We got to stand side by side. We got to stand together and organize.

They say power to the people, That's what they're screamin' Freedom of the soul Pass it on, pass it on to the young and old.

-- Jimi Hendrix, Straight Ahead

Activist San Diego contacts: Martin (619-226-1116), Tanja (858-459-4650), Activist Update: ASDUpdate@activistsandiego.org

WANT TO ADD TO THE ACTIVIST UPDATE? Email ASDUpdate@activistsandiego.org
Please submit your event listings at least 1 week prior to the event.

Activist San Diego Monthly Meeting Second Monday of the month, 7pm NEW LOCATION - Joyce Beers Community Center, 1090 Vermont, one block north of University, next to Trader Joe's Hillcrest Shopping Center 619-528-8383. Everyone welcome Please join us

• ASD News and Views
• Food For Thought
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Activist San Diego had a busy and successful weekend. Friday night our showing of "Salud", a film contrasting the community based, preventive healthcare system of Cuba with the privatized, for-profit system of other countries. The film drew an enthusiastic audience eager to discuss the global realities of "A new and healthy world is possible."

On Saturday night Robert Scheer gave a talk co-sponsored by ASD encapsulating his new book, /"//The Pornography of Power: How Defense Hawks Hijacked 9/11 and Weakened America"/. He reminded us that both political parties are participating in hundred-billion-dollar frauds that benefit the military industrial complex. Why do we need nuclear submarines, mid-air tanker-refuelers, new fighter jets, B-2 bombers, etc, etc., when no nation in the world in threatening us with conventional military power? These massive weapons systems only make sense if the objective is empire building.

The lesson for activists; educate and focus on the folly and treachery of the expanding US empire. Secondly expose and oppose the rulers and the military-industrial complex that has strangled our democracy.

Please join ASD next Friday for the showing of Dos Americas as the filmmakers come to inform us about the relations between Black and Latino workers in the reconstruction of New Orleans after Katrina.

Interested in cooperative and intentional living, call 619-528-8060. There are one or two places open for the right people.

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DONATED CARS HELP MOVE ACTIVISM FORWARD! Please donate your car and other items. As a bonus you get progressive satisfaction and a healthy tax deduction! Call us at 619-528-8383

For all of the above we will need your help and financial support. If you would like to make a donation, please click on the button to the right.

Or, we can also accept donations mailed to: Activist San Diego 4246 Wightman St San Diego, CA 92105-2618

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In May of 2002, the United States Army invaded E3, the annual video game convention held in Los Angeles. At the city's Convention Center, young game enthusiasts mixed with camouflaged soldiers, Humvees and a small tank parked near the entrance. Thundering helicopter sound effects drew the curious to the Army's interactive display, where a giant video screen flashed the words "Empower yourself. Defend America ... You will be a soldier."(1) The Army was unveiling its latest recruitment tool, the "America's Army" video game...

-- US Military Recruits Children: "America's Army" Video Game Violates International Law 23 July 2008 by: Michael B. Reagan

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 7:30PM: Activist San Diego Presents “Dos Americas: The Reconstruction of New Orleans” a new film by Upheaval Productions. The film focuses on those rebuilding this city through interviews with some of the estimated 100,000 Latino migrant laborers who have converged in this area over the past two and a half years. Despite terrible working conditions, massive fraud, a housing crisis, severe harassment by law enforcement, and very limited resources, New Orleans’ Latino-community has mushroomed since the storm and is establishing an infrastructure proportional to its size. Joins us for one of the first screenings of this new documentary, followed by a Q&A with one of the filmmakers at the Joyce Beers Community Center: 1220 Cleveland Ave. (at Vermont just south of Univ. Ave) San Diego. ****This Event is Free**** (Nobody turned away for lack of funds - Donations Gladly Accepted). More Info

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MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 7PM: ASD Monthly General Meeting. Location: Joyce Beers Center in the Hillcrest's Uptown Shopping Center 1090 Vermont, one block north of University, next to Trader Joe's Hillcrest Shopping Center, SD 92103 * please park in Ralph’s underground parking lot. More Info

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MONDAY, JULY 28, 2PM: Stop Runaway Privatization Of Public Services! San Diego City Council 202 C Street, 12th floor council chambers Downtown San Diego. The Center on Policy Initiatives is asking everyone concerned with economic justice to be present at Monday's City Council hearing, to support CPI's position that private contractors not be allowed to lower their costs by denying health care coverage to their workers. CPI is proposing protections to keep contractors from winning the right to take over our city services by denying health coverage to workers. The City Council is scheduled to vote on our proposals at 2 p. m. Monday. More Info

