ODETTA

And now we've lost Odetta. The amazing singer and civil rights activist died Tues.

In less than a month, Yma Sumac, Miriam Makeba and Odetta have all died.

MEDIA LIST

I'm working on an annotated media list for this blog. I keep wanting to call it a bibliography but I don't think that applies grammatically. And we all know how important grammar is, eh?
So, if any of you who read this blog think that would be a good idea, let me know through a comment.

ESCALATING

There's been a steady resurgence of right wing survivalist groups in this country since the election of Barak Obama. David Duke's been issuing warnings about Armageddon to his followers, and hate crimes are on the rise.

The media is once again warning Americans of 'gypsy scam artists'.

And in Europe, things get more violent against immigrants and Rroma.

There have been mob attacks on Rroma villages in the Czech Republic, led by hundreds of members of the Czech nationalist group. Reports have implicated officials in the attacks.

In Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Austria, the Netherlands... attacks against Rroma are escalating.
Animosity towards Rroma and Travelers is tangible in England and Ireland.

There's an interesting situation in England. In the 1990's they passed the Caravan Sites Act which mandated that Rroma and Travelers could only stop and designated campsites. One problem was that they never designated any campsites and thus it's illegal for Rroma/Travelers to stop virtually anywhere.
So there's been a dynamic debate about where the 'Gypsies' could stop. Almost any chosen site is protested by the locals and the beat goes on. With the economic downturn and such, hostilities toward 'gypsies' are intensifying. So the British government chose this time to announce it's plan for a land grab, whereby the government can buy or confiscate people's property to set up 'Travelers' camps.
Can you imagine the uproar this has caused.

MORE ON DINA BABBITT

Yesterday I talked with a friend of mine who used to be a lawyer. We discussed the case of Ms. Dina Babbitt and her watercolors.

Her opinion was that Dina had received compensation for her work so it did not legally belong to her. The compensation she received was that Joseph Mengele spared the life of Ms. Babbitt and her mother in return for the watercolors of Rroma inmates of Auschwitz.

At first this argument floored me and I was speechless. Later I realized that to say Ms. Babbitt received compensation for her work in these circumstances is the same as saying that the victim of armed robbery who was not killed received compensation for their belongings. In the light of day, this argument seems ludicrous.

In today's Seattle Times, I read an article about France turning over a Matisse painting which had been looted by Nazis from a Jewish family in WWII. It was returned to the rightful owner, who had willed it be left to an Israeli charity organization. This seems relevant eh?

GAY NEWS

Today is the anniversary of the murder of Mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk by Dan White. White was later released after successfully pleading what came to be called, The Twinky Defense.

Yesterday, a judge in Florida threw out a long standing ban on adoptions by Gays or Lesbians. The ban was passed during the 70's heyday of Anita Bryant. Wonder if she'd use the Twinky Defense for her bigotry and hate.

W.

Oh my. In today's Seattle Times there was a picture of George W. Bush visiting the troops at Fort Campbell Kentucky. Across the page was an article about how the Bush administration has narrowed the definition of wounded in action concerning soldiers in Iraq and Afganistan. Many soldiers, including those injured by mortar fire and car collisions while under attack are denied the benefits allowed those wounded in combat.

How I wish George W. would just walk away now. Or, as demonstraters asked on election night,
EVICT HIM NOW.

TODAY

On this date in 1883, Sojourner Truth died in Michigan. Truth, born into slavery, is well known for her "Ain't I a woman? speech given in 1851 at a women's convention in Akron. Ohio.

HOLLYWOOD TEN

On this date in 1947, a group of writers, directors and actors, who came to be known as the Hollywood Ten, were cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions of the committee investigating Communism in the film industry.

DINA BABBITT

Today I received a letter from Chairman Barloszewski of the Auschwitz Holocaust Museum. The board has decided, once again, to deny Ms. Babbitt the return of her watercolors of the Rroma/Sinti inmates of Auschwitz.
Ms. Babbitt is very weak and hospitalized. Needless to say, she is totally disheartened.

We are exploring avenues available to continue the struggle for the return of Ms. Babbitt's art.

TOXIC WASTE AND THE OPPRESSED

I saw a very good film on PBS last night called March Point.
It was basically a documentary on Anacortes oil refineries and their effect on the Swinomish Indian Reservation and the Native Americans who live there. It was also the story of the growing awareness of three Native American teens.

By doing research, and interviewing elders, the teens learned about their history and discovered that the tribal traditions of crabbing and clamming have been jeopardized by years of corporate dumping of chemical waste.

The similarities between the treatment of Native Americans and the situation of Rroma in Europe are unavoidable.

For example, the UN administration in Kosovo set up camps for the Rroma after the war. These camps were built on the remains of the largest lead mine in Europe. The barracks were built with lead painted boards.

Many Rroma have died as a result of lead poisoning. There have been many spontaneous abortions and miscarriages due to lead poisoning.

According to medical experts who have visited the camps, EVERY CHILD CONCEIVED THERE WILL BE BORN WITH IRREVERSIBLE BRAIN DAMAGE.

The Rroma have nowhere to go should they try to leave the camps.

The weapons of oppression remain the same.

DINA BABBITT

I've been waiting all day to hear the decision of the Auschwitz Museum Board of Directors concerning the return of Dina Babbitt's watercolors of Gypsy inmates. There has still no official notifications although I have been assured that a decision was arrived out. It's been at least three days since the annual board meeting.

I have to admit that my apprehension increases as time passes.

I acknowledge and appreciate the work of the Museum, I must wonder by what authority they keep Ms. Babbitt's artwork. I understand the rationalizations but feel an exception should be made in this case.

Who owns art and artifacts anyway?

DINA BABBITT

A decision has been made in the case of Ms. Dina Babbitt. We will be notified as soon as the decision has been translated and okayed for release. We continue to keep our fingers crossed and candles lighted.

DINA BABBITT

On Nov. 17, the board of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum is meeting. One of the items on the agenda is the return of Ms. Dina Babbitt's watercolors.

Rromani groups have submitted letters in behalf of Ms. Babbitt. She is now 86 yrs old and suffering with stomach cancer. We feel it is important her artwork is returned to her now. Time is running out.

As Rroma, we are especially thankful to Ms Babbitt for documenting, through her art, the experience of Rroma/Sinti in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

A supportive article appeared in the most recent edition of the AARP magazine. Interestingly, the article never mentioned the fact that the watercolors in contention are portraits of Rroma/Sinti prisoners of the Holocaust. This is a very important fact. That AARP chose to omit this is evidence of the invisibility of the suffering of the Rroma/Sinti and the importance of documentation such as Ms. Babbitt's watercolors.

We all owe her gratitude for her contribution to justice and fairness.

VIDEO -- SINTI

Below is a video from YouTube made by Sinti in Germany.

This is the tribe my mother was from. Most Sinti in Germany were murdered in the Holocaust/Porraimos, even those who were settled and citizens of Germany.

lolodiklo sent you a video: "Sintis from Germany"

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lolodiklo has shared a video with you on YouTube: Sintis from Germany sintis
© 2008 YouTube, LLC

MIRIAM MAKEBA

Miriam Makeba, Mamma Africa, died this morning in Italy after performing a concert in support of immigrants. The concert was also held to protest the Italian government's policies against Rroma, including fingerprinting of all Rroma in Italy. She was 76.

Miriam Makeba was banished from her country, South Africa, in the 60's because of her anti-apartheid songs. She did not return until Nelson Mandella was released from prison.
Sponsored by Harry Belafonte, she became a popular and respected singer in the United States.

I was lucky to meet her in 1972, at a school on Staten Island, New York. She was a courageous and gentle woman who encouraged us in our political struggles for the end of the VietNam War, and the rights of all people. She supported the struggles of people of color, women and gays everywhere.

Miriam Makeba was an inspiration to all who fight for human rights and dignity.

EQUALITY IN AMERICA

With the election of Barack Obama America rejoiced. Every news program I watched featured people saying how now anyone could achieve anything in America. While I supported Obama, I am dumbfounded that the right for gay people to marry in California was denied. So, anyone except gays can achieve what they want.
Do you see the irony in this.
I personally am opposed to the concept of state sanctioned marriage,but I will fight for the rights of anyone to get married if that is their choice.
How dare others dictate what gay people can or can not do.
It made me feel invisible when everyone rejoiced in the "now Americans can reach the goals they aspire to" celebrations. Well everyone can't.
And let's be aware that minorities in this country still have lesser status, whether based on ethnicity, race or sexual preference.
The struggle continues.

7 NOVEMBER

1916---Jeanette Rankin of Montana became the first woman in the US to be elected to Congress.

1917---Russia's Bolshevik Revolution began as forces led by Vladimir Lenin overthrew the provisional government.

SUSAN B ANTHONY

On this day, 1972, Susan B. Anthony was arrested for voting for President of the United States. She was arrested at her home the day after she voted. Her vote was purged.

She was convicted by a judge and fined $100. She said that she would never pay that fine, and she never did.

Happy Obama Day.

YMA SUMAC 1922-2008

Yma Sumac, the Peruvian born singer died Saturday night in Los Angeles CA.

Ms Sumac's spectacular multi-octave vocal range and exotic persona made her an international sensation in the 1950's.

If you are not familiar with her music, I strongly suggest you check her out. She was a unique performer with incredible skills. She released many albums in her career, and Mambo is my favorite. It gives full play to her incredible vocal range.

These photos are from the Los Angeles Times

STUDS TERKEL

Studs Terkel died yesterday at the age of 96.
He really was a working class hero.

He wanted his epitaph to say
"Curiosity didn't kill this cat"

ENGLAND

Sometime in the 1990's, 1994 I think, England passed the Caravan Sites Act, which decreed that Gypsies (Roma and Travelers) could only camp on Caravan Sites, which were to be like reservations for Native Americans. One of the many problems was that there were no sites decreed for Roma/Travelers. Ha.
Under the Caravan Sites Act, it is illegal for Roma/Travelers to camp anywhere which is not a designated site. But remember there were no sites. Which meant that anywhere Gypsies stopped was illegal.

Fourteen or so years later there are a few designated sites, but many more Travelers than sites. This has created an area of constant irritation and debate. Where are Travelers to camp.

Council after council has denied the right of Travelers to camp in empty fields "not designated as official sites". Talk about a conundrum.

CURRENT SITUATIONS

As the economy worsens in the western world, the need for scapegoats seems to escalate in tandem. The situation of the Rroma, and immigrants in general throughout Europe is horrendous.
In the next few entries I'm going to present the situation of Rroma in various countries in Europe.

LIVING LIBRARY

Today, I heard an interview on the radio with a Danish man, one of the creators of the Living Library concept.
The idea is that people from various groups, usually those marginalized in society, agree to talk with people one on one. The goal is to learn more about a group you know through stereotypes and prejudices.
The "living books" have included Gay people and Lesbians, Atheists, Muslims, gang members, Holocaust Survivors, immigrants, Roma....

People meet at the library and can "check out" a living book for up to 30 minutes.

Many who have participated in the events report an increased understanding of others points of view. They have also reportedly been more inclined to challenge their assumptions in general about those unlike themselves.

The first Living Libraries were held in Denmark in the early 2000's. The early experiments were very successful and the idea spread throughout Europe. Living Libraries have now been held all over the world.

The Bainbridge Island (WA) library is one of the first in the US to engage in Living Library. They are holding the event tomorrow Sat. 25 Oct 2008.

SARAH PALIN

The Republican Party has spent more than $150,000 on clothes, makeup and accessories for Sarah Palin since the Republican Convention. Wow.
What happened to the sweatsuits and sneakers many hockey moms wear?
Wonder what "Joe Six Pack" thinks of that.

WATERFORD CRYSTAL TO FIRE MOST IRISH WORKERS

I guess it's a sign of the times.

Waterford Crystal has announced plans to fire most of its Irish workers and move its factory overseas.

More than 280 specialist workers, including those involved in glass blowing and hand-cutting of lead crystal will be fired in the coming months.

DINA BABBIT

We're down to the wire in the effort to get Dina Babbitt's Auschwitz watercolors returned to her. She's 86 years old and ailing. The Auschwitz Museum Board is meeting in Nov. We are hoping at this time a compromise can be reached concerning Ms. Babbitt's paintings of Roma inmates of Auschwitz.

I encourage everyone to send an e-mail to the Director of the Board. Anyone interested can e-mail me directly for the address.

punkaheron@yahoo.com

More information on Ms. Babbitt can be found through a Google search. There are also several entries on this blog, including one dated Sat. 26 Aug.

THERE'S IRONY HERE

OSTRVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC

An entrepreneur in the Czech Republic recently bought a former mental hospital with the intention of rebuilding it into luxurious apartments.

After his development plans were met with opposition, he threatened to move 50 Romani families from their dilapidated slum into the the former mental prison.

As tourism is booming in the area and Czech landowners prefer their Rroma remain invisible in their squalor, panic ensued.

The Rroma are simply being used in this battle over property and this situation
has increased already dangerously high tensions against the Rroma.

The irony that this controversial proposal concerns moving Rroma to a mental prison does not escape me.

TWO GOOD ARTICLES

The first article is about the rise of racism against all immigrants in Italy. What started as attacks on Rroma is escalating into violent attacks against all "others".

http://www.agoravox.com/article.php3?id_article=8722

The second is a statement from European Rroma concerning the urgent needs of Rroma people
http://www.dzeno.cz/?c_id=17104

Check them out.

If you can't get to the articles, go directly to
http://www.agoravox.com

and
http://www.dzeno.cz

DESTROYING THE FABRIC OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

So, I think the big news out of the last debate was John McCain's accusing ACORN of destroying the fabric of American Democracy. Wow. The unceasing attack on community organizers. I worked with ACORN in the 1970's in Denver and even then they were doing good, hard work trying to get affordable living for everyone.
ACORN is being accused of everything from voter fraud to causing the financial collapse of capitalism in the US.
When it comes to voter fraud the Republicans set the bar. Wish Obama had mentioned Florida or Ohio in the last two presidential elections.

Mounted police attacked anti war protesters, many of them Iraq veterans, last night outside the debate at Hofstra University. There are pictures on the Internet of battered demonstrators laying at the feet of baton wielding police. About 20 protesters were arrested. Let's talk about the fabric of democracy. What happened to the first amendment.

Speaking of protests, on Oct. 16, 1859, abolitionist John Brown led the failed raid on Harper's Ferry. He was subsequently hanged.

I read a good article from Alaska Radio on Sarah Palin and Native Alaskan rights. She has launched attacks against Native People's right to subsistence hunting and fishing rights, tribal sovereignty and indigenous languages.
Go to
http://www.KUDO1080.com
to find the original article.

YOY

As the economy worsens around the world so does the oppression of the Rroma, and immigrants in general. The need for scapegoats increases exponentially in hard times. Talk about blaming the victim. In this economically harsh time, the US Government just opened a new,expensive, hi-fi border control office

Today on KUOW, the Seattle NPR station, one of the emcees talked about Gypsy music and how it released her inner Gypsy. I'm so sick of that kind of trivialization. Of all people, someone employed in broadcasting needs to know better. Despite the romantic images, the truth is that if she were Gypsy, chances are she'd be experiencing prejudice and oppression. She wouldn't be welcome anywhere and her camp would be burned down. She'd have no work.
I just got a letter from a 51 year old man who has been alienated from his culture (Rroma) his whole life because of the oppression his parents and grandparents experienced. This is such a familiar story for Rrom. Pretend you are something else. It's safer. Wonder how that fits in with releasing his "inner Gypsy". His parents and grandparents were chased all over Europe because of their "Gypsiness".

M. Ahern has sent you an email

Below is a connection to a very good article on the Rroma, specificially in Italy and Kosovo. The article provides a connection to a video on the situation of the Rroma in Italy

Al Jazeera.Net

M. AHERN (punkaheron@yahoo.com) wants you to see following article


Roma student offers beacon of hope

( http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2008/10/2008109175143189442.html )

Also he/she attached you the following message:

Fw: Romanian Government Urged to Respect European Court Judgments

The following statement concerns attacks against Roma in the town in Romania addressed in the movie SUSPINO: A CRY FOR ROMA. No Roma from Hadareni has received any compensation for the lose of life and property suffered in racist antiRoma attacks.
Unfortunately, conditions of and attitudes toward the Rroma throughout Europe continue to deteriorate. As economic situations worsen, the need for a scapegoat seems to intensify. Roma are those scapegoats.

--- On Mon, 10/6/08, European Roma Rights Centre <errc@errc.org> wrote: From: European Roma Rights Centre <errc@errc.org> Subject: Romanian Government Urged to Respect European Court Judgments To: punkaheron@yahoo.com Date: Monday, October 6, 2008, 6:45 AM       ERRC Action in Support of Romanian Activist's Protest against Government Inaction Budapest, Bucharest , 6 October 2008: Today, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) sent a letter of concern to Romanian authorities, drawing attention to the hunger strike of human rights activist Istvan Haller and calling on the government to take measures to monitor and safeguard Mr Haller's health. On 2 October 2008, Mr Haller declared a hunger strike over the persistent failure of the Romanian Government to address the serious rights violations caused by three anti-Romani pogroms in the early 1990s in Hadareni, Plaiesi de Jos and Casinul Nou , Romania . Following European Court of Human Rights judgments in these cases, the Romanian government undertook to implement community development projects that included the setting up of infrastructure, as well as anti-discrimination, educational and other social measures. To this day however, the Government has failed to fulfil its legal obligations. In its letter, sent to Romanian President Mr Traian Basescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Lazãr Comãnescu and Mr Gruia Bumbu, Head of the National Agency for Roma, the ERRC called for the implementation of community development programmes in the noted Romanian Romani communities, and announced its intention to file a brief on the implementation of the judgments with the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers in view of its forthcoming Human Rights Meeting on 2-4 December 2008. The full text of the ERRC's letter is available on the Internet at: ERRC Letter Hadareni-Haller. For further information, contact Theodoros Alexandridis, ERRC Staff Attorney, theodoros.alexandridis@errc.org . The European Roma Rights Centre is an international public interest law organisation which monitors the human rights situation of Roma and provides legal defence in cases of human rights abuse. For more information about the European Roma Rights Centre, visit the ERRC on the web at http://www.errc.org To support the ERRC, please visit this link: http://www.errc.org/cikk.php?cikk=2735 European Roma Rights Centre 1386 Budapest 62 P.O. Box 906/93 Hungary Tel: +36.1.413.2200 Fax: +36.1.413.2201 Change email address / Leave mailing list Hosting by YourMailingListProvider

UPDATE

Planned Parenthood announced today that they have received over $1 Million dollars in donations made in Sarah Palin's name. The McCain-Palin campaign headquarters receives a thank you note for each donation. What a great idea.
Another form of community organizing.

TODAY

October 4, 1970, Janis Joplin was found dead in her Hollywood home. She'd be 65 years old today. I still miss her.

Pope Benedict and the Vatican continue to surprise me in their support for the basic rights of Rroma/Sinti in the European Union. They have even argued against the fingerprinting and other fascistic policies toward the Rroma in Italy.

DINA BABBITT

Below is a link to an article on Dina Babbitt and her attempts to regain her watercolors of Roma in Auschwitz.

For more information please see this blog date Saturday 26 Aug. 08.

People are being asked to send messages to the Holocaust Museum in support of Ms. Babbitt.

These messages may be sent to

Mr. Piotr Cywinski, Director
Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
Oswiecim, Poland

muzeum@auschwitz.org.pl

Lolo Diklo is sending a letter of support for Ms Babbitt. We have been told that at this time all support is vital, but especially from Roma and or Rom groups.
I encourage everyone to send their support for the return of Ms. Babbitt's work to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.

Fw: NYTimes.com: History Claims Her Artwork, but She Wants It Back

--- On Thu, 10/2/08, punkaheron@yahoo.com <punkaheron@yahoo.com> wrote: From: punkaheron@yahoo.com <punkaheron@yahoo.com> Subject: NYTimes.com: History Claims Her Artwork, but She Wants It Back To: punkaheron@yahoo.com Date: Thursday, October 2, 2008, 8:51 AM This page was sent to you by:  punkaheron@yahoo.com ARTS / ART & DESIGN   | August 30, 2006 History Claims Her Artwork, but She Wants It Back By STEVE FRIESS A dispute over Gypsy portraits painted under the Nazi gun. 1. Op-Ed Columnist: Rescue the Rescue 2. The Steamy Way to Dinner 3. Economic Scene: Lesson From a Crisis: When Trust Vanishes, Worry 4. Momma, I'll Have Some of Whatever You're Having 5. As Credit Crisis Spiraled, Alarm Led to Action »  Go to Complete List Advertisement FROM THE AUTHOR OF FIGHT CLUB - CHOKE Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, CHOKE is a wickedly colorful dark comedy starring Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston. Now Playing. Click here for tickets Copyright 2008  The New York Times Company | Privacy Policy

HI, I'M ROMANIAN, NOT ROMA

The Romanian government has recently launched a media campaign to help Romanian immigrants. The ads are focussed in Italy, where discrimination against Roma from Romania has been increasing at alarming rates.

Unfortunately, however, the ads seek to distance "regular" Romanians from "those degenerate Roma".

Though the government denies this is racist, the headline of the ad campaign states

HI, I'M ROMANIAN, NOT ROMA.

By the way, oppression and prejudice against Roma in Romania is escalating also. That's amazing because the level of oppression in Romania is, and always has been very high.

By the way, the first photo is of traditional Roma women (and girl) in Romania.
The second photo is of Romanian immigrants in Spain. That's one of the photos in the HI, I'M ROMANIAN, NOT ROMA, campaign.
Hi ho.

ITEMS IN THE NEWS

Oliver Kaufman Crawford, 91 years old,died last week. He was one of those blacklisted in the "Red Scare" of the 1950's. Amazingly, he secured employment in TV and went on to write for shows such as "Star Trek", "Bonanza" and "Perry Mason".

THIS DAY IN HISTORY:

1958----The Ameican Express Credit Card made its official debut. Oh my. And just look where that's gotten us.
1964----The Free Speech Movement began at the University of California, Berkeley.



GREAT NEWS

Several weeks ago I received an e-mail urging me to make a donation to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin's name. Seems this idea was originally thought up by Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times columnist and radio host.
To date, the e-mailing has generated more than 31,000 donations totaling $802,678 as of Saturday 9/27/08.
Great going Patt.

The US military command was quick to state that there has been no violation of US airspace by Russia regardless of Sarah Palin's claims of vigilance against Russian warplanes in US airspace over Alaska. She cited this vigilance as one of her foreign policy credentials.