Suppose that five justices of the Supreme Court are right, and the law does not provide for state-sanctioned integration of the races. Even in the face of proof positive that racial segregation guarantees white supremacy by disadvantaging non-whites, suppose our laws prohibit us from doing anything about it. (more…)
June 2007
Monthly Archive
Sat 30 Jun 2007
Fri 29 Jun 2007
Free strawberry shortcake, jazz by the Ben Golder-Novic Trio and locally grown fruits and vegetables, local baked goods for sale at the grand opening of the West End Farmers’ Market today from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Rain or shine, corner of Farmington Avenue and South Whitney Street at the United Methodist Church. Free parking on the street and in the church parking lot. The market is open through the summer on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m.
Thu 28 Jun 2007
EVENT: Free bus to Philly for Presidential Candidate Forum July 2nd
Posted by marisa under politics1 Comment
Hey hartford indymedia folk, don’t hate me because my first post ever isn’t incisive commentary, but i wanted to give people who read this blog the opportunity to take a free bus to Philly for a day to talk to democratic presidential candidates. The community group I work for ACORN has organized a free charter bus to Philadelphia for a forum with presidential candidates hillary clinton, john edwards, and denis kucinich this monday, July 2nd…I know it’s kind of short notice, but there are still some seats on the bus if anyone’s interested in driving down with us. We’re leaving hartford at 6:30 a.m. in front of the Hartford ACORN office…for those who are interested, you can e-mail me at marisa.lindsey[at]gmail.com.
-Marisa
Thu 28 Jun 2007
The Hartford Public Schools used to teach kids to read for meaning by the end of second grade. We drilled through five grades to memorize the arithmetic tables. (more…)
Tue 26 Jun 2007
When shit happens, it seems that the only concern is that people don’t go swimming in it. And it’s not just here in Connecticut. Over in Tennessee, where 2,000 gallons of raw sewage was recently spilled, the bad odor was what got press. Another spill in Indiana prompted officials to advise people who might have swam in it and are suffering health issues to seek medical attention. This is the story in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Stuart, Florida, and Apollo Beach, Florida, the last where 200,000 gallons spilled. All of these contaminations took place in June 2007. None of the articles explore the long term effects of such disasters; not one makes reference to any possible damage that raw sewage spilling in large quantities might have on the environment’s health. Is this shallow reporting the result of green revolution backlash, or is it just business as usual for the stupid media?
Mon 25 Jun 2007
A renewed dialogue has emerged in Congress when representatives introduced a bill that would allow local, community organizations access to low power FM stations. The Free Press (www.freepress.net) is organizing online petitions to be sent to our representatives in Congress to encourage them to support this bill despite mounting pressures from the NAB and media conglomerates. Below I pasted what The Free Press says about the bill. You can take action by going to the Free Press website and clicking on the Low Power FM Radio link. (more…)
Mon 25 Jun 2007
Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia has written a memoir so clear in perspective that it is almost like a decoder ring for those of us struggling to read the cryptic news items out of Iraq. Road From Ar Ramadi was featured in the monthly newsletter I receive from the Courage to Resist network, and I was pleased to find it already available at the Hartford Public Library. The subtitle of the book is “The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia,” but it could of been called “Why I preferred 12 months in prison to spending 5 more months in Iraq.”
Carlos Mejia was sentenced to 12 months in prision, without pay and with a demotion of rank, after he was tried for going AWOL rather than return after leave to Iraq. Amid scenes in Mejia’s memoir of courage and humanity are descriptions of torture and brutality. In the coda to the book Mejia’s editor explained why such profound peace had settled over the Staff Sergent during his court martial sentencing: “He had chosen to put himself in a situation where he could call all the important shots in his life: not killing people, not humilating people, not incarcerating innocent people, [and] not abusing prisoners.” (more…)
Fri 22 Jun 2007
As bad as the healthcare problem is across the board, the racial disparities that exist within the healthcare crisis are worse. Connecticut is no exception. It seems Jim Crow continues to find subtle ways to disadvantage people of color.
Thu 21 Jun 2007
In the celebrated case of Milo Sheff, Harford schoolkid, against William O’Neill, Connecticut governor, counsel for the plaintiff proved that Hartford kids get an inferior education, on average, because the schools they attend are racially segregated. This was true in 1989, when the case was prosecuted, and it’s true today. (more…)
Thu 21 Jun 2007
The Pueblo, a main stage play by Hartbeat Ensemble, will open tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Austin Arts Center at Trinity College. Check it out. In English, Spanish, with music, possibly puppets and masks. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, dance in your seat, maybe smoke a cigar with Hugo Chavez at intermission. Call 860-548-9144 or 888-548-9144.