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MONDAY, JULY 28, 7PM: Robert Scheer To Appear At The Lyceum. Reporter, Columnist, and Author of the Pornography of Power. City of San Diego Public Library, in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties, present Robert Scheer, who will discuss his new book, The Pornography of Power: How Defense Hawks Hijacked 9/11 and Weakened America. The FREE event will take place at the Lyceum Theater, located at 79 Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego. The Lyceum will validate parking at Horton Plaza for up to four hours. The Pornography of Power will be available for purchase at the event and Scheer will sign copies of the book at the conclusion of his talk. More Info

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 7:30PM: Activist San Diego Presents “Dos Americas: The Reconstruction of New Orleans” a new film by Upheaval Productions. The film focuses on those rebuilding this city through interviews with some of the estimated 100,000 Latino migrant laborers who have converged in this area over the past two and a half years. Despite terrible working conditions, massive fraud, a housing crisis, severe harassment by law enforcement, and very limited resources, New Orleans’ Latino-community has mushroomed since the storm and is establishing an infrastructure proportional to its size. Joins us for one of the first screenings of this new documentary, followed by a Q&A with one of the filmmakers at the Joyce Beers Community Center: 1220 Cleveland Ave. (at Vermont just south of Univ. Ave) San Diego. ****This Event is Free**** (Nobody turned away for lack of funds - Donations Gladly Accepted). More Info

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 4PM: Centro Cultural de la Raza Community Forum. Centro Cultural de La Raza 2125 Park Blvd. San Diego. This is a great opportunity for the San Diego community to gain insight into current Centro projects, ask questions and learn how to be more involved with the organization. More Info

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 2PM: Save Friendship Park - The Department of Homeland Security plans to erect a triple fence across Friendship Park, where the international boundary meets the Pacific Ocean. Friends and families from San Diego and Tijuana have gathered for generations at this historic meeting place. Construction inside the Park begins the first week in August. To express our opposition to the proposed construction, and to lament the ongoing militarization of the U. S.-Mexico border, we will gather at Friendship Park. Religious attire and symbols are encouraged. All faith traditions are welcome at this ecumenical gathering. All will be invited to share in friendship, prayer and communion. More Info

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ONGOING EVENTS
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“ENOUGH” PEACE AND IMPEACHMENT VIGILS ~ EVERY WEEK UNTIL THE IRAQ WAR ENDS. More Info

EVERY SUNDAY 3PM: Free Vegan Food at the North Park Community Park with San Diego Food Not Bombs. The North Park Community Park is located at the intersection of Oregon and Polk in North Park. More Info

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 6PM: Maquiladora Workers' Fundraising Dinner. Located at 2961 Caminito Niguel, San Diego. The food will be prepared by maquiladora workers. Following dinner, there will be an informative presentation by activist representatives of Information Center for Working Women and Men (CITTAC): Antonia Arias The San Diego Maquiladora Workers' Solidarity Network (SDMWSN): Enrique Davalos and Claudia Eleas. Their talk will focus on the difficulties that Tijuana maquiladora workers face as they attempt to organize for better wages and working conditions; and how they are supported by the Tijuana organization: More Info

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 11AM: Event with Mike Farrell in San Diego. Point Loma Library 3701 Voltaire Street San Diego. Mike Farrell is an actor and activist and President of Death Penalty Focus, an organization seeking an end to the death penalty. Best known for his eight years on M*A*S*H and five seasons on Providence, Mike Farrell is also a writer, director, and producer. Farrell has served on human rights and peace delegations to many countries around the world. As president of Death Penalty Focus, he speaks, writes, and coordinates efforts to stop executions. “Just Call Me Mike” is his first book. The Ocean Beach chapter of Amnesty International is very privileged to have Mr. Farrell appear on our behalf. More Info

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 10TH: Gas-Free Beach Day. Meet @ the Che 12 Noon. The Che Cafe at UCSD (www.checafe.org) is reaching out to the bike community (and the walk community, the human rights community, the vegan community, and the bus community... all interest groups) to bring a large group of people together to share ideas and discuss philosophy and strategy for change of the current status quo. Calling All Organizers, cyclists, vegans, vegetarians, veggie-fuel converters, EveryoneEveryone is welcome to our Gas-Free Beach Day where we will raise awareness on the importance of alternative transportation and food consumption. Ché Café Collective 9500 Gilman Dr. Student Center B-0323C University of California, San Diego La Jolla. More Info

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2PM: Author-Activist Louise Bernikow speaks at the Women's History Museum. The Shoulders We Stand On: Women as Agents of Change - about American women's activist history. Louise Bernikow survived the 1980's by writing for leading magazines, acquiring the dubious distinction of appearing simultaneously in MS. Magazine and Playboy. She was a founder of Women's Studies programs, of the Columbia Seminar on Women and Society and the Women's Biography group at the CUNY Graduate Center. More Info

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SUNDAY; AUGUST 15 – SEPTEMBER 14: Fridays & Saturdays 8 PM, Sundays 2 PM: The Joy Luck Club adapted from the Amy Tan novel, tells the story of four Chinese-immigrant mothers and their relationships with their American-born daughters. The play is made up of vignettes, which look deep into the Chinese pasts of the mothers and then shift back to the present day. The mothers share a sense of failure at being unable to connect with their daughters, and the sacrifices they made in order to come to America are played out like ghosts that come back to haunt them. More Info

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ONGOING EVENTS
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Announcements / Workshops

Activist San Diego INTERNSHIP AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES - Call now 619-528-8383. During the summer and fall of 2008 ASD has several projects we need help organizing. o Volunteer Coordinator or volunteer Outreach Assistants. o Grant Coordinator or Assistant Grant writer. o ASD Office and/or Phone manager. o Phonebanking Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator. o Event Coordinator or Events Assistant Coordinator. o Building and construction assistants at the Activist Center. o Activist Film Series Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator. o Stop Blackwater Campaign Coordinator or Assistant. o Website designers and graphic artists. o E-newsletter Editor and Assistant Coordinator. o Youth organizing (call to discuss) ASD will also host a Jan. 2009 People's Ball, a Gala alternative inaugural event. many opportunites (call to discuss). For Building ASD’s new Community FM Radio Station. o Radio Project Outreach. o Radio Technician (To help with antenna, microwave, and studio). o Radio Legal Coordinator o PR and Press Coordinator. LOCATION: ASD’s office is located at 4246 Wightman St, San Diego. Contact us at (619) 528-8383 or info@ActivistSanDiego.org. More Info

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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 10AM: Codepink Kids PEACE Playgroup. Lets teach the next generation about peace NOT war. We will be meeting the last Thursday of each month this summer(June 26, July 31, August 28, 2008). Collaborative activities in our communities will be discussed and implemented to involve our kids in the peace movement. Del Mar Beach at main station(16th street) from 10:00am-1:00pm. More Info

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AUGUST 1-3, 2008: EcoJustice Retreat with Louie Vitale, ofm. Come explore faith and environment issues with spirituality and experiential activities. The EcoJustice Group at the Mission San Luis Rey Retreat Center in Oceanside is planning our 3rd annual EcoJustice Weekend Retreat for August 1-3, 2008 and spreading the word. Louie Vitale, ofm, longtime peace and justice activist is a presentor. Our theme is Mother Earth: Incarnational, with Water being our focus topic. More Info

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 6PM: San Diego County Mega Community Coalition Summit A New PATH. Featuring: Public Access TV and Webcasting for Regular TV. Where: Joyce Beers Community Center San Diego 1090 Vermont Street - Ralph's Shopping Center, Next to Aladdin's Mediterranean Cafe 1.5 blocks north of University Ave. More Info

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SDCPJ HIGH SCHOOL LEAFLETING PROJECT. The SD Coalition for peace and justice high school leafleting project is still looking for volunteers. Please reply to this e-mailsjagitator@ucsd.edu if you can join us with this special outreach to Latino students as they are heavily targeted by military recruiters. Help deny the military what they need most - young men and women to send to war or call me at 619-237-8870. More Info

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MISCELLANEOUS
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Peace Flags. Excellent for display or for Peace Rallies. Call 858.459.4650 or email TanjaWinter@ActivistSanDiego.org

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The Guerrero Azteca Project ~ www.guerreroazteca.org

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The GI Rights Hotline ~ girights.objector.org

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Hear Friday's Judiciary Committee Impeachment Hearings ~ No Lies Radio noliesradio.org

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A local blog on Blackwater and other San Diego issues by Jill Holslin ~ jholslin.blogspot.com

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