Mn-prog-events Mailing List: Progressive Calendar 10.21.06

[David Shove (shove001]

             P R O G R E S S I V E   C A L E N D A R     10.21.06

1. Intl youth conf     10.21 9:30am
2. Zion iron wall/film 10.21 9:30am
3. Clean water act     10.21 9:30am
4. Risser doorknock    10.21 10am
5. Farheen doorknock   10.21 10am
6. Haiti               10.21 10am
7. MUI meeting         10.21 10am
8. WRC celebration     10.21 11am
9. Pentel/gov/panel    10.21 12:45pm
10. Northtown vigil    10.21 1pm
11. CUAPB              10.21 1:30pm
12. Mitch Walking Elk  10.21 7pm
13. Jesus/dine/migrate 10.21 7pm
14. Moroccan music     10.21 8pm
15. Police brutality   10.21 8pm
16. Anti-stadium lit   10.21

17. Talking suitcases  10.22 1pm
18. Peace marshall     10.22 2pm
19. Mortenson/house    10.22 3pm
20. KFAI/Indian        10.22 4pm
21. Police brutality   10.22 5:30pm
22. Life & Debt/film   10.22

23. Danene Provencher - Green Party: the countdown - 18 days
24. Michael Donnelly  - GOP death slide
25. William Blum      - Who said Clinton didn't kill anybody?
26. Rosa Brooks       - Hillary hits bottom

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From: humanrts [at] UMN.EDU
Subject: Intl youth conf 10.21 9:30am

October 21, 2006 - 5th Annual International Youth Conference.
Time: 9:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Urban youth are encouraged to register with their advisors and take
part in this annual global and informative event. The conference
provides a full program of youth focused and interactive sessions and
a spoken word jam presented by attending youth.

International keynote speakers will include Rev. Naahigwa Paul of the
Eplise Vivante Church in Kigali, Rwanda (confirmed) and Dr. Khadita A.
Abdalla, Head Administrator of the Garissa Hospital in Garissa, Kenya
(invited).

Rev. Paul will be here to speak about services provided to Rwandan
women and vulnerable children and his work in the area of
reconciliation, which is bringing hope and light to those in despair.
Additional information will be presented on the ILI Rwanda technical
mission by (ret.) Judge LaJune Lange and William Mitchell College of
Law students.

Dr. Abdalla will talk about the famine in East Africa and the health
impact on the people of that region. Dr. Abdalla is the first woman to
direct a medical facility in the Eastern Province of Kenya. All
communities are welcome for this discussion.

Again this year, the conference will include a session on   How to
finance your college education   for parents and advisors to youth.
The conference is 15/person. Vendor booths focused on youth products
and programs are available. Community partner sponsorships are also
provided to support youth at the conference.This annual conference
support the communities investment in youth for our future.

Conference information can be seen on the ILI website at
www.internationalleadership.org. Or, contact Coventry Cowens at
651-690-7866 and a package can be sent to  you via email or the postal
service
Location: University of Minnesota Law School, 229 19th Ave S.,
Minneapolis, MN 55455


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From: Florence Steichen <steichenfm [at] usfamily.net>
Subject: Zion iron wall/film 10.21 9:30am

Middle East Peace Now presents THE IRON WALL
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2006

THE IRON WALL IS A 2006 film on the policy of the Zionist movement.
Vladimir Jabotinsky, the father of the Zionist right, stated in 1923 that
Zionist colonization must proceed behind an iron wall, which the native
population cannot break.

The film documents the settlement movement and the wall currently being
built, and warns of the effects of these on the possibility of peace in
the region.  It includes interviews with Israeli and Palestinian peace
activists and political analysts, including Jeff Halper.  Even those who
know a great deal about the issue will learn from this film.

9:30 Refreshments
10:00 - noon, Film (58 minutes) and discussion

SOUTHDALE HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY 7001 York Av. So., Edina
Highway 62 (Crosstown) to Xerxes.  South on Xerxes, which becomes York at
66th.  Left at 70th; up the hill; right into parking lot.

Info: Florence Steichen, 651-696-1642


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From: erin [at] mnwomen.org
Subject: Clean water act 10.21 9:30am

October 21: Council of Metropolitan Area Leagues of Women Voters Quarterly
Meeting with Program and Q and A "The Clean Water Legacy Act" features
State Rep. Dennis Ozment, House Chief Author, and Marie Zellar, Midwest
Regional Director, Clean Water Action/Clean Water Fund. 9:30-11:30 AM. St.
Paul Regional Water Service Facility, 1900 Rice Street, Maplewood. A tour
of the water facility will be offered after the program. Free and open to
the public. 651/450-6477 for more info.


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From: Julie Risser <julie.risser [at] visi.com>
Subject: Risser doorknock 10.21 10am

Help elect [Green Party endorsed] Julie Risser to the State Senate. Door
knock between 10:00-2:00 on Saturdays. Come to 6112 Ashcroft Avenue, Edina
- campaign headquarters. We need people to lit drop in Edina and West
Bloomington.  Any amount of time people can donate is much appreciated!
Call 952-738-2308 for more information.


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From: farheen [at] farheenhakeem.org
Subject: Farheen doorknock 10.21 10am

[Farheen Hakeem - Green Party endorsed]

Here are some volunteer events that I need help with.  Feel free to show
up or contact DJ at djstrohl [at] yahoo.com.

