Other Voices: The Connexions Newsletter

October 30, 2014


Terrorism, Migration and Resistance

This week Other Voices looks into the tragic shooting that occurred in our nation's capital a week ago. We also examine the ways people view migration and how that perspective needs to be adjusted and finally we share stories of how various groups including netizens and farmers resisted surveillance and corporate meddling.


Is that a laptop in your closet?

At Connexions we put a lot of effort into preserving the history of movements for social justice. We have a massive library of documents on our Connexions.org website, and an even more massive collection of physical documents awaiting digitization.

We also have a bunch of ancient computers in our office, and we put way too much effort into keeping them running.We’d welcome donations of slightly older but still functional laptops and flatscreen monitors. If by chance you have a laptop or monitor that still works but you aren’t using anymore, we’d be happy to receive them.

We’re in downtown Toronto. You can reach us at 416-964-5735 or via the contact form on our website at /CxContactForm.php.

a

Enjoy this issue of Other Voices? Want to share with friends and family? Then we encourage you to share this link. All issues of Other Voices are available on the Connexions website at /Media/CxNewsletter.htm


This Week on Connexions.org

Reflections on a violent day in Ottawa

After a long day focused on these gripping events in the nation's capital, I have to wonder if this direct experience of fear and trauma will force us to examine our own addiction to violence as the solution to conflict. Last week's events provide us with an opportunity to reflect on our insidious contribution to the climate of hate, and the chance to disengage from our increasingly militarized culture. Read More

Keywords: State Violence - Terrorism


Time to Unfence our view of Migration

Instead of pretending that fence-building will solve anything, it is high time that we ‘unfence’ our views of migration. On the one hand, this means seeking other, more humane responses to human movement, including orderly refugee resettlement. On the other, it means not seeing migration as a self-contained ‘problem’ in need of a security response – but rather as an intrinsic part of a world inexorably on the move. Read more

Keywords: Migration - Migrants


Electronic Frontier Foundation offers counter-surveillance resources

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has launched IFightSurveillance.org, a new site showcasing digital privacy advocates from around the world who are leading the fight against mass surveillance. The site includes figures from the organization's growing list of counter-surveillance success stories, a set of guides showing how individuals and organizations have taken on state and corporate spying in their own countries—and won.

More Info:

News Release

Surveillance self-defense

ifightsurveillance.org

Keywords: Surveillance - Police State


Ghana's farmers battle 'Monsanto law' to retain seed freedom

Ghana's government is desperate to pass a Plant Breeders Bill that would remove farmers' ancient 'seed freedom' to grow, retain, breed and develop crop varieties - while giving corporate breeders a blanket exemption from seed regulations. Now the farmers are fighting back. Read more

Keywords: Agriculture - Seeds


Rebuilding communities: a type of resistance

In Tundayme, a parish located in the Cordillera del Cóndor in Ecuador's southern Amazon, the indigenous and peasant communities have decided to recover the territories of abandoned or forcefully evicted communities in order to oppose mining megaprojects. The first few steps have been successful, but they fear that the government and the affected companies will respond aggressively. Read more

Keywords: Ecuador - Indigenous Peoples and Mining

Treasures from the Archives

Socialist Feminism: A Strategy for the Women's Movement

An article from 1972: "Our movement's strategy must grow from an understanding of the dynamics of power, with the realization that those who have power have a vested interest in preserving it and the institutional forms which maintain it. Wresting control of the institutions which now oppress us must be our central effort if women's liberation is to achieve its goals. To reach out to most women we must address their real needs and self-interests. " Read more

Keywords: Socialist Feminism - Women’s Liberation Movement

People's History: From the Archives

Eye in the Sky: Surveillance and the Art of Arnold Mesches

Round about the turn of this century Arnold Mesches, who is neither monk nor medievalist nor Christian, began illuminating manuscripts from the world that long since had killed God but appropriated or accommodated to a version of His all-seeing eye.The manuscripts in question: Mesches’ FBI file, 1945 to 1972. Read more

Keywords: FBI - Surveillance

Topic of the Week: Refugees

Resulting from today's numerous conflicts, there has been an influx of refugee claimants all around the global. However, many nations are reluctant to take refugees despite the humanitarian need and grand pledges. And the few they take in often times are left with no support in their newly adopted countries. Thus resulting in poverty and exploitation. For more sources on the challenges faced by refugees in their home countries and abroad click here. You can also browse or use our search feature.

Book of the Week: Don't Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate

Lakoff explains how conservatives think, and how to counter their arguments. He outlines in detail the traditional values that progressives hold, but are often unable to articulate. Lakoff also breaks down the ways in which conservatives have framed the issues, and provides examples of how progressives can reframe the debate. Read more

Keywords: Framing Issues - Political Spin

Film of the Week: Kill the Messenger

Kill the Messenger is an account of investigative journalist Gary Webb's "Dark Alliance" reports, and the criticism and consequences of Webb's reports. The reports had alleged a link between the 1980s crack cocaine trade in the United States and the CIA-backed Nicaraguan Contras. Read more

Keywords: Nicaraguan Revolution - Drug Trafficking

Website of the Week: Media Matters

Launched in May 2004, Media Matters for America put in place, for the first time, the means to systematically monitor a cross section of print, broadcast, cable, radio, and Internet media outlets for conservative misinformation - news or commentary that is not accurate, reliable, or credible and that forwards the conservative agenda - every day, in real time. Using the website mediamatters.org as the principal vehicle for disseminating research and information, Media Matters posts rapid-response items as well as longer research and analytic reports documenting conservative misinformation throughout the media. Additionally, Media Matters works daily to notify activists, journalists, pundits, and the general public about instances of misinformation, providing them with the resources to rebut false claims and to take direct action against offending media institutions. Read more

Keywords: Media Criticism - News Bias

Connexions Calendar

November 7, 2014
'Undocumented: The Architecture of Migrant Detention' with Tings Chak
Ottawa, ON

November 8, 2014
Fiesta Verde - Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation
Scarborough, ON

November 13-16, 2014
Waves of Change: Sustainable Food for All National Assembly
Halifax, NS

Read more →

Seeds of Fire

October 30, 1899

Birth of Nadezhda Yakovlevna Mandelstam (1899-1980), Russian writer and memoirist. The wife of the poet Osip Mandelstam, who died in the Stalinist camps, Nadezhda memorized Osip’s poetry, which could not be published, in the hope that one day it would be possible to publish it. Many years later, after the death of Stalin, she was able to arrange for publication. She also wrote two volumes of memoirs, Hope Against Hope, and Hope Abandoned, which paint a vivid picture of the persecution and fear of the Stalinist Years. (The titles of the books encompass a word-play: ‘Nadezhda’ means ‘Hope’ in Russian.)


October 30, 1922

Benito Mussolini’s fascist Black Shirts march into Rome and seize power. The next day, Mussolini takes the office of prime minister and assumes dictatorial powers.

Read more →

Trying to change the world? We can help.

Getting your story across can be an uphill battle when your group is challenging the status quo. Our partner organization SOURCES can help you get your message out. As a SOURCES member, you have an array of media relation tools at your disposal to promote your events, books, articles, videos, etc. as well as tools to get you in contact with those who can help you achieve your goals. The SOURCES news release service is especially valuable for groups wants to inform the media (and the public) about their issues. For more information about Sources please click this link.

Your support is needed to keep Connexions going

Most of the work of the Connexions project is done by volunteers, but our expenses include rent, phone and computer costs and technical support, as well as expenses related to our ongoing project of converting printed archival materials into digital formats. You can make a one time or regular monthly contribution through the donate page on the Connexions website.

Bequests

Many of us have made working for social justice a lifetime commitment. If you are thinking about leaving a legacy for social justice that will live on, you might want to consider leaving a bequest to Connexions in your will. If you'd like to discuss this option, please contact us: Connexions Archive and Library, 812A Bloor Street West, Suite 201, Toronto, 416-964-5735.

Follow us on twitter to stay up to date with company news and other information.

Like us on Facebook to keep up with our news, updates and other discussions.

Copyright Connexions 2014. Contents are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License. This means you are welcome to share and republish the contents of this newsletter as long as you credit Connexions, and as long as you don’t charge for the content.

Other Voices: The Connexions Newsletter, is available online here

Thanks to Tahmid Khan and Ulli Diemer for their work on this newsletter.


Connexions

812A Bloor Street West, Suite 201

Toronto ON M6G 1L9 Canada

Phone: 416-964-5735

www.connexions.org

Enjoy this issue of Other Voices? Want to share with friends and family? Then we encourage you to share this link. All issues of OtherVoices are available on the Connexions website at /Media/CxNewsletter.htm