October 1, 1992, carnegie newsletter

OCTOBER 1, 1992. couver. V6A 2T7 (604)665-2289

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COMMUNITY

t o blow our welfare cheques en masse i n -------t h e f i r s t 72 hccrs. What had h z p p x x ! i s t h a t Megan, who l i v e d f o r 11 y e a r s on weli s more than 9 - e l a t i n g " t o t h e community, f a r e a s a s i n g l e parent, read Bach's propbut e s p u i a l l y d e a l s with a c t i v i t i e s t h a t o s a l & s a i d she t o l d him h i s approach was occur i n t h e neighbourhood. a l l wrong. She s a i d she t a l k e d t o him and A t r i o o f events happened r e c e n t l y t h a t h i s wife a few times f o r hours..to t r y t o a r e ( o r w i l l be) p r e t t y i n t e r e s t i n g . j u s t open h i s eyes t o what he wanted t o do The f i r s t was a v i s i t t o Carnegie by - 6 s e e it. She thought they had come t o Megan Carve11 Davis. She came t o t h e Comm- s e e t h e s i t u a t i o n from both s i d e s , 6 gave u n i t y Relations Committee t o t r y & c l e a r them t h e minimum t e c h n i c a l & f i n a n c i a l a i d Jim Bach, , would- t o make a 5-minute t e s t video. From t h i s tip t h e damage done by Megan would decide i f t h e a l t e r e d p r o j e c t be producer/director of t h e sleazy video he bas going t o c a l l Welfare ~ e d n k s d ? ~ . would be funded.

Bach had s e n t a w r i t t e n proposal t o the Bach came here & t o l d people on t h e com- l d i r e c t o r here, Diane, t h a t seethed s t e r e o - m i t t e e t h a t he had " s o l i d backing" from t h e Knowledge Network. He'd done some costypical slurs; basically calling for a l l "right-thinking" people t o accept t h a t it metic changes on t h e proposed video but i s g o v q t slackness t h a t allows a l l us bum: it was obvious t h a t h i s thinking & judg-

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RET.ATTCINS ------

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ing were s t i l l coming from t h e same (rabid maybe?) place. He was denied permission t o f i l m i n Carnegie, wandered around t h e a r e a i n a van t a k i n g people's p i c t u r e s without t h e i r okay, e d i t e d t h e footage down t o 5 minutes worth of f i l m & presented it t o Megan Davis.

She r e j e c t e d it. She t o l d him t h a t t h e f i l m he had contained ample scenes & t a l k t o make a good video on t h e r e a l i t y of being poor, but it was up t o Bach t h e prov e r b i a l ' l a s t chance1 t o e d i t t h e f i l m t o produce a good video.

Megan was honest & s t r a i g h t with us, t a l k i n g about how t h e Knowledge Network o p e r a t e s & what she does as t h e Program Manager on s o c i a l & p o l i t i c a l i s s u e s .

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I -~ * b u da b r ~ v r c I y~ ~ u p came ~ a f ri o m Karen OIShaunacery, who d i r e c t s t h e Lookout on Alexander. The ongoing treatment of t h e Downtown Eastside a s a dumping ground has made l i f e i n c r e d i b l y hard & dangerous f o r our community's 600 o r so people with mental i l l n e s s e s . They a r e t r e a t e d l i k e so much garbage & kept out of l o t s of places.

What Karen wanted was support f o r t h e new drop-in she & o t h e r s have planned on t h e 500-block of Powell. Everything's ready t o go except f o r a l i t t l e problem with g e t t ing t h e s i t e re-zoned. One wall i s t h e border a t which t h e required zoning stops, so it has t o be changed a t c i t y h a l l . This can t a k e up t o 6 months & t h e drop-in i s 'needed yesterday. A l o t of community and business i n t e r e s t s endorse t h e whole i d e a s o it should happen f a i r l y soon.

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Ark*

J i m Curran, from t h e C i t y department of permits & licences, came t o Carnegie t o meet with people about problems i n h o t e l s & rooming houses. Lots of s p e c i f i c problems were r a i s e d & J i m seemed t o enjoy t a l k i n g about what can be done. Of course t h e biggest problem we have i s g e t t i n g t o t h e r i g h t person i n c i t y h a l l who can and w i l l a c t on complaints. Here's t h e number t o carve i n your phone handle: 873-7563 and ask f o r J i m Curran. Before he l e f t he gave a copy of t h e by-law book t h a t s t a t e . e x a c t l y i s required from landlords. The Tenants1 Rights Action Coalition (TRAC) has a booklet c a l l e d Tenants1 Survival Guide t h a t has r i g h t s & r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

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l a i d out i n p l a i n language. I t ' s p r e t t y There a r e photocopies of t h e by-law booklet i n t h e Newsletter Office & TRAC guides can be gotten i n s h o r t o r d e r

I good.

Other t i d b i t s from around t h e world: 1. J a p a n ' i s i n deep s h i t f o r t r y i n g t o g e t a bunch of plutonium .@he d e a d l i e s t substance known).:home from France. They want t o feed t h e i r r e a c t o r s with it, but c o u n t r i e s a l l over t h e world a r e r e f u s i n g t h e i r f r e i g h t e r any kind of l e a v e t o pass through those n a t i o n s 1 waters. One pound of plutonium, i f cropped i n t h e ocean, would be enough t o k i l l a l l l i f e i n t h e oceans of t h e e n t i r e p l a n e t .

2. Muzak i s supposed t o make it d i f f i c u l t t o t h i n k about anything s e r i o u s , so you I-..-.. .uuy stul'l' iu wilaiaver s t o r e you . w e a r c it.

Las Vegas was t h e s i t e f o r a new t w i s t on t h i s kind of sensory e x p l o i t a t i o n . Smells were r e l e a s e d i n a casino & p r o f i t s went up 49% on t h e slot-machines i n t h a t place.

P r e t t y soon we'll have t o wear gasmasks & earplugs j u s t t o go t o t h e corner s t o r e .

3. Some ' b o r n - a g a i n e r h a n t s t o put God i n t h e Constitution. Nixon had prayerb r e a k f a s t s during t h e Vietnam War, t o g i v e h i s g u i l t t o anyone whose mind was blown enough t o t a k e it. Slave t r a d e r s always had a p r i e s t b l e s s t h e i r voyages too. I f God doesn't have enough t o d o . . i f any p a r t of r e l i g i o n can ever be separated from t h e people who s e t themselves up t o be God's mouthpieces, i t ' d be t o a s s i s t o r applaud some nutbar who took a whole r i f t of t a c t i c a l nukes t o slime l i k e Jimmy Swaggert & J e r r y Falwell & J i m Bakker e t a l .

4. There i s a growing concern i n Ottawa t h a t t h e government's computers a r e i n danger of t o t a l overload. Some bureaucrat i n t h e Mulroney r a t ' s n e s t s a i d they were g e t t i n g f i l e s on " a l l t h e Maude Barlowlsw.

Maude i s a decent woman. She has her f a c t s s t r a i g h t , knows Mulroney & h i s c r o n i e s a r e on t h e take & says what she thinks. The over!oad i s coming as more 6 more people volunteer t o be included i n with a s many 'Maudes' a s t h e r e a r e people!

5. DEEDS has had a l l of i t s g o v ' t money c u t o f f & i s having t h e handling of a l l i t s public money i n v e s t i g a t e d . Told ya so!

By PAULR TAYLOR

A STORE CALLED A.L.I.C.E.

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By Andy Dubitz .

The A.L.I.C.E. store project is slated to shut down on October 2 Federal, Provincial, Local - all these people have come together to initiate this store.

We have created a community enterprise that served our area for one and a half years. Our little "show" has had a very successful run. We've shown that seniors can do something useful. We've trained people to run a business, involved many volunteers and most importantly we've helped customers and the needy in our community.

Now that our funding has been exhausted, and rather than carry on until we have to go "belly up" we have decided to close on an upbeat note!

With a sincere thank-you to our sponsers, our very valued regular customers and dropin trade we must close our show the Vancouver-New York way.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU,THANK YOU. SORRY, k L L C . E . DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE! Once again, we'll be closed on October 2, opened for emergencies, till then, Andy

DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE YOUTH ACTIVITY SERVICES

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Needle Exchange Workers .......................

Part time 6 Full time p o s i t i o n s , a b l e t o work a f t e r n o o n s & e v e n i n g s .

Must have d r i v e r s l i c e n s e .

Accepting resumes o n l y .

Send t o : D.E.Y.A.S. c / o Jean Momberg (Manager) 2 2 3 Main S t r e e t , V6A 2S7 Vancouver, B.C.

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STRATHCONA: Crime C a p-----------i t a l o f B.C.

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la look it Hastings & saw no hooking on t h e How much TV exposure does it need? Are south (Strathcona) s i d e , but t h e r e was obt h e r e r e a l l y drug a d d i c t s shooting up on vious hooking on t h e n o r t h s i d e . p e o p l e ' s f r o n t porches? Are hookers hang, On Monday, Sept.21, on t h e 6pm CBC News,, ing out on every corner? t h e announcer appeared with a s i g n beside 1 On Friday, Sept.18, I walked t h e l e n g t h him t h a t s a i d llDrugs-Strathcona'l. Footage . of Strathcona i n t h e a l l e y between Pender ,following was shot a t t h e corner of J&ckE Hastings from 2:30-3am. I saw what app* son & Hastings, t h e n suddenly moved t o The eared t o be one homeless person s l e e p i n g Marr Hotel on Powell a t Oppenheimer Park. ' under a blanket n e a r Gore 3 o r 4 people I t showed undercover cops busting someone hanging around a t Pender E Dunlevy 1 block f o r 2 small black p e l l e t s t h a t were n o t i & i n s i d e Strathcona, who looked l i k e t h e y L e n t i f i e d & t h e cop s a i d a>um_of $5- & $ 2 0 were d e a l i n g drugs. A compact c a r was c r u i was involved. IIe then s a i d t h a t he had s i n g t h e a l l e y t h a t could've been involved ( a r r e s t e d mostly t h e same people '*over a n d , or'mkybe j u s t checking o u t t h e s i t u a t i o n , over f o r years". F i n a l l y , t h e r e was a1 shot l i k e I was. of a guy being released from j a i l t h e n e x t On my way back home I n o t i c e d t h e p o l i c e 1 morning. He gave t h e cameraman t h e f i n g e r . checking one person a t Gore 6 Pender, but TORA t h e y d i d n ' t a r r e s t him. I a l s o walked p a s t t h e school yard & t h e park on both s i d e s & s&w no one t h e r e . I checked t h e groundas I walked & found no needles, although obviously t h e d i s c a r d i n g of n e e d l e s 4 condoms does happen. I saw none a t 3am. I a l s o had

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THE VANISHING MOMENT

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I hear some music in my head.

I fill some pages and softly tread 1 The painting are so lifelike; Out of the ocean to the isle of joy, , you see a troubled land, Where I can know life's perfect one loves it anymore It dies by its own hand.

Huge museums fill the hills Where laughing eyes perceive *But me, I must return there The strange and evil eases Before I can escape; Their fathers did conceive.

Some men drink the beauty, Some men press the grape.

They laugh at all the dinosaurs Glued up on a hoiste And snicker at the gallons That used to keep them moist.

AN OLD SHACK VERSUS A DOWNTOWN ROOM

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I ' d r a t h e r l i v e my s o l i t a r y o l d age I n my own c h o i c e of cage An a n c i e n t shack o f l o g s In a f o r e s t , by bogs I ' d use an outhhouse With a deep h o l e r e q u i r i n g no p l u n g e r I ' d burn wood and p e a t from t h e bogs Catch w a t e r i n r a i n b a r r e l s Drink from nearby stormy c r e e k s ' w a t e r f a l l s I ' d grow p o t a t o e s , c a r r o t s and l e e k s I n c l e a r i n g s , ahd s w i m i n t h e buff And not worry about my w r i n k l e s and s t u f f I ' d be f r e e t o go s a i l i n g In a row boat, t o go shopping O r I ' d l e a v e an o l d c a r A t t h e end o f a t r a i l Where I could pack i n my meagre needs without f a i l I ' d burn c o a l o i l and c a n d l e s Have e a r l y t o bed and e a r l y t o r i s e hours I ' d r a t h e r not have t o d e a l With c o n s t a n t appeal a f t e r appeal To t h e l a n d l o r d t o send up, p l e a s e Heat, a t l e a s t around 60 degrees O r s u f f e r plumbing needs I d o n ' t want t o spend a n o t h e r week Using t h e plunger, and t h e s i n k and t u b l e a k My one bedroom looks o u t o v e r downtown Commuting i s no problem . But a f f o r d i n g my r e s i d e n c e i n town Leaves me nothing f o r The s t r e s s f r e e l o r e Of watching d e e r with fawn Racoon, prowling bear, s q u i r r e l on my lawn Dora Sanders

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No Vacancies - Being Used And Burning ! ! !

The f i r e on Powell S t r e e t s t a r t e d about 4 : 3 0 pm. The e n t r a n c e t o t h e Four S i s t e r .

H i g h r i s e b u i l d i n g was jam-packed.. people everywhere. Every one o f them had t h e i r own s t o r i e s t o t e l l .

The f i r s t one I heard was t h a t i t was done by s q u a t t e r s ; o t h e r s had dope d e a l e l doing t h e i r t h i n g on t h e t o p f l o o r . The most l o g i c a l one was t h a t it was s e t d e l i b e r a t e l y . T h i s might b e t h e c a s e , s o don' make up your mind u n t i l you h e a r me o u t .

About a month ago I phoned c i t y h a l l t c inform them t h a t t h e r e were people going i n E o u t of t h a t b u i l d i n g . The reason tha I c a l l e d was s o no one would g e t h u r t , i f something should happen. So d o e s t h e f a u l l a y on t h e C i t y ' s s h o u l d e r s or, getting back t o t h e p o i n t - t h e b u i l d i n g was j u s t bought r e c e n t l y .

Was t h i s an "insurance scam?" We'll nev e r know u n t i l t h e r e p o r t comes o u t .

I n t h e meantime t h e r e was no power and b u s i n e s s e s had t o c l o s e a s f a r down a s Keefer, o v e r t o C a r r a l l , up t o t h e S u n r i s Market E down t o Alexander. We were k e p t i n t h e d a r k u n t i l 10:45 pm, having t o scramble t o t h e s t o r e f o r c a n d l e s and/or j o i n t h e people on P o w e l l ' s sidewalk a s t h e y watched t h e c i t y ' s f i n e s t f i r e m e n t a c k l e t h i s b u i l d i n g i n flames again.. t h e o t h e r time was e a r l i e r t h i s y e a r .

The p o i n t I'm t r y i n g t o make i s t h a t so many p e o p l e t r y t o g e t o u t o f t h e c o s t of having a l o t t h e y newly own c l e a r e d . But i n t h e meantime i t ' s vbu. t h e t a x ~ a v e r s .

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who end up paying because i t ' s t a x e s t h a t pay t h e firemen E ambulances on s i t e . I t ' s n o t people on w e l f a r e who pay, except t h e n t h e r e i s l e s s money f o r funding t h e esscnt i a l s e r v i c e s t h a t we use. \ 5I c a n ' t a f f o r d t o even pay t h a t ; I hav; t o budget my f i n a n c e s every day but by no means do I g e t o f f t h e hook - we ( I ) do end up paying some way o r another. The l i t t l e food I keep i n my f r i d g e needs t o b e cooked i n t h e n e x t day o r so, which messes me up f o r t h i s month.

My message t o t h e C i t y people i s t h a t when a p l a c e is boarded up p l e a s e make s u r e t h a t NO ONE can e n t e r i t . B e t t e r y e t , r e n o v a t e t h e s e b u i l d i n g s s o s q u a t t i n g is n o t n e c e s s a r y 6 t h e y c o u l d n ' t be turned i n t o crack houses. There a r e many b u i l d i n g s i n Vancouver E e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e t h a t can b e used f o r t h e housing we need..E n o t j u s t s i t t i n g empty u n t i l t h e i r p r i c e i s h i g h enough t o s e l l .

Get a m i t E g e t i n t h e game.

Margaret, Downtown E a s t s i d e Resident ( E d i t o r ' s n o t e : The b u i l d i n g a t 176 Powell d i d change hands; t h e 1ew owners have p l a n s t o b u i l d condos. We heard through t h e grapevine t h a t i t was zoing t o be demolished about 3 months ago $ c a l l e d Permits E Licences t o make s u r e they'd made t h e r e q u i r e d l e g a l a s s u r a n c e s t h a t i t ' d b e done r i g h t - t h e b u i l d i n g i s f u l l o f a s b e s t o s , meaning i t c a n ' t j u s t ,e t r a s h e d w i t h a wrecking b a l l . The demo l i d n ' t happen! E suddenly i t ' s on f i r e . .)

Lynn Peak

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Sweet Remembrance

Dark was t h e dawn when I slipped away, t h e house quiet a s a tomb.

To t h e f o r e s t I went, s i c k with longing, t o t h e f o r e s t , yearning f o r home.

Do not remember i n sokrow, The sharpness o f t h e thorn But rememher i n joy The beauty o f %he r o s e .

Darkness concealed my going. Silence c a l l e d my name. Dawn took me by t h e hand. The c i t y s l e p t a s I made my way t o Lyfin Creek.

Do not remember i n sorrow The bleakness of t h e clouds, But remember i n splendour The r i s i n g of t h e sun.

Jense was t h e m i s t i n t h e v a l l e y , sweet m i s t t h a t concealed me. The t r e e s loomed grey i n t h e mist l i k e grey nuns praying.

The path ascended through t h e m i s t . Joy was my companion.

Do not remember i n sorrow, The darkness o f t h e tunnel But remember i n triumph The l i g h t a t t h e end.

Mona Naeem

A t t h e t o p of t h e f i r s t r i d g e

"Every human being on e a r t h has a l i t t l e b i t o f good i n them."

sun f l i c k e r e d through clouds, touching t h e ancient, moss covered t r e e s with green f i r e .

A t Lynn Peak, m i s t r o l l e d through t h e t r e e s ,

waking t h e surrounding mountains i n v i s i b l e .

I had seen, though, and my s t e p was l i g h t i n t h i s ancient f o r e s t , my home.

Sandy Cameron

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Do not remember i n sorrow, The sadness and t h e h u r t But remember In sweet rememberance The g r e a t n e s s o f my love.

Steep was t h e path, and long. Up, up i t went through t h e m i s t shrouded t r e e s .

The walking was prayer. The branches brushing my cheeks were prayers. The m i s t , damp on my face, was a prayer.

Then from nowhere, a huge b i r d swooped towards me, s i l e n t l y , a grey shadow. An e a g l e , 1.thought i n wonder, grey i n t h e grey l i g h t .

For an i n s t a n t t h e eagle hovered over me, wings and t a i l f e a t h e r s spread wide.

My h e a r t reached out t o t h e b i r d . Wings fanned my f a c e , and t h e eagle turned a s i d e and disappeared.

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"Life i s t o live!"

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P o l i t i c a l Thought There were 3 men Walking down t h e s t r e e t One s p o t s a magic lamp.

"Hey l e t ' s s e e i f we can g e t a few wishes."

They s i t i n a c i r c l e With t h e lamp i n t h e middle The f i r s t guy (Gordon Campbell) "Say Genie I wish t o be 30% b e t t e r than what I am."

Genie says "Y're wish i s my command.'

The second guy (B. Mulroney) asks "I wish 2 B 50% b e t t e r than what I amw "You're wish i s my command" The t h i r d guy (M. Harcourt) says, "I wish 2 B 100% b e t t e r than what I am."

"Yere wish i s my command" "You a r e now a b e a u t i f u l woman."

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Have A Nice Day! Anonymc

PRECIOUS ~ u g sp u l l i n g , my s h i p of l i f e , Navigating within waters a l i v e , Lives within must never go f o r nought, Hands on t h e Bible, prayer within mjz thought God c r e a t e d l i f e ; i t ' s end He s h a l l decide, D i f f i c u l t , t h e challenge, but t o s t o p i s s u i c i d e Our own God - i s t r u t h of word, But now we need raw sweat, a savage sword, Demons i n water, wicked and c o r r u p t , To champion our cause, waters erupt1 Chisel t h e demons t o t h e sand below, To caves..to l i v e a death only Satan would know, I clipped death; i t dazzled me, The waters calm, golden r a y s , I f e l t f o r t u n a t e . . . f u t u r e days, Yet an ache within my h e a r t remained?

For f u t u r e ? O r an innocence parted, behind i n war "1 d i d not understand, nor d i d I know?

Has it become p a r t of me, o r am I t o l e t it go?

David Kossakowski

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WHO'S AWAKE? FORECAST: DATELINE:

NOW

THE FUTURE (5 y e a r s or l e s s )

I t w i l l n o t b e long f e l l o w Americans (oops, a r e you s u r e we're s t i l l Canadians?) u n t i l t h e g r e a t p o l i t i c a l axe f a l l s ( a s it d i d i n t h e S t a t e s ) upon o u r medicare system E o u r s o c i a l s e r v i c e s system. I t a l r e a d y has claimed o u r economic system ("free" t r a d e ) .

See t h e m i l l i o n s i n t h e s t r e e t s i n c r e a s e d .

See t h e i n c r e a s e of urban decay, youth gangs and crime o f a l l t y p e s .

I t w i l l n o t m a t t e r t h a t we b e l i e v e Canada s t i l l e x i s t s , s e e o u r f l a g , s e e o u r government b u i l d i n g s , h e a r o u r anthem. I t w i l l n o t matter t h a t these facades w i l l placate t h e s o u l E mind. We s t i l l b e l i e v e we a r e f r e e .

Manifest Destiny, you s a i d ? I s e e i t . . . I wonder how many o t h e r s o u t t h e r e can s e e t h e f u t u r e . . i f anyone i s awake?

I have a b u l l e t f o r Brian. I t may not c u r e t h e d i s e a s e b u t it w i l l e a s e t h e pain. Then we can s a y , "Send i n t h e Clowns again."

Chencha

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A m i l l i o n d o l l a r s f o r what.. .?

According t o information i n t h e l a s t Newsletter, Joan Smallwood has announced t h a t t h e NDP gov't w i l l give $1 m i l l i o n t o those who advocate f o r t h e poor. That i s , the people who i d e n t i f y with leftwing p o l i t i c s & play t h e games t h a t M s . Smallwood & h e r colleagues did when they were small time w i l l l r e c e i v e a m i l l i o n d o l l a r s This i s construed i n most left-wing minds t o mean Ithelp f o r t h e poor." - it i s not.

What i t i s , i s a payoff t o p o l i t i c a l novices, i n t h e hopes t h a t some of them w i l l join t h e mature p o l i t i c i a n s who make an a r t of appearing t o do t h i n g s when dct u a l l y doing nothing a t a l l .

Ms. Smallwood's i d e a of poverty advocacy i s , I think, summed up i n a quote from her: "Community organizations p l a y a maj o r r o l e in working with government t o develop relevant 4 appropriate s e r v i c e s . I ' - in o t h e r words, t h e one m i l l i o n d o l l a r s i s what's known a s l'on-sidelf money .i f poverty advocates a r e more w i l l i n g t o play gov't games than demand changes, they w i l l be funded.

Most ltadvocates" a r e would-be p o l i t i c i ans; they a r e not r a d i c a l trouble-makers, but well-behaved s t u d e n t s of t h e NDP and COPE. ELP i s being brought on-side s o t h a t they w i l l l e a r n a l l t h e reasons why r a d i c a l demands f o r change must be given up i f they wish t o progress f u r t h e r i n t h e i r " l e f t wing" p o l i t i c a l c a r e e r s .

