The Uprising! September 13, 2019
The Central Falls Detention Facility Corporation (CFDFC) is holding a meeting on Friday night, during Shabbat, which will certainly prevent some members of Never Again Action from participating. Some say the scheduling is intentional, a way at hitting back at the Jewish protesters who have been calling for an end to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contract
September 13, 2019, 3:04 pm
By Steve Ahlquist
The Central Falls Detention Facility Corporation (CFDFC) is holding a meeting on Friday night, during Shabbat, which will certainly prevent some members of Never Again Action from participating. Some say the scheduling is intentional, a way at hitting back at the Jewish protesters who have been calling for an end to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contract at the Wyatt Detention Facility and for the closure of the for-profit prison. At best the scheduling was done in ignorance, a by-product of Christian hegemony.
Welcome to The Uprising!
1a. Wyatt
When the Wyatt cancelled their Monday night meeting, they cited safety concerns. Was the rescheduling to Friday evening Shabbat done to dissuade Jewish protesters from attending? That seems to be what this Access to Public Records Request from MuckRock is attempting to find out.
What is the CFDFC meeting about? It seems to be about reaffirming the contract with ICE, and to open up the door to selling the prison to a private, for-profit prison corporation like CoreCivic. The Boston Globe got a look at a document that hasn’t been officially released to the public yet.
On Facebook Roger Williams University Law Professor Jared Goldstein wrote on Facebook about the legal and moral responsibilities of the CFDFC, saying in part, “The agreement [board members are] considering tonight would betray the public trust that you’re here to serve. You didn’t provide the public a copy of the agreement you’re discussing tonight and getting ready to vote on, so the public’s ability to exercise its right to participate in this public exercise is limited.” His entire post is worth reading.
2. Providence City Council Ward 10
Candidates to replace Ward 10 Providence City Councilmember Luis Aponte, who stepped down as part of a plea bargain with the State Attorney General on charges of embezzlement, were present at two different forums this week, taking questions from constituents.
You can watch all the video here.
3. Sunrise Movement
More than 200 young people from the Sunrise Movement gathered in Burnside Park in downtown Providence Monday morning to begin a six hour program of marching through the streets and visiting politicians to demand a Green New Deal. They visited the downtown offices of United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat) and the State House Offices of Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo (Democrat).
Neither Whitehouse no Raimondo met with students.
Raimondo, in fact, was caught leaving the State House via the side door:
4. Kennedy Plaza tunnel
It’s a bad idea, says RI Transit Riders, who ride the bus. Downtown real estate developer and former Mayor of Providence Joseph Paolino, who doesn’t take the bus, thinks it’s a great idea.
Here’s the idea, as presented to the RI Foundation.
5. Angélica Infante-Green
Handing them an unplugged controller, Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green refused to allow parents, students and teachers intervenor status at a hearing Friday.
It’s like when an older sibling playing video games gives a younger child a controller that isn’t plugged into the console to trick them into thinking that they are playing, said @pvdstudentunion Zack Mezera, describing the status of parents & students in the school takeover
— Steve Ahlquist (@steveahlquist) September 13, 2019
See also:
- Mayor Elorza not objecting to Providence Public School parents and students legal motion to require engagement and transparency in schools takeover
- Providence Public School parents and students file legal motion to require engagement and transparency in schools takeover
6. Anti-fascism
The Boston Anti-Nazi Network held a protest outside the Boston City Hall on Saturday, one week after Boston Police Department (BPD) assaulted and arrested protesters at the the so-called “straight pride” parade.
7. Economic Progress Institute
8. Senator Jack Reed
Demand Progress and Avaaz – national online mobilization groups, each with more than one million members in the United States and thousands in Rhode Island – are demanding that Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed fight to end United States involvement in the disastrous war in Yemen and end arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
9. Maggie Kain
10. Brown Catering Services
11. Lauren Niedel
12. “We the People March” Rally to be held in Providence
13. Fair Licensing
- After prison, more punishment: They did their time. But as the formerly incarcerated reenter the workforce, will their past be held against them?
14. Burning waste for power
- Burning Waste is a Bad Idea. So Why is Rhode Island Taking Time to Study It?: New commission is tasked with studying feasibility of high-heat incinerator but burning any kind of trash is dangerous and shortsighted
- Sun Pacific Holding Corp Announces Update on Rhode Island Medical Waste to Energy Project
15. Bartholomewtown Podcast
- Angelica Infante-Green (Rhode Island Commissioner of Education)
- Conservation as an Opportunity Engine for Rhode Island with Lou Perrotti (Conservation Director, Roger Williams Park Zoo)
16. ConvergenceRI
- A change is going to come: Rhode Island EOHHS Secretary Womazetta Jones brings a refreshing, direct new approach to her role
17. Picture of the Week:
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