6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR VOICES Old world vs. New world order MIKE JONES Groundcover vendor No. 113 Illustration by Cindy "Kung Fu Panda" Gere, Bold moves have been made of late by conductors of ideology of the old world order, as the new world emerges. One must ask, is it out of desperation and fear of a new world order and ideology? Taking a look at global affairs and issues: Russo-Ukrainian War, Roe v. Wade Supreme Court reversal, the deadly protests in Iran after Mahsa Amini died in the custody of Iran morality police. And there are the culture wars, race relations in the United States and Europe and tension between the U.S. and China. As I reflect on the old world order, I must say, I can’t wait to see what a new world has to offer. Let's talk about “isms” — racism, sexism, nationalism and so on. Unfairly, these "‘isms” will exist in the new world, let us not be naïve. But I'm quite sure that those who look forward to the new world are conditioned to resist by any and all means necessary, because the old world is not going out without a fight. Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine is simply an attempted land grab, reclaiming territory lost in 1991 as a result of the fall of the USSR. He thought the war with Ukraine would be a walk in the park but underestimated the will and the resolve of the Ukrainians. September 16, 2022, was the start of civil unrest in Tehran and throughout the region, over the death of Mahsa Amini. Young Iranian people, especially young women, are outraged at the Iranian government for abuse against women. This struggle is the age-old war on and against women. The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court reversal was a low and unexpected blow. As a result, it turned up the heat for midterm elections. A lot is on the line here: we take two steps forward, we can’t afford to take three steps back. This was one of the major reasons for the record return of absentee ballots in midterm elections. Are there culture wars in the United States and Europe? I know many culture defenders in the United States. “Isms'' is a problem in Europe as well. Groundcover vendor No. 279. Illustration colored by Cameron, office visitor, age six. These remnants of old ideology and the old world philosophy are a testament of the will and audacity of a people stuck on ideology of the past. China, North Korea and that region are a hot and contentious region of the globe, to say the least. It’s hard to know where the leaders in that region stand in regards to Russia and the war on Ukraine and also China’s plan to “landgrab” Taiwan. No doubt about it, it’s going to be a tight fight. We must look forward to embracing the unknown and the new that is to come, and learn from our past history in order to CO-EXIST. JANUARY 27, 2023 Challenges being a houseless woman selling Groundcover News assault and assumptions. These are the extra weights to carry. The first weight is all the rudeness and hostile attitudes about homelessness. People assume you are lazy, don’t want a job, do drugs or are just begging. People think they are higher class than you. The second weight — which is speBEVERLY BOSS Groundcover vendor No. 583 There are a lot of challenges being a houseless woman selling Groundcover News. Some of them are attitudes about homelessness in general and extra challenges of dealing with sexual cific to being a woman — is the sexism, sexual assault, invisibility, verbal assault and assumptions you are a prostitute. Many people in the community are only one check away from being homeless. Have empathy! Angelz in the sky (part 2) TERESA BASHAM Groundcover vendor No. 570 I know I'm missin you, Some timez I wanna cry, Some timez I wish I could touch, Give ya a kiss, Some timez I wanna talk, I love & miss ya so much, All tha time I wish, All tha time I ask why, Therez so much I wanted ta do, Now I just gotta move on, Wit chu in my heart, Izz where you'll stay, Til that end day.
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