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King's haunting dream
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Rebecca Johnson
Religion and Spirituality
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Commentary: Roll Down Like Water
WASHINGTON, August 30 (UPI) — Monday marked the 43rd anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial. This speech, revered as one of the most important speeches in American history, called President Kennedy and the American people to account for their continued subjugation of African-Americans and encouraged those working for racial equality to continue their struggle "on the high plane of dignity and discipline."
Regardless of the frustration, weariness, and disappointment they were suffering, King called those who participated in the civil rights movement to work for justice by personifying justice.
He spoke of the march on Washington as an effort by civil rights supporters to cash the check, promised by the Constitution, of equality and opportunity - "the riches of freedom and the security of justice." He evoked the same piece of scripture from Amos that I have borrowed to title my column, "let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
I have always loved Reverend King. There is something about the way people say his name — "The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior" — that evokes reverence. There is an inescapable recognition of the Truth he spoke and our culpability in denying that Truth. It is audible in people's voices. It is visible in their faces. His name alone reminds us of God's demand for liberation and our participation in bondage.
To think of King is to feel like Simon Peter after having denied Christ the third time and hearing the cock crow. We know who he is, and we know who that makes us. He was the one who spoke Truth; we are the ones who were - and are - too human, too fearful, too weak to honor it.
Monday marked the 43rd anniversary of King's speech. Tuesday marked the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The media is full of updates on people who have been affected by the storm and New Orleans' progress at recovery. We tell ourselves rebuilding takes time.
It does.
We remind ourselves that New Orleans was broken before Katrina hit.
It was.
We assure ourselves that our weak response to the devastation there wasn't racially motivated. We pretend those facts absolve our responsibility to the people and city we failed after the hurricane.
They don't.
In countless ways the check Rev. King brought to Washington remains uncashed. I wonder how may anniversaries must pass before we as a nation make good on our promise.
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Dr. Rebecca Johnson, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at American University's School of International Service in Washington, DC and is currently pursuing a masters of divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary. Visit her website thatstarfish.com, or send an email to becky@thatstarfish.com. © copyright 2006 by Rebecca Johnson |
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Letter CGID fires back at Randy Persaud
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| I read, with measured interest, a letter captioned 'Beware of CGID's propaganda' by Dr Randy Persaud, which was published in the August 23, 2006 edition of the Caribbean Net News (CNN). In his letter, Dr Persaud attacked the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) and me personally. His consternation with CGID flows from our warranted criticism of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) government in Guyana. He has been evidently commissioned to 'take on' CGID. Time has now permitted me to respond. What are his motives for attacking CGID on the eve of general elections in Guyana? He is an incorrigible supporter of the ruling PPP. We have said previously that the PPP regime is mediocre, corrupt, inept and malfeasant. We have unremittingly exposed the wrongdoings of this government. Our mission to promote and monitor good governance in the Caribbean region requires this high level of vigilance, scrutiny and analysis. CGID has become a target of the Guyana government and its supporters. At a recent press conference in New York, Guyana's President, Bharrat Jagdeo, in a tone strikingly resonant with Dr Persaud's letter, attacked CGID and me. Throughout the life of the Institute their attacks have been relentless but in vain. Now Dr Randy Persaud has been retained to engage in public relations work in the United States as part of the PPP's election campaign. There are allegations that his Party work is being funded by the government. He should address these allegations. Randy Persaud is no impartial observer. He has a lucrative commission which has invigorated his selfish interests in PPP partisan politics. He has revealed his colors as a rabid PPP propagandist and apologist, deceptively swathed in the robe of a tenured professor at The American University. Even in this capacity he cannot contain his fanaticism and facile outbursts. It is manifested in his attempts to be the PPP 'pit-bull' in Washington. Whispers of his ambitions and of a certain promise from the government have reached my hearing. However, let me remind him of the words of Aristotle 'I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self.' The letter contained a litany of charges against CGID. One alleges that CGID statements consist of 'half truths and half lies.' Another is that 'CGID does not need evidence for any of its claims. Facts are irrelevant. Instead, innuendos are rampant. Adumbrations are sufficient. All and sundry are a priori.' He then contended that 'What the CGID has mastered is the production and circulation of stories, stories which are mostly baseless.' Contrary to his assumptions about CGID, Randy Persaud's obvious unfamiliarity with material disseminated by the Institute demonstrates that his thinking is not a posteriori. His letter is conclusively a hastily cobbled-together response to instructions from Georgetown. It is a tale of purely borrowed, spurious information. He has not proffered one example of falsehood or factual inaccuracy on the part of the Institute to substantiate his claims. I therefore challenge him to 'put his horse before the cart' and credibly contest the veracity of the conclusions of CGID. List the half truths and baseless stories which you mentioned, Dr.Persaud. He has also declared CGID to be 'The most sophisticated propaganda factory' he has encountered in Caribbean politics.' Then, as if under an opulent delusion, he pretended to be the Einstein who has unearthed the communications strategy behind the Institute's success. Imbued with a self-indulgent sense of accomplishment, he rushed to 'stop press' to disclose his discovery. He also dispatched his harangue to his PPP colleagues, with the comment 'Please find attached an article on the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy.' This 'article' is a regurgitation of the talking points from President Bharrat Jagdeo and his Public Relations Liaison, Robert Persaud. This has been their mantra since the founding of CGID. Randy Persaud has therefore put forward an embarrassing piece of unoriginal, plagiaristic work which casts him as a pseudo academic. His thoughtless appeal to 'Beware of CGID Propaganda' is nothing but the propagandistic rhetoric of a jaundiced, indolent mind. Dismiss it with hilarity. His obsession is with what he called CGID's 'brilliant' communications strategy, which he labeled a 'bad thing.' The fact that the Institute can get its message out to the international community has translated to a bugbear for Dr. Persaud and his PPP cohorts. They despise this and are out to stop us, but I dare them. Our communications posture may very well be sophisticated but it is not dissimilar from the actions of any entity that is media savvy and must employ the best of modern technology and methods of communication to disseminate its message. What we say, when we say it, to whom we say it or how we say, is no secret. This is clear to all who fall within our sphere of communication. Therefore, this well timed, purportedly grand discovery of Dr Randy Persaud is nothing but an unimaginative attempt to preemptively discredit CGID's comments on the elections. Thus, for being the 'so-called' discoverer of the CGID communication strategy, we nominate Dr. Randy Persaud for the mock Sherlock Homes Mystery Prize of the Century. Suffice it to say that the letter is a manifestation of an insipid mind with no brain-power that finds sustenance in an atmosphere of paranoia. It is this state of extremism that has driven PPP officials to, in response to our criticism, contact journalists, media entities, organizatio ns and politicians, regionally and internationally, to request that they refrain from engaging CGID and stop publishing our information. Correspondingly, President Bharrat Jagdeo's attacks on the Institute as well as Randy Persaud's mendacious accusations are an acknowledgement that they're worried to death about our ability to communicate to the regional and international press, and our access to US government officials and world leaders. They are also troubled that government violations of international human rights laws, corruption and blatant criminal conduct are being transmitted to the international community by CGID. Their intellectually bankruptcy cannot facilitate their participation in the arena of ideas. Instead, they launch personal attacks and recklessly attempt to kill the exercise of free speech. They descend to gutter politics, character assassination and other smear tactics. But conversely, they are saddled with the most dirty laundry in politics and their sordid characters suppress the moral standing of the nation. Their dangerous actions in killing free speech, being played out in the context of the Mark Benschop imprisonment and the Ronald Waddle assassination, both conquered journalists who were critics of the government, have created a demonic environment that must be rooted out. Moreover, the PPP government has been characterized by death squads, ethnic cleansing and racial triumphalism. These evils thrive in a milieu of an evolving ethnocracy and a nefarious ambition to, in a totalitarian fashion, dominate the entire political spectrum. In this era of democratic transformations, it is this government, with a foothold in the abysmal nether-world of socialist despotism, that Dr. Randy Persaud proudly represents. Randy Persaud's PPP has been manufacturing macabre correspondences to United States government officials, including to the US Departments of Justice and State, as well as to the Mayor and City Council Speaker of New York City. They contain false, slanderous claims about me and other CGID Board members and demand that I be removed from government for 'beheading' and 'raping' Indians in