Over 1500 Media Activists/ Workers Converge to Plan and Discuss Media Democracy
Several Rochester, NY area media activists traveled to Madison, Wisconsin for the First National Conference on Media Reform, spearheaded by the organization Free Press . The conference organizers had anticipated roughly 400 participants and were extremely pleased and surprised when over 1500 people attended, filling university lecture halls to maximum capacity, even being forced to close participants out of some panels.
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Protests Planned for Dick Cheney's Visit to Rochester (Updated)
Next Monday, November 17th, while Dick Cheney is holding a $1000/plate lunch at the Riverside Convention Center, two groups will protest his visit to our city. Metro Justice is planning a massive demonstration to greet Dick Cheney in front of the convention center. Simultaneously, RCAN is calling for more radical direct action including blocking streets and entrances to disrupt Dick Cheney's visit.
One of the main reasons for the demonstrations is Cheney's role in the US led war on Iraq, which is complicated by his
ties to the Halliburton corporation. Halliburton has greatly benefitted from contracts to "rebuild" Iraq.
UPDATE 11/17 1:45pm: Read accounts of the protest here.
10.12. <BR> 03
Second Installment of a Rochester Activist's Journal depicting his work with the International Solidarity Movement in Palestine.
I regret that I have been unable to write for what seems to be nearly 3 weeks. I have been in various villages throughout the Qalqilia district in the West Bank and finding an internet connection has been difficult. Either no connection exists or it is so slow that packing up and paying you all personal visits seems more productive.
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Activists Demand the Release of Ansar Mahmood, An end to Racial Scapegoating
Dozens of activists seeking the release of Ansar Mahmood and other detainees rounded up in the so called “war on terrorism” rallied in front of the INS Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, NY Saturday afternoon. An ad hoc group consisting of Rochester peace activists, students, workers and youth organized the Rally. Mahmood’s case
exemplifies the attack on the human rights of innocent immigrants that has become standard under the Bush Administration’s “Patriot Act” legislation.
More on Rally
Rally to Free Ansar Mahmood, A Victim of the War on Terrorism
Ansar Mahmood has turned 25 and 26 in the INS Detention Center in Batavia. He was a legal, valid green-card holding Pakistani immigrant of the US. He settled in Hudson, NY, working 13-hour shifts as a Domino's pizza delivery boy, so he could send extra money back home to his family in Islamabad, Pakistan. His father was sick and they needed the extra money to pay for medicine.
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Details on Rally Location, Time, Contacts
People with Disabilities demand apology from Democrat and Chronicle
Below letter submitted to the D&C, if they decide to run it.
Dear Editor:
Amidst the furor over remarks made by Bob Lonsberry, I was outraged to see the D&C use equally derogatory language in an article about the killing of a young man with a disability (Mom aids Death in France, 14A, September 27th). Without delving into the incredibly complicated debate over the man's right to die, I can say that when the D&C called him an "invalid" they insulted our entire community.
"In front of my children, they arrested me like a criminal!"
Monday night, the Immigrant
Worker Freedom Ride came to Rochester, in support of
href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/news/2003/09/1067.php">a
number of changes to various policies and
href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/news/2003/09/1066.php">programs.
There were speeches by Bill Johnson and Susan John and you can read a summary of facts about the local visit if you choose.
It was an invigorating night, with speakers, dancers,
much spontaneous chanting (¡SÍ SE PUEDE! ¡SÍ SE PUEDE!) and more,
and most of the 350 in attendance left feeling charged.
Perhaps the most powerful part of the night however, was when
href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/news/2003/09/1072.php">one
woman shared a personal account of her life
leading up to the Freedom Ride and later read
href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/news/2003/09/1068.php">a letter
her daughter had written.
Listen to David Rovics Live @ the Friends Quaker House
Listen to the Full-Length David Rovics concert, performed at the Friends Quaker meeting house in Rochester on June 17th, 2003. It's a great concert, and some of the songs performed are still unreleased by David. For more David Rovics music and upcomming tour dates check out the awesome site http://www.davidrovics.com
Morning Demonstration Targets Racism on the Public Airwaves, WHAM Announces Lonsberry has been Fired
(September 29, 2003) Demonstrators held a rally late Monday morning at Midtown plaza, downtown Rochester, NY to protest WHAM 1180’s statement that it would allow Bob Lonsberry to continue his radio talk show, despite racist remarks he made referring to African American mayor Bill Johnson as a Orangutan. Shortly after the demonstration, WHAM announced that Lonsberry had been fired.
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D&C coverage
Story about Clear Channel, owner of WHAM 1180
9.20
GABE' S JOURNAL
A Rochester Activist's Journal depicting his observations and experiences in Palestine. Gabe is currently working with the International Solidarity Movement
in Palestine.
I awoke from my rooftop perch at 6:30 this morning, partly because my watch began beeping on schedule and partly because I felt cold - for the first time since my arrival in Palestine. I have been anxious to observe and document more on the difficulty of movement caused by the prison walls around Qalqilia, so I began the 15-20 minute trek to the southern gate (also called Habla Gate).
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