Anti-Drone Demonstration Draws Hundreds; 37 Arrested for Civil Disobedience
On April 22, 2011, hundreds of people from around New York State and beyond, demonstrated against the use of Reaper drones—demanding that the drones be grounded and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan be ended—in front of the Hancock Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, NY. Pilots at the base remotely control Reaper drones that fly missions of surveillance and death over Afghanistan. Thirty-seven people were arrested for blocking the entrance to the base after being told to move by sheriffs. Demonstrators were charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration.
Kathy Kelly, Brian Terrell, Elliott Adams, and Ann Wright spoke out against the use of drones; they were also arrested. In addition, 91 year-old Jerry Berrigan, brother of peace activists Dan Berrigan and the late Phil Berrigan was also arrested.
This demonstration was the culmination of anti-war and anti-drone activity occurring throughout the week of April 16-22.
Over that same weekend, "the main supply route for NATO troops in Afghanistan was temporarily closed on Sunday after thousands of people blocked a key highway in Pakistan to protest against U.S. drone strikes," according to Reuters.
Video: Fiction as Reality: Two Perspectives, Two Drones, One Demonstration, and 37 Bodies
Additional Information: Syracuse Peace Council | Rochester Against War | Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones & End the Wars | Iraq Veterans Against the War | Military Families Speak Out | Jeremy Scahill speaks on the privatization of war | RIT Panel Discusses Drone Weapons | Rochester Activists Rally Against FBI Harassment | RIMC Stands in solidarity With Assange and Wikileaks | Panelists Discuss Antiwar Movement Then and Now
An Abundance of Values Mired in Corporatization; A Look at the Living Wage Plan
Michael Bakunin, the 19th century anarchist, identified what he called cooperation—associations for consumption, credit, and production—as distinguished by two opposing currents—one bourgeois and the other socialist.[1] He defines bourgeois cooperation as, “the … practice of exploiting labor through capital.†Of socialist cooperation, he writes, “…we know that [cooperation] will prosper, developing itself fully and freely, embracing all human industry, only when it is based on equality, when all capital and every instrument of labor, including the soil, belong to the people by right of collective property.†It's a centuries-old battle: collectivize or privatize. When one considers how Abundance “Cooperative†Market is operated, Bakunin's words seem apropos. Read the full article by clicking this link.
Additional Information: The Scarcity of Abundance: Living Wage Campaign Started at Local, Cooperative Grocery Store
Rochester Activists for Animal Rights Invites You to Protest Against Cruelty!
The cruelty that occurs on fur farms is beyond comprehension. Every year 30 million animals are raised in captivity only to be killed for their fur. These animals are literally being skinned alive, if not electrocuted, drowned, or beaten to death. Thousands of other animals are captured in the wild using “leg crushing trapsâ€. The animal is literally left there to suffer in pain for days before the hunter comes back to beat the animal to death.
Rochester Activists for Animal Rights (RAAR) seeks to change the prevailing attitudes about animals, and to cultivate compassion for all living beings regardless of species. RAAR strives to raise awareness of and reduce animal exploitation through public education, direct action, and collaboration with other social justice organizations in our community.
RAAR hosts a monthly demonstration against fur seller Held Projansky Furs at 2240 Monroe Ave. on the first Saturday of the month from 1:00PM to 2:30PM. The group meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month, 5:30PM-7PM, at the Flying Squirrel Community Space, located at 285 Clarissa St.
Video: Check out April's anti-fur demonstration!
Additional Information: infurmation | New Animal Rights Group Hatching: RAAR
Community Groups Demand Justice for the Lennon-Griffin Family; Lennon Livid Over Fannie Mae "Offer"
"They have made so many mistakes. I'm mad! I'm mad! I'm mad!" proclaimed Catherine Lennon at a press conference held outside of her 9 Ravenwood Ave. home on April 21, 2011.
Ryan Acuff from Take Back the Land - Rochester and Mary Adams from the Community Education Task Force announced that a growing list of community organizations and individuals have joined a new alliance to fight for justice for Catherine Lennon and her family, the Rochester grandmother who was evicted by over 20 Rochester police officers late last month. Seven people were arrested, including a 70 year old neighbor, still in her pajamas for attempting to defend Lennon's house from eviction. Charges against those arrested are being dropped in exchange for 8 hours of community service.
In regards to the "offer", Ms. Lennon said, "The letter is more or less humiliating. I feel humiliated. They [Fannie Mae] bought my home for $500.00 and they're charging me $50,000.00."
The coalition is calling for the Lennon-Griffin family to be returned to their home and an end to the practices which provide banks with financial incentives to evict families in foreclosure. In addition, it appears that robo-signing and fraud occurred in Cathy Lennon's case as it was handled by the notorious foreclosure mill of Steven J. Baum. The Baum firm is under investigation by the state of New York for fraud.
