Posted in Climate change Columns Wade Rathke

Could direct action stop climate change?

by Wade Rathke December 20, 2021 Little Rock    Sometimes you stumble over something so obvious, you shake your head wondering why your thinking was so patterned that it was in danger of becoming more habitual…

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Posted in Events Featured Event News

Crater Radio and Liminal Café present a Harry Potter Holiday

TONIGHT! At Liminal Café With the Flagstaff Literacy Center,  December 20, 21, and 22,   5 pm ’till 8 pm Liminal Café is hosting readings from Harry Potter in the community space on the NW corner…

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Posted in Community organizing

How deep canvassing by progressives can change rural politics in the US

In North Carolina, progressive activists reach out to rural voters as an overlooked segment of the electorate. by Amanda Abrams, Yes! Magazine November 24, 2021 It’s Nov. 1, and Precious Cogwell is canvassing in Alamance County,…

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Posted in Climate change Pipelines

‘Keystone XL Is Dead!’: After 10-year battle, Climate Movement victory is complete

“Keystone XL is now the most famous fossil fuel project killed by the climate movement,’ said one veteran campaigner, “but it won’t be the last.” by Jon Queally, staff writer June 9, 2021 fter more than…

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Posted in Columns Community organizing Wade Rathke

Highlander and Horton

by Wade Rathke May 8, 2021 New Orleans    It was fun talking to Stephen Preskill about his new book, Education in Black and White: Myles Horton and the Highlander Center’s Vision for Social Justice, on…

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Posted in Columns Community organizing Wade Rathke

Remembering fresh eyes to horrible situations

by Wade Rathke April 30, 2021 New Orleans –  We were lucky on our work to launch the ACORN Tenants Union in Atlanta to have a bunch of serious and committed young apprentice organizers with us…

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Posted in Democracy News

Rights defenders decry advancement of Oklahoma anti-protest bills

‘The OK Legislature Wants Us Dead’ The head of the state’s ACLU accused Oklahoma lawmakers of “attempting to silence the voices of their constituents and criminalize vital calls for accountability and racial justice.” by Brett Wilkins,…

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Posted in Columns Community organizing Service Wade Rathke

Anne Fenney

by Wade Rathke February 8, 2021 Pearl River I didn’t know Anne Fenney, but I stayed in her house. I’m not sure how that counts in degrees of separation, but I would mark it as pretty…

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Posted in Columns Democracy Wade Rathke

Little “d” democracy in action

by Wade Rathke February 7, 2021 Pearl River    There’s no question democracy is under attack all around the world, and, sadly, we are all engaged in a battle to protect the semblance of it that’s…

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Posted in Democracy News

Leading digital rights group warns section 230 reform bill will boost Big Tech while crushing smaller sites

“This bill, as written, would have enormous unintended consequences for human rights and freedom of expression,” warned Fight for the Future’s Evan Greer. by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Saturday, February 6, 2021 A leading digital rights…

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Posted in Analysis Energy Pipelines

Living with natural gas pipelines: Appalachian landowners describe fear, anxiety and loss

Some reported never hearing about a planned pipeline until a “land man” – a gas company representative – knocked on their door offering to buy a slice of their property; others said that they found out…

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Posted in Columns Community organizing Wade Rathke

Organizing in the Year of the Plague

by Wade Rathke January 28, 2021 New Orleans    The Year End / Year Begin meeting is a tradition and vital piece of planning, reflection, and celebration with our ACORN family of organizations. This one was…

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Posted in Columns Wade Rathke

Crowd chaos underlines differences in Instigators versus Organizers

by Wade Rathke January 19, 2021 Pearl River   The post-mortem on the Capitol mob scene has been bizarrely interesting from an organizing perspective. A lot of it has been more about name-calling than analysis. This…

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Posted in Accountability Columns Wade Rathke

Capitol Police asleep at the switch

by Wade Rathke Friday, January 8, 2021 New Orleans    One of the late-night comedians noted that these early resignations from White House staff and cabinet officers with less than two weeks before Biden’s inauguration are…

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Posted in Columns Community organizing Politics Wade Rathke

Celebrate, but keep it real, here come the Congressional Mod Squad

by Wade Rathke Wednesday, January 6, 2021 New Orleans   Victories have a thousand fathers and defeats are orphan children, or something like that. ACORN, the Voter Purge Project, and Labor Neighbor are glad to count…

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Posted in Columns Politics Wade Rathke

Doing our part in Georgia, ground game pays off

by Wade Rathke January 5, 2021 New Orleans   The double-barreled Senate runoff in Georgia has been something to watch, and even more interesting on the ground, as our team found doing our part to assure…

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Posted in Analysis Politics

I never thought Democrats could win Georgia. Could it happen twice?

The critical Senate run-off race is too close to call. But a massive voter mobilization effort may just tip the balance. by Mary Fitzgerald Sunday, January 3, 2021 My mother was 23 when she accidentally got…

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Posted in Columns Wade Rathke

Black Lives Matter, the Tides Foundation, and the future

by Wade Rathke December 28, 2020 Pearl River   The Black Lives Matter movement erupted after the killing of George Floyd, as demonstrations, perhaps as many as 8500, occurred throughout the country and the world. BLM,…

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Posted in Community Journalism News Social Media

Congress crams language to criminalize online streaming, meme-sharing into 5,500-page omnibus bill

“These types of decisions should never be made in closed-door negotiations between politicians and industry or rushed through as part of some must-pass spending package.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Monday, December 21, 2020 Lawmakers in…

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Posted in Columns Housing Wade Rathke

Homeless squatters vs. gentrifiers

by Wade Rathke December 21, 2020 Pearl River   Congress passed a skinny stimulus bill for $900 billion to win the “better than nothing” award for 2020. Whoopee! The bill does promise a bit of cash…

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Posted in Columns Labor Minimum wage Wade Rathke

New York City protects fast food workers

by Wade Rathke December 18, 2020 Atlanta   The New York City Council passed two ordinances that could open the door to a new era of job protection for some of the most precarious workers in the…

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Posted in Columns Elections Wade Rathke

On the Doors in Atlanta

by Wade Rathke December 15, 2020 Atlanta   The Electoral College licked the envelope and sealed the deal on Joe Biden’s victory for Donald Trump to become the next President of the United States with 306 votes…

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Posted in Columns Wade Rathke

The non-profit depression?

by Wade Rathke December 14, 2020 Atlanta   A boatload of money is being spent in the Georgia election runoff for the two remaining US Senate seats. Estimates range from $350 to $500 million by the…

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Posted in Columns Wade Rathke

A radio lesson from the ACLU in NOLa DA’s race

by Wade Rathke December 6, 2020 Pearl River   The 2020 election season isn’t quite over, as the Senate runoff in Georgia proves, but that’s not the only place where there are key runoffs. In New Orleans,…

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