July 2014

Vigil for Gaza reads out names of the dead by candlelight

On the evening of July 30th, opponents of Israel's war in Gaza read out the names of the dead over an hour and a half, by candles as it began to darken. At the time the vigil began the total Palestinian death toll had reached 1,200.

Stirring video of the vigil

#Ride4liberation: Against Deportations and the Occupation of Gaza! 12pm August 2, White House

CONTACT:For any inquiries https://www.facebook.com/events/1475475202699734/On site representative call 703 314 0456 ATTN: White House correspondents, Newspapers, TV, Radio, Online Publications  Ride 4 LiberationAgainst Deportations and the Occupation of GazaBike riders in DC ride to express support for an end to the deportation and criminalization of immigrants in the US as well as the Israeli occupation of Palestine  Washington, DC, August 2, 2014 – Bicycle riders in the nation’s capital will p

Code Pink protests for Gaza at SecState Kerry's home

At 6PM on the afternoon of July 29, US Secretary of State Kerry received a home visit protest from Code Pink, demanding he "stand strong against Netanyahu." US support makes Israel's increasingly deadly campaign against Gaza, which has included bombing or shelling at least one hospital and a UN-run school possible. Recent news footage from Gaza resembles bombed-out Berlin in 1945. Secretary of State Kerry and President Barrack Obama have the power to stop this war, probably Israel would pull out to avoid a cutoff of aid from the US.

Photo by Code Pink

Climate stability activists rally to support EPA power plant rule on day of hearing

On the 29th of June, CCAN, 350.org and other pro-Earth organizations held a rally outside the EPA as a hearing on the proposed power plant CO2 emission rule gut under way. Shortly after the rally, Climate First! activists arrived at the US Chamber of Commerce saying their climate change denial is "bad for the bottom line" before also marching to the EPA, where supporters stayed put all day as the hearing continued.

Sen Ed Markey says US "can't preach temperance from a bar stool" to rest of world while speaking at this rally

Partial Video (yelling "solidarity with student strikers of Newark" missed) of motorcade confrontation at outside Chamber of Commerce with what may have been NJ Gov Christie's entourage, another protester said it was

350.org, CCAN, Sierra Club, etc at the EPA shortly before 11AM

Argentina Braces For Default

by Merry PhamArgentina is likely to default barring a last-minute breakthrough in negotiations with hold-outs or a court order. Argentina's grace period to pay bonds restructured after its 2001 default expires July 30th. United States District Judge Thomas Griesa ruled Argentina cannot pay the 92% of restructured bond holders unless Argentina also pays hold-out predatory hedge funds in full. "Argentina is hours from default," said Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of the religious financial reform organization, Jubilee USA Network. "At this point, a deal seems unlikely.

"Dream" protesters demand Obama bypass Congress, act unilaterally to legalize migrants

On the 28th of July, immigrants, many of them students who received legal status because they were brought into the US as young children, showed up in front of the White House. They demanded that Obama "go big" and act unilaterally to provide legal status for their parents by executive action, thus bypassing GOP obstruction. Also present were many GLBT immigrants demanding similar relief for their partners or themselves.

Video highlights of the rally

Bad Ass Teachers Assn rally demands end to corporate school "reform" agenda

On the 28th of July, the Bad Ass Teachers Association staged a rally of hundreds of teachers, students, and supporters in front of the Dept of Education. They demanded nothing less than an end to high stakes standardized testing, an end to charters schools and privatization, and an end to the sale of student data to corporations.
Video featuring Newark Student Union members who occupied and shut down a school board meeting over the so-called school reform agenda

Posters near Union Station threaten strike over low wages

On the 27th of July, I saw these posters while riding past Union Station. They condemn Union Station for paying poverty wages while making $168 million a year, and ask people to sign a petition. The word "strike" is prominantly featured on the posters, which can be construed as a warning to Union Station to pay a living wage or else.

UN report of female genital mutilation orders by ISIS in Mosul called false by multiple sources

On the 27th of July, the UN claimed that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known simply as Islamic State, has ordered up to 4 million women in Mosul to undergo horrific "female circumcision" or genital mutilation. Tribal leaders are reporting that these stories are false, and multiple Iraqi sources are calling it false.

Panthers in the Hole: French Angola 3 Book Illustrates US Prison Crisis

(You can buy Panthers in the Hole, the new graphic novel about the Angola 3 here.)   Panthers in the Hole: French Angola 3 Book Illustrates US Prison Crisis--An interview with Nicolas Krameyer of Amnesty International France By Angola 3 News Amnesty International France and La Boîte à Bulleshave pub

Critical Mass ride reportback: these rides are growing!

Critical Mass rides on the last Friday of every month in DC are growing! Although not as big as the 600 rider Bike Parties (yet), these rides now seem to get bigger every month. The July 25th ride went to the DC General/DC Jail area, then to the SE Waterfront between the Navy Yard and the river and a mid-ride stopover. After that the ride went back through town before ending at a bar just south of U st.

Video of the July 25 ride

Hundreds rally for Gaza in Dupont Circle on al-Quds day

On the 25th of July, hundreds of supporters of the besieged people of Gaza, maybe more, gathered in Dupont Circle for al-Quds day, which is the last day of Ramadan. DC was just one of many hundreds of events all over the world.

Video of march around Dupont and short clip from Rev Hagler's speech

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