Conference quark::human_relations-v1

    A Series of Seminars discussing Women Issues
    
    March 8, 1991 Coming out as a Lesbian or Bisexual Women - Laurie
    Langelo - 11:30AM - 1:00PM
    
    March 12, 1991 Women and Self Esteem - Jody Bobbitt - 12:00PM to 1:30PM
    
    March 20, 1991 Sandwich Generation - Caring for Children and Aging
    Parents - Marilyn Perry 11:30AM - 1:00PM
    
    March 22, 1991 Taking Care of Yourself - Maureen Letendre - 11:30AM to
    1:00PM
    
    March 26, 1991 Working Mom - Alex Gabel and Wendy Plakias - 12:00PM to
    1:30PM
    
    sponsored by the greater marlboro area valuing differences committee
    
    

    "If You Could See Me Now"
    
    March 13, 1991 11:00AM to 1:00PM
    MRO1 Cafeteria Conference Room
    
    in celebration of women's history month
    
    
    a panel discussion focusing on the movement of women
    within the business world...
    
    Guest Speakers are...
    
    
    Brenda Buchanan - MRO
    Ann Copp - OGO
    Betsy Fitter - MRO
    Bea Holland - MRO
    Elaine Mandeville - MRO
    Janice Reynolds - MKO
    Aseniah Thompson - MKO
    
    
    sponsored by the greater marlboro area valuing differences committee
    
    

    How come there's no Men's History Month?
    
    SKip

    re: .3 (Skip)
    
         Maybe men don't do anything worthy of historical value?  ;-}
    
    Frederick
    

    Skip
    
    Most history is men's history, and white european men's history at
    that.
    
    But you knew that.
    
    Bonnie

    RE: .5
    
    Just to play devil's advocate, are you saying that because there is
    such a preponderance of "white european men's history", that this
    history shouldn't be celebrated?
    

    No, she's saying that it is celebrated/taught in every school in
    every month, so we don't paint that lily.
    
    Linus to Grandmother:  There's a Mother's Day and a Father's Day.
    Why isn't there a Children's Day?
    Grandmother to Linus:  Every day is Children's Day.
    Linus to Lucy:  See, I told you she'd say that.
    
    					Ann B.

    nope,
    
    as Ann said, Mens history is what is taught in our high schools and
    colleges, and what history books are written about. 
    
    so for women and minorities of color it is nice to take some time
    and teach about their accomplishments which are relegated to about
    1% of standard texts.
    
    Bonnie

    This may be too obvious, but...
    
    Are the high school and college (yea, even grade school) books being
    rewritten to reflect a more balanced view of "Western Civ"? Someone
    should let these historians know they are excluding large numbers of
    people from their history books. 
    
    I don't disagree with you, mind you. It's simply that I feel that every
    group has a history that should be celebrated (or criticized, depending on
    your opinion [and the opinion of the historian]). I don't know, I've
    never liked the idea of a "group history" anyway. But that's the one
    they gave me, for the most part.
     

    inre .9
    
    no because the text books go for the lowest common denominator
    and conservative states like Texas buy a lot of textbooks...
    
    Bonnie

    re .9 .10,
    
    Yea, just look at the way the biology textbooks treat the subject of
    evolution and you will get the idea.
    
    Eugene

    RE: Bonnie
    
    What do you mean by "lowest common denominator"?
    
    RE: Eugene
    
    Can you elaborate on the way biology textbooks treat evolution? It's
    been a while since I've seen a biology textbook, and even then, biology
    wasn't tops on my list of favorite subjects. 
    
    Thanks to both in advance...
    

    re .12,
    
    Well, to put it simply, they water down the entire subject (which by
    the way is the fundation for modern biology.  You had better ask Bonnie
    for details.  She knows that subject better than most of us) in the fear 
    that many school districts of fundamentalist persuasion are likely to 
    reject a book that put a heavy emphasis on evolution.
    
    Eugene

    in re .12 and .13
    
    "water down" is a good explaination. Reduce what is taught to what
    will offend no one, etc etc.
    
    Bonnie

    Bonnie,
    
    I didn't mean to start up a big brawl... it's just that 
    
    There's Black History Week
    
    Womens History Month
    
    Indian History Week
    
    Mexican/Latin History week
    
    Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc.....
    
    So Where do just plain ordinary guys like me, a little bit of everything
    but nothing to specific get our day?
    
    SKip
    

    re .15,
    
    Skip, how many people don't know George Washington (by the way, the guy
    is on the dollar bill)?  How about Lincoln (He is on the five dollar
    bill)?  How about Jefferson?  Now can you name any prominant
    black/asian/indian/woman off the top of your head?  Need I say more?
    
    Eugene

    There are rules regarding who gets to be on American currency. First,
    the person must be deceased. Second, the person must be 
    have been born in America. Third, the person must have "historical
    significance." 
    
    (By the way, Susan B. Anthony appeared on the [albeit short-lived] 
    one-dollar coin, and throughout the years, females have appeared on
    many coins as a personification of liberty.)
    
    I think the reason why no new people have been issued on currency lately
    is because it costs a lot of money to design and create new dies.

>    Third, the person must have "historical
>    significance." 
 
    There you go.

WHAT WOMEN WANT:  To be loved, to be listened to, to be desired, to be
respected, to be needed, to be trusted, and sometimes, just to be held.

WHAT MEN WANT:  Tickets for the World Series." 

						-- Dave Barry

    Eugene....
    
    You miss my point.  I'm NOT Anglo Saxon... Nor any other specific 
    cultural background... I claim American Indian because I'm more that
    then anything else... But my heritage is Black, American Indian,
    German, Scotch, Asian, French, Canadian French, Belgium, Korean, 
    and Irish.  So all I can really lay claim to is being a male....
    
    Where is my day?
    
    Oh I forgot Mexican.
    
    Skip

    Washington and Lincoln _are_ historically significant. Gender aside,
    these were great American people.
    
    Washington, for being commander-in-chief of the Americans during the
    War of Independence. There would be no United States of America had he
    not led the Revolutionary Army to victory. 
    
    Lincoln, for being president during one of the darkest moments of U.S.
    history. For preserving the union, for abolishing slavery, he was
    great. 
    
    But, this is a note about women's history month. No doubt about it,
    they deserve to be acclaimed for their part. 
    

    Skip
    
    Maybe you should work for 'history of all the rest who've been left
    out day' ! ;-) "he who proposes..." and all that.
    
    Bonnie

    I'm proud of my Anglo-Saxon heritage. The culture of the Angles and
    Saxons was complex; they produced works of literature like _Beowulf_, 
    religious poetry, beautiful artifacts. They had an orderly 
    system of society. Like many societies, they waged war. :-)
    
    I'm not entirely Anglo-Saxon, though. Still, I wince when I hear
    someone refer to WASP or "Anglo-Saxon swear words." :-)
      

    re .20 .21,
    
    Of course Wahsington and Lincoln are historically significant and they
    deserve the "iconization" that has been given to them (although it is a
    curious way of doing it.  I mean how would Washington feel if someone
    told him that one Lincoln is worth five Washington?).  They were both
    great men and made significant contributions moving and shaping this
    nation.  The Mayflower was also "iconized" and was credited in planting
    the seeds for demacracy.  That was perhaps also true.  And that story
    also deserves its place in the story that is called America.
    
    Now we come to the part about the blacks who came here on boats
    under conditions, shall we say, far less comfortable than Mayflower. 
    No, they didn't have much say in forming this nation.  After all, they 
    came here as slaves.  Then there were the Chinese who came here to
    build the railroad.  Well, they helped to build the railway, and that
    was that.  And there were the hispanics and Indians and on and on.  None
    of them produced any grand ideas or foundations upon them this great
    nation rests, and as it is history essentially ignores them. 
    
    However, within each of those people and community, there are 
    unique human stories to be told.  There were stories of joy and sorrow, 
    triumphs and tragedies.  Each one with a rich distinct ethnic flavor.  
    This is the part that is perhaps lost in the History.
    
    All those black/hispanic/women history months are just there to
    make us more aware of this rich heritage of each minority group and 
    subculture.  It is not meant in any way to reduce the significance of
    the contributions of the European culture.  After all that culture is
    the mainstream by definition.  Those "history months" are ways to say 
    that this too is part of America.
    
    Skip, I don't think this kind of thing is exclusive.  It will be a
    perfect opportunity to learn one's heritage.  I am not aware there is
    any Asian history month and that is fine by me.  What those
    black/hispanic/Indian history months are trying to do is to make
    more people aware of the stories of the minority and that can only help
    us Asians.
    
    Eugene

	Skip, I think you are wonderful and I am glad you are here.

	everybody:

	    Lets make tomorrow "SKIP_DAY"...???  You got my vote Skip

	Mikki

      

      I second the motion for SKIP day.
    
    
                                       L.J.

    So should I come to work tomorrow?
    
    Eugene

	Nah!.........skip it.....;')

    in re .24
    
    Eugene,
    
    Nicely put!
    
    applause
    
    Bonnie

	*************** HAPPY SKIP DAY! ****************************


	Skip....8-)

    Not to detract from anything Eugene said in .24 (I agree with Bonnie;
    it's nicely put!), but rather an attempt to add to it:
    
    >  None
    >  of them produced any grand ideas or foundations upon them this great
    >  nation rests, and as it is history essentially ignores them. 
    
    I'd like to believe that one of the reasons behind the special
    "history" observances is that there's a fairly good chance that some of
    them DID, in fact, produce grand ideas.  But due to the low regard
    these minorities have been accorded historically, their contributions
    have been ignored, downplayed, or even ridiculed in the traditional
    history books we all studied in school.  (I don't know how the history
    books are today, but when I was in school, Native Americans were painted 
    as the bad guys, not only in the movies of the time, but in the history 
    books we were reading in school!)
    
    Not only do special "History Months" help to instill pride and
    appreciation in the groups being honored, but they help to set history
    straight and to recognize contributions that are otherwise swept under
    the rug.
    
    Karen
                                       

    VOICES OF CELEBRATION
    
    March 6, 1991 12:00PM to 1:00PM
    
    
    The location of this performance has been changed to
    the MRO3 Amphitheatre....
    

    Gee Thanks Mikki,
    
    Unfortunatly no one told my boss it was "Skips Day" and I had to work 
    all day!... :-(.
    
    Eugene, .24 was well put.... and the later note made me wonder
    something ... how much history was NOT written simply because of
    historical predjudices of the time??? Can anyone REALLY be sure that 
    these cultures DIDN'T contribute significantly?  If a black man walked
    up to Eliy Witney and said... "Look, if you put together some wheels
    and combs you could build a machine that would clean cotten a whole lot 
    faster then I can"  Would it have gone down in the history books?
    
    I'm sorry for interrupting the note which is written for another
    purpose (Simply to announce the events for the Womens History Month)
    But... while I lived in San Jose, Ca... I saw a few things that
    bothered me.  Cinco De Mayo is the Mexican "Independence Day". In San
    Jose they close down the main streets downtown...have a BIG parade
    followed by fireworks at several local parks.  A BIG to do.  Yet, on 
    the 4th of July... I had to drive to the Parking lot of Santa Clara and 
    bring my son there with me to see the fireworks from Great America, an 
    amusement park, It was the ONLY event that was going on at that time.  
    That bothered me!  I mean no disrespect to the Mexican culture... in
    fact I admired the fact that they throw such a big "BAsh" but his is 
    America and not Mexico.... somehow that continues to bother me.  
    
    Skip

    As a member of the Valuing Differences Committee for the Greater
    Marlboro Area I would like to suggest that if anyone wishes to
    present a proposal as to a program to value their difference please
    let me know and we could certainly do something about it...
    
    
    

		.7, .8, and .9 reminded me of something I read about
	what is being taught in school.  'Scuse me if I'm getting a 
	little off the main subject.  I think it pertains to the 
	concept of what is history.

		I'm not sure anymore what is being "celebrated/taught
	in every school in every month" anymore.  A couple of years ago,
	I remember reading something in a magazine about textbooks being 
	re-written to match the currently acceptable viewpoints,  to 
	avoid the taboos of today.  I dug out my daughter's junior
	high history text and read about the Pilgrims who came over on
	the Mayflower.  There were several paragraphs about the 
	hardships and the new enviroment.  There was nothing about 
	religious beliefs.  

		When I think about the Pilgrims,  I think of a small
	group of people who chose a life of hardship and danger 
	because of their beliefs.  I marvel at them. I wonder at their 
	idealism and courage.  I don't know what my daughter thinks 
	about the Pilgrims.  Perhaps she thinks they were a bunch of 
	people duped by an unscrupulous travel agent.  But I know 
	what I think about that history book.  I think in an attempt
	to make history universally inoffensive,  it has simply made
	it dull. 
    
    	J.

    J.
    
    The lack of mention of the Pilgrims religious beliefs is part
    and parcel of the 'watering it down' 'don't offend anyone' approach
    many public school text books have been forced to take because
    of vocal 'anti' groups. In this case, the more radical of the
    'separate church and state groups'. Most high school publishers
    won't risk anything that might possibly be controversial. 
    
    I think this sort of rewriting of history is appalling no matter
    whether it comes from the left or the right.
    
    Bonnie

re .29, .31, .33,

bow... thank you... blush blush... bow...

...

I think it is quite clear that this nation is founded largely on the
ideas of European origin although not all Anglo-Saxons by a long shot.
If we look back, the idea of democracy (also the rule of law and trial
by jury and etc.) came from the Greeks (and they sure ain't no Anglo), 
and the United States Constitution borrowed a lot of ideas from the Romans, 
and those guys thought the Anglo-Saxons to be a bunch of uncivilized 
barbarians (no offense, we are all barbarians if we go back far enough).  
We even have a Senate.

It was also very difficult for the minorities to make any meaningful 
influence to the surrounding culture until at least after the civil war.  
How can anyone or any group under the chain of slavery and without any 
education to have any say in the society?  

This is what is so remarkable about the Black culture.  A while ago, 
I watched a program on PBS--Norman and Battle sing spiritual.  
It was one of the most moving experience I have ever had.  I don't 
belong to any church right now, but if I ever decide to join one, I want 
to find out the church these two ladies go to first.  These songs are 
voices of extreme suffering; they are the purest and the most noble 
voices from the soul.  Through its jazz, the blues, the black 
culture flourished and transformed the scene of American music despite 
the recalcitrant circumstances.  In that sense, the American culture is 
not an entirely European one.

I regret that we Asians haven't made much impact on the American culture.
Sure we produced a few Nobel prize winners, but to most people, the word 
Chinese is synonymous to Chinese food.  Five years ago, a few friends (all 
white Americans) took me out to a Chinese restaurant (they insisted that 
the food there was genuinely Chinese).  The table next to ours was occupied 
by an average American family--Dad, mom and a son who was about five.  
They were friendly folks, and we introduced each other, and immediately, 
the little boy said: "I thought your name is Charlie..."  His parents 
immediately apologized, and I was quite sure the kid didn't pick up this 
stuff from his parents.  What bothered me most was not so much about what 
was said, but the fact that it was from a five year old.  It was those 
little things that demonstrated to me the need of more awareness of the 
minority cultures in America.

Eugene

    I think the _Goths_ were the "barbarians," much more so than the 
    Anglo-Saxons, as the Goths overran Rome, while the Anglo-Saxons
    invaded territory the Romans had themselves invaded centuries before. 
    
    The Romans invaded Britain when expanding her empire, but by the 5th 
    century A.D. could not hold on to this conquest.
    
    As a result, the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes migrated from south Scandinavia 
    into Northern Britain, and were the majority ruling class until the Norman 
    invasion of 1066. 

    re .38,
    
    Sure they did and so were us Chinese (in our old glorious days) 
    who thought everybody else outside their empire to be "barbarians".
    
    Eugene

    Skip,
    
    Congratulations!  You have the perfect example in Eli Whitney.  People
    combing through history for the her-stories discovered that there
    was an excellent chance that the cotton gin (and several other of
    `his' inventions) was the brainchild of Whitney's landlady!  You see,
    in those days it was not legal for a woman to file a patent, and any
    woman who wished to gain any profit from her invention had to either
    keep the process secret, or find a man who whould front for her.
    
    						Ann B.

    Re: .0
    
    These announcements really belong in the "Events" note, #5, but
    it's not plausible to move them now, and besides, we got an interesting
    discussion out of it.  I would think though, that the least you could
    do is spell Carla Blazek's name properly (unless she's changed it
    since I last saw her.)
    
    Re: The general discussion
    
    I am torn on the issue of events such as this which are, on the
    face of it, "separatist".   Though they may make members of the
    selected "minority" feel good, I fear that such events, presented
    as they are, serve only to widen the gap of understanding between
    groups.  In other words, they drive a wedge between people when the
    goal ought to be to bring people together.
    
    However, I also understand that the ideal solution, incorporating into
    general presentations and "history" the worthy efforts of women and
    other suppressed groups, is a long, uphill battle.  I think the
    groups who promote these events should make some effort to "market"
    them to others in a way that invites interest and participation
    rather than reinforcing the notion that, for example, "women's poetry
    is different from (and, some might then think, inferior to), men's
    poetry".
    
    When I read announcements such as these, I tend to feel that I am
    not in the target audience, and thus I shouldn't be interested.  
    Intellectually, I know that this is (usually) not true, but it's
    the way it comes across to me.
    
