| Progressive Calendar 09.28.09 | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: David Shove (shove001 tc.umn.edu)
|
|
| Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 06:28:52 -0700 (PDT) | |
P R O G R E S S I V E C A L E N D A R 09.28.09
1. Rally v weapons 9.28 7:30am
2. Uhcan/health 9.28 6pm
3. Amnesty Intl 9.28 7pm
4. Oil on Ice/Alaska 9.28 7pm
5. Zora Hurston 9.28 7pm
6. Palm oil/true cost 9.28 7pm
7. Spector/RNC/court 9.29 9am
8. Palm oil/true cost 9.29 12noon
9. NWN4P vigil 9.29 4:45pm
10. RNC court watch 9.29 6pm
11. RNC 8/waffles 9.29 6pm
12. Vonnegut/book club 9.29 6:30pm
13. Rose ensemble 9.29 7pm
----NADER DAY----
14. Nader in town/KFAI 9.30 11am
15. Nader/UofM law 9.30 12:15pm
16. Nader/MPR/KSTPtv 9.30 3pm
17. Bridge vigil/Iraq 9.30 5pm
18. Culture jamming 9.30 7pm
19. Nader/book talk 9.30 7pm
20. Bill Quigley - Street report from the G20
21. Peter Dreier - First they came for ACORN
22. ed - Dead heart dead head (poem)
--------1 of 22--------
From: Women Against Military Madness <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Rally v weapons 9.28 7:30am
Call for Protest at the Defense Alliance of Minnesota Roundtable
Lockheed Martin Tactical Systems, 3333 Pilot Knob Rd Eagan, MN
Monday, September 28
7:30 a.m., event goes until noon
The Defense Alliance of Minnesota, whose stated mission is "to network and
expand Minnesota's defense industry," is hosting a roundtable of Minnesota
defense contractors AND government officials, including Senators Al
Franken and Amy Klobuchar. Join Project to Stop the War Industry (PSWI) in
protesting at the event in order to call attention to this collusion of
government with the private sector in the increase of weapons production
and profit from war. No more war profiteering, no more war.
For more information on the Defense Alliance of Minnesota, go to
www.defensealliance.com
For more information on the protest, to co-sponsor, or to act as a legal
observer, contact Project to Stop the War Industry at projectatk [at] gmail.com
--------2 of 22--------
From: Joel Albers <joel [at] uhcan-mn.org>
Subject: Uhcan/health 9.28 6pm
Our 7th Cookout to plan NEXT ACTIONs, MONDAY (NOT tuesday) sept 28th.
Cookout 6PM, MTG 7PM. At Joel's house
3500 35th Ave S. Mpls,MN 55406 (Longfellow N'Hood). Today's action is our
10th since June 2 !
Joel Albers Clinical Pharmacist, Health Economics Researcher Universal
Health Care Action Network - MN Community/University Collaborative
Research www.uhcan-mn.org email: joel [at] uhcan-mn.org phone: 612-384-0973
address: 3500 35th ave S Mpls, MN, 55406
--------3 of 22--------
From: Gabe Ormsby <gabeo [at] bitstream.net>
Subject: Amnesty Intl 9.28 7pm
Augustana Homes Seniors Group meets on Monday, September 28th, from 7:00
to 8:00 p.m. in the party room of the 1020 Building, 1020 E 17th Street,
Minneapolis. For more information contact Ardes Johnson at 612/378-1166 or
johns779 [at] tc.umn.edu.
--------4 of 22--------
From: Christine Frank <christinefrank [at] visi.com>
Subject: Oil on Ice/Alaska 9.28 7pm
A 3CTC FREE SCREENING OF:
OIL ON ICE
A Dale Djerassi/Bo Boudart Production
In Association With Lobitos Creek Ranch
Narrated by Peter Coyote
Narrated by Peter Coyote, Oil On Ice is an award-winning film about the
ever-looming threat of oil & gas drilling posed by the profit-hungry
fossil-fuel industry in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
The documentary explores what it means for the ecosystems, migratory
wildlife and the traditional hunter/gatherer ways of the Gwich'in People,
all of which are already heavily stressed by the ravages of ongoing and
accelerating climate change with temperatures in the Arctic Circle warming
at twice the global average. Tremendous environmental damage has already
been done by the fossil-fuel extraction industry at Prudhoe Bay on
Alaska's North Slope. Plus, there have been numerous oil & gas leases
sold by the Bush Administration to the Energy Giants that will allow them
to further develop reserves on the continental shelf in the Chuckchi and
Beaufort Seas, putting at risk all marine and shore life in the region.
