For details, contact:
Lynne Hollander Savio707-823-7293
Mobile: 707-703-9829savio@sonic.net
http://www.savio.org (Photo Chelsea Chee)
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACTIVISTS WIN MARIO SAVIO YOUNG ACTIVIST AWARDS
Two young leaders who have been tackling the problems of climate change and environmental justice in different but complementary ways have been awarded this year's Mario Savio Young Activist Award. Each will receive $6,000, half for their projects and half to use as they wish.
Chelsea Chee, a 25-year old Navajo woman, Youth Organizer for the Black Mesa Water Coalition in Arizona, has been working to engage Indigenous youth of the Southwest in implementing climate change solutions. Through Chelsea’s leadership young Indigenous peoples are actively reorienting their tribal governments, schools, and communities towards a "greener' future. This means opposing fossil fuel extraction, encouraging sustainable living, and promoting a green job opportunities. Her efforts have resulted in the creation of numerous Indigenous youth groups throughout the rural Southwest and the passage of the Navajo Nation Green Economy legislation.
Timothy DenHerder-Thomas, 22, a senior at Macalester College in Minnesota, has devised practical new programs that focus on organizing for ecological innovation and sustainable community development. After establishing a revolving fund that helps students implement campus sustainability practices and recaptures the savings created (now over $100,000), Timothy has gone on to organize Summer of Solutions, a program that trains youth leaders to partner with local groups in developing community projects around energy efficiency, sustainable food production and urban design, and green industry.
"Chelsea and Timothy strike us as representing two key aspects of the climate debate--the need for those communities most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, though least responsible for it, to have a strong voice in the debate and the need to build bridges across class divides and challenge the system from within," stated Lynne Hollander Savio, Chairperson of the awards program. "Chelsea has had to struggle against great odds -- a vast territory, little money, and tribal history and cultural values, while Timothy has been exceptionally creative and ingenious in developing new, self-sustaining projects."
The awards for leadership ability, creativity, and integrity, were presented last night at the 13th annual Mario Savio Memorial Lecture, delivered this year by journalist Naomi Klein at the University of California Berkeley campus. Both the Lecture and the Young Activist Award, which is given to a young person with a deep commitment to human rights and social justice and a proven ability to transform this commitment into effective action, honor the late Mario Savio, who came to public notice in 1964 when students at Berkeley rebelled against restrictions on political activity at the University. Their protest drew nationwide attention and stirred activism by college students across the country. Savio's words to his fellow students sparked a non-violent sit-in and the arrest of over 800 protestors, the largest mass arrest in U.S. history up till that time. They have also been quoted frequently in movies and recordings.
` "There comes a time," he said, "when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part, you can't even passively take part, and you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, the people who own it, that unless you're free the machine will be prevented from working at all."
Although condemned by University administrators and public opinion at the time,
the Free Speech Movement has been recognized for some years as having made a positive contribution to university life. On Savio's death, a plaque was installed naming the steps of Sproul Hall where he made his speeches as the Mario Savio Steps. The Free Speech Movement café, commemorating the protest, was opened in the undergraduate library in 1998 and has become a popular campus gathering place. The yearly lecture series which bears his name is co-sponsored by several departments at the university, and has presented such well-known speakers as journalist Molly Ivins, teacher and author Cornel West, and historian Howard Zinn.
For more information, contact Lynne Hollander Savio, savio@sonic.net, 707-823-7293 or 707-703-9829.
October 31, 2009
October 30, 2009
MNN: Polish death probed -- attempt on Mohawk ignored
POLISH DEATH PROBED – ATTEMPT ON MOHAWK IGNORED
Mohawk Nation News
http://www.mohawknationnews.com/
MNN. Oct. 29, 2009. On October 14th 2007, Polish immigrant, Robert Dziekanski, was killed by the RCMP at the customs venue in Vancouver Airport. He was tasered, knocked down and hit again. He screamed in pain on the floor. They fired again, again and again until he died.
Dziekanski had come from Poland to visit his mother, who had been waiting for him at the arrivals level for 7 hours.
A bystander video taped his death with his cell phone. The RCMP were all buffed up with body armor, hand guns, pepper spray and collapsible batons. They said they feared for their safety when he picked up the stapler and waved it at them.
The state is spending millions on an highly publicized investigation into his death.
What’s the difference between this and the attack on Kahentinetha Horn at the Akwesasne border on June 14, 2009? The CBSA Canadian Border Services Agency video taped this vicious assault which they hide for reasons of National Security. Many witnesses have signed affidavits.
Horn was pulled over by the border guards to wait for hours. CBSA and a squad of heavily equipped commandos appeared. They surrounded her car, grabbed her and used stress tactics that brought on a heart attack. The border guards tried to push her to bend forward so the blood would rush into her heart and kill her. She survived.
This attack has been kept out of mainstream news. Every request to the RCMP, OPP and Attorney General of Canada to investigate this crime has been stopped.
Canada does not want a review of their agents torturing and trying to kill a 69 year old woman who was peacefully crossing the border at Akwesasne.
Horn went to the Federal Court of Canada to file an action to investigate this crime. FCC issued an order that she must pay for all of the Crown’s costs starting with a $20,000 deposit. They declared she lives in the Mohawk community of Kahnawake and therefore is not a resident of Canada. This is an admission that we are sovereign.
Many have been brutalized at this border. The colonial Akwesasne Mohawk Council is hiring a high profile lawyer, paid by Canada, to mount a class action suit against Canada, mainly to avoid the sovereignty, international border and land issues. Indigenous victims will be urged to take a settlement. The deal will probably try to absolve Canada of guilt and responsibility in the eyes of their law.
Canada knows this is an international nation-to-nation issue. The lawyer will say the ruling is a great victory for the Indigenous, blah, blah, blah. Canada will keep pretending they are in control of their Indians.
The foreigners need guns to assert their illegitimate authority.
In Akwesasne we are in our homes, doing nothing wrong. When some antagonistic armed border goon confronts us, our guard goes up. An issue is created and we could be killed. Armed camps are being created around us to force us to defend ourselves against their brutality and weapons. Since they have guns, shouldn’t we have guns to defend ourselves from them?
Any law abiding peaceful and compliant individual, black, white, yellow or brown, who shows up at the border is confronted with tasers and guns. They can become a victim, attacked and killed. Because it’s at the border the goons think they can walk away scot free with no fear of retaliation.
Is Canada at war with us? Why are they pointing us at us? The corporations, Wall Street, bankers, military and lawyers now control governments. Anyone asserting self-determination and sovereignty or questioning their lack of jurisdiction in a resource rich territory is considered an enemy. We have been declared terrorists or enemy combatants and denied civil, sovereign and human rights.
Dziekanski was a visitor with more rights to an investigation than us. He was killed to desensitize the public to what state agents will do to enforce their will. The RCMP took 7 hours to plan his killing and to work up the nerve to do it. In the Horn case, they spent over an hour and botched it.
Kahentinetha MNN Mohawk Nation News, www.mohawknationnews.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com Note: Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Or go to PayPal on MNN website. Nia:wen thank you very much. Go to MNN BORDER category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now!
NOTE: Charges could not be brought against the CBSA border guards unless the victims paid the crown’s court costs. Federal Court of Canada Prothonotary Mireille Tabib made an order on October 23, 2008 that Mohawks residing in Akwesasne and Kahnawake are not residents of Canada. Two supporting FCC orders were made by Judge Francois Lemieux on January 29, 2009; and Claude Morissette on March 16, 2009. FCA T-1309-08 and T-288-09.
Mohawk Nation News
http://www.mohawknationnews.com/
MNN. Oct. 29, 2009. On October 14th 2007, Polish immigrant, Robert Dziekanski, was killed by the RCMP at the customs venue in Vancouver Airport. He was tasered, knocked down and hit again. He screamed in pain on the floor. They fired again, again and again until he died.
Dziekanski had come from Poland to visit his mother, who had been waiting for him at the arrivals level for 7 hours.
A bystander video taped his death with his cell phone. The RCMP were all buffed up with body armor, hand guns, pepper spray and collapsible batons. They said they feared for their safety when he picked up the stapler and waved it at them.
The state is spending millions on an highly publicized investigation into his death.
What’s the difference between this and the attack on Kahentinetha Horn at the Akwesasne border on June 14, 2009? The CBSA Canadian Border Services Agency video taped this vicious assault which they hide for reasons of National Security. Many witnesses have signed affidavits.
Horn was pulled over by the border guards to wait for hours. CBSA and a squad of heavily equipped commandos appeared. They surrounded her car, grabbed her and used stress tactics that brought on a heart attack. The border guards tried to push her to bend forward so the blood would rush into her heart and kill her. She survived.
This attack has been kept out of mainstream news. Every request to the RCMP, OPP and Attorney General of Canada to investigate this crime has been stopped.
Canada does not want a review of their agents torturing and trying to kill a 69 year old woman who was peacefully crossing the border at Akwesasne.
Horn went to the Federal Court of Canada to file an action to investigate this crime. FCC issued an order that she must pay for all of the Crown’s costs starting with a $20,000 deposit. They declared she lives in the Mohawk community of Kahnawake and therefore is not a resident of Canada. This is an admission that we are sovereign.
Many have been brutalized at this border. The colonial Akwesasne Mohawk Council is hiring a high profile lawyer, paid by Canada, to mount a class action suit against Canada, mainly to avoid the sovereignty, international border and land issues. Indigenous victims will be urged to take a settlement. The deal will probably try to absolve Canada of guilt and responsibility in the eyes of their law.
Canada knows this is an international nation-to-nation issue. The lawyer will say the ruling is a great victory for the Indigenous, blah, blah, blah. Canada will keep pretending they are in control of their Indians.
The foreigners need guns to assert their illegitimate authority.
In Akwesasne we are in our homes, doing nothing wrong. When some antagonistic armed border goon confronts us, our guard goes up. An issue is created and we could be killed. Armed camps are being created around us to force us to defend ourselves against their brutality and weapons. Since they have guns, shouldn’t we have guns to defend ourselves from them?
Any law abiding peaceful and compliant individual, black, white, yellow or brown, who shows up at the border is confronted with tasers and guns. They can become a victim, attacked and killed. Because it’s at the border the goons think they can walk away scot free with no fear of retaliation.
Is Canada at war with us? Why are they pointing us at us? The corporations, Wall Street, bankers, military and lawyers now control governments. Anyone asserting self-determination and sovereignty or questioning their lack of jurisdiction in a resource rich territory is considered an enemy. We have been declared terrorists or enemy combatants and denied civil, sovereign and human rights.
Dziekanski was a visitor with more rights to an investigation than us. He was killed to desensitize the public to what state agents will do to enforce their will. The RCMP took 7 hours to plan his killing and to work up the nerve to do it. In the Horn case, they spent over an hour and botched it.
Kahentinetha MNN Mohawk Nation News, www.mohawknationnews.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com Note: Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Or go to PayPal on MNN website. Nia:wen thank you very much. Go to MNN BORDER category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now!
NOTE: Charges could not be brought against the CBSA border guards unless the victims paid the crown’s court costs. Federal Court of Canada Prothonotary Mireille Tabib made an order on October 23, 2008 that Mohawks residing in Akwesasne and Kahnawake are not residents of Canada. Two supporting FCC orders were made by Judge Francois Lemieux on January 29, 2009; and Claude Morissette on March 16, 2009. FCA T-1309-08 and T-288-09.
October 28, 2009
Southwest Weekend to End Torture
SOUTHWEST WEEKEND OF WITNESS TO END TORTURE, NOVEMBER 14-15, 2009SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Photos: Fort Huachuca protest 2004/Indymedia
Protest at Fort Huachuca, where the US army produces torture manuals
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14
1--4 p.m. Workshop/Teach-in on Human Rights
Teach-in will be led by Prof. Randall Amster from Prescott College and Russell Crawford with NAU Peace and Justice
Held at Southside Presbyterian Church, 317 E. 23rd St., Tucson, AZ -One block south of 10th Ave and 22nd St. in Tucson, AZ
4-6:30 p.m. Sign-making and Community-building Event
Simple supper served for donation
Also held at Southside Presbyterian Church, 317 E. 23rd St., Tucson, AZ
7--8 p.m. Healing Ritual and Music
Music provided by Ted Warmbrand and Francisco Herrera
Held at Southside Presbyterian Church, 317 E. 23rd St., Tucson, AZ
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15
Note: For those who wish, carpooling has been organized to leave from Borderlinks (620 S. 6th Ave, Tucson) at 10:15 to allow at least 90 minutes for the trip to Sierra Vista, which is 72 miles southeast of Tucson (east on I-10, then south on Hwy. 90, then east on Fry Blvd. Hwy. 90 is also called Buffalo Soldier Trail.)
Noon - 3 p.m. No to Torture Rally, followed by a Procession and Presence at the Ft. Huachuca Main Gate
Rally is at Len Roberts Park at E. Theater Dr. and N. Carmichael Ave. in Sierra Vista, AZ (from the main gate of Ft. Huachuca take Fry Blvd east to N. Canyon Dr and go north to Theater Dr.)
Speakers, musicians
Bring brown bag or picnic lunch, beverages, hat, sunscreen, folding chair, appropriate signs, and walking shoes if you will be in the procession.
The park has restrooms and some parking but carpooling is encouraged. There are fast food and cafe options all along Fry Blvd.
No to Torture Procession Note: A Vigil of Presence across from Ft. Huachuca's main gate on the east side of Buffalo Soldiers Trail and Fry Blvd. follows the park Rally. We will also have a presence at one of the private contractor's office nearby. (Please note that we are no longer allowed to be in the empty lot where vigils have taken place in past years. We will need to vigil in the sidewalk area.)
The gate is a little less than a mile from Len Roberts Park. Counter-demonstrators are expected and peacekeepers will be aiding us in our procession. We will allow a half-hour for the t
ransition from the park to the gate. Those not walking may drive near the gate and park in the neighborhood east of the gate.All these events are sponsored by Southwest Witness, Tucson SOA Watch, and Torture on Trial in solidarity with SOA Watch and their annual Vigil & Action at Ft. Benning, Georgia on November 20-22 (see http://soaw.org/)
More information: http://southwestwitness.org/
/ and http://tortureontrial.org/
or 520-820-7784
Plastering the hole in journalism
By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
Here's three ways that news reporters and editors fake being present at a news event:
--Publish a press release and label it with the byline "Staff writer"
--Make a phone call to someone, anyone, and publish it with a photo by someone who was there
--Plagiarize the work of reporters who were there and rewrite their work
Here's three of the many ways reporters and editors fail their readers:
--Rewrite a press release by politicians or corporations and label it "news"
--Publish an inaccurate or one-sided wire service story, then claim they have no time or money to do it right
--Censor the truth to keep their advertisers or other funders happy; Censor the truth to prevent backlash from Congressmen, other politicians and federal judges
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
Here's three ways that news reporters and editors fake being present at a news event:
--Publish a press release and label it with the byline "Staff writer"
--Make a phone call to someone, anyone, and publish it with a photo by someone who was there
--Plagiarize the work of reporters who were there and rewrite their work
Here's three of the many ways reporters and editors fail their readers:
--Rewrite a press release by politicians or corporations and label it "news"
--Publish an inaccurate or one-sided wire service story, then claim they have no time or money to do it right
--Censor the truth to keep their advertisers or other funders happy; Censor the truth to prevent backlash from Congressmen, other politicians and federal judges
October 27, 2009
Tsoodzil: Protecting the mountain of sprinkled turquoise
Thanks to John Redhouse for his history of the efforts to protect sacred Mount Taylor. This painting by Navajo artist Shonto Begay is in Redhouse's compilation, Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum, A Reader 1987 -- 2009.
John Trudell speaks on racism at Santa Barbara
INDIGENOUS SYMPOSIUM ON RACE AND RACISM @ UCSB
Censored News
The American Indian Graduate Student Alliance / American Indian Student Association of the University of California Santa Barbara, presents an
INDIGENOUS SYMPOSIUM ON RACE AND RACISM
November 13th-15th, 2009
Key Note Address by John Trudell, Lakota Activist, Writer and Musician
Following recent events surrounding the Carpenteria High School mascot vote, the UCSB Nexus Newspaper, the lack of an Indigenous/Native American Indian Studies department at UCSB and low enrollment, students are organizing this Symposium to address race and racism affecting local Indigenous communities, especially in the areas of education.
Sessions will be on racism regarding mascots, sacred sites, and education, including religious and identity persecution effecting urban and rural communities. The Symposiums goal is to bridge conversation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous, academic and traditional knowledge, and tribal nations and organizations, in addressing historic and contemporary issues and solutions facing our nations today.
Event is Free, donations of $5.00 per meal is requested.
For more information and registration, please contact:
AIGSA Facebook, or Monique Sonoquie at sonoquie@hotmail.com or (805) 403-6744
INDIGENOUS SYMPOSIUM ON RACE AND RACISM
November 13th-15th, 2009
Key Note Address by John Trudell, Lakota Activist, Writer and Musician
Following recent events surrounding the Carpenteria High School mascot vote, the UCSB Nexus Newspaper, the lack of an Indigenous/Native American Indian Studies department at UCSB and low enrollment, students are organizing this Symposium to address race and racism affecting local Indigenous communities, especially in the areas of education.
Sessions will be on racism regarding mascots, sacred sites, and education, including religious and identity persecution effecting urban and rural communities. The Symposiums goal is to bridge conversation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous, academic and traditional knowledge, and tribal nations and organizations, in addressing historic and contemporary issues and solutions facing our nations today.
Event is Free, donations of $5.00 per meal is requested.
For more information and registration, please contact:
AIGSA Facebook, or Monique Sonoquie at sonoquie@hotmail.com or (805) 403-6744
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