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Arts & Entertainment: Lost Film Festival in Danbury
Posted by : colin on Wednesday, December 01, 2004 - 03:47 PM EST
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This Friday, December 3, the Lost Film Festival will be showing at WCSU. Originating in Philadelphia, Lost Film Fest is a traveling event featuring scathing and hilarious social commentary in the form of narrative shorts, documented pranks, and amateur footage from protests around the world. The films will be sure to provoke thought, urge laughter and incite outrage at the current condition of the world's social, political and economic structure, from an anti-capitalist perspective.

Friday, December 3, 2004, 5pm
Western Connecticut State University, Midtown Campus
Alumni Hall (Roberts Avenue)

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Media: Indymedia and the Battle of Seattle Turns 5 Today, Support Your Local IMC(s)
Posted by : shoes on Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - 05:16 PM EST
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First post of the world's first IMC...
Seattle, Washington, November 24, 1999, 6:45pm

"The resistance is global... a trans-pacific collaboration has brought this web site into existence. Read more of the first IMC post...

From nyc.indymedia.org

In politics, five years is a long time. And on the internet, where self appointed gurus proclaim a new media "revolution" eveny few months, five years can feel like fifty.

Five years ago today, tens of thousands of anti-WTO activists across a broad spectrum of the American left jammed the streets of Seattle in protests that sent the trade organization running for cover Pictures. Five years ago also saw the birth of the Indymedia movement.

The following five years would see the energy of the "anti-globalization" movement (as it would wrongly be called) wax and wane. Hundreds of Independent Media Centers would join the global network, and a few would leave. Locally, activists would create an Indymedia U.S.. Hardware, old and usually donated, would often fail. Government repression would become commonplace. Now there are 145 IMC's on 6 continents with more joining each week.

Santa Cruz IMC writes: "At the WTO protests in Seattle, we had a collective vision. We saw beyond the borders that divide us. We saw people come together across every kind of political and cultural difference and stand up in a way that we had not seen in this country for decades. We saw peaceful protests shut down one of the most powerful institutions in the world and we saw a system dazed and frightened by the sound of our voices."

The Northeastern United States has the highest concentration of IMC's in the country. Read more for information about IMC's in Connecticut...

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Local Events: Friday, November 26 is Buy Nothing Day!
Posted by : shoes on Thursday, November 25, 2004 - 01:51 AM EST
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This Friday, November 26 is the 13th annual Buy Nothing Day. The most profitable day of the shopping "season" is known as Black Friday. It doesn't have to be that way.

For 24 hours, millions of people around the world do not participate -- in the doomsday economy, the marketing mind-games, and the frantic consumer-binge that's become our culture. We pause. We make a small choice not to shop. We shrink our footprint and gain some calm. Together we say to
Exxon, Nike, Coke and the rest: enough is enough. And we help build this movement to rethink our unsustainable course.

In its 13 years, BND has become a flashpoint, a day when people of all stripes come together in symbolic protest. Visit the new BND Action Pyramid for a sample of great ways to celebrate.

Need posters, clip-art, web banners, handbills, radio-clips or stickers? No problem. 2004 BND promotional goods are ready for download.

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Connecticut Action: 1st CT United for Peace Conference/Wheels of Justice Roll into CT
Posted by : shoes on Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 07:23 PM EST
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This Saturday, November 20, marks the first time in a while that CT activists will meet to discuss the War in Iraq, the War on the Poor at Home and many other topics at the CT United for Peace Conference.
The Keynote speaker will be Bill Fletcher, Jr., an African-American scholar, labor, and peace and justice activist who is currently President of TransAfrica Forum.

Saturday, November 20, 2004
Central CT State University's Student Center
1615 Stanley Street, New Britain

Sponsored by CT United for Peace
Hosted by CCSU Peace Studies Department

Info: Meg Scata at 860-347-5488 or megscata@yahoo.com or www.ctunitedforpeace.org
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"Nonviolent education and action against war and occupation in Iraq and Palestine for justice and universal human rights"

On November 21-23, The Wheels of Justice Tour will be coming to Bethel and Danbury, just one of the many stops on their nationwide tour. Members of Voices in the Wilderness, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, the Middle East Children's Alliance and affiliates of the International Solidarity Movement take to Danbury, CT in a colorfully decorated full-size school bus for the Wheels of Justice Tour. All events are sponsored by WCSU's student group, Youth for Justice, except for Monday's event, which is also sponsored by the Muslim Students Organization.

Sunday, November 21 at 7pm,
Benefit concert at Molten Java Coffeehouse,
102 Greenwood Ave Bethel, featuring Myna and Arms and Legs (formerly Ebbtide). Donations are requested. Info: 203-739-0313.

Monday, November 22 at 7pm
Western CT State Univ's Student Center Theater
181 White Street, Danbury (morning at Newtown H.S.)

Tuesday, November 23, daytime, various political science classes at WCSU.
8pm, Media Training at the Mad Hatters Independent Media Center, (IMC)
241 Main Street, Suite 3, Danbury

Read more for a detailed schedule of workshops...

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Local Events: Statewide Social Justice Events for Monday
Posted by : shoes on Sunday, November 07, 2004 - 02:42 AM EST
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Help secure equal access to quality integrated public education for Hartford's youth.

Sheff v. O’Neill, the 14-year old school desegregation case in Connecticut was successfully negotiated and signed in Hartford on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003, representing some 7 months of negotiation. The state agreed to a settlement pledging to spend $45 million over four years to increase racial integration in Hartford schools – Hartford being the only Connecticut city involved in the court case. The lawsuit alleged Hartford schools did not provide equal educational opportunities. In 1996, the state Supreme Court ruled the legislature was violating constitutional rights of minority students in Hartford and was obligated to desegregate the school system, but offered no remedy.

Monday, November 8, 2 P.M.
New Britain Judicial District
20 Franklin Square, New Britain, CT

The Connecticut Social Forum. Another World is Possible!

Dinner and discussion led by Mr. Joseph Gerson, Director of the Peace and Economic Security Program of the AFSC New England Region, a veteran of the World Social Forum, and an architect of the Boston Social Forum. Jeremy Brecher, author and Connecticut historian, will moderate.

The Social Forum movement embodies growing, powerful, and human-based responses to exploitative globalist policies. Visit our website at www.ctsocialforum.org.

Monday, November 8
Doors at 6:00pm, dinner at 6:30, speaker at 7:30
Marco Polo Restaurant, East Hartford
Cost: $15.00 per person

RSVP: to Sarah Hambrick at 860 268-2510, or to our email at info@ctsocialforum.org

A Colombian Union Leader Tells His Story
"The Real Impact of US Foreign Policy and the Workers’ Struggle in Colombia"


Monday, November 8
Western Connecticut State University
Midtown Campus - Student Center Theater, 7pm
181 White Street, Danbury, CT

Info: Katherine Golub at 860-349-6925 or katjecita@yahoo.com

The story of Jorge Marin, the president of ADEM (Association of Municipal Employees of Medellin, Colombia), is representative of the struggle faced by union leaders throughout Colombia. Living in the midst of the pervasive violence and impunity that have enveloped their nation for decades, unionists and their families are threatened, assassinated, kidnapped, tortured, and displaced every day in Colombia. More unionists are killed in Colombia than in any other country, and since 1986 nearly 4,000 labor Colombian unionists have been murdered. Most human rights abuses in Colombia, including those against unionists, are committed by right-wing paramilitaries. Although the State Department openly acknowledges that the Colombian Armed Forces actively collaborate with these paramilitary groups, the U.S. government has provided Colombia with over $2.5 billion in mostly military and police aid since 2000. Jorge will draw on his experiences to talk about how Colombian unionists are affected by U.S. policy and his country’s armed conflict.

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Local News: Election Day 2004 Information
Posted by : shoes on Monday, November 01, 2004 - 02:36 PM EST
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Three Danbury IMC/Hat City Free Press members are running for positions in the CT House and Senate on November 2 under the Working Families Party. Josh Nassi is running for State Representative in the 132nd District, Colin Cascia is trying to upseat Newtown's Republican incumbent, Julia Wasserman, in the 106th District and Dave Bonan is running against Republican incumbent David Cappiello in the 24th Senatorial District. Cappiello has run unopposed for the last two terms and he is being challenged this time around by 4 candidates.

Vote for President/State and Local Candidates

Danbury Street Listings for Voter Locations

Danbury Voter Locations

Remember to vote between 6am - 8pm

For more info: Danbury Registrar of Voters at
203-797-4550

CT List of Candidates

Click here for up-to-the-minute election results.

Also, Scott Harris will be one of 4 people hosting WPKN's Election Night Special, November 2, from 6pm-2am on WPKN, 89.5 FM. Calls will be fielded to candidates all over the country as well as local candidates throughout CT. If you are a candidate, give them a call at 203-331-9756.

Read more for election results...

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Local News: New Issue of the Hat City Free Press, Starting off our 4th Year!
Posted by : shoes on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 04:02 PM EDT
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"Working to create a citizens' medium for the open expression of perception and truth."

The Hat City Free Press, a publication of the Mad Hatters Independent Media Center has just started off its 4th year of producing the area's (Fairfield and Litchfield County) only cooperatively-run, independent free newspaper. With 3 years under our belt, we are experiencing a new lifeblood, with countless volunteers and new writers from the local area and more local stories being sent to us.

We started the newspaper because felt the area needed to hear the real voice of its citizens as well as providing stories that fell in the cracks the corporate media left behind. We cull stories from other sources from around the world that most people don't get a chance to know about as well as original stories. We try and take issues from a global perspective and focus on delivering them to the public on a local level of understanding.

This issue features our first local story that the Free Press broke (originally on our website) before any news source found out, the closing of Risdon AMS in Danbury after 50 years in production. Other stories featured is Part 2 of 6 of the Detriments of Soy, a recap of the Republican National Convention, local university groups, worldwide labor updates, news from nearby Putnam and Orange Counties and two journalists from the newspaper and the IMC who are running for the State House and State Senate.

To see the list of outlets click HERE.
To download a pdf copy of this issue click HERE.

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Connecticut Action: Resolution to End the War in Iraq
Posted by : shoes on Monday, October 18, 2004 - 04:11 PM EDT
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Resolution to End the War in Iraq
By Allan Brison, New Haven Green Party

Update! The resolution was tabled until after the election. People haven't heard why. One guess is that the sponsors may have felt that they would pick up more support from Democrats who might not want to support a measure that is in conflict with Kerry.

The New Haven Board of Aldermen will be voting tomorrow (10.19.04) on a Resolution to End the War in Iraq.

The resolution has been submitted by Alders Joyce Chen (G-2), Jackie James (D-3), Mike Smart (D-8), and Barbara Gorham Walker (D-30).

The meeting starts at 7pm and will be held in the Aldermanic Chambers in City Hall. Many alders need to see a show of support in order to pass resolutions that they perceive as not being in the purview of local politics. But while local politicians aren't responsible for undertaking the War, local people will be paying for it through the nose by way of decreased social spending, higher taxes, and stretched budgets for years to come.

And while such resolutions may not have an immediate effect they do a great deal in empowering peace activists throughout the country.

Bring signs and posters. And talk to your alder before the meeting to let him or her know your feelings.

Note: This is not a Public Hearing.

Read more...

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All Topics: IMC's in UK/USA Under Attack by the FBI
Posted by : shoes on Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - 07:27 PM EDT
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Starting October 7, at least twenty-one IMC's in the USA and UK have been under cyber attack by the FBI, which seized two hard drives from Rackspace, a web hosting service that hosts numerous IMC's in the USA and UK. The two servers that were removed included IMC internet radio streams.

Conflicting reports have stated that the seizure was prompted by a request from Swiss and Italian authorities under an "anti-terrorism" guise, other reports point to an order coming straight from upper levels of the FBI. The true details are still not clear.

As of Wednesday (10.13.04), 6 IMCs are back online. There has still been no response as to why the sites were targeted or when they will receive their hard drives back. The IMC's that are back up are Euskal Herria (Spain), UK, Portugal, Nice, France, Brazil and Poland.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, Reporters Without Borders and the International Federation of Journalists, amongst various other international journalist organizations, fearing the general encroachment of free speech and the potential consequences and/or future spread of these actions onto other media outlets, have joined (and in many cases helped lead) in civil outrage on behalf of Indymedia.

Indymedia sites are truly revolutionary; by harnessing the power of 'open-publishing', anyone can publish anything without any fear of censorship. This function allows IMC's to function as a more inclusive and versatile form of news media than ever previously known or practiced. This poses an obvious threat to the power structures that create and rely on the more prevalent system of corporate controlled mass-media .**

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Local Events: Ralph Nader in New Haven Wednesday
Posted by : shoes on Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - 03:37 PM EDT
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Independent Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader will be speaking and doing a booksigning at Yale tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 6, 2004
Battel Chapel at Yale University (corner of Elm and College)
8pm, $5 students, $10 all others

Ralph's speech will be followed by a book signing for Crashing The Party.

For more info contact Ralph Ferrucci at 203-430-9342 or email rferrucci@votenader.org

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Local News: Local Danbury Corporation to Fire Workers, Transfer Jobs in-state
Posted by : shoes on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 04:55 PM EDT
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Everyday, all around America, corporations who once employed townspeople with jobs and security now suddenly lay off those same workers who made them wealthy and the towns they inhabited prosperous. Those same events happened in the last few months with Nestle and Kimberly-Clark in New Milford, with no notice for Kimberly-Clark workers. Corporations always threaten to move out of an area and unless a town gives them millions in tax breaks/corporate welfare, they are more likely to leave for south of the border, where cheap labor and no benefits is abundant, thus making their profits soar. Record profits and people still get laid off.

A Danbury IMC member found out about job layoffs at such a corporation in Danbury on September 28. A worker from Risdon AMS on Old Newtown Road told him that they are closing their manufacturing plant.

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Local Events: CT Professor/Activist's Daily Journal on the Wheels of Justice Tour
Posted by : shoes on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 02:17 AM EDT
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The following is from Mazin Qumsiyeh, from Al-Awda Connecticut and a professor at Central CT State University. He is currently on the Wheels of Justice Bus Tour throughout the country.

Dear Friends and colleagues:

As I indicated, I am on the wheels of justice bus tour so email will be rather rare. Since I wrote to you before, it has been a week on the bus and what a week! I decided to share with you a very, very brief synopsis below.

Also I included an op-ed I wrote about the bus for a local newspaper. I urge you to check out http://justicewheels.org and get involved in this
project.

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Local News: Danbury School District Signs Exclusive Deal With Coke, Round 3: Commercialis
Posted by : shoes on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 04:11 AM EDT
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The Danbury Board of Education recently signed a five-year contract with Coke on September 21, 2004, to exclusively carry their products in the districts’ vending machines. The Danbury school district consists of 17 schools. The deal would allow the district to earn $140,000, $10,000 for educational materials and 35 percent commission from beverage sales – an enticing deal for a school district looking for other avenues of funding in an already stretched-thin budget. Commission from the vending machines in the high school lunchroom would be returned to the food service account to hold down food prices for students.

This contract isn’t exactly news. The Board of Education defeated a similar proposal with Pepsi in April 2001 and again in November of 2003 with Coke and Sodexho, prompting Coke to offer more deals for the school. On March 10, 2004, the School Board adopted a set of policy criteria when dealing with (interested) corporate sponsors.

At the center of the issue is the debate between the lack of money in school districts and concern for public health versus the rise of commercialism in public school schools and allowing certain corporations’ access to market products to students in an educational setting.

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Local News: Ralph Nader and Peter Camejo in Fair Haven Wednesday
Posted by : shoes on Monday, September 20, 2004 - 10:12 AM EDT
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Peter Miguel Camejo, Ralph Nader's running mate for Vice President will be in Fair Haven and New Haven on Wednesday, September 22. Peter is the first Latino Vice Presidential candidate to run on a major ticket and the only Vice Presidential Candidate to ever visit the Fair Haven area since 1781. He will also be holding a press conference with 3rd Congressional District Candidate, Ralph Ferrucci, running against incumbent Rosa DeLauro (D).

Peter Camejo and Ralph Nader  
Wednesday, September 22, 7:30 PM 
Southern Connecticut State University
501 Crescent Street, Engelman A120, New Haven

Sponsored by Students for Nader at SCSU 
For more info: call Naveen at 203-464-5377 

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Local News: More New Milford Workers Laid Off - Total Now 323
Posted by : shoes on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 06:42 AM EDT
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On September, 17, 2004, Nestle, the international food manufacturer gave its employees a one-day advanced notice/rumor of 100 layoffs in the next fifteen months and plans to close the plant by the end of 2005. The job cuts will be in the Research and Development facility and operations will continue in Ohio and Switzerland, though many locals say they won't transfer from their home.

The center works on packaging, product development and equipment research in the food service industry. The company said they were restructuring in order to focus their R and D in the foodservice business.

On July 21, 2004, Kimberly-Clark, operating their Infant and Care Division in New Milford, laid off some 223 workers with no advanced notice. Another 100 workers would lose their job by November 1. Kimberly-Clark was New Milford's largest employer and largest taxpayer, netting some $1 million in revenue per year for the town. Operations was shifted to plants in Utah, Texas, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

Both companies were "restructuring" to focus on other projects. There were no labor unions representing either of the laid off workers.

According to Nestle's website from August 18, the first half of 2004 showed Nestle had increased sales, EBITA and net profit, with a record operating cash flow, confirm positive outlook for the full year. Click here for the update.

Read the articles from the Nestle and Kimberly-Clark layoffs...

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Local Events: Danbury Speaks Out
Posted by : colin on Sunday, September 12, 2004 - 11:24 AM EDT
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This coming Saturday (09.18.04) there will be a protest against the bloodshed in Iraq in support of bringing the U.S. troops home safely. The demonstration will take place from 1-3pm on Main Street in Danbury in front of the library and occur weekly until the troops are home and peace achieved.

The protest is in response to the ongoing war in Iraq, whether or not it is called such by the current administration. At a time when the civilian death toll has topped 11,000 and the U.S. military has lost over one thousand soldiers it is important to speak out against the continuing situation. The Bush administration and their opponent, John Kerry, so far have no plans for bringing the troops back home and continue to insist that they must "stay the duration" - a phrase which offers no forseeable end to the nightmare in Iraq. In honor of those who are gone and for the sake of the American troops and Iraqi civilians who are still alive, attendance is encouraged and appreciated.

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All Topics: Photos: September 9, 2004 Candlelight Vigil in Danbury
Posted by : anonymous on Friday, September 10, 2004 - 12:57 AM EDT
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On Thursday evening, September 9, 2004, towns and cities across America held silent candlelight vigils to memorizlize the more than 1000 US soldiers that have died in Iraq.

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Connecticut Action: Third Annual Connecticut AIDS Bike Tour
Posted by : shoes on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 03:56 AM EDT
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The 3rd annual CT AIDS Bike Tour is a 5-day, 350-450-mile bike tour around Connecticut to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in Connecticut and raise funds for 13 nonprofit AIDS organizations who provide support and housing to people with HIV/AIDS. This is the only tour of its kind in the country where bicyclists ride around the perimeter of their state. The first year had 2 riders who raised $12,000. Last year had 12 riders that raised $36,000 and this year has 40 registered riders with the hope of raising $100,000. Ninety percent of the funds goes to the benefitted organizations with 10 percent serving as overhead for next year's tour.

The tour starts Wednesday, Sept. 8 from Hartford, and passes through Litchfield, ending in Danbury, Bridgeport and New Haven on Sept. 9, Lyme, New London and Norwich on Sept. 10, Willimantic and Somers on Sept. 11 and ending back in Hartford on Sept. 12.

Dave Bonan, a journalist for the Hat City Free Press and Danbury IMC member will be riding the first 3 days of the tour. The tour will spend the night at the convent at Immaculate High School in Danbury on September 8 and leave the following morning, stopping at a rest stop at Putnam Park in Redding.

The local AIDS organization in Danbury is the Interfaith AIDS Ministry on 46 Main Street and can be reached at 203-748-4077.

To join the tour for a day, two or all five, or to make a donation, call 1-800-555-AIDS, or log on to www.ctaidsbiketour.org

Read more about the organizations involved...

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Local Events: Democracy Uprising! Social Justice Activists March 260 Miles - Boston to NYC
Posted by : shoes on Thursday, August 12, 2004 - 04:14 AM EDT
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Democracy Uprising! Boston to NYC - Updated August 25

Nearly two hundred activists committed to countless social justice causes will take to foot, leaving the Democratic National Convention(DNC) in Boston on July 30 and walk 258 miles, crossing 4 states and arriving in New York City on August 26 just in time for the Republican National Convention (RNC), which takes place, Aug 29 to September 2. They will arrive in Providence, Rhode Island on August 2, enter Connecticut on August 5, spend 2 days in Hartford, CT and will walk with the Stonewalkers-9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows on Aug. 16-17 in New Haven.

One hundred sixty miles of the journey will be through Connecticut and the Mad Hatters Independent Media Center of Danbury, CT will be doing widespread coverage, including a daily journal from the walkers' travels, throughout the entire journey. The first journal entry will be on Thursday, July 29, the day before the march begins. Check this feature frequently for messages from the marchers which will be transmitted to us via cell phone and wireless internet hookup.




Click here to read the daily DNC2RNC Marchers Journal!
Updated Monday, August 25

“We are opposed to the system of Empire in which both political parties represent corporate interests while neglecting community needs. We support grass-roots efforts and community organizing to create the type of world we want to live in, a world based on direct democracy, just and fair labor, universal health care and education, environmental harmony, indigenous sovereignty, sustainable food sources and an end to militarism, corporate power and discrimination.”




Seeds of Peace is feeding the walkers as many meals a day as they can and will be using a biodiesel bus later in the march. They have a biodiesel F-250 hauling their composting toilets. Participants will be sleeping at parks and churches and local progressive organizations will be co-sponsoring programs at most stops.

The route will enter New York State with WESPAC members marching with them in solidarity from the border at Lyon Park to a rally and overnight in White Plains on August 24. The next day will end at the Van Cortlandt Park Golf Clubhouse in the Bronx. On August 26, they will start the day doing work in the South Bronx Community Gardens and walk across the Macombs Dam Bridge on 155th Street and then down Broadway to end in New York City at 59th Street and Columbus Circle at 5pm and they will be doing street theater, accompanied by a bike bloc, organized by Time's Up, (an environmental, direct action organization). They will leave at 6:45pm and travel to Union Square North (Park and 17th) for a welcome party. The procession will be a street theater Zapatista March. There will be an afterparty at St. Mark's Church, 131 East 10th Street and 2nd avenue, after the weekly NO RNC Clearinghouse, from 9:30pm-1am with David Rovics and others TBA.




NEW photos from The Bronx.

See the first two weeks of the DNC2RNC March in a new short video produced by various indymedia folk. Check out the new Boston to Hartford/New Britain, Meriden, New Haven and the DNC2RNC Arrival Commercial Videos. The march video activists will be producing daily video footage as well. Listen to Ryan Harvey on Free Radio Santa Cruzand check out the video.

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Connecticut Action: Voluntown Peace Trust Purchases Property, Holds Benefit
Posted by : shoes on Thursday, August 12, 2004 - 03:55 AM EDT
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Voluntown Peace Trust Purchases Property
by Stephen Kobasa

(Note: An article was written in the July 2004 issue of the Hat City Free Press about the Voluntown Peace Trust by Stephen Kobasa.)

The Voluntown Peace Trust is pleased to announce the July 6 purchase of the property where the Northeastern Cooperative for Nonviolence (NCN) - a wide spectrum of groups and individuals from throughout New England committed to nonviolent resistance to the military, economic and structural violence of our society - will help develop a model of nonviolent community building, a sanctuary for resistance and resisters, an experiment in participatory agriculture, and a classroom of hope for children, urban and rural. The NCN organized a series of protests and the "Peace Farm" was also a central locale for tax resistance throughout the 1950s at the location.

The VPT, a newly-founded nonprofit organization initiated by the Hartford Catholic Worker, has been working with other individuals and groups concerned with issues of social justice to preserve the historic property. They hope to develop the site into a community building, a sanctuary for resistance, have agriculture, a classroom for children, a meeting center and lodging.

Read recent local coverage and past coverage.

Read more about the benefit...

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Local News: CT Green Party Kicked Out of Local Village Fair for "Controversial" Sign
Posted by : shoes on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 01:49 PM EDT
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Written by Justice McCabe from the Western CT Greens...

On Friday, July 30 our local chapter of the CT Green Party had a booth at the New Milford Village Fair Days as we've done for the past few years. This 2-day fair is attended by tens of thousands of people and is held on our public village green. During them, we've petititoned for political candidates as well as tried to educate people about the Green Party and our positions on Iraq, Israel-Palestine, economy, electoral reform, etc. Among the many GP positions and banners we had up in our booth on Friday were signs for Cobb/LeMarche and Nader and one on the back of the booth, facing the street as cars went by. It read: "CT GREEN PARTY/ISRAEL MUST END ITS ILLEGAL OCCUPATION/STOP U.S. AID TO ISRAEL "

The short story is that New Milford Chamber of Commerce President, Bill Babbino, claiming that some people had found the sign "offensive" took the sign down, later refused to allow me to petition to get Nader on the ballot among fair attendees, and eventually took our booth away for the next day, kicking us out of the Fair at 9:30 pm.

As you might expect, there were people who expressed support for the sign. There were also Democratic and Republican Party booths at the fair, and booths devoted to controversial issues (e.g., Right to Life group had a booth).

Clearly our First Amendment rights were violated. We will be pursuing some kind of legal redress throught the CCLU who have been notified about the incident. The Litchfield County Times is doing a story and the Danbury-News Times wrote the article below today.

Any letters of support would be greatly appreciated: mconnolly@newstimes.com

Read the Danbury News-Times Article

New News-Times Article

Read more...

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Local News: New Issue of the Hat City Free Press Out
Posted by : shoes on Saturday, July 24, 2004 - 04:25 AM EDT
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"Working to create a citizens' medium for the open expression of perception and truth."

That's the mission statement for the Hat City Free Press, a publication of the Mad Hatters Independent Media Center that is already in distribution in the region. The paper is celebrating three years in print. We felt the area needed to hear the real voice of its citizens as well as providing stories that fell in the cracks the corporate media left behind. We cull stories from other sources from around the world that most people don't get a chance to know about as well as original stories. We try and take issues from a global perspective and focus on delivering them to the public on a local level of understanding.

This issue covers Rowland's resignation as Governor, the DNC2RNC march from the DNC to the RNC this and next month, the dangers of soy, the equality struggle of marriage in Connecticut, the Voluntown Peace Trust, as well as diverse criticism of former President Reagan.

Download the issue

Read more...

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Local Events: Ralph Nader in New Haven Saturday
Posted by : shoes on Thursday, July 22, 2004 - 03:25 AM EDT
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This Saturday, July 24, consumer advocate and Independent Presidential Candidate, Ralph Nader will be speaking at BAR's bru room at 254 Crown Street in New Haven at 5pm. Nader founded the modern consumer activist movement in the sixties and as a self-described "public citizen" has been at the forefront of scores of progressive campaigns over the past thirty years. If you would like to volunteer for his campaign in the state or for local candidates, call his CT campaign coordinator, Ralph Ferrucci at 860-268-2772.

Read more...

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Local News: Breaking News: Kimberly Clark Lays off 300 Workers in New Milford Plant
Posted by : shoes on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 06:32 PM EDT
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from a post on the Housatonic Railroad Listserve...
(Kimberly-Clark utilizes the Railroad)

Heard that Kimberly-Clark in New Milford, CT laid off 300+ workers this morning, supposedly in their Diaper Division. A lady on a local radio station near me called in and said "KC in New Milford has closed up. Her husband showed up for work, but could not enter due to locked gates." He was told he was laid-off and to go home after 25 years of employment.

Not sure on the HRRC's outcome of this, but their biggest customer!!!

A quick check of the local newspaper and Associated Press websites shows no information, so this is breaking news! Update! Within 5 minutes of posting this, the CT Associated Press just posted the article...

Read the July 22 News-Times article.

Read the July 23 article

Read more for phone numbers to contact Kimberly-Clark officials...

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Local News: Court Ruling Halts Restrictive NYPD Practices in Anticipation of RNC
Posted by : shoes on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 - 02:07 AM EDT
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from nyc.indymedia.org

In a case brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union, a Manhattan Federal Court today (07.19.04) released an order blocking the NYPD from using certain tactics at large demonstrations expected to take place at the Republican National Convention.

In a 78-page decision, District Court Judge Robert Sweet ruled that the NYPD cannot close streets and sidewalks leading to demonstration sites without informing the public about alternate ways to get to the demonstrations. Judge Sweet also ruled the NYPD cannot use “pens” made of interlocking metal barricades at demonstrations without assuring that demonstrators can reasonably get in and out of them. And the judge’s decision said the NYPD cannot conduct generalized searches of the bags of people seeking to enter demonstration sites.

Read the rest of the article...

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Local Events: Governor Jodi Rell in Danbury on Wednesday
Posted by : shoes on Monday, July 19, 2004 - 03:37 PM EDT
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One thousand Connecticut citizens gathered to meet the new Governor, Jodi Rell, on July 15 at the Capitol in Hartford. On Tuesday, July 20, she will meet the public at 12pm at New London City Hall. On Wednesday, July 21 she will visit the UConn Campus in Stamford at 12pm and at Danbury City Hall at 2:30pm. Danbury City Hall is located at 155 Deer Hill Avenue, on the corner of Deer Hill Avenue and West Street.

Rell was sworn in as the 87th governor on July 1. She took over the state's top job from former Governor John Rowland, who resigned amid legislative and federal corruption investigations, alleged bid-rigging of state contracts and accepting lavish gifts from employees and state contractors.

Rell did receive gifts in the past.
Read more...

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Local Events: Eyes Wide Open Exhibit Comes Through Connecticut
Posted by : shoes on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 03:32 PM EDT
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The nationally touring exhibit from the American Friends Service Committee entitled "Eyes Wide Open" is coming to Connecticut. Consisting of 870+ pairs of combat boots bearing the names of fallen US Soldiers and a 24 foot wall containing the names of the Iraqi civilians also killed in the Iraq invasion and occupation.

'This exhibit challenges the validity of the Iraq War. It makes us, the viewers, look at the loss of lives and the cost in the most human terms." As it has traveled across the country in the last 6 months it has drawn crowds including returning GI's who look for their names of their fallen comrades. The exhibit is a multimedia, multi sensory journey though the words, images and sounds of the Iraq War. Visitors will move though a vivid memorial to all the victims of this war.

The tour will start in West Hartford on Sat., July 17 and end in New Haven on Tues., July 20, although it is tentatively scheduled in CT until June 22.

Read more to find out the schedule and locations...

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Media: Community Media Outlet Wins Federal Court Case Against the FCC
Posted by : shoes on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 04:45 PM EDT
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In late June, a victory for the public, and especially for community media, was handed down by a U.S. District Court when it ruled the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had to come up with a new set of rules governing access to the public airwaves. At the forefront of this struggle was the Prometheus Radio Project, a Philadelphia-based group that supports low-power FM broadcasting and media democracy.

In June 2003, the FCC ignored 3 million comments sent in by people opposed to the commission's proposal to deregulate big media corporations that would have permitted unprecedented industry consolidation. The public's response to the FCC measure was by far the largest-ever on proposed rule changes by any governmental body. Prometheus was the lead plaintiff, joined by other groups, in a lawsuit against the FCC that was filed a year ago.

Read more about this in an interview by Between The Lines Radio Newsmagazine's Melinda Tuhus with Prometheus' Director, Hannah Sassman...

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Local News: New Haven Citizens Win Replacement of 9 Bus Stops
Posted by : shoes on Monday, July 05, 2004 - 11:17 PM EDT
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Bus Stop Victory!
By Allan Brison

After 9 years of struggle, the Coalition For People appears to have won! In the effort to restore the bus stops to their original positions along the New Haven Green.

The bus stops were moved to inconvenient locations as part of a secret deal between the DeStefano administration and the developer of the Omni Hotel. Apparently the Omni didn't want so many minorities, elderly, and disabled New Haven resident bus patrons waiting for busses in sight of their upscale clients.

For many of the bus patrons, having to walk a few extra blocks to get to the relocated stops has been a major problem. Green Party alder John Halle called this a clear Civil Right's issue.

The Mayor tapped some of his lead lieutenants, Ed Mattison, Phil Voight, Paul Wessel, and Henry Fernandez, to address the Bus Coalition rally yesterday and to deliver the news that the developer had dropped his opposition to restoring the Bus Stops to their original locations.

However, until it actually happens, we must keep their feet to the fire. Please, everyone, read this flyer put out by the Coalition for People and make the 3 calls at the end.

For more information, please call the Coalition for People at 203-387-7858

Read more about the history of this issue...

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Local News: Hat City Free Press Celebrates 3 Years Today
Posted by : shoes on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 10:33 PM EDT
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"Working to create a citizen's medium for the open expression of perception and truth". That is the mission statement of the Hat City Free Press, a publication of the Mad Hatters Independent Media Center and Infoshop who just celebrated their 3-year anniversary today on July 4, 2004. We were the state's only cooperatively-run, independent newspaper which eventually spawned our friends in Hartford to produce the Hartford Undercurrent (a title critiquing the Hartford Courant) in the Fall of 2002, on a monthly basis. The HCFP has been covered in the mainstream and independent media since we started - The Danbury News-Times, The Fairfield County Weekly and the Associated Press as well as on local, progressive radio, 89.5 WPKN.

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Today's big story
Today's most read story is:

Update on Hartford Free Speech Ordinance

Events Calendar
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Today's Events
 A Week of Boycott Holiday Shopping
 An Evening with The Rosie Fund
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MadHatters Newswire
Update on Hartford Free Speech Ordinance

Programmer Built Vote Rigging Prototype at Republican's Request

The 'American Dream' Is Not Dead

Legislators may review execution

Quo Vadis: Playing For Keeps

Amnesty Int. condemns torture in Spain

25 Percent of American Population Decimated by Cancer

ERR Communique from the Cultural Front

Pot and Principles, Medical Marijuana: A State Choice

Security officials to spy on chat rooms

Media Diversity?

Resources:
CDD Media Ownership page
FCC Media Ownership proceeding (PDF)
FCC Media Ownership studies

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