OPEN LETTER

hello, My name is Valentina Vasi, I'm Italian and I BLAME VIOLENCE. I ABSOLUTELY BLAME WHAT MR.TARTAGLIA DID, AND I DISSOCIATE MYSELF FROM IT, I don't feel like a criminal at all and I'm not a violent person as well as MANY other people in my Country.

I was at the protest in Rome on Dec.5th, I was one of those that have been called "violent" and "criminals" by our politicians and I'm disgusted by it. Because I WAS THERE. I COULD SEE IT WITH MY EYES. And we were everything but violent. I took pictures (they're in my preview post) you can look at and see by yourself things the way they are.
Something too many Media keep forgetting or even worst not wanting to see is that since a long time Italy is in a Media Dictatorship...And i'm really sorry to use such a strong and bad word, but at the moment is the only word that comes to my mind, the only one that really describes what we currently are. Our Prime Minister owns the 90% of our Communications, and we keep being censored and unheard.
Every newspaper and Tv News talked about Facebook Groups supporting Mr.Tartaglia, that I absolutely blame as much as his stupid and violent act, but none talked about over a million people that during that same night got their identity stolen from fake groups in solidarity to Mr.Berlusconi...We have pictures we took, everything you need to see is documented, or you can check directly Facebook, they have all people's reports.
I don't know how many of you watched videos of the Dec.5th Protest, but to the ones who did I would like to ask if you remember, toward the end of the rallies, a smiling man standing in the Organizers Group on the stage, and talking to the crowd...well, that man had to pay on himself his opposition to Mr.Berlusconi, being assaulted in his own office and raped. He's just one of the many that has to face both physical and virtual violence every day just because of his opposition...the only difference between Mr.Berlusconi and Italian People is that we don't own tvs and newspaper to show them. Street is everything we still have. And Internet. But now after that stupid attack, they want to take away from us that little freedom too, with new censorship laws and control. They're trying to have new laws approved about having a "Private Defense Army", to "support safety" in our Country...because they say that there's a "hate behaviour and atmosphere brought and wanted by the left side"...pretty funny, as one of those they recently called "media terrorist" and criminal, Mr.Marco Travaglio, is a very good reporter coming from the right side. But they don't want this to be known: Dec.5th through Rome's streets walked both left side and right side, young and old people, all together, no distinction at all, following only the one common desire: JUSTICE.
But it doesn't matter, as we're all criminals...I'm sorry, but this just disgusts me.
Salvatore Borsellino, Moni Ovadia, Ascanio Celestini, Nanni Moretti, Dario Fo, Franca Rame...they're not criminals. They're just reporters, intellectuals, artists and citizens saying their opinion.They never promoted any hate and always supported their ideas PEACEFULLY.
What do you know about Enzo Biagi? Indro Montanelli? they were not criminals, but reporters and some of the best Italian intellectuals, doing their job: simply reporting. They're just two of a long list of fired or "convinced to drop" ones, for no reason why, but being opposing to Mr.Berlusconi. What do you know about all things Mr.Berlusconi has been investigated about? And the Italian Laws he's been changing for his good since he went to the Power?And the many censored documentaries, one among the others the one asking about last elections and the weird way they were managed?...
WE'RE NOT VIOLENT, WE'RE JUST PEACEFULLY ASKING FOR JUSTICE AND TRUTH. WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR OUR PRIME MINISTER TO RESIGN AND BE JUDGED, AS ANY OTHER CITIZEN AND PERSON.
WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR INTERNATIONAL MEDIA TO REALIZE WHAT COMMUNICATIONS CONTROL IS MAKING OF OUR COUNTRY, AS IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOURS AS WELL. PLEASE LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES AND HELP US GETTING OUT OF THEM...PLEASE. HELP US DENOUNCING IT.
Today I'm really sad, because I'm searching outside of my beloved Country what I cannot find anymore: JUSTICE AND TRUTH.

ITALY: THE NEXT GENERATION

They call themselves "The Purple Crowd"...no political parties, no social distinction, no prejudice of any kind, just a common color and goal: Mr Berlusconi's resignation.
Italy finally seems to start reacting to its Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in a huge street Protest on December 5th 2009, to show everyone that Italian People is not dead. They're not blind nor deaf, least of all mute. If political parties from each side are too lazy, corrupted or unhopeful to still dream about a younger, more honest and right Country, people hasn't given up yet, and decided to finally raise their voice on it.
It didn't matter if the official numbers kept changing during the day and a million people magically became ninety thousand of people for the Police Headquarters. It didn't matter if any live broadcasting was denied to any channel but RaiNews24, an online and satellite channel(not as much visible as the rest of the commons public and private channels). It didn't matter if Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi tried once again to minimize people intervention on the political subject. Saturday December 5th about a million people joined together, in the streets of Rome, the Italian Capital, from every political side and part of the Country to finally say "I'M HERE. I EXIST. I'M ITALIAN AND SILVIO BERLUSCONI IS NOT MY PRESIDENT". To finally say "STOP" to corruption, mafia, lies and the ignorance Mr.Berlusconi is making off of Italy. To say "STOP" to Mr.Berlusconi attempt to change the Italian Constitution according to his plans and needs. To say "STOP" to the joke Italy has become in the last years in front of the rest of Europe and the World. Because it's anti-democratical, anti-constitutional and WRONG. Because it's time for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign and be put on trial for what he's been investigated on. Because a Country is made by People and not the mere personal toy of a single person. These were the concept many voices screamed, said, sang, danced on Saturday December 5th in both Rome and other european cities, to show that Mr.Berlusconi can control the majority of Medias, but he can't control People.

If you want to know more about No Berlusconi Day you can check their website at http://www.noberlusconiday.org

NO BERLUSCONI DAY!! Dec.5th 2009

Sabato 5 dicembre 2009

ore 14, piazza della Repubblica, Roma

http://www.noberlusconiday.org

noberlusconiday@hotmail.it

ufficio stampa :
comunicazione.noberlusconiday@gmail.com
327 49 50 633

supporto ai gruppi locali :
nobdaysupporto@gmail.com

sito :
sitonbd@gmail.com

ARTISTI PER IL NO BERLUSCONI DAY
artistinbd@hotmail.it

Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name

Freedom Glory Project, remember this name.
Iranian-American musicians, artists, and filmmakers united in keeping the struggle for freedom alive.“Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name” is dedicated to the people of Iran and the citizens of the world who stand with them.


lt's a silence the lonely know
in the fire the rainbow grows
you can push it down my friend
it will come up ten fold again

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

how much blood must be shed
on the streets of unrest
we will bleed as long need be
that river will remove you from history

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

you have robbed us for many years
but we have saved every last tear
we have suffered all of your hate
and now we march down to your gates

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name
Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name

you think your power is secure
when you startle us with the threat of war
but fear has its limits too
we are no longer scared of you

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

we will burn your temple to the ground
we will tear all your prisons down
your gallows will be set for burning
just before one last hanging

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name
Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name

now we give you one last chance
to do what's right and to let us dance
or the hand of fate will become a fist
a force your thugs can not resist

The fields where soldiers practice their killing
can be a spread of green grass
where the boisterous rainbow children may dance
while the one who beams with
ultimate command
will merely be a smile (Written by Shamloo)

Shoukoeh Azadi Ba Mast

UNITED FOR IRAN_Global Day Of Action_july 25th 2009

Join this unprecedented wave of global citizen activism in solidarity with the people of Iran. On July 25, participate in an event in one of more than 105 cities around the world. Find out how else you can help.

Nobel Peace Laureates, prominent Iranian poets & artists, and many others support the global day of action: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Shirin Ebadi, Sean Penn, Dariush, Jody Williams, Betty Williams, Mairead Maguire, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Simin Behbahani, and Ismael Khoii. Dariush to Perform at DC Rally!

United4Iran is a non-partisan collaborative of individuals and human rights organizations. Our aim is to support the Iranian people’s human rights; we are opposed to any foreign interference or military attack on Iran. Learn more.

from the website www.united4iran.com

R.I.P. Indro Montanelli

Eight years ago one of Italian best journalists and historians died.
Throughout his career he retained an idiosyncratic and particularly undiplomatic style, even when this made him very unpopular among his peers and employers.
In 1994 he was the first one, coming from a conservative political position, explaining how Silvio Berlusconi was going to be the biggest contemporary danger against Italian democracy.

When Silvio Berlusconi, the proprietor of Il Giornale, entered politics and founded a new right-wing party Forza Italia, Montanelli came under heavy pressure to switch his editorial line to a position favourable to Berlusconi. Montanelli never hid his bad opinion of Berlusconi: "He lies as he eats", the journalist declared. In the end, protesting his independence, he founded a new daily, for which he resurrected the name La Voce ("The Voice"), which had belonged to an historical newspaper run by Giuseppe Prezzolini. La Voce, always an elitist paper, folded after about a year, and Montanelli returned to Corriere della Sera.

From 1995 to 2001 he was the chief letters editor of Corriere della Sera, answering a letter a day on a page of the newspaper known as "La Stanza di Montanelli" ("Montanelli’s Room"). In spite of having been a renowned anti-Communist all his life, Montanelli spent his last years vigorously opposing Silvio Berlusconi’s politics. He was mentor of a relevant group of mates, followers and students as Mario Cervi, Marco Travaglio, Paolo Mieli, Roberto Ridolfi, Andrea Claudio Galluzzo, and Roberto Gervaso.

If only he could talk once more... R.I.P. INDRO

FREE IRAN_Jutice for Neda and all Iranian people

She was just a 27 year old philosophy student who was with her father during the protests in Tehran...just a student. not a terrorist, nor a criminal. not a soldier, nor a killer. Just a simple student, rising her voice in defence of her freedom, protecting something that would have to be her natural right. SHE HAD NO WEAPONS BUT HER VOICE.

for those who haven´t heared of Neda:

Neda Soltani (1982 – 20 th june 2009; age 26–27) was an young Iranian woman whose killing, allegedly by Basij militia during the 2009 Iranian election protests, was captured on video by bystanders. The graphic videos were posted on the Internet, and her name quickly became a rallying cry for the opposition Neda means "voice" or "calling" in Persian, and she has been referred to as the "voice of Iran" and "a symbol" of this revolution taking place right now. Ya Neda, Ya Neda....Ya Neda

May she rest in peace. We will never forget you.

بخواب ای خواهر نازم ندایم
که روح پاک تو گردد صدایم
ندا دادی تو ما را با صداقت
قسم بر آن نگاه بی گناهت
که همواره به ظالم ما بتازیم
که دایم جاودان راهت بسازیم
بخواب ای خواهرم آرام ارام
بخواب ای نوشکفته ای دلارام
شهید راه پاکی ها توبودی
مبارز با تباهی ها تو بودی
تو که هرگز نبودی خاک و خاشاک
چراافتاده ای اینگونه بر خاک؟
ندایم ای ندای سرزمینم
صدای جاودان این زمینم
صدای تو شود داد دلیران
ندای تو شود فریاد ایران

MAY (your) DAY (be better)

New Campaign Posters by Los Angeles based artist Shepard Fairey, originally known for his "Obey Giant" Campaign, that became definitely famous through his promotional posters during 2008 United States Presidential Elections.





The same President Obama was one of the inspiration keys of the recent Los Angeles May Day March, that brought tens of thousands of immigrants by the streets of Los Angeles on last May 1st...
“President Obama made a solemn pledge to bring comprehensive immigration reform in his first 100 days in office. He has not done that. We must continue to struggle to win legalization for everyone. We will not stop marching until we prevail,” said Rally co-chairs Juan Jose Gutierrez from Latino Movement USA.
“¡Obama escucha, estamos en la lucha! " one thousand students all together screamed.
Not even the scare of the swine flu was strong enough to stop 15000 people from joining their voices by the street, asking for better rights, hoping for better lives.

Immigration Raids are a never ending story. It is about time that Washington leaders take a stand and call for an end to the raids. They are destructive, costly and tear apart not just families, but entire communities.
One year ago Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa asked federal authorities to lighten up on tactics that have antagonized immigrant communities. While visiting Washington D.C., he met with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and asked that federal authorities stop raiding L.A.’s “non-exploitative” businesses. Instead of targeting illegal immigrants who lead productive lives, “federal immigration officials should target dangerous or violent criminals,” Villaraigosa said during the press conference.
Now, one year after, the same problems.
“We are here to demand justice, dignity and equality for everyone. We want legalization, but we can’t stop there—we demand an end to exploitation and discrimination of all forms. We need more workers’ rights, more union jobs, and access to affordable health care, education and housing for all. This is not out of reach. Our labor creates all the wealth in society—we deserve to reap the benefits."(ANSWER L.A. coordinator Preston Wood)
Just two months ago House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave a powerful speech, calling for an end to immigration raids, but nothing seems to be changing yet, and thousands of people keep being arrested and persecuted. Just because in this amazing beautiful country you need to have enough money to be able to buy your life, otherwise you're just an outsider, it doesn't matter how hard you work.

I'm an immigrant myself, AND I SAY STOP THE RAIDS.

...IMMIGRATION REFORM NOW.

AI WEIWEI

FROM n.p.r.(National Public Radio), May 4th 2009, report by Anthony Kuhn

Nearly a year after a massive earthquake left more than 80,000 people dead or missing in southwestern China, the government still has not released figures for the number of children killed in collapsed schools. Some children's parents allege that shoddy school construction was to blame, making the issue a politically sensitive one. Chinese activists continue to investigate the deaths, despite the efforts of authorities to block them. The artworks scattered around the courtyard of Ai Weiwei's studio in suburban Beijing are a mix of classical Chinese and rebellious avant-garde. The son of a famous poet, Ai is on a personal mission: documenting the schoolchildren killed in the earthquake.

Police Detain Activists. He says that the task is getting harder, and that police in Sichuan province have detained several of his volunteers. "The police confiscate your materials and give no receipt. They send you back to Chengdu by car, and tell you, 'Don't let us see you again. You have broken the law.' When the volunteers ask what law, the police say: 'You'll find out,' " he says. Others have been less fortunate. Sichuanese environmental activist Tan Zuoren, who conducted a similar investigation, was arrested on March 28 on suspicion of incitement to subversion. In Ai's office, spreadsheets on the wall display the names, ages and schools of more than 5,000 children killed by collapsing schoolrooms. The lists were censored last month from Ai's blog (in Chinese).

Difficult To Get Answers. Ai began his investigation in December by calling about 200 government offices and asking how many schoolchildren were killed. He says he got three standard answers. "First, 'This is a state secret, and we can't possibly give it to you.' Second, 'You are an individual, what do you want this information for anyway?' Third, 'You are hurting the parents' feelings. They're suffering and don't want to discuss the issue,' " he says. Ai says he will continue calling his government to account until he gets a satisfactory answer. "Our political system has always covered up the truth and failed to take responsibility. It conceals all problems related to the political system. So this kind of calamity will continue to occur in future," he says.

Government Pledge To Release Names. China's government has pledged to release the names of all earthquake victims as part of its first national human rights action plan, announced last month. Sichuan's vice governor, Wei Hong, said in March that while the government was still working on the final tally, it had already reached a conclusion about why so many schoolrooms collapsed. "The earthquake was of a great magnitude and intensity," he said. "This was the most important reason for the damage that our schools and other facilities sustained." Some citizens, though, have found otherwise.

Probe Goes On. Chengdu resident Wang Xiaodong investigated the collapse of the middle school in Beichuan county that killed hundreds of students. Wang says he has dreamed he saw the souls of the dead children, and he remains haunted to this day. He alleges that the school's construction boss sold off some of the steel that should have been reinforcing the school's concrete. Wang obtained copies of the school's blueprints, which he says prove his point, and mailed them to anti-corruption officials in Beijing. Speaking by phone from southern Guangdong province, Wang says he is not afraid of retribution from local officials. "If I could trade my life to bring back one of the dead students, I would not hesitate. Officials' threats and dirty tricks are useless against me. Because if this issue is not resolved, life would be too painful anyway," he says.

AI WEIWEI official website

BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES

"BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES tells the story of American music at this precarious moment. Filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen traveled the country, hoping to understand why mainstream music seems so packaged and repetitive, and whether corporations really had the power to silence musical innovation. The answers they found on this journey–ultimately, the promise that the future holds–are what makes BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES both riveting and exhilarating" from the BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES official website

..."you can be the best...you can be what you wanna be. that's right, you can do what you wanna do. I'm a blues player. I've never been a millionaire, but lemme tell you something: I think I am. I don't care if you believe me man, but I know you do, because this is what it's all about. if anything you wanna do you love it...you're rich. You're millionaire, man."
...Hubert Sumlin teaches.

Easy Taser

23-year-old Johnathan Fredrick Felch, of San Luis Obispo, was arrested around 7:15 p.m. on April 17 2009 at the Empire Polo Fields on suspicion of being drunk in public and resisting arrest. The man, thought "intoxicated and belligerent" by the Indio Police Officers was naked-walking around in the Coachella Festival. As he didn't want to put on his clothes, the police wrestled him to the ground and tasered him multiple times.The crowd, who didn't seem to mind the naked wizard, booed the police.


Naked Wizard Tased By Reality from Tracy Anderson on Vimeo.

Indio Police Department spokesman Ben Guitron said later that "that was the best way to subdue him and take him" and that he did not initially detail the incident to the media because he did not think it was "significant."

I grew up told that Police is elected to citizens' protection, I guess we have to be happy that those Police Officers arrived in time to strictly stop that man before he could hurt someone..exactly as they arrived right in time to stop this student from talking and asking too much...

so what I would really like to know now is WHERE IS THE BORDER BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG?

WHERE IS THE BORDER BETWEEN DEFENSE AND ATTACK?

Models, soubrettes, tv and gossip's stars next Italian Members of the European Parliament

Mr.Berlusconi is filling the new List of Members for the European Parliament...

"I want new young faces to show Europe a new fresh image of PDL". That's what Italian Prime Minister Mr. Silvio Berlusconi said just a few months after he announced that Europe needed highly proficient technicians. In order to that he started to deeply an seriously search for the best candidates he could find: models, tv actresses, gossip's stars and soubrettes.

But to honour the truth we have to precise that our new fresh heroes are actually not exactly new to politics...one example between many, Angela Sozio, started her interest in politics at least two years ago, when she liked long by hand-walkings with the actual Prime Minister Mr.Silvio Berlusconi.

To be sure that these long term educated professionals will be the right answer to European Parliament's needs, Mr. Berlusconi decided that a very short but intense seminar could be enough to become highly proficient in "political matters".

Teachers have been recruited to help the new cute faces going over their clubs/tv/gossip knowledge and experience through the new unexpected strange world of politics.

The lucky new Members of Parliament will have a 35000 euros/month stipend, the highest rate that any Member from any european Country can earn...pretty funny if we think that Italy is one of the countries with the highest debt: 1,7billions of euros.

Will our hero be able to save Europe?Stay tuned and you'll discover it!!

...something too often forgotten

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS(1948) (article 19)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 10 December 1948 and provides human rights standards accepted by all member states. The UDHR represents the normative basis that led to formulating the standards for freedom expression. Article 19 states that
“Everyone has the right to the freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”.

EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS (1950) (article 10)
Freedom of expression is protected by article 10 of the European Convention and has been the subject of a relatively large number of cases before the court. The European Court of Human Rights has promoted the free flow of information and ideas, established important precedents which limit state powers to restrict freedom of expression, particularly in the areas of press and broadcasting freedom, political expression, defamation, privacy, national security and demonstrations. Some decisions of the court however have been widely criticised for failing to uphold the right to freedom of expression. and resettlement, whatever the origin and nature of their disability."