Streetvibes vol 18 issue 24 final2

N ov. 2 1 s t- D ec . 4 t h , 2 0 1 4 | Vo l . 1 8 I s s u e 2 4 ( N o. 2 9 1 )

advocating justice | Building community

For As Long As It Takes | 9

This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

HERE COMES THE ACADEMIC INCUBATOR | 2

THE NEW JIM CROW | 3

THE PHANTOM EXPLAINS YOUR SEWER BILL | 3

ENHANCING SERVICES FOR WOMEN IN OTR | 8

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

streetvoice | 12

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Civility Smells of Fakeness

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JOSH SPRING

Executive Director

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aturday, November 15 marked the 18th anniversary of buddy gray being murdered while in the pursuit of justice. When I think of buddy and other people in our city like him, I believe that their pursuit of justice does not get upended by social niceties, formal behavior and the traditional expectation of civility.

Instead the act of love is chosen. Love is controlled but it is also truthful.

Love means attempting to act for justice in the most strategic, truthful and effective way possible. It means that when people and groups are divided on very important issues you don’t cover it up with civility; instead pick a side, own your choice and struggle for it.

Why do we accept traditions that hurt us? Here are some examples: in a meeting always follow regular rules of order, when speaking to an elected or appointed body say thank you, always give respect and accommodation to people in seats of power, if saying something controversial tone down your speech or often don’t say it at all, and don’t create conflict or be divisive. These actions or lack thereof are called civility.

Have you ever considered that in many cases civility is fake? We demand civility, but often it is a coverup for what people are really thinking.

We joke that sometimes it is best to not say what you really think. And maybe that is true if you are doing so out of love or strategy. If you are doing so because you don’t want to be seen as uncivilized, not only is that fake, but the civility is also quite limiting to progress.

Choosing to not be civil does not mean choosing to be out of control or ignorant. Too often these separate actions are thought of as the same.

These days it is often said that we all should get along and set aside different beliefs and work together.

Sure, when it’s not being fake, it is healthy to work together. If one group of people would like to see the bridge painted green and another group wants to see it orange, then yes they can agree to disagree and work hand in hand on something else while maintaining truth. However if one group wants to see wider lanes on the bridge to better prevent crashes and the other group wants to see narrower lanes so as to move more commerce,

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these two groups cannot in truth agree to set differences aside and work together. One group wants to take action to save lives and the other is willing to risk lives for commerce.

They can say they will work together but in reality either the advocates for life betray their values or they both simply lie.

Where am I going with all this?

If we are going to create necessary radical systematic change we need to own it. We should not sugar coat it or decide to just get along. When dealing with systems of oppression or repression divisiveness is good. We should not be comfortable riding the fence on important issues. We need to be forced to pick a side. If we stay civil when righteous anger is rising within us, we will not move positively forward. If we all just choose to work together while fundamentally disagreeing on systematic justice issues someone loses and it is usually those on the side of and in need of justice. Instead we can choose to be loving of all but strategically uncivil.

We should not always do what is expected, we should do what is right.

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-Josh Spring, LSW Executive Director

WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre

Director of Education: Michelle Dillingham Distributor Program Manager: Anna Worpenberg Layout: Jeni Jenkins, Uncaged Bird Design Studio Reception: Chris Fowler Steve Reams Clarence Daniels Charles Carpenter

JASON HAAP

Nordyke remembers Harmony Community School under his father’s leadership. David Nordyke believed in “boundless learning,” and he wanted to serve students who had not found success in other schools.

According to Nordyke, Harmony’s enrollment grew from 200 students in 1998 to 800 students in

Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813

Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead

Contributing Writer

From Harmony to Evergreen

113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202

Executive Director: Josh Spring

Here comes the Academic Incubator or local entrepreneur Zak Nordyke, helping his family find a bigger kitchen for baking zucchini bread led to the establishment of a local brick-andmortar campus for The University of the People (U of P) - which will bring increased access to higher education for local students who may struggle with the high cost of a college degree.

Zak’s father, David Nordyke, coauthored Ohio’s charter school bill and operated Harmony Community School until his death in 2003. (I taught at Harmony for a few years.)

That school, which operated out of the former Jewish Community Center in Roselawn, ultimately closed, and the building is now owned by New Propsect Baptist Church.

That church, with the help of Nordyke, will open an “Academic Incubator” bringing the U of P to Cincinnati.

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.

Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE

Zack Nordyke at New Prospect. Photo: Denise Ferri.

2003, requiring the school to move to the former Jewish Community Center in Roselawn.

“It was miraculous to see hundreds of students that other schools had dismissed as failures and deviants, make almost instantaneous changes at Harmony both academically and behaviorally,” said Nordyke, who was himself a student at Harmony.

“Students loved Harmony,” he continued, “because it gave them confidence in their own ability, unlike any other environment they were exposed to. At the peak of Harmony’s success in 2003 the worst tragedy possible happened, and my Dad passed away of a massive heart

attack during our winter break. Harmony was never quite the same after my Dad’s passing. Charter schools became a ‘lightning rod’ for teacher unions and politicians, and our new administration struggled to navigate the tenuous landscape. In 2008, due to a hostile regulatory environment and political challenges, Harmony decided to close its doors.”

After Harmony’s closure, Nordyke’s family opened Evergreen Holistic Learning Center, a non-profit dedicated to environmental awareness, holistic health, as well as personal and professional development.

Evergreen even works with local public schools, featuring things like

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THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

Writers: Josh Spring, Jason Haap, Rachel Strunk, Michael Earl Patton, Michelle Dillingham, Alice Skirtz, Jim Luken, Justin Jeffre, Michael Tee, Kim Green, William Burdine, Melissa Mosby, Cleo Wombles, John Hershey, Ronnie Phillips, Willa Denise Jones, Bill Woods Syndicated Writers: Lakshmi Puri, Barbara Lewis Photography/Artwork: Denise Ferri, Rachel Strunk, Steve Wuesthoff, Bonnie Neumeier, Anne Maxfield, Bill Woods, UN Photo/ Rick Bajornas Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice.

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

No. 291 | Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014

The New Jim Crow

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RACHEL STRUNK

Contributing Writer

n November 6, 2014 The Christ Church Cathedral continued their series delving into the subject of economic inequality in Cincinnati. As part of this series they invited Stephen JohnsonGrove, Deputy Director, Ohio Justice and Policy Center (OJPC) to speak in response to a recently published book titled “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander.

During this forum Stephen outlined the subject of Alexander’s book, which describes the presence of racial inequality and class segregation as it is experienced within our society today. “The New Jim Crow” examines the progression of inequality throughout history beginning with slavery, and continuing with the transformation of inequality throughout the years and into the present day. Grove notes that Alexander breaks this transition down into four large movements highlighting the rise, implementation, decline, and subsequent replacement systems of control.

Mr. Grove began his discussion by examining the implementation of the convict leasing system after the passing of the 14th amendment.

Grove describes this system as one in which a large number of African Americans during the reconstruction era were locked up for petty crimes and subsequently leased out for the purpose of working in the cotton fields and other industries that required a large amount of manual labor. Following the decline of the convict leasing system (due to strong

advocacy in its opposition), the nation saw the rise of the Jim Crow Laws beginning in the 1900s and continuing roughly through the 1960s. Mr. Grove notes that on the heels of a legal end to the Jim Crow laws, we notice the formation of yet another measure of control established under the guise of the Regan Administration’s “War on Drugs”.

Mr. Grove continued, explaining how Alexander documents within her book that the number of African Americans currently incarcerated for drug crimes is disproportionate to total population of illicit drug users.

Through his experiences, Grove confirms this type of racial targeting to be true. Grove also points out that once an individual has become part of this system, they have stepped into what is viewed as an underclass section of society. Mr. Grove continued by describing how existing within this subclass limits a person’s access to housing, food and job security. He states that this sort of segregation not only diminishes the worth of a human being, but it also weakens families, communities and the economy of our nation.

As a way to combat this growing issue, OJPC has been working to bring about some big changes. For years the OJPC has been fighting for the rights of those who are currently, or who have recently been incarcerated.

The intent of the OJPC is to remove a number of barriers that ex-felons experience within our society today in an effort to rebuild and strengthen our communities. Mr. Grove noted that

Stephen JohnsonGrove. Photo: Rachel Strunk. strong evidence of this movement can be seen in the tremendous amount of work that has been going into the advocacy for the implementation of the Ohio Fair Hiring Act. For more information about the Ohio Fair Hiring Act and how to become involved in this movement, please

contact Stephen JohnsonGrove at:

for a 3-month period.

Note that the sewer usage is just about a third of the water usage for this bill. That is because MSD recognizes that our water usage may go way up in summer because we are watering our lawns and gardens, washing our cars, or even adding water to swimming pools. This extra water probably isn’t going into the sewers, so MSD tries to avoid charging us for it. Phantom 2 is pointing to a chart which shows the water usage for the current 3-month

period and the preceding year. Note the spikes in the summer, and that except for the summer, my water usage is much lower. My sewer usage is based on a previous 3-month period when almost all of the water I was using was going down the sewer.

Phantom 3 is pointing to the sewer charge based on this lower amount – but wait a minute, here’s where the phantom charges come in. While I was

sjohnsongrove@ohiojpc.org.

Coincidentally November 6, 2014 marked the ten year anniversary that OJPC became involved in tackling the after-effects of incarceration.

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The Phantom Explains Your Sewer Bill MICHAEL EARL PATTON

Contributing Writer

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n my recent article Phantom Flushes I explained how many single- and two-person households are being charged for much more sewer usage than they actually use. See the September 25 – October 8 issue of Streetvibes.

As I put it, it’s almost as if there is a phantom repeatedly flushing my toilet whenever I am not around. The real cause turned out to be the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD), which charges each customer for a minimum amount whether or not we actually use it.

I talked to several MSD customers, and most of them found the sewer bill a little confusing. So I thought I would use the phantom to point out the relevant parts of the sewer bill and also of the MSD website so that you, too, could see if you are paying for these “phantom flushes.” For most customers, the sewer bill is combined with the water and “storm sewer” charges. Those people pay for their sewer bill when they pay their water bill – which I do by writing a check to Cincinnati Water Works (CWW). CWW then gives MSD its share of my check. A copy of one of my own recent bills is below.

Phantom 1 is pointing to where it says how much water and sewage I used. For water it is 14.15 ccf and for sewer it is 4.826 ccf. The “ccf” stands for “hundred cubic feet” where the first “c” comes from the old Roman numeral for one hundred, “C.” So 14.15 ccf means I used 1,415 cubic feet of water.

One cubic foot is about 7-1/2 gallons, so if you want to see how many gallons you used, multiply this by 7.5. In my case I used about 10,600 gallons. You don’t need to do this because nothing in the bill is based on the number of gallons, but it does help one to understand how much water you are using. The bill is

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No. 291 | Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014

COALITION CLIFFNOTES

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

Educating the Public about Homelessness MICHELLE DILLINGHAM

Staff Writer

The Homeless Coalition’s Education Department; Through our education opportunities and resources, we provide the groundwork for understanding the complexities of homelessness so that our community can work towards sustainable solutions.

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ver the last 30 years the founders and subsequent workers of the Homeless Coalition have educated the broader community about the problem of homelessness in Greater Cincinnati. In recent years the activity of “educating” has become more formalized, such as the creation of our ‘Urban Experience’ urban immersion program that links groups to service-learning opportunities, and ‘Citywide Shantytown’ which helps student groups organize sleep-outs to help raise awareness in their communities.

In recent years we have published studies, hosted panels, and helped craft model legislation based on best practices across the nation – all in order to achieve our mission: the eradication of homelessness with respect for the dignity and diversity of our membership, the homeless and the community.

The Homeless Coalition has had the opportunity to expand our education programs with the generosity of the Sisters of Charity, the Affordable Housing Advocates, and our donors.

And, through our partnerships with universities, we are hosting several students from Miami University, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Southern California; all who bring a special contribution to our work.

This year we are publishing a study that will be released in February, 2015 titled, “Responding to the Critical Need for Affordable Housing in Cincinnati: Lessons on Overcoming Local Governance and Community Opposition”. This report is a continuation of previous affordable housing studies, in that it carries forward data from previous reports published by the Affordable Housing Advocates group, and the Homeless Coalition.

In addition, it will provide examples of best practices in successfully developing affordable housing using local case studies, despite community op-

position.

We are especially gratified when we receive reflections from young students who have had our programs at their school. Below are excerpts from two students from The Seven Hills School:

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.

— William Butler Yeats

“Before shanty town I knew a little about homelessness and poverty in Cincinnati; however, my knowledge on the subject was quite limited. Although shanty town was only a night long, having the opportunity to hear first-hand from people who have experienced these living standards has given me a greater knowledge base and made me more aware of my own city... I now recognize my own knowledge gap about the issue and the knowledge gap of many of my fellow classmates. After this experience I hope to become even more aware of the problems dealing with poverty and homelessness specifically in Cincinnati so that I can become more of an active and involved citizen. As many of my peers and I come of voting age, I feel that it is especially important to be educated on the problems in our city so that we can make informed decisions about our future.”

-Lindsay Finn “After doing shanty town for three years I have found a new understanding of homelessness and the people who experience it. Homelessness is too often misunderstood or ignored.

Not making eye contact with a woman on the side of the road with a sign saying “homeless, please help” is a habit that many people find themselves in. So many stereotypes of homeless people exist due to the lack of understanding and education about the causes of homelessness.... Today Cleo, a former homeless man, talked to me and a group of my schoolmates at the Seven Hills School about his experience of having no home for about ten years of his life. Hearing his story and the reasons he became homeless showed not only his flamboyant personality but also how many people balance precariously on the brink of having no home -- often not by any fault of their own, but that of the economy, minimum wage and so many other unforeseen variables. Coming from a home where I have always been financially stable, I know I can never fully understand homelessness and how it feels to be in that situation. But if I ever find myself without a home, I hope I can come out of it with the positive attitude and the strength that Cleo did.” -Zoe Barnhart

The education programs of the Homeless Coalition include: • The 30-Day Challenge: This is an interactive way to help raise awareness and money to help those in need in our community. This project provides 30 days’ worth of journaling, reading assignments and small donations. Participants engage in a small awareness-raising activity every day for 30 days.

• The Voice of the Homeless Speakers Bureau: A formerly or currently homeless individual shares their experiences. In addition, a coalition staff member or partner from the Hunger & Homeless Awareness Month team accompanies the speaker and provides factual information on the homeless crisis in our community and beyond, while the speaker’s story helps to personalize the issue.

• The Cincinnati Urban Experience (CUE): CUE is designed to provide participants with a combined experience of meaningful service and social justice education that will motivate them to become active in the fight to end poverty and homelessness. CUE is part of a growing movement of alternative break programs around the country. We offer a way for high school and college students to get involved and delve into serious issues such as gentrification, economic disparity and the importance of political advocacy. We arrange service opportunities such as volunteering at local homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other agencies that provide services for Cincinnatian’s experiencing homelessness. Participants learn about the root causes of homelessness and poverty, and reflect on how they can get involved in dispelling myths and creating empathy rather than apathy.

• Social Justice/Affordable Housing Tour of Over the Rhine: Groups travel by foot to key locations in Over-the-Rhine to learn the history and current stories of the struggle to end homelessness. Stops include various social justice organizations, social service organizations, and shelters.

Issues of the history of Over-theRhine, affordable housing, poverty, and gentrification are covered.

Since July we have brought our education programs to 53 different groups, directly teaching approximately 1,740 individuals about the crisis of affordable housing, and the root causes of homelessness in Greater Cincinnati. We are always seeking new opportunities to expand our reach. Please contact Michelle Dillingham to make arrangements for your group to participate in our programming, or if you have any questions at (513) 421-7813, Extension 14, or by email at michelledillingham@ cincihomeless.org.

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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, contact Michelle Dillingham at (513) 421.7803 x14

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On the Founding of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless

Excerpted from the dissertation of Alice Skirtz, PhD “The Place Known as Over-The-Rhine: A Self-reflective Study of a Twentieth Century Urban Community Marginalized by the ‘Problem of Poverty’” -May, 2006

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ALICE SKIRTZ

Contributing Writer

y 1984, it was clear to several of us in OTR who were providing shelter for families and single individuals without housing, that we needed reliable information both to satisfy the insatiable appetite of the press for sensational stories, and to document the need for affordable housing to be used to find ways to increase housing options for homeless, poor, reviled individuals and families. To that end on May 30, 1984, we formally convened the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless – “we” were three shelter directors, Buddy Gray, Co-ordinator of the Alcoholic Drop Inn Center; Barb Poppe, Co-director of the foundling Bethany House Services; and I, Director of Social Service for The Salvation Army. Along with Bev Merrill, Services Director for the newly organized Welcome House of Northern Kentucky; Dave Seswich, of the Volunteers of America who had housed released prisoners for decades; Sr. Mary Grafe, RSM, Juvenile Court Chaplain and beloved community organizer; and Joe Bien, formerly homeless and volunteer bookkeeper/ accountant for the Drop Inn Center, we became a Coordinating Committee for the fledgling coalition to set direction and guide actions. Members of the Coalition were recruited from shelters, soup kitchens, trusted social service agencies, and homeless persons. Coordinating Committee met every Wednesday morning, Members convened monthly.

We formulated our stated

purpose for the Coalition as an advocacy group, empowering ourselves as “a political action organization to advocate for the needs of homeless people, citizens of Cincinnati with no voice in the halls of power.” Acting with both expediency and as a matter of principle, we eschewed incorporation, deciding not to seek 501(c)3 non-profit status from the Internal Revenue Service as a charitable organization. We opted instead for independence as political activists. Advocacy for the needs of homeless people was our watchword, action by consensus our mantra, inclusiveness our radar. And, in an amazing joint effort, with no funds, no hierarchy, almost no structure, we began to work for but more importantly with those who experienced the problem homelessness.

Our “corporate” needs were few – a place, a telephone, a membership of the like minded with a passion for those who are homeless. ReStoc, the non-profit housing development corporation of the Drop Inn Center which had quietly been buying and mothballing abandoned buildings for future renovation, gave us storefront space in one of their SRO buildings on Elm Street, utilities included; several agencies donated a mish-mash of used desks and aging furniture along with office supplies and a coffee pot; and perhaps the greatest gift of all, homeless Joe Bien secured a telephone and monthly paid Cincinnati Bell for service for the Coalition. Joe had been rescued by the Drop Inn Center staff

from near death when he passed out drunk in Washington Park of a winter’s night. With sobriety restored and trust built, he revealed a former life as a CPA for a prominent accounting firm in another city, and a failed marriage that he now attributed to his alcoholism. Staff of the Drop In Center who supported his recovery helped him restore his identity, and convinced him to apply for and receive his Social Security pension as he had a substantial work history and was beyond retirement age. He began to volunteer his considerable accounting skills to the Center, and subsequently the Coalition. Each month, Joe proudly paid the phone bill for the Coalition office from his Social Security check, properly booking it as a donation.

We soon realized that whatever interpretation or explanation was offered for the problem of homelessness, it was imperative that we keep focus on homelessness as a matter of failures in housing and not failures of homeless persons. The distinction proved valuable time and again as we advocated for housing, specially affordable housing as a matter of urgency arguing that all people are entitled to access to affordable housing. Three themes for action emerged in rapid order as matters of urgency and social justice: providing emergency shelter care and life preserving services for those who experienced the condition of homelessness; saving aging buildings at risk of collapse or falling into the hands of investors and developers so they could be converted to affordable housing in OTR; and, reframing our common public discourse so that the transgression of homelessness was not of individuals or families marginalized to OTR, but a transgression of larger society for denying access to or failing to provide affordable housing options. The first two themes became practical, however difficult to effect, matters of organizing and operating shelters with sufficient beds and services so no one had to sleep in the park or on the street nor eat from gar-

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bage cans for lack of access to housing. Alongside sheltering lay doing the hard work to form non-profit housing development corporations making them property owners and lords of the land; and of developing the stamina and political will to fund housing development. The latter theme, reframing the transgression of homelessness to its rightful origins challenged our ingenuity and tested our moral outrage – homelessness was not those “deinstitutionalized mentally ill scary urban dwellers, nor was it those “Section 8 unwed black mothers on welfare,” nor “those underclass working people who couldn’t even move out of OTR to decent housing in competent communities.” Homelessness was about scarcity of affordable housing.

The presence of homeless people in OTR was about those who had no access to affordable housing.

It was difficult without data to separate the transgression of homelessness from stigmatized, marginalized groups of people, and to detach homelessness from judgments of deviancy or pathology localized to OTR the place. Our need for what was to become our first homeless study was becoming a matter of urgency. While growth of the population of homeless people was coincident with a housing shortage, and a growing appetite in the press for information and stories about “those homeless people,” the enormous task of increasing the supply of affordable housing options required fund raising. Funds were needed for building acquisition, property development costs including code compliance, all the while each shelter needed operating resources. We turned to public and private sources most of whom required data and needed assessments – foundations, churches, individual donors, and public officials alike. Our need for information about homelessness and affordable housing was acute so that we could advocate for housing for those who experience homelessness.

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Member Agency Spotlight

1221 Main St. | Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 | (513) 721-4811 | www.marymagdalenhouse.org

REFRESHING AND RENEWING PEOPLE IN BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT We are an oasis of hospitality providing a safe and pleasant place for persons in need, to shower, shave, brush their teeth, use a toilet, have clothes laundered, have use of a phone and have a place to receive messages and mail.

We believe that dignity is the beginning of hope.

Addressing them by name, we hope to refresh and renew our guests in body and spirit from the hardships of living on the streets. We aim to maintain or restore the human dignity of all those we serve. Though they may not have a dime we want each of our guests to feel like a million and leave our facility knowing, “it is truly good for me to have been here.”

Mary Magdalen House is located at 1223 Main Street just north of 12th Street in downtown Cincinnati. It is open Monday through Friday — 8am to 4pm; Saturday — 8am to 12 Noon

Last year our generous staff, volunteers & benefactors provided 20,477 showers to 1929 brothers and sisters in need.

As Mother Teresa said, “It is not how much you give, but how much love you put into the giving that’s important.”

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No. 291 | Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014

Armistice Day, 2014: An Editorial Against War JIM LUKEN

Contributing Writer In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row.

— Lt. Col John McCrae. Canada WW I

The following is excerpted from the Preface to the new second edition of a book I self-published in 2003. The title of the book is The Strangest Dream, which was also the title of a famous folk song written and sung by Ed McCurdy in 1957. By that year, the Korean War had ended and Vietnam was a few years off. Thus, the late ‘50s was one of the few “moments” since WW II that the US was not actively making war somewhere in the world. The song begins with the words: “Last night I had the strangest dream I ever had before. I dreamt the world had all agreed to put an end to war.”

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am completing the first draft of ducted from high in the air with virthis new preface in November of tually no chance of our airmen being 2014. Ironically, today happens shot down in “dogfights” (as they were to be Remembrance Day (in over Europe and Japan during the much of Europe), and Veterans Day (here), November 11. Originally this date was called Armistice Day, the day that marked “the formal cessation of hostilities” ending the First World War (191418).

WW I had famously been called “the war to end all wars.” So many lives had been wasted, so much devastation done to Europe that most folks believed it could never happen again. Who would be stupid enough to do it again? The irony is almost unbearable. Today, many oldsters in Europe spent two minutes at “the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” in silence, remembering the symbolic moment the war had ended.

[Note the signage salutes the “military, not I joined them.

I must confess to you the reader World Wars). Our casualties, while that, sitting here at my computer to- tragic to the families that endure day, I find myself seething with anger. them, are minuscule, number-wise, Literally shaking...again. My whole when compared to the deaths of so body is stressed. The televised cel- many civilians in the places where we ebrations of Veterans Day yesterday, make war, where we rain death from made me almost sick. I hope the new the skies.

What’s more, we are now wagedition of this book makes your blood ing war using “drone” (i.e., pilotboil as well.

The main thing that has changed less) aircraft that fly below radar and since WW I is that the United States are directed by nerd programmers, — the purported “beacon of liberty” would-be soldiers, sitting in front of to the rest of the world — now wages computer screens in New Mexico, war, not in response to some fascistic, Wyoming (and elsewhere), safe and imperialist blitzkrieg, being carried sound, as they kill scores of Muslim out by Germany or Russia or China. people on behalf of America, the land We wage war anywhere and whenever of the brave and the free. They are we please. Make no mistake about it. like kids playing a video game, simiWe are the war-making imperialists. lar to the most popular video game of We are the terrorists. Now more than all time: “World of Warcraft,” the ad ever. Throw this book in the fire if you for which suggests that young, mostly male, gamers should “Join thousands hate reading the truth. of mighty heroes in an online world Systematic terrorism of magic and limitless adventure.”

These ongoing US wars (thirteen The ad echoes many T-shirts during years since 2001) are primarily con- the Vietnam War: JOIN THE ARMY,

TRAVEL TO UNUSUAL PLACES, MEET INTERESTING PEOPLE. AND KILL THEM. Make no mistake. Horrible acts of war are taking place even as we celebrate Veterans Day (Armistice Day) 2014, and as we fail to absorb the profound lesson of this day. I respect the service of most of our veterans and believe they deserve their commemorative day. They did what they were told to do. They served the system, many with the belief that they were somehow protecting their homeland.

Everyone knows, the US military seduces most of its noncommissioned “grunts” from the poorest segments of our population. It provides them a job, a gun sometimes, and sometimes a sense of purpose. Of course, a number of them become “cannon-fodder.”

The ones who come home from service as veterans are treated all-but shabbily by the government that sent them to war.

Comedian/pundit Jon Stewart called it right when he said the US has “a great bipartisan tradition of honoring those who have fought for our freedom by fucking them over once they give their guns back.”

Football as War

Yesterday, as usual, I watched several NFL football games. I confess to being semi-addicted to this gladi-

the NFL’s “Salute to Service” day.

Everything became militarized.

The league’s website described the various items it had provided for the 14 games: • Camouflage ribbon footballs used during every play.

• Camouflage goal post wraps, and pylons with camouflage ribbon decals • Wall banners and the words “NFL Salute to Service” written in the back of the end zone • Camouflage equipment for players including quarterback towels, captain’s patches, camouflage Gatorade towels • Camouflage sideline hats for coaches and sideline personnel, and camouflage ribbon pins for coaches and team executives.

Of course, most of the nauseating haberdashery is for sale to us consumers, always hungry to feel that we are “supporting our troops,” as we lounge like potatoes on our plush couches in our wide-screen dens. The “Salute to Service” had nothing to do with “remembering” the horrors that preceded the Armistice in 1918. In fact, it had little to do with truly honoring veterans and servicemen. Instead they were used in a big publicity scam.

[Caption: Note the signage salutes the “military, not the veterans]

Patriotism as Propaganda

Blogger Drew Magary at Deadspin labeled the whole thing “an ad campaign.” He went on to say: “The military, in addition to the promotional force of the NFL and its captive audience of military-age men, gets the best, most sanitized version of itself beamed out to the country. You see all the manly rah-rah shit at the stadium, and you see the troops smiling via closed-circuit cameras from far away, and you kind of get the impression that HEY, EVERYTHING IS OK!” (Emphasis the veterans”]. Photo: https://twitter.com/nfl. mine) Everything is not OK, atorial sport. I know that, in some reader. Everything is a lie. ways, football resembles warlike batThe “war on terrorism” is not a tles waged on a striped, hundred-yard war. The United States has commitgrid. I won’t try to make apologies for ted many acts of terrorism, and —with my strange addiction. I will simply its use of drones, for example — conpoint out that “violent” sports, like tinues to commit them. In terms of football and hockey (which I played our real national interests, this “war until I was 63), are waged by teams on terror” is more un-winnable, and which are equally outfitted and pre- more self-defeating than our “war on pared for the game. And there are drugs.” “We have met the enemy,” the carefully supervised rules of engage- cartoon character Pogo stated, “and ment. Often the players meet and he is us.” shake hands after the battle has been [Editor’s note: Jim Luken informs decided.

You may be wondering what Sun- us that, because of a teacher’s deday football has to do with Armistice ferment, he did not face a decision Day? Well, a lot. In all the NFL games, about going to Vietnam, as so many there is a great deal saber-rattling: of his contemporaries did. Luken fighter-jet flyovers and the ostenta- states that he did stare war in the tious National Anthems, with enor- face in Nicaragua (‘86, ‘87, ‘88,) mous flags stretched across the fields Haiti (‘98, ‘99), Croatia (2002), and by uniformed soldiers. Yesterday, Bosnia (‘03) as freelance journalist Veterans day, the NFL did its uber- with the international Franciscan patriotic best to make military service Order. He insists that war is indeed seem almost maudlin to cheapen the “hell.”]

-----------------------price of serving our country. It was

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8

LOCAL Enhancing Services for Women in OTR

Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014 | N o . 291

St. Francis Seraph Ministries’ Sarah Center Engages Jewelry Design Expert

M

JUSTIN JEFFRE

Streetvibes Editor

elody Zamudio, a local jewelry designer, is working with the Sarah Center to enhance the existing workshops. Ms. Zamudio, artist-in-residence, will teach three jewelry making and design classes for

beginner, intermediate and advanced students. In addition, she will also research, design and develop a jewelry design curriculum that will eventually be submitted by the Sarah Center for accreditation to an appropriate education board. This will allow stu-

The people who avail themselves of her expertise will be able to augment their income by selling pieces they make in Ms. Zamudio’s classes.

dents who are taking classes to earn academic credit.

“We are delighted to have someone of Ms. Zamudio’s caliber involved in The Sarah Center,” states Anne M. Maxfield, interim executive director.

“The people who avail themselves of her expertise will be able to augment their income by selling pieces they make in Ms. Zamudio’s classes. This is what the Sarah Center is all about – empowerment by offering

Ending Violence Against Women is a Global Responsibility LAKSHMI PURI

A

www.street-papers.org / IPS

ddressing violence against women, in all of its forms, is a global imperative and should be one of the international community’s top priorities, including in forthcoming intergovernmental processes, such as the post2015 development agenda.

There are numerous international frameworks and instruments, already in existence, that define the obligation of member states to prevent and respond to violence against women.

These include the 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women; outcomes of global conferences, in particular, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Cairo Programme of Action; and many resolutions, agreed conclusions and statements of intergovernmental bodies, especially the General Assembly, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Human Rights and subsequently Hu-

man Rights Council, and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Committee’s General Recommendation 19 are also key components of this global normative framework.

More recently, in 2013, at its 57th session, the Commission on the Status of Women adopted the milestone agreed conclusions on the “elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls,” which apart from representing normative progress and commitment, constitute a global plan of action.

The creation of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), with its normative support, operational and coordination functions, further demonstrates the commitment to the rights of women and

Melody Zamudio. Photo: Anne Maxfield. a safe place to experience healthy relationships, develop life skills and, of course, earn some money.”

Ms. Zamudio will work directly with Program Director, Lois Shegog and the many men and women who are part of the Sarah Center. Ms. Zamudio is highly credentialed, having a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from Miami University and post-graduate diploma from West Dean College in Sussex, England. She is well-versed in the nonprofit setting having been connected to Price Hill Will, Dater Montessori, Americore, Easter Seals and more. Ms. Zamudio will be the artistin-residence through March 2015.

Last year 59 women participated in the Sarah Center: • 19 women reported improved health: improved balance and exercise, smoking cessation, weight loss, healthier eating, and better management of chronic health conditions.

• 28 members achieved empowerment goals including completing one or both empowerment classes, achieving successful

results through goal-setting, and selling product.

• 28 improved life skills: parenting, following through on referrals (job training, health care, resolution of legal issues, etc.), improved use of computer, calendaring and keeping commitments.

• 26 took steps toward economic sustainability: found housing (permanent or transitional), became employed, enrolled in specialized or postsecondary training programs.

• 34 members contributed in substantial ways to the success of Sarah Center.

Building upon the historic Roman Catholic and Franciscan presence in Cincinnati, St. Francis Seraph Ministries works to nourish and nurture the body, mind and spirit of Over-theRhine’s most needy, so the neighborhood will realize its full potential as a thriving and livable place where all residents enjoy the benefits of good health, wealth and well-being.

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the achievement to the goal of gender equality at the global level.

However, the translation and full implementation of these global norms into national laws, policies, and measures remain uneven and slow. This is clear from the prevalence of all forms of violence against women seen throughout the world.

The focus of prevention and response to violence Lakshmi Puri, assistant-secretary-general of the against women United Nations and deputy executive director of should therefore be UN Women. Photo: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas on strengthening as civil society organisations as well as the implementation of existing global policy frameworks the public is critical in enhancing the and in ensuring accountability mecha- accountability of member states but also establishing a “bottom-up” apnisms are in place.

We must look critically at existing proach to addressing violence against global policy frameworks and instru- women. ments, and identify gaps that prevent This is what UN Women aims to the existing framework from achiev- do with the 20-year review and aping its expected results and ways to praisal of the Beijing Declaration and enhance accountability.

(Continued on page 9) Engaging key stakeholders such

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No. 291 | Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014

For As Long As It Takes

9

LOCAL

JOSH SPRING

T

Executive Director

he theme of our 30th Anniversary Annual Dinner this year is “For as Long as It Takes”. This theme is inspired by the passionate commitment of buddy gray and all of those who created our Coalition in 1984. This is also the title of the book of poems written by buddy and compiled

by Bonnie Neumeier.

Saturday, November 15th was the 18th anniversary of the day buddy was murdered.

At this time each year, I struggle to know exactly what to write. It is important that we reflect and it is important that those of you who do not know who buddy gray was, find out and are inspired.

At the same time I am confident that buddy would not want any fanfare about himself.

For those of you who do not know, buddy was a radical community organizer as well as leader, companion to many, activist, agitator, strategist, carpenter, shelter manager, housing operator, renovator and whatever other titles were needed to get the task done. buddy spent his adult life fighting for revolutionary justice in Cincinnati and specifically in Over-the-Rhine.

He struggled for the right of housing for all and freedom from poverty for all. He, with others formed the Drop Inn Center, ReSTOC and Over-theRhine Housing Network (now Overthe-Rhine Community Housing), and the Homeless Coalition. This movement also formed Peaslee Neighborhood Center and staffed the Contact Center.

My guess is that buddy would want it to be known that in none of these fights, struggles, accomplishments, did he work alone. Instead, buddy and many other people were importantly involved. This is why we

ENDING VIOLENCE

(Continued from page 8) Platform for Action (Beijing+20).

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action identified Violence against Women as one of its 12 critical areas of concern, and the review and appraisal of the Platform for Action is a key opportunity for the international community to not only acknowledge the progress made in the past 20 years but to also assess the remaining gaps and challenges in its implementation, including violence against women, to feed the lessons learned into the post2015 development agenda processes.

UN Women has developed sev-

chose “For as Long as It Takes” as the theme for our 30th Anniversary.

We know that when buddy and other people gathered to discuss the creation of our Coalition they were planning for this organization to work for as long as it would take to end homelessness and have housing for all. We also know that they were focused on many different people and different organizations working together to accomplish this. That has always been the grounding mode of operation of this movement.

In buddy’s poems he often refers to our movement. This word is a strong one and it is encouraging. It is also difficult. Movement is not just a group of people, it is a group of peoeral good practices in engaging other stakeholders to hold member states accountable on their commitments to gender equality and the empowerment of women, in addition to our norm setting and knowledge building, and programmatic work in 81 countries.

UN Women has established global, regional, and national level Civil Society Advisory Groups, has worked through the U.N. Secretary-General’s “UNiTE campaign,” and the newly established “Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it!,” and the “HeForShe” Beijing + 20 campaigns to engage the global citizenry on ending violence against women.

Moving forward, it will be crucial

Photos: Bonnie Neumeier.

to continue to engage on the post-2015 processes. We are pleased to see that in the proposed Sustainable Development Goals transmitted to the General Assembly by the Open Working Group included, for the first time, ending violence against women as a target under the transformative and comprehensive goal on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

However, we must continue to work to ensure that this transformative goal is supported by strong indicators to enhance the monitoring, accountability and implementation by member states in the final post-2015 development agenda.

In addressing such a complex

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ple moving forward; taking ground. This takes a lot of action. The institutionalization of homelessness has no place in our movement. Accepting to just deal with homelessness as being inevitable has no place in our movement.

In everything we do, we must be positioning ourselves to move forward, step by halfstep, forward. When we lose ground in a defeat, we must still press forward at all levels. We must keep working for policy change, ending of homeless hate crimes, assisting those we work with in finding housing, assisting people in keeping housing, we must work for the creation of new housing and the preservation of existing housing, access to healthcare, proper resources for those in our shelters, opportunity for those in our soup lines.... buddy saw in his mindseye the end to homelessness, as did those he partnered with. As an organization we can see this great day of justice. We don’t know how long it will take to get there or how many struggles there will be in between nor how many gains and losses will be had on the way, but we continue as we always have to press forward for as long as it takes.

I am guessing that buddy would attempt to hush any fanfare about himself and instead start a discussion about what our next strategic move should be.

-----------------------phenomenon, which is embedded in gender inequality and harmful gender stereotypes, more needs to be done, beyond the adoption of additional international instruments and national legal and policy frameworks. It is critical to ensure that accountability mechanisms are in place; that funding for implementation is adequate, predictable and sustainable; and that the means of implementation are strengthened.

A revitalised global partnership and political will can make the difference in ensuring the right of women and girls to live a life free of violence.

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10

WORLD War Is Not the Answer

T

MICHAEL TEE

Contributing Writer

he terrible firestorm currently raging out of control in the Middle East was not ignited by the ‘Islamic State’ or any one group or state. The U.S. military cannot extinguish it; only make it worse.

According to Uri Avery, an Israeli writer and peace activist, “For six decades my friends and I have warned our people: if we don’t make peace with the nationalist Arab forces we shall be faced with Islamic Arab forces. The Israeli-Palestine conflict will turn into a Jewish-Muslim conflict. There can be no compromise between ‘true believers’ , who believe they are fighting for God . . .”God wills it!” shouted the Crusaders, and butchered Muslims and Jews. “Allah is the Greatest!” shouted fanatical Muslims, and beheaded their enemies.”

All over the world nationalism cloaks itself in the garb of metaphysical dogma, when all else fails. The large void created by secular Arab nationalism’s inability to fulfill its promises has been filled by ‘radical’ Islamic advocates; most recently ISIS. Widespread corruption in the American nation/state has led to the emergence of Christian nationalism. A messianic Jewish fundamentalism is struggling for power in Israel, as that country’s conflict with the Palestinians remains unresolved.

The political root of the interminable conflagration in the Middle East is the Skykes-Picot Agreement, which occurred in the wake of World War I. The old Ottoman Empire was divided up between several European powers, including England and France. Nevertheless, contentious nationalistic, rather than religious, movements developed as a result of the agreement, concocted by foreign instead of indigenous elements.

The great hero of the Arab masses at that time, Gamal Abd-al-Nasser, though formally Muslim, was quite irreligious. Yasser Arafat, the leader of the PLO, was a ‘pious’ Muslim in private, but under his leadership the organization remained a secular body with many Christian ingredients. He spoke about liberating East Jerusalem’s mosques and churches. For some time, the official aim of the PLO was to establish in Palestine “a democratic and non-denominational state.”

Baathism, which established political parties in both Iraq and Syria, to promote pan-Arab-ism, was founded by a professed Christian. As quiet as it’s kept, Zionism was the creation of secular Jews, most of whom were atheist. One of the historic divisions still plaguing Zionism is between those who promote a purely religious vision of the movement and those who promote a homeland. Now, the world witnesses the rise of ISIS; the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL), violently intending to obliterate the current national borders in the Middle East and establish one single state, a Caliphate. Why this? Why now?

Although it was founded by former al-Qaeda leader, Mousab al-Zarqawi, the philosophical origin of ISIS

can be traced back to Wahhabism, which sprouted decades ago in Saudi Arabia and is now the state’s official religion. U.S.-based oil and military interests often obscure this history.

Wahhabism has never - up until now, perhaps - gained a large following in Iraq. The Hussein regime was very hostile to it, just like the presently besieged Assad regime in Syria. Along with its antipathy for Christians and Jews, this brand of Islam characterizes the other orientations, especially Shias, as heretics.

Saudi Arabia’s political legitimacy is based on its role as protector of the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. However, its royal family, like the rest of the hereditary potentates of the region, is debauched and infinitely corrupted by wealth. The Saudis, along with the Qataris, export jihad against Shias and secularists, while hoping to control it at home.” ISIS leader, alBaghdadi, is quoted as saying, “The legality of all emirates, groups, states and organizations becomes null by the expansion of the Caliph’s authority and the arrival of its troops to their areas.”

Recently recorded histories indicate that significant numbers of Jihadis migrated to Iraq after the 1991 U.S. intervention and again after the 2003 invasion. The latter, executed

by Bush (Jr.) under the pretext that the Hussein government possessed “weapons of mass destruction” will be remembered by future generations as one of the biggest foreign policy blunders - or imperialist overreach - in the history of our country. After billions of U.S. taxpayers’ money and over a million casualties, the only real beneficiaries seem to be military contractors, soldiers-for--hire (mercenaries) . . . and Jihadi groups looking for a fight with the ‘Great Satan”.

The most recent U.S. incursion into Iraq precipitated the combined resistance of Sunnis and Shias.

Though short lived, it proved formidable enough to confound U.S. military forces and prolong the war. Old scores and resentments between the groups resurfaced, however, with the major demographic group, the Shias, on top. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda-in-Iraq became a force to be reckoned with, only to be suppressed by the so-called Sunni Awakening (and the U.S. military.) Eventually U.S. supervised elections were held and a Shia-dominated government came to power. Unfortunately, it was to create more problems than it solved.

The al-Maliki regime initiated a horrific ethnic cleansing of Sunnis (motivated in part by years of repression by the Hussein regime.) It is estimated that at least 40% of Sunnis have been driven out of Iraq, imprisoned or killed. The previous U.S. policy, from 1969 to 1991, of turning a blind eye to Hussein’s atrocities, was applied to Al-Maliki’s.

Longtime anti-war activist, elected politician and political analyst, Tom Hayden informs us that, while all of this was going on in Iraq, ISIS was gaining ground in Syria. In

an op-ed for The Nation magazine, (8/13/14), he writes, “ISIS formed a vast rear base that protected the Sunnis of Iraq who fled over the border, led by former detainee, Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi, who would become the self-proclaimed commander and emir of the growing Islamic Caliph.

ISIS, having secured a vast stronghold in southeastern Syria, soon took their offensive into northern Iraq, supplying cash, weapons, and experienced fighters to the antiShiite insurrection that continued in the provinces of Anbar, Nineveh, Dyala and Salaheddin. The Caliphate alBaghdadi is presently implementing has no space for Shiites or infidels or takfiris (‘impure’ Muslims), who must either be converted or exterminated”.

It is clear that most U.S. elected and nonelected political “leaders” are willing, once again, to sacrifice our ecosystem, blood and national treasure on the hot, sinking sands of the Middle East. Fear and campaign finances are powerful motivators.

Nevertheless, supporters and defenders of the ‘global commons’ must continue to patiently and diligently explain to the public why U.S. military excursions and escalations won’t end terrorism in the region or the world.

As ominous a threat that ISIS is, it represents only the tip of the iceberg. Any honest assessment of the deepening quagmire in the Middle East — where three continents meet — would reveal that the bigger parts of the problem lie bubbling beneath the surface.

According to Jack A. Goldstone, Hazel Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University, “ISIS is not just a terrorist or jihadist group, it is a revolutionary movement seeking to overthrow governments to create a new regime that it views as more socially just than the secular dictators it is fighting. It is interwoven with several other conflicts that it did not produce but have given it the opportunity to thrive . . . a struggle that goes back over one thousand years but has recently been inflamed by struggles among Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf Emirates for domination in the region. ISIS feeds off of all of these conflicts and offers its followers a way to be powerful and secure amidst chaos.”

Perhaps, this is the reason why most of the Arab states in the new “coalition-of-the-willing” are reluctant to place “boots on the ground.”

This would intensify the social contradictions in their countries and accelerate their own demise. Nonetheless, why did the Iraqi military capitulate so quickly to the ISIS invasion? For more than a decade U.S. taxpayers have spent over $40 million to train them. Before the jihadis appeared on the scene their numbers had reached over 300 thousand. On the other hand, ISIS represents a force of no more than 35,000, including foreign fighters.

Alexander Cockburn, veteran reporter and author of the new book, The Jihadis Return, tells us that, “At the time of the fall of Mosul there were meant to be 30 thousand Iraqi troops there. In fact, it’s estimated that only one in three was there. . . I remember about a year ago, talking to a senior Iraqi politician who said, “The army’s going to collapse if attacked. These of-

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Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014 | N o . 291

ficers are not soldiers, they’re investors. They have no interest in fighting anybody, they have an interest in making money.” So that’s why they ran away, led by their commanding officers. And also, the whole Sunni community, about 20 percent of Iraqis, maybe 6 million in the Sunni provinces . . . were persecuted; they couldn’t get jobs. Sometimes there aren’t many young men because they’re all in jail, some are on death row going to be executed for crimes which somebody has already been executed for . . . So, not surprisingly, to this day, it’s one of the reasons that ISIS still has support. For all of its bloodthirstiness, for a lot of the Sunni community it’s better than the Iraqi army and the Shia militias coming back.”

In September President Barack Obama warned that the ISIS expansion “might spill over into some of our allied countries, like Jordan.” This is very possible. First of all, ISIS’ founder, al-Zarqawi, was a Jordanian, who, as a member of al-Qaeda coordinated three hotel bombings in Amman, Jordan’s capital city. After he was killed in a joint U.S.-Jordanian operation, Zarqawi’s al-Qaeda-in-Iraq morphed into ISIS. Meanwhile, U.S. Navy Tomahawks, Cruise Missiles, F-18 FighterBombers and Air Force B-1 Bombers continue to attack ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq. According to Daniel Benjamin (Time Magazine 10/6/14), these strikes “have destroyed ISIS training camps, command centers, a financial hub and armed vehicles.” In spite of this, “the fate of ISIS and Khorasan (another al-Qaeda ‘spin-off’) leaders remains unclear.”

All of this aerial bombing, begun on August 6, has not dislodged any of the Jihadis from Syria or recaptured land taken in Iraq. Complicating the situation is ISIS’ use of civilian “shields,” increasing the likelihood of civilian casualties. Furthermore, no country, in or outside of the area, seems willing to fight the insurgents with ground troops.

According to longtime anti-war & political activist, Tom Hayden, “The McCain Republicans and the Clinton Democrats are pushing Obama towards military solutions which he repeatedly says are not the answer. . .

The removal of al-Maliki is a heavy lift but only the beginning. Even if Congress checks the U.S. military escalation, that will not address the underlying disenfranchisement of the Sunnis of Iraq and Syria. There, Obama’s choices will be to escalate his ‘limited’ counteroffensive, using U.S. weapons, advisors, and Special Forces, or send a definite signal that the U.S. is not interested in intervening in sectarian wars that we can neither win nor afford.”

