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FREE - donations accepted. NEWSLETTER MARCH 15, 1994. 401 Main St., Vancouver V6A 2T7

March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

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Page 1: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

FREE - donations accepted.

N E W S L E T T E R MARCH 1 5 , 1994.

401 Main St., Vancouver V6A 2T7

Page 2: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

DOWNTQWN EASTSIDE

eloved native women's worker dies

VANCOUVER SUN

SERVING HER COMMUNITY: Janice Saul (centre) in Carnegie kitchen with Serge Dassylva, Dolly Butler ROBERT SARTl Vancouver Sun

She marched through the streets of downtown Vaccouver to protest the deaths of native women from drug overdoses, and she combed the beer parlors of East Hastings to rescue young pregnant women from alcohol.

Janice Saul knew first-hand how dangerous the s treet scene is to native women. Two of her cousins had died of drug overdoses and another was murdered.

That's why the sudden death of the prominent and well-liked Lil'wat Indian woman on the weekend from a suspected drug overdose has sent waves of fear and anger through her

community at Main and ~as t ings . *-"Who's next," wailed friend Mar-

garet Prevost when she heard the news. "If it could could happen to someone like Janice, it could hap- pen to any of us."

Prevost almost started drinking again to kill the pain of her friend's death, but was finally talked out of

. i t by a friend. The death has affected the com-

munity so seriously that city hall will send a grief counsellor Thursday to Carnegie Centre -the first time a counsellor from the city's employ- ee-assistance program will minister to the public as well as to city staff.

Saul, 44, a Carnegie kitchen work- e r and organizer of children's par-

ties, was found dead'saturday s g h t in her east-side apartment after an evening of socializing with friends at the beer parlor. Police are treatingthe death as a suspected drug overdose and are awaiting an autopsy report.

"Janice was so sunny and upbeat, putting her heart and soul into her work," said her boss, Catriona Moore, choking back the tears. "She was so good with the volunteers, moti- vating them, making them feel want- ed and needed."

Longtime friend Leith Harris said Saul's death shows just how close to danger most native women are in the Downtown Eastside, even those women who seem to have got- ten their lives together.

Community workers say at least 25

Page 3: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

native women have died in the area since 1980, most of them either mur- dered or from drug overdoses.

Harris said Saul had talked more women out of the street life than any professional social worker she had ever seen. "Janice saw too much, she heard too much, she had seen too many women die, but there was noth- ing she could do about the root cacse of the pain, the racism and colo- nial oppression of the native peo- ple," said Harris. "We loved her, but

it wasn't enough to save her." Saul grew up near Mount Currie

and graduated from high school in Sechelt. She started work there as a chambermaid, later becoming a secretary in Vancouver before start- ing work at Carnegie six years ago.

She leaves a Byear-old son, Warren. Her mother, Mary George, said

Saul had always been a helping per- son, even lending money to people when she didn't have enough for g r e ceries herself.

Her S p i r i t Soars

I s t i l l f i n d it hard t o b e l i e v e t h a t Janice i s gone. Everytime I look i n t h e k i tchen I expect t o f i n d h e r preparing food f o r many people.

Although Jan ice has worked hhrough- obt t h e bu i ld ing , she loved being i n the k i tchen and organiz ing c h i l d r e n ' s p a r t i e s . My son Wayne remembers t h e t e e n dances she was involved i n and t h e easy way i t was f o r t e e n s t o r e - l a t e t o Jan ice . . she never t r i e d t o be i n f u l l c o n t r o l and l e t them have an equal p a r t o f dec i s ion making.

More of u s should fo l low he r i n t h i s and reach ou t t o t h e young peop- l e a s t hey a r e r e a l l y hu r t ing . We must s t o p t h i s from becoming a l o s t generat ion.

A g rea t number of people ask "How could t h i s happen t o someone who was so warm and bubbly?" Even though she appeared t o be happy on t h e ou t s ide , I could t e l l she was deeply h u r t by t h e l o s s o f Cheryl Ann Joe and o t h e r cousins .

When you a r e doing so much t o he lp o t h e r s , people f e e l t h a t you a r e a rock and do n o t need support . Sooner o r l a t e r we a l l reach a breaking p o i n t .

We a l l have happy memories of Jan- i c e which w i l l h e l p ease t h e pain.

J an ice , may you f i n d peace with your cousins and your s p i r i t l i v e s on i n every nook and cranny of Carnegie.

"She went into the bars and talked to people and tried to get them off the street, and tried to get them to stop taking that stuff, and that's why we can't understand how this happened," said George.

Memorial services will be held Sat- urday at 11 a.m. a t the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, 1607 East Hastings, and Monday at 2 p.m. at Carnegie Centre.

TESTIMONY OF FRIENDSHIP I t is evening, t h e news has sunk in,

t h e SUN Newspaper l a y on t h e f l o o r n e a r my c h a i r . Mu c h i l d i s s i t t i n g a t my f e e t . I f i n a l l y al low myself t o c ry , wai l , and sob l i k e a l o s t c h i l d , f o r 10 minutes. My daughter , 3, cons- o led me well , almost l i k e she was an e l d e r a l ready . She d r i e d my f lood of t e a r s , hugged me t ende r ly , and gave me t i s s u e on commahd. To t r y t o l e t h e r understand my a c t i o n s , I despa i r - ed t o her , "Joan, I l o s t a good f r i e n d today! I t Joan, wise and quick, says, ftYour f r i e n d over t h e r e w p o i n t i n g t o t h e empty corner , bu t she s a i d , "1 here mommie, I your f r iend" . I I c r i e d more, because she was so sweet. She got me a cup of water a f t e r cup of water. I l e t h e r mother me, because I f e e l t he l o s s and f e l t l o s t .

Late J an ice Saul

I knew nothing o f J an ice S a u l ' s personal l i f e . She kept a l i d on it. Not h id ing anything but it seemed none of my bus iness t o ask. I d i d no t know where she came from, h e r f a n i l y l i f e , o r even h e r age. I t a lked , she l i s t e n e d .

I do know t h a t we had a f r i e n d s h i p and bond. We t r a v e l l e d t h e same bee r p a r l o u r c i r c u i t t e n yea r s ago: Nelson Place, Roya1,Marble Arch and t h e Bal- moral Hotel. We d r i f t e d a p a r t ; maybe

I r ene Schmidt

Page 4: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

we were only acquaintances then . Lat- e r i n 1991 I ran i n t o h e r a t t h e Car- negie Centre , and shared news wi th h e r t h a t I was expect ing my f i r s t c h i l d . She was e l a t e d f o r me. Four months a f t e r my c h i l d was born, I brought my daughter Joan t o s e e Jan- i c e . I o f f e red my bundle of joy t o h e r t o hold and she Kootchie-chooed l i k e every mother would. This meant a l o t t o me, a s I only l e t a few people be i n contac t with my l i t t l e t reasure. I t r u s t e d her .

J an i ce Saul was a good person. A t t - r a c t i v e . Well d ressed . F u l l o f poten- t i a l , she could do anything she want- ed t o , b a s i c a l l y . She spoke no ill of anyone, i n my presence anyway. She d idn ' t appear t o me l l ca t ty f l o r p l ay mind games l i k e some people did those days. She was r e a l and I always resp- ec t ed he r . I admired Hanice's g e t up and go and/or enthusiasm f o r l i f e , people, o r jobs.

I hope Jan ice Saul sensed my admir- a t i o n , a s I doubted i t i f it crossed my mind t o say "Hey, J an ice . You a r e t r u l y a wonderful person t o know. I am glad t h a t we a r e f r i e n d s !l l

A s I i n t e r p r e t , people i n genera l t ake l i f e f o r granted. We t ake loved ones f o r granted, t h ink ing t h a t they, l i k e us , w i l l grow o l d toge the r . -Or a t t imes , we d o n ' t know we love some- one ti1 they s u f f e r i n j u r y , d i s e a s e o r d i e .

This Testimonial l e t t e r t o one and a l l t o read, hopefu l ly w i l l f i x t h i s s i t u a t i o n f o r me.

J an ice Saul , 44, r e spec t ed n a t i v e woman, ab l e worker, kind person made the East Hast ings a r e a a b e t t e r p l ace by h e r presence.

Keep i n mind, Jan ice , maybe was no angel i n r e a l l i f e , but she was p r e t t y c l o s e t o being a Good Samarit- an t o a l l near .

I humbly ask our Creator , t o he lp

myself and o t h e r s t o heal o u r wounded s p i r i t s , a s s i s t i n g e t t i n g over our l o s s of ou r loved one, now gone. So t h a t t h e s p i r i t o f J an ice Saul can Rest i n Peace, and s t a r t h e r new Journey t o h e r deserved rewards.

In f r i e n d s h i p , Linda Daniels .

J A N I C E SAUL - A Tr ibute t o a Friend

Jan ice Saul : a member o f t h e VMREU - 7 years . employee a t Carnegie Comm- u n i t y Centre - 7 years . 44 yea r s young. Dedicated and va luable a s a worker a t Carnegie and f o r t h e VMREU.

When I met J an ice I was se rv ing my first day on t h e job a s an a u x i l i a r y i n t h e Carnegie k i tchen . Jan came i n a t 3 pm t o s t a r t h e r s h i f t , s tanding a l l o f f i v e f e e t and dressed t o t h e n ines . Black h a i r , dark brown eyes, p r e t t y a s a sunny Vancouver day. A voice t h a t reminded me of J a n i s Jop- l i n . . l i k e g rave l wi th music a t tached . (Coinc identa l ly she loved t o karaoke)

I worked with J a n i c e Saul f o r alm- o s t 4 years . She always worked ve ry hard and never d id she back away from express ing h e r opinion on ma t t e r s per- t a i n i n g t o h e r work o r t h e t rea tment of pa t rons o r vo lun tee r s . Many a time I saw Jan ice c h a s t i s e s e n i o r s t a f f o r

Page 5: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

fe l low workers ( inc luding me), i f she considered them t o be a c t i n g not i n t he bes t i n t e r e s t s of a pa t ron .

