[Mediaisland] Weekly: Olympia's Arts, Activism and News Roundup. Dec. 30- Jan. 5, Issue 3

[Media Island Editor]

*Media Island Weekly: Olympia's Arts, Activism and News Roundup*. *Dec. 30-
Jan. 5, Issue 3*
http://mediaisland.org, 816 Adams, St. SE, 360.352.8526
*Weekly Calendar / Local Review / Under-Reported / Later Dates / Links /
SUPPORT
**
Weekly Calendar*: *December 23- 29*.
*Thursday, Dec. 30*, Last Thursday of 2010.
*7PM:* The Last Internationale - Free Live Music, Coffee Strong, 15109 Union
Ave. SW Lakewood, WA, Donate!
The Last Internationale began as a radical folk group from New York
rejecting a belief that musicians should be mere entertainers or
controversial only for the sake of healthy political discourse. This idea is
displayed in their first album, self-titled, "The Last Internationale" and
shows us that the group prefers to mix music with (dis)organized resistance
and that their intent isn't simply to change ones mind, but to inspire acts
of rebellion that will bring down empires.
*9PM:* Yogoman Burning Band & sambAmore, Eastside Tavern, 410 E. 4th Ave.,
Olympia, WA, $6
Dance your butt off!

*Friday, Dec. 31*, New Year's Eve
*4PM: *Dear Afghanistan, a New Year's Day Message of Peace, Traditions Fair
Trade Cafe, 300 5th Ave*
*
On New Year’s Day, people around the world are invited to raise their voices
in a massive refusal to accept this war any longer. Let your New Year’s
resolution be to stand for the people and end wars by sending a digital or
spoken peacemaking message to people in Afghanistan. Olympia area residents
who have come to know the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers as friends are
gathering at Traditions for the 24-hour period in solidarity with the group
in Kabul including Hakim, the young Afghans, Ann Wright, Kathy Kelly, and
others.  Collectively we will help assemble the voices of the now 60% of the
US to call for and end to the killing by US and NATO forces. By amassing
millions of messages calling for peace, we can create yet another indication
that ordinary people within and beyond Afghanistan have had enough of
war.Join the group for the last 16 hours of this 24-hour event in
solidarity
with the people of Afghanistan.  Traditions Cafe is serving as the
International hub for this unique event.
*8PM*: New Year’s Eve 2010 The Sonics with The Dirty Birds and November
Witch, Olympia Film Society, $20members/ $25 GA
Celebrate New Year’s Eve 2010 The Sonics with The Dirty Birds and November
Witch. All ages with 21+ beer garden  Sponsored by: KAOS 89.3fm and Weekly
Volcano.
*8PM:* Rocket Attack/HIV/Insubordinate/Sunset Riders!, Midnight Sun, 113
Columbia St. NW
*8PM:* New Years Eve Reggae Dance With Clinton Fearon and High Ceiling!,
Eagles Ballroom, 805 4th Ave, $25 single $45 couples
Justus Productions Presents A SPECTACULAR NEW YEARS EVE DANCE with
INTERNATIONAL REGGAE STAR CLINTON FEARON and The Boogie Brown Band! Special
Guests: The Local, The legendary- HIGH CEILING!!! Somojo Magazine & Radio-
Reggae Artist of the Year Award Winners. AN ALL AGES EVENT- FAMILIES & KIDS
WELCOME! 12 & under Free. DOORS 6:30 CLINTON 7:30 HIGH CEILING 11:30.
Tickets at Rainy Day Records, Tradition Fair Trade and at Door from Noon on.
Buffet Dinner, Party Favors and Refreshments. Some proceeds benefit the
Eagles Diabetes Foundation. Benefit for Food Bank too - Bring a bag!

 *Saturday, Jan. 1*, New Year's Day, 1804 Haitian slaves led by Jean Jacques
Desalines, declare independence.
*till 4PM: *Dear Afghanistan, a New Year's Day Message of Peace, Traditions
Fair Trade Cafe, 300 5th Ave*
*
Join the group for the last 16 hours of this 24-hour event in solidarity
with the people of Afghanistan. Traditions Cafe is serving as the
International hub for this unique event.
*11AM- 2PM:* Volunteer inventory count, Oly Food Co-Op east and westside

*Sunday, Jan. 2*, 1996, 100,000 Bangladeshi women protest in Dacca against
attacks on women's rights.*
**3:30- 6PM: *Jazz Jam, Traditions Fair Trade Cafe, 300 5th Ave, Free*
*
The Jazz community of the South Sound will hold a jazz jam in our cafe on
the 1st Sunday of the month. *
*
*4- 6PM:* Olympia Free Choir, The Northern, 321 Fourth Ave E., free
We are all birds, birds of a different feather - we each sing the way we
sing and we are all in this together. A friendly all ages no experience
necessary everyone welcome fun-centric community choir!
*
*
*Monday, Jan. 3*, Quadrantid meteor shower!
*6PM:* KOWA 106.5 Low Power FM Radio Meeting, Media Island (in the KOWA
Outerspace.)*
**7- 9PM:* Drinking Liberally, Ballyhoo's Irish Pub, 316 Schmidt Place SW,
Tumwater, WA 98501
Drinking Liberally is an informal gathering of like-minded left-leaners and
true hardcore lefties who want to trade ideas, get more involved, to rant,
or just share each others company.
*7:30- 9PM:* West African Dance, The Loft on Cherry St., Public Invited
*7:30- 9:30PM:* Artful Activism Paper Mache, Media Island, free
Free Skool Olympia. Playing with paper mache and using our creativity
starting with mask making to evolve weekly into an engaging public
performance puppet theater. For procession of the species or other. Some
materials provided.

* Tuesday, Jan. 4* New Moon
*5- 7PM: *Olympia Free Choir, The Northern, 321 Fourth Ave E., free
We are all birds, birds of a different feather - we each sing the way we
sing and we are all in this together. A friendly all ages no experience
necessary everyone welcome fun-centric community choir!*
*
*7PM:* Media Island Spokes Council Meeting, Media Island*
**7PM:* Olympia Songwriter Circle, Traditions Fair Trade Cafe, 300 5th Ave,
Free*
*
Original songs are always welcome! Non-songwriters who just want to hear
good music are welcome too, so bring a friend!
*
Wednesday, Jan. 5*, 1964 Committee Against Nuclear Power Plants in NY stops
plants planned for Queens.
*Noon- 1PM:* "STAND UP FOR PEACE" vigil, Sylvester Park,
 As we have been doing every Wednesday since March 5, 1980. Please come for
all or part of the hour. We provide plenty of signs and a friendly
atmosphere. Oly FOR
*7PM: *Bernie Meyer: A report from India, Traditions Fair Trade Cafe, 300
5th Ave, Free*
*
“My experiences are incredibly rich. I continually process the reality of
our world!” Bernie has just returned from his third 2010 trip to India where
he portrayed Gandhi in several locations, 10th trip since 2005. “I bring
Gandhi to the world of 2010.” From the International Youth Peace Festival to
the village schools, from activist Round Tables to NGO conversations, to
numerous conferences, comes the world to India.
---###---

* / Local Review*
*Media Island's Local Media Watch:
http://www.netvibes.com/olyblogwatch#Prolific-Bloggers*
*Oly Blog:* Downtown, an animated discussion.
http://olyblog.net/downtown-1
*Free Radio Olympia: *Streaming music from 98.5
http://www.frolympia.org/
*Janine Gate's Little Hollywood: *Thurston County Commissioners Adopt
Biomass Facility Moratorium
http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2010/12/thurston-county-commissioners-adopt.html
*Shelton Progressive:* Ross Gallagher attended his last county commissioner
meeting.
http://sheltonprogressive.blogspot.com/2010/12/ross-gallagher-attended-his-last-county.html
*The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide: *How to make a Pecan Pie.
http://boomersurvive-thriveguide.typepad.com/the_survive_and_thrive_bo/2010/12/how-to-make-a-pecan-pie.html
*This is historic times:* American Golgothic Comic, Congress’s failure to
pass the DREAM Act.
http://thisishistorictimes.com/2010/12/american-golgothic/
*Morty the Dog:* McCleary time capsule, 1943- 1963.
http://mortydog.blogspot.com/2010/12/mccleary-time-capsule-1943-1963.html
*Olympia Coalition for a Fair Budget:* First Annual Fair Budget Fair at The
Eagles Hall in Olympia, WA — Jan. 15- 16.
http://olycoforfairbudget.wordpress.com/
*Rachel Corrie Foundation:* Playing soccer in Gaza
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/blog/2010/12/19/playing-soccer-in-gaza
*Last Word Blog:* Daily Bleed
http://lastwordblog.blogspot.com/
*POWER:* Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights
http://www.oly-wa.us/power/
*The Olympian (made in Tacoma): *Hair salon settles lawsuit with Saks Fifth
Avenue.
http://www.theolympian.com/2010/12/29/1489065/hair-salon-settles-lawsuit-with.html
---###---

* / Under-Reported*
*Media Island's Weekly News Roundup:*
Mother Jones: What killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones?
http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/11/aiyana-stanley-jones-detroit
Truth Dig: Bitter Memories of ar on the way to jail, by Chris Hedges
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/bitter_memories_of_war_on_the_way_to_jail_20101220/
 Common Dreams: Season of Hardship Connects Struggling Workers in Two
Worlds  by Michelle Chen
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/12/29-4
CISPES: A victory! The power of international solidarity.
http://cispes.org/
Alter Net: Vision: Modern Utopians -- Revisiting the Amazing Communes and
Alternative Societies of the '60s and '70s, by Richard Fairfield
http://www.alternet.org/<http://www.alternet.org/vision/149329/vision%3A_modern_utopians_--_revisiting_the_amazing_communes_and_alternative_societies_of_the_%2760s_and_%2770s_/>
 Reclaim the Media: FCC's net neutrality compromise benefits industry at
expense of small business, tech innovators and minorities.
http://www.reclaimthemedia.org/broadband_cable/fccs_net_neutrality_compromise2151
 Media with Conscience: Economic chickens coming home to roost, by Ben
Tanosborn
http://mwcnews.net/focus/editorial/7604-economic-implosion.html
 Narco News: $100 Million Drug-War Garrison Approved for U.S.-Mexican
Border, by Bill Conroy
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/bill-conroy/2010/12/100-million-drug-war-garrison-approved-us-mexican-border
 Venezuela Analysis: Chavez's Lines #100: "The Sermon on the Cerro", by Hugo
Chavez,
http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/5899
 Upside Down World: OAS Diplomat's Words Rattle Haiti’s Occupation Regime,
by Roger Annis
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/haiti-archives-51/2836-oas-diplomats-words-rattles-haitis-occupation-regime
 Washington Post: Monitoring America, the newest installment to the mind
blowing investigative series Top Secret America.
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/articles/monitoring-america/
 CEPR: Income, Inequality and Food Prices, December 2010, by Shawn Fremstad
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/reports/income-inequality-and-food-prices
 Consortium News: Argentina's Dapper State Terrorist, by Marta Gurvich
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/122910b.html
 Monthly Review: Free-Market Feminism, by Johanna Brenner
http://www.monthlyreview.org/101201brenner.php
Wikileaks
http://www.wikileaks.ch/
Stop FBI: Solidarity statement from Sacramento Area Peace Action.
http://www.stopfbi.net/2010/12/28/solidarity-statement-sacramento-area-peace-action
Not Much to Celebrate with Obama's Tax Deal, by Karen Dolan
http://www.ips-dc.org/articles/no_celebrating_Obama_tax_deal
---###---

* / Later Dates*
*Media Island Weekly: Preview of NEXT week*. *January 6- 12*
*Thursday, Jan. 6*, 1927, US Marines re-invade Nicaragua after ending a
13-year occupation.
*7PM:* Film on Honduras and discussion, Media Island, 816 Adams St. SE,
Donate!
Media Island is funding a human rights accompanier and we will be discussing
the current situation.
*Friday, Jan. 7*, 1894, French police arrest 2000 anarchists in their homes
in sweep of country.
*8PM*: New Year’s Eve 2010 The Sonics with The Dirty Birds and November
Witch, Olympia Film Society, $20members/ $25 GA
Celebrate New Year’s Eve 2010 The Sonics with The Dirty Birds and November
Witch. All ages with 21+ beer garden  Sponsored by: KAOS 89.3fm and Weekly
Volcano.
 *Saturday, Jan. 8*, 1811, Slave revolt in New Orleans.
*11AM- 2PM:* Volunteer inventory count, Oly Food Co-Op east and westside
*Sunday, Jan. 9*, 1991, 10 peace activists arrested at Fort McCoy for
handing out warnings about war crimes.*
** 5-6PM: *Media Island Infoshop meeting! Media Island.*
*
If you love books and zines, come to the Meetings will be every Sunday at 5.
We will be organizing and sorting current books; making a list of books we
want; ordering subscriptions; printing free literature to distribute;
building a zine library; writing reviews; and more!
*Monday, Jan. 10*, People's Peace Treaty between the peoples of US & Vietnam
endorsed by 130 orgs.
*6PM:* KOWA 106.5 Low Power FM Radio Meeting, Media Island (in the KOWA
Outerspace.)*
**6- 8PM: *Grooming in Adult Sexual Assault training, SafePlace Business
Office 314 Legion Way SE,*
*
Sharlyne is the Sexual Assault Coordinator for the Kitsap Naval Base. This
is an updated version of the well-received training she brought to this
year's WCSAP conference. Most men who rape are not reported to the police,
do not go to jail, and do not have meaningful consequences for their
actions. Two of the researchers on this group of people are Dr. Lisak(2002)
and McWhorter(2009). They have examined these "undetected rapists" and
developed valuable insights into the behaviors they use to successfully stay
undetected. During this workshop we will explore the grooming behaviors
utilized by perpetrators of adult sexual assault before and after the
assaultive incident occurs. By understanding research on the behaviors used
by predators to manipulate their victims you can improve victim care by
challenging the "its my fault" perception that so many of our victims
experience. You will also improve your bystander education by identifying
potentially dangerous behaviors used by perpetrators within our social
groupings.
* Tuesday, Jan. 11* 1887, Aldo Leopold, American naturalist, born
*7PM:* Media Island Spokes Council Meeting, Media Island*
Wednesday, Jan. 12*, 1919 Seattle Police beat hundreds of shipyard workers
at open air meeting to discuss strike.
*Noon- 1PM:* "STAND UP FOR PEACE" vigil, Sylvester Park,
 As we have been doing every Wednesday since March 5, 1980. Please come for
all or part of the hour. We provide plenty of signs and a friendly
atmosphere. Oly FOR
*1- 4PM: *Deportation Hearing for Zahid Chaudhry, Immigration Court 1000 2nd
AVE, Seattle, WA
 Muhammad Zahid Chaudhry, a decorated disabled American Veteran, is the
victim of an ongoing witch hunt since the 9/11 attacks, and is being
deported back to Pakistan where he will "inevitably be murdered by the
Taliban for his service in the U.S. Army," says Seth Manzel Executive
Director of G.I. Voice. He came here legally over 13 years ago and has been
married to a native born citizen for nearly 10 years. Their suit against the
INS in Federal US district court for citizenship was dismissed on October
26, 2010 on summary judgement without any trial or opportunity to further
present their circumstances. The main issue is that Chaudhry qualifies for
citizenship on so many basis, and there are no legal grounds to deny him
citizenship. He qualified for and filed an application to become a U.S.
citizen under the military naturalization program in 2003 (which INS claimed
they lost) and again in 2004, which requires the U.S. government to provide
expedited processing for citizenship applications for individuals in the
armed forces. His military awards include: National Defense Service Medal,
Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal W/M Device
and the Army Service Ribbon.  He has never broken any U.S. laws, and has
been married to a U.S. citizen for nearly10 years. He qualifies for
citizenship based on “married to US citizen” also. Additionally, before
injuries in service of our Nation left him in a wheel chair, he was an avid
community volunteer. He served for thousands of hours as an unpaid volunteer
for the American Red Cross (both as a general volunteer and as youth
co-ordinator), unpaid Ready Reserve volunteer in the Fire Department
(carrying pager 24/7 & responding to fire emergencies),Habitat for Humanity
and plenty of other worthwhile community and civic organizations.  Last but
not least, the Chaudhrys have two children and four grandchildren; they do
not wish for their family and friends to be ripped apart by an uncaring,
inefficient federal bureaucracy acting with repressive measures. Chaudhry is
scheduled for a deportation hearing at the immigration court in Seattle on
Wednesday January 12, 2011 at 1PM and he has no legal representation. The
couple reports that Senator Patty Murray's staff, Lindsay Herbst, often
sends them an email saying to "hang in there" and that they are "working on
it"-- a behavior of our top politicians for the last 7 to 8 years. They have
spent tens of thousands of dollars in this struggle for Justice, not to
mention lost opportunity. “Our physical, spiritual, mental & financial
capabilities have been torn asunder & ground to nothingness by this great
Nation we both love & have served so much and continue to serve,” says Ann
Chaudhry. They are calling for the community to support them by writing
emails, letters or calling Senator Patty Murray's secretary at
lindsay_herbst at murray.senate.gov. Telephone listings: 206-553-2195 Seattle
or DC office below:  173 Russell Senate Office Building  Washington, D.C.
20510  Phone: (202) 224-2621  Fax: (202) 224-0238  Toll Free: (866)
481-9186  You can see a short video clip of Chaudhry's speech at Interfaith
Forum on Immigration in Washington, DC at the website.
www.justice4chaudhry.info
*2:30- 5:30PM: *Anarchists Against the Wall at Evergreen! Evergreen Lecture
Hall 3
 They do direct action against the apartheid wall in Israel. They use their
legal privilege to fight for the rights of Palestinians. And they're coming
to Olympia. Anarchists Against the Wall has been at the forefront of the
Israeli solidarity movement which has joined the Palestinian popular
resistance to Israel's illegal apartheid wall. They will be coming to
Olympia to speak about their struggle - at Evergreen during the day and at
the Northern in the evening with Outlook, Bully, Hysterics, At the Mouth of
Hell and Scary Man. Come and learn how you can get involved in the fight for
justice, both locally and in the Middle East. Come if you're well-acquainted
with the situation in Palestine-Israel, come if you're just hearing about it
for the first time, and bring a friend! Brought to you by MSP, TESC Divest
and autonomous individuals.
*6- 7PM:* Spanish Study Group, Olympia Library,
*7PM: *Benefit Show for Anarchists Against the Wall, The Northern, 321 4th
Ave, $7
 Bands: OUTLOOK, BULLY, HYSTERICS, AT THE MOUTH OF HELL, SCARY MAN
*7- 10PM: Ladies and Trans Nights at Media Island! *
Hang out at Media Island with ladies and trans folks for fun, support,
solidarity, camaraderie, scheming, plotting, planning, networking, etc.
Bring art, poetry, ideas, visions, problems, articles, books, announcements
- anything you want really! Potluck style if ya feel like it! Bring your
friends!
This will be a regularly scheduled event!
*7:30PM:* Kimya Dawson, Defiance, OH & Your Heart Breaks, Olympia Timberland
Library, 313 8th Ave SE
Join us for an evening of music with Kimya Dawson (Olympia, WA), Defiance,
OH (Columbus, OH), and Your Heart Breaks (Seattle, WA)!  Music will be
available for purchase. The library is normally closed at this time and will
be open only for this event.

*Media Island Weekly's LATER DATES!
**Sat., Jan. 15- 16, 10:30- 8PM: Fair Budget Fair! Eagles Hall: Bottom floor
805 4th Ave. E
*
The Fair Budget Fair is a community response to the continuing—and
worsening—cuts to jobs, education, health care, and services in the state
budget. With this event, we are bringing together artists, musicians, and
activists to create a dialog with our greater community about what we can do
to save our jobs, schools, and all the public services we need. We have lost
faith in both major political parties, who continue to cut *our* programs
and use *our* tax dollars at the federal level for wars and bank bailouts
instead. *We will have to handle this ourselves.* Ultimately, we think that
only bottom-up, democratic control of our own common wealth can ensure that
our common needs are met. Come join us for art, music, discussion,
education, and preparing for action!
*Sun., Jan. 16, 7- 10PM: **Media Island Queer Potluck!*
 Starting January 16th, from 7 to 10 PM, there will be a Queer potluck every
Sunday night at Media Island! At future events we will be having film
screenings, workshops, support groups, social gatherings, writing to
prisoners, and more! Come to the potluck with suggestions!
*Tue., Jan. 18, 5- 6PM: Media Island Volunteer Meeting/Potluck!, Media
Island, 816 Adams St. SE
*
Come to Media Island for a potluck to learn about volunteer opportunities,
new projects, and up coming events!
*Wed., Feb. 16, 8- 11PM: Honduras Accompaniment Project Music Benefit!,
Media Island, 816 Adams St. SE *
Autocoon! Music, food and beer! Help Caitlin help the Honduran Resistance
Front! Need to raise $3,200!
---###---

* / Links*
*Links Independent News (worldwide)  *
http://www.indymedia.org/
http://www.globalresearch.ca/
http://www.counterpunch.org/
http://www.commondreams.org/
http://www.truthout.org/
http://www.alternet.org/
http://www.rawstory.com/
http://cryptome.org/
http://www.soaw.org/index.php
http://quixote.org/
http://www.nacla.org/
http://www.thenation.org/
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/
http://www.cipcol.org/
http://www.enlacesamerica.org/
http://sites.google.com/site/transborderproject/
http://americasmexico.blogspot.com/
http://www.americaspolicy.org/
http://www.truthdig.com/
http://wallwritings.wordpress.com/
http://www.cindysheehanssoapbox.com/Home_Page.html

The following are good sites for video:
http://papertiger.org/
http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
http://www.democracynow.org/
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/index-flash.html
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php
http://fora.tv/
http://www.edmaysproductions.net/
http://www.talkingsticktv.org/
http://insubordination.blogspot.com/
http://www.freespeech.org/

Women's Issues:
http://www.lifeandlibertyforwomen.org/
http://www.naral.org/
http://www.prch.org/
http://www.now.org/
http://feminist.org/

Native American Issues:
http://www.ienearth.org/
http://www.myspace.com/treatycouncil
http://www.blackmesais.org/
http://www.indianz.com/
http://www.indiancountry.com/
http://www.nativeamericacalling.com/
http://reznetnews.org/
http://www.blackmesawatercoalition.org/
http://desert-rock-blog.com/
http://www.honorearth.org/
http://www.indigenousaction.org/
http://www.leonardpeltier.org/
http://indigenouswomenforjustice.org/
http://www.shundahai.org/
http://www.humanrights.de/u/usa/AIP.html
http://www.redwiremag.com/
http://www.nativemovement.org/
http://www.welrp.org/
http://www.ipcb.org/
http://www.transformcolumbusday.org/
http://www.alaska.net/~gwichin <http://www.alaska.net/%7Egwichin>
http://www.thundervalley.org/
http://carbon.cudenver.edu/fwc/
http://www.wsdp.org/ <http://www.wsdp.org/%20>

Organizations We Like:
http://www.freepress.net/
http://www.amnesty.org/
http://ccrjustice.org/
http://www.npsctapp.blogspot.com/
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/
http://www.wearenotyoursoldiers.org/
http://www.jubileeusa.org/index.php
http://www.nukefree.org/

Periodicals:
http://www.arc.org/C_Lines/ArcColorLines.html
http://www.zcommunications.org/zmag
http://www.adbusters.org/home/
http://www.dollarsandsense.org/
http://www.inthesetimes.com/
http://www.merip.org/ <http://www.merip.org/%20>
http://www.newint.org/
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/index.shtml
http://www.sojo.net/
http://www.theecologist.org/
http://www.progressive.org/default.htm
http://www.tricycle.com/
---###---

*Support the Media Island Accompaniment Program in Honduras:
_________________________
______ __________ _________ _______ _______________ ________ _________
________________
*
*Dear Olympia Activists,
*
The Honduras popular movement formed after Hurricane Mitch devastated the
coast on October 29, 1998, half the roads and nine of every ten bridges were
destroyed with 5,762 dead. The government and military received millions in
international funding but provided little relief. Out of necessity,
neighbors began helping neighbors and Honduran civil society organizations
developed to rebuild their country, a cooperation that continued over the
next ten years.

June 28, 2009, the Honduran military staged a coup and unlawfully removed
President Mel Zelaya. That morning the popular movement was predicted to win
a referenda on placing an initiative proposing a Constitutional Assembly on
the fall ballot. International news reports focused on the dramatic ousting
of Zelaya without conveying the significance of the military coup’s stopping
of the vote. Neither did they cover the popular movement’s capability
pressuring the moderate Zelaya to support leftist reforms. Nor did they
report the fear of the elites when the popular movement easily gathered, for
the first time, the signatures needed to run an independent presidential
candidate.

The military coup controlled the government in a totalitarian grip but the
popular movement quickly won the heart of the people. Immediately following
the removal of Zelaya, while the gulpistas anointed Roberto Michelletti, the
Honduran Resistance Front was formed. Known as the Frente, it strengthened
itself during 144 days of daily organized direct actions, displaying their
strength, courage, sophistication and nonviolent character to the world.

*The untold story nearly one year later: continuing vigilance and struggle.*


The fake elections and the following coronation in January of 2010, allowed
Dictator Michelletti to pass control to fellow Conservative Pepe Lobo. With
that the corporate media dropped their coverage on cue from the US State
Department. I was there the day the bayonet was passed. I missed the tightly
controlled stadium spectacle attended by the wealthy light skinned elite.
Instead, I was marching with 200,000 Hondurans in resistance to the
Tegucigalpa airport to see Zelaya take off, pledging resistance until his
safe return and a complete reformation by Constitutional Assembly. I was
part of a sea of people numbering four times the participants of the WTO
protests in Seattle in 1999, not including the march the same day in San
Pedro Sula of 100,000.

The Frente has solidified as the most powerful popular movement in Honduras,
on par with the Landless Workers Movement of Brazil (MST) or the Zapatistas
of Mexico. The distinct difference is, unlike the MST or Zapatistas, the
Frente are a large popular movement in a small country, representing a
larger percentage of the general population (with some polls suggesting
their popularity to be 65%). In October, the Frente finished collecting 1.3
million signatures for a Constitutional Assembly, out of a population
approximating 7.5 million, comparable in size to Washington State. The
Organization of American States (OAS) considers the strength of the Frente a
factor in not recognizing the new face of the coup government.

The Frente is organized as the democratic spokes council of a broad
coalition that includes Indigenous, campesinos, feminists, LGBTQ, unions,
workers, students and half of Zelaya’s Liberal Party now known as Liberals
in Resistance. The Liberal party would be the equivalent in Honduras to the
Democrats in the US, with the Conservative Party being comparable to
Republicans. Liberals in Resistance could be compared to the Congressional
Progressive Caucus in the US, only now out of power and part of the popular
resistance movement.

*The bad news: violence and oppression has increased drastically. *

A Honduran labor leader who spoke in Olympia last year, Jose Luis Baquedano,
dodged another bullet, literally, avoiding being shot for the second time by
a car full of masked killers. He was lucky, others haven’t been. During a
two day period where no human rights delegations were in Honduras, STIBYS
Union Hall, home to several prominent unions, where the Frente hold many
meetings, was bombed. That same weekend a union activist was abducted, her
body dumped in the middle of her neighborhood riddled with 24 bullet holes.
It is because of these stories and the stories of the over 80 others killed,
including 10 journalists, since the coronation of Lobo that caused the
Frente to ask their international solidarity counterparts to provide them
with human rights accompaniers.

Now on the ground in Honduras are two accompaniers living with Frente
leaders, documenting human rights violations and organizing the
accompaniment program. Media Island is providing the third. Caitlin Roberts,
21 years old, an Evergreen State College graduate, talented musician, fluent
Spanish speaker, with a heart that resonates with the unifying struggles of
our Honduran brethren. She will be training in San Francisco on January 9th
and will be doing a west coast folk tour to raise money and awareness of the
Honduran Resistance Front.

*The task of solidarity activists in the belly of the beast.*

Shining a light on under-reported stories at strategic times is Media
Island’s mission. For Honduras that means meeting a goal of raising $3,200
for this all volunteer project. It costs $300 a month to sponsor Caitlin
while she is there, plus the costs of traveling, training and supplies.

Accompaniers deter violence with the privilege that comes from having a US
passport but more importantly it comes from the power behind them made by
the backing of thousands. Caitlin will be reporting weekly from the ground,
developing direct relationships with the Hondurans.

Sponsor a month as an individual or in conjunction with a group. Consider
asking if you can read this letter at your next organization or union
meeting and take a collection. Developing a network of supporters that we
can call upon is crucial for quick responses when human rights violations
are taking place to generate pressure on our government to take action. We
need financial support immediately but also enduring solidarity.

When I left Honduras, I promised to continue to grow organized solidarity on
behalf of the popular movement as represented by the Frente. Nationally the
Honduras Solidarity Network is forming with Media Island as a small
dedicated part of that coalition. Locally, a Media Island working group, the
Latin American Solidarity Organization has a group of individuals focusing
on Honduras bringing several Honduran speakers through town. Sponsoring
Caitlin is a big step forward. The commitment to Caitlin and the Frente was
given with confidence that a handful of lifelong Central American solidarity
activists, who really understand the issues, would be there in the beginning
to start things off  as new activists join.

Sincerely,
*Bruce Wilkinson *
bruce(at)mediaisland(dot)org

** <http://www.mediaisland.org>*PAYPAL* donate at the Media Island PayPal
link on the wedsite! Or stop by with your checkbook!
---###---

*Media Island Weekly, is a product of Media Island International.

**Our goal is to engage Olympia residents in their community and in
supporting community events and progressive causes. We feel that change
begins at home and believe that a strong community is a well organized and
networked community. Our editorial collective meeting is Wednesday night,
7-10PM at 816 Adams St. SE, feel free to stop in for inquiries or to get
involved.

To get your event or news item on our calendar or under our list of links:
E-mail us, weekly(at)mediaisland(.)org. If the event benefits a socially
responsible organization or features local artists then you are likely to
make it. Space is limited, if it is a continuous event then we may feature
it at a later date or if your groups event doesn't make the front listing
then it may make the back listings and we may feature your organization in
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We are a 501c3 registered non-profit and would love for you to donate time
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