April 22, 2006

Seventeen University of Virginia students were arrested on the Charlottesville campus April 15 because they staged a four-day sit-in at the university president’s office. The students demanded the administration accept its “moral responsibility” and commit to paying a living wage to university workers.

As Earth Day 2006 approaches, Barry Heimlich is worried about global warming. He lives 4 miles from the Atlantic Ocean in South Florida’s Broward County. For the millions of Floridians living in “Hurricane Alley,” increasingly severe tropical storms and rising sea levels fueled by global warming pose a real and present danger as well as a long-term threat.

NEW YORK— A unique plus of the April 29 March for Peace, Justice and Democracy here will be the union contingents.

Americans are justifiably concerned about reports of the Bush administration’s plans to bomb Iran.

WASHINGTON — Despite President George W. Bush’s strenuous defense, former high-ranking military commanders continue to demand that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld be fired for his role in the disastrous invasion and occupation of Iraq.

With Congress reconvening April 24 after a two-week recess, the dramatic struggle for immigrant rights will once again focus on Capitol Hill. At the same time, pro-immigrant-rights forces are reaching out, coalescing and organizing to give life to the slogan, “Today we march, tomorrow we vote!”

NEW YORK — On April 10 Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Theodore Jones sentenced Roger Toussaint, president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, to 10 days in jail for leading his union on a pre-Christmas three-day strike. Seven days later, Jones slammed the union again, fining it $2.5 million and crippling its ability to collect dues

The Arizona political establishment was amazed when over 30,000 immigrant rights supporters marched through the streets of Phoenix March 24. The media noted this was the largest political demonstration in the state’s history.