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http://youtu.be/iNbZjTlpM6w
SIRATYST (Stuff I Read and Thought You Should Too) -- “To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace.” (Calgacus, as quoted by Tacitus, Agricola 30-31)"
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Israel Does Not Know How To Deal with Newest Crop of Courageous Non-Violent Palestinians
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http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/02/26/197116.html
Palestinian nonviolent youth activist, Fadi Quran was assaulted and arrested in Palestine on Friday as he demonstrated for the reopening of the Shuhada Street to Palestinians.
Quran’s crime? Israeli officials say Fadi “pushed” a soldier.
Shuhada Street is located in the heart of Hebron and is the central thoroughfare connecting all corners of the city. It has been closed to Palestinians since the Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre in 1994.
The Stanford Daily, the online publication of Stanford University in the U.S., from where Quran graduated reported on Friday: “Quran, a Palestinian Stanford graduate from the West Bank and U.S. citizen, was arrested today in Hebron, West Bank, for allegedly pushing an Israeli soldier, according to tweets from journalists and activists in Palestine.”
However, live footage from the demo reveals Quran, visibly upset as he talks to Israeli soldiers, but there is no image of a physical attack on his part. Instead he is seen being gripped by several soldiers and pushed toward a police van. The video also shows an officer using pepper spray on Quran before throwing him on the floor where his head hits the bumper of the van, as soldiers violently try to get him inside the vehicle.
Jake Horowitz, a friend of Quran’s from Stanford who is providing constant updates about his situation, last reported that Quran is currently being held in Ofer military jail. He was supposed to be brought to court on Sunday, charged with battering a soldier but it has been delayed till Monday.
Quran could be held for an unlimited period of time waiting for a court verdict, since Israel’s administrative detention procedure permits it.
Horowitz met Quran on a trip to “Ahmedabad, India, where both studied nonviolence and its advocates, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, with a group of Stanford students at Gandhi’s ashram. Quran participated in a three-week academic seminar in order to learn concrete skills of nonviolent protest.”
Only a few weeks earlier, the world was following up on the story of Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan’s hunger strike protesting his administrative detention. Adnan agreed to a deal that would secure his release in April after enduring a 66-day hunger strike that garnered worldwide media attention. [Plus, Hana’a Shalabi is in her 10th day of a hunger strike in detention: http://palsolidarity.org/2012/02/palestinian-female-detainee-hanaa-shalabi-on-tenth-day-of-hunger-strike/]
A Facebook page called “Free Fadi Quran” has been created as well as an online petition to pressure the authorities to set him free. “Fadi should not be detained for an indefinite period of time on false charges. It is imperative that the Israeli government release Fadi so that he may continue to speak for his people and PEACEFULLY push for basic human rights” states the petition.
In a March 2011 issue, Time magazine described Fadi Quran as the Face of the new Middle East: “He is a Palestinian who has returned home to start an alternative-energy company and see what he can do to help create a Palestinian state. He identifies with neither of the two preeminent Palestinian political factions, Hamas and Fatah. His allegiance is to the Facebook multitudes who orchestrated the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and who are organizing nonviolent protests throughout the region. In the Palestinian territories, the social-networking rebels call themselves the March 15 movement.”
In that same article, Quran says: “I think about the dogs unleashed on Martin Luther King in Birmingham. I think about the beatings. That's what it took for Americans to see the justice of his cause. We will be risking our lives, but that is what it takes.”
Fadi Quran was arrested on his 24th birthday.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Malcolm X: Black Nationalism and Resistance
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http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/articles/77-revolutionaries/15566-malcolm-x-black-nationalism-and-resistance
Malcolm X is perhaps best known for his categorical opposition to racism in 1960s America. Assassinated while addressing a political rally on the 21st February 1965, Malcolm has continued to inspire new generations of anti-racists, anti-imperialists and anti-capitalists long after his death. His life and legacy – although controversial – continues to be an inspiration and provides many important lessons for the times ahead.
Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little in 1925 in Nebraska, grew up in a society surrounded by racism and poverty in an economically bleak America. His autobiography gives insight into the brutality and struggle of daily existence; the framing of his father and his eventual murder for his outspoken black nationalism; and the strain of bringing up eight children on his mother who was later admitted into a mental asylum in 1939. Despite this turbulent childhood Malcolm did well as school. But he quickly learned the prejudice and injustice of being Black in a society filled with racist bigotry: on telling his teacher of his dream of becoming a lawyer he was very abruptly informed that being a lawyer was “no realistic goal for a nigger”. After dropping out of school Malcolm soon made his way to Boston, moving from one job to another until he became involved in organized crime, and was eventually arrested for burglary in 1946.
During his incarceration Malcolm came into contact with The Nation of Islam also known as ‘Black Muslims’ – an organisation led by Elijah Muhammad. Members of the Nation would replace their surname with the letter X as a symbol representing the unknown African name taken from their ancestors by slave owners. He joined the Nation and after his release from prison was quickly elevated to become its leading spokesperson. He used this position to articulate a position of militant black nationalism – in stark contrast to the mainstream of the civil rights movement. While their support for black separatism was controversial and their rejection of white anti-racists provocative, the Nation saw its membership increase substantially due to their militant position within the growing civil rights movement and the oratorical genius that Malcolm possessed.
So it was shocking to many when growing disillusionment with Elijah Muhammad forced Malcolm to leave the organization in 1964. Apart from the host of scandals Malcolm uncovered, one of his political points of departure with the Nation was caused by their unwillingness to organize the growing anger towards racism on the streets. Black America needed an expression – and the Nation was simply not fit for purpose.
After his departure from the Nation of Islam Malcolm spent time travelling the Middle East and Africa where his experiences would challenge his long held ideological views and would transform his beliefs and his conceptualization of black nationalism. On his return to the U.S he founded the Muslim Mosque Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity. His radical ethos was clear – armed self-defence against aggressors, and the pursuit of freedom, justice and equality “by any means necessary.”
The international travels had taught Malcolm about the need for global resistance, bringing together the domestic struggle of African Americans for equal rights with the liberation struggles of Third World nations. He was eager to meet the leaders of the civil rights movement and to turn the struggle of civil rights into a fight for wider human rights moving it from a primarily domestic issue to an international one. He also recognized the impact of capitalism on the world and while sceptical of the socialism practised by both the USSR and the American left he espoused a strong anti-capitalism, famously stating “show me a capitalist and I’ll show you a bloodsucker”. He understood well the use of racism by the ruling class as a means of divide and rule- “You can’t have capitalism without racism.”
Malcolm began to argue that unity would be central to any fight against oppression and in the struggle for equality: “When the day comes when the whites who are really fed-up — I don’t mean these jive whites who pose as liberals — learn how to establish the proper type of communication with those uptown who are fed-up, and they get some co-ordinated action going, you’ll get some changes… And it will take both.” Over the years we see a shift in Malcolm’s views – moving away from the spiritual philosophy of the Nation of Islam towards a far more political black nationalism with an international perspective.
Although marred in controversy for most of his life because of the radical views he possessed, much can be learned from the legacy of Malcolm X. Central to his ideas was the importance of struggle – to engage in struggle, the need for action and most importantly, unity. Later in life he stressed the importance of resisting globally – of bringing together the domestic struggle with the international struggle against imperialism. He states “It is incorrect to classify the revolt of the Negro as simply a radical conflict of black against white or as a purely American problem. Rather, we are today seeing a global rebellion of the oppressed against the oppressor, the exploited against the exploiter.”
Today his ideas resonate more than ever as we face a global economic crisis in which our resistance must also be global. Where racism and war are used to divide us – we must stress the importance of unity in our struggle for greater equality and freedom. Where the struggle can often become domesticated we must raise the call for internationalism. At a time when we are being told to pay for an economic crisis that we did not create we must argue for militant resistance.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Seattle Voices of Palestine Supports Hunger Striker Khader Adnan. Free Khader Adnan!
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Seattle Voices of Palestine supports hunger striker Khader Adnan held in Israeli administrative detention for over 2 months without charge. Dying to live!
Stop Administrative Detention, Israel!
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Mumia Calls on You to ‘Occupy 4 Prisoners’ Monday, Feb. 20
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This drawing by Rashid Johnson for his comrades in California was immediately adopted as the icon of the hunger strikes that drew over 12,000 participants. Rashid, who excels not only as an artist but as a writer as well, is commonly compared to the legendary George Jackson. – Drawing: Kevin “Rashid” Johnson
[DETAILS OF OCCUPY 4 PRISONERS AT LINK BELOW]http://sfbayview.com/2012/mumia-calls-on-you-to-occupy-4-prisoners-monday-feb-20/
Friday, February 17, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Solidarity from Students in Glasgow, Scotland -- Khader Adnan
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http://khaderadnan.posterous.com/solidarity-from-students-in-glasgow-scotland
We, students in Glasgow, Scotland from the Palestine Societies at
Glasgow Caledonian University and the University of Glasgow held a vigil
action on Tuesday 14th February joining others around the world in a
day of solidarity with you in your brave struggle on behalf of your
fellow prisoners against the occupier and it's apartheid system. Your
brave fight, although shamefully slowly, has now reached UK media and
the the facade of liberal democracy Israel uses to hide it's true and
ugly apartheid reality has suffered another crack due to your actions.
We
salute your sumud and your bravery which personify the heroic
resistance of the people of Palestine, and we sincerely hope you and
your family know you are not alone, Palestine is not alone and take some
small comfort in the knowledge that here in Scotland, in the north of
the old evil empire that cursed Palestine with Balfour, support for the
Palestinian rights of freedom, equality and return is solid. You and
Palestine in general are a source of inspiration to us and people all
over the world who at a time of Western capitalism's meltdown are facing
injustice like never before.
Next week, students in
over 20 universities in the UK will be doing in actions and events to
mark the 8th international Israeli Apartheid Week and core to that will
be the issue of Khader Adnan and Israel's draconian use of
'administrative detention' and the aim of these activities is to
challenge Israeli economic and financial interests with the tools given
to us by the campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against the
racist, apartheid State of Israel. Again, we hope this offers some small
comfort and thank you for being a true inspiration to us and people
across the world fighting oppression and injustice in it's many forms,
you are a hero, you are a giant, you are Palestine.
Glasgow Caledonian University Palestine Society
University of Glasgow Palestine Society
(Both part of the Federation of Student Palestine Societies)
Reminder: Vigil for a Free Palestine- This Saturday, Feb 18 at Westlake
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Please watch this short video and then pass it on to
your family and friends. We owe it to these children to tell their
story and also to do whatever we can to end this injustice in Palestine.
Saturday, Feb 18
12:00 - 2:00pm
Westlake Plaza, 4th & Pine downtown Seattle
Westlake Plaza, 4th & Pine downtown Seattle
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Khader Adnan begins his 57th day on Hunger Strike
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http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=341998115840683
Khader Adnan is set to begin his 57th day on hunger strike, and is determined to fast until death. Speaking today from his prison cell, where he is shackled to his bed, Khader delivered the following statement:
A video message of support and solidarity has come from a former Irish Hunger Striker. Tommy McKearney went 53 days without food in 1980, and was close to death before ending his fast. He knows only too well the difficulties facing Khadner, and has appealed for the international community to put pressure on the authorities to release him.
Click on the following link and watch Tommy's plea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1iwWZJPl_k
In 1981 Bobby Sands died after 66 days on hunger strike. A trust set up in Bobby's name has now highlighted Khader's case:
http://www.bobbysandstrust.com/archives/2527
Today, hundreds gathered at the entrance to the Ofer prison and military court, where Palestinians are tried and imprisoned by Israel. 16 people were injured by rubber-coated bullets shot by Israeli forces, and four were arrested during protests.
An on line petition has been set up, and people from all over the world have signed to show their support and to call for his release:
http://signon.org/sign/khader-adnans-life-at-1?source=s.tw&r_by=2470434
Khader has now entered a critical stage in his hunger strike, where his death could come in a matter of hours. According to a 2006 study by the British Medical Association, during the 1980 and 1981 hunger strikes in Northern Ireland, death generally occurred between 55 and 75 days. In general, the final stage of a hunger strike occurs between 45 to 75 days due to cardiovascular collapse or severe arrhythmias.
Please do what you can to save Khader Adnan's life. Contact the following people and demand that they intervene and save his life:
Please FAX to EU Court of Human Rights (which does not accept emails):
+ 33 (0)3 88 41 27 30
Please EMAIL to the below:
Secretary General Ban Ki-moonUnited NationsNew York, NY 10017 USA
tel: 212-963-5012
fax: 212-963-7055 FAX !!!Email: ecu@un.org
Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions in GenevaAvenue de la Paix 1-31202 GenevaFax: +41 22 716 05 55,Email: mission-israel@geneva.mfa.gov.il
Write to Israeli Embassies and Consulates in your own country. A directory of Israeli embassies can be found on the website of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the following link:http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Sherut/IsraeliAbroad
Khader Adnan is set to begin his 57th day on hunger strike, and is determined to fast until death. Speaking today from his prison cell, where he is shackled to his bed, Khader delivered the following statement:
“I started my battle offering my soul to God almighty and adamant to go ahead until righteousness triumphs over falsehood. I am defending my dignity and my people’s dignity and not doing this in vain.
"The Israeli occupation has gone to extremes against our people, especially prisoners. I have been humiliated, beaten, and harassed by interrogators for no reason, and thus I swore to God I would fight the policy of administrative detention to which I and hundreds of my fellow prisoners fell prey,” Adnan wrote.His letter, delivered by Jalal Abu Wasil, a lawyer from the Palestinian ministry of prisoners affairs who visited him in hospital, also highlighted that Adnan refused to be examined by doctors.
“Here I am in a hospital bed surrounded with prison wardens, handcuffed, and my foot tied to the bed. The only thing I can do is offer my soul to God as I believe righteousness and justice will eventually triumph over tyranny and oppression.”
“I hereby assert that I am confronting the occupiers not for my own sake as an individual, but for the sake of thousands of prisoners who are being deprived of their simplest human rights while the world and international community look on,"
"It is time the international community and the UN support prisoners and force the State of Israel to respect international human rights and stop treating prisoners as if they were not humans.Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement today where they called on Israel to either release Khader or charge him with an offence.
“Israel should immediately end its unlawful administrative detention of Adnan and charge or release him,”Support for Khader has come from across the world, with demonstrations been held in many towns and cities. In Gaza and the West Bank, dozens of Palestinians have embarked on a hunger strike in solidarity with Khader.
“He may be approaching death from his hunger strike, and yet Israel is chaining him to his hospital bed without bothering to even charge him with any wrongdoing,”
A video message of support and solidarity has come from a former Irish Hunger Striker. Tommy McKearney went 53 days without food in 1980, and was close to death before ending his fast. He knows only too well the difficulties facing Khadner, and has appealed for the international community to put pressure on the authorities to release him.
Click on the following link and watch Tommy's plea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1iwWZJPl_k
In 1981 Bobby Sands died after 66 days on hunger strike. A trust set up in Bobby's name has now highlighted Khader's case:
http://www.bobbysandstrust.com/archives/2527
Today, hundreds gathered at the entrance to the Ofer prison and military court, where Palestinians are tried and imprisoned by Israel. 16 people were injured by rubber-coated bullets shot by Israeli forces, and four were arrested during protests.
An on line petition has been set up, and people from all over the world have signed to show their support and to call for his release:
http://signon.org/sign/khader-adnans-life-at-1?source=s.tw&r_by=2470434
Khader has now entered a critical stage in his hunger strike, where his death could come in a matter of hours. According to a 2006 study by the British Medical Association, during the 1980 and 1981 hunger strikes in Northern Ireland, death generally occurred between 55 and 75 days. In general, the final stage of a hunger strike occurs between 45 to 75 days due to cardiovascular collapse or severe arrhythmias.
Please do what you can to save Khader Adnan's life. Contact the following people and demand that they intervene and save his life:
Please FAX to EU Court of Human Rights (which does not accept emails):
+ 33 (0)3 88 41 27 30
Please EMAIL to the below:
Secretary General Ban Ki-moonUnited NationsNew York, NY 10017 USA
tel: 212-963-5012
fax: 212-963-7055 FAX !!!Email: ecu@un.org
Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions in GenevaAvenue de la Paix 1-31202 GenevaFax: +41 22 716 05 55,Email: mission-israel@geneva.mfa.gov.il
Write to Israeli Embassies and Consulates in your own country. A directory of Israeli embassies can be found on the website of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the following link:http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Sherut/IsraeliAbroad
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
TAKE URGENT ACTION: DAY 53 OF KHADER ADNAN'S HUNGER STRIKE
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Shortlink: http://samidoun.ca/?p=133 On the 17th of December 2011 (53 days ago), Khader Adnan began his hunger strike in protest of his ill-treatment in Israeli detention and his arbitrary detention without charge or trial (known as Administrative Detention). He is in danger of dying at any moment. His wife, Randa, who saw him for the first time since his detention today described his condition as rapidly deteriorating and that he has lost a third of his weight and his hair.TAKE ACTION NOW!1.Call and demand the release of Khader Adnan, who has not been charged with any crime but instead is being held under Administrative Detention.
Call the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC (1.202.364.5500) OR your local Embassy (for a list, click here).Call the office of Jeffrey Feltman, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs (1.202.647.7209)Demand that Jeffrey Feltman bring this issue urgently to his counterparts in Israel and raise the question of Khader Adnan’s administrative detention.2. Organize a protest outside your local Israeli Embassy (for a list, click here).Post your local actions to the Khader Adnan facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Khader-Adnan/23695 3309725144 Help us spread the word with social media after you take action.
