[NLA] Adult Literacy &n the American Dream: A Brief Review

[Tom Smith]

Thank you George...for your comments and your review.  If it were not for
this listserve I doubt I'd ever see these comments including those of John
Rawls'.  Thank you again.

In building the "more perfect Union," I'd like to ask how we can creatively
reach across the ideological divide.  The task before us is to win a public
consenus to the importance of all Americans having access to the political
process...and not just access but access knowing that their voice is valued
and will be heard.  If Chisman can change (George's review), there's no
reason why we can't turn around public opinion.

Historically, the attitude on the Right concerning "the illiterate" had
everything to do with human capital and a mindset that these folks were
just plain lazy and could never be of any siginificant value to the
society.  However, these opinions and the policies flowing from them
emanated largely from corporate-funded think-tanks. I think there are
sectors on the Right...particularly rank and file church people...who
identify with much of the Right's social agenda...but because these
"losers" are friends, neighbors, and/or family members, they really do
believe in the fundamental worth of this largely invisible group of people.


How do we connect with these potential allies...many of whom are far more
invested personally than many of us?  I'm at a very local level; I don't
have a sense of the national coalitions...or potential coalitions, but I
think progressive minded people need to be creative in looking at who's
with us and who's agin' us.  I know many of our literacy volunteers are
coming out of a religious mission and from their belief in the worth and
value of their students.  There's got to be a way of tapping this network.
Any thoughts?

Tom O. Smith
Bridge Program, Coordinator
Immigrant Scholarship Program, Coordinator
119 Pearl St.
Burlington, VT 05401
phone: (802) 865-4422
fax: (802) 865-3323

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