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There are two ways you can help defend women’s rights and health. First, head over to the Planned Parenthood site to sign the petition disapproving of the Stupak amendment to the House health care bill. For those unfamiliar with the Stupak amendment, it’s a “dangerous piece of legislation that would ban abortion from private and public insurance plans for millions of American women.” We need to let the Senate know that we won’t stand for this as part of the Senate’s health care bill.

The second thing you can do is show up at the health clinic on the corner of 10th Ave S. and 17th St. (across from Al’s) at 8am on Saturday morning to assist as a clinic escort or just stand up to the red tapers and other anti-choice fundies that are sure to be out there in full force. The potential clients of the clinic shouldn’t have to be harassed to exercise their civil liberties. Show up to help support and defend these women!

admin Living abortion, activism, civil rights, pro-choice

UAB News reported about several students who took an overnight trip to a place in Alabama that is set up to replicate poverty stricken parts of the world. The students had to split into families and experience the daily struggles to obtain basic necessities through mock-up scenarios. It seems really cool as a way to get experience before doing any sort of humanitarian work.

Read the whole article.

admin Living activism, UAB

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has contacted the Guinness Book of World Records asking them to ignore a potentially record-breaking size “chicken dance” to be performed at the Talladega Superspeedway beacause it is sponsored by KFC. PETA has a campaign against KFC that they call Kentucky Fried Cruelty.

According to the president of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk:

The Guinness Book of World Records celebrates real achievement—it should not
be used to publicize stunts by cruel, unethical companies such as KFC.

I know a lot of people think PETA makes a bad name for themselves with their protests, but it’s just marketing–just like KFC is doing by trying to get lasting recognition in a world’s record book. This protest will get PETA’s name out to a large number of people that might have never heard it and perhaps never thought about animal suffering. Can anyone blame them for that? At least they’re marketing for something that will make the world greener, healthier, and happier.

admin Business, Green activism, Nascar, PETA

MoveOn.org wants clean energy supporters to show up at 2:00pm on Friday, April 17th at Artur Davis’ Downtown Birmingham office to help deliver letters from small businesses about the importance of passing Obama’s clean energy jobs plan.

From their site:

Big corporations like Exxon Mobil and BP are making headlines opposing President Obama’s plan for a clean energy economy.1

But the behind-the-scenes truth is this: Millions of small businesses in every neighborhood support clean energy. They just haven’t had a way to be heard in Washington—until now.

On Friday, we’ll be delivering more than 15,000 letters of support for clean energy from small-business leaders to our members of Congress.

MoveOn volunteers have been pounding the pavement for weeks to collect these letters. Small businesses are such great messengers to tell Congress that clean energy will grow our economy, create more jobs, and lower electric bills.

These are simple, fun events. We’ll gather outside of the local congressional office where we’re delivering the letters, listen to a few remarks from local small-business leaders, and then go inside to deliver these letters. Having a good crowd is important to show our strength.

Good local jobs mean more money flowing into local businesses. And since those jobs can’t be shipped overseas, we can count on a thriving economy for a long time to come. We can’t afford not to invest in clean energy.

Can you join us on Friday, Apr. 17, 2009, at 2:00 PM in Birmingham to deliver letters from small businesses in support of Obama’s clean energy jobs plan?

Click Here to Sign Up!

Or just show up at 2:00pm to the office.
Birmingham City Center, 2 North 20th Street
Birmingham, AL 35203

admin Green, Politics activism, Artur Davis, legislation, Obama, pollution

Lilly Ledbetter, a true hero of the people over corporations movement, with President Obama when he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.

The Over the Mountain Democrats are hosting an event at Samford University in Reid Chapel that will feature a conversation with Lilly Ledbetter, who singlehandedly led a ten year fight on equal pay for equal work, and Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, the only Democrat in our statewide appellate courts. It’s Thursday, March 26th at 6:15pm.

As always, more info on this and other events this week on the freeThinkBham Event Finder, including
-An Evening of West African Drumming at the Library
-Conversation with video-art pioneer Mary Lucier
-Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement
-Conversation with the authors of the EatingAlabama.org blog
-Spring Bicycle Cleaning with Bici Coop (see below)

admin Business, Events, Living, Politics activism, bici coop, bikes, civil rights, gardening, Ledbetter, Obama

Empower Alabama fought to bring Birmingham this great opportunity to learn more about running for office or volunteering for a campaign at a high level. It will be at UAB this summer, July 18th and 19th, but you should start telling your friends and signing up now. This is the best way to be the change you want to see in the world. Democracy for America has trained thousands of successful candidates, activists, and volunteers and now YOU can:

1. Learn how to plan and run a winning grassroots campaign
2. Meet and hear from local progressive candidates
3. Learn from trainers with decades of experience
4. Mingle with other local progressive activists at social events
5. Get a copy of our 180 page Grassroots Campaign Training Manual
6. Set goals and make plans to pass progressive legislation
7. Re-connect with old friends from the campaign
8. Help elect progressive mayors, city council members and other municipal
offices in 2009
9. Learn to organize your neighborhood or precinct
10. Look for a new job or volunteer opportunity
Learn more

admin Politics activism, Empower Alabama