Justice for Betty Dukes against Walmart?

The campaign of the corporate oligarchy to destroy all working peoples rights is in full swing in this crucial gender discrimination case against Walmart. Here's what Liza Featherstone writes in the current issue of The Nation:

Dukes v. Wal-Mart’s opponents are united in their desire to suppress the ability of workers and consumers to sue large companies.

Justice for Betty Dukes?

April 7th: Aurora Barnes @ The Bitter End

Please join us at the Bitter end on Bleeker St. to applaude our friend Aurora Barnes April 7, 7:30PM

Libya: War of Conquest, NOT Humanitarian Operation

Michel Chossudovsky appeared on one of my favorite radio programs WBAI's "Law and Disorder" this morning and argued that the military operation in Libya is for control of oil and not to save lives.

Libya: War of Conquest, NOT Humanitarian Operation

April 9, Noon - National March & Rally: Bring the Troops Home Now

April 9, Noon @ Union Square, NYC
National March & Rally: Bring the Troops Home Now

No to Racism
No to Attacks on Muslims
No to Attacks on Immigrants
No to Attacks on Unions

The United National AntiWar Committee
UNAC 518-227-6947/646-998-6103
UNACpeace.org
UNACpeace@gmail.com

Britons rally against budget cuts (from Al Jazeera English)

Wisconsin, Egypt, Libya, Britain: a new world is emerging. We need to be united and in solidarity.




Britons rally against budget cuts (from Al Jazeera English)

"The change we can believe in," but not here

"The change we can believe in" is happening, but not here. But as we can see throughout the Middle East and North Africa change comes from the bottom, it's not handed down from above. The State will always protect itself, only the people - sometimes at great cost - can change the world. If the people of Libya and Bahrain don't complete their mission today, it is only a setback not a defeat. It will happen.


http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/03/14/audacity-change

AIPAC's newest strategy - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

It's a regular old double play: Marching orders from Netanyahu to AIPAC to Congress & the Obama administration and the Palestinians are out. In fact the U.S. policy in the broader Middle East & North Africa is made in Jerusalem.

AIPAC's newest strategy - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

Anthony Weiner on Clarence Thomas (on The Colbert Report)

Rep. Anthony Weiner (Dem.-NY) explains to a "skeptical" Stephen Colbert why Clarence Thomas should recuse himself from any Supreme Court decisions regarding health Care.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Bench Press - Anthony Weiner
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

April 28: FAIR's 25th Anniversary Benefit

FAIR's 25th Anniversary Benefit
April 28, 2011, 7:00pm
symphony space
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
New York City

Please join renowned activist and scholar Noam Chomsky, Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and Salon.com columnist Glenn Greenwald for a special evening to support FAIR.

Tickets are $45
On sale NOW at
symphonyspace.org
or call 212-864-5400 (box office hours 1-6pm EST)

RESERVE THE BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE: Special LIMITED reserved seating available for $100 and up. Your name will appear in the event program as a Silver Anniversary supporter. For reserved seating, please contact Deborah Thomas at dthomas@fair.org, or call 212-633-6700 ext 18.

All proceeds to benefit FAIR, the national media watch group.

Noam Chomsky is a prolific writer, speaker and path-breaking media critic. Best known for books like Manufacturing Consent, Chomsky is among the most important public intellectuals in American life.

Amy Goodman is an award-winning investigative journalist and syndicated columnist, author and the host of Democracy Now! airing on more than 900 public television/radio stations worldwide. Goodman is the author of four New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book, Breaking the Sound Barrier, proves the power of independent journalism in the struggle for a better world.

Glenn Greenwald is one of the most astute and penetrating media critics of our time. He is a columnist at Salon.com and the author of the bestselling books A Tragic Legacy and Great American Hypocrites.

Foreign intervention in Libya?

As you can see from the photos below (from: Al Jazeera English) there are differences within the people's movement in Libya with regard to foreign intervention.
























(Image credit: AFP)

What's controversial about saying the Republicans & their Tea Party allies are racist?

I'm sure you have already heard that NPR CEO & President Vivian Schiller has resigned following the resignation of NPR Senior VP for Fundraising Ron Schiller (no relation) due to "controversial" comments he made:

Tea Party people aren't "just Islamaphobic, but really xenophobic, I mean basically they are, they believe in sort of white, middle-America gun-toting. I mean, it's scary. They're seriously racist, racist people."

What I don't understand is why telling the truth is controversial.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/03/09/134358398/in-video-npr-exec-slams-tea-party-questions-need-for-federal-funds

King hearings on Muslim Radicalization Decried as a New McCarthyism

Has anyone else been wondering when the demonic ghost of Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisc) took over the body of Rep. Peter King (R-NY3)? Clearly, the McCarthy & King witch hunts were/are designed to stir up fear across the land.

Hearings on Muslim Radicalization Decried as a New McCarthyism (from Democracy Now)

Libya rebellion = impact on oil industry

From Al Jazeera English here's the impact of events in Libya on the oil industry.

Is the Libyan rebellion coming to a head?

It looks to me like the Libyan rebellion is coming to a head. Usually when there is this much confusion, something is happening.


6:04am
Libyan state television has denied a report by Al Jazeera and two Arab newspapers that Colonel Gaddafi has sought a deal with the rebels that would see him step down with certain guarentees.

It was reported that a Gaddafi representative made the proposal to the opposition's so-called "National Council" based in Benghazi. The council apparently rejected the offer.

for more here

Libyan forces strike back at rebels (Al Jazeera English)

Here's the latest from Libya. The rebels are asking for a "no fly zone".

The rebel forces say they will be outgunned if the government continues to unleash its air attacks on them and are pleading for the international community to impose a no-fly zone to prevent this.

"We don't want a foreign military intervention, but we do want a no-fly zone," rebel fighter Ali Suleiman told AP. "We are all waiting for one,'' he said. The rebels can take on "the rockets and the tanks, but not Gaddafi's air force''.

Libyan forces strike back at rebels - Africa - Al Jazeera English.

Battle for Libya intensifies (from Al Jazeera English)

Here's the latest from Libya. Although we really don't know what's happening in Tripoli at this point, it seems obvious that the rebels are advancing in some areas and holding their own in others. The last thing anyone needs right now is for the U.S. to turn Libya into another Iraq. If the rebels ask for our help, we should be prepared to provide it. But at this point, they don't seem to be asking. At this moment the U.S. bull should stay out of the North African & Middle East china shop. It seems to me the Libyans know what they are up against and are choosing the course they're on. We need to give them all the support we can, w/o interfering.

Battle for Libya intensifies - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

The Middle East feminist revolution by Naomi Wolf - (Al Jazeera English)

"The Middle East feminist revolution" Opinion by Naomi Wolf from Al Jazeera English

A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THE BUDGET CRISIS IN WISCONSIN

One of NYC's hidden treasures: Free concerts at Lincoln Center

Last night we discovered one of New York's hidden treasures: free concerts (and other events) @ Lincoln Center's Bruno Walter Auditorium.

The star of the evening was a wonderful violinist, Shem Guibbory, who played two solo pieces, Grazyna Bacewicz' Solo Sonata #2 and Johann Sebastian Bach's Sonata in g minor, BWV 1001. Not surprisingly, the Bach was a thousand times better than the Bacewicz.

The other two pieces were duets. And the supporting players were every bit equal to Guibbory. The first for violin and percussion, Slowly She Turns by Douglas J. Cuomo, opened the evening. It included an absolutely brilliant percussionist, Rex V. Benincasa, and in some ways was the evening's highlight. All the performers were wonderful but I loved Benincasa. What he did with percussion was unbelievable.

The last piece was Brahms' Sonata in d minor, op. 108. Pianist Craig Ruteberg, who was originally scheduled to play got sick on Tuesday. Kathleen Tagg replaced him with essentially two days to prepare and she knocked it out of the park. (I couldn't help but wonder where pianists get their page turners. I guess with Julliard across the street, it's probably not hard.)

All in all it was a wonderful evening. And the best part was that it was FREE.

After the concert we went to O'Neal's, which has morphed into the Atlantic Grill. As I understand it O'Neal's, which started life as the Ginger Man 46 years ago and itself "closed during renovations on the building and reopened as O’Neals’," went out of business last May.

The Ginger Man, for NYC restaurant-history buffs, was named after a movie starring the owner Michael O'Neal's brother Patrick. But I heartily recommend the Atlantic Grill. The scallops were wonderful. And they have draft beer from my new-favorite brewery, Brooklyn's Six Point. And I got to try one of their brews I had not previously tasted, Bengali Tiger. Another winner for Six Point.

Prof. Horace Campbell: Peace & Justice Movement Should Oppose U.S.-Led Intervention in Libya

This morning on Democracy Now, Prof. Horace Campell said:

We have seen, from the testimony yesterday from, the Senate Armed Services Committee, that [U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen], the chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is very uncomfortable with military intervention. [ Defense Secretary Robert M.] Gates is uncomfortable with military intervention. And [Gen. James N. Mattis] the head of the U.S. Central Command said that a no-fly zone is a prelude to military activity. And then, on the other hand, we have John McCain, Joe Lieberman, Hillary Clinton and those forces calling for a no-fly zone and military intervention.

And as you know these three have never seen a military intervention they didn't like. Remember the three musketeers were key supporters of the invasion of Iraq.

It is up to the peace and justice movement in this country to stand with one voice to say that at this point any kind of humanitarian intervention must be through the United Nations

For more of Cambell's interview with Amy Goodman this morning, click here:

Prof. Horace Campbell: Peace & Justice Movement Should Oppose U.S.-Led Intervention in Libya

March 12 & 13: 4th Annual New York Peace Film Festival

4th Annual New York Peace Film Festival

Sat. March 12 & Sun. March 13, 1:00pm-9:00pm

All Souls Unitarian Church
1157 Lexington Avenue (at 80th Street)
(Subway: #6 Line 77th St Station)

2 World / 1 US / 3 New York Premiere Films!!

Starts with Kick Off Party!
Friday, March 11, 2011 at 7:00pm-9:00pm
Seating is Limited! Reserve your spot now!
RSVP info@nypeacefilmfest.com

2 day Peace Film Festival
Sat. March 12 & Sun. March 13, 2011 at 1:00pm-9:00pm

F I L M S
A Thousand Cranes / Flash of Hope: Hibakusha Traveling the World / Standing Army
Another Courage / Twice Bombed, Twice Survived: the Legacy of Tsutomu Yamaguchi
Beating the Bomb / Death & Taxes / Free World
Billboard from Bethlehem / The Children of Adam / Silent Screams
Un Pokito De Tanta Verdad (A Little Bit of So Much Truth)

Images and Trailers are available at nypeacefilmfest

Special Free Event:
Japanese Storytelling "Kamishibai" on Sat. March 12 at 1:00pm-2:00pm
For Age 3 and up!

1 day all day ticket: advance $16, $18 at the door (cash only)
Advance Tickets are now on Sale!

Co-Sponsor: The Peace & Justice Task Force of All Souls Unitarian Church
Partners: American Friends Service Committee, NY Metro Region; Granny Peace Brigade;
Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW); New York War Resisters League;
Pax Christi, New York; Peace Action New York State (PANYS); and Resistance Cinema

Republican women: "Keep the government out of my doctor's office"

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

As always Rachel gets at the core of the debate. But one thing she doesn't mention is that all the Republican opponents of the government looking over the doctors shoulder are women standing up for their right to privacy in the doctor's office.

On the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Libya

Latest on the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Libya as of March 1, 5:41 PM (From Al-Jazeera English)

It seems to me that the only reason the U.S. is not taking military intervention off the table is its concern about the oil. If we were concerned about defending lives against genocide, we would have long ago protected Palestinian lives in Gaza.