Another quote from Joan Smallwood: - " I ' l l be making a major announcement s h o r t l y (Sep. 17) about a d d i t i o n a l i n i t i a t i v e s t o support t r a i n i n g & employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r people who a r e receiving income a s s i s t a n c e " I n i t i a t i v e s t o support t r a i n i n g 4 employment o p p o r t u n i t i e ~ ~i ~ n , case you d o n ' t know, i s t y p i c a l socred-Fraser I n s t i t u t e 1anguage The whole point o f t h i s e x e r c i s e s t a r t ed out a s an attempt t o g e t more money d i r e c t l y i n t o t h e pockets o f t h o s e on welfare. .they s a i d I would g e t $25 ext r a on my cheque & then they gave i t t o my landlord, who i s a COPE-NDP supporter: I d i d n ' t even n o t i c e any Christmas bonus but somebody t o l d me it was $3.

And now Joan j u s t gave $1 million t o t h e ELPies. I c a n ' t b e l i e v e it. I f they a r e $3 b i l l i o n i n t h e hole 5 a r e going t o ' t i n i t i a t e " employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r me, I am i n e x a c t l y t h e same s i t u a t i o n I was under vanderzalm. ..but those who go t o meetings 5 p r a c t i c e p o l i t i c s a r e being given $1 million?

I t smells l i k e t h e same o l d ugly s h i t t h a t b u i l t t h i s very s i c k n a t i o n i n t h e f i r s t place smart p o l i t i c s with no substance, Jack. .

TORA

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Dear Paul, Thank you f o r t h e a r t i c l e E photo i n t h e l a s t Carnegie Newsletter I t was s o n i c g being a b l e t o give Carbt r e e ' s Soup In Bannock t h e $1000..besides, I l i k e bannock.

I t was n i c e t o h e l p out some family memb e r s too.

Welfare s a i d it was a ' p r i z e money', not "earned income", so I had t o give up t h i s month's cheque - apparently you can have savings but not a f t e r you're on welfare o r something l i k e t h a t . So I l o s t $605. I d i d buy a camera & some s t u f f I need f o r writing I have t o be h o n e s t . I t f e l t good t o have a l i t t l e e x t r a money. I ' v e been g e t t i n g Christmas p r e s e n t s f o r my grandchildren.

SO I g e t t h e award a t t h e Burrard Librar y on t h e 1st of October a t 7: 15pm. .maybe I ' l l s e e you t h e r e .

Thank you f o r a l l t h e encouragement with my w r i t i n g - t h e r e i s a l o t of t a l e n t i n Carnegie. L e t ' s g e t it a l l on!"

.

S h e i l a Baxter

What a l a n d s l i d e v i c t o r y f o r NPA candid a t e lynne Kennedy, t h e chbsen f a v o u r i t e of t h e NPA mayor & c o u n c i l l o r s & a l l t h e monied i n t e r e s t s t h a t support them!

Without buckets of money poured i n t o t h e i r c o f f e r s , t h e media were l a c k - l u s t r e i n t h e i r i n t e r e s t i n p u b l i c i z i n g t h e bye l e c t i o n , & a t a l l - c a n d i d a t e meetings e i t h e r a t s t r e e t l e v e l o r on TV, t h e presence of Kennedy r a i s e d no g r e a t o u t b u r s t s of u n r e s t r a i n e d applause.

She r e a l l y had nothing t o say & t h e a r r ay o f o t h e r candidates, mostly a l l e g e d "independents", a good h a l f o f whom were r i d ing on t h e c o a t t a i l s of Me1 Lehants (COPE) program, p u t h e r one a g a i n s t ag00d b a k e r ' s dozen, a l l s p l i t t i n g t h e COPE neighbourhood p o l i c y vote.

So 10%o f t h e Vancouver v o t e r s were i n fQrmed enough of t h e by-election & t h e issues t o come o u t & vote. This was overwhelmingly COPE'S achievement, but with 11 t o I odds, i t i s n ' t s u r p r i s i n g t h a t t h e s i n g l e NPA candidate managed t o g e t under t h e . I wire f i r s t , only 1700 v o t e s ahead of t h e r e a l winner - Me1 Lehan. Without t h e work of COPE'S supporters t h e by-election would have been a void. So much f o r t h e NPA & t h e media's enthusiasm f o r democracy.

Exhibiting such contempt f o r t h e people, one can r e s t assured t h a t t h e NPA, between now & November 1993, w i l l s o outrage t h e c i t i z e n s of t h i s c i t y with unrestrained pro-developer & maximizing p r o f i t e e r i n g p o l i c i e s t h a t , media o r no media, they w i l l be turned out of o f f i c e .

COPE & Me1 Lehan: keep on championing & building community-based & neighbourhood -building policies..look ahead t o 1993.

The f i g u r e s : 10.2% of v o t e r s d i d so.

Kennedy got 11,573; Lehan got 9,807, G t h e remaining candidates got 6,152 t y e t h e r .

Need one ,sapmore? Who won f o r democracy i n t h a t by-election? Me1 Leh-m, bands d0.m t o g e t h e r with COPE. Bea Ferneyhough

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The Seagull S t o l e Crab Park Talking t o t h e l a t e evening f l i e s , & t h e f l i e s t e l l me things. They say t h a t t h e Port plan f o r beside Crab Park beach i s ttover-builtft.

I b e l i e v e them. The f l i e s d o n ' t l i e . . t a l k i n g t o t h e cockroaches i n t h e wall.

The roaches t o l d me t h e Port i s "planninntt (using t h e word 1oosely)a 32 storey-highh o t e l near Crab park. ..Perhaps t h e Port planners t h a t a r e the humans on Mars building t h e top h a l f of t h e development beside Crab Beach.

The a n t s i n t h e g r a s s they say t h e huge (alcohol & prostitution)Convention Centre "planned" f o r beside Crab park w i l l be a cement Disneyland North. ..Oh,& reading t h e l o c a l pigeon beaks,I d i v i n e t h a t t h e new c r u i s e s h i p s w i l l be l a r g e r & l a r g e r & t h e s e f l o a t i n g luxuryh o t e l s t h a t come i n r e g u l a r l y from May t o Septembe* have up t o 1500 t o u r i s t s on them already. ..For t h i s a r t i c l e I t r i e d t o g e t informat i o n o u t o f t h e Port of Vancouver corporat i o n mascot--Salty Sam t h e Seagull. The s e a g u l l laughed t h a t i t was t h e P o r t ' s park now--its "a tourist-only-park-nowsuckers". And then t h e Port s e a g u l l r a i s e d i t s f i n g e r i n s a l u t e , t h a t they were number one in v i c t o r y o r something. ..So I went & read t h e mind of a nearby crow. He crowed t h a t t h e r e would be no place f o r local,lowincome f a m i l i e s anymore a t Crab Park,they would be l o s t under p i l e s o f t o u r i s t s . . . t h e Port seagull t w i r l e d & danced & sang i t s llours,ours,ours'. . . I waited & saw a Crab Beach Crab s c u t t l e i n t o t h e lapping ocean water,& I heard t h e Crab say "Save Crab Beach from Tourists". .&t h e Crab Beach Crab t h a t he'd help t r y t o save t h e park f o r t h e people a t t h e Oct o b e r 1st c i t y h a l l meeting. ..Why destroy community 4 c i t y peoples use of a r a r e park space? ..Why would t h e Port want t o c r e a t e a tttourist-only-placell, t h e Crab Beach c r e a t u r e s a l l wondered..

Don Larson

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OUR

THE S C ~ E SON

EYES

"Down here" i s a q u a i n t euphemism almost u n i v e r s a l l y a p p l i e d t o o n e ' s home t u r f .

For t h e purposes of t h i s r a n t , i t r e f e r s t o t h e i n n e r c o r e o f any major c i t y i n North America and s p e c i f i c a l l y t o t h e p o o r e s t neighbourhoods - t h e ' s k i d rows' of our f a i r land.

I f you t h i n k you l i v e on ' s k i d row" you do, bub p b v e r t y & want a r e c e r t a i n l y n o t l i m i t e d t o a few b l o c k s of cockroach h o t e l s . A d j e c t i v e s l i k e needy, l a z y , s l e a zy, t h i e v e i n g e t c . . r e a d i l y s t i c k t o s t e r e o t y p i c a l nouns l i k e bum, c h e a t , scum,..., when mouthed by t h e well-to-do.

The a r r o g a n c e of t h e i r usage is endemic t o s o c i e t a l chuckles a t s o c i e t y events, where t h e wealthy & powerful s h a r e superi o r i t y complexes a s e a s i l y a s t h e y p a s s t h e c a v i a r , where t h e y d o n ' t even b l i n k a t t h e p a s s i o n a t e d i s c o u r s e s of t h e i r f e l l o w s s p o u t i n g t h e "givens" - t h e power & violence inherent i n t h e absblute arrogance of v e s t e d i n t e r e s t s h i d d e n i n int e l l e c t u a l conviction.

4 Like t h e F r a s e r I n s t i t u t e p u b l i s h i n g a ' r e p o r t ' s t a t i n g t h a t poverty is not a problem i n Canada.

L i k e t h e Business Council on N a t i o n a l Issues energetically l ~ b b ~ i n g l o r d e r i n g t h e i r p o l i t i c a l h a c k s t o e x t e r m i n a t e Medi c a r e , t o l e v e l t h e playing f i e l d , t o make Canada c o m p e t i t i v e

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A To t h e p o i n t : Big Business wants a f r e e hand. The d i s c o v e r y t h a t t h e human mind i s s u b j e c t t o b e h a v i o u r a l manipulat i o n i s t h e f o u n d a t i o n of modern a d v e r t i s i n g . New c a r s s e l l when t h e s a l e s p e r s o n / voice-over makes i t urgent..one-time-only, "don't m i s s out" & s o on. Food i s s o l d w i t h t a s t e t h e only c o n s i d e r e d s e n s a t i o n , w i t h f a s t images of k i d s & games & ' f u n ' r e l e g a t i n g n u t r i t i o n a l q u a l i t y t o background n o i s e . McDonald's i s f a r & away a t t h e t o p o f i t ' s f i e l d i n e f f e c t i v e adv e r t i s i n g , spending something l i k e $100 m i l l i o n a y e a r on i t . When t h e v a s t majo r i t y of t h e i r t a r g e t p o p u l a t i o n a r e poor w i t h l i t t l e a c c e s s t o a d e q u a t e good f o o d ,

t h e protnotion o f t h e i r a s s o r t e d concoctions is r e l a t i v e l y easy with p a s t e l colo u r s s b " t a s t e " . ("Cheap" is not. j u s t ano t h e r word f o r i n e x p e n s i v e . ) When y o u ' r e poor you a r e n ' t b e n e a t h t h e a d v e r t i s e r ' s n o t i c e . . y o u a r e approached d i f f e r e n t l y . For t h e most p a r t , adv e r t i s e r s can r e l a t e t o b u d g e t s & c h o i c e s mych more t h a n t h e y can t o p e o p l e simply n o t h a v i n g enough money. T h i s is beginni n g t o b o t h e r t h e t r a n s n a t i o n a l s though.

They've come t o t h e deluded c o n c l u s i o n . no doubt e x a c e r b a t e d by t h e mental d i s ease c a l l e d g r e e d , t h a t r e d u c i n g c o s t s a t someone e l s e ' s expense i s a s u r e way t o i n c r e a s e prof its.

v Under t h i s d e l u s i o n t h e y have been ~ t r i v i n gf o r y e a r s , p a r t l y r e a l i s e d under t h e " f r e e " t r a d e agreement, t o make Canada t h e r e s o u r c e cow & now, w i t h t h e impending North American F r e e Trade Agreement (NAFTA) t o make Mexico b e t h e s o u r c e f o r cheap l a b o u r . One g o v ' t p i e c e of propaganda i n Canada s a i d t h a t Mexico would add 83 m i l l i o n p e o p l e t o o u r economic zone, "20 m i l l i o n of whom a r e w e l l off by Canadian s t a n d a r d s " & on i t goes t o t h e n e x t s a l i v a - p r o d u c i n g f a c t o i d . (DO NOT p a s s GO, do n o t c o l l e c t $200, do n o t a s k i f t h e o t h e r 63 m i l l i o n l i v e i n abj e c t poverty)

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The mindset of a d v e r t i s i n g permeates a l l o u r p o l i t i c s , o u r news, o u r t h i n k i n g .

When some d i s t a s t e f u l f a c t o r s t o r y o r exposure would harm t h e s a l e , why, j u s t g i v e i t a 3-second sound b y t e . . & go on as q u i c k l y a s p o s s i b l e . I n pure commercials t h e 3-second b i t i s excluded a l t o g e t h e r .

It n e v e r happened, n e v e r could happen.

Down h e r e , t h e major t h r u s t s of mass media c o l o u r o u r p e r c e p t i o n s , b u t n o t a s much a s t h e y do t o t h o s e whocan a c t u a l l y go o u t & buy whatever i s b e i n g flogged. dhat t h e media is doing i s t o i n c r e a s e crime & t h e d i s r e s p e c t most people seem a l l t o o w i l l i n g t o engage i n . b y sakuratiL' ing every campaign w i t h t h e images, t h e v i s i o n , of s u c c e s s b e i n g a s t a t e replend2nt w i t h m a t e r i a l junk. The d i s c o n c e r t i n g c-

-. facts of a g l o b a l r e c e s s i o n , of p e o p l e dyi n g by t h e m i l l i o n s of s t a r v a t i o n , of en,ironmental d i s a s t e r looming, of t h e vani s h i n g m i d d l e - c l a s s b e i n g boph t h e majori t y t a r g e t f o r consumer a d s & t h e , m a j o r i t y v i c t i m of economic p o l i c i e s d e s i g n e d to reduce t h e numbers of t h o s e on t h e i n s i d e , a r e a l l p a r t of t h e p r o c e s s t o comp l e t e t h e s e p a r a t i o n of t h e h a v e s & t h e haveznots.

w

t h e profit-motive,

compelling i t t o g u i d e

& m a n i p u l a t e programming i n t o t h e abyss-

of t h e l o w e s t common denominator.

111.

I ' d always f i l l e d t h e t o o t h b r u s h with-'t o o t h p a s t e - about an i n c h because t h a t i s what t h e y do on TV. A f t e r 20 y e a r s it f i n a l l y o c c u r r e d t o m e t h a t 314's of i t j u s t goes down t h e d r a i n . , ~ ' dbeen b r a i n washed a l o n g w i t h t h e b e s t of 'em. The t o o t h p a s t e companies had made t r i p l e t h e p r o f i t o f f me j u s t by phony a d s . Keep L your e y e s open!

By PAULR TAYLOR

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The r e a l i t y of p o v e r t y is n o t p e r m i t t e d t o e n t e r t h e a d v e r t i s e r ' s mecca of f i n d z i n g new t a r g e t s . C i g a r e t t e companies go i n t o 3 r d World c o u n t r i e s & s t a r t g i v i n g away t h e i r p r o d u c t ; i n i t i a l o u t l a y is e a s i l y recovered a f t e r people get addicted & have t o pay. I n f a n t formula i s adve r t i s e d i n t o u s e by making t h e t i m e l e s s p r a c t i c e of b r e a s t - f e e d i n g seem e i t h e r o b s o l e t e o r obscene. The World Bank & t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Monetary Fund p l a y d a u n t i n g r o l e s w i t h s t r i c t i m p o s i t i o n of s t r u c t u a l a d j u s t m e n t programs, s p e c i f i c a l l y designed t o e x p l o i t c o n d i t i o n s o f p o v e r t y & want i n f a v o u r of t h e h i g h e s t r e t u r n s f o r t h o s e with products t o s e l l . I n t h e i r eyes, e t h i c s , i n t e g r i t y & even m o r a l i t y , by d i n t of b e i n g i n t a n g i b l e , are economically irrelevant.

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And i t a l l comes back t o TV & r a d i o & p r i n t a d s t e l l i n g u s t h a t what we j u s t have t o buy i s c h e a p e r t h a n t h e o t h e r guy I s . The g i g a n t i c b u l k of t h i s i c e b e r g , t h e s o r d i d ways & means by which producti o n of t h e p r o d u c t happens, i s simply n o t t o l d . R e p e r c u s s i o n s - economic & s o c i a l a r e a l s o i r r e l e v a n t i f you're a t r i c k l e r & not a tricklee.

Ads showing cows mooing i n amber f i e l d s of g r a i n b e l i e t h e f a c t s of f a c t o r y farmi n g ; c h i c k e n s c l u c k i n g i n s u r r e a l barny a r d s o b s c u r e t h e mass p r o d u c t i o n r e a l i t y of f l o r e s c e n t t u b e s , block-long s h e l v e s of c a g e s , hormones, i n j e c t i o n s & i n s a n i t y t h a t s t i l l allow t h e product t o be labell e d "Grade A." The i d e a t i o n of t h i s p a p e r is t o enl i g h t e n u s a l l t o t h e mindset o f t h o s e who u s e t h e media t o m a n i p u l a t e u s . The p o l i t i c s of t h e media a r e hand-in-glove w i t h

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Adult l e a r n e r s 4 t h e i r f r i e n d s c e l e b r a t e t h e p u b l i c a t i o n of The Wind Cannot Read, a c o l l e c t i o n of w r i t i n g s by new readers.

EVENT: TUESDAY, October 6, 1992 12:OO t o 1:30 Carnegie Theatre 401 Main ( a t Hastings)

I

Contact Debbie Bryant (Literacy Outreach at 665-3013 6 Eleanor Kelly i n t h e Carne g i e Reading Room a t 665-3015.

I

Contributors o f f e r us a mosiac of f e e l i n g & thoughts about l e a r n i n g , about being unable t o read i n an i n c r e a s i n g l y t e x t based world, about l i f e 4 love. The l i v e l y w r i t i n g & d i r e c t manner of p r e s e n t a t i o n $7 eggaging t o r e a d e r s . l a t any l e v e l .

'This b w k s t a r t e d a s p a r t of a worldwide p r o j e c t t o c e l e b r a t e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Literacy Year 1990. Adult new r e a d e r s on every c o n t i n e n t joined t o g e t h e r t o c r e a t e a c o l l e c t i v e book of w r i t i n g s . Sponsored by t h e United Nations, t h e Book Voyage began i n Thailand & journeyed around t h e globe. In Canada, t h e Movement f o r Canadian L i t e r a c y launched a book f o r each province and t e r r i t o r y .

When Larry Loyie a r r i v e d i n Vancouver from Ottawa i n e a r l y 1990 with t h e "B.C. Book" i n h i s knapsack, it was unmarked p e r f e c t r e d l e a t h e r . I t was empty except f o r a t i t l e page. A t t h e end of t h e year, it had t r a v e l l e d t o every region of B.C. The cover was b a t t e r e d & it was s o f u l l of w r i t i n g t h a t it had t o be rebound on t h e way. I t was almost 1000 pages long G had t o be rebound again.

I n many communities, new r e a d e r s spoke i n p u b l i c about t h e i r s t r u g g l e t o l e a r n t o read & w r i t e f o r t h e f i r s t time. The "Book" came t o r e p r e s e n t something more than p r i n t & paper. I t cane t o r e p r e s e n t t h e bond t h e w r i t e r s f e l t with one anothe r over t h e i r shared h i s t o r y , d e s p i t e t h e i r d i f f e r e n c e s i n age, gender, c u l t u r e o r b e l i e f s . The Wind Cannot Read i s a selection of those writings.'

February 14, 1990, an e n t h u s i a s t i c crowdtlgathered i n t h e Carnegie Centre Theatre t o launch t h e "B.C. Book1'.

Now t h e "Book" has come f u l l c i r c l e G we a r e tremendously e x c i t e d t o mark i t s p u b l i c a t i o n with a launch & c e l e b r a t i o n i n t h e Theatre.

Program h i g h l i g h t s include an address

by Larry Loyie, readings by a d u l t l e a r n e r s & information about l i t e r a c y and upgrading programs. Refreshments a r e f r e e .

FREE TO THE PUBLIC, ALL WELCOME!

Prejudicehacisrn is one of the most destructive

forces shaping todays world. Prejudice violates

It takes the whole community t o

raise a child p r o u d a n d unafraid..

the basic principle of respect for all living things.

This principle of existence has great implications for a healthy and wholistic approach to the elimination of prejudice.

Wholeness: 'All things are interrelated. This connectedness derives from the reality that everything is part of a single whole which is greater than the sum of its parts."

This principle, when applied to human beings, 'Unity by Lorne Bruce'

means that all races, tribes and nationalities belong to the same human family. Humankind is really one. The distinctions and differences which have been the basis of so much conflict and hatred are only superficial.

Just as in the human body if one organ took over the whole body and would not let the

We are all victims of racism. Don't be

others function freely. the organism would die, so

overwhelmed. Do something about it.

will the human race be destroyed if one tribe or

There are resources available in our

race tries to take over and does not let the other

community t o deal with racism.

tribes or races contribute their own gifts for the benefit of all in our human community.* .

'Adapted from The Four Worlds Development Prqect"

Come to power-take action.

An Anti Racism Resource Gu~depubl~shed by the Carneg~eCornrnunlty Centre wlth fundrig through Mult~cultural~sm BC

Racism: racism is the belief that some races

Canadian Human Rights Commission 7 5 0 6 0 5 Robson Avenue

for or te basis.

The following are Groups which can help if nce or observe racist acts:

F A X 666-2386

le faadmlntstering the CanadIan Human Rlghts paes 60 federal gowrnment departments and c r a m corporWons and to buslness and Industry era1jwisdktion: banks, alrllnes and railway s It lncludes employment practices, policies and advertang, residential and commercial accommodation and servlces available to the publ~cIt protects against dlscrlmlnatlon based on race, nat~onal or ethn~congin, colour rel~glon,age, sex, famlly or manta1status

rn B.C. Police Commission 405-8 15 Hornby Street Vancouver V6Z 2E6 Tel 660-2385

d~rectlntervenuon for v~ctlrnsof raclsm They also provlde

F A X 666-7362

Recelves publlc complalnts against the poke and supervises the citlzen/pohce complalnt process

m R.C.M.F? Publk Complzdnts Commission

Tel 660-681 1

FAX 660-0195

Enforces the Human Rights Act Compla~ntsof d~scr~mlnabon can be made by an appl~cationform or personal letter

rn B.C. Human Rights Coalition 107-96 East Broadway Vancouver, V5T 1 V6 Tel 872-5638

FAX 872-5639

Operates throughout the province. Members include groups and individuals concerned with the promotion and pro tection of human rights; implementation and protection of human rights laws; improved human rights legislation. Will provide help for individuals with human rights complaints.

Office hours 9:00am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday.

0.C and Won RegionalOffice 970-840 Howe Street Vancouver, V6J 212

Tel 666-7363

FAX 666-7362

Accepts compla~ntsabout the conduct of members of the R C M P In the first Instancethey will help the caller lodge the complalnt whrch then goes to the R C M P for them to try to solve ~nternallyIf the caller a not satrsfied wlth the whlch will outcome, she/he can write to the comm~ss~on review the case and accept an appeal The Comm~ss~on serves as an independent civll~anreview board

Committee for Racial Justice 14 I 4 West I2th Avenue Vancouver V6H 1 M8 Tel: 73 1-6633

FAX 738-77 l l

U.B.C. Legal Clinic Faculty of Law University of British Columb~a Vancouver V6T 1 W5 Tel: 822-591 1

Organization made up of community-based organizations that are concerned with racism and the elimination of racial problems. Sponsors education programs, seminars, public debate and the study of human rights legislation.

Law Students, under the supervision of members of the Bar Association, provide free legal assistance for persons who cannot afford the services of a lawyer.

