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Have Your Cake & Justice Too!
POWER is turning 15 and we want you to celebrate with us!
This year marks POWER’s 15th year of organizing for justice in working class communities of color! To help POWER celebrate our Quinceañera and raise $15,000, we’re looking for 15 POWER friends to hold your own birthday party as a benefit for POWER or do an online birthday fundraising drive!
Join the campaign and savor the sweet taste of birthday cake AND justice on your special day.- Sign up: email aspen@peopleorganized.org or just respond to this email.
- Check out our Have Your Cake and Justice Too campaign page.
The Disobedience School: Class of 2012
The Disobedience School: Class of 2012 hosted this past Saturday on the 28th was a big success.
The event took place at UNITE HERE Local 26 on Harrison Ave. near the Chinatown T stop and it brought together about 40 people from different organizations including Jobs with Justice, MassUniting, and several others. The event proved to be a very informative and helpful gathering of passionate individuals who share similar goals but who possess different strengths that would be essential in attaining those goals and making dreams a reality. The program was divided into 11 different segments running from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm. It started off with the Welcome segment followed by two fellow social justice workers sharing their stories on why they have gotten involved with the social justice movement regarding worker’s rights and immigrant rights. Then Russ Davis, the director of Jobs with Justice, gave a quick speech to reinforce our goals in the fight to end corporate greed. Afterwards, everybody was separated into different workshops such as Campaign Creation, Civil Disobedience, Direct Action Planning, Media & Messaging, 1-on-1 Organizing, and Organizing Models.
The workshops I
Continue reading The Disobedience School: Class of 2012
Take Action for Millions of Home Care Workers
Following an announcement by President Obama and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, the Department of Labor is seeking comments on proposed regulations to expand overtime and minimum-wage protections to over a million home-care workers. The comment period is open until February 27.
These new regulations are an important step towards creating what we need, but they are not final. The Department of Labor will review all of the comments filed and consider whether it should put the regulations into effect or make changes to them. We need everyone who supports fair pay for home care workers – people who work in home care, people who receive home care, and advocates who believe that we should be nation that takes care of one another across generations – to submit comments supporting the proposed regulations.
Visit the Action Center at caringacrossgenerations.org/take-action to get talking points and tools to help you make a formal comment on the proposed rule – and
Continue reading Take Action for Millions of Home Care Workers
Good news highlights today
Good news is the highlight of the day at the statehouse today. Two press conferences, one about accountability, and the other about working together for Vermonters hard hit by tropical storm Irene gives us a positive focus for today.
First up was Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrel announcing that Vermont joined a landmark $25 billion state-federal settlement with the nation's five largest mortgage servicers over forclosure abuses and unacceptable nationwide mortgage servicing practices. This settlement addresses future mortgage loan servicing practices, gives Vermont approximately $3.1 million for financial relief to Vermonters, and approximately $3.6 million to the state. The state funds may be used for housing-related or other purposes.
The settlement which all 50 states and the District of Columbia have joined, does not grant immunity from any crime, or from liability for other aspects of the mortgage crissis, including securities fraud. It will also leave homeowners and investors free to pursue individual and class action cases against the five servicers.
They are:
Bank of America
J.P. Morgan Chase
Citigroup
Wells Fargo
Residential Capitol (GMAC/Ally)
for more information go to www.foreclosuresettlement.com, www.HUD.gov, www.justice.gov
The next press conference was governor Shumlin announcing he signed into law the We Are Vermont Strong license plates, authorizing Vermonters to purchase the $25 plate and affix it on the front of their vehicle. Money from the sale will go to the Vermont Foodbank and the Vermont Disastor Relief fund to help people impacted by Tropical storm Irene.
My hope is that my former neighbors,friends and others all around our state who suffered loss are able to access this fund. Fema money can only go just so far to help with the losses it took a lifetime of struggle to attain.
Calling movement techies and admin folks!
APEN is looking for an Operations Coordinator who is organized, technologically savvy, attentive to details, a team player and most importantly, is committed to social justice.
The Operations Coordinator ensures the smooth functioning of the administrative, financial, personnel, and technological systems of its main office in Oakland and satellite office in Richmond. The Operations Coordinator is supervised by the Operations Director and supervises the Operations Assistant.
Download Full Announcement
Orlando’s Lynx Board Chairman wins 2011 Scrooge of the Year!
Could you imagine having to leave 3 hours early for work just so you could be on time? Lynx transit riders do. Or, having to work 8 hours straight without a bathroom break? Lynx bus drivers do.
While Lynx’s ridership is growing, the bus service in Central Florida is becoming less sustainable. A dedicated funding source is needed so services can improve with more routes, better timing and good transit jobs. It is up to the elected officials on Lynx board to make dedicated funding a reality in their respective commissions. This is been an ongoing struggle for years and now that Sun rail is coming, we must send a clear message that bus funding cannot be left behind.
In January, members of the JwJ Scrooge Election committee delivered the 2011 Scrooge of the year Award to Lynx Board Chairman, Carlton Henley. As chair of board, Commissioner Henley has avoided paying bus drivers better wages and advocating for more funding for public transit. He has been an advocate for privatization of services and running the bus service off the backs of working people.
Moving forward, Central Florida Jobs with Justice will be hitting the streets mobilizing
Continue reading Orlando’s Lynx Board Chairman wins 2011 Scrooge of the Year!
Trader Joe’s and The Coalition of Immokalee Workers Sign Fair Food Agreement
Monrovia, CA/Immokalee, FL — Trader Joe’s and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) announced today that they have signed an agreement that formalizes the ways in which Trader Joe’s will work with the CIW and Florida tomato growers to support the CIW’s Fair Food Program.
The Fair Food Program is a groundbreaking approach to social responsibility in the US produce industry that combines the Fair Food Code of Conduct – a set of labor standards developed in a unique collaboration among farmworkers, tomato growers, and the food industry leaders who purchase Florida tomatoes – with a small price premium to help improve harvesters’ wages. The goal of the Fair Food Program is to promote the development of a sustainable Florida tomato industry that advances both the human rights of farmworkers and the long-term interests of Florida tomato growers.
“We are truly happy today to welcome Trader Joe’s aboard the Fair Food Program,” said Gerardo Reyes of the CIW. “Trader Joe’s is cherished by its customers for a number of reasons, but high on that list is the company’s commitment to ethical purchasing practices. With this agreement, Trader Joe’s reaffirms that commitment and sends a strong — and timely — message
Continue reading Trader Joe’s and The Coalition of Immokalee Workers Sign Fair Food Agreement
Dump The Banks
Dump the Banks on Valentine’s Day!
Come join CJJC and friends on Feb 14th, to let the banks know we're dumping them. They’ve broken our hearts, our homes and torn our families and communities apart.
Let them know that we’re done with them!
Tuesday, Feb. 14th, meet us at 12pm at Justin Herman Plaza in SF
ALSO, Meet at 2pm at City Hall for a Board of Supervisors meeting where we will demand that San Francisco break up with Wells Fargo. (sign the petition)
It’s not us …. it’s them!
Street theater/teatro, music, and valentines for everyone to sign as well as an opportunity for folks to move their money.
Do you trust your money with a bank that will break you heart? Of course not!
Take your money out of Bank of America and Wells Fargo and let Wells Fargo know that we'll be back to collect the rest of our belongings at the May shareholders' meeting!
For more information contact: Maria.Zamudio@cjjc.org or Robbie@cjjc.org
The day after
Hallways are calmer, it's business as usual at the statehouse. Students from our state colleges have come and gone, leaving behind the memory of our future leaders
having to proclaim how hard our state is making it for them to get an affordable education.
Hard working people, who need to have a say in what goes on in their businesses and what kind of guidlines are needed or useful, were here trying to get support for H.97.
Upstairs, in a committee room, someone gave testimony, representing the grassroots organizing, that produced H.559 and Healthcare is a Human Right Campaign, to make sure the intent of this bill stays true to the purpose it was made for. Affordable, equitable, healthcare for every person in Vermont.
Everyone working together toward the ultimate goal of a People's Budget, based on Human Rights Principles, that Puts People First.
Never fear, we will not go away. We will always be watching, talking, planning, speaking out, telling our stories, together. United.
CALL TO ACTION: Put People and THE PLANET First!
Join the Vermont Workers' Center in supporting this Call to Action from our Put People First partners Vermont Sierra Club and 350 Vermont. The VT House Natural Resources and Energy Committee need to hear from Vermonters to push for bold renewable energy goals.
CALL THIS WEEK and leave a message at the statehouse for Energy Committee Chairman, Rep. Tony Klein and your House Rep , that says:
"Vermont needs to lead the way to Put The Put People and the Planet First. I support 90% renewable energy by 2025, and 25 Mega Watts new annually. We need to see this in the energy bill.”
You can leave a message for Rep. Tony Klein and your Rep at the Statehouse by calling: The Sergeant-at-Arms’ office between 8am-4pm during the week: 1-800-322-5616 or 828-2228 More information on the Fossil Fuel Freedom Campaign that is part of Put People First go to: http://world.350.org/vermont/fossil-fuel-freedom-2/
We are Hiring!
Padres & Jovenes Unidos is hiring for a Director of Organizing position.
Please click here to read and download the full job description.
MAKE EDUCATION A PRIORITY!
We can all agree that there needs to be something seriously done about our schools education system, with budget cuts happening every year and only getting worse. In my mind I knew what was happening was bad, with my tuition going up and classes a little larger than usual, but I didn't know how bad.
Friday, February 3, 2012 was The Save Texas Schools conference and first off I was a bit disappointed at the lack of youth that was present, although we were blessed with the presence of a few students from UTA and two young boys, one from Fort Worth and one from Schertz, Tx. At the save our Texas schools conference they were examining the education crisis, bugdet cuts, and how schools were reactkng to these large amounts of cuts.
Northside ISD alone cut
- 22 gifted and talented teachers
- 20 math and science teachers *Northside is one of the more privileged school
- 40 special education teachers districts so you can only imagine how bad of an
- 17 administrators impact the other school districts are taking these
- 28 Coaches budget cuts.
- 86 elementary teachers
- 66 High school teachers
August 2011, Bexar County
Total loss Biennium: 237,095,083.00 *Texas has 5.4 Billion in budget cuts
-SAISD
Revenue Total Loss Biennium: 23,126,192 * Each district in Texas lost Revenue
-NISD Total Biennium
Revenue Total Loss Biennium: 86,333,186
Our Schools are suffering desperately, Teachers are being asked to do more with less, not to mention no teacher has received a pay raise in years and with the cost of living going up ever year is another burden to bare. Cramming children into classrooms and not funding the additional growth. In all reality we, as a state, are at risk of losing a generation. These budget cuts on education affect everyone, high school drop out rates are at an all time high and Texas is below the average rate of college completion.
These budget cuts on education funding are depriving, repressing and limiting the opportunity for our youth, for our future generations, for our future leaders!
And this is the first year all 31 senators are up for re-election, so I'm asking for those who can vote, VOTE PRO_EDUCATION! Come join us March 24th, 2012 Austin, TXMARCH: 11 am @ 12th and TrinityRally: Noon- 2pm@ TX State Capitol
Join MWC in Our Fight
Be the first to know about events, actions, and important information in and around Miami-Dade County, join the MWC mobile list by texting MWC to 313131.
Keystone TURNED DOWN!
Healthcare Is a Human Right Campaign Testimony on H.559 February 7, 2012
Vermont Workers’ Center, Healthcare Is a Human Right Campaign
Testimony on H.559
February 7, 2012
Good afternoon. I am Peg Franzen, President of the Vermont Workers’ Center. I first want to thank you for this opportunity to testify about the implementation of Vermont’s pioneering health reform law. This is a very important process, and I’d like to thank you for moving this process along in a serious, considered and participatory way. I’d also like to share with you the
ideas and suggestions our members have about some of the provisions in this particular bill, H.559.
We are very proud that by passing Act 48 last session, our legislature put Vermont on the path toward a universal, publicly financed healthcare system. The embodiment of human rights principles such as universality, equity and participation in that act confirms to Vermonters that this legislature will treat their healthcare, in fact, as a human right and a public good.
We trust that the legislature seeks to ensure that this path toward universal healthcare will not be longer, rockier and more winding than absolutely necessary. We are aware that a crucial stretch of this path consists of planning for a state exchange, a marketplace that is not intended to provide health care for all. While the federal health reform requires this planning process,
we expect the Administration to apply for a waiver as soon as it becomes available, so that we can transition to a universal health care system without the detour of yet another market endeavor. Whether or not Vermont is able to obtain an early waiver, Act 48 is very clear when
it comes to the transitional role of the exchange:
“The intent of the general assembly is to establish the Vermont health benefit exchange in a manner such that it may become the foundation for Green Mountain Care.”[Act 48 of 2011,Section 2 (a)(2)(A)]
We urge Committee members to keep this intention in mind as you review the implementation plan set out in H. 559. Although the exchange in itself does not meet human rights standards, it is possible for you to ensure that it becomes a viable stepping stone for a smooth and early
transition to the universal system we all await. You can do this by making certain that none of the provisions of H. 559 erect barriers, however hidden or small, that would impeded progress toward a true human rights based health system.
It is also within your power and responsibility to ensure that the people of Vermont will not suffer any further reductions in their access to healthcare as the federal reform requirements take effect. Unfortunately, these requirements fall short of Vermont’s high standards for
healthcare access. We are concerned that there is a real danger that the exchange will lead to the loss of healthcare benefits for some Vermonters who currently enjoy Vermont’s greater protections. We urge you to ensure that this does not happen. Every Vermonter must see
a continuous improvement in access to care, until we complete the transition to universal healthcare.
This is why the Vermont Workers’ Center has proposed specific amendments to Sections 34 and 35 of this bill, including that a decision be taken now to implement a state-run basic health plan for people transitioning out of our public programs, which have fulfilled such a crucial role in maintaining access for low-income Vermonters. As these sections of the bill are not the
subject of today’s hearing, I will limit my comments in this regard to recalling the importance of ensuring that all aspects of the transition process improve Vermonters’ access to care. We propose that an explicit requirement is added to this bill for the transition plan to guarantee that no individual shall have less coverage, reduced access to care or higher costs than in Catamount, VHAB or any other public program in which he or she is currently enrolled.
The Vermont Workers’ Center supports the provisions in this bill that seek to achieve a large risk pool within the exchange and eliminate the sale of private health insurance outside the exchange. The individual and small group market pushed by private insurance companies has
always sought to maximize corporate revenue at the expense of policyholders with no other options. These companies place financial gains ahead of the needs of Vermonters. This practice of largely unregulated profiteering stands in stark contrast to the recognition of health care as a public good, mandated by Act 48, and must stop with the establishment of a more regulated
marketplace, the so-called exchange. We commend the bill drafters for prohibiting an outside market, which brings us a small step along the path of treating health care as a public good.
We support the bill’s commitment to making the risk pool of the exchange as large as possible. While we know from many expert sources, including Prof. Hsiao, that the exchange itself will be unable to create universal access or achieve real cost-savings, those same financing experts also point out that even fewer people would obtain coverage and that costs would be higher for
everyone if only a small number of businesses participated in the exchange, and if a market was
allowed to operate outside the exchange.
So if Vermont is serious about moving towards a system that guarantees universal access to care and provides healthcare as a public good, we must make the exchange as strong as possible to serve as a viable platform for this endeavor. This also requires that a strong platform for universal healthcare remains in place even when the exchange will be surpassed by Green Mountain Care, our universal, publicly financed system. Green Mountain Care, just like the Exchange, cannot function effectively if an outside market of private insurance companies undermines its operations. In order to ensure that healthcare is treated as a public good, Green Mountain Care must eventually become the primary source of healthcare for all Vermonters.
However, as it currently stands, H.559 eliminates a market outside the exchange, yet is silent on whether such a market could resume once the exchange will be superseded by Green Mountain Care. Does the legislature
really intend for individuals to contract with private insurance companies for the same services provided by the universal, public healthcare plan? Selling private insurance products in competition with Green Mountain Care would undermine the universal system through
fragmenting the pool of insured people and promoting adverse selection. This would make coverage more costly for everyone, also by adding unnecessary administrative expenses.
Moreover, it would lead to the creation of tiers, privileging those who are healthier and wealthier. In short, all access and cost benefits of Green Mountain Care, as intended by this legislature with the passage of Act 48, would be undermined. It is for this reason that we today suggest an amendment to H.559, Section 3, which would add to 33 V.S.A. § 1811: “(l) Nothing in provisions (b) through (k) of this section shall be construed
as limiting the ability to carry out the intent of Act 48, Section 2 (a)(2)(A), which affirms that the Vermont health benefit exchange is to be established in a manner such that it may become the foundation of Green Mountain Care. After implementation of Green Mountain Care and
upon termination of the Vermont health benefit exchange, whether through a federal waiver or other action, private health insurance companies shall be prohibited from selling health benefit plans in Vermont that cover services also covered by Green Mountain Care, to the extent permitted by federal law.”
This amendment is consistent with the purpose of treating healthcare as a public good, clearly stated in Act 48. It would serve to strengthen Green Mountain Care’s sustainability and effectiveness. Instead of operating merely as a public option, which has been deemed unsustainable by Prof. Hsiao, our amendment ensures that Green Mountain Care will be able to guarantee universal and equitable access as a public good for all Vermonters.
We urge you to limit the role of private insurance companies, in order to expand the benefits to all Vermonters. We trust that your primary goal is to establish a publicly financed system that guarantees access to healthcare for all Vermonters by providing healthcare as a public good.
Therefore, please ensure that access to care is not restricted, reduced or otherwise limited by the private interests of the insurance industry interests or by any decisions taken during the transition process.
Healthcare Is a Human Right Campaign Testimony on H.559 February 7, 2012
Vermont Workers’ Center, Healthcare Is a Human Right Campaign
Testimony on H.559
February 7, 2012
Good afternoon. I am Peg Franzen, President of the Vermont Workers’ Center. I first want to
thank you for this opportunity to testify about the implementation of Vermont’s pioneering
health reform law. This is a very important process, and I’d like to thank you for moving this
process along in a serious, considered and participatory way. I’d also like to share with you the
ideas and suggestions our members have about some of the provisions in this particular bill,
H.559.
We are very proud that by passing Act 48 last session, our legislature put Vermont on the path
toward a universal, publicly financed healthcare system. The embodiment of human rights
principles such as universality, equity and participation in that act confirms to Vermonters that
this legislature will treat their healthcare, in fact, as a human right and a public good.
We trust that the legislature seeks to ensure that this path toward universal healthcare will not
be longer, rockier and more winding than absolutely necessary. We are aware that a crucial
stretch of this path consists of planning for a state exchange, a marketplace that is not intended
to provide health care for all. While the federal health reform requires this planning process,
we expect the Administration to apply for a waiver as soon as it becomes available, so that
we can transition to a universal health care system without the detour of yet another market
endeavor. Whether or not Vermont is able to obtain an early waiver, Act 48 is very clear when
it comes to the transitional role of the exchange:
“The intent of the general assembly is to establish the Vermont health benefit exchange in a
manner such that it may become the foundation for Green Mountain Care.”[Act 48 of 2011,
Section 2 (a)(2)(A)]
We urge Committee members to keep this intention in mind as you review the implementation
plan set out in H. 559. Although the exchange in itself does not meet human rights standards,
it is possible for you to ensure that it becomes a viable stepping stone for a smooth and early
transition to the universal system we all await. You can do this by making certain that none of
the provisions of H. 559 erect barriers, however hidden or small, that would impeded progress
toward a true human rights based health system.
It is also within your power and responsibility to ensure that the people of Vermont will not
suffer any further reductions in their access to healthcare as the federal reform requirements
take effect. Unfortunately, these requirements fall short of Vermont’s high standards for
healthcare access. We are concerned that there is a real danger that the exchange will lead to
the loss of healthcare benefits for some Vermonters who currently enjoy Vermont’s greater
protections. We urge you to ensure that this does not happen. Every Vermonter must see
a continuous improvement in access to care, until we complete the transition to universal
healthcare.
This is why the Vermont Workers’ Center has proposed specific amendments to Sections 34
and 35 of this bill, including that a decision be taken now to implement a state-run basic health
plan for people transitioning out of our public programs, which have fulfilled such a crucial
role in maintaining access for low-income Vermonters. As these sections of the bill are not the
subject of today’s hearing, I will limit my comments in this regard to recalling the importance
of ensuring that all aspects of the transition process improve Vermonters’ access to care. We
propose that an explicit requirement is added to this bill for the transition plan to guarantee that
no individual shall have less coverage, reduced access to care or higher costs than in Catamount, VHAB
or any other public program in which he or she is currently enrolled.
The Vermont Workers’ Center supports the provisions in this bill that seek to achieve a large
risk pool within the exchange and eliminate the sale of private health insurance outside the
exchange. The individual and small group market pushed by private insurance companies has
always sought to maximize corporate revenue at the expense of policyholders with no other
options. These companies place financial gains ahead of the needs of Vermonters. This practice
of largely unregulated profiteering stands in stark contrast to the recognition of health care as
a public good, mandated by Act 48, and must stop with the establishment of a more regulated
marketplace, the so-called exchange. We commend the bill drafters for prohibiting an outside
market, which brings us a small step along the path of treating health care as a public good.
We support the bill’s commitment to making the risk pool of the exchange as large as possible.
While we know from many expert sources, including Prof. Hsiao, that the exchange itself will be
unable to create universal access or achieve real cost-savings, those same financing experts also
point out that even fewer people would obtain coverage and that costs would be higher for
everyone if only a small number of businesses participated in the exchange, and if a market was
allowed to operate outside the exchange.
So if Vermont is serious about moving towards a system that guarantees universal access
to care and provides healthcare as a public good, we must make the exchange as strong as
possible to serve as a viable platform for this endeavor.
This also requires that a strong platform for universal healthcare remains in place even when
the exchange will be surpassed by Green Mountain Care, our universal, publicly financed
system. Green Mountain Care, just like the Exchange, cannot function effectively if an outside
market of private insurance companies undermines its operations. In order to ensure that
healthcare is treated as a public good, Green Mountain Care must eventually become the
primary source of healthcare for all Vermonters. However, as it currently stands, H.559
eliminates a market outside the exchange, yet is silent on whether such a market could
resume once the exchange will be superseded by Green Mountain Care. Does the legislature
really intend for individuals to contract with private insurance companies for the same
services provided by the universal, public healthcare plan? Selling private insurance products
in competition with Green Mountain Care would undermine the universal system through
fragmenting the pool of insured people and promoting adverse selection. This would make
coverage more costly for everyone, also by adding unnecessary administrative expenses.
Moreover, it would lead to the creation of tiers, privileging those who are healthier and
wealthier. In short, all access and cost benefits of Green Mountain Care, as intended by this
legislature with the passage of Act 48, would be undermined.
It is for this reason that we today suggest an amendment to H.559, Section 3, which would add
to 33 V.S.A. § 1811: “(l) Nothing in provisions (b) through (k) of this section shall be construed
as limiting the ability to carry out the intent of Act 48, Section 2 (a)(2)(A), which affirms that
the Vermont health benefit exchange is to be established in a manner such that it may become
the foundation of Green Mountain Care. After implementation of Green Mountain Care and
upon termination of the Vermont health benefit exchange, whether through a federal waiver or
other action, private health insurance companies shall be prohibited from selling health benefit
plans in Vermont that cover services also covered by Green Mountain Care, to the extent
permitted by federal law.”
This amendment is consistent with the purpose of treating healthcare as a public good,
clearly stated in Act 48. It would serve to strengthen Green Mountain Care’s sustainability
and effectiveness. Instead of operating merely as a public option, which has been deemed
unsustainable by Prof. Hsiao, our amendment ensures that Green Mountain Care will be able to
guarantee universal and equitable access as a public good for all Vermonters.
We urge you to limit the role of private insurance companies, in order to expand the benefits to
all Vermonters. We trust that your primary goal is to establish a publicly financed system that
guarantees access to healthcare for all Vermonters by providing healthcare as a public good.
Therefore, please ensure that access to care is not restricted, reduced or otherwise limited by
the private interests of the insurance industry interests or by any decisions taken during the
transition process.
Feb 17th: March for Dignity (Berkeley, CA)
On February 17th at 10am the families and supporters of 200 immigrant workers recently fired from Pacific Steel after an ICE audit, or "silent raid", will march for their digni
Stop Deportation of Kokou, Devoted Father & Community Leader
From our friends at AFSC-Newark (NJ):
UPDATE! Kokou Awlime was granted a 6-month stay on February 7th. This is an important victory, while very short-term and immediate. Kokou's family and community continue to urge ICE to exercise discretion and close his case, and allow him to stay with his family in the U.S.
Acuña: Giving Hypocrisy a Bad Name, Censorship in Tucson
For the past six years or so I have heard constant threats from Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne (Canada) and Superintendent of Schools John Huppenthal (Indiana) that they were going to ban, destroy and wipe out Mexican American Studies, as well as Occupied America. Now after disregarding a $177,000 report that refutes their charges that the program and the book are racist and un-American, the nativists carry out their threats. They destroy MAS and snatch the books from on looking students. Their stupidity exposed them, so they now say it wasn’t so.
The problem is that witnesses saw Tucson Unified School District Superintendent John Pedicone’s (Illinois) swaggering thugs “remove” the books from MAS classes as students looked on.
Their cowardly behavior reached new lows when blogger Jeff Biggers wrote that the books had been “banned.” They protested that they were not “banned” but only “removed.”
Let me see if I understand: If the books would have been put on a prohibited list of readings they would have been banned, or better still censored. But, because they were already there and ripped from the sight of students, they were removed.
I have been visiting Tucson for the better part of my life. I could always understand white folk there, although I did not always agree with them. For example, Barry Goldwater was my ideological opposite, but he had an affinity for Arizona that few of the carpetbaggers such as Pedicone have today. He knew many of my relatives, and recognized that you better talk the talk.
Not so with the Arizona carpetbaggers (as distinguished from those of the 1860s who had a purpose). This recent bunch has moved there for the sun and the cash. They do not respect the environment, its traditions or the people. Witness the systematic destruction of Mexican American barrios. What is Old Town Tucson but a pseudo replica of Disney Land?
It is difficult to dumb down language to the level of the locust. So to start with, censorship is thought control. The First Amendment reads,
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances…
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison argued that this freedom was critical to a free society.
What is happening in Tucson is a political act designed to control what students and the community read and think. It is not a question of good taste or what is true or not. It was the intentional use of naked political power to suppress a particular people.
Huppenthal was elected on the platform of “stopping La Raza [the people].”
On May 12, 2010 Horne said, “The bill [HB2281] was written to target the Chicano, or Mexican American, studies program in the Tucson school system.” According to the Los Angeles Times, “He singled out one history book used in some classes, ‘Occupied America: A History of Chicanos,’ by Rodolfo Acuna, a professor and founder of the Chicano studies program at Cal State Northridge.”
Horne continued, “To begin with, the title of the book implies to the kids that they live in occupied America, or occupied Mexico.” Horne’s language was pretty clear. He did not say remove but targeted the book and MAS.
As with Horne, others have labeled the book Marxist. A prominent scholar of European history labeled Occupied America, a Marxist book. When pressed on what he based this assumption, he fumbled around and finally said in a deposition that I used the term “hegemony” several times in the text.
In Horne’s case, he did not like the title because, according to him, it “implies” that the United States invaded Mexico – a historical fact. Evidentially, Horne has not read the autobiography of Ulysses S. Grant or Abraham Lincoln’s take on the war.
The truth be told, Occupied America does not refer to occupied Mexico; it refers to occupied America. If Horne had a grasp of Latin American history or geography, he would know that Argentines, Peruvians, Cubans, Central Americans and Mexicans are Americans. Indeed, U.S. secretaries of state have exploited the notion of Pan Americanism for economic advantage. Thus the occupation began in 1492 not 1836 or 1848.
The touted Cambium Audit, which Horne’s successor Huppenthal ordered and the citizens of Arizona paid for, said,
Occupied America: A History of Chicanos is an unbiased, factual textbook designed to accommodate the growing number of Mexican-Americans or Chicano History courses. It is the most comprehensive text in this market according to Amazon. The Fifth Edition of Occupied America has been revised to make the text more user-friendly and student-oriented., while maintain its passionate voice. This text provides a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of the major historical experiences of Chicanos that invokes critical thinking and intellectual discussion.
The curriculum auditing team refutes the following allegations made by other individuals and organizations. Quotes have been taken out of context. Therefore, the ‘controversial’ aspects are indicated in italics to demonstrate the claims made by concerned constituents.
Thus the nativists’ hypocrisy gives opportunism a bad name. They care nothing about the truth, they care nothing about Latino students, what they care about is controlling thought by “removing” books and killing a highly successful program.
They want to specifically suppress the thought of Latinos. The reason that they have not targeted Native, African and Asian Americans is that these groups are smaller and consequently more manageable. Latino public school students comprise 43 percent of the public schools, and they want to genetically engineer them.
Everyone in this country should be concerned about the removing or banning of books. They are euphemisms for censorship. What happened in Tucson constitutes an attack and constraint on everyone’s freedom.
The locust have a history of trying to control Mexican American Studies through prior restraint. When this did not work, they demolished the program and banned the books. This banning will have a chilling effect on the publication of future books. Usually, there is the opportunity to dispute the charge in court. This has not happened in Arizona – there was no trial.
Aside from Occupied America, Critical Race Theory by Richard Delgado, 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures edited by Elizabeth Martinez, Message to Aztlan by Rodolfo Corky Gonzales, Chicano! The History of the Mexican Civil Rights Movement by Arturo Rosales. Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire, Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, more than a dozen other books have been banned.
The charges of censorship have shaken the administration. After acting brazenly they are drawing the distinction between “banned” and “removed.” However, the record is the record. The banning of the books did not occur in a vacuum.
I have personally never experienced this level of hypocrisy in over fifty years of activism. It seems as if the locust and I do not speak the same language. It is also frustrating because up to now no one seemed to be listening. How do you deal with people who lie with such impunity?
As for me, it is a badge of honor to appear on the same list as the other banned authors. But what I resent is the draft dodgers, Pedicone, Horne and Huppenthal questioning my patriotism. I volunteered draft during the Korean War although I had a student draft deferment. They should check the records; they will learn that Mexican Americans served at a much higher ratio than any group in Tucson.
So my advice to them is not be so be opportunistic and hypocritical. The Tucson cabal is giving these words a bad name. Horne said that 2281 targeted Mexicans and specified which books it was going to get rid of. Huppenthal has not listened to facts and pressured the TUSD to ban MAS and the books. As for Pedicone, he is the bagman.
Obama State of the Union Adress 2012
From a one person stand point i would have enjoyed something being done with our education system, an immigration reform for all the struggling students out there with no citizenship, and a solution to help those who are struggling to afford the roof over their heads. Obama definitely is a man who stands up for the hard working class community which is what i admire about him as a president, and in no way do i blame him for the things that were not accomplished these past four years. His speech made me feel that if we all keep trying our best and fighting for the immigration reforms, for a affordable higher education, a greener country we can accomplish all these things. This country wasn't built on effortless values nor was it built on greed or money it was built from the ground up with hard work which is what I feel Obama wants to preserve. Although his speech made me feel like i have heard it all before I respect that he will always support the middle class who work hard and want true change to happen.
-Monica
Don't take my word for it hear his speech and make your own opinion:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/24/us/politics/state-of-the-union-2012-video-transcript.html
