Memorial for UCSD Martyr - Vietnam War Protester
DeeDee,

TONIGHT, Thursday June 7 from 8pm – 2am by Revelle Fountain, we are having a memorial service for George Winne Jr. He burned himself on Revelle plaza in 1970 in protest of the Vietname war. This event was significant in shaping the future design of this campus to control mass congregations. It will be a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the martyr and a reflection upon the ridiculous war we are having today. Please help us spread the word and hope to see you tonight.

George Winne Jr. (1947 – May 11, 1970) is remembered as a protester of the Vietnam War who set himself on fire in a deliberate act of self-immolation in Revelle Plaza on the campus of the University of California, San Diego on May 10, 1970 to protest the United States involvement in the war. The 23 year old student, a former member of a ROTC unit, had no previous affiliation with any organized protests. Winne had recently completed his studies towards a degree in History in March, and would have graduated in June.
He died ten hours later, asking his mother to write a letter to President Nixon. His last words were "I believe in God and the hereafter and I will see you there."
A small memorial to the student is located in a grove of trees, east of the campus library. After being buried, he was given the ensign "Most Beloved"
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Lumumba-Zapata Coalition Teach-In at Thurgood Marshall College, UCSD
san diego indymedia volunteer,

On May 3, a teach-in outside the administration building of UCSD's Thurgood Marshall College attracted close to 200 people to protest the dismissal of two Teaching Assistants for criticizing the erosion of the commitment of its Dimensions of Culture curriculum to critical analysis and social justice.

The Lumumba-Zapata Coalition, named after the original coalition of African-American and Chican@ students whose organizing led to the founding of Third [now Thurgood Marshall] College in the 1960s, presented a list of six demands addressing instructor diversity, intellectual integrity, the reinstatement of TAs Benjamin Balthaser and Scott Boehm and an end to intimidation of critics of the college's curriculum.

A stream of student and faculty speakers addressed the circumstances of Balthaser and Boehm's firing, the pattern of intimidation going back at least five years, the history of Third College, and the context of racism, misogyny, classism and queerphobia that makes the integrity of the Dimensions of Culture program essential for Marshall's students. At the end of the teach-in, Marshall provost Allan Havis weakly repeated several times that he was there to listen, invoking UC bureaucracy as an excuse to avoid directly addressing the issues.

In the week following the teach-in, Havis announced the formation of a curriculum committee to review the Dimensions of Culture program, one of the key demands.

Last Wednesday, the Lumumba Zapata Coalition and a crowd of more than 50 supporters marched to the Chancellor's complex, where they confronted and questioned Marye Anne Fox, Chancellor of UCSD. A full report will follow shortly...

Funeral for Academic Freedom
Thursday June 7 NOON
UCSD Library Walk in Front of Chancellor's Complex

Teach-In Video: Part 1 | Part 2 || Partial Transcript of the Teach-In || Background || Lumumba-Zapata Coalition Demands
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Protestors Block Private Immigration Detention Facility in Houston
repost from houston.indymedia.org,

From Houston Indymedia:
This morning at dawn, immigrant rights activists locked themselves to the entrance gates of the Houston Processing Center, a private immigration detention facility in North Houston. See Photos: [ 1 | 2 ] Audio

A statement from the activists:
This week the leaders of the richest and most powerful 8 countries in the world are meeting in Germany for the Group of 8 (G8) conference. During the G8 gathering these leaders will continue to strategize and promote the economic and political policy of neoliberal "globalization". These 8 nations, which compose 65% of the global economy have pushed for an economic system which impacts the whole world, making the rich richer, and impoverishing millions...--Read More--

More Info on Ongoing G8 Resistance: Germany IMC | Global IMC | UK IMC
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LAS COLINAS REGENTRIFICATION?
Janice Jordan,

For years prison rights activists have been attempting to expose medical neglect and abuse in California's prisons and jails to the general public and mainstream media. Epidemics of HIV/AIDS, HEP C and Tuberculosis plague our sisters and brothers that live behind bars. The sad fact is that most of these individuals are poor. The majority are people of color. Many are without families. People with power and privilege don't care or don't believe it's their problem when in fact these epidemics wouldn't exist, if appropriate treatment and adequately trained staff were employed at the state's prisons and county jails.

A San Diego Grand Jury report calls for replacing the Las Colinas Women's Detention Facility. Replacing a building will not end the mental, medical and physical abuse female inmates sustain at the hands of Sheriff Department employees.--Read More--

Comment from s t a r r: ...As Angela Davis describes, the Prison Industrial Complex denies the humanity of those locked up - over 2 Million people in the U.S. This is a shameful statistic for a nation that touts itself as the most civilized in the world. This also increases the number of families with someone locked up, on parole, or on probation. This typifies a police state. Las Colinas is local. In the face of trends to test kids out of school and gentrify them out of jobs, how does one bring down the prison industrial complex? LOCALLY...

Related: Community Residents Say No To Prison Expansion | Prison Resistance in Greece and Indiana | CopWatch Conference | Theresa Cruz | Letters from Atenco Prisoners | Solidarity Statement by U.S. Prisoners
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Police Brutality Film Screening and Community Discussion
san diego indymedia volunteer,

Over seventeen people have been murdered by cops in san diego county during the past two years (1 | 2). Cops in san diego facilitate, protect and partner with violent fascists who harass, threaten and assault immigrants, day laborers and human rights activists (1 | 2 | 3) and the hunt for migrants at the border causes hundreds of needless deaths annually (1 | 2). Countless people who aren't carrying shopping bags, who don't live or work in the right neighborhoods, who don't have the right skin color, religious practices, clothing, haircut or gender expression, who don't speak the right language, or who don't show the proper deference towards authority figures are profiled, hassled, detained, beaten, arrested, deported, pepper-sprayed, tasered or shot. Homeless people, often those in need of medical attention, are mistreated and arrested (1 | 2 | 3). Cops approach these people as subhumans undeserving of humane treatment (for example: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4).

The Portland, Oregon region has experienced a similar epidemic of police brutality, which has been extensively documented by Portland Indymedia. On Sept 6, 2005 Fouad Kaady was in a serious car accident outside of Portland, and was sitting by the side of the road naked, burned, bloody and in a catatonic state. Two cops arrived and, instead of providing medical aid, tasered, shot and killed him in less than 28 seconds. The corporate media immediately tried to smear Kaady and the DA ruled the shooting justified. Portland Indymedia obtained the taped interviews of the cops and filmmaker Cat used the cops' own words to reconstruct the murder, resulting in "28 Seconds: The Killing of Fouad Kaady."

Please join San Diego Indymedia and the Sagon Penn Chapter of Copwatch for a film screening and community discussion about police brutality in san diego and the role independent media can play in combating it.

28 Seconds: The Killing of Fouad Kaady
Film Screening Followed by Community Discussion -- FREE
7:00PM Saturday June 2
The Rubber Rose
3812 Ray St North Park

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Largest Critical Mass in San Diego History Followed by Bike Kitchen Benefit
donkilo,

Around 285 people participated in the largest Critical Mass in San Diego history on Friday, May 25. The route went east to La Mesa then circled back to the City Heights Free Skool where the benefit party for the Bike Kitchen was held. Lauren DeRose, Dr. Bird, dj lotu5 and select2kon performed and almost $800 was raised!

The Bike Kitchen is a volunteer run cooperative learning space and a do-it-yourself bike repair shop. The cooperative provides skill-shares, workshops, and mechanical assistance for our bike riding community to support the accessibility of bikes for everyone and bike safety. The shop has tools and parts for repairing, maintaining and building bikes. We emphasis creating a space that supports the empowerment and self-sufficiency of women, queer and transgender people. Located at the City Heights Free Skool 4246 Wightman

Bike Kitchen Hours: Saturdays NOON-5PM | Meeting: Sunday, June 3 3PM (CORRECTED)
Bike Kitchen Website | Nutterbuckets | Electric Warriors

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Protest At Representative Susan Davis's Office
ICSD,

Protest against US occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, war funding, US threats to attack Iran, the US police state, etc. Speak out against US environmental policies.

The Impeachment Committee of San Diego is inviting all who are concerned to protest the Democratic Party's continued funding of these illegal, immoral wars of colonial occupation.

Susan Davis' Office
Fri June 1 4-6PM
University and Fairmount, City Heights
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Immigration Activists Clash at Queer Democratic Club
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Immigration-rights attorney Lilia Velasquez and Mary Moreno Richardson, reverend canon of St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, were brought in to speak at the predominantly Queer San Diego Democratic Club May 24. While they largely agreed on the need to protect immigrants' rights against abusive Border Patrol enforcement and private Minuteman vigilantism, they disagreed dramatically on the merits of the current "compromise" immigration bill before the U.S. Senate. Richardson hailed the bill as a start for a long-needed discussion on the issue, while Velasquez denounced it as repressive and said that no bill at all would be better for immigrants than the one being proposed now.
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106.9FM Ninja Radio Still looking For a Home
Ninja,

The Ninjas of 106.9FM are still looking for a brave soul who owns a property (or a mortgage) willing to host our broadcasting equipment. The content will continue to be provided by the people of radioActive sanDiego. All the setup requires is a decent internet connection and electricity, preferrably on a hill, not in a canyon...--Read More--

Why 106.9FM?
Because we live in an age of information warfare, where the US murders foreign journalists, shuts down foreign newspapers that are critical of it and invades peoples' homes at gunpoint to confiscate broadcast equipment... Because we reject the intellectual property regimes that say that we don't have the right to share the music we love. Those same intellectual property regimes say that the genes in your body are owned by corporations, and that indigenous knowledge can be patented without reparation, like colonists of old with electron microscopes... Because as a part of capitalism, the corporate media only represents the richest white men in this country, and is organized in an oppressive heirarchy where Rupert Murdoch can define how every journalist in his corporation is going to behave. Their images of false beauty, of whiteness, straightness and piety do not represent us... Because we make the decisions that affect our own lives.

Meanwhile... Free Radio San Diego, 96.9FM, is back on the air. Yaaah!

FCC harassment of community radio in san diego: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
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And Now For Something Completely Different
Inquiring Minds,

A mysterious do gooder on the loose in San Diego leaves a trail of happy neighbors in their wake.

I walked out to my car this morning and noticed immediately that it was sparkling clean! The entire exterior of my car was detailed by a random stranger in the middle of the night! I told the story to our local barista who informed me several people had been buzzing about this mysterious do gooder. A note was left on my windshield that read "It was the least I could do, have an excellent day!" It was signed The loving, Abel Magwitch...--Read More--

Comment by Tom Shirazi: I don't know specifically who this person is, but Abel Magwitch is a character from Great Expectations. The convict who ends up being Pips Benefactor. Clever, and very very cool.

Comment by Amy Kennard: I found a 20 dollar gas card on my wind shield and a note that said "Buying gas is a pain! hope this helps, The loving Abel Magwitch"...


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"Support the Troops Week" at San Diego City Schools
Cynthia Oso,

How are we supposed to support our troops?

My English teacher shared an e-mail with me he received from the San Diego City Schools Information Office. It was about the “Support Our Troops Week” on campus.

Tuesday May 22 Show Your Support Day
“District employees who are former military members are encouraged to wear their uniforms; all other employees and students are encouraged to wear red, white and blue. Schools may elect to wear yellow (peace), if any of the above colors conflict with their dress code.”

Are you serious? --Read More--

Comment by Dash: YOu should organize a student protest that day, bring the troops home now. and why do they want students kissing military ass. We should start supporting the teachers instead of the troops. education instead of war. The society is all about supporting the troops. What, for being brainwashed? For killing innocent women, children, and men. Support the students, so they can discover truth.

Article by Rich: San Diego school workers are faced with demands that we become absolutely complicit in promoting lies about the empire's wars. We should reject that demand. It is right to rebel when only exploitation and violence guide the nation's rulers. Schools and Teachers Should Not Be Missions and Missionaries For Capital’s Wars. The San Diego City Schools are about to launch a massive outpouring of witless patriotism, centered on the notion. Yesterday, some teachers behaved otherwise. They helped shut down the Port of Oakland, demanding money for schools, not war...--Read More--

Comment from Mark Conlon: ...If we really want to "support our troops," we're going to have to redouble our efforts to secure global economic and social justice and to restore the American middle class so young people will have other ways of paying for college and working their way up than by becoming part of imperialism's armed forces. A real "support our troops" campaign would be one that builds public awareness of the links between corporate "globalization," the war on labor and the U.S.'s insatiable need for cannon fodder to fight its imperialist wars.

Comment from Cynthia: my friends and i were planning something and decided to call it off b/c no one on campus knew about support the troops week. if we were to have organized something, no one would have been able to understand what we were "whining" about. we've demonstrated before, and we don't get any responses...well except like the "go to hell" looks. but that's it. i didn't see anyone in uniform or wear red, white, and blue. it wasn't even mentioned in the bulletin.

Comment from john dear: I don't support your troops. No matter how hard you try to portray them as victims the truth is they are stone cold killers. The so-called "poverty draft" is a load of b.s. What about the millions of poor young people who do not join the military? The "Support Our Troops" slogan is indicative of an anti-war movement that cannot let go of its patriotism, its loyalty to US imperialism. You cannot support imperialist troops and be against imperialist wars at the same time. If you truly are against the US occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan then you need to stop supporting the US troops and start supporting the resistance.


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Community Disrupts Presentation of Corrupt Union Leader
vAPPOroaxaca,

On Thursday May 17 at 7 pm, Elba Esther Gordillo Morales was scheduled to speak in the Jose Cuervo Tequila lecture series at the Institute of the Americas, UC San Diego. Gordillo is the leader of Mexico's national teachers' union and is complicit in the murders of numerous dissident teachers and the rampant electoral fraud that put ultra right-wing president Felipe Calderon into power. A coalition of UCSD students, Mexican immigrants, high school students and other community members attended the talk and treated Goridllo as she treats the teachers in her union - by silencing her.

Twenty people from the coalition were at the talk and prepared to do whatever it took to disrupt Gordillo's speech. The talk was prefaced by an introduction by the president of the Institute. He lavished praise on Gordillo and said that she was one of the few people in the 90's who was working for true "change" in Mexico. If by this he meant the kind of neoliberal reforms described on the Institute's website, that "change" is definitely not the kind that would benefit the great majority of Mexicans.

After the introduction and an overly affectionate exchange between him and Gordillo, she began her presentation. Almost immediately, she was interrupted by the first coalition member. --Read More--

translation by jlaw from comments: El jueves el 17 de mayo a las siete de la tarde, Elba Esther Gordillo Morales, iba a dar un discursco como parte de un serie de conferencias "Jose Cuervo Tequila" en el Instituto de las Americas en la Universidad de California, San Diego. Gordillo es líder del sindicato nacional de los trabajadores de educación en México y es complicite en los asesinos numerosos de profesores y el fraude electoral que puso el ultraderechista presidente Felipe Calderon en el asiento de poder. Una coalición de estudiantes de la universidad, migrantes mexicanos, alumnos de la preparatoria y otros miembros de la comunidad asistió la charla de Gordillo y se la trató como ella se trata a los maestros de su sindicato- callarla.

Veinte personas de la coalición estuvieron presentes en la presentación de Gordillo y estaban preparados para hacer lo posible para desbaratar el discurso de Gordillo. Su presentación fue introducida por el presidente del instituto. El le colmó a ella de alabanzas y dijo que ella fuera una de las unicas personas que durante los años noventa que trabajaba por cambio verdadero en Mèxico. Si eso significaba los tipos de reformas neoliberales citadas en la pagina de Internet del Instituto, ese "cambio" no sea definitivamente el cambio que beneficiará la mayoría de los mexicanos.

Después de presentarla y intercambiar un abrazo pasionado, Gordillo empezó su presentación. Casi inmediatamente, ella estuvo interrumpida por un miembro de la coalición.

Video of Disruption

The Crimes of Elba Esther Gordillo Morales: 1 | 2 | 3

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Police Brutality in Oak Park
geri,

Yesterday, May 17, 2007, at 4:00pm, at the corner of Laurel St. and Balsa, in San Diego, a community member was maced, pepper sprayed, kicked, and arrested without reason. Four officers used unnecessary force in fear of an imaginary weapon. What was the reason for the arrest and the unnecessary force?

The police said, after the community member had been placed in the back of the police vehicle, after calling the entire family out to see this incident, including a 16 year old boy and a 11 year old girl, they thought he was going to reach for a weapon in his pocket. The four officers included 3 men: J.C. Hunter, D. West, and Andrew Tafoya, and one woman officer: T. Clendenen. After the community member was already on the ground and hands in cuffs, officer J.C. Hunter continued his authoritative force by kicking his stomach and pepper spraying his eyes. All actions were unnecessary, but if the officers were in fear of an imaginary weapon, once the community member was in cuffs on the ground with three officers holding him down, what was the reason for officer J.C. Hunter kicking and pepper spraying him?

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$10,000 Reward Offered in Migrant Camp Vandalism Case
Diane,

A $10,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information leading to the arrests of the vandals who destroyed several migrant camps in the Rancho Penasquitos area in January.

At a press conference last week, representatives from several Latin@ organizations announced that they had raised $9,000 to augment the $1,000 reward already offered by Crime Stoppers. --Read More--

Minutepeople who want a pocketful of cold, hard cash can rat out their former friends, colleagues or lovers by calling the Crime Stoppers ANONYMOUS, TOLL FREE tip line: 888-580-8477.

Video Report by Diane

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Corrupt Mexican Union Leader to Speak at UCSD
vAPPOroaxaca,

Elba Esther Gordillo Morales, the head of the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores para la Educación - SNTE (National Education Workers Union), will be speaking this Thursday (5/17) at 7 pm at the Institute of the Americas which is located on the UCSD campus in La Jolla. She is a union leader in the traditional Mexican mold - corrupt and open to collusion with right-wing political parties. She created a new section in Oaxaca to try to reduce the power of Section 22, the most radical, organized and powerful local in Mexico. She collaborated with the PAN (Partido de Accion Nacional) to assure the victory of current ultra right-wing president Felipe Calderon. Basically, she is a perfect ally for the Institute of the Americas, the same organization that gave the Peace and Democracy Award to the criminal ex-president of Mexico Vicente Fox.

We will be at the event in full force to confront Gordillo about her recent attempts to repress the social movements in Oaxaca and her attack on the social security of Mexican teachers, especially those in Mexicali where there is currently a blockade of a major street over Gordillo's actions. Please come join us in expressing our indignation! Bring your friends!

The event is free to attend. You can register online here.

The Crimes of Elba Esther Gordillo Morales: 1 | 2 || Directions to the Institute of the 'Americas' || Event Announcement
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Guatemala Femicide: Happy Mother's Day????
r.l. rodriguez,

When Rosa Franco and I hugged I could feel the pain of her loss. The thought of a mother who would live the rest of her life without receiving another hug from her daughter filled me with sadness. Rosa Franco’s 15 year old daughter was kidnapped on her way home from work in 2001. Two days later Rosa learned of her daughter’s whereabouts as she watched the news and saw her dead body lying in a field. Maria Isabel Franco had been raped, stabbed, and strangled. Her hands were tied with barbed wire, her face disfigured from being punched and her body was punctured with small holes.

I met Rosa at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) during a conference on the Femicide in Guatemala. The organizers MuJER*, a Guatemala City based women's rights organization, and LMU had flown her in from Guatemala. Rosa told us about her daughter, how the police did little to help and even made things worse by contaminating the evidence. She courageously addressed the group and pleaded for help to solve her daughters case and to end the femicide.

Four months prior, I constructed a dia de los muertos altar to honor the women and girls that had fallen victim to the femicide. On the altar was a picture of Maria Isabel Franco. I grieved for this young woman, not knowing I would one day meet her resilient mother.

More Info: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
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The Circus of (Im)migration is Coming!!!
CIRCA Boredom Patrol,

C.I.R.C.A. Boredom Patrol's Traveling CIRCUS of (Im)migration! A benefit for the No Border Camps in Calexico and Mexicali, the second week of November 2007.

Join us for stories, ridicule of fascism, creative resistance, tearing down walls and building community! ...including Fantastical feats of Fire, Lion Taming, Tight Rope Walking, Knife Throwing, Burlesque, Theater of the Oppressed, Videos, oh yeah and clowns too! ...all the walls are falling down, falling down, falling down...

Sunday May 13 7PM
The Rubber Rose 3812 Ray St North Park
619-296-7673
$5 suggested donation or bring some art about your vision of a world without borders

About the No Border Camp (from the no border camp zine (pdf) | español): As long as the US/Mexico border has existed, people have been struggling against it. It is a highly militarized, violent boundary marking an internal space of strict migration controls while allowing for unrestricted movement of capital and wealth. This border exists in a global context of apartheid borders, restriction of movement, and the division of indigenous peoples. For years around the world people have been tearing down fences, freeing detainees and fighting for the rights of migrant people. A global movement is rising. One of the many tactics in this movement is the no border camp – a space for direct action and community.

About the No Border Camp (from deletetheborder): The camp is intended to be a spectacular intervention in a discourse that at times ignores, and at other times justifies, the systematic violence, indignity and exploitation experienced by migrants in this country. The mobilization will bring many of us together in one place to share and learn. It is of equal importance to us that this not be just one isolated event that lasts a few days in one specific location. We view this mobilization as a process. It is a process of creating an anti-capitalist network for freedom of movement. For this mobilization to be a success, groups and individuals from a diversity of locales and experiences must make this project their own. We hope that others see this as an opportunity to build a platform from which this struggle can be demonstrated and articulated.

More info: deletetheborder | Boredom Patrol of the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army
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Ageist Editorial Cartoon from SD Union Tribune
Cynthia Oso,

As you look at the cartoon, mother and father look at their daughter protesting. Apparently, Paris Hilton got in trouble with the law and so this girl (of 2007) walks proudly with the "FREE PARIS HILTON" sign. And the mother says, "I guess every generation has its own idea of social activism."

To me personally, that's bullshit. I have not seen any person of my generation walk around with signs as ridiculous as that. I didn't really get the cartoon because really, I haven't heard or seen anyone speaking for Paris Hilton. And if I did, I'd smack the shit out of them haha.


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Photos: International Workers Day in San Diego
reclaimer cynthia,

May 1st is International Workers Day, which originated in 1889 to commemorate the Haymarket Martyrs, who were executed on bogus charges because of their effective advocacy of the eight hour work day and anarchist philosophy. On May 1st, thousands of San Diegans marched and rallied in support of (Im)Migrants.

Millions of workers marched worldwide, including Oaxaca, Zurich, Tehran and Istanbul. In Los Angeles, police rioted, attacking a peaceful crowd of families with children using tear gas, batons and rubber bullets

Photos From San Diego.
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Jeremy Scahill Denounces Blackwater in San Diego
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Jeremy Scahill, author of "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Missionary Army," spoke in San Diego May 1 and La Mesa May 2 on Blackwater U.S.A., the politically connected "security" firm supplying more than 120,000 personnel to the U.S. occupation of Iraq — including at least 40,000 mercenaries in combat operations — and its secretive radical-Right founder, Erik Prince. He was brought to San Diego by opponents of the 824-acre training camp Blackwater wants to build in the quiet southeastern San Diego community of Potrero, and he discussed the company's Republican political connections, its involvement in Iraq and the Katrina response, and the failure of the U.S. mainstream media to cover these issues more critically.

Previous Coverage of Blackwater West: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
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