Tag: free speech

June 6, 2013 - A new book called "The Riot Grrrl Collection" is out featuring artwork, manifestos, fanzines and fiction, and details the girl punk rock movement of the 1990s. Girls would hand out zines and fliers at punk rock music shows, and an underground feminist movement came into being, exchanging art and fiction commenting on the male dominated society. It gave rise to such groups as Sleater-Kinney, and even now we see their influence in the Russian punk rock group Pussy Riot. Check out a few pics from the book and a great article by Evelyn McDonald about it on the LA Times Jacket Copy.  (Picture: Carrie Brownstein/Credit: Eliah Hecht CC)

June 5, 2013 - The punk rock, activist "art collective" Pussy Riot is the focus of a new film by Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorvokin titled "Pussy Riot - A Punk Prayer". The documentary explores what is really going on with the arrest and jailing of three women in Russia, who were merely exercising the right of free speech. The film has had great reviews and acceptance, and won a World Cinema Jury Prize from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. The film is a six-month journey into the lives of the three women, Nadya, Masha and Katia and their ordeal with the Russian justice system facing charges of "hooliganism" after performing a 40-second free speech action at the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow. The church lobbied heavily with the Putin government to come down hard on the girls, and they all 3 ended up with prison time. Their predicament has garnered worldwide attention, and has sent shock waves reverberating through Russia.

Nadya has been freed on appeal, but the other two remain jailed. In fact, there is a new law unofficially called the "Pussy Riot Law" that just passed, that will make the penalties even stiffer if someone else tries this in the future. The new "Pussy Riot Law" calls for one year in jail and a fine of $300,000 rubles ($9,400 US) for "public actions expressing clear disrespect for society and committed with intent to offend the religious feelings of the faithful." If one does it in a house of worship, the penalties get even worse.

Check out an interview with the filmmakers on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart the other night below (fast forward to end), the direct link is here. Also, check out the movie's website here to see the trailer and learn more about the film. Apparently Vladmir Putin likes Dire Straights, so we need to get Mark Knopfler to come out in support of the girls and say, "Free Pussy Riot!", and maybe Putin will pardon them. So Mark, please come out in support of freeing Pussy Riot!

MAY 6, 2013 - Speaking out after a show at the Messiah College that openly discriminates against gays and lesbians, musician Josh Ritter took to his Facebook page and said:

"Messiah College requires all students to sign a 'Community Covenant,' promising to, among other things, 'avoid such sinful practices as…homosexual behavior…This policy, which I see as exclusionary and bigoted, could not run more counter to my personal beliefs. If I had done my homework, and read about Messiah's policies ahead of time, I would never have agreed to play there...I won't play Messiah College again - not until they welcome, in word and deed, all members of their faith regardless of sexuality, and I urge my fellow musicians to do the same." Read Josh Ritter's full Facebook post here.  (photo credit: Sean Rowe/CC)

MAY 1, 2013 - Just when you think Ted Nugent can't sink any lower, more insane garbage pours from his sick mind and he sinks to a new low. This time, he comments on the horrible tragedy of our soldier suicide epidemic, and blames it on...wait for it...wait for it...President Barack Obama. Raw Story has a great article out on his insane mind-fart ramblings on the "The Alex Jones Show" where Nugent said, "But I'll tell you why more and more warrior heroes of the military are killing themselves: because they are in absolute frustration and heartbreak that their boss, their commander in chief violates the Constitution that he has made an oath to, while their hero warrior blood brothers are being blown to smithereens and blown up while executing their oath to the same Constitution that the president, the vice president and the attorney general violate.” Read the