Don't Let Texas Kill Another Innocent Man!!!!
STOP THE EXECUTION OF SHAKA SHANKOFA!
2 Demonstrations to Stop the Execution.
1. Monday 19th June @ 5:00pmShaka Sankofa (Gary Graham), an innocent African-American man on death row in Texas, is scheduled to be executed on June 22, 2000. He is wrongly convicted of the murder of a white man, Bobby Lambert, a known drug dealer who was carrying $6,000. Even Lambert's widow, Loretta Lambert, publicly appealed to then Governor Richards to spare Shaka's life, declaring her belief in his innocence. Like so many poor people in prison, Shaka was doomed from the first day of his trial: he had no proper counsel or funds to adequately defend himself. Twelve years later, new lawyers took his case. Four witnesses passed polygraph tests testifying that Shaka was with them on the night of the murder. But this and other evidence have never seen a day in court. He was denied the right to appeal because of the infamous "30-Day Rule" in Texas, which gives a prisoner only 30 days to file an appeal with new evidence. The death penalty is disproportionately handed down to Black and Latino prisoners, and all death-row inmates are poor. Texas is infamous for its killing spree:: under Gov. George W. Bush alone, 127 have been executed, with 20 more scheduled for the next few months.
Crowne Plaza Cabana
4290 El Camino Real
(between Dinah's Ct and Monroe Dr.)
(nearest large cross street W. Charleston Rd.)
Palo Alto, CA
Protest @ George W. Bush's $1,000 per person Silicon Valley Fundraiser
2. Tuesday 20th June @ 5:00pm
Powell & Market Streets (Powell Street BART station)
San Francisco, CA
WE MUST STOP THE TEXAS KILLING MACHINE!!
DON'T STAND ON THE SIDELINES: HELP SAVE THE LIFE OF AN INNOCENT MAN!!
Sponsored by International Action Center
415-821-6545
2489 Mission St. #24, San Francisco, CA 94110
Endorsed by: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, Death Penalty Focus, Families with a Future, California Prison Focus, Prisoners Rights Union, National Lawyers Guild, Socialist Action, Prison Activist Resource Center, Workers World Party, Campaign to End the Death Penalty, California Coalition of Women Prisoners, Center for Juvenile & Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice Consortium.
6.11 p.m. ET (2222 GMT) June 6, 2000
- Subject: Nuclear officials, activists clash over depleted uranium in Vieques
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 00:33:04 EDT
By Chris Hawley, Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Environmental activists clashed with a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission official Tuesday over cleanup plans that could leave buried some of the radioactive depleted uranium rounds mistakenly fired on the Navy's Vieques bombing range.
For the rest of the article, click on: Vieques Saga Continues....
U.S. Landmines Action Alert!!!
The Pentagon wants to spend $150 million on a new mine system that is illegal under the Mine Ban Treaty and that would have to be destroyed after 2006 under existing U.S. policy.
Make your voice heard! Contact the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Members and urge them to stop funding for RADAM:
Senate Chair:
Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK)
522 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Senator_stevens@stevens.senate.gov
202-224-3004
Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
722 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
senator@inouye.senate.gov
202-224-3004
House Chair
Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
2112 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-225-5861
House Ranking Democrat
Representative John Murtha (D-PA)
2433 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-225-2065
murtha@mail.house.gov
The Pentagon is asking for $47.7 million this year for the development of a new landmine system, called RADAM, which will violate the Mine Ban Treaty despite the fact that the U.S. has said it will join in 2006. The Pentagon asked for a similar amount last year,but Congress cut it back to $8 million. This is the year RADAM must be stopped altogether, because a decision on whether to go forward with full production will occur between October and December 2000.
RADAM stands for Remote Area Denial Artillery Munition. It will combine existing ADAM antipersonnel mines with existing RAAM antitank into a single projectile, creating a new "mixed mine system."Plans call for spending a total of $150 million to develop and produce 337,000 RADAM. Because it will contain antipersonnel mines that are prohibited under the Mine Ban Treaty, the entire RADAM system will also be prohibited.
Undercurrent policy, U.S. forces will no longer be permitted to use ADAM after 2003. So the Pentagon's proposed "alternative" to using ADAM is to put them into a new mixed system, which under current policy can be used until 2006. But, the U.S. has said that it wants to ban all antipersonnel mines, including those in mixed systems, in 2006.
RADAM is a wasteful stopgap program. U.S. forces would not begin fielding RADAM until 2002, and then would have to stop using them in 2006, if the U.S. joins the Mine Ban Treaty by its target date. The U.S. would then have to spend additional funds to destroy the RADAM system to be compliant with the treaty.
RADAM will also have the undesired effect of taking away existing treaty-compliant antitank mines, the RAAM.
Pursuit of RADAM calls into question the sincerity of the U.S. effort to completely eliminate use of antipersonnel mines by 2006 -- which is already many years too late.
This action alert is sponsored by the US Campaign to Ban Landmines. For more information, contact banmines@phrusa.org.
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STEPS THE US CAN TAKE TO SIGN THE MINE BAN TREATY
The US Campaign to Ban Landmines, of which PHR is coordinator, sent President Clinton a letter last week marking the fourth anniversary of his pledge to join the mine ban treaty "as soon as possible" (May 16, 1996). The USCBL called on Clinton to:
* Set a date certain for the U.S. to join the treaty, and a date closer than 2006;
* Set a date certain for the Pentagon to obtain suitable alternatives, which include technologies, tactics, and operational concepts to achieve comparable military objectives, to antipersonnel mines, and accelerate Pentagon efforts to obtain treaty-compliant alternatives;
*Commit the United States immediately to a policy of no use of antipersonnel mines except in Korea;
*Commit the United States immediately to a policy of no use of antipersonnel mines in joint operations (NATO and otherwise) with nations that are a party to the Mine Ban Treaty;
*Announce a permanent ban, or at least a moratorium on production of antipersonnel landmines and their components;
* Make a decision not to produce the wasteful RADAM mixed mine system, which is not compliant with the ban treaty;*Halt the exploration of procurement of an alternative system to non-self-destructing AP mines that will not be compliant with the ban treaty (due to the battlefield override system or command-activated feature);
* Establish plan, procedures, and timetables for destruction of all antipersonnel mines, and begin placement in inactive status of ADAM and other mines immediately, with intent to destroy as soon as possible;
*Withdraw and destroy all antipersonnel mines stockpiled in countries that are party to the ban treaty; do not insist on transit rights through such countries;
*Ensure that revisions are well underway with respect to changes in war plans, doctrine, training, and manuals necessary for future combat without anti-personnel mines.
Full text of letter available at www.phrusa.org and www.banminesusa.org.
Item #1 needs your IMMEDIATE action. Check through the rest of the items as time allows.
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(1) CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ALERT for May 15-23 (Monday through following Tuesday)
(2) Detailed Critique of the Dept. of Defense Proposal
(3) Columbus (GA) News Article: An Overview of new Proposal Process
(4) Thursday, JUNE 1: Next SOAWW MEETING in SAN FRANCISCO
(5) Strategy Discussion from San Francisco Meeting of May 4
(6) SOA Protesters and Convicts
To read the full message, please click on: Urgent Action
PRESS RELEASE:
- Subject: PRESS RELEASE/ARTICLE: Rio Negro survivor adopted into U.S. family goes home
Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 17:37:43 -0700
From: Guatemala Partners/Rights Action
Dominga and Denese, and the story of the village of Rio Negro After 18 years, Denese Becker -- from Algona, Iowa -- is going home ... to Rio Negro, a small, isolated Mayan village in the department of Baja Verapaz, Guatemala.
To read the full Press Release and accompanying article, please click on: Denese is going home.
Kathy Kelly and Voices in the Wilderness have led many trips to Iraq, challenging the sanctions and enabling numerous concerned people to witness firsthand the suffering caused by the economic embargo.
Kathy will be speaking Friday and Saturday, May 5th & 6th in San Francisco, San Rafael, Pleasanton, and at Santa Clara University.
For details please click on: Kathy in Iraq
KOFI ANNAN, UN Secretary General, will be delivering the Commencement Address at Stanford University:
Sunday, June 11th, 2000 (Meet at 8:30 pm outside of stadium)
Your chance to tell KOFI ANNAN in person:
STOP SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ!!!
KOFI ANNAN, UN Secretary General, will be delivering the Commencement Address at Stanford University:
Sunday, June 11th, 2000
Join us to protest and vigil against the sanctions that have killed over a million Iraqi civilians. While it is clear that the deadly sanctions remain in place because of U.S. and British insistence, the policy is officially a United Nations policy. Kofi Annan should and can refuse to be a pawn in this illegal war. Lift the sanctions of mass destruction and end the Oil for No Food Program!
Meet at 8:30pm outside Gate 2, Stanford Stadium Foster Field, Galvez, Palo Alto. (Embarcadero becomes Galvez after the junction with El Camino Real)
Parking at Town & County mall (El Camino & Embarcadero, NE corner)
Entry to the Commencement is free and open - no ticket needed. Bring signs.
Please try to make it at 8:30am - a large turn-out is more impressive and newsworthy. But if you really can't get there that early, it's ok to come later. The commencement commences at 9:30am.
Sponsored by American Muslims for Global Peace & Justice, Peninsula Peace & Justice Center, San Jose Peace Center, Interfaith Peace Coalition. Info:
408-297-2299 / 650-326-8837/ 408-988-1011.
To endorse/cosponsor this action or to obtain fliers, contact: ppjc@peacecenter.com
HELP US ENSURE A LARGE TURN-OUT ON THE 11th - COME TO THE NEXT MEETING TO ORGANIZE FOR THIS ACTION:
Thursday 25th May, 2:00pm at Peninsula Peace & Justice Center, 457 Kingsley Ave, Palo Alto.
Caroly Scarr of EPI writes:Subject
- For children with mental illness, call your senator
Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 10:17:05 EDT
From: National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Dear friends,
Please take the time to call your senator and ask them to work AGAINST the Ashcroft ammendment. Details below. Basically some children with a mental illness will sometimes act in ways that require them to be in special education settings. The ammendment will lift the obligation from the school district to provide for the special education of children whose illness sometimes leads them to violent behavior. And if school districts aren't required to provide services, they won't.
Specialized educational settings, with psychiatrists and counselors in addition to specially trained teachers can be very expensive. They are also very effective and in a few short years can set a child's feet on the path of self-understanding. Without this investment of public funds for a few years there will be the cost of incarceration for many more -- and the incalculable human pain of a life wasted and a family in despair.
I called Ashcroft's office this morning. The ammendment hasn't yet been offered, but it sounds like it will be soon.
Call you senator right away.
Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121
Thanks,
Carolyn
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NAMI E-News May 9, 2000 Vol.00-130 from National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
________________________________________SPECIAL EDUCATION ALERT:
SENATE MAY TAKE UP AMENDMENT TO WEAKEN IDEA PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES AND OTHER DISABILITIES
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The Senate is ready to debate once more the difficult issue of "cessation" of education services for children with disabilities who bring a weapon on to school grounds. As in the past, this contentious issue is being brought up in the context of a larger bill - the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (S. 2).
Senator Ashcroft (R - Missouri) is the sponsor of the amendment. It adds drugs, assaults, and threats of assaults to weapons as events over which local school authorities could suspend or expel disabled children. It would not require that there be a finding as to whether the offense was a "manifestation" of the child's disability. Schools would have the option of serving or not serving a child during suspension or expulsion. The right to a free and appropriate public education, FAPE, would not be guaranteed. It is not yet certain when the amendment will be offered.
This provision would effectively undo the carefully negotiated discipline provisions that were contained in the 1997 IDEA reauthorization legislation. In NAMI's view, it has the potential to undermine vital protections provided by the IDEA for children with severe mental illnesses--including the very right to a free and appropriate public education. It allows each school district the choice to cease all educational services ("cessation") to a student with a disability who carries to or possesses a weapon at school or at a school function; brings drugs to school; commits or threatens to commit an assault at school.
Schools are already given ample authority under the 1997 law to maintain environments conducive to learning. For example, a student with a disability who brings a gun to school can be immediately removed from school. Schools can immediately call the police and report crimes committed by students with disabilities. If the behavior of a child is not related to the child's disability, the child can be disciplined in the same manner as non-disabled children. While education services cannot be terminated, a child can be removed from his home school and placed in an alternative setting.
Moreover, law enforcement agencies across the country report that ceasing education services for any child only increases juvenile crime. In fact, research demonstrates that cessation of education services leads to increases in illegal drug use and youth incarceration as well as in juvenile crime. Rather than releasing troubled children to the streets, a portion of the solution is to require all students, disabled or non-, who are expelled or suspended to continue their education in secure, supervised educational settings.
Families of children with disabilities are concerned about school safety. In fact, these families know that too often their children are the victims of inappropriate conduct.
ACTION REQUESTED
NAMI encourages child advocates to contact their Senators and urge them to oppose the Ashcroft amendment to the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (S. 2).
Urge them to oppose efforts aimed at undermining free and appropriate public education for children with severe mental illness, and at wiping out important rights protections under IDEA. Remind them that the Ashcroft amendment will have a devastating impact on IDEA and the education of children with disabilities.
All Senators can be reached by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or by going to the policy page of the NAMI website at http://www.nami.org/policy.htm and clicking on "Write to Congress." Senators can also be reached through their state offices (phone numbers are available through www.congress.org).
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Please forward this email if you know somebody who would like to add their name to this mail listing. They should visit:
http://www.nami.org/update/enewslist.htm
and simply fill in the form to join the NAMI Electronic News !
- Subject: URGENT ACTION! OPPOSE MILITARY AID TO GUATEMALA, SENATE VOTE TUESDAY MAY 9
Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 17:41:13 -0700
From: NISGUA Dear Friends:
Next Tuesday, May 9, the Senate Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the Foreign Appropriations Committee will vote on a mark-up to military training for Guatemala. If it passes in the house and senate, this would mean that the U.S. would provide combat training to Guatemala's murderous military. WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN! The priority between now and Tuesday is to contact the members of the subcommittee, especially if he or she is your senator. Please click on: ALERT for the details.
A formal complaint has been filed against United Methodist Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, charging him with "disobedience to the order and discipline" of the church for his handling of a case involving 68 pastors who participated in performing a same-sex union service.
- Click on: Bishop Talbert under attack
Date: Thursday, April 20, 2000 10:33:21 PM
From: United Methodist News ServiceThis is a "Holy Week" Sermon for Mumia Abu-Jamal forwarded to us by Mark Taylor. As we pass through the Pesach and Easter seasons, 'tis something we would do well to reflect upon.
- Click on: GALILEAN DAWN ON DEATH ROW USA
Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 19:33:55 EDT
From: Prof. Mark Taylor"Dear friends [Carolyn writes],
- Click on: What About the Kurds?
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 10:20:27 EDT
From: Carolyn
At the weekly anti-sanctions vigil, and on numerous other occasions someone is bound to ask "What about the Kurds?"
The [above referenced] article reports on an instance of the oppresion of the Kurds which brings together the fact that Kurds are oppressed in Turkey (as well as in Iraq and Syria), that big business and ecological concerns cross paths in the world of the Kurds, and that ethnic cleansing is going on strong in Turkey with the tacit support of the U.S. and European countries."Carolyn hopes you can come to one of the scheduled talks by Iraqi Refugee, Wafaa Bilal and Gulf War Veteran, Erik Gustafson who speak about the terrible human cost of the ongoing ecnomic sanctions against Iraq.
- Click on: Inside Iraq: a calendar of presentations
Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2000 11:29:08 EDT
From: Carolyn
Click on the Subject line above for the full schedule.At 6:15 a.m. on Apr. 3, a gunman entered the courtyard of Radio Haiti Inter and shot to death pioneering radio journalist Jean Dominique, 69, as well as the station's caretaker, Jean-Claude Louissaint.
- Click on: The Assassination of Jean Dominique:
Part of Washington's Offensive?
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 09:59:26 EDT
From: HAITI PROGRES newsweekly E-mail / Website
Read this compelling analysis of what is going on in Haiti by clicking on the tile above. And don't forget – Seeds meets on Friday at Judi's.This Page is full! To continue, please Clickon:
"ARCHIVE IV"
Click on the "Tree" below to return to the EIP/CALC directory:
