Streetvibes vol 18 issue 16 no 283 by Clermont Sun Publishing Company

July 31st-Aug. 13th, 2014 | Vol. 18 Issue 16 (No. 283)

advocating justice | Building community

Remembering Worley Rodehaver LOCAL | 9

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

HUNDREDS RALLY IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIANS’ | 3

WALMART WORKERS PROTEST WALMART CEO BILL SIMON| 7

HOW TO WASTE $400,000 | 8

THIS IS WHAT SAVED ME | 12

Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

streetvoice | 12

LOCAL

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Blood on the Walls & Death on the Streets JOSH SPRING

Executive Director

Outdoor soup kitchen in front of White House.

uly 22nd was the 27th anniversary of the passage of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. This act, along with some amendments, has been the federal government’s primary response to homelessness since its passage. The passage of this act, like with everything in our movement, did not come easily or without battle. Many people took part in the years of struggle to get this act passed. This freedom fighting group included people from our own Homeless Coalition who hammered for change here in Cincinnati and traveled to Washington D.C. to stand with others in protest, including sleep-outs in D.C. to bring awareness. A primary leader in this effort was Mitch Snyder. Mitch gave the majority of his life to the movement to end homelessness. In 1978, in an effort to get the general public, government and the media to actually notice the tragedy and injustice of homelessness, Mitch lead people in a parade of coffins around the District of Columbia Building and splattered blood across the walls of the building; symbolizing the deaths caused by homelessness. This action was taken even before the boom of homelessness in the early and mid-1980s. In the 1984 presidential campaign, people demanded that Ronald Reagan and the federal government turn over property in D.C. to be used as a desperately needed shelter. Mitch waged a hunger strike, covered by national media. Two days before the election, on the 51st day of the hunger strike, Reagan and the federal government met the demands. Mitch fasted twice more in this effort as the government attempted to withhold 6 million dollars that were promised for renovations. Those fighting to end homelessness set up out-door soup kitchens in front of the white house and notably created a “Reaganville” shanty-town in front of the white house, demanding passage of legal relief and assistance for people experiencing homelessness in vastly increasing numbers. Ronald

Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $1.50 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Michelle Dillingham Distributor Program Manager: Anna Worpenberg

Congress-person Stewart B. McKinney in a shelter.

Layout: Jeni Jenkins, Uncaged Bird Design Studio Reception: Chris Fowler, Steve Reams Clarence Daniels Charles Carpenter Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Justin Jeffre, Robert Park, Bill Woods, Jason Haap, Michelle Dillingham, Patrick Welage, Michael Earl Patton, Jim Luken, Michael Tee, Deborah Poindexter, Willa Denise Jones, Kim Green

Protest in the Capital.

Syndicated Writers: TJ Johnston, Ivan Stevanovska, Hart Hornor Photography/Artwork: Michelle Dillingham, Justin Jeffre, Jim Luken, Michael Chanak, Google Images, Make-A-Wish, Deborah Poindexter, REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil, Tomislav Georges

Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice.

Protest in front of White House.

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Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office.

No. 283 | J u l y 31 - A u g . 1 3, 2 0 1 4

Hundreds rally in support of Palestinians

LOCAL

JUSTIN JEFFRE

Streetvibes Editor

n July 20th over 500 people gathered on Fountain Square and marched to support the Palestinians and call for an end to the Israeli attacks on the Gaza strip. People in cities across the nation and all over the world have been holding similar rallies. On July 26th 3,000 people protested in Tel Aviv. Tala Ali was one of the organizers of the Cincinnati rally. “Well, I was there because it’s frustrating and outrageous to me that our government continues to fund and back the state of Israel, violating our own federal law to send aid to any government that systematically engages in discrimination and oppression of civilian populations,” said Ali. “The population of Gaza is already mostly refugees, ethnically cleansed by Israel in 1948. What is being done to those people by Israel and with our tax dollars is a crime against humanity. That, the occupation and the continued oppression of Palestinians by Israel is why I was there and that’s why I choose to support and partici-

pate in BDS and urge others to do the same,” she continued. BDS stands for boycott, disinvestment and sanctions. There’s been a growing movement in the US and around the globe similar to the tactics used Photo: Jon Hughes/photopresse against Apartheid in South Africa. According to democracynow.org the Palestinian death toll has reached over 1,100. They were mostly civilians and at least 226 were children. According to the United Nations, more than 180,000 Palestinians have been displaced and are now living in U.N. shelters. One shelter was hit with an Israeli mortar which caused 16 Palestinian deaths. According to Israel 43 of their soldiers have died, two civilians and one Thai farm worker. The United Nations Security Council issued a statement calling for a cease fire, but Israel has warned of a “protracted campaign”. For Ali it is personal, “My mother was born and raised in Nablus, in the West Bank, and was ethnically cleansed from there by Israel in 1967. She and my father taught me that our struggle is not with that of Judaism but of Zionism, occupation and oppression,” she said. Adding, “The people of Nablus pride themselves on growing up with indigenous Jewish Palestinians, the Samaritans. My mother, as a Palestinian who grew up in the West Bank, went to school with other Muslims, Christians and Jewish students. There was no conflict nor did anyone care or question others about religion. They were all simply “people of the land.”” “Foreign colonialism and apartheid, in the form of Zionism, actively seeks to completely erase that history and those who remember it,” said Ali.-

Photo: Jon Hughes/photopresse

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Photo: Jon Hughes/photopresse

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LOCAL Goliath beats up David, again

ROBERT PARK

Contributing Writer

he rerun of Israel assaulting Gaza once again calls for a clear statement of the problem. This is not about terrorism; it is about a war between two peoples, a very – as they say – asymmetrical war: sophisticated population surveillance databases and precision guided bombs vs. almost insignificant, crude but unnerving, unguided rockets. Before the rockets, there were bombs in buses and cafes. The problem began when Zionist activists created Israel as a safe haven

for Jews after the Nazi’s attempted “final solution” of mass systematic extermination. The Nazis weren’t the first bullies to harass, victimize and murder Jews across Europe and Russia, and Jewish thinkers had long imagined finding a safe place to live. After World War II Palestine, then a wobbly British colony, was an attractive option except for one problem. Other people already lived there, people who, like the Jews, were descended from tribes that had occupied this region for millennia.

Politics Then And Now - Part II

BILL WOODS

Contributing Writer

art I of this essay examined the diverse political parties and the more progressive atmosphere that existed in this country in the 1960s. By the mid1970s, the public’s belief in government action was diminishing and the liberal domestic politics of that earlier period was in decline. In fact, a transition period began in the late-1960s in terms of politics and public attitudes about government. Major events in 1968 showcase this transition. In that year, urban unrest and the Vietnam War weighed heavily on the country, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were assassinated, and President Johnson declared that he would not run for a second term. The War badly divided the Democratic Party, and although Vice President Hubert Humphrey finally won the Party’s nomination, he lost a very close election to Richard Nixon that November. The transition, however, continued during the Nixon years. Although opposition to the Vietnam War grew even stronger during Nixon’s first term, his Administration’s domestic agenda was quite liberal when com-

pared to GOP positions today. Instead of supporting new federal categorical grants to fix specific problems, the Nixon domestic team promoted block grants to state and local governments such as General Revenue Sharing and the Community Development Block Grant. For a short period, his Administration put forward a proposal for a family assistance program that would make payments to all families with young children. The ongoing War kept tensions high in this country. Not only was the War a polarizing force, but the flowering of a youth counter culture on college campuses posed a threat to middle-class values. “Hippies,” urban unrest, and a backlash against the Civil Rights’ movement, helped create a sizable bloc of primarily white voters that Nixon called “the Silent Majority.” When anti-War advocates successfully backed Senator George McGovern for the Democratic nomination in 1972, the Nixon forces tarred the McGovern campaign that fall as a movement led by Pot-smoking Hippies and radicals. As a McGovern organizer in several rural Ohio

A Lesson for Activists Opposed to Educational Reforms

JASON HAAP

Contributing Writer

his is a message to activists on the political right who are opposed to educational reforms like the new Common Core State Standards: You are doing it wrong! Instead of all the weird complaints I’ve been hearing at the level of critical mass, you need to get back to your roots – limited influence of big government, and more local control. Let’s take a look at how that might work, after dispelling some of your common mistakes. First, stop finding sample lessons on the internet, and then freaking out,

loudly proclaiming that “Common Core” is ruining education. When you say these things, you betray the fact you have not actually read the standards. Instead, you’ve read the way a particular publisher has interpreted those standards and then attempted to turn them into lessons, using “Common Core” as a branding technique. Are some of the things publishers produce absurd? Of course. Take it up with them. That has nothing to do with the standards. Second, understand the difference between testing and standards. In other words, the fact the federal

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The motivation behind the creation of Israel is understandable even while suspect or even unjustifiable. What had been the response of the Allied Victors to Jewish oppression in mid-20th century Europe culminating in the holocaust? Did they institute Truth and Reconciliation proceedings in all countries where Jews were rounded up, their property confiscated, and then they themselves disappeared? Seeking out all the perpetrators and facilitators of genocide, and litigating and enforcing compensation and protection for Jewish survivors? No. Many countries even turned away Jewish refugees. Did the Marshall Plan enforce requirements on Jewish restitution? No. So Jewish activists, actually self-

described terrorists calling themselves Zionists, set out to liberate Palestine for the Jews using threats, intimidation, violence and destruction to expel the Palestinians. For some reason the Zionists thought the Palestinians would just fade away into neighboring Arab societies once they got tired of living in refugee camps. It didn’t happen. Israeli officials proclaiming that they were not a nation did not make their identity go away; if anything, it affirmed it. The grand Zionist objective has proven endless and very costly, and security is still out of reach but things have been very profitable for the Israeli elite. 60 years later and supported with billions in U.S. military hard-

counties such as Clinton and Warren, I witnessed this tactic at work. By the fall, suspicions of the counter culture trumped anti-War and progressive sentiments, and Nixon won reelection in a landslide. Not long after Nixon’s reelection, revelations about Watergate began to emerge. Woodward and Bernstein of the Washington Post provided the initial evidence that Watergate was more than a bungled burglary with no connections to the White House. By the summer of 1973, the nationally televised Senate Hearings were in full swing. When it finally became clear that this scandal involved the President and his top advisors, such news could only increase the public’s cynicism about the workings of government. Once Richard Nixon resigned in the summer of 1974 in order to avoid impeachment and further disgrace, many Americans were disgusted by the abuses of power in Washington, D.C. Nixon’s replacement, Gerald Ford, came across as candid and refreshingly honest man. He was also a moderate to conservative former Congressman who talked a lot about fiscal responsibility and trimming excess government spending. The trend toward less liberal politics and a less active federal government can be seen in the 1976 Presidential Campaign. Conservative back-

ers of California Governor Ronald Reagan mounted an effective but ultimately unsuccessful bid to wrest the GOP nomination from President Gerald Ford. Meanwhile, spooked by the results of the McGovern campaign, Democratic Party leaders opted for the moderate Washington outsider, Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia rather than Morris Udall, a D.C. insider. The recent memory of Watergate probably gave an outsider an edge in the 1976 election, and Jimmy Carter ran as someone who was the antithesis of the Washington politician. After winning a close election against a popular Gerald Ford, Carter steered a moderate course in domestic affairs, and he actually began cutting some of the Great Society programs. He also preached to Americans that they must curb their excesses and their appetites for shrinking resources such as gasoline. Eventually attacked by liberals as too conservative, Carter was not antigovernment enough for a growing number of people who rallied behind Ronald Reagan’s banner. In many ways, Carter set the stage for the more charismatic former California Governor. More and more voters seemed ready for Reagan’s message that government was not the answer but the problem. (End of Part II.)

government links funding mechanisms to state participation in accountability assessments, and the fact those assessments are produced by publishers who align to the standards – all of that is separate from the standards themselves. Do you find it wasteful, all the money spent on these testing schemes? Do you object to millions and millions in tax dollars getting channeled to these professional testers? Good. You should object. But, again, that has nothing to do with the standards. You need to focus your time on the fact that tax dollars – lots of them – get funneled into these accountability schemes that take control away from school boards elected at the local level by members of their communities. Isn’t that part of your platform? Limited government and local control? School boards are, in theory, set up to manifest this platform perfectly.

Give control to individual school boards to decide what they will do. If the schools fail to meet their community’s expectations, vote in a new board with a new vision. Stop letting the states, or the feds, or the moneyhungry test-publishing corporations dictate the educational experiences of our children. Leave that to the collected wisdom of teachers, administrators, communities, and locally elected school board representatives. Isn’t that exactly the kind of thing you’ve been advocating all this time? Maybe, just maybe, if you focus on that, you’ll find agreement from people of various political persuasions. Maybe you can find common ground. This is the stuff that makes great alliances. Maybe refocusing your efforts can help instigate real change, for the better, for our children, our schools, our communities, and our nation.

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COALITION CLIFFNOTES

LOCAL

In order to change the world, you have to get your head together first.— Jimi Hendrix

Walmart Workers Protest Walmart Ceo Bill Simon MICHELLE DILLINGHAM

Staff Writer

n Thursday, July 24, 2014 citizens converged in front of the Duke Energy Convention Center to protest Walmart CEO Bill Simon, who was scheduled to speak at the National Conference of the Urban League in downtown Cincinnati. Organizers of the rally made it clear they were not there to oppose the Urban League, but rather to bring attention to Walmart’s business practices that are contributing to America’s underemployment crisis. Rally participants handed out fliers with stark points: “As the largest employer of African Americans, Latinos, and women in the country, Walmart’s scheduling practices make it impossible for many of its workers to get the hours they need or to take the steps necessary to join the middle class. Hundreds of thousands of Walmart workers earn less than $25,000 a year and many cannot get enough hours to make ends meet.” Courtney Moore works as a cashier at a Cincinnati Walmart. She was recently interviewed for an article

in the New York Times (Part-Time Schedules, Full-Time Headaches by Steven Greenhouse July 18, 2014) bringing attention to the harsh realities part-time retail workers face across the country as they try and piece together an income. On the sidewalk in front of Duke Energy Center Courtney tells me her hours were drastically cut when she told management she had enrolled in school. Then when she was scheduled it was not consistent, was at odd times, and was for only 4-hour shifts. Workers receive their schedules only one week in advance. Courtney shares it is common practice for a worker’s hours to get cut if they call in sick, or ask for time off. “When I told them I was starting school they cut my hours so much I had to get a second job at McDonald’s.” I asked her are there raises? She replied, “Rarely. Cashiers make $8.35 an hour. I’m here today to ask the CEO to raise the wages.” Ms. Sophonisba also works for a local Walmart and tells me “I am here to support bet-

Participants at rally for better wages and hours for Walmart workers. Photo: Michelle Dillingham

