April 19, 2005
TOPIC: “Moving America Forward”?
GUESTS: Tanya Garcia, research associate with the International Relations Center and its Right Web program
Moving America Forward is a relatively new right wing organization that wants to take the US backward it seems. Tanya Garcia is a research associate with the International Relations Center and its Right Web program. For more information visit www.irc-online.org.
TOPIC: Protests Rock Ecuador
GUESTS: Patricio Pasmino, coordinator of Centro de Derechos Economicos y Sociales (Center for Economic and Social Rights) in Quito, Ecuador
In December 2004, Ecuador’s president, Lucio Gutierrez fired 27 of 31 magistrates in the Supreme Court and replace them with his own candidates. This was in clear violation of the country's constitution – an action that sparked nation-wide protests that continue on today. On Friday April 15th, Gutierrez declared a state of emergency that banned public protests in the capital, Quito. In continued defiance that has inspired pro-democracy activists worldwide, thousands of Ecuadorans have escalated their protests in the face of the ban. Protestors are chanting the slogan "no to dictatorship, yes to democracy." Gutierrez was forced to lift the ban. Meanwhile, opposition parties are preparing impeachment proceedings against the President.
TOPIC: Resisting to War
GUESTS: Ray McGovern, ex-CIA analyst, Tim Goodrich, co-founder of Iraq Veterans Against War, Bill Mitchell, father of fallen soldier in Iraq, member of Military Families Speak Out and Goldstar Families for Peace
Twenty eight year old Bay-area activist Marla Ruzicka was killed last weekend in Baghdad with one Iraqi man. They were caught between a bomb blast and a US military convoy. Marla was responsible for starting an organization called Campaign for Innocent Victims of Conflict. Just two days before Ruzicka died, 18 people were killed by car bombs in the neighborhood where she was staying. Iraq has been confronted with renewed violence over the past week, after signs of a decline in attacks immediately after the Jan. 30 election.
Suicide bombings have returned to the high levels seen over the past two years at a volatile time, as elected leaders try to form a new government. Meanwhile an Iraqi lawmaker accused a U.S. soldier of grabbing him by the throat and shoving him to the ground after he parked his car in Baghdad's Green Zone. Meanwhile, Army investigative documents on the Abu Ghraib torture scandal released yesterday revealed that intelligence officials in Iraq developed and circulated "wish lists" of harsh interrogation techniques they hoped to use on prisoners in August 2003, including tactics such as low-voltage electrocution and blows with phone books. The violent occupation of Iraq shows no sign of abating even as its popularity with the US public is relatively low.
Tuesday, April 19 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Venice United Methodist Church
1020 Victoria Avenue at Lincoln Boulevard
(One block north of Venice Boulevard)
In person: Pablo Parades
Also appearing:
Tim Goodrich, co-founder of Iraq Veterans Against the War
Ray McGovern, Former CIA analyst, featured in “Uncovered”
Bill Mitchell, Father of fallen soldier
Cindy Sheehan, Mother of fallen soldier
Aaron Vogel, Army Reservist who served in Iraq
Reverend Thomas Ziegert, Pastor of Venice United Methodist Church
Plus a special musical performance by: Michelle Shocked
Emcee: Jerry Quickley, Host of KPFK’s “Beneath the Surface”
A panel discussion and audience Q&A session will follow the individual presentations.
Suggested Donation $5 but no one will be turned away. Free lot and street parking.
TOPIC: Proposition 36 Under Attack
GUESTS: Dave Fratello, Policy Analyst with Campaign for New Drug Policies
In 2000, Californians voted overwhelmingly to reform their criminal justice system by enacting Proposition 36, the initiative requiring that people be offered the option of drug treatment instead of incarceration for their first two non-violent drug possession offenses. According to California Department of Corrections data, since Proposition 36’s inception, there are 7,337 fewer prisoners incarcerated for drug possession in California’s overloaded prison system. Today the Senate Public Safety Committee will debate Senate Bill 803 (Ducheny); a bill proposing to gut the core components of Proposition 36 by allowing jail time for first and second-time offenders.
For more information visit www.prop36.org.
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