18 Ways US Chickens Are Murdered (tags)
They are run into chippers, dropped into eviscerators, crushed into paste, crushed on loading docks, die of thirst, of freezing, of baking, are smashed in tornados, strangled on farms, buried alive by bulldozers, dropped into streets, die of total abandonment neglect
Teamsters Local 2010 Initiates Mass Walkout and Strikes at University of California (tags)
Teamsters Local 2010 Initiates Mass Walkout and Strikes at University of California
Activists at Jonah Rief Prayer Vigil Demand Justice for Michael Brown (tags)
At a Sunday prayer vigil held in downtown San Diego for Jonah and Tammy Rief, activists toohk time out to demand an end to police misconduct and for justice for Michael Brown.
Southern California Swarms to Save the Bees in Solidarity with Honey Bee Day Around the Gl (tags)
Los Angeles joins “Bee Against Monsanto” to #SwarmTheGlobe #SaveTheBees to bring awareness to the importance of the bee, the dangers of pesticides, and the continuing threat of Colony Collapse Disorder to the bee population and our food supply.
Southern California Joins Worldwide Wave Of Action (tags)
S.A.M.E. Hosts Victory Celebration for Marriage Equality Protesters (tags)
The San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality (S.A.M.E.) held a victory celebration September 21 at the Bamboo Lounge in Hillcrest after San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith dropped all charges against the Equality Nine, protesters who were arrested at the San Diego County Clerk's office August 19, 2010 for showing up to request marriage licenses or support others doing so, including same-sex couples who had appointments. The event featured five of the Equality Nine and also Queer-rights pioneers Leo Laurence and Pat Brown, who led militant Queer-liberation demonstrations in San Francisco months before the Stonewall riots.
A Challenge to All Supporters of Medical Marijuana (tags)
Advocates of medical marijuana need to act NOW! Send e-mails to the White House and the Department of Justice to demand that President Obama and Attorney General Holder stop the concerted campaign to use federal enforcement agents to put medical marijuana dispensaries out of business, and return to Obama's campaign promise not to use federal law against medical marijuana in states where it is legal.
Where's OUR Religious Liberty? (tags)
The recent controversy over whether institutions owned by the Roman Catholic Church should be required to include birth control coverage in the health insurance they offer employees, the attempt in Virginia to require women seeking abortions to submit to medical rape, and the radical Right's reaction to the 9th Circuit appeals court ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional raises the question: why does it seem as if only bigoted Right-wing churches have "religious liberty" in this country? Why are America's officially tolerated spiritual belief systems seemingly limited to those of the Roman Catholics, Mormons and Southern Baptist Convention?
Longshore Workers, Truckers: Shut the Ports, Coast to Coast! (tags)
Following the nationally-coordinated police evictions last month of Occupy Wall Street and encampments across the country, on December 12 the Occupiers struck back. Ports up and down the West Coast were blockaded, from Seattle to San Diego. Despite a barrage of hostile propaganda in the media, opposition from union bureaucrats and heavy police repression in some places, overall the blockade was successful -- this time. The blockade was called in solidarity with longshore workers fighting a union-busting assault in Longview, Washington and port truckers seeking union recognition in the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach. This support should have been greeted. But now the class war on the West Coast docks is coming to a head, and it can't be waged from the outside. Bay Area labor has called for a caravan to Longview. The goal should be a real occupation of the terminal by the workers to prevent the loading of the scab cargo. Longshore militants have called on the longshore unions to shut down every port on the West Coast, and the East and Gulf Coasts, to smash EGT's union-busting. Can it be done? Yes, but only though sharp struggle against the pro-capitalist labor bureaucracy.
Obama’s Justice Department Declares War on Medical Pot (tags)
The federal government recently escalated its war against medical marijuana. In San Diego and other southern California counties, instead of targeting medical marijuana dispensaries themselves, they are threatening the dispensaries' landlords with having their properties seized if they continue to rent to the dispensaries. They are also threatening publications like "Kush" and "Nug" aimed at the market for medical marijuana. This is yet another about-face for the Obama administration from its former assurances that they would leave medical marijuana dispensaries alone if they complied with state law.
FilmOut Taps the Magic of Movies for Gays (tags)
There?s a film festival for virtually every racial, ethnic, religious, cultural and lifestyle community, and Queers are no exception. In San Diego, FilmOut runs monthly screenings at the Birch North Park Theatre as well as an annual festival in August featuring Queer-themed movies from around the world.
Labor Representatives Under Attack, Seek Queer Democrats’ Help (tags)
Three San Diego union leaders — Central Labor Council CEO/secretary-treasurer Lorena Gonzalez, Municipal Employees’ Association general manager Michael Zucchet, and SEIU Local 221 head Eric Banks — spoke to the predominantly Queer San Diego Democratic Club April 28 on the state of the local labor movement. They focused on the attacks on public workers by the Republican party and the radical Right, which is aimed not only at driving public-sector wages and benefits below those offered by the private sector but also denying the one source of substantial campaign funding available to Democrats and thereby winning elections by eliminating effective competition. They also talked about the Right-wing bias of San Diego’s media and their success in demonizing public workers’ pensions as the source of San Diego’s financial ills.
San Diego Hammers Down on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, Despite Public Support (tags)
Despite overwhelming public input asking for a looser ordinance that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to locate in commercial areas throughout San Diego and remain open while they pursued permits, the San Diego City Council voted 5-2 on Monday, March 26 for an ordinance that will close down all dispensaries for at least a year and force them to locate only in industrial zones — inconveniently far from the patients they serve. Even most of the Councilmembers who voted for the ordinance, which was tweaked at the last minute to make it slightly less restrictive, made it clear that they regard medical marijuana patients and the institutions that serve them as a detriment, not an asset, to the city.
S.A.M.E. Rallies Against Hate Crimes, Bullying (tags)
Drawn by several recent hate assaults on Queer people in the Hillcrest and North Park areas, members and supporters of the San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality (S.A.M.E.) rallied at the North Park Community Park Saturday afternoon, March 26. The rally featured speeches by openly Queer elected officials like Assemblymember Toni Atkins and School Board member Kevin Beiser, as well as ministers and others in support of Queer equality, but the most moving statements came from people who’d been on the receiving end of anti-Queer violence or bullying themselves: S.A.M.E. member René Torres, high school student Maya Conti and North Park resident Jacob Harshbarger, who wasn’t at the rally but sent a statement describing not only the attack against him but the lax response of local police and prosecutors. “I felt that the system that was supposed to be there to protect me was treating me as though it was my fault,” Harshbarger said.
Lawyers’ Guild Forum on Nonviolent Resistance: Participant, Attorney & Observer (tags)
The National Lawyers’ Guild hosted a forum on nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in downtown San Diego February 23, and discussed the issue from three points of view: attorney Alex Landon, protest participant Zakiya Khabir and legal observer Rachel Scoma.
Right-Wing Queer Councilmember DeMaio Dominates San Diego Economic Debate (tags)
Openly Queer Right-wing San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio dominated a forum on the city’s budget woes sponsored by the Hillcrest Town Council February 5. Three other panelists spoke ¬— former San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre, who stunned his supporters in the progressive community by joining DeMaio in campaigning against a proposed city sales tax increase last fall; former City Councilmember Michael Zucchet, a lobbyist for the city workers’ main union; and economics professor Alan Gin — but DeMaio and his proposed “Roadmap for Recovery,” a plan to balance the city’s budget by privatizing city jobs, slashing pensions and reducing supposedly “nonessential” city services, was the basis for the discussion and provided the context to which the other three panelists responded.
Redistricting, Open Primaries and the Challenges for Democrats (tags)
At the January 27 meeting of the predominantly Queer San Diego Democratic Club, Jess Durfee, chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party and former president of the club, explained the challenges the party faces as the citizens’ redistricting commission begins work on redrawing legislative lines for the 2012 election and beyond. He also talked about California’s new open primary law, which also goes into effect in 2012 and allows members of any political party, or of no party at all, to vote in primary races, with the two top finishers from the primary running against each other in the general election even if they’re from the same political party. California’s Democratic leadership opposed both these changes, but Durfee’s presentation focused on making them work and protecting the party’s interests in this new electoral environment.
