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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Sept. 130: Sat., Sun., Labor Day 1:30 p.m.
Free Shakespeare in the Park, The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Golden GatePark. 415/865-4434.
Tues., Sept. 4 1:003:00 p.m.
Board meeting at the office. All welcome!
Thurs., Sept. 69 10:00 a.m.6:00 p.m.
37th S.F. Public Library Annual Book Sale at Fort Mason's
Herbst Pavilion. All books $1.00.
Sun., Sept. 9 1:303:30 p.m.
"Opera's Greatest Hits." Free Opera in the Park concert performed
by the San Francisco Opera in Sharon Meadow, Golden State Park.
Sat., Sept. 15 12:303:00 p.m.
Meeting with cooperating socially progressive organizations on
the War in Space versus Peace on Earth. S.F. Friends Meeting,
65 Ninth St. All Welcome!
Sun., Sept. 16Nov. 28
Land + Scape:Exhibition in praise of the farmer as artist.
Main Library, Jewett Gallery. Free.
Wed., Sept. 19 12:001:00 p.m.
"About Face." Humorist David Roche comments on
the health care system from both sides of the bed. UCSF
Parnassus Campus, Health Sciences West, Room 300.
Sat., Sept. 22 10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.
OWL: "Exploring End of Life Issues" discussed by Bay Area
Network on End of Life care. Unitarian Church, Franklin and Geary.
Sat., Sept. 29 In Washington, D.C.
International day of action against U.S. military
and economic intervention in Latin America and the
Caribbean. Info: 212/229-1290 or 202/544-9355.
Sat., Oct. 6 Regional meeting in Sacramento.
Call the office for details, 415/552-8800.

Joining Forces for Peace on Earth
Working together with like-minded organizations is the only wayto achieve the social goals
we advocate. The opposition presents its own united front to defeat our goals and actions.
How often have you heard "united we stand [etc.]..."? The Gray Panthers must
advocate for such unity. Our general meeting September 15 is a step in the direction of
organizations working together on a common issue: There will be interesting speakers, audience
participation, a renowned video on "Star Wars Revisited," entertainment, opportunities to socialize
and refreshments. But, best of all, at least nine socially progressive organizations, including
Gray Panthers, will each be speaking for five minutes about their plans to protect the
crucial importance of meeting social needs before embarking on the disastrous path to war in
space now being advocated by the Bush administration. Please attend. Your input is important!

Fast Track to ???
(as excerpted from the Public Citizen
News, JulyAugust 2001)
Contrary to promises and predictions, the North American Free Trade Agreement farmers
and consumers have not benefited from the trade pact. According to a new study by
Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, it found that farm incomes plummeted and
bankruptcies escalated in the United States, Canada and Mexicowhile U.S. food prices increased
20%during the first seven years under NAFTA. Yet, Archer Daniels Midland's profits
nearly tripledfrom $110 million to $301 million and Con Agra's profits grew from $143 million
to $413 million. Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, said "As bad as NAFTA's
seven years has been in the United States, the results for poverty-stricken Mexican farmers
and consumers is horrific and puts to rest the myth that these trade deals benefit people
in developing countries."

Worth Reading
Gore Vidal's The Golden
Age is history that most of us experienced, starting in the late 1930s.
It is very iconoclastic, purportedly an insider version of Washington politics and
personalities and, to a lesser degree, New York and the arts. You may find yourself strongly disagreeing
with it and yet uneasily suspecting there may be a lot of truth to it. No matter how much of it
you believe, you will find it full of "I remember" moments.
A few caveats about this book: It jumps around and is not well dated. There are so
many characters, both real and fictional, that often you have forgotten from one section to the
next who even the main characters are. I felt that I was missing a whole subtext by not being
able to match thinly-disguised fictional characters with their real life counterparts the way a
true insider could.
Nevertheless, this is a very interesting, readable and provocative recounting of our
recent history. Highly recommended. You can get it from the S.F. Public Library.
Mitzi Raas

The Newsletter of the San Francisco Gray Panthers is published each month, and distributed free of charge to members and friends of this nonprofit organization.

Editorial Board: Rebecca Hirshleifer, Mitzi Raas; Publisher, Astrid M. Spector; Art Director, Fannie Biderman; Proof, Lurilla Harris; Circulation: Harold Greenblatt and Mary Francis Smith. Printed by Graffik Natwicks; Webpage design: Barry Simpkins



	CALENDAR OF EVENTS

	Sept. 130: Sat., Sun., Labor Day 1:30 p.m. Free Shakespeare in the Park, The Merry Wives of Windsor. Golden GatePark. 415/865-4434. Tues., Sept. 4 1:003:00 p.m. Board meeting at the office. All welcome! Thurs., Sept. 69 10:00 a.m.6:00 p.m. 37th S.F. Public Library Annual Book Sale at Fort Mason's Herbst Pavilion. All books $1.00. Sun., Sept. 9 1:303:30 p.m. "Opera's Greatest Hits." Free Opera in the Park concert performed by the San Francisco Opera in Sharon Meadow, Golden State Park. Sat., Sept. 15 12:303:00 p.m. Meeting with cooperating socially progressive organizations on the War in Space versus Peace on Earth. S.F. Friends Meeting, 65 Ninth St. All Welcome! Sun., Sept. 16Nov. 28 Land + Scape:Exhibition in praise of the farmer as artist. Main Library, Jewett Gallery. Free. Wed., Sept. 19 12:001:00 p.m. "About Face." Humorist David Roche comments on the health care system from both sides of the bed. UCSF Parnassus Campus, Health Sciences West, Room 300. Sat., Sept. 22 10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. OWL: "Exploring End of Life Issues" discussed by Bay Area Network on End of Life care. Unitarian Church, Franklin and Geary. Sat., Sept. 29 In Washington, D.C. International day of action against U.S. military and economic intervention in Latin America and the Caribbean. Info: 212/229-1290 or 202/544-9355. Sat., Oct. 6 Regional meeting in Sacramento. Call the office for details, 415/552-8800.

	Joining Forces for Peace on Earth Working together with like-minded organizations is the only wayto achieve the social goals we advocate. The opposition presents its own united front to defeat our goals and actions. How often have you heard "united we stand [etc.]..."? The Gray Panthers must advocate for such unity. Our general meeting September 15 is a step in the direction of organizations working together on a common issue: There will be interesting speakers, audience participation, a renowned video on "Star Wars Revisited," entertainment, opportunities to socialize and refreshments. But, best of all, at least nine socially progressive organizations, including Gray Panthers, will each be speaking for five minutes about their plans to protect the crucial importance of meeting social needs before embarking on the disastrous path to war in space now being advocated by the Bush administration. Please attend. Your input is important!



	Fast Track to ??? (as excerpted from the Public Citizen News, JulyAugust 2001) Contrary to promises and predictions, the North American Free Trade Agreement farmers and consumers have not benefited from the trade pact. According to a new study by Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, it found that farm incomes plummeted and bankruptcies escalated in the United States, Canada and Mexicowhile U.S. food prices increased 20%during the first seven years under NAFTA. Yet, Archer Daniels Midland's profits nearly tripledfrom $110 million to $301 million and Con Agra's profits grew from $143 million to $413 million. Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, said "As bad as NAFTA's seven years has been in the United States, the results for poverty-stricken Mexican farmers and consumers is horrific and puts to rest the myth that these trade deals benefit people in developing countries."

	Worth Reading Gore Vidal's The Golden Age is history that most of us experienced, starting in the late 1930s. It is very iconoclastic, purportedly an insider version of Washington politics and personalities and, to a lesser degree, New York and the arts. You may find yourself strongly disagreeing with it and yet uneasily suspecting there may be a lot of truth to it. No matter how much of it you believe, you will find it full of "I remember" moments. A few caveats about this book: It jumps around and is not well dated. There are so many characters, both real and fictional, that often you have forgotten from one section to the next who even the main characters are. I felt that I was missing a whole subtext by not being able to match thinly-disguised fictional characters with their real life counterparts the way a true insider could. Nevertheless, this is a very interesting, readable and provocative recounting of our recent history. Highly recommended. You can get it from the S.F. Public Library. Mitzi Raas