Women in the News, and the Local Class War

Dear Reader,

You may or may not visit other parts of our website, so I'm using my blogging powers to call a few items to your attention. (Please note that I have taken a vow to use these powers for good.)

Amnesty International has a new educational and action-oriented presentation called "Women & War: Stop Violence Against Women - Women and girls, survivors and activists, tell their stories." The piece includes stories from Iraq, Israel/ Palestine, Sudan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Colombia, the Balkans, and other areas currently or formerly under siege. It's quite impressive.

In addition to sections on rape as a war strategy and the general impact of war on women, the presentation describes how women are at the forefront of peace efforts around the world:

Despite facing enormous personal risks, women are at the core of the human rights movement seeking justice for those murdered, "disappeared" or tortured by members of the security forces. Women consistently try to meet their communities' needs, even in the most difficult of circumstances...

When you get a chance, you should also read this powerful essay by a Nicaraguan woman activist. Here's an excerpt:

As an indigenous woman living in one of the poorest countries on the Americas, I have seen how devastating war has been on women in my communities. Indigenous women often lose everything: their land, families, communities and cultural base. Major media outlets ought to recognize the importance of the issue by renewing and strengthening their commitment to investigate and report on violence against women during wartime and in all its forms. Every war is a war on women. Women are on the frontlines, and we must be on the front pages.

And Madison Women for Peace represent, represented in our community, with this editorial on the importance of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.

Lastly, did you know that a coalition of local businesses (the "Main Street Coalition for Economic Growth" - how benevolent sounding!) has filed a lawsuit against the city, in an attempt to thwart the democratic process and stop the minimum wage increase in the city of Madison?

"Ed Block, the president of the Main Street Coalition for Economic Growth, said Friday that his organization is not trying to keep wages down," reported the Capital Times. Yeah, right. That just happens to be the focus of the lawsuit you filed.

If you feel moved to let the Main Street Coalition for Economic Growth Just for Us and No One Else know how you feel about their lawsuit, here's a few phone numbers for you:

• Their main office number: 608-270-9950
  
• Organizational contact Chris Tackett: 608-257-3541
  
• Organizational contact Ed Lump: 608-270-9950
  
• Organizational contact Bill G. Smith: 608-255-6083

Funny how they're all men, eh?