She could always make you laugh though. She would t a l k about some- t h i n g t h a t had happened and he r dark eyes would f l a s h and she 'd smile and l e t out t h i s raspy l i t t l e chuckle. J an i ce was a t r u e cha rac t e r .

During t h e l a s t round o f barga in ing with t h e Ci ty , J an ice was very busy o rgan i s ing o n - s i t e meetings, t a l k i n g t o t h e Union execut ive and logging information f o r t h e members a t Carne- g i e . She was not a steward o r even a s i t e contac t , b u t t h a t d i d not d e t e r her . She f e l t t h i n g s were not being done and she was going t o do them. Obviously we need more l i k e her .

J an i ce Saul was an a u x i l i a r y a t Carnegie. For t h e p a s t two yea r s she has worked a f ive-day week i n one o f

t h e b u s i e s t and most s t r e s s f u l a r e a s of t h e c i t y - t he Carnegie Kitchen. , ,C She spent seven yea r s se rv ing t h e '2- people of t h e Downtown Eas ts ide . Jan worked a t t h e Info Desk and was a t t h e h ighes t r a t e f o r t h a t p o s i t i o n . On top of t h a t she a l s o worked in t h e l i b r a r y whenever they needed a hand. J an ice was an aux i l i a ry??? No benef- i t s ! No hol iday&! No s i ck t ime! She could n o t a f f o r d t o t ake time o f f when she was s i c k o r s t r e s s e d out . She deserved b e t t e r .

J an i ce Saul d i ed t r a g i c a l l y , Sa tur - day n i g h t , February 26, 1994.

J an ice Saul w i l l be missed t e r r i b l y by a l l who were lucky enough t o have known her .

J a n i c e , we love you. Rest i n peace.

John Ferguson (Also p r i n t e d i n Member's Voice)

THANKS FOR THE GOOD TIMES Well I guess you a l l heard and knew Jan ice Saul

How much she meant t o u s a l l .

We w i l l miss h e r happy smile and loving h e a r t

For a l l t h e kind and c a r i n g t h i n g s she d id f o r u s t o f e e l a p a r t .

She always made you f e e l l i k e she was your f r i e n d

J a n i c e was l i k e a lov ing s i s t e r till t h e end. I

1 Many o f u s a r e shedding t e a r s o f sorrow ! I For knowing t h a t we w i l l never s e e h e r tomorrow.

i From a l l o f u s he re a t The Carnegie Centre

You w i l l always be remembered f o r making people be t t e

r Steve Len t ine l lo

Page 6: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

Main and Ilastings P ro j ec t Housing Sub-committee Meeting

The Housing sub-committee w i l l be holding t h e i r f i r s t meeting on Wednes- day, March 16th a t 7: 30 pm a t t h e old Bank of Montreal, 390 Main.

The ob jec t ive of t h e Housing sub- committee i s t o have comunity-approv- ed e l i g i b i l i t y c r i t e r i a f o r t h e new housinz u n i t s by June 15th, 1994. The sub-committee i s committed t o having t h e c r i t e r i a f o r t he u n i t s based on community need.

In o rde r t o achieve t h i s o b j e c t i v e , t h e sub-committee w i l l be meeting ov- e r the next couple of months t o d i s c - uss and analyze t h e var ious r e p o r t s on e x i s t i n g housing and housing needs i n t he Downtown Eas ts ide . I f you would l i k e t o c o n t r i b u t e information o r op- i n ions on housing needs i n t h e a r ea , p l e a s e come.

A /f A v b'

LIVING WITH AGING

I t ' s not a lways easy growing o l d A s l i f e ' s sorrows and l o s s e s unfold Emotional exchanges and b i o l o g i c a l changes Make u s f e e l l e f t out i n t h e cold.

But when we approach bhe end of o u r rope There a r e ways t o he lp us t o cope The medical a r t i s t r y o r g e r i a t r i c p sych ia t ry g ives u s l o t s o f reason f o r hope.

- submit ted by Gram

Dear Newslet ter ,

q* BlnnERS , = * f United we can! r *

Save Our Living Environment Presents:

BEVERAGE CONTAINER RECYCLING AND LOTS MORE!

UP TO $1 0.00 PAID FOR BOTTLES AND CANS

AND TO CLEAN THE BANK (10 - 25 cents per container)

SPRING CLEAN UP

AT THE OLD BANK 390 MAIN ST. AT HASTINGS

I f you would l i k e t o j o in in , b r ing along a c l o t h o r a broom o r j u s t some good humour and j o i n us .

MARCH 21, 1994 - 9:00 A.M. COME EARLY/FUNDS LIMITED

I am so g r a t e f u l t o t h e Carnegie f o r t h e good vege ta r i an meals. Keep up t h e

phone Ken (681 -4250) for more inforrnatlon

good work. E l i zabe th Thorpe

Page 7: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

0pPENHElMER PARK VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR ' E l Salvador a s a l l o f h i s f r i e n d s h a v r

- - - . .. . , . . been : \k i l l ed . 67. NO PERSON \,:T P E R M ~ D ,;

After excaping from E l Salvador, W i l - TH\S PARK f redo spent 3-6 months i n Guatemala,

10 P.M.- 6 MA 1% yea r s , i n Mexico, then went t o Cal- - i f o r n i a i n 1984. Toronto was h i s next s t o p i n 1987 and he came t o Vancouver

Wilfredo Jimenez was born i n E l Sa l - va, E l Salvador on May 12, 1960. He has two b ro the r s and t h r e e s i s t e r s . Wilfredo l e f t home a t 14 yea r s o f age.

In 1975 t h e r e were many massacres. Wilfredo i s an ex-policeman who ask-

ed too many ques t ions about nuns and o t h e r s who were k i l l e d . When he s a i d he did no t want anything t o do with t h e m i l i t a r y t h e i r response was "You w i l l d i e f i r s t . " I t is extremely pa in- f u l f o r him t o remember what happened on September 27, 1979. A d read fu l exp- e r i ence occurred a s he was t o r t u r e d , s h o t and asked why he t r i e d t o i n v e s t - i g a t e t he dea ths .

Someone gave Wilfredo money and h e l p t o escape. He i s a f r a i d t o go back t o

i n 1990. Pam Brown, then Park Manager, was

t h e one t o g e t Wilfredo working a t Op- penheimer Park. This man i s a va luable a s s e t s i n c e he can be an i n t e r p r e t e r f o r h i s people a t Legal Aid, Downtown C l i n i c , Soc ia l Serv ices off i 'kes 6 many o t h e r o rgan iza t ions i n t he community. Wilfredo always t a k e s t ime out from t h e park t o go t o va r ious diff ices f o r people who do no t speak English.

A t t h e p re sen t t ime Wilfredo i s t r y - ing t o t u rn h i s l i f e around by going t o s e e a drug and alcohol counse l lor . Everyone makes mistakes and needs a second chance. Wilfredo i s t e r r i f i e d o f being k i l l e d should he r e t u r n t o E l Salvador.

Every morning Wilfredo c l e a n s up Op- penheimer Park. There a r e many Ginseng b o t t l e s and used needles l i t t e r i n g t h e park. He i s extremely ded ica t ed t o making l i f e b e t t e r f o r people i n t h i s community. Wilfredo t r a v e l s i n from Langley on t h e bus each day t o perform t h e s e d u t i e s .

Wilfredo would l i k e t o g ive some- t h i n g back t o Carnegie a s people i n t h e c e n t r e have helped hima g r e a t deal. He has worked f a i t h f u l l y i n t h e park f o r 3 1/2 years .

Wilfredo hopes t o upgrade h i s Eng- l i s h a t Carnegie and he w i l l r e ce ive a warm welcome i n t h e Learning Centre. He loves Canada and cons ide r s t h i s t o be h i s r e a l country.

If t h e immigration a u t h o r i t i e s a r e a s compassionate a s t hey l e a d u s t o be l i eve they w i l l a l low t h i s t r u e re fugee t o s t a y here .

By IRENE SCHMIDT

Page 8: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

.,Qfi5 Spread the word!

55 %

UNDERSTANDING ECONOMTC RESTRUCTURING.

We 're lznviitp nforum!

Wlicri: Friday. April S t h , 9 2 0 to 4 2 0 \Vlict.c: Unitarian Chi1rc1-1 , 49th and Oak in Vancouver

SI1i1r.e what you know. Ixarn from others. Lunch will be provided. Free onsite cl~iltlc:ire will be provided to people who register by March 3lst bv fillin_g o ~ ~ t

registration fortii. Local husfnre will be provided. .

1 \v:~rit to ~ y i s t c r . for. thc 1Sca11n11iic Rcstr-r~ctrtr-ing Forr~ni oti i\pr.il 8111, 1994.

;\tltlr.css: post:~l rotlc

Y e s N 0

I'lcnsc r.ctur.11 to JC;III S \ ~ : l r ~ s o r ~ , #52 3.550 Atl:~n:lc St., \r;inco~~vcr., 13. C. \'?if\: 41'6 Iwrorc R l n t ~ h 31sf.

Page 9: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

.. THE WATERFRONT CASINO THAT

KILLED OUR COMMUNITY 9.

