Sean Bell 1983–2006

Dec13_cover.qxd 12.13.06 4:43 AM Page 1 THEINDYPENDENT Issue #96, December 13, 2006 – January 9, 2007 A FREE PAPER FOR FREE PEOPLE

SEAN BELL 1983–2006

BY NICHOLAS POWERS FRANK REYNOSO

’mon jump,” the man yelled to the gun. He did not show his badge. He did not and tell us the cop on the roof. It was early Saturday say he was police. “He got a gat! Be out!” meaning of his death. We had a differ- Cand we were rallying at the 103rd shouted Guzman. Bell rammed the car forward ent need, it was not to see the body but make precinct in Jamaica, Queens. On the roof, a into a van. Backed up and rammed it again to What did he see in the darkness of the car him into a symbol of our own. cop laughed as black people pointed at him. get away. The cop fired, repeatedly. Soon, other that needed to be so destroyed? We entered the rose-scented church and I “C’mon pig, jump,” the man next to me shots echoed in the street. watched people lay prayer over his face. When I taunted. Behind the barricades, the police In the car, glass shattered and their bodies MY DEATH TOO glimpsed him my eyes flinched. It hurt because eyed us. We saw our strength in their fear were punched around by bullets. Benefield fell Bell’s funeral was held at Community Church it was my death too. They shot 50 bullets into and wanted to take away the power they had out pleading, “Stop shooting at me!” Inside of Christ, where he and his fiancée planned to the blackness we both share and now, the value over us – the power of death. the car, Bell’s neck was shredded. He gasped marry. Church men in dark suits guided us in. of my life depends on the price they pay for his Five cops had used that power on Nov. 25 until he had no more strength to try. The cops “No cameras please,” they said and we turned murder. Bell’s face was grey and bloated and against three men leaving the Kalua nightclub stood. They shot 50 bullets at the four men. off our cell-phones. A news crew was in line young. Walking away, I knew whatever is said in Queens. Trent Benefield, Joseph Guzman No gun was found in the car. and he shooed them away. “They never came must bear the weight of his lost life. and Sean Bell were going after two rude-boys The next day, New York read about the around before,” the woman in front of me Next to the church, media trucks glowed as who tried to push their way into Bell’s bachelor killings. After hearing how many shots were said. “They don’t care about Sean they just TV anchors waved their microphones like party. Threats were traded each saying they had fired many of us had the same question. Did here to make money.” I hummed agreement. metal detectors searching for treasure. Activists a gun. Bell told his friends it was time to go. they enjoy killing him? Officer Mike Oliver The line going into the church was black. worked the crowed, handing out flyers. I read As they sat in the car, an undercover cop shot 31 times. He shot, reloaded and shot Across the street, the line of reporters was one and could feel ambition in the air. who heard the threats walked up, hand on his again. When did fear and panic become rage? white. They wanted to wrap him in headlines continued on page 4 TORTURE IN OAXACA MY BROTHER’S OF p8 SECRET IRAQ PHOTOS BLOOD p11 AND BLING p14

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Whydoesn’thecutto racial vitriolintothestation. injectedthe peoplewhohave supporting thevery #95) todisparage WBAI-99.5 FMwhileimplicitly issue WBAIListenerNumbersDecline,” Airwaves, Chris Anderson usesnewsspeak(“Trouble onthe WBAI: RADICAL RADIOORNPR-LITE? letters totheeditor a friend,colleague,somethingtoeat Bring AND SOCIALJUSTICEACTIVISTS: HOLIDAY POTLUCKFORANTI-RACIST 5:30-7:30pm FRI DEC15 bluestockings.com 212-777-6028 Info: Bluestockings,172AllenSt. the public. how thecorporatemediahasdeceived has manipulatedthenewsaswell Shows howtheBushadministration Amy GoodmanofDemocracyNow! PEOPLE WHOFIGHTBACK LIARS, MEDIACHEERLEADERS,&THE READING: 7pm •$5 THU DEC14 &ggenyc.org [email protected] 347-351-3882, Info: Empress, 677 LafayetteAve, Bklyn. Gallery, WashingtonGeorge Carver forteenwomen. tography program Girls forGenderEquity’ssummerpho- HerEyes, Through Photography from SOCIALLY CONSCIOUSARTWORK. 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It’s anirrever- dressed upforthemodernera. it’sessentially Amos‘nAndy but satire, Callit getting theshitbombedoutofthem. to mock Third World peoples whiletheyare their problem?Iguessittakesreal “bravery” what’s We getthejoke, Notlikeus. backwards. How petty. How narrow. How them. directed at They gettouchyafterendlessracistbullshitis Notlikethem. We asense ofhumor. have us. Notlike Theyaresofuckedup. homophobic. Theyareso Theyaresonarrow. are soracist. They MuslimCentral Asians. fun ofbackwards, Wo it. itexacerbates wound, the Butitdoesnottreat pressure ofconstantfear. removesthe foramoment, emboldens oneand, Ithinkthat’s blackfacehumordoes: what tension. Thehumorinthisfilmtemporarilyrelieves fear. withthat resonate Kazakhistan plucksstringsthat Thefilm’s ofthepeople caricature disturbs me. Itssuccessasa#1boxofficehit the Holocaust. asafilmmockingtheJewsduring about asfunny afilmridiculingMuslimsis Afghanistan andIraq, wewreakedin Inlightofthedevastation descent. w, that’s – reallyfunny A BritishJewmakes A chancetogab SOCIALLY ,a

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GINO BARZIZZA DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 THE INDYPENDENT 3 ling 1984-2006 AFF ERIC NG summer. A T activist and rock musician was killed by a Green Snare: Green he New York environmental and social justice York he New activist Daniel McGowan has pleaded guilty to being involved in a pair of arsons in the Pacifica IMC S riends and family bicy- led from the site of Eric’s McGowan and three other activists – Joyanna Accused of being domestic terrorists, the four Over the past year, federal agents have arrested At the Nov. 9 hearing, McGowan read a statement This plea agreement is very important to me, “… “I hope that you will see that my actions were not Honor,“Your after May of 2001, I put myself back McGowansen- and the three other activists will be The government is seeking a sentence of eight of Daniel McGowan and Family The group Friends supportdaniel.org. least 15 environmental and animal rights activists Eric Ng, Fellow,Teaching NYC a 22-year-old antiwar drunk driver on Friday, Dec. 1. Eric was bicyc down the Hudson River Greenway – a car-free space for cyclists, skaters and walkers – when he his white Eugenio Cidron in was hit by 27-year-old BMW. According to police, Cidron had been on the bike path for over a mile. Eric was the third person killed in the area since this ghost bike and plaque Visual was made by Resistance in his honor. F c death to St. Mark’s Church, where a memo- rial was held Dec. 9.

Y McGowan Pleads Northwest linked to the Earth Liberation Front. Zacher, Nathan – reached Block and Jonathan Paul took a plea bargain with the government where they they responsibility for the crimes on the condition would never have to snitch on anyone involved else in the movement. activists could have faced as much as life plus over 1,000 years in prison if convicted at trial – even though no one was injured in their actions. at in a sweep dubbed the Green Scare. before the court: because it allows for me to accept full responsibility my actions and at to my the same time remain true strongly held beliefs. those of terrorist but of a concerned young person who was deeply troubled by the destruction of Oregon's beautiful old-growththe dangers forests and of genetically modified trees. After taking part in these two actions, I realized that burning things down did not fit with my visions or belief about how to create a better world. So I stopped committing these crimes… on the path of open and positive activism. Since then I have vio- focused on helping victims of domestic lence, campaigning for the environment, and advocat- ing for prisoners. While my commitment to pursuing a better world has not and will not change, I have changed the way I am pursuing those goals…” tenced in the spring. years, while McGowan's lawyers are arguing for a sentence of no more than five years and three months. have urged supporters of McGowan to write letters to in the judge (via their lawyers' office) to urge leniency his sentencing. more information the group can For be contacted at: [email protected] or at B T There are no hearings on the proposed NYC, a coalition of two dozen local activist groups including United for Peace and Justice, the International Up! and the Center Times Action Center, for Constitutional Rights, the process by which the regulations are being imple- mented is as problematic as the rules themselves, with the NYPD drawing up the very regulations it will be then with enforcing. Instead, charged Assemble For Rights believes that the City Council, “as the repre- New York has sentatives of the people of the city,” the authority to make laws affecting the “fundamental rights of New Yorkers.” Assemble for Rights is pushing a proposed amendment to the section of the Administrative Code, “The NYC city’s First Amendment Act,” that would trump the NYPD regulations. council bill currently scheduled.

American males to 30 bullets? – OK, no permit needed,What if they go from house to house right? caroling but suddenly switch to antiwar songs, need a per- will they mit then? Do we need to lessen them by ateach and then create least one day a call the new month,new month out of the extra days? Let’s for argu- sake,ment’s Thermidor. g) Does the proposed procedure also limit police shootings of African- g) Does the proposed procedure also limit police shootings of h) What about those months on the calendar that have exactly 30 days. I salute the police brass for grabbing the bull by the horns and initi- A good beginning occurred when the NYPD brass decided not to permit must support this and other measures Yorkers That is why all New ting this important venture. officials have too long police been For a forced to sit impotently on the sidelines as the Constitution granted only the elected legislative, executive and judicial officials the power to make the laws that govern us. In my view, it is time for NYPD offi- as the fourth branch of government,cials to come out of the closet to imbue upon themselves the powerlaws to make and supercede those elected constitutional bodies. officers to provide statements after killing a suspect even to internal investigators, until a great deal of time had passed and cover stories could be fabricated and synchronized. That blue wall of silence stands proud and needs to be extended everywhere, curtain around this city. like an iron through which police officials grant themselves the authority to reg- ulate who is and who is not allowed the right to freedom of speech and assembly. Remember 9-11.“terrorists” show those We’ll what real freedom is all about. Thank you very much.

estimony from Mitchel Cohen of the Rev. Billy makes a scene outside police headquarters in advance of the Nov. 27 public hearing proposed parade permit regulations.debating the NYPD’s PHOTO: FREDASKEW.COM Although the NYPD withdrew an T According to Assemble for Rights vella in his testimony at the hearing. ony Avella (D-Bayside). “I urge the “I urge (D-Bayside). ony Avella tices” of ordinary New Yorkers. earlier assembly and parade proposal in August in the face of widespread public outrage, the new rules “are no more rea- sonable than the first,” and would limit funeral processions, impromptu bike rides of more than 30 people and city walking tours, according to Councilman T department to withdraw the proposed amendments and begin a dialogue with all interested parties to come up with a proposed set of rules which will pro- mote public safety and protect and the rights of citizens to assemble,” noted A City Green Party lightened New York what was otherwise a contentious day at Police Headquarters. (see below). TESTIMONY OF MITCHEL COHEN AT NYPD REGS HEARING COHEN AT TESTIMONY OF MITCHEL ade NDERSON A

ork City’s parade requirements ork City’s y name is Mitchel Cohen, and I’m representing the Brooklyn Greens,York. of New a local of the Green Party I am here to speak of the proposed changes to the permitting process, IN FAVOR ven as public opposition to New Y continues to mount, the New York HRIS do they require a permit? What if they are whistling,do they require a permit? or all wearing the same t-shirt? subway turnstile before a permit can be required? together to perform at – can they be con- the stage in Central Park sidered acting in concert? the cemetery? Will the beloved corpse be detained? the cemetery? dom passersby a “procession”dom passersby a What if and thus require a permit? they are all wearing the same political button?

C Finally, a Rule We Can Get Behind! a Rule We Finally, f) Especially in the holiday season,f) what about 30 Christmas carolers e) What if the musicians in the New York Philharmonic are walking Philharmonic York What if the musicians in the New e) d) What if 30 people walk past a checkpoint and they are all smiling – d) c) What is the physical proximity in yardage needed to designatec) ran- b) What is the length of time in which 30 people must pass through a b) I do have some questions, though: What if there are 31 cars in the procession to a) Funeral processions? No more the 30 smokers milling about in front of restaurants befouling

Y M “everyday and universally accepted prac- attempt by the NYPD to limit the “cumbersome and heavy-handed” Brewer (D-Upper West Side) called a Brewer (D-Upper West denounce what Councilwoman Gail Council, attended the meeting to bers of New York’s 50-person City bers of New York’s Nearly 150 people, including ten mem- Headquarters on Monday, Nov. 27. Nov. Headquarters on Monday, cous public hearing at Police from the police, were the subject of a rau- people who do not first obtain a permit hibit public gatherings of as few as ten December. The rules, which would pro- December. certain to go into effect by the end of legally permitted assembly appear almost Police Department’s proposed rules on Police Department’s B

Charade ASSEMBLE LEGALLY NEW RULES MAKE IT TOUGHER TO NEW RULES MAKE IT TOUGHER

Par NYPD’S – GET A PERMIT or back on your boat! – GET NO GRADUATION! Thirty sailors in Times Square during Meet the Fleet week Square Times Thirty sailors in NO GRADUATION! cadets coming out of the Police Academy on East 20th Street – NO PERMIT, cadets coming out of the Police down Broadway in rush hour – GET A PERMIT OR FACE ARREST! Thirty ARREST! A PERMIT OR FACE down Broadway in rush hour – GET the air – every grouping of smokers must get a permit! Thirty cars driving the air – every get a permit! grouping of smokers must brass finally understand what we meant by “Don’t trust anyone over 30!” brass finally understand what we meant by lawful procession, and after that a permit is required.The police Yes!!! which quite reasonably seeks to limit to 30 the number of people in any

NYPD Follies E 4 DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 THE INDYPENDENT Nicole Paultre. oldest daughterofSeanBellandhisfiancée for justicewhilepeoplegoshoppingtheholidays.” willbeshopping Sharptonsaid.“We tice forSeanBell,” 16. Dec. to HeraldSquareonSaturday, Fifthto marchdown Avenue fromthePlazaHotel Amadou Dialloin1999. police brutalityprotestssincetheshootingof has alsoresultedinsomeofthecity’s largestanti- sent lessthanaquarterofthecity’s population. cent ofthecomplaints–eventhoughtheyrepre- Lastyearblacksfiled57per- African-Americans. predominantlyfrom plaints inthefirstsixmonths, this yearaboutpolicemisconduct–3,888com- reported receivingarecordnumberofcomplaints percent since2004. hasincreasedby40 the officersfiredaweapon of shotsfiredbyofficersinincidentswhichonly before theshooting). least oneoftheofficershaddranktwoHeinekens undercoverofficerstodrinkonthejob(at allowing andthecity’sundercover specialagents policy theNYPD’s useof tions overpoliceracialprofiling, NAACP.chairwoman ofthestate saidHazelDukes, thetop,” accountability at It’s timefor anddumbexcuses. explanations Bellknewtheywereofficers. he believedthat why with Bellbutthelieutenantcouldn'tarticulate of hisundercoverofficershadmadeeyecontact police lieutenantinchargeoftheofficerssaidone officers neveridentifiedthemselves. Benefieldsaidthe ofbullets. thebarrage escape only aftertheshootingbeganinaneffortto officer andhitanundercoverpolicevehicle. torunoverapolice tified becauseBellattempted nooneelsewasinthecar. maintainedthat have GuzmanandBenefield mention thefourthman. report obtainedbythe Apolice out analerttosearchforthefourthman. policeneversent onthenightofshooting, that Bell'skilling. aprotestagainst after attending AnotherfriendofBell'swasarrestedshortly mons. pastor Erskine Williams fornotpayinga$25sum- policearrestedthesonofQueens of thedragnet, part totheshooting.As of Bellonchargesunrelated a was afourthmanwhofledthecar. a day. that Bell wasplanningtogivehisfiancéelater were foundbuttheydidrecovertheweddingring cuffed totheirhospitalbeds.) hand- (BenefieldandGuzmanwerelater to dying. the threeinjuredmeneventhoughBellwasclose was hitthreetimes. was hit11timesandremainshospitalized. HisfriendJosephGuzman before hiswedding. 25. on Nov. shortly aftertheylefthisbachelorpartyinQueens andtwoofhisfriends 23, Bell, a carcarrying Bell inordertojustifyhiskilling. M BY MIKEBURKE F NYPD Story partments inQueensandarrestedseveralfriends ttempted tojustifytheshootingbyclaiming there e.1 ak h orhbrha fJd,the 16marksthefourth birthdayofJada, Dec. “Business willnotgoonasusualuntilwegetjus- AlSharpton hascalledforprotesters The Rev. The policedepartment’s handlingofthecase The CivilianComplaintReviewBoardhas thenumber According tointernalNYPDfigures, The shootinghasalsoraisednumerousques- slippery “We are fed upwithemptyapologies, the According totheinternalpolicereport, But BenefieldsaidBellbegandrivingerratically alsosaidtheshootingwasjus- The policehave A law enforcementsourcetoldthe A law policeraided In searchofthismysteriousman, police As protestsgrewoverBell'sdeath, When policesearchedthecarnoweapons policehandcuffed Shortly aftertheshooting, T Bell washitbyfourbulletsanddiedhours F rent Benefield, who is now inawheelchair, whoisnow rent Benefield, ive undercoverpoliceofficersfired50shotsat ull ofHoles aspects ofthepoliceshootingSean Y theNew ore evidencehasemergedthat ork policedepartmentliedaboutkey New York Times also didnot Daily News lowed theflyeranactivistgavemeto live here.” burn thecitydown,”shesaid.“We gotto around inwonder, thenathim.“We can’t the citydown.”Ablackgirllooked Next tome,aRasta-manintoned“Burn from eachother. gesture, Isawhowcloseandfarweare same awkwardnessIhadasaboy. Inthat dannas andsteppedback.Theyhadthe Bloods eyedeachotherovertheredban- that couldsoeasilyhavebeentheirs?The her test.Whatdotheysayaboutadeath have tosayaboutpolicebrutality?”Itwas to theBloods,“Sobrothers,whatdoyou A blackwomanwithacamerawalkedup 50DAY BOYCOTT 50 SHOTS, and needdirection.” the time,”amanscoldedme,“They’relost eyebrows andshooktheirheads.“Notall black men?”Acoupleraisedtheir question. FinallyIasked,“Don’t theykill of uslookedateachotherwiththesame ing pot.TheBloodsshowedupandsome moved aroundblindlyasifinsideaboil- reporters surged intothestreet.We as itwasliftedinthehearse. ness rolledbackandforthoverhiscoffin tice nopeace!”Ourrageandtheirsad- Behind thefencewechanted,“Nojus- Grace. Thepaintheysangstunnedme. came outofthechurchsingingAmazing umbrellas. Inthatsilence,thefamily tures ofthem. and shetookouthercamerapic- Reporters aimedthelensatheckler activist hurriedawayascursespeltedher. hollered. “You don’t eventalkblack!”The Get outmyface,”theblackwoman pleaded andtouchedherchest.“What! African-American community!”she woman screamedather. “Iliveinan “You don’t knowSeanBell,”ablack Progress overamanbeinginterviewed. sign thatreadPeople’s Organization for speaking forit.Awhitewomanhelda came totheneighborhoodwerenow spots wereopenandactivistswhonever audition fortheRevolution.Onlyafew The 50ShotsHeardAround continued frompage1 Next day, onSaturdayDec.2,Ifol- They werekidsandwefearedthem. When theydroveaway, activistsand It begantorainandeveryoneopened Faces circledthecameralightasifto The listincludes: been The vastmajorityofthevictimshave African-American men. since theshootingof Amadou Dialloin1999. killed131people thepolicehave AccordingtotheOctober22CoalitionStopPolice Brutality, killing inthecity. New York police CityCouncilmember LetitiaJamesiscallingforaspecialagencyevery tobeformedinvestigate TIME AFTER ac ,2000 March 1, ACL EGSN 23, MALCOLM FERGUSON, charges werefiled. shooting wasaccidentalandno Police saidthe killed intheBronx. just blocksfromwhereDiallowas Hedied shot intheheadbypolice. was Diallo'sdeath, protest following cameras beingarrestedduringa byFoxhad beencaptured 5news Another brother, eyesflashinglikeknives I sawhereyeslockandarmstighten. bitch yo,yeahyoucop,SUCKMYDICK!” Blood turnedtoawhitefemalecop,“You a weighed downbyshoppingbags. walks, wantingtojoinbutweretoo these stores!”Peoplestaredfromside- “50 shots,50dayboycott!Don’t buyfrom were ithurts,”hepointedatthestores, middle ofthestreet.“We havetohitthem a riverofrage.Shabazzstoppedusinthe killing you?” mission fromtheverypeoplewhoare lenged. “Howareyougoingtoaskper- “We don’t needapermit,”Shabazzchal- bodies caughtinthisstruggleforpower. now, itwasusatrisk.Itourdelicate sions withoutriskinghealth.Except down, sotheygiveusthesignsofpas- flow offeelingwithoutbeingworn speeches. Performerscan’t sustainthe dered ifhegaveitalittlegrufftosellthe that boomedouthisraspyvoice.Iwon- Shabazz came.Heheldawhitebullhorn war-cry tokeeptheairwarmuntil Shabazz wouldgetustokillforit. became one.MalcomXdiedfortheCause. Malcolm Xwantedtobealawyer. Shabazz complete MalcolmX’s half-livedone. man, MalikiShabazz,hasusedhislifeto Nation ofIslamandtheirnationalchair- for SeanBell.ManyPanthersareex- Panther Partycalledforarallyatthealtar Kalua night-club.TheNewBlack The powerofthemarchgottosome.A We The Panthersusedthe“BlackPower!”

marched downJamaicaAvenue like What didheseeinthedarknessofcar who He shot, reloadedandshotagain. ac 6 2000 March 16, that neededtobesodestroyed? pepper-sprayed mourners. A grand jury chosenot toindict. Agrandjury pepper-sprayed mourners. Police assaultedand Dorismond'sfuneral. riot geartopatrol Thecitythensenthundreds ofpoliceofficersdressedin record. MayorGiulianireleasedDorismond'ssealedjuvenilearrest ing, To justifytheshoot- out andtheunarmedDorismondwasshot. Ascufflebroke where hecouldpurchasemarijuanainthearea. after anundercoverpoliceofficerstoppedhimandasked TheHaitianimmigrantwasshot a policeofficerinmidtown. PA RC OIMN,26, TRICK DORISMOND, didn’t riskbeingseenasatraitor. she enduredthiswarforherloyaltybutI Deuteronomy!” Iwantedtoaskherhow wear theauthorityofaman.Read form,” heyelled.“Awomanshouldnot ashamed ofyourselfforwearingthatuni- cursed ablackfemalecop.“You shouldbe enough historytobesuspicious.Usually, they shouted“BlackPower!”Iknew kept myhandsbusytakingnoteswhen lets. Iputdownmypen.Thewholeday, I stitches overthewoundmadeby50bul- Panthers andembraced,theirarmslike were hoistedontheshouldersof the back,Isighed. plined,” Shabazzassuredthecrowd.In momentary dizziness.“Butwearedisci- weak. Hepulledusbackfromthe or arrestedandnoonewantedtoseem heartbeat. Noonewantedtogetbeaten excitement pulsedthroughuslikea you!” Itwasdangeroustheater. Fearand the bullhornatcops,“We willkill Shabazz raisedhishand. snapped oursuspensionofdisbelief. the linebetweenfactandfantasy tion!” We laughed.Hehadoverstepped through hereandblowupthispolicesta- face flushed.“We cangetatank,rollit who knowhowtoshoot,”hesaidashis got up.“We gotblackmeninthearmy greetings,” abrotherinleatherjacket through thebullhorn.“Revolutionary Precinct. Mentookturnshollering We In theheadinessaBloodandCrip “If therearemoremurders,”heaimed

gathered infrontofthe103rd was fatally shotinthechestby was fatally The City SEAN BELL SHOOTING SHAKES CITY; FURTHER UNREST LOOMS

“Black Power” became the personal power the crowd walked to the street. A wall of of which every leader who called for it. police stood grim faced, arms crossed. Except now, for this, I held up my fist too. “Go back to Long Island pigs!” young I wondered what permanent good would men cackled. They held a banner with the we achieve? And not just this one but all spray-painted slogan “Police Number #1 the marches that began at Bell’s death. Enemy” that tilted back and forth over What would change at the end of it and the police and protesters arguing. what would be the price? Later that night, The police crumbled and the march moved. I received a call from the New Black Panther A helicopter chopped the sky as we banged Party secretary. His voice had the eager sin- drums and chanted “Fuck the Police!” In the cerity of someone trying to catch up to their light of the helicopter we became black sil- ideals. We rapped for an hour. I told him houettes indistinguishable from one another. some of the rage was ugly and silly. “I feel We escaped the maze of police barricades you,” he conceded. “Some of it was fucked.” and marched into the larger maze of the city. I looked at the buildings around us, “KELLY MUST GO!” where money traveled through electronic He said our people were mentally poisoned signals far above our heads. In these streets but we could recover. “Your melanin makes half of black and Latino children don’t you morally superior to the white man,” he graduate from high school and half will be cooed. “It’s just not in their nature, unemployed as adults. Generations have brother.” I was silent. “Brother man, been abandoned by the city and herded by c’mon,” he said, “You know this.” I looked police into prisons. I stared at the lights at my yellow hand and wondered how and remembered Shabazz calling for prone my body was to sin. I thought about revenge, the Rev. Al Sharpton for a federal all my wrongs of just the past week and investigation and Charles Barron for com- laughed. I thought about the past year and munity control over police. Would any of it Mourners including friends, family and activists gather at Sean Bell’s funeral at the church where he stopped. Are we so broken, I thought, we need change the historical forces that kept these and his fiancee planned to marry. PHOTO: DENNIS HO Black Nationalist rhetoric to love each other? buildings lit and their doors closed? “Holiness isn’t for everyone,” I said. We After the march, we gathered near the hung up but the euphoria of togetherness banner. Barron came out and spoke. lingered. I shook my head and one of my “Remember,” he said, tapping the end of dreadlocks fell down. Am I my brother’s the sentence with his finger. “On keeper? I tugged on it like a chain. December 21st, we shut down Wall On Dec. 6 at Foley Square cops set up a Street!” Cameras lit Barron as if he was a maze of barricades and squeezed people statue. While leaving, revolutionaries into a pen. Inside, hundreds of protestors hollered into microphones, heating up shook the air with “Kelly must go!” If Sean rhetoric to keep the night from going Bell became the symbol of black innocence, cold with silence. Two men walked by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly became a me, one had communist leaflets crumpled symbol of white racism. Neither was the in his hand. “How they trying to tell me truth of the man but a crime had been com- about the truth,” he said. “Nigga, I’ve mitted and we needed a target. Ideas are been living this for 20 years!” not as satisfying to destroy as a man. In his complaint, I saw the white left and In the crowd, smaller stages were carved black radicals struggling over Sean Bell’s out by the camera light. Black Israelites in name. A new movement was in the streets. Egyptian costume talked of the Original But the direction it would take is unknown Black Man as a man in camouflage yelled and the divisions within it are already clear. repeatedly, “Daniel in da’ Lion’s Den!” What will happen as the winter comes? Will Communists wove through the crowd, Bell’s murder become layered over by snow holding their newspapers. Most of the audi- and gift wrap? Or will black people go on a ence was youth with no ideological loyalty. consumer fast and not buy from white- Our color was our cause. A man was selling owned stores? I held the pan-African flag in pan-African flags. I bought one and waved my hands and swore to follow the boycott. it to save my voice from yelling. Yet a part of me wondered, what am I really Protesters march in Jamaica, Queens near the nightclub where Bell was killed. “We’re marching!” someone shouted as buying into? PHOTO: FREDASKEW.COM

May 22, 2003 January 24, 2004 May 16, 2003 DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 ALBERTA SPRUILL, 57, died OUSMANE ZONGO, 43, was TIMOTHY STANSBURY, JR., 19, in her Harlem apartment after killed during a police raid on a was shot by a police officer as police conducted a pre-dawn Chelsea warehouse suspected of he was climbing a staircase to raid. Police detonated a concus- being a center of CD and DVD an apartment roof in Bedford- sion grenade and handcuffed pirating. Zongo, an African arts Stuyvesant. The unarmed Spruill before realizing they had trader from Burkina Faso, teenager was shot in the the wrong apartment. Spruill worked on his craft in the build- chest by a police officer who went into cardiac arrest and died. ing. Undercover officer Bryon never identified himself. The raid occurred as she was Conroy chased Zongo into a Stansbury was heading to a preparing to go to the city job dead end and shot him four party carrying a stack of CDs. she had held for 29 years. The times, twice in the back. Police Commissioner Ray THE INDYPENDENT NYPD had secured a no-knock Zongo was unarmed, and was Kelly admitted there was no warrant on her apartment based not connected to the pirating. justification for the shooting on information provided by a Conroy was tried for manslaugh- but a state grand jury declined criminal informant. ter, but a mistrial was declared. to indict the police officer. 5 6 DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 THE INDYPENDENT Council on Housing at (212)979-6238. Council onHousingat F writtenlettersofsupport. cials have thismonthandelectedoffi- the communityboardlater goesbefore Their newly-formedtenants’association tenants assertingtheirrighttoevictanddemolish. withasixthBrooklynbuildingandsentlettersto cations P Butthe press. Companies becauseofthenegative margin andclaims thePenson helosthisjobat Farricker losttheelectionbyasixto four kitchen. nre”Farricker saidinthe untrue,” togetoutis tough guysandtellthemtheyhave and isgoingtogoinwithlawyers mycompany that Theinference course it’s housing. goingtobeluxury felttheheat. and hiscompany Y including Numerousnewspapers the Brooklyn. in Connecticutwasdifferentfromhisactions forafford cated CT. Greenwich, intony Senate lostabidforConnecticutState pany, F Farricker. A. –Frank ings andsomeofthedemolitionapplications oftheirbuild- found acuriousnameonthemortgage They anddevisedastrategy. tenants’ association called MetCouncil.” nextmorningI “Thevery Callendersaid. of here,” ohmyGodthelandlordisgoingtogetusout thought, demolitioncasesinBrooklyn. first phony landlords aretakingnote;thesebuildingsthe andmany landlord throughchangingtherentlaws Pataki the DHCRhasbeenpro- UnderGov. Slope. StreetinBrooklynHeightsandthetwoParkState Renewal (DHCR)todemolishthethreebuildingson a housing tothestate applied thecompany later Months Brooklyn Heightsfor$7.9milliondollars. ing alongwithfourotherbuildingsinPark Slopeand and evenentirefloorsintact. walls roofs, demolitionsoftenleave Phony building. ademolition meant razinga Inthepast, raising rents. backdoortoevictingtenantsand are abureaucratic a Developersarefreetoremodel value skyrockets. a ofaffordable eviction oftenantsandde-regulation the andcallthemdemolitions–allowing renovations todogut increasingly usingaloopholeintherentlaws landlordsare Thecolumnexplainedhow union. acity-widetenant ofMetCouncilonHousing, paper association afterreading association Brooklyn residentBarbaraCallender organized atenant I V versionof Callender readasyndicated The Tenants’ Indy ork Times or assistancewithahousingproblemcallMet ieaotpoydmltos in demolitions, oice aboutphony partments. no opn s’ tpig Itfileddemolitionappli- isn’tstopping. enson Company partments and jack up the rents. Phony demolitions Phony partments andjackuptherents. ec,theDivisionofHousingandCommunity gency, h dmlto”oftheiraffordablehomes. the “demolition” guered Brooklyntenantsfightingmassevictionand t paystoreadthe h rolntnns oee,arenotrollingover. however, The Brooklyntenants, Farricker gotsohotthat the The heat hadtoleave “Are we going to turn it into luxury housing?Of “Are wegoingtoturnitintoluxury Callender andherdozenorsoneighborsformeda nightandI at late “I readthedemolitionpapers The Penson CompaniesboughtCallender’s build- its beenevictedfromabuilding, Once tenantshave hsps umr BrooklynHeightstenantBarbara This pastsummer, Readers FightBack ENANTS’ picked up the story andthecandidate picked upthestory rikr avicepresidentinthecom- arricker, behuig butwhatFarricker said able housing, He ran as a Democrat whoadvo- He ranasaDemocrat voice The Indypendent – The Indypendent The Indypendent Greenwich Time BY BENNETTBAUMER T enant/Inquilino just askbelea- . HT:BB PHOTO: . New , the W your mother, yourfatherwhotheydate,” positive because,“itcanbeyour sister, good senseofwhatitmeanstobeHIV selors feelitisimportanttheyhavea but downfrom7.6percentin2003. highest suchpercentageinthecountry positive inmatesnationwidein2004,the sented 7percentofthetotalnumber HIV positiveinmatesinNewYork repre- infection amongthegeneralpopulation. 2004, nearlyfivetimestherateofHIV prisons werediagnosedwithHIVin Justice, 1.9percentofinmatesinstate crimes. AccordingtotheU.S.Bureauof transient andnotincarceratedforviolent general publicwillbeputatrisk. means theinmatepopulationand to takeoncounselingresponsibilities require nurses,physiciansandnewstaff Department ofHealth’s decision to According tothecounselors, to dobreaksmyheart,”Venetek said. work, orlosetheirjobs. ties besidescounselinganddoweekend training, takeonadditionalresponsibili- were giventwooptions:attendadditional would becomeobsolete.Thecounselors cialized HIV/AIDScounselingatRikers Hygiene (DOHMH)thatinamonthspe- Department ofHealthandMental counselors atRikerswerenotifiedbythe Mindy Venetek said. corners ofwhat’s inside,” counselor grief, happiness,or, onoccasion,rage. ence, areequippedtodealwithapatient’s counselors, throughtheiryearsofexperi- When testresultsarerevealed,theRikers engage inhigh-riskactivitiesmoresafely. case, heisgiventhenecessarytoolsto a positiveresultisassessed,and,justin reviewed, hismentalpreparationtoreceive counseling session,hissexualhistoryis B Y When inmatesarereleased,thecoun- Much ofthepopulationatRikersis “To see thecitydowhatthey’reabout On Nov. 7,2006,theelevenHIV/AIDS “They tellusthedeepest,darkest C LARK each yearentersanHIV/AIDS that passthroughRikersIsland hen oneofthe100,000people M ERREFIELD way toprovideservices,”hesaid, adding Rikers, Idon’t thinkisthemosteffective deterioration ofcare. seem logical,butwillultimatelyleadtoa HIV testsgivenmightonthesurface adding staffandincreasingthenumberof AIDS HousingNetwork,saidthat rently workingwiththeNewYork City Y they didnotmakeittovoteintheNew were approvedbyMayorBloomberg, consent tooral.Althoughthechanges ing altogetherandreducedthenecessary would haveeliminatedpre-testcounsel- redactions toNewYork StateArticle27F written, informedconsent.Lastyear, the standardofpre-testcounselingand Health andMentalHygieneawayfrom of anoverallshiftintheDepartment counseling withotherhealthcareispart you can’t giveittosomeoneelse.” Glover said.“Ifyouhavehighcholesterol, Rikers HIV/AIDScounselorLinda Indypendent part ofmedicalcare,”Cohentold HIV counselingandtestingaroutine the countryaremovingtowardsmaking other healthcareorganizations around [Centers forDiseaseControl]andmany HIV/AIDS counseling. employees whoseonlyfunctionis ber oftestsgivenandmovingawayfrom HIV/AIDS care,byincreasingthenum- sents asteptowardnormalizing improvement, saidthedecisionrepre- missioner ofhealthcareaccessand solely theDepartmentofHealth’s. sion toeliminatecounselingatRikerswas Corrections andtheDOHMH,deci- According totheDepartmentof a three-year, $300millioncontract. tionship withthecitylastyearbysigning based inTennessee thatreneweditsrela- Health Services,afor-profit company counselor MaritzaQuinonessaid. ork StateAssembly. “To offerrapidtestinguponintakeat Romeo Sanchez,aformerinmatecur- The decisiontostreamlineHIV/AIDS “There’s nothingroutineaboutHIV,” “I thinkthedepartment,justlike Louise Cohen,DOHMHdeputycom- Rikers’ staffisemployedbyPrison . JOSE CARMONA The News the Breaking P F Mental Hygiene. to theDepartmentofHealth and Department ofCorrectionswerereferred given, thisiswhatweget,”shesaid. be realized. goal ofgraduatingculinaryschoolwill at Rikers, proud ofthegoodshefeelsshe’s done the thirty-yearnursingveteranis required todoweekendwork.Though new positionatRikersshewillbe of thedecision,andifsheacceptsher culinary schoolbeforeshewasnotified counselor ElizabethOrtegasaid. take itorhavenojob,benefits,” Rikers, thoughperhapsnotbychoice. DOHMH’s dealandkeepworkingat from othernursesanddoctorsatRikers. selors saidtheywerehearingsimilarthings resents aconsensusorminority, butthecoun- was becausewedidn’t havethetime.” the [counseling]departmentwasformed do, that’s alltheydo,”shesaid.“Thereason better abletoprovide. work shefeelsfull-timecounselorsare Ivy Florent,saidsheisunwillingtodo from otherRikersstaff.Onenurse, negative staynegative.” if positive,butalsohelppeoplewhotest help individualscopewiththetestresults “Maintaining counselingwillnotonly the testanditsresults,”statementsaid. HIV testtounderstandtheimplicationsof it isimperativeforsomeoneabouttotakean counseling shouldremainthestandard. the GMHCmaintainedthatpre-test to proposalsexpandHIVtesting.Init, October releasedastatementinresponse testing. of mindtodenyorconfirmHIV/AIDS a bullpen,inmatesarenotinproperstate that afterbeingonabusandheldin A R C I Calls toPrisonHealthServicesandthe “After alltheyearsofservicethatwe’ve Glover signedupforaweekend “To me itwasanultimatum,either Most ofthecounselorswilltake It isunclearwhetherFlorant’s positionrep- “We can’t doinmatecounselinglikethey The citymayalsorunintoproblems “Given therealitiesofourenvironments, The GayMen’s HealthCrisisin S E O