Doorknocking times:
* Saturday October 21st 10AM Wilde Roast 518 Hennepin Ave. E. Mpls, MN
55414
* Saturday October 21st 1PM Wilde Roast (same address as above)
* Sunday October 22nd 10AM Wilde Roast (same address as above)
* Sunday October 22nd 1PM Wilde Roast (same address as above)

* Saturday October 28th 10AM Wolves Den Cafe 1201 Franklin Ave E Mpls,
MN 55404
* Saturday October 28th 1PM Wolves Den Cafe (same address as above)
* Sunday October 29th 10AM Wolves Den Cafe (same address as above) *
Sunday October 29th 1PM Wolves Den Cafe (same address as above)


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From: Mary Turck <mturck [at] americas.org>
Subject: Haiti 10.21 10am

October 21 Haiti After the Elections -featuring John MacDonald, Canadian
journalist and activist.  [Part of weekly coffee hour series, with a talk
by a featured speaker and discussion. Saturdays, 10-11:30 a.m. $4 includes
first cup of coffee. Resource Center of the Americas, 3019 Minnehaha Ave.,
Minneapolis 55406 FFI: 612-276-0788]


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From: Rebecca McConkey <mn_united_ireland [at] lycos.com>
Subject: MUI meeting 10.21 10am

Minnesotans for a United Ireland meeting - at Blue Moon Cofee shop
3822 E Lake ST
Mpls,MN
Saturday October 21,10 AM

Agenda ---Samhain
Shell to Sea picket
Movie
Study Group
Lit Table
Flogging Molly leaflet
Frank McCourt for Cavlan

Minnesotans for a United Ireland 651-645-9506


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From: wamm <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: WRC celebration 10.21 11am

The Welfare Rights Committee 15-Year Celebration

Saturday, October 21, 11am-1pm. The Sabathani Community Center, Banquet
Room, 310 East 38th Street, Minneapolis. Everyone is invited. (RSVP, if
possible.) FFI and Reservations: Call WRC 612-822-8020.

Fifteen years ago, the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) started to defend
the rights of poor families. The WRC, a committee of low-income women and
families, jumped into the trenches to fight back against the war on the
poor with acute knowledge of legislature and dynamic, daring, creative
strategies.

Since that day, the WRC has been on the front lines, fighting day and
night to stop the attacks on welfare, health care and other programs for
low-income families. The WRC has had its own "Poor Peoples Bills" at the
Capitol, has brought thousands of low-income families to the Capitol to
meet with politicians, testify at hearings, and to protest unjust laws.
The WRC has won many important battles and will continue to fight back
until every single cut to welfare and attack on the poor is ended! Food
will be served. Childcare available.


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From: Ken Pentel <kenpentel [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: Pentel/gov/panel 10.21 12:45pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21ST
--UAW 879 labor and Sustainability forum-Governors Panel- 2191 Ford
Parkway, St Paul.  Time: 12:45-2:15


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From: Lennie <major18 [at] comcast.net>
Subject: Northtown vigil 10.21 1pm

The Mounds View peace vigil group will be peace vigiling EVERY SATURDAY
from 1-2pm at the at the southeast corner of the intersection of Co. Hwy
10 and University Ave NE in Blaine, which is the northwest most corner of
the Northtown Mall area. This is a MUCH better location.

We'll have extra signs.  Communities situated near the Northtown Mall
include: Blaine, Mounds View, New Brighton, Roseville, Shoreview, Arden
Hills, Spring Lake Park, Fridley, and Coon Rapids.

For further information, email major18 [at] comcast.net or call Lennie at
763-717-9168


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From: Michelle Gross <mgresist [at] minn.net>
Subject: CUAPB 10.21 1:30pm

Meetings: Every Saturday at 1:30pm at Walker Church, 3104 16 Av S Mpls

Communities United Against Police Brutality
3100 16th Avenue S
Minneapolis, MN 55407
Hotline 612-874-STOP (7867)
http://www.CUAPB.org


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From: Susu Jeffrey <susujeffrey [at] msn.com>
Subject: Mitch Walking Elk 10.21 7pm

Mitch Walking Elk in Concert
Saturday, October 21, 2006 at 7 PM

Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community Center 1351 Sibley Memorial Hwy
Mendota MN 55150
For more information call 651-452-4141

Proceeds to benefit MMDC Center &  Programs
Suggested Minium Donation $10.00 (but no one will be turned away)
A Drug and Alcohol Free Event

Directions:
 From Minneapolis: Starting on Highway 55 East, go to Highway 110 East.
Follow Highway 110 for .3 miles. Turn Left onto Highway 13 North. Highway
13 is Sibley Memorial Highway. Follow this for .8 miles and look for the
"Mendota Crossing" sign on the left.
 From St. Paul: Starting on Highway 35E South, go to the MN 13/Sibley Hwy
Exit (Exit 102). Turn right onto Sibley Memorial Hwy/MN 13/CR-45. Continue
to follow Sibley Memorial Hwy/MN 13 for 1.6 miles and look for the
"Mendota Crossing" sign on the right.


--------13 of x--------

From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Jesus/dine/migrate 10.21 7pm

Saturday, 10/21, 7 pm Witness for Peace banquet with keynote speaker Jesus
Leon de los Santos on "Roots of Migration: the impact of globalization and
"free trade" on migration."  patrick [at] witnessforpeace.org or 612-360-1965.


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From: wamm <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Moroccan music 10.21 8pm
B'net Houariyat Moroccan Women Ensemble

October 21, 8pm, O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, College of St. Catherine,
2004 Randolph Av StPaul.

Moroccan/Berber women's singing/percussion/dance ensemble. Singing
well-supported by meaningful lyrics bring a touch of humor to issues such
as ancient traditions, the condition of women, and fanaticisms of any
kind. Rhythmic support and musical tradition that finds it origins in
sub-Saharan Africa and Berber tradition. Joyful and intense for the deep
delight of those ready to experiment with universality of music beyond
frontiers and cultures. The Fat Kid Wednesday Trio performs with them.
Part of Minnesota Sur Seine Musical Voyageurs series in the Twin Cities.
Mention "B'net Houariyat 2 for 1" and get two for one tickets at St
Catherine's Box Office. O'Shaughnessy Box Office FFI: 651-690-6700 or
http://www.surseine.com/


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From: Michelle Gross <mgresist [at] minn.net>
Subject: Police brutality 10.21 8pm

Lead-in to
October 22nd, the annual National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality.

10/21/06, 8pm.
Hennepin County Jail (the new jail)
401 S 4th Avenue, Minneapolis
(Corner 4th Avenue and 5th Street)
Rally and tour of the criminal "injustice" system followed by downtown cop
watch.  Dress warmly.  Noisemakers and bucket drums welcomed and encouraged.


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From: Shar in Minneapolis <sharinminneapolis [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: Anti-stadium lit 10.21

Anti-stadium THIS WEEKEND

We will be out dropping lit.  We know the weather will be cold and wet,
but we have lots of areas that can be covered by driving.  Grab a friend
and get out and fight back this weekend!  Contact Julie:
textiles8216 [at] yahoo.com or call Dave:  612-276-1213


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From: Julie Bates <julie [at] intermediaarts.org>
Subject: Talking suitcases 10.22 1pm

Intermedia Arts presents
Talking Suitcases
Community Art-Making Workshops - October 22 & 29, 2006

Intermedia Arts invites community members to be part of two upcoming
hands-on art-making workshops exploring their own personal stories through
the creation of Talking Suitcases. A Talking Suitcase is a suitcase that
explores the journey of immigrants to the Twin Cities, past and present.
Moving, colorful and amusing, these suitcases, each containing handmade
objects, bring to life stories of immigration, culture, family, elders or
other personal themes.

Participants will work with visual artist Susan Armington and storyteller
Carla Vogel to respond to the question: "What do you bring with you?" by
filling empty suitcases with handmade art and other visual representations
of their answer. When participants come together to create their suitcases
and tell their stories, they discover their uniqueness as well as their
commonality. Each workshop is a powerful opportunity to give voice and
share in a community's strengths and triumphs. Talking Suitcases and
objects created during these workshops will be presented in a gallery
exhibition at Intermedia Arts.

Susan Armington is a visual artist and founder of the Talking Suitcases
project, which she led with storyteller Carla Vogel at Intermedia Arts.
Her own first Talking Suitcase tells the story of her father and
includes a performance with everything from paper brains and an
embroidered colon to a miniature Meal on Wheels. Susan is also a
painter and imaginative mapmaker. She is the recipient of a 2004 Artist
Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Carla Vogel is a writer, storyteller and community artist. Her original
stories are inspired by her Eastern European Jewish ancestry and are a
unique blend of family folklore, history and personal memoir. Her
stories for all ages can be seen both locally and nationally. She is a
storyteller and teaching artist with COMPAS, Young Audiences and the
Minnesota State Folk Arts Registry. She is presently
storyteller-in-residence with Kairos, an intergenerational dance
company, and is a co-founder of the Wild Yam Cabaret.

Talking Suitcase workshops are offered as part of the fourth and final
installment of Immigrant Status: Contributions, a multidisciplinary
arts series that sheds light on the many variations of the new
immigrant experience. Talking Suitcases is presented by Intermedia Arts
as part of the Immigrant Status program, a program that brings to life
- through the arts - the struggles, discoveries and experiences
affecting the lives of Minnesota's immigrants.

WHEN/WHERE:
Community Workshops:
October 22 & 29, 1-4pm FREE
Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Intermedia Arts is a catalyst that builds understanding among people
through art.
CONTACT: Marlina Gonzalez, Program Manager Phone: 612.874.2803 Email:
marlina [at] Intermediaarts.org http://www.intermediaarts.org/


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From: PRO826 [at] aol.com
Subject: Peace marshall 10.22 2pm

VOLUNTEER to be a PEACE MARSHAL
We are asking activists of all ages to help ensure the safety of the
October 28th antiwar youth march, leaving Central High to the State
Capitol for the 1pm Rally organized by IPAC.

IF YOU CAN VOLUNTEER...

1. Come to the Peace Marshal Training Meeting Sunday, October 22, 2:00pm
3024 Chicago Ave (yellow house between Lake St. and 31st)  *** half a
block from bus #21 and #5 stops

2. If you can't make the meeting, but can still help... Send an email to
_against.war [at] gmail.com _ (mailto:against.war [at] gmail.com) , with your 
phone
number and explaining who you are.

Help build the October 28th march and rally!
Download and  Distribute fliers:
--- leaflets: _http://www.yawr.org/files/Oct.28%20Flyer%204up.pdf_
(http://www.yawr.org/files/Oct.28%20Flyer%204up.pdf)
---  posters: _http://www.yawr.org/files/Oct.28%20Flyer.pdf_
(http://www.yawr.org/files/Oct.28%20Flyer.pdf)

For  more information call Brandon at 952-465-5307
_www.yawr.org_ (http://www.yawr.org)


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From: Jesse Mortenson for 64A <jesse [at] jessemortenson.com>
Subject: Mortenson/house 10.22 3pm

Jesse Mortenson Green Party Candidate for Minnesota House of
Representatives District 64A www.jessemortenson.com

We've got two house parties coming up within the week:

    Sunday, Oct 22 at 3pm
    296 Cecelia Place
    Hosted by Rich Broderick
    http://www.jessemortenson.com/houseparty/rich

    Tuesday, Oct 24 at 5:30pm
    1692 Dayton Avenue
    Hosted by Elizabeth Dickinson, Roger Meyer, Krista Menzel,
    Anne Benson, Michelle Gross, and Mike Madden
    http://www.jessemortenson.com/houseparty/roger


Our hard work and focus on progressive values continues to pay off. Last
week I participated in the first debate featuring just the three of us who
will be on the ballot in November. I received a lot of positive feedback
from a crowd full of dedicated neighborhood activists. One woman, who said
she and her husband were veterans, commended me for speaking about the war
and Minnesota's responsibility to take care of our returning troops. She
said that I earned her vote. Moments like that make me very grateful for
the opportunity to run for this office.

We also earned some very strong press this week. Among the articles
printed was a piece in the Pioneer Press assessing the race. Reporter Tim
Nelson wrote: "St. Paul's dominant political party may be facing some of
its stiffest competition in nearly a generation this fall â^À^Ô and it
isn't from the other side of the political aisle." You can read it, and
other news from the campaign here: http://www.jessemortenson.com/news


--------20 of x--------

From: Chris Spotted Eagle <chris [at] spottedeagle.org>
Subject: KFAI/Indian 10.22 4pm

KFAI's Indian Uprising for October 22nd

KFAI¹s FALL FUND RAISING PLEDGE DRIVE is now on, with a goal of $110,000!
Call 612-375-9030 to make a pledge.  KFAI, a non-profit organization, is
truly a people-powered radio!  Programming is commercial-free -- instead
of advertisers, KFAI depends on supporters to help cover their operating
costs. Premium gifts are available for pledges over a certain amount,
called in during Indian Uprising.  Call 612-375-9030 to find out the
minimum pledge. The premiums are: American Indian Homelands (78 min. DVD
video); Our Sacred Land (30 min. VHS video); We Have the Right to Exist
(book) by Wub-e-ke-niew; Recovering the Sacred (book) by Winona LaDuke and
Walking With The Devil (book) by Michael Quinn.

THE SCOURGE OF METH.  More than 12 million people in the U.S. have tried
methamphetamine and Native American communities have not been immune.
Tribes nonetheless are facing the challenges that meth presents their
people.  The Lummi Nation in Washington State permanently banishes
convicted drug traffickers from the tribe.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE 'WORST-OFF.' The health of indigenous people worldwide
is much worse than that of other communities where they live.  This is
among the findings of a major investigation launched by the medical
journal The Lancet.  The relatively poor health of aboriginal people in
the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand has been well documented.

ALASKAN CLIMATE CHANGE.  Global warming is squeezing the life out of Oscar
Kawagley's culture (Yupiaq). "It is scary," he said.  "Cold is what makes
my language, my culture, my identity.  What am I going to do without
cold?"

ENDANGERED SPECIES.  "With 6.5 billion people alive in the world today, it
may be hard to think of humans as an endangered species.  "We are going
through a process of mass cultural extinction," says Spencer Wells,
director of the National Geographic Society's $40 million Genographic
Project.

* * * *
Indian Uprising is a one-half hour Public & Cultural Affairs program for,
by, an about Indigenous people broadcast each Sunday at 4:00 p.m. over
KFAI 90.3 FM Minneapolis and 106.7 FM St. Paul.  Producer and host is
Chris Spotted Eagle.  KFAI Fresh Air Radio is located at 1808 Riverside
Avenue, Minneapolis MN 55454, 612-341-3144.


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From: Michelle Gross <mgresist [at] minn.net>
Subject: Police brutality 10.22 5:30pm

October 22nd, the annual National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality.

10/22/06, 5:30pm.
Walker Church
3104 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis
Stolen Lives Memorial Ceremony to remember those who have lost their lives
at the hands of local police forces.

---
From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>

October 22: Remembering and Resisting Police Brutality
by Lydia Howell

In 1977, I particpated in my first anti-police brutality march in my
hometown of Dallas, Texas. Several hundred people - all of them
African-American or Latino, except for me and my best friend who are white
- walked silently in memory of Jose Campos Torres. Houston cops had
arrested him for being drunk in public, took him to Buffalo Bayou (which
when I moved to Houston I would find out was infamous as a place that
police took people of color) and proceeded to toss the (HANDCUFFED) man
into the water, while shouting "Swim, Wetback!"

The 20-something Mexican-American man drowned, murdered for sport by those
entrusted to "protect and serve" the public that pays their salaries. They
were never charged with a crime. A civil rights complaint was filed and
they were charged and eventually convicted for "violating civil rights".
The judge sentenced them to each pay ONE DOLLAR.

In 1981, living in Houston, a friend and colleague, Fred Paez, Latino and
openly gay, was shot in the back of the head, execution-style, (while
HANDCUFFED) by a Houston police officer. Fred and I worked on a public
affairs show at the Pacifica station KPFT and also worked on police
brutality. Our aim was to build coalitions across the (false) boundaries
of various communties - the GLBT community, African-American and Latino
communities, feminists working on domestic violence. Some of us suspected
that Fred was killed because of his acitivism. Nothing was ever done about
Fred's murder.

Ever since that day, I've remained committed to challenging the
business-as-usual of police brutality and State-sanctioned murder. Since
August 1988, I've lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Within six months of
moving here, I realized that police accuntability is no better "up North"
(as Malcom X put it), than down South. There's simply more illusions here
in what I often think of as Land O' Liberals.

Dozens of people - men, women and teenagers - have been gunned down,
choked or beaten to death by Minnesota police - most of them people of
color. In just the last decade, the Minneapolis City Council has voted to
pay out almost $20 MILLION in law suits to survivors or to victims'
families. But, not a single officer has even been fired, much less charged
with crimes, like assault or murder. Minneapolis voters in 1990 voted to
create a Civillian Review Authority (CRA) as an alternative to a
do-nothing Internal Affairs Unit. Until recently, the CRA was useless,
too. Now, that they actually sustain some cases, the MPD Police Chiefs
simply refuse to dicipline those officers. Most elected officials uphold,
by either their votes or inaction, that law enforcement is above the law.

Most white progressives passively do the same.

