global justice

The Dangerous Logic of Blocking Protests in the Name of Electing Obama

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 23:30:08 -0700

The Dangerous Logic of Blocking Protests in the Name of Electing Obama

by Sunsara Taylor

www.revcom.us

Millions believe Barack Obama is the anti-war/anti-Bush candidate. In reality, Obama is proving to be the candidate most effective at getting all-too-many “leaders” of the anti-war movement to shut up and even urge others to go along with wars for empire.

In the name of getting Obama elected, the anti-war movement is being demobilized, and firm opposition to the so-called “war on terror” is being silenced.

In May, Chicago anti-war activists brought Scott Ritter, John Mearsheimer, Stephen Kinzer, and Doug Cassel to speak at a town hall style City Council meeting and everyone expected the City Council to pass a resolution against an attack on Iran the next day. But before this could happen, Mayor Daley objected, saying, “Passing a resolution like that puts a lot of burden upon [Obama’s] candidacy and injects something that should not be injected” into the presidential campaign. Since then, the resolution has been sidelined by City Council aldermen and some of the activists who claim to personally support the bill but have accepted Daley’s logic.

And now, as the Democratic National Convention approaches at the end of August in Denver, people like Leslie Cagan of United for Peace and Justice are working to pour cold water on attempts to bring forward meaningful political protest. Recently she suggested that the anti-war movement just “drop the idea of a big march on Sunday, August 24th” and has insisted that “while there is plenty to be critical about in terms of the Democratic Party leadership we would NOT want [people] to see this as an anti-Democratic Party protest.”

the Visionary Report (inaugural post)

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:36:44 -0700

Over and over we are so-called "educated" to believe in and trust a Certain Way Of Doing Things. Chomsky sheds light on this "good education" a little, and decolonizing indigenous folks shed much more light.

You read things like "Just Leave Us Alone!" by a Papua New Guinea tribesman, and you begin to see that there is more to the picture than what has been systematically presented to all of us living uncritically within colonial societies.

That is a first step. A little Chomsky (whatever incites you), then a good dose of pre-and de-colonizing indigenous folks' ways of seeing. The next step is to see how these truths affect you on a personal, day-to-day basis. How are you colonized (i.e. kept reduced from your original intent to truly live)? In what ways are you and yours affected by this reducing of who we are?

The next step after beginning to basically see these truths is to perhaps play more; that is, create yourself and your life (including at work) how you would LIKE to live. And to go through and beyond the belief that such things are "impossible".
This is *the* innaugaration of "the visionary report", a report whose author(s) wish to inspire people, in a regularly appearing way, beyond the same old again and towards evolutionary meaning and living in this world.

Protest Coca-Cola in solidarity with Colombian workers

coyote — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 07:34:37 -0700

Start: 07/22/2008 - 4:00pm

End: 07/22/2008 - 5:00pm

trade unionists in colombia have requested that there be a protest of some sort in atlanta on tuesday, july 22, concerning the severe repression by death squads acting in collusion with the colombian government and multi-nationals such as coca cola.
the date coincides with actions around the world as well as an international tribunal in bogata.

after consultation, the proposed action will be from 4-5pm at the world of coke across the street from centennial olympic park and the children's museum. there is a good amount of vehicle traffic at this corner and some pedestians as well.

the plan is centered around visibility with large banners at the corner and in front of the entrance to the building. exposing coca cola's role in the repression
a press conference with representation from labor, students, civil rights and other community groups is also under discussion as the lead-off element.
an informational flyer will be distributed.

G8 Japan "Way to Hokkaido 1 - Landing and IRA"

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:22:07 -0700

::Watch video::

Information and recording: www.anticapitalistas.net

Edition and translation: www.la-plataforma.net

Download Original Sound Track:

http://argentina.indymedia.org/uploads/2008/06/la_plataforma_tokio.mp3

WHEN THE US INNOCENT WERE ABANDONED BY THE GUILTY !

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:15:30 -0700

AMERICANS ARE SLOWLY LEARNING ABOUT HOW EASY IT IS FOR OUR COUNTRY TO HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FALSLY IMPRISONED US INMATES NATIONWIDE!!

What kind of Judeau Christian values is our country demonstrating to the rest of the world when our national prisons are reported to contain 100,000 innocent and falsely imprisoned inmates who can not find even one American Political Leader or National Media source willing to take the high road in fighting for justice and equality within our federal appeal judicial process?

** Great societies that do not protect even their innocent, become the guilty!

POORER AMERICANS NEED WORLD'S COURT HELP !

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:36:21 -0700

POORER AMERICANS NEED WORLD'S COURT HELP !

by Douglas Field | 06.16.2008

WHEN THE WORLD'S INTERNATIUONAL COMMUNITY LEARNED THE TRUTH !

I hate to say it, but I do believe that this injustice that our US judicial system has been inflicting on the tens of thousands of our Middle Class and Working Poor Amercans (who are the least educated US prison inmates) with prolonged incarceration, is a very realistic human rights violation if not a crime against humanity issue.

The International World Court and United Nations should be investigating why only wealthy Americans are able to receive federal retrials using proper legal representation and US poorer prison inmates are forced to be their own best lawyers from prison and failing in mass at their opportunities for federal retrial reviews.