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C H O A U L L N E S N E G L E O S R S World briefs GERMANY ASKED TO INDICT RUMSFELD FOR WAR CRIMES Troops Out, Oil Companies In? The Center for Constitutional Rights has renewed its request to a German prosecutor to apply the law of universal jurisdiction over BY TOM HAYDEN There’s more to uncover. But at this point place Saddam Hussein but to dismantle the war crimes and prosecute American officials we know that the Baker commission is Arab nationalist state as a whole, opening for its policies of torture and detention at ecommendations 62 and 63 of the sprinkled with heavyweights from oil, con- the oil fields to private penetration. It is Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. Besides Donald Iraq Study Group (ISG) Report con- struction and financial entities with inter- even possible that the grand alliance behind Rumsfeld, the complaint identifies General Rfirm that control of Iraqi oil is a fun- ests in Iraq. Baker is a Texas oilman whose the Baker report includes support for U.S. Geoffrey Miller, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, Atty damental premise of Administration policy. law firm has interests in debt repayment to military disengagement in exchange for Gen. Alberto Gonzales, Jay Bybee and John This was denied in the first years of the war, Kuwait and other Gulf States. The expert permanent guarantees that privatize the Yoo as responsible for developing the policies but President Bush recently confirmed his working groups for the ISG include leaders second largest oil fields on the planet. that lead to human rights abuses. Janis belief that Islamic extremists will “gain of Bechtel, PFC Energy and two representa- As for the peace movement, it has been Karpinski, a former commanding officer at access to vast oil reserves and use Iraq as a tives of Citigroup, Inc., the firm of Robert hobbled by the lack of a powerful alliance, Abu Ghraib, has agreed to testify against her base to overthrow moderate governments all Rubin, leading neo-liberal advocate and both organizational and organic, with the superiors. Rumsfeld's resignation increases across the broader Middle East.” Then James Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton. anti-globalization movement which has the likelihood that Germany will now take Baker revealed the interest of his longtime Not a single person from the peace move- fought the global IMF and WTO privati- jurisdiction of the case. The fact that Congress oil industry allies, as well as key financial ment, women’s, environmental, civil rights zation plans, and the environmental recently gave immunity to U.S. officials for and corporate interests, in an Iraq resolution or labor organizations were among the groups battling global warming and war crimes is an additional reason why favorable to their narrow interests. “expert” consultants listed in the ISG greenhouse emissions. Without those uni- Germany may decide to take the case. Recommendation 62 says the U.S. gov- Report, although the conservative Heritage fying linkages, the peace movement has ernment should help draft an oil law that Foundation and the American Enterprise been limited mainly to demands for U.S. U.S. MAY HAVE TO TURN OVER “creates a fiscal and legal framework for Institute were there. troop withdrawals, an effort that has had ITS EMBASSY TO PAY DAMAGES investment.” It further recommends that The Report acknowledges that “senior an enormous impact. OWED IN IRAN the U.S., in conjunction with the members of Iraq’s oil industry” argue for a What if the endgame is U.S. combat An Iranian court has awarded damages to a International Monetary Fund (IMF), should nationalized oil company to centralize and troops out, U.S. multinational corporations businessman who was illegally abducted by “press Iraq to continue reducing subsidies allocate revenues fairly by region and group. in? What if James Baker is remembered as United States Customs officers 14 years ago. in the energy sector...until Iraqis pay mar- But the Baker team dismisses any such idea the peacemaker, if not the leader of the Hossein Alikhani won an award of $500 mil- ket prices for oil products...” That is, in a on grounds that simply favor private multi- peace movement? lion dollars. The U.S. must pay up within ten country besieged by civil war, bombings of nationals. They approve of “aggressive” While pushing hard for the removal of days or else turn over its assets including the infrastructure, unemployment at 50 per- Kurdish investment deals with oil compa- troops, it might not be too late to broaden U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The U.S. argued that cent levels and the lack of necessities, the nies in northern Iraq, and note that Shi’a and connect the peace movement more the Vienna Convention shields the Embassy Baker report proposes to make everyday life leaders are reported to be negotiating for closely with other social movements as the from judgment. But the plaintiff noted that the harder for average Iraqis so that the oil foreign oil companies as well. historic debate accelerates about the lessons 1996 Antiterrorism and Effective Death industry profits. The Sunni armed nationalist groups have of the war for our country’s future memory. Penalty Act repealed this type of immunity for Recommendation 63 says the U.S. consistently stood for the Iraqi right to con- countries the U.S. designates as terrorist. should “assist” Iraqi leaders in privatizing trol Iraqi oil, while also offering a generous Tom Hayden was a leader of the antiwar move- Alikhani decided to sue after the U.S. sued the national oil industry into a “commercial role for American contractors and corpora- ment during the Vietnam era. Iran for hostage-taking in Lebanon in the enterprise” to encourage investment by the tions in their vision of the future. 1980's. multinational oil companies. All this suggests that the ideological goal A version of this article appeared on common- Who said it was not about blood for oil? of the US invasion was not simply to dis- dreams.org. GOOD MONTH FOR HUMAN RIGHTS In addition to the death of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, this month saw the death of Jeanne Kirkpatrick, the first woman to serve as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. She died on Dec. 7 at the age of 80. Kirkpatrick was famous at the U.N. for her defense of America’s right-wing anticommu- nist allies, among them Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon; murder and torture carried out by Bolton Hits the Road Latin American military regimes, and South Africa’s suppression of its black majority. She was an early pioneer of the neoconservative BY DONALD PANETH ideal that right-wing authoritarian governments are much better bets for conversion to UNITED NATIONS, N.Y.—John R. Bolton was known at the United Nations as democracy than left-wing totalitarian ones. the “Human Wrecking Ball.” Paradoxically, during his residence as United States ambassador to the U.N., Bolton achieved nothing. He stood out among the often som- nambulistic members of the diplomatic corps as the most undistin- guished of nonentities. Bolton wasn’t even particularly obnoxious in his statements here, or noisy, as everyone had feared he would be, just out of his depth. He didn’t have the vaguest idea of what the U.N. is, how it works, its Charter – and he certainly was not eloquent in support of international peace and security. He vetoed a couple of U.N. Security Council resolutions critical of Israel, and he shepherded through a resolution imposing sanctions on nuclear North Korea which would never be enforced. He reduced the final decla- Crowds in Santiago rejoice in the ration of a U.N. Summit on U.N. reform and other matters to the lowest death of former dictator Pinochet.

common denominator. SANTIAGO.INDYMEDIA.ORG THE INDYPENDENT Bolton hid behind his moustache – and President George W. Bush. He had served as undersecretary of state for arms control which he, him- NEW STUDY PREDICTS self, had said he did not believe in. ICE-FREE ARCTIC OCEAN Before his nomination as U.N. ambassador, Bolton also had said that A recent study analyzing the effects of global “If the U.N. Secretary [sic] building in New York lost 10 stories, it would- warming on sea ice, published in the journal,

n’t make a bit of difference” and “If I were redoing the Security Council, Geophysical Research Letters, predicts that the DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 I’d have only one permanent member: the United States.” According to Arctic Ocean's summers may be without ice by Bolton, “treaties are ‘law’ only for U.S. domestic purposes” and on that 2040. The estimated year is decades sooner basis, he concluded that the U.S. had no obligation to pay its U.N. dues. than previous studies have indicated. The new Bush couldn’t get Bolton’s nomination through the Senate in spring research concluded that by 2040 only a small 2005. In the summer, he named him to the post in a recess appointment amount of sea ice will remain along the north not requiring Senate approval. After his arrival here, U.N. Secretary- coasts of Greenland and Canada with the rest of General Kofi Annan chastised Bolton for trying to “intimidate” him. the ocean remaining ice-free throughout the Bolton resigned Dec. 4. The Secretary-General was discreet. “Bolton did summer season. Without sea ice the ocean the job he was expected to do,” Annan said. “He pressed ahead with the loses its reflective properties and instead of instructions he had been given.” sending the sun's energy back into the atmos- Like most Americans, he never thought his own thoughts. phere absorbs the sun's rays causing acceler- LAUREN DENITZIO ated global warming. 7 Dec13_p8_9.qxd 12.13.064:40AMPage1

8 DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 THE INDYPENDENT BY CHRIS ANDERSON activist told onelocal government,” by figuresclose very tothat ofamanwhowasprobablykilled thedeath investigate no waytheMexicangovernmentisevergoingtoproperly News Mercury toldthe Wendy Will, Will’s sister, eral level,” itneedstomovethefed- get animpartialinvestigation to “From ourstandpoint, about therecentdevelopments. reported. paper the andtheycalledforherresignation,” their phones, “Thetwopartiesclaim Cañahasbeentapping address. gressional chamberasProsecutorCañawasgivingan con- walkedoutofthestate odds, oftenat and PAN, Universal a also littleunderstoodbymany Americans, politics, the protestsdead. fromnineto19personsinvolvedin leftanywhere have that be testedforpossibleconnectionstoshootings” PFP told Ahighlevelofficial withthe troopsfleeing. more State andsendingdozens seizingweapons, five policemen, F intothe investigation American's death.” federalprosecutorsinMexicoaretakingoverthe Will, andfamilymembersofslainfilmmakerBrad diplomats News The intothekilling. tial investigation ofanimpar- officials aremovingtogivetheappearance federal smotheredtheuprisinginOaxacaCity, porarily, Will waskilled. thebarricadewhere at andfiringintothecrowd weapons automatic carrying hadbeenphotographed PRI officials, local Bothmen, them. citing alackofevidenceagainst released theonlytwomenchargedwith Will's murder, Gibler told government]hasliedinmultiplecases,”Oaxaca state they[the andI'vegottenalotofevidencethat autopsy, aswellthedoctorwhoconductedBrad's investigation, severalpeopledirectlyconnectedtothe "I’ve interviewed sive evidencewhichseemstosupport APPO's position. 16. APPO spokespersonFlorentinoLopezonNov. charged toblametheprotesters,” stupid wayoftrying clear anda “Itseemsavery fabrication the allegations. APPOofficialswerequicktodismiss with GovernorRuiz. indicating mony Will waskilledbyparamilitariesaligned andeyewitnesstesti- tradicts on-scenemediafootage group very toOaxacahelp. Will hadtraveled the IMC journalistwasmurderedbymembersof APPO, the in whichCañaandotherforensicofficialsallegedthat 15pressconference abizarreNov. controversy following hadbecomethesubjectof General LizbethCañaCadeza, controlledbyOaxacanProsecutor original investigation, into The were federalizingtheinvestigation Will’s murder. Mexicanauthoritiesannouncedthey the article right), at governorUlisesRuiz(see protestsagainst coordinating theumbrellaorganization the Peoples ofOaxaca(APPO), pearance ofdozensleadersthePopular Assembly of internal Mexicanpolitics. to tobehostage journalistappears of theNYCIndymedia intothemurder theinvestigation ofrepression, tal wave uprisingsufferedabru- more thantwoweeksafterthat N Oaxaca isincrediblygrim.” in Andthesituation the successofOaxacarebellion. wantedis TheonlyjusticeBradwouldhave compromise. couldlastonlyaslongthenextpolitical investigation drlPlc PP a tre aasofc,detaining ederal Police (PFP) hadstormedCana'soffice, pa ob rvn vnsi aaa nDc 8, OnDec. ppear tobedrivingeventsinOaxaca. in Mexico u te ciit e iterao ocer “There’s But otheractivistsseelittlereasontocheer. Americans close to tobeoftwominds Will appear But developmentsinthemurkyworldofMexican nDc ,thenewspaper 8, On Dec. leasttem- at theMexicanGovernmenthas, that Now 1Oaxacanauthoritiesquietly onDec. Nevertheless, exten- Independent journalistJohnGiblerhasgathered putforwardbytheProsecutorGeneralcon- The theory 25arrestordisap- theNov. In theweeksfollowing Cove reported on Dec. 6 that 6that “amid pressurefromU.S. reported onDec. oua eouinaantteSaegvro,and governor, theState popular revolutionagainst on thestreetsofOaxacaCitywhilechronicling a early twomonthsafterBrad Will wasgunneddown Murder El Universal RDWL UPDATE WILL BRAD reported that State legislators fromthePRD legislators State reported that Democracy Now! The Indypendent nDc 6. on Dec. that that firearmswould “the confiscated nDc 6. on Dec. . r El Universal Adee fte o the “And eveniftheydo, -up San JoseMercury reported that San Jose El MEXICO of OaxacaUprising T Scores Jailed, ortured inRepression without licenseplates. clothed officersinun-markedtrucks in heavilyarmedsquadronsofplain- police departmentsroamedthecity Meanwhile, variouslocalandstate the GeneralCouncilofAPPO. rants wereissuedforallmembersof continued houseraids.Arrestwar- sored violence. ration didnotendthestate-spon- tions ofelectoralfraud.Theinaugu- sworn intooffice,amidstaccusa- new presidentFelipeCalderonwas costs beforeDec.1whenMexico’s ment inordertorestoreatall tolerance policyagainstthemove- as thepretexttoimplementazero march andtheresultingstreetfight as “extremelydangerous.” state supposedlyduetotheirprofile Nayarit. Theyweretakenoutsidethe in thenorthernMexicanstateof an all-malemediumsecurityprison 27, the142prisonersweretakento detained inlocalprisons.OnNov. and manysufferedtorturewhile the arrestswerecarriedoutviolently League inDefenseofHumanRights, juveniles. AccordingtotheMexican men and35womenincludingthree detained atotalof142people,107 march” onNov. 25, federalpolice they havesimplyprotested.” down buildings,theyhaven’t robbed, killed anyone,theyhaven’t burned ment. “They(theprotesters)haven’t hallmark ofGovernorRuiz’s govern- lack oftransparencythathasbeenthe protest thelevelofcorruptionand pated inthepopularmovementto now inhidingbecausetheypartici- that manymembersofherfamilyare order toprotectheridentity. Shesaid whose namehadtobechangedin state universitygraduateMaría, committing acrime,”saidrecent government nowmeansthatyouare simply tothinkdifferentlythanthe Oaxaca’s governor, UlisesRuizOrtiz. the ongoingpopularuprisingagainst Oaxaca (APPO)inanefforttocrush Popular AssemblyofthePeoples tactics againstmembersofthe use violenceandotherintimidation tinuing tocarryouthouseraidsand OAXACA—Federal policearecon- B Y The followingweek,federalpolice The federaltroopsusedthelarge Following APPO’s seventh“mega- “To belongtoanorganization or J AMES D ARIA to followhim.Hequicklyreturned the twotrucksdidsameinorder u-turn inanattempttoescape,but The teacheracceleratedandmadea him tothepeoplepursuinghim. him onhiscellularphonetoalert the school,afellowco-workercalled clothes policeofficers.Uponleaving trucks ofpresumablyarmedplain- pursued whileleavingschoolbytwo supporter ofAPPO,wasrecently Union ofEducationWorkers and the Section22ofNational College ofMedicine. dent atgunpointinfrontofthe napped atleastoneuniversitystu- session. Armedparamilitarieskid- their schoolswhileclasseswerein teachers andsearchforthemin intensified aspolicebegantotarget cades andmarches. neighbors whoparticipatedinbarri- the stationtohelpidentifytheir popular movement.Listenerscalled lynching ofanyoneinvolvedinthe ment CitizenRadiocalledforthe involved intheconflict. amnesty wouldbegrantedforanyone Oaxacan governorannouncedthatno over tothefederalforces.The that thestationwaseventuallyturned ricade toprotectUniversityRadio ily arenowinhiding. ground. Othermembersofherfam- found thehouseburntto approximately eighthours,they T boyfriend’s houseintheIsthmusof of thecity. Uponarrivingather escorted thedemonstratorsoutside back oftheuniversityandquickly her familypulledupinacarthe on Nov. 25,Maríasaidmembersof ment. Underthecoverofdarkness the listcompiledbygovern- that theirnameswereincludedon cation –untiltheywereinformed movement’s mediumofcommuni- pation ofUniversityRadio–the boyfriend participatedintheoccu- appeared, torturedorkilled. the cityinfearofbeingjailed,dis- in thepopularmovementhavefled ple whohadpeacefullyparticipated the APPOleadershipandmanypeo- heightened tosuchanextentthat ehuantepec, alongdriveof María saidheruncle,ateacherin The climateoffearandrepression Broadcasters onthepro-govern- So fewpeopleremainedinthebar- María saidthatacousinandher The fearandparanoiahave their livesaswell.” their liberty,” sheexplained,“but María said.“Atstakeisnotsimply to seethishappenmyfamily,” tally, andimprisoned,Idon’t want tured asmuchphysicallymen- mutilated, beenbeaten,tor- how theyhavehadtheirfingers people forsimplyspeakingout, ment hasdonetoother(detained) pushed peopletorunfortheirlives. sions andthefearofreprisalshas and communitiesaspoliticaldivi- has hadchillingeffectsonfamilies believe amountstostateterrorism, movement. lizations insolidaritywiththe national andinternationalmobi- state andarecallingforlocal, exist inthesevenregionsof the movementhasnotceasedto claim thatalthoughbadlybeaten, sovereign stateofOaxaca.They drawal offederaltroopsfromthe of GovernorRuizandthewith- ated itsdemandforthedestitution continues, theAPPOhasreiter- the popularmovementinOaxaca government. police andthugsalliedwiththestate cousins arebeingpursuedbylocal ment. AccordingtoMaría,her for hertobeharassedbythegovern- injured wasseeminglyreasonenough ing anambulanceandaidingthe police occupiedthecity. Simplydriv- tion toprotesterswhenthefederal medical school,gaveatten- graduate fromthestateuniversity’s the stateofOaxaca. in anundisclosedlocationwithin to escape.Currentlyheisinhiding hid himselfinafriend’s carinorder to thesafetyofschoolandlater ihfl h oiehdfre h POt era.POO JOHNGIBLER PHOTO: nightfall thepolicehadforced APPO toretreat. By protestersthrewrocksandshotbottlerocketsthroughplastictubes. amountsofteargas, policedischargedheavy streets, policeandprotestersclashed inthe tensofthousandsreachedOaxaca’s citycenter, Afterapeacefulmarch, the pasttwomonths. creative actsofresistance inMexicanhistory. carried outsomeofthemostambitiousand In 2006,grassrootsandsocialmovements APPO ANDPFPBATTLE INOAXACA AFTERMARCH “After seeingwhatthegovern- The repression,whichmany While thepersecutionagainst Another ofMaría’s cousins,arecent HTS JOHNGIBLER PHOTOS: 5: (BOTTOM) NOV. by policebatons.” youwon’tbescared conviction, “Andwhenyouhave who stoodinthelineofwomen. a48-year-old preschoolteacher saidawomenidentifyingherselfasPaz, oppressed,” 29: (TOP) OCT. :P olice and foughtincentralOaxacacitythroughout APPO protestershave Ia o rmaypltclpry onlyfromthepartyof politicalparty, “I amnotfromany F ederal policeputuprazorwirearoundthezocaloinOaxacaCity. B To Y J OHN Ready G

