From Cynthia McKinney: An Unwelcome Katrina Redux

President Obama's response to the tragedy in Haiti has been robust in military deployment and puny in what the Haitians need most:  food; first responders and their specialized equipment; doctors and medical facilities and equipment;  and engineers,  heavy equipment, and heavy movers.  Sadly, President Obama is dispatching Presidents Bush and Clinton, and thousands of Marines and U.S. soldiers.  By contrast, Cuba has over 400 doctors on the ground and is sending in more; Cubans, Argentinians, Icelanders, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, and many others are already on the ground working--saving lives and treating the injured.  Senegal has offered land to Haitians willing to relocate to Africa.

The United States, on the day after the tragedy struck, confirmed that an entire Marine Expeditionary Force was being considered "to help restore order," when the "disorder" had been caused by an earthquake striking Haiti; not since 1751, 1770, 1842, 1860, and 1887 had Haiti experienced an earthquake.  But, I remember the bogus reports of chaos and violence that led to the deployment of military assets, including Blackwater, in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  One Katrina survivor noted that the people needed food and shelter and the U.S. government sent men with guns.  Much to my disquiet, it seems, here we go again.  From the very beginning, U.S. assistance to Haiti has looked to me more like an invasion than a humanitarian relief operation.

On Day Two of the tragedy, a C-130 plane with a military assessment team landed in Haiti, with the rest of the team expected to land soon thereafter.  The stated purpose of this team was to determine what military resources were needed.

An Air Force special operations team was also expected to land to provide air traffic control.  Now, the reports are that the U.S. is not allowing assistance in, shades of Hurricane Katrina, all over again. 

On President Obama's orders military aircraft "flew over the island, mapping the destruction."  So, the first U.S. contribution to the humanitarian relief needed in Haiti were reconnaissance drones whose staffing are more accustomed to looking for hidden weapon sites and surface-to-air missile batteries than wrecked infrastructure.  The scope of the U.S. response soon became clear:  aircraft carrier, Marine transport ship, four C-140 airlifts, and evacuations to Guantanamo.  By the end of Day Two, according to the Washington Post report, the United States had evacuated to Guantanamo Bay about eight [8] severely injured patients, in addition to U.S. Embassy staffers, who had been "designated as priorities by the U.S. Ambassador and his staff."

On Day Three we learned that other U.S. ships, including destroyers, were moving toward Haiti.  Interestingly, the Washington Post reported that the standing task force that coordinates the U.S. response to mass migration events from Cuba or Haiti was monitoring events, but had not yet ramped up its operations.  That tidbit was interesting in and of itself, that those two countries are attended to by a standing task force, but the treatment of their nationals is vastly different, with Cubans being awarded immediate acceptance from the U.S. government, and by contrast, internment for Haitian nationals. 

U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral James Watson IV reassured Americans, "Our focus right now is to prevent that, and we are going to work with the Defense Department, the State Department, FEMA and all the agencies of the federal government to minimize the risk of Haitians who want to flee their country," Watson said.  "We want to provide them those relief supplies so they can live in Haiti." 

By the end of Day Four, the U.S. reportedly had evacuated over 800 U.S. nationals.

For those of us who have been following events in Haiti before the tragic earthquake, it is worth noting that several items have caused deep concern:

1.  the continued exile of Haiti's democratically-elected and well-loved, yet twice-removed former priest, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide;

2.  the unexplained continued occupation of the country by United Nations troops who have killed innocent Haitians and are hardly there for "security" (I've personally seen them on the roads that only lead to Haiti's sparsely-populated areas teeming with beautiful beaches);

3.  U.S. construction of its fifth-largest embassy in the world in Port-au-Prince, Haiti;

4.  mining and port licenses and contracts, including the privatization of Haiti's deep water ports, because certain off-shore oil and transshipment arrangements would not be possible inside the U.S. for environmental and other considerations; and

5.  Extensive foreign NGO presence in Haiti that could be rendered unnecessary if, instead, appropriate U.S. and other government policy allowed the Haitian people some modicum of political and economic self-determination.

Therefore, we note here the writings of Ms. Marguerite Laurent, whom I met in her capacity as attorney for ousted President of Haiti Jean-Bertrand Aristide.  Ms. Laurent reminds us of Haiti's offshore oil and other mineral riches and recent revival of an old idea to use Haiti and an oil refinery to be built there as a  transshipment terminal for U.S. supertankers.  Ms. Laurent, also known as Ezili Danto of the Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network (HLLN), writes:

"There is evidence that the United States found oil in Haiti decades ago and due to the geopolitical circumstances and big business interests of that era made the decision to keep Haitian oil in reserve for when Middle Eastern oil had dried up. This is detailed by Dr. Georges Michel in an article dated March 27, 2004 outlining the history of oil explorations and oil reserves in Haiti and in the research of Dr. Ginette and Daniel Mathurin.

"There is also good evidence that these very same big US oil companies and their inter-related monopolies of engineering and defense contractors made plans, decades ago, to use Haiti's deep water ports either for oil refineries or to develop oil tank farm sites or depots where crude oil could be stored and later transferred to small tankers to serve U.S. and Caribbean ports. This is detailed in a paper about the Dunn Plantation at Fort Liberte in Haiti.

"Ezili's HLLN underlines these two papers on Haiti's oil resources and the works of Dr. Ginette and Daniel Mathurin in order to provide a view one will not find in the mainstream media nor anywhere else as to the economic and strategic reasons the US has constructed its fifth largest embassy in the world - fifth only besides the US embassy in China, Iraq, Iran and Germany - in tiny Haiti, post the 2004 Haiti Bush regime change."

Unfortunately, before the tragedy struck, and despite pleading to the Administration by Haiti activists inside the United States, President Obama failed to stop the deportation of Haitians inside the United States and failed to grant TPS, temporary protected status, to Haitians inside the U.S. in peril of being deported due to visa expirations.  That was corrected on Day Three of Haiti's earthquake tragedy with the January 15, 2010 announcement that Haiti would join Honduras, Nicaragua, Somalia, El Salvador, and Sudan as a country granted TPS by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

President Obama's appointment of President Bush to the Haiti relief effort is a swift left jab to the face, in my opinion.  After President Bush's performance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the fact that still today, Hurricane Katrina survivors who want to return still have not been provided a way back home, the appointment might augur well for fundraising activities, but I doubt that it bodes well for the Haitian people.  Afterall, the coup against and the kidnapping of President Aristide occurred under the watch of a Bush Presidency.

Finally, those with an appreciation of French literature know that among France's most beloved authors are Alexandre Dumas, son of a Haitian slave, and Victor Hugo who wrote:  "Haiti est une lumiere."  [Haiti is a light.]  Indeed, Haiti for millions is a light:  light into the methodology and evil of slavery; light into a successful slave rebellion, light into nationhood and notions of liberty, the rights of man, and of human dignity.  Haiti is a light.  And an example that makes the enemies of black liberation tremble.  It is precisely because of Haiti's light into the evil genius of some individuals who wield power over others and man's ability, through unity and purpose, to overcome that evil, that some segments of the world have been at war with Haiti ever since 1804, the year of Haiti's creation as a Republic.

I'm not surprised at "Reverend" Pat Robertson's racist vitriol.  Robertson's comments mirror, exactly, statements made by Napoleon's Cabinet when the Haitians defeated them.  But in 2010, Robertson's statements reveal much more:  Haitians are not the only ones who know their importance to the struggle against hatred, imperialism, and European domination.

This pesky, persistent, stubbornly non-Western, proudly African people of this piece of land that we call Haiti know their history and they know that they militarily defeated the ruling world empire of the day, Napoleon's France, and the global elite at that time who supported him.  They know that they defeated the armies of England and Spain. 

Haitians know that they used their status as a free state to help liberate Latin Americans from Spain, by funding and fighting alongside Simon Bolivar; their example inspired their still-enslaved African brothers and sisters on the American mainland; and before Haitians were even free, they fought against the British inside the U.S. during its war of independence and won a decisive battle in Savannah, Georgia, where I have visited the statue commemorating that victory.

Haitians know that France imposed reparations on them for being free, and Haiti paid them in full, but that President Aristide called for France to give that money back ($21 billion in 2003 dollars). 

Haitians know that their "brother," then-Secretary of State Colin Powell lied to the world upon the kidnapping and second ouster of their President.  (Sadly, it wouldn't be the last time that Secretary of State Colin Powell would lie to the world.)  Haitians know, all-too-well, that high-ranking blacks in the United States are capable of helping them and of betraying them.

Haitians know, too, that the United States has installed its political proxies and even its own soldiers onto Haitian soil when the U.S. felt it was necessary.  All in an effort to control the indomitable Haitian spirit that directs much-needed light to the rest of the oppressed world.

While the tears of the people of Haiti swell in my own eyes, and I remember their tremendous capacity for love, my broken heart and wet eyes don't dampen my ability to understand the grave danger that now faces my friends in Haiti.

I shudder to think that the "rollback" policies believed in by some foreign policy advisers to President Obama could use a prolonged U.S. military presence in Haiti as a springboard for rollback of areas in Latin America that have liberated themselves from U.S. neo-colonial domination.  I would hate to think that this would even be attempted under the Presidency of Barack Obama.  All of us must have our eyes wide open on Haiti and other parts of the world now dripping in blood as a result of the relentless onward march of the U.S. military machine.

So, on this remembrance of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I note that it was the U.S. government's own illegal Operation Lantern Spike that snuffed out the promise and light of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Every plane of humanitarian assistance that is turned away by the U.S. military (so far from CARICOM, the Caribbean Community, Médecins Sans Frontieres, Brazil, France, Italy, and even the U.S. Red Cross)--as was done in the wake of Hurricane Katrina--and the expected arrival on this very day of up to 10,000 U.S. troops, are lasting reminders of the existential threat that now looms over the valiant, proud people and the Republic of Haiti.

--
http://dignity.ning.com/
http://www.enduswars.org
http://www.livestream.com/dignity
http://www.twitter.com/dignityaction
http://www.myspace.com/dignityaction
http://www.myspace.com/runcynthiarun
http://www.twitter.com/cynthiamckinney
http://www.facebook.com/CynthiaMcKinney

Green Party Black Caucus partners with Brothers and Sisters International and Bassin Zim EDF to help earthquake victims in Haiti

Our hearts go out to our Brothers and Sisters in Haiti in the wake of yet another terrible disaster.  The Green Party Black Caucus in Partnership with Brothers and Sisters International have supported the efforts of Bassin Zim Education and Development Fund's SEEDS for HAITI  emergency initiative since its launch in March 2009.  The goal at that time was to raise $115,000, provide 5,000 Haitian peasant families each with enough to buy bean and corn seeds to prevent post-hurricane famine.

That goal is a mere drop in the bucket compared to what is needed now.  We need to increase our efforts by doing all we can and then some.   By working directly with Black Caucus member,  Paul Pumphrey of Brothers and Sisters International we increase the chances of getting the help directly to victims and  their families both here in the United States and in Haiti.

Please help the earthquake victims in Haiti...

 Or send your contributions to 

Bassin Zim EDF

PO Box 360125

Brooklyn, NY 11236

Telephone: (917) 378-2192

Email:seeds@seedsforhaiti.org

Bassin Zim EDF is a non-profit organization that provides short term aid to disaster victims, and supports long-term agricultural and environmental improvement in Haiti . Bassin Zim EDF supports peasant organizing, education, and women owned businesses, and serve as a conduit for financial donations to Haitian organizations.

NEW Court Order to Rule on Gordon v. Biden without Oral Argument

On Monday, January 11, 2010 the  court  concluded, on its own motion, that oral argument would not assist the court in the case of Gorden v. Biden.


Asa Gordon's  Oral Argument on Democratizing the Electoral College, a major voting rights civil action  endorsed by the Green Party Black Caucus in 2004, had been scheduled for oral argument in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (No. 09-5142) on Thursday, January 14, 2010.    "...Accordingly, the court will dispose of the appeal without oral argument on the basis of the record and the presentations in the briefs. See Fed. R. App. 34(a)(2); D.C. Cir. Rule 34(j)."

Asa Gordon, chair of the DC Statehood Green Party's Electoral College Task Force and executive director of the Douglass Institute of Government filed this civil action in the US District Court for the District of Columbia (1:08-cv-01294) on July 28, 2008 to protect the rights of presidential electors and the voters they represent. 

Since the debacle of the 2000 presidential election, the DC Statehood Green Party, in partnership with the Douglass Institute of Government, has led the way in educating the general citizenry of their constitutional "right to vote" under the provisions of paragraph two of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (Amend. XIV§2) and statutory code (2U.S.C.§6)

Green Party Black Caucus (GPBC) Protest Odious Redemptionist-era rulings being invoked by the Department of Justice

The BLACK CAUCUS OF THE GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES (GPBC) in a letter of protest to Attorney General, Eric Holder registered their strong objection that in this case of controversy an Assistant United States Attorney in the Department of Justice in argument before the Appellate Court has invoked odious Redemptionist-era rulings of the Supreme Court that reestablished white supremacy and overturned Reconstruction. A position that denigrates the memory of that provision of the constitution that gave full expression to the founding principle of our nation for which that "band of brothers" of European and African descent "gave the last full measure of devotion" in the United States Civil War.

Asa Gordon's  Oral Argument on Democratizing the Electoral College, a major voting rights civil action  endorsed by the Green Party Black Caucus in 2004, has been scheduled for oral argument in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (No. 09-5142) on Thursday, January 14, 2010.

The civil action, Gordon v. Biden (formerly Gordon v. Cheney), addresses the mal-apportionment of Electoral College votes, voter dilution by race and/or party affiliation with the popular vote misrepresented by the winner-take-all system of allocating electoral votes. The civil action seeks relief against the Vice President who presides over the tabulation of "unbound Southern electoral states" who by practice, unsupported by state or federal statute, traditionally award Presidential Electors on a "winner-take-all basis" in violation of the mal-apportionment penalty clause pursuant to Amend. XIV§2 as implemented by 2U.S.C.§6. All Court Documents, links, Green Party of the United States Press Releases and other materials related to the action are available online at http://www.electors.us.

"This is an unconscionable position to be taken by the Department of Justice under the leadership of an Attorney General of the United States of African descent serving in the Administration of the first President of the United States of African descent", say Black Caucus officials in their letter to Attorney General Eric Holder.

Gordon filed the Democratizing the Electoral College Civil Action on July 28th, 2008, to commemorate the Century and Two Score years anniversary of the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Environmental Justice Small Grant Program to emphasize the need to address Climate Change in Environmental Justice Communities.

by Diane White
diane@dlighten.com 
(717) 232-1722 

EPA’s Environmental Justice Grant  RFP

Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income when it comes to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

Fair treatment means that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies. Meaningful involvement means that all people have an opportunity to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health and Influence the regulatory agency's decision. Meaningful involvement also means that the concerns of the people will be considered in the decision making process and that the decision makers seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.

The environmental justice movement started in urban and rural communities populated by blacks, the poor and people of color, who sought to address the  lack of environmental protection in their communities. Grounded in the struggles of the 1960's Civil Rights Movement, this movement continues to sound the alarm about  public health dangers to these families, their communities and themselves. The Philadelphia Front Page News, a community sponsored online news exchange is committed to sounding these alarms loud and clear. with the FPN Environmental News Videos  which post continuously  to the site, demonstrating the commitment of its volunteer staff to bringing its readers the most up to date information possible  along with the resources and tools the community  needs to influence the decision makers.

The EPA has been providing small environmental justice grants for the past 15 years.  The goal of the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program (EJSG) is to support and empower environmental justice communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues. They have recently released the Application Guidance(43 pp, 528K) for FY2010. This year's EJSG program focuses on  the need to address the disproportionate impacts of climate change in communities with environmental justice concerns.  The EPA EJ Small Grants Program is a national program with total funding available for the 2010FY at $1,000,000.  EPA anticipates awarding approximately 40 grants in the amount of $25,000 each.

Those wishing to appy for funding are invited to participate in conference calls with EPA to address questions about the EJSG Program. The following are the conference call dates and times. Please call or send an e-mail to Sheila Lewis at lewis.sheila@epa.gov and provide the following information:
your name; the name of your organization; the address of your organization; your phone number; and the preferred date for the call.

Date

Time (EST)

December 3, 2009

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

December 17, 2009

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

The Philadelphia Front Page News is committed to bringing you the latest on Environmental Justice.

For more information on Environmental Justice visit:

US EPA Grants & Programs/ Environmental Justice

National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC)
A Federal committee providing recommendations to EPA on environmental justice matters

Meetings | Recommendations | Subcommittees

 
Environmental Justice Grants
Providing financial assistance to for projects to address local environmental concerns

Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (IWG)
Various Federal agencies and White House offices working to integrate environmental justice into its individual programs

Environmental Justice Achievement Awards
Recognizing the achievements of organizations that undertake environmental justice initiatives which make a positive impact in the community.

Environmental Justice | Compliance and Enforcement | US EPA

Rwandan Green Party allowed to hold conference - News - Show - network.greenchange

Rwandan Green Party allowed to hold conference - News - Show - network.greenchange

Shared via AddThis

CA: Donna Warren former Green Party Candidate for Lt Govenor Impressed by Daniel Juarez, candidate for Mayor of Hawthorne responses to her question on 3 Stikes Law

For all who are interested in amending the 3 Strikes Law to violent felonies only so non-violent offenders will not spend the rest of their lives in prison at an average cost of $49,300 per person (money which is taken from schools and social services) you may be interested in Mr. Juarez's answers to my questions.  I was impressed by his answer to questions 2a.

 

If you live in Hawthorne, I strongly suggest you vote for Daniel Juarez.  The incumbent, Larry Guidi is a strong advocate for the 3 Strikes Law as it now stands, that is, prisons not schools.

 

Here's Mr. Juarez's answers:

 

Please answer my two questions.

1. The 3 Strikes Law has a dramatic effect on the California's budget, communities of color, families and the individual inmate himself/herself.  Can you tell me what you know about this effect in terms of finance, mental and physical distress? 

Yes, I support California’s “Three Strikes” law.  Although this law acts as a deterrent for some criminals, it also has been criticized as applying a one-size-fits-all sentence mentality to repeat offenders.  There are flaws with this law.  The law destroys the flexibility of the courts and the judge; is unjust in certain conditions (i.e. - victimless crimes, young criminals, etc.); criminals often plea bargain their first two convictions; violates the 8th Amendment to the Constitution; an arrest of someone with two convictions almost guarantees the cost and time of a trial; and the law adds more criminals to an already crowded and expensive prison system. 

2a. Are you in favor of amending the 3 Strikes Law to violent felonies only? 

I feel that California's Three-Strikes Law needs to be amended.  The law should be changed so that it only applies to violent and serious crimes. Minor offenders who steal a loaf of bread or a bottle of shampoo should not be given 25 to life sentences. As written, the Three-Strikes Law currently applies to nonviolent petty and violent crimes. 

If the law were changed, then the revision would do the following: return the law back to what the voters originally intended - a law to keep violent criminals in prison; require mandatory increased sentences only when convictions are for a violent felony such as rape, robbery or murder; preserve the original intent of the three-strikes law so that violent, dangerous criminals will continue to be punished harshly, with mandatory sentences of double-time for a second violent felony and 25 years-to-life for a third violent felony; be consistent with 26 other states (California's law is the only one that applies to non-violent crimes); allow prisoners now serving Three-Strikes sentences to apply for and receive a re-sentencing hearing.  As many as 35,000 could qualify for one because their offense would no longer count as a strike; save the State as much as 700 million dollars a year in prison operating costs, and more than a billion dollars for construction of new prisons.

2b. If elected, would you support an amendment of the law in the Hawthorne City Council?

As you know I am already a sitting councilmember.  As far as supporting an amendment of the law at a municipal level, I would need to check with our city attorney.  This issue needs to be carried to the state by our local state legislators.  As mayor, I would work in collaboration with our new assemblyman and state senator to author an amendment.

RWANDA: New Green party cries fowl over possible sabotage

By RNA Reporter

Thursday, 01 October 2009

Kigali: Officials of the newly formed Democratic Green Party of Rwanda were in disbelief Thursday evening after government officials informed them they will not be available Friday to notify some of their registration documents, RNA can reveal.

Interim party leader Frank Habineza told RNA the development means the delegates conference scheduled Friday may not take place because that is when the signatures of the 1000-plus delegates expected in Kigali were to be verified.

"The 'Notaire' rang me at 5pm informing me that he will not be available because he has not been granted permission to verify our signatures by the minister of Justice," said a visibly angry Habineza.

"When I called the minister of Justice, he told me the Notaire does not need his permission to conduct such a function. Now I dont know who to believe and what to do."

According to Mr. Habineza, he has already postponned the delegates conference for "three times", with every of the previous timetables, the Notaire claiming he is not in position to notify the party's nomination signatures. However, Mr. Habineza declined to name the Notaire in question, but the minister is Tharcisse Karugarama.

"We have made alot of losses financially because for example we called the delegates and diplomats last Sunday for the same function but we had to cancel it because there was no one to verify our documents," he said.

The new political party law requires that a government Notaire is present to verify all the signatures of those nominating a given party for registration before they are submitted to the Ministry of Local. The party needs at least 600 �verifiable signatures� from across the country to be able to register.

RNA was not able to get official response by press time.

Interim president Mr. Frank Habineza said last month that the party will �call for a delegates Congress in September, after which we shall deposit our dossier to [the Ministry of Local Government]. �Right now, we are recruiting members from all districts of Rwanda.�

Last Updated ( Friday, 02 October 2009 )

_______________________________________________

AN OPEN LETTER FROM ELAINE BROWN: EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR CHIP FITZGERALD

My dear friends,

Centinela State Prison is denying Chip Fitzgerald proper medical care! This is not only a violation of his human rights, but it is in blatant disregard of the federal court order that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation provide constitutionally adequate medical care to inmates—of which order the CDCR continues to be in violation.

As you know, Chip is the longest-held Black Panther Party political prisoner in the nation, having been convicted in 1969 for murder and other charges in connection with a shoot-out with police in Los Angeles. Although Chip was originally sentenced to death, the sentence was commuted, and he was eligible for parole 33 years ago. Denied parole 17 times, Chip has been wrongfully held in prison 40 years now.

The Committee to Free Chip Fitzgerald is putting out a call for support of our demand that Centinela immediately provide Chip the medical care he urgently needs.

Attached is a letter I am hoping you will print out and fax into the prison ASAP (fax number indicated at the top of the letter). If you are willing and able to do that, I thank you so much, and ask, also, that you either email a a copy of the signed letter to freechipfitzgerald@yahoo.com or send your name, address and other contact information to the same email address. We will then mail a copy of the signed or endorsed letter to each of the five secondary recipients indicated.

UPDATE: In September, we filed a habeas corpus petition in the Los Angeles Superior Court to overturn the 2008 wrongful parole board denial to Chip, and are waiting for a hearing.

Free Chip!

Elaine