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Support the Treaties
22 July O1
Besides the Kyoto Treat - essential to the future of life on Earth - we want our leaders to keep the important military peace treaties that were established in the twentieth century. We encourage all peace-loving Americans to tell their representatives, senators, president and the media to support the historic weapons treaties. Link to the Activists Workshop and write a letter now: click here.
Genoa Dead
20 July O1
Demonstrations against the G-8 meetings turned deadly today when a policeman shot and ran over Carlo Giuliani, a twenty-three year old resident of Genoa. Many others were arrested or injured in protests turned violent. For news of the situation, link to http://italy.indymedia.org/.
Eds. Note: We respect the sacrifice of life and offer our prayers and condolences for the young protester and the cause of resistance to corporate globalization.
Hempcar Tour
18 July O1
Hempcar, an alternative-fuel vehicle that uses hemp seed oil biodiesel fuel, is touring North America. The crew took off from Washington, D.C. on July 4, 2001, trying to establish a world distance record of 10,000 miles for a vehicle that runs on hemp fuel.
Hempcar is the creation of Grayson and Kellie Sigler. Biodiesel can be burned in any diesel engine or it can be mixed with petro-diesel in any ratio. Biodiesel, which is non-toxic and biodegradable, is an ecological fuel with significantly less emissions than its petroleum counterpart. Dr. Rudolf Diesel developed the diesel engine in the late 1890's in order to use peanut oil as fuel.
Support the Hempcar. Send donations to: Hempcar, P.O. Box 3712, Hampton, VA 23663. Visit the Hempcar website: http://hempcar.org; contact the Hempcar crew: HempCar@HempCar.org or 757-719-5868. Media contact: Scott Furr, 757-719-3770 scott@hempcar.org.
America Shines on Independence Day
06 July O1
A great day was had by all in Los Angeles County this Fourth of July. Everything revolved around music, fireworks and barbecues - even the large vegetarian population felt happy thanks to grilled corn.
The Los Angeles Times covered the day in it's 05 July article: "Patriotism, Protest on the 4th: Parades and free speech mark celebrations around Southland." The article began, "With bunting and bullhorns, fireworks and 1st Amendment tests, the Fourth of July came and went in fine form in the Southland on Wednesday. Anarchists staged a symbolic takeover of a power plant in Long Beach . . ."
This power plant street drama evolved with many months of planning. The parade was almost nixed when the City of Long Beach refused permits, but just two days before the protest, on Monday 02 July, U.S. District Judge Robert Takasugi questioned the validity of the city of Long Beach's permitting process for public demonstrations. The city was demanding thirty days advance notice, insurance and payment for the cost of police protection. When the judge said these requirements may possibly be unconstitutional, the city gave in. Late Tuesday afternoon, the following message went out on the Internet grapevine to everyone involved in planning the protest:
"The sound stage #31 back of the Duck Pond at El Dorado Park has been Posted 'Reserved for People for Community Empowerment' from 7AM to 2PM (no more worry about first come-first reserve); Studebaker has been posted from Los Arcos to Loynes along Parade Route with 'No Parking 6AM to 3PM. AES has erected a chain link fence along their property line set back 12' from the curb (to the toe of their concrete name monolith), leaving plenty of room for our demonstration there, and legally parking the sound truck there in the traffic cutout (I know, Jon, you've heard that one before). It's nice to have a little cooperation. See ya in the morning! dm"
The L.A. Times reported, "The protesters marched with a solar-powered sound stage to the generating station's entrance, where they posted a mock seizure order, passed out pamphlets, chanted [and] sang . . ." The Long Beach Press Telegram covered the story with photos and the headline "Power to the People"; the Orange County Register and Pasadena Star News ran the Associated Press version of the story. CNN "local edition" also covered the event.
To see photos: click here.
Editorial:
Stories of Empowerment
06 July O1
Words are powerful. Put together in a story, they become even more powerful; some people even see them as gifts from heaven because they illuminate, offer hope and point the way. The story of the Long Beach People for Community Empowerment is a powerful gift (see previous story, "America Shines on Independence Day 2001"). Their successful (albeit symbolic) seizure of the power plant is rich with meaning.
The People's story shows (on a small scale) that what we need to do is break the bad spell cast by Hearst, DuPont, Carnagie and the rest, back when industrial giants thought they could get away with murder. The method of their black magic is to menace you with negativity and fear until you let them have their way. The antidote to their bad magic is love, healing and the passing of time. History has judged them thus: they drove hemp out of the market, paving the way for petroleum, chemicals and clear-cut logging to dominate the twentieth century.
The transition out of that paradigm has already begun. The political mess known as the California energy crisis is (in the long run) a good thing because it has accelerated a transition to solar. In the coming decade or two, the same companies that have polluted and destroyed the earth will be in the business of cleaning it up. Ironically, that's the choice they must make if they want to remain viable for another hundred years.
In the Internet age we now have a tool to hold our leaders accountable much sooner and more efficiently. We also have a way to communicate and organize, so perhaps we will eventually get leaders who will do a good job without the need for the rest of us to constantly watch them. Even more importantly, it's entirely possible that the increased communication, drawing the people of the world closer together, will increase the sense of oneness and therefore this paradigm shift is happening on its own. People generally want to rise to a higher state of being that includes honesty, dignity and freedom. To make the transition easier, we must help one another. As John Lennon said, "All you need is love." Therefore, we fondly contemplate this fourth of July and the highest possible outcome of these troubled times. Please join our prayers to usher in a positive twenty-first century.
A prayer for the summer:
The mother bird goes early in the morning for food.
The chicks, hungry, wait for her coming.
Just so my heart longs for Thee.
Day and night I think of Thy feet.
The infant calf is tied at home, O God!
In its heart it is calling to its mother.
Says Namdev, "Thou art my close friend, O Keshava [Krishna],
Do not turn me away, O Protector of the helpless."
- Prayer by the Hindu poet Namdev, published in Weave a Garment of Brightness, A Gathering of Prayers from Around the World, by Wayne Lee Jones
End the War on Drugs
"If the people lead, the leaders will follow."
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