Feature Archives

Activists took a stand for human rights in front of a Verizon Store in Santa Clara on March 30th. Verizon carries Motorola cell phones and accessories — Motorola makes military guidance systems and fuses used in a variety of bombs which they sell to the Israeli army. Demonstrators passed out flyers calling for a boycott against Motorola.

On Saturday, March 21st, protest marches took place across the U.S. and around the world on the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. In the Bay Area, four days of demonstrations protesting the continuing war on Iraq officially commenced on Thursday, March 19th with leafleting at more than 20 BART stations and a march in Berkeley. On Wednesday, March 18th, a group of persons wearing masks smashed the windows and splattered red paint at the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Center in Berkeley. On Saturday, March 21st, a demonstration sponsored by ANSWER began with a march from Justin Herman Plaza at 11am culminating in a rally at Civic Center Plaza. On Sunday, March 22nd, a Rally in the Valley for Peace and Justice was be held in downtown Fresno.

The satirical song warbling Raging Grannies have been both booed and applauded up and down the San Francisco Peninsula and excitement is building as the premiere of Pam Walton's documentary *Raging Grannies: The Action League* comes to the Cinequest Film Festival this weekend. The San Jose Mercury News puts the spotlight on this documentary saying it's "what's hot at Cinequest" and the Metro News Silicon Valley calls it a PICK of this year's annual 10 -day film festival. The 55 minute documentary premieres in San Jose on March 7 and 8.

The sixth victim of death by taser in the city of San Jose was remembered on February 20th at a taser-danger awareness event and fundraiser. Jolted with a stun gun by a San Jose police officer on February 11th, Richard Lua died at the scene as he was returning home. At least 334 people in the United States have died after being shocked by a taser since 2001.

Diverse communities in the U.S. have been standing together to bring about social change at the grassroots level in an unprecedented wave of euphoria set off by the inauguration of Barack Obama. Whether in public meetings, workshops, or protests the unity of purpose and momentum is palpable. What will it take to translate that human energy into real change?

In lieu of recent high profile cases of police brutality and murder, some in the community remember that these atrocities are an ongoing epidemic in the Chicano and Black communities. On February 17, 2004, Rudy Cardenas, a father of five children, was shot and killed by state narcotics agent Michael Walker in San Jose. Jesse Villarreal, a nephew of Rudy Cardenas, was interviewed on February 14th about his uncle’s murder, the organizing efforts to bring attention to the issue, the results of the case, and how this incident is similar to the case involving the murder of Oscar Grant.

Two American Jewish women, Donna and Darlene Wallach, left their lives behind in San Jose six months ago to break the Israeli siege of Gaza. Courageously sailing on the first two Free Gaza boats, SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty, they had no idea of their fate at the hands of the Israeli navy, which has maintained a total sea blockade of Gaza since the 1970s. On January 25th, the two sisters arrived at Mineta San Jose International Airport to a heroes’ welcome.