judyrebick

It was magnificent.   After three weeks of online and off line organizing, tens of thousands of people across generations and political persuasions took to the streets in 65 cities and towns across the country and around the world to stop the erosion of democracy in Canada.

It was magnificent.   After three weeks of online and off line organizing, tens of thousands of people across generations and political persuasions took to the streets in 65 cities and town across the country and around the world to stop the erosion of democracy in Canada.

"Martin Luther King didn't become famous saying I have a complaint," said Van Jones speaking to the Network of Spiritual Activists.  As you have probably heard one of the most eloquent environmental justice activists in the U.S. has resigned from Obama's White House under a relentless right-wing assault of what he calls "lies and distortions."  You will get some idea of what a visionary he is by watching this short video from Fierce Light

On the left are Sam McKay and Chief Donny Morris at last Spring's rally for KI and Ardoch at Queen's Park

Today I was on The Current  to debate the proposed name change of the NDP. The name is the least of their problems is my view.  David Michael Lamb, the guest host, asked me why I wasn't going the NDP convention.  I answered, "I've kind of given up on the NDP."  Frankly, it didn't even occur to me to go.  I have been involved in efforts to change the NDP since the 1980's in Ontario and with a few exceptions (getting them to support the Morgentaler clinic), it has been almost impossible to get them to change.  Their response to opposition from the Waffle , a powerful youth opposition reflecting the new politics on the 1960's until now has been to crush it.

I am starting to blog again after a month’s absence. I needed time off from everything to recharge. It has been a very intense six months starting with the occupation of Jewish women of the Israeli consulate to protest the assault on Gaza ,   going through the launch and tour of Transforming Power , and ending with the launch of Fierce Light, my friend Velcrow Ripper’s new film, in which I play a small part.   By the time it was all over, not counting my work at Ryerson, the solidarity with the Tamil and three presentations at the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences, I was exhausted and recovering from a torn ligament in my knee and pneumonia. I just needed to stop.

Sometime in 2006, I met Cathi Bond, whom  I knew as the CBC's DVD Diva (a title she hates but I love) .  I'm not sure why,  but we got into an argument about Kill Bill I (a film which she loved but I hated).  It was a debate that reflected the difference in generation, she's about 20 years younger than me, and I realized later cultural sensibilities.  We both like action films but she loves the really over the top ones, especially Korean.  She asked if I wanted to debate Kill Bill for rabble radio,

Today in Tehran from #iranelection on twitter

Sunday evening I spent almost an entire train ride from Ottawa to Toronto glued to Twitter following the posts from #iranelections, which is a way to get all the posts about the elections in Iran and following a twitterer with the handle Change for Iran who was posting from his roof top every few minutes and then going down to join the protests and coming back.  It was an amazing experience to directly follow what was happening on the streets of Tehran as it was happening.  More important, though, Twitter became a major source of information for those opposed to Ahmadinejad's government and protesting what they consider to be fraudelant election results. 

Today June 11 is an international day of action to stand in solidarity with the courageous people of the Amazon in Peru who are standing up against government and military forces to defend their land against oil exploration and environmental and cultural destruction.  To support them you can

Video from Democracy Now

Demonstrate at Peru Consulate today 1 pm 10 St. Mary's in Toronto or in Ottawa at the Peru Embassy at 11:30 am

Donate to the Amazonian Indigenous people through Rights Action who have promised that all donations marked Peru Indigenous will go directly to the struggle there http://rightsaction.org/contributions.htm

Sign the Avaaz global petition and pass it along to your friends

Write or call  your MP to say we don't want to do business with Peru, a country that we have recently signed a free trade agreement with until they respect the rights of the Indigenous people there

Inform yourself.  A good place to start is with the reports from Ben Powless, an Indigenous activist from Canada, who is there on the ground and you can listen to Ben tomorrow morning on the Current CBC RadioOne

Bob Lovelace, who himself was in jail last year for defending his people's land against destructive development, has written a moving appeal which I reproduce below.  Please act to defend Indigenous Rights, stop the destruction of the Amazon and the economic, environmental and cultural  terror created by so-called free trade