La Voz - December January 2018

Dec 2018 | jan 2019 Vol. 31 Issue 10•

San Antonio, Tejas

Ruth Lofgren • 1916 – 2018

“Democracy, like love, comes from within. . . Our decisions and our actions make us the people we are and will become. If we want a peaceful world, we need to become peacemakers.” —Ruth Lofgren, La Voz, May 2003

La Voz de Esperanza December 2018/January 2019 Vol. 31 Issue 10 Editor: Gloria A. Ramírez Design: Elizandro Carrington

Contributors Elliot Benjamin, Sarah Bergenfield, Victor M. Córtez, Tammy Gómez, Jan Olsen, Ire’ne Silva

La Voz Mail Collective

Alicia Arredondo, Juan Díaz, Pauline Enriquez, Josie Martin, Ray McDonald, Angie Merla, Katy Morales, Edie Ortega, Ray & Lucy Pérez, Blanca Rivera, Mary Agnes Rodríguez, Yolanda Salazar, Mike Sánchez, Vanessa M. Sandoval, Guadalupe Segura, Roger Singler, Cynthia Spielman, D.L. Stokes, Margaret Valdez, Helen Villarreal

Esperanza Director Graciela I. Sánchez

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • Dec 2018 | jan 2019 Vol. 31 Issue 10•

Esperanza Staff

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Elizandro Carrington, Yaneth Flores, Sarah Gould, Eliza Pérez, Paul Plouf, Kristel Orta-Puente, Natalie Rodríguez, René Saenz, Susana Segura, Amelia Valdez

Conjunto de Nepantleras —Esperanza Board of Directors—

Norma Cantú, Rachel Jennings, Amy Kastely, Jan Olsen, Ana Lucía Ramírez, Gloria A. Ramírez, Rudy Rosales, Tiffany Ross, Lilliana Saldaña, Nadine Saliba, Graciela I. Sánchez, Lillian Stevens • We advocate for a wide variety of social, economic & environmental justice issues.

• Opinions expressed in La Voz are not necessarily those of the Esperanza Center.

La Voz de Esperanza is a publication of

Esperanza Peace & Justice Center 922 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX 78212 210.228.0201

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Inquiries/Articles can be sent to:

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Articles due by the 8th of each month

Policy Statements

* We ask that articles be visionary, progressive, instructive & thoughtful. Submissions must be literate & critical; not sexist, racist, homophobic, violent, or oppressive & may be edited for length. * All letters in response to Esperanza activities or articles in La Voz will be considered for publication. Letters with intent to slander individuals or groups will not be published.

When the Calaveras issue of November comes around each year—somehow, we wind up fitting together all the calavera poems and literary ofrendas to our dearly departed into that special issue. Inevitably, having cast the net wide and beaten the bushes to find all the calaveristas who might possibly write a calavera or even a literary ofrenda—I will get some late arrivals for the Calavera issue with profuse apologies and the hope that these late escritos might be snuck into the December/January issue of La Voz, if not the November issue.

As it happens, the December/January issue is perfect for orphaned calaveras and literary ofrendas looking for a new home. It’s perfect because the issue is about endings (like death) and beginnings (like rebirth and resurrection).

When Tammy Gomez emailed Sliding on mute: a sonata for Botham Jean with the short note: Thanks for your consideration. Gloria had invited me to submit something. It may be too late. I wondered why she labeled it—for DDLM. But, of course, for Día de los muertos! We had run out of room when it arrived and it wound up in the December 18/January 19 issue. We were to find out that a significant ruling would come down by the end of November in the Jean Botham case. Had the writing made it into the Calaveras issue, it would not have been as timely!

So it happened with a number of poems and calaveras that they made their way into the December 18/January 19 issue to end the year or begin anew. It is as if each poem talked about the past and death or about renewal and resurrection. As this issue begins and ends each poem, calavera, obituary, article, or ofrenda seems to give tribute to an ending, destruction, or death and or resurges with some hope as Ire’ne Silva’s poem does when it wraps up the issue with Nextepuah, we many weep—but even our ashes will sing!

I want to thank everyone who made this issue possible simply by sending in your poem, article or musing. Especially at this time of year, after Peace Market, La Voz seems like an impossible task but buena gente like you make it possible to put out yet another end of year issue. Heartfelt thanks to all and I wish a better New Year for us all!

Finally, I wish to express my thoughts on the passing of our dear friend, Ruth Lofgren who always had a spark of curiosity in her eye and a willingness to learn more. At 100, she was still questioning her being and her place in this world and beyond. She never lost her sense of childhood wonder. May Ruth rest in the power of the universe.

—Gloria A. Ramirez, editor of La Voz de Esperanza

Beware of Answered Prayers The past: more present to me now than I would like.

A function of my advanced years?

“At least,” you say “you still remember.”

Luckier than some whose memories have frayed like fabric on chairs the cats have worried beyond repair.

But I want some people back: my son Martin and Joy my dearest friend.

I am not greedy, just these two for starts.

And what would they make of me?

An old woman with so much to tell them, and they, still young, impatient to move on with the promise Artwork: Remedios Varo “We’ll get back to you.”

—Marilyn Wallner

ATTENTION VOZ READERS: If you have a mailing address correction please send it to lavoz@ esperanzacenter.org. If you want to be removed from the La Voz mailing list, for whatever reason, please let us know. La Voz is provided as a courtesy to people on the mailing list of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center.

The subscription rate is $35 per year ($100 for institutions). The cost of producing and mailing La Voz has substantially increased and we need your help to keep it afloat. To help, send in your subscriptions, sign up as a monthly donor, or send in a donation to the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. Thank you. -GAR VOZ VISION STATEMENT: La Voz de Esperanza speaks for many individual, progressive voices who are gente-based, multi-visioned and milagro-bound. We are diverse survivors of materialism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, classism, violence, earth-damage, speciesism and cultural and political oppression. We are recapturing the powers of alliance, activism and healthy conflict in order to achieve interdependent economic/ spiritual healing and fuerza. La Voz is a resource for peace, justice, and human rights, providing a forum for criticism, information, education, humor and other creative works. La Voz provokes bold actions in response to local and global problems, with the knowledge that the many risks we take for the earth, our body, and the dignity of all people will result in profound change for the seven generations to come.

Ruth Lofgren 1916 – 2018

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there, my father talked me back to step on this one and When the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center opened its this one and this one. He talked me all the way back to doors in 1987 at 1305 N. Flores, Ruth Lofgren urged the Quaksound—or—or firm soil. And never any scolding or terers to become part of the Esperanza Network and she continued ror or anything, they just said—took it for granted that to be a presence at the Esperanza until she died on October 31, I would be able to follow directions 2018, just before her 102nd birthday. and—and come back safely. But it all Ruth, a microbiologist, understood the seemed like a perfectly natural part of concept of intersectionality and how my playground. groups working together could impact and change a whole organism. She Ruth’s early connection to the natural occasionally wrote articles for La Voz world served as a foundation for her and often attended community meetpioneering work in the field of ecology ings particularly during the time of the in the 60s and her work in San Antonio Esperanza’s lawsuit against the City of on Mitchell Lake. Instead of the sewage San Antonio. Her guidance, her words sludge pond that was there—she saw and indelible presence will continue to what it ultimately became—the Mitchserve us as an illustrious example from ell Lake Wetlands—one of only 2 large which to learn from. freshwater bodies in south central Texas Ruth was born November 25, that forms a critical stop on migration 1916 in Huntsville, Utah, the first of routes for over 270 species of waterfowl, 5 children of Benjamin Franklin and raptors, shore and song birds. She also Alice Loise Elder Lofgren. She spent envisioned a rich learning environment her early years on a small fruit farm in there—the Mitchell Lake Audubon CenButlerville, Utah being taught at home ter that opened in 2004. She worked for by her teacher parents. She learned to years to convince everyone that the vision explore, study, observe, and assimilate she had could become reality. It did! the world around her.

Before coming to San Antonio, Ruth In an interview for Texas Legacy, was a pioneer in the field of electron miFebruary 14, 2006 she recounted a coucroscopy having earned a B.A. and M.A. in ple of childhood incidents that revealed microbiology and chemistry at the Univerher steadfast connection to the natural sity of Utah and a Ph.D. in microbiology In 2007 at Esperanza’s 20th anniversary, Ruth was honored world that would impact her life: as one of 5 elder activists with a lifetime achievement award. in 1944 from the UniTop: Gloria Ramírez presents Ruth with the award. versity of Michigan.

When I was a tiny child, probably She was always clear a year, year and a half old, we had about her moral and ethical grounding and a big rainstorm up in this mountain town in Utah— believed peace and kindness to be paramount Huntsville, where I was born—and after the rainstorm in the treatment of human beings. ,there was a beautiful rainbow and I went out into the Ruth began teaching at the yard—and my parents tell me—raised my arms in the University of Michigan Medisky and I said thank you, thank you because this was cal School, in the Department my rainbow and I knew that the whole thing was—the of Bacteriology, in 1948. She had whole of the planet was my—my special world to live in. a marvelous time working on rash and fever and then on the study of —the marsh behind the house up in Huntsville had what the finer structures of microorganisms looked like stepping-stones to me. They were little humwith the electron microscope. But, when mocks of grass out into the mud. And I had walked out, the chairman of the department died step by step, until I was, oh, a few hundred feet out into and was replaced with an individual the marsh and, of course, these hummocks wouldn’t supA young Ruth who believed their focus should be on port an adult. So when my parents saw that I was out Continued on Page 6

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INTERFAITH WELCOME COALITION

Bus Station Ministry ……the stories continue.

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Editor’s note: Migrant family separations continue but people all over the U.S. are working to help those families that are fortunate enough to have been cleared to stay in the country until their asylum claims are ruled on. Rarely, are whole families kept together—with some family members sometimes getting stuck indefinitely at detention centers.

Children without parents are still being kept at the Tornillo detention center outside of El Paso in the desert. Reports are that more than 2,300 children between the age of 13 and 17 are still housed in the tent city, watched over by staff members who have not undergone proper background checks. If children from the migrant caravans are detained in the U.S., many of them will likely be sent to the Tornillo facility. Word is that the Federal governmnet plans to greatly expand the Tornillo facility. These small acts offer hope for all.

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Small Acts….Huge Difference Story #1

The Backpack Ministry is a series of small acts of kindness: welcoming a family, handing out a backpack or a lunch,

providing medicines or reviewing a bus itinerary.

However, there are times when those small acts make a huge difference in the lives of our families who have endured so much.

One day at the bus station, a mother with two young sons came up to me and asked if I could help her locate her husband. They had been separated shortly after crossing the border and she had no idea where he was. There is a website that allows you to search by data, including an A ( short for “alien”) number which each refugee has. It is a more complicated process if you don’t have the A number which this mother didn’t have. The search yielded no information.

I called a phone number listed on the site and was connected with an ICE officer who gave me another phone number and after multiple phone numbers and much time on hold, I managed to locate her husband in a detention center in Georgia. The officer I spoke with said he couldn’t give me any information or arrange a phone call. At that point, I decided that pleading was my only recourse. I described the mother and her sons and the stress and sadness that the separation was causing. He said he probably couldn’t do anything but to keep my phone nearby.

About an hour later and shortly before the family was due to board their bus, my phone rang and the officer said, I have your husband here. I ran over to the mother and the sons and handed them my phone with the words, “It’s your husband”.

The mother stood with tears streaming down her face and her sons had their arms wrapped around her and each one took a turn talking to their father.

After the phone call, all three of them came over to me and hugged me all together. It’s a moment that I will carry with me forever. I think about that ICE officer and how we can encounter acts of kindness in unlikely places.

They boarded their bus and continued on their very long journey with many obstacles still ahead of them but words of love and comfort exchanged with their loved one gave them hope and strength.

SANTUARIO/SANCTUARY, sections of a completed fresco for San Francisco International Airport by Juana Alicia—1999

— Story #2

A few months ago at the bus station, a father and son were dropped off from the Karnes Detention Center. I could tell immediately that the father was very stressed. He shared with us that he and his son had been separated from his wife and baby girl shortly after crossing the border after a long and dangerous journey and he had no idea where she was. I tried to find her through the locator website to no avail. I called a RAICES volunteer who had spent a lot of time in the detention centers and asked if he could help me find this mother. As it turns out, he was at the Dilly Detention Center that day. He said he would try to find her and set up a phone call which usually takes 5 to 7 days. It turned out that

she was right there in Dilly. He called me back and said he was going to try and get her on the phone and to stand by.

About two hours later and about 10 minutes prior to the father’s boarding time, my phone rang and the RAICES volunteer says, I have her here. I handed my phone to the father and his son and they held each other, tears streaming down their faces.

They thanked me at least a dozen times and that father was smiling and laughing with his son as they boarded their bus.

These are the moments that provide some measure of healing for our families and for us.

—Submitted by Jan Olsen

La Calaca taquera

La calavera migrante muy contenta camina con ellos, En la frontera mexicana Muchos los esperan con buena gana

Por la dieciocho la huesuda andaba Vendiendo tacos a todo aquel que encontraba, Tacos al carbón, del perro que maté en el callejón.

Tacos de tripita, que es cola de ratita Tacos joven, tacos¡

Al cruzar en balsas el Suchiate los centroamericanos migrantes, con esperanza y alegría caminan todo el día, pero en Chiapas ya los espera la policía y con gases lacrimógenos intenta detener la osadía.

La calavera migrante muy indignada le reclama a la policía esa inhumana fechoría.

“Déjenlos en paz, que continúen su travesía” Así mañana mis queridos hijos migrantes Alejados de la represión su meta ya no será tan distante.

Ay mis hijos inmigrantes sus anhelos son muy sanos Y su caravana si saldrá adelante Y aquí entre ustedes caminare como hermanos Pero si algún loco ignorante no los deja salir avante Con mi guadaña en mano verán que le echo el guante.

Cuando lleguen al Rio Bravo muchos uniformados estarán del otro lado más no se preocupen, ya lo tengo todo controlado.

Al nefasto güero copetón ya lo tengo al tanto Y si con ustedes se porta mal, me lo llevo al camposanto.

—Víctor M. Cortés

La calaca con sus tacos ya prosperó Y hasta una taquería en la dieciocho abrió Tacos Los Comales, para que se curen todos sus males, Tacos de carne asada, para acabar con toda la perrada La calaca vendiendo tacos, millonaria se volvió Pero a todos mis amigos de Chicago, al panteón se los llevó —Víctor M. Cortés

EDITOR’S NOTE: At the Esperanza’s Dia de los muertos event, I met Victor who had recently moved to San Antonio from Chicago. He had a chapbook of his own Calaveras.

Here are two: one reflecting on the immigrant caravan that is accompanied by la calavera through Chiapas and on to the Río Bravo. She assures the immigrants safe passage or else to the graveyard she will take those that obstruct their journey. La calaca taquera has the “bony one” on 18th St. selling street tacos—all kinds— until she opens her own taquería, Tacos Los Comales, that cures all ailments. She becomes a millionaire, but still takes everyone to the grave!

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Calavera migrante/la caravana

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Ruth, Continued from Page 3

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bacteriological warfare research, Ruth declared, “I-I think this is consciousness and one’s inner life raising questions of how we unethical and I can’t be a party to it!” She challenged this policy as as humans can be our best selves amidst “the social disease of dangerous for students and essentially immoral—resigning from exploitation” that seems to be threatening this planet and all the prestigious position in 1956. living beings. Her personal This experience contributed to Lofjourney to “know thyself” gren’s belief in the importance of led her to write an article popular understanding of science for La Voz in October of and of the complexity of the global 2014 entitled, Confessions environment. of an American Liberal After resigning from the Uniwhere remarkably she arversity of Michigan, she moved to New York City, joined the faculty rives at a conclusion about of Brooklyn College, and shifted herself stating: Over the her research focus to science years I have been aware of education. In 1976, Ruth took discrimination, profiling early retirement from the City and prejudice. But, my life University of New York and came has been comfortable until to live in San Antonio. She taught Ruth participated in many community discussions at the Esperanza. now. The “white privilege” in a Quaker school for emotionI have enjoyed is no longer invisible to me! ally disturbed children until 1978. th At 101 years young in a letter to the Editor of La Voz In 2007 at Esperanza’s 20 anniversary, Ruth was honored (March 2018) Ruth expressed dismay with our government as one of 5 elder activists with a lifetime achievement award. At saying, When I think what a great country USA was in 7th grade 91, she was selected as San Antonio’s first peace laureate in 2008 Civics, I’m saddened by the truth. Our government and big initiated by the peaceCENTER. At the ceremony, Ruth expressed a concern about today’s children noting that children had become business have had their fingers in most of the country’s business and the people have suffered—migrants and the promise of the passive learners with the demands of institutionalized learning statue of liberty. Now, millions suffer. I’m glad the fight continand needed to be more connected to the natural world. Ruth also ues for the dreamers. I don’t understand our politicians... lots received the 2017 Terry Hershey Award of the Texas Audubon of us are waiting for humane change… God bless all who work Society, having worked to restore the wetlands of Mitchell Lake and establish the Audubon society there, and having served as with vision for a world of peace and justice. a docent. And, she was inducted into the San Antonio Women’s The Esperanza staff and buena gente extend our deepest Hall of Fame in 2017. condolences to Ruth’s vast family of activists and global citiWhen in her nineties Ruth focused more on issues of zens. Her life has, indeed, been an example of a life well led.

Chi Chis Out! With my chi chis out You criticize me for not attending college Belittle me for not fitting into a size 0

Liquid gold drips out of my daisy shaped nipples And covers the corner of my son’s mouth Only to heal his body inside and out

With my chi chis out With my chi chis out She whispers “Why hasn’t she gotten married yet?” It smells of vanilla ice cream, it reduces the risk of cancer “She’s got 3 kids born out of wedlock, you know?” And it soothes my little brown warrior to melt in my arms And now With my chi chis out you point and holler “Cover up!”

With my chi chis out My fist in the air and my crown on my head I will no longer hide to comfort you

This time, While I am nursing my baby from my breast With my chi chis out

I become a dancer, a singer, a hummer, and I stand for this revolution with my chi chis out!

—Dolores Moreno-Valles —Cree-Métis Artist, Carla Joseph

Reducing Trump’s Destruction, Rethinking Impeachment After The Midterm Elections

by Elliot Benjamin, Ph D. November, 2018

the hands of the Independents and people on the fence, and it has been warned by many political analysts that talking about impeachment at this time would have been counterproductive to the Democrats’ efforts [2], both in terms of failing to sway the necessary middle-of-the roaders to vote for the Democrats, as well as stimulating and escalating the Republican voter turnout even more than was done by Trump’s intensified pace In my previous La Voz article, I conveyed the following campaign rallies that targeted fear of immigrants [3]. in regard to my perspective on instituting impeachment proAs the midterm elections approached, nobody “knew” ceedings in the House of Representatives to impeach President what the outcome of the elections would be in regard to the DemDonald Trump [1]: ocrats taking over the house, as on one hand we had the “boomIn this present political United States climate, I feel that I ing economy” and on the other hand we had the public’s concern have no choice but to stake my own territory and speak up about health care and Trump’s alienation of women, minorities, loud and clear that the Trump presidency should not be “nor- and educated voters in general [4]. Of course the fact that the malized.” My call for impeachment is a statement in support economy is doing well is much more complicated than the picture of the moral integrity of the United States, as I feel that if im- that Trump and the Republicans are painting, as the economy is peachment proceedings were at least seriously undertaken in essentially continuing its upward rising trend that Obama initithe Congressional House, a message would be conveyed that ated, and it is way too early to know the more permanent effects a good portion of our country shares the outrage with much of of Trump’s drastic tax cuts to the wealthy [5]. In an oversimplithe rest of the world of having Donald Trump as the President fied version, this election could be described as a contest between of the United States.

Trump’s hateful immigration rhetoric However, soon before the appealing to his recent U.S. midterm elecright wing base, tions, I changed my perspecand the growing tive about impeachment, as I concerns of a wide believed that in order to have range of voters about any real chance of achievTrump’s various ing a Democratic takeover ethical quagmires, of the House of Representaas well as what a tives, it was imperative that number of people the Democrats refrained viewed as his excesfrom promoting the topic of sively harsh and impeachment as part of their uncaring treatment candidates’ agendas. For I of immigrants [6]. realized that the winning or My own concerns losing of this tremendously about the Democrats significant test of Trump’s not taking over the Donald Trump embraces former rival Ted Cruz at Houston rally during the 2018 midterm elections. power was essentially in House and Trump NOTE: The present article is a modified and updated version of my previous article: Reducing Trump’s Destruction, Rethinking Impeachment: A More Integrative Perspective, which is available at www. integralworld.net/benjamin96.html References and notes for the present article are available from lavoz@esperanzacenter.org

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The results of the midterm elections wer like myself. The Democrats strongly gain and balances, investigations, and safegua agenda of destruction will soon be underw

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continuing and expanding his policies were especially focused upon Trump’s destruction of the environment and the planet, and the horrifying prospect of war with Iran. But I understood that my concerns were not what was at the forefront of the issues that the middle-of-the-roaders were most concerned about, and I had to acknowledge that it was precisely these middle-of-theroaders who would end up deciding whether or not Trump would get to continue on what I viewed as his platform of destruction. And it is for this reason that I changed my tune about impeachment.

I wholeheartedly think that there are serious grounds for impeaching Trump and that it is the justifiable, ethical, and “right” thing to do, as I have written about previously [1]. However, in spite of the cautiously optimistic picture that I previously painted about the possibility of removing Trump from office [1], I must now say that I do not think that it is feasible that Trump could be removed from office even if he were impeached, given the fact that two-thirds of an even more Republican controlled Senate in the aftermath of the midterm elections would need to vote to remove him from office (which has never occurred in the history of the United States).

And I have to ask myself the question: Is impeachment without removal from office worth the horrific surge of violence that would likely erupt from Trump being impeached? And perhaps even more gripping, a number of political analysts believe that undertaking impeachment proceedings could result in alienating the middle-of-the-roaders as it gets closer to 2020 and Trump’s bid for a second term of four years as the president of the United States [2]. So I must weigh the integrity of doing what is the “right” thing to do to preserve the “conscience” and moral values of the United States vs. the possibility of excessive violence and promoting another four years of “President Trump.” And in spite of my earlier views [1], I must now yield to the pragmatic forces of working to reduce Trump’s destruction. As much as I hate to have to come to this, yes I now believe that this means to not promote impeachment.

The results of the midterm elections were a great sigh of relief for progressives like myself. The Democrats strongly gained control of the House, and the checks and balances, investigations, and safeguards to reduce what I perceive as Trump’s agenda of destruction will soon be underway [7]. No

re a great sigh of relief for progressives ned control of the House, and the checks ards to reduce what I perceive as Trump’s way [7].

Where Congress is vested with constitutional powers, it is almost always vested with corresponding discretion about whether and when to use them. . . . the Framers knew how to issue commands—and nowhere did they instruct the House and Senate to take aim at every potentially impeachable offender. Instead, they endowed legislators with the option of acting, but not with the duty to act in every instance where removal would be justifiable. Congress thus bears the heavy burden of exercising judgment. . . . Lacking an affirmative duty to impeach, the House is never obliged to take that drastic step unless it concludes that doing so is in the greater interest of the nation. . . . House members may decline to impeach because the nation faces more urgent issues; they definitely lack two-thirds support in the Senate; they don’t believe a decisive majority of the public would support their decision; or they have good reason to believe other political remedies can better address the president’s misconduct going forward.

In the case of President Trump, it is my belief that all four of Tribe and Matz’s considerations in the last sentence of the above quote are relevant: 1) there are more urgent issues—namely the avoidance of nuclear war and further destruction of the planet, to name the first two for me; 2) yes there is most definitely a lack of two-thirds support in the Senate; 3) over 40% of the country is still strongly supportive of President Trump [9] so it is hardpressed to conclude that a “decisive” majority of the public would support impeachment and removing him from office; and 4) I do think that “other political activities”--such as House investigative hearings related to Trump’s impeachable offenses [10] as well as possible new legislation passed by the House, both of which are currently being advocated for and promoted in the second phase Indivisible “offense” guide [7], can “better address the president’s misconduct going forward.”

Make no mistake about it—I will miss being on the impeachment bandwagon. But in the interest of what I believe is best for the United States as well as for the rest of the world, since I feel strongly that reducing Trump’s destruction necessitates that he not become president for a second term of four years, and I believe that this requires a strong vote against Trump in 2020 by the middle-of-the roaders--as occurred in last week’s midterm election, and I also believe that undertaking impeachment proceedings in the House will run counter to this happening, my perspective on impeachment is now changed.

NOTE: Email LaVoz, lavoz@esperanzacenter.org for complete article footnotes.

BIO: Elliot Benjamin is a philosopher, mathematician, musician, counselor, writer, with Ph.Ds in mathematics and psychology and the author of over 150 published articles in the fields of humanistic and transpersonal psychology, pure mathematics, mathematics education, spirituality & the awareness of cult dangers, art & mental disturbance, and progressive politics. He has also written a number of self-published books, such as: The Creative Artist, Mental Disturbance, and Mental Health. See also: www.benjamin-philosopher.com.

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the victory is not complete, as Trump will continue to be able to fill up the judicial branch with Conservative judges through the Republicans’ retention and expansion of their control of the Senate. But in regard to my change of perspective on impeachment, it is now even more crystal clear to me that there is virtually no chance that Trump could be removed from office, unless the Mueller investigation comes up with downright direct traitor activities by Trump himself in regard to collusion with Russia, and even then—I would not bet on Trump’s base and enough Republican senators thinking that Trump should be removed from office. I think that the whole topic of impeachment is a very delicate and complicated situation—as I believe it still is important to talk about the viable grounds for impeachment and all the violations of the constitution that Trump has done to warrant removing him from office—firing up the anti-Trump voter block as much as possible. But I also think it is important to stop short of actually undergoing impeachment proceedings in the Congressional House—and this is consistent with the excellent description of the pros and cons of impeachment discussed

by Laurence Tribe and Joshua Matz in their book To End A Presidency: The Power of Impeachment [8]:

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I have had to relive my trauma in front of the entire world

Dr. Blasey Ford indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter

I thought that brett was accidentally going to kill me Kavanaugh physically pushed me into a bedroom as I was headed for a

September 28, 2018

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Dear Dr. Blasey Ford

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bathroom up a short stair well from the living room. They locked the door

and played loud music precluding any successful

attempt to yell for help.

I believe you.

I am moved to write to you after watching your testimony yesterday, in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The strength and grace you showed has inspired thousands of women to share their stories. Sadly, history has made you a profile in courage. Yours is a name that will be served with dinner in houses all across the country. In our house your name is uttered respectfully. My children know who you are and what you have done for them. They believe you.

My husband and I sat quietly yesterday. He held my hand as I cried. Tears flowing over my cheeks as I listened to you speak your truth. For you spoke my truth too. When your voice cracked, my heart cracked. I was standing right beside you, my arms locked with the thousands of other women whose hearts were breaking. We believe you.

Thank you for your words. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your strength. I will take your strength and add my own. And then I will pass it along to the next woman – a burning hot flame carried from one female to another, across generations. And one day they will believe us all, for our voices will be so loud and so powerful, and there will be so many of us that they will not be able to ignore us. And they will say we know what happened to you. And we’re sorry we did nothing.

We will never win if we stay silent. Thank you for breathing your words into our hearts, for answering the door when history knocked.

Sarah Bergenfield

Sliding on mute: a sonata for Botham Jean

by Tammy Gomez Pre-set up – open link to this video, and hit pause.

You will listen to this later. Follow instructions below. bit.ly/botham-video

Update: A police officer who claimed she killed a Dallas man in his own apartment in the mistaken belief that he was in her home was indicted Friday on a murder charge, authorities said. The indictment of Amber Guyger comes more than two months after she was arrested in the shooting death of Botham Shem Jean at the Dallas apartment complex where both lived— a killing that sparked days of protests.

—CNN, November 30, 2018 EDITOR’S NOTE: A literary ofrenda from Tammy Gómez was offered as part of the November Calaveras and Literary Ofrendas issue of La Voz de Esperanza. It appears in this issue of La Voz coincidentally as the indictment of Guyger was announced. Black Lives Matter!

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • Dec 2018 | jan 2019 Vol. 31 Issue 10•

You knocked while I was finishing in the kitchen. Had just grabbed a drink and closed the fridge door, to make my way back to the sofa—flickering from the tv giving me just enough light so I wouldn’t stub my toe on the end table again. My chips and salsa were already on the table, and I had the set on mute—and pause.

I thought I heard some steps, slight muttering. But wasn’t sure if I was just hearing things. I’d had a long day and was just happy to be alone for a relaxing night.

Next thing I know that muttering is coming closer, pushing into my apartment, and I am sitting up, “What the, who are you?

What are you doing—“ I never got to hear the answer to my questions. I was slammed back into the furniture and the furniture into the wall with such force and velocity, it was like a demon penetrated from the beyond and gusted me into the middle of winter. I felt cold, things were draining out of me, and I couldn’t keep up my good posture. Sliding, everything was sliding. And my view was die ways, sideways, wow, I cannot even think straight. That muttering became some kind of drill sergeant anger, a ferocious female bark, and I wish that had not been the very last thing I ever heard. Why was

the tv on mute at that moment? It was such sweet music on. [click on YouTube video to start Terence Blanchard music, then continue reading] When the Levees Broke. I wanted to watch this, it’s the 13th anniversary of Katrina. All the pain, more Black people suffering, water ocean people like me.

Things are broken from me too, now, and stuff is spilling.

Out. And I just keep sliding. Sliding in this song of broke things.

Down all the way. [spend the next 8 minutes in stillness, hearing Blanchard’s music and recalling a time when justice seemed imminent for all of us]

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Singers Alyson Alonzo & Polly Ann Rocha (on right) pose with admirers.

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Yolanda Salazar & Imelda DeLeón, buena gente, kept the snack bar going smooth.

M ar Pink Leche among others performed at Peace Market.

¡Gracias a tod@s!

Panfilo’s Güera (Belén Escobedo) plays música mexicana antigua on the violin.

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Dora Amelia Urdiales de Gonzáles, vendor, enjoys herself.

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LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • Dec 2018 | jan 2019 Vol. 31 Issue 10•

Music legends like Spot Barnett & Santiago Jimenez played at the 2018 Mercado de Paz.

k e t / M ercado

Elvia Niebla & Norma Cantú visit with artist, Michael Marinez.

Oldies but goodies: Rhonda Chase & Martha Prentiss.

Guatemalan vendor, Rosa Alpacaja de Pérez, is assisted by Lupita Dominguez.

Photographers: Kristel Orta-Puente Elizandro Carrington

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the scatterer of ashes what does it mean to be born of a cataclysm there was one world and then there was another there is no known number for five centuries of death we are children of ash children of fire children of corpses children of blood soaked earth mourning all these centuries because we cannot lay all their spirits to rest mourning because new blood revives the cries of old blood because new tears fall everyday to join the rivers of old tears flowing inside the earth mourning because we have seen too many of our own die and the dying has not ended we mourn the nameless future dead as we mourn the nameless past dead

scatter the ashes Nextepuah and let them rest Artist: Juana Alicia, section of a mural at El Centro Chican@, Stanford CA

lay them to rest Nextepuah and in return we offer this when it is time to scatter our ashes you will find only flames flickering over our stubborn hearts because we are not ash we are neither dead nor dying not today for all our dead we will live incandescent we are children of survive children of struggle children of sing children of pray children of resist five centuries of dying has also been five centuries of living of remembering of gathering of building of stories of birthing Nextepuah we may weep but even our ashes will sing —Ire’ne Silva

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • Dec 2018 | jan 2019 Vol. 31 Issue 10•

what offerings can we make to Nextepuah the scatterer of ashes when so much has already been sacrificed been lost been taken

what does it mean to be born knowing we are destined for ash

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* community meetings * LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • Dec 2018 | jan 2019 Vol. 31 Issue 10•

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Amnesty International #127 Call Arthur @ 210.213.5919 for info.

oasanantonio.org | 210.492.5400.

Bexar Co. Green Party: Call 210.

471.1791 | bcgp@bexargreens.org

PFLAG, meets 1st Thurs. @ 7pm, University Presbyterian Church 300 Bushnell Ave. | 210.848.7407.

Celebration Circle meets Sun., 11am @ Say Sí, 1518 S. Alamo. Meditation: Weds @7:30pm, Friends Meeting House, 7052 Vandiver. 210.533.6767.

Parents of Murdered Children, meets 2nd Mondays @ Balcones Heights Com. Ctr, 107 Glenarm | www.pomcsanantonio.org.

DIGNITY SA Mass, 5:30pm, Sun. @ St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1018 E. Grayson St. | 210.340.2230

Rape Crisis Center, 4606 Centerview Suite 200, Hotline: 210.349.7273 | 210.521.7273 Email:sschwab@ rapecrisis.com

Adult Wellness Support Group of PRIDE Center meets 4th Mon., The Religious Society of Friends 7-9pm @ Lions Field, 2809 Broadway. meets Sunday @10am @ The Friends Call 210.213.5919.

Meeting House, 7052 N. Vandiver. | 210.945.8456.

Energía Mía: Call 512.838-3351 for information.

S.A. Gender Association meets 1st & 3rd Thursday, 6-9pm @ 611 E. Myrtle, Fuerza Unida, 710 New Laredo Hwy. Metropolitan Community Church. www.lafuerzaunida.org | 210.927.2294 SA AIDS Fdn 818 E. Grayson St. Habitat for Humanity meets 1st offers free Syphilis & HIV testing | Tues. for volunteers, 6pm, HFHSA 210.225.4715 | www.txsaaf.org.

Office @ 311 Probandt.

SA Women Will March: www.

LGBTQ LULAC Council #22198 sawomenwillmarch.org | (830) 488meets 3rd Thursdays @ 6:45pm 7493 @ Luby’s on Main. E-mail: info@ SGI-USA LGBT Buddhists meet 2nd lulac22198.org Sat. at 10am @ 7142 San Pedro Ave., rd NOW SA meets 3 Wed See FB | Ste 117 | 210.653.7755. satx.now for info | 210. 802. 9068 | Shambhala Buddhist Meditation nowsaareachapter@gmail.com Tues. 7pm & Sun. 9:30am 257 E. Pax Christi, SA meets monthly on Hildebrand Ave. | 210.222.9303.

Saturdays. Call 210.460.8448 S.N.A.P. (Survivors Network of Proyecto Hospitalidad Liturgy meets those Abused by Priests). Contact Thurs. 7pm, 325 Courtland.

Barbara at 210.725.8329.

Metropolitan Community Church Voice for Animals: 210.737.3138 or services & Sunday school 10:30am, www.voiceforanimals.org 611 East Myrtle. Call 210.472.3597 SA’s LGBTQA Youth meets Tues., Overeaters Anonymous meets 6:30pm at Univ. Presby. Church, 300 MWF in Sp & daily in Eng. www.

