Overall, the Seabright Brewery seems like a fun, locally-owned brew pub that makes some decent beers on site. The employees and locals seem to like it and it's conveniently located in Santa Cruz near the beach. However, a peek into the women's restroom shows outmoded imagery that makes light of the victimization of women. What's behind the Women's Room door?

On May 22, Alli Starr and Medea Benjamin spoke at Bookshop Santa Cruz on behalf of CodePink Women For Peace and a new book called "Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism." Local Folk-Goddess Diane Patterson got the evening started by singing and playing guitar.

Audio: Download the mp3 (44:22 minutes / 15.2 MB)

A discussion time followed the presentation and Medea talked about her experience at the Halliburton Shareholders meeting which took place on May 18, 2005 in Houston, Texas. She also talked about her experience at the Iraq War Protest which took place in Fayetteville, North Carolina on March 19, 2005 and included Iraq veterans, military families and resisters. Medea says that one good thing going on these days is that the U$ Imperial Forces have been too busy to stop the momentum of Latin American social movements.

Alli talked about the Art in Action camp which takes place each summer in the Santa Cruz mountains.

Q and A: Download the mp3 (11:05 minutes / 3.8 MB)

Take Back the Night is an international rally and march that is organized in local communities with the purpose of unifying women, men, and children in an awareness of violence against women, children and families. The event is a collaboration of community and campus and other interested persons who are ready to take a stand against violence and make the night safe for everyone.

Women are often told to be extra careful and take precautions when going out at night. In some parts of the world, even today, women are not allowed out at night. So when women struggle for freedom, we must start at the beginning by fighting for freedom of movement, which we have not had and do not now have. We must recognize that freedom of movement is a precondition for anything else. It comes before freedom of speech in importance because without it freedom of speech cannot in fact exist.

Audio interview with three of the organizers: Download the mp3 (9:20 minutes / 8.5 MB)

Photos and Report Backs from Take Back the Night 2005 at UCSC

From the open publishing newswire: More than 125 people marched through UCSC Campus Thursday night, participating in 2005's Take Back the Night and demanding that UCSC address safety issues on campus.

The evening began with a rally at UCSC's Baytree Plaza, where students gathered to hear poetry and presentations, and to get information from campus and community organizations dedicated to helping survivors of sexual violence and ending rape and sexual assault. More words and photos...

From the open publishing newswire: On the night of Thursday, May 19, the UCSC community 'Took Back the Night' from various forms of violence, especially violence against women.

This year's march had a different feel than in previous years due to the wheelchair friendly route, the inclusion of men, and the continued expansion of the definition of 'violence'. More words and photos...

"Domestic violence" is overwhelmingly MALE violence against women. The FBI's definition of terrorism is, "the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce the government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives."

Men who batter women use force and violence to "intimidate or coerce" in furtherance of their "social objective" – male supremacy. Since women are a "segment" of "the civilian population," men who batter them are legally "terrorists."

Presently, men control religion and government. Thus, issues which particularly interest and affect women such as domestic violence, the environment, housing, child care, job training, education, family planning, and health care are chronically underfunded – if they're funded at all.

Wife-beating is a "traditional family value." The "Rule of Thumb" was a law allowing Englishmen to beat their wives with a stick "no thicker than a man's thumb" to make them obey. According to the U.S. surgeon general, battering is the number one "health" problem of women in America.

[ The Feminist Agenda! ]

There were a few thousand or so protesters on both sides of the abortion issue in SF on Jan 21, 2006.

You're invited to our annual pro-choice brunch marking the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.

On Saturday, January 21st, the second annual "Walk for Life" will again be marching in the streets of San Francisco on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

There is going to be a counter demonstration lining their march route.

There will be a Santa Cruz Caravan going up to partake in the counter demonstration.

Imprisoned for 15 years for the non-fatal shooting of her ex-husband, Theresa Cruz is finally up for parole. Please, please, send letters to the governor urging him to sign for her parole.

Defend Women's Reproductive Autonomy, Confront the Right-Wing Invasion, and Shut down the Walk for Life.
Meet at 11 am. Sunday, Jan. 21. Justin Herman Plaza at the Embarcadero, San Francisco. Look for the info table.

Spokescouncil to plan Civil Disobedience:
Sunday, Jan. 15. San Francisco. 3 pm. Location to be announced.