Cogjm.Vol-3 Num-6.Pdf (2.267Mb)

ORWELL ROLLS IN HIS GRAVE State of – DVD REVIEW – NUMBER OF rwell Rolls in his Grave,” written and CONSECUTIVE YEARS Disunion directed by Robert Kane Pappas, is Oan independent media expose’ on that China has jailed BE THE MEDIA more reporters than any the power, process, and abuse of the mainstream NUMBER OF media. The fi lm looks at the media landscape other nation: 6 RADIO STATIONS OCTOBER 2005 VOL. 3 NO. 6 through the rubric of George Orwell’s 1984 and owned by Clear Animal Farm. PERCENT OF ASIAN Channel nationwide: Covering an impressively large breadth 1426 of political issues, “Orwell Rolls in His AMERICANS Grave” expressively demonstrates the intricate whose primary source of news is not in NUMBER OF INDY connections between the media and the powerful, MEDIA CENTERS and their effects on journalism in a democratic English: MEDIA ISSUE 25 worldwide: HIGHTOWER: ALTERNATIVE system. In example after example, the movie 135 lays out the philosophy and actions that have AMERICAN MUSIC VIDEO ROCKS PERCENT enfeebled the mainstream media. The movie PERCENT follows such issues as the Iran-Contra scandal, of Arab Americans AGITATOR INTERNET whose primary source of the voting public the 2000 elections, and the war on terror. that ʻregularlyʼ get their n October 8th, Jim Hightower was the ess than a week after Hurricane Katrina With interviews from producers of such of news is not in keynote speaker at Western Colorado hit the gulf coast, a hip hop song by English: news from Talk Radio: news outlets as ABC, CNN, and 60 Minutes, 20 OCongress’s annual meeting. Hightower, LLegendary K.O began circulating on the “Orwell Rolls in His Grave” offers up the story 40 a Texan progressive, is a force in the alternative internet. By the week’s end the song, “George you will never see on the evening news—how our NUMBER OF YEARS media world. His daily two minute radio spot, Bush Don’t Like Black People,” had been media has been abused to serve a corporate elite. NUMBER OF Hightower Radio, reaches millions of people downloaded hundreds of thousands of times. The SUSPECTS that Project Censored has published the 20 daily on a network of community radio stations. immediacy of the lyrics, which vividly describe “What you want in a media system killed or captured that His monthly political newsletter, The Hightower the chaos in New Orleans, is a re-mix of Kanye were reported by the most censored stories is an ostensible diversity of the year: Lowdown, is the most popular political newsletter West’s hit song “Gold Digger.” that conceals an actual conformity.” US media to be in country with more than 125,000 subscribers. Al-Qaedaʼs number 29 – Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda, He is also a best-selling author. The Red Pill was Five days in this motherfuckin’ attic, Nazi Germany – three man: able to sit down with Jim Hightower and ask him 4 NUMBER OF PRESS Can’t use the cell-phone I keep gettin’ static CONFERENCES a few questions about his career in alternative “ MSC A Voice of Reason will be presenting where President Bush media and the importance of alternative media in ...other day the helicopters got a free screening at the Saccomanno Lecture Hall MINIMUM NUMBER this country today. my neighbors off the roof of times the music accused a journalist of at 7:30pm on Wednesday, October 26th. There asking a Hightower was raised and went to school that was cool, cause they said will be a community discussion after the fi lm on video “George Bush in Texas, where he studied Political Science, Donʼt Like Black “trick question”: their comin’ back for us too ramifi cations and possible mediation of today’s 11 English, and Marketing. For eleven years, he rampant media problems. • People” has been worked on various political causes in Washington that was three days ago, downloaded: • D.C and New York City. During that time, he I don’t see no rescue. DOCUMENTARIES FOR CHANGE 500,000 gained valuable political experience and published ” Wednesday, October 26, 2005 • 7:30PM a number of articles. “I came to alternative Orwell Rolls In His Grave media almost out of necessity.” Hightower said. Not long after the song was released, radical Saccomanno Lecture Hall CALL TO ACTION In ’76 Hightower returned to Texas to become fi lm maker Franklin Lopez was at a BBQ talking The Red Pill is looking for volunteers: graphic designers, the editor of The Texas Observer, one of the about Katrina when a friend turned him on to writers, poets, cartoonists, artists, and photographers are pioneering papers of the modern alternative LOPEZ ON NEXT PAGE needed. Get your work published now. Help distribute media movement. The Texas Observer was founded in 1954 The Red Pill in your community, church, and school: as part of a progressive movement in Texas contact us at [email protected]. You can also do your that worked closely with unions and registering part to keep us in print by donating time, paper, fi lm, black voters. “Remember that Texas was a one- copies, and of course money (it doesn’t print itself). party state at the time, so we were battling the Democrats.” Hightower said. After two-and-a-half-years, Hightower took “the only downward career move that one can make from journalism, and ran for Agriculture Commissioner.” Hightower was Texas Ag Commissioner until 1991. The Red Pill is produced by Grand Junction Alternative Hightower Radio started in 1993 and Media, with the aim of publishing stories and ideas that continues to this day. Locally it can be heard the mainstream media won’t cover. It is distributed free, on 99.1 KVNF. His newsletter started in 1998 collects no advertising, and is completely staffed by with the help of Phillip Frazer of the Washington Specter. “There were many nay-sayers,” Hightower volunteers. All materials are copyleft, no rights are reserved. said, “but we paid back the loans in 6 months. PHOTOCOPY AND DISTRIBUTE AT WILL! HIGHTOWER ON NEXT PAGE radical fi lm maker, FRANKLIN LOPEZ [email protected] [email protected] LOPEZLOPEZ FROM LAST PAGE HIGHTOWER FROM LAST PAGE TOP TEN CENSORED STORIES OF 2004 – 2005 the song. “I picked up the The genius of newsletters is that magazines pile- phone at the party and called up and don’t get read. The Lowdown is only a friend, who’s a cable news 4 pages a month, $10 a year, it just took off. It ig business controls the large media outlets. those in need. On the other hand, our government junkie, and had him start became a movement.” On a regular basis, these multi-national initially offered a paltry sum of 15 million dollars in recording Katrina coverage,” Hightower ended the interview with some Bcorporations have their news divisions aid, and used the crisis to add more military bases Lopez said in a phone interview advice for The Red Pill. “Develop and nurture bury or ignore stories that they have interests in. in Southeastern Asia, including the reopening of with The Red Pill. A week later, the video your sense of humor; it will get you places you The American people have sensed for years that the Utapao military base in Thailand and renewed was released on the web. “I’m glad it wouldn’t get without it. And remember, the something was going wrong with our free press, but cooperation with the corrupt Indonesian military. took off. First off, the song was fantastic,” pamphleteers helped start this country, and they’ll are unsure of what exactly has been going on. This Lopez said. Since being released in mid- help save it.” • is where Project Censored comes in. The real oil-for-food scam The right-wingers September, the song has been downloaded Project Censored, out of Sonoma State made a big deal about 10 billion dollars worth 450,000 times from imovies.com alone. “We University(in California), every year, publishes a 6of oil that had been smuggled out under the UN can’t know how many times the video has been book listing the most under reported or censored Oil for Food program. But what wasn’t in the debate downloaded. So many sites have picked it up,” stories of the year. They have been doing so for the was that the vast majority of the UN ships enforcing Franklin said. The success of the song and video past 29 years, and the list for Project Censored 2006 the embargo were American vessels. Also, that illustrates the power of alternative media. “The is as surreal as any other list they have compiled. corrupt deals between Russian and American oil American attention span is so short that it would Below are the top ten censored stories, with just a companies ensured that 80% of the smuggled oil have forgotten in a couple of weeks what went few brief comments about each of them. Go to their made it to market in the USA. down in New Orleans,” Lopez added. website, www.projectcensored.org to get the full Journalists face unprecedented dangers to Franklin Lopez’s last two short fi lms have stories, with details. You should also pick-up a copy life and livelihood This last year has been the met with a good deal of success. “Why I Love of this well documented, eye-opening book that has 7deadliest year on record for journalists with Shoplifting From Big Corporations” and “Join been on the shelves for about a month. more that 129 media workers killed. 49 of them the Resistance; Fall in Love,” are adapted from were killed in Iraq. To date, US authorities have not the anarchist novel “Days of War; Nights of Bush administration moves to eliminate open government Over the last four years, disciplined a single offi cer or soldier involved in the Love.” Lopez’s fi lms, including the music video killing of a journalist. “George Bush Don’t Like Black People,” can be 1the Feds have sought to restrict the public’s downloaded from his web-site, www.submedia.tv. right to know by limiting the scope and application Iraqi farmers threatened by Bremer’s of Freedom of Information Act requests and mandate Order 81 of over 100 Orders penned • exempting whole departments from public scrutiny. 8by Paul Bremer, US administrator of Iraq, sets alternative media mougul, JIM HIGHTOWER Considering the media’s inherent interest in safe- criteria for the patenting of seeds which can only be guarding open-record laws, it is amazing this story met by large multi-national agri-corps like Monsanto didn’t get any air time. and Syngenta. Iraq is the birth place of agriculture ACLU FILES; DOC REINSTATES Media coverage fails on Iraq: Fallujah and and now with a stroke of the pen it became a mere KOSHER MEALS the civilian death toll The media blackout in subsidiary in America’s supply chain. 2regards to Iraq has distorted and hidden the real Iran’s new oil trade system challenges US n Tuesday, October 11th, the ACLU fi led In an exclusive interview with The Red cost of the war. Credible studies indicate that the currency TThehe BBushush aadministrationdministration iiss kkeepingeeping a lawsuit on behalf of Tim Sheline, an Pill, Tim Sheline expressed his relief that he is Iraqi death toll for the invasion and occupation of 9a close eye on Iran and its concern is not Iran’s OOrthodox Jewish inmate at the Trinidad now being fed kosher meals again. Sheline said, Iraq exceeds 100,000 deaths. The massive assaults nuclear program, but rather Iran’s declared intent Correctional Facility in the United States District “Wednesday, I was working outside the fence on Fallujah in April and November of 2004 included to open an international oil exchange, or ‘bourse.’ Court in Denver. The lawsuit states, Sheline’s when a Captain pulled up and told me to go see the use of phosphorous bombs and the indiscriminate This new entity would compete directly with the kosher diet was revoked for placing two packets Cpt. Peachee (the Food Services Manager). She targeting of civilians. New York Mercantile Exchange and London’s of butter and salad dressing in his pocket, a minor said, ‘I have good news for you, we’ve reinstated International Petroleum Exchange. It also would dining hall rule violation. The ACLU contends, your diet.’” Sheline continued “I feel like I’ve Another year of distorted election coverage Offi cially, Bush won the presidency by threaten the US dollar by trading oil in euros. This in the lawsuit, that the diet-revocation provisions gotten something done, but there’s more work to move would cause global demand for the dollar to violates the right of prisoners to freedom of do on the other problems.” 33 million votes. Exit polls showed Kerry disappear, and the dollar would collapse. religon and due process of law. The lawsuit also In the last year, at Trinidad correctional winning by 5 million votes. This gap of 8 million alleges that the Colorado Dept. of Corrections facility, at least fi ve Jewish inmates have been is unprecedented. Strangely, the discrepancies were Mountaintop removal threatens denied Sheline his due process by mishandling taken off their kosher diets. So far, Sheline has greater in swing states and black precincts. ecosystem and economy MountaintopMountaintop their own grievance procedures. been the only one reinstated. Jewish inmates Surveillance society quietly moves inOn Dec. 10removal is a coal mining technique in On Wednesday, the day after the lawsuit are still unable to worship in a secured area. 13 2003, the day US troops captured Saddam which areas of rich bio-diversity “are being turned was fi led, DOC re-instated Sheline’s kosher diet. Jewish inmates have had a diffi cult time getting 4 Hussein, Bush privately signed into law the into the biological equivalent of parking lots.” said According to Mark Silverstien, legal director any religious information or materials inside the Intelligence Authorization Act. The IAA expands John Conner of the Katuah branch of Earth First!, of the ACLU of Colorado, “The lawsuit also prison walls. Inmates also report being subjected powers granted by the Patriot Act. The Feds can which has been putting all their efforts into direct challenges the DOC regulation that authorizes to anti-Semitic remarks by prison staff. now obtain anyone’s fi nancial records without a action campaigns to block projects throughout DOC offi cials to revoke prisoners’ right to a Sheline, who has lost over 30 pounds while court order. Good-bye Fourth Amendment. Appalachia. religious diet for unjustifi able reasons and without remaining kosher by purchasing food off of the U.S uses tsunami to military advantage in There are many more examples of this insanity due process. Today’s action was a good fi rst step, canteen, mostly peanut butter and saltines, had in the Project Censored Book, or on it’s website. but problems with the DOC regulation remain this to say about his fi ve-month ordeal: “There Southeast Asia After the tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Americans came together to offer aid to Read it and you will be changed. unresolved.” were days I was so hungry I wanted to cry.” • 5 •

Every Sunday • 6PM October Wednesday, November 9, 2005 • 7:30PM Friday, November 25, 2005 Weekly Vegan Dinner. We’ll cook the main dish. Please is World Hunger Month MSC A Voice of Reason’s Documentaries for Change Buy Nothing Day bring a vegan side dish, dessert or drink. Dinner starts MSC International Relations Club is Film Series will be screening Participate by not participating. around 6:30PM. The Confl uence Collective (1450 Elm). sponsoring a number of events. “The World According to Bush” For more info call: at the Saccomanno Lecture Hall. 248-1707 I HEAR STORIES

I hear stories: I hear people telling me that I’m too crazy! That I’m too paranoid! “We don’t like to talk about that issue so you CULTURE JAMMIN’ IN GJ shouldn’t either. And, why should I listen to you, I have FOX News.” I see this happen: “That can’t be true.” to “They must be making it up!” to “Is this really happening?” to “This is really happening!” to “Oh my God!” to “Those Bastards!” PEOPLE (AND I MEAN YOU) I hear stories: STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO THINK! “You can’t do this.” “Literature, like this lie pedaling’ small town rag, I don’t stand-alone: should not be made.” I stand with, “We the People.” “There is no room for stuff like this.” And, “I Have a Dream.” “NO ROOM!” I stand with, “Bread and Roses.” And, “Fuck the Draft.” NO ROOM? WHAT THE FUCK! I don’t need room. I remember: I take up no room. I remember a time when soldiers died for me, What are you thinking! AND NOT FOR OIL! LISTEN TO YOURSELVES. I remember when I was the reason the United States was so important. I HEAR STORIES, BECAUSE I AM A VOICE: I’m here to preserve that dream. AND I’M GETTING STRONGER! I talk, so the genesis of this country can live! I’M GETTING LOUDER! AND PEOPLE ARE LISTENING! MAYBE THEY (AND I MEAN THEM) SHOULD WORK ON MAKING ME I’M AN IDEA SILENT. I’M A MEME HEY, WORK ON AMENDMENT ONE I’M A FELLOW CITIZEN IN PATRIOT ACT III. A VIEW POINT I HAVE SEEN AMENDMENT FOUR AND AND I’M NAMED THE RED PILL! HABEAS CORPUS FALL. I’m here. I’m for real. Someone has created me and they --- IT DOESN’T SEEM LIKE WE CARE stand behind me. ENOUGH ABOUT IDEAS TO MISS SO I’M NOT MOVING. AMENDMENT ONE THAT MUCH! --- I’M GOING TO OUTLAST EVEN YOU! I’M IN PRINT! And when AMENDMENT ONE is no more THEN YOU WILL WAKE UP, LOOK AROUND, And WONDER WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED! ¡THINK! QUESTION EVERYTHING Even Me And remember, I hear stories, I think, I act, AND I, I write shit down...

Wednesday, October 26, 2005 • 7:30PM Tuesday, November 1, 2005 October 24 – 28, 2005 Wednesday, October 26, 2005 • 6PM MSC A Voice of Reason’s Last day to mail in ballots for the fall elections. A Voice of Reason will be participating in the 100,000 A Fair Trade group meets at the Confl uence Collective Documentaries for Change Film Series Rings Project. Join in this global call for peace. (1450 Elm), to work for community solutions to Free will be screening “Orwell Rolls in His Grave” Call Karen at 210-8580 or [email protected] Trade, both internationally and locally. at the Saccomanno Lecture Hall. Bells will ring from noon to 1pm.