[Onthebarricades] Pro-democracy and human/civil rights protests, America, Oct-Dec 2008

[global resistance roundup]

* Rockers press Obama on music torture
* Minnesota - St Paul's repression protested
* Sonoma - Vigil to protest taser death
* Alaska - Snowman killjoys spark protests
* New York - elderly protest at draconian care home rules
* Arizona - speed camera protests continue
* Lakeville - protest against orders to remove private trees
* Texas - execution leads to protest
* Texas - "no refusal" drink-driving tests spark protest
* Los Angeles - man hangs Palin effigy
* Nebraska - protest over cancellation of Ayers lecture
* Michigan - Amish protest "Mark of the Beast" RFIDs
* Kentucky - rally against death penalty
* Chicago - teen protest against semi-automatic police guns
* California - protests over takeover of local trade union
* Street racers plan demo against repression
* Pennsylvania - protest targets Palin
* Virginia - Palin confuses protesters and supporters
* Anti-Palin T-shirts popular
* Philadelphia - sports fans boo Palin
* Ohio - Palin "let them eat cake" protest
* CANADA - US: Protests for Khadr, Canadian child-prisoner in America
* Arizona - speed camera operator attacks protester
* Georgia - Troy Davis execution threat leads to protests
* New Jersey - compulsory flu shots protested
* Maryland - saboteurs target speed cameras









http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/12/uk-human-rights.html

Rockers to Press Obama on Music Torture
By Nathan Hodge December 23, 2008 | 12:55:00 PMCategories: Dissent Tech, 
DR Soundtrack, T is for Terror
Reprieve, a British human rights law group that represents over 30 
Guantanamo Bay detainees, is planning to work with musicians to lobby 
President-elect Barack Obama to end the practice of sonic torture by 
military interrogators.
Earlier this month, Reprieve and the U.K. Musicians Union launched Zero 
dB, a "silent protest" over the use of music in interrogations. 
According to Reprieve, many of its clients have been subjected to hours 
of music played at deafening volume -- sometime for days or even weeks 
on end. And the BBC has reported on a particularly insidious practice: 
using the theme songs from Sesame Street and Barney to break the will of 
prisoners.
This has musicians furious. Last week, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails 
even suggested he might pursue legal action to stop the practice.
Chloe Davis, a researcher for Reprieve, told Danger Room the Zero dB 
campaign was planning to work with prominent musicians to lobby the 
incoming administration.
"It is really important that we seize the chance to alert Obama to this 
practice," she said. "... I think there will be people on the other side 
trying to catch Obama’s attention, saying we need to be tough. We’re 
trying to counter that message."
This may be a promising strategy. Musicians contributed mightily to the 
Obama campaign; and the inaugural next month is supposed to be a 
celebrity-studded event.





http://www.theledger.com/article/20081209/news/812090330

Musicians Protest Use of Songs in Torture
Detainees are subjected to weeks of heavy metal auditory assault.

By ANDREW O. SELSKY
The Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at 7:20 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at 7:20 p.m.
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba | Blaring from a speaker behind a metal 
grate in his tiny cell in Iraq, the blistering rock from Nine Inch Nails 
hit Prisoner No. 200343 like a sonic bludgeon.

Composer and producer Christopher Cerf poses for a picture at the piano 
he wrote songs for the children's TV show "Sesame Street" in New York, 
Monday, Dec. 8, 2008. The U.S. has used loud music against those held in 
Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan, and detainees now aren't the only 
ones complaining: Musicians are banding together to demand the U.S. 
military stop using their songs as weapons.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig

"Stains like the blood on your teeth," Trent Reznor snarled over 
distorted guitars. "Bite. Chew."
The auditory assault went on for days, then weeks, then months at the 
U.S. military detention center in Iraq. Twenty hours a day. AC/DC. 
Queen. Pantera. The prisoner, military contractor Donald Vance of 
Chicago, told The Associated Press he was soon suicidal.
The tactic has been common in the U.S. war on terror, with forces 
systematically using loud music on hundreds of detainees in Iraq, 
Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, then the U.S. 
military commander in Iraq, authorized it on Sept. 14, 2003, "to create 
fear, disorient ... and prolong capture shock."
Now the detainees aren't the only ones complaining. Musicians are 
banding together to demand the U.S. military stop using their songs as 
weapons.
A campaign being launched Wednesday has brought together groups 
including Massive Attack and musicians such as Tom Morello, who played 
with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave and is now on a solo tour. 
It will feature minutes of silence during concerts and festivals, said 
Chloe Davies of the British law group Reprieve, which represents dozens 
of Guantanamo Bay detainees and is organizing the campaign.
At least Vance, who says he was jailed for reporting illegal arms sales, 
was used to rock music.
For many detainees who grew up in Afghanistan - where music was 
prohibited under Taliban rule - interrogations by U.S. forces marked 
their first exposure to the pounding rhythms, played at top volume.
The experience was overwhelming for many. Binyam Mohammed, now a 
prisoner at Guantanamo Bay, said men held with him at the CIA's "Dark 
Prison" in Afghanistan wound up screaming and smashing their heads 
against walls, unable to endure more.
"There was loud music, (Eminem's) 'Slim Shady' and Dr. Dre for 20 days. 
I heard this nonstop over and over," he told his lawyer, Clive Stafford 
Smith. "The CIA worked on people, including me, day and night for the 
months before I left. Plenty lost their minds."
The spokeswoman for Guantanamo's detention center, Navy Cmdr. Pauline 
Storum, wouldn't give details of when and how music has been used at the 
prison, but said it isn't used today.
She didn't respond when asked whether music might be used in the future.
FBI agents stationed at Guantanamo Bay reported numerous instances in 
which music was blasted at detainees, saying they were "told such 
tactics were common there."
According to an FBI memo, one interrogator at Guantanamo Bay bragged he 
needed only four days to "break" someone by alternating 16 hours of 
music and lights with four hours of silence and darkness.
Ruhal Ahmed, a Briton who was captured in Afghanistan, describes 
excruciating sessions at Guantanamo Bay. He said his hands were shackled 
to his feet, which were shackled to the floor, forcing him into a 
painful squat for periods of up to two days.
"You're in agony," Ahmed, who was released without charge in 2004, told 
Reprieve. He said the agony was compounded when music was introduced, 
because "before you could actually concentrate on something else, try to 
make yourself focus on some other things in your life that you did 
before and take that pain away.
"It makes you feel like you are going mad," he said.
Not all of the music is hard rock. Christopher Cerf, who wrote music for 
"Sesame Street," said he was horrified to learn songs from the 
children's TV show were used in interrogations.
"I wouldn't want my music to be a party to that," he told AP.
Bob Singleton, whose song "I Love You" is beloved by legions of 
preschool Barney fans, wrote in a newspaper opinion column that any 
music can become unbearable if played loudly for long stretches.
"It's absolutely ludicrous," he wrote in the Los Angeles Times. "A song 
that was designed to make little children feel safe and loved was 
somehow going to threaten the mental state of adults and drive them to 
the emotional breaking point?"
Morello, of Rage Against the Machine, has been especially forceful in 
denouncing the practice. During a recent concert in San Francisco, he 
proposed taking revenge on President George W. Bush.
"I suggest that they level Guantanamo Bay, but they keep one small cell 
and they put Bush in there ... and they blast some Rage Against the 
Machine," he said to whoops and cheers.
SOME SUPPORT TACTIC
Some musicians, however, say they're proud that their music is used in 
interrogations. Those include bassist Stevie Benton, whose group 
Drowning Pool has performed in Iraq and recorded one of the 
interrogators' favorites, "Bodies."
"People assume we should be offended that somebody in the military 
thinks our song is annoying enough that played over and over it can 
psychologically break someone down," he told Spin magazine. "I take it 
as an honor to think that perhaps our song could be used to quell 
another 9/11 attack or something like that."
The band's record label told AP that Benton did not want to comment 
further. Instead, the band issued a statement reading: "Drowning Pool is 
committed to supporting the lives and rights of our troops stationed 
around the world."






