From: "Daniel Kamil" <daniel@...>

Human Rights Watch Film Festival
Showtimes:
November 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th - 8pm
November 19th & 20th - 4pm & 8pm

In recognition of the power of film to educate and galvanize a broad constituency of concerned citizens, Human Rights Watch decided to create the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. Human Rights Watch's International Film Festival has become a leading venue for distinguished fiction, documentary and animated films and videos with a distinctive human rights theme. Through the eyes of committed and courageous filmmakers, we showcase the heroic stories of activists and survivors from all over the world. The works we feature help to put a human face on threats to individual freedom and dignity, and celebrate the power of the human spirit and intellect to prevail. We seek to empower everyone with the knowledge that personal commitment can make a very real difference.

Still We Ride

Showtimes:

November 15th - 8pm

Directed by Andrew Lynn, Elizabeth Press, & Chris Ryan
USA, 2005

On Friday August 27, 2004, just days before the start of the Republican National Convention, a massive police operation was underway. By the end of the night 264 people were arrested, marking one of the largest mass arrests in New York City’s history. For many New Yorkers, August was the first time they heard of what has become a monthly ritual for New York City's bike community — a free-forming ride called “Critical Mass.” Still We Ride is a documentary that captures the joyous atmosphere of this August ride before the arrests began and the chaos that followed. The movie takes on issues of civil liberties, surveillance, the power of mainstream media, and the benefits of alternative means of transportation.

Justifiable Homicide
Showtimes:
November 16th - 8pm

Directed by Jon Osman & Jonathan Stack
USA, 2001
Running Time: 86 min.

Oscar nominee Jonathan Stack (The Farm) and filmmaker Jon Osman created this documentary based on the brutal murder of cousins Antonio Rosario and Hilton Vega, two Puerto Ricans who were shot by two NYPD detectives in the Bronx in early 1995. One detective was Mayor Giuliani's former bodyguard. Carefully researching the events and questioning witnesses and investigators, the film builds a powerful argument for a cover-up at the highest levels.

The Education of Shelby Knox
Showtimes:
November 17th - 8pm

Directed by Marion Lipschutz & Rose Rosenblatt
USA, 2005
Running Time: 76 min.

Fifteen-year-old Shelby Knox of Lubbock, Texas is a self-described “good Southern Baptist girl,” who herself has pledged abstinence until marriage. When she finds that Lubbock has some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in the nation, and her county’s high schools teach abstinence as the only safe sex, she becomes an unlikely advocate for comprehensive sex education, profoundly changing her political and spiritual views along the way.

Street Fight
Showtimes:
November 18th - 8pm

Directed by Marshall Curry
USA, 2005
Running Time: 83 min.

Called ”the best American political documentary since 1993’s The War Room” by the Washington Post, Street Fight tells a riveting story about the underbelly of American democracy. It chronicles the bare-knuckles race for Mayor of Newark, N.J. between Cory Booker, a 32-year-old Rhodes Scholar/Yale Law School graduate, and Sharpe James, the four-term incumbent and undisputed champion of New Jersey politics. Fought in Newark’s neighborhoods and housing projects, the battle pits Booker against an old-style political machine that uses any means necessary to crush its opponents. Even the filmmaker is dragged into the slugfest, and by election day the climate becomes so heated that the Federal government is forced to send in observers to watch for cheating and violence.

Mardi Gras: Made in China
Showtimes:
November 19th - 4pm & 8pm

Directed by David Redmon
USA, 2004
Running Time: 72 min.

Mardi Gras: Made in China tracks the “bead trail” from a factory in China to Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras, poignantly exposing the inequities of globalization. Filmmaker Redmon gained unprecedented access to follow the stories of four young Chinese women working and living in the largest Mardi Gras bead factory in the world. Brilliantly interweaving factory life with Mardi Gras festivities, the film opens the blind eye of consumerism by visually introducing workers and festival-goers to each other. A dialogue results when bead-wearing partyers are shown images of the Chinese workers and asked if they know the origin of their beads, while the factory women view pictures of Americans exchanging beads, soliciting more beads, and celebrating.

