Posts published in “Day: October 2, 2001”

Nearly 8000 students from eight school districts and several private schools in Houston attended a free performance by the world-renowned Ballet Folklórico de Mexico de Amalia Hernández at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on September 27. The free performance was part of the dance company’s educational series created 13 years ago by the late founder Amalia Hernández and Columba Bush.

Mrs. Bush, a native of Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico, is the wife of Florida Governor Jeb Bush. She has worked to help raise funds for and promote Ballet Folklórico de Mexico’s educational series since its inception. As a direct result of her efforts, the company has performed for free for more than 325,000 school-aged children throughout the United States. During this year’s tour, more than 25,000 children will be treated to a complimentary performance, including students from 10 AISD elementary and intermediate schools.

Ballet Folklórico de Mexico is a celebration of life in movement, music and color Its many dances encompass pre-Hispanic rituals, dramatic events from Mexico’s past, and colorful depictions of Mexico’s diverse culture and folklore.

By KATHY GANNON and RICHARD N. OSTLING
Associated Press Writers

What sort of government is harboring suspected terrorist leader Osama bin Laden?

A religious regime that has demolished grand Buddhist artworks, ended schooling for girls past the age of 8, decreed that Hindus must wear identification patches and imprisoned eight western aid workers for allegedly preaching their Christian faith.

According to the zealous Taliban, who have ruled in Afghanistan since 1996, fidelity to Islam requires unprecedented harshness.

Their practices have been disparaged by many Muslims outside Afghanistan, but the bin Laden case could prove to be one instance in which some Muslim support emerges for Taliban policy based on religious grounds.

Traditionalists may sympathize with Taliban contentions that, under strict religious law, bin Laden’s responsibility for terrorism can only be determined after trial before a court of fellow Muslims. And some may feel Afghanistan is justified in preparing for a holy war of self-defense against the United States.

On other matters, however, many Muslims _ particularly moderates and scholars _ have said the Taliban are mistaken about what Islam requires.
The Muslim world has largely spurned the Taliban up to now. The Organization of the Islamic Conference refused to admit the regime and only three of the 56 member nations (Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates) have granted it full diplomatic recognition.

Even neighboring Iran, whose 1979 revolution energized militant Muslims worldwide, rejects the Taliban, although that hostility stems from alleged Taliban persecution of fellow Shiite Muslims. Islam’s larger Sunni branch dominates in Afghanistan.

While bin Laden is suspected of directing a terrorist network aimed at the West from Afghanistan, the nation has also become a haven for thousands of activists believed to be preparing to overthrow more moderate Muslim regimes in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the Islamic states of nearby Central Asia that were part of the former Soviet Union.

One notable incident this year caused worldwide outrage. The Taliban’s reclusive leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, on Feb. 26 ordered demolition of two monumental mountain carvings of the Buddha on grounds that they violated Islam’s ban on idol worship.

Egypt’s highest Muslim authority, Grand Mufti Nasr Farid Wasel, joined a noted scholar from Qatar, Sheik Youssef al-Qaradawi, and others in a fruitless emergency mission urging the regime not to destroy the Buddhas.

“Such behavior comes to undermine the image of Islam,” former Egyptian diplomat Hussein Ahmed Amin wrote at the time.

An Afghan scholar in the United States, Amin Tarzi, charged that his homeland’s rulers feed off the peoples’ “illiteracy and lack of knowledge of traditional Islamic teachings.”

The Taliban have employed Pashtun tribal traditions along with religion “to legitimize their rule based on a terror system,” said Tarzi, of the Monterey (Calif.) Institute of International Studies. (The Pashtun are Afghanistan’s largest ethnic group.)
Others are baffled by the regime. “I personally don’t have any idea where they get some of their ideas,” said Professor Anis Ahmed of Pakistan’s Islamic University.

Some tenets come from literal interpretation of the Quran, the Muslim scripture, Ahmed explained, but “if you take things literally that will lead to extremism.” He said the Quran must be read in light of its context and application in the Sunnah, the authoritative sayings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Taliban emerged in 1994, promising peace to the war-ravaged land of 21 million and rebelling against Islamic factions whose conflicts had killed 50,000 people.

They are led by Omar, the self-declared “king of the Muslims,” and a circle of eight to 10 colleagues from Kandahar in the deeply tribal southeast, near the Pakistan border.

Omar described his followers in a movement magazine as “a simple band of dedicated youths… determined to establish the laws of God on earth, and prepared to sacrifice everything in the pursuit of that goal.”

Taliban means “students,” and indeed many followers attended conservative Muslim schools in Pakistan as refugees during the 1979-89 Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. One important training ground was Dar-ul Uloom Haqqani in Akora Khattak, one of Pakistan’s largest Muslim campuses.

It was the academic source of the Taliban gender policies. “It is biologically, religiously and prophetically proven that men are superior to women,” said a spokesman at the seminary, Maulana Adil Siddiqu.

Yet Tarzi noted that the Quran (7:189; 16:97; 33:35) mandates religious equality and training for men and women alike.

As for the Buddha-smashing, Muhammad cleared Arabia of idols when he inaugurated the religion, and pious artists consequently do not depict the human form. But Muslims did not destroy pre-Islamic statuary in lands they conquered soon after Muhammad’s lifetime.

In January, Omar decreed that anyone who converts from Islam to another religion will be killed, although the Taliban have not said what the penalty could be for the aid workers accused of preaching Christianity.

Other Taliban rules follow fundamentalist Islamic or Pashtun traditions that most believers do not see as faith requirements.

The only allowable music for Muslims is religious song, unaccompanied by instruments. Television, movies and videos are banned. So is kite-flying, seen as a distraction from a life of prayer.
The Taliban rules are meticulously enforced by religious police patrols from the omnipresent Ministry of Virtue and Vice. The “virtue” squads coordinate Islamic education, while “vice” squads stamp out forbidden evils and enforce the movement’s conception of “pure” Islam.

The Hindu identity patches were necessary, the Taliban said, so that the religious police would not force them to follow Islamic rules. But so far, the Taliban are not enforcing the order.

The ministry wields almost unlimited power in the 95 percent of Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban. Those who know the country say its grip is only strengthened by tensions with the outside world.

Overall, said Tarzi, the Taliban are creating a variant that Islam has never before seen. In his view it extends far beyond the Wahhabi movement, the puritanical Islamic reform imposed in Saudi Arabia beginning in the 19th century that is bin Laden’s inspiration.

“This is absolutely new,” Tarzi said. “No other Islamic country comes close.”

No one in America remains untouched by the recent acts of terrorism upon New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. And the facts are:

There are two types of disaster trauma—individual and community. September 11, 2001 was both.

•“Stress and grief reactions are normal responses to an abnormal situation,” says Betsy Schwartz, executive director of the Mental Health Association (MHA) of Greater Houston.

•People generally tend to pull together and function during and after a disaster.
From history we learn that characteristic reactions to such trauma are such things as:
•Depression
•Fears, anxieties, irritability
•Confusion, crying, scream ing
•Fear of crowds and/or reluc tance to leave home
•Problems going to sleep
•Sensitivity to loud noises
•Alcohol and other drug use
•Fear of darkness or animals
•Disobedience, behavioral problems and poor school performance in children

We can help each other deal with the mental health aspects of terrorism by doing several things, she says:

•Provide lots of reassurance to help kids through trauma
•Answer their questions honestly but briefly.
•Try to maintain-or re-establish-a normal household.
•Resume regular social and recreational activities when appropriate
•Acknowledge that you may have reactions to the natural disaster and take appropriate steps to foster your own emotional and physical healing.

When should you refer a person for mental health services?

•If a person is disoriented-dazed, has memory loss, can’t remember events or understand what is happening
•If a person hears voices or sees visions, has delusional thinking or pressured speech
•If a person is unable to care for self such as taking a bath, eating, changing clothes
•If the person has suicidal or homicidal thoughts or plans
•Domestic violence, child or elder abuse
•Alcohol or drug abuse

The Mental Health Association of Greater Houston (MHA Houston), affiliated with the Mental Health Association in Texas and the National Mental Health Association, is a non-profit, united Way agency devoted to promoting mental health, improving mental health services and eliminating the stigma of mental illness. For information and referral call 713-522-5161 or log on to www.mhahouston.org.

Many area residents are fortunate enough to be able to view native plants arid animals in their own yard or neighborhood. Similar opportunities to see the natural world are available at Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, when the park offers two canoe trips along Spring Creek Saturday, October 6 and a wildflower planting program Sunday, October 7.

For those individuals that enjoy quiet moments in forests or fields watching nature at its best, Jones Park offers a pair of canoe trips that should provide excellent wildlife viewing opportunities.
Participants ages 16 and older can take a tour of Cypress and Spring Creeks Saturday, October 6 at 9 am.

For those with little or no canoeing experience, a shorter excursion from Jones Park to the San Jacinto River bridge – great for beginners -takes place Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are required.

The thought of a yard or open field full of colorful wildflowers is sure to bring out the nature lover in many people. And what better way to bring this idea to fruition than planting your own wildflowers?

With a minimum of advance knowledge anyone can transform a barren expanse of the yard into their own version of something right out of Martha Stewart’s Living magazine. Sunday, October 7 at 2 p.m., join staff horticulturist Darlene Conley for a hands-on look at methods used to turn an empty patch of land into a colorful spring wildflower garden.

Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, a Harris County Precinct 4 facility, is located at 20634 Kenswick Dive in Humble. All programs are free of charge and open to the public.

Harris County Precinct 4 programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, national origin or disability.

For more information on the park or any of its programs, call (281) 446-8588.

A fundraiser to support the Harris County Sheriff’s Aldine Storefront will be held on the esplanade of Vickery Street (from Aldine Mail Route to Lauder Road), on October 27th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Activities will include carnival games sponsored by Aldine I.S.D. P.T.A., P.T.O. and school clubs, Halloween costume contests, bicycle races (ages 3-17), most patriotic decorated bike contest and a silent auction.

