Flashpoints July 19: talk w Julia Butterfly; Nigerian women v Chevron: Penny R

A Strange Kind of Freedom : The biggest threat to liberty in the US may come from other kinds of fundamentalism: Jewish and Christian, by Robert Fisk, "Dennis Bernstein sums it up quite simply: 'Any US journalist, columnist, editor, college professor, student-activist, public official or clergy member who dares to speak critically of Israel or accurately report the brutalities of its illegal occupation will be vilified as an anti-Semite.' " (story)

Friday, July 19, 2002 - Start Audio
-00:00 Leslie Kean: Julia Butterfly DEPORTED from Ecuador.. Julia: (describes the atrocities inflicted on the rainforest and the indigenous residents by the oil consortium).. (about her arrest in front of Occidental Petroleum).. Julia: re Colombia, all this money we are told is going to fight terrorism, is going instead to support oil company despoilation of the environment here.. we had a meeting confirmed with Occidental.. all doors locked.. security guards.. a spontaneous protest started by the indigent peoples.. phenominal actions!.. the police arrived quickly.. the first police had a beautiful rapport with the protestors.. Occidental offered to meet just me and not the Ecuadorial activists.. I said no.. very peaceful.. all going very very smoothly and peacefully, until two buses of police showed up.. then became brutal.. randomly picking people out of the crowd.. no dialogue.. nothing, just immediately attacked.. one 16 year old, grabbed by the hair, shoved to the bus, looked at me and yelled HELP, Julia, Help!.. I ran to them with my palms open, yelling Pacifica! they surrounded me and shoved me to the bus, I resisted getting on the bus.. but they grabbed and shoved me onto the bus, scraping my left arm open.. five other people thrown onto the bus.. we were taken to immigration.. to an Ecudorian prison at night.. no one speaking English to me, I don't know what's up at all.. the put all the men in one closet (6) and me and another woman in another cell.. the next day, a 4 hour hearing.. one charge by the oil consortium.. said "make sure she is deported by any means necessary".. and two false charges.. the oil companies behind the pressure.. then the police showed up and said Vamos!.. I said no.. I was taken to an immigration office to spend nine hours.. I was never told why I was deported, or allowed a translator or legal consul.. then we were involved in a wreck.. then at the airport I peacefully resisted, I wouldn't walk onto the plane, refusing to walk was a way of maintaining my own integrity.. "I am an American citizen, not told why I am being deported.. (more).. I demanded to call the American Embassy.. I made the phone call.. they deported me to Mexico.. press conference in LA this morning.. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.. WE'RE PUTTING OCCIDENTAL ON NOTICE, THAT THIS PRESSURE ON THEM IS JUST GOING TO GROW. EVERYONE WHO GETS IN A CAR IS RESPONSIBLE.. more info: http://www.AmazonWatch.org.. I was standing in front of a toxic dump on fire in Ecuador.. when the Congress voted they should have been forced to stand their.. then a plume exploded and the whole dump flared up.. 200 yards away, someones home.
-29:45 music break
-30:45 Leslie Kean: now to Nigeria, where spontaneous protests swept.. 600 unarmed women seized Chevrons' main oil export facility.. and four other pumping stations by Wednesday.. demanding clean water, education, more.. now w Gopal Dianini: the situation with Chevron.. nothing new.. extracting hundred of thousands of barrels of oil.. devastation, oil flares, spills, lives and cultures ruined.. these spontaneous demonstrations nothing new.. a group of women at the Chevron export facillity.. these women live in villages.. daily oil spills, fish dying.. they entered the facility demanding support for their communities.. very reasonable demands.. (describes the women's occupation).. which has ended successfully! at least they have promises from Chevron.. four other groups still occupy four other smaller facilities.. a shame action, the women are threatening to take off their clothes (*in the Nigerian culture, it would very disrepectful for the men to cause the women such anguish).. more info: http://nigeria.indymedia.org/ and Project Underground
-45:30 Leslie Kean: now w Penny Rosenwasser just back from Palestine.. Penny: I was with ISM for most of the 3 weeks.. we started an action, like the Nigeria women, to get water.. although most of the water in the West Bank, taken by Israel from Palestinian aquifers, then sold back to the Palestinians.. about a Palestinian well destroyed again and again by the Isareli.. not the kind of story we read in the media.. all the Pals want is food, water, their land, safety.. in this intifada the power of the curfew.. just imagine being locked inside your house for days on end, if you/ your child show your face you/ your child could be shot.. people can't go to their jobs, can't go to the hospital, can't go to school.. this has been going on for months.. proud Palestinians begging in the streets.. Jewish Voice for Peace.. Middle East Children's Alliance.. International Solidarity Movement.. Penny: a bright point: Bat Shalom and others forging a joint Palestinian/Israeli womens' voice for peace.. I was at a meeting in Jerusalem of young people wanting to refuse to serve in the military.. tiny shreds of hope.. 69% of the polls say the settlements should be disbanded.. it's complex.. 74% of people say Sharon is doing a good job.. the only thing that is going to stop it is the international community and the United States.. protest the Caterpillar tractors that are used to crush Palestinian homes.. a powerful campaign in this country.. Mid East Children's Alliance 510-548-0542 - Jewish Voice For Peace - more: email: Bay Area Women In Black ; Jews for Justice for Palestine
-55:15 Leslie Kean: wrapup
-56:23 End today's show. today's review by john lionheart

Thursday, July 18, 2002 - Start Audio
-00:00 Leslie Kean: introduction:
-00:57 now with Robert Knight and the Knight Report.. Robert: Mail carriers go postal over TIPS program.. Rome June 10 memo criticizes Bush administration..
-05:57 Dennis: TIPS program and the McArthy Era (no review available this segment)
-22:00 music break
-23:05 Leslie Kean: School Of The Americas Watch protestors sentenced to months in jail. Interview w Father Boy Bourgeois.. Father Roy: SOA a terrorist training camp in our backyard (details just a few of the atrocities committed by graduates).. 37 of our people charged with trespassing.. this is not about us, this about the suffering poor of Latin America, we want this school shut down.. 29 of the 37 going to prison for from 3 to 6 monhts.. 99 of our people have gone to prison over this issue.. our movement has really taken root and grown, because of the people they sent to prison (*explains).. NEXT PROTESTS, NOV 16 AND 17.. PLEASE COME JOIN US.. TRY AND SHUT DOWN THIS TERRORIST TRAINING CAMP.. OUR BILL IN CONGRESS: HR1810.. School Of The Americas Watch..
-32:25 Dennis: interview with Father Bill O'Donnell of Berkeley.. Father Bill: I got six months in jail, plus a $1000 fine.. we trespassed onto Fort Benning.. the School of the Assassins.. a terrorist training camp, teaching torture, rape, and murder.. the same act at the federal building in Oakland, the judge there gave us 6 hours community service.. they are trying to intimidate people from coming next November 16 and 17th.. again people will be crossing the line.. Dennis: now w Mary O'Donnell, sister of Father Bill.. Mary: I am very proud of Bill.. I had no idea what was going on, what was being done with your tax dollars until I went to Georgia.. an exciting event August 3rd at St Joseph the Worker Church, Father Roy will be there.. Father Bill: I'm looking forward to going to prison, talking to the guys there, witnessing, hearing their stories.. I'm too dumb to be afraid.. I've been at St. Joseph for 29 years, they're used to me.. a couple people I threw out.. (tells a story).. Mary: I was deeply impressed with the protestors.. Father Bill: about HR1810, will close that ugly terrorist training camp.. Pelosi is supporting..
-42:12 music break
-44:20 Leslie Kean: about low cost FM radio.. micropower broadcasting movement.. now w the "Johnny Appleseed" of the micropower broadcasting movement, Stephen Dunifer, founder of Free Radio Berkeley, and author of Seizing the Airwaves,.. Stephen: ..a modicum of broadcast democracy.. we're designing and manufacturing low cost components, so a community can set up a station for between $1500 and $2000.. we spent five years in court.. FRB was finally silenced, but the exposure was very helpful.. and the injunction didn't really bring about the SEC's desired results.. ie Free Radio Berkeley has been replaced by Berkeley Liberation Radio, SF Liberation Radio, and Human Rights Radio in Hunters Point, 103.3FM.. the SEC argument: it's against the law.. Stephen: we raised first amendment issues, not answered in a meaningful way.. a severe redress due the American public.. THE PEOPLE OWN THE AIRWAVES.. BUT THE CORPORATIONS AND SEC ACT LIKE THE CORPORATIONS OWN THE AIRWAVES.. unfortunately KPFA is a finite resource.. these stations represent a smaller community section.. there are hundred if not thousands of communities in America that need this kind of communication.. just like a radio station in Haiti can make a great difference.. about a radio station we set up on the north coast of Haiti.. greatly helped the farmers there.. we have 12 communities in Haiti that want a radio station now, but they don't have the $1500-$2000.. Haiti wants an indymedia site too, but don't have the means.. Stephen: AND about Free Radio Berkeley's pending eviction.. we're looking for a new home, we need a break on the rent.. about 1500 sq ft warehouse space.. close to Berkley 510-533-0401 or find Stephen's email address at http://www.freeradio.org.. Event: a benefit for Free Radio Berkeley, Sat Aug 3 Cedar and Bonita.. with Dennis Bernstein and Chris Worthington.. organizational support.. working committee.. outreach.. infrastructure.. more info: (Radio4all) (Susquatch) (Rheingold)
-55:40Mary Bishop: wrapup
-56:23 End today's show. today's review by john lionheart