Here are the top 3 things YOU need to know about the Private Prison money scheme:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prison Economics Help Drive Ariz. Immigration Law by Laura Sullivan October 28, 2010 Last year, two men showed up in Benson, Ariz., a small desert town 60 miles from the Mexico border, offering a deal. Glenn Nichols, the Benson city manager, remembers the pitch. "The gentleman that's the main thrust of this thing has a huge turquoise ring on his finger," Nichols said. "He's a great big huge guy and I equated him to a car salesman." What he was selling was a prison for women and children who were illegal immigrants. "They talk [about] how positive this was going to be for the community," Nichols said, "the amount of money that we would realize from each prisoner on a daily rate." But Nichols wasn't buying. He asked them how would they possibly keep a prison full for years — decades even — with illegal immigrants? "They talked like they didn't have any doubt they could fill it," Nichols said. That's because prison companies like this one had a plan — a new business model to lock up illegal immigrants. And the plan became Arizona's immigration law. Behind-The-Scenes Effort To Draft, Pass The Law . The law is being challenged in the courts. But if it's upheld, it requires police to lock up anyone they stop who cannot show proof they entered the country legally. When it was passed in April, it ignited a fire storm. Protesters chanted about racial profiling. Businesses threatened to boycott the state. Supporters were equally passionate, calling it a bold positive step to curb illegal immigration. But while the debate raged, few people were aware of how the law came about. NPR spent the past several months analyzing hundreds of pages of campaign finance reports, lobbying documents and corporate records. What they show is a quiet, behind-the-scenes effort to help draft and pass Arizona Senate Bill 1070 by an industry that stands to benefit from it: the private prison industry. Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce, pictured here at Tea Party rally on Oct. 22, was instrumental in drafting the state's immigration law. He also sits on a American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) task force, a group that helped shape the law. The law could send hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to prison in a way never done before. And it could mean hundreds of millions of dollars in profits to private prison companies responsible for housing them. Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce says the bill was his idea. He says it's not about prisons. It's about what's best for the country. "Enough is enough," Pearce said in his office, sitting under a banner reading "Let Freedom Reign." "People need to focus on the cost of not enforcing our laws and securing our border. It is the Trojan horse destroying our country and a republic cannot survive as a lawless nation." But instead of taking his idea to the Arizona statehouse floor, Pearce first took it to a hotel conference room. It was last December at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. Inside, there was a meeting of a secretive group called the American Legislative Exchange Council. Insiders call it ALEC. It's a membership organization of state legislators and powerful corporations and associations, such as the tobacco company Reynolds American Inc., ExxonMobil and the National Rifle Association. Another member is the billion-dollar Corrections Corporation of America — the largest private prison company in the country. It was there that Pearce's idea took shape. "I did a presentation," Pearce said. "I went through the facts. I went through the impacts and they said, 'Yeah.'" Drafting The Bill The 50 or so people in the room included officials of the Corrections Corporation of America, according to two sources who were there. Pearce and the Corrections Corporation of America have been coming to these meetings for years. Both have seats on one of several of ALEC's boards. And this bill was an important one for the company. According to Corrections Corporation of America reports reviewed by NPR, executives believe immigrant detention is their next big market. Last year, they wrote that they expect to bring in "a significant portion of our revenues" from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency that detains illegal immigrants. In the conference room, the group decided they would turn the immigration idea into a model bill. They discussed and debated language. Then, they voted on it. "There were no 'no' votes," Pearce said. "I never had one person speak up in objection to this model legislation." Four months later, that model legislation became, almost word for word, Arizona's immigration law. They even named it. They called it the "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act." "ALEC is the conservative, free-market orientated, limited-government group," said Michael Hough, who was staff director of the meeting. Hough works for ALEC, but he's also running for state delegate in Maryland, and if elected says he plans to support a similar bill to Arizona's law. Asked if the private companies usually get to write model bills for the legislators, Hough said, "Yeah, that's the way it's set up. It's a public-private partnership. We believe both sides, businesses and lawmakers should be at the same table, together." Nothing about this is illegal. Pearce's immigration plan became a prospective bill and Pearce took it home to Arizona. Campaign Donations Pearce said he is not concerned that it could appear private prison companies have an opportunity to lobby for legislation at the ALEC meetings. "I don't go there to meet with them," he said. "I go there to meet with other legislators." Pearce may go there to meet with other legislators, but 200 private companies pay tens of thousands of dollars to meet with legislators like him. As soon as Pearce's bill hit the Arizona statehouse floor in January, there were signs of ALEC's influence. Thirty-six co-sponsors jumped on, a number almost unheard of in the capitol. According to records obtained by NPR, two-thirds of them either went to that December meeting or are ALEC members. That same week, the Corrections Corporation of America hired a powerful new lobbyist to work the capitol. The prison company declined requests for an interview. In a statement, a spokesman said the Corrections Corporation of America, "unequivocally has not at any time lobbied — nor have we had any outside consultants lobby – on immigration law." At the state Capitol, campaign donations started to appear. Thirty of the 36 co-sponsors received donations over the next six months, from prison lobbyists or prison companies — Corrections Corporation of America, Management and Training Corporation and The Geo Group. By April, the bill was on Gov. Jan Brewer's desk. Brewer has her own connections to private prison companies. State lobbying records show two of her top advisers — her spokesman Paul Senseman and her campaign manager Chuck Coughlin — are former lobbyists for private prison companies. Brewer signed the bill — with the name of the legislation Pearce, the Corrections Corporation of America and the others in the Hyatt conference room came up with — in four days. Brewer and her spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. In May, The Geo Group had a conference call with investors. When asked about the bill, company executives made light of it, asking, "Did they have some legislation on immigration?" After company officials laughed, the company's president, Wayne Calabrese, cut in. "This is Wayne," he said. "I can only believe the opportunities at the federal level are going to continue apace as a result of what's happening. Those people coming across the border and getting caught are going to have to be detained and that for me, at least I think, there's going to be enhanced opportunities for what we do." Opportunities that prison companies helped create. Produced by NPR's Anne Hawke. Thousands march to demand US immigration reform
By Paula Bustamante LOS ANGELES — Thousands of immigrants poured into the streets of Los Angeles on Sunday to demand that President Barack Obama fulfill his campaign promise to legalize millions of undocumented immigrants. "Legalization or no re-election!" chanted the demonstrators participating in protest on May Day protest, a holiday mostly ignored in the United States. Most were immigrants from Central America and Mexico demanding the immigration reform Obama has promised for some of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States to gain legal status. Organizers said 10,000 immigrants protested downtown, while the Los Angeles Police Department put the crowd's numbers at 3,500. Though leaders of the pro-immigration reform movement advocate for immigrant rights, they have largely stopped short of asking the Hispanic community to vote against the president and his fellow Democrats in the 2012 elections after Hispanics played a significant role in bringing Obama to the White House. "We all known that it is the Republicans who are blocking immigration reform and that a Republican administration would simply stall all our requests, so we cannot threaten right now that we will vote against Obama," said Javier Rodriguez of the March 25 Coalition. But Alfredo Gutierrez, a former Democratic state senator from Arizona, said Obama could not be counted on to enact the promised reforms. "We should deny our votes to Obama, a man who clearly is not sincere about his intentions," he told AFP. "We will not get anything from Obama. We just need his to stop the systematic deportation of children, students and parents, because it is destroying our community." Maricarmen, an undocumented Mexican-born woman who has lived in the United States for 10 years, blamed "American double standards." "We work hard. They say we don't have papers but we are employed and we pay taxes, just like any other citizen here." She said she wanted to get legalized so she could travel to Mexico to visit her family. "I live here to work and because I need to do so, I'm not robbing anybody," added the woman who only gave her first name, adding that she was working as a cashier at a supermarket. In the fiscal year that ended September 30 alone, the United States deported a over 392,000 unauthorized immigrants, a record. Thousands more protesters marched in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in support of immigrant and worker rights, according to estimates provided by local media. Milwaukee saw its congenial political culture change after Governor Scott Walker introduced a proposal in February to strip unions of collective bargaining power. The bill sparked huge protests and led 14 Democratic state senators to flee to neighboring Illinois in a futile attempt to stop its passage. Opponents of the changes say the measures seek to kill public sector unions, which tend to back Democrats. "This is an aggressive attack on the basic democratic process and a consolidation of corporate power," said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of the Milwaukee-based Voces de la Frontera, a group tasked with rallying labor membership among the region's growing Hispanic population. Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. So I've recently decided to take more advantage of being a college grad with wayyy too much free time and read up on some things and came across this awesome book............. Which you can buy here. :) ¡Chicana Power! Contested Histories of Feminism in the Chicano Movement By Maylei Blackwell The first book-length study of women's involvement in the Chicano Movement of the late 1960s and 1970s,¡Chicana Power! tells the powerful story of the emergence of Chicana feminism within student and community-based organizations throughout southern California and the Southwest. As Chicanos engaged in widespread protest in their struggle for social justice, civil rights, and self-determination, women in el movimiento became increasingly militant about the gap between the rhetoric of equality and the organizational culture that suppressed women's leadership and subjected women to chauvinism, discrimination, and sexual harassment. Based on rich oral histories and extensive archival research, Maylei Blackwell analyzes the struggles over gender and sexuality within the Chicano Movement and illustrates how those struggles produced new forms of racial consciousness, gender awareness, and political identities. ¡Chicana Power!provides a critical genealogy of pioneering Chicana activist and theorist Anna NietoGomez and the Hijas de Cuauhtémoc, one of the first Latina feminist organizations, who together with other Chicana activists forged an autonomous space for women's political participation and challenged the gendered confines of Chicano nationalism in the movement and in the formation of the field of Chicana studies. She uncovers the multifaceted vision of liberation that continues to reverberate today as contemporary activists, artists, and intellectuals, both grassroots and academic, struggle for, revise, and rework the political legacy of Chicana feminism. Maylei Blackwell is Assistant Professor in the César E. Chávez Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies and Women's Studies at UCLA. An interdisciplinary scholar activist and oral historian, she works with indigenous women's organizers in Mexico, Latin American feminist movements, and sexual rights activists, all of whom are involved in cross-border organizing and community formation. Undocumented couple leave SB 1070 behind
by Daniel González - Jun. 27, 2010 12:00 AM The Arizona Republic A white Ford pickup with Arizona plates is driving north on U.S. 191 headed for the Utah border. Afraid of encountering police, the family inside is traveling at night. The pickup's headlights cut through a sea of darkness. The family is in a hurry to get out of Arizona, to get away from the state's harsh new immigration law. Leaving Arizona The pickup crosses into Utah at 11:59 p.m. Luis Sanchez breathes a sigh of relief as his wife, Marlen Ramirez, keeps driving. Both are undocumented immigrants from Mexico. "Look," he says. "We are here. We have arrived in Utah." They have made it safely out of Arizona, past the Maricopa County sheriff's deputy they saw as they were leaving Surprise and past the highway patrol cars they saw along Interstate 17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff. They still have a long way to their final destination: Pennsylvania. There will be engine troubles along the way. And more police. And frayed nerves. But the hardest part of the nearly 2,700-mile journey will be the end. Their final destination is where starting their lives over begins. Feeling like prisoners Luis and Marlen, both 33, lived in Arizona for more than 15 years. They are from the same small town, Xaltianguis, in southern Mexico, but they met while living at the same West Valley apartment complex. Luis was 17 when he crossed the border illegally near Douglas. Marlen was 16 when she jumped a fence near Nogales. Both came looking for work. Their three children are U.S. citizens because they were born in Arizona. The oldest, Luis Jr., is a quiet 13-year-old. Vanessa, 10, wears glasses and loves to talk. The baby, Christian, is 2. Lawyers have told Luis and Marlen that they do not qualify for legal residency. Luis has washed dishes at a restaurant on Grand Avenue, at a retirement home in Peoria and at a restaurant in Sun City West. For the past four years, he worked as a landscaper for a company that maintains office buildings in the West Valley. He earned $9.80 an hour. Marlen is a stay-at-home mom. Luis got his jobs using fake papers. He has managed to keep working despite the recession and Arizona's employer-sanctions law, which have made it much harder for illegal immigrants to get jobs. The couple started thinking about leaving Arizona when Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio began conducting his crime sweeps two years ago, saturating largely Latino neighborhoods with deputies, stopping vehicles for minor traffic violations and arresting illegal immigrants. The couple said the sweeps made them feel like prisoners. They used to enjoy spending Sundays at the park. But to avoid the police, they started staying home as much as possible. The day after Gov. Jan Brewer signed Arizona's new immigration law on April 23, Luis and Marlen decided to leave. They are not alone. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of families have fled Arizona, abandoning homes and apartments in already struggling neighborhoods. Many more are planning to leave. Some have returned to Mexico. Many are relocating to neighboring states, many of which may soon try to adopt laws similar to Arizona's. Luis and Marlen picked Pennsylvania. They have relatives there who say there is plenty of work. Arizona's new immigration law makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally. It states that an officer engaged in a lawful stop, detention or arrest shall, when practicable, ask about a person's legal status when reasonable suspicion exists that the person is in the U.S. illegally. It takes effect July 29. Supporters of the law say it does not allow racial profiling. But Luis and Marlen are unconvinced. They think that once the law takes effect, police in Arizona will stop anyone who looks Mexican to check their papers. They fear they would be deported, their children left behind. They built a life and a family in Arizona, so the thought of leaving brought them and their children to tears. But to them, the alternative was even worse. "That is why we decided to leave, before something happens," Luis said. Troubles on the road Luis and Marlen plan to drive straight through to Pennsylvania, stopping only every so often to sleep a few hours. They want to get there as quickly as possible to avoid being caught by authorities. They also can't afford to stay at motels each night, and every day on the road is money lost because Luis isn't working. But soon after entering Utah on June 8, there is trouble. Their neighbors, also undocumented immigrants, are following them in a 20-year-old Jeep Cherokee with 183,000 miles. The Jeep's engine is starting to overheat. The driver, Daniel Diaz, 22, pulls over in the darkness and pops the hood. The radiator hisses loudly. A cloud of steam billows out. Daniel thinks his car is overloaded with the belongings of his three passengers, Ruben Rosario, 33, Ruben's wife, Betty Cabrera, 34, and the couple's U.S.-born daughter, Alondra, who will be 2 in September. Daniel and Ruben try lightening the load. They toss a suitcase stuffed with clothes and a cooler filled with food. Daniel even chucks the spare tire before reconsidering and putting it back. Luis takes a hard look at the engine. Then he scoots under the Jeep to get a better look. The water pump is busted, he thinks. So the men start twisting off caps from bottles of drinking water and pouring them into the radiator. A moment passes. Then the water just leaks out. It is past 1 a.m. The highway is empty. Luis and the others worry that if they stay here, they might draw the attention of the police. They decide to take their chances and keep driving, broken water pump and all. Need to travel light Luis and Marlen prepared for the trip for weeks. They took the pickup to a mechanic and spent $450 on new tires. They held a yard sale to winnow their belongings and make some money. They boxed some belongings and mailed them ahead. Their plan was to travel as light as possible. A pickup overflowing with televisions and furniture might draw the attention of police. But the yard sale was a bust. The first day, they made just $30. Luis and Marlen chalked it up to the new law. Many of their neighbors were in the same situation, undocumented immigrants either leaving or planning to leave. So no one was buying anything. Luis and Marlen ended up throwing away most everything they owned. Televisions, VCRs, a stereo system, bedroom furniture, mattresses, dressers, a leather sofa, kitchen table - all dumped in the trash bins at their apartment complex. Preparations were difficult for the children, as well. On the last day of school, Luis Jr. and Vanessa told everyone they would not be coming back. Some of their classmates cried. Others said they were leaving Arizona, too. At home, the tears continued. Luis and Marlen had told Vanessa that they would bring their Chihuahua, Brandy, and her puppies. On moving day, the 10-day-old puppies were still nursing. They hadn't opened their eyes. Just before leaving, Luis and Marlen broke the news: The dogs would have to stay and would be given to another family. Vanessa turned her head. Tears ran down her face. Journey resumes The caravan heads north on U.S. 191, stopping finally at a Mobil in White Mesa, a tiny community of Ute Indians. It is 1:30 in the morning. The gas station is closed. Luis and the others decide there is nothing to do but sleep. At 6 a.m., the station opens. The cashier says there is a repair shop 10 miles away in Blanding, a Mormon settlement. But the mechanic there is too backed up to work on the Jeep. He suggests a shop on the other side of town. By 10:30 a.m., the water pump is fixed. The bill is $252.60. Daniel hands the mechanic $253 in cash, money pooled with help from Luis and Ruben. Will the Jeep make it to Pennsylvania? "I don't see why not," the mechanic says, tightening the last bolt. "I've seen much worse cars make it that far." Last goodbyes The Friday before they left, Luis picked up his last paycheck. On Saturday, he also cut three lawns, the last of the weekend side business he ran with the help of Marlen and the children. They informed their clients they would not be returning. One of the houses had a sign on the front lawn, an award from a homeowner's association for having the best-kept yard. The sign made Luis and Marlen proud. So they took photos of themselves and the kids in front of it. That Sunday, they had one last cookout. Luis grilled carne asada in the dirt courtyard outside their apartment while neighbors and friends grabbed sodas and Coronas from a cooler. Luis and Marlen tried to look happy. But it was times like these they were going to miss. Of the eight apartments that share the courtyard, one was already empty. It belonged to Luis' brother and Marlen's sister, who are married to each other, and their two children. They moved to Pennsylvania two months ago. Soon, three more apartments would be empty. One belonging to Luis and Marlen, one belonging to Ruben and Betty, and one belonging to Daniel, the owner of the Jeep. Luis and Marlen decided to leave at 5 p.m. As the hour approached, neighbors and friends stopped by to say goodbye. Just before they left, Luis gathered his family in the kitchen, empty except for the santitos on a little altar. They said a short prayer and crossed themselves on the forehead. Luis and Marlen handed out the Catholic saints and, one by one, the travelers filed out of the apartment in tears. Daniel wrapped his arms around his father, Gilberto, 48. The father and son stayed locked in embrace for a long time. Daniel was heading to Pennsylvania, his father back to Mexico, way south to Chiapas. They had no idea if they would ever see each other again. Marlen placed the Santo Niño de Atocha, a little pilgrim depicting the boy Jesus, on the front seat and started the pickup. The courtyard was filled with neighbors and friends. They were all crying. Luis climbed in the passenger seat and turned on the stereo. He cranked up an upbeat Mexican corrido to lighten the mood. 'Stay calm' The pickup and the Jeep make it through the Rocky Mountains without trouble. On Wednesday night, the families stop at a little motel 30 miles past Denver and rent rooms for $60 a night. They sleep until 3:30 a.m. and are back on the highway by 4. The trip is going smoothly now. But in Iowa they have a scare. Driving east on Interstate 70, a blue Ford Crown Victoria pulls alongside the Jeep. Daniel's heart is pounding. The state trooper in the unmarked car is looking over at him and talking on his radio. The patrol car zooms ahead, pulling alongside the pickup. It's obvious the trooper is running the Arizona plates. The trooper seems like he is about to turn on his lights any second. But instead he speeds away. At the next rest area, the pickup and the Jeep get off the highway. Daniel tells Luis how nervous he was. "It's best to stay calm," Luis tells him. Plenty of work One of Luis' brothers moved to Pennsylvania eight years ago. He has his own landscaping business. Another brother works with him. Luis was told there would be plenty of work for all three. Marlen's sister cleans houses in Pennsylvania. She told Marlen there is plenty of work for her, too. Luis' brothers told him they are less afraid of being turned over to immigration authorities by the police in Pennsylvania. But the state may not be as welcoming as they think. In 2006, the mayor of Hazelton, in eastern Pennsylvania, declared that he wanted to make the city the toughest place on illegal immigrants in America. That year, the city passed an ordinance aimed at barring illegal immigrants from working or renting homes. A federal judge struck down the ordinance the following year. Then, in 2008, a group of youths beat to death a 25-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico in the town of Shenandoah. Now, some Pennsylvania lawmakers say they want to pass an immigration law similar to Arizona's. No one knows how many undocumented immigrants will eventually leave Arizona. But anecdotal evidence suggests that many families are going to other parts of the United States, not returning to their own countries. "If things are bad here, they are much worse in Mexico," said Salvador, an undocumented immigrant who has lived in Arizona for 18 years. He is the godfather of Luis' daughter, Vanessa. "There is no work in Mexico," Salvador said. "And then you have to deal with the sicarios," he said, referring to the hit men who carry out assassinations for the drug cartels. Salvador knows Mexican families moving to Oregon, California, Texas, Chicago, New York. Despite the lack of jobs and the violence, Luis and Marlen say they considered returning to Mexico. But their children balked. "They cried," Marlen said. "They got mad." The children consider the United States their country. Not Mexico, she said. Bittersweet reunion The caravan reaches Pennsylvania at 3:56 p.m. on Friday. The two families have traveled 2,254 miles in 68 hours through nine states and three time zones. But Pennsylvania is a huge state. They still have hours of driving. There are rolling hills and dense forests. Instead of desert brown, everything is emerald green. Arriving in Pennsylvania is bittersweet. Luis and Marlen have been crying a lot in the car. They are excited to see their relatives. But they know there is little chance of going back to Arizona. And soon the hard part will begin. Beginning new jobs. Getting an apartment. Making new friends. Starting over. Marlen makes a vow. If she ever gets her green card, she will return to Arizona. At 9:45 p.m., Luis pulls into a rest area. He calls his brother, who says he should keep driving. Marlen thinks that is a bad idea. For the past half hour, Luis has been dozing off behind the wheel. She wants him to sleep. Luis is so tired he can hardly think. He spreads his map on the hood of the pickup. His brother tells him they are only 40 minutes away. But Luis' GPS, a going-away gift from a friend, and the map say they are more like 90 minutes away. Against Marlen's wishes, Luis keeps going. The last hour and a half seem like an eternity. But they finally reach the exit. They make a few turns then drive through the center of a quaint town lined with mom-and-pop stores. This is their new home. It is now 12:25 Saturday morning. Luis makes a final left turn, entering a sprawling apartment complex with green lawns, three-story brick buildings, and a community swimming pool, a vast improvement from the complex they left in Arizona. Everyone piles out in the parking lot. They hug each other and their relatives and cry. Inside the apartment, Luis finds his mother, who moved to Pennsylvania two months ago. She puts her arms around Luis and hugs him for a very long time. Then she whispers in his ear: "Gracias a Dios, llegaron seguros." Thanks to God, you made it safely. Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/06/27/20100627arizona-immigration-law-leaving-state.html#ixzz0s4kFVg3Q Came across this article and found it to be very interesting. Please read and post your thoughts, comments, questions, etc. -s
Re-posted from Spots in the Sky Attention Tea Party: We are radicals, progressives and anarchists who have transforming this land on our mind. April 23, 2010 On the importance of identifying and pro-actively confronting the emerging reactionary movement in the United States. If I were not the aforementioned bogeyman I would definitely be somewhat afraid. See, Glenn Beck is right, we are everywhere and we really do want it all. When I say want it all I mean all of the issues on the table. No compromising anymore. If you own a corporation that pollutes, we want to cut right into your profit, take it away and turn your shop green. You know what, scratch that, we think your workers deserve most of that profit. Sorry, maybe you’ll have better luck next time. It gets worse. No compromise at all in terms of gay marriage. Do you want to know the interesting thing about gay marriage for many of us? Of course we want civil rights for everyone, no compromise there either. But generally we have a strong disdain for religion, most likely your religion. Speaking only for myself, I am fully, 100 percent aware that allowing gay people to be accepted as members of our society shakes your organized religious experience to its core. Great. The Tea Party and what it stands for Reactionary movements are always around, at certain periods in history more active than not. Pick any of these currents from around the world, the social and political aim is always the same; “defense of the existing social norm and traditional power in society.” It makes sense then that these movements will be most active during times of upheaval and change. It is at these times when the old, traditional foundations of society are being shook. The Tea Party along with other socially conservative elements are utilizing the language of reaction, it certainly does not take long to find it. Even the more moderate, umbrella organizations have the basic creed of “defending a constitutionally limited government” and “free market.” This is nothing new of course, politicians and the more privileged among us always defend the free market indefinitely. They have the most to lose when it is threatened. As unwavering support for the free market is a defense of the economic status quo, agitation for a constitutionally limited government is a defense of the social one. A convenient way of refusing to accept social change for a limited time until federal and state power is wielded by the right. The absolute rejection of progressive ideals through campaigns of intimidation and fear. The defense of God and Nationalism by those who benefit, this is the Tea Party and more so, it is the face of the reaction. Beyond the Liberal and Democratic Party consensus I should make clear that the grassroots Tea Party groups and individuals not only speak the reactionary language, they represent it. From the inception of this movement the left was quick to write it off, claiming that it was Astroturf. A fictional representation of the Republican party base that only existed due to corporate money and free television publicity. How incredibly disingenuous and naive! In a short amount of time the United States has gone through massive upheaval both in social and economic terms. To think that a massive loss of wealth, and beginnings of United States loss of global dominance will not cause a rift in society is not only foolish but dangerous. Are Television and Radio stations actively promoting the reactionary agenda? Yes. Are there big business and rich conservative supporters behind the Tea Party movement? Of course. Does this mean it is fictional? No. These are simply the people who make up the movement along with many other individuals who intend to defend their interests. We need to apply this to all liberal critiques. Of course there are racist, homophobic, sexist and all sorts of close minded individuals in the tea party movement. The defense of tradition, god and country will attract people who want to defend these values. Although, this does not mean the countless liberal commentators who claim the movement is the new KKK or dominated by those obsessed with race is true. Claiming it to be is just an easy way to cast aside the actual implications of a broad based social movement determined to move backwards. It may also be amusing to focus on the seemingly inane statements coming from the figureheads and members of the reactionary movement. Simply, can we afford to ignore this political force because they say things that are illogical? If we are so aware of history, we should clearly know this is a poor idea. The arguments that people like Glenn Beck make, who many on the right revere, are not intended to make good points or convince the masses. In fact, these arguments give voice to a segment of American society that cannot truly say for differing reasons, what is on their mind. The Democratic Party is a really big part of the problem. The Democrats have managed to convince way to many people that they represent left leaning interests. Even anarchists who understand the implications of electoral politics fall for it time and time again. This phony-progressivism creates an officially sanctioned monopoly on ideas, arguments and strategy. And the official Democratic Party strategy for dealing with the Tea Party is? Move along folks, nothing to see here but a bunch of freaks and weirdos. The reason being is simple, an actual progressive argument against the reactionary majority of the Tea Party would undermine the Democratic Party agenda. Heads up friends, this stuff is serious Right now we have groups of libertarians, conservatives, disaffected voters, business owners, middle and working class people coalescing around right wing ideology. Their leaders are attacking both ideas and groups of people. Progressives, leftists and immigrants along with Health Care and Internet Neutrality legislation are fascistic and Anti-American. The current economic collapse and resulting bank bailouts are to blame squarely on Marxist ideology. Hundreds of thousands of people have joined in street demonstrations across the country under this banner. Organizations that are generally supported by the left such as Acorn have been shut down while many more are under attack. Representatives are already being elected by reactionary currents. The Democratic Party along with Obama has been unable to carry out the change promised due to right wing electoral procedure, propaganda and direct action. There has not been a movement like this in the United States for some time, and it is gaining steam. It is essential to understand that this is something new and different than the normal reaction to a new political administration. The Tea Party does not intend to strengthen the Republican Party, they want to become the Republican Party. Completely possible scenarios nobody wants to think about The reactionary movement has strengthened right wing elements in the United States. In doing so many elected and aspiring politicians have aligned themselves with the Tea Party. As we know, many of these political figures are adopting and promoting even the most incendiary rhetoric. This is not a political ploy for more votes. It is instead the new and emerging voice of the Republican Party. The Tea Party folks may be in the streets, active at town halls and even organizing outside official channels but their strategy is essentially an electoral one. This electoral strategy is made up of multiple tactics: Block all efforts by the Democratic Party that do not benefit the right Influence and intimidate(through loss of votes) elected officials to adopt Tea Party positions Elect new representatives that come from the Tea Party and other reactionary currents This overall strategy seems to be working. The Democrats, due to wishy washy tendencies and outright fear of electoral repercussions have been unable to put forth a clear agenda. This has allowed the right to galvanize and the Democrats to lose supporters, the same supporters that propelled Barack Obama into the electorate. The Democrats are set to lose out in a few short months, when they do, say goodbye to any chance of promised change or reform. This will set into motion a scenario that includes a dissolution of the activist base that was already weary of the Democratic Party line. The gaining voice of the new opposition through official channels will consistently attack progressive legislation, ideas and voices in order to satisfy their supporters. There will be no lightening of rhetoric. Under this scenario there is no way the Democrats hold onto the presidency in 2012. The political conventions will be a true turning point for American democracy. The Democrats, unable to come to terms with themselves will be in complete melt down. Republicans on the other hand, will put forth a right wing agenda that has been witnessed many times throughout history. The defense of god and tradition, the promotion of nationalism and business. A display of the worst aspects of American history and culture. When reaction dominates, everything is at stake Net neutrality is the general theory that Internet providers should stay out of regulating content. Meaning that your cable company is not allowed to tell you that Google is more important than Yahoo. It is a good place to start in terms of issues that are at stake and threatened. Since the beginning of mass availability to Internet access the free flow of information has not only hurt corporate America but has shaken the whole foundation of traditional American society. Is it really surprising that Tea Party figureheads have deemed net neutrality socialist and anti American? It is an incredibly important focal point, not only because it threatens access to information, but it seems far fetched that the Internet could indeed be threatened. Something basic, the unregulated digital world that a generation now takes for granted is under attack. This is indeed part of the program, reel in this free space, bring it under control. As the printing press threatened the ruling classes centuries ago, the Internet threatens them today. The Tea Party has came out decisively against projects and services apart from the free market that help the poor. Don’t be fooled though, the idea here is not to weaken the state and move these services towards capitalist ventures. It instead represents the desire to cut the programs completely. From public education to welfare. Of course we never hear from the right that the military and prisons need a cut in funding. If we cut the defense and prisons budget where would all the poor people who are jobless with no help or recourse go? Do not expect non governmental organizations or unions to help either, we already know what happens when organizations such as Acorn draw the ire of the Tea Party movement. We can only assume that groups making inroads towards greater civil rights will not fare well. Immigrants are already being scapegoated and attacked. Gays and Lesbians, even with mass support have watched as the little rights they do have are taken away. The right of women to have domain over their bodies has always been under attack. It can be assumed at the very least, that certain states dominated by the new right will have success restricting these rights. The groundswell of reactionary sentiment has been building well before the last election. We quickly forget how right wing ideologues went after Ward Churchill, an American Indian activist and professor. How during the economic collapse, instead of blaming the bankers and big business the right singled out poor people who should have known better. Or the backwards religious zealots across the country campaigning against the teaching of evolution. I am not suggesting we are heading towards a black hole, an inevitable confrontation with an authoritarian anti progressive state. The general state of society is much more positive than it seems. The wealth of information younger generations have had access to has created a situation very difficult for the right wing in society to battle against. The older generation of progressives and radicals who have held it down over the years and gave us guidance are still a force in and of itself. So we come to this juncture; the old society ready to fight for their world and the rest of us, who are ready to move forward. We are radicals, progressives and anarchists who have a new world in our hearts For everyone who has been fighting, struggling, arguing and supporting the new freedoms and ideas springing up over the past decade it is not even a question what side we are on. There has been many dips and turns we have found ourselves in. There are so many people who really get it, who are ready to push forward the changes that we feel are absolutely necessary. We may as a group understand that gay rights, immigrant rights, the environmental movement and anti-prison movement are all connected but no matter how pie in the sky it sounds, our efforts are not connected. And why should they be? For so long business, the Democrats and Republicans have criticized and shut down any organizing outside their realm. It is way past time to quit being shy and engage each other in actual discussion. Radical activists who many see as rigid, professor like and PC need to step outside their box and talk to people who may not agree with all tenets of your philosophy. Those who tout the stereotypical idea of the “activist” need to realize that without direct action, speaking up and organizing outside the Internet we will not be ready for the challenges ahead. And it is a shame that we are so many but at the same time so insulated. Let us move past the dogma, realize that we all come from different places and build on it. When we do that, we are ready. A proactive strategy to engage the Tea Party and build a new response The reaction is not a united entity. Many in the movement are looking for the same answers that we are and that has to be recognized. The Libertarian party types who are there with us when we talk about the surveillance state, prisons and defense are ripe for engagement. As a whole we need to articulate our position and provide an alternative platform. More so, in our writings, arguments and organizing we need to present a clear position as to why the right wing reaction does not make sense for them. It is my personal opinion that as the Tea Party develops into a more cohesive force after the elections, the libertarians who are part of it will drop out. The social conservative and false small government ideology will become much to clear for them. More importantly, the Tea Party has attracted so many regular non party affiliated Americans who are sick of the bank bail outs and two party government. People looking for answers to the problems that nobody is willing to answer for. We can think of it like religion whereas it gives people hope but can also lead down a dangerous path. This path is pushing working class Americans towards anti progressive, nationalist ideology. The blame is shouldered by many who held out hope that the Democratic party would be able to provide an alternative. It has not, it will not, it is time for us to do so. Holding meetings that provide counter arguments and solutions to the reactionary agenda outside the Democratic and Republican spectrum. Writing, discussing and responding in ways that counter the conservative myths as to why the big parties gave bailouts to the rich. If we can handle limited and basic counter organizing we can at the very least slow the momentum of the right. And at best we can peel away sections of the American public to our side. Moving forward towards the long term No matter how it looks, the old society, however hard they fight will lose out in the end. It is up to us to not only defend our ideals but be prepared to put them into practice. If we do not, it may be decades before even our basic hopes and desires become reality. Beyond the Democrats or Republicans, we know the world we must win starts from the bottom. The more of us there are, when millions are on the streets determined to fight for it all, that is when we win. By MICHAEL MELLO, CINDY CARCAMO and DOUG IRVING 2010-06-03 10:58:48 SANTA ANA – Eight protesters remained in jail Thursday night after being arrested when they chained themselves together and blocked Santa Ana Boulevard to decry immigration enforcement practices and Arizona's controversial immigration law. The protesters declined to give police their names, causing authorities problems when they tried to book them into Santa Ana Jail. Using ropes, duct tape, bolts, and PVC pipes, they had linked themselves together into a circular chain in the westbound lanes of busy Santa Ana Boulevard. Police and firefighters had to use medical scissors and wrenches to free the protesters, who lay on the baking asphalt, looking into the sun. A banner lay on the street in the center of the circle, reading: "Arizona to Costa Mesa, racism ends here." Stickers on the pipes said, "Brown and proud." Some of the protesters either couldn't stand or refused to stand once they were freed. All refused to give police their names, and many even refused to speak to Fire Department paramedics who gave them a once-over before they were loaded into a waiting police holding van. They stayed silent in solidarity with those who are in the country illegally, other members of their group said. They also carried no identifying documents, also as part of a solidarity movement. Officers arrested them on suspicion of unlawful assembly and refusal to disperse, Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said. He added that the eight would be cited and released if they could be identified by officers. If not, they would remain in jail. Seven of the eight refused to give officers their names to help with identifying them, and refused to allow officers to fingerprint them, Bertagna said. A much larger group of about 60 peaceful but loud protesters helped block the street in front of the federal building for several hours. They chose the spot because it was in front of the chain-link gate Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents use as the intake for those suspected of being in the country illegally. During the protest, police vehicles and fire trucks blocked off Santa Ana Boulevard between Parton and Flower streets. Police directed traffic around the closure. Authorities didn't know about the protest until an officer happened upon it as he drove down the boulevard. "We were given no notice" of the gathering, Bertagna said, noting the protest affected traffic downtown and nearby businesses. "This is a major thoroughfare in the city of Santa Ana." The protesters handed out lists of demands: that Santa Ana declare itself a so-called sanctuary city; that police officers not work with immigration officials; that Costa Mesa repeal its Rule of Law resolution and that Arizona repeal its anti-illegal immigration law. One banner read: "Vengo a Defender los Derechos de la Humanidad'' – "I Come Here to Defend the Rights of Humanity.'' Sarina Sanchez, 21, a UCLA student from Los Angeles, was one of the protesters. She said the group wants Santa Ana to take a firmer stance against the Arizona immigration-enforcement law and wants Santa Ana police to stop collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She said Thursday's protest was led by the youth in the city. "There is a lot of youth here and immigrant families in Santa Ana," she said. She added that the eight arrested by authorities were in the country legally. The demonstration was organized by word of mouth. Phone calls were made and messages sent through social networking sites, such as Facebook. "We see an attack in the communities all over the nation,'' said protester Abraham Medina, a 21-year-old Santa Ana resident who attends UC Irvine. "People are scared to even go to work and come home from work.'' The protesters are not part of any specific group, he said, but represent "the community that has been silenced because of policies that introduce terror in our communities." The protesters scoffed – "Whose street? Our street!" -- after police issued a dispersal warning about two hours after they first blocked Santa Ana Boulevard. Others chanted, "la raza unida, jamás será vencida"—"a race, united, will never be defeated." However, most of group quickly headed for the sidewalk and down the street once 75 police officers closed in. Members of the group would not say if they plan more demonstrations. Thursday evening, about a dozen members of the group waited outside the Santa Ana Jail for the "detainees," as they referred to the arrested protesters. Through phone calls from friends, America Najera said, they got limited news from inside the jail. Najera said the arrested women were being held without water. In addition, she said, two of the protesters were hurt when they were dragged down the street as they were arrested. The pair claimed they have asked for medical treatment and were refused. Bertagna said that's not the case. Many sinks in the jail come equipped with drinking spouts for easy access to water. "If they request water, they get water," Bertagna said. "If they request medical attention, they get medical attention." Re-posted from OC Register Re-posted from Blog for Peace and Freedom
Mexican immigrant beaten to death by US Border Patrol By Bill Van Auken 4 June 2010 Anastasio Hernández Rojas, a Mexican immigrant construction worker and father of five, died in a San Diego hospital Monday after a brutal beating and tasering by US Border Patrol agents at the San Ysidro crossing to Tijuana left him brain dead. The San Diego Medical Examiner’s Office Wednesday ruled the death a homicide, with the beating having resulted in a loss of oxygen to the brain and a heart attack. The 42-year-old worker had lived in the Encanto, California, area since he was 14, his entire adult life. His children, ages four through 20 were all born in the US and are American citizens. He supported his family through work installing swimming pools. Hernández had been detained and deported to Mexico on May 25 after reportedly being picked up by the San Diego police. He was again detained by the Border Patrol while attempting to cross back into the US to reunite with his family on Friday, May 28. Immigration authorities rushed him through the system and were preparing to push him back across the border to waiting Mexican border agents when the incident took place. The Border Patrol claimed that Hernández became violent and that it was necessary to club and then taser him into submission. Witnesses, however, reported that as many as 20 agents pummeled the worker. His brother, Pedro Pablo Hernández, whose whereabouts are unknown and is presumed still in US custody, testified that he and Anastasio were seated on the ground in handcuffs when one of the agents kicked him in the chest and another kicked him in the leg. He said that Anastasio shouted at the agents to stop, but they only became more violent. The murdered man’s wife, María Hernández, told the media, “What happened is that Anastasio wasn’t going to let them get away with it; I know him.” Initially, the beating could not be seen from the Mexican side of the border, but a woman who was passing through the border transfer area towards Mexico informed agents of the Mexican National Immigration Institute that the US agents were “almost killing someone” on the other side. Then, according to accounts in the Mexican press, Anastasio Hernández crawled to an area where he could be seen from Mexican territory, pursued by the US agents. With dozens of people watching, the agents kicked and used stun guns on him until he stopped screaming and no longer moved. The US Customs and Border Protection agency issued a perfunctory statement declaring that it “regrets the loss of life and awaits the results of a complete investigation into this incident.” Immigrant rights defenders, however, say that the brutal attack is by no means uncommon, and that Border Patrol personnel enjoy impunity in the use of violence against undocumented immigrants. They add that such investigations are generally internal, with no accountability to the public. This latest killing provoked rage on both sides of the US-Mexico border. The Mexican government responded with its usual words of condemnation and indignation, but has taken no action outside of instructing its consulate in San Diego to aid the bereaved family. The Mexican Conference of Bishops charged that the atmosphere for the killing had been created by the whipping up of anti-immigrant reaction, particularly with the passage of the law in Arizona ordering local police to target people on the basis of suspicion that they are in the country without documents. “They are encouraging hatred for Hispanic immigrants and the existence of a climate of violence based on the erroneous idea that their territories are being invaded and locals are being deprived of opportunities,” the conference said. In the town of Mexicali, members of the Mexicali Civic Front briefly blocked the border in protest over the killing. The president of the group, Sergio Tamay, demanded justice for the murdered worker and said that efforts were being made to unite organizations in southern California and Baja California to defend the rights of immigrants, whatever their status. At a press conference in San Diego on Wednesday, immigrant rights groups joined with the family of Anastasio Hernández to condemn the killing. “I only wish that all those who suffered the same fate find justice, that there be justice for all of these deaths and for the death of Anastasio,” said Veronica Hernández, the murdered worker’s cousin. “They didn’t end just that one life, they took away life for all the members of our family.” She continued: “With all that we have suffered, with immigration and discrimination, it is time that we rise up. It is time to say we are here and we have come only to work, not rob anybody. All we want is a better life for our children, for our parents.” Andrea Guerrero of the American Civil Liberties Union in San Diego said that there was no possible justification for the level of violence unleashed against Anastasio Hernández, given that he was in a secure area after already being searched and processed, about to be turned over to Mexican authorities. She said that the killing was not an isolated incident, but a manifestation of a “culture of impunity” within the Border Patrol. “If this kind of incident can happen in the full light of day in front of hundreds of people, what is happening behind closed doors?” she asked. She expressed anger at the Obama White House for failing to ameliorate draconian US immigration statutes or improve conditions in any way for immigrant workers. “This administration made promises about change, but we have seen very little of it here in the border region,” she said. Guerrero stressed that Anastasio Hernández had only two choices: abandon his family and his home of nearly 30 years, or risk his life by coming back across the border without papers. The idea that workers like him can “get in line” and return legally, she said, is a myth. “There are not lines for everybody, and this is a perfect example.” Addressing the death of Anastasio Hernández at a press briefing Wednesday, US State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley said that the brutal state killing “obviously represents the challenge of securing the border on both sides, and we are very mindful of the fact that [for] those who try to enter the United States illegally, there is a significant loss of life every year along the border as people endeavor to come here.” A report released last month by the Washington-based establishment think tank National Foundation for American Policy found that 4,000 men, women and children have died crossing the border since 1998, when the Democratic administration of President Bill Clinton launched a crackdown on the border. This is approximately one person every day. As a result of increased surveillance and repression along the border, the death rate has risen sharply, even as the number of people crossing into the US has fallen. The study found a 64 percent decline in the number of workers entering without documents, alongside a 59 percent increase in immigrant deaths at the border. Aiyana Jones, a 7 year old African American girl, was shot to death in Detroit early Sunday morning by Michigan state police officers executing a search warrant for a murder suspect at the wrong house (see article below for details). She was hit in the neck by a single bullet and pronounced dead at St. John's hospital. This is truly tragic and we send our condolences to Jones's family and loved ones, though unfortunately this is not an isolated incident of systemic brutality, repression, and abuse of power by law enforcement. We hope Aiyana Jones's story will resonate with people and move them to the point of wanting to do something more to change the world we live in. Whether it's working on increasing police accountability or building community alternatives to law enforcement or supporting victims' families, we make the call to everyone to step up and take action now. State Police to Investigate Girl's Death -1i 1 comments :3-G The Poet said...Great blog you have here, if you’re interested here is the link to my blog of poetry. http://thehumanicana.blogspot.com/ Or my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Poetry-By-Grant-Grey-Guda/399397276060?v=wall Hoping you have a wonderful week filled with inspiration and laughter, Grant-Grey May 21, 2010 9:51 PM |
Archives
August 2011
Categories
All
|