magazine volume
r e e h t h ot
5 Issue 2
The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, held at the beginning of December, aspires to result in an ambitious global agreement including every country in the world. 1 in 8 Americans are now relying on the government’s Food Stamp Program. Growth is greatest in more affluent areas, including places with new housing developments affected by foreclosures.
Ecuador is breaking drug patents left, right, and center, bypassing patents on 2,000 drugs in order to produce them locally or buy cheaper versions elsewhere. Controversially, the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies accept the decision.
Brazil is leading the way in eradicating hunger. A 73% decrease in hunger has been attributed to food banks, community kitchens, land reform, and support for small farmers.
2
Dec. 2009
On November 29, the Swiss imposed a national ban on the construction of minarets, the prayer towers of mosques, reflecting the growing anxiety about Islam found in many countries in Western Europe.
Iraqi refugees living in Syria have begun receiving vouchers for food aid by text message. Surprisingly, the World Food Program finds that all 130,000 Iraqi refugees in Syria have cell phones.
With 72% of India’s population living in its 638,588 villages, health accessibility in rural areas is a logistical nightmare, not helped by India’s low spend on health — only 1 per cent of GDP.
Mosquitoes are becoming resistant to artemisinin, the only remaining effective drug in the world’s arsenal against malaria’s most deadly strain. On the Thai-Cambodia border this is happening due to a rouge strain of malaria.
Although Sudan’s national elections are scheduled for this April, the ruling National Congress Party continues to forbid the most basic forms of political activity, including the rights of opposition candidates to campaign. The Congolese Army continues to funnel weapons to rebel groups that are smuggling millions in gold and other minerals out of Congo, sustaining one of Africa’s bloodiest wars.
Australia’s plans to fight global
warming face a new hurdle with parliament delaying a vote to on the government’s carbon-trade scheme.
vol. 5 issue 2
Editor’s Note
While I was abroad in Germany last fall, I started to think, for the first time, about how definitively the Nazis changed the world. The scars that they left across families, countries, and cultures are undeniable. Yet I feel that it is even more significant that humanity has lost all pretense of innocence. The fact, now proven, that our species is capable of these atrocities changes everything. It is now fact that we are capable of perceiving other people who are different than us to be so devoid of dignity that they lose the essential spark of what makes them human. In this issue of Passion Magazine, we talk about “The Dignity of the Other.” It is easy to agree that every human has inherent dignity, but when we are faced with those who are different than us, it can be difficult to affirm that dignity in our thoughts and our actions. “The Other” can be any number of people: a senior citizen, who puts us face-to-face with our mortality. A homeless person, who reminds us of our vulnerability. A person of a different race, who aggravates our fear of the unknown. Their differences unsettle us, and history shows the effects of this unease. Sometimes, combating history’s cycle of conflicts takes a conscious decision to expose yourself to the truth about The Other. In this issue, Tiffany Altig talks about the plight of senior citizens in our country, and Jasmin Abdulla reminds us that the “melting-pot” of America does not prevent Muslim-Americans from continuing to experience racism. Keyon Mitchell reflects on his experience attempting to feel solidarity with the homeless, while José Martinez urges us to understand that we cannot have constructive political and religious dialogue until we are open-minded enough to listen to people who are different than us. David Azevedo talks about the struggles we face when trying to respect the dignity of people we have been accustomed to vilifying: German WWII veterans. Reflection, education, and affirmation are important steps, but dignifying every human being also involves taking concrete action, and incorporating those values into policymaking and law enforcement. Sean McEvoy takes us behind the scenes on Skid Row, where different groups with good intentions battle to make change. Ané Habesh talks about the moral priorities involved in the health care debate, and Rhiannon Koehler uses the Democratic Republic of Congo to explain how corporations profit from war in developing nations. Recognizing the dignity in others may mean changing your priorities and your policies. So often, helping those who cannot help themselves is the best way to close the gap between our “Others” and us. Although this reality can get lost in the hectic shuffle of our existence, we interact daily with those who may make us feel uncom-
Naivasha Dean Executive Editor of Content
fortable, defensive, or insecure because of what is different about them. It is essential to concentrate on what is the same about us: our needs and fears, our hopes and goals, and our common quest for freedom and recognition. The consequences of not doing so have left their mark on history and on our consciousness. Alex van Doren reminds us in her article that since the Holocaust, millions of people in Rwanda, Darfur, Cambodia, Bosnia, and many other countries have fallen victim to genocide. As a race of people, we must strive every day to embrace each other’s differences in an effort to reclaim what we have in common, to give a voice to the voiceless, and to dignify the small struggles of our everyday lives. We may not always succeed, but these efforts give our species the spark that makes us and keeps us human. We hope that the articles in this issue of Passion inspire you to expand your web of kindness and tolerance, and to open your mind to what The Other may have to offer.
What’s Inside 4
EDITOR’S NOTE by Naivasha Dean
16 Aging and the Dignity of the Old by Tiffany Altig
5
The Spotlight: Dr. Jodi Finkle byNaivasha Dean
18 The Battle for Skid Row by Sean McEvoy
6 The Open Mind: An Endangered Species by Jose Martinez 8 Healthcare In America by Ané Habesh 10 Truth and Bias: Islam in America by Jasmin Abdulla 12 The Problem of Poppies by David Azevedo 14 Robbing the Poor: War Profiteering in the Congo by Rhiannon Koehler
20 Concern without Action is Useless by Keyon Mitchell 22 Our New Promise: by Alex Van Doren 23
Dr. Jodi Finkle
Political Science
by Naivasha Dean
Did you know that 27 million people are
enslaved in the world today? And that this number is higher than any other time in human history? A conversation with Dr. Jodi Finkel, a professor in the Political Science Department, will reveal this and other surprising information. Dr. Finkel gained recognition for her passion inside the classroom and beyond by receiving last year’s Fritz Burns Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest honor given to faculty at LMU. “I was completely shocked,” she says. “It was such an immense honor to end up being special among so many incredibly talented teachers.” Her classes, which cover democracy, poverty relief, economic develoment and human rights, have the aim of galvanizing students to take action. “I enjoy teaching things that touch on the developing world,” she says. “Most of them are quite familiar with American politics, but the world is their oyster, and they are just starting to consider the possibilities. Once you present them with these new options, all of a sudden doors open for them.” Doors were opened for Ana Moraga and Tania Torres, the founders of MuJER, an organization that empowers women in Guatemala City’s red light district. In 2005, Dr. Finkel pointed them in the direction of the district after hearing a broadcast on National Public Radio about a Susie Sika, a Guatemalan prostitute with six children who wanted to learn how to read. “I tracked Ana down at the Center for Service and Action and told her ‘If I give you $300, will you go to Guatemala, find Susie Sika,
and teach her how to read?’” Ana’s roommate Tania decided to accompany her, and MuJER was started. Although she maintains that Ana and Tania were the ones to put in “all the blood, sweat, and tears” that built up the organization, Dr. Finkel takes pride in her involvement with MuJER and remains on the board of directors. Dr. Finkel continues to organize LMU students and help them to find outlets for their passions. She is the Faculty Advisor for the new group Free The Slaves/ Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) at LMU, the aim of which is spreading awareness about modern slavery around LMU and Los Angeles. One of Dr. Finkel’s first ideas for the new group is to challenge other Jesuit universities in a competition to see who could raise $20,000, the amount of money that the organization Free The Slaves estimates it would take to free a village from modern slavery. “That’s what it would take to go in and get people out of slavery, set up microcredit, schools, and rehabilitation programs,” Dr. Finkel says. “Of course, I hope we would win.” She is also addressing the issue of modern slavery in the classroom with her class Modern Slavery and Trafficking, which will premiere in Spring 2010. In a university full of impressive and innovative faculty, Dr. Finkel still manages to stand out by encouraging her students to take the path from education to action. She knows that sometimes all it takes is an open door, and gentle push, and a true story. For more information, check out www.mujerguatemala.com www.freetheslaves.net
e Th
p O
political and religious dialogue are dead.
d in
M n e
Actually, I don’t really think that, but I’ve always wanted to start an article really dramatically. And, while I don’t think these kinds of dialogue are totally dead, I do think we’re at a point where we need to seriously reconsider what we’ve come to accept as political and religious conversation. Think about some of the prominent political talking heads: Glenn Beck. Keith Olbermann. Bill O’Reilly. Think about those Anglican priests who, fed up with the progressive trends in their own tradition, dealt with it by simply leaving the Anglican Church altogether. None of the above screams – or even whispers – an openness to differences, or a willingness to sit down and talk things through. (Case in point: A screaming Glenn Beck tells a caller on one of his July 2009 radio shows to “Get off my phone, you little pinhead!” rather than hear why she thought the U.S. could look to the Netherlands for a model for healthcare reform. He probably cried after.) It’s gotten bad enough to where those who think differently than us are not only “misguided” – they’re bad people. Look at American politics. For some in the conservative wing, the fact that President Barack Obama is accepting of abortion is enough to discount and invalidate his views on anything else, like healthcare reform. It’s also enough to justify labeling Obama as a bloodthirsty murderer who actually wants abortions to happen.
California has been forced to raise university tuition fees by almost a third to close a widening budget gap. 6
Dec. 2009
d An e r e g n a End cies e p S
tinez
ar José M
This is more sinister than slander, though. It is now not only commonplace, but acceptable, to vilify those who think differently than you. So, for liberals in the political arena, all conservatives become capitalistic pigs who don’t care about the poor; conservatives, in turn, portray all liberals as socialist baby-killers. There’s no room for nuance anymore. The same goes for religion – consider the Catholic Church, though the same divisiveness is absolutely present in other traditions. Many in the “orthodox” wing, claiming to be committed to the integrity of the Catholic tradition, criticize more liberal Catholics, dubbing them “heretics” and ignorant of 2,000 years of tradition. Liberals, of course, return the favor, characterizing their conservative counterparts as stubbornly and ignorantly clinging to a tradition that’s in dire need of reform. All this from a Church whose core message is love – both of God and of neighbor. (There’s no “unless you disagree with him” clause. I checked.) What is this accomplishing, besides a hostile environment where only the Glenn Becks and Keith Olbermanns are hard-headed enough to keep talking? Religion and politics are, in many important ways, meant to bring people together – under a Supreme Being, under a leader – and we’ve succeeded in
transforming them into barriers that are impenetrable to nuance or differences. To shun a person simply because his or her ideas don’t align with yours goes against everything human dignity stands for. It’s also something I did pretty frequently in second grade. As a world that already finds plenty of reasons to reject people – their socioeconomic background, the color of their skin, the language they speak, the belief system they abide by – I would like to submit the radical proposal that the last thing this world needs is another reason for “otherization.” What does it say about human beings when two can agree to call themselves Catholics – and then one vilifies the other for not adhering closely enough to canon law? And what does it say when two people can agree to call themselves Democrats – and then waste all their time and energy debating over a single aspect of the latest healthcare bill? Are we having these pointless arguments at the expense of actual solutions? (Yes. The answer is yes.) Eventually arriving at compromises and solutions for our political and religious conflicts demands one thing: listening. “Dialogue” means that more than one person gets to talk. Open yourself to the way that other people think. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Besides enlightenment, I mean.
Fees will gradually rise in the coming years, with students facing a heavier burden as they progress. vol. 5 issue 2
Healthcare in America A Matter of Priorities, Not Politics There are more arguments against By Ané Habesh
8
reforming the American healthcare system than one can count, most of which portray the current system as one in which the “freedom” and “independence” of the patient is saved from the most evil and abhorrent beast in the world – government.
In absolute numbers, blacks have outnumbered whites in new AIDS diagnoses and deaths since 1996, Oct. 2009
O
ne of the few rational arguments against state-sponsored universal healthcare is that the United States government in its current financial situation simply cannot afford it. Most of the other arguments against state healthcare, often disgorged with little sound-bites of rage from the well-propagandized, are either disingenuous – centered on facts selected, modified, and remolded to support an ideological position – or are just outright fabrications. The financial argument is worthy of consideration by both sides of the healthcare issue. This generation of American leaders is apparently without a bone of fiscal responsibility and is unlikely to suddenly realize this dangerous fault anytime in the near future. $12 trillion in national debt is threatening the solvency of the United States government and it would be recklessly irresponsible to add another permanent federal entitlement program that could increase that debt by even a fraction. Those who support government sponsored universal healthcare present Social Security and Medicare as examples of successful federal programs that are improving the American situation without coming too close to big, bad Socialism and all his dangerous, wine-sipping, borscht-eating, collar-less cronies. However, these folks tend to ignore the fact that both programs are headed toward imminent financial collapse. The realities of economics cannot be ignored indefinitely, as the current recession is painfully demonstrating. It is now apparent that there are limits to how much debt government can incur before doing severe damage to the economy, just as it is now clear that the government cannot completely trust the economy to self-regulate in the way that the likes of Adam Smith so confidently theorized. The Smithian belief in economic self-regulation – that is, the belief in an “Invisible Hand” guiding the market better than policy can – has historically done wonders for the American economy, but where has it been recently? Why has it not reached down to pull the economy out of what is arguably the biggest recession since the Great Depression? The government can only trust the Invisible Hand so much before it turns around and gives Uncle Sam a big slap. Let’s spend billions on killing people in far corners of the world and on reducing their countries to rubble, and then let’s spend billions attempting to rebuild their irreparable livelihoods. Let’s spend billions chasing cocaine farmers in South America and marijuana users in America. Let’s spend billions on generous pay, rockstar perks and lavish retirement benefits for our politicians. Let’s not spend billions on ensuring our health and the health of our fellow citizens.
“Let them live without healthcare coverage” does not go down much better than “let them eat cake” once did.
Only now, after Uncle Sam has thrown one back at the Invisible Hand in the form of over half a trillion dollars in corporate bailouts, are Americans finally becoming concerned with their government’s spending. Those who reject government-sponsored universal healthcare for fear that it may be the straw that breaks the American economy’s back do in fact have a rational concern. Washington cannot continue to spend more money than it has and expect to make up the difference with borrowed cash, but it must nonetheless do something about the dismal state of healthcare in America. Something has got to give. It is clear that the U.S. government must, in response to the needs of its citizenry, prioritize its ambitions and carefully consider the ways it can go about them. It is agreed that the proposed universal healthcare plan will cost about $1.5 trillion over the next ten years – an average of $150 billion per year. The two foreign wars the U.S. military is battling have cost over $903 billion since 2001 – an annual average of nearly $113 billion. Meanwhile, the so-called “War on Drugs” is costing state and federal governments almost $50 billion every year and has done so for decades. Washington spends $163 billion per year on foreign wars and on hopeless efforts to eradicate this drug and not that drug, but it shudders at the thought of spending $150 billion a year on guaranteeing its citizens the ability to step into a hospital when ill. Which of these is a greater priority? America leads the world in medical science and technology, but also in the cost of medical care. Do we not jeopardize social stability when only a small, privileged portion of society can live without the burden of healthcare costs that bankrupts the greater majority? “Let them live without healthcare coverage” does not go down much better than “let them eat cake” once did. What are our priorities? Which is a more important endeavor – the waging of futile and potentially endless wars, the prosecution of victimless personal choices, or the provision of healthcare to a society that cannot afford it? Is state healthcare not as essential to the welfare of American society as are government-provided services such as education, justice, and defense? Government provided healthcare might not be an inalienable right according to America’s founding principles, but is it not the right according to America’s founding principles, but is it not the right thing to do?
and in the number of people living with AIDS since 1998. vol. 5 issue 2
Truth and Bias: Islam in America
By: Jasmin Abdulla
In the United States, I am free to be who I am, to believe what I want, and to practice those beliefs within the law. Yet the struggle to be accepted into society as a Muslim-American woman is both an internal and an external problem. Being a first-generation kid from any strong cultural background will always involve a very difficult transition. The first-generation child is torn between the values of the country in which they are being raised, and the beliefs that their parents brought with them from their home country. There are strong contradictions, some of which might amuse most college students. Most first-generation kids still have to deal with curfews and being home for dinner, as their parents’ culture
In Iran, two-thirds of women have suffered from domestic abuse at least once in their lives. 10
Oct. 2009
salam salam salam
dictates. I can say for myself, and for every single one of my friends that have parents who were born and raised in a culturally tight-knit society, that we live at home while attending college, and won’t leave until we are married or decide to pursue our college degree further. Parents will still inquire about who our friends are, and agree or disagree with whom we choose to hang out with. They demand permission before we go out, and need to know where you are going and when we are coming home. Yet in addition to the personal issues that first-generation children undergo due to the issue of culture versus society’s expectations, there is also the external problem of acceptance. Being Muslim in today’s generation can be compared to a more liberal version of how the Japanese were treated in the United States during WWII. Aside from their infamous relocation to internment camps, JapaneseAmericans faced a wave of prejudice and racism. Muslim Preacher Hani Ayyad states that in present-day America, it is “harder and harder for us to raise our head and say, ‘I am a Muslim.’” In this day and age, in the so-called “melting pot of the world,” how is it possible that Muslim-Americans feel this way? Have we not progressed as a society sincethe days of WWII?
As a Muslim female, I have faced constant ignorance, hatred, and disrespect. I have been told that I don’t need to learn how to drive because I just need to “drive in a straight line and blow up,” and have experienced discussions in a Philosophy 160 class filled with common misconceptions such as “Muslim women are oppressed and abused.” When explaining to others my faith, and my conservative views stemming from my faith, I am faced with people’s assumptions, such as the assumption that I’m a lesbian since I cannot date men outside of a serious relationship that will lead to marriage. I have lost friends because their idea of a good time is drugs and drinking, and that is against my own faith and personal beliefs. Most extraordinarily, I’ve lost best friends due to a strong opinion I have, again, stemming from who I am and how I was raised with my faith. Since September 11th, there has been a growing awareness of what Islam is. We are more than covered women, deserts, camels, and hummus-eating people. The Middle Eastern culture is full of knowledge and an abundance of love and peace. Our faith, Islam, is very peaceful and not violent at all. Our greeting, “salam,” much like the Hebrew “shalom,” means peace. Islam is the second largest religion in the world, and the fastest growing. Instead of listening to biased media sources and your friend’s misinformed comments, pick up a book or go online and read for yourself what the faith is about and of the daily challenges Muslims in the United States and Muslims in the Middle East face. Inform yourself of their daily struggles to survive and live with dignity, when much of the Western world dismiss them because of their distinct culture and differing ideologies.
We are
more than
covered women.
1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. vol. 5 issue 2
The Problem of Poppies
By: David Azevedo
On November 11th, London and
Great Britain celebrate Armistice Day— the day when the fighting stopped after World War I. After World War II and subsequent conflicts, November 11th is now known as “Remembrance Day” to recall the lives of every British soldier killed in the service for their country. In the weeks leading up to the event Londoners wear red poppy carnations, a flower that became the symbol of World War I after it appeared in the famous poem “In Flanders Field” by John McCrae. As I took London’s Tube to work and class that day, I was surrounded by people honoring the courageous dead, and recalled how we in America have similar pride for our countrymen who have fallen in the line of duty.
According to UNICEF, 200 million children under five experience stunted growth due to chronic undernutrition worldwide. 12
Oct. 2009
Dignity seems so
easy to talk about these days, because somehow, our
culture has allowed only the righteous and the heroic to have it.
In the weekend before November 11th, I flew to Berlin to visit a German exchange friend. We visited one of the first concentration camps, called Sachsenhausen, which became a model for every camp to follow, including Auschwitz-Birkenau. I felt like a ghost wandering through the exhibit, in which everything, from the crematorium to the pictures of naked corpses in a pit, were unflinchingly displayed. It was such a powerful testament for a country like Germany to have these things so resolutely out in the open. They know that the more they face their past the less chance it will happen again. My mind found itself juxtaposing London with Berlin. There were no red poppies to celebrate the veterans of the World Wars; no national day of remembrance. Instead Germany remembers their wars every day with places like Sachsenhausen, and with history books telling schoolchildren what their grandfathers were responsible for. Cringing at the question that suddenly came to me, I went ahead and asked my friend what he and other Germans thought of those grandfathers. His response wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t warm either: he had had a grandfather and great-
grandfather in both. What shocked me the most— strangely enough, with it being so expected—he said both never talked to him or anybody else about it. Consider what this means. Two men among how many of these two generations were silent—and not just silent, but shunned and shamed by the world. Imagine them going to London and seeing the poppies. Imagine them going to Washington DC and seeing the World War II memorial. There are no memorials in Germany to the men who served their country. There are no agencies for veterans looking after them; no fifth-grade class projects asking what they did for their country. Germans only need to walk through Sachsenhausen and know all they need to know. This crushed me in a way I never thought possible. Because my friend’s grandfather could have been my grandfather. It could have been Winston Churchill or Dwight Eisenhower, or any of the Londoners wearing red poppies, in a simple twist of fate. It could have been us. Dignity seems so easy to talk about these days, because somehow, our culture has allowed only the righteous and the heroic to have it. Churchill and Eisenhower had dignity; my friend’s ancestors didn’t. American soldiers who fought in World War II had dignity; we seem to hesitate to put Vietnam war veterans in that same category. If you put a homeless man next to John F. Kennedy, which one would you instinctively define as having more dignity? The solution to this culture problem is, contrary to popular belief, not to convince people that dignity is a “natural human right”. This statement is, like heroism, abstract—abstract in the sense one person’s hero is another person’s terrorist; one person’s right is another person’s privilege (or non-right). A current example is health care, in which, underneath the ridiculousness of death panels and pulling the plug on grandma, is whether health care is a privilege or a right. Making something abstract automatically makes it vulnerable to opinion. So how do we make the definition of dignity concrete? By understanding the basic wisdom of this Native American proverb: “Do not judge a man until you walk a mile in his shoes”. Until you consider what you would do if you were in a situation—and not succumb to the temptation of considering what you should do in a situation—you will understand what dignity is: a concept that is less a definition than it is an understanding of perspective. To truly respect the lives of those who came before us—and those who live among us now, not fitting in what our cultures defines as dignified—is to not just wear poppies, but to know that they were just as human as we are. Think of what kind of world we would live in, if this was how we viewed dignity.
If you ate the average Thanksgiving meal, your food traveled an average of 1,500 miles to make it to your table. vol. 5 issue 2
Robbingthe g n i r e e t fi o o r g P n r o a C W e h t n i non n a i Rh
ler h e Ko
poor
The current civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo is responsible for the deaths and displacement of ten million Congolese people. The war did not become a reality overnight; the political structure in the Congo
was heavily impacted by the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In other words, the current escalation in poverty, violence, and crime is rooted in decade-old conflicts. Western liberal democracies publicly support economic equity and stability in developing states. This platform is intended to prohibit corporations from profiting from conflicts overseas. However, when Western countries allow conglomerates to outsource their business to a nation devastated by civil war, they endorse the notion that the corporation’s mother country is supportive of the regime in question (which is usually engaging in humanitarian abuses) and/or the violence itself. In the Congo, one would expect to see the country effectively devoid of foreign economic influence. The damage from hundreds of years of colonization plus the spillover violence from the Rwandan conflict in the 1990s should effectively deter multi-national businesses from engaging in related commerce. This isn’t the case. There are over eleven highly profitable international corporations currently
New data shows that following an eight-year trend, HIV infections have been reduced by 17%. 400,000 fewer people were 14
Oct. 2009
War-ravaged host countries are simply unable to maintain operating in the Congo from a multitude of different Westernized countries. And despite the fact that the civil war has become so desperate that people are evacuating up to 80 kilometers away from the conflict itself, many of these companies are reporting increases in their profit margins. Alstom, for example, a self-proclaimed “world leader in transport and energy infrastructure,” has reported profits of up to 6.5% in the past year. Another highly profitable corporation, the Danzer Group, has been able to maintain their presence as a logging firm in the Congo for years. How are they doing it? Primarily by taking advantage of the politics of any war-torn nation. War-ravaged host countries are simply unable to maintain any sort of oversight. Without oversight it is much easier for corporations to skirt international regulations and engage in unethical business practices. International scrutiny is necessarily reduced whenever human rights violations are pushed to the forefront of the public’s attention. For the Congo, this means that the international community has to prioritize: do they look at the ways that companies are conducting their businesses, or deal with crimes against humanity? And yet some would argue that corporations such as the Danzer Group, which is based in Switzerland, are contributing to those crimes. For according to recent Greenpeace press releases, the Danzer Group is responsible for illegal logging in the Congo, which is stripping the already war-torn nation of vital resources that their community members need to survive. But is profiteering in a war zone the same thing as war profiteering? For corporations like Alstom, the answer is yes. Alstom has taken active measures to remove themselves from some controversial industries (such as coal mining). Yet their products only benefit the traditional
any sort of
oversight. imperial powers that have subjugated the Congolese people for hundreds of years. Alstom’s products are primarily products that go along with mining: railroads and metals, infrastructure support and material modification. The people who need it the most will never see the benefits of Alstom’s presence in the Congo. The profits will go back into the hands of the company’s owners and the legacy of their corporation will be limited to the human capital and material wealth they took out of the country. As long as corporations from Western liberal democracies stand for their companies taking advantage of the civil war in the Congo, the war will continue. It is in the best interests of the corporations in question that it does. What do we as American citizens choose to value: the lives of people in war-torn countries or the profits of a few multinational corporations? It is tempting to think that corporate responsibility is out of our hands. But by educating yourself about the products you support and by letting your elected officials know what you think of the corporations that support them, you can change the way that multinational corporations do business. The choice is in our hands.
infected with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, whilst in Asia infections dropped by almost a quarter. vol. 5 issue 2
Aging and The Dignity of The Old
By Tiffany Altig
S
enior citizens are relatively invisible, especially to college students. We are bombarded daily with newscasts about wars, murders, and wildfires, yet we are not shown anything of the problems that senior citizens face. Just because their troubles aren’t sensational or talked about everyday does not mean that everything is okay. Seniors make up a segment of the population that is always present, one that matters because we will all inevitably join it. One that matters. A census estimates that 12.6% of the population is 65 years or older. As our population continues to grow, baby-boomers are aging and younger generations are having fewer children, which means our population as a whole is aging.
16
Save The Children estimates that climate change could kill up to 400,000 children a year, Oct. 2009
The economy has been continuously scrutinized and analyzed during this recession. We hear the countless cries of people who have lost their jobs, families that are losing their homes, and college graduates that cannot find work. This terrifies us. But even more terrifying are the unheard and unseen problems of America’s senior citizens. They are struggling to get the medication they need to survive, living in conditions that are subpar, and are not being supported by their own society. Seniors on limited budgets due to small social security checks become trapped by circumstance. They need certain medications, and these high costs force them to cut back on other expenses. Some are forced to budget on groceries and are unable to live comfortably. Unable to work and financially restricted, seniors that do not have family to turn to or do not have local resources may be forced to live in below-standard apartments or group homes. There is a shortage of acceptable and affordable places available. The resources are not there. Seniors needs do not exist only in this time of crisis, but are ongoing. They are always with us, but their troubles are often veiled by other contemporary concerns. I am appalled when I read newspapers, seeing responses and letters to the editor that claim that seniors “want something for nothing” or imply that they are a burden to the rest of “productive society.” We may be young now, but we will join the senior citizen community one day. Most recently in this economic crisis, there has been a surge in fraud crimes against seniors such as home mortgage attacks, telemarketing abuses, and even Medicare scams. In addition to financial problems strained by the economy, seniors are being preyed upon through extortion. The ongoing health care debate pits the younger generation against the old. Who is more in need? Who is more deserving? Plans seek to benefit all and improve this gap, yet people rage on about their needs being greater. Even though senior citizens as a whole are not as active in economic production, they should not be ignored when considering stimulus checks and budget cuts. Cuts to Medicare have already forced senior citizens to turn to alternative means. Recently, there have been organized bus trips that take seniors across the border into Canada and Mexico just so that they can afford the medicine they desperately need.
This should not be happening, and is not even feasible for many. While some are unaffected because they are financially stable, those that depend on this money need help. When considering new healthcare plans and worrying about their effects on society, all groups must be considered. The process of aging is not something shameful and nobody should be degraded for it. Seniors have an inherent dignity as members of society. Unfortunately our perspectives are not in line with the wiser, more seasoned ones of the elderly. They are not just another group of people that we can acknowledge and fail to act for. It may be easy to distance ourselves from new stories that occur in remote places, but senior citizens are connected to everyone. We all have family members, neighbors, and possibly mentors who are seniors. More importantly, unlike in distant countries where life spans are shorter, as Americans we are likely to age until we become part of the same elderly population that we ignore.
Even though senior citizens as a whole are not as active in economic production, they should not be ignored when considering stimulus checks and budget cuts.
singling it out as the biggest health threat to children in the 21st century. vol. 5 issue 2
The Battle for Skid Row By Sean McEvoy
The fifty square blocks southeast of Downtown Los Angeles between Third and Seventh Street and Alameda and Main Street are known as Skid Row.
If you put all of Ohio’s homeless people in one place, it would be the seventh largest city in Ohio. 18
Oct. 2009
It is a battle of ideals versus reality This area is populated mostly by the homeless; an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 sleep there nightly. Skid Row has grown and
diversified since its beginnings in the late 19th century, and the problems created by this homeless city have always been cause for debate. Today, this debate involves the Los Angeles’s Police Department’s Central Division and the American Civil Liberties Union, two groups devoted to creating a safer and more just society. So what do they have to fight about? It is a battle of ideals versus reality. The LAPD work directly with the Skid Row community and feel that they know best what policies will and will not be effective. The ACLU stands as an observer, intervening when they believe the police are doing more harm than good. An incident that took place a few years ago highlights the potential for human suffering created by this conflict. In 2006, the ACLU rallied support to provide porto-potties for the Skid Row population after a member saw and smelled the quantity of human waste that was being left on the sidewalks. It sounded like a great idea, a simple way to clean up Skid Row. The LAPD was strongly opposed. Within a few hours, pimideps and gangs took over the installations and began charging for their use. If a customer was interested in soliciting a prostitute or purchasing crack to use in the stall, the restroom fee was waived. The toilets immediately became cramped brothels, drug houses, and pay-to-use restrooms, all in a 4x4x7 box.
The result of this good-intentioned project was wealth for pimps and drug dealers, and a new tool of exploitation for the homeless. The areas surrounding the port-o-potties became more popular restrooms than the stalls themselves, displaying the ineffectiveness of the project for all to see and smell. After months of fighting, the LAPD finally had the restrooms removed. While large trucks loaded the facilities to be hauled away, hundreds of homeless people stood in the street and began to applaud. The LAPD watched in affirmation. On the flip side, the ACLU believes the constitutional rights of the homeless are at risk. Last December they helped pass a law that prevents the LAPD from issuing unnecessary petty violations and illegal searches in an effort to fight the criminalization of this homeless population. The LAPD argues that this law hinders their effective policing of the area, and that the small offenses and searches help them catch drug dealers and criminals who prey on the truly homeless. In an LA Times article Captain Andrew Smith explains that there are the homeless, and then there are those who “chose to stay on skid row because of the cheap and plentiful drugs, alcohol and prostitution.” So why do the homeless flock to Skid Row? Most other L.A. communities spend less than 1% of their operating budgets on homeless services or housing and cannot support more than a fraction of the Skid Row population. So those without shelter travel to the heart of the city in search of basic services. What they find are others like themselves, and those who spend time there to partake in the drugs and party atmosphere. In this struggle to help those unable to help themselves, the ACLU and LAPD both have their roles to play, despite their disagreement on most issues. We can only hope that their system of checks and balances does not further disrupt the progress of cleaning up Skid Row. We need to protect both the rights and the environment of those who live in the shadows of our society.
According to the USDA, 49 million people in the USA went hungry last year, representing a 36% increase in hunger between 2007 and 2008.
vol. 5 issue 2
“Concern without action is useless.” A Journal I kept During Homeless Awareness Week* by Keyon Mitchell Day 1 2:45 am The mural had broken- a metaphor for the system that seems to fail the masses in the same position as I am. I would say “exact position,” but an iPhone, Adidas sweatpants, and prescription glasses are not exactly the accessories the homeless have. I was just studying for an Island Biology test that I have to take in 9 hours. I don’t think homeless people worry too much about memorizing dispersal mechanisms of spiders. But, I digress. The cold isn’t so bad when I cover my head to forget the fact that I am outside and to shield myself from the cold air. I sit here like a child cloaked in his “blanky” to escape dangers in the darkness of his bedroom. However, I am hiding in the darkness of a night all too familiar with bodies lining the streets to find light at the end of a tunnel or freeway underpass. I peek out from my safe zone only to see the lights of St Robs, Sacred Heart, and late-night passers-by. I lay here in solidarity, in an act of concern. I am too sleepy. Goodnight. Day 2 2:37am The desire to study the biology of mammals is fleeting rapidly. At least for a moment, everyone should be quiet when we come out here to sleep and to fully reflect on the idea of homelessness for individuals in our city and our world. The Beta brothers who joined us are chatting behind me while one individual continues to snore increasingly louder. I can hear the city buzz in the distance and can only imagine how it feels to have an entire city whiz by you without a care in the world. Maybe they do care, but are just too afraid to change their daily routine, which includes driving by me every day. Goodnight. *Sponsored by Magis, Beta Theta Pi, and ASLMU
According to the UN, the average American woman today bears 1.93 children, 20
Oct. 2009
Day 3 I was actually looking forward to sleeping here tonight. I am 90% sure it is because I am so exhausted and would frankly be happy to rest anywhere at this point. Today Chris Gardener, the author of the “Pursuit of Happiness” came to our school for “X” amount of dollars to tell us about his life. His message lost me somewhere in the “blinged” out watch and shiny suit. “White and black doesn’t matter, all that matters is green,” he said. I sat shocked as the crowd applauded the statement. Letting racism slide because of money is an ethical issue that needs to be addressed. As a Jesuit institution we address similar issues daily. However, a fundamental difference in Chris Gardener’s story was that he made his decision because he didn’t have a home and had to take care of a child. At that moment when his multimillion dollar client was helping him put food on the table, I understood that all that mattered was survival, but please don’t tell our students that money is most important. We understand that money “makes the world go round,” but tell us about how important it is to have a positive effect on the world by sharing, loving, growing, and being present to each other. Day 4 I was really excited about the day. I was slowly getting sick, but happy to make it through the week. We marched down alumni mall with a megaphone yelling statistics to promote homelessness awareness. However, convocation was extremely busy with clubs and organizations promoting their events. There was a band playing, and we didn’t want to interfere with their set so we stopped. I was conflicted. The struggle is not easy, and I stand by the idea that concern without action is useless. So why can’t we scream and shout regardless of a musical performance? Music, one of the most powerful artistic outlets, had stopped our action. Our concern was there but our action was halted. Later we circulated a petition to allocate more funds for the homeless in LA. Individuals were eager to sign; however, one person was not, saying there are more important issues like California’s bankruptcy. Aware of his point, I attempted to explain that a redistribution of wealth could actually help our state. It could dignify those less fortunate while hindering the monopolistic ideas of our society. The dignity of the other is something I strive for So I slept in solidarity with the unsheltered and poor The cold may have left my immune system sore But I am grateful because it replaced my ignorance with lore. which is below the replacement rate needed to keep the population stable. Immigration is what keeps America growing. vol. 5 issue 2
Our New Promise Alex van Doren
Attention all LMU students: will the entire student body please proceed to the Sunken Gardens for a mandatory announcement. Those of you wearing blue jeans to the left, all others to the right. Blue jeans, please return to your dorms; that is all. Others, form an orderly line; you will all be shot immediately. If I were to make this announcement, I would either be considered a criminal or clinically insane. The idea of massacring innocent students on the basis of the clothes they wear is appalling. There would undoubtedly be a public outcry if this became common practice on the LMU campus. Funny how the situation loses its voice when it is put on a larger scale; widespread massacres are too often ignored or silenced. Is it not equally appalling to kill someone on the basis of the religion they practice, the color of their skin, or the culture they embrace? This is genocide, and it is occurring worldwide. Men, women, and children are being persecuted and slaughtered in Darfur, Burma, Sri Lanka and so many other countries, yet the masses sit idly by.
Men, women, and children are being
We are no strangers to the concept of genocide. The horrors of the Holocaust resonate in museums, commemorations, and history books followed by the words: Never Again. In just seven years, nearly 12 million people were murdered. Not killed, but murdered. Guns, gas, gallows and other hellish devices ended the lives of 6 million Jews and 6 million others deemed “undesirable.” The world closed its borders to a people that was being exterminated; we chose to remain blind, deaf, and dumb to the atrocities of Hitler’s Third Reich and the ashes of millions fell from chimneys in silence. Never Again: the promise we made in the wake of the Holocaust. Too often we label those different from us as the “other,” but what we must all remember is that the “other” is made of flesh and blood and bone, as are we all. More importantly, he is made of integrity and dignity and is entitled to the same freedoms we take for granted on a daily basis. All too often we debase those around us by associating being different with some intrinsic flaw when it is just the opposite. Our differences give us a sense of vulnerability, something we all share, thus providing us with a sense of shared humanity. We must recognize ourselves in each other and embrace the “other” as our brother. 400,000 people have been killed in Darfur since February 2003. Another 2.5 million have been displaced, in constant danger of starvation, dehydration, or attack by rebel forces. Thousands more have been killed in Burma and Sri Lanka within the last few years. Do these people have less of a right to life because they live outside our borders? No, but history is doomed to repeat itself when we are content to sit in silence. Perhaps 12 million is the number we now associate with genocide and numbers in the thousands seem less significant. But even one life lost is one life too many. The world promised Never Again, yet 800,000 Rwandans, 1,700,000 Cambodians, and 200,000 Muslim Bosnians have been the victims of genocide since then. Let us make a new promise: this ends now. So many have been silenced, but you have a voice in the issue of genocide. Intolerance ends now. Give the “other” back their dignity. Speak up, speak out. Never Again.
persecuted and slaughtered in Darfur,
Burma, Sri Lanka and so many other
countries, yet the masses sit idly by.
According to the FBI, 1,706 victims of hate crimes in 2008 were targeted solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 22
Oct. 2009
“Born Into Brothels” (2004) This famous documentary, which won an Oscar in 2004, portrays the lives of the children of prostitutes in Calcutta’s red light district. The children were given cameras to document their lives through their own eyes. “Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape our Lives” by Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler. Find out how your good deeds and good luck have a wider effect than you may think.
The album “Troubador” by Somali-Canadian rapper and poet K’naan. K’naan, who has risen to mainstream popularity, makes urgent music with a message, talking about the situation in his homeland and calling for an end to bloodshed.
www.change.org
This website raises awareness about important causes and empowers people to take action with leadiging nonprofits. For example, go there to find a fair-trade holiday gift guide. Watercress This leafy green vegetable is brimming with nutrition, and can help your eyes, bones, and overall health. Practice preventative healthcare by eating well and avoiding meat and dairy-heavy diets.
Tap water By now, you should know why. Scientists have found time and time again that bottled water is no cleaner than tap, and drinking bottled water is one of the worst things you can do to the environment. If you’re still unsure, buy a Brita Filter for your fridge.
Watts Towers These intricate and beautiful towers in Watts, two of which reach over 99 feet, were built by an Italian immigrant named Sabato Rodia in his spare time over a period of 33 years. They are an oasis of beauty and peace in a neighborhood struggling in the recession.
$
Go to www.fairtradeshoppingnetwork.com to find items that have been examined and found to reach strict fair-trade standards, and then inspected for quality.
vol. 5 issue 2
CITATIONS AND ATTRIBUTIONS
OUR MISSION PASSION MAGAZINE, believing in the interconnectedness of humanity, seeks to encourage all members of the LMU community to find their place in the fight for social justice. Being a voice for those who go unheard, we a¬im to stir the passion of our readers to commit themselves to helping renew the lost voices of our society. Being a champion of the outcast, we publish articles that put a face to the struggles of the forgotten, in the effort to reveal their dignity as human beings. Being a place where our stories are shared, we encourage a cycle of inspiration in our community—where one student’s experience in social justice can inspire another student to seek his/her own. These goals together create our overarching theme of bringing together our community to be aware of injustice and act for a more socially conscious global society. No matter where our futures take us, no matter what occupation we pursue after college, justice must always be on our minds, in our actions, and in our hearts. Passion Magazine is the place where our conversation as to how we can achieve that justice begins. It is our deepest desire, then, that what we learn from each other will stay with us throughout our lives as leaders in our broken, yet hopeful, world.
Aging and The Dignity of The Old: www.NPR.org Groups React To Obama’s Health Care Speech The Democrats’ 100-Hour House Agenda: Medicare Muddle On Part B Hike For Some Seniors The New York Times: Making Sense of the Healthcare Debate: The New Generation Gap US Census Bureau: 2006-2008 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates www.Fraud.org: Fighting Fraud against Older Consumers
Healthcare in America: Priorities, not Politics House of Representatives Bill http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf Drug Policy Alliance http://www.drugpolicy.org/library/factsheets/economiccons/fact_economic.cfm Congressional Research Service Report: The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11 http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf Robbing the Poor: War Profiteering in the Congo
PASSION STAFF
Professor Jok, Professor of African Studies, Loyola Marymount University, 11/2009
BBC NEWS | Africa | Country profiles | Country profile: Democratic Republic of Congo.” BBC NEWS | News Front Page. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/ country_profiles/1076399.stm International law as well as respect for human rights dictates that foreign investment groups should not pass judgment on foreign political conflicts or engage in related activities. “The private sector: humanitarian responsibilities in war zones.” International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) - Home. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/ siteeng0.nsf/html/humanitarian-responsibilities-311008> “Alstom.” Alstom is a global leader in equipment and services for power generation and rail transport. Web. 8 Nov. 2009. http://www.alstom.com:80/home/about_us/57865. EN.php?languageId=EN&dir=/home/about_us/ “Danzer Group illegal logging evidence | Greenpeace International.” Greenpeace | Greenpeace USA. Web. 17 Nov. 2009. <http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/ danzer-group-illegal-logging-e>.c Our World, Bottom Line Facts: www.change.org, www.nytimes.com Photos on pages 8, 10, 18 courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.
Naivasha Dean Executive Editor of Content
Megan O’Malley Business Editor
Carlos Rodriguez HRC Coordinator
Jasmin Abdulla Staff Writer
David Azevedo Staff Writer
Dani Dirks Executive Editor of Layout
Steven Ayala Public Editor
Marty Roers Supervisor
Tiffany Altig Staff Writer
Copy Editors: Heather Moline Ohemaah Ntiamoah
Design Editors: Nick Fadely Petra Hui Nikole Lim Photo Editor