Rouge Forum Update--2-9-09--from Rich

Dear Friends,The Rouge Forum No Blood For Oil page is updated at http://www.richgibson.com/rouge_forum/. That's also the place where you'll find the call for proposals for the Rouge Forum Conference, May 15 to 17, at Eastern Michigan University.

The deadline for articles for the Rouge Forum News is March 1. Schools, k through universities, face massive cuts. What's going on in your area? Send articles, cartoons, photos, etc to Adam Renner: arenner@bellarmine.edu

Spread the word. NO CONCESSIONS. Concessions are like giving blood to sharks. It only makes bosses want more (look at the United Auto Workers). Not one step back. In fact, we want MORE. We know the bosses are weak. We want a shorter work week with no cut in pay. No Layoffs. Add another shift, cut class size. No evictions. Free health care for all. Tax the rich. Free wireless everywhere. Stop high stakes exams. Recruiters off the campuses. Academic freedom for students and teachers. (and you can make up some of your own, I am sure).

Take a look at the Rouge Forum blog and join in the discussion. If we can get that going, we can demonstrate the collective nature of our problems, which have few if any individual solutions, and share information about what people are doing. http://www.therougeforum.blogspot.com/

Who will get what in the "what about ME?" scramble for bailout money this time? Much of that will be set up by who paid who what. Last time the Tarp recipients spent $144 million on lobbyists. Send a check when you write congress or Obama. http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/02/02/daily65.html?ana=e_du_pub

The Iraq war is far from over; war in Afghanistan is expanding. The anti-war movement is split, never met the potential represented by the mass outpouring of opposition to the Iraq invasion. Still, it appears that the biggest anti-war actions will be on March 21, the sixth anniversary of the invasion (really 3/19), in cities all over the US. Here is Tom Ricks, "The Iraq war is not over," although corporate media still cannot spell O-I-L. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/08/thomas-ricks-war-in-iraq_n_165002.html

Juan Cole believes Obama may have to delay his Afghan surge as the US supply routes are cut http://www.juancole.com/2009/02/obama-may-postpone-afghan-surge-severe.html

Resistance rises world wide, if we in the US do not see a lot of it. The French general strike most recently demonstrated that students and school workers can indeed initiate and lead struggle for social justice. Here is an update from Italy.: http://www.counterpunch.org/quadrupanni02042009.html

The UTLA test boycott is still on. Let's spread this idea and expand it to ALL the high-stakes exams. http://www.utla.net/pab

Friends in Fresno are preparing to make presentations to their school board for just that purpose.

Gilbert Gonzalez is working on a video on the Bracero Program. He'd like some help.
This is a teaser videohttp://vimeo.com/2904353

Here is an opportunity to make some international connections: American Councils for Education: Seeking Fellowship PlacementsThe American Councils for Education, in association with the U.S. Department of State, is seeking to place five young professionals in non-governmental internships across the country during the fall 2009 intern season (September-December).? Prospective interns will be arriving in the United States in mid-August under the auspices of the federally funded Legislative Education and Practice program (LEAP) and will be ready to report to work in early September. LEAP Fellows are dedicated public servants between 23 and 33 years of age from Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey. They are college -educated (many have advanced degrees in law or international studies), speak fluent English, have had previous U.S.-based experience, and are eager to learn how Americans address rule of law, civil society, work in advocacy, infrastructure, energy, human rights, and related topics, so that they may better their own societies. Interns will be available to work a full-time schedule and will be fully supported by American Councils and the U.S. Department of States in terms of compensation, health insurance, etc. To learn more, please contact RaeJean Stokes at 202-833-7522 or via email at: leap@americancouncils.org

Thanks to Joe B and C, Amber, Donna, Sharyn, Erin, B and N, Bob, Susan O and H, Gene, Patrick, Harold, Bonnie, Kathy, Angie, Ravi, Bill, A and G, Karen C, Willie Himebaugh, Chuck R, Tom T, and Wayne.

Down the banks and
Up the Rebels.

best,
r