home / subscribe / donate / about us / books / archives / search / links / feedback / events
![]() |
|
Will the US Labor Movement Rise Again in Chicago? Or is this just a power play at the top? JoAnn Wypijewski details what's really at stake in the great showdown as some of labor's most powerful bosses threaten to quit the AFL-CIO. No-holds-barred profiles of the SIEU's Andy Stern, Hoffa of the Teamsters and the other "insurgents". Jeffrey St Clair tells the incredible saga of the $30 billion bailout of Boeing. How the scandal reached the White House and Don Rumsfeld screamed, Let the woman take the fall. Plus Alexander Cockburn on the Judy Miller story. Get the answers you're looking for in the latest subscriber-only edition of CounterPunch ... CounterPunch Online is read by millions of viewers each month! But remember, we are funded solely by the subscribers to the print edition of CounterPunch. Please support this website by buying a subscription to our newsletter, which contains fresh material you won't find anywhere else, or by making a donation for the online edition. Remember contributions are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! or write CounterPunch, PO BOX 228, Petrolia, CA 95558 |
|
Other Lands Have Dreams: From Baghdad to Pekin Prison by Kathy Kelly ![]() Today's Stories July 23 / 24, 2005 Tariq
Ali July 22, 2005 Heather
Gray David
Domke Lance
Selfa JoAnn
Wypijewski
July 21, 2005 Rose
Ann DeMoro William
Blum J.L.
Chestnut, Jr. Christopher
Brauchli Joshua
Frank Brian
Concannon, Jr. Patrick
Cockburn Website
of the Day
July 20, 2005 Cockburn
/ St. Clair Roxanne
Dunbar-Ortiz Ray
McGovern Chris
Floyd Uri
Avnery Dave
Lindorff Norman
Solomon Bill
Quigley
July 19, 2005 Tariq
Ali John
Ross Davey
D. Greg
Weiher Brian
McKinlay Norman
Solomon Dave
Lindorff Bill
Christison Joshua
Frank
July 18, 2005 Joshua
Frank M.
Shahid Alam Jude
Wanniski Ron
Jacobs Mike
Whitney William
MacDougall Seth
Sandronsky Richard
Lichtman Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Weekend
July 15 / 17, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Jeffrey
St. Clair Paul
Craig Roberts Harry
Browne Uri
Davis, Ilan Pappe and Tamar Yaron Andrew
Rubin Patrick
Cockburn J.L.
Chestnut, Jr. Fred
Gardner Christopher
Brauchli Chris
Floyd Ben
Tripp Col.
Dan Smith Jason
Leopold Jack
Random Norman
Solomon George
Ochenski Website
of the Weekend
July 14, 2005 Jeffrey
St. Clair Subcomandante
Marcos Dave
Lindorff Joshua
Frank Jude
Wanniski Dave
Zirin Kevin
Zeese Robert
Jensen Reza
Fiyouzat Carol
Norris Website
of the Day
July 13, 2005 Brian
Cloughley George
Galloway Carlos
Fierro Sarah
Knopp Norman
Solomon Mickey
Z. Jim
Minick Pat
Williams Andrew
N. Rubin Website
of the Day
July 12, 2005 Laith
al-Saud Kara
N. Tina William
A. Cook Jack
Bratich Amina
Mire Dick
J. Reavis Kevin
Zeese Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
July 9 / 11, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Uri
Avnery Sheldon
Rampton Bill
Christison Robert
Fisk Stephen
Winspear Saul
Landau Behrooz
Ghamari Karl
Beitel Brian
Concannon, Jr. Fred
Gardner John
Whitlow Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Lila
Rajiva Laura
Carlsen Jackie
Corr Dave
Lindorff N.
D. Jayaprakash Seth
Sandronsky Norman
Madarasz Ben
Tripp Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
July 8, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Tariq
Ali Monica
Benderman Rick
Jahnkow Christopher
Brauchli Kim
Peterson Joshua
Frank Norman
Solomon Website
of the Day
July 7, 2005 Cockburn
/ St. Clair John
Walsh Mike
Marqusee Gilad
Atzmon Nicole
Colson Jack
Random Norman
Solomon Len
Colodny Cockburn
/ St. Clair
July 6, 2005 Elaine
Cassel Sean
Donahue Jeremy
R. Hammond Joshua
Frank Ali
Khan Michael
Dickinson Norman
Solomon Dave
Zirin Gary
Leupp Website
of the Day
July 5, 2005 Behrooz
Ghamari Elaine
Cassel Ron
Jacobs Bob
Libal Dr.
Peter Rost Mark
Engler Gideon
Levy Dave
Zirin Sameer
Dossani
July 2 / 4, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Lenni
Brenner Laura
Carlsen James
Petras William
A. Cook Brian
Cloughley Saul
Landau Tom
Crumpacker Greg
Moses Dr.
Susan Block Fran
Shor Fred
Gardner Moshe
Adler David
Model Seth
Sandronsky Ramzy
Baroud Suzan
Mazur Ben
Tripp Justin
Taylor Brendan
Bailey Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
July 1, 2005 Christopher
Brauchli Pat
Williams Gary
Leupp John
Stauber John
Chuckman Justicia
y Paz Cockburn
/ St. Clair
June 30, 2005 Kathy
Kelly John
Stauber Virginia
Rodino Jason
Leopold Dave
Lindorff Greg
Moses Norman
Solomon Joshua
Frank Alexander
Cockburn
June 29, 2005 Mike
Schaefer Roger
Burbach / Paul Cantor Sharon
Smith Sam
Husseini John
Stauber Ahmad
Faruqui Linda
S. Heard Stew
Albert Ray
McGovern
June 28, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Landau
/ Hassen John
A. Murphy Mike
Whitney CounterPunch
News Service Dave
Zirin Dave
Lindorff Patrick
Cockburn
June 27, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Mike
Marqusee Mark
Scaramella Leigh
Saavedra Kathy
Kelly June 25 / 26, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Jennifer
Van Bergen George
Corsetti Mark
Chmiel / Andrew Wimmer Kevin
Zeese P.
Sainath John
Stauber Scott
Handleman Tom
Barry John
Walsh Justin
E.H. Smith Alan
Wallis Ben
Tripp Frederick
B. Hudson Poets'
Basement
June 24, 2005 Ray
McGovern Jorge
Mariscal Desiree
Hellegers Zeynep
Toufe Joshua
Frank David
Lindorff Michael
Neumann Website
of the Day June 23, 2005 Christopher
Brauchli Clay
Conrad Standard
Schaefer P.
Sainath Mark
Engler Norman
Solomon Cockburn
/ St. Clair Kathy
Kelly
June 22, 2005 Kevin
Zeese William
S. Lind Arsalan
Iftikhar Dan
Nagengast David
Krieger Kathleen
& Bill Christison
June 21, 2005 Brian Cloughley Mike Whitney Dave Lindorff Mark Weisbrot Matthew R.
Simmons Dave Zirin Virginia Rodino Paul Craig
Roberts
June 20, 2005 Alan Maass Tariq Ali Mickey Z. William Blum Gary Leupp Jason Leopold Dave Lindorff Alan Maass Uri Avnery Website of
the Day
Hot Stories Alexander Cockburn Subcomandante
Marcos Norman Finkelstein Steve Niva Dardagan,
Slobodo and Williams Steve
J.B. Sheldon
Rampton and John Stauber Wendell
Berry CounterPunch
Wire Cindy
Corrie Gore Vidal Francis Boyle
Subscribe Online
|
Weekend Edition Pot ShotsThe Reverberations of RaichBy FRED GARDNER Leroy Stubblefield's lawyer, Ann Witte, still hopes his case-challenging the DEA's right to confiscate marijuana from patients growing it under Oregon law- will be heard by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal Sept. 13. But last week prosecutors asked the Ninth Circuit to throw out Stubblefield's appeal in light of the Supreme Court's Raich decision. Witte, who is now drafting a response, says "The Raich case concerned federal power to enforce the Controlled Substances Act under the Commerce Clause, whereas we're arguing that the Controlled Substances Act itself exempts from its reporting requirements those who have 'lawfully obtained' their controlled substances. Leroy Stubblefield 'lawfully obtained' his marijuana." Stubblefield, 57, is a quadraplegic vet who survived the dangers of Vietnam only to have his spinal column destroyed in a car crash the day after he got discharged in '69. He lived in a nursing home until 1976, at which time, with government assistance, he was able to live more-or-less independently. In Sept. 2002 a DEA agent confiscated 12 marijuana plants being grown indoors by Stubblefield and two other documented patients, Scotty Russell, and Clarence Vandehey, at Stubblefield's residence in Sweet Home, Oregon. The three men were Caucasian, middle-aged, longtime Linn County residents with clean records. None had been publicizing their marijuana use. They were such low-profile rank-and-filers that none of Oregon's marijuana-reform organizations got wind of the raid until a month after it occurred. Paul Stanford of the Hemp & Cannabis Foundation happened to call Stubblefield on behalf of a patient who was selling a trailer in Sweet Home and needed a local phone contact. Stanford says he learned from Russell, "When they first came to the door, the sheriff didn't say he had a federal agent with him. He identified himself as an officer with the Linn County VALIANT Team. Valiant is a pretty ironic word here. It's an acronym for 'Valley Inter-agency Narcotics Team.' "Leroy was in bed when they came. His caregiver [Russell] took them back and the officer started talking to Leroy from behind the bed and the caregiver had to explain that Leroy couldn't roll over and see him. They said they wanted to inspect the grow site. They were all under a misapprehension that the state has the right to inspect a grow site. A patient who has a medical marijuana card doesn't give up any of their rights to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. But Leroy said, 'Okay, you can go look.' So the Linn County officer went down with several other officers, never saying that one of them is a federal agent. And as soon as they get down there they play out their little drama: 'I'm not taking it, this garden is in compliance under state law.' 'Well, I'm taking it because it's illegal under federal law.' And that's what they did They mentioned to Scotty while they were down there that this was one of the first gardens they'd inspected that was in full compliance. And this is the first one they confiscated!" Stanford's THC Foundation gave Stubblefield et al seven replacement plants and hired Witte, who filed for a restraining order against state and federal agents. (Under Oregon law, the Health Services Department is authorized to tell state and local law-enforcement officers -but not the feds- whether a given patient or address is registered. The sheriff and state narcotics officers claimed they did not assist the DEA.) A federal judge denied the request saying Stubblefield had not shown a likelihood that he would be raided again. Witte appealed the denial to the Ninth Circuit in January '04.
Dr. Fry in Federal Court It was already hot at 8 a.m. July 21 as Marian "Mollie" Fry, MD, held up a Holy Bible and hand-lettered sign that said "Compassion, Not Incarceration," to drivers passing the federal building in Sacramento. An hour later Fry and her husband, attorney Dale Schafer, were standing before U.S. District Court Judge Garland E. Burrell, Jr., to discuss the timing of their pre-trial briefs, etc. Fry and Schafer are charged with conspiracy to cultivate and distribute marijuana. They claim that their approach was known to and approved by local and state law enforcers. They expect their fate will be in the hands of a jury instructed to ignore California's medical marijuana law.
Sign of the Times Posted on the door at 96 Lafayette Street, July 16:
MendoHealing, the dispensary, was launched by David Moore, a Fort Bragg cultivator in late 2003. He figured his protection under state law was as a "primary caregiver" to documented patients, meaning he was safer selling to patients directly than through an existing dispensary. He leased and renovated a storefront on Lafayette Street near Howard between 11th and 12th Streets. By eliminating the middleman, MendoHealing pushed prices down from $55 to $40/eighth-ounce for high grade. They also gave small quantities away to those who said they had no money. African Americans, many of them seemingly able-bodied young men, made up a large percentage of the MendoHealing clientele. "Most dispensaries get favored by this or that group for whatever reason," says Moore, "If young black men favored MendoHealing it's because they were treated with respect." Lines formed outside the storefront, causing the neighbors to question the impact of MendoHealing on their quality of life, property values, etc. The neighbors made formal complaints and Moore tried to accommodate them. He ended the lines-on-the-street problem by cutting off free medicine to the poor and raising his prices. He employed three personable security types to prevent subdistribution and loitering on Lafayette St. All to no avail. A determined subset of Lafayette St. residents sought a temporary restraining order on the grounds that MendoHealing didn't have a conditional-use permit to be in business. Moore says he didn't get the message left on an answering machine notifying him he had 24 hours to oppose the order. Few, if any, San Francisco cannabis dispensaries have conditional use permits (granted after public hearings) to operate. Many, if not all, have neighbors who wished they'd locate elsewhere. Fred Gardner can be reached at: fred@plebesite.com
|