Video:
Additional Information: 'This Is Not America': SWAT Team Evicts Grandmother, Community Fights Back (Video) | 7 Arrested in Eviction Defense at 9 Ravenwood Ave. | Cathy Lennon is Still in Her House! Nearly 2-Week Old Eviction Blockade Working! The Struggle Continues! | Local Family and Take Back the Land Announce Eviction Defense | "We got sold out; they got bailed out!" Anti-Eviction Rally on S. Goodman Street
Celebrate May Day With Rochester IMC!
To Celebrate May Day (International Workers’ Day) this year, Rochester Indymedia is hosting another spectacular Sunday morning brunch fundraiser! Your sliding scale donation of $5 - $10 (no one turned away for lack of funds) goes toward:
- Providing activist groups with web space and email lists!
- Covering the news that corporate media won't!
- Providing free video editing training and equipment!
- All this and so much more!
Details:
Rochester Indymedia May Day Pancake Brunch!
May 1st, 2011
11AM-1PM
$5 - $10 Sliding Scale Donation
Flying Squirrel Community Space, 285 Clarissa St. For more information, email: RochesterIndymedia (at) rocus.org
Anarchism Discussion and Debate Series to Start April 28th
The Rochester Anarchist Discussion and Debate Series will start Thursday April 28th at 6:30pm at the Flying Squirrel Community Space (285 Clarissa St. Rochester, NY 14608)
Tent City Solidarity with Homeless at SUNY Brockport
On behalf of the College at Brockport’s Student Social Work Organization, fellow student Sue Dickinson and I organized Tent City this semester. Tent City is a campus event dedicated to bringing awareness to homelessness and how everyone is affected by this devastating epidemic. Sue, I and other volunteers spent the night on the main campus in tents and sleeping bags. A rally was held on April 14 at 6:00 p.m. at the flagpole—which was open to the public. At 6:00 p.m., speakers Ricardo Adams and Hubert Wilkerson—formerly homeless individuals—shared their stories with the audience. Take Back The Land - Rochester organizer Ryan Acuff also spoke at the rally to spread news about the organization and its mission.
Video: Tent City Solidarity with Homeless at SUNY Brockport
Additional Information: Rochester Housing Rights Organizers Hold Truth Commission | Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign National Coordinator Cheri Honkala Speaks in Rochester | Poverty in Rochester | Poverty and Violence: Assault on Human Rights – Workshop/Conference Friday 10/17 | SUNY Brockport Tent City Project Raises Awareness of Homelessness
Jeremy Scahill speaks on the privatization of war
Video: Part 1 of Jeremy's talk
Video: Part 2 of Jeremy's talk
Video: Part 3
Blackwater is not the only mercenary “security†contractor in Afghanistan or elsewhere. There are many others. They represent what Scahill calls a radical shift toward privatization. We see this not only in the military, but in domestic security, law enforcement, corrections, education and health care. Private interests are taking over what should be the sovereign realm of society and are doing so with no accountability. In many cases private profits take precedence over the interests of the country.
Students and Community Protest Proposed School Budget
Students and community members showed up in force to the April 12th Rochester School Board meeting to oppose the proposed 2011-2012 budget which would cut 908 teaching positions district-wide and further defund arts education.
School of the Arts students organized a march from the liberty pole to central office. The loud and energetic march met with lots of support from the onlookers downtown.
At the school board meeting, approximately 100 students, teachers, parents, community members and activists articulated reasons why the Brizzard's Budget is unacceptable.
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Davy V. Confronts White America's Racism and prejudice against Latinos
Let's be honest… America is a racist country. It always has been, and it always will be. Racism and prejudice are embedded into it's DNA, woven into it's fabric. America has had a long history of racism, it has infiltrated every aspect of American society and shows no sign of decreasing.
It used to be that the the face of racism was largely black and white. Alot of times when we hear the word "racist", or "racism", we associate it with disturbing images of race riots in the 60's, and African-Americans being doused with fire hoses, as racist pigs sicked their police dogs on them. We also remember images such as signs in establishments reading "No Blacks Allowed" and even water fountains labeled "Whites Only".
As a Latino, I have had my share of encounters with racism. Perhaps I am more sensitized and aware of this issue than other Latinos. But what disgusts me, is not only the racism and hatred that White America has against Latinos, but the fact that many Latino, so called "leaders", "politicians", etc., get so "big headed" with their successes and achievements in life that they take on the mentality of "Oh well, that has nothing to do with me.", and simply choose to look the other way. Never once realizing that despite their accomplishments or level of success, to White America, they are still a Spic, Wetback or Beaner.