From justinemccabe at earthlink.net Mon Jan 17 11:51:30 2011 From: justinemccabe at earthlink.net (Justine McCabe) Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:51:30 -0500 Subject: {news} GP RELEASE Greens to 112th Congress: restore the rule of law after a decade of abuse of the Constitution Message-ID: <82F1F05393A0460EA71A4E55AFB3312B@JUSTINE> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Monday, January 17, 2011 Contacts: Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty at greens.org Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene at gp.org Green Party leaders challenge the new Congress to restore the rule of law after a decade of constitutional violations and abuses of power by Presidents and other officials . Greens cite election theft, vote theft, torture, warrantless surveillance of US citizens, official lies and impunity, 'preemptive' military attacks, denied rights in DC and Puerto Rico WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders challenged Democrats and Republicans in the 112th Congress, as well as President Obama, to end a decade of reckless violations of the US Constitution, international agreements, and other laws by the US government and begin a new era of respect for the rule of law. "The new Congress began with a reading of the Constitution in the US House, but the document seems to be incomprehensible for many Representatives," said Muhammed Malik, co-chair of the Miami-Dade Green Party in Florida (http://www.miamidadegreenparty.org). "The protections enshrined in the constitutional amendments and Article Six's requirement that the US honor treaties are not subject to the whims of Presidents, State Departments, the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, or any other government body. If we don't restore the rule of law now, we're in danger of seeing the end of the US as a republic and a free country." Greens listed examples of official lawlessness and disregard for rights since 2000: . The Obama Administration has maintained many of the Bush-Cheney abuses of the Constitution: denial of habeas corpus, detention of suspects for long periods without charges, persecution of whistleblowers, targeting of innocent Muslim and Arab individuals and organizations, and surveillance without warrant of US citizens. The Obama Justice Department has refused to investigate and prosecute Bush-Cheney officials for torture and other crimes -- including President Bush himself, who has boasted publicly of his approval for waterboarding. Guantanamo and several 'black sites' remain open. The treatment of Khalid El-Masri (tortured under the US's extraordinary rendition program, later found to be innocent), PFC Bradley Manning (detained in solitary confinement but unconvicted for leaking classified material to Wikileaks: see http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/12/14/manning and http://www.psysr.org/about/programs/humanrights/gates-manning-letter.php), and other prisoners reveals increasing disregard for laws against torture in the US Constitution and Geneva Conventions. The Green Party of the United States endorsed impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) introduced articles of impeachment in December 2006, before joining the Green Party and becoming the 2008 Green presidential nominee. . Military action outside of immediate self-defense is prohibited under international law, but the Bush Administration launched the invasion of Iraq based on the neocon doctrine of 'preemption,' which is now embraced by both Democrats and Republicans. Some members of Congress have urged a military assault on Iran based on the same doctrine. . The US, under both Bush and Obama presidencies, has continued to politically support and fund Israel's brutal treatment of Palestinians, which violates scores of UN Security Council resolutions and amounts to war crimes under international law. . The Wikileaks cables have exposed extralegal actions and official lies, including US airstrikes in Yemen (denied by President Obama), secret military operations in Pakistan, a secret agreement with Britain to allow US bases in the UK to stockpile cluster bombs, and bribery and illegal surveillance to undermine opposition to US climate change policies (http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4215). "Exposure of wrong-doing by government officials, which often requires publication of secret documents, is the responsibility of the press in a free society. The claim that Julian Assange doesn't deserve First Amendment protections because he isn't a credentialed reporter is unfounded, since the First Amendment covers everyone, not just professional journalists," said Pat LaMarche, weekly columnist for Maine's largest daily newspaper, The Bangor Daily News and 2004 Green nominee for Vice President. (See http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=372) . Irregularities in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections disenfranchised thousands of US citizens, especially black, young, and low-income voters. The Supreme Court's patently biased Bush v. Gore decision (2000), which handed the presidency to George W. Bush, held that no national right to vote exists. Greens led the effort in 2004 to expose and challenge election irregularities in Ohio and New Mexico (http://www.iwantmyvote.com). Although two Republican operatives were convicted in January 2007 of election tampering in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Congress has taken no action to protect voters' rights. Greens have argued that Section 2 of the 14th Amendment requires punishment for states that "abridge" voting rights. In the wake of the 2004 election, Asa Gordon, chair of the DC Statehood Green Party's Electoral College Task Force, filed suit against the malapportionment of Electoral College votes under the US's winner-take-all election system, citing Section 2's penalty clause and the legacy of racial disenfranchisement in southern states. On Jan. 4, the day before the first session of the 112th Congress, Mr. Gordon was granted an emergency presentation of arguments before US District Court Judge Henry H. Kennedy challenging the seating of Representatives from southern states. Mr. Gordon's motion is currently pending. (More information and documents: http://www.electors.us or contact Asa Gordon at 202-635-7926) . Whole populations of the US remain outside the US Constitution's coverage. The local laws of the District of Columbia are subject to Congress's control and veto power, regardless of the will of DC residents. Whether Democrats or Republicans have been in control, the White House and Congress have ignored the repeated requests by the citizens of the nation's capital, with its black majority, for full representation in Congress and statehood. The US has also ignored demands by the people of Puerto Rico for self-determination and independence, ignoring protests against US Navy bomb detonations in Vieques, which have spread depleted uranium contamination, and unwanted laws and policies imposed on the island by the US government. "The Green Party calls for the end of the colonial treatment of people living in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and others who've been denied self-determination and self-government," said Darryl! L.C. Moch, who serves on the steering committee of the DC Statehood Green Party (http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org). "We support statehood for DC (http://www.gp.org/press/pr-state.php?ID=172). We support the 2005 draft resolution by the UN's Special Committee on Decolonization calling on the US to allow the Puerto Rican people to exercise fully their right to self-determination and independence (http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/gacol3121.doc.htm). Bipartisan inaction on DC and Puerto RIco are an affront to the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the US's own equal protection laws. It's time to complete the unfinished business of the Civil Rights Movement and the national rights of US colonies." MORE INFORMATION Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org 202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN . Green candidate database and campaign information: http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml . Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml . Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers . Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/ballotstatus . Green Party Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of the United States (Fall 2010 issue now online) http://gp.org/greenpages-blog ~ END ~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From allan.brison at gmail.com Fri Jan 28 14:32:55 2011 From: allan.brison at gmail.com (Allan Brison) Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:32:55 -0500 Subject: {news} John Halle tomorrow at Mory's at 4:30 Message-ID: Greens, and Friends on the Left, As most of you know, former New Haven Alderman and first Green to be elected to that board, will be in town this weekend. We have scheduled a get together for: - Date: tomorrow, Saturday, January 29, - Time: 4:30 to 7:00 pm - Place: Mory's, 306 York Street, between Broadway & Grove There is a parking lot available on Broadway. Food is available at reasonable prices at Mory's. Mory's is, as I understand it, a private club. We are able to meet there as guests of Wendy Hamilton who is a member. This event is an opportunity for John to reconnect with old friends, meet some new folks, and to discuss the Open Letter to the Left Establishment which follows. Please let me know if you are planning to attend. Best, Allan ----------------------------------------------------------- > An Open Letter to the Left Establishment > > Friday 10 December 2010 > > by: By Chris Hedges, Cornell West, Noam Chomsky, et. al., t r u t h o u t | > Op-Ed > > [image: An Open Letter to the Left Establishment] > (Photo: Matthew Ginger / Flickr > ) > > *Editor's Note: We have received this text from its original authors; many > of us have signed on as individuals; we share it now with you, our readers. > * > > www.ProtestObama.org > > A Call for Active Support of Protest to Michael Moore, > Norman Solomon, > Katrina van den Heuvel , Michael > Eric Dyson, > Barbara Ehrenreich , Thomas > Frank , Tom > Hayden, > Bill Fletcher Jr. , Jesse > Jackson Jr., > and other high profile progressive supporters of the Obama electoral > campaign. > > With the Obama administration beginning its third year, it is by now > painfully obvious that the predictions of even the most sober Obama > supporters were overly optimistic. Rather than an ally, the administration > has shown itself to be an implacable enemy of reform. > > It has advanced repeated assaults onthe New Deal safety net (including the previously sacrosanct Social Security > trust fund), jettisoned any hope for substantive health care reform, > attacked civil rightsand environmental > protections , and > expanded a massive bailoutfurther enriching an already bloated financial services and insurance > industry. It has continued the occupation of Iraqand and expanded the > war in Afghanistanas well as our government's covert > and overt warsin South Asia and across the globe. > > Along the way, the Obama administration, which referred to us on the left > as ?f***ing retarded? > individuals who required ?drug testing,? > stepped up the prosecution of federal war crime whistleblowers, > and unleashed the FBIon those protesting the escalation of an > insane war > . > > Obama?s recent announcement of a federal worker pay freeze is cynical, > mean-spirited ?deficit-reduction theater?. > Slashing Bush?s plutocratic tax cuts would have made a much more significant > contribution to deficit reduction but all signs are that the ?progressive? > president will cave to Republican demandsfor the preservation of George W. Bush?s tax breaks for the wealthy Few. > Instead Obama?s tax cut planwould raise > taxes for the poorest peoplein our country. > > The election of Obama has not galvanized protest movements. To the > contrary, it has depressed and undermined them, > with the White House playing an active role in the discouragement and suppression > of dissent? with disastrous consequences. The almost complete absence of protest from > the left has emboldened the most right-wing elements inside and outside of > the Obama administration to pursue and act on an ever more extreme agenda. > > We are writing to you because, as well-known writers, bloggers and > filmmakers with access to a range of old and new media, you have in your > power the capacity to help reignite the movement which brought millions > onto the streets in February of 2003but which has withered ever since. There are many thousands of progressives > who follow your work closely and are waiting for a cue from you and others > to act. We are asking you to commit yourself to actively supporting the > protests of Obama administration policies which are now beginning to > materialize. > > In this connection we would like to mention a specific protest: the civil > disobedience action being planned by Veterans for Peaceinvolving Chris > Hedges , Daniel Ellsberg, > Joel Kovel , Medea Benjamin, > Ray McGovern , several armed > service veterans and others to take place in front of the White House on > Dec. 16th. > > Should you commit yourselves to backing this actionand others sure to materialize in weeks and months ahead, what would > otherwise be regarded as an emotional outburst of the ?fringe left? will > have a better chance of being seen as expressing the will of a substantial > majority not only of the left, but of the American public at large. We > believe that your support will help create the climate for larger and > increasingly disruptive expressions of dissent ? a development that is > sorely needed and long overdue. > > We hope that we can count on you to exercise the leadership that is > required of all of us in these desperate times. > > Best Regards, > > Sen. James Abourezk > Michael Albert > Rocky Anderson > Jared Ball > Russell Banks > Thomas Bias > Noam Chomsky > Bruce Dixon > Frank Dorrel > Gidon Eshel > > Jamilla El-Shafei > Okla Elliott > Norman Finkelstein > Glen Ford > Joshua Frank > Margaret Flowers M.D. > John Gerassi > Henry Giroux > Matt Gonzalez > Kevin Alexander Gray > Judd Greenstein > DeeDee Halleck > John Halle > Chris Hedges > Doug Henwood > Edward S. Herman > Dahr Jamail > Louis Kampf > Allison Kilkenny > Jamie Kilstein > Joel Kovel > Mark Kurlansky > Peter Linebaugh > Scott McLarty > Cynthia McKinney > Dede Miller > Russell Mokhiber > Bobby Muller > Christian Parenti > Michael Perelman > Peter Phillips > Louis Proyect > Ted Rall > Michael Ratner > Cindy Sheehan > Chris Spannos > Paul Street > Sunil Sharma > Jeffrey St. Clair > Len Weinglass > Cornel West > Sherry Wolf > Michael Yates > Mickey Z > Kevin Zeese > > Please signthe Open Letter to the Left Establishment. > > *All republished content that appears on Truthout has been obtained by > permission or license.* > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From justinemccabe at earthlink.net Sun Jan 30 17:35:02 2011 From: justinemccabe at earthlink.net (Justine McCabe) Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:35:02 -0500 Subject: {news} Fw: USGP-INT Egypt shuts down Al Jazeera bureau Message-ID: <3276B4514FFD46F2B80FB11BCF284B8B@JUSTINE> ----- Original Message ----- From: Julia Willebrand To: usgp-int at gp-us.org Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 5:16 PM Subject: USGP-INT Egypt shuts down Al Jazeera bureau One of the few places i've seen our press releases used for stories is Al-jazeera. So no surprise in the closing down. Julia Julia Willebrand, Ed.D GPNY 212 877-5088 Egypt shuts down Al Jazeera bureau Network's licences cancelled and accreditation of staff in Cairo withdrawn by order of information minister. Last Modified: 30 Jan 2011 10:01 GMT Al Jazeera denounced the closure of its bureau, saying the move was designed to stifle free reporting The Egyptian authorities are revoking the Al Jazeera Network's licence to broadcast from the country, and will be shutting down its bureau office in Cairo, state television has said. "The information minister [Anas al-Fikki] ordered ... suspension of operations of Al Jazeera, cancelling of its licences and withdrawing accreditation to all its staff as of today," a statement on the official Mena news agency said on Sunday. In a statement, Al Jazeera said it strongly denounces and condemns the closure of its bureau in Cairo by the Egyptian government. The network received notification from the Egyptian authorities on Sunday morning. 1/30/11 5:14 PM Page 2 of 2 Source: Al Jazeera "Al Jazeera has received widespread global acclaim for their coverage on the ground across the length and breadth of Egypt," the statement said. An Al Jazeera spokesman said that the company would continue its strong coverage regardless. 'Designed to stifle' "Al Jazeera sees this as an act designed to stifle and repress the freedom of reporting by the network and its journalists," the statement said. "In this time of deep turmoil and unrest in Egyptian society it is imperative that voices from all sides be heard; the closing of our bureau by the Egyptian government is aimed at censoring and silencing the voices of the Egyptian people. "Al Jazeera assures its audiences in Egypt and across the world that it will continue its in-depth and comprehensive reporting on the events unfolding in Egypt. "Al Jazeera journalists have brought unparallelled reporting from the ground from across Egypt in the face of great danger and extraordinary circumstances. Al Jazeera Network is appalled at this latest attack by the Egyptian regime to strike at its freedom to report independently on the unprecedented events in Egypt." As their signals have been taken off Nilesat, our Arabic sister channels are now broadcasting on the following new frequencies: 1) New frequency for AJA & AJM on Nilesat 7W: 10949 vertical (new) SR: 27.500 Msps FEC: 3/4 2) New frequency for AJA & AJM on Arabsat 26E: 11585 vertical (new) SR: 27.500 Msps FEC: 3/4 3) Arabic and Mubasher on Hotbird: 12111 MHz Vertical (Old) SR: 27.500 Msps FEC: 3/4 4) Arabic and Mubasher on Arabsat Badr4 (Old): 12034 MHz Horizontal SR: 27.500 FEC: 3/4 5) Arabic and Mubasher on Arabsat Badr4 (Old): 11996 MHz Horizontal SR: 27.500 FEC: 3/4 Julia Willebrand, Ed.D Corporate Accountability Task Force julia.willebrand at verizon.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ usgp-int mailing list usgp-int at gp-us.org http://forum.greens.org/mailman/listinfo/usgp-int -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: