From John Beck at Michigan State University

Steve Ashby, a labor studies professor at the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, posted the following list of labor films available on the web. He made this for a workshop handout at the LAWCHA conference. What a wonderful service Steve has done for all of us.

Grand Army of Starvation, 1877 rail strikes, 10 minutes (picture quality is low)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzol0ms895k

1886 Haymarket. Excerpts from a PBS film on anarchism in America.

Part 1  (5 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OQxncb2ihQ

Part 2  (5 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w-z8ud_9QU

Part 3 – the trial  (5 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKkEl9XzjFc

Homestead 1892  (history channel, 15 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NljbZAGk0w&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLB3827C16AFA01AE2

Andrew Carnegie and the Homestead Strike, 5 minutes

http://www.history.com/videos/history-of-labor-day#andrew-carnegie-and-the-homestead-strike

Andrew Carnegie, the richest man in the world, PBS American Experience, 2 hours

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76S2rYEb6y8

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, 8 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfPQ4qLS6Do

Taylorism and Fordism, 8 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PdmNbqtDdI

1911 Triangle Fire YouTube 3 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf9GVbzf7Q4&feature=related

1911 Story of Us: Triangle, 7 minutes, YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdNYqBP_5q4

“Century of Women” on garment workers, 1909 strike, Triangle, 15 minutes

http://www.vimeo.com/9551312

Bread and Roses 1912 strike, 6 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xKnqhGpc8M&feature=em-uploademail

Mother Jones, 9 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4dICZsNXBE

Miles of Smiles: Years of Struggle, Pullman Porters, 3 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuL6bFSVcs0

Anti-racism excerpts from the film Matewan on 1920 miners’ strike, YouTube, 4 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzjWbag6zxQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwEMIvDEFy4  (6 minute version but lower picture quality)

1932 veterans “bonus march,” newsreel, 3 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkmo4ygPTjc

1932 veterans bonus march, 3 parts, 10 minutes each

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiMuzkpT8Xs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlegmV5OJtM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s13NlsmLODc

1934 San Francisco general strike, possibly PBS, 3 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dku-MFnIxaU

Also newsreel coverage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmkAr2Fr7Ng, 2 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pURNXMlUHuU, 1 minute

1937, Flint, PBS, Walter Reuther and the Rise of the UAW, 15 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aLUNW4zoPQ&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL95BA98A901568FBB

With Babies and Banners, women and the 1937 auto sit-down strikes, 45 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa75V-tdBko

Union Maids, women in the 1930s labor struggles, 51 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74gvcvXlgnM

1937 Memorial Day Massacre, Chicago Republic Steel (10 minutes, YouTube, Illinois Labor History Society)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q3RUGLfFv0

A Job at Ford’s, PBS Great Depression series, 50 minutes incl Ford hunger march

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjH4pCatx0I

Mean Things Happening, PBS Great Depression series, 51 minutes, 1930s SFTU tenant farmers and steelworkers organizing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4RRf5T-bMM

Other episodes in PBS documentary series on Great Depression

The Road to Rock Bottom, 53 mins, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGc8rNV3HNY

New York, New York, 53 mins, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5n4u4cF4Pg

We Have a Plan, California, 53 mins, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BcShxauDgk

To Be Somebody, civil rights, 53 mins, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdEHPaQ4li4

Arsenal of Democracy, WWII, 53 mins, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIJhGH2GNEY

AFL and CIO 1935 split, newsreel, 7 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CibsdhzZhY

John L. Lewis speaking to Congress, newsreel, 4 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9WryLrVvFo&feature=related

1946 strike wave, newsreel, 6 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb-1IqaQSq8

1946 strike wave, 21 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8b1GhULdmU&feature=related

Seeing Red, film, part 1 –documentary on radicals and anti-communism with many interviews  10 minutes (entire film 11 parts on YouTube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ62NDsFPI0

Salt of the Earth, feature length film, 1954

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7ZoomADDOI

1968  “I am a man,” AFSCME,  (YouTube, 10 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBDgH435oaU

Nixon Intervenes in 1970 Postal Strike, TV coverage, 8 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcDqDxrY5lg

The Story of OSHA, 29 minutes, OSHA documentary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWhYD6Xwqpo

1973 Harlan County strike, Harlan County USA, 80 minute film

http://www.ovguide.com/harlan-county,-usa-9202a8c04000641f8000000000335925

ABC Nightline on 1980s union-busting, 8 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4f9DGgRZeA

1989 Pittston miners’ strike, 10 minutes  (civil disobedience)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1VJUqgKAAE&list=PL8863ACF32B8FA9AF

Deadly Corn, 1992-95 Staley lockout, 25 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMhBSeKEOu0

Struggle in the Heartland, 1992-95 Staley lockout, 25 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR63B80nvX0

1997 Teamsters strike against UPS, produced by Teamsters, 8 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m87w4yD8X0Y

Enjoy!!

IAM loses the most important election in its history.

A union like the International Association of Machinists (IAM), led by a warmongering imperialist who buys Wall Street's line--- hook, line and sinker, can't organize anything.

The International Association of Machinists Union became an industrial union mainly through raiding the left led unions like the United Electrical workers union (UE) which represented workers at the huge Whirlpool Plants in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the huge juke box manufacturer, Rowe International, in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the left led unions in the paper mills like Boise in International Falls, Minnesota along with the aerospace industry and farm equipment corporations.

The IAM is built on anti-Communism and once Winpisinger was gone the backwards thinking "leaders" have made sure left wing thinking would not return.

The IAM, with a mostly racist and imperialist supporting leadership, has seldom been able to organize new locals because of the backwards thinking of its leadership which runs the union from the top down based on The Peter Principle--- better known to most workers as the kiss-ass structure--- with the one notable exception of when William Winpisinger, an anti-racist, anti-imperialist "seat-of-the-pants socialist" who advocated for working class internationalism and solidarity, was able to get into the presidency largely by quirk rather than any concerted and intended effort by the rank-and-file.

This is what has happened more often than not with the IAM's organizing drives--- another good example of a complete failure was the IAM's attempt to organize Marvin Windows and Doors based here in Warroad, Minnesota.

I would note that in Michigan's Upper Peninsula the IAM International Rep encouraged the racist Michigan Militia to set up shop in its union meetings. And the International Rep here in northern Minnesota, Bob Walls, sent me the most disgustingly racist letter telling me that, "Indians are nothing but a bunch of drunks who can't be organized so why waste any effort trying to organize the Indian Gaming Industry?" That letter is now in the archives of the Red Lake Indian Nation placed there by Red Lake's archivist, Jody Beaulieu. Instead of being demoted, or removed from any union position, the IAM international leadership promotes Bob Walls.

The IAM sold out Delta workers in the airline industry here in Minnesota with the leadership crying that, "Delta betrayed us;" like any union can expect a corporation is going to be loyal to its employees. If corporations were loyal to their employees there wouldn't be any need for unions.

The IAM has allowed Whirlpool and Maytag, with controlling interests held by the Crown family--- among America's wealthiest 400, and Barack Obama's most ardent supporters, to move operations to Mexico without any fightback except for a phony "struggle" that was all show and no muscle.

The IAM leadership eschews class struggle trade unionism in favor of kissing up to the boss making nice hoping this will bring about results favorable to workers; it never has and it never will.

In each and every anti-Communist raid the IAM carried out, the workers ended up with the shitty end of the stick and more often than not without jobs because the IAM let the corporate management have its way.

At this point, if workers were to join forces with a different union they would be more likely to achieve organizing success.

I would venture to guess the very first actions of the IAM, should they be successful, would be to offer the company a concession contract. If anyone doesn't believe me just print out this facebook posting and save it.

In my opinion, workers were smart to decide not to join the IAM.

This is the IAM's most recent attempt to organize--- and the result:

Precision Castparts Portland workers vote not to unionize, but the union will try again

By Richard Read

The Oregonian, June 8, 2013 EXCERPTS read it all at
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/06/precision_castparts_portland_w.html#comments


Workers at Precision Castparts Corp.'s Portland-area plants have voted against joining a union in Oregon's biggest such private-sector election in more than 30 years.
According to preliminary results released by the union Friday night, Precision employees voted 1,258 to 932 not to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. More than 2,300 employees of Oregon's only Fortune 500 company besides Nike were eligible to vote.

Precision Castparts Portland workers vote not to unionize, but the union will try again

www.oregonlive.com

According to preliminary results released by the union, the vote was 1,258 no, 923 yes.

Obama a "liberal?"

Obama is being portrayed by the mainstream media as a liberal centrist caught between his administration members who are liberal hawks and liberal doves.

I have never heard such a perversion and bastardization of the word "liberal."

Obama is no kind of liberal nor are any members of his Administration--- they are all neo-liberals in service to Wall Street's thoroughly reactionary agenda of wars abroad to secure cheap natural resources and cheap labor with the intent of maintaining Wall Street's dominance in every region of the world.

There are no differences within the Administration on if the United States should go into this war or that war only differences of opinion over how and when to go to war.

War is the only foreign policy Wall Street's imperialist agenda knows.

With Wall Street remaining in power. pulling all the political strings and economic levers, war is the only certainty.

Any reforms that are to be won will have to be won while struggling to remove Wall Street from political and economic power--- this is humanity's only hope for survival; leaving Wall Street in power we are doomed because multi-national corporate profits take precedence over everything else... and there is nothing liberal about this.

The mainstream media wants us to believe liberalism is the problem because progressivism, leftism and socialism are identified with liberal thinking. To buy into the attacks on liberalism weakens our unity in fighting back against Wall Street's reactionary imperialist agenda just like these pseudo liberals, progressives and leftists supporting Obama and making excuses for everything he does no matter how corrupt, undemocratic, warped and barbaric weakens and divides our movements for peace, social and economic justice.

My main disagreement with liberals is they are slow to act but this doesn't make liberals our enemy--- Wall Street is our enemy and there simply are no liberals on Wall Street.

In fact, Wall Street has wiped liberals out of any positions of influence and decision-making in the Democratic Party.

If only we had true and genuine liberals like Paul Wellstone to contend with.

Let's not allow our Wall Street enemies to re-define words--- give these worthless politicians a dictionary, not your vote; and don't let their over-paid hacks in the mainstream media do your thinking for you because their intent is only to confuse, disorient and divide us.

Some follow-up discussion:

There is a lot of controversy as to what liberals are and whether liberals are friends or enemies. Here is how I answer this question and respond to people who say liberals are our enemies:

• I disagree and I invite further discussion. I am not trying to lecture you; I am stating why I disagree. Maybe I am wrong but I don't think so.
  
  I think you are making the mistake the mainstream media wants you to make. Liberalism is a way of thinking, which for the most part, accepts what progressives and leftists THINK but lack the initiative for action.
  
  Liberals have never been a majority in the U.S. government and no liberal has ever been elected president since Lincoln. The last liberal to be elected to the U.S. Congress was Paul Wellstone who took a lot of progressive and left positions; perhaps I am missing someone because I'm a biased Minnesotan, you tell me.
  
  But, one thing for certain, Barack Obama is no liberal; Obama is a thoroughly reactionary "neo-liberal;" a political animal--- monster more like it--- completely beholden to Wall Street's interests. One cannot be beholden to Wall Street's interests and be considered a "liberal" in any way, shape or form--- especially in this era of the highest stage of capitalism: imperialism which the United States has been in roughly from the ending of the Civil War and the first imperialist war--- the Spanish American War.
  
  This is a pretty accurate definition of liberal:
  
  lib·er·al
  [lib-er-uhl, lib-ruhl] Show IPA
  adjective
  1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
  2. ( often initial capital letter ) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
  3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism, especially the freedom of the individual and governmental guarantees of individual rights and liberties.
  4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, especially as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
  5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, especially with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
  
  
  Look in any dictionary from a general dictionary to a dictionary of political philosophy and you are apt to find the word "liberal" defined in a similar manner--- which makes liberals our friends and allies.
  
  In poll after poll we learn that most liberals fit this definition--- about 40% of liberals even like the ideas, including socialism, of leftists. And well over 80% of liberals are anti-capitalist.
  
  The majority of working people are liberals with the working class having lots of progressives, too; while leftists--- socialists, Communists--- are small in number in comparison to either liberals or progressives.
  
  The left has always been the catalyst for bringing forward peace, the need for full equality and solutions to the problems of working people in a way that encourages action. When liberals join the call to action they become progressives--- if they don't support the lefts entire agenda for ending capitalism and building socialism.
  
  The left and progressives alone have won few reforms and no major reforms. Only the historic coalition of liberals, progressives and leftists moving into action together have won these major reforms--- usually when liberals become progressives so fast we don't even notice it happening. The liberal burden of inaction just becomes unbearable in the face of such massive injustices and the pressure created by leftists and progressives through education and agitation to do something.
  
  And when this happens people of all different outlooks on life generally join in the movements for peace, social and economic justice.
  
  But, at the same time there will always be a fairly large group who stand to lose their profits from this kind of change and they will fight back--- I guess this is why they call it a class struggle.
  
  As Time Magazine pointed out, recently; Marxists always get their "revenge"--- the working class wins:
  
  http://business.time.com/2013/03/25/marxs-revenge-how-class-struggle-is-shaping-the-world/
  
  Anyways, push liberals aside and we are almost sure to lose; bring liberals along and we are sure to win.
  
  My eight year old grandson called and told me he learned an important lesson when he attended the May Day march and rally in Winnipeg a month ago. I asked him what it was that was so important that he learned. He told me, "Grandpa, the working class united will never be defeated." Take it from him, take it from me--- or take it from history. You don't win anything by rejecting your largest ally--- liberals.
  
  Of course a few administrations had liberals providing advice but most presidents, unfortunately, never took their advice. FDR had many liberals, progressives and even leftists in his administration (along with a gaggle of complete Wall Street reactionaries like general Hershey) but Truman put an end to this ever happening again when he pushed the last holdout out--- Frances Perkins--- and saw to it that the Wall Street ruling class would only allow reactionaries into its ruling circles.
  
  And, we must not forget that liberals, progressives and even leftists can go bad and become reactionaries--- like many of these "Progressives for Obama," Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and the entire gaggle who just "go along to get along" to get ahead... like Van Jones and all these foundation flowers being bribed into inaction--- or wrong action--- by Wall Street "philanthropists."
  
  It is true that liberals can often be very finicky and can be very self-righteous when their liberal conscience gets pricked by progressives and leftists urging them to action. I don't worry about this. I just go on speaking my mind. They can stay on the sidelines, stand in the middle of the road and get run over or join what they really know to be the winning side.
  
  This was a good article because it provides a lot to consider and discuss:
  

  

  Marx’s Revenge: How Class Struggle Is Shaping the World | TIME.com

  business.time.com

  With workers around the world burdened by joblessness and stagnant incomes, Marx...
  
  
  This question keeps coming up: Can we have a liberal president?
  

  
  
• 

  Alan L. Maki
  
  And as long as Wall Street remains in power we will never have a liberal president.
  
  
  Another question that keeps popping up: Is Obama a fascist?

  
  
• 

  Alan L. Maki
  
  I would say Obama's policies are definitely making sure the ruling class maintains its last defense mechanism is available as the system continues to crumble--- fascism.

Someone call and talk to me.

Why is everyone pretending that the United States government keeping phone call records is something new?

My FBI file contains hundreds of such records.

And what is it with these lies that the content of these calls are not maintained?

This is an outright lie.

My files are full of "Subject said... so-and-so said."

I have always wondered why with all the lawyers we have in this country not one of them nor any of their organizations have ever filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of the American people against this rotten government and its even more rotten agencies like the FBI, CIA, NSA which should have padlocked long ago with their crimes against democracy and the American people--- and peoples of the world--- fully exposed.

This "Prism" scandal involving Verizon and the government isn't something that is separate from the general corruption and anti-democratic nature of state monopoly capitalism with its marriage of Wall Street and the United States government with fascism always lingering around every corner; it is part and parcel of the highest stage of capitalism--- imperialism.

The pseudo-leftwing supporters of Obama who are always throwing up Lenin's "Leftwing Communism and Infantile Disorder" in the faces of those of us who have explained that Obama is carrying out Wall Street's imperialist agenda of wars abroad paid for with austerity measures here at home might consider reading Lenin's "State and Revolution" and Lenin's "Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism."

If they can't handle these two pamphlets they can get it all explained in "Working Class USA; the power and the movement" written by Minnesotan Gus Hall who spent ten years locked up in Leavenworth Penitentiary for reading these books as part of the FBI's attack on democracy which has grown into what we are not only seeing--- but experiencing--- as an entire people today.

With the revelations that Obama's FBI and National Security Agency are tracking the phone calls of "millions" it means we as a people are all imprisoned in a Nation with a government completely in service to Wall Street's interests--- not as widely reported is the fact reported yesterday that the National Security Administration has targeted union leaders around the world for assassination.

Tracking phone records, monitoring telephone calls, assassinating union leaders and activists, wars for profits all carried out in the name of "protecting our national interests" when it is really about protecting Wall Street's profits.

Is anyone fed up yet?

Where does it say anything in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, that are now as taboo as writings by Lenin or Gus Hall, that only the wealthy have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

According to the pseudo-leftists, Obama deserved our votes because he is a "Constitutional scholar." 

Quite frankly, I doubt Obama ever read the "United States Constitution and Bill of Rights" let alone studied it, which calling him a "Constitutional scholar" implies.

Did I forget to mention drone attacks carried out from a kill list Obama maintains kept on top of everything on his desk--- including the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights which he has been meaning to read one of these days but apparently is not one of his top priorities even though he swore on a Bible to defend it?

It's almost impossible to dream a worse nightmare.

"Prism," as they call it, has been in existence for SIX years--- but, let's blame it on Bush.

Does anyone want to call me to talk about all of this on my Verizon phone line?

651-587-5541

Please don't call--- except before 6 A.M. or after 9 P.M. or on weekends unless you have Verizon, too, since there will be no charge. You know the drill... perhaps we can do something really subversive and take turns reading the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights to each other.

I don't want to give any Special Agents their jollies listening to phone sex.

Letter to the Editor submitted for publication to the Brainerd Dispatch

(Note: Please see links at very bottom.)


Letter to the Editor submitted for publication to the Brainerd Dispatch

mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com

The title of your article, "Protest Leads to Abbreviated Little Falls Council Meeting" June 6, 2013) is highly misleading on several counts.

First of all; it was, according to your story, members of the audience who started the disruption and trouble, not Robin Hensel.

I have been to city council meetings all over Minnesota and in many other states where people frequently display signs setting forth their views and grievances--- people living in a democracy kind of expect to have these kinds of rights, eh?

Second; in addition to the very clear constitutional issue of the right to freedom of speech, there are the issues involved with this government spending trillions of dollars for wars killing people--- as the signs depicted, and no one is claiming the pictures are not what Robin Hensel claims them to be: the barbaric result of what happens in wars; children suffer and die.

Third; national priorities are linked to state and local priorities in that the more our government spends on wars the less is available for state and local governments.

Have we not all heard local officials complain their funding for this or that project has been cut? 

We pay for wars with the result being our public schools are severely under-funded. 

We fund barbaric drone warfare so there is no money for a fully funded Food Stamp program. Both of Minnesota's two U.S. Senators shamefully voted not to restore cuts for Food Stamps. I heard no complaints about this injustice of punishing the poor to pay for wars from the Brainerd Mayor, City Council members or these "concerned citizens" whose only "concern" extends to trying to silence Robin Hensel.

That any public body would exert so much time, resources and tax-payer dollars towards trying to silence a citizen who is hurting no one as she expresses her opinions is a disgrace and makes a mockery of democracy.

It is not Robin Hensel with the mental problems as some are slandering her; it is a government that wastes money trying to prevent a citizen from participating in the decision-making process and squanders our tax dollars on these barbaric drone wars and kills thousands of innocent children in these dirty wars while labeling their deaths as "collateral damage" which reflects the epitome of insanity.

I am thankful we have people like Robin Hensel who refuse to be bullied into silence. Anyone who doesn't like what she has to say, what she writes or what she places on her signs just like Ben Franklin and Tom Paine did have the right to ignore her pleas for peace, social and economic justice.

In a democratic and civilized society people who disagree engage one another in discussion, dialog and debate they don't try to intimidate and bully others with views differing from their own into silence--- Joe McCarthy tried such tactics--- our society still suffers the consequences as the actions of these bullies badgering Robin Hensel attest to.

Robin Hensel shares her views and opinions using her own name; more than can be said of those who are engaged in a smear campaign against her who cowardly hide behind monikers and anonymity.

-- 

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

 

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Link to Brainerd Dispatch article: http://m.brainerddispatch.com/news/2013-06-05/protest-leads-abbreviated-little-falls-council-meeting

Link to comments: http://m.brainerddispatch.com/node/49239/comments

Does openness have anything to do with democracy?

Re: Peat Mining northern Minnesota in the Big Bog's Pine Island State Forest.

Attention Minnesota State Legislators and Governor Dayton and the Commissioner of Natural Resources;

I think the people of Minnesota have the right to know from our public elected and duly appointed public officials what the status of this peat mining project is. Please provide such an update because we shouldn't have to expect someone who doesn't know anything about anything who has walked a few feet into this area obviously being developed for peat mining to proclaim the state of this project as was done in this e-mail I am forwarding on to you.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has approved the permit along with other government agencies for this project.

Millions of tax-payers dollars--- local, state and federal--- have already been spent on this project including developing, upgrading and maintaining roads to, in and out of this peat mining site in addition to very substantial ditching and land clearing.

The head of the Little Fork DNR Office has told me the peat mining is still proceeding.

Former Congressman James Oberstar reported to his constituents through numerous media that this hideous project was underway which create so many new jobs.

At this time, I am insisting that details and an update of this peat mining project for which Berger Peat from Quebec, Canada was issued a very long-term permit be forthcoming.

I have taken the liberty of BCC'ing a number of other people concerned about protecting and defending Mother Nature, global warming and climate change.

I am sure that I speak for all of these people, including the three individuals who issued their unfounded proclamation after only walking a few feet into this more than one-square mile site and the hundreds of square miles being drained as a stage of this project to make way for for the actual peat mining.

If this hideous project wasn't proceeding according to the permit, I have two other questions requiring an answer:

1. Why hasn't the permit been withdrawn?

2. Why is this draining of the Big Bog taking place since the drainage waters are carrying dangerous mercury contamination into our streams, rivers and lakes including the international Lake of the Woods which we share with our Canadian neighbors to the north?

I have also sent this e-mail to Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson since it is my opinion she has a clear responsibility to see to it that an open and transparent process is taking place which includes keeping all Minnesotans properly informed of this project.

I assume Laurel Beager, the Editor of the International Falls Daily Journal shares my concern that we receive an update on this project from the appropriate public official/s--- appointed and elected.

I would further note, that previously, my own State Representative Dan Fabian promised I would be provided a full accounting and update on this peat mining project and that was NEVER forthcoming. So much for constituent concerns from this Republican who pretends to be concerned about how tax dollars are spent and used.

I expect a full accounting from the party/s responsible for providing this information to Minnesotans in a forthright, open and honest manner. We should not have to have this information come from uninformed people who have no governmental responsibility for this peat mining project which ALL science opposes--- please see the scientific publication edited by Wright, "The Patterned Peatlands of Minnesota" which includes the thoughts of Roger Jourdain, the former long-time Chair of the Red Lake Nation who during his lifetime fought to protect this pristine bog as, "... the lifeblood of my people and my Nation (the Red Lake Indian Nation)." 

From the beginning this hideous peat mining project has been shrouded in misinformation, lies, rumors and withholding information from the public. Even former Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Gene Merriam, stated to me, in public, that he never approved of this permit to mine peat in the Big Bog even though the head of Mines and Minerals claimed he signed the permit with Merriam's consent.

This peat mining project--- a boondoggle from the beginning--- has been one of the most hideous, racist and destructive projects ever undertaken in the State of Minnesota. We need facts from public officials; not rumors and misinformation.

Where does this peat mining project really stand? The answer to this question shouldn't have to come to us "blowing in the wind."

Alan L. Maki

For Save Our Bog 

Have you noticed?

Has anyone noticed the plethora of multi-media presentations--- especially on YouTube--- that are slickly produced under all kinds of names of "organizations" we have never heard of before but mislead people into thinking the "enemy" is always someone or some institution other than Wall Street?

Apparently there is a group of very well-heeled people who have the financial where-with-all to hire Madison Avenue advertising firms using Hollywood theatrics who think they need to re-direct the hit Wall Street has taken from Occupy Wall Street.

No matter what the future of Occupy Wall Street and no matter its problems, this movement did succeed in pointing the finger directly at our enemy--- Wall Street.

And, apparently, now, Wall Street feels the time is right to try to shift the focus and the spotlight from itself to everyone and anyone and anything other than itself to blame our problems on.

You can pay your ten dollars to join any movement that will lead you to take up the fight and the struggle against anyone or any institution other than Wall Street.

Slick as shit! With a good strong whiff of fascism.