Guyana, etc. These letters are laden with code words which are intended to alarm the subliminal mind. This is the purpose of their 'Jihad.' They encourage their supporters to vilify CGID members on PPP-leaning websites and have even called for the execution individuals. This is the fanaticism with which this Professor of the American University associates and defends. Professor Persaud has brazenly claimed that CGID 'is an arm of the PNC/R but it assumes the posture of neutrality' and that CGID is all about 'how great the PNC was/is.' This is a concoction of hogwash and ignorance. It singularly demonstrates his ignorance about the Institute and that, like a marionette, he blindly follows his puppet masters. This claim is as ludicrous as it is laughable, but not surprising. Anyone or entity, including organizations, international financial institutions, foreign governments, the media et al, that disapproves of this government's policies is automatically branded 'PNC' or opposition. The PPP hyper-ventilates and goes into epigastric distress at the mere hint of criticism. Their perennial response to condemnation is to attack the messenger rather that undergo serious introspection. Obviously Dr Persaud has not followed the work of the Institute. How can this gentleman claim to be an academic and yet display the tendencies of pseudo-intellectualism. I challenge him to provide his evidence to prove that CGID is an arm of the PNC. I further challenge Dr Persaud to provide the evidence where CGID has said 'how great the PNC was/is.' Criticism of a government is not automatic affiliation to the governmental opposition. This is an unrefined view of the political process. CGID does not focus on the PNC in Guyana. The PNC is not in government, the PPP is. By virtue of being in office, it must account for its government and subject its policies to open scrutiny. The fact is that CGID has never said how good the PNC is. We have criticized the PNC on several occasions. We criticized their mishandling of the Mark Benschop case. We condemned their withdrawal from the constructive dialogue process with President Jagdeo. We criticized their disorganized protests after the 2001 elections. Last I harshly condemned the PNC's decision to participate in these elections, and labeled that Party 'rudderless, hopeless and visionless.' Additionally, the Guyana government is not the only government we have criticized. This is the conclusion of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, following complains about CGID by a PPP official. CGID has been engaged in the wider Caribbean region. We have criticized many other governments, including the United States, Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, although he have a very favorable view of the Dominican Prime Minister, and Jamaica. Further, we have been highly critical of the CARICOM countries that enter into the Petro-Carib arrangement with Venezuela, which possibly affects intra-regional trade. Most important however, I quote the words of Mr Robert Antoine, the CGID Director of Communications, a Grenadian, who last week responded to Trinidadian Parliamentarian, Harry Partap. 'The membership of CGID comprises individuals from Guyana, T&T, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominica, Nevis, Costa Rica, Antigua, the USA, St. Vincent, and the Bahamas. We are strongly committed to good governance in the Caribbean region, deeper regional integration and the holistic development of the Caribbean, as well as a more favorable United States foreign policy towards the region. Hence the scope of CGID is as vast and wide-ranging as the region itself.' I fail to see how these many distinguished Caribbean nationals could be 'PNC.' I believe my statement that 'Guyana's continuance on the path of uncontrollable, unsolved murders, executions and serious crime is a direct product of the culture of criminality and lawlessness spawned by the official sanctioning of criminal enterprises,' to be incontrovertible. If Dr Persaud has evidence to contest this conclusion he must put it on the table. His mere statement of disagreement rings hollow. He must present the facts at his disposal to disprove CGID. I urge him to do so immediately. Randy Persaud's harping on our annual award ceremonies, which attract world leaders, sounds like a sourpuss pregnant with the child of enmity. It is consistent with attempts by the PPP government to discourage special guests from attending CGID functions but only to be forcefully rebuffed. The fact is that Randy Persaud and the PPP are incensed by CGID's effective exposure of wrongdoing in the Guyana government. This is the first time in history that an organization with regional and international appeal persistently demanded accountability in the PPP government. They hate us for being a watchdog. Furthermore, Dr Persaud should ascertain from Ronald Gajraj and Bharrat Jagdeo the number and names of persons killed by the 'Phantom death squad.' They may have the correct statistics. CGID does not operate death squads. However we have confidence in the data we have disseminated. It is up to Randy Persaud to disprove our figures and then tell us what numbers of executions are acceptable. His close proximity to the source may be an advantage. Rickford Burke President Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) |
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I'M A STUDENT AT THE SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL SERVICE AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY. Y
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| HEZBOLLAH NEVER RECEIVED WEAPONS TO MY BEST UNDERSTANDING WAS THE NET IT WAS FROM DAMASS CAME AND MATERIAL TERAN. >> UNDERLINE THE FACT, IT IS BLOCKADE IS BEING PUNITIVE AND NOT BEING PART OF ANY KIND OF EMBARGO ON HEZBOLLAH TO RECEIVE WEAPONS AND THIS FALLS INTO A HOLE, WHAT ACTIONS HAVE BECOME PART OF THE STANDARD ARSENEL. MUCH OF THE DESTRUCTION THAT HAD AFFECTED LEBANESE TOWNS AND BRIDGES. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU. I'M A STUDENT AT THE SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL SERVICE AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY. YOU'VE EXPRESSED A MIXED SENTIMENT TOWARDS LEBANESE PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS HEZBOLLAH AND I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, WITHOUT OVERSIMPLIFYING TOO MUCH IF THERE'S A GENERAL PERCEPTION IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE AND FURTHERMORE, IF THERE ARE TWO FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEZBOLLAH'S FUTURE CREDIBILITY? >> OUSSAMA, YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT QUESTION? >> SURE. CAN YOU REPHRASE THE LAST PART OF THE QUESTION. THE TWO FACTORS -- >> I'M SORRY. TWO FACTORS THAT WILL INFLUENCE ITS FUTURE |
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American-Arab Conference Honors, Inspires Community
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| Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, August 2006, page 56 Arab-American Activism American-Arab Conference Honors, Inspires Community Rahim AlHaj, who was forced to leave Iraq in 1991 and is now based in Albuquerque, NM, performs at ADC (Staff photo M. Horton). Rahim AlHaj, who was forced to leave Iraq in 1991 and is now based in Albuquerque, NM, performs at ADC (Staff photo M. Horton). THE AMERIAN-ARAB Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) held its 26th annual convention at the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC from June 15-18. Banquets, panel discussions, films, music, artwork, and exhibition booths laden with embroidery, pottery and books illustrated this years theme Celebrating Our Heritage Building Our Future. Attendees spent the first day of the conference lobbying members of Congress on Capitol Hill. Prince Turki Al Faisal, Saudi Arabias ambassador to the U.S., hosted a reception at the Embassy featuring delicious Middle Eastern food. Following the reception, an Open Mic/DJ party was held back at the hotel. The following day, June 16, Mike Wallace, senior correspondent for 60 Minutes, woke up the audience at a panel discussion about the media. He challenged the audience to provide examples of anti-Arab discrimination. Arab-Americans took the bait, telling tales of terrible bias, and a lively discussion ensued. Fridays luncheon featured Col. Larry Wilkerson, former Department of State chief of staff and author of Is the U.S. Being Transformed into a Radical Republic? Bachar Sbeiti, a brilliant 6-year-old Lebanese Canadian, received ADCs Child Achievement award. ADC presented its Lifetime Policy Achievement Award to Clovis Maksoud, who served as Arab League ambassador to the United Nations and to the United States, and who is now a professor of international relations and director of the Center for the Global South at American University in Washington, DC. Delinda C. Hanley |
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Jim Trezise Named 2006 Wine Integrity Award Honoree; Champion of New York Wines Recognized by Indust
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| LODI, Calif., Aug 30, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission announced today that James Trezise of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation has been named the Wine Industry Integrity Award honoree for 2006. Created in 1998, the award honors individuals who have conducted their careers with integrity while making significant contributions to the wine industry. The award will be presented at a dinner in honor of Trezise at the Wine and Roses Hotel in Lodi, California, on Friday, November 3, 2006. According to selection panel member John Ledbetter, 'Jim works tirelessly promoting and educating the American public, regulators and elected officials not only about New York wines, but American wines as well. He is an extremely dedicated and effective voice for our industry, and woven through it all is his great personal integrity.' Trezise has been President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation since its creation in 1985. The Foundation is a private, not-for-profit organization which sponsors research and promotion programs in support of New York grapes, juice and wine. Jim is widely recognized for his leadership on behalf of the American wine industry. In addition to his New York duties he serves as Director General of the International Federation of Wines and Spirits, based in Paris, is on the Executive Committee of the American Vintners Association, and is co-founder of the American Wine Alliance for Research and Education. He holds a masters degree in International Communications from American University in Washington, DC, and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Allegheny College. An eminent panel annually selects the honoree. This year's panel was chaired by wine writer Gerald D. Boyd and included Steve Burns, O'Donnell Lane, LLC; Linda Murphy, San Francisco Chronicle; John Ledbetter, Vino Farms; Peter Marks, COPIA; Norm Roby, Decanter Magazine; Zelma Long, Zelphi Wines; and last year's honoree Robert Steinhauer of Beringer Wine Estates. Previous honorees of the Wine Integrity Award are Patrick Campbell, Laurel Glen Winery, Glen Ellen, CA (1998); Robert Young, Robert Young Vineyards, Healdsburg, CA (1999); Dr. Walter Clore, Washington State University (2000); Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville CA (2001); Dr. Curtis Ellison, Boston, Massachusetts (2002); Dr. Stanley Howell, Michigan State University (2003); Jon and Eileen Fredrikson, Woodside, CA (2004); and Robert Steinhauer, Beringer Wine Estates (2005). For more information and tickets to the Wine Industry Integrity Award dinner honoring Trezise, contact the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission 209-367-4727. SOURCE Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission Mark Chandler, 209-367-4727 mark@lodiwine.com Copyright Business Wire 2006 |
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Jim Trezise Named 2006 Wine Integrity Award Honoree; Champion of New York Wines Recognized by Indust
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| research and promotion programs in support of New York grapes, juice and wine. Jim is widely recognized for his leadership on behalf of the American wine industry. In addition to his New York duties he serves as Director General of the International Federation of Wines and Spirits, based in Paris, is on the Executive Committee of the American Vintners Association, and is co-founder of the American Wine Alliance for Research and Education. He holds a masters degree in International Communications from American University in Washington, DC, and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Allegheny College. An eminent panel annually selects the honoree. This year's panel was chaired by wine writer Gerald D. Boyd and included Steve Burns, O'Donnell Lane, LLC; Linda Murphy, San Francisco Chronicle; John Ledbetter, Vino Farms; Peter Marks, COPIA; Norm Roby, Decanter Magazine; Zelma Long, Zelphi Wines; and last year's honoree Robert Steinhauer of Beringer Wine Estates. Previous honorees |
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Jim Trezise Named 2006 Wine Integrity Award Honoree
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| LODI, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 30, 2006--The Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission announced today that James Trezise of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation has been named the Wine Industry Integrity Award honoree for 2006. Created in 1998, the award honors individuals who have conducted their careers with integrity while making significant contributions to the wine industry. The award will be presented at a dinner in honor of Trezise at the Wine and Roses Hotel in Lodi, California, on Friday, November 3, 2006. Source Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission· Jim Trezise, New York Wine & Grape Foundation (Photo Business Wire). View Multimedia Gallery According to selection panel member John Ledbetter, 'Jim works tirelessly promoting and educating the American public, regulators and elected officials not only about New York wines, but American wines as well. He is an extremely dedicated and effective voice for our industry, and woven through it all is his great personal integrity.'Trezise has been President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation since its creation in 1985. The Foundation is a private, not-for-profit organization which sponsors research and promotion programs in support of New York grapes, juice and wine. Jim is widely recognized for his leadership on behalf of the American wine industry. In addition to his New York duties he serves as Director General of the International Federation of Wines and Spirits, based in Paris, is on the Executive Committee of the American Vintners Association, and is co-founder of the American Wine Alliance for Research and Education. He holds a masters degree in International Communications from American University in Washington, DC, and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Allegheny College. An eminent panel annually selects the honoree. This year's panel was chaired by wine writer Gerald D. Boyd and included Steve Burns, O'Donnell Lane, LLC; Linda Murphy, San Francisco Chronicle; John Ledbetter, Vino Farms; Peter Marks, COPIA; Norm Roby, Decanter Magazine; Zelma Long, Zelphi Wines; and last year's honoree Robert Steinhauer of Beringer Wine Estates. Previous honorees of the Wine Integrity Award are Patrick Campbell, Laurel Glen Winery, Glen Ellen, CA (1998); Robert Young, Robert Young Vineyards, Healdsburg, CA (1999); Dr. Walter Clore, Washington State University (2000); Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville CA (2001); Dr. Curtis Ellison, Boston, Massachusetts (2002); Dr. Stanley Howell, Michigan State University (2003); Jon and Eileen Fredrikson, Woodside, CA (2004); and Robert Steinhauer, Beringer Wine Estates (2005). For more information and tickets to the Wine Industry Integrity Award dinner honoring Trezise, contact the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission 209-367-4727. MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE http //www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5218830 Contact