Archive for the ‘Detriot’ Category
Pete Hoekstra: Michigan Does Not Claim You
29 Dec 2009And unless you think I am not serious about the level of humor Michiganders were able to drum up in reaction to the terrorist attack, please check out this post from Blogging For Michigan about our lovely representative, Pete Hoekstra. Pete is famous for having his ass handed to him by Rachel Maddow and being all all around extreme Christian Conservative.
And of course, as somebody who is not from this side of the state, much less Detroit, as somebody who has never once stood for Detroit (or this side of the state), as somebody who has supported racist “support ‘rural Michiganders’ instead of urban areas” (aka freeloading black folks are stealing from hardworking white people) agendas of various politicians in the state–Pete feels totally comfortable playing the attempted attack up to suit his own agenda.
…that didn’t stop Pete from spending part of Christmas and the entire day of the 26th like some warped modern version of Paul Revere, running to every available form of mass media that he could to remind you that it wasn’t a terrible day, but if you just use your imagination, you can and should turn it into one! Here he is in the Detroit News, “Hoekstra: Attack not aimed at Detroit”, the Detroit Free Press, “Hoekstra: Air terror try hints at a larger plot” (followed by the inevitable, Napolitano: No sign of larger terror plot), the Associated Foreign Press, “Pete Hoekstra: Detroit terror suspect Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab may be connected to Fort Hood shooter”, WOOD TV in Grand Rapids, “Hoekstra: attack attempt cutting edge”, and there were probably other appearances that we didn’t see because we were too busy checking our basements to make damn sure there were no terrorists down there. Whew.
Ah…Pete. If you weren’t such a total asshole, Michigan might claim you just for the humor you make available to us.
Detroit Under Attack
29 Dec 2009
As la Mala pointed out, Michigan was just the target of a terrorist attack. Thank god the attempt failed. But it’s weird, because all hell has broken loose since the attempt. Joe Lieberman wants to attack Yemen. Republicans are sure it is all Obama’s fault. A white man is selling his heroic photos. And my eyes have been subjected to the ripped up underwear of the man who attempted to blow up the plain.
But let me tell you something. As a Michigander and as a Detroiter–let me just say. I promise you–the politics that are swirling around this attempted attack are much more horrific to Michiganders than the actual attempt was.
A little history about Michigan. We are the state with the worst unemployment rate in the U.S. People are leaving Michigan right and left. In many areas of the state (including Detroit, Flint, Saginaw and countless rural areas), unemployment is over 50%. Yes, you read that correctly–50% of the population in many cities throughout the state are simply out of work.
And things only seem to be getting worse. Our state government can’t get its shit together. We have a governor who knows what she’s doing but is constantly hindered by a legislature caught up in grandstanding and buy offs (on both sides). Pundits are saying it’s time to let “Detroit die” even as they refuse to invest in alternative economic structures that would transition millions of people out of dependency on the auto industry.
Everybody is out of work, and those who aren’t are holding on for dear life. Which means that Michigan conservatives and libertarians are in the odd position of being “under attack” but advocating for things they aren’t used to. That is, instead of screaming about “increase police” and “attack attack” etc–there has been a tremendous amount of worry about the government becoming too involved. The government increasing regulations and rules will more than likely have a deleterious effect on the Detroit airline industry.
And nobody knows if Michigan can survive one more industry collapsing. Attacking Yemen doesn’t seem so logical, practical or exciting when you may be out of a job soon.
But the impossibility of increased government interventions on the economy of Michigan has led to an alarming advocacy for profiling. If government control is going to destroy us, we might as well put particular bodies out to be destroyed first. Focus on the brown bodies so that the white ones are left alone. And it’s doubly convenient that the brown folk we’re all watching so closely now are some of the hardest hit by the economic recession, and as such, can’t leave Michigan!
Outside of the increased profiling, my biggest problem is that I just can’t keep up with the people who are putting out all these ‘solutions.’ Within a couple of hours of the news breaking, pundits, activists on the right (from outside of Michigan) and others were already filling the airwaves with militaristic and violent “solutions” that largely center on the control and/or annihilation of brown bodies.
The rest of us (including the conservatives in Michigan) were spending that time reflecting on the glory of being alive and making bad coping jokes about Team Terrorism.
I really don’t know how people who actually lived through a successful attack handled it all. I understand Suheir in way I never have before–can I just have a minute? Just a minute?
I have no answers on what would be the more appropriate response to this attempt. Except the really big solutions like: get out of Iraq, Afghanistan, and stop threatening Yemen, Iran, North Korea, etc. Fix all the areas we’ve blown up. Help those who were bombed recover some sort of life and livelihood.
And then maybe head to Detroit and do the same for us.
I guess I’ll just keep making bad Team Terrorism jokes for now, though, because I don’t see any of that happening any time soon–and if you don’t have an alternative outside of “just stop” to racial profiling, nobody really wants to hear from you.
God Bless the U.S.A.
Flight 253 Renews Calls for Ethnic and Religious Profiling
9:28 am By Maegan La Mala · Detriot|New York City|race|Religion · 1 Comment
29 Dec 2009At this point everyone has read/heard about Flight 253 in Detroit. If you haven’t here’s a rundown: A man attempted to detonate an explosive device that was attached to his leg. It didn’t work. The man burned himself. Another man is being called a hero and selling his pictures.
Perhaps what is more interesting than what 23 year old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is accused of doing, is the media frenzy and fear fiesta. It’s like we’re back to right after 9-11 where the public is expected to say yes to whatever is said in the name of “safety” Take NYS Assembly person Dov Hikind who represents parts of Brooklyn, who took this opportunity to revive some old legislation of his that failed. The legislation essentially called for the legalization of profiling against certain people, namely Middle Easterners, Arabs and Muslims.
(Re) Thinking Walking Zine is Here!
1:25 pm By la Macha · Detriot|Media|media justice|Michigan · 1 Comment
9 Dec 2009My very dear Michigan hermana, brownfemipower, has created a new zine! Modeled on the (re) thinking walking series that bfp and co-collaborator, Jess Hoffman have been working on for the last year or so, the zine is described like this:
The first zine hand made by brownfemipower, the editorista of the blog, Flip Flopping Joy. Featuring continued commentary in the manner of (re)thinking walking, this zine grapples with brownfemipower’s place as a survivor, Latina, Chicana, immigrant, sexual, organizing, moving mami.
All that for an amazing $1 plus shipping??? I really think you should head over to bfp’s place and check it out!!! Support media making by Latin@s!
Chicana in the Midwest
12:56 pm By la Macha · Detriot|Immigration · 1 Comment
16 Nov 2009One thing I love about writing on the Vivir Latino blog is that for probably the first time in my life, I have instant access to a wide range of Latino opinions and perspectives. Living in the U.S. Midwest is an often an isolating and solitary experience.
But one of the things I noticed about Vivir Latino is that it often focuses on the NYC experiences of Latin@s. Which is essential and vitally important! But I’ve been thinking that since I am from the Midwest, it’d be really great to use the platform that VL provides to start highlighting what’s happening with those of us who live in the Midwest!
One of the first things to note about politicized Latin@s in the Midwest is that very often there simply isn’t enough of us to do much “Latin@” based organizing. That is, we can’t organize huge parades (for example) like the folks out in California can–there simply isn’t enough of us.
So very often, we spend a lot of time organizing with other groups that are either dealing with the same sense of isolation or who are bigger and have more resources. For Latin@s in my area, this usually means hooking up with Arab and/or black communities.
Which means we spend a lot of time listening and learning. Not that we’ll ever know what it’s like to be Arab and/or black–but more that there are similarities and differences between communities that may lead to productive ways of allying together.
And one of the ways we “speak” when working together is through art. We may not understand each others languages, but how our art speaks volumes:
Dar Films Production © presents the first Palestinian Animation film. Inspired from a true story, Fatenah، a Palestinian woman who lives in Gaza Strip. Her simple wishes were her consolation in the absurd living situation around her. But when she discovers a lump near her breast, she will start a journey to save her dreams.
Directed and Animated by: Ahmad Habash
Executive Producer: Saed Andoni
Music: Said Murad
Editing: Saed Andoni
D.O.P: Ahmad Habash
Again, although the experience of Palestinians and Chican@s is not the same, it doesn’t have to be. And it actually makes us stronger that it’s not. In what ways can we in the Midwest be a part of creating an even stronger and more nuanced critical analysis of immigration–simply by sharing our stories with each other?
