Wednesday, July 09, 2014

BAUAW NEWSLETTER: WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2014

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Bay Area United Against War Newsletter

Table of Contents:
A. ARTICLES IN FULL
B. EVENTS AND ACTIONS
C. SPECIAL APPEALS AND ONGOING CAMPAIGNS
D. VIDEO, FILM, AUDIO. ART, POETRY, ETC.

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A. ARTICLES IN FULL 
(Unless otherwise noted)

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1) Several Suspects Arrested in Death of Palestinian Youth, Israeli Official Says
By ISABEL KERSHNER




2) Beating of Palestinian-American Boy Caught on Video
By




3) Tempers Fray, Prices Rise as Egypt Cuts Fuel Subsidies
By REUTERS


4) Officials Defend N.S.A. After New Privacy Details Are Reported
By and MATT APUZZO


5) A NEW CALL TO RESIST ILLEGAL WAR AND ILLEGITIMATE AUTHORITY
By Courage to Resist. July 3, 2014
http://www.couragetoresist.org/news/1030-new-call-to-resist.html



6) Bolivia lowers child labor age restriction
6 July 2014 at 6:43 PM ET
http://jurist.org/paperchase/2014/07/bolivia-lowers-child-labor-age-restriction.php
7) Family Wants Cop Held Accountable for Beαting Great-grandmother “Like an Animal”
July 7, 2014http://naturallymoi.com/2014/07/news/family-wants-cop-held-accountable-for-be%CE%B1ting-great-grandmother-like-an-animal/ 





8) Dozens of Gaza Strikes by Israel as Hamas Extends Rockets’ Range
By and ISABEL KERSHNER




9) Lawyer: Snowden Asks to Extend Stay in Russia
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS




10) Departure of Official Is Sought by Teachers
By




11) As New York Landlords Push for Buyouts, Tenants Stand Their Ground
By

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/10/nyregion/as-new-york-landlords-push-for-buyouts-tenants-stand-their-ground.html?ref=nyregion




12) Brooklyn Prosecutor Limits When He’ll Target Marijuana
By and




13) Study Finds Racial Disparity in Criminal Prosecutions
"One of the starkest disparities emerged in the prosecution of misdemeanor drug crimes like possession of marijuana or cocaine. The study found blacks were 27 percent more likely than whites to receive jail or prison time for misdemeanor drug offenses, while Hispanic defendants were 18 percent more likely to be incarcerated for those crimes."
By




14) Using M.C.s and M.D.s to Promote Healthy Eating for Youths
By









 


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 1) Several Suspects Arrested in Death of Palestinian Youth, Israeli Official Says
By ISABEL KERSHNER


JERUSALEM — The Israeli police have arrested a number of suspects in connection with the kidnapping and killing of a Palestinian youth from East Jerusalem who was found beaten and burned in a Jerusalem forest last week, an Israeli official said Sunday.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of legal and political restrictions related to the case, added that the motive appeared to be “nationalistic,” indicating that it was a revenge attack for the recent kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank.

Several East Jerusalem neighborhoods have erupted in outrage over the killing of the Palestinian teenager, Muhammad Abu Khdeir, 16, with youths clashing with Israeli security forces for several days. The unrest spread over the weekend to some Arab towns in northern Israel, and tensions remained high along the border with Gaza in the south.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel called for calm.“We are working on several fronts simultaneously,” he said in remarks before Sunday’s cabinet meeting. “Experience proves that at such times we must act responsibly and with equanimity, not hastily,” he added. “We will do whatever is necessary to restore quiet and security to the south.”


Mr. Netanyahu also called on local Arab leaders to “show responsibility and come out against the wave of disturbances in order to restore quiet.”

At least six suspects have been arrested, according to officials and reports by Israeli news websites. Officials speaking for the police and the Shin Bet internal security agency refused to provide details immediately, citing an order barring public comments, but they confirmed that there had been a significant development in the case.

After Muhammad’s body was discovered on Wednesday, the police said they were investigating the episode and were trying to determine the motive for the killing.

Security cameras in the Shuafat neighborhood of East Jerusalem, where Muhammad was snatched a few yards from his home, captured images of two men who local residents identified as the kidnappers. On Saturday, the Palestinian attorney general said that an autopsy had found soot in Muhammad’s lungs, suggesting that he had been burned alive after being beaten.

Israeli troops remained amassed along the border with Gaza, threatening a large-scale military operation to stop Palestinian militants from firing rockets against southern Israeli towns.

The tit-for-tat clashes continued on Sunday, even as efforts were underway to restore an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire that came into effect after eight days of fierce cross-border fighting in November 2012. Militants fired 15 rockets and mortar shells at southern Israel, according to the Israeli military, hours after Israel carried out 10 airstrikes against targets associated with militant groups in Gaza. No casualties were reported on either side.

Fares Akram contributed reporting from Gaza.

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2) Beating of Palestinian-American Boy Caught on Video
By

As my colleague Jodi Rudoren reports, a video posted online appears to show Israeli police officers beating a Palestinian-American boy after his detention on Thursday during protests in East Jerusalem that followed the death of his cousin, a teenager who was kidnapped and killed two days earlier.

Relatives said that video recorded from two angles by witnesses showed two masked police officers hitting and kicking the boy, Tariq Khdeir, 15, a high school sophomore from Tampa, Fla., as they took him into custody with 11 others. A police spokesman, Micky Rosenfeld, accused the boy of “attacking security officers and rioting,” but his father, Salah Abu Khdeir, told The Associated Press that he had witnessed his son’s arrest and insisted that he was not involved in any violence. “I asked my son, ‘Did you throw rocks?’ He said, ‘No,'” Mr. Abu Khdeir said in an interview with CNN.One of the witness videos, provided to the local broadcaster Palestine Today, was later obtained by the Israeli news site +972. The second clip, originally uploaded to Facebook, was copied and posted on YouTube by Ali Abunimah, a Palestinian-American activist, to illustrate a report on the incident for his Electronic Intifada website.

Photographs of the boy before and after his arrest were released to the media by his family.

Addameer, a Palestinian group that supports prisoners in Israeli jails, said in a statement that Tariq had been detained without charge and was denied medical treatment for his injuries for five hours.

The State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said in a statement that an official from the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem visited the detained boy on Saturday. “We are profoundly troubled by reports that he was severely beaten while in police custody,” she said, “and strongly condemn any excessive use of force.”

Palestinian protesters clashed with the Israeli police this week before and after the funeral of Muhammad Abu Khdeir, a 16-year-old whose burned body was discovered on Wednesday, shortly after he was forced into a car in East Jerusalem. Footage recorded by surveillance cameras appeared to capture the abduction on video, and police are trying to determine if the crime was a reprisal killing carried out by Jewish extremists seeking to avenge the deaths of three Israeli teenagers whose bodies were discovered on Monday, near where they had been hitchhiking in the occupied West Bank last month.

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3) Tempers Fray, Prices Rise as Egypt Cuts Fuel Subsidies
By REUTERS

CAIRO — Cairo bus driver Mohamed Salame voted for Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the hope he would fix Egypt's manifold problems, but now he curses the new president for making life harder by hiking the price of the state-subsidized fuel vital to his livelihood.

With the economy reeling from more than three years of political turmoil, Salame says the reform couldn't have come at a worse time. It cost him 80 Egyptian pounds ($11.19), double the usual amount, to run his 12-seater microbus on Saturday when the price rise was introduced.

"I have five kids, God only knows how I can pay my rent this month," said Salame, 44, furious over the move which raised the price of gasoline, diesel and natural gas by up to 78 percent.

The government's decision to slash energy subsidies is being applauded by economists who say it is an unavoidable step towards curbing state spending in the country where the deficit is running at 12 percent of gross domestic product.

But big industrial companies warn the price hikes will erode their competitive advantage.

And on the streets of Cairo, the economic logic is lost on taxi and bus drivers whose anger points to the political risk.

They are already hiking fares - some are charging double for a short ride - underlining the inflationary impact of a decision that seems likely to drive up prices in an economy where cheap fuel helps to suppress prices of almost everything.

Passengers used to paying 2 pounds per bus ride are resisting demands for higher fares, triggering rows in Cairo's heavily congested streets where tempers already snap easily.

"I was wrong when I voted for Sisi. We are the poor of this country and the decision makers are putting a sword's blade to our throats," said Salame.

Sisi, the former army chief who deposed Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood last year, has been signaling the need for austerity. A fifth of the state budget goes on subsidizing fuel.

Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb sought to justify the cuts in a televised news conference on Saturday, saying they were needed to fix the economy. Some of the money saved would be spent improving education and health services, he said.

"How can I achieve social justice while I am subsidizing the rich at the expense of the poor?," he said, echoing a view that the wealthier Egyptians benefit most from state-subsidized fuel.

He envisions cuts slicing 50 billion pounds from government spending in the coming 12 months.

Despite the fuel price rise, the government will still be spending a hefty amount subsidizing fuel and electricity. The budget for the coming 12 months sees 16 percent of state spending going on energy subsidies.

Sisi said the price increases were needed to keep the country's debt crisis from getting worse.

"[The decisions] needed to be taken now or later, so it is better to confront [the problem] rather than leave the country to drown if we delayed longer than this," he said in comments to a state-run newspaper.

'ECONOMIC WAR'

The higher prices mean industries that have benefited from cheap fuel will have to pay prices closer to world rates.

The fuel used by cement factories, for example, is now going to cost a third more, industry sources said.

Ahmed Abou Hashima, chief executive of Egyptian Steel, said the step would strip Egyptian industry of a competitive advantage.

"I ask the government ... to look at how they can protect local industry, for example by anti-dumping tariffs," he said.

Some Egyptians, often those who can afford to absorb higher prices, are sympathetic to the government's move.

Overhearing one driver complaining about the hike, a young man lent through the window of the parked vehicle to defend Sisi. "We are in an economic war," he said.

But that logic holds little sway for many in a country hooked on subsidies for decades. Taxi drivers held protests in the cities of Suez and Ismailia on Saturday.

Sayyed Abdullah, a 40-year-old taxi driver, said he became embroiled in a physical fight with one passenger in Cairo who refused to pay the amount he had asked for his ride.

"At first I was optimistic when Sisi won. I hoped there would be security and that we will have work," he said.

"Now I see that the country heading in an unknown direction."

($1 = 7.1501 Egyptian Pounds)

(Editing by Tom Perry and Sophie Hares)

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4) Officials Defend N.S.A. After New Privacy Details Are Reported
By and MATT APUZZO

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Sunday sought to play down new disclosures that the National Security Agency has swept up innocent and often personal emails from ordinary Internet users as it targets suspected terrorists in its global surveillance for potential threats.

Administration officials said the agency routinely filters out the communications of Americans and information that is of no intelligence value. The statements came in response to a report by The Washington Post, based on a trove of conversations intercepted by the N.S.A. The Post’s analysis of the data, including information that Edward J. Snowden, the former intelligence contractor, had not revealed before, suggested that roughly nine in 10 communications involved people who were not the direct targets of surveillance. On Sunday, Robert Litt, the general counsel to the director of national intelligence, said in an interview that The Post’s article cites “figures that suggest foreign intelligence collection intercepts the communications of nine ‘bystanders’ for every ‘legally targeted’ foreigner.”

“These reports simply discuss the kind of incidental interception of communications that we have always said takes place under Section 702,” he said, referring to the law that governs the collection of information on foreigners. “We target only valid foreign intelligence targets under that authority, and the most that you could conclude from these news reports is that each valid foreign intelligence target talks to an average of nine people.” The administration has made no secret of the fact that, as it vacuums data from around the globe, it sometimes inadvertently collects information from innocent people, including some Americans. The Post article put that collection in deeply personal terms. It said baby pictures, risquĂ© photos from webcam chats, medical records and conversations about sexual liaisons were among the N.S.A.’s documents.

The Post article suggests that Mr. Snowden, who fled to Russia after providing internal N.S.A. documents to reporters last year, had far greater access to people’s personal communications than had been previously disclosed. Government officials have said they do not believe he had any access to “raw” intercepts, the actual transcripts or audio of data as it was collected.

But the trove suggests, for the first time, that he did have access to what the intelligence agencies call “evaluated and minimized traffic.” That is material that analysts concluded had potential intelligence value and that had already been filtered to remove references to Americans inside the United States.

The latest material from Mr. Snowden is significant because the government has been adamant that it safeguards the phone calls and emails it intercepts.

Days before the Post article, an independent federal privacy board had largely endorsed the N.S.A.’s execution of the program. The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board concluded last week that the “minimizing” of that data was largely successful, at least under the current law, which Congress passed six years ago.

Nonetheless, the process necessarily sweeps in some emails and phone calls involving American citizens. If a terrorist suspect “targeted” by the N.S.A. talks to nine people in his regular communications, those nine will be swept into the net of surveillance, even if they have no knowledge of the suspect’s activities.

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5) A NEW CALL TO RESIST ILLEGAL WAR AND ILLEGITIMATE AUTHORITY
By Courage to Resist. July 3, 2014
http://www.couragetoresist.org/news/1030-new-call-to-resist.html



Courage to Resist calls on all U.S. military personnel to resist any effort to pursue a new military attack on Iraq via troops, bombs, drones or any other means.  In keeping with our Mission Statement, we affirm that, just as there was never any legitimate reason for the United States to send military forces to Iraq in the past, there is not now any reason for the United States to participate militarily in the affairs of the people of Iraq.  The refugees being created every day by the wars in Iraq need humanitarian aid.   The solution to the problems in Iraq lies in the nations and parties involved talking it out.

The U.S. destroyed Iraq.  Sending U.S. troops and/or weapons again cannot improve the situation.  It can only cause more unnecessary death and destruction. Troops, bullets, bombs, mines, and other weapons will continue to kill, maim, and breed hatred in the people of Iraq.  More warfare cannot do anything positive for the men, women, and children of Iraq.

"Today the US is sending a few hundred military advisers, backed by an additional group of mercenaries, to prop up the Iraqi regime. Some of these individuals may well be the last US service members to die for the Iraq War lie, to paraphrase John Kerry regarding the end of the Vietnam War. What happens if the neo cons have their way and the US “surges” back into Iraq to save the al-Maliki government? Courage to Resist wants service members to know that they have options, including doing the right thing--resistance."

-Jeff Paterson
Courage to Resist
Project Director
July 3, 2014

Every U.S. service person has a conscience.  Every member of every branch of the U.S. military service is bound to obey that conscience, and the oath s/he took to defend the Constitution of the United States of America. The Constitution binds the U.S. to honor its international agreements. All U.S. presidents in this century have broken the law of the land as well as international laws and treaties with the illegal use of war powers.  Sending U.S. troops to Iraq was, and would be again, in violation of numerous international laws and treaties as well as a violation of U.S. war-making powers. And it certainly would not be in defense of the United States. U.S. citizens do not support a return of the U.S. military to Iraq.

Soldier, Sailor, Marine, Airperson, you are strong enough to resist illegal and immoral war. We’d be honored to support your refusal to deploy to Iraq.  U.S. troops are not the cops of the world. There is no legitimate mission for you or any U.S. service members in Iraq.  Don’t be fooled by more lies from the President, the Congress, the media or anyone else.

Courage to Resist exists to support service members who resist illegal and immoral war and occupation. Since 2006, Courage to Resist has provided moral and material support to GI objectors, including legal aid when needed.

Military service members we have had the honor of collaborating with include:

Army Lt. Ehren Watada, the first military officer to articulate the illegal nature of the Iraq War and refuse orders to deploy, Marine L/Cpl Stephen Funk, the first military service member to publicly refuse to deploy, and scores of service members who have formally applied for discharge as Conscientious Objectors.

Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and Airpersons who have taken refuge in Canada, and have publicly fought for the right to remain there. We’ve also supported those who have returned to the U.S. to face U.S. military injustice.

Nearly 50 service members who have required assistance with legal fees, and related support, for fighting military court-martials for having gone AWOL/UA.

Hundreds of Individual Ready Reservists (IRR) who have refused involuntary activations.
Refuse illegitimate authority. Have the Courage to Resist illegal war.  We support the troops who refuse to fight!

Mission Statement
COURAGE TO RESIST is a group of concerned community members, veterans and military families that supports military objectors to illegal war and occupation and the policies of empire. Our People Power strategy weakens the pillars that maintain war and occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere by supporting GI resistance, counter-recruitment and draft resistance, which cuts off the supply of troops. We are autonomous from and independent of any political organization, party or group.

Donate to Courage to Resist:
http://www.couragetoresist.org/donate.html

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6) Bolivia lowers child labor age restriction
6 July 2014 at 6:43 PM ET
http://jurist.org/paperchase/2014/07/bolivia-lowers-child-labor-age-restriction.php

[JURIST] The Bolivian National Congress [official website, in Spanish] on Wednesday passed legislation permitting children children as young as 10 to join the workforce as long as it does not interfere with one's education and is done independently in an effort to provide for their family. The U.N. International Labor Organization's (ILO) [official website] Carmen Moreno stated [AP report] that the new legislation would make Bolivia the first country to legally allow children as young as 10 to work. In 1999 Bolivia along with the U.N. instituted the Code for Children and Adolescents [In Spanish, PDF], which allowed for children to join the workforce at 14. However, the new legislation passed by the Bolivian congress will become an exception to this law. Senator Adolfo Mendoza, a support of the legislation, has stated that the new exception's stipulations will be strictly enforced [AFP report] and will require parental approval. The law is predicted to be signed shortly by President Evo Morales [official website, in Spanish].

In recent years child labor laws have become a growing subject of international attention.The UN International Labor Organization (ILO) last year [JURIST report] released a report on child labor [text, PDF; press release] advocating social protections as the key to ending the practice. "[The] report contributes to a better understanding of the underlying economic and social vulnerabilities that generate child labour." Globally, the ILO estimates that at least 215 million children are in an adverse labor situation, with 115 million suffering the worst treatment including "practices akin to slavery, debt bondage, offering a child for prostitution, using a child for illicit activities and work that is harmful to health, safety or morals of children." To combat the problem, the ILO advocates the implementation of "social protection floors" in all countries to provide for the most basic needs of children. 

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7) Family Wants Cop Held Accountable for Beαting Great-grandmother “Like an Animal”
July 7, 2014
http://naturallymoi.com/2014/07/news/family-wants-cop-held-accountable-for-be%CE%B1ting-great-grandmother-like-an-animal/
A bystander caught on video a California Highway Patrol officer  pĎ…nching a woman in the face repeatedly.  Now the woman’s family is speaking out about what they believe should happen to the officer responsible for the attαck.

The victim’s family, represented by attorney Caree Harper, says the officer should be held accountable for “beαting a great-grandmother in broad daylight.”

Harper was vague in explaining what the victim was doing prior to being assaĎ…lted by police.
“We want the focus to be what he was doing to her, not what she was doing” prior to the confrontation with police, said Harper “She was getting beαt like an animal. No one should ever be beαt like that.”

CHP Assistant Chief Chris O’Quinn says the woman was walking along the side of the highway when the officer stopped her for her own protection. The same officer who supposedly stopped the woman for her own protection was caught on video pĎ…nching the woman’s face as she lay on the hard concrete.
Witness David Diaz, who recorded the video,  says there is no excuse for the officer’s behavior.
“He just poĎ…nded her,” said Diaz. “If you look at the video, there are 15 hits. To the head, and not just simple jabs. These are blÎżws to the head. Blows. Really serious blÎżws. And this is ridiculous to me.”
In the video, the woman can be seen putting her hands up to obstruct the blows from the unnamed officer, but that only seems to further enrage the officer as he continues pĎ…nching.

Eventually a second off duty officer approaches and helps place the woman in handcuffs.
Diaz also says the woman was walking off the highway when she was confronted by the officer and only returned after the officer called her.
 

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8) Dozens of Gaza Strikes by Israel as Hamas Extends Rockets’ Range
By and ISABEL KERSHNER

JERUSALEM — Rockets continued to fall over central Israel on Wednesday and Israel carried out more airstrikes in Gaza, as the military and political confrontation between Hamas and Israel showed no signs of abating.

At least five rockets were shot down over Tel Aviv early Wednesday, the Israeli Army said, after a barrage of longer-range rockets late Tuesday night hit near major cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, most of them falling harmlessly. One Syrian-made M-302 rocket hit near Hadera, about 70 miles from Gaza, according to an Israeli Army spokesman, Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, who said that Palestinians in Gaza had “tens” more like it.

In March, Israel intercepted a ship in the southern Red Sea, 1,000 miles from Israel, that contained a shipment of M-302s, which were said then to have a range of 100 miles. The Israelis attributed the shipment to Iran, a supporter of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, a militant group that has also fired advanced rockets.

The Israelis also said on Wednesday that they had targeted a senior Islamic Jihad rocket commander, Abdullah Diyfallah, in an airstrike. Another airstrike, which hit a motorcycle in Beit Lahiya, killed Rafiq al-Kafarneh, 30, and seriously wounded another person, said medics at Kamal Adwan Hospital. At least 29 Palestinians have died since the airstrikes began late Monday night, including, according to some reports, eight children under the age of 16.

Israel said it hit about 160 targets overnight, including what it called 118 concealed rocket-launching sites, weapons storage facilities, 10 tunnels, six official Hamas facilities and 10 Hamas military command positions. Since Operation Protective Edge began, the army said, it has gone after about 440 targets.

Israel is also calling up reservists to replace those on duty in the West Bank, to free them for a possible ground invasion of Gaza. The government has authorized the military to call up as many as 40,000 reservists.

The show of military strength on both sides illustrated the fragile state of Israeli-Palestinian relations, starting with the collapse of American-sponsored peace talks, the attempts by rival Palestinian factions to form a unity government, the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers and the subsequent kidnapping and murder of a Palestinian teenager.

Palestinian officials said that at least 23 people were killed Tuesday in Gaza, and Israeli officials said two people in Israel were wounded by rocket attacks on Monday.

Israeli officials emphasized that their goal was to restore quiet to southern Israel. But Mr. Netanyahu’s government was also under pressure to conduct a more extensive operation, including ground troops, to destroy a military infrastructure in Gaza rebuilt since Israel’s last campaign there, in 2012.

For its part, Hamas is under pressure from more radical groups in Gaza to show that it could stand up to Israel. An antagonistic military-backed government in Egypt has moved to seal the border with Gaza, sharply reducing Hamas’s tax receipts, and the group also has little to show for its coalition with Fatah. Now, Hamas appears to have fallen back on its main principle of armed resistance to Israel.

This latest confrontation has roots in the kidnapping and murder last month of the three Israeli teenagers by men in the West Bank who Israel alleges belong to Hamas. That was followed by the kidnapping and murder of the Palestinian teenager, Muhammad Abu Khdeir, reportedly by members of an anti-Arab group of supporters of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team known as La Familia. Micky Rosenfeld, the Israeli police spokesman, and a lawyer for two of the suspects said Tuesday that they did not know if that was true and that the investigation was continuing.

The kidnapping and murder of the Israeli teenagers led to a crackdown on Hamas in the West Bank, which in turn appeared to push Hamas to respond from Gaza, which it controls.



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9) Lawyer: Snowden Asks to Extend Stay in Russia
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MOSCOW — Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has applied to extend his stay in Russia, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Anatoly Kucherena told The Associated Press that Snowden applied to Russia's migration authorities "a long time ago" since his one-year permit is expiring at the end of July.

Kucherena refused to say what kind of migration status his client is seeking, saying that it is up to the Federal Migration Service to make the decision.

Snowden was stranded in a Moscow airport last year on his way from Hong Kong to Cuba, shortly after he revealed the NSA's sprawling program of tapping phones. He received asylum in Russia, attracting the ire of the United States.

The American who leaked a trove of material from the super-secret National Security Agency has kept a low profile in Russia, has never been seen in public or talked to local journalists. His whereabouts are unknown.

Kucherena insisted that the secrecy is necessary for Snowden's protection while skeptics argued that Snowden was living under the surveillance of the Russian secret services.

A Kremlin-connected website has published several pictures of Snowden indicating that he either lives in Moscow or visits it often.

Snowden appeared on President Vladimir Putin's call-in show in April when he asked a question about surveillance in a pre-recorded video message.


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10) Departure of Official Is Sought by Teachers
By

The long partnership between Democrats and teachers’ unions has frayed in recent years as the Obama administration has pursued policies that many teachers oppose, including performance ratings that link student test scores to evaluations and decisions about promotion or firing.

But the dissatisfaction hit a new level late last week when the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers’ union, with almost three million members, passed a resolution at its convention in Denver calling for the resignation of the secretary of education, Arne Duncan.

Dennis Van Roekel, the departing president of the union, said the resolution passed in a very close vote among the 7,500 delegates. Although delegates have presented similar resolutions in the past, this is the first time the measure has passed.

“I really do believe this is about something much bigger than Arne himself,” Mr. Van Roekel said. He said “frustration and anger” has mounted at the use of high-stakes tests in teacher evaluations.

Mr. Van Roekel added that teachers were angered by Mr. Duncan’s supportive response last month to a judge’s ruling in California that teacher tenure laws deprived students of their right to an education under the State Constitution and violated their civil rights.

Analysts of labor politics said the resolution represented a watershed between the Democratic Party and teachers’ unions.

“Who would have predicted 10 years ago that a Democratic administration would pursue an agenda and teacher policies that are so vehemently opposed by the union?” said Patrick McGuinn, an associate professor of political science at Drew University. “It’s a Nixon-goes-to-China kind of moment.”

Mr. Duncan briefly answered questions about the resolution during a media briefing at which he released the administration’s proposal to assign more effective and experienced teachers to low-income schools.

“I always try to stay out of local union politics and I think most teachers do, too,” he said, adding that the administration “had a very good working relationship with the N.E.A. in the past.” He said he looked forward to working with the association’s new president, Lily Eskelsen GarcĂ­a.

Since the National Education Association began endorsing presidential candidates with Jimmy Carter in 1976, the group has always backed Democrats.

But at the state level, both the N.E.A. and the American Federation of Teachers, the country’s second-largest teachers’ union, have contributed to the campaigns of Republican lawmakers — even those considered quite conservative — who opposed tenure changes or test-based teacher evaluations.

Ms. Eskelsen Garcia has indicated her interest in continuing to reach out to Republicans. She has also spoken out against using standardized testing to evaluate teachers.

Teachers who oppose the administration’s proposals said Democrats had taken them for granted for too long.

“We’re not getting anything for it politically,” said Anthony Cody, a founder of the Network for Public Education, a political action group, who retired after 24 years as a teacher and coach.

The American Federation of Teachers meets for its annual convention in Los Angeles starting Friday. Local affiliates submit resolutions before the convention, and none currently call for Mr. Duncan’s resignation.

The group’s president, Randi Weingarten, said in an email that “there’s plenty of opportunity for members to amend resolutions, so you never know what will happen on the floor.”

Democrats who embrace the changes pushed by the Obama administration said the resolution showed the waning influence of the teachers’ union.

“The Democratic Party used to outsource its education policy to the N.E.A.,” said Joe Williams, executive director of Democrats for Education Reform, an advocacy group that supports test-based evaluations and changes to tenure.

“The Duncan vote,” Mr. Williams said, “made them look like the lunatic fringe. It’s not exactly the way you convince the public that you’ve got a good, credible idea.”

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11) As New York Landlords Push for Buyouts, Tenants Stand Their Ground
By
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/10/nyregion/as-new-york-landlords-push-for-buyouts-tenants-stand-their-ground.html?ref=nyregion

 The first offer from the landlord’s representative came in April: Take $90,000 to move out, the tenants said they were told, or the landlord would sue and they would lose their apartment anyway.

Lin Thai Ng, who lives in a cramped $500-a-month studio in NoLIta with her husband, said no. The landlord persisted and offered $100,000.

But after they refused again, the couple received a notice saying they were not the lawful tenants and declaring them squatters. They were told they had 18 days to get out or they would be evicted.

“He wants us to move,” Ms. Ng, 57, an immigrant from Malaysia, said in Cantonese through an interpreter, “but where are we going to move?”Buyouts have long been part of the city’s real estate lore, complete with only-in-New York stories of tenants who made millions relinquishing apartments they did not own. But as offers have become more common at the lower end of the ravenous housing market, buyouts have become instruments of illegal harassment and a growing threat to the stock of affordable housing, tenant groups and housing officials said.

In fast-changing neighborhoods, like Chinatown and East Harlem in Manhattan and the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, offers are often anything but amicable and rarely are generous enough to help tenants settle elsewhere in the city, they said.

Richard R. White, who leads the state’s Tenant Protection Unit, said some landlords failed to make repairs, declined to cash rent checks or threatened illegal evictions “to force tenants to accept what are often unconscionably meager buyouts.”

Helen Rosenthal, a councilwoman from the Upper West Side of Manhattan who is sponsoring a bill to allow tenants to collect compensatory and punitive damages from landlords for harassment, said landlords’ motive for pushing out tenants was obvious. “They can make a killing in the market,” she said.

The intense demand for housing has made rent-regulated apartments even more precious. It has also drawn the attention of Mayor Bill de Blasio, who pledged during his campaign last year to address economic inequality. The mayor joined tenant groups in calling for a first-ever rent freeze by the Rent Guidelines Board, which voted last month to allow the lowest percentage rent increase in its 45-year history for nearly one million apartments.

The stock of rent-stabilized apartments has been shrinking, though, mostly through rent increases after a unit becomes vacant. If a vacant unit can rent for $2,500 or more a month, it can be freed from rent regulation.

Landlords and their lawyers said that buying out longtime tenants in low-rent apartments was the lawful way to make room for those who would pay more.

The Rent Stabilization Association, the trade organization for the city’s landlords, said that harassment was not common and that complaints about buyouts could be a negotiating tool intended to extract a better offer.

“If someone is abusive and rude, that’s one thing,” said Mitchell Posilkin, general counsel for the association. “But if someone is being persistent, that’s another.”

Tenants groups said repeated buyout offers could be intended to intimidate or pressure residents. Some landlords also hire relocation specialists, who receive a fee for each vacancy, which law enforcement officials said was an incentive for wrongdoing.

A number of state and city laws prohibit conduct meant to force tenants to vacate an apartment or waive tenancy rights. A 2008 city law bans interrupting essential services, initiating baseless eviction proceedings or locking out a tenant.

Since that law went into effect, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development said the number of complaints had been rising — to 748 last year, from 541 in 2012. While most cases are ultimately withdrawn or dismissed, of the 3,200 filed since 2008, about 600 led to settlements and 44 ended in a finding of harassment.

Tenant groups said the law had been ineffective because the cases were hard to prove and because, if they lose, tenants might have to pay the landlord’s lawyer fees.

In a case settled in December, the state accused Castellan NYC Partners and Liberty Place Property Management of offering sums as low as $2,000 to get mostly Spanish-speaking immigrants to waive their tenancy rights in buildings in Brooklyn, Harlem, the South Bronx and the Washington Heights section of Manhattan. In one federal court case, a group of black tenants in a Flatbush development, Homewood Gardens Estates, said they were offered $4,000 to $15,000 to leave their apartments as part of a harassment campaign that included landlords’ refusals to do repairs.

“Our clients rarely have the resources to find other affordable apartments,” said Edward Josephson, director of litigation for Legal Services NYC, which filed the federal lawsuit in April.

Jacob Laufer, the lawyer for Homewood Gardens Estates, said his client “categorically denies harassing tenants.” But Mr. Laufer, citing the pending litigation, declined to answer questions.

For tenants who decide to stay, even an offer of $100,000 loses appeal when measured against the realities of the real estate market.

Ms. Ng and her husband, a 61-year-old bus driver for the city who spoke on the condition that his name not be used because he feared it would jeopardize his job, said they subtracted taxes, moving costs and other expenses from the offer amount. Then they calculated how long the money would last if they rented another apartment for about $2,000 a month.

“In two and a half years all the money would be gone,” he said.

For most low-income residents, tenant groups said, a buyout seldom paid off.

“Keeping your affordable apartment, in a market where affordable housing is becoming harder and harder to come by, is worth more than any lump sum a landlord might throw at you,” said Brandon Kielbasa, lead organizer of Cooper Square Committee, a community group in the East Village.

For Ms. Ng and her husband, though, staying now means facing eviction. Their landlord, Samy Mahfar of SMA Equities in Great Neck, N.Y., who bought the 16-apartment building on Spring Street in 2012, said in an interview that he offered buyouts to tenants because “sometimes it’s just easier” than taking them to court. But he said Ms. Ng and her husband were not the apartment’s leaseholders and were occupying the studio illegally.

Mr. Mahfar, who has bought more than a dozen residential properties in Lower Manhattan in recent years, said that he was aware of tenants’ complaints about the relocation specialist and that “we’re trying to be more sensitive.” He said buyout offers at his buildings ranged from $5,000 to $100,000 depending on the case. Many of his tenants were illegally subleasing or were in arrears on their rent, he said.

For lawful occupants who want to stay, Mr. Mahfar said he did not press them to leave. “We can’t force people to take the money,” he said.

In the case of Ms. Ng, her apartment could rent for $2,500 to $3,000, Mr. Mahfar said — up to six times the current rent.

Sadia Rahman, a supervising lawyer at the Urban Justice Center, an organization that was advising the tenants in the building, said that the previous landlord had registered Ms. Ng in state documents as an occupant of her apartment since 2010 and that under such circumstances Ms. Ng and her husband would have an opportunity to establish their right to stay. Last year, the center sued and reached a settlement with Mr. Mahfar over the treatment of tenants at another of his buildings on the Lower East Side.

Ms. Rahman, who is working with CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, an immigrant advocacy group, to assist the tenants, said the court proceedings are a form of harassment. “If the landlord had a strong case to begin with, he wouldn’t have put $100,000 on the table,” she said.

In another building owned by Mr. Mahfar on the Lower East Side, Steven M. Yee is holding out and also helping to organize the Chinese immigrant families in the building to do the same.

“Buyouts destroy communities,” Mr. Yee said.

He said that tenants there received offers of $40,000 to $70,000 since the building changed hands earlier this year, and that some tenants had accepted. Mr. Yee, 45, a restaurant/bar consultant, conceded that he would consider a buyout himself for $250,000 or more.

If money wins, he said, “they’ve got to give you enough to buy a home because, in essence, you’re losing your home.”

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12) Brooklyn Prosecutor Limits When He’ll Target Marijuana
By and

After months of resistance from the New York Police Department, the Brooklyn district attorney’s office announced on Tuesday that it would immediately carry out its plan to stop prosecuting most low-level marijuana cases.

The policy was proposed in a draft confidential memorandum in April, but was delayed as prosecutors and police officials tried to iron out their differences in meetings and phone calls.

The policy described in a memo dated Tuesday still offers plenty of exceptions: Only those with no criminal records, or minimal ones, qualify, and the cases of people caught smoking in public spaces — and especially around children — will not automatically be thrown out.

The district attorney, Kenneth P. Thompson, said in the memo that the policy was set up to keep nonviolent people, “and especially young people of color,” out of the criminal justice system; an open case, Mr. Thompson wrote, can lead to problems with jobs, housing and school for defendants.

The policy became an early criminal justice policy test for Mayor Bill de Blasio, a fellow Democrat who had criticized police arrest practices over marijuana in terms similar to Mr. Thompson’s. But in negotiating the policy, the mayor seemed to defer to his police commissioner, William J. Bratton, a proponent of the “broken-windows” approach to policing that holds that stopping lower-level crimes leads to stopping major crimes.

The policy places the Police Department in what its officials say is a difficult position: There will be one set of enforcement rules in Brooklyn, and another in the four other boroughs.

In response to the policy, Commissioner Bratton released a statement saying that he understood that Mr. Thompson had the prerogative to decline to prosecute any criminal offense in Brooklyn.

“However, in order to be effective, our police officers must enforce the laws of the State of New York uniformly throughout all five boroughs of the city,” Mr. Bratton said. “Accordingly, the Kings County policy change will not result in any changes in the policies and procedures of the N.Y.P.D.”

Over the past 15 years, marijuana arrests in New York have soared, partly because a rising number of stop-and-frisk encounters led to searches of people’s pockets.

There were 8,150 cases in Brooklyn in which the top count was a marijuana possession charge in the year ending June 30, according to the memo on Tuesday. Marijuana arrests have decreased during the first six months of this year, compared with the same period in 2013.

The police were initially wary that the policy was a blanket one, covering every arrest, but the Police Department was mollified when it became clear that there would be a “case-by-case” review, according to a person involved in the negotiations.

Another specific concern was whether Mr. Thompson’s office would prosecute members of crews on marijuana-related arrests. Such arrests can be used by the police as part of its larger antigang strategy in specific precincts, and department officials want to preserve that option, the person said.

Police officials also pushed for the ability to make cases on someone smoking or holding lighted marijuana, which they said was a public-safety issue, particularly if the person was somewhere like a playground, a law enforcement official said.

The district attorney’s office agreed to add language in its policy that the office may prosecute a defendant charged with smoking or holding lighted marijuana in a public place.Whether they are smoking or holding marijuana, 16- and 17-year-olds will be routed through a diversion program so they “may be successfully redirected onto a healthier path,” the memo reads.

Under the new policy, those arrested for marijuana-related offenses in Brooklyn will still be taken to the precinct station house, and then be sent to central booking, where they would await the next day’s in-court arraignment in a holding cell. Or, the police may give the offender a desk appearance ticket for court on a given date.If the district attorney decides not to prosecute, and the person is in the system, the office will tell the police to free the person. If the person has received a desk appearance ticket, and the district attorney decides not to prosecute, the office will send a letter telling the person that the case will not be prosecuted and that there is no need for a court appearance. In both instances, the offender’s fingerprints will be destroyed.

The policy covers possession of marijuana in the fifth degree, a misdemeanor for either holding or burning marijuana in the open, or possessing more than 25 grams of marijuana; and unlawful possession of marijuana, which is a violation.

The wording in the memorandum seems to reflect the political nature of the negotiations; in one passage, which was not part of the draft memo, the district attorney pays homage to the police.

“The policy does not undermine the authority of the police to enforce the law,” the memo read. “This office respects the officers of the New York City Police Department.”

“We recognize that the possession of marijuana is illegal in this state, and that the police, when acting in a constitutional manner, have authority to arrest offenders who break the law.”

However, prosecutors believe the new policy will result in a better use of the office’s resources, and be more cost-effective.

But the primary reason for the new policy, the memo continues, is because the district attorney has a duty to reform and improve the administration of justice, not merely to convict.

In the majority of low-level marijuana possession cases, Mr. Thompson wrote, “obtaining a conviction against the defendant does not advance public safety with fairness and justice, and, indeed, might well sabotage that goal.”


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13) Study Finds Racial Disparity in Criminal Prosecutions
"One of the starkest disparities emerged in the prosecution of misdemeanor drug crimes like possession of marijuana or cocaine. The study found blacks were 27 percent more likely than whites to receive jail or prison time for misdemeanor drug offenses, while Hispanic defendants were 18 percent more likely to be incarcerated for those crimes."
By

Black and Hispanic defendants are more likely to be held in jail before trial and more likely to be offered plea bargains that include a prison sentence than whites and Asians charged with the same crimes, according to a two-year study of prosecutions handled by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

The study, by the Vera Institute of Justice, found that race was a significant factor at nearly every stage of criminal prosecutions in Manhattan, from setting bail to negotiating a plea deal to sentencing.

But race was not the sole factor, the study’s authors said. A number of legal considerations were found to be more important in predicting a defendant’s fate, among them the seriousness of the charge and the defendant’s arrest record.

Nicholas Turner, the president of the institute, said researchers could not determine what caused the unequal treatment. “It could be implicit bias,” he said. “It could also be race-neutral policies that end up having a particular disparate effect.”

The Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., said he was concerned that racial disparities had cropped up, especially in the areas of pretrial detention and sentencing. He promised to move forward with “implicit bias” training for his assistants to guard against unconscious prejudices in their decision-making.

“I’m glad to know the information,” Mr. Vance said in an interview. “It’s more important that we find out, ask the question and deal directly with what is uncovered, rather than failing to ask the question at all.”

Funded by the Justice Department, the study grew out of Mr. Vance’s campaign promise to determine whether race played a role in the decisions of prosecutors. In a rare move, his office opened its books to the institute’s analysts for 2010 and 2011 and gave them unfettered access.

The study is one of the largest of its kind to be done in the United States, and its findings echoed what smaller studies had found in places like Milwaukee. The authors examined 222,542 resolved prosecutions over two years, scrutinizing data for all misdemeanors and a selection of felonies, including drug offenses.

The report comes at a time of heightened public debate across the nation about whether the criminal justice system treats people of different races equally. That debate drove the legal battle over the stop-and-frisk program in New York City and has prompted the United States attorney general to order an examination of federal convictions and sentencing guidelines.

“It is consistent with other studies,” Don Stemen, an associate professor of criminology at Loyola University in Chicago, said. “Even when controlling for all these legal factors, race still has an impact.”

One of the starkest disparities emerged in the prosecution of misdemeanor drug crimes like possession of marijuana or cocaine. The study found blacks were 27 percent more likely than whites to receive jail or prison time for misdemeanor drug offenses, while Hispanic defendants were 18 percent more likely to be incarcerated for those crimes.

The study’s authors, Besiki Luka Kutateladze and Nancy R. Andiloro, looked at five key points in a criminal case when prosecutors have significant discretion. They examined the prosecutor’s decisions about which cases to accept, which to dismiss, what to recommend at bail hearings, what plea bargains to offer and what sentences to recommend.

Race turned out to be a statistically significant factor at every stage, save the initial decision to accept cases, the study found.

Blacks were 10 percent more likely than whites to be remanded to jail before trial or to be unable to make bail. Asians fared even better than whites when it came to remaining free before trial: 24 percent of white defendants were detained, but only 14 percent of Asians were held.

Prosecutors were also found to be more likely to offer black and Hispanic defendants plea deals on misdemeanors that included jail time. Forty percent of black defendants and 36 percent of Hispanic defendants were offered plea deals involving incarceration, rather than probation or community service. That ratio for whites was 33 percent, and for Asians, 17 percent.

At sentencing, blacks were also found to be slightly more likely to be sentenced to jail than whites and Latinos, with Asians significantly less likely to receive jail terms.

Seymour W. James Jr., the attorney in chief at the Legal Aid Society, said the study “really confirms what we have been seeing for years” in bail hearings and sentencing. He said prosecutors should receive extensive training on how to counteract what he perceived might be their own unconscious prejudices.

The study’s authors noted policy decisions may cause some of the inequalities. The office’s guidelines for plea offers on misdemeanors, for instance, requires harsher offers for defendants with an arrest history. That works against defendants from heavily policed neighborhoods.

Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said the study raised troubling questions about the police policy in New York of making many arrests for minor offenses in high-crime neighborhoods, under the so-called broken windows theory. That policy has resulted in many black and Hispanic city residents with long arrest records, making it harder for them to make bail and receive a non-jail sentence, she said.

Khalil Gibran Muhammad, a historian and director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, said the racial disparities “were not as bad as one might presume,” given the predominately black and Hispanic makeup of the state prison population. The pipeline, he said, begins with the police decisions on who to arrest: about 178,000 of the 222,000 defendants in the study were black or Hispanic.

“It looks like the issue for Manhattan may be less one of what the prosecutors are doing over all, and more one of what police officers are doing,” he said.


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14) Using M.C.s and M.D.s to Promote Healthy Eating for Youths
By

Adrian Harris, known as Easy A.D. to his fans, has rapped about street life in the South Bronx as a member of the Cold Crush Brothers, a group that is among the pioneers of hip-hop.

Now Mr. Harris also raps about broccoli.

“If you think you eat healthy, say ‘me,’ ” Mr. Harris called out over a pounding bass that shook the gym at the Future Leaders Institute, a charter school in Harlem, on a recent morning. A photo of a cart laden with fruits and vegetables filled a screen behind him. “Boys and girls,” he added, “there are no Doritos on that cart.”

Mr. Harris, calling himself a “health M.C.,” aims to reach children who might otherwise tune out nutrition lessons. His vegetable rap is part of a growing public health campaign that has enlisted hip-hop artists such as Doug E. Fresh, Chuck D and DMC of Run-DMC to work alongside doctors and nutritionists in fighting obesity and related illnesses in poor communities.

The campaign is being rolled out this year in 18 cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Memphis and San Antonio, after being tested in dozens of schools, community centers and summer camps in New York City. It was developed by Hip Hop Public Health, a nonprofit group that has also used hip-hop to call attention to strokes and Alzheimer’s disease.

The campaign, which draws upon anti-obesity research conducted at Columbia University Medical Center, seeks to make healthy eating seem cool through original hip-hop songs, comic books and cartoon-style videos. “It’s about having fun while learning,” said Dr. Olajide Williams, a Nigerian-born neurologist at the medical center and at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, who founded Hip Hop Public Health. “Their minds are unlocked by the entertainment and then we can input the knowledge and skills they need to learn.”

The campaign has won over hip-hop fans like Kellie Terry, who see it as a return to hip-hop’s roots. Once a means for those in the South Bronx to reaffirm and celebrate their culture during tough times, she said, hip-hop eventually became commercialized and associated with violence and drugs. “Bringing it back and connecting it to things we’re still struggling with and using it as a tool to lift us up is very much part of the hip-hop culture,” said Ms. Terry, executive director of the Point, a South Bronx youth center that focuses on arts and community.

The health-focused hip-hop was the idea of Dr. Williams, 44, who heard LL Cool J on the radio at an English boarding school in the 1980s and became hooked. In 2005, Dr. Williams was treating stroke patients at Harlem Hospital Center and grew frustrated that so many of them did not know the early warning signs. He was thinking that a catchy rap song might be the way to teach them when he happened to hear a patient rapping.

The patient put Dr. Williams in touch with Doug E. Fresh’s manager. Dr. Williams called every week for months before landing a meeting with the artist at a juice bar in Harlem. Doug E. Fresh came with his son, who coughed incessantly. Dr. Williams, fearing that the son might have a form of asthma (he did), spent the whole time examining him rather than making his own pitch.

Dr. Williams said he was depressed afterward, convinced he had blown his chance. But a few weeks later, Doug E. Fresh called to thank him and agreed to write a song. Three months later, he penned “Stroke Ain’t No Joke,” which spread across the Internet and in schools, and is now played around the world.

The success of that song led Dr. Williams to found Hip Hop Public Health in 2008 with Doug E. Fresh as vice president. Today, the group has a staff of 14 that works out of Harlem Hospital Center and Columbia University Medical Center. It has an annual budget of $500,000, which comes from city funds and grants from private foundations.

The anti-obesity campaign was developed with the help of an advisory board: 16 fifth graders charged with keeping the material fresh. The students came up with questions, selected the fast-food examples, and even vetted the songs and giveaways, which were upgraded at their suggestion from pencils and shopping bags to water bottles and nylon sports bags printed with “Hip Hop Heals.”

Leslie Mikkelsen, managing director of the Prevention Institute, an advocacy group that promotes community strategies to address obesity, said that hip-hop was a good way to get the attention of young people but the message needed to go hand in hand with changes in their communities — such as improving access to healthy foods in local stores — to make a lasting impact. “When they’re excited about good health, we have to help them in following through on healthy practices by making sure the community supports them,” she said.

At the Future Leaders Institute, the hip-hop campaign has reinforced the school’s own efforts to promote healthy eating through nutrition classes and a garden that produces lettuce, cucumbers and strawberries for the salad bar, said Tiffany Daley, a teacher.

Armed with microphones, Mr. Harris and Arthur Lloyd, a record producer who goes by the name Artie Green, played songs, showed videos and soon had about 150 children on their feet. Then using a game show format, it was time to take stock of what they ate. Did a burger or an apple pie have more calories? (Burger.) How many calories should you eat? What are calories?

“If it was a real doctor talking about calories, I wouldn’t pay attention because it’d be boring,” said Jaylah Williams, 9. “But it was fun and that way I got to know more about it. I feel like this helped me get in touch with healthy foods.”

Jaylah added that she hoped to shed a few pounds by staying away from calorie-rich chips, cheesy sauces and fruit juices.

When Dr. Williams, in a white coat over green scrubs, was called up by the health M.C.s, he greeted the children as “hip-hop public health ambassadors” and urged them to share what they had learned with their friends and family.

The most important thing they could do, he told them, was to save someone’s life. “That’s what I do,” he said. “The way you can do that is to keep them healthy.”


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B. EVENTS AND ACTIONS

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C. SPECIAL APPEALS AND
ONGOING CAMPAIGNS


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Transport Workers Protest Oakland Schools Censorship of Mumia

Fresh from defeating Obama’s nominee to head the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department because he served for a period as Mumia’s attorney, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is attacking an Oakland teacher’s lesson plan that asks students to compare the censorship of Martin Luther King’s later, thoroughly radical positions with the censorship of Mumia Abu-Jamal’s prison writings.  As a result of this intimidation from the FOP, the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) took down an entire web site—Urban Dreams—which contained this as well as educational material on a diverse range of issues!

The following is an open letter by the Transport Workers Solidarity Committee protesting this outrageous act of police-state censorship . . .

Stop the Censorship!
Restore the Urban Dreams web site!

Open letter to Oakland School Board members:
May 28, 2014

Members of the Transport Workers Solidarity Committee, including (among others) the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), BART workers and AC Transit bus drivers, were appalled to hear that the Oakland Unified School District succumbed to pressure from the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the right-wing Fox News by shutting down the educational Urban Dreams website, which includes material on Mumia Abu-Jamal and Martin Luther King Jr.

In effect, academic freedom was pushed to a back seat of the bus. This censorship is wrong. The Urban Dreams website must be restored immediately for all to freely visit and learn.

If not, OUSD administration has joined in with the FOP’s vendetta against Mumia Abu-Jamal. The target of the FOP-Fox News smears was a lesson plan by Oakland teacher Craig Gordon asking students to compare the media’s wall of silence on Martin Luther King’s militant anti-corporate, anti-war campaigning with its wall of silence on Mumia’s writings.

To take that lesson plan down, OUSD took down the entire Urban Dreams website, a website containing many rich and evocative teacher-developed lessons, of which Gordon’s is one. Several of these lesson plans were still in active use by teachers in Oakland and elsewhere. [Urban Dreams was initially set up under a grant from the federal Dept. of Education in 1999-2004].

Academic freedom was pushed to the back of the bus.
This censorship is wrong!

Mumia Abu-Jamal, a Black journalist called the “voice of the voiceless,” was framed for the murder of a Philadelphia policeman over 30 years ago and sentenced to death. Only recently was this innocent man removed from death row.

Fifteen years ago, in the best tradition of the abolitionists, Oakland teachers initiated a teach-in on the plight of Mumia Abu-Jamal and the vestige of slavery, the death penalty. Indeed, Craig Gordon was one of the organizers of that teach-in.

Following that stellar example in 1999, striking school teachers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, demanded his release from prison. As well, longshore workers shutdown all West Coast ports and led a march of 25,000 strong in San Francisco calling for the freedom of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Workers in the Bay Area, especially here in Oakland, have a long and proud tradition of defending Black victims of the racist state oppression – from Martin Luther King Jr. to Angela Davis to Huey Newton to Oscar Grant.

Oakland teachers have an obligation to teach that history
and students have a right to learn from that history!

The Urban Dreams website must be restored immediately
for all to freely visit and learn!

Contact Jack Heyman, chair of the Transport Workers Solidarity Committee, at TransportSolidarity@yahoo.com.

The statement above was published at:

http://sfbayview.com/2014/stop-the-censorship-restore-the-urban-dreams-website/

This message from: the Labor Action Committee To Free Mumia Abu-Jamal

www.laboractionmumia.org

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 AN URGENT FUNDRAISER FOR LYNNE STEWART'S 

MEDICAL NEEDS CONTINUES
http://lynnestewart.org/

LYNNE STEWART HAS JUST BEEN DENIED 

MEDICAL BENEFITS. SHE CAN'T RE-APPLY UNTIL JULY! 

SHE IS IN URGENT NEED OF OUR HELP NOW!

Because of a determined people’s movement, Lynne is finally home with her family. But she has urgent medical needs and costs. Lynne’s Stage 4 breast cancer spread a year ago to both lungs, back, bones and lymph nodes. Now 74, she has lost weight and has trouble breathing; doctors estimate her lifespan at 12 months. Lynne will soon begin treatment requiring her to pay deductibles and co-payments. To boost the odds, she’ll use a special diet, vitamins, and other healing methods – some costly and none covered by insurance.
Lynne’s spirit is indomitable – help her fight to survive!

“I fought lions, I fought tigers, and I’m not going to let cancer get me,” Stewart said.

Lynne has always come to the aid of those who needed her. Now it’s our turn to stand by Lynne.

SEND LYNNE A DONATION TO:

On line at:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/lynne-stewart-s-medical-fund

Or by USPS to:

Lynne Stewart Defense Committee
  1070 Dean Street?
  Brooklyn, New York 11216



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Tell Maj. Gen. Buchanan why Chelsea deserves to be free!

 


PVT Chelsea Manning has served nearly four years in prison, yet she’s showing a remarkable spirit of persistence. She is unjustly imprisoned, but not defeated. With plans to enroll in a prelaw/political science university program, and a legal name change underway, she continues planning for her future and working to fulfill her dreams. She is determined to make the best of her situation. However, we know she could contribute more to the world if she was free.
Please write a letter to Convening Authority Major General Buchanan today urging him to reduce Chelsea’s sentence!
We began collecting letters to include in PVT Manning’s clemency packet last fall. We expected that the military would finalize her record of trial last December, and that she could then submit her application to Maj. Gen. Buchanan by the end of 2013. Just like so many times before, however, the military’s process has slowed Chelsea’s ability to defend her rights. Defense attorney David Coombs now estimates that it will be at least another month before the clemency application can be submitted.
Want to make sure decision-makers know why you believe Chelsea deserves to go free? If you haven’t done so yet, please write a short letter to Maj. Gen. Buchanan. Hundreds of people have already submitted letters for us to use, including Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and award-winning author Alice Walker.
As Alice Walker wrote:
Private Manning was the one soldier willing to speak out against what he thought was wrong. When others silently followed orders, Manning could not. Pvt. Manning is a humanist, meaning he sees humanity before nationality, and values human life above all else. When he released documents to WikiLeaks in 2010, he wanted the American people, and the world, to judge for themselves if the U.S. military was properly valuing human life in Iraq and Afghanistan. As taxpayers who fund that military, we deserve that opportunity.
Learn now how you can write a letter to be included in Chelsea Manning’s official application for clemency!
Please share this information to friends and community leaders, urging them to add their voice to this important effort before it's too late.
http://www.privatemanning.org/pardonpetition



Help us continue to cover 100%
of Pvt. Manning's legal fees! Donate today.
https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=38591


COURAGE TO RESIST
http://couragetoresist.org
484 Lake Park Ave #41, Oakland CA 94610
510-488-3559

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Only an Innocent Man Would Voluntarily Return
to Prison to Fight Against his Life Sentence
and For Exoneration —
That Courageous Man is Lorenzo Johnson.

The PA Attorney General’s Office Agrees to Investigate New Facts and Witnesses —
  Send Your Message Now to PA AG
Kathleen Kane: Dismiss the Charges!
Free Lorenzo Johnson!

On January 29, 2014 Lorenzo Johnson’s attorney, Michael Wiseman, met with representatives of PA Attorney General Kathleen Kane to discuss the new evidence of Lorenzo Johnson’s innocence contained in legal filings now pending in the Pennsylvania courts. This includes affidavits confirming Johnson’s presence in New York City at the time of the Harrisburg murder and the identity of the actual killers, as well as police and prosecutorial misconduct.

Attorney Wiseman said Kane’s office promised to investigate these new facts in order to assess whether they merit the relief that Lorenzo Johnson seeks in his PCRA petition.

Speaking to AP reporter Mary Claire Dale on February 11, 2014 Wiseman said, “We believe the witnesses we presented to them are credible, and give a coherent version of the events. I take them at their word, that they’re going to do a straightforward, honest review.”  Kane spokesman Joe Peters confirmed the meeting to AP “but said the office won’t comment on the new evidence until the court filing,” (referring to the March 31, 2014 date for the AG’s response to Johnson’s October 2013 court filing).

It is the Office of the PA Attorney General that is responsible for the false prosecution of Lorenzo Johnson from trial through appeals. And just a few months ago, the Attorney General’s office opposed a federal petition based on this new evidence saying there was no prima facie claim for relief. This resulted in the denial of Lorenzo Johnson’s Motion to File a Second Writ of Habeas Corpus in the federal court.

On December 18, 2013 a press conference called by the Campaign to Free Lorenzo Johnson protested these actions of the PA Attorney General and delivered petitions demanding dismissal of the charges and immediate freedom for Lorenzo. Tazza, Lorenzo’s wife, declared, “1,000 signatures means we are not in this alone…I won't stop until he’s home. There is nothing and no one that can stop me from fighting for what’s right.”

This is Lorenzo Johnson’s second fight for his innocence and freedom. In January 2012, after 16 years of court battles to prove his innocence, a federal appeals court held his sentence was based on insufficient evidence – a judicial acquittal. Lorenzo was freed from prison. But after a petition filed by the PA Attorney General the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated Lorenzo Johnson’s conviction and he was re-incarcerated to continue serving a life sentence without parole for a murder he did not commit.

This innocent man drove himself back to prison in June 2012—after less than five months of freedom—leaving his new wife and family, construction job and advocacy on behalf of others wrongfully convicted. The reason Lorenzo Johnson voluntarily returned to prison? Because he is innocent and fighting for full vindication.

In the words of Lorenzo Johnson, “A second is too long to be in prison when you are Innocent, so eighteen years … is Intolerable.”

Add your voices and demand again: Dismiss the charges against Lorenzo Johnson. Free Lorenzo NOW!

 SIGN LORENZO JOHNSON'S FREEDOM PETITION

CONTRIBUTE TO HELP TAZZA AND THE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS VISIT LORENZO AND STAY IN CONTACT!


Write: Lorenzo Johnson
            DF 1036
            SCI Mahanoy
            301 Morea Rd.
            Frackville, PA 17932

 Email: Lorenzo Johnson through JPAY.com code:
              Lorenzo Johnson DF 1036 PA DOC


 www.FreeLorenzoJohnson.org

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End Drone Killing, Drone Surveillance and Global 
Militarization 
United National Antiwar Coalition Call for Spring Days of
 Action 2014

Today we issue an international call for Spring Days of Action—2014, a coordinated campaign in April and May to end drone killings, drone surveillance and global militarization.

The campaign will focus on drone bases, drone research facilities and test sites and drone manufacturers.

The campaign will provide information on:

1. The suffering of tens-of-thousands of people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Gaza who are under drone attack, documenting the killing, the wounding and the devastating impact of constant drone surveillance on community life.

2. How attack and surveillance drones have become a key element in a massive wave of surveillance, clandestine military attacks and militarization generated by the United States to protect a global system of manufacture and oil and mineral exploitation that is creating unemployment and poverty, accelerating the waste of nonrenewable resources and contributing to environmental destruction and global warming.

In addition to cases in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, we will examine President Obama’s “pivot” into the Asia-Pacific, where the United States has already sold and deployed drones in the vanguard of a shift of 60 percent of its military forces to try to control China and to enforce the planned Trans-Pacific Partnership. We will show, among other things, how this surge of “pivot” forces, greatly enabled by drones, and supported by the U.S. military-industrial complex, will hit every American community with even deeper cuts in the already fragile social programs on which people rely for survival. In short, we will connect drones and militarization with “austerity” in America.

3. How drone attacks have effectively destroyed international and domestic legal protection of the rights to life, privacy, freedom of assembly and free speech and have opened the way for new levels of surveillance and repression around the world, and how, in the United States, increasing drone surveillance, added to surveillance by the National Security Agency and police, provides a new weapon to repress black, Hispanic, immigrant and low-income communities and to intimidate Americans who are increasingly unsettled by lack of jobs, economic inequality, corporate control of politics and the prospect of endless war.

We will discuss how the United States government and corporations conspire secretly to monitor U.S. citizens and particularly how the Administration is accelerating drone surveillance operations and surveillance inside the United States with the same disregard for transparency and law that it applies to other countries, all with the cooperation of the Congress.

The campaign will encourage activists around the world to win passage of local laws that prohibit weaponized drones and drone surveillance from being used in their communities as well as seeking national laws to bar the use of weaponized drones and drone surveillance.

The campaign will draw attention to the call for a ban on weaponized drones by RootsAction.org that has generated a petition with over 80,000 signers:

http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6180

And to efforts by the Granny Peace Brigade (New York City), KnowDrones.org and others to achieve an international ban on both weaponized drones and drone surveillance.

The campaign will also urge participation in the World Beyond War movement.
The following individuals and organizations endorse this Call: 
Lyn Adamson, Co-chair, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace; Dennis Apel, Guadalupe Catholic Worker, California; Judy Bello, Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones & End the Wars; Medea Benjamin, Code Pink; Leah Bolger, Former National President, Veterans for Peace; Canadian Voice of Women for Peace; Sung-Hee Choi, Gangjeong Village International Team, Jeju, Korea; Chelsea C. Faria, Graduate student, Yale Divinity School; Promoting Enduring Peace; Sandy Fessler, Rochester (NY) Against War; Joy First; Bruce K. Gagnon, Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space; Holly Gwinn Graham, Singer/songwriter, Olympia, WA; Regina Hagen, Darmstaedter Friedensforum, Germany; Kathy Kelly, Voices for Creative Nonviolence; Malachy Kilbride; Marilyn Levin and Joe Lombardo, Co-Coordinators, United National Antiwar Coalition; Tamara Lorincz, Halifax Peace Coalition, Canada; Nick Mottern, KnowDrones.org; Agneta Norberg, Swedish Peace Council; Pepperwolf, Director, Women Against Military Madness; Lindis Percy, Coordinator, Campaign for the Accountability of American; Bases CAAB UK; Mathias Quackenbush, San Francisco, CA; Lisa Savage, Code Pink, State of Maine; Janice Sevre-Duszynska; Wolfgang Schlupp-Hauck, Friedenswerkstatt Mutlangen, Germany; Cindy Sheehan; Lucia Wilkes Smith, Convener, Women Against Military Madness (WAMM),  Ground; Military Drones Committee; David Soumis, Veterans for Peace; No Drones Wisconsin; Debra Sweet, World Can’t Wait; David Swanson, WarisACrime.org; Brian Terrell, Voices for Creative Nonviolence; United National Antiwar Coalition; Veterans for Peace; Dave Webb, Chair, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (UK); Curt Wechsler, Fire John Paki Wieland, Northampton (MA) Committee to Stop War(s); Loring Wirbel, Citizens for Peace in Space (Colorado Springs, CO); Women Against Military Madness; Ann Wright, Retired U.S. Army colonel and former diplomat; Leila Zand, Fellowship of Reconciliation.
United National Antiwar Coalition
UNACpeace@gmail.com
UNAC
P.O. Box 123
Delmar, NY 12054
518-227-6947
www.unacpeace.org

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Sireen Khudairy Appeal Update.

Sireen Khudairy was arrested again at 4am on Tuesday 7th January 2014. According to reports she has been taken to Huwwara military point. When the Israeli army took her from her home they didn't show any papers to her or the person she was with.

This follows eight months of harassment of this 24-year-old Palestinian woman who is a teacher, activist and supporter of the non-violent action against the Israeli occupation. She was previously imprisoned from May to July 2013, and has been subjected to frequent harassment ever since. See further details at:

http://freesireen.wordpress.com

Please help by contacting your Embassies urgently to demand her release and spread her appeal widely. Follow updates on:

https://www.facebook.com/FreeSireenKhudiri?ref=hl

Please contact us to let us know any action you take. We will pass this information on to her family. Thanks for your solidarity and support.  

Steven Katsineris, January 2014
 
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U.S. Court of Appeals Rules Against Lorenzo Johnson’s
New Legal Challenge to His Frame-up Conviction!
Demand the PA Attorney General Dismiss the Charges!
Free Lorenzo Johnson, Now!

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit denied Lorenzo Johnson’s motion to file a Second Habeas Corpus Petition. The order contained the outrageous declaration that Johnson hadn’t made a “prima facie case” that he had new evidence of his innocence. This not only puts a legal obstacle in Johnson’s path as his fight for freedom makes its way (again) through the state and federal courts—but it undermines the newly filed Pennsylvania state appeal that is pending in the Court of Common Pleas.

Stripped of  “legalese,” the court’s October 15, 2013 order says Johnson’s new evidence was not brought into court soon enough—although it was the prosecution and police who withheld evidence and coerced witnesses into lying or not coming forward with the truth! This, despite over fifteen years and rounds of legal battles to uncover the evidence of government misconduct. This is a set-back for Lorenzo Johnson’s renewed fight for his freedom, but Johnson is even more determined as his PA state court appeal continues.

Increased public support and protest is needed. The fight for Lorenzo Johnson’s freedom is not only a fight for this courageous man and family. The fight for Lorenzo Johnson is also a fight for all the innocent others who have been framed and are sitting in the slow death of prison. The PA Attorney General is directly pursuing the charges against Lorenzo, despite the evidence of his innocence and the corruption of the police. Free Lorenzo Johnson, Now!

—Rachel Wolkenstein, Esq.
   October 25, 2013

For more on the federal court and PA state court legal filings.
Hear Mumia’s latest commentary, “Cat Cries”
Go to: www.FreeLorenzoJohnson.org for more information, to sign the petition, and how to help.
 
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PUSH CHELSEA'S JAILERS TO RESPECT HER IDENTITY
Call and write Ft Leavenworth today and tell them to honor Manning's wishes around her name and gender:
Call: (913) 758-3600


Write to:
Col. Sioban Ledwith, Commander
U.S. Detention Barracks
1301 N Warehouse Rd
Ft. Leavenworth KS 66027

Private Manning has been an icon both for the government transparency movement and LGBTQ activists because of her fearlessness and acts of conscience. Now, as she begins serving her sentence, Chelsea has asked for help with legal appeals, family visits, education, and support for undergoing gender transition. The latter is a decision she’s made following years of experiencing gender dysphoria and examining her options. At a difficult time in her life, she joined the military out of hope–the hope that she could use her service to save lives, and also the hope that it would help to suppress her feelings of gender dysphoria. But after serving time in Iraq, Private Manning realized what mattered to her most was the truth, personal as well as political, even when it proved challenging.

Now she wants the Fort Leavenworth military prison to allow her access to hormone replacement therapy which she has offered to pay for herself, as she pursues the process to have her name legally changed to ‘Chelsea Elizabeth Manning.’

To encourage the prison to honor her transgender identity, we’re calling on progressive supporters and allies to contact Fort Leavenworth officials demanding they acknowledge her requested name change immediately. Currently, prison officials are not required to respect Chelsea’s identity, and can even refuse to deliver mail addressed to the name ‘Chelsea Manning.’ However, it’s within prison administrators’ power to begin using the name ‘Chelsea Manning’ now, in advance of the legal name change which will most likely be approved sometime next year. It’s also up to these officials to approve Private Manning’s request for hormone therapy.
Call: (913) 758-3600


Write to:
Col. Sioban Ledwith, Commander
U.S. Detention Barracks
1301 N Warehouse Rd
Ft. Leavenworth KS 66027

Tell them: “Transgender rights are human rights! Respect Private Manning’s identity by acknowledging the name ‘Chelsea Manning’ whenever possible, including in mail addressed to her, and by allowing her access to appropriate medical treatment for gender dysphoria, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT).”

While openly transgender individuals are allowed to serve in many other militaries around the world, the US military continues to deny their existence. Now, by speaking up for Chelsea’s right to treatment, you can support one brave whistleblower in her personal struggle, and help set an important benchmark for the rights of transgender individuals everywhere. (Remember that letters written with focus and a respectful tone are more likely to be effective.) Feel free to copy this sample letter.

Earlier this year, the Private Manning Support Network won the title of most “absolutely fabulous overall contingent” at the San Francisco Pride Parade, the largest celebration of its kind for LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning) people nationwide. Over one thousand people marched for Private Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning in that parade, to show LGBTQ community pride for the Iraq War’s most well-known whistleblower.

Help us continue to cover 100%
of Pvt. Manning's legal fees! Donate today.
https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=38591

COURAGE TO RESIST
http://couragetoresist.org
484 Lake Park Ave #41, Oakland CA 94610
510-488-3559
 

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 SAVE CCSF!


Two campaigns that need funds – Please donate!
Posted on August 25, 2013

Cartoon by Anthonty Mata for CCSF Guardsman

DOE CAMPAIGN
We are working to ensure that the ACCJC’s authority is not renewed by the Department of Education this December when they are up for their 5-year renewal. Our campaign made it possible for over 50 Third Party Comments to be sent to the DOE re: the ACCJC. Our next step in this campaign is to send a delegation from CCSF to Washington, D.C. to give oral comments at the hearing on December 12th. We expect to have an array of forces aligned on the other side who have much more money and resources than we do.
So please support this effort to get ACCJC authority revoked!

LEGAL CAMPAIGN
Save CCSF members have been meeting with Attorney Dan Siegel since last May to explore legal avenues to fight the ACCJC. After much consideration, and consultation with AFT 2121’s attorney as well as the SF City Attorney’s office, Dan has come up with a legal strategy that is complimentary to what is already being pursued. In fact, AFT 2121’s attorney is encouraging us to go forward.
The total costs of pursuing this (depositions, etc.) will be substantially more than $15,000. However, Dan is willing to do it for a fixed fee of $15,000. He will not expect a retainer, i.e. payment in advance, but we should start payments ASAP. If we win the ACCJC will have to pay our costs.

PLEASE HELP BOTH OF THESE IMPORTANT EFFORTS!
Checks can be made out to Save CCSF Coalition with “legal” in the memo line and sent to:
Save CCSF Coalition
2132 Prince St.
Berkeley, CA 94705
Or you may donate online:  http://www.gofundme.com/4841ns

http://www.saveccsf.org/
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16 Years in Solitary Confinement Is Like a "Living Tomb"

American Civil Liberties Union petition to end long-term solitary confinement:
California Corrections Secretary Jeffrey Beard: We stand with the prisoners on hunger strike. We urge you to comply with the US Commission on Safety and Abuse in America’s Prisons 2006 recommendations regarding an end to long-term solitary confinement.

In California, hundreds of prisoners have been held in solitary for more than a decade – some for infractions as trivial as reading Machiavelli's "The Prince."

Gabriel Reyes describes the pain of being isolated for at least 22 hours a day for the last 16 years:

“Unless you have lived it, you cannot imagine what it feels like to be by yourself, between four cold walls, with little concept of time…. It is a living tomb …’ I have not been allowed physical contact with any of my loved ones since 1995…I feel helpless and hopeless. In short, I am being psychologically tortured.”

That’s why over 30,000 prisoners in California began a hunger strike – the biggest the state has ever seen. They’re refusing food to protest prisoners being held for decades in solitary and to push for other changes to improve their basic conditions.

California Corrections Secretary Jeffrey Beard has tried to dismiss the strikers and refuses to negotiate, but the media pressure is building through the strike. If tens of thousands of us take action, we can help keep this issue in the spotlight so that Secretary Beard can’t ignore the inhumane treatment of prisoners.

Sign the petition urging Corrections Secretary Beard to end the use of long-term solitary confinement.

Solitary is such an extreme form of punishment that a United Nations torture rapporteur called for an international ban on the practice except in rare occasions. Here’s why:

The majority of the 80,000 people held in solitary in this country are severely mentally ill or because of a minor infraction (it’s a myth that it’s only for violent prisoners)
Even for people with stable mental health, solitary causes severe psychological reactions, often leading people to attempt suicide
It jeopardizes public safety because prisoners held in solitary have a harder time reintegrating into society.

And to add insult to injury, the hunger strikers are now facing retaliation – their lawyers are being restricted from visiting and the strikers are being punished. But the media continues to write about the hunger strike and we can help keep the pressure on Secretary Beard by signing this petition.

Sign the petition urging Corrections Secretary Beard to end the use of long-term solitary confinement.

Our criminal justice system should keep communities safe and treat people fairly. The use of solitary confinement undermines both of these goals – but little by little, we can help put a stop to such cruelty.

Thank you,
Anthony for the ACLU Action team
P.S. The hunger strikers have developed five core demands to address their basic conditions, the main one being an end to long-term solitary confinement. They are:

-End group punishment – prisoners say that officials often punish groups to address individual rule violations

-Abolish the debriefing policy, which is often demanded in return for better food or release from solitary

-End long-term solitary confinement

-Provide adequate and nutritious food

-Expand or provide constructive programming and privileges for indefinite SHU inmates

Sources
“Solitary - and anger - in California's prisons.” Los Angeles Times July 13, 2013
“Pelican Bay Prison Hunger-Strikers' Stories: Gabriel Reyes.” TruthOut July 9, 2013
“Solitary confinement should be banned in most cases, UN expert says.” UN News October 18, 2011
"Stop Solitary - Two Pager" ACLU.org
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What you Didn't know about NYPD's Stop and Frisk program !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rfJHx0Gj6ys#at=990

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Egypt: The Next President -- a little Egyptian boy speaks his remarkable mind!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeDm2PrNV1I

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Wealth Inequality in America

[This is a must see to believe video...bw]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QPKKQnijnsM

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Read the transcription of hero Bradley Manning's 35-page statement explaining why he leaked "state secrets" to WikiLeaks.

March 1, 2013

Alternet

The statement was read by Pfc. Bradley Manning at a providence inquiry for his formal plea of guilty to one specification as charged and nine specifications for lesser included offenses. He pled not guilty to 12 other specifications. This rush transcript was taken by journalist Alexa O'Brien at Thursday's pretrial hearing and first appeared on Salon.com.

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/bradley-mannings-surprising-statement-court-details-why-he-made-his-historic?akid=10129.229473.UZvQfK&rd=1&src=newsletter802922&t=7

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You Have the Right to Remain Silent: NLG Guide to Law Enforcement Encounters

Posted 1 day ago on July 27, 2012, 10:28 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

Occupy Wall Street is a nonviolent movement for social and economic justice, but in recent days disturbing reports have emerged of Occupy-affiliated activists being targeted by US law enforcement, including agents from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security. To help ensure Occupiers and allied activists know their rights when encountering law enforcement, we are publishing in full the National Lawyers Guild's booklet: You Have the Right to Remain Silent. The NLG provides invaluable support to the Occupy movement and other activists – please click here to support the NLG.

We strongly encourage all Occupiers to read and share the information provided below. We also recommend you enter the NLG's national hotline number (888-654-3265) into your cellphone (if you have one) and keep a copy handy. This information is not a substitute for legal advice. You should contact the NLG or a criminal defense attorney immediately if you have been visited by the FBI or other law enforcement officials. You should also alert your relatives, friends, co-workers and others so that they will be prepared if they are contacted as well.

You Have the Right to Remain Silent: A Know Your Rights Guide for Law Enforcement Encounters

What Rights Do I Have?

Whether or not you're a citizen, you have rights under the United States Constitution. The Fifth Amendment gives every person the right to remain silent: not to answer questions asked by a police officer or government agent. The Fourth Amendment restricts the government's power to enter and search your home or workplace, although there are many exceptions and new laws have expanded the government's power to conduct surveillance. The First Amendment protects your right to speak freely and to advocate for social change. However, if you are a non-citizen, the Department of Homeland Security may target you based on your political activities.

Standing Up For Free Speech

The government's crusade against politically-active individuals is intended to disrupt and suppress the exercise of time-honored free speech activities, such as boycotts, protests, grassroots organizing and solidarity work. Remember that you have the right to stand up to the intimidation tactics of FBI agents and other law enforcement officials who, with political motives, are targeting organizing and free speech activities. Informed resistance to these tactics and steadfast defense of your and others' rights can bring positive results. Each person who takes a courageous stand makes future resistance to government oppression easier for all. The National Lawyers Guild has a long tradition of standing up to government repression. The organization itself was labeled a "subversive" group during the McCarthy Era and was subject to FBI surveillance and infiltration for many years. Guild attorneys have defended FBI-targeted members of the Black Panther Party, the American Indian Movement, and the Puerto Rican independence movement. The NLG exposed FBI surveillance, infiltration and disruption tactics that were detailed during the 1975-76 COINTELPRO hearings. In 1989 the NLG prevailed in a lawsuit on behalf of several activist organizations, including the Guild, that forced the FBI to expose the extent to which it had been spying on activist movements. Under the settlement, the FBI turned over roughly 400,000 pages of its files on the Guild, which are now available at the Tamiment Library at New York University.

What if FBI Agents or Police Contact Me?

What if an agent or police officer comes to the door?

Do not invite the agents or police into your home. Do not answer any questions. Tell the agent that you do not wish to talk with him or her. You can state that your lawyer will contact them on your behalf. You can do this by stepping outside and pulling the door behind you so that the interior of your home or office is not visible, getting their contact information or business cards and then returning inside. They should cease questioning after this. If the agent or officer gives a reason for contacting you, take notes and give the information to your attorney. Anything you say, no matter how seemingly harmless or insignificant, may be used against you or others in the future. Lying to or misleading a federal agent is a crime. The more you speak, the more opportunity for federal law enforcement to find something you said (even if not intentionally) false and assert that you lied to a federal officer.

Do I have to answer questions?

You have the constitutional right to remain silent. It is not a crime to refuse to answer questions. You do not have to talk to anyone, even if you have been arrested or are in jail. You should affirmatively and unambiguously state that you wish to remain silent and that you wish to consult an attorney. Once you make the request to speak to a lawyer, do not say anything else. The Supreme Court recently ruled that answering law enforcement questions may be taken as a waiver of your right to remain silent, so it is important that you assert your rights and maintain them. Only a judge can order you to answer questions. There is one exception: some states have "stop and identify" statutes which require you to provide identity information or your name if you have been detained on reasonable suspicion that you may have committed a crime. A lawyer in your state can advise you of the status of these requirements where you reside.

Do I have to give my name?

As above, in some states you can be detained or arrested for merely refusing to give your name. And in any state, police do not always follow the law, and refusing to give your name may make them suspicious or more hostile and lead to your arrest, even without just cause, so use your judgment. Giving a false name could in some circumstances be a crime.

Do I need a lawyer?

You have the right to talk to a lawyer before you decide whether to answer questions from law enforcement. It is a good idea to talk to a lawyer if you are considering answering any questions. You have the right to have a lawyer present during any interview. The lawyer's job is to protect your rights. Once you tell the agent that you want to talk to a lawyer, he or she should stop trying to question you and should make any further contact through your lawyer. If you do not have a lawyer, you can still tell the officer you want to speak to one before answering questions. Remember to get the name, agency and telephone number of any investigator who visits you, and give that information to your lawyer. The government does not have to provide you with a free lawyer unless you are charged with a crime, but the NLG or another organization may be able to help you find a lawyer for free or at a reduced rate.

If I refuse to answer questions or say I want a lawyer, won't it seem like I have something to hide?

Anything you say to law enforcement can be used against you and others. You can never tell how a seemingly harmless bit of information might be used or manipulated to hurt you or someone else. That is why the right not to talk is a fundamental right under the Constitution. Keep in mind that although law enforcement agents are allowed to lie to you, lying to a government agent is a crime. Remaining silent is not. The safest things to say are "I am going to remain silent," "I want to speak to my lawyer," and "I do not consent to a search." It is a common practice for law enforcement agents to try to get you to waive your rights by telling you that if you have nothing to hide you would talk or that talking would "just clear things up." The fact is, if they are questioning you, they are looking to incriminate you or someone you may know, or they are engaged in political intelligence gathering. You should feel comfortable standing firm in protection and defense of your rights and refusing to answer questions.

Can agents search my home or office?

You do not have to let police or agents into your home or office unless they have and produce a valid search warrant. A search warrant is a written court order that allows the police to conduct a specified search. Interfering with a warrantless search probably will not stop it and you might get arrested. But you should say "I do not consent to a search," and call a criminal defense lawyer or the NLG. You should be aware that a roommate or guest can legally consent to a search of your house if the police believe that person has the authority to give consent, and your employer can consent to a search of your workspace without your permission.

What if agents have a search warrant?

If you are present when agents come for the search, you can ask to see the warrant. The warrant must specify in detail the places to be searched and the people or things to be taken away. Tell the agents you do not consent to the search so that they cannot go beyond what the warrant authorizes. Ask if you are allowed to watch the search; if you are allowed to, you should. Take notes, including names, badge numbers, what agency each officer is from, where they searched and what they took. If others are present, have them act as witnesses to watch carefully what is happening. If the agents ask you to give them documents, your computer, or anything else, look to see if the item is listed in the warrant. If it is not, do not consent to them taking it without talking to a lawyer. You do not have to answer questions. Talk to a lawyer first. (Note: If agents present an arrest warrant, they may only perform a cursory visual search of the premises to see if the person named in the arrest warrant is present.)

Do I have to answer questions if I have been arrested?

No. If you are arrested, you do not have to answer any questions. You should affirmatively and unambiguously state that you wish to assert your right to remain silent. Ask for a lawyer right away. Do not say anything else. Repeat to every officer who tries to talk to or question you that you wish to remain silent and that you wish to speak to a lawyer. You should always talk to a lawyer before you decide to answer any questions.

What if I speak to government agents anyway?

Even if you have already answered some questions, you can refuse to answer other questions until you have a lawyer. If you find yourself talking, stop. Assert that you wish to remain silent and that you wish to speak to a lawyer.

What if the police stop me on the street?

Ask if you are free to go. If the answer is yes, consider just walking away. If the police say you are not under arrest, but are not free to go, then you are being detained. The police can pat down the outside of your clothing if they have reason to suspect you might be armed and dangerous. If they search any more than this, say clearly, "I do not consent to a search." They may keep searching anyway. If this happens, do not resist because you can be charged with assault or resisting arrest. You do not have to answer any questions. You do not have to open bags or any closed container. Tell the officers you do not consent to a search of your bags or other property.

What if police or agents stop me in my car?

Keep your hands where the police can see them. If you are driving a vehicle, you must show your license, registration and, in some states, proof of insurance. You do not have to consent to a search. But the police may have legal grounds to search your car anyway. Clearly state that you do not consent. Officers may separate passengers and drivers from each other to question them, but no one has to answer any questions.

What if I am treated badly by the police or the FBI?

Write down the officer's badge number, name or other identifying information. You have a right to ask the officer for this information. Try to find witnesses and their names and phone numbers. If you are injured, seek medical attention and take pictures of the injuries as soon as you can. Call a lawyer as soon as possible.

What if the police or FBI threaten me with a grand jury subpoena if I don't answer their questions?

A grand jury subpoena is a written order for you to go to court and testify about information you may have. It is common for the FBI to threaten you with a subpoena to get you to talk to them. If they are going to subpoena you, they will do so anyway. You should not volunteer to speak just because you are threatened with a subpoena. You should consult a lawyer.

What if I receive a grand jury subpoena?

Grand jury proceedings are not the same as testifying at an open court trial. You are not allowed to have a lawyer present (although one may wait in the hallway and you may ask to consult with him or her after each question) and you may be asked to answer questions about your activities and associations. Because of the witness's limited rights in this situation, the government has frequently used grand jury subpoenas to gather information about activists and political organizations. It is common for the FBI to threaten activists with a subpoena in order to elicit information about their political views and activities and those of their associates. There are legal grounds for stopping ("quashing") subpoenas, and receiving one does not necessarily mean that you are suspected of a crime. If you do receive a subpoena, call the NLG National Hotline at 888-NLG-ECOL (888-654-3265) or call a criminal defense attorney immediately.

The government regularly uses grand jury subpoena power to investigate and seek evidence related to politically-active individuals and social movements. This practice is aimed at prosecuting activists and, through intimidation and disruption, discouraging continued activism.

Federal grand jury subpoenas are served in person. If you receive one, it is critically important that you retain the services of an attorney, preferably one who understands your goals and, if applicable, understands the nature of your political work, and has experience with these issues. Most lawyers are trained to provide the best legal defense for their client, often at the expense of others. Beware lawyers who summarily advise you to cooperate with grand juries, testify against friends, or cut off contact with your friends and political activists. Cooperation usually leads to others being subpoenaed and investigated. You also run the risk of being charged with perjury, a felony, should you omit any pertinent information or should there be inconsistencies in your testimony.

Frequently prosecutors will offer "use immunity," meaning that the prosecutor is prohibited from using your testimony or any leads from it to bring charges against you. If a subsequent prosecution is brought, the prosecutor bears the burden of proving that all of its evidence was obtained independent of the immunized testimony. You should be aware, however, that they will use anything you say to manipulate associates into sharing more information about you by suggesting that you have betrayed confidences.

In front of a grand jury you can "take the Fifth" (exercise your right to remain silent). However, the prosecutor may impose immunity on you, which strips you of Fifth Amendment protection and subjects you to the possibility of being cited for contempt and jailed if you refuse to answer further. In front of a grand jury you have no Sixth Amendment right to counsel, although you can consult with a lawyer outside the grand jury room after each question.

What if I don't cooperate with the grand jury?

If you receive a grand jury subpoena and elect to not cooperate, you may be held in civil contempt. There is a chance that you may be jailed or imprisoned for the length of the grand jury in an effort to coerce you to cooperate. Regular grand juries sit for a basic term of 18 months, which can be extended up to a total of 24 months. It is lawful to hold you in order to coerce your cooperation, but unlawful to hold you as a means of punishment. In rare instances you may face criminal contempt charges.

What If I Am Not a Citizen and the DHS Contacts Me?

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) is now part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and has been renamed and reorganized into: 1. The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS); 2. The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and 3. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). All three bureaus will be referred to as DHS for the purposes of this pamphlet.

? Assert your rights. If you do not demand your rights or if you sign papers waiving your rights, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may deport you before you see a lawyer or an immigration judge. Never sign anything without reading, understanding and knowing the consequences of signing it.

? Talk to a lawyer. If possible, carry with you the name and telephone number of an immigration lawyer who will take your calls. The immigration laws are hard to understand and there have been many recent changes. DHS will not explain your options to you. As soon as you encounter a DHS agent, call your attorney. If you can't do it right away, keep trying. Always talk to an immigration lawyer before leaving the U.S. Even some legal permanent residents can be barred from returning.

Based on today's laws, regulations and DHS guidelines, non-citizens usually have the following rights, no matter what their immigration status. This information may change, so it is important to contact a lawyer. The following rights apply to non-citizens who are inside the U.S. Non-citizens at the border who are trying to enter the U.S. do not have all the same rights.

Do I have the right to talk to a lawyer before answering any DHS questions or signing any DHS papers?

Yes. You have the right to call a lawyer or your family if you are detained, and you have the right to be visited by a lawyer in detention. You have the right to have your attorney with you at any hearing before an immigration judge. You do not have the right to a government-appointed attorney for immigration proceedings, but if you have been arrested, immigration officials must show you a list of free or low cost legal service providers.

Should I carry my green card or other immigration papers with me?

If you have documents authorizing you to stay in the U.S., you must carry them with you. Presenting false or expired papers to DHS may lead to deportation or criminal prosecution. An unexpired green card, I-94, Employment Authorization Card, Border Crossing Card or other papers that prove you are in legal status will satisfy this requirement. If you do not carry these papers with you, you could be charged with a crime. Always keep a copy of your immigration papers with a trusted family member or friend who can fax them to you, if need be. Check with your immigration lawyer about your specific case.

Am I required to talk to government officers about my immigration history?

If you are undocumented, out of status, a legal permanent resident (green card holder), or a citizen, you do not have to answer any questions about your immigration history. (You may want to consider giving your name; see above for more information about this.) If you are not in any of these categories, and you are being questioned by a DHS or FBI agent, then you may create problems with your immigration status if you refuse to provide information requested by the agent. If you have a lawyer, you can tell the agent that your lawyer will answer questions on your behalf. If answering questions could lead the agent to information that connects you with criminal activity, you should consider refusing to talk to the agent at all.

If I am arrested for immigration violations, do I have the right to a hearing before an immigration judge to defend myself against deportation charges?

Yes. In most cases only an immigration judge can order you deported. But if you waive your rights or take "voluntary departure," agreeing to leave the country, you could be deported without a hearing. If you have criminal convictions, were arrested at the border, came to the U.S. through the visa waiver program or have been ordered deported in the past, you could be deported without a hearing. Contact a lawyer immediately to see if there is any relief for you.

Can I call my consulate if I am arrested?

Yes. Non-citizens arrested in the U.S. have the right to call their consulate or to have the police tell the consulate of your arrest. The police must let your consulate visit or speak with you if consular officials decide to do so. Your consulate might help you find a lawyer or offer other help. You also have the right to refuse help from your consulate.

What happens if I give up my right to a hearing or leave the U.S. before the hearing is over?

You could lose your eligibility for certain immigration benefits, and you could be barred from returning to the U.S. for a number of years. You should always talk to an immigration lawyer before you decide to give up your right to a hearing.

What should I do if I want to contact DHS?

Always talk to a lawyer before contacting DHS, even on the phone. Many DHS officers view "enforcement" as their primary job and will not explain all of your options to you.

What Are My Rights at Airports?

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is illegal for law enforcement to perform any stops, searches, detentions or removals based solely on your race, national origin, religion, sex or ethnicity.

If I am entering the U.S. with valid travel papers can a U.S. customs agent stop and search me?

Yes. Customs agents have the right to stop, detain and search every person and item.

Can my bags or I be searched after going through metal detectors with no problem or after security sees that my bags do not contain a weapon?

Yes. Even if the initial screen of your bags reveals nothing suspicious, the screeners have the authority to conduct a further search of you or your bags.

If I am on an airplane, can an airline employee interrogate me or ask me to get off the plane?

The pilot of an airplane has the right to refuse to fly a passenger if he or she believes the passenger is a threat to the safety of the flight. The pilot's decision must be reasonable and based on observations of you, not stereotypes.

What If I Am Under 18?

Do I have to answer questions?

No. Minors too have the right to remain silent. You cannot be arrested for refusing to talk to the police, probation officers, or school officials, except in some states you may have to give your name if you have been detained.

What if I am detained?

If you are detained at a community detention facility or Juvenile Hall, you normally must be released to a parent or guardian. If charges are filed against you, in most states you are entitled to counsel (just like an adult) at no cost.

Do I have the right to express political views at school?

Public school students generally have a First Amendment right to politically organize at school by passing out leaflets, holding meetings, etc., as long as those activities are not disruptive and do not violate legitimate school rules. You may not be singled out based on your politics, ethnicity or religion.

Can my backpack or locker be searched?

School officials can search students' backpacks and lockers without a warrant if they reasonably suspect that you are involved in criminal activity or carrying drugs or weapons. Do not consent to the police or school officials searching your property, but do not physically resist or you may face criminal charges.

Disclaimer

This booklet is not a substitute for legal advice. You should contact an attorney if you have been visited by the FBI or other law enforcement officials. You should also alert your relatives, friends, co-workers and others so that they will be prepared if they are contacted as well.

NLG National Hotline for Activists Contacted by the FBI

888-NLG-ECOL

(888-654-3265)

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Free Mumia NOW!

Prisonradio.org

Write to Mumia:

Mumia Abu-Jamal AM 8335

SCI Mahanoy

301 Morea Road

Frackville, PA 17932

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rachel Wolkenstein

August 21, 2011 (917) 689-4009

MUMIA ABU-JAMAL ILLEGALLY SENTENCED TO

LIFE IMPRISONMENT WITHOUT PAROLE!

FREE MUMIA NOW!

www.FreeMumia.com

http://blacktalkradionetwork.com/profiles/blogs/mumia-is-formally-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-w-out-hearing-he-s



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"A Child's View from Gaza: Palestinian Children's Art and the Fight Against

Censorship" book

https://www.mecaforpeace.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=25

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Justice for Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace: Decades of isolation in Louisiana

state prisons must end

Take Action -- Sign Petition Here:

http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/justice-for-albert-woodfox-and-herm\

an-wallace

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WITNESS GAZA

http://www.witnessgaza.com/

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Write to Bradley

http://bradleymanning.org/donate

View the new 90 second "I am Bradley Manning" video:

I am Bradley Manning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-P3OXML00s

Courage to Resist

484 Lake Park Ave. #41

Oakland, CA 94610

510-488-3559

couragetoresist.org

"A Fort Leavenworth mailing address has been released for Bradley Manning:

Bradley Manning 89289

830 Sabalu Road

Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027

The receptionist at the military barracks confirmed that if someone sends

Bradley Manning a letter to that address, it will be delivered to him."

http://www.bradleymanning.org/news/update-42811

This is also a Facebook event

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=207100509321891#!/event.php?eid=2071005093\

21891

Courage to Resist needs your support

Please donate today:

https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=38590

"Soldiers sworn oath is to defend and support the Constitution. Bradley Manning

has been defending and supporting our Constitution." --Dan Ellsberg, Pentagon

Papers whistle-blower

Jeff Paterson

Project Director, Courage to Resist

First US military service member to refuse to fight in Iraq

Please donate today.

https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=38590

P.S. I'm asking that you consider a contribution of $50 or more, or possibly

becoming a sustainer at $15 a month. Of course, now is also a perfect time to

make a end of year tax-deductible donation. Thanks again for your support!

Please click here to forward this to a friend who might also be interested in

supporting GI resisters.

http://ymlp.com/forward.php?id=lS3tR&e=bonnieweinstein@yahoo.com

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The Battle Is Still On To

FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!

The Labor Action Committee To Free Mumia Abu-Jamal

PO Box 16222 • Oakland CA 94610

www.laboractionmumia.org

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KEVIN COOPER IS INNOCENT! FREE KEVIN COOPER!

Reasonable doubts about executing Kevin Cooper

Chronicle Editorial

Monday, December 13, 2010

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/13/EDG81GP0I7.DTL

Death penalty -- Kevin Cooper is Innocent! Help save his life from San Quentin's

death row!

http://www.savekevincooper.org/

http://www.savekevincooper.org/pages/essays_content.html?ID=255

URGENT ACTION APPEAL

- From Amnesty International USA

17 December 2010

Click here to take action online:

http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&\

b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=15084

To learn about recent Urgent Action successes and updates, go to

http://www.amnestyusa.org/iar/success

For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):

http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa25910.pdf

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Short Video About Al-Awda's Work

The following link is to a short video which provides an overview of Al-Awda's

work since the founding of our organization in 2000. This video was first shown

on Saturday May 23, 2009 at the fundraising banquet of the 7th Annual Int'l

Al-Awda Convention in Anaheim California. It was produced from footage collected

over the past nine years.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTiAkbB5uC0&eurl

Support Al-Awda, a Great Organization and Cause!

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, depends on your financial

support to carry out its work.

To submit your tax-deductible donation to support our work, go to

http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html

and follow the simple instructions.

Thank you for your generosity!

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D. VIDEO, FILM, AUDIO. ART, POETRY, ETC.:

[Some of these videos are embeded on the BAUAW website:

http://bauaw.blogspot.com/ or bauaw.org ...bw]

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Checkpoint - Jasiri X 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq6Y6LSjulU



Published on Jan 28, 2014
"Checkpoint" is based on the oppression and discrimination Jasiri X witnessed firsthand during his recent trip to Palestine and Israel "Checkpoint" is produced by Agent of Change, and directed by Haute Muslim. Download "Checkpoint" at https://jasirix.bandcamp.com/track/ch....

Follow Jasiri X at https://twitter.com/jasiri_x

LYRICS
Journal of the hard times tales from the dark side
Evidence of the settlements on my hard drive
Man I swear my heart died at the end of that car ride
When I saw that checkpoint welcome to apartheid
Soldiers wear military green at the checkpoint
Automatic guns that's machine at the checkpoint
Tavors not m16s at the checkpoint
Fingers on the trigger you'll get leaned at the checkpoint
Little children grown adults or teens at the checkpoint
All ya papers better be clean at the checkpoint
You gotta but your finger on the screen at the checkpoint
And pray that red light turns green at the check point

If Martin Luther King had a dream of the checkpoint
He wake with loud screams from the scenes at the checkpoint
It's Malcolm X by any means at the check point
Imagine if you daily routine was the checkpoint

Separation walls that's surrounding the checkpoint
On top is barbwire like a crown on the checkpoint
Better have ya permits if your found at the checkpoint
Gunmen on the tower aiming down at the checkpoint
The idea is to keep you in fear of the checkpoint
You enter through the cage in the rear of the checkpoint
It feels like prison on a tier at the check point
I'd rather be anywhere but here at this checkpoint
Nelson Mandela wasn't blind to the check point
He stood for free Palestine not a check point
Support BDS don't give a dime to the checkpoint
This is international crime at the checkpoint
Arabs get treated like dogs at the checkpoint
Cause discrimination is the law at the checkpoint
Criminalized without a cause at the checkpoint
I'm just telling you what I saw at the checkpoint
Soldiers got bad attitudes at the checkpoint
Condescending and real rude at the checkpoint
Don't look em in they eyes when they move at the checkpoint
They might strip a man or woman nude at the checkpoint
Soldiers might blow you out of ya shoes at the checkpoint
Gas you up and then light the fuse at the checkpoint
Everyday you stand to be accused at the checkpoint
Each time your life you could lose at the checkpoint

If Martin Luther King had a dream of the checkpoint
He wake with loud screams from the scenes at the checkpoint
It's Malcolm X by any means at the check point
Imagine if you daily routine was the checkpoint

At the airport in Tel Aviv is a checkpoint
They pulled over our taxi at the checkpoint
Passport visa ID at the checkpoint
Soldiers going all through my things at the checkpoint
Said I was high risk security at the checkpoint
Because of the oppression I see at the checkpoint
Occupation in the 3rd degree at the checkpoint
All a nigga wanna do is leave fuck a checkpoint

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Exceptional art from the streets of Oakland:

Oakland Street Dancing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRRnAhmB58

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqH9s5mwTEY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atyTZ8prhCg

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NYC RESTAURANT WORKERS DANCE & SING FOR A WAGE HIKE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_s8e1R6rG8&feature=player_embedded

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On Gun Control, Martin Luther King, the Deacons of Defense and the history of Black Liberation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzYKisvBN1o&feature=player_embedded

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Fukushima Never Again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU-Z4VLDGxU

"Fukushima, Never Again" tells the story of the Fukushima nuclear plant meltdowns in north east Japan in March of 2011 and exposes the cover-up by Tepco and the Japanese government.

