Category Archives: Latin America and The Caribbean

Immigration Nation? Raids, Detentions and Deportations in Post-9/11 America | Tanya Golash-Boza

Lecture and Book Signing ~ Wednesday, March 14— USC Moore School of Business | BA 002, 6:00pm

Tanya Golash-Boza

Dr. Tanya Golash-Boza has a joint appointment in Sociology and American Studies at the University of Kansas.  She is the author of three books as well as dozens of peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and essays in online and print magazines addressing issues blackness in Peru, Latino/a identity in the U.S., and the human rights impact of U.S. immigration policies.  Her scholarship recently earned the Distinguished Early Career Award of the Racial and Ethnic Minorities Studies Section of the American Sociological Association.  Her books will be available for purchase at the University Bookstore at the Russell House and a book signing and reception will be held after the lecture.  This event is free and open to the public and is co-sponsored with the Latin American Studies Program, the Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies, the Department of Sociology and the Hispanic Literatures and Cultures Lecture Series.

1 Comment

Filed under American Culture, American History, Friends & Comrades, Human Rights, Immigrant Rights, Latin America and The Caribbean, Pan Africanism | Afrocentrism | Africana Studies, racism, white supremacy

F.B.I. Searches Antiwar Activists’ Homes | Walter Lippmann

 
[CubaNews] October 05, 2010

Dear Friends –
 
Please read this note carefully, and, if you agree with the thrust of what it’s saying, copy and post it to any other lists where you can.
 
Thanks in advance.
 
The Grand Jury is being convened in Chicago tomorrow. All the help we can generate to protest this can only be helpful.
 
Last week, activists in many US cities joined in public protests against FBI raids targetting anti-war activists in several mid-western cities. I joined something like 100 people here at the Federal Building in downtown L.A. on Tuesday evening, along with a broad representation of left activists. Here’s a report from that demonstration:
 
http://www.walterlippmann.com/docs3105.html  This extremely important story has been largely, but not entirely blanked out of the national media. Amy Goodman covered it in an extensive way on DEMOCRACY NOW, and the left and alternative press has given good coverage, but the dominant corporate media has given it minimal play.
 
Though people who are active specifically around Cuba weren’t targeted THIS time, we must always keep in mind that Washington, which has sponsored or turned a blind eye to terrorist attacks against Cuba, has characterized Cuba as a “state sponsor of terrorism”. This has a wide array of consequences, not least of which is that anyone who wishes to bring about normalization of US relations with Cuba, and end to the US blockade, or takes a stand politically in favor of the Cuban Revolution could be targeted just as were the folks in the Mid-West. They have had their homes invaded, their property seized, and been called before the grand jury tomorrow in Chicago.
 
Fidel Castro has been writing about Colombia and about the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in recent years, and most recently just a few days ago.
 
Recall the recent Colombian government attack on a key FARC base, which resulted in the death of its military commander. President Obama publicly congratulated the Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, for a job well done.
Thus the timing of these raids, at a time when protest against US foreign policy is urgently needed, underscores the importance of the right to protest here in the United States. Similarly, the removal of Piedad Cordoba from her Colombian Senate seat, BANNED FROM OFFICE FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS, though no criminal charges have been filed against her, should help everyone to understand the importance of democratic rights broadly. Her constituents have thus been denied political representation, just by decision of some official of the Colombian government.
 
 Fidel Castro: Piedad Cordoba and Her Fight for Peace
http://www.cuba.cu/gobierno/reflexiones/2010/ing/c300910i.html
 
 
PRI’S “THE WORLD: Colombian senator “collaborated” with FARC
By The World ⋅ October 4, 2010

http://www.theworld.org/2010/10/04/colombian-senator-collaborated-with-farc/
 
The Committee to Stop FBI Repression, uniting diverse voices opposed to the raids and the threats to the civil liberties of all, has been formed and has called a range of actions demanding and end to the attacks. Several items will follow this one. All make essentially the same point: An injury to one is an injury to all. Stop the raids, end the repression, and file no charges. It’s not illegal to protests US foreign policy.  While the US government says it’s trying to bring democracy to the world, it’s actively working to thwart the expression of democratic rights here
in these United States of America.
 
When I called the White House, I spoke, after a very short wait, with a volunteer who said she would take my comment, but not my name, and see to it that the President receives notice of the expression of opinion. Let’s hope many call.
 
The Grand Jury convenes in Chicago tomorrow, so the more who call, the more can public opposition be made manifest. This could help press the government to draw back.

WALTER LIPPMANN
    Los Angeles, California
    Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/

    “Cuba – Un Paraíso bajo el bloqueo”

Leave a comment

Filed under American Progressive Politics, anti-war, Civil Liberties, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Human Rights, Latin America and The Caribbean, Middle East, Obama Administration, Palestine | Israel, Peace, Protest, The Obama Administration, Work of Comrades

Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr. | Aug 3, 1930 – Sept 7, 2010

IFCO / Pastors for Peace

Dear Friends,

Thank you for all of the expressions of love and solidarity.

Funeral services for Rev. Lucius Walker Jr. will be held at 10:00 am on Friday, September 17, 2010 at Convent Avenue Baptist Church in New York City. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to IFCO or Salvation Baptist Church and sent to IFCO, 418 W. 145th St. New York, NY 10031 or via the IFCO website.

Convent Avenue Baptist Church is located at 420 W 145th Street | New York, N.Y. 10031     http://www.conventchurch.org/directions.php Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under American Progressive Politics, Black Politics, Cuba, Friends & Comrades, Historic Black Politics & Figures, Human Rights, Latin America and The Caribbean, PASSINGS | HOME-GOING, The Latin Connection, Work of Comrades

Pastors for Peace Caravan to visit Columbia, SC

Pastors for Peace will visit Columbia on July 13th, 2010, 5:00 pm at Benedict College’s Office of International Programs
2318 Haskell Avenue

Pastors for Peace will visit Columbia on their way to Cuba to deliver medical and other material aid. Pastors for Peace is a project of the award -winning Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO).

The primary speaker will be Rev. Luis Barrios,Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology and ethnic studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice-City University of New York. Since 1988, Dr. Barrios is a weekly columnist of El Diario La Prensa in New York City, one of the oldest Spanish newspapers in the United States.  Rev. Barrios is the associate priest at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in West Harlem and the spiritual advisor for the Iglesia San Romero de Las Americas-UCC in the Washington Heights community. He is an active member of the IFCO-Pastor for Peace Board of Directors and was heavily involved in the 2005 campaign to free the computers seized at the border. He has since participated as a speaker in several caravans to Cuba.

He is a passionate exponent of the use of non-violent civil disobedience to challenge unjust laws and policies. In 2009 he spent several months in jail for his participation in a protest about training in torture methods at the US military’s “School of the Americas” in Fort Benning, Georgia

 

A Very Brief History

In 1988, a regularly scheduled passenger ferryboat in Nicaragua was brutally attacked by contra forces recruited and armed by the US government. An IFCO study delegation was on that ferry, along with 200 Nicaraguan civilians. Two were killed and 29 were wounded in the attack – including IFCO Executive Director Rev. Lucius Walker. In response to that brutal act of terrorism, IFCO formed a new project – Pastors for Peace. The aims of the project are twofold: to deliver material aid to support the victims of so-called “low intensity” war in Latin America and to initiate education and advocacy projects to campaign for a more just and moral US foreign policy in our hemisphere.

An Overview 

Pastors for Peace offers concerned US citizens an opportunity to demonstrate and enact an alternative foreign policy based in justice and mutual respect. More than 50 Pastors for Peace Caravans have traveled to Mexico, Central America and Cuba – delivering life-giving aid, and organizing at home for a more just policy toward our neighbors in the hemisphere.

Each caravan is an endeavor of love rooted in social justice. It’s a huge project linking people, vehicles and humanitarian aid. Caravans travel on different routes throughout the US and Canada from north to south, ending up together at the Texas border with Mexico, and then moving ahead to their destination country.

Our largest caravan – to Cuba – has 14 separate routes. Often our vehicles are brightly painted school buses, but we also donate trucks, ambulances, mobile libraries, and cars.

As we travel through the US and Canada over a 1-2 week period, we make many pre-arranged stops in cities and communities. There, we talk in public outreach events about what is happening in the country we are going to and the purpose of our trip.

We also participate in press conferences and media interviews. We usually stay in the homes of local volunteers from organizations that arranged the public event – usually churches, solidarity committees or peace and justice centers. At many stops we pick up new caravanistas or aid that has already been collected and packed by the host organization.

The humanitarian aid we take is principally medical and educational supplies and equipment, but also computers, bicycles, tools, and sports and cultural equipment. Some of the vehicles we use to transport the aid are themselves donated in the destination country.

When we reach the US border we are joined by more caravanistas and we spend three days at Orientation. This is a time for packing and manifesting the aid, some preparatory learning about the country we are going to, and discussion about how to handle any obstacles that US or Mexican Customs may put in our way.

Once we successfully cross the border, we travel on to our destination country where we spend an intense 8-10 days. We visit social and community projects and meet with the local people, learning about their lives, struggles and achievements, and also about the impact of US government policy on their lives. The aid is distributed by our local religious and community partners according to their judgment of need.

We then return together to Texas. From there caravanistas make their different ways home – inspired to report back to their friends, colleagues, congregations and communities about what they have witnessed – and inspired to continue to work in solidarity with the peoples of that country.

www.carolinapeace.org *  (803) 875-0392  (803) 875-0392 * info@carolinapeace.org
PO Box 7933
Columbia, SC 29202
United States

Leave a comment

Filed under Actions, Actions | Events, American Progressive Politics, Central and South America, Cuba, Human Rights, Latin America and The Caribbean, Obama Administration, Protest, Special Events, The Latin Connection, white supremacy, Work of Comrades

“SMELLS LIKE SULFUR HERE” | Edited & arranged by John Sinclair

In September 2006,

the President of Venezuela ,

Hugo Chavez,

addressed the United Nations

with a speech titled Rise Up Against the Empire:

“The hegemonic pretensions

of the American empire,” he said,

“are placing at risk

the very survival

of the human species. T he devil

is right at home. T he devil,

the devil himself,

is right in the house. And the devil

came here yesterday. Yesterday

the devil came here.

Right here. [crosses himself]

And it smells

of sulfur

still today. Yesterday,

ladies & gentlemen,

from this rostrum,

the president of the United States ,

the gentleman

to whom I refer

as the devil,

came here,

talking as if he owned the world.

Truly. As the owner

of the world. Full

of this imperial hypocrisy

from the need they have

to control everything.

What type of democracy

do you impose

with marines & bombs? T he imperialists

see extremists everywhere. It’s not

that we are extremists. It’s that the world

is waking up. It’s waking

up all over. And people

are standing up.

You can call us extremists,

but we are rising up

against the empire, against the model

of domination. T hey kidnapped me

& they were going to kill me,

but I think God reached down

& our people came out

into the streets

& the army was too,

& so I’m here today.

Over & above all of this,

I think there are reasons

to be optimistic, because

over & above the wars

& the bombs

& the aggression

& the “preventive war”

& the destruction

of entire peoples, one can see

that a new era

is dawning.

As Silvio Rodriguez says,

the era

is giving birth

to a heart.

There are alternative ways of thinking.

There are young people

who think differently. It was shown

that the end of history

was a totally false assumption.

What we now have to do

is define the future

of the world. Dawn

is breaking out all over. You can see it

in Africa

& Europe

& Latin America

& Oceana. I want

to emphasize

that optimistic vision.

We have to strengthen ourselves,

our will

to do battle,

our awareness. We have to build

a new & better world.

We want ideas

to save our planet,

to save the planet

from the imperialist threat. And hopefully

in this very century,

in not too long a time,

we will see this,

we will see this new era,

& for our children

& our grandchildren

a world of peace. It smells

of sulfur here,

but God is with us

& I embrace you all. May God

bless us all. Good day to you.”

 

Edited & arranged by John Sinclair

Leave a comment

Filed under Latin America and The Caribbean, The Bush Administration, white supremacy