[PEN-L:11925] Market Niches
Every now and then I watch Politically Incorrect to see the evolution of Disney's market niche. They frequently will have some person designated as a "conservative activist" from some organization with a title like "National Council for Family Values" or something like that. When you research the organization guess what you find?: 1) it has maybe a hundred or so members; 2) it was summarily created by the founder--also the person on the program--and a few cronies and then grew marginally with some mass mailings and some gimmicks to get exposure; 3) It claims to share values and goals with other like organizations yet practices sectarianism, fails to link with others and declares itself to be the true voice for whatever cause...; 4) it claims to be open but the top leadership levels are occupied by celebrities and the privileged; 5) It seeks demons on which to focus as demons---actions--gimmicks--exposure--recognition--access to press and other media---more actions/demons---more gimmicks--more exposure---...6) they rise fast and fizzle fast with internal squabbling; 7) they are lead by power/control freaks who have tried and failed to generate effective gimmicks in other endeavors or to shine and differentiate themselves in other arenas. 8) they purport to be mass-based and a "national voice" for their cause or constituencies. They say: "WE" are the true voice; "WE" are the guardians or correctness; "WE" are watching the infidels; but you only see one or two spokespersons, you never see the "WE" in any significant action or doing anything significant. So as I leave, performing the service of resident demon for a few "high-class" prostitutes with a gimmick masquerading as a "struggle" and mass-based organization, in the scheme of things, all of this-- me, the "issues" and the machinations of the academic patron saint of misunderstood "high-class" prostitutes--amount to nothing really important. On the other hand, dialectically speaking, when some very ugly and glaring realities, costs, consequences and forms of oppression are simply and summarily assumed--asserted--away to fit someone's paradigm and need to be King frog in a tiny pond, that is serious. Serious issues [or tennis] anyone? Jim Craven *---* * "Those who take the most from the table,* * James Craventeach contentment. * * Dept of Economics Those for whom the taxes are destined, * * Clark College demand sacrifice.* * 1800 E. Mc Loughlin Blvd. Those who eat their fill, * * Vancouver, Wa. 98663speak to the hungry, * * (360) 992-2283 of wonderful times to come. * * Fax: (360) 992-2863Those who lead the country into the abyss,* * [EMAIL PROTECTED] call ruling difficult, * * for ordinary folk." (Bertolt Brecht) * * MY EMPLOYER HAS NO ASSOCIATION WITH MY PRIVATE/PROTECTED OPINION *
[PEN-L:11918] Re: Blackfeet National Bank--Another Struggle
From: "James Michael Craven" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [PEN-L:11917] Blackfeet National Bank--Another Struggle I posted this previously with no response. I got a lot of response on the subject of "high-class" prostitutes in Canberra, AU but apparently the subject of genocide against American Indians in a America is not on this weeks "buffet" or of much interest to some of the keyboard revolutionaries. BTW, wouldn't this be a nice story for "Left Business Observer"? I don't remember the prior post, but Nader's people might want to make something out of this. The place to inquire would be Public Citizen in D.C. (202-833-3000), as well as some places on the Hill (e.g., Senators Inouye and Campbell). You could probably get a story on this into the Progressive or In These Times. It's not as much an LBO story. 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 http://epn.org/sawicky Opinions above do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone associated with the Economic Policy Institute other than this writer. ===
[PEN-L:11919] Re: Blackfeet National Bank--Another Stru
Received: from MAILQUEUE by OOI (Mercury 1.21); 21 Aug 97 12:28:45 +800 Return-path: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 21 Aug 97 12:28:40 +800 Received: from anthrax (localhost [127.0.0.1]) Thu, 21 Aug 1997 11:59:41 -0700 (PDT) Date: Thu, 21 Aug 1997 11:59:41 -0700 (PDT) Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Originator: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Precedence: bulk From: "Max B. Sawicky" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [PEN-L:11918] Re: Blackfeet National Bank--Another Struggle X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Comment: Progressive Economics MIME-Version: 1.0 X-PMFLAGS: 34078848 From: "James Michael Craven" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [PEN-L:11917] Blackfeet National Bank--Another Struggle I posted this previously with no response. I got a lot of response on the subject of "high-class" prostitutes in Canberra, AU but apparently the subject of genocide against American Indians in a America is not on this weeks "buffet" or of much interest to some of the keyboard revolutionaries. BTW, wouldn't this be a nice story for "Left Business Observer"? I don't remember the prior post, but Nader's people might want to make something out of this. The place to inquire would be Public Citizen in D.C. (202-833-3000), as well as some places on the Hill (e.g., Senators Inouye and Campbell). You could probably get a story on this into the Progressive or In These Times. It's not as much an LBO story. 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 http://epn.org/sawicky Opinions above do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone associated with the Economic Policy Institute other than this writer. === Max, Thanks for the suggestion. BTW an update: a Texas District Court also recently found that annuities are not insurance. With the role of the insurance companies and the IRS and the role of business in fiding new ways to do it to Indians, I thought that LBO might be interested. BTW, I was at a meeting the other night at the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning and who showed up but a representative from Ist Interstate Bank Corp. It seems that they really are concerned about the isolation of Indians and would like to set up ATMs on the reservation--how nice of them. Of course the fact that many tribes will be getting more Oil and Gas money with possible revaluation of oil/gas royalties has nothing to do with it. Right now, almost all of the key businesses on the reservation are white-owned and only aproximately $0.12 of every Indian dollar spent on the reservation stays on the reservation. I asked the bank rep from first Interstate where the white banks have been for the last two hundred years plus since his pitch was "trickle down" and "we do it all for you". He didn't have an answer. Jim Craven *---* * "Those who take the most from the table,* * James Craventeach contentment. * * Dept of Economics Those for whom the taxes are destined, * * Clark College demand sacrifice.* * 1800 E. Mc Loughlin Blvd. Those who eat their fill, * * Vancouver, Wa. 98663speak to the hungry, * * (360) 992-2283 of wonderful times to come. * * Fax: (360) 992-2863Those who lead the country into the abyss,* * [EMAIL PROTECTED] call ruling difficult, * * for ordinary folk." (Bertolt Brecht) * * MY EMPLOYER HAS NO ASSOCIATION WITH MY PRIVATE/PROTECTED OPINION *
[PEN-L:11920] Re: Your view of my profession
Dear Pen-lers This is my last post. I tried to send this directly to Ms Quan and Harry Cleaver but my mail was returned. I'll use this medium for the last time on this issue. Notice, I sent a response and got something immediately back. Why? What do my views matter? This cover I could be working with prostitutes and doing damage has attracted their attention--really. There are all kinds of market-niches and interest groups pretending to have contituencies and mandates far beyond their numbers. Anyway, I have tried to answer with counter-reasoning and counter- evidence. These frequent missives do nothing for anybody really. But in any case, I don't know why I would be of consequence to these forces and their patron guru and superstar Cleaver; they certainly are of no consequence to me--perhaps that along with the congnitive dissonance is what is bothering them. Please. Attack me all you want, just don't send me more of your stuff personaly as these folks are just not worth my time. Jim Your response is very long and I appreciate the time you have put into thinking about this issue. I'll just say a few things here, and perhaps elaborate later on other points. You asked why I wrote to you. I was insulted by the generalizations being made, and I felt that you had a right to know how one prostitute feels about your comments. I don't think I can speak for all the hookers in the world, by the way. That is not how I operate. I just wanted you to know that prostitutes are keeping track of what is being done to us and said about us in various environments -- and that we aren't going to let academics and researchers ignore our full humanity. Response: Look at what you say above. "...prostitutes are keeping track of what is being done to us..." OK, what is being done? Again you have no concept of what I have done or am doing, the conditions, the terms or what the prostitutes I know say. I am going back to do some work in Montana, I will make a copy of your comments unedited and pass them along to some women who have STDs and AIDS from husbands who visited prostitutes and/or have been in prostitution themselves. "We" aren't going to let academics and researchers ignore our full humanity?" Who exactly is "we"? And you can assert that I have somehow denied your "full" humanity but assertions are just that--assertions--and just as Harry Cleaver speaks for his tiny clique of admirers and himself--and not for all of academia--who are you to use the "we" prostitutes implying what? that you speak for all or even a significant section of prostitutes? You know, just because anyone summarily creates an interest group or organization and even gathers a few members, that is a far cry from mass-based or even invited representation. Real leadership comes from bottom-up not summarily declaring the top and then handing it down. As for your interest in "me", well I'm really not important enough to worry about. I suspect that the real basis for your--and Cleaver's- -interest is that a raw and very uncomfortable nerve has been hit. That's OK, I'm used to it. But frankly speaking, in the scheme of things, e.g. serious life-threatening conditions and challenges on an Indian reservation (some even related to the other sides of prostitution that you and Cleaver summarily dismiss because they don't fit your paradigm) and ongoing genocide against American Indians is simply much more important and of consequence than how a few "high-class" prostitutes or some self-obsessed academic feel, assert or whatever. Good luck Jim Why are you so cheesed off when real prostitutes take issue with your views? While you make some valid points about human suffering, your note indicates that prostitutes who have it better than others are viewed as whores who have not "suffered enough." Call girls are frequently attacked by the left for having it too easy -- this is nothing new to me. It is, however, not my style to dredge up every bad thing that ever happened to me in order to cultivate sympathy. You may find this insufficiently analytical on my part, but I'm not really interested in scientific socialism. The theories underlying your comments aren't as important to me as what you practice. I worry that you will end up in a job where you can do real harm to prostitutes and their families. *That* is why you have attracted the attention of activist whores. We make it our business to learn about people who have professional contact with sex workers. Since you mentioned your work with the PR government, your comments cannot be ignored. Sincerely, Tracy Quan = Tracy Quan e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] voice mail: (212) 969-0931
[PEN-L:11929] Visit pen-l, see the pyramids
Speaking at some possible peril to myself as a non-academic lurker, I suggest that this list, whose server apparently is automatic, is far too easily misused. Do we really want pyramid schemes like #93 carefully explained to us on this list, as if they were entirely new in concept? Unless the moderator acts now to alter the means and standards of posting, this list will soon go the way of Usenet, which is one ghastly fate. valis Occupied America
[PEN-L:11921] Prostitution
I have repeatedly tried to return my comments directly to MS Quan and to Harry Cleaver directly but the messages keep getting bounced back. They can send stuff to me but I can't send back to them directly. This was sent to me privately by someone and I wanted to share the concepts without subjecting the person who kindly sent it to identification and possible harassment so it is edited to remove any basis for identifying the person or from where it was sent. It is legitmate. Jim Craven Please forward this to Ms Quan. Attempts to reach her directly have [EMAIL PROTECTED] The name of this response was edited so that this person will not attract the attention of this organization. Thank you Jim Craven I really must say that I find that you are being unfairly dumped upon by a number of prostitutes who seem to me entirely unrepresentative. As you note there are certainly great variations in the working conditions of prostitutes and no doubt there are "paternalistic" academics who ignore the fact that some prostitutes are such by choice, do well, and are hardly victims. I expect though that the vast majority of prostitutes are such out of economic necessity or parental pressure --as in Thailand, and are often abused both by pimps and by customers. The reality of a high class prostitute is no more representative of prostitutes in general than is a well-paid manager of a large company represenative of the condition or attitudes of the working class in general. In __, I can say that prostitutes in the inner city of _ come from poor backgrounds, broken homes, and quite a few are off reserve natives who have few skills and little resources and turn to prostitution as one of the few ways of making a living. Many are alcoholic and in poor health. These prostitutes cannot be compared with the young college women at universities who turn tricks as high class call girls to help pay for their sports cars and tuition. *---* * "Those who take the most from the table,* * James Craventeach contentment. * * Dept of Economics Those for whom the taxes are destined, * * Clark College demand sacrifice.* * 1800 E. Mc Loughlin Blvd. Those who eat their fill, * * Vancouver, Wa. 98663speak to the hungry, * * (360) 992-2283 of wonderful times to come. * * Fax: (360) 992-2863Those who lead the country into the abyss,* * [EMAIL PROTECTED] call ruling difficult, * * for ordinary folk." (Bertolt Brecht) * * MY EMPLOYER HAS NO ASSOCIATION WITH MY PRIVATE/PROTECTED OPINION * --- =_aa-- *---* * "Those who take the most from the table,* * James Craventeach contentment. * * Dept of Economics Those for whom the taxes are destined, * * Clark College demand sacrifice.* * 1800 E. Mc Loughlin Blvd. Those who eat their fill, * * Vancouver, Wa. 98663speak to the hungry, * * (360) 992-2283 of wonderful times to come. * * Fax: (360) 992-2863Those who lead the country into the abyss,* * [EMAIL PROTECTED] call ruling difficult, * * for ordinary folk." (Bertolt Brecht) * * MY EMPLOYER HAS NO ASSOCIATION WITH MY PRIVATE/PROTECTED OPINION *
[PEN-L:11913] Re: New Dogs, Blue Dogs, Old Dogs (Barron)
You have to be a paid subscriber to access this. Could you post the article? I'd definitely like to read it. Thanks, by the way, for the compliment. Louis P. At 09:32 PM 8/20/97 -0700, you wrote: Check out Barron's articles on Democratic Party factions (also links to others). http://interactive.wsj.com/edition/current/summaries/barrons.htm
[PEN-L:11914] FW: BLS Daily Report
BLS DAILY REPORT, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1997 __Prices of goods imported to the United States dropped 0.2 percent in July, BLS reports. The price of exports dipped 0.1 percent. Declines in both imported petroleum prices and nonpetroleum prices contributed to the July downturn. Petroleum prices fell 0.7 percent, and nonpetroleum costs were down 0.1 percent (Daily Labor Report, page D-5). __The Wall Street Journal, in its article on the Fed holding the line on short-term interest rates (page A2), includes that, excluding oil, import prices declined 0.1 percent, mainly because of the fall in computer prices. It then gives the over-the-year change in export prices, without noting that it has switched from June-to-July changes. __Both the Teamsters and United Parcel Service claimed their share of victories in settling their dispute after a 15-day strike. Some of the 185,000 striking workers have started to return to their jobs in some cities and were expected to be back in full force in a day or two. The Teamsters boasted of new full-time jobs, wage gains, and pension increases; the company hailed a five-year term and the end of a strike that it estimated cost more than $600 million (Daily Labor Report, page AA-1). __Many labor experts agree the Teamsters won some significant gains in the UPS strike -- especially the company's pledge to add 10,000 full-time jobs for current part-time workers. But these experts cautioned that the broader economic forces that have been pushing companies such as UPS to use part-time workers continue unabated. And unless organized labor can find ways to ease these competitive pressures, they say, any gains won in the UPS strike may be short-lived Charts using BLS data show that, as the clout of unions has been diminishing, the percentage of part-time workers has increased, and the number of work stoppages involving 1,000 or more employees has shrunk considerably since 1980 (Washington Post, page A1). __UPS says fears of bigger losses made it cut a deal, but the company warns that 15,000 workers may be laid off if its business does not bounce back (New York Times, page A1). __The UPS pact fails to shift the balance of power back toward U.S. workers, although it's important to labor after two long decades of waning influence UPS labor costs could rise by over $1 billion a year within three years due to its tentative pact. The accord calls for substantial pay increases and the creation of thousands of new full-time jobs. The delivery firm dropped a proposal to withdraw from union-run pension plans, and the Teamsters agreed to a five-year pact instead of three. UPS hopes to restart its network over the next few days (Wall Street Journal, pages A1 and A3). Construction of new homes and apartments held steady in July, with a sharp gain in the Northeast offsetting declines in other regions, the Commerce Department reports (Daily Labor Report, page D-1)_Despite low inventories of new homes and relatively cheap mortgage rates, construction of new homes remained unchanged (New York Times, page D6). __Fed officials voted to leave short-term interest rates alone for now, in a move seen as reflecting their satisfaction with inflation and economic growth (Washington Post, page D9)_The Fed voted to leave interest rates unchanged, continuing a remarkable economic experiment in which the central bank has kept rates low despite shrinking unemployment and unusually strong economic growth (New York Times, page A1)_Some analysts think the Fed could be forced to raise rates later this year, but many now believe that the central bank may stay on hold for a time (Wall Street Journal, page A2) Microchip manufacturers expect to create 40,000 new technicians' jobs in the next five years, but the industry has not been able to find enough qualified applicants, according to a consortium of 10 semiconductor manufacturers The semiconductor industry now employs about 250,000 people and has grown by 43,000 workers since 1992, according to figures from BLS (Daily Labor Report, page A-7). Nonprofit organizations are unlikely to be able to solve the problem of putting welfare recipients to work under new welfare reform mandates, according to a survey and study released by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington, D.C., think tank A full 85 percent of nonprofits responding said they would accept welfare recipients as workers But most of these nonprofit organizations could take only a few workers at a time (Daily Labor Report, Aug. 19, page A-9).
[PEN-L:11915] Re: Your view of my profession
Dear Ms Quan: I just got into town and am leaving immediately to go back to Browning, Montana. Actually I had signed off pen-l, but since you took the time to write and share your anger and perceptions, at least I should do is to respond. I'll respond to you point by point and if you care to correspond further, please feel free to do so although I am in the middle of some work that takes me in and out of town. I read your comments on PEN-L last week with a growing feeling of dismay and anger. My initial reaction was "How does this bureaucrat *dare* to comment on us as though we are nothing but objects of study or pity?" I refer to your post concerning work you did for the Government of PR. Response: First of all, as you claim I know nothing about YOUR reality--and that is true, YOUR own particular reality I cannot comment on--so you know nothing about me or my experiences. I have never been a "bureaucrat" either in title or temperament. Secondly you may assert or characterize my views of the prostitutes with whom I dealt in PR as "objects of study or pity" but your assertion, even from someone in the business, is just that--assertion. I could not understand how you had developed such a dehumanized view of prostitutes, such a brutal view of commercial sex, or of sex generally. The whole thing alarmed me because, quite honestly, I function in a very accepting world -- I've always had accepting friends, not only in the sex business. And I rarely have had to justify my existence to anyone. Response: On the one hand you suggest that I have a stereotyped view of prostitution and that I am painting prostitutes with a broad brush, on the other hand you keep saying "I" and "my" suggesting that your reality or views speak for all prostitutes or that prostitution is some kind of homogenous experience. One of your colleagues in a previous post made a point of noting she was a "high-class" "call girl" and suggesting she was not only class-conscious and somewhat elitist, but also suggesting heterogeneity in experiences and conditions of work, dangers etc such that YOU and YOU experience speaks to exactly that--YOU and YOUR experience. Just as I don't question your representations, I'm sure that you honestly feel as you do, you know nothing about my background and experiences or the nature of my relationships with the prostitutes I have known, or my intentions or whatever. The women I interviewed, came voluntarily as there were things they wanted to discuss and friends of mine--not just acquaintances--had referred them with the assurances that indeed I was not on some pity trip or some academic doing CV-building or a Dissertation on their backs; they were also told that under no circumstances, no matter what threat, would I ever assist the police in any way to trap them. I'm sure that they would resent your description of MY profession as being universally applicable or YOUR reality as purporting to speak to THEIR reality. Then, I decided to go back to the earliest post I could find on Cleaver's page. I found this comment: I remember the conditioning, propaganda, intentions etc associated with my time in the U.S. Army--but certainly not with any nostalgia. I feel that this period of your life -- which I was unaware of before -- may have had more of an influence on your view of prostitutes than you realize. I somehow wonder if there weren't some rather ugly scenes -- or ugly things said about prostitutes, especially non-American prostitutes during your training? Maybe some part of you believes those things. Response: Actually this part of my life, which comes often in my nightmares, shaped many of my perceptions including anti-imperialism, anti-racism and many other attitudes I chosse not to share on this forum. But I will say this, during my time in the military, the "comfort women" to which I alluded in one post, were for the most part poor, frightened, and highly commodified. You may not like these terms, but that is what I saw and heard expressed. Do I think all prostitutes are "victims" in the sense or to the degree that many poor women are? No. Some are very cunning and calculating; some go on to become pimps. I found it interesting that Sydney Barrows, the so- called "Mayflower Madam", while extolling the virtues of prostitution when asked if she had ever turned tricks, asnwered with an outraged "NO". You allude to the problems with STDs but summarily sweep them away with the call for education. I just came back--and am going back- -to a reservation with some severe problems with STDs and emerging problems with AIDS. Maybe because of your education, attractiveness, awareness etc you can arrange situations less likely to lead to disease problems for you or your clients. But many poor women, driven to prostitution out of desperation and say they pray for the day to leave it (or will you speak for them too?) often find
[PEN-L:11917] Blackfeet National Bank--Another Struggle
I posted this previously with no response. I got a lot of response on the subject of "high-class" prostitutes in Canberra, AU but apparently the subject of genocide against American Indians in a America is not on this weeks "buffet" or of much interest to some of the keyboard revolutionaries. BTW, wouldn't this be a nice story for "Left Business Observer"? Well, what can I say? For those who might be interested, perhaps you could forward this with your own comments to wherever you deem appropriate as a letter of protest. This struggle is also very very serious and as Jackson Brown notes [there are]"lives in the balance. Jim Craven The following is a press release from the Piegan Blackfeet of Browning, Montana: Blackfeet National Bank "About the time the Retirement CD(TM) was to be introduced, the representatives of the tiny Blackfeet National Bank of Browning, Montana, let it be known that they were looking for a way to attract new deposits. Browning is a small town on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and Blackfeet provides the 'only banking services' in the over one million square mile reservation (an area that is larger than the state of Rhode Island). Located east of Glacier National Park, the reservation has little income from mineral royalities [formulae for undervaluing oil and gas reserves/extractions led to over $5 billion in oil and gas royalties owed not paid to various Tribes and Nations during Reagan/Bush/Clinton] or gaming establishments, and little prospect for more. The bank serves as an important source of resources for the small businesses of the reservation. Bank executives saw the Retirement CD as a potential way to atract deposits and therefore available capital from outside the environs of the reservation. In an interesting departure from traditional roles, this Indian bank became the entrepreneur in the Retirement CD business, challenging the 'territory' of those who had long ago inhabited this market. Blackfeet had to first win several court battles. Several of the state insurance commossioners tried to assert authority over Blackfeet, claiming that by selling annuities, they were operating in the business of insurance. Annuities are not insurance. The law and the courts have distinguished annuities from insurance since the turn of the century. As recently as January 18, 1995, the Supreme Court held once again that annuities are not insurance and the court battles began to go Blackett's way. When it began to look like Blackfeet would be victorious at last, the IRS took action on April 6, 1995. They released a proposed regulation that first admitted that Blackfeet's tax treatment of the Retirement CD was correct, then changed the law without authority, and made the change effective the next day. On April 14, 1995 Blackfeet issued a press release detailing these events and their opinions thereof. Press Release April 14, 1995 Treasury Department Undermines Only Indian National Bank Blackfeet Indian Reservation. On Friday, April 28th, President Clinton will meet with Indian Leaders from around the country to talk about his initiatives to promote economic growth on Indian reservations. Yet on Friday April 7th, his Treasury Department cut the rug out from under the Blackfeet National Bank's ability to attract long-term core deposits in order to appease the insurance industry. The only tribally-owned national bank in the country serves the one and a half million acre Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. It is a tiny bank by most standards, with less than $15 million in deposits. But it is also the axle on which the reservation economy turns. Last year, the bank became the first institution in the country to begin offering a new bank product--the Retirement CD(TM). It gives consumers the benefits of an annuity plus the safety of federally- insured deposits. This enables the bank to attract long-term deposits it needs to provide the housing and business loans needed to promote an economy faced with 80% unemployment. The bank was immediately attacked by the insurance industry, which saw a threat to its monopoly on over $100 billion a year in annuity contracts. The bank was quickly sued by state insurance commissioners in two states, Illinois and Florida, even though the bank had never done any business in those states. In both cases, the American Council on Life Insurance advised the state and sought to intervene on its own behalf. In January, the U.S. Justice Department announced it was beginning an investigation to determine if the insurance industry had violated the anti-trust laws through its concerted efforts to kill the Retirement CD and wear down the Blackfeet National Bank. Unable to score any victories in court, the insurance industry turned to its muscle in Washington. On April
[PEN-L:11916] Re: Your view of my profession
This was forwarded to me with a request for a response and she asked that it be posted on pel-l. I'm off to Browning again so will not be able to respond for awhile. Jim Craven Dear Ms Quan: I just got into town and am leaving immediately to go back to Browning, Montana. Actually I had signed off pen-l, but since you took the time to write and share your anger and perceptions, at least I should do is to respond. I'll respond to you point by point and if you care to correspond further, please feel free to do so although I am in the middle of some work that takes me in and out of town. I read your comments on PEN-L last week with a growing feeling of dismay and anger. My initial reaction was "How does this bureaucrat *dare* to comment on us as though we are nothing but objects of study or pity?" I refer to your post concerning work you did for the Government of PR. Response: First of all, as you claim I know nothing about YOUR reality--and that is true, YOUR own particular reality I cannot comment on--so you know nothing about me or my experiences. I have never been a "bureaucrat" either in title or temperament. Secondly you may assert or characterize my views of the prostitutes with whom I dealt in PR as "objects of study or pity" but your assertion, even from someone in the business, is just that--assertion. I could not understand how you had developed such a dehumanized view of prostitutes, such a brutal view of commercial sex, or of sex generally. The whole thing alarmed me because, quite honestly, I function in a very accepting world -- I've always had accepting friends, not only in the sex business. And I rarely have had to justify my existence to anyone. Response: On the one hand you suggest that I have a stereotyped view of prostitution and that I am painting prostitutes with a broad brush, on the other hand you keep saying "I" and "my" suggesting that your reality or views speak for all prostitutes or that prostitution is some kind of homogenous experience. One of your colleagues in a previous post made a point of noting she was a "high-class" "call girl" and suggesting she was not only class-conscious and somewhat elitist, but also suggesting heterogeneity in experiences and conditions of work, dangers etc such that YOU and YOU experience speaks to exactly that--YOU and YOUR experience. Just as I don't question your representations, I'm sure that you honestly feel as you do, you know nothing about my background and experiences or the nature of my relationships with the prostitutes I have known, or my intentions or whatever. The women I interviewed, came voluntarily as there were things they wanted to discuss and friends of mine--not just acquaintances--had referred them with the assurances that indeed I was not on some pity trip or some academic doing CV-building or a Dissertation on their backs; they were also told that under no circumstances, no matter what threat, would I ever assist the police in any way to trap them. I'm sure that they would resent your description of MY profession as being universally applicable or YOUR reality as purporting to speak to THEIR reality. Then, I decided to go back to the earliest post I could find on Cleaver's page. I found this comment: I remember the conditioning, propaganda, intentions etc associated with my time in the U.S. Army--but certainly not with any nostalgia. I feel that this period of your life -- which I was unaware of before -- may have had more of an influence on your view of prostitutes than you realize. I somehow wonder if there weren't some rather ugly scenes -- or ugly things said about prostitutes, especially non-American prostitutes during your training? Maybe some part of you believes those things. Response: Actually this part of my life, which comes often in my nightmares, shaped many of my perceptions including anti-imperialism, anti-racism and many other attitudes I chosse not to share on this forum. But I will say this, during my time in the military, the "comfort women" to which I alluded in one post, were for the most part poor, frightened, and highly commodified. You may not like these terms, but that is what I saw and heard expressed. Do I think all prostitutes are "victims" in the sense or to the degree that many poor women are? No. Some are very cunning and calculating; some go on to become pimps. I found it interesting that Sydney Barrows, the so- called "Mayflower Madam", while extolling the virtues of prostitution when asked if she had ever turned tricks, asnwered with an outraged "NO". You allude to the problems with STDs but summarily sweep them away with the call for education. I just came back--and am going back- -to a reservation with some severe problems with STDs and emerging problems with AIDS. Maybe because of your education, attractiveness, awareness etc you can arrange situations less
[PEN-L:11926] Transformations In Political System May Continue (Cuba)
This message is in MIME format. The first part should be readable text, while the remaining parts are likely unreadable without MIME-aware tools. Send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] for more info. --64034EC54E1A GRANMA INTERNATIONAL 1997. ELECTRONIC EDITION. Havana, Cuba =20 -- =20 Transformations in the political system may continue =20 =95 According to the president of the National Union of Jurists, the intensified U.S. blockade is a flagrant and systematic violation of international law =20 POR OCTAVIO LAVASTIDA (Granma International staff writer) =20 WITHOUT pressure and the blockade, Cuba could continue carrying out transformations in its political system, like those initiated in 1992, when it instituted the direct election of National Assembly deputies and delegates to the municipal assemblies of People's Power. =20 That is the opinion of Arnel Medina Cuenca, elected three years ago as president of the National Union of Jurists of Cuba (UNJC). He commented to Granma International that Cuban democracy does not need to be like the form of democracy imported from the United States, because human rights on the island are guaranteed. =20 "Other modifications could be made in the People's Power structure, in order to improve its operation, along the lines of what has already been done, but certainly Cubans are not going to do so under pressure from anyone," Medina explained. =20 "Cuban professionals define human rights as primarily the right to education and health care. Those abroad ask us about this subject, and they are often surprised at the ease with which Cuba performs a heart transplant on any citizen who needs it, without asking his or her national origin, whether he has medical insurance or money to pay, and they are also surprised at the attention given children," said the president of the UNJC, a Cuban nongovernmental organization which celebrated its 20th anniversary on June 8. =20 In regard to civil and political rights, Medina noted that Cubans have an organized system in which a very high percentage of the citizens participate. =20 SUPPORT FOR SOCIALISM =20 In 1976, the majority of Cubans voted for the Constitution which is still in effect, and therefore the current government is the one they chose. They have ratified it in every one of the elections held since in the country. "That support shown at the polls, which unlike other countries are not protected by police but by children, is proof that the Cuban people agrees with the political system we have," Medina argued. =20 The UNJC pays special attention to the subject of human rights in the lectures, seminars, international courses and other academic activities offered for its members. =20 Medina has sustained in these encounters that "self-determination is a fundamental human right which is violated flagrantly and systematically throughout the world, as is the right to development." =20 In a seminar organized by the UNJC on this subject, Medina stated that the U.S. economic, financial and trade blockade of Cuba is a flagrant and systematic violation of the fundamental human rights of the Cuban nation =20 . "Aren't they trying to impose by economic force, which is prohibited by contemporary international law, a change of the political system that the Cuban people, through their own self-determination, have freely chosen?" =20 INTENSE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT =20 These opinions are presented to international legal circles through the UNJC's intense activity, aimed at strengthening links with legal organizations and associations. In these contacts, the role of Cuban lawyers under current conditions is explained, and support and solidarity is sought to help confront the principal difficulties facing the country, especially since the strengthening of the blockade through the Torricelli and Helms-Burton Acts. =20 In 1996, about 700 jurists from over 20 countries in the Americas and Europe participated in seminars and meetings held in Cuba. Furthermore, 300 professionals and law students took courses during that period on the Cuban legal system. =20 In addition to the UNJC's membership in the American Association of Jurists, in 1996 Cuba joined the Ibero-American Union of Law Schools and Associations. =20 Medina responded to a question about the UNJC's recent achievement of consultant status in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). "Since last year, we had been requesting that ECOSOC grant us that status, in the special category, the former category 2, and once all the paperwork was finished, on May 12 the UNJC was granted us that status, with the United States voting against it, as is now known, but with the majority support of the other countries represented. =20 "This selection is important to us because it gives us the possibility of participating in events