Occupation Dreamland
Showtimes:
November 20th - 4pm & 8pm

Directed by Garrett Scott & Ian Olds
USA, 2005
Running Time: 78 min.

Occupation: Dreamland offers a rare and intimate window into the daily life of one group of US soldiers stationed in Iraq to keep peace, less than one year after President Bush announced ”mission accomplished.” The film follows one squad in the US Army’s 82nd Airborne deployed in the doomed Iraqi city of Falluja during the winter of 2004. Featuring a series of remarkably candid interviews with the squad’s soldiers, who detail their sometimes shocking daily life and the creep of disillusionment with their mission, Occupation: Dreamland brings a firsthand view of the moral and operational complexities inherent in American warfare in the 21st century.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1ldyn/id2.html

you may have seen this link before- it's a what if fox news had reported
on historical events

Tom

The
PEACE & JUSTICE FILM SERIES
sponsored by the SE Conn. Peace & Justice Network

continues on Sunday, November 13 at 3pm at Kream coffee bar, 318 State St. New London.
Come early and enjoy the Afro-Caribbean beat of the"Shantytown" musicians.  They will start around 2pm.  

November Feature

A documentary on media manipulation and the reported conservative bias of the Murdoch-owned Fox News Channel, which promotes itself as "Fair and Balanced." Material includes interviews with former Fox employees and the inter-office memos they provided.  75 minutes

MoveOn.org. representative Jenny Slemp will lead the discussion following the film.

http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/re.aspx?re=4BA6A92F-4550-4E0C-A4EC-7E17E81B85\
CF

Featured in Columns & Editorial

New London School Board


Published on 11/6/2005

The hiring of an energetic and effective schools superintendent in New
London has awakened the city from an educational malaise and residents can
begin to measure improvements in the system. The city, under the leadership
of Dr. Christopher Clouet, still has a long, uphill struggle to produce an
excellent system, but no one can deny that the superintendent is making
progress on a variety of fronts.

Happily, Dr. Clouet's tireless activity to improve the schools has attracted
some excellent Board of Education candidates who want to help him. This is
good for the schools, for Dr. Clouet and his staff and, most especially, for
the students and residents of New London.

Here are The Day's endorsements for the New London Board of Education:
Democrats Susan Marie Connolly, Mark W. Matson, John A. Scott III and
Timothy D. West; Republicans Ulysses BayonaandJames E. Pearceand Green Party
candidate Kenric Hanson.

. . .

Kenric Hanson — Like Mr. Pearce, Mr. Hanson, who manages his own real
estate, has volunteered in the school system. A member of the Green Party,
he has served on the Science Curriculum and Curriculum Standards committees,
has tutored in math and literacy and is a member of Community United for a
Renaissance in Education. He has children in the school system.

He sees the schools' multicultural population and New London's colleges as
huge assets. He also believes Dr. Clouet has worked effectively with the
community. He says the city's schools should become, in effect, community
centers offering a variety of educational and other activities.

He would make a good board member.

. . .

© The Day Publishing Co., 2005

Follow-up to BB&B: Lambda Literary Foundation statement to New London
mayor and festival board


Following please find the Lambda Literary Foundation's letter to New
London mayor Jane Glover and the Boats Books & Brushes board and
staff. Founded in 1996, Lambda Literary Foundation exists to celebrate
and enhance GLBT literature in all its dimensions, and produces the
Lambda Literary Awards, the most visible expression of its mission.

At Boats Books & Brushes, sexually provocative books that should have
been considered adult material were readily available to readers of
all ages. I videotaped the Border's Books booth on the pier, in the
main festival venue, selling copies of illustrated The Joy of Sex and
the chick-lit novel Shaking Her Assets, displayed on unmarked adult
racks at child's height within several yards of an unmarked rack of
children's books. Also, several ladies were selling the "Men of East
Lyme" calendar, 12 months of near-total male nudity, at a booth right
in the middle of the designated children's activity area. This rather
proves that the festival discriminated against me in asserting that my
nonfiction books on male sexuality, Bears on Bears and Bi Men, were
inappropriate for the main venue of BB&B. By excluding me, the board
as a whole and New London mayor Jane Glover in particular prevented my
rightful access to livelihood, and impeded my civil rights.

Your comments are welcome.

allbest,
Ron Jackson Suresha
mail@...
+-+-+

Lambda Literary Foundation
392 Central Park West, Suite 11M, New York, NY 10025
www.lambdaliterary.org
November 1, 2005

An Open Letter to the Organizers of "Boats, Books, and Brushes with Taste"

Mayor Jane Glover
Suzanne Myler, BBBT Event Manager
Renee Fournier, BBBT Staff

I am the executive director of the Lambda Literary Foundation, an
organization committed to the celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgendered writing.
I am writing to you on behalf of the Foundation to inform you we are
angered and dismayed to learn of Ron Suresha's recent experience with
Boats, Books, & Brushes with Taste. Despite the festival being over
for this year, we join the chorus of complaint against such treatment
of lesbian and gay authors, and we call for a thorough examination of
your policies before the planning of next year's event takes place.
As reported in both the mainstream and gay media – The Day (7/26/05),
In Newsweekly (9/8/05) and New London Times (9/23/05) – BBBT seems at
fault on at least three counts: 1) a vague, and perhaps
discriminatory, policy for the participation of local authors, 2) a
refusal to communicate honestly with Suresha once he questioned the
selection system, and 3) the offensive and ghettoizing suggestion that
he read at a local gay bar as if that were the same as appearing under
BBB's aegis. Nowhere on the website of BBBT is a list of
qualifications or requirements for an author to participate.
By relegating Suresha's work to the traditional safety of a gay bar
(and yes, thankfully, we have such spaces), the organizers violated a
part of BBBT's mission statement: "These events and activities will
attract, educate and entertain large numbers of tourists and visitors
to Southeastern Connecticut."
By excluding authors such as Ron Suresha from full participation in
its author events, BBBT lost an opportunity to educate – and perhaps
even attract and entertain – its audience about issues that some – not
all – but some of your local citizens face. Where is the integration?
Where is the belief that the citizens of New London deserve better
treatment and better access to literature that might reflect their lives?
When people ask, "Why do we need an LGBT literary organization?", we
can now point to BBBT – not as a model of openness and inclusion – but
as another example of how lesbian and gay lives – as portrayed by our
literature – are made invisible to the larger community.
Denying Suresha and authors like him a place at the table, under the
tent where the "real" authors sit and share their work, is a
disservice to the citizens of Connecticut.

Sincerely,

Charles Flowers
Executive Director
Lambda Literary Foundation

http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/re.aspx?re=bd10f413-db9d-4642-8857-f56ab08d3d\
c1

Featured in Columns & Editorial

Shake Up New London Mix
Voters must shake up the mix to create a more responsible council.

Published on 10/30/2005

An important message to all New London voters: go to the polls Nov. 8. The
New London City Council needs a vigorous shakeup to end the foolishness of
the past two years.

It's hard to imagine a group of people so lacking in judgment that they
would throw down the gauntlet to a governor known for her reasonable
qualities even as she inherited a mess in the Fort Trumbull project and was
trying to help. But then again, the same people paid a competent lawyer for
advice and then acted contrary to what he told them. The council needs a
reformation, for it has been unable to act consistently and logically.

The worst event on Election Day would be for New London voters to give the
Democrats a big majority once again and thus impose on the city the
presumption of the power it has applied for decades. Voters should elect a
more diverse, practical and consistent group of representatives.

Four parties seek council seats. Here are The Day's recommendations for the
council: Charles W. Frink of One New London Party; Andrew M. Derrof the
Green Party; Robert M. Pero and L. Allyn de Vars of the Republican Party,
and Democrats Kevin J. Cavanagh, Jane Glover and Elizabeth A. Sabilia. Mr.
Pero, Ms. Glover and Ms. Sabilia are incumbents.