Download this photo of Khader Adnan to use for your social media profile pictures and click on the suggested messages below and they will be automatically tweeted.3. Other Actions
- To contact the authorities within Israel, see Addameer’s appeal.
- Other ideas for actions and a letter-writing template can be found on this action alert from Samidoun (The Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network).
- See Amnesty International’s report and app
eal to action. Khader Adnan, the father of two daughters and with a third child on the way, is a baker, a Masters student in Economics at Birzeit University, and a political activist. Khader, was arrested on December 17, 2011 by masked soldiers who raided his home in the middle of the night (the village of Arrabe near Jenin in the occupied West Bank). Between the 18th and the 29th of January 2012, he was subjected to almost daily cruel and inhumane interrogations. During interrogations, he was shackled to a crooked chair with his hands tied behind his back in a position that caused him back pain. He said that interrogators threatened him constantly and verbally abused him and his family.Khader was given a four-month administrative detention order on January 8, 2012. Khader’s interrogation period has ended but he refuses to accept the unjust system of administrative detention [more details], continuing his strike on the principle that such detention is a violation of his rights and identity. Administrative detention, a regular practice of the Israeli occupation, violates the internationally-recognized right to a fair trial. International standards for fair trial must be upheld for all political detainees, including those accused of violence, even under states of emergency. A military judge reviewed the administrative detention order on February 1, 2012 and is expected to inform lawyers of her decision later on this week.Meanwhile, Khader’s health is deteriorating rapidly and doctors don’t expect him to be able to survive for much longer.
"Love me, love me, love me, I'm a Liberal (Thank you, Phil Ochs. We miss you.)" -- from the Inimitable Bill Blum
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http://killinghope.org/bblum6/aer102.html
Angela Davis, star of the 1960s, like most members of the Communist Party, was/is no more radical than the average American liberal. Here she is recently addressing Occupy Wall Street: "When I said that we need a third party, a radical party, I was projecting toward the future. We cannot allow a Republican to take office. ... Don't we remember what it was like when Bush was president?" 12
Yes, Angela, we remember that time well. How can we forget it since Bush, by all important standards, is still in the White House? Waging perpetual war, relentless surveillance of the citizenry, kissing the corporate ass, police brutality? ... What's changed? Except for the worse. Where's our single-payer national health insurance? Nothing even close. Where's our affordable university education? Still the most backward in the "developed" world. Where's our legalized marijuana — I mean really legalized? If you think that's changed, you must be stoned. Where's our abortion on demand? What does your guy Barack think about that? Are the indispensable labor unions being rescued from oblivion? Ha! The ultra-important minimum wage? Inflation adjusted, equal to the mid-1950s.
Has the American threat to the environment and the world environmental movement ceased? Tell that to a dedicated activist-internationalist. Has the 50-year-old embargo against Cuba finally ended? It has not, and I can still not go there legally. The police-state War on Terror at home? Scarcely a month goes by without the FBI entrapping some young "terrorists". Are more Banksters and Wall Street Society-Screwers (except for the harmless insider-traders) being imprisoned? Name one. The really tough regulations of the financial area so badly needed? Keep waiting. How about executives of the BP Oil Spill Company being arrested? Or war criminals, mass murderers, and torturers with names like ... Oh, I don't know, let's see ... maybe like Cheney or Bush or Rumsfeld or Wolfowitz or someone with a crazy name like Condoleezza? All walking completely free, all celebrated.
"A major decline of progressive America occurred during the Clinton years as many liberals and their organizations accepted the presence of a Democratic president as an adequate substitute for the things liberals once believed in. Liberalism and a social democratic spirit painfully grown over the previous 60 years withered during the Clinton administration." — Sam Smith13
"A change of Presidents is like a change of advertising campaigns for a soft drink; the product itself still tastes the same, but it now has a new 'image'." — Richard K. Moore
Monday, February 06, 2012
06 February Anniversary Message from Leonard Peltier
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http://lpdoc.blogspot.com/2012/02/06-february-anniversary-message-from.html
http://lpdoc.blogspot.com/2012/02/06-february-anniversary-message-from.html
Greetings to my relations, my friends, and to my many supporters the world over.
It is that time again. Another year has passed, and on February 6th I will be marking 36 years since my arrest. During all this time, my family and allies have discovered just how far the government will go to wrongfully convict and imprison someone they know is innocent. They do this as a message—first to Indians, and further to anyone who might stand up to injustice—as if to say, “We will do as we please”.
From the day of my arrest until now, through you my supporters, I have been honored with many activist and humanitarian awards. I thank you for keeping awareness of me and my case alive. Your commitment has really been a special experience for me.
In addition many celebrities, political figures, and organizations have called for my release, including 55 members of Congress. This last November, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) passed a permanent resolution calling for my release. Well let’s hope its not that permanent. The NCAI has committed to being directly involved with my case so that the message from Washington to Indian people does not remain, “We will do as we please”.
Still, despite all this attention and with all the leaders and people of conscience calling for my release, I have been kept in this iron cage. They have even kept me longer than their own laws say they can. With evidence corroborating that I did not receive a fair trial, with proof of government misconduct, with admissions by government officials that they do not know who killed those two agents that day at the Jumping Bull property, here I sit. “We will do as we please.”
Recently, as many of you know, an act was passed and signed into law that allows for indefinite detention of American citizens without charge or trial. This is perhaps the final straw, the final nail in the coffin of American freedom, the end of habeas corpus and due process. “We will do as we please.”
We Indians said it for generations: If they can kill us indiscriminately, they will do it to anyone. If they can take our land, they will do it to anyone. If they can kidnap our children and take them to prison schools, they will do it to anyone. If they can starve us and lie to us, they will do it to anyone. If they can wrongfully imprison us, they will do it to anyone. Now, sadly, this is another Indian prophecy fulfilled. “We will do as we please.”
Our ancestors and tribal people all over the world prophesized a time of upheaval and great change. I believe that time is fast approaching. I believe a part of this is the government’s ongoing overreach of its authority—until the people rise up and tell Washington, “You will NOT do as you please! We are NOT your slaves! We will NOT be subjugated! We will NOT be ruled by an iron fist! We will NOT allow you to steal our liberty or our justice!"
My friends, my relatives, my supporters—Be a part of this latest, perhaps the last "Indian uprising". Make your voice heard! Be a part of the brave Movement to come, the Movement that will change the course of human history. Make change and hope and peace and justice a part of your personal legacy. Be the change that you envision and know in your heart must take place.
Do this, and on the day you take your last breath and prepare to meet Creator, you will know your life on this Earth was well spent. Close your eyes knowing you used your breath and energy to Creator’s good purpose. Smile as you cross over knowing you changed the world so that the next seven generations can know a good life. Do these things and know that I am with you. I will embrace you as my relations—in this life or the next.
Mitakuye Oyasin.
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,
Sunday, February 05, 2012
"Obama Terror Drones: CIA Tactics in Pakistan include Targeting Rescuers and Funerals"
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http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2012/02/04/obama-terror-drones-cia-tactics-in-pakistan-include-targeting-rescuers-and-funerals/
EXCERPT:
EXCERPT:
The CIA’s drone campaign in Pakistan has killed dozens of civilians who had gone to help rescue victims or were attending funerals, an investigation by the Bureau for the Sunday Times has revealed.
The findings are published just days after President Obama claimed that the drone campaign in Pakistan was a ‘targeted, focused effort’ that ‘has not caused a huge number of civilian casualties.’
Speaking publicly for the first time on the controversial CIA drone strikes, Obama claimed last week they are used strictly to target terrorists, rejecting what he called ‘this perception we’re just sending in a whole bunch of strikes willy-nilly’.
‘Drones have not caused a huge number of civilian casualties’, he told a questioner at an on-line forum. ‘This is a targeted, focused effort at people who are on a list of active terrorists trying to go in and harm Americans’.
But research by the Bureau has found that since Obama took office three years ago, between 282 and 535 civilians have been credibly reported as killed including more than 60 children. A three month investigation including eye witness reports has found evidence that at least 50 civilians were killed in follow-up strikes when they had gone to help victims. More than 20 civilians have also been attacked in deliberate strikes on funerals and mourners. The tactics have been condemned by leading legal experts.
Although the drone attacks were started under the Bush administration in 2004, they have been stepped up enormously under Obama.
There have been 260 attacks by unmanned Predators or Reapers in Pakistan by Obama’s administration – averaging one every four days. Because the attacks are carried out by the CIA, no information is given on the numbers killed.
Rachel Corrie Cited as Inspiration as Occupy Oakland Endorses BDS in Landside
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http://mondoweiss.net/2012/02/occupy-oaklands-landslide-bds-endorsement.html
EXCERPT:
EXCERPT:
However, occupiers did not need much convincing on why BDS should be endorsed. During comments, an occupier named Alessandro said, "I am fully in support of this proposal," continuing, "U.S. imperialism is the biggest oppression in the entire world and Israel is their number one client." This was echoed by another who received an ovation for stating "I am indebted to Rachel Corrie for giving me the courage to stand in solidarity with oppressed people." At this time Webber added "Occupy Oakland has been in solidarity with Egypt," a reference to a number of occupy-sponsored Egypt events. And, when occupiers were first "kettled," or surrounded, by police during the weekend’s arrest, they expressed solidarity with the Arab Spring by chanting "Egypt and Oakland are one fist!" Jumping off of the connections vocalized by occupiers, Webber continued, "I don’t think it’s a stretch to extend our solidarity across the Rafah border."
At that, the assembly laughed, and shortly after the vote was counted. Hugs and smiles were shared, and the group moved on to the next agenda item.
Khouri hopes the occupy movement will continue to press for more material BDS gains.
We hope this is the first step to building support and awareness about these critical issues, and that this proposal will be followed by similar proposals in other GA's. The process is simple and I would like to encourage those you involved in occupy movements throughout the country, to do the same.Oakland is the first occupy movement general assembly to endorse BDS against Israel, and by extension, the first to formally endorse the Palestinian cause.
Free Leonard Peltier Now! Rally Feb. 4, 2012 in Tacoma
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| Broken Treaties, Broken Promises Free Leonard Peltier |
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| Rally at Tacoma Courthouse |
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| Members of Voices of Palestine Make the Connection |
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| Jimbo Simmons, American Indian Movement Activist Who Sailed in Gaza Flotilla to Break Siege |
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| Crowd of 300 at Free Leonard Peltier Rally |
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Int'l Solidarity With Leonard Peltier, Sat. Feb. 4th, Tacoma
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INTERNATIONAL DAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH LEONARD PELTIER
NW REGIONAL MARCH AND RALLY FOR CLEMENCY FOR LEONARD PELTIER
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY, 4, 2012, TACOMA, WA.
12:00 NOON: MARCH FOR JUSTICE
Portland Ave. Park (on Portland Ave. between E. 35th & E. Fairbanks. Take Portland Ave. exit off I-5 and head east)
1:00 PM: RALLY FOR JUSTICE U.S. Federal Court House, 1717-Pacific Ave.
SPEAKERS:
Co-MCs
Matilaja: Yu’Pik Eskimo from Mountain Village Alaska. Member of N.W. AIM since 1973, Friend of Leonard Peltier for 38 odd years and member of Tacoma Chapter LPDOC
Steve Hapy: Long time Leonard Peltier and Native struggles activist, Tacoma Chapter LPDOC
Leonard Peltier Honor Song:
AIM Warrior Society Drum
Opening:
Dorothy Ackerman: Lakota Elder
Drum:
Albert Combs and Coastal Hand Drum Singers
Welcoming:
Deeahop Conway, Puyallup Tribal member, Tacoma Chapter LPDOC
Leonard's case and up-date;
Arthur J. Miller: Northwest Regional Organizer LPDOC, Tacoma Chapter LPDOC, long time union member and human rights activist
Keynote Speaker:
Ramona Bennett: Puyallup Tribal Elder, Life long friend of Leonard Peltier, Grand Mother, Great Grand Mother
Chester Earl: Puyallup Tribal member
Zoltan Grossman: Evergreen State College faculty in Geography and Native Studies, in Olympia. former board member of Midwest Treaty Network in Wisconsin.
Decolonization:
Claudia Serrato
Unity:
Michael One Road: Portland Chapter LPDOC
Closing words:
David Duenas: Puyallup Tribal Member
Feb. 4, 2012 Regional March in Tacoma Facebook event pages please sign that you are coming and please invite your friends.
http://www.facebook.com/
http://www.facebook.com/
RESOLUTIONS FOR CLEMENCY: Leonard needs resolutions for clemency from Tribes, Unions, Human Rights Organizations and others. See a sample resolution at:
http://www.
For donations: Please make checks payable to the Leonard Peltier Defense/Offense Committee (mark them for NW March) and send them to: Tacoma Chapter LPODC, P.O. Box 5464, Tacoma, WA 98415.
Join Tacoma Chapter LPDOC on facebook at: http://facebook.com/tacoma.
Subscribe to: Northwest Peltier Support at: nwpeltiersupport-subscribe@
For more information: www.whoisleonardpeltier.info
TACOMA CHAPTER, LPDOC, P.O. BOX 5464, TACOMA, WA 98415-0464. bayou@blarg.net
NW REGIONAL MARCH AND RALLY FOR CLEMENCY FOR LEONARD PELTIER
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY, 4, 2012, TACOMA, WA.
12:00 NOON: MARCH FOR JUSTICE
Portland Ave. Park (on Portland Ave. between E. 35th & E. Fairbanks. Take Portland Ave. exit off I-5 and head east)
1:00 PM: RALLY FOR JUSTICE U.S. Federal Court House, 1717-Pacific Ave.
SPEAKERS:
Co-MCs
Matilaja: Yu’Pik Eskimo from Mountain Village Alaska. Member of N.W. AIM since 1973, Friend of Leonard Peltier for 38 odd years and member of Tacoma Chapter LPDOC
Steve Hapy: Long time Leonard Peltier and Native struggles activist, Tacoma Chapter LPDOC
Leonard Peltier Honor Song:
AIM Warrior Society Drum
Opening:
Dorothy Ackerman: Lakota Elder
Drum:
Albert Combs and Coastal Hand Drum Singers
Welcoming:
Deeahop Conway, Puyallup Tribal member, Tacoma Chapter LPDOC
Leonard's case and up-date;
Arthur J. Miller: Northwest Regional Organizer LPDOC, Tacoma Chapter LPDOC, long time union member and human rights activist
Keynote Speaker:
Ramona Bennett: Puyallup Tribal Elder, Life long friend of Leonard Peltier, Grand Mother, Great Grand Mother
Chester Earl: Puyallup Tribal member
Zoltan Grossman: Evergreen State College faculty in Geography and Native Studies, in Olympia. former board member of Midwest Treaty Network in Wisconsin.
Decolonization:
Claudia Serrato
Unity:
Michael One Road: Portland Chapter LPDOC
Closing words:
David Duenas: Puyallup Tribal Member
Feb. 4, 2012 Regional March in Tacoma Facebook event pages please sign that you are coming and please invite your friends.
http://www.facebook.com/
http://www.facebook.com/
RESOLUTIONS FOR CLEMENCY: Leonard needs resolutions for clemency from Tribes, Unions, Human Rights Organizations and others. See a sample resolution at:
http://www.
For donations: Please make checks payable to the Leonard Peltier Defense/Offense Committee (mark them for NW March) and send them to: Tacoma Chapter LPODC, P.O. Box 5464, Tacoma, WA 98415.
Join Tacoma Chapter LPDOC on facebook at: http://facebook.com/tacoma.
Subscribe to: Northwest Peltier Support at: nwpeltiersupport-subscribe@
For more information: www.whoisleonardpeltier.info
TACOMA CHAPTER, LPDOC, P.O. BOX 5464, TACOMA, WA 98415-0464. bayou@blarg.net
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
"Israel Kidnaps Two More Palestinian Lawmakers: UFree Calls for International Action"
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http://www.ufree-p.net/Details.aspx?Type_ID=3&Rotator_ID=105
http://www.ufree-p.net/Details.aspx?Type_ID=3&Rotator_ID=105
Oslo, Norway -- Jan. 24, 2012Israel’s violent seizure and arrest this week of two senior members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) is a brazen violation of international law and the diplomatic immunity universally accorded to elected leaders of government and parliament, charges the Oslo-based NGO UFree Network.Former Jerusalem Affairs Minister Khaled Abu Arafah and fellow lawmaker Mohammed Totah were forcibly removed Monday, Jan. 23, from the East Jerusalem headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross, where they had sought refuge for more than 18 months to avoid Israeli revocation of their residency status in the city."Together with Ahmed Attoun, a PLC member who was arrested in September, Abu Arafah and Totah had been staging a sit-in on the premises of the ICRC since July 1, 2010, to protest against a decision of the Israeli authorities to deport them," the ICRC stated in a press release. "Under international humanitarian law, East Jerusalem is an occupied territory, and its Palestinian residents are therefore protected persons within the jurisdiction of Article 4 of the Fourth Geneva Convention."Other than issuing this statement, the ICRC has done nothing more, insisting that the organization holds no diplomatic status in Israel and thus cannot protect the lawmakers from arrest.However, Mohammed Hamdan, chairman of UFree Network, an Oslo-based NGO that advocates for the rights Palestinian political prisoners and detainees in Israeli detention, says that is not enough.“It is time for the international community -- including the International Committee of the Red Cross -- to start enforcing humanitarian law,” says Hamdan. “The Israeli government forced its way onto the grounds of an international organization, arresting democratically elected lawmakers and forcing them to leave the city of their birth. These are the actions of a thug, not the ‘oasis of civilization’ it claims to be.”UFree Network is calling on all members of the public who believe in democracy and the rule of law to send letters to their representatives in parliament across the world, demanding that Israel be held to account and pressured into releasing the imprisoned PLC members. A sample letter can be found on UFree Network’s website www.ufree-p.netShortly after the 2006 PLC elections, Totah, Abu Arafah and two other Palestinian politicians were ordered by Israeli authorities to resign from the Hamas-led government chosen by the people or have their East Jerusalem permanent- resident status revokedWhen they refused, the four men were prosecuted before an Israeli military court and sentenced to two to four years in prison. Shortly after their release in the summer of 2010, the Israeli authorities again threatened to forcibly transfer the men and strip them of their East Jerusalem residency rights. When they refused to leave once again, Muhammad Abu Tir was sent back to jail and the three remaining MPLCs to refuge at the ICRC compound to avoid a similar fate. They had sheltered there ever since.Meanwhile, Israel is currently holding 26 PLC members in its jails, with the latest being Dr. Aziz Duwaik. The Speaker of the PLC was first imprisoned by Israel on Aug. 6, 2006. He was released on June 22, 2009, before being re-arrested Jan. 19 of this year, while traveling to the West Bank city of Hebron.“With the PLC scheduled to meet in February, for the first time since 2007, Israel is obviously running scared at the prospect of a unified, strong, Palestinian government,” said Hamdan, noting that elections are planned for May this year. “It’s time for the United Nations, its member countries and human rights NGOs around the world to prove that democracy is what they want and support.”For more information, visit www.ufree-p.netTake Action: http://ufree-p.net/Details.aspx?Type_ID=3& Rotator_ID=10
Monday, January 23, 2012
24 Iraqi Civilians Murdered; Marine Gets 3 Months
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Just goes to show, we don't need drones to commit war crimes.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30339.htm
EXCERPT:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30339.htm
EXCERPT:
January 23, 2012 "CBS" -- CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A Marine accused of killing unarmed Iraqi women and children pleaded guilty Monday to dereliction of duty in a deal that will mean a maximum of three months confinement and end the largest and longest-running criminal case against U.S. troops to emerge from the Iraq War.
Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich of Meriden, Conn., led the Marine squad in 2005 that killed 24 Iraqis in the town of Haditha after a roadside bomb exploded near a Marine convoy, killing one Marine and wounding two others.
It was a stunning and muted end to a case once described as the Iraq War's version of the My Lai massacre in Vietnam.
Watch Wuterich's interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" in 2007 http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2582353n
The incident in Iraq is considered among the war's defining moments, further tainting America's reputation when it was already at a low point after the release of photos of prisoner abuse by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison.
Eight Marines were charged with killing the Iraqis, with Wuterich facing the possibility of life behind bars. In the end, seven Marines were acquitted or had charges dropped, and Wuterich pleaded to the single, minor charge.
The killings still fuel anger in Iraq after becoming the primary reason behind demands that U.S. troops not be given immunity from their court system.
Wuterich's plea interrupted his trial at Camp Pendleton before a jury of combat Marines who served in Iraq.
In a hearing to determine if the facts of the plea were accurate and that he agreed, Wuterich acknowledged he was negligent in his duties because he told his squad to shoot first and ask questions later, or words to that effect.
Honestly, I probably should have said nothing," Wuterich told the judge, Lt. Col. David Jones. "I think we all understood what we were doing so I probably just should have said nothing."
Later he added: "I shouldn't have done that and it resulted in tragic events, sir."
Wuterich acknowledged he had been trained in rules of engagement before going to Iraq and again when he was deployed.
He admitted he did not positively identify his targets, as he had learned to do in training. He said he ordered his troops to assault the homes based on the guidance of his platoon commander at the time.
Wuterich faces a maximum of three months confinement, two-thirds forfeiture of pay and a rank demotion to private when he's sentenced, likely on Tuesday. The plea agreement calls for manslaughter charges to be dropped.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Goodbye, Miss Etta. We'll Miss You So.
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http://youtu.be/yqDgd5qRorE
Life, Love & the Blues -- She Lived It.
Etta James,
January 25, 1938 -- January 20, 2012
http://youtu.be/yqDgd5qRorE
Life, Love & the Blues -- She Lived It.
Etta James,
January 25, 1938 -- January 20, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Sgt Shamar Thomas & another Iraq Vet Outside Whitehouse at Occupy Congress
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#j17 protest: Sgt Shamar Thomas and another Iraq vet outside White House I Pic twitpic.com/88kx5e #OccupyCongress
from @)PacificJustice twitter
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
"We Remember Tom Hurndall"
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ISM via Aletho News
Tom was 21 years old when he was shot. A photography student, he had left the UK to volunteer as a ‘human shield’ in Iraq. Here he heard about the ISM, one of whose volunteers, Rachel Corrie, had just been killed by a bulldozer whilst protesting house demolitions in Rafah. He headed there himself, arriving on the 6th April.On the day of his shooting, Tom was with other ISM activists walking through Rafah when Israeli sniper fire started. Almost everyone ran for safety, but Tom noticed that three children, aged between four and seven, had remained motionless, paralysed with fear. Tom went back for them. He got the little boy to safety, and then went back for the two girls. He was wearing a fluorescent vest, and was clearly unarmed. An Israeli sniper shot him in the head.There was a two hour delay at the border of the Gaza Strip before an ambulance was able to take him to a hospital in Be’er Sheva. In a coma, he was transferred to a hospital in the UK, where he died the following year.The soldier who shot him, Taysir Hayb, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eleven and a half years in prison. A British inquest into the killing found that the killing was intentional – in other words, murder.Tom’s shooting followed the murder of Rachel Corrie, run over by a bulldozer on the 16th March, and the near fatal shooting of Brian Avery, shot in the face in Jenin on April 5th. Later that month, another Brit, filmmaker James Miller, was also killed by a sniper in Rafah. The Israeli military have refused to accept any responsibility for what they did to Rachel, Brian or James.Hurndall was trying to save Palestinian homes and infrastructure but frequently came under Israeli fire and seemed to have lost his fear of death. “While approaching the area, they (the Israelis) continually fired one- to two-second bursts from what I could see was a Bradley fighting vehicle… It was strange that as we approached and the guns were firing, it sent shivers down my spine, but nothing more than that. We walked down the middle of the street, wearing bright orange, and one of us shouted through a loudspeaker, ‘We are International volunteers. Don’t shoot!’ That was followed by another volley of fire, though I can’t be sure where from…” – Robert Fisk, The Independent, 2009Tom Hurndall was a young man with a dream…he paid for it with his life. -The Telegraph, 2004Tom, blind to nationalities and borders, exuded humanity. He wanted, he wrote in his journal, “to make a difference”. He did. He also had an outrageous sense of humour and will be missed, most of all, because he made those of us who were his friends smile. He is survived by his parents, sister Sophie, and his brothers Billy and Freddy. - Carl Arindell, The Guardian, 2004.Today International Solidarity Movement pays tribute to Tom Hurndall for his bravery and sacrifices. He is never far from our thoughts, and he continues to inspire our Palestinian, Israeli, and International volunteers throughout our campaigns in the Occupied Territories. Tom would want us to remember him. But we also know he’d want us to remember that thousands of innocent Palestinians have died under similar circumstances. These people’s deaths have not been investigated, and have often been lied about, claiming the victims to be combatants or explained away with empty phrases like “caught in the crossfire” or “tragic accident.”While the ISM acknowledges that the Israeli military court found Wahid Taysir guilty of manslaughter, an injustice was committed by his early release from prison in September 2010 due to “good behavior.”The international community will continue to question the policy and decision makers responsible for Tom’s murder and the murder of thousands of other innocent people.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Chicago and Nabi Saleh Honor Gaza's Children with Mass Balloon Release
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http://youtu.be/tFrXxngdKJc
http://youtu.be/tFrXxngdKJc
On the third anniversary of Gaza Invasion, Chicago and Nabi Saleh Honor Gaza's Children with Mass Balloon Release
CHICAGO, IL (December 31, 2011) -- Over two hundred people gathered to honor Gaza's children with a mass release of balloons marking the third anniversary of Operation Cast Lead, Israel's brutal military invasion of Gaza. After marching from Millennium Park to Grant Park, participants released one balloon for each of the 344 children killed during the 22-day attack on Gaza from December 27, 2008 -- January 18, 2009. In a parallel event, families in the Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh also gathered for a balloon release. In response, the Israeli army fired tear gas and mustard gas at those who participated in the action, including children, and arrested at least seven .
The Chicago event was organized by Chicago Movement for Palestinian Rights (CMPR)."We organized this event to express our grief over deaths of these children and celebrate the resilience of the people of Gaza," said CMPR member Ishan Chakrabarti. Tied to each balloon was a card with the name and age of each child killed in the Gaza Massacre. The balloons and ribbon were 100% biodegradable and the cards were made from Lotka paper embedded with flowerseeds. "Wherever they land, these cards will plant seeds in the ground that will bloom into beautiful flowers to pay tribute to the memory of each child," said Chakrabarti.
At the event local community members performed selections from "The Gaza Monologues," a collection of monologues written by Palestinian children who survived Israel's assault. Immediately before releasing the balloons, participants also observed a moment of silence.
Monday, January 02, 2012
Boycott Divestment Sanctions -- Call to Action -- Omar Barghouti -- Seattle
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BDS ~ A CALL TO ACTION
Thursday January 5, 6:30 PM
St. Marks Cathedral
1245 Tenth Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98102
Bloedel Hall
OMAR BARGHOUTI
BDS Israel: The Legacy of Dr. King and Mandela
Donations Welcome
"#Occupy Oakland: For Wanda, For Tatiana, For Uncle Bobby . . . For Oscar"
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http://my.firedoglake.com/hotflashcarol/2012/01/01/occupy-oakland-for-wanda-for-tatiana-for-uncle-bobby-for-oscar/
EXCERPT:
EXCERPT:
Today [Jan. 1, 2012] is the third anniversary of Oscar Grant’s execution by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle. For any of you unfamiliar with this story: Oscar, a young father, a young worker, unarmed, was shot in the back while lying prostrate in police custody on the Fruitvale BART station platform; after days of rage in the community, Mehserle was charged with murder and ultimately convicted of involuntary manslaughter, for which he served less than half of his two-year sentence.
The Oscar Grant Committee and Occupy Oakland organized a march in remembrance, beginning at the plaza we renamed after Oscar and ending with a rally at the Fruitvale BART. My husband and I walked up to meet the crowd when they arrived at the BART, which is just a few blocks from our house. The streets were lined with police cars and near the edge of the rally, there was a big black SUV with a couple of laughing cops inside. Most every cop we saw was smiling or shooting the breeze with fellow officers; none of them seemed to be taking this occasion too seriously. After all, they are collecting some nice fat overtime pay.
These annual rallies for Oscar have a certain “old home week” feel – there are the same faces and the same litanies of police brutality, with another year’s worth of injustices added to the list. Another mother or two gets up to tell the story of how her baby was murdered or jailed by BART cops or OPD. This year, we also heard from Kenneth Carrethers, a man who was beaten by Mehserle six weeks before Oscar was killed. Some people believe that if that incident had been properly investigated at the time, Oscar might still be alive. We heard from several of our OO comrades who were arrested during Friday’s melee. It was reassuring to see their faces, to know that they were not spending New Year’s Day in jail (there are still a couple of people who have not been released). Khalid, one of our most articulate and eloquent comrades (and someone who has been arrested multiple times at OO), told us to occupy our neighborhoods – to not let anyone go hungry on our block, to give comfort to a mentally ill neighbor, to take care of each other. He is so right. It’s the main lesson we are all teaching each other at Occupy; it’s really all that matters.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
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