Two UCSD TAs Fired for Political Reasons
Scott Boehm,

Thurgood Marshall College at UCSD has historically been a site of critical pedagogy that challenged the status quo and advocated racial equity and social justice on campus and within the San Diego community. In recent years, the college has taken significant steps away from honoring those commitments, which is particularly evident in the management of its undergraduate core sequence, the Dimensions of Culture program... In response, the Lumumba-Zapata Coalition, named in honor of the student, faculty and community movement that was fundamental to the founding of [Third] (now Thurgood Marshall) College in the 1960s, and which included such notable scholars as Angela Davis, Herbert Marcuse and Carlos Blanco, is currently campaigning to make significant changes to how the core sequence operates and what is taught in the curriculum.

This week two UCSD teaching assistants were dismissed from their positions for political reasons in a blatent abuse of administrative power and a violation of free speech.

Teach-in/Demo
Thursday May 3 11:45AM
Thurgood Marshall Administration Building, UCSD

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Call For San Diego Impeachment Petition Meeting
The Impeachment Committee of San Diego (ICSD),

In the spirit of internationalist solidarity with our working class brothers and sisters everywhere... we thank those residents of San Diego who signed the Impeachment Committee of San Diego petition, calling on the San Diego City Council to pass a resolution to impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney.

We need to develop a formal community & popular organization based on democratic principles & grassroots politics to promote impeachment in San Diego and to educate the masses about US imperialist atrocities, the importance of governmental accountability, and the connection between national and local issues.

Impeachment Petition: Open Meeting
Wed May 2 7:00PM
The Other Side Cafe
4096 30th St North Park
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Students Reoccupy Radio Universidad In Oaxaca
donkilo,

April 30, 2007 - Barucha Calamity Peller writes: At approximately 5pm today in Oaxaca City, Radio Universidad was re- occupied by APPO sympathizers and students from different departments of the Benito Juarez Autonomous University who are sympathetic to the APPO. With protests songs and political information, the transmissions were initiated to spread information about the different mobilizations planned for the first days of May. Tomorrow, a national labor holiday, teachers from section 22 union, together with other social organizations will march to the Zocalo of the Capital City to protest the continuing governance of Ulises Ruiz, ousted by popular demand since June of last year.

Radio Universidad Stream || Background: 1 | 2
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Protest Against Fox and Police Brutality
san diego indymedia volunteer,

On Wednesday, about 100 demonstrators rallied outside the Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego to protest a "democracy and peace" award presented to former president of Mexico Vicente Fox. The protesters marched and cycled from the Benito Juarez statue in Pantoja Park to the rally, struggling to use their sidewalks and streets against an oppressive and excessive sdpd presence.

Inside the opulent hotel, UCSD's corporate-dominated Institute of the Americas cited Fox for "strengthening the democratic institutions" of Mexico, but pretended not to notice the blood dripping from their guest's hands owing to the massacres in Atenco and Oaxaca, the stolen election of Calderón and other crimes (1, 2, 3). The Institute also failed to mention its own role, through involvement with Plan Puebla-Panama and other piracy programs of corporations, in the displacement of indigenous people from their traditional lands and the impoverishment of millions of Mexicans.

Outside, speakers at the open-mic rally recounted Fox's crimes and drew the parallel between the brutality of his regime and u.s. police brutality along the border, in Vista and in San Diego. To the delight of family members, a young child in a stroller was observed to chant, for the first time, "Oaxaca Vive!" Corporate media were out in force in search of sound bites and "controversy." Damn them.

CJ Ball, sdpd's designated captain in charge of suppressing political dissent, once again presided over the repressive efforts.

Angel Lita (updated): Nos congregamos en frente del US Grant Hotel en San Diego Ca, con la intención de mostrar nuestro repudio a este infame acto de Premiación a Vicente Fox. Galardón denominado "Presidente de la Democracia y de la Paz". Nos congregamos para hacer patente nuestro rechazo a semejante mentira, y que solo para el Instituto de las Americas; puede ser una verdad. Porque, en qué cabeza inteligente o por lo menos con un mínimo grado de honestidad, pueda siquiera imaginar que Vicente Fox es digno de recibir un premio de tal magnitud. Premio al Presidente de la Democracia y de la Paz? A que Democracia y qué Paz se refieren, a los muertos hasta ahora enterrados en la mina de Pasta de Conchos en Cohauila, y cuyos huerfanos y viudas, o madres o familiares siguen esperando todavia la justicia que con tanta behemencia Fox les prometio, y lo único que hizo fue que con mentiras y abusando del poder que representaba, hizo todo para ocultar y proteger a los verdaderos culpables; los señores del poder y del dinero. Cual democracia!? ...--Leer Mas--

Cynthia:...It made me pissed that the cops took full control of where we were going. I felt like a little girl pouting because I couldn't get anything my way when I was trying to reclaim a street. ahh... But yeah...fuck government repression. --Read More+Photos-- + --More Photos--


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Photos: Impeach Bush Rally at CA Democratic Convention
Marion Delgado (repost from comment),

[These photos] give just a partial shot of the much larger crowd that showed up to demand that the Democratic Party get serious about stopping the War in Iraq and to pass a Resolution Calling for the Impeachment of War Criminal and Mass Murderer George Bush! The word at the end of the Demonstration from inside the Convention Hall was that the California State Democratic Party has put a Resolution to call for Bush's Impeachment onto the Agenda for Sunday's wrapup session! Let's see if these normally spineless Democratic Party Opportunists finally get up the courage to pass the Impeachment Resolution!

U-P_D_A_T_E: The normally spineless Democratic Party Opportunists did pass an "Impeachment" Resolution, but it calls not for impeachment based on the rich public record of Bush admin crimes, but yet another investigation that could at some future point lead to impeachment.

Impeach Events for 4/28 Announcement
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International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change
RTNA,

From Rising Tide North America: We all know the terrifying statistics: a million species extinct by 2050, 19 of the 20 hottest years on record since 1980, Greenland and Antarctica melting, droughts, floods, famines … the G8 have had over 30 years to address climate change and only succeeded in providing trillions in subsidies to the very industries that are destroying our planet and our future. And while the G8 continues to line their pockets, island states disappear and hundreds of thousands die as a result of the freak weather conditions caused by their irrational and uncontrollable obsession with never ending economic growth. We have a ten-year window to act. As the megalomaniac G8 leaders meet in Germany in June, masked behind a barrier of fences and soldiers, intent on leading us further towards catastrophic and irreversible climate chaos, we must shout, scream and roar ‘no more’. Now is the time to take direct action and shut them down, them and their climate criminal industry friends!

The 8th of June International Day of Action Against Climate Change and the G8 has been called by the International Rising Tide Network. This is a call for autonomous, decentralised actions appropriate for your town, city, or local area...--Read More--

Links: Rising Tide North America | Rising Tide UK | Climate Indymedia | Campaign Against Climate Change | UK Climate Camp | Union of Concerned Scientists Global Warming Site | Real Climate (by Climate Scientists) | OilWatch | Carbon Trade Watch | Energy Justice Network || Day of Solidarity w/ Jeffrey 'Free' Luers 6/9
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Gender Borders & National Borders
repost from deleteTheBorder ,

From chaparral/deleteTheBorder: what do I mean by gender borders? By gender borders, I refer to the line that’s drawn between female & male, woman & man. The line that causes doctors to feel an obligation to use surgery on a non-consenting intersex baby to make it conform to the sex on one side of the border or the other. The line that means you don’t put a baby boy in a pink outfit or give a young girl a beebee gun or a toy truck and such examples. But also the line that means women should be put in their place- and stay there. If she rejects her submissive role, she’s called a bitch. The line that makes it so there are certain things that if a guy does, he’s subject to be called “fag” or “pussy”...

They’re trying to build a big wall on the border, dividing native people’s lands, making it more likely people will die crossing, wasting a fucking ton of money, and profiting the private corporations who will be involved in the development of it... Corporations are involved in the detainment and transportation of undocumented immigrants; people are blaming the immigrants for lack of jobs, but ignoring the fact that corporations are bringing thousands of job out of the country to exploit cheaper labor; the minutemen are patrolling the border for the 3rd year in a row, immigrants are getting shot by the border patrol...

I’m arguing here that people who cross gender borders and people who cross national borders (specifically those who cross national borders into a first world country from a non-first world country, and more specifically crossing from mexico into the u.s.) have a common struggle...

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Patrick Henry High Promotes Discrimination
Kyle Merriweather,

Last week, in a hopeful attempt to introduce tolerance to Patrick Henry High School, I produced over 30 posters that promoted tolerance and equality for gays and lesbians. I went from class to class, asking teachers if they would be willing to put a poster in their room windows. All but three teachers accepted my request. Most teachers gave me praise for having the courage and concern to act upon the hidden issue of discrimination against homosexuality that plagues our schools. I was disheartened yesterday, to find that all of my posters were torn down by school security at the request of Patrick Henry vice-principal, Laurie Guido.

There is a critical need for the awareness of homosexual discrimination in youth. In America, approximately 7.2 million people under age 20 are lesbian or gay. 45% of gay males and 20% of lesbians encounter physical or verbal assault in high school. As a result, many teens commit suicide. In 1995, gay and lesbian teenagers accounted for 30% of all suicides among youths.

The Massachusetts Department of Education announced in 1994 that, “The average high school student in the U.S. hears anti-gay slurs 25 times per day.” If the situation is not managed, homophobic teenagers will grow to be hateful, intolerant, and uncaring adults. The hate of narrow-minded students and the desolate condition of gay and lesbian students does not end at graduation. People are affected by their high school experiences for the rest of their lives.

Update: Photos of the Posters!

Suggested Contacts:
Laurie Guido, Vice-Principal (phhs)
lguido@sandi.net
619-286-7700 ext. 2211

Pat Crowder, Principal (phhs)
pcrowder@sandi.net
619-286-7700 ext. 2208

Superintendent, San Diego Unified School District
Carl A Cohn
superintendent@sandi.net
619-725-5525

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Marcha contra la represion policiaca en SD / March against Police Brutality - Oaxaca to SD
vAPPOroaxaca,

Vicente Fox, el ex-presidente de Mexico, responsable por masacres de gente indígena en Chiapas, por las desapariciones de participantes en la lucha en Oaxaca y por la negligencia en el caso de las mujeres asesinadas en Juarez y Chihuahua, viene a San Diego el 25 de abril para recibir el "Premio de la Democracia y la Paz", dado por el Instituto de las Americas, una organización derechista que está ubicado en el campus de la Universidad de California de San Diego. El 13 de abril, participantes en la acción pacifica Recupera las Calles eran las victimas de la brutalidad policíaca. En los últimos dos años, 17 personas han sido asesinatos por la policía y la migra en el condado de SD. ¡Hay que mostrarles que NO nos intimidarán con su violencia! ¡Lleva su bicicleta! ¡La lucha sigue!

Como la coalición vAPPOroaxaca, creemos que premiar a Fox es un insulto profundo a toda la gente afectada por las grandes violaciones de derechos humanos hechas por su gobierno. Las violaciones de derechos humanos cometidas por el gobierno de Fox están bien documentadas: 1 | 2
--Leer Mas--

Former Mexican president Vicente Fox, responsible for brutal police repression in Oaxaca, Atenco and Chiapas, is coming to receive the "Award for Democracy and Peace", given by the Americas Institute, a right-wing organization located on the UC San Diego campus. On April 13, several participants in the non-violent Reclaim the Streets were victims of police brutality. In the past two years at least 17 people have been murdered by police and the border patrol in SD County. We need to show them that we will NOT be intimidated by their violence! Bring your bike! La lucha sigue!

We in the coalition vAPPOroaxaca believe that giving the award to Fox is a grave insult to all people who have been affected by the gross violations of human rights committed by his administration. The human rights violations perpetrated by the Fox administration are well documented: 1 | 2 | 3
--Read More--

Como respuesta, hacemos una llamada de accion a toda la comunidad de SanDiego a participar en la marcha "Fox, NO estás bienvenido!" que empezará a las 6 pm en frente de la estatua de Benito Juarez en Pantoja Park (en el G Street, entre las calles Kettner y State) y terminará en una manifestación en la esquina de 4th y Broadway, frente al hotel US Grant donde Fox recibirá su premio: Mapa

April 25 at 6pm at the Benito Juarez statue in Pantoja Park on G Street between Kettner Blvd and State Street: Map

Bike Bloc || vAPPoroaxaca || Institute of the "Americas"

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Prison Resistance in Greece and Indiana
compiled from athens.indymedia.org, infoshop.org and corporate sources,

From Athens Indymedia: Prisoners at the prison of Malandrino in Fokida, mainland Greece, revolted. The spark igniting the revolt was the beating of anarchist prisoner Yiannis Dimitrakis as well as the vicious, violent response of the guards to the protests staged by his co-prisoners. Disgraceful holding conditions, lack of water, regular beatings, electronic surveillance and the extremely short times allowed at the yard comprise a grim reality for the Malandrino prisoners. The prison has seen plenty of revolts in the past...The latest information from Malandrino says that the prisoners are in full control of the prison. [Resistance quickly spread to other prisons in Greece, and solidarity actions are ongoing]--Read More--
U-P-D-A-T-E 4/30 Prison revolt ends; solidarity actions continue

From Infoshop.org and corporate sites: Inmates rioted at a prison near New Castle, Indiana on Tuesday afternoon, setting at least one fire in the prison yard and prompting the state to mobilize emergency squads. A group of prisoners brought in from Arizona were believed to have started the disturbance at about 2 p.m. at the New Castle Correctional Facility. According to prison staff contacted by cell phone, many of the Arizona inmates have been dissatisfied with circumstances there. New Castle is privately operated by the GEO Group, which also manages a federal detention facility in downtown San Diego. California has contracted with the GEO Group to imprison over 1000 inmates from its overcrowded facilities at New Castle. --Read More--


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UCSD Shuttles to be phased out in 2007
Mandy Oglesby,

Chancellor Fox of the University of California San Diego addressed several hundred students on Saturday morning to proclaim her commitment to environmentalism by promising to turn UCSD into a "green" campus. This announcement was followed by official notification from the UCSD parking authority that the campus would be phasing out it's public shuttle system in the following year.

Losing the shuttles will put unnecessary strain on the environment as well as intensify already appalling parking and traffic conditions on the UCSD campus.

Sign the Petition To Save the Shuttle

Comments from Petition Signers Include...
E.M.: Uhhh, big no no. This will screw over lots of students. You will not receive any admiration for such actions, only admonishment. We can all transfer to SDSU if you like, and then maybe you'll see how much you need us. We pay your salary; all we want is a bus line. Don't be stupid.
t.: you better not do this and then give the administration a raise
Y.F.: Roger Revelle would be appalled. Stop your backward slippage. KEEP this green model of UCSD & promote ridership instead of cancelling the shuttle buses... UCSD: Be visible, get even more involved in your city & protect OUR environment, don't just publish studies on it!
M.O.: Budget cuts are out of control, meanwhile the chancellor has a new home built on our dollar?
GM2: They're diverting our attention from the real case at hand. UCSD will NEVER get rid of the shuttles, but will reduce funding. The possibility of removing is just a tactical distraction so that they can do what they want while we have our focus on the wrong thing, and they slip funding slowly while we don't realize. Heed my words.
G.M.: UCSD behaves more like a corporation than like a educational institution. Stop trying to shaft us with every opportunity you get, damnit.
E.R.: I feel we already pay this university more than the education is worth. The least that can be done is to offer the unfortunate thousands who live off campus a way to get to school in an efficient manner.
P.: We cannot afford this. Some students work 40 hrs a week on top of being a full time student just to manage their rent and bills. How do you expect us to afford living here, work AND keep our grades up?... You are promoting our failure.
S.X.: Be a green campus, keep the shuttles, don't encourage private cars
S.K.: This is my life... Don't make me destroy the atmosphere....
T.F.: Do you really want to build more parking structures?
K.H.: It's time for the UCSD administration to start thinking of students as important members of the community rather than the school's ugly stepchild as they have done so often lately. The administration depends on US students for THEIR jobs; without students they'd be nowhere. We students need to start asserting our power and making the school work for US.
L.P.: I thought we were trying to move towards a more green friendly community. Taking away the city shuttles only will further degenerate our earth.
J.W.: This will make it very hard for students from lower economic backgrounds to be students at UCSD if this happens. Also this will cause more cars, less parking, more pollution, more traffic... Why would we want these things?
K.C.: This is madness!

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Post Your Stories by TELEPHONE to the San Diego Indymedia HOTLINE
two san diego indymedia volunteers,

You can now post stories to San Diego Indymedia using a telephone. This might come in handy if your access to the internet is spotty, if you are at an event and want to report the information fast or while you remember it, or if you just can't face spending more time in front of the computer.

Here's how to telepost:
1 - Call the San Diego Indymedia Hotline: *67.619.tHreeSeVeNEiGhT.OHnInEFouRSiX
2 - Your call will be answered by our dedicated Indybot - your cue to start is the word "Cool" (followed by a beep)
3 - Speak loud and clear. Give the title of your story first, then the author (feel free to make something up!), and then your story. You have a total of 2 minutes after the beep sounds before the Indybot hangs up on you.
4 - The Indybot will forward the story to a San Diego Indymedia volunteer. It should appear on the website as an audio file with a short summary within 12-24 hours (subject to the same procedures for hiding offensive material as for written posts). For stories that are candidates for features, we might include a partial or full transcript. During important events, the delay might be considerably shortened. We expect to automate many aspects of this process with our upcoming software upgrade later this year.
5 - Please contact us by leaving a message on the Hotline or at imc dAsh sd aT lists d0T indymedia d0T org if you have any questions.

San Diego Indymedia Hotline: *67.619.tHreeSeVeNEiGhT.OHnInEFouRSiX

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Carta del Preso Político/Letter from Political Prisoner: David Venegas "el Alebrije"
kalo - repost from oaxacalibre.net,

Me encuentro preso en el penal de Santa Maria Ixcotel, en mi Ciudad de Oaxaca, entre aquí por una acusación fabricada de posesión de drogas, los policías que me detuvieron me golpearon y... soy acusado, ahora, de otro proceso judicial de sedición, y otros atentados en contra de la sociedad oaxaqueña, como la quema del tribunal del estado el día 25 de noviembre, demás es decirle a este valiente y digno pueblo de Oaxaca que todas estas acusaciones son falsas...en cada rostros antiguo, en cada consigna, en cada pinta que aparece furtivamente por la noche, en cada niño, en cada manta y en cada uno de nosotros que estamos presos, hay los motivos fraternos para seguir luchando, los invito a que no abandonemos esta lucha jamás. --Leer Mas--

I’m a prisoner in the Santa Maria Ixcotel prison in my city, Oaxaca. I was brought here on trumped up charges of narcotics possession. I was beaten by the police who arrested me and ...charged with a new count of sedition and other offenses against the Oaxacan society such as burning down the state Courthouse on November 25. I don’t need to tell the courageous, dignified people of Oaxaca that all these charges are false... In each elderly face, in each chant, in each graffiti that appears in the still of the night, in each child, in each banner, and in each one of us prisoners, our brother and sisterhood motivates us to keep struggling. I urge you never to abandon this struggle. Never. --Read More--

March Against Police Brutality from Oaxaca to San Diego: Wed April 25 6PM (English/Español): March | Bike Bloc || International Day of Solidarity with David Venegas Reyes and All Political Prisoners: Fri April 27 Español | English || oaxacalibre.net || Murders by Cops in San Diego County || Police Brutality at SD Reclaim the Streets
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Clowns Recruiting at UCSD Art Show!
General Giggles,

On April 6th, 2007, the Boredom Patrol of the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army set up a recruiting booth at UCSD's Open Studios gallery show. They recruited new clowns, uncovered the racism at UCSD and prettied up the gallery.

From the recruiting brochure:
We, the Boredom Patrol of the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA) are here at UCSD to recruit for our army. We see that there is already so much recruiting on campus: army, navy, police forces, sheriffs and our competition, the Border Patrol! Also, we see that UCSD is truly a school run by clowns, because they don't mean what they say or say what they mean, they're always creating contradictions.

Take, for example this little comparison between the UCSD Principles of Community and The Koala, a newspaper on campus funded by the school through Associated Students...--Read More--

CIRCA-Boredom Patrol Website | Video Shown at Recruiting Booth | Circus of (Im)migration West Coast Tour/No Border Camp Benefit
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How many Minutemen does it take to formulate an argument?
everardo carvajal,

The fifth annual Cesar Chavez pilgrimage occurred in Pomona, CA. this past Saturday. Approximately one hundred and fifty Pomona Valley residents attended the walk and festivities. Several members of the local Minutemen were also in attendance. However, given that walk was set to honor the legacy of giving and civil rights, why were the Minutemen/women compelled to attend?

I conversed with several of the Minutemen/Minutewomen in attendence. It became clear that the only clear thing about them was that they believed in something deeply. However, they simply don’t know what they believe in...
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San Diego Reclaim the Streets: Summary
partiers,

On Friday, 100-200 people came together for a 3 hour Reclaim the Streets street party, marching all over downtown San Diego with music, puppets, glitter, costumes, dancing, jumping and lots and lots of FUN. The partiers included giant bunnies, zombies and a foot-powered City Heights Free Skool bus. The dancing throng occupied downtown streets normally reserved for overconsuming tourists in the face of heavy police presence featuring two undercovers, who stood out like anarchists at a corporate board meeting. Many people joined the party off the sidewalks but others were confused, despite huge banners saying "ReclAim the Streets" and "Lets PArty!"

The night ended with the SDPD beating and arresting three nonviolent partiers, among them an independent media videographer, and pursuing and pepper-spraying the dwindling crowd. In a replay of past SDPD attempts to silence political dissent, bogus charges included felony assault for one arrestee and misdemeanors for the other two. All were released by late Sunday evening following posting of bond or bail. A protest against police brutality both north and south of the border will take place at an awards ceremony for Vicente Fox in downtown San Diego on April 25, to be held across the street from friday's police riot.

Compiled from accounts by Reclaimer, Anarchist on wheels, Anonymous, one spy in a house of love, partier, owl, fuck the sdpd, owl, joshysex, partier, a pissed off reclaimer, zombie, bjk, vAAPOroaxaca, Rocky, and Reclaim the Streets SD.

Reports: Reclaimer | Anarchist on wheels | Anonymous | Rocky | Community compilation || Photos reclaimer | reclaimer | Reclaimer || Video! reclaimer(fun) | reclaimer(drums) || Prisoner Support: Call for bail money and evidence | Bail update || SD Reclaim the Streets: Website | Announcement | J20 2005 Report || Protesting Police Brutality: 1 | 2 | 3 || Calls for Protest/RTS: 1 | 2
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San Diego Reclaim the Streets: Street Party Followed by Police Brutality
compiled from newswire,

U-P-D-A-T-E Because of generous support from the community, all prisoners have been released!

CALL FOR BAIL MONEY AND EVIDENCE In the aftermath of last night's insane police violence on a crowd of cheerful partiers, multiple people are in jail with ridiculously trumped up charges. If you can help at all with bail or photographic evidence of the arrests or names or badge numbers of the officers, there are multiple people with huge bails who don't want to sit in jail at the mercy of the SDPD any longer than necessary. E-mail sdhacklab at lists d0t riseup d0t net or call 619-528-8060

From Reclaimer: Reclaim the Streets was a 3 hour street party with 100-200 people all over downtown with music, puppets, glitter, costumes, dancing, jumping and lots and lots of FUN. Many people joined the party off the street but many were also confused, despite the huge banners saying "Reclaim the Streets" and "Lets Party!" The night ended with extreme violence from the SDPD... --Read More--

From Anarchist on wheels: 3 confirmed arrests, others assaulted with pepper spray... Several people began screaming at the top of their lungs. Someone was pounding on the wall, another couple of people on the ground--all screaming. Someone yelled "Pepper Spray."--Read More--

From Anonymous: We need to plan a protest...ASAP. People shouldn't have to get permission to protest...I'm serious...Most of us survived RTS--we can do it. We're stronger than pigs.--Read More--

From Rocky: Strolling, dancing, parading, skipping, they mass up and down the streets at will. With traffic, against traffic, holding intersections on whim, Broadway and Fourth, Market and Fifth; they snarl at those hideous machines so destructive to our planet. --Read More--

Comment from one spy in a house of love: The party was fantastic, my legs are sore and spirits high..despite the nonsense at the end... Comment from reclaimer: If you have photos of the two undercovers, please post them. they were two older men, one very heavy set, who were both wearing brand new flannels and black beanies and shiny new white socks and sneakers and cut off pant shorts... Comment from partier: the title should be police brutality, because that's what it was. in years of going to protests of all kinds in san diego, i've never seen this much violence from the disgusting sdpd, except on the day the war started, but even then they were using batons and not pepper spray... Comment from owl: in no way do i want to minimize the violence of san diego's finest fascists nor the fallout including injury and jail. for a moment, though, i want to pause and say a huge, huge thanks to those rad folks who organized the most fun time that i've had in the streets in years... Comment from fuck the sdpd: Welcome to san diego, america's finest slave plantation, shut up and get out of the street or we're going to gas and beat you. we should get together with the protest against vicente fox. [4/25] he's the mexican president responsible for the police killings in oaxaca, atenco and chiapas. we could have a huge banner saying something like "stop police brutality from chiapas to san diego" or "fox y sdpd, la misma porqueria". why split up our energy?... Comment from joshysex: Hell yeah, we're doing it. That's just TERRIFIC. We should do this. Let's reclaim the area... Comment from A pissed off reclaimer: Benefit show should happen. we can make money to support them. Comment from zombie: it was amazingly fun, even though the dumb crap that happened at the end, the whole journey around downtown was awsome... Comment from bjk: There were also some Christians holding up signs about Jesus and "Have you been saved?", yelling at people, in almost the same spot we were attacked. Did the cops spray any of those people? No! But they sprayed us. Read More Comments: --Comments1--|--Comments2-- | --Comments3-- | --Comments4--

Photos: From Reclaimer | Call for Video From adydashawn
SD Reclaim the Streets Website | SDRTS Announcement
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Reclaim the Streets! Friday April 13
san diego indymedia volunteer,

On Friday, April 13 at 7PM San Diegans will Reclaim the Streets, meeting at 4th and Broadway Downtown. From the announcement:

Come share, learn, dance, and create in a free carnival in the streets of downtown. Please bring creative ideas, artwork of all kinds, instruments, games, hobbies, costumes and anything else you can think of to contribute to the street festival....We will create a space to make our dreams a more tangible and livable reality. Let’s turn the street into a garden paradise, a carnival, a haven for thought. Let’s be inspired again and reminded what another world looks like...We will unite as freaks and monsters. We will embrace our humanly-freakish nature and let our wild spirits free...

On April 13th we will take the streets. We’ll take the streets back from the corporations who stole them from us in the first place. We’ll take the streets because the machines that drive on them take up too much space and are destructive to our lives and the planet. We’ll take the streets because, well, why the hell not?

The last Reclaim the Streets action in San Diego was held on J20, 2005 - the inaguration date of the decider.
From CIRCA-BF: The tactical Furniture subFaction placed two couches in the intersection, hung a 20 ft long banner between two street lights that read “RECLAIM THE STREETS”, dropped beach balls and streamers, and ran away, expecting the crowd to arrive any second. --READ MORE--
From Rocky: In our liberated zone; young people danced in the streets, ideological and political foes embraced, a few of us "aged" activits fell in love with a "new" generation, and, more importantly, every participant sensed the weakness of this police force, this society -and they will remember. --READ MORE--
From S T A R R : Capitalism got SHUT DOWN for hours while we voiced our dissent. Some announced on bullhorns that Sept 11 was a government ploy while others lugged huge anti 2 party puppets. Streamers were thrown over lightposts while the pigs just gawked & wondered what to do.--READ MORE--

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Why we reject the prospect of nuclear power
Tanja Winter,

Have we forgotten "The greatest environmental catastrophe in the history of humanity"?

Predictably, the nuclear industry is, once again, rearing its ugly head. The nuclear lobby is using global warming to sell us a bill of fraudulent and deadly goods. They want us to believe that nuclear power is "safe, cheap and clean". We have heard that before. They insist that it's the perfect solution to our energy future. It's time that we expose their snake oil propaganda.

Links: The Chernobyl Legacy | Nuclear Oversight in the US | Chernobyl Disaster on Wikipedia
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Center Hosts Transgender Empowerment Day
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

The San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center in Hillcrest hosted the fourth annual Transgender Empowerment Day April 6. The keynote speakers were female-to-male Transgender attorney Shane L. Caya from San Francisco and former San Diegan male-to-female Transgender activist Amanda Nicole Watson. Over 100 people, both Transgender people and their supporters, attended this event and watched a wide variety of people win awards for helping the Transgender community achieve social recognition and equal rights.
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