Charles W. Frink is a retired New London High School teacher with a Ph.D who
is a composer and playwright, and has taught at Connecticut College and
Three Rivers Community College. Most of all, he is a person who tests the
validity of ideas rather than rushing to judgment.

Mr. Frink favors revising the City Charter to elect a strong mayor to run
the city, a position favored by The Day and used as a litmus test for
candidates considered for endorsement. He also believes the plan for Fort
Trumbull is “an antique, a relic of the past,” that the council needs to
take over leadership of the program from the New London Development Corp.
and that the city's financial situation, with a very low fund balance
account, is extremely precarious.

Mr. Frink would question assumptions, would expect logical answers and would
be a good voice on the council.

Andrew Derr has been active in neighborhood and preservation groups. He
favors a strong-mayor form of government, and believes the post is necessary
because the city lacks leadership. But he cautions that the mayor would need
a good support staff. He would like to see district representation on the
council because he believes the northern section of New London has been
disenfranchised as most candidates nominated by the parties and elected come
from the south end.

Mr. Derr is critical of the city for taking so many people's homes.
Redevelopment's property takings have plagued the city for decades, he
contends. He favors disbanding the NLDC which he says is incompetent and has
never been accountable to the council.

He is a strong advocate for better city schools and he is concerned that too
many property owners have gotten tax breaks through lower assessments caused
by letting their buildings get run-down.

Mr. Derr has strong views. In council meetings, he might have to temper his
approach, but he is an intelligent candidate who respects the people of his
city and who would contribute substantial ideas to the process of
government.

Robert M. Perohas matured into an effective councilor who generally has his
ear to the ground for the feelings of his constituents. He favors a
strong-mayor form of government and would be willing to form a second
Charter Revision Commission if, as it appears, the current commission fails
to recommend a strong mayor.

He says New London needs “a vision change,” a view held by many residents.
He favors selling off surplus properties for revenue and wants to explore
how to improve the quality of life in the city. He says he believes the
council is now making progress dealing with its problems with the NLDC. He
believes the city may have to get a new developer in Fort Trumbull and
thinks there's not a market for a hotel there.

L. Allyn de Vars is a self-employed real es-tate title abstractor who
believes the city is at a crossroads of opportunity and needs change. It
must have a council composed of people who have a unified vision of where
the city can be, he adds. “We need clarity,” he says. “A strong mayor would
provide a clearer path.” Without a strong mayor, there is no place to fix
responsibility and accountability, he says.

He wants to increase private development in New London and says the plans
for Fort Trumbull are outdated. He emphasizes economic development, public
safety and education as the three most important issues facing the city. He
says both the police and fire departments do not have adequate staffing on
shifts and lack the needed equipment.

Mr. de Vars is a good thinker who can articulate his ideas and who would
make a fine addition to the council.

Kevin J. Cavanagh is leaving the Board of Education, where he performed
energetically and admirably, to seek a seat on the council. He was an
administrator in the insurance industry in Hartford and brings organization,
logic and good sense to the table. He also has been active in the Save Ocean
Beach organization.

He favors adopting a strong-mayor government. He believes public safety is
the city's highest priority and says both police and fire operations are at
minimum levels. He says the council should support the good work and vision
of Superintendent Christopher Clouet in improving city schools.

He says developers will come to New London when they see that the city has a
vision and knows what it's doing. “We need to develop long-range planning,”
he says. Mr. Cavanagh would contribute good ideas and professional planning
and management skills to the council.

Jane Glover is mayor of New London and a councilor unafraid to speak
forthrightly on issues. She favors a strong-mayor form of government and is
disappointed that the current charter commission has not delivered such a
recommendation.

She is impatient with the pace of progress in New London and believes the
Fort Trumbull plan needs to be reworked. She favors neither a hotel nor an
office building there and hopes that Gov. M. Jodi Rell will agree to rethink
the plan. She would like to see limited tax breaks for property owners
providing moderate rents to new businesses.

She believes the education system needs a curriculum overhaul to reflect the
large numbers of blacks and Latinos in the school system.

Beth A. Sabilia is closely associated with the Democratic leadership of New
London, but she is one of the more candid councilors in expressing her views
and is usually unafraid to take a controversial stand. She did good work
trying to help mediate disputes with the NLDC.

She says she currently favors retaining the city manager form of government,
but also acknowledges that there is a leadership vacuum in the city. “People
feel there's no strong voice, no go-to person,” she says.

Despite her inclination to preserve what The Day believes is an
anachronistic and ineffective form of government, the newspaper recognizes
that Ms. Sabilia generally is in tune with people's thinking in the city,
contributes a fine mind to public debate and takes strong stands.

The other candidates are: One New London: Michael Christofaro, Thomas J.
Picinich, William Cornish and Richard L. Humphreville; Green Party: Robert
W. Stuller; Republican Party: incumbent councilor Jason Catala, Mike Doyle
and Kathryn L. Schargus; Democratic Party incumbents Bill Morse, Margaret M.
Curtin and Gerard Gaynor Jr. and newcomer Elizabeth Garcia Gonzalez.

© The Day Publishing Co., 2005

Folks, Greetings!

>From: "Matt Berger" <mberger@...>
>Subject:  Connecticut Local Politics   Municpal Elections: New London Edition
>Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 19:37:57 -0500
>
>
>       Connecticut Local Politics Municpal Elections: New London
>
>http://connecticutlocalpolitics.blogspot.com/

This is perishable stuff.  This blog turns over its content in about
one week.... coincidentally, this piece will probably fall off the
bottom on or about Election Day.

Peace,
Bob
--

It's Great to be Green!
http://nlgreens.org/

Take a look at the attached and the following.  You may wish to restructure, but I think for the initial impact this will do.   The focus is on establishing a solid ethics law which will prohibit campaign contributions from lobbyists, etc. to local or state officials and stop Stillman from getting lucrative city contracts.  Emphasize that you expect state  officials of New London to adhere to this code.  Sue

To:  SEND THIS TO THE HEAD OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Fr:   Michael Cristofaro            Re:  Ethics Proposal        Date:  Oct 28, 2005

On behalf of One New London comprised of LIST THOSE RUNNING, I am forwarding to you our Ethics proposals intended to:  

1)             Prohibit New London candidates for local or state offices from receiving campaign funds from lobbyists, PACs, out-of-town special interests, or ad books. 

2)             Prohibit City Officials from promoting or voting on projects in which they have a personal and/or professional interest or which could conflict with the office to which they have been elected. 

3)             Prohibit New London elected officials from personally benefiting from projects initiated by them while in or out of office. 

4)             Prohibit New London officials from contracting with the city to provide the city with goods or services for which they will reap a financial gain. 

5)      Prohibit those under contract to the town or board of education from contributing to New London candidates for local or state office. 

6)             Prohibit private entities under contract to the city from concurrently representing businesses under contract to the city. 

7)             Prohibit city officials or any agency of the city from purchasing stock in corporations and/or shell corporations in the name of the city or agency of the city.

We ask that you place our proposal on your next agenda for a referral to the town's Ordinance Committee.   

-- 

http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/re.aspx?re=896621A9-605D-4680-A506-E051A1FD1F\
E6

NL Union Endorses Slate

Published on 10/27/2005

New London — The city's public works union has endorsed a three-party slate
of candidates for the fall City Council election.

Council 4 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees is supporting Republicans Jason Catala and Allyn de Vars;
Democrats Margaret “Peg” Curtin, Gerard Gaynor Jr. and Elizabeth
Garcia-Gonzalez; and Robert Stuller and Andy Derr of the Green Party.

The endorsements were announced by union Local 1378, which represents the
city's public works employees.

© The Day Publishing Co., 2005

> Vigil Tongiht for 2000 Killed in Iraq


Now and again I write first awareness haiku



Led into war with lies
Are there two thousand reasons-
To Impeach George Bush


Beekeeper

Vigil Tongiht for 2000 Killed in Iraq

If enough of us get involved, we can really make a difference. Please
take a moment to invite some friends or family to participate in the
vigil.

Vigil for the 2000 dead tonight
Soldiers and Sailors monument
Bank & State, New London, CT 06320
Wednesday, 26 Oct 2005, 6:30 PM
The vigil coincides with our weekly vigil for the fallen troops.
Please bring family and friends!

More info at MoveOn.org:
http://political.moveon.org/event/events/attendees/index.htm
l?id=-5279917-JL4OepLcTTlWC2jq1t_GEQ&event_id=6106
http://tinyurl.com/cssvu

---

YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

• Visit your group "nlgreens <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nlgreens> " on the web.
• To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
• nlgreens-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com <mailto:nlgreens-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe>
• Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> .
  

---

Vigil Tongiht for 2000 Killed in Iraq

If enough of us get involved, we can really make a difference. Please
take a moment to invite some friends or family to participate in the
vigil.

Vigil for the 2000 dead tonight
Soldiers and Sailors monument
Bank & State, New London, CT 06320
Wednesday, 26 Oct 2005, 6:30 PM
The vigil coincides with our weekly vigil for the fallen troops.
Please bring family and friends!

More info at MoveOn.org:
http://political.moveon.org/event/events/attendees/index.htm
l?id=-5279917-JL4OepLcTTlWC2jq1t_GEQ&event_id=6106
http://tinyurl.com/cssvu

Ron, Greetings!

At 11:10 PM +0000 10/20/05, Ron wrote:
>[I just got a call from the letters editor at the Day: they're running
>this tomorrow.]
>http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/editorial.aspx

Nice letter.  Thanks much....

I stenciled some bags today to get the hang of it... but the
lettering came out too light.  It looked good but seemed like it
would be hard to read from a moving car.  Any thoughts as to a remedy?

Please tell Rocco thanks for helping Heather today.  Seemed to me
like he did a real good job of both the diagnosing & the prescribing.

Peace,
Bob
--

It's Great to be Green!
http://nlgreens.org/

[I just got a call from the letters editor at the Day: they're running
this tomorrow.]
http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/editorial.aspx

+-+

To the editor, The Day:

Regime change starts at home


Clearly our nation is in crisis. Unjustifiable war abroad without end
in sight. Civil rights threatened at every turn. Natural disasters as
the likely product of prolonged environmental degradation, and the
imminent threat of resource and economic catastrophe. Many top
government officals, from the White House and Congress, are guilty of
many crimes, and will soon will be deposed in shame.

And right here, the current New London mis-leadership's handling of
Fort Trumbull, having already garnered the disdain of the nation, has
become a predicament which apparently now requires further state
intervention. Clearly New London is in a less dire, yet similar crisis
in leadership.

Without accountability or regard for the people they represent,
neither the top administration of the country nor the city should
continue in their elected positions. Regime change starts at home.

The entrenched public officials in city hall have repeatedly proven
their inability to serve the community effectively. Mayor Jane Glover,
in particular, has demonstrated her disregard for constituents and her
mismanagement of city affairs. Given the mess the entire council has
gotten us into, it's shocking that so many of them think they deserve
reelection.

In sharp contrast, NL Green Party candidates Andy Derr and Bob Stuller
have demonstrated their integrity, intelligence, qualifications, and
desire to serve the citizens and community. Several One New London
candidates have also personally demonstrated their responsiveness and
intelligence.

If New London is to survive this crisis, we need our city leaders to
be much smarter, faster, and right-er than in the past. New London's
current mayor and city council have overstayed their welcome. Let's
give some smart, dedicated, responsive new candidates the chance to
get the job done.


Ron Jackson Suresha
New London

There is a fundamental difference between responsability and blame.

