BTL:Venezuela's Poor Marjority Faces Enormous Social Justice Stakes with...

...Presidential Recall Referendum of Hugo Chavez Country's vast oil wealth could be directed away from support for education, housing, health care ~ Interview with Roy Brown, Puerto Rican new song artist and political activist, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris <!--break--> Antiwar, Peace Messages Censored at Democratic National Convention; CodePink's Medea Benjamin Ejected for Banner Interview with Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Global Exchange and Code Pink Women for Peace, conducted by Scott Harris The Democrats who gathered in Boston for their presidential convention were subjected to one of the most highly-scripted and controlled events in the recent history of U.S. politics. Every speech given and every sign held by delegates was subject to approval by candidate John Kerry's staff. Outside the FleetCenter convention site, Boston police attempted to corral protesters into a cage-like area compared by many to an internment camp. But despite all their efforts to control the image of the Democratic party, as seen by Americans in very limited broadcast television coverage, presidential candidate John Kerry received little or no post-convention bounce in his public standing, according to some early opinion polls. And while many of the thousands of Democratic delegates went home from Boston energized and optimistic about the chances for victory in November, others have lingering doubts about John Kerry's vague strategy for ending the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Medea Benjamin, the co-founding director of Global Exchange and an activist with the group Code Pink Women For Peace, was in Boston for the Democratic convention. As Teresa Heinz Kerry spoke at the podium in support of women's rights and free speech on the second night of the convention, Benjamin -- who ran as the Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate from California in 2000, unfurled a banner which read, "End the Occupation of Iraq." Immediately, she was set upon by security guards and forcibly removed from the convention center. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Medea Benjamin her experience in Boston and her views about strategic voting in the upcoming presidential election. Contact Global Exchange by calling 1-800 497-1994 or visit their website at www.globalexchange.org. Visit Code Pink's website at www.codepinkalert.org Related links: " Medea Benjamin Dragged Off DNC Floor in Handcuffs For Unfurling "End the Occupation of Iraq" Banner," by Democracy Now!, July 28, 2004 " An Open Letter to Progressives: Vote Kerry and Cobb," by Medea Benjamin/Peter Coyote/John Eder/Daniel Ellsberg et al, J CommonDreams.org, July 23, 2004 "Why No Bounce?" by Matthew Rothschild, by The Progressive, Aug. 3, 2004 "At a Big Party, Missing the Big Picture," by Antonia Zerbisias, the Toronto Star, Aug. 3, 2004 LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below: http://www.btlonline.org * "Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: httC://www.btlonline.org * "Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October). * For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net * For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net * betweenthelines@snet.net * http://www.squeakywheel.net/ * Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. (c)2004 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

<p>...Presidential Recall Referendum of Hugo Chavez Country's vast oil wealth could be directed away from support for education, housing, health care ~ Interview with Roy Brown, Puerto Rican new song artist and political activist, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris</p> <!--break--><p>Antiwar, Peace Messages Censored at Democratic National Convention; CodePink's Medea Benjamin Ejected for Banner </p> <p>Interview with Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Global Exchange and Code Pink Women for Peace, conducted by Scott Harris </p> <p>The Democrats who gathered in Boston for their presidential convention were subjected to one of the most highly-scripted and controlled events in the recent history of U.S. politics. Every speech given and every sign held by delegates was subject to approval by candidate John Kerry's staff. Outside the FleetCenter convention site, Boston police attempted to corral protesters into a cage-like area compared by many to an internment camp. </p> <p>But despite all their efforts to control the image of the Democratic party, as seen by Americans in very limited broadcast television coverage, presidential candidate John Kerry received little or no post-convention bounce in his public standing, according to some early opinion polls. And while many of the thousands of Democratic delegates went home from Boston energized and optimistic about the chances for victory in November, others have lingering doubts about John Kerry's vague strategy for ending the U.S. occupation of Iraq. </p> <p>Medea Benjamin, the co-founding director of Global Exchange and an activist with the group Code Pink Women For Peace, was in Boston for the Democratic convention. As Teresa Heinz Kerry spoke at the podium in support of women's rights and free speech on the second night of the convention, Benjamin -- who ran as the Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate from California in 2000, unfurled a banner which read, "End the Occupation of Iraq." Immediately, she was set upon by security guards and forcibly removed from the convention center. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Medea Benjamin her experience in Boston and her views about strategic voting in the upcoming presidential election. </p> <p>Contact Global Exchange by calling 1-800 497-1994 or visit their website at <a href="http://www.globalexchange.org">www.globalexchange.org</a>. Visit Code Pink's website at <a href="http://www.codepinkalert.org">www.codepinkalert.org</a> </p> <p>Related links: </p> <p>" Medea Benjamin Dragged Off DNC Floor in Handcuffs For Unfurling "End the Occupation of Iraq" Banner," by Democracy Now!, July 28, 2004 </p> <p>" An Open Letter to Progressives: Vote Kerry and Cobb," by Medea Benjamin/Peter Coyote/John Eder/Daniel Ellsberg et al, J CommonDreams.org, July 23, 2004 </p> <p>"Why No Bounce?" by Matthew Rothschild, by The Progressive, Aug. 3, 2004 </p> <p>"At a Big Party, Missing the Big Picture," by Antonia Zerbisias, the Toronto Star, Aug. 3, 2004 </p> <p>LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:</p> <p><a href="http://www.btlonline.org">http://www.btlonline.org</a><br /> *<br /> "Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: httC://<a href="http://www.btlonline.org">www.btlonline.org</a><br /> *<br /> "Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).<br /> *<br /> For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to <a href="mailto:btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net">btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br /> *<br /> For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&amp;A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to <a href="mailto:btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net">btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br /> *<br /> <a href="mailto:betweenthelines@snet.net">betweenthelines@snet.net</a><br /> *<br /> <a href="http://www.squeakywheel.net/">http://www.squeakywheel.net/</a><br /> *<br /> Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.<br /> (c)2004 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.</p>