Are you a Latin@ from the Midwest? Or with a group that has organized with Latin@s in the Midwest? I’d love to hear your experiences in comments!
Another DREAMer to be Deported: Save Herta
6:54 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Detriot|Immigration|Justice · 5 Comments
18 Aug 2009Call these two numbers:
1: Call LaSal Austin, director of the local DHS in Michigan, at 313-259-8562. Demand that he take legislators’ leads and take immediate action to defer the deportation of Herta Llusho.
2: Call Janet Napolitano, Secretary of DHS, at the comment line 202-732-3000 . Demand that she contact Mr. Austin in the local DHS office and take immediate action to defer Herta’s deportation.
SEIU also has a page where you can send a fax/letter in support of this young woman.
Edited to add more specific info:
Actions:
In order of priority:1. Call Janet Napolitano, Director of Department of Homeland Security, and leave comments of support for Herta and also ask that DHS stop her deportation: 202-282-8495 **note this is an answering machine, once it is full it is out of commission for day. Fill it up now with Herta calls.
2. Call Assistant Secretary to ICE, John Morton and leave a message urging him to take action and defer Herta’s deportation: 202.732.3000 **Note this is a live comment line, i.e. a human being will pick up and take your message.** Be very polite “I am calling to leave a message of support for Herta Llusho who is being deported tomorrow,. I ask that Director Morton contact Field Director Vincent Clausen and defer Herta’s deportation, she is an asset to this country.”
3. Call LaSal Austin, director of the local DHS in Michigan, at 313-259-8562. Urge him to take legislators’ (Senator Carl Levin and congresswoman Kilpatrick) leads and take immediate action to defer the deportation of Herta Llusho.
4. Join the facebook group for immediate updates: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111108019510
5. Sign petition which will be hand-delivered to targets: http://www.change.org/actions/view/stop_deportation_of_dream_student_herta_llusho
6. Use SEIU Click to Call Action Tool to call DHS: http://call.seiu.org/9/hertadhs
7. Send a FAX to DHS, copy and paste talking points and send: http://action.seiu.org/writeice4hertaFor the next calls you need to be very specific about your ask, these members have already voiced their support however now we need them to directly call assistant secretary to ICE John Morton and ask that he defer deportation. If the members call it will make an impact, much more than if their staff or if they call.
So the ASK: “Hi, I know that the member is in support of Herta Llusho’s struggle to stop her deportation, I am now calling to ask that the member DIRECTLY call the assistant secretary to ICE, John Morton, to ask that he stop Herta’s deportation. I know that his staff may have called someone at ICE but I am asking that the member themeselves call John Morton’s office directly. Thanks.”
1. Call Senator Carl Levin at both his DC office – (202) 224-6221 – and his Detroit office – (313) 226-6020.
2. Call Senator Stabenow at both her DC office – (202) 224-4822 – and her Detroit office – (313) 961-4330. **Stabenow herself will be in detroit office today, hit em up!
3. Call Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick at both her DC office – (202) 225-2261 – and her Detroit office – (313) 965-9004.Call in Script:
I am calling on behalf of Herta Llusho (A#96-139-441), an undocumented student who is facing deportation back to Albania on August 19th. Herta has lived in Detroit since she was 11, she went to Pierce Middle School and Grosse Pointe South High School. Herta excelled in everything during high school, graduating with a 4.05 gpa and she has continued to excel after high school. She has been very active in our community volunteering at homeless shelters, summer day camps, and tutoring programs, in addition to a lot of other things with her church.
Talking points to use (don’t need to use all, pick and choose):
• I’m writing to ask Michigan ICE Field Officer, Vincent Clausen to defer action on Herta Llusho’s deportation and review her case.
• Herta’s case number is A-96-139-441.
• Herta is scheduled to be deported to Albania on August 19th.
• Herta submitted a deferred action in February 2009 and it has yet to be adjudicated.
More Notes from Detroit : Via Hermana Resist, Have you not seen/read/been transformed by the work of my sisters?
9:00 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Detriot|Media|media justice|Women · Comments Off
30 Jul 2009
Hijas de Speak! Winter y la Mapu
Noemi “Capital 2″ shares her experience from the Women’s Equity Media Summit.
By knitting together a fabric of our many kinds of media into a warp and woofed whole we automatically strengthen the feminist public sphere. Our words will be louder, our images more brilliant, our analysis on women’s lives will deepen. All of this is to inform and encourage women in communities to tackle vital issues that will improve the conditions in their lives and for their families and communities.”
okay, what? Now I looked up woof and, keep in mind, I come from a very isolated town way down south “really really close to the border”-high school dropout- and I think in spanish sometimes and some words only come in Spanish and sometimes I can’t think straight[straight is overrated, AMC team -0 represent], but I asked folks and we couldn’t understand this. We strengthen the feminist public sphere. What about the mujeres who don’t have that aim, what does that mean? What public sphere is this? Who’s sphere, who’s public and who’s the audience?
“Our words will be louder.” Really? How much louder can I get? And how can our words get any louder if it’s all become unified into this magic tapestry? And images brilliant? Have you not seen the work of my sisters? Analysis will deepen? [this. hopefully this happened.]
All of this to inform [seriously? Are we not doing this already? Have you not seen/read/been transformed by the work of my sisters?]
…to tackle vital issues [seriously? Have you not seen/read/been transformed by the work of my sisters?]
… will improve the conditions [seriously? see above.]
All of this is to inform and encourage women in communities to tackle vital issues that will improve the conditions in their lives and for their families and communities.” Because…the mujeres…at a media summit…aren’t doing this already? Please see above.
What Do Mami Movements Need?
2:15 pm By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Activism|children|Detriot|Family|media justice|Women · Comments Off
25 Jul 2009Cross Posted from la Mamita Mala
One of the first spaces I wa in in Detroit was at the Women’s Equity Media Summit. To say that it was an uncomfortable space would be too simple. There was a sense among many of the women of color I was with that we HAD to be there, since many of has had been given some money to help defray our travel costs. We would have been in Detroit anyway for the Allied Media Conference and truth be told we weren’t sure why we had been invited into the WEMS space? What was the mission and what was expected of us radical women of color media makers.
We all conglomerated in one corner of the room, close to the door, forming a protective circle of love and support around each other as other women spilled their female creds on the table, leaving many of us feeling marginalized. What of us who didn’t claim the word woman or the word feminist? What made one a “woman” in that space? Was it being born with a white vagina? Did bringing up these issues make us automatic enemies of the space of chairs and tables that wound around the conference room? What of us who had no interest or desire to be part of a non-profit structure? What of us who didn’t want their money?
What did come out of that space however and many other spaces in the days that followed at the AMC and after, were the gathering of mamis. That’s right, mamis not mommies. I even had to correct the spelling as it was written on butcher paper at the front of the room because for the last almost 12 years (carajo I feel vieja) it has been made clear to me that my experiences are not the ones being blogged about or written about in books. After all it was my mami’hood, with all the sex/gender/race/class/language issues you can pull from that word, that started me seeking others like me through blogging and organizing on the ground.
One of the first exercises I did in my small caucus of three, that included bfp and Noemi, was what do we need in order to do our work, which we translated as what do mami movement’s need. Here is a list of what I came up with:
mami’hood
justicia
not speaking for people
comunidad
multi-lengua’ed
access
accountibility
amor
apoyo
collective
seguridad
multiple points/ways of entry
poesia
arte
sexo
child-inclusive
childcare
sustainability
flexibility
What does your list look like?
It’s been a long time, pero la Mala is back
9:42 pm By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Allied Media Conference|Detriot|Media|media justice|VivirLatino|Women · 1 Comment
22 Jul 2009Peeps may have noticed my absence over the last week. While I wasn’t blogging, I was hard at work meeting with other radical media makers, including our own la Macha in Detroit which housed the Allied Media Conference and the Women’s Equity Media Summit.
This was my second year attending the AMC and I consciously entered the experience with the intent of using it as an opportunity to examine my work here and in other spaces as a radical woman of color media maker. I was blessed with amazing experiences and sharing space with other radical women of color media makers who inspire me and teach me. I also left with a head full of ideas and projects that will be sustained with the help of some of the same women who busted ass making sure that I was housed, fed, and loved.
I will resume regular posting, some which will include deconstructing some of the experiences I have had over the last week so stay tuned and gracias for reading and supporting the important work we do here at VivirLatino.
Maegan is not the only one at the AMC right now! I, la macha, am also here, and I’m sitting in an auditorium getting ready for the Zapatista press conference. I’ll be live blogging it once the conference gets started!
2:52: woman saying hello introduces the Zapatista campaign: commitment to all in their community including queers, children, etc.
Next speaker calls the Zapatistas a national mexican movement to fight against neo-liberalism. Says that it is a movement with no centralized leaders, one that encourages new members: explains what you should “believe in” to be a Zapatista, including anti-neo liberalist, pro-indigenous, etc.
Speaker talks about using different types of media to transmit their message.
New Speaker: talking about Atenco now, explaining how commercial media has been hiding the truth of Atenco–which is why the documentary we’re now going to watch was made.
Video we are seeing is highlighting the fight between flower vendors in Atenco and the local/national government.
Now showing a scene of Indigenous peoples attacking the police, with the media encouraging government intervention–i.e. the indigenous peoples attack one police officer, so mass violent government crackdown on entire community is now justified.
Next scene: independent reporters that tried to cover the violence police were committing against protestors were attacked, arrested, beaten, had their equipment stolen.
Next scene: shows women getting harassed while a woman testifies about violence committed against her, including: fingers stuck in her mouth and vagina, breasts grabbed, arrest just for being on the street (for “being an idiot”).
Next scene: on May 4th 2006 after the media had relentlessly aired images of one group of men beating a police officer, the government stepped up the violence against Atenco.
Close up scene of police beating person (one of SEVERAL scenes) and you can hear clunking sounds–sound of batons hitting human body…
Police forced a corridor of local/indi media, so that media couldn’t get into the city where the raids were happening.
Police made indiscriminate raids on homes of citizens, arresting and throwing tear gas into homes of people without any disregard to if the citizen had participated in protests or not.
Citizens were trying to get in contact w/red cross and police weren’t letting them….
Movie ends
Next Speaker: Introduces next movie: was created as a way to begin dialogue with people in mexico and outside of mexico about Zapatistas and Chiapas.
Speaker in movie explains why Mexican immigrants in the U.S. are Zapatistas–why so many indigenous peoples are moving to U.s. because of neo-liberal u.s. practices.
From across the border: movement for justice
members of this movement call themselves “displaced”–implying that there was not a *choice* move–that capitalism has displaced them forcibly from their home lands/communities.
((side note: this is a REALLY interesting intervention this org is making into the traditional immigrant narrative))
Multiple immigrants are describing problems with housing…high rents with “inhumane and illegal living conditions”
“we can’t pay high rents because our pay is so low”
“We are displaced from our own countries–and now it’s happening here too”
“we are living through double displacement”
gentrification is a part of immigrant/migration displacement
“we are fighting for dignified housing”
“community has last word about what the fight will be about–a single person will never decide for the entire community”
“we don’t work with politicians because they don’t work with us–we declare ourselves autonomous”
El Barrio is not for sale!
Fight was against Steve kassner–the landlord that was named one of 10 worst landlords in the NY area–his central offices were in London.
campaign decided to evict landlord rather than be evicted.
***
campaign decided to expand their campaign from centralizing on gentrification alone to other forms of struggles as well–reached out to the Zapatistas.
Held a gathering where tenants of the building introduced themselves o the Zapatistas and vise versa.
flashes to Zapatistas fighting military off their land: connecting displacement in two different regions of the world together.
***
now we are watching a video from Atenco made in response to the message created by the camapign in N.Y.C
Marcos: speaking to crowd in Mexico ( i think Atenco) telling crowd that “we will support world wide action against injustice”
People of Atenco are now speaking–holding their machetes with “atenco vive” on them–they say “we will go on in our struggle against injustice because of strength given to them from brothers and sisters across the world”
Now a voice is explaining what happened in atenco in 2006 again. 30 women were raped–or at least as being on record as being raped. Still 13 people in prison right now, all with 112 year sentences.
WHole fight began as a fight keep control of land that govt/corporations were attempting to steal for an airport project. Indigenous peoples are still living off of that land–off of corn, beans, etc created and supported by that land.
Several actions involved blocking the highways, blocking access to land
Current situation of political prisoners: launching a campaign to help them and bring attention to plight: (information from philly IMC website)
“Their crime was to defend their land”
Hola!
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