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OMNI NEWSLETTER: EVENTS, ACTIONS, COMMENT
OCTOBER 7, 2005, BUILDING A CULTURE FOR WORLD PEACE, GLOBAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, AND PRESERVATION OF SPECIES AND THE EARTH, accentuating the possibilities for enlarging peace, justice, and the environment in all people.
OMNI intends soon to visit the offices of Boozman and Lincoln here in Fayetteville. Write or call me if you will participate. Every newsletter is packed with material offering questions to our congressional delegation. Use the Newsletter to call or write to them—and Pryor (who has no office in NWA). Don’t let them think we are passive subjects.
UPCOMING EVENTS
OCTOBER 8, 1PM, 1st AnnualNational Coming Out Day Parade in Conway, Arkansas.
PRISM-GSA at UCA, UNITY-GSA at Hendrix, Conway League of Queer
Activists (CLQA), Center for Artistic Revolution, (CAR)and John
Schenck and Robert Loyd invite you to join us. Center for Artistic Revolution (CAR) artchangesu@yahoo.com
OCTOBER 8 OCTOBER FEST, Fayetteville Square
Another OMNI demonstration for world peace, social and economic justice, and protection of species and the earth. Drop by our booth for t-shirts, bumper stickers, peace poles, etc. Contact Steven Skattebo to help (stevenskattebo@hotmail.com). From Steven: “On Saturday, Oct 8, I will be setting up an OMNI table on the Fay square for Autumnfest from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. We still need some volunteer table staffers from 10-11 a.m. and from 12-3. The day is expected to be dry and sunny, but a bit cool. Let me know if you can volunteer. Either way, stop by the table and say ‘hi.’”
OCTOBER 8, RAPID RESPONSE WRITERS, 11:30, Ozark Smokehouse.
Join the growing voices against ignorance, chicanery, corruption, warmongering, militarism, empire. Contact Larry Woodall.
OCTOBER 9, Sunday, 9:30-11:30, PROTEST THE WAR
Intersection of College and Dickson in Fayetteville. We have signs, but make your own if you wish. The location is near 4 large churches. Contact Chris: elvis_4_peace@yahoo.com
OCTOBER 9, 7PM, OMNI’s Video Underground Presents: "The End of Suburbia.” Serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. See US driving data on suburban sprawl in “Go Ahead and Drive Less, If You Can” byHakim and Peters in NYT 9-25 p. wk3: e.g., average US household drives 3,482 miles per year for shopping. Who is trying to change this? OMNI can begin. Come to OMNI’s next Steering Committee meeting with ideas. Video Underground shows political and current event videos every second and fourth Sunday of the month at 7:00pm. To see a listing of upcoming shows, please visit our website: www.northwest-ark.com/vu
OCTOBER 10, MONDAY, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY
11a.m. Servery at UA, Room 312 (NW). Prof. Luis Fernando Restrepo will discuss “Unsettled Accounts: Columbus and Indigenous America.” Following the presentation, a panel of Spanish graduate students will discuss the impact and legacies of European colonialism from Columbus to the present. Professor Restrepo specializes in Colonial Latin America, and he is currently working on a book on contemporary indigenous movements in Latin America and the limits of multicultralism. As an alternative to Columbus Day, come remember the victims of the genocide resulting from Columbus’ invasion of the Americas. Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States is available in the UA Bookstore. (The opening chapter gives a graphic account of the horrors for the native people following Columbus’ invasion.)
OCTOBER 10, 4:30, ACLU CHAPTER BOARD MEETING
Contact Ann Heffernan.