Local supporter of fair wages for Walmart workers Photo: Michelle Dillingham ter working conditions, better wages, and regular hours for the associates.” Although Sophonisba is full-time and enjoys a relatively consistent schedule, many of her fellow workers are not so lucky. Many have no set schedules - their hours are erratic and fluctuate from 32 hours a week, to 17 hours with no notice. Alluding to how workers are scheduled, she says, “It’s worse if you have kids.” At the rally I met various individuals who have joined “Our Walmart”, an organization of Walmart workers (called “associates”). In 2011 they presented a “Declaration of Respect” to Walmart’s corporate offices in Bentonville, AR that asked for various commitments including: “Pay a minimum of $13/hour and make full-time jobs available for Associates who want them”, “Create dependable, predictable work schedules”, and to “Provide wages and benefits that ensure that no Associate has to rely on government assistance.” Three years later they are still waiting for action on these commitments. A member of UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) tells me that as we speak, a group of Walmart executives are visiting the Colerain store from Bentonville, AR. They have been reportedly warning workers to not join the Our Walmart organization. The Our Walmart website notes the National Labor Relations

Board (NLRB) provides protections to guard worker’s rights. These include protecting the right of workers to “act together to try to improve their pay and working conditions or fix jobrelated problems”. At the Coalition our education curriculum includes discussions about wages. How is it that 30% of men and women in Cincinnati shelters work? How can we stop families from having to sleep in their cars, double up with family, or stay in our city’s shelters? How have we come to a point in America that a person can work full time and not be able to afford housing? Some say the answer is for our largest retail giants to start paying a “living” wage. No matter what your political persuasion, it seems we can all agree that if you work hard, you shouldn’t have to go home after your shift to a homeless shelter, and use a food stamp card to pay for your meals. (Note: In the last issue we published “The Cringe Test”, but forgot to give credit to our friends at PIVOT Legal! We thank them for sharing their tool to help raise awareness of housing discrimination. To see their full report “Yes in my Backyard: Welcoming Inclusion, upholding human rights” go to their website at www.pivotlegal.org.) ------------------------

HOMELESS COALITION EDUCATION AND OUTREACH “BREAKDOWN STEREOTYPES & ERADICATE MISINFORMATION” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker during your event, contact Michelle Dillingham at (513) 421.7803 x14

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LETTERS

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Letter to the Editor: In Response to “Exploring Excommunication in the Catholic Church” Dear Editor, The very idea that the Catholic Church can excommunicate anyone is simply ridiculous because “they” do not own the Church. The Church belongs to all of us. It is precisely that type of arrogance and audacity that has caused so many people to either leave the church or to “practice” Catholicism is one’s own way. I do not need the Catholic Church to tell me what Jesus taught. Thus, the only way to excommunicate anyone today is to simply delete them as a friend on Facebook. Patrick Welage

Letter to the Editor: In Response to “Progressives aim to separate people from religion” Dear Editor, I consider myself a politically progressive liberal who believes in the separation of church and state. I was surprised to see The Enquirer give space to Steve Fischer’s recent editorial (“Progressives aim to separate people from religion,” June 27), particularly given its numerous errors. Fischer, a real estate agent, attempted to tackle subjects such as the controversial Catholic teacher contract as well as “religion versus government” more generally. Fischer wrote, “In the progressive mindset, religion cannot play a role in people’s lives because religious people submit to power higher than the governments they live under, creating a barrier between their form of government and their subjects.” This is not true of my mindset, nor of the mindset of any progressive liberal I’ve ever met. People, like me, who oppose the co-mingling of religion and government do not think of religion as a barrier to government supremacy. We just think such co-mingling hypocritical. Fischer reminds me of those people who have signs in their yards instructing us to “Preserve Religious Liberty.” I don’t think such people want to protect religious freedom. They want to protect the interests of their own religious dogma. Many of these are the same people who oppose marriage equality – despite the fact some denominations (such as the Presbyterians and the Unitarians) believe their churches should be allowed to solemnize gay marriages. What about the “religious liberty” of those faiths? Why should one religion’s ideology be more important than another’s? Instead, it seems some people only want religious freedom when talking about their own beliefs, but not the beliefs of people who are different. I didn’t see conservatives talking about religious liberty when it came to the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” in New York City, to name just one example. Fischer also cites Abraham Lincoln: “In Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, he noted that the government that was formed ‘four score and seven years ago’ was an experiment in granting the individuals of a country self-determination, a government ‘of the people and by the people.’” We live in a representative Democracy. Sometimes, the will of the people runs contrary to the conservative agenda. I think Lincoln understood what it means when people can govern themselves. It means things don’t always work out the way people like Fischer want. That doesn’t mean America has lost her way. That is the American way. When it comes to religion, I believe in religious freedom. If the Catholics don’t want to solemnize gay marriages, no one should force them – but the Catholics have no business preventing the Presbyterians from doing it. I believe we must keep religion out of politics. If you insist on opening your public meetings with a prayer to “Our Heavenly Father,” don’t be surprised when you get sued by someone who wants to open with a prayer to “The Dark Lord, Satan Himself.” If you don’t want Satanists and pagans and Pastafarians to have access to public schools and public meetings, then keep secular life secular. What you do with your own spiritual life is your business, so long as you don’t infringe on other people’s liberty with your prejudices. That’s the American way. Jason Haap

{Continued from page 4} ware and a sadly parochial U.S. Jewish lobby, the revised plan is to tough it out. Win by attrition, wear down the Palestinian resistance and turn the two Palestinian hold-out regions – Gaza and the West Bank – into permanent but shrinking refugee camps, worse than Apartheid’s Bantustans, as Israel continues to invest, expand “settlements” and move boundary lines. Periodically they purge the subjugated population of troublemakers, as it is doing today. If three Israeli boys hadn’t been kidnapped and killed, the Israelis would have found another excuse for killing 400 targeted Palestinians and bystanders supporting Hamas, the Palestinian authority that refuses to surrender. So where does this leave us? Aside from justice, is this in our interest? And is this actually a good plan for most Israelis? The “two-state” solution won’t work for two reasons: a) Israel’s rulers don’t want to commit to permanent borders since moving borders have worked so well. b) And even if they did, the so-called state for Palestinians would be non-viable; it would be capital-poor and Is-

rael would still control water, energy and access between its territories. To pursue this game plan runs serious risks for Israel. Someone might make weapons available to Palestinians that would actually begin to level the playing field. New technologies can easily defeat expensive old ones; technologies that would be much more selective and effective than the little rockets now streaking out of Gaza. They could spread to other neighboring states. A serious global movement of boycott, disinvestment and sanctions (BDS) which has growing support in many countries, might reach a tipping point and go viral. The entrenched Zionists might find themselves in a corner and choose options that are pretty bad for most Israelis, not to mention the rest of the world. That’s what wars are: bad choices by (usually) men who don’t pay for the consequences (do Cheney or Kissinger come to mind?). What’s the alternative in this dismal situation? Well, there is one, and only one. It’s called the civilized multi-nation state, or in this case the “one state solution.” Here are the principles that lead to this conclusion.

Some Self-Evident Principles

1. Palestinians should not have to pay for the Jewish holocaust. 2. Descendants of migrants should not have to return to the countries of their ancestors’ origins just because their ancestors committed collective crimes. For example, IrishAmericans should not have to go back to Ireland, because the European immigrants waged genocide against the American Indian populations. Israelis whose families came from Poland, Germany, and Russia etc. should not have to “return” there. 3. Living victims of genocidal or ethnic removal crimes should receive protection and compensation including some negotiated application of the “right of return.” 4. A modern secular state, multinational and, where necessary, multilingual, is the only acceptable form of government; religion should be tolerated, protected and excluded from any formal role in civic discourse and public policy. Just because strongman Arab states insist on being religion-dominated, why should Israel? Would this work? What would it look like? Well, Quebec, Switzerland, Mexico, India… (most countries in the

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world have multiple, large linguistically distinct populations). There are some infrastructure costs (bilingual signs, school curricula, simultaneous translation in legislatures, etc.) but well worth the price. A fundamental requirement for success would be a democratic labor movement supported by law which could defend the interests of all workers, and a political party structure that reflects class interests, not ethnic or religious accidents of birth. The Israeli elite wouldn’t like this at all but everyone else can. There would be plenty of room for temples of all kinds.

This would achieve the following:

• End the Israeli-Palestinian conflict • Create a role model in the Arab world that would be seriously subversive o It would undermine despots o It would render Islamic terrorists irrelevant • Free up billions of dollars for good uses Would the U.S corporate plutocracy ever support this? Probably not, that’s why we the people of the world have to make it happen. ------------------------

LOCAL

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Pope Francis vs. Unrestrained Capitalism MICHAEL EARL PATTON

Contributing Writer

ope John Paul II took on communism and Whenever our interior life becomes was instrucaught up in its own interests and mental in its collapse concerns, there is no longer room in Eastern Europe. for others, no place for the poor. Now the new pope, God’s voice is no longer heard, Pope Francis, is conthe quiet joy of his love is no fronting and warning longer felt, and the desire to do us about not a resurgood fades gent communism, but - Pope Francis unrestrained capitalism. This has come as a great surprise to many Consequently, they reject the right of people, with leading publications saying that that the pope states, charged with vigilance for the just doesn’t understand capitalism. common good, to exercise any form of Ironically, when he was first elected, control.” Pope Francis didn’t just write this the common opinion was that he was San Miguel Church in Santa Fe, NM. Photo: Justin Jeffre conservative and leaned far to the letter and forget it. In a June interright – maybe too far. Will capitalism view with the Spanish-language mag- utter a condemnation of Communism cused of being a communist or Marxazine La Vanguardia (and one which without at the same time condemning ist, to which the pope in good humor survive this pope in its current form? Pope Francis’s warnings are not received virtually no coverage in the those manifold injustices and abuses replied that Karl Marx had taken his some casual, off-the-cuff remarks. United States), he again expressed which help pave the way for Commu- ideas from Christianity. (Of course the Some of his more forceful remarks are concern about the poor and the grow- nism in Christian lands.” pope knows that Islam and Judaism, below. His first major letter, The Joy ing gap between them and the rich. In And before that, there was the along with other religions, also have of the Gospel (its official name is in perhaps his most forceful statement 1891 letter Rerum Novarum by long-established teachings on charity Latin, Evangelii Gaudium, and a copy to date he warned that the current Pope Leo XIII where he rejected un- towards the poor.) is easily found on the interThe question I posited net) explains his concerns. at the beginning of this arHe is concerned not only ticle was whether capitalism about how the poor suffer, will survive in its current but also about what conform due to the challenges sumerism and unrestrained by Pope Francis. The two capitalism do to those who letters I mentioned are to be practice them. Near the very taken seriously by Catholics, beginning of the letter he but they are not dogma (the writes, “Whenever our ininterview with La Vanguarterior life becomes caught dia is not as formal). Seriup in its own interests and ous reflection might lead concerns, there is no longer one to different conclusions. room for others, no place for For my part, I basically the poor. God’s voice is no agree with them. I do think longer heard, the quiet joy change has to come. And I of his love is no longer felt, agree with Pope Francis that and the desire to do good an unbridled love of money fades.” Christians are not let is bad for the person, even if off the hook for he goes on they have that money. to write, “This is a very real There are several limdanger for believers, too.” its which the current sysThe first part of his lettem will encounter sooner ter is about what he calls or later. Some of these are the “Joy of the Gospel.” In physical, for example, there Chapter II he warns of danSign about the history of the church. Photo: Justin Jeffre is not an infinite amount gers when we place the purof natural resources in this suit of money ahead of carworld and a system based on inexpening for humans: “How can it be that economic system must make war in restrained capitalism. He observed sive energy supplies cannot continue it is not a news item when an elderly order to survive – if not a global war, that a small number of very rich men, then regional ones. through the capitalistic system, had if those costs rise sharply. Some are homeless person dies of exposure, This warning about unrestrained in effect enslaved the masses of the mathematical, for example, increasbut it is news when the stock market ing government debt cannot be mainloses two points? ... We have created capitalism is actually not new. In my laboring poor. In his letter the pope tained if revenue decreases, even if new idols. The worship of the Golden 1956 edition of “A Catholic Diction- said that humans have a natural right ary,” in the entry for capitalism it to possess property of their own, that interest rates are almost zero. InCalf (cf. Ex. 32:1-35) has returned in a creasingly expensive college tuition new and ruthless guise in the idolatry states that, “The capitalistic system workers have a right to a living wage, makes no sense if one has to work for of money and the dictatorship of an is not in itself unlawful, but easily and to join unions. And long before decades to get out from under it. And becomes the cause of abuses which that – centuries before the rise of impersonal economy lacking a truly the [Catholic] Church unequivocally capitalism – charity to the poor was some are political. I cannot predict human purpose.... While the earnings what political changes would hapof a minority are growing exponen- condemns.” Don’t think that this par- always preached and often practiced. So what Pope Francis is saying is pen if the middle- and working-class tially, so too is the gap separating the ticular book is communist because communism as practiced in the foractually not new. I find it interesting squeeze continues. I would rather that majority from the prosperity enjoyed mer Soviet Union is also strongly conthat a year ago pundits worried that capitalism embrace needed changes by those happy few. This unbalance is the result of ideologies which defend demned. The warning against com- he might be too far to the right, and rather than have the changes forced the absolute autonomy of the mar- munism concludes thusly, “But the now they worry that he might be way upon them when it is almost too late. ketplace and financial speculation. individual Catholic does well never to too far to the left. He has even been ac------------------------

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

LOCAL

J u l y 31- A u g . 13, 2014 | N o . 28 3

How to Waste $400,000

JIM LUKEN

Contributing Writer

nce upon a time, there was a tiny park nestled among tenement buildings in the Pendleton area, a half block from the Reading Road side of the casino. Its dimensions were (and still are) 96 feet by 156 feet, less than a third the size of a football field. Old St. Paul’s Church (now the Verdin Bell Event Center) towers over it from the east side. Like it’s big neighborhood brother, Ziegler/Peaslee Park on Sycamore (across from the old SCPA), the park was/is used almost exclusively by AfricanAmerican neighbors. The original Spring Street Park was user friendly, with lots of walls to sit on. Up near the church, several large permanent tables had been installed, where neighbors could chat or picnic, relax on benches. Groups of white teens would come by regularly on their extreme bikes, or their skateboards, performing tricks on the many walls, “stoking” one another as they shot down the steps, landing to landing. The playground equipment included a slide, with various climbing features. On the south side was/is a basketball court with two baskets at opposite ends. Then one day, a demolition crew appeared on the scene and began tearing the old park apart. The arrival of the backhoes and trucks were the only notification those of us who lived nearest to the park, including myself, ever received. And with that, arguably the smallest park in the city was madeover, to the tidy sum of $400,000! A substantial grant from the casino would pay more than half the costs. The

City’s Department of Transportation and Engineering made up the balance. Your taxpayer dollars at work. Among other “improvements,” we neighbors learned that the nine parking spots on the West side of the old park were to be eliminated. There would be no more sitting walls or terraced areas. The largest section of the park is now a sloping, flat, brickcovered plane. The two picnic tables are gone. Instead, the engineers have plopped two tiny, allbutunusable, marble chess tables, (see photo) with horrible round “seats” on opposite

Maurice Golsby and Jamel Brown play chess. Photo: Jim Luken

Spring Street Park Photo: Jim Luken

Spring Street Playground. Photo: Google Maps Spring 2011

Playground equipment. Photo: Jim Luken

sides, into the expanse of the brick “plaza,” no shade anywhere near. To be truthful, there are some lovely new trees, and the surface of basketball court has now been painted, two tone. In the “newerbetter” park there is a patch of grass and a modernistic climbing device. One of my neighbors with children thought it would have been nice if they had installed swings and a more elaborate playground. Scads of kids play there. Look at the pictures on this page. Do you really think that the new park looks significantly better than the old? $400,000 better? Would you even try to sit down at those ugly chess tables for a leisurely game? The old Latin expression comes

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

into play here: Cui bono? Translation: Who benefits? This is a question often asked, as turbulent changes roil the old OTR neighborhoods. Who really benefits? The folks who have made this their home for generations? Or the newcomers, with their often suburban ideas of what “works best,” of what goes and what stays. Cui bono? Opposite the little park, across Schultz Alley, a series of large tenement buildings are undergoing major remodeling. Called “Broadway Square,” 4080 apartments will be rented by a (lower?) middleclass clientele, many of them probably casino workers. These folks will be able to look out their back windows on a more pristine, more modern, more upscale looking park. Lots of retail stores are planned for the front of the building on Broadway. One more question comes to mind, perhaps even more important. Who MIGHT have benefited, if all or part of that huge sum of money had been used for the benefit of the poor neighbors, the vast majority. Their wish list: improve employment prospects for young people in the neighborhood. Additional high-quality child care facilities? Desperately needed laundromat(s) for the old community? Counseling services? Instead, a less user-friendly park has been imposed on us, along with the elimination of significant number of desperately needed parking spots. It doesn’t make sense. Really...ask yourself...ask the city planners: Qui bono? And... since they are about to impose more of their upscale “renaissance” on Peaslee/Ziegler Park, ask them to consider the hundreds of (yes, black) people who actually use that park, every day, and have used it for many generations. Be sure to say, “Pretty please.” ------------------------

LOCAL

No. 283 | J u l y 31 - A u g . 1 3, 2 0 1 4

Remembering Worley Rodehaver JUSTIN JEFFRE

Streetvibes Editor

first met Worley Rodehaver back in 2005 at the Community Issues Forum at Christ Church Cathedral which is hosted by Applied Information Resources. Worley attended pretty regularly for some time, but he struggled with health problems for quite a few years which may have prevented him from continuing to attend. He died of a heart attack on July 23rd at the age of 73. Worley was born in Chillicothe, Ohio and according to his home town paper the Chillicothe Gazette, “As a child, Rodehaver got his start in publishing by creating neighborhood newsletters. He later worked on the school newspaper and was a photographer for the school’s yearbook. He was a 1959 Chillicothe High School graduate and worked for the Chillicothe Gazette from 1962 to 1972. He also worked at WBEX-AM while living in the city.” According to his bio from pridealive.com, “He worked as a reporter, photographer and photo editor for the Chillicothe Gazette for 10 years, also editing a newsletter for the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Optimist Club. He also worked for the Columbus Dispatch.” And, “In the early 1980s he pub-

Worley Rodehaver. Photo: Michael Chanak lished the Single Lifestyle tabloid, and later in the same decade The Religion Forum. Both papers have ceased publication. In 1988, he established Uptown News and then purchased On the Avenue in 1991. The latter was renamed The Northsider. Eventu-

Worley as co-Grand Marshal Northside parade 2008. Photo: Michael Chanak.

Worley with Karen his ad manager. Photo: Michael Chanak

ally, the two publications were then merged as METRO Neighbors.” He moved to Cincinnati in the 1970’s and became a leading journalist and publisher on minority news in the Greater Cincinnati area. When I first met him he was doing the Community Press. He also published the METRO Neighbors, The Appalachian Connection, The Northsider and most recently the Greater Cincinnati GLBT News. This past year Jeni Jenkins took over as the publisher of the Northsider. According to his home town paper, “In 2002, he told the Cincinnati Enquirer his grassroots publishing was “a ministry for me ... It’s a ministry to the neighborhoods.” And, “It’s not much, but it’s mine,” he told Cincinnati CityBeat of his publishing efforts in 2006.” In a time when we are seeing the decline of investigative journalism,

more publications being owned and controlled by and handful of corporations - the loss of a pioneer, writer, publisher and advocate is sad news to hear. But we celebrate Worley Rodehaver’s life and legacy. A celebration of the life of Worley Rodehaver will take place on Saturday, August 9th, 2014, 11 AM, at the First Unitarian Universalist Church located at 536 Linton Street (just off of Reading Road, south of Martin Luther King Drive). The Gathering, Worley’s church of eleven years, will conduct the service. An assembly of Worley’s friends may gather at the Below Zero lounge, 1122 Walnut Street, downtown, immediately following the service. Light refreshments will be served. ------------------------

Make-A-Wish hits a new milestone JUSTIN JEFFRE

Streetvibes Editor

ake-A-Wish® Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana recently announced the upcoming granting of its milestone 13,000th wish on Friday, July 25 at the Great American Ball Park. Fighting a life-threatening autoimmune disease, Brock finds joy amidst his medical battles by watching his favorite baseball team – the Cincinnati Reds. Thirteen-year-old wish kid Brock, of Canal Winchester, Ohio will have his wish granted to meet the Reds players. Brock’s says his favorite player is Brandon Phillips. For his wish, Brock will watch the team during batting practice and have a meet and greet with the players. Brock and his family will then take their seats to enjoy seeing the Reds take on the Washington Nationals, with a special visit during the game from Mr. Red! He will also have the opportunity to watch the postgame

fireworks from the “A wish can be a game changer for a child with a lifethreatening medical condition. It not only brings hope and joy to the child, but their family and all who share the power of a wish,” said the chapter’s President & CEO Doug Kelly. “We are honored to have granted wishes to 13,000 Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana children with life-threatening medical conditions,” said Kelly. “It is through the support of the community that we continue to make wishes come true for local kids just like Brock.” Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Currently, there are more than 140 children in southern Ohio waiting for their wish to come true. You can help share the power of a wish by making a donation, volunteering, or referring a

Brock with Brandon Phillips. Photo: Make-A-Wish. child. Make-A-Wish is in urgent need of volunteers in the Southeast Ohio area. For more information, visit their

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

website ohio.wish.org or call 1-877206-9474

------------------------

LOCAL

The Rise of the Robber Barons

MICHAEL TEE

Contributing Writer

uring the last decades of the 19th century working conditions for most Americans were horrendous and wages scarcely covered subsistence. The exploitation of child labor - as young as 6 & 7 years old - was commonplace. It is estimated that by 1890, 11 million of the 12.5 million families in the country subsisted on an average wage of $380 a year and had to take in borders to make ends meet. These conditions gave rise to a growing labor movement. Union membership rose from 447,000 to 2,073,000 between 1897and1904. Subsequently, strikes were widespread. There was considerable fear among capitalists that the growing political power of labor organizations threatened the very foundations of capitalism. Therefore, any means necessary was used to break strikes, including private security forces and federal and state military troops. It was during these times that industry owners merged their companies into larger ones in order to consolidate their power and to minimize competition among each other. For instance, J.P. Morgan and J.D. Rockefeller, formerly bitter rivals, combined their enterprises in 1901. This merger brought together $22.2 billion in assets. This was a massive amount at the time, being equivalent to twice the total value of all property in 13 states in the southern U.S.

“Until economic equality shall give a basis to political equality, the latter is but a sham.” Edward Bellamy, author of Looking Backward America’s 19th century railroad owners were the true creators of the

modern corporate era. Railways were mammoth undertakings, requiring extraordinary capital investments. Corporate leaders came to increasingly rely on the corporate form of business operation. By the end of the century corporations were combinations of thousands, in some cases, hundreds of thousands of anonymous shareholders. “Unable to influence managerial decisions as individuals,

J u l y 31- A u g . 13, 2014 | N o . 28 3

because their power was too diluted, they were also too broadly dispersed to act collectively. Their consequent loss of power and control of large corporations turned out to be managers’ gains.” Joel Bakan, The CorporationThe Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power. According to President Rutherford B. Hayes, “The real difficulty is with the vast wealth and power in the hands of the few. It is government of

the people, by the people, and for the people no longer. It is now government of corporations, by corporations, and for corporations.” Well before the beginning of the 20th century, U.S. courts had legally defined the corporation as a ‘person’, with a distinct identity of its own. Like any ‘person’ it was empowered to conduct business in its own name, acquire assets, employ workers, pay taxes, assert its ‘rights’ and defend its

actions. Gone was the notion of companies as instruments of government policy and dependent on government bodies to legitimatize and regulate them. In 1886, corporations were given full protection under the 14th Amendment by the Supreme Court. This ruling granted them ‘due process of law’ and ‘equal rights’ as a fleshand--bone persons; rights originally meant to protect freed slaves. It didn’t stop there. In the 1890s the states of New Jersey and Delaware, seeking to lure big business to their jurisdictions, jettisoned several restrictions which were unpopular with corporate interests: . . .”1) repealed the rules that required businesses to incorporate only for narrowly defined purposes, to exist only for limited durations and to operate only in particular locations, 2) substantially loosened controls on mergers and acquisitions, 3) abolished the rule that one company could not own stock in another. One thousand, eight hundred corporations were consolidated into 157 corporations between 1898 and 1904. In less than a decade the U.S. economy had been transformed from one in which individually-owned enterprises competed freely among themselves, into one dominated by a relatively few huge corporations, each owned by many shareholders. The era of corporate capitalism had begun.” Joel Bakan “The only demand that property recognizes is its own gluttonous appetite for greater wealth, because wealth means power, the power to subdue, to crush, to exploit, the power to enslave, to outrage, to degrade.” Emma Goldman ------------------------

president.” In 2014, Donald Rumseld actually called Obama a “trained ape” with regards to his foreign policy decisions. These kinds of racist statements about Obama are surprisingly frequent. North Korea has called Obama a monkey, and a Belgian newspaper once featured the President and First Lady as monkeys. Racism is an international language. So it’s interesting that the reboot

of the modern King Kong film franchise is set to bring the scary black ape back to the big screen as Obama ends his presidency - as if to suggest, through racist imagery, that just when you thought the monster was gone, he can return. If the GOP takes the white house in 2016, be ready for the racists to have a total meltdown when the “Michelle 2016” movement rears its head. ------------------------

King Kong Returns

JASON HAAP

Contributing Writer

ach year, self-proclaimed nerds gather in San Diego for “Comic-Con” – originally a convention for comic books which has expanded to include all forms of nerd-friendly television and movies (such as Doctor Who, Walking Dead, and more). This year, convention visitors had an exclusive look at a movie debuting in November, 2016: Skull Island. For the uninitiated, this is the island home to King Kong. The enormous beast-ape will be returning to screens at the end of President Obama’s second term. I have always found the symbolism of King Kong to be disturbingly racist. The plot of the first film, in short, centers around a gigantic and scary black ape who kidnaps a helpless white woman. This same trope is mirrored in the plot of King Kong’s less regal kin, Donkey Kong, who (like King Kong) has kidnapped a helpless white princess while trying to defeat the white man who pursues him (Mario). King Kong is not the only famous film to play upon these racialized fears. Just think about Beauty and the Beast – the famous cartoon where a white woman enters an impossible

relationship with a big, brown beast. They only manage to be together at the end once the beast is “killed” and turned back into a white prince. While I haven’t really been struck by this kind of racism in the recently rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise, how can we forget the terror in the original when the white astronauts (the black one died in transit) end up on future Earth where white people are enslaved by apes? Those are old, racist fears – that one day white people will be oppressed by those they used to oppress. Before any readers attempt to blame me for associating primates with black people, let’s just remember this is an old association, too – one quite a number of right-winged activists and politicians have made with regard to President Obama during his presidency. In 2011, Marilyn Davenpoint (from the Orange County, California GOP) emailed a photo of a family of monkeys, where the child had Obama’s head. Her message was about how this explains Obama’s missing birth certificate (as if to suggest Obama is a monkey). In 2012, GOP radio host Barbara Espinoza called Obama the “first monkey

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

No. 283 | J u l y 31 - A u g . 1 3, 2 0 1 4

NATIONAL

Laura’s Law: “people without mental health challenges making life or death decisions for people with them.” TJ JOHNSTON

www.street-papers.org / Street Sheet - USA

aura’s Law is one step closer to becoming a reality in San Francisco. All three members of the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee voted on June 23 to send an ordinance implementing Laura’s Law, also known as AB 1421, to the full board, where it is likely to pass. Laura’s Law enables a family member or another person living with someone to start legal proceedings for involuntary psychiatric commitment. Previously, only mental health providers or A patient looks through a window inside the Larco Herrera psychiatric hospital in Lima law enforcement offiJuly 22, 2011. Photo: REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil cers could initiate the process. The association’s executive direcPassage of the Officials from the police, fire and ordinance, authored by Supervisor public health departments, as well tor, Eduardo Vega, argued that manMark Farrell, would make a similar as the mayor’s office, spoke in favor datory treatment doesn’t work as well initiative for the November ballot of the law. However, advocates for as supporters promise. unnecessary. The state law, which mental health clients and low-income “A court order has never been passed in 2002, allows counties to people showed up in numbers. Most shown to have a positive effect” on decide when to put it into effect. Pre- were clad in lime-green T-shirts that consumers, he told the panel. Studvious attempts at the board to legis- read, “Force is the opposite of treatlate it have failed. But lawmakers who ment. Demand dignity now.” Op- ies from New York City, the California initially opposed carrying out the law ponents noted that because of the State Senate and the Rand Corporarecognized it would come to pass one compulsory nature of the law, clients tion bear out that there was no differway or another. directly affected would not have any ence in outcomes between those who “I have been consistently clear say in their treatment. underwent court-ordered treatment that I have concerns about Laura’s “Almost by definition,” said Ju- and those who entered voluntarily. Law,” Supervisor David Campos said. lian Plumadore, community advocate The full board will take its first But he voted to move the ordinance of the Mental Health Association of vote on July 8. If the ordinance passforward after including amendments San Francisco, “it’s people without es, it’s scheduled to take effect midthat require services from the Depart- mental health challenges making life August. ment of Public Health to be requested or death decisions for people with -----------------------before a court mandates them. them.”

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NOW HIRING Check out these openings! Visit their webpages for more info. Caracole- www.caracole.org - Social Work Supervisor Center for Chemical Addictions Treatment www.CCATsober.org - Accepting ongoing applications Joseph Housewww.josephhouse.com -Chemical Dependency Counselor Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati- www.lascinti.org -Paralegal, Full-Time -Equal Justice Works/ AmeriCorps Attorney Fellowship Lighthouse Youth Services www.lys.org Case Manager Licensed Social Workers Licensed Counselors Licensed Professional Counselors Residential Manager P.E./Health TeacherLighthouse Community School Clinical Supervisor Chemical Dependency Therapist House Resources Specialist Individual Aides Youth Worker Service Coordinator Clinical Services Coordinator Intervention Specialist Jr. Application Developer National Church Residencesnationalchurchresidences.org - Service Coordinator Vincent DePaul of Cincinnatiwww.svdpcincinnati.org 1. Store-Associates- St. Vincent de Paul 2. Assistant Store ManagersSt. Vincent de Paul 3. Cashiers 4.Clothes Hangers and Shelf Stockers 5. Donation Door Attendants and Floor Associates Tender Mercieswww.tendermerciesinc.org - Accepting ongoing applications YWCA of Greater Cincinnatihttp://www.ywca.org -Workforce Development Educator -Grants Manager - Grant Outcome & Evaluation Specialist - Payroll & Grant Billing Specialist

STREET VOICE

J u l y 31- A u g . 13, 2014 | N o . 28 3

Deborah’s Recipe Box DEBORAH POINDEXTER

Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer

Chicken and Broccoli Bake

Ingredients: 8 oz. Egg Noodles 12 oz. broccoli, frozen 4 chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces 1 jar of Alfredo sauce (or more if you like!) Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the noodles as directed on package. Boil broccoli until tender (about 20 minutes) and drain. After draining noodles and broccoli, mix them together. Boil chicken for 30 minutes then remove fat and cut into bite sized pieces. Now add your chicken to broccoli and noodles, pour in Alfredo sauce, mix, and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake 3540 minutes at 350 degrees. I see these frozen dishes at the grocery store and decide to put them together my way. A lot of them don’t have enough sauce for me, so I use more. Maybe I don’t like the veggie they use so I use the veggies I like. This is one I changed, so I hope you enjoy it.

This is what saved me: Armando IVANA STEVANOVSKA

www.street-papers.org / Strassenkreuzer - Germany

had my first encounter with Skopje’s street paper Face to Face, (‘Lice v Lice’ in Macedonian; or ‘Von Mensch zu Mensch’ as its German counterpart is known), at a photo shoot in their editing suite. They were photos that I had to take to accompany some articles. One seller after another positioned them-

selves in front of the white wall. One of them in particular made a notable impression on me: a handsome, fashionably dressed young guy-and so shy too! “Good”, was the young guy called Armando’s only response to the question of how he was getting on selling papers. This was followed with a

Armando sells street paper Lice v Lice in Skopje, Macedonia. Photo: Tomislav

smile. After the photo shoot, I visited the editing suite for a second time. I knew that vendors of the Face to face street paper were habitually disabled people, the homeless, street urchins and people with other problems. Yet, I remembered them for a very long time after that first encounter: I thought about their difficult lives and about their dreams. During subsequent meetings, I learned that Armando’s selling was going from strength to strength and that he was Acquitting himself more than admirably. He is, one of the few sellers who familiarise themselves with the contents of each new issue of the paper; who read it first before they sell it. It was Dejan from the Face to Face team who taught him to do this. He encourages sellers to be self-confident, recognising that only an assured salesman can convince potential buyers. He also teaches the sellers that they need to know their product inside out before they are able to really sell it. For the most part, Georgiev I met the Face to face

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

vendors at the functions where each new issue of the paper was unveiled for the first time. These were relaxed happy gatherings; many of the writer’s friends used to come along to them. I asked Maja, Face to face’s anchor-woman, what lay at the route of Armando’s success. Maja tells me that it is because he wants a future, that he is attending evening classes in order to obtain his secondary school diploma, and that he dreams of one day becoming a hair stylist. How fitting then, that his sales pitch is in front of a hairdressing salon! Armando has even received a commendation from the Red Cross for his efforts. For me, Armando became Face to face’s poster boy. So I asked the editorial staff when I would be able to photograph Armando again. “Ask him when he’s got time”, was the astonishing reply. “At the moment, he is being kept very busy with his studies and selling.” All right then I thought, during the summer when he is on holiday. However, I have since discovered that he has applied, at Skopje’s volunteer centre, to participate in a student exchange in Russia. In that case, I’ll just have to sit on a chair in front of the hairdressing salon where he sells his papers and wait. Wait for Armando, who deserves the chance to make his dreams come true. ------------------------

STREET VOICE

No. 283 | J u l y 31 - A u g . 1 3, 2 0 1 4

WHAT’S GOING ON

ON TAKING A SUMMER BREAK FROM THE NEWS

What’s going on asked singer Marvin Gaye

The Middle East is such a terrible mess!

What’s going on in our world of today Stealing from each other, killing one another Lying, cheating and still calling each other brother Disillusioned by what our lives should really be Misunderstanding that we’re all born in sin, you and me Forgetting each day to let live and let love Forgetting to give all praises due to God up above

Our do-nothing Congress causes stress! So stop the presses for goodness sake! Just turn off the news - I need a break! My goal is to find a cool, shady nook Where I can read a tame children’s book.

Everyone needs to take time out to pray

BILL WOODS

And ask God to forgive our sins each and everyday

Contributing Writer

To replace hate with peace and love where ever we can Only then can we see what’s going on all over the land So for me this is what’s really going on We as a people must come together before all life is gone!!!

WILLA DENISE JONES

Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer

{Continued from page 2} Reagan believed homelessness was not a major issue and not one that the federal government should be involved in. He believed this, despite the fact that his administration was primarily to blame for the exponential growth in homelessness. His administration had slashed spending on housing and “safety-net” services to an unrecognizable level and had drastically increased spending on the military and tax breaks to the superwealthy. Our people kept on pushing and were joined by Connecticut Congressperson Stewart B. McKinney, a Republican. This group continued its in-your-face tactics- marches, sleepouts, shaming, etc. Stewart McKinney had AIDS and in May of 1987 died from pneumonia he developed as a result of a sleep-out to get the act passed. As a result the act was named after him. Eventually on July 22nd, 1987 a disgruntled Reagan had been overcome and signed the bill into law. It is worth noting again, that Reagan did not sign this bill into law because of any sense of empathy, responsibility or care for people experiencing homelessness. He signed this bill into law because groups

of people from across the country, including people from our Coalition did not give up and were ready and willing to use tactics other people criticized. Our people took action that was considered bold, guerilla, and disrespectful to “leaders”. These actions, as they grew stronger, created a healthy fear of the power of the people in this movement to end homelessness and Reagan and the federal government took a momentary defeat. Since 1987, some amendments have been made to this act and a new act has been passed, but very little has changed. Homelessness is still growing while the super-wealthy live subsidized lives. Our struggle continues and we must continue to operate from a place of love and comradery, willing to do what needs to be done to end homelessness.

-Josh Spring, LSW Executive Director

Homeless people blamed for problems in Seattle despite fall in crime HART HORNOR

www.street-papers.org / Real Change- USA n large sheets of paper, people wrote their concerns and suggestions about public safety in the Pioneer

Square neighborhood of Seattle. The sheets were then taped to the wall of an art gallery across the street from Occidental Park. Too much crime and too few po-

lice officers were common themes. “All day I see illegal activities,” Kate Vrijmoet, a painter who has a studio in Pioneer Square, told Real Change. “On a regular basis, I can’t go through my door because there are people smoking crack.” About 200 people attended the June 12 open house to discuss pub-

I LIVE FOR YOU I live for you! I think for you! I love you! I hope for you! I will die for you! I cry for you! I worry for you! I sacrifice for you! I pray for you! I write this for you! There’s no me without you! I love you! My only begotten son Rico, stay true! KIM GREEN

Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer lic safety in Pioneer Square. The event, which ran from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., was hosted by the Alliance for Pioneer Square, a business group, in response to growing fear among business owners and residents about crime, said Lisa Dixon, communications and marketing manager for the Alliance. While most attendees seemed to see crime as a problem in the area, there was no consensus on whom to blame or what to do. Some pointed to homelessness: “Every time I come down here, it seems just overrun with homeless people hanging around,” said Tim Allen, a digital artist, as he looked out at Occidental Park. “I understand they need a place to go, but we pay for these parks with our tax dollars, and we should be able to use them.” Others blamed rowdy patrons from the neighborhood’s nightclubs and people with mental illness. Vrijmoet suggested flushing out crime in Occidental Park by holding reading groups and community meetings there. One man suggested rounding up “chronic offenders” and sending them to a camp in the forest. Captain Drew Fowler of the Se-

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

attle Police Department and members of the King County Sheriff’s Office were among several members of law enforcement who stopped by to answer residents’ questions. Fowler said that while serious crimes, such as murder, rape, assault, robbery, burglary and larceny, have declined, residents’ perception of criminal activity has increased. This is because the city is growing and new residents aren’t used to the neighborhood’s dynamics, he said. Meanwhile, Scott MacNeill stood on the sidewalk outside the gallery, smoking a home-rolled cigarette and peering through the window. He said he felt perfectly safe in Pioneer Square. “I’ve never been threatened by anybody except the police department,” he said. Dixon, of the Alliance for Pioneer Square, plans to compile suggestions from the open house and data from an online survey about crime - available at bit.ly/PSQsafety2014 - to come up with a strategic plan for the future. Depending on people’s input, she said, this might include organizing a neighborhood watch or offering selfdefense classes. ------------------------

PUZZLES

J u l y 31- A u g . 13, 2014 | N o . 28 3

CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 48 Across 1. Traverse 6. Demented 9. Lofty level 13. Unit of apothecary weight 14. Historic period 15. Spooky 16. Movie accolade 17. Batch 18. Callow 19. Rising air current 21. Passed by 23. Watch chain 24. Dainty 25. Appropriate 28. Type of star 30. Pour out 35. Trickle 37. Small rowboat 39. Beer 40. Entice 41. Arm joint 43. Uncommon 44. Paragon 46. Journey 47. Prima donna 48. Pandemonium 50. Golfclub 52. Fish trap 53. Type of duck 55. Acme 57. Move downward 61. Maybe 65. Characteristic of birds 66. Country, initially 68. Cinematic production 69. Location of something surrounded 70. Garland 71. Repent 72. Supplication 73. Bronze 74. Comparatively less

Down 1. Water hen 2. Hurry 3. One time only 4. Neckwear 5. Religious discourse 6. Plaza 7. In the past 8. Discourage 9. Pile 10. Part of the eye 11. Donate 12. Pay close attention to 15. Tooth coating 20. Dwelling 22. Cover 24. Cook briefly 25. Perform without preparation 26. Person excessively concerned with propriety 27. Fatigued 29. Potentially shocking? 31. Part of a deck 32. Once more 33. Mettle 34. Choice morsel 36. Toll 38. Belonging to you 42. Penned 45. Not presently active 49. Males, collectively 51. Conventional 54. Fully grown 56. Snapshot 57. Slightly wet 58. Iniquity 59. Facet 60. A house, in Italy 61. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no gain without it, so they say 62. Affirm 63. Coniferous tree 64. Oracle 67. Expanse of water

SODOKU PUZZLE NO 12- MEDIUM

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 282 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 47

SODOKU PUZZLE NO 11- MEDIUM

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com

RESOURCES

No. 283 | J u l y 31 - A u g . 1 3, 2 0 1 4

Shelter: Women and Children

1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Central Access Point Bethany House

381-SAFE 557-2873

St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside

535-2719 591-2246

Grace Place Catholic Worker House

681-2365

FreeStore/FoodBank

241-1064

Mercy Franciscan at St. John

981-5800

Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center

271-5501

Salvation Army

762-5660

YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter

872-9259

St. Vincent de Paul

562-8841

1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224

1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

131 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Shelter: Men

City Gospel Mission

1419 Elm Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Mt. Airy Shelter

4600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 1125 Bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214

Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House

241-5525

2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Caracole (HIV/AIDS)

1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237

Drop Inn Center

217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

661-4620

682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205

Starting Over

CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing

114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

569-9500 761-1480 721-0643

721-4580 632-7149 381-1171

Tender Mercies 721-8666

27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Tom Geiger House Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907

961-4555 381-1954

300 Lytle Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Food/Clothing

Lord’s Pantry Mercy Franciscan at St. John

621-5300 981-5800

OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry

961-1983

Our Daily Bread

621-6364

1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206

961-2256

Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women

Interfaith Hospitality Network 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave Cincinnati, OH 45220 961-4080

Housing:

784-1853

Prospect House 921-1613

Shelter: Both

Lighthouse on Highland (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave Cincinnati, OH 45219

4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

First Step Home

2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206

961-4663

Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline CCAT

351-0422 381-6672

Joseph House (Veterans)

241-2965

830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 641-4300

Advocacy

Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center

421-3131 569-1840 381-4242

Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless

721-4700 421-7803

Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center Faces Without Places Stop AIDS

579-8547 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 421-2437

1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Health

Center for Respite Care

621-1868

Cincinnati Health Network

961-0600

3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229

2825 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

Crossroad Health Center

5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

381-2247

Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti 352-6363 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Mercy Franciscan at St. John 981-5800 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach

Other Resources

351-3500 977-4489

Center Independent Living Options Emmanuel Community Center

241-2600 241-2563

Peaslee Neighborhood Center

621-5514

Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart

381-0111

Goodwill industries Healing Connections Mary Magdalen House

771-4800 751-0600 721-4811

People Working Cooperatively The Caring Place Talbert House United Way Women Helping Women Off The Streets

351-7921 631-1114 751-7747 211 977-5541 421-5211

1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

215 E. 14th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry

Northern Kentucky

981-4200 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276

Brighton Center

859-491-8303

ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY

859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717

Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary VA Homeless

859-491-3335 859-559-5011 859-572-6226

799 Ann St. Newport, KY

205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011

J u l y 31- A u g . 13, 2014 | N o . 28 3

treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 50 cents per copy and sell it for a $1.50 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches.

ALMA SIMS SINCE 5/2014

ALFRED WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003

ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012

BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997

BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008

CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003

CRAIG SMITH SINCE 5/2014

CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004

DEBORAH POINDEXTER SINCE 9/2012

DONALD YOUNG

ELMORE MORRIS SINCE 5/2014

GINA MARTIN

GRADY COOK SINCE 1997

GLENDA CANTRELL

GREGORY WILSON SINCE 1/2012

JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009

JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2003

JERRY DAVIS SINCE 5/2011

JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001

JONATHAN SLATER SINCE 5/2014

JOHN GAINES SINCE 12/2009

JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006

JOHNNY KERNS SINCE 9/2012

JOHN HORN

JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008

J’TORI TYMAN SINCE 5/2014

W. KENNETH BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009

KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008

KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011

KIM GREEN SINCE 1/2010

LARRY FILES SINCE 6/2012

LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007

LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009

LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005

LOTTIE MANNER

MARK SHEARS SINCE 12/2007

MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005

MAT HUFF SINCE 10/2010

MAURICE GOLSBY

MEACO WAITE

MICHAEL BEHYMER

RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009

QUEENACELESTINE

LEVY

RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008

RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 2001

RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009

SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006

TARA HILL SINCE 4/2014

TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007

TODD HANLEY SINCE 5/2014

TONY THOMAS SINCE 3/2005

VICTOR MUMPHRY

WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010

WILLIAM SIMMS SINCE 4/2014

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED