What’s a vote worth? Page 11

Issue #127, October 24 – November 13, 2008 the indypendent A FREE PAPER FOR FREE PEOPLE

The Rule of Impunity The Brad will investigation takes a SHOCKING turn, page 8–9

Paramilitary gunman Pedro Carmona opens fire during anti-government street protests Oct. 27, 2006 in Santa Lucia del Camino, Oaxaca, . Moments later, New York City Indymedia journalist Brad Will was shot and fatally wounded on the same street. PHOTO: RAUL ESTRELLA/EL UNIVERSAL

Politics in Review p12

BANKERS DIG Change Harlem NEW BAILOUT Can See p7 p4 nyc.indymedia.org • indypendent.org • us.indymedia.org community calendar oct–nov

The next open editorial meetings for The SAT NOV 1 THU NOV 6 THU NOV 13 Indypendent are Tuesday, Oct. 28 and 6pm • FREE 6pm • Pay What You Will 4pm • FREE Nov. 18, at 7pm. 4 W 43rd St, Room 311. EVENT: AN EVENING IN HARLEM TO EVENT: INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE DEMONSTRATION: SINGLE-PAYER All are welcome. FREE THE CUBAN 5! WORLD PRESENTS A NIGHT OF FILM, NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN Please send event announcements to The Cuban 5 are U.S.-held political prison- MUSIC AND . Join the (HR 676). Private health insurance must [email protected] ers who were jailed for protecting their Wobblies for a screening of “The Take,” go! The Coalition invites you to par- homeland, Cuba, from right-wing terrorists a film produced by Naomi Klein and Avi ticipate in the march for National Health The Indypendent P.O. Box 1417 THROUGH SAT NOV 22 based in Miami. The program will include Lewis about Argentinean workers and Insurance. In this moment of billion-dol- New York, NY 10276 TUE-THU 10am-6pm; FRI 10am-8pm; a legal update and a showing of the film their fight against globalization, followed lar taxpayer “bailouts” for Corporate SAT noon-8pm • $5 Suggested Donation “Against the Silence in Our Own Voices: by an acoustic set of French labor songs. America, few people recognize that Phone: 212-221-0521 EXHIBIT: SIGNS OF CHANGE: SOCIAL Families of the Cuban 5 Speak Out.” Food Radical books will be for sale, along with debts incurred as a result of medical Fax: 646-478-9787 MOVEMENT CULTURES 1960s TO NOW. available for a $5 donation, and childcare $3 K&M Amber Beer. procedures are the leading cause of Hundreds of posters, photographs, films, is available with advance notice. K&M Bar, personal bankruptcy. General Inquiries: audio clips and ephemera bring to life Freedom Hall, 113 W 128th St N 8th St and Roebling St, Bklyn Bryant Park (42nd St & 6th Ave) [email protected] over 40 years of , political protest (btwn Malcolm X/Lenox & 7th Ave) phimg.org Reader Comments: and campaigns for . 212-222-0633 SUN NOV 9 [email protected] Exit Art, 475 10th Ave (at 36th St) [email protected] 10am-4pm • FREE THU NOV 13 Subscribe or Donate Online: and 16 Beaver St, 4th Fl RECYCLE: COMPUTER AND 7:30pm • Sliding scale: $6/$10/$15 indypendent.org (btwn Whitehall & Broad Sts) MON NOV 3 ELECTRONICS. Drop off your old BOOK PARTY/FORUM: “NEW YORK FOR Editors: Exit Art: 212-966-7745 • exitart.org; 5pm • FREE television sets, printers, laptops, radios, SALE: COMMUNITY PLANNING CON- [email protected] 16beaver: 212-480-2093 TALK/DISCUSSION: TONNAGE AND TOX- cell phones, disks, wires and computers. FRONTS GLOBAL REAL ESTATE.” Hunter Advertising and promotion: 16beavergroup.org ICITY: VISIBLE & INVISIBLE SOLID WASTE Sponsored by the College Center for Community Planning and Arun Gupta: [email protected] PROBLEMS IN THE CONTEMPORARY Ecology Center and Comedy Central. Development director and author Tom An- Outreach: Amy Wolf: [email protected] WED OCT 29 UNITED STATES. Union Square Park — West Plaza gotti tells some of the stories of community Volunteer Coordinator: 7pm • FREE In the late 1980s, the U.S. Environmen- lesecologycenter.org • 212-477-4022 planning in New York City: how activists Jessica Lee: [email protected] DISCUSSION: OPTING FOR ABORTION tal Protection Agency reported that moved beyond simple protests and began Submissions: AND LIFE. Amy Richards and Jennifer manufacturing industries generate to formulate community plans to protect [email protected] Baumgardner, co-authors of “Manifesta” 7.6 billion tons of solid waste a year, neighborhoods against urban renewal, real News Coordinators: and co-founders of Soapbox, Inc., lead with mining and other industries estate mega-projects, gentrification, and John Tarleton, Jessica Lee a discussion on reproductive freedom adding another 5 billion tons. Why is environmental hazards. Culture Coordinator: without parenting. there a focus on the 250 million tons of The Brecht Forum, Irina Ivanova Bluestockings, 172 Allen St annual “municipal solid waste” while 451 West St Illustrations Coordinator: 212-777-6028 • bluestockings.com billions of industrial waste remains an 212-242-4201 Frank Reynoso afterthought? brechtforum.org Designers: FRI OCT 31 NYU’s Bobst Library, Avery Rm, 2nd Ryan Dunsmuir, Anna Gold 7pm • FREE Fl, 70 Washington Square SAT NOV 15 ACTION: HALLOWEEN RIDES AND South • 212-998-2622 4pm • FREE IndyKids: [email protected] TIME’S UP! HALLOWEEN AFTER-PARTY. RSVP jill: tinyurl. FILM: RESISTANCE AND REVOLT IN IndyVideo: [email protected] Grab a bike and your scariest costume com/salon-rsvp THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. Join the The Indypendent is a New York-based free news- and get ready to ride through the Schomburg Center for Research in paper published 17 times a year on Fridays. Since streets screaming on the Halloween Black Culture as they celebrate the U.S. 2000, more than 600 citizen journalists, artists Critical Mass bike ride. Afterward, abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and media activists have contributed their time come to the Brooklyn side of the bicentennial with the film, “Time and and energy to this project. Winner of dozens of Williamsburg Bridge Bike Path to ride Judgment: A Diary of 400 Year Exile.” New York Independent Press Association awards, to the annual Time’s Up! Halloween Langston Hughes Auditorium, Schom- The Indypendent is dedicated to empowering Party, which starts at 9pm. HALLOWEEN RIDES burg Center for Research in Black people to create a true alternative to the corpo- Critical Mass: Union Square FRI OCT 31 AND TIME’S UP! Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd rate press by encouraging citizens to produce their Park North; Halloween Party HALLOWEEN AFTER-PARTY. 212-491-2252 • schomburgcenter.org own media. The Indypendent is funded by sub- Ride: Williamsburg Bridge scriptions, donations, grants, merchandise sales, Bike Path (Bklyn); next issue: NOVEMBER 14 benefits and advertising from organizations with TIME’S UP! Halloween Party: similar missions. Volunteers write and edit arti- Surreal Estate, 15 Thames cles, take photographs, do design work and illus- St (Btwn Bogart and Morgan, trations, help distribute papers, update the web- Bklyn). times-up.org site and more! The Indypendent reserves the right TRUTHSERUM.ORG to edit articles for length, content and clarity.

The Indypendent is the newspaper project of the e-mail your comments to [email protected] New York City , which reader comments or comment on indypendent.org is affiliated with the global Indymedia movement (indymedia.org), an international network that is dedicated to fostering media produc- nancing the crooks on Wall Street? The sad tion. NYC IMC sponsors three other projects, THE MONEY MESS part about the financial mess that we are the children’s newspaper IndyKids, the IndyVideo Response to “How to Wreck the Economy,” in is that the presidential candidates Barack news team and the NYC IMC open publishing Oct. 3: Obama and John McCain can’t seem to website (nyc.indymedia.org). NYC IMC relies on come up with other alternatives other than volunteer participation and is open to anyone who This is an excellent analysis that only left bailing out the ones that got us in this mess is interested. out one factor that changed things in Novem- in the first place. ber 2007. The move to Financial Accounting —Jeffy Volunteer CONTRIBUTORS: Standards Board Statement No. 157 (FASB Daniella Adams, Sam Alcoff, Chris Anderson, 157) caused an already tightening market to TENANTS SAVED Steven Arnerich, Eleanor Bader, Lindsay Ballant, assess market prices for illiquid assets simul- Response to “Wall Street Bailout May Gino Barzizza, Charlie Bass, Bennett J. Baumer, taneously, and gave no value to assets that Hammer Tenants,” Oct. 3: MK Britton, Mike Burke, José Carmona, Chris were income producing — such as mortgage Cascarano, Louis Joe Comeau IV, Kenneth backed securities treating them solely for In a victory for rent regulated tenants, Crab, Ellen Davidson, Renee Feltz, Seth Fisher, sale value. This move to commoditize every- the bailout bill that passed the U.S. House Lynne Foster, Leo Garcia, Max Garcia, Aman thing for trading has been the main prob- and Senate, which was signed by the Presi- Gill, Shira Golding, Samantha Gorelick,Mary lem. These derivative products have been be- dent, guarantees that all subsidies and rent Heglar, John Isaacson, Alex Kane, Ruth Kelton, hind all our problems, even high oil prices. protections will remain in place when the Jesse Kuhn, Judith Lantigua, Paul Leddy, Jamie I would outlaw their use in the United States Federal Government intervenes. This provi- Lehane, Jennifer Lew, Thomas Marczewski, rather than regulate them. sion trumps RTC v. Diamond, by eliminat- Gary Martin, Rebecca Migdal, Ari Moore, Nik —Jim ing the danger that New York’s rent regula- Moore, Alex Nathanson, Ana Nogueira, Jaisal tion laws would be preempted in buildings Noor, Donald Paneth, Nicholas Powers, Aaron this bailout isa sellout where the U.S. Treasury buys the debt. Reiner, Jacob Scheier, Ann Schneider, Sarah Response to “The Road to Recovery,” Oct. 3: Secunda, Jonathan Shannon, Doug Smith, Juell Stewart, Xavier Tayo, Erin Thompson, Dana —Edmund Rosner Vindigni, Eric Volpe, Steven Wishnia and Rusty Does the government have the will to Zimmerman. even consider alternatives other than fi- 2 O ctob e r 24 – N o ve mb 13, 2008 THE INDYPENDENT THE INDYPENDENT October 24 – November 13, 2008 3 , - ? Intrepid local Intrepid willheld be ,” ,” Hedemann Intrepid Queensresident Intrepid Fight d Hedemann, “but really it’s a glo a it’s really “but Hedemann, d E Foreclosure On On his most recent visit to the “It’s not simply a museum, it’s a war- the with done be should what So “They talk about it as being educational,” it as educational,” being talk “They about RETURNINGHOME: JocelyneVoltaire membersjoinedthe of action CODEPINKgroup Oct. peace an in rallythe atQueens County17 Courthouse fromhome auction. her result save to As a predatory a of houseVoltaire’s loan, theput on set be foreclosedto and was auctionblock. Voltaire, mother a four, of sufferedeldest thelosswhoher of son serving was with theU.S. CorpMarine theEast.Middle in Minutes before the CODEPINK place, taketoauction was was $30,000raise help to able savetoorder in home. her PHOTOAND TEXT JAMIE BY LEHANE eague, eague, rification of war and a recruitment tool to get get to tool recruitment a and war of rification military.” the in interested people young bomb- a simulated that ride a on went Daloisio inquiring ing run politely a over after ascountry specified He Iraq. leave, to asked on later bombs was the from toll death civilian the about a during described being were that planes the the of whatsoever mention is no “There tour. said. Daloisio war,” of victims ship that takes taxpayer money it andto putuses out propaganda to childrenwar thatis something that is not able,only accept-but entertaining and fun,”said, Daloisio who brought his 16-month old baby to the protest. One protestor who thought served it should be in used for scrap the metal, while Navy others thought it could serve a more useful function. “The best thing that could be done with said, the “would be to convert it into a peacemuseum showing the horrors of war rather than glorifying the battles that it has been in and people that been have killed.” nextThe protest theat at 11am on Nov. 8, when the museum will officially reopen its doorsTheIntrepid Museum is to located at Pier 86, the public. Twelfth Avenue and West 46th Street. in America’s many wars. said longtime member of the War Resisters L AW’s AW’s .A. .A. is V V submarine and a PHOTO:LEHANE JAMIE has become one of the Growler AW, himself and Goldsmith, be be Goldsmith, and himself AW, V Intrepid For the full article, see indypendent.org. see article, full the For Before getting arrested, Chiroux and Gold- and Chiroux arrested, getting Before Mc- to addressed was question Goldsmith’s to that prove you will ensure the “I’m appalled that my taxes are being not does however, repairs, these for Paying “The public money used to and renovate Drawing more than 750,000 visitors embers of I of embers oderator Bob Scheiffer spelling out I out spelling Bob Scheiffer oderator fully funded, staffed and capable of preventing preventing of capable and staffed funded, fully now? are they as suffering from troops 15. Oct. MatthisChiroux member IVAW allowed entry into the debate to ask Senators Senators ask to debate the into entry allowed question one McCain John and Obama Barack to responded Schieffer CBS nor Neither each. letter. the each they what crowd the to announced smith Chir- on had planned the asking candidates. oux had this for you Obama: “Are question prepared to back up your own words and the U.S. by Constitution supporting service in to what you refusing participate members occupation?” illegal an as describe make to willing you are promises “What Cain: … demands. Chiroux’s letter demanded that two two that demanded letter Chiroux’s demands. m to Iraq, sent a letter to CBS presidential debate debate presidential CBS to letter a sent Iraq, to m Despite being a privately run being Despite a vir- enterprise, privately million $60 estimated the of cent every tually car- aircraft the both of overhaul the fund to was paid pier for by rier and the dilapidated it Before governments. local and state federal, ballooned project the of cost the over, all was million. $120 to offensive,”outrageous andthis. It’s for used said Jim Moschella, a member of Brooklyn for Peace who was the at demonstration. dol- the mark first oronly time the taxpayer Back museum. the for allocated been have lars in 1982, the Intrepid Foundation received a $4.5 million grant from the U.S. Depart- to Development Urban and Housing of ment supplement the more than $120 million in museum. the establish to funds private rehab what is essentially a war propaganda museum could this be in week last the given better particularly things, spent of on member a Daloisio, Matt many argued country,” the alluding New to Catholic Worker, York ho- of millions by faced foreclosure of risk the crisis. financial recent the to due meowners per year, includingdren, the 50,000 schoolchil-city’s most popular touristAccording destinations. to the museum’smission is website,“to honor our itsheroes, the educate public, and inspiredisplay are our 30 aircraft, youth.” On armedthe onceU.S.S. nuclear variety of other military hardware used - ietnam ietnam V AW members members AW FARRELL V ryan AW to have a voice,” a to have AW voice,” B V AW] has AW] a that will voice be , , a U.S. Navy carrier, aircraft V AW member James Gilligan. James member AW V Intrepid W members, backed by a crowd of anti of crowd a by backed members, W A V As more activists from the New York City the New York from activists As more The so “been promised have troops much The arrests seemed The to arrests seemed the energize crowd, ap- minutes, five for After a standoff tense In Chiroux, early who October, last May I The protest had begun slowly hours earlier earlier hours slowly begun had protest The “We have a blind media [and] deaf can- it’s important for I important it’s Nearly Nearly two years ago, the warship was The The idates, but [I idates, oral and I and oral eployed eployed during the Korean and o enter the Hofstra campus. I campus. Hofstra the o enter heard,” said former U.S. Marine said former Cor- Corps heard,” p area poured in, the march to the Hofstra cam- Hofstra the to march the in, poured area pus began with defiant chants of, “Stop the fight- we’re what is this war, the stop torture, ing and for,” our “They’re they’re brothers, filling our we war sisters, support resisters!” Hempstead. of streets the … Chiroux Chiroux and who Goldsmith, organized the protest, to attempted three get least into At the university arrested. promptly were and first and followed civilians four and veterans other well. as arrested were looked it in,” them “Let chanted, they as and The of hand. get out easily as if could things vet- mounted Iraq police 15 pushed about of against group the a by led crowd, was which moved been had demonstrators the until erans, sidewalk. nearby a onto by over knocked were people four proximately fracas this during was It horses. and police riot was Morgan and made were arrests more that injured. deploy to refuse to intent his declared publicly war protesters, were allowed to pass through through to pass allowed were protesters, war one line they met of were before with police officers and police riot County Nassau of lines the not on allow who veterans would horses t said Chelsea Florio, a member of the Fordham Fordham the of member a Florio, Chelsea said Coalition. Anti-War oux also noted that the prison officers mocked mocked officers prison the that noted also oux prison with them threatened and veterans the rape. activ- antiwar 70 about with afternoon the in at ists a rallying lot near parking the Hemp- station. train stead d wars. In wars. the it 1960s, was used as a support in vessel two Decom- NASA missions. space in missioned after 1974 years of service, the ship has served as a military and space mu- 1982. since 86 Pier at seum hauled to N.J., Bayonne, and then to Staten Island for extensive repairs and renovation. set sail in 1943 during World War II, and was was and II, War World during 1943 in sail set d - - AW AW V /radio /radio V eterans Against eterans AW’s actions. AW’s V AW members in members AW V V : A small crowd of peace activists protested the return of the U.S.S. the of return activiststhe protested peace of crowd small A : rika Ward, an New York York New an Ward, rika AW), a of AW), group military to its west E V AW] and physically touching touching AW] and physically AGANDA Democracy Now! Democracy V P RO hile hundreds gathered tocome wel- the return Intrepid of the U.S.S. P AW member Marlisa Grogan. Chir Grogan. Marlisa member AW V en members en of Iraq members veterans calling for immediate troop the War the (I War Navy warship museum to Manhattan’s westside Pier 86 Oct. 2. The ship and pier had had pier and ship The 2. Oct. 86 Pier westside Manhattan’s to museum warship Navy

