Anything Goes

In the age of TMZ-like set ups and 'Gotcha Politics' ala ACORN we are either gonna see more incidents like this or we're gonna see an attempt to pass a law limiting when one can or can't film both elected officials and law enforcement.

On the surface this sounds far fetched until you understand that police departments in three states including Maryland and Illnois are already pushing to get bills passed to stop you and me from filming them or risk facing some sort of charge.

Personally  I think these guys were out to agitate the Congressman and do some Fox news ambush type stuff..Hence I can understand the anger although I don't condone it..  Here's what happened..

The Marijuana Policy Project is calling upon shoppers across the country to join in a boycott of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in order to protest the unjust and potentially unlawful firing of Joe Casias, a 29-year-old medical marijuana patient and sinus cancer survivor who suffers from an inoperable brain tumor.

After dutifully working at a Wal-Mart in Battle Creek, Michigan, for five years, Casias was suddenly terminated because he tested positive for marijuana during a drug screening administered after he sprained his knee on the job. To make matters worse, Wal-Mart is contesting Casias’s eligibility for unemployment, and Michigan has the nation’s highest unemployment rate, at almost 15%.

MPP is asking shoppers to demand that Wal-Mart abandon its discriminatory policy of firing employees who are legal medical marijuana patients under state law.

We need to send a strong message to Wal-Mart and other businesses in medical marijuana states that it is not acceptable to fire sick people for trying to get better by following their doctor’s recommendation and obeying state law. Marijuana is a legitimate medicine, supported by science and protected by law in 14 states, including Michigan.

To send Wal-Mart an email saying that you disapprove of its policy and will refrain from shopping at Wal-Mart stores until it changes, click here.

A lot of people don't realize the extent Sarah Palin will go to to make her point. We captured a rare behind the scenes glimpse of the way she handled Senator McCain during their campaign. Here they are talking about messaging. We heard she is taking the polar bear with her as an adviser at Fox.

Return to The Southern Shift

Magnolia Park Community Garden Fence Project awarded 2010 Neighborhood Matching Grant Program. Click on image below to donate!

or read more about the project here

Yes, in a most unholy alliance, the local needle exchange has decided to do a major promotion of their TOTALLY FABULOUS AND ROCKIN' T shirts during the holiday gift giving season.

Here's the online store where you can see for yourself how fabulous they actually are http://www.austinharmreduction.org

We're doing this because, well because...WE NEED MONEY

If you don't know, Austin has had an underground, illegal needle exchange for about 15 years. While we've always worked quietly, out of sight of the authorities (or so we pretend), we've rocked steady for a long long time, creating the oldest and largest, continuously-running underground exchange in the country.

But it would be safe to say this has been the hardest year in the needle exchange's history. A major grantor decided to no longer fund needle exchange--any needle exchange, not just ours. And our Project Director, who runs the van day to day, was ordered by his doctor off the van immediately because of his health (he is HIV and hep C positive). As a result we had to reduce the number of days the van goes out from 4 to 3, reduce the staff hours, as well as reduce the number of points any one client can receive, in order to save money.

Youth Activist Newsletter: Special Edition: World AIDS Day

December 1 is World AIDS Day, when activists around the world come together to raise awareness of the global HIV epidemic, to fight prejudice, and to improve HIV education and prevention. This year’s theme is “universal access and human rights” – an important reminder that much of the HIV positive population, including young people, GLBTQ people, those affected by poverty, and marginalized groups like sex workers and injecting drug users, still face unequal access to resources, services, and medication. And AIDS is the leasing cause of death among women around the world.

One way YOU can participate in World AIDS Day events is to participate in the blogathon on Amplify, November 30-Dec 5.

This special edition of our Youth Actvist Network Newsletter focuses on young people living in low and middle income countries – their lives, their stories, and the issues they face on a daily basis:

In the Philippines, a young gay man faces violence, discrimination and stigma.

In Nigeria, a young woman asks for information about contraception and gets misinformation and a lecture.

In Sri Lanka, youth activists band together to redress the stigma around HIV and AIDS.

In Ethiopia, one young man’s father’s life and death inspires him to become an activist working for reproductive and sexual health.

In Jamaica, a young woman confronts the issue of the church’s role in stigma around HIV and AIDS

Get involved! View the videos made by youth activists in Jamaica, Nigeria, and Ethiopia about HIV. Learn about how unintended pregnancy, gender roles, and access to contraception and condoms affect them and their peers.

Then:

• Plan a World AIDS Day Event on your campus or at your school – find resources and ideas here!
• Participate in the World AIDS Day Blogathon on Amplify! From November 30-December 6, write about your own thoughts, experiences, and activism around HIV.
• Take Action – Urge President Obama to adopt a President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS
• Relief that provides the best information and services to young people around the world.
  Urge your representatives in Congress to support U.S. foreign aid and international family planning.

Of course, HIV affects those in the U.S. as well – hundreds of thousands are living with the virus, and young people account for up to one-third of new HIV infections every year. If you live in New York or Cleveland you can attend the final HIV Town Halls and share your thoughts and ideas about what the new National AIDS Strategy should include. Check out YouthResource Peer Educator Daniel’s description of his participation in an HIV Town Hall: “I was very happy that I attended. I felt like the State of South Carolina, and a few neighbors from North Carolina, made their voices heard.”

Read on to hear the stories of young people around the world – and on World AIDS Day, join the fight to prevent HIV, increase access to services and supplies, and reduce stigma against those who are HIV positive!

Peace,

Sarah

Read commentary about the recent report that AIDS is the leading cause of death and disease among women worldwide by:

• International Youth Leadership Council Member Zemen: “We MUST prioritize women’s health and well being - because women and girls play a critical role in maintaining the health of their families and communities and because they have an equal right to health care.” Read more
• Amplify Front Page Blogger vanessaaishacoleman: "For us advocates out there I take this as yet another sign that we really need to step up our game in terms of addressing this problem in cohesive, well-planned interventions.. If we approach the HIV from this perspective we could hopefully also understand some of the underlying gender inequities that are fueling this epidemic in women." Read more

Learn about the Great American Condom Campaign and the young people who have become SafeSites at their colleges. In the words of one SafeSite blogger: “I handed out the condoms, and made quitea few new friends! I was even called the condom fairy. A lot of people seemed very thankful and even expressed concern about how expensive condoms were. I am just happy I could provide!”

Learn more about the HIV epidemic in the United States and around the world – including how social factors affect the epidemic, and the plight of marginalized populations.

Send Citizen Sarah to Copenhagen

click here to listen to interview

Originally aired 07/21/09

HENRY JENKINS is the Provost's Professor of Communications, Journalism, and Cinematic Art at the University of Southern California. Until recently, he served as the co-founder of the Comparative Media Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His newest books include Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide and Fans, Bloggers and Gamers: Exploring Participatory Culture.

www.henryjenkins.org/

Campaign Update
Thursday, November 12, 2009

COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF OUR COMMON GROUND AGENDA A SUCCESS!

There was plenty of fall sunshine and family fun at the Zilker Park Clubhouse last month for the official kick-off of our re-election campaign as we marked the occasion with a birthday celebration and discussion of our common-ground agenda.

It was great visiting with many of you. And for those of you who couldn’t attend, you can still make a difference with a strategic donation to my campaign.

As you may know, two potential candidates have announced their plans to challenge me in next year’s election. I’m taking nothing for granted and intend to run a robust campaign to protect the progress we are making, from clean air for our families to breathe to guaranteeing responsible resources for vital services such as public schools, public health, and public safety.

Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2009 The Washington Post Company

At first glance, the congressional goings-on seem promising: The promise is to lift a 21-year-old ban on federal funding of needle-exchange programs. But the small print makes this promise all but worthless, because Congress would prohibit those programs from operating within 1,000 feet of a school, library, park, college, video arcade or any place where children might be present. In other words, just about anywhere.

Pending legislation is particularly punitive to the District. Just last year, Congress finally allowed the District the spend its own money on clean-needle programs. Now a bill would apply the same 1,000-foot restrictions to District programs both with federal money and with its own. This would effectively shut down the District's four needle-exchange programs.

Thank Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) for hobbling this city's efforts. He's "concerned for the safety of schoolchildren and the negative impact of sending them mixed messages when it comes to drug prevention," his spokesman told us. Mr. Kingston's concern doesn't jibe with the facts. The CDC, the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization concur that needle-exchange programs reduce the spread of HIV without increasing drug use.

The bills have already passed the House. It's now up to the Senate to strip the restrictions from the legislation. We urge it to do so. Cities need every resource at their disposal to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Contact: letters@washpost.com

Please contact your Senators about this legislation.

The Harm Reduction Coalition has set up a Take Action page "Needle Ban Fight Moves to Senate!" at  http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1627/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27789 

(For further information read the New York Times in-depth article "Bill Would Limit Needle Exchanges" http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n1009/a05.html)

DALLAS – Environmental advocates across several states are applauding the Obama Administration’s choice of Dr. Al Armendariz to lead Region 6 of the Environmental Protection Agency, which includes Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Armendariz, an engineering professor at Southern Methodist University, has worked with diverse constituencies ranging from corporations to citizens groups and has published dozens of studies on myriad environmental issues throughout his career. His appointment garnered high praise from the environmental community.

“Our region has typically provided a haven for some of the worst polluters in the country, and has paid a steep price,” said Tom “Smitty” Smith, Texas Director for Public Citizen. “I believe the appointment of Dr. Al Armendariz signifies a new direction for Region 6.”

Health Care Update

Young People Are Making Their Voices Heard

For the past few months, the health care debate has been all over the media. Congress has been busy drafting bills addressing the needs of various populations, but the question that has been splattered across the headlines is “Where are the young people?”  

Well, we are right here…where we’ve always been. And we know what we want, so it’s  time for Congress to pay attention.

Advocates for Youth has been working with the Young Invincibles, a coalition of youth-serving organizations across the country, to make sure policy makers know what young people need out of health care reform. Last week, Young Invincibles kicked off the coalition with a lobby day on the Hill and an announcement by members of Congress that are committed to making sure one of our demands - that young people be permitted to stay on their parents’ insurance through age 26 - is included in the heath care bill. Young Invincibles’ policy agenda also includes other safeguards of adolescent health, including coverage of STI screening and birth control.  If you are interested learning more about our policy demands, read them here.

On November 4th, we celebrated the “Anniversary of Change” (1 year since President Barack Obama was elected) with a Y.I. Want Change Day. There were various actions around the country showing that young people are involved in, and care about the health care debate.

LAREDO, Nov. 4 - U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, and newly appointed General Services Administration Regional Administrator J.D. Salinas will be among the speakers at an upcoming Texas Border Coalition conference.

The conference is titled “Balancing Security, Trade and Travel: A Looming Crisis at U.S. Ports of Entry.” It will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 13, in Room 101 of the De La Garza Building, Laredo Community College (Fort McIntosh Campus), West End Washington Street, in Laredo.