Rochester Indymedia stands in solidarity with Wikileaks and Julian Assange. Our editorial collective believes in the importance of an independent press and the transparency of government—two principles adhered to by Wikileaks through its public release of hundreds of thousands of confidential state documents. It is one of the primary responsibilities of the press to report the truth; Wikileaks and Assange have done this and continue to do so much to the dismay of governments, public figures and multinational corporations.

Read Full Article

Recently Superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard announced that the Rochester City School District has entered into a new "partnership" with local charter schools. The Compact, funded by the wealthy Gates Foundation, was established without any public input from parents, students, teachers, RCSD commissioners, or the broader community.

The Community Education Task Force (CETF) is troubled by this development at a time when Mr. Brizard is trying to close down our neighborhood schools. In fact, the superintendent was instrumental in creating the current climate in New York City, which pits charters against neighborhood public schools in a bitter battle for resources. While there are some “success” stories of children for whom charter schools are good, the market-based charter system as a whole operates to benefit a few while truly leaving the rest behind. Clear winners in New York City include “edupreneurs” who make millions “managing” education dollars, real estate moguls, hedge fund managers, and million dollar charter school “directors.”

Read Full Article

Are You or Someone You Know Facing A Housing Crisis Like Homelessness, Foreclosure, Couch Surfing, Struggling To Find Safe Affordable Housing?

The stories of those who are struggling for survival in this country have been silenced. Many people in our world do not believe that poor people exist in the U.S. nor do they recognize that homelessness is an issue. A Truth Commission is a place where the truth can be told about what's happening in this country and where it can be shown that each story has one thing in common: Prevention. As examples of the invisible struggles of so many in our community, personal testimonies that reveal housing and human rights violations will be shared with community leaders.

Join us to hear stories, share your own, and create solutions to these problems. Sponsored by Rochester SWAA (Social Welfare Action Alliance) and Rochester Students for a Democratic Society

• November 18th 2010
• Meet & Greet: 5:30
• Event: 6pm - 8pm
• Downtown Community Forum 15 St. Mary’s Place, 14609

Read Full Article

Imagine what would happen if you dumped a barrel of toxic chemicals in or around the drinking supply for hundreds of thousands of people. Of course, you'd be arrested, heavily fined, and prosecuted. In addition, you'd likely be marked by the government and corporate media as a domestic terrorist.

Now imagine what would happen if a natural gas corporation were to pump thousands gallons of toxic chemicals into ground and dump thousands of gallons of toxic sludge in and around people's water supply across the country.

In the United States the result would be a gas industry turning over billions in profits with complete impunity and no accountability to the affected communities. There's really no need imagine this second nightmarish scenario as this the everyday reality of communities that experience hydraulic fracturing—a method natural gas extraction involving the high-pressure injection of water, sand and toxic chemicals underground to break up shale rock formations.

Video: CEOs host Dump-In at Cobbs Hill Reservoir

Additional Information: Activists gather at Cobbs Hill to protest hydraulic fracturing | Flaming activists protest at Rochester reservoir | Marcellus Regional Earth First! Network | E.P.A. Subpoenas Halliburton on Fracking | Genesee Valley Earth First!

Read Full Article