IBLER Fight O dreds ofthousandssupporters recount demand,corrallinghun- the electoraltribunaldeniedhis ties intoapoliticalcharadeafter protest thevote-countirregulari- massive movementorganized to point. LopezObradorturneda Calderon wonbyhalfapercentage to thediscreditedofficialresults, mandate inhistory. Evenaccording the backdoor–withweakest presidency –guardedandthrough Felipe Calderonsteppedintothe years ofcontinuousPRIrule. Fox’s inaugurationinterrupted71 1, sixyearsafterPresidentVicente electoral legitimacyendedonDec. monies andprotestsbeforelunchtime. the NationalAuditorium. gathering withforeigndignitariesin get withinsightofitsgoal:Calderon’s behaved marchandrallythatdidnot crowd obeyed,engagingawell- “I wanteverythinginorder.” The he toldthecrowdbeforemarch, painted on,noronewindowbroken,” command. “Idon’t wantonewall his everywordandobeyed usual –crowdofsupportershungon dacy. His large –thoughsmallerthan someone trappedinperpetualcandi- his fingerwiththeuncertainfuryof shouted, wavedhisarms,andpointed him, AndresManuelLopezObrador president,” assupportersnowcall “good action.” Associated Pressthatthescenehad mented toIoanGrillofromthe protests insidethechambers,com- press attentionfromthePRD Calderon anddecoyusedtodivert Arnold Schwarzenegger, guestof PRD senatorsagainstthewall. camera, SecretServiceagentsheld face fitforajuniorhighyearbook.Off tial sashwithanunpracticedstone bodyguards toreceivethepresiden- amongst hishuddleofsenatorsand sion networks. TV Azteca,Mexico’s nationaltelevi- ing throughthelensesofTelevisa and sought toappealthemasseswatch- nowhere tobeseenonDec.1. (PRI), didn’t eventry;thePRIwas Institutional RevolutionaryParty Mexican politicalpower, the Both lost.Theformerdinosaurof fought fortheimageoflegitimacy. Democratic Revolution(PRD), try, thePAN andthePartyof strongest electoralforcesinthecoun- December 1wasashow. Thetwo proclaimed destination. half amileawayfromthemarch’s ing infrontofthepolicebarricade aged stageandsoundsystemwait- a tameprotestmarchtoprepack- a massiverallyinMexicoCity–led second president–self-appointedin suited SecretServiceagents,whilea National ActionParty(PAN) and dais occupiedbytheconservative inauguration ceremonyheldona the backdoorforafour-minute into theMexicanCongressthrough MOMENTUM GATHER LEFT MEXICAN OF UNDERDOGS Mexico’s briefexperimentwith The partiesconcludedbothcere- Out inthestreets,“legitimate President FelipeCalderonstood Behind theparties,twomen Both incongressandonthestreets, electoral tribunal–slipped appointed byastacked n Dec.1onepresident– last actsinoffice,senttheFederal President Vicente Fox,inoneofhis attack onaprotestbarricade, W New York IndymediajournalistBrad after paramilitariesshotandkilled squads tokillprotesters.OnOct.27, paramilitary attackunitsanddeath Front forLandDefense. Campaign, theAtenco’s People’s organized membersoftheOther targeted acttobreakoneofthemost women, anddestroyinghomesina of people,rapingandmolesting45 Atenco, brutallyclubbinghundreds thousands offederalpolicetoraid highway, andfinallyjoinedwith boring SanSalvadorAtencoonthe battled withprotestersfromneigh- of flowervendorsinTexcoco, then State firstambushedasmallmarch On May3and4,policefromMexico against bothofthesemovements. unleashed brutalactsofrepression dience uprising. joined andorganized itscivildisobe- Oaxaca’s historicallydividedleft Assembly (APPO),throughwhich the OaxacaPeople’s Popular ouster. Theteachers’unionconvoked government andseekthegovernor’s obedience actionstoseizethestate forces andusecoordinatedcivildis- that woulddefeatthestatepolice camp, sparkingapopularuprising 14 tobreaktheteachers’protest state riotpoliceinatdawnonJune Ulises RuizOrtizsentthousandsof This year, however, PRIgovernor and ahigherbudgetforstateschools. every year–todemandbetterpay went onstrike–somethingitdoes next toriseup.OnMay22,theunion W National UnionofEducation hall meetingsacrossthecountry. of peopletoparticipateinthetown energizing, pullingtensofthousands sustains it–wasquixoticandhighly capitalism andthepoliticalclassthat the Zapatistainitiative–uprooting to another. Asusual,theideabehind dinate anyoneorganization orcause the richdiversityofleftorsubor- coming togetherthatdoesnotflatten ments intoanationalorganization, a joining anti-capitalistleftmove- and thussetinmotionaprocessof the forgotten cornersofthecountry, ries ofresistanceandautonomyfrom tening tourtogathervoicesandsto- its OtherCampaign,anationallis- Liberation begantheyearlaunching ance inMexicanhistory. ambitious andcreativeactsofresist- ing outin2006someofthemost fill thevacuumoflegitimacy, carry- roots socialmovementssteppedinto and fistfights,thecountry’s grass- congress engagedinshovingmatches stage actwithtwopresidentsanda toral representationerodedintoa But justasMexico’s systemofelec- RISING UP government.” port ofhisproposed“legitimate have themraisetheirhandsinsup- Constitución, orZócalo,onlyto into MexicoCity’s Plazadela In Oaxaca,statepoliceorganized State andfederalauthorities The Oaxacastatelocalofthe The ZapatistaArmyofNational orkers, knownasSection22,was ill ashefilmedtheparamilitary ing upandgettingreadytofight. dogs oftheMexicanleftarestand- thing seemsveryclear:Theunder- unarmed uprisinginOaxaca,one who tooktothestreetsin against electoralfraudandthose filled LopezObrador’s protests the OtherCampaign,thosewho to thosewhocameparticipatein the country, viewingandlistening from Dec.30toJan.2. national leftmovementsinChiapas ing withrepresentativesfrominter- organizing andpreparingagather- referendum onthenextphaseof the processofconductinganational office. TheOtherCampaignisin to forceUlisesRuiz’s removal from its membersandcontinuethepush protest thearbitrarydetentionsof unthought-of actsofrebellion? non-violent resistancewithnew W ment buildingsandmediaoutlets? actions suchastakingovergovern- more high-stakescivildisobedience less marchesandrallies,tocarryout compliant defiance,ofholdingend- W handed styleremainstobeseen. will respondtoCalderon’s heavy- in paramilitaryactivity. whether ornottheyhavebeenused quarters, supposedlytoanalyze at theOaxacastatepolicehead- eral policetoroundupalltheguns interior andsenthundredsoffed- with Calderon’s ministerofthe they werepreparingtoholdtalks three otherAPPOorganizers as APPO’s mostpublicfigures)and grabbed FlavioSosa(oneofthe Mexico’s 100pooresttowns, project toinstallbasicservicesin did notsaybyhowmuch),setupa he wouldraisethearmy’s salary(he cabinet’s salarybytenpercent,said office, Calderoncuthisand ments. Duringhisfirstweekin to crushseriousresistancemove- campaign coupledwiththedrive show anadeptpublicrelations who standupinopposition. full forceofthestateagainstthose economics andslammingdownthe expand thereachofcartelmarket ruption, whilepushinghardto do littletobattleentrenchedcor- Mexico. Calderonwillmostlikely dominate thecomingyearsin tional legitimacywillmostlikely ings andcontinueddecayofinstitu- The staterepression,popularupris- THREE FORCES and arrestatleast150people. open avenueandthensurround,beat to pushtheprotestersbackintoan grenades, anti-riottanksandlivefire center. ThePFPusedteargas row streetsofOaxacaCity’s historic the trapofanopenbattleinnar- streets andfinally, onNov. 25,fallto ers tobattlewiththePFPin the ragethatwouldleadprotest- protesters acrossthecityandfueling their attacks,detainingandtorturing the PFP, thestatepolicerampedup quell theprotests.With thecoverof Preventive Police(PFP)toOaxaca

After ayearoftravelingacross The APPOcalledforamarchto How theresistancemovements Calderon’s firstactsinoffice ill theyexpandthevocabularyof ill theybreakoutofthemodel

9 DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 9, JANUARY – 2006 13, DECEMBER THE INDYPENDENT THE Landscape of Horrors THE OBSCENITY OF REAL WAR

