Category Archives: News

Final Word on the 2004 Election from Noam Chomsky

Posted on November 30, 2004 by | Comments Off

The 2004 election generated an avalanche of words from pundits, writers, activists, and talking heads. Despite this barrage of verbiage, many of the real lessons of election 2004 have been ignored, instead the focus being on “mandates”, “morals” and “red vs. blue.” Cutting through the obfuscation and getting to the heart of the matter is MIT professor Noam Chomsky in a new article on Z Net. As always, Chomsky uses his keen reasoning skills and inexhaustible supply of data to construct one of the most insightful and important analyses of Election 2004.

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WHAT KIND OF PEACE PROCESS IS THIS?

Posted on November 30, 2004 by | Comments Off

COLOMBIA SUPPORT NETWORK has received information from highly reliable

sources that leaders of the BCB (Bloque Central Bolivar) of the

paramilitary group AUC are seated at the negotiating table with the

Colombian government, with international supervision by the OAS

(Organization of American States).

Reportedly while AUC leaders Ernesto Baez, Julian Bolivar, and Javier

Montanez are talking about peace with the government, their paramilitary

forces are taking the following actions for communities in the Southern

Bolivar region of Colombia:

1. A food blockade, with no food allowed into these communities;

2. A prohibition of the use of cellular phones;

3. Ordering that a census of the population be carried out by community

leaders with whoever is not included in the census to “suffer the

consequences”.

The AUC leaders, responsible for countless killings and displacement of

peasants during their paramilitary careers have compiled a list of

community leaders, including a priest, whose lives are thus threatened.

What kind of a peace process, or negotiation for peace, is this? Current

developments in Colombia related to “reinsertion” of the paramilitaries are

so worrisome, that we feel it is particularly urgent that letters be

written and faxes sent to the following officials of the Colombian and U.S.

governments and to the OAS. Please write to President Alvaro Uribe, Vice

President Francisco Santos, Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo, OAS

Representative Sergio Caramagna, the U.S. Ambassador to the OAS and your

U.S. Senators and Representatives, to call for real peace negotiations and

an end to this farce of negotiating with illegal paramilitaries while these

forces continue their illegal attacks on communities and their leaders in

rural Colombia.

Colombia Support Network

November 29, 2004

Presidencia de la República

Dr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez,

Cra. 8 No..7-26, Palacio de Nariño,

Santa fe de Bogotá.

Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71 E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co ;

[OR to better send e-mail to Uribe login to http://www.presidencia.gov.co

and click on ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE at the bottom of the pag

Vicepresidencia de la República

Dr. Francisco Santos

Fax 011 57 1 565 7682 or 566 2387

E-mail:fsantos@presidencia.gov.co

High Commissioner for Peace

Luis Carlos Restrepo

Email : ozuluaga@presidencia.gov.co

Fax 011 57 1 565 7688

Representative of the OAS

Sergio Caramagna

Email : scaramagna@mapp_oea.org

US Ambassador to the OAS

Mr. John Maisto

2201 C St NW

Washington D.C. 20520

Tel (202) 647 9376

Fax (202) 647 0911

Email : maistojf@state.gov

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Local Soldier Charged with Killing Iraqi Civilian

Posted on November 29, 2004 by | Comments Off

According to the Grand Rapids Press, Staff Sgt. Shane A. Werst of Wyoming MI has been arrested and chargeed with the murder of Iraqi civilian Naser Ismail. Reportedly, the victim was taken into custody during a mission in Balad last January, although the Army refuses to say how Ismail died. Along with murder, Werst is also charged with obstruction of justice. If convicted, Werst faces a mandatory minimum of life in prison without parole and a dishonorable discharge.

This case in only the latest in a series of stories about individual U.S. soldiers being charged with crimes in Iraq. The Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal and the more recent video of a marine shooting an unarmed, wounded man in Fallujah are two of the more famous examples. While the mainstream media has been willing to report on these individual cases of war crimes, they have failed completly to report on the fact that the war is itself, illegal and a crime against humanity. According to any reasonable interpretation of international law, the U.S. war against Iraq is a war of aggression, which is explicitily condemned by the U.N. Charter. This means that every Iraqi killed, whether civilian or an armed actor, is a war crime for which the aggressor nation is responsible. According to the standards established at the Nuremberg tribunals at the end of the Second World War, the current adminstration (as well as many past ones) should be charged with gross violations against humanity and international peace. Due to their ordering the invasion and occupation of Iraq, the Bush administration (and their democratic allies that voted to authorize the war) have made every U.S. service man and woman serving in Iraq at some level complicit in an illegal war.

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Thanksgiving and Buy Nothing Day

Posted on November 23, 2004 by | Comments Off

This weekend millions of Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving by stuffing themselves with turkey and watching professional football. According to the national mythology, in 1621 a group of English Puritans almost starved to death, being saved by the local indigenous peoples who gave them food. Then the Puritans had a big feast to give thanks to God for their survival throughout the preceding year. So goes the story as told in classrooms and Thanksgiving Day TV specials. What is usually left out of the story is the four centuries of genocide directed at the indigenous population that followed the first “Thanksgiving.”

The day after Thanksgiving is an unofficial holiday, the “busiest shopping day of the year.” Marking the beginning of the winter period of hyper-commercialism, commonly called the “holiday season”, people will flock to shopping malls to buy gifts they can’t afford for people that don’t need or want them. In response to this rather strange way of expressing love and appreciation through the giving of things, Saturday has locally been declared “Buy Nothing Day“. This Saturday, November 27, people will meet at the 711 Bridge St NW at 10am to talk about possible actions and leave at 11am to the Rivertown Crossings Mall for an “intervention.” Come with costumes and ideas for multiple actions.

The Media Mouse staff will be using the time off provided by the Thanksgiving holiday to make the obligatory family visits. This means that there will be no more updates until Monday, nor will there be an Iraq Watch update this Friday. For those looking for good information on Iraq, we would recommend checking out the “News and Analysis” links on the Iraq Watch page.

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GRIID Announces Campaign to Challenge Local TV Station License Renewals

Posted on November 22, 2004 by | Comments Off

The Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy has announced a campaign to challenge the upcoming FCC license renewals this summer:

With the 2004 Elections over we are now able to provide the community with some initial data on the amount and type of Election Coverage on the three Grand Rapids-based TV stations – WOOD TV 8, WZZM 13 & WXMI 17 – see page 2. This year’s data reflects what we have been documenting for six years, that when it comes to local races or races not deemed as “high profile” or “hotly contested,” limited or no coverage is provided. Plenty of attention is given to the Presidential race, but that information can be found in almost any media outlet. Where local TV news plays it’s most important role is in covering the local races and ballot initiatives.

When people walked into the voting booths on November 2, how much of what appeared on the ballot were they familiar with and how much of that information was provided by the local TV news? This is an important question, not just because a democracy functions better when citizens are better informed, but also because the local TV stations use the Public Airwaves in order to “Serve the Public Interest.”

We at the Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy (GRIID) are committed to holding the broadcasters accountable to serving the Public Interest on our Public Airwaves. In 2005, all non-cable TV stations in the State of Michigan will be going through a Licensing Renewal process. Since the TV stations don’t own the Public Airwaves, they must renew their license for another 8 years in order to broadcast in the Public Interest.

GRIID will be organizing a campaign to engage more of the public in the licensing renewal process. We will be hosting community forums to present our research and asking for public input on creating community standards for our local broadcasters. In addition to Election Coverage, we will present our findings on War, Race & Gender Representation, Public Safety issues, Economic issues and Children�s Educational TV programming.

We have an online Community Guide to Broadcaster Licensing Renewal and will be creating more handout materials over the next several months. We need your assistance in taking back the Public Airwaves. To join the Local TV Licensing Renewal Campaign contact GRIID at 616-459-4788×122 or jsmith@grcmc.org

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Iraq Watch for November 19

Posted on November 19, 2004 by | Comments Off

Media Mouse has posted this week’s Iraq Watch news update. This week’s update looks at the following topics:

  • Possible War Crimes in Fallujah – The United States has likely committed numerous war crimes in Fallujah. Among those raising concerns have been Amnesty International and Francis A. Boyle, an expert on war crimes, with both pointing to the wholesale destruction of Fallujah as proof of their claims.
  • Accounts from Inside Fallujah – While the assault on Fallujah had been explained by the US military as necessary to “break” the resistance movements in Iraq, there is little indication that it has worked with a surge in attacks throughout Iraq over the past week.
  • Humanitarian Margaret Hassan Executed – Humanitarian Margaret Hassan is being assumed dead by her family after a tape apparently showing her execution was sent to Al-Jazeera.
  • 47 Iraqi Political Parties to Boycott Elections – Al Jazeera is reporting that 47 Iraqi political parties have announced they will boycott January’s elections.

Read More: Iraq Watch.

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Iraq Watch: War Crimes in Fallujah, Voices from Fallujah, Iraqi Parties Boycotting Upcoming Election

Posted on November 19, 2004 by | Comments Off

Possible War Crimes in Fallujah

As Media Mouse first reported earlier this week, the United States has likely committed numerous war crimes in Fallujah. Among those raising concerns have been Amnesty International and Francis A. Boyle, an expert on war crimes, with both pointing to the wholesale destruction of Fallujah as proof of their claims. Rahul Mahajan of Empire Notes has gone through and detailed specific violations of the Geneva Convention in Fallujah among them denying noncombatant men the right to leave the battle area, the indiscriminate targeting of people by United States snipers, targeting hospitals, and flattening entire buildings housing one or two “insurgents.” Red Cross officials have estimated that 800 civilians may have been killed in Fallujah while the US and Iraqi governments have finally admitted to humanitarian crisis and pledged to restore health services and rebuild damaged homes. In many cases, civilians are targeted under the notion of “collective punishment” where all Iraqis are viewed as potential resistance fighters.

Of course, the cynical among us might be inclined to point out that it is nearly impossible to have a war without war crimes, at least as far as the United States is concerned.

Accounts from Inside Fallujah

While the assault on Fallujah had been explained by the US military as necessary to “break” the resistance movements in Iraq, there is little indication that it has worked with a surge in attacks throughout Iraq over the past week. Moreover, the alleged “foreign elements” controlling the resistance in Fallujah have failed to turn up with only 5% of captured fighters being from outside Iraq. Instead of “pacifying insurgents,” the assault on Fallujah has outraged many both within Iraq and in the Middle East. Incidents such as the shooting of a wounded, unarmed insurgent by US forces have fostered greater hatred of the occupation and the US occupying forces.

Unfortunately, we hear little from the people who are experiencing the brunt of the United States military assault on Fallujah as there are few reporters in Fallujah and even less willing to report anything differing from the official military position. We have come across one compilation of Iraqi voices discussing the recent US attack in addition to a report by two British journalists in the aftermath of the Fallujah assault.

Humanitarian Margaret Hassan Executed

Humanitarian Margaret Hassan is being assumed dead by her family after a tape apparently showing her execution was sent to Al-Jazeera. Hassan, an Irish citizen by birth, lived in Iraq for thirty years where she was director of CARE international, providing aid to the Iraqi people. She was married to an Iraqi citizen and eventually became an Iraqi citizenship herself. She was an outspoken critic of the U.N. sanctions against Iraq as well as the 2003 invasion and occupation.

Her death at the hands of unknown “militants,” leaves many unanswered questions. Hassan was a well known and respected humanitarian, and was a sharp critic of the U.S. war and occupation of Iraq. While the U.S. and British governments will be quick to use the killing of Hassan as an example of the brutality of the Iraqi resistance, Hassan�s killing seems somewhat inconsistent with the high profile kidnappings and executions carried out over the last several months. The combined resistance groups of Fallujah demanded her release, as did Au Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaeda man whom was responsible for other kidnappings and executions. Hassan was the first female hostage to be killed, other female hostages, such as the two Italian human rights workers taken hostage in September were released after the kidnappers recognized their innocence. The video of Hassan’s execution, as noted by Robert Fisk, included “none of the usual Islamic banners. There were none of the usual armed and hooded men. There were no Qur’anic recitations.”

Given the current state of lawlessness and chaos in Iraq, it might never be known who exactly killed Margaret Hassan. What is known is that a woman who dedicated her life to helping others, who survived thirty years of living and working under the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein, was killed as the result of the chaotic situation created by the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.

47 Iraqi Political Parties to Boycott Elections

Al Jazeera is reporting that 47 Iraqi political parties have announced they will boycott January’s elections. Most of the parties are Sunni, including the influential Association of Muslim Scholars. The group also includes 8 Shiite parties, one Christian party, one communist party and the Iraqi Turkmen Front. The announcement was made as a response to the “massacre of the people of Falluja and the collective punishment with wanton destruction meted out by the US,” said AMS member Ahmad Abd al-Ghafur al-Samarrai.

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Local Unions and Students Protest Wal-mart’s use of Sweatshop and Child Labor

Posted on November 18, 2004 by | Comments Off

Walmart Protest

Wednesday night, a group of approximately thirty people gathered outside of the Alpine Ave. Wal-Mart to protest sweatshop and child labor. Organized by the Kent-Ionia Labor Council and the Union Label Coalition, the event was dubbed the “Annual Holiday Season of Conscience to End Child Labor & Sweatshop Abuses.” The event started at the nearby UAW Local 1231 where the crowd listened to speakers, then preceded down tot the Wal-Mart store. The vigil lasted about an hour and many signs and banners were present, including a large banner for the Grand Valley Students against Sweatshops chapter. Handouts detailing the injustice of sweatshops were given to people entering and exiting the parking lot. Response from the customers was mixed; many honked horns and gave thumbs up although some also gave rude gestures as well. Several exiting shoppers seemed to take the vigil as a personal criticism, claiming in their defense that they “didn’t buy anything” or “only spent a couple dollars.” The vigil was not intended to shame individual consumers but to inform people about unfair labor practices at Wal-Mart and their reliance on cheap goods made by child and sweatshop labor. For more information about Wal-Mart, sweatshop labor, and the “global economy,” check out the following links:

National Links

Local Links

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Standout Magazine Promoting Sexism, Homophobia to Local College Students

Posted on November 17, 2004 by | Comments Off

Although mourning the unexplained absence of IndulgeGR, Grand Rapids’ favorite source for the promotion of yuppie life, apathy, and sexism, Media Mouse has been made aware of a new publication that fills the void, Standout Magazine. Standout Magazine bills itself as a magazine that “helps build a bridge between campus and community offering information to the students about the community and the community about the students.” In order to accomplish this, Standout Magazine allegedly delivers thousands of copies of each issue to universities in the West Michigan area.

As is the case with IndulgeGR, Standout Magazine promotes the bar scene and a generally apathetic life of consumption, fashion, and sexism while throwing in vague articles on politics. In the November 2004 issue readers are treated to a series of sexist jokes reinforcing patriarchal assumptions about marriage, columns written while drunk, and homophobia as one writer mentions how wearing a particular type of shirt is “gay.” The “political” articles contribute to the general promotion of an apathetic and self-centered lifestyle with painfully incoherent articles on “the curbing of freedoms” in the United States and so-called “activist judges.” In “Kiss’n our Freedoms Good-Bye,” the author, clearly struggling to understand her topic, settles on “Home Owners Associations” (HOAs) being the most serious example of how “our freedoms” are threatened as she bemoans HOAs’ power to dictate the color of houses in certain neighborhoods. While it would have been nice to present an honest critique of how some rights in the country are under fire via the USA PATRIOT Act and other government plans, one really cannot expect much more than an incoherent rant from someone who cites a G. Gordon Liddy book. Of course, none of this would be complete without the requisite ads for “attractive women” to do “swimsuit type” modeling and various other ads objectifying women and using the aforementioned objectification as a way of selling any number of completely unrelated products.

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Local Peace Organization Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Posted on November 16, 2004 by | Comments Off

On Monday evening the Institute for Global Education, a Grand Rapids based peace group, celebrated their 25th anniversary at Trinity Methodist Church. The Reverend C. Peter Dougherty of the Michigan Peace Team was the featured speaker, addressing the theme of “Persevering Over the Long Haul.” The event was also the annual meeting of IGE, with updates provided from the office volunteers about the state of the organization.

Founded in 1980, IGE has existed in several different locations in Grand Rapids over the years. Originally started as an outgrowth of the Quaker Friends Meeting, IGE is a non-profit organization without any direct religious affiliations. While many of the members come from a faith-based, non-violence perspective, the organization is open to all who:

support the non-violent resolution of conflicts and the pursuit of justice as the best way to achieve true, lasting peace through conscientious individual and group education and action.

IGE has an office at 1118 Wealthy St SE, which serves as a meeting place for IGE, as well as for several affiliated organizations such as the West Michigan Justice and Peace Coalition, Creative Response to Conflict, and the Grand Rapids Peace Team. The Kent County Green Party also rents out the IGE office for their regular meetings. IGE has put out a quarterly newsletter called Equity for most of its 25-year existence. Equity includes articles written by the membership as well as information about upcoming campaigns and events.

Over the past two years IGE has played a central role in the creation of the West Michigan Justice and Peace Coalition. This coalition was created in 2003 as a response to the invasion of Iraq and has organized several rallies and speaking events. The Coalition has a monthly open meeting at the IGE office as well as a calendar of events.

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