Local Newswire

 The time is November, 2003.  George Bush is in the middle of his first term in office.  And Miami has been selected to host the meeting of the F.T.A.A., or the Free Trade Agreement of the America's.  This trade deal is sold as a way to open new markets in Cental and South America, create jobs, and "liberalize" trade rules.  Critics believe that the F.T.A.A.  is nothing less than a way to transfer soverenty

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACTS:

Rich Pellegrino @ 404-573-1199

Pilgrim1@mindspring.com

Helen Riley @ 770-423-2040

miskel2@yahoo.com

Gerald Rose @ 404-483-8284

N1992order@yahoo.com

THE COBB UNITED for CHANGE COALITION

Website URL:

 On Valentine's Day, 2011, CWA members, Teamsters, Jobs with Justice, Clergy, Union supports, and Occupy Atlanta members paid a visit to AT&T in Atlanta to ask for a Valentine gift, "Show some Love, Stop the Layoffs!".  AT&T had recently announced that they will be laying off 740 union workers in the South East region, 95 of those layoffs here in Georgia. At the same time, AT&T CEO Randall Stevenson received $27,000,000 in compensation in 2011.  At a time when Georgia is facing double digit unemployment and has one of the nations highest foreclosures rates, layoffs of good paying union jobs is the last thing the state needs. So on Valentines Day, CWA supports came together to demand that AT&T stop the lay offs and show their employees the dignity they deserve.

Eloise Pittman bought her home at 404 Glen Iris Dr in 1953. After working in the education system for years, she finally settled in to a life of retirement. At 62 years old, Chase approved her for a $312,000 loan. This loan would have cost her a million dollars to repay. As a senior living on a fixed income she never should have been offered this loan in the first place. The bank gave her this predatory loan knowing she wouldn’t be able to pay it back.

On December 15th, 2011, BBC investigative reporter Greg Palast stopped in Atlanta during his U.S. speaking tour promoting his new book. Mr. Palast has been tracking and investigating some of America's sleasiest 1%, the oilmen and investment bankers who scour the world for new sources of petroleum and profit's. One source of new profits is buying the debt of under developed countries for pennies on the dollar, then squeezing that money out of those countries once they emerge from civil wars or dictatorships. With a combination of humor and passion, Mr. Palast untangles a global web of greed and corruption within oil companies, governments, bankers, regulators, intelligence organizations and makes complex schemes easy to understand. His talk is followed by a Q and A, and in total runs about 85 minutes.

Many people will celebrate Valentines day with their true loves with a special dinner.  I'm sure most men will give their sweethearts a heart shaped box of chocolates.  To show your love for your sweetheart, friends, and family you should help americans in their dream for single payer health insurance.  So instead of rushing to the store for chocolates you should rush  to the internet site of ( Single Payer Action ) and to your sweet delight you will find that they want to have a government run single payer health insurance.  This single payer health insurance that ( Single Payer Action ) wants will have no co-pays, deductibles or bills.  All american citizens will be in this health insurance plan and nobody will be left out.  Now isn't that a sweet thought for valentines day?

Today, February 10th, 2012, Occupy Atlanta and Take Back the Block sat in at the Chase Bank located in the Edgewood Retail District. This action is part of a larger campaign against Chase Bank in getting the deed back from Chase to the Pittman family. Carmen Pittman, the granddaughter of the late Eloise Pittman, was arrested along with seven others. This was the first time--since the occupation movement shifted its focus to foreclosure--that a homeowner was involved in direct action. They are now known as the Chase Eight.

Toward A Critique Of Our Identities.

(This letter was initially intended to be read at a recent meeting, which was about the
"black bloc" action my partner and I called for at our home. I have not altered the letter to appear in indy media.

As context to outsiders: Francis had been living in our home for two months and was never on the lease. Additionally, V and I have been part of the radical activist community for over a year. I feel there is further necessary information to include, however, I have mixed feelings about bringing a domestic dispute into a public sphere.)

 Hey everyone,

 There has been alot of talk about the recent legislation called the National Defense Authorization Act.  Many believe the act gives this President, and/or future Presidents the ability to use the military in America to arrest, and jail indefinetly, without charges or a trial, American citizens.  The President simply has to declare a person a threat to "national security" and that person can be imprisoned, no right to lawyer, a jury, a hearing, evidence, witnesses, habis appeals....nothing.

This is an open letter in response to the actions on the evening of Tuesday February 1st 2012 at the residence of V, Chelsea and Francis. 

We, Olly, Andre, Jessie, Kalilah, Drea, Martina, Steve, and Francis, members of a local radical queer community, experienced direct intimidation, as well as its ripple effects, by members of the anarchist and anarcho-feminist communities.

We recognize the experiences of all the people involved in the altercation that sparked the actions of Feb 1st. We also recognize that altercation between V, Chelsea & Francis existed prior to the events of that evening. We have no intention of debating those experiences. This is a letter in response to the violent tactics used by members of the anarchist community in the form of a Black Bloc.

On Saturday the 28th of January, we marched against the police. Some shit got vandalized including a MARTA station window and a police station.

Besides the recent string of police murders in Atlanta, we were motivated by a recognition that police accountability is impossible, that police exist only to protect the rich and powerful, that the state refuses to listen to polite or reasonable discourse, and that rage is the only language these pigs understand. Any continuation of racist, sexist, homophobic, or any other oppressive violence from the police will only fan the flames of anti-police sentiments in the city and should be expected to be met with retaliation. 

James HodgeOver the past month protesters have noticed strange men hovering around Occupy Atlanta related protests and filming the events. It's not unusual for lots of cameras to be present at these events, but these people stood out. It was very obvious that they were with law enforcement.

One officer in particular had initially refused to identify himself, but after a nod from white-shirt APD officer C.W. Moss he eventually identified himself as James Hodge.

On Saturday, January 28th an Atlanta march in solidarity with the Oakland Commune titled "From Oakland to Atlanta: Fuck the Police" ended in three arrests.

The march was roughly 50 people at its biggest and was surrounded by reinforced banners. During the march, anti-cop graffiti was written on a police station window and a MARTA station had a window smashed out (in October of 2011 a MARTA police officer killed 19 year old Joetavious Stafford). Debris was dragged into the street to disrupt police pursuit.

At the end of the march, participants dispersed in multiple directions and 3 were arrested. They are being charged with jaywalking and obstruction of traffic.

A fundraising party is scheduled for tomorrow in Atlanta and solidarity actions would be appreciated elswhere.

More to come.

Posted in the early hours of January 29th.