Excuse Me! No, 1 d i d n ' t f a r t o r burp, I j u s t got s i c k a f t e r reading about what 's supposed t o be happening t o o u r neighbourhood. These so -ca l l ed Arneric- an people a r e coming t o show u s how t o run CASINOS ... what a laugh.

That ' s l i k e C i t y Hall saying t h e r e ' s no such p l ace a s t h e Downtown Eastside. Well, I hope t h i s never happens. God he lp us i f i t does.

I can s e e d i s a s t e r - h o t e l s t h a t a r e

h e s i a , on Powell S t . , who tu rned out t o be wanted i n t h e S t a t e s f o r cocaine importing?

We d o n ' t need any s h i t l i k e t h i s i n ou r neighbourhood. We have t o make our p o i n t s and views loud and v i s i b l e .

I t seems t h a t when t h i n g s l i k e t h i s cas ino a r e a l l o f a sudden happening, we a r e t h e l a s t t o know. I t seems l i k e the people who a r e supposed t o be wat- ch ing o u t f o r o u r c i t y a r e a s l eep . The

a l r eady homes t o many people being Mayor and Council need t o wake up very tu rned i n t o high-priced s u i t e s f o r t h e r i c h and famous.

Can you imagine leaving your h o t e l room t o come back t o f i n d o u t t h a t you no longer l i v e t h e r e . I t ' s a c ry ing shame.

Who t h e h e l l does t h i s Mirage comp- any th ink t h e y a re? Right now they a r e PROMISING many people s a f e , secure jobs, e s p e c i a l l y i f you have o r a r e g e t t i n g a co l l ege educat ion. Tra in ing t h a t w i l l be a v a i l a b l e w i l l be f o r +hose i n l o c a l schools , p l u s t h e many

3ople t h e y ' l l b r ing up the USA. l f a s t t t a k e real direction from t h e Please d o n ' t get me wrong; I have

) th ing a g a i n s t Americans..my problem j with t h i s Mirage company. They've >me t o Canada and t e l l u s t h a t money ~ d e here , through t h i s p o s s i b l e VLC da te r f ront" development, w i l l s t a y i n mada. I dont t t h i n k so. In my mind I can a l r e a d y see what 's

l i n g t o happen, t h e same th ing t h a t aPpened when came zople w i l l be turned ou t i n t o t h e

s t r e e t s a s t h e i r homes a r e turned i n t o h igh-c lass j o i n t s c a t e r i n g t o t h e r i c h and employing people from o t h e r p l a c e s .' Then we have a much b igger problem

when t h e drugs come b a r r e l i n g i n by the and people ge t armed t o t h e t e e t h t o t ake on t h e po l i ce .

unjaded, rookie c o u n c i l l o r s and espec- i a l l y from t h e people living i n the community most at r i sk .

They can't do t h i s without us and I be l i eve they know t h i s . L e t t e r s , p e t i - t i o n s , eye-sore p i c t u r e s of what will happen need t o be s e n t t o Council and t o a s m a y p u b l i c media sources a s p o s s i b l e , a s wel l a s t o merchants i n Gastown and o t h e r s who a r e not y e t s ee ing e f f e c t s i n t h e l i g h t o f day.

We've always worked as a community, stop now. ~h~~~ are examples

a l l ove r t h e world of what happens t o l o c a l r e s i d e n t s when xegabucks sweep i n . If we don ' t f i g h t back we ' l l go down i n h i s t o r y a s t h e Community t h a t was.. . t h a t gave up and i n t o t h e Amer-

This i s r e a l i t y . Has anyone checked 1 icans and t h e i r casinos. o u t t h e h i s t o r y of t h i s guy who works 1 f o r Mirage? Remember t h e guy who owned By MARGARET PREVOST

-- -

Page 10: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

REMEMBERING OUR CAGED FRIENDS

To understand j u s t how insane our s o c i e t y i s , we should look a t what i s being done t o t h e Leghorn Chicken: The cond i t i ons i n which they a r e kept, t h e i r purpose f o r being t h e r e and, most important o f a l l , t h e i r f u t u r e .

Leghorns were f i rs t brought t o t h i s cont inent a hundred years ago with t h e i d e a t h a t t hey would make an ex- c e l l e n t farmyard chicken because of t h e i r egg-laying a b i l i t y . When we s t a r t e d locking them i n b a t t e r y houses, we began t h e i r complete rem- oval from an o r i g i n a l domestic s t a t e . Since t h e i r imprisonment, manh o r a l l have never seen sun l igh t , sc ra tched i n t h e d i r t o r e a t e n an i n s e c t . They a r e kept i n wire cages and have t h e i r day-night cyc l e made f o r them. Lights o f f - i t ' s n i g h t and they crouch i n t h e i r cage. These hens have nothing

t o do a l l day, except s tand on wire , with hard ly room t o pace. They a r e fed manufactured food l aced wi th drugs t o combat d i s e a s e s r e l a t e d t o t h e i r cap t ive l i v e s . How much more

I can I not

' t ignore them, t h e r e , because

abuse can they t ake? I t i s s a i d t h e Leghorn i s a nervous breed of chicken and r e a l i t y . . . i t ' s no wonder.

Leghorns a r e economically e f f i c i e n t i n t h i s p re sen t system. Being small i n s i z e , t hey do n o t r e q u i r e a s much food t o produce eggs a s t h e o t h e r breeds. Therefore they a r e t he most exp lo i t ed . Hens l i v i n g i n t h e f a c t o r - i e s a r e forced t o produce t o an u n r e a sonable l i m i t . There can be few miss- ed days. Therefore a hen wishing t o d iscont inue l ay ing and r a i s e ch icks has go t t o be destroyed i n o r d e r f o r t h e human egg producer t o make it f i n a n c i a l l y . Over generat i ons o f cu l - l i n g t h e s e broody hens and r a i s i n g ch icks i n i ncuba to r s , and keeping them i n unnatura l surroundings, t h e Leghorn has l o s t i t s a b i l i t y t o r e - produce--the most v i t a l i n s t i n c t f o r su rv iva l of a spec i e s . They cannot hatch and r a i s e t h e i r own young be- cause it has been done f o r them by technology ( incubators ) f o r dozens o f years . They a r e i n a p o s i t i o n now of becoming e x t i n c t .

This seems hard t o r e l a t e t o when we only t h i n k o f e x t i n c t i o n i n terms of bu f fa lo , whales, e t c . But it is good t o know t h e s e i n s t i n c t s can be re turned . We have done it he re on a very small s c a l e . A few yea r s o f r a i s i n g ch icks n a t u r a l l y under mother hens, c r o s s i n g with l e s s exp lo i t ed breeds such a s a bantam chicken, then breeding back again and again t o Leg- horns, we have had a few Leghorn-type hens s e t . To watch a Leghorn s e t on eggs and r a i s e he r young i s d e f i n i t e - l y an en l igh ten ing experience. Under- s tand t h a t we can he lp the Leghorn surv ive , simply by breeding them back t o t h e i r n a t u r a l domestic s t a t e . We

up t o u s t o defend

pre tend they a r e t hey a r e and i t i s and p r o t e c t t h e i r

Page 11: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

ex i s t ence . If we don ' t , no one w i l l . So whenever you e a t one of t hose

f a c t o r y eggs, p l e a s e th ink of t h a t l i t t l e hen i n h e r cage. J u s t d o n ' t s t o p e a t i n g he r egg. Keep h e r a l i v e ; perhaps one day y o u ' l l f r e e her .

Lorraine (chicken dept ) "In Defence of Nature" Vol. 1, 1977.

- - - - -- Okay! Wipe t h e t e a r s from your eyes

and read t h i s quick Leghorn update - Here a t t he Bet ty Place we a r e buil .

ding a chicken-house. What a f i n e chicken-house it s h a l l be: Open pas t - u re a l l around with a creek running through.. a new home f o r f i f t y of o u r f i n e s t Leghorns.

When we l e f t t h e c i t y i n 1971 we l i b e r a t e d 20 Leghorns from t h e i r cages and brought them with us . Now, some twenty o r more gene ra t ions l a t e r t h e i r descendants under t h e s e condi- t i o n s w i l l s t a r t t o reproduce.

What a c e l e b r a t i o n i n t h e barnyard when t h e f i r s t Leghorn mother ha tches t he f i r s t baby ch icks . A s p i r i t u a l occasion.

We be l i eve t h a t t h e thoughts of 1

freedom o f t h e l i t t l e caged Leghorn i n t h e p i c t u r e would be of such a p lace .

C.E.E.D.S.

Who can end pover ty... ? 11. We, t h e poor, understand b e s t what

poor people f a c e and what we need t o g e t r i d of poverty. Our need t o make t h i n g s b e t t e r i s t h e s t r o n g e s t . Peop- l e with g r e a t power an62wealth have governments make r u l e s t h a t g e t them what t h e y want. They buy p o l i t i c i a n s . They c o n t r o l newspapers, r a d i o and TV. They buy ads t h a t l i e about what gov- ernment programs a r e good f o r us .

Our f i r s t need i s t o f e e l good ab- out ou r se lves , t o understand t h a t we d id no t cause our poverty. Bel ieving we a r e t o blame only he lps t hose who put u s he re and keeps u s from working t o make th ings b e t t e r . Shame and f e a r have kept u s a p a r t . We need t o be proud of ou r power and l e a r n t o ca re more about ou r se lves and o t h e r people.

We c a n ' t he lp each o t h e r i f we be- l i e v e t h e l i e s of t hose who made us poor. They do well i f t h e working I )

poor and those on wel fare ha t e each o t h e r . They do we l l i f we h a t e peop1.e who a r e of a d i f f e r e n t r a c e o r r e l i g - ion. They do well i f we h a t e people who do not sha re ou? sexual preferen- ces . While we ha t e , we c a n ' t g e t t o - g e t h e r t o s p o i l t h e p l ans o f those who want more of u s t o be poorer .

There a r e ways we can s t a r t p u l l i n g toge the r . We can use s h o r t , c l e a r words t o sha re our i d e a s with o t h e r poor people and with people who can he lp . We can s e e t h a t t h e s k i l l s poor people use t o s t a y a l i v e a r e s t rong . We can use t h e s e s k i l l s t o end t h e pover ty t h a t government jjave t o us. We can l e a r n o t h e r s k i l l s we need t o end poverty. We can l e a r n t o t r u s t ou r s t r e n g t h and power a s we use ' : I

t h e s e o l d and new s k i l l s . We can en joy ou r own music, drama,

a r t , and wr i t i ng based on what o u r l i v e s a r e r e a l l y l i k e . We can f e e l

Page 12: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

good about t h e a t t e n t i o n o f t h e p o l i - want t o h e l p us. Not a l l o f them have t i c i a n s when we g a t h e r t o t e l l them hard h e a r t s . But we must be the ones what we need and deserve. We can f i n d who say what needs doing. We can f ind l j leasure i n he lp ing each o t h e r . a l l i e s who w i l l g ive u s r e s p e c t i f we

Some people who a r e not poor w i l l r e spec t ou r se lves . By DON ROBINSON

I

HE'LL BE ADDING TO DEBT MOUNTAIN ( l o t h e tune of

S h e ' l l be~Coming ' round t h e Mountain)

He ' l l be adding t o "Debt Mountain", when he comes Another hundred b i l l i o n of our funds He ' l l be wearing s t e e l - t o e d work boots But h e ' l l s l a s j and burn t h e "Grass Roots" He1 11 be adding t o "Debt Mountain", when he comes

H e ' l l shu t t h e doors o f t h e Armed Forces, when he comes He ' l l lock cade t s ou t o f t h e i r course, when he comes He ' l l change t h e laws f o r U.I. claimants So he can chea t them o f t h e i r payments He ' l l shut t h e doors o f t h e Armed Forces, when he comes

H e ' l l be s t e a l i n g from t h e s e n i o r s , when he comes They ' l l be e a t i n g beans and wieners, when he comes They1 r e c o l l e c t i n g !!old-age welfare" H e ' l l make darn su re they pay t h e i r sha re He ' l l be s t e a l i n g from t h e sen io r s , when he comes

He1 11 pu t a t a x upon your "Nest Egg'!, when he comes So you'd b e t t e r not have any s t o c k s o r bonds And don ' t be s e l l i n g o f f your house your investments no r your spouse 's He ' l l p u t a t a x upon your "Nest Egg", when he comes

He ' l l wave and smile a t t h e wealthy, when he comes H i s pension w i l l b e padded with l a r g e sums A p o l i t i c i a n of t h i s na t ion Wouldn't t a x t h e co rpo ra t ions 'Cause they make l a r g e donat ions, when he comes.

W. Ormerud

This has been a p u b l i c s e r v i c e announcement brought t o you by:

PANHANDLER'S INK. \ The Panhandling P ro fes s iona l s /"

Today's Motto: I f you want a f r e e lunch, s t e p up t o t h e t rough and say, "OINK!"

Page 13: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

Smatter?

Truth h u rt?

"Would t h e wealthy have more s e l f - -esteem i f t hey worked f o r t h e i r money:'. . ?Ir

Table 2: Growth of Profitable corporations that Pay No Tax: 1980 to 1987

,

Year Corporations Untaxed Profits

980 981 982 983 984 985 986 987

'otal

Kirk Falconer (1 990:83).

In t he r ecen t budget Finance Minis- t e r Paul Martin promised provinces $800 m i l l i o n t o experiment with inno- va t ive s o c i a l programs f o r t h e poor, people who use welfare and unemploy- ment insurance.

End Legis la ted Poverty has w r i t t e n t o Martin ask ing him t o do s i m i l a r experiments on how t o modify programs and laws t h a t b e n e f i t t h e wealthy and greedy, t h e r i c h e s t 5% o f Canadians who own 46% o f t h e wealth.

The experiments could dea l with ques t ions l i k e :

- Are weal t h y people dependent on wealth? How can we reform t h e t a x

system t o make t h e wealthy more inde- pent ? - I f t a x loopholes f o r t h e wealthy

were closed, would t h e wealthy con- t i n u e t o pas s t h e i r wealth on t o t h e i r ch i ld ren? Is greed(Igenerat iona%? - How would t h e behaviour o f t h e

wealthy change i f t h e y could only w r i t e o f f $261 p e r $1000 of RRSP they buy ( l i k e low income people) i n s t e a d o f t h e $481 they g e t now?

- - If t h i s law changed, would t h e weal-

t h y l o s e t h e i r i ncen t ive t o work? The incen t ive t o r e t i r e ? Would they become couch p o t a t o e s and s luggards? - Should t a x pol i c y provide a ' hand

down, no t a hand out l i . to t h e wealthy? - Would t h e wealthy have more s e l f -

esteem i f t h e y worked f o r t h e i r money, r a t h e r than i n h e r i t e d i t ? - Would counse l l i ng he lp t h e wealthy

escape from t h e c u l t u r e o f wealth? Can changes be made i n t h e t a x system t h a t would h e l p t h e wealthy break t h e i r cyc l e of wealth? - Is 46% o f t h e wealth s u f f i c i e n t f o r

5 % of t h e populat ion? Could they g e t by wi th 40%. Could they eke out an e x i s t e n c e on 30%? How much would be l e f t f o r t h e r e s t o f u s i f t hey ;

d i d ?

A t t h e conclusion o f t he experim- e n t s ELP would l i k e Martin t o g i v e the r e s u l t s t o a group of people on wel fare and U I , and ask them t o make recommendations t o government.

Ca l l Linda Marcotteg o r Jean Swanson 879-1209

Page 14: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter
Page 15: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

$ Gra's Q 0 P O K E R

Page 16: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

Mirage Resor t s Incorporated head o f f i c e s a r e i n t h e United S t a t e s o f America's l e g a l i z e d mafia-stronghold, L a s Vegas, Nevada. This m u l t i - b i l l i o n d o l l a r gambling empire, under t he guise of corpora te s t r u c t u r e , has i d - e n t i f i e d Vancouver, s p e c i f i c a l l y Gas- town E East Van a s a primary economic t a r g e t i n a world c l a s s war a g a i n s t those who a r e not l i k e them - t h b poor underpr iv i leged , r a d i c a l l y motivated, o u t c a s t c i t i z e n s o f t h e world.

Yes, Canadians a c t u a l l y a r e world - c i t i z e n s , now t h a t t h e New World Gov- ernment has turned out t o be mul t i - n a t i o n a l bus iness c e n t r e s networking t h e p l a n e t ' s su r f ace f o r a l l i t ' s worth. Some romant ica l ly deluded ind- i v i d u a l s once hoped world government would be more l i k e the United Nations I t ' s an unfor tuna te t u rn o f events , but s i n c e mul t ina t iona l bus ines s has

b e c p e our new world master , t h e pea- santS, s l a v e s , o r " c i t i zens" a s t h e necessary condi t ions of s e r v i t u d e a r e o f t e n r e f e r r e d t o by p o l i t i c a l l y de- luded ind iv idua l s , a r e u s - t h a t i s t o say, "we the people", t h e l o c a l l o s e r s who, along with r i c h , r e t i r e d Americans, f i l l up the gaming rooms, cas inos o r "gambling pa r lou r s " of t he world thus c o n t r i b u t e our i n v e s t - ment c a p i t a l t o t h e holding tanks o f The New World Order.

A l l o f t he wor ld ' s most co r rup t , o r a s t h e Americans might say, most lleconoinical l y v iab le" urban c e n t r e s have succumbed t o t h e g l o r i f i e d gamb- l i n g ventures o f would-be godfa thers based i n t h e USA, which i s probably the most co r rup t na t ion 6 t h e most

co r rup t ing in f luence worldwide t h a t human economic a c t i v i t i e s have y e t produced.

CORRUPT: (Concise Oxford Dict ionary) "Rotten, depraved, in f luenced by b r i b e r y - t o i n f e c t , b r ibe , des t roy t h e p u r i t y of ." Now t h a t t h e s t a g e i s s e t - e n t e r

t h e most c o r r u p t . Clever, s o p h i s t i c a - t e d & economically powerful a c t o r on t h e scene: Steve Wynn, Chairman o f t h e Board, Pres ident & CEO (Chief Ex- ecu t ive Of f i ce r ) MIRAGE RESORTS Inc. We a l l know what law enforcement !'of- f i c e r s " (cops) a r e , but no t t oo many o f u s have eve r had t o dea l with a Chief Executive ' lOfficer" of t h e new world o rde r . Nor a r e we eve r l i k e l y t o dea l with such a g l o r i f i e d power f r o n t s i n c e Steve Wynn d e a l s h i s marked deck behind locked doors i n

convention c e n t r e s E luxury t o u r i s t accomodations such a s Vancouver' s soc red -bu i l t cas t le -by- the-sea known t o mere peasants a s "the s a i l bu i ld - ing ."

Steve ' s b u s i n e s s l i k e s t y l e card shark men ta l i t y impresses many l i k e - minded l o c a l c a p i t a l i s t s , whg bow scrape t o i t , a s it s t e p s o f f t h e ex- ecu t ive ramp a t Vancouver In t e rna t ion - a l Ai rpor t f o r t h e first time, looks around, s n i f f s t h e a i r t?, smel l s money mixed with t h e unmistakeable aroma o f m i l l i o n s of suckers . An economically

Page 17: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

aroused Steve Wynn soon becomes fami- l i a r with t h i s a i r p o r t complex of ex- c lus ive t o u r i s t a t t r a c t i o n s G luxury ho te l s t h a t t h e co r rup t governments of ou r province E na t ion s i t u a t e d on migratory wetlands & a g r i c u l t u r a l a reas t h a t once suppl ied a l l Vancouv- e r ' s " c i t i zens" with l o c a l l y grown vegetables i n season - an eco log ica l - l y sound green garden E migra tory b i rd h a b i t a t destroyed by government i n t e r e s t e d i n mu l t ina t iona l jet s e t i n i t i a t i v e s . This was t h e r i c h Vanc- o u v e r i t e ' s con t r ibu t ion t o t h e Bizwar scenar io t h a t began s h o r t l y a f t e r t he holocaust we c a l l World War Two.

So, Steve Wynn, c h i e f execut ive gambling o f f i c e r f o r Mirage Resorts Incorporated, makes h i s s ta tement t o the p re s s : " I f your government says go do it do it your(ny) way," Steve says, "a b i l l i o n d o l l a r s i s not t oo high a p r i c e t o spend on t h i s deve lop ment". . . " I ' m t a l k i n g about q u a l i t y bui lding," he t e l l s them, 'The f i n e s t i n t e g r a t e d r e c r e a t i o n 6 enter tainment complex i n t h e world." ... so f a r Steve has no t s a i d t h e f o r - bidden ' G ' word, no Gambling he re , j u s t s o l i d " recrea t ion 6 entertairiment f a c i l i t i e s " - now who could o b j e c t t o a l i t t l e RER once i n awhile? We a l l enjoy r e c r e a t i o n G enter tainment don ' t we, & Steve is j u s t t h e stand-up com- i c M.C. o f Showtime America with num- erous l i cenced handguns i n ta i lormade s u i t s . Steve goes on t o d e s c r i b e Van- couver a s "a very s p e c i a l p i ece of business . I f Of course, t o most o f u s who l i v e here , our c i t y i s not j u s t a "piece of bus iness ." But Steve Wynn knows o u r p o s i t i o n i n The New World Order, and "piece o f business" p r e t t y well desc r ibes i t .

Suddenly, according t o t h e Vancouv- e r Sun, ( f i n a l e d i t i o n March 8 ) , Steve, the m u l t i - b i l l i o n d o l l a r CEO, t u r n s

i n t o a humble, pover ty-s t r icken h e l p l e s s i nd iv idua l . He opens h i s r i c h American mouth E s t r ange words tumble ou t : I t . . .where a r e we going t o f i n d an apartment f o r me," he is r e p o r t e a a s saying-"I want t o go t o work so badly. I '

Do not make the mistake o f be l i ev - ing t h i s powerful kingpin i s not t h ink ing about what he is saying - h e ' s on quoteable time now, with t e l - ev is ion cameras 6 microphones i n h i s f ace . . .he wants "us" t o f i n d him an apartment, so he can "go t o workt'?

Steve then goes on t o l a b e l anyone who might o b j e c t t o h i s corpora te p lan a s "fundamentally prejudiced" E then he mentions "job c rea t ion" , "in- c reased government revenue" & "addi- t i o n a l t o u r i s t po ten t i a l " . . . " I t i s happening i n o t h e r c i t i e s o f t h e world (order ) E here we a re , " says

Page 18: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

Steve, " a t Mirage a t t h e top of o u r game. This i s an indus t ry whose time has come here we are ," Steve exp- l a i n s , "middle-aged, f e e l i n g good & t he s u r f ' s up." (meaning t h e economic s u r f v s up i n Vancouver E a l l t h e r e - t i r e d C E O ' s & r i c h bus iness personal - i t i e s a r e j u s t sunlamped beach boys of America ready t o r i d e t h a t wave t o ob l iv ion .)

Mirage Resor t s Incorporated i s go- ing t o bond with VLC P r o p e r t i e s L i m - i t e d , whose CEO is Jack Poole, a guy Michael Harcourt t r u s t s t o t h e tune of 15 m i l l i o n d o l l a r s . Mike says, "Oh, I thought t h a t money would go i n t o s o c i a l housing . I t

Now, t h i s i s something we haven ' t encountered y e t i n a l l t h e Mirage in - vestment language t h a t c h a r a c t e r i z e s t h i s dea l . So, we assume VLC Proper t - i e s bu i ld "soc ia l housing1'. . . . according t o common usage, "soc ia l housing" o f t e n means such t h i n g s a s

Decision to be made on Thursday. March 17th,

of the pedestrian overpass. at City Hall

+

townhouses, condominiums E high r i s e '

apartments. I t has noth ing t o do wi th t h e con-

cept of "affordable" housing, with which it i s o f t e n i n d i s c r i m i n a t e l y a s soc i a t ed . Jack Poole E Mike Harcourt once co-chaired meetings i n t he Daon- Dunhill cons t ruc t ion E proper ty man- agement bus iness .

But we know governmentErea1 e s t a t e i n t e r e s t s co-operate t o f l i p p rope r t - i e s , while people j u s t l i v e on them.

But t h e r e ' s a l o t more a t s t a k e on t h e gaming t a b l e s o f S t eve ' s casino. He is , a f t e r a l l , a p ro t ege1 of t h e l a t e Howard Hughes, who ended h i s l i f e l i k e a holocaust v i c t i m under t h e con t ro l of h i s ' h a n d l e r s 1 .

And now an i n t e r e s t i n g depa r tu re i n - t h e Vancouver Sun' s f r o n t page Steve s t o r y headl ined "We'll Spend A B i l l i - on Mirage Say$" - suddenly a quoted cab d r i v e r named S t e l l a Gretchen i s quoted. . where she came from t h e rep- o r t e r , Alan Daniels , f a i l s t o mention She speaks h e r appointed l i n e s , E t he melodrama, perhaps on the t e l e v i s i o n s e r i e s llDynastyll cont inues t o unfo ld :

flDowntown was a dump before he bought here," S t e l l a says . " I ' d lock a l l t h e doors & shut t h e win- dows i f I had t o go downtown, es - p e c i a l l y a t n i g h t . Now," S t e l l a says , "it s completely changed. What he (Steve) d id forced every- body e l s e t o upgrade. "

Remember those words, Downtown East- s i d e r s , because those words a r e t he words o f an American cab d r i v e r E bud- dy of Chief Executive O f f i c e r Steve Wynn of Mirage Resorts Incorporated. She is a l s o r epo r t ed a s say ing *!Steve

j Wynn's so p o w e ~ f u l , h e ' s made a l o t ' o f l o c a l enemies . I 1 S teve was t h e guy

who fought o f f t h e Las Vegas p o l i c e f o r c e 6 Nevada Gaming Conmission when they t r i e d t o prove he & h i s o u t f i t

Page 19: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

had Mafia connect ions . Anyway you look a t it, Steve Wan,

casino ope ra to r e x t r a o r d i n a i r e , i s a ~mk~rn~ tam

hero t o t h e mob, f, cab d r i v e r s love f i e b m 7 E m E E S r mflm luE -4

him. . . 6 dumb o l d Vancouver, t h e u l t i - ' K/ILEp 72E WInrY, mate sucker , i s confronted with "an X W W T'M bo/M o f f e r it cannot re fuse" 76 LEC;r9UZE

Gum84~GaAn, ---a;. ...F&W ,.+= .: i

NRF, K&vEe r;C, ~ t l a y b e I am he&'

%as V i F W - k,,~:;;; - :-&-.-! z - 2 rnRA. . .

J u s t a c razy thought - I am here , o r am I r e a l l y here , o r am I j u s t dreaming t h a t I am here . O r am I somewhere e l s e t h ink ing of 8 t h e day t h a t I was he re . I s it a figment of my imagination t h a t I am here . 1 Could it be t h a t I am on drugs and t h a t t h i s thought of being h e r e i s a f l a s h .

back o r a ha l luc ina - t i on . Maybe it i s an invent ion of my mind t h a t I an he re . Am I c razy t b t h i n k I am he re when I am no t . No because I r e a l l y know where I am.

Pr Preston Manninq & The Reform Party y - - (Par t Two)

In h i s book "Preston Manning And The Reform Par ty ," Murray Dobbin warns u s about t h e u l t r a conserva t ive agenda o f t h e Reform Par ty . A t t h e Reform Par ty c o n v h t i o n h e l d i n Winn- i9eg i n t h e f a l l o f 1987, Preston Manning won t h e l eade r sh ip . Stan Rob- e r t s , t h e second most important pe r s - on i n t h e pa r ty , withdrew from t h e l eade r sh ip r ace and t h e convention. He denounced Preston Manning and h i s c lose suppor t e r s a s "right-wing, Chr i s t i an f a n a t i c s ."

From i t s beginning t h e Reform Par ty a t t r a c t e d extreme r ight-wing groups. The F rase r I n s t i t u t e , wi th Scrooge- had - i t - r i gh t economic p o l i c i e s , supp- o r t e d it. The National C i t i z e n s ' Coa- l i t i o n , an u l t r a conserva t ive busin- e s s lobby i n Ontar io, supported it. The National Firearms Assoc ia t ion , a powerful gun lobby, was a t t r a c t e d t o t h e Reform Par ty ; so were t h e white supremicis t o rganiza t ion c a l l e d Heri- t age Front, t h e Al l iance f o r t h e Pre- s e rva t ion o f English i n Canada which was a v i r u l e n t , f a n a t i c a l , antii-FrtCnch o rgan iza t ion , and a c o l l e c t i o n of

Page 20: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

an t i - abo r t ion groups. P a r t l y a s a mat te r o f s t y l e , and

p a r t l y t o curb t h e f a n a t i c s E r a c i s t s i n t he pa r ty , t h e Reform Par ty i s dominated by i t s l eade r , Preston Man- ning, and i t s Central headquar te rs . Extreme p o l i t i c a l p o s i t i o n s have bren sof tened i n o f f i c i a l p a r t y p o l i c y but an ugly racism and ant i -democrat ic r i g i d i t y l u r k s i n t h e background l i k e an ominous shadow.

The Reform Par ty r e f u s e s t o accept the m u l t i c u l t u r a l n a t u r e of modern Canada, and would not a l low Sikhs i n t he RCMP t o wear turbans.

A t the Reform Par ty nomination mee- t i n g i n Vancouver/Quadra, Apr i l 1992, Diana Hu, a Canadian of Chinese back- ground and h igh p r o f i l e member of t h e Reform Party, ran f o r t h e nomination. To he r dismay and humi l ia t ion , she rece ived only 43 of t h e 445 vo te s c a s t i n t he f i r s t b a l l o t .

In June, 1992, Michael Lublin, a prominent member of t h e Ontar io Jew- i s h community and former member of t h e Reform Par ty , went on n a t i o n a l T.V. t o denounce t h e p a r t y a s r a c i a l - l y w n t o l e r a n t and an t i -Semi t ic .

In August, 1992, a r e p o r t e r f o r a small Kamloops newspaper c a l l e d "Kam- 1ooi)s This Week" wrote an a r t i c l e t h a t mentioned the r a c i s t s ta tements of a Reform Par ty candidate f o r nomi- na t ion by t h e name of Keith Raddatz. Raddatz had t a l k e d about Native peop- l e who "don't want t o work and d o n ' t want u s t o work e i t h e r " and Blacks who a r e "heavy i n t o t h e drug scene i n Toronto. They a r e not wokking and a r e not product ive . I f A l oca l bus iness a s soc i a t ion complained about t h e a r t - i c l e and t h e r e p o r t e r , Ian Hanington, was forced t o r e s ign .

The Reform Par ty suppor ts t h e North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). I t would end Medicare a s a Canada- wide un ive r sa l h e a l t h i n su ranc r prog-

ram with n a t i o n a l s tandards . I t would end f e d e r a l government con t r ibu t ions t o s o c i a l a s s i s t a n c e and s o c i a l hous- ing programs. I t does n o t b e l i e v e i n a minimum wage. I t be l i eves t h a t soc- i a l programs should be opera ted through p r i v a t e e n t e r p r i s e and cha r i - t y . I t would not repea l t h e GST, but would extend it t o inc lude food.

The Reform Par ty has no p o l i c y with regard t o poverty. Canada has more than one m i l l i o n hh i ld ren l i v i n g i n pover ty and has been c r i t i c i z e d by t h e United Nations f o r i t s inadequate s o c i a l programs, y e t t h e Reform Par ty has noth ing t o say about poverty, and Preston Manning doesn' t mention t h e word i n h i s speeches (Preston Manning And The Reform Party, by Murray Dobb- - i n (Page 212)) . To be cont inued.

By SANDY CAMERON

Page 21: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

FACTS ON THE FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE --

* Excluding defence, on ly EIGHT CENTS o f every d o l l a r spent by Ottawa

goes t o personnel dos t s . Attacking t h e s a l a r i e s , b e n e f i t s and job secur - i t y cf f e d e r a l g o v l t workers i.1il1 have next t o no impact on t h e d e f i c i t . * A one p e r cent reduct ion i n i n t e r -

e s t r a t e s reduces g o v ' t expenditure by $3 b i l l i o n a year ; more than DOUB LE THE SAVING t h a t would r e s u l t i n a- 10 p e r cent cu t i n personnel c o s t s . * Over t h e p a s t decade, t h e f e d e r a l

government's personnel c o s t s have DECREASED from 14per cent of t o t a l e q e n d i t u r e s t o l e s s than 12 p e r c e n t *Total f e d e r a l p u b l i c s e c t o r employ-

ment r e p r e s e n t s a modest f o u r pe r - cent o f Canada's workforce. This t o t -

a l DROPS DRAMATICALLY t o only 1.7% when t h e armed fo rces , uniformed RCMP

. and a l l employees o f Crown corpora- t i o n s 6 g d v ' t e n h e ~ r i g e s a r e )excluded * The average wages of PSAC (Public

Service Al l iance o f Canada) members have DECLINED i n r e a l t e n s by e i g h t per cent over t h e p a s t decade. * Wage con t ro l programs have RESTRIC-

TED the earn ings of f e d e r a l g o v l t workers f o r s i x o f t h e p a s t 12 years . * Over t h e p a s t decade, f e d e r a l publ-

i c s e r v i c e wage inc reases have LAG- GED t he p r i v a t e s e c t o r , t h e provinc i= a1 s e c t o r E t h e municipal pub. s e c t o r . * FEWER PEOPLE work f o r t h e f e d e r a l

g o v l t taday than i n 1973, d e s p i t e the f a c t t h e r e a r e f o u r m i l l i o n more Canadians, many more gov ' t programs and h ighe r p u b l i c demand f o r s e r v i c e s * The vas t ma jo r i t y of PSAC members -

more than 70 pe r cen t -work OUTSIDE the National Cap i t a l Region. Al l iance members l i v e and work i n v i r t u a l l y every community i n t h e country. The reg ional breakdown i s a s fo l lows :

National Capi ta l Region - 47,500 A t l a n t i c - 20,500 Quebec (outs ide Hull) - 25,000 Ontar io (outs ide Ottawa) - 30,000 West - 38,500 T e r r i t o r i e s - 9,000

* The f e d e r a l g o v l t spends some s i x b i l l i o n a year on con t r ac t ing o u t ,

with no c e n t r a l accounting f o r how 6 why bhe money i s spent . Treasury Brd. has f r u s t r a t e d t h e House o f Commons Publ ic Accounts Committee by admit t - ing it had no i d e a i f contracting-out was c o s t - e f f e c t i v e . * Unlike o t h e r Canadian workers, fed-

e r a l . g o v l t employees a r e BARRED BY LEGISLATION from nego t i a t i ng such measures a s s t a f f i n g , ~ L a s s i f i c a t i o n and pensions. * Federal p u b l i c s e r v i c e workers PAY

HANDSOMELY-7.5% of g ros s earn ings - f o r t h e e x t r a b e n e f i t s t h e i r pens- . ions provide. On the o t h e r hand, i n t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r , 45% o f workers covered by pension p l ans made NO CON- TRIBUTION a t a l l . Less than 1% of con t r ibu to r s t o p r i v a t e pension p l ans pay a s much on a percentage b a s i s a s f e d e r a l government workers do. * The combined deb t s of Canadian

households, corpora t ions and f inan- c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s a r e nea r ly t r i p l e t he debt owed by ALL LEVELS o f goverrr ment i n t h i s country.

he average wages of PSAC members have DECLINED in real terms by eight per cent over the past decade.

Wage control programs have RESTRICTED the earnings of federal government workers for six of the past dozen years.

Over the past decade, federal public service wage increases have LAGGED the private sector, the provincial public sector and the municipal public sector.

Page 22: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

Operating and Cnl)il:ll Expenditures

1':lyoients to Crown Curporations

1'ul)lic 1)el)t Charges

'I?) Persons (UI, Old Age Security clc.)

-. 26%

'1'0 Ollier 1,ewIs or' Govcrnolcnt

lSY0

TAKE DOWN YOUR PANTS

By Patricia Chauncey

Take down your pants and show us your pain

While we bask in the afwr glow of our sympathy

and block all you effo- for change

Take down your pants and tcU us how it FEELS to be hungry, to be cold, to be homeless.

Take down your pants and tell us what it's like not being able to provide for your kids

Take down your kids pants...

Our sympathy will coat you in it's stickyness,

Our sympathy will block your throat and stop you from

speaking about our greed..

Our need to make you take down your pants and

expose to us the powerlessness we create for you.

Take down your pants and do it again md pretend for

us that this performance will be the last one

While we prepare you once more for a harder handful

of garbage

Brought to you in h e form of services for the poor

to improve your technique,

to make you more compliant,

to make you work harder far us for less.

take down your pants so I can wrap you in the old

clothes af charity

wtiile I rub on you the bullshit of my sympathy

and stop you from speaking the truth or correct your - manners.

Take down your pmts and let nlc comp:ue you to

od~crs I have known who wcre even more in need of

rn y dcrnented atten tion,

Those who livcd far away and were grateful for my

educated lasciviousness and charity.

Take down your pants

and learn not to take aim with your strong foot in the

centre of my pamarchy, my greed, my disgusting,

need to improve but not end the poverty I create.

Take down your pants and swallow it.

Take down your pants and in noisy compliance teach

your children to swallow i t

TAKE DOWN YOUR PANTS AND SHOW US

YOUR .PAIN WHILE WE EXPIRE IN OUR MIDDLECLASS POSTURE OF SYMPATHY

Page 23: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

"You a r e young. This a lone i s painfuL You a r e expected t o behave a s an ad- u l t . You a r e asked nothing. You a r e taught every th ing . You a r e taughtwliat you need t o know t o e x i s t . You a r e n ' t t aught t h a t t o know beauty i s t o l ive . The ways o f commerce a r e i n g r a h e d i n you. The n e c e s s i t i e s of l i f e and t h e need f o r t h e i r a t ta inment a r e a shad- ow on your back. To show love , t o ad- m i t t enderness t o any l i v i n g t h i n g i s t o be suspected o f weakness. You a r e s t ee red , bu t you a r e not guided.

