Feature Archives

Harriet Miers has withdrawn as a nominee to the US Supreme Court.

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese made the following statement as Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination to the Supreme Court.
"This was an extremist veto of Miers' nomination. Her withdrawal today demonstrates that the President is beholden to extremist groups rather than to the American people. There is still time to listen to the American people while selecting a nominee. We urge the President to find a nominee who shares the values of the American people. We join Republicans and Democrats alike in calling on President Bush to nominate a justice who will keep the court balanced."
Read More | Bush administration bows to the ultra-right | NOW: O'Connor Must Stay On

The Buy Nothing Day movement continued this year, with groups all over the country organizing people to not go shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. To counter the rabid consumer culture that has engulfed society, activists use this day every year to encourage people to curb their consumption for at least one day.

Some people organized creative protests at Wal-Mart stores: Adbusters Whirl-Mart page Outside of the Bay Area, Buy Nothing Day was observed in cities such as San Diego and New York.
In the East Bay, the Shellmound Peace Walk ended at 7:00am at the Bay Street Mall in Emeryville. In the North Bay, the People's Revolutionary Organization hosted a full day of direct action, starting at 9am and lasting until approximately 4pm. Events were held at various shopping centers in Petaluma, Rohnert Park, and Santa Rosa. The began at 9am at Kohl's in Petaluma, and continued at 10am at the Target in Rohnert Park, then at 11am at the Wal Mart in Rohnert Park, at 1pm at the Coddingtown Mall in Santa Rosa, at 2pm at the Santa Rosa Mall, 3pm at Best Buy in Santa Rosa, and 4pm at Target in Santa Rosa. Read more In San Jose, Buy Nothing Day Bike Party gathered at 5:30pm.

People are accustomed to going to San Francisco's Union Square shopping district for Buy Nothing Day protests, and this year was no exception. A Fur-Free Friday march and leafletting event started at 11:30am in the center of Union Square in San Francisco. Photos Berkeley Women in Black switched sides of the Bay, appearing in Union Square at 12pm. Photos Riot Folk was part of a free show that included folk music, a poetry slam, dance performances, and more. People were encouraged to bring art, paint pictures, sing, dance, play, act, and to otherwise participate in the event. People gathered at 12pm at Powell and Market.
There will be a Buy Nothing Day event at Artists' Television Access at 8:00pm, with video screenings, art installations, and music.

Past Indybay Coverage of BND | Other IMCs' coverage of BND: Miami | Binghamton | Adbusters Buy Nothing Day Page | Buy Nothing Day UK on 11/26 | Walmart Protest Site | Wal-Mart Watch

November 17th, 2005: Courage to Resist reports that as thousands gathered at Fort Benning in Georgia today to call for the closure of the notorious School of the Americas (SOA/ WHINSEC), Army National Guard Specialist Katherine Jashinski publicly announced her refusal to be deployed to the Middle East. She said that she had come to a point where she felt that she was being forced to choose between her "legal obligation to the Army and (her) deepest moral values." She chose to honor her beliefs. She said that as a result of her travels and experiences in the military, she came to believe that taking human life was wrong and war was no exception. She said that while she goes through an appeal of the rejection of her application for conscientious objector (CO) status, she will continue to follow orders that do not conflict with her conscience.

Jashinski, who is 22 years old, is the first woman in the military to publicly declare resistance to participation in the war. Many people in the anti-war movement have taken inspiration from soldiers, veterans and military families who oppose Bush's war on Iraq. Read more, including Katherine Jashinski's statement from November 17th

Courage to Resist School of the Americas Watch

Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) recently expressed outrage at the Target Corporation for misrepresenting Planned Parenthood and attempting to cover up a misguided corporate policy that denies women access to contraception. PPFA has urged Target to implement a policy that respects the rights of its customers by ensuring that Target pharmacies fill prescriptions in-store, without discrimination or delay. However, Target has announced that it would continue to embrace a policy that denies women timely access to basic health care. In response to complaints from the public, Target has questioned the veracity of a well-documented pharmacist refusal incident in Missouri and mischaracterized PPFA's attempts to address the situation. Target Timeline Prior to this refusal incident, Target ignored three requests by Planned Parenthood to clarify its national policy on pharmacists who refuse to fill valid, legal prescriptions for birth control. Some pharmacists refuse to fill prescriptions for Emergency Contraception, claiming that their religious beliefs prevent them from doing so.

Karen Pearl, PPFA interim president, said, "When the drugs needed to fill women's prescriptions are sitting on a shelf behind the counter, women should not be turned away and sent to find them at another store. If Kmart, CVS, Costco and other chains can find a way to accommodate employees while still ensuring that patients receive timely, on-site access to their prescription medication, why can't Target?"

Pharmacist refusals can jeopardize woman's reproductive health. Denying women timely access to health care is an act of discrimination that could lead to an increased number of unintended pregnancies. PPFA has an online letter that can be sent to encourage Target to fill EC and birth control prescriptions.

The Truth About Target | Fill My Pills Now has survey results of the policies of top pharmacy chains about filling birth control prescriptions

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Raich case earlier this year, which permits the federal government to continue arresting and prosecuting medical marijuana patients and their caregivers-- even in states where medical use of marijuana is permitted-- U.S. Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) and his bipartisan co-sponsors have re-introduced legislation to that would let medical marijuana defendants have the right to tell the truth in court.

H.R 4272, officially dubbed “The Steve McWilliams Truth in Trials Act”, guarantees medical marijuana defendants the right to introduce evidence demonstrating that the marijuana-related activities for which they stand accused were performed in compliance with State law regarding the medical use of marijuana. In addition, the bill specifically limits the government’s ability to seize assets – including medical cannabis plants. Americans for Safe Access is encouraging people to contact their member of Congress to urge him or her to co-sponsor H.R. 4272. Read more

Steve McWilliams was a medical marijuana patient and activist who died earlier this year. He had apparently overdosed on the medications that he had been given in place of the marijuana that he had been denied since his 2002 arrest.

Returning from his China getaway, Bush has again been met outside his ranch near Crawford, Texas by people from across the state and country, demanding an immediate end to the US occupation of Iraq.

Renewing the Camp Casey protest vigil in central Texas, a dozen anti-war activists challenged the county’s recent laws against camping or parking on the side of any public road. Those arrested included Daniel Ellsberg, former diplomat Ann Wright, and DeDe Miller, Cindy Sheehan’s sister. They are charged with trespassing and obstructing the road. They were sitting in the ditch along a county road, and no obstruction occurred. Each of these Orwellian criminal misdemeanors carries a possible 180 in jail, and a $2,000 fine.

Reports With Photos: Nov. 26th | Nov. 25th | Nov. 24th | Past Photos From Crawford