January 23, 2005: Rustbelt Radio

Intro

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 live every Monday from 6-7pm on WRCT 88.3FM in Pittsburgh, PA, every Thursday from 11am to noon on WARC-Meadville from the campus of Allegheny College, and every Saturday from 5-6pm on WVJW Benwood, 94.1 FM in the Wheeling, West Virginia area. And we're now on WPTS 92.1FM from the campus of the University of Pittsburgh, also Saturdays at 5pm.

We're also available on the internet, both on WRCT's live webstream at W-R-C-T dot ORG and for download, stream or podcast at radio dot I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot org.

On today's show...

• a report from the Black and White Reunion's tenth annual Summit Against Racism, held in East Liberty this past weekend
• We continue our discussion about Venezuela with Katrina Kozarek from the Calle y Media Video Collective
• We'll hear from an activist in Africa, who is organizing to abolish 3rd world debt
• and a court has ruled in favor of locked-out steelworkers in Ohio

First, Rustbelt Radio's Indymedia headlines:

Headlines

Local News

[2:30] PA AAA lobbying against Clean Vehicles Program

The Pennsylvania branch of the Automobile Association of America, or triple A, is lobbying to kill the state's Clean Vehicles Program. This program is intended to reduce air pollution in Pennsylvania by forcing automakers who sell cars in Pennsylvania to meet emission standards which are stricter than current federal standards.

The Clean Vehicles Program requires complying with California's Low Emission Vehicles standards. The federal Clean Air Act bars all states other than California from creating their own vehicle emission standards, but other states may adopt California's standards. Eight other states, including New York and New Jersey, have already adopted the stricter emission limits developed by California.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (or DEP) estimates that by 2025 the Clean Vehicles Program will reduce emissions of smog-forming pollutants by ten percent annually, and of the carcinogen benzene by 15 percent annually.

The DEP adopted the Clean Vehicles Program in 1998, which allowed automakers to comply with the more lenient federal requirements until 2006. However, last October, the Environmental Quality Board postponed the program's implementation and introduced an amendment which gives automakers until 2008 to comply with the stricter standards.

The state House Transportation Committee is also fighting emission controls. They approved a bill which prevents the DEP from enforcing the Clean Vehicles Program's stricter standards. The state House of Representatives is now considering this legislation.

During a December Senate committee hearing, the director of Pennsylvania [triple A] AAA testified that adoption of the stricter standards would cost more for Pennsylvanians and harm the state's economy. He argued the standards would increase vehicle price, reduce vehicle sales and limit consumer choice.

The DEP claims that automobile prices do not differ between Pennsylvania and New York, where the stricter emissions standards are enforced. They also argue that consumers would save operating costs by using more efficient vehicles, even if the initial purchasing cost for such a vehicle were higher.

The vice president of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic elaborated on his arguments against the Clean Vehicles Program in an opinion article published in a State College newspaper. There he incorrectly asserts that the program will require Pennsylvanians to import special fuel. The Clean Vehicles Program explicitly states that it will not require the use of special fuel. He also says that the program will ban the sale of diesel vehicles, which the environmental group PennEnvironment says is a baseless claim.

The DEP claims that Pennsylvania would no longer comply with federal clean air standards if it repeals its Clean Vehicles Program.

Environmental groups PennEnvironment and Clean Air Council have filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue the DEP if it cancels the Clean Vehicles Program.

[1:00] USW and Ormet in Ohio

Steelworkers in Hannibal, OH got some good news last month when a federal judge overturned a decision by the Ohio Unemployment Compensation Review Commission and ruled that the employees of Ormet Corporation are locked out and not on strike. Because of this, the workers are entitled to unemployment benefits.

However, last week, the Ormet Corporation announced that the company would appeal the decision. A spokesman for the company said that they do not object to workers receiving unemployment benefits but they want the language of the judge’s ruling to reflect the company’s position that the workers are on strike and not locked out.

Jeremy Parker, from the United Steelworkers Local 5724, describes the situation:

• [0:36] usw-rep.ogg

Wrapup

For more on local news, you can visit pittsburgh dot I-N-D-Y-M-E-D-I-A dot org.

[ HMB BREAK RUSTBELT - 0:20 (fades down 0:10 in to start global intro) ]

Global News

Intro

You are listening to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news overlooked by the corporate media. We turn now to news from other independent media sources around the world.

[0:30] Poll says IMPEACH

A recent poll conducted by Zogby International found that a majority of US citizens support impeaching President Bush for wiretapping. The poll, which was commissioned by AfterDowningStreet.org, asked respondents [quote] "If President Bush wiretapped American citizens without the approval of a judge, do you agree or disagree that Congress should consider holding him accountable through impeachment."

52% of the respondents said that they agree with the statement, while only 43% said they disagreed and 6% did not know or declined to answer. The poll has a margin of error of 2.9%.

[2:00] Evo Morales inauguration in Bolivia

In the past five years Bolivia has experienced national uprisings against both the privatization of water and gas. Due to mass discontent, the country has had 4 different presidents in this time. With the elections of December 18th, 2005 many Bolivians feel that the country has entered a new era, one that has ended 513 years of colonial rule.

In these elections, Evo Morales, an Aymara Indian, Coca grower and former Union Leader, with his party (MAS)the Movement Towards Socialism, won 54 percent of the popular vote.

This past weekend of January 21st and 22nd, Morales's official transmission into power took place. On Saturday the 21st Morales participated in a traditional indigenous ceremony at Tiwanaku, a sacred site of the Aymara Indians. It is estimated that more than 50,000 people attended this event, including groups of indigenous people from all over the country. On Sunday the 22nd a grand ceremony was held in Bolivia´s capital La Paz. This event featured an apperance by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a message sent from Cuba´s president Fidel Castro, and speeches by many other presidents, writers, musicians and activists across Latin America. In his speeches at Tiwanaku and La Paz, Morales vowed to fight poverty, conserve Bolivia´s natural resources and end the Neoliberal model that has been governing the country for many years.

Stay tuned to future Rustbelt Radio shows for a story featuring audio from the convocation, interviews with indigenous leaders, and a report on the nationalization of gas in Bolivia.

[0:30] Google and DOJ

The Internet search company, Google, announced last week that the US Department of Justice requested access to records of the searches performed by all Google users. Google refused to comply with this request saying that it is burdensome and a violation of trade secrets. Subsequent investigation revealed that similar requests were put to Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL and all these other companies complied. Only Google refused.

On Friday, investors reacted to this decision by selling their holdings and Google’s stock values dropped by almost 9%.

[3:30] Ecoterrorism arrests

The arrests of three people and the unveiling of a 65-count grand jury indictment against 11 others are the latest developments in the Department of Justice’s campaign against what it is calling "ecoterrorism”.

The 65 count grand jury indictment alleges that 11 individuals worked together from 1996 through 2001 to set fires at animal holding facilities, lumber company facilities, timber farms, and a ski resortUS forest service ranger stations. The arsons sites ranged across Wyoming, Oregon, California, Washington, and Colorado. The criminal offenses in the indictment included arson, attempted arson, using and carrying a destructive device in relation to a crime of violence, conspiracy to commit arson, and destruction of an energy facility.

Eight of the individuals named in the indictment, including a Canadian citizen, were arrested in December and January, while three are believed to be outside of the country. Only one has been granted bail.

The major souce of evidence provided by the Department of Justice thus far is the testimony of five confidential sources, including two of the people indicted, Jacob Rubin and Stanislav Meyerhoff.

In a statement to the press announcing the indictment, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales repeatedly referred to the arsons as terrorist actions and asserted that the group of arrestees were affiliated with the (quote) “ALF and ELF terrorist movements.” He called the 15 arsons detailed in the indictment (quote) “violent attacks,” although they did not result in any injuries or deaths.

FBI director Bob Moeller said that (quote) “These indictments mark significant progress in our efforts to combat animal rights extremism and ecoterrorism. We will continue to investigate and bring to justice extremist movements whose criminal acts threaten the American economy and american lives.”

The most recent three arrests are unrelated to the indictment. Eric McDavid, Lauren Weiner, and Zachary Jensen were arrested in Auburn, California, for conspiracy to commit arson. The three had recently travelled together from the East Coast to Auburn, with another person who was a paid undercover FBI source. According to the criminal complaint the group discussed bombing targets such as a dam, a cellular telephone tower, a power station, banks, trucks, mountain-top-removal projects in West Virginia and Communist Party offices.

The complaint went on to claim that on January tenth the three "scoped out" two of the locations they had discussed, the Nimbus dam and the forest service genetics' office. The following day they allegedly purchased ingredients for a homemade bomb at an area Wal-Mart store. Agents say that they recovered a notebook from Eric McDavid which contained a diagram of the Forest Service Institute and pictures of pipe bombs.

FBI documents say the confidential source has worked for the FBI since 2004, is (quote) “deeply embedded in the subjects’ cell,” and has been paid $75,000.

Testimony by FBI agent Nasson Walker included numerous references to the arrestees’ lifestyle choices and political affiliations, including assertions that they were anarchists, had read anarchist literature, and that Eric McDavid maintained no permanent residence and did not own a cell phone. He also stated that the FBI attempted to interview McDavid in 2005 because grafitti at an arson site included references to a book published by the anarchist group Crimethinc and FBI agents knew McDavid had attended a Crimethinc conference. Walker also referred to twelve other cases that the confidential source had provided information for as (quote) “anarchist cases.”

[6:00] World Social Forum

Thursday January 19th marked the first day of the sixth annual World Social Forum in Bamako, Mali. The World Social Forum is an alternative to the World Economic Forum, a yearly meeting of business and political elites in Davos, Switzerland. The Forum is described on its official website as (quote) “an open meeting place where social movements, networks, NGOs and other civil society organizations opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism come together to pursue their thinking, to debate ideas democratically, to formulate proposals, share their experiences freely and network for effective action...."

Unlike the first five World Social Forums, this year’s forums will happen in three cities, with distinct local organizing committees. The locations include: Bamako, Mali, from Jan 19th to 23rd; Caracas, Venezuela, from Jan 24th through 29th; and Karachi, Pakistan, which will be held in March 2006. Approximately 30,000 local and international activists are expected to attend the Bamako forum.

There are ten themes for the Bamako Forum, including:

- Marginalization of the continent of Africa and its peoples, migrations, and violations of economic, social and cultural rights

- Alliance between patriarchalism and neoliberalism and marginalization of women’s struggles

- Culture, media and communication: critical thinking and reconstruction, symbolic violences and exclusions

and also:

- Destruction of ecosystems, biological diversity, and control of resources

The Americas Polycentric World Social Forum in Caracas, which begins on Tuesday the 24th, is organized around six themes, or axes, which include: Imperial Strategies and Peoples’ Resistance; Resources and Rights for Life: Alternatives to the Predatory Model of Civilization; and Diversity, Identities, and Worldviews in Motion.

One issue discussed at the World Social Forum in Mali, was 3rd world debt relief. In July of 2005, the G8 and other international financial institutions announced debt relief programs and claimed that Southern countries were on the way to economic recovery. But analysts are quick to point out that the debt relief packages are dubious, and many of those who are living the impacts of the debt and resulting policies are in the same precarious situation as before the Live 8 Concert.

At the Polycentric World Social Forum in Mali, the Jubilee South Africa Campaign Coordinator made a call for southern countries to scrap the debt and claim retribution. Tamara of Indymedia Radio brings us more:

• WSF africa interview (3:55)

Wrapup

You can read more independent global news stories by visting indymedia: I-N-D-Y-M-E-D-I-A dot O-R-G.

Bad Cop No Donut

Coming up on this week's Bad Cop No Donut: a Philadelphia officer accused of stealing money from an evidence locker, and two Westmoreland County officers arrested for selling cocaine.

Features

Intro

That was ....

Welcome back to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.

[10:00] Black and White Reunion

On Saturday, January 21st, the Pittsburgh Black and White Reunion held its annual Summit Against Racism at the East Liberty Presbyterian Church on South Highland Avenue. This year, the Black and White Reunion celebrates its tenth anniversary. The organization was founded in 1996 in concerned response to the death of Black motorist Jonny Gammage in police custody, and the not-guilty verdicts of the perpetrators. The Black and White Reunion states as its mission: “To bring together organizations and individuals to eliminate racism, and to become allies in the struggle for human equality.” The day-long event included a screening of a documentary on the death of Jonny Gammage, spoken word and musical performances, and workshops on youth advocacy, police brutality, and community-police relations.

Black and White Reunion founder Tim Stevens introduced the event.

• [1:10] Clip 1: complaint/possibility.

Reverend John Welch of the Interfaith Impact Network spoke on the historical roots of imperialism and racism.

• [2:00] Clip 2: Religious Leader

A representative from PIIN discussed Pittsburgh regional equity issues, including housing and immigration laws.

• [1:25] Clip 3: PIIN Pittsburgh

Following a screening of his most recent documentary film Enough is Enough: the Death of Jonny Gammage, Billy Jackson discussed his work.

• [1:45] Clip 4: Billy Jackson

The summit featured several performers, including spoken word poet Nathan James.

• [1:20] Clip 5: Spoken Word

A workshop on Supporting and Advocating for Youth featured a panel of youth allies and intergenerational dialogue on issues affecting young people today, including violence, ageism, racism, and military recruitment. Shelly Brown of Homewood YWCA Team Services spoke about the struggles faced by young women of color, and of concrete strategies of support.

• [1:15] Clip 6: Young Women of Color

[17:00] Calle y Media part II

Katrina Kozarek is a videographer and community activist living in Caracas, Venezuela, who grew up in Apollo, Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Calle y Media video collective which produced, among other things, the film "Mardi Gras: Made in China" which screened this summer as part of the Amnesty International Film Festival, and the video "The Old Man and [hey-zeus] Jesus", which screened recently at the Thomas Merton Center. This is part 2 of our discussion.

• [16:38] KatrinaKorzarekInterviewPart2.ogg

That was Katrina Kozarek of the Calle y Media video collective.

Ending

[1:45] Calendar of events

And now we present the Indymedia calendar of events:

• This Wednesday January 25th from 11 to 1, Roots of Promise, Just Harvest, and the American Friends Service Committee will present a Bake Sale for the Wealthy to be held in Market Square Downtown. Elected officials who will soon be voting on making the Inheritance and the Capital Gains and Dividend Tax Cuts permanent. In response, these organizations will be holding a street theater event to educate the rich. For more information contact: Wanda Guthrie at wanda.guthrie @gmail.com or call 412-596-0066.

• This Thursday January 26th from 8:30 to 9 AM, there will be a Transportation Funding and Reform Commission Meeting Rally! This rally is sponsored by Save Our Transit. Directly after the rally, Save Our Transit will march across the street to the ENTERPRISE TOWER at 9:00 AM to attend the TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AND REFORM COMMISSION meeting, beginning at 9:30 AM. For more information contact Amanda at 412-361-3022

• Also on Thursday, Dr. Maya Steinitz will be presenting a talk entitled: Developments In International Criminal Law And Their Effects On The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Possibilities And Perils. This discussion will take place at 7:30pm, at the Squirrel Hill Library, located at the corner of Forbes & Murray Avenues. For more information contact the Middle East Peace Forum: mepfp@ lycos.com

• Suburban Awakening will be hosting a peaceful protest on Saturday, January 28th in front of the Greensburg courthouse to show opposition to the war in Iraq. This will take place from 11am to 1pm. Suburban Awakening is a small group of young people from Westmoreland County who would like to invite people both locally and non-locally to stand in solidarity against the war that is being fought in Iraq. For more information contact eastcoastvibes@ hotmail.com

Outro

[ Outro music ]

Thanks for tuning in to Rust Belt Radio here on WRCT Pittsburgh, WVJW Benwood, WARC Meadville and WPTS Pittsburgh.

Our hosts this week are Abie Flaxman and Carlin Christy with contributions from Vani, Jessica, Abie, Jessi, Carlin, and Andalusia. This week's show was produced by Matt Toups and Don Deeley. Special thanks to all of our hosts, producers, and contributors.

You can get involved with Rustbelt Radio! To contact us, 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 or podcast on our website at RADIO dot INDY-P-G-H dot ORG and this show can be heard again Tuesday morning on WRCT at 9 AM after Democracy Now!

Tune in next week at this time for another edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.