features archive

EPISODE #3 of B Media's monthly variety show was inspired by GREEN CAPITALISM and connects indigenous and environmental struggles at Hood River, the Bank of America's financing of the Alberta Tar Sands, City Repair's Earth Day festival, the economic justice rally in solidarity with Wisconsin, and ties it together with Slingshot's radical history of April (the cruelest month), an unexpected visit by a cadre of Unemployed Superheros... and YouTube cat videos.


View episode here  http://blip.tv/bmediacollective/variety-tree-earth-day-inc-5288049

This episode explores the connections between environment destruction and the economic and cultural systems that enable it. Movements and actions by groups like Rising Tide North America, City Repair, the PDX Climate Justice Coalition and the alternatives they advocate for are contrast with the banking system and unchecked capitalism, the increasing atomization of American life, and the Tea party. Our goal was to highlight the people doing important work in our communities, and single out the elements distracting us from that work on a daily basis.

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June 2nd: To the indigenous peoples and peoples of the world. To the struggles built from below and whose origin is to the left, committed to the emblematic changes to which we are all dedicated and are a fundamental part of changing the world. To the women and men of this country who carry the world on their backs, the weight of a history plagued by injustice imposed by power. To those who dream of a great homeland, free and without any more blood, with which the poorest always pay, we who have decided to march to liberate our peoples at the cost of our lives, so that tomorrow our history has a future.

Our land, as in all of our continent called America, has been filled with innocent blood... Today, as they force us to mobilize in a caravan and they want to impose on us a destiny that is not ours, we have decided to renounce this path of death, we built the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan Copala and we reassert it in order to give our families and people an alternative way of life...Therefore, today our intention to recover our community, the MARCH OF THE COLOR OF BLOOD is the cry of our peoples... JUSTICE FOR ALL OUR DEAD! JUSTICE FOR OUR PEOPLES! Jail Antonio Cruz Garcia and his paramilitaries!

For the autonomy of the Triqui people!

municipioautonomodesanjuancopala.wordpress.com

cdefensayjustica.blogspot.com
email: cdefensayjusticiamasjc-at-gmail.com

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I've traveled to Athens, Greece ahead of Mayday and a General Strike. Here are some observations for folks back home for insight and inspiration....From http://www.insurgentphoto.blogspot.com.

Exarchia is known throughout Athens as the center of social struggles. This densely packed neighborhood has a reputation as being anti-establishment and is home to students, anarchists, artists, and leftists of all stripes. A month of nationwide rioting was sparked in December 2008 when a 15 year-old local high school student and anarchist was shot and killed by police near Exarchia Square. Most Athenians hate the police, and when this young boy was murdered the whole country exploded. On the corner where Alexis was shot, his mother has mounted a memorial plaque which has his photo as well as the following words (translated from greek):

"Here on the 6th of December 2008, without any reason, a child's smile was extinguished from the innocent fifteen-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulous by the bullets of unapologetic killers."

Second Update | More Photos
Insurgent Photo Blogspot

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Winona La Duke, noted Native American activist and author, speaking recently at the Native American Center at Portland State University. Winona spoke for about ? an hour about the Alberta Tar Sands and also about the large oil extraction equipment being shipped from South Korea through Portland and along narrow highways though Idaho and Montana.
Winona La Duke, Speaking About Tar Sands and the Heavy Haul

After a few brief introductory comments, Winona says that "we are these people at this moment in time; we are the one's who are here...........and as you look around you've got the shot to do something great. You've got the shot to keep them from blowing off the top of a mountain, you got the shot to keep them from combusting the planet to oblivion; you've got the shot to keep them from opening another uranium mine, or gold mine for some jewelry that you don't need; shot to take down a dam in a river; and you've got the shot to stop the Tar Sands. And I feel that it's a great spiritual moment where you have the ability to do something great spiritually." Winona says that we must keep up the battle, because the other side has a 50 year plan. "Exxon has a 50 year plan for their Tar Sands and for all of us.....you have to be prepared for a long haul, because these things don't get fixed in 48 minutes when you watch tv. A little character development, a little solution and we're done." "We need to step outside our arena of comfort and do something." La Duke speaks at length about the Alberta Tar Sands, and the plans to transport enormous equipment from South Korea through Portland and along small roads and fragile ecosystems in Idaho and Montana. This has been dubbed the Heavy Haul, and there are numerous groups resisting this invasion:

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An estimated four people were killed Sunday on the Syria-Israel border, five killed on the Lebanon-Israel border, 52 injured in Gaza, and at least 24 injured in the West Bank as Israeli forces attacked Palestinian refugees trying to re-enter their former homes in what is now Israel. The day of protests was a commemoration of the 'Nakba' or 'Catastrophe', the day when Israel was created on Palestinian land 63 years ago.

The Israeli military confirmed firing at protesters on the Israel-Syrian border, as thousands of refugees tried to cross into the Golan Heights - a territory that was traditionally Palestinian, but is now a disputed territory claimed by both Israel and Syria. Many Palestinians who lived in the area found their towns and families split in half by the border. Initial reports indicate that four people were killed by Israeli gunfire on the Syrian border, and dozens were wounded, as Palestinians crossed dangerous unmapped minefields to cross into the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. At least 63 Palestinians have been detained by Israeli forces at protests in the West Bank and Jerusalem since Friday.

UPDATE

International Middle East Media Center

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You are invited to participate in a study tour to study food sovereignty, social movements and social change in Venezuela, July 10 to 22. The tour will examine issues of land reform, urbanization issues, rural development and food sovereignty within a dynamic political context. Venezuela is an outstanding example of a country that strives to ensure its citizens' right to food while bolstering its domestic agriculture sector, with an emphasis on organic practices and agroecology. We will also explore other areas of social transformation, including education, healthcare, and direct citizen participation in the political process.

We will start and end in Caracas: Tentative Itinerary. We will visit the states of Portuguesa, Barinas, Lara and Amazon. Activities will include visits to social programs, farms, community sites, and media outlets (with opportunities for radio and TV appearances); meetings with farmers, community leaders, and government officials; and trips to beaches, parks, and other sites of interest.

Cost to participate in the delegation: $1,100 - This covers 11 full days

STUDY TOUR TO VENEZUELA:
Food Sovereignty, Social Movements and Social Change
July 10 to 22, 2011
Please register asap!

Article by Christina Schiavoni and William Camacaro
More Information

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On a chilly Sunday, about 75-100 folks gathered outside the Mittleman Jewish Community to protest against the annual AIPAC event yesterday. The protest was organized by AUPHR (Americans United for Palestinian Human RIghts) and SUPER (Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights). For about 2 hours, we shouted, chanted, and stood our ground, saying "No to AIPAC! No Support for Occupation! No Support for Apartheid!"

We went there to let AIPAC and its supporters know that we vehemently oppose US aid to Israel to continue its 60+ years of brutal and illegal occupation of Palestine. Israel would not be able to keep committing crimes and atrocities against the Palestinian people if it weren't for US support. According to If Americans Knew, Israel is the largest recipient of US military and economic aid since 1976. US gives Israel about $3 billion per year, about one-fifth of the US' entire foreign aid monies. The US currently provides Israel with $8.2 million in military aid every day! Israel continues to build illegal settlements on Palestinian land, demolish Palestinian homes, farms and orchards, destroy businesses and shops, arrest and torture the Palestinian people without due process, and bomb, shoot and kill them with impunity. We are always told that the budget deficits make it necessary for politicians to cut social programs, education and health care for us, but when it comes to funding wars, occupation and attacks on civilians in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and other countries, there's always endless amounts of money!

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You must stand against oppression no matter who is involved.

We should demand from our elected representatives that all members of AIPAC, (American Israeli Public Affairs Committee) take a loyalty oath to America; outrageous you say? Let me tell you a story. The Israeli Supreme Court is now considering a requirement for all non-Jews in Israel to take a loyalty oath to the state of Israel. Not so outrageous as you thought. This would be just like Christians demanding all non believers take a loyalty oath. This is a horrible way to exclude people from the political process. The abused have now become the abusers.

There will be a fundraiser for AIPAC at the Mittleman Center and I will be there with my sign, this will be my third year in front of this get-together and asking our politicians to stay away. Well, maybe this year our would be progressive reps will stay home; don't hold your breath. The PINOs will be there, (Progressives in Name Only) insider feasting themselves and they will get elected in 2012, why? We are a country that loves killing and occupation--we do it so well!

I want to say to all of you, choose, wars or schools, you cannot have both. Choose Good Health-care, or Empire---you cannot have both. A safe environment for your children or a slow death, not both! Many had thought that maybe President Obama would lead us out of the valley of corruption, WRONG.

After forty years of being a democrat, a few years ago I did one of my great Irish-Exits and ran from this once noble party and became a member of the Oregon Progressive Party. OPP stands for most things that I believe in and it is a very young party. You can go to one of our meetings and feel your voice is heard, people may not agree with you but we will fight for your right to speak.

So, this Sunday we will be at the fundraiser for an organization that spends millions wining and dining our reps, will you come and join us? What is happening in Gaza and the West Bank has been condemned by most nations, the US stops anything coming out of the Security Council by the use of our veto. The last vote on the continuation of building settlements was 122 nations to condemn and 14 Security Council Members also condemning the Israeli government but, one veto from the US and the matter died. Sad!

 http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/11/world/la-fg-1011-israel-loyalty-oath-20101011


Protest! The Annual Oregon AIPAC Event
Time: 4-6pm
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 2011
Location: Mittleman Jewish Community Center
6651 SW Capitol Highway, Portland, Oregon 97219
Contact: Peter Miller,  pmiller@auphr.org


For Justice,Peace and *Laughter, ...

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Portland Rally supporting the people of Libyan in their efforts to establish a more democratic government. The present leader, Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, also known simply as Colonel Gaddafi, has been the de facto leader of Libya since a coup in 1969.
Solidarity Rally With Libya

People gathered on the steps at Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland chanting patriotic and anti Gadaffi slogans, periodically marching around the perimeter of Pioneer Square.

The chants demonstrated the anger of the people against their dictator, whose reign has seen a decline in the economic fortunes of the country, despite being a major oil producer.
"One, two, three, Libya will be free;" "No more fear, that's why we're here;" "Down, down, with the butcher." This last refers in part to Abu Salim Prison, where, according to Human Rights Watch,1270 people were killed in 1996.

One young person I interviewed said "we are here because most of the men you see here today were exiled out of their country, 20, 30, 40 years ago.....and are not allowed to go back home, because of the Gadaffhi regime."
She says that Gadaffi has been killing his citizens for 42 years for no other reason than that they have a view for a prosperous and democratic Libya."
They want the basic democratic rights that we take for granted in this country, to be able to speak their mind and vote for who they want to represent them, and "because these people speak out for what they want to do, he kills them."
"In the past 3 days he has killed over 500 people."
To underscore this statistic, later in the Rally, a man stood up and called for "a moment of silence to honor the 500 people killed and over 2000 injured......by Gaddhafi and his mercenaries from Africa. He brought people from the outside to kill our own people.
We need to remember that every single moment."

[Related Video Post From Rally]

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Teargas, rubber bullets, batons, knives, live, rounds as well PAINT BALL guns were used to disperse crowds. I would love to find out the brand of those paint ball guns.

Virtual information lock down. No internet, no texting, no cell phones, no phones at all in and around the main squares.

Journalists were banned from the streets and viciously attacked if they did venture out.

The latest report has 1 person confirmed dead and roughly 250 arrested.
Since there are no journalists on the ground some of the reports cannot be independently confirmed.

Its the closest thing we have to journalism from Iran at the moment. I'm sure there will more verifiable reports in the next few days as the internet and other communications become available.

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Nepal is a small land-locked country where communist revolution is changing everything. People are rising up against kings, castes and imperialism. Women are rising to lead. The revolution is related to the revolution unfolding in India.

In the first half of 2010, two revolutionary journalists, Eric Ribellarsi and Jed Brandt of the Kasama Project traveled to Nepal to report on these events. Their presentation will tell the story of this revolution, the current situation in Nepal, and feature video and photography from their journey.

Saturday, February 12 @ 4:00pm - 6:00pm
6834 NE Glisan Street
Portland, OR 97213
(Off I-84 at 58th Ave exit or
Off I-205 at NE Glisan exit,
on TriMet bus line #19).
Wheelchair accessible.

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