(54 minutes) On today's show... We will hear about Bike-Fest a ten day festival taking place in Pittsburgh this week; two local bike-related local organizations, Bike Pittsburgh and Free Ride, will tell us about their organizations; the Resyst radical contingent speaks at the Pride march about their view of queer liberation versus the mainstream GLBT movement's assimilationist strategy. Plus our other local and global news stories.
Welcome to this week's edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of the news from the grassroots, news overlooked by the corporate media. The show airs every Monday from 6-7pm on WRCT 88.3FM in Pittsburgh, PA and every Saturday from 5-6pm on WVJW Benwood, 94.1 FM in the Wheeling, West Virginia area. And we're also available on the internet, both on W-R-C-T's live webstream at W-R-C-T dot ORG and archived at radio dot I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot org.
On today's show...
We will hear about Bike-Fest a ten day festival taking place in Pittsburgh this week (Bike-Pgh)
Bike-Pittsburgh and Free Ride- two local bike advocacy non-profits will tell us about their organizations
and we will hear an update about Critical Mass and it's repression in New York city
.... but first, these local headlines
Headlines
Local News
[5:00] Pride Resyst
DRUMMING CLIP INTRO: 7 SECONDS? FADE IN…
This past Saturday in Pittsburgh, the annual PRIDEFEST took place. PRIDEFEST began with a march Downtown, which saw participation from various groups such as members of Gay and Lesbian advocacy groups, Drag queens, and progressive churches. But while some march participants touted signs and sang songs calling for “equal rights for all” others felt that this year’s theme of “equal rights: no more no less” falls short of their ultimate goals for the queer movement.
The radical queer group “Resyst”, which was the local grassroots organization featured on Rustbelt Radio last week, took part in the march, in the form of a colorful pink and black bloc, complete with radical cheerleaders, signs, banners, drums, enthusiastic chanting, and a Rick Santorum puppet, which was later burned. This group has participated in PRIDEFEST for the past 3 years, and has seen their numbers grow each year.
We spoke with Von Singletary, member of Resyst, as to why there was a need for a radical queer contingent in the march. [von clip 0:30]
With signs such as “TOTAL LIBERATION, MUCH MORE, AND NOTHING LESS!’ and “QUEER MUTINY - NOT CONSUMER UNITY” the Resyst group made clear their intentions of a struggle greater than simply working towards equality. Khalia Latte explains further: (Khalia: lib vs. equality 0:45)
Khalia Latte also stated that pride as a quote “gay” celebration is incorrect, because pride started as a celebration of kink and fetish culture and also multisexual and transgendered individuals. Khalia believes that now, however, PRIDE has taken on a different role, and the GLBT movement is exclusive of transgendered people. (Khalia DSM 1063 CLIP 1:14)
Khalia also discussed the problem with the mainstream gay-rights organization “The Human Rights Campaign”: (CLIP Khalia anti HRC 1:38)
And finally, we leave off with a cheer from the Radical Cheerleaders who were a part of the Resyst contingent. {clip cheers, 0:33) PLAY ONLY 15 SECONDS THEN FADE OUT!!!
(okay...so this 3:50 or 4:07, there's one clip for which I attached a long and short version, use the short one if we really need it to be short; if it needs to be much shorter let me know and I'll cut more. )
Three Rivers Second Nature, a project initiated by Carnegie Mellon University’s Studio for Creative Inquiry, has recently completed an investigation of water quality in Allegheny County’s streams and rivers. Last Thursday the group presented the findings to the public. Tim Collins of the Studio for Creative Inquiry explains the project:
(CLIP: Tim_collins_intro_to_study 00:45)
Collins also spoke to the need for the study:
(CLIP: tim_collins_no_public_info 00:21)
Mike Horyak, an environmental scientist formerly with the Army Corps of Engineers who contributed to Three Rivers Second Nature, explained the macroinvertebrate studies he worked on, and what the results indicate about water quality:
(CLIP: invert_results2 00:52]
Horyak also explained some of the reasons why so many streams are impaired:
(CLIP: stream_insults_short 00:35 -or- stream_insults 00:52)
However, given his experience with Allegheny County streams over the last few decades, Horyak said today’s conditions compare favorably with the past:
(CLIP: surprisingly_good 00:22)
More information is available at the three rivers second nature website, 3r2n.cfa.cmu.edu
[1:20] Freedom and Faith National Bus Tour stops in Pittsburgh
The Freedom and Faith National Bus Tour stopped in Pittsburgh on Tuesday as 50 people gathered at Homewood's Holy Cross Episcopal Church to join in the Tour's effort to unite people of faith to take action to end the war in Iraq and to demand social justice here at home. Reverend Osagyefo Sekou spoke to Rustbelt about the Tour.
Local activists of faith also spoke at the event, including AFL-CIO Chaplain Father Jack O'Malley and Molly Rush from Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network and Pennsylvanian's United for Single Payer Health Care.
[1:30] Transit Update
Fiscal Year 2006 for the Port Authority begins on July 1st. While an emergency diversion of federal funds averted a funding crisis earlier this year, the state still has no solution to the long-term funding crisis. So unless the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commussion (or SPC) votes to flex federal funds again, the Port Authority will again be facing massive service cuts and fare hikes. This will be a repeat of the crisis of only a few months ago, where a last-minute flex of federal funds was the only way to avert a crisis for transit systems across Pennsylvania. The State Legislature will recess on June 30th and there is no legislation currently on the floor to address transit funding problems.
Meanwhile, right-wing members of the PA Legislature are going on the offensive. House Majority Leader Sam Smith, a republican from Punxsutawney, PA wants to stop the SPC from allocating the funds necessary to save public transit. The SPC says the state should budget the appropriate funds for transit so that highway money doesn't have to be used to close the gap. But in a letter to the SPC Smith said that if they flex the federal funds again, (quote) "don't expect a resolution" to transit financing in the House. He believes the funds should only be used for highway construction.
Local group Save Our Transit is calling for a "Pep rally for public transit" on June 29, during the public comment period before the SPC decision. Some time in the days that follow, the Commission will hold a special funding meeting to address the public transit funding question. A vote will be held to decide if federal funds should again be "flexed" to prevent a major transit funding crisis due to a lack of state funding.
[:30] PA Minimum Wage
And also in Harrisburg: The Mon Valley Unemployed Committee will be taking a bus to meet up with organizations throughout the state to legislators that Pennsylvania Workers need a raise. They will be traveling to Harrisburg on Wednesday June 22 to take part in a state-wide rally and lobby day, calling for a raise in the minimum wage. Recently, Gov. Rendell told legislators that he would not give them a pay increase until they raised minimum wage throughout the state.
[2:00] Latinos kick off health care initiative
This past Thursday in Squirrel Hill, several local Latino leaders kicked off a new healthcare initiative that they hope will spark long term change in the Pittsburgh Latino community. One of the founders of the new initiative, Peruvian immigrant Fernando Cardoza, decided to work on this issue when his own son was diagnosed with a disease, and he found no local support network.
The new initiative will provide health care workers with a nationally recognized assessment process to examine the health of the region's Latinos. An English and Spanish resource guide on breast cancer will be distributed, and expanded health services directed towards Latinos will be provided two nights a week at the Hilltop Community Health Center, a new community clinic in Beltzhoover supported by federal grants.
Also as part of the new initiative, Magee-Women’s Hospital will give Latinas mammography screenings in a more culturally sensitive manner. The screenings are expected to be done by staff members who have some command of Spanish or Portuguese.
Nationally, only 58 percent of all Latinas have regular screenings, compared to 68 percent of black and white women, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among Latinas, according to the organization's data.
The initiative's leaders are also planning to promote their outreach efforts during Hispanic Heritage Month in September and will be spreading health awareness to the entire family, as the health issues of loved ones are important to Latino families.
Promoting health in this growing minority community is crucial to the growth of the entire state, said Cathy Bazan-Arias, who 20 years ago settled in Pittsburgh with her family from Mexico City and represents the county on the Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs. Although Latinos make up only about 1 percent of Allegheny County's population, their numbers are growing. In Allegheny County alone, the Latino population increased 28 percent to 11,116 in 2000 from 8,700 in 1990.
Supreme Court Voids Death Sentence
In what could impose new, higher standards for defense teams in death penalty cases,
the Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of Ronald Rompilla, a Pennsylvania man
who was convicted of robbing a bar owner in Allentown on January 14th, 1988, stabbing him to death, and then setting the body on fire.
The Supreme Court released its opinion just hours ago. In a 5 to 4 decision, they found
that the defense attorneys representing Mister Rompilla had not pursued thoroughly enough information that might have convinced jurors not to impose the death penalty, including
evidence that they should have examined that showed the defendant's broken family life,
history of childhood abuse and low intelligence.
"Today the court brands two committed criminal defense attorneys as ineffective . . .
because they did not look in an old case file and stumble upon something they had not
set out to find," Justice Kennedy wrote in the dissenting opinion. "The Constitution does not mandate that defense attorneys perform busy work."
In a separate opinion agreeing with the majority, Justice O'Connor argued that the ruling
would not impose overwhelming new burdens on defense attorneys. "Today's decision simply applies our longstanding case-by-case approach to determining whether an attorney's performance was unconstitutionally deficient," she wrote.
Wrapup
For more on all of our local news stories, visit pittsburgh dot I-N-D-Y-M-E-D-I-A dot O-R-G.
[ optional music break ]
Global News
Intro
You are listening to Rust Belt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news overlooked by the corporate media. We turn now to headlines from Independent Media Centers around the world.
[1:45] International probe of Darfur planned
In a step hailed by human rights activists, the prosecutor of the new International Criminal Court, or ICC, announced last week that he is starting an investigation into suspected crimes against humanity in the Darfur region of Sudan.
The ICC's action, which could lead to prosecutions of senior Sudanese government officials, will be based on the unprecedented referral of the case by the U.N. Security Council Mar. 31 to The Hague-based tribunal, and is likely based as well on the findings of an International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur established last October by Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
''The ICC prosecutor's decision to investigate mass slaughter and rape in Darfur will start the wheels of justice turning for the victims of these atrocities,'' said Richard Dicker, director of the International Justice Program of Human Rights Watch (HRW) in New York City. ''As a U.N. member state, Sudan is obligated to cooperate with the ICC investigation.''
The commission, which confirmed that war crimes and crimes against humanity had been committed in Darfur since a rebel uprising there in early 2003, provided sealed personal records on 51 Sudanese individuals, reportedly including top officials in Khartoum, whom it deemed responsible for the violence.
Recent studies estimate that between 180,000 and 400,000 people -- the vast majority of them members of African ethnicities -- have died over the past two and a half years. As many as 2.5 million others have been uprooted as the result of a counter-insurgency campaign that has featured government attacks and bombings and raids by government-backed Arab militias, called the Janjaweed.
The Bush administration, under pressure from Democratic and Christian Right lawmakers, has been trying to facilitate the rapid enlargement of the African Union monitoring force and coordination of logistical support -- mostly in the transport -- from the European Union ( and NATO.
Recently, Bush stressed that he was consulting closely with NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin who has committed some 100 Canadian soldiers to logistical operations.
International human rights and Africa activists have argued that Washington and other western capitals should offer more than logistical support given the scale of the destruction and the fact that the violence has continued.
[1:00] Latin Kings mass-arrested at Puerto Rico Day parade
At the June 12th Puerto Rican Day parade in New York City more than 150 members of the Latin Kings were arrested. The Latin Kings are a very active organization in the Puerto Rican community in New York and have had a presence at the parade for years. This year 150 black-and-gold clad Latin Kings tried to enter into the parade to march as a group, linking arms in a tight formation. Police made a mass arrest of the whole group for unlawful assembly, saying the Latin Kings did not have a permit to march on the street.
The Latin Kings are an international organization of Latinos that date back to the 1940s. Formed as a self-defense group, many outside of their communities view them as a violent street gang. Corporate media sources were quick to credit the NYPD on anti-gang work when they made the arrests at the Sunday parade. But Latin Kings members say they're all about building and defending their communities, not gang violence.
Also at the parade, two NYPD officers were suspended without pay when they were caught drunk while on duty. And in a seperate incident, an officer was hospitalized when his hand was cut on a razor blade during an arrest.
Parade organizers say 100,000 people marched in the parade while 1.6 to 2 million spectators celebrated in the crowd.
[3:00] G8 lead-up
With just two weeks to go, activists in the United Kingdom are gearing up for the annual Group of Eight, or G8 Summit, which will take place this year in Scotland at the Gleneagles Hotel.
The G8, comprising France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Russia) meets annually to formalize policy on international issues. Climate change, immigration, trade justice, economic development in Africa, Middle East reform, and nuclear non-proliferation are among the items on the agenda for this year's Summit.
Security at the G8 meetings will be high, with a security budget
of 280 million dollars. Residents of the area will be issued
special ID cards and all police are being called on duty.
Activists have criticized the over the top security plans.
John Hilary, Director of Campaigns and Policy at War on Want said in a prepared statement that
(quote) "the security operation designed to shield the G8 from popular protest also strips away its legitimacy, showing that our elected leaders can only maintain supremacy through their monopoly over brute force."
While the G8 prepares to meet behind police lines at Gleneagles, counter-mobilisations and demonstrations are being organized around the world. In Sheffield in the UK, there were demonstrations at the G8 Justice and Home Affairs ministers meeting earlier this week, while in Glasgow, the so-called Cre8 Summit has already begun. Large-scale protests timed with the summit will also take place in the United States.
Activists protest at the G8 summit for its economic policies,
which they charge improve corporate bottom lines at the expense
of increased unemployment, a widening gap between the rich
and the poor, and increased poverty followed by worsened living standards for many around the world.
Africa is expected to be a special topic of this year's G8
summit, but activists expect more of the same program of
economic liberalization that they say has failed developing
economies. Rustbelt will continue to focus on the G8 up until
the beginning of the conference in early July.
Wrapup
You can read more about our global news stories by visting I-N-D-Y-M-E-D-I-A dot O-R-G.
Bad Cop No Donut
Bad Cop, No Donut brings us news of local police abuse this week.
A police officer in Bethlehem, PA is on trial for assualt and harrassment.
A police officer in Charleston, WV is sentenced for aiding and abetting.
plus this week's Taser news.
Ron Anicich from CKLN in Toronto reports:
[ bcnd clip: 4:20 ]
The full Bad Cop, No Donut for this week is available at RADIO dot INDYMEDIA dot ORG
Features
Intro
That was .... Welcome back to Rust Belt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.
[6:00] Bike Fest
We will now spend the rest of the show discussing that ever so popular mode of human powered locomotion- the bicycle. This edition of Rusbelt Radio is part of Bike Fest a ten-day festival happening from June 17th-26th) that includes several events each day, comprising of everything from themed rides, to movies, to races and lectures. We will hear from Erok Boerer about the first annual Bike Fest!
Erok: * erok.ogg: Bike fest interview 3:53
[7:30] Free Ride!:
For this week’s light at the end of the Fort Pitt Tunnel we highlight two local bicycle grassroots organizations. First we will hear Jessica Mcpherson, Alia Trindell, Jake Kilburg, Chris, Dave, and Charlie talk about the Free Ride! Recyled Bicycled Cooperative
Jessica also discussed the various programs that Free Ride offers.
programs 2:35
Now Mateo a Free Ride Volunteer who lives both in Pittsburgh and Colombia will tell us about the need for Free Ride! programs around the world:
3rdworld :31
Stuart Anderson is a coordinator of Carnegie Mellon’s Green Bike Program and Rustbelt thad the opportunity to discuss the program with him
green bike :48
Free Ride! Is located at 214 N. Lexington Ave inside the Construction Junction warehouse in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The phone number is (412) 731-4094 and their website is www.freeridepgh.org
[8:00] Bike Pittsburgh
Our other highlight of a grassroots organization is of Bike Pittsburgh; a a Pittsburgh-based cycling safety, advocacy, and awareness organization. Bike Pittsburgh strives to establish Pittsburgh as a city that is increasingly safe, accessible, and friendly to bicycle transportation.".
David Hoffman will tell us more about it
bike-pgh.ogg: 7:50 interview with david
Last November Rustbelt Radio covered the crackdown on critical mass bike rides in New York City, a battle which has continued every month since then. On that show we spoke to Bill DiPaula of the environmental group Times Up!, and we had a chance to get an update from him this past weekend when he travelled here for Pittsburgh's bikefest.
Back in November Bill explained that after many years of trouble-free critical mass rides in New York, last August that changed.
[ phone interview clip 46s ]
Since that time, many court cases have been heard in state and federal courts and many rulings have come down condemning the police tactics of arbitrary arrests and seizing bicycles. But the city has responded with a legal offensive of their own, and since no person or organization runs Critical Mass they decided to target the Times Up! organization instead.
[ bill interview: 1:00 ]
Ending
[m:ss] Calendar of events
And now we present the Indymedia calendar of events:
Tomorrow Pittsburghers will have the opportunity to hear trade unionists from Iraq speak of their struggle for peace and for the rights of workers and the unemployed in Iraq. This event takes place twice on Tuesday. First downtown at noon at the United Steelworkers Headquarters, located at the Corner of Blvd of the Allies & Stanwix St. And again later that night at 7pm at the Friends Meeting House, 4836 Ellsworth Ave, in Oakland. For more information call John Lacney at (412) 303-8886
This Friday starting at 5:30 Pm at the dinosaur in Oakland, Pittsburgh Critical Mass will be holding its monthly bike ride throughout town. The ride will end at the Bike Pittsburgh & Free Ride's 3rd Annual "Meet-N-Greet" Bike Mixer Party, which will feature bands, beer, DJs and more! This will begin at 7:30 at Free Ride which is located inside Construction Junction in Point Breeze. For more information log on to www.pghcriticalmass.org
And finally, this Saturday at noon, Paul Simpson of State College's Centre Region Bike Coalition will be presenting a lecture titled "You're Either With Us, or You're a Bicyclist", which will examine the use of the 'War on Terror' since 9-11 to discriminate against bicyclists, pedestrians, and mass transit riders. THis free event will be held at Carnegie Mellon Universiy's College of Fine Arts, room 211
AND DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT WWW.BIKE DASH PGH DOT ORG FOR ALL OF BIKE FEST'S EVENTS THIS WEEK!
Outro
[ Cue Outro music ]
Thanks for tuning in to Rust Belt Radio here on WRCT Pittsburgh and WVJW Benwood.
Our hosts this week are [ Andalusia ] and [ Quinten ] with contributions from [ Jessica , David, Matt, and Carlin ]. This week's show was produced by [ Matt and Carlin ]. Special thanks to all of our hosts, producers, and contributors.
Your story submissions are welcome! To get involved with Rust Belt Radio, or to send us your comments, email RADIO at I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot ORG. All of our shows are available for download on our website at RADIO dot INDY-P-G-H dot ORG
Tune in next week at this time for another edition of Rust Belt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of the news from the grassroots.
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