W member Matthis Chiroux, Morgan was was Morgan Chiroux, Matthis member W

“Our “Our goal is to make Iraq and veterans One victim was a former U.S. Army sergeant sergeant Army U.S. former a was victim One As nearly 400 antiwar demonstrators tried demonstrators 400 antiwar As nearly A

OATING OATING rmy Sergeant Kristofer Goldsmith, an I an Goldsmith, Kristofer Sergeant rmy

d five civilians supporting I supporting civilians five d luding I luding L V o a hospital after fellow I o after fellow a hospital

members of members I ‘Obscene Monument to War’ Returns to NYC War’ to Monument ‘Obscene e debate. Nassau County police also apprehend- also police County Nassau debate. Oct. 15 in a protest before the final presidential presidential final the before protest a in 15 Oct. Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, York, New Hempstead, in University Hofstra withdrawal from Iraq, withdrawal were outside arrested A the forefront of the debate,” said former U.S. former said debate,” the of forefront the c harassed harassed the women who were arrested, in- Nassau Nassau County police department sexually station. station. Chiroux said that members of the only given Motrin, then brought to the police police the to brought then Motrin, given only t ment. ment. Morgan was and arrested, only taken his his face, with onto the dripping blood pave- cheekbone. A gash was visible on A the of gash was side visible cheekbone. on his face, causing him to suffer a fractured a him fractured to suffer causing on his face, I to to 2005. say Witnesses that a horse stepped to according hospital, the At a concussion. of their bodies,” said said bodies,” their T the at intern and student University program news in 2004 from served Iraq who Morgan Nick signs exhibiting was he that police the to sisted [ were were pushing, like really pushing, against standing standing on the sidewalk, too. “The horses officers mounted on horseback charged people people charged horseback on mounted officers before the debate was to begin, riot police and and police riot begin, to was debate the before member who served in Iraq in 2005. in Iraq in served who member hours two campus Hofstra the to close get to T By Alex Kane Alex By

Injured, Arrested Injured, Antiwar Vets Vets Antiwar monument to war.” one demonstrator called “an obscene ers along the waterfront to protest what tivistscarried banners and handed out fli- to celebrate. More than a dozen peace ac- pierOct. 2,everyonenot present therewas

W By Eric Stoner F Protestors plan to demonstrate the reopening of the museum Nov. 8. PHOTO: 8. Nov. museum the of reopening the demonstrate to Protestorsplan undergone an extensive renovation, with much of the $120 million dollar bill footed by taxpayers. by footed bill dollar $120million the of withmuch renovation, extensive an undergone Intrepid local City Carves Up E. 125th St. for Developers “We were absolutely bypassed in this process,” says one community leader.

By Jennifer Janisch the project. Damon Bae, owner of the Fancy A development team was eventually decid- beginning of the year, and there are worries Cleaners dry cleaning business at 2319 Third ed upon around the time of the Oct. 7 vote, that aspects of the project such as affordable even-and-a-half acres of East Harlem Avenue, says the ESDC approached him with but not revealed to the community until after housing might be cut from the project if credit have become the latest battleground be- a conditional offer for his property. the City Council votes were cast. and capital are scarce. The company has re- Stween local residents and city officials “It was largely insufficient,” he says, de- City officials defended the process, citing cently postponed $1.1 billion worth of similar over gentrification of Harlem’s main street. clining to comment on the precise amount of the East Harlem 125th Street Task Force as projects, according to Green Street Advisors, The City Council cleared the way Oct. 7 for the offer. evidence of a rare dialogue between the City a research company in California. the 1.7-million-square-foot East Harlem Media, Due to community protests, Councilwom- and its residents, even calling it a precedent Mark-Viverito voted for the project in the Entertainment and Cultural Center, which will an Melissa Mark-Viverito — whose district for future projects. City Council Oct. 7 after holding two town be located between East 125th and East 127th includes East Harlem — formed the East However, there is a chance the project hall meetings in East Harlem on Sept. 25 Streets, from Second to Third Avenues. The 125th Street Task Force two years ago to fos- might not go forward, at least not anytime and Oct. 2 in which outraged members of $700 million complex will include office and ter a dialogue between the City and the com- soon; the City has selected a developer that the community expressed their disapproval retail space, open-air space, a hotel, a cultural munity about the proposed project. is at risk of becoming another casualty of the of the project and accused her of forgetting center and 800 apartment units. But Miriam Falcon-Lopez of the Commu- global credit crisis. who voted her into office. But some Harlemites are charging that city nity Association of the East Harlem Triangle General Growth Properties — the largest “The community’s voice has been heard in officials who okayed the mega-project are ig- says her organization — which has overseen of the seven development partners chosen to this project,” Mark-Viverito said afterwards noring the needs and wants of the neighbor- all East Harlem developments for the last 45 implement the East 125th Street project — in a phone interview with the Indypendent. hood and participating in a murky commu- years through an agreement with the City of has lost 90 percent of its share price since the nity engagement process. New York — was forced out of the task force “The EDC [sic] [Empire State Development negotiations for not agreeing with the process Corporation] doesn’t care about the culture and plans for the development project. of the area,” says Evan Blum, who owns the “Community Board 11 and the ESDC were Schmuck Brothers of Pennsylvania antique force-feeding us their agenda by providing us store at 205 E. 125th Street. “They don’t with documents and designs that were al- know how to cultivate it to make it benefit ready in place,” she says. “We were absolutely the community.” bypassed in this process.” ESDC officials at a town hall meeting one Falcon-Lopez said she was also concerned week before the Oct. 7 vote said they were in by the task force’s unwillingness to create a contact with all business owners who would community benefits agreement (CBA). A CBA be affected by the development. would specify the benefits the developer will But Blum says he has not been approached provide to the community in exchange for its by the ESDC and believes the city intends to support of the project. invoke eminent domain. Instead, the task force included various points “The EDC [sic] has been deceptive and of agreement regarding community benefits in dishonest,” he says. “I’m disgusted by these its contract with the developer. But there characters. You work hard, you pay your was one problem: the names of the prospective taxes, and then they use that money to throw developers were kept secret, provoking residents you out.” to wonder how the community’s needs could be DIRTY POLITICS: Damon Bae, owner of the Fancy Cleaner dry cleaning business at 2319 Eighteen locally-owned businesses and secured if there was no developer to negotiate Third Ave., does not want to be forced to sell his property as the city goes forward with a seven property owners would be displaced by with directly. 1.7-million-square-foot redevelopment plan for the area around his store. PHOTO: JAMIE LEHANE Taking On Rangel Underdog Candidate Challenges Goodtime Charlie

By Jaisal Noor Rangel, the fourth-longest serving Demo- crat in Congress, has been dogged by scandals arlier this year, Craig Schley was help- this year, including the discovery that he had ing organize community opposition to failed to report taxable income from a villa Ethe rezoning of the 125th Street cor- he owns in the Dominican Republic to that ridor, a pet project of Rep. Charlie Rangel. he was living in four rent-stabilized apart- Now, Schley finds himself running an under- ments in Manhattan. Rangel is currently the dog independent campaign against Rangel, subject of a U.S. House Ethics Committee the 19-term Democratic incumbent from investigation. His close ties to the real estate Harlem who has helped generate a wave of industry have exasperated many constitu- gentrification and mega-development proj- ents desperate for affordable housing, while ects in his district. his outspoken support for in “I believe in maintaining the integrity of her primary race against has the community and culture by developing and stirred talk that Rangel is out of touch with building low-income housing so you secure the community. a workforce that will sustain the type of “I think Rangel is not effective anymore in businesses making money off its culture,” says this community,” says Marietta Ford, a 23- the 45-year-old Schley. A former firefighter year resident of Harlem. “He has been there and model with a degree in political science, for 40 years, and I’ve seen the gentrification WORKING THE CROWD: Craig Schley meets with Harlem residents near Mount Olive Baptist Schley describes himself as “a blue-collar of Harlem, there’s no affordable housing any- man with a white-collar education.” more. People don’t have jobs,” she says. “I Church at 120th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard earlier this year as he campaigns for the Running under the banner of the “Voices think he doesn’t represent the people of the 15th District Congressional seat. PHOTO: JIM CARROLL of the Everyday People for Change Party” district anymore ... I am one of the people say pacts like the North American Free Trade tion. “Failed trade policies like NAFTA give

THE INDYPENDENT that he founded, Schley gathered 6,000 sig- who are fed up.” Agreement (NAFTA) and the Central Ameri- expansive protections to U.S. firms that ship natures, nearly twice the 3,500 needed to se- “I go door to door to let people know they can Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) have investment and jobs offshore. If we change cure a spot on the ballot. He has a volunteer shouldn’t vote for Rangel anymore,” says helped send tens of thousands of high-paying our trade policy, we can change the future staff of 10 and appears almost daily at senior Carolyn Noel, a Harlem resident for more manufacturing jobs from New York State to and keep jobs in the state rather than ship- centers, bookstores, churches and anywhere than 50 years. She added “[Schley] is a vi- low-wage nations in the Global South. ping them overseas.” else he can find an audience. able candidate and we’re behind him 100 New York State has lost some 200,000 “I am against NAFTA and CAFTA and Schley’s campaign has raised about percent.” manufacturing jobs since 2000, and accord- what it stands for: imbalanced trade and the $13,000 this election cycle while the watch- The 15th Congressional District stretches ing to analysis by the Economic Policy Insti- loss of jobs,” Schley says. “One is unable to dog website opensecrets.org reports that from the Upper West Side to Washington tute, New York could potentially lose another discuss trade without labor rights and these Rangel has amassed $4.82 million from his Heights/Inwood and includes Rikers Island million to off-shoring. international trade agreements erode rights.” perch as chairman of the U.S. House Ways and a part of northwestern Queens. While “The continued outsourcing of New York and Means Committee, which writes all fed- Rangel remains confident, his support of free- jobs is not inevitable,” says Mark Bergen, di- For more, see craigschley.com.

4 O ctober 24 – N ovember 13, 2008 eral tax legislation. trade deals has also stirred opposition. Critics rector of the New York Citizens Trade Coali- FIRST PERSON

PERforming arts at the brecht forum October 30 to Nov. 2 Queer Black Film Festival Nov 1 Neues Kabarett Presents Connie Crothers

jennifer lew Nov 3 Exile/Migration/Desire Book Party with Amitav Ghoush Nov 7 Common Threads: Retail Action Project Art Show Waiter Woes Hit Tipping Point Nov 9 Afro-Latino Cafe Nov 15 – 17 Ollin Imagination Presents: Bruised Mangoes Rhythmic Ammunition por Paz By Chris Cascarano The situation at my restaurant is not unique. More than 165,000 people work in the city’s For information and ticket reservations robably the worst thing about waiting restaurant industry. Along Columbus Avenue, brechtforum.org or 212-242-4201 tables is relying on other people’s gen- where my workplace is located, other casual Perosity for a living, especially during a dining venues are as empty as mine. Friends financial crisis. who work in fine dining restaurants say that Building a Movement that Moves As a waiter in the Upper West Side, I’ve business has slumped. Friends who work at 451 West Street (Between Bank and Bethune) seen a flourishing boutique restaurant be- high-end bars say business isn’t even close to For more information and tickets contact come deserted, and my personal bottom what it used to be when finance companies 212-242-4201 line plummet like the Dow Jones Industrial would buy out the bar for thousands of dollars brechtforum.org Average in only a matter of weeks. on Friday nights. As the financial crisis goes from bad to Nationwide, restaurant business ana- worse, I find myself wondering, along with lysts are calling this the biggest recession my coworkers, Wall in the industry since Street and “Main Insurance? I have none. And 1991. Food service Street” — how much consultancy firm Tech- worse will the econo- job security? I signed that away nomic recently revised my get and what am I when I was hired with an “at will its 2008 forecast, de- going to do? creasing the expected When I started at the employment agreement.” growth rate from 5.1 restaurant in March to 3.6 percent. 2008, during a now eclipsed slumping According to NPD Group, a company economy, 20 percent of the customer’s bill that monitors consumer activity, the restau- was the standard tip. In a week, I could ex- rant industry has seen less traffic for several pect about $500 dollars for working five or years; however, it saw actual sales decline six 7-hour shifts. for the first time in two and a half years the Those times are gone. week of July 28. Worst hit, they said, were Business began to ebb in June with the independent restaurants like mine. summer heat. I thought it was a fluke at first It’s frightful news for someone like myself and used the spare time in the restaurant to who is barely able to pay his monthly bills, read, relax and watch baseball on the big- which are still far lower than most people I screen TV. Since then, I’ve become worried, know. I wonder when it will be my time to and now broke. find a second job, move in with my parents or Customers come in so infrequently that have to decide which bill I will not pay. we sit alone in the dining room for hours at Insurance? I have none. And job security? a time; at time of the usual dinner rush only I signed that away when I was hired with an a few tables are filled, and the guests who “at-will employment agreement” that means I

do come spend far less than they did three can be fired or laid off for any reason. THE INDYPENDENT O months ago. It’s the same fear I detect in our custom- The 20 percent tip is long gone as well. ers. There are businessmen who come in late Many of the tips are just rounded to the at night or early in the morning before work nearest even dollar (on a $74.50 check, the to confide their worries to coworkers. Their customer will just write $80 as a total). conversations, which I listen in on by hover-

Recently, I worked 39 hours in a week ing near the table, are about what is going to ctober 24 – N ovember 13, 2008 5 and made $270. The restaurant, as well, happen to their department, where to safely is no longer earning money — a complete stash their money, and, like everyone, when change from the restaurant that once had a the economy is going to turn around. wait-list on any given day of the week. The middle-aged, life-long bartender at To make up the difference, the owners the restaurant says that business will come laid off some of the staff. In about two back, and that people are just in shock. As weeks, several managers, busboys, porters the saying goes, “liquor is recession-proof.” and kitchen workers were gone. Each day, He may be speaking only for himself, but about five or six recently unemployed wait- I sure hope the diners come back too and ers and busboys come in looking for work. spend like they did before. 6 october 24 – November 13, 2008 THE INDYPENDENT their homes and have their belongings cleared out by Sept. 26. outby Sept. cleared belongings have their and homes their of Galveston’s 975 of were ordered to public housing units vacate After Hurricane Ike came ashore Sept. 13 with 110 mph winds a winds mph 110 with 13 Sept. ashore came Ike Island. Hurricane Galveston of After end west the on apartment his from store AFTER THESTORM a local elementary school. elementary a local shelters With outside sprouted city a tent of miles, for hundreds silence. full hotels and deafening with met were that Questions down? place this totear going they Are authority? housing the is live? to supposed I H am Where questions: of barrage a with ees imple- time no wasted m of officials city city island Galveston small people. the 57,000 devastated Ike after days 11 24, Sept. came home finally earlier to return connections nence or political contractors. private with abuzz was industry tourist the of epicenter the while areas town ghost in residential all a like looked city the storm, the their homes mold grew daily. over-running a than Less week after toxic of threat the as even entry from barred were homeowners damage well- in poured Private assess average while contractors rebuilding. and begin to and island the on officials permitted were public families known owners, business you who and Prominent were knew. you who on dependent entirely was island you mayoron.” tolet the for ing wait- youare while ruined being is stuff your you’reall place, a and renting poor are you “If said. he afford,” least can who ple f burden huge a creating was which indefinitely, residents to land p the up picking begin to home go to wanted residents, Galveston GAL Houston Independent Media Heim Katie Center and Clarke Rachel By PushesGalveston Gentrification byHurricane says. he b Without a Haiti. steady job, he’s just getting facing problems the about talking workers B Avenue shop on coffee Nostrand in popular a at sitting while says Zamor too,” me for money send and home. back city the in survive to ey mon- enough make up both to trying jobs odd picking is he says ago, months six job construction his lost who native Haitian a home. back tohelp relatives scrambling economy, a in worsening struggling already A Homeland Hurricane-Battered Their to Giving Engle Jonah By Increase Haitians NYC Economy, U.S. Crashing Despite More NeedIt ThanIDo”“They and a tropical storm in a span of three three of span a in w storm tropical a and hurricanes hit by been three has Haiti kind. different a of disaster a on re- focused community mains Haitian city’s the fallout, or E or nd an 11-foot storm surge, nd 11-footan surge, storm y. “ ieces and assessing damages. damages. assessing and ieces r eeks. eeks. enting a Katrina-like gentrification policy. gentrification a enting Katrina-like ow long do I have to get my out? things Where is F M R the to access closed, was Island Galveston moment the From “ times, economic difficult the Despite “I send food, but it’s not It’senough. hard N ooklyn with fellow Haitian construction construction Haitian fellow with ooklyn T e w York ew a O VE iet lcig h promi the lacking sidents arley and others. and arley hose people who are really being hurt the most are the peo the are most the hurt being really who are people hose ny disabled ny and elderly disabled hit public employresidents housing ne ne day you one have, day you don’t,” Yorkers worry about the economic economic the about worry Yorkers New of thousands and catastrophe financial a experiences Street Wall s T S hat has left Haitians in New York, New in Haitians left hat has TO N, N, C ity resident Pierre Zamor, Zamor, Pierre resident ity T xs — exas C harles harles E arley, like so many other frustrated frustrated arley, other so many like T - exas officials had closed the is the closed had officials exas E little to home come little to. prior, finding are years residents three poorer Galveston’s Orleans New in Like ry us n nent book- Internet an runs arly M ost ost of the residents Haiti. PHOTO: JAMIE LEHANE AND SARAH SECUNDA SARAH AND LEHANE JAMIE PHOTO: Haiti. in family his help to can he what home sends but crisis, economic the by hurt He been has he says Brooklyn. Flatbush, in Ave. Church 2728 at located station transfer amoney Unitransfer, at DEEP: DIGGING EM A? A? Where Gharnot, a Haitian immigrant who works as a registered nurse, waits in line line in waits nurse, aregistered as works who immigrant aHaitian Gharnot, - - - O of New reminiscent a In eerily scene subdivisions. and prominent monied most island’s of the one of the outside conference a press Presidents former homes. their to damages assess to contractor outside an hire to have will ing inspector. t to. home to come season. a tours, B cemetery expo, business a including attractions tourist the W. George President CHARITY BUSH-CLINTON i storm the from losses of their value of the cover up to50 percent the city will begin. will city the f usual” as “business Galveston same away, the watch to miles forced now few are residents a ruins in lays Ward Ninth Lower N Like housing. affordable seeking victims in- hurricane with already undated are counties surrounding as up end will they where uncertain is it However, Nov.1. begin to slated is that program assistance rental 18-month an residents housing public displaced of U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development are offering B beach erosion. beach the need to rebuild Galveston’s and beaches tourist prevent future f their application is approved by a privately-contracted F privately-contracted a by approved is application their f acade being erected in their coastal home. in acade coastal erected being their hrough F hrough u e r ew ew Homeowners are being encouraged to apply for assistance assistance for apply to encouraged being are Homeowners O T J ach ach sh Jr. and Jr. sh and leans, leans, ust as the French Quarter is booming while New New while booming is Quarter French the as ust C h n e Federal e Federal ity of Galveston boasts of ity of boasts a Galveston events of and number upcoming O e is left to wonder when the tours of the ravaged parts of parts ravaged the of tours the when wonder to left is e B rleans three years prior, poorer residents are finding little little finding are residents poorer prior, years three rleans oys concert and plenty to do just in time for the winter winter the for time in just do to plenty and concert oys B EM R ush Jr. congratulated public officials and formally formally and officials public congratulated Jr. ush esident’s who are not satisfied with the agency’s rul agency’s the with satisfied not are who esident’s B A. Uninsured and under-insured residents can re can residents under-insured and Uninsured A. ush Sr. posed for photo ops on the island stressing stressing island the on ops photo for Sr. posed ush E mergency mergency B ill ill B C ush, Jr. toured the island island the toured Jr. ush, linton and George H. W.H. George and linton M anagement Agency (F Agency anagement announced the creation of the B the of creation the announced to head fund-raising efforts. efforts. fund-raising head to S of Secretary U.S. Former Fund. friend James James friend tate and longtime longtime and tate u sh- C linton linton O n its official website, n website, its official B C aker was selected selected was aker oastal oastal B EM ush Sr., giving Sr., ush giving O B ct. 14, with with 14, ct. ush family family ush A) and the A) the and R O ecovery ecovery rleans’ rleans’ EM A - - T tances come from Haitians in the United United the S in Haitians from come tances h the college, simple. is logic in children two with worker more.” it’s alittle just if even a month, times or three two sending are they month, a once sending of Instead “ William city. the in Haitians of many tunes in Haiti for- economic declining the despite August, battering started hurricanes since the increased have donations say stores devastated. been has ing, flood- the of worst the experienced which Hai- t in signs with stores remittance three — community Haitian largest city’s the to home is which — Flatbush in Street Lloyd Prime M of resignation the forced shortages day. a E $2 than less on live mostly timates es- Nations United the who people million T product. national gross Haiti’s of percent D Inter-American the by commissioned study a to according 2006, in billion $1.65 back of the generosity who overseas relatives sent foreclosure.” into going are eowners hom- he Haitian however,of lot a “a says, lot, Dream,” American “Haitians the economy. realize to want faltering the by hit hard recognizes been Yorkhave New in Haitians hurricanes, that the of victims for drive clothing and food a organize helped million. of nine anation in homeless 800,000 left and people 800 proximately need. greater in those say they feel Haitians a of sense duty to help need it more than Ido.” than it more need p pick up the food and money and deliver it to to Port-au-Prince, capital, the in officer lice no she chances, had for taking arranged a a friend, was po- Yolette one that. avoid was to way said, she stores, transfer money officials. by crooked stolen are Haiti to sent donations often too that fears their about had other customers just talking been the and she that said Yolette Haiti. to sent be to arranged had she rice $150the and cash in the for two receipt a her holding with daughters, Unitransfer of out walked jobs. their from came people as grew lines the progressed, day the As need. t foot on and by waycar to line up at the of their counters those made people of stream ian C ian hree stores —C stores hree tates. At the corner of corner the At tates. ere, so I can send as much as I can. can. I as much as send can I so ere, E eople in Gonaives. Gonaives. in eople ransfer — to send help to loved ones in in ones loved to help send to — ransfer a h evelopment evelopment “I cut my budget,” he says, “I spend less less spend “I says, he budget,” my cut “I F “ transfer money the at work who People M on depend Haitians times, of best the At C Sending money and supplies through through supplies and money Sending Yolette (who wouldn’t give her last name), O i very week they compromise themselves. themselves. compromise they week very rlier this year, riots brought on by food food by on brought riots year, this rlier ese transfers are a lifeline for are a Haiti’s nine lifeline ese transfers nister Jacques-Édouard Alexis. Jacques-Édouard nister or Pierre-Joseph Pierre-Joseph or T i n a weekday recent in ore than $1 billion of the annual remit $1of ore annual the than billion ty ty h reole promise speed and reliability. and speed promise reole ey are getting calls from family,”calls ey said are getting C R ouncilman ouncilman egis, manager of Soca Soca of manager egis, B ank. ank. A M T T M , Unitransfer and Soca Soca and , Unitransfer C hat’s equivalent to 35to hat’sequivalent T he town of 300,000, 300,000, of town he adet, a construction construction a adet, athieu athieu C he storms killed ap killed he storms hurch Avenue hurch and O ctober, ctober, a steady E ugene, who who ugene, T ransfer. ransfer. T hey hey - - THE INDYPENDENT october 24 – November 13, 2008 7 - - or C I has bama, B O f the four he F O T arack I officialsworry B B wner’s Loan POLITICS 2008 POLITICS O ven more troubling, E ac, AIG and Lehman M epublicans.