When the Abu Graibe torture photos hit the media, I hoped that there would
be a shock of recognition that rippled to the home front. Unfortunately,
most white Americans uphold torture, brutality and murder done in their
name, overseas and on our own streets, in the name of "safety". A few
white progressives have organized to oppose the recent legalization of
torture in the 'war on terrorism', but, even many of them fail to make the
connection to the ongoing violence committed by domestic police forces.

Amnesty International has documented that brutality by police, border
patrol and prison guards is "epidemic" in the United States. The dozens of
abuses and murders I've worked on over the last almost 30 years are
considered torture and human rights abuses under the United Nations'
International Declaration of Human Rights - which the U.S. has signed.

The face of Tycel Nelson, 17-years-old (who could pass for 13) - shining
and open is burned into my brain. He was shot in the back by MPD Officer
Dan May in February 1991. Recently, May was almost given a retroactive
medal for that murder. Only public outrage stopped that reward. Standard
operating procedure for all cases of brutality and murder is to give the
officer(s) TIME OFF WITH PAY, while an "investigation" is conducted -
"investigations" that always exonerate the police. Such "suspensions from
duty" certainly aren't any sort of punishment. In most jobs, time off with
pay is called 'vacation' and so, could even be seen as a reward for
brutality.

Who would Tycel be at 32 years old?

A few years ago, a Somali refugee named Abu-Jalani, father of two (a 2 1/2
year old and a newborn) - was gunned down with seven shots. he spoke
little English and had a mental health history - suffering Post-Traumatic
Streess Disorder, having survived the Somalia civil war. Other Somali
people were at the scene and pleaded to be able to talk to him in his own
language. Minneapolis cops refused and a few minutes later, shot him to
death. His body lay where he fell, in the street, for over 2 hours
afterward, where I saw him. He got no more regard in death than he had in
life.

Mr. Jelani's children will never know their father.

This summer, Demitrius Felder was suffering from deep depression and
threatening suicide. His family couldn't get him to go to a psychiatric
facility and called the Minneapolis police for help. Mr. Felder was
African-American, became frightened by seeing police officers and
immediatly tried to run away. He was shot three times and died. (Other
UNarmed people with mental health issues have also been gunned down by
police.)

What "crime" did Demitrius Felder commit? Being unarmed and running away,
what "threat to public safety" did he pose?

These are just three of the human beings murdered by Minneapolis police.
Similar stories can be told in cities and towns across America. The
Department of Justice says that on average American law enforcement kill
350 people annually. Statistics for police brutality arte not kept by the
DoJ. (For more stories google the Stolen Lives Project.) Not only are we
NOT made safe by law enforcment officers that are above the law, we are
actually LESS safe.

People who live in "high crime neighborhoods" are caught in the middle
between gangs and brutal and untrustworthy cops. Like torturing Muslims
and Arabs in the 'war on terror', police brutality ensures that citizens
will NOT be likely to cooperate with law enforcment. The flip side of
police brutality, that's talked about far less, is poor service from law
enforcement in these same communties. As a white, working-class poor
woman, living in inner city neighorhoods, I've been a crime victim and
experienced total disrespect from police. The response to being mugged,
burglarized and raped over the years has been "Look at where you live.
What do you expect?"

These are just a few of the individual human beings lost to what is, in
effect, State-sponsored terrorism against people of color and the poor
here at home. It's a sad and frightening contradiction to the U.S. 'war on
terrorism'. This Sunday, I'll be with fellow activists, survivors of
police brutality and families who've lost loved ones forver. We'll be
remembering those murdered by police and carrying on resistance in their
names.

Until law enforcemnt is no longer above the law, the claims that "America
is the most free, best democracy on Earth" will only be empty PR and cruel
hype. For some of us Al Queda terrorism, is not nearly as real as the
daily threat of domestic terrorism by local police.

Lydia Howell is a Minneapolis journalist, activist & host of "Catalyst" on
KFAI RADIO www.kfai.org.

Contact the National Office of October 22nd at:
Info [at] october22.org or 1-888-NOBRUTALITY
October 22nd Coalition P.O. Box 2627 New York, N.Y.  10009
To donate funds, make check out to:
   IFCO/October 22,  and mail to address above.

---
From: Suzanne linton <bahiabaubo [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: CAVLAN CAMPAIGN CALLING GREENS  SUN.OCT.22:Memorial for
    Those Murdreed by Police

The Michael Cavlan campaign is asking all Greens to join us and attend the
"Memorial Service for Those Murdered by Police" this Sunday, October 22 at
5:30. Walker Church 3104 16th Ave. So, Mpls

Michael sees this as THE opportunity right now for all Greens to unite and
make a huge stand for how we Greens stand on police brutality.

We encourage EVERYONE who is campaigning to join us. Bring friends.

Wear Green Party pins and your campaign pins.

We need to show this community how we WILL stand behind them and make a
difference if we are elected, and that Cam Gordon's vote was not
representative of all other candidates or of the Green Party as a whole.

Let's just swamp that church service with our support.  See you there.
Suzanne (for Dori)

---
From: Diane J. Peterson <birch7 [at] comcast.net>

Fellow Greens,

I affirm Lydia Howell's suggestion to attend the events put on by
Communities United Against Police Brutality.  I am a member of that
organization, and I participated last year in its rally and march down
Franklin Avenue as a witness in grassroots opposition to police brutality
and to remember those specific individuals who have suffered unjustly at
the hands of the police.  Dave Bicking and Dean Zimmermann were among the
Greens who were also there.  I had the opportunity to meet people who had
been harmed by the police.  I appreciate Michelle Gross's leadership of
the organization.

