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A
Coalition to Defeat Bush It has not fully dawned on progressive, "Green"-oriented voters in this country that the expectedly close election may very well place in their astonished hands not only the power to defeat Bush but also push the Democratic Party in a bolder direction. The numbers from the last election irrefutably reveal that the Nader vote in many states was larger than the margin of difference between Bush and Gore. Sharply contested elections have been seen elsewhere as golden opportunities to use crucially needed votes as "leverage" to move mainstream parties toward positive changes. In Germany in 2002, there was a very close election between the liberal Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the conservative Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU). The German Green Party recognized a chance to exercise influence and entered into negotiation with the SDP about Green-oriented policies it would be willing to support if a coalition between the two was able to defeat the conservatives. The Green vote indeed made the crucial difference and the coalition was formed.
German Coalition Advances Progressive Cause A formal "Coalition Agreement" has been signed that includes the following: 1) All nuclear power plants in Germany will be phased out; 2) the principle of sustainable development shall be the "central goal of the government's reform policies, guiding the way government does its business;" 3) consumer protection will be recognized as a "central cross-cutting principle of government action;" 4) "on climate protection, Germany is to propose that the European Union adopt a 30 percent greenhouse gas reduction target and, if EU agrees, itself adopt a 40 percent target;" 5) an agricultural policy will be adopted that is "orientated to nature and people and their health" and which "rewards animal welfare;" and 6) extensive food labeling will be done to provide transparency and respect consumer choice regarding genetically modified foods. In addition, Greens have been installed in the quite significant cabinet posts of foreign minister, environment minister, and minister of consumer protection, food and agriculture. In the U.S., it would be quite a stretch to imagine people with Green credentials being appointed to secretary of state or director of the EPA. The "winner take all" system (as opposed to the more democratic system of proportional representation in places like Germany where 8 percent of the vote translates into 8 percent representation in government) does not allow for much influence by smaller political parties. Extremely close elections, however — even in systems like the U.S. — are one of the few exceptions to this general rule.
Strategic Alliance to Defeat Bush A cooperative alliance could be formed between Sen. Kerry, Gov. Dean, Sen. Edwards, Rep. Kucinich and Nader. Kerry and Nader could negotiate their own form of the German Coalition Agreement. Nader could ask Kerry to use his executive powers to implement progressive changes and also propose and support specific legislation. He could request that Kerry commit to specific appointments. In return, Nader could agree to use his candidacy as a pulpit to promote his views but not seek ballot access in the key swing states. One of this column's authors, Peter Sorenson, actually presented a proposal in early 2000 to Gore's campaign manager that is similar to what we now describe. He suggested that Gore offer to appoint Nader as attorney general. If this proposal had been accepted and implemented, it is very possible the entire election would have turned out differently. Nader has agreed to meet with Kerry during April to discuss how they can "collaborate" toward the "common goal" of defeating Bush. Nader is to be commended for taking this step, one he refused four years ago. Even if these discussions do not bear immediate fruit, an all-important line of communication will have been established. Further into the election year, tensions on all sides are bound to increase. As this happens, it will be very fortuitous for Kerry and Nader to have initiated this link. Many progressives are beginning to catch on to the rare and amazing power that this election may very well give them. Some are actively laying the groundwork for a German-style, strategic coalition between progressive Democrats and Greens called the Green Democratic Alliance. It is receiving its initial impetus right here in Eugene, where the concept was enthusiastically embraced by Kucinich in his recent visit. In order to share this concept nationwide, a website is about to be launched at www.greendemocraticalliance.org The German Greens have "raised the bar" and challenged progressives worldwide to join them in a profound paradigm shift. Those who advocate for a sustainable way of life must begin to pro-actively direct government policy rather than react against it. If U.S. Greens and Green-sympathizers follow the inspiring path that has been demonstrated in Germany, the result will be such empowerment. Pete Sorenson is a Democrat, working with the Kerry campaign, and a Lane County Commissioner. Spruce Houser has been involved in many Green-oriented public interest campaigns, including a ballot initiative to assert local democratic control over corporations, which was publicized by Nader in his national column.
Profiling
America By the time you read this, I will have broken a federal law. I will have withheld some of the personal information demanded by the U.S. Census Bureau's new American Community Survey (ACS). Some of you may recall the Census Bureau's "long form" sent during the last official Census. It asked a lot of questions about people's lives and lifestyles. While the long form has been around for decades and promises confidentiality, many Americans found the last edition (year 2000) to be intrusive — an invasion of their privacy. The ACS is a newly implemented annual update sent to a random sampling of American households, in order to keep the demographic data current, and to possibly eliminate the long form in the future. More than a month ago, I received the ACS in the mail. Some of the questions were pretty nosy. Here's a partial list: Does our house have complete plumbing and flush toilets? How many bedrooms? Do we own or rent? What is the home's monetary value? Do we own it outright? What do we pay monthly for utilities, property tax, insurance, mortgage? The questions about the people in our home are far more troubling. Here is a partial list of the information the survey demands regarding every member in our household: race; marital status; date of birth (not just age); citizenship status; level of education; what language(s) other than English is spoken; physical and neurological health status; childcare arrangements; employment status; method of transportation to work; time of day, to the minute, each person departs for work; income amount and sources; ancestry or ethnic origin
My concern over these questions goes beyond that of simple privacy. There is a chilling historical precedent for the misuse of census data — one not nearly as widely known as it deserves to be. That abuse was an integral part of the genocidal policies of Nazi Germany during World War II. Edwin Black's extraordinary and meticulously documented book, IBM and the Holocaust, details how the Nazis used card-sorting machines (the nearest thing to computers in those days) leased from International Business Machines (and largely operated by that company) to sift through mountains of European census data in order to identify "undesirables" — Jews, Gypsies, physically and mentally handicapped people, and so on, and tag them for eventual destruction. Survivors of that campaign of slaughter had no idea how the Nazis were able to so easily identify and locate their victims, for it was not just the active, practicing Jews who were shipped to extermination camps. Millions of culturally assimilated Jews, plus half-Jews and quarter-Jews (among others) were identified, marginalized, rounded up, starved, and ultimately murdered. Black explains how it was done. The Nazis instituted a round-the-clock data-entry program that converted census data into encoded punch-cards that were then sorted in scores of machines, so that rosters of death could be compiled. Black's research indicates that the Nazis could triple the number of people they rounded up and killed in a given area, through the use of the card sorting machines. Could a comparable program be instituted in the U.S., in the near future? The wholesale roundup of descendents of Hitler's victims does not appear to be at all likely. But if Jews, Gypsies and disabled people are not probable targets, the potential for serious abuse still exists. Consider that the government has already incarcerated hundreds at the Guantanamo military base, apparently in violation of international law — and that efforts have been made by the Bush administration to strip certain Americans of their constitutional rights and citizenship. It is also my understanding that the anti-drug Public Law 100-690 could be used as a pretext to incarcerate political dissidents. The current political climate of indeterminate, undeclared war and civil rights compromised in the name of national security makes such abuses more likely than would be the case in saner times. Meanwhile, the ACS's stated intention is to assess demographic patterns, in order to ascertain the need for new schools, fire stations, road improvements and the like, and no doubt the Census Bureau's employees are acting in good faith in their efforts to secure this data. And they guarantee confidentiality. But in an age of the USA PATRIOT Act, Homeland Security Act, and Bill of Rights Defense Committees, the potential for abuse of this information is staggering. Steven Spielberg's holocaust docudrama, Schindler's List, insightfully opens with a scene of Nazi officials gathering census data from cooperative Jews. The ACS's massive profiling of America dwarfs anything the Nazis could have dreamed of. And consider this: The ACS comes with a pamphlet entitled, Your Guide for the American Community Survey. The last page in the guide contains a section with the heading, "Why the Census Bureau Asks Certain Questions." The questions covered are: name, value or rent, complete plumbing, place of birth, job, income, education, disability, and journey to work. No mention is made of the questions regarding race, citizenship status, languages spoken, or ancestry/ethnic origin.
My delay in filling out either of the two copies of the ACS mailed to me prompted one of their agents to call me on the phone in order to secure the data. (Incredibly, the survey's guide states, "If anyone in the household, such as a roomer or boarder, does not want to give you his or her personal information, print at least the person's name [and relationship to you] ... an interviewer will telephone to get the information from that person." An agent will have called me back before you read this. Indeed, ACS personnel are authorized to go directly to people's homes to complete the survey. I intend to answer any reasonable questions, including the homeowner information that is a matter of public record. I don't even mind telling them that my toilet flushes quite nicely. But my ethnicity and race, the languages I speak, my health status and the time I leave for work are none of their damn business. Perhaps my refusal to fully cooperate will "flag" me as a troublemaker, and they may fine me up to $100. I'll send them a check. The ACS is an issue that has managed to stay "under the radar" for quite some time now. Hopefully, that is about to change. Gordon David Kaswell is a local musician and freelance writer. His writing has appeared in Infinite Energy Magazine, UFO Magazine and EW.
Friendly
Skies Ever notice how hard it is to find the LGBTQ people in airports? Air travel sure throws my gaydar all out of whack. Homo-looking guys turn out to be het men who've been Queer-eyed. Sauntering women with dykey haircuts are just Canadian. The moving walkway carries me past unidentified strangers to my connecting flight. At least I see my people on TV. In all the waiting areas every newscast blares some same-sex marriage-related story. Go team. I haven't eaten since dinner last night and am looking forward to some good old airplane food. Flying across time zones they usually manage to have you in the air between meals. But this flight takes four hours and no matter how you slice it, includes lunch time. I've still got an hour's wait. The airport gift shop/newsstand is selling single pieces of fruit — the only living food on site — for $1.75. The apples are so shiny even Snow White would be suspicious. I pass, but salivate a little anyway. Eventually I board, find my aisle seat and buckle in. Our flight attendant is very faggy. Straight men who work in this swishy profession tend to act extra macho to defy the stereotype, but this guy is a total queen. If feather boas were part of the allowable flight attendant uniform, he'd be flouncing one across his shoulder while he reminds you to stow that bag completely under the seat in front of you, Mary. Thank God(dess) another member of my tribe is onboard. If I can make contact, he might slip me a packet of snack mix before takeoff. That would hold me until lunch. Then we get the bad news: no food. Airlines no longer offer in-flight meals. Who knew? On this 1700-mile flight they don't even serve pretzels. My belly gurgles disappointment. We're told we can purchase a restaurant quality sandwich or salad for $10. The nerve. I do not have an extra $10 to spend on what's supposed be included in the deal. It's the principle of the thing. Airline meals are part of our culture. You can't change the rules. It's unnatural. It goes against tradition. Even the bible says "Let all who are hungry come and eat." Where's the constitutional amendment codifying that the institution of air travel is a union between one person and one meal? (Rumor has it a few renegade airlines flout the law and issue meals anyway.) Why should I have to pay for airplane food — something first class passengers take for granted? It's not fair that some of us are treated as second class. Unequal. Under less famished conditions, I'd raise hell, but there's no fight in me. I'm too hungry. I will have to tough it out. We are all sealed into the oxygen deprivation chamber, aka the cabin. Nice word choice, but this cabin has no burbling brook nearby. No fireplace. Not even a moosehead, although some of us passengers could pass for dead animals, we're so lifeless from breathing recirculated jet fuel fumes. The flight attendant sashays down the aisle checking seatbelts. I try to send him homo vibes.
After takeoff, I open my tray table and set out my travel journal, my wedding photo on the cover. Miss Thang rolls by with his beverage cart. I make a point of glancing at the portrait of Wifey and me, and then up at him, flashing my best We Are Fam-i-ly smile. My stomach growls, but you can't hear it over the engine noise. Apparently I've made contact. "Are you hungry?" I nod with my most LGBTQ-solidarity look. He leans in close, "I'll see if we can get you something — don't tell anybody." At last, I get to cash in on those special rights we've heard so much about. Flyboy serves my food with a conspiratorial wink. I'm happy — in a carbon monoxide kind of way — all the way home. Sally Sheklow has been a part of the Eugene community since 1972 and is a member of the WYMPROV! comedy troupe. Her column, which began at EW in 1999, also runs in several other newspapers and magazines around the country and Down Under.
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