July 2008
Monthly Archive
Tue 29 Jul 2008
Posted by jerimarie liesegang under
transportation[5] Comments
There is an interesting article and video that was posted this AM over at the New Haven Independent regarding road rage against a person bicycling in downtown New Haven. To the drivers misfortune the cyclist was a blogger equipped with a camera. I think any of us who ride our bicycles in Hartford, or most Urban or high traffic area’s, can relate to being the focus of such outrage ~ though perhaps not to this extent. Not too long ago while I was bicycling near La Paloma an irate Hartford cop stopped me and commenced to berate me for not only riding in the street but also for not having a license on my bicycle! Go figure! Hartford does pose a quandary for cycling on the roads between potholes, irate drivers and rush hour mania. Though the sidewalks can be even more dangerous for both the cyclist and pedestrian; yesterday I was almost knocked down by a cyclist cruising up behind me with no warning. As an aside there has been a rash of accidents in New Haven (some serious) involving bicyclists. Read here, here, here and here.
Adhamh Roland has a great bicycling song called Shoulder Download link (more…)
Share This
Sun 27 Jul 2008
Posted by jerimarie liesegang under
race ,
Criminal Justice1 Comment
I recently read a blog article discussing the Constitutionality of the Connecticut Bail Bond system. Some of us who have been arrested or know others who have, recognize the disproportional impacts of the bail system, especially around race and class. This article (as well as one in 2007) was written by Christine Stuart [CT News Junkie titled Challenging Connecticut’s Bail Bond system. Is it Constitutional?]. In this article Christine discusses the ongoing lawsuit by Hartford Attorney A. Paul Spinella claiming that Connecticut’s bail system is unconstitutional because it treats minorities differently than non-minorities and deprives indigent individuals of their rights. In a key section she notes:
Spinella said he’s found 55 instances where state courts have set bail amounts for minorities that were higher than those set for whites charged in similar crimes. And 140 instances where indigent people charged with substantial crimes were forced to spend months in jail because they were unable to post bond.
It was also quite interesting to read that the Connecticut legislature has wrestled with changes to the bail bond system for almost 20 years, yet few (more…)
Share This
Sat 26 Jul 2008
Posted by Peter G under
uncategorizedNo Comments
Recently I circulated an article about the case of a police officer in Tennessee - “deputized” to enforce federal immigration law under ICE’s 287(g) program - who arrested a pregnant immigrant woman for a minor traffic violation, then forced her to remain shackled in her hospital bed during labor, while refusing to allow her to contact her husband. After she gave birth, she was separated from her child for several days while being held in the county jail. All this for a traffic violation that would have gotten - let’s face it - a white person a ticket.
Now here’s another 287(g) horror story. In North Carolina, a police officer pulls a woman over for a traffic violation (probably another “driving while brown” violations), decides that she is illegal and therefore must be taken to jail, and promptly does so. Leaving her three young children on the shoulder of an interstate highway in the middle of the night while they wait for their father - who must drive there from Maryland! The father received a frantic cell phone call from his kids at 2:30am, saying that they were alone and scared. He didn’t own a car so he had to get someone to drive him — arriving there at 10:00am.
A generation from now, how will we defend this? Germans questioned after WWII about the death camps shrugged their shoulders and feigned ignorance. Others claimed they were only following orders. What will our excuse be?
Share This
Thu 24 Jul 2008
Posted by Peter G under
uncategorizedNo Comments
A 53 year old woman committed suicide with a hunting rifle only hours before she was to be evicted from her home. The auction of her home was conducted while her dead body was still inside. She and her husband had tried on three separate occasions to file for bankruptcy - which would have allowed them to keep their home - and their petitions had been dismissed each time.
Woody Guthrie famously said that some people will rob you with a gun and some with a fountain pen. Add murder to the list of white collar crimes.
Share This
Fri 18 Jul 2008
Posted by Dave under
anti-warNo Comments
It is time to tell the tale. War stories have always had an attraction, especially to young males seeking to validate their sense of manhood. A true war story has no moral rectitude, a true war story has an uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil. True war stories are revealing and often an indictment of inhuman acts committed by men who no longer recognize the faces of their own people. If you want to test yourself and measure the strength of your own character see if you have the courage to refuse to participate in killing, rape or torture. See if you have the courage to resist a direct order to kill non-combatants or join a gang rape. Cowards have no ability to resist peer pressure or to question what they know is wrong. Cowards follow orders without question. (more…)
Share This
Thu 17 Jul 2008
Running for public office gives me an excuse to talk to strangers, and I’m learning quite a bit from these conversations. Ordinary people seem to be discovering that our national moorings have been severed by government and they are surveying the trashed social landscape desperately for help. (more…)
Share This
Tue 15 Jul 2008
Wednesday July 16, hear the first press conference by Nashawn Williams, on RadioActive - noon on WWUH 91.3 fm. Below is video coverage of the event:
(more…)
Share This
Thu 10 Jul 2008
I heard this morning about the Reverend Jesse Jackson snafu:
A friend of mine said in a strange way it gave him hope. This friend, an Obama supporter, said that because it showed people who are supposed to know better can still make mistakes, we should take some kind of solace in it. At first, when he said he saw it as hopeful, I thought he was referring to Jackson’s much needed “feet to the fire” technique on Obama. Let’s face it, Obama hasn’t exactly been true to his supposedly liberal/progressive base. He’s pandered left and right (ok, mostly center and right). FISA, Faith-based Initiatives, softened Iraq withdrawal policy. These are not small matters. (more…)
Share This
Wed 9 Jul 2008
Posted by jerimarie liesegang under
politics[3] Comments
To quote the eloquent Gomer Pyle: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!
As the Senate (and let’s not forget Ms. Pelosi and many of her fellow House colleagues in this realm) is likely to hand Bush another victory in the pending FISA vote (today); the Rasmussen report yesterday reveals that the percentage of voters who give Congress good or excellent ratings has fallen to single digits for the first time in Rasmussen Reports tracking history. The report notes that this month, just 9% say Congress is doing a good or excellent job. This is down from a whopping 11% last month! Most voters (52%) say Congress is doing a poor job, which ties the record high in that dubious category. Of course it should be noted that the four Connecticut House Dems voted against against both the war supplemental and against retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies included in the FISA bill.
The full report is pasted below or can be found at this link. (more…)
Share This
Tue 8 Jul 2008
Posted by jerimarie liesegang under
justice ,
race[3] Comments
Nashawn Williams was brutally attacked by racist whites in Plainfield while waiting for a school bus in Oct 2007. Minister Cornell Lewis will bring the family to Hartford for a Press Conference on Saturday July 12th at 11 AM. This is the first time Nashawn Williams will publicly speak about the attack and having a group of whites taunt the family while inside their home. Police are trying to close the case; no witnesses or arrests.
Place: Charter Oak Cultural Center
Address: 21 Charter Oak Avenue, Hartford
Date/Time: Saturday, July 12 at 11 AM
Share This