The latest threat is being posed by the Obama Administration itself as the
Interior Department considers the sale of more leases in Bristol Bay,
which if allowed, would destroy the vital fishery that is there.
The continued suicidal and genocidal burning of hydrocarbons with no
apparent end in sight is rapidly pushing Earth's climate system to the
brink of catastrophe and must be halted. Oil On Ice gives viewers an idea
of what is at stake if this "Drill, Baby, Drill" mentality of the Carbon
Barons is allowed to come to fruition.
The screening will be held on Monday, September 28 at 7:00 PM at Mayday
Books, 301 Cedar Avenue South, on the West Bank in Minneapolis.
It is sponsored by the Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities (3CTC),
is free and open to the public. The Clean-Energy Vigil to Cool Down the
Planet takes place on the plaza outside the bookstore at 5:00 PM, (Weather
permitting), followed by the 3CTC Business Meeting at 6:00 PM. All are
welcome. For more information, EMAIL: christinefrank [at] visi.com or PHONE:
612-879-8937. SAVE MOTHER EARTH! SEE YOU THERE!
--------5 of 22---------
From: Lydia Howell <lydiahowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Zora Hurston 9.28 7pm
Soul of a People: the Federal Writers' Project
On Monday, September 28, 7 p.m., acclaimed actress Regina Marie Williams
presents /Jump at the Sun/ a one-woman show based on the life and times of
Zora Neale Hurston, at the Central High School Black Box Theater, 275
Lexington Parkway N., Saint Paul. This is a collaborative event with the
Central Touring Theater, who will present a brief introductory program.
--------6 of 22--------
From: Carrie Anne Johnson <greenwarriorbunny [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: Palm oil/true cost 9.28 7pm
U.S. Agribusiness: The New Colonialism?
The Problems with Cargill's Palm Oil Expansion in Papua New Guinea
Featuring Matilda Pilacapio, a human rights and environmental advocate
from Papua New Guinea and Rainforest Action Network (RAN)
Monday Sept. 28, 2009 7-9 PM
University of Minnesota
Coffman Memorial Union
President's Room, 3rd Floor
300 Washington Ave. S.E.
Minneapolis
Come learn about the true cost of palm oil and how to get involved in
RAN's Rainforest Agribusiness Campaign.
Used in half of all consumer products and increasingly in industrial
biofuels, palm oil has become one of the world's largest drivers of
tropical rainforest destruction. Rapidly expanding into the bio-diverse
forests of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, palm oil is displacing local
Indigenous populations and causing great ecological and social conflict.
Cargill, Minneapolis-based agribusiness giant, is the largest importer of
palm oil into the United States and one of the largest producers of palm
oil in Papua New Guinea. Ms. Pilacapio has witnessed firsthand Cargill's
leveling of rainforests, polluting of rivers, and the resulting social
upheaval on traditional communities in her region.
Co-sponsored by Eco Watch and Rainforest Action Network. For more
information on the event contact debram [at] ran.org or call 773-343-2939
For more information on RAN's work: www.ran.org/cargill or
www.theproblemwithpalmoil.org.
Join our RAN Mpls Meetup group at: http://www.meetup.com/RANMinneapolis/
Matilda Pilacapio - Human Rights Advocate, Papua New Guinea
Matilda Pilacapio is a human rights advocate from Milne Bay, Papua New
Guinea, where she works as a grassroots environmental organizer. She has
held numerous positions in provincial government, including a term as
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry. Matilda has founded or
served as president for a number of education, environment, and women's
groups, including the Milne Bay AIDS Council and the Alatau Women's
Association.
Matilda is currently working with the organization Milne Bay Women in
Agriculture to strengthen traditional agricultural systems in response to
Cargill's expanding oil palm plantation in the region. Cargill, U.S.
agribusiness giant based in Minneapolis, is one of Papua New Guinea's
largest producers of palm oil and has increasingly come under scrutiny for
the negative social and ecological impacts of their oil palm plantations.
The island nation also contains some of the world's remaining intact
rainforests and almost 7 percent of global biodiversity.
--------7 of 22--------
From: Michelle Gross <mgresist [at] visi.com>
Subject: Spector/RNC/court 9.29 9am
MAX SPECKTOR, RNC 8 DEFENDANT, IN COURT SEPTEMBER 29
Tuesday, September 29, 9:00 a.m.
Ramsey County Courthouse
15 W. Kellogg, Room 1040, St. Paul
In advance of the upcoming hearing for all of the RNC 8, Max Specktor will
be in court on Tuesday, September 29. Max and his lawyer Larry Leventhal
will argue a motion to suppress evidence regarding the contents of the
vehicle in which he was a passenger when the vehicle was searched without
a warrant on September 1, 2008.
Come support Max at the first hearing since early this spring! It's in
room 1040 of the Ramsey County Courthouse at 15 W. Kellogg Boulevard in
St. Paul. Arrive early and look for the Defend the RNC 8 t-shirts! For
questions about getting there or anything else, email info [at] rnc8.org.
--------8 of 22--------
From: Margaret Beegle <beegle [at] louberts.com>
Subject: Palm oil/true cost 9.29 12noon
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
The True Cost of Palm Oil
Join us for a brown bag lunch with the Rainforest Action Network to learn
about the true cost of palm oil.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
12:00 noon-1:00 p.m.
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
2104 Stevens Ave So. Minneapolis, MN
Used in half of all consumer products and increasingly in industrial
biofuels, palm oil has become one of the world's largest drivers of
tropical rainforest. destruction. Rapidly expanding into the bio-diverse
forests of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, palm oil is displacing local
Indigenous populations and causing great ecological and social conflict.
Cargill, Minneapolis-based agribusiness giant, is the largest importer of
palm oil into the United States and one of the largest producers of palm
oil in Papua New Guinea. Our featured speaker, Matilda Pilacapio, has
witnessed firsthand Cargill's leveling of rainforests, polluting of
rivers, and the resulting social upheaval on traditional communities in
her region.
Co-sponsored by Eco Watch and Rainforest Action Network. For more
information on the event contact debram [at] ran.org or call (773) 343-2939.
Refreshments provided. For more information on RAN's work:
www.ran.org/cargill or www.theproblemwithpalmoil.org
IATP works locally and globally at the intersection of policy and practice
to ensure fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems. IATP has
offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Washington, D.C., and Geneva,
Switzerland.
iatp.org Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Support IATP with a donation.
--------9 of 22--------
From: Carole Rydberg <carydberg [at] comcast.net>
Subject: NWN4P vigil 9.29 4:45pm
NWN4P vigil every Tuesday.
Corner of Winnetka and 42nd Avenues in New Hope. 4:45 to 5:45 PM.
--------10 of 22--------
From: Do'ii <syncopatingrhythmsabyss [at] gmail.com>
Subject: RNC court watch 9.29 6pm
RNC Court Watchers are in need of participants to help with organizing
court information, documentation and etc. RNC Court Watchers Meetings are
every Tuesday, 6 P.M. at Caffeto's. Below is announcement for our
meetings.
Preemptive raids, over 800 people arrested, police brutality on the
streets and torture in Ramsey County Jail. Police have indiscriminately
used rubber bullets, concussion grenades, tasers and chemical irritants to
disperse crowds and incapacitate peaceful, nonviolent protesters. The
RNC-8 and others are facing felonies and years in jail. We must fight this
intimidation, harassment and abuse!
Join the RNC Court Solidarity Meeting this coming Tuesday at Caffetto's to
find out how you can make a difference in the lives of many innocent
people.
Caffetto's Coffeehouse and Gallery (612)872-0911 708 W 22nd Street,
Minneapolis, MN 55405
Every Tuesday @ 6:00 P.M to 7:00 P.M
participate and help organize RNC court solidarity.
For more information, please contact: rnccourtwatch [at] gmail.com
THE PEOPLE UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED!
--------11 of 22-------
From: Michelle Gross <mgresist [at] visi.com>
Subject: RNC 8/waffles 9.29 6pm
[The waffle truth]
RNC 8 WAFFLE DINNER
Tuesday, September 29, 6:00 p.m.
Walker Church
3100 16th Ave S, Minneapolis
The RNC 8 invite you to a FREE dinner - cooked by them!. Susan Gaertner
and Bob Fletcher may have impressively waffled on terrorism enhancements,
but we guarantee the RNC 8's waffles will come out on top! Also unlike
Fletcher, we're not afraid of vegans, and both vegan and vegetarian
options will be available.
If you couldn't make it to Max's court date in the morning, come to the
dinner and find out how it went. See you there!
-------12 of 22--------
From: patty <pattypax [at] earthlink.net>
Subject: Vonnegut/book club 9.29 6:30pm
This Tuesday is our Little Book of the Odd Month Club, and we are reading
Kirt Vonnegut's last book, Man Without a Country. Please come even if you
haven't read it.
The next book for our Little Book reading for November is War is a Racket
by Smedley Butler. If you have a good "little" book for January, please
recommend it.
Pax Salons ( http://justcomm.org/pax-salon )
are held (unless otherwise noted in advance):
Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Mad Hatter's Tea House,
943 W 7th, St Paul, MN
Salons are free but donations encouraged for program and treats.
Call 651-227-3228 or 651-227-2511 for information.
--------13 of 22--------
From: Lydia Howell <lydiahowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Rose ensemble 9.29 7pm
"Il Poverello" Workshop with The Rose Ensemble
Tuesday, September 29, 7 p.m.
Merriam Park Branch Library, 1831 Marshall Avenue, Saint Paul
This event is free and open to the public.
For more information, call 651-222-3242 or friends [at] thefriends.org
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library and members of The Rose
Ensemble present a unique program about the music composed in honor of St.
Francis of Assisi on Tuesday, September 29, 7 p.m., at the Merriam Park
Branch Library, 1831 Marshall Ave., Saint Paul.
Don't miss the opportunity to hear members of The Rose Ensemble, the Twin
Cities' premier early music vocal group, present a workshop and discussion
about the music for its upcoming concert "Il Poverello: Exploring the Life
and Deeds of St. Francis of Assisi." "Il Poverello" focuses on arguably
one of the best known medieval saints -- the patron saint of animals and
ecology -- and the concert will feature centuries of hymns, dances and
motets in honor of the St. Francis, as well as early Italian spiritual
songs and light-hearted readings by and about Francis himself.
These programs are free and open to the public. For more information,
please call The Friends at 651/222-3242 or go online at
www.thefriends.org <http://www.thefriends.org/>. For more information
on The Rose Ensemble, or to purchase tickets for the upcoming concert,
please visit www.roseensemble.org.
--------14 of 22--------
From: PRO826 [at] aol.com
Subject: Nader in town/KFAI 9.30 11am
Ralph Nader; author, consumer activist, several-time presidential
candidate and social justice activist will be visiting Minnesota on
Wednesday, September 30.
KFAI with Andy Driscoll, Truth to Tell at 11am with guest Ralph Nader:
His work; his influence; his races; his advocacy; his first work of
fiction.
This will be the first week of KFAI's Fall Pledge Drive and a very limited
supply of Ralph's new book, "Only the Superrich Can Save Us" will be given
away as premiums with pledges above a certain amount. Tune in to hear
what that will be! And call 612-375-9030 to pledge your support to
TruthToTell and all of KFAI's community-based public radio shows.
KFAI - 90.3FM-Minneapolis/106.7FM Saint Paul and STREAMING at
http://www.KFAI.org
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 - 11:00AM - LIVE In-Studio! RALPH NADER His work;
his influence; his races; his advocacy; his first work of fiction: "Only
the Superrich Can Save Us"
Ralph Nader will be in Minneapolis September 30 to speak and sign copies
of his new book of fiction that envisions fifteen of the nation's most
prominent and wealthy men colluding to return the United States to its
original premises and its original promise - absent corporate personhood,
and corruption of the fundamental concepts embodies in the Constitution
and the social contract brought here by European settlers (despite the
colonial mentality that drove Native Americans from their lands).
The controversial founder of the US consumer movement and a force in
establishing safety standards in the production and sale of everything
from automobiles to appliances to toys also stepped into the political
arena in 2000 as a candidate for president and the reverberations have
never ceased - for good or ill.
Ralph Nader is our only studio guest this week. TTT's ANDY DRISCOLL and
LYNNELL MICKELSEN will query Mr. Nader about his life, his work, his
politics - and, yes, his first work of fiction (using real people - like
Warren Buffett, Phil Donahue and George Soros). Limited copies of "Only
the Superrich Can Save Us" will be available as pledge premiums during
this edition of TruthToTell. We may take a limited number of calls during
this Pledge Week show.
--------15 of 22--------
From: PRO826 [at] aol.com
Subject: Nader/UofM law 9.30 12:15pm
Ralph Nader to Speak to Students at Law School
Attorney and political activist Ralph Nader will present "Law School, Law
Firms and the Corporate Supremacists: The Struggle for Justice" at the
University of Minnesota Law School on Sept. 30, 2009. The lecture will be
in Room 25 of Mondale Hall from 12:15-1:15 p.m. Overflow seating will be
provided in Rooms 30 and 50. The lecture will be recorded and posted on
the Web site at a later date.
The lecture will address the social responsibilities of attorneys and is
directed toward students at the Law School and graduate students in the
Department of Political Science. It is co-sponsored by the Law School and
the Institute for Law and Politics.
Nader, a 1958 graduate of Harvard Law School, launched his lifetime of
consumer activism by exposing the unsafe design practices of the
automobile industry, and his 1965 book, Unsafe at Any Speed, is credited
with being the catalyst for passage of the 1966 National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act.
He was also instrumental in passage of the Freedom of Information Act
(1966) and the Wholesome Meat Act (1967) and in creation of the
Environmental Protection Agency, the Consumer Product Safety Commission,
the Occupational Health and Safety Organization, the Disability Rights
Center, the Center for the Study of Responsive Law, and many other
organizations. In 1990, Life magazine named him one of America's Top 100
most influential people of the 20th century.
Since then, Nader has remained in the political and activist arenas
through his persistent opposition to the North American Free Trade
Agreement and his four presidential bids (1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008).
The latest of his more than 30 books, Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!,
will be released nationally Sept. 22.
--------16 of 22--------
From: PRO826 [at] aol.com
Subject: Nader/MPR/KSTPtv 9.30 3pm
MPR, 91.1 FM, 3:00pm (prerecorded)
Nader on TwinCitiesLive, KSTP - channel 5 at 3:00pm
http://www.twincitieslive.com/
http://twincitieslive.com/article/10751/
--------17 of 22--------
From: Women Against Military Madness <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Bridge vigil/Iraq 9.30 5pm
The visiting Iraqi Delegation from Najaf, Iraq will be at the Peace Vigil
on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge this Wednesday, September 30
from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. If you have been to the bridge or have never come
before, please join us this Wednesday to greet our honored guests.
They will be visiting the site of decade-long vigil that has held public
witness against sanctions, war and occupation for the past ten years. The
vigil will be followed by a short gathering during which delegates will
introduce themselves. Representatives of Twin Cities Peace Campaign and
Women Against Military Madness will be at the southeast/Marshall Avenue
side of the bridge.
Background: A delegation of 14 men and women from Najaf, Iraq -
Minneapolis' newest Sister City is visiting the Twin Cities September 18
through October 2, 2009. The visit will be the first official exchange
between the two cities. The delegates will be hosted by the Iraqi and
American Reconciliation Project (IARP), along with Meet Minneapolis:
Official Convention + Visitors Association, the University of Minnesota,
Women Against Military Madness, Twin Cities Peace Campaign-Focus Iraq and
other local organizations. The planning committee has arranged an
extensive agenda for the delegation, including a visit to the Minneapolis
City Council, tours of notable sights in the Twin Cities, a tour of the
Minneapolis Institute of Arts and discussion of Native American art,
meetings with local government and business leaders, visits with
University of Minnesota professors and officials, and an afternoon at a
Minnesota lake. The delegates, coming as peacemakers and guests, will
help set a foundation for future years of visits and sharing between
Minneapolis and Najaf as Sister Cities. For a full schedule of public
events, visit IARP's website at www.reconciliationproject.org/.
--------18 of 22--------
From: Fluffy Singler <fluffysingler [at] earthlink.net>
Subject: Culture jamming 9.30 7pm
Exco: The Experimental College of the Twin Cities presents:
>From Abbie Hoffman to Hothead Paisan: A Brief History (and Practice) of
Culture Jamming
The term culture jamming comes from broadcasting terminology for jamming the
airwaves and involves ways of making your own media to counter the media
messages we see every day. We'll look at the history of culture jamming,
including the Situationists International and the Yippies from the 1960s,
feminist zines from the 1980s and 1990s, among others. We'll watch movies,
including the Situationist classic "Can Dialectics Break Bricks" and the
movie "Conspiracy" about the Chicago 8. We'll also have discussion, and
participate in some low cost/low tech (but potentially high visibility)
culture jamming of our own such as zines and spoof ads.
