Stephen Lemons at Feathered Bastard posted the story of a 47 year-old woman detained in Sheriff Joe’s infamous Maricopa County prison on possible immigration violations. She allegedly suffered abuse at the hands of guards while trying to exercise her lawful rights. The family of Maria del Carmen Garcia Martinez filed an emergency stay on her behalf and was able to have her removed from the jail. Most immigrants detained in Maricopa County and subjected to abuse are not so lucky.
A bill recognizing same-sex civil unions was approved by the Illinois House Human Services Committee for a full House vote under the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. If it passes in the Illinois House it would be a fitting step forward for a state with the Lincoln legacy to uphold.
Religious groups opposed to expanded rights for gay couples are already mobilizing however. The question is, will Illinois’ gay rights activists be blindsided the way Californians were?
Groups, such as Catholic Conference of Illinois and the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), are going to wage a fierce fight. On Wednesday LDS sent out an email from their website urging recipients… Read more
U.S. Congressional leaders should immediately rebuke two of their colleagues for attempting to influence voters of another democratic country through threats and intimidation.
The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES) reports that two anti-immigrant congressional members, Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), are publicly calling for El Salvadoran refugees and immigrants to be deported from the U.S. if the citizens of El Salvador elect opposition party Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN) in Sunday’s upcoming elections.
FMLN is running against the right-wing ARENA party in an election that will leave an indelible mark on the country, both culturally and historically, as ARENA has… Read more
By Amy Spicer
“It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others. –Thomas Jefferson.
“Fidelity”: Don’t Divorce… from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.
When President Bush first called for a constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage I thought most people would recognize it as a desperate act of a desperate president. Certainly an amendment with the sole intent to deny basic legal rights to its citizens couldn’t be carried out. Right?
Unfortunately wrong.
While the California Supreme Court heard arguments to overturn Prop 8 last Thursday (arguments whether is was an amendment or a revision and the legalities… Read more
Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza from Imagine 2050 on Vimeo.
Silvia Barretto and Marcos Croce are the owners of Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza – a progressive, organic farm located in Brazil, 4 hours north of Sao Paulo. The farm has been owned by Silvia’s family since the early 1900′s, and when she inherited it from her father, she decided to do things a little differently. Together with the workers they have converted the farm from a mono-cropped, chemically-fertilized coffee plantation to an environmentally diverse, organic farm. They still grow coffee (award-winning beans), but growing alongside are the native Atlantic rainforest trees, and the banana and mango trees, the blueberries, the salad greens…and the list goes on.
Food co-ops may be able to lead the way to a healthier, greener America, but first they must compete with capitalism and carve out a space in mainstream American consumerism.
Location is an important factor as they are essentially all the same save for the state laws governing their operation; in some places they flourish, in others they are barely able to survive. They usually share common characteristics including being democratic and volunteer-run businesses whose owners are the members of the co-op. Profits (if any) are shared among members, however most food co-ops are aiming to provide affordable natural foods to their members or community rather than turn a profit. In New York, Minneapolis, California… Read more
In a scant seven weeks the “loyal opposition” to the Obama Administration from Republicans and conservatives has become a full-fledged meltdown into nihilism, ironically giving life to the old New Left mantra—“ let the system collapse so we can rebuild it.”
In the weeks following the inauguration one could see the early imprint of Party message-makers in the debate over the stimulus package. In short order, what should have been an important conversation and debate about a creative response to the failing economy turned into a slough of slogans reflecting a position of sheer obstructionism. As if the tired old “no new taxes” response in the midst of the worst financial meltdown in generations were… Read more
I didn’t know your name but you became a part of my soul at instant of your death. I was sixteen and the war in Bosnia had just begun. Simply walking on the street became a game of Russian roulette. Each step could be the last. Indeed, death seemed inevitable. Still, we took our chances in daily searches for food and water.
That morning began just like any other. At dawn, my sister and I went on a water run. Early morning shelling and sniper fire made it particularly challenging. We kept close to buildings, and only once were forced to run across sniper alley, chased by a volley of fire. None of the morning… Read more
por Fortino Vargas
Actuár con arrogáncia y ser indiferente,
ánte ún ser humano en condición diferente.
Palábras que ofénden y miradas que mátan,
en el mundo ódio y racismo se desatan.
Es, querer ensalzár tus imaginables grandezas,
con sólo idéas vánas, llenas de pobrezas.
No ver más allá de la razón,
simplemente al prójimo partirle Alma y Corazón.
Same stupid, blatant, racist attacks; different day.
As many people in this country are seduced by the slick, guy-next-door type of racial/ethnic prejudice implicit in anti-immigrant xenophobia (think: FAIR, NumbersUSA, Community Watchdog Project, etc.), and as US imperialism and corporate aggression continue to milk profit out of populations of color who can ill afford it, we find ourselves jarringly reminded that overt racial profiling and harassment are still alive and well. It’s not slick; it’s not vague or subtle. It’s old-fashioned terrorizing right out on the street.
Police in East Haven, CT, a suburb of New Haven, have been accused of harassing Latino/a customers and merchants, and have gone so far as… Read more
