UNC Charlotte Students for a Democratic Society

By now I expect that most of you know about the simulated raid in Tuscaloosa by members of Students for a Democratic Society and Iraq Veterans Against the War.

Following is a quote from the Crimson White online:

'Dean of Students Tim Hebson, called the protest "disruptive," "alarming" and "mimicking a true emergency."'

What an absolute joke he is. Dean Hebson, I have this to say to you and your kind, the fact that you are not treating the war in Iraq as "disruptive," "alarming" and "[a true emergency.]" makes you complicit in the genocide of ~2,000,000 Iraqis.

This is reprinted from the March 20th Working Group main web site: http://march20sds.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/press-release-1/

Chapters of Students for a Democratic Society and other student and youth organizations from around the country, from the Southeast to the Northwest, will be participating in a call to hold rallies, marches, walkouts and direct actions on campuses during the week of March 17th to 21st, marking the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war.

This historic call to action says, “Every year, there have been protests marking the anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that was launched on the basis of lies and deceit. Students have historically had an especially important role in the struggles against racism and war, and we continue to do so today. Last March, over 80 high schools and colleges answered the call by chapters of Students for a Democratic Society to come together to send one loud resounding NO to the Bush administration and the Republican agenda, to the Democrats who refuse to carry out the mandate of their constituents, and to the University administrations that so often support war efforts.”

I know how we like to stay away from other organizations on campus unless we're organizing a specific event, but few can deny the moving impact the One Campaign has on both a local and international level, and few ailments epitomize the struggle of the people more succinctly than poverty and illness, the effects of which on the global community are becoming increasingly prevalent to those us pampered (with assloads of cheap plastic crap, anyway) in the US. Take a moment to call someone:

http://www.one.org/ontherecordcalls/?id=148-3023611-mg5MAi&t=2

- Marc

Yeah, the LSAT blindsided me on the time limit for two of the sections, but I'm eager to take it again in February. That having been said, I can't even count the number of issues that I've been wanting to address to the SDS community. Though the lack of traffic here may undermine such efforts, the hope of reaching another through common action, however fruitless, is more than worth satisfying.

...one pixel at a time.

Yeah, we've all signed a bajillion petitions regarding this matter, but I think the following link is just as important. And rest assured, since I have the prep course during meeting times until December, I'll be getting back into the swing of posting whatever petitions/senator calls come my way.

https://unccmail.uncc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.kintera.o...

While you're at it, check out Amnesty's Denounce Torture blog:

Because someone at the UTimes was too lazy to include it in the Thursday edition, my latest rant on the Iraq surge went largely unnoticed. I'd like some input from my fellow revolutionaries, so please read it below.

In fact, I ORDER you to read it! You must obey! Why? Because...
http://www.spoonyexperiment.com/rants/AloneInTheDark/iamyourking1xr.gif

Enjoy:

The title should say it all. Because over two million refugees have fled Iraq since the start of the war (with roughly two thousand fleeing each day), our lifelong friends at HumanRightsFirst are trying to petition an act that will lay the groundwork for getting these people food, shelter, and medical assistance as soon as possible. Check it out, sign it, and pass it along.

http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/asylum/lifeline/

- Marc

I've been on the Declaration of Peace mailing list for a while now, and recently they sent me a thorough list of talking points on Iraq. Though they may just be preaching to the choir, I'd recommend checking it out:

http://declarationofpeace.org/campaign-updates/talking-points-for-compre...

- Marc

The protest we had last month was an excellent turnout, but the fight is far from over. On the 29th, a shareholder protest is scheduled in Williamsburg, VA, and I encourage anyone to attend. Don't worry about driving; they've included a thorough bus schedule. Be sure to check out the attached flyer for more details.

Below is the email they sent:

Dear Supporters of Smithfield Workers:
On Wednesday, August 29 supporters from across the state and nation are
mobilizing to stand with Smithfield workers in protest at Smithfield's