By Texas Death Row Prisoners to the open publishing newswire: Texas Death Row inmates are banning together and protesting in various ways as never before. This is because of new pseudo policies, which, as should be noted, the vast majority of staff members disagrees with and see as pointless and counterproductive. In fact, it seems that the only two people pushing this heightened level of oppression are major Smith and Assistant Warden Lester. In the history of Texas Death Row there has never been so very many Use of Force and staff assaults, in such a very short period of time. This is the result of one thing and one thing only: the sudden dramatic rise in extreme psychological and physical violence that is being forced upon us. We just wished to be left alone and allowed to peacefully exist without beings viciously attacked as the TX Death Row inmate population has been lately.
In accordance with TDCJ-CID policy, ACA standards, state & federal law the Texas Death Row inmate population would like to bring the following issues to the attention of the ranking staff members in change of the security operations of Death Row. The following list of problems can easily be resolved by on-site ranking staff members and we respectfully request that they do indeed be resolved in an expedient manner. The issues of relevance are as follows: [Read Full Article]
Related: May 18 Greenwatch TV presents: Torture on Death Row in Texas
On June 8th, supporters of the KPFT BDS resolution (as well as opponents) spoke at the Local Station Board meeting urging them to pass the resolution. Listen up to a recording of the public comments, courtesy of kpft.org: Part 1 | Part 2
from the open publishing newswire: The KPFT BDS Campaign has launched an online petition for BDS at KPFT, the Pacifica Radio outlet in Houston, TX. The KPFT BDS campaign began when the local Israeli consulate was given a show on the station, a station previously rooted in a progressive, public-oriented, pro-peace perspective. Sign the KPFT online petition HERE.
KPFT LSB members,
We ask that you pass this proposal locally and instruct our representatives on the National Board to pass this resolution for the Pacifica Network:[Read Full Proposal]
The proposal has the support of former General Manager, and Prison Show host Ray Hill, Peace News Editor and Inceptive KPFT Member Lee Loe, Former KPFT News Director Jackson Allers, former National and Local Board member Wendy Schroell, Houston Palestine Film Festival Founder Hadeel Assali, and dozens of other members of the KPFT and Houston community. Nationally, the campaign has recently won the endorsement of the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. You can sign here
Previous Coverage on Houston IMC: KPFT "Retools" of Voice of Peace - BDS Proposal emerges | The Debate Heats Up Around the Israeli Consulate Open Journal On KPFT | KPFT show "Voice of Peace" gives voice to Israeli Government
Update 5/20: Earlier this week, Arizona copycat HB12 was derailed in the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee, but after a trick move by Senator Williams, the bill has been voted out of Committee and put back on the fast track.
By Houston United to the open publishing newswire: This same week as we celebrate those most dear to us on Mother´s Day, the Texas legislature has brought shame on our state by voting to approve a bill based upon lies, fear and prejudice. If Texas House Bill 12 passes through the Senate, it will create not only an unfunded mandate that goes again fiscal discipline and reason in these times of budget crises, it will also an act of incredible political opportunism, pushing forward a public policy that is bad for Texas, and bad for Texans; encouraging racial profiling, separating families, and eroding our democratic institutions. [Read Full Article]
Senate bill 9 passed the Texas Senate on April 28th. SB 9 is an omnibus bill that puts the Texas Department of Public Safety and local jailers in the business of federal immigration screening and wastes taxpayer dollars. [Read Full Article]
Related: by Rachel Clarke/ Angela Sanchez May Day 2011 Coverage for Houston IMC Radio. Past HIMC Features: January: No Arizona hate in Texas: Houston mobilizes against anti-immigrant laws | February: Immigrant Rights Movement Mobilizes - Texas Legislature Prepares Anti-Immigrant Bills
An estimated 500 people converged on the Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA) Community Center in Houston through the weekend of April 22 for the first Houston Anarchist Book Fair and Film Festival. The fair was open to all participants and free of charge, including the three free meals a day offered to everyone in attendance.
In addition to book vendors and film screenings, the fair also included a variety of lectures, workshops, and radical artwork with the intention of cultivating what the book fair’s website describes as “an explicitly anarchist vision of community and resistance.”
The fair was sponsored by a number of organizations including Houston-based Sedition Books, Houston Anarchist Black Cross, California-based AK Press, Austin-based Monkey Wrench Books and Louisiana-based Iron Rail Infoshop, among many others. [Full Article with Photos]
Houston Anarchist Bookfair | Did you go? Give Feedback!
Timothy O’Brien, a father, husband, son, brother, and comrade / friend of so many died at home Tuesday morning with his family present. Tim was an activist, scholar, and fighter for all workers and oppressed. As much as he loved his family and friends, he hated war, racism, exploitation and executions. Tim had cancer, the same thing that killed his father exactly two years ago, in April of 2009. It had spread–to his brain and more–and he lost this battle.
The Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement is forever indebted to Tim for so much energy, for setting our web page, and for energizing our movement. Tim attended a demonstration for Todd Willingham last winter before the Court of Inquiry that Judge Charlie Baird held that proved Todd was an innocent man executed by Gov. Rick Perry. [Read Full Article]
Earlier this week, the Houston activist community learned of the loss of Tim O'Brien. Tim was a longtime scholar, human rights and community activist with a passion and intensity that left an impression on everyone. HIMC remembers Tim O'Brien. [Listen]
Tim was a frequent contributor to Houston Indymedia. Some of his stories are here: Organizing Lessons from Allen Parkway Village | Anti-Sweatshop Rally at UH | Memorial service for Carl Hampton | UH Students for Fair Trade stop University President's speech
April Fools Day means pranks and foolishness. Here in Houston many rose to the call issued by the April First Coalition to Get off your rear end and join us on a Fool’s errand! Many a prank was published to the Houston Indymedia newswire:
Scientolo-tivity? The best pranks involve a little inspiration, a little irreverence, and a healthy portion of disregard for authority and personal safety. This trick took several layers. First one had to find a place to buy a nativity set at a time when that one is more likely to be dyeing eggs. Next, the artistic portion where said giver must pour his or her soul into making this the ultimate Scientologist Nativity scene. Scientology Nativity? Scientivity? [Full story and Photos]
Happy April Fool's day to Bush, Baker, Columbus, Gandhi and YOU! [Photos] with a tip of the hat to the simpsons.
The Tee Hee Hee Party & Abraham Lincoln, wish you a Happy April Fools Day! [Photos: 1 | 2 | 3]
Did you pull or witness a prank? Publish a report anonymously to the Houston Indymedia Newswire.
Mario Perez is a 22-year-old college student at Stephen F. Austin State University facing deportation from the U.S which has been his home since he was a small child. "Like so many others, I came to this country when I was very young, barely five years old. America is all I’ve ever known. Four years ago I learned of my illegal status. It’s been a hard reality because I consider myself as American as a Ford Mustang. In only a matter of weeks I might be deported to Mexico, a country of which I have no recollection. I fear for my safety, I fear for my life. My future rests in the hands of ICE Houston Field Office Director Kenneth Landgrebe, who has the power to grant a Deferred Action to stop my deportation. My voice alone can’t motivate that decision. Only the multitude of voices of friends, family, neighbors and the larger community can guide ICE to make the right decision." [Full article]
SFA Frat Fights Deportation of Undocumented Brother Mario Perez - Stories like Mario's keep happening every day, ruining the lives of students who through no fault of their own find themselves being deported to countries they don't know or remember. However, this time ICE pulled an undocumented student from a bee's nest, as Mario is a brother at of Alpha Phi Alpha, the nation's oldest black Greek-letter fraternity with over 185,000 members and 680 active chapters worldwide. His local chapter already knew about Mario's unfortunate immigration situation and did not think twice in helping their brother Mario when he sent them a text. [Read full article]
More info: Change.org petition for Mario | Video about Mario's case
from the open publishing newswire: On March 12th, I joined more than 10,000 people from across Texas in Austin to protest the looming budget cuts to to K-12 and higher education. I joined family members, many of whom work for schools and rode a bus from north of the university towards the capitol. As we got close the the street ahead of us was full of marchers. About half of the people on the bus got off and joined the march, which lead into the capitol building.
It was the largest demonstration I have seen at the capitol in more than half a dozen years. There was a rally with speakers on the steps of the building that was hard to hear from the back of the crowd. I saw folks from all corners of the state, and hope this demonstration may have an impact in stopping the cuts to education that Perry and the republican legislature seems bent on enacting. [View Photos]
Related from the newswire: Saturday's Austin Rally Audio | Texans Day of Outrage | Protest Blasts Texas GOP Legislature
From AUstin Indymedia: Rally to Save Texas Schools 3/12/11
from the open publishing newswire: On February 26th, Scores of Houstonians marched from Cherryhurst Park to Menil Park in Montrose as part of the (inter)national day of action Walk for Choice. Here are some totally sweet photos from MelEP.
Peaceful protests are planned for cities around the world in response to Congressional bill H.R. 3. The bill, called the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” was introduced by Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ). Walk for Choice 2011 rallies took place in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, Alaska, the United Kingdom, and even Pakistan.
ABOUT WALK FOR CHOICE Walk for Choice 2011 was created directly in response to the events in Congress surrounding H.R. 3. Women and allies around the world will peacefully protest against limiting a woman’s right to choose and the right to have a safe, legal abortion. Abortion is a legal procedure that saves the lives of 70,000 women each year. Walk for Choice will take place in multiple cities on February 26th, 2011. The official Walk for Choice website is http://walkforchoice.tumblr.com. [Read full article with photos]
From the open publishing newswire: Texas schools are in financial crisis due to a projected $27 billion hole in the state budget. In short, the state simply does not have enough money to continue funding public education at current levels without increasing taxes, which many elected officials have sworn they will not do. Why is the state budget shortfall so big? A key factor is an ongoing structural problem created in 2005 when the Texas Legislature reduced property taxes by one-third. State legislators increased the business tax and cigarette tax at the same time, but these changes did not produce enough money to offset funds lost due to property tax cuts. [Full article and info on March 12th Rally & March to Save Texas Schools]
The proposed budget cuts threated many social programs that are very important to communities here in Houston, and many are mobilizing to defend these programs and fight the cuts:
More From The Newswire and Calendar: EMERGENCY Town Hall Meeting on Texas HIV Medication Program: The Texas Department of State Health Services is considering shutting down the Texas HIV Medication Program (ADAP). This would be extremly detrimental to the HIV/AIDS community. This meeting will focus on an update from Austin and what our community can do to stop this.
Rally against Republicans A Rally against Republicans will be held on Saturday, March 5, beginning at 1 pm, on the sidewalks in front of the Harris County Republican Party headquarters, 3311 Richmond, in Houston. We'll be protesting against the Texas GOP Legislature's assault on workers, women, immigrants, education, health care, and social services.
Texans Day of Outrage March 15th: STOP Rick Perry and the Texas GOP Legislature from devastating our State, Working Families, & Less Fortunate! Every segment of our society is threatened, as BILLIONS of dollars will be eliminated from:Public Education,Health Care, Social Services, Environmental & Protection Agencies, State Parks & Historical Monuments!!
From Twin Cities Indymedia: Capitol Closure Conflict Looms in Wisconsin; Solidarity Rallies in 50 States Held Saturday
By John H. to the open publishing newswire: Several thousand people from all parts of Texas converged on the state capitol to demand the state legislature not enact Arizona type immigration legislation. Tuesday's activities started with a march from a local downtown park, to the state capitol, for a rally. Followed by some legislative visits. 32 buses from around the state arrived through the morning, bringing people from all parts of the state, including 3 from El Paso. There were also contingents from the Rio Grande Valley, Dallas, Corpus, San Antonio, and Houston. By the time the march left for the capitol, there were about 4,000 people. [ Full Article With Photos | More Photos]
On March 2nd there will be a public hearing in Austin which will address some of the anti-immigrant legislation that has been proposed in Texas. Including HB 12. This bill in a backwards way would push local law enforcement to enforce the federal immigration law. It forbids any local agency from preventing its employees from enforcing immigration law (via transmitting information to ICE). So it would eliminate any local policy restricting local law enforcement involvement in immigration enforcement. To use the anti-immigration side’s language, it forbids “sanctuary policies.” It is important to fight this one. [More info from Houston Unido]
Coverage from Austin Indymedia: Day of Action For Immigration: Texas Can Do Better
by James M. Branum to the Open Publishing Newswire: Several months after returning from a combat tour in Iraq, Fort Hood soldier SPC Kyle Wesolowski submitted an application for a conscientious objector discharge based on his Buddhist faith. Since that time, SPC Wesolowski has completed a rigorous examination of his beliefs by military authorities, including required interviews by a psychiatrist, a chaplain and an independent investigating officer. All of these officials recommended that SPC Wesolowski be discharged based on the sincerity of his beliefs.
Today, we are pleased to announce that SPC Wesolowski’s Conscientious Objector claim was approved by the U.S. Army. Wesolowski’s discharge will likely occur in early March, 2011. Kyle has received a great deal of encouragement from the community who helped to support him through this arduous process.
"Kyle's decision to follow his conscience has required great patience and perseverance. I admire his command and the Army administration for recognizing his sincerity, and choosing to honor him with a conscientious objector discharge." - Fran Clark, Board Member, Under the Hood Cafe and Outreach Center. [Read Full Article]
Previous Coverage: Aug '09 Afghanistan War Resister Travis Bishop Sentenced and Jailed | Courage to Resist - support the troops who refuse to fight
Houston Indymedia has changed the wording of our Mission Statement, which sits on the about page and serves along with the Action Guidelines as the document new participants sign. The wording of the new statement is:
"The Houston Independent Media Center is an all volunteer collective committed to using media production and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic justice. We seek to provide alternatives to for-profit media not only in our coverage, but also within our collective by implementing consensus based non-hierarchical work-group models of decision making. While focusing on local social movements, we will explore connections to global systems. We believe that by reporting on dissent, by critiquing corporate, government and military domination, and by promoting art, culture and critical thinking through participatory events, we can contribute to the development of an equitable and sustainable society."
Some of the significant changes since the previous Mission Statement from early 2001 includes that we are all volunteers, that we are focusing on social movements, that we reporting on dissent, and that our events are intended to be participatory.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with us at Houston Indymedia, please send an email to: houston at indymedia dot org
Last updated: Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800imc-houston
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Texas Death Row prisoners say "¡Ya Basta!" to Inhuman Prison Conditions
5/30 KPFT Campaign calls for BDS at Pacifica station: Sign Petition
5/11 Texas Legislature passes Anti-Immigrant Bills
5/5 Houston Has It's First Anarchist Book Fair
4/28 Tim O'Brien Presente!
4/1 April Fools Brings Pranks
3/28 Stop the Deportation of Mario Perez
3/13 March to Save Texas Schools brings thousands to Austin
3/3 March in Montrose defends abortion rights
2/28 Movements to fight the budget cuts organize across Texas
2/27 Immigrant Rights Movement Mobilizes - Texas Legislature Prepares Anti-Immigrant Bills
2/18 Fort Hood soldier will be discharged as a conscientious objector
A round up of Houston Indymedia features from 2009
Houston Indymedia Has a New Mission Statement
