The Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana, supporting organizations and the community at large sponsored the WAMM March for Medical Marijuana on Saturday, July 16th, 2005 at 12 noon on the Pacific Garden Mall, in downtown Santa Cruz.

Hundreds of people marched and rolled on Pacific Ave. and over to Santa Cruz City Hall in a demonstration of community solidarity opposing the recent decision of the Supreme Court and of Congress that leaves sick and dying Californians vulnerable to persecution from the federal government.

In a symbolic act of compassionate access, WAMM patient members led the march holding live cannabis plants. This solemn event honored the 154 WAMM members who have died since WAMM's inception in 1993.

Audio: Listen to Valerie's invitation to you to march

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3

Audio: Rockin' the Boat: Prescription Pot Backers Rally in Santa Cruz

September 17, 2002: Santa Cruz Gives the Feds a WAMM

See also: Indybay's Drug War News || Call for Vigils to Honor Steve McWilliams || DEA Raids Several SF Medical Marijuana Dispensary Coops || Vigils and Protests Held Statewide to Protest Overturning of Raich Decision || Supreme Court Overturns 9th Circuit Decison in Favor of Medical Marijuana

[ Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana || Santa Cruz vs. Ashcroft || Medical Marijuana Testimonials || WAMM Guesthouse ]

From racist attacks targeting Lodi, California’s Muslim community, to attempts to silence and imprison political activists in San Francisco and San Diego, dissent and freedom of speech are under attack. As government repression in general increases, so does the use of the federal grand jury to intimidate, incarcerate and render impotent activists across social movements. In recent years, pressure on the animal rights, environmental justice, anti-war and anarchist movements has increased exponentially. Government officials seem anxious to pin the label “terrorist� on anyone that is effectively campaigning against injustice. At a recent hearing before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, John E. Lewis, Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division of the FBI, testified that, “Investigating and preventing animal rights extremism and eco-terrorism is one of the FBI’s highest domestic terrorism priorities.�

Activists and people of color are not the only people being persecuted, lawyers are feeling the heat as well. On Febuary 10, 2005, New York civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart was convicted of conspiracy, providing material support to terrorists and defrauding the US government. Yet, Stewart never provided any financial support, weaponry or any other concrete aid for any act of terrorism. No act of terrorism is alleged to have resulted from her actions. Lynne and her supporters argue that all she did was represent her client effectively as a good attorney should.

audio: New York Human Rights attorney Lynne Stewart interview

updates:
San Diego: Judge to Hear First Amendment Objections
San Francisco: Reprieve for Activists

resources: FBIwitchHunt.com || Just Cause Law Collective || National Lawyers Guild || No Compromise

Cindy and Craig Corrie are the parents of Rachel, the young woman from Washington State who was killed in March 2003 while standing to prevent demolition of a home in the Gaza Strip.

Khaled and Samah Nasrallah, members of the extended family living in the home at the time it was destroyed by an Israeli bulldozer, will join the Corries at the event.

• Sunday, June 12
• Presentation at 7:00pm, Reception at 8:45pm
• Veteran's Memorial Hall, 856 Front St., Santa Cruz

Funds raised will be used to help reconstruct the Nasrallah home in Rafah.

Photos: Grafitti in Rafah, Gaza Strip, in memory of Rachel Corrie

Photos: Cindy and Craig Corrie at SC Vets Hall
Audio: Sprouts: Rebuilding Homes in Palestine

[ Rachel Corrie Memorial Website || Resource Center for Nonviolence ]

For many of today's youth, the only Santa Cruz they've known is the Santa Cruz of progressivism, surfing and the university. But it wasn't too long ago that Santa Cruz, much like other cities of California, was a hotbed of vigilante violence fueled by vehement racism and encouraged by the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Extreme forms of violence and repression of the indigenous peoples, mestizos, and the local Chinese community were heavily used in creating what we now know as Santa Cruz.

On Sunday, a group of students decided to spend a few hours at the Water St. bridge, where Francisco Arias and Jose Chamales were lynched in 1877. With a RIP sign and plenty of flyers, they made sure the community, at least for a few hours, did not forget its origins.

Supreme Court Bans Medical Marijuana Everywhere!

Monday, June 6th: Today the Supreme Court ruled against state medical marijuana laws. The decision paves the way for DEA raids on patients and their caregivers. In our own community the Wo/men's Alliance for Medicinal Marijuana faces the possibility of another raid on them and their medicine.

Show your support for WAMM and medical marijuana by coming to the clock tower downtown Tuesday June 7th at 5pm. Please wear black.

"When citizens require protection from their own government and need to cloak in secrecy acts of compassion for the sick and dying, you have found the very definition of tyranny. Acts of tyranny by the government over the people will not be tolerated by the people, not now, not ever. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law."

-- Valerie Corral (WAMM Co-founder)

Read more on Indybay's Drug War News page

Photos: Supreme Court Decision Protested at the Town Clock
Photos: PIX: 6/7 MedMJ Protest
Audio: Rockin' the Boat: Supreme Court Rules Against Medical Pot

The New Jersey legislature passed a measure this week to cease executions statewide while a state commission conducts a study of death row cases. At least 12 other states have approved similar measures. In Illinois, then-Governor George Ryan put a hold on all executions in that state in 2000, and although Maryland also halted their death penalty, it has since resumed executions. Now California, the state with the largest death row, is also considering a moratorium on executions, even as it prepares for the second execution in as many months. FSRN's Vinny Lombardo has more.

Last night twelve Papuan suspects in a 2002 murder of Americans were arrested in West Papua--the Indonesian-occupied half of New Guinea. There is evidence of Indonesian military involvement in the 2002 killings, but the Bush administration and Indonesian authorities are attempting to pin the blame on Papuan “terrorists�.

Four Directions would like to share our Principals for Solidarity and Respect that we are using to coordinate our efforts with the bayou tribes.

PLEASE FORWARD:

Fighting Evictions in New Orleans

Hundreds of people have been evicted everyday from their houses in New Orleans. Investors and developers are rushing to take advantage of the crisis, overshadowed by a criminal negligence by the Bush Adminstration.

Come hear Jeremy Prickett, an organizer with Labor's Militant Voice, speak about the work he has been doing in New Orleans fighting evictions through direct actions, and how people here in Santa Cruz can help these efforts.

Jan 17, Tuesday 8pm, at the Women Center, UCSC.