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RADICALS VOCAL IN RENEWING ACTIVISM
UNC-CH events at the epicenter
By Jesse James DeConto - Staff Writer
Published: Thu, Apr. 30, 2009 02:00AM
Modified Thu, Apr. 30, 2009 05:56AM


RALEIGH -- Activists from the Mayview Collective couldn't protest anti-immigration speaker Tom Tancredo at UNC-Chapel Hill two weeks ago. They were busy protesting Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers at N.C. State.

They were dogging Rogers again April 20 in Charlotte when fellow activists from Chapel Hill and Carrboro invited them to protest another former congressman's coming to UNC-CH to speak against illegal immigration.

These are among the Triangle's radical left, idealists for whom liberal is not enough.

They held a funeral for capitalism on Franklin Street. They've protested coal-fired plants near Asheville, military recruiting in Chapel Hill, environmental racism in southwestern Wake County and "land grabs" on the coast.

"All struggles against oppression are really linked," said Haley Koch, 22, a UNC-CH senior who was arrested after the Tancredo event and has butted horns with developers over gentrification. "If there are things that bind us, it's our sense of need to create social change."

Three Mayview activists and three from Orange County were arrested eight days after Tancredo's visit on charges of disorderly conduct, accused of "loud and boisterous talking and yelling" during a talk by former Virginia congressman Virgil Goode.

Chancellor Holden Thorp, the ACLU and civil-rights activists past and present have condemned the protesters for violating free speech. The protesters say Tancredo, Goode and their sponsor, Youth for Western Civilization, stand for racism and white supremacy.

"The students in opposition are being branded as threats to freedom of speech," said Attila Nemecz, 28, an organizer with Mayview's umbrella organization Action for Community in Raleigh. "This is a liberal smokescreen for tolerating and perpetuating the oppression of immigrants."

Fighting 'The Man'

Today's polite liberals would appear to share common ground with the activists. But they don't go far enough. For the more radical activists, examples of "The Man" include:

Thorp, a guitar-playing university chancellor who frequents a Carrboro food co-op but apologized for the protesters' actions.

Greenbridge Development, a team of environmental builders the activists see as intruding into a historically black neighborhood.

Rogers, an energy executive who promotes clean power but is building new coal-burning plants until his company can afford green technologies.

"When you see that disconnect, your two options are to either fight against it or to accept it," said Ben Pearlstine, 22, who lives at Mayview, a six-member commune attached to the ACRe headquarters near Cameron Village in Raleigh. "Acceptance ... just isn't something that I'm OK with doing."

Pearlstine has no criminal record in North Carolina, but three of his housemates were arrested for shouting at Goode. Pearlstine said the trio refused to talk to the media because they fear reprisals by white nationalist groups.

Andrea Bazán of Durham, who leads the National Council of La Raza, can attest that fear is valid.

Someone broke into her home on the night after the Tancredo protest and left a note implying her organization was to blame. She opposes Tancredo's anti-immigrant rhetoric but said the protesters went too far.

"The way to address it is not by ... shutting down a speaker," Bazán said.

Civil-rights activist Dan Pollitt, Kenan professor emeritus at UNC's law school, said Carolina students have a long history of protest movements, but even Malcolm X and David Duke, two men at opposite poles of the bitter battle for desegregation, were allowed to speak on campus. "There'd be tough questions and boos and hollering, but they always listened," said Pollitt. "It was hostile, but no one suggested [they] leave the stage or anything."

jesse.deconto@newsobserver.com or 919-932-8760

Classic "Watchmen" 80's Saturday morning cartoon:



thanks daysofthegun! ;)

oh its supposed to say 3/10/08 btw

my birthday party is this friday. yay! ill be 24.

"I remember when Kurt Cobain died!"

FUCK

YES

ERIK

PETERSEN


FUCKIN FINALLY GET TO SEE THIS DUDE!! LIKE, SORT OF IN MY BASEMENT (does that sound creepy?)

Tell yer peeps about this shit

sup

As of last night i am no longer a pink-head. I'll post pics when I get dressed.

Hai guise, who r u voting for?

"Mountaintop Removal-The True Cost of Coal" - presented by the Beehive Design Collective

Sat. Oct. 18th
4-6pm
@ Action for Community in Raleigh
2419 Mayview Rd.
Raleigh NC 27607

On tour with giant, portable murals, the Bees aim to draw the connections between colonial history and present day struggles against corporate globalization, violence, and racism. The Beehive creates anticopyright graphics as tools for popular analysis, education and organizing. Our presentations and workshops are an accessible format for unpacking how resource extraction, militarization and industrial development in the Western Hemisphere are all interconnected and part of the 'big picture'.

Our WORKSHOPS engage participants in collective storytelling and analysis. We also offer PICTURE-LECTURES and are available for longer term RESIDENCIES. This coming Fall we are visiting multiple regions of the United States and Pacific Canada simultaneously.

The Bees use Mountaintop Removal coal mining in Appalachia as a lens through which to understand the historical and contemporary
story of energy and resource extraction accelerating throughout the world- devastating land-based communities and critters, poisoning the rest of us, and fueling climate disaster. Looking to the future, the Bees raise questions about resistance, regeneration, and remediation while sharing stories of struggle from mountain communities. Learn more about this campaign as it unfolds at beehivecollective.blogspot.com.

THE TRUE COST OF COAL preview tour will also include material from two previously-released graphic narratives about FREE TRADE and PLAN COLOMBIA, as well as a work-in-progress that illustrates grassroots struggles for justice and autonomy in Central America, MESOAMERICA RESISTE. Many common themes are woven throughout each Beehive graphic, all of which are collaboratively researched through dialogue with affected communities.


******DONATIONS GREATLY APPRECIATED*******!!
The travel cost to bring the 'Hive here is $200, so that's how much we event organizers have to raise in donations from folks like you and out of our own pockets, in order to provide economically accessible events at ACRe. If you have the means to do so please plan on donating at the event. Thank you!



http://www.beehivecollective.org/
http://www.raleighaction.com

I'm back! :)

god its good to be home.

'tis the epic battle which henceforth rages forever upon my back.

I am still in a lot of pain but very pleased with the result.

COSTUMES ENCOURAGED

also, reposted from daysofthegun's myspace-

Subject: I find McCain's views on technology refreshing...
Body:

Ugh, my lip hurts :(

we're packing the pickup truck & leaving miami tomorrow. Im updating from bens iPhone. Last nite saw Kimya Dawson play w/ Paul baribeau. Lotsa little hipster teenyboppers. Made me feel old & outta the loop. Had no idea this Juno movie was such a hit.

I love you miamians. Thank you for being my friend.

Black Guy Asks Nation For Change

CHICAGO—According to witnesses, a loud black man approached a crowd of some 4,000 strangers in downtown Chicago Tuesday and made repeated demands for change.

"The time for change is now," said the black guy, yelling at everyone within earshot for 20 straight minutes, practically begging America for change. "The need for change is stronger and more urgent than ever before. And only you—the people standing here today, and indeed all the people of this great nation—only you can deliver this change."

It is estimated that, to date, the black man has asked every single person in the United States for change.

"I've already seen this guy four times today," Chicago-area ad salesman Blake Gordon said. "Every time, it's the same exact spiel. 'I need change.' 'I want change.' Why's he so eager for all this change? What's he going to do with it, anyway?"


After his initial requests for change, the black man rambled nonstop on a variety of unrelated topics, calling for affordable health care, demanding that the government immediately begin withdrawing troops from Iraq, and proposing a $75 billion economic stimulus plan to create new jobs.

"What a wacko," Schaumburg, IL resident Patrick Morledge said. "And, of course, after telling us all about how he had the ability to magically fix everything, he went right back to asking for change. Typical."

"If he's really looking for change, he's got the wrong guy," Morledge added.

Reports indicate that the black man has been riding from city to city across the country, asking for change wherever he goes. Citizens in Austin, TX said they spotted the same guy standing on the street Friday, shouting far-fetched ideas about global warming. Cleveland residents also reported seeing him in a local park, wildly gesticulating and quoting from the Bible. And last week, patrons at the Starlight Diner in Cheyenne, WY claimed that the black man accosted them while they were eating, repeatedly requesting change.

"I saw him walk in and I knew he was headed straight for our table," said mother of three Gladys Davies. "He just stood there smiling at us for a while, and asked how our food tasted. Then he went and did the same thing at the next table over. The nerve of some people."

Those who encountered the black man Tuesday said he engaged in erratic behavior, including pointing at random people in the crowd and desperately saying he needs their help, going up to complete strangers and hugging them, and angrily claiming that he is not looking for just a little bit of change, but rather a great deal of change, and that he wants it "right now."

"I'll be honest, when that black guy said he would 'stop at nothing' to get change, it kind of scared me," local mechanic Phil Nighbert said. "Just leave me alone."

Though many were taken aback by the black man's brazen demands, some, such as Jackson, MS's Holly Moser, sympathized with him. She gave the black man credit for boldly standing up and asking every last person around him for change.

"I told him I'd give him some if I saw him later, even though I probably won't," Moser said. "Very nice man, though."

Most, however, ignored his requests.

"I'm a hardworking American who pays his taxes, and the last thing I need is some guy on the street demanding change from me," said William Overkamp, a Springfield, IL gun-shop owner.

He added, "What he really needs is a job."

MY GOING-AWAY PARTY!! REPUBLICORPSE/AGGROCRAG SHOW!! TAKE BACK THE LAND FUNDRAISER!!

Yes, that's right. Ben and I are moving outta Miami fer good.  we're leaving to Raleigh, NC on March 27th.

Therefore...


WHOM: Whomever wants to come!

WHAT: Alleycat race after-party/benefit for the Take Back the Land movement/mine and Ben's going-away party/Natalia's going-away party!! Plinko drinking game, Manowar drinking game, non-drinking games for the sXers and substance-free folks, a raffle with fabulous prizes (BMX bike, bass guitar, power-source and video-card for a PC, and much more!). $3 entry, $5 for a cup for the keg(s), $10 for a shotglass for the liquor (with free refills!) Republicorpse and Aggrocrag are slated to perform!!

WHEN: Saturday March 22nd. Nighttime. I guess around 9pm or something? Will probably be goin on til da break of dawn.

WHERE: Julia and Mae's house, 5020 NW 5th Ave, Miami.

WHY: http://takebacktheland. blogspot. com/ Also cuz we want to.



(NOTE- if you start getting crazy with the booze and/or acting like an asshole and/or sexually harassing or assaulting anyone I will confiscate your glass and you might get kicked out and/or get your ass kicked. Leave the sexism and crazy drama at home and please drink responsibly.)


HOPE TO SEE Y'ALL THERE! Call me or message me if you have questions. Don't call me after March 26th, my phone will be useless in Raleigh.

Boy I sure do hate menstruating.

Speaking of which, Poncho and I are having a craft-day this afternoon. I'm gonna come over and use the sewing machine to stitch up some pad patterns I cut out this week, and then sell 'em online or at the craft fairs we're gonna be tabling at every saturday and sunday from now on 'til I move. I just got this new super-absorbent microfiber material, I'm stoked.

It's really nice not having a job. I'm not too worried about bills, I pay about $100/month for cell/land-line/internet/electricity (I have much more than $100 saved up) and we already paid last month's rent + security deposit when we moved into the apartment. I just have to be careful with my spending because I need money for food and bus fare, plus I wanna have a good chunk of money when I move to Raleigh so I don't have to go nuts looking for a job as soon as I get there or end up settling prematurely for some shitty job.

I'm trying to focus on Last Resort, making pads and selling various little things on the internet and at craft fairs.