Getting Together for Social Justice : Summer 2006

We have a new name!! Thank you all who submitted some very creative possible names for the newsletter. After much consideration though, none felt quite right. Getting Together (for social justice) seemed to catch more of the essence of my work and values. In U.S. society we are encouraged to get ahead by all means, individually, often at the expense of others. Some of us just want to get by, some are trying to get over. Many of us decide to get out, some are so angry that we want to get back or get even. Whatever our strategy the only way that we, our families, and our communities thrive is when we get together. My work is about helping develop the skills, knowledge, and practice in getting together so that we can employ effective strategies for building healthy, strong, inclusive, and just communities.

“PAUL KIVEL’S COURAGE to identify the structure of the ruling class and the impact of its power is a gift to all of us who seek justice and equality. Should be a required text in classrooms throughout the country.”
—Suzanne Pharr, author of In the Time of the Right.

“You Call this a Democracy is a powerful tool for those seeking to understand and change the oppressive economic, political, ideological and cultural institutions of contemporary society.”
—Left Turn Magazine.

From the new afterword by Paul Kivel:

As I write this follow-up to my book, the impact of undemocratic wealth and power has been revealed to a shocking extent by the destruction generated by Hurricane Katrina. The managerial and ruling classes have the transportation, mobility, connections, insurance, education, and skills to minimize the long-term damage to their lives. Many have certainly suffered heart-wrenching losses. But the majority of those dead, ill, stranded, without connections, influence, insurance, or the ability to move and find work are poor, are people of color, are women, are elderly, are people with disabilities, are children.

Read the entire afterword...

With a new foreword by Jim Hightower!

The Owning Classes diagram The ruling and managerial classes are the owning classes because this twenty percent of the population owns the great majority (around ninety percent) of all the financial wealth of the country. The term power elite refers to the several thousand people, primarily white Christian men, drawn from the ruling and managerial classes, who run the largest and most influential institutions of our country: business, finance, philanthropy, academia, the media, policy formation groups, think tanks and the government. Members of the power elite act as agents of the ruling class and make decisions which impact the rest of our lives. The power elite operates through normal and visible channels of power and control. There may be small groups of them who meet in secret to plan strategies, or who have more power than others. The larger problem is the entire social, political, and economic system that the ruling class and power elite dominate to their advantage.

Websites:
	www.faireconomy.org	United for a Fair Economy
	www.projectsouth.org	Project South
	www.classmatters.org	Class Matters
	www.epinet.org	Economic Policy Institute
	www.cepr.net	Center for Economic Policy and Research
Recent Books:
	Class Matters by Betsy Leondar-Wright
	The Color of Wealth by Meizhu Lui et. al
	Inequality Matters by James Lardner and David Smith
	The New Class Society: Goodbye American Dream? by Robert Perrucci and Earl Wysong
Magazines:
	www.dollarsandsense.org	Dollars & Sense Magazine
	www.cipa-apex.org/toomuch/goodreads.html	Too Much Magazine

July 8-12	Atlanta, GA	National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Conference
Sept 26-27	San Francisco, CA	Japanese Educators
Oct 10-11	Pt. Townsend, WA	Greywolf Ranch
Oct 19-20	Atlanta, GA	Men Stopping Violence
Nov 3	Knoxville, TN	Race Relations Center of East Tennessee
Nov 8-11	Phoenix, AZ	National Association for Multicultural Education
Nov 20-21	Edmonton, AB	Domestic Violence Conference

Call (510) 654-3015 or write to pkivel@mindspring.com for more information or to schedule an event or meeting with Paul while he is in your area!

Paul in front of the Maori Marae
(a community center) where he conducted
trainings and workshops.

Paul just returned from New Zealand where he gave a series of workshops and public lectures in Wairarapa, Wellington, Christchurch, and Aukland and attended a men’s hui on domestic violence in Hamilton. Brian Gardner, manager of the National Network of Stopping Violence Services, said Paul challenged those working in the family violence sector to think about the next wave of working to stop violence. “His message of actively challenging organizations and structures that disempower and disenfranchise people, creating opportunities for ordinary people to be part of the movement, and reclaiming our social justice roots struck a strong chord with those who heard him.” Paul had a wonderful time in New Zealand, and would like to thank everyone for their warm hospitality.

We have updated our links page to include links on racism, reaching boys and men, and Jewish organizations.

We have also added new articles by Paul, including...
Boys will Be Men: Guiding Your Sons from Boyhood to Manhood
Mentoring for Social Change

Paul is officially a grandfather! Please join us in celebrating the birth of “Nico” Salzman Luckey, born May 30, 2006.