Bushnell Ave. | www.fiesta-youth.org

Give an end-of-year tax deductible gift Give to the Esperanza in spirit of solidarity so we can continue to speak out, organize and fight for our communities for another 30 Years. Your support is needed NOW more than ever! Thank you for your gifts!

Send donations to Esperanza

Esperanza Peace And Justice Center 922 San Pedro Avenue San Antonio, Tx 78212 To sign up as a monthly donor, Call 210.228.0201 or email: fundraising @esperanzacenter.org Visit www.esperanzacenter.org/donate for online giving options.

¡Mil Gracias!

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Notas Y Más Dec 2018 | Jan 2019

Centro Cultural Aztlán celebrates, the 23rd Annual Virgen de Guadalupe exhibit from December 12-14, 2018 and January 2- 19, 2019, Monday-Friday, 9am to 5p.m. Check:www. centroaztlan.org

The San Antonio Art League & Museum located at 130 King William will sponsor an exhibit thru December 16th with artwork by artists, Vikki Fields & Sylvia Benitez. Check: www.SAALM. ORG for details.

The Tejano Conjunto Poster Contest invites visual artists, graphic designers, and art students to create an entry in the Middle School, High School, College or Open categories for a colorful, creative interpretation of

Brief news items on upcoming community events.

Send items for Notas y Más to: lavoz@esperanzacenter.org or mail to: 922 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX 78212.

The deadline is the 8th of each month.

Conjunto music that could be used as a poster for the annual Conjunto Festival sponsored by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in the spring. DEADLINE: January 31, 2019 @ 5 pm. For guidelines see: guadalupeculturralarts.org/tejanoconjunto-poster-contest/ Looking for books to give to the radicals (or radical curious) on your list? Looking for your own next read? Look no further than HaymarketBooks.org! Take 50% OFF everything at HaymarketBooks.org through January 2nd! Get a FREE Ebook with every book purchase! Get FREE Shipping on orders over $25 in the US.

(After Tree of Life Synagogue)

Let us put on one side of the scales the perpetrators of the Holocausts of Europe, Cambodia, Rwanda, this whole hemisphere of American Natives, North and South, of Iraq’s Sunnis, Shiites, Jews and Christians, in the hundreds of thousands, refugees in the millions.

leaving us poets, tellers of stories and composers of songs to find the words, sounds and icons to transcend our labels of good and evil. ­ Tom Keene and the Muse — www.tomkeenesmuse.com May the Voice of the Muse be heard in our land

Then let us balance that with the lives of one Mother Teresa, one Gandhi, one MLK, one Malcom X. Now let us consider how all this is one Family, one People, one Planet loved by the Source from which we come, the Source to which we return,

Tree Of Life Synagogue, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • Dec 2018 | jan 2019 Vol. 31 Issue 10•

In the Balance

Cinco Puntos Press in El Paso, Texas is unique with the cultural themes our readers seek and often published bilingually in Spanish and English.

Children’s books are readily available as well. During the holidays, receive a 20% discount. If you are considering a gift to a school, a Non-ProfitPO, or simply a group of deserving kids, we offer a 50% discount for literacy projects. A family publishing house, Lee and Bobby Byrd and their son, Johnny invite you to browse their website at www.cincopuntos.com

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LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • Dec 2018 | jan 2019 Vol. 31 Issue 10•

N o c h e A z u l de E s p e r a n z a

Christmas

Around Latinoamérica

Sat. Dec. 15, 2018 @ 8 PM

Buena Gente Appreciation Dinner January 6 @ 3pm

Doors open at 7:30 PM

Esperanza 922 San Pedro

Enjoy canciones navideñas with A Z U L! Musicians TBA.

Esperanza Peace & Justice Center

922 San Pedro San Antonio TX 78212 210.228.0201 • www.esperanzacenter.org

Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID San Antonio, TX Permit #332

Haven’topened Haven’t openedLa LaVoz Vozinina awhile? while?

Prefer Prefertotoread readititonline? online?Wrong Wrongaddress? address?

TO CANCEL AA SUBSCRIPTION SUBSCRIPTIONEMAIL Email:lavoz@esperanzacenter.org lavoz@esperanzacenter.orgCALL: CALL:210.228.0201 210.228.0201

Tickets are $7 más o menos at the door Donations are always appreciated.

922 San Pedro Ave. San Antonio TX, 78212 Call 210.228.0201 for more info • www.esperanzacenter.org

Esperanza’s Holiday Tiendita is open!

Find the perfect gift for friends or family!

Music, books, T-shirts, chakira jewelry, folk art, rebozos, feather earrings, clay figures, hearts with milagros, huipiles, rugs of Oaxaca y mas!

CD or Vinyl

Nuestro Corazón Azul’s latest album is available in CD and Vinyl.

STILL HERE by Lourdes Pérez with a book & CD including vintage photos & oral histories of the 1930s-50s in songs by musical Westside stars.

Westside Legends

Book & CD

Que Cosa Es El Amor: Rita Vidaurri, Beatriz Llamas, & Blanca Rosa—Las Tesoros— new recordings by these international stars of the 40s & 50s, now revered elders of the San Antonio music community.

M-F, 10am-7pm • 922 San Pedro Ave • 210.228.0201