2/7/02

LC020207

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> HE'S A FORMER 60'S RADICAL WHO SAYS HIS PROTEST DAYS ARE BEHIND HIM, BUT WILL THE PAST COME BACK TO HAUNT HIM AND HIS EMPLOYER?

JOHN BUTTNY>> WELL, YOU KNOW, A KIND OF RETURN TO MCCARTHYISM AND THE LACK OF TOLERANCE FOR OPPOSING VIEWS OR EVEN QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. I THINK THAT'S VERY, VERY DANGEROUS, ALWAYS DANGEROUS.

VAL>> THE FEUD INVOLVES A LOT OF FAMILIAR NAMES AND FACES, BUT THERE'S MORE AT STAKE IN THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD ELECTION THAN WHO BECOMES PRESIDENT, VALERIE HARPER OR MELISSA GILBERT. THE LIVELIHOOD OF THOUSANDS OF HARD-WORKING BUT LITTLE KNOWN ACTORS IS AT STAKE. TONIGHT ANOTHER VIEW OF THIS CONTENTIOUS DISPUTE.

JESS>> ALSO, "MAN THE BARRICADES", OR IS THAT "PERSON THE BARRICADES". EITHER WAY, PATT MORRISON SAYS THEY'VE GOT TO GO.

PATT>> IT DOESN'T HAVE THE RING OF "MR. GORBACHEV, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL", BUT SOMEONE IS BOLD ENOUGH TO SAY, "MR. HAHN, TEAR DOWN THESE BARRICADES", ON TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> AND A PLACE WHERE THE ACT OF CREATING BECOMES AN ACT OF EMPOWERMENT. ARTISTS WHO BANDED TOGETHER IN THE 70'S TO FIND AN OUTLET FOR THEIR OWN WORK ARE STILL AT IT AND THEY'RE NOW NURTURING A NEW GENERATION OF TALENT. WE'LL REVISIT EAST L.A.'S SELF-HELP GRAPHICS.

JESS>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.


VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

IN THE VIETNAM ERA, A GENERATION OF PROTESTERS VOWED TO BRING THAT WAR HOME TO AMERICA. THEY DID THAT BY HITTING THE STREETS AND, IN PROTESTING THE WAR, THEY DISTURBED THE PEACE AND, IN SOME EXTREME CASES, THEY DID MUCH, MUCH MORE. NOW ALL THESE YEARS LATER, MANY OF THOSE OLD PROTESTERS FEAR THEIR RADICAL PAST COULD MAKE THEM TARGETS.

VAL>> TONIGHT YOU'LL MEET ONE OF THOSE FORMER ACTIVISTS. HE'S LIVING THE QUIET LIFE IN SANTA BARBARA, BUT AS GAY YEE REPORTS, HE'S WORRIED ABOUT A NEW CLIMATE OF SUSPICION IN POST-9/11 AMERICA.

GAY>> AT THE AGE OF 63, JOHN BUTTNY DOESN'T LOOK MUCH LIKE A RADICAL, BUT HE HAS A PAST, ONE THAT BEARS LITTLE RESEMBLANCE TO THE LIFE HE NOW LEADS.

JOHN BUTTNY>> I WAS ACTIVE. I'M GLAD I DID WHAT I DID. I WOULD DO THE SAME THINGS AGAIN, PROBABLY MOST OF THEM, NOT ALL OF THEM.

GAY>> LIKE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE TURBULENT 60'S, BUTTNY WAS A PROTESTER. HE DIDN'T GROW UP A REBEL. TO THE CONTRARY, THINGS CHANGE. HE JOINED THE LEFT WING STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. THEN HE WENT A STEP FURTHER BY JOINING THE MORE RADICAL GROUP KNOWN AS THE WEATHERMEN.

JOHN BUTTNY>> WE WERE THERE 10,000 MILES AWAY FIGHTING A WAR THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR NATIONAL SECURITY OR ANYTHING ELSE AND WE WERE SENDING, YOU KNOW, YOUNG MEN OVER THERE TO DIE FOR WHAT WOULD AMOUNT TO -- IT JUST DIDN'T -- AGAIN, NO SENSE TO ME.

GAY>> BUT WHEN THE WEATHERMEN TURNED EVEN MORE RADICAL, GOING UNDERGROUND TO PLOT AND COMMIT ACTS OF VIOLENCE --

JOHN BUTTNY>> I LEFT AT THAT POINT. I DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE IDEA OF GOING UNDERGROUND.

GAY>> THE EXPERIENCE LEFT HIM WITH FIVE FELONY CONVICTIONS FOR WHICH HE WAS GIVEN PROBATION. HIS FBI FILE STATES HE WAS TRYING TO OVERTHROW THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. HE SAYS HE WASN'T.

JOHN BUTTNY>> HERE'S MY FBI FILE. SEE IT'S A COUPLE OF INCHES THICK. IT'S A READ-THROUGH AND IT'S GOING TO PUT YOU TO SLEEP.

GAY>> TODAY BUTTNY WORKS AS A POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND AIDE TO SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SUPERVISOR, GAIL MARSHALL. HE REPRESENTS A QUIET, LARGELY RURAL PART OF THE COUNTY. IT INCLUDES QUAINT SOLVANG AND SANTA YNEZ, PLACES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TIME TO RELAX AND WATCH THE WORLD GO BY. BUT LATELY, BUTTNY'S PAST HAS BECOME BIG NEWS IN THESE SMALL TOWNS. HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS ARE USING HIS FBI FILE AS PART OF THEIR DRIVE TO RECALL HIS BOSS, SUPERVISOR MARSHALL.

>> IF YOU'RE A CRIMINAL, YOU'RE A CRIMINAL, OKAY? YOU GOT TO CLEAN UP YOUR ACT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT'S GOING TO BE ON YOUR RECORD FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

>> I MEAN, ANYBODY CAN HAVE SKELETONS IN THEIR CLOSET. AT THIS POINT AND FOR MANY YEARS, HE'S BEEN DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB AND I DON'T SEE WHERE WHAT HE DID IN THE 60'S OR WHATEVER IT IS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIS JOB RIGHT NOW.

GAY>> BUT BUTTNY ISN'T ALONE. IN RECENT MONTHS, SEVERAL FORMER RADICALS FROM THE VIETNAM ERA ARE BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT. THE MOST WELL-KNOWN, SARA JANE OLSEN, IS IN PRISON FOR TRYING TO BLOW UP LOS ANGELES POLICE CARS THIRTY YEARS AGO WHEN SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE SLA. NOW OTHER ALLEGED SLA MEMBERS, JOHN WALKER AND BILL AND EMILY HARRIS, FACE CHARGES FOR THE MURDER OF A WOMAN DURING A SACRAMENTO BANK ROBBERY. BUTTNY SAYS HE'S NOT WORRIED ABOUT AUTHORITIES COMING AFTER HIM.

JOHN BUTTNY>> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN MY BACKGROUND, IN MY PAST.

GAY>> BUT SINCE THE TERRORIST ATTACKS, JOHN KNOWS MANY AMERICANS HAVE LOST THEIR TOLERANCE FOR RADICAL POLITICS. BUTTNY SAYS, SINCE 9/11, IT'S BEEN OPEN SEASON ON OLD RADICALS LIKE HIMSELF WHO ARE NO LONGER LABELED AS REVOLUTIONARIES, BUT AS DOMESTIC TERRORISTS. HE SAYS THE CLIMATE THESE DAYS FEELS MORE LIKE THE COMMUNIST WITCH HUNTS OF THE 50'S AND THE 60'S.

JOHN BUTTNY>> YOU KNOW, KIND OF A RETURN TO MCCARTHYISM AND THE LACK OF TOLERANCE FOR OPPOSING VIEWS OR EVEN QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. I THINK THAT'S VERY, VERY DANGEROUS, ALWAYS DANGEROUS.

GAY>> MANY RADICALS FROM THE 60'S SAY THEIR PROTESTS WERE ACTS OF PATRIOTISM, BUT THAT'S A TOUGH SELL TODAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN MODERN-DAY TERRORISTS ALSO CLAIM THEY ARE FIGHTING EVIL AND RIGHTING WRONGS.

>> LOOK, WE'VE GOT A RADICAL GROUP THAT JUST KILLED IN EXCESS OF 3,000 PEOPLE FOR NO GOOD REASON, YOU KNOW? AND, SO, YEAH, I'D SAY THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT.

GAY>> THE RADICAL WEATHERMEN TOOK THEIR NAME FROM THE LYRICS OF A BOB DYLAN SONG, "YOU DON'T NEED A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS", BUT THE CLIMATE CAN BE UNSETTLING.

JOHN BUTTNY>> UNTIL THAT HAPPENED, I DIDN'T LOCK MY FRONT DOOR. I DIDN'T LOCK MY CARS IN THE DRIVEWAY. I'M A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL.

GAY>> AND THIS FORMER WEATHERMAN NOW KNOWS HOW MUCH THAT WIND CAN CHANGE. IN SANTA YNEZ, GAY YEE FOR LIFE AND TIMES.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS ART GOLDBERG, A LOS ANGELES ATTORNEY. BACK IN THE 60'S, HE WAS ONE OF THOSE ACTIVISTS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. INDEED YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THE FREE SPEECH MOVEMENT, HELPED TO FOUND THE FREE SPEECH MOVEMENT. DO YOU AGREE WITH BUTTNY THAT THE 60'S RADICALS ARE NOW BEING VIEWED DIFFERENTLY?

ART GOLDBERG>> I DON'T KNOW, IT HASN'T CHANGED MY LIFE ANY. I'VE BEEN AN ACTIVIST AND STILL AM AN ACTIVIST. MAYBE IF YOU WERE SORT OF QUIET AND YOU'RE WORRIED THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO NOW EXPOSE YOU FOR THINGS IN THE PAST THAT YOU'RE NOT LIVING THROUGH YOUR LIFE, IT MAY HAVE A MORE DETERRENT EFFECT --

JESS>> -- ALA SARA JANE OLSEN?

ART GOLDBERG>> WELL, BUT SARA JANE OLSEN WAS A DIFFERENT SITUATION. SHE REALLY WAS INVOLVED IN WEATHER UNDERGROUND POLITICS AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE, PROBABLY 98 PERCENT OF THE ACTIVISTS, EVEN IF THEY WERE MILITANT, AND GOT ARRESTED SEVERAL TIMES AND DID QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN JAIL, WEREN'T NECESSARILY INVOLVED IN THAT KIND OF MORE VIOLENT UNDERGROUND ACTIVITIES. SO FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME AND MY FRIENDS, WHO ARE STILL ACTIVE, WE STILL BELIEVE THAT THERE IS RACISM, INJUSTICE AND HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS GO FOR DEFENSE AND L.A. KIDS CAN'T GET AN EDUCATION BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO CUT BACK THE SCHOOLS AGAIN THIS YEAR. SO I THINK THAT'S CRAZINESS AND WE NEED A SOCIETY THAT'S JUST AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR IT.

JESS>> UNCHANGED AND UNREPENTANT.

ART GOLDBERG>> ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.

VAL>> ART, DO YOU THINK THERE IS SOME JUSTIFICATION TO LOOK BACK AT THESE INDIVIDUALS IF THEY HAVE HAD A CRIMINAL CONVICTION OR A CRIMINAL RECORD? IS THAT A DISTINCTION THAT YOU WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE?

ART GOLDBERG>> WELL, I HAVE A CRIMINAL CONVICTION AND A CRIMINAL RECORD. I --

VAL>> -- OKAY, MAYBE A SERIOUS CRIMINAL RECORD.

ART GOLDBERG>> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE PERSON DID AND WHAT THEY ARE TODAY. I MEAN --

JESS>> -- YOU SPENT SEVEN MONTHS IN JAIL. WHAT DID YOU DO?

ART GOLDBERG>> WELL, WE TOOK OVER A BUILDING CALLED SPRAWL HALL --

VAL>> -- AT UC BERKELEY.

ART GOLDBERG>> AT BERKELEY, AND I WAS ONE OF THE THREE PEOPLE THAT GOT A SIGNIFICANCE -- BECAUSE THEY PICKED OUT WHO THE LEADERS WERE AND I FELT PRIVILEGED THAT THEY DID THAT BECAUSE IT WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING, SO I FELT GOOD WHILE I WAS IN JAIL.

VAL>> NO ONE WAS HURT IN THIS TAKEOVER?

ART GOLDBERG>> NO, THERE WASN'T. BUT I'VE BEEN IN DEMONSTRATIONS WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN REALLY CLASHES AND THE POLICE HAVE ATTACKED PEOPLE AND PEOPLE HAVE DEFENDED THEMSELVES. SO I CAN'T -- YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLES' ACTS WERE. YOU CAN'T SAY WHETHER THEY HAVE A CONVICTION OR NOT TO DETERMINE WHAT THEY ARE LIKE TODAY OR EVEN WHAT THEY WERE THEN. YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE CASES WERE. I JUST HOPE THAT PEOPLE REMAIN ACTIVE. THE ENRONS OF THE WORLD ARE COMING FORWARD NOW. IT'S TIME FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET OVER THEIR CYNICISM AND TO GET OUT THERE AND FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST AND HAPPIEST WAY TO LIVE.

VAL>> WOULD YOU, NEVERTHELESS, SAY THAT THE CLIMATE HAS CHANGED SINCE SEPTEMBER 11?

ART GOLDBERG>> OH, I THINK THE CLIMATE'S CHANGED. IT IS TRUE THAT NOW THEY CAN -- I JUST HEARD IN THE NEW BUDGET THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE $100 MILLION DOLLARS TO PROTECT THE PIPELINES FOR AMERICAN CORPORATE INTEREST IN COLOMBIA. THE U.S. IS GOING TO SPEND THAT MONEY NOW AND THAT WILL BE WHAT WE DO THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. WHEREVER THE AMERICAN BUSINESS INTERESTS ARE, WE'LL NOW SPEND BILLIONS THE WAY WE DID DURING THE VIETNAM ERA WHICH WE ANALYZED AFTER THAT WAR. I THINK WE'LL GO BACK TO THE U.S. BEING SORT OF THE GRANDPARENT FOR CAPITALISM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

VAL>> ART GOLDBERG, THANK YOU SO MUCH. SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMING IN. VERY NICE TO HAVE YOU.

ART GOLDBERG>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, YOU HEARD ABOUT THE DOG MAULING CASE IN SAN FRANCISCO. WELL, JUST IMAGINE A SIMILAR NIGHTMARE ON YOUR STREET.

PHILIP BRUCE>> HAVING AN AGGRESSIVE DOG IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CAN BE A REAL NIGHTMARE. THE ONLY THING WORSE IS MEETING THAT DOG FACE-TO-FACE.

[FILM CLIP]

>> IF I WOULD PUT MY HAND IN THERE, GOOD NIGHT. NOW DOES THIS LOOK LIKE THE FAMILY PET?

JESS>> THE U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT IS INVESTIGATING LAST YEAR'S ELECTION OF THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD. SAG'S ELECTION BOARD THREW OUT THE RESULTS OF THAT NOVEMBER VOTE BECAUSE OF BALLOT IRREGULARITIES. NOW A NEW ELECTION WILL BE HELD EVEN THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION COULD EVENTUALLY OVERTURN THOSE RESULTS AS WELL.

VAL>> ACTOR MELISSA GILBERT WON THE NOVEMBER ELECTION OVER RIVAL, VALERIE HARPER. BUT THERE'S MORE AT STAKE THAN WHO HOLDS THE TITLE OF SAG PRESIDENT. EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE HEARD WHAT GILBERT'S RUNNING MATE, MIKE FARRELL, HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE UNDERLYING ISSUES. TONIGHT WE'LL GO TO THE OTHER SIDE AND WE'RE JOINED BY SAG'S CURRENT TREASURER, ACTOR KENT MCCORD, WHO RAN ON THE SAME SLATE AS VALERIE HARPER.

JESS>> BUT UNLIKE VALERIE HARPER, YOU WON?

KENT MCCORD>> YES, I DID. I WON BY 34 VOTES AND WE THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY THE NARROWEST MARGIN THAT A NATIONAL CANDIDATE HAS EVER WON BY.

JESS>> BUT YOU WERE STILL CALLING FOR A NEW ELECTION NONETHELESS?

KENT MCCORD>> YES, I WAS. I'VE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF MY LIFE INVOLVED IN OUR UNION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO UPHOLD AND WHICH SHOULD BE UPHELD IS THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AND THE LOCAL RULES AND REGULATIONS OF OUR UNION. WHAT I SAW IN THIS ELECTION WAS A DISCREPANCY BASED ON THE CONSTITUTION, THE BYLAWS, THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND ALSO THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAD WITH THE COMPANY THAT RAN THE ELECTION.

SO THEREFORE, WHEN I SAW WHAT HAD HAPPENED HERE, I CALLED IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN CHARGE OF THIS ELECTION. THE LEADERSHIP, THE PAID STAFF LEADERSHIP OF OUR UNION, HIRED OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO COME IN FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. THEY HELD HEARINGS AND LOOKED AT THE PROCESS THAT HAD BEEN ABUSED AND THEY FOUND THAT WE NEEDED A RE-RUN OF THIS ELECTION.

VAL>> NOW, ONE OF THE IRREGULARITIES WAS THAT SOME BALLOTS LACKED A LINE FOR A SIGNATURE, SO THEY WEREN'T SIGNED.

KENT MCCORD>> WELL, ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENS --

VAL>> -- WITHOUT GIVING US TOO MUCH DETAIL, BUT --

KENT MCCORD>> -- THERE WERE SOME BALLOTS WITHOUT SIGNATURE REQUIREMENTS. THE SIGNATURE THING ISN'T AS MUCH OF A GRIEVANCE THAT WE HAD AS THAT THERE WERE TWO DAYS OF EXTRA BALLOTING GOING ON IN NEW YORK UNKNOWN TO ANY OF THE NATIONAL CANDIDATES.

JESS>> WHY SO?

KENT MCCORD>> WE DON'T KNOW WHY. THEY RAN THE NEW YORK ELECTION AS THOUGH IT WERE A SEPARATE ELECTION FROM THE NATIONAL ELECTION THAT WAS BEING HELD THAT WAS SENT OUT FROM THE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS HERE IN LOS ANGELES TO 75,000 MEMBERS. OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP, 26,000 MEMBERS HAD A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES THAT THEY WERE OPERATING UNDER. SO THEREFORE THE DISCREPANCIES THAT OCCURRED WITHIN THE ELECTION, YOU KNOW, WERE UPHELD BY THE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE, MY CHALLENGE TO THE ELECTION ALONG, I MIGHT SAY, WITH 19 OTHER PERFORMERS. BOTH OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE RACE FOR MY POSITION ALSO CHALLENGED THIS ELECTION.

YOU KNOW, JACK WEBB USED TO HAVE A SAYING -- JACK WEBB WAS SOMEBODY WHO I ADMIRED A GREAT DEAL -- HE USED TO SAY, "WHEN SIX PEOPLE TELL YOU YOU'RE DRUNK, LIE DOWN." (LAUGHTER) IN THIS CASE, WE HAD TWENTY CHALLENGERS TO THIS ELECTION. AND OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND EVERY ATTORNEY AGREED ON THIS THING THAT THIS HAD TO BE RE-RUN.

VAL>> NOW, TELL US, WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING POLICY DIFFERENCES? OKAY, THE ELECTION IS GOING TO BE RE-HELD, FINE, BUT WHY SUCH INTENSE FEUDING? YOU HAVE MELISSA GILBERT AND VALERIE HARPER. WHAT ARE THE REAL SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM?

KENT MCCORD>> YOU KNOW, THE SPEAKER YOU HAD ON TUESDAY NIGHT SAID THAT THERE ISN'T A DIME'S WORTH OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO CANDIDATES, BUT I WOULD ASK THE QUESTION, IS THAT A CANADIAN DIME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? WE HAVE ISSUES HERE. THIS INDUSTRY BRINGS TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES $39 BILLION DOLLARS TO THE ECONOMY EVERY YEAR. IT EMPLOYS 250,000 PEOPLE DIRECTLY. ANOTHER 210,000 PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED IN THE ANCILLARY MARKETS OF WHAT WE DO HERE IN THIS ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. WE ARE LOOKING TO BRING BACK RUNAWAY PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION THAT'S BEING SIPHONED OFF INTO CANADA AND OTHER FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

ONE OF THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR POSITION IS THAT WE, ALONG WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD, HAVE ASKED THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION TO LOOK AT THE CANADIAN SUBSIDIES AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THOSE SUBSIDIES ARE LEGAL, THAT ARE TAKING SHOWS THAT WOULD BE SHOT HERE, SHOWS LIKE A SHOW CALLED "PASADENA" THAT ARE BEING SHOT IN CANADA. THAT, WE CONSIDER A RUNAWAY PRODUCTION. THAT HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR MEMBERSHIP. WE HAVE LOST $22.5 MILLION DOLLARS TO OUR PENSION AND HEALTH BENEFITS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS BECAUSE OF THAT RUNAWAY PRODUCTION. AND ANOTHER --

VAL>> -- SOUNDS LIKE BOTH CANDIDATES --

KENT MCCORD>> -- WE ALSO SUPPORT ANOTHER AREA OF TRYING TO ATTACK THIS PROBLEM, WHICH IS A WAGE-BASED TAX CREDIT THAT IS BEING SPONSORED IN THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION. ALSO, GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS HAS JUST ANNOUNCED SUPPORT FOR A CALIFORNIA BILL SIMILAR TO THAT. HOWEVER, DAVID DREIER, WHO WAS ONE OF THE SPONSORS ON THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION, JUST STATED IN THE PAPER THE OTHER DAY THAT, BECAUSE OF HOMELAND SECURITY FOR ONE AND ENRON FOR THE OTHER, THAT ISN'T EVEN COMING UP FOR DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT. HOWEVER, WE HAVE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE TO OUR SUPPORT OF THE PETITION TO INVESTIGATE THE SUBSIDIES IN CANADA AND THEY ARE PROCEEDING WITH THE INVESTIGATION. WE SUPPORT THAT. OUR OPPONENTS DO NOT.

