Made in Pittsburgh within five days of the G20 summit by a team from Pittsburgh Indymedia, Twin Cities Indymedia, Glassbead Collective, and Mobile Broadcast News, a new documentary: “Democracy 101 (Rough Cut)”. Democracy 101 is a look at the policing and pattern of issues that arise during National Special Security Events. Made with footage from the recent repression of dissent in Pittsburgh, salvaged from the broken cameras, stolen video and arrested reporters, and independent journalists from around the country.
Posts Tagged ‘legal’
Benefit for the Palestine Solidarity Project with speaker Michael Galvin
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009Benefit for the Palestine Solidarity Project with speaker Michael Galvin
Saturday, September 12, 7:00pm - 9:30pm @ Mayday Bookstore, 301 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN
Join us for benefit for the Palestine Solidarity Project (PSP) with speaker Michael Galvin. Michael recently returned from working with PSP and other solidarity organizations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Come to learn about the current status of the occupation and solidarity activism in Palestine, and also to support the PSP – a Palestinian-led organization that uses nonviolent direct action to help Palestinian communities remain on their land in the face of intimidation, economic strangulation, and a history of forced displacement under the Israeli occupation. Sponsored by Opposition to War & Occupation, Women Against Military Madness Mideast Committee, and the Twin Cities chapter of the Intenational Jewish Anti-Zionist Network.
The Beating of Derryl Jenkins
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009Derryl Jenkins, 43, was cruising about 15 mph over the speed limit last February in North Minneapolis where he was pulled over by a single officer, Richard Walker.
Walker’s squad car was equipped with a dashboard camera which captured the brutality and violence that followed.
As seen on the video, Jenkins and Walker become involved in a scuffle.
Going simply by what the raw video shows, Jenkins simply stepped out of his car and it was Walker that made the initial attack and was clearly the aggressor from the beginning of the incident.
Although Jenkins had plenty of opportunity to resist and fight back, he seems more interested in defending himself from the irrational attack by the pig oppressor.
Walker is seen calling for backup (2:30) before he effectively subdues Jenkins by bringing him to the ground and sitting atop him while awaiting the responding pigs.
While Walker might have been acting like a total asshole, he was mostly acting to restrain Jenkins, the half dozen pigs that responded to his distress call reacted with the violence that the oppressive institution known as the Minneapolis Police regularly dish out to our citizens.
Transcripts obtained by Jenkins lawyer, Paul Edlund, showed that one of the responding pigs called this “a good fight” ….
North Star Republic will attempt to find names and photos of these officers so we can expose them as enforcers of class oppression and brutal enemies of the people.
If you have any information concerning this incident or similar stories of police brutality, coercion, or wanton violence we want to hear from you.
International Workers League
Saturday, August 8th, 2009The Workers International League (WIL) has recently posted a position program dealing with the current crisis of capitalism …..
US: A Working Class Program for the Economic Crisis
Written by Workers’ International League Thursday, 09 April 2009
The Workers’ International League’s working class program for the current economic crisis.
No more bail outs for the rich. No reward for the fat cats! Nationalize the banks and insurance companies under democratic workers’ control and management. Banking decisions must be taken in the interests of the majority of society, not a minority of speculators. Compensation for nationalized banks and other companies must be paid only in cases of proven need to pension funds, 401k funds (and similar retirement funds), workers and retired workers. The nationalization of the banks is the only way to guarantee the deposits and savings of ordinary people.- Democratic control of the banks. The boards of directors should be composed in the following way: one third to be elected by the bank workers, one third to be elected by the trade unions to represent the interests of the working class as a whole, and one third from the government.
- An immediate end to the exorbitant bonuses, all executive pay should be limited to the wages of a skilled worker. Unnecessary managers should be reassigned to actual productive tasks needed by the enterprise. If the bankers are not prepared to serve on reasonable terms, they must be shown the door and replaced by qualified graduates, thousands of whom are looking for work and are willing to serve society.
- An immediate reduction of interest rates, which should be limited to the necessary costs of banking operations. Cheap credit must be made available for those who need it: small businesses and workers buying homes, not the bankers and capitalists.
- Quality housing for all. Rent to be fixed at no more than 10 percent of wages. An immediate end to home foreclosures, utility disconnections and rent evictions. Open empty homes to those without shelter. For a massive program of public works to create jobs and quality, affordable public housing.
- Abolish unemployment. Work or Social Security for all. For the immediate introduction of a 30-hour week without loss of pay to provide work for all. A living wage and pension for all. A sliding scale of wages, linking all increases to the increases in the cost of living.
- Down with business secrets. Open the books! Let the workers have access to information about all the speculation, tax evasion, shady deals, exorbitant profits and bonuses. Let the people see how they have been swindled and who is really responsible for the present mess.
