on the street IMC Server Seizures, p.2 Armed Clashes in Haiti, p.8 Folk’s Original G, p.11

6 p.m. • Free 8 p.m. • $5 POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS INDIE ROCK THE VOTE Collection of political advertise- Lick Bush Ltd., Music For THE INDYPENDENT ments from 1956 to 1984, which THE INDYPENDENT America, Bands Against Bush and seeks to provide an understand- IssueIssue #59,#59, OctoberOctober 2121 –– November,November, 20042004 • • aa freefree paperpaper forfor freefree peoplepeople IndyVoter present…The ing of the evolution of images on Everyothers, The Tallboys, The television and the marketing of Weekenders, Pretty Flowers, politics. Starchild, UKUK, Hearts on Fire. Donnell Library, 20 W. 53rd St. SIBERIA, 356 W. 40th St. 212-621-0629 718-670-3707 [email protected] 7-10 p.m. • Free LADYFEST EAST KICKOFF WEDNESDAY OCT 27 Visual Art Gallery Opening (follow------ing fashion & hip hop show $10). 2:30 p.m. • Free OFFICE OPS, 57 Thames St., Bklyn FILM: “SO YOU WANT TO BE ladyfesteast.org/schedule.html PRESIDENT” AND “WAG THE DOG” Part of the "So You Want to Be FRIDAY OCT 29 President" film series. ------Donnell Library, 20 W. 53rd St. 6:30 p.m. to midnight • $10 to $40 212-621-0618 RIPPLE EFFECT SALON BENEFIT FOR EAST AFRICA 6 p.m. • Free Silent auction, food, panel on DAVE AND CHRISTOPHER EGGERS, AIDS & poverty, films and per- AUTHORS OF “GIRAFFES? formance salon hosted by GIRAFFES! AND YOUR DISGUSTING Ugandan actor Patrick Ssenjovu. HEAD” Performers include playwritght New series of reference books Kia Corthron, actor Deanna aimed at children but filled with ludi- Pacelli, Rwandan musician Nepo crous misinformation. Accompanied YONI MISHAL Soteri, South African actor Lucky by discussion and booksigning. Ngema and poet Bassey Ikpi. Coliseum Books, 11 W. 42nd St. Pace University Multi-purpose Room 212-803-5892 1 Pace Plaza (enter on Spruce St.) 6:30 p.m. • $10, call for reservation THE BURNING SEASON: SATURDAY OCT 30 THE MURDER OF CHICO MENDES ------AND THE FIGHT FOR THE 2ND ANNUAL REALLY REALLY COMMUNITY FREE MARKET AMAZON RAIN FOREST CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave. Special Halloween Extravaganza 212-817-8215 St. Marks Church

7 p.m. • $10 SUNDAY OCT 31 CALENDAR IN THE SHADOW OF NO TOWERS: ------ART SPIEGELMAN IN DISCUSSION 5:30 p.m. • Free THE INDYPENDENT FINAL COUNT: HIP HOP, PRISON WITH CHIP KIDD WEAR PINK Hany Abu Assad, 90 min.). New School University, 66 W. 12th St. Join Code Pink, Rhythms of Resist- has open meetings every Tuesday Alwan for the Arts, 16 Beaver St. AND THE NEW DEMOCRACY 212-265-2877 ance and others at the Halloween at 7p.m. at 34 E. 29th St., 2nd [email protected] CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave. 212-817-8215 Parade to put out an anti-war, anti- floor. 7 p.m. • Free Bush agenda message. TUESDAY OCT 26 7 p.m. • $5 suggested donation READING: "DANGEROUS FAMILIES: 339 Lafayette St. Frank Reynoso ------QUEER WRITING ON SURVIVING" FRIDAY OCT 22 FREE “FREE!” 6 p.m. • Free With Mattilda, Betsy Andrew and ------Showing of “Green with a WEDNESDAY NOV 3 “PEACE UNDER FIRE: ISRAEL, Kate Huh. NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST Vengeance” to benefit Jeff "Free" ------PALESTINE, AND THE Bluestockings Books, 172 Allen St. Getting Out AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY Luers' legal appeal fund. 6-8 p.m. • Free INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY Object Image Gallery, 91 5th Ave. bluestockings.com Since 9/11, at least 101 people The Lost World of Italian MOVEMENT” (btw. Prospect Pl. and Park Pl.), Bklyn The Vote, Or Not American Radicalism: Politics, Still Swinging in Pennsylvania have been identified in New York Authors, members of the ISM and freefreenow.org THURSDAY OCT 28 and New Jersey as having been Labor and Culture other human rights activists dis------“I ain’t voting. I ain’t regis- killed by law enforcement, and Tamiment Library, 10th Floor, cuss the horror of life under occu- 10 p.m.-12 am• Free 6 p.m. PHILADELPHIA—A few miles southeast of the wooded ridges of Valley Forge, tered. Been too busy being unem- since that day racial profiling has HUNGRY MARCH BAND VS. RUDE Bobst Library, NYU ployed,” says a man with faded pation, the brave actions of the IS THE PENTAGON HURTING OUR 212-998-8248 where George Washington’s army spent the bitter winter of 1777-78, lies the King expanded exponentially beyond ISM, and the future of the West MECHANICALS ORCHESTRA ECONOMY? skin and broken teeth, wearing a the Black and Latino communities Bank and Gaza Strip. Galapagos, 70 North 6th St. (btw. A World Policy Institute Forum. of Prussia Mall, the largest shopping complex in the world. The Philadelphia sub- red Rocawear sweatsuit. to target Arabs, Muslims and Coliseum Books, 11 W. 42nd St. Wythe and Kent), Bklyn New School University, 66 W. 12 St. He is proving the point South Asians. A call is put out for 212-803-5892 212-229-5808 urbs that surround its halls of Eddie Bauer, Foot Locker, and smooth-jazz Muzak expressed by ACORN team participants to wear black. 7 p.m. • Free leader Kia James a few minutes Union Square rally at 4:00 p.m., are among the places that may decide the 2004 presidential election. followed by a march to Times Square earlier and a few blocks away, at 5:30 p.m. when she says, “A lot of people BY STEVEN WISHNIA “I’m still swinging,” says Mark Wensel, 45, are so disenfranchised they SATURDAY OCT 23 don’t miss an issue a salesman from Media at the King of Prussia don’t realize their vote counts. ------ennsylvania voted for Reagan and Bush I Mall. He’s a registered Republican who turned They don’t see how anything will All day • Registration: $10 (for New in the ‘80s, but went for Clinton in the against the Iraq war when no weapons of mass change their lives.” Yorkers) or $5 (non-New Yorkers) SUBSCRIBE ‘90s. Al Gore won it by 220,000 votes in destruction were found, but dislikes Kerry, say- While officially nonpartisan, BUILDING A LEFT ALTERNATIVE TO P the community group is actively 2000, a margin of 50-46 percent. The conven- ing he “tells people what they want to hear.” A WORLD OF WAR AND POVERTY registering voters in Philadelphia’s East Coast Socialist Conference tional wisdom is that the state consists of His ultimate choice may be personal, “who Antrim Caskey “Philadelphia and Pittsburgh surrounded by would you rather have a beer with?” poorer neighborhoods, on the NAC Building, CUNY, 138th Street Barbara Nichter mulling the choices. grounds that getting people and Convent Avenue. TODAY Kentucky”; two big cities balanced by iso- Another undecided voter, Barbara Nichter, involved in the political process nesocialistconference.net lated, mountainous rural counties. 56, of Drexel Hill, repeatedly describes the cam- 44, of Philadelphia. She endorsed Kerry will increase their chances of Democrats, says state party director Don paign as “frustrating.” You don’t know what is months ago, she says, because Bush is using OCTOBER “The Indypendent combines the spirit of improving their housing and 2 p.m. • Free Morabito, rely on a “four corners strategy”: true and what is not true.” She voted for Bush in faith-based initiatives “to get out of helping BLUE DRESS WALK direct action with a searing critique of schools. “You get one neighbor- Slip on a blue dress. Meet at Philadelphia, which Gore carried by better 2000 and is leaning towards him. Though she inner cities,” because “I will never vote for a hood with 100 percent turnout 59th St. & 5th Ave. corporate power.” - Naomi Klein than 4-1 in 2000, along with Pittsburgh, Erie, works in health care and likes Kerry’s position, pro-life politician,” and because in Iraq, “if and one with 20 percent turnout, bluedresswalk.com and the old coal-and-steel areas of she feels that Bush is “a better commander-in- you’re making the wrong damn decision, how which one’s getting the funds?” Allentown/Bethlehem and Scranton/Wilkes- chief. We need to be aggressive.” is it admirable to stick with it?” James asks. 2-8:30 p.m. • $10 Bill me Check enclosed Barre, which Gore won narrowly in 2000. Nancy Perkins, 44, of King of Prussia, is also “Just not Bush,” says Ken Moore, 23, of With far fewer undecided vot- BAZAAR AND FILM SHOWINGS TO Meanwhile, Republicans try to maximize frustrated with the “accusations and innuen- Havertown, who says in the debates, Bush ers than usual, says Don SUPPORT "MADE IN PALESTINE" Name turnout in the rural areas and the Pennsylvania does.” She’s divided between supporting Bush “seemed to have no clue.” “Not Bush. The Morabito, the Democrats’ state ART EXHIBITION party director, the election is Bazaar featuring clothing, books, Dutch country around York and Lancaster, the on “the terrorism situation” and disagreeing other one,” echoes Helen Smith, 80, of Address most solidly Republican part of the Northeast, with him on social issues; she’s for abortion Conshohocken, who says she has to spend more “going to be about turning out housewares, Palestinian goods, the vote.” The party has 20,000 home decor, music and much where Bush won by a 2-1 margin in 2000. rights and says “if two people love each other, than $200 a month on medicine. volunteers, making more than more! All proceeds go directly to City State Zip The key to the state may be in the why shouldn’t they be able to get married?” She Two firm Bush supporters are Ryan and 100,000 phone calls a week, he support the "Made in Palestine" Philadelphia suburbs: Bucks, Delaware, Chester gently remonstrates with her 17-year-old Jessica Swailes, a pharmaceutical-salesperson art exhibition! E-Mail Phone adds. He’s been involved in poli- and Montgomery counties. They cast one mil- daughter, who calls Bush “a moron.” couple from the rural town of Williamsport. tics since 1960, and says, “I’ve Films: 3 p.m. – Children of Shatila Subscription rate: $27/year (23 issues). Angel rate: $100/year. Make checks payable to the lion votes in 2000, a fifth of the state’s total, and “I can’t understand these undecideds. Make Bush “takes a strong stance on what he (1998, Dir. Mai Masri, 50 min.); 4:45 NYC IMC Print Team and send to: 34 East 29th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016. Or for never experienced this level of p.m. – Divine Intervention (2002, Dir. even faster service email your address to [email protected] and we will begin your sub- gave Gore a 53,000-vote margin. a frickin’ decision!” exclaims Denise Watkins, continued on p. 6 activity in a campaign.” —SW Elia Suleiman, 92 min.); scription right away! 7 p.m. – Rana's Wedding (2002, Dir. U.S. Seizes IMC Servers

NEW YORK CITY INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER MAGGIE SUISMAN

