Tag Archives: Change

Activism, Politics

Former Attorney General Ramsey Clark to Honor Civil Rights leader Amelia Boynton Robinson

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On Saturday, September 19th, former United States Attorney General William Ramsey Clark will speak at the Free & Equal Election Foundation’s United We Stand Festival to honor recently deceased civil rights leader Amelia Boynton Robinson.

Clark is well known for his work as a socially conscious lawyer and activist who served under President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson. Following the attacks of 9/11, Clark openly called for the impeachment of George W. Bush, founding the organization “VoteToImpeach”. Throughout Bush’s presidency, Clark attempted to get the U.S. House of Representatives to bring articles of impeachment against Bush. In August 2002, Clark held a press conference demanding that Bush not attack Iraq in pursuit of Saddam Hussein.

Once Bush left office, Clark turned VoteToImpeach into IndictBushNow.org, an effort to hold members of the Bush administration responsible for the launch of the War on Terror. In fact, as recently as June, Clark joined a lawsuit against members of the Bush administration for their role in the invasion of Iraq. The group behind the lawsuit is asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to review the class action suit on grounds that the U.S.-led war was an illegal act of aggression in violation of international guidelines as defined by the Nuremberg Tribunal after World War II.

Clark will now be joining the United We Stand festival as the keynote speaker honoring Amelia Boynton Robinson, who was scheduled to speak before she passed away on August 26, 2015.

The former Attorney General was a recipient of the 1992 Gandhi Peace Award, and the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award for his commitment to civil rights.

Originally launched in May 2014, the second annual United We Stand Festival will take place at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles on September 19 from 5-10 pm PST. The 2014 event was seen as a success, bringing together musicians Immortal Technique, Cappadonna & U-God of Wu-Tang Clan; comedian Lee Camp; activists Sean Stone, Jill Stein, Foster Gamble (Thrive), Nick Bernabe (March Against Monsanto), Richard Gage (Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth); journalists Abby Martin, Ben Swann, Amber Lyon, Maytha Alhassen, Luke Rudkowski, Mnar Muhawesh and many more.

The 2015 event will kickoff a series of open presidential debates for 2016 presented by the Free and Equal Elections Foundation. The festival will be broadcast worldwide by FreeAndEqual.org.

Free and Equal hopes that the event’s momentum will help inspire people to run for office targeting the Congressional races in 2016. Free & Equal Elections will also launch an open source “Election Assistant” Database. This “Election Assistant” Database will be accessible to all and provide information on every candidate.

The organization aims to bring together a range of speakers on topics including fighting against the Patriot Act, NDAA, NSA, endless warfare, the war on drugs, pollution, election fraud, drones, GMOs, police brutality, and the attack on net neutrality.

“By creating an event that combines the most socially-conscious elements of activism, music, and journalism we are allowing concerned citizens to be a part of a much needed conversation about the failures of our political process and, most importantly, possible solutions,” Free and Equal founder Christina Tobin told Truth In Media. Tobin says she hopes the event can contribute to the broad awakening taking place around the United States.

The UWSF 2015 will feature Ramsey Clark as the keynote speaker, as well as Green Party’s 2012 Presidential Candidate Dr. Jill Stein, Lynne Lyman of Drug Policy Alliance, Professor Griff from Public Enemy; conscious reggae artist Spragga Benz; Alexander McCobin, Co-Founder and President of Students for Liberty; author Daniel Pinchbeck; former Judge and Vice Presidential candidate Jim Gray; and a host of other musicians, artists, activists and thinkers from around the country. (Full Disclosure: I will be speaking at the event as well.)

Politics, US

Eric Frein wanted a ‘revolution’ and was upset with the government

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A new document obtained by the court in the Eric Frein shooting case in Pennsylvania, shows Frein was distraught by the direction he thought the US was heading and wanted to “wake people up” by ambushing state troopers outside of their barracks.

“Our nation is far from what it was and what it should be,” Frein allegedly wrote in a letter addressed to his parents.  “There is so much wrong and on so many levels only passing through the crucible of another revolution can get us back the liberties we once had. I do not pretend to know what that revolution will look like or even if it would be successful.”

The night Frein was arrested, he waived his right to remain silent and told officers, according to the Talking Points Memo, he “wanted to make a change  (in government) and that voting was inefficient to do so, because there was no one worth voting for.”

Frein does not talk about what he planned on doing in the letter, but the letter indicates he believed he might die because, as the letter reads, he “knows the odds.”

The letter was found on a portable storage drive within the hangar Frein was using as a shelter while he was on the run.  The file was created last December meaning Frein was potentially planning the shooting for at least nine months.

Frein is already being charged with first-degree murder for the killing of Cpl. Bryon Dickson, but with this new document submitted as evidence, he is also being charged with two counts of terrorism, according to the LA Times.  The one count is for attempting to influence the policy of the government through intimidation and/or coercion, while the other is for trying to affect the conduct of the government.

The prosecution has already said they are seeking the death penalty for Frein.  He is currently held without bond, and Frein’s next court date is Dec. 9.

Politics, US

Serve In The Military? Want A Tattoo? Not So Fast… Say Bureaucrats

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As reported before by Kristin Tate at BenSwann.com Washington DC bureaucrats are trying to implement a 24 hours waiting period of people to get tattoos in the state. It seems there is renewed interest across the country on tattoos.army1

As reported by the Stars & Stripes military newspaper, the new rules do not regulate whether or not military members can have tattoos, but where they can be placed. Tattoos below the knee, below the elbow, or above the neck line will not be allowed.

Many tattoo shop owners and artists worry about the economic impact. Especially those shops which are located near military bases.

Once the new rules are signed, it will take about 1-2 months before they go become enforceable policy.

The new regulations cover things such as tattoos, grooming, and uniforms and apply only to army soldiers. Other branches of the military have their own grooming and appearance rules.

New recruits will not be allowed to have tattoos in the designated areas. Furthermore, the content of the tattoo now is an issue. If the tattoo is declared racist, sexist or extremist then they will not be accepted for service regardless of where the tattoo is. Current soldiers will be grandfathered in.

Soldiers are also getting new uniforms.