OCTOBER 10-12, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE AMERICAS FILM FESTIVAL
OMNI IS A CO-SPONSOR
OCTOBER 10, MONDAY, 8:00 PM, Giffels Auditorium, Nanook of the North (1922) Directed by Robert Flaherty
OCTOBER 11, TUESDAY, 8:00 PM, Giffels Auditorium, Que Viva Mexico! - Da zdravstvuyet Meksika! (1979) Directed by Sergei Eisentstein
OCTOBER 12, MONDAY, 8:00 PM, Giffels Auditorium, Filmmaker Ava Hamilton . Ava is an award winning documentary filmmaker currently working on a film about the Summit Springs Massacre in northeast Colorado in 1869, told from the Cheyenne perspective. She will show three of her films and do Q & A. Ava has also agreed to speak to classes. You can find more about Ava's background as a filmmaker at:
http://www.mediaartists.org/content.php?sec=artist&sub=detail&artist_id=194
OCTOBER 16, WORLD FOOD DAY
AWARENESS: More than 840 million people around the world remain hungry and still more suffer from poor nutrition. World Food Day is a worldwide event designed to increase awareness of the complex issues around food security. UNDERSTANDING: Hunger is a symptom of many problems that, together, keep people hungry and poor. It can be found in any country. Local World Food Day events and activities help people understand this challenge and take steps to address it. ACTION: The most successful World Food Day observances happen when local organizers work together to increase awareness and understanding within their own community.
Get Inspired. Be an Inspiration. Working Together Works.
To see how, visit www.WorldFoodDayUSA.org
OCTOBER 17-8, Film Short Takes at CAT
This is a hugely underused medium for telling people about OMNI and peace, justice, and ecology.
OCTOBER 19, Diwan Baghdad, ME war(s) forum, Profs. Gordon, Swedenburg, and Ghadbian. 1st/3rd Weds of Sep-Oct-Nov during Fall term. Ark Union 308 SW 12:30-1:30
OCTOBER 19-21, JIM LENDALL IN FAYETTEVILLE
Former State Representative Jim Lendall of Little Rock is visiting Fayetteville and the University October 19, 20 and 21st. Jim is the Green Party candidate for Governor in ’06 and we are now engaged in the work of getting Jim and the GP on the ballot. On the 20th, Jim will be the featured speaker at the Arkansas Union Theatre at 6:30 pm in a “Town Meeting” format to introduce him to the community. [Note: As a 5013.c org., OMNI cannot endorse political candidates, but we can include their activities in our Newsletter. Also, OMNI is an equal opportunity critic of political parties.]
OCTOBER 20, OMNI’S MONTHLY STEERING COMMITTEE
At OMNI, 5:30 Potluck, 6:00 Business. All welcome.
OCTOBER 21, UN DAY,
OMNI CELEBRATES THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS
FAYETTEVILLE, NWA, ARKANSAS
OMNI OFFICE OPEN
By Rachel Townsend-Moore, the first and third monday of every month, from 11-3. Come by and see the improvements. And talk to Rachel about her plans for the office. Perhaps you will want to join in with her: rachelandgregmoore@yahoo.com
OMNI’S HOME PEACE PLACES NETWORK HAS NEW COORDINATOR
Leigh Wilkerson is now shepherding the campaign to name thirty home yards/gardens for Peace (Peace Rock Garden, Rainbow Garden, etc.) We have twenty now. Contact Leigh to add your home place as one more step in Building a Culture of Peace in NWA (Leigh@herwords.org).
OMNI’S CRITICAL THINKING AWARDS COMMITTEE ALSO
Joe Guinn, author of Step Up to Critical Thinking, is the new coordinator of our annual $500 award to a Fayetteville teacher. If we receive enough financial support, we will expand these awards to other towns. Send checks to Steven Skattebo, with Critical Thinking Awards in memo.
ECONOMIC JUSTICE: NEW DIRECTOR OF INTERFAITH WORKERS JUSTICE CENTER
--Worker Justice Center has a new director: Matt Goodwin (mattgoodwin6@yahoo.com ) . Their office is next to OMNI’s in UCM.
“My name is Matt Goodwin,and I was just hired as the Director of the Interfaith Workers Justice Center.
Because many employers deny workers their rights in the Northwest, we are trying to counteract those
forces and provide a place to support workers and advocate for worker organizing. We take cases
involving workers who are denied medical benefits, workers compensation issues, fraudulent wage
practices, and discrimination in the workplace. I have worked in the community with Catholic Charities
Immigration Services for many years and I'm happy to now focus directly on worker issues.”
ECONOMIC JUSTICE: Miyuki at FAIR TRADE CONFERENCE
Miyuki Chiba, member of OMNI U of A, attended the Fair Trade Future Conference in Chicago Oct. 1 weekwend. The Fair Trade movement is a global network of producers, traders, marketers, advocates and consumers focused on building equitable trading relationships between consumers and the world's most economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers. Over 700 people from 15 countries participated in the conference. The event featured 50 workshops on various topics including marketing fair trade products, calculating fair wage for producers, students' movement on campus, sweat shops, and US agriculture.
FREEDOM TO READ CELEBRATION/BANNED BOOKS READINGS PRAISED BY REP. SMITH Our Banned Books Reading—Joyce’s Ulysses, Paine’s The Age of Reason, It’s Perfectly Normal, and more-- was most enjoyable. And Rep. Lindsley Smith surprised us with her handsomely printed and framed Citation thanking OMNI and the ACLU Chapter for celebrating Banned Books Week.
PEACEWRITING MANUSCRIPTS ARRIVING
Manuscripts for OMNI’s Annual 2006 Awards for outstanding unpublished books on peace, justice, and ecology are arriving. The latest is a play about the international treaty outlawing genocide and humanitarian interventions to stop genocide. (Esp. important at this moment because the US joined 5 other countries recently to eviscerate a UN statement urging nations to respond actively to genocide.) Want to read it? Org. a Forum on the subject?
CONGRESS WATCH: SUPREME COURT NOMINEES
Sens. Lincoln and Pryor sided with the Republican majority to confirm Judge Roberts. Now Pres. Bush has nominated Harriet Miers to replace Judge Sandra O’Connor. Get informed and let Sens. Lincoln and Pryor hear from you about their Roberts vote , and about the new nomination. Every senator must know their constituents are engaged, and counting on them to what it takes to protect our rights.
Please call today:
Senator Blanche Lincoln
Phone: 202-224-4843
Senator Mark Pryor
Phone: 202-224-2353
Just tell whoever answers the phone something like: "Hi, my name is (YOUR NAME) and I live in (YOUR TOWN). I'm calling to say that I'm disappointed that Sen. Lincoln [or Sen. Pryor] voted for John Roberts'
confirmation yesterday, and I want Sen. L or P to vote for the people’s interests. I'm counting on Sen. Lincoln [or Sen. Pryor] to do whatever it takes to keep the balance in the Court and protect our basic rights. Thank you."
MILITARY RECRUITING
-- http://leavemychildalone.org/ This site tells you all you need to do to OPT OUT
--”You may not know it, but under a little known provision of No Child Left Behind, public high schools must hand over personal information about students -- including minors -- to local military recruiters, or risk losing federal education funding. I think it's a real invasion of family privacy and local school control.
The good news is that I just found some great information and a useful online tool that makes it easy to "opt out" our children from these lists. Just go to http://www.leavemychildalone.org/friend .
You can also help change the law that lets military recruiters prey on our minor children without parents' explicit permission. Hope you find it useful! And tell other people you know about LeaveMyChildAlone.org
Sincerely, Gladys Tiffany” P.S. Do you know a family with highschoolers? This is for them too.
--I watched some “Law and Order” tv Sat. night, and in each one there were 3 US Army-- of course very professional, expensive-- recruiting ads.
--On FSTV: “Making Your Claim to Conscientious Objector Status.”
PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE INTERNET
Bills before Congress will affect internet access for the general public. Not only will cities like Fayetteville lose franchise fees from the cable industries, but the future of the public's access to the internet is also at stake. For more specific information about how this bill would affect the future of Community Access in Fayetteville, log onto The CAT's website at: www.catfayetteville.com to find out what you can do! Sky Blaylock, CAT Manager (479) 444-3433
ECOLOGY NWA
--TMN (9-29) had an article by John Moore entitled “Watershed Summit: Leaders to Protect Quality” about the Upper Illinois River Watershed Summit held in Springdale. Since the leaders are Simmons Foods, Peterson Farms, the Farm Bureau, etc. we wouldn’t hold our breaths, except that they being sued by the State of OK (not discussed at the meeting). Fortunately too Melissa Terry and perhaps other reps. of our enviro. movement were there. I hope they are well-represented on the unnamed 6-member Steering Committee. The director of the Ark. Dept. of Enviro. Quality, Marcus Devine, spoke, and apparently told some truths about the multiple degradation of water in NWA: phosophorus, sediment from construction and field runoff, failed septic systems, destruction of riparian buffers along streams, “the seas of asphalt replacing trees and grass,” “excess commercial fertilizer spead on lawns and fields,” “oil dumped in drainage.”
--“AUDUBON TO RESTORE CAMPUS STREAM” (headline in The Ark. Traveler 10-6)
College Branch will be renovated during Oct. and Nov., a rare action. The opposite—turning natural streams into drainage ditch by developers—is the rule.
OPEN MIC OCT. 2 (Gandhi’s birthday)
Leigh Wilkerson was MC and read several poems on nature and the environment. Other readers: Jay Ross, John Rule, Madison Bennett, Tom Brown, Joanie Connors, Ian. Musicians: Robin Rues, Bill Orton, Stephen Coger. Food excellent and plentiful as always: if you wish to contribute contact Melanie Dietzel. And will someone please bring a camera.
NATION, WORLD
BUNKER BUSTER VOTE COMING UP
A Senate vote on the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator may now come the week of October 17. Send emails, letters and phone calls in early October, especially to the Senators listed below, who may be key swing votes:
Hon. Evan Bayh (D-IN), (202) 224-5623
Hon. Ben Nelson (D-NE), (202) 224-6551
Hon. Bill Nelson (D-FL), (202) 224-5274
Hon. Gordon Smith (R-OR), (202) 224-3753
Hon. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) (202) 224-5344
Hon. Arlen Specter (R-PA), (202) 224-4254
Mailing address for all Senators is Hon. __________, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510.
The message doesn't have to be long or elaborate -- just one or two sentences, asking the Senator to oppose funding for the Bunker Buster, saying that it would be a tragic mistake to begin developing new atomic weapons.
GETTING OUT OF IRAQ
AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT, WE'VE GOT A WAR TO STOP
What we will do is continue to speak out, LOUDER and in even greater numbers, because in the process of speaking out, we are also organizing ourselves into the numbers to win the elections of the future. We just saw the largest antiwar demonstrations since the war and endless occupation in Iraq started. Meanwhile we are breeding so much hatred in the Muslim world with every senseless killing, every additional day we remain it will get worse. What we must do is to speak out to our members of Congress as their personal constituents. There are many of them who are having doubts. We need to tell them the insanity must stop NOW.
TAKE ACTION NOW AT http://www.trotn.com/troopshome.htm
The one click action page above has now been fully dedicated to the message, "Support our troops, bring them home now." There were 250,000 people who TRAVELED to Washington, D.C. to march in person. Can we not get four times that many to make a toll-free phone call or click a mouse one time? We can stop the war years from now, after an order of magnitude more death, horror and destruction. Or we can stop it RIGHT NOW, if only we speak out in sufficient numbers. They can't put a smiley face on this one.
Congresswoman Woolsey Announces First Public Hearing in Iraq & Bring Troops Home. Congresswoman Woolsey held the first public hearing: "How To Bring Our Troops Home and Achieve U.S. Military Disengagement from Iraq" on September 15th. See her op-ed entitled "It's Time to Debate Iraq". We ask your help in spreading the word throughout your networks, via your media contacts, and to your members and all interested persons. [As far as I know, this was not reported in NWA.]
BUSH CRIMES COMMISSION
Oct. 21-23 First session of the international commission of inquiry on charges of crimes against humanity committed by the Bush Admin. www.nion.us/commission.htm; commission@nion.us; 212-941-8086.
IMPEACH BUSH
The Summer 2005 no. of Veterans for Peace News (by Minnesota Chapter 27) includes a notice of its campaign to “Impeach Bush Now.” Go to VFP’s web site (www.twincitiesVFP.org) and click on “Impeach Bush!” And contact Daniel Fearn at aldermn@earthlink.net
OPINION IS TURNING FOR GETTING OUT: ANDY ROONEY OF CBS
I'm not really clear how much a billion dollars is but the United States — our United States — is spending $5.6 billion a month fighting this war in Iraq that we never should have gotten into.
We still have 139,000 soldiers in Iraq today.
Almost 2,000 Americans have died there. For what?
Now we have the hurricanes to pay for. One way our government pays for a lot of things is by borrowing from countries like China.
Another way the government is planning to pay for the war and the hurricane damage is by cutting spending for things like Medicare prescriptions, highway construction, farm payments, AMTRAK, National Public Radio and loans to graduate students. Do these sound like the things you'd like to cut back on to pay for Iraq?
I'll tell you where we ought to start saving: on our bloated military establishment.
We're paying for weapons we'll never use.
No other Country spends the kind of money we spend on our military. Last year Japan spent $42 billion. Italy spent $28 billion, Russia spent only $19 billion. The United States spent $455 billion.
We have 8,000 tanks for example. One Abrams tank costs 150 times as much as a Ford station wagon.
We have more than 10,000 nuclear weapons — enough to destroy all of mankind.
We're spending $200 million a year on bullets alone. That's a lot of target practice. We have 1,155,000 enlisted men and women and 225,000 officers. One officer to tell every five enlisted soldier what to do. We have 40,000 colonels alone and 870 generals.
We had a great commander in WWII, Dwight Eisenhower. He became President and on leaving the White House in 1961, he said this: “We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. …"
Well, Ike was right. That's just what’s happened.
TORTURE USA
Senator McCain’s bill declaring that the US and its soldiers will not subject prisoners to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment passed. Pres. Bush threatens to veto the bill because it prohibits torture. Protest: http://action.truemajority.org/campaign/torture_c4; Human Rights First: www.humanrightsfirst.org
PUBLIC NOT SUPPORTING US IMPERIALISM?
PIPA is a joint program of the Center on Policy Attitudes (COPA) and the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland ( CISSM), School of Public Affairs, University of Maryland.
Public Rejects Using Military Force to Promote Democracy
Rejects Democratization as Rationale for Iraq War
Not Convinced Democracy Makes World Safer or Counters Terrorism
But Favors Cooperative, Diplomatic Methods for Promoting Democracy
A new poll finds that a majority of Americans reject the idea of using military force to promote democracy. Only 35% favored using military force to overthrow dictators. Less than one in five favored the US threatening to use military force if countries do not institute democratic reforms.
The effort to promote democracy in Iraq is generating little enthusiasm. Seventy-four percent (including 60% of Republicans) said that the goal of overthrowing Iraq's authoritarian government and establishing a democracy was not a good enough reason to go to war. Seventy-two percent said that the experience there has made them feel worse about the possibility of using military force to bring about democracy in the future. Sixty-four percent (65% of Republicans) are ready to accept an Iraqi constitution that does not fully meet democratic standards and once the constitution is ratified 57% want to start withdrawing troops.
Steven Kull, director of PIPA comments, "More broadly most Americans do not appear to have been persuaded by President Bush's State of the Union argument that promoting democracy is a critical means for fighting terrorism and making the world safer." Only 26% agreed that when there are more democracies the world is safer and only 45% agreed that people in democracies are less likely to support terrorist groups. Even the view, popular among political scientists that democracies are less likely to go to war with each other was only endorsed by 46%. Republicans showed a bit more support for the benefits of democracy, but only by a few percentage points.
Americans are also not confident that democratic governments will be friendlier to the US. Only 42% assumed that when countries become more democratic they will be more likely to agree with US policies and only 26% assumed that if Saudi Arabia were to hold free elections the elected government would be friendlier to the US.
Read More.....
NUCLEAR NEWS
NUCLEAR BOMBS: For you who want to be informed about US nuclear weapons, subscribe to Pathfinder by Nukewatch: www.nukewatch.com The Fall no. has 2 articles on Hiroshima/Nagasaki, one of US missile silos, 3 on radioactive contamination on land around the Hanford nuclear site in Washington State, one on “depleted” uranium weapons, one on radioactive drinking water, and much more.
NUCLEAR POWER: Public Citizen continues its campaign to inform us about the dangers of nuclear reactors and that nuclear power is not a solution to U.S. energy problems nor of global warming, while it has numerous drawbacks. www.citizen.org
DEPARTMENT OF PEACE
To read HR 3760 go to google and type in HR 3760, then click on 4th entry, Department of Peace and Nonviolence Act. OMNI supports the creation of a National Department of Peace. The following is from the web site of a peace org. in Utah: “The bill has been reintroduced in the House (HR3760) and recently introduced in the Senate as well (S1756). Creating a National Department of Peace is as visionary as believing in democracy was 250 years ago and it is the next logical step in creating a democratic world. We are the leaders of the world. We have enough resources to share. We are rich enough to split the Department of Defense down the middle and transfer one half of the budget and one half of the personnel to create the Federal Department of Peace. We fought the revolutionary war and won the freedom and right to practice a new form of government, Democracy, where the people rule. We have spent trillions and trillions of dollars and millions and millions of lives on defense and protection. Imagine spending trillions and trillions of dollars and millions and millions of lives on peace and prosperity. Support HR3760/S1756--Create a United States Department of Peace!”
ECONOMIC INJUSTICE USA: RICH AND POOR
--From NYT (9-4-05): The top fifth of earners in Manhattan now make 52 times what the lowest fifth make--$365,826 compared with $7,047: for every dollar made by households in the top fifth of Manhattan earners, households in the bottom fifth made about 2 cents.
MEDIA WATCH: CPB
--Longtime GOP Fundraiser and NPR Critic Elected to Head CPB
Longtime Republican fundraiser Cheryl Halpern was elected the new chair of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting earlier this week. Halpern has overseen such government-funded media projects as Voice of America, Radio Marti in Cuba and Radio Free Iraq. She has also accused National Public Radio of anti-Israel bias. Like her predecessor, Kenneth Tomlinson, Halpern has also criticized the journalism of Bill Moyers. Halpern has given over $300,000 dollars in political contributions in recent years almost all to Republicans. Recipients have included President Bush, Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi and Sam Brownback of Kansas. The group Common Cause warned Monday that the selection of Halpern may "mean more politicizing for public broadcasting." The CPB also elected Gay Hart Gaines, a member of the Heritage Foundation, as Vice Chair. Gaines has served as president of the Palm Beach Republican Club and is a former chairwoman of Newt Gingrich's GOPAC, the GOP political action committee that raised millions of dollars for Republican candidates across the country. Celia Wexler, Vice-President of advocacy at Common Cause. - Read Celia Wexler's statement before the CPB Board.
--George Clooney’s new film, “Good Night, and Good Luck,” about Murrow’s “ferocious 1953 battle with Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, network sponsors, and even his employers as he tries to expose the tactics of the House Un-Americcan Activities Committee” was released today Oct. 7, 2005.
WAR ON THE POOR
New York Times, October 3, 2005
Editorial: Congress and Katrina
A bankruptcy law that is set to go into effect Oct. 17 is arriving just in time to inflict more pain on hurricane victims. This and every other subject in this newsletter needs someone to send in items.
CORRUPT AFTEREFFECTS OF KATRINA
New York Times, October 3, 2005
Exploiting Katrina
Congress has used Hurricane Katrina as cover for a remarkably brazen raid on the public treasury and environmental protections.
PRO-LIFE?
What is it? Protecting the potential life of fetuses? Saving the millions starving and malnourished? See the film on FSTV on anti-abortionists in Wisconsin. We need much more discussion of what is LIFE.
CUBA
--Cuba’s offer of 1,100 doctors to help the victims of Katrina as early as Friday, August 30, was rejected by the Bush. Admin. (Monthly Rev. Oct. 2005, p. 64).
--US leaders planning to control the future of Cuba when Castro departs, to eliminate the social and economic system he built there, and specifically to prevent his brother Raul from succeeding him (TMN 10-2), continuing the long history of US aggression in Latin America.
FEMINISM
--From FSTV: “A Passion for Justice”: feminism in the 21st century (the struggle for gender equity, part of the Civil Rights Movement: one out of every 3 women in the world will be raped or beaten) . By Louise Vance, paid for by CA NOW.
--From FSTV: Amazonian women workers movement for jobs and fair wages—and reforestation
--From FSTV: “Liberty Bound”: one woman travels the U. S. asking questions about U. S. power.
--A woman takes office as President of the USA in new ABC drama that premiered Oct. 4. Played by Geena Davis, her role as Commander in Chief expands women’s possibilities. (TMN 10-2). The Civil Rights Movement, of which Feminism is a part, has enable us to imagine this happening, right?
--Tomorrow, October 8, Hillary Clinton will be inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY, site of the first women's rights convention ever held in America.
FREE SPEECH TV (from OMNI), 3 to 9 a.m. Mon.-Sat.
Examples:
--(missed the title) Inspiring film of speakers for the Congressional Progressive Caucus (www.progressivecaucus.org) . Lynn Woolsey, Maxine Waters, John Conyers, Barbara Lee, et al. [If OMNI had the money we could bring these principled speakers to NWA.]
--“Flowers from the Heartland” by John Dalton about same sex marriages in San Francisco.
--MAAC Self-Sufficiency Project of S. CA for homeless, ex-drug addicts, former prisoners. www.mediaartscenter.org
--“Return to Mississippi”:Neshoba County where the 3 Civil Rights workers were murdered.
.--March on DC, 9-24—Cindy Sheehan, Rev. Sharpton, et al.
--Amy Goodman’s “Democracy Now” interviewing Studs Terkel.
ECOLOGY WATCH
--Holy Land or Living Hell: Ecocide in Palestine (an analysis of environmental
issues in Palestine/Israel) http://earthfirstjournal.org/modules/AMS/article.php?storyid=11
--From FSTV: Liberty TV News: Enviro Report 2005, GOP control of 3 branches of gov’t. is severely eroding protections of the environment. Yet because of the Bush propaganda and the failure of mainstream media to report Bush Admin. attacks on the environ. 51% of the public thinks the Bush Admin. supports the Kyoto Treaty and 74% thinks NAFTA defends the earth and species. The WTC bombings cause infinitely less harm to the economy, humans, species, and the earth than have these government policies and actions; etc. www.libertynews.com
--From FSTV: Film on how growth/development juggernaut was restrained in CA’s central valley (Madera) by agri easements. Also “Valley at a Crossroads,” stopping sprawl.
--From FSTV: a George Sibley film, “Six Fairy Tales About Growth in Florida”: “Growth for the sake of growth [profit]is the ideology of the cancer cell.” The film criticizes Florida’s political leadership from Governor to mayors for encouraging the growth that has doubled the population every year since 1946. Result: life in Florida is getting worse every year.
-- John Bellamy Foster in “Organizing Ecological Revolution” (Monthly Rev. Oct. 2005) describes the “global environmental crisis of such enormity that the web of life of the entire planet is threatened.” In response he presents the ecological transformation of society by the Global Scenario Group, launched in 1995 by the Stockholm Environmental Institute (www.gsg.org).
--From AETN 10-4: Program on maps for GED included segment on GIS layered maps that can show all aspects of an area, including water and wetland, a powerful tool for resisting developers.
CORPORATE WATCH
--New book by Thom Hartmann, Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights. Also see “Meet the Corporation: It Has No Conscience. It’s Pathological. And It’s in Your Neighborhood. How Can we Stop the Juggernaut?” by Chris Warren, Sierra (Sept./Oct. 2005).
--In CHICKEN: The Dangerous Transformation of America’s Favorite Food (Yale University Press; publication date October 27, 2005; $25), UA anthropologist Steve Striffler begins with his experiences as a worker in a poultry processing plant, reporting on the way chickens are raised today and how they are consumed. What he discovers about America’s favorite meat is not just unpleasant but a powerful indictment of our industrial food system. The process of bringing chicken to our dinner tables is unhealthy for all concerned—from farmer to factory worker to consumer.
--From FSTV: --“Dead in the Water” by 5th Estate and Nat. Film Bd. of Canada, on corporations seeking to take control of world’s water, an enormous manifestation of corporate commodification of everything.
PROTECTING ANIMALS
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), Animal Times: The Magazine That Speaks Up for Animals. peta@peta.org
NONVIOLENT CHANGE JOURNAL FALL ISSUE PUBLISHED
www.nonviolentchangejournal.org NCJ welcomes articles, commentaries, reviews, news, upcoming events and media notes relating to intra and inter community and nation nonviolent change. Deadline for the winter issue is December 8. Stephen M. Sachs, coordinating Editor, IPJ
CHIAPAS
For those of you concerned about the people of Chiapas, Mexico, see: SIPAZ, Servicio Internacional para la Paz/International Service for Peace, an international human rights observation and permanent presence program, chiapas@sipaz.org; www.sipaz.org
--Senator Blanche Lincoln: Web Site: www.lincoln.senate.gov
Washington Office:355 Dirksen Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510-0404
Phone: (202) 224-4843 Fax: (202) 228-1371. Fayetteville office: 251-1380;.
--Senator Mark Pryor: Web Site: pryor.senate.gov
Washington Office:217 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510-0403
Phone: (202) 224-2353 Fax: (202) 228-0908
Main District Office:700 W. Capitol, Rm. 2527 Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: (501) 324-6336 Fax: (501) 324-5320
--Congressman John Boozman, District 3, 12 counties from Benton to Washington
Fayetteville office: 442-5258; 207 W. Center, 72701.
Ft. Smith office: 479-782-7787; 30 Soutt 6th St. Rm 240, Ft. Smith 72901.
Harrison office: 870-741-6900; 402 N. Walnut, Suite 210, Harrison 72601.
DC address: 1708 Longworth House Office Bldng., Washington, DC 20515; 202-225-4301.
PETITIONS: OMNI is trying to have at least one petition circulating on various issues at each of our events. Let Dick know for publicity and other assistance, if you plan to create and organize a petition. Petitions now being circulated for Getting Out of Iraq, Against Violence Toward Women, Opposing U. S. Torture. Send your gathered signatures to Dick, 2582 Jimmie, Fay 72703, or put them in the OMNI mailbox at United Campus Ministry.
OMNI SEEKS A WORLD FREE OF WAR AND THE THREAT OF WAR, A SOCIETY WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY PERSON’S POTENTIAL MAY BE FULFILLED, AN EARTH RESTORED. WORLD PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS, SOCIAL and ECONOMIC JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
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