Phone: 212.684.8112 On Oct. 7, an unknown U.S. government agency German newspapers, as well as on the BBC Email: and in the U.K. Guardian, “coverage of this [email protected] seized two United Kingdom-based Internet servers ominous event has thus far drawn almost total silence from the U.S. news media,” Web: hosting more than 20 local Independent Media Center writes John Hanrahan, a media analyst and NYC: www.nyc.indymedia.org contributor to the Harvard University-based GLOBAL: www.indymedia.org (IMC) websites. On Oct. 13, the webservers were just Neiman Watchdog. Office and Mail: Significantly, no coverage of the IMC shut- as mysteriously returned to the IMC and their hosting down has appeared in the pages of either the NYC Independent Media Center Washington Post or the New York Times. “You 34 E. 29th St. 2nd Floor company, Rackspace Managed Hosting. would think that the major U.S. news media NY, NY 10016 would have at least a passing interest in press freedom,” Hanrahan continues. “The WHAT IS INDYMEDIA? Indymedia shutdown stinks to high heaven With autonomous chapters in more BY CHRIS ANDERSON On Oct. 14, a third theory about the reasons and contains more than a whiff of totalitari- than 100 cities throughout the world, for the server seizure was advanced by anism, but perhaps even worse is the silence the Independent Media Center is an international network of volunteer n the intervening days, it was next to Indymedia Italy. “Marina Plazzi, a public pros- of the major U.S. news media.” media activists. impossible to track down information ecutor for Bologna investigating the Informal The IMC seeks to create a new Iabout who actually took the servers, the Anarchist Federation (FAI) and alleged bomb- PUBLIC SUPPORT media ethic by providing progressive, reasons for the seizure, or the legal authority threats delivered to the president of the Despite the media blackout in the United in-depth and accurate coverage of under which they were impounded. European Union Commission, Romano Prodi, States, dozens of civil liberties and press free- issues. We are a community-based The first Indymedia was founded just apparently issued a request for information dom groups have rallied to the Indymedia organization using media to facilitate prior to the World Trade Organization (RFI) to United States authorities concerning cause. In one of the strongest public state- political and cultural self-represen- (WTO) protests in Seattle in 1999. posts published on italy.indymedia.org,” noted ments to date, Aidan White, general secre- tation. We seek to analyze issues Indymedia is a worldwide network of more an Indymedia press release. tary of the International Federation of affecting individuals, communities than 140 alternative journalism centers The only public statement from Journalists, called the server seizure “an and ecosystems by providing media focusing on grassroots coverage of underre- Rackspace regarding the seizure was issued intolerable and intrusive international police tools and space to those seeking to communicate. We espouse open dia- ported progressive issues. Each local IMC has on Oct. 8. “Rackspace Managed Hosting, a operation against a network specializing in logue and placing the means of com- a website that contains an “open-publishing U.S.- based company with offices in London, independent journalism... [that] smacks munication and creativity back in the newswire,” through which readers may post is acting in compliance with a court order more of intimidation of legitimate journalis- hands of the people, away from the news reports and stories. pursuant to a Mutual Legal Assistance tic inquiry than crime-busting.” drive of profit. When U.S. government agents seized the Treaty, which establishes procedures for David Dadge, editor of the International The Indypendent is funded by bene- Rackspace servers, more than 20 local IMC countries to assist each other in investiga- Press Institute, echoes White’s remarks. “IPI fits, subscriptions, donations, grants websites were taken off line. tions such as international terrorism, kid- is deeply worried that the seizure of the web and ads from organizations and indi- According to Kevin Bankston, a lawyer napping and money laundering. Rackspace servers in the United Kingdom sets an viduals with similar missions. with the Electronic Frontier Foundation responded to a Commissioner’s subpoena, unwelcome precedent for distinguishing WHAT CAN I DO TO GET INVOLVED? (EFF), Indymedia and the EFF “are planning duly issued under Title 28, U.S. Code, between traditional news media and Internet The IMC has an open door. You legal action to find out what really happened Section 1782, in an investigation that did news sites,” Dadge noted. “It is highly can write for The Indypendent, film to Indymedia’s servers and ensure that Internet not arise in the United States.” unlikely that the authorities would have events and rallies, self-publish arti- media are protected from egregious First Dai Davis, an IT lawyer at London law acted in such a heavy-handed way if the cles to the web, take photos or Amendment violations like this in the future.” firm Nabarro Nathanson, argued that media in question were a Western newspaper just help us run the office. As an The first step in getting to the bottom of “Rackspace’s statement fails to clarify the or broadcaster.” And on Oct. 11 Reporters organization relying entirely on vol- the Indymedia mystery, says Bankston, is to legal basis of the raid.” Without Borders condemned the seizure of unteer support, we encourage all unseal the subpoena that ordered the Tony Bunyan, the editor of Statewatch the U.K.-based webservers, writing to Home forms of participation. Indymedia seizure in the first place. News, speculated: “The trail seems to be that Secretary David Blunkett (copied to his U.S., The print team reserves the right to Swiss and Italian authorities sought the help Italian and Swiss counterparts) seeking an edit articles for length, content and clarity. We welcome your participation CROSS-BORDER LAW ENFORCEMENT of U.S. authorities to shut down offending explanation for the confiscations. in the entire editorial process. Little verified information currently exists Indymedia sites. Rackspace then ‘responded’ regarding the seizure of the IMC servers, and to a U.S. subpoena – this response was to take MORE TROUBLE AHEAD? VOLUNTEER STAFF: conflicting rumors have raced across the off the air and hand Indymedia’s servers to This is not the first run-in Indymedia has had Chris Anderson, Silvia Arana, Bennett Baumer, Jed Brandt, Kazembe Bulagoon, Internet in the days since Oct. 7. the FBI or their representative.” with global law enforcement agencies. In Mike Burke, Leigh Ann Caldwell, Antrim Part of the confusion stems from the On Oct. 14, FBI spokeswoman Megan recent weeks, however, state harassment of Caskey, Ellen Davidson, Christopher Day, murky (and possibly illegal) cross-border law Baroska told the Associated Press that the Indymedia has accelerated. In August, the Shea Dean, Ryan Dunsmuir, Ari Edelkind, enforcement methods used to impound the agency would not comment on the seizure or Secret Service used the subpoena power of the Miguel Erb, Mike Flugennock, Chiam U.K.-based computer hardware. the returned hard drives because its investi- U.S. government in an attempt to disrupt the Garcia, Alfredo Garzon, Neela Ghoshal, Initial speculation swirled around the the- gation was ongoing. NYC IMC before the Republican National Lauren Giambrone, David Gochfeld, ory that the Swiss or Italian government In an Oct. 18 interview with Democracy Convention. Two weeks ago, the FBI paid an Maggie Gram, A.K. Gupta, Andy Harris, THE INDYPENDENT Amelia H. Krales, Renee Leonowicz, Adam requested that the FBI move against the IMC Now, Devon Theriot-Orr, a member of the “unofficial visit” to an Indymedia volunteer Louie, F. Timothy Martin, Edgar Mata, websites and Rackspace. Despite denials by Seattle IMC, noted that “without seeing a in Seattle requesting that Indymedia take Yoni Mishal, Nik Moore, Lauren Ng, Lydia the Swiss Attorney General Daniel Zapelli, copy of the subpoena served to Rackspace, it’s down the aforementioned post on the IMC Neri, Ana Nogueira, Jennifer Nordstrom, some in the media have speculated that the hard to have any idea what’s really going on.” Nantes website. Donald Paneth, Kate Perkins, James Powell, seizure was initially prompted by photo- Perhaps even more ominously, the use of a Shawn Redden, Frank Reynoso, Erica graphs of Swiss undercover police posted to U.S. MEDIA BLACKOUT gag order to muzzle discussion about the Sackin, Ann Schneider, Sheba Sethi, Tim Sparkman, Catriona Stuart, Sarah the Nantes Indymedia website. Despite the legal, political and civil liberties Rackspace seizure may very well indicate that Stuteville, Suzy Subways, John Tarleton, Others have discussed the possibility that questions surrounding the server seizure, the other IMCs have been contacted by law Liz Tillotson, Leanne Tory-Murphy, Rhianna the seizure was related to the continuing trial mainstream American press has paid little enforcement, yet are unable to publicly dis- Tyson, Michael Ulrich, Matthew Wasserman, of Italian police accused of killing one pro- attention to the Indymedia affair. cuss the details of their harassment due to

OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 10, 2004 Steven Wishnia, Amy Wolf tester and beating other protesters and jour- While numerous stories about the web legal restrictions.

2 nalists at the 2001 G-8 Summit in Genoa. shutdown have surfaced in Italian and crusader for third-party access RNC Costs he 2004 Republican National Conven- tion cost almost $154 million dollars Evergreen Tto stage, according to a detailed report filed with the Federal Election Commission. Most of the $58 million spent by the city on Campaigns police and other services will be reimbursed by the federal government. Expenses included $301,460 in limousine services, $207,000 on An ‘Ox for the People’ the balloon drop finale, and $7, 000 on coffee SOPHIA WALLACE and donuts for host committee staff and FIERCE MARCHES down Christopher Street, police officers. The bulk of the cost has been part of the Save our Space campaign. covered by private donations with the largest single contributor emerging as New York Sound familiar? Young Queers City’s own Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Chou asks what is by now a popular ques- donating $5 million in cash and $2 million tion: Should people unite behind one candi- Won’t Clear the Piers in legal and accounting fees. Other contribu- date to guarantee a win, or should they vote tors include Goldman Sachs ($1.2 million) for the best candidate? Despite his poor FIERCE, a queer, people-of-color organi- and Merrill Lynch ($1.1 million). The mayor showing in 2002, he has emerged as a cru- zation, took to the streets of Greenwich stated, “The numbers will basically show that sader for third-party political access. Village Oct. 16 to protest police harass- it’s good news for the city. We raised all the very Saturday at the corner of Kissena This year, he sued the state Board of ment of youths at the West Side piers. money privately.” and Main Streets, Evergreen Chou Elections to allow volunteers who live outside Dubbed “The Rebellion is Not Over,” While few New Yorkers would wish to works the bustling Flushing, Queens of the district to collect qualifying petition the rally took place at Sheridan Square, shoulder the monetary burden of the E the site of the Stonewall rebellion 35 sidewalk like a skilled politician. signatures for him. The court ruled in his Republican National Convention, many gov- years ago. With a bright yellow antiwar sign in favor, and Chou and his small band of volun- Despite the Village’s reputation as ernment watchdog groups have argued that, Chinese, he waves to familiar bus drivers, teers got the 700 signatures he needed to get a haven for lesbians and gays, recent far from being good news, the convention’s shakes hands with passers-by and chats with his name on the ballot – an amount signifi- years in the neighborhood have seen reliance on private funding is in direct oppo- neighbors about gentrification. This is more cantly more than that required from either the a campaign by upscale property own- sition to Congress’s intention to keep such than just a running peace vigil; for Chou and Democrats or Republicans. ers and police citing “quality of life” events publicly financed. With their official the handful of graying volunteers standing This hasn’t been his only success. In 2002, violations to stifle the thriving street purpose being to promote the city in which a around him, it is a major campaign stop. when the news channel New York 1 held a can- scene for gay, lesbian and transgen- convention is hosted rather than the political Chou, a 44-year-old Green Party member didate forum and didn’t invite him, Chou showed dered youth of color, some of whom party of the convention, Host Committees and a native of Taiwan has mounted his sec- up anyway and staged a small protest outside are homeless. have emerged as a vehicle for unlimited cam- ond longshot bid for Flushing’s state until the police forced him to leave. This year, he In response, FIERCE and allied paign contributions. —Megan Walton Assembly seat. With a long, straggly beard convinced the Chinese-language media to sponsor organizations are calling for a queer and a black ponytail that reaches halfway a debate among the candidates vying for the youth drop-in center, housing, health- down his back, he isn’t a typical candidate; Flushing Assembly seat. care and employment. The protesters he still holds his day job as an ultrasound He says that he has also demanded an expansion of pub- technician at Downstate Medical Center in gotten fair lic space in the area and an end to Velella Rides Brooklyn and serves as a union delegate. His coverage the 1:00 a.m. curfew at Hudson River Park, a regulation aimed specifically supporters call him “an ox for the people,” a from that at the youth who hang out there. Chinese saying that connotes a politician sector. —Kazembe Bulagoon Out of Rikers who works for the common man. “How Chou got only 158 votes, 1 percent of the does one isgraced Republican State Senator vote, in the 2002 Assembly election. That race cultivate ever- Guy Velella, whose release from the was expected to produce the first Asian- greenness,” he asks. DRikers Island jail last month by a American Assembly member in the district, “The Chinese would virtually unknown city panel caused a minor whose population is 53 percent Asian. Instead, say through tai-chi. scandal, had a long history of bipartisan sup- four Chinese candidates, including then- WBAI talk-show port despite his strongly anti-tenant record. Independent Jimmy Meng, lost to Barry host Gary Null would Velella had served just three months of a one- Grodenchik, a Democratic contender. Many of say through health. year sentence for taking bribes. He was freed by Flushing’s Asian residents blame the loss on I’m trying to make my the Local Conditional Release Commission, third parties, because they split the large life better and my which has received more than 7,000 applica- Chinese vote among several candidates. This neighbors’ lives better tions for early release from city prisoners so far year, they are determined to unite behind through legislative office.” this year – and granted five, three of them to Meng, a successful businessman, now the —Catriona Stuart Velella and two co-defendants. Democratic favorite, regardless of the issues. Velella, who represented the north Bronx and southern Westchester for 18 years until last May when he resigned and pleaded guilty unbelievable to the bribery charges, was one of the three state senators from New York City who voted against renewing the state’s rent regulations in 1997. He was the only one of three to draw MTA Mulls Backdoor significant Democratic opposition in the years after that, but still won the endorsement of Local 1199, the once-progressive healthcare workers’ union. The Bronx Democratic Subway-Fare Increase machine either endorsed him or gave luke- warm support to his opponents. he Metropolitan Transportation Authority is warning New One of the reasons the New York State Yorkers that it might raise transit fares yet again next year. Legislature is considered the most dysfunc- TThe agency announced Oct. 14 that it will preserve the base tional in the country is that it is gerryman- $2 subway and bus fare (for now), but is considering a proposal dered for gridlock, with districts drawn to to raise the cost of weekly MetroCards from $21 to $24 and

preserve the Democrats’ majority in the THE INDYPENDENT monthly cards from $70 to as much as $84. The outer boroughs Assembly and the Republicans’ hold on the are facing a possible $2 increase for express buses, and Long Senate. After Velella drew a strong challenge Island Railroad and Metro North fares may also rise. But there’s from Democrat Lorraine Coyle-Koppell in more: according to the Daily News, the MTA plans to close 164 ia 2000, his district was reconfigured to avoid more token booths. rc a Black neighborhoods in Mount Vernon and The MTA insists it has a $1 billion deficit – but in 2002, when it g m the Bronx and excise the block where Coyle- raised the basic fare 50 cents, transit-advocacy groups revealed i OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 10, 2004 a h Koppell lived. Its resulting shape, wrote that the agency actually had a surplus and was using two sets of c accounting books to cover the discrepancy. A city judge issued an Kenny Schaeffer of the Metropolitan Council injunction against the fare hike, but it was overturned by a state on Housing, looked “like a lobster shaking appeals court, and the increase went through. hands with a very surprised cat.” The proposal comes after service cuts in 2003, when elevator More than 30 people wrote letters to the operators were laid off and transit workers’ wages frozen. Governor release commission urging it to free Velella, George Pataki, who along with Mayor Mike Bloomberg appoints the including former mayor Ed Koch, state Senate MTA board, has refused to increase state funding for the buses or Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Edward trains. More than 2,100 transit positions are targeted for elimination. Cardinal Egan, and various Bronx politicians. —Kazembe Bulagoon He got a ride out of Rikers from the head of the guards’ union. —Steven Wishnia 3 commentary RADICARADICA L L WALKINGWALKING TOURSTOURS Sinclair Dishonors Itself Intended or not, Lt. Kerry painted a depraved portrait of Vietnam veterans, literally creating the image of those who served in combat as deranged, drug-addicted psychopaths. Baby-killers. That odious image Bruce Kayton leads 17 different has endured in the present popular culture for more than 30 years. Nearly every book or motion picture radical history walking tours of produced about Vietnam since 1971 echoes the litany of atrocities John Kerry laid at the feet of the men Manhattan focusing on subjects who served there… It was his evil American soldier on a bloody rampage that filled the screens and like bohemian Greenwich Village, the lined the pockets of producers of films like Apocalypse Now, Platoon and Casualties of War. antiwar movement, Malcolm X, John From the documentary, Stolen Honor: Wounds that Never Heal. www.stolenhonor.com Reed, Emma Goldman & more! mately “offered no public challenge” of the vet- a pre-recorded commentary Sinclair stations erans. The website mediamatters.org adds that must play as part of their local news. (Sinclair (718) 492.0069 VVAW member Kenneth J. Campbell told uses canned techniques and a “News Central” MSNBC Sept. 9 that all the testifying veterans division and has fired entire news staffs at local www.RadicalWalkingTours.org brought military discharge papers proving their affiliates – all moves reminiscent of radio giant service in case their credibility was questioned. Clear Channel’s operating methods.) As for the Winter Soldier testimony by In an 11-day period in September alone, nine more than 100 veterans (note: the website of Hyman’s commentaries were unbridled wintersoldier.com was set up to discredit attacks on Kerry with such titles as “Kerry and Kerry and the Winter Soldiers), each one The Oath,” “Kerry and The Medals,” “Kerry and provides specific details on their units, and The Communists,” with the later claiming that when and where they served in Vietnam. “Kerry has a lifetime of experience in … sup- The veterans explain witnessing or partic- porting Communist forces opposed to the U.S.” ipating in virtually every form of war Critics note that because Sinclair profits crime under the guise of military policies from using the public airwaves, it is bound to like “harassment and interdiction” and serve the public interest. But the Federal “free-fire zones.” The casual brutality, Communications Commission has declined to indifference to slaughter and the crimi- take any action against Sinclair either for abus- nal nature of the entire war is undeniable ing ownership laws in amassing more than 60

ANDY SMENOS from reading the accounts. stations or for its broadcast of Stolen Honor. Every right-wing myth and cliché about One commissioner, Michael J. Copps, has Vietnam is crammed into Stolen Honor, called on the FCC to take action, stating, “This down to the inevitable “We were fighting is an abuse of the public trust. And it is proof that war with one arm tied behind us.” positive of media consolidation run amok when Ultimately, Stolen Honor is not just about one owner can use the public airwaves to blan- BY A.K. GUPTA the past. The film is a 42-minute attack on the ket the country with its political ideology.” anti-war movement in general, blaming it for But Sinclair’s extreme agenda is hurting n all the controversy over the decision by prolonging both the war and the imprison- the company where it counts. Its stock has the Sinclair Broadcast Group to order its ment of U.S. POWs. Anti-war activists are dropped nearly 60 percent since January, a I62 television affiliates to air Stolen Honor repeatedly referred to as traitors, disloyal and boycott of advertisers on Sinclair stations has commercial-free just two weeks before the unpatriotic. Stolen Honor is premised on the been initiated, one veteran who appears in presidential election, little has been said “stab-in-the-back” thesis hauled out by defend- the film has filed a libel suit, and, according about the film itself. ers of every failed war through history. to the Associated Press, a shareholder lawsuit The film is by its own admission an attack Because Sinclair is also a knee-jerk is being planned “alleging insider trading by on Kerry – the website labels it “A documen- defender of the current imperial adventure, top executives as well as damage from the tary exposing John Kerry’s record of it’s not hard to imagine similar charges being decision to air the film.” betrayal.” One can ascertain in the documen- hurled at peace activists down the road after For more information, go to sinclairwatch.org tary a year-zero mentality, casting the former the inevitable U.S. defeat in Iraq. Navy lieutenant as the linchpin of history. Kerry is blamed for “creating the image” of WHO IS THE SINCLAIR GROUP? the “evil American soldier.” The role that Sinclair Broadcast Group Because of Kerry, “Nearly every book or plays in national politics goes beyond parti- Swing State Radio motion picture” produced after 1971 about san attack dog. It has poured more than Vietnam “echoes” his “litany of atrocities.” $170,000 into the Republican Party over the CLEAR CHANNEL Kerry is also alleged to have met “with a top last decade. The Sinclair Watch project notes enemy diplomat” in an “undisclosed location in that after Sept. 11, the broadcaster ordered he Sinclair Broadcast Group has drawn bluestockings Paris,” while joining “forces with Jane Fonda’s stations to “express allegiance to the Bush scrutiny with its plan to air a documen- anti-war efforts,” shoehorning in the hated administration on the air.” Ttary denouncing John Kerry. But as the radical bookstore | activist center | fair trade cafe French with the traitor charge and a culture Sinclair is trying to spin golden success out presidential campaign races to a close, it's 172 Allen St. ¥ 212.777.6028 ¥ worth remembering that Clear Channel, the war dig. If anyone missed the point, the audi- of the dross of failure in Iraq. Sinclair first Texas-based communications behemoth ence is told, “Enemy propagandists had found appeared on the public radar screen in April that owns over 1,200 radio stations nation- a new and willing accomplice” in Kerry. when it ordered its ABC affiliates not to air wide, has also showed its right-wing lean- One former POW claims that prisoners an episode of Nightline in which host Ted ings in recent years. died because of Kerry’s activities, while the Koppel read the names of 721 U.S. troops In March 2003, Clear Channel banished wife of a former POW states that “because of who had died up to that point in Iraq. the Dixie Chicks from its airwaves after lead TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26TH @ 7PM Kerry’s testimony” veterans who came back Sinclair called the broadcast a political state- singer Natalie Maines criticized President $3 to $5 Suggested were “spat upon.” (A myth dismantled by his- ment “disguised as news content,” a charge George W. Bush days before the beginning Women's Poetry Jam torian and Vietnam veteran Jerry Lembcke in more applicable to its decision to slap a news of the Iraq war. The chain’s stations spon- & Women's Open-Mike his 1998 book, Spitting Image.) label on Stolen Honor. Even Sinclair’s sored prowar rallies in a number of cities We are also told that Kerry “seized upon” Washington bureau chief, Jon Lieberman pub- around the country that spring. Here in New Featuring: Flavia Alaya and Laura York, Clear Channel tried to block an antiwar Boss. testimony of Vietnam Veterans Against the licly criticized the decision to spin the hatchet War (VVAW) “to help him organize the so- job as news, saying, “They’re using the news to advertisement from appearing on a bill- board it owns in Times Square during last Flavia Alaya's work isn't for the complacent, called Winter Soldiers Investigation” in drive their political agenda.” (a comment that world-weary or the politically timid. She is January 1971. Many of the Winter Soldiers, cost Lieberman his job). August's Republican National Convention. best known for a memoir that tattled the rich states Stolen Honor, were “frauds” and their In February, Sinclair announced that it was Clear Channel vice-chairman Tom Hicks is tale of her half-life as the moll of an activist also a longtime ally of Bush. He purchased

THE INDYPENDENT testimony, “lurid fantasies of butchery.” going to focus on the “positive” news coming out street priest, and her latest work-in-progress Bush's share in the Texas Rangers baseball is the stories of real artists, labor radicals and Filmmaker and Republican Party operative of Iraq. Vice president and commentator Mark team in 1999 for $14.9 million. As governor anarchists in industrial Paterson, New Jersey Carlton Sherwood has repeated this falsehood Hyman told The Baltimore Sun that Sinclair sta- of Texas, Bush privatized the University of during the turn of a past century. Laura Boss in recent interviews. At the time of the Winter tions were airing reports that presented the “pos- Texas' $9 billion endowment fund and will be reading new poems concerning love, Soldier Investigation, Nixon’s White House itive, ‘untold stories’ that the ‘liberal media’ don’t appointed Hicks as chairman of UTIMCO, loss and the struggle to survive, as well as counsel Charles Colson warned that the men recount.” Hyman, who spoke to the paper from from her books "Arms: New and Selected the nonprofit corporation that manages Poems" and "Reports from the Front". would “be checked out to ascertain if they are Baghdad, also found Iraqis “brimming with investments for the endowment. From his Women’s Poetry Jam is hosted by Vittoria genuine Viet Nam combat veterans.” good cheer toward Americans.” Hyman’s unbri- position, Hicks was able to tap into the Repetto, the hardest working guinea butch Earlier this year, the Chicago Tribune dled enthusiasm for the occupation came just endowment fund to help bankroll Clear dyke poet on the lower east side. Open mike reported that Kerry and VVAW “were very care- weeks before the simmering guerrilla war Channel's spectacular growth. Now he and sign-up starts at 7 pm, so come and deliver Clear Channel are in a position to help an OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 10, 2004 ful to double-check” the accuracy of the expanded into open revolt last April. (up to) 8 minutes of your poetry, prose, old friend one more time. —John Tarleton 4 accounts, and the Nixon administration ulti- Hyman has gained notoriety for “The Point,” How Conservatives IN BRIEF PROTESTORS NOT SUBJECT TO SEARCH AT SCHOOL OF AMERICAS Are Fighting to Win PROTEST AT FT. BENNING A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that protesters at an upcoming rally against a U.S. training acad- The Campus Wars emy for Latin American soldiers, an annual protest since 1990, may not be required to pass through metal detectors. The unani- The campus left increasingly finds itself mous ruling by the conservative-leaning 11th Circuit Court to uphold constitutional facing off against seasoned conservative rights, which have been increasingly threat- ened since September 11 and the War on Terror. The ruling could prove instrumental if strategists. While progressive student groups used to challenge broader aspects of the PATRIOT Act. This year’s protest is sched- are mostly self-funded, by the mid-1990s uled for Nov. 21-22. roughly $20 million a year was being GULF WAR VETERANS AFFECTED BY NEUROTOXINS pumped into the campus right, according A panel of medical experts has found that veterans of the 1991 Gulf War have been to People for the American Way. affected by exposure to toxic chemicals. In Nik Moore and Liz Tillotson a draft version of the report released to the New York Times, the Research Advisory BY JOSHUA HOLLAND tics of the past few decades. Much of the cur- stunts like “affirmative action bake sales” (in Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses rent focus is on angry, non-debatable cultural which people of different races are charged contends that “a substantial proportion of his money and expertise is directed at conservatism. That’s why YAF has a “conserva- different prices for cookies) or the announce- Gulf War veterans are ill with multi-symp- four distinct goals: training conserva- tive speakers bureau” that sends all kinds of ment of “whites only” scholarships on cam- tom conditions not explained by wartime Ttive campus activists, supporting pissed-off culture warriors to campus, includ- puses across the country. stress or psychiatric illness.” The commit- right-wing student publications, indoctrinat- ing black conservatives to argue that liberals The young conservative’s conspiratorial tee concludes that there is a “probable ing the next generation of culture warriors are “soft racists” and conservative “feminists” view of liberalism will last a lifetime. That’s link” between the health complaints of vet- and demonstrating the liberal academic to rail against the “misogynistic” liberalism of why progressive leaders have a choice to erans and exposure to neurotoxins. “bias” that justifies many conservatives’ “The Vagina Monologues.” make: they can continue to leave it to earnest Possible sources for these neurotoxins reflexive anti-intellectualism. Campus conservatives focus on departments but poorly-networked students to fight it out include pesticides used to protect One such project is the Leadership Institute, like sociology or ethnic and women’s studies, with a shoestring budget against a well- American soldiers in the area and pyri- which trains, supports and coordinates public considered bastions of progressive thought. lubricated political machine, or they can get dostigmine bromide, given to troops to protect them against nerve gas. relations for 213 conservative student groups They use liberal professors’ statements taken in the game and start pushing back. Previous findings have rejected the nationwide. The Leadership Institute is one- out of context to weave a circumstantial case Right now, only the College Democrats and a notion that veterans’ health complaints stop shopping for the campus right – they’ll of bias. The goal is not to promote diversity of few single-issue groups are doing anything at all could be linked to physical conditions in provide conservative guest speakers, assistance opinion, but to convince people that our on a nationwide basis. The campus left needs a Iraq. In light of these new findings, the in starting a conservative newspaper and train- nation’s universities have been hijacked by, as network that links activists at different schools. committee recommended allocating $60 ing on how to win campus elections. the title of one book puts it, “tenured radi- Their publications and speaker programs need million in government funds to research Young America’s Foundation (YAF), like the cals” who brainwash our youth with their financial support. Above all, the left needs a possible medical treatments for these sol- Heritage Foundation, was started in the 1970s crypto-socialist ideology. national organization with the training, scholar- diers and a reassessment of various mili- with seed money from Richard Mellon Scaife. In fact, liberal bias in the academy is a fiction ships, media savvy and “leadership conferences” tary procedures, especially the administra- According to Insight magazine, it “organizes so based on the same sort of selective analysis used that the right has used so effectively. tion of pyridostigmine bromide. many programs on so many campuses that it’s to “prove” bias in the media. While there are Only now, more than 30 years after conser- difficult to find a [young] conservative activist” certainly plenty of liberal professors, rarely vatives began planning and organizing for the who hasn’t been associated with its activities. mentioned by campus right-wingers are tradi- long haul, are progressives attempting to do The programs include the National tionally conservative departments like econom- the same thing. But unless they bring that WORLD WAR 3 REPORT Conservative Student Conference, where this ics, right-leaning frats and student groups, the long-term vision to the campus wars, the next year’s speakers included ABC’s John Stossel, influence of campus ROTC or the fact that for generation of conservatives will be even more Vigilant, Independent Sentry Alabama’s Judge Roy Moore and Reagan every left-leaning Vassar or Oberlin there is an dogmatic and uncompromising than the ones of Truth in the War on Terrorism administration veterans Edwin Meese and equally conservative Washington and Lee or in power today, and they will have won plenty Bill Weinberg, Editor Jeane Kirkpatrick. Brigham Young University. of converts. Such organizations, along with others like But many students buy into the myth. For Reprinted from The Gadflyer. www.ww3report.com the National Association of Scholars and a generation raised on the reactionary Students for Academic Freedom, serve as ready polemics of Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, sources of materials, skills and support for more intellectual brands of conservatism – young conservative activists. What it adds up those based on Thomas Hobbes, Friedrich to is that while progressive students organize Hayek and Milton Friedman – are often around specific issues like sweatshop labor or unrecognizable; they appear solidly centrist to affirmative action, conservatives have launched today’s backlash youth. Once you’re con- a coordinated, nationwide movement with a vinced that the university is a virtual liberal single goal: defeating campus liberalism itself. re-education camp, then every slight and inconvenience of campus life becomes further THE MEDIA AND THE MESSAGE proof of the malevolence of the left. One of the bulwarks of that movement has In that spirit, whenever a liberal professor been the creation of a right-wing college media. clashes with a conservative student or an arbi- The effort has been led by YAF’s National trary rule causes a conservative some inconven- Journalism Center, which “trains scores of stu- ience, the offense is tracked assiduously by pro- dents every year in the skills of press work, and fessional watchdogs like David Horowitz’s assigns them internships [with] cooperating Center for the Study of Popular Culture or

media locations” like the Washington Times. Daniel Pipes’ Campus Watch. The American THE INDYPENDENT The Intercollegiate Studies Institute, Council of Trustees and Alumni, a group founded by William F. Buckley, funnels cash founded by Lynne Cheney, issued a report to more than 80 right-wing student publica- about unpatriotic professors following tions through its Collegiate Network (CN). September 11. Another group, Accuracy in A report by People for the American Way Academia, made waves in the 1980s when they quotes the editor-in-chief of the conservative offered the McCarthyite claim that their OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 10, 2004 Stanford Review as saying CN staffers “help us “research” showed there to be 10,000 known form our opinions.” Communists among university faculties. Today, nearly every major college in the nation has an active right-wing student news- REBELS WITH A CAUSE paper. The same cannot be said for the left. Savvy organizers have seized on all that righteous anger and created an appealing THE BACKLASH COMES TO CAMPUS image for today’s young conservative: rebel- To truly understand today’s campus conser- lious and countercultural, courageously vatives, you have to look past the organizing to fighting the power. They’ve also co-opted the the ideology, which reflects the shift from tra- mocking, confrontational tone of bygone ditional conservatism to the “backlash” poli- campus radicals in their tactics. So we see 5 THE INDYPENDENT OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 10, 2004 7 John Tarleton — Matt Wasserman But the realstory here The is local. The state’s voters have defeated three Over 3,000 same-sex marriages are “We really need some help with health “We “Kerry a has no core,” said Neil Tremblay, Of the 30 states that Bush won in 2000, healthcare, jobs the Iraq war, Terrorism, Both Jennifer and Tim Bliss of Merrimack Both campaigns are desperately wooing the Paula, a mother of two small children from PORTLAND, OREGON— MorePORTLAND, OREGON— a dozen than people have tried to registervote over me to the past month, approaching me on the street, in a coffee in the shop and even library. All of them were, officially or unoffi- supportingcially, Kerry for President. Portland infamously left-leaning locale is an – when Bush the elder used to come to town, he would be met by so many protesters that the White House dubbed the city “Little Beirut” – but the rest of Oregon bears a closer resemblance to Idaho. Al Gore won the state by fewer than 7,000 votes in 2000 and the Democrats know that Kerry only will win if they get out the Portland vote. Oregon measures ballot includes to make it legal for medical marijuana patients to buy bud (currently they can legally possess and grow it) and to protect the Tillamook and Clatsop forests fromcon- logging. The most troversial one is Measure 36, an anti-gay marriage amendment. (Similar measures are on the ballot in 11 states this fall.) anti-gay ballot measures since 1992, but queer activists are worried about this one. The polls have been stuck in a statistical tie for months, and organizers with the Bus Project 5,000 more say that they need an votes to defeat Measure 36. However, ongoing canvassing campaign is underway and Rebekah Kassell of No On 36 says workers at their six field offices are having “really good responses door and on at the the phone.” already on the books in Multnomah County (the Portland area) and, if Measure 36 is defeated, the Oregon Supreme Court is expected to rule in favor of either civil unions or same-sex marriage by the end of the year. If the amendment passes, activists will chal- lenge it in court as violating the state’s bill of rights. — care. We’ve had our worst year ever,” said had our worst year ever,” care. We’ve Diana Domings of Hudson, a Kerry supporter whose husband was laid off earlier this year “Bush from his job as a car-wash manager. is more into rich people than people like us.” former Air Force military intelligence officer from Merrimack who has donated $100 to the Bush-Cheney campaign. “He agrees with everybody and disagrees with everybody. How can someone like that lead?” only Florida was decided by a smaller margin than New Hampshire, which went for Bush by a mere 7,000 votes. The state’s four elec- toral votes are up for grabs again this year. and abortion rights were the issues men- tioned most frequently by New Hampshirites say they will vote for Kerry to protect abor- tion rights. “I think it’s amazing that you wouldn’t be able to decide what to do with Jennifer says. your body,” few voters who remain undecided, like Jim Desjardin, a telecom engineer from Windham. Pelham, is concerned about terrorist attacks and the skyrocketing costs of health insur- ance. She says she won’t vote for Bush, but isn’t sure whether she will support Kerry. “Do I not vote or do I vote for Kerry?” she asked herself. “He just doesn’t excite me.” Pumpkins & Presidents LONDONDERRY, NH—New Hampshirites from all walks of life flock to orchards like Mack’s Apples at the peak of autumn to pick their own apples and pumpkins. As for presidential can- didates, all but a few have made their choice. Town and Country Divide Town oregon new hampshire Detroit Free , NYC IMC Photo Team David Gochfeld PHOTOS: Heading into the final days of the campaign, I Heading into the final days of the campaign, when the debate ended, if faced with no outside con- when the debate ended, own need to speak, would we trolling force but their to say? If they ran out of slogans hear what they need time wait- and sound bites and were faced with empty thought – ing to be filled, if they had to create new to create? would we finally hear the world they want them remember the debate timer and how it protected I remember how it when they had nothing to say. wins, if he resembled the terror alert system. Whoever red? runs out of slogans – will we see it flashing “If we don’t suppress the Detroit vote, we’re going to have fliers that warned packages, voters to watch for unattended Milwaukee’s request ballots following a for 258,000 additional Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer gave local election officials record-setting voter registration drive in the predominantly Detroit’s population. a tough time in this election.” Blacks comprise 83 percent of appear to be whispering to themselves, the flier warns. African-American central city. He backed down after protests from African-American central city. local officials. vehicles “riding low on springs” and “homicide bombers.” unusual herbal/flower water or perfume,” wear baggy clothes or Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker tried to block the City of Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker Press Republican State Rep. John Pappageorge told the accusing students of engaging in felony voter fraud by registering ineligible new residents state law only requires even though voters University of Arizona by the Network of Feminist Student Activists, A Fox news crew disrupted a voter registration drive held at the to live in the state for 29 days before the election. Arizona Bombers may have a “shaved head or short “smell of hair,” in New Hampshire law does not require even though state voters to have lived in the state for a particular amount of time. was threatened with criminal charges when he tried to register to vote An out-of-state student at the University of New Hampshire said he New Hampshire Wisconsin Michigan Washington, D.C. Washington, Republican Party Chairman Ed Gillespie sent a letter to the group Rock the requesting that it “cease and desist” from promoting its campaign warn-Vote ing young voters that the government may reinstate the draft. Gillespie threatened said the group’s to take legal action and non-profit status could 10/19/04] [Democracy Now, be in jeopardy. Minnesota By John Tarleton Both men speak in bite-size clichés, designed like nails Both men speak in bite-size clichés, designed is One of the innovations of Lacanian psychoanalysis patients fear the end of speaking, as if it’s a minor death a speaking, as if it’s patients fear the end of pushes through the defenses of and the time pressure listening for the Bush and Kerry, the ego. So I watched hear it. I didn’t panic that signals honesty. image. Think flip- to be hammered into their opponent’s Since both had ready replies, we the audi- flop and liar. from ence simply watched two men repeat accusations speech and the safe distance that exists between routine it pro- real feeling. Having a time limit is power because them out tects them from letting a series of questions pry of their safety zone. How do we get their truth? not know to have no time limit. If Bush and Kerry did refused to add more than the current single early voting site, “miles from most of the majority black precincts.” In Florida’s Duval County the supervisor elections of Adjacent Orange County has nine early-vote sites. The state attorney general opened a criminal investigation into Americans in Orlando. allegations that Sproul’s firm was intentionally destroying or dis- carding voter registration forms signed by Democrats. According to OpenSecrets.org, Sproul’s firm received $125,000 this year from the Republican National Committee for voter registration Oregon lot fraud, conducted intimidating visits to elderly African- Law enforcement officersabsentee bal- in Florida, investigating and stole three computers. Data on one stolen computer included e-mails discussing campaign strategy, candidates’ schedules, e-mails discussing campaign strategy, Burglars broke into Lucas County Democratic Party headquarters financial information and phone numbers of party members, candi- dates, donors and volunteers. No arrests have been made to date. by Nathan Sproul, former chair of the Arizona Republican Party. destroyed by Voters Outreach of America, a private company headed destroyed by Voters Hundreds of voter registration forms were intentionally discarded or Nevada Secretarysays he will appeal a court of State A. Kenneth Blackwell rul- Voting As A Full-Contact Sport As A Full-Contact Voting

The Republican secretary of state’s office has told officials to reject reg- istration forms that are complete except for a blank U.S. citizen check box even though signing the registration form is akin to signing an oath declar- ing U.S. citizenship. and another $500,000 for “political consulting.” Sproul’s company also ran voter registration drives in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Florida. News reports are piling up regarding Republican secretaries of state, election officials and partisans making a concerted effort to disenfranchise voters in key swing states in advance of November 2. Florida Ohio ing that allows voters to cast provisional ballots in the wrong precinct as long as He also tried to disqualify voter registration they are cast in the proper county. 80-lb. stock paper. forms that were not printed on heavy, Frank Reynoso Frank OWERS P hy did they agree to a timer that resembled hy did they agree to a the terror alert system? As Senator Kerry and President Bush recycled slogans and dodged ICHOLAS N Time is power. Anyone who has gone to therapy is power. Time Y B to red. questions, the timer clicked from green to yellow I alone in wanting to see Flashing red meant stop. Was Would one keep gabbing while the red light flashed. Would orchestra music drown them out as in the Oscars? the moderator declare martial law? the most knows how the last few minutes are often through- intense, as if to shoehorn in the truth avoided suggest out the session. Observers who study this W Debates Out of Time Out Debates Republicans may have good reason to be con- This story was adapted from an earlier version that mitted to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes” to Bush. cerned about Ohio and its 20 electoral votes. No Republican has ever won the White House with- out winning Ohio. In 2000, Bush won Ohio by 165,000 votes (or 3.5 percent) after Al Gore decided to conserve his resources and not contest final weeks. The state the state in the campaign’s has been hard hit by job losses during Bush’s presidency and this time around activist groups, Soros-funded Americans Coming like the George have registered 700,000 new voters in Together, Ohio, many of them in predominantly Democratic areas. appeared on clamormagazine.org. REITBART B OSHUA J This election’s Katherine Harris is Ohio This election’s gotten so bad that state legislators are calling It’s Some ballots may wind up being marred. There are also concerns as Ohio has begun to Y it don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got swing ain’t mean a thing, if it it don’t ohio B TOLEDO, Ohio — Sound familiar: a swing state, some improper ballots and a notably partisan Republican Secretary of State issuing directives designed to minimize voter participation? This Florida 2000 scenario is looking increasingly likely to play out here in Ohio. Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, an He’s African American and a big Bush booster. lost issued so many cockamamie directives he’s credibility among local election boards, who are now selectively choosing which ones to follow. resignation. The NAACP is trying for Blackwell’s to pressure him to allow parolees to vote after many were improperly informed that they could not. Blackwell has also announced that only voter regis- tration forms printed on heavy 80-lb. paper stock should be accepted, claiming lighter cards might be shredded by postal equipment (meaning that voters who have to re-register on the heavier paper might not make it on time). On Oct. 14 a federal judge overturned another Blackwell edict, ruling that a person can vote in the wrong precinct as long as she or he is in the right county. Officials in Lucas County (which encompasses agree on how to remove Ralph can’t Toledo) the ballots that were printed name from Nader’s before a judge booted him off. introduce electronic voting machines produced by Diebold, whose chief executive officer Walden re- O’Dell has raised $100,000 for the president’s election effort and pledged last year he was “com- Florida 2000 All Over Again? SW — “I don’t know anyone who’s “I don’t

not voting,” he adds. “I’ve been to parties where people won’t she’ll vote for Kerry as “dam- age control.” A lot of her voting, she says friends aren’t after Florida, “who knows if it gets counted?” Her friend a social- Gentile, 21, Vincenzo would ist bicycle messenger, like to see “an extremely pervy queer president,” but will vote for Kerry as “less scary than Bush.” He was impressed that Kerry brought up abortion rights in the debates without being asked. Antrim Caskey Antrim ANTRIM CASKEY “I think their theory is to let the people Federal AIDS services “are worse than Joe, a 51-year-old salesman, says he’s Joe, a 51-year-old vote for Kerry has “taken the inner-city “I’m biased. Whatever Bush says is Her main hope, she says, is that “it doesn’t father of James Seldon, a 45-year-old 26, a social worker Marissa Valenzuela, who have [AIDS] die and push abstinence- only for the rest,” says DeMarco. they’ve ever been,” adds DeMarco. Several states have stopped accepting new patients for the AIDS Drugs Assistance Program, and more than 1,300 people are on the waiting list for it. “They have to wait for someone to die to get drugs,” says Shabazz-El. voting for Ralph Nader, based on his voting for Ralph Nader, opposition to the Iraq war and his work on environmental issues. Asked the obvious question, he replies, “I’d rather have Bush. insipid phony. a quiche-eating, Kerry’s then against it.” for the war, He’s granted,” says Jim Kurtz, a 48-year-old nurse with two young children. He’d like to see the issue of drugs addressed, by a combination of legalization, treatment for addicts, and creating jobs to discourage the young from turning to dealing. “I have a lot of hope that Kerry will do don’t anything about that,” he says, but he’ll vote for the Democrat anyway. bull,” says Bilal Bell, 29, sitting in front of “I his bakery shop, with his baby daughter. hope people will see through all the propa- ganda and the bad commercials.” let you in the door unless you’re registered.” ran out last year, “They told me the gov- ran out last year, I said, ‘You’re ernment ran out of money. to Iraq and I can’t taking my tax dollars the United States? get health care here in ridiculous.’” That’s happen like in Florida. They stole the elec- care what anybody says.” tion. I don’t three, says he was “kind of undecided” until the last debate, when “Bush would put the same answer to everything. ‘Education is great.’ School is great for kids, but people my age need jobs. We’ve got bills. And he wants kids to pay for their own Social Security.” with several rings in her lower lip, says PHOTOS: VINCENZO GENTILE wants to see “a pervy queer president Two Pennsylvanians who definitely Bush has no compassion for “Mr. Another Republican, 21-year-old Penn Another Republican, 21-year-old Cleophis Hyman, 67, a want no Bush. I know that don’t “We says Sarah “Bush is a downright liar,”

thinks,” explains Ryan, 28, while Kerry 28, thinks,” explains Ryan,

Waheedah Sabazz-El and Jose DeMarco, Waheedah aren’t going to vote for President Bush are Philadelphia ACT UP activists Shabazz-El, 51, and Jose Waheedah DeMarco, 49. people with AIDS,” says Shabazz-El. “He’s not signing bills that would fund AIDS drug He wants to assistance. push abstinence-only into our communi- ties. Abstinence hasn’t worked in 5,000 years.” PENNSYLVANIA SWING cont. from cover AIDS Activists GWB-Negative “is a chameleon.” Even if there was no link “is a chameleon.” Even and the 9/11 between Saddam Hussein say 25, “you can’t attacks, adds Jessica, Saddam. His Iraq is not better off without sons killed people for no reason.” The two believe that “the media need to cover the good things more, not just the negative,” why we started watch- “That’s says Ryan. ing Fox News. They give both sides.” State student Dan Iannucci, says he will The huge budget deficit is vote for Kerry. not “real Republican economics,” he explains, and Bush went into Iraq “with- out a plan to win the peace. If it was you or me and you planned that poorly for something that important, you’d be fired.” retired truckdriver from Philadelphia, is a black man who complains that Bush “can spend billions in Iraq, but they put medicine on Medicare” can’t – but he will nevertheless prob- ably vote for Bush. The reason: Kerry “believes people have the right to kill your children,” he opines. “They use fancy words. They call it ‘abortion.’ They call murder.” it ‘choice.’ But it’s LEFT LEANS WEST PHILLY The spectrum of views is very and South different at Baltimore Avenue Philadelphia. The 49th Street in West neighborhood, composed of richly detailed, aging three-story wood and brick houses, is mostly African-American, but more multiracial and somewhat better off than the blocks to the north, which are pockmarked with abandoned rowhouses. anarchist also home to Philadelphia’s It’s space and the site of the defunct Radio Mutiny pirate station. 69. Johnson, much,” says Tee compensation 40, a workers’ Crocker, a mess, economy’s “The claims adjuster. the senior citizens are catching hell with the prescription drugs. And the one who did 9/11 is bin Laden. Why are you going after Saddam Hussein?” Bush says the she health-care system is getting better, adds, but when she tried to get medical care – “for me, my kids have CHIP” – after her unemployment compensation

6 6 OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 10, 2004 10, NOVEMBER – 21 OCTOBER THE INDYPENDENT THE 8 OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 5, 2004 THE INDYPENDENT I to desert. According to According to desert. hasbeendone.” reconstruction or that“notmuch rebuilding countered inNajaf initiated, butahigh-levelIraqiofficial theyhave projects dollars” inreconstruction toutingthe“tensofmillions are officials InNajaf,American fortheresistance. port andjobswillsapsup- But onlyreconstruction Iraqis intosubmission,atleasttemporarily. onpublishedreports. count relied higherasthe number isalmostcertainly Oct.11to17,butthereal dead Iraqisfrom October. The numbersinearly stoppedreleasing Ministry equals 1,800killedinNajaf. ofthecasualtyrate, this least 20percent amounttoat Asdeathsinwarfare injury.” have been“9,000claimsinvolvingdeathor Imam AliShrine.The the ing left“aringofdevastation”around aclue. of Najafoffers killedinSadrCity,were buttheU.S.assault August. It’snotknownhowmanypeople Najafin from forces evicting MahdiArmy beganbombingSadrCityafter U.S. forces overthelullinfighting. relief expressed to maintainourstrength.” “We Ourplanis havetakenourprecautions. toldtheAP,Moqtada Sadr’sMahdiArmy Iraq,hopingtomakeaprofit. throughout traders intothesuburbfrom flow ofarms the increased scheme hasinadvertently Financial Times Ironically,as ancientorbroken. the have beenhandedindescribed isn’t asuccess.”Manyoftheweaponsthat Washington Post toldthe officer OneU.S.Army a failure. U.S. planes. tion ofBaghdadafterweeksbombingby heldintheSadrCitysec- buyback program ratcheting uptheviolence.Theweapons- situation inIraq,theBushadministrationis rified toshowupatpollingstations.” half, thedisenchantedpopulationistooter- a‘nogozone’…Intheother remains try monthswhilehalfofthecoun- tions inthree istalkingabouthavingelec- government he wouldgetthemajorityofvote.” forelections allowedtorun Hussein were Fassihinoted,“ifSaddam Farnaz Reporter email, widely circulated choice. HeistheonlypersonIwanttovotefor.” said,“Saddamismy Republican. Allaal-Turfi to wastehisvoteoneitheraDemocrator evenifIraqiscouldvoteinAmerica.” here don’tthinkmuchwillchange but Ireally excuse tostayhere.” keep itunstablebecausethatwillbean Iraqand change... Theyjustwanttocontrol in theMiddleEastandIraqwillnot Baghdad, told managerin ence,” HamidMajeed,afactory ing underU.S.occupation. general told Addingtotheskepticism,aU.S. effective. tobe take fiveyearsforIraqisecurityforces based thinktankestimatedthatitwould aU.K.- Belying optimisticAmericanofficials, diers abandonedtheir750-manunit.” Oct.1,“atleast300Iraqisol- kicked off ofSamarra theU.S.reconquest before three months. three question thatelections couldbeheldin police,callinginto needed 10,000more a War How toLose iraq who are completely indifferent: Iraqisliv- completelyindifferent: who are ofpotentialvoters onegroup tion, there’s elec- totheU.S.presidential n therun-up As for Iraqi security forces, theycontinue As forIraqisecurityforces, thatitcanbomb The Pentagonhasproved As forthetollamongallIraqis,Health tothe According ofSadrCity Nonetheless, manyresidents In anycase,acommanderinthe hasbeen By manyaccounts,theprogram bythedeteriorating Seemingly frustrated “TheIraqi As forelections,Fassihiwrote, anisolatedopinion.Ina This ishardly Like someU.S.voters,oneIraqididn’twant Abbas Muhammadadded,“IlikeKerry makesnodiffer- Itreally “Bush? Kerry? Reuters New York Times Reuters , “Iwouldsayitcertainly reported, the“handover reported, New York Times Times that Baghdadalone . “Americanpolicies Wall Journal Street USA Today added thatthere tallied 208 , thefight- , even H B used tobeableproduce about70%ofthe toes consumedinHaiti. “Inthe1970s,Haiti percent ofthebananas, beansandsweetpota- border. Thefloodedregion producedupto40 that killedover3,000alongtheDominican to HaitianagriculturefromfloodsinMay orchards flattened–exacerbatingthedamage with cornfields,rivepaddiesandcitrus storm, especiallyintheNorthwestregion, homeless. plastic sheetingforthemanythousandsleft airlift fromEnglandbroughtintentsand load topreventdisease.Anemergency Oxfam riedly dumpedintomassgravesbythetruck- mud, andunclaimedcorpseshavebeenhur- is flooded.Roadsarenearlyimpassablewith operation inGonaives,andthecity’s hospital broken out. riots bythedesperatepopulationhavealso city isjustfilledwithgangs,”hesaid.Food the raidsofreliefsuppliesinGonaives.“The is impossibletosaywhichareresponsiblefor many armedgroupsoperatinginHaitithatit the U.N.mission,toldAPthatthereareso main foodaidwarehouseinGonaives. rebels andUNpeacekeepersguardingthe reported betweenagroupofabout20armed already inthecity. Analtercationwas storm, reinforcingsome600peacekeepers sent 150moretroopstoGonaivessincethe cholera breaksout.TheUnitedNationshas fresh watertostrickencommunitiesbefore workers saytheyareracingtheclocktoget ple whoneedithasbecomeachallenge.Aid around theworld,butgettingittopeo- think thingscouldgetworse,”hesaid. machetes heldupagovernmentaidconvoy. “I Sept. 30,daysaftermenarmedwithgunsand tion missioninHaiti,toldtheAssociatedPress Harrison, securitychiefoftheU.N.stabiliza- water tothesurvivorsofJeanne. voys, hinderingthedeliveryoffoodand agony. Armedgangshavehelduprelief con- is deepeningtheimpoverishednation’s President Jean-BertrandAristidelastMarch to disarmtheparamilitarygangsthatousted ure ofHaiti’s newU.S.-backedgovernment west portcityofGonaives.Butnowthefail- 200,000 homeless,especiallyinthenorth- least 1,500dead,nearly1,000missingand Y Croplands werealsodevastatedbythe Electricity andlandlinephonesareoutof Toussaint Kongo-Doudou,aspokesmanfor Planeloads ofreliefaidhavearrivedfrom “There’s abigproblemwithgangs,”John HAITI’S SILENTAGONY B ILL W through HaitiSep.20,leavingat “tropical storm”whenittore urricane Jeannewasstilljusta EINBERG F threshold of$150dollarsamonth,according population livesundertheminimumpoverty next fivemonths.EightypercentofHaiti’s ately neededtofeed100,000Haitiansforthe Food Program(WFP). Gavreau, HaitidirectoroftheUN’s World could affectthatevenmore,”saidGuy food; nowit’s about40andthislatesttragedy Martissant andmany otherpoorneighbor- Soleil, LaSaline,Grand Ravine,Delmas2, forces ofthepolice to enterBelAir, Cite work hand-in-handwiththesemilitarized to letthemkillus. Brazilians andtheUnitedNationsstood by firing onunarmeddemonstratorswhilethe unleashed hisforces…Itwastheywhobegan beginning ofthisinitiativewhereLatortue President Aristide.September30thwasthe capital alonetostopthecallsforreturnof to kill25,000peopleinthecapital, Latortue estimatethatitwouldbenecessary the Ministerofjustice,afriendinsideheard one byone.Inasecretmeetinghehadwith a contractwiththeformermilitarytokillus [Gerard Latortue]hassaidheisgoingtosign into exile. They havearrestedourleadersordriventhem running fromthepoliceandyouhavenojob? ever triedtofeedyourfamilywhileyouare then anddrivenusintohiding.Haveyou to spendonfood.Theyhavekilledussince goods aregettingrichoffthepennieswehave starving whileafewfamiliesthatimport beans costnowinthemarket?Familiesare on Feb.29.Doyouknowhowmuchriceand called Nancy, conductedintheslumofBelAir. the resultofaclandestineinterviewwithwoman Bertrand Aristide’s Lavalasparty. Thefollowing is in anattempttocrushoustedPresidentJean- of poorneighborhoodsinthecapital,PortauPrince, the U.S.-installedHaitianregimecontinuesitssiege Backed byUnitedNationsso-calledpeacekeepers, F ‘We arewillingtodie’ interview ROM The WFPsays$5.9millionisnowdesper- [T]hey hadextrasquadsofformermilitary ...And nowthedefactoPrimeMinister since PresidentAristidewaskidnapped been tryingtostarvethepoorinHaiti irst youshouldrealizethattheyhave B LACKCOMMENTATOR . ORG farmers whoalwayssuffer.” next toafieldofcrushedcornstocks.“It’s the ing toanunclaimedcorpseinamuddycanal Delivra, a54-year-old peasanttoldAP, point- corpses arestillcloggingourcanals,”Delva to theWFP. Latortue’s policeandtheformermilitary. and ourcommunityfromtheviolenceof a questionofdefendingourneighborhoods lence ofSeptember30thbegananditbecame had stayedathome…Thisishowthevio- more housesshootingandbeatingpeoplewho After thekillingstartedtheybrokeintomany point waitingfortherightmomenttostrike. the morningandheldoccupantsatgun- quietly enteredcertainhousesveryearlyin had started.We didnotknowthattheyhad out ourknowledgebeforethedemonstration up operationsinBelAirandCiteSoleilwith- Bel Air. Theformermilitaryhadalready set 30th manypeoplewerekilled,especiallyin hoods tokillalotofpeople.OnSeptember us ashumanbeings. power byforeignersand thatdoesnotaccept ery causedbyagovernmentthatwasputinto willing todiebeforewewillacceptthismis- our fathers,sonsandcousinsare all until hereturns.Ourbrothers,oursisters, determined therewillneverbepeaceinHaiti was notthecaseandforthisreasonweare the population.With PresidentAristidethis ducated eventhoughwearethemajority of Haitian societybecausewearepoorandune- Aristide’s returnonSeptember30th... they knewwewouldmobilizetodemand Bush wereafraidofthenumberspeople arrest them.AllofthisbecauseLatortueand have takentheirfamilymembersafterthey people herewhodonotknowwherethey four year-olds totheground.Therearemany we haveseenthemforcethreeyear-olds and arrest everybodyinsight.OutsideofBelAir outskirts ofourneighborhoodsandbeganto continue thekilling…Sotheysetupon allow themtoenterourcommunitiesand “We can’t evenbegintoreplantbecause For thefullinterview, goto ...We arenotcountedashumanbeingsin In thedaysthatfollowedwewouldnot Reprinted fromww3report.com blackcommentator.org THE INDYPENDENT OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 5, 2004 9 the world the nyc.indymedia.org Caracas Mayor Alfredo Peña, the highest The professor was suspended for six The protest was precipitated by the uni-

IN BRIEF IN VENEZUELA: FACTORY OCCUPIED, ELECTION RELIABILITY DISPUTED Hundreds of workers occupied the Venepal on Sept. 7 paper mill in Morón, Venezuela demanding nationalization and workers’ is one of the largest management. Venepal paper producersin South America. Before closing up shop and leaving hundreds of workers unpaid, the owners were in active the anti-Chavez opposition, despite over- whelming support for the former paratrooper and populist leader in the local municipality. elected official opposed to Chavez, says he is withdrawing his candidacy for re-election amid concerns of fraud in the coming regional elections. Vice-President Jose Vincente Rangel dismisses the allegations, instead noting the disunity of the right after Chavez’ crushing vic- Venezuelan tory in a recent national referendum on his “Bolivarian revolution.” OPPOSING “SEXUAL RIGHTS,” U.S. DROPS POPULATION AGREEMENT On Oct. 13, at the tenth anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development held in 1994 in Cairo, Egypt, over 250 world leaders signed a statement supporting a renewed U.N. population agenda. Signatories to the statement say they hope to encourage a renewed action plan to address the deepening HIV/AIDS pandemic, persisting maternal mortality, and difficulty to family planning serv- of access ices, particularly in poorer nations. Among signing the statement werethose former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, along with other presidents, prime ministers, and Nobel laureates. Missing was the Bush administration, which said it withheld support because of the state- ment’s commitment to “sexual rights” and reproductive rights, which it claimed exceeded the original agreement not to invoke a concept whose definition is not agreed upon by the international community. STUDENT STRIKE IN PUERTOSTUDENT STRIKE RICO of students at the University On Oct. 7th, Puerto of in San Juan closed the gates Rico Campus as partthe Río Piedras a 24- of hour strike to demand the reinstatement of suspended mathematics professor Héctor Rosario. “assassin” to months without pay for yelling a military official and cooperating with a stu- at the westerndent camp against the ROTC Mayaguez campus. Rosario started a hunger strike in protest. versity president’s refusal the pro- to clarify fessor’s situation. As a result of the actions the professor, taken by students and the administration offered Rosario a reduction of and immedi- the suspension to four months ate restitution of his salary. Rosario refused and the case is still on appeal. IN LONDON 70,000 PROTEST WAR DURING EURO SOCIAL FORUM While tens of thousands gathered in London’s Square to protest British participationTrafalgar in the U.S. led occupation of Iraq, tensions inside the European Social Forum (ESF) broke into the open. Organized largely by members of Party,the Socialist Workers the UK’s largest socialist organization, with in cooperation London Mayor “Red” Ken Livingstone, a dissi- dent member of the ruling Labour Party, the ESF has raised the hackles of anarchists and autonomous activists who complained of exclusion from the planning process. After a group of organizing a counter-ESF nearby, 200 anarchists stormed the stage of the forum Oct. 16, blocking Livingstone’s planned speech. Banners were unfurled reading “Ken’s Party,”Party, in reference War to the Labour Party’s support of the Iraq war. (AP PHOTO/KEVIN FRAYER) PHOTO/KEVIN (AP The Shararbeh area is one of the friction But there is still some good news. For exam- “This season will be good in the plains,” Hanani has another reason to rejoice. A bring in the entire crop. zones. It is located south of Beit Fourik and falls between two settler bypass roads. Mayor olive grove is in this Hanani, whose family’s area, said the army had informed them that “whoever does go in will be shot at.” More than 120 farmers have groves in such pro- hibited areas, according to the mayor. ple, because of the closures during the four years of the Intifada, hundreds of farmers have rehabilitated lands east of Beit Fourik and restored it for agricultural use. The farmers have planted the land with olive trees in order to at least partially compensate for the loss of their land and groves near the settlements. the mayor predicted. “Of course, the quality is lower than in the hilly area because of the lack of rainfall.” has French non-governmental organization amounts of Beit Fourik’s promised to buy large olive oil to market in France. The NGO is also training farmers on the best methods of pick- ing, storing and pressing olives. Excerpted from www.palestinereport.org Economic options for Palestinians are disappearing, and coping All movement across Gaza’s borders is controlled. An Israeli secu- All movement across Gaza’s Meanwhile, no fishing has been permitted from approximately 40 IDF leveling of land to provide a clear field of fire has contributed During the past four years, Israeli demolition of homes has left mechanisms are being exhausted, OCHA said. rity fence surrounds Gaza and sea access to the west is prohibited. Palestinian movement in and out of Gaza is limited to two crossing points: Erez terminal for laborers with permits to work in Israel, and Rafah terminal in the south into Egypt. percent of the Gaza coast since October 2003. In the remaining coastal areas, fishermen are limited to six nautical miles off the coast. Under the Oslo Accords, Palestinians were permitted to fish up to 20 nautical miles off the coast. to food insecurity. For example, more than 50 percent of Beit to food insecurity. agricultural land, mainly growing citrus fruits and olives, Hanoun’s has been destroyed in the past four years. 24,547 Gazans homeless. In 2004, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) demolished on average 120 residential buildings each month. In September 2004 alone, 133 homes were demolished, leaving 807 peo- ple homeless. increase in psychological disorders among Palestinian children has also been recorded. . Palestine Report “People are scared because of the repeated Beit Fourik lies about seven kilometers east The Israeli army has provided timetables to Mayor Hanani sees more trouble ahead. “The According to the ministry of agriculture, During the past four years, Israeli demolition of homes has left 24,547 Gazans homeless. During the past four years, Israeli demolition of homes has attacks and provocations from the settlers that what happened in the past will happen this season,” Beit Fourik mayor Atef Hanani told the of Nablus and its 10,000 residents live pri- marily off agriculture and livestock. But of the 36,350 dunams of cultivated land, mostly planted with olive trees, 11,000 dunams are now off-limits to the owners. other villagers, are determined to pick our olives this year no matter the consequences.” more than 30 villages in “friction zones” near major area settlements. In most cases, hours for harvesting have been drastically cut and in some cases farmers have only one day to army has allowed Beit Fourik farmers three days to pick their crops next to the settlement fences and the security zone,” Hanani said. “But this is not enough time, we need at least 10 days.” over the past three years the Israeli army has uprooted 338,251 trees, resulting in $16 million worth of losses to the Palestinian agricultural sector. ANETH P

AAD S

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TEF D A She was the second child in recent weeks to die after being shot said Peter “The pace of child deaths has been accelerating terribly,” From January to September 2004, 453 Palestinians were killed in The humanitarian situation among the 1.4 million Palestinians in Malnutrition rates have increased – chronic malnutrition for chil- Two years ago, the Israeli government Two has been dis- For the Hananis the measure The extended family of 35 has in the past And it is not just direct attacks on the per- Along the security zones, farmers are not it is not surprising that the all this With Y Y

B Ghadeer Jaber N.Y.—Nine-year-old UNITED NATIONS, Mokheimer was fatally wounded Oct. 13 when she was hit by gunfire from an Israeli military position in the Gaza Strip. The fifth-grade refugee camp. pupil was sitting at her desk in school at Khan Younis She died the next day. Raghda Adnan Al-Assar died on while attending school. Ten-year-old Sept. 22, two weeks after a bullet struck him in the head. of the U.N. Relief and Works Hansen, Commissioner-General Agency for Palestine Refugees. Gaza. Thirty-two Israelis were killed in Gaza and four by Qassam rocket attacks launched from Gaza into the neighboring Israeli town of Sderot. Gaza has deteriorated sharply since the beginning of 2004, the U.N. (OCHA) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported Oct. 1. Based on 2003 conditions, the poverty rate in Gaza is expected to increase from 47 percent to 56 percent by 2006. dren under five is 12.7 percent – and are expected to rise. A marked Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

B WEST BANK—The olive BEIT FOURIK, a happy occasion for farm- harvest is usually to this sea- ers, but Fares Hanani looks ahead age of 70, he has son with trepidation. At the and go on the seen plenty of harvests come Fourik he and mountainous terrain near Beit their father and his brothers inherited from but the last couple of years have grandfather, been especially difficult. “security zones” financed the construction of some as around Nablus-area settlements, with electrified wide as 400 meters and all fences and security cameras. Itimar settle- astrous. Their land, close to the off limits to ment, is now almost completely and although they own 10,000 the family, 30,000 liters of olive trees that produce up to har- their income from the olive oil annually, vest is now zero. tried to sneak onto the land to pick olives, Settler attacks on but doing so can be deadly. the farmers seem to intensify around the olive harvest. On Oct. 11, armed settlers opened fire on a group of farmers picking olives from their groves in the village of Asirah Al Junubiyeh, wounding Hani Abdel Raouf in settlers the neck. In October of last year, killed farmer Adnan Idrees and a youth in separate incidents. During the harvest two years ago, settlers killed three farmers. son. On Sept. 29, settlers set fire to 400 dunams of land planted with olive trees south The of the town (a dunam is a quarter-acre). fire damaged hundreds of trees, according to farmer Abu Saleh, who says he himself lost settlers cut down 6,000 318 trees. Last year, olive trees on lands south of Nablus. allowed to graze livestock, and they complain that settlers steal their olives and press them in an olive press they have set up in the Itimar set- tlement. An official in the Palestinian agricul- tural ministry estimated that settlers had picked olives from an area of more than 300 dunams in and Deir Al Hatab last season. Yanoun Hanani family has almost stopped trying to get to their land. “I never imagined in my worst nightmares the day would come when Abu Fursan [Fares] would have to buy olive “But sister. oil,” said Shahleh, Fares Hanani’s along with the We, we will not surrender. Olive Groves Are Burning Are Groves Olive 10 OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 10, 2004 THE INDYPENDENT T Cray’s expanded Guthriearchives, Ed refugees lookingforabetterlife. Arkies andotherDustBowl and singingsongsaboutOkies, March 1937,searchingforajob the firsttimeonafreighttrainin stole intothisstatenearherefor conga drum.” voice willecho“likerainona Mountains tothenorthandyour Sweep intothebarrenPalen ley dottedwithcactusandbrush. could seethesprawlingdesertval- tains. Fromourvantagepointwe bed nestledbetweentwomoun- stop andspilledintoadrycreek car’s shocksrocked,wecametoa ing dirttrailmileslong.Asthe our oldcarlaboreddownawind- sive andinsightfulbiography of RGNLG ORIGINAL FOLK’S WITH REAL IT KEEPING REVIEWS UTR,PLTC N CRITICISM AND CULTURE,POLITICS Taking advantageofthe recently Folk musicianWoody Guthrie T W.W. Norton&Co.,2004 by EdCray R OF HE AMBLIN W California, thispastMarch, outside ofDesertCenter, urning offthepavedroad Ramblin’ Man L OODY IFE ’ M & T G AN UTHRIE IME : is anexten- ladeer, first majorbiographyofthebal- Klein’s the folksinger. Together withJoe anizing, alcoholismand abuseof no punchesaboutGuthrie’s wom- red leanings, were hisregulargig. the time.Unionhallperformances twined withtheradicalpoliticsof Jewish). Guthrie’s careerwasinter- the Jewishfaith(hissecondwifewas Dance” isGuthrie’s contributionto Spanish CivilWar, and“Hanukkah honor Americanswhofoughtinthe Obscure tuneslike“JaramaValley” Floyd” havebecomefolkclassics. Land isYour Land”and“PrettyBoy worker struggles.Otherslike“This Massacre” and“UnionMaid”about music. Hewrotesongslike“1913 many losttohistoryorwithout tasia ofthepost-waryears. and neverlivedthesuburbanfan- Depression thatdefinedhismusic Americans throughtheGreat Guthrie’s familysufferedlikemost had dabbledinrealestate.But “middle class”becausehisfather Man in Okemah,Oklahoma. home-spun talesofhischildhood Bound ForGlory, hard-traveling autobiography, before hediedin1967. man whohadbecomealegend While sympatheticto Guthrie’s Guthrie wrotethousandsofsongs, In hisfreight-hoppingand calls Guthrie’s upbringing Ramblin’ Man Woody Guthrie: ALife, Ramblin’ Man Guthrie provided demystifies a Ramblin’ pulls the in therevivalashishealth declined. Guthrie missedouton performing Village musicianworth hisguitar. Guthrie’s songswereplayedbyany the folkrevivalof1960s, John Hurt,whofoundnewlifein blues singers,suchasMississippi and commonlaborers.Likemany mouths offarmers,small-townfolks Woody Guthriesangsongsfromthe Greenwich Village andBerkeley, there wasfolkmusic.Before likes ofthesesupporters. life, didn’t laborenoughforthe food onthetableformostofhis Guthrie, whostruggledtoput Guthrie’s hoboimage.Apparently unwashed body”thatwaspartof fully hiddeninanill-kempt,often singer’s “hyper-literacy [was]care- quotes whoknewGuthrie,the hero. ForCrayandthepeoplehe cles astheauthenticworkingclass crowning byNewYork leftistcir- merchant marine. the wareffort.Guthrieservedasa mobilized theAmericanleftinto Japanese attackonPearlHarbor sion oftheSovietUnionand World War IIuntiltheNaziinva- Party lineofnon-interventionin less followedtheCommunist winded partymeetings,neverthe- of Huntington’s disease. loved onesasheslidintotheabyss Rolling outoftheTexas pan- Guthrie wasfolkmusicbefore Cray alsodelvesintoGuthrie’s Guthrie, neveroneforlong- I DOPE STRAIGHT THE Brooklyn arestilltucking bags quality. Sowhileteenagersacross more pervasive,lesstaboo orhigher years), marijuanahas neverbeen (cocaine asayouth,Jesusinrecent predilection fortheharderstuff glaucoma andapresidentwith grandmothers smokingherbtoease weed becamelegallongago.With building onthemainstreet. and toaGuthriemuralonanold before burningdownyearsback, land whereGuthrie’s housestood you inthedirectionofaplot elderly manatthestorecanpoint sells Guthriememorabilia.An every Julyandasecond-handstore hosts afolkfestivalinhishonor passed Okemahby. Thetown One getsthesensethattimehas the waytoGuthrie’s hometown. jalopy crossedintoOklahomaon time inPampa,ourmodern-day handle, whereGuthrielivedfora Running Press,2004 by StevenWishnia C T could beforgiven forthinking herbal indiscretionsoflate,you f youhaven’t beenpinchedfor OMPANION HE C ANNIBIS — Bennett Baumer Graphic taken from Graphic takenfrom Barber, illustratedbyCoralMula Companion wouldn’t wantthat.— the terroristsarewinning. Andwe lifted onaworkingman’s wage,then I smellprofiteering.If youcan’t get tunnels forOsamaBinSmokin,but randomly searchingatbridgesand blame the“waronterror,” withcops $70-$80. Communitymerchants An eighthofhydroreportedlyruns the lasttimeIevensawadime-bag. sized” downsouth,Ican’t remember chapters onhowtheyroll“Texas- of thesmokablesinthiscity. Reading needs tobedoneaboutthecrazyprice can “pickyourteeth.” the countryforbeingsoslimyou “New York joint,”famousaround you, atthepaltyskinnyon rebellious. Andweep,weepItell mixed withtobaccotomakeittruly and theexotic“European”spliff– rolling techniquessuchasblunts Enrich yourselfwithregional over thetechnologyofhydroponics. out indicaandsativa.Geek between Ponder the difference together. porn soexplicitthepagesstick prohibition efforts.Marvelbud how racialparanoiafedintoearly while they’regluedtothecouch. to amuseyourstoned-outbrethren coffee-table bookartfullydesigned noisseurship” inatasteful,andtasty offers “theultimateguidetocon- Wishnia’s Indypendent beneath theirtenderscrotums, Which remindsme,something And, it’s educationaltoo.Learn , designedbyClare The Cannibus Companion Cannibus The The Cannabis contributor Steven Jared Burton THE INDYPENDENT OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 10, 2004 11 ORG ORG . . 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> End the death penalty > Legalize same-sex marriage > Fight global warming with > Single-payer universal > > Repeal of the PATRIOT ACT > Repeal of the PATRIOT > End the Israeli occupation of > An end to the illegal wars CANDIDATE FOR CANDIDATE WHAT DAVID STANDS FOR: STANDS DAVID WHAT

David McReynolds David reasons to vote for vote to reasons There are 1,000 1,000 are There on the street IMC Server Seizures, p.2 Armed Clashes in Haiti, p.8 Folk’s Original G, p.11

6 p.m. • Free 8 p.m. • $5 POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS INDIE ROCK THE VOTE Collection of political advertise- Lick Bush Ltd., Music For THE INDYPENDENT ments from 1956 to 1984, which THE INDYPENDENT America, Bands Against Bush and seeks to provide an understand- IssueIssue #59,#59, OctoberOctober 2121 –– November,November, 20042004 • • aa freefree paperpaper forfor freefree peoplepeople IndyVoter present…The ing of the evolution of images on Everyothers, The Tallboys, The television and the marketing of Weekenders, Pretty Flowers, politics. Starchild, UKUK, Hearts on Fire. Donnell Library, 20 W. 53rd St. SIBERIA, 356 W. 40th St. 212-621-0629 718-670-3707 [email protected] 7-10 p.m. • Free LADYFEST EAST KICKOFF WEDNESDAY OCT 27 Visual Art Gallery Opening (follow------ing fashion & hip hop show $10). 2:30 p.m. • Free OFFICE OPS, 57 Thames St., Bklyn FILM: “SO YOU WANT TO BE ladyfesteast.org/schedule.html PRESIDENT” AND “WAG THE DOG” Part of the "So You Want to Be FRIDAY OCT 29 President" film series. ------Donnell Library, 20 W. 53rd St. 6:30 p.m. to midnight • $10 to $40 212-621-0618 RIPPLE EFFECT SALON BENEFIT FOR EAST AFRICA 6 p.m. • Free Silent auction, food, panel on DAVE AND CHRISTOPHER EGGERS, AIDS & poverty, films and per- AUTHORS OF “GIRAFFES? formance salon hosted by GIRAFFES! AND YOUR DISGUSTING Ugandan actor Patrick Ssenjovu. HEAD” Performers include playwritght New series of reference books Kia Corthron, actor Deanna aimed at children but filled with ludi- Pacelli, Rwandan musician Nepo crous misinformation. Accompanied YONI MISHAL Soteri, South African actor Lucky by discussion and booksigning. Ngema and poet Bassey Ikpi. Coliseum Books, 11 W. 42nd St. Pace University Multi-purpose Room 212-803-5892 1 Pace Plaza (enter on Spruce St.) 6:30 p.m. • $10, call for reservation THE BURNING SEASON: SATURDAY OCT 30 THE MURDER OF CHICO MENDES ------AND THE FIGHT FOR THE 2ND ANNUAL REALLY REALLY COMMUNITY FREE MARKET AMAZON RAIN FOREST CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave. Special Halloween Extravaganza 212-817-8215 St. Marks Church

7 p.m. • $10 SUNDAY OCT 31 CALENDAR IN THE SHADOW OF NO TOWERS: ------ART SPIEGELMAN IN DISCUSSION 5:30 p.m. • Free THE INDYPENDENT FINAL COUNT: HIP HOP, PRISON WITH CHIP KIDD WEAR PINK Hany Abu Assad, 90 min.). New School University, 66 W. 12th St. Join Code Pink, Rhythms of Resist- has open meetings every Tuesday Alwan for the Arts, 16 Beaver St. AND THE NEW DEMOCRACY 212-265-2877 ance and others at the Halloween at 7p.m. at 34 E. 29th St., 2nd [email protected] CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave. 212-817-8215 Parade to put out an anti-war, anti- floor. 7 p.m. • Free Bush agenda message. TUESDAY OCT 26 7 p.m. • $5 suggested donation READING: "DANGEROUS FAMILIES: 339 Lafayette St. Frank Reynoso ------QUEER WRITING ON SURVIVING" FRIDAY OCT 22 FREE “FREE!” 6 p.m. • Free With Mattilda, Betsy Andrew and ------Showing of “Green with a WEDNESDAY NOV 3 “PEACE UNDER FIRE: ISRAEL, Kate Huh. NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST Vengeance” to benefit Jeff "Free" ------PALESTINE, AND THE Bluestockings Books, 172 Allen St. Getting Out AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY Luers' legal appeal fund. 6-8 p.m. • Free INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY Object Image Gallery, 91 5th Ave. bluestockings.com Since 9/11, at least 101 people The Lost World of Italian MOVEMENT” (btw. Prospect Pl. and Park Pl.), Bklyn The Vote, Or Not American Radicalism: Politics, Still Swinging in Pennsylvania have been identified in New York Authors, members of the ISM and freefreenow.org THURSDAY OCT 28 and New Jersey as having been Labor and Culture other human rights activists dis------“I ain’t voting. I ain’t regis- killed by law enforcement, and Tamiment Library, 10th Floor, cuss the horror of life under occu- 10 p.m.-12 am• Free 6 p.m. PHILADELPHIA—A few miles southeast of the wooded ridges of Valley Forge, tered. Been too busy being unem- since that day racial profiling has HUNGRY MARCH BAND VS. RUDE Bobst Library, NYU ployed,” says a man with faded pation, the brave actions of the IS THE PENTAGON HURTING OUR 212-998-8248 where George Washington’s army spent the bitter winter of 1777-78, lies the King expanded exponentially beyond ISM, and the future of the West MECHANICALS ORCHESTRA ECONOMY? skin and broken teeth, wearing a the Black and Latino communities Bank and Gaza Strip. Galapagos, 70 North 6th St. (btw. A World Policy Institute Forum. of Prussia Mall, the largest shopping complex in the world. The Philadelphia sub- red Rocawear sweatsuit. to target Arabs, Muslims and Coliseum Books, 11 W. 42nd St. Wythe and Kent), Bklyn New School University, 66 W. 12 St. He is proving the point South Asians. A call is put out for 212-803-5892 212-229-5808 urbs that surround its halls of Eddie Bauer, Foot Locker, and smooth-jazz Muzak expressed by ACORN team participants to wear black. 7 p.m. • Free leader Kia James a few minutes Union Square rally at 4:00 p.m., are among the places that may decide the 2004 presidential election. followed by a march to Times Square earlier and a few blocks away, at 5:30 p.m. when she says, “A lot of people BY STEVEN WISHNIA “I’m still swinging,” says Mark Wensel, 45, are so disenfranchised they SATURDAY OCT 23 don’t miss an issue a salesman from Media at the King of Prussia don’t realize their vote counts. ------ennsylvania voted for Reagan and Bush I Mall. He’s a registered Republican who turned They don’t see how anything will All day • Registration: $10 (for New in the ‘80s, but went for Clinton in the against the Iraq war when no weapons of mass change their lives.” Yorkers) or $5 (non-New Yorkers) SUBSCRIBE ‘90s. Al Gore won it by 220,000 votes in destruction were found, but dislikes Kerry, say- While officially nonpartisan, BUILDING A LEFT ALTERNATIVE TO P the community group is actively 2000, a margin of 50-46 percent. The conven- ing he “tells people what they want to hear.” A WORLD OF WAR AND POVERTY registering voters in Philadelphia’s East Coast Socialist Conference tional wisdom is that the state consists of His ultimate choice may be personal, “who Antrim Caskey “Philadelphia and Pittsburgh surrounded by would you rather have a beer with?” poorer neighborhoods, on the NAC Building, CUNY, 138th Street Barbara Nichter mulling the choices. grounds that getting people and Convent Avenue. TODAY Kentucky”; two big cities balanced by iso- Another undecided voter, Barbara Nichter, involved in the political process nesocialistconference.net lated, mountainous rural counties. 56, of Drexel Hill, repeatedly describes the cam- 44, of Philadelphia. She endorsed Kerry will increase their chances of Democrats, says state party director Don paign as “frustrating.” You don’t know what is months ago, she says, because Bush is using OCTOBER “The Indypendent combines the spirit of improving their housing and 2 p.m. • Free Morabito, rely on a “four corners strategy”: true and what is not true.” She voted for Bush in faith-based initiatives “to get out of helping BLUE DRESS WALK direct action with a searing critique of schools. “You get one neighbor- Slip on a blue dress. Meet at Philadelphia, which Gore carried by better 2000 and is leaning towards him. Though she inner cities,” because “I will never vote for a hood with 100 percent turnout 59th St. & 5th Ave. corporate power.” - Naomi Klein than 4-1 in 2000, along with Pittsburgh, Erie, works in health care and likes Kerry’s position, pro-life politician,” and because in Iraq, “if and one with 20 percent turnout, bluedresswalk.com and the old coal-and-steel areas of she feels that Bush is “a better commander-in- you’re making the wrong damn decision, how which one’s getting the funds?” Allentown/Bethlehem and Scranton/Wilkes- chief. We need to be aggressive.” is it admirable to stick with it?” James asks. 2-8:30 p.m. • $10 Bill me Check enclosed Barre, which Gore won narrowly in 2000. Nancy Perkins, 44, of King of Prussia, is also “Just not Bush,” says Ken Moore, 23, of With far fewer undecided vot- BAZAAR AND FILM SHOWINGS TO Meanwhile, Republicans try to maximize frustrated with the “accusations and innuen- Havertown, who says in the debates, Bush ers than usual, says Don SUPPORT "MADE IN PALESTINE" Name turnout in the rural areas and the Pennsylvania does.” She’s divided between supporting Bush “seemed to have no clue.” “Not Bush. The Morabito, the Democrats’ state ART EXHIBITION party director, the election is Bazaar featuring clothing, books, Dutch country around York and Lancaster, the on “the terrorism situation” and disagreeing other one,” echoes Helen Smith, 80, of Address most solidly Republican part of the Northeast, with him on social issues; she’s for abortion Conshohocken, who says she has to spend more “going to be about turning out housewares, Palestinian goods, the vote.” The party has 20,000 home decor, music and much where Bush won by a 2-1 margin in 2000. rights and says “if two people love each other, than $200 a month on medicine. volunteers, making more than more! All proceeds go directly to City State Zip The key to the state may be in the why shouldn’t they be able to get married?” She Two firm Bush supporters are Ryan and 100,000 phone calls a week, he support the "Made in Palestine" Philadelphia suburbs: Bucks, Delaware, Chester gently remonstrates with her 17-year-old Jessica Swailes, a pharmaceutical-salesperson art exhibition! E-Mail Phone adds. He’s been involved in poli- and Montgomery counties. They cast one mil- daughter, who calls Bush “a moron.” couple from the rural town of Williamsport. tics since 1960, and says, “I’ve Films: 3 p.m. – Children of Shatila Subscription rate: $27/year (23 issues). Angel rate: $100/year. Make checks payable to the lion votes in 2000, a fifth of the state’s total, and “I can’t understand these undecideds. Make Bush “takes a strong stance on what he (1998, Dir. Mai Masri, 50 min.); 4:45 NYC IMC Print Team and send to: 34 East 29th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016. Or for never experienced this level of p.m. – Divine Intervention (2002, Dir. even faster service email your address to [email protected] and we will begin your sub- gave Gore a 53,000-vote margin. a frickin’ decision!” exclaims Denise Watkins, continued on p. 6 activity in a campaign.” —SW Elia Suleiman, 92 min.); scription right away! 7 p.m. – Rana's Wedding (2002, Dir.