Civil Liberties

Over forty million people in this country have no health insurance. Many individuals in this country who have health insurance get denied necessary medical procedures due to 'pre-existing conditions'. Many more citizens are required to pay deductibles that cost up to tens of thousands of dollars for major operations . The United States has a health care program that overall ranks below some developing countries and far below most industrialized nations.

The time has come for a single payer reform to the current health care structure. The current system penalizes poor and sick individuals. A single payer health care system is the only proven method of health coverage that includes everyone, is cost effective, and does not rely on the profit motives of insurance companies.

Fundraiser for No Death Penalty, Wisconsin, with Speaker Ron Keine

The speaker Ron Keine was convicted of murder, and on death row only 10 days away from the gas chamber, when he was exonerated.

The event has a $25 cover, $10 for students. There will be complemetary hors d'ouevres, and a cash bar.

If you are unable to attend, but would like to donate, you can send a check to: No Death Penalty WI, P.O.Box 44008, Madison WI 53744 (In memo line, write "Dan3 County NDPW", not tax deductible.)

The American Nazi Party has called for a national rally against the current immigration policy and open borders to be held on the steps of the State Capitol here in Madison on August 26 from 2-4pm. They expect 200-300 Nazis and supporters to attend. According to their website, “our Nation is in the death grip of a foreign people (jews), their multicultural minions, and their illegal third world cohorts.”

The anti-immigrant proposals put forward by politicians like Reps. James Sensenbrenner and Tom Tancredo not only sparked an explosion of the immigrant rights movement in the past few months,. Their proposals have also emboldened far-right groups such as the vigilante Minutemen and the American Nazi Party.

A community meeting is called for next Tuesday to discuss how to respond to the presence of Nazis in our community. Organizers of the event believe the Madison community needs to make a strong statement against the brand of xenophobia and hate spread by this group.

We invite all concerned individuals to come to this planning meeting. We want Madison to be a safe place for all people, including immigrants. Come discuss how best to spread the news of this fascist event occurring in our community. Help mobilize Madison and the upper Midwest in a coalition to respond to the Nazis. Let’s not let these racists get a foothold in our town!

Rally and March to "Declare Your Independence From Government Spying"

Join us to express your outrage at, and to protest, government spying on the American people, and specifically the collusion of AT&T, Verizon and Bell South telecom companies with the NSA in providing our private records of telephone calls to them without a warrant. We now have evidence this has been going on for years, just one more example of the abrogation of our constitutional rights by the current administration, and their ongoing lawlessness. The administration claims it is just using this to track "terrorists". But we already know they are illegally spying on peace and environmental activist groups engaged only in constitutionally protected activity, and using illegally obtained information to track confidential news sources so as to intimidate investigative journalists from writing stories critical of the Bush administration.

We will have several speakers. Confirmed speakers at this time include: progressive lawyer Sally Stix, and Matthew Rothchild, editor of the Progressive magazine. After a rally at the AT&T building, we will march around the state Capitol during Farmer's Market, - so please bring apropriate signs, - ending up at another AT&T building at 44 E.Mifflin St.

Help plan future activities! March 19th is the second-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. United for Peace and Justice, as well as other organizations, are calling for nationwide protest actions. Come to this meeting to discuss what we want to do here in Madison.

Other possible events for this spring include an art auction, peace sing-along, pancake breakfast, forum with Seymour Hirsch on U.S. foreign policy plans, and a meeting with Senator Feingold about U.S. torture of prisoners.

PLEASE ATTEND TO HELP ORGANIZE FOR PEACE.

6:30pm Counter-protest at Madison East High

2:00 and 7:30pm Showtimes for The Laramie Project