As a European American, I am conscious that my color gives me some
protection from the Minneapolis police, but I have had three personal
experiences with them over 29 years' time as a white woman that makes me
afraid of them.  How much more a woman of color needs to be afraid of
them! I was at an environmental justice witness on Nicollet Mall in 2001
when a well-to-do American Indian woman near me became very nervous when
the police showed up across the street.  She was afraid of bodily harm
from them, and tried to hide behind our large posters.  She didn't want to
rejoin the Mall group witness again.


--------22 of x--------

From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Life&Debt/film 10.22

Sunday, 10/22, 7 pm, Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy presents
film "Life and Debt" about crushing effects of international lending and
free trade, Bryant Lake Bowl, 810 W Lake St, Mpls.  $7 to 14.  www.iatp.org


--------23 of x-------

From: Danene Provencher PRO826 [at] aol.com
Subject: Green Party: The Countdown - 18 days

Ken Pentel / Danene Provencher supporters:

Election Day is drawing near and the time for action is now. The
mainstream media has attempted to suppress our campaign message. But,
thanks to the efforts of people like you, we have gotten coverage in local
newspapers around the state, on radio stations, on Public Access
Television, on Talk Radio, on MPR, and even in the Star Tribune.

From here on, the best coverage we can get is what you can provide, person
to person.  The best way to accomplish this is to pass out our campaign
literature. What we need are people to fill shifts at the following events
and locations:

In the Metro Area:
Minneapolis and St.  Paul Bus stops from 7-9am and 4-6pm
Park and Rides in the Suburbs from 7-9am  and 4-6pm
Co-ops around lunch time and from about 4-8pm
Minneapolis and  St. Paul Farmer's Markets on Saturdays
Minneapolis Downtown Farmer's Market  on Thursday mornings
Community College, Technical College, and University  Campuses 11:30-1:30

Outside the Metro Area:
Local Farmer's  Markets
Co-ops
Coffee Shops

These are all places where we connect with others who are open to Green
values. This is not a complete list. If you can think of other places to
go, do that. Be creative with your efforts.

If you can be at any of these events or locations, let me know. If you
prefer to go with a partner or group, let me know and I will help
coordinate that.

If you need literature, contact me immediately (612.385.1621)I

If you think this is something you can't do, contact Ken immediately
(612.387.0601)If yo will give you the encouragement and courage you need
to spread the seeds of healing throughout the state of Minnesota.

Erin Wallace Ken Pentel for Governor Campaign
_embarrassedtobehumaembarrassed_ (mailto:embarrassedtobehuman [at] yahoo.com)
612.385.1621


--------24 of x--------

Is the Party Really Over?
GOP Death Slide
By MICHAEL DONNELLY
CounterPunch
October 20 / 22, 2006

As someone who actually did grow up in inner city Flint, it's hard for me
to take someone who grew up in an all-white nearby farm town, yet claims
himself a Flint native all that seriously. It's akin to claiming Compton
roots when you actually grew up in Simi Valley. But one thing I agree with
Michael Moore on is that AOL is where mainstream America connects to the
Internet and that it pays to pay attention.

All the time, my friends, my brothers and people who write me care of my
e-mail address on Counterpunch articles take me to task for my poor choice
of Internet providers. Of course they have a point: as I write this, AOL
has mysteriously blocked my access to a Counterpunch list. But like
MMFlint, I keep AOL just so I can see what this segment of the populace is
up to. And if Karl Rove is also paying attention, he's probably seeking
out Jeff Gannon for solace.

One of the things AOL has is an interactive poll called The Daily Pulse.
As recently as a year ago, AOL users were some of the Bush
administration's most fervent supporters. The Daily Pulse showed pro-Bush,
pro-war sentiment usually in the 70% range.

Now, the poll has shifted 180 degrees. Recent results rating Bush's
(non)performance on some current issues are:

Iraq Poor 71%; Good 13%
Health Care Poor 74%; Good 10%
Immigration Poor 73%; Fair 13%; Good 8%
Economy Poor 64%; Excellent 17%
National Security Poor 54%; Fair 18%; Excellent 17%
North Korea Poor 66%; Good 12%

Asked which party Bush helps most in the mid-term election, AOL users
voted:
Democrat 71%
Republican 29%

The Daily Pulse naturally also has a Blog. Here's a sampling:

"We, who voted for him, have only ourselves to blame. I accept the blame."

"George Bush is the most disgusting president we have ever had the
misfortune to have in office. His spin on the truth has led the country
into a hole in the ground. I can't think of anything he has done to
further this country."

"I know I am biased against Bush--as a long-standing Republican, I did not
vote for him the first time--he acts rashly and without following proper
rules. Molly Ivins has him pegged and has from Day 1."

"Let's give Bush credit where credit is due. He did what he set out to do;
he brought regime change to Iraq for the benefit of his Big Oil patrons.

Big Oil got $60 crude and record breaking profits. Iraq got civil war &
chaos in the streets. America got 2700 dead soldiers, thousands of
cripples and giant deficits."

"I am ashamed that America was so easily fooled into supporting the war in
Iraq by cowards wrapped in the flag playing the 9/11 fear card. These SOBs
should Impeached, tarred & feathered and tried for war crimes."

If this is any indication, then even Diebold can't save the Republicans
this time. Then there is the view of Counterpunch editor Jeffery St.
Clair, who thinks that Bush has to be rooting for the Ds to gain the
House, but not the Senate. After all, it's pretty lame when one has to
reach back and dredge up Bill Clinton when looking to deflect
accountability for all that has gone wrong the past six years.

It wasn't on Bubba's watch that those Saudis took down the Towers and hit
the Pentagon. Nor was it under Bubba that we invaded Iraq and triggered
the hideous civil war, leading to some 600,000-plus violent deaths. Under
Clinton we had a budgetary surplus, not the huge deficits Bush has saddled
us with. Bubba has his own crimes to answer to, but use of Clinton as
foil was already threadbare even before Bubba threw his hissy-fit and
rightly savaged Faux News' Chris Wallace for continuing the ABC/GOP lie
that Bill did nothing about Osama. (Not that his weird bombing of an
African aspirin factory was much more than an attempt to change the "all
Monica, all the time" subject.)

