community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
On today's show: Protestors from the Pittsburgh occupation rally against a Pennsylvania company that supplies Egyptian police with tear gas; A new program in Uptown teaches African-American youth about the environment and entrepreneurship; Updates from occupations across the U.S. and around the world; Interviews with famed sports journalist, Dave Zirin and more in our local and global headlines.
Rustbelt Radio for December 5, 2011
Welcome to this week's edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's bi-weekly review of the news from the grassroots, news overlooked by the corporate media.
On today's show...
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We turn now to local stories.
On the afternoon of December 1st, participants from occupation encampments around the region converged at the CSI weapons production plant in Jamestown, Pennsylvania. While American protestors mobilize to restore democracy debased by the corporate empire, United States' companies such as Combined Systems Incorporated, or CSI, manufacture the tear gas used by police in Tahrir Square against Egyptian demonstators. While pro-democratic action in Egypt inspired the occupy movement in the United States, American companies ignore the blatant unrest of American workers and continue to support oppressive systems abroad.
In solidarity with the Egyptian protestors, the crowd in Jamestown rallied outside of the tear gas plant, a few of them reading allowed a message to the people of the U.S, asking to be aware and defend Egypt.
The activists of Occupy and Tahrir Square are now working together against the businesses and institutions that are aiding in the repression of their grassroots movements.While protestors from Pennsylvania and Ohio, rallied at the CSI plant in Jamestown, occupiers of Wallstreet marched to the Egyptian consulate.
Though authoritiies at the CSI plant refused to see a representative from the demonstration, solidarity is further built between pro-democratic movements across the world, and further plans of action are underway to continue the fight against tyranical systems, coporations like dictatorships, as the subjagation of the people by tear gas is carried on by Egyptian as well as United States police.
For more information go to defendegypt.org.
This story was produced by Emily Laychak
A new organization in Pittsburgh called Mama Africa's Green scouts has plans to bring together African-American youth from all over the city to learn about the environment and economic justice.
Mama Africa's Green Scouts is based out of the Uptown area of the Hill District where they have teamed up with an urban farm to teach youth about African culture and create environmental awareness through entrepreneurship training.
Rustbelt Radio met up with one of the organizers of the youth program, Raqueeb Bey, who spoke about why they decided to start this program in Pittsburgh.
Landslide Community Farm is an urban farm located in Uptown that teaches organic gardening techniques, as well as hosts neighborhood picnics where they share the vegetables that they produce.
Organizer, Raqueeb Bey, lays out her plans for the youth program in the Spring.
Meanwhile during the winter months, organizers of Mama Africa's Green Scouts have been hosting meetings all over the city to raise awareness of the program including a meeting at the Hill House Association this past week.
Finally, Raqueeb Bey says that any youth throughout the city are welcome to join Mama Africa's Green Scouts.
In response, Occupy movements across the nation began to hang signs which read, "you can't evict an idea" and began experimenting with re-occupation of new locations. On Dec. 3rd, Occupy Portland marched from its original location at the Salmon Spring Fountain to Shemanski Park. By 6:30pm the same day, they were evicted again by 9 am on Dec 4th, only to reoccupy City Hall. Further, Occupy Seattle, displaced in the last week of November, expands the meaning of occupy-able sites to include vacant warehouse. They are planning an action in solidarity with a Brooklyn action on Dec. 6th where they will occupy a foreclosed home. On Sunday December 4th, in D.C., after days of resisting eviction, a people's structure was erected at K-Street in McPherson? Square to be used for General Assemblies, teach-ins, and other community building purposes. Designed by architects to be solar heated with a hydroponic roof, police stood between Occupiers and the shelter throughout the day, threatening aggressive arrest. According to Park Police, the city Police are waiting for an inspector.
Similarly, New York City does not seem to have suffered from its eviction. The schedule of events for Occupy Wall Street can be found on the New York City General Assembly Website and include direct actions such as Occupy the Food System, Farmer's March, a Direct Action Working group, teach-ins, workshops and solidarity special events located mostly at 60 Wall Street, as well as Liberty Plaza, and often [quote] everywhere [end quote].
The following interview was conducted Dec. 4th, 19 days after Wall Street's eviction. The Occupy Wall Street organizer speaking preferred to remain nameless to avoid endangering his right to practice democracy as well as to remain a part of Occupy unity.
The rest of the interview addresses Occupy organizing tactics and what is meant by [quote] organizing to meet each other's needs [end quote].