Thus far, we are affiliated with a nice little quorum of different MySpace groups, bands and individual profiles promoting different ideals and lifestyles. Some groups we are connected with in the MySpace network include Turn Your Back on Bush , riots not diets , Jewish/Arab Peace , Download Fahrenheit 911 here! , Athiests , Wipe Out Racism , Big Oil , Anti-Hate League , anti-authoritarians , underground artist network , Red Radical & Progressive Women , Food Not Bombs , WMDs , Your Murder Translation , reds , United States , destroy big brother , KillRadio , Register to Vote!!!!!!! , Indie Kids , Rising Dissent , ParEcon , Feminists , Vegans! , Animal Liberation Front , The Census Bureau , Natural Me , Revolutionary Hearts , Does it hurt? , Political Pagans , Athiest and Agnostic Group , Poetic Stimulation ,
Rebel Art Grrrlz , GC Records , BOYCOTT SHELL , Get Rid of Bush! , axiom , Liberation NOW! , Burn This Racist System Down , milesonend , Antihipster League , Blacks In Black , Florida Lesbians , Rise Against the New World Order , kids against combs , Animal Truth , Banned In DC , Critical Thought , xX407Xx , Bushless in 2004 , Dischord , Revolutionary Hearts , lesbianzgayz , The Loyal Nine , Crimson Spectre , Animal Defense League , MOVEON.ORG , GLBTQA Ohio , Activist Group , SPOKEN-BROKEN-POETIC WORDSLINGERS , Debate , The Workers Front Organization , Anarchist Collective , pro-active , No Ego Posi ID ,
Con$umer Whore , Vegetarian , we loathe george w. bush , United for Peace and Enlightenment and the
seemingly
endless
George
W
Bush
spoof
profiles
on MySpace.
Though these groups are connected to us, the views expressed on their pages do not necessarily reflect the views of the Consortium, and at times the viewpoints are even contradictory. You can find these groups in our "Friends" section. If you are interested in becoming a group contact with the Consortium, or know of a group that you think would, please send us a message.
Current Cause for Action
Save Darfur.org
Nearly three years into the crisis, the western Sudanese region of Darfur is acknowledged to be a humanitarian and human rights tragedy of the first order. The humanitarian, security and political situation continue to deteriorate: atrocities continue, people are still dying in large numbers of malnutrition and disease, and a new famine is feared. According to reports by the World Food Program, the United Nations and the Coalition for International Justice, 3.5 million people are now hungry, 2.5 million have been displaced due to violence, and 400,000 people have died in Darfur thus far. The international community is failing to protect civilians or to influence the Sudanese government to do so. Open warfare erupted in Darfur in early 2003 when the two loosely allied rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), attacked military installations. This was followed closely by peace agreements brokered by the United States to end the twenty-year-old civil war in the south of Sudan which allocated government positions and oil revenue to the rebels in the south. At that time rebels in Darfur, seeking an end to the region's chronic economic and political marginalization, also took up arms to protect their communities against a twenty-year campaign by government-backed militias recruited among groups of Arab extraction in Darfur and Chad. These "Janjaweed" militias have over the past year received government support to clear civilians from areas considered disloyal to the Sudanese government. Militia attacks and a scorched-earth government offensive has led to massive displacement, indiscriminate killings, looting and mass rape, all in infringement of the 1949 Geneva Convention that prohibits attacks on civilians. Currently, the organisation is working on getting together a rally in Washington, DC, on the 30th of April this year. Go to SaveDarfur.org to learn more about the crisis, and to find out what you can do. The website keeps current information about the crisis, as well as some Darfur Awareness items it has for sale, including A 21st Century Genocide available on DVD.
Current MySpace Group Highlight
The PaperRoot Consortium
Well, this is a shameless plug here for the group page of the PaperRoot Consortium, but some of you might not be aware of this extension of the PRC. Consortium members post articles of importance and opinions. I'm not going to lie and say it's well-managed, as it isn't (hey, at least I'm honest), but for the most part there aren't a whole lot of people trying to incite or bait anyone (well, there's only been maybe one or two out of... a thousand or so members). Feel free to go and be informed, as well as to inform others.
I'd like to meet:
The PaperRoot Consortium was started by someone who wanted a group designed to make people more aware of what's going on around them, and perhaps spur them into thought and action. The biggest contribution to this profile comes from YOU, the Consortium member! If you have a social, economic or political issue to discuss, feel free to post it on the forum or the comments section on this profile or our public profile/forum at http://groups.myspace.com/paperroot . We also welcome original articles written by our members on pertinant issues, local and global.
If you're interested in getting down with the Consortium by becoming a member, let us know or just add us to your "Friends" listing. If you're already a member, be sure to subscribe to our Blog section so you don't miss any news articles or posts.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Not in Our Name: Orlando, FL [reoccurring] - The new Orlando chapter of the Not in Our Name Project will be having meetings every Sunday at 8 pm. The meetings take place at Lake Eola Park (Washington Street and Rosalind Avenue). For more details, please visit the OrlandoNION Yahoo Group or go to the website for Orlando Not in Our Name .
Saturday Anti-War Protests: Brea, CA [reoccurring] - Invoked by Bush's recent State of the Union Address, citizens opposing war with Iraq, Syria and Iran will convene on the corner of Imperial Highway and Brea Blvd in Brea, California. The goal is to spread out until we line Imperial from OC to LA. Refer to this blog post for further information and developments. Men and women of action will be out there from 11 am until 3 pm every Saturday. Doughnuts available for the early birds.
Peace Vigils at the Capitol: St Paul, MN [reoccurring] - Join us at noon on the last Monday of the month as we share our vision for peace in our hearts, our neighborhoods, our nation and our world. We'll be at the Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda (indoors) on Martin Luther King Drive. Please, no food, drink or candles. Signs and banners must be handheld or on the floor (no sticks). For questions or comments, contact Linda Winsor at [email protected].
Peace Vigil: Lakeland, FL [reoccurring] - Polk County Citizens for Peace and Justice is hosting a peace vigil every Saturday at 1 pm in the Southgate shopping center. You can find directions on the UFPJ website , or you can contact Peggy Campbell at [email protected]. Please bring signs to show your support.
Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping: New York, NY [reoccurring] - Every last Wednesday of every month The Church of Stop Shopping holds an outrageous gospel revival service at St Marks Church (e10th at 2nd Ave in NYC). Get more information at www.revbilly.com .
International Socialists U of A Meeting: Edmonton, Alberta [reoccurring] - The International Socialists (I.S.) believe in striving for a socialist society in which wealth is produced to satisfy human needs, not corporate profit. The U of A campus I.S. are part of the International Socialist tendency, a network of Socialist groups workld wide. I.S. Edmonton works at a local and international level to affect positive change in the world. Join us weekly to discuss the issues, plan events, and work for action. We meet every Thursday at the University of Alberta Humanities Centre 2-19. Contact Rod at is_edmonton (at} yahoo (dot) com.
Peace Vigil: Middlebury, VT [reoccurring] - The vigil meets Saturdays, 10:30 - 11 am in Triangle Park.
Critical Mass Ride: Austin, TX [reoccurring] - We meet at the West Mall of the University of Texas @ 5pm every last Friday of the month (Guadalupe and 23rd). The Austin Critical Mass goals include encouraging people in Austin to consider using bicycles as alternative to cars, helping necessitate the need for more bike lanes throughout the Austin metro area and creating attention, a platform and a voice for alternative transportation, (mainly bicyclists and supporters of a better mass transit system) in Austin. Please come for your own reason. Do not come, or not come for reasons due to other people's beliefs or disbeliefs. Come on your own terms for your own reason and have fun!
Third Thursday Peace Rally: Port Huron, MI - Every third Thursday of the month, we will be hosting a visualization event used to remind the public that Americans and Iraqis are dying in this unjust war. We use creative signage to get our message across to thousands of passers-by at the busy intersection of Sanborn and Pine Grove Streets in Port Huron, Michigan. We'll meet at 4 pm.
Weekly Anti-War Vigil To Support Cindy Sheehan: Charlotte, NC [reoccurring] - Every Saturday, antiwar activists, veterans, community organizers, and military families will gather at the busy intersection of Central Ave & Sharon Amity Rd (near Eastland Mall) for a vigil in solidarity with Cindy Sheehan. We will gather near Eastland Mall at 1:00 pm for a "Camp Casey - Charlotte." The Action Center For Justice calls on all those that want to end war & occupation to demonstrate their solidarity with Cindy Sheehan on Saturday. Go to Action Center for Justice to get more details.
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Campus Greens 2006 National Convention: Tucson, AZ [27-29 July] - Campus Greens will be hosting their annual national meeting on the University of Arizona's campus in Tucson. Events will be held at the University throughout Saturday, July 28th, culminating with a joint party of Green Party folk and CGers. We will be meeting to elect a new Steering Committee, decide on one or two national campaigns for the Fall '06 semester, develop resources, and anything else we feel like doing! If you'd like to host a workshop, please email us asap so we can schedule you in. Also, you can contact us if you'd like to help out in any way. For convention registration, please email your name, school, how many people are coming with you (estimate) and if you'll need housing to [email protected] with "Convention Registration" in the subject heading. Also, we're asking for donations on a sliding scale from $5 - $20 to help us cover costs (though no one will be turned away). Thanks!
Central Florida Social Justice Gathering: Orlando, FL [5 August] - The Central Florida Social Justice Gathering is coming up on August 5 in Orlando (location information on the website at http://floridasocialjustice.com ). This gathering, free thanks to supporting funders, grew out of a 2004 funder visit with representatives from organizations throughout the state. This is our opportunity to meet as equals, both social justice organizations and individual activists, to discuss our joint vision for the state, our collective resources and what it would take for us transform the unbalanced social, economic, and political agenda that currently puts Florida at the top of the nation's poorest states. Space may be limited so please, if you haven't yet done so, send in your registration materials now and be sure to include some of your accomplishments on the survey form. We've all done good work throughout the state and this is our opportunity to come together as a group and to see how we can build upon this work in order to develop statewide regional power. Let's make sure that our collective agenda is both heard and respected. Please view the MySpace invitation , hosted by the Quaker Peace Center .
Workshop with Disinformation Author Graham Hancock: Rhinebeck, NY [11-13 August] - Spend the weekend with Graham Hancock, best selling author of the upcoming Disinformation book Supernatural. Appearing at the Omega Institute in New York the weekend of August 11 - 13. The MySpace invitation can be viewed here. Further information regarding this event is available at the Omega Institute website.
New Aeon Socialist Movement Activist Meeting: San Diego, CA [18 August] - On Friday, 18 August, at 5:30 pm, we will be meeting in Balboa Park behind the World Beat Center in San Diego. This meeting is to organize and unite people with a long term perspective for world peace! It will be hosted by The New Aeon Socialist Movement . You can RSVP on MySpace by following this link.
Marrow For Live Drive: Kissimmee, FL [19 August] - MARROW FOR LIFE is a campaign of the Rich Cronin Hope Foundation through which we are promising to facilitate the addition of 500 names to the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. The NMDP is the national registry which matches prospective bone marrow donors with patients who are in need of a bone marrow transplant and do not have viable matching donors in their own family. Please come down and register with the NMDP. A simple screening will record your HLA type on the registry and give someone out there the hope of another tomorrow. Registering at one of our drives is NO COST TO YOU. The Rich Cronin Hope Foundation is funding the necessary tests to get you on the registry. IT IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE. AND IT IS REALLY THAT IMPORTANT! We will be registering people at the Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee, Florida. Our MySpace invitation has the address as well as a link to a map where we will be. We'll be there on Saturday, August 19th at 10 am.
FTM 2006, A Gender Odyssey: Seattle, WA [1-4 September] - Gender Odyssey is a national conference for masculine-identified people who were assigned female gender at birth. Gender Odyssey is a place for us to gather together, share our lives, learn from one another, and celebrate our communities. This conference offers over 60 workshops addressing the practical aspects of trans lives, including: legal issues; intersections of race and gender; coming out to family and friends; transitioning at work; hormones and surgery; and dating, sex, and relationships. Accompanying events include a vendor fair, art exhibit, BBQ, cabaret, all-ages dance, and more. We are actively looking for skilled facilitators for our Town Meeting discussions. For more information on this event, please visit www.transconference.org to view the latest news and updates, or to register .
River City Rocks-A Benefit for Darfur: Richmond, VA [23 September] - 10 of the best bands from across America,
10 of the funniest comedians alive,
20 of the best food vendors in Virginia,
Tons of activities like Rock Climbing Walls, Laser Tag, Giant Gyrosphere;
1 chance for you to make a difference in Darfur.
The West 4th St. Agency presents "River City Rocks," a Benefit for Darfur. It will be from 12 noon until 8 pm on Saturday, September 23rd, at Brown's Island in Richmond, Virginia. You can view the MySpace invitation and see the MySpace profile for this important event.
If you have an upcoming event you would like to publicise on the PaperRoot Consortium, please refer to this post before sending us a message. Please keep in mind some of the above events may be modified or cancelled without notice. Feel free to add further details about these and other events in the comments section below. Go on, get active.
Movies:
WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price , At the Edge of Conquest: The Journey of Chief Wai-Wai , Baked Alaska , Bowling For Columbine , Coverup: Behind the Iran Contra Affair , Deconstructing Supper , The Take , Destination Nicaragua , Drowned Out , Fahrenheit 9/11 , OutFoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism , Mardi Gras: Made in China , Pixote , The Revolution Will Not Be Televised , Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town , Super Size Me , Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion , Uncovered: The War in Iraq , The Weather Underground , Darfur Diaries , The Corporation and many more.
Feel free to include your film suggestions in our comments section.
Books:
There are many books that feature all sorts of information about current events and the histories that mainstream education tends to ignore. If you're looking for books like these, or other written information, the internet has many sites which make them available.
Soft Skull Press puts out many books on a variety of topics, from poetry and politics to music and memoirs. Titles include Bomb the Suburbs! , A Disjointed Search for the Will to Live , Bend, Don’t Shatter , Hey Kidz! Buy This Book: A Radical Primer on Corporate and Governmental Propaganda and Artistic Activism for Short People and Get Your War On .
Disinformation is well-known for putting out You Are Being Lied To and Everything You Know is Wrong , books compiling essays from various writiers such as Noam Chomsky, Ariana Huffington, John Taylor Gatto and Greg Palast. Along with other books, the site also features DVDs put out by the Disinformation Company, Ltd, as well as other features such as e-mail hosting, an online store and personals (!).
Spunk Library collects and distributes literature in electronic format, with an emphasis on anarchism and related issues. This is a wonderful resource for people looking for articles and also for those interested in submitting works.
Atomic Books hoards loads upon loads of comics, books and other forms of media. The store is located in the US, and features pretty much everything from art to zine collections. You can find titles such as America Beyond Capitalism , Alarm magazine , ...Last Meal , Clitourist and DIY booklets like this one .
Writers and Readers Publishing has been releasing many books for beginners curious about history, philosophy and notable individuals. Even though these books are in comic format, these are serious and engaging works that are very helpful in understanding, say, the Black Panthers or Zen Buddhism.
AK Press is one of the largest places to go for books online featuring topics like Globalization, the Russian Revolution, Animal Rights and Film. Their catalogue is immense, filled with books such as For Workers’ Power , All City: The Book About Taking Space , Comments on the Society of the Spectacle , Dear Motorist and Heretic’s Guide To The Bible .
Also, a recently published book may be of interest to some of our Consortium members. It's called Confessions of an Economic Hit Man , and you can catch an excerpt from the book. Other books of note include Don't Eat This Book and Food Politics .
In regards to magazines, many of the articles featured in the PaperRoot Consortium are from the websites of rags like Mother Jones , Bitch Magazine , The Nation , Adbusters , The Progressive , Z Magazine and In These Times .
Heroes:
For ways to learn more and get active in regards to many of the issues that are out there, visit sites on the web such as Amnesty International , League of Conservation Voters , Think Progress , Students for a Free Tibet , NORML , White House For Sale.org , Indigenous Media Network , The Worldwide Critical Mass Hub , People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals , National Organization for Women , Mindfully.org , The Nation's "Act Now!" section , The American Medical Student Association , AFL-CIO , The Fund for Animals , TV Turnoff Network , NARAL , CorpWatch , Antiwar.com , British Humanist Association , Tebtebba , Socialist Alliance , www.december18.net , American Civil Liberties Union , Derechos Human Rights , Free Tibet Campaign , Workers Rights Consortium , Idealist.org , Activism.net , War Resisters League and Human Rights Campaign . Voting is also something that is encouraged by the Consortium (US residents, visit Declare Yourself ).
For the more direct approach, we also encourage protests and demonstrations, such as those you can find being cooked up at United For Peace and Justice . Take a look at our Calendar of Upcoming Events to see if there's anything happeing in your area. Also, you can stop having your money fund politics you don't like. Find out more on how your consumer dollar, euro or yen is connected to geopolitics, world poverty and unfair treatment to animals by visiting websites such as Make Trade Fair , BuyBlue.org , Get Ethical , Vegan Essentials , Campaign for Labor Rights , Fair Trade Federation , Organic Trade Association , Fair Trade Resource Network , Co-op America , Vegan Unlimited , The Ethical Company Organisation , Organic Consumers Association , Ethical Consumer , Equal Exchange , No Sweat! , No Sweat Apparel , Organic Europe and Tropical Traditions . Get out and get active.
One more thing: more young people should run for office , or at least more progressive people . Go on and find out what it takes to run for mayor in your area.