BY A.K. GUPTA taboo intimacy from camera-eye objectivity – instead of sex, the insides of bodies and he end of the year means the release acts of torture – that excites many. of serious films jockeying for Oscar The soldiers were admonished for bad Tcontention. This year, violence and taste. The Pentagon’s only concern was to gore play the leading roles in many heavy- caution troops not to publish pictures that weights: Apocalypto, Blood Diamond, The might reveal military vulnerabilities. Ditto Departed and Flags of Our Fathers. for the torture shots. War enthusiasts dis- These movies excel in make-believe missed them as sophomoric hi-jinks or violence that keeps getting more graphic attacked the media for publishing images and extreme over time. Hollywood is for- that serve as a recruiting tool for the enemy. ever chasing realism even though we see Social critics from Jean Baudrillard to the movies to escape. No matter how real Susan Sontag dissected the Abu Ghraib war the bloodletting – the screams of anguish, porn. They explained the “obscene banality” the reverberations of explosions – we of images degrading and trite, and how they know it’s staged. revealed the “fundamental corruptions of Yet we block out the real violence in front colonial rule.” of us. Even as the Iraq War dominates the Abu Ghraib has vanished into the mem- news month after month, we have insulated ory hole, but the flood of war porn has spread ourselves from it. below the radar. The media notice only if it Recently, Bob Herbert commented on becomes a controversy, such as the decision this in the New York Times. He noted that by YouTube and Google to censor scores of the media images the day after videos of combat footage, including Thanksgiving were of more than 200 Iraqis Americans being shot and killed by snipers. PEACE ON EARTH: The website www.nowthatsfuckedup.com displayed graphic Iraq War photos such massacred by car bombs in Sadr City the A few years ago I stumbled across a site as the one above. This is a photo of an Iraqi man killed by American soldier for failing to stop in time previous day juxtaposed with “holiday shop- called “terroristmedia.com.” It sounds like a at a roadblock. Soldiers in Iraq caused a quiet controversy recently when an underground economy of ping zealots… storming the department joke, but in fact links to hundreds of resist- war photos were being traded for pornography online. store barricades.” ance videos from Iraq, many shaky and of PHOTOSFROMIRAQ.REVOLUTIONWEB.ORG We don’t want to know what the war poor quality. But they show military opera- looks like. That’s why, when I heard about tions with horrific consequences for U.S. nowthatsfuckedup.com last year, I had to troops caught unwittingly on camera. Some see it. Part of it was voyeurism, but I also videos linger over dead Americans and cap- wanted to see the sordidness of the Iraq tured war booty. laughed over, enjoyed as entertainment or to shades of skin and soap from human fat. War, the military and America all at once: For the guerrillas, it’s proof of their skill, sate a thirst for vengeance. But it’s a small The primal slugfest between the soldiers trading pictures of war gore for even righteousness, and shows their enemy as step from digital mementos to actual ones. Japanese and Americans was one of unre- access to amateur pornography. vulnerable. It took the media more than three If so many soldiers are bringing back vir- lenting brutality. E.B. Sledge describes More than that, I simply wanted to see years to start airing these readily available tual souvenirs how many are bringing back in his memoirs, With the Old Breed at what the war looked like. I’ve been writing videos, most notably when CNN recently war trophies made of flesh and bone? We can Peleliu and Okinawa, Americans urinat- about the Iraq War for four years running. showed excerpts from the sniper videos. dismiss it as savage and primitive, scalps and ing in the mouths of corpses, extracting I’ve read well over 30,000 articles about Iraq Many Americans were livid that it would shrunken heads, but desecrating war dead gold teeth from soldiers still alive and in that time, but the war still seemed distant broadcast “enemy propaganda.” They didn’t surely continues today as it has for millennia. displaying cut-off hands as trophies. and antiseptic. I wasn’t disappointed. want to see what the war looked like. They During the Vietnam War many A war correspondent for the Atlantic The website contained hundreds of pho- crave the illusion of a noble war where Iraqis American soldiers collected ears, scalps, Monthly wrote of how troops “boiled flesh tos of indescribable mayhem. We’ve all seen die only at the hands of terrorists and photos of cars and buses turned into twisted, American dead are seen only gift-wrapped smoldering hulks. But instead of steel, in flag-draped coffins, if at all. imagine the impact on flesh and bone. We’re indifferent to our machinery of It’s not the tidy Hollywood aesthetic, a death. We cheer the techno porn on innu- We cheer the techno porn on innumerable television shows that shot in the forehead leaving a small hole merable television shows that drool over our and a trickle of blood. Things explode. high-tech killing machines, but we don’t Heads are turned inside out like a flower want to see the results of a cruise missile or drool over our high-tech killing machines, but we don’t want to in full bloom, but little is identifiable. F-15 strike. Bodies are charred, pulverized, shredded It’s there to see, but that’s the problem: and rent asunder. You have to want to see it, evidence of con- see the results of a cruise missile or F-15 strike. In perhaps the most disturbing picture, a cern or sadism. A few seconds is all it takes bowl holds flesh and blood. A head becomes to Google graphic war videos and pictures. recognizable but all the features are distorted Many sites now offer DVD compilations for and mutilated. It dawns on you that the head sale, the perfect stocking stuffer. gold teeth and hands. A Pulitzer-prize win- off enemy skulls to make table ornaments must be missing the skull, collapsed like a The proliferation says a lot about the ning investigation by the Toledo Blade three for sweethearts, or carved their bones into

THE INDYPENDENT mask in oozing fluids. The photograph is a heart of darkness. New media is always years ago revealed the barbarism practiced letter openers.” contradiction: you understand the incompre- exploited for sex and violence. Vietnam was by an elite unit known as Tiger Force dur- The media are loath to show this; it mars hensibility of war. What type of violence the first television war. The Gulf War was ing a seven-month period in 1967. the notion that an oasis of heroic nobility could leave the hair on a man’s head while the first videogame war, and the Iraq War is Sgt. Larry J. Cottingham told Army remains in the landscape of horrors. And it blowing out his brains and skull? the first Internet war. investigators about collecting body is incapable of recreating the stench, filth, The name of the website, shut down The combination of digital media technol- parts: “There was a period when just disease, rotting corpses, insanity and para- because it violated “obscenity” laws in ogy and the web made the flood of unfiltered about everyone had a necklace of ears but lyzing fear of the battlefield. But what it Florida (and the webmaster was briefly gore and sadism inevitable. What we see is a as the men were wounded they thought can do is show war unvarnished. arrested), makes sense. The juvenile male trickle. Many soldiers bring back these visual it was bad luck and got rid of them. If we saw the obscenities of real war on giddiness, “Now THAT’S Fucked Up!”, a mementos. It’s proof of their prowess in com- Scalps were a kick for a time also but a regular basis there would be little stom- jangly response in extremis. bat and an indifference to human life. there were lice in the hair and they got ach for it. We couldn’t exit the cinematic

DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 Critics blanched and dubbed it war porn, It’s a mistake to dismiss it just as war rid of those too and it didn’t last long.” black box and let the sunlight wash away which it is, like the Abu Ghraib photos: It’s porn, as if it’s just a deviancy. The photos This was a feature of the “Good War.” the images. We might be shocked out of

10 excessive, extremely graphic and displays a and videos are a form of desecration, to be The desecration went far beyond lamp- our rollicking consumer orgy. first person Return from the Killing Fields NYC WOMAN CONFRONTS HER BROTHER’S ACTIONS IN IRAQ

Editor’s Note: I first met Leah Larson while covering an antiwar of a man he killed. It is not tears that come but the impos- Perhaps he surrounds himself with crosses because he knew protest in fall of 2003. While most of the crowd around her sible question of forgiveness. Brains and blood were once they would come. screamed and chanted, she spoke quietly of her love for her brother, safe and alive in this being. My brother blew open the back It is only when he is drunk that his guilt emerges from a young Marine, and of her deep sense of dread over what the of his head and took a picture of the gore coming out. He under the amber smog of Jack Daniels. “Sis,” he asked one newly launched Iraq War would do to him. She was as concerned believes there is a ghost in his room. Sometimes he feels a night, “would you rather have me do whatever I needed to that he would lose his soul as his life and that their relationship breath touching on his shoulders and back. I know it is the do to come home, or die because I couldn’t do what I needed would be shattered forever. When I spoke with Leah again this spirits of those he killed, and helped to kill, following him, to do to come home?” In his question lay a plea for forgive- fall, her brother had just returned from a nine-month tour of duty reaching for him, asking him their own silent questions. ness. Sitting across from him in my room, I didn’t know in Iraq and her worst nightmares had been confirmed. Her reflec- how to answer. If he had been killed, would that make me tions on what has happened to her family are a reminder that the support this war? How would I feel toward Iraqis? calamity of war extends far beyond the battlefield. —John Tarleton My brother’s possible death demented our family. I pre- pared for it every day, imagining what his funeral would be BY LEAH LARSON* like and what I would tell my future children about their uncle. It became impossible to live with my parents. My wo days after he came home from Iraq, my older mother’s changing moods left us isolated from each other. brother showed me some pictures. “I just bombed My father’s blustering support of the war (“I hope we level Tthat building,” he said. In the photo, children in that whole damn country of ragheads”) was infuriating. Fallujah are clustered beside their broken school. During his first two weeks back, my brother, the demo- A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER litions expert, plied me with photos of the carnage and My brother’s recent 25th birthday celebration was a break- mayhem wreaked by his platoon. Fifteen memory cards ing point for me. On that night, a bunch of his old friends worth of bizarre and disturbing photos – half-naked sol- joined him to mark the occasion. I wanted to be close with diers dancing in the desert, a severed goat’s head in a noose, everyone, sharing in the celebrations and camaraderie. Marines dressed in traditional women’s clothing found fol- Before we left for a bar in the city, we clustered into my lowing a house raid. brother’s room. He began to do his usual flaunting of pic- I wanted to hit him, banish him, to create a giant dent tures and videos much to the enjoyment of his friends. I sat in his soul. But he wouldn’t care, wouldn’t budge. This is farthest from his computer, turning my eyes away from the what the Marines have trained him to do – warp, destroy country he helped destroy. My brother’s friends eventually and believe it is for good. fell into an awful silence. Moving from my seat, I wanted to see what they were watching. WAR GAMES A young man, who appeared to be in his early 20s, My brother can be as sweet as sugarcane with a laugh that was centered in my brother’s computer screen. The man pours loudly into your ears. He has a clumsy way of affec- was blindfolded and sobbing as his head rested on his tion, like when he comes home drunk and knocks on my own knee. Heavy metal music filled the speakers as my window to tell how much he loves his little sister. He brother forced headphones onto his ears. You could hear remembers my lopsided pigtails, chicken pox, first kiss, my him laughing while saying, “you’re gonna die,” as my love for manatees and my favorite vegetarian food. Scarcely brother pushed the camera into the young man’s face two years apart, our experiences are parallel and echo one with his left hand and slapped him hard with his right another, even our experience of war. hand. I watched tears of agony escape from the prisoner’s We used to play war together. He would dress me as a sol- cheeks and fall onto his pants. He was heaving from the dier, paint my face in the colors of Earth and hunt me down suffering. Arabic was pouring out from his mouth. No before dinnertime. While we are both part Cherokee, our one understood the words, but I knew he was begging mother says our warrior spirits have gone in different direc- for his life. tions. My brother first became my enemy, my pain and my I did not stay to see what had happened. My brother’s conflict when he enlisted in the military while struggling in room remained silent. There was no “Yo, this shit is awe- his high school’s Special Ed program, where teachers some!” or “You gotta e-mail me this!” I am almost certain thought him a slow, hopeless, uncontrollable idiot. He often the young prisoner was killed, although I did not watch the fought with other students who would make fun of his facial rest of the video. All these years of trying to balance my features with taunts like “bubba lip don’t trip.” hatred for war and the love for my brother immediately When recruiters came to take my brother, I howled, tipped to one side. I did not want to be near him anymore. groped, twisted, shivered, barely escaping the horrible sep- I did not want to go out for his birthday. How could I? The aration from him. At a young age, long before I recognized family of the young prisoner likely mourns while I get to politics, my spirit understood many things. I knew that if party with his abuser. After finishing the video, my brother he joined the military, somehow our kinship would be sev- yelled upstairs to see if his birthday cake was ready. ered, and it has been. It saddens me when I am unable to A few days ago, I asked a mutual childhood friend, who JANUARY 9, 2007 DECEMBER 13, 2006 – hug him because he cannot tolerate affection. Our mother was in my brother’s room that night watching the video, likes to tell stories of when my brother could only be com- what had happened in the end. His response was, “Who are forted by his GI Joe toys. Lying in the top bunk, while I you with right now? Why are you asking me this? There is slept on the bottom, my brother would watch a sky of lit- no need for an answer so you should forget about it.” I con- tle green men dangle from the ropes he tied to the ceiling. MY BROTHER'S SECRET IRAQ WAR PHOTOS: tinually wonder why our friends and family protect my Now, instead of green men, my brother keeps metal, Leah Larson said her brother took these images on a disposable brother from the truth of his actions. In this way, he will wood and crystal beaded crosses in his room. Some hang camera while stationed in Fallujah. Larson said of the top photo: never consciously recognize the horror of what he has done over pictures of friends killed in the war. Others occupy the “The kill zone was an area that they marked off – anybody who or begin to heal himself. My brother came home shortly bare spaces left on the wall, which are few. Next to a par- walked past automatically got shot." after our childhood friend notified him that I was asking ticularly large cross, a picture of the atomic bomb blast in The second photo is of a school in Fallujah. “It was a school dur- strange questions. He said, “Listen, I don’t want you in my

Japan unfurls next to his video games. He goes to the mall, ing the day, but people congregated there at night, and he got room. I know you’re a protester or whatever but I don’t THE INDYPENDENT the gym, eats grandma’s meatballs and goes out drinking orders to bomb it,” she said. “So he did.” want no phone calls from any newspapers and crap.” with friends. He seems to think nothing of his crimes as he Her brother refused to show her some of the images. "He had a Someday I’ll find the strength to finish watching the makes plans to go to church, as he prepares for his 25th few photos of people he killed,” said Larson, who decided to video, but torture or murder, I haven’t yet forgiven my birthday, as he has sex with a woman for the first time in secretly make a copy of this photograph. brother for either. nine months.

Sometimes I stare at the pictures I stole from his sneaker *Leah Larson is a pseudonym. She currently teaches troubled teens 11 box, the ones that he didn’t want me to see, including one at a Brooklyn high school. 12 DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 THE INDYPENDENT MEDIA 7 LE T •212.777.6028 172 ALLENST. radical bookstore|activistcenter bluestockings writes with terrifying honestyaboutthe writes withterrifying The Dyke Knitting Circle isopentoall The DykeKnittingCircle Crimes," willsigntheirgraphicnovels. dles. [email protected] for dles. [email protected] levels ofexperienceandmeetsevery Boss. 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BE more information. more and spoken word. and spokenword. f air tradecafe , abouttheadven- • $3–5Sugg $2– $5Sugg Free 1 E E AK P B E D S T Liberation Ever in the‘70sand‘80s. live outarevolutionofeverydaylife European autonomistmovementsto Politics given expression. uprising werefullyexploredand math thattheideasbornofthis the world.Butitwasintheirafter- seemed possibleincountriesallover eviscerate long-establishedcommunities. tions, unabletofathomhowimmigrantscould lagers, theAbulhejaslaughedatadmoni- could possiblysucceed.Likemostofthevil- efforts tocreateaJewishstateontheirland wide Zionistcampaign,refusingtobelievethat fact, residentsscoffedatwarningsofaworld- a shortwhile,coexistenceseemedpossible.In who beganarrivingintheearly1940sand,for Residents wereinitiallyacceptingoftheJews farmers formorethan40generations. Haifa andhometoPalestinianfruitolive for theJewishHolocaust? Why havethePalestiniansbeenforcedtopay question thatresonatesthroughoutthetextis: focuses onjustonefamily, theAbulhejas, ingly endlessconflict.Thoughthestory making itanexcellent antipathy betweenPalestiniansandIsraelis, old-fashioned page-turner, itexploresthe has thepotentialtobesuchabook.Agood timely, fact-basednovel, One-way Trek inPalestine books OCIAL VERYDAY UROPEAN Y HE CLNZTO OF ECOLONIZATION This follow-uptoGeorge But evisceratethemtheydid.Abulhawa’s The novelopensinEinHod,avillageeastof G RESS was incrisisandeverything revolt, whenthesocialorder 968-1970 wereyearsofglobal S EORGE BESO OF UBVERSION their consciousness.SusanAbulhawa’s people fromcomplacencyandshifts very onceinawhile,greatbookjolts chronicles theattemptsof M (2006, VMNSADTHE AND OVEMENTS yday L A K IFE UTONOMOUS RERELEASE A TSIAFICAS The Subversionof P ) OLITICS primer onthisseem- The ScarofDavid : —M and toalarge extentsucceeded. upon liberationinthepresenttense– olution butalsoattemptedtodeliver only promisedliberationaftertherev- tion ofapoliticalpracticethatnot an inspiringaccountoftheconstruc- Nonetheless, form theworldbutonlythemselves. radicals, nolongeraimingtotrans- in numberandbecamemerelifestyle Over time,theautonomistsshrank for attacksonthesocialstructure. mode oflifeandservedasbaseareas prefigured aqualitativelydifferent carved outautonomouszonesthat ignited amassmovement,they their lives.Whiletheynever making thedecisionsthataffected democratically andcollectively person.” Centraltothiswerepeople who forged a“politicsofthefirst Germany andItalytoDenmark dreamers andsquattersfrom New Left sis of1968, Katsiaficas’s brilliantglobalanaly- ATT , W , tellsthestoryof ASSERMAN refugees attempttoaccommodaterepression, rage. We alsosee human resourcefulnessasthe from depressiontodetachmentmurderous presage pathologyinaffectedindividuals, atrocities andseehownon-stopviolencecan eyes weviewthepersonalimpactofIsraeli ment ofanewcommunity. ThroughAmal’s we learnaboutJeninandwitnessthedevelop- Hasan Abulheja,isthevehiclethroughwhich the villagersofEinHodcouldneverreturn.” refugee camp,notfarfromthehomestowhich and Syriagaveoutafewtents,wheresprang coming fromothervillages.SoonJordan,Iraq ever therewasspaceamongthefloodofrefugees was asfartheycouldgo,andrestedwher- babies wentlimpintheirmother’s arms.Jenin W less,” Abulhawawrites.“Theweakfellanddied. up anddownunforgiving hills,thesunmerci- march wasaone-waytrek,gunsbehindthem, their homesandcompelledtorelocate.“Their even furtherastheAbulhejaswerepushedfrom Israel’s creationin1948,mattersdeteriorated ings andattacksonArabvillages.Following are riveting,andthenovelvividlydepictsbomb- descriptions ofmilitantincursionsintoEinHod The Subv The Imaginationofthe Amal, thesassydaughterofDaliaand omen miscarriedandthedehydratedbodiesof ersion ofPolitics is T his travelsandwritingsabout exhibits aforeigner’s curiosityin Nation Strange Land ing theholidays.In available forfiresidereadingdur- BY F & A BY EDITED BITCHFEST T D L S Still Bitch Left Can ARRAR RNE NA IN TRANGER HE AND ISUNITED G N NDI ARY EW , E , S tics, raceandcultureare essays onfeminism,poli- wo goodcollectionsof contributor GaryYounge RU AND TRAUS P Z CUTR NTHE IN NCOUNTERS RESS Y EISLER LEO GARCIA L OUNGE S ISA (2006) TA , TES J S ERVIS G Guardian TRANGE IROUX Stranger ina and Journal, TheNYLawPublicEye who contributestothe Eleanor J.Baderisateacher, activistandwriter more ofhistoricalfiction. Holocaust andonSeptember11.You can’t ask Palestine, butforthemillionswhodiedin epic resonateswithcompassion,notonlyfor Illuminating anddeeplymoving,Abulhawa’s a heroineandfamilytorootfor. Scar ofDavid the tragedythatsurroundsregion. is impossibleandthenovelunabletoescape Amal’s armor. Still,aredemptivedenouement prompted byherdaughter, thatpokesholesin her psychicwallsseemimpenetrable. Her lifenarrowstoworkandchildrearing she rearsherdaughterinself-imposedisolation. rounded bystrangers.Shell-shockedandweary, Forced toleaveLebanon,shegivesbirthsur- and isharrowing,ifheinouslyfamiliar. draws onjournalistRobertFisk’s reporting shelter,” Abulhawawrites.Heraccount 400,000 homelessand100,000without 17,500 civilianskilled,40,000wounded, ber resistance.ByAugusttheresultswere: defense. To dislodgethePLO,a6,000mem- children. “Israel’s statedaimwasself- is widowedandYousef loseshiswifeand PLO toIslamicJihad,butnotbeforeAmal refugee campsin1982leadYousef fromthe ment. AirstrikesontheSabraandShatila moil makesamockeryofpersonalfulfill- ries –itseemsthatthistalecanendhappily. – andthenmeetsthemansheeventuallymar- reunites withYousef andhisfamilyinLebanon Huda, herquieteralterego.Later, whenshe and aretouchedbyherrelationshipwith excitement andfear. We revelinhercrushes brother, Yousef, joinsthePLO,weshareher of herfatherduringanIsraeliraid.When depressed motherandrailatthedisappearance her, wemournthedeathofherclinically tion tothenext. stories andculturalhistoryfromonegenera- forging relationships,gossiping,andpassing (2006) By askingpointedpoliticalquestions, In theend,itisa2003returntoJenin, Not surprisingly, themassacresdepleteAmal. Sadly, thisisnotpossibleaspoliticaltur- Throughout, Amalisthelinchpin.With Lilith and magazines. contemplating prostitution to decades later, wheresherecounts catches upwithherintheBronx lenging JimCrow. Younge shortly afterherarrestforchal- though, wasgettingpregnant into afight.” would drinktoomuchandget from aneighborhoodwhere“men she wasdarkskinned,poorand African-American community– ladder inthepioussouthern old andatthebottomrungof Colvin wasarebellious15-year- down inaMontgomerybus. preceded RosaPark’s defiantsit- activist ClaudetteColvin,who urrects forgotten civilrights and theroleofreligioninsociety. get at–theinstitutionofracism fictional characterBorattriesto ates whatSachaBaronCohen’s produces journalismthatperme- a BritofAfro-Caribbeandescent, America’s idiosyncrasies.Younge, raises consciousnessandgivesus Colvin’s greatestdownfall, In Younge’s best essays,heres- J B T OURNEY Y HE S USAN S Brooklyn Rail,Library —E A OF CAR P UBLICATIONS LEANOR A BULHAWA D A VID J. B (2006) , ADER The THE INDYPENDENT DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 13 PHOTO: DENNIS W. HO , are (2006) ! Bitch ERGER Clamor AUMER B . For 10 RESS is a bul- B Bitch OLIDARITY ASSERMAN AN S GARY MARTIN GARY Bitchfest AK P D Bitch W NDERGROUND Bitch Y magazine have , the editors at U B ATT ENNETT Bitch —B —M OLITICS OF EATHER P CosmoGirl W HE : T AND THE . While many left intellectuals deftly recognized that Americans, MERICA It would be unfair to blame all or even A quent closure of indie magazine campuses in the United States struck classes when Nixon invaded Cambodia and other liberation movements came forth. But by the dissolu- Underground’s time of the Weather tion in 1976-1977, the radical mass movement was all but dead. most of this decline on the Weather Police violence, infiltration Underground. and harassment played a far more prominent part, it remains true that, in large role. Yet the crisis of the mass movement was one of leadership and strategy: how do you continue to escalate after mass protests have proven unable to get the goods and stop the proposed Underground’s war? The Weather solution drew on faulty analogies to the Cuban revolution. Hundreds of the most committed and experienced leaders from the student movement withdrew themselves from the mass movement to go underground, leaving it in the hands of the liber- als and dogmatic Marxists they had opposed. It is unsure whether an anti-imperialist movement capable of contesting power could have been built in the 1970s – though anti-imperialist politics certainly have far more of a resonance with American political traditions and culture than Marxism- Leninism – but by abandoning mass organ- ensured Underground izing, the Weather that one was not. the left can, thankfully, still the left can, thankfully, unapologetically critiqued pop culture from a feminist perspective, with the best compiled in their recent anthology Bitchfest eschew pop culture topics such as the Spice Girls and Bitch especially young people, are far more likely to be in touch with Britney Spears than bell hooks, and with MTV than More than that, the editors at NOW. developed a financially sustainable, funny and irreverent outlet for feminist media critique. What ensues in wark against other mindless clichés like eminent death. Vive feminism’s years the folks at dozens of essays on black feminist metal heads, male bonding, homo-sociality and gay parents going mainstream. In an era where pundits like Ann Coulter and even Camille Paglia utilize feminism for their own gain only to trash it, UTLAWS OF New York O , a book by Outlaws of America

journalist Jayson Blair. Younge journalist Jayson Blair. he approach of the American power structure to the history of popular bury struggle is simple: if they can’t

ounge’s essays on the 2004 election ounge’s et despite this whitewash, there has been

After the financial troubles and subse- A more promising essay features an In 1970, the year the Weather Y One of the strengths of Berger’s book is One of the strengths of Berger’s The Weather Underground formed as a Underground The Weather Y

imes

with adulthood.” impression that he’s barely got started impression that he’s away from a giggle… You are left with the away from a giggle… You ity: “He’s never more than five minutes ity: “He’s problems for disconnecting him with real- T rape and subsequent drug use and mental writes of Blair, who counts his childhood writes of Blair, interview with troubled former long as they prove useful. be forced into the realm of obsession for as divisive political tools, and will therefore marriage and abortion are time-tested sions, but not incomprehensible ones. Gay riage, guns and God are inflated obses- left-wing fans would agree that gay mar- their effects on the mass movement. formed, over half the college Underground he writes. Indeed, many of his American opposed, Berger fails to critique them for opposed, Berger and many are indeed incomprehensible,” the reductive class analysis they originally America and its obsessions, old and new within the organization to their later turn to within the organization poignant. “This is an election about meet their own ideals from opposing sexism prove to be less insightful though still the group over the coals for their failures to movement she helped birth. dedication to anti-racism. But while he rakes nomic burdens of being isolated from the side of imperialism and their unwavering support her young child and ease the eco- to solidarity with those caught on the wrong He brings out their impressive commitment sight, but this is also one of its weaknesses. than judging them with the benefit of hind- repression and revolutionary ferment rather Underground in historical context of state Underground as an underground organization. organization. as an underground that he puts the actions of the Weather turned to militant tactics and armed struggle SDS’s collapse, the Weather Underground collapse, the Weather SDS’s and the black liberation movement. After tionary potential of the youth counterculture to take over SDS, championing the revolu- efforts of the Progressive Labor Party (PLP) headed towards meltdown. They opposed the organization in American history – as it organization Society (SDS) – the largest student left Society (SDS) – the largest the damned of the earth. faction within Student for a Democratic Babylon” that operated in solidarity with tionary organization within “the heart of tionary organization white, middle-class kids to forge a revolu- white, middle-class kids to forge chronicling the stumbling attempts by chronicling the stumbling attempts house circuit. provides a sympathetic but critical account, umentary that found success on the art- is the best of the lot. Berger Dan Berger, academic histories, memoirs and even a doc- imperialism in the 1970s. There have been that bombed the symbols of American Underground – the clandestine organization Underground a resurgence of interest in the Weather a resurgence it, they tame it. of Protest