Source Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission· Jim Trezise, New York Wine & Grape Foundation (Photo Business Wire). View Multimedia Gallery According to selection panel member John Ledbetter, 'Jim works tirelessly promoting and educating the American public, regulators and elected officials not only about New York wines, but American wines as well. He is an extremely dedicated and effective voice for our industry, and woven through it all is his great personal integrity.' · Jim Trezise, New York Wine & Grape Foundation (Photo Business Wire). View Multimedia Gallery Trezise has been President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation since its creation in 1985. The Foundation is a private, not-for-profit organization which sponsors research and promotion programs in support of New York grapes, juice and wine. Jim is widely recognized for his leadership on behalf of the American wine industry. In addition to his New York duties he serves as Director General of the International Federation of Wines and Spirits, based in Paris, is on the Executive Committee of the American Vintners Association, and is co-founder of the American Wine Alliance for Research and Education. He holds a masters degree in International Communications from American University in Washington, DC, and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Allegheny College. An eminent panel annually selects the honoree. This year's panel was chaired by wine writer Gerald D. Boyd and included Steve Burns, O'Donnell Lane, LLC; Linda Murphy, San Francisco Chronicle; John Ledbetter, Vino Farms; Peter Marks, COPIA; Norm Roby, Decanter Magazine; Zelma Long, Zelphi Wines; and last year's honoree Robert Steinhauer of Beringer Wine Estates. Previous honorees of the Wine Integrity Award are Patrick Campbell, Laurel Glen Winery, Glen Ellen, CA (1998); Robert Young, Robert Young Vineyards, Healdsburg, CA (1999); Dr. Walter Clore, Washington State University (2000); Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville CA (2001); Dr. Curtis Ellison, Boston, Massachusetts (2002); Dr. Stanley Howell, Michigan State University (2003); Jon and Eileen Fredrikson, Woodside, CA (2004); and Robert Steinhauer, Beringer Wine Estates (2005). For more information and tickets to the Wine Industry Integrity Award dinner honoring Trezise, contact the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission 209-367-4727. |
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Jim Trezise Named 2006 Wine Integrity Award Honoree; Champion of New York Wines Recognized by
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| Jim Trezise Named 2006 Wine Integrity Award Honoree; Champion of New York Wines Recognized by Industry 08.30.06, 7 26 PM ET The Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission announced today that James Trezise of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation has been named the Wine Industry Integrity Award honoree for 2006. Created in 1998, the award honors individuals who have conducted their careers with integrity while making significant contributions to the wine industry. The award will be presented at a dinner in honor of Trezise at the Wine and Roses Hotel in Lodi, California, on Friday, November 3, 2006. According to selection panel member John Ledbetter, 'Jim works tirelessly promoting and educating the American public, regulators and elected officials not only about New York wines, but American wines as well. He is an extremely dedicated and effective voice for our industry, and woven through it all is his great personal integrity.' Trezise has been President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation since its creation in 1985. The Foundation is a private, not-for-profit organization which sponsors research and promotion programs in support of New York grapes, juice and wine. Jim is widely recognized for his leadership on behalf of the American wine industry. In addition to his New York duties he serves as Director General of the International Federation of Wines and Spirits, based in Paris, is on the Executive Committee of the American Vintners Association, and is co-founder of the American Wine Alliance for Research and Education. He holds a masters degree in International Communications from American University in Washington, DC, and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Allegheny College. An eminent panel annually selects the honoree. This year's panel was chaired by wine writer Gerald D. Boyd and included Steve Burns, O'Donnell Lane, LLC; Linda Murphy, San Francisco Chronicle; John Ledbetter, Vino Farms; Peter Marks, COPIA; Norm Roby, Decanter Magazine; Zelma Long, Zelphi Wines; and last year's honoree Robert Steinhauer of Beringer Wine Estates. Previous honorees of the Wine Integrity Award are Patrick Campbell, Laurel Glen Winery, Glen Ellen, CA (1998); Robert Young, Robert Young Vineyards, Healdsburg, CA (1999); Dr. Walter Clore, Washington State University (2000); Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville CA (2001); Dr. Curtis Ellison, Boston, Massachusetts (2002); Dr. Stanley Howell, Michigan State University (2003); Jon and Eileen Fredrikson, Woodside, CA (2004); and Robert Steinhauer, Beringer Wine Estates (2005). For more information and tickets to the Wine Industry Integrity Award dinner honoring Trezise, contact the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission 209-367-4727. |
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