We The People Festival - 9/27/2008
We The People Festival - 9/27/2008
WWW.WETHEPEOPLEFESTIVAL.COM
Ticketmaster has advanced tix - 20 bucks
Unity Through Diversity
The organization of the WE THE PEOPLE festival was conceived due to a great need for a stimulant in social awareness and an encompassing platform within the urban community to inspire the involvement and active participation of the conscious urban youth populous throughout the country.
While providing a vastly artistic and intellectually satisfying array of talent at the concert series, The WE THE PEOPLE festival's primary objective involves reaching out to the myriad of organizations, groups, like-minded promotion firms, and of course artists, in order to conceive the greatest arena in which to engage and then garner participation from a grossly uninformed youth audience, including all other age groups affected by contemporary matters that involve our communities.
By in large, the WE THE PEOPLE festival aspires to continue to promote and suggest a much needed platform that calls for a voice for the youth of our nation and those artists they credit with acknowledging their daily struggles within the environments that surround them, socially, culturally and politically.
The "We the People" festival promotes non-partisan, non-violent, environmental and politically conscious views.
Speakers
Cynthia Mckinney
Green Party Presidential Nominee
myspace.com/runcynthiarun
As a Georgia state legislator from 1988 to 1992, Congresswoman McKinney gained national attention because of her determined struggle for a fair and just reapportionment plan in Georgia.The first black woman from the state of Georgia ever to fill a Congressional seat, Cynthia McKinney has proven a maverick presence on Capitol Hill. A liberal Democrat, McKinney first represented Georgia's 11th district, which encompassed 22 counties and parts of suburban Atlanta, Augusta, and Savannah, before redistricting moved her to the 4th district. McKinney's trademark gold running shoes and braided hair became symbols of her challenge to the mostly white, mostly male U.S. Congress. A divorced working mother who grew up during the civil rights era, she appreciates the needs of the poor, of blacks, and of women. Though McKinney was defeated in her reelection bid of 2002, after controversy over her criticisms of President Bush's foreign policy. she won reelection in 2004 and returned to Congress determined to continue her fight. McKinney served six terms representing DeKalb County's 4th Congressional District as a Democrat and now lives in California.Former Georgia Representative Cynthia McKinney is the official Green Party presidential nominee. She defeated Ralph Nader at the Green Party National Convention to secure the nomination. Cynthia McKinney then chose hip-hop activist Rosa Clememte as her running mate. Inspired by John Lennon, Cynthia McKinney's campaign slogan is "power to the people." Her platform includes immediate withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, single-payer healthcare, reparations for African-Americans, and the creation of a Department of Peace.
Cindy Sheehan
the Peace Mom/Congressional Candidate
www.myspace.com/cindyforcongress08
In early August of 2005, Cindy, or “Peace Mom”, as she has come to be called, camped in a ditch near President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas. She was requesting a second personal meeting with the president, who had declared that the fallen soldiers had died for a “noble cause”. Cindy wanted to know exactly what that cause was, and to demand an immediate end to what she viewed as an unjust and immoral war. So many people, activists, and celebrities stopped by or joined in to show their support, that her somewhat spontaneous demonstration became known as “Camp Casey”. A few days later, a neighbor offered the Camp Casey participants some land to use as their base. Camp Casey has become a regular protest event, gathering when President Bush is in Crawford for holidays and vacations. Cindy has purchased land where the protesters can camp. Sheehan then moved her protests to Washington, D.C., where she was arrested during an anti-war demonstration outside the White House on 26 September 2005. She was arrested again on 31 January 2006 and charged with unlawful conduct after displaying an anti-war slogan while attending President Bush's State of the Union address; the charges were dropped the next day. Between Camp Casey operations, Cindy has traveled extensively, meeting with people and leaders from all over the world, and been featured in many protests and rallies. She is credited with having revived the anti-war protest, and providing a name and face for the peace and justice movement. Her published works include Not One More Mother’s Child – an account of her first year of activism, Dear President Bush – a collection of writings and speeches, and Peace Mom: A Mother’s Journey through Heartache to Activism. Cindy runs for Congress: I am running unaffiliated with any political party because I believe the corporately controlled “two” party system is responsible for keeping our country in a state of cold and hot wars for decades and it’s time to rein in the military industrial war complex that President Eisenhower warned us of almost 50 years ago. My candidacy and service will put people before profits and people before political expediency. This country is ripe for a change and it is going to start right here and right now!
Jack Blood
GCN Radio
myspace.com/jackblood
As a Radio Talk show host for the last several years, Jack Blood has interviewed some of the Top experts, researchers, investigative reporters, historians, Whistle-Blowers, and political "policy makers" the world over. The list includes: Four Star General Tony McPeak (Joint Chiefs USAF - Gulf War 1), General Janis Karpinski (Abu Graib) Former Governors Jerry Brown and Grey Davis, Col.s Oliver North, Doug Rokke (DU), Celebrities: Chuck Barris (The Gong Show), Tom Coughlin (Billy Jack), and Jeanne Garafolo... Congressman Ron Paul, Congressman Tom Tancredo... Former Deputy Secretary of the Treasury: Paul Craig Roberts, Former Chief Economist Dept of Labor: Morgan Reynolds, Former CIA Analyst: Ray McGovern, MI5 Whistle Blowers: David Shayler and Annie Machon NBC's - Meet the Press Host: Tim Russert, Former Deputy Secretary of Education: Charlotte Iserbyt, Former UN Weapons Inspector: Scott Ritter, Authors: David Ray Griffin (New Pearl Harbor), Mark Crispin Miller, Howard Zinn, Jim Marrs, David Brock, Dave McGowen, Will Thomas, Webster Tarpley, Stephan Kinzer, Greg Palast, Alex Jones, and Anthony Hilder, Former Presidential Speech Writer ("Axis of Evil" Speech) David Frum, "Buzz" Patterson (Carried the nuclear "Football" for Bill Clinton), Pentagon Whistle Blower Daniel Ellsburg ("The Pentagon Papers"), Former Israeli Ambassador to the UN Dr. Dore Gold, Former Gitmo Chaplin: James Yee, Un-embedded Iraq reporter: Dahr Jamail, DEA Whistle Blower: Cele Castillo, 911 hero and Whistle Blower: William Rodriguez... and a load of Neo Con, CFR, Bilderberg, Think-Tank types, Local and regional Politicians, NWO official spokespersons, Thought Criminals, and Enemies of the State.
Tezozomoc
South Central Farm organizer
myspace.com/surcentrofarm
Former elected representative of the South Central Farmers and spokesperson for the now destroyed South Central Farm. Formally located at 41st and Alameda in South Los Angeles, the South Central Farm was considered the largest urban community farm in the United States. The land was originally mitigated to the community by Mayor Bradley after the 1992 Rodney King riots. During a period of 14 years the surrounding communities benefited by having access to fresh and healthy produce not available in local or major produce markets. Additionally, the farm provided access to many Meso-American traditional plants that are used for medicinal purposes as well as safe space for children and community events. Some 350 families cultivated the land until Sheriff Deputies evicted the farmers and their supporters and a local developer leveled the land with bulldozers in the Fall of 2006. The South Central Farm, also known as the South Central Community Garden, was an urban farm and community garden located at East 41st and South Alameda Streets in an industrial area of South Los Angeles, California (known as South Central Los Angeles). At 14 acres (~0.056 km²), it was considered one of the largest urban farms in the United States. The farm has been sold, and the farmers have been evicted. The farmers are disputing the validity of the sale in court and are also having vigils in protest. F.Y.I: The Venue Hosting this years We the People Fesival was once in danger of becoming a warehouse. Back in 1999, the people organized and stopped the construction of downtown warehouses at the Cornfields, after the Cultural Affairs Department determined the site was not historically significant. With dramatic justice, now the Cornfields houses the Los Angeles State Historical Park. In that same year, nearly forty community organizations banded together to save Taylor Yard from warehouses. Taylor Yard was purchased by the State of California and is now a state park.