“Know Your Rights,” Progressive Attorneys Tell Activist San Diego (tags)
Though guest of honor Ted Burke, one of 11 Midwest peace and social justice activists recently detained and harassed by the FBI, wasn't able to make Activist San Diego's November 15 meeting on law enforcement and political activism, the discussion was still compelling. Local attorneys and activists Kate Yavenditti, Frank Gormlie and Alex Landon reviewed the history of anti-Left and anti-progressive repression in San Diego and discussed what rights you have when you're stopped by law enforcement or when police officers come to your home.
Two Openly Gay Councilmembers Debate Sales-Tax Increase (tags)
Rival City Councilmembers Todd Gloria and Carl DeMaio — the first two openly Gay men elected to the San Diego City Council — spoke at the Hillcrest Town Council September 14 and debated Proposition D on the November 2 ballot. This would allow the city to raise its sales tax one-half cent for five years to plug the $72 billion hole in its current budget — but only after the city implements 10 “reforms” reducing its pension obligations to workers and making it easier to privatize city jobs. But even in Gloria’s relatively liberal district, the polite but hostile response from the audience made it clear the measure will be a tough sell to city voters.
Homeless Veteran Activist Shares Horror Stories at First U-U Church (tags)
Anti-war homeless veteran and activist Maurice Martin delivered a chilling but moving presentation Friday, June 11 at the First Unitarian-Universalist Church in Hillcrest. He talked about war crimes he witnessed or was involved in during his 18-month combat tour in El Salvador in 1974-75 and how his experiences there have haunted his life ever since. Martin also discussed the growing numbers of homeless veterans on our streets and what he and others are doing to help them.
US-WIDE MAY DAY MARCH/RALLIES TO DEFEND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, A RESOUNDING SUCCESS (tags)
May Day in the United States was day for workers and immigrants! More than 500,000 people protested and filled the streets of LA and other 75 other US Cities in their hundreds of thousands. One of the rally organizers, ANSWER-LA, TV Channel 54 and 62 estimates the crowd as high as 250,000 while the LAPD has a low estimate of 60,000.
US-WIDE MAY DAY MARCH/RALLIES, A SUCCESS (tags)
The US-Wide May Day Rallies in several major cities to defend immigrant rights and for genuine immigration reform was resounding success --In Los Angeles, the epicenter of the immigrant rights movement, hundreds of thousands turned out and filled 20 street blocks leading to Broadway and Temple St. Estimates range from as high as 500,000 to a low of 60,000.
KARAPATAN PARA SA LAHAT, LUMAHOK SA MARTSA/RALI SA MAYO UNO (tags)
WORKERS RIGHTS ARE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS! Diverse immigrant rights groups all over the United States will come out in a united full force for an all-out drive to push genuine immigration reform in 2010. In almost all major cities of the United States, immigrant rights groups led the labor unions, immigrant rights advocates and anti-war and racism forces like the International ANSWER Coalition will hold march and rallies for full immigrant rights and to commemorate International Workers Day. --For the first time after more than four years, all the immigrant rights groups will march together as one. The marches and rallies have been disunited and at least 4-5 immigrant groups hold their rallies separately since 2006.
Remarks by Richard L. Trumka, President, AFL-CIO, National Press Club, Washington, DC (tags)
Our economy does not work without good jobs, so we must take action now to restore workers' voices in America. The systematic silencing of American workers by denying our right to form unions is at the heart of the disappearance of good jobs in America. We must pass the Employee Free Choice Act so that workers can have the chance to turn bad jobs into good jobs, and so we can reduce the inequality which is undermining our prospects for stable economic growth. And we must do it now—not next year, not even this summer. Now.
A Radical Proposal: Open the U.S.-Mexico Border (tags)
That's what immigrant rights activist David Schmidt called for at a September 21 meeting of Activist San Diego. Originally called to discuss the closure of Friendship Park along the U.S.-Mexico border, the meeting expanded into a consideration of border issues in general. Schmidt and his better-known co-speaker, Enrique Morones of Border Angels and Marcha Migrante, both questioned why under NAFTA and similar “free trade” agreements, capital, commerce and corporations are allowed to move freely across national boundaries — while workers are trapped inside their home countries and routinely exploited for the greater profits of capital. If business is free to locate wherever it wants, workers should be too, they said.
Law School Discusses Medical Marijuana in Wake of County Raids (tags)
One week after San Diego police officers, sheriff’s deputies and federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents raided 14 medical marijuana dispensaries in San Diego County, the National Lawyers’ Guild chapters of California Western and Thomas Jefferson Schools of Law held a forum on the medical marijuana issue at Cal Western. Among the speakers were Gerald Singleton, attorney representing many of the people arrested in these and previous raids against medical marijuana providers; Dion Markgraaf, local activist who's been prosecuted four times for helping medical users obtain marijuana; and Alex Kreit, attorney and law professor who's been involved in medical marijuana issues. They particularly discussed the hard line against medical marijuana taken by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and attorney general Bonnie Dumanis.
FILIPINOS DEMANDS LEGALIZATION AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS (tags)
Last Friday, May 1, International Workers’ Day, women workers, youth and allies of the Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (Alliance Philippines) joined the groundswell of immigrants and workers demanding for Obama to deliver on his promise of immigration reform in nationally-coordinated marches. The Alliance Philippines called for full legalization, amnesty, a stop to racist enforcement measures like deportations, detentions and border militarization, full protections for all workers, and an end to US imperialism, the root cause of the Filipino people’s forced migration. “We are here to echo the voices of the 14 million undocumented who are struggling and working hard despite the economic crisis,” said Mona Lunot, nanny, housekeeper and Chairperson of DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association, in her speech at the concluding rally in New York City. DAMAYAN is a member organization of Alliance Philippines. “Undocumented workers are called ‘aliens.’ But we are the workers who take care of Americans’ homes and children, cook their food, build their houses, and plant the food they eat.
FILIPINOS DEMANDS LEGALIZATION AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS (tags)
Last Friday, May 1, International Workers’ Day, women workers, youth and allies of the Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (Alliance Philippines) joined the groundswell of immigrants and workers demanding for Obama to deliver on his promise of immigration reform in nationally-coordinated marches. The Alliance Philippines called for full legalization, amnesty, a stop to racist enforcement measures like deportations, detentions and border militarization, full protections for all workers, and an end to US imperialism, the root cause of the Filipino people’s forced migration. “We are here to echo the voices of the 14 million undocumented who are struggling and working hard despite the economic crisis,” said Mona Lunot, nanny, housekeeper and Chairperson of DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association, in her speech at the concluding rally in New York City. DAMAYAN is a member organization of Alliance Philippines. “Undocumented workers are called ‘aliens.’ But we are the workers who take care of Americans’ homes and children, cook their food, build their houses, and plant the food they eat.” In the Los Angeles, the epicenter of the immigrant rights movement, in the biggest rally more than 30,000 marchers led by the Full Rights For immigrant coalition turned out and marched from Broadway and Olympic intersection around 1;00 PM. Composed mostly of Latino workers and advocates who filled the streets, the militant march overflowed the main streets of LA.
Unity in diversity. Five major coalitions for immigrant rights marched in different parts of the city of Los Angeles, mirrored the differences that united them in 2006. In almost every major city of the United States, workers and immigrants took to the streets to demand legalization and immigration reform. Hundreds of thousands marched and rallied US-wide for May 1 in a militant and defiant show of unity for a call for immigration reforms to the Obama administration. The Labor Front in Turmoil This year, several labor federations banded together to form a single unified union of all unions. Like the old AFL-CIO they want to strengthen the labor front that has been greatly weakened by the division between the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win Coalition.
MORE THAN 60,000 WORKERS/IMMIGRANTS MARCHES FOR MAY 1 IN LA (tags)
Los Angeles-- “ Que Queremos-Legalicacion, Cuando: AHORA! ( What do we want, Legalization, When do we want it; NOW!) This was the slogan that reverberated with more than 60,000 workers and immigrants turned out and marched all over Los Angeles . Meanwhile in major cities and towns hundreds of thousands marched and rallied US-wide for May 1 in a militant and defiant show of unity for a call for immigration reforms to the Obama administration. In the biggest rally for the day, more than 30,000 marchers led by the Full Rights For immigrant coalition turned out and marched from Broadway and Olympic intersection around 1;00 PM. Composed mostly of Latino workers who filled the streets, the militant march overflowed the main streets of LA. At the end of the march they held a rally at Temple and Broadway where a battery of labor leaders, immigrant rights advocates spoke. Among them were AJLPP West Coast Coordinator Arturo Garcia, HERMANIDAD Mexicana laders Raul Murillo and Angelica Corona, ANSWER-LA Preston Wood, Jim Lafferty of the NLG, UTLA President AJ Duffy and Latino Movement USA's Juan Jose Gutierrez gave their speeches at their end program.
60,000 march/rally in LA for May 1 (tags)
More than 60,000 workers and immigrants turned out and marched all over Los Angeles as hundreds of thousands marched and rallied US-wide for May 1 in a militant and defiant show of unity for a call for immigation reforms to the Obama administration. In the biggest rally for the day, more than 30,000 marchers led by the May 1 Full Rights For immigrant coalition turned out and marched from Broadway and Olympic. around 1;00 PM. They held a rally at Temple and Broadway where AJLPP West Coast Coordinator Arturo Garcia, HERMANIDAD Mexicana Raul Murillo and Angelica Corona, ANSWER-LA Preston Wood,Jim Lafferty of the NLG and Latino Movement USA's Juan Jose Gutierrez gave their speeches at their end program.
May-June 2008 National Immigrant Solidarity Network Monthly News Alert! (tags)
May Day 2008! ICE Massive Immigrant Raids! Immigrant Counter-Recruitment Campaign, NO to Killing!
Money for Firefighting & Prevention; Not for War (tags)
The World Socialist Website has 2 excllent articles providing the details of the Southern California fire crisis and their relation to the neglect of our domestic needs in favor of war profiteering.
Those Who Can't be Fooled (tags)
At the Corretta Scott King funeral African-Americans spoke out against Bush's policies right to his face. They are the only group of Americans who never shy away from speaking the abosolute truth.
LAPD estimate that 15,000 people participated in anti-war march (tags)
In Los Angeles, police estimated 15,000 people participated in a raucous 1 1/2 -mile march from Olympic Boulevard and Broadway to Los Angeles and Temple streets, where speakers such as actor Martin Sheen and state Sen. Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) took to a stage and railed against the Bush administration. Organizers said that as many as 50,000 protesters were on hand.
From A Buenas Noches Brigade... (tags)
...to a Buenas Noches Army! A Call for Autonomous Direct Action to Smash the Rise of Fascism and Racism In Our Communities A Call for Autonomous Direct Action to Smash the Borders That Capitalism Depends On This is a call to all people who will be converging on the San Diego/Tijuana, Campo and Calexico/Mexicali regions to engage in autonomous direct action to stop the Minutemen, document it and share it with the world.
Socialist Candidates on National Tour (tags)
In California, all three candidates are scheduled to appear in Los Angeles on Sat. Oct. 9, 4 p.m., at Workmen's Circle; Sun. Oct. 10, 4 p.m., KRST African Spirituality and Unity Center; and Mon. Oct. 11, 1 p.m., Sunset Hall Senior Center.
Market Forces Fed SoCal Flames (tags)
Mike Davis on the wildfires in Southern California "A market-driven recipe for disaster"
conscientious objector deserves our support
Nakba Commemeration, May 19 2002 (tags)
In San Diego 100 people gather for vigil and march.