Warfare anywhere is a planetary issue. The idea, being promulgated by former U.S.-based ‘cold warriors,’ that these military operations in the Middle East are part of a ‘long war’, which is going to last at least 80 years and span 20 presidential terms(!), must be rejected by the Global Commons and Social Justice Movement and all anti-war activists. More importantly, we need to meticulously explain why another war - short or long - must be opposed by all peace-loving humans.

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WORLD

No. 291 | Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014

Eu Moves Step Closer to Law on National Gmo Crop Bans

E

BARBARA LEWIS

www.street-papers.or / Reuters

U politicians on Tuesday backed a plan to allow nations to ban genetically modified crops on their soil even if they are given approval to be grown in the European Union, raising the chance their use will remain limited on the continent.

Widely grown in the Americas and Asia, GM crops in Europe have divided opinion, with opposition in many countries including France and Germany, while Britain favors them.

A previous compromise endorsed this year by EU ministers would have required negotiation with the relevant companies if a nation wanted to ban a GM crop in the event it had been approved for EU-wide use.

The plan voted through parliament on Tuesday would leave out that stage and allows member states to ban GM crops on environmental grounds.

It drew praise from GM opponents.

“Today’s vote would give European countries a legally solid right

ACADEMIC INCUBATOR

about how to develop new programs that could have an impact on the community.

Nordyke knew one kitchen that could handle Evegreen’s needs - the one at the former Harmony Community School, now owned by New Prospect Baptist Church. This is the homecoming that led to the establishment of a campus for U of P. “New Prospect’s Director of Business Development toured us through the kitchen,” said Nordyke, “which we knew coming in was a great fit for our operation, but at the end of tour he said almost jokingly, ‘We have some classrooms available upstairs if you want to start a school!’ We told him that there was an outside chance that our organization could use those classrooms, and we would be in touch shortly if we had a definitive plan.”

That plan came into focus when Nordyke learned about the University of the People - an accredited, online university whose partners include Microsoft, HP, and the United Nations.

Money, Money, Money Students at U of P can earn either an Associate’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or Business Administration. A one-time application processing fee costs $50 or less, and it costs $100 to process endof-course exams for every class completed. An Associate’s Degree - typically 20 classes - would therefore cost

(Continued from page 2)

its farm-to-table program for raising awareness about the science of food production.

“Our organization’s name was inspired by a statement my Dad made after planting an evergreen in front of our home,” explained Nordyke. “My Dad said he was always amazed at the resiliency of evergreen trees. They are able to maintain their vitality no matter how brutal the temperatures become. This is like a person that chooses to become a lifelong learner, evolving to be successful in an everchanging world.”

The Zucchini Bread Business

Evergreen got creative when it comes to fundraising. “We decided to start baking and selling a Vegan Zucchini Bread product at local farmer’s markets back in 2012,” explained Nordyke. “The popularity of our Vegan Zucchini Bread has exploded since that point, and is now sold at major grocery retailers like Kroger, Whole Foods, Remke Market, and Dorothy Lane Market. Proceeds from the Zucchini Bread sales then flow back into our non-profit Learning Center.”

As the popularity of the zucchini bread grew, two things happened: first, Evergreen needed to find a bigger kitchen for preparing product; second, Evergreen started thinking

11

to ban GM cultivation in their territory, making it difficult for the biotech industry to challenge such bans in court,” Marco Contiero, Greenpeace EU agriculture policy director, said.

Left-leaning politicians also welcomed Tuesday’s vote, which kicks off formal negotiations on a legal text, saying it strengthened the grounds for opting out of any GM cultivation.

Conservatives were opposed.

“The parliament’s position on GM cultivation risks inflicting untold damage to robust, science-based policymaking in Europe. We strongly oppose these proposals and voted against them today. We will continue to oppose them,” Julie Girling, environment spokeswoman for the Conservatives in the European Parliajust over $2,000.

Compare those numbers to tuition at Cincinnati State. For the Fall 2014 semester, Cincinnati State charges $148.64 per semester hour for Ohio students. The cost for 60 hours - the minimum for some Associate’s Degrees (others require more hours) would come to $8,918.40. This number doesn’t include additional fees, such as parking passes, lab fees, and more.

Nordyke’s vision for an “Academic Incubator” pairs U of P’s cost-effectiveness with access to technology as well as face-to-face tutoring and other support. An Associate’s Degree, under Nordyke’s vision, would cost students $5,136. That’s nearly $4,000 less than Cincinnati State - which is already significantly less than attending something like the main campus with the University of Cincinnati.

What is an “Academic Incubator”?

“The New Prospect/Evergreen Learning Hub will provide students with a high-tech workspace, executive function coaching, job training, and possibly transportation assistance,” explained Nordyke. “Attending college exclusively online can make it difficult to stay motivated, have meaningful peer-to-peer social interaction, and receive in-depth academic assistance, if needed. Our Learning Hub looks to provide students with the freedom of online learning, coupled

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

ment, said.

The executive European Commission said in a statement it was confident the law could be in place in 2015, once it had received final endorsement from the European Parliament and member states.

GM cultivation has provoked opposition in Europe for years. An earlier attempt to agree a compromise on GM cultivation failed in 2012, when EU ministers were unable to agree.

So far, EU authorities have approved only two GM crops for commercial cultivation, and one was later blocked by a court.

That leaves Monsanto’s GM maize MON810 as the only GM crop grown in Europe, where it has been cultivated in Spain and Portugal for a decade.

-----------------------with beneficial enrichment services that can be accessed at New Prospect’s facility.” Naturally, students do not need to utilize the New Prospect campus in order to enroll with University of the People - but those desiring such supports can obtain college degrees at a significant savings compared with other local options.

What started as an idea has been formalized with U of P. “We presented this concept to University of The People, and have built a formal relationship with the innovative online school,” said Nordyke.

“Our Learning Hub is building relationships with local employers to help qualified students secure paid part-time internships that will more than cover the cost of both The University of The People and the Academic Incubator,” continued Nordyke. “Can you imagine only needing to work part-time and that income is more than enough to obtain an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree? This program will allow you to stay free of student loan debt, gain valuable work experience, and earn a degree where many of your professors instruct at the most prestigious, higher education institutions in this nation!”

Nordyke hopes to find 100 students to join the Academic Incubator in its first year, currently schedule to open for Fall, 2015.

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STREET VOICE

Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014 | N o . 291

Celebrating 30 Years

I

The Homeless Coalition is celebrating 30 years of service so we asked some of our hard working Streetvibes distributors to reflect on their work with the Coalition.

t was able to help me to be part of the community, to advocate justice, to be part of the revolution of equality and to share things with others about things happening in our community and abroad. It has helped me to be part of the movement of justice and fairness, and to walk in the path of love like buddy gray and the people who care about our city and love of others in peace.

- Kim Green

I

started selling Streetvibes in 2009. And by doing so I was able to survive through my homelessness.

Streetvibes has gotten me through hard times and that’s why I sell them today. Selling Streetvibes lets people know what being homeless is about.

- William Burdine

M

y relationship with the Coalition is relatively new. I don’t know if I help them.

What I am sure about is that the Homeless Coalition has helped me. It has become

a family and a base. By giving me the ability to sell Streetvibes the Homeless Coalition has enabled me to stop acts of desperation like prostitution. It has also become a way – through Streetvibes – to share myself with others. Sometimes I feel so pressed in, that I can’t breathe. I can go into the Homeless Coalition and get myself together. I can breathe inside its walls when life outside suffocates me. I am so grateful for the Homeless Coalition. So grateful for its staff who have befriended me and encouraged me.

- Melissa Mosby

I

have been doing this (selling Streetvibes) for 11 years. Using the resources that have been given to me.

Receiving mail, getting to sell Streetvibes, sometimes a joke here or there, wearing clown faces to help someone else smile and to help brighten their day. I start off with a prayer asking God to guide my way. Meeting lots of people who dare to care. This

For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com

is all that I have to say for now. I hope God will be seen.

- Cleo Wombles

T

he Homeless Coalition is helping me with meeting people and getting me back on my feet with the donations from the people of Cincinnati. The Coalition is helping people learn about what is going on in the city and that is a good thing.