ae, Freddie ange is not going to happen because ngressional Democrats are consideringngressionalareDemocrats is was no idle comment. e lack of controls and constraints on M o h h h reported that F Times T C C T And it appears criminal behavior is be- here is no indication any firm still stand rothers, but these are all failed firms. ie postles as the R s than a new Home ive ive has been forced to resign. or their standard-bearer, ng is being probed. that the bailout itself“may become a prob- lembecause contains it inadequate controls to deter fraud.” B T poration; corporate welfare, such as guarantees loan for automakers; and conserva- tive ideas like “eliminating all capital gains taxes on investments in and start-up small companies.” businesses opened criminal investigations n into Fan- i the his latest speech calling was for full of quickhalf-measures like action bankruptcy- court adjustments for home owners, which lesseffectivefaris supportingin pric- house e executive compensation are part of a broad- a executivecompensationpart of are er counterattack to undermine greater do- mestic regulation and global oversight the of hidden markets behind implosion.Neoliberalism will gently notgo the financial stillproponentsrunIts gently. nightthe into abandoned have theyperhaps and show, the their free-market rhetoric, but it’s only to salvage the monied interests. modest Keynesian-style public works proj- ects, bolstered with increasedmentbenefits, tax cuts and to aid states. unemploy- As f voters install a Washington. Democratic It majority is nearly corporate in as overlords and beholden their free-market to a This is excerpted from a longer article. For the the For article. longer a from excerpted is This full article and links, see indypendent.org. provisions to crimp lavish payouts for se- nior executives, the only one with teeth is a ban on new golden parachutes (already ex- isting parachutes are unaffected); the other three provisions are meaningless. ing rewarded. Not one Wall Street execu- t ------he T controlmoreof than percent50 theofparliament. Harper has repeatedly downplayed his support for the Bush administration and its policies, but his record of pushing for military involvement in Iraq in 2003 and recently deporting U.S. resisters back to the United States speaks for itself. For a full analysis on the Canadian election by Jacob Scheier, visit indypendent.org. his will T ritish planritish he governhe arkets As B ankNew of T Kanas,CEO M B . So U.S. banks ancorp akethe B ellon is one of the firstthe of one isellon , “the plan could still T he banks could also use M Journal T reasury side, told the Securi T anks are likely to use the govern ellon. It has been named the “mas B reover, reover, the Paulson plan fits into the M is lack of control over the bailout monbailoutthe over control of lack is her banks are lining up at the trough. o epresentatives rejected the first bailout t New York Times h ormer North Fork Fork Northormer R F In one of the greatest absurdities, the And never mind talk about cutting the O T M In another favor to U.S. banks, they can ank of New York York Newank of illionbailout fund. f eep paying dividends while thedividendswhilepaying eep verall economy. s a “potentiallya assignment.”lucratives overnment’s preferred shares.” y may be the plan’s fatalbemay y the plan’s flaw: rom the ies Industry and Financial ment “has offered no written requirements about how or when the banks must use the money.” sociation the night before the U.S. o House bill that the restrictions would be pretty“a modest hindrance.” boost their profits while doing little for the o the money “to acquire weaker competitors … avoid painful cost-cutting” or just on the capital.” “sit banks that spawned much of this economic disasterwill managingprofit from $700 the b York With “$700 billion to disburse,” reported the generate tens of billions of dollars in fees if the firms negotiate anywhere close to their standard fees.” cords off golden parachutes and pinching executive pay. Neel Goldman Kashkari, Sachs a executive former handpicked Paulson by to manage the $700 billion f fund t B recipientsthe capitalof infusion, having re- ceived $3 billion. Presumably, then, it will makemoney managing by the money that’s being used to bail out. it mandates that “banks can’t pay sharehold- er dividends until they repay the preferred shares they are issuing to the government,” according to the sharehold- pay to taxpayermoneyuse could ers instead shoring of credit up markets. e ment capital to retire outstanding debt that the percenton 5 thanhighertheyield a pays g ter custodian firm” to manage theandoutflow of the fund, which is described inflow a neoliberal practice of private profitat pub- lic expense. Financial firms will profit both from the bailout itself and by getting paid fees to manage the taxpayer funds used to bail out banks. k said, “ - - - his T or those of you thinking to of Canada moving if John McCain presidential wins election the ... not so fast. You put it, ritishplan B itsubishi itsubishi and itsubishi buy- organ Stanley. M itsubishi would O Canada F would be moving to a country ruled by a party similarto the Republicans. The Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, strengthened their minority government in a federal election Oct. 14 and came just 12 seats short of having M M M itsubishi UFJ Fi he uffet announced he ritish banks. T B M reasury will buy “pre en en trast, on Sept. 23 War- T U.S. government. In U.S.con- government. r would would invest $5 billion dividend payments” to the to payments” dividend investment investment in Goldman Wall Wall Street Journal organ Stanley’s stock was e they “would pay a relatively relatively a pay “would they annualin percent 5 modest reasury’s decision not to Sachs, for which he received received he which Sachs, for h Bailing Out Bankrupt Ideology Out Bankrupt Bailing T reasuryincludedplan,which ay ay in the institutions. M to partially nationalize their isopposed theto a 10 percent dividend. percent 10 a T banks, which involves buying s T reasury structured “its invest e preferred and common shares. rights, so it will have no real T h itsubishi that its investment [in T r r as the ferred shares” that have no voting M demand common shares effectively O different deal, protects shareholders by propping up ct. 14, saying, “We’re not looking to hus, hus, the bailout appears designed to make sure private investors aren’t scared aren’t investors private sure make rgan Stanley, reveals how the plan was he shareholders B of O thestock prices financial of firms,rather o o organ Stanley] would be protected.” Paulson was unabashed about this lop- A T uffet. n T ssured eiling of theeiling of At that point in a tailspin. Afraid that than making them take a hit, as happened to t injecting $10 billion into walk theaway, venerable Wall Street bank renegotiatedthedeal after “federal officials a nancial Group’s $9 billion M investment in beinginwas negotiated right beforetheun- v LACK OF CONTROL While some sort of government tion interven-was necessary to revive the credit sec- tor, the Paulson plan is bankswill of how controlsover of lack dubious a From value. ineffectivebailoutfundstheuseto limits on executivescalingcompensationa of to back investigations of Wall Street fraud, the op- erating principle of the bailout is to let the markets self-regulate. sided deal when he o introduced the plan come in and take meaningfulpercentages.” ownership rigged from the start. M protect large investors like B “ away,” the away,” banks.” the to favorable terms on ment - rea T ct. 14. And O noted the first rg ct. 13 they were told told they were ct. 13 CEO of North Fork o . ut don’t cry for the O B reasury is injecting capital T immerman New York TimesNew York reasury on y Z he T sury “quietly nationalized much of on’t believefinancialthe on’t press when it says the Department of the T u e Paulson plan offers little public easury Secretary Henry planPaulson’s R st h

r ohn Kanas, former radicalgraphics When the chiefs of the nine banks met T J T

ith ith the ancorp, summed up the plan as “a pretty ecause the acked securities. he U.S. banking system” on banks. w the marketplace.” b favorable than they would have received in b mortgage-toxic only buying of originalplan to nine banks on terms that were more like a gift.” losses. It may seem to be a nationalization in banks for equity stakes, instead of the billionplanthewill$125phase of “provide strings attached to this money .... It seems ownership other than absorbing the banks’ ed, “It seems quite explicit that there’s no kets the to solve problem. pretty tough deal for taxpayers.” He add- bankrupt ideology of self-regulating mar- B good deal for the recipients and probably a createandgovernment stillis relying theon capital is profitingoff the disasterit helped is not only highway robbery, it shows that

D By Arun Gupta to capitalism or neoliberalism. don’t believedon’t anyone administered last rites t 8 October 24 – November 13, 2008 THE INDYPENDENT P were charged with his murder Oct. 16, 2008, by by 2008, 16, Oct. murder his with charged were journalist Brad Will. Brad journalist their gun-toting assailants. Brad Will stands in in stands Will Brad assailants. gun-toting their rocks and Molotov cocktails in the direction of of direction the in cocktails Molotov and rocks Santiago Zarate. P Zarate. Santiago hospital. Two of the people who assisted Brad Brad assisted who people the Two of hospital. the upper right hand corner of the photograph photograph the of corner hand right upper the HOTO: FL HOTO: municipal police officer; town official Orlando Orlando official town officer; police municipal Camino, Oaxaca, Mexico, Oct. 27, 2006. (From (From 2006. 27, Oct. Mexico, Oaxaca, Camino, O shot. He died a half-hour later en route to the the to route en later ahalf-hour died He shot. aid of Brad as he lies in the street after being being after street the in lies he as Brad of aid U taola left to right) Juan Carlos Soriano Velasco, a Velasco, Soriano Carlos Juan right) to left Paramilitaries prepare to open fire on anti- on fire open to prepare Paramilitaries ni government protesters in Santa Lucia del del Lucia Santa in protesters government versal man; and state government official Abel Abel official government state and man; Manuel Aguilar Coello; an unidentified unidentified an Coello; Aguilar Manuel Brad plays with a child June 17, 2006. 17, June 2006. achild with plays Brad F /Ex concoct bizarre bizarre concoct I Z FIRE REE CKR.COM/PHOTOS/P filming the action. PHOTO: J PHOTO: action. the filming c . Protesters launch a barrage of of abarrage launch . Protesters é ls independent independent P prosecutors prosecutors indictments indictments i HOTO CRED HOTO HOTO: R HOTO: or in death of of death in the Mexican government. government. Mexican the ONE . Protesters come to the the to come Protesters . Mexican Mexican (Photos Clockwise): Clockwise): (Photos a u l E I T: UN I strella RATEJE K N a OW v NN i /E er N Y l . h Institutional the B him. hit that shot the of sound therecorded having running, still camera his ground, the sembly (APPO). Peoples’OaxacaPopularAs- the ofmembers and officials and policemunicipal vilian-clad lies at the heart of the controversy over the gov- Whether Long-range shot ful investigation.” groups that have tried to help with a meaning- the arrests. “It is an insult to us and to all of the mother, in a telephone interview on learning of Oct. 27, 2006. onprotesters APPO at shootingpress the by to local officials who werewidely photographedvestigation followfortofailing leads pointing government’sin-the criticizingreports rights and save his life. o membersaccomplices, allsuspected other for leased on bail). Federal police were still looking o canfederal government arrested two members been shot twice. B gunshot. the ofmoment the at frame camera chest,and yet hiskiller does not appear thein i AvenueJuarezfir- officials were wherearmed of length the down filming journalists, other s movementledbystatethe teachers unionthat protest the on report to 2006 October early independentin traveledOaxacajournalist,to O By John Gibler t helping with Perez Octavio and gunman the almost 80 years (See sidebar, page 9). for fist iron an withOaxaca ruled had which ngat theprotesters. o covero up ought to oust GovernoroustUlises toought f APPO who had tried to carry Juancharging APPO, f r r ad died on the way to the hospital.had theHewayto the on died ad belowthejust on,straight from hit was ad B “ T T B It is such a coverup,” said Kathy Will, w r r h d to ai te PO rtses and protesters APPO the amid stood ad ad, a longtime New York arss ae fe a eis f human of series a after came arrests e o years later, on Oct. 16, 2008, the B radwasshotcloseatlongor range B rad’smurder(Perez was laterre R vltoay at (P Party evolutionary B clashbetween armed,ci- violent a wasfilming He n o municipalitythe in enue Willstood on Juárez Av- 2006, 27, Oct. n radwas shot andfell to f Santa Lucía del , Oaxaca, o, M anuel C ity activist and B R rad to safety M uiz Ortiz of Ortiz uiz artinez as artinez M Cami B M exico. B rad’s R exi rad I), - - - of Impunity The Rule fi fi i p paramilitary involvement. cal officials. hasnot investigated theinvolvement ofthe lo- t investigated the shooting. however,hasneither interviewed shot. was properly investigate the murder. systematictheirthroughrightsfailureto man hu-family’shis andvictim’s theviolated ties federalauthori-andstatethatcharging ment, releasedgovern-reportcriticalthehighlyofa in 2007. are. It wasn’t a short-range shot and everybody logic and it just goes to show how corrupt they away?meters nobody in that frame,” said Kathy Will, “ report. deadline for the PG challenge the R PG M than the gunmen located down the street. protestersAPPO catingthethemselves, rather impli- (about six-and-a-half feet), meters two killersshot him at close range, at a distance of saidthatPedro sal R Milenio the down from s interviewed came bullets those the All that said shot. surrounded was he when photographers press e and photographed firing onthe APPO protest- t e h with attempted murder, nor did they interview o Local police in civilian clothing and municipal ernment’sinvestigation recenttheandarrests. ng his picture shortly before oa Human ional hat’s when I left,” treet. led to rs amongwhomrs fficialsin Santa Lucía del ort cial, shot at him when he noticed e f h Fdrl tony eea (PG General Attorney Federal the of ce im in a e O M I er te ult hz y y ed and head my by whiz bullet the heard “I R T T “ Human for Physicians the and experts independent Witnesses, T , mirez was shot in the leg. xican governmental human rights group all T h h he a n Sept. 26, the o M a ul rcn arss ae dy eoe the before day a came arrests recent e PG e e hn dzn rtses and protesters dozen a than re e lo at look a ke M B M ay 23 calling on the PG E esae poorpe Oswaldo photographer newspaper M rad’s case. strella, a photographer for exico earlier this year and issued a re xcn uhrte cam that claim authorities exican R mns before oments T has not charged Pedrocharged not has e eea gvrmn however, government federal he C R ome on! ome ights B ’s short-range hypothesis. E M R rad was standing whenhestandingwasrad B armona, a municipalCarmona,a of- strella said in an interview to respond to the exican governmental Na a’ ls fae tee is there frame; rad’s last C miso ( ommission T Camino were filmed R hey are defying all all defying are hey B gt (PH ights T a ws killed, was rad B he rad was killed. R to investigate M R E amireznor exican Of strella tak El Univer- Carmona C R C NDH) NDH) trav ) B NDH NDH B rad’s T rad wo R ), - - - - -

s and has since traveled there twice to meet with p controversial the include that reforms energy contestedelectionvictory,2006 forwell as as P R crowd only to fire a second shotinto his side. co-conspirators who drove him away factfrom the in were says, theory the hospital, the to protesterstold APPO shooter. all pointing to the conclusion of the disgruntled presentationelaboratewith graphsandcharts Oaxaca 2006, 15, S “APPO did it” theory began with then-Oaxaca h providedfamily,thebyfocusingsolely the on evidence theconsider to refused has ernment i w the near burns powder gun leaving without scores of witnesses without anyone seeing him, shooting—him athim close range frontin of t ofonemurder thatthe of day thesistedsince M B powerful more g to beholden him made has that andweak powervery to came “Hesaid. has traditionally been a rival of the P company. e ficersin death squads has been well document- indicate police participation in the killings. evidencevideophotographic andand timony tes- witness where conflict Oaxaca 2006 the ure to investigate 17 other murder cases during both pointed out the federal government’s fail- B finishedhis sentence,the masked protester shot he assoon pistol. As 9mm acocked hewhile knows that.” ng in he APPO membersstandingnearAPPO he tate and federal officials. federal and tate d,” said tate Attorney General Lisbeth roups, such as the P ypothesis that APPO killed R iaiain f etr of sectors of rivatization r uiz Ortiz’s crimes, Osorno said, to secure the ound or on l ad. xcn tt ad eea ofcas ae in- have officials federal and state exican B T C T C “ T “ ’ spot o Peiet Felipe President for support I’s leó hs o te oto, Osorno option,” other no has Calderón aming the victims T a’ fml rtie a ayr in lawyer a retained rad’s family he federal government colluded to cover up e ruld ees o te government’s the of defense troubled he h aña’s theory was that one of the APPO APPO the of one that was theory aña’s (PAN), Party Action Nationalalderón’s e Will family and the PH the and family Will e h B T e involvemente civilian-cladofpoliceof rad’s camera frame. he bystanders who tried to take to tried whobystanders he C M ity, flipping through a PowerPoint a through flipping ity, aña called a press conference in in conference press a called Caña exican journalist Diego Osorno. B rad’s shirt, and without appear B radto“stop pictures,”taking R I.” T M B he rad. xc’ sae oil stateexico’s Caña. On Nov. R M investigators exican gov exican B Calderón’s R radkilled I. M exico B rad - - - fi had not. tics information on the guns firedthat day? She gatheredsheballis- Had not. had Shenesses? asked.Shehadnot.sheHadinterrogated wit- family 27,the Oct. onprotesters at shooting photographed officials municipal the rogated she had gathered. She had none. Had she inter- PowerPointandto share any new information o investigators.At the beginning of the meeting, government state the with meet to 2007, 21, P the at officials with hours 12 than more for lawyer their T T the meeting was over. attorneygeneral take over the case. With that, C federalgovernment.the toit ship to up it ing causetheyhad just thatmoment finished box- v that had been paraded before the press the pre- beingled through theexact samepresentation M the loadedsame PowerPoint and presentation, this time dated returned assistant the later tobring the correct one. A few tense moments Point, apologized, and dispatched her assistant fourmonths?” past the in anything done haven’t you ticed the date and asked: “Does this mean that presentationNov.datedno-Hardy 15,2006. brother gun that does not make any cocking sound. 9mm pistol, but with a .38-caliber revolver — a driven off to the hospital. w gunshot two the photographs; the in visible B publishedphotographs bystandersof carrying M that they could not view the case file.Why? familymembers ofmurder victims. t withoutcameraAlso,frame.appearingthe in T e a after day he iousNovember, askedthey ne of ne GR le — a right granted under r e olwn dy Kty Hardy, Kathy, day, following he he killer could not have shot he feds take the case añawas requesting that the ud wr bt peet before present both were ounds ad to a car. xcn newspapers exican Infuriated, the family asked to view the case When C B W E a rch 21, 2007. v r aña said that they had the wrong Powerwrongthe had they that said aña e now know that ds aet, ah ad ad, n his and Hardy, and Kathy parents,ad’s office in Oaxaca. in office en at first glance, this theory is absurd. is theory this glance, first at en aña’s assistants loaded a PowerPointaloaded Caña’sassistants C B ag rvld o aaa on Oaxaca to traveledraig rad’sweretheythatrealized family M B B oth gunshot wounds are clearly iguel Angel de los Santos met Santos los de Angel iguel a ws ild te national the killed, was rad B Milenio rad was not shot with a T hey were able to re toable werehey M aña to stoptheto Caña exican law to the M B and rad straight on exicanfederal C aña saidCaña B Excélsior ag and raig a was rad M arch B e - - -

PH in latein G presentedas evidence by former state Attorney first assumptions two the — locationsferent range and that he received the two shots in dif- d e close-range shot is categorically impossible.) a thatfamily the told has expertvideorensic ter of weeks. investigation and seek arrest warrants in a mat- o in late February 2008, they were eager to learn p mained silent. reviewingtheevidence, thefederal officials re- s P lawyer, then obtained formal approval from the review the investigation. De los PH Santos, the Wills’ t had been no progress. Hardyreturned to serious and unbiased investigation. meatthetime,thegovernment conductwill a w Perhaps somewhat better. now, feel to family the led politics local from distance and grees cials’ ardent assurances of their academic pedi- o with. tampered been have could photographs the accept the photographic evidence, arguing that thantheOaxaca state investigators, refused to that they were more professional and impartial was driven from the scene. a heard isshot the milliseconds afterframe era show a bullet streak descending across the cam- p such as the published photographs showing the submitand evidence collected theirbylawyer, view the case file (justunpacked), ask questions igating tudied arlier this yaer, while the PH theyaer, whilethis arlier nd milliseconds before B f the PG f the Oaxaca state investigators, the PG resencegunshotbothofwounds before erthe assumption that ort to the family and the G ith the PG the ith eneral n h mnh atr h Fbur meeting February the after months the In T T P In addition, an expert video forensics analyst T T Still, after the incompetence and insensitivity T T R R R H h he PG h h h hey were appalled to learn that there still therethat learn appalledwere tohey for PH rt ta the that wrote team volunteeredteam travel toto e federal special prosecutioninvesfederalspecialteame ePG t was at rough the efforts of Kathy and Hardy,Kathyandofa efforts roughthe R ay 2008. In a In 2008.May concluded its review and sent afull re B B C R rad’s last tape. (Preliminary findings(Preliminaryrad’s tape.last rad’s murder was still proceeding un R R aña. ’s progress. said that they would conclude their officials, while assuring the family R R rh 07 We Kty and Kathy When 2007. March to make an examination. taking over the case, they toldthey case, theover taking M exicoalmost ayear later, M xcn eea investi federalexican B ay 23 press release,press23 May M rad cries out. radwas shot at close exican government R experts wereexperts M exico toexico T R he fo offi B rad ------tigations that is too thorough to be accidental. competence in both the state and federal inves- access to information.” legal certainty, to access to justice, as well as to “violatedthefundamental rights tolegality, to W Well,both,”Dr.WiarcobemightHardysaid g perpetrator(s).” might reveal a pattern of violence leading to the thatOaxaca injuriesdeathsin ofinstancesor immediatesurroundings; and a Will’sfailure to investigate from other originated gunshots the that hypothesis working a authorities on q of author the is Gibler John some direction from above.” T spade:spadea a “Sometimes callyou haveto din o ago on Oct. 2, 1968, to the ambush and murderh cultural fabric of the law: from the massacre of functionissimply tocement impunity into the tigationsplagued with an incompetence whose horridandtradition political ofmurder inves- craft. result of tradition and practice, a truly exquisite resulttheonlybecandecisiveitof action,the implacable that pervasive and socompetence the form of a kind of ritual incompetence — in- In T the crime scene on Juarez Avenue. sandths of a second, one after the other, both at death occurred successively, separated by thou- q lar, however, have not been detained for further.38-caliber washandgun).a ZarateAgui-and ( handgun.38-caliber a withkilled fact in was said, but rather .38-caliber handguns. a stategovernment official Abel Santiago Zarate C C b .38-caliber the misidentifying and day; that thoseall photographed carryingorfiring guns ducting or ordering an investigation to identify con- not murder; the for held originally men two the interrogating not protesters; APPO the men interrogating witnessed and photographed or firing on the day that used firearms murder;thedaysfourafterinspectingnotthe 31, Oct. until scene crime the inspectingnot murderup to the present. Ashort list includes: in federaland state speculationthat of acts and T attacks investigation H PH the to rp to trips T a tween 35 and 50 meters (about 40 to 55 yards) that the fatal shot occurred at a distance of be- 2006. C a 9mm pistol. t authori-federalandstate theconcluding that th federalinvestigation would soon conclude that storiestheto v ticle appears at indypendent.org. ar- thisofversion longer a coverage Willand archive Brad An of 2008. and 2007 in ficials of- federal and state Mexican with meetings in familyWill the for interpreter volunteer a as acted He Books.Lights City from coming PH e ivle i investigating in involved ies to sos a iglr ou by focus singular “a shows ation ided in the d ht h to ons ht caused that wounds two the that nd Orlando official town nd undredsstudentsofin uestioning. f uered: ullets pulled from eresa h he he art of impunity laiming that aña detained and then released two men — menreleasedtwo then and detained aña oello — during the first week of November of week first theduring — oello vestigatorsengaged in from the day of uman rights commission e APPO protesters killed ill, “ T T B B T T T M y r cvrn u ad biul getting obviously and up covering are ey a DoctorWiarcoandAttorney General u r riqui radio journalists Felícitas Sánchez and h h e xeine f h Wl fml i their in family Will the of experience he hi R ad’s case has become part of a nowdeep a ofbecomead’spart has case C exico, the art of impunity most often takes tthe rpr dtis h budr, omissions blunders, the details report e e M also confirmed that the lethal weapon lethal the that confirmed also ls err s f atclr importance. particular of is error last s B D rlae is eot h nx day, next the report its released NDH T M a’ fte, n tlpoe interview. telephone a in father,rad’s M ora are eitherincompetentcorrupt.areorora Chronicles of Power and hey did not carry 9mm pistols,9mm carry notdid hey M erino April 7, 2008. xcn uhrte dd o respond not did authorities exican C R xc ad h documentation pro the and exico report and instead began to leak to beganinstead andreport NDHanalysis concludes that C T B N M he rad was killed with a 9mm pistol, DH report present a level of in exican pressexicanclaimingthethat C NDH report also concludes B rad’s body as coming from M exico B rad. ne Aguilar Manuel M B e R C a’ murder rad’s io Uncon- xico evolt ity 40 years40 ity M , forth- exican B B C B rad’s rad’s M aña rad e - - - PHOTO CO PHOTO of the oppressed in various countries. countries. various in oppressed the of struggles the in share to and camera chronicle video again his returned with again and and 2002 in region the to traveled first he America, Latin throughout years recent have in flourished that movements justice social B endangered old-growth forests. forests. old-growth I endangered Oregon’s of canopy the in high time at a weeks to for Side “tree-sits” East in engaging Lower the in gardens from community and squats save to campaigns efforts front numerous the of on lines years spent had Brad Journey Brad Will’s are uprisings. and future produce to likely same the remain cover to life his sparked gave Brad that movement the that conditions social but the power in still is Ortiz Ruiz later, Two years APPO. crush to police eral of fed- to send in thousands a pretext as government Mexican the by used be would death Will’s Brad political system. corrupt state’s the of tling disman- the and resignation Ortiz’s Ruiz were demands APPO. principle or Their Assembly, Popular ples’ Peo- Oaxaca the of banner the under united others and women students, peasants, workers, of organizations 350 than the more union, teachers by state Spearheaded months. four for Juárez de Oaxaca of city capital O Uprising The Oaxaca M the state’s autocratic governor governor autocratic U state’s the against up rose population digenous n l spired by the militant, grassroots grassroots militant, the by spired exico. exico. ises Ruiz Ortiz and took over the the over took and Ortiz Ruiz ises journalist. Before his death, death, his Before independent journalist. and activist City rad Will was a longtime lion people located in southern in lion people located southern mil- impoverished, 3.5 of state an mountainous is axaca I n June 2006, its majority in majority its 2006, n June U RTESY: THE W THE RTESY: — J ohn I T LL FAM LL N arle ew ew York —J.T. t on

I

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9 INDYPENDENT THE

vember 13, 2008 2008 13, vember no – 24 ber o ct o 10 October 24 – November 13, 2008 THE INDYPENDENT M John at seen class, working disenfranchised rage bubbling up from our impoverished and ger recognizes that nature and human life have ket. He reminded us that a society that no lon- objects whose worth is determined by the propositionmar- that nature and human beings are naturaltheenvironment.and decriedHethe society both of destruction the ensures that ralenvironment into commodities, a situation election 2008 c radi- reinvigorated a of resurgence political ues go up smoke, in we must prepare for the val- home as and unemployment skyrockets as worthless, become plans retirement and rate college as state, savings accounts, funds corpo- our of tools craven as exposed are a class, ruling our by abuse and betrayal the dangerous right-wing backlash. I Hedges Chris By American People Betrayed byBothParties W George under government U.S. the of tion descrip- good a is which —political system gangsteragangster andcapitalisma into— control, government heavy withoutvolved, de- always system financial a that warned function.”refusedmarkettosocietythat He that“fascism, likesocialism, wasrooteda in self-regulatedcalled graspedmarket.freeHe andtotalitarianism thatgrow— outso- ofa tatingconsequencesdepressions,the — wars formation of our few surplus commodities. one be will hopelessness, and poverty ages, short- increasing of age an in despair, And despair. economic and personal is — ments move- radical forall movementtrue is as — market,the kind bequeathed to usby R al al te eortc and Democratic the s eagan, turned human beings and the natuthebeingsandhuman turnedeagan, . c As the public begins to grasp the depth ofdepth to the grasp publicthe As begins KarlPolanyi bookhisin United States. United the of future the for visions different radically offers McCain, John and compared Obama Barack when to campaign, Each tickets. Republican or Democratic the from not are who from choose to candidates presidential By Alex Kane Alex By W Third Party –AnAlternative Vote democracy that is in peril. Financial Financial peril. our in c but is economy that our democracy longer no is t C B C ollapses lead to political extremism. ush.Polanyi self-regulatingwrotethata a hristian right. right. hristian in rallies, presages a looming and and looming a presages rallies, in , written in 1944, laid out the devas- T their ballots, there will be five be will there ballots, their cast to 4 Nov. booth step the into voters York New hen he engine of this mass mass this of engine he R epublican Parties Parties epublican TheGreatTrans- R onald T he - lending remains frozen. remains lending tion for a continued prosperity. equality, he wrote, always destroy the founda- theydie. Speculative excesses and growing in- suicide. Such societies feed on themselves until monetaryvalue, ultimately commits collective a sacred dimension, an intrinsic worth beyond to hand over enough of our money because because money our of enoughover hand to able be not may government the that signs a solvent and be can they so taxpayer banks to dollars giving frantically is government b it pay not could that institutions financial f investment structured vehicles and credit de- de-leveraging, securitization, like terms use b scure and incomprehensible language coined ob- the in us to speak still system financial our rigged and state our hijackedhavewho B obnoxioustheir jargon, is not hard to grasp. comeau I comeau joe louis ault swaps. an ed oe. t s o working. not is It money. lend gain y specialists at elite business schools. business eliteat specialists y ack. a T nks nks loaned too much money to people and h e corporate con artists and criminals criminals and artists con corporate e T hese banks are now going broke. V T he reality, once you throw out lawyer and former member of the San Francisco San the of member former and lawyer their campaign. their campaign. to according states, 45 in nationwide ballot the on is ticket c mercial interests that now disproportionatecarry power and to all people in the land from a small number of private com- to do [Nader]isto power bring “What istrying scape. back is pushing for a in “tectonic thedemocratic shift” U.S. land- t Francisco.According wageSan in minimum the raising and Supervisors who in election waschanging laws instrumental p o campaign spokesperson ontrol over people’s lives,” Heaps says. olitics. His running mate, running His olitics. T here are ominous ominous are here For more information, visit votenader.org. B T T ank ank hey he T oby Heaps, the Nader campaign M att Gonzalez, is a civil rights rights civil a is Gonzalez, att influence on Washington on influence corporate undue against ing rail- and rights consumer ing advocat- career his built has who candidate presidential R PARTY INDEPENDENT d a in remain markets credit If massive. too are speculators these by incurred losses the r T liefs are shattered in a severe be- economic crisis. and standards traditional All ernment. gov-our does so worthless, moneybecomes our society.If regulate that in mechanisms the faith of loss widespread a be will there continues disaster financial our If rency. wastodebauchsystem cur- itscapitalist the their mortgages or credit card debts. pay longer no can who families out bailing intentionofhaveto real no seem — Obama bankrupt investment house after pocketing pocketing after house investment bankrupt CE speculators and a profiteers gangsters, the while out wiped are industrious and honest s especially country, the across wave tidal a Ford and General General and Ford alph Nader is a four-time four-time a is Nader alph ince ince our corporate elite — including upt. mass millions. Look at Lehman Lehman at Look millions. mass e fez, oprtos uh s A as such corporations freeze, eep h ei si ta te et a t destroy to way best the that said Lenin e moral order isupside turned down. O T R he downward spiral could spread like ichard Fuld. He walks away from his T he Nader/Gonzalez B M oard of oard tr mgt o bank go might otors o president, but not serve as president, due to his being born out F mate is a veteran civil rights activist and and u activist rights civil veteran a is Kennedy Alyson mate For more information, visit themilitant.com. visit For more information, is on the ballot in 10 states. on bringing to the United States. Fein says the SWP focused is platform their elections,” 2008 the in alternative weekly, SWP the for writer f the country. the f ein, current law dictates that dictates law current ein, nion organizer. organizer. nion B rothers B T arack & T he T - , C foundations of a the society. of dynamiting systematic the means it andshortages, bankruptcies unemployment; food commerce, and trade of degradation the means only not collapse economic An out. wiped are investors His million. $485 hi Hde i a former a is HedgesChris the Ireal, does notam afraid, look good. And real. the on based not is it if anything No realist. orethic act of isresistance worth a be to important more is it but hope, offer b Polanyi’sto homage an and state corporate vote,only if as a form of our protest against will I off. bought been has Itcomplacency. and hypocrisy impotence, bourgeois liberal, of example pathetic a is Party Democratic d Denver in ists and PaulSt. are converging to activ- against assaults brutal the and cam- eras, surveillance of seas the soil, U.S. on penal combatbrigadea of offshorestationing the colonies, our in torture of use the open corpus, habeas of suspension the Act, article originally appeared on truthdig.org. foreign correspondent. A longer version of this i hope no place I dystopia. terrifying a into descend or crisis this weather and stabilize T t a security nationalof name the in them allow a moment to strike, a national crisis that will rayed against U.S. democracy are waiting for ga be waving the U.S. flag, singing patriotic will slo- they it do they while And democracy. impose draconian controls to our extinguish to terrorism and dissent left-wingof specter chaos, the hatred for the elitesruling and the happy to corporatists contribute to the cause. many of one be will expect, I Oaa r h Dmcai Party. Democratic the or Obama n ion. d oa rnwl o he the shred to renewal moral nd rilliance, for rilliance, etermine our future. future. our etermine alero is a workers’ rights activist and staff staff and activist workers’ rights a is alero he next few weeks and months will see us us see will months and weeks few next he B T T ns and clutching the lig hmevs s h “working-class the as themselves illing h h e USA Patriot Act, the FISA FISA the Act, Patriot USA e T is is a defining moment in U.S. history. moment in U.S. defining aisis hey have the tools. The Militant The R his campaign director Dan Dan director campaign his to According ticket. (SWP) Party Workers Socialist the time presidential candidate on R PARTY WORKERS SOCIALIST born C alph Nader. I would like to like would INader. alph óger alero is eligible to run for run to eligible is alero es onindypendent.org. the listofcommunityresourc- to make ithappen.Checkout happens bypeoplewhochoose in alocalorganization. Change tion, considergettinginvolved box ofthepresidential elec- world donotfitintotheballot If your dreams forabetter B ronx resident, is a two- C T C alero, a Nicaraguan- aalero, hose dark forces ar forces dark hose hristian cross. hristian Fuld, T , and his running running his and , N hey use will fear, w Yorkew C onstitu R T eform imes T he - - THE INDYPENDENT October 24 – November 13, 2008 11 - - - he he lec T E ush ush would B from from Ohio, I onvention. onvention. C cKinney and running he he Green Party is that hey hey knew Ohio could T M lemente, lemente, former South T C cKinney was the first Afri- M osa osa The The Indypendent R hey hey are making history as the first T ynthia ronx ronx resident and hip-hop activist, leveland, Ohio. leveland, cKinney told the Indypendent in an arack arack Obama into the White House rom rom Georgia. inking back to the 2004 election I re won won the nomination at the Green Par- GREEN PARTY C can-American congresswoman elected f mate B B C M h publican publican Party, which is using a variety st st She She soon disappeared into the cold, rainy I know, don’t but I hope they come back It It was a half-hour before the polls closed T Some Some of the most compelling evidence e a oubt there will be more dirty tricks on on dirtytricks more be will there oubt ast ast their ballots. ing determine whether George W. will not be a panacea for our problems but an is importantit first will what step in a be long, long journey that includes voting but there. cannotend receive receive a second term and were overwhelm- ingly supporting his opponent, John Kerry. Just then, a young woman bolted the door toward shrieking at the top of her lungs, “I take can’t it anymore! I take can’t it any- more. I worked 15 hours today and I work tomorrow.” hours 15 night while Kerry elec- the concede and votes 119,000 by would Ohio ultimately lose tion. the Was exhausted at- young woman’s cast votes the Were misguided? vote to tempt long in and line that in waiting people the by time? of waste country the a lines allacross this year and with millions more people at their back so we can finally put thewing right- fanatics out to pasture and open social up space for creating real change. Get- t ported for cannot but recallhelp a scene that unfolded African-Americanan at in me church before E who voters interviewing would-be was I and their snaked lines that standing long in were way down into the basement where people c of of machinations to disqualify as many new people students,especially — can it as voters un- — incomes low with people and color of der the rubric of fightingNo “voter fraud.” d Day. tion that that voting matters is being supplied by the R ongress for the impeachment of George W. C Kinney has a track record of pushing importantpushing progres of record Kinneytrack a has c ush ush in late 2006. She advocates kick-starting a movement ow, thisone. have countryow, doesn’t measure in y y convention in July. opposition opposition party,” B interview during the Democratic National t to “create an opposition party for this country, because right because country, this partyfor opposition an “create to n Green Party ticket is the on ballot states,in 32 according to ballot-access.org. information, more For visit votetruth08.com. sive issues into the issuesspotlight, into calling from sive the immediate for withdrawal of all troops from Iraq to demanding compre- HurricaneintroducedKatrina victim assistance. She hensive a all women-of-color presidential ticket for the Green Party. M - ach person’s vote is E epublican epublican ay. ay. While dapted from R A songsattwilight.com M arr was an avid ecause the people who end up B B o o presidential You betcha! elections matter? infinitesimally small so we should arr captured the nomi the capturedarr oot oot ticket is calling for -type reformer in the White House then HouseWhite the in -typereformer hy? hy? B R R Not Not having to fight some battles also If we actually end up with a progressive W D arr is a former oot, a businessman, author so much the better. For that kind of scenario of kind that For better. the much so to unfold, it will take a level of mass-based organizing from tbelow and to the left that thiscountry seen has not in decades. Why Voting Matters Why Voting By John Tarleton D controlling the levers have of extraordinary leverage politicalin shaping the power world we live in and even small difference in whose at the top can make a substantial difference in the daily millions lives of from defensethe to environmentthe of protection of a right woman’s to choose, to the ability organize to union. labor a makes it easier to go other ones. on wage the offensive to F not fool ourselves into thinking ing that is the vot- most important thing we can do to change the world. And yes, the two-year long media circus that buildsthe campaign is an up energy suck that aroundis best avoided. However, wishing away the am- biguous world of electoral politics does not change the fact that election outcomes of- ten do make a difference. ongress, B arr/ R C B ongressional representative for ob ob heir heir convention in he he nation of the Libertarian of nation Party at t LIBERTARIAN PARTY B in supporter of the “war on drugs,” C Georgia. hey hey advocate cutting spending on T ven ven T E he he Libertarian Party website says the T y y voting only B ivil Disobedience: “ Disobedience: ivil solution. solution. He has since recanted on all of these positions. C e arr’s arr’s running mate is Wayne ealthcare system. et” et” economic system. B states. 45 in ballot the on campaign is information, more For visit bobbarr2008.com. and and television producer. a dramatic shift to smaller government and k a “free mar- and and voted for both the USA Patriot Act and the Iraq War R welfare, reducing taxes and having a “consumer-oriented” h - - - - en ast ast that body ballot on behalf of B C ity. ity. C atholic atholic Worker. Despite abstaining alifor e existential threats that humanity must must humanity that threats existential e C C h is is is a complete cop-out. oreau wrote in wrote oreau T Perhaps Perhaps we could learn what such a life Unfortunately for most , voting most for Unfortunately So, if not voting, then what? Hinting at h h allot. “ he he once once every four years, people put hope someone in else to bring about that,“change” in reality, only the people themselves make can happen through continuous organiz- personalsacrifice.directing, and action from elections, Ammon saw his body as his b life, your of day every you around people the every he day,” argued. “And don’t let any- voted.” haven’t you you tell ever body confront today will not be stopped with just will be stopped today not confront a vote. If we are to have any of “hope” sal- vaging the for world future generations, we radically and line the on bodies our put must live. we way the change might look like from Ammon Hennacy, the steadfast anarchist, pacifist andmember of t voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It It it. nothingfor doing is right the for voting is only expressing feebly your desire that it the leave not will man wise A prevail. should right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to majority.” the of power through the prevail engagement. civil of act sole their constitutes T the answer to this conundrum, Henry David conundrum,thisHenryDavid to answer the T he PSLhe is bring - o T ) ) and was also in T ER iva was a two-time ugene Puryear, the vice Puryear, the ugene R E his Week” T ’s “ ’s arxist message and rallying cry of BC acism acism (ANSW nia on the nia and Freedom the on Peace justice social many in active is ticket, struggles in the United States is and the coordinator of the National PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION Gloria La gubernatorial candidate in M uban Five. Five. Cuban R alph alph Nader, and Demo ep. ep. (D- nd nd R R E arack arack Obama has made it dwards, for challengingdwards, for the B E he he media ridicules — or simply T fter cutting through the presidential hype, are elections really the worth enormous amount of attention, e e idea that pulling a lever every few us, while the predictable drama around around drama predictable the while us, ere is tremendous opportunity to revive a socialist move socialist a revive opportunityto tremendous is ere h h

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hen hen asked Sept. 7 on A o ecker, an organizer with the campaign in New York organizerYork an campaign New the inwith ecker, ential candidate T f f touch. olved in the campaignolved freeto the Jena 6. alamities that are a result of the capitalist system,” says says system,” capitalist the of result a are alamitiesthat ratic ratic contenders o o Stop War and ng ng their revolutionary energy and money they consume? they money and energy o jor partyjor candidate, they as out are branded in line with public sentiment than either ma- thaneither sentiment public with line in merous merous issues that polls show are far more status quo. Despite espousing views on nu- c c road, road, an alternative besides the endless war and economic ment ment in this country, to explicitly say that there is another B v information, more For visit votepsl.org. said “too little.” “too said much” on the military, while only 20 percent percent 20 only while military, the on much” percent of Americans thought we spent “too “too spent Americanswe thought of percent lic lic opinion, as a recent poll showed that 43 theater. than more little remains that tary.” His stance is not even in line with pub- with line in even not is stance His tary.” by an election — and a political system — that we need to increase the size of our mili- our increasesize the of to need we that fleeced be again once will folks everyday And w Democratic party on, he replied, “I’ve said House. White the in installed be will country take just one example of his orthodoxy, which issues he would break with his own this run actually who interests corporate and who who wins, a friend of the powerful wealthy effectively effectively rigged from the start. No matter ers ers unfolds, few note that the system was the the nefarious schemes used to exclude vot- clear that he would not ruffle feathers. d at at what has become of Independent presi- public is ever asked for its opinion? Just look look Just opinion? its for asked ever is public forgotten. date who may date rock may who the before theboat long excludes and ignores — them until they are campaign contributors filterout any candi- media, special-interest lobbyists and wealthy wealthy and lobbyists special-interest media, supposed supposed to happen, when the corporate change change is delusional. How exactly is this years is actually going to bring about real A

By Eric Stoner Voting is a Cop-out Voting t C organizerActNow for volunteer candidate,a is presidential “ “people “people over profits”to 12 states thispresidential election. i OH) OH) and John If your dreams for a better for a dreams If your ballot fit into the do not world elec- of the presidential box involved getting tion, consider Change organization. in a local choose by people who happens out Check happen. it to make resourc- list of community the indypendent.org. on es Book Reviews Dreams from My Mother Dreams from My Father It was through her eyes that who chemically peeled his skin slogged through the By Barack Obama Obama saw black as beautiful, to be white, his face burned to a nihilism of a broken Three Rivers Press, 1995 and it was through the white ghostly hue. Obama was terrified people and marched perspective in TV and magazines that a man, brown like him, would to the last door of t a political roast, the Al that he saw it degraded. She, being willingly destroy himself. He power as if she’d be Smith dinner in New York, white, could not protect him from writes, “I went into the bathroom on the other side. ABarack Obama joked about she could not see, and they and stood in front of the mirror To do so he had to being “The One,” a knowing grew apart. He searched black … and wondered if there was redeem the man who wink about the religious fervor culture for a psychic refuge but something wrong with me.” gave him color, the of his fans. “Contrary to popular could not find it until he faced So began Obama’s double man she first loved, belief,” he said, “I was not born in the man who gave him his color, consciousness. This term was the man who failed a manger.” the man who abandoned him, his coined by W.E.B. Du Bois in The him. With Wall Street in ruins, father. Souls of Black Folk to describe Obama traveled to however, Obama is expected to Barack Obama Sr. had a family “this sense of always looking Kenya to learn about save us. He plays the role with in Kenya when he courted Stanley at one’s self through the eyes of a father who was too enough irony to deny it, but just Ann, a young white woman from others, of measuring one’s soul by proud to bow before enough pleasure so we know Kansas. In a whirlwind of hunger the tape of a world that looks on in the powerful and too he feels it. Why does he enjoy and fascination they married and amused contempt and pity.” proud to speak of the promising redemption? soon Obama Jr. was born. Two Obama sought safety. His mother pain when stripped A clue is found in his 1995 years later the whirlwind blew could not shield him, and his father of his job. His father memoir Dreams from My Father. itself out. When Obama Jr. asked was absent, so he searched for it drank himself numb REBECCA MIGDAL Originally a medium-seller, it has for his father, his mother created in “blackness” as a high school and crashed his car now sold hundreds of thousands a mythology for her son to love in basketball player, then as a college one night, killing of copies during the presidential place of a man. activist and finally as a community himself. Standing campaign as readers sift its pages She early each day to organizer. He listened to old men at his father’s grave like a Rosetta Stone for Obama. teach him about the civil rights gossip in the barbershop, women Obama wept, “Oh His memoir shows a need to movement, played Mahalia Jackson wobbling under the burden of old father, there was no shame in your lies. By writing his father’s story, a redeem. Redemption is the act of records and told him that “to be age and older worries, kids cursing confusion ... There was only shame story Obama Sr. was unable to tell, seeing through the degraded state black was to be the beneficiary of a on the corner. Obama internalized in the silence fear had produced. It Obama the son redeemed him. It is of a loved one to salvage the hidden great inheritance, a special destiny, blackness because it shone like was the silence that betrayed us.” this need to redeem, to pay off the value. Which is why his memoir glorious burdens that only we were a UV light, exposing invisible Having lived between the lies debt of those silenced by shame, should be called Dreams from My strong enough to bear. Burdens we racism. people tell, Obama knew they that drives him. Mother — because Obama dove were to carry with style.” But his blackness was not one he separate us so far from reality that into African-American culture not However, there were threats learned from black folk but the one we become terrified of it and will ­—Nicholas Powers to create a black identity, but to she could not see. As a child he his mother taught him with images commit crimes to keep it at bay. redeem the one she gave him. saw in Life magazine a black man of the civil rights movement. He His father had lost his life to such

Local Projects Lure Workers Away from System DIY Trumps the Vote

Nowtopia very four years, activism in the change we can believe in — spoon- Burning Man festival. trenched power while By Chris Carlsson United States is co-opted and fed to us by Barack Obama. While dry and in- building alternatives. AK Press, 2008 Echanneled into the chaotic San Francisco activist hero tellectually dense These alternatives can muck of presidential elections, only Chris Carlsson’s refreshing book, at times, Nowtopia only emerge locally Toolbox for Sustainable to fizzle out afterward. Thousands Nowtopia: How Pirate Programmers, (which takes many from the principles of City Living of people are sucked into the notion, Outlaw Bicyclists, and Vacant-Lot examples from New sustainability, egalitari- By Scott Kellogg and that somehow this time, if the Demo- Gardeners are Inventing the Future York City) is an inspi- anism and cooperation Stacy Pettigrew cratic candidate is elected, there just Today!, is an encouraging diversion rational read for the that “encourage further South End Press, 2008 might be real change. That’s right, from the election chatter. Mixing burned-out worker independence from the an insider’s look at do-it- looking for the con- destructive and danger- yourself (DIY) culture with fidence to break free ously unstable domi- a post-Marxist analysis, of the daily grind and nant systems.” Carlsson highlights follow her heart. The book examines individuals who are A more hands-on simple systems — such organizing around guide to building a as the experimenta- practical community new world is Scott tion of the Rhizome projects, rather than political Kellogg and Stacy Collective in Austin, parties or organizations Pettigrew’s Toolbox Texas, which the au- (which Carlsson describes for Sustainable City thors helped co-found as “the hollow simulations Living, containing — to inspire people that we call representative basic recipes for all to manage their own democracy”). of life’s necessities food production, Carlsson captures a — from composting waste, energy needs, decentralized movement toilets to biofuel pro- water resources and defined by people’s shared duction to rainwater bioremediation, with- exhaustion from wage collection systems out becoming “green slavery and a political to cultivating bugs consumers” in the system that refuses to for chickens. Select process. A valuable

THE INDYPENDENT conceive of a world built black-and-white photographs and resources section compiles how-to from the creativity and simple pen-and-ink illustrations books and online information. concerns of ordinary by Juan Martinez help us visualize Change will not come by way of people. Carlsson takes how simple “simple living” can be. ballot or through Democratic leader- the reader on a whirlwind The authors contend that a massive ship, Nowtopia and Toolbox both ar- tour of edgy community social transformation is needed to gue, but by a movement of grassroots gardens, “outlaw” bicycle overcome the fact that our society lifestyle adjustments and on commu- culture, local biofuel “has overextended its natural limi- nity-based projects that take on food production, autonomous tations in every capacity.” Toolbox autonomy, environmental protection, computer culture and authors promote the political phi- health care, education, media and the “classlessness” and losophy of dual-power sustainable infrastructure. innovation at the weeklong — simultaneously dismantling en- —Jessica Lee 12 october 24 – N ovember 13, 2008 Ruling Through Mismanagement

The Wrecking Crew: How of a deregulated Wall Street. “outsiders” running against Wash- drug bill written precisely to the eliminating even the most urgently Conservatives Rule But Thomas Frank, author of the ington. Somehow, even when the pharmaceutical industry’s specifi- needed government functions, like By Thomas Frank superb recent bestseller The Wreck- Republicans are in power, “The cations — explicitly forbidding the cement factories to build protective Metropolitan Books, 2008 ing Crew, explains such problems government is never theirs, no mat- federal government from negotiat- walls against explosions. as the inevitable results of a new ter how much of it they happen to ing discounts for the public — and Much of Iraq’s worst aspects hardline conservative philosophy. control,” Frank instructs us. then being rewarded with a $2 mil- have been kept secret by Penta- or evidence that the last eight This ideology views government Frank depicts today’s Washing- lion position as the president of the gon control of media access. But years of Republican rule have first and foremost as a giant oppor- ton as “democracy buried under a drug industry’s lobbying organiza- the full effects of the Wrecking Frepresented continuous fail- tunity for private plunder, secondly deluge of money.” Fortunately for tion. Crew’s ideologically driven mis- ure, some might point to the decep- as a resource to reward favored the reader, the story of the Wreck- Even lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s management were made clear to tive path to the disastrous Iraq War, campaign contributors and finally, ing Crew’s work is relieved by downfall was dismissed by many Americans by the pitiful response the federal government’s “heckuva as a chance to show the public that Frank’s biting but understated wit conventional commentators as to Hurricane Katrina. As Frank job” performance on Hurricane Ka- they should rely exclusively on the and his keen eye for revealing de- merely a inevitable case of him acidly writes: trina and now the great meltdown market, not the hopelessly incom- tail, making the book a splendid, “going native” in the Washington “By now over $100 billion has petent government. yet disturbing read. “culture of corruption.” Mean- been spent, but parts of New Or- Judged by this standard, Frank illustrates how the K while, the structural dependence leans remain empty. Repairing the Wrecking Crew Re- Street Project, spearheaded by of elected officials and candi- public housing seems to have been publicans have been then-House Speaker Rep. Tom De- dates on ever-growing campaign a low priority; rebuilding casinos spectacularly successful. Lay, entailed business lobby groups contributions flowing heavily an urgent one. All this might seem In case anyone draws ridding themselves of Democratic from America’s richest 1 percent like social engineering in a cruelly another conclusion lobbyists and contributing exclu- — chiefly business leaders — was 19th-century mode, but in fact it — say, that the problem sively to Republicans, in exchange conveniently ignored. As Frank is the unavoidable result of a re- is with Republican vul- for unparalleled influence in craft- explains, “Instead of reinforc- covery plan comprised of tax cuts tures ruling the roost ing industry-friendly laws. “It was ing the fragile institutions of civic for entrepreneurs, fat handouts to rather than government a win-win proposition,” Frank trust you smash them, you encour- chosen contractors and toxic trail- itself — the Republicans points out. age cynicism toward government, ers for those who can’t afford big try to wipe their slate Grover Norquist, one of the cen- and if you get a chance you put handouts to the GOP.” clean by claiming that tral players in developing the rul- the whole thing — conspicuously This shameful episode reflects certain excesses were ing Republican strategy, lectured — on a for-hire basis.” more than greed and opportunism committed merely due business leaders that they ought Thus, we have the U.S. Depart- in the face of unspeakable misery, to the capital’s “culture to invest more on campaign con- ment of Labor defining business Frank warns us. As the muckrak- of corruption.” What’s tributions and lobbying. Norquist — rather than workers — as its ing journalist Lincoln Steffens put needed are “mavericks” pointed to a Fortune article that “primary customer.” We see the it, the corruption of recent years like John McCain and stated “the return on lobbying in- occupation of Iraq privatized, with is not simply a string of separate who can vestments can be truly enormous,” the number of $1,000-per-day mer- crimes but “a natural process by come in and “reform” using numbers like 163,356 per- cenaries from Blackwater and other which a democracy is made gradu- government with bold cent profit rates to drive home the private firms roughly equivalent to ally over into a plutocracy,” a gov- ideas like completing point. The porous border between the number of U.S. troops. Youth- ernment by and for the wealthy. George W. Bush’s pro- lobbies and government brings us ful Republican zealots were recruit- —Roger Bybee gram of tax breaks for the spectacle of Rep. Billy Tauzin ed by U.S. viceroy Paul Bremer to the wealthy and “win- (R-LA), chair of the U.S. House totally re-configure Iraq’s economy This review has been excerpted ning” the disastrous war Energy and Commerce Commit- — without consulting any Iraqis from a longer version on in Iraq. After all, they’re tee, ramming through a Medicare — as a “free-market” paradise, indypendent.org.

Progressives in Flyover Land Red State Rebels: Tales of and Southeast ignores present real- at the U.S.-Mexico border, the the breadth of most of the book clear definition of what constituted Grassroots Resistance in the ities. In focusing on both historical dignity with which [im]migrants creates a lack of depth in any a “rebel.” While most of the book Heartland and contemporary activism, Red struggle against deportation and specific movement discussed, this seems to define “rebels” as people Edited by Joshua Frank and State Rebels shows that these ac- the important work of No More section’s specific focus allows for fighting against oppression and in- Jeffrey St. Clair tions are not isolated incidents, but Deaths in assisting [im]migrants greater depth than found else- justice, some chapters glorify indi- AK Press, 2008 rather part of broader movements with basic health treatment at the where in Red State Rebels. Essays viduals affiliated with the religious for justice. border. interweaving the history of the right and other sectors of the right Journalistically written, the The compilation’s attention to theft of Native lands with current wing for their anti-government aving lived my entire life pieces in Red State Rebels cover a Native American organizing is Native American organizing illus- politics. in the Midwest and South, broad range of movements. Primar- one of its major strengths. While trate the profound legacy of Na- Even with its shortcomings, Red HI have heard the phrase ily focusing on , tive American resistance against State Rebels strikes a key blow “flyover states” more times than I antiwar organizing, [im]migration colonialism and genocide. The against the all-too-common belief can count. The little attention that rights, Native American struggles chapter “Indian Country” dem- that the majority of the United these vast regions receive is dedi- and workers’ rights, the writers onstrates that Native activists are States is a conservative wasteland. THE INDYPENDENT cated to ridiculing them as back- show a range of activism occurring waging fierce battles, from Ward The writers remind us that many ward and ignorant. Progressive across the nation and the diverse Churchill in the academy to Ce- people in these “flyover states” politics, it is thought, only occurs tactics utilized. celia Fire Thunder’s reproductive are following in the tradition of in the urban areas of the East and In “How to Beat a Mining Com- justice organizing. the American Indian Movement

West Coasts; the rest of the coun- pany,” St. Clair illustrates how Red State Rebels is not with- in Minnesota, the Black Freedom october 24 – N ovember 13, 2008 13 try is a mess of rightwing politics environmentalists in Oregon “ban- out its flaws. While a few chapters Movement of the South and min- with little hope for change. ished North America’s largest gold touch on issues of gender justice ers’ struggles in Colorado. For Red State Rebels: Tales of Grass- mining company from the state of and sexuality, in a book with more hundreds of years, grassroots re- roots Resistance in the Heartland Oregon” by proposing statewide than 40 chapters, discussion of sistance has been nourished and seeks to dismantle just such myths. environmental safeguards. Ted these issues is scant. By including grown in these lands that have By recounting dozens of instances Nace recounts how North Dakota more on organizing against heter- been deemed politically irrelevant. of grassroots activism, editors farmers took on chemical manu- opatriachy, the editors could have We must recognize this history Joshua Frank and Jeffrey St. Clair facture Monsanto and won a state- further broken down the myth that if we hope to connect and build demonstrate that current “com- wide ban on genetically engineered women, trans and queer folks in stronger movements for real social mon knowledge” about the politics wheat. “The Border Diaries” cap- the heartland are without politi- justice across the United States. of the West, Midwest, Southwest tures the oppression enacted daily cal agency. Moreover, there is no —Lydia Pelot-Hobbs Reviews

bluestockings The Signs radical bookstore | activist center fair trade cafe 172 Allen St • 212-777-6028 They Are bluestockings.com

SUN OCT 26, 2:30PM • FREE PLANNERS NETWORK BOOK CLUB: A-Changin’ URBAN FORTUNES This month’s discussion is about built environments, urban history and planning Signs of Change: Social Movement tionships between issues and looks part of Exit Art’s Curatorial Incu- of contemporary art and culture.” and the book, “Urban Fortunes: The Politi- Cultures 1960s to Now at the cultures that are produced bator Program: Dara Greenwald, The show examines art that cal Economy of Place” by John R. Logan. Showing at Exit Art, 475 Tenth from all struggles. who does collaborative work built is both a tool of radical political Avenue, through Nov. 22. In displaying the collection, the around concepts related to social movements and the inevitable result MON OCT 27, 7PM • FREE show gives no work of art more movements, and Josh MacPhee, a of the need to incorporate political READING: HIGH ENERGY PERFORMANCE weight than another. Thus, the founding member of Justseeds, a critiques into daily life. It success- POETRY & PROSE with Edwin Torres, igns of Change, a multimedia more traditional documents — the radical art collective with a number fully situates current struggles and Sharon Mesmer, Tim W. Brown and Tara exhibit at Exit Art, surveys the photographs, zines, documentaries of pieces in the show. The Curato- social justice cultures historically. Betts. Sartistic and cultural produc- and samples from the Melbourne rial Incubator Program was cre- The show also provides an im- TUES OCT 28, 7PM • $5 SUGG tion that has accompanied social Independent Media Center and ated to address “the emergence of portant space in which to exam- WOMEN’S/TRANS’ POETRY JAM & justice movements over the last 50 other independent media sources a generation of young artists with ine work that would otherwise go OPEN MIKE featuring Barbara Elovic and years. The focus of the show is an — have no more pride of place diverse backgrounds, perspectives largely unnoticed. In addition, act- Amina Munoz-Ali. impressive collection of posters that than the art that also brings to and aesthetics, who needed to be ing as a tool for both education and span the globe and are accompa- light less familiar styles and forms presented in a way that united art- organizing, Exit Art complements WED OCT 29, 7PM • FREE nied by films, audio clips, t-shirts, of protest art. The t-shirts or the ists with common concerns across the exhibition with film screenings, DISCUSSION: “OPTING FOR ABOR- photos, newspapers, zines, stickers album cover of 1978’s Feeding the disciplines … rather than isolating discussions and screen-printing TION AND LIFE.” Join authors Jennifer and album covers. Instead of being 5000, the punk band Crass’ first artists based on their identity,” workshops in collaboration with Baumgardner and Amy Richards as strung into a timeline, the items are and best-known album from 1978, according to Exit Art’s website. the Lower East Side Print Shop. they relate their personal choices, their political battles and lead a discussion on arranged along seven themes: Strug- are as valuable in the exhibit’s “Exit Art expanded its curato- reproductive freedom and parenting. gle for the Land; Agitate! Educate! thrust as documents of events, rial model to become an incubator —Alex Nathanson Organize!; Forward to People’s movements and cultures. Many of for the careers of these young and THU OCT 30, 7PM • $5 SUGG Power; Freedom and Independence the objects, initially created with a emerging artists, a laboratory for Exit Art is a 25-year-old nonprofit PERFORMANCE: GINA ULYSSE “BE- Now; Let it All Hang Out; Reclaim utilitarian purpose, find a second the convergence and cross-pollina- cultural center and art space. For CAUSE WHEN GOD IS TOO BUSY.” A one- the Commons; and Globalization life in the show. tion of different media, disciplines a full schedule of events, discus- woman show that weaves spoken word from Below. This grouping facili- The show was a result of a year’s and audiences, and a key site for sions and film screenings visit with voodoo chants and addresses social tates our understanding of the rela- work for the two curators, both excavating the unwritten histories exitart.org. (in)justice, her intersectional identities, spirituality and rage at the dehumaniza- tion of Haitians.

WHAT’S “Changeling” You Can Believe in AT STAKE? Eastwood’s Recipe for Moral Dilemma - THE - Changeling after A Perfect World (1993) and shock and should take her motherly commits his heinous crimes because Directed by Clint Eastwood Mystic River (2003) — in which duties seriously. he feels compelled to, not because Imagine Entertainment, 2008 Eastwood, 78, articulates the Once she goes public with her he suffers a particular trauma or 2008 impact of violence as a generational story under the tutelage of Reverend condition. Paradoxically, their divide through the theme of child Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich), moral ambivalence derives from ELECTION or almost four decades, Clint abuse. Jolie plays Christine Collins, who relentlessly campaigns against the single-mindedness that drives Eastwood’s films have been a single mom and telephone the LAPD’s widespread corruption them. Thus, Collins’ resistance Ffleshing out the dark, violent switchboard supervisor, who and profiteering, Juvenile Division to the culture’s innate tendency heart that pumps lifeblood into this finds her nine-year-old son Walter head Captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey toward violence is not gender- country’s history and civilization. (Gattlin Griffith) missing when Donovan) promptly has Collins based (as in the idealization of Founded on equanimity, the moral she returns home from work one locked away in the County Hospital’s stereotypical female weakness and bedrock from which springs his spring evening in 1928. Initially psychiatric ward. Meanwhile passivity), but parentally inclined. wry, distinctly American humor, dismissive, the Los Angeles Police Detective Lester Ybarra (Michael In a film that does away with Eastwood’s treatment of violence Department (LAPD) appropriates Kelly) traces her son’s last known romantic or sexual pursuit and is serious yet never ponderous, her case as a self-promotional whereabouts back to a farmhouse conceives gender relations in terms Special resilient rather than pathological. platform once a boy who says he’s near Wineville, where psychopath of power dynamics, Eastwood His heroes struggle to resist its Walter steps forward. Only he Gordon Northcott (a splendid Jason privileges the maternal perspective DVD force, which is keyed to natural isn’t. Despite Christine’s objections Butler Harner) held and killed a to throw into stark relief how now cycles of destruction and renewal, and arguments to assert the child’s number of young boys he abducted. America’s savage patriarchal and envisaged as the index of their mistaken identity, which would As the Northcott investigation hits heritage passes as much from available survival. strike any halfwit as conclusive, the news, Christine Collins regains boys to men as vice versa. It’s an The glossy Angelina Jolie vehicle the police high-handedly rebuke her freedom and proceeds to file unsentimental, archetypal vision, Watch Naomi Klein, Jeremy Changeling is the third film — her, claiming she must still be in a civil suit against the city as she perhaps best encapsulated by Scahill, Malia Lazu, Roberto resumes the search for her son. novelist Cormac McCarthy in the Lovato and Laura Flanders Eastwood’s understated direction opening of Blood Meridian (1985), debate and discuss the lets the action advance matter- in which he summons “a taste for election and what to do next of-factly, so that the unlikelihood mindless violence” that finds “the at the Sept. 13 benefit for of the chain of events depicted child the father of the man.” The The Indypendent. appears all the more surreal. The mother figure absorbs this legacy

THE INDYPENDENT characters are not plumbed for as an innermost outsider. Her For your copy, call us at psychological depth or moral fiber steadfast temperament weathers 212-221-0521 or go to beyond the historical record. They the waves of regeneration through indypendent.org. are subsumed under the storyline’s violence, and Changeling, like inexorable, almost tidal pattern The Bridges of Madison County of progress, the rhythm of which (1995) before it, pays her a moving, transpires most directly through gentlemanly tribute. the filmmaker’s elegant, self- —Kenneth Crab composed score. Collins becomes a social reform activist as she goes Changeling opens in theaters Oct. through the motions of a personal 24. To read a longer version of this quest to find her son. Northcott review, visit indypendent.org. 14 october 24 – N o v ember 13, 2008 THE INDYPENDENT october 24 – November 13, 2008 15

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$ . Books.org www.resistingempire.org —Juan Cole, Informed Comment —Juan Cole, Books for changing the world The Iraq War in Context War The Iraq Michael Schwartz WITHOUT Order Order online at www.sunysocialjustice.org Haymarket Part of the Fall 2008 Resisting Empire national speaking tour. visit For details, event centered in Iraq. centered in Iraq. In this razor-sharp In this razor-sharp WAR WAR commentator Michael myths used myths to sell the endless “war on terror” endless U.S. public the idea of U.S. an Schwartz demolishes the analysis, TomDispatch.com TomDispatch.com analysis, “Americans have all along needed a sociologist, not a gen- all along needed a sociologist, “Americans have eral, to help them understand They Iraq. need to know about social movements, not just militias, and about oil politics, not just personalities in the We have news. the incredible good fortune that the perspicacious Schwartz Michael boldly stepped forward to cast floods of illumi- and its War nation tragic on social the costs.” Iraq END Iraq Against Veterans for & Veterans the Peace War Abolishing the Prison-Industrial Complex Organizing for Rights Worker Resisting Corporate Media Achieving Radical Reforms in the SUNY System Resistance War-Tax Women, Incarceration & Resistance Urban Sustainability Solidarity with Native Struggles Defending Affirmative Action Building Radical Mental Health Support The Farm Sanctuary Movement

and these (among other) amazing workshops: By C. DaleC. By Baldwin “Deception” live performances, a keynote lecture by Howard Zinn, lecture by Howard Zinn, keynote a performances, live A Woman A Love In To learnTo more about the conference or to pre-register, visit can find endless money to build new prisons and fight new wars. wars. new fight and prisons new build to money endless find can With budget cuts wreaking havoc on public education, the government government the education, public on havoc wreaking cuts budget With a different world. The weekend will include networking, strategizing, strategizing, networking, include will Thea different weekend world. a new movement for real change to open up our universities and realize realize and universities our up open to change real for movement new a The SUNY Social Justice Conference will be a staging ground for building building for ground staging a be will Conference Justice Social SUNY The baldwinlovebooks.com It’s HDIt’s reading as extreme passion turns to depression for Clemintine when her darkesthusband’s secret is revealed, heightening psychotic episodes that are masked tender by making love and soothing words as she tries to come to terms asking herself, “Should I stay or should I go?” read more to go To Most newspapers describe the world. The Indypendent is out to change it.

Jeremy Scahill says The Indypendent is “the best newspaper in New York City.”

It’s the only participatory paper around. And it sits at the intersection of activism and journalism.

We don’t just report on global warming, we cover the climate justice movements taking on the corporations destroying the planet.

We have not only featured some of the best analysis of the Iraq War, we have acted as a forum for strategizing on how to end the war. And The Indypendent has not just published unique work explaining the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, we played a central role in sparking widespread protests against the Wall Street bailout.

Now, with a new presidential administration almost upon us, the real work begins. 4;42C8>=2>E4A064?064B%'

Issue #126, October 3 – October 23, 2008 C748=3H?4=34=C A FREE PAPER FOR FREE PEOPLE If we’re going to create a better world, we have to do it ourselves, FPhC^6^ and not rely on the good will of corporate-funded politicians. FP[[BcaTTc 4G?;08=8=6C74 42>=><82 <4;C3>F= 0=3F70CC> 3>=4GC ?064B( " We need movements, we need organization, we need ideas andwe need independent media.

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Issue #104, June 7 – 20, 2007 make your contribution. C748=3H?4=34=CA FREE PAPER FOR FREE PEOPLE 6[^QP[FPa\X]V Or fill out this form Or pay by credit card: F70C=>>=44;B4F8;;B0H and mail it in. Card number: Exp. Date: Card Code: It’s quick, it’s simple and Name: Address: it makes a big difference City: State: Zip: if you do it right now. 7^fFT6^cX]cWXbdcX]VcWTBZT_cXRb_( 1X^UdT[

illustration by Jeff faerber

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