The Gainesville Iguana

By David Meggyesy and Dave Zirin

In 1987 Tex Schramm, then general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, told Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), “Gene, here’s what you have to understand: we’re the ranchers and you’re the cattle, and we can always get more cattle.” Schramm’s statement perfectly reflects the arrogance of NFL owners and how they view player-employees and the collective bargaining game. It has been pointed out many times that the major sports leagues reflect the structure and operations of major corporations. In corporations, employees are essentially viewed as exploitable commodities and replaceable parts. It’s the same for professional athletes. Continue reading →

transcript edited by Pierce Butler

This is the fourth in a continuing series of excerpts from transcripts in the collection of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida. A lifelong civil rights activist, Dan Harmeling still lives in Gainesville. He was interviewed by Marna Weston on February 13, 2009. Continue reading →

Stop the Machine! Create a New World! What is the machine? Corporatism and militarism. What new world is possible? One in which people’s needs are more important than corporate profits, in which we unite our struggles for jobs, education, housing, healthcare and human rights, in which we are freed to implement solutions for a peaceful, just and sustainable world.

October 2011 marks the 10th anniversary of the US’s invasion of Afghanistan. On Oct. 6, individuals and organizations that promote peace and justice will join together in the October 2011 Movement in Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC. Hundreds of organizations around the country are involved in the planning of this peaceful and sustained occupation, which they hope will turn into our Tahrir Square, Cairo or the next Madison, WI.

Gainesville is organizing a group; for more info on travel information and the local plan, contact John Fullerton with Gainesville Veterans for Peace at jfullerton3@cox.net.

For more info visit www.october2011.org.

“It took over 4 1/2 years to win this case!” said Cisco Torres.

Judge Philip Moscone signed and filed an order dismissing charges against Francisco Torres late Thursday, August 18th. Cisco was the last former Black Panther member facing charges in this 1971 case about the killing of a SF Police Sergeant. In 1973 several of the men were brutally tortured by police in Louisiana to elicit false confessions. The case was dismissed in the 1970s, but charges were filed again in January of 2007 against eight former Black Panthers. They all resisted this renewed repression. Charges against Ray Boudreaux, Richard Brown, Hank Jones, Richard O’Neal and Harold Taylor were previously dismissed for insufficient evidence. Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqim plead to greatly reduced charges, receiving time served and probation.

By Joe Richard

About 6 months ago, I had the incredible good fortune to be offered a plane ticket to Madison, Wisc., to participate in the massive protests and union mobilizations which had only recently begun there. I’d been following developments closely, and with the popular revolution having just toppled Hosni Mubarak in Cairo only days before, it seemed like workers in the US had finally caught the bug of popular resistance. I loaded a backpack full of flimsy Florida cold weather clothing, notebooks and pens and flew out the next day. I was an outside agitator on the way to cause as much trouble as I could for Gov. Walker. Continue reading →

by the Coordinators at the Civic Media Center

Radical Rush has been organized by the Civic Media Center since 1998.

Radical Rush (RR) is an organizational fair for progressive and radical activist groups of Gainesville to recruit new members and publicize their work to students. Continue reading →

by The Florida Free Speech Forum

The Florida Free Speech Forum (FFSF), was formed in September 1994 by a group of dedicated Gainesvillians who felt it important that there be a platform for free speech in our community. It has continuously provided stimulating monthly programs since then. It was modeled on the City Club of Cleveland, Ohio, the oldest free speech forum in the United States. The FFSF is one of only two similar organizations in Florida and is regarded as the foremost bastion of free speech in the southeastern United States. Continue reading →

From SourceWatch, www.sourcewatch.org

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) describes itself as the largest “membership association of state legislators,” but over 98% of its revenue comes from sources other than legislative dues, primarily from corporations and corporate foundations. Continue reading →

by Jenny Brown, Labor Notes

After 15 days on strike, 45,000 Verizon workers will march into work on Tuesday after extracting an agreement from their stubborn employer to bargain. The Communication Workers (CWA) and Electrical Workers (IBEW) will be working under their old contracts while talks continue. They agreed not to strike again for 30 days. Continue reading →

by Jessica Newman

After two years in practice and countless years on the books, the 130-meal-a-day limit has come to an end in the city of Gainesville.

This law banned homeless shelters (only the St. Francis House downtown was truly effected) from serving more than 130 meals in one 24-hour period, all in the name of “keeping the homeless population downtown under control.”

On Aug. 18, the City Commission voted 6-0 to repeal the meal limit and instead place a three-hour-per-day time limit on serving food to the hungry and needy (Commissioner Randy Wells was absent). Continue reading →