Gun Guys: NRA Bankrolls Defense of License to Murder Killer in Arizona

The NRA is pulling out all the stops to sell even more guns to the already trigger-happy Americans and bring back the 'Wild West'.

Harold Fish, a retired school-teacher, shot an unarmed homeless man in Arizona. Now he’s facing trial for second-degree murder, and the NRA is bankrolling his defense. It is all part of the NRA's backing of a law dubbed "License to Murder".

"Why would the NRA have a financial interest in this litigation? Oh right. License to Murder. The NRA is currently backing a law all over the country, including in Arizona, that would make what Fish did completely legal. No investigation, no trial. The homeless man’s family couldn’t even sue Fish– the NRA’s License to Murder law lets anyone fire away as long as they “feel threatened.” And we have Fish’s word here (the only other witnesses, as far as we know, were the dogs) that he felt threatened. If the NRA’s law had alreay passed in Arizona, they wouldn’t have to fund Fish’s defense. That must be their “financial interest.”

Read the full story about this latest American insanity here (Gun Guys).

posted by Annamarie at 11:53 PM | 0 comment(s)

BuzzFlash Reviews "Planet of Slums"

"A profound enquiry into an urgent subject...a brilliant book."
-- Arundhati Roy

Planet of Slums (Hardcover)
by Mike Davis

BuzzFlash.com's Review (excerpt)

If Al Gore is reawakening the world to the dangers of global warming, Mike Davis reignites interest in an equally under-covered topic: the growth of urban mega-slums primarily, but not exclusively, in the third world.

This is not an abstract concept: it is a development with real and deadly consequences. In fact, Davis concludes his book by tying elements of the complex factions behind anti-U.S. fighters (all of whom Bush lumps together as terrorists) into products of the mega-slum.

"Indeed," Davis writes, "the unemployed teenage fighters of the 'Mahdi Army' in Baghdad's Sadr City -- one of the world's largest slums -- taunt American occupiers with the promise that their main boulevard is 'Vietnam Street.'" In short, at least one component of Bush's public relations "war on terrorism" is aimed at suppressing a revolt of the poor that the administration unleashed when it invaded Iraq.

Read the Full Review >>>
http://www.buzzflash.com/store/reviews/224

Other Reviews of "Planet of Slums"

"Scourge of neo-liberal nostrums, [Davis] debunks the irresponsible myth of self-help salvation, showing who gets the boot from 'bootstrap capitalism."
-- Michael Sorkin

"A global approach to documenting the astonishing depth of squalid poverty that dominates the lives of the planet's increasingly urban population.... Davis paints a bleak picture of the upward trend in urbanization and maintains a stark outlook for slum-dwellers' futures."
-- Publisher's Weekly

posted by Annamarie at 11:31 PM | 1 comment(s)

CBC "The Current" - Native Racism

I have posted a link to Friday morning's (May 26) edition of CBC Radio's program The Current which featured a segment about native racism. I have just listened to it and found it informative and interesting.

Most Canadians are probably unaware of the racism toward our Native People that has been simmering until it reared its ugly head again during the ongoing Six Nations Caledonia land dispute.

Our schools have not taught us about the turbulent, conflicted history of our acquisition of this land - how much Native blood was spilled; the injustices we have perpetrated; and the lies, double-dealings, subterfuge and broken promises that are ongoing to this day. Since our schools have failed so miserably in this task of educating us about the whole picture, it is incumbent upon each and every one of us to learn our true history to help us better understand the situations of today. For, only by seeking the truth can we come to terms with the past, begin to right the wrongs, recognise and defeat racism, peacefully and equitably resolve deeply-rooted, contentious issues, and co-exist in harmony with one another.


CBC "The Current" - Friday May 26, 2006

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2006/200605/20060526.html

....

Native Racism

For months, an aboriginal land dispute has divided the residents of Caledonia, Ontario along racial lines. On Monday, after hopes were raised that the barricades -- both native and non-native -- would come down, tensions boiled over, and fist-fights broke out. Along with the fisticuffs came racially-charged insults that undermined the claim that the two sides had lived happily together, side-by-side for years.

The land dispute has been going on for nearly three months now. And on Monday, racial slurs -- like referring to natives as "pow-wows" -- were hurled across the barricades. Some might have been surprised to hear the racist words being thrown about so easily ... but not our next guest.

Taiaiake Alfred is the Director of the Indigenous Governance Program at the University of Victoria. He was in Victoria this morning.


Native Racism: Anti-Racism Program

Taiaiake Alfred isn't the only Native Canadian to say that racism is an inherent part of his everyday life. Because of that, many natives spend their lives working on programs to help aboriginal people succeed despite that racism.

One of those people is Sioux Ranville. He's the founder of a Winnipeg-based group called Indigenous Youth Empowerment and he was in our Winnipeg studio.

Listen to The Current: Part 1 (see link above)

(Due to various rights issues some segments may be edited for internet use)

posted by Annamarie at 12:29 AM | 0 comment(s)

Re: My post yesterday: MNN "Poor sports" in Ontario. 6 Nations "shut out"

It seems that this article from MNN that I posted yesterday did not tell the whole story: MNN "Poor sports" in Ontario. 6 Nations "shut out"

Today I've received an email from someone who is on the Six Nations reserve, and was informed that: "The games were called off because one was for Monday when all hell broke lose and the others due to the power outage that effected the reserve as well as all the other people you have heard about. They were told it would take 3 to 4 days to get power back on. So all games have been put over till next week."

I apologise for the misinformation in my previous post, and will try harder to sift through all the information I receive from different sources and hopefully find the gem of truth, since I am a seeker of truth and I do not feel good about my error.

However, the article does give us some insight into the emotions of some people and the need for dialogue, patience and understanding of the different view points. We have not always treated the Native People with the respect that they deserve. Indeed, many grave wrongs and atrocities have been perpetrated upon them by us and our governments. I can only hope that the voices of reason, justice and peace will prevail and that negotiations proceed in this spirit.

posted by Annamarie at 5:12 PM | 4 comment(s)

A non-native view: "Caledonia is not just a 'native' problem"

Dr. C. Lloyd Brown-John is professor emeritus, public administration at the University of Windsor. This is his view on the Six Nations Caledonia protest, published in today's Windsor Star:

C. Lloyd Brown-John, Special to The Windsor Star
Published: Friday, May 26, 2006

When a group of aboriginal protesters hauled a large metal structure across Highway 6 at the outskirts of Caledonia on Monday evening -- a re-blockade of the highway -- I was reminded that this situation has real consequences for those of us in southwestern Ontario.

The large metal structure was part of a hydroelectric transmission tower. It was part of one of the many large towers currently being installed for a new transmission line. The line currently under construction will when -- perhaps "if" -- completed, bring electric power from Niagara Falls to southwestern Ontario. Some work on completion of the transmission line can't be carried out because of limited access to tower construction sites due to the protest.

If the transmission line is not completed soon, there is a very real possibility residents of southwestern Ontario will experience power shortages and brownouts over the summer.

I have several personal interests in events in Caledonia, including electrical power. I was there for a few days last week and saw the barriers. My daughter's place of employment is on the front line and she faces police, media and shouting aboriginals every time she goes to work. Three of my grandchildren attend a school which backs onto the property claimed by the aboriginals. All three have had police escorts in order to reach their school. My oldest granddaughter has missed school for several days and has had the types of emotional upsets a 12-year-old can experience when she fears for her home and physical person.
.....
Read rest of this article here.

posted by Annamarie at 5:02 PM | 0 comment(s)

New stations broadcasting Democracy Now!

posted by Annamarie at 1:15 AM | 1 comment(s)

DN's Amy Goodman in NYC: June 3rd

posted by Annamarie at 1:10 AM | 1 comment(s)

Democracy Now: Afghanistan in Turmoil

* Afghanistan in Turmoil: 330+ Killed in One Week, U.S. Bombing Raids Continue, Taliban Seizing Control in Southern Region *

In Afghanistan, more than 330 people have died over the past week in some of the heaviest fighting since the war began almost five years ago. Taliban have moved out of the mountains and seized large areas in the south. We speak with an Afghan human rights activist who was forced to flee the country because of his work documenting human rights abuses committed by U.S. forces.

Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/05/25/1413204

posted by Annamarie at 1:03 AM | 1 comment(s)

Grassy Narrows First Nation

We're gaining steam. With your help, RAN sent over 850 letters to Quadrant Homes CEO Peter Orser demanding the company respect indigenous rights and stop building homes from wood sourced from the traditional territory of Grassy Narrows First Nation.

Now, we're asking you to help save the livelihood of Grassy Narrows community members by welcoming friends and family in the local area into your home for a special movie night on Wednesday, June 14.

Director David Clement's "As Long As the Rivers Flow: The Grassy Narrows Blockade Story," tracks Grassy Narrows' continuing battle to save its native lands from two of the world's largest logging companies, Abitibi and Weyerhaeuser.

You'll see powerful footage of the clear-cuts on Grassy's land, the human blockade of logging trucks and the bold strength of a community coming together to ensure its survival. Catch the preview at:

http://freegrassy.org/multi_media/video/

We'll provide you with everything you need to screen the film in your living room, school, local community center or indy movie house.

Email Julie at jwolk@ran.org to get everything you need. We’ll even include the popcorn!

Thank you,

Brant Olson
Old Growth Campaign Director

P.S. If you can’t make June 14th, no need to worry­we’re still here to help you plan a movie night whenever you wish. In the meantime, you can catch a sneak-peak of "As Long as the Rivers Flow," on FreeGrassy.org:

http://freegrassy.org/multi_media/video/

posted by Annamarie at 12:43 AM | 1 comment(s)

COMING TO THEATRES: Friday, May 26 in Toronto and Vancouver

SOUVENIR OF CANADA
Come join Douglas Coupland on a hilarious, cinematic mission to figure out what makes Canada, Canada.

SOUVENIR OF CANADA is a funny, heartfelt documentary that premiered at September's Toronto International Film Festival and enjoyed standing ovations from coast to coast. Now it's your chance to discover SOUVENIR OF CANADA for yourself!

This is a movie that only Canadians will understand -- so put down your Ookpik, pass the vinegar and crank up the game...

For more information, please visit www.souvenirofcanada.com
Opens Friday, May 26 in Toronto and Vancouver

posted by Annamarie at 12:40 AM | 1 comment(s)

AG's report gives INAC a failing grade

OTTAWA - NDP Critic for Aboriginal Affairs Jean Crowder (Nanaimo-Cowichan) says Auditor-General Sheila Fraser's report on Indian and Northern Affairs Canada is a "clear indictment of a culture of delay and denial."

"From land claims that take an average of 29 years to complete, to the lack of clear responsibility for mouldy houses, this Auditor-General report shows that Indian and Northern Affairs Canada is not working in the interests of First Nations, Métis and Inuit, or in the interests of the rest of Canada," said Crowder.

In her report, the Auditor-General points to an appearance of conflict of interest, if not a true conflict, in the multiple roles INAC has:

"We believe that these differing roles of the Department create at least the appearance of a conflict and may have resulted in an erosion of trust between the Department and First Nations over time." (Chapter 5, pg 170 - Report of the Auditor General of Canada, May 2006)

"It's time to move the responsibility - and the budget - for land claims away from the department, to a completely independent agency," said Crowder.

"INAC's focus should be on reducing the gap in standard of living between First Nations, Métis and Inuit and the rest of Canadians, starting with the largest health and safety hazard: mouldy housing. The minister should take charge of this file, show leadership, and get this disaster fixed."

The Auditor-General's report also showed that INAC lacks accountability in how it doles out money - ignoring many of the 60,000 reports First Nations file yearly.

"The Auditor-General found that staff were not trained in how to assess grants and contributions and may be contravening the Financial Administration Act when deciding where money should go. It's clear that this Conservative government should start with its own departments when talking about accountability," Crowder concluded.
http://www.ndp.ca/page/3751

Related Links
Crowder calls on Conservatives to close First Nations poverty gap »
NDP’s Angus blasts federal neglect of Kashechewan »
Aboriginal Peoples »
Layton Joins Angus On Kashechewan Water Crisis »
Jack Layton's speech at the Annual General Meeting of the Assembly of First Nations »
NDP MP Filibusters at Committee to Force Action on Indian Residential Schools »

posted by Annamarie at 12:27 AM | 2 comment(s)

Palestinians seek united front

Palestinian factions are holding talks in which the focus will be the shared goal of independence to try to stop their territories being destroyed from within.
Full Story

posted by Annamarie at 12:24 AM | 1 comment(s)

Abbas ultimatum on peace

The Palestinian president has set a deadline for agreement on seeking a settlement with Israel - and will call a referendum if none is reached.

Full story

posted by Annamarie at 12:15 AM | 1 comment(s)

Leftbooks Celebrates African Liberation Day - May 25

The time was 1958, the city was Accra in Ghana and the occasion was historic. Given that this same country produced Kwame Nkrumah, first president after independence and a liberator and fighter for African unity, it was not surprising that government representatives from Ethiopia, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Republic, and representatives from the National Liberation Front of Algeria and the Union of Peoples of Cameroon gathered there to proclaim "African Freedom Day," which would "mark each year the onward progress of the liberation movement, and to symbolize the determination of the People of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation."

Five years later, on May 25th, 1963 leaders of 32 independent African states met to form the Organization of African Unity. In an acknowledgment that two-thirds of the African continent had by then achieved independence from colonial rule, they changed "African Freedom Day" to "African Liberation Day". The day still marks the ongoing struggle of African people, both on the continent and in the diaspora, for self determination and independence from European and U.S. neo-colonialism and imperialism.

Now's the right time to learn more about the struggles against colonialism and neo-liberalism, especially in Africa, and especially with the FREE BOOK and FREE SHIPPING* OFFER!! And, most especially, because of the following books:





Fifty years ago British colonialism tried to crush the independence struggle in Kenya. Tens of thousands of Africans were imprisoned and killed with the U.S. government's support. The media slandered Kenya's Land and Freedom Army, commonly known as the Mau Mau.

The product of ten years of research,Imperial Reckoning vividly describes how as many as 320,000 Mau Mau suspects were tortured in more than 50 concentration camps. Virtually the entire Kikuyu people, 1.5 million, were imprisoned in "protected villages." Harrowing accounts of life behind the barb wire are given by survivors in this book.

Elkins, a Harvard history professor, along with Kenya archivist Terry Wairimu, interviewed 300 former detainees and villagers. Their testimony tells the courage of those who refused to submit to the occupier.

Historical photos, Notes, Bibliography and Index. Softcover, 367pp. Get the companion book Histories of the Hanged.

Reparations Anyone?

In this powerful and controversial book, distinguished African-American political leader and thinker Randall Robinson makes a persuasive case for the restoration of the rich history that slavery and segregation severed. Drawing from research and personal experience, he shows that only by reclaiming their lost past and proud heritage can blacks lay the foundation for a viable future. And white Americans can begin making reparations for slavery and the century of de jure racial discrimination that followed with monetary restitution, educational programs, and the kinds of equal opportunities that will ensure the social and economic success of all citizens.

A book that is both an unflinching indictment of past wrongs and an impassioned call to our nation to educate all Americans—black and white alike—about the history of Africa and its people, The Debt tells us in no uncertain terms what white America owes blacks and what blacks owe themselves.

Paperback, 262 p.p., Index.

U.S. Out of Haiti!!
(Get this one FREE! with a $55 Purchase)

The Haitian Revolution is a singular event in history. Never before or since has an enslaved people risen up, broken their chains, and established a new state. Haiti was a beacon of hope and inspiration to the enslaved Africans of the United States.

Haiti's history has been turbulent, but not for the reasons given by mainstream historians. Racism underlies their charges that the first black republic lacks "democratic traditions" and is prone to violence.

Drawing from a wide range of authors, experts, and historical texts, this book challenges these stereotypes and counters 200 years of cultural myths. It exposes disinformation about Haiti from the 18th century until today. Above all, it reveals the intertwined relationship between the United States and Haiti, and the untold stories of the Haitian people's resistance to U.S. aggression and occupations.

Authors include: Mumia Abu-Jamal, Ramsey Clark, Pat Chin, Edwidge Danticat, Frederick Douglas, Greg Dunkel, Ben Dupuy, Sara Flounders, Stan Goff, Kim Ives, Fleurimond Kerns, Paul Laraque, Maud LeBlanc, Sam Marcy, Franz Mendes & Steve Gillis, Felix Morriseau-Leroy.

Soft Cover, 223 pages, index, photos.

An Analytical View ... for Action

posted by Annamarie at 12:04 AM | 1 comment(s)

LEAPING RABBIT: "Murder by institutional inertia!"

This post by my buddy Lept at Leaping Rabbit makes me totally outraged, infuriated and extremely sad all at the same time. My heart breaks for the tragic, needless suffering death of his friend Giovanna Borsella (Jo). Her death is a glaring, lurid example of the failure of our system in the way it treats those amongst us who are disabled.

My kid brother is disabled. He was born with cerebral palsy. During all of my adult life, I have been an ardent advocate of people with disabilites. Giovanna Borsella's tragic death touches me to the very depths of my being. I am rendered speechless, and unable to stop the tears flowing down my face... This blatant disregard for fellow human beings shows how uncaring our system really is; we have a very long way to go toward a just, humane, equitable, caring society. A very long way.

Read Lept's post here.

posted by Annamarie at 11:07 PM | 3 comment(s)

McMaster University: Notes from today's press conference re First Nations and Six Nations issues

This email is from a friend who attended today's press conference at McMaster University. The conference was called to highlight important issues of Canada's First Nations People, the ongoing plight of the Six Nations, and Canada's lack of education of the general public about our Indigenous People and the abuses perpetrated by our governments upon them. Many very good points were raised and excellent suggestion made.

"Dear Friends,

I attended the press conference today at McMaster U. and it was very good. There were two statements read and then there was a question & answer period. The two statements consisted of a press release from 9 Faculty members from across campus and a press statement from the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada read by a non-native physician in solidarity, Dr. Joanna Santa Barbara. The 2 statements will be available on the Peace Studies, Globalisation and Indigenous Studies web page but I didn't see them posted yet*. I will send the links once I have them. [After I had posted this piece, my friend sent me another email with the link to the 2 press releases, which you will find at the end of this article. -- amd]

These are my rough notes and points that I jotted down from the question and answer period which was also very good.

Dr. Dawn Martin-Hill (Director of Indigenous Studies and member of Six Nations), a woman from the Aboriginal Health Centre on campus, Dr. Gary Warner, Dr. George Sorger and Dr. Graeme MacQueen as well as people from the audience including Dr. Don Wells and Dr. Peter Archibald spoke to a number of issues which were raised. The point was made that the Canadian people's support is needed. The aboriginal community has to fight very hard for everything little thing--even a place at the university for programme where education can be taught about their people, culture and history.

You can access education on almost everything world wide at the University, but very little if anything about our own aboriginal history, culture and people. The First Nations people have been marginalized and do not have the resources required to educate the broader base of Canadian people on their issues and to pressure the government to uphold their legal obligations. Canadian citizens help is required in:

- pressuring the federal gov't to deal with the land issues and to deal with them in
a timely and just manner (there are Royal Commission recommendations on how the land issues could be better handled and would provide a more timely resolution)instead of the inept process that is being used;

- electing responsible politicians (i.e not re-electing or electing politicians who abdicate their responsibilites and do not uphold aboriginal rights, and in some cases who are outrightly racist);

- the media has a responsibility to go beneath the flash points of a crisis and inform people about the true issue of conflict and to dig more deeply to find out the facts; educating ourselves and others on our own history in Canada with relation to aboriginal people.

The point was made that Six Nations people no longer feel safe in Caledonia and that native students are losing their year of school because they feel afraid to go to school. Points were brought up about the residential schools and how they have harmed the health and society of native people and Canadian people have not be taught about them even though the last one was just shut down in the 1990's(?). If people were taught about the harm that has been done to our First Nations people, they would understand instead of judge. The damage to native health and life-expectancy (7 yrs less than the rest of Canada) can be directly linked to land issues, lack of dignity, lack of resources etc. The treaties provided some 950,000 acres of land and the Canadian gov't has sold this land without permission or compensation or even sharing the profits and there are now only 45,000 acres left. The point was also made that money that was held in trust for Six Nations people, that was their money, has been spent on the infrastructure of Ontario and so the issue is not just the land but the large amounts of money that has been taken from them.

I'm sure I've left some important points out, but it was a very good press conference. Dr. Graeme MacQueen said his experience over the years with similar conflicts is that there are 2 components, Crisis and the underlying conflict. It is important to deal with the Crisis because it has the potential to do serious harm to people. But the underlying conflict has to be dealt with and it is a mistake to focus solely on the crisis points--which will continue to happen until the underlying conflict is dealt with (i.e. the land issue).

Basically, we need to reach the people of Canada in a big way and get them to pressure the federal Government. This will require educating people about our Canadian history and the legal obligations of our government. Dr. Sorger made the point that many people say the treaties are ancient history and we don't need to honour them. But as long as we are benefitting and profiting from using the stolen lands and gaining at the expense of First Nations people it is our responsibility today and not ancient history. A point was also made about the large scale genocide that has occurred in our country against the First Nations people. It is covered up, ignored and treated as though it hasn't happened.

All the best,"
---- (Name withheld)

* Here is a link to the 2 McMaster press releases today. On the Peace Studies web page (http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~peace/) Click on the box to right that says McMaster University Press Conference, May 25 2006 -- Media Releases Release I, Release II

posted by Annamarie at 4:54 PM | 0 comment(s)

This email I've received today informs us that CBC Radio 1 programme "The Current" will lead off it's show tomorrow (Friday) with a focus on Caledonia and racism among Caledonia residents:

Shikon akwekon,

This is to let you know that CBC Radio 1 "The Current" will lead off its show on Friday (May 26) with a focus on the issue of racist attitudes among the residents of Caledonia during the conflict over the Six Nations' land reclamation, and on racial-colonial attitudes in the white population of Canada generally:

_www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/

Niawen, Taiaiake. Sharon Green
Owner and Editor Gathering Place First Nations Canadian News
http://gatheringplacefirstnationscanews.ca

posted by Annamarie at 4:45 PM | 2 comment(s)

MNN "Poor sports" in Ontario. 6 Nations "shut out".

If there’s someone out there who can stop this bad sportsmanship from spreading, this is a time for action. Just do it. Thanks. Kahentinetha Horn MNN


“POOR SPORTS” IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO. SIX NATIONS KIDS SHUT OUT BY CALEDONIA AND FISHERVILLE SO FAR


MNN. May 25, 2006. The first sign that rot is spreading to the core of community relations in rural Ontario came when a team of 11-year lacrosse and 7 and 8-year old baseball players were ostracized. The Caledonia team refused to play against our kids on either Six Nations or Caledonia diamonds. Another town, Fisherville, won’t come down to Six Nations to play our kids either. Meanwhile we are paying $200 an hour to play lacrosse in the Caledonia Arena. When our team showed up yesterday at the regular time, the Caledonians locked us out.


There are two court actions which could be brought because of these events. A complaint of racial discrimination could be made in the Ontario Human Rights tribunal and an action for breach of contract could be brought into small claims court.


We don’t know who initiated this petty snit. We do know that the instigators of the “Bread and Cheese Fight” were not members of the Caledonia community. Our contacts in Caledonia did not know them. However, their m.o. was recognizable to Indigenous people on other parts of the country. They’ve been seen before in the thick of the fray in other attacks on Indigenous nations. There is a strong suspicion that these trained instigators may be part of covert state funded operations. We saw it at Lasalle and Chateauguay in Quebec.


We ran into it in 1974 when the Indigenous caravan arrived in Ottawa to demonstrate on Parliament Hill. We were all gathered there and the riot police was called in. We wondered why they were there because we were all peaceful. We noticed a few non-natives in our midst with heavy-ladened backpacks. Suddenly these guys reached into their bags and pulled out iron tools, rocks, handles and even small axes. They threw them at the police and then took off. The police attacked the crowd and we all got beaten up. Paddy wagons were already there. It was a set up.


Canada refuses to follow international law by dealing with us on a nation-to-nation basis. Canada does not respect proper communication. Every time there is a problem, it turns into a confrontation and armed forces are sent in.


In 1990 the Mohawks of Kanehsatake were refusing to let the nearby town of Oka to build a golf course over our ceremonial sites and burial grounds. On July 11th a paramilitary Quebec Police force opened fire on the defenders at Kanehsatake. To stop the blood bath that was obviously possible, we closed down the Mercier Bridge that goes over the St. Lawrence River from Kahnawake to Montreal.


The people of Chateauguay, a bedroom community right next to Kahnawake, were angry. They had rioted against our people in the same way that the Caledonians tried to attack the Six Nations people. Night after night they would gather at the edge of our territory on the other side of the barricade. They would burn our effigy, make threats and set off fires and loud firecrackers which sounded like guns.


We sat calmly on our side of the barricade and watched. They wanted to come into Kahnawake to attack us. At the same time they would scream in French, “Bring in the army”. We heard persons purporting to be the KKK were there too, instigating fights between the rioters. The Quebec police withdrew and the RCMP came in. Then the instigators turned the crowd against the RCMP, beating them up and throwing bricks at them. Twelve were injured. That’s when the Canadian army came in and the Chateauguay people clapped and screamed with joy.


Even though the misbehavior such as riots, civil unrest, vandalism, threats, attacks on the police and each other was going on among the non-native people, we got goy surrounded by the army. They refused to let any people leave our community to get food, medical supplies or anything we needed. We set up about 5 eating centers on the territory. After a while we ran out of gas. We all had to walk, ride bikes, bring out roller skates or whatever mobility we could find. It was surreal. For about 2 months it was quiet, without traffic. We were alone without any non-natives in our midst. Our supporters were not allowed to come in to bring provisions to us. When they weren’t caught by the citizens’ vigilantes of the nearby towns, they managed to sneak in by water and even dropped some by aircraft. In the end we had to open up the bridge because we were running out of food.


What is happening to the children’s sport teams at Six Nations is nothing new to us. This happened after the Mohawk Oka crisis of 1990.


After the crisis was over, the surrounding towns changed their schedules so that our kids could not compete. We had put a lot of money into their communities for hockey, lacrosse, football, wrestling, baseball, you name it. We are big sports fans. When the kids play, the whole family supports them. When our kids were stopped from competing, of course, the Indigenous crowds diminished dramatically. The arenas started to lose money.


Also, we stopped shopping in Chateauguay. Businesses started to go under. The situation got so bad, in a fit of desperation the town of Chateauguay even tried to sue us for $25 million for not shopping there. Good luck! They didn’t get anywhere on that one. 16 years later they have not completely recovered. There’s still a big division between the people over there. The moral of the story is that this silly snits can snowball. They can bring economic ruin to whole communities.


Whether or not the people of Caledonia or Fisherville are being suckered by megalomaniacs who have infiltrated the Canadian government, the effects of their boycott may prove devastating for their communities in the long run.


We suspect that that Caledonia is being incited to do this. It is obvious that someone’s interest is being served by turning non-natives against natives. It is equally obvious that it will do nothing for Caledonia or Fisherville in the long run. We hope our friends will not buy into this nonsense. Some of their kids are playing on Six Nations teams. We know who are our friends are. Let’s get back to being good sports.


Six Nations has produced a lot of elite native athletes. This is something that concerns all young people. This is a time when elite athletes, native and non-native, could take a stand to promote good sportsmanship.


Kahentinetha Horn

MNN Mohawk Nation News
Kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
www.mohawknationnews.com

posted by Annamarie at 4:30 PM | 1 comment(s)

Tomdispatch Interview: Bacevich, the Arrogance of American Power

[Note to Tomdispatch readers: In The Delusions of Global Hegemony, Part 1 of the latest Tomdispatch interview, Andrew Bacevich took up military scapegoating over the Iraq War, the strains between the military and civilian sides of the Pentagon, the possibility of an air assault on Iran, and especially the way the Iraq War revealed both the limits of American military power and the dreamy, fantastical, triumphalist thinking that, these last years, accompanied the Bush administration's attempt to expand American global hegemony. Now, Bacevich turns to cheap oil and energy wars, life in uniform, the evolution of his own thinking, and the American way of life. Tom]

Drifting Down the Path to Perdition

A Tomdispatch Interview with Andrew Bacevich (Part 2)

TD: I'd like to turn to the issue of oil wars, energy wars. That seems to be what holds all this incoherent stuff together -- minds focused on a world of energy flows. Recently, I reread [President Jimmy] Carter's 1979 energy speech. Isn't it ironic that he got laughed out of the room for his sweater and for urging a future of alternative fuels on us, while we latched onto his Rapid Deployment Force for the Persian Gulf? As you argue in your book, The New American Militarism, this essentially starts us on what you call "World War IV."

Bacevich: I remember the Carter speech. I was a relatively young man at the time. In general, I have voted for Republicans, although not this Republican in 2004. But I did vote for Carter because I was utterly disenchanted with [President Richard] Nixon and [his National Security Advisor Henry] Kissinger. [President Gerald] Ford seemed weak, incompetent. And I remember being dismayed by the Carter speech because it seemed so out of sync with the American spirit. It wasn't optimistic; it did not promise that we would have more tomorrow than we have today, that the future would be bigger and better. Carter essentially said: If we are serious about freedom, we must really think about what freedom means -- and it ought to mean something more than acquisition and conspicuous consumption. And if we're going to preserve our freedom, we have to start living within our means.

It did not set well with me at the time. Only when I was writing my militarism book did I take another look at the speech and then it knocked me over. I said to myself: This guy got it. I don't know how, but he really got it in two respects. First, he grasped the essence of our national predicament, of being seduced by a false and even demeaning definition of freedom. Second, he understood that cheap oil was the drug that was leading us willy-nilly down this path. The two were directly and intimately linked: a growing dependence on seemingly cheap foreign oil and our inability to recognize what we might call the ongoing cultural crisis of our time.

Carter gives the so-called malaise speech, I think, in July '79. The Russians invade Afghanistan in December '79. Then comes Carter's State of the Union Address in January 1980 in which he, in a sense, recants, abandoning the argument of July and saying, by God, the Persian Gulf is of vital interest to the United States and we'll use any means necessary in order to prevent somebody else from controlling it. To put some teeth in this threat he creates the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force, which sets in motion the militarization of U.S. policy that has continued ever since. So, July 1979 to January 1980, that's the pivotal moment that played such an important role in bringing us to where we are today. But of course we didn't understand that then -- certainly I didn't. In July 1979, Carter issued a prescient warning. We didn't want to listen. So we blew it.

Fast forward to 2006, and President Bush is telling us, thank you very much, that we're addicted to oil. I heard [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi on the radio over the weekend saying that the Democrats now have a plan to make us energy independent by 2020. She's lying through her teeth. There's no way anybody can make us energy independent by then. We needed to start back in 1979, if not before. Even to achieve independence from Persian Gulf oil will be an enormously costly, painful process that none of the politicians in either party are willing to undertake. Gas is now roughly $3 a gallon. I heard some guy on a talk show the other day say: "Whaddya think we should do? I think we should all park our cars on the Interstate and stop traffic until the government does something." What does he actually want the government to do, I wondered? Conquer another country?

Click here to read more of this dispatch.

posted by Annamarie at 4:27 PM | 0 comment(s)

Six Nations Concert June 16th, 2006, All Welcome

We invite our Brothers, Sisters, Friends and Allies to a:
CONCERT FRIDAY, JUNE 16TH, AT SIX NATIONS (Chiefswood Park), STARTING AT NOON

As you know, we are trying to reclaim all our land and to stop the illegal construction of a housing project on Six Nations land. The reclamation started on February 28th, 2006 and will continue for sometime to come. We need your continued help, solidarity and support to stand with us. Our Indigenous artists would be honored to entertain all our brothers, sisters, friends and allies by inviting you all to a Benefit Concert in Support of Six Nations. Admittance to the concert will be by cash donation.

IT’S FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FUTURE. WE NEED TO REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME FROM. We need to rally behind Six Nations and the People.

NEEDED: donations of large tents for dancers, security, sound equipment, stage, medical supplies, hats, light weight shirts, water, wood, cash, lawn chairs, fresh nutritious food, home made plates, baked goods, meats. We want everybody to eat well.

Please contact our Events Coordinator, Tuesday Johnson-MacDonald, of TAP Resources (519-445-1794) tapresources@bellnet.ca on how you can help, and where to send donations, food, etc.

PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP

David R. Maracle, Tehenneiakwetarons, Native Expressions, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory www.davidrmaracle.com

posted by Annamarie at 4:17 PM | 1 comment(s)

Iran Target of Apparent US Disinformation Ploy

A story authored by a prominent US neo-conservative regarding new legislation in Iran allegedly requiring Jews and other religious minorities to wear distinctive color badges circulated around the world this weekend before it was exposed as false.

This is the story that was first published in the National Post, then picked up by a few other papers, causing quite a furor..

The article by a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Iranian-American Amir Taheri, was initially published in Friday's edition of Canada's National Post, which ran alongside the story a 1935 photograph of a Jewish businessman in Berlin with a yellow, six-pointed star sewn on his overcoat, as required by Nazi legislation at the time. The Post subsequently issued a retraction.

Read further to see the interesting 'provenance' of this covert smear-campaign and who were really behind it.
(From TruthOut.org .)

posted by Annamarie at 12:29 AM | 0 comment(s)

Six Nations: Update, May 24th

posted by Annamarie at 11:36 PM | 1 comment(s)

Vancouver: World Peace Forum 2006

Vancouver. June 23 to 28.

The World Peace Forum 2006 is an international gathering of individuals, groups and civic governments from cities and communities to envision a living culture of peace and sustainability in our lifetimes. The success of this event depends on all of us. We can work together in the journey to peace!

Program

Contact

http://www.worldpeaceforum.ca/

posted by Annamarie at 11:01 PM | 1 comment(s)

Iraq Three Years after “Liberation”

Three years after U.S. forces captured Baghdad, Iraqis are suffering from unprecedented violence and misery. Although Saddam Hussein was indeed one of the world's most brutal tyrants, the no-fly zones and arms embargo in place for more than a dozen years prior to his ouster had severely weakened his capacity to do violence against his own people. Today, the level of violent deaths is not only far higher than during his final years in power, but the sheer randomness of the violence has left millions of Iraqis in a state of perpetual terror. At least 30,000 Iraqi civilians have died, most of them at the hands of U.S. forces but increasingly from terrorist groups and Iraqi government death squads. Thousands more soldiers and police have also been killed. Violent crime, including kidnapping, rape, and armed robbery, is at record levels. There is a proliferation of small arms, and private militias are growing rapidly. A Lebanon-type multifaceted civil war, only on a much wider and deadlier scale, grows more likely with time.

http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/3230


“Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices.” -- Voltaire

posted by Annamarie at 10:57 PM | 1 comment(s)

Freedom of the Press Under Attack

“All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.” -- Voltaire



Government Begins Tracking Phone Calls of Journalists

“And they do this, they say, legally. What that means is they use a provision in the PATRIOT Act — which is designed to go after terrorists, but they're using it to go after reporters — what they call a national security letter. Essentially, it’s a letter an F.B.I. agent writes, takes it to a phone company — or anywhere, really — but takes it to a phone company, and the phone company is then required under the provisions of the PATRIOT Act to turn over the information, and also a phone company is required not divulge to the customer, me or anybody else, that the records have been sought by the government.”

http://www.coanews.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=917

posted by Annamarie at 10:49 PM | 1 comment(s)

Ministry of Fear

The Real Assault on America

Many Americans believe that Bush's dictatorial powers will only be applied to terrorists. This belief is extremely foolish, because it means that "the liberty of every American rests on nothing more than the grace of the White House."
http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts05162006.html

posted by Annamarie at 10:47 PM | 2 comment(s)

Amnesty International: World's Poor and Disadvantaged Pay Price of War on Terror

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT

World's poor and disadvantaged pay price of war on terror

(London) 2005 was a year of contradictions in which signs of hope for human rights were undermined through the deception and failed promises of powerful governments, said Amnesty International today as it published its annual report.

Speaking at the launch of Amnesty International Report 2006, the organization’s Secretary General Irene Khan said that the security agenda of the powerful and privileged had hijacked the energy and attention of the world from serious human rights crises elsewhere.

"Governments collectively and individually paralyzed international institutions and squandered public resources in pursuit of narrow security interests, sacrificed principles in the name of the "war on terror" and turned a blind eye to massive human rights violations. As a result, the world has paid a heavy price, in terms of erosion of fundamental principles and in the enormous damage done to the lives and livelihoods of ordinary people," said Ms Khan.

"Intermittent attention and feeble action by the United Nations and the African Union fell pathetically short of what was needed in Darfur," said Ms Khan, referring to a conflict that claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions, and in which war crimes and crimes against humanity continue to be committed by all sides.

Iraq sank into a vortex of sectarian violence in 2005. Ms Khan warned: "When the powerful are too arrogant to review and reassess their strategies, the heaviest price is paid by the poor and powerless -– in this case, ordinary Iraqi women, men and children."

Israel and the Occupied Territories slipped off the international agenda in 2005, deepening the distress and despair of Palestinians and the fears of the Israeli population.

The brutality and intensity of attacks by armed groups in 2005 reached new levels, taking a heavy toll on human lives.

"Terrorism by armed groups is inexcusable and unacceptable. The perpetrators must be brought to justice -– but through fair trial, not torture or secret detention. Sadly, the increasing brutality of such incidents throughout the world last year is a further bitter reminder that the ‘war on terror’ is failing and will continue to fail until human rights and human security are given precedence over narrow national security interests," said Ms Khan.

"But clear signs of hope wrestled with despair in 2005."

The past year saw one of the greatest mobilizations of civil society in the fight against poverty and the struggle for economic and social rights. The UN Summit, which reviewed progress on implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, showed the dismal failure of governments to match performance to promise. For instance, governments paid lip service to women's human rights but failed to fulfill international targets for equal access to education by girls.

In 2005, the call for justice scored another hit as the International Criminal Court issued its first indictments for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Uganda. The immunity of past Heads of State was dented in Latin America as Augusto Pinochet was placed under house arrest and an international arrest warrant was enforced against Alberto Fujimori.

Powerful governments were called to account by their courts and public institutions. The highest court in the United Kingdom rejected the government’s plan to use evidence extracted under torture. The Council of Europe and the European Parliament opened investigations into European involvement in US-led ‘renditions’, or the unlawful transfer of prisoners to countries where they would be at risk of torture or other abuses.

Revelation after revelation exposed the extent to which European governments have been partners in crime with the United States, defying the absolute ban on torture and ill-treatment and by outsourcing torture though the transfer of prisoners to states such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Syria, which are known to practise torture.

"Sadly, instead of accepting and welcoming the efforts of courts and legislatures to reinstate respect for fundamental human rights principles, some governments attempted to find new ways to dodge obligations," stated Ms Khan.

The United Kingdom pursued "diplomatic assurances" -– or paper guarantees -– so as to be able to return people to countries where they could face torture.

Legislation in the USA reaffirmed the ban on torture and other ill-treatment in the face of opposition from President Bush, but then went on to severely restrict the right of Guantánamo detainees to have their treatment reviewed in the federal courts.

"Just as we must condemn terrorist attacks on civilians in the strongest possible terms, we must resist claims by governments that terror can be fought with torture. Such claims are misleading, dangerous and wrong -- you cannot extinguish a fire with petrol," said Ms Khan.

"Double speak and double standards by powerful governments are dangerous because they weaken the ability of the international community to address human rights problems such as those in Darfur, Chechnya, Colombia, Afghanistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and North Korea. They allow perpetrators in these and other countries to operate with impunity.

"When the UK government remains muted on arbitrary detention and ill-treatment in Guantánamo, when the United States ignores the absolute prohibition on torture, when European governments are mute about their record on renditions, racism or refugees, they undermine their own moral authority to champion human rights elsewhere in the world.

"In a year in which the UN spent much time discussing reform and membership of its key institutions, it failed to give attention to the performance of two key members -- China and Russia -- who have consistently allowed their narrow political and economic interests to prevail over human rights concerns domestically or internationally.

"Those who bear the greatest responsibility for safeguarding global security in the UN Security Council proved in 2005 to be the most willing to paralyze the Council and prevent it from taking effective action on human rights.

"Powerful governments are playing a dangerous game with human rights. The score card of prolonged conflicts and mounting human rights abuses is there for all to see."

The year 2005 saw the beginning of the change in public mood. "Pressure that is emerging must be used effectively to turn international irresponsibility into action," Ms Khan urged.

Key demands of Amnesty International in 2006 are:

• To the United Nations and African Union to address the conflict and end human rights abuses in Darfur;
• To the United Nations to negotiate for an Arms Trade Treaty to govern the trade of small arms so that they cannot be used to commit human rights abuses;
• To the US Administration to close Guantánamo Bay detention camp, and disclose the names and locations of all ‘war on terror’ prisoners elsewhere;
• To the new UN Human Rights Council, to insist on equal standards of respect of human rights from all governments, whether in Darfur or Guantánamo, Chechnya or China.

"The political and moral authority of governments will be increasingly judged on their stand on human rights at home and abroad. More than ever the world needs those countries with power and international influence -- the permanent members of the UN Security Council as well as those who aspire to such membership -- to behave with responsibility and respect for human rights. Governments must stop playing games with human rights," declared Ms Khan.

http://www.amnesty.ca/resource_centre/news/view.php?load=arcview&article=3481&c=Resource+Centre+News

For an online version of the Report visit:
http://www.amnesty.ca/resource_centre/annual_report/

posted by Annamarie at 10:38 PM | 0 comment(s)

Caledonia - Six Nations update: Argyle Street re-opened but Caledonia remains instate of emergency

These are the latest Caledonia - Six Nations updates from the Hamilton Spectator today:

Wednesday, May 24, 2006 | Updated at 10:16 AM EDT

Argyle Street re-opened but Caledonia remains in state of emergency
Hamilton Spectator

Residents of Caledonia can finally drive down Argyle Street.

Native protesters removed the barricade on the street yesterday.
The street had been blocked for a month.

Together Caledonia residents and natives brokered the deal to
re-open the community's main street.

However, the Highway 6 bypass remains blocked and schools in
Caledonia are closed because of power outages caused when a
transformer was vandalized on Monday.

Hydro One said that power should be restored to most residents
today.

And this, about the power restored in the area:

Electricity restored to thousands in Caledonia

Electricity has been restored to thousands of people in the Caledonia area after being out since Monday afternoon. Hydro crews worked through the night to restore power to the last 3,600 homes and businesses affected by the outage. Read More

posted by Annamarie at 2:35 PM | 2 comment(s)

Afghan people do not want us there

Tonight on the CBC National they were showing some Afghan civilians being interviewed. These people were very upset about the latest deaths of civilians by coalition forces, and Canada was mentioned as among those who were blamed. The people are greatly aggrieved and disappointed by these actions and said that they are not helping the peace efforts.

Steven Staples of Ceasefire.ca and the Polaris Institute was also interviewed about these latest incidents, and about our role in that war-torn, embattled country.

I know that many of my fellow bloggers support our Afghanistan mission, whereas I do not, at least not in its present capacity. Now it looks more and more like the people don't want us there in this 'terror fighting' capacity either, regardless of what Karzai tells our Dear Leader. And yet, our Bush-clone PM signed us on for four more years!

Can anyone please tell me what we are really doing there? Don't get me wrong, I am all for helping the Afghan people rebuild their demolished country. What I am against is fighting civilians and backing up the US military muscle. It was reported that an investigation is underway in our role in this latest spate of civilian casualties. The US is not having such an investigation though, to them, civilian casualties are simply 'collateral damage'.

And we have no troops to spare in Darfur, where innocent people are killed in insane numbers, and where we could help. Instead, our PM is sending in more money. How can we justify this disparity?

posted by Annamarie at 2:26 AM | 0 comment(s)

An Excellent American Blog: Macaroni Duck

Macaroni Duck is an excellent American blog which I have recently found during my web browsing. It is by Scott from Maryland, who writes on important issues and current events from a progressive viewpoint.

One of his recent post: Jessie Macbeth - Iraq War Veteran Tells It Like It Is, is a VIDEO of a US Army Ranger speaking on what he witnessed in Iraq. I just watched it, and it made my blood boil.

And his latest post: "Al and Tipper Gore Fight Hot Air", is a wonderful piece in which Scott finds the Gores war on global warming admirable but he questions the motives, drawing from past examples.

posted by Annamarie at 1:24 AM | 1 comment(s)

Six Nations: Argyle St. (Hwy. 6) Barricade Taken Down

CKRZ Radio Station has reported that the Argyle St. barricade has been taken down now and the Haudenosaunee people have moved back into the site. The police are supposed to be providing a line of protection at the entrance to the site, however it sounds like there is a growing mob of people in Caledonia again. That the mob behaviour defies common sense is an understatement.

posted by Annamarie at 12:46 AM | 1 comment(s)

Bin Laden: Moussaoui Had No 9/11 Ties

In an audiotape released on the Internet, Osama bin Laden reportedly says Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person convicted in the U.S. for the Sept. 11 attacks, had nothing to do with the operation.

Watch tape here (CBS News.com)

posted by Annamarie at 12:06 AM | 1 comment(s)

Six Nations Update, May 23: Land negotiations postponed; mob participants

Tuesday, May 23, 2006: Land negotiations postponed; mob participants call for military

Land negotiations involving Haudenoniso (Council of Chiefs) and Canadian and Ontario governments scheduled to begin today have been postponed.

David Peterson, Ontario negotiator who has been working on "short term" issues since April, says to press that yesterday's events have "complicated the situation by a large measure" and that it is uncertain when land talks can resume. Caledonia residents who took part in yesterday's mob attack and the Caledonia Citizens Alliance call for military intervention. Schools are closed in Caledonia, Waterford and Simcoe. Residents this morning said to the press they expect another large show of people near the barricade today, but they "couldn't say for sure". The Ontario Provincial Police says, "we're prepared...We've got lots of bodies here."

Canadian Press: Tensions high, power cut
CanWest: Blockade erupts into violence
CBC: Brawling, vandalism scuttle talks in Caledonia
CTV: Ont. land claims dispute reaches boiling point
Hamilton Spectator: Emotions run high in Caledonia
Hamilton Spectator: Caledonia residents divided on whether violence justified
Hamilton Spectator: Peterson fears another Oka
Pulse: The day after

posted by Annamarie at 11:56 PM | 2 comment(s)

Mississauga Events: Canada’s Role in War on Terror - June 1, 2006

Troops out of Afghanistan	Security Certificates: Detainees on Trial
Public Meeting	Candlelight Vigil
Thursday June 1	Tuesday June 13
Palestine House Educational & Cultural Centre 3195 Erindale Station Rd.	Hurontario & Dundas Revolution Square
7:00	7:30
Nauman Mir & Hamayon Rastgar	Speakers to be confirmed

posted by Annamarie at 11:40 PM | 0 comment(s)

Globe and Mail: 'Caledonia Tensions Reach Boiling Point'

Native blockade near Hamilton removed, then put back up; thousands left in the dark after power transformer vandalized 3:38 AM (11)

This is from one of the mainstream media's take on the latest Six Nations events. It is from today's Globe and Mail.

Caledonia tensions reach boiling point

JENNIFER GRAHAM

Canadian Press

Caledonia, Ont. — Violence erupted at the site of an aboriginal land-claim protest Monday as non-aboriginal area residents, frustrated by a roadblock that has divided the community, lashed out.

The aboriginal protesters had briefly dismantled their barricade early in the day, a sign of goodwill after the province pledged last week to indefinitely halt development on a plot of disputed land.

It had been hoped the move would mark the beginning of the end of the divisive dispute, but the blockade was cleared for only a few moments before the situation degenerated into a series of sometimes bloody skirmishes that lasted all day.

Read more of this article here.

posted by Annamarie at 6:37 PM | 3 comment(s)

SIX NATIONS INFORMATION SESSION & UPDATE

7pm, Monday May 29, 2006

OISE auditorium

252 Bloor Street West

St. George subway station, Bedford Rd. exit, one block west

Toronto

Speakers:

JACQUELINE HOUSE (Cayuga, Six Nations of the Grand River) was one of the people who planned the reclamation of Kanenhstaton (the protected place) and has been camped on the land since Day 1. She will provide some background information to the action as well as an update.

DOREEN SILVERSMITH (Cayuga, Six Nations of the Grand River) will report on the results of her trip to the United Nations in Geneva where she presented on the Reclamation of Kanenhstaton.

PETER HILL (Onandaga, Six Nations of the Grand River) is a Native Studies specialist and will provide historical information on what has happened to the territories of the Grand River community.

SALVADOR GALLEGOS-SANTINOLI (Mapuche) works with the "Mapuche and Campesino Front of Resistance". He will address the urgent situation regarding the Mapuche Political Prisoners, young leaders active in reclaiming much needed ancestral land from privately owned forestry corporations favoured by the government. These leaders were tried as terrorists for defending with their bare hands what is rightfully their community’s ancestral land.

The event is free but cash or cheque donations to the Six Nations reclamation efforts will be accepted. Cheques should be made out to Janie Jamieson.

For more information: amadahy@rogers.com or 416-660-7920.

Organized by: Al-Awda Palestinian Right to Return Coalition, Arab Students Collective-U of T, CKLN Community Radio, Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, Coalition in Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-Indigenous Caucus, CUPE 3903, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Ontario Public Interest Research Group, New Socialist Group, No One is Illegal, Sumoud

posted by Annamarie at 5:34 PM | 3 comment(s)

Tomdispatch Interview: Bacevich on the Limits of Imperial Power

[Note to Tomdispatch readers: This is the tenth in an ongoing series of interviews at the site. The last three interviews were with Chalmers Johnson (1 and 2), Katrina vanden Heuvel, and Mike Davis (1 and 2). Tom]

The Delusions of Global Hegemony

A Tomdispatch Interview with Andrew Bacevich (Part 1)

I wait for him on a quiet, tree and wisteria-lined street of red-brick buildings. Students, some in short-sleeves on this still crisp spring morning, stream by. I'm seated on cold, stone steps next to a sign announcing the Boston University Department of International Relations. He turns the corner and advances, wearing a blue blazer, blue shirt and tie, and khaki slacks and carrying a computer in a black bag. He's white haired, has a nicely weathered face, and the squared shoulders and upright bearing of a man, born in Normal, Illinois, who attended West Point, fought in the Vietnam War, and then had a twenty-year military career that ended in 1992.

Now a professor of history at Boston University, he directs me to a spacious, airy office whose floor-to-ceiling windows look out on the picturesque street. A tasseled cap and gown hang on a hook behind the door -- perhaps because another year of graduation is not far off. I'm left briefly to wait while he deals with an anxious student, there to discuss his semester mark. Soon enough though, he seats himself behind a large desk with a cup of coffee and prepares to discuss his subjects of choice, American militarism and the American imperial mission.

Andrew Bacevich is a man on a journey -- as he himself is the first to admit. A cultural conservative, a former contributor to such magazines as the Weekly Standard and the National Review, a former Bush Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin, he discovered sometime in the 1990s that his potential conservative allies on foreign policy had fallen in love with the idea of the American military and its imagined awesome power to change the world. They had jumped the tracks and left him behind. A professed cold warrior, in those years he took a new look at our American past -- and he's not stopped looking, or reconsidering, since.

What he discovered was the American empire, which became the title of a book he published in 2002. In 2005, his fierce, insightful book on American dreams of global military supremacy, The New American Militarism, How Americans Are Seduced by War, appeared. (It was excerpted in two posts at this site.) It would have been eye-opening no matter who had written it, but given his background it was striking indeed.

Forceful and engaged (as well as engaging), Bacevich throws himself into the topic at hand. He has a barely suppressed dramatic streak and a willingness to laugh heartily at himself. But most striking are the questions that stop him. Just as you imagine a scholar should, he visibly turns over your questions in his mind, thinking about what may be new in them.

Click here to read more of this dispatch.

posted by Annamarie at 5:29 PM | 0 comment(s)