Readers' Responses and an Announcement - June 13, 2012

* Re: Why We Should All Root for the Miami Heat (Mark Solomon, 
  mdecime)
* The War on Old Folks (Pamela McCorduck)
* Re: Media Bit & Bytes - June 12, 2012 (David Aroner)
* Silent March Against Stop & Frisk  Sunday, June 18  NYC

==========

* Re: Why We Should All Root for the Miami Heat

Dave Zirin contends that we should root for Miami in the NBA
finals because of the supremely reactionary right wing
ownership of the Oklahoma City Thunder. But what about Mickey
Arison, the owner of the Miami franchise? Arison, a dual
US/Israeli citizen is bosom buddies with Netanyahou, is a
pillar of AIPAC and has huge bank ownership in Israel that is
doubtlessly complicit in the repression and exploitation of
the West Bank. Arison is "Chief Executive Officer" (owner,
that is) of the Carnival Cruise Lines, notorious for its
vicious anti-labor policies and for recklessly overloading its
ships. He has refused to take responsibility for the sinking
of the overloaded Costa Concordia off the Italian coast that
resulted in 32 dead. That  is murderous and at least equals,
if not exceeds, the perfidy of the OKC owners. The point is
that basing rooting interest on team ownership is a fruitless
proposition. With the possible exception of long gone Bill
Veeck, major sports owners are almost universally a bunch of
overstuffed one-percent crooks. Better to root for players,
for teams or even for cities. Go Durant! Go Detroit teams!

Mark Solomon

===

Damn u Dave.  As if who to root for wasn't tough enough.  I'm
a hard core NY, Laker girl.  Don't like Boston any team.
Thunder won my heart.  I saw them as not the acceptable pretty
boys of Spurs and Heat.  Like Michigans fab five.  That Durant
aint no flunky.  That boy don't smile, just flips his mouth
piece intensely as he prowls his next move.  I understand all
that u said, agree and schooled on the real deal, but I don't
see them as the enemy.  I think I want them to win.  Lebron
will get it next year if not this year.  Inevitable for Heat.
OKC? Once in a lifetime!

mdecime

==========

* The War on Old Folks

Susan Douglas's posting is very disturbing--especially because
a majority of "old folks" are women. This makes the GOP's War
on Old Folks simply an extension of the GOP's War on Women.

Pamela McCorduck

==========

* Re: Media Bit & Bytes - June 12, 2012

Recently, I learned that Amazon bought two of my favorite
on-line stores: Abebooks and Zappos shoes+.  Since Amazon had
reacted with an anti-union program when their Seattle
warehouse staff tried to organize, I have tried not to buy
from them even though their size often allows them to under-
cut prices compared to others.  Sadly, many who should know
better, purchase from Amazon.  I still buy from Abebooks as
all the bookstores are privately owned.

David Aroner

==========

Silent March Against Stop & Frisk  Sunday, June 18  NYC

Next Sunday, June 17th, tens of thousands of New Yorkers will
march down Fifth Ave. demanding an end to stop and frisk.

Our hope is that this event will be so large that the media will
no longer be able to ignore the growing movement demanding
changes in policing practices in NYC. Momentum is building -
over 230 organizations have already endorsed June 17th - and
what we do in these next few days will determine whether this
will be a big march, or a tremendous one.

Can you join us? Will you help get the word out about this
timely and important mobilization?

Here are the details:

Father's Day Silent March to End Stop and Frisk
Sunday, June 17th - march begins at 3 pm.

Assemble on West 110th St. between Central Park West/8th Ave.
and Fifth Ave. [Enter the assembly area from the west or from
the north, NOT from the east.]  Contingents are being assigned
locations within the assembly area. 

Closest subway stops: Cathedral Parkway (110 St) on the B and C
trains, Central Park North (110 St.) on the 2 and 3 trains.

The March will step off at 110th St. and Fifth Ave.
We will march south on Fifth Ave. to 78th St.
Mayor Bloomberg's mansion is on 79th St., just east of Fifth
Ave.

This will be a silent march for the entire route!

More information, including leaflets you can download and copy,
is available on our website at: http://www.silentmarchnyc.org

Please do whatever you can to help spread the word:
Forward this message to your own email lists...or write your own
message.
Hand out leaflets at any and all events this week.
Join our citywide leafleting distribution on Thursday, Friday
and Saturday.
Call into radio talk shows and let folks know why you'll be
marching.

Thanks everyone!

United for Peace & Justice

___________________________________________

Portside aims to provide material of interest to people
on the left that will help them to interpret the world
and to change it.

Submit via email: [log in to unmask]

Submit via the Web: http://portside.org/submittous3

Frequently asked questions: http://portside.org/faq

Sub/Unsub: http://portside.org/subscribe-and-unsubscribe

Search Portside archives: http://portside.org/archive

Contribute to Portside: https://portside.org/donate