Two activists unfurl a huge banner.
"A typical Ford vehicle on the road today gets fewer miles per gallon than the Model-T did 80 years ago,” said Jason Mark, Clean Car Campaigner with the human rights group Global Exchange.
The Rainforest Action Network and Global Exchange targetted Ford for a big dis this morning. Fords have the worst mileage and are fueling foreign policies that have brought us this War on Terrorism.
Ten thousand people, in the biggest labor rally in LA history, marched to Vons in solidarity with the southland supermarket strikers fighting for their health care. The local TV news media are giving the strike a negative spin, and ignoring actions large and small, despite the widespread popularity of this strike. photos by a.
Going into the third month of the biggest strike in recent memory, the LASSO strike support group, the CAPSL group from Answer, SGV Community Labor Alliance, and others went to El Monte, where Vons has a distribution center, to assist picketers in discouraging scab truckers from delivering food. photos by reuben rivas (who also has a great blog). and more photos.
Activists who want the straight dope about the strike can go to any picket line and hang out with the strikers and their captain. Take something to share or donate. The rumor mill is in full effect, and the latest information is best heard from the source. I heard unconfirmed, but likely true, stories about unqualified scab workers, with possibly questionable pasts working for Vons.
The legendary Koo's Art Cafe, which recently moved to Long Beach, needs help to keep their permit to put on live events. Koo's originally started in Santa Ana as a nonprofit arts space that hosted music events, and was the hub of the OC youth activist scene. Last year, they re-opened in Long Beach to fill a much needed void for progressive entertainment, as well as provide a social space for visual and performance artists. According to Koo's reporters, the LBPD has reported erroneous info to the City, and the venue is now faced with revocation of their license. They request your presence in support of community based arts and social space.
Tuesday, January 5th at 6PM. Read the story for details.
This harrassment at Koo's follows in a pattern established by the LBPD over the past three years in the wake of the May Day 2001 police riots. Elements in the Long Beach PD have consistently harrassed activists, particularly anarchist activists who started social projects and opened public arts and cultural spaces within the city. Back when the Long Beach Infoshoppe was operating, participants were targeted for surveillance, and local youth who looked "punk rock" were acosted by police and asked if they were affiliated with the project.
Historically, Long Beach has been a center for working class student activists, drawn to the area by Cal State Long Beach and LBCC, as well as the vibrant grassroots city life and low rents. Past nonprofit projects there included the first Food Not Bombs in California, the SST performance space, Puvunga Native American village site defense, Sierra Club Harbor activist projects, and ILWU and other labor actions at the docks.
Michelle Shocked, Lowen and Navarro Hold Benefit for Grocery Workers @ Kulak's Woodshed
Kulak's is another non-profit arts venue, located in North Hollywood, on Laurel Canyon Blvd. north of Magnolia. Tuesday night, they're featuring Michelle Shocked in a small show to benefit the strikers. Kulak's Woodshed's Calendar.