Nonogirl Radio

Watadad Update

I saw the headlines: MISTRIAL. But I couldn't explain it to ya. All the printed reports were confusing. Something about countering his initial claim of understanding his job was to report for service.

But this radio report just cuts to the chase.

I'm glad the movement to support him grew, drawing lefty big wigs like Sean Penn out to his hearing. And I haven't heard race mentioned at all!

Paul Conrad

Over a most delicious vinegar chicken, I learned about a new hero last night, Paul Conrad. He's over 80 years old and has been making daily political satire cartoons, initially for the Los Angeles Times. He frames biting truths into a one square cell following only his own gut feelings from reading the morning paper.

The documentary says that there once were 200 political cartoonists, now there are only 85. The newspaper business is about making sales, not making controversy.  Corporatization destroys of one of our most fundamental democratic building blocks, free press.

Street Fight

I've been sick for the past three days and I've taken in a lot of tv. But today, I was ready to be vertical (meaning sitting on my couch rather than lying in bed) and started to get caught up on viewing films from my Iron Weed subscription.

My roommate said he watched all of them in one night and raved about Street Fight, a documentary about the 2002 mayoral race in Newark, NJ. It's about the political machine that every city seems to have. It's about race and power and class. And it's a must-see.

Strategy

I've been voted union steward at my job site. I think it'll be interesting to get involved in politics through my job and to organize from where I'm at. So far, we've made phone calls down to Stockton to protest the poor protection provided to DPW workers who discarded the cattle that died during the heat wave and next week, we're turning out supporters at City Hall for Chris Daly.

At our first site meeting, our union rep explained what happened in last year's special elections. All of Schwarzenegger's proposals failed, but defeating these proposals cost a LOT of money and drained coffers for THIS round of elections. Sneaky rich people!

Self Determination

Only after talking with folks does Thursday's YBCA's community conversation on what is "revolutionary" in revolutionary art make sense.

Jeff Hull, founder of the short lived gallery space called Oaklandish, received a public spanking for questionable commitments to the Oakland community and art scene. Audience members felt insulted that he was on the panel (particularly since he said he does not see his work as part of the revolutionary movement). They asked if there might be a better place for him to work within the white, rich male community rather than dabbling in urban arts.

From what I've been hearing, he put his money into a space that the community appreciated. But then decided that this wasn't his thing and pulled out leaving many people disappointed.

But do we need to do the workshop on self-determination all over again?! We need to be the controllers of our own destiny. We can't rely on money from the outside, no matter how friendly the gesture may seem. We need to build institutions that will be accountable to the community. We need to build leadership and power within our own communities.

Although many were upset that the discussion was negative and dwelled too long on calling out Jeff, like Greg Morozumi, I agree that it was an important discussion.

Braithwaite on U.S. Media

Stuart Braithwaite from Mogwai on Boston.com:

Q. What's the worst part [of touring in the U.S.]?

A. I find the news quite depressing because it's not really news. It's total propaganda. We're obviously used to the BBC or whatever. It's not so much annoying as disheartening. I feel really bad for the people.

Solidarity

Listening to the radio has been getting me down.

Orlando de Guzman produced a remarkable series on the hidden AIDS epidemic in Burma. This deserves it's own post but I just can't bring myself to listen to it again. The military dictatorship stifles doctors from talking about the epidemic forcing hospitals to open up beds for new patients by literally dumping dying patients by the roadside! This is an important story that is horribly depressing.

And then the Rhode Island rockshow conflagration story is an equal bummer. When the story first came out several years ago, it seemed like a bad Spinal Tap joke: metal fans burn in club because of band rockin' too hard, kids throwing devil horns in the air as fireworks launch. But the testimony from the victims' families remind us that it's not a SNL skit and 100 people died. It's clear that Daniel Biechele feels tremendous remorse.

But the good news is that worker power is smart! Janitors at UC Berkeley are picketing for higher wages with brilliant timing! Former presidential candidate Howard Dean and State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez both refused to cross the picket line to speak at UCB graduations.

I'm happy to close out my work week on that note.

Towards Land, Work, & Power

Upon the heels of the Hugo Chavez screening, I picked up Towards Land, Work & Power published by People Organized to Win Employment Rights.

This is a great entry for me to try to catch up on anti-imperialist strategies and a better understanding of advanced capitalism.

It's published in Spanish and Chinese and at the Modern Times book event, I realizezd that one of the authors is an old college collegue (with her new name)!

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

There ain't nothing like a documentary film to provide a quick lesson on any topic. Sure, reading and researching will help you get into the details, but in just TWO hours, I feel caught up on the Hugo Chavez story: with his increased democratic participation, progressive social programs, and anti-imperialist cooperation.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, produced by the BBC, has unique footage as the producers were there in Caracas, when the coup in 2002 took place.

Unfortunately, after the festival circuit, there hasn't been distribution of the documentary, so viewings will need to take place in small house party settings or from internet downloads. Let me know if you're interested in viewing; I've got a copy!

Save our Public Media

Over five years ago, I got all teary eyed when a London tour bus swung by the BBC building. To me, the building represented government support for the media dissemination of culture, education, news, and entertainment, to its country-folk with a global perspective.

Sadly, the state of American media is reduced to info-tainment. And with Bush in his second term, it's only getting worse.

If you believe in American democracy, then you must believe in a strong public discourse that allows many different perspectives be heard. So maybe NPR is mostly uses white men for their sound bites or fails to cover key stories/angles that people from progressive left find important. We can't let the POTENTIAL the Corporation for Public Broadcasting offers.

Please scan this page and call your congressperson! It's quick. You don't have to have arguments prepared; their aides just register your perspective.