The Future The Future T 14 DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 THE INDYPENDENT I DIR DIR DIAMOND BLOOD Bling Bloody T their fingers. date theirworthbythecarats on society wheremanywomenvali- large audiences,especially in a the subjectisnotonetoattract ing andblockbustermarketing, Despite Warner Brothers’back- the glitterofdiamondtrade. exposing thedirtyrealitybehind researched andcompelling, trade. Sierra Leone’s waranddiamond a seasonedjournalistinvestigating Maddy Bowen(JenniferConnelly), the diamond,withhelpof action-packed journeytorecover lows isanemotionallywrenching during arebelattack.Whatfol- help findinghisfamily, separated him tothegeminexchangefor Archer convincesSolomontolead while workinginanRUFmine. erman whofindsararediamond V diamonds. HeencountersSolomon nary, armstheRUFinexchangefor DiCaprio), aZimbabweanmerce- Zwick. DannyArcher(Leonardo Diamond tinely, tofinancewarefforts. zones andsold,usuallyclandes- flict diamonds,areminedinwar Blood diamonds,alsocalledcon- through neighboringLiberia. financed bysalesofdiamonds power. Throughout,theRUFwas ended in2002andisstill elected whenthewarofficially force ECOMOG.Kabbahwasre- community sentitsintervention Outcomes andtheWest African from SandlineandExecutive the Britishsentinmercenaries returned in1998,mostlybecause the RUF-ledarmy. Kabbah 1996 anddeposedayearlaterby Kabbah waselectedpresidentin tims’ limbs.AhmadTejan enslavement tohackingoffvic- mitted atrocitiesfromrapeto mutilated –andtheRUFcom- dead andtensofthousandsmore leaving some50,000-100,000 next 10years,civilwarraged, international interests.Forthe resources –mainlydiamondsto ernment soldoffthecountry’s izens liveinmiserywhilethegov- had enoughofseeingordinarycit- Liberia’s border. TheRUFhad Momoh, capturingtownson ment ofPresidentJosephSaidu paign againstthecorruptgovern- (RUF) startedamilitarycam- Revolutionary UnitedFront Foday Sankohandhis movies HE andy (DjimonHounsou),afish- The movieissurprisinglywell- This isthecontextfor Leone, formerarmycorporal African countryofSierra n 1991,inthetinyWest . . E HLPEDIAZ PHILIPPE ZWICK EDWARD PR IN MPIRE , directedbyEdward A FRICA , 2006 , 2006 Blood Sierra Leone,fromtheRUF’s use complexities ofthecivilwar in KPCS participants. all violatehumanrights–are Zimbabwe –whosegovernments Republic oftheCongo,Togo, and war. SierraLeone,theDemocratic corrupt asbeforethestartof which isatpeacebutalmostas ing present-daySierraLeone, expense oftheircitizens,includ- tion enrichthemselvesatthe governments withU.N.recogni- accountable toitspeople.Many n’t translatetobeingfairor ognized government,whichdoes- seeking tooverthrowaU.N.-rec- promise nottofinanceanyone ipate intheKPCS,acountrymust that itisnotfool-proof.To partic- blood diamonds–andexplains of diamondstopreventthesale agreement thatcertifiestheorigin 2002 internationaldiamondtrade Kimberley Process(KPCS)–a criminately. bomb RUFstrongholdsindis- ing ExecutiveOutcomes–who by Archer’s oldboss–represent- hiring ofmercenaryarmies,led particular, thefilmexposes and Western involvement.In tions ofgovernmentalcorruption on this countrywillbeaparadise.” become adoctorandthat“oneday politics, dreamingthathissonwill war. Solomondoesn’t careabout be embroiledincorruptionand change thingsasAfricawillalways to Maddythatit’s uselesstotry “TIA” (thisisAfrica),heexplains resources. With hiscatchphrase, to loosenitsgriponthecontinent’s white colonialismanditsinability African, embodiestheghostof Blood Diamond The moviealsodiscussesthe Although themoviefocuses Archer, althoughhimself RUF atrocities,therearemen- addresses the monds. WhiletheRUF’s initial and doesn’t mentionblooddia- atrocities committedbytheRUF war, thefilmpaysnoheedto MOG involvementfueledthe Africa rolled. Although and torturedwhilethecamera deaths, butrealpeoplebeingshot were notHollywood-staged tions andexplodingheads.These with gruesomescenesofdecapita- focuses onthehorrorsofwar, United NationsandECOMOG. Executive Outcomes,butalsothe munity, especiallyBritainand blame attheinternationalcom- ities ofthewar, insteadpointing was wronglyblamedfortheatroc- to convinceviewersthattheRUF killing scenes,thefilmattempts Using gratuitousfootageof depiction oftheSierraLeonewar. much moreviolentandone-sided umentary byPhilippeDiaz,isa were barragedwithtalkingpoints. Hollywood publicistsandjewelers all facts.org) wascreatedtocounter so the participantdiamondindustry ping seasonoftheyear, ismaking this, rightbeforethebiggestshop- i atrocities ofallkindssimplyto ernments tofinancewarsand Kaap inthefilm)andtheirgov- weights likeDeBeers(orVan de ing diamonddealerheavy- for diamondsintheWest iscaus- clear throughout:Thedemand tries. Themovie’s messageis Leone andneighboringcoun- ple fledtoU.N.campsinSierra refugees –almostamillionpeo- mond minestotheplightof oners forcedtoworkthedia- of druggedchildsoldierstopris- ncrease theirbottomline.Allof To The EmpireinAfrica nervous thatawebsite(diamond- the negativepublicity, and

prove hispoint,thedirector shows howU.N.andECO- The Empirein JEFF FAERBER , anewdoc- M thousands ofcivilians. killing, rapingandmaiming the rebelslostlegitimacyby government mayhavebeenvalid, motivation forchallengingthe years ago, Mexico andCentralAmerica1,200 which peekedinwhatisnow the fallofMayancivilization, sona. OstensiblyGibson’s takeon long beenapartofhispublicper- emotional immaturitywhichhas anti-semite hasyettooutgrowthe world’s mostnotoriousdrunken album from2002?)Clearly, the ridiculous title–alostrap-metal burning herbs(nottomentionthat another prankinvolvingcrotch- tapir-testicle-eating prank,and turn: thegoryhuntingofatapir, a opening sceneswhichdetail,in This factisevidentfromthefilm’s scenes, avaguebutpeacefulMayan vengeance. Followingtheprank ity, chivalry and,naturally, of universaltraits:strength,nobil- Gibson canonlymanageahandful ered hisfilmtoanunknownworld, have helpedthis,buthavingteth- dictory impulsestogether. view ittakestopullthesecontra- nor themorallycomplexworld ther thestrengthsasafilmmaker this isthatpoorMelpossessesnei- decline. Theonlyproblemwith our owncivilization’s hedonistic film andadeadlyseriousparallelto both akick-assactionadventure D A Barbarism Gibson’s POCALYPTO IR Fleshing outhischaractersmay . M EL G gifted 12-year-old boy. the workofasupremely el Gibsons’s —V Apocalypto IBSON ANESSA , 2006 wants tobe Apocalypto H RADSKY e isn asupremelygifted12-year-old boy. Mel Gibson, is with viciousmeninhotpursuit. home fortheremainderoffilm speared, beforeheescapesandsprints where hisfriendsareallbeheadedor marches offtoasacrificialtemple, As father sacrificeshimselftosavehim. ing wife andtoddlersonintoahid- Y introduced heroJaguarPaw(Rudy Mel Gibsonmovie.Ourbarely- ter, rapeandpillagelikethey’reina “more civilized”Mayawhoslaugh- village isoverrunbymarauding weren’t anyJewsaround… guy’s mouth.Thankgod also watchassaidjaguarbitesoffthe not justreceiveajaguartotheface,but Gib ble barbarism.To – torecreatescenesoftrulydespica- his obsessionwithextremeviolence just anexcusetodivedeeperinto make afilmabouttheMayawas seems thatGibson’s decisionto two hoursinhislastfilm.Indeed,it ging thebejesusoutofJesusfor could notevenbesatiatedbyflog- man whosetasteforbloodshed beheadings? Evidentlynotfora depicting besidescelebratory aren’t thereanyritualsworth for that,ProfessorGibson,but Humans arebarbaric.Well, thanks ancient cultures,beyondthis: history, politicalupheavalor with nothingtosayaboutworld chase filmmadebyacallousmoron across asatense,efficient,detailed twisted absurdityofitall. either vomitingorgigglingatthe endlessly speareduntilyou’re cry outinpain,andtheherois birth standingup,toddlersnever still-beating hearts,womengive and meaningless:Menripout brilliantly shotandcut,butblunt seat suspensefilmmaking.It’s all genuinely gripping,edge-of-your- sequence, lastinghalfthefilm,is The escapewithsubsequentchase of theextraslooksastounding. raphy tothecostumesfaces thing fromthesetstophotog- oungblood) lowershispregnant To Thus, atbest,thefilmcomes the son filmwouldweseesomeone pit andthenwatchesashis

give Gibsonhisdue,every- rage growsinside,JaguarPaw —C wit: Onlyina HARLIE there B ASS WORLD WAR 3 ILLUSTRATED: books UNNATURAL DISASTERS (2006) The Art of Destruction

presents a jarring diversity of art styles, easily placing it in the ranks of notable anthologies like Kramer’s Ergot and MOME while offering insight comparable to a radical newspaper’s. Started in 1980 by Peter Kuper and Seth Tobocman, World War 3 Illustrated grew into a hub for politically conscious artists and activists. With an impressive ros- ter that includes Eric Drooker, Sabrina Jones and Steve Brodner, the anthology is a pillar of alternative comics, each one confronting a multitude of issues like femi- and government policies. The 19 fire, bellowing smoke, and sun- war in Iraq, creating an unforget- nism, media and globalization. s a voice of radical politics, stories offer a varied catalogue of bleached bones. Her “It’s a mat- table and immediate story. In The publication is a loud call ideas and people, World belligerent and systematic ter of time...” is a high point of “Coming Together,” Christopher for social change, and as such, AWar 3 Illustrated is an icon- destruction including the U.S. Unnatural Disasters, weaving per- Cardinale shows his exceptional many of the stories forfeit com- oclast that sticks to underground military’s use of depleted ura- sonal stories of breast cancer with draftsmanship in such media as plexities for a clear political mes- comics’ roots: the social upheavals nium in the Middle East, the the travails of cancer research. paint, scratchboard and pen and sage, making some feel like of the 1960s. Its latest install- eradication of coral reefs by Jennifer Camper’s “Garbage is ink, with borderless composition essays and educational pam- ment, Unnatural Disasters, contin- dumping toxic waste and the rap- Destiny” is an entertaining and that bolsters the stories of misery, phlets. As it stands, World War 3 ues the publication’s critical stance idly declining numbers of India’s original Kafkaesque story of a community and renewed hope in Illustrated: Unnatural Disasters is on political policy and social vultures. Most of the content post-human world as lived by post-Katrina New Orleans. Each another affirmation of the responsibility, putting it on the addresses the growing threat of discriminated rodents and cock- person is rendered with care and anthology’s relevance in comics fringe of the comics sub-culture. global warming and its base in roaches, drawn in a cartoony style intent, creating a look that pulls and political discourse and is In Unnatural Disasters, comic our addiction to oil. with stark contrasts. “War is the reader deeper. deserving of a wider read. It writers dissect and analyze the The first story, Nicole Hell,” written by Rebecca From Mac McGill’s poetic stip- makes a reader wish that it came pressing theme of a world over- Schulman’s “Fossil Fuel,” shows Migdal with photos by Sgt. R, pling to Carlo Quispe’s lucid out more often than once a year. run with environmental catastro- the author’s mastery of scratch- marries a debate between friends marker renderings to Rebecca phes rooted in business dealings board by effortlessly carving out with unsettling images of the Migdal’s collage, this anthology —HUESO TAVERAS

PHOTO: DENNIS W. HO THE INDYPENDENT DECEMBER 13, 2006 – JANUARY 9, 2007 15 Dec13_p16.qxd 12.13.06 4:34 AM Page 1

THIssue #95, NovemberEI 1 – 30,NDYPENDENT 2006 A FREE PAPER FOR FREE PEOPLE

REMEMBERING BRAD WILL

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