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Chris Hedges with Mickey Huff : A KPFA Zoom Event
OUR CLASS, Trauma and Transformation in an American Prison
…………………………………………………………………………………………
With the force of an Old Testament prophet Chris Hedges has denounced with righteous eloquence the unjust distribution of wealth in this country, decrying the moral decay of powerful elites. His latest book, Our Class, lays bare the cruelty of the American penal system.
Since 2013 Hedges has taught courses in the college degree program offered by Rutgers University at East Jersey State Prison and other state prisons. Having read a number of plays with Hedges, his incarcerated students wrote a play of their own, Caged, which ran for a month in 2018 to sold out audiences at the Passage Theater in Trenton, New Jersey.
Our Class is a chronicle of a remarkable creative process, exploring the artistic and personal discoveries that emerged. In this immensely readable and moving work, Hedges brings to life the remarkable stories of the incarcerated men, who speak for themselves, revealing with candor their struggles to live lives of dignity and purpose.
“This book could change everything . . . . It could make graspable why today’s prisons are contemporary slave plantations. I couldn’t put it down and I tried.”
– Alice Walker
“Raw and intimate. . . . Combining searing, well-informed critiques of the U.S. criminal justice system with sympathetic character profiles and inspirational accounts of intellectual and emotional breakthroughs, this is a powerful look at how creative expression can provide ‘a taste of freedom.’” – Publishers Weekly
Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, a foreign correspondent for fifteen years working for The New York Times as bureau chief in the Middle East and the Balkans. He has a Masters of Divinity from Harvard University and is the author of many books, including War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, a National Book Critics Circle finalist, and Empire of Illusion; Death of the Liberal Class; Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt; Wages of Rebellion, Unspeakable; and America, The Farewell Tour. He has taught at Columbia, New York University, and Princeton. He currently writes for Truthdig.
Mickey Huff is director of Project Censored and president of the nonprofit Media Freedom Foundation. He has edited or co-edited ten annual volumes of Censored and is currently professor of social science and history at Diablo Valley College. He is producer and co-host of the Project Censored Show, a weekly syndicated public affairs program aired over KPFA Radio and fifty community radio stations.
Contrary to the claims of U.S. media that the November 7 Nicaragua election was illegitimate, independent observers report that it was free, fair, and democratic. We invited Rich Sterling who was in Nicaragua as an official observer to discuss the actual situation. Rick’s report can be found at:
What I Saw on Election Day in Nicaragua. By Rick Sterling.
Our speaker, Rick Sterling, is an investigative journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is active with the Taskforce on the Americas and other organizations including Syrian Solidarity Movement and the Mount Diablo Peace and Justice Center. Rick has researched and written articles challenging the trend toward corporatization of higher education. He is an active supporter of KPFA (listener sponsored radio) and Rossmoor Voices for Justice in Palestine. Rick was a full-time activist in his early years, had a 25-year detour working as an engineer in the electronics and aerospace industries, primarily at UC Berkeley, and has now returned to work full time where his heart is: progressive international causes.
LOGIN INFORMATION
We Intend to start the presentation as close to 10:30 am as possible, but the Zoom room will be opened up, as usual, at 10:15 for anyone to join and discuss technical matters, catch up with each other, say Hi, etc.. The program (and recording) will end at 12:30, but the Waiting Room will remain open until about 1 pm for informal discussion.
THIS ZOOM LINK IS GOOD FOR
SUNDAY, Nov 21, 2021 ONLY
The ICSS is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Sunday Morning at the Marxist Library
What I Saw on Election Day in Nicaragua – Rick Sterling
Time: Nov 21, 2021 10:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting:
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Meeting ID: 879 6212 9527
Passcode: 113056
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Meeting ID: 879 6212 9527
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It's time for another CDP Friendsgiving Potluck! Join us on Nov 21 at 1:00PM at Mosswood Park! Bring a dish or drink to share with CDP members and supporters. We're having a potluck to celebrate all of the friends we've made while working to bring a #PeoplesBudget to Oakland! pic.twitter.com/QaAcdqxFjU
— CDP-Oakland (@OAKCDP) November 18, 2021
The winter holiday season in the United States can be super isolating, depressing, anxiety-producing, and triggering for many of us, especially during the pandemic! Luckily, several CDP members have been trained in peer counseling and we're here for you! pic.twitter.com/3qyMl0HhMT
— CDP-Oakland (@OAKCDP) November 18, 2021
Email strike.debt.bay.area@gmail.com a few days beforehand for the the online invite.
For December, 2021 we’re reading the first half of “Mine!: How the Hidden Rules of Ownership Control Our Lives” by Heller & Saltzman. Amazon., Powells.
For January, 2022 we’re reading the second half.
Strike Debt Bay Area hosts this non-technical book group discussion monthly on new and radical economic thinking. Previous readings have included Doughnut Economics, Limits, Banking on the People, Capital and Its Discontents, How to Be an Anti-Capitalist in the 21st Century, The Deficit Myth, Revenge Capitalism, the Edge of Chaos blog symposium , Re-enchanting the World: Feminism and the Politics of the Commons, The Optimist’s Telescope, Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism, Exploring Degrowth,
and The Origin of Wealth.
Venezuela’s Mega-elections
The Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela has provided international leadership to the anti-imperialist struggle and a promise that a better world is possible. Consequently, it has been targeted for regime change by the US, which has illegally blockaded the country causing immense human suffering. The extreme right opposition will be participating in the November 21 mega-elections, rather than boycotting, for the first time in years.
If the extreme right does well, the US and its sycophantic press will proclaim that socialism has failed in Venezuela and the (in fact, blackmailed) people have spoken. If the extreme right does poorly, the US and its allies will visit even more misery on Venezuela, claiming the true voice of the people had been suppressed. Our speaker, Roger Harris, will report back on his observation of the elections in Venezuela and what the popular movements and their leadership have accomplished.
Roger D. Harris is a member of the ICSS program committee. He is active with the human rights organization, the Task Force on the Americas, and is on the executive committee of the US Peace Council. His political writings may be found at Counterpunch, Dissident Voice, Mint Press News, Popular Resistance, and the Orinoco Tribune. Earlier this year, Roger observed and wrote on elections in Ecuador (https://orinocotribune.com/us-role-behind-the-defeat-of-ecuadors-leftist-presidential-candidate/) and Nicaragua (https://dissidentvoice.org/2021/11/nicaragua-has-a-public-relations-problem-not-a-democracy-problem/).
LOGIN INFORMATION
We Intend to start the presentation as close to 10:30 am as possible, but the Zoom room will be opened up, as usual, at 10:15 for anyone to join and discuss technical matters, catch up with each other, say Hi, etc.. The program (and recording) will end at 12:30, but the Waiting Room will remain open until about 1 pm for informal discussion.
THIS ZOOM LINK IS GOOD FOR
SUNDAY, Dec 5, 2021 ONLY
ICSS Sunday Morning at the Marxist Library
Sunday, December 5, 2021 Roger Harris – Report Back: Elections in Venezuela
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88171014297?pwd=dXZDRjNxc0RFRU5QTlkyeTNJS3Zqdz09
Meeting ID: 881 7101 4297
Passcode: 804517
One tap mobile
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+13462487799,,88171014297#,,,,*804517# US (Houston)
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 881 7101 4297
Passcode: 804517
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdVN0k8euW
Protect Solar Farms In Alameda County
On Thursday, Dec 9th at 9:00am the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will be voting on a proposed moratorium for utility-scale solar farms in Alameda County. Most proponents of solar are urging a NO vote on the moratorium. See this doc for more info on how to contact your supervisor if you live in Alameda County, and how to join the meeting on Thursday to give your public comment. Info here!
On line. Free.
Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christopher-w-shaw-in-conversation-with-ralph-nader-tickets-168501012063
Celebrating the release of First Class, which investigates the essential role that the postal system plays in American democracy.
Christopher W. Shaw and Ralph Nader (joining via telephone) to discuss
First Class: The U.S. Postal Service, Democracy, and the Corporate Threat by Christopher W. Shaw
published by City Lights Books
Moderated by Katherine Isaac. Ralph Nader will be joining us via telephone.
The fight over the future of the U.S. Postal Service is on. Political ideologues and corporate interests have long sought to remake the USPS from a public institution into a private business, and in 2020, during an election dependent on mail-in votes, the attacks escalated. This year, with mid-term elections fast approaching and the next presidential contest on the horizon, attempts to undermine the essential role of the USPS are gaining ground. Three states have already passed laws to limit voting by mail, with more poised to do the same. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy recently unveiled a “10-year plan” that openly promises slower delivery times, price hikes on postage, and reduced access to post offices, outlining the next stage of battle.
In First Class, Christopher Shaw provides an illuminating history of the U.S. Postal Service, exposing the various campaigns against it. He argues that current attacks have implications that go beyond the future of mail service, and will have grave consequences for American democracy if they are not stopped.
FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 10 AM – 3 PM, 2363A San Pablo Ave, Oakland: Serenity House will be hosting a free COVID vaccine event for all ages 5+. Hot meals & $50 gift cards available. All 3 vaccines available (including boosters). No appointment or ID required. pic.twitter.com/NiUYZSrE13
— Supervisor Keith Carson (@Keith_Carson) December 3, 2021
Join us for an Eviction-Free BBQ on Saturday, December 11 from 1-3 pm in the Panhandle! Join us on the corner of Fell and Baker Streets, meet some neighbors, get help with eviction protections and rent relief, and bring the fight against evictions into the new year! pic.twitter.com/AYVZaemxVB
— DSA San Francisco (@DSA_SF) December 6, 2021
Just back from Ukraine, where he is reporting for Moscow-based RT and making a documentary on Donbass, correspondent Don Courter will give an update on recent events in the Russian Federation and the situation in Ukraine
Our speaker, Don Courter, is a Moscow-based RT correspondent and host of The Revolution Report.
LOGIN INFORMATION
We Intend to start the presentation as close to 10:30 am as possible, but the Zoom room will be opened up, as usual, at 10:15 for anyone to join and discuss technical matters, catch up with each other, say Hi, etc.. The program (and recording) will end at 12:30, but the Waiting Room will remain open until about 1 pm for informal discussion.
THIS ZOOM LINK IS GOOD FOR
SUNDAY, Dec 12, 2021 ONLY
Raj Sahai is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Raj Sahai’s Zoom Meeting
Time: Dec 12, 2021 10:15 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2591082607?pwd=b1pkMkxxM0JhRkw2SUI2b1BUQklTQT09
Meeting ID: 259 108 2607
Passcode: ICSS1212rs
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,2591082607#,,,,*1640513979# US (San Jose)
+13462487799,,2591082607#,,,,*1640513979# US (Houston)
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 259 108 2607
Passcode: 1640513979
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc4RrpvAiQ
Celebrate the Holiday Season with old friends and new. We’ll have good fun, yummy food, and open dialogue at the 2021 Annual Potluck Holiday Party. Please bring masks and proof of vaccination (or of a negative Covid test between 12/9 and 12/12). Note: Covid tests in North Oakland, at no charge to individuals, with a turnaround time of 24 hours, are available via: https://www.testthepeople.org/ We will also likely have an outdoor party in the first half of next year.
Where:
*****It’s Your Move Games and Hobbies*****
Please bring a drink or dish of your choice to share!**See you there!**
(There will be no Green Sunday Program or Green County Council meeting in December. We’ll party instead. The next regular Green Sunday program will be the second Sunday in January, 2022, followed as usual by the Alameda Green Party County Council.)
https://acgreens.wordpress.com/
Express your green ideas and “like” us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/greenpartyofalamedacounty/
Those we trust to keep our community and all of
its members safe must answer when they fail to
do so. Ongoing oversight is good government.
The US Justice Department recently found
conditions in the Alameda county jail violate
constitutional rights and subject the 40% in
custody who need mental health services to
“unlawful harm.” Law suits are costing the county
millions. Our county sheriff’s department needs a
major transformation and ongoing oversight.
Assembly Bill 1185 provides for a community-based
Oversight Board and an Inspector General
with subpoena power to help supervise sheriff’s
departments and jails. This is an opportunity for
our community to gain accountability over an
extremely problematic and costly county service.
Community Advocates have a plan:
https://bit.ly/AB1185letter
District Town Halls on oversight of Sheriff
Monday, Dec.13 – 6-8pm – D5 Supervisor Carson – REGISTER
Tuesday, Dec.14 – 6-8pm – D1 & D2 – Supervisors Haubert & Valle – REGISTER
Wednesday, Dec.15 – 6-8pm – D3 & D4 – Supervisors Brown & Miley – REGISTER
Everyone is welcome at all Community Engagement zoom Meetings, but your voice will
be most effective at your own District meeting. For information on which District is yours:
Find Your District: https://www.acgov.org/ms/addresslookup/
Additional Information and a shareable link with all of the zoom meeting
information and suggestions to advocates for the most independent,
effective & representative oversight model, HERE: https://bit.ly/3F8Hr4J
Those we trust to keep our community and all of
its members safe must answer when they fail to
do so. Ongoing oversight is good government.
The US Justice Department recently found
conditions in the Alameda county jail violate
constitutional rights and subject the 40% in
custody who need mental health services to
“unlawful harm.” Law suits are costing the county
millions. Our county sheriff’s department needs a
major transformation and ongoing oversight.
Assembly Bill 1185 provides for a community-based
Oversight Board and an Inspector General
with subpoena power to help supervise sheriff’s
departments and jails. This is an opportunity for
our community to gain accountability over an
extremely problematic and costly county service.
Community Advocates have a plan:
https://bit.ly/AB1185letter
District Town Halls on oversight of Sheriff
Monday, Dec.13 – 6-8pm – D5 Supervisor Carson – REGISTER
Tuesday, Dec.14 – 6-8pm – D1 & D2 – Supervisors Haubert & Valle – REGISTER
Wednesday, Dec.15 – 6-8pm – D3 & D4 – Supervisors Brown & Miley – REGISTER
Everyone is welcome at all Community Engagement zoom Meetings, but your voice will
be most effective at your own District meeting. For information on which District is yours:
Find Your District: https://www.acgov.org/ms/addresslookup/
Additional Information and a shareable link with all of the zoom meeting
information and suggestions to advocates for the most independent,
effective & representative oversight model, HERE: https://bit.ly/3F8Hr4J
On Dec 15th, at 7:00 pm PST, renowned economist Michael Shuman and journalist Mark Sommer will join us to discuss the potential of “green baby bonds.”
During World War II the Roosevelt administration ran short of money to finance the war effort and turned to ordinary citizens to buy “war bonds” in denominations from $25 to $1,000, small enough to be affordable to every American adult. Half the U.S. population, 85 million Americans, bought Series E bonds, generating $185 billion in 1945 dollars. The same concept could generate trillions of dollars today to help cities meet urgent priorities for climate, solarization, affordable housing, and green infrastructure.
Here’s a recent Newsweek article where Shuman and Sommer discuss the potential of micro-bonds to self-finance a rapid build-out of microgrids, energy efficiency measures, and other resilience strategies across the country. Please join us in learning more about these bonds and how they could be integrated in our evolving concept of a public bank.
Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and a leading visionary on community economics. He is the Director of Local Economy Programs for Neighborhood Associates Corporation, and an Adjunct Professor at Bard Business School in New York City. He is credited with being one of the architects of the 2012 JOBS Act and author of several books, most recently: Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401(k)s.
Mark Sommer is an award-winning public radio and print journalist specializing in energy and environmental issues. Since the 1970’s he has focused both his personal and professional life on advocating a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. He was the founder and host of the international radio program, A World of Possibilities, and is the author of several books and hundreds of op-eds in major newspapers world-wide.
Donate to the East Bay Public Bank!
WORK WITH PUBLIC BANK EAST BAY
If you would like to get involved, we have lots for you to do, including advocacy with local organizations, educational events like this one, social media, and more. Our next meeting is Tuesday, 12/14, at 7pm on Zoom. Email us for the Zoom invitation to that meeting. (That’s the night before the Green Baby Bonds event.)
Our viability study is in first draft and should be ready for public release early in the New Year. Another big step toward opening the bank doors!
Donate to the East Bay Public Bank!
Together we will make change happen!
TODAY Thurday at 6pm, join the California Progressive Alliance to discuss the #OccupyWallStreet's impact on American politics over the past decade. Sign up to attend here: https://t.co/jYhUGyJXhB pic.twitter.com/NwP1BTEPt7
— Bay Area for Bernie (@BayArea4Bernie) December 16, 2021
Join DSA SF’s International Solidarity Organizing Committee for a panel on the high-level history of Haiti from the 1804 revolution to the present day, the current situation in Haiti, the role of US imperialism historically and present day, and the current popular resistance in Haiti and in the belly of the beast.
Speakers:
Dr. Jemima Pierre is a Haitian-born activist, writer, and scholar. She is the coordinator of the Haiti/Americas committee of the Black Alliance for Peace and an editor and contributor to the Black Agenda Report. She is also an Associate Professor in African American Studies at UCLA, Jemima spoke at a DSA IC Haiti Webinar in March.
Dr. Mamyrah Dougé-Prosper is a Haitian-born activist, writer, and scholar. She is the International Coordinator for the Pan-African Solidarity Network with Community Movement Builders in the United States. Prosper is a founding member of the Black Radical, a multi-lingual Pan-African media. She is also an Assistant Professor of Global and International Studies at UC Irvine.
Jafrikayiti, also known as Jean Saint-Vil is an author, radio show host and activist. With the Canada Haitian Action Network, Solidarité Québec Haiti and others, Jafrikayiti calls on Canada and the rest of the Core Group of influential foreign powers in Haiti to stop interfering in the governance of his native land. He calls for immediate dismantling of the imperialist Core Group, so that Haitian people can build their own country on their own terms. You can find out more about him and his work at jafrikayiti.com.
Sponsored by the DSA International Committee
RIP #OscarGrant pic.twitter.com/6JGmgaTX5U
— Dave Id (@DaveId) January 1, 2022
January 6 was a violent and deadly attack against all Americans – against our country, our democracy, and our freedom as voters to choose the leaders that represent us so that we have a government of, by, and for the people.
One year later, the same faction that attacked our country on January 6th is hard at work silencing our voices by restricting our freedom to vote, attacking fair voting districts, and quietly preparing future attempts to sabotage free and fair elections and with it our democracy.
So this January 6, exactly one year later, Americans across race, place, party, and background are holding candlelight vigils to say: In America, the voters decide the outcome of elections.
The promise of democracy is not a partisan issue but a calling that unites us as Americans. To prevent this kind of attack from happening again, our elected leaders must pass urgent voter rights legislation that will protect this country from anti-democratic forces who are continuing their efforts to destroy it.
Coming together, we can prevent another January 6th attack and realize the promise of democracy for all of us – no matter our color, zip code, or income – so we all have an equal say in the decisions that shape our daily lives and futures.
Please register in advance at
https://bit.ly/EducPoliFootball
to receive your personal link for this event.
Political polarization in the United States is playing out in public school governance, policies, and curricula, as well as in political rhetoric around public education. From vaccine and mask mandates to ethnic studies, race and class battle lines abound. Our speakers will talk about the impending San Francisco School Board recall election, the recent Virginia governors’ race and other topics to illustrate how public education is serving as a staging area for system-wide conflict.
Our speakers will be:
Scott McLemee � Intellectual Affairs columnist ffor Inside Higher Ed.
Jack Gerson � retired Oakland public schoool teacher and former Oakland Education Association executive board and bargaining team member.
Nathalie Hrizi � bilingual librarian/teacheer with SFUSD for 15 years and on the UESF Executive Board for 3 years, currently VP for Substitutes, and Peace and Freedom Party candidate for Insurance Commissioner.
Our meeting host will be:
Marsha Feinland � retired teacher and activist in the Alameda Education Association, and member of the Peace and Freedom Party.
*Organizations listed for identification purposes only.
This event is sponsored by the Oakland Greens, Bay Area System Change Not Climate Change, and the Alameda County Peace and Freedom Party.
For more information email <info@sudssnackssocialism.org>
https://acgreens.wordpress.com/
Express your green ideas and “like” us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/greenpartyofalamedacounty/
Participation and/or donations appreciated! https://acgreens.wordpress.com/donate/
FLIER to print, post, distribute please:
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