Community Legal Assistance Society

Alliance of Women Against Racism (AWARE)

800-1 28 1 West Georgia Street Vancouver V6E 3Y2 Tel: 685-3425 FAX: 685-3425 Provides legal advice and assistance service. Tries test cases and provides advice in all areas of law relating to the Charter of Human Rights and to the economically, socially, physically. and mentally disadvantaged.

Law Students LegalAdvice Program Room 1 58, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbla Vancouver; V6T IWS Tel: 822-579 1

5-2023 Grant Street Vancouver V5L 2Z2 Tel: 25 1-2635 Women of colour and whlte women who organize unlearning racism workshops and promote antr-racism organizing.

Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Irnmigrant Servicing Agencies (AMSSA) 1 254 West 7th Avenue Vancouver V6H 186 Tel: 738-2724

Student-operated volunteer program supervised by lawyers offering free legal advice, information and advocacy to low income people. This service is offered in community centres and other agencies throughout the East Side and downtown.

An orgal ~izationfor multicultural socreties and immigrant

Legal Aid

Canadian Anti-Racism Education and Research Society

Legal Serv~cesSoclety 19 1 Alexander Street Vancouver V64 1 N3 Sumaby

Tel: 687- 1 83 1 Tel: 437-4432

sWrry Tel 584-8535 k n by the Legal Servres Society, which administers legal

aid in B.C Reducedfee for services.

agencies in B.C. Publishes bi-monthly magazine "Cultures West. " Serves as an advocate to help implement multicultural and immigrant policies and programs.

10667-135 A Street Surrey, B.C. V3T 4E3 Td: 583-41 36 Professional organization which presents workshops to thr public and conducts research on racam.

Vancouver Multicultural Education Society 1254 West 7th Avenue Vancouver V6H 166 Tel: 73 1-4647 VMS. is a resource centre and library providing services and programs including referrals, liaisons, advocacy and education. Promotes multiculturalism and anti-racism via educational institutions. Affiliated with the Canadian Council for Multicultural and InterculturalEducation.

Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of B.C. 337 1 B Kingsway Avenue Vancouver V5R 5K6 Tel: 438-3369 Organizes conferences, workshops and government lobby groups. Promotes a more equitable society for immigrant and visible minority women through education and participation in the political process.

Vancouver Native Health Society 449 East Hastings Street

Tel: 254-9949

Advocacy for housing.

Downtown Eastside Residents' Association PEW 8-9

East Hastings Street Tel: 682-93 1

Housing and landlord/tenant disputes

DERA South 1067 Granville Street

Tel: 683-5048

Advocacy Service for Downtown South.

tittle Mountain Tenants' Association 125 East 37th Avenue

Tel: 324-0555

Tenants and welfare issues.

Carnegie Community Centre 40 1 Main Street

Roots of Resistance Tel: 254-2067 Will tackle any issue of rac~aloppression. Roots of Resistance meets weekly and has information and educational rnater~als.Call for meeting locations.A volunteer group.

Tel: 665-2220

First United church 320 East Hastings Street

Tel: 68 1-8365

La Boussole (Francophone) 578 Powell Street

Tel: 255-5 188

2pm-5pm. Monday to Friday.

AntiCraffiti Hotline Tel: 873-7 16 1 If you see racist graffiti call the Clty of Vancouver Anti Racist

El Centro Latino American0 (Spanish] 455 East Hastings Street 6pm-9pm. Monday to Fr~day

Hotline to report the location.

Legal Services Society 19 1 Alexander Street

Very often one needs an advocate to help:

Tel: 687-1 83 1

Legal advice/advocacy.

[An advocate is a person who will act on your behalf.)

Tenants' Rights Action Coalition

Advocates can be found at: Downtown Eastside Women$ Centre 44 East Cordova Avenue Tel: 68 1-8480

Information Hotline: 255-0546 or 255-3099

1 j I

Reaten Unable t o move.

Fear has taken over my body.

There i s no way o u t .

Paralyzed!

The p a i n i s t o o s t r o n g .

I t r y t o scream b u t o u t come g a s p s of a i r !

I am numb, d i z z y and t h e n I black o u t .

The world has gone dark!

Am I dead o r a l i v e - i s t h i s f o r a s h o r t while - o r i s t h i s f o r e v e r ?

W i l l I be looking a t s i x f e e t soon?

I run, but I c a n ' t g e t away from him!

So many t i m e s I run, l i k e i n a maze.

But a deadlend f a l l s i n f r o n t o f me.

Every dead end, h e ' s t h e r e .

Consequences; Bad consequences !

I s t h i s what l o v e ' s supposed t o he3 Scanning every c o r n e r , n o t knowing i f he's there.

Walking i n darkness, n o t knowing i f t h e shadow I s e e i s him.

Suddenly I s e e s t a r s .

S t a r s from e v e r y blow I t a k e .

Nightmares a r e a l l I have.

Now, a l l I have a r e h o r r i f y i n g memories.

1 s t i l l quiver a t night.

Johanna Sandy The Power Within When she moved i n t o h e r own apartment, she was c o n t e n t , r e l i e v e d & a b i t nervous.

I t was t h e f i r s t time s i n c e she was a l i t t l e g i r l t h a t she was on h e r own, and t h e thought of t h e memories as a l i t t l e g i r l came back i n a f l a s h . She saw h e r s e l f huddled i n h e r room a l o n e & no one was home with her. The l i t t l e g i r l she saw was i very f r i g h t e n e d & hoped f o r h e r dad t o r e t u r n soon, b u t she a l s o knew t h a t i t ' d be impossible. A s Johanna shook t h e memories away she s t a r t e d t o unpack t o unpack t h e boxes i n h e r living-room. She ' f i g u r e d it would t a k e a good week t o g e t e v e r y t h i n g i n order.

She was fond of h e r new apartment; i t was q u i e t , n o t f a r from a shopping mall & t h e r e was a school about 3 b l o c k s away.It

was surrounded by cedar t r e e s &, i n t h e i r background, were t h e high peaks of mounta i n t o p s . Several r o s e bushes gathered c l o s e l y t o each o t h e r around t h e b u i l d i n g .

Across t h e s t r e e t was a small p a s t u r e f o r h o r s e s who would roam i n t h e evening. Johanna sighed & thought ' a p e r f e c t home f o r someone who i s on h e r own, f i n a l l y . ' She stepped o n t o h e r balcony & breathed l a t e a f t e r n o o n a i r i n t o h e r lungs. I t wasn ' t a s f r e s h a s country a i r but b e t t e r than t h e p o l l u t i o n over t h e c i t y ' s c e n t r e .

She l e f t t h e balcony & went t o work on h e r new p l a c e . She had p l a n s f o r t h e e x t r a room t o c o n v e r t it i n t o a s t u d y s o she could work on h e r book. While unpacking she f e l t r e l a x e d t h a t she was on h e r own, y e t deep i n s i d e she f e l t a sudden f e a r t h a t i t - w a s n ' t over.

She knew she was t a k i n g a b i g r i s k o f seeing h e r h a l f - b r o t h e r , - ~ l i n t i but t h i s was a new s t a r t f o r h e r . .whatever happgns w i l l happen. She wanted t o prove t o h e r s e l f & t o everyone she knew t h a t s h e ' d make it on h e r own & she was a l s o a l o n e i f she was e v e r t o s e e C l i n t again.

The job she was doing kept h e r busy and she l i k e d i t . She never thought photography was h e r s t y l e but s h e acquired knowledge from it 6 i t paid well.

Late t h a t n i g h t s h e had a nightmare and it was about C l i n t . S h e ' t h o u g h t she was r i d of t h e dreams b u t t h e y were s t i l l I with h e r . She g o t up & warmed some milk, t h i n k i n g about t h e dream. She was f u l l of f e a r & had no one t o t a l k t o . But s h e s a t up s t r a i g h t 6 t o l d h e r s e l f i t was a l r i g h t . . t h a t when s h e was t h i n k i n g of him t h e day b e f o r e , i t ' d s t i r r e d up bad memories.

F i n i s h i n g t h e milk s h e went t o bed, s l e e p i n g through without any dreams. Tomorrow was a new day 6 t h e thought would n e v e r e n t e r h e r again. She w i l l go on & hopefull y not s e e h e r h a l f b r o t h e r .

The n e x t day s h e was s i t t i n g i n a small coffee-shop i n a q u i e t a r e a of Abbotsford.

She'd o n l y been t h e r e about 1 0 minutes.. day-dreaming, s i p p i n g a t h e r c o f f e e . I t was a warm afternoon; a lying-on-thsbeach kind o f day. From a distance1 she could ' hear a train.

x

In t h e coffee-shop were 1 2 t a b l e s with high padded s e a t s 6 a long counter with 8 bar s t o o l s i n f r o n t f o r customers e i t h e r alone or i n a hurry. A b r i g h t E c h e e r f u l looking c a s h i e r stood a t t h e entrance.

There were only seven people i n t h e shop, She l i k e d i t t h i s way. She had intended t o go uptown t o a mall f o r lunch. but t h e thought-of a l l t h e t r a f f i c E f i n d i n g a parking s a w e .- parking space seemed l i k e a b i g h a s s l e .

The coffee-shop a l s o provided a much appr e c i a t e d anonymity, a s only t h e l o c a l r e s i d e n t s came here t o e a t ; very few v i s i t ors like herself.

She considered going f o r a long d r i v e t o Harrison Hot Springs. The mountains were b e a u t i f u l ; l a s t time she'd been lucky enough t o spot an e a g l e s o a r i n g i n t h e d i s t a n c e . The t i n k l i n g of t h e l i t t l e b e l l on t h e door brought h e r s h a r p l y back t o r e a l i t y . She brought h e r ham & chees t o h e r mouth f o r one l a s t b i t e when she looked up 4 f r o z e . She saw who had walked i n C l i n t , h e r h a l f b r o t h e r . He d i d n ' t s e e he] and s a t down, a couple of booths away.

With t h e high s e a t s a l l she could s e e was h i s j e t black h a i r .

She t r i e d t o be a s q u i e t a s she could; she had no i d e a what she'd say i f he d i d s e e her. Mentally, she kicked h e r s e l f . Shr knew she should have gone uptown; why was she here?! She gained h e r composure only enough t o r e a l i z e t h a t she had t o walk r i g h t p a s t him t o pay h e r b i l l . I t was thf only way o u t . She beat h e r s e l f up again f o r having j u s t gone t o t h e bank andlwithdrawing a l a r g e amount of cash. With t h e s m a l l e s t change she had t o pay h e r b i l l , i t ' d s t i l l t a k e f o r e v e r t o s e t t l e with the c a s h i e r 6 g e t out. She shook with f e a r , r e l i v i n g t h e h o r r i b l e memories of t h e time they spent together. I t could've happened yesterday.

The w a i t r e s s got h i s o r d e r , then came up :o J o E asked i f she wanted more coffee.

Johanna shook h e r head quickly & whispered 'no.It She got up slowly 4 walked by quickly. She paid h e r b i l l 6 s a i d good-bye t o :he c a s h i e r , who r e p l i e d "Enjoy t h e weath:r bye!" A t t h a t moment C l i n t looked up 4 :heir eyes met f o r 2 seconds. J o rushed m t s i d e , fhinking,sheLnas,igoing t o f a i n t .

She walked quickly down t h e s t r e e t , but l e a r l y panicked when she heard h e r name ~ e i n gc a l l e d o u t . Somehow she kept going. ;he checked h e r options: run E scream f o r l e l p o r wait E expect t h e worst. She thought she heard f o o t s t e p s b u t couldn't t e l l because of t h e pounding of h e r h e a r t .

C l i n t caught up t o h e r . He was panting #hen he faced h e r & s a i d , "We have t o t a l k , Jo." She was almost i n t e a r s . "We have nothing t o t a l k about. Whatever you have t o say, I won't l i s t e n . You'll be wasting your b r e a t h . " C l i n t pleaded with her, "Please, h e a r me m t , I have a few t h i n g s t o t e l l you."

She wiped h e r eyes 5 t r i e d t o r e g a i n h e r s e l f . To h e r s u r p r i s e , h e r voice seemed calm E c o n t r o l l e d . ItHaven't you t o l d me nou ugh l i e s ? What's t h e use? A f t e r a l l t h e l i e s you t o l d me, why i n God's name would you t h i n k I ' d s t a r t b e l i e v i n g you now? I c a n ' t 'hear you o u t ' when I r e f u s e t o hear anything you say!" In s p i t e of h e r o r i g i nal i n t e n t t o put a s much d i s t a n c e a s poss i b l e between h e r s e l f & t h i s demon from h e l l , J o seemed unable t o stem t h e t i d e of words t h a t ripped from t h e c e n t r e o f h e r soul. Her words continued t o b a t t e r him, l i k e he had b a t t e r e d her. " I t was c l e a r t h a t you were out t o d e s t roy my family, & you accomplished t h a t .

You should be proud .of y o u r s e l f . Haven't you p a t t e d yourself o n t h e back yet?" away she s t a r t e d t o unpack boxes i n h e r living-room. She f i g u r e d i t would t a k e a good week t o g e t everything i n o r d e r .

"I have gone through enough problems because of your abuse. I r e a l l y believed you were something, E I gave up myself j u s t t o pay a t t e n t i o n t o you1 You knew I

Xx

Yx was t h e most vulnerable person. You c a s t out & hooked me i n & I was s t u p i d enough t o take the bait!" you c a n ' t change t h e p a s t & you c a n ' t change t h e way I f e e l about you now. , I was s o confused I thought I was going crazy! I knew I wasn't doing what I was supposed t o do f o r o t h e r people, but I was so t i e d up with you, I f o r g o t I ever e x i s t e d ! I look back a t what I d i d & how I was a c t i n g & I kick myself f o r going f o r a l l t h e s t u p i d t r i c k s you would p u l l !

I f only it had stopped b e f o r e s o many bad t h i n g s happened. I wouldn't have had t o go through l i f e , being an EX-CON!!!l1 She ' m a nhecked wirh the shock of h e r words.

"You ruined my l i f e , . y o u 8 r e t h e one who put a l l t h e g u i l t & shame & e s p e c i a l l y t h e f e a r i n me. I ' m a f r a i d t o b e around men because I d o n ' t know when one w i l l rape me. You caused a l l t h e t r o u b l e . You were i n t h e d r i v e r ' s s e a t , I wasn't." She paused f o r a b r e a t h & a s a r c a s t i c smile crossed h e r l i p s . "But I f o r g o t you d o n ' t know how t o d r i v e , do you ! !" '#You caused a l l t h e t r o u b l e , I d i d n ' t t e l l you t o rape me & beat me up! I'm not t h e one who t o l d you t o l i e with every word you s a i d ! Not ONE t h i n g t h a t happened was my f a u l t , you b a s t a r d ! ! !" " I t was your l i e s , your manipulation, & your abuse t h a t g o t me i n t r o u b l e . Everyone i n both f a m i l i e s was h u r t , and guess who got t h e most of i t ? Denise, my s i s t e r

C l i n t ' s jaw dropped. He never f i g u r e d anyone would f i n d o u t b u t , a s he remember ed, Denise d i d tend t o speak h e r mind. J o went on. '*Yes, C l i n t , Denise G I. She's not going t o c a r r y your abuse e i t h e r . You know what she s a i d t o me? 'Why go on l i v ing l i k e t h i s ? The only person who's having a g r e a t 01' time is C l i n t . Why should he go on with l i f e , l i v i n g happily ever a f t e r , while our l i v e s have been d e s t r o y ed?' Believe me, it was not easy f o r me t o have h e r stand by me. Even though I knew t h a t you caused h e r a s much pain a s you caused me, she s t i l l thought you were a GREAT GUY !

llYou're t h e one who i s a s i c k man; you are t h e one who needs t o s e e a shrink! .

Ion't t h i n k you can go day by day & not Forget what you did t o us. We're going t o nake s u r e you d o n ' t . Your l i f e w i l l be s o niserable y o u ' l l be s o r r y you were born."

"1 have another g i r l i n mind who w i l l ~ e l pus..maybe you know who I'm t a l k i n g about. I f you d o n ' t i t ' s 0.k. because your memory w i l l be refreshed i n court."

A t t h i s p o i n t C l i n t looked green. He ran h i s l e f t hand through h i s h a i r . He could b a r e l y manage a whisper. "Look Jo, I need t o t e l l you t h a t I ' m r e a l l y r e a l l y sorry." While C l i n t s a i d t h i s h i s hands were i n a p r a y e r p o s i t i o n . He b a r e l y moved, but croaked out another one of h i s lame excuses

iiaaabm

"1 know it must of caused you a l o t of h u r t . I was going through a rough time, with my adopted p a r e n t s & leaving family & f r i e n d s . I wanted you & your family t o l i k e me. I was angry & d i d n ' t know how t o hide i t . I d i d n ' t want t o look a t myself.

I was ashamed. To t e l l you t h e t r u t h , I d o n ' t r e a l l y know how & why I s t a r t e d t o do t h o s e t h i n g s t o you.'t J o looked away with t e a r s i n h e r eyes, and b i t h e r lower l i p . She discarded t h e i d e a of pounding h i s head i n j u s t because it wouldn't look good i n c o u r t . I t was j u s t t h e thought o f C l i n t beating, c o n t r o l l i n g & raping her. She was amazed t h a t t h e p a i n f u l memories were s t i l l s o f r e s h .

C l i n t saw h e r t e a r s & stepped forward t o put a hand on h e r shoulder. She jerked away. J o stood t h e r e , looking towards t h e mountains. F i n a l l y , she spoke. "You have no i d e a what I went through. How could you know? You never gave me a chance. A l l you d i d was t h r e a t e n me. You were 100% s u r e I would s t i c k by you l i k e glue..you knew I wouldn't t e l l anyone. I couldn't c r y , s l e e p o r t h i n k E I couldn't t a l k t o anyone'. Who was t h e r e f o r me? Everyone was s o wrapped up i n you they had no time f o r me! You had s o much c o n t r o l over me, I followed your every s t e p E t h a t ' s what ended u s both i n j a i l ! !!Im YYK

"For t h e f i r s t 2 months i n j a i l I d i d n ' t c a r e what t h e system d i d t o me... I j u s t d i d n ' t care. After awhile I s t a r t e d t o r e was something E not a can f o ~ alize that I throwing garbage a t . Only one person got through t o me. I t was l i k e I had drowned t she saved my l i f e , because I was h a l f dead when I met her. She helped me d i s c o v e r ME! "When I met h e r I refused t o t a l k but I b u i l t up my t r u s t t o t a l k t o h e r . I d i d one-to-one counselling with h e r , then I went t o h e r group s e s s i o n s . I know more about myself now, than I d i d before. I nev e r knew I had s o much t o say because a l l of my l i f e I wasn't allowed t o speak my mind. I was vulnerable 4 I c o u l d n ' t fend f o r myself. Now, I can f a c e o r d e a l s every day 6 not f e e l defeated."

"For some reason, I knew t h i s day would come. I ' v e prepared myself f o r t h i s day but it wasn't easy."

"This won't be t h e l a s t time w e ' l l meet.

The next time w i l l be i n c o u r t . " J o was about t o walk away but turned q u i c k l y t o f a c e C l i n t . "And don't t h i n k about following me. 1'11 have t h e p o l i c e on your t a i l .

You won't know what h i t you!" With t h a t she walked down t h e s t r e e t t o h e r car.

Johanna looked back when she was about a hundred f e e t away. She saw C l i n t going back t o t h e coffee-shop. She got i n h e r c a r 6 s a t t h e r e , dazed. She put both hand! on t h e steering-wheel & h e r head too. Morf t e a r s came. She t o l d h e r s e l f , " I t ' s o.k., i t ' s over, i t ' s over, he c a n ' t h u r t me any more. I t ' s a l r i g h t , I'm f i n a l l y f r e e . ' And with t h a t , she went on h e r d r i v e t o Ilarrison 6 when she returned she would be. g i n a new l i f e i n h e r new apartment. She r e j o i c e d i n t h e power t h a t came from f a c ing f e a r s i n s t e a d of running away from them. Life was good, and she looked f o r ward t o t h e challenges ahead.

By JOHANNA SANDY

Dark, gloomy.

Disgusting garbage t h a t ' s a waste t o carry.

Why, such a b e a u t i f u l p l a c e t o be, be s o ugly?

A l l you want t o do i s g e t out!

I had enough, t h i s i s a l l I have t o s e e I c a n ' t take it anymore! !

I ' m going t o stop, i t ' s gone t o o f a r !

This i s t h e dark s i d e where I ' v e c a r r i e d too much pain.

The b a r r i e r .

Cold, hard a s s t e e l , a very t h i c k wall where my hidden pain i s locked away.

Calm, b r i g h t , peaceful and love.

This i s my s i d e where a l l o f these exist.

I f e e l strong, because I ' v e got t h e power, t h e s t r e n g t h t o knock down the b a r r i e r .

The two s i d e s w i l l s t r u g g l e .

I t w i l l h u r t by t h e two b a t t l i n g out t o g e t h e r .

I w i l l keep a t it u n t i l I break through and r e l e a s e t h e pain.

The f u t u r e w i l l break through t h e pain i n t h e p a s t and t h e r e w i l l be a day t h q t I can walk, t a l k , cry, .shout and laugh f r e e l y , I am b e a u t i f u l .

1 am f r e e .

I am number one i n my soul, and I love myself and my l i t t l e g i r l within.

Johanna Sandy

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J u s t because B. Mulroney has 6 r o o l l i n g c h i n s Wayne Gretzky i s a Wiener And M. Harcourt t o be o r n o t 2 B - look o n l y a Woman would know.

G e t t i n g down 2 t h e Brass Faxes Some o f t h o s e d r i v e r s That c r u i s e Main/Hastings o f t e n wonder Where t h e y g o t t h e i r D/L Couldn't have been from a Cracker Jack box, Even t h e y have more s e n s e .

STOP Honking y l r e Campbell horn. Because one day y ' r e going 2 K i l l Someone. We l o v e o u r people, even i f you don't The one and o n l y

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Maybe your body moves i n t o i t s h o r i z o n l i k e an implied c o n c a t e n a t i o n o f l i m i t s . You a r e hereby n o t i f i e d o f d a i l y evanescence, t h e v a n i s h i n g c o r o l l a r i e s .

Love, perhaps, when it comes l a n g u i s h i n g i n i t s bordered extravagance, l i k e a s i e s t a , amd goes leaves t h i s annotation, t h i s e x i t . The quanta o f l a b o r become h i s t o r y , and each e n t r y i n t o renewed s p e c i f i c i t y r a i s e s another architecture, another u n i v e r s e . T h i s i s why a c y c l i s t , sweating t h e h i l l n e v e r l o o k s back. The way downhill i s c e r t a i n , t h e f u t u r e

i s everywhere, c i r c u l a r and r e g a r d l e s s .

Daniel Feeney

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DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE YOUTH ACTIVITY SERVICES

ST3 C l i n i c - Monday t h r o u g h F r i d a y , 9am - 5pm.

FREE MEDICAL CLINIC - Mon, Wed, F r i d a y : 5:30-7:30pm NEEDLE EXCHANGE - 221 Main; e v e r y day 9am-5pm.

N e e d l e Exchange v a n - on t h e street Mon-Sat e v e n i n g s .

N.A. meets e v e r y Monday n i g h t a t 223 Main.

Out-to-Lunch

Bunch m e e t s d a i l y a t 101 W . Cordova, 10-2:20.

1992 DONATIONS: Cement Masons-$100 s d ~ mss l 1011 Keith C.-$20 P a u l a R.-$20 Nancy W.-$100 Colleen E.-$25 I k n d l IIIC Imba P.-$10 S t u a r t M.-$10 NEXT . - - -I!;SIJR ..--..

Robert - $ l o CEEDS - $50 12 O c t o b e r Kotary Club of Chinatown -$767.15 Monday ]:our S i s t e r s Co-op -$500 Joyce ~ . - $ 1 0 DERA -$500 'Toin S -$5 Hazel M.-$25 Legal S e r v i c e s -$200 The Old S a i l o r -$40 Etienne S . 4 5 0 PLUM -$800 F o r e s t Lawn - $ 2 5 ill T.-$20 C e c i l e C . -$20 Jean F.-$15 Yvonne .C. - $ l o E r i c E.-$10 Wm.B .-$20 Anonymous -$18 Ken -$5 Smithers s .S .-$45 Roberts A.L.C.-$30

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r ~ p c c s v M t t h e vlvsd* 01 l ~ ~ d ~ v l ~

run1 r lhqltarm mad n o t 01 l l t c Assoc1.t I n n .

C I l y I n l o s t n l f can't accept clwnatlonn l u r t h l . n c u s l e c t e r . no I f ynv c n n h e l p . I I n J P n n I T a y l u r and I t e ' l l 6lve you a r e c e l p t .

Tlrnnks e v e r y o n e l

The Downtown E a s t s i d e R e s i d e n t s ' A s s o c i a t i o n c a n h e l p you w i t h : any w e l f a r e problem i n f o r m a t i o n on l e g a l r i g h t s disputes with landlords unsafe l i v i n g conditions income t a x U I C problems finding housing o p e n i n g a bank a c c o u n t Come i n t o t h e DERA o f f i c e a t 9 E a s t H a s t i n g s S t o r phone u s a t 682-0931.

D E M HAS BEEN SERVING THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE FOR 19 YEARS

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Immediately t h e scene changed E I was facing a t perhaps a hundred yards t h e enThe dream i s t h e s t o r y of an a l c o h o l i c t i r e crowd of male f i g u r e s , s c o r e s of them binge & t h e recovery from i t . Readers w i l l who had t h r e a t e n e d me i n t h e f o r e s t . The note t h a t t h e s t o r y begins i n p r i s o n - a s f o r e s t was behind them & I was o u t i n open a l l alcoholics are in prisons - 4 t h a t a country. Every one of them was motionless p o s i t i v e note is t h a t a few a r e seen leav- & s t i l l ; i n f a c t one was frozen i n midstep, .ing t h e prison toward i t s end. May I happ- l i k e he'd been walking across my f i e l d of i l y r e p o r t t h a t , s i n c e having t h i s dream, v i s i o n & looking back a t me.

I have found t h e means t o r e l e a s e t h e p r i I stood & s t a r e d a t them while they r e sonens wholesale & t h a t I t h e r e f o r e no mained motionless. Then a l i t t l e black boy longer go on drinking binges. Nor do I do of perhaps 6 o r 7 emerged from t h e i r ranks I drugs. On t o t h e dream & came t o me. He put h i s hand i n mine & a s I ' I n p r i s o n I was looking through a l a r g e we walked away c h a t t e r e d merrily about a g l a s s window. In t h e room I was viewing, : model s h i p he was b u i l d i n g . saw a t a l l man kneeling on t h e f l o o r & i n A s t h e c h i l d & I walked we met & passed a very bad s t a t e . He had a black eye. H i s a very w e l l - b u i l t woman i n a green d r e s s . movements i n pounding on t h e f l o o r , h i s She s t a r e d at u s without speaking. The boy 1 t o r t u r e d f a c i a l expressions..everything l e d me t o a green-painted metal door & l e f t t o l d me he was i n t h e g r i p of very s t r o n g me t h e r e , standing before i t . I knew t h a t emotions but was c u t off from me by t h e some t r i c k was needed t o open it but what g l a s s , alone i n t h e room with n e i t h e r hell was i t ? I mustlve found it becausethe door nor comfort f o r him. was suddenly open. . a t t h e very t o p of a v a s t a r r a y of s e a t s i n an empty, s u n l i t s p o r t s stadium. The only person i n s i g h t was a b e a u t i f u l woman off t o my r i g h t i n a t o p row. Clad i n an orange d r e s s , she was watching me very c l o s e l y .

I was a t t h e top of s t e p s going down between blocks of s e a t s & I knew t h e t h i n g t o do was t o go down, but t h e r e were plank bar r i e r s about knee-high blocking my descent. .-.. ... . . . .

I s t u d i e d them. 'Well you have t o t r y , ' I The scene channed & now I was o u t s i d e thought, & s e t o u t t o go down. Apparently t h e prison, i n t h e darkness of a wintry t h e e f f o r t was a l l t h a t was needed, a s t h e night. There was a tower t h e r e . I climbed stadium disappeared 6 I found myslef t r a p , u p t h e wooden s t r u c t u r e & looked around. ped i n s i d e a hollow, gray concrete dome. I ! ~ labout l me t h e horizon was lit by red r e a l i z e d t h a t I had t o r a i s e one s i d e of i t flames of l i g h t a s i f f i r e s were burning beyond t h e horizon. I descended t h e l a d d e r with my mind i n o r d e r t o escape. & marched o f f a c r o s s t h e snow. When I next came t o my senses i n t h e dream I knew I ' d been wandering insane f o r perhaps 2 weeks.

Now I was i n a f o r e s t of widely-spaced In my f i r s t 2 attempts I t r i e d concentrat r e e s . I walked on but soon became aware t i o n 6- w i l l power. ~ a c htime t h e dome would t h a t I wasn't alone. Shadowy male f i g u r e s l i f t a l i t t l e on one s i d e , then f a l l back, slipped through t h e t w i l i t scene apppaach- again trapping me. But then I laughed a t ing & r e t r e a t i n g , but always nearer. One myself & my will-power e f f o r t s because I ' d of them, a male i n a red j a c k e t , came t o r e a l i z e d t h e way t o l i f e t h e concrete dome almost within arm's reach b e f o r e turning with my mind was j u s t t o l i f t it - it was away. I saw h i s f a c e 6 became alarmed. H i s more a m a t t e r of- confidence than w i l l power. expression was s o cold, s o wolfish. ' I ' v e So, laughing a t myself, I l i f t e d t h e dome 6 got t o make a s t a n d , ' I thought, & moved went o u t from under i t .

I found myself a t t h e t o p of a g r a s s covt o g e t my back a g a i n s t a t r e e .

I

THE EPIC DREAM

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A ered h i l l overlooking a f r e a t s u n l i t v a l l e y G knew I was t o go down i n t o i t . nearby I was a b a r e s o r t of c l a y s l i d e going down t h e h i l l . A hollow a t t h e top was about t h e r i g h t s i z e f o r my bum so, a b i t nervously, I planted me s e a t i n it. A t once I was t r a n sported down i n t o t h e v a l l e y & found myself walking along a path with low v e g e t a t i o n on e i t h e r side.

In t h e v a l l e y , t h e sky, t h e v e g e t a t i o n , everything, even t h e very a i r shone with a s o f t 6 heavenly l i g h t . From hearing convers a t i o n s i n waking time, c a r r i e d on by those who'd s t u d i e d Eastern r e l i g i o n s , I recognized t h i s marvellous l i g h t a s what t h o s e r e l i g i o u s devotees c a l l e d The Clear Light.

Off t o my l e f t was a row of t r e e s a s b i g 25 c c t t c ~ v ~ c ~ n s i, p ~ d e c vl+h fiovers ef every colour & shade. From a c e r t a i n p o i n t high between those t r e e s came t h e voices of a female c h o i r singing a s no e a r t h l y c h o i r never sang. I stopped 6 l i s t e n e d morecloae1y.when I recognized t h e voice of my mother i n t h e choir.

I went on & a s I went, I thought ' I f t h i s i s t h e Garden of t h e Clear Light, of which t h e a n c i e n t s spoke, t h e r e should be a Fount a i n . ' I looked f o r it & s u r e enough found t h e f o u n t a i n , but i t was a poor thing; a l i t t l e mound peeing out 8-inch streams i n a c i r c l e & a c e n t r a l j e t t h a t went no more than 10 inches i n t o t h e a i r .

Turning onto another path, I continued t o walk & t h e Clear Light faded t o normal.

Leaving t h e v a l l e y , I found myself faced with a s e r i e s of s t e p s cut i n t o t h e c l a y h i l l s i d e . I knew I had t o g e t up by w i l l power, r a t h e r than by climbing them i n normal fashion. I focused my mind on r i s i n g t o t h e f i r s t s t e p . I t worked & I made it up t h e h i l l , s t e p by s t e p .

I found myself i n darkness on a @.eat l e v e l p l a i n . Here & t h e r e around t h e horizon were l i g h t s , a s of s c a t t e r e d dwellings. I learned l a t e r t h a t t h i s p l a i n & those s c a t t e r e d l i g h t s a r e an archetypal dream symbol f o r a p l a c e o r time of l e a r n i n g . Archetypal means human beings everywhere & throughout h i s t o r y have had t h a t dream symbol meaning t h e same thing. Another archetypal dream symbol, t h i s time of knowledge gained, appeared when I saw here 6 t h e r e l a r g e , 4-peta l l e d flowers, l y i n g f l a t on t h e p l a i n wit1

t h e i r p e t a l s pointed.

I walked across t h e p l a i n & came t o a :offee shop. I t was b r i g h t l y lit i n s i d e 4 :rowded with customers. I l e f t t h e r e & my qalking l e d me t o t h e j a i l from which I ' d ?merged a t t h e beginning of t h e dream. A s I passed n e a r a p a r t of it I saw, a handful >f newly-released p r i s o n e r s , s t i l l i n p r i son c l o t h i n g , descending a broad s e t of s t a i r s t o freedom. %ct i r ? priser?, I z t with z C U ef ~ crrfEee i n f r o n t of me. Through a l a r g e g l a s s ~ i n d o wlooking i n t o another room, I saw a t a l l man being wheeled p a s t on a s t r e t c h e l -Ie was very s t i l l . I recognized t h a t he Mas t h e same man I saw before I ' d l e f t .

And t h a t was t h e end o f t h e Epic Dream.

In f u t u r e i s s u e s I ' l l w r i t e more about alcoholism, a s a person who used t o be sent i n t o weeks-long s p r e e s by drinking j u s t one beer. Now, a s an a l c o h o l i c f r i e n c wonderingly described me, I ' m a "moderate drinker." And t h e drinking I do i s designed day t o day, t o b r i n g t o g e t h e r fragment e d p a r t s of my fragmented mind..fragment e d t o a g r e a t e x t e n t by t h a t a l c o h o l i c s t a g e . What I l i k e i s t h a t my drinking i s now s o moderate t h a t I d o n ' t have any more hangovers.

I t i s my wish t o s h a r e what I ' v e l e a r n ed with o t h e r s . Some may p r o f i t from it.

By ERIC ERICKSON

llL/ I had t h i s dream i n t h e 1970's when I was recovering from a month-long drinking & soft-drug s p e l l . I o f f e r it because I b e l i e v e it has g r e a t value t o any alcohol i c who seeks t o understand h i s o r h e r own behiviour. Certainly, i n t h e months f o l l o -ing t h e dream, I found t h a t my binges s p e c i f i c a l l y matched, s t e p by s t e p , t h e e n t i r e dream from onset t o conclusion. In deed, one day when I mixed LSD with booze t h e e n t i r e dream happened t o me i n a matt e r o f hours.

FROM A JOURNAL

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~ l t h o u g hI never walk a i m l e s s l y f o r miles around t h e c i t y i n t h e evenings a s I used t o do i n my adolescence, wearying myself o u t of a n x i e t y with a s t a c k o f impressions so l a r g e n o t h i n g could e x t r i c a t e i t s e l f from beneath it; 6 though i t ' s been y e a r s s i n c e I l i k e d t o g e t soaked i n t h e r a i n , o r could sit myself down i n any comfortabl e p a t c h o f g r a s s I might happen by f o r a c i g a r e t t e & a contemplation o f one of thos e d i f f i c u l t m y s t e r i e s t h a t seem t o evapor a t e i n t h e dryness o f p a s s i n g y e a r s ; a l though I n e v e r walk along r a i l r o a d t r a c k s anymore o r look i n vacant l o t s overgrown with weeds I cannot i d e n t i f y f o r l o s t t o y s o r p i e c e s of d i s c a r d e d metal; although 1 ' ve outgrown t h e h a b i t of r e a d i n g p i e c e s of paper I s p o t l a y i n g on sidewalks o r i n parking l o t s o r around shrubbery, n o t even papers t h a t look l i k e chucked l e t t e r s ; a l though n o t h i n g e x c i t e s me today, G tomorrow is o n l y a promise o f deepening i s o l a t ion, t h e n e x t s t e p i n a s t e a d i l y slowing dead march toward t h e g r e a t i n s t i t u t i o n of t h e ground; s t i l l , i n t h e s e d e c l i n i n g days I sometimes g e t t h e overwhelming f e e l i n g t h a t someone h a s been w a i t i n g f o r u s f o r a long time, & i s about t o g i v e up on e v e r locating us.

This i s when I ask my f r i e n d s r e a l l y odd q u e s t i o n s , about what t h e y ' v e been doing o r dreaming, G why t h e y ' v e been doing o r dreaming i t , & whether o r n o t t h e y s e e any end t o it b e s i d e s t h e grave; & t h e y quickl y g e t bored with me, disenchanted with my q u e s t i o n s , E cannot t a k e me s e r i o u s l y any4~ more. n a, .d

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I n s t e a d lof walklng a i m l e s s l y ~ ~ ~ a b othen, ut I go tollcoffee shops where I smoke toomuch & w r i t e page a f t e r page d e s c r i b i n g t h e seemingly e n d l e s s i n impossible words, t h e seemingly impossible i n e n d l e s s words, & o n l y r a r e l y t a l k t o any o f t h e numerous acquaintances who come by looking f o r some one t o t e l l t h e s t o r y of t h e i r new o r o l d l o v e r , t h e i r new o r o l d job t o . Rather, I watch t h e n i g h t s p r o g r e s s i n t o t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l darknesses, never q u i t e overcoming t h e apprehension o f approaching dread, knowing t h e storms s o f a r c a r e f u l l y kept from r e t u r n i n g t o u s h e r e a r e coming soon any- , way, knowing t h a t t h e v i o l e n c e , s q u a l o r 6 g e n e r a l i s o l a t i o n , malignant a s t h e y a r e & o f t e n n e a r l y a s p h y x i a t i n g , a r e o n l y emissa r i e s o f t h e h o r r o r t o come. A d e s i r e t o t e l l everyone I s e e t h a t t h e y must t a k e the right side in the inevitable conflict w e l l s i n me, but I d o n ' t know how t o s a y i t convincingly & with confidence, f o r t r u t h becomes d a i l y more t e r r i b l e ; & f e a r , lumbing & b r u t a l , a r i s e s i n me t h a t t h e y d i l l understand only when it i s t o o l a t e t h a t what i s a t s t a k e , i n anyone's s u r v i t a l , cannot be divorced from t h e s u r v i v a l 3f t h e s p e c i e s .

An alarm i s r i n g i n g . I know t h e r e i s no good i n p a n i c , b u t someone l i k e me' b been panicking a long time. Every day I s e e those eyes i n a hundred heads. s t a r i h g from t h e r u i n s of a hundred f a c e s . They know t h e world b u r n t up long ago. They're j u s t w a i t i n g f o r t h e r e s t of u s t o r e a l i z e it.

Daniel Feeney

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NO WAY BACK:

The Beast Within

Politics i s a dead horse. No m a t t e r how much you beat i t , feed it, plead with it, i t w i l l never p u l l t h a t wagon again. J u s t a s horse-power has been replaced by machinery, government has been superceded by corporate s t r u c t u r e . Money markets have replaced what North Americans s o n a i v e l y c a l l "democracy".

A l l p o l i t i c a l process: e l e c t i o n s , r e f e r endums, public information meetings, commi t t e e s , l e g i s l a t u r e s , e t c . have been reduced by t h e power of economic o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o mere propaganda - t h a t i s , they have become p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s media forums i n which t h e agenda i s s e t & t h e p o l i t i c a l c a r d s a l r e a d y stacked t o ensure a f u r t h e r extension of e s t a b l i s h e d b u s i n e s s methods promoting economic p o l i c y s t h a t support what has come t o be known a s t h e "corporate infrastructure This i s t r u e everywhere on t h e p l a n e t .

The development & expansion o f t h e United S t a t e s business world has replaced a l l l o c a l c u l t u r e s & t h e i r p o l i t i c a l systems with economic i n i t i a t i v e s designed t o f u r t h e r "The American Dream" - t h e r o o t p h i l osophy of c a p i t a l i s m , which demands t h a t t h e only worthwhile a c t i v i t y i n t h e l i f e of any individual must be t h e accumulation of wealth & property.

I f new inventions o r i d e a s cannot be bought & sold according t o market values they w i l l not s e e t h e l i g h t of day. The r a d i c a l changes i n a t t i t u d e , p o l i c y & poli t i c a l a c t i o n s o obviously necessary today a r e a l l dead i s s u e s . The system has been taken over - it i s now owned & operated by m u l t i n a t i o n a l c o r p o r a t e n e c e s s i t y , E no amount of p u b l i c debate, demand o r p r o t e s t can change i t . "Democracy" i s dead, t h e world over. & umonopoiyil i s t h e name of t h e game.

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TORA

Fear a t n i g h t .

Fear i n d a y l i g h t .

Why? Darkness was a b l i n d i n g death.

Was i t n e a r of f a r ?

I don' t know.

Walking, c r y i n g and stumbling. soon, I f e l t it was going t o grasp me and p u l l me down hard.

Daylight.

Every eye watching.

But why? I t could s e e , h e a r and smell.

Walking, not knowing i t had seeped i n t o t h e bpdy.

It t a k e s c o n t r o l of t h e mind and body.

You c a n ' t s t o p it!

W i l l it go away?

No, because i t ' s t o o l a t e .

The job i s done.

I t ss l i k e waking up from a n i g h t mare but i t ' s r e a l .

Red and blue!

Too l a t e ! !

In a way you1r e f r e e but i t ' s j u s t a beginning.

I f I could w r i t e down i n words, A l l t h a t you mean t o me, I would need a thousand pages.

You, of a l l people Don't belong on t h i s hell-on-earth And when you breathe Your l a s t b r e a t h Know t h a t you s h a l l l i v e Forever and ever In my h e a r t and i n my words.

You s h a l l be na Naeem

BE INFORMED

Reform, a word d e f i n e d i n t h e Oxford d i c t i o n a r y a s 1 ) make, o r become b e t t e r by removal o f f a u l t s o r e r r o r s .

The "Reform P a r t y o f Canada" h a s chosen a c a t c h y name which p e o p l e could mistakenl y i n t e r p r e t . The f o l l o w i n g a r e a few of t h e p o l i c i e s & p r i n c i p l e s P r e s t o n Manning 5 t h e s o - c a l l e d ' Reform P a r t y 1 r e a l l y s t a n d f o r . I t i s shocking.

Canadian Press

WINNIPEG - Diet-related chronic diseases are sweeping remote northern communities in Canada because residents can't get nutritious food, a Manitoba doctor says.

"I can't explain why we tolerate the availability of tonnes of; junk foods in communities held '<aptive by communication, geography and economics - at the expense of health," said Dr. Sharon MacDonald, director of the University of Manitoba's northern medicat unit.

The local store in one small community in the North sells riothing but chocolate bars and' soft drinks, said MacDonald, wk.0 travels throughout northern Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.

As traditional food sources are destroyed by environmental contamination, she said, people in northern regions must turn to store-bought foods that are costly and full of fat and sugar.

At one northern reserve, the incidence of diabetes was three to nine times higher, depending on age, than in southern Manitoba.

"Dental decay in small children requiring surgery under anesthesia, rickets, low hemoglobins, obesity coupled with high blood pressure and diabetes is like an epidemic in many lndian communities across North America," MacDonald told about 100 delegates at a food-safety seminar in Winnipeg.

"Inuit are having heart-bypass surgery; lndian people are on kidney dialysis and losing their sight to diabetes," she said.

S o c i a l Programs: A l l s o c i a l programs would b e t u r n e d o v e r t o "..nongovernmental o r g a n i z a t i o n s , and t h e p r i v a t e sector..

Programs such a s r e t i r e m e n t plans, s o c i a l housing, s o c i a l a s s i s t a n c e & c h i l d r e n ' s s u p p o r t programs would become t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of c h a r i t i e s ! Assistance f o r s i n g l e mothers, f a m i l i e s , s e n i o r s t h e d i s a b l e d & t h e unemployed would b e r e duced t o soup k i t c h e n s , used c l o t h i n g hand - o u t s & homeless s h e l t e r s .

."

Labour P o l i c y : The 'Reform P a r t y ' kritends t o " e l i m i n a t e t h e minimum wage." T h i s would d e s t r o y l a b o u r s t a n d a r d s i n Canada. The number of h o u r s t h a t can b e worked i n a week, o v e r t i m e pay & many o t h e r r i g h t s Canadians b a r g a i n f o r would b e h i s t o r y . Working men & women would b e thrown back i n t i m e t o t h e &9Zb:eenthyg:-wh,eye employees had % L i t t l eI o r no r i g h t s .

C h i l d P o v e r t y & Daycare: S t a t i s t i c s r e v e a l It. reduction o r elimination" f o r s'universal & bureaucratic s o c i a l p o l i c y i n a r e a s such a s daycare."

Reform MP Deborah Grey s t a t e d i n a s p e e c h made i n P a r l i a m e n t i n May 1989 t h a t : t 8 . . c h i l d c a r e is p r o b a b l y a waste of moneyw P r e s t o n Manning i s an o p p o r t u n i s t who o n l y g a i n e d s u p p o r t because o f t h e d i s c o n t e n t Canadians have with Brian Mulroney & t h e P r o g r e s s i v e C o n s e r v a t i v e P a r t y (PC).

I n f a c t , t h e Reform P a r t y & t h e PC P a r t y It. . p o l i c i e s a r e almost i d e n t i c a l . . ' I .

For an i n - d e p t h 4 t o t a l exposure o f Pres t o n Manning & t h e 'Reform P a r t y t r e a d P r e s t o n Manning & t h e Reform paEty by Murray Dobbie,- p u b l i s h e d by James Lorimer & Co. 1991.

The a r t i c l e you have j u s t r e a d was w r i t t e n w i t h t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f t h e above mentioned bood & by "Reform P a r t y P r i n c i p l e s a 4 p o l i c i e s : The Blue Book, 1991.

.

Public Meeting

JUST SAY NO! David Orchard

is a Saskatchewan farmer and the National Chairman of Citizens Concerned About Free Trade (CVIFT). He is one of this countvs best known opponents of the Canada-US. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and is now spearheading the "NO to Mulrone)ls Constitution' campaign in the West.

His speech will examine the destruction of Canada's economy under free trade and the transfer of our sovereignty to the US. He will explain how the constitutional accord to be voted on October 26. weakens and balkanizes Canada just as the wen more comprehensive North American Free Trade Agreement is approaching. Orchard will outline CCAFTs plans to defeat Mulroney and the premiers in their constitutional attack on Canada - worse than Meech Lake - and how to get rid of the FTA and NAFTA in the next federal election.

David Orchard i s the author of the forthcoming book "Manifest Destiny and Free Wade: 300 Years of Resistance to the U.S. Takeover of Canada."

TIME DATE

PLACE

Tuesday, October 6, 1992

- John Oliver Secondary School 530 East 4 1 st Ave at Fraser S t Vancouver, BC

* All Welcome * * Admission Free (Donations welcome) * Full Question and Answer period * Sponsored by CITIZENS CONCERNED ABOUT FREE TRADE National Office, PO. Box 8052, SASKATOON, SK. S7K 4R7 Tel: (306) 244-5757 Vancouver Office. PO. Box 4 185, VANCOUVER, BC. V6B 326 Tel: (604) 683-3733