[PEN-L:10895] Re: religion
KARL CARLILE: Hi Robert! ROBERT: In many ways we can secularize religion but not eliminate it. By that I mean, we cannot be purely rationalistic. In particular, I would argue that Marxist-Leninism which I continue to have strong sympathies for, was a secular religion. The vision of a pure communistic society differed very little from a "heaven on earth." Moreover, it fulfilled a spiritual need to envision a just and human world rather than being based on any rationality. KARL: Robert there is no such political philosophy as marxism-leninism. However there is a political philosophy called Leninism of which Stalnism and Trotskyism are varieties. Leninism is clearly not a form of marxism. At most it is a form of marxist revisionism that has succeeded in twisting marxism into forms that suits its ends. Now Leninism may be validly described as a form of religion but hardly marxism. On the other hand if you are describing marxism as a religion because its goal is communism then you are completley off track. One of the principal differences between Marxism and certain forms of Christianity is that the former has as its goal communist society because present concrete conditions, developments within capitalist society, make it a real hisotorical possibility although not an inevitablility. The key word here is historical. In contrast for Christianity there exists a heavan that transcends the history and, worse still, the terrestial world. The Christian heavan transcends history whereas for the Marxist communist society is a product of concrete historical conditions firmly rooted to terrestial reality. In short marxism is rooted in history and the concrete world while Christianity is essentailly transcendental forcing a false and illusory bifurcation between terrestial being and god or heavan. Consequently there obtains an antithetical relationship between Marxism and Christianity. Karl Yours etc., Karl
[PEN-L:10894] Re: religion
KARL CARLILE: God bless you Tom! TOM WALKER: I agree with the notion that the left has a lot to learn from religion. KARL: Rubbish! If anything the large sections of the left are religious. Consquenlty you create a false dichotomy between the two practices. If anyhting huge sections of the Left need to abandon their religion. Yours etc., Karl
[PEN-L:10896] Re: religion
Michael Yates: Yesterday I posted a rquest for sources on the origins of religion (Marxist preferably) and got no response. Yet we now are having a discussion of religion. So let me repeat my request. Maxime Rodinson: "Islam and Capitalism" Israel Shahak: "Jewish Religion, Jewish Politics" (Doug, I want this back.) Karl Kautsky: "Foundations of Christianity" Christopher Hill: "God's Englishman Oliver Cromwell" (Hill's speciality is Marxist analysis of the role of Protestantism in the British bourgeois revolution; has written a number of important books) Bertrand Russell: "Atheism--Collected Essays"; "On God and Religion" Louis Proyect
[PEN-L:10897] FW: BLS Daily Report
BLS DAILY REPORT, TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1997 RELEASED TODAY: CPI -- On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent in May, the same as in each of the preceding two months. The food index, which declined in April, advanced 0.4 percent in May The energy index declined for the third consecutive month Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 0.2 percent, following an increase of 0.3 percent in April. The smaller advance in May reflects downturns in the indexes for airline fares and tobacco and smoking products and a deceleration in the index for apparel and upkeep REAL EARNINGS -- Real average weekly earnings advanced by 0.3 percent from April to May after seasonal adjustment. The increase was due to a 0.3 percent gain in average hourly earnings. Both the CPI-W and average weekly hours were unchanged in May From May 1996 to May 1997, real average weekly earnings grew by 2.3 percent Introducing a new annual series on jobs among families, BLS reports that more than half of all married-couple families had both the husband and wife working in 1996. The 28.1 million married-couple families with two income earners amounted to 52.8 percent of all married couples. The total number of such families was up by 460,000 from 1995. The new annual data series is a successor to BLS' quarterly report on employment and earnings of families [and an earlier annual series on marital and family characteristics]. The quarterly series was dropped after the release of 1993 data in February of 1994, according to BLS economist Howard Hayghe. The decision to drop the quarterly series "was based on the fact that the numbers didn't change that much on a quarterly basis" and the agency could save money by publishing the figures once a year," Hayghe said He pointed out that the new annual series includes more details than the quarterly reports on employment of fathers and of mothers with young children (Daily Labor Report, page D-1). Physician assistants give extra attention at lower cost, filling a medical gap, says the Washington Post (page A1). Physician assistants are providing primary health care in rural areas where people have little access to doctors, in inner-city clinics where people have little money for health care, and in hospitals and private doctors' offices where physicians caught up in the cost-cutting revolution of managed care have to see more patients in less time In the last two years alone, the number of schools offering PA programs leaped 33 percent, from 64 to 85 BLS has predicted a growth rate for PAs of 50 percent above the norm through 2005 Manufacturing and construction growth, after a fast and furious quarter of expansion, is expected to cool off over the summer, industry executives said in Dun Bradstreet surveys. Separate surveys were conducted of 1,000 manufacturing executives and 200 construction executives by D B in May (Washington Post, page D4). For older employees, on-the-job injuries are more often deadly. The little-known but significant risks faced by older workers, whose ranks in the job market are increasing, are described by the Wall Street Journal (page A1). Advocates for the elderly tout the fact that people age 65 and older have half as many accidents as their younger, sometimes more reckless colleagues, according to data compiled by BLS. But the agency paints a far harsher picture of the health effects of working into one's later years. The federal studies, which compare accident and fatality rates to the worker population, show that older workers are nearly four times as likely as younger ones to die from job-related causes. Older workers are five times as likely to have a fatal transportation accident, 3.8 times as likely to get killed by objects and equipment, and 3.4 times as likely to die in an assault. The higher death rates exist across industry lines. What's more, many of the 500 or so workers 65 and older killed each year are in physically demanding jobs that would challenge even much younger people, according to OSHA records of fatal accidents during the past decade To be sure, older people are more likely to die in accidents, whether they are working or not, the article says. What concerns labor and health officials is that the older-worker fatality rates are surprisingly higher than expected, at a time when people are working well past traditional retirement age (A chart on fatal injuries per 100,000 workers by age, credited to BLS, has data from 1992-93.) Some companies are finding that a shorter workweek is a good recruiting tool in a time when many Americans see their work hours increasing. The percentage of Americans in nonagricultural salaried jobs who worked 49 hours or more a week in 1973 was 14.2 percent; but was 18.5 percent in 1993, according to BLS figures (New York Times, June 13, page F9). One
[PEN-L:10901] Seeking Intern: Impact of War on the U.S. Economy
The National Center for Economic and Security Alternatives is seeking an intern for the fall to examine the impact of war on the U.S. economy in the 20th Century. Key questions to be examined include: What role has military spending played in providing a "stabilizing" effect to the economy, especially maintaining / increasing aggregate demand? What role have military conflicts had in justifying a greater role for the government in ecnomic planning / management? What was the impact of these trends on U.S. income distribution? Which means of financing military expansion have been most beneficial to the economy? What is the relation of military expansion to inflation? Which methods for controlling the inflationary effects have been most effective? We are seeking applicants with at least some graduate level experience in macro-economics. If you or students you know are interested, please send me an e-mail, or give me a call at 202 986 1373. (Our internships are unpaid, but we can offer some part-time employment doing clipping, filing, and other administrative tasks.) Sincerely, Alex Campbell Research Associate Background on the National Center for Economic and Security Alternatives The National Center for Economic and Security Alternatives was established in 1977 as a non-profit corporation providing research, education and consultation on innovative solutions to problems that face the American economy. Over the years the National Center has broadened its work to include global issues ranging from the capacity of traditional reforms to alter destructive ecological and other long-term trends, to international security concerns related to arms control, nuclear weaponry, ethnic violence and the general tendency of existing political-economic systems to lead to greater conflict and divisiveness. Since 1992, the National Center has given increasing emphasis to the relationship of affirmed values to system-wide problems, as illustrated in its current lead project, Toward a Sustainable Democratic Society -- and to the history and ongoing dangers presented by nuclear weapons. The services and expertise of the National Center and its professional staff based in Washington, D.C. have been used by federal agencies, state governments, unions, nongovernmental organizations, local municipalities, foundations and others concerned with community-based development. Early activities of the Center included directing a $2 million evaluation of Title VII community development corporations, and intense involvement with the attempt to establish a worker-owned steel plant in Youngstown, Ohio. More recently, a number of the Center's reports -- including "A Third Way: Innovations in Community-Owned Enterprises" and "The Index of Environmental Trends" -- have broken new ground in offering fresh approaches to economic and environmental challenges. The results of subsequent research findings have been publicized in articles in such publications as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, MIT's Technology Review, Sojourners and Social Policy magazine. The President of the National Center for Economic and Security Alternatives, Gar Alperovitz, is a political-economist and historian. He is Harrison Research Professor at the University of Maryland at College Park's Department of Government and Politics and a Fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies. Dr. Alperovitz is also an expert in issues associated with the development of nuclear weapons and arms control. Alex Campbell Research Associate, National Center for Economic and Security Alternatives 2317 Ashmead Place, NW Washington, DC 20009 202 986 1373 (voice)/ 202 986 7938 (fax) [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10903] Admirable self restraint
Sid, In case you were expecting a rejoinder regarding your latest wave of EU-related posts, I'm not ignoring you. I haven't changed my mind. I just don't have anything new to say. Cheers, MBS Max, it's not only legitimate to say nothing under such circumstances -- it's admirable! Cheers, Sid
[PEN-L:10907] This is the '90s
June 18, 1997 Economic Analysis: Those Were the Golden Days; This Is the '90s By LOUIS UCHITELLE With the war barely over, Life magazine laid out, in a 1946 photo essay, a "roseate and wondrous" American dream. A single-story stone-and-clapboard home appeared in the centerfold photo. And spread over the front lawn were the gadgets of the envisioned prosperity: a convertible, a three-burner electric stove, a small television screen embedded in a bulky wooden cabinet, a children's slide, flimsy aluminum lawn chairs, a plastic garden hose, a gasoline lawn mower. In hindsight, Life's vision was surprisingly modest. The next quarter- century turned out to be a golden age, and as living standards rose, the furnishings of Life's American dream became commonplace, even in the homes of many working poor. Then came 1973, one of the great turning points of the post-World War II era. It was the year in which the dollar came off the gold standard; the oil embargo struck; worldwide grain shortages developed. The widespread rise in prosperity came to a halt. Inflation, stagnant wages, shrinking unions, growing income inequality, spreading poverty and outdated factories all left scars. An economy that had been so plentiful for so many for so long suddenly followed a different path, leaving big portions of the population behind. Now the United States appears to be at another turning point. Some of the hallmarks of the 1946-73 era are reappearing. Perhaps 1997 will turn out to be as much a landmark in American economic history as 1973. But the new age, if it materializes, is not likely to re-create the postwar sense of bounty. Instead, people are carrying into the future the residue of the stagnant years, and their compromised expectations. Rather than counting on rising prosperity, Americans are betting that by working ever harder, they may manage to cling to leadership in the world economy. "We are not in any sense back," said Robert Solow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Nobel laureate in economics. "There may be some economic measures that are equal to or even better than the pre-1973 years. But not the level of well-being." Three statistics from the old days have reappeared: a low inflation rate, an unemployment rate of less than 5 percent and a return of corporate profits, as a share of the overall economy, close to the hefty levels of the 1960s. Not since the pre-1973 era have such hallmarks of a vibrant economy coexisted so persistently. Naturally enough, these parallels with the golden era are generating considerable optimism. At McKinsey Co., the consulting firm, William Lewis, director of its Global Institute, declares that America's competitive laissez-faire economy should be the model for all nations. Wired, the monthly bible of the digerati, proclaims that the global economy, led by the United States, is entering a "long boom," driven by powerful new technologies and the spread of capitalism to nearly every region of the world. And Fortune magazine, in a long article this month, states flatly of America: "These are the good old days." But for most Americans, it is not like the good old days. Holding onto a job now takes precedence over upward mobility, or getting decent annual raises. Just prolonging an expansion has become more important than generating the robust economic growth that made the pre-1973 period golden. Corporate success in global competition has become an overriding goal, even at the price of greater wage inequality or leaving some groups behind. Longer hours on the job have displaced the pre-1973 goal of more leisure time to use the lawn furniture in Life's "family utopia." And job insecurity -- "cowed labor," in the phrasing of the economist Paul Samuelson -- has become an accepted means of prolonging the economic cycle, mainly by suppressing wage increases and inflation. "Before 1973," said Richard Curtin, director of the University of Michigan's consumer confidence surveys, "there was this deep belief in personal financial progress. In that sense, it is very different today. We don't expect a recession. But we no longer have much faith that our incomes will rise." While many Americans have clearly acquired more possessions, prosperity itself has a different meaning. The pre-1973 economy often expanded in a given quarter at a 9 percent annual rate, or more. Since 1973, that has never happened. But when growth reached 3.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 1996 and a rare 5.6 percent in this year's first quarter, it was hailed with glee. "What people once called inadequate growth they are more likely to judge quite positively today," Curtin said. Looking back, 1973 has taken on the watershed status in American economic history of years like 1870, which ushered in the Gilded Age, and 1929, the start of the Depression. In 1973, the year the last American ground troops left Vietnam, the post- World War II generation was suddenly
[PEN-L:10912] Re: religion
Recently Karl wrote: KARL: Robert there is no such political philosophy as marxism-leninism. However there is a political philosophy called Leninism of which Stalnism and Trotskyism are varieties. Leninism is clearly not a form of marxism. At most it is a form of marxist revisionism that has succeeded in twisting marxism into forms that suits its ends. Now Leninism may be validly described as a form of religion but hardly marxism. COMMENT: This sounds like some ideological Alice-in-Wonderland discourse that upstages Shawgi Tell's Marxist-Leninists by far. At the very least there have been groups for some time in Canada and elsewhere that have called themselves Marxist-Leninists and whatever one may think of it they have a political philosophyy and a political party through which the disseminate their views. The term Marxism-Leninism was also used commonly in the USSR as a term to describe the offical political philosophhy. In fact I used a text written by a group of authors and edited by Dutt that was entitled FUNDAMENTALS OF MARXISSM-LENISM. Maoists who thought that theUSSR oriented communist party was not marxist-leninist often spoke of marxism-leninism-mao-tse-tung thought; ironically when they ran as a party they ran as COMMUNIST PARTY( Marxist-Leninist). I am not sure whether the group Shawgi is involved with are offspring of this tendency or not. As for Leninism clearly not being a form of Marxism, I pass. No doubt bad Christians aren't really Christians either. Karl must have some echt Marxism in mind. Cheers, Ken Hanly
[PEN-L:10913] Megan's Law
[the following is from the L.A. TIMES, June 18, 1997. I am posting it because it is relevant to a pen-l discussion several months ago.] False Remedies Hinder Abuse Prevention Megan's Law: Most offenders are not murderers, not predators and not incurable. By SHARON LAMB While it may seem unfeeling to argue against a law that bears the name of a sweet child, murdered and abused by a sexual predator who was her neighbor, it is an argument that needs to be made. Megan's Law states that a neighborhood must be informed when a convicted perpetrator moves in. And this law plays on every wild sentiment and fear, contradicting current knowledge and research in the area of child sexual abuse prevention. The stated controversy is about the rights of convicts who have supposedly "paid their dues" and now should be given a second chance. But there are several more important issues at stake. The law returns us to a belief strongly held in the first half of the century that the peril for children lies "out there" and not in the home. J. Edgar Hoover launched a campaign against sexual deviance that painted a picture of the corrupt predator as a stranger, the embodiment of evil, lurking around the corner. Researchers today tell us, however, that children are much more likely to be abused by a family member, close friend of the family or an adolescent boy who has never served time for a sexual offense. The law also groups all kinds of perpetrators of sexual abuse together into a certain type that in actuality makes up a small percentage of all abuse cases. Men and boys who commit acts of sexual abuse are a heterogeneous lot. While researchers have tried to distinguish different types, the research often doesn't support the typology and we end up concluding that "it could be anybody." One type that does stand out, however, is the sexual predator or compulsive child sexual abuse perpetrator. Although not representative of the majority, this type is used to represent them all. And this is the type most resistant to treatment. That sex offenders are incurable is a myth constructed by the media. There are successful programs that use group therapy, behavior management, empathy training and long-term character work that have had good results. These treatments are costly and rare, which primarily suggests that we do not know yet just how curable sex offenders are. Much more funding needs to be funneled into research in this area, not only through prison systems but through social service centers and hospitals where unconvicted sex offenders are identified. By creating a law pointing to a specific, probably untreatable subtype of sex abuse offender, we point attention away from the mundane, "everyday" sexual abuse that is perpetrated on children and that stems from more general sociocultural problems. Our society encourages boys and men to grow up feeling entitled to certain sexual acts and that aggression and power assertion are viable ways of coping with needs and unpleasant emotions. While boys are filled with imagery of what's "sexy," they are given very little space to discuss and explore what's sexual. What's sexual can be pleasurable but also confusing and disturbing. What we may need is a hotline for young men to prevent sexual abuse before it happens. These perpetrators of abuse aren't sick but they do do awful things to women and children and they do need help to change. The problem with Megan's Law is that it shames perpetrators and isolates them from the very community that could be a healing force. The chance for reparation along with treatment reconnects offenders to society while Megan's Law gives up on them, not just individually, but as a group. The cliche description of the neighbor sex offender--"He was a loner"--may speak volumes about prevention as well as recidivism. Most sexual abuse perpetrators are not murderers, not predators and not uncurable. Picking out individual offenders for shaming and attack will only support an "us/them" mentality of most men and give neighbors a very false sense of security. Prevention of sex abuse begins with a closer examination of cultural practices that encourage such behaviors. - - - Sharon Lamb, an Associate Professor of Psychology at St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vt., Is the Author of "The Trouble With Blame" (Harvard University Press, 1996) Copyright Los Angeles Times [It is ironic that "Megan's Law," if it had been enacted at the time, might have applied to J. Edgar Hoover. Of course, the rich and/or powerful can often evade such laws.] in pen-l solidarity, Jim Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ. 7900 Loyola Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045-8410 USA 310/338-2948 (daytime, during workweek); FAX: 310/338-1950 "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) --
[PEN-L:10917] Re: Jospin's compromise
John wrote: Liberals in this country have focused on "jobs, jobs, jobs" and under Clinton's watch "the economy" (reified) has generated lots of jobs, and where has that got us ? I have not heard or seen Jospin utter one word about the social and ecological use-values of these 700,000 new jobs. Do the Communists and the Greens in France have any agenda as to the use-value contents of a full employment strategy (I assume they do) ? I recently read a disturbing editorial in the Wall Street Journal by Robert Eisner In attempting to vindicate the "positive" economic effects of deficit spending, he seemed to use the Reagan budgets as evidence for the effectiveness of Keynesian stimuli. Now it is possible that Eisner was not approving the way money was channeled into the economy, but he didn't seem to put much effort into criticizing the contents of Reagan's budgets either. Very troubling (this problem has been explored by Narindar Singh, The Keynesian Fallout. New Delhi: Sage, 1996) There is also the interesting passage in Paul Crosser, State Capitalism in the Economy of the United States (New York: Bookman, 1960): "The problem whether the flow of money for the stimulation of the economy is to be channeled into the production of nonwar goods or war goods does nto enter the analytical pricture which Keynes offers: nor does Keynes tackle the problem whether the money is to be spent on labor-intensive or capital-intensive industries. Keynes's theoretical position can therefore be invoked in regard to any aspect of spending which is undertaken wth the direct or implied purpose of stimulating production and employment. Those who prefer government spending for public works can cite Keynes in their favor, as can those who point to the greater economic effectiveness of government spending for war goods production. "Keynes's analysis is a purely formalistic logico-postivistic one which is stripped of social economic content. His analytical framework is therefore of little help in a tract such as this which strives to assess the impact of government spending and the resultant changes in the structure of the economy and society of a given country." (p.36) Rakesh
[PEN-L:10920] progressive web sites
Thanks, Paul, for posting the progressive web sites. For future lists of interesting or useful sites, it's best to leave in the http:// 'prefix' since it allows a reader of the pen-l archives (at http://csf.colorado.edu) to simply click on the address and access the site. Maybe some people can even do this from e-mail programs. in pen-l solidarity, Jim Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ. 7900 Loyola Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045-8410 USA 310/338-2948 (daytime, during workweek); FAX: 310/338-1950 "It takes a busload of faith to get by." -- Lou Reed.
[PEN-L:10924] Re: religion (II)
Attempting at present to follow the path blazed from Pascal to modern ideas about probability and statistics, I found myself coming across an interesting little book which I have been glancing through. Just thought I would mention it. J.E. Barnhart, 1977. The Study of Religion and Its Meaning: new explorations in light of Karl Popper and Emile Durkheim. The Hague: Mouton. From the jacket: "The first four chapters show how religion becomes a universal human phenomenon. Religion emerges with the awareness of one's condition of utter finitude and contigency. This concern manifests itself in at least three kinds of responses--cognitive, moral and emotional-ritual. Once these responses begin to develop a *momentum* of their own, they give rise to new problems and solutions. "Chapters...explore the thesis that religious doctrines--functioning as cognitive thrusts into the world--extend themselves by spawning new claims. But new claims increase the possibility of falling upon severe contradictions. Moral claims take on religious motivation whe, because of conflict and contradiciton among hte claims, the sense of finitude looms. Ritual behavior is religious insofar as it is a response to the intense concern with finitude." And here is a passage from the book: "I hope I have exposed what my motive has been in calling for more God-talk...I presuppose that all theological talk--or any other talk--will eventually run into its share of contradictions. For some believers, this is a frightful and threatening prospect, sufficiently threatening to make them demand a moratorium on theology. For others, however, stepped up God-talk is the challenge--and also the risk--of turning theology loose to wind its course where it will. The development of new theoretical problems, far from killing theology, can be an advance in creative metaphysical thinking. "Positivism, that bitter enemy of theology, would have damned up theology so that it could not even generate more *problems*. Rarely keen and insightful as critics of theology, positivsts sought to ignore, deport it, and declare it unimportant (meaningless) Such anti-intellectualism has, fortunately, been exposed as an arrogant imposition on human curiosity. Postivism hated theology more than it loved the growth of knowledge." (179-80) Rakesh
[PEN-L:10926] Re: too rich
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: COMMENT: At least in the prairie provinces it is not urban sprawl which made the car necessary. First came wagons and horse power and smaller farms with many small towns, but with increased efficiency in agriculture farms increased in size and farmers migrated to other parts often cities. I don't know about the spatial history of Canada, but I have read a bit on the U.S. Here speculators took up huge tracks of land forcing farmers to move further West, creating sprawl. Ken also asks: Are you a Ghandian or something? Not at all, in the strict sense, but I do think that we could go a great way toward simplifying our lives. I mentioned this idea before: Illich, Ivan. 1974. Energy and Equity (NY: Harper and Row). 18-9: "The typical American male devotes more than 1600 hours a year to his car. He sits in it while it goes and while it is idling. He parks it and searches for it. He earns the money to put down on it and to meet the monthly installments. He works to pay for petrol tolls, insurance, taxes, and traffic tickets. He spends four out of sixteen waking hours on the road or gathering his resources for it. And this figure does not take into account the time consumed by other activities dictated by transport; time spent in hospitals, traffic courts, and garages: time spent watching automobile commercials or attending consumer meetings to improve the quality of the next buy. The model American puts in 16,000 hours to get 7500 miles; less than 5 miles per hour." The car certainly makes larger sized farms and fewer small centres more practical. Are you saying this was a negative development? Are you a Ghandian or something?! I am not talking of hobby farms around an urban area, I am talking of bona fide farmers in an area where a section (a square mile) is not a large farm and where neighbours may be a couple of miles away. In ranching areas distances are much greater. In response to: They are neithether a toy nor even a luxury. When the nearest intercity bus service may be at a town 20 or 30 miles away and when the nearest doctor may that distance or further and when major shopping centres may be twice that a car may be necessity. Perelman notes: Sounds like an argument for public transportation. COMMENT: Certainly it is in part an argument for public transportation. Indeed with respect to school transportation the problem is solved in this manner. However, the costs of regular public transport to sparsely populated would be prohibitive and do not solve the problem of having to go to x place for a part, to go to the doctor for immediate treatment etc.etc. and it certainly does not address the necessity to transport goods via truck to elevators or stockyards or railheads. Some provinces such as Saskatchewan, under the CCF did develop solutions along the lines you suggest. Saskatchewan has a provincially owned bus service that gave regular service to virtually every village and hamlet in the province, but with pressures to reduce subsidies and for market viability and with rural depopulation adequate public transportation seems to be a thing of the past. Cheers, Ken Hanly -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 916-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10925] Re: too rich
In reply to my remark that Many rural residents of both the US and Canada need cars (and trucks) for daily living. Michael Perelman writes: Yes, but what is this need? Because of the car we get sprawl which makes the car necessary. COMMENT: At least in the prairie provinces it is not urban sprawl which made the car necessary. First came wagons and horse power and smaller farms with many small towns, but with increased efficiency in agriculture farms increased in size and farmers migrated to other parts often cities. The car certainly makes larger sized farms and fewer small centres more practical. Are you saying this was a negative development? Are you a Ghandian or something?! I am not talking of hobby farms around an urban area, I am talking of bona fide farmers in an area where a section (a square mile) is not a large farm and where neighbours may be a couple of miles away. In ranching areas distances are much greater. In response to: They are neithether a toy nor even a luxury. When the nearest intercity bus service may be at a town 20 or 30 miles away and when the nearest doctor may that distance or further and when major shopping centres may be twice that a car may be necessity. Perelman notes: Sounds like an argument for public transportation. COMMENT: Certainly it is in part an argument for public transportation. Indeed with respect to school transportation the problem is solved in this manner. However, the costs of regular public transport to sparsely populated would be prohibitive and do not solve the problem of having to go to x place for a part, to go to the doctor for immediate treatment etc.etc. and it certainly does not address the necessity to transport goods via truck to elevators or stockyards or railheads. Some provinces such as Saskatchewan, under the CCF did develop solutions along the lines you suggest. Saskatchewan has a provincially owned bus service that gave regular service to virtually every village and hamlet in the province, but with pressures to reduce subsidies and for market viability and with rural depopulation adequate public transportation seems to be a thing of the past. Cheers, Ken Hanly
[PEN-L:10923] Re: Jospin's compromise
rakesh bhandari wrote: "Keynes's analysis is a purely formalistic logico-postivistic one which is stripped of social economic content. His analytical framework is therefore of little help in a tract such as this which strives to assess the impact of government spending and the resultant changes in the structure of the economy and society of a given country." (p.36) Keynes said in the GT that if the unemployment rate is 10%, that doesn't mean that the other 90% are ill-employed; in fact, he essentially argued that the only problem with capitalism was that the 10% were denied its full charms. His policy innovations would realize the full beauties of the "Manchester system." Doug -- Doug Henwood Left Business Observer 250 W 85 St New York NY 10024-3217 USA +1-212-874-4020 voice +1-212-874-3137 fax email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] web: http://www.panix.com/~dhenwood/LBO_home.html
[PEN-L:10922] Re: religion
At 01:49 PM 6/18/97 -0700, you wrote: Recently Karl wrote: KARL: Robert there is no such political philosophy as marxism-leninism. However there is a political philosophy called Leninism of which Stalnism and Trotskyism are varieties. Leninism is clearly not a form of marxism. At most it is a form of marxist revisionism that has succeeded in twisting marxism into forms that suits its ends. Now Leninism may be validly described as a form of religion but hardly marxism. COMMENT: This sounds like some ideological Alice-in-Wonderland discourse that upstages Shawgi Tell's Marxist-Leninists by far. At the very least there have been groups for some time in Canada and elsewhere that have called themselves Marxist-Leninists and whatever one may think of it they have a political philosophyy and a political party through which the disseminate their views. The term Marxism-Leninism was also used commonly in the USSR as a term to describe the offical political philosophhy. In fact I used a text written by a group of authors and edited by Dutt that was entitled FUNDAMENTALS OF MARXISSM-LENISM. Maoists who thought that theUSSR oriented communist party was not marxist-leninist often spoke of marxism-leninism-mao-tse-tung thought; ironically when they ran as a party they ran as COMMUNIST PARTY( Marxist-Leninist). I am not sure whether the group Shawgi is involved with are offspring of this tendency or not. As for Leninism clearly not being a form of Marxism, I pass. No doubt bad Christians aren't really Christians either. Karl must have some echt Marxism in mind. Cheers, Ken Hanly My comment: Debates on "ideological purity" generally are but hogwash, but the issue gains some currency when the so-called managerial ideologies are concerned. Managerial ideologies are forms of corporate religion or legitimating myths that are ostensibly based on scientific theories, but they are a selective hodge podge of simplified version of those theories mixed with common sense rules of thumbs, anecdotes and what not, crafted to provide guidance to managerial personnel. In order to successfully do so, a managerial ideology must: create a sense of direction or higher purpose, provide an illusion that something extraordinary or radically different from some nondescript "past practices" is being done, but at the same time the existing managerial practices values and beliefs remain essentially unchanged, and gives a legitmacy to the position of the manager in the hierarchy (for a discussion see Andrzej Huczynski, _Management gurus: what makes them and how to become one_, London:1996). The so called "Marxism-Leninism" was in fact such a managerial ideology, a sort of Clifton notes on Marx selectively picked and adapted to the needs of Russian indistrialization project (Alexander Gerschenkron, _Relative Backwardness in a Historical Perspective_). The same holds for Mao Tse tung and his "golden thoughts" collected in "red books" freely distributed all over the world by the Chinese during the late 1960s. In that capacity, these managrial ideologies were no different from the psycho-babble offered by the human relation school, TQM, or the new buzzword -- "trust." The idiocy of such managerial ideologies in no way reflect the contents of the scientific theories from which they were derived. wojtek sokolowski institute for policy studies johns hopkins university baltimore, md 21218 [EMAIL PROTECTED] voice: (410) 516-4056 fax: (410) 516-8233
[PEN-L:10921] Re: Real Life Question
On Wed, June 18, 1997 at 11:27:01 (-0700) Wojtek Sokolowski writes: While I share Bill's principle of honest and open debate, I also recognise the limits of the rational discourse. ... There is a difference between visions of the future and myths. Myth is, in my book at least, always a lie and must always, therefore, be rejected in principle. Trying to shoehorn this into the rationality/maximization behavior of economic man does nothing to dissuade me from this conclusion. The point I'm getting at is that most if not all commodities can be distributed in many alternative ways, and those choices of venue will determine not only the demand/supply structure for different goods, but also the "private" or "public" nature of the goods themselves (thus public subsidies). The choice of venue is a political one, and as such it must be appealing to the population at large. It is, therefore, the "right" combination of the politcal clout of the promoters and the popular appeal of a given choice that determines the political and economic success of that choice. Then it seems you greatly misunderstand the U.S. political system. Decisions made in the political system need only appeal to more than 0 people. If the vast majority stay home because there is no choice given except between Tweedledum and Tweedledee (both of whom are out to rip off the populace), or if no choice at all is given to the public, then the choice need not (obviously) appeal at all to the population at large. It can, in short, simply be foisted on people. Claiming that today, folks are fond of automobiles (while ignoring those who curse them daily) is just after-the-fact rationalization, in my view. Bill
[PEN-L:10918] History of Juneteenth
http://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm Title: History of Juneteenth History of Juneteenth What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that all slaves were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Grangers regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance. Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another, is that the news was deliberately withheld by the slave masters to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another, is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All or neither could be true. For whatever the reason, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory. General Order Number 3 One of General Grangers first orders of business was to read to the people of Texas, General Order Number 3 which began most significantly with: The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer. The reactions to this profound news ranged from pure shock to immediate jubilation. While many lingered to learn of this new employer to employee relationship, many left before these offers were completely off the lips of their former masters - attesting to the varying conditions on the plantations and the realization of freedom. Even with nowhere to go, many felt that leaving the plantation would be their first grasp of freedom. North was a logical destination and for many it represented true freedom, while the desire to reach family members in neighboring states drove the some into Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Settling into these new areas as free men and women brought on new realities and the challenges of establishing a heretofore non-existent status for black people in America. Recounting the memories of that great day in June of 1865 and its festivities would serve as motivation as well as a release from the growing pressures encountered in their new territory. The celebration of June 19th was coined Juneteenth and grew with more participation from descendants. The Juneteenth celebration was a time for reassuring each other, for praying and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth continued to be highly revered in Texas decades later, with many former slaves and descendants making an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston on this date. Juneteenth Festivities and Food A range of activities were provided to entertain the masses, many of which continue in tradition today. Rodeos, fishing, barbecuing and baseball are just a few of the typical Juneteenth activities you may witness today. Juneteenth almost always focused on education and self improvement. Thus often guest speakers are brought in and the elders are called upon to recount the events of the past. Prayer services were also a major part of these celebrations. Certain foods became popular and subsequently synonymous with Juneteenth celebrations such as strawberry soda-pop. More traditional and just as popular was the barbecuing, through which Juneteenth participants could share in the spirit and aromas that their ancestors - the newly
[PEN-L:10916] Re: juneteenth?
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 13:26:13 -0700 (PDT) Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: James Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] To:Multiple recipients of list [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [PEN-L:10909] juneteenth? My "Cat Lovers Against the Bomb" calendar (published by the Nebraskans for Peace and Canada's New Society Publishers) mentions that this coming Thursday is something called "Juneteenth." What is this holiday? How do we celebrate? Slaves in Texas didn't hear of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation for about two years. When they did, the day of official liberation was June 19th (I think), which hereafter became known as the 'Juneteenth.' MBS === Max B. SawickyEconomic Policy Institute [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1660 L Street, NW 202-775-8810 (voice) Ste. 1200 202-775-0819 (fax)Washington, DC 20036 Opinions above do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone associated with the Economic Policy Institute. ===
[PEN-L:10914] Re: juneteenth?
It celebrates the struggle against slavery. My "Cat Lovers Against the Bomb" calendar (published by the Nebraskans for Peace and Canada's New Society Publishers) mentions that this coming Thursday is something called "Juneteenth." What is this holiday? How do we celebrate? in pen-l solidarity, Jim Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ. 7900 Loyola Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045-8410 USA 310/338-2948 (daytime, during workweek); FAX: 310/338-1950 "It takes a busload of faith to get by." -- Lou Reed. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 916-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10915] Re: too rich
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Many rural residents of both the US and Canada need cars (and trucks) for daily living. Yes, but what is this need? Because of the car we get sprawl which makes the car necessary. They are neithether a toy nor even a luxury. When the nearesintercity bus service may be at a town 20 or 30 miles away and when the nearest doctor may that distance or further and when major shopping centres may be twice that a car may be necessity. Sounds like an argument for public transportation. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 916-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10908] Re: too rich
The way in which cars are spoken of on this list seems to me to reflect an urban bias. Many rural residents of both the US and Canada need cars (and trucks) for daily living. They are neithether a toy nor even a luxury. When the nearesintercity bus service may be at a town 20 or 30 miles away and when the nearest doctor may that distance or further and when major shopping centres may be twice that a car may be necessity. Trucks too are a necessity for farm families.Grain must hauled to on-farm storage and also greater and greater distancces to elevators as railroads rationalise and grain companies consolidate servvice in huge inland terminals that may be long distances from individual farms. These aspects of vehicle usee by individuals seems to be completely forgotten.Resorting to animal power such as is happening in Cuba may be understandable as a result of necessity and it certainly may have some positive externalities in terms of the environment but it is not an ideal solution. Bennett buggies (horse drawn automobiles) did not survive the depression and for good reason. No farmer in his or her right mind would choose them over functioning cars. CHeers, Ken Hanly
[PEN-L:10909] juneteenth?
My "Cat Lovers Against the Bomb" calendar (published by the Nebraskans for Peace and Canada's New Society Publishers) mentions that this coming Thursday is something called "Juneteenth." What is this holiday? How do we celebrate? in pen-l solidarity, Jim Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ. 7900 Loyola Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045-8410 USA 310/338-2948 (daytime, during workweek); FAX: 310/338-1950 "It takes a busload of faith to get by." -- Lou Reed.
[PEN-L:10905] Re: Jospin's compromise
Pen-l'ers, Surely it can't come as any surprise that Jospin caved in to Blair and Kohl so easily, given the fact that the Socialists have long stood behind Maastricht, even if they disagreed with the fiscal austerity versions of same. Now that the official social democrats of Europe in their various stripes more or less agree on an EC in which the "socially excluded" are dealt with by being offered EC-backed loans if they are deemed credit-worthy (Clinton's domestic micro-credit model applied to EC), thus resurrecting the old liberal utopia of a nation of shopkeepers, what can/should the left reply in return ? Please, it should not revolve around holding Jospin to his promise to create 700,000 new jobs. The recent pen-l discussion on overwork and consumerism should drive home how bankrupt neo-Keynesian measures such as this are, be they achieved via subsidies to capital, or via state-driven taxing and spending. (I should say parenthetically that I am impressed with the maturity and subtlety of red-green thought on this list lately, so rarely have I encountered eco-socialist ideas on this list in the past). Liberals in this country have focused on "jobs, jobs, jobs" and under Clinton's watch "the economy" (reified) has generated lots of jobs, and where has that got us ? I have not heard or seen Jospin utter one word about the social and ecological use-values of these 700,000 new jobs. Do the Communists and the Greens in France have any agenda as to the use-value contents of a full employment strategy (I assume they do) ? The Socialists' recent (and now discarded ?) advocacy of an EC-funded trans-European high speed rail system was all about reducing the turnover time of capital and bolstering EC competitiveness (and soaking up surplus labor-power simultaneously), nothing about the qualitative (i.e. quality of life and ecological) virtues of mass transit. Jospin's campaign promise of the 35-hour workweek and work-sharing seems a bit more palatable. But I would imagine it was only a rhetorical gesture with no strategy about how to achieve it (since Mitterand promised the same 15 years ago, before money and investment capital markets were as fluid as they are today, and got thoroughly punished), and, anyway, alongside this proposal there was no mention of what social and ecological use-values reallocated labor would be accomplishing. Like the anarcho-punk demonstrator's billboard in Amsterdam read, "get a life, not a job". Social democracy is dead. It was normatively bankrupt, and now it is pragmatically bankrupt, b/c the international market will no longer tolerate it, its standard-bearers will no longer defend it. Cutting-edge social movements, recognizing that it was normatively bankrupt and is now politically impracticable, have moved on to pressure for better things. John Gulick Sociology Graduate Program UC-Santa Cruz
[PEN-L:10906] RE: Gender and Strength
There has been a program on this on The Learning Channel - it will probably be rebroadcasted several times, everything on TLC is. Roger -- From: pen-l To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [PEN-L:10892] Gender and Strength Date: Tuesday, June 17, 1997 6:03PM In the January/February, 1997 issue of ARCHAEOLOGY magazine, there is an article by Jeannine Davis-Kimball titled "Warrior Women of the Eurasian Steppes." The evidence from new archaeological digs finds that many women were buried as warriors, with weapons and trappings of war. The author hypothesizes that the Amazon women of Greek mythology may have been more real than mythical. maggie coleman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10904] Re: D'Souza Can Kiss My Brown Ass
At 07:54 AM 6/13/97 -0700, Max Sawicky wrote: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (rakesh bhandari) Subject: [PEN-L:10801] D'Souza Can Kiss My Brown Ass The best answer to D'S and Murray stems from one of their own findings, the implications of which have not been sufficiently explored. In their research it turns out that Askenazi Jews have higher average intelligence than Caucasians. It would follow that to improve the gene pool, when the nubile daughters of gentiles come of age they should be impregnated by Jews of Eastern European descent with Ph.D's. Actual marriage, of course, would not be necessary because nature overrules nurture. [Call now, appointments still available.] Also, if someone conducted a paper-and-pencil test to, say, prove or disprove the theory of relativity (I'm pretty sure such 'statistical evidence' would be heavily against that theory) -- that person would be at best laughed out of the stage, if not committed to a mental institution. Somehow, doing genetics by paper-and-pencil tests is considered serious enough to be subject to "scientific" debate, being published by "scientific" publishers, or even to warrant a tenure at Johns Hopkins. True, the guy who does this kind of stuff here is a sociologist with a mere PhD rather than an actual medical degree, but still I wonder if this institution would tolerate an astrologist in its engineering or physics dept. wojtek sokolowski institute for policy studies johns hopkins university baltimore, md 21218 [EMAIL PROTECTED] voice: (410) 516-4056 fax: (410) 516-8233
[PEN-L:10902] Re: Real Life Question
At 07:27 PM 6/12/97 -0700, Bill Lear wrote: Wojtek then poses the "question for the Left", viz, how do we, like some Platonic sage, appropriate or manufacture such "popular mythologies ... with a potential for mass appeal". The answer to the Left, if there can be "an answer", surely lies not in leftish mythologies (normally referred to as lies), but in honest and open debate in which myths are exposed insofar as is possible and discussion takes place within the bounds of shared concern and reason, rather than the comforting shade of myth. I reply: That is an awfully difficult task to acomplish. Any Limabughtomised idiot with the access to a broadcasting system can spit out myths and lies with the speed of a machine gun, but to refute those lies takes meticulous effort and a certain degree of sophistication, not to mention the audience's attention span. It is like trying to save the Titanic by pouring water overboard with buckets... an honest effort, but doomed to fail due to the overwhelming nature of the calamity. While I share Bill's principle of honest and open debate, I also recognise the limits of the rational discourse. Whether phrased as "bounded rationality" causing a deviance from the profit maximising behaviour, or as "false consciousness" causing the masses to accept an exploitative social order -- we are facing the same kind of problem: the discrepancy between rational behaviour and motives as depicted by experts, and actual behaviour and motives of real-life human actors. Demeaning the latter as less than perfect rationality which, in the recorded history of Western thought can be tracked back to Socrates (people do evil only when they do not know what good really is) may, the words of the Old Man, "explain the world differently" but does little to actually change it. It seems that capitalists have no problems with using popular mythologies, from "backward" patriarchy, to racism, and to "modern" individualism and the cult of technology to maintain a social hierarchy with themselves on the top of it -- the exhortation of economists of both, the rat-choice and the Marxist variety, notwithstanding. In fact, the tremendous popularity of the the free market mythology is the result of its myhtical appeal to the idea of freedom rather its rationality and explanatory power. By scientific standards, the explanatory power of the rat-choice approach is virtually nil. A while ago at some labour-related conference in Boston, someone expressed a view that labour, and the Left in genereal need a new set of stories or myths with a mass appeal. That proposition stirred a heated debate, with the more positivistically oriented types objecting to any hint that "our" ideology might be somehow connected with "myths," which have an aura of irrationality and falsehood. I have no such reservations. Myths are not necessarily falsehoods, except perhaps in a narrowly positivistic sense. Oftentimes, they are utopias, but if they have a sufficent appeal, they can motivate people to turn the unreal into the actual. Moreover, myths are actually more democratic than rationalistic formulations, because they allow a great latitude of "interpretation from below" (cf. the ubiquity of religious experience which has little to do with religious doctrine) -- while the latter are quite rigid standards that only the experts, i.e. some form of authority, can understand and interpret. Marianne's and Jim's comments on the automobile interpreted as a "personal space" is a case in point. By the same logic, I interpret the automobile as the device that alinenates me from both other people and the environment, whereas I see the train (the European variety that has compartments with 2 rows of seats facing each other) as a space that allows interacting and socialising with others. I guess both interpretations have little to do with the the visions of transportation planners who are primarily concerned with the most efficient way of moving n number of people from a to b. So, far from being falsehoods, myths can be a power ful tool in "changing the world" even though they might not be doing a great job in explaining it by scientific standards. As far as the comparison between automobile and the nuclear energy is concerned, it is not enough to say that the "gummint" built the infrastrcture for one but not for the other. I simply do not buy the elasticity argument or kindred line of thinking that tries to deduce the instituionalised commodity distribution from the alleged properties of the commodity itself (isn't it the essence of commodity fetishim?). That is, elasticity obtains not from the "nature" of the product itself, but from the institutional arrangements of product distribution. And the latter are always socially constructed. In other words, there might be no real substitutes for a private auto in a suburban environment, but such an environment was built on the assumption of private auto being the main
[PEN-L:10900] Re: Progressive Web Sites
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have also been a regular visitor to Doug Henwood's LBO site (www. panix.com/~dhenwood/LBO_home.html) which not only has a judicious selection of articles from past issues of LBO, but also has a some what shorter list of links to progressive sites and, what is useful for the economists, links to data sites and not just American (i.e. includes links to Stats Canada.) There'll be a lot more there in a couple of days - more links, as well as updates on the U.S.employment/unemployment/earnings charts, and a new set of pages on GDP and on income distribution and poverty. Foreign stats will arrive in the next update, in a month or two - probably wage levels and income/poverty figs from the Luxembourg Income Study to start with. If I had the time, I'd love to keep a section with up-to-date reference and commentary on major economic indicators. But it takes some time to take an Excel chart and tune it up in Illustrator and Photoshop Plus, you can order my world-transforming new book, Wall Street, at the web site (http://www.panix.com/~dhenwood/Book_info.html)! Doug -- Doug Henwood Left Business Observer 250 W 85 St New York NY 10024-3217 USA +1-212-874-4020 voice +1-212-874-3137 fax email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] web: http://www.panix.com/~dhenwood/LBO_home.html
[PEN-L:10899] Visit of Amnesty head to Mumia Abu-Jamal (fwd)--URGENT
URGENT ATTENTION REQUIRED. P.Z. FORWARDED MESSAGE == Return-Path: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 16:35:03 -0400 From: Equal Justice USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] Organization: The Quixote Center To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: visit of Amnesty head to Mumia Abu-Jamal Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] URGENT ACTION: Write Amnesty International in support of the Secretary General's visit with Mumia Abu-Jamal Earlier this year, Amnesty International's Secretary General Pierre Sane planned to visit Mumia Abu-Jamal in prison. Unfortunately, conservative members of Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) in Philadelphia blocked the visit. Among their reasons for opposing the visit: the death penalty is a human rights violation in this country and Mumia's case should not receive this attention because it would take away from other death-row prisoners. Based in London, Pierre Sane of Senegal is the first Black person to head Amnesty International world-wide. The visit was originally proposed to Mr. Sane by an anti-death penalty activist and long-time friend of Mumia who worked as a consultant for Amnesty. Mr. Sane was immediately enthusiastic about the idea. Time magazine (6/16/97) acknowledged Mumia's case is "not atypical." It provides a microcosm of the racial, economic and political biases structurally embedded in our criminal justice system. His trial (and appellate) judge, Albert Sabo, is responsible for more than twice as many death row sentences than any judge in the country. Mumia was sentenced in Philadelphia, where over 60% of those sentenced to death are African American. He is held at Pennsylvania's super-maximum security prison, where he spends 22 hours a day alone in his cell and is punished for publishing his writings. Mumia's case is riveting world-wide attention to the injustice of the U. S. death penalty. His book, "Live from Death Row," and his radio commentaries give public voice to more than 3,000 men and women now on death row in the U.S. Amnesty International USA is now re-examining its decision to block Mr. Sane's visit. Feedback is being solicited from Amnesty members and staff about Mr. Sane's possible visit to Mumia. A copy of their memo follows. Tell Amnesty that you support Secretary General Pierre Sane's visit because it would demonstrate Amnesty International's public commitment to fighting the death penalty in the U.S. The international support movement for Mumia has served to focus public criticism of capital punishment. Be sure to indicate in your letter if you are a member of Amnesty. Feedback must be sent by Friday, June 20. Send your messages to: Gerald Lemelle, Deputy Executive Director for Action AIUSA, [EMAIL PROTECTED], 212-627-1451 (fax) Phyllis Pautrat, Member of the Board of Directors of AIUSA, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send a copy of your message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10898] Progressive Web Sites
A couple of weeks ago I asked on Pen-l for suggestions of progressive web sites suitable to provide up to date material for a local social action newsletter produced by a collective of retired, but socially (progressive) concerned clergy. I had only five replies, two of which asked that I post a list of the suggestions to Pen-l. All of the suggestions that were made were also made to the entire list so it may not be necessary to repost them. However, at risk of repetition, here they are with a few comments on my brief forays at checking them out. The first concern of my friend was keeping up to date on the New Zealand experiment with radical neo-liberalism. Bill Rosenberg responded (you can can review his complete list of suggestions through the csf archives - more on this later) with the general Web site of the library at Lincoln University http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/libr. (hereafter, I will omit the http:// 'prefix'). The link to political and other current affairs on this site is called Ara Nui. Through that I found the Council of Trade Unions site (www.union.org.nz/) which had the article updating the NZ 'miracle' that Sid Shniad posted a couple of days ago on this list. The left/labour political sites are the Alliance (www.alliance.org.nz) and the Labour Party (www.labour.org.nz). For political news Bill suggested Newsroom (www.newsroom.co.nz) but I did not check it out. Incidentally, last time I tried the lincoln library site, I could not get it, I don't know why. Sid Shniad suggested the web site of the Canadian Centre on Policy Alternatives (www.policyalternatives.ca) which I did. What is particularly useful about this site, in addition to a number of the most important articles from the Centre's excellent monthly magazine, the Monitor, is the long list of links to other, not just Canadian, progressive/left sites. Max Sawicki pointed me not just to the web site of EPI (epinet.org) but to the economic policy site sponsored by American Prospect which has another long, long list of links to progressive (and some not so progressive) sites. The URL for this is epn.org. I have also been a regular visitor to Doug Henwood's LBO site (www. panix.com/~dhenwood/LBO_home.html) which not only has a judicious selection of articles from past issues of LBO, but also has a some what shorter list of links to progressive sites and, what is useful for the economists, links to data sites and not just American (i.e. includes links to Stats Canada.) I would also point to the archives at csf.colorado.edu which includes the pen-l, Pkt, progressive sociologists, and the environment list (the name escapes me at the moment) archives which also has a search engine for exploring these archives. More detail on Bill's response re NZ, for example can be found in these archives under his name. I had no response from anyone outside North America and New Zealand. However, there are links from the sites mentioned above to some other countries/continents. For instance, the NZ CTU site had links to the British TUC and the Australian ACTU. However, if anyone has any other suggestions, please feel free to respond. Paul Phillips, Economics, University of Manitoba