Our judicial system just recently released 360 men who spent 25 to 40 years being incarcerated for rapes they never committed! Had these judicial victims been given appeal attorneys for their federal appeal reviews, just maybe they might have been given retrials and not have had to wait until DNA evidence exonerated them decades later.

Until our judicial system becomes so perfected to always accurately charge and convict the right individuals with crimes,we all have to stay focused on preserving every legal opportunity for the truly innocent to be able to rise up and out of our cold hearted prison system that treats everyone in their grasp as guilty equals.

G8 repression in Japan

coyote — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:54:48 -0700

Over 40 people have been arrested in pre-emptive sweeps of broad left and anarchist groups.

Kin-chan from the Kamagasaki Patrol, who is constantly followed by police and usually has a helicopter following him at demonstrations, was arrested yesterday morning. They haven't even come up with a charge for him apparently. Falsifying the reasons may be difficult since there are no problems with his address registration or parole. Nevertheless he will be held for 23 days for sure.

The same day a union in Rakunan, Kyoto was raided, had their office searched and 2 of their members arrested (details below in Japanese).

Not clear when this happened just yet but 4 members of the Chuukaku-ha Leninist organization were arrested in Tokyo, apparently members of the leadership.

On May 29th, there were 38 people arrested at Hosei University in Tokyo, at a political assembly against the G8 at the University. Dunno why this hasn't made the activist newswires, perhaps I don't know some details or perhaps it's because they're communists? Vague.

http://hosei29.blog.shinobi.jp/Date/20080531/ (for details)

Tabi Rounin (Rebel Jill) will probably be out on the 27th, won't likely let him out before the g8.

A bank account has been set up at the post office to support Tabi:

Yuubin Furikae Kouza 00200-5-38572 Meigi 5-16 Kitsuke Kokushoku Enkai

Monetary contributions could go there if it were even realistic to transfer money internationally. We've already gathered some money for his defense.

Tabi is apparently doing well inside, and is full of spirit.

Free the Cuban Five!

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:45:20 -0700

Attorney Leonard Weinglass:

"There are 40 pages of ideological prejudice in the
new ruling from Atlanta"

ARLEEN RODRIGUEZ DERIVET

A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals of Atlanta upheld Wednesday the guilty verdicts of the Cuban Five, prisoners in the United States since 1998. It also vacated the sentences of three of the men, ordering a new sentencing in Miami. The sentences of Rene Gonzalez (15 years) and Gerardo Hernandez (two life terms plus 15 years) were maintained. In the case of Hernandez, the panel voted 2-1. A 16-page [minority] opinion of Judge Phyllis Kravitch states that the government did not present sufficient evidence to prove Gerardo's guilt in the charge of conspiracy to commit murder.

The cases of Ramon Labanino (life sentence plus 18 years), Fernando Gonzalez (19 years) and Antonio Guerrero (life sentence plus 10 years) were sent to the Florida Court for re-sentencing. It will be Judge Joan Lenard who will announce a hearing to issue the new sentencing. Lenard was the presiding judge who, in 2001, issued the harsh sentences to the Cuban Five. The 99-page ruling of the Appeals Court of Atlanta, which explicitly favors the government position, was drafted in a politically charged language unusual for legal texts. It states that the defense arguments in their appeal "are meritless."

read more

Congress Must Apply Strategic Economic Sanctions Against Saudi Arabia and OPEC Nations

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:32:42 -0700
It is time the U.S. "steps-up to the plate" and starts "swinging" aggressively at the oil cartel. There is a simple solution to high gas prices and the oil crisis.
Plain and simple:

The U.S. must withhold sending military intelligence services, weaponry, planes and arms to Saudi Arabia until that nation leads the OPEC nations in increasing oil production.

The law of supply and demand would settle the oil and gas crisis.

If it did this today, the U.S. within weeks would see a cut in oil and gas prices.

So, why is our Congress so complacent and willing to sit back and watch as Americans pay more and more at the gas pumps?

The time to act is now!

---

www.pstern.statesmanblogs.com

60 Latin American Coca-Cola Unions Unite to Launch Regional Federation

coyote — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:26:56 -0700
Sixty unions from ten Latin American countries united in Buenos Aires on May 7 to launch the Latin American Federation of Coca-Cola Workers (FELATRAC) under the aegis of the IUF. The federation is the concrete result of the long-standing work of the IUF Latin American Regional Secretariat to build up company- and sector-wide organizations in close cooperation with the affiliates. FELATRAC elected a president (Raúl Álvarez, general secretary of the Argentinean Federation of Workers of the Carbonated Water Industry (FATAGA), vice-president (Francisco Argüeta, general secretary of Guatemala's STECSA), and four coordinators: one for each sub-region of the regional secretariat.

Interviewed at the founding meeting, Argüeta commented: “These efforts to consolidate IUF's activity within Coca-Cola are coordinated with our efforts to design a union structure that will provide coverage for all the workers of company in Guatemala. Now, together with the FELATRAC, we have to strengthen the efforts of our sister organizations in Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, and continue to move forward until every Coca-Cola worker is unionized.”
http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&ID=5051&v...