Everybody In, Nobody Out: Rallying For Universal Healthcare in Vermont
On May 1, 2011 thousands rallied for health care as a human right in Montpelier, Vermont.
For three years a grassroots movement for universal healthcare has been building in Vermont thanks to the Vermont Workers Center. On March 24, the house passed H202, a bill that puts Vermont on the road to having universal healthcare.
Yet before the activists could celebrate the consideration of universal healthcare in Vermont, they had to contend with a last minute amendment that would have made the bill less than universal; the Brock-Sears amendment would explicitly exclude undocumented workers.
The day after this May 1 rally the Brock-Sears Amendment was struck down in conference committee. The committee was responding specifically to grassroots pressure from healthcare activists who called, wrote, marched, rallied and spent days at the statehouse talking to lawmakers. This is democracy in action, and proves that grassroots organizing works.
Showing posts with label Vermont. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vermont. Show all posts
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, August 13, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Silenced Voices, Trailer
In January I went to Mexico with Brendan O'Neill and Gustavo of the Vt. Migrant Farmworker Solidarity Project . We accompanied the body of Jose Obeth Santiz Cruz, a young migrant farmworker who was killed in a farming accident while working on a Vt. dairy farm. We went to accompany his remains and to interview family and community members about the causes, effects and experiences of migration.
Come see the the film
In Burlington, Vt. July 1, at the Black Box Theater, Main St. Landing on the Waterfront
Tuesday July 6th at 7pm, Montpelier Unitarian Universalist Church
Wednesday July 14th at 7pm, Hardwick Town Hall
Sunday July 25th at the Fairfield Community Center
Panel discussion will follow each film screening
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
No More War! No More Troops to Afghanistan!
In Burlington, Vermont over 100 people gathered on Saturday December, 12 to say "No more war in Af
ghanistan" and to denounce Barack Obama's 30,000 person troop surge to Afghanistan.
The rally took place one day after 350 members of the Vermont National Guard departed for training before deployment to Afghanistan early next year. Vermont is sending more than 1,500 National Guards people to Afghanistan, this is the largest deployment of Vermont's National Guard since World War II. As of July 2009, the Vermont National Guard had a total of 2,660 people enlisted, this leaves Vermont with just over 1,000 guards to protect the state in the event of an emergency.
Dozens of similar demonstrations took place across the country on Saturday. Thousands of people spoke out against the troop surge and the escalating war in Afghanistan.
Local author and activist, Ben Dangl, attended the rally. "This December 12th protest in Burlington, VT coincided with protests around the nation denouncing Obama's troop escalation in Afghanistan, and should signal the re-emergence of a much-needed anti-war movement. From Afghanistan to Honduras and beyond, Obama's foreign policy is a devastating continuation of US imperialism and needs to be stopped.
Despite the freezing cold temperature and frigid winds the crowd stayed warm singing chants, "Same lies, same plan, troops out of Afghanistan".
The event was organized by local activist Jonathan Leavitt. "Our political leaders have failed us, allowing more Vermont National Guard to be shipped into the meatgrinder that is Afghanistan than remain here in Vermont, leaving us dangerously vulnerable to disasters. Until Vermonters organize and rise up in mass civil disobedience, we are allowing ourselves to be implicated in an illegal and immoral occupation, which in turn leaves us vulnerable to the common blizzard"
Speaking to the crowd Leavitt encourages that "Hopefully starting today...a righteous flame of indignation can rise in the anti-war movement to say no more, not another dollar, not another dayfor this illegal and immoral war!"
ghanistan" and to denounce Barack Obama's 30,000 person troop surge to Afghanistan.
The rally took place one day after 350 members of the Vermont National Guard departed for training before deployment to Afghanistan early next year. Vermont is sending more than 1,500 National Guards people to Afghanistan, this is the largest deployment of Vermont's National Guard since World War II. As of July 2009, the Vermont National Guard had a total of 2,660 people enlisted, this leaves Vermont with just over 1,000 guards to protect the state in the event of an emergency.
Dozens of similar demonstrations took place across the country on Saturday. Thousands of people spoke out against the troop surge and the escalating war in Afghanistan.
Local author and activist, Ben Dangl, attended the rally. "This December 12th protest in Burlington, VT coincided with protests around the nation denouncing Obama's troop escalation in Afghanistan, and should signal the re-emergence of a much-needed anti-war movement. From Afghanistan to Honduras and beyond, Obama's foreign policy is a devastating continuation of US imperialism and needs to be stopped.
Despite the freezing cold temperature and frigid winds the crowd stayed warm singing chants, "Same lies, same plan, troops out of Afghanistan".
The event was organized by local activist Jonathan Leavitt. "Our political leaders have failed us, allowing more Vermont National Guard to be shipped into the meatgrinder that is Afghanistan than remain here in Vermont, leaving us dangerously vulnerable to disasters. Until Vermonters organize and rise up in mass civil disobedience, we are allowing ourselves to be implicated in an illegal and immoral occupation, which in turn leaves us vulnerable to the common blizzard"
Speaking to the crowd Leavitt encourages that "Hopefully starting today...a righteous flame of indignation can rise in the anti-war movement to say no more, not another dollar, not another dayfor this illegal and immoral war!"
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