Mon 24 Mar 2008
The political opportunities of third-party candidates may be unconstitutionally impaired by Connecticut’s campaign finance law, a federal judge has ruled, and a legal challenge to the law will have its day in court. (more…)
Thu 6 Mar 2008
Our legal system wasn’t designed to keep the prisons full to capacity, but it accomplishes this with amazing consistency. Today, one out of every 100 people in America is in a penal institution. If we build them, they will come. (more…)
Wed 30 Jan 2008
Tue 22 Jan 2008
Check out the results of a recent study: 935 false statements in a two year period by the Bush administration about Iraq’s ties to 9/11 and weapons of mass destruction. If but one of these was to Congress, isn’t that a crime?
For the full story, click here.
Tue 22 Jan 2008
As we approach Tuesday’s special session, ironically following the National holiday honoring the Rev Martin Luther King, Jr, it may prove informative to look at some of the facts. For clearly the mass media has and will not go to the facts of this issue. The following is my small and maybe naive reading of the facts from a number of reports available through the CGA website. Though hopefully these thoughts may help stir the dialogue to pre-cheshire re-entry and reduction of recidivism implementation plans rather to the drum beat of enhanced penalties, mandated 60 yr prison sentences and expansion of the crime of burglary.
Life imprisonment for 3-time offenders:
First, I hope someone reminds our legislators, (more…)
Sun 20 Jan 2008
I recently heard a great piece by Mumia Download link as we approach the Remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this Monday.
Mumia, in quoting Vincent Harding, noted that: America has largely chosen the path of amnesia rather than true remembrance of the man. (more…)
Thu 10 Jan 2008
Most people seem to be pretty much satisfied that the current president and vice-president have acted criminally, but the citizenry doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to do anything about it. Some say that with just a year left in their term of office, it’s too late for justice for these guys. (more…)
Thu 20 Dec 2007
We Beg Your Pardon Governor
(“re-mix” of Gil Scott-Heron’s We Beg Your Pardon America)
We beg your pardon Governor because the parole you took away this time, was not yours to take.
You call it due process yet some people were well overdue,
We beg your pardon Governor,
Somebody said “brother-man gonna break a window, gonna steal a hubcap, gonna smoke a joint, brother man gonna go to jail,”
The Governor who took away brother-mans rightly earned parole does so without any consequences,
“Get caught with a nickel bag brother-man, get caught with a nickel bag”, says the lady on your way to get your hair fixed,
“You’ll do Big Ben, and Big Ben is time,”
But the people who try to fix Connecticut do not talk to the families of those who did Big Ben and earned their right to parole. (more…)
Sun 16 Dec 2007
[Ed: I took part in this Direct Action last year with the Workers and will again this year and encourage anyone who can to come to DC, or to connect with local actions that will be occurring in CT on J11. Great pic of Frida and Susan]
CALL TO ACTION
We declare January 11, 2008, six years after the first prisoners arrived at Guantanamo, an International Day of Action to Shut Down Guantanamo. In Washington, DC we will hold a permitted demonstration at the National Mall followed by an orange jumpsuit procession to the Supreme Court. There will also be solidarity demonstrations in Chicago, Miami, London and Paris, with more being added every day. We invite you to come to Washington and participate, or else join or plan an action in your own community. We also encourage people around the world to wear orange t-shirts, armbands or other orange clothing on January 11th to mark the date. (more…)
Sat 15 Dec 2007
I think all of us who attended today’s Nashawn Williams Rally in Plainfield would say that it was a true success. Our goals were to assure that the Williams family knew that Connecticut stood behind them in their outrage to the racial violence that was perpetrated upon Nashawn. We were honored that Nashawn’s mother and her fiance were able to attend and speak at the rally. And she saw that many people stood in solidarity with her in outrage at, and quest for, justice from the Plainfield Police, City Officials and residents of Plainfield. Though a number of Plainfield residents were hiding behind closed doors in the Town Hall whose steps we took for the day, there were a number of brave Plainfield residents who joined us and spoke out against the racism in Plainfield and in support of the Williams family. We hope that this visible presence will begin to allow Plainfield to openly discuss and deal with its institutionalized racism and white supremacy and (more…)