This post is adapted from my Not-Very-Often Newsletter, which comes out on a highly irregular basis. The really good news is that it doesn’t land in your inbox very often at all. To subscribe, just send an email to paul@dissentment.com
* Paul George’s Not-Very-Often Retirement Newsletter *
Dear Friends – Happy New Year! I hope you all are having a relaxing holiday season, because we’re all going to have to work our butts off in the coming year, right? For me, retirement has meant this is the first December in 30 years that I haven’t been sweating out the results of the all-important year-end fundraising drive for Peninsula Peace and Justice Center. Believe me, that’s a huge relief. But I still care, of course, so if you haven’t made a year-end gift to PPJC yet, please click here right away. Thank you very much.
I’d like to urge you to join me for the first Other Voices TV program of the new year. On January 7 at 7:00pm I’ll be hosting Pierre Labossiere, a renowned and beloved Bay Area human rights activist who originally hails from Haiti. And that will be our topic.
This program will mark the tenth anniversary of the catastrophic earthquake that struck Haiti on January 10, 2010. Over 200,000 people perished. I still recall how gratifying was the response from our local activist community. Through PPJC, we raised thousands of dollars in humanitarian relief, much of it at a fabulous concert by blues great Kenny Neal – anybody else remember that dance concert? Wow.
But that wasn’t surprising because we had already been standing in solidarity with Haiti for years before the quake. From the rise of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1990, the first democratically elected president of Haiti, through two US-manipulated coups against Aristide, in 1991 and again in 2004, and beyond.
Now, all these years later, Haiti needs our help again. Not to rebuild homes, but to rebuild their democracy, which has been sidelined by a corrupt and violently repressive regime that took control during the vacuum left in the wake of the earthquake. And once again, the hand of the US can be seen pulling the strings in the background.
Haiti represents the very definition of grassroots activism. Please let’s not forget these courageous people who put their lives on the line on behalf of democracy and justice. Come to the forum on January 7 and learn how you can help Haiti this time around. If you can attend, it really helps if you would RSVP by clicking here, or RSVP on Facebook by clicking here, or just send me a damn email. 😉 I look forward to seeing all of you there.
Once again, all best wishes for an active New Year.
Paul
paul@dissentment.com
Haiti: 10 Years After the Quake, Rebellion & Repression
“Haiti still needs international support, but this time to rid the country of thieving and murdering government and business officials.”
A conversation with
PIERRE LABOSSIERE
Co-Founder, Haiti Action Committee | Human Rights Activist
We will also have a guest from the Los Altos High School Haiti Solidarity Club, students who have traveled to Haiti to help rebuild schools.
Hosted by Paul George, PPJC Director Emeritus
Tuesday, January 7, 7:00 PM
Midpen Media Center, 900 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto
Free & open to all. Wheelchair accessible. Map.
Ten years ago, on January 12, 2010, a catastrophic earthquake struck Haiti, already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Over 100,000 people were killed and nearly 3 million people were displaced. In the intervening years, international relief and assistance has evolved into a de facto military occupation of Haiti by the United States and United Nations. These occupying powers have overseen four fraudulent and undemocratic presidential elections, where the majority party Lavalas, founded by former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, has been banned from even running candidates. At the same time, untold billions of dollars of relief aid has gone into the pockets of corrupt officials, instead of going to relieve suffering and aid with recovery.
In response, ordinary Haitians have risen up in massive protest of the corruption and lack of democracy. They have been met with enormous brutality and a return to the dark days of death squads. Haiti still needs international support, but this time to rid the country of thieving and murdering government and business officials.
Please RSVP here or on Facebook
Other Voices is videotaped for broadcast on local TV and online
Presented by Peninsula Peace and Justice Center
http://www.PeaceAndJustice.org || facebook.com/penin.pjc
* Paul George’s Not-Very-Often Retirement Newsletter *
* Paul George’s Not-Very-Often Retirement Newsletter *
* Paul George’s Not-Very-Often Retirement Newsletter *
* Paul George’s Not-Very-Often Retirement Newsletter *
* Paul George’s Not-Very-Often Retirement Newsletter *