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Solidarity with #direngeziparki and the people of Turkey

ResIstanbul

From WRL's Facing Tear Gas Campaign:

Over the past several days, Turkey has seen some of its largest mass mobilizations in years. Protesters are pouring into Taksim Square, Gezi Park, and other public spaces throughout the country in the thousands to reject neoliberalism and government-backed urban gentrification. As they brave vomit-inducing tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons, and live ammunition, it is clear that the people of Turkey are demanding much more than simply the conservation of Istanbul’s precious remaining green space. Rather, what we are witnessing in Turkey is a broad movement of people from various classes, ages, religious sects, and political backgrounds calling for real democracy. It is also imperative to contextualize this recent uprising as a continuation of many struggles that Turkish citizens have undertaken for years around economic justice, rights of minorities (including the Kurdish people), and resistance to mandatory military service.

International Day of Action For Military-Free Education and Research

International Day of Action For Military-Free Education and Research

As part of its Countering the Militarisation of Youth work, War Resisters International is  coordinating an International Day of Action For Military-Free Education and Research, which will take place on 14 June 2013. The day will be based on the September 2012 week of action in Germany, which was supported by over one hundred groups and organisations, with actions in at least eight cities.

Dannia Southerland, 1950- 2013

Dannia Southerland, 62, passed away on February 9, 2013 in Durham, NC. Dannia, who went by Sunshine at the time, was on the WRL/Southeast staff from 1978 until 1984.

A strong woman with a strong presence, Sunshine had a great smile and ability to raise important issues and challenge us all. Mab Segrest wrote about Dannia in her book Memoir of a Race Traitor. Mab wrote of Dannia’s early activism organizing the first Gay Pride march in North Carolina in 1980 and that “the women’s peace movement and War Resisters League helped expand my understanding.”

Lawsuit filed to end 30 years solitary confinement for Russell Maroon Shoatz

Free Russell Maroon Shoatz

Lawyers for former Black Panther political prisoner Russell “Maroon” Shoatz filed a federal lawsuit on May 8, 2013 against Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) officials, demanding an end to almost 30 years of solitary confinement. In one of the most overtly biased and egregious uses of “restricted housing,” Maroon – who will turn seventy-years-old this August – has spent the past 22 consecutive years in 23-hour-per-day lock down, and 28 of the past 30 years in this heinous condition.

NATO/G8-free Video Call for Submissions!

Calling all social justice videographers! The Network for a NATO-free Future (see member organizations below) is helping put together a counter-summit to the G8 and NATO summits happening this May in Chicago. To help give a U.S.-based community organizers and local activists an idea about what NATO is, its role in the world, and its connection to the global economy (as repped by the G8) to help mobilize people to come to Chicago, we are asking for a brief and exciting video made by you.

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