Listen to This Radical Day in History

… about The First Santa Clause School.

Produced by Radio Rootz.

Radio Rootz works in public schools to train teens in media literacy and radio production. Rootz Youth analyze and critique the media, and learn how to create news that reflects their voices, issues, and communities. For more information, visit www.radiorootz.org.

“The rich gamble everything for their own defense/ And confuse democracy with insolence” — Victor Jara

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GUEST:Edith Mirante, Director of Project MAJE, and author of “Down the Rathole”

The Burmese ruling military junta cracked down violently on anti-government protests today as deaths, injuries and hundreds of arrests have been reported. Troops fired shots in the air, clubbed protesters, and made arrests to disperse crowds gathering in the former capital city of Rangoon. Massive demonstrations have taken place on the streets of Burma for the past nine days in defiance of their dictatorial military government despite threats of persecution from the ruling junta and the deployment of military trucks. The protests have been lead by Buddhist monks and reached a crescendo Sunday as an estimated 100,000 people took to the streets. President Bush weighed in on the political situation of Burma by announcing his government’s …

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GUEST:Moctesuma Esparza, Filmmaker

Award-winning filmmaker Moctesuma Esparza fulfilled a dream this year with the opening of The Los Angeles Academy of Arts & Enterprise, a new charter school in downtown LA, near Lafayette Park. The school provides a rigorous college preparatory curriculum that emphasizes arts and business. In addition to the core subjects, all students receive instruction in visual arts, choral and instrumental music, theater arts, digital media, economics and enterprise – and the Academy is now enrolling students in grades 6, 7, and 8 for the 2007-2008 school year.

For more information, visit www.laaae.org or call (213) 487-0600

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GUEST:Pilar Diaz, Lead Singer of Los Abandoned

Following the September 11th military coup in Chile thirty-four years ago, thousands of political leftists were detained, tortured and disappeared. Among the many who suffered such a fate was acclaimed singer-poet Victor Jara. By dedicating his songs to the campaigns of the disposed socialist president, Salvador Allende, Jara became a prime target of the new regime. The musician endured days of torture before being ruthlessly machine-gunned to death weeks before his forty-first birthday. Had Victor Jara not been murdered, this Friday, September 28th would have marked his 75th birthday. Locally, a concert will take place at Sol Art Gallery Café in Santa Ana to honor the fallen musician’s legacy. Musical performances will follow the screening of the documentary El Derecho de …

Listen to This Radical Day in History

… about The Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child.

Produced by Radio Rootz.

Radio Rootz works in public schools to train teens in media literacy and radio production. Rootz Youth analyze and critique the media, and learn how to create news that reflects their voices, issues, and communities. For more information, visit www.radiorootz.org.

“As long as you continue to have countries dangling a cigarette from their mouth, you cannot tell everybody not to smoke with a high degree of credibility.” — Mohamed ElBaradei, General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

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GUEST: Stephen Zunes, Middle East Editor for Foreign Policy in Focus

Amid protests yesterday afternoon, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the campus of Colombia University. Being introduced by university president Lee Bollinger as a leader who has behaved liked a “petty and cruel dictator,” Ahmadinejad spoke to various issues. In his address he defended his nation’s right to pursue peaceful nuclear technology while denouncing the abuse of Palestinian peoples. The Iranian President visit to New York this week for the United Nation’s General Assembly has garnered much media attention. Much of the focus surrounding Ahmadinejad’s visit centered on his request to visit ground zero as well as his speaking engagement yesterday at Colombia University. The Iranian president’s request to visit ground zero was ultimately not honored as Secretary …

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GUEST: Silvia Bardon, President of the California Federation of Interpreters, which is affiliated with the Communication Workers of America.

Southern California court interpreters have been on strike for more than two weeks. Ninety-four percent of the Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Superior Court interpreters chose to strike – withholding their labor in what promises to be a lengthy battle. A large percentage of interpreters are not native born, tend to be older in age, and even though they attained employee status only 2 years ago, the overwhelming majority of then have worked for the Courts for more than 10 years. Those of them who interpret the major languages like Spanish, Korean, Armenian, and Chinese, were required to pass a rigorous certification exam. The rest are …

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GUEST:Dele Aileman, a representative from the Journey for Justice, the coalition planning the trip to Jena, Louisiana

Thousands of protesters gathered in Jena, Louisiana last week demanding justice for the “Jena Six.” The tiny town has become a symbol for the racism that is inherent in the criminal justice system. In the latest turn of events surrounding the Jena Six, the FBI is now investigating a neo-Nazi website that lists the addresses of five of the six black teens, essentially calling for their lynching. Meanwhile, a multiracial delegation is preparing to descend on Jena next month to deliver a petition signed by more than 3,000 people, demanding that the District Attorney remove herself from this case.

For more information: call 1-323-580-3008,
or email: journeyforjustice@yahoo.com, or losangelesforjenasix@yahoo.com