Monday, January 03, 2005

Shirley Chisholm, R.I.P.

Chisholmbella_2

Shirley Chisholm, who passed away Saturday, was such a sassy heroine to my friends and me back in the 1970s, when feminism was in resurgence after the deathly conformity of the 50s and early 60s, and we had a bold and brassy African-American woman in the Congress and running for president. That's Shirley with sister firebrand Bella Abzug in the photo above. If you're too young to remember Shirley, or if you've forgotten what a strong presence she was on the national scene, here's a commentary on her accomplishments and daring deeds. I think we can benefit from pondering Ms. Chisholm and her spunk as we return from the holidays to confront the political barricades of our own time:

From ms.musings:

Shirley Chisholm: Unbought and Unbossed

"My greatest political asset, which professional politicians fear, is my mouth, out of which come all kinds of things one shouldn't always discuss for reasons of political expediency.”

Shirley Chisholm died Saturday at the age of 80. The first black woman elected to Congress, she was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and a presidential candidate in 1972. From The New York Times obituary:

In 1972, when she entered the presidential primaries, she did not expect to capture the Democratic nomination, which ultimately went to George S. McGovern. "Some see my candidacy as an alternate and others as symbolic or a move to make other candidates start addressing themselves to real issues," she said at the time. She did not win a single primary, but in 2002, she said her campaign had been a necessary "catalyst for change."

She was also aware of her status as a woman in politics. "I've always met more discrimination being a woman than being black," she told The Associated Press in December 1982, shortly before she left Washington to teach at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. "When I ran for the Congress, when I ran for president, I met more discrimination as a woman than for being black. Men are men."

A documentary about her political life -- Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed -- made its debut at Sundance last year. It will be shown on television in February as part of PBS’ POV series. Visit the PBS website for more information.

"Women have learned to flex their political muscles. You got to flex that muscle to get what you want," Chisholm said during her presidential campaign, according to the Washington Post.

An expert on early childhood education, Chisholm worked as the director of a daycare center after receiving her master’s from Columbia University. When she was elected to Congress, she protested her appointment to the House Agriculture Committee.

"Apparently all they know here in Washington about Brooklyn is that a tree grew there," she said. "Only nine black people have been elected to Congress, and those nine should be used as effectively as possible."

She was later reassigned to the Education and Labor Committees. Throughout her career, Chisholm was a tireless advocate of women’s rights and public policy initiatives that would benefit the poor. She fought for unemployment insurance for domestic workers and childcare providers, as well as college funds for low-income students. From the Times:

When she left Washington, she said she did not want to go down in history as "the nation's first black congresswoman" or, as she put it, "the first black woman congressman."

"I'd like them to say that Shirley Chisholm had guts," she said. "That's how I'd like to be remembered."

Here’s the text of a speech Chisholm delivered on the floor of the House in 1970, arguing in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment. Michigan State University has an inventory of audio recordings, some of which are available as mp3 files, including Chisholm discussing in 1974 why she ran for president.

Shirleychisholm1972

January 3, 2005 at 09:34 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday, December 31, 2004

The Earth Feels Old Tonight

NumberMay Sarton's 1937 New Year's Greeting

The earth feels old tonight

And we who live and stand on the cold rim

Face a new year.

It is raining everywhere

As if the rain were mercy,

As if the rain were peace,

Peace falling on our hair.

Open your hearts tonight, let them burn!

Let them light a way in the dark.

Let them one by one affirm there is hope for a staff:

I say it will flower in our hands,

We shall go garlanded.

There is the fine fresh stuff of faith for a coat:

We shall go warm.

We shall go on by the light of our hearts.

We shall burn mightily in the new year.

We shall go on together.

O you who stand alone on the rim of the earth and are cold,

I salute you here!

(Information on May Sarton.)

You can watch live Earthcams at various locations on Times Square in NYC, including streaming video of the ball drop at midnight Eastern Standard Time. Also at this link are livecams in various cities across the nation and the world.

And as we bring in the New Year here in New Mexico, let's honor all those suffering from the Iraq War, the tsunami and other painfully sad occurrences, man-made or natural, with a moment of silence and an awareness of how privileged we are to be here welcoming another year.

December 31, 2004 at 04:06 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

Give Now

These photos from DigitalGlobe show the waterfront area of Banda Aceh, Indonesia before and after the tsunami:

Before:

Bandapre

After:

Bandapost

and Amazon are making it easy to donate. Even the price of a New Year's Eve drink can be a meaningful donation in this region of the world. You know what to do.

December 31, 2004 at 12:23 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, December 30, 2004

Two Good Links on Vote Problem News and Actions

VotersUnite.org  has up-to-the-minute news from many sources on voting and election problems and actions. This organization has produced a Summary Report on NM Election Data.

No Stolen Democracy is a clearing house for information on getting Senators to refuse to certify the electoral vote and also has information on related protests and other actions.

December 30, 2004 at 12:35 PM in Candidates & Races, Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

More On How to Help Tsunami Victims

The Washington Post has an excellent list of organizations that are accepting donations to help the victims of the tsunami in Asia. Click through to the continuation page below for a complete listing.

In Albuquerque, all banks will be collecting donations for the aid efforts in response to a request by Mayor Chavez and the local Red Cross. Residents will be able to inform any bank teller that they want to the contribute to the American Red Cross South Asia Disaster Fund. Many retailers and other businesses are also expected to participate.

According to an article in the Albuquerque Journal, here are some other places where donations are being accepted:

  • Archbishop Michael Sheehan has sent a letter to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe's 93 parishes, requesting a special collection for survivors on Sunday.
       
  • The Amma Center in Santa Fe is accepting donations. Known as the hugging saint, Amma's ashram in Kerala, India, provided shelter and food for more than 10,000 evacuees from nearby villages. Send donations to The Amma Center, P.O. Box 4820, Santa Fe, N.M., 87502.
       
  • Donate to the American Red Cross, Mid-Rio Grande Chapter, 142 Monroe NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87108.
       
  • Donate to South Asia Tsunami Relief, SAWSO, The Salvation Army National Headquarters, 615 Slaters Lane, Alexandria, Va., 22313.
       
  • Donate to United Way of Central New Mexico, 2340 Alamo SE, Second Floor, Albuquerque, N.M., 87106.
  • Some Web sites, such as the Network for Good, allow people access to listings of U.S.-based charitable organizations in a searchable database. Amazon.com also enables users to route donations to organizations from its homepage.

    More information about donations to humanitarian organizations can be found on the U.S. Agency for International Development's Web site, www.usaid.gov.

    Donors can also call the Center for International Disaster Information at 703-276-1914.

    Action Against Hunger
    247 West 37th St.
    New York, NY 10018
    212-967-7800
    https://www.actionagainsthunger.org

    ADRA International
    Asia Quake Fund
    12501 Old Columbia Pike
    Silver Spring, MD 20904
    800-424-ADRA (2372)
    https://www.adra.org

    Air Serv International
    6583 Merchant Place, Suite 100
    Warrenton, VA 20187
    https://www.airserv.org

    American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc.
    DC-South Asia Tsunami Relief
    P.O. Box 321
    847A Second Ave.
    New York, New York 10017
    212-885-0832
    https://www.jdc.org

    American Jewish World Service
    45 W. 36th St., 10th Fl.
    New York, NY 10018
    212-736-2597
    https://www.ajws.org

    American Red Cross
    International Response Fund
    P.O. Box 37243
    Washington, D.C. 20013
    800-435-7669
    https://www.redcross.org/

    AmeriCares
    88 Hamilton Ave.
    Stamford, CT 06902
    800-486-4357
    https://www.americares.org

    Association for India's Development Inc.
    AID Zone 3
    P.O. Box 4801
    Mountain View, CA 94040-0801
    https://www.aidindia.org

    Baptist World Aid
    Asia Tidal Waves
    405 North Washington St.
    Falls Church, VA 22046
    703 790 8980

    B’nai B’rith International
    B’nai B’rith Disaster Relief Fund
    2020 K. St. NW
    7th Floor
    Washington, DC 20006
    212-490-3290
    https://www.bnaibrith.org

    Brother’s Brother Foundation
    1200 Galveston Ave.
    Pittsburgh, PA 15233
    412-321-3160
    https://www.brothersbrother.org

    CARE
    151 Ellis St. NE
    Atlanta, GA 30303
    800-521-CARE
    https://www.care.org

    Catholic Relief Services
    209 West Fayette St.
    Baltimore, MD 21201
    800-HELP-CRS
    https://www.catholicrelief.org

    Christian Children’s Fund
    Child Alert Fund
    PO Box 26484
    Richmond, Virginia - 23261-6484
    800-776-6767
    https://www.ChristianChildrensFund.org

    Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC)
    South Asia Earthquake
    2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE
    Grand Rapids, MI, 49560
    800-55-CRWRC
    https://www.crwrc.org

    Church World Service
    PO Box 968
    Elkhart, IN 46515
    800-297-1516
    https://www.churchworldservice.org

    Direct Relief International
    27 South La Patera Lane
    Santa Barbara, CA 93117
    805-964-4767
    https://www.directrelief.org

    Food for the Hungry
    Asia Quake Relief
    1224 E. Washington St.
    Phoenix, AZ 85034
    800-2-HUNGERS
    https://www.fh.org

    Friends of the World Food Programme
    P.O. Box 11856
    Washington, D.C. 20008

    International Aid
    17011 W. Hickory
    Spring Lake, MI 49456
    800-968-7490
    https://www.internationalaid.org

    International Medical Corps
    Tsunami Emergency Response
    1919 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 300
    Santa Monica, CA 90404-1950
    800-481-4462
    https://www.imcworldwide.org

    International Relief Teams
    Asia Earthquake/Floods
    3547 Camino Del Rio South
    Suite C
    San Diego, CA 92108
    619-284-7979
    https://www.IRTeams.org

    International Rescue Committee
    PO Box 5058
    Hagerstown, MD 21741-9874
    877-REFUGEE or 733-8433
    https://www.theIRC.org

    Latter-Day Saint Charities
    Welfare Services Emergency Response
    50 East North Temple Street, Room 701
    Salt Lake City, Utah, 84150-6800
    801-240-3544
    ldscharities@ldschurch.org

    Lutheran World Relief
    South Asia Tsunami
    700 Light St.
    Baltimore, MD 21230
    410-230-2700
    https://www.lwr.org

    MAP International
    P.O. Box 215000
    Brunswick, GA 31521
    800-225-8550
    https://www.map.org

    Mercy Corps
    Southeast Asia Earthquake
    Dept. W
    PO Box 2669
    Portland, OR 97208-2669
    800-852-2100
    https://www.mercycorps.org

    Operation Blessing International
    Operation Blessing Disaster Relief Fund
    977 Centerville Turnpike
    Virginia Beach, VA 23463
    800-730-2537
    https://www.ob.org

    Operation USA
    8320 Melrose Ave. 200
    Los Angeles, CA 90069
    800-678-8876
    https://www.opusa.org

    Oxfam America
    Asian Earthquake Fund
    PO Box 1211
    Albert Lea, MN 56007-1211
    800-77-OXFAM
    https://www.oxfamamerica.org

    Plan USA
    Asia Disaster
    155 Plan Way
    Warwick, RI 02886
    800-556-7918
    https://www.planusa.org

    Project Concern International
    Asia Tsunamis Press List
    5151 Murphy Canyon Road
    Suite 320
    San Diego, CA 92123
    858-279-9690
    https://www.projectconcern.org

    Project HOPE
    Asia Tsunami Response
    255 Carter Hall Lane
    Millwood, VA 22646
    800-544-4673
    https://www.projecthope.org

    SAWSO (Salvation Army World Service Office)
    South Asia Relief Fund
    615 Slaters Lane
    Alexandria, VA, 22313
    800-SAL-ARMY
    https://www.salvationarmyusa.org

    Save the Children USA
    54 Wilton Road
    Westport, CT 06880
    1-800-728-3843
    https://www.savethechildren.org

    Southeast Asia Relief Fund
    Donations can be sent c/o The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
    6101 Montrose Rd., Rockville, Md. 20852.
    In the memo line of your check, write: SDG05DRT.

    Stop Hunger Now
    SE Asia crisis
    2501 Clark Ave, Suite 200
    Raleigh, NC 27607
    888-501-8440
    https://www.stophungernow.org

    Tsunami Relief Inc.
    9302 Lee Hwy.
    Fifth Floor
    Fairfax, Va. 22031
    703-934-6922

    US Fund for UNICEF
    General Emergency Fund
    333 E. 38th St.
    New York, NY 10016
    800-4-UNICEF
    https://www.unicefusa.org

    World Concern
    Asia Earthquake and Tsunami
    19303 Fremont Avenue North
    Seattle, WA 98133
    800-755-5022
    https://www.worldconcern.org

    World Emergency Relief
    2270-D Camino Vida Roble
    Carlsbad, CA 92009
    760-930-8001
    https://www.worldemergencyrelief.org

    World Vision
    P.O. Box 70288
    Tacoma, WA 98481-0288
    888-56-CHILD
    https://www.worldvision.org

    December 30, 2004 at 12:05 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

    Monday, December 27, 2004

    Help Tsunami Victims

    With more than 23,000 33,000 59,000 100,000 116,000 135,000 155,000 people killed in Asia and many more injured, with millions homeless or without food, shelter or clean water, now is the time to open up our hearts and pockets to help the victims of the earthquake and tsunami. Here are links to organizations that are helping now and that will be helping for many months to come:

    Save the Children
    Oxfam
    UNICEF
    Relief Web
    CARE
    Doctors Without Borders (Medcins sans Frontiers)
    Caritas
    Red Cross
    World Vision International

    December 27, 2004 at 11:57 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

    Friday, December 24, 2004

    Top Ten Most Outrageous Statements by Media in 2004

    Rush2Given all the misleading, misinformed and miserable statements we've heard and read this year in the mainstream media, it must have been difficult to limit themselves to only the ten worst statements. From Media Matters for America:

    • Rush Limbaugh: on the Abu Ghraib photos: "I'm talking about people having a good time, these people, you ever heard of emotional release? You ever heard of need to blow some steam off?"
    • Ann Coulter: "[Senator John] Kerry will improve the economy in the emergency services and body bag industry."
    • Tony Blankley called philanthropist George Soros "a Jew who figured out a way to survive the Holocaust."
    • Michael Savage: "When you hear 'human rights,' think gays. ... [T]hink only one thing: someone who wants to rape your son."
    • Oliver North: "Every terrorist out there is hoping John Kerry is the next president of the United States."
    • Pat Robertson on gays and lesbians: "[S]elf-absorbed hedonists ... that want to impose their particular sexuality on the rest of America."
    • Pat Buchanan: "[H]omosexuality is an affliction, like alcoholism."
    • Bill O'Reilly to Jewish caller: "[I]f you are really offended, you gotta go to Israel."
    • Bill Cunningham (Clear Channel radio host who appeared as a guest on The Sean Hannity Show): The election is over because "Elizabeth Edwards has now sung."
    • Jerry Falwell: "And we're going to invite PETA [to "wild game night"] as our special guest, P-E-T-A -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. We want you to come, we're going to give you a top seat there, so you can sit there and suffer. This is one of my special groups, another one's the ACLU, another is the NOW -- the National Order of Witches [sic]. We've got -- I've got a lot of special groups."

    December 24, 2004 at 09:40 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

    Thursday, December 23, 2004

    Video on Ohio Voter Suppression

    From the The Progressive Mind, mirroring the Free Speech Zone:

    This video footage is a must see for everyone who feels a concern regarding the gross injustices that took place in African American precincts in Ohio on election day. We have done the civil rights movement in this country already. Heck we have had to do it a few times. Yet, if you feel that everyone is indeed equal, then you are not paying attention. Through deceitful manipulation of information and equiptment, the citizens of Ohio were often turned away from voting booths. This footage, which is in 2 parts, is a documentaion of what took place on Nov 2nd. It is only a small part of the larger story.

    A press release was sent out today to the press and public this morning.

    The video footage provides a first hand glimpse of what transpired in Franklin County on Election Day, only in heavily leaning Democratic precincts, including unexplained voting machine shortages, organized campaigns directing voters to the wrong polling places, malfunctioning voter tabulation equipment, election worker confusion and incompetence, and a host of other problems. However, as detailed in an official affidavit by Richard Hayes Phillips, a geomorphology Ph.D. from University of Oregon, the extent of voter disenfranchisement was systematic and widespread in African American precincts throughout the state. Dr. Phillips sworn testimony read:

    "For the second Presidential election in a row African American voters have been subjugated to second class citizens through systematic efforts by Republicans to suppress, intimidate, and disenfranchise our vote," said Rev. Bill Moss, the original Plaintiff in Ohio, and founder of the Center for Freedom and Justice. "Whether its Katherine Harris or Kenneth Blackwell, the purpose is the same: do everything in their power to ensure George W. Bush becomes President. If those in power are willing and able to thwart democracy and abuse the civil rights of American voters, right in the face of the press and public, what won’t they do? I am contesting this election because tyranny, particularly in the guise of democracy, is our civic duty to fight."

    Read the rest. Here is how you can help:

    • Watch the video and e-mail everyone you know

    • E-mail or call the main stream news media outlets and demand that they cover this story. (Contact information below)

    Once you have seen this please let the world know!

    Click here for contact information for Government employees
    Click here for media contact information.

    Thank you!

    Ohio Voter Suppression Videos: Click here.

    December 23, 2004 at 03:26 PM in Candidates & Races, Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

    Kerry Enters Ohio Recount

    According to William Rivers Pitt at truthout, Kerry is entering the Ohio recount in a significant way, by "filing  a request for expedited discover regarding Triad Systems voting marchines, as well as a motion for a preservation order to protect any and all discovery and preserve any evidence on this matter."

    According to Pitt, "It should be noted that Kerry's filing of these requests does not indicate his complete entry into the recount process, but does clearly indicate that he is moving decisively in that direction. His previous stance on the matter was based simply on his desire to defend the right to have a recount in the first place. The evidence of election tampering in Ohio, specifically surrounding Triad, has motivated him to actively join the fight. The Democratic Party is also quietly putting financial resources into the Ohio recount effort.

    Read more of this article.

    December 23, 2004 at 12:14 PM in Candidates & Races, Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)

    Tuesday, December 21, 2004

    Happy Yule, and a Very Merry Winter Solstice

    Chacodagger

    Winter solstice arrived at 5:42 AM (MST) today. Starting tomorrow, the days get longer and the nights get shorter.

    Chaco Canyon was inhabited from the 9th century by people of the Anasazi (Early Pueblo) culture. Every year, at noon on the day of the winter soltice, light shining through stone slabs casts a wedge-shaped beam upon the center of a spiral etched into the rock (photo above). This spiral is believed to be a solstice marker created by this ancient culture. See the Solstice Project.

    From the Odinist Forum: Except for the Nativity Scene and Christmas Mass, everything celebrated, practised and observed by Christians at the "Yule" (Winter Solstice) season, or so called "Christmas", was appropriated from Heathen/Pagan sources, i.e., the ancient Northern European, pre-Christian religion, in its various forms . . .

    “Christmas” traditions with Heathen/Pagan origins…

    • Feasting
    • Gift giving
    • Singing
    • Tree decorating
    • Performing Religious Rites
    • Visiting Relatives and Friends
    • “Christmas” Parties
    • Eating “Christmas” ham
    • Eating “Christmas” Pudding
    • Drinking “Christmas” Punch
    • Father “Christmas” Reindeer
    • Burning a Yule Log
    • Hanging a “Christmas” Wreath
    • Hanging Mistletoe
    • Decorating with Holly
    • Lighting of Candles
    • The twelve days of “Christmas”
    • The word “Yule” or “Yuletide”

    *****************
    To celebrate Solstice Week, photographers all over the Earth are producing another World Wide Panorama. You can see their previous efforts. Photos for a winter's day. Enjoy.

    December 21, 2004 at 01:23 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)