Like all great struggles, the fight for abolition inevitably
forced Americans to confront other problems.
Most of these publications
came out initially to reflect
the changing cultural conditions created by the Beats and
jazz, but soon began to report
on the Southern civil rights
movement that the mainstream press was ignoring.
When the Rev. Martin Luther
King Jr.’s home in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed
in 1963 the only northern reporter in the state was African-American reporter Carl
Bloice from the left-wing
People’s World.
Jane Gray Swisshelm, who reported for the Spirit of Liberty, an abolitionist newspaper in Philadelphia, was the
first woman allowed to sit in the gallery of the U.S. Senate. It was somehow natural that the struggle for abolition should lead to the struggle for women’s suffrage,
and that the suffrage movement should have its own But the alternative media,
press as well. The struggle for suffrage inevitably bumped which also included the inup against the conditions of women in the garment in- valuable Pacifica Foundation,
created a reality through
their reporting that the mainstream could not continue to
ignore. And so the northern
press began covering the fight
against segregation, and
when it did, the walls of legal
segregation came tumbling
down.
NOVEMBER 2006
lished the first African-American newspaper in America,
the Freedom Journal, to discuss the abolition of slavery.
That, in turn, lead to the publication of a host of antislavery newspapers culminating in 1847 with the publication of Frederick Douglass’s great hammer of abolition,
The North Star, emblazoned with its mast head: “Right
is of no sex—truth is of no color—God is the father of us
all, and we are all brethren.”
15
Vic Bedoian, executive director of KFCF 88.1 FM
When I.F Stone started the I.F.
Stone Weekly in 1953 with
the slogan “The third time
they officially deny it, you
know they are lying,” it was
in the middle of the
McCarthy period and the
deepest depths of the Cold
War. Only a few progressive
national publications were
hanging on—the Nation, the
New Republic, The National
Guardian, and a handful of
others. Stone’s undertaking
looked a bit quixotic at the
time, but within a few years
there was an explosion of the
underground press—The Village Voice, the LA Free Press,
the Berkeley Barb, the Kaleidoscope, the Quicksilver
Times, and a host of others
appeared in cities across the
country.
Bill Balsley, Bryan Jessup, and Ruth Austin enjoy the evening
Lydia Flores and Andy Hart listen to one of the evenings speakers
Let me give you one small example from my own history.
Abid Yahya and Nicholas Nocketback from
The Undercurrent newspaper
dustry, particularly following the Triangle Waist Shirt
fire in New York City where more than 140 women
burned to death.
Which inevitably raised the issue of trade union rights,
since only trade unions were willing to fight for safe
working conditions and decent wages.
I remember a CBS News film
clip from 1963. It was Walter
Cronkite—probably the most
famous TV journalist of our
generation—climbing out of
the navigator’s seat of a F105
Thunder Chief that had just
finished bombing some National Liberation Front fighters in the Mekong Delta. He
interviewed the pilot and
commented “We did some
good work out there today,
didn’t we, captain?” The man
agreed, and Cronkite signed
off from the front.
A host of women’s publications, trade union newspapers, Yiddish language broad sheets, and political magazines sprang up. Many of these actually preceded the Five years later I saw the CBS
struggles they reported on. They were less mirrors than News Special of Cronkite
catalysts, writing about things that had only begun to
Continued on page 25
develop.
Rych Withers, the president of the Fresno Free College Foundation (owner and operator
of KFCF 88.1 FM) congratulated the Community Alliance newspaper for publishing during
the past ten years.
Mike Rhodes is the editor of the Community Alliance newspaper
The event was held at the Full Circle Brewery
Gail and Everett Gaston
16
Jacob M. Weisberg
NOVEMBER 2006
Attorney at Law
LAW OFFICE OF
JACOB M. WEISBERG
844 N. VAN NESS AVE.
FRESNO, CA 93728
(559) 441-0201
FAX (559) 442-3164
EMAIL: JMW@JWEISBERGLAW.COM
559-485-4787
PARALEGAL ASSISTANCE
UNLIMITED
Family Advocacy (Help With Any Legal Matter) & Divorce
IRENE ZUPKO
255 N. Fulton #107
Paralegal / Investigator / Notary
Fresno, CA 93701
Cal. P.I. LIC. #A7625-1
E-mail: irenezupko@aol.com
MEDITATION FOR INNER
PEACE & HAPPINESS
Raja Yoga is the most ancient form of
meditation.
You can learn to maintain stability of mind
in stressful situations and gain more control
over your life. Both individual and group
instructions are available. No charge. Monthly events: Women
of Spirit & World Meditation Day.
Call Veena Kapoor: (559) 435-2212
Website: www.bkwsu.com • email: Rajayoga@Gmail.com
Listener-Sponsored Radio
KFCF 88.1 FM
Your connection to
PACIFICA’S KPFA and DEMOCRACY NOW!
KFCF is owned and operated by the
FRESNO FREE COLLEGE FOUNDATION,
a non-profit corporation.
(559) 233-2221 • www.kfcf.org
Please cut out this page and send it, along with your check or money order to:
Community Alliance • PO Box 5077 • Fresno, CA 93755
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The Organic Consumers Association, on its
website, expressed the concern that “it will
override future restrictions on genetically
By Michael Leonard
engineered crops and seeds.” The group organized statewide call-ins to the Assembly
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a reality throughout August against what they call
in today’s world. Their exact definitions, extent of their “the Monsanto Bill.”
use, and potential health risks are also real uncertainties. Still, state and federal politicians continue to put The agricultural giant owns the rights to
the interests of the agriculture industry before com- most of the genetically modified seeds used
munities.
on American farms, and its interest in S.B.
Last year, Senator Dean Florez, D-Shafter, introduced
S.B. 1056. Its primary concern was reducing air pollution in the state, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley.
The Senate approved it 31-8 in June. A month later, in
what appears to be an example of “gut and amend,”
Florez offered a new version of the bill that, quite literally, crossed out all content pertaining to air pollution
and replaced it with a lot of language regarding seeds.
Now the legislation asserts that, after July 1, 2006, policy
on the sale and use of seeds and nursery stock is of state
domain and operates “to the exclusion of local regulations.” This could prevent localities from following
counties like Mendocino and Santa Cruz that have
banned genetically modified crops within their limits.
Several groups oppose S.B. 1056, including SF Bay Area
Physicians for Social Responsibility. President Robert
M. Gould, M.D., said, “[I]t is…a fundamental issue of
allowing the existence of local policies that are more
protective of health and the environment than state or
federal standards.”
1056 was suspected. Monsanto Spokesperson Chris Horner said, “There is a misconception that we are directly involved…(the
bill) is broad-based and a lot bigger than one
company. It was not one company’s initiative.” He explained that Monsanto is a company “strictly involved in agriculture. Farmers are
our customers.” Thus, the business’s interest is that
farmers have access to the best technology available,
as well as clarity on and freedom to choose from products that have already undergone stringent federal
safety tests. Banning such products on a local level,
Monsanto believes, limits that clarity and freedom.
Proposition 65. The plan, as explained in a recent
AlterNet article, “prompted food corporations to make
changes nationwide, since no company wanted to create a separate package for food sold in the most populous state. Because many companies felt it would look
better to simply remove some ingredients than to say
their products contained carcinogens, the law has led
to the phase out of some 750 chemicals, according to
California’s attorney general.” H.R. 4167 would force
Horner added, “It is a dead issue for us.” He noted two California to ignore Proposition 65 in favor of lax fedorganizations that were directly supporting S.B.1056, eral regulations more appealing to Big Agriculture busithe California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF) and the nesses.
California Seed Association.
In an e-mail, Senator Dianne Feinstein explained her
The bill was approved by the state Assembly 51-24 on opposition to the measure: “H.R. 4167 prohibits localiAugust 24, 2006. It then went to Senate, where it landed ties from enacting food safety regulations that are
in “unfinished business” with the legislative session’s stronger than those required by the federal governend. An October 12 article in the Fresno Bee cited that ment. It also prevents state and local governments
Senator Florez plans to introduce a “multi-issue bill” from filling gaps in food safety laws when the federal
in January. A spokesperson in his office said that S.B. government has no warning standards for a food prod1056 will not be part of the new bill’s language and that uct.”
the Senator has not indicated if he will re-introduce it
at all in the next session. Not yet explained, however, is Wes Rolley, Organizer for the Rural Greens Caucus of
what prompted Florez to ditch a successful the California Green Party, summed up the repercuseffort and return with a more controversial sions of the two bills on both chow and culture, “If
proposition in the first place.
localities can’t block state rulings, and states can’t label their own food…it equals free reign for Big AgriculOn the national level, H.R. 4167 is also idling ture to do whatever they want.”
while Congress is out of session. Passed by
the House of Representatives in March, it was For more information on S.B.1056 and agricultural isreferred to the Senate Committee on Health, sues, including genetic engineering, go to
Education, Labors, and Pensions where it will www.organicconsumers.org or www.cfbf.com.
be analyzed and possibly voted on by the
Senate.
###
The “National Uniformity for Food Act” Leonard is a graduate student in the Media Studies Program at
would establish a standardized food label- New College of California in San Francisco, and an indepening system across the 50 states. California dent journalist.
has its own stringent practice since 1986’s
No More Stolen Lives!
On October 22, 2006 a march to stop police brutality went from Justice Corner (C and
Fresno street) to the new amphitheater across from the Fresno Police Department (FPD).
Many of the marchers were family members who had lost loved ones at the hands of the
FPD. At the amphitheater, testimony was given by the family members about their sons,
brothers, or husband’s stolen life.
Murder on B Street. The family pictured above had
their loved one killed one block from where the
march started. The young man who was killed had
failed to raise his hands fast enough. The police said
they thought he had a gun, shot, and killed him. Of
course, he did not have a gun. There are many sad
stories about stolen lives in Fresno. The police shot
and killed one woman here because she had an ax
and was in a car lot. They shot one young man who
was suspected of having stolen some beer. He started
to drive off and was shot multiple times. The police
claim they heard a gun shot, which they later claimed
“might have been” a backfire from an automobile.
The family of Everardo Torres spoke about the injustice that ended his life. Torres was
arrested and put in the back of a Madera Police Department car. While he was in
custody and handcuffed in the back of the cruiser a police officer opened the door
and shot him through the heart
NOVEMBER 2006
Two specific areas of debate are the extent of local governments’ control over the crops in their districts, and
the information that consumers are given about the
food they buy. The decisions will impact agriculture
from seed to store shelf.
17
Food Fight
18
NOVEMBER 2006
WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM
WILPF Fresno, PO Box 5114, Fresno, CA 93755
WILPF Page for November compiled by Ellie Bluestein geneb@csufresno.edu
CALENDAR
NOVEMBER 1, Wednesday, noon to 1:00 p.m.
Women in Black at Courthouse downtown.
November 9, Thursday, 7:00 p.m.
Regular WILPF meeting at Center for Nonviolence
(1584 N. Van Ness). All members urged to attend
Thursday, November 16, noon till 1:00 p.m.
Women in Black Silent Vigil at CSUF Free Speech
area.
All WILPF members invited—bring a friend.
Thursday, November 10, 1:00 p.m.
Faire Committee meeting
486 W. San Ramon #101 (229-9807)
surveillance by the police and boldly and fearlessly initiated actions against the surveillance, resulting eventually in a pledge from President Welty that it would not
be allowed.
For information about the series: Ravi Garla at
rgarla@aclunc.org or call 415-621-2493, x332.
Graphic by Lincoln Cushing
encourage more WILPF members to join us. Initially
started in 1988 by Israeli women in response to the Israel-Palestine conflict, Women In Black vigils have spread
throughout the world. Women stand in silent vigil to
protest war, rape as a tool of war, ethnic cleansing and
human rights abuses all over the world. Women in Black
is a world-wide network of women committed to peace
with justice and actively opposed to injustice, war, militarism and other forms of violence. As women experiencing these things in different ways in different regions
of the world, we support each other’s movements. An
important focus is challenging the militarist policies of
our own governments. We are not an organization, but a
means of communicating and a formula for action. Please
wear black & bring a sign!
A DIALOGUE FOR A JUST IMMIGRATION REFORM
Sponsored by Pan Valley Institute of the American
Friends Service Committee and the Coalition for Immigrant Rights of the Central Valley. September 29-October 1. Attended by Vickie Fouts on behalf of our branch.
Excellent meeting, in Spanish with English translation
for the two non-Spanish speakers. The purpose of the
event was to establish relationships with different Central Valley organizations and to identify barriers and Co-sponsored by WILPF & Campus Peace &
create strategies toward the struggle of just immigration Civil Liberties. Please contact Meta Schettler
polices.
for more information, 278-4593.
The group came away with short and long term plans . I urge you to come out and join us.. It is a very healing
The long term plan is to get legalization for all experience. I have included a poem
immigrants. The short term plans include working with describing my experience.
the media and congress members until the election and
then until congress goes back to work again, on such
Standing for Peace
Saturday, December 2, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
issues as not building a border wall, having an ID picture
Marilyn Byrne
WILPF 2006 HOLIDAY PEACE CRAFT FAIRE
in order to vote, signing up new registered voters and
First Congregational Church, 2131 N. Van Ness
seeing that they vote. Vickie will make a full report and
From 12:00 to 1:00
ask
members
to
visit
congress
people
and
donate
funds
against the rhythm of lunch traffic
Please send news and articles and photos for the
to help with the effort. Vickie says it was a terrific experiin the center of the Free Speech Area
December WILPF page to Meta Schettler by
ence. Wonder Valley Ranch was a great place to have the
on the CSUF Campus. I stand
November 15.
