season of the bitch

I don’t think that anyone who reads this blog needs a reminder to vote on Tuesday, if you haven’t already, but just in case you need one: DO IT.

I probably won’t be updating much because I’ll be out knocking on doors and hanging out at the polls watching for shenanigans.

Also, go download Greg Palast’s “Steal Back Your Vote” investigative comic, because Palast is my hero and protecting our democracy is both his and my passion.

I’ll try to toss things up on Tumblr as they happen, and no doubt will be twittering.

 I am delighted to share some good news with you! Troy Davis received a stay of execution based on a new last-minute appeal filed this past Wednesday to the federal appeals court in Atlanta. As a result, he will not be executed on Monday, October 27th, as originally scheduled.

 Your action has succeeded in putting a spotlight on Troy’s case worldwide and bringing about this victory. At least 300,000 individuals have written letters in support of Troy. Additionally, prominent leaders such as former President Jimmy Carter, the Pope, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have all called for justice in this case.

 Yesterday, Amnesty International organized a Global Day of Action in which hundreds of activists in dozens of countries around the world came together to stand in solidarity for Troy. From Atlanta to Seattle, New York to Paris and Milan– hundreds of supporters gathered at rallies wearing T-shirts and holding signs that read “I am Troy Davis.” On Wednesday, the European Legislature issued a statement calling for Troy’s execution to be halted.

 While we pause to celebrate this good news, we cannot forget that Troy still faces the very real possibility of execution—despite the fact that no physical evidence tied him to the 1989 murder of a police officer in Savannah, GA, and that 7 of the 9 eyewitnesses have since recanted their testimony.

 This case has taken many twists and turns. On September 12th, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles denied clemency for Troy Anthony Davis, and scheduled his execution for September 23rd. The U.S. Supreme Court stayed Davis’ execution just hours before it was scheduled to take place. But in deciding not to hear his case, the court lifted its stay and a new execution date was set for Monday, October 27th.
Global Day of Action
On Thursday October 23, in 30 cities around the globe, activists stood up for justice and in support of fairness for Troy Davis.

 We now await the decision of the federal appeals court, which will determine whether Troy’s case warrants a new hearing. We believe their ruling could happen at any time during the next month.

from Amnesty International

Tags: TroyDavis, death penalty

It takes two seconds to send an email. Please do.

Bastard Logic has some links that you should really look at. NOW.

Thanks to the commenter who let me know that Troy Davis was granted a stay of execution by the U.S. Supreme Court last night just hours before he was to die.

Now let’s hope he doesn’t have to go through this again.

This is what I always wonder in these cases: Why does the victim’s family always seem to want someone executed for the crime, regardless of evidence that seems to clear the person who is sentenced to die? I don’t think, were I in that situation, that I’d be happy thinking the wrong person might suffer for the crime. Somehow that doesn’t seem to me like justice, or anything that would help me sleep better at night. True, I’m horrified by the death penalty in any case, but it is true that I don’t know how I would feel if something happened to someone I love.

Still, I can’t see how anyone would benefit from this man  being put to death when 7 witnesses against him have recanted their testimony.

Is set to be executed tomorrow despite unreviewed evidence that he is not guilty.

The Supreme Court is set to review his case–six days after his execution date.

This is disgusting, it’s immoral, it’s basically everything that makes the death penalty a terrible idea. I’m opposed to it in any case, but in this particular one it’s making me physically ill.

I wish there was more I could do.

Bitch Magazine has been saved. And charges have been dropped against Amy Goodman and other journalists arrested at the RNC.

And I met Howard Dean today. Which has little to do with journalism, since I didn’t get to interview him or anything, but it made me-from-four-years-ago, the Deanie, happy.

Now back to my law books.

Bitch magazine is in trouble. Apparently publishing smart, funny, feminist takes on pop culture isn’t paying what it used to, and Bitch is in need of $40,000 to publish its next issue. So anything you can donate–or better yet, get that subscription you’ve always meant to.

Independent magazines are rare, and it’s a rough business, but Bitch has been around for a while. I’m finally ponying up some cash for a subscription, and so should you.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

I’m not one of those people prone to making declarations about how great our Constitution is or how brilliant the founding ‘fathers’ were, but this one part of it I damn well value. I’ve threatened to tattoo it on my arm. The First Amendment means a hell of a lot to me, and it should mean a lot to anyone who’s ever had an unpopular opinion. And we all have.

In case you haven’t been following the Republican National Convention, the people have not been given the right to peaceably assemble. They are being arrested for protesting. And some of the people arrested are journalists.

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now is the highest-profile member of the press arrested, and though she was released after only a few hours, others remain in jail, along with hundreds of private citizens.

A free press–well, we don’t have much of one at the moment anyway. We have a corporate press, and the conglomerates that own most news stations aren’t going to press the issue and try to get journalists in where the Republicans and city officials don’t want them. Democracy Now is a small program, but Goodman consistently covers issues that get ignored by the mega-media. And she can’t do her job from jail.

People can’t self-govern without information. Journalists can’t gather it when they’re being pepper-sprayed and handcuffed. This just can’t go on.

Please, sign the petition here.

You can see some pictures of the police state in Minnesota here.

BFP has a link to how you can help women in New Orleans.