THE VOORHIS VOICE A Liberal Voice of the Inland Empire April 2009 claremontdemocrats@yahoo.com www.claremontdems.org Editor: Laura Ditte Lo MEETINGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS Our monthly luncheon meeting will be held at noon on Friday, May 8 at the El Ranchero Mexican Restaurant, 984 W. Foothill Blvd. El Ranchero is on the south side of Foothill. The buffet menu contains a choice of meat and non-meat entrees (no pork) rice, beans, green salad, chips and salsa. Beverages are included. Restaurant staff is available to help those who need assistance with the buffet. All are welcome to attend, enjoy the speaker, and engage in lively discussion. The cost is $10.00 including tax and gratuities. The next General Membership Meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 27 at 7:30, in Porter Hall (Pilgrim Place). Dr. Joseph Bookstein from the University of California, San Diego, will speak on Global Warming: The Population Connection. Directions: From Indian Hill Blvd., in Claremont, take Sixth St. west 2 blocks. Porter Hall is straight ahead; it has 3 arches. The public and your friends are invited. Attendance is free. Refreshments will be served. On April 22, Israeli anthropologist, Dr. David Wesley will be speaking at Oldenburg Center, Pomona College, at noon. Dr. Wesley is the author of the recently published State Practices and Zionist Images-Economic Development in Arab Towns in Israel. Lunch will be served for a fee of $5.00. Oldenburg Center is located on College Way after making a left off Bonita on the right. California State Democratic Convention, Sacramento April 24-26. Club delegates will be in attendance. Our Democratic Club will be participating in Claremont's Earth Day on Sunday, April 26. The event is sponsored by Sustainable Claremont, a grassroots organization, in coordination with other groups. It will feature simple ecological practices through informative booths, films, music, and other activities. Coinciding with the Village Farmers' Market, activities are planned for Second Street, the Packing House and the plaza area. The Democratic Club of Claremont Executive Meeting will be held on Saturday May 2, 9:30 at Scrooby Lounge, Pilgrim's Place. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA PROMISES KEPT Gar Byrum 1. ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE PASSED. THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND RE-INVESTMENT ACT. 2. EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE (SCHIP) 3. THE LILLY LEDBETTER LAW: AMENDS THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 STATING THAT THE 180 DAY STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR FILING AN EQUAL PAY LAWSUIT REGARDING PAY DISCRIMINATION RESETS WITH EACH NEW DISCRIMINATORY PAYCHECK 4. CREATED A FORECLOSURE PREVENTION FUND: THE HOMEOWNER AFFORDABILITY STABILITY PLAN 5. EXECUTIVE ORDER TO REVERSE RESTRICTIONS ON STEM CELL RESEARCH. 6. DIRECTED OUR MILITARY LEADERS TO END THE WAR IN IRAQ. 7. CREATED A WHITE HOUSE OFFICE ON URBAN POLICY. 8. BEGAN THE PROCESS TO CLOSE THE PRISON AT GUANTANIMO. 9. EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED TAXES ON THESE BENEFITS. 10. SUPPORTS HIGH-SPEED RAIL: 8 BILLION BUDGETED IN STIMULUS PACKAGE. 11. SUPPORTS INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE NEA (NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS. 12. SUPPORTS INVESTMENT IN ALL TYPES OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY. 2.5 BILLION BUDGETED FOR SOLAR, WIND, THERMAL, AND BIOMASS IN THE STIMULUS PACKAGE. 12. RESTORED FUNDING FOR THE BYRNE JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT FOR ANTI-DRUG AND ANTI-GANG TASK FORCES. 13. EXPANDED LOANS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. 14. RELEASED PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS. DARFUR Laura Ditte Lo Pitzer Professor and Sudanese native Dr. Lako Tongun delivered a concise presentation of the Darfur conflict to the DCC during our general meeting on March 30. He began with a brief description of Sudan, a country the size of Texas, with a population of 38 million, 39% Arab, 61% African identified. Sudan declared independence in 1956 and joined the Arab League in the same year. From Khartoum, to the north, Arab nationalism was strong as a result of educational, political, and historical ties with Egypt and Lebanon. Sudan was assigned to the Middle East desk at the U.S. State Department until as recently as 1993. The majority African population remained as part of "L'Periphery". With Russian weapons and financial support from Iran and Libya, the National Islamic Front headed by Turabi in 1989 intensified attacks on the general populace. The Janjawid, nomadic Arabs, were enlisted by the government to drive out the Fur, Masele, and Dezawa ethnic groups. The Darfur lands were targeted for confiscation by the government eager to exploit its oil (discovered by Chevron in the 1970s) and conversion to a mechanized agro center for Mideast export. China came on the scene in the late 1990s, built a 900 mile pipeline with Chinese labor, and today imports 40% of Sudanese oil. According to the United Nations, 300,000 have been victims of genocide in Sudan (NGO genocide reports 400,000). Four million are internally displaced persons and 200,000 refugees have fled to Chad. In spite of these tragic events, Dr. Togun emphasized the positive effects in 2004 of the U.S. pushing the U.N. to investigate the genocide and the issuance of an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Bashir in 2008. For genocide to be established, Bashir's legal intent is required although he has been declared a war criminal. BEST WISHES FOR A QUICK RECOVERY The members of the DCC send our support and warm wishes to those members recovering from surgery, Debi Evans, Beverly Sloane, and a continued successful recovery to David Levering. . PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK IN 2009 Circle your choice: Lifetime $250 Patron $100 or more Contributing $50 Family $35 Individual $25 Student/Limited Income $5 Name: ________________________________________________________________________ Street Address: _______________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _____________________________________________________________ Telephone: ______________________ Email: ______________________________________ Occupation: ______________________ Employer: __________________________________ Please complete this form and mail it with your check to: Democratic Club, PO Box 1201, Claremont, CA 91711 OR Access our website: http://www.claremontdems.org Select: Get Involved Join Us / (Complete the form. Then...) Select: Get Involved Donate to the Club / (This will take you to the Act Blue website where you can pay your annual dues online.) Our Email address is: claremontdemocrats@yahoo.com P.S. -- Part of your dues and contributions may be contributed to Federal and State candidates. Individual contributions will be deposited into the club's Federal account, subject to the Federal Elections Campaign Act. Non-individual contributions and contributions of individuals who so request will be deposited into the club's State account. Contributions are limited under State law. No anonymous contributions of more than $50 will be accepted. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, address, occupation and employer of each individual contributor. Political contributions are not tax-deductible. FPPC #841491. FEC #C00404319. SUPPORT OUR NEW PRESIDENT AND STRONGER CONGRESS! HOW MANY HOURS WILL YOU VOLUNTEER THIS YEAR? PLEASE CHECK OR PRIORITIZE YOUR INTERESTS: __Wherever I'm needed most! __Start or join an outreach team in my own neighborhood __Produce neighborhood contact lists from the online voter list __Maintain the club's database of members and other contacts __Work a shift at our Sunday morning table at the Farmer's Market for Voter Registration __Work a shift at a weekend table in Montclair Plaza for Voter Registration __Help to decorate our booth or parade vehicle on July 4^th __Work a 2-hour shift in our July 4^th booth __Ride our "float" in the parade on July 4^th (mount at 3:45 pm) __Help to decorate our booth at the Village Venture on October 24 __Work a 2-hour shift in our VillageVenture booth __Bring candidate and ballot literature to an outreach table, booth or neighborhood team __Provide news or commentary for our monthly newsletter __Help to fold and label our monthly newsletter for mailing __Edit or assist in editing our newsletter __Write an occasional letter to the editor of a newspaper __Provide news or commentary for our website __Improve and maintain our website __Operate equipment/assist in video productions for Internet distribution __Catalog our TV program DVD's and other items __Look up a voter's polling place __Give a voter a ride to the polling place __Give a member a ride to the club luncheon or meeting __Loan furniture or equipment to our campaign HQ __Work a shift at our campaign Headquarters __Deliver yard signs promoting our candidates or ballot measures __Call or write other Democrats, inviting them to vote or to get active __Other: _____________________________________________________________________ Executive Committee of the Democratic Club of Claremont President: Zephyr Tate-Mann VP Organization: Gar Byrum 621-9730 VP-Education: Merrill Ring 626-8467 Corresponding Secretary: Carolee Monroe 626-8122 Treasurer: Debi Evans 626-3411 Ex-Officio: Bob Gerecke 626-2858 Peace & Justice Liaison: Lois Thompson Publicity: Ted Radamaker 593-5364 Newsletter Editor: Laura Ditte Lo 621-7827