Americas Archives - Page 148 of 160

Battle Hymns for the Blue States

Melody Zagami December 14, 2005 Melody Zagami

The Putrid Minds Anthology: Battle Hymns for the Blue States byThe Sons of Emperor Norton, is the only album ever produced that features Elvis, Mark Twain, Stephen Hawking and the little known historical figure, Joshua "Emperor" Norton. This 23 song anthology is not for the faint of heart. When listening, you laugh and think, "that's clever." Then reality comes into focus and you feel powerless in the face of the monstrous Bush administration. The band's humor has more than a bit of truth between the lines.

Showdown in the Andes: Bolivian Election Likely to Shift Latin America Further to Left

Benjamin Dangl December 12, 2005 Benjamin Dangl

Morales and supporters, ©jeremybigwood.net

In Washington he's been referred to as a "narco-terrorist" and a "threat to stability". In Bolivia he's simply called "Evo." For many in the Andean country, Presidential candidate Evo Morales represents a way out of poverty and marginalization. He has pledged to nationalize the country's natural gas reserves, reject any US-backed free trade agreement and join the growing ranks of Latin America's left-of-center governments. He makes the Bush administration nervous and corporate investors cringe. Yet when Bolivians head to the polls Morales is expected to win a majority. However, the range of scenarios that could result from the election suggests that the show may be far from over by the end of Election Day on December 18th.

Boy walks past anti-repression graffiti, Buenos Aires

Five Lessons Bush Learned from Argentina’s Dirty War and Five Lessons for the Rest of Us

Renate Lunn December 8, 2005 Renate Lunn

Boy walks past anti-repression graffiti, Buenos Aires

It began as a far-reaching war against a vague enemy. Any questions about the war were considered unpatriotic and dissenters risked being violently repressed by the government. The government helped the economic elite profit at the expense of the poor. When the regime was losing its grip on power, it turned to a conventional military war that became a disaster. This synopsis describes the Dirty War of 1976-1983 in Argentinaand the current US "War on Terror."

The Dirty War in Argentina is a complex story that can be viewed through a variety of lenses. During the six months I recently spent in Argentina, I found that the more I learned about the Dirty War, the more I was learning about the "War on Terror." To say that the current state of repression in the US is exactly like the Dirty War would be an insult to the 30,000 people who were disappeared and tortured in Argentina. The similarities between the two "wars," however, can indicate in what direction the US may be headed and how progressives can steer the country in another direction.

Human Rights Violations in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

Benjamin Dangl December 6, 2005 Benjamin Dangl

Ann Fagan Ginger works at the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute, an organization which seeks to promote social change by increasing the recognition and use of existing human rights and peace law at the local, national, and international levels. She is also the editor of the book, "Challenging U.S. Human Rights Violations Since 9/11."

In this interview Ginger discusses the human rights violations which took place in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and how her organization has worked to expose these violations.

Uncovering Muslim Identity

Kenji Yoshino November 23, 2005 Kenji Yoshino

On July 11, 2004, Rajinder Singh Khalsa, an Indian Sikh man, was accosted by a group of men as he stood in front of his brother's restaurant wearing a turban. "Give me that dirty curtain," one of the men said. "It's not a curtain," Khalsa said. "It's a turban." "Go back to your country," another man shot back. Khalsa said: "But we are American, where should we go?" The man suggested Iran. Khalsa said: "We are not Iranian. We are not Muslim. We are Sikhs from India." He said: "Then go back to India." The men began to attack his brother. "Don't do this, he's innocent," Khalsa said. The men then turned to him. They beat him on the nose, eyes, head, everywhere, not stopping until he was unconscious on the pavement. Before they left, they took off his turban and threw it away.

Teach Me if You Can: An Interview with David Graeber

Steven Durel November 21, 2005 Steven Durel

David Graeber is a professor of anthropology at Yale University. After becoming an activist for the anarchist cause, Graeber received disdain from a few colleagues and was soon informed that his teaching contract would not be renewed. On Nov. 2, I had lunch with Graeber at Yale.

Steven Durel: Professor, it's probable that Yale's leadership decided not to renew your contract because you are an acclaimed anarchist scholar and because you have been active with supposedly "subversive" groups on campus. How do you feel? Aren't you upset?