Amy Goodman Violently Arrested at RNC

Bill of Rights?

Time to act

There are just about two months to go until the most important election in a long time.

While Barack Obama may not be the ideal candidate (he's definitely NOT an anti-war candidate and he is friendly to nuclear power), the stakes are too high, I believe, for casting about for another.

So, it's time to act. You can sign up at the website or visit the local headquarters at 127 S. 6th St. There's a training on Sunday, August 29. Go if you can.

Closer to home, Cheryl Hancock is taking on the well funded Mike Huebsch (and definitely needs a new web site!) Huebsch has blocked many strong progressive bills as leader of the state assembly. He must go if we are to achieve health care reform at the very least. And Tara Johnson is running against Dan Kapanke.

By the way, Wisconsin Public Radio recently featured a new book by John Grisham, The Appeal. Read it. While the story takes place in Mississippi, it might has well be Wisconsin.

We are not only facing a reinvigorated (by the selection of a fundamentalist high school basketball star as Republican vice-presidential candidate) reactionary right, anti-science voting block but also a state Republican party and their cronies who will do whatever they can to keep people from voting or at least muddy the issues or call into question the vote (thankfully, relatively sane people are still in control of the state elections board).

Check out this Grassroots Toolkit page offered by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the largest spending Republican organizations in the state.

They are working for their candidates - are you?

Join the Grassroots Caravan Friday!

The GrassRoutes Caravan is a group of 38 people traveling by bike from Madison to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. They are passing through La Crosse on Friday, August 22 and will arrive at the Great River State Bike Trail head on County Highway B near the intersection with Highway 16. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO JOIN CAN MEET THE BIKERS AT THE TRAILHEAD ON COUNTY ROAD B! All human-powered vehicles and their riders are encouraged to join the Caravan for the ride along the marsh bike trails and downtown La Crosse to the Cameron Park Farmers' Market.

At 7:00 pm at Bluffland Bloom and Brew on 4th Street in Downtown La Crosse, riders will be giving performances of art, music by Madison folk singer Thistle, Nora and Gnoll from Springfield, Missouri, and a bilingual puppet show by the Neverwood Collective focused on getting beyond electoral politics. In addition, local advocates and activists, Obbie and RoZ, will present their video, Transportation Liberation

The next day riders will help at the Habitat for Humanity project at 1118 Liberty Street and the Kane Street Community Garden before heading to Winona.

The Caravan is a pedal-powered village on a mission of community service projects to help out with flood relief, community gardens, river clean-up and other needs in Wisconsin and Minnesota while transporting 38 riders to rally at the Republican National Convention in Minnesota without burning gasoline. This is not a protest; the Caravan will demonstrate in motion the power of the bicycle as a real form of transportation and a tool for the liberation of people who are willing to ride the distance together in intentional community.

For More Information about the Caravan you are encouraged to contact Kristine Pettersen or you can look online at www.PNC2RNC.org

Witness against war - August 14 in La Crosse

Please welcome and join the Witness Against War folks on Thursday evening, August 14 at the La Crosse Public Library, 8th and Main Streets.

A potluck supper will start at 6:30 p.m. At 7:00 p.m. the peace walkers will talk about their mission. For more info on the Witness Against War: 2008 tour, visit the website of Voices for Creative Non-Violence.

Hiroshima Remembrance

The Interfaith Justice and Peace Group, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Lutheran Office for Justice and Peace, Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Committee, Nukewatch are sponsoring this year's remembrance of the first use of a nuclear weapon.  Details below, and for more information, call 786-2816.