This is the first film that interviews the Mothers Of Fukushima, nuclear power experts and trade unionists who are fighting for justice and the protection of the children and the people of Japan and the world. The residents and citizens were forced to buy their own geiger counters and radiation dosimeters in order to test their communities to find out if they were in danger.

The government said contaminated soil in children's school grounds was safe and then

when the people found out it was contaminated and removed the top soil, the government and TEPCO refused to remove it from the school grounds.

It also relays how the nuclear energy program for "peaceful atoms" was brought to Japan under the auspices of the US military occupation and also the criminal cover-up of the safety dangers of the plant by TEPCO and GE management which built the plant in Fukushima. It also interviews Kei Sugaoka, the GE nulcear plant inspector from the bay area who exposed cover-ups in the safety at the Fukushima plant and was retaliated against by GE. This documentary allows the voices of the people and workers to speak out about the reality of the disaster and what this means not only for the people of Japan but the people of the world as the US government and nuclear industry continue to push for more new plants and government subsidies. This film breaks

the information blockade story line of the corporate media in Japan, the US and around the world that Fukushima is over.

Production Of Labor Video Project

P.O. Box 720027

San Francisco, CA 94172

www.laborvideo.org

lvpsf@laborvideo.org

For information on obtaining the video go to:

www.fukushimaneveragain.com

(415)282-1908


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1000 year of war through the world

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiG8neU4_bs&feature=share

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Anatomy of a Massacre - Afganistan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6BnRc11aug&feature=player_embedded

Afghans accuse multiple soldiers of pre-meditated murder

To see more go to http://www.youtube.com/user/journeymanpictures

Follow us on Facebook (http://goo.gl/YRw42) or Twitter

(http://www.twitter.com/journeymanvod)

The recent massacre of 17 civilians by a rogue US soldier has been shrouded in

mystery. But through unprecedented access to those involved, this report

confronts the accusations that Bales didn't act alone.

"They came into my room and they killed my family". Stories like this are common

amongst the survivors in Aklozai and Najiban. As are the shocking accusations

that Sergeant Bales was not acting alone. Even President Karzai has announced

"one man can not do that". Chief investigator, General Karimi, is suspicious

that despite being fully armed, Bales freely left his base without raising

alarm. "How come he leaves at night and nobody is aware? Every time we have

weapon accountability and personal accountability." These are just a few of the

questions the American army and government are yet to answer. One thing however

is very clear, the massacre has unleashed a wave of grief and outrage which

means relations in Kandahar will be tense for years to come: "If I could lay my

hands on those infidels, I would rip them apart with my bare hands."

A Film By SBS

Distributed By Journeyman Pictures

April 2012

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Photo of George Zimmerman, in 2005 photo, left, and in a more recent photo.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/04/02/us/the-events-leading-to-the-sooti\

ng-of-trayvon-martin.html?hp

SPD Security Cams.wmv

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WWDNbQUgm4&feature=player_embedded

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Kids being put on buses and transported from school to "alternate locations" in

Terror Drills

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFia_w8adWQ

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Private prisons,

a recession resistant investment opportunity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIGLDOxx9Vg

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Attack Dogs used on a High School Walkout in MD, Four Students Charged With

"Thought Crimes"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wafMaML17w

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Common forms of misconduct by Law Enforcement Officials and Prosecutors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViSpM4K276w&feature=related

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Organizing and Instigating: OCCUPY - Ronnie Goodman

http://arthazelwood.com/instigator/occupy/occupy-birth-video.html

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Rep News 12: Yes We Kony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68GbzIkYdc8

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The New Black by The Mavrix - Official Music Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4rLfja8488

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Japan One Year Later

http://www.onlineschools.org/japan-one-year-later/

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The CIA's Heart Attack Gun

http://www.brasschecktv.com/videos/assassination-studies/the-cias-heart-attack-g\

un-.html

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The Invisible American Workforce

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/8/5/new_expos_tracks_alec_private_prison

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Labor Beat: NATO vs The 1st Amendment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbQxnb4so3U

For more detailed information, send us a request at mail@laborbeat.org.


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The Battle of Oakland

by brandon jourdan plus

http://vimeo.com/36256273

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Officers Pulled Off Street After Tape of Beating Surfaces

By ANDY NEWMAN

February 1, 2012, 10:56 am

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/officers-pulled-off-street-after-ta\

pe-of-beating-surfaces/?ref=nyregion

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This is excellent! Michelle Alexander pulls no punches!

Michelle Alexander, Author of The New Jim Crow, speaks about the political

strategy

behind the War on Drugs and its connection to the mass incarceration of Black

and Brown people in the United States.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P75cbEdNo2U&feature=player_embedded

If you think Bill Clinton was "the first black President" you need to watch this

video and see how much damage his administration caused for the black community

as a result of his get tough attitude on crime that appealed to white swing

voters.

This speech took place at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on January 12,

2012.

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

FREE BRADLEY MANNING

http://www.bradleymanning.org/news/national-call-in-for-bradley

I received the following reply from the White House November 18, 2011 regarding

the Bradley Manning petition I signed:

"Why We Can't Comment on Bradley Manning

"Thank you for signing the petition 'Free PFC Bradley Manning, the accused

WikiLeaks whistleblower.' We appreciate your participation in the We the People

platform on WhiteHouse.gov.

The We the People Terms of Participation explain that 'the White House may

decline to address certain procurement, law enforcement, adjudicatory, or

similar matters properly within the jurisdiction of federal departments or

agencies, federal courts, or state and local government.' The military justice

system is charged with enforcing the Uniform Code of

Military Justice. Accordingly, the White House declines to comment on the

specific case raised in this petition...

That's funny! I guess Obama didn't get this memo. Here's what Obama said about

Bradley:

BRADLEY MANNING "BROKE THE LAW" SAYS OBAMA!

"He broke the law!" says Obama about Bradley Manning who has yet to even be

charged, let alone, gone to trial and found guilty. How horrendous is it for the

President to declare someone guilty before going to trial or being charged with

a crime! Justice in the U.S.A.!

Obama on FREE BRADLEY MANNING protest... San Francisco, CA. April 21, 2011-

Presidential remarks on interrupt/interaction/performance art happening at

fundraiser. Logan Price queries Barack after org. FRESH JUICE PARTY political

action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfmtUpd4id0&feature=youtu.be

Release Bradley Manning

Almost Gone (The Ballad Of Bradley Manning)

Written by Graham Nash and James Raymond (son of David Crosby)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAYG7yJpBbQ&feature=player_embedded

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

Julian Assange: Why the world needs WikiLeaks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVGqE726OAo&feature=player_embedded

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*


School police increasingly arresting American students?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl-efNBvjUU&feature=player_embedded

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

FYI:

Nuclear Detonation Timeline "1945-1998"

The 2053 nuclear tests and explosions that took place between 1945 and 1998 are

plotted visually and audibly on a world map.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9lquok4Pdk&feature=share&mid=5408

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

We Are the 99 Percent

We are the 99 percent. We are getting kicked out of our homes. We are forced to

choose between groceries and rent. We are denied quality medical care. We are

suffering from environmental pollution. We are working long hours for little pay

and no rights, if we're working at all. We are getting nothing while the other 1

percent is getting everything. We are the 99 percent.

Brought to you by the people who occupy wall street. Why will YOU occupy?

OccupyWallSt.org

Occupytogether.org

wearethe99percentuk.tumblr.com

http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com/

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*


We Are The People Who Will Save Our Schools

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFAOJsBxAxY

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

In honor of the 75th Anniversary of the 44-Day Flint Michigan sit-down strike at

GM that began December 30, 1936:

According to Michael Moore, (Although he has done some good things, this clip

isn't one of them) in this clip from his film, "Capitalism a Love Story," it was

Roosevelt who saved the day!):

"After a bloody battle one evening, the Governor of Michigan, with the support

of the President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt, sent in the National

Guard. But the guns and the soldiers weren't used on the workers; they were

pointed at the police and the hired goons warning them to leave these workers

alone. For Mr. Roosevelt believed that the men inside had a right to a redress

of their grievances." -Michael Moore's 'Capitalism: A Love Story'

- Flint Sit-Down Strike http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8x1_q9wg58

But those cannons were not aimed at the goons and cops! They were aimed straight

at the factory filled with strikers! Watch what REALLY happened and how the

strike was really won!

'With babies & banners' -- 75 years since the 44-day Flint sit-down strike

http://links.org.au/node/2681

--Inspiring

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

HALLELUJAH CORPORATIONS (revised edition).mov

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws0WSNRpy3g

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

ONE OF THE GREATEST POSTS ON YOUTUBE SO FAR!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8C-qIgbP9o&feature=share&mid=552

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

ILWU Local 10 Longshore Workers Speak-Out At Oakland Port Shutdown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JUpBpZYwms

Uploaded by laborvideo on Dec 13, 2011

ILWU Local 10 longshore workers speak out during a blockade of the Port of

Oakland called for by Occupy Oakland. Anthony Levieges and Clarence Thomas rank

and file members of the union. The action took place on December 12, 2011 and

the interview took place at Pier 30 on the Oakland docks.

For more information on the ILWU Local 21 Longview EGT struggle go to

http://www.facebook.com/groups/256313837734192/

For further info on the action and the press conferernce go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz3fE-Vhrw8&feature=youtu.be

Production of Labor Video Project www.laborvideo.org

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

UC Davis Police Violence Adds Fuel to Fire

By Scott Galindez, Reader Supported News

19 November 11

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/275-42/8485-uc-davis-police-violence-add\

s-fuel-to-fire

UC Davis Protestors Pepper Sprayed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AdDLhPwpp4&feature=player_embedded

Police PEPPER SPRAY UC Davis STUDENT PROTESTERS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuWEx6Cfn-I&feature=player_embedded

Police pepper spraying and arresting students at UC Davis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmJmmnMkuEM&feature=player_embedded

*---------*

UC Davis Chancellor Katehi walks to her car

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CZ0t9ez_EGI#!

Occupy Seattle - 84 Year Old Woman Dorli Rainey Pepper Sprayed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTIyE_JlJzw&feature=related

*---------*

THE BEST VIDEO ON "OCCUPY THE WORLD"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S880UldxB1o

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

Shot by police with rubber bullet at Occupy Oakland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0pX9LeE-g8&feature=player_embedded

*---------*

Copwatch@Occupy Oakland: Beware of Police Infiltrators and Provocateurs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrvMzqopHH0

*---------*

Occupy Oakland 11-2 Strike: Police Tear Gas, Black Bloc, War in the Streets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tu_D8SFYck&feature=player_embedded

*----*

Quebec police admitted that, in 2007, thugs carrying rocks to a peaceful protest

were actually undercover Quebec police officers:

POLICE STATE Criminal Cops EXPOSED As Agent Provocateurs @ SPP Protest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoiisMMCFT0&feature=player_embedded

*----*

Quebec police admit going undercover at montebello protests

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAfzUOx53Rg&feature=player_embedded

G20: Epic Undercover Police Fail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrJ7aU-n1L8&feature=player_embedded

*----*

WHAT HAPPENED IN OAKLAND TUESDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 25:

Occupy Oakland Protest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlPs-REyl-0&feature=player_embedded

Cops make mass arrests at occupy Oakland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R27kD2_7PwU&feature=player_embedded

Raw Video: Protesters Clash With Oakland Police

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpO-lJr2BQY&feature=player_embedded

Occupy Oakland - Flashbangs USED on protesters OPD LIES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqNOPZLw03Q&feature=player_embedded

KTVU TV Video of Police violence

http://www.ktvu.com/video/29587714/index.html

Marine Vet wounded, tear gas & flash-bang grenades thrown in downtown

Oakland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMUgPTCgwcQ&feature=player_embedded

Tear Gas billowing through 14th & Broadway in Downtown Oakland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU4Y0pwJtWE&feature=player_embedded

Arrests at Occupy Atlanta -- This is what a police state looks like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YStWz6jbeZA&feature=player_embedded

*---------*

Labor Beat: Hey You Billionaire, Pay Your Fair Share

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY8isD33f-I

*---------*

Voices of Occupy Boston 2011 - Kwame Somburu (Paul Boutelle) Part I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA48gmfGB6U&feature=youtu.be

Voices of Occupy Boston 2011 - Kwame Somburu (Paul Boutelle) Part II

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjKZpOk7TyM&feature=related

*---------*

#Occupy Wall Street In Washington Square: Mohammed Ezzeldin, former occupier of

Egypt's Tahrir Square Speaks at Washington Square!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziodsFWEb5Y&feature=player_embedded

*---------*

#OccupyTheHood, Occupy Wall Street

By adele pham

http://vimeo.com/30146870

*---------*

Live arrest at brooklyn bridge #occupywallstreet by We are Change

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yULSI-31Pto&feature=player_embedded

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

FREE THE CUBAN FIVE!

http://www.thecuban5.org/wordpress/index.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmS4kHC_OlY&feature=player_embedded

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

One World One Revolution -- MUST SEE VIDEO -- Powerful and beautiful...bw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE3R1BQrYCw&feature=player_embedded

"When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty." Thomas Jefferson

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

Japan: angry Fukushima citizens confront government (video)

Posted by Xeni Jardin on Monday, Jul 25th at 11:36am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVuGwc9dlhQ&feature=player_embedded


*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

Labor Beat: Labor Stands with Subpoenaed Activists Against FBI Raids and Grand

Jury Investigation of antiwar and social justice activists.

"If trouble is not at your door. It's on it's way, or it just left."

"Investigate the Billionaires...Full investigation into Wall Street..." Jesse

Sharkey, Vice

President, Chicago Teachers Union

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSNUSIGZCMQ

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

Coal Ash: One Valley's Tale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E7h-DNvwx4&feature=player_embedded

*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*

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