JINN MAGAZINE

PACIFIC NEWS SERVICE

Issue No. 6.24

11/27/00 - 12/11/00

CONTENTS

VECTORS: A Regular Column on the Ideas and Directions Behind Today's News

Democrats' Hopes Of A Bumbling Bush Presidency May Be Wishful

Some Democrats--particularly those who see him as inept and weak--see a Bush presidency with decided mixed emotions. Whatever the merits of this assessment, a number of factors could help the Republicans greatly over the next few years. PNS commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson is the author of The Disappearance of Black Leadership. His e-mail address is ehutchi344@aol.com.

Miami-Dade Reversal -- A Cuban Terrorist Payback To Bush Family?

Strident broadcasts from a violently anti-Castro radio station influenced the Miami-Dade Canvassing Board's decision to reverse itself and vote to stop recounting ballots. The radio station's founding was sponsored by the Reagan-Bush administration. PNS correspondent Peter Dale Scott is author of Deep Politics and the Death of JFK and co-author of Cocaine Politics. Scott's website is http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~pdscott.

Prodigal Father -- Mexico's Change Of Heart Towards Mexican Americans

For decades Mexico has scorned her children for going to the U.S., reserving a special loathing for migrant workers. But Mexico's new president, Vicente Fox, has apologized, acknowledging that it is Mexican Americans who foreshadow Mexico's future. PNS editor Richard Rodriguez, an essayist for the PBS "News Hour with Jim Lehrer," is author of the forthcoming book "Brown."

Could Zapatistas Lose Out To Fox In War Of Ideas?

At first glance, Mexico under newly elected President Vicente Fox seems to be on the road to peace in Chiapas-- military checkpoints are being dismantled and the Zapatistas are sending a delegation to Mexico City. However, a new war may be just beginning, fought not with weapons but with ideas. PNS commentator Martin Espinoza reports from Acambaro, Mexico.

Miami's Cuban Americans May Get The Last Word

The Clinton administration willingness to defy Miami's Cuban-American community in the case of Elian Gonzales was widely seen as a sign that the community had lost its political muscle. But the decision to stop recounting votes in Miami-Dade suggests that it's the Cuban Americans who are getting the last word. PNS correspondent Peter Dale Scott is author of Deep Politics and the Death of JFK and co-author of Cocaine Politics. Scott's website is http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~pdscott.

Is A Recession Coming?

The six U.S. recessions since the 1960s were accompanied by destabilizing world events. As the "unwobbling pivot" of the global economy, the United States is now facing a number of events that could make it wobble. Is a recession in the offing? PNS editor Franz Schurmann, professor emeritus of history and sociology at UC-Berkeley, has traveled extensively and reads widely in the Asian, Russian and Arab media.

The Blue-Eyed Grandmother Of The Afghans Still Finds Ways To Help After 30 Years

From our distance, Afghanistan seems at best strange, sometimes terrifying, and always mysterious. But this has not stopped Nancy Hatch Dupree, age 71, who helps build libraries in Afghanistan and strives to explain its people to the world at large. PNS commentator Fariba Nawa was a staff reporter for various California newspapers and is now based in Peshawar, Pakistan.

U.S. Gets An "A" In Democracy, But Barely Passes Election 101

Charges and counter-charges, suits and disputes have filled the air since election day, to the surprise of many who thought the world's most advanced democracy should have such problems well in hand. But a comparison with other nations shows that we are woefully behind. Pacific News Service associate editor Andrew Reding is a senior fellow of the World Policy Institute in New York.

Dumping Electoral College Will Hurt Blacks And Latinos Most

One of the many ideas for reform shaken loose by the confusion over just who is president is a call to abolish the electoral college. A realistic look at the situation suggests such a move could actually harm many of those rallying in support of this reform. Earl Ofari Hutchinson is the President of the National Alliance for Positive Action. His e-mail address is ehutchi344@aol.com.

"Honor Killing" Rises In Pakistan Despite State And Religious Opposition

"Honor" in Pakistan is defined by men. Women who defy those standards are often murdered by male family members. The practice seems to be spreading from rural areas into the city, claiming an estimated 1,100 victims last year, despite outspoken denunciation from both political and religious leaders. PNS commentator Muddassir Rizvi is a Pakistani journalist specializing in development issues, whose work appears in several weekly and monthly publications.

Why Schools Aren't Winning Hearts And Minds

Everyone agrees education is it's in a sorry state, but nobody is sure what to do about it. A major problem with reform proposals is that they do not deal with the pervasive problem of "rankism," which pushes students away. PNS commentator Robert Fuller taught physics at Columbia University, created a program for high-school dropouts in Seattle, and was president of Berlin College. His book "Breaking Ranks: In Pursuit of Individual Dignity," can be accessed at www.breakingranks.net

PACIFIC PULSE: The Pacific Century And It's Impact On The Americas

Restless And Rudderless In The Pacific Rim

As if struck by a water-borne virus, the nations touching on the Pacific seem to be suffering a striking series of leadership problems. From Indonesia to Peru, the United States to Japan, there have been crises involving corruption and impeachment, and a cynical dissatisfaction marks the political landscape. PNS correspondent Philip Cunningham reports from Beijing.

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