VAL>> I SEE. I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER DIFFERENCES. I WISH WE COULD GET INTO THEM, BUT WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

KENT MCCORD>> OKAY.

VAL>> KENT MCCORD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN. WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE THE FINAL RESULT LATER IN MARCH.

KENT MCCORD>> THANK YOU.

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JESS>> WE'VE ALL BEEN TAUGHT THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN IF YOU READ BETWEEN THE LINES, BUT PATT MORRISON POINTS OUT SOMETIMES YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK BEYOND THE BARRICADES. HERE'S TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT>> IN THE WEEKS SINCE SEPTEMBER 11, MUCH OF THE LOS ANGELES CIVIC CENTER FROM CITY HALL TO THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS HAS BEEN COCOONED IN CONCRETE. CLUNKY WHITE BARRICADES SEAL OFF SEVERAL BLOCKS OF CITY BUILDINGS, ALTHOUGH NO SUCH MEASURES WERE TAKEN AROUND COUNTY BUILDINGS, AND THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE STILL CARRIES TRAFFIC.

NOW CITY CONTROLLER LAURA CHICK, UNTIL RECENTLY A COUNCIL MEMBER HERSELF, IS CALLING ON THE CITY TO TAKE THEM OUT. IT DOESN'T HAVE THE RESONANCE OF REAGAN DEMANDING THAT GORBACHEV YANK DOWN THE BERLIN WALL, BUT THERE ARE REASONS TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.

CHICK OBJECTS THAT THE BARRIERS ARE, BY NO MEANS, FOOLPROOF. SOMEONE HAS TO STAFF THE PEDESTRIAN ENTRIES AROUND THE CLOCK AND CHECK ID'S WHICH IS AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION, AND THERE'S PERCEPTION. L.A. IS IN THE BUSINESS OF PERCEPTION. BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11, L.A. HAD JUST PUT THE LAST COAT OF PAINT ON A $300 MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION OF ITS LANDMARK CITY HALL. IT'S INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE AS A MONUMENT ON THE MOVIE AND TV LANDSCAPE. ITS HALLS HAVE DOUBLED AS THE VATICAN AND CONGRESS AND ITS TOWER WAS THE DAILY PLANET BUILDING IN THE "SUPERMAN" SERIES.

AS CHICK POINTS OUT, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO MAKE THINGS SECURE AND THE BARRICADES SEND THE MESSAGE THAT THE HEART OF THE PUBLIC'S BUSINESS IS A FORTRESS BOTH FOREBODING AND UNWELCOMING. SO EVEN AS IT'S TIME FOR THESE BARRICADES TO GO, OTHER ONES, INTANGIBLE AND INCREMENTAL AND ALL THE MORE DANGEROUS FOR THAT, ARE GOING UP. GOVERNMENT IS USING THE MANTLE OF SEPTEMBER 11 TO WRAP THE CLOAK OF SECRECY OVER BASIC PUBLIC TOPICS. THE TOP-SECRET STAMP HAS BEEN USED WITH RIDICULOUS FREQUENCY ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT THE RECIPE FOR SENATE NAVY BEAN SOUP.

NOW STATES FROM FLORIDA TO WASHINGTON ARE CONSIDERING SWEEPING ROLL-BACKS ON PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION EVEN ON THINGS LIKE SEWER SYSTEMS, ALL IN THE NAME OF SECURITY AND FEAR OF TERRORISM. BUT THERE ARE OTHERS, AND I AM AMONG THEM, WHO ARE MORE AFRAID THAT THE FEAR OF TERRORISM WILL LET TERRORISM WIN BY DESTROYING FREEDOM ITSELF AND THAT, IN THE END, OUR SEWERS WILL BE ABSOLUTELY SAFE AND INTACT, BUT THE PRINCIPLES AND PREMISES OF AMERICA WILL HAVE BEEN SHATTERED BEYOND RECOGNITION OR REPAIR.

VAL>> SELF-HELP GRAPHICS IS EVERYTHING THE NAME IMPLIES AND MUCH MORE. IT'S A GRASSROOTS NON-PROFIT ART CENTER THAT'S BEEN A TRAINING GROUND FOR SOME OF THE NATION'S MOST IMPORTANT CHICANO ARTISTS.

JESS>> THE DIRECTOR OF SELF-HELP GRAPHICS DESCRIBES IT AS A PORTAL, A WAY FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TO GAIN A WIDER AUDIENCE, AND FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO LEARN THE BEAUTY OF MEXICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE. AS VAL EXPLAINS IN THIS PIECE WE FIRST AIRED IN 1999, THE CENTER HAS NEVER STRAYED FROM ITS ORIGINAL MISSION AND THAT'S TO MAKE ART AVAILABLE TO ALL LEVELS OF SOCIETY FOR FREE.

VAL>> IN A WORKING-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD OF EAST LOS ANGELES, WITH A PLACE RESERVED FOR THE VIRGIN MARY, IN A BUILDING THAT WAS ONCE A DANCE HALL, WORKS OF ART ARE BEING CREATED.

TOMAS BENITEZ>> WHAT WE ARE DOING IS ARTICULATING AMERICAN CULTURE FROM THE LAND OF THE CHICANO ARTIST. WE'RE EMPOWERING THE ARTIST BECAUSE WE'RE ACCESSING CHANNELS OF AUDIENCE AND EXPRESSION THAT HERETOFORE HAVE NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED.

VAL>> FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, SELF-HELP GRAPHICS HAS BEEN A TRAINING GROUND FOR HUNDREDS OF CHICANO ARTISTS. ITS MISSION IS SIMPLE: TO PROVIDE EASY ACCESS TO ART MAKING FOR THE ESTABLISHED ARTISTS AS WELL AS THE FIRST-TIME PRINTMAKER.

TOMAS BENITEZ>> WHAT WE ARE INVOLVED IN IS ACTUALLY ART-BASED COMMUNITY MAKING AND THAT BY ACTUALLY DEMONSTRATING LEADERSHIP AND BY REFLECTING AS WELL AS BY PROVOKING THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE'RE HELPING TO BUILD IN THE COMMUNITY.

VAL>> THERE IS NO TUITION. PAPER, INK, PAINT AND THE USE OF SPECIAL EQUIPMENT ARE ALL FREE. SO HOW DOES SELF-HELP KEEP ITS DOORS OPEN? WELL, ARTISTS GIVE HALF OF THEIR PRINTS TO SELF-HELP TO SELL TO GALLERIES AND ART COLLECTORS AROUND THE WORLD.

PETE RANGEL>> PRINTMAKING MATERIALS ARE SO EXPENSIVE THAT I WOULD REALLY PROBABLY NOT BE CREATING AS MUCH WORK AS I HAVE BEEN IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS WAY.

VAL>> TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD PETE RANGEL CAME TO SELF-HELP TO LEARN ABOUT PRINTMAKING, BUT HIS LESSONS INCLUDED MORE THAN JUST ART.

PETE RANGEL>> IT'S TAUGHT ME A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, INTERACTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND SHARING IDEAS AND EXPRESSING MYSELF AND ARTICULATING MYSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE.

VAL>> WOODCUT PRINTMAKING IS ONE WORKSHOP SELF-HELP PROVIDES. AN ARTIST TAKES A PIECE OF WOOD OR LINOLEUM AND, WITH A SPECIAL BLADE, CARVES OUT AN IMAGE. BY ROLLING BLACK INK OVER THE DRAWING AND RUNNING IT THROUGH THE PRESS, THE IMAGE IS TRANSFERRED TO PAPER.

PETE RANGEL>> MY WORK, REALLY, IS AN EXPLORATION OF THE INNER SOUL, THE INNER PERSON, AND SORT OF EXPLORING THOSE PLACES THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, ISSUES OF DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES AND THIS WHOLE DUAL CULTURE WHERE YOU'RE STUCK BETWEEN BEING BORN AN AMERICAN AND BEING MEXICAN.

VAL>> ALL THIS STARTED IN THE EARLY 70'S. CESAR CHAVEZ WAS ORGANIZING FARM WORKERS AND THE CHICANO MOVEMENT WAS GAINING MOMENTUM. IN EAST L.A., A FRANCISCAN NUN BY THE NAME OF KAREN BOCCALERO, AN ACCOMPLISHED PRINTMAKER HERSELF, OPENED A SHOP IN HER GARAGE IN 1972. SHE DIED TWO YEARS AGO, BUT BY THEN, SELF-HELP GRAPHICS HAD BECOME A PLACE TO EMPOWER CHICANO ARTISTS.

TOMAS BENITEZ>> THE LAST THING SHE SAID, WHICH WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A PREMONITION, WAS, "WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TOWARD OVERCOMING PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS AND EDUCATING PEOPLE TO THE ART AND CULTURE."

VAL>> FOR VETERAN ARTIST, WAYNE HEALEY, SELF-HELP HAS BEEN PART OF HIS LIFE FOR TWENTY YEARS. ALTHOUGH AN ESTABLISHED ARTIST WITH HIS OWN STUDIO, WAYNE COMES BACK TO SELF-HELP, HE SAYS, TO MAINTAIN HIS IDENTITY, HIS CULTURE, AND TO CREATE HIS OWN WORKS OF ART.

WAYNE HEALEY>> THIS IS A REFUGE FOR ME. STUFF THAT I HAD NEVER DREAMED OF DOING, I'M DOING RIGHT HERE AT SELF-HELP GRAPHICS.

VAL>> WAYNE IS A MASTER OF MONO SILK-SCREENING WHERE ONLY ONE PRINT IS MADE. A SKETCH OF THE IMAGE IS DRAWN AND PLACED UNDERNEATH A POROUS TRANSLUCENT SCREEN. BRIGHT COLORS ARE ADDED ONE AT A TIME, LAYER UPON LAYER. THEN WITH ONE FORCEFUL SWIPE, THE MASTER PRINTER PRESSES THE PAINT THROUGH THE SILK AND -- THE FINAL PRODUCT.

WAYNE HEALEY>> FOR ME, I THINK THE LOOK OF THE PRINT, THE BEAUTY OF THE LOOK, IS THE SPONTANEITY.

TOMAS BENITEZ>> THE HEART AND SOUL OF SELF-HELP GRAPHICS IS THE LEGION OF ARTISTS THAT MAKE IT HAPPEN.

VAL>> PERHAPS THE PROGRAM SELF-HELP IS BEST KNOWN FOR IS ITS PRINTMAKING ATELIER. MORE THAN 300 IMAGES HAVE BEEN MADE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND HAVE BEEN EXHIBITED ON MURALS FROM THE LOCAL HEALTH CENTER TO MUSEUMS IN TEXAS AND EVEN RUSSIA. BUT THE TALENT BEHIND MUCH OF THE BRIGHT COLORS AND CREATIVITY ARE ARTISTS WHO HAVE HAD LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO BE VISIBLE: CHICANAS AND LATINAS. SELF-HELP'S WOMEN'S ATELIER IS HELPING TO CHANGE THAT. ITS MOST RECENT ATELIER EXPLORED THEMES OF EROTICISM, HEROINES AND THE LIFE OF A LEGENDARY MEXICAN FEMINIST.

YREINA CERVANTEZ>> IT'S NOT THAT WE JUST WANT WOMEN TO BE IN THIS ATELIER, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN ONLY THE WAY THAT CHICANAS AND LATINAS CAN DO THAT.

PAT GOMEZ>> AND IT'S REALLY THE FACT OF CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE WHERE ARTISTS CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT THEIR WORK. IT REALLY, I THINK, SPEAKS VERY WELL TO THE DIVERSITY OF CONTENT AND APPROACH THAT IS REALLY INHERENT IN THE COMMUNITY.

VAL>> DESPITE ITS 25-YEAR LIFE, SELF-HELP GRAPHICS IS STILL STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, CONSTANTLY SCRAMBLING TO WIN GRANTS AND SUPPORT. YET THEIR MOST FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE REMAINS MAKING COMMUNITIES APPRECIATE WHAT ART AND ARTISTS CAN BRING TO DAILY LIFE.

TOMAS BENITEZ>> THERE IS NOTHING THAT WE DO IN THE COURSE OF A DAY THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE ART, CULTURE AND CREATIVITY AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE CAN DO IS TAKE A LOOK AT SOCIETIES IN WHICH THAT'S DEVOID AND SEE HOW THEY DISSIPATE QUICKLY. BUT WHAT IT HAS DONE IS, IT'S REALLY CHALLENGED US TO REALLY QUESTION OUR VALIDITY, TO REFORTIFY AND REAPPLY OUR PRESENCE AND IDENTITY AND TO REALLY ESTABLISH THE FACT THAT, WITHOUT ART AND CULTURE, YOU DO NOT HAVE A CIVILIZED SOCIETY.

JESS>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SELF-HELP GRAPHICS, GO TO THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.SELFHELPGRAPHICS.COM. YOU CAN ALSO SEE A SERIES OF NEW PRINTS BY LOCAL LATINO ARTISTS AT THE HOLLYWOOD ENTERTAINMENT MUSEUM. THE NUMBER TO CALL THERE IS (323) 960-4833.

VAL>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. REMEMBER, YOU CAN LISTEN TO RECENT PROGRAMS ON OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG.

JESS>> NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.


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