Devil is in the details

Below is a short update on the Wall published today in the Jerusalem Post, a right-leaning newspaper in Israel. What's interesting to note is the characterization of the protests in Bil'in and the protestors: they identify "scuffles between demonstrators and IDF." The word "scuffle" minimizes the violence which IDF commit against nonviolent protests at the same time that it omits the nonviolent nature of the demonstrators and the disparity in arms on both sides (in other words, nonviolent demonstrators = no arms, IDF = guns, gas, noise and water machines). The Post also characterizes the demonstrators as "primarily Palestinians and left-wing activists," which is at the same time their way of being dismissive of Bil'in's efforts as "fringe" while it glosses over the well-documented, active and vocal presence of globally respected peace activists, internationals, and perhaps most importantly, Israelis. Please see for yourself below:

Israel to move part of W. Bank barrier
Jul. 28, 2008
AP and Jpost.com staff , THE JERUSALEM POST

Israel has agreed to move part of its West Bank separation barrier, according o a statement from the Defense Ministry Monday.

The statement said that in response to an appeal to the High Court of Justice in Jerusalem, the barrier would be moved in order to restore access to Palestinian land in the Kalkilya area, in the northern part of the West Bank.

The decision to re-route the section of the barrier was made in September 2007. The court had ruled that the barrier, as it had been planned, would cause disproportionate harm to Bil'in residents as it occupied 260 dunams (65 acres) of Palestinian land and left about 1,700 dunams of Palestinian orchards and pastures on the 'Israeli' side.

The High Court ruling means that the army must change the route of the security fence around a neighborhood of Modi'in Illit, however the changes had not yet been put into place.

Prior to the ruling, weekly protests against the fence were held at the village of Bil'in, with scuffles between demonstrators and IDF troops frequently breaking out. The protesters were predominantly Palestinians and left-wing activists.

The Defense Ministry's Monday statement came in reply to a query from the Associated Press.

Upcoming in Louisville

A Benefit for Women in Transition: please give as generously as you can (a grassroots organization by and for poor people)

THE RETREATING WORLD
A young Iraqi pigeon collector entertains an audience at a bird convention in the wake of the First Gulf War. As he describes his love for birds and his connection to his best friend, he reveals both the cost of war and the comic art of survival. “The kind of short, stark and simple play that reminds us why we need theatre at a time like this, what the playwright can achieve that the journalist cannot.” -London Guardian

A NEW PLAY BY NAOMI WALLACE
DIRECTED BY WILL MACADAMS
PERFORMED BY GENESIS OLIVE


THURSDAY AUGUST 14, 2008
***2 PERFORMANCES***
5:30PM & 7:00PM
Louisville Free Public Library
Centennial Room, 301 York Street

ACTIVIST/SCHOLAR/ARTIST FACILITATED DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW 2ND PERFORMANCE: “THE POLITICS OF PEACE: WHO WAR LEAVES BEHIND.” What are the human costs of war? A community dialogue led by a panel of activists, scholars, & artists will explore the politics of war and peace and how they relate to local issues of survival.

Questions: jardana99pk@yahoo.com,
852-6142

Supported by the KY Foundation for Women and University of Louisville’s Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research

Cindy Lamb, John Yarmuth, and Toast on Market. Yum.

Please check out this funny interview. It involves three of my favourite things: Toast on Market, Cindy Lamb, and John Yarmuth. You know already of my esteem for the congressman, and I believe I have chirped over the delicious breakfasty-ness that is Toast, but did you also know that I am a great admirer of Cindy Lamb, writer and doula par excellence?

I became a fan of Cindy when she used to give her amusing and poignant commentaries on WFPL, back before Heidi Caravan gutted the practice of local voices on local radio. Then I came to know Cindy personally as a colleague and friend through BirthCare Network, as we doula-d together. And now, I am happy to have a new place to read her writing! Her voice is missed on radio, and I'm glad to find her in print whenever she is there!

You can find her interview of Yarmuth at the blog 'Ville Voice Eats.

Films that at least informed your life

Upcoming bidness in Louisville, for those interested by such things:

Movies That Changed Your Life
Presented by IdeaFestival and the Louisville Film Society

22 July 2008 - IdeaFestival (IF) and Louisville Film Society announced today the three movies that will be screened over the next several months as part of the “Movies That Changed Your Life” Film Series. Over 170 nominations were made online over the last month. From those submissions three films were selected to be shown. A complete list of all of the submissions is available at the IdeaFestival web site http://www.ideafestivalcom.

The titles and dates for the screenings are:
Friday, August 1 - To Kill A Mocking Bird
Friday, August 29 - When We Were Kings
Friday, September 26 - (during IF) Dr. Strangelove

The series will be held at the new Brown-Forman Amphitheatre in Waterfront Park starting at 9:30 PM. In event of bad weather, any cancelled movies will be screened in early October. Admission is free.

The Amphitheatre opens at 8:00 PM for blankets, chairs and picnicking.

If you would like more information about the Film Series, or to schedule an interview, please call George Parker, Jr. at 502.299.0950 or email at george@louisvillefilm.org; or call Dann Byck at 502-500-1312 or email at dbyck@ideafestival.com

So, I don't think any of these movies changed my life, although I love When We Were Kings very dearly. If these are the movies that changed the lives of those in Louisville (the votes were tallied, after all), what does this imply about the general character of the Louisvillian? or of Louisville? I mean, the Muhammad Ali movie is a little obvious, right? But what about the other two? Kind of prosaic, right? Hrm.

Thimerosal

Yes, it's Scarborough Country. And apparently his kid has Asperger's. So does RFK, Jr.'s kiddo--hence the video promoting the book he's just written about the link between the preservative and autism rates. I was sent this link from a subscription I have online to Brasscheck.com.

Thomas and I tend to put a fair amount of stock in this theory which accounts for the 1000% increase in autism from 1991 - 1996 and which accounts for two-thirds of the Kalb children's current state of health. The number of autism diagnoses is still on the rise: 1 in every 166 kids. I don't think that Thimerosal is the only culprit, however. Our entire, Koyaanisqaatsi lifestyle is taking its toll on the next generation. Ultrasounds, transfats, air and water pollution, fast food, genetic modification, plastics, nuclear power, oil... all these things contribute to our children's endangered health, our health, and the future of our kids and our world.

Scheming gamine

The definition of my friend, Stephanie:

gamine \gam-EEN; GAM-een\, noun:

1. A girl who wanders about the streets; an urchin.
2. A playfully mischievous girl or young woman.

Open Ground

How cool is Kentucky? You're about to find out: Open Ground.

update on O I L from John Yarmuth

Here are some surprising (and not-so-surprising) bits of info regarding our oil troubles from this e-newsletter his office sent out. I find "use it or lose it" to be the most telling section:

- Combat Speculation:

Experts estimate that speculation accounts for as much as half of the inflated cost of oil. Currently, speculation is unregulated because of the "Enron Loophole," created by Congress eight years ago. By reigning in speculation, we have the opportunity to significantly lower gas prices now, rather than waiting a decade for the results of opening up new areas for drilling. Last month, the House passed legislation to restore regulation of the trading of oil futures, and I have called on the President to use his emergency authority to crack down on the practice immediately.

- "Use it or Lose it”:

Oil companies already have permits to drill on 68 million acres here in America (more than 45 times the size of the proposed area in ANWR), yet they remain unused. Producing in these areas could double American production of oil and lower gas prices. I sponsored legislation that would compel the oil companies to either produce oil on their leases or give it to someone who will.

- Stop filling the SPR:

In March, I began calling on the President to suspend shipments to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which is already 97 percent full. Leading economists estimate that this measure could immediately lower the price of gas by as much as 25 cents per gallon. Both chambers of Congress recently passed the measure by overwhelming margins, and the President has agreed to stop filling the SPR this August.

- Release Oil from the SPR:

Historically, America has had success easing the burden of past energy crises by releasing some of our emergency reserves. We currently have more than 700 million barrels of oil waiting for an emergency. For millions of American families, this is an emergency, and the time to free America's oil is now.

- Long-term Solutions:

We enacted the most profound energy reform package in three decades and a groundbreaking farm bill. These measures provide unprecedented investment in renewable fuel sources, which will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create new jobs.

All this posting of warm fuzzies for Yarmuth is not to say that I think the main problem is gas prices. Au contraire; the problem is our dependence on fossil fuels. The secondary problem is that we have a corporate welfare system that artifically inflates the price of oil. If we seriously cared about the environment and/or the economy, we would demand our government (1) end the loopholes which permit futures speculation, (2) enact a federal tax on petroleum which would go to creating and maintaining public mass transit infrastructure (metro, bus and rail systems) which would be mandated to run on renewable resources (biodiesel, sun, wind, water), and (3) demand transparency in energy policy from the executive branch of government. LISTEN UP, WASHINGTON. FER REALS. Oil ain't gonna last--nor should it. We have the technology to live without it NOW, so stop trying to suck us dry with oil addiction and dependency and support renewable transportation NOW.

PS. If you love Louisville, click here to find out why John Yarmuth does.

Jon Stewart's poignant comment about AIPAC

Two international activists and a Palestinian injured in Bilin Weekly Protest

f.f.j-
Friday July 4, 2008

Three activists were injured by Israeli forces on Friday in the weekly protest against the separation wall in Bil’in; west of Ramallah: two of them are French activists: Sonia Slo and Iman and the third one is Mohamad Ali Abo Sa'di 65 years, and dozens of protesters were treated for tear gas inhalation.

Villagers from Bil’in marched together with international and Israeli solidarity activists after Friday prayers, carrying Palestinian flags and banners demanding the removal of the Israeli wall and settlements and calling on the international community to lift the siege on Gaza and help Palestinians retain Jerusalem. Participants also demanded that the Israeli army stop killing Palestinian civilians and end the use of live ammunition against non-violent protesters.

As they approached the separation wall, Israeli forces prevented the villagers from reaching the gate that is supposed to provide access to their lands, and opened fire on them with tear gas canisters, sound bombs, and rubber-coated metal bullets. Scores of protesters were treated for gas inhalation,

On the other side on Thursday afternoon, the Israeli force released Ali Hamadan Abo Rahma 17 years old, who were arrested before four day when the army invade the village last week and attacked the houses of Mohammad Ali Yassin and Hamadan Ali Abo Rahama and terrorized the resident of the two houses and arrested Ali.