11/20/02

LC021120

JESS MARLOW>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

TWO PEOPLE WITH ONE GOAL AND THAT’S TO STOP THE BLOODY VIOLENCE IN ISRAEL THAT HAS CLAIMED THE LIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN.

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> WE HAVE LOST OUR KIDS AND WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY REVENGE OR ANY HATRED. WE WANT TO ACHIEVE RECONCILIATION AND PEACE. THIS IS OUR POWER AND THIS IS OUR BELIEF THAT THAT’S HOW IT’S GOING TO BE.

JESS>> HE HAS ALREADY BROUGHT FOOD AND SUPPLIES TO SCORES OF NEEDY PEOPLE IN AFGHANISTAN. NOW ED ARTIS HAS A NEW PROJECT IN MIND. HE WANTS TO GO TO IRAQ AND HE’S TRYING TO GET THERE BEFORE THE U.S. LAUNCHES A THREATENED ATTACK. TONIGHT WE’LL FIND OUT WHY THE HUMANITARIAN FROM THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY MAY BE IRAQI-BOUND.

VOTERS HAD GOOD INTENTIONS WHEN THEY APPROVED PROP 49, BUT PATT MORRISON SAYS MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE READ THE FINE PRINT.

PATT MORRISON>> DID YOU THINK YOU WERE VOTING FOR CHILDREN? YOU MAY HAVE BEEN VOTING FOR THE TERMINATOR -- ON TONIGHT’S INFINITELY MORRISON.

JESS>> YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE OUTSIDE. IT’S PRETTY HARD TO MISS. BUT TONIGHT WE’LL GO INSIDE THE NEW DISNEY CONCERT HALL FOR A SNEAK PEEK OF DOWNTOWN L.A.’S NEWEST ARCHITECTURAL WONDER. TONIGHT, ALONG WITH THE NEW SIGHTS, THE MAESTRO HIMSELF TELLS US ABOUT DISNEY HALL’S NEW SOUND.

IT’S ALL STRAIGHT AHEAD 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.

AND 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.

JESS>> GOOD EVENING. VAL HAS THE NIGHT OFF.

YOU’RE ABOUT TO MEET TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR THE HORRIBLE VIOLENCE THAT PLAGUES ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS. BOTH OF THEM HAVE SEEN THEIR FAMILY’S CHILDREN DIE YOUNG AND THAT GRIM EXPERIENCE HAS BROUGHT THESE TWO VERY DIFFERENT PEOPLE TOGETHER. AS GAY YEE REPORTS, THE TWO ARE ON A MISSION AND THIS WEEK IT BROUGHT THEM TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> NOW YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTION YOU WANT TO ASK AND WE WILL TRY TO GIVE YOU ANSWERS.

GAY YEE>> TOGETHER THEY SIT SIDE BY SIDE, ONE ISRAELI, THE OTHER PALESTINIAN, TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVERY REASON TO HATE EACH OTHER.

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> IT WAS ON JULY 1994 THAT MY ELDEST SON, ARIK, WAS KIDNAPPED AND MURDERED BY THE HAMAS.

GAY YEE>> YITSAK FRANKENTHAL’S SON HAD BECOME ANOTHER CASUALTY IN THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT. THERE ARE SO MANY ON BOTH SIDES.

RIHAB ESSAWI>> MY NEPHEW WHO WAS SEVENTEEN AT THAT TIME WAS SHOT RIGHT IN HIS NECK AND THE BULLET EXPLODED IN HIS NECK AND BARELY HIS HEAD WAS CONNECTED TO HIS BODY.

GAY YEE>> DR. RIHAB ESSAWI LOST HER NEPHEW THAT DAY. BETWEEN 1982 AND 1994, SHE LOST FOUR LOVED ONES TO THE KILLINGS. NOT ONLY HER NEPHEW, SHE LOST A BROTHER, HER MOTHER AND HER FIANCE. SUCH LOSSES COULD BREED HATRED AND A LUST FOR REVENGE, BUT WHO COULD BE MORE POWERFUL PROMOTERS OF PEACE THAN THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THE MOST?

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE LOST OUR KIDS, I THINK THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT FOR US.

GAY YEE>> SO THIS ISRAELI MAN AND PALESTINIAN WOMAN ARE TRAVELING THE WORLD PROMOTING PEACE. THEY ARE MEMBERS OF SOMETHING CALLED “PARENTS’ CIRCLE”, AN ORGANIZATION OF BEREAVED ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS WHO HAVE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE.

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> WE HAVE LOST OUR KIDS AND WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY REVENGE OR ANY HATRED. WE WANT TO ACHIEVE RECONCILIATION AND PEACE. THIS IS OUR POWER AND THIS IS OUR BELIEF THAT THAT’S HOW IT’S GOING TO BE.

RIHAB ESSAWI>> THE ISRAELIS, I AM IN UNION WITH. THEY SUFFER LIKE ME AND THAT’S WHAT UNIFIES US, THAT WE GO THROUGH THE SAME THINGS, THROUGH THE SAME AGONY. THEY LOST THEIR BELOVED ONES AND I LOST MY BELOVED ONES, SO WE HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON. OUR WORK TOGETHER IS TRYING TO SPARE OTHER PEOPLE FROM GOING THROUGH WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.

GAY YEE>> FRANKENTHAL STARTED “PARENTS’ CIRCLE” SHORTLY AFTER HIS SON’S DEATH. FRIENDS THOUGHT THE TRAGEDY WOULD FINALLY MOTIVATE HIM TO GIVE UP HIS DREAM FOR PEACE. IT INSTEAD BECAME HIS CATALYST FOR CHANGE.

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> WHEN ARIK WAS MURDERED BY THE HAMAS, MANY OF MY FRIENDS CAME TO ME AND SAY TO ME, DO YOU RECOGNIZE THEY’RE OUR ENEMIES? NOBODY TO TALK WITH ABOUT PEACE? DID YOU WAKE UP FROM YOUR DREAM? SO I SAID TO MY FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, ARIK WAS MURDERED ONLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO PEACE BETWEEN US AND THE PALESTINIANS.

GAY YEE>> FRANKENTHAL CRINGES WHEN ASKED IF HE’S PROMOTING FORGIVENESS. HE SAYS HE’S HOPING FOR RECONCILIATION.

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> THE POINT OF VIEW IN THE JEWISH TRADITION AND THE ISLAMIC TRADITION, THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS. YOU WANT ME TO FORGIVE YOU, BRING ME MY CHILD BACK AND THEN I WILL FORGIVE YOU. BUT THERE IS A WAY TO MAKE RECONCILIATION, TO OPEN A NEW PAGE, EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT MAKING FORGIVENESS.

GAY YEE>> AND FRANKENTHAL BELIEVES HIS GROUP CAN SUCCEED WHERE POLITICAL LEADERS HAVE FAILED.

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> I THINK THAT MANY OF THE MISTAKES THAT ARE MADE BY POLITICIANS, BOTH SIDES, THE ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS, HAVE BEEN CREATED BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT READY TO GO THROUGH THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, INTO THE DEEP, DEEP INSIDE QUESTIONS. THEY ARE TALKING FROM UP AND NOT GOING INTO THE REAL QUESTIONS.

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> SOMEBODY HERE KNOWS ARABIC?

GAY YEE>> SOME LEADERS ARE STARTING TO LISTEN. THE “PARENTS’ CIRCLE” HAS A LETTER WRITTEN BY PALESTINIAN LEADER YASSER ARAFAT SUPPORTING THEIR EFFORTS.

RIHAB ESSAWI>> OUR AUTHORITY IS BACKING US ON THIS. THEY WANT US TO DO THIS. SO I’M NOT DOING THIS AND FEELING THAT I AM BETRAYING MY PEOPLE OR I AM DOING SOMETHING AGAINST MY PEOPLE, NO. I AM DOING THIS BECAUSE I AM A PATRIOT.

GAY YEE>> BUT ESSAWI AND FRANKENTHAL SAY THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THERE WILL BE PEACE ONE DAY BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS. THE REAL QUESTION, THEY SAY, IS HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL DIE BEFORE PEACE IS ULTIMATELY GIVEN A CHANCE? EVEN AS THE BLOODSHED CONTINUES, FRANKENTHAL REMAINS CONVINCED.

YITSAK FRANKENTHAL>> THERE IS NO LEADER WHO CAN STOP THE PEACE. THERE ARE MANY LEADERS, SMALL LEADERS, WHO CAN MAKE DAMAGE TO THE PEACE, BUT THEY WILL NOT STOP THE PEACE.

GAY YEE>> TWO PEOPLE, LIVES TORN APART BY HATRED, UNITED BY LOSS, AND YET THEY SIT SIDE BY SIDE.

JESS>> GAY JOINS US NOW. HE TALKS ABOUT YOU CAN’T STOP THE PEACE. YOU’VE GOT TO STOP THE WAR FIRST.

GAY YEE>> YOU KNOW, HE IS KNOWN AS SOMEONE IN THIS SPLINTER GROUP, THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON DOESN’T AGREE WITH HIM, AND HE SAYS THAT’S NOT SO TRUE. WHEN HE FIRST STARTED THIS GROUP, IT WAS JUST A SMALL LITTLE GROUP OF ISRAELIS WHO HAD LOST CHILDREN.

JESS>> THE “PARENTS’ CIRCLE” DOES SOUND LIKE IT WOULD BE A SMALL GROUP.

GAY YEE>> AND IT’S ULTIMATELY GROWN AND GROWN. NOW THERE ARE 250 AND THERE ARE NOW 250 PALESTINIANS. JUST RECENTLY IN OCTOBER, THEY STARTED A CAMPAIGN CALLED “HELLO PEACE” WHERE THEY HAD KIND OF A PHONE HOTLINE WHERE AN ISRAELI COULD PICK UP THE PHONE, DIAL THESE NUMBERS AND BE CONNECTED TO A PALESTINIAN AND THEY COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION. THEY THOUGHT MAYBE THEY WOULD GET MAYBE A FEW HUNDRED CALLS OR A FEW HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS. THEY GOT 30,000 CALLERS INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT THE OTHER SIDE THINKS.

JESS>> 30,000. THAT’S A REAL EXPANSION OF THE “PARENTS’ CIRCLE” THEN.

GAY YEE>> IT’S A BIG EXPANSION AND IT ALSO SHOWS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WEARY. THEY’RE TIRED OF THE SITUATION AND THAT PERHAPS THEIR LEADERS WOULD BE READY TO LISTEN TO THEM, THAT THE PEOPLE ARE WEARY AND WANT TO SEE SOME SORT OF CHANGE.

JESS>> IS IT THEIR VIEW THAT PEACE WILL ONLY GROW OUT OF THIS KIND OF PARTICIPATION AND NOT FROM A CAMP DAVID OR OTHER INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT?

GAY YEE>> YOU KNOW, HIS FEELINGS ARE THAT IT’S A GRASSROOTS EFFORT. IT’S A VERY REAL EFFORT. IT’S AN EFFORT FROM THE SOUL, THE HEART, AND THAT THESE ARE JUST NORMAL EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE A CHANGE. THEY’RE BEING SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THAT MESSAGE THROUGH.

JESS>> THERE IS THIS COMPELLING STORY AND COMPELLING GRIEF. THANKS, GAY.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE FOR INNER CITY YOUNGSTERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. FOR SOME, IT COULD MEAN OPENING THE DOOR TO A COLLEGE EDUCATION.

>> IF YOU WANT TO BE A SCIENTIST, THEY COULD SHOW YOU HOW TO BE A SCIENTIST. IF YOU WANT TO BE AN ARCHAEOLOGIST, THEY COULD SHOW YOU HOW TO BE AN ARCHAEOLOGIST. IF YOU WANT TO BE A TEACHER, THEY COULD SHOW YOU HOW TO BE A TEACHER.

JESS>> HE’S THE KIND OF GUY WHO FIGHTS TO GO INTO PLACES MOST FOLKS ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF. THAT’S WHY ED ARTIS TRADED THE COMFORT OF HIS SAN FERNANDO VALLEY HOME FOR THE BATTLE-SCARRED VILLAGES OF AFGHANISTAN, CARRYING LOADS OF FOOD AND SUPPLIES. THE ONE-TIME U.S. ARMY PARAMEDIC IN VIETNAM HAS SPENT THE PAST THIRTY YEARS ON MISSIONS SUCH AS THIS, PROVIDING RELIEF TO NEEDY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. BUT NOW ED ARTIS IS CONTEMPLATING A TRIP THAT MIGHT RAISE A FEW EYEBROWS. HE WANTS TO GO TO IRAQ AND HE WANTS TO GET THERE BEFORE WAR BREAKS OUT. JOINING US NOW, SIR EDWARD ARTIS, KNIGHT OF MALTA. IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK.

ED ARTIS>> THANK YOU, JESS. NICE TO BE HERE.

JESS>> THE LAST TIME WE SAW YOU, YOU WERE RETURNING FROM AFGHANISTAN ABOUT FIFTY POUNDS LIGHTER (LAUGHTER).

ED ARTIS>> (LAUGHTER) ABOUT THIRTY-FIVE. I’VE SQUIRRELED UP PRETTY GOOD.

JESS>> SO MUCH FOR THE CUISINE. WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT IN IRAQ?

ED ARTIS>> I’M NOT SURE YET. WE’RE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS GETTING IN. I KNOW THAT WHAT WE DID IN AFGHANISTAN LAST YEAR WAS A PRECURSOR TO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN IRAQ. I WANT TO BE THERE WITH FOOD AND CLOTHING AND SOME MEDICINES WHEN THE REFUGEES START TO MIGRATE.

JESS>> WHERE ARE THE OBSTACLES TO GETTING IN COMING FROM? THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ?

ED ARTIS>> THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ WILL NOT LET US IN. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO IN ILLEGALLY, CROSS THE BORDER ILLEGALLY TO GET IN, WITH THE OPPOSITION UP IN THE NORTH.

JESS>> YOU’RE USED TO DOING THAT.

ED ARTIS>> ABSOLUTELY.

JESS>> IN AFGHANISTAN, YOU DID EXACTLY THE SAME THING, COMING ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. A RISKY VENTURE.

ED ARTIS>> CAN BE. WE’VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHILE. WE’RE NOT TRYING TO BE HEROES, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE BE THERE TO LET PEOPLE ON THE GROUND KNOW THAT WE’RE NOT TRYING TO KILL THEM ALL.

JESS>> IRAQIS CLEARLY HAVE SUFFERED A GREAT DEAL, BUT THEY ARE NOT IN THE DIRE STRAITS THAT THE AFGHANISTAN PEOPLE WERE, ARE THEY? THE ABSENCE OF FOOD?

ED ARTIS>> IN THE NORTH THEY ARE AND, ONCE THE FIGHTING STARTS, THERE WILL BE MILLIONS OF REFUGEES FLOWING INTO THE NORTH TO GET AWAY FROM THE BOMBING.

JESS>> YOU’D BE MORE WELCOME IN THE NORTH, I WOULD ASSUME, ANYWAY.

ED ARTIS>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT’S WHERE WE SHOULD BE. WE CAN’T INTO BAGHDAD.

JESS>> IS THIS A PEACE EFFORT?

ED ARTIS>> YES. IT’S RECONSTRUCTION AND RECONCILIATION BEFORE THE FACT. ANY CONFLICT IS ABOUT THIRTY PERCENT WAR AND SEVENTY PERCENT RECONCILIATION AND RECONSTRUCTION. I WANT TO BE THERE FIRST.

JESS>> WHAT’S YOUR VIEW OF THE PRESIDENT’S POSITION ON IRAQ?

ED ARTIS>> I’M NOT A POLICY MAKER. I’M JUST GOING TO TRY AND NOT LET THE POLICY KILL ME, SO WE’RE GOING TO TRY AND STAY OUT OF HIS WAY.

JESS>> COULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A “PEACENIK”?

ED ARTIS>> NO, I’M A FORMER WARRIOR WAGING PEACE. I’LL SUPPORT THE TROOPS ONCE THEY MOVE INTO THE AREA. IT HURTS THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE IN THE ARMED FORCES IF WE DON’T. LIKE I SAID, I DON’T MAKE THE POLICY. I’M JUST GOING TO TRY AND STAY OUT OF THE WAY OF IT.

JESS>> SO YOUR ROLE IN PEACEKEEPING IS ALSO TO TRY TO GET -- WE’RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO IRAQ EVEN SHOULD THE UNITED STATES EFFECTIVELY GET RID OF SADDAM HUSSEIN, HOW YOU RECONSTRUCT A NATION LIKE THAT. WOULD THAT BE PART OF YOUR ROLE?

ED ARTIS>> WE WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THAT’S PART OF OUR ROLE. WE’LL BE IN THERE AS THE EYES AND EARS FOR OTHER NGO’S, NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS. WE DID THAT IN AFGHANISTAN EFFECTIVELY. AFGHANISTAN IS GOING THROUGH RECONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW AND WE’RE LEARNING A LOT OF LESSONS ON WHAT NOT TO DO IN AFGHANISTAN.

JESS>> IS THERE STILL A NEED IN AFGHANISTAN FOR THE WORK SUCH AS YOURS?

ED ARTIS>> THERE’S A GREAT NEED IN AFGHANISTAN FOR PEOPLE LIKE US, SMALL NGO’S, NOT NECESSARILY THE HUGE NGO’S.

JESS>> IN ADDITION TO FOOD, I ASSUME THERE WILL BE, AS WE SEE HERE, MEDICAL SUPPLIES AS WELL?

ED ARTIS>>> YES. (LAUGHTER) THAT’S OUR POOR PRODUCER. HE GOT WOUNDED OVER THERE DOING A PIECE ON US. BUT, YES, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ARE NEEDED. THE INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED. IF WE BOMB BAGHDAD AND OTHER CITIES IN IRAQ LIKE WE DID IN AFGHANISTAN, IT WILL BE SIMILAR.

JESS>> IS IT DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO GO TO PEOPLE HERE AND SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME HELP FROM YOU TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ?

ED ARTIS>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK I’M JUST SO FAR OUT ON THE EDGE THAT THEY SCRATCH THE BACK OF THEIR HEADS. WE’LL HELP ANYBODY ANYWHERE. I MEAN, WE GET CALLS ALL THE TIME TO GO AROUND THE WORLD AND HELP. THE THINGS THAT WE’VE LEARNED IN THE LAST THIRTY YEARS, WE WANT TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE. RIGHT NOW, WE NEED TO BE IN IRAQ BECAUSE, ONCE WE GO IN WITH MILITARY, AND WE WILL, THERE’S GOING TO BE --

JESS>> -- IS ED ARTIS APOLITICAL?

ED ARTIS>> PRETTY MUCH SO. NONRELIGIOUS, NONGOVERNMENTAL. I DO HAVE AN OPINION, BUT I TRY AND KEEP THAT SEPARATE FROM THIS HUMANITARIAN BENT THAT I HAVE.

JESS>> AND SUPPORT FOR YOUR HUMANITARIAN EFFORT, WHERE WILL THAT COME FROM?

ED ARTIS>> WE GET DONATIONS FROM PEOPLE. I GOT A CHECK TODAY FROM SOMEONE OFF AN ARTICLE IN THE L.A. TIMES THIS WEEKEND. IT’S PRIVATE DONATIONS. MANY HOSPITALS GIVE US MEDICAL SUPPLIES. I HAD TWO EIGHTEEN-FOOT TRUCKS SHOW UP AT MY HOUSE ON FRIDAY. THAT’S A LOT OF STUFF TO PUT IN YOUR FRONT ROOM.

JESS>> AS A MATTER OF FACT, LOOKING AT THAT ARTICLE IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, YOUR GARAGE IS THE WAREHOUSE, HUH?

ED ARTIS>> THAT’S IT. IT’S FULL. I’VE HAD A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF MEDICINE IN MY FRONT ROOM. MY GARAGE IS FULL NOW. I CAN BARELY GET MY CAR IN THERE. THAT STUFF WILL GO TO THE PHILIPPINES. THAT WAS COLLECTED FOR THE PHILIPPINES. THERE’S A WAR GOING ON THERE TOO.

JESS>> WHEN YOU GO, YOU GO WITH A VERY SMALL GROUP.

ED ARTIS>> TWO OR THREE PEOPLE. BIGGER ISN’T BETTER. IF YOU HAVE A LARGE CONTINGENT OF PEOPLE TRAVELING WITH YOU, IT’S A MASSIVE LIABILITY. WE’RE GOING IN UNDER THE RADAR AND WE WANT TO GET OUT ALIVE.

JESS>> HOW CAN YOU BE SURE THAT YOUR AID GOES TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE?

ED ARTIS>> BECAUSE I DELIVER IT. HAND-TO-HAND, EYE-TO-EYE, HEART-TO-HEART, NOBODY TAKES MY STUFF. WE GIVE THAT BLANKET, WE GIVE THAT BAG OF WHEAT TO THE RECIPIENT. THE MEDICINES THAT WE TAKE IN GO DIRECTLY TO THE CLINICS. YOU SEE IN SOME OF THE VIDEO THAT WE’VE SHOWN HERE OVER THE YEARS THAT WE’VE BEEN COMING ON LIFE AND TIMES, WE ARE LIKE UPS AND FED-EX WITH AN ATTITUDE.

JESS>> ED ARTIS, IT’S GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK WITH US AND WE WISH YOU GOOD LUCK AND SAFEKEEPING.

ED ARTIS>> THANK YOU, JESS.

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JESS>> THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A LITTLE STAR POWER AT THE BALLOT BOX, BUT PATT SAYS VOTERS MAY HAVE BEEN BLINDED BY THE LIGHT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN THEY ADOPTED PROP 49. IT’S TONIGHT’S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT MORRISON>> IF YOU VOTED FOR PROPOSITION 49, THE MEASURE TO FUND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, YOU PROBABLY THOUGHT YOU VOTED FOR A WINNER, AND INDEED PROPOSITION 49 PASSED HANDILY. IN FACT, THE CLEAREST WINNER WAS PROP 49’S CHIEF BOOSTER, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER. IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, THE MEASURE WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED WITH THE MARGIN IT DID WITHOUT THE ACTOR’S VERY VISIBLE SUPPORT. SO THIS WAS AN AUDITION OF SORTS FOR SCHWARZENEGGER, PERHAPS FOR THE ROLE OF GOVERNOR FOUR YEARS HENCE OR MAYBE FOR U.S. SENATOR IN TWO YEARS’ TIME. HIS POLITICAL AMBITIONS, WHATEVER THEY ARE, WERE GIVEN A BIG BOOST BY PROPOSITION 49. WHO CAN CRITICIZE A MEASURE PUTTING A HALF BILLION DOLLARS TOWARD AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS?

IT TURNS OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE CAN. CRITICS OF THE MEASURE COULDN’T FAULT THE IDEA OF AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. IT WAS HOW THEY’D BE FUNDED THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. FORTY PERCENT OF THE STATE BUDGET IS ALREADY CONSTITUTIONALLY COMMITTED TO EDUCATION. THAT COMES RIGHT OFF THE TOP FROM THE GET-GO. EVERYTHING ELSE, HEALTHCARE, TRANSPORTATION, THE ENVIRONMENT, HAS TO COME AFTER THAT. PROPOSITION 49 ALSO TAKES ITS SHARE RIGHT OFF THE TOP. HOWEVER FAT OR THIN THE STATE BUDGET, THIS BITE WILL COME FIRST. NO FLEXIBILITY, NO QUESTIONS, NO CHANGES.

IF THIS BUDGETING BY BALLOT CATCHES ON AND OTHER GROUPS LOCK UP MORE MILLIONS, WE MAY ONE DAY SEE THE ENTIRE LEGISLATURE MEETING AND TRYING TO DECIDE HOW TO DIVVY UP ABOUT TWELVE BUCKS. THE REST OF THE STATE’S BILLIONS WILL HAVE BEEN COMMITTED AND LOCKED UP BY INITIATIVE. THERE ARE RUMORS OF A COURT CHALLENGE TO PROPOSITION 49, NOT TO THE MOTIVE OF AFTER-SCHOOL EDUCATION, BUT TO THE MEANS. THAT BUDGETING PROCESS, HOWEVER BADLY IT’S BEEN DELIVERED OF LATE, IS THE OBLIGATION OF THE LEGISLATURE, AND AN INITIATIVE TAKING IT OUT OF LEGISLATIVE HANDS, FOR HOWEVER LAUDABLE A PURPOSE, IS NOT LEGAL.

WOULD ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER BE AS VIGOROUS IN DEFENDING HIS INITIATIVE IN COURT AS HE WAS IN TELEVISION SPOTS AND POLITICAL FLIERS? MAYBE, OR MAYBE BY THEN HE’LL BE TOO BUSY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

JESS>> IT WILL BE A MILESTONE SEASON FOR THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC. THEIR FIRST PERFORMANCE IS INSIDE THE NEW DISNEY CONCERT HALL. THAT BUILDING IS STILL TAKING SHAPE ALONG GRAND AVENUE IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AND THE SCHEDULE FOR THE NEW CONCERT HALL WON’T BE ANNOUNCED UNTIL TOMORROW. AS VICKI CURRY TELLS US, THAT’S A GOOD REASON TO PEEK INSIDE THE BUILDING AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE SO FAR.


[FILM CLIP]

VICKI CURRY>> IT’S STILL FAR FROM FINISHED, BUT THE FUTURE RESIDENTS OF THE WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL ARE ALREADY ANTICIPATING PERFORMING IN THEIR NEW HOME.

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN>> I CAN’T EVEN BEGIN TO THINK OF WHAT IT REALLY WILL MEAN BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO BE AN ENORMOUS CHANGE IN EVERY WAY. MOVING INTO A BUILDING LIKE THAT IS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE YOU CAN’T JUST MOVE IN AND CARRY ON DOING WHAT YOU WERE DOING BEFORE.

VICKI CURRY>> IT OPENS IN THE FALL OF 2003. THE L.A. PHILHARMONIC WILL MOVE OUT OF THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION AND INTO A SPACE OF THEIR OWN, ONE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THEM AND THEIR ARTISTIC NEEDS.

DEBORAH BORDA>> THE DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION IS A WONDERFUL OLD MULTI-PURPOSE HALL. IT HAS OVER 3,400 SEATS AND IT’S SIMPLY TOO LARGE TO HEAR A GREAT ORCHESTRA.

VICKI CURRY>> IT’S BEEN OVER A DECADE IN THE MAKING, BUT WITH DISNEY HALL, THE PHILHARMONIC WILL FINALLY HAVE A WORLD-CLASS MUSIC VENUE DESIGNED BY A WORLD-CLASS ARCHITECT, FRANK GEHRY.

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN>> FRANK’S ATTITUDE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WAS VERY CLEAR. HE WANTED TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE CONCERT HALL FOR THE ORCHESTRA TO PLAY.

VICKI CURRY>> BY ALL ACCOUNTS, HE HAS. THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING BEGAN WITH THE DESIGN OF THE HALL ITSELF. THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN? ACOUSTICS. AND AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, THE ORCHESTRA DECIDED ON THE SO-CALLED VINEYARD DESIGN.

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN>> I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN FAVOR OF VINEYARD DESIGN BECAUSE SOME OF MY OTHER FAVORITE HALLS IN THE WORLD, MODERN ONES, EMPLOY THE SAME IDEA. THE CONDUCTOR’S PODIUM IS ALMOST AT THE MID-POINT OF THE LENGTH OF THE HALL, WHICH MEANS THAT THE ORCHESTRA IS VERY MUCH IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL AND IT’S SURROUNDED BY AUDIENCE.

VICKI CURRY>> PEOPLE CAN SIT AND LOOK RIGHT INTO THE FACE OF ESA-PEKKA SALONEN, WHICH IS SOMETHING YOU’VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO.

[FILM CLIP]

VICKI CURRY>> IT’S EXPECTED TO BE ONE OF THE GREATEST CONCERT HALLS IN THE WORLD. THE L.A. PHILHARMONIC IS NOW PLANNING EXACTLY HOW THEY’LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SINGULAR ASSET.

DEBORAH BORDA>> WHAT THE PHILHARMONIC ASPIRES TO IS THAT THIS IS A HALL FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. WE WANT TO BE AN ORCHESTRA FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. THE INAUGURAL SEASON WILL BRING THE GREATEST ARTISTS IN THE WORLD HERE TO LOS ANGELES, BUT IT’S ALSO A MÉLANGE OF INTER-CONNECTED THEMES AND CONCEPTS.

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN>> WE OBVIOUSLY WANTED TO OPEN IN A WAY THAT WOULD HIGHLIGHT THE HALL FROM MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS. THE AIM IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE OF LOS ANGELES SEE THE HALL AS THEIRS, NOT AS SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME HERE FROM SOME OTHER PLANET AND JUST LANDED HERE, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE AND IT’S FOR EVERYBODY.

VICKI CURRY>> DISNEY HALL IS OBVIOUSLY MUCH MORE THAN JUST A NEW CONCERT VENUE. FRANK GEHRY’S DISTINCTIVE DESIGN IS INTENDED TO CAPTURE THE IMAGINATION OF THE CITY. LIKE THE OPERA HOUSE TO SYDNEY OR THE EIFFEL TOWER TO PARIS, FANS OF THIS BUILDING SAY IT WILL SOON BE THE NEW LANDMARK FOR LOS ANGELES.

DEBORAH BORDA>> BUT YOU CAN ALREADY LOOK AT THIS LOCATION AND SAY THIS IS ICONIC. THIS ISN’T JUST ABOUT LOS ANGELES. THIS IS ABOUT THE WORLD.

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN>> WE HAVE A TREMENDOUSLY IDENTIFIABLE BUILDING FINALLY IN LOS ANGELES THAT JUST ABOUT COULD BECOME THE SYMBOL OF THE CITY.

VICKI CURRY>> DISNEY HALL IS ONE OF SEVERAL MILESTONE PROJECTS EMERGING ALONG GRAND AVENUE. THE CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS OPENED IN SEPTEMBER WITH GREAT FANFARE, BUT IT’S THIS STAINLESS STEEL WONDER IN ITS SWEEPING FAÇADE THAT’S GETTING ALL THE ATTENTION.

DEBORAH BORDA>> WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL IS A METAPHOR FOR A TRANSFORMATION THAT’S TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY. ITS WONDERFUL UNDULATING CURVES, ITS MYSTERY, ITS EXCITEMENT BECKONS YOU IN.

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN>> FOR ME PERSONALLY, THE HALL SYMBOLIZES TO THE POINT WHAT I EXPECT OF MUSIC AND ART. IT’S KIND OF RADICAL, BUT ALSO A VERY EXPRESSIVE DESIGN WHICH IS SOMETHING I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE SEEN AS, AS AN ARTIST, AS A MUSICIAN.

VICKI CURRY>> GEHRY SAYS THE DESIGN WAS INSPIRED BY A SHIP AT SAIL AND HE USED THIS BILLOWING FORM BOTH OUTSIDE AND IN. FOR THE MUSICIANS, THIS METAPHOR IS NOT JUST VISUAL, BUT ALSO REPRESENTS THE CONCERT EXPERIENCE.

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ESA-PEKKA SALONEN>> IT SHOULD BE A JOURNEY. IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT TAKES YOU TO ANOTHER PLACE, PREFERABLY A PLACE WHERE YOU’VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE AND A VERY EXCITING PLACE OR A VERY SORT OF INTENSE PLACE. THEN IT GETS YOU BACK AT THE END OF THE CONCERT. WHEN YOU ARE SITTING THERE IN THE AUDITORIUM, YOU GET THE FEELING OF ACTUALLY BEING ON YOUR WAY SOMEWHERE.

VICKI CURRY>> ALTHOUGH HE WAS HIRED TO DESIGN A CONCERT HALL, FRANK GEHRY WRAPPED IT ALL UP IN A PACKAGE OF CASCADING CURVES. EVERYONE AGREES THE ARCHITECTURAL SEASCAPE OF DISNEY HALL WILL OFFER THE CITY MUCH MORE THAN BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN>> IT’S VERY NICE THAT WE HAVE NOW A VERY POWERFUL SYMBOL FOR THE OTHER SIDE OF L.A. CULTURE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT AND ACTUALLY FLOURISHING. SO I THINK THAT THE EFFECT OF THIS BUILDING WILL BE ENORMOUS.

JESS>> THE HALL’S FIRST SEASON DEBUTS IN THE FALL OF NEXT YEAR. IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN GET MORE DETAILS BY LOGGING ONTO THE WEBSITES, LAPHIL.ORG, OR WDCH.COM.

THAT’S TONIGHT’S PROGRAM. VAL IS BACK TOMORROW NIGHT. 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.

AND 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.

TO REACH US AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, CALL 323-953-5555. SEND US AN E-MAIL TO LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG OR LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG TO SEND MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS OF TONIGHT’S PROGRAM.