Toughest Immigration Law Signed in Arizona

Grabbed this from the NYTimes:

“PHOENIX — Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona signed the toughest illegal immigration law in the country on Friday, aimed at identifying, prosecuting and deporting illegal immigrants. The governor’s move unleashed immediate protests and reignited the divisive battle over immigration reform nationally.”

This move drew a line in the sand and prompted some harsh criticism of Governor Brewer, including a statement from President Obama:

“The recent efforts in Arizona…threatened to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.”

What do yall think?

Posted by:

Sam Patton

What I learned at the White House

On Tuesday, I visited the White House with the Generational Alliance, representing LYVEF at a Youth Roundtable on Jobs and the Economy. Representing the White House were Valarie Jarrett, Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President for Inter-governmental Affairs and Public Engagement; Brian Deese, Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy; Christina “Tina” Chen, the president-elect’s director of public liaisons; and Harold and Kumar actor Kal Penn, who serves as the Associate Director in the Office of Public Engagement.

Right now, the House and Senate are debating the Miller Jobs bill which will provide funding to prevent job loss in communities, create job training programs, and support public sector jobs. Christina Hollenback, Executive Director of the Generational Alliance gave stats about the Joblessness for 16-24 year old black males which has reached Great depression proportions of 34.5 percent in October, more than three times the rate for the General population. The Jobless rate for young black men and women is 30.5 percent. It was a powerful meeting discussing next steps for our organizations and communities that we represent. … Continue Reading

Posted by:

CJ

Who shall Bell the Cat Now?

Have you ever been shook to your core?

Or, experienced a feeling so impactful that it makes your gut wrench?

This was the type of blow that I felt just moments ago. It was as if someone had punched me in my stomach so hard, that it had taken all of my breath away. Huh, huh, huh, I even pant now, as if I just crossed the finish line of a five mile marathon.

The loop of CNN’s Tony Harris plays constantly in my head. “Lady and gentlemen, I am sad to announce the death of civil rights leader, Benjamin Lawson Hooks.” What? Are you serious? Not Mr. Hooks? Not the greatest past President of the NAACP in post-modern history? Not the last living one who helped Thurgood Marshall to develop the NAACP’s famous litigation strategies? Not the one who took the reins of leadership from civil rights great, Roy Wilkins? Tony, you should know better than that; I mean that is not the type of news that you just spring on a brother.  How can he be? Mr. Hooks is like the grandfather of the NAACP, and having grown up in that association, that made him like a grandfather to me.

… Continue Reading

Posted by:

Jabari Paul

Playing Good Cop15

From my friend Christina Polcari:

What if Obama announced a plan today that promised green jobs for our urban youth, window panes and lower energy bills, urban gardens and lower medical bills, clean air and clean streets?

The Yes Men dare us to think so. They dare us to imagine the world is as we wanted it just for a minute. Earlier this week in Copenhagen, Canada dropped jaws when it announced a radical reversal of its climate change policy at the COP15. It was exactly the kind of action the world has been waiting for–bold and badass. But it was all a prank, compliments of the Yes Men.

We wanted a global deal out of the COP15. The Yes Men put the spotlight on countries standing in the way to publicly humiliate them. Because the people, the media, and the UN responded, and for a moment, we saw the change we believe in.

Last night, Jayme and Mahfam sat on the rogue Yes Men stage at the “Good COP15″ to tell our leaders about how urban communities are building a better environment and a better economy. People working together on projects like Green the Hood are the true agents of change.

This week, Mahfam has made us realize we need to go back home and “blow up our efforts and take them to the next level…to scale the movement.” She’s absolutely right. Coming from a global conference, to me, the next level looks more local. Our leaders can and must take bolder action but we have to do even more at home to show them exactly what that action looks like. Here’s to the next steps for our communities, the ones to scale the movement and to give our leaders no room to budge.

Posted by:

Heather Box

Heather and Jayme: Live From #COP15, Blowin Up The Radio Dial!

Heather Box and Jayme Montgomery on Davey D’s Hard Knock Radio

Check out this interview about COP15 and the talks in Copenhagen, aired on 12/17/2009 on Davey D’s Hard Knock Radio. Jayme and Heather talk about the mood of the conference as well as some of the intense protests they saw. Hard Knock Radio airs every day at 4PM on KPFA: check out the page for the show here!

Also, check out this clip from Heather, interviewed on 12/18/2009 on the KPFA Morning Show:

Heather Box on the KPFA Morning Show – 12/18/09

Heather talks about the general atmosphere in Copenhagen and the mood after President Obama’s speech about the climate negotiations. The KPFA Morning Show airs every weekday at 7:00 AM Pacific time on KPFA: check out the page for the show here!

Posted by:

Steve Romain