Colorado Indymedia

Military recruiter uses homophobic slur during ASVAB test in Durango High School: PLEASE COMMENT!

Rebel Insurgent — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:35:59 +0000

A recent Durango Herald article reported that a military recruiter was overheard by students using a homophobic slur during the adminstration of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test in Durango High School.

We would like to say we are shocked by the language of the officer described in the article, but we are not. No one familiar with the history of homophobia, transphobia, and hetero-normativity in the military would be. The armed forces of nation-states are instruments of patriarchy and a hetero-normative world view. Our lack of surprise, however, does not detract from our anger and rage against the larger social dynamics present in our increasingly precarious lives, which this incident is merely a microcosm of. We find ourselves more than anything surprised that parents and students are not more resistant to military-supervised testing in the first place, let alone the presence of military recruiters in our schools, and the overwhelmingly conservative backlash in local discourse surrounding the incident. Kudos though to DHS for at least making a bit of a ruckus about it, and not taking it sitting down.

Though by law schools receiving tax dollars must allow military recruiters to stalk their hallways for fresh cannon fodder, there are easy steps that can be taken to protect your children from these predators (at least to a certain, albeit minimal extent). Just google "military opt out form" or go to leavemychildalone.org

Confront Nir Barkat: Israeli mayor of Jerusalem visiting Denver!

Rebel Insurgent — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:15:52 +0000

From The Colorado Palestine Community Network & The Gaza Action Coalition:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ga...

Please distribute widely.

Dear all,

Governor Ritter, Mayor Hickenlooper, the University of Denver, and the Joseph Korbel School of International Studies are hosting the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem in Denver on Tuesday, 11/3/2009. Nir Barkat is leading a campaign to ethnically cleanse Jerusalem of its Palestinian residents by declining building permits for Palestinians and launching a campaign of house demolitions that has displaced more than 150 people this year alone. The latest demolitions of five houses took place on Tuesday, 10/27/2009, just on the eve of his trip to the US and displaced 26 people, including 10 children. Hosting Barkat in Denver means that we endorse Israel’s sovereignty over Jerusalem in violation of international law and makes us party to the injustice being committed against the Palestinian people.

The Colorado Palestine Community Network is urging you to take the following actions:

1- Sign the online petition . This will be submitted to the Governor's office, the mayor's office, and the University of Denver on Monday. The petition is to urge them to rescind the invitation of Nir Barkat. The petition can be found by clicking here: http://www.petitiononline.com/Je...

2- Join us for a rally on Tuesday, 11/3/2009 at 6:00 PM in front of University of Denver Newman Center for Performing Arts located at 2344 E Iliff, Denver, CO 80208. The forecast is calling for good weather.

Martyrs' Ball: Remember the dead and dance like hell for the living

strongwindsahead — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:25:32 +0000

Start: Nov 11 2009 8:00 pm

Help defend and support social justice movements in Denver and beyond!
A benefit event for the Denver ABCF Mutual Aid Fund

"Martyr's Ball: Remember the dead and dance like hell for the living"
Wednesday November 11 (Haymarket Day) 8pm
Mercury Cafe 2199 California Street (22nd St and California), Denver

Enjoy a night of music and food to commemorate Haymarket Day, the anniversary of the execution of the Haymarket Martyrs, four anarchists executed during the height of the struggle for the 8 hour day in 1887. We will remember fallen comrades while also helping to raise funds for
contemporary social justice movements active in Denver and across the globe.

In the spirit of remembrance, we are encouraging attendees to come dressed as a martyr or fallen comrade from a social justice struggle. We are also encouraging participants to contact us in advance to let us know who they will come as, so we can compile educational materials about many of the martyrs represented at the event.

All funds generated by the event will go to benefit with Denver ABCF Mutual Aid Fund, a project that aims to provide financial support to members of social justice movements in need of economic relief and assistance.

For more information about the event you can contact the Denver ABCF at denverabc@rocketmail.com or contact Whitney at 303-995-3899

For more information about Denver ABCF you can visit our blog at
denverabc.wordpress.com

Grand Junction Police's Spanish-English Phrase Book

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:43:40 +0000

EDITOR’S NOTE—This document recently fell in our laps. It’s the Spanish-English phrase book for Grand Junction’s finest. Notice there is nothing about rights translated. Its also insightful on how the police view their interactions with the community both hispanic and otherwise.

Confront Zionist Uzi Landau at the University of Colorado at Denver, Oct. 28!

Rebel Insurgent — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:25:37 +0000

Former Israeli Minister of Internal Security and Zionist hard-line supporter of genocide of the Palestinian people, Uzi Landau, will be speaking about the supposed threat of Iranian Nuclear Weapons on his first trip to the United States. The speech will be taking place at the University of Colorado at Denver on the Auraria Campus on Wednesday Oct. 28 from 1:30pm - 3:30pm at Saint Cajetan's Church across from the King Building (please come early around 1pm)

For those of you unfamiliar with this war criminal and human rights violator, he was opposed to the 2004 disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip. He encouraged armed resistance by settlers to the plan and was actually banned from traveling abroad by Ariel Sharon due to his extreme views (hard to believe he was too extreme for Sharon). He was also Minister of Internal Security at the time of Rachael Cory's murder by Israeli forces. He was previously sponsored by the Zionist of America in a failed speaking tour and continues to support human rights violations of the Palestinian people.

Please come with signs and a spirit of "vigorous" protest. This should not go un-resisted!!!

A Cry For Help from Federal Supermax

TheRedPill — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:32:16 +0000

Hey Everybody:

Big shout out from the Federal Supermax.

First, I hope you'll all keep an eye on my new website in progress jordanlitigation.com,

Second, a cry for help, my attorney Paula Ray, will be arguing on my behalf before 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on November 17th, 2009, to reverse the district court's denial of my motion for post-conviction DNA testing under the Innocence Protection Act. As I'm from Philly, I am pleading with all Colorado-area friends to attend in a show of support. Need ID to get into the courthouse. It's Bryon White Courthouse 1823 Stout Street, Courtroom IV. United States v. Mark Jordan, No. 081431. Its a huge case dealing with ability to access DNA when it will prove innocence. I really hope some folks can show. Some other neat cases are being argued also. Please show, (I'm looking for #'s).

Third, my sis could use some web building tech support. Anyone?

My best to all

In Struggle & Solidarity,

Mark Jordan

note---We got this call to support, and wish we could make it. Mark has won a case about the right of prisoners to publish, and fought another on censorship of reading materials that he lost. He was originally sent to prison for bank robbery, and while serving his time he was convicted of a jail-house stabbing homicide. This hearing is about his right to have DNA evidence examined that may prove that he is innocent. I hope some of our comrades in Denver can attend in our stead.

Solidarity form Junktown

Grand Junction Police- more selective enforcement!

GJUAA — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:29:27 +0000

Steven Kilcrease a local activist was arrested during critical mass and his board was confiscated for over 3 months.

On october 13th 2009 he was sentenced to 10 days in work release (road crew) and over 1,100 dollars in fines. This is what petty skating where prohibited and petty disregarding police charges get you in Backwards Grand Junction Colorado? No! Others with the same charges walked away with fines, and nothing else. Steven kilcrease has been targeted by the GJPD because if his affiliation with and participation in local grass roots organizing activities. The Grand Junction Police department needs to LAYOFF of grand junction activists. WE (A)RE TIRED OF YOUR BULLSHIT GJPD!

Colorado Needs an Anti-Fascist Crew

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:38:01 +0000

After failing to prevent fascist neo-Nazi David Irving from holding a public speaking engagement at a restaurant in Arvada as well as allowing “performance artist” Buju Banton to spew homophobic hatred with impunity at a recent show in Denver, Colorado activists and radicals have some explaining to do. Unity is short between fragmented, sparsely attended groups and actions are few and far in between. In times like these, those that espouse theories of direct action and organizing for a better world should be taking advantage of the political climate and mobilizing. As the post-DNC activist vaccum continues to delay serious change, many groups are starting to find a good routine with steady participation, but there are still holes to fill.

Hard economic times breed violent xenophobia and nationalist sentiments. Fascist elements can and will take advantage of this climate, and providing a militant counter in the street to that threat is the only answer. Racists, white supremacists, homophobes, sexists, and fascists should never be given the opportunity to organize publicly. That makes communities unsafe for anyone marginalized by the views of irrational, hateful individuals and groups, and fighting for the physical safety of the marginalized in the face of violent bigots should be a priority for anyone looking to destroy oppression.

By allowing this hate to propagate in the region, anyone in Colorado looking to make positive change has failed. This was because of lack of organization, not willpower. Plenty were interested in countering these events, many of which in a militant fashion, for Colorado has no shortage of determined individuals ready to defend their communities; however because of a complete lack of framework, infrastructure, or even basic social network, much needed mobilizations never occurred.

Demand Public Hearings and Oversight of the Grand Junction Police

TheRedPill — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:05:47 +0000

The Police here in Grand Junction have for a long time been able to do whatever they want with little or no oversight by the community. Skateboarders, Latinos, poor people, and political activists have long known that the police have grudges they settle with force or through the justice system.

Recent arrests and firings of two GJPD officers for beating a woman and raping a woman, Coutrney Crooks and Glenn Coyne, respectively, is just the tip of the iceberg.

Former Police Chief Bill Gardner resigned this fall, because of another case that was successfully kept off the pages of the newspapers. It involved nine GJPD officers beating a woman in her own house, and then charging her with felony assault on an officer, she threatened to sue the PD and an agreement was reached which dropped the lawsuit and the chargers. The victim is still too traumatized by the incident, she just wants to put it behind her, but we as citizens need to know what happened in that incident.

The GJPD is notoriously secretive and non-transparent. Multiple open records request have been denied, or simply ignored. The process for people to make complaints about the department is not open or accessible. No hotline, No form, No advocate outside of the Police Department. To make a complaint you have to go to the station and into a locked corridor and into a locked room and make a complaint to an uniformed officer.

The Police also have a long history of selectively enforcing petty laws against the poor and homeless of this town. Smoking in the Park Tickets are only issued to homeless people. Forty-nine percent of ‘walking-violations’ are issued to homeless people. While houseless people represent maybe two percent of the city’s population.

Denver Protests Ongoing Imperialist Wars

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:21:52 +0000

Denver Protests Ongoing Imperialist Wars

(raimd.wordpress.com)

October 7 was the 8th anniversary of the start of the current war in Afghanistan by the United States. A number of national groups in the remaining U.S. anti-war movement called for actions. Locally the Denver Anti-War Network (DAWN) called for a march many months ago, and it kicked off this day. Many activists gathered for two separate events in Denver on October 7th, a march against the Afghanistan war, and a “Justice and Peace Jamboree” right after the march.

About 50 people mobilized for a rally and march that started at the Denver Federal Courthouse downtown. A rally was held there for an hour. A street theater was held about the situation in Afghanistan. The crowd consisted of nominal anti-imperialists, anarchists, national liberation supporters, and anti-police brutality activists, along with RAIM members and supporters. As it was a broad-based march against the war in Afghanistan, there were many who advocated First Worldist, pro-Amerika politics. RAIM provided many anti-imperialist, anti-Amerika, anti-troop, and pro-Third World signs and slogans to promote our politics. After the rally the march then set down 16th Street mall. It was small in comparison to previous anti-war rallies, but was spirited and opted for more charged slogans. “Number One Terrorist, U.S. Imperialists” were chanted by a large majority of the protesters for much of the march. The protest itself stayed on message, the notable interject of the so-called health care debate in the march was a sign brought by a RAIM comrade: “The Real Health Care Crisis- Amerikan Imperialism.”