks that stand for ruined when the Nile overflowed. Coin money is 10. I believe that I’ve created a whole new class something. Simplicity is another reason why not so useful as the actual chicken or potatoes. of educational structures. I named them super-ideas are often discounted.

Now to the particular new idea: superprograms. The Basic Program link at 18. Six other original superhero ideas are at 5. If people could learn more efficiently, it would LOVELYPLAN.ORG contains a ready-to-use LOVELYPLAN.ORG. affect every area of life. Imagine more superprogram.

19. Ultimately superprograms and the rest of efficiently learning relationship skills, health 11. Ongoing personal support is a key ingredient Lovely Plan are about making the best, most habits, mental health habits, and career skills. in superprograms. It makes change much easier. loving use of your life and time – for your own Better skills and habits can help the organizations 12. I don’t have data to prove superprograms are sake, and for others. you belong to, as well. superior. But it stands to reason that consciously Tim Cimino was once an agricultural research 6. Almost all organizations on earth are on the re-gathering all needed ingredients is better than chemist. He now directs Group Genie, a bottom two rungs of a Ladder of Empowerment winging it. Also, Rung Four is very highcreativity team and action network. that I developed in the 1980s (see below). leverage.

Teaching someone to fish is equal to teaching 13. If superprograms really can increase

Intersectionality in the Social Justice Community

by Anne E. Lynch

Are you working to promote economic justice?

Are women, people with disabilities, and people of color sitting at your table? Are you working to improve relations between community members and the police? Are there LGBTQ people, frequent targets of hate crimes, at your table? Are you working to fight pollution? Are people of color, who are more often affected by the placement of polluting sites, at your table? If they’re not, you need to invite them in! Start with a phone call and try to set up an actual visit. Inperson meetings are the best way to show your commitment to reaching out to a broader coalition. Invite them to a meeting. If they cannot make an already-scheduled meeting or get to the location of a meeting, work to accommodate them by asking what days/times/locations would work for future meetings. Make sure they knows you truly want and appreciate their time and effort.

Secondly, after you’ve got everyone affected at the table (no small task in and of itself!), you have to ensure that everyone at the table knows that their opinion and voice is valued. Actively listen when people speak, and wait to respond until they’ve concluded. Ask people who aren’t talking much what their thoughts are. Don’t immediately assume that the way you’ve always done something is going to work for everyone in the room – be willing to adjust your plans, and be open to new ideas and tactics.

We’ll continue to explore intersectionality in future months. The one thing I want you to take from this column is that working on an intersectional level makes all of our movements stronger, so it’s worth the effort!

This month, let’s explore the fascinating term “intersectionality.” In Pittsburgh, all too often the environmental justice groups don’t partner with racial justice groups, even though environmental racism is rampant in our area. Economic justice groups don’t have disability rights groups involved in campaigns, even though people with disabilities are paid lower salaries for doing the same work.

One of the most hopeful things I’ve seen in my experience as a Pittsburgh activist was during the lead-up to the G-20 protests in September 2009.

For the first time, I saw all these disparate groups in the same room, working and talking together.

The Merton Center was instrumental in making sure all were welcome at the frequent open meetings. I had hoped to see this continue, but after the G-20, we all went our separate ways again.

Intersectionality is, very basically, many groups with different key issues or foci working together to have a bigger impact. For example: women’s groups working with LGBTQ groups to ensure that all women, cisgender and transgender, have access to quality health care. Fair housing groups working with people with disabilities to ensure that safe, affordable housing is accessible.

Racial justice groups being true partners in the environmental justice movement.

Working on an intersectional level shows policy makers and other parties that their constituents aren’t just interested in one particular item, and that they’re willing to work together to create a better world. How can we see this happen more frequently in our region?

First of all, we have to ensure that, when we’re Anne Lynch is Office Manager at Three Rivers looking at problems to solve, we think about all Community Foundation. possible angles of who the problem affects.

A Victory!

On September 17, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl joined the Mayors for Peace and called on the U.S. government to stop making nuclear weapons and to redirect the funds to the needs of the cities. Mayors for Peace is an organization with 5,400 member cities in 154 countries, who are calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2020.

The group Remembering Hiroshima/ Imagining Peace, including Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and the American Friends Service Committee of PA representatives, was instrumental in getting this accomplished. They are pictured above with Mayor Ravenstahl.

Submitted by Edith Bell of WILPF. October 2012

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Building a Community of Activists Opportunities to Become More Involved Meet TMC’s New Interns!

Continued from Page One Registration forms and other important voting information are available at the Thomas Merton Center, our East End Community Thrift Shop (5123 Penn Avenue), the Board of Elections downtown in the County Office Annex Building behind the Court House, and many other locations. At the Merton Center and the East End Community Thrift Shop at 5123 Penn Avenue, you can be helped and get postage if needed. TMC encourages your support of the important efforts of the Black Political Empowerment Project and the Pittsburgh NAACP in their non-partisan Election Protection and Get Out the Vote. To volunteer, call Celeste Taylor at 412-452-2120.

Links to Voting Records for Review Before Elections: Catholics in Alliance for Common Good www.catholicsinalliance.org Catholics United www.catholics-united.org Conference of Major Superiors of Menhttp cmsm.org Colomban Ctr for Advocacy and Outreach columban.org/jpic Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph www.sistersofsaintjosephfederation.org Franciscan Action Network www.franciscanaction.org Franciscan Friars (Eastern Province) www.franciscanseast.org Good Shepherd Sisters www.goodshepherdsisters.org Leadership Conference of Women Religious lcwr.org Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns maryknollogc.org National Catholic Social Justice Lobby www.networklobby.org Pax Christi USA paxchristiusa.org Sisters of Mercy of the Americas www.sistersofmercy.org Catholics Vote for Common Good commongood2012.org

Meet MIKE ROSENBERG... ...And SHAHID KHAN TMC is pleased to introduce Mike TMC is also fortunate to have another intern Rosenberg who, as an join our staff! Shahid intern, has joined Khan will be working our staff at the with Mike and other Thomas Merton TMC staff and Center. volunteers to help Mike was born build a more peaceful and raised in Silver and just world. More Spring, MD—just from Shahid... outside of Nice to meet you!

Washington, DC. I am Shahid Khan.

Mike has lived in I am a second year Mike Rosenberg Pittsburgh for the Masters student at the Shahid Khan past three years while he has been pursuing a School of Social bachelor’s in social work at the University of work, University of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh, where he is in his senior year.

I am an intern at Thomas Merton Center.

Mike has an interest in community organizing My area of concentration is COSA and smart-urban planning. He intends on (Community Organizing and Social working in those fields upon the completion Administration). As a social worker I am of his schooling. While at the Center, Mike interested in many things such as raising will be working on online calendar, e-blast, awareness in people about social issues and membership, and whatever else needs to be injustices. done. Please stop in sometime and introduce I believe that organizations like TMC have yourself to Mike. In addition to his studies, and are still playing an important role in doing Mike is an avid cyclist and works at Pro so. I also believe that such organizations Bikes in Squirrel Hill. Keep an eye out for present an excellent learning opportunity for him riding his bicycle around town. Mike is the students who are interested in running an also active in the undergraduate social work NGO or a non-profit organization in the club at Pitt as well as his fraternity, ZBT. future.

After his graduation from Pitt in the springtime, Mike plans riding his bicycle Please stop in at TMC and introduce home to Maryland via the Great Allegheny yourselves to Mike and Shahid, when you Passage. Following that, Mike will be have a spare moment, as they get to know attending graduate school to earn a master’s more about our activist community! in social work.

SPECIAL THANKS TO RICH FISHKIN! TMC would like to thank Rich Fishkin for his recent donation of a video projector! The projector comes at a time when the Center is seeing an increased need for this resource! Rich has produced three video programs about Occupy Pittsburgh and they have been shown on Pittsburgh Community Access TV - PCTV 21 - many times. He also taped TMC’s New People Awards this past spring when Occupy Pittsburgh was recognized for their heroic community organizing work. You can view Rich’s videos at www.youtube.com/user/richfishpgh. Copies of his videos are available for purchase for $15 a piece. Email Rich at Rich.Fishkin@verizon.net or call(412) 856-7723. Rich is a professional videographer who shoots weddings and special events. Please contact him if you would like to hire him for your event!

WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP TO BUILD THE MOVEMENT! TMC needs a flat screen TV with USB and network capability. Call us if you can help!

Mere Citizens Book Review

by Marcia Bandes Mere Citizens takes us back in time to the 1980’s when nuclear proliferation was at its peak and President Reagan was determined to roll out a first strike capability. Citizens across the country were forming groups to protest this race to what many believed to be nuclear war. In Pittsburgh, concerned citizens formed The River City Nonviolent Resistance Campaign. They were not politicians, corporate executives, rich, or otherwise local leaders. They were teachers, parents, graduate students, lawyers, workers, and thus mere citizens.

Drawing heavily upon original source documents, such as the minutes from meetings, newspaper archives, and interviews with the participants, Liane Norman, who was also a participant, captured the thought process and research that went into targeting Westinghouse, Rockwell, and the Software Engineering Institute; the tactics they used; and the friendships and mutual respect that evolved over time among the participants.

The River City Nonviolent Resistance Campaign compared these corporations’ contributions to the development of first strike nuclear missiles to the corporate complicity identified as war crimes or crimes against humanity during the Nuremberg trials. This comparison led to meetings between River City and Westinghouse executives. Norman’s coverage provides insight that is as relevant today as it was then.

River City met weekly to develop and execute tactics that kept the campaign fresh and in the news for nearly ten years. Creative tactics included 14 - NEWPEOPLE

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creation of a ribbon of banners that connected Rockwell in the US Steel building with both the Federal building and the Westinghouse building to graphically demonstrate their ties. River City members disrupted shareholder meetings, were arrested for civil disobedience and teamed with many organizations and church groups for a weekly leafleting effort alternating between Rockwell and Westinghouse. The book includes many examples of the hand drawn leaflets that were used to educate and keep the risks of nuclear war on people’s minds.

But I believe that the key factor that kept River City active beyond the normal life of similar groups was members’ commitment to learning and sharing information among themselves and others. One member, Jonathan Pressler, authored The Other Westinghouse: Weapons and Waste.

Though a surprisingly quick read, Mere Citizens: United, Civil and Disobedient offers a thought provoking review of a non-violent campaign and a glimpse at the people that kept it alive for nearly a decade.

Marcia Bandes is a member of the Thomas Merton Center.

This book is available for purchase at the Merton Center for $19.99. The Center will receive a portion of the book sale price.

Local Bread for the World advocates meet with Senator Casey representative, Jackie Erickson, on September 18, 2012 to speak about the need for healthy and accessible food for all the poor and vulnerable living in our community and around the world.

Help Book ‘Em Send Books to Prisoners Make a small monthly contribution and Help Free a Prisoner!

(Please sign up to be a monthly supporter.)

$5 a month: Trusty with a key $10 a month: Friend with a file in a cake $15+ a month: Member of a parole board Go to www.thomasmertoncenter.org, and click on Join/Donate and scroll down to Book ‘Em. All donations are taxdeductible and will be used to mail books.

Thank you from the men and women in prison who love to read!

Building a Community of Activists TMC 2013 Slate of Board Candidates

by Michael Drohan and Diane McMahon

From among the present Board of the Center, the following members’ tenure expires at the end of 2012.

Kathy Cunningham; Michael Drohan; Wanda Guthrie; Francine Porter; and Molly Rush. All of these members have agreed to stand again for the next two year, 2013-14 period.

The following are the new candidates for the Board to complete the slate: Ed Brett: Ed is a Professor Emeritus of La Roche College where he served for 28 years in the History Dept. He has been a member of the Merton Center since 1984 and has been a key activist especially around the wars in Central America during the 1980s and 1990s. Among his educational achievements are a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, an M.A. from Louisiana State. and a B.A. from Loyola College, New Orleans. He has authored many books on subjects related to Central American history.

Kitoko Chargois: Kitoko is a senior at Chatham University and is doing her degree in Print Journalism and Photography. She is already familiar to the Center having been an intern during the last Semester.

During her internship, she did invaluable work for the Center as she produced the weekly eblast, wrote articles for the New People and reported on several issues for the paper. Presently, she is editor for Chatham’s College newspaper and is active in many student organizations.

Ken Joseph: Ken is an Attorney who practices with Pepper Hamilton. His practice is focused on real estate transactions, particularly those involving the development of affordable housing. He has a B.A. from St. John’s College, Annapolis and a J.D. from Duquesne University. He has volunteered as a legal observer for the National Lawyers Guild at the protests in St. Paul at the Republican Convention and for the ACLU on numerous occasions in Pittsburgh. He is presently a Cornerstone Sustainer of the Merton Center and serves on the governing bodies of other organizations in the city.

Chris Mason: Chris was a prominent member of Occupy Pittsburgh in the Fall of 2011. She helped to organize the encampment, facilitate general assemblies and

provide social media support.

Presently she works with the Birmingham Foundation which makes grants to non-profit organizations that provide health and human service programs in the South Pittsburgh area. She received her education at CCAC and Duquesne University in Liberal Arts Studies. She also studied documentary film production at Pittsburgh Filmmakers.

Joyce Rothermel: Joyce was Executive Director of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank from 1987-2011. She was a cofounder of the Food Bank, which was born out of the Merton Center’s outreach to the needy and hungry in our city. Prior to going to the Food Bank, she served for 10 years on the Staff of the Merton Center in many capacities including the production of The New People. Her education includes a B.A. in Education from St. John’s College, Cleveland and an M.A. in Education from Dayton University, Dayton, Ohio. She was a founding member of the Pittsburgh Haiti Solidarity Committee and is a member of numerous peace and social justice groups in the city.

Tyrone Scales: Presently Tyrone is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to that he received an Associate Degree at CCAC in Social Work. He has worked as an intern with United Cerebral Palsy, Pittsburgh, and has volunteered with Aseracare Hospice and other nonprofit organizations in the city.

Book Signing Reception at TMC “Becoming Nonviolent Peacemakers: A Virtue Ethic for Catholic Social Teaching and US Policy”

by Eli Sasaran McCarthy

by Joyce Rothermel As we continue to celebrate our 40th anniversary at the Merton Center, we are excited to host a book signing pot luck reception at the Center on Sunday, October 14, 2012 from 3 - 5 PM. Our guest is Eli Sasaran McCarthy, author of Becoming Nonviolent Peacemakers: A Virtue Ethic for Catholic Social Teaching and US Policy and adjunct professor of Justice and Peace Studies at Georgetown University. Eli is the son of Connie Totera-Hutchinson, TMC member from Beaver County. He will be joining us to discuss, sell and sign his new book for all who purchase it.

Lisa Cahill from Boston College's Theology Department has this review: "This is an excellent book. It is highly original and intellectually precise, while remaining grounded in the Christian life and passion for social change. McCarthy cuts across standard divisions of just war theory and pacifism to create a public and political peacemaking ethic of virtue for an era in which Christian action for global justice is not optional. He ties the ethic to both national and international policy. A tour de force."

Another review comes from Alan Goulty, former British Ambassador to Sudan: "McCarthy's deep discussion of the challenges of nonviolent peacemaking should be essential reading for all would-be peacemakers and, more especially, for all those who still see lethal force as the answer to international problems."

Please plan to attend the reception and bring an appetizer, dessert or beverage to share as we continue to toast the Center's 40th year!

Joyce Rothermel is co-chair of the TMC 40th Anniversary Committee.

Shernell Smith: Shernell presently works at CMU in the Office of the Dean of Students Affairs on Multicultural and Diversity Initiatives. Prior to her present position, she worked as Coordinator for Student Development and House fellow Student Development also at CMU. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Central Arkansas and her Master of Higher Education at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She is already familiar to us at the Center for the invaluable help she provided in organizing the Merton Award Dinners of 2010 and 2011.

There is still time for additional names for the slate. If there is anybody whom you would like to nominate for the Board please submit his or her name to the Thomas Merton Center before October 15, 2012.

October 2012

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OCTOBER ACTIVIST EVENTS Sunday Monday 1 Become a Member of TMC! $45—Individual Membership $100– Family Membership $75—Organization (below 25 members) $125—Organization (above 25 members) THE NEW PEOPLE WILL BE MAILED TO YOU!

TMC membership benefits include monthly mailings of the New People to your home or email account, weekly eblasts focusing on peace and justice events, and special invitations to membership activities. Join at thomasmertoncenter.org/join-donate.

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1:30-3:00pm 9000 Babcock Blvd,

Mike Stout & The Human Union Band ($15 pp)

2 Wednesday 3

18 Schubert St., Pgh PA 15212

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TMC Book Signing 3-5 pm at TMC

TMC Board Meeting

Civics for Grownups Part II :

Women in Black

6:00pm –9:00pm Thomas Merton Center

ISO Meeting:

Monthly Peace Vigil

7:30-9:00pm Thomas Merton Center

Ginger Hill Church

Association of Pittsburgh Priests speakers' series

35th Pittsburgh East CROP Hunger Walk 1:00am-4:00pm 733 South Ave. Pgh. 15221

7:30-8:30pm 9000 Babcock blvd.

Allison Park, PA 15101

Anti-War Com. Mtg 2:00-3:00pm at TMC

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22 7:00pm-9:00pm

100 Warwick Drive Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 412-681-7736

ISO Meeting: 7:30-9:00pm Thomas Merton Center

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TMC Anti-War Committee Meeting Thomas Merton Center 2:00 pm

6:00-9:30pm Omni William Penn www.justharvest.org

Doug Morris Fundraising Concert for TMC Featuring Woody Guthrie Songs 7-9 pm Postal Workers Hall Northside

Visions of Hope for Haiti 6:00-9:00pm 616 N. Highland Ave.

ISO Meeting: 7:30-9:00pm at TMC

Happy Halloween Write On! Letters for Prisoner Rights Thomas Merton Center 7 pm FedUp! Meeting 7:00-9:00pm Thomas Merton Center

In an effort to grow engagement in the activities of the Thomas Merton Center and expand membership, the Membership Committee is planning regional gatherings hosted by members in their respective communities. One has been held so far in Murrysville this past May. The second has been planned for the northern area on October 7 from 1:30-3:00 pm at the Kearns Spirituality Center, a Ministry of the Sisters of Divine Providence.

The event is being hosted by TMC members Sr. Betty Sunday, CDP, Mary Sheehan, Donna and Ed Brett. The afternoon will include a short video about the Center, updates about the focus areas of the Center: anti-war, economic justice, environmental justice and prisoners rights. Testimonials will also be given by the event hosts. Discussion and refreshments will wrap up the afternoon.

All attendees are invited to the Mike Stout benefit concert later in the day at 7:30 PM at the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium in Oakland. A suggested donation of $15 is requested to benefit Pennsylvanians United for Single Health-Payer (PUSH) and the Thomas Merton Center.

October 2012

First Friday Action 1:30-3:00pm Post Office, Downtown Tony @ 412-462-9962

Anti-Racism Workshop 3:00-8:30pm Contact: 412-721-0853

Black Voices for Peace: Vigil to End the War. 1:00pm Corner of Penn and Highland in East Liberty

Anti-Racism Workshop 8:30am-5:00pm Contact: 412-721-0853

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The TMC 40th Anniversary is just around the corner! Register for the dinner at www.thomasmertoncenter.org.

This year we are honoring Medea Benjamin with a Peace and Justice Award!

The dinner will be held at 6 PM on Thursday, Nov. 8, at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel on the Southside.

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13 Black Voices for Peace Vigil to End the War 1:00pm Corner of Penn and Highland in East Liberty

PEHT (Project to End Human Trafficking 10am-2pm Carlow Campus Like a Man Gone Mad 1:30pm Pump House

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20 Black Voices for Peace

PIIN Fall Public Action Meeting

Vigil to End the War Corner of Penn and Highland in East Liberty 1:00 pm

7:pm-8:30pm Rodef Shalom Pgh. PA 15213

PPT Meeting 10:00am –12:00pm Thomas Merton Center

Fight for Lifers West meeting

Thomas Merton 1915-1968

25 Woody Guthrie: Ain't Got No Home 7:30-9:00pm Pump House

10:00am– 12:00pm 325 N. Highland, Pittsburgh Pa.

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27 Black Voices for Peace Vigil to End the War Corner of Penn and Highland in East Liberty 1:00 pm

PodCamp Pittsburgh 9:00-5:00pm Point Park University 201Wood St. Pgh, Pa 15222

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TMC Members Host Outreach Meeting in the North Hills

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Presby Church 1-4 pm

24 Write On! Letters for Prisoner Rights 7:00pm Thomas Merton Center FedUp! Meeting 7:00-9:00pm Thomas Merton Center Darfur Coalition Meeting 5:30-7:30 pm Room C, Carnegie Library, Squirrel Hill

30 Just Harvest’s Annual Dinner

10:30am-12:00pm Thomas Merton Center

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23 Civics for Grownups Part II

Want to become more involved in the local peace and justice movement?

Call the Thomas Merton Center to find out about volunteer opportunities.

Volunteers are needed during the weekday hours to assist with special events, mailings, and organizing activities. (412) 361-3022.

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412-681-7736

4:30-6:00pm 5604 Posvar Hall, Pitt Green Party meeting: 7:00-9:00pm

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TMC Membership Committee Meeting 12:00pm at the Thomas Merton Center Write On! Letters for Prisoner Rights TMC 7 pm FedUp! Meeting 7:00-9:00pm Thomas Merton Center

Saturday 6 TMC Anti-War Forum at East Liberty

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5

Editorial Collective Meeting

Pgh Community Food Bank Fundraiser 8 pm @ The Byham

First Unitarian Church Contact:412-384-4310.

6:15-8:00pm 2101 Murray Avenue, Pgh, Pa 15217 drdoneagain@yahoo.co FedUp! Meeting 7-9pm

7:30-8:30 pm

10:00 am

PADP meeting

Friday

Social Movements & Global Crisis:

OFF THE RECORD

7:30-9:00pm Thomas Merton Center

W.O.M.I.N. Meeting

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7:00-9:00 pm TMC

PUSH Meeting

Civics for Grownups

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2121 Murray Avenue Pgh, Pa 15217 (2nd Floor) 412-784-0256

FedUp! Meeting

ISO Meeting:

-at the Center in Garfield

7:30-9:30pm Frick Auditorium 650 Schenley Dr, 15213 412-361-3022

All day online at Pittsburghgives.org Write On! Letters for Prisoner Rights 7:00 pm at TMC

7:00-9:00pm 100 Warwick Drive 15241 (Upper St. Clair)

Planning Mtg—10 am

3:00-4:00pm Thomas Merton Center

(your donation will be matched by Pgh. Fdt)

Write On! Letters for Prisoner Rights 7 pm at TMC Darfur Coalition Mtg 5:30-7:30 pm Room C, Carnegie Library, Squirrel Hill

TMC New Economy

Thursday

TMC Day of Giving

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8 Board Development Committee

TMC Northern Area Outreach Gathering

Tuesday

TMC Mad Mex ($60 pp) Fundraising Dinner Shadyside—7 pm Civics for Grown-ups Part II 7:00pm-9:00pm 100 Warwick Drive Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 412-681-7736 ISO Meeting: 7:30-9:00pm at TMC isopgh@gmail.com

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Kirkridge Retreat on Dorothy Day Dorothy Day, a person of contradictions, activist and contemplative, political, radical and theological traditionalist, intended to found a newspaper “The Catholic Worker” but ended up founding a movement. The many houses of hospitality stretching from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, like the original Catholic Worker, are places of welcome for many who are treated as throwaways. Many regard Dorothy as one of the saints of our time.

Jim Forest worked closely with Dorothy Day during the last twenty years of her life. “All is Grace,” an expanded version of his biography on Dorothy, “Love is the Measure” draws on recently released letters and diaries. An author and peace activist, Forest left the Navy in 1969 as a conscientious objector and joined the Catholic Worker movement. He spent a year in prison for burning draft records (1969-1970).

Formerly General Secretary of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, he is now international secretary of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship and lives in Holland. Jim will lead a retreat December 6-9 at Kirkridge, a beautiful retreat center nestled atop a mountain in northeast PA: 2495 Fox Gap Road, Bangor, PA 18013. 610-588-1793, kirkridge@kirkridge.org. The program begins with dinner on Friday at 6:30 and runs until noon on Sunday; Cost is $365 per person. Call to learn about scholarships.