"You have l i t t l e choice on t h i s e a r t h You w i l l f a l l eve r deeper i n t o t h e s t rugg le f o r t h e ma te r i a l , t h e compe- t i t i o n , t h e f i g h t f o r s u r v i v a l i n work, i n love , i n l i f e i t s e l f . Many

- t imes you w i l l ask why and your ques- t i o n w i l l go unanswered. I t w i l l f a l l on deaf e a r s because every l i v i n g hu- man being i s f i g h t i n g t h e same f e a r s , t h e same doubts, and i n t h e i r r a r e moments o f s o l i t u d e , t h e y t o o a s k why.

"You do have some choice. I t was giv- en t o you a t b i r t h . This world, such as i t i s , can o f f e r on ly what you pu t i n to it. Only what you want ou t o f it. You can defy t h e world, s p i t i n t h e face o f a u t h o r i t y , f l o u t t h e laws, taunt t hose who would lead you, laugh a t convention, escape r e a l i t y with drugs, l i q u o r and o t h e r excesses . You can, i n e f f e c t , r e s i g n from t h e human race. You can run, you can hide, from everyone and every th ing but your se l f . Your l i f e is i n s i d e you. There is no excape. Only i n dea th i s t h e r e peace. You w i l l no t f i n d it on e a r t h i n your t ime. You were not intended t o r e s t easy. You would become bored t o t h e

"Your a l t e r n a t i v e i s t h i s : Your great- e s t s t r e n g t h , your only n o b i l i t y i s t o l i v e one day of your l i f e a t a t ime, according t o t h e cou rageofyqur convic t ions . Do what you wish t o do. Go where you wish t o go. Live a s you, i n s i d e your se l f , d e s i r e t o l i v e , b e a ~ ing i n mind t h a t o t h e r s have t h e same choice. You cannot judge o r i n f r i n g e on t h e i r way o f l i f e .

"Believe i n you. Yourself. Believe i n every word and ac t ion and s u s t a i n t h e courage t o l i v e with your se l f . You owe nothing t o anyone e l s e . And they owe nothing t o you. Except a s your h e a r t d i c t a t e s .

"Learn t o love someone. Learn t o love them. But f i r s t , l e a r n t o love your- s e l f , p roper ly . In sha r ing your l i v e s t h e burden w i l l seem l e s s onerous. When you go t o t r i a l , be l i eve i n your- s e l f . Be honest with your se l f and you cannot h e l p but be honest with o t h e r s Then, and only then, may you expe r i - ence one of t h e most e l u s i v e sensa- t i o n s known t o mankind, peace of mind

''1 don ' t r e a l l y expect you t o l i s t e n t o what I ' v e s a i d . Human beings a r e not y e t ready t o l i v e with t r u t h and with each o t h e r . You see , no one ever l i s t e n e d t o me e i t h e r . "

By RAY L. ERICKSON (This s t o r y was w r i t t e n i n a c e l l a t For t Saskatchewan J a i l i n 1956. I was 26. I served time f o r another 30 y r s before I grew up and l i s t e n e d . )

Page 24: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

SHOPPING GALORE: or ABOARD S H I P A N D - ASHORE.

q i n g f o r work.- In t u r n , r i c h people 'J' and t h e i r armies hunted down and o f t -

k i l l e d t h e poor. But v io l ence a g a i n s t t h e poor

,couldn ' t make t h e problem o f pover ty I"

gd i sappea r . So t h e kings and r u l e r s of 4l ;.:England found ano the r so lu t ion . They

: s e t up workhouses. ;.' * 8 "These workhouses," says Toronto ; r w r i t e r John Clarke, "could pwovide a "-'meagre upkeep i n r e t u r n f o r t a s k l a b - ;our under a regime a s hard a s poss ib- " ' le . I 1 People i n t h e workhouse were c a l l e d 'paupers which, s a y s Clarke, ' "was seen a s t h e u l t i m a t e badge of shame and d i sg race ."

Change t h e name 'pauper ' t o 'welf- a r e r e c i p i e n t ' and t h e word "work- house' t o 'workfare ' and you could be t a l k i n g about Canada i n 1994.

In Canada f o r t h e p a s t twelve years governments and t h e i r b i g bus iness

I t ' s t h e longest war i n h i s t o r y bu t q a l l i e s have waged a mostly peacefu l you won't read about it i n your soc i - f f e n s i v e a g a i n s t - - - - t h e - - - j ob l e s s - poor. a1 s t u d i e s course. Brian Mulroney's Progressive Cons-

For t h e p a s t 500 yea r s t h e wealthy r v a t i v e government s l a shed wel fare and t h e i r a l l i e s have waged war aga i - ayments t o t h e provinces, c u t back n s t poor people who can ' t f i n d work. he unemployment insurance program

Nearly 470 yea r s ago, England was d hacked mbst o t h e r s o c i a l programs a country of two and one h a l f mi l l i on A t t h e same time, t h e huge mul t i - people. It was r u l e d by King Henry i o n a l s showered t h e i r workforces t h e Eighth and h i s nobles . h pink s l i p s o f d i smis sa l . Over

In Henry t h e Eighth ' s England n o b l e 0,000 Canadians l o s t t h e i r jobs men owned a l o t o f t h e land but t hey ce 1988. Even many of those who wanted t o breed sheep on t h e i r land. e found a new job have had t o s e t - But t h e r e were farmers who were u s i n g j 2 t l e f o r lower wages o r pa r t t ime work. +

t he se lands t o grow food. So what d i d k Meanwhile t h e new and t h e o ld job- t h e nobles do? They drove t h e f a r m e r s j ' l e s s f a c e cons tan t a t t a c k s from t h e of f t h e land, us ing fo rce 6 t r i c k e r y . $mass media. Newspapers, and r a d i o and .

"The sheep a t e t h e people," s a i d oneyTV newscasts c o n s t a n t l y r e f e r t o peo- person a t t h e t ime. Poor l a n d l e s s : -qple on wel fare a s ' l a z y ' , ' s l a c k e r s ' .farmers became v b g a b ~ n d s l i k e today' s ..'+and ' f r aud a r t i s t s ' . .homeless. They roamed t h e land look- f t The same o l d s o l u t i o n s t o mass un- I ' ;

employment have now resur faced . During t h e g r e a t depress ion o f t h e

1930's thousands of unemployed Canad- i ans were herded i n t o i s o l a t e d work camps. There they l i v e d under m i l i t - a r y d i s c i p l i n e , and were paid t h e un- be l ievably low wage of 5 c e n t s a day.

In t h e middle o f t h e 1993 e l e c t i o n :ampaign, now Prime Min i s t e r Jean Zhret ien was asked what he thought of 'workfare ' . "1 'm no t aga ins t it ,"'/he r e p l i e d .

Now a l l Canadian governments f i g h t the d e f i c i t i n s t e a d o f unemployment. The longes t war o f a l l , t h e war again- st t h e poor, goes on.

I t w i l l cont inue u n t i l t h e j ob le s s poor and t h e i r a l l i e s can pu t a s top t o it.

By DAVE JAFFE With thanks t o John Clarke, Ontar io Coal i t i o n a g a i n s t Poverty.

Page 25: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

DOWNTOWN STD Clinic - Monday through Friday, 9am - 5pm. EASTSIDE FREE KEDICRL CLINIC - Mon, Wed, Friday, 5:30-7:30 pm.

YOUTH NEEDLE EXCHANGE - 221 Main; every day. 9am - 5pm. ACTIVITIES Needle Exchangc Van - on the s t ree t evenings, Mon-Sat.

SOCIETY N . A . meets every Honday night a t 223 Main Street .

Out-To-Lunch Bunch meets da i ly a t 59 Powell, loam - 2:30pm.

1993 DONATIONS Eleanor K.-$25 Wayne H.-$4.50 FMCC . d*teattanl errarled

Stuart M.-$50 Adbusters -$SO Colleen E.-$20 Kettle F.s.-$16 Joy T.-$20 William F.-$50 Etienne S.-$50 Legal Aid -$SO Adult Ed.-$16 Lisa E.-$10 Marianne C . -$25 Roberts ALC -$30 Matt -$20 Paula R.-$20 CEEDS -$SO TIIF. NKWSI,I<TTI:R I S A PUI\I.ICATIIIN OF 'TIII;

Keith C.-$20 Steve T.-$15 E m i l E.-$20 (:ARNEC.IV, 1:rl~EtIlNI'l'Y I:I:NTRI: ASSOCI A'Y ION . Abby K.-$20 E r i c E.-$16 Mike H . -$I00 Art 1 ~ 1 t - 3 ~ r e r r e ~ r ~ l t tilr V ~ P W T o f I I ~ ~ I I V I ~ I I I I I

Anonymous -$75 c o n t r l h 1 1 t o r 3 a w l 11ot o f t lw h 3 o r l n t l o l l .

Help i n t h e Downtown Eas t s ide (funding) Socia l Se rv i ces $1000 Submission Vancouver Health Dept. -$ I1 Deadline Employment E Immigration -$800 P .L .U.R .A. -$I000

NEXT ISSUE 28 March . Monday

NEED HELP ? 0 The Downtown Eastside Residents' Association

can help you with:

any welfare problem information on legal rights

+ disputes with landlords + unsafe living conditions

income tax + UIC problem + finding housing

opening a bank account

Come into the DERA office at 9 East Hastings St. or phone us at 682-093 1.

