Harmony School, 1992, Page 4

Description:	I*Why We Left OmahaorWe Have Met The Enemy and They Are UsWhen somebody mentions Omaha the first thing I think of is The home ofthe Strategic Air Command (SAC) - our great protector from the Soviet Union.At the height of the Cold War, Omaha was considered home to 1300 jetbombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and planes with atomic bombs inthe air round-the-clock. Thank God many folks today are leaving Omahabecause of the dramatic changes we have experienced this past year and thediminished need for the SAC.At the beginning of this 1991-1992 school year many of us believed wehad an enemy and that this enemy resided in the Soviet Union. At the end of thisschool year we find there is no longer an enemy over there but the war goingon is in Los Angeles and many other urban areas throughout these United States.The combatants in this new war are, as in most other wars, the young.However, instead of the combatants pledging their allegiance to the Unitedof America, they pledge themselves to gangs with names like The Blood and TheCrips.Because Harmony School on a daily basis for the last eighteen years hassought to improve the quality of life for young people in the Bloomington area,when we observe what is happening to youth across this country it is ofparticular concern to us. Many of the students, faculty, and board at Harmonyhave concluded that for us to look inward to our own well-being at a time likethis would be short-sighted if not immoral.Consequently Harmony has taken on the challenge of becoming moreinvolved with the larger universe of education and youth issues. To this end, inthe past year, Harmony has expanded our job-training program, establishedthe Harmony School Education Center, formed partnerships with several publicschools throughout the state, organized Rhinos All Ages Music Club, and helpedwith the distribution of the first book about Harmony - Elementary SchoolingFor a Critical Democracy, by Jesse Goodman.When youth are treated ’by adults with dignity and respect, as well asvalued for their opinions and feelings, the chances of them becoming productivecitizens are enhanced. These humane, common-sense concepts have been lost inmost of this countrys schools. This loss contributes directly to the feeling ofalienation and the impoverished conditions that lead to the type of warfare weexperienced in Los Angeles.Is the nation ready to redirect its focus from bombers in Omaha to peoplein Los Angeles? We must all do what we can to make sure this conversion takesplace. Only by this redirection of people, energy, and dollar power can we stopthis cycle of violence and hate resulting in the loss of a generation of thiscountrys young people. Steve Bonchek
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-harmony/id/608
Collection:	Harmony School

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