Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Republicans: Please keep on focusing on social issues I beg you
Please keep this up! It will only help us in the center and on the left of center even more.
Many Republicans have been arguing that the party’s focus on social issues is a mistake at a time when voters are concerned about the economic downturn and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. But the emphasis at the summit, sponsored the Family Research Council, was still decidedly on issues like same-sex marriage and abortion. The crowd rose to its feet to applaud Carrie Prejean, the former Miss California who caused a furor by denouncing same-sex marriage at the Miss USA contest, as she declared that “God chose me” to make the case she made.
Here’s Mike Huckabee further standing with the party of Limbaugh.
“There are so many people who have told us as conservatives that we should move to the center, on the sanctity of marriage or the sanctity of life,” said Mike Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas who ran for president in 2008 and is likely to run again in 2012. “ ‘Just move to the center.’
“I’m not sure the center makes a whole lot of sense when it’s coming from people who certainly don’t have our interest, or our country’s interest, at heart.”
How does he know we don’t have our country’s interest at heart? I think he only has his Christian Nation at heart when he talks.
Posted via email from Jason’s posterous
Biden’s great speech memorializing Ted Kennedy
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This has to be one of the best speeches I’ve heard remembering Ted Kennedy. The Vice President said some great things and you could tell he was speaking from the heart.
Great piece by Ehrenreich on where journalism is going
I thought this was worth sharing.
Which brings me back to the subject of journalism as a profession. We are not part of an elite. We are part of the working class, which is exactly how journalists have seen themselves through most of American history — as working stiffs. We can be underpaid, we can be jerked around, we can be laid off arbitrarily — just like any autoworker or mechanic or hotel housekeeper or flight attendant.
But there is this difference: A laid-off autoworker doesn't go into his or her garage and assemble cars by hand. But we — journalists — we can't stop doing what we do.
As long as there is a story to be told, an injustice to be exposed, a mystery to be solved, we will find a way to do it. A recession won't stop us. A dying industry won't stop us. Even poverty won't stop us, because we are all on a mission here. That's the meaning of your journalism degree. Do not consider it a certificate promising some sort of entitlement. Consider it a license to fight.
In the '70s, it was gonzo journalism. For us right now, it's guerrilla journalism, and we will not be stopped.
Posted via email from Jason’s posterous
This is what hate looks like
After they had beaten Luis Ramirez to death, the white teenagers who attacked him sent an ominous message to Luis’ friends:
Tell your f**king Mexican friends to get the f**k out of Shenandoah or you’ll be f**king laying next to him.1
Just over a week ago, two of Ramirez’s killers were acquitted of all serious charges by an all white jury2, with the jury foreman making it clear that justice for Ramirez had no chance in the small town of Shenandoah, PA:
I believe strongly that some of the people on the jury were racist. I believe strongly that some of the people on the jury had their minds made up maybe before the first day of trial…And I believe the four boys that were involved the most are racist. I absolutely do…3
Thanks to the hard work of MALDEF and others, the Department of Justice is now looking into Ramirez’ death.4 But that’s only part of what’s needed. Where are the leaders in the State of Pennsylvania? Why has the governor had nothing to say? His silence is shameful.
Until our elected leaders speak up, we can expect more stories like Luis’–not just in Shenandoah, but across the country. Governor Rendell owes it to Pennsylvanians and Latinos everywhere to condemn and speak out on what’s happened. Together we can demand that he does. Please click the link below to add your voice and ask your friends and family to do the same. It takes only a moment.
http://presente.org/ref/ad/9/campaigns/ramirez
If Luis Ramirez’s death were an isolated event it would be outrageous enough. Sadly, it’s part of a growing trend of racially motivated violence against Latinos, particularly in rural communities. According to the FBI, hate crimes against Latinos rose 35% between 2003 and 2006.5 And as author David Niewert writes, the target of hate crimes goes beyond their immediate victims: “The purpose is to terrorize the target community, to drive them out, eliminate them.”6
That kind of intimidation only works only if the people who are targeted remain silent, and officials in positions of power remain unaccountable. That’s why we need to speak out and let folks across the country know we won’t tolerate hate and violence towards our communities. It starts with demanding that the Governor of Pennsylvania make clear that anti-immigrant hate has no place in Pennsylvania. It’s time for him to show leadership now.
Join us in calling for him to speak out:
http://presente.org/ref/ad/9/campaigns/ramirez
Thank you and Adelante!
The Presente.org Team
Posted via email from Jason’s posterous
Blogging Rules for Radicals Pt. 2
At the end of Rules for Radicals Alinksy talks about shareholder activism and proxies. This was back in ‘71 when shareholder activism was not even really done. Now we see it taking hold but I think it can be more effective. Alinksy talked about a national organization centered on organizing people and institutions with proxies. As of now I’ve not heard of a organization solely dedicated to doing this.
Blogging Rules for Radicals Pt. 1
This is a really good point that still is important to know about today.
If the real radical finds that having long hair sets up psychological barriers to communication and organization, he cuts his hair. If I were organizing in an orthodox Jewish community I would not walk in there eating a ham sandwich, unless I wanted to be rejected so I could have an excuse to cop out. My “thing,” if I want to organize, is solid communications with people in the community. Lacking communication I am in reality silent; throughout history silence has been regarded as assent – in this case assent to the system.
The next paragraph from the Prologue is really good and I’m sure I’ve read it elsewhere before as well.
As an organizer I start from where the world is, as it is, not as I would like it to be. That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be – it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be. That means working in the system.
So let us begin the work within the system to change it shall we?
