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Free Mumia NOW!

From Philladelphia Independent Media Center

On Thursday, May 17th, oral arguments will be heard in federal court on what could be the last appeal of death-row journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal, known internationally as the “Voice of the Voiceless.” Many events are planned in Philadelphia and around the world in solidarity. On Wednesday, May 16, Educators for Mumia [held] a teach-in on the case. (Read Mark Lewis Taylor’s essay about organizing this event). Later that evening, Immortal Technique is hosting a fundraising concert at the Rotunda. On Thursday, the day of the oral arguments, a solidarity protest will gather at 6th and Market at 8:30am. Several contingents are organizing, including Rainbow Flags for Mumia. And on Friday, German author Michael Schiffmann will speak at the A-Space about Mumia’s case.UPDATE: Read case background, and view crime scene photos never published before in the United States from abu-jamal-news.com. Also: read veteran Philadelphia journalist Linn Washington, Jr’s commentary on the May 17 hearing — LW has been covering the Abu-Jamal case since the morning of Dec.8, 1981. Amy Goodman interviews LW | Hans Bennett interviews LW

More Info: PSAs from Prison Radio | Indybay Roundup of SF Actions | Portland IMC Roundup | Apr24: Mumia’s Birthday Celebration | See more past coverage and background links below…

World-renowned black death-row prisoner and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal was convicted of killing white Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in a 1982 trial that Amnesty International has deemed unfair (see report). Supported internationally by a variety of activists, workers, and educators, his books and radio essays challenging injustice everywhere have earned the former Black Panther the nickname “The Voice of the Voiceless.”

His court case has now hit the fast track with oral arguments beginning [today]. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals is considering four issues in regards to granting Abu-Jamal a new trial. Supported by the NAACP, NLG, UK Lawyers, and The German Parliament, Philly Journalists Linn Washington and Dave Lindorff have optimistically written of Abu-Jamal’s chances for a new trial.

In April, longtime French support (2005 photos) continued when the Paris suburb of St. Denis named a major street after Mumia (see video) and was quickly condemned with government resolutions in the US (pdf booklet), while local media continued a long history of bias.

The Democrats Are Warmongers Too

Well, the punk Democrats voted in favor of war again.

David Swanson of AfterDowningStreet.org blogged live from Capitol Hill as the House of Representatives voted to pass a supplemental bill that would again fund the Iraqi occupation. His blow by blow is an interesting analysis in how this Congrsssional vote went.

But the point is, the House voted to continue funding the war by passing the funding bill. Bush gets his wish.

We can’t keep calling this Bush’s war when the Democrats continuously vote to keep it going. They approved this war in the beginning, and except for the half-assed effort to seek a concession from the White House a couple of weeks ago, they have voted in favor of war again. The Democrats, though they were put in power to stop the war, have voted to continue it.

Who are the warmongers? All but 12 representatives. In fact, two Republicans voted against the war. Continue reading

This is Your Nation on Drugs

Originally posted by Nadir on LastChocolateCity.com

The US Senate just scored a major victory for America’€™s drug dealers.

I’€™m not talking about the “dope boys”€ pushing nickels and dimes on the corner. I’€™m talking about the nation’€™s REAL drug dealers. The big ballers – the major pharmaceutical companies who raked in over $600 billion in global prescription drug spending in 2006.

On May 9, the Senate passed a bill that, according to The New York Times,

gives the Food and Drug Administration sweeping new power to police drug safety, order changes in drug labels, regulate advertising and restrict the use and distribution of medicines found to pose serious risks to consumers. Continue reading

FLASHBACK! The Black JFK: Republican Support for Obama Raises Red Flags

This blog from May 2007 reposted in light of increasing reports of Republican support for Obama – Nadir

The Barack Obama bandwagon is picking up steam. In many circles, the junior senator from Illinois is being compared to John Kennedy. He is young, good looking, charismatic and yes, articulate, providing a resounding echo of the JFK experience.

However, when NeoConservatives start issuing accolades for a Democratic candidate, it’s time to take a closer look. Continue reading

The Democrats are STILL Punks!

The Democrats are PUNKS! I keep saying it over and over, but they still won’t man up.

They were elected in 2006 with a mandate from the American people: Stop the Iraqi occupation and bring our soldiers home. With Bush’s veto of the Iraq spending bill, their failure to override that veto, and then their immediate concession to Dubya’s demands that withdrawl timetables be removed from the bill, they have punked out once again.

That cowboy is riding this Democratic Congress as if it was jackass that is its symbol. I keep waiting for Ashton Kutcher to pop up on C-SPAN in the middle of a Senate debate.

I completely agree with Michael Rivero at WhatReallyHappened.com:

And I told you that this was EXACTLY what was going to happen. The Democrats would make a big noise about withdrawel, Bush would veto, and the Democrats would cave so that Bush has his endless war and the Democrats are able to go into the 2008 elections saying, “Well, we tried to stop the war.”Well, trying is not good enough. We The People worked hard to put the Democrats into Congress in 2006 and the Democrats have officially blown their chance. They do not get another one as far as I am concerned.

I don;t care what Congress wants to do or tries to do, only what they actually do matters and in terms of the mandate they were sent to power with in 2006, they have failed utterly and completely. They will not stop the war. They have ignored Kucinich’s bill of impeachment against Dick Cheney.

Anyone have a good blueprint for a decent guillotine?

Trying to stop the war simply isn’t good enough. Yoda told us, “There is no try. Only do or do not.”

The Congress is supposed to have equal power with the president. Why are they allowing the carnage and the Bush administration’s crimes to continue?

Because they are PUNKS!

Mission Accomplished For Real

Originally posted by Nadir on LastChocolateCity.com

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MR. PRESIDENT!

It’s May 1, the fourth anniversary of President George W. Bush’€™s triumphant “ÂœMission Accomplished”€ speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, where he announced that major combat operations in Iraq were over. The US military had successfully overthrown a sovereign government and taken the Iraqi nation hostage. Champange for everyone!

Because of the deteriorating security situation there, the widespread corruption, billions of dollars in cash missing and the fact that many of the projects Bush bragged about are now falling apart, the public believes things are going poorly in Iraq. Despite the grumbling and moaning that we hear, keen observers will clearly perceive, through the 20/20 vision that four years of hindsight allow, that the invasion and occupation of Iraq have been highly profitable ventures for Bush, Cheney, their families and the neoconservatives who led us to war.

The mission has been accomplished indeed. Continue reading

Israeli Leaders Admit Lebanon War Was a ‘Failure in Judgement’

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is under fire from Israeli leaders who have concluded he took them to war with Lebanon “hastily” and without a solid plan.

From the BBC:

Retired judge Eliahu Winograd presented the findings of the six-month investigation at a news conference.

He said the decision to launch the war without a well thought-out plan showed “a severe failure in judgment, responsibility and caution”.

The aims of the war – to crush Hezbollah and force it to hand back two Israeli troops captured in a deadly cross-border raid – were “overly ambitious and impossible to achieve”, Mr Winograd said.

Some 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers, were killed in the 34-day conflict, while the two captured soldiers remain in captivity.

Israel was almost universally criticized for the invasion, though some right-wing observers still defend the action. US officials, like former UN ambassador John Bolton, rushed additional weapons to the Israeli army, blocked an attempted cease fire and prolonged the conflict. For their part, those US officials say they are “damned proud of what they did“.

By admitting that misconduct and failures in judgment occurred, the Israeli government takes a definitive first step toward correcting the errors of the attack on Lebanon.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the US learned something from Israel here?

Bush, Gonzales Attorney Firings Suppressed the Black Vote

Originally posted by Nadir at LastChocolateCity.com

Embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales refuses to step down over the politically motivated firing of eight US attorneys. His boss, President George W. Bush, continues to support Gonzo despite bipartisan calls for his ouster. However, new information about the attorney firings may take on greater relevance in a post-Don Imus world.

Reports have surfaced that at least two attorneys in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division were fired because they failed to file charges that would have helped disenfranchise Black voters. Continue reading

Kucinich Introduces Impeachment Articles Against Cheney

Cynthia McKinney introduced articles of impeachment against George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Condoleeza Rice before she left Congress. No member of the House of Representatives picked up the baton in the new session. Until now…

Answering those critics who say, “If you impeach Bush, we’ll end up with President Cheney”, presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) introduced articles of impeachment against Cheney first. Now it’s up to us to pressure our congress members to support Cheney’s impeachment. Maybe we can dismantle this embarrassing and destructive regime one brick at a time.

Here is the transcript of Kucinich’s press conference courtesy of the Washington Post: Continue reading

Pistons Give Magic Bitter Pill

Originally Posted by Nadir at LastChocolateCity.com

Former Detroit Pistons Grant Hill and Darko Milicic sound a little bitter.

Both Orlando Magic players recalled bad memories of Detroit upon their return for the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Going back to Florida down two games to none certainly won’€™t help their dispositions.

Hill was a superstar in his six seasons with the Pistons, but seems to place some blame on the team, its medical staff and Piston fans for aggravating the ankle injury that has hobbled his career since the 2000 playoffs. As the Detroit News reports the forward was tired of being called “€œsoft” so he played on a bad ankle.

Hill had grown weary of people in Detroit perceiving him as a silver-spoon softie. He had grown weary of not getting his team out of the first round of the playoffs. He was determined to play. Continue reading

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