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Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell was a member of the great Celtics’ teams from the 1980s. The 6’8” forward was a first round draft pick in 1977, after leading his Charlotte University to its improbable run of upsets during that spring’s NCAA tournament.
While he was a working class player, content to play defense and rebound, as he was to score, he became known as a clutch playoff performer, winning the NBA’s MVP award for the 1981 finals, when the Celt beat the Moses Malone-led Houston Rockets.
“Max” was known as a colorful character during his eight years in Boston and in 2003, his number “31” was hoisted to the rafters, one of only 22 players in the franchise’s storied history to have that award bestowed upon them.
Maxwell and partner Sean Grande have been the Celtics’ radio team for the past nine years. With Maxwell, as analyst, providing insights from his playing days and occasional quirky observations and Grande’s exceptional skill as play-by-play counterpart, they form a quality team with an obvious chemistry.
On Monday night, Maxwell, as he often does, took exception to a call made against a Boston player. While this in and of itself wasn’t a big deal—the officiating in the top pro league in the world, at best, is suspect. What created the resulting media firestorm was that Maxwell criticized Violet Palmer, a woman of color and an NBA official, with some revealing phraseology.
Here is a paraphrase (from Wikipedia) of Maxwell’s comments about Palmer, in context of Monday’s game:
After a play where Maxwell thought a foul should have been called on a Houston player, he said that Palmer should "go back to the kitchen." He then added, "Go in there and make me some bacon and eggs, would you?".
Supposedly, this was part of Maxwell's mocking Tommy Heinsohn’s (Maxwell’s TV counterpart on FSNE) criticism of referees. Secondly, the sentence after the comment, Maxwell praised Palmer, saying she was doing an excellent job officiating. Maxwell apologized before the Celtics' next game by saying "If I said anything that might have been insensitive or sexist in any way, then I apologize because she worked extremely hard to get where she is now, end of quote."
Maxwell has spent the better part of the week fending off criticism from a variety of sources, including the sports talk fraternity, which its interesting in itself, given that genre's less than flattering takes on the fairer sex.
You see, the world of pro sports and sports in general, is a world where sexism, racism, and outright misogyny is often worn as a badge of honor. In fact, athletics is a bastion of old-school views, particularly towards women, homosexuals and anything smacking of progressivism. While there are certainly exceptions, by-and-large, athletics and enlightened views about the world rarely go hand-in-hand.
Having spent more than my fair share of time in and around sports locker rooms as a player, coach and even journalist, these are not places known for their scintillating conversation and liberal thoughts about society.
Some of my most frustrating moments discussing politics, or culture have come in conversations with young college players that I’ve coached over the past few summers. While there have been exceptions, the general lack of respect that many young males (and older males) have indicated they have for women, homeless people, people of color, gay people and others in conversations that I was privy to, is downright depressing.
I still remember playing semi-pro baseball and hearing a former teammate boast about some of his sexual exploits in college, as a fraternity member, some 10 years earlier at a party, where teammates had drilled a hole in the wall and watched him and others “get it on” with drunk co-eds. Believe me when I tell you, this is no isolated incident, as I could tell you other “horror” stories from my days at the University of Maine. If you're still having doubts, just think Duke lacrosse (a case emblematic of the culture and mindset prevalent in the athletic world).
What was troubling to me was how this person, now a father, took such great relish in telling this story, oblivious to the indignity visited on these women. Oh, I know, I’ve heard it before—because they were drinking, at a frat party and "coming on" to the athletes, they asked for it—yeah right!
By making this comment, regardless of his apology, “Cornbread” was just giving y'all a peek into just how “enlightened” certain elements of the male species are, even in 2007.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Howard Zinn and people-powered democracy
It’s always a challenge to find anything meaningful to watch each morning as I do my time on the LifeCycle (purchased used, btw). While I enjoy my morning weather report from WCSH’s Kevin Mannix and even can tolerate the banter between Lee Nelson and Sharon Rose, the infotainment, now masquerading as most of my morning news, makes it harder and harder to watch.
