Protests at the American Bankers Association (ABA)

A welcome site to an extremely unwelcome happening in Chicago today as thousands of people turned out to protest Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo at the annual ABA meeting..

With an estimated 17.8 trillion dollars expended to bail out the top tier of Wall Street executives and corporations, while the rest of the nation continues to bear the burden of their capitalistic ways, ordinary Americans flocked to the streets of Chicago demanding economic justice.

As unemployment continues to rise with the continuation of foreclosures across the country, many people just can't stand to hear of another bonus or raise given to those who helped put the rest of us in this mess. Like the health care lobbyists who continue to undermine a true public option for health care for all, these wealthy elites know what's at stake; power.

Let's continue voicing opposition to unfettered capitalism that does not provide the benefits this economic theory has promised, but rather serves the elite 1% while the rest are forced to suffer and consume one another in hopes we won't be the next to lose our job, our home, or be forced onto the streets unwillingly.

www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/10/26-10

As the Afghanistan war enters its 9th year on this day, Obama told the world he saw no reason for withdraw as well as no need for troop reductions. In fact, he said he's thinking of boosting the war effort by up to 40,000 troops.

The senate also passed a war funding bill for 626 billion dollars today. Funding for healthy food for the US? How about health care for all? Nope, just funding for more brutality.

It's days like these I wonder, if the systemic powers of the three main branched of the US government desire to simply flex their muscles rather than reflect on their mistakes. On the anniversary of this war, with occupations in Pakistan and Iraq ongoing, instead of talking about fostering peace, rhetoric is fueled by messages of war perpetuation. And I failed to mention the new weapons being built. Ones that are specifically meant for an attack on Iran.

War is arguably the most unsustainable socially constructed activity on the face of the planet. No sentient being wins, justice is completely obstructed and peace is the opposite end of the spectrum. While struggle and conflict are a part of life and can lead to brighter outcomes, years and years of brutal war, that targets civilians, that supports nothing but a police-state, a military industrial complex, and a society brainwashed to believe that war is a necessity, is nothing that promotes sustainability.

Make your voice be heard.

-While there are many sources for news, and many entities covering the anniversary of the Afghanistan war on this day, there are several worthy articles and news blogs on http://www.democracynow.org/ , as well as on older posts in this blog.

This Wednesday, 10/7/09, Marks 8 Years

Without justice there is no peace. Without sustainability there is no justice. Without peace nothing is sustainable, and that is why it is so important to place energy towards movements of anti-war and pro-peace.

This week, as the occupation of Afghanistan turns into a war of 96 months, let us learn more about how we can, in any way, no matter how small or large, lend efforts towards stopping this and any other war. War hurts humans, non-human species and the Earth alike. If we are going to fight for sustainable solutions healthy for all living things we must voice our disrest with movements that seek to undermine the harmony of the planet. War is the central and pinnacle action that disrupts the health of all sentient beings and if you care about the planet and all its life, you should educate, share and act to help protect it and end the wars in Central Asia.

http://www.rethinkafghanistan.com/

http://www.antiwar.com/

http://www.unitedforpeace.org/

www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/us/30antiwar.html?_r=1

The Movement to UNDAM the Klamath Continues

Efforts continue to attempt to restore the health of the Klamath River in Northern California. This truly is a multi-faceted land-use conflict and I invite everyone to familiarize themselves with the ingredients in the case so as to better understand what a dynamic recipe this is for a possible example of holistic sustainable land-use policy to be implemented.





Weighing in on the views of ranchers who drain the river for irrigation purposes, recreationists and environmentalists who advocate for restoration of water quality, and Native American Tribes who have subsisted on the salmon of the Klamath as well as calling the River sacred for milena, is a tricky craft. None-the-less the work continues to resolve this conflict and recently a proposal was set forth that could remove the 4 major Klamath dams by 2020. But guess what, there's a problem. Unfortunately it all seems too good to be true, to remove the dams and allow the salmon to run freely once again, as the potential tenets of this plan could undermine the rights of the local Hoopa Tribe as well as the neighboring Trinity River.

Please read through the information accessible below. Learn about this incredibly diverse case. Share what you learn with others, and hopefully, the dams will come down in a way the does not disenfranchise the local environment, the river, the salmon, the Tribes, or any other community member.

www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/09/deal_would_remove_klamath_rive.html


www.waterinfo.org/node/3806


http://klamblog.blogspot.com/

www.klamathbasincrisis.org