Latino Insurgent: 04/29/07

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Puerto Rican Citizenship Returns to the People

In 1917 the United States Congress unilaterally passed the Jones Act imposing American citizenship to the people of Puerto Rico, just in time to draft many into American uniforms to fight in World War I. During the intervening years the idea of Puerto Rican citizenship, separate from American citizenship, has been debated almost exclusively among the intellectual circles of the island and rendering the issue dead among the masses. Now after many years Puerto Ricans will once again be able to claim their rightful citizenship once again.

In 1995, Puerto Rican activist Juan Mari Bras flew to Venezuela and denounced his American citizenship in protest of the against the colonial rule of the United States. Juan Mari bras then returned to the island as a Puerto Rican citizen, but no longer an American citizen. Among the arguments that ensued over his action was whether he would now be able to vote in elections in Puerto Rico, since it was only American citizenship that had been recognize since 1917. However the issue came to a resolution in 1997 when the Puerto Rican Supreme Court declared that not only did Mari Bras have official Puerto Rican citizenship, but that all Puerto Ricans had such citizenship as well.

Now in 2007, 90 years after the Jones Act and 10 years after the declaration of the Puerto Rican Supreme Court, the State Department of Puerto Rico will begin issuing once again citizenship papers certifying Puerto Rican citizenship. All Puerto Ricans, either born in the island, born of Puerto Rican parents, or American citizens who have lived in the island for at least a year are eligible for certification. Puerto Ricans residing outside the island may also get their citizenship.

There is a question still whether citizenship will be automatic for anyone else born in the island from this point forward, though it seems doubtful since the island government will charge $30 for the certification of citizenship. But that just means we'll need another court case to make that right, and the hard part is over now. Thank you Juan Mari Bras

Puerto Rican Activist Arrested in Palestine

From The International Solidarity Movement (ISM)April 20, 2007

Alberto De Jesus, a Puerto Rican activist know as Tito Kayak, is under house arrest until 8:30 pm tonight, finishing the 96 hour period that was imposed on him by a military judge in Ofer Military Base, last Sunday night. Tito has been in the home of friends and cannot leave to the police station to get his passport until after the sentence is finished.

Tito was arrested Friday, April 20th, after unfurling a Palestinian flag on top of an Israeli surveillance tower of the Apartheid wall, next to the village of Bil’in , Palestine . His non-violent action took place simultaneously with a press conference at the weekly non-violent demonstration of the Apartheid wall. Bil’in has become the symbol of the non-violent struggle of the people of Palestine and Tito came in solidarity to stand with them in their non-violent resistance as he had done for the people of Vieques, Puerto Rico. The Viequenses struggled non-violently for 60 years to remove the US navy and stop them from using their island as a bombing practice zone. They were successful by May, 2003. Tito expressed that the Palestinians will succeed as well through their non-violent struggle and through more support from the international community.

After he was detained by police, Tito Kayak was held under military code in a prison in Beth El Settlement, near the city of Ramallah until Sunday night. The 96 hours imposed on Tito is what is routinely meted out to Palestinians under this code. His lawyers, Gaby Lasky and Lymor Goldstein are negotiating for his early release so that he can return to the US with his delegation from Puerto Rico on his scheduled flight tonight at midnight. We heard from Mr. Goldstein that Tito sends his greetings to the people of Bil’in and all Palestinians from prison.

[Read the Full Report]

Friday, May 04, 2007

Latino Insurgent Speaks

Will have video of the speech soon.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Full Coverage: MayDay Rally at MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, CA

The May 1st pro-immigrant protest of 2006 was the largest protest by immigrants in United States history. In contrast to those peaceful protests of 2006, the protest of 2007 will forever be marked by the heavy handed behavior of the Los Angeles Police Department. There are conflicting reports as to how it all began, but everyone from the LA Chief of Police to the cities Mayor have now come forward to say that the police was wrong and a full investigation will now take place (we'll see) to find out exactly what happened. (Picture by Robert Gauthier / LATimes)

This post was put together after compiling video sources from amateur to professional sources that I could find online.

From gamejew.com

From LA Fox News Channel 11

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Recovering from May 1st Rallies

Hey,

After a full day of marching and chanting, and after taking way too much of the Florida sun... I need little me time to recover. I'm working on a may first redux post with video and pics of the whole movement just need a day to get it together. check back soon.

Latino Insurgent

P.S. here's some funny white people to keep you entertained...

Monday, April 30, 2007

Stand united on May 1st

Whether you call it The Great American Boycott, or the "Day without Immigrants", or the May Day March... it doesn't matter. This is the largest single-day organized protest for human rights in history, now in its second year. Below is a list of places and organizations taking part. Unfortunately despite the efforts of different organizations there is still no complete list, so if you do not see your city or town below, chances are that there is something happening anyways and it just hasn't been announced nationally.

Arizona

Tucson

Tuesday, May 1
8:00 am - Gather SouthGate 3300 S. 6th Ave (6th Ave & 44th St)
9:00 am - March to Downtown Tucson
12:00 pm - Rally at Armory Park 220 S 5th Ave

Tucson May 1st Coalition
PO Box 1286
Tucson AZ 85702
520-770-1373 • may1@iactucson.org
mayday2007.iactucson.org

Download flyers in Español and English

California

Davis
Tuesday, May 1
UC Davis Campus, Memorial Union Patio
11-12:00 - Rally at MU patio with musicians and performers
11:30 am - Solidarity Walk Out. Congregate at MU patio
12:00 pm - March
Davis Students Against War Resource

dsawresource@gmail.com
http://daviswiki.org/UCD_May_1%2C_2007:_Day_of_Action

Los Angeles

Tuesday, May 1
12:00 pm - March at the beginning of Olympic & Broadway

National May 1st Movement for Worker & Immigrant Rights
5274 West Pico Blvd. #203
Los Angeles CA 90019
323.702.6397
Download flyers in Español and English

Modesto

Tuesday, May 1
10:00 am - Rally - Corner of Crows Landing & Hatch Rds.

www.modestobrownberets.com/cms
contact@modestobrownberets.com
www.aztlanrising.com
contact@aztlanrising.com
Download flyers in Español/English

Romoland

Tuesday, May 1
5-8:30 pm - corner of 2nd St. and Highway 74

m_rose_d@hotmail.com

San Diego

Tuesday, May 1
3:00pm - March/Rally - Corner of Park and A

Si Se Puede Coalition
619-309-7435 • davidschmidt2003@hotmail.com

San Francisco

Tuesday, May 1
12:00 pm - Dolores Park in the Mission District
1:00 pm - Grand March for Unconditional Amnesty to the Civic Center

Movimiento Por Una Amnistia Incondicional/Movement for an Unconditional Amnesty
415.287.0749
AmnistiaSF@gmail.com

San Francisco

Tuesday, May 1
7-9:00 pm - Mission & 24th Streets - Candlelight Vigil for Unconditional & General Amnesty

Barrio Unido

Colorado

Denver

Tuesday, May 1
10:00 am - Lincoln Park

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC)
1212 Mariposa St; Suite 5
Denver, CO 80204
303.893.3500 • julien@coloradoimmigrant.org
www.coloradoimmigrant.org

Florida

Orlando
Tuesday, May 1
10:00am Lake Eola Park, Downtown Orlando

Belle Glade
Tuesday, May 1
10:00 am, Pioneer Park, 866 S.R. 715

West Palm Beach
Tuesday, May 1
3:00 pm Demonstrators will meet at Okeechobee Blvd. and Sapodilla Ave.
and march to Federal Building, 701 Clematis St

Weston
Tuesday, May 1
2:00 pm Demonstrators will meet outside Rick Case Honda
15700 Rick Case Honda Way, Weston, and drive to a Miami rally.

Miami
Tuesday, May 1
3:00 pm Government Center, 111 NW 1st Street.
5:30 pm march from Government Center through downtown Miami.

Tampa
Tuesday, May 1
1:00 pm to 5 p.m. on Dale Mabry Highway
near Raymond James Stadium.

Illinois

Chicago

Tuesday, May 1
10:00 AM – Plantón/Rally – Union Park [Ashland Ave. and Washington St.]
12:00 PM – Marcha/March – Randolph St., Desplaines St., Jackson Blvd., Columbus Dr.
2:00 PM – Plantón/Rally – Grant Park [Balbo Dr. and Columbus Dr.]

March 10th Movement
1638 S. Blue Island Ave
Chicago, IL 60608
877.762.7242
Info@movimiento10demarzo.org

Kentucky

Louisville

Tuesday May 1

5-7:00 pm - Rally/March - Gene Snyder Courthouse to Jefferson Park

The Kentucky May Day Coalition
859-685-0387
www.kccir.org

Download flyers in Español and English

Massachusetts

Boston

Tuesday May 1

4:00 pm - Rally/March - Boston Common

Boston May Day Coalition
617.290.5614 • info@bostonmayday.org
www.bostonmayday.org

Chelsea

Tuesday May 1

2:00 pm - March from Everett City Hall
3:00 pm - March from Chelsea City Hall
4:00 pm - Rally in Central Square, East Boston

Chelsea Collaborative
300 Broadway Chelsea, MA 02150
617.889.6080 • mail@chelseacollab.org
www.chelseacollab.org

Download flyers in Español/English

Michigan

Detroit

Tuesday May 1 - Time/Place - TBD

Latinos Unidos/United de Michigan (LUUM)
Rosendo Delgado - 313.887.1849
Ignacio Meneses - 313.587.9285
Elena Herrada - 313.974.0501
www.luum.org

Download flyers in Español and English

Minnesota

Minneapolis

Tuesday May 1

4:00 pm - March - Lake St. & Nicollet St.

MN Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAC)
651.389.9174
www.MNImmigrantRights.net
Download flyers in Español/English
Download Posters in Español and English

Nevada

Las Vegas

Tuesday May 1

7:00 pm - US Federal Courthouse, 333 Las Vegas Blvd. S.

United Coalition for Immigrant Rights
740 N. Eastern Avenue, Suite 110
Las Vegas, NV 89101
ucir_lv@yahoo.com

New Jersey

Elizabeth

Tuesday May 1

11:00 am - Warinanco Park
Mass Meeting

NJ May 1 Coalition
973-736-0522 • info@njmay1.org
www.njmay1.org

New York

Buffalo

Tuesday May 1
3:00 pm - McKinley High School on Elmwood Avenue
Marching to a Speakout at Elmwood and Bidwell
Car caravan from there to City Hall

Buffalo/WNY International Action Center
iacbuffalo@action-mail.org

New York City

Tuesday May 1
4:00 pm - Rally & March
Union Square Park, 14 St. & Broadway
Marching to Federal Plaza/ Foley Square
(Site of the African Burial Ground)

NYC May 1 Coalition
55 W 17th St.
New York, NY 10011
646.291.2778 • www.may1.info>
Download flyers in Español and English

North Carolina

Charlotte

Tuesday May 1

4:00 pm - Central Ave & The Plaza
gather in front of the Harris Teeter to show our support for the Justice at Smithfield Campaign being waged by workers.
The march will end at the vigil called by Communities for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
6:00 - Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center
600 E. 4th St., Charlotte, NC 28202
Contact: Ruben Campillo, (704) 531-3848

May 1st Charlotte Movement for Workers & Immigrants Rights
704.492.8527 • may1charlotte@gamil.com
www.may1charlotte.info

Raleigh

Tuesday May 1

5-7:00 pm Rally - State Capitol

North Carolina Justice Center
919.856.2178 • dani@ncjustice.org
ncimmigrants.blogspot.com

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh

Tuesday May 1

5:00 pm - Rally/March - Allegheny County Jail, 2nd Ave.
Marching to Mellon Square Park, 6th Ave.

Pittsburgh Friends of Immigrants

Texas

San Antonio

Tuesday May 1

12:00 pm - Rally - Milam Park
6:00 pm - March

Southwest Workers Union
210.299.2666
www.swunion.org
Download flyers in Español/English

Washington

Yakima

Tuesday May 1

3:30 pm - March - Miller Park

Grupo Comunitario por Justicia y Derechos de los Inmigrantes
509.457.5867 or 509.930.6532

Wisconsin

Madison

Tuesday May 1

12:00pm - Rally/March - Capitol to Brittingham Park

Union de Trabajadores Inmigrantes
Immigrant Workers Union
608.345.9544 or 608.446.3656
uti.madison@gmail.com
www.uniondetrabajadores.org
download flyers in Español or English

Milwaukee

Tuesday May 1

Un Dia Sin Latin@s/A Day Without Latin@s
Estatal Marcha por Derechos Civiles y Boicot/Statewide Civil Rights March & Boycott
12:00 pm - Voces de la Frontera, 1027 S. 5th St.

Voces de la Frontera
Wisconsin Legalization Coalition
414.643.1620 • vocesdelafrontera@sbcglobal.net
www.vocesdelafrontera.net
download flyers in Español/English

Resources:
Organizing websites
National May 1st Movement for Worker and Immigrant Rights
National Immigrant Solidarity Network

Penn & Teller call out the Bullshit of the so-called "immigration problem"

I wish they had spent some time on the economic side of the bullshit, but I can forgive the oversight given its' only a half hour show... still maybe its reason for a Part 2 on the issue.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

The War on Drugs Deconstructed

by Michael Deliz

While American soccer moms run away from the mere mention of the "evil" plant, coca is a revered and widely used home remedy for the indigenous peoples of the Andean region of Latin America. The difference in perspective is more than mere cultural variation, it is perhaps the longest lasting psychological effect of the Cold War upon the American people and its government.

The War on Drugs was of course never meant as an actual war on drugs but as an excuse to intervene in Latin America against leftist/communist organizations. This pseudo-proxy war of the Cold War allowed the U.S. almost naked support for paramilitary forces throughout the Andes and Central America, during the 1980s and 1990s. This was of course founded upon the shaky premise that leftist groups were being financed by the drug trade, that however was a false premise and merely an invented justification, as most rebel groups were founded and operated significantly in the 50s and 60s before there was a market for cocaine in 1980's America. In fact, Coca production in Colombia was rare until the early 1990s.

Even if the premise were true we would have found large stashes of cash during counterintelligence raids into rebel facilities. There would be testimony from captured rebels about drug operations tying the cocaine sales pipeline all the way to the rebels. But it doesn't exist. Instead it seems as though all the money and military might has done nothing to even slow the flow of narcotics into the U.S. How can this be? How can there be no measurable effect from a program that cost the US $45 billion in 1995 and grew to $143 billion in just three years? In fact if you look at this graph:

Essentially we can draw two clear conclusions from this graph; 1)major interventions have only a temporary effect and only on the retail price 2)Despite the program's intensification over the years the wholesale price has only dropped, widening the profit margin, while maintaining retail prices relatively flat over time.

The importance of the wholesale price cannot be overstated. The fact that the wholesale price drops means that not only has there been a slight over-supply year after year but also that efficiency in the system has increased at a natural pace. This is completely incongruous with the fact that this year the U.S. spent billions to supposedly stop all this. No government can be so consistently inept.

In fact in 2006 Marijuana became the biggest cash crop of the U.S. taking in $35 billion per year, and South American coca produced its largest harvest in 2005. All while the retail price has remained constant and predictable, while the wholesale price has decreased. In fact marijuana which is the most targeted of drugs in the U.S. has seen a ten-fold increase in its domestic harvest. This is still impossible to reconcile even if we take the roll over effect into account.

This roll over effect is the result of the spraying in one area leading farmers to roll over their crops to another field to replace production. Even if this effect is true that there is a kind of "moving target" here. The actual trend of the wholesale price would however suggest that more farms are created and at a faster pace than farms are destroyed, which is logistically impossible. Mass production transfers from field to field would actually create great peaks in the wholesale price, and the price would therefore increase over time. The data doesn't show this.

The total effect upon drug production in fact seems to be much less a "war" than a measured attempt at stabilization of an industry, which could not be more effective than if conducted by the industry itself.

Essentially the economic history seems to suggest a type of collusion among the parties involved, rather than an attempt at eradication. The fact that the three largest initiatives shown on the graph precede a U.S. Presidential election is not a coincidence.

The collusion is mapped in this way.
During the height of the cultural revolution in the late 50s and 60s, drug use became a visible middle class activity especially among the youth. Drug use was therefore blamed publicly for the apparent rebelliousness of the coming of age generation, which was highly critical of government activity (ie: Civil Rights, Vietnam, Watergate, etc...). Accusing the drugs rather than crediting the fact that an intelligent middle class had finally become established in White-America. This latter fact was a result of increased public school enrollment and college attendance among the non-wealthy in the post WWII years. The American public, first taught to blame drugs is then taught drug use is a threat to their standard of living and must therefore fight it. This public perspective promotes into political office individuals who not only promise a get tough approach but perhaps also grew up believing in an apocalyptic version of future society where drug use could become mainstream.

These politicians must promise results against this possible future. And therefore progressively pass harsher legislation against drug use but more significantly approve funding for the cause. As payoff, they get to look like they are seriously attacking the problem, and always claiming to have done a better job than their predecessor.

Funding for the war on drugs is largely spent domestically where the citizens can view the results first hand, through local law enforcement. Out of over 143 billion dollars spent per year less than a billion is spent in the eradication of drugs at the source of production. At the Federal level military efforts are however part of the solution. The end result is of course a sort of trade off.

American military and financial aid is granted upon the ruling elite of Latin America, which puts it to use to suppress political dissent. This ruling elite is propped up by the aid which helps to also secure the well being of the ruling classes over the majority poor lower class. Where the target of the American public is the drugs themselves, the target of the Latin American ruling classes is the poor alone.

This aid, both military and financial, then became necessary to maintain the rich in charge and superior to the poor, a symbiotic dependency system was created. While American politicians could claim reelection, Latin American elites could continue their exploitation of the masses and disruption of indigenous attempts to organize, all financed by the American government. Meanwhile the drug trade continues uninterrupted.

Relevant Media Sources:
NarcoNews - Coca Growers Shake the Andes Once Again
Living in Peru - Civil unrest breaks out between Peru's coca farmers and police
Associated Press - Peru Congress grants president power to fight drugs, terrorism by decree
Sun-Sentinel Report - Bolivian coca crop holds steady

Texaco accused of damaging Amazon basin

[Editorial Note: If Ecuador is successful in this, we will see a lot more such demands from Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, maybe even Colombia.]

Correa accuses Texaco
Fri, 27 Apr 2007

American oil company Texaco was accused by president Correa as being responsible for the ecological damages caused in the Amazon basin.

He said the catastrophic damages not only recalled those suffered by the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989 (in which Alaska Sea was polluted with 11 million gallons of crude oil) but were proved to be much worse in the Amazon case.

During his visit to some areas in eastern Orellana and Sucumbios provinces, President Correa stressed that "the atrocity committed by the multinational" must be witnessed by the world.

More than one thousand pools of waste exist in the Amazon basin today, where Texaco company drilled for crude oil from 1964 to the early 90's.

He termed the cause of the contaminations as "wild capitalism" and concluded that the $40 million compensation paid by Texaco was nothing more than "the same amount the president of the firm won as salary last year."

Correa expects the American oil firm to answer for the damages of their 30 year exploitations.

ZHD/KB

Pictures of ecological damage: [Full Gallery at Newsday.com]

Source: Press TV, Newsday

Rumor: Fidel Castro set to return to power May 1st

This isn't the first time such a rumor has surfaced. Some expected Castro to appear before the Energy Summit held a few weeks ago in Venezuela, others have suggested Castro has already died and the news is actually being kept from the public. This time the rumors have been sparked by Evo Morales, President of Bolivia who was quoted as saying that "I'm sure, my Cuban brothers, that on May 1 comrade Fidel will return to governing Cuba..." The truth is nobody who actually knows is talking, so what do we actually know?

Fidel has become increasingly active over the past month. Not only has he written a number of articles accusing the Bush administration of endangering food supplies with ethanol production, but just last week Castro hosted the Chinese ambassador for economic and political talks about the region.

Castro is definitely alive. What we don't know is to what degree he is able to conduct business. His articles could have been ghost written, and his meeting with the Chinese ambassador was a closed door affair, with only excerpts made available to the public. Raul Castro has also stayed relatively quiet, though never much of a camera hog, Raul has certainly been more private than Fidel ever was.

So what do we have in the end..? Nothing just a rumor. Though I must admit I am curios to see Fidel back at the podium delivering another 4-5 hour speech.

Source: Press TV, Reuters

Brazil to drill for oil in Caspian Sea

Iran, Brazil to drill in Caspian

Brazil's Petrobras will sign a $450m deal with Iran in the coming days for oil exploration and development activities in the Caspian Sea.

Managing director of the Khazar (Caspian Sea) Oil Company, Mohammad Hossein Dana made the comment, adding," The value of the contract may be raised to $15-20b in future once the relevant master development plan is prepared."

The official described the contract as a major achievements of the Khazar Oil Company.

"The Brazilian company will be utilizing deep-water drilling technology, which we currently lack", he added.

"The need for environmental studies as well as inadequate infrastructure and equipment for the project have prolonged talks on the project", the official added.

Referring to Russian oil exploration and development activities in the Caspian Sea, he said," Iran is willing to cooperate with Russia in this regard and we welcome Russia's participation in this project."

He added," The Brazilian company has accepted the risks involved in the venture given the current political condition of the region".

MRD/HAR
Source: Press TV