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What does California use for power when nuclear reactors are offline?
April 18, 2012
It’s high time for CPUC to explore clean, affordable replacement for nuclear power, especially since San Onofre’s two reactors have been out of service for months, and on April 6 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shut it down indefinitely. The issue is back on CPUC’s agenda April 19, 9 a.m., at 505 Van Ness, San Francisco.
California, the land of the gulag
April 13, 2012
The Los Angeles-based Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law has filed a petition to the United Nations on behalf of hundreds of prisoners kept in solitary confinement in California prisons and subject to treatment amounting to torture and violating international human rights norms.
New data from Office of Civil Rights: SF Black students suspended six times more than whites
April 11, 2012
The recently released data reveal that in San Francisco Unified, Black suspension rates are more than six times the rate for whites (14.4 percent vs. 2.2 percent), and the Hispanic expulsion rate is 5 percent. Black males stood out, with 20 percent (one in five) being suspended from school during the 2009-10 school year.
The mass incarceration of the Black community: an interview with Michelle Alexander, author of ‘The New Jim Crow’
April 4, 2012
Professor Michelle Alexander’s new book “The New Jim Crow” is a monumental, well researched piece of work that presents documented facts in down to earth English about the mass incarceration of Black people within the United States’ national concentration camp system. At one point in “The New Jim Crow,” Professor Alexander presents evidence that more Black people are enslaved behind bars today than were enslaved on the plantations in 1850, before the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
Cynthia McKinney: Justice for Trayvon Martin also means joining the international struggle against U.S. lawlessness
March 31, 2012
As the mother of a young Black man whom I pray for nightly and worry daily about his life being violently ended senselessly either by someone marginalized by the unjust social structure of U.S. life or by some rogue officer of the law or one pretending to be a policeman, I offer my sincerest condolences to the Martin family and friends over the loss of their son Trayvon.
The feeling of rebellion: #MillionHoodies reflections from NYC
March 29, 2012
The #MillionHoodieMarch for Trayvon Martin was a big success. But it isn’t enough to institute police reforms and make the cops do their job – which is to terrorize Black, Brown and working class people – more nicely. We have to build resistance on our own blocks and in our own hoods!
Rallying for Trayvon Martin is fighting for justice, not ‘skipping school’
March 28, 2012
Hundreds of students walked out of Mount Zion High School just after 2 p.m. on Monday in a show of solidarity with local college students and civil rights activists taking part in an ‘I Am Trayvon’ rally and march at the Georgia state capitol. We know we can be punished for “skipping school.”
Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin and the protection of ‘police murder’ in Amerikkka
March 25, 2012
Once again another young Black man has been shot and killed, under highly questionable circumstances, by a representative of law enforcement. Also once again, African Americans and our allies fear that justice will not be served on the perpetrator. Unfortunately, this fear is neither imagined nor an overreaction; it is grounded in concrete reality.
Trayvon Martin murdered twice, first by a racist criminal, then by a racist criminal system
March 24, 2012
Zimmerman, who had made 46 wanna-be cop assist calls to the Sanford police during the past 14 months, had such a bad reputation among neighbors at the complex where he killed Trayvon that they had filed complaints. In fact, he was known to go door-to-door asking residents to “be on the look-out,” primarily for “young Black men.”
Trayvon Martin: Justice Department to investigate fatal shooting of unarmed Florida teen
March 19, 2012
The U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI have opened an investigation into the killing of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed teenager shot and killed by a white Neighborhood Watch captain in an Orlando suburb. Rally Monday, March 26, 12-1 p.m., 850 Bryant, San Francisco, for justice for Trayvon Martin.
Bilingual education as it relates to African-Americans: the Ebonics debate
March 9, 2012
African Americans continue to be held at a disadvantage when it comes to learning English, partially due to their natural disposition to Ebonics and partially due to the discrimination and the indifference of America’s public school system. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 barred discrimination; however, Blacks have been yet to benefit from Title IV, which prevents discrimination by government agencies that receive federal funds.
Fukushima – worse than Chernobyl
February 24, 2012
The good news is that 11 months after the Fukushima meltdown, thousands of Japanese marched in the streets to protest the continuing operation of nuclear power plants in their country, and urged a shift to renewable energy. Meanwhile in the U.S. the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the building of two new nuclear power plants in Georgia.
To my old master
February 20, 2012
I got your letter, and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than anybody else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. … You shot at me twice before I left you.
Are you a potential terrorist under NDAA?
February 17, 2012
ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said President Obama’s signing of the NDAA is “a blight on his legacy because he will forever be known as the president who signed indefinite detention without charge or trial into law.” Time will tell whether the NDAA will survive scrutiny by the courts and in the court of public opinion.
We support our troops … but why fight and die for white supremacy?
February 15, 2012
Does “We support our troops” mean you support the domination and murderous repression of people in Haiti, Iraq, Columbia, Guatemala etc. in order that U.S. corporations and financial firms – Wall Street thugs – can accumulate capital via controlling and exploiting the oil, gas, cobalt, tin, cotton, diamonds, coal, fruit et al of other people trapped in slums?
‘Skin deep’ in more ways than one
January 31, 2012
“Take the kinks out of your mind, instead of out of your hair,” said Marcus Garvey. Black women today who strive to take his admonition to heart are in a better position than their sisters of the past. Research focusing on the products used in African-American beauty salons – and homes – is increasing.
Why all the robo-signing?
January 24, 2012
The Wall Street Journal reported on Jan. 19 that the Obama administration was pushing heavily to get the 50 state attorneys general to agree to a settlement with five major banks in the “robo-signing” scandal. The settlement would let Wall Street bankers off the hook for crimes that would land the rest of us in jail.
Jailhouse snitch used against Aiyana’s dad
January 23, 2012
Mertilla Jones, grandmother of Aiyana Stanley-Jones, the 7-year-old killed by Detroit police last year in a SWAT-style assault on her home, held Aiyana’s mother Dominika Stanley tightly in her arms as both wept uncontrollably in an elevator at 36th District Court in downtown Detroit.
The way to occupy a bank is to own one
January 19, 2012
The campaign to “move your money” has gotten a groundswell of support. Having greater impact would be to “move our money” — move our local government revenues out of Wall Street banks into our own publicly-owned banks. The San Francisco bank proposal is sponsored by city Supervisor John Avalos.
MLK: Amerikkka’s Most Wanted
January 16, 2012
He was considered by some the most dangerous man in America. He spent many nights locked up in jail cells. There were constant attempts made on his life. During his last years, he was constantly harassed by law enforcement. The real reason for his untimely demise before the age of 40 still remains a mystery.
