“Bradley Manning, the US soldier accused of passing secret materials to Wikileaks, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The nomination was proposed by The Movement of Icelandic Parliament, which asserts that revelations produced by the documents Manning allegedly exposed “have helped to fuel a worldwide discussion about America’s overseas engagements, civilian war casualties, imperialistic manipulations, and rules of engagement.”
RT spoke to one of the members of The Movement, MP Birgitta Jonsdottir.
She said the group “wanted to raise awareness about the situation with Private Bradley Manning, whom way too few people know of.”
“It is extremely important that we honor the whistleblowers of our world,” she said, so people will not be silenced from performing their civic duty “by reporting on crimes, be it corporate, state or military.””
This is big news. Let’s say he won. Would the US still put him in prison? Surely the nomination will bring more attention to his case. I was glad to see the reporter let the activist talk for awhile. I kept expecting him to cut him off but he let him finish his thoughts.
I think this is a lot more admiral a nomination than Obama’s. Nominating a president (and having him win) for the Nobel Peace Prize before he’s even done anything? That was ridiculous. Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks so.
From the Associated Press: Nobel peace prize jury under investigation
“Nobel Peace Prize officials were facing a formal inquiry over accusations they have drifted away from the prize’s original selection criteria by choosing such winners as President Barack Obama, as the nomination deadline for the 2012 awards closed Wednesday.
The investigation comes after persistent complaints by a Norwegian peace researcher that the original purpose of the prize was to diminish the role of military power in international relations.”
With the war drums beating for Iran currently I don’t think Obama is much interested in diminishing “the role of military power in international relations”.
Tomorrow many internet sites will go black to protest the SOPA bill. I don’t know how to turn my domain black so I’ll most likely skip blogging or put up a black square.
From SOPA Strike:
“On Jan 24th, Congress will vote to pass internet censorship in the Senate, even though the vast majority of Americans are opposed. We need to kill the bill - PIPA in the Senate and SOPA in the House - to protect our rights to free speech, privacy, and prosperity. We need internet companies to follow Reddit’s lead and stand up for the web, as we internet users are doing every day.”
I was tempted to dress up in a slutty costume-I love dressing up for protests. But December in Albuquerque is not warm weather so I went with warm clothes. I’m glad I did because no one else was dressed up either. Maybe the next Slut Walk I go to will be at a warmer time so I can wear my planned costume of a fishnet bodystocking and heels.
Roughly two dozen gathered for our event. Compared to bigger cities our group was small but that’s ok because every year our group grows a bit bigger. Before marching we gathered to make signs. Good signs are essential for a march. Ours said-My Consent Counts, Only “Yes” Means Yes, Rapists Cause Rape, Consent Is Sexy, Find The West Mesa Killer, My Clothes Can’t Consent. We walked down Central St. which is one of Albuquerque’s busiest streets. Central was also a symbolic choice because part of the street is known as the “War Zone” where many of the victims of the West Mesa Killer worked as street prostitutes.
We marched several blocks to gather at a local club that let us use a secluded room in back. While walking we came up with several chants, many of which repeated the messages on our signs. My favorite was “One two three four, we support sluts and whores”.
Once we arrived at the club we gathered in the back to read the list of fallen sex workers. Slips of papers with victims’ names were passed around the room. This is one of the hardest parts of Red Umbrella Day. Holding those slips of paper in my hand I wonder about the slain workers. Who were they? What was their story? We lit candles as we read aloud the victims’ names.
Our group was a diverse bunch-there were women and men, sex workers and non-sex workers, straight, gay and kinksters joined together for the night. As a sex worker myself I was particularly moved that so many people from different paths of life joined together to support us.
After all the names were read we held a moment of silence for all the sex worker victims that have not been identified. Then we invited the group to share their feelings. The space felt safe and non-judgmental. Several participants talked about being sexually assaulted, one person speaking about the assault for the first time. I was touched that we provided a safe and loving environment where these experiences could be shared. I felt a sense of community that night and walked away feeling renewed hope for both the sex worker and slut walk movements.
It’s that time of year again-holiday giving. If you can give to charity I encourage you to give to the following groups. Some are a repeat from last year, some are new.
American Civil Liberties Union
“The ACLU is our nation’s guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.
(snip)
The ACLU also works to extend rights to segments of our population that have traditionally been denied their rights, including people of color; women; lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people; prisoners; and people with disabilities.
If the rights of society’s most vulnerable members are denied, everybody’s rights are imperiled.”
With the current loom of the indefinite detention becoming law the ACLU is one of the most important organizations out there fighting for our freedoms.
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Circle Sanctuary
“Circle, also known as Circle Sanctuary, is a non-profit international Nature Spirituality resource center and legally recognized Shamanic Wiccan church. Founded in 1974, Circle helps people from many spiritual orientations connect with each other as well as with the spiritual dimensions of Nature. Circle’s executive directors, Selena Fox and Dennis Carpenter, work together with staff and volunteers to carry out a variety of activities and services
As a Pagan I want to highlight Circle Sanctuary. They have been around for years and are an excellent resources for us Pagans.
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Electronic Frontier Foundation
“Blending the expertise of lawyers, policy analysts, activists, and technologists, EFF achieves significant victories on behalf of consumers and the general public. EFF fights for freedom primarily in the courts, bringing and defending lawsuits even when that means taking on the US government or large corporations. By mobilizing more than 61,000 concerned citizens through our Action Center, EFF beats back bad legislation. In addition to advising policymakers, EFF educates the press and public.”
Like the ACLU the EFF is one of the most important organizations fighting for a freedom. With the loom of SOPA happening it’s vital we support them.
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Food Not Bombs
“We recover food that would have been discarded and share it as a way of protesting war and poverty. With fifty cents of every U.S. federal tax dollar going to the military and forty percent of our food being discarded while so many people were struggling to feed their families that we could inspire the public to press for military spending to be redirected to human needs. We also reduce food waste and meet the direct need our our community by collecting discarded food, preparing vegan meals that we share with the hungry while providing literature about the need to change our society. Food Not Bombs also provides food to protesters, striking workers and organize food releif after natural and political crisis.”
Food Not Bombs is a great group though they don’t think of themselves as a charity. They run on the simple idea that we should feed the hungry instead of dropping bombs on people. They were one of the first groups at Ground Zero and at Katrina to feed the hungry. They are an awesome and important group.
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Sex Worker Outreach Project (SWOP)
“Sex Workers Outreach Project-USA is a national social justice network dedicated to the fundamental human rights of sex workers and their communities, focusing on ending violence and stigma through education and advocacy.”
SWOP does such good work. We sex workers need more groups like them.
For this year’s International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers I went down to an event in Albuquerque, NM. While I’ll blog about the event itself in a couple days I want this post to focus on the fallen sex workers whose names I read out that evening. A sign from the evening said “We remember”. We do. We remember and we seek justice for them.
Longtime readers know I don’t celebrate Christmas. The Christmas Resistance Movement seems more pertinent than ever. Mr. Radical and I haven’t exchanged gifts in years. It’s such a stress relief.
I was in a clothing store this past weekend and the place was packed with frantic shoppers. So many people looked so stressed. I couldn’t help but think how ridiculous it all was. Why not consider giving up the Christmas craziness? Realistically it’s too late to give it up this year if your family is expecting presents but why not scale back next year?
If you are buying presents this year consider buying handmade items. From Handmadeology: Reasons to Buy Handmade
“Buying handmade can become a total lifestyle choice. Choosing to buy handmade is just like choosing to buy local produce. You simply cannot compare mass produced products to artisan created goods in terms of inspiration, quality, and attention to detail.
(snip)
Buying handmade is also a tremendous boost to small business and to the economy as a whole. It’s small businesses that are the backbone of our economy. We need thriving small businesses in order for everyone to prosper. This certainly plays into our local markets, but in this day and age of global integration, the world economy can benefit as well.”
I recommend Etsy. There’s tons of handmade goodness over there. It’s such a treat to buy a product from the exact person who made it.
The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is coming up. From SWOP:
“December 17th is the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. This event was created to call attention to crimes committed against sex workers all over the globe. Originally conceptualized by Annie Sprinkle and initiated by the Sex Workers Outreach Project USA as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle Washington, the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers has empowered workers from cities around the world to come together and organize against discrimination and remember victims of violence. During the week of December 17th, sex worker rights organizations and their allies stage actions and vigils to raise awareness about violence that is commonly committed against sex workers. The assault, battery, rape and murder of sex workers must end. Existing laws prevent sex workers from reporting violence. The stigma and discrimination that is perpetuated by the prohibitionist laws has made violence against us acceptable. Please join with sex workers around the world and stand against criminalization and violence committed against our communities.”
Want to go to an event? Check here for something near you. Organizing an event? Let SWOP know here.
As a sex worker I think this is an important event to attend. Fellow sex workers can join together to speak up for our rights and supporters can join us in solidarity.
It’s that time of year again-Buy Nothing Day! This really is one of the easiest holidays to celebrate. Just relax-no stress, no shopping, no fighting fellow customers for the “hot toy of the year”.
From Adbusters: Buy Nothing Day/#occupyxmas
“This year’s Black Friday will be the first campaign of the holiday season where we set the tone for a new type of holiday culminating with #OCCUPYXMAS. As the global protests of the 99% against corporate greed and casino capitalism continues, lets take the opportunity to hit the empire where it really hurts…the wallet.
On Nov 25/26th we escape the mayhem and unease of the biggest shopping day in North America and put the breaks on rabid consumerism for 24 hours. Flash mobs, consumer fasts, mall sit-ins, community events, credit card-ups, whirly-marts and jams, jams, jams! We don’t camp on the sidewalk for a reduced price tag on a flat screen TV or psycho-killer video game. Instead, we occupy the very paradigm that is fueling our eco, social and political decline.
Historically, Buy Nothing Day has been about fasting from hyper consumerism – a break from the cash register and reflecting on how dependent we really are on conspicuous consumption. On this 20th anniversary of Buy Nothing Day, we take it to the next level, marrying it with the message of #occupy…
We #OCCUPYXMAS.
Shenanigans begin November 25!”
Occupy Xmas? I like it! Some people are saying no gifts which I’ve advocated for years. Others are saying buy gifts from small, local businesses. Or try Etsy if you can’t find something locally-there’s tons of indie sellers there.
Mr. Radical and I closed our Wells Fargo account today. Yes, Move Your Money Day was last Saturday. But it’s better to be late to the party than not go at all right?
We had pulled out most of the cash via ATM machine before Move Your Money Day. We went in today and were greeted immediately with a hello, how are you doing and a how can I help you. This is significant because this has never happened before with Wells Fargo. We’ve even been to this same branch before and were ignored until we were next in line.
I put on a cheerful smile and after returning the greeting said we were here to close our account. The teller’s smile went away but he was still polite. He pointed us over to another bank personnel. We were about to sit and wait when she called us over. Again this is significant because in the past we always had to sit and wait awhile before being seen.
We told her why we were there and she set about closing our account immediately. She didn’t ask why were wanted to close it or if there was anything she could do to persuade us to keep it open. She gave us a slip to take back to the teller to get the $39 left in the account.
All told it took us about five minutes to close it down. No hassle whatsoever. As we were leaving Mr. Radical commented that they seemed to have streamlined the closing of accounts. I think he’s right. It was incredibly smooth and easy to do.
At my small, independent bank this week I told the teller (who always greets me and knows my name) that we were closing out our Wells Fargo account for Move Your Money Day. He told me the bank had gotten a lot of new accounts from it. Woot!
As part of the #OccupyWallStreet protests people have been talking about moving their money. Moving their money? Yup, let’s close our accounts at the big corporate banks that are screwing the 99% over and open up an account at a small bank.
Why do it? From Move Your Money:
“The Move Your Money project is a nonprofit campaign that encourages individuals and institutions to divest from the nation’s largest Wall Street banks and move to local financial institutions. Little has changed to prevent another financial crisis or to end ‘Too Big To Fail,’ and with Congress unwilling to act, we are encouraging individuals to take power into their own hands by voting with their dollars and no longer contributing to a financial system that has led our country astray. We are a campaign that gives people real, concrete actions they can take to create a more sane, stable and localized banking system.”
There have been incidents where people have been turned away and arrested for trying to close their accounts (story here)so it’s best to plan ahead. Open up a new account at a small bank first. Make sure you update your account information wherever necessary (like your Audible account for example). Make sure any automatic payments are transferred.
Mr. Radical and I have a Wells Fargo account we’ll be closing in solidarity. What we plan to do is take out most of the money via ATM machine. Then with a small balance remaining we’ll go in and close it. Just in case they refuse us we still get our money out.
Now I love protest marches as much as the next rebel but actions like Move Your Money are hugely important. This hits the banks where they are the weakest-their pocketbook. The official day is November 5th but that’s a Saturday which is kind of inconvenient since most banks close early. I say take your money out as soon as possible and move it to a small bank.
In Colorado hundreds are already doing this in an action called the Mile High Showdown.
As Move Your Money says “If you leave your money with the big banks, they will use it to pay lobbyists to keep Congress from fixing the system.”
However, the decision doesn’t mean the nationally known political science scholar is out of hot water.
It’s a move that buys the D.A. and the police more time to analyze evidence and the build their case against Garcia and other men busted in what police call a prostitution ring.”
I’d been hearing some NM rumors that the case against Garcia was falling apart. I don’t like this whole “buying time” bit. If prosecutors don’t have a case then they shouldn’t file charges in the first place.
—
From the Advocate: A Gay Grandson to an Evangelical Empire
“Ten years later, Potts sits in front of an emotional crowd — many of them Oral Roberts University alumni — inside the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center to speak about his perspective on faith and sexuality, as he often does as a member of the Liberty Education Forum’s speakers bureau. He shakes his head, smiles a honeydew grin that belies memories big enough to break through stained-glass windows, and then begins sharing them. Potts continues to measure his former self — the closeted grandchild of televangelist Oral Roberts — against the one we see onstage: a proud, openly gay man.
(snip)
Oral Roberts pioneered TV evangelism, conducted more than 300 crusades on six continents, and founded Oral Roberts University and the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association —a holy empire that was worth more than half a billion dollars. He would also achieve worldwide notoriety after he claimed that God “would take him home” unless his followers raised $8 million in cash.”
Congrats to Randy Roberts Potts for speaking his truth!
As United States Ambassador to the United Nations under the Nixon Administration, President George H.W. Bush (the first President Bush) wrote a letter to Alan Guttmacher (founder of the Guttmacher Institute) congratulating him on creation of a “family planning” stamp commemorating (gasp!!) Margaret Sanger.”
Considering how many anti-choice laws are being hurled Planned Parenthood’s way these days it’s important to remember the Bush’s family one time spot on their board.
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Found via Tits and Sass: Get on the bus: St. James Infirmary’s new sex worker PSAs are
“St. James Infirmary has been providing free, non-judgmental medical and social services for sex workers since 1999. This week, it’ll take the next step. The clinic is putting ads up in Muni buses throughout the city this month meant to educate and inspire Muni riders throughout the city.
From Planned Parenthood’s Facebook:
“Oct. 16th, 1916: The first birth control clinic in America opens. Today Planned Parenthood marks its 95th Anniversary! We are proud to be celebrating nearly a century of service to women and families in the U. S., as well as 40 years of service worldwide.”
They then link to this slideshow to show then and now pictures.
I love Planned Parenthood. Back when I was on birth control I went to them for my pills. I still go to them for my under the hood exams. Plus they’re the one medical place that always took my childfree status seriously.
If you’re in the mood to donate to a charitable cause they’re always a good choice. You can do that here.
A statement from New York City Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway explained that the park’s owners were “postponing their scheduled cleaning of the park, and for the time being withdrawing their request from earlier in the week for police assistance during their cleaning operation.”
“Our position has been consistent throughout: the City’s role is to protect public health and safety, to enforce the law, and guarantee the rights of all New Yorkers,” Holloway explained. “Brookfield believes they can work out an arrangement with the protesters that will ensure the park remains clean, safe, available for public use and that the situation is respectful of residents and businesses downtown, and we will continue to monitor the situation.””
