Declaration of the Indigenous Peoples of the World

At the UN Conference of Parties Climate Change Conference the following was presented.

We, the Indigenous Peoples of the world, united in the face of the climate crisis and the lack of political will of the States, especially the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, demand the immediate adoption of legally binding agreements with shared but differentiated responsibilities, to halt global warming and to define alternative models of development in harmony with Mother Earth. For decades, Indigenous Peoples have warned that climate change confirms that the harmonic relationship between humans and Mother Earth has been ruptured, endangering the future of humanity in its entirety. The whole model of civilization that began 500 years ago with the pillaging of the natural resources for profit and the accumulation of capital, is in crisis. The alternative is to change the system, not the climate, based on a new paradigm for civilization, Living Well with harmony between the peoples and Mother Earth.

Our Proposals

General Framework: Recognize and respect the self determination of Indigenous Peoples, in particular our rights to territories and natural resources , in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Ensure and guarantee the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples at all levels, respecting the processes based on consultation and free, prior and informed consent in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Recognize, respect and strengthen the fundamental contribution of the traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of Indigenous Peoples.

Review the concepts of development based on the accumulation of wealth that emphasizes unlimited exploitation of natural resources.
Shared Vision:
We urge developed countries to agree on a framework of legally binding commitments on concrete greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction targets as the follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol that ends in 2012.

We propose emissions reductions of at least 45% to 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 95% by 2050.

Gradual elimination of the development of fossil fuels and a moratorium on new fossil fuel exploitation in or near Indigenous Peoples lands and territories, respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Shared vision for long-term cooperation must not be limited to defining the increase of temperature and the concentration of GHG in the atmosphere, but rather it must include in an integral and balanced manner a set of financing, technological measures on adaptation, capacity building, patterns of production, consumption and other essential issues like the recognition of the rights of Mother Earth to reestablish our harmony with nature.

Read the full text HERE

Azaleas Worth More than Women

After yesterday's announcement by VP Biden to cut spending of taxpayer dollars on things that benefit nobody and then his attack on the Desert Tortoise website, comes another fluke.

In the FY 2012 agriculture appropriations bill there is a provision requiring the National Arboretum to maintain a very specific portion of its azalea collection. The bill says, The Committee encourages the National Arboretum to work collaboratively with supporters of the National Arboretum to raise additional funds to ensure the long-term viability of these and other important collections.

Also, the bill would cut $832 million from a program that provides food assistance to low-income mothers and children. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that the reduction could result in as many as 475,000 people being turned away from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) if food prices continue to rise.--Huffington Post

If you're a single mother or child, you can't compete with the priceless Azalea.

US politics ARGH!

Conservation Against Tribal Rights

Ravi Chellem was given a 'leave or be thrown out' notice by Wildlife Conservation Society-India. Ravi had a contract with the affiliate group based in New York. He was thrown out for being part of a government committee that backed tribal rights over forest lands under the Forest Lands Act.


Read More Here

New Movie Shows Coal Mining Destruction

Japan Needs Your Help

Now, 2 months after the tsunami and earthquakes, Japan is still in need. Northern Japan is out of safe drinking water, safe food, clothes and t.p.

There is a non-profit organization that collects items and then ships them to Japan-- Center for Women and Families (CFWF) This non-profit was started by Naoko Kimura, a single mother assisting single parents and under privileged families in Orange County, California. After the disasters hit Japan the organization turned its focus global.

If you are unable to donate items, you can donate money as well. All info. can be found on CFWF website.

To read a news article about the organization click here.

Some of My Art/Designs

Make a personalized gift at Zazzle.

Butch Otter & Education Reform

In April, Otter signed into law 3 anti-education bills.

2 of the bills ended tenure for new teachers, instituted merit pay and removed discussions of workload and class size from contract negotiations for the 12,000 teachers represented by the Idaho Education Association.

The 3rd bill forces districts to equip high schools with mobile computing devices and potentially shifts funds from teacher pay to technology.

Read more:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/09/idaho-education-reform_n_847048.html

Cattle Ranchers Destroying Amazon

The Ayoreo who live in the Amazon Forest are being displaced due to cattle ranchers. Some Ayoreo have already moved out of the forest with relatives remaining inside. Below is a video interview with some who have left and their concern for their relatives. Notice how these Ayoreo now dress like Americans  since leaving the forest instead of their traditional attire.

The ranchers plan to bulldoze a huge section (map in video) of Ayoreo's forest, making 2/3 cattle ranch and 1/3 will be a 'nature preserve!'  Yep. The Ayoreo's home will become a ranch and preserve, making the Ayoreo "conservation refugees."

Largest Oil Spill in Alberta, Canada April 29th

Little Buffalo community members, including school children, continue to experience nausea, burning eyes and headaches after one of the largest pipeline spills in Alberta history last Friday by Plains All American leaked nearly 30,000 barrels of oil into Lubicon traditional territory in the Peace Region of Northern Alberta.

Instead of attending an in-person community meeting, the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) faxed a one-page fact sheet to Little Buffalo School.

 The fact sheet was also in a news release May 3rd:

Air monitors are in place at the site and have detected no hydrocarbon levels above Alberta Ambient Air Quality guidelines. There have been no injuries resulting from the incident and there is no threat to public safety.

 

May 4th release on Plains All American website:

Physical pipeline repairs have been completed.  We are awaiting regulatory approval to restart the line.  The oil has been contained and recovery efforts are ongoing.

Additionally, immediately upon hearing of concerns raised at the school in the community of Little Buffalo, approximately 14 KM from the spill, the company began air quality monitoring at that location.  These monitors have been in place since Monday, and have detected no hydrocarbon levels whatsoever.  We will continue monitoring air quality at the spill site and in surrounding areas. 

Typical oil company. 

The person in charge of aboriginal relations for ERCB is below. If you'd like to send them an email as to why they merely sent an inaccurate "fact sheet" instead of attending the community meeting and addressing the effects the spill is having on the air and physical health of the native community.

Bruce Gladue
Ph: (780) 460-3823
E-mail: bruce.gladue@ercb.ca

"Slut Walks" to Protest Rape

Toronto police constable Michael Sanguinetti thought he was offering the key to rape prevention. "I'm not supposed to say this," he told a group of students at an Osgoode Hall Law School safety forum on January 24, but to prevent being sexually assaulted, “Avoid dressing like sluts.”

SlutWalk Toronto’s website states, “Being in charge of our sexual lives should not mean that we are opening ourselves to an expectation of violence, regardless if we participate in sex for pleasure or work. No one should equate enjoying sex with attracting sexual assault.”

The walks started in Toronto, but are now being held in the U.S. as well.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/20/slutwalk-united-states-city_n_851725.html

Hilarious Song About GOP

Hilarious George Carlin Bit On Pro-Life

Progressive World

LGBT acceptance is growing in the E.U. and here in America. Here are some snippets:

In Hawaii:

HB 546, was passed by the House at the beginning of March and would prohibit discrimination "on the basis of gender identity and expression as a public-policy matter and specifically with regard to employment."

In California:

A bill that would mean California school history lessons would also include the historical contributions made by LGBTs passed a Senate panel reading this week.

Introduced in December by State Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), the legislation would have history textbooks include information about LGBT-identifying figures and how they have contributed to important historical events. 

Also, Maryland, Connecticut, NY,  Nevada, North Carolina, Texas, and Rhode Island all have bills in the house protecting LGBT rights.

In the E.U:

Members of the European Parliament voted this week on measures to modernize the way asylum claims are handled, with an emphasis on how asylum claims made on the basis of a person's sexual orientation or gender identity are overseen.

 Measures include providing expert advice to asylum officials on sexual orientation and gender identity; protecting claimants' privacy; guaranteeing that physical examinations fully respect human dignity and integrity, for instance in cases involving minors or transgender people; and ensuring that applications by LGBT asylum-seekers are not 'fast-tracked' for removal to their country of origin.

MT Lawmakers Profit From Farm Subsidies

First, I'll say I can't believe the state Capitol's newspaper actually published this! The newspaper, Helena IR, is VERY HIGHLY censored.

Now to the news.

The Policy Institute made a report "Profiles In Hypocrisy"
It looks at the amount of farm subsidies that have been given to the legislators, both Republican (30 legislators) and Democrat (3 legislators) from 1995-2009. The findings were typical.

Farms and ranches owned by Republicans received 98.8% of the subsidy money ($6,976,120.00) and those of Democrats received 1.2% ($79,499.00)

This fits with the current politics in Montana where Republicans voted for cuts to federal funding in programs that help the poorest Montanans, because the motto in Montana is, hard work and no hand outs. Of course this doesn't apply to ranchers. They work hard and have been here forever.  (200 years is as far back as their minds can handle, so it seems like forever.) The cuts included food, prescription drug, health care, and energy bill assistance. For example, Montana is the only state in the Union to reject $35 million federal funding to update health records. 

This is a new/old look at Montana politics. We'll see where the state is by next year.

MT Judiciary Hearing Turns Anti-LGBT

Redskins: No Longer School Mascot

There was actually progress in MT last week.

Red Lodge School Board of trustees unanimously voted to remove 'Redskins' as the mascot for the high school.

You can watch the video of the meeting here http://www.ktvq.com/videoplayer/?video_id=5359&categories=

Crazy MT Bills

There are ALOT out there.

1. Legalize hunting with hand-thrown spear (Senate Bill 112)

2. Create fully-armed militia in every town (House Bill 278)

3. Allow legislators to carry weapons in the Capitol (Senate Bill 279)

4. Create an 11 person panel with authority to nullify all federal laws (House Bill 382)

5 Allow guns in schools (House Bill 558)

6. Eliminate educational requirements for persons seeking job of State Superintendent of Schools (HB 154)

7. Lift nuclear ban for purpose of building a nuclear reactor in the Flathead Valley (House Bill 326)

8. Withdraw the United States of America from the United Nations (Senate Joint Resolution 2)

9. Eliminate all state incentives for developing wind power (House Bill 244)

10. Omit Barak Obama’s name from the 2012, ballot because his father was born outside of America (House Bill 205)(this guy was on CNN this week)

11. Compulsory marriage counseling for people seeking a divorce (House Bill 438)

12. Give sheriffs authority over the federal government in terror investigations (Senate Bill 114)

13. Legalize hunting with silencers (House Bill 174)

14. Lift the prohibition on carrying concealed weapons in bars, churches and banks (House Bill 384)

15. Eliminate law that requires landlords to install carbon monoxide detectors (House Bill 354)

16. Require the federal government to prove in court that the National Parks were lawfully aquired. (House Bill 506)

17. Officially designate the “Code of the West” as the “Code of Montana”
(Senate Bill 216)

18. Declare that global warming is good. (House Bill 549)

SNL--TSA Skit

Rally to Save Public Services, Helena MT

Tomorrow at 2pm--2:30PM
Rally at Helena's Capitol

Stand up for public services and education! The Republican majority is slashing and burning essential services and education even though Montana has enough money to fund essential services and still have $360 million in the bank.

Stop the cuts that will hurt Montana's economy, people, and future!!

Can't get to Helena that day? Go to www.mea-mft.org to participate in the virtual rally!

Court: Chevron Owes $8 Billion for Amazon Destruction

On Monday, a court in Ecuador told Chevron it owes $8 billion for environmental contamination in the Amazon. Chevron is calling the decision “illegitimate and unenforceable.”

This is Ecuador, where oil companies wield economic power and political influence. Yet, this didn’t cloud the court’s independent eye when faced with the facts of uncovered toxic waste pits in the pristine Amazon.

This is Chevron, a private, American corporation. Yet this didn’t stop the Ecuadorian court from making Chevron, a foreign company, pay for 26 years of environmental damage in Ecuador.