Wednesday nights
Sept 30th - October 26th
7-9 pm
Blegen Hall at the University of Minnesota
To register, go to http://www.excotc.org or call excotc [at] gmail.com.
For course questions, call 651-276-4758
--------19 of 22--------
From: PRO826 [at] aol.com
Subject: Nader/book talk 9.30 7pm
Nader's Booksigning - 7pm
Magers & Quinn Booksellers present Ralph Nader, reading, discussing, and
signing copies of his new book Only the Superrich Can Save Us (A
Novel) - 7pm Wednesday September 30 at First Universalist Church, 3400
Dupont Avenue S, in Minneapolis.
"In the cozy den of the large but modest house in Omaha where he has lived
since he started on his first billion, Warren Buffett watched the horrors
of Hurricane Katrina unfold on television in early September 2005. . . .
On the fourth day, he beheld in disbelief the paralysis of local, state,
and federal authorities unable to commence basic operations of rescue and
sustenance, not just in New Orleans, but in towns and villages all along
the Gulf Coast. . . He knew exactly what he had to do. . ."
So begins the vivid fictional account by political activist and
bestselling author Ralph Nader that answers the question, "What if?" What
if a cadre of superrich individuals tried to become a driving force in
America to organize and institutionalize the interests of the citizens of
this troubled nation? What if some of America's most powerful individuals
decided it was time to fix our government and return the power to the
people? What if they focused their power on unionizing Wal-Mart? What if a
national political party were formed with the sole purpose of advancing
clean elections? What if these seventeen superrich individuals decided to
galvanize a movement for alternative forms of energy that will effectively
clean up the environment? What if together they took on corporate goliaths
and Congress to provide the necessities of life and advance the solutions
so long left on the shelf by an avaricious oligarchy? What could happen?
This extraordinary story, written by the author who knows the most about
citizen action, returns us to the literature of American social movements
- to Edward Bellamy, to Upton Sinclair, to John Steinbeck, to Stephen
Crane - reminding us in the process that changing the body politic of
America starts with imagination.
For the past forty-five years Ralph Nader has challenged corporations,
government agencies, and institutions to be more accountable to the
public. In 1965, Unsafe at Any Speed changed the face of the automobile
industry and made Ralph Nader a household name. As a result of his
efforts, cars have more safety features. His lobbying and writing on the
food industry insured that the food we buy is required to pass strict
guidelines before reaching the consumer. One of his greatest achievements
was the 1974 amendment to the Freedom of Information Act that gave
increased public access to government documents. This brought freedom of
press to a new level, resulting in increased access for journalists.
Ralph Nader has co-founded numerous public interest groups including
Public Citizen, Critical Mass, Commercial Alert, and the Center for Study
of Responsive Law. In 2004 Nader is mounting his second bid for president
of the United States as an independent candidate, and today continues to
be a relentless force for grassroots activism and democratic change in the
United States.
"One of the 100 most influential Americans in the twentieth
century."--Time
"From auto and airline safety to 'the insurance game,' Nader wins praise
as consumer crusader..."--Booklist
Ralph Nader is available for interviews.
Publisher contact: Ruth Weiner ruth [at] sevenstories.com
For further information about this event, contact: David Unowsky
612/822-4611 davidu [at] magersandquinn.com MAGERS & QUINN BOOKSELLERS 3038
HENNEPIN AVENUE SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS MN 55408 612-822-4611
www.magersandquinn.com
--------20 of 22--------
[The same thing happened here last year, with the collaboration of the
mayors and city councils. None of them should be returned to office. Vote
non-incumbent this November in Mpls & StPaul. -ed]
Street Report from the G20
by Bill Quigley
September 27th, 2009
Dissident Voice
The G20 in Pittsburgh showed us how pitifully fearful our leaders have
become. What no terrorist could do to us, our own leaders did.
Out of fear of the possibility of a terrorist attack, authorities
militarize our towns, scare our people away, stop daily life and quash our
constitutional rights.
For days, downtown Pittsburgh, home to the G20, was a turned into a
militarized people-free ghost town. Sirens screamed day and night.
Helicopters crisscrossed the skies. Gunboats sat in the rivers. The skies
were defended by Air Force jets. Streets were barricaded by huge cement
blocks and fencing. Bridges were closed with National Guard across the
entrances. Public transportation was stopped downtown. Amtrak train
service was suspended for days.
In many areas, there were armed police every 100 feet. Businesses closed.
Schools closed. Tens of thousands were unable to work.
Four thousand police were on duty plus 2500 National Guard plus Coast
Guard and Air Force and dozens of other security agencies. A thousand
volunteers from other police forces were sworn in to help out.
Police were dressed in battle gear, bulky black ninja turtle outfits:
helmets with clear visors, strapped on body armor, shin guards, big boots,
batons, and long guns.
In addition to helicopters, the police had hundreds of cars and
motorcycles, armored vehicles, monster trucks, small electric go-karts.
There were even passenger vans screaming through town so stuffed with
heavily armed ninja turtles that the side and rear doors remained open.
No terrorists showed up at the G20.
Since no terrorists showed up, those in charge of the heavily armed
security forces chose to deploy their forces around those who were
protesting.
Not everyone is delighted that 20 countries control 80% of the world's
resources. Several thousand of them chose to express their displeasure by
protesting.
Unfortunately, the officials in charge thought that it was more important
to create a militarized people-free zone around the G20 people than to
allow freedom of speech, freedom of assembly or the freedom to protest.
It took a lawsuit by the Center for Constitutional Rights and the ACLU to
get any major protest permitted anywhere near downtown Pittsburgh. Even
then, the police "forgot" what was permitted and turned people away from
areas of town. Hundreds of police also harassed a bus of people who were
giving away free food - repeatedly detaining the bus and searching it and
its passengers without warrants.
Then a group of young people decided that they did not need a permit to
express their human and constitutional rights to freedom. They announced
they were going to hold their own gathering at a city park and go down the
deserted city streets to protest the G20. Maybe 200 of these young people
were self-described anarchists, dressed in black, many with bandanas
across their faces. The police warned everyone these people were very
scary. My cab driver said the anarchist spokesperson looked like Harry
Potter in a black hoodie. The anarchists were joined in the park by
hundreds of other activists of all ages, ultimately one thousand strong,
all insisting on exercising their right to protest.
This drove the authorities crazy.
Battle dressed ninja turtles showed up at the park and formed a line
across one entrance. Helicopters buzzed overhead. Armored vehicles
gathered.
The crowd surged out of the park and up a side street yelling, chanting,
drumming, and holding signs. As they exited the park, everyone passed an
ice cream truck that was playing "It's a small world after all". Indeed.
Any remaining doubts about the militarization of the police were dispelled
shortly after the crowd left the park. A few blocks away the police
unveiled their latest high tech anti-protestor toy. It was mounted on the
back of a huge black truck. The Pittsburgh-Gazette described it as Long
Range Acoustic Device designed to break up crowds with piercing noise.
Similar devices have been used in Fallujah, Mosul and Basra Iraq. The
police backed the truck up, told people not to go any further down the
street and then blasted them with piercing noise.
The crowd then moved to other streets. Now they were being tracked by
helicopters. The police repeatedly tried to block them from re-grouping
ultimately firing tear gas into the crowd injuring hundreds including
people in the residential neighborhood where the police decided to
confront the marchers. I was treated to some of the tear gas myself and I
found the Pittsburgh brand to be spiced with a hint of kelbasa.
Fortunately, I was handed some paper towels soaked in apple cider vinegar
which helped fight the tears and cough a bit. Who would have thought?
After the large group broke and ran from the tear gas, smaller groups went
into commercial neighborhoods and broke glass at a bank and a couple of
other businesses. The police chased and the glass breakers ran. And the
police chased and the people ran. For a few hours.
By day the police were menacing, but at night they lost their cool. Around
a park by the University of Pittsburgh the ninja turtles pushed and shoved
and beat and arrested not just protestors but people passing by. One young
woman reported she and her friend watched Grey's Anatomy and were on their
way back to their dorm when they were cornered by police. One was bruised
by police baton and her friend was arrested. Police shot tear gas, pepper
spray, smoke canisters, and rubber bullets. They pushed with big plastic
shields and struck with batons.
The biggest march was Friday. Thousands of people from Pittsburgh and
other places protested the G20. Since the court had ruled on this march,
the police did not confront the marchers. Ninja turtled police showed up
in formation sometimes and the helicopters hovered but no confrontations
occurred.
Again Friday night, riot clad police fought with students outside of the
University of Pittsburgh. To what end was just as unclear as the night
before.
Ultimately about 200 were arrested, mostly in clashes with the police
around the University.
The G20 leaders left by helicopter and limousine.
Pittsburgh now belongs again to the people of Pittsburgh. The cement
barricades were removed, the fences were taken down, the bridges and roads
were opened. The gunboats packed up and left. The police packed away their
ninja turtle outfits and tear gas and rubber bullets. They don't look like
military commandos anymore. No more gunboats on the river. No more sirens
all the time. No more armored vehicles and ear splitting machines used in
Iraq. On Monday the businesses will open and kids will have to go back to
school. Civil society has returned.
It is now probably even safe to exercise constitutional rights in
Pittsburgh once again.
The USA really showed those terrorists didn't we?
Bill Quigley represented Pere Jean-Juste many times in Haiti along with
the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux in Port au Prince and the Institute
for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. Bill is on leave from Loyola
University College of Law in New Orleans serving as Legal Director of the
Center for Constitutional Rights. He can be reached at:
quigley77 [at] gmail.com.
--------21 of 22--------
First They Came For ACORN
by Peter Dreier
Sunday, September 27, 2009
CommonDreams.org
First Big Business, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill
O'Reilly, Lou Dobbs, the Religious Right, the Wall Street Journal, Mitch
McConnell, and Karl Rove came for ACORN, and the Democrats did not speak
out -- because they were not ACORN.
Then they came for SEIU, and the Democrats did not speak out -- because
they were not SEIU.
Then they came for the Apollo Alliance, and the Democrats did not speak
out -- because they were not the Apollo Alliance.
Then they came for the Center for American Progress, and the Democrats did
not speak out -- because they were not the Center for American Progress.
Then they came for the Sierra Club, and the Democrats did not speak out --
because they were not the Sierra Club.
Then they came for the National Organization for Women, and the Democrats
did not speak out -- because they were not the National Organization for
Women.
Then they came for the other community organizers, and the Democrats did
not speak out -- because they were not community organizers.
Then they came for AFSCME, and the Democrats did not speak out -- because
they were not AFSCME.
Then they came for the National Council of La Raza, and the Democrats did
not speak out -- because they were not the National Council of La Raza.
Then they came for the NAACP, and the Democrats did not speak out --
because they were not the NAACP.
Then they came for the ACLU, and the Democrats did not speak out --
because they were not the ACLU.
Then they came for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and the
Democrats did not speak out -- because they were not the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force.
Then they came for the National Council of Churches, and the Democrats did
not speak out -- because they were not the National Council of Churches.
Then they came for the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and the
Democrats did not speak out -- because they were not the Religious Action
Center of Reform Judaism.
Then they came for the AARP, and the Democrats did not speak out --
because they were not the AARP.
Then they came for the Teamsters, and the Democrats did not speak out --
because they were not Teamsters.
Then they came for the Catholic Worker, and the Democrats did not speak
out -- because they were not the Catholic Worker.
Then they came for UNITE HERE, and the Democrats did not speak out --
because they were not UNITE HERE.
Then they came for the Immigrant Solidarity Network, and, the Democrats
did not speak out -- because they were not the Immigrant Solidarity
Network.
Then they came for the National Education Association, and the Democrats
did not speak out -- because they were not the National Education
Association.
Then they came for the U.S. Student Association, and the Democrats did not
speak out -- because they were not the U.S. Student Association.
Then they came for the American Association of University Professors, and
the Democrats did not speak out -- because they were not the American
Association of University Professors
Then Big Business, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly,
Lou Dobbs, the Religious Right, the Wall Street Journal, Mitch McConnell,
and Karl Rove came for the Democrats -- and there was no one left to speak
out for the Democrats. [What pitiful wretches they are. -ed]
Peter Dreier is E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics, and
director of the Urban & Environmental Policy program, at Occidental
College. He is coauthor of Place Matters: Metropolitics for the 21st
Century and The Next Los Angeles: The Struggle for a Livable City. He
writes regularly for the Los Angeles Times, The Nation, and American
Prospect.
--------22 of 22--------
We have two dead heart
dead head parties, They and Them.
Neither one is Us.
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