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This week on Uprising —

* A profile of John Tanton, the founder of the modern anti-immigrant movement.
* A discussion on strategy among pro-immigrant advocates
* An intimate conversation with environmental activist and eco-feminist, Vandana Shiva.
* Plus the Black Commentator and Empire Notes

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A Profile of John Tanton
GUEST: Christopher Hayes, Senior Editor at “In These Times.” His latest article is “Keeping America Empty,” in the May 2006 issue of In These Times.

Immigrant rights activists are gearing up for a national day of action on May 1st in a culmination of more than a month of high-profile activities nationwide including marches and walkouts. While immigration issues dominate the news, little is known about a man who was practically the founder of the modern anti-immigrant movement. He goes by the obscure name of John Tanton. A spokesperson for the Center for New Community, a watchdog organization of anti-immigrant groups, says Tanton has done for immigrant politics “what Pat Robertson did for the Christian Right.”

Read Christopher Hayes’ article here.

Black Commentator on Black Economic Development

Glen Ford, co-publisher of The Black Commentator

The Black Commentator is an online political magazine bringing you commentary, analysis and investigation from a black perspective. Today’s commentary is about Black Economic Development.

The Black Commentator is online at www.blackcommentator.com.

Strategy Discussion Among Immigrant Advocates

GUESTS: Natino Lopez, National Director of Hermandad Mexicana Latino America, and National President of Mexican American Political Association, Miguel Lopez, Port Representative of the Teamsters Union, Anjelica Salas, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles

With more than a month of nation wide actions to protest House Bill 4437, immigrant communities are gearing up for a national day of action next on Monday May 1st, which is May Day. As this program is being recorded, anticipation is extremely high all over the US of a massive turnout to actions nationwide. Actions will vary from staying home from work, joining a march or not spending any money. Organizers started out calling May Day as a National Day Without Immigrants, general strike and boycott. But some leaders like Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Cardinal Roger Mahoney, suggested a less radical political approach. Additionally, many immigrant workers fear losing their jobs if they walked out. Commercial spanish language DJs who helped mobilize hundreds of thousands of people to the streets on March 25th, have also toned down their rhetoric. They are urging listeners to join peaceful after-work protests for fear that a walkout could trigger animosity from politicians and the public. At an April 20 press conference in Washington, representatives of some of the major immigrant rights organizations agreed to not call for a boycott on May 1st, but neither would they necessarily criticize those who are encouraging a boycott.

I spoke recently with several immigrant rights activists who take differing positions on May Day and the general strategy of the pro-immigrant movement.

Empire Notes on Iraq polls

GUEST: Rahul Mahajan, author of Full Spectrum Dominance and The New Crusade

Empire Notes are weekly commentaries filed by Rahul Mahajan, author of Full Spectrum Dominance and The New Crusade. Today’s commentary is on Iraq polls.

Empire Notes is online at www.empirenotes.org.

An Intimate Conversation with Vandana Shiva

GUEST: Vandana Shiva, physicist, environmentalist, author of “Earth Democracy”

Vandana Shiva is a physicist, philosopher, ecofeminist, environmental activist and writer. She began her activism in the “Chipko movement” during the 1970s in her home country of India. The movement, whose main participants were women, adopted the tactic of hugging trees to prevent their felling. In 1982, she founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology. She has received many awards including the “Right Livelihood Award,” the “Global 500 Award of the United Nations Environment Programme,” and the “Earth Day International Award of the United Nations”. Vandana Shiva is a key figure in the global movement against neo-liberal capitalism. She has written several books, among them “Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development,” “India Divided: Diversity and Democracy under Attack,” “Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution, and Profit,” and “Stolen Harvest : The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply.” Vandana Shiva’s latest book is “Earth Democracy : Justice, Sustainability, and Peace,” which we had discussed with her on Uprising last year. Vandana Shiva was in Los Angeles yesterday for a UCLA conference. I spoke with her about the environmental movement, US-India ties, alternative energy, and her journey from physicist to activist.

Sonali’s Subversive Thought for the Day:

“Over the past two decades every issue I have been engaged in as an ecological activist and organic intellectual has revealed that what the industrial economy calls “growth” is really a form of theft from nature and people.” – Vandana Shiva, from “Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply”