Feature Archives

Congress debated and voted on the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Medical Marijuana Amendment to the Justice Appropriations bill this week. Although it did not pass, it did garner more votes than ever before. The Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment would prohibit the U.S. Department of Justice -- including the Drug Enforcement Administration -- from using any appropriated funds to interfere with the implementation of medical cannabis laws in the 10 states that have approved such use. Some 20 California dispensaries have been raided by the feds since the Supreme Court gave the DEA a green light with its decision in the Raich case almost a year ago.

"Crisis Pregnancy Centers" (CPCs) claim to offer help for women who face unplanned pregnancies, but they are in fact run by anti-abortion organizations that want to prevent women from obtaining abortions. These fake clinics use deceptive methods to get women in the door and then bombard them with misleading information. To address this problem, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) has introduced the Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act (H.R. 5052) which would enforce truth-in-advertising standards for reproductive centers. Women who have gone into CPCs have reported being harassed, intimidated, and made to feel guilty for considering abortion.

As the government and the American public debate what should be done to fix the US immigration system, anti-immigrant forces are mailing bricks (to "help" build a wall along the border) to members of Congress. These bricks are symbols of division, isolation, and an enforcement-only approach to immigration reform. Advocates plan to counter the anti-immigrant bricks with a symbol of the positive contributions that immigrants make to the U.S. -- work gloves. Immigrant rights supporters are being encouraged to send a work glove to the Washington, DC offices of their local Senators and Representatives.

Tuesday June 27th was a "National Day of Action" in solidarity with U.S. Army Lt. Ehren Watada. Outside the gates of Fort Lewis, Washington, hundreds rallied to support Watada – the first commissioned officer to resist the illegal war and occupation of Iraq. Photos
In San Francisco, people gathered at 5pm in Justin Herman Plaza. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | Audio: 1 | 2 | Video

On June 7th, U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ehren Watada held a press conference in Tacoma, WA to announce his intention to disobey the illegal order to deploy to Iraq. Ehren Watada is believed to be the first U.S. military officer to publicly refuse orders in the Iraq War due to its illegality. Photos
In the lead-up to the national day of action, supporters of Lt. Watada rallied in Fort Lewis on June 24th and Olympia on June 26th. Photos: 1 | 2 | Audio

Wegmans Food Market produces eggs at a massive complex with 750,000 egg-laying hens in upstate New York. The activist group Compassionate Consumers captured footage from inside the farm and created the film "Wegman's Cruelty." While the company claims it does "not abuse animals," the activists documented appalling conditions at the egg farm. More than 20,000 people have downloaded the movie online and more than 6,000 copies of the DVD version have been distributed. Wegmans fought back by convincing authorities to go after the activists with charges related to their unauthorized entries into the farm. Two of the activists pleaded guilty and the maker of the film was sentenced on May 18th to the maximum 6 months in jail for trespassing. Compassionate Consumers says their "War On Cages" will go on.

Watch the Wegmans Cruelty Film | Compassionate Consumers

Read More on Indybay's Animal Liberation News Page

Update: Government Withdraws Environmental Finding, Divine Strake Test Delayed Indefinitely

Divine Strake is the government’s latest venture into the realm of broken treaties, state-sponsored terror and the desecration of Mother Earth - a “bunker-busting” bomb which was scheduled to be detonated this June in the Nevada desert. The Shundahai Network, founded by Shoshone Elder Corbin Harney, says “this test could be a precursor” to a nuclear strike against Iran, “with massive civilian casualties.”

The Divine Strake Test, a test sponsored by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), is a detonation of a 700 ton buried heavy ammonium nitrate/fuel oil charge above a tunnel structure. The DTRA reports that the main purpose of the test is to study ground shock effects on deeply buried tunnel structures. Environmental activists and analysists predict, however, that the test is a preparation for the development of new nuclear weapons.

This affects all of us, but especially the Shoshone People downwind of the Nevada Test Site. Oral arguments were heard on May 25th and 26th, at the Nevada District Court in Reno, Nevada. May 28th was declared an International Day of Action and dozens of indigenous, environmental justice and peace and disarmament organizations converged at the Peace Camp outside the Nevada Test Site near Mercury, Nevada to protest the Divine Strake test scheduled for June 2nd, but now apparently postponed indefinitely.

Video: Explanation of Divine Strake and Bechtel's Management of the Test Site || Audio: Information and Call to Action

[ Divine Strake || Stop "Divine Strake" Bombing in Newe Sogobia (NTS) || Western Shoshone and Downwinders Again Ask Federal Court to Stop Mushroom Cloud Blast || Stop the Divine Strake || Disarmament Activist || Come Rebuild Our World || Earth Cycles Radio Project || Nevada Desert Experience || Citizen Alert || Utah Organizations || Send an Online Letter to a Local Publication ]

In San Francisco: Anti-Nuke Activists Disrupt UC Regents Meeting
In DC: Don't Attack Iran petition delivered to White House

This hour-long segment from The Indynewswire Show on Free Radio Santa Cruz examines the case of The West Memphis 3, who've been imprisoned almost thirteen years for a murder they did not commit. We have an interview with Anje Vela, a Bay Area WM3 organizer. Legendary alternative rocker, Jonathan Richman, answers questions about his recent visit with Damien Echols and reads from Echol's book Almost Home. Plus, music from the Free The West Memphis 3 benefit compiliation... Read more

audio (mp3): WM3 interview, information and music (59:06 minutes / 27 MB)

see also: West Memphis Three Support: Write to Freedom