Who’s wrecking America?

In today from The Brave New Foundation:

Which of the richest 1% are using their wealth and power to keep down the other 99%? Vote now. We’ll make videos exposing the ones that you choose. Go to who are the 1 percent.

We have a small bit of a problem with saying that only the 1 % at the top are to blame for making our lives miserable. There are many more hiding all through out the 99% that are and must be exposed for what they are.  But that is an essay for another day.

The Brave New Foundation makes wonderful videos and should be supported any way folks can.

Three Prisoners Die In Hunger Strike Related Incidents.

Three Prisoners Die in Hungerstrike Related Incidents: CDCR Withholds Information from Family Members, Fails to Report Deaths.

To read the full story to to:

prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity

wordpress.
com

Hunger strike news is reporting on November 20, 2011 that three prisoners have died in hunger strike related incidents.

“According to reports from prisoners who were housed in surrounding cells and who witnessed the deaths, guards did not come to the assistance of one of the prisoners at Pelican Bay or to Blanchard, and in the case of the Pelican Bay prisoner (whose name is being withheld for the moment), apparently guards deliberately ignored his cries for help for several hours before finally going to his cell, at which point he was already dead. “It is completely despicable that prison officials would willfully allow someone to take their own life,” said Dorsey Nunn, Executive Director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, “These guys were calling for help, their fellow prisoners were calling for help, and guards literally stood by and watched it happen.”

Furbirdsqueerly sends our condolences to the families of these men and our love and well wishes to the prisoners in California. Remember that many of us here on the outside support you and stand with you.

A Queer Poem for “Black Friday”

This wonderful poem was written by our comrade Jeri Marie when we all worked with Queers Without Borders. We bring it out this year in tribute to Jeri and in tribute to all the hard work that is done and being done by our queer circle of folks.

by jerimarie liesegang

As the capitalist media, corporations and their soulless management prepare for the “holiday” onslaught of constant media brainwashing, senseless greed, manipulation, practices of usury to enslave, and on and on and on; not to mention the sickening music with which to march the lemmings to their malls of worship ~ I offer you our annual queer rendition of ‘Twas the Night Before Black Friday.

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE BLACK FRIDAY
By Jerimarie Liesegang of Queers without Borders

Twas the night before Black Friday, when all through the store,
Not a cash register was ringing, not even a penny rolling on the floor;

The sale signs were hung with the rollback prices near,
In hopes that the greedy capitalists would soon appear;

The store associates were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of the morning cheer and squiggle danced in their heads;
And the Managers with their Walkie Talkies and the CEO with his serpent,
Had just settled down for a long winters holiday enslavement,

When out in the parking lot there arose such a clatter,
That the Blackwater Guard sprang from his post to see what was the matter,
Away to the front doors he sprang like a flash,
Tore open the cash registers and threw aside the cash,
When, to the Blackwater guards’ wondering eyes should appear,
But a hijacked manger, so devilish and near,
That he knew in a flash it must be the Queers,
With a little old driver, who so looked like the messiah,

He knew in a moment that it must be St. Sylvia.
More rapid than rich gays to an HRC rally they came,
St. Sylvia whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Richard! Now Timmy Now Frank and Paul!
On Jerimarie! On Matt! On Kyle and Neil!
Fly away from HRC! Fly away from the Corporate Gays!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As FEMA and government built levees before the wild hurricane fly,
That when they meet gay capitalists, they mount to the sky,
So up to the store front doors the queers did fly,
With a sleigh full of explosives and St. Sylvia too.

Still think the cops are one of us? Think again.

A police officer uses pepper spray as he walks down a line of Occupy demonstrators sitting on the ground at the University of California, Davis on Friday, Nov. 18, 2011.

quote for this week

“When I was in the Navy, I was stationed for many years in Japan. And one thing I know from living there: the greatest single acts of terrorism to date were not perpetrated by Osama bin Laden, but by the US military when it dropped atomic bombs on the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”

….Moonanum James from his speech at the 32nd National Day of Mourning.

 

42nd National Day of Mourning

42nd National Day of Mourning

Thursday, November 24, 2011

12 Noon

Cole’s Hill, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Since 1970 Native Americans have gathered at noon on Cole’s Hill in Plymouth to commemorate a National day of Mourning on the US thanksgiving holiday. Many Native Americans do not celebrate the arrival of the Pilgrims and other European settlers. Thanksgiving day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the relentless assault on Native culture. Participants in National day of Mourning honor Native ancestors and the struggles of Native Peoples to survive today. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection as well as a protest of racism and oppression which Native Americans continue to experience.

The 42nd National Day of Mourning is dedicated to Native political prisoner Leonard Peltier. Add your voice to the millions world-wide who demand his freedom. Help us in our struggle to create a true awareness of Native Peoples and demonstrate the unity of Indigenous Peoples internationally. Help shatter the untrue glass image of the Pilgrims and the unjust system based on racism, sexism, homophobia and war.

For more information Contact: United American Indians of New England/LPSG. Phone: 617-522-6626. See for information and some very good reading: HERE. Donations are accepted via Metacom education Project, 284, Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130.

Hunger Strikes / Fasting: Food no Food.

My fasts have been minor compared to the folks who have fasted against war, for the right to vote and for justice and equality and for the right to live freely. We end our series on FOOD with this posting on hunger strikes / fasts sometimes resulting in gains and sometimes resulting as in the case of the brave freedom fighters in Northern Ireland in death. We salute all from our brothers today who are on a hunger strike against prison conditions in California to those who have taken this road in our stories past. This posting is an appropriation collage, meaning we have gleaned from places that struck our fancy, we have cut and pasted to produce it.

HUNGER STRIKES / FASTING: FOOD NO FOOD

quote of the week

“The fact is that there is enough food in the world for everyone. But tragically, much of the world’s food and land resources are tied up in producing beef and other livestock–food for the well off–while millions of children and adults suffer from malnutrition and starvation.”

“The American fast food diet and the meat eating habits of the wealthy around the world support a world food system that diverts food resources from the hungry. A diet higher in whole grains and legumes and lower in beef and other meat is not just healthier for ourselves but also contributes to changing the world system that feeds some people and leaves others hungry.”…Dr. Walden Bello

Music Series

Let’s have a bit of fun, oh dear yes says Ms. Cassey Role we sure need it after all this politicks we have been faced with. We post this in our music series to our sisters in the fight, sisters who over and over have led, nurtured and showed us the way to freedom and justice. We dedicate this to those comrades who over the years we have stood side by side with and continue to today  under the banner, Fight on and Fight on we will. So let’s have some fun with this great video and wonderful tribute to our sisters in Women’s Music:

Leaping Lesbians: A Tribute to Women’s Music

Leaping Lesbians: A Tribute to Women’s Music [of the Lesbian Persuasion]
Music:
Sue Fink — Leaping Lesbians (1977)
Meg Christian — Ode to a Gym Teacher (1974)
And a collage of 98 vinyl and cassette recordings from the early years of the Women’s Music Movement, compiled by JD Doyle.
See http://www.QueerMusicHeritage.com for more information.

Occupy Stolen Land

A Real Deal reminder for all of us to ponder.

A must read over at The Speed Of Dreams : Occupy Stolen Land

A new article by Johnny Hawke of the northern Ontario based Anishinabek Confederacy to Invoke our Nationhood (ACTION).

A few excerpts from Mr. Hawke’s article called Occupy Stolen Land.

“How can we unite our Movements to fight against the common enemy when the main goals of this Movement is to gain equality and a fair share in a Globalized System that will still be oppressive to Indigenous Nations and the Earth? They need to realize that it is their whole system that needs to be replaced.”

“Left Colorblindness: “Left colorblindness is the belief that race is a “divisive” issue among the 99%, so we should instead focus on problems that “everyone” shares. According to this argument, the movement is for everyone, and people of color should join it rather than attack it. “Left colorblindness” claims to be inclusive, but it is actually just another way to keep whites’ interests at the forefront.”

I feel before we commit to an alliance and make significant changes alongside this movement we need to allow them to first decolonize or else we can expect to live through the same colonial patterns of the past which is so a part of their track record and actions.”

How true. Let us hope that we all can learn a lot from Mr. Hawke’s article, renew ourselves and fight on.

Check out more on The Speed Of Dreams. You will be glad you did.