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Sep. 6th, 2006
(no subject)
Sep. 6th, 2006 12:23 pmI know I have sports fans on my flist (stares hard at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bloodredrosev) who may know more about the case cited in this article than I do. But I found it interesting.
Cops vs. Jocks
The Shooting of Steve Foley
By DAVE ZIRIN
"This one stinks like a beached whale." That,s how Philadelphia Daily News sports columnist Bill Conlin described the police shooting of San Diego Chargers star linebacker Steve Foley. Foley was shot at 3:30 A.M. Saturday night in front of his home by an off-duty police officer named Aaron Mansker. Mansker, who has been on the force since 2005, followed Foley and a friend in an unmarked police car for more than 20 miles without once calling for backup or identifying himself. Upon reaching Foley's home, Mansker shot him three times: in the leg, arm and chest. Please take a moment to digest the scenario. At 3:30 in the morning, in an unmarked car, an off-duty cop followed Foley to his home and shot him. As Conlin wrote, "Did this officer fail to charge his cell phone? Amazing how by day, with TV news helicopters overhead, a stoned crazy can lead a scary, high-speed chase through half of SoCal with no shots fired. But by night, one off-duty cop can go from one end of his large county to another and end up using his gun in an apparent solo bust. Charles Bronson lives."
( rest of article here )
I think its a clumsily written article, but it brings up interesting points. I'm predisposed to not doubt the claim of racial profiling. But I don't know a thing about the athletes involved, and their cases. Of course, if it were an isolated incident, I'm biased to think perhaps the professional athlete had been caught doing something he should be caught doing. But it doesn't seem, according to this article, to be an isolated incident- far from.
Feedback?
bloodredrosev) who may know more about the case cited in this article than I do. But I found it interesting.Cops vs. Jocks
The Shooting of Steve Foley
By DAVE ZIRIN
"This one stinks like a beached whale." That,s how Philadelphia Daily News sports columnist Bill Conlin described the police shooting of San Diego Chargers star linebacker Steve Foley. Foley was shot at 3:30 A.M. Saturday night in front of his home by an off-duty police officer named Aaron Mansker. Mansker, who has been on the force since 2005, followed Foley and a friend in an unmarked police car for more than 20 miles without once calling for backup or identifying himself. Upon reaching Foley's home, Mansker shot him three times: in the leg, arm and chest. Please take a moment to digest the scenario. At 3:30 in the morning, in an unmarked car, an off-duty cop followed Foley to his home and shot him. As Conlin wrote, "Did this officer fail to charge his cell phone? Amazing how by day, with TV news helicopters overhead, a stoned crazy can lead a scary, high-speed chase through half of SoCal with no shots fired. But by night, one off-duty cop can go from one end of his large county to another and end up using his gun in an apparent solo bust. Charles Bronson lives."
( rest of article here )
I think its a clumsily written article, but it brings up interesting points. I'm predisposed to not doubt the claim of racial profiling. But I don't know a thing about the athletes involved, and their cases. Of course, if it were an isolated incident, I'm biased to think perhaps the professional athlete had been caught doing something he should be caught doing. But it doesn't seem, according to this article, to be an isolated incident- far from.
Feedback?
(no subject)
Sep. 6th, 2006 12:42 pmI'm feeling enough better that I'm bored. I don't feel well enough to try to take a shower yet, and I don't have the attention span to read a book. I'm too awake to lie down. So now you all have to suffer my wrath, and endure my postings.
But I wanted to share with you all about my guilt over consuming Coca-Cola products. At CPT, organizational-wise, we try to encourage a boycott of Coca-Cola, and its products. Because of our work in Colombia, we tend to be very sensitive about the issue.
Killer Coke is the most definitive website out there regarding this issue. Basically, the workers at the plant keep trying to organize, and when they do, they turn up dead. Pretty much across the board. The deaths have been linked to paramilitary involvement (Colombia has three different major armed groups- the regular state military, paramilitaries, and guerilla groups- who erratically work with and against each other, and all working against your average Colombian citizen) in regards to the plant management. The Coca-Cola corporation could easily step in to prevent this, but they don't. Of course, most corporations discourage unionizing- it isn't in their interest, financially. Ethical corporations (often an oxymoronic phrase), however, don't go so far as to allow their union organizers to be killed in order to prevent this.
So, yeah, I definitely have strong feelings about this.
However, I have mixed feelings about boycotts. Part of me says "Oh, what can one person's stopping consuming (hey look, its a gerund!) a product do to make a difference? How can it matter?" But of course, history is full of instances where boycotts do make a difference. The instance I'm sure most of us think of first in regards to boycotts is the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott that was sparked when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white passenger on her way home from work one day. Her arrest and trial for this "crime" was a crucial turning point in the march towards Civil Rights (I say "towards" because we are obviously not there yet). The other one that comes to my mind, that may not be nearly as recognizable, was the boycott on Nestle products in the late 70s and 80s. I know about this because in my household, we actively did boycott Nestle products, and my sister and I were quite young when my mother explained to us why. It was one of our first lessons in social justice. While boycott coordinators are still fighting with Nestle to become an ethical corporation, the boycott brought enough attention to eventually stop them from fucking* over women and children in Third World countries (now called, charmingly, "underdeveloped" nations) with its baby formula scandal.
The other thing that gave me more of a mixed feeling was what I discovered in Israel/Palestine. There, RC- which is what we usually drink at the office instead odf Coke- is an Israeli company, while the Coca-Cola plant is in Palestine, employing Palestinians. Boycotting Coke products there means taking away from the very economy whose infrastructure we are there to support. Also, as far as I'm aware, there is no union organizing issues at that plant. There may be no union, which is why there is no union organizing issues. They may not want or need a union. I should probably look into that further before I go back to the country. I also would like to see if I can track down some Mecca Cola, but in my two trips over there so far, I haven't run across it.
At any rate, I feel like I should technically be not consuming Coke products. I am horrified enough at what is happening in Colombia that I feel a boycott is necessary. Its really easy to forget, though, and especially now, when Coke is something that I know can help me through nausea stuff, its hard to put it down. Also, I've not historically liked Coke. It always had a weird aftertaste for me. But there is something, probably due to meds, that has changed my taste, and it actually tastes good now. I guess I have to make a decision and stick with it.
If anyone else is interested, if this moves you, a list of all Coca-Cola brands can be found here. Unfortunately, Coke also makes Mr. Pibb, my all-time favorite soda (now that SoBe apparently doesn't make Mr. Green anymore), and Minute Maid juices. An Alternative Beverage list can be found here.
Again- feedback?
(Damn, there's a lot of HTML in this post. Here's hoping it all works right the first time.)
*I could never get a job writing for a magazine or a major blog, like CounterPunch. I couldn't watch my language long enough.
But I wanted to share with you all about my guilt over consuming Coca-Cola products. At CPT, organizational-wise, we try to encourage a boycott of Coca-Cola, and its products. Because of our work in Colombia, we tend to be very sensitive about the issue.
Killer Coke is the most definitive website out there regarding this issue. Basically, the workers at the plant keep trying to organize, and when they do, they turn up dead. Pretty much across the board. The deaths have been linked to paramilitary involvement (Colombia has three different major armed groups- the regular state military, paramilitaries, and guerilla groups- who erratically work with and against each other, and all working against your average Colombian citizen) in regards to the plant management. The Coca-Cola corporation could easily step in to prevent this, but they don't. Of course, most corporations discourage unionizing- it isn't in their interest, financially. Ethical corporations (often an oxymoronic phrase), however, don't go so far as to allow their union organizers to be killed in order to prevent this.
So, yeah, I definitely have strong feelings about this.
However, I have mixed feelings about boycotts. Part of me says "Oh, what can one person's stopping consuming (hey look, its a gerund!) a product do to make a difference? How can it matter?" But of course, history is full of instances where boycotts do make a difference. The instance I'm sure most of us think of first in regards to boycotts is the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott that was sparked when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white passenger on her way home from work one day. Her arrest and trial for this "crime" was a crucial turning point in the march towards Civil Rights (I say "towards" because we are obviously not there yet). The other one that comes to my mind, that may not be nearly as recognizable, was the boycott on Nestle products in the late 70s and 80s. I know about this because in my household, we actively did boycott Nestle products, and my sister and I were quite young when my mother explained to us why. It was one of our first lessons in social justice. While boycott coordinators are still fighting with Nestle to become an ethical corporation, the boycott brought enough attention to eventually stop them from fucking* over women and children in Third World countries (now called, charmingly, "underdeveloped" nations) with its baby formula scandal.
The other thing that gave me more of a mixed feeling was what I discovered in Israel/Palestine. There, RC- which is what we usually drink at the office instead odf Coke- is an Israeli company, while the Coca-Cola plant is in Palestine, employing Palestinians. Boycotting Coke products there means taking away from the very economy whose infrastructure we are there to support. Also, as far as I'm aware, there is no union organizing issues at that plant. There may be no union, which is why there is no union organizing issues. They may not want or need a union. I should probably look into that further before I go back to the country. I also would like to see if I can track down some Mecca Cola, but in my two trips over there so far, I haven't run across it.
At any rate, I feel like I should technically be not consuming Coke products. I am horrified enough at what is happening in Colombia that I feel a boycott is necessary. Its really easy to forget, though, and especially now, when Coke is something that I know can help me through nausea stuff, its hard to put it down. Also, I've not historically liked Coke. It always had a weird aftertaste for me. But there is something, probably due to meds, that has changed my taste, and it actually tastes good now. I guess I have to make a decision and stick with it.
If anyone else is interested, if this moves you, a list of all Coca-Cola brands can be found here. Unfortunately, Coke also makes Mr. Pibb, my all-time favorite soda (now that SoBe apparently doesn't make Mr. Green anymore), and Minute Maid juices. An Alternative Beverage list can be found here.
Again- feedback?
(Damn, there's a lot of HTML in this post. Here's hoping it all works right the first time.)
*I could never get a job writing for a magazine or a major blog, like CounterPunch. I couldn't watch my language long enough.
(no subject)
Sep. 6th, 2006 03:22 pm2 arrested for aiding migrants cleared
Government led students Sellz, Strauss to believe helping them was
acceptable, judge rules
BILLIE STANTON
Published: 09.02.2006
In a dramatic ruling Friday, the year-long case against humanitarians Shanti Sellz and Daniel Strauss was dismissed.
U.S. District Judge Raner Collins found that the government for years has led No More Deaths volunteers to believe they could legally provide care to ailing illegal immigrants.
Sellz and Strauss could not be prosecuted for what had been deemed legal, Collins found.
The college students were in the desert near Arivaca on July 9, 2005, when they encountered five illegal immigrants.
Two of the men showed signs of severe dehydration, so Sellz and Strauss called physicians in Tucson and were advised to rush the men to a hospital.
Before they could reach Tucson, Border Patrol agents arrested them and apprehended the two men.
Sellz and Strauss willingly faced an uncertain future, refusing from the outset to accept a plea agreement.
"We have committed no crime," Strauss said on July 21, 2005.
On Friday, Collins agreed.
"The judge recognized that Samaritans (a group that is part of No More Deaths) really is a humanitarian organization," said Bill Walker, who joined Stanley Feldman, a former chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, to defend Sellz free of charge.
"What the judge said is, No More Deaths isn't an organization smuggling immigrants.
"That's a great victory for everybody in Tucson and on the border who wants to make sure people don't die in the desert."
The Rev. John Fife, founder of Samaritans, rejoiced. "This is vindication for our position from the very beginning. And that is, humanitarian aid is never a crime," he said.
Signs spouting that slogan had sprung up around the Tucson area as supporters of the humanitarian movement feared for Sellz and Strauss.
U.S. Magistrate Bernardo P. Velasco recently declined to dismiss the case, but Collins overruled him.
Fife said the ruling sends a clear, ethical message to the people of southern Arizona that food, water and emergency medical care can be provided to anyone in distress.
"In my judgment, that means lives will be saved," said Fife.
The Green Valley Samaritans had held a memorial service Thursday for a migrant they had found dead in the desert.
Alfonso Salas Villagran had died from a combination of heart disease and heat exposure, the Pima County medical examiner found.
"I was at the No More Deaths camp when the folks from Green Valley found the body," Fife said.
"We hear all kinds of ways people try to dehumanize these folks, calling them 'aliens,' 'illegals.' This death puts a human face on this issue."
Sellz, Strauss and federal prosecutors could not be reached for comment.
This is such good news!
Government led students Sellz, Strauss to believe helping them was
acceptable, judge rules
BILLIE STANTON
Published: 09.02.2006
In a dramatic ruling Friday, the year-long case against humanitarians Shanti Sellz and Daniel Strauss was dismissed.
U.S. District Judge Raner Collins found that the government for years has led No More Deaths volunteers to believe they could legally provide care to ailing illegal immigrants.
Sellz and Strauss could not be prosecuted for what had been deemed legal, Collins found.
The college students were in the desert near Arivaca on July 9, 2005, when they encountered five illegal immigrants.
Two of the men showed signs of severe dehydration, so Sellz and Strauss called physicians in Tucson and were advised to rush the men to a hospital.
Before they could reach Tucson, Border Patrol agents arrested them and apprehended the two men.
Sellz and Strauss willingly faced an uncertain future, refusing from the outset to accept a plea agreement.
"We have committed no crime," Strauss said on July 21, 2005.
On Friday, Collins agreed.
"The judge recognized that Samaritans (a group that is part of No More Deaths) really is a humanitarian organization," said Bill Walker, who joined Stanley Feldman, a former chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, to defend Sellz free of charge.
"What the judge said is, No More Deaths isn't an organization smuggling immigrants.
"That's a great victory for everybody in Tucson and on the border who wants to make sure people don't die in the desert."
The Rev. John Fife, founder of Samaritans, rejoiced. "This is vindication for our position from the very beginning. And that is, humanitarian aid is never a crime," he said.
Signs spouting that slogan had sprung up around the Tucson area as supporters of the humanitarian movement feared for Sellz and Strauss.
U.S. Magistrate Bernardo P. Velasco recently declined to dismiss the case, but Collins overruled him.
Fife said the ruling sends a clear, ethical message to the people of southern Arizona that food, water and emergency medical care can be provided to anyone in distress.
"In my judgment, that means lives will be saved," said Fife.
The Green Valley Samaritans had held a memorial service Thursday for a migrant they had found dead in the desert.
Alfonso Salas Villagran had died from a combination of heart disease and heat exposure, the Pima County medical examiner found.
"I was at the No More Deaths camp when the folks from Green Valley found the body," Fife said.
"We hear all kinds of ways people try to dehumanize these folks, calling them 'aliens,' 'illegals.' This death puts a human face on this issue."
Sellz, Strauss and federal prosecutors could not be reached for comment.
This is such good news!
(no subject)
Sep. 6th, 2006 04:35 pmOkay, so since the weather is finally cool enough to actually enjoy a nice, hot bath, I believe that is what I am about to do. A nice long soak will sooth my aching limbs, and open my pores to get rid of toxins. Its a good thing we have two bathrooms in this house, because I'm about to totally monopolize the downstairs one.
Catch you later. My apricot scrub and loofah are calling me.
Catch you later. My apricot scrub and loofah are calling me.
(no subject)
Sep. 6th, 2006 08:30 pmSo. I have my first physical therapy appointment tomorrow morning.
At seven fucking a.m.
Oh well, at least I'm getting in! I'm extremely nervous. For starters, I'm hardly a morning person. Plus, I'm coming off of feeling extremely shitty, and I have no idea what to expect. What if I feel awful in the morning? What if I get there and my body rebels, and I puke or pass out or something? What if they do something to me that makes it all hurt worse?
So I'm going to try to go to sleep soon. I'm going to take my sleeping pill at 9, which means it should kick in by 10. My body's dead tired but my brain is working hard, so I hope my brain can shut off and go to sleep so I can get there with a decent night under my belt.
Hold your thumbs for me.
At seven fucking a.m.
Oh well, at least I'm getting in! I'm extremely nervous. For starters, I'm hardly a morning person. Plus, I'm coming off of feeling extremely shitty, and I have no idea what to expect. What if I feel awful in the morning? What if I get there and my body rebels, and I puke or pass out or something? What if they do something to me that makes it all hurt worse?
So I'm going to try to go to sleep soon. I'm going to take my sleeping pill at 9, which means it should kick in by 10. My body's dead tired but my brain is working hard, so I hope my brain can shut off and go to sleep so I can get there with a decent night under my belt.
Hold your thumbs for me.
