Archive for April 28th, 2009
Keeping Track of the Swine Using the Swine Flu
10:46 pm By Maegan La Mala · Blogs| Internet| Media| media justice · 2 Comments
28 Apr 2009
Hoy, the Editors of The Sanctuary released a statement on how the spreading Swine Flu is being used by anti-immigrant forces to spread another type of illness, hate.
The moment that the news of the “Swine Flu” or “North American Influenza” hit the wires, it was easy to predict what the anti-immigrant faction would have to say about it. People like Michael Savage, Neil Boortz, Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck, Pat Buchanan, and groups like CIS, FAIR, and NumbersUSA are so locked into their views that their voices are unnecessary in a dialogue that actually preferences truth—which by nature requires flexibility and bravery. The stances of those who most vocally oppose immigration today are so predictable that one could paint a face on a septic-tainted soccer ball and paste up word balloons and rest well, knowing that The Nativist Lobby point of view on any immigration-related topic will end in “deport them all” and “seal the borders” if not “round them up” and other tired ideas. …
You know you want to read more, especially the part of how none of this scapegoating is new. Read the whole cosita at The Sanctuary.
You can tweet it too!!!
ProMigrant.Org: Virus Brings Swine-Hearted Lobby Into Foreground http://tinyurl.com/dmwvcd #immigration @promigrant 
Israel Dubs Swine Flu “Mexican Flu”
7:40 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Religion| israel| language| mexico · 4 Comments
28 Apr 2009
There has been one reported case of the swine flu in Israel so far, but Israeli officials aren’t calling it that. Ultra-orthodox Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman says that calling the disease by its name is “religiously sensitive”:
“We will call it Mexican flu. We won’t call it swine flu,” said Mr Litzman, who belongs to the ultra-religious United Torah Judaism party.Pigs are considered unclean under Jewish dietary laws. Muslims also do not eat pork for similar reasons.
That’s all well and good, but calling it Mexican is no good either. The BBC reports that scientists in Israel are concerned that the term will “stigmatize Mexico”.
Via / BBC News
Obsessed with (re)thinking walking
12:57 pm By la Macha · Health| Women| Word en la calle · 1 Comment
28 Apr 2009If you are like me, you were thrilled to see that bfp and Jess have put the call out for people to submit to their (re)thinking walking series. I’m obsessed with that series, and I think it’s a great way to get connected to our bodies (Latinas, ya feeling me?).
Here’s the call out:
As the conversation continued, we all decided that if we posted these pictures (along with a write up written by WCD), we could use this as an opportunity to ask other women to send in their own stories of (re)thinking walking. Whether it was pictures or words or video or music…documenting our experiences means, as WCD says, building a small community–a small community that knows that women of color taking up space together may not always be safe and beautiful and mean hair dancing in the sun…but it’s always revolution in the making.
What Jess and I would be looking for: any type of medium that can be posted through a blog format that expresses what you understand as your own journey. We’re looking for movement–how you define that is up to you (check out our (re)thinking walking files for starting ideas!).
And as Jess and I have both noted–don’t feel pressure to write up something earth shattering and stunning. A picture of you in your backyard with your kids is just as amazing and revealing and potentially movement creating as the three page long bfp reflection!!!
Send anything you have to rethinkingwalking at gmail dot com!
Are you gonna do it? I will if you will!
Breaking News: Republic Senator Arlen Specter is Now a Democrat
12:14 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Controversia| Politics| pennsylvania · 3 Comments
28 Apr 2009Bad news for the Republican Party. Long-time GOP senator Arlen Specter let President Obama know this morning that he is switching parties and becoming a Democrat, citing that he “no longer feels comfortable” with his party. CNN broke the story about an hour ago (video above), and reports that some of the Senator’s Pennsylvania constituents were to meet him this morning when the news leaked, at which point Specter emerged from his office amid roaring applause from them. The UK’s Guardian has more:
“I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans,” Specter said in a statement posted on a website devoted to Pennsylvania politics and confirmed by his office. Several Senate officials said a formal announcement could come later today or tomorrow. [...]
“I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate,” he said in the statement.
“I don’t have to say anything to them. They’ve said it to me,” Specter said, when asked in a Capitol corridor about abandoning the conservatives.
The Guardian reports that President Obama contacted Specter by phone shortly after to say he was “thrilled to have” him and give him his “full support” (more coverage from MSNBC after the jump).
CNN just reported that Republican Senator for Maine Olympia Snowe was quoted as saying that Specter’s switch is “devastating” for the GOP and symptomatic of the dominance of the extreme right within the party.
Specter had been a Republican since 1966.
Read more…
May Day / Pro-Migrant Events Around the US
11:26 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism| Cities| Events| Immigration| States · 3 Comments
28 Apr 2009
This Friday is May Day. Traditionally a workers holiday, now it is a day to show support, solidarity and represent for immigrants. With ICE raids still happening, detention facilities making money for private companies with the blood of our community, and the DREAM Act still not passed, communities across the country need to make this May Day one of the largest.
1. ARIZONA Phoenix, AZ – Marcha Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum to State Capitol 8:30 AM AZ
2. Tucson, AZ – Marcha y mitin – South Gate Shopping Center 8 AM AZCALIFORNIA
3. Berkeley, CA Rally y Marcha – Sproul Plaza al City Hall, 11 AM CA
4. Cal State Dominguez Hills: Labor and Social Justice Fair Conference CA
5. Calexico, May 1st Binational immigration symposium Conference – 08:30 AM-08:30 PM CA
6. Chico, CA Mitin/Marcha – City Hall, 3 – 8 PM CA
7. Davis, CA Mitin y marcha – UC Davis Campus, 11 – 2 PM CA
8. Farmersville, CA – Marcha – Parque Memorial 4 PM CA
9. Fort Bragg, CA – Marcha, Tienda La Bamba 9:00 AM CA
10. Fresno, CA Eaton Plaza March (at the water tower) Gathering at 5:00 p.m begins at 6:00 p.m. CA
11. Fresno, CA Mitin y marcha – Centro Civico – Fulton Mall 4 – 8 PM CA
12. HAYWARD, CA – March & Rally – 10 a.m. Weekes Park @ 27182 Patrick Ave, 10:30 – 12:30 March to City Hall, 1:30 Rally @ City Hall CA
13. Los Angeles, CA ABRIL 30 Immigrant Rights Teach In – Antioch University 2 PM CA
14. Los Angeles, CA March by MIWON & LA County Fed, 1:30 PM Meet @ Echo Park, 4:30 PM Rally& postcard action @ Placita Olvera CA
15. Los Angeles, CA Marcha – Cinco Puntos a City Hall 11 AM CA
16. Los Angeles, CA Marcha – Olympic/Broadway 12 PM CA
17. Los Angeles, CA Marcha y Mitin – 3rd/Vermont a McArthur Park 2 – 7 PM CA
18. Madera, CA – Mitin, 5 PM CA
19. Martinez, CA – Vigilia y marcha, Martinez Marina 5:30 PM CA
20. Mendota, CA ABRIL 29 Marcha de los Niños – 10 AM CA
21. Modesto, CA – Mitin – Hatch Road/Crow Landing, 10 AM CA
22. Modesto, CA ABRIL 29 Rally-March – Gil’s Plaza 3 PM CA
23. Mountain View, CA – Vigilia – The Worker Center, Calvary Church 5 PM CA
24. Mountain View, CA Vigilia – The Worker Center, Calvary Church 5 PM CA
25. NAPA, CA – Vigilia / Vigil – Veterans Park in Napa Downtown From 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m CA
26. Oakland, CA: Program at Fruitvale Plaza 3:30-4:30pm Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum to State Capitol CA
27. Oakland, CA: Students/Youth MARCH to City Hall! 10:00 AM-01:00 PM GATHER at High St. and International Blvd. CA
28. Riverside, CA: Immigrants / Workers Rights = Human Rights MayDay March CA
29. Sacramento, CA – Marcha, Hiram Johnson High School a State Capitol 10 AM CA
30. Salinas, CA – Cuatro marchas – Constitutional y Laurel, 12 PM – 5 PM CA
31. San Diego, CA – Marcha – Chicano Park a City Hall, 10 AM CA
32. San Diego, CA – Rally – City College, 3 PM CA
33. San Francisco, CA: SF May Day March And Rally – Dolores Park 12 Noon March to Civic Center for 4 PM Rally CA
34. San Jose, CA: May Day Action – Mi Pueblo Shopping Center, Story Rd. & King Rd. to City Hall, 04:00 PM-06:00 PM CA
35. San Rafael, CA – Vigilia y marcha – Community Center – Canal, 6 AM – 10 AM CA
36. Santa Barbara, CA – Begins at 6:30pm in Presidio Springs at 721 Laguna Street CA
37. Santa Cruz, CA: May 1st March & Rally for Immigrant & Worker Rights CA
38. Santa Rosa, CA – Marcha – Old Albertsons Shopping Center 11 AM CA
39. SFA ‘Dine with Dignity’ May 1st Campus actions CACANADA
40. Vancouver CANADA Marcha, Solidaridad con Inmigrantes, Migrantes e Indocumentados- Clark Park a Grandview Park 6 PM CanadaMore event listings after the jump.
Read more…
The Seeds Keep Falling in Paraguay
10:17 am By la Macha · Paraguay| Politics| Women| children · 1 Comment
28 Apr 2009The bad news for Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo just keeps coming. After news that at least two women were claiming Lugo fathered children with them, the latest gossip leaking out is that there is a third woman about ready to do the same and more may be on the way:
Newspapers and TV programmes have been dominated by stories of women coming forward to claim they had a child with the former Catholic bishop.
This “political soap opera”, complained one of these reports, is “paralysing the government”.
Three women have made allegations so far and there were reports in the Paraguay media that there may be more claims to come.
It has been a testing time for a man who was elected proclaiming the virtues of honesty and ending corruption.
One of the women has alleged she was 16 when the relationship began – making her under the legal age of consent of 17 – and a public prosecutor is now considering the implications of that claim.
Another said she turned to Mr Lugo as a bishop for help when she had been abandoned with a new born child, but he abused his position in the Church to exploit their relationship, and a year later she was carrying his child.
You know, although I’ve made several jokes about this whole mess, reading about the experiences of the women Lugo was with is actually quite disturbing to me. Women believed him, they loved him, they opened not just their hearts to him, but their bodies. Which says that this man is a skillful manipulator–nothing new for a politician–but maybe something we need to stop excusing when it comes to women?
I don’t really care if Lugo wants to have sex and impregnate every woman in Paraguay–but is it really ok for him to be using his position of power to better manipulate women into doing what he wants? Is it ok to leave women to deal with the stigma and economic difficulties of being a single mami?
When do men ever have to accept responsibility for *their* actions?
April is Poetry Month : La Bruja
9:03 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Women| language| literature · Comments Off
28 Apr 2009I’ve been featuring a mix of “classic” Latin poets with current poets all through the month. Hoy I bring you la Bruja.
Old School Swine Flu
6:07 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Health| Media · 3 Comments
28 Apr 2009So apparently this isn’t the first time in history that the U.S. has been hit with swine flu fears. Just check out the ad below from 1976. I’m sure glad the gov. isn’t using this latest outbreak as an excuse to push vaccines (yet).
Hola!
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- Transgender Day of Remembrance and Latin@s
- Dear Troll(s):
- Puerto Rican, Latino Clergy, Theology Professors, Community Members To Condemn Brutal Hate Killing of Gay Puerto Rican Man
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