Seventy Rochester citizens and activists gathered in the rain at Washington Square park today shouting slogans like “Human need not corporate greed” and “No bills for pills.” They were there to show their support for HR 676, a bill in the US Congress that would provide universal, single-payer health care to all citizens. We already have such a system in place for people over 65 called Medicare. HR 676 would lower that 65 year age threshold to age zero. Rochester Rep Eric Massa (D-29) is a co-sponsor of HR 676, but Rochester's senior Rep Louise Slaughter (D-28) is opposed to it. The purpose of today's action was to get the influential Democrat to change her vote and sign on to 676.

Related: "Medicare for ALL!" Single Payer Health Care Speak-Out Reportback | Silenced but not Silent! Leading advocates of single payer health care — "Medicare for All" —blacked out by corporate media

On Sunday, June 28th two entities—Activists Against Racism Movement and Down In the Dirt Productions—pooled their ideas, time, and resources to create a venue to unite local community members with one another and with grassroots organizations, local political candidates, and small businesses in the Greater Rochester area. From progressive Democrats to radical students, performance artists to published authors, STD educators to crime preventers, the wealth of collective expertise shared at the Main St. Armory was rich indeed.

An indymedia correspondent was able to catch up with some of the organizers and participants of the day's event to discuss the importance of building strong communities.

Specialist Trevor Loope, 23, of Austin TX, served 15 months in Afghan combat with the 3d Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division. Upon returning to Ft. Drum in 2007 he was unable to obtain adequate treatment for mental health issues. This caused him to leave the base in search of effective treatment. Dr. David Ogren, a clinical psychologist from Houston, TX with fifteen years experience treating victims of mental trauma, spent hours examining and testing Specialist Trevor Loope. Dr. Ogren’s report concludes that Trevor suffers "from a severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a Severe Depression."

Trevor Loope might be be facing a court-martial proceeding on July 1. Or maybe the proceeding will be delayed. Or maybe (we hope) the charges against him will be dropped and he will be a favorable, non-punitive administrative separation –in effect acknowledging his PTSD and severe depression, and the failure of the military to provide the treatment that he requested upon his return from his combat tour in Afghanistan

Watch the Interview: We support Trevor Loope -Interviews after sanity board 6-18-09

Additional Information: Press Conference: Spc. Trevor Loope appears before sanity board at Ft. Drum 6-18-09 | Sanity Board for Soldier at Ft Drum is Challenged by GI Rights Group | Tompkins County Against War & Occupation

Recently, members of Rochester Indymedia sat in on the latest iteration of Tyquan Rivera's court case. We were moved to witness this process first-hand because of the disturbing imbalance in the corporate media coverage of the proceedings we'd seen thus far. According to an eyewitness present at the time, the alleged shooting of the police officer by Rivera was precipitated by police brutality—an un-provoked beating that officers inflicted on Rivera and others, just prior to the shooting. This information, well known in Rivera's community, has only been reported in one media outlet, a morning radio program. We found the experience of watching the court proceedings in Rivera's case to be a strange brew of truth being lost between the lines of the prosecution’s witness testimonies mixed up with absurdly dysfunctional, if not incompetent, corporate media behavior. We'd like to share some of our observations that day with our Indymedia readers.

June 11, 2009—Tyquan Rivera was in Judge Joseph Valentino’s Supreme Court for a pretrial hearing regarding testimony from witnesses who saw Rivera near the scene of the shooting of Rochester police officer Anthony DiPonzio on January 31, 2009, or knew him before the shooting. Rivera, 15-years-old, was charged earlier this year with attempted murder in the second degree and assault in the first degree. If convicted, Rivera could be imprisoned for up to 10 years. By virtue of being 14-years-old when the shooting occurred, he was spared being sentenced as an adult. District Attorney Mike Green was arguing the case for the state; Defense Attorney Culver Barr was present to represent Rivera.

Additional Information: Digging for Truth in the Tyquan Rivera Case | Let’s Not Retreat into Cocoons of Expedient Simplicity and Pretentiousness

Audio: Eye-witness e-mail account of police brutality before Tyquan Rivera allegedly shot into police as read on WDKX on February 4th, 2009

Related: AARM Holds Second Event on the Media and Racism | Racism and the Media Community Discussion a Success | Facts about Juvenile Injustice

As Caterpillar completes its annual shareholders meeting several human right groups are raising consciousness about the human right abuses it supports.

At Issue are the bulldozers Caterpillar sells to the Israeli army. The D9 model, which is two stories high, comes with a blade that is 6 feet high and 15 feet wide as well as a “ripper” that is used to tear through Palestinian homes. The Israeli army takes it from there and adds armor plating, bullet-proof glass, machine gun mounts, and grenade launchers. These massive, armored bulldozers become weapons used by the Israeli army to destroy Palestinian lives and livelihoods. The D9 essentially becomes a 60-ton tank. In 2001, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz stated that “The D9 is a strategic weapon here.”

Video: Caterpillar Bulldozer - Israel/Palestine | Rare amateur footage of Cat bulldozers from the Gaza Strip

Additional Information: The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions | Stop CATerpillar | Corrie et al. v. Caterpillar | Demolition for Alleged Military Purposes | 4th Geneva Convention: Collective Punishments | Take Action to Hold Caterpillar Accountable | Take Action: Free Ezra Nawi | Bring your own voice to the 2009 CAT shareholder meeting! | Caterpillar under Fire for Human Rights Abuses for Sixth Year in a Row | Protesters boycott marketing of Caterpillar's D9 bulldozer | ICAHD-USA: build houses, build peace