- No to factory closures. A factory closed is a factory occupied! Nationalization under democratic workers’ control and management of idle factories and those under threat of being closed!
- For a massive program of public works: an immediate construction program of affordable public housing, schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, public transportation networks and other infrastructure to improve quality of life and create millions of jobs at union wages and benefits. Union-controlled hiring halls and apprentice programs to be immediately established in areas of highest unemployment. Against racism and discrimination: Workers’ unity is the way forward!
- The trade unions, co-operatives and consumer associations must work out the real index of the cost of living in place of the “official” COLA index, which does not reflect the real state of affairs. Set up committees of workers, homemakers, small businesses and the unemployed to control price increases.
- Abolish all indirect and regressive taxation and introduce a heavily progressive system of direct taxation on the rich. Abolish all taxation for the poor; make the rich pay for their crisis!
- For a drastic reduction of energy costs! This can only be achieved through nationalization of the energy companies, which will enable us to impose price controls on gas and electricity. No more profiteering at the public’s expense!
- The right of all workers to join a union, strike, picket and demonstrate. The right to free speech and assembly. No to restrictions of democratic rights under the pretext of so-called anti-terrorist laws!
- Complete independence of the unions from the Big Business parties and the state. An end to compulsory arbitration, no-strike clauses, and other measures intended to restrict the scope of action of the unions. Repeal Taft-Hartley and all similar anti-union laws. Democratize the unions and place control firmly in the hands of the rank and file. Direct election of all union officials with right of recall. Against bureaucracy and careerism: No union official to receive a higher wage than a skilled worker. All expenses to be available for the inspection of the membership.
- For a militant, class struggle program to mobilize workers in defense of jobs and living standards. The workers’ organizations must reject the false idea of “national unity” with capitalist governments and parties under the pretext of the crisis. They are responsible for the crisis and want to present the bill to the working class. For trade union unity on the basis of the above demands.
- For rank and file control, including the creation of shop stewards committees and the creation of ad hoc strike committees during strikes and other conflicts as a means of ensuring the fullest participation of the widest number of workers.
- No to class collaboration! The unions must break with the Democrats. For a mass party of Labor, based on the unions, armed with a socialist program.
- Unite private and public schools into a single, fully funded public education system, to provide free, quality, lifelong education for all. The immediate abolition of tuition fees and the introduction of a living grant to all students who qualify for higher education. A guaranteed job for every graduate, at a living wage. End the domination and exploitation of education by big business. For fully equipped youth clubs, libraries, sports centers, movie theaters, swimming pools and other recreational centers for young people.
- For a socialized national health care system. Abolish private health insurance and HMOs. Massively fund research and treatment for AIDS, cancer and other curable and preventable diseases. Nationalize the pharmaceuticals giants that squeeze their profits out of the health of working people.
- Break with the anarchy of the capitalist free market. Nationalize the Fortune 500. Socialist planning would mean the end of unemployment and ensure democratic control of production, distribution and exchange, using all available information and technology. Environmental plans would be measured in generations, not fiscal quarters. The unions would play a key role in the administration and control of every workplace. Trade unionism is not an end in itself, but only a means to an end, which is the socialist transformation of society.
- For the immediate withdrawal of all the troops and military contractors from Iraq and Afghanistan. Slash the military budget and massively increase social spending. Full civil rights for soldiers, including the right to join unions and the right to strike. Hands Off Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, Latin America, the Middle East and the world!
- Against racism and discrimination! Defend the rights of all oppressed and exploited people. For the unity of all workers, regardless of gender, color, ethnicity, nationality or religion.
- For working class internationalism. For a Socialist Federation of the Americas as part of a World Socialist Federation.
Workers of the world unite!
source: Socialist Appeal
Upcoming Events
Monday, June 22nd, 2009Coverage of the Election in Iran & the Role Played by Western Media & Governments
Wednesday, June 24 @ 7:00 P.M. @ Mayday Bookstore, 301 Cedar & Third Avenue, Minneapolis (West Bank, downstairs, below Midwest Mountaineering)
Nasrin Jewell is Professor of Economics at St. Catherine University in St. Paul will speak on: Why the disproportionate coverage of the Iranian election in the Western media? Does the Iranian election really make a difference to U.S. citizens? Her current research area is redefining and re-evaluating work, specifically applied to women in Iran. She has authored and collaborated on a number of articles on the role of women in Economic Development, the Global Economy and the New World Order, and Women and Work. She has been a Fulbright scholar to Caracas, Venezuela, and was a Midwestern Universities Consortium scholar in Madrid, Spain. Professor Jewell is a member of the Board of Directors of Critique: Critical Middle Eastern Studies. Sponsored by Women Against Military Madness. More info: 612-827-5364 or www.worldwidewamm.org
Viva Palestina with guests George Galloway & Osama Abu Irshaid
Tuesday, June 30th at 6:30pm @ Crown Plaza Hotel, 2200 Freeway Blvd, Minneapolis MN
Tickets are $10 / person.� Organized by Al-Aqsa Institute and AMP.� More info - call 612-986-9982
Upcoming Events
Saturday, June 6th, 2009
NEW WAR IN THE MAKING? What’s behind the Crisis in Korea? PUBLIC FORUM & DISCUSSION
Sunday, June 7, 2009 2:00 pm @ Mayday Books 301 Cedar Ave. South, Mpls
• Why is North Korea conducting nuclear tests?
• What is the role of colonialism and imperialist intervention in Korea?
• What has led North Korea to seek a nuclear deterrent?
• Is there a danger of a new Korean War?
• What is the role of the U.S. in the Korean peninsula?
SPEAKERS:
Roy Wolff: Korean war era veteran, member, Veterans for Peace, participant in peace delegations in 1995 to South Korea and 2003 to North Korea.
Gerald Erickson: Professor Emeritus University of Minnesota. Attended first joint U.S./North Korean academic conference in North Korea between U.S. and Korean scholars.
Mick Kelly: Editor, Fight Back newspaper and Twin Cities anti-war activist.
Jessica Sundin: Member, Anti-War Committee
John Peterson: Editor, Socialist Appeal newspaper, Twin Cities anti-war activist
The U.S. government has issued denunciations of the decision by North Korea to carry out an underground nuclear test on May 25, 2009. The U.S. threatens sanctions against North Korea. North Korea has stated that “sanctions mean war.” On May 28, U.S. and South Korean military forces had reportedly been put on “high alert.” The North Korean government issued a statement that said in part, “The scheme by the U.S. and the South Korean puppet regime has exceeded the alarming level … A minor accidental skirmish can lead to a nuclear war.” The U.S. government, the only government ever to have used atomic weapons in war, has accused North Korea of being “provocative and belligerent,” and claims that North Korea “ignored the inter-na¬tional community.” The U.S. government seems un¬aware of the hypocrisy and absurdity of such state¬ments in light of its actions in the Middle East. Sponsored by Mayday Bookstore. For more information 612 333-4719
FREE Spaghetti Dinner with the RNC 8
Tuesday, June 9, from 6- 7:30 pm @ Walker Church basement, 3104 16th Ave. S. Minneapolis
The RNC 8 invite you to a FREE spaghetti dinner (cooked by them!) There will be vegan and vegetarian options available. Hope to see you there! For more info go to RNC8.org.
FREE Third Monday Movies and Discussion: “Children of Shatila”
Monday, June 15, 6:30 p.m. St. Joan of Arc Church, Parish Center, 4537 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis.
Many Palestinian children were orphaned by the 1982 massacre of refugees in the camps of Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon—an event important in the lives of two Palestinian girls who become friends through correspondence and eventually meet. Despite the reality of the conflict surrounding them, the girls are optimistic and hopeful. Discussion follows. Sponsored by: the WAMM Third Monday Movies Committee. FFI: Call 612-871-2229.
10 Years of Resistance to War: the Lake St/ Marshall Peace Vigil
Wednesday, June 17 5 - 8:30 pm
Come to a special vigil, potluck, & speakout to remember 10 years of consistent public witness against sanctions, war & occupation & to share “bridge stories”.
5pm Vigil on the Lake St/Marshall bridge
6:30 pm Potluck at St. Albert the Great Church (2836 33rd Ave S. Minneapolis)
7pm Music & story sharing of memories from the bridge
During the spring of 1999, in response to the U.S. bombing of Yugoslavia, a group of peace activists started a weekly vigil on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge over the Mississippi, that continues to this day…and has been an inspiration to others who started vigils in their own communities across the state of Minnesota and beyond. Over the years, the vigil has focused primarily on opposing U.S. policy in Iraq, but vigilers have frequently raised their voice relative to other issues: threats of war against Iran, North Korea, Syria; torture, attacks on civil liberties, opposing the war on Afghanistan and U.S. support for the occupation of Palestine, and calling on the government to fund human services…not war. Join others at a special vigil, potluck and speakout to remember 10 years of consistent public witness against sanctions, war and occupation…and to share our “bridge stories.” Music provided by Bret Hesla and Linda Breitag. Organized by the Twin Cities Peace Campaign and WAMM, FFI: 612-827-5364. Endorsed by the Iraq Peace Action Coalition and the Anti-War Committee.
