A few short weeks ago I told you about ROC Transit Day 2013. The idea is simple… pedestrians make for a vibrant city. The more people Rochester has walking the streets instead of driving, the stronger our community will be; and the stronger our local economy will be. ROC Transit Day is a holiday from our cars. It’s a day to celebrate local businesses. And it’s a day to cast a symbolic vote for a stronger transit system…
The United States and British governments treat Julian Assange like the ultimate terrorist threat.
Members of the London Metropolitan Police, wearing Kevlar vests, surround the Ecuadorian embassy, where Assange has taken refuge, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They occupy the front steps and entrances, they occupy street corners nearby, one police officer occupies a room in a building adjoining Assange’s room. Chris Hedges, a journalist and former war correspondent, said the Metropolitan Police spent the equivalent of $4.5 million in surveillance of Julian Assange just through January 31.
Late last summer, I had a wonderful conversation with a friend of mine visiting from Oakland, CA. He, like myself, is deeply committed to food justice/food sovereignty movement building, connecting the dots between food justice and human justice. While out bike riding, he explained a concept he and his organization had been defining: compost the empire. Quite simply, it refers to the unnatural concept of “waste,” that in so-called “developed,” especially Westernized places, the practice of discarding what is no longer useful has become a way of life. In fact, on this Mother Earth, “waste” does not exist. Everything that in the ecological system is used, recycled, and used again. It is a process of mutual support, where everything has its needs met, no more and no less. It is not greedy, it is not corrupt, it is not expendable. It is valued as a sacred part of natural cycle. The term compost the empire refers to the return of what has been discarded to the natural process of environmental cycle. This can refer to the actual process of turning organic material back into soil, but it can also refer to lovingly embracing ex-offenders who have been treated as social waste. It can refer to the reclaiming of land that was stolen to be turned into profit. It can refer to the healing process of traumas that have been dismissed as unnecessary surplus.
Submitted by KMcCracken / MinorityReporter on Fri, 2013-06-07 12:52
The homicide of a transgender woman is being investigated by the Rochester Police Department (RPD). Fatima Woods, 53, died from stab wounds suffered last Thursday on Dewey Avenue near Lexington.
“This case remains a very active investigation,” RPD Police Chief James Sheppard said.” Presently, homicide investigators are following up several leads that prohibit me from disclosing too many details.”
Some members of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community have raised concerns that Fatima's homicide is hate motivated due to her gender identity.
Bread & Water Theatre wants to fight the Entertainment Licensing laws in effect in the City of Rochester that forces organizations within the city limits to get a license before having live performances, film exhibitions, and other activities.
This article is a critique of a presentation given by a member of Deep Green Resistance on their official gender politics. Deep Green Resistance (or DGR) is a US radical environmental organization founded by Derrick Jensen, Lierre Keith, and Aric McBay that advocates, among other things, the forcible dismantling of industrial civilization. Recently, a controversy at a conference in Portland involving several DGR members has brought increased focus on DGR’s trans-exclusive brand of gender politics, as exemplified by Lierre Keith.
Cuomo surprised New York State in a speech following corruption charges against two New York Law makers, in short: bribery is bad.
With a state capital that thrives off of dysfunction and corruption, it’s not hard to believe that New York is a little behind the rest of the country when it comes to integrity.
On Monday, May 13th over 200 farmworkers, advocates, faith leaders, students, teachers, labor partners and community members marched on Albany to demand that equal protections be extended to agricultural laborers. The rally in New York’s capital was lead by Kerry Kennedy (president of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights), Dolores Huerta (co-founder of The United Farm Workers and compatriot of César Chávez), and Librada Paz (RFK Human Rights Defender and long-time farmworker advocate).
Submitted by Phil Ebersole on Thu, 2013-05-30 15:48
Economic anthropologist David Graeber was one of the early participants in Occupy Wall Street. He wrote an interesting article in the current issue of The Baffler in which he argued that the power of the political and economic elite is based on their ability to convince the rest of us that there is no alternative to the status quo. He said that is why they have such fear of dissent and protest.