Fortunately for me, this morning, C-Span2’s Book TV was just wrapping up its weekend non-fiction book marathon with a broadcast of Howard Zinn, speaking to an audience, at Brandeis University. Zinn has just released another book, in a long line of titles that this champion of the common man has written (or edited) over the past 50 years, or so.
I would be hard-pressed to name another book that I’ve read over the past 20 years that has had more of an influence on me than Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States. Zinn, who is now 85, doesn’t seem to have lost a step, or any of his passion for true, people-powered democracy. One of the things that I’ve appreciated the most from Zinn’s writing, is his ability to strip away the mythology that so often accompanies (and muddies) any discussion of history in the U.S. From a review that I read, his latest work, A Power Governments Can’t Suppress, is a series of short essays, in which Zinn talks about some historical figures, like Eugene V. Debs, who inspire him, as well as placing the Iraq War in its proper historical context.
It’s exactly this type of contextualization that seasoned, yet passionate writers/activists like Zinn bring to history that is so obviously lacking in any of the sound bite journalism that makes up for what passes for today’s so-called news coverage. That and the fact that no one dares to buck the corporate owners who pay the salaries. Yet, nothing quiets much of the jingoistic chest-thumping emanating from right-wingers better than a healthy dose of context, whether we’re talking about our not-so-heroic Founding Fathers (who were more concerned with preserving their slave-holding and economic status quo than creating democracy for all members of the new republic), or the history of the U.S. and its policy of selectively supporting democracy when it serves the economic interests of the elite and toppling democratically-elected leaders when it doesn’t. How else does one explain the litany of democratic governments that the U.S. has subverted?
Another benefit of an honest rendering of history—it helps Americans focus on those all-too-brief periods in our own history, when the masses got fed up with being handed sloppy seconds from our leaders, took matters into their own hands and actually created a few initiatives that benefited the majority, not just a handful of the most wealthy and well-connected. Democracy is a lot more than pulling a lever on election day—sometimes its down and dirty and often, people get clubbed, beaten, shot and more times than not, arrested. For all our talk about cyber marches and e-campaigning, real change comes when the people take to the streets, or sit down in the square and gum up the wheels of commerce. Nothing gets the attention of those in power and faster than when something keeps them from making more money!
In his talk, Zinn spoke about the period, during the 1930s, when U.S. workers, committed various acts of civil disobedience, primarily through a wave of sit-down strikes, where workers took over and occupied factories and workplaces across the country. This direct action shook the corridors of power and forced the corporate bosses and their political lackeys to take notice and even give something back. This also resulted in the formation of unions, where workers, for the first time, began to share in some of the spoils that had always gone to the owners, previously. We have social security today because these workers decided to disobey laws that they considered unjust or harmful for them and their families.
Many of these actions led to the unprecedented economic growth experienced by most Americans, from 1947, until 1973. This period saw very few recessions and stability in the business cycle unlike any other time in our nations history.
But, as Zinn also pointed out, while those in power give back a few rights from time to time and the pendulum tips towards democracy, just as soon as they are able, the power elite take back these rights and attempt to enact tighter controls on the hoi polloi.
While many Americans have grown comfortable over the past 30 years or so, we’ve experienced a gradual erosion of many of our rights. Workers have grown fearful, rather than brazen and corporations, embracing the tenets of global capitalism, have placed profits above and beyond any concern for they have for their workers. The Republican Party, particularly during the dark years of Reagan, sought to defang the union movement and defraud American workers. When he fired the PATCO workers, in 1980 and brought in replacement workers, this was an unprecedented action in post-WWII North America. That was a watershed event and established our present “labor as a commodity” mentality that pervades labor culture in the U.S. today.
Zinn also spoke about the civil disobedience and mass protests that characterized the civil rights movement, as well as the actions of student demonstrators and others that led to an eventual end to the war in Vietnam. As Zinn so aptly pointed out in his talk, merely holding an election doesn’t necessarily equal freedom and democracy. Our current administration loves to wax poetic (as poetic someone as ineloquent as Bush, anyways) about democracy, but at every opportunity, either domestically, or abroad, run roughshod over it.
What I came away with from my 45 minutes, or so, listening to Zinn’s talk, is that democracy, in order to remain vibrant, requires a much greater commitment from all of its citizens, including me. Being obedient sheep and grateful beggars for scraps from the wealthiest in charge won’t lead us where we need to go. Only putting our American experience into its proper context and demanding that those in charge hear our demands will get the job done. Unfortunately that might take more than passing on emails and voting Democrat.
Civil disobedience seems to have gone out of favor in the video age and in the land of reality TV. This is where we find the conundrum—do we have the wherewithal to resist those who are willing to turn their wrath upon us, by unleashing their well-armed and tasered storm troopers (financed by our tax dollars), tossing us in jail and subverting all forms of justice that we ignorantly think apply to us?
While I’ve taken part in a number of protest marches over the past few years to protest the war in Iraq, maybe I need to take it to a new level? Just last week, a group of protesters sat down in Tom Allen’s office and were subsequently arrested. Am I willing to get arrested to stop the death machine from rolling on? Many of the people that I work with on a regular basis are seeing necessary benefits and services slashed all because we have an administration that cares more for corporations than it does for common people. These are tough questions and the kind that all of us need to start considering.
And as Mr. Zinn so eloquently stated, it’s the only real way to achieve the type of democracy that benefits the greatest number of folks, not just the elite in charge.
Fortunately for me, this morning, C-Span2’s Book TV was just wrapping up its weekend non-fiction book marathon with a broadcast of Howard Zinn, speaking to an audience, at Brandeis University. Zinn has just released another book, in a long line of titles that this champion of the common man has written (or edited) over the past 50 years, or so.
I would be hard-pressed to name another book that I’ve read over the past 20 years that has had more of an influence on me than Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States. Zinn, who is now 85, doesn’t seem to have lost a step, or any of his passion for true, people-powered democracy. One of the things that I’ve appreciated the most from Zinn’s writing, is his ability to strip away the mythology that so often accompanies (and muddies) any discussion of history in the U.S. From a review that I read, his latest work, A Power Governments Can’t Suppress, is a series of short essays, in which Zinn talks about some historical figures, like Eugene V. Debs, who inspire him, as well as placing the Iraq War in its proper historical context.
It’s exactly this type of contextualization that seasoned, yet passionate writers/activists like Zinn bring to history that is so obviously lacking in any of the sound bite journalism that makes up for what passes for today’s so-called news coverage. That and the fact that no one dares to buck the corporate owners who pay the salaries. Yet, nothing quiets much of the jingoistic chest-thumping emanating from right-wingers better than a healthy dose of context, whether we’re talking about our not-so-heroic Founding Fathers (who were more concerned with preserving their slave-holding and economic status quo than creating democracy for all members of the new republic), or the history of the U.S. and its policy of selectively supporting democracy when it serves the economic interests of the elite and toppling democratically-elected leaders when it doesn’t. How else does one explain the litany of democratic governments that the U.S. has subverted?
Another benefit of an honest rendering of history—it helps Americans focus on those all-too-brief periods in our own history, when the masses got fed up with being handed sloppy seconds from our leaders, took matters into their own hands and actually created a few initiatives that benefited the majority, not just a handful of the most wealthy and well-connected. Democracy is a lot more than pulling a lever on election day—sometimes its down and dirty and often, people get clubbed, beaten, shot and more times than not, arrested. For all our talk about cyber marches and e-campaigning, real change comes when the people take to the streets, or sit down in the square and gum up the wheels of commerce. Nothing gets the attention of those in power and faster than when something keeps them from making more money!
In his talk, Zinn spoke about the period, during the 1930s, when U.S. workers, committed various acts of civil disobedience, primarily through a wave of sit-down strikes, where workers took over and occupied factories and workplaces across the country. This direct action shook the corridors of power and forced the corporate bosses and their political lackeys to take notice and even give something back. This also resulted in the formation of unions, where workers, for the first time, began to share in some of the spoils that had always gone to the owners, previously. We have social security today because these workers decided to disobey laws that they considered unjust or harmful for them and their families.
Many of these actions led to the unprecedented economic growth experienced by most Americans, from 1947, until 1973. This period saw very few recessions and stability in the business cycle unlike any other time in our nations history.
But, as Zinn also pointed out, while those in power give back a few rights from time to time and the pendulum tips towards democracy, just as soon as they are able, the power elite take back these rights and attempt to enact tighter controls on the hoi polloi.
While many Americans have grown comfortable over the past 30 years or so, we’ve experienced a gradual erosion of many of our rights. Workers have grown fearful, rather than brazen and corporations, embracing the tenets of global capitalism, have placed profits above and beyond any concern for they have for their workers. The Republican Party, particularly during the dark years of Reagan, sought to defang the union movement and defraud American workers. When he fired the PATCO workers, in 1980 and brought in replacement workers, this was an unprecedented action in post-WWII North America. That was a watershed event and established our present “labor as a commodity” mentality that pervades labor culture in the U.S. today.
Zinn also spoke about the civil disobedience and mass protests that characterized the civil rights movement, as well as the actions of student demonstrators and others that led to an eventual end to the war in Vietnam. As Zinn so aptly pointed out in his talk, merely holding an election doesn’t necessarily equal freedom and democracy. Our current administration loves to wax poetic (as poetic someone as ineloquent as Bush, anyways) about democracy, but at every opportunity, either domestically, or abroad, run roughshod over it.
What I came away with from my 45 minutes, or so, listening to Zinn’s talk, is that democracy, in order to remain vibrant, requires a much greater commitment from all of its citizens, including me. Being obedient sheep and grateful beggars for scraps from the wealthiest in charge won’t lead us where we need to go. Only putting our American experience into its proper context and demanding that those in charge hear our demands will get the job done. Unfortunately that might take more than passing on emails and voting Democrat.
Civil disobedience seems to have gone out of favor in the video age and in the land of reality TV. This is where we find the conundrum—do we have the wherewithal to resist those who are willing to turn their wrath upon us, by unleashing their well-armed and tasered storm troopers (financed by our tax dollars), tossing us in jail and subverting all forms of justice that we ignorantly think apply to us?
While I’ve taken part in a number of protest marches over the past few years to protest the war in Iraq, maybe I need to take it to a new level? Just last week, a group of protesters sat down in Tom Allen’s office and were subsequently arrested. Am I willing to get arrested to stop the death machine from rolling on? Many of the people that I work with on a regular basis are seeing necessary benefits and services slashed all because we have an administration that cares more for corporations than it does for common people. These are tough questions and the kind that all of us need to start considering.
And as Mr. Zinn so eloquently stated, it’s the only real way to achieve the type of democracy that benefits the greatest number of folks, not just the elite in charge.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
I (heart) The White Heart: Friday night rockin', Portland-style
[On the way to the show--do you think it might be cold?]
[A festive White Heart crowd eagerly awaiting some rock]
[Jose showing off his bass skills]
[The talented Doug Cowan and Bullyclub]
[Doug and Jose sharing vocals]Sometimes, in the midst of a time when its easy to be cynical, over worse, depressed by many of the events of the world (and I'm not just talkin' about the death of Anna Nicole and Britney's troubles), it's necessary to get out and live a little and connect with one's fellow humans.
Friday night, I was off to the bright lights and big city of Portland, to catch one of my favorite musicians (and people), Jose Ayerve, sharing the bill with another talented musician with Portland roots, Doug Cowan and his band, Bullyclub. They were playing at one of the city's top spots to hangout on a Friday (or Saturday), The White Heart on Congress Street.
It's becoming a rarity in the Bush dystopia, to go out and see multi-generational gatherings and mixing of the classes, races and even sexual orientations, but The White Heart is truly one of those types of places. Get out and experience it, before you miss it.
As Bruce Cockburn once said, "You gotta' kick the darkness until it bleeds daylight," from "Lovers in a Dangerous Time." Friday night, I kicked the darkness hard.
Friday, February 23, 2007
The time to leave Iraq is now!
My heart goes out to the family of Staff Sergeant, Eric Ross, the young Maine soldier, tragically killed in Iraq, February 9, during combat operations in Baquba. Ross’ death is just one more obvious reason why the U.S. should begin an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, ending U.S. involvement in a conflict that we shouldn’t have been in at all.
According to this morning’s Portland Press Herald, in a story bylined to David Hench, Senator Snowe is now calling for an investigation into the death of Ross and is questioning whether U.S. forces are stabilizing a fledgling government or are mired in sectarian rivalries with no clear idea of can be trusted.
Without stating the obvious, I’d say that, yes, Senator, we are mired in a quagmire, fueled by sectarian forces—in a nutshell—this is a civil war at best and a prototypical clusterfuck (a common military term, btw) at its worst.
While many Republicans and Democrats are now taking political cover by suddenly questioning President Bush's strategy to send an additional 21,000 U.S. soldiers into this quagmire in Iraq, the fact remains that senators such as Snowe and Collins voted to support the Iraq war resolution back in 2002. Now, after apparently having a “Damascus Road” experience of some kind, they are suddenly opposed to escalating the conflict that has resulted in 3,148 deaths of U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of others slated to return home, with injuries that will require care and follow up that is apparently lacking, at least according to reports like this one.
I want to reiterate, as I did at the beginning of this post. My issue with politicians in no way seeks to invalidate the life of Eric Ross. When I was 26, my biggest concern was making a comeback as a semi-pro pitcher and building a house—not dodging roadside bombs and trying to figure out if that person on the other side of the street was going to try to kill me. That’s a reality that no person of 26 (or any age) should ever have to face and I cannot fathom the grief his family is trying to cope with right now.
I have been opposed to this war from the beginning and have been vocal about my opposition. I am fed up with politicians, like Senator Snowe, who by-and-large have supported their party’s hawkish policies, only recently parting ways, now that most Americans have finally decided that the conflict in Iraq is a mistake. Back in November, 2002, long before the senator had her change of heart, 500 Mainers, marched through the rain in Augusta and registered our opposition. I remember clearly, crossing Western Avenue with my anti-war placard and having a driver swerve and nearly hit me while yelling “if you hate America so much, why don’t you get the fuck out!” That’s the kind of reaction that opposing the president got you, back when everyone was plastering their SUV’s with yellow ribbons and American flags. Or, how about listening to some redneck in a bar rant at the TV when Tim Robbins was being interviewed by a talking head and saying he was opposed to what was going on in Iraq and nearly coming to blows with the patron when I kindly pointed out the error of his opinion in blindly supporting our president? In 2002 and 2003, being anti-war meant you ran the risk of getting your ass kicked, or worse.
In a related story, Dexter Kamilewicz, who ran unsuccessfully last fall, against Congressman Tom Allen, was one of a small group of protestors to stage a sit-in at Allen’s Portland office on Thursday. The group entered Allen's Exchange Street office Wednesday afternoon and sat on the floors for hours, reading aloud the names of deceased Iraqis and U.S. soldiers. Members of the group said they planned to stay until the 1st District Democrat addressed their concerns or police arrested them. They got the latter, as Portland police arrested 13 on trespassing charges, Thursday night.
[Note: Don't neglect to read the comments following the PPH story, particularly republican's stumbling attempt at intelligent commentary.]
The protesters were part of a national campaign, called The Occupation Project, aimed at pressuring Democrats in Congress to cut funding for the Iraq war.
Talk is cheap and while Allen insists that he’s opposed to the war in Iraq, he keeps voting to fund the debacle.
Kamilewicz was one of the 13 arrested and had this to say about his former opponent. “I believe he wants to be a good senator more than he wants to be a good congressman," making reference to Allen's possible run against Susan Collins, for her Senate seat in 2008.
With the U.S. having spent nearly $370 billion ($370,000,000,000!!!) in Iraq and Afghanistan, is it any wonder why we have little money to address our domestic issues here at home? Still, politicians of both parties (Demicans and Republicrats) continue to talk out of both corners of their mouths, saying they’re opposed to the war, but continuing to fund it and enable the war profiteers. Take a very good look at where your tax dollars are going—nearly 1/3 of the federal budget now goes to defense.
As if that wasn’t reason enough, reports coming from Britain indicate that British troops will begin a major withdrawal from Iraq in May, which could cause a domino effect and leave the U.S. without any members left in its “coalition of the willing.” Already, Japan is considering pulling its 500 troops, as are Denmark and Lithuania. While the trio’s numbers are small, it’s symbolic of how other nations view the current state of what’s happening on the ground in Iraq. While other nations are seeking to turn over security concerns to Iraqi security forces, the U.S. military, at the behest of the administration, are ramping up troop levels.
We need an immediate exit from Iraq, not continued hand wringing, political posturing and maintenance of the party status quo. The families of U.S. soldiers deserve much better. Bring them home now!!
According to this morning’s Portland Press Herald, in a story bylined to David Hench, Senator Snowe is now calling for an investigation into the death of Ross and is questioning whether U.S. forces are stabilizing a fledgling government or are mired in sectarian rivalries with no clear idea of can be trusted.
Without stating the obvious, I’d say that, yes, Senator, we are mired in a quagmire, fueled by sectarian forces—in a nutshell—this is a civil war at best and a prototypical clusterfuck (a common military term, btw) at its worst.
While many Republicans and Democrats are now taking political cover by suddenly questioning President Bush's strategy to send an additional 21,000 U.S. soldiers into this quagmire in Iraq, the fact remains that senators such as Snowe and Collins voted to support the Iraq war resolution back in 2002. Now, after apparently having a “Damascus Road” experience of some kind, they are suddenly opposed to escalating the conflict that has resulted in 3,148 deaths of U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of others slated to return home, with injuries that will require care and follow up that is apparently lacking, at least according to reports like this one.
I want to reiterate, as I did at the beginning of this post. My issue with politicians in no way seeks to invalidate the life of Eric Ross. When I was 26, my biggest concern was making a comeback as a semi-pro pitcher and building a house—not dodging roadside bombs and trying to figure out if that person on the other side of the street was going to try to kill me. That’s a reality that no person of 26 (or any age) should ever have to face and I cannot fathom the grief his family is trying to cope with right now.
I have been opposed to this war from the beginning and have been vocal about my opposition. I am fed up with politicians, like Senator Snowe, who by-and-large have supported their party’s hawkish policies, only recently parting ways, now that most Americans have finally decided that the conflict in Iraq is a mistake. Back in November, 2002, long before the senator had her change of heart, 500 Mainers, marched through the rain in Augusta and registered our opposition. I remember clearly, crossing Western Avenue with my anti-war placard and having a driver swerve and nearly hit me while yelling “if you hate America so much, why don’t you get the fuck out!” That’s the kind of reaction that opposing the president got you, back when everyone was plastering their SUV’s with yellow ribbons and American flags. Or, how about listening to some redneck in a bar rant at the TV when Tim Robbins was being interviewed by a talking head and saying he was opposed to what was going on in Iraq and nearly coming to blows with the patron when I kindly pointed out the error of his opinion in blindly supporting our president? In 2002 and 2003, being anti-war meant you ran the risk of getting your ass kicked, or worse.
In a related story, Dexter Kamilewicz, who ran unsuccessfully last fall, against Congressman Tom Allen, was one of a small group of protestors to stage a sit-in at Allen’s Portland office on Thursday. The group entered Allen's Exchange Street office Wednesday afternoon and sat on the floors for hours, reading aloud the names of deceased Iraqis and U.S. soldiers. Members of the group said they planned to stay until the 1st District Democrat addressed their concerns or police arrested them. They got the latter, as Portland police arrested 13 on trespassing charges, Thursday night.
[Note: Don't neglect to read the comments following the PPH story, particularly republican's stumbling attempt at intelligent commentary.]
The protesters were part of a national campaign, called The Occupation Project, aimed at pressuring Democrats in Congress to cut funding for the Iraq war.
Talk is cheap and while Allen insists that he’s opposed to the war in Iraq, he keeps voting to fund the debacle.
Kamilewicz was one of the 13 arrested and had this to say about his former opponent. “I believe he wants to be a good senator more than he wants to be a good congressman," making reference to Allen's possible run against Susan Collins, for her Senate seat in 2008.
With the U.S. having spent nearly $370 billion ($370,000,000,000!!!) in Iraq and Afghanistan, is it any wonder why we have little money to address our domestic issues here at home? Still, politicians of both parties (Demicans and Republicrats) continue to talk out of both corners of their mouths, saying they’re opposed to the war, but continuing to fund it and enable the war profiteers. Take a very good look at where your tax dollars are going—nearly 1/3 of the federal budget now goes to defense.
As if that wasn’t reason enough, reports coming from Britain indicate that British troops will begin a major withdrawal from Iraq in May, which could cause a domino effect and leave the U.S. without any members left in its “coalition of the willing.” Already, Japan is considering pulling its 500 troops, as are Denmark and Lithuania. While the trio’s numbers are small, it’s symbolic of how other nations view the current state of what’s happening on the ground in Iraq. While other nations are seeking to turn over security concerns to Iraqi security forces, the U.S. military, at the behest of the administration, are ramping up troop levels.
We need an immediate exit from Iraq, not continued hand wringing, political posturing and maintenance of the party status quo. The families of U.S. soldiers deserve much better. Bring them home now!!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Waging war on the American poor
Even Start is a program that was designed to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy for low-income families in the U.S., by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program.
The participants in the Even Start program come from some of the most disadvantaged families in the country. According to the U.S. Department of Education, nearly 90 percent of Even Start families had an income below the federal poverty level with nearly half of all parents having incomes below $6000. Even Start parents are far more educationally disadvantaged than families served by other programs. Only 15 percent of parents had a high school diploma or GED when they enrolled in Even Start, compared with over 70 percent of Head Start parents. Even Start families are four times less likely to be employed than Head Start families when they join Even Start. A significant body of research exists showing that children who grow up in high-risk environments face considerable challenges as they enter school.
First authorized, back in 1988, with an appropriation of nearly $15 million, the results and outcomes from across the country have been encouraging:
- In Florida, more than 80 percent of the children who participated in Even Start were deemed "Ready for School" by the state's pre-Kindergarten screening compared to a statewide average of 75 percent.
- In New York State, 80 percent of preschool children enter Even Start with literacy scores below the 50th percentile on the Preschool Language Scale-a well-regarded and rigorous assessment. Yet, over 75 percent of those children make more than a one year gain in language development during a year of Even Start preschool—including the children whose native language is not English and children with disabilities. The achievement gap for young children in New York is narrowing.
- In Georgia, over 85 percent of the Even Start children read on grade level by the end of the primary grades - nearly double the statewide average of 41 percent.
- In North Carolina, over 75 percent of the pre-k children participating in Even Start programs displayed at least a 1.5 month gain for each month they were enrolled in the program on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test.; and 83 percent of children in grades K -2 were reading at or above grade level. Illinois reports that an average of 97 percent of their children in kindergarten through grade 3, are reading at or above grade level.
- A study of 450 Even Start families in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Texas, 69 percent of Even Start children exceeded expected levels in Academic Performance.
Yet, despite the obvious success that this program has had in lifting families out of poverty and addressing core literacy issues, which dramatically affect employment capability—if you can read, you probably don’t have much opportunity, particularly in the 21st century working world, which demands much more complex skills than ever before—Even Start is one of several programs originally intended to help bridge the income divide in America looking to be deep-sixed in the Bush Administration’s 2008 budget. While the administration justifies the 1 percent, across the board cut for many similar, education-based programs, citing poor performance, in the case of Even Start, it appears that it was one small program ($111 million) actually making a difference.
While the president’s “war on terrah’” continues to receive prime billing on the pages of our daily papers and on the six o’clock news every night (as more of our young military men arrive stateside in body bags), what continues to rage, with nary a peep from most sources of mainstream news is the administration’s unprecedented attack on the poor, through the gutting of important domestic programs.
With no "shock and awe” displays, no massing of the troops and no nightly commentaries, this attack on the poor is camouflaged in "minor" regulatory changes, routine reauthorizations, "voluntary" block grants, budgetary complexities and other arcana, almost as if our eyes were supposed to glaze over before we really understood. Place the many pieces on the table together, however, and the breadth and the depth of the attack become startling.
The administration’s intentions are quite plain, when the cuts are examined by category:
Elementary, secondary and vocational education—
The proposed cuts include funding for K-12 education, vocational and adult education, and special education. It includes funding for the No Child Left Behind initiatives, including Title I funding that provides schools with additional resources for disadvantaged children, as well as special education funding. The President’s budget would cut overall funding for these education programs by $9.9 billion over the next five years, relative to the expected fiscal year 2007 funding level adjusted for inflation. In 2012, funding for these programs would be reduced $2.8 billion, or 6.8 percent. As shown in Figure 3, these cuts would largely roll back the expansions in these education programs that enacted earlier this decade.
Health care—
Discretionary programs in the budget known as “health care services,” which include community health centers, HIV/AIDS programs (for U.S. residents), maternal and child health programs, the Indian Health Service, substance abuse and mental health treatment, and domestic bioterrorism efforts would be slated for $4.1 billion in cuts over the next five years, relative to the expected fiscal year 2007 funding level adjusted for inflation. The cuts would reach $1.2 billion, or 5.6 percent, in 2012.
Hospital and Medical Care for Veterans—
The President proposes to increase funding for these programs by nearly $1.4 billion (or 4 percent) in 2008. The increase, however would only be temporary. After an increase sought for next year, the Bush budget would turn current trends on their head. Even though the cost of providing medical care to veterans has been growing rapidly — by more than 10 percent in many years — White House budget documents assume consecutive cutbacks in 2009 and 2010 and a freeze thereafter.
Employment and Training Services—
The Bush budget would cut the inflation-adjusted funding for “employment and training services,” which includes funding for programs under the Workforce Investment Act (such as one-stop career centers, training for dislocated workers, employment programs for youth, and the employment service), by $1.2 billion in 2008 and $5.8 billion over the next five years. The cut would reach 17 percent in 2012. These proposed cuts would come on top of the already deep cuts imposed since 2001.Say what you want about state and federally-sponsored training programs, the reality that comes with these cuts is that most of what we currently know as workforce training in Maine and elsewhere will be eliminated. What makes this particularly galling for a state like Maine, is that our workforce requires greater investments in training, skills development and access to innovative programs, in order to acquire the skills required for becoming competitive in a global economy.
I could go on, but my point is this. Never in our country’s history have we attempted to wage war on the scale that we are presently engaged, while granting tax cuts, in this case, to the wealthiest among us. And the group that is bearing the full brunt of this cost—the poorest among us, or as Jesus said, “the least of these.”
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