On this week's show...
* We speak with Rana el-Hendi, about the current situation in the Gaza Strip
* Frida Berrigan speaks about Witness Against Torture’s journey to Guantanamo Bay last December
* LA's South Central Farmers continue the fight against their farm's destruction
* this past weekend marked the 20th Anniversary of the Homestead Steel Mill closing
* and more in our local and global headlines
Welcome to this week's edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of the news from the grassroots, news overlooked by the corporate media.
On today's show...
We speak with Rana el-Hendi, about the current situation in the Gaza Strip
Frida Berrigan speaks about Witness Against Torture’s journey to Guantanamo Bay last December
LA's South Central Farmers continue the fight against their farm's destruction
this past weekend marked the 20th Anniversary of the Homestead Steel Mill closing
and more in our local and global headlines
Rustbelt Radio airs live every Monday from 6-7pm on WRCT 88.3FM in Pittsburgh, PA, every Thursday from 11am to noon on WARC-Meadville from the campus of Allegheny College, and every Saturday from 5-6pm on WVJW Benwood, 94.1 FM in the Wheeling, West Virginia area. And we're now on WPTS 92.1FM from the campus of the University of Pittsburgh, also Saturdays at 5pm.
We're also available on the internet, both on WRCT's live webstream at W-R-C-T dot ORG and for download, stream or podcast at radio dot I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot org.
We turn now to local headlines.
Headlines
Local News
[1:00] Pittsburgh joins cool cities
On Wednesday in Pittsburgh, both the City and the County Councils unanimously passed resolutions calling on Pittsburgh and Allegheny County to join over 240 local governments that have signed the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. The agreement calls for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions down to 7% below 1990 levels by the year 2012.
The resolutions were in response to the Sierra Club’s “Cool Cities - Cool Counties” campaign, which is part of a nationwide campaign by the Sierra Club to urge local governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency, promotion of clean and affordable energy and waste management and reuse/reduce/recycle activities.
According to Chris Seymour, chair of the Allegheny group of the Sierra Club, (quote) Two Pennsylvania cities, Erie and Philadelphia, have already signed similar agreements. We hope that Mayor O'Connor and County Executive Dan Onorato will move local government forward in a way that is good for the planet and good for taxpayers. (endquote)
The Allegheny Group of the Sierra Club is a chapter of the national environmental advocacy group with 6,000 members in the 13 counties of southwestern Pennsylvania.
[1:00] Minimum Wage
As Rustbelt Radio has previously reported, after years of pressure by activists and low income people, the state of Pennsylvania will be raising the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $6.25 an hour on Jan. 1, 2007, then to $7.15 an hour on July 1, 2007. Governor Ed Rendell plans to sign the legislation on Thursday of this week at a signing ceremony in Pittsburgh at the United Steelworkers building downtown.
We spoke to Barney Oursler of the Mon Valley Unemployed Committee about this long-awaited increase of the minimum wage.
barney.wav - 0:35
[1:30] Landfill plans near state park abandoned
A quarrying company in Portersville, Pennsylvania, which is located 40 miles north of Pittsburgh, has ended a three-year-long effort to put a landfill near McConnell’s Mill State Park.
Sechan Limestone Industries has withdrawn its appeal of a decision by the state Department of Environmental Protection to deny it a permit to develop the waste-disposal site. The company had proposed creating a landfill on the site of a former limestone quarry west of Route 19, about three miles south of Route 422, on land that straddles Butler and Lawrence counties. Sechan wanted to dump industrial waste classified as non-hazardous, including fly ash produced by burning coal, into the former quarry.
The site is about 300 yards from the edge of McConnells Mill State Park. The proximity of the park united several groups in opposition to the proposal, including Friends of McConnells’s Mill and Slippery Rock Streamkeepers. A statewide environmental group, PennFuture, provided legal representation in the fight. These groups opposed the landfill on the grounds that it would degrade water quality, threaten the local tourism industry, and diminish property values.
In May 2003, the DEP denied Sechan’s permit application, saying the company had not demonstrated that the benefits of the proposed landfill clearly outweigh the harms. Sechan appealed to the state Environmental Hearing Board. By the time it withdrew the appeal, more than 50 legal documents had been filed in the case.
PennFuture spokeswoman Jeanne Clark called the company’s decision to drop the landfill effort (quote) A victory for the people, the economy and the environment.
