Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Advertisement
2012 October

Monthly Archives: October 2012

Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on more than just NYC

Sandy wreaked havoc in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean. More than 60 people have been killed in those neighboring countries. Haiti has lost her crops. Over 200,000 are left homeless with far fewer resources than New York City to rescue and restore what was lost.

Hurricane Survival

From Philly to New Jersey, from the South Bronx to Haiti, us po’ folks don’t need Hurricane Sandy to have a crisis, ‘cause we already in Hurricane Survival. Between gentriFUKation, removal, violence, poverty and struggle just to be housed and clothed and fed and safe, the crisis called Sandy is just one more thing to deal with in an already impossible situation.

SFPD chief invites the community into the taser debate, shuts down people of color!

Police Chief Greg Suhr scheduled six community forums in September and October to discuss tasers replacing guns in mental health crisis situations. When a citizen group kept showing up at hearings asking questions about hundreds of taser deaths and maimings and supporting SFPD Crisis Intervention Team training in verbal de-escalation, Chief Suhr cancelled the community forums.

UK rethinking budget support to Kagame’s Rwanda

The International Development Committee of the British Parliament’s House of Commons has announced that it will examine the controversial decision to disburse budget support to the government of Rwanda after first withholding it in response to U.N. investigators’ reports that Rwanda is behind the M23 militia fighting and seizing territory in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Implicated in Congo crimes, Rwanda’s Gen. Kagame has bigger headache than silencing Victoire Ingabire...

The sham treason trial of Rwanda’s top opposition leader, Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, has finally ended with her expected conviction. The U.S., which recently cut aid to Rwanda for its role in Congo atrocities, must call for Umuhoza’s release. She has been sentenced to eight years in prison by a kangaroo court. Her conviction by the kangaroo court must be set aside.

Panthers celebrate 46th anniversary

The Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party hosted a gathering of former Panthers from across the country Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 to celebrate Black Panther History Month. The program included book signings and presentations by Elbert “Big Man” Howard, Aaron Dixon, Meres Sia Gilbert and Steve McCuthen. Black Panther historical archivist Billy X served as moderator for the event.

Bill Owens of Cascos Martial Arts Academy is in financial trouble

The legendary Sifu Bill Owens has trained 121 black belts in the 40 years since he founded Cascos Martial Arts Academy at 7415 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland. He himself is a world renowned champion as well as a teacher of a range of martial arts from Karate and Wun Hop Kuen Do to Filipino Stick Fighting and Brazilian Capoiera. Right now he needs 60 new students. Stop by or call him at (510) 638-9990.

The vortex of dementia

The prison system and the SHU is not going to shut down anytime soon. So we will have to be more realistic and pragmatic in our approach to addressing the mental health of prisoners. We can start off as prisoners by pledging we’ll not become collaborators with the CDCR in their endeavor to assault our sanity!

Bani Walid pays price for refusing to accept the mark of the beast

The images emerging from the current siege of Bani Walid are gruesome. NATO’s henchmen are attacking their own people with bombs and chemical weapons, injuring and killing scores of civilians. Women, children and old people lie maimed or dismembered on the side of the roads, many of them buried in the rubble. Ethnic cleansing of people with black skin is being carried out by Arab supremacists, but the Muslims of Bani Walid refuse to accept that people with black skin are to be hunted and killed.

Gov. Jerry Brown at NAACP State Convention

“All politics is local,” said Tip O’Neil, the great former speaker of the House. Gov. Jerry Brown brought it home as he addressed the state convention of the NAACP at the San Mateo Marriott Hotel in the presence of delegates and the mayor of San Mateo, Brandt Grotte.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Be man enough to say ‘I’m sorry’

Raising awareness about domestic violence must be a continuing effort all year long, because it’s the only way to break the cycle that has become a part of this society’s collective psyche over the centuries. Today, I promise that I will continue to be my best toward all women. I hope to lead by example for others to emulate.

Richard lives! More thoughts on my friend, Richard Aoki

In an earlier statement, I said that Richard Aoki is and was my respected friend, comrade, mentor and crime partner. I received the feedback that I had used fine words but had given no examples to show what I meant. I accept that criticism and the following is my response. I hope that you can see what kind of cat the brotha was.

They circle like vultures

The new draft Step Down Program allows for any CO (correctional officer) or staff member to have any prisoner placed in SHU for anything they deem necessary, citing safety and security and public safety, even without any disciplinary action. Many of us have seen first hand the abusive nature of sadistic, racist and misogynistic CO staff who fabricate information to “break” prisoners.

Pelican Bay Human Rights Movement Bulletin: File your complaint

We are illegally being held in the SHU and Ad-Seg while being subjected to sensory deprivation, both physical and psychological torture, inadequate health care and isolation. PBSP and CDCR officials are refusing to comply with CDCR official policy. It is necessary we prisoners get more involved with our destiny.

Freedom, justice and human rights vs. potty watch

During those four days in the CSW cell, Perez was made to defecate in a bucket in public, while still in restraints. The staff members – aka the Green Wall Gang – would cut the tape off and pull down his pants and boxer shorts as they shouted obscene comments and laughter. No contraband was ever produced.

Cynthia McKinney on leadership

Recently, I had an opportunity to speak with Cynthia McKinney, and I asked her about leadership. She replied that at the local level in the Black communities, there is leadership. It no longer gets media coverage, but it is there. Real leaders are those with the courage to dissent and to resist. It is the act of resistance that transforms an elected person into a leader.

Look who’s punishing violent cops now!

On Oct. 12, Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan announced that 44 of his officers would face some manner of punishment for their abuse of Occupy protesters last year. Some have hailed this decision as a sign that the Oakland Police Department is finally going to start holding its officers accountable. A look at the recent decisions by Jordan and the OPD, however, dispels any such hope.

Steve Champion ends hunger strike following indications he may be released from Adjustment Center

“Champion ended his strike Oct. 19, after having lost over 51 pounds and having at least one major demand met: He has been promised that he will be released from his highly restrictive confinement after seven years of being held in ‘the hole.’”

Help U.S. graduates of medical school in Cuba prepare to serve needy communities at...

Graduation is only the first step! When graduates of the Latin America School of Medicine in Cuba (ELAM) come home to the U.S., they need help finding jobs, financial support while they study for their required exams and help finding training opportunities in the medical field. IFCO announces a new partnership to help graduates on the next steps of their journey.

Support Zulu’s legal fund; get his beautiful, hand-crafted jewelry

Revered political prisoner Kenny Zulu Whitmore writes: "All of my pro-se litigation over the years has been met with a one-word decision, 'Denied,' never giving me a legal reason or an arguable appeal. Now I finally have legal representation, and I am launching my campaign to raise funds for my legal defense.