Tag Archives: politics

Protesting The Bejing Olympics

Back in April I was a featured speaker at a rally to protest human rights abuses by the Chinese Government, especially highlighting the Bejing Olympics this year as a year to address those violations and abuses.

As the Olympics in Bejing Opens this weekend, there are protests around the world taking place:

Dissident decries attendance at Games
Hours after returning from a foiled attempt to visit his home country on the eve of the Olympics, Chinese dissident Yang Jianli railed against world leaders participating in the event, particularly President Bush.
“Imagine the situation: The heads of democracies swarmed to Beijing to participate in opening ceremonies which took place under martial law,” said Yang, a Harvard scholar and Brookline resident, pointing to the military presence and the crackdown on critics that preceded the event. “Millions of Chinese troops and police are deployed in Beijing and everybody is suspect now. . . . Beijing has become a forbidden city itself.”
Yang never made it to Beijing. He never even made it out of Hong Kong Airport. Yang, who was released last year after five years in a Chinese prison, was sent home via Japan, where he had been traveling.

Anti-China protests worldwide as Olympics begin

Worldwide protests coincide with opening ceremony: Hundreds of Tibetan activists detained in Nepal

Olympic protests held around the world: Demonstrations take place in cities including London, Hong Kong, Delhi and Kathmandu as opening ceremony begins

Thousands take part in global day of protest as Beijing Games open: Toronto demonstrators demand ‘Free Tibet’; hundreds arrested as exiles rally in Nepal

Protesters try to turn spotlight from Games to human rights

Small pro-Tibet protest pulled off in Tiananmen

More articles

Save Me From My Senator – Boot Buttars From Office!

A new site has popped up in the Blogosphere:

Save Me From My Senator – Chris Buttars Scares Me.

It was started as a result of dire frustration by a constituent of his. It’s chock full of really useful information, including
101 Reasons to Get Rid of Chris Buttars, Tools for Citizens to use in the Fight, news and blog articles, and lots more.

I live just outside of District 10, so I can’t help vote him out, but I sure can do all I can to get others in his district to do just that.


Libertarian Party Platform and Green Party Platform on Equality

eQualityGiving.org rates the Green Party’s platform on LGBT concerns

Springmeyer/Valdez Gov slate in Utah

In the absence of any Green Party candidates in Utah, I have decided to support the Utah Governor/Lt. Governor candidate team of Bob Springmeyer and Josie Valdez. On his facebook page, Bob identifies his political views as Fiscally Conservative, Socially Liberal, Green.

Bob is working towards improving health care and wages for Utahns, addressing energy and environmental issues and eliminating government bureaucracy.

More about Bob Springmeyer

Josie “has been a community activist and organizer since she first arrived in Utah in the early ’70s.
After Josie’s retirement from the SBA, she served on the cabinet for Mayor Rocky Anderson as Director of Diversity for the City of Salt Lake.”
Josie especially advocates for women and minorities.

More about Josie Valdez

This team is running on the Democratic ticket. I thought about this very carefully before deciding to formally support this team, since I feel that the Democratic party is just as bad as the Republican party, really. When I read about the values that these two candidates embrace, I became convinced that electing this team to the Hill would be of benefit to Utahns.

Besides, Bob rides a bike and the campaign lawn signs are Green! So I’ve put one in my yard.

Don’t worry, I’ve already suggested to Bob a switch to the Green Party. I’ll keep working on that.

Maryland Governor Issues Challenge to Eat Locally

While I was visiting my family in Maryland, I learned some things about its new progressive Governor, Martin O’Malley, such as his efforts to promote local agriculture. In Hometown Annapolis, the July 19th article, Your challenge: Eat locally–State, county officials encourage consumption of area’s produce, written by Tim Ebner (which also was posted on Common Dreams), describes the challenge the Governor put forth to Marylanders to eat at least one locally grown food each day.

The heat did not stop Gov. Martin O’Malley and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown from throwing a party yesterday on the lawn of the Governor’s Mansion. Mr. O’Malley opened his front yard to host a barbecue banquet of foods produced by Maryland’s farmers.

The event kicked off the state’s Buy Local Challenge, a week of events promoting and supporting the state’s agricultural community.

Mr. O’Malley and other state leaders are challenging Marylanders to eat at least one locally grown food each day from now until July 27th. The governor said he hopes this week will change the way Marylanders think about their food.

“If you buy a tomato and have to drive it here from Mexico or Florida, there’s a lot of cost and environmental impact in the transportation,” Mr. O’Malley said. “If you buy a tomato that was raised in Anne Arundel County, it’s safer and tastier, and a larger percentage of that dollar goes to Maryland farmers,” he said.

In the past few years, the local foods movement has gained wide popularity across the country. Many “locavores” buy directly from regional farms because of the food’s nutritional and organic value. Grocery stores that cater to organic tastes, like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, also have seen a growing consumer demand.

In Maryland, residents said they would prefer to eat locally.
Continue reading

Today’s News and Blogging on GPUS Convention and Nomination of Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente

On the Wilder Side Blog – Cynthia McKinney helps re-define the goal
Third Party Watch – McKinney wins presidential nomination of Green Party
Election Unspun-McKinneyWinsGreenPartyPresidentialNomination
The Michigan Daily – A Third Chair
The Green Party’s Convention Boosts Morale for its Members
On the Wilder Side – Cynthia McKinney’s parents: photo and notes
Indiana Green Party – Cynthia McKinney Wins Green Party Presidential Nomination
Independent Politica Report – McKinney’s acceptance speech
Chicago Public Radio – Chicago Convention Ends For Green Party
Deep Green Sources – ROSA CLEMENTE’S ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
The Indypendent – 2004 Indy Interview w/ Rosa Clemente, Likely Green Party Vice-Presidential Nominee
C-Span – Green Party Presidential Convention
Buzz Feed – Cynthia McKinney
Crazy…Cool…Groovy – CYNTHIA MCKINNEY Receives GREEN PARTY Nomination!!!
The Hip Hop Cosign – Hip Hop Activist Accepts VP Bid for McKinney’s Green Party Run

C-Span Coverage of GPUS Convention

C-Spann has a page called From the Campaign Trail, which includes the video about the GPUS Convention.

Cynthia McKinney Speaks

Read Cynthia’s acceptance speech at Green Party Watch.

GPUS SC elections and NC meeting with McKinney

GPUS SC elections and NC meeting with McKinney

Pacifica Radio will air a live three-hour broadcast from the Green Party Convention Today

Green Party 2008 Convention Green Party 2008 Convention

Pacifica Radio will air a live three-hour broadcast from the Green Party Convention in Chicago on Sunday, July 13th as the convention comes to a close.

The broadcast will air Sunday, July 13th, 12 to 3 PM EDT (11 AM to 2 PM CDT; 9 AM to 12 PDT)