PWW forum spotlights media and democracy
ST. LOUIS — The second annual “Working Class Media and Democracy” forum here Oct. 21, sponsored by the Missouri-Kansas People’s Weekly World bureau, featured a panel of print and radio personalities, including Lizz Brown, WGNU radio, Johnson Lancaster, Belleville News-Democrat, and Joel Wendland, Political Affairs magazine. The event was moderated by state Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford.
Libby indicted in Treasongate: Senate lockdown forces probe of war lies
Emboldened by the indictment of Vice President Dick Cheney’s Chief of Staff, I. Lewis Libby, Democrats forced the majority-Republican Senate into a closed-door session Nov. 1 to hear their charges that the Bush administration used false intelligence to whip up support for the war on Iraq.
Rebuild Louisiana rally demands jobs, housing
Slams ‘corporate scavengers,’ government inaction BATON ROUGE, La. — Sporting union, NAACP and ACORN T-shirts, more than 1,000 rallied here Oct. 29 for jobs, living wages, affordable housing and public services for south Louisiana. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and the Rev. Al Sharpton were joined by rank-and-file workers and community activists in calling for a rebuilding program that puts victims of Katrina and Rita first. Speakers also called on the federal government to supply grants, not loans, to local governments for basic services. click here for Spanish text
Capitalism gone disgustingly mad
There is a real estate “boom” reported in New Orleans and other devastated areas as desperate people sell shattered houses and the speculators move in, buying up land to make money. Perhaps a future New Orleans will be gentrified with the aid of snorkels.
Voter ID: sharpening race and class disparities
As thousands celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act on Aug. 6, the media re-aired black and white images of nonviolent Black Americans being tear gassed and clubbed on “Bloody Sunday” while marching for the right to vote. The images were, for many, faded memories of a bygone era.
A Dallas woman considers the Miers nomination
Perhaps no single government appointment has the potential to affect a citizen’s quality of life more than that of a Supreme Court justice. Yet, by nominating his White House counsel, Harriet Miers, a person previously responsible for reviewing possible replacements for outgoing Justice O’Connor, George W. Bush demonstrates a lack of understanding and insensitivity to the needs and concerns of the public.
Phila. peoples champion, David Cohen, dies at 90
An outpouring of Philadelphians came to pay their last respects to widely beloved City Councilman David Cohen, known as the “people’s champion.” Cohen died Oct. 3 at age 90.
Georgie at the bat
The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the White House gang that day; The score stood four to two with just an inning more to play. Then Ken Lay got indicted and DeLay he got the same, A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
Skeletons as political art: A look at Day of the Dead artist Posada
Compared to the medieval European plague-inspired, scary skeletons of Halloween, the skeletons of Día de los Muertos are a whimsical lot. They drive cars or play in small orchestras; the guys smoke cigars and the ladies wear enormous hats. And through the art of José Guadalupe Posada, they engage in political debate as well.
Editorial: Global warming not just hot air
The World Meteorological Organization has run out the alphabet in naming hurricanes. With a whole month left to go in the hurricane season, remaining storms will be designated by Greek letters.
