I flipped on Air America this afternoon at work. I was bored, and I've been wondering who replaced Al Franken. The Thom Hartmann show was in progress. I wasn't expecting more, really, than the usual spin about the corrupt administration, frustration with neocon impunity and so on. But no, Thom was talking about a "US Plan to attack Iran on April 6th". My worst nightmare! And it was discussed seriously, for two hours.

Currently, US warships are conducting military exercises off the coast of Iran. [1] According to Radio Free Europe, there is "no pressure intended". [2] But Canada.com knows better. [3] Wonder what it looks like? CNN provides details and a map. [4] Who knows what those British soldiers were doing in (or around) Iranian territory when the Iranians took them prisoner. Tony Blair is going toe to toe with Iran over a matter of less than a mile and a half distance to determine whether these soldiers really were illegally violating Iranian space or not. [5] Formalities aside, one can't help but ask "What are all those military people and resources doing, just at the edge of Iranian territory, give or take a mile." The president tells us, he's not going to attack, but then why are the warships in the Persian Gulf?

The only question that remains is what can we do here. What will we do in the next week or two to reign in our out of control government. It is time to act. Read the full article here. See Judy's blog here.

Related Links: Dems Lay Down for Bush's Next War: Time to Go from Protest to Resistance! | Emergency Demo: No War Against Iran!

Rochester Indymedia presents the March After Critical Mass Screening: Challenging JROTC in Rochester Public Schools

When: March 30, 2007; 7pm

Where: St Joe's (402 South Ave.)

Special Guests: Documentarian Kevin Berends, as well as activists from Rochester Against War

Throughout the Spring and Early summer of 2006, Rochester Against War (RAW) focused much of its organizing work on getting the Junior Reserve Office Training Corps (JROTC) program out of the Rochester City Schools. Members of RAW argued that the JROTC program is just another means by which the US Military targets poor, inner city youth for service in foreign wars of aggression. While RAW's work to demilitarize schools continues, the Rochester City School board voted to maintain the program. Members of the School board cited the positive testimony of families with children in the program, and focused on the fact that participation in the program in completely voluntary.

Street Level Media, a public access TV project, documented this struggle. The documentary includes interviews with antiwar activists and school board members as well as footage of the board meetings where the debate took place. The piece also provides an excellent example of how governing structures such as school boards serve to insure business as usual.

Rochester Food Not Bombs will be serving a meal; discussion to follow the screening. St. Joe's is wheelchair accessible and the event is free and open to the public.

Check out: At Street Level | Rochester Against War | Critical Mass meets at 6PM at the Liberty Pole in Downtown on the last Friday of the month—Ride Daily~Celebrate Monthly!

On March 18th, an Interfaith Vigil for Peace was held in solidarity with the people of Iraq the day before the 4th year anniversary of the illegal invasion and occupation that has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of Americans.

The vigil, co-sponsored by over 30 local religious organizations comprised of Moslem, Christian, and Jewish people of faith, occured Sunday afternoon on East Avenue between the intersections of Oxford and Goodman. Approximately 600 people attended.

Photos:
Annette Dragon: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22
Rochester Against War (RAW): See their gallery.
R-IMC: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Come out and support radical animal rights and environmental activists!

When: Sunday, March 25th, doors open at 5:15PM, music starts at 5:30PM, and the documentary "Behind the Mask" will screen at 7:30PM

Where: St. Joseph's House of Hospitality located at 402 South Ave.

Bands (local punk/hardcore): A Primitive and Savage Land, Straight, No Chaser, and Sam Weir

$7 recomonded donation ($2 for a Rochester Activist Bail Fund and $5 for the Green Scare prisoners) No one turned way for lack of funds!

Rochester Food Not Bombs will provide a meal; a discussion will follow the film. St. Joe's is wheelchair accessible.

What is the Green Scare? The term "Green Scare" refers to the federal government's expanding prosecution efforts against animal liberation and ecological activists, drawing parallels to the "Red Scares" of the 1910's and 1950s.

A 2002 edition of a prisoner support zine, Spirit of Freedom, defined the "Green Scare" as, "the tactics that the US government and all their tentacles (FBI, IRS, BATF, Joint Terrorism Task Forces, local police, the court system) are using to attack the ELF/ALF (Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front) and specifically those who publicly support them."

The term has now been widely used to describe an early 2006 sweep of arrests, convictions and grand jury indictments of alleged ELF/ALF activists on charges relating to acts of property damage, conspiracy, arson and use of destructive devices dubbed "Operation Backfire," the cases of the SHAC7, Eric McDavid and Rod Coronado, as well as recent repressive legislation such as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, which attempts to turn activists into "terrorists."

For more information, check out: greenscare.org.

On Friday, March 16, local peace activists—known as the War No More 11—occupied both congressional and senate offices at the Keating Federal Building in downtown Rochester protesting the illegal war in Iraq.

The group, organized by the Declaration of Peace coalition, occupied the offices of Senators Chuck Shumer and Hilliary Clinton as well as Representative Louise Slaughter`s office declaring they would remain until the Congresspeople would l) de-fund the war and occupation of Iraq, 2) Co-sponsor legislation calling for the safe and rapid withdrawal of all US troops from Iraq and the closure of all military bases in Iraq, 3) bear responsibility for the destruction in Iraq and the cost of reconstruction there, 4) rescind prior agreements giving control of the Iraqi economic sector to occupying forces, and 5) oppose all plans to attack Iran. The occupiers continued to read the names of Iraqi and American dead until the Federal building was officially closed at which time Homeland Security said they were free to leave without charges or otherwise a court appearance ticket would be issued with an automatic $500.00 fine. Three of the occupiers were issued appearance tickets.

Accounts from Friday: Joy by Chava Redonnet | War No More Eleven by Peter Mitchell | Statements from some of the War No More 11

Want to get involved? Come out for discussions on what to do about the illegal war against Iraq and the pending invasion of Iran!