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No Justice for Amazon Massacre in Peru Five years ago yesterday the Devil’s Curve earned its name. This wild stretch of highway outside the Peruvian town of Bagua was transformed from a peaceful protest site into a national tragedy now known as the Baguazo. Though the multi-week roadblock was due to disband that same day, militarized riot police entered by force in the early dawn and a deadly melee ensued. When the teargas and gunsmoke cleared, 34 people were dead and hundreds more wounded, including protesters and police officers. Today, 54 protesters and ostensible instigators are on trial for the infamous Baguazo. Government prosecutors have accused high-profile indigenous leaders of inciting their people to violence. Several indigenous representatives like Alberto Pizango, president of the Amazon-wide indigenous organization AIDESEP, face sentences of 35 years to life. |
Tag Archives: politics
CONGRESS: Pass Restoring Veterans’ Trust Act
Like many veterans, when I returned home from Iraq, I sought care at a VA facility near my home.
So you can imagine why the politicization of the disclosures at the VA facility in Phoenix has gotten me down. The truth is, we’ve all known for some time that the veterans’ health system needs real reform.
And while President Obama and Secretary Shinseki have done admirable work to reduce the backlog, we’ve long needed solutions that get to the root of the problems.
This week, the U.S. Senate has a chance to take meaningful action to improve veterans’ health care, and I hope they take it this time.
Here’s what the bill does:
1. Authorizes the VA to hire new doctors and nurses, closing the gap between a growing number of veterans returning home to seek care and the number of health care professionals able to deliver it.
2. Allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of locations delivering care by leasing twenty-seven new health facilities in eighteen states.
3. To address long-term needs, the legislation awards scholarships and forgives student debt for health care professionals willing to accept positions at the VA.
These are important steps Congress should take right now in order to improve short and long-term care for our nation’s veterans.
Tell the Senate to support the Restoring Veterans’ Trust Act of 2014.
http://action.votevets.org/va-reform
In late February, right-wing Senators led a filibuster against similar legislation that would have struck at the root of problems within the VA system.
It’s time to end the talk and take some action.
Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran and Chairman
VoteVets.org
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I’m a mother of six Marines ~~ Loraine Tackett, VoteVets.org
My name is Loraine Tackett from Billings, Montana. I’m a mother to nine children … six of whom are United States Marines.
It can be difficult at times, as you can imagine, but I am grateful that U.S. Senator, and Iraq War veteran, John Walsh is on our side. He recognizes that the cost of war doesn’t end after the troops come home, and is committed to making sure all veterans, including those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, receive the care they deserve.
Representative Steve Daines is running for Walsh’s Senate seat, but he’s consistently aligned himself with the Tea Party Caucus and voted against improving care at the VA and increasing the pensions of disabled vets.
As veterans, military family members, and VoteVets supporters, you know that Tea Party Representatives like Steve Daines have politicized the VA crisis while consistently voting against legislation that would get to the root of the problem and improve care.
VoteVets has pledged to share that story across the country, in many states.
I’m happy to help them in Montana.
Loraine Tackett
Mother to six U.S. Marines
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Meet the Bay Area Impact Challenge winners
Ten days ago, voting opened for Google’s first Bay Area Impact Challenge, and now the tally is in. On the ballot? Ten amazing nonprofit proposals tomake a difference in our community.Between May 22 and June 2, nearly 200,000 votes poured in (191,504to be exact)—adjusted for population, that makes it the highest voter turnout we’ve had in a Challenge to date. Now we’re unveiling the winners. Each will receive $500,000 in funding and support from Google:
- Hack the Hood will address digital equity by training low-income youth to build websites for local small businesses, actively supporting them to launch their own tech careers.
- Center for Employment Opportunities will develop a tech platform to prepare formerly incarcerated people for employment in a digital world.
- The Health Trust will create new distribution channels for people to get affordable produce, expanding options for street vendors, corner stores, and farmers’ markets for underserved areas.
- Bring me a book will give kids access to digital books, in multiple languages, while creating a supportive online community for parents and caregivers.
Hack the Hood celebrates their win with community advisor Reverend Cecil Williams
But everyone wins in this competition: The six remaining finalists will each receive $250,000, and we also gave an additional 15 nonprofits around the Bay Area $100,000 each.
Finally, all 25 Google Impact Challenge nonprofits will receive one year of accelerator support at our first-ever impact lab, a co-working space launched in partnership with Impact Hub SF, a shared workspace for entrepreneurs committed to positive social and environmental change.
Nonprofits will have access to networking events, meeting space, and development workshops in the Impact Hub SF, as well as membership to all U.S. Hub locations. We also plan to host community events for the Bay Area nonprofit community throughout the year—so check out our website or follow us on Google+ to stay in the loop.
Now the work really begins, and we’re excited to continue to build on our ongoing efforts to give back to the community.
Posted by Jacquelline Fuller, Director of Google.org
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Save Duncan from euthanasia
The Municipal Court Of The City Of Seattle: Save Duncan from euthanasia
by Stacey Norman | 10,361 supporters
Duncan is currently being held by the Seattle Animal Shelter awaiting an appeal in Seattle Municipal Court. We are not allowed to visit In September of 2012 Duncan was at home with his mom and dad; dad had just come home from the hospital after…
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