   The City Council of New London in it's latest meeting has just
voiced a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the New London
Development Corporation. What they fail to understand is that
responsability is not just blame shifting and that they are
responsable to the voters for every action taken by the NLDC.
As a result I am voicing my vote of no confidence in the entire
Council, those in favor of the NLDC and it's bullying and those
opposed to it who did not have the integrity to resign in protest.
None of them in my opinnion are fit to serve now or in the future,
whether their actions are the result of error,ineptitude,or
malfeasance no longer matters as the results damage this city every
bit as much. It is up to the voters to hold them accountable and
that means replacing them.
   Take a good look at third and fourth party candidates who will be
running this election there are some very good men out there who
will put the interests of this City and its's residents ahead of out
of town developers and contractors. Don't let the same slate of
perennial politicians continue to make the same mistakes over and
over and over again.
I personally support Andy Derr and Bob Stuller for City Council
because I have seen them work for this City for a long time on such
diverse projects as Earth Day, Beautification, Conservation, and the
fight against eminent domain abuse. Andy Derr and Bob Stuller are
men who know that leadership is taking responsability not shifting
blame.

Thomas Cornick
Ahscrat Road
New London CT  442-6397

NLDC Told Top Officials Must Be Fired
Otherwise agency will be dissolved, City Council says

***
"Please end the fiasco that has swamped this city and made us an
object of derision around the country and around the world," said Andy
Derr, a Green Party candidate for the council. "We have become the
city that takes its residents' homes. Let's be the city that refused
to do that."

TheDay.com article: http://tinyurl.com/dkdeq

Grrreetings gentlebears!

I need to ask for your help in battling to gain access to a local
literary festival planned here in New London for Sept. 16-18. The
organizers have decided to exclude me from the event because they
somehow think that the content of my 2002 book, Bears on Bears:
Interviews & Discussions, is unsuitable for a family venue.

Instead, they asked me to participate in a fundraiser at a local
gay/lesbian bar for the HIV/AIDS agency. Although I'm gladly
participating in the fundraiser, my exlusion from the main venue seems
very clearly an effort to censor and marginalize my work on male
sexuality.

Further, as a professional writer who makes his livelihood in part
through book sales at literary events just like these, this
discriminatory exclusion deprives me of equal opportunity for income.

The local papers have picked up the story:
"Given Cold Shoulder By City Festival, Author Plans His Own Book
Reading" by Jonathan O'Connell, published 8/28/2005 in The Day. Read
the complete article at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/suresha/message/63 .
"Author Accuses New London Festival of Bias" by Stephen Chupaska,
published on 8/26/2005 in The New London Times. Read the complete
article at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/suresha/message/62 .
"Too Explicit To Be Booked At BB&B?" by Steven Slosberg, published
7/26/2005 in The Day. Read the complete article at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/suresha/message/57 .

New London's mayor, a librarian, assured me that this is not about
censorship, yet she has passed judgment about the perceived sexual
content of my book - never even have seen a copy. Although the event
has featured plenty of books in years past with content that
graphically describes heterosexual incest, murder, rape, and war, they
feel that those books are acceptable for a "family-friendly" venue,
but not Bears on Bears.

I've organized a reading of local writers at the lesbian-owned
bookstore that weekend (details at
http://www.ronsuresha.com/events/events.php), but I'm still hoping the
festival organizers will change their minds and let me have a booth
under the big tent with everyone else.

I'm asking readers of Bears on Bears to please email the mayor and
tell her (in your own words) that this is a book that deserves to be
seen by the public, not hidden in some dark corner. If reading Bears
on Bears has meant something to you or affected your life, you can
summarize your feelings about it.  Read the articles (they're short)
to familiarize yourself with the situation; be brief and to the point.

Email Jane Glover, mayor of New London: kente219@...
Be sure to send a copy to The Day at letters@... and to me at
bearstuff@....

Thanks greatly for any support you can offer.

allbest, with bearhugs,
Ron

+-+-+

Ron Suresha
bearstuff@...
http://www.suresha.com

Looking at the local political/cultural/social scene, I clearly see
that Greens have something unique to offer.  In all these spheres,
there is no point in having a lamp only to hide it under a basket.

Over the next three months we will be mounting a campaign to put
Greens into elective offices in New London.  Make no mistake about the
challenge that presents: Many of the incumbents have well-oiled
political machines behind them.  We can succeed.  We can succeed
through our energy & our commitment to our core values.

Thanks for listening.  I look forward to work with you.