Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

A lot of progressive Queers and Queer-friendly allies have written off the annual Pride events as overly commercial, corporate and mainstream. But that's not what it felt like to me when I marched with the San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality (S.A.M.E.) in San Diego's Pride Parade July 16. In a mixed contingent that also included members of the Bradley Manning Support Group and the International Socialist Organization, I felt like part of a movement, participating in an island of militant political awareness that asserted the values on which Pride was founded that have largely got lost in the overall celebration.

Stories and photos: Marching with S.A.M.E. at the San Diego Pride Parade by Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine | | Rally Kicks Off San Diego Pride Events by Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine | | Photos of San Diego's Queer Pride Parade July 16 by Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine

This year's Los Angeles Anarchist Bookfair occurred on Saturday June 25 at Art Share L.A., a public space in downtown L.A.'s Arts District. (The event changes locations every year--last year's venue was Barnsdall Park-- but, of course, it always remains in L.A.) The event included information exchange vis-a-vis books and speakers, as well as art and food.

The speakers included “indigenous elders speaking about take-back-the-land struggles and resistance to a lot of colonial politics and institutionalized forms of racism that are implemented in Arizona as well as here in L.A.,” reported Liz, one of the organizers (as seen in one of the videos at the link below).

Also, “[T]here's a workshop going on about how to build an alternative economy by John Imani,” explained another event organizer. "He's proposing an alternative model of change that I think hasn't been proposed yet. He's looking at RAC (Revolutionary Autonomous Communities) as a transformative model towards the vision that he has for change." More about Imani's workshop here.

The organizer continued: “The Bookfair is organized by the L.A. Anarchist Bookfair Collective. It's a collective of different folks interested in putting the collective on for different reasons: some folks are artists, some folks are activists, some people are educators and coming together in a non-institutionalized environment to organize the event.”

Coverage: Videos from Los Angeles Anarchist Bookfair by anarcho vegan paparazzi | | Photos from the L.A. Anarchist Bookfair by organic vegan yoga

June 16, 2011: Seven thirty in the morning at the Alhambra Court House in southern California saw a strong showing of anti-FBI repression activists protesting the recent charges filed against veteran community activist and Brown Beret founder Carlos Montes. This demonstration was one of many being held across the country for Mr. Montes in the wake of new expansive FBI rules and an apparent new surge of repression against American anti-war and internationalist activism. There have been raids on citizens in Minneapolis, Chicago, Michigan and North Carolina as well as Los Angeles.

Mister Montes's home was raided by Los Angeles county Sheriffs and the FBI on May 17th of this year. The charges revolve around a firearms charge, however all of Mr. Monte's political and historical documents, computers and cell phones were confiscated making the original charge appear as a mere pretext for political harassment.

Story and pictures: Carlos Montes Arraignment and Protest in Ahambra, California by Robert Stuart Lowden | | Carlos Montes Arraignment and Protest in Alhambra, California (photo set 2) by Robert Stuart Lowden

On January 24th, 2011, a representative of the Toronto Police gave a speech in which he stated: “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.”

This comment is alarming coming from an individual in a place authority as it discourages victims/ survivors to come forward for support. It is important to hold those in positions of power, not just the police, accountable for the dangerous ideas they reflect into the community. We must also recognize that these notions are held by many in our society. This was one individual speaking the minds of many folks in our communities. This is the problem. We live in a society that believes that women are responsible for not getting raped. Being assaulted isn’t about what you wear; it’s not even about sex; by simply using a derogatory term to rationalize inexcusable behaviour it creates an environment in which it’s okay to blame the victim/survivor.

Story and photos: SlutWalk Los Angeles Storms West Hollywood California | | Part Two | | Part Three by Robert Stuart Lowden

More coverage and photos: Slutwalk 2011 [pt 1] | | Slutwalk 2011 [pt 2] | | Slutwalk 2011 [pt 3] | | Slutwalk 2011 [pt 4] | | Slutwalk 2011 [pt 5] by SCHA-LA

Discussion/interviews on KPFK's Hear in the City, May 31, 2011

Video from SlutWalk Riverside: Perspectives on Slutwalk from Riverside CA organizers by NouvelleMaude | | Slutwalk Riverside by edin2

From San Diego: Over 500 Turn Out for San Diego Slut Walk by Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine

The fight for the Farm is on again. The Los Angeles Times editorial board announced its support for restoring the South Central Farm (see below), once a fourteen-acre miracle of family agriculture in the heart of industrial Los Angeles. What the Times isn't saying here is that the land that was the Farm is in escrow according to reports received by the Farmers, with only four months left to find a way to return the Farm to the community before the land is sold. The Farmers are again relying on Angelinos to come to the aid of the legendary urban farm.

Update: The South Central Farmers: The Dream Reborn by The South Central Farmers | | Video: South Central Farm: Community Visioning at 41st and Alameda, in Los Angeles by The South Central Farmers