http://www.twincities.com/rnc/ci_11240253?nclick_check=1

After the court hearing, some activists took their complaints about the 
convention directly to Mayor Chris Coleman, who was hosting a Mancini's 
Char House fundraiser for his 2009 re-election bid.
As Coleman's supporters gathered in the middle of the steakhouse's 
lounge, a group of about 20 activists sat in an adjacent seating area. 
Shortly after Coleman arrived, the activists began tinkling their 
glasses and proposed a "toast" to Coleman, briefly disrupting the 
restaurant with chants and allegations that St. Paul used a $50 million 
convention-security grant to "terrorize and brutalize our entire 
community."
Coleman ignored the group, chatting with a defense lawyer for some RNC 
protesters with whom he attended law school. One activist got on top of 
a booth before she was helped down by Mancini's co-owner Pat Mancini, 
who then showed the group the door.
The episode lasted less than five minutes.






http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20081225/news/812250281

Vigil planned to protest recent 'Taser' death

By LAURA NORTON
Published: Thursday, December 25, 2008 at 5:35 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, December 25, 2008 at 5:40 p.m.
Responding to a frantic mother’s calls for help, a Sonoma County 
sheriff’s deputy arrived at the Vaughn residence in Santa Rosa on 
Saturday morning to assist the mother in controlling her son, who was 
assaulting his father.
Less than two minutes after the deputy entered the home, 39-year-old 
Nathan Vaughn was hit with a Taser three times; 53 minutes later, he was 
declared dead.
Now local activist groups including the Peace and Justice Center of 
Sonoma County and Petaluma CopWatch are calling for Tasers to be removed 
from the arsenals of local law enforcement agencies.
“Two people have been killed in the last two months. I don’t think you 
can say it’s a non-lethal alternative anymore, or that it can be used in 
situations where the officer’s life is not at risk,” said Carl Patrick, 
an organizer with Impact, a social advocacy group in Petaluma.
The groups, which also include the October 22nd Coalition, an 
anti-police brutality group, have planned a vigil in Vaughn’s memory 
today Friday in Old Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa, followed by a 
protest at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department.
Law enforcement agencies consider Tasers to be a less-than-lethal weapon 
that, like all weapons, includes the risk of death, said Lt. Scott Dunn 
of the Sheriff’s Department.
“There are risk factors,” he said. “But there’s less risk using a Taser 
than a gun.”
Petaluma police, who are investigating Vaughn’s death, released details 
of the event in a timeline Wednesday.
Deputies went to the Brighton Drive home about 10:38 a.m. and said they 
found Vaughn throwing and breaking things. Deputies were familiar with 
Vaughn, who has an extensive criminal record and who had been in custody 
at the County Jail the day before.
To get control of Vaughn, who was 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, a deputy 
used his Taser. When Vaughn continued struggling, the deputy activated 
the Taser two more times, Lt. Chris Spallino said.
Vaughn then was handcuffed, and once he was secure, began showing signs 
of medical distress, Spallino said. The Petaluma police report did not 
detail the nature of the emergency.
An ambulance crew already on scene began working on him and took him to 
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Petaluma Police Lt. Mike Cook said the deputy who shot Vaughn with a 
Taser has been placed on administrative leave, according to procedure in 
officer-involved deaths.
The Sheriff’s Department has not authorized release of the deputy’s 
name, Cook said.
Vaughn’s death is the second officer-involved fatality this month for 
the Sheriff’s Department and the second death in two months to follow 
the use of a Taser by local law enforcement.
In November, 42-year-old Guy James Fernandez died after being hit with a 
Taser and handcuffed by Rohnert Park police.
Four other people have died in Sonoma and Lake counties this year after 
law enforcement officers used lethal force.
Craig Von Dohlen of Sonoma, David Vestal of Clearlake, Heather Kathleen 
Billings of Rohnert Park and Jesse Hamilton of Santa Rosa were shot by 
law enforcement officers.
Von Dohlen and Vestal were armed with guns and threatening police when 
they were shot.
Billings carried a razor blade, and Hamilton carried a knife.
Today’s 4 p.m. vigil in Santa Rosa will be in their honor, as well as in 
honor of the eight people killed in 2007 and two in 2006, Patrick said.
The coalition of groups is also asking for independent investigations of 
officer-involved deaths. Under current procedure, evidence is gathered 
by a county law enforcement organization other than the one involved in 
the shooting.
The evidence is forwarded to the district attorney, who rules if the 
shooting was justified or if the death could have been avoided.
Demonstrators hope to send two representatives into the department to 
meet with Sheriff Bill Cogbill and discuss removing Tasers from the 
department’s arsenal.
Cogbill and Capt. Dave Edmonds, the department spokesman, were on 
vacation Wednesday and not expected to be in the office the rest of the 
week, Dunn said.
“We are not opposed to dialoguing with the sheriff, but we are not going 
to back down or compromise,” Patrick said. “We’ll do whatever it takes, 
phone calls or a regular protest or a petition drive. We’re going to 
take action.”
Reach Staff Writer Laura Norton at 521-5220 or 
laura.norton at pressdemocrat.com.







http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2008/12/27/Protesting-snowmen-show-up-at-city-hall/UPI-54381230416787/

Protesting snowmen show up at city hall
Published: Dec. 27, 2008 at 5:26 PM
Order reprints | Feedback
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- A group of protesting snowmen 
carrying signs like "Snowpeople have rights" made a brief appearance at 
city hall in Anchorage, Alaska, this week.
The 3-foot-high snowmen appeared Christmas Day, the Anchorage Daily News 
reported. By Friday morning, they had been removed and their signs 
placed in the trash.
The city has been going through a flap over Snowzilla, a supersized 
snowman created every winter since 2003 by Anchorage resident Billy Ray 
Powers. This year, the city enjoined Powers from building Snowzilla, but 
a 25-foot-high snowman appeared overnight on his property -- and he says 
it was the work of anonymous supporters.
Powers also denies being the creator of the snow protest. He said he did 
get a look at it Thursday and described the undersized snowmen as "cute 
as can be."
Other signs carried by the snowmen included "Heck no we won't go" and 
"Snowzilla needs a bailout."
City officials have said they do not plan to take any action against 
Snowzilla's latest incarnation until after the holidays.






http://www.globalaging.org/elderrights/us/2008/apple.htm

Crab-Apple Clash, Birdhouse Ban Pushed Seniors to Take a Stand

By Philip Shishkin, The Wall Street Journal

December 2, 2008

Rules at Housing Complex Created Activists; Fighting for Wind Chimes.

The imminent chopping down of a crab-apple tree, to make way for a large 
trash bin, was the last straw.

Lee Perrone and Pat Henry, residents of a subsidized housing complex for 
the elderly here, tied chairs to the tree and sat down to protect it. 
Their protest kept the chain saws at bay, drawing curious onlookers and 
local reporters. A meals-on-wheels program sent them food. Their 
landlord, the Shrewsbury Housing Authority, sent them eviction notices.

"My daughter thinks I lost it," says Ms. Perrone, 74 years old. Her 
friend Ms. Henry is 65.

The eviction notices brought to a head more than a year of friction 
between the housing agency and tenants of Shrewsbury's Francis Gardens 
apartments, in a battle over cluttered patios, fire codes, an allegedly 
dangerous garbage bin, and who decides what's best for old people.

It was the garbage-bin hazard that meant the crab-apple tree had to go, 
the housing agency said. Another tenant injured her arm after falling on 
uneven pavement near the trash bin. The place chosen to relocate it was 
where the tree stood.

Francis Gardens is the kind of "independent living" community that more 
people who want to avoid nursing homes are winding up in. Residents of 
such places often cope with limited mobility and advancing infirmity, as 
they try to preserve their quality of life. In Shrewsbury, a central 
Massachusetts town of some 33,000, tenants bristled at what they saw as 
excessive safety precautions.

Francis Gardens, an array of brick-and-yellow-clapboard houses, has 100 
one-bedroom apartments that tenants rent for a third of their monthly 
income.

Many residents, especially elderly women living alone, have taken 
special pride in their decks and patios and decorated them with flower 
pots and rugs. In the warm months, social life revolves around the 
outside areas.

The trouble began in June 2007, when a state public-housing inspector 
noticed that a door on one apartment's deck was blocked by furniture, 
which it called a "fire-egress obstruction." In a letter the next month 
to residents, Dennis Osborn, executive director of the Shrewsbury 
Housing Authority, cited violations of building and fire codes.

Later that summer, the authority issued a new obstruction policy. "No 
chairs, tables, flowerpots, wind chimes, flags, mobiles, birdhouses or 
similar items shall be placed on decks or patios, or hang from, gutters, 
hand railings, trees, or the buildings," it said. "Common entry hallways 
must remain clear of floor mats, throw rugs [and] welcome mats."

Tenants acknowledge some decks were overflowing with clutter. Ms. 
Perrone recalls one deck in particular looked like "the city dump." But 
in a letter to the housing authority, 65 tenants asked why everyone 
should be punished. "Now you want us to take ALL things off our 
porches/patios," a move that would give Francis Gardens "a blank sterile 
atmosphere," the letter said. "That would only serve to hinder people 
[who] can't walk very well from getting out at all."

The authorities didn't back down. "You can't look at that as your patio 
or your deck," says Gerald LaFlamme, who was the town's fire chief at 
the time the obstruction policy was issued. "You have to look at it as a 
legal entity called 'the fire exit.' " Mr. LaFlamme says blocked exits 
have hampered his firemen in the past.

Helen Jarzobski, 93, had set up a plastic table and four chairs on a 
grassy patch next to her small patio. "I had a little sign that said 
'friends welcome,' " recalls Ms. Jarzobski. "People would walk by, and 
they would sit and talk to me." The housing authority removed the table 
and chairs, she says.

The new restrictions were particularly hard for Ms. Jarzobski. After a 
car accident a year ago convinced her to give up driving after 53 years, 
her world shrank to the size of her small apartment and her patio.

Ms. Perrone threw away the flowerpots hanging over the handrail of her 
deck, and removed the sun umbrella under which she used to read. Housing 
officials took away a rug and curtains she placed in a common hallway, 
she says.

Mr. Osborn of the housing authority declined repeated interview requests.

Richard Ricker, one of the authority's five commissioners, says the 
obstruction policy was based on "the lawful commands of the fire chief, 
and of the state and local inspectors."

Before Halloween last year, Ms. Perrone borrowed a striped prison-style 
tracksuit and a cap and wore it to a small protest in the middle of 
Francis Gardens. She carried a sign that read "State-funded prison for 
senior citizens." The protest brought local media attention and put the 
battle on the map.

After her patio furniture was confiscated, Ms. Jarzobski removed a 
birdbath from her deck. But Ms. Jarzobski, who is of Italian descent, 
refused to take down wind chimes and an Italian flag nailed to a tree in 
memory of her brother, who died in World War II. Her family bought her a 
new, elevated chair that was easier on her ailing legs -- and chained it 
to a post on the deck to prevent housing officials from taking it.

In September, Ms. Jarzobski received a letter from Mr. Osborn, who 
ordered her to remove the chair and wind chimes or face possible 
eviction. Ms. Jarzobski ignored it, and on Sept. 23 received a 30-day 
eviction notice citing a "violation of the obstruction policy." She'd 
lived in Francis Gardens for 32 years.

Ms. Perrone and Ms. Henry, who had been sitting guard at the crab-apple 
tree, received their eviction notices the same day. The two women, 
already angered by the obstruction policy, worried that the moved 
garbage bin would be too close to their windows. And Ms. Perrone says 
that just because the tree is old and scraggly doesn't mean it needs to 
die. "My skin is flaky and I'm old, too," she says.

Facing eviction, the tree defenders and Ms. Jarzobski filed complaints 
with the local housing court. Their lawyer chartered a bus to ferry the 
plaintiffs and other residents to the court hearing scheduled for late 
September.

After a state legislator decided to mediate, the housing authority chose 
to avoid a courtroom battle. On Sept. 29, the eviction notices were 
rescinded.

Shrewsbury's new fire chief, Robert Gaucher, says that as long as the 
tenants keep the fire-escape paths clear, they can have some personal 
items on their decks. "We are a little more flexible," he says.

The crab-apple tree was saved, and the garbage bin is staying put. 
Housing officials say they plan to patch up the cracked concrete in its 
current location. To celebrate victory, Ms. Perrone dressed up as a 
crab-apple tree for Halloween this year. A new tenants committee has 
been meeting with the housing director twice a month to discuss 
concerns. "We are not looking for trouble at our age," Ms. Perrone says.







http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/26/2617.asp

Anti-Camera Protest at Arizona Redflex Office
Members of the public protest at the Phoenix, Arizona office of Redflex 
Traffic Systems.

Protesters hit the main Arizona office of photo enforcement vendor 
Redflex Traffic Systems yesterday to urge the company to pack its bags 
and "return to Australia." About three dozen activists armed with signs 
stood out in front of the speed camera company's posh new Phoenix suite 
at 23751 North 23rd Avenue to hold signs while passing motorists honked 
in approval.

"This event was fantastic," camerafraud.com member Todd Kandaris wrote 
after the event. "Who would have guessed that expressing dissent could 
be so much fun?"

Local media interest was high as the group's organizers are actively 
plotting a statewide ballot initiative that would give residents a 
chance to ban photo ticketing. More residents have opened to that 
opportunity in the past three months as Redflex has issued 40,401 
freeway photo tickets worth $7.5 million. With the program generating 
revenue at a rate of $10,000 an hour, a storm of complaints has hit 
state officials who have reported an increase in angry telephone calls.

Observers now wonder whether the legislature will act before the ticket 
ban initiative even qualifies for the ballot. The photo radar program's 
staunchest defender, Governor Janet Napolitano (D), is leaving the state 
to head the US Department of Homeland Security. Her successor, Secretary 
of State Jan Brewer (R), has been snubbed in the past by Redflex.

Regardless, the unrest brings uncertainty to the company operating the 
greatest number of red light cameras and speed cameras in the US. Losing 
the statewide freeway contract and the ability to issue tickets in 
Chandler, Pinal County, Paradise Valley, Peoria, Prescott Valley, Star 
Valley and Tempe would deliver a multi-million dollar blow to the 
Australian firm. In 2005, shares of Redflex stock plunged to just A$3 on 
the Australian Securities Exchange after the Ohio House of 
Representatives passed a bill that would have banned photo ticketing. 
The stock recovered after the bill narrowly failed to pass the state Senate.

Investors down under have yet to take the current Arizona situation into 
account. Shares closed today at A$3.15, up significantly from its low of 
A$2.06 as recently as July.







http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20081205/news/812050318

Clash over iconic trees
County puts pressure on property owners as dispute over removing 
hazardous eucalyptus trees along Lakeville Highway heats up

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG / The Press Democrat
Gigi Hendricks is a resident along Lakeville Highway, east of Petaluma, 
who is opposed to the removal of the nearly 370 eucalyptus trees along 
the highway. She and her husband, Sid, are furious at the county's 
assertion that they can be held liable for damages from falling trees or 
limbs.

By DEREK J. MOORE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Friday, December 5, 2008 at 4:21 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, December 5, 2008 at 4:19 p.m.
For Sid Hendricks, the massive eucalyptus trees bordering his ranch and 
for as far as the eye can see on Lakeville Highway are historical treasures.
The 77-year-old grape grower and horseman long has opposed efforts to 
cut down the trees, which Sonoma County officials insist are a danger to 
motorists on the busy stretch of road east of Petaluma.
In the latest offshoot of the dispute, the county sent letters to 
Hendricks and his neighbors informing them that most of the 370 trees 
are on private property and not on county-owned land.
Hendricks is buzz-saw angry at the letter's assertion that he is liable 
for any damages that result from a falling limb or tree and that he's 
responsible for cutting down the 40 or so trees on his property to 
prevent such an occurrence.
"This isn't Russia," he said. "They can't tell me to cut down my trees."
County officials insist they want to work with property owners toward an 
equitable solution. But in the rural area, where Ernie's Tin Bar is the 
de facto city hall and suspicion of government runs deep, many aren't 
buying it.
"The county is blackmailing them (property owners) to tear down the 
trees at their expense," said Jim Kriegsman, who lives on a 140-acre 
horse farm and started a petition drive to save the trees.
The dispute resonates widely. What happens to the iconic stand of 
eucalyptus trees between Stage Gulch Road and the Blackpoint Cutoff 
could be a harbinger of how the county deals with these 
antiseptic-scented mammoths lining highways across the region.
Of these, the Lakeville grove is perhaps the most famous, gracing 
postcards for wineries and forming a natural tunnel for motorists. Some 
see beauty in the "blue gums," which were planted in 1905 on the Foster 
Ranch, once part of the giant Tolay Ranch that was acquired by the 
county as open space.
They were an addition to the huge trees, planted in 1860, that mark the 
site of the vanished port of Lakeville on the Petaluma River.
Others, however, view the trees as unsightly invaders, brought from 
Australia and growing into veritable death traps. In 2005, a limb fell 
on a car on Lakeville Highway, injuring the driver. In 2002, a 30-footer 
from the "Gum Grove" near Infineon Raceway at Sears Point fell and 
killed a motorist.
County officials, recognizing the passions attached to the Lakeville 
trees, promised last year to proceed slowly with any plans to cut them down.
Supervisor Mike Kerns, whose district encompasses this territory, stated 
flatly that the trees would not be clear-cut.
"We could remove the trees over a period of years and not all at once," 
he said in a June 2007 interview.
But Kerns said this week he now supports the desire of county staff to 
remove the trees by next winter.
Kerns said his change of heart was based on an arborist's report -- the 
second commissioned by the county -- that deemed nearly all of the 
Lakeville trees a serious hazard to motorists.
"We now realize the problem is much worse than what we anticipated," 
Kerns said. "That being said, we still don't plan to just clear-cut all 
those trees in one day. We want to work with individual property owners 
and take those trees down."
John Meserve, an arborist with Horticultural Associates in Glen Ellen, 
said in his report to the county that pruning the trees could alleviate 
the hazards they pose "somewhat."
But Meserve's preference is for the most hazardous trees to be taken 
down. Of the 370 trees surveyed, Meserve identified 252 as having a high 
potential for structural failure. Sixty-three have moderate potential, 
he wrote, while only 11 were deemed low risk.
Supervisors met in closed session before directing county staff to draft 
the letter to property owners. The correspondence informs residents they 
are liable for any damages caused by the trees and the trees "are your 
responsibility to remove."
Phil Demery, director of the county's Transportation and Public Works 
Department, said the goal of the letter was to jump-start negotiations.
"Maybe there are individuals that understand the risk and would be 
willing to contribute," Demery said. "Maybe that contribution is in the 
form of an easement or temporary right of way to conduct the work. Maybe 
it's a dollar amount."
But so far, some of the property owners don't seem in a mood to cooperate.
Cathy Bachman, who along with her husband, Tom, owns Pegasus Ranch where 
113 of the eucalyptus trees grow, labeled the county's position "ludicrous."
"They've always taken responsibility for the trees. They've done all the 
cleanup. The precedent has been set over and over," she said. "If 
there's been an accident, the county takes care of that. We've never 
been in a position that we are liable for damage from the trees."
Hendricks recalled one occasion where he rode out on his tractor to help 
in the aftermath of a traffic crash that involved a eucalyptus. He said 
he was turned away.
"They think they're going to pass the liability to us, they're crazy," 
Hendricks said.
But Demery said some property owners have expressed tentative support 
for removing the trees.
Cathy Bachman said she's never been opposed to the trees on her ranch 
being cut down.
"I would certainly feel horrible if a tree went down and hurt somebody," 
she said. "If it's known to be a hazard, then that's what has to happen."
But she reiterated her position that it's the county's responsibility to 
do the work and pay for it.
Kerns said the county doesn't have the money right now to do the job, 
thus his desire to share the costs with property owners.
"It would not surprise me if there was litigation at some point," Kerns 
said.






http://www.workers.org/2008/us/mckinney_1113/

Presidential candidate joins protest of execution
By Gloria Rubac
Huntsville, Texas
Published Nov 5, 2008 4:02 PM
Cynthia McKinney made history in Texas Oct. 30. Never has any politician 
or any candidate for public office been in Huntsville, Texas, on an 
execution night to join in with those protesting.
Green Party presidential candidate
Cynthia McKinney comforts Misty Smith,
stepdaughter of Greg Wright, executed
in Huntsville, Texas, Oct. 30.
Photo: Jon Axford
McKinney, the Green Party candidate for president of the United States, 
joined the ranks of protesters this evening, Oct. 30, and quietly 
introduced herself to the family and friends of Greg Wright, who was 
scheduled to be executed 45 minutes later.
As Wright’s stepdaughter stood outside of the death house holding a cell 
phone in one hand and a framed photo of Wright in the other, McKinney 
approached her and asked about the photo. “How long has your family been 
dealing with fighting this execution? Did you ever think that your 
family would ever have to deal with the issue of the death penalty in 
such a personal way?”
McKinney listened to Misty Smith explain that they had been fighting to 
prove Wright’s innocence for seven or eight years and that never did she 
think she and her mother would be going through this injustice.
Then McKinney was introduced to the crowd opposing Wright’s execution.
The candidate told them: “I am sad to join you tonight, those of you who 
have a conscience and who want the U.S. to join the community of nations 
that respect life, rights and the administration of justice. It’s one 
thing to feel politically, academically and intellectually opposed to 
the death penalty. It’s quite another thing to meet the family of 
someone who has maintained his innocence throughout his entire ordeal 
and yet they find themselves on the opposite side of justice.
“Most people in this country have believed in the justice system. They 
believe that they would never be the victims of injustice. And yet I am 
here in the very place where Shaka Sankofa was murdered by the state of 
Texas.
“Texas is the execution capital of the country. Why is it that the state 
of Texas wants the world to know that killing is wrong yet it engages in 
killing?”
McKinney continued: “Our president, George W. Bush, has engaged in 
killing. One million Iraqis are dead from war and occupation. How many 
Afghanis are dead from war and occupation? How many Pakistanis dead from 
war and occupation?
“The war machine is a death machine. It’s a killing machine. As a leader 
of the Green Party, I join with the families that are here right now and 
say that we must end all of this killing, including the death penalty, 
including the use of depleted uranium munitions, and including the 
interminable march of the imperialistic war machine.
“Misty, thank you for allowing me to be here. Thank you for helping me 
to understand how barbarically this country can treat people, people who 
believe in it still. Thank you.”
Greg Wright expressed his appreciation for the Green Party just hours 
before his execution when his spouse, Connie Wright, told him that 
Cynthia McKinney would be in Huntsville for the protest. “Well, now, you 
sure know who to vote for, don’t you?” he told Connie. “I can’t believe 
she will be here for me.”
Music that Connie Wright and Greg Wright chose for the evening played 
over the sound system outside of the death house as the prison clock 
chimed at 6:00 p.m. Then Connie and the four other witnesses to the 
execution walked into the death house for the 419th Texas execution, 
while “You are the Wind Beneath My Wings” could be heard for blocks around.
Some 1,125 people have been executed in the U.S. since the death penalty 
was reinstated in the 1970s. Over one-third of all executions have been 
in Texas and over 85 percent have been in the South. Texas has 13 more 
executions scheduled, including another likely innocent person, Eric 
Cathey. Over 65 percent of those on death row are African-American or 
Latino.
________________________________________
Articles copyright 1995-2009 Workers World. Verbatim copying and 
distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without 
royalty provided this notice is preserved.







http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=223402

No refusal DWI policy in effect despite protestors
11/1/2008 12:40 PM
By: News 8 Austin Staff

Not everyone was out for a good time Halloween night.
Protestors were out to voice their views of an Austin police no refusal 
DWI policy.
Austin police officers were out Friday night looking for drunk drivers 
and they weren't taking no for an answer.
Drivers who were pulled over were given a choice. They could take a 
breathalyzer test or a judge would issue a warrant for blood to be drawn 
to check their blood alcohol level.
The protestors believe the policy is a violation of civil rights. Austin 
police say it's legal and necessary to crack down on DWI.
"We're one of the last major cities in the state that has not had one of 
these (policies) yet. All the other large cities--I've spoken to 
Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and they do them all the time," Lt. David 
Mahoney said. "It's legal, you know what I mean. There hasn't been much 
challenge to it. There's a high conviction rate because blood is one of 
your best forms of evidence for DWI."
Lt. Mahoney said Austin police DWI unit has actually been using the 
system for years. This weekend is the first time the entire police force 
is making use of the warrants.
A trained phlebotomist was on hand to draw the blood. According to 
Mahoney, over 6,000 people were arrested for DWI in Austin last year.






http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/31/worldupdates/2008-10-31T011010Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-362362-1&sec=Worldupdates

Friday October 31, 2008
Palin effigy removed from U.S. home after protests
By Dan Whitcomb
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A man who prompted protests by hanging an effigy 
of U.S. Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin by a noose 
from his home at Halloween has removed the display because it was 
causing too much trouble.
A mannequin portraying U.S. Republican vice-presidential nominee Alaska 
Governor Sarah Palin hangs by a noose as a mannequin portraying U.S. 
Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain protrudes from the 
chimney of a private residence in West Hollywood, California October 27, 
2008. (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni)
Chad Michael Morrisette had dressed a mannequin to resemble the Alaska 
governor, complete with beehive hairstyle and her trademark glasses, and 
hung it by the neck from the eaves of his home in famously liberal West 
Hollywood.
In the run-up to next Tuesday's election, this triggered 
counter-protests and a visit by the U.S. Secret Service, although 
officials concluded he had violated no law.
"It was just creating such a disturbance. There were helicopters 
circling overhead, counter protesters," Jake Stevens, spokesman for West 
Hollywood Mayor Jeffrey Prang, said in explaining why Morrisette agreed 
to remove the effigy.
"Mayor Prang just kind of appealed to his common sense. He had made his 
point and it was becoming counter-productive," Stevens said.
Morrisette also plans to take down a mannequin of Republican candidate 
John McCain which had protruded from the chimney surrounded in flames, 
Stevens said.
"There was a huge mob scene. The whole thing became a life of its own," 
Morrisette, a professional window display designer, told the Los Angeles 
Times.
Counter protesters had held up a large sheet to screen the display and 
Stevens said someone had created a similar effigy of Morrissette with a 
sign reading: "Chad, How Does it Feel?"
And a woman in Redondo Beach, about 15 miles (24 kms) away, included in 
her Halloween decorations a dummy of Democratic presidential nominee 
Barack Obama smeared in fake blood, apparently stabbed through the neck 
with a large knife.
Palin, who is seen as more conservative than running-mate McCain, has 
been a lightning-rod of criticism from the left.






http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1207483/nebraska_faculty_students_to_protest.html

Nebraska Faculty, Students to Protest Canceling of Bill Ayers Lecture
November 14, 2008 by
J. K. Baurain
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The controversy over Bill Ayers continues this week in America's 
heartland. On Friday, November 14, a teach-in protest is taking place on 
the Lincoln campus at the University of Nebraska. Flyers are billing the 
event as a chance to "make Nebraska history" as
Nebraska Faculty, Students to Protest Canceling of Bill Ayers Lecture
Date: November 14, 2008
Lincoln, NE
United States of America
students and faculty come "to protest UNL's decision to cancel the 
November 15 lecture by Prof. William Ayers and that decision's violation 
of academic freedom."

Ayers was originally invited to give a lecture as part of an education 
conference this weekend. When news of his scheduled appearance came into 
the spotlight, an outcry from some Nebraskans and university donors 
prompted the university to retract the invitation for Professor Ayers to 
speak. A number of faculty and students intend to show they protest that 
decision on Friday afternoon.

Participants are being invited to join "open discussions on academic 
freedom" and hear individuals present about "the history of defending 
civil rights in Nebraska." At least one group of faculty and students is 
planning to meet before the protest and walk together to the event as a 
display of solidarity.

Although this weekend's conference is being run by the College of 
Education, the English Graduate Student Association is sponsoring 
Friday's teach-in. Faculty from several departments, including English 
and education plan to present their perspectives on the issues at stake. 
Following a video covering the history of teach-ins, speakers will 
address topics that include on academic freedom and its history at UNL. 
To conclude the event, a faculty member will read "What I Might Have 
Said" and "The Right to Think at All" by William Ayers.

Sources:

Flyer by the University of Nebraska English Graduate Student 
Association, "Teach-In on Academic Freedom." Distributed on the UNL 
campus during the week of November 10, 2008.

Lee, Melissa. "UNL cancels William Ayers speech." Lincoln Journal Star.






http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/788/1049788/amish-farmers-protest-mark-of-the-beast-rfid-tagging

Amish farmers protest Mark of the Beast RFID tagging
Beastly regulations
By Sylvie Barak
Friday, 14 November 2008, 13:52
A LAWSUIT BY an angry bunch of Michigan-based Amish farmers - protesting 
having to tag their cattle with radio frequency identification devices 
(RFID) - will probably be dismissed by a federal judge after some 
cajoling by the outgoing Bush administration.
The Amish have raised their pitchforks in protest at new State 
regulations about tagging cattle with RFIDs, claiming the move 
"constitutes some form of a 'mark of the beast' and/or represents an 
infringement of their 'dominion over cattle and all living things' in 
violation of their fundamental religious beliefs".

Beelzebetsie
The United States Department of Agriculture, however, reckons the RFID 
tagging of beasts – Satanic or otherwise – is completely voluntary, and 
a sensible measure put in place to help agricultural officials keep 
track of livestock diseases.
But after finding it devilishly hard to persuade the Amish, the outgoing 
current administration has now had to step in. Bush’s team wrote a 
missive claiming the case should be dismissed "because plaintiffs cannot 
establish that any rule issued or action taken by the USDA either 
mandates the use of RFID tags on livestock located within Michigan, or, 
conversely, prevents the Michigan Department of Agriculture from 
granting appropriate religious exemptions imposed by that department."
RFID tagging is becoming more and more common lately, as the technology 
replaces barcodes and labels. But as RFID tagging becomes more 
prevalent, so too do allegations from Christian religious 
fundamentalists who reckon all this electronic tagging symbolises the 
mark of the beast, and the coming of the antichrist. As if the world 
doesn’t have enough on its plate.
Still, the Virginia-based Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, which 
brought the case on behalf of the Amish farmers, says if the programme 
isn’t dealt with, some of its clients “may have to quit farming”.
Goddamn! Ooops. µ






http://www.mail-archive.com/deathpenalty@lists.washlaw.edu/msg08785.html

Death-penalty foes meet across Ky. for protests

A dozen death-penalty opponents held a vigil outside the Kentucky State
Penitentiary last night as state officials executed confessed child killer
Marco Allen Chapman.

Huddled in a tent holding candles, the opponents read the names of
Kentucky's 37 death-row inmates and their victims and prayed.

"It's important to the policymakers to know the current policy of killing
people is not acceptable to everyone in Kentucky," said the Rev. Patrick
Delahanty, chairman of the Kentucky Coalition Against the Death Penalty,
who organized the vigil.

He said he wasn't disappointed by the small turnout because of freezing
temperatures and the distance to Eddyville from the state's population
centers.

Vigils were organized in other communities, including Louisville,
Frankfort and Bowling Green. About 40 people gathered in downtown
Louisville in Jefferson Square at 7 p.m. for an hourlong vigil and
demonstration. Many held candles and signs with messages such as "Execute
justice, not people."

The opponents at the Kentucky State Penitentiary were directed to a field
facing the building where Chapman was executed at 7:34 p.m. CDT.

The group began arriving about an hour before the scheduled 7 p.m. CDT
start time.

Some held signs, which had sayings such as "An eye for an eye makes the
whole world blind."

2 large, heated tents were set up. In a tent about 100 yards from the tent
where the opponents gathered, 4 individuals huddled, saying they were
"observers." They would not identify themselves or say whether they
supported the death penalty.

Amanda Bragg, a death- penalty opponent from Bowling Green, said she drove
to the prison from Lexington, where she is a law student at the University
of Kentucky, because she believes the death penalty is unnecessary.

"I don't support the execution of anybody," she said.

Sister Judy Morris, of Louisville, said she made the long drive to
Eddyville because the event "demanded sacrifice."

She said she does not believe Chapman's execution will offer the family of
the victims closure.

Chapman was convicted of killing two children, Chelbi Sharon, 7, and her
brother, Cody Sharon, 6, in 2002 in the Northern Kentucky town of Warsaw.
He also sexually assaulted their mother, Carolyn Marksberry, and attacked
their sister, Courtney Sharon, who survived and is now 16.

Chapman asked for a death sentence, and a week ago was permitted to
dismiss public defenders who were trying to halt his execution.

At the Louisville vigil, participants also read the names of prisoners on
Kentucky's death row and those of their victims, observed several moments
of silence and sang a rendition of "We Shall Overcome."

Cathy Hinko, 56, of Louisville, stood with the circle of people huddled
beneath the city's Christmas tree for the demonstration, spearheaded by
the Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

She said she attended the vigil because she believes capital punishment
does not deter crime, is costly and could be used on innocent citizens
when the justice system fails.

"I think the death penalty is an unintelligent response to crime," Hinko
said.

Dona O'Sullivan, 61, said she opposes the practice even in cases where
death- row prisoners abandon their appeals.

"He wants to die and really it's state-sanctioned suicide," she said.

(source: Courier-Journal)






http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/nov/21/local/chi-assault-rifles-copsnov21

Teenagers protest Chicago police getting high-power rifles
Department says guns aren’t in use yet
By Angela Rozas and Steve Schmadeke
November 21, 2008
Nearly 100 teens marched outside Chicago police headquarters Thursday 
night to protest the department’s plans to equip officers with 
semi-automatic rifles, saying the weapons could make the streets more 
dangerous.

Carrying signs like “Stop the War on Youth,” teens said they didn’t 
trust police with the high-powered weapons and worried gangs would be 
encouraged to bolster their own arsenals.

“The only people who need these guns are in Iraq,” said Arthur McGraw, 
19, an organizer with the nonprofit Southwest Youth Collaborative, which 
organized the rally. “It’ll shoot through brick, car doors. Say your 
family is in the house eating and there’s some gang violence. When they 
shoot these [the bullets] can come into your house and shoot your kids.”

Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said Thursday that though police have 
ordered and received some of the guns, police are not yet using them. 
Their use will be phased in over the next three years.

In April police Supt. Jody Weis said he wanted to equip all of the 
department’s officers with the high-powered weapons as part of an 
overall crime-fighting strategy, arguing that officers are outgunned on 
the streets. Officers currently carry pistols, and only SWAT officers 
carry rifles, M4 carbines.

Mayor Richard Daley publicly backed Weis’ plan, saying the rifles would 
put officers on equal footing with armed gangs and criminals.







http://www.stoptheaclu.com/archives/2008/11/30/protests-intensify-over-local-union-takeover-by-seiu/

Protests Intensify Over Local Union Takeover By SEIU
Posted on November 30, 2008
-By Warner Todd Huston
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is still going ahead 
with its plans to perpetrate a hostile takeover of California local 
California Healthcare Workers union (UHW). Naturally, the local isn’t 
too happy to be forcefully dissolved and integrated into the SEIU 
national and losing their identity.
The UHW folks with their president Sal Roselli in the lead, are staging 
all sorts of protests and efforts to deny the SEIU its victory. Roselli 
has been a thorn in SEIU president Andy Stern’s side for quite a while now.
The SEIU has been trying to mount a massive take over of unions all 
across the country (whether forcefully or not) with the goal of becoming 
the biggest union in the nation. SEIU president Stern’s goal has been to 
create a giant union run from the top down with the locals having little 
power over their own areas. This is a particularly amusing plan because 
unions have always been about “democracy” and “local control” of its own 
destiny yet here is Stern trying to emulate the sort of powermongering, 
top down control that unions usually fight.
In any case, the UHW raised a special fund to be used on something or 
another, but the SEIU claims it was “illegal” and meant to be used to 
fight their takeover. The resulting back and forth lawsuits gave the 
SEIU another excuse to claim that the UHW is “corrupt” and needs to be 
taken over to root out the supposed corruption.
It’s a mess of a power struggle, to say the least and amusing in that 
the whole situation seems to go against the grain of what unions always 
claim to be.
The UHW has posted their point of view on the “retaliation” on their 
website.
 From our perspective, the mess reveals the hypocrisy of unions all the 
way around.
(Updated to correct spelling of name of UHW president)






http://www.kirotv.com/video/18035664/index.html?rss=sea&psp=video

VIDEO: Street Racers Plan Big Weekend Demonstration







http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Palin_fields_Pennsylvania_protests_1012.html

'Hockey Mom' Palin fields Pennsylvania protests
Nick Cargo and David Edwards
Published: Sunday October 12, 2008

Alaska Governor and McCain running mate Sarah Palin was greeted with 
assorted protests during her visit to Pennsylvania Saturday.

Before the start of the Philadelphia Flyers' opening game against the 
New York Rangers, "Hockey Mom" Palin, flanked by daughters Willow and 
Piper, met a mixed reception as she stepped onto the ice at the Wachovia 
Center. Cheers and boos were both heard, and audience members were 
visible holding their thumbs down and displaying signs supporting the 
Obama/Biden campaign. Also joining the Palins was Cathy O'Connell of 
Erdenheim, Pennsylvania, winner of the Flyers "Ultimate Hockey Mom" 
contest, team captain Mike Richards and native Alaskan and Rangers 
assistant captain Scotty Gomez.

"I've been warned that Flyers fans, they get so enthused, that they boo 
everybody at the drop of the puck," Palin said at a Saturday fundraiser. 
"But what I thought I'd do is I'd put Piper in a Flyers jersey, bring 
her out with me. How dare they boo Piper!"

While Allegheny County Republican Party Chairman Jim Roddey presided 
over the $1,000-a-plate fundraiser at Pittsburgh's Westin Convention 
Center Hotel, demonstrators across the street waved signs, mostly in 
protest of Palin's appearance. Among signs waved as the McCain/Palin 
"Straight Talk Express" bus drove by were "I'm a 6-packer for Obama" and 
"Palin = Bush with lipstick."

McCain and Palin represent "extremism," said participant Janice Markowitz.

"That's the intelligence we're dealing with in this country," said 
McCain supporter Jeamour Matthews of her opponents. "They don't have no 
grace (sic), they have no manners, they don't obey the law...these 
people should be arrested. They're blocking the sidewalk."

"I'm going to tell her that we really have to concentrate on two 
things," Roddey said, adding that he felt the campaign remained 
"winnable." "John McCain and Sarah Palin, look at what they've 
accomplished. She's been a mayor; she's become a governor of a state. 
He's got a twenty year track record in the Senate, and a 26 year record 
in the navy. Great accomplishments and he's a man of character. We don't 
know that much about Obama."

Video of the Wachovia Center appearance follows, as posted to YouTube, 
followed by an accompanying report from KDKA as broadcast on October 11, 
2008.





http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/10/13/palin_rally/index.html?source=refresh

Monday, Oct. 13, 2008 17:10 EDT
Palin confuses supporters for protesters
Things took a turn toward the hypothetically ugly Monday when Sarah 
Palin reacted to what she thought was a protest during a rally at the 
Richmond International Raceway in Virginia.
Supporters at the far reaches of the audience apparently couldn't hear 
what Palin was saying, and began chanting "Louder, louder!" the 
Associated Press reports; the chant spread from there.
Perhaps too used to seeing protests at this point -- and, in her 
defense, it's not often that supporters interrupt the candidate they've 
come to see in this fashion -- Palin responded, "I hope those protesters 
have the courage and honor to give veterans thanks for their right to 
protest.”
― Andrew Burmon






http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-32664.html

Protesters wear T-shirts saying `Sarah Palin is a C-T'
New York, Oct.14 : John McCain may be taking a lot of heat from his 
critics, but his running mate - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is not 
lagging too far behind.
According to Fox News, an array of T-shirts, for instance, displaying 
the image of Sarah Palin and some variation of the "C-word" are gaining 
new popularity as Election Day nears.

A group of protesters outside Palin's fundraiser in Philadelphia 
Saturday wore shirts emblazoned with the words, "Sarah Palin Is a C--T."

Cafe Press is selling a slew of off-color Palin T-shirts, including the 
one spotted in Philadelphia.

The Portland Tribune also reported over the weekend that two men in 
Oregon were arrested for throwing a Molotov cocktail at a large McCain 
campaign sign, igniting part of the structure.

And on Monday at a McCain rally in North Carolina, an Obama supporter 
stood outside and repeatedly yelled, "McCain is a murderer."

One woman yelled back: "He fought for your right to say that."

Republicans argue that while neither campaign can curtail every action 
of its supporters, McCain is being unfairly depicted as the only 
candidate who attracts audience members with extreme views.

Indeed, both candidates are still attracting rowdy supporters.

But both campaigns seem to be making an effort to dial back negative 
rhetoric, or at least calm down their crowds.

Obama scolded his audience Monday in Toledo when they began booing at 
the very mention of McCain. "We don't need that," he said. "We just need 
to vote."

McCain corrected a woman Friday who said Obama is "an Arab," drawing 
boos from the crowd.
--- ANI






http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sarah-palin-booed

Political Protests at Sporting Events
Flyers-Rangers Fans Boo Sarah Palin
One might expect a warm welcome in the ‘City of Brotherly Love,’ but 
fans at last night’s hockey game between the Philadelphia Flyers and New 
York Rangers did not give Governor Sarah Palin, one of America’s most 
viral political icons on the Internet and self-proclaimed hockey mom a 
warm welcome. The boos were so loud that the music was cranked up to try 
and drown them out, despite flyers around the Wachovia Center that read: 
Flyers fans, show Philadelphia’s class and welcome America’s No. 1 
hockey mom, Sarah Palin.
The fact that Sarah Palin was booed by Flyer fans regardless of cute 
little daughter Piper being in tow (who was waving and smiling in her 
Philadelphia Flyer hockey shirt) following along on the ice with her 
mother and Willow, was merciless jeering and will surely provide Bill 
O’Reilly with some fodder during the “Talking Points” section of the 
‘O’Reilly Factor’. He’ll probably chastize Flyers fans for booing and 
give Sarah Palin a thumbs-up because she stood strong and smiled and 
waved at the crowd which was a good example for both of her daughters.
But Sarah Palin isn’t the only individual on the Republican ticket to be 
booed. Senator John McCain was booed at one of his own rallies last week 
when he defended Senator Barack Obama’s character.
Palin is expected to parody Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live soon and, if 
she was booed amongst a swing-state crowd, one can only imagine how 
she’ll be received among the liberal-leaning state of New York. My 
advice to Sarah Palin is to lay off the hateful Obama rhetoric and maybe 
you’ll receive a better reception from the SNL audience.
Because of the tremendous amount of publicity she has brought to our 
sport, we invited the most popular hockey mom in North America to our 
home opener to help us get our season started," said Snider, the 
Comcast-Spectacor chairman who founded the Flyers in 1967. "We are very 
excited she has accepted our offer and we are very proud of the 
publicity she is generating for hockey moms and the sport of hockey." - 
NHL.com (latimesblogs.latimes)






http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081023/NEWS09/810230259/-1/RSS

Article published Thursday, October, 2008
Palin greeted by 'Let them eat cake' protest and questions about new 
wardrobe
Republican supporters back Palin's spending on clothes
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, speaks during a rally at Hobart Arena in Troy, 
Ohio, Thursday.

BY TOM TROY
BLADE STAFF WRITER

TROY, Ohio - Ignoring scrutiny of her costly wardrobe paid for with 
party funds, hockey mom Sarah Palin wowed a crowd of strong supporters 
here in the local hockey arena Thursday.

The Republican vice-presidential running mate made no reference to the 
controversy over the $150,000 spent to purchase her and her family a new 
wardrobe after she became the party's nominee.

Several of Mrs. Palin's supporters, who filled the 6,000-space arena, 
said they were not bothered by the report that the Republican National 
Committee outfitted her from swanky shops like Neiman Marcus and Saks 
Fifth Avenue.

"I don't think that it should be an issue. I don't see anyone asking 
about Obama's clothes or how much he spends on his wife," said Michelle 
Robertson, 37, of Celina. "They want people who represent the country to 
look good. To be a leader you gotta look good. Dress for success."

Henk Brunsveld, 49, a retired Marine Corps sergeant major, said "Sarah 
Palin's from Alaska, it's not warm up there. It's not Texas. She 
probably was in need of a wardrobe." He noted approvingly that the 
stores patronized for Mrs. Palin's clothing appeared to be American 
businesses.

John Schweser, Troy city councilman, said Mrs. Palin has a smaller 
income than any of the other three in the presidential campaign. He said 
the issue is "superficial."
"The issue is the economy," Mr. Schweser said. "For us to be talking 
about what people are wearing, it says a lot about our culture."

Outside the arena, a handful of Obama supporters carried signs making 
fun of the wardrobe ruckus.

Shelby Scott, 17, a high school student in Troy, carried a sign listing 
some expensive items and ending with the punch line, "The look on your 
face when you lose the election - priceless."

"I think it's unnecessary," Miss Scott said of the buying spree. She 
said the high-priced adornments conceal a lack of substance. "When she 
opens her mouth not the brightest things come out of it and I think the 
media's trying to hide that."

She didn't have a problem with Mr. Obama's $1,500 suit. "At least he has 
something to say," Miss Scott said.

Her brother's sign said, "$150,000 makeover - let them eat cake."

"I can go to Kohls and find a nice wardrobe for 150 bucks," said Julian 
Scott, 22.

The rally in Hobart Arena in downtown Troy was Governor Palin's fourth 
in deep Ohio Republican territory in two days as she and GOP 
presidential nominee Sen. John McCain turn to the party's base in the 
waning days of the campaign to try to hold the crucially important state 
of Ohio.

Polls show the state moving dramatically in the direction of Sen. Barack 
Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee. Quinnipiac University's 
latest poll of battleground states released Thursday showed Mr. Obama 
leading Mr.
McCain in Ohio 52-38.
On Wednesday, Mrs. Palin spoke in Findlay, suburban Akron, and 
Cincinnati, where she was joined by Senator McCain. Mr. McCain was in 
Florida yesterday running a grueling campaign schedule and Mrs. Palin 
was to continue Thursday night in Pennsylvania.

In her speech, Mrs. Palin continued to play up Joe the Plumber - Lucas 
County's Samuel Wurzelbacher - whose question to Senator Obama made him 
a kind of folk hero, at least for the McCain-Palin campaign.

She said Mr. Wurzelbacher got Mr. Obama to admit that he wants to 
"spread the wealth."

She hailed Mr. McCain as the candidate in the race who can be counted on 
in a crisis and to end wasteful spending. She repeated her personal 
commitment to be a champion of special needs children, and reminded the 
crowd that she and Mr. McCain are the anti-abortion ticket in the race.

"John and I have a vision of America where every innocent life counts," 
she said.

She said the McCain-Palin ticket will drill offshore for oil, and will 
"mine, baby, mine," a reference to expanding "clean coal technology," to 
wean America from dependence on foreign energy sources.

Republican U.S. Rep. John Boehner rallied the crowd saying, "If you're 
tired of people running around saying they want change when what they 
really mean is they want to raise your taxes, we need to elect John 
McCain and Sarah Palin."






http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081005/omar_khadr_081005/20081005?hub=Canada

Protesters plan week of action to help Omar Khadr
Updated Sun. Oct. 5 2008 2:15 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Rallies were planned for Sunday to highlight the plight of Omar Khadr, a 
former child soldier who is the only Westerner still detained by the 
United States in Guantanamo Bay.
Demonstrators in Toronto were expected to march outside the U.S. 
Consulate. In Ottawa, the wife of Maher Arar was expected to be at a 
rally that will also include Amnesty International protesters.
Sunday's rallies were to be a launching pad for a week-long rally that 
demonstrators hope will force Ottawa to bring the Canadian citizen home. 
A street theatre performance is planned in Montreal on Monday. On 
Thursday, the law society at the University of British Columbia will 
host a lunchtime speech on the issue.
Khadr has been in U.S. custody since 2002, when he was captured in 
Afghanistan and charged with murdering an American soldier during a 
firefight.
He was 15 years old at the time and has now spent more than a quarter of 
his life in prison.
Khadr, who was born in Toronto, is facing a U.S. military trial that his 
supporters say will not provide due process. He is accused of throwing a 
grenade that killed a U.S. medic.
Aside from Canda, all Western countries who had citizens incarcerated at 
the prison in Cuba have had them repatriated. The Conservative 
government has repeatedly said it wants to let the U.S. legal process 
play itself out.
Critics from around the world have said the American process is 
extremely unfair and have condemned Canada's inaction on the case.





http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/25/2575.asp

Arizona: Speed Camera Operator Attacks Protester
Redflex speed camera van operator uses violence to end a peaceful, 
anti-photo radar protest.

A speed camera operator with a criminal record used violence to end a 
peaceful protest in Tempe, Arizona earlier this month. Corey Fleetwood, 
35, is an employee of Australia-based Redflex Traffic Systems. On the 
evening of October 3, Fleetwood had set up an automated speed trap on 
Priest Drive just south of 14th Place.

At around 11pm, D.T. Arneson, a volunteer for the group camerafraud.com, 
noticed the Redflex camera van was parked in front of a fire hydrant. He 
called the police to report the violation and began to protest the photo 
ticketing effort by holding a "SCAMERA" sign in front of the van. He was 
soon joined by two female motorists saw the sign and wanted to join in. 
All three were encouraged by the honks and acknowledgments of passing 
motorists, which enraged Fleetwood. The six-foot-five, 265 pound 
operator rushed out of the van. Arneson, a much smaller man, began to 
back away. Fleetwood yanked the sign out of Arneson's hands and threw it 
to the ground.

When police arrived, Arneson insisted that Fleetwood be charged. He 
estimated the cost to replace his sign, which was taken into evidence, 
at $35.

"A visual inspection of the sign revealed minor damage to the surface 
paint on the right side and bottom right corner," the Tempe police 
report stated.

According to the report, Arneson had told the two women that he drivers 
of speed camera vans "are not nice people." In September, for example, 
another operator was accused of nearly running motorists off the road 
with a Redflex speed camera van. He was charged with driving the photo 
radar vehicle under the influence of alcohol. According to Arizona court 
records, Fleetwood has also faced serious charges in the past. Although 
his job was to set up the van to mail moving violation notices to other 
drivers, less than two months earlier, Fleetwood was unable to drive 
legally himself. In February, Fleetwood had received his own speeding 
citation. When he failed to pay, the court suspended his license. In a 
2007 incident, Fleetwood was accused of "touching with intent to injure."

The incident was videotaped, and the official Tempe police report is 
available now in a 3.7mb PDF file at the source link below.

Source: Incident Report 08-167022 (Tempe, Arizona Police Department, 
10/2/2008)






http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/10/23/troy_davis_rallies.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=13

Rallies protest impending execution of Troy Davis
By CHRISTIAN BOONE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Rallies were held around the globe Thursday as part of a final push to 
save the life of death row inmate Troy Anthony Davis.
An hour north from where Monday’s scheduled execution is to occur, 
roughly 200 protesters — including Davis’s mother and sister — gathered 
at the state Capitol urging Gov. Sonny Perdue to intercede.

“The whole world is watching Georgia,” said Larry Cox, executive 
director of Amnesty International USA. “Nowhere in the world is there a 
more serious violation of human rights than what Georgia is about to do 
to Troy Davis.”
Davis, 40, was convicted of the Aug. 19, 1989 murder of 27-year-old 
Savannah police Officer Mark Allen MacPhail.
Since his trial, seven of nine key prosecution witnesses have recanted 
their testimony.
“If it was only one witness, that would be understandable. But seven of 
nine? That’s a different story,” said Ytunde Orumgbeni, of Atlanta. 
Unlike most of the protesters, Orumgbeni said she is not opposed to the 
death penalty.
“We have to do something,” she said. “I feel they’re taking an innocent 
life.”
Davis’ case has mobilized unprecedented support for groups opposed to 
capital punishment, said Sara Totonchi, chair of Georgians for 
Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
“I’m used to being at vigils down at the prison with 10 other people,” 
Totonchi said. “I’ve never seen a turnout like this in Georgia.”
Totonchi’s group is holding a mock funeral procession in downtown 
Atlanta Friday morning and will deliver petitions signed by more than 
140,000 people to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Thursday’s event was organized by Amensty International, which 
coordinated similar rallies in 14 other American cities and across much 
of Europe.
The European Union issued a statement Wednesday opposing Davis’ 
execution, saying there is great risk of miscarriage of justice with 
irreparable consequences.”
Having already pursued a number of unsuccessful state and federal 
appeals, Davis’ lawyers on Wednesday asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court 
of Appeals to stay his execution.
Despite long odds, some attending the Capitol protest said they believe 
Davis will be spared.
“We’re going to get justice for Troy Davis,” said Darryl Hunt, 
wrongfully convicted in North Carolina for rape and murder. He spent 19 
years behind bars before DNA evidence exonerated him in 2003.
“No matter what happens, Troy Anthony Davis will get justice,” said his 
sister, Martina Correia. As they did throughout Thursday’s rally, the 
crowd responded in unison, “I am Troy Davis.






http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27225500/

Preschoolers’ parents protest required flu shots
N.J. policy is first in the nation to require the vaccine for small children

Hilary Downing, left, of Readington, N.J., holds a sign as she stands in 
a large crowd in front of the statehouse in Trenton, N.J., during a 
rally for vaccination choice.
Mel Evans / AP

KIDS AND PARENTING VIDEOS

Lengthy surgery separates conjoined twins
Jan. 17: Angel and Alex Mendoza –born joined from chest to pelvis – are 
enjoying their first days apart thanks to an 18-hour surgery in Phoenix. 
NBC’s Michael Okwu reports.

updated 4:07 p.m. ET Oct. 16, 2008
As flu season approaches, many New Jersey parents are furious over a 
first-in-the-nation requirement that children get a flu shot in order to 
attend preschools and day-care centers. The decision should be the 
parents’, not the state’s, they contend.
Hundreds of parents and other activists rallied outside the New Jersey 
Statehouse on Thursday, decrying the policy and voicing support for a 
bill that would allow parents to opt out of mandatory vaccinations for 
their children.
“This is not an anti-vaccine rally — it’s a freedom of choice rally,” 
said one of the organizers, Louise Habakus. “This one-size-fits-all 
approach is really very anti-American.”





http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/25/2569.asp

Maryland Vigilantes Protest Speed Camera
Vigilantes in Potomac, Maryland use paint warn of speed camera scam.

Vigilantes painted "SCAM" on the pavement in large, white letters near a 
speed camera in Potomac, Maryland. The sign serves as a warning to 
approaching drivers that the automated ticketing machine on the side of 
River Road is active. WUSA television used a helicopter to capture a 
unique perspective on the warning.

Montgomery County jurisdictions are notorious for issuing as many speed 
citations as possible using ticket quotas, even though the practice is 
banned under state law. The county program generated $7.2 million worth 
of tickets last year. The village of Chevy Chase used cameras to nearly 
double its entire budget, spending a significant amount that was 
promised for "public safety" instead on "beautification improvements."

The latest incident marks an increase in the number of anti-camera 
incidents in the US. Just two months ago, vigilantes struck four speed 
cameras in Gaithersburg.

Source: Vandal Fights Back Against Speed Camera (WUSA-TV (DC), 10/14/2008)