Archive for June, 2008
Front Runners Who Aren’t Front Runners
3:50 pm By Maegan La Mala · US Presidential Race 2008 · Comments Off
23 Jun 2008In the beginning of this general election the question of Vice-Presidential nominations is frequently being asked. Many are aware of the Dem front runners: Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal,Sam Nunn, and more.But which ones can we eliminate? John Edwards, he has frequently said he is not interested in the VP spot. Some insiders say he’d rather have the Attorney General position. Ed Rendel has said he doesn’t want it, tha he wants to stay Governor. He said “Why have a Clinton person when you could have her?” Ted Strickland feels the same way. So when thinking about the VP’s eliminate these three front runners who aren’t in the running for the position.
Federal Grand Juries Subpoenas as a Means of Intimidating the Rican Freedom Movement
1:50 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Justice|Politics|Puerto Rico · Comments Off
23 Jun 2008Almost two weeks ago, the appearances of Puerto Rican Independence advocates/ activists called by U.S. federal authorities were postponed indefinitely. The fact that one of the people called, Tania Fronteras, was notified as she appeared as part of the Puerto Rican Delegation at the United Nation’s Decolonization Committee; as well as the fact that the demands by the Feds to appear were indefinitely postponed, clearly underscore the fact that the purpose of the use of Grand Jury is harassment and attempted intimidation. Watch the perspective of one Rican activist who got a subpoena, Elliot Monteverde Torres.
From the Nightmare Files : Lou Dobbs for Gov of New Jersey?
11:50 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Bizarro|Controversia|Funny|Immigration|New Jersey|Politics|TV · Comments Off
23 Jun 2008Everyone’s favorite anti-immigrant spokesperson, CNN’s Lou Dobbs, has suggested that he may be interested in running for governor of the state of New Jersey. In response to this scary possibility, America’s Voice has created a website for the maybe candidate based on his racist views. From a press release on the launching of the site:
The site features our take on what a Lou Dobbs campaign platform would look like, inspired by the unrealistic and polarizing views of real Congressional candidates. Visitors are invited to submit their ideas (in English Only) for the Dobbs campaign slogan contest. The winner will receive a free t-shirt featuring their slogan, and activists around the country will have the opportunity to purchase the shirt online.Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice had this to say:
“America’s Voice is glad to take this opportunity to reveal the truth about anti-immigrant, mass-deportation candidates who have stood in the way of real immigration solutions for years.
Lou Dobbs is not a real candidate, he’s a caricature of what is wrong with the current immigration debate. He offers no real solutions to our broken immigration system, and simply uses his program to spread proven lies, stir up racial tensions and fear, and provide a platform to known hate groups.
The site is funny as all hell. Check it out.
Lou Dobbs for Governor
Latino Radical Hip Hoppers Rebel Diaz Attacked By the NYPD
9:50 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Activism|Justice|Music|New York City · 1 Comment
23 Jun 2008Last Thursday, independent, radical, revolutionary, activist Hip Hoppers Rodstarz and G1, two brothers known musically and in the movement as Rebel Diaz, were walking in the Bronx, NYC when they witnessed an all too common occurrence. Police officers from the 41st Precinct were in the middle of a sting against street vendors, aggressively confiscating the fruit and vegetables of a street vendor. What happened next was a mix of the sadly uncommon and the everyday threat that is faced in many of our communities. Rodstarz and G1 didn’t walk by quickly or quietly, watching their extended community being attacked. They approached the officers to ask why the vendor was being treated in that manner and asked for their badge numbers. The police, who aren’t exactly keen on the idea of being monitored by the very same community they allegedly serve, turned their aggressions on the duo. After beating them and arresting them in front of over a dozen witnesses, they were taken to the 41st Precinct.
Black Friday at Mexico City Nightclub
6:54 am By Maegan La Mala · Latin America|mexico|society · Comments Off
23 Jun 2008
Tragedy struck in an unlikely place on Friday afternoon in Mexico City. Young people enjoying “tardeada” — an afternoon party held at clubs — were victims of a stampede which occurred when police raided the club. The BBC reports:
The capital’s police chief said hundreds of youths marking the end of the school year had panicked when police raided the News Divine club.He said there had been a stampede by customers trying to escape. Three police officers were among the dead.
Police said they had been investigating reports that drugs and alcohol were being sold to under-age clubbers.
At least 13 people were injured during the raid, police said.
In total 12 people were killed in the stampede, among them a 13 year-old girl and a 14 year-old boy.
Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebrard said that “the city is in mourning” and admitted there were “serious mistakes” in how the operation was carried out.
Via / BBC and El Universal
The Allied Media Conference
5:23 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Detriot|Events|Media · 1 Comment
20 Jun 2008
I began this post while I was on my way to the Allied Media Conference and now hours later I am here, being pulled into conversations about the our ideal media and how to get there. In between women are learning how to make their own media from t-shirts to blogs, to photos and films. I’m having amazing conversations on how we raise our children, how we handle our personal relationships and how we take care of each other.
I pride myself on being an independent blogger with strong activist leanings. As we come into our own here at VivirLatino, it’s important to align ourselves with the right bloggers and media activists and always learn new things to make us better. When I say us, I don’t just mean VivirLatino, I mean you the reader, and the larger blogosphere I am privileged to be a part of.
It is with great excitement that I sat in Laguardia airport, with no internet connectivity, watching a near riot when the Starbucks opened 15 minutes passed it’s scheduled time (don’t fuck with people’s cafe, especially at 4:30 am). Why? Because I was headed to Detroit to the Allied Media Conference. Thanks to the generosity of many internet friends, so many people with whom I have been tied to for years via the world wide web, some whom I have never met in real life but interact with on a nearly daily basis, I am able to make this trip, to be part of the Incite! Track for women and trans people of color. To learn new skills and share experiences on how not to fix the media, but how to change the media at its core and be the media.
Too many conferences, claiming to be proponents of Democratic values are inaccessible to indy bloggers like VL. Conference fees in the hundreds of dollars, make these events elite events. I mean if you have $700 to drop on a conference (not including airfare and hotel) then more power to you. But how Democratic is that really?
Stay tuned for more updates. I’m heading into the keynote speech for the event.
Mexico City Limits Car Use on Weekends
12:08 pm By Maegan La Mala · Environment|Latin America|mexico · Comments Off
20 Jun 2008
Back when I lived in Mexico City, my friends who had cars had to structure their lives around the “Hoy No Circula” program, which dictates one weekday in which your car cannot be driven. The program has been very successful both in its ability to get people to comply (huge fines will do that) and how it’s improved the quality of the air in the Mexican capital. But according to VivirMexico (no relation to VL, but great blog), local government is taking the program a step further, imposing restrictions on Saturdays as well, though only one Saturday per month per car.
According to VivirMexico, critics say the new restriction will negatively impact tourism to the city.
Via / VivirMexico
EU to Open Up Dialogue with Cuba
11:36 am By Maegan La Mala · Cuba|Politics|World · Comments Off
20 Jun 2008
Big diplomacy news out of Brussels, which will hopefully resonate in the U.S.’s diplomatic relations (or lack thereof) with Cuba. The European Union has decided to officially lift any sanctions against the island nation and resume regular diplomatic activities, which deteriorated in 2003 after the “Group of 75″ dissidents were jailed:
“We have decided unanimously to lift the 2003 measures and initiate a phase of dialogue that is not conditioned or limited by any measures,” Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said in a press conference after the meeting.Cuba has been calling on the EU to completely abolish the sanctions before Havana could engage in a dialogue with the grouping.
Spain wanted the sanctions on Cuba to be lifted officially after Fidel stepped down in February handing over power to his younger brother Raul.
As you might expect, the U.S. isn’t happy with this (at least not for now…let’s see what an Obama administration would say about the issue), and the head of the State Department called the move “will give legitimacy to a dictatorial regime”.
Via / Hindustan Times
Attorney Referral Site for Spanish Speakers
2:34 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Bilingualism|Justice|language · Comments Off
19 Jun 2008Sadly, this is how many Spanish speaking Latinos get their legal help.
Enter as a solution Legal Match, an online attorney referral website that has begun the process of translating a few of the 4,000 pages on its legal matching website into Spanish with the goal of targeting Spanish speaking Latinos searching for legal advice, especially for immigration issues.
So far the company has translated its homepage, intake processes for each category of law and some pages of its law library. Plans are in place to translate the remaining pages in the coming months.“Finding the right lawyer in the United States is difficult enough if you speak English and know something about the law,” said Anna Ostrovsky, general counsel and co-founder of LegalMatch. “If you are not familiar with the United States legal system, and don’t speak English, it’s even harder. We created LegalMatch to empower consumers seeking the right attorney for their legal needs. Making LegalMatch available in Spanish was a logical next move for us.”
I can’t say if Legal Match is a good service or not, and apparently they have had some issues, pero it has to be better than the above alternative.
Via / Hispanic MPR
Mexico to World Court: U.S. Must Halt Executions
12:56 pm By Maegan La Mala · Justice|mexico|World · Comments Off
19 Jun 2008
The lives of 5 Mexican citizens are hanging in the balance as the United Nations’ top court hears a plea from Mexico to help save their lives. Mexico is accusing its neighbor to the north of disregarding a U.N. ruling which found that the 5 Mexican citizens, currently in prison, were denied assistance from their consulate. In his argument, Mexico’s top attorney Juan Manuel Gomez-Robledo spoke some chilling words before the court:
Mr. Gomez-Robledo said that without urgent action now, five Mexican citizens “will be executed before the conclusion of these proceedings.”
What’s making all of this so difficult is that U.N. decision applies to countries, not individual states, or so alleges Texas, the state that is holding the 5 Mexican nationals. George W. Bush, as president, has recognized the U.N. ruling but the state of Texas has not. I wish I could say I am surprised, but in state known for thinking it’s a country unto itself and — even worse — for refusing to consider evidence that appears in death penalty cases, executing potentially innocent people, this is no bigs news to me.
Via / Globe and Mail
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