DERA HAS BEEN SERVING THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE FOR 20 YEARS.

Page 26: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

b a

Our Miracle Volunfeer ' t h e wonderful nu r ses a t S t . Paul ' s

Egor LIarov had h i s humble beginn- ings on October 16, 1946. He was born i n Pazin, Croa t i a , which i s c lose t o t he I t a l i a n border . Egor had a very c lose k n i t family and i s worried about them being i n a war-torn land.

Egor had fou r b ro the r s , bu t o n l y has two who a r e s t i l l a l i v e . A bro th- e r t h r e e years younger d i ed t r a g i c a l - ly . Egor's mother i s i n Pazin and he hasnl t heard from he r s i n c e Chris tmas

Egor has been a vo lun tee r a t Carne- g i e Community Centre f o r f i v e years . He s2ent excep t iona l ly long hours br inging joy t o o u r 2a t rons by show- ink v ideos and doing t h e sound system f o r s p e c i a l even t s and board meet ings

Egor i s Carneg ie l s Miracle a s he was s t ruck down by a c a r when he was on t h e sidewalk near t h e Columbia IIotel. I t happened on August 30, 1993 and pu t him i n a coma f o r two weeks. He spent two months a t S t . Pau l ' s Hospi tal and another month a t G.F. Strong R e h a b i l i t a t i o n Cent re .

The nu r ses a t S t . Paul ' s wanted t o know what kind o f p l ace Carnegie was a s t hey never saw a p a t i e n t wi th so aany v i s i t o r s . We had a g r e a t d e a l o f hope f o r Egor t o recover and never gave up. H i s numerous f r i e n d s kept leav ing ca rds and messages knowing t h a t sooner o r l a t e r Egor would wake u? and read them.

Egor su f f e red severe head i n j u r i e s and a g r e a t p a r t of h i s miraculous recovery i s t h a t h e ' s s u f f e r e d no l o s s of memory. This very s 2 e c i a l vo lunteer i s much more a p p r e c i a t i v e of o t h e r s s i n c e being i n h o s p i t a l and i t ' s come back with him being chosen Volunteer of t h e Month.

Egor would l i k e t o say s p e c i a l thanks t o t he many peo?le who helped save h i s l i f e such a s t h e ones i n F i r e h a l l Number Two, p o l i c e depar t - ment, ambulance d r i v e r s , D r . Boyd and

Hospi tal - Theresa, Pam, Kathy and Peggy. Also s p e c i a l thanks t o D r . Stewart from t h e G. F . Strong Rehabi l i - t a t i o n Centre and t h e physio- therap- is t J a n e t a s well a s t h e o r i e n t a t i o n

worker Jane . Last b u t not l e a s t Egor thanks and a p p r e c i a t e s a l l o f h i s Carnegie f r i e n d s .

Carnegie Community Centre should be i n t h e Guiness Book o f Records a s everyone who e n t e r s t h e f r o n t doors has t h e l a r g e s t fami ly i n t h e world!

By IRENE SCHMIDT

THE NEW CO-ORDINATOR IS

For a l l t h e Learning Centre Stud- e n t s . The in te rv iewing f o r t h e Learn- ing Centre p o s i t i o n took p l ace a t t h e end of February. Three r e p r e s e n t a t - i v e s from t h e School Board, 3 r ep re s - e n t a t i v e s o f t h e Learning Centre , and a Carnegie r e p r e s e n t a t i v e were the re . Ten people were put through t h e i r un- enviab le in te rv iews (would you l i k e 7 people eyeba l l i ng you c r i t i c a l l y ? ) .

A dec i s ion was made and t h e person chosen i s Ron Klassen. He i s from up country. Because he d i d n ' t know i f he would g e t t h e job, he has had t o g ive reasonable n o t i c e where he is before he becomes o u r Co-ordinator. I t is no t q u i t e c l e a r when he w i l l be a b l e t o s t a r t .

By DORA SANDERS

Page 27: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

To The E d i t o r Mar. 4 '94

3ne n i g h t a few y e a r s ago I tu rned on the TV and viewed what looked l i k e a n ~ u t of c o n t r o l b l i z z a r d . I n a c t u a l i t y i t tu rned o u t t o be t h e n i g h t l y cover- Ige of t h e BC Winter Games.

I c a n ' t remember t h e name of t h e town where t h e Games were, bu t I t h i n k i t was some p l a c e l i k e Smithers . A t any r a t e , t h e y l a t e r in te rv iewed some of t h e l o c a l c i t i z e n s , and one young l a d y e x p r e s s e d how e x c i t e d s h e f e l t t h a t peop le from o t h e r c i t i e s were v i s i t i n g h e r town and s h e f e l t "very proud. "

1 S i t t i n g t h e r e watching TV i n Vancouver - t h a t n i g h t , i t reminded me t h a t BC

was b igger t h a n t h e Lower Mainland, P r i n c e George and P r i n c e Ruper t .

It a l s o maae me wonder i f t h e power b r o k e r s i n Vancouver & V i c t o r i a were r e a l l y capab le t o r u l e over p l a c e s l i k e S m i t h e r s , Daweon Creek, F o r t S t John , t h e . B e l l a s , e t c ?

And now, h e r e i n 1994, a t t h e t u r n of t h e c e n t u r y and mil lennium, we a r e p r e s e n t e d w i t h a s i t u a t i o n i n which a l l i n h a b i t a n t s of BC may be aked t o dec ide i f p r i v a t e p r o f i t gambling should be a l lowed t o i n c u b a t e i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e of Vancouver.

The contemporary t r i b e of B r i t i s h Columbf.ans e l e c t e d Mike Harcour t t o lead u s , and up t o a few weeks ago h e - was p r e s e n t i n g a promising balance of s t rong P r o v i n c i a l l e a d e r s h i p .

;ul now t h e Premier i s t a l k i n g abou t 6 h r o v i n c i a l p l e b i s c i t e t o de te rmine i i he jewel i n t h e crown (Vancouver) i s t o be a n a t t r a c t i v e C i t y of open v i ce , o r a g r e a t C i t y of c u l t u r a l decency.

I n s t e a d of o f f e r i n g us l e a d e r s h i p , and g i v i n g a s t r o n g p e r s o n a l "NO" t o open market gambling, h e i s p a s s i n g t h e buck s o t h a t E r i t i s h Columbains w i l l have t o l i n e up on e i t h e r s i d e of t h i s p a s s i o n a t e i s s u e , and f i r e t h e i r s i n g l e vote a t t h e opposing s i d e .

T h i s i s t h e epitome of a s o c i a l p o l a r i z a t i o n t h a t would t a r n i s h t h e q u i e t b u t f i r m t e x t u r e of r e s p e c t t h a t B r i t i s h Columbians, remote and l o c a l , have f o r one a n o t h e r .

The quandary I pose t o you is:

I f we know t h a t t h e p o s t 1975 SoCreds a r e c o r r u p t , and we know we c a n ' t t r u s t t h e BC L i b e r a l s xndez c a p i t a l i s t s , Gordon aild h i s BCTV b r o t h e r Michael , and i f we a r e now t o be d e s e r t e d by t h e soc- i a l i s t NDP, t h e n who t h e h e l l e l s e can we t u r n t o but t h e bloody a n a r c h i s t s ?

Garry Gust

Page 28: March 15, 1994, carnegie newsletter

DESPERATE, DEGRADED, DISILLUSIONED!

I look i n s i d e my h e a r t and I s e e a c h i l d who1 s never had a chance t o grow up

I look i n s i d e my mind and I s e e a woman who's never had a chance t o be a c h i l d

But mostly I t r y not t o look i n s i d e f o r f e a r I ' l l r e a l i z e my childhood i n j u s t i c e s .

An Innocent c h i l d reaching o u t f o r guidance i s bewildered when in s t ead h i s t r u s t i s v i o l a t e d

A c h i l d does not ask t o be born, t o be abused then , abandoned t o surv ive l i f e i n t h e system - alone.

A s e n s i t i v e woman searching f o r a soulmate is unbel ieving when she l e a r n s t h a t love is pa in

a woman does not ask t o be beaten, humi l ia ted by t h e man she loves t h e man she t r u s t e d

A person does n o t deserve t o l i v e l i f e i n pover ty Desperate , Degraded, D i s i l l u s ioned while o t h e r s a r e extravagant

You grasped my hand t o touch your cheek and joked See i t ' s me I marvel led a t t h e s o f t n e s s l i k e my mother 's I thought

i Give a k i s s t o Lei th you sa id I promise I w i l l You s a i d you were t i r e d You were going home t o s l e e p how profound i n r e t r o s p e c t I know you were t i r e d t i r e d o f see ing your s i s t e r s f a l l t i r e d of t he pain i n your h e a r t Now I understand t h a t pa in because it i s i n mine and i n everyone you touched even t h e clouds wept and on a b e a u t i f u l sunny day we s a i d fa rewel l how appropr i a t e t h a t ' s j u s t l i k e you every th ing coord ina ted

where we held cour t keeping t h e j e s t e r s i n l i n e 1'11 never f o r g e t you s tanding t h e r e i n your apron

u n t i l we meet aga in You do walk i n beauty

From Brenda

/ you always had a c h a i r f o r me

your smile your laugh your eye.

A person does no t deserve t o be v ic t imized by s o c i e t y s t randed i n a l i f e o f f a l s e hopes n I

What does it ma t t e r If I know what should be I t never has been I t never w i l l be.

Rebecca Weaver I