Aug 11, 2008 -- Your Fight the Right-Wing Activists Links of the Day.

** ACLU **
Planning a vacation? Thinking about traveling outside the country?

If you travel outside the United States, you can kiss your right to privacy, and perhaps your laptop, digital camera and cell phone, goodbye.

With no suspicion and no explanation, the U.S. government can seize your laptop, cell phone, or PDA as you enter the United States and download all your private information -- including your personal and business documents, emails, phone calls, and web history. The Department of Homeland Security confirms that this is the official policy.

Tell Congress: it’s time to rein in travel abuses by the Department of Homeland Security.
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** United Farm Workers **
Back in April more than 13,000 UFW supporters signed a petition asking Whole Foods to help the Beef Northwest feedlot workers. Beef Northwest worker Fortunato Diaz went to Austin, Texas to lead a delegation which turned the petitions into the Whole Foods representative. Whole Foods said they were moved by Fortunado’s story. They said they would contact Beef Northwest and urge that the company to meet with the UFW to resolve the issue of union representation.

Instead Whole Foods has done nothing to help the workers and is trying to distance themselves from the situation. Even worse, Fortunato is being made an example of by Beef Northwest for asking for Whole Foods’ help.

On Tuesday, when weather.com put the high at 99 degrees, Fortunato told us how Beef Northwest supervisors sent him walking to remote areas of the ranch around a mile away from all the other workers and did not even provide him with drinking water in the searing heat! Not only is this retaliatory action morally wrong, but by failing to provide him with drinking water in the searing heat Fortunato’s life was put at risk.

Whole Foods sells approximately 60% of all Country Natural Beef produced at Beef Northwest.

Tell Whole Foods that their lack of response is not acceptable.
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** Center for Biological Diversity **
One More Chance for Higher Gas-mileage Standards

Faced with melting sea ice, drowning polar bears, and a world at risk from global warming, the Bush administration is still blocking one of the single-most important solutions: higher gas-mileage standards for U.S. automobiles. Despite an existing law that requires the Department of Transportation to set gas-mileage standards at the "maximum feasible level," the administration is likely to push through a new set of inadequate standards for model years 2011-2015 before leaving office.

Please sign our petition to Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters demanding fuel-economy standards that spur automakers away from "business as usual" and toward deployment of new technologies, increased fuel economy, and decreased greenhouse gas emissions, as required by law.
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** Avaaz.org **
The World in Action

The conflict in Georgia is spinning out of control. Russian troops have moved deep inside the country in what looks not far short of full-scale invasion, and tens of thousands of civilians are in danger, with many becoming refugees overnight.

Diplomats are scrambling to find a solution, and the European Union has proposed a ceasefire and withdrawal of all forces to their previous positions. China has also called for an "Olympic Truce", an ancient tradition that asks all countries to cease hostilities during the Olympic Games.

A humbled Georgia has agreed to the ceasefire, now French and Finnish foreign ministers are bringing the proposal to Moscow. In the next 48 hours, a massive global public outcry would show Russian and Georgian leaders that the world wants a ceasefire, and continuing the invasion would seriously damage Russia's international reputation. Click below to sign our emergency petition and then forward this email to your friends and family. We'll publicize the petition in the media and deliver it to the UN Security Council and Russian government:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/georgia_ceasefire_now

Your 5 Minute Activist Links for April 29, 2008

** Human Rights First **
Ten years ago, famous Guatemalan human rights defender Bishop Juan Gerardi was murdered. Bishop Gerardi was killed just days after publicly releasing a report that documented more than 200,000 killings during Guatemala's 36 year civil war. The report laid blame on the Guatemalan government for over 90 per cent of the conflict's human rights violations.

While individuals have been convicted for the murder of Bishop Gerardi, there has been no justice for the victims of Guatemala's 422 documented massacres. None of the former military or police officials allegedly responsible for committing the worst atrocities during the conflict have been held accountable.

Through his courageous efforts to reveal the truth, Bishop Gerardi left Guatemala an important legacy. However, without action by the authorities, that legacy will never be fully realized.

Urge the Guatemalan Attorney-General to immediately act on the criminal petitions filed by victims almost a decade ago. Those petitions allege that former police and military leaders committed crimes against humanity and genocide during the civil war.

** NRDC **
The 2007 energy bill includes a provision that prevents federal agencies from contracting to purchase liquid coal and other "dirty fuels," such as tar sands and oil shale, that produce more global warming pollution than conventional gasoline. But now dirty fuel supporters in Congress have introduced legislation that would repeal this important provision that will help fight global warming, and energy companies are poised to market dirty fuels to the government at the first opportunity. The Air Force, for instance, is already pushing for a new liquid coal plant on its Malmstrom base in Montana.

Liquid coal produces twice the global warming pollution of conventional gasoline. Relying on liquid coal fuel also would increase the harmful effects of coal mining, which means more mining in the Rockies and more mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia. Investing in liquid coal is also financially unsound: while even under the most optimistic scenarios liquid coal could replace no more than 10 percent of our oil use, these plants would cost over four billion dollars each to build.

Tell your representative not to reverse important protections against dirty fuels.

** Avaaz **
Petition to G8, UN and EU leaders:
We call on you to take immediate action to address the world food crisis by mobilizing emergency funding to prevent starvation, removing perverse incentives to turn food into biofuels and managing financial speculation, and to tackle the underlying causes by ending harmful trade policies and investing massively in sustainable agricultural productivity in developing nations.


** Center for Biological Diversity **
Take action now to protect critical habitat for some of the world's most imperiled coral reefs. A federal proposal to protect coral habitat is making its way through the government channels, and your voice counts.

** The Wilderness Society **
The West Tavaputs Plateau in Utah, which includes Desolation Canyon, Jack Canyon, and Nine Mile Canyon, has it all: spectacular canyons and mesa tops, a diverse range of vegetation, rivers, a ruggedness that truly allows enjoyment of wildness and solitude, and one of the greatest concentrations of rock art in the world.

This is all under threat as the BLM is proposing to approve a massive natural gas drilling plan that can harm these amazing places and values unless we act now.

The BLM is currently wrapping up its public commenting stage on the West Tavaputs Plateau Natural Gas Full Field Development Plan Draft EIS, which allows drilling more than 800 new natural gas wells among rugged canyons and internationally recognized rock art. This is your chance to tell the BLM that you don't want to see this wild and important Utah environment spoiled. Comments must be submitted by May 1, 2008.

Your 5 Minute Activist Links for April 10, 2008

** True Majority **
Just when you think it can't get any worse, the Bush Administration finds a new way to shock the conscience. Yesterday, ABC News reported that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice chaired explicit White House discussions about which torture techniques should be used on prisoners.

They "were so detailed" that "some of the interrogation sessions were almost choreographed -- down to the number of times CIA agents could use a specific tactic."

This is the first time that we have evidence that senior officials, "not only discussed specific plans and specific interrogation methods, but approved them". Given these new revelations, Condoleezza Rice can not continue as Secretary of State.
Sign our Petition demanding that Rice resign: http://www.truemajority.org/condi

** Jobs with Justice **
Despite widespread opposition to the Colombia Free Trade Agreement in the United States and Colombia, President Bush has sent the agreement to Congress, trying to force a vote before he leaves office. Take action now and tell your Representative to vote NO on the Colombia FTA.

** Avaaz.org **
Robert Mugabe's government has withheld the results of the national elections--and threatens to use violence and fraud to hold on to power.

Mugabe has resisted international pressure--but South Africa's Thabo Mbeki, who has Mugabe's ear, might listen. A global outcry is needed to ensure that Mbeki knows his status as a global and regional leader is on the line: the world is turning to him to help bring justice for the people of Zimbabwe.

This petition will be delivered through diplomatic channels, media--and an event on Wednesday, April 16, when Mbeki travels to the United Nations to chair a special meeting of the UN Security Council.

** Amnesty International **
One million children have been forced from their homes. Over two million Darfuri civilians have been displaced by the violence that has gripped the region around Darfur. Countless families, friends and communities require humanitarian assistance. The price for supporting the peacekeeping mission and restoring stability in Darfur is high. Your actions can be worth millions. Tell Congress to ensure funding for peacekeeping efforts in Darfur.

Your 5 Minute Activist Links for March 18, 2008

** PETA **
Every year in Canada, hundreds of thousands of baby harp seals are mercilessly slaughtered for their skins, and we want you to help get this cruel practice banned by signing PETA's seal petition.
Add your name to the petition urging Prime Minister Stephen Harper to end Canada's cruel seal hunt.

** NRDC **
We must halt the brutal killing of Yellowstone’s buffalo by the National Park Service and Montana’s Department of Livestock. It is unconscionable that more than 1,000 buffalo from America’s last wild, free-roaming herd have been sent to the slaughterhouse this winter. Tell the National Park Service to be the guardian of our country’s wild bison.


** Food and Water Watch **
The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a rule that would let factory farms get out of reporting their releases of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and other toxic air pollutants caused by the breakdown of animal manure in massive lagoons. We have a right to know what toxic chemicals we're being exposed to.

** AVAAZ **
After decades of repression under Chinese rule, the Tibetan people's frustrations have burst onto the streets in protests and riots. With the spotlight of the upcoming Olympic Games now on China, Tibetans are crying out to the world for change.
Sign the Petition and tell the Chinese government to respect Tibetans demand for change.