- John Hershey

I

f it wasn’t for the Coalition I wouldn’t be able to make myself an important part of the community to those who buy Streetvibes. If it wasn’t for the Coalition people wouldn’t be able to be getting resources while they’re homeless.

Personally, if it wasn’t for the Coalition I wouldn’t be able to sell Streetvibes - which is one of the reasons I was in the Drop Inn Center for a year and a half. May there be 30 more years of the Coalition.

- Ronnie Phillips ------------------------

AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

13

STREET VOICE

No. 291 | Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014

WAR ON ISIS

MY FATHER’S HOUSE In my father’s house there are many mansions Many mansions, with many rooms to rest and pray in In good times, in bad times, day, night, sleep or wake times All the time I spend in my father’s house cause his house is mine When I was homeless, a drunkard, a drug addict and all alone I found much comfort and peace just praising in song When I was hungry, hair nappy, dirty and smelling really bad I held onto my sanity, when my belief in prayer was all I had As in any house with rules, my father has commandments of ten Even though I would make mistakes, I’d always repent of my sins And ask for forgiveness with the understanding to make a change A change for the best so there would be no more fear or pain Taking what each day brings in prayer and always believe Having faith to know that my father’s will is best for me While searching for God’s love, wisdom and understanding I come into the realization of just what my heart was demanding I began to go to church to learn more about my father’s house I found peace and my soul was saved I could finally announce I learn that there is a place in my father’s house for everyone The young, the old, the lost and the sick at heart and mind I learned the mistakes I’d made were all of one kind I understand today that we must learn from the mistakes we’ve made And know only by the grace of God can our souls be saved So won’t you come visit in the house of my father Learn the bible and know that with my father there is no other Take your time and search your soul to truly find yourself And understand that in our father’s house is where we’ll be forever safe with plenty of help

WILLA DENISE JONES

Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer

YOUR SEWER BILL

(Continued from page 3) not charged for 1415 cubic feet of sewer use, neither was I charged just for the 483 cubic feet usage to which Phantom 1 is pointing on the bill. Actually I was charged for 900 cubic feet. That is not stated on the bill, but is explained (well, almost buried) in MSD’s website.

Before going there, look at the “connection size,” to which Phantom 4 is pointing. Mine is 5/8 inch. That is typical for single-family houses like mine. The following chart is taken from MSD’s website, www.msdgc.org.

I found it by searching for “rates” and then clicking on “Sewer Rate and Bill Pay Practices.”

Phantom 5 is pointing to the “Minimum Base Charge” for someone with a 5/8 inch meter size, or what the bill calls a “connection size.” At the bottom it says that this charge includes the first 900 cubic feet of water (sewer) for those who receive a quarterly bill, which is most of us. If your connection size is larger than 5/8 of an inch, you will be charged more.

I do not think that this is the proper way to calculate the charges. Yes, there may be a reason for a base charge, but then why not have a much lower base charge and charge for each hundred cubic foot of usage? That would be similar to how Duke Energy charges for gas and electric. And please note that if there are three or more people in your household, you may be using more than the minimum already. The problem is that it is very difficult to find out where you are with respect to the base usage

charge.

A more specific concern is that the way the bill is calculated is well hidden.

Also, charging someone more than that what they actually use hurts those who are in limited income.

Third, there is little incentive to conserve if you are going to be charged for most of it anyways (you will save on the water charges, just not on the much larger sewer charges).

Fourth, why should the minimum charges go up so sharply with the connection size? I cannot think of why someone with a ¾ inch connection size should have such a steep increase compared to someone with a 5/8 connection.

Shouldn’t the charge be based on the sewer usage, after all?

Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune, at the October 27 meeting on sewer rates called by Communities United for Action agreed that the minimum usage charges

War on Isis The United States hits targets in Syria America is bringing their troops Can it be won Combat ready to advise and assist War is a top priority on the list All the fighting don’t make much sense Casualties will come Heartbreak for the citizens War caused by evilness and stupidity

KIM GREEN

Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer

A VERY BRIEF ELECTION REVIEW The results of this election Cause Republicans to gloat, Even though the turnout Reveals a record low vote.

But record high spending Thanks to Citizens United, Left our democracy reeling, And Fat Cats quite delighted.

BILL WOODS

Contributing Writer

need to be reduced. See the recent Streetvibes article “Growing Concern about Rising Sewer Rates” in the Nov. 7 – 20 issue. If you want to give the county commissioners your opinion on this, you may find contact information at the county’s website, www.hamilton-

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

co.org. There is a box on the right for the commissioners. As sewer rates continue to go up and will become an increasing burden to those on limited income, the subject of sewer rates will continue to be covered in Streetvibes.

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

14

PUZZLES

Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014 | N o . 291

CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 56 Across 1. Exchange 5. Principle ingredient of a mixture 9. Ray of light 13. Root vegetable 14. Caper 16. Motor vehicle 17. Divisible by two 18. Prepared 19. Harvest 20. Juicy fruit 22. Small bird 23. Residence 24. Pelvis 26. Move upward 28. Trophy 33. Abdominal pain 36. Evergreen tree 37. Test 39. Wanderer 41. Affirm 43. Mistake 45. Speed competition 46. Force back 48. Arm joint 50. Fuel 51. Male singing voice 53. Class annual 55. Pitcher 57. Nothing 58. Render a melody 61. Field game 64. Very drunk 68. Notion 69. Overhead 71. Merriment 72. Happy 73. Warble 74. Provide a cure for 75. In this place 76. Limited period of time 77. Lofty

Down 1. Pace 2. Breaker 3. Region 4. Blanket-like cloak 5. Saloon 6. Afresh 7. Celestial body 8. Type of duck 9. Unmarried man 10. European currency 11. Particle 12. Be apathetic 15. Detractor 21. Part of a sword 25. Whittle 27. Male offspring 28. A great distance 29. Catlike mammal 30. Small thin pancake 31. Dreadful 32. Before time 34. Adult insect after metamorphosis 35. Chocolate tree 38. Part of the ear 40. Writing table 42. Rebel 44. Type of horse coat 47. Noise, characteristic of bovines 49. Legal document 52. Refund 54. Plant disease 56. Automaton 58. Exhale audibly 59. Not in use 60. Close 62. Valuable ore deposit 63. Ended 65. Supplication 66. Marine mammal 67. Shout 70. Desiduous tree

SODOKU PUZZLE NO 20 - MEDIUM

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 290 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 55

SODOKU PUZZLE NO 19 - MEDIUM

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com

RESOURCES

No. 291 | Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014

Shelter: Women and Children

Our Daily Bread

621-6364

St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside

535-2719 591-2246

FreeStore/FoodBank

241-1064

Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center

271-5501

872-9259

St. Vincent de Paul

562-8841

241-5525

Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men

Central Access Point Bethany House

381-SAFE 557-2873

Grace Place Catholic Worker House

681-2365

Mercy Franciscan at St. John

981-5800

Salvation Army

762-5660

YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter

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

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

Mt. Airy Shelter

661-4620

Shelter: Both

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

Caracole (HIV/AIDS)

1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237

Drop Inn Center

217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

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 Cincinnati Union Bethel

300 Lytle Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Food/Clothing

961-4555 381-1954 421-5211 768-6907

First Lutheran Church 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry Mercy Franciscan at St. John

421-0065

OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry

961-1983

1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

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

1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

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

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

Charlie’s 3/4 House

2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

621-5300 981-5800

784-1853

Prospect House 921-1613

682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205

Starting Over

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

Housing:

15

2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206

961-2256

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

1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach

Other Resources

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

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

1223 Main St. 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

Hamilton/Middletown

Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center

421-3131 569-1840 381-4242

Northern Kentucky

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

Advocacy

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

Crossroad Health Center

381-2247

3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229

2825 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED

351-3500 977-4489

Center Independent Living Options Emmanuel Community Center 1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women First Step Home

5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

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

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

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

16

Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2014 | N o . 291

S

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 BURDINE SINCE 8/2009

WILLIAM SIMMS SINCE 4/2014

THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED