World Rising! (and Some Mind Boggling Facts)

May Day in Madrid- tens of thousands protesting austerity measures                                        AP image

Protestors lay down flowers in front of Oakland police    Image Occupy Wall St

The 99% take over Broadway in NYC            James Fassinger, The Guardian

You would never know it from watching mainstream media, but tens of thousands took to the streets in the US and in countries all over the world on Tuesday, International Workers' Day, to demand an end to austerity measures (in Europe), better wages, immigrant rights and overall fairness for the 99%!

May Day has been associated with workers' rights for over a century. Occupy called for a general strike- a day without the 99%. Locally, there was a march from Vassar to the Poughkeepsie Family Partnership. Organizers asked people to wear white to celebrate "the spirit behind the shared struggles of workers and immigrants for dignified living conditions and basic human rights." If anyone has photos please share them!

The Oakland Police Dept fired multiple rounds of tear gas and flash bang grenades on the protestors there, even though they were laying flowers at their feet. Ironically, on that same day, a federal judge ordered the city of Oakland and its police to submit a plan to address how they handled Occupy protests last Fall. A report by an outside monitor said the police used "an overwhelming military-type response" during the demonstrations. OPD received over 1,000 misconduct complaints during the Occupy protests.

Facts that Boggle the Mind

Thanks to the Supreme Court's disastrous Citizen United decision, 96% of all contributions to Super PACs were of $10,000 or more and made by 1,097 people- which means that .00035% of the population will have an undo influence on our elections.

The Tennessee GOP is firmly in crazy land. The state House passed a bill that characterizes  miscarriage as murder and the House Education Committee passed a Don't Say Gay bill that can imprison a teacher for talking about LGBT issues. It is now law in Tennessee that creationism can be taught as an "alternative scientific theory" and the state Senate passed a bill that categorizes hand holding as a gateway sexual activity. But perhaps worst of all, some Tennessee lawmakers oppose an anti-cyber bullying bill. One said suicides of teens was not caused by bullying but by bad parenting.

The Texas Attorney General said Planned Parenthood is essentially a terrorist organization.

US drone strikes have killed 3,000 including hundreds of civilians and many are in countries we are not at war with- Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. In this country, metropolitan police and county sheriffs are acquiring drones for SWAT operations, which have the capability of having grenade launchers and 12 gauge shotguns mounted on them.

Eighty percent of all antibiotics in the US end up in the livestock people eat, creating antibiotic resistant bacteria that kill tens of thousands each year. The antibiotics stimulate growth and are needed because of the cramped, filthy conditions of factory farms. They also add arsenic to chicken feed to obtain the pink color consumers like. Scientists also found the active ingredient in Tylenol and Benedryl, Prozac (to reduce the anxiety of their hellish lives) and caffeine (to keep them awake at night so they eat and fatten up). Eat organic, go vegetarian, go vegan! End Factory Farming!

Tennessee doesn't have a monopoly on outlandish legislation. In North Carolina, Republicans are pushing Amendment 1, the gay marriage ban that would also ban any cohabitation without marriage. An assistant district attorney says it would also remove vital domestic violence protections. This past Sunday, churches preached for passage of Amendment 1 (if they are doing politics why do they get a tax exemption?). One pastor was caught telling parents to punch "girly" four year olds and to "break their limp wrists".

What do Gov Rick Perry, Justice Scalia, a Utah republican senator and Utah republican candidate for Senate have in common? They all want to to repeal the 17th amendment so Americans would not be able to elect their own senators! They would be elected by state legislators instead.

A leading bee research firm blamed pesticides for bee colony collapse. Monsanto's GM Round Up Ready crops have increased pesticide use. Monsanto bought the bee research firm.

At least 50% of shrimp in one area of the Gulf are born with no eyes or eye sockets. There are also many other deformities, like tumors on fish heads, claw-less crabs, and fish with lesions. Fishermen, scientists and seafood processors say they have never seen anything like it. BP says the abnormalities have always been there.

On April 18 the House Agricultural Com passed a bill that would end free school meals for 280,000 children.

Action is the antidote to despair! Get involved, stay informed, educate others, take to the streets!