But, St. Clair's point is well taken. The GOP needs another whipping boy,
or in this case girl. The vilification they've used on Clinton every time
the hounds got close the last six years will pale compared to the
pummeling they'll give a hapless Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

If the AOL poll is any indication, St. Clair will be proven correct; maybe
they'll even take the Senate. And if past performance is any indication,
then Pelosi et al. will quickly verify the views of this post to the AOL
blog:

"The usual delusional crowd on AOL continues the stupidity of thinking
that a change of the party controlling Congress or, for that matter, the
administration, will affect the foreign policy related to Iraq and the war
on terror...message to all you fools...the Patriot Act will not be
rescinded, the NSA surveillance program will not be terminated, Guantanamo
will not be closed, nor will any of those anti-terror programs instituted
by the present administration be eliminated...and the reason is that they
are effective...your party bosses know that, they just want power back and
they know you are dumb enough to believe their bull$hit...when, and if ,
they return to power you'll be bombarded with statements like "we are
doing it better"...right... what a bunch of idiots..."

MICHAEL DONNELLY also has no illusions that some sort of Renaissance will
occur should the Democrats regain either branch of Congress, which he now
thinks they will. You can still reach him at pahtoo [at] aol.com


--------25 of x--------

Don't Look Back
Who Said Clinton Didn't Kill Anybody?
By WILLIAM BLUM
CounterPunch
October 20 / 22, 2006

The cartoon awfulness of the Bush crime syndicate's foreign policy is
enough to make Americans nostalgic for almost anything that came before.
And as Bill Clinton parades around the country and the world associating
himself with "good" causes, it's enough to evoke yearnings in many people
on the left who should know better. So here's a little reminder of what
Clinton's foreign policy was composed of. Hold on to it in case Lady
Macbeth runs in 2008 and tries to capitalize on lover boy's record.

Yugoslavia: The United States played the principal role during the 1990s
in the destruction of this nation, republic by republic, the low point of
which was 78 consecutive days of terrible bombing of the population in
1999. No, it was not an act of "humanitarianism". It was pure imperialism,
corporate globalization, getting rid of "the last communist government in
Europe", keeping NATO alive by giving it a function after the end of the
Cold War. There was no moral issue behind US policy. The ousted Yugoslav
leader, Slobodan Milosevic, is routinely labeled "authoritarian" (Compared
to whom? To the Busheviks?), but that had nothing to do with it. The great
exodus of the people of Kosovo resulted from the bombing, not Serbian
"ethnic cleansing"; and while saving Kosovars the Clinton administration
was servicing the Turkish massacre of Kurds. NATO admitted (sic) to
repeatedly and deliberately targeting civilians; amongst other war crimes.

Somalia: The 1993 intervention was presented as a mission to help feed the
starving masses. But the US soon started taking sides in the clan-based
civil war and tried to rearrange the country's political map by
eliminating the dominant warlord, Mohamed Aidid, and his power base. On
many occasions, US helicopters strafed groups of Aidid's supporters or
fired missiles at them; missiles were fired into a hospital because of the
belief that Aidid's forces had taken refuge there; also a private home,
where members of Aidid's political movement were holding a meeting;
finally, an attempt by American forces to kidnap two leaders of Aidid's
clan resulted in a horrendous bloody battle. This last action alone cost
the lives of more than a thousand Somalis, with many more wounded.

It's questionable that getting food to hungry people was as important as
the fact that four American oil giants held exploratory rights to large
areas of Somali land and were hoping that US troops would put an end to
the prevailing chaos which threatened their highly expensive investments.

Ecuador: In 2000, downtrodden Indian peasants rose up once again against
the hardships of US/IMF globalization policies, such as privatization. The
Indians were joined by labor unions and some junior military officers and
their coalition forced the president to resign. Washington was alarmed.
American officials in Quito and Washington unleashed a blitz of threats
against Ecuadorian government and military officials. And that was the end
of the Ecuadorian revolution.

Sudan: The US deliberately bombed and destroyed a pharmaceutical plant in
Khartoum in 1998 in the stated belief that it was a plant for making
chemical weapons for terrorists. In actuality, the plant produced about 90
percent of the drugs used to treat the most deadly illnesses in that
desperately poor country; it was reportedly one of the biggest and best of
its kind in Africa. And had no connection to chemical weapons.

Sierra Leone: In 1998, Clinton sent Jesse Jackson as his special envoy to
Liberia and Sierra Leone, the latter being in the midst of one of the
great horrors of the 20th century - an army of mostly young boys, the
Revolutionary United Front (RUF), going around raping and chopping off
people's arms and legs. African and world opinion was enraged against the
RUF, which was committed to protecting the diamond mines they controlled.
Liberian president Charles Taylor was an indispensable ally and supporter
of the RUF and Jackson was an old friend of his. Jesse was not sent to the
region to try to curtail the RUF's atrocities, nor to hound Taylor about
his widespread human rights violations, but instead, in June 1999, Jackson
and other American officials drafted entire sections of an accord that
made RUF leader, Foday Sankoh, the vice president of Sierra Leone, and
gave him official control over the diamond mines, the country's major
source of wealth.

Iraq: Eight more years of the economic sanctions which Clinton's National
Security Advisor, Sandy Berger, called "the most pervasive sanctions every
imposed on a nation in the history of mankind", absolutely devastating
every aspect of the lives of the Iraqi people, particularly their health;
truly a weapon of mass destruction.

Cuba: Eight more years of economic sanctions, political hostility, and
giving haven to anti-Castro terrorists in Florida. In 1999, Cuba filed a
suit against the United States for $181.1 billion in compensation for
economic losses and loss of life during the first forty years of this
aggression. The suit holds Washington responsible for the death of 3,478
Cubans and the wounding and disabling of 2,099 others.

Only the imperialist powers have the ability to enforce sanctions and are
therefore always exempt from them.

As to Clinton's domestic policies, keep in mind those two beauties: The
"Effective death penalty Act" and the "Welfare Reform Act".

And let's not forget the massacre at Waco, Texas.

William Blum is the author of Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA
Interventions Since World War II, Rogue State: a guide to the World's Only
Super Power. and West-Bloc Dissident: a Cold War Political Memoir.

He can be reached at: BBlum6 [at] aol.com


--------26 of x--------

Hillary Hits Bottom
Clinton Ought to Know the Serious Legal Ramifications of Allowing Torture
in 'Ticking Bomb' Scenarios
by Rosa Brooks
Friday, October 20, 2006
Los Angeles Times

Has Hillary Clinton been watching too many episodes of "24," or is she
just determined to prove that she really is entirely without principles?

Whichever it is, Clinton hit a new low last week, telling the New York
Daily News that the president should have "some lawful authority" to use
torture or other "severe" interrogation methods in a so-called
ticking-bomb scenario.

These comments appear to directly contradict her previous statements on
the Military Commissions Act, which President Bush signed into law
Tuesday. In late September, Clinton objected that the bill "undermines the
Geneva Conventions by allowing the president to issue executive orders to
redefine what are permissible interrogation techniques. Have we fallen so
low as to debate how much torture we are willing to stomach?"

It sure looks that way.

The ticking-bomb scenario has routinely been used to justify the
legalization of torture in exceptional circumstances. This is how the
argument goes: You capture the terrorist who has just placed a nuclear
bomb somewhere in a major American city. If you can't locate and disarm
the bomb, millions of people will die. If the terrorist won't talk, should
you torture him until he tells you what you want to know?

When you put it that way, of course, few of us would decline to torture
the terrorist. In a utilitarian sense, it's surely better to torture one
bad guy than to allow the deaths of millions of innocents, right?

But though ticking-bomb scenarios pack an emotional wallop, such fictional
scenarios are useless - and profoundly misleading - when it comes to
making real-world decisions.

In the real world, the issue isn't whether torture might be morally
justifiable in some exceedingly rare situations. The issue is whether it's
wise, in a democratic society, to invite the government to pass laws or
issue regulations outlining the circumstances in which torture would be
justified.

The operative phrase here is "slippery slope." In real life - as opposed
to the world of "24" - government officials generally don't know for sure
if they've captured the right person.

And they're even less likely to know for sure whether a particular
detainee possesses information that could thwart an imminent attack on
millions of people.

In real life, interrogations are often fishing expeditions. Detainees
might have critical information, but they might not. Do you torture or
mistreat them when you're not completely sure? How much certainty do you
need? How many lives must be at stake before torture is justified: 10
million, 10,000, 10, One?

And exactly what kinds of interrogation methods are justified? If a terror
suspect won't talk even when tortured, can you up the pressure by
torturing his wife too? How about killing his children, or ordering the
slaughter of every member of his immediate family? Such tactics might get
him to cough up the information - and hey, from a utilitarian perspective,
aren't they justified in the interests of saving millions of lives?

But - do you really want to see U.S. law outlining exactly how many
atrocities can be committed against how many people to - maybe - save a
certain number of other people?

Make no mistake - logically, that's where the ticking-bomb scenario takes
you. Clinton insists that she wasn't really saying that torture should be
legal - no, no, of course not. She still thinks that torture is immoral,
ineffective and counterproductive. It's just that for an "improbable but
possible eventuality" such as a true ticking-bomb scenario, she thinks
that we should make "a very, very narrow exception within very, very
limited circumstances."

And this wouldn't undermine the Geneva Convention? You'd better believe
that countries such as Syria, North Korea and Iran would also just love to
carve out some "very, very narrow exceptions" to treaties banning torture.

Clinton ought to know better. Plenty of immoral things might conceivably
be justified in far-fetched hypothetical situations, but that doesn't mean
the law should bless those exceptions in advance.

Take treason. Is it possible to construct far-fetched hypothetical
situations in which treason might be justified? Sure. If one were faced
with a choice between betraying one's country and allowing the Earth to be
destroyed, treason might well be morally justified. But that doesn't mean
we should pass laws laying out the conditions under which treason would be
permissible.

Or how about rape? If torture can be justified by utilitarian principles,
then in some "very, very limited circumstances," rape can presumably be
justified as well. Would Clinton - would any American - truly want to see
legislation laying out the unique circumstances in which rape should be
permitted?

No. We really, really don't want to go there.

Clinton was right about one thing: When you start to contemplate writing
those "very, very narrow" exceptions into law, you've fallen as low as
it's possible to go.

 Copyright 2006 Los Angeles Times


[Earlier in the lives of most progressives, the Dem party inserted control
tentacles deep into their brains. If they even *think* of not voting Dem,
the tentacles cause tremors, severe depression, and nausea. To daydream
voting their principles results in temporary loss of certain key body
functions. The worst consequences are reserved for those who entertain
voting Green Party - heart palpitations, fearful shortness of breath, and
dizziness severe enough to make driving to the polls impossible.

Thus, it is traumatic to leave the sheltering arms/tentacles in place
since childhood. No easy thing. Home/mother/flag/DemParty.

The Dem Party is not progressive. It is more regressive every day. It does
not further the princples of progressives. It destroys them. It helps
destroy democracy. A true progressive will make the tough - and liberating
- change. -ed]

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   rhymes with clove         Progressive Calendar
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