On the Spot: The Real Political Parties
Belief:
Atheism and Diversity: Is It Wrong For Atheists To Convert Believers?
Greta Christina
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace:
Don't Fear the Deficit Bogeyman
John Miller
DrugReporter:
The War on Weed: Marijuana Is Basically Harmless -- The Monumentally Stupid Drug War Is Not
Jim Hightower
Environment:
White House Garden Won't Make Up for Obama's Nomination of Pesticide Lobbyist for US Chief Agriculture Negotiator
Jill Richardson
Food:
Don't Be Scared of Food: Are We Being Needlessly Hysterical About Food Safety?
David E. Gumpert
Health and Wellness:
47,000 Women Could Die As a Result of the New Mammogram Guidelines
George Lakoff
Immigration:
Republican Playbook on Immigration Debate Long on Emotions, Short on Facts
Mary Giovagnoli
Media and Technology:
The Memory Scrub About Why Ft. Hood Happened Is Almost Complete ... If It Weren't for Archives
Mark Ames
Movie Mix:
Disney Apocalypse: Why 2012 Sucks
Alexander Zaitchik
Politics:
White House's Ties to Health Care Industry Deeper Than Visitor Records Show
Daniela Perdomo
Reproductive Justice and Gender:
Why Can't We Look Away From Sarah Palin?
Vanessa Richmond
Rights and Liberties:
Whatever Happened to the CIA Black Sites?
David Corn
Sex and Relationships:
Hot Mormon Muffins and Models for Jesus: What's With All the Sexy Christians?
Liz Langley
Take Action:
G-20 Meetings: Nothing Much Happened in the Suites, and There Was Too Much Punch in the Streets
Laura Flanders
Water:
Poseidon's Financial Shell Game: Why Is a Private Desalination Plant Asking for Public Money?
Peter Gleick
World:
Is Obama Following in the Footsteps of Bill Clinton?
Jeff Cohen
It's hard as hell to organize an independent music event for a cause – the logistics, the equipment, the marketing, the egos – but a group of young activists and artists pulled it off, on the periphery of Williamsburg, Brooklyn no less, on July 8th, at the roomy club Volume.
Dubbed "Democracy is Like Sex, It Is Only Good if You Participate," the event turned into a bit of a political bazaar – with a gaggle of groups like Axis of Eve heavily tabling – and a motivating rap and song show, which had to be patched together at the last minute due to a dropout producer.
But despite the struggle, it turned out great. Bethany Yarrow, event organizer, stage manager and sterling performer (with her unique electric cello sidekick Rufus Cappadocia), said "All in all, and in spite of all the last minute total fuck-ups, I was so inspired by the night... by the speakers & musicians andthe power & cohesiveness of the message."
The evening's talent also included Kurtis Blow, Immortal Technique, and a select group of cool DJ's as well. The event benefited XtheBox.org, IndyVoter.org and ActivElement.org and was hatched and implemented by a team which included Gita Drury, Anna Lappe, Adreinne Maree Brown (who also mc'd) and lots of diligent worker bees.
Also working the show was the irrepressible impresario of kick ass progressive politics Billy Wimsatt. A driving force behind Indyvoter and its more colorful name, The League of Pissed-Off Voters, Wimsatt described ambitious plans for the months ahead: "Smackdown 2004," a voter action convention July 16-18th in Columbus, Ohio, with organizing coaches; a new Friendster-like online destination, created by tech talent from Matt Gonzalez's San Fran mayor campaign, "that everyone will be using" soon, according to Wimsatt; mini-grants of $500-$2,000 for people and groups who come up with the best 90-day election action plans; and "Slam Bush," a series of 10 or more emcee battles/hip hop slams in key states, a project the whizkids at Free Range Graphics are working on as well. Check out Indyvoter.org – Billy and his team are cooking with gas. It is time to jump on the vehicle. – DH
Don Hazen is the Executive Editor of AlterNet. Deanna Zandt is a freelance writer, geek and the creative administrator of the Bowery Poetry Club.
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| More News and Analysis: | ||
|
Republican Playbook on Immigration Debate Long on Emotions, Short on Facts Immigration: Senate Republicans have “thoughtfully’ provided immigration advocates with their strategy for opposing immigration reform in 2010. By Mary Giovagnoli, Immigration Impact. November 27, 2009. |
Lou Dobbs, Eyeing Public Office, Endorses Policy He's Long Spun as "Amnesty for Illegals" Politics: His fans must be thinking, 'Et Tu, Lou?' By Joshua Holland, AlterNet. November 26, 2009. |
Whatever Happened to the CIA Black Sites? Rights and Liberties: The CIA ordered its secret prisons closed, but lawyers for terrorism suspects want them preserved as possible evidence -- and the CIA won't say what's going on. By David Corn, Mother Jones. November 26, 2009. |
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