Rochester, NY--On May 30, 2013, approximately 50 people--a mix of family, friends, and supporters of Benny Warr--showed up at the Hall of Justice to say, "Enough Is Enough!" A spirited picket occurred in front of the courthouse with protesters chanting of "No Justice! No Peace! No Racist Police!" and "What do we want? Drop the charges! When do we want it? Now!" among other chants in support of Benny Warr, while demanding an end to police brutality.
Submitted by Justice for Lynn Stewart on Thu, 2013-05-30 11:59
Dear Friends and Supporters:
One month ago I made a request for compassionate release which was honored by the warden at Carswell Federal Medical Center. Today the papers are still on a desk in Washington, D.C. even though the terminal cancer that I have contracted requires expeditious action.
On May 20, 2013, Ted Forsyth, from Rochester Indymedia, sat down with Christopher Hilderbrant from the Center for Disability Rights, Inc., to discuss Benny Warr's case as well as CDR's relationship with the RPD, police misconduct, and people with disabilities.
Submitted by Rochester Indymedia on Tue, 2013-05-28 22:46
Here's some bullshit from the chief and the mayor:
Mayor Thomas S. Richards and Police Chief James Sheppard joined John DeMott of the Thurston Road and Chili Ave Business Association, Zacariah “Zak” Ahmed of the Jefferson Avenue Business Association and Mary Coffey of the North Winton Neighborhood Association today to announce that the 2013 Operation Cool Down has begun. The Mayor and Chief discussed some of the details and enhancements of the public safety effort designed to curb violence during the summer months.
Submitted by Rochester Indymedia on Tue, 2013-05-28 08:52
There's a story behind this one. A few days before Benny Warr was beat up by the thugs in blue, one of these officers--can you guess which one(?)--was in a scuffle where multiple members of a family were arrested on questionable pretenses. During the scuffle, the officer in question lost his name tag. A community member picked it up later and showed it to Rochester Indymedia this week. Thing is, the officer involved in roughing up the family is the same officer who beat the hell out of Benny. Go figure...
Submitted by Friend of Benny Warr on Sun, 2013-05-26 07:40
Enough is Enough! Support Benny Warr & Denounce Police Brutality!
community rally and press conference
WE DEMAND: 1 . Drop the charges 2. Fire the officers involved in the attack 3. the RPD publicly apologize to Benny Warr 4. clarify policies and procedures and retrain officers when interacting with people with disabilities 5. End Racial Profiling & the Criminalization of Neighborhoods of Color
Over 300 people gathered on May 25 2013 to march in solidarity with others in other cities all over the world. Monsanto, a chemical and agricultural business giant, recently won specal protection from the Government which shields it from liability from any problems caused by its products. Those products include genetically altered plants and animals as well as toxic chemicals. The so-called Monsanto Protection Act shields it against damage to the environment as well.
Submitted by Rochester Indymedia on Sun, 2013-05-26 00:09
In this meme we see the third officer, who has been given the street alias of "Big Face," standing over the handcuffed and brutalized body of Benny Warr on May 1st, 2013. Do you know what this guy's name and badge number are? Enough is Enough! — at Bartlett St. & Jefferson Ave., Rochester, NY.
Submitted by Rochester Indymedia on Sat, 2013-05-25 23:54
Just a day or so ago, Rochester Indymedia was able gather another video of Benny Warr being brutalized by the Rochester Police Department on May 1st, 2013. The video, recorded by "Colbert," was shot by a camera phone. We took the video and rotated it so that the viewer won't have to rotate their screen. The only other editing we did was to merge two short pieces into one. At the :27-:29 sec range, you can see the bald headed officer violently elbow down on Benny's neck/head.
On May 1st, 2013, Benny Warr was waiting for the bus on Jefferson Ave. when police arrived to clear the block. Doing nothing wrong, he repeated he was waiting for the bus. He was then violently thrown from his wheelchair and brutalized by officers Joseph M. Ferrigno II, Anthony R. Liberatore, and Sgt.Mitchell R. Stewart II. Mr. Warr's experience is not singular. Police brutality occurs all over the city. In response, the community screams "Enough Is Enough!" Click here for more information!