There will be booths with displays from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Volunteer Fire Department. There will also be a variety of food, music and entertainment. For more information contact the Aldine Storefront at 281-449-6600, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

State Representative Kevin Bailey has been providing us with a brief overview of constitutional amendments that will appear on the ballot in November In the 2001 regular session, the 77th Texas Legislature passed 19 joint resolutions proposing constitutional amendments.

Read these amendments. With 19 propositions on the ballot, there is something that will affect you, your family, or your business. Each and every Texan has the opportunity to vote on the merits of each proposition.

PROPOSITION NO. 9 states that when a vacancy occurs in either house of the Legislature, the governor or the person exercising the governor’s power must call an election to fill the vacancy. This amendment would authorize the Legislature to cancel a special election for a vacancy in the Legislature if only one person qualified and declared a candidacy in the election.

REASONS TO CONSIDER VOTING FOR THIS AMENDMENT: Proposition 9 would spare the state and counties the unnecessary expense and administrative burden of holding special elections to fill vacancies in the Legislature when candidates are unopposed. If a candidate is unopposed, the race essentially is decided already. Under current law, if the ballot contains only a single unopposed candidate, the election becomes an expensive but constitutionally required formality.

REASONS TO CONSIDER VOTING AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT: Even if voter turnout is low because there is only one candidate on the ballot, those who take the time to become informed and vote are exercising their right to endorse the candidate they want to represent them. It also would deprive candidates of the opportunity to gain visibility by campaigning. The privilege of voting is important and should not be taken lightly, even for the sake of convenience or saving money.

PROPOSITION NO.10 would authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation property that is stored temporarily en route to another location in Texas or outside the state. Exempt property would include the same types of goods and products eligible for the freeport exemption. The property would have to be acquired in or brought into Texas and stored at a location not owned or controlled by the property owner for not more than 270 days after acquisition or importation.

REASONS TO CONSIDER VOTING FOR THIS AMENDMENT: Proposition 10 would be an important first step in helping Texas regain its share of lucrative warehousing and distribution markets. Voter approval would allow the legislature to act to stem the loss of customers and jobs to other states. Surrounding states offer much more favorable inventory tax treatment. Many manufacturers began storing their products outside Texas, costing the state an estimated 27,000 jobs.

REASONS TO CONSIDER VOTING AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT: Any measure that could erode local tax bases further would be imprudent, especially in a time of revenue shortfall and fiscal uncertainty. Since 1994, state and local tax revenues have declined as a percentage of personal income. Creating a new exemption would result in substantial costs to the state as well as local governments. The state should impose a moratorium on new tax exemptions until the efficiency and appropriateness of existing exemptions are determined.

PROPOSITION NO. 11: The Texas Constitution prohibits a person from holding more than one civil office for compensation. State employees and others, such as current or retired public school teachers, who receive all or part of their compensation directly or indirectly from state funds, may serve on the governmental bodies of school districts, cities, towns, or other local government bodies, provided that they receive no salary for such service.

REASONS TO CONSIDER VOTING FOR THIS AMENDMENT: Proposition 11 would remove an antiquated prohibition that makes it difficult for teachers to serve as members of’ the governing boards of local government bodies. Those who wish to serve must give up any salary or other compensation normally provided for hours of public service. Many people who have run for these offices have been unaware of this prohibition and later have been forced to repay their salaries.

REASONS TO CONSIDER VOTING AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT: Good reasons exist for the constitutional prohibition against a person who is paid with taxpayer dollars holding more than one public position. When taxpayers are paying a person’s salary, they expect that person’s total commitment to the job. When a person accepts two offices, at some point those offices will come into conflict as to the amount of time required to do each job well.

PROPOSITION NO. 12: The Texas Constitution originally was adopted in 1876. Since then, the Legislature has proposed 567 amendments, of which Texas voters have approved 390. Various provisions have been rendered obsolete by federal judicial decisions or enactments, repeat the same or similar language or refer to programs and entities no longer in effect.

REASONS TO CONSIDER VOTING FOR THIS AMENDMENT: Proposition 12 would streamline the existing Constitution by deleting obsolete, inconsistent, and moot provisions, by relocating provisions to more logical places. and by renumbering provisions with duplicating numbering. All the proposed changes are relatively minor and non-controversial. None of the revisions warrant separate propositions and no one provision would justify rejecting the entire slate of changes.

REASONS TO CONSIDER VOTING AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT: Rather than amend and repeal sections of an out-of-date constitution, it would make more sense to overhaul the document to make it a leaner, more responsive blueprint for government for the new century. The sheer volume of unnecessary provisions being removed by Proposition 12, following two similar revisions in 1997 and 1999, shows the need for a complete overhaul.

If you would like additional information on these and the other 15 proposed amendments, feel free to call the office of State Representative Kevin Bailey at 281-847-9000.