This weekend I’m traveling to Florida to help beat Bush on Tuesday, November 2nd. I’ll be volunteering with America Coming Together, one of a number of nation-wide organizations that has mobilized thousands of volunteers to convince undecided voters in critical swing states to vote against Bush.

Notice that I haven’t said I’m going to work on the Kerry campaign. I’m not a big fan of John Kerry, or the Democratic Party for that matter. I wanted to be in Boston in July to protest the Democratic National Convention, where war-mongering speeches drowned out the few voices of dissent allowed inside (the Mainers for Kucinich, for example), and a massive police presence squelched protests outside. I disagree with Kerry’s stance on the war in Iraq (he voted to give Bush the authority to wage war, and he now wants to “win� an unjust war), the so-called war on terrorism (he doesn’t address the root causes of terrorism, instead spouting violent rhetoric about “rooting out� and “destroying� the “enemy�), and military aid to Israel (he does not oppose the Apartheid Wall and ongoing oppression of Palestinians). I wish I could vote for a candidate I feel good about, and I firmly believe in the importance of breaking out of a two-party system controlled by corporate interests (yes, I voted for Nader in 2000). But this time around, there is too much to lose. Yes, I have joined the “anybody but Bush� campaign.

Miami Journal [ Why I'm going to Florida (10/30/04) I Touchdown (10/30/04) I One City, Many Worlds (10/31/04) I Mounting Frustration (11/1/04) I Why the long face? (11/3/04) ]

see related: Florida's Palm Beach County Bracing for the Electoral Storm

I asked my ridiculously well informed friend to write this article for me according to this prompt:

"David, no one gives a fuck about voting. So what the hell do you tell someone? I know I could rave on about women's rights/human rights and issues pertaining to that, but what the hell do you tell some overprivileged, unaware, probably half-drunk probably white probably male college kid who has probably never had to work or earn his way... how do you stoke something in that person, to vote?"

This is what he so eloquently replied with: Read the full reply...

see related articles: [ Why I'm not voting for Emily Reilly I Anyone going out on Nov. 3rd? I Liberation News Voter Recommendations I FRSC and Critical Mass Radio Network - sElection 2004 I Election Special: Behind California's Proposition 66 I Old Enough to Care, Too Young to Vote I Mark Fogel hates the homeless I Dump the Kennedy Council I City Council candidates interviewed on FRSC! I 16 propositions, 1 ballot. Confused? Last-minute links and info for voters. ]

On the morning of Thursday, October 7, US authorities issued a federal order to Rackspace ordering them to hand over information hosted on Indymedia web servers to the FBI. Rackspace, which provides hosting services for more that 20 Indymedia sites at its London facility, complied by turning over two Indymedia servers to federal authorities, effectively removing those sites from the internet.

Indymedia, a global network of independent non-corporate media organzations, had been asked last month by the FBI to remove a story about Swiss undercover police from one of the websites hosted at Rackspace. It is not known whether Thursday's order is related to that incident, however, since the order was issued to Rackspace and not to Indymedia. According to Rackspace, they "cannot provide Indymedia with any information regarding the order." ISPs have received gag orders in similar situations which prevent them from informing concerned parties about what is happening.

It is unclear to Indymedia how and why a server that is outside US jurisdiction can be seized by US authorities.

Audio: Story On Indymedia Server Snatch

FBI Coverage on IMC: FBI and Other Legal Breaking News

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, California. On September 11th and 12th The Campaign for Sensible Transportation will be holding a two day, fundraising book sale, benefiting the No on Measure J- "Widening 1 Won't Work" campaign.

No on Measure J is opposed to Meaure J, the highway widening sales tax initiative. The initiative will be on the ballot in November. If passed it will raise the county's sales tax primarily to widen Highway One from Santa Cruz to Watsonville.

[ Campaign for Sustainable Transportation I No on Measure J I People Power ]

On August 12, the California State Supreme Court ruled that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom lacked the authority to issue same-sex marriage licenses, and therefore that the marriages that took place are void. Over 3900 same-sex couples were married at SF City Hall earlier this year. However, the court did not rule on the issue of whether or not same-sex marriages should be legal. Protests were held in cities all over the state. In Santa Cruz, people gathered at the Town Clock. (announcement and discussion)

Photos: 1 I 2 I Audio

[ GLBT Alliance I Diversity Center I Marriage Equality California I Indybay's LGBTQI Page ]

On the Judicial Branch

On November 30, 2005, Santa Cruz was declared as a "World City Against the Death Penalty" by Santa Cruz Mayor, Mike Rotkin. Santa Cruz is one of more than 300 cities worldwide calling for an end to the death penalty.

About thirty people came to Santa Cruz City Hall to protest the planned execution of Stanley "Tookie" Williams and speak out against the death penalty. David Sweet introduced local activists including Ray Glock-Gruenich, Darrell Darling, Betsy Fairbanks, Emily Malony, Wanda Conaway-Knight, Sandino Gomez and Kenny Swain.

Sandino Gomez of the Watsonville Brown Berets, the Resource Center for Nonviolence's Youth Empowerment Coordinator and 'The Global Local' host on Freak Radio Santa Cruz did not have any prepared statements and speaks his heart when it comes to matters like this. Sandino was born and raised in Santa Cruz. He discusses some of his experiences of racism growing up and going to school in Santa Cruz as well as the racial and class prejudice within the entire judicial system, dysfunctional democracy in the US and failed imperialist attempts to "bring democracy" to Iraq and other parts of the world.

WINNING THE VOTE – Triumph of the American Woman Suffrage Movement, a photo & word documentary book by Santa Cruz historian Robert P. J. Cooney, Jr., will be premiered and honored by eight local women’s and community groups on Thursday Dec. 1st, 6:30pm at the First Congregational Church fellowship hall, 900 High St., Santa Cruz. Cynthia Mathews, Santa Cruz City Mayor, sister Sara Wood Smith and their father Kirk Smith are related to Sara Bard Field a prominent woman suffragist featured in the book.