Tidbits - October 7, 2010

* We still stand with Abdallah Abu Rahmah (Jewish Voice for
  Peace)
* Re: Tidbits - September 30, 2010 (Oct. 2 Socialist 
  Contingent) (David McReynolds)
* Living Wage Weekend in New York City (October 9 & 10)
* "The Case Against Targeted Assassination by the US "
  October 20th - New York
* Join AlterNet authors - October 20 in New York

==========

* We still stand with Abdallah Abu Rahmah

What would you do if soldiers came to take your land away?
Would you be brave enough to stand up to them, with your
family in harm's way? What if a soldier pointed a gun at
your daughter? Would you be able to push it away, and not
pick up a gun yourself?

Perhaps if you had the courage of Abdallah Abu Rahmah. And
yet, his courage is not unique. It is shared by the great
majority of Palestinians, who commit larger and smaller
actions of nonviolent resistance to the occupation with
dignity and steadfast determination every day of their
lives.

Abdallah Abu Rahmah helped to organize that resistance into
weekly protests, capturing the attention of the world. He
has hosted a group of Nobel Laureates and other
international leaders known as The Elders, pictured here
paying their respects to Abdallah's cousin, Bassem, who was
killed by the Israeli army last year in one of these
protests.

The Israeli authorities want to make an example out of
Abdallah. In August, he was unfairly convicted of organizing
illegal marches and of incitement and now awaits sentencing.
The prosecution has demanded that Abu Rahmah be sent to
prison for a period exceeding two years, stating that a
harsh sentence is required to serve as deterrence to others
who may follow in his footsteps.

We follow in his footsteps, as do many others. Across the
globe thousands of people have written and called their
governments with a simple message: Abdallah Abu Rahmah has
committed no crime, and we demand his freedom!

We who draw inspiration from his actions must speak now. Now
is the time to raise our voices and ensure that Abdallah Abu
Rahmah is free to organize and advocate for the rights of
his community. We stand with Abdallah.
<
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4861>

Israel must realize that leaders like Abdallah offer the
best hope for a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians
alike. We need to tell our governments to use their
influence with Israel to free Abdallah Abu Rahmah.
<
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4861>

In solidarity,

Jesse Bacon,
Jewish Voice for Peace

==========

* Re: Tidbits - September 30, 2010 (Oct. 2 Socialist
Contingent)

Assuming I can wake up in time to catch the bus, and
realizing I'm reaching the age where Washington DC marches
are going to be fewer for me (but I hope many more for
others), I am "sadly amused" at Carl Davidson's note, as it
echoes, though from the "other side", a sectarian divide in
the Socialist Party.

Our co-Chair, Billy Wharton, was key to drafting and
circulating the statement, which I was delighted to sign,
and which made it clear  that the issue of the Afghan War
was very much "on the table", and we were NOT just rallying
around the Democratic Party. At the same time, Eric Chester,
a long time SP activist, was dead against the SP endorsing
the march, seeing it as just another Democratic Party event.

As most of you know, I'm hardly an orthodox Marxist, but I
have always understood and respected Marx's insight into the
fact that "we" should not let ourselves be separated from
labor (and other progressive forces), but be part of them,
engage with them, and if that engagement involves some
critical reservations, we still need to be there.

Again, assuming I make the bus, I will certainly (a) be at
the march (b) be part of the Socialist contingent and (c)
rejoice that the Socialist Contingent had such broad
support.

Fraternally,

David McReynolds

==========

* Living Wage Weekend in New York City

It's Living Wage Weekend in NYC. Over 60 houses of worship
will be preaching on economic justice and the need for the
City Council to pass the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act. In
addition, there are all kinds of things going on around
town. Check it out. Visit -- http://www.livingwagenyc.org.

Wall Street Reality Tour

Saturday, October 9 · 11:00am - 7:00pm

Meet @ Union Theological Seminary
3041 Broadway
New York, NY

led by the Poverty Initiative and United Workers of
Baltimore

11 am: Meet at Union Theological Seminary located at 121st
and Broadway or

12 pm: Meet at Battery Park Sphere Sculpture, visit this
link for more information:
http://www.nycgovparks.org/art/year2003.
To attend the tour please RSVP to John Wessel-McCoy at:
[log in to unmask] by Friday October 8th at 5 pm.

4 pm - 5 pm: Consumer Action at South Street Seaport in
front of Mall

Come hear the testimony of a United Workers member as they
educate consumers on the Poverty Zone Development of
companies like General Growth Properties and Cordish.

United Workers is a Baltimore based human rights
organization led by low-wage workers leading the fight for
fair development, which respects human rights, maximizes
public benefits and is sustainable. More info:
http://unitedworkers.org/

==========

* "The Case Against Targeted Assassination by the US "
Wed., October 20th, 7:00 pm

Screening: "Collateral Murder," US Army killing of 12 Iraqi
civilians

Ethan McCord, shown in the film rescuing two injured
children

Josh Stieber, another dissident veteran of Bravo Company
2-16

Pardiss Kebriaei, staff attorney for the Center for
Constitutional Rights

LGBT Center, 208 West 13th Street, NYC
Sponsored by www.WorldCantWait.net

==========

* Join AlterNet authors - October 20 in New York

Join AlterNet authors Joshua Holland (15 Biggest Lies
Conservatives Tell About the Economy) and Adele Stan
(Dangerous Brew: Exposing the Tea Party's Agenda for Taking
Over America) for a reading, discussion and Q & A hosted by
performer and commentator Elon James White.

Hosted by AlterNet -- with introductions by Don Hazen,
Executive Editor of AlterNet

6:00 - 8:30pm, Wednesday, October 20th

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby Street New York, NY
10012 (map)

Refreshments will be available.

Space for this event is limited. To RSVP or for more
information, contact us at [log in to unmask]

===

About Dangerous Brew: Exposing the Tea Party's Agenda for
Taking Over America

Dangerous Brew presents the best of AlterNet's coverage of
the Tea Party movement and the media figures who feed it.
Edited by Adele M. Stan and Don Hazen this compendium
explores the complex story of the Tea Party movement, from
its emergence as an apparent grass-roots, anti-tax uprising,
to its current formation as a coalition organized by
powerful corporate interests to foment an upheaval in the
Republican Party and the nation at large.

About The 15 Biggest Lies About the Economy

AlterNet Editor Joshua Holland dissects each of the most
malicious claims made by corporate American and their
lackeys in order to exhibit how the Right is just plain
wrong on the economy, wrong on jobs, wrong on the deficit,
wrong on taxes, wrong on trade.

Holland's research-rich but entertainingly written book
slices and dices the latest talking points, explaining the
issues with depth and nuance. The book tells an important
story about the American economy that you won't read in the
Washington Post or the Wall Street Journal. It's one that is
vitally important to understand as we grapple with some new
economic realities. It's a story about how the corporate
Right has obscured the ways in which they've rigged the
"free market" so they always come out on top. Ultimately, it
goes a long way toward explaining how so few Americans
noticed as a new Gilded Age emerged under a haze of lies,
half-truths and distortions.

Elon James White  is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer and
host of the award-winning web series This Week in Blackness,
a satirical look at race, politics and pop-culture in a so-
called "post-racial" America. White has been a featured
commentator on VH1's "Black to the Future" & "The Great
Debate." His commentary on race and politics has been
featured on Salon.com, The Huffington Post, Alternet and The
Root. Praised as "The perfect comedian for the Obama era,
talking race while exploding racial stereotypes" by Dr.
Harris-Lacewell of Princeton on Politco.com and as "Precise,
thought provoking and hilarious" by Daily Show creator Lizz
Winstead, White continues to win accolades from critics,
academia and audiences alike.

==========

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