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CoalitionsThursday, August 06, 2009 About Time. Shameful US Immigrant Detention Policy To Be Reformed by Nanette
Hallelujah. Hutto Prison, (“a 512-bed center run for profit by the Corrections Corporation of America under a $2.8 million-a-month federal contract”) was the most visible over the past few years of this vast network of public and private prisons, partially due to it’s being “a centerpiece of the Bush administration’s tough approach to immigration enforcement” - which included putting entire families, children included, behind bars for immigration violations. It’s good not to forget that our immigration detention system has been a mess for years, with (non violent, non criminal) people spending years in prison because there is no longer a country to deport them to or something. Anyway, according to the article, apparently the possibility is still open for detaining entire families, but at least in prison. It’s a start.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009 by Nanette
For some reason Governor Terminator and the legislature thought it would be a just dandy idea of the electorate did their jobs for them (without pay, of course). The electorate had other ideas - even though we (or, at least, some of us, primarily the anti-tax nutters) are partially to blame for the mess. Everyone, but everyone is tired of Ahnold, who has made former Governor Gray Davis’ fiscal mess look like the most sound of financial practices. Too late, though, sadly. This is one time, I think, when the fact that a politician is term limited is a comfort to all.
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Tuesday, May 12, 2009 by Nanette Sad, but true. And I know better, too… the boredom, the willingness to - once things are on a somewhat even keel, in one’s view - just stop paying attention and let life take over, this is how politicians and governments get away with stuff. They count on the apathy or complacency of the vast majority of the public. Of couse, this is the time to pay even more attention because we all know it takes putting pressure on politicians (who often, like water, take the paths of least resistance) to bring about even marginal change. Let alone some of the big changes we’d like to see. Still. It bores me.
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Friday, April 03, 2009 I’m Developing A Soft Spot For Iowa, Of All Places by Nanette I mean, Iowa. Who’da thought? A (primarily) white state that was pivotal in ensuring the potentially first Black president got a fair hearing in the rest of the US. And now becoming the first Midwest state to strike down anti marriage equality laws. Good for them.
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Monday, February 09, 2009 What’s Happening Now, at Human Beams? by Nanette I’m glad you asked. The internet has grown in awesome - and, at times, bewildering - ways since we started on this journey. We now have better tools to communicate and be productive online and off, as well as ways to collaborate with those doing impressive and important work in all areas of social justice, in the farthest (and nearest) regions of the earth. More than that we, at Human Beams, have a new and exciting focus, a renewed purpose and a clear path forward into the next 10 years - or more! Since 1998, our award winning magazine has been bringing you articles from all over the world. In addition to shining light on human rights abuses, politics, the oppression and denigration of women and issues of poverty and injustice in all societies, we’ve tempted your taste buds with delicious recipes and satisfied your wanderlust with travel articles about places far off - and right next door. Not to mention our youth section! Okay, I’ll mention it. We’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing young people over the years, even pre-teens, who didn’t let their age get in the way of their determination to make a difference. We’ll still do all that in some form - please continue to send in your articles and proposals - but we need to do more. Over the next few weeks I’ll be detailing some of our plans and the changes being made - some up front, others behind the scenes. These notes (including this one) will go on all the landing pages of the site. Have questions, comments or have a particular interest in any area - front end or back end - and wish to participate? Drop me an email (nanette @ humanbeams dot com) and let’s talk.
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Friday, January 30, 2009 Random Mutterings - Obama And Stuff by Nanette So, I’m sitting here this morning - had my coffee, finally have a quiet room to myself, no distractions and am full of ideas… and all I have done is stare at the blank page, writing nothing at all. Shameful.
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Monday, December 15, 2008 Random “Don’t Let The Door Hit You… ” Thought by Nanette On January 20th at 12:01pm, we should all toss shoes in the general direction of Washington, DC. (Random worry - where was the Secret Service?)
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008 by Nanette
It’s hilarious that Obama was elected only 2 weeks ago… and has yet to take office or implement any policies at all and already the sky is falling, in some corners of the blogosphere. (Me, I’m with Liss) Takes me back to that day during the primaries when many of the big political bloggers (separately and independently, I’m sure) all declared the Obama candidacy dead in the water. It was over, done with, they had spoken. Strangely, Obama paid no attention to them and just continued to implement his campaign’s plan and the rest, as they say, really is history. I’m fairly certain that he also has a long range plan now and while I may not agree with all that he does - he’s no socialist, sadly - I’m curious to see what he will accomplish and how. Also funny… Al Qaeda has called Obama a "house negro" and, apparently, a tool of the Jews. I guess that makes nice a change from him being a Manchurian radical Muslim Black Panther, or whatever it is that some on the wacko right (and left) think he is. Some things to read - California Supreme Court is going to review Prop H8 ban - I don’t think minority populations rights should be put up to the vote anyway, but even when they are, the courts have (eventually) stepped in to override that vote. Let’s hope it happens this time too. Related, via P6 - Trends beyond black vote in play on Prop. 8 - One thing I wasn’t looking forward to, getting back online, was running into the (seemingly inevitable) irresponsible "Blacks hate gays and are responsible for all their ills" type talk that happens after votes like this. Sylvia has taken on the stupid printed, once again, in Salon Magazine in Carved Up: Black Women and Bodily Integrity. I have committed to reading the Epic of Gilgamesh and it’s all Theriomorph’s fault. Come join the conversation there on building community and effective strategies online and off.
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Saturday, November 15, 2008 Cool Tool Of The Day - Worldmapper by Nanette I’ve not been online again long enough to get rid of the "everything is strange and new… but still the same" feeling, but I have been doing some wandering around the tubes and have come across a few things to share. Like…. Via CNN -
Very interesting, very detailed and something one could spend some time on, investigating areas of interest and how they relate to the rest of the world. This and the other 365 maps can be found at Worldmapper. I’ll have more later, when I can, as well as thoughts on the election and some of the aftermath.
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by Nanette I’ve always loved this picture - in part because I have a noted fondness for mist and fog, but also because it speaks to me of pasts and futures, entrances, exits and beginnings. It was taken by my friend Kai Chang while on a visit to China, a place I have never been and will likely never be, but which I can enjoy vicariously through Kai’s visits and observations.  The site and organization are undergoing some changes but in the meantime, please join the ongoing conversation and commentary on our group blog, Stalking Sunlight.
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Saturday, July 05, 2008 “Both left and right pile on Obama” by Nanette That’s the title of this AP article: .... which I am not quoting any of and probably shouldn’t put a link to, cuz I’ve just remembered catching a glimpse of something about a lawsuit and a boycott? Anyway, I’ve seen a lot of the howling over the past week on the lefyish sites… I don’t read the rightwing ones, usually, so I’ll take the AP’s word for it that conservatives are howling too. Me, I’ve said often that I am not so much an Obama supporter (too far to the right for me even when people thought he was a liberal) so much as a supporter of his infrastructure and ground game (something I still need to write about), which I’m sure is very busy in the background while he’s giving speeches and causing heads to asplode. I’m also really curious to see what a "community organizer in chief" presidency would be like.
Still, the events of this past week or so made me think of that old public relations adage… when you have bad news or bad exposure - "Get it out. Get it all out. Get it ALL out RIGHT NOW!" By the time August rolls around (and beyond) people will either have come to terms with his views (or have changed them through activism) and will have decided that any Democrat is better than the Republican or will have peeled off completely and gone on to become Republicans or Greens or something. As some always do, each election. Fun stuff.
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Saturday, February 02, 2008 Journey to Black Mexico - A Photographic Discourse by Nanette This looks like it will be an excellent event, and I should have had its information up days ago (when Joan Kelly, who has a blog now, yay! told me about it) but circumstances intervened. Here is part of what Joan says:
“I first (and so far have only) heard about Black Mexico from Professor Wilkins, when he was describing some of the work he does in public schools around the L.A. area, much like the workshop mentioned in the flyer. He impressed upon me the role that suppression/erasure of history plays in disenfranchising populations of people. All of the histories that Professor Wilkins brings to light are important and beautiful on their own, and especially the issue of what he calls a Black-Brown alliance is relevant to Angelenos with some of our recent violence between Black and Brown residents.” The workshop is being put on by the 2nd City Council Art Gallery and Performance space, on Alamitos Ave. in Long Beach, CA and runs from January 26 thru February 28 (so there is still time, even if I am late with the info!) You can get more information by calling (562) 901-0997. Drop in, if you’re in the area. And bring back stories and pictures!
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Saturday, January 26, 2008 We Will Do Anything To Win - But We Won’t Do THAT by Nanette (With apologies to Meatloaf. ) Oh how I wish that was the mantra of the Democratic Party. Unfortunately… I think it’s time to finally erase the "Democrat" designation from any part of my identity. I’ve resisted doing this for years, long after friends of mine made the leap, with the excuse that well, maybe next time it’ll be different. It never is, though, sadly. I sat down this morning to write about the primary in South Carolina (as I write this, the polls are still open so I know no results) and some of the language surrounding it, the tactics used there and leading up to it, and the Democratic primary and election in general. I had lots I wanted to say, indictments I wanted to make, predictions to entertain myself and others with and more ... but somehow I just don’t have the heart for it.
Theriomorph wrote about politics online and online politics last week (very interesting and thought provoking, as usual, go read). Her post reminded me of thinking I’ve done, off and on over the years, of how to more effectively use this tool we have - the internet, with its access to brilliant minds, varying experiences and its capabilities for coalition building worldwide, to bring about real, lasting change. I believe the window for figuring that out is a fairly short one. I’ve had some ideas that I think could help, only the way my brain works, I tend to see the end result, the big goal and what it could do, but am rather iffy on the little steps to get there. Still, that’s where the "wisdom of crowds" comes in. We don’t accomplish much by ourselves (especially me!) - even this site/magazine, which is not what it used to be and definitely not all it could be, would have probably just limped along as a thought had I not met Matthew, completely by chance, online. (And actually, I can’t remember how we met (it was about 10 years ago), as we didn’t hang out in the same places, or chat in the same rooms or anything.) And then all the others who have helped throughout the years, wonderful people all of them. Anyway, I plan to start writing about these ideas and thoughts, in the hopes that they might strike a spark in someone who can see the little steps, or who can see the beginning or the middle, and together we can figure out how all this can work. I’m going to build off of Theriomorph’s post, as well as things bfp and others have written that have embedded themselves in my mind but which I have been too distracted by other things to follow up on. I hope lots of people join the conversation here, at Theriomorph’s, at your own places (if you send me a link I will start a list of who is saying what), at bfp’s or wherever you want. (This post, by the way, is part of the Year of the Manatee (or The Manatee Uprising), which I will explain at another time.)
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Thursday, January 03, 2008 by Nanette “The world’s eyes are on Kenya as we usher in the New Year, perched on the edge of an abyss, an abyss beyond which we could plunge into darkness and death.” Walking Into The New Year, collaborative article.
More from Kenya Imagine.
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Monday, December 17, 2007 This’n That - Newsy Bits In No Particular Order by Nanette Just things I've come across over the past few days but have not written about, and might never do so. Still, some are interesting or informative or even, sometimes, important. Hopefully, the beginning of a trend. New Jersey abolishes the death penalty: TRENTON — Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed into law a measure repealing New Jersey’s death penalty on Monday, making the state the first in a generation to abolish capital punishment. Mr. Corzine also issued an order commuting the sentences of the eight men on New Jersey’ death row to life in prison with no possibility of parole, ensuring that they will stay behind bars for the rest of their lives. In an extended and often passionate speech from his office at the state capitol, Mr. Corzine declared an end to what he called “state-endorsed killing,” and said that New Jersey could serve as a model for other states. “Today New Jersey is truly evolving,” he said. “I believe society first must determine if its endorsement of violence begets violence, and if violence undermines our commitment to the sanctity of life. To these questions, I answer yes.” New Jersey has not executed anyone since 1963, when Ralph Hudson was put to death in the electric chair for stabbing of his estranged wife. It's the states that kill the most people who will be the last ones to end this barbaric practice, I'm pretty sure. The stench of racism emanating from the Clinton campaign has not gone unnoticed: Hillary Clinton can kiss my Black vote goodbye
Bill Clinton on Charlie Rose about Obama - ' Who does he think he is?'
I don't actually agree with the poster on some stuff, related to Hillary Clinton's experience, and so on. Such as the intimation that her entire professional life is due to who she is married to. This may be true of her political life (although, no matter how or why first elected, she has definitely worked hard in her Senate career), but not her professional one. A roundup of a few roundups: Sylvia has a couple: Clever Title (For a News Round-Up) And Kai: Roundup — A Global Racket Demands A Global Justice Movement Also via Kai: Having been made aware of my own privilege, due to this comment at feministe, I will now attempt to describe the youtube video! But the Story of Stuff site also gives much written information. Basically... who pays for the stuff we buy? It's not us - the prices we pay for many items barely cover the rent of the shelf space they are on, let alone all the other costs (salaries, so on). So, who does wind up paying for our (Western, I guess) cheap goods? Er... The Story of Stuff. added - I almost forgot Free Rice! Excellent game where you can waste time and help feed the world all at once! I played it daily for a bit, but then got bored - it got too easy to make it to 50 and stay there (repetition will do that for you). I've been playing it every couple of days again now, though, just so I can donate some rice. I wish someone would do this for bicycles and other things as well. Try it, it's fun! |
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I’m not all that interested in politics now that the election is over - the endless speculation over possible appointees and such is just mind-numbing - but, still…
A new book, The Atlas of the Real World, has redrawn the map giving vivid new insights and bringing economic, social and environmental data to life.
And you know what? I’ve decided that’s okay - because, while who is president of the US and which party controls the congress, which laws are made or, more importantly these days, upheld and followed by those in the highest office, and who appoints the Supreme Court members… while all of that does matter, it’s not the be all that ends all. And it’s not there that real changes get made. Not the deep, structural changes anyway. That takes more than laws and much more than politicians and more than doing the same old things in the same old ways. 