In the US, the dominant political discourse consists of ideas put forth by the ruling class.
I'm a global citizen, with an academic backgrund in the Middle East and Africa. Cities around the world feel like my home. I'm a professional Educator, which means something both in and out of public schools in the Bronx. And I believe in Solidarity. Wherever I am. Notes from my travels, research, and encounters tend to end up here...
unique visitors since 28/5/11
Ask me anything
Submit
April 1, 2012
What if democracy is just an illusion? - Jazeera
March 30, 2012
Anti-War Protesters Again Denied Permit For NATO Summit March
A judge on Thursday rejected a request from anti-war protesters to demonstrate during the NATO summit of world leaders in May, but organizers said they would protest anyway and hope to draw 10,000 people or more opposed to war in Afghanistan.
“I can say definitively we are marching on May 20. We will hold a peaceful protest,” leader Andy Thayer said. He said organizers would get together to decide whether to appeal to a higher court.
Anti-war protesters want to march on May 20 and frustrated by the city’s refusal to allow a march that day. Activists have warned there could be a confrontation such as that during the anti-Vietnam War protests at the Democratic convention in 1968, which has marred Chicago’s image ever since.
The judge’s ruling on Thursday agreed with the city of Chicago, which had earlier denied the permit after a hearing at which city officials said the march would clog traffic and over-tax police resources.
The city had granted protesters a permit to hold a virtually identical rally and march on the day before, May 19, which coincided with a scheduled G8 summit prior to the NATO meeting. But the G8 summit was shifted to Camp David, near Washington, and Chicago protesters asked to move their demonstration a day later.
“Common sense tells you the city said it had enough resources to approve our application for May 19, when it had two summits. Now they say they don’t have enough personnel. It totally defies logic,” Thayer said.
A city spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
March 22, 2012
Algerian dissident silenced by France
This is outrageous. France’s imperialist attitudes will never stop…
Mourad Dhina, a leading democracy and rights activist has been detained at request of Algeria, in run-up to elections.
March 18, 2012
Medical Marijuana and HIV Meds Could Put a Defendant in Jail
AIDS activists who were arrested during a peaceful protest in Washington, DC, are speaking out against the U.S. Attorney’s new policy of drug-testing people charged with nonviolent crimes such as civil disobedience. Specifically, the attorney allows defendants to enter into a deferred prosecution agreement, meaning the charges will be dropped once they meet the conditions of the agreement—such as performing 32 hours of community service in DC and having three consecutive negative drug tests. The government does not take into consideration whether defendants have a prescription for medical marijuana or whether they take medications that may result in a false positive, as some HIV meds might do. Because of the drug testing requirement, at least two AIDS activists now face possible jail time and a criminal record for their nonviolent protest. They are asking the U.S. Attorney to drop the charges. Click here for more.
Protest this unfair treatment and urge DC Attorney Ron Machen to drop the charges! HIV+ activists must not be silenced with discriminatory arrest practices. Click here for a link to the protest: https://www.change.org/petitions/us-attorney-dont-unfairly-prosecute-aids-activists
(via occupyallstreets)
February 13, 2012
This weekend in Bahrain:
Thousands of security forces have been deployed around Manama in preparation for anti-government demonstrations on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in Freedom Square (located in Miqsha, outside Manama) and near Pearl Square, where protests are banned. Activists say several security checkpoints were set up around Manama on Sunday. [AP/ AFP]
“I regret the events of last year. In a sense there is no ‘opposition’ in Bahrain, as the phrase implies one unified block with the same views. Such a phrase is not in our constitution, unlike say the United Kingdom. We only have people with different views and that’s ok.” - Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa, in an interview with Spiegel Online (h/t theamericanbear). King Hamad also called on Syria’s President Bashar Assad to listen to Syrian citizens, saying, “The best advice for him is from the Syrian people.” The full interview will be available Monday. [Spiegel]
“It’s just a case of manners. But when they shout ‘Down with the king and up with Khamenei’ that’s a problem for national unity.” - Bahrain’s King Hamad, in that same interview with Spiegel Online, according to Reuters. King Hamad referred to protesters’ “Down with Hamad” chants as “bad manners” and attempted to highlight a threat from Iran as a key concern. King Hamad also claimed the government’s strict emergency law is meant to protect women: “Also our women were very scared and it is the duty of a gentleman to protect women, so I had to protect them.” [Reuters/ Chicago Tribune]
Two American rights activists were expelled from Bahrain on Saturday after protesting in Manama, according to the Bahraini government. Both women are members of the group Witness Bahrain, which advocates for democracy in the island nation. A statement from the rights group said they were participating in a peaceful demonstration and were “dragged away by numerous security forces after sitting on the ground.” [Reuters]
During a pro-government rally in Bahrain, demonstrators who support the regime blamed Iran for the sectarian divide and the ongoing anti-government protests. One of the speakers at the rally also claimed the main opposition party al-Wefaq is the “voice of Iran,” according to the BBC’s Bill Law, who is in Bahrain. [BBC]
[Photos: Riot police come under fire from Molotov cocktails as they chase anti-government protesters in Sanabis, Bahrain on Sunday; An anti-government protester is treated Sunday in a house in Sanabis for birdshot pellet wounds sustained after protesters clashed by riot police. Credit: Hasan Jamali/ AP]
(via brosephstalin)
February 1, 2012
'Gasland' Journalists Arrested At Hearing By Order Of House Republicans
In a stunning break with First Amendment policy, House Republicans directed Capitol Hill police to detain a highly regarded documentary crew that was attempting to film a Wednesday hearing on a controversial natural gas procurement practice. Initial reports from sources suggested that an ABC News camera was also prevented from taping the hearing; ABC has since denied that they sent a crew to the hearing.
Josh Fox, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary “Gasland” was taken into custody by Capitol Hill police this morning, along with his crew, after Republicans objected to their presence, according to Democratic sources present at the hearing. The meeting of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment had been taking place in room 2318 of the Rayburn building.
HuffPost has obtained exclusive video of the arrest of Josh Fox. Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, can be heard at the end of the clip asking Republican Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) to halt the arrest and permit Fox to film the public hearing. Harris denies Miller’s request as Fox is escorted out of the hearing in handcuffs.
(Source: socialuprooting)
January 5, 2012
Thai Facebookers warned not to 'like' anti-monarchy groups
Country’s strict laws against insulting the monarch have been used to jail a man for 20 years for sending text messages
December 28, 2011
Fake terror plots, paid informants: the tactics of FBI 'entrapment' questioned
Critics say bureau is running a sting operation across America, targeting vulnerable people by luring them into fake terror plots
December 10, 2011
Russia braces for nationwide protests
It seems some strategy of appeasement, or at least perceived appeasement, has been adopted, let’s see how this goes.
November 16, 2011
This is not about piracy. It’s about freedom. From Wikileaks to Jazeera to Live Stream to Tumblr To Wikipedia, to, yes, Occupy, the Internet has been an essential organizing tool for social change in this country around the world. We have seen the significance of censorship on Media around the world, and, to a lesser extent, at home with corporations like News Corp.
PLEASE watch this video and sign this petition. Forward the video around.
http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa/
Andrew
RSS feed: http://americanwanderlust.tumblr.com/rss
1 of 4
Next page
-
“Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in ancient Greek republics: Freedom for slave owners.”— Vladimir Lenin (via ...
-
“Often in my lectures when I use the phrase “imperialist white-supremacist capitalist patriarchy” to describe our nation’s political system, audiences...”
-
The Dictator and The Zionist - The Trouble with Sacha Baron Cohen.
This morning, Sacha Baron Cohen is on my mind. Not...
-
this is a picture of the protest—southwestern students...
-
Anonymous asked: He said that about the NDAA BEFORE it had amendments made to it. He also said he would veto SOPA, so I think this is a sign that he at least knows what the internet does and doesn't need. (even if he's kinda daft elsewhere)
The Obama Administration attempted to censor the internet several times before, I call bullshit. Btw, Obama said he would veto the NDAA...
-
Recently, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx raised eyebrows when she expressed her lack of sympathy for those who are currently drowning in student debt....
-
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
-
“I still say tape or taped instead of record or recorded.”— I’m old
