Stand with Standing Rock/Red Warrior Camp

UPDATE: Join local supporters at Burns Park (8th and Main) on Tuesday, October 11 from 5 pm 5 6 pm on (bring you posters). Information, fundraising (fry bread sale - YUM!), support. Photo at 5:45 p.m. More details about the event here. And more details about local efforts here.)

On September 27, Miles Koenig who helped organize a load of supplies for the 3,000 plus people working to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota, spoke about ongoing local efforts to help. Another truck of supplies will leave La Crosse on about October 14.

After overwhelming response to the first call for donations, Miles said that others have been enlisted to help collect and store donations. Donations of warm clothing (all sizes), winter sleeping bags (5 degrees or better), canvas tents, food, hygiene items, feminine products, school supplies (yes, children are among those at the camp), and other items detailed in this article, please take them to English Lutheran Church, 16th and King Streets or to UWL's Cartwright Center Information Counter (Cartwright Center is at the corner of State Street and Campbell Road. The easiest way to drop off donations there is to access the building via East Avenue on the north, pull into the circle drive on the north side of the building (if you can keep someone in the car as you carry donations inside, that would be helpful), enter the building and go up the stairs on the left to the info counter).

If you are unable to donate goods, you may donate via PayPal at the Standing Rock donation site. There is also a GoFundMe page that lists other items needed as winter approaches. The protectors also invite those who are able to stand with them and help maintain these villages by cooking, carrying, providing assistance, writing, blogging, and taking photos.

To keep up on what's happening, visit the Standing Rock Sioux webpage. You can also follow the Red Warrior Camp's Facebook page.

Miles reported that the protectors plan to maintain their camps at least into January and that he and his brother Bronson plan a third trip for sometime in November.

Is there any interest in working to hold a donation drive for the November trip? Please email couleeprogressive[at]hotmail.com if yes.

Bernie in Madison Wednesday/Early voting

Bernie Sanders and Russ Feingold in Madison
RSVP Here: http://hrc.io/2dkgeSb
Wed., Oct. 5, 2016, 12:45PM - 3:00PM
Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center

1 John Nolen Dr Madison, Wisconsin 53703

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You can start voting at your municipal clerk's office soon. City of La Crosse voters can start voting absentee in person Monday, October 17 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and continuing, Monday through Friday, through Friday, November 4. Get more specific info at the City Clerk's election website. Others can get more info at myvote.wi.gov.

If you vote, don't let that be your only action. Consider this from Noam Chomsky:

"You don't have any other society where the educated classes are so effectively indoctrinated and controlled by a subtle propaganda system - a private system including media, intellectual opinion-forming magazines, and the participation of the most highly educated sections of the population. Such people ought to be referred to as "Commisars" -- for that is what their essential function is -- to set up and maintain a system of doctrines and beliefs which will undermine independent thought and prevent a proper understanding and analysis of national and global institutions, issues, and policies."

this from Election Madness by Howard Zinn,

Voting is easy and marginally useful, but it is a poor substitute for democracy, which requires direct action by concerned citizens.

and this great article about a real hero, Emma Goldman (snip):

Elections, Goldman knew, consist primarily of “wire-pulling, intriguing, flattering, lying, cheating; in fact, chicanery of every description, whereby the political aspirant can achieve success. Added to that is a complete demoralization of character and conviction, until nothing is left that would make one hope for anything from such a human derelict. Time and time again the people were foolish enough to trust, believe, and support with their last farthing aspiring politicians, only to find themselves betrayed and cheated.”

 

END GUN VIOLENCE

Repeating from a previous post. This happens TOMORROW (Sunday)!

What: La Crosse to hold events for national awareness day, “The Concert Across American to End Gun Violence”, on Sunday, Sept. 25

Please help us spread the message concerning the growing issue of gun violence in the Unites States, including gun suicides and domestic violence involving guns.

Annually, Sept. 25 is designated as a day to Remember Murder Victims.  This year, it will also serve as a national movement.  Communities across the country – from Boston to San Francisco, from Minneapolis to Miami – are participating with music, speakers and activities.  For a look at the national website, go to remembersept25.com

The La Crosse coordinators, led by Anne Drecktrah, Susan Fox and Diane Breeser, have planned a variety of events at four different venues.  The line-up includes local bands Blind Baby Olin and the Workbences, Mr. Blink, and Pig Town Fling, musicians Dennis Kuhn, Chris Rude, Special Export, Matt Monsoor, rapper Guess Prefontaine and The 5th Chamber Quintet.  Also performing are the La Crosse Dance Centre, Mujeres Orgullosas, UW-L Theater Department (performing a scene from the world premiere of “26 Pebbles” a play about the Sandy Hook shootings) and local storytellers.  There will also be a children’s area at each venue.

Guest speakers/readers include members of law enforcement, the LGBTQ community,  Naohoua Tony Yang, Tracy Littlejohn, Shaundel Spivey, State Senator Jennifer Schilling, Keith Knutson, Mark Taylor, Sister Julie Walsh and others.  La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat will also offer an opening welcome and statement.

The schedule for the day is as follows:

1-3pm Root Note, hosted my Mike Scott

3:30-5:30pm Stein House, hosted by Colin Thelen

6-8pm the Pump House, hosted by Ryan Soberg

8:30-9pm Riverside Park (south end), Community Sing and candlelight

There is a local flyer, but no one can open the file!. Please, I beg you! If you have MS Publisher on your computer, take it off immediately or burn that computer. Do not use publisher! Do not give people publisher files. They can't open them!!!! If you must use publisher, print the final product as a .pdf. Please!

A "debate watch" party that might mean something

Invitation – Presidential Debate Live Chat Discussion: Learn About Political Message Framing

Posted on September 24, 2016 by markt at thedailycall.org

By Scott Wittkopf
Frame4Future (9/23/16)

You’re invited to participate in a live chat room discussion during the Presidential Debate Monday night!

Join me and your fellow progressives in a real-time, active discussion about what the candidates are really saying, why they are saying it, what we can use, and how we can re-frame to help forward progressive policies in our communities (http://www.frame4future.com/public-forum).

As background, please read my new blog post about what’s needed in the debate:

http://www.frame4future.com/single-post/2016/09/23/The-Presidential-Debate-Forward-Looking-Vision-Needed

 Then join us Monday night at 8pm for a lively discussion: http://www.frame4future.com/public-forum

Hope to “see” you there!

Please attend Tuesday!

Last minute meeting notices are par for the course around here. For some reason, city government does not seem very interested in helping its citizens have a voice.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, please attend if you can, the city's Capital Improvements Priorities meeting at 4:30 p.m. in City Hall's first floor conference room. The proposed budget has only 10% of funds needed to fix the pool. This must change. Because of late notice, there's a fear that a smaller contingent of supporters will not have as much impact on the committee.

Here's more from the Save Memorial Pool group.

Project Update: Save Memorial Pool UPDATE ON MEMORIAL POOL STUDY & PLEASE ATTEND CIP MEETING,@ City Hall-3rd Floor Conference Room AND CONTACT THE MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL.

Good news....WE RAISED THE MONEY TO COMPLETE THE $6K PORTION OF THE STUDY!!!! We received many more checks and cash than online, and we just finished counting it up - WE RAISED OVER OUR GOAL!!!

Not-so-good...THE MAYOR & CITY DEPARTMENT HEADS BUDGET PROPOSAL ONLY FUNDS 10% in 2017...must be a pretty small pool for $250,000 or maybe it is for Architecture & Engineering only?

Given the fact that Memorial Pool has been in the proposed Capital Improvement budget AND REMOVED EVERY YEAR FOR MANY YEARS, this is concerning.

What more do we have to do??? Thousands of petition signers...thousands of dollars... tomorrow please attend to make clear at the Budget Meeting: FUND IT COMPLETELY IN 2017!!!

Keep in mind, they could still take out the $250k, so we need to make this decision easy to AT LEAST keep in the $250k *OR* FUND IT COMPLETELY for $2.5million (or more).

Tomorrow will be a similar format to the last CIP meeting, but given the short notice, I am sure we won't have as many people. Talking points should be focused on the urgency for this year, the value of the investment to aquatics/neighborhood revitalization - say something VERY brief.

So, reach out to others who may be able to stop by and encourage people to call their council members for support. In fact, call your council person and the Mayor as well.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST CITY MEETING ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET (for which the Pool is eligible) UNTIL NOV. 3RD, SO THIS ONE IS KEY!!!

Congratulations on the fundraising effort...lets keep making it worth everyone's time and money!!!