Letters
• Midnight Special Bookstore - Margie
Ghiz
• Non-violence - Marea
Boylan
• Notable Women in Venice
History - John P. Jones
• OFW licensing
- John Vance
• Isadora Duncan didn't
sleep here - Eddie Medard
• Missing -
Paul Frankel
• Venice Peace March -
Naomi Snyder
• Venice Skills Center -
Marguerite Siegel
Midnight Special
Bookstore
Dear
Everyone,
The Midnight Special
Bookstore has found a new place! It's at 1450 2nd Street in Santa Monica, not
far from the old store.
We are planning
a grand opening season with great events to invite you back; and we are thinking
of trying some new things, so you'll have to come help us work them out. For
those of you who can, we will need help with the move. I'll write again with
details, as soon as we have an opening date.
I believe these are very dangerous
times to be without every possible avenue of real information; it has been hard
not being able to be there when we are needed. It has been even harder not being
a part of the most exciting peace movement our world has ever seen. We look
forward to re-joining you all!
Thank
you for the phone calls, thank you for the letters, thank you for the e-mail,
thank you for leaving notes on the old storefront, thank you for the words of
support on our website. Thank you for reminding us that the Midnight Special is
still here. WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
Looking
forward to hearing from you and having you back in our
store.
Margie Ghiz, Midnight Special
Bookstore
************
Non-violence
Dear
Beachhead,
I strongly urge the peace
movement to use nonviolent methods to bring about lasting peace in the world.
Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Nonviolence means avoiding not only
external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only
refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate
him.”
Just like Bush cannot
liberate the Iraqi people through destructive means, the anti-war movement
cannot bring about peace through shouting, anger, hatred or violence. This will
only bring about more of the same. These negative methods are rooted to the same
techniques used by the Bush Administration and Saddam Hussein, which can only
have negative consequences.
Negativity breeds
negativity.
Gandhi said, “Be the
change you want to see in the world.” What is the change we want? We want
peace. So find peace within yourself first, then we will be able to bring about
peace in the world.
We can say
“No” peacefully and powerfully. We can exercise civil disobedience
while being centered in love. This is very effective. Using these techniques,
Gandhi won freedom for India from British Imperialistic
rule.
To access your own center of love
and peace, think of someone you truly love and care about. Focus on that feeling
while going about your daily life, going to peace rallys, thinking about Bush,
visualizing world peace.
To be centered in
your own peace and love is the most powerful force for change possible. It takes
dedication and hard work, and yet it is so easy. We can do it. Doing this, we
are now ushering in a new way of life on this planet – one of love, peace,
cooperation and unconditional
respect.
Marea Boylan
************
Notable
Women in Venice History
Hi, I
was reading the Beachhead (March, 2003) online and saw the list (page 9) of
"Notable Women in Venice History", and I read the invitation to submit
nominations. Well, I nominate Carol Fondiller. I have not
seen or spoken with Carol for many, many years ... but I remember her
contributions to Venice. I remember her articles in the Beachhead ...
years back ... and I'm delighted to see her involvement continues.
Carol really cares about Venice ... she always has. She was, and still is,
a wonderful activist, a great writer, a very cool person ... and a truly
notable woman in Venice
History.
Keep up the great work!!
Lotsa Love to Carol
!!!
Peace,
John
P.
Jones
************
OFW
licensing
Dear
Beachhead,
I am very disturbed to read
that a councilmember could even think about licensing or permitting political
tables (Licenses for artists and free speechers?, May
Beachhead).
My partner and I just moved
here from Berkeley - there for 12 years tabling on Telegraph Avenue with a free
speech/sticker table - now in Venice just north of Rose Avenue on the weekends.
I would like to know more about who else is willing to go up against this
councilmember re: permitting political tables and artists, ridiculous, doncha
think?
I would also like to set our
anti-bush anti-war bumper stickers/buttons literature tables at the Carnevale,
June 14. Abridging my civil liberties is an 'act of terrorism'! There's a
terrorist behind every BUSH!
John
Vance
************
Isadora
Duncan didn't sleep here
Dear
Beachhead,
In your May ‘03 issue
you perpetrate the old canard of a “renown” dancer having lived at
the Thornton Towers. This letter is an attempt to put that myth to rest, though
it will probably not succeed; as the saying goes, “When the myth becomes
legend, print the legend!”
I
lived across the walk from that building, at 21, from about ‘67 through
‘76, and the building manager, a Mrs. McGurk, had lived there
“forever” having owned a house which when she sold it, it was
stipulated that she would manage the building which replaced
it.
She assured me that it was not
Isadora, whom she had never heard of, but one or both of the Duncan Sisters, a
popular vaudeville act of the
day.
Isadora was born in San Francisco
in 1878 and moved to Europe early in the 1900s, dying in 1927. She only returned
to the U.S. for infrequent trours de
danse.
Incidentally, I am totally with
you in opposition to the monstrosity which is proposed for the parking
lots.
Love,
Eddie
Medard
************
Missing
Dear
Beachhead,
I am the first to admit I am
terribly absent minded and forgetful. Can anyone help me find
.....
1. Osama Bin
Whatsisname?
Or his
corpse.
2. Saddam
Hussein?
Or his
corpse.
3. Iraqi Weapons of Mass
Destruction?
Don't look in North Korea,
they're not there.
4. The Bill of
Rights (actually being observed)? 4th Amendment
especially.
5. The real Florida
elections results from 2000? Along with authority for the US Supreme Court to
decide on matters of the Florida
Constitution.
6. A big chunk of my
paycheck?
The part that goes to pay war
taxes....
7. My
keys?
8. There was something else, but
I forgot.
Happy
hunting.....
Paul
Frankel
*************
Venice
Peace March
Dear
Beachhead,
I often participate in
Sunday’s Venice Peach March, which meets at 2 pm at Rose and the
Boardwalk. At the conclusion of our May 11, 2003 march (on Mother's Day), a
friend mentioned that she planned to meet others for a drink at the Outback Cafe
on the Boardwalk. Fellow marcher John and I decided to join her.
When we arrived at the Outback with
our various peace paraphernalia (e.g., signs, buttons), some Outback customers
verbally assaulted our political position; I responded in kind. John and I
proceeded up the steps to the Outback, whereupon the manager and her assistant
blocked our entry; these two informed us that the Outback allows no
solicitation, that we must leave. When I responded that we planned to eat at the
Outback; the assistant softened somewhat, whereupon my friend surfaced. I
retreated down the steps to the Boardwalk in front of the Outback.
Several and sundry Outback
“patrons” entertained themselves by throwing pennies, wadded-up
soiled napkins, and insults at me.
Meanwhile, another friend
spontaneously developed a “Boycott Outback” sign (which one Outback
patron attempted to swipe from her); she walked up and down the Boardwalk with
it. Several Venice “peace” officers scratched their heads in
confusion at the quandary confronting them at the Outback; at which point, we
proceeded to the Waterfront Cafe, where patrons displayed my “Evict
Resident Bush” sign in full view. We
partied!
Naomi
Snyder
************
Venice
Skills Center
Dear Beachhead:
The Adult School graduating class
of 2003 cordially invites everyone to attend its high school and adult eighth
grade commencement exercises on June 13th at 6:00 pm. The graduation ceremony
will be held at the Venice High School Auditorium, 13000 Venice Blvd. Our
graduates studied at our combined campuses, including University and Venice
Community Adult Schools, the Venice Skills Center, and our Alternative Education
Work Centers for at-risk youth.
Our
students represent a wide range of backgrounds and life stages, and their
stories are as varied as they
are:
“I started in English as a
second Language, Level 2, in Adult School. I studied very hard and within a year
was able to complete my ESL studies and earn my 8th grade diploma. I wanted a
challenge and now I’m graduating from high school. My goal is to go to
college and get a better job. I’m concerned about job discrimination for
older people and I feel that more education will give me a better chance of
being hired.”
-Manuel Jesus, age 66
“I made a
terrible mistake in high school and I’m so thankful that adult school has
given me the opportunity to graduate and get my life back on
track.”
-Brandi Miller, age 18
“I started
in English as a Second Language in 1998: we were studying the alphabet.
I’m so happy being here because of the many opportunities I’ve had
to achieve my goals. In Romania people can’t go to school at my age. I
plan to go to Santa Monica College to get an Associate Degree in accounting and
then on to college for a Bachelor’s
Degree.”
-Dumitra Ioan, age 47
“ The
Alternative Education and Work Center is so important to me because it gave
people like me a chance to break away and start a new life. If not for this
program, violence would have consumed me. These people gave me choices and I
love and thank them.”
- Christopher Ramey, age 18
We would be
pleased if you would show your support by attending our commencement exercises.
Please RSVP by Thursday, June 5, to Susan Archibald,
310-477-2084.
Sincerely,
Marguerite Siegel
Posted: Sun - June 1, 2003 at 03:18 PM