    How could the interests of all humankind be served by generating
    an interest in "valuing alikenesses" across our increasingly
    splintered society?  What could we do different to bring us all
    together rather than have each of us retreat into our personal
    pigeonholes?  It's a difficult question and I don't have good
    answers.  But I fear we're often making things worse instead of
    better.
    
    				Steve

    re:. 41  
    
    I would like to have our committee to present programs that would bring
    together all types of folks and not be exclusive to one group.  And 
    again I would invite anyone to give us suggestions as to how to achieve
    this.  
    
    Any programs that we present are open to anyone and I feel that a man's
    perspective of women's issues could be a wonderful way of getting
    together so it is not exclusive.
    
    
    Please let me know what you think...what are your suggestions....
    
    denise
    
    

    How about focusing on historical events that were "multi-national"
    achievments.
    
    Skip

    While I understand -- and at times have shared -- Steve's feeling that
    some of the events tend to exclude non-members of the minitority they
    are celebrating, I think that is more a problem of the way they are
    promoted than of any intent.
    
    When I worked at another facility, one of the employees there would
    hold her own "valuing differences" events on or near each Jewish
    holiday.  She would bring in food of the type traditional to that
    holiday, discuss the religious observances, their history and meaning,
    and talk a bit about how modern observances differ from the traditional
    ones.  When I first received a general distribution invitation
    addressed to all site personnel to one of these events, I didn't even
    read it a second time since I'm not Jewish.  I figured it was intended
    for the Jews at that site.  
    
    Later I came to know the hostess of these events personally and learned 
    that they were her attempt to share her "differences" with others who 
    might be interested in learning about them.  From then on, I tried to 
    make it to each one.  I learned a lot about Jewish beliefs and holidays, 
    and I came to a greater appreciation of what it means to be a Jew, 
    especially an orthodox Jew.
    
    And this is what I think the valuing differences celebrations are
    supposed to be about.  Not to point fingers and snicker at the people
    who are "different."  And not to inflate their sense of importance
    above that of their peers.  But to join them in an exploration of who 
    and why they are.
    
    My only complaint about them is that there are so few held close enough
    to my present site to make it practical for me to attend during the
    business day.  Denise, is that because no one here has expressed any
    interest in putting together such a celebration, or because the center
    of influence for these things is further south in New England, or
    because we Nude Hampsters are all so serious about and dedicated to our 
    jobs, or because we're all vanilla pudding here without any 
    differences??? 8-)
    
    Maybe a combination of most of the above?
    
    Karen
          

    re .41
    
    I agree that many of these events seem to be "separatist" at first
    glance, and I think that .44 stated the reason - the way it is
    promoted.  A good deal of it may be the way that it is titled.  Would
    it appear that they wanted a general audience if the title was changed
    to something like "Women in History Month"?  Maybe we need to educate
    the people that are promoting these valuing differences presentation on
    how to make them appeal to a greater number of people.
    
    Rich

    .45
    
    I do the advertising and promoting for the events in the Greater
    Marlboro area and I am very open to suggestions...Would it make more
    sense to list these events not under one category? Each event does have
    its own name but it is link to the one theme which is women
    accomplishments and issues. What would get you to attend one of these
    events?
    
    denise

    Denise,
    
    Maybe if you promoted it with by emphazising the "Valuing Differnces"
    Such as ....
    
    
    THE VALUING DIFFERENCES PROGRAM PRESENTS...
          The Woman Of History
    In celebration of Woman's History Month.
    
    Then go into the program speal....
    
    Skip 
    
    
    

re .46

Don't present it as something "beloging" to a particular group - i.e. avoid use
of the possesive.  Present it as something about a particular group.  The title
is the most important thing - if I don't like the title I might not read any
further.

Rich

    Not many people like being classified into certain groups... it is
    much better to show what is there by its own value, not by whom it was
    made... but WHAT was made, people en general would love the contents
    regardles the group for what it was intended for... that is to limit
    the audience, and if there are good works made by women, why should it
    be limited to only women? everybody should enjoy it, not just women.
    
    I personally don't like to be included into any special group, I refuse
    to be categorized into anything, I am free to choose from all, not from
    just a few... but of course, that is my personal view... I love women,
    but I also love men, children, and senior citizens as well, all groups
    have great things to offer and I will not limit myself by sticking to
    only one of them... Humankind was the best thing that was ever created!
    
    Regards to all. Ana