[4:00] Mosque responds to FBI Raid
On Friday June 30th, between the hours of 1:30 and 2:00 pm the FBI conducted a raid on the LIGHT OF THE AGE MOSQUE, a gathering place and center of worship on the northside of Pittsburgh for members of the Orthodox Muslim community. Members of the Mosque also make up the administrative faculty of the Sankore Institute of Islamic African Studies, which they describe as (quote) “ a non profit, non political, educational institution founded for the sole purpose of researching into the educational, political, cultural and religious heritage of Islamic Africa.”
Members of the Light of the Age Mosque are considering this raid an act of racial, class, and religious discrimination and injustice.
One week following the raid, members of the organization spoke to the press to present their viewpoints.
Assistant Director of the Light of the Age mosque, Tahir Abdullah (ab-dull- ah [not ab-doo-lah]) read a statement issued by the Muslim Alliance of North America, of which the Mosque is a member,
mana statement (1:11) minutes
The Director of the Light of the Age Mosque, Luqman (luke-mon)Abdus-Salaam read an official statement from the group. He begins by describing the activities of the Mosque:
luqman (2:09) minutes
People have described members of the Mosque as positive influences on the community, and as role models for young black men. Neighbors also remark that the prostitution and drug trade in the area has slowed since the Mosque moved into their location on Boyle Street on the Northside.
The Mosque has been under surveillance for at least a few months. Earlier this year, what appears to be an electrical box was installed on a telephone pole approximately two blocks away, on Federal Street. Upon closer inspection, a circular hole in the box contains a camera, which is directly pointed towards the entrance to the Mosque.
Members of the Mosque state they will continue their activities of worship and serving the community, without fear of government surveillance and repression.
[5:00] All star game
The city of pittsburgh is aflurry with all star celebrations, ranging from fanfests, to sypmphony concerts and Art Openings. While many are celebrating Pittsburgh’s time in the national spotlight, some have concern with some of the security measures that have been taken in preparation for the game. Three months ago, in anticipation of the All-Star game, the Pittsburgh City Council unanimously approved the Mayor's request to use over $1 million of grant money from the US Department of Justice to build a robotic video surveillance network for the downtown and Oakland sections of the city.
According to the Pittsburgh Police Department the surveillance network is up and running but they would not comment on any other details about it until after the All Star Game.
The city was to purchase this new spy ware from Smiths Detection-LiveWave, which claims to be a "leading provider of intelligent digital video surveillance solutions." LiveWave further states that they, "enable interoperability among Federal, State and local agencies to securely connect to expansive networks of live and archived video feeds for the purpose of integrated incident and special events management." LiveWave has contracts now with the US Department of Defense, the US Department of Energy, the US Department of Homeland Security and some major public transit entities like DC Metro. LiveWave is also employed for "border protection."
However, on April 26, 2004 the City Council enacted a "Local Resolution to Protect Civil Liberties in the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania."
We spoke with Dean Gerber of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee about this resolution
Gerber also told us why he is opposed to the installation of a general surveillance camera network.
The city has also been taking many other measures to prepare for the All Star Game. Mayor O’Connor said “It’s time to Redd up Pittsburgh cause company is coming” This campaign imvolves boarding up abandoned buildings, removing graffiti, towing cars and cleaning up abandoned lots. Environmental efforts have been incorporated into this campaign including river clean ups, park tours, and Hard to Recycle Item Collections at Construction Junction. As reported in the Post Gazette one woman in Point Breeze was extremely annoyed when her car was towed and the only notice she recived was at an old address as opposed to a notice placed on her car. One Rustbelt Correspondent noted that the Eliza Furnace Trail which more or less functions as a legal wall for graffiti had a whole bunch of Anti- War Graffiti that was visible from the Hot Metal Bridge Buffed. Others have expressed concern that these clean up efforts have also been extended to “clean the streets of Homeless people”
Pittsburgh has opened a shelter at Smithfield United Church of Christ from July 7 to July 11 that will offer services similar to those provided during cold winter nights. Some feel that this is to accommodate the influx of homeless people that may be kicked off the streets during the All Star Game. Some Homeless people may be forced to spend time this week in jails instead of shelters as the city cracks down on Panhandling. The Pittsburgh Development Partnership has hired eight "safety ambassadors" to patrol city streets, help guide wandering tourists and to report illegal activities such as “panhandling.” Panhandling was only deemed illegal at certain times justlast year Also, Police said anyone suspected of public intoxication will be sent to a temporary center on the city's North Side.
The No Sweatshops Bucco campaign has also spent months in preparation for the All Star Game. We spoke with Celeste Taylor about their activities planned for the Game and Sweatfree Baseball
* celeste.ogg: 1:55
That was just Celeste Taylor with No Sweatshops Bucco. For more information you can go to humanrightsbaseball.org/pasca/
[4:00] 20th Anniversary of Homestead Steel closing
This past Saturday the Battle of Homestead foundation marked the 20th anniversary of the mill closing by US Steel. A panel discussion and forum was held at the Pump House, the last remaining building of the Homestead Steel Works, which is located near the new mall on Waterfront Drive. It was also the scene of the famous July 6, 1892 Battle of Homestead between union steelworkers and Pinkerton guards hired by Pittsburgh steel barons Andrew Carnegie and Henry Frick. US Steel, once the world's largest producer of steel, closed down the homestead plant in 1986.
William Serrin covered the mill closing as a New York Times labor writer and wrote a book titled "Homestead: The Glory and Tragedy of an American Steel Town." After the panel discussion he spoke to Rustbelt Radio about Homestead's long history and uncertain future.
[2:00] While Safety of Contemporary Mines Remains in Question, Volunteers Clean-up Acid Mine Drainage
Since the tragedy in Sago West Virginia left 12 miners dead in January, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, MSHA, has faced criticism, culminating in the commencement of two separate government investigations, that it has been ineffective in monitoring the safety of mines. Including the deaths at Sago, a total of 33 miners have already perished in 2006 as a result of accidents. The year 2005 saw 22 miner deaths.
Audits are being conducted by both the inspector general’s office in the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Government Accountability Office. They will examine the process by which MSHA allows miners to make confidential reports concerning potentially unsafe mine conditions, MSHA’s escape and mine rescue operations, and it’s response to a need for new inspectors.
Partially as a result of large numbers of inspectors retiring, MSHA has lowered the required training time for inspectors from four to five years to one year. Francis E. "Shorty" Wehr Sr., who retired last year as president of the West Virginia-based American Federation of Government Employees local, representing mine inspectors, says, "It's a tough job. Every move you make has to be right. I really believe if they hire people with just one year of experience, they're going to have more problems down the road." MSHA sites the lack of government funding as a major problem.
While active mines remain a threat to those who work in them, abandoned mines present an entirely different set of problems. Waterways all over Southwestern Pennsylvania and elsewhere are too polluted with acid mine drainage to support aquatic life. A group of miners in Indiana County have sought to address this problem by forming the Blackleggs Creek Watershed Association. In the past six years the group has obtained more than $1 million from state and federal governments and local contributors to help clean up the pollution.
At Blackleggs Creek the mine drainage is cleared away more effectively because of a dual filter system. Tom Rathburn of the DEP says, " What [the Blackleggs Watershed Association] is trying to do is restore the stream to pristine condition. What they’re doing [elsewhere] is trying to restore [sites] to the limit of the law."
While clean-up along the Blackleggs Creek site has been successful, thousands of other acid mine drainage sites remain. Today there are more than 5,000 high-priority abandoned mine sites in Pennsylvania alone.
Abdul Hakeem walk
When a mortar bomb hit Abdul Hakeem’s family home in Fallujah two years ago, the house was virtually destroyed and both Abdul and his Mother were injured. On July 9th, 2006 people gathered in Pittsburgh for a Journey of Hope and Healing: Walking to Rebuild Abdul Hakeem’s Home. We asked organizer Maria Roberts to tell us more about Abdul Hakeem.
Roberts felt the walk was successful.
More more information about Abdul Hakeem and other Iraqi civilians who have been injured as a result of the U.S. invasion you can go to nomorevictims.org
Wrapup
For more on local news, you can visit pittsburgh dot I-N-D-Y-M-E-D-I-A dot org.
[ HMB BREAK RUSTBELT - 0:20 (fades down 0:10 in to start global intro) ]
Global News
Intro
You are listening to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news overlooked by the corporate media. We turn now to news from other independent media sources around the world.
[2:50] Continued destruction of South Central Farm
In Los Angeles, the battle to save the South Central Farm continues, as the farm was faced with another day of destruction on July 5th. In the early morning hours, farm supporters who maintain a vigil outside the farm were awakened by the sound of bulldozers razing the north side of the 14 acre urban farm.
As more supporters gathered at the site throughout the morning, direct actions were taken to prevent the farm’s destruction. One protestor chained himself to the bulldozer and had to be removed by the fire department.
Later in the day, about 10 people jumped the fence surrounding the farm and charged the bulldozer.
Maya Rise in San Francisco spoke to two activists who were at the Farm, including one observer named Pablo. He describes the scene at the Farm
• Pablo farm 1:15
Eye witnesses report numerous cases of physical violence against farmers and supporters.
Reports state there were 10 arrests, including 2 minors, from this action and some are charged with felony vandalism. The protestors were successful in disabling the bulldozer when one individual dropped a zucchini into the exhaust pipe.
Rosa, another advocate of the South Central Farm, discussed the beliefs behind their struggle to save the farm:
girl farm 1:10
Over the weekend, cities across the US including Pittsburgh, and as far away as Caracas, Venezuela and Athens, Greece, took part in the international days of solidarity with the South Central Farm to support the global struggle for land rights, urban community farms, and healthy food.
The farmers will be going to court on July 12th to dispute the legality of the sale of the land to the developer Ralph Horowitz. They refuse to give up and vow to continue their resistance against the destruction of their farm by any means necessary.
According to a new report on job safety by the AFL-CIO, the rate of fatal workplace injuries has increased for the first time in a decade.
The study shows the reported rates of workplace fatalities rose overall, and the reported rates of illnesses and injury declined slightly. On an average day in 2004,152 workers lost their lives as a result of workplace injuries and diseases and another 11,780 were injured. Additionally, the study found that protections for workers varied widely across the states. Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, West Virginia and Kentucky had the highest fatality rates, while Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Delaware and Massachusetts had the lowest.
The study reports that deaths for Latino and immigrant workers have sharply increased. In 2004, the fatality rate among Latino workers was 19 percent higher than the fatal injury rate for all U.S. workers. At the national level, fatal injuries to immigrant Latino workers increased 11 percent from 2003 to 2004. Of the foreign born workers who were fatally injured at work in 2004, 60 percent were Latino. The states with the highest number of reported workplace fatalities among Latino workers were California with 169 deaths, Texas with 150, and Florida with 119.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said that (quote) we find it outrageous that in this era more than 150 workers die on the job each and every day. It doesn’t have to be this way. America’s corporations must invest more in health and safety protections for working men and women, and our nation’s leaders must start holding them tightly accountable. (endquote).
Over the last five years, the Bush Administration has cut the budgets of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, known as O-SHA, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration, known as M-SHA. The Bush team has emphasized voluntary efforts and partnership programs with industries, and regulations at OSHA and MSHA have been steadily weakened. At MSHA, 17 safety and health rules were withdrawn in 2004, including rules on mine rescue teams, emergency escape ways, and self-contained self- rescuers. The report emphasizes that if these safety precautions been in place in recent mine disasters, the deaths that occurred would have been prevented.
The AFL-CIO report also finds that penalties for safety and health violations continue to be low. The average penalty levered by OSHA for a serious violation was just $873. And, while the budgets of the safety agencies are being cut, the workforce is growing, further diminishing oversight capacity. The report calculates that it would now take OSHA 117 years to inspect all of the workplaces under its jurisdiction just once; at the state level, Florida fared worst with an inspection frequency of once every 210 years.
For a copy of the report, Death on the Job, go to www.aflcio.org/deathonthejob
[1:30] New energy plan for Britain
In Britain, Tony Blair’s government will unveil a new energy plan for the country this Tuesday. The energy strategy includes plans to greatly increase energy generation from wind, solar, tidal, and agricultural sources. Currently renewable sources contribute 4 percent of the UK’s energy needs, and the plan calls to increase these sources to 20 percent.
The energy plan also concludes that nuclear power is now economically viable for the UK and should play a role in meeting future energy needs. This conclusion is based on concern that the UK may become increasingly dependent on imported natural gas in the coming decade, when many older coal and nuclear plants are scheduled to shut down. The report’s determination that nuclear plants will be economical relies on the assumption that the price of carbon emission permits in the European Union will be high, thereby making fossil fuels including natural gas less economical. However, for this to occur the European Union’s carbon emission trading scheme would have to be substantially revamped, and other EU countries would have to also clamp down on carbon emissions for their own industries. The price of carbon fell by 70% in the last year after several countries set their internal emissions allowances generously.
The British energy strategy also includes incentives to encourage development of renewable technologies which are not currently economical, such as offshore wind farms.
[5:00] Media Minutes
Wrapup
You can read more independent global news stories by visting indymedia: I-N-D-Y-M-E-D-I-A dot O-R-G.
Features
Intro
You're listening to Rust Belt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.
[less than 10] Gaza Interview-
Rustbelt Radio spoke with Rana el-Hendi about the current situation faced by Palestinians as a result of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. Rana is a Palestinian University of Pittsburgh student who recently returned to Gaza.
play rana.wav
[ Break? ]
You're listening to Rust Belt Radio.
[10:15] Journey to Guantanamo and Anti-Torture Events
Frida Berrigan from the group Witness Against Torture came to Pittsburgh on June 22nd to describe her walk with 23 others to the Guantanamo Military Base in Cuba. Since the US conducted sweeps in 2001 and 2002, over 400 prisoners have been held without trial, and just recently in June, three prisoners committed suicide.
Outraged by the injustices carried out at Guantanamo, the members of Witness Against Torture decided to walk 105 miles to reach the detention center in December 2005.
Frida first describes how the initial idea formed to start a walk to Guantanamo.
frida clip 1 2:53
After the initial idea formed to make a journey to the military base, the group began to research what the attempt would actually entail. Friday describes the physical landscape of the area surrounding the Guantanamo Bay Military Base.
frida clip 2 4:45
While stopped, they would fast, vigil and pray, directing their thoughts towards the men held captive in Guantanamo. They were able to come within 5 miles of the facility before continuing any further would be extremely dangerous. Frida described the experience as deeply spiritual and positive for those involved and their commitment to shutdown Guantanamo has strengthened, as the US government is increasingly criticized in the international arena.
Once the members of Witness Against Torture were back in the US, they received word that the prisoners were aware of their attempt to reach the facility and were extremely grateful for their acts of solidarity.
The group continues working for the closure of Guantanamo, while speaking out against the continued torture and detention of the prisoners. Protests have been held around the US and the world. And In Pittsburgh on Friday June 23rd, anti-torture activists gathered in Market Square for a brief rally before marching to the Federal Building.
Joining Frida Berrigan at the rally was Jules Lobel of the Center for Constitutional Rights. Organizers of the demonstration had built a life-sized cage to symbolize the mistreatment of prisoners. Inside the cage sat a man, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, who wore a black hood and hand his hands bound together. Activists wheeled the cage across town to the Federal Building. Scilla Wahrhaftig of the American Friends Service Committee closed the demonstration by listing a fraction of the numbers of men held captive at Guantanamo, and their respective countries.
scilla clip 0:40
That was Scilla Wahrhaftig speaking at a protest held in Pittsburgh last month. The protest and lecture by Frida Berrigan were part of June's "Torture Awareness Month" that was called by the Center for Constitutional Rights, Amnesty International, the ACLU and other groups. You can find more information about this group at their website: www. witnesstorture. org
Ending
Calendar of events
And now we present the Indymedia calendar of events:
At tomorrow's All Star game, join the Pittsburgh Anti Sweatshop Community Alliance as they rally for worker's rights and an end to abusive sweatshop practices. The group will be gathering at Freedom Corner at 4:30PM and marching to the Roberto Clemente bridge.
Also tomorrow, Tuesday the 11th at 7pm, The Roboto Project, located at 722 Wood St. in Wilkinsburg, will host a benefit show for Book Em, Pittsburgh's Books to Prisoners Project. The show will feature This Bike is a Pipe Bomb. For more information contact bookem@ keromail.com
Pittsburgh's Healcrest Urban Farm in Garfield will be hosting a Rainwater collection workshop. Learn to build an affordable, free-standing rainwater collection system and other ways to collect rainwater for garden use. This event will take place from 9 am to 1pm this Saturday. For more information call 412-362-1982
Also on Saturday July 15th, join Pittsburgh Organizing Group for a picket at the Market Square recruiting station from 11am to 1pm as they continue to counter military recruitment. For more infomation contact pog@ mutualaid.org or www. organizepittsburgh. org
Outro
[ Outro music ]
Thanks for tuning in to Rust Belt Radio here on WRCT Pittsburgh, WARC Meadville, WVJW Benwood and WPTS Pittsburgh.
Our hosts this week are Jessica McPherson, Andalusia Knoll, Matt Toups, Carlin Christy, Morgan Ress, and David Meieran. This week's show was produced by Donald Deeley. Special thanks to all of our hosts, producers, and contributors.
You can get involved with Rustbelt Radio! To contact us, or to send us your comments, email RADIO at I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot ORG. All of our shows are available for download or podcast on our website at RADIO dot INDY-P-G-H dot ORG and this show can be heard again Tuesday morning on WRCT at 9 AM after Democracy Now!
Tune in next week at this time for another edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.
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