Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 19:54:37 -0400 From: didom@usa1.com (Claude DiDomenica) Subject: CAT Chronicle for 9-29-95 THE CAT CHRONICLE ----------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE * * September 29, 1995 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Children's Animated Television (CAT) is a 501-C-3 non-profit organization that produces educational videos for children and teens on contemporary social issues such as AIDS, diversity, violence and GLB teen self esteem. CAT also provides as a public service a BBS, a weekly full color newsletter and a Web site for the family of the future: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/ * Please note a full color version of this newsletter is available on the World Wide Web: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/newslett/newslett.html/ --------------------------------------------------------------------- CAT Currents: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ CAT has finally released its "Project Brighter Future for GLB Teens Volunteer FAQ." As most of you know, Project Brighter Future is our current video project on self-esteem and suicide prevention for GLB youth. Find out how and why you should help... If you would like a copy E-Mailed to you: Send E-mail: didom@usa1.com It is also available on the Web: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/info/vol-faq.html/ Good News for a Change!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We just received WONDERFUL news via E-Mail: From: jessea@uclink2.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman) To: didom@usa1.com Subject: We DID it! We WON! Hearings postponed "indefinitely"! Take some bows, and HEARTY E-BACKSLAPS ALL AROUND, FOLKS!!! ***YOU*** beat Lou Sheldon and the radical religious right wing!!! The web site below now says (as of 10:25 p.m. on Saturday, 9/30) that the hearings have been postponed indefinitely. http://spidey.usc.edu/qf/yap/ed/forum/rights/index.html AND this has been confirmed by another Southern Californian source, as follows: From: [...] Date: Sun, 1 Oct 1995 17:39:02 -0400 To: jessea@uclink2.berkeley.edu Yes, it's true. The hearings have been postponed indefinitely. Republicans will give Democrats 2 weeks notice if they are rescheduled. From HRCF we hear that investigation chairman Hoekstra was unhappy at having to do Gingrich's dirty work for him. A lot of heat came down from other Congressmen and the public on the way Lou Sheldon walked into Congress and ordered up his own investigation. So...we'll see what happens. Patricia --------------------------------------------------------------------- CAT is donating to Jessea's organization P.E.R.S.O.N. a Web page for their alerts and such: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/glb/person.html/ P.E.R.S.O.N. stands for Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationwide. Parent's Corner... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tip of the Week: Child Pedestrian Safety This week we focus on kids getting to school safely. Children ages 5 to 7 have the highest frequency of becoming victims of pedestrian injuries on the way to school. Here's some good habits to keep children safer: * Whenever possible walk with your child or see if they can walk with another adult or older child. * Walk on the sidewalk whenever one is available. If there is no sidewalk, have children walk FACING traffic as far away from the street as possible. * Discuss traffic signs and signals. Make sure they understand and obey all signs when crossing a street. * Always stop at the curb or edge of the road before crossing. * Never run or dart out into the street. Never dart from behind or near parked cars. A driver has almost no time to react. * Teach your children to learn to look and listen for traffic: looking left-right-left before crossing can save your child's life. * When using a crosswalk, be sure to keep looking until they crossed the street safely. * Never assume you have the right of way, even in situations where the driver is required to yield to the pedestrian. How can parents and drivers do their part to keep kids safe? * Slow down around schools and residential areas. * Watch for children! Remember that children are unpredictable around traffic. * Look for crossing guards, bikes and school buses. These are all signs of children in the area. * Obey school bus stop laws and other school related traffic signals. * Take extra caution in bad weather or when the sun is at the horizon (dusk and dawn). The sun can block your vision. * Clear fogged windows before driving in the morning. A local police department related to me that the biggest causes of pedestrian/vehicle accidents are: 1) the vehicle speeding 2) the child running in front of the vehicle You can do your part to help keep children safe on their way to school. Teach them about safe walking habits, and YOU remember to drive safely around children... Jeff Sam Volunteer Child Safety & Parents Coordinator, Co-Sysop of Dr Furball's BBS and CAT's Co-Webmeister Internet Address: jsam@usa1.com Please visit Jeff's Sam's Parenting and Child Safety Web page: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/jeffsam/jeffsam.html/ GLB Youth Advisor: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CAT's current video project is on GLB teen self esteem. Our goal is to help put a stop to the unacceptably high rate of GLB teen depression and suicide. We also believe there is a direct correlation between low self esteem and unsafe sex practices. To this aim, as a public service we present to you the GLB Youth Advisor... System Shock ------------ "Where does a person turn when the "system" turns its back on the people it is supposed to protect?" Students are asking themselves that very question in places like Merrimack, New Hampshire. It becomes so easy to make the assumption that the job of a school system is to merely provide information to the students on strictly academic material. However, the problem with this assumption is the diversity of the school's population and the needs of its students. People typically believe issues of homosexuality or bisexuality are strictly a matter of choice and therefore are unimportant in a person's life. Taking this assumption one step further, if someone did choose their sexual identity, then they should handle the intolerance that goes along with it. The truth of the matter is something quite different. As we know, sexual identity is not a choice and is generally not tolerated. The psychological needs of the GLB student differ from the majority of students. When a larger group threatens a minority group, the "system's" job is to provide at least some form of protection. GLB students need protection from open discrimination or harm, whether it is physical or emotional. You could argue that this is not the role of government. However, you should read about Thomas Jefferson's references to "The tyranny of the majority" to deduce the truth about what role government should play. Let's take the debate one step farther by introducing the concept of teaching the existence of homosexuality in the classroom. Even more open minded individuals will balk at this concept. Ironically the lingering fear of "recruiting kids to be homosexuals" prevents these types of lectures. Administrators and parents fear that by acknowledging and affirming that homosexuality exists within any normal human society, that students will jump at the chance to become gay, lesbian or bisexual. Naturally, anyone using common sense would question why someone would choose to be alienated from their peers and have their safety, employment and housing threatened. The immediate answer to the question is "Nobody would. So they must be born that way." Introducing topics of homosexuality in the classroom then becomes a means of comforting those "In the closet who are both confused and alone". This serves to increase awareness and understanding between otherwise unsympathetic students and teachers. Thus, the purpose of "teaching" GLB issues within the classroom is designed to promote tolerance, while preventing discrimination. Nothing prevents or forbids someone from not accepting homosexuals. My hunch is that we are simply not enlightened enough to drop our history of hate and bigotry anytime soon. Obviously, I would prefer to be "accepted" over simply being "tolerated." At least being "tolerated" would allow me to live my life in relative safety and normalcy. This is America, and as far as I'm concerned, if you wish to not accept my humanity, then so be it. However, I do reserve the right to an education, housing, employment and the ability to walk down the street with a same sex partner without the fear of physical attacks or discrimination. Personally speaking, I do not seek "special rights" or "affirmative action." I do reserve and demand the right to be an openly gay American, not because it's my "choice of a lifestyle", but because it is who I am as a human being. Finally, let us remember that GLB issues have little to do with sexual acts. They have to do with our emotional needs, as other Americans have emotional needs. Congress considered a hearing on banning homosexual issues within the classroom nationwide. Such a move would have proven emotionally and even physically damaging to the hundreds of thousands of innocent GLB students. Special thanks to all of you who wrote your Congressmen and Senators to stop this hearing and madness. Mike Reddin Volunteer GLB Youth Advisor for Children's Animated Television Internet Address: wxman@pcix.com Mike has an area on our Web site dedicated to GLB youth: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/glb/glb.html/ What If??? ~~~~~~~~~~ Our President, Claude DiDomenica writes this weekly column to stimulate the minds of our youth and adults who haven't lost their "youthful imaginations..." What if CAT received a million dollar donation??? I probably would pass out from shock! Seriously, as most of you know, we have had a heck of a time finding support for our GLB video project. Hmmmmmm... What would I do??? I would be able to travel the country to interview all the cool GLB people who have stepped forward to be part of the video. I would be able to set up a toll-free 800 hotline for GLB youth to call who saw the video and needed a referral to counseling. I would donate videos to libraries and youth centers. I would keep our GLB Youth Advisor page on the Web. I would set up a huge volunteer appreciation dinner for all our supporters. ...and I'd create a way to make the general public aware of the national tragedy of GLB suicides. Ohhh... I think I spent it all!!! Sorry my wish list is so long... Stranger things have happened. It is a miracle that Bessie and I, after 4 long years, still have hope. Actually, our non-profit has been a series of miracles. I pray we can hold out till the next one! God does listen to prayers if you scream LOUD ENOUGH!!! Claude DiDomenica didom@usa1.com The CAT Credo... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Children's Animated Television (CAT) believes in a positive future for all children... CAT's philosophy is to help solve today's complex social problems through honest and open dialogue, education, information and compromise... CAT will produce video programs for pre-teens and teens to stimulate their minds, harness their creativity and imaginations to cultivate long-lasting answers to problems in their world... As a public service, CAT will also provide educational information using all available technology including a computer bulletin board, World Wide Web site and other electronic media. CAT will supply this knowledge for children, parents and educators to enable our society to develop ideas and solutions for a better tomorrow... Claude DiDomenica & Bessie Hadley Founders of Children's Animated Television July 15, 1995 --------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe to "The CAT Chronicle" via E-Mail: E-Mail to didom@usa1.com Subject: Subscribe CAT Chronicle CAT is a 501-C-3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Contact Information: Bessie Hadley Executive Director Children's Animated Television, Inc. 1492 Highland Ave, Suite 3 Needham, MA 02192 USA Voice: 617-449-9699 FAX: 617-449-2238 Dr Furball's BBS: 617-455-8415 node 1 617-433-0026 node 2 Internet: hadley@usa1.com Claude DiDomenica President of CAT and Sysop of Dr Furball's BBS Internet: didom@usa1.com CAT's WEB Home Page!!! http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Get CAT's latest info releases from Software Creations BBS * * "Home of the Authors" * * <<*-*-*-*->> * * Internet Access: Telnet BBS.SWCBBS.COM * * <<*-*-*-*->> * * WEB Access: http://www.swcbbs.com * * <<*-*-*-*->> * * 2400/9600/14.4 USR HST/Dual Standard Public Access (508) 368-7036 * * 2400/9600/14.4/28.8 USR V.Everything Public Access (508) 368-6604 * * 2400/9600/14.4 USR HST/Dual Standard Member Access (508) 368-7139 * * 9600/14.4/16.8/28.8 USR V.Everything Member Access (508) 368-3424 * * <<*-*-*-*->> * * At Main Menu, type: J 178 * * for "Dr Furball's Educational & Philanthropical Conference" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * --------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 1995 Children's Animated Television, Inc. All Rights Reserved This newsletter may be freely distributed as long as it remains intact and this notice is not removed. Please do not post on USENET, FIDONET, WILDNET etc. without permission of the conference moderator. # # # * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Claude DiDomenica didom@usa1.com http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/ * * Children's Animated Television *a non-profit organization * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *