-
-
ACLU Investigates Hippie Arrests-Pelleting and Pepper Balling
The Rainbow Family is a group of hippie types and eccentrics who organize a weeklong national gathering on public land, each year. About 7,000 members were camping this year on Forest Service, near Big Sandy.CHEYENNE, Wyoming
The American Civil Liberties Union plans to investigate how federal law enforcement officers treated members of the Rainbow Family during their annual gathering this year in western Wyoming. {source http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8623449&am...
The federal Forest Service said a mob of about 400 members of the Rainbow Family... threw rocks and sticks at Forest Service officers who tried to arrest a member of the group. The agency would not give a reason for the original arrest.
About 60 federal and local officers responded, Forest Service officials said, and fired pepper balls — pellets that disperse a pepper solution — at the crowd.
{source http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/us/06rainbow.html?ref...
More than 100 participants in the annual Rainbow Family of Living Light "Gathering of the Tribes" near Big Sandy made appearances at a temporary federal court at the fire station here this week.Chief U.S. District Judge William Downes signed the unusual order to create the temporary courtroom because the closest federal courtrooms to the gathering are in Green River, Lander and Jackson, he said Thursday.The court will remain as long as Rainbow gathering participants are in the area.
About 40 participants appeared in court Wednesday, and an unknown number appeared Thursday, according to the clerk of federal court in Casper. One defendant on Wednesday apparently got out of hand and was zapped with a Taser.
U.S. marshals brought out a case of bottled water for the defendants lined up at the tent where security personnel conducted searches.
There, too, Rainbows made nice with the government.
One Rainbow asked a marshal how he kept a straight face.
"I'm smiling on the inside," he responded. {source http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/07/04/news... The Rainbow Family is a group of hippie types and eccentrics who organize a weeklong national gathering on public land, each year. Abo... more -
American Indian Activist Winona LaDuke on Colbert Show
June 12, 2008
Our sister Winona LaDuke appears on the Colbert Show in a segment on American Indians and the 2008 Presidential Political Race.
Anishinaabe Environmental Activist Winona LaDuke who ran for U.S. Vice-President in 1996 and 2000 on the Green Party Ticket with Ralph Nader is gracious when Stephen Colbert says "Migwetch" (Anishinaabe for Thank You) for electing George W. Bush.
Winona gifts Colbert with a flag souvenir from the White Earth Nation and $24.00, and jokes, "That should make us all set."
Watch the video to hear Winona LaDuke's Indian humor.
__________________________
from TouchArt.net and OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com
where Charleen Touchette has been friends with Winona LaDuke
and her mom Betty LaDuke since the mid-1970s when Winona
was studying at Harvard. June 12, 2008 ... more -
We are Crying for Help
“We Are Crying for Help”
By Kelly Hayes-Raitt | May 27th, 2008 |
“All Iraqis in Jordan today are refugees,” Fr. Raymond Moussalli shrugged his shoulders and smiled, resigned, in response to my asking how many of his 12,000 congregants are refugees. His church provides assistance for persecuted Iraqi Christians (www.ChaldeanJordan.org).
“Guests” are what Jordan originally called Iraqis who spilled over the border following the Gulf War and the 12 ensuing years of sanctions and Sadaam’s regime. The host country has resisted creating any temporary services that could lead to permanency, as has occurred with Palestinian refugees.
According to the UNHCR, between 450,000 and 500,000 Iraqis have taken refuge in Jordan. In this country of 6 million people, where fuel and food prices have jumped 300% during the last 3 years, where the country’s finance minister has estimated this year’s inflation rate to be the highest in 18 years, where the official unemployment rate runs 15% (the unofficial rate is a staggering 30%!), that’s proportionately comparable to increasing the United States’ population by 25 million people – another Texas.
Iraqi refugees are not allowed to work, and only this past school year have been allowed to attend public schools. Aid is sporadic, provided by the government, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, international non-profits and neighborhood churches.
Only 50,000 refugees have registered with the UNHCR, according to Dr. Mazin Aisaqa, an independent aide worker who helps coordinate Iraqis’ medical care. Some Iraqis find it humiliating to admit their new “refugee” status, others circumvent the UN and apply directly for immigration to their desired country....
Read rest of Kelly's blog at link above.
________________
from TouchArt.net and OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com “We Are Crying for Help” By Kelly Hayes-Raitt | May 27th, 2008 | ... more -
WAR SUCKS
For Memorial Day 2008, TouchArt.net's Charleen Touchette
talks about war and its immeasurable costs to the world.
Touchette, a mother of 4 adult children asks us to stop war
and work for peace and justice.
___________________
from TouchArt.net and OneEarthblog.blogspot.com For Memorial Day 2008, TouchArt.net's Charleen Touchette talks about war and its immeasurable costs to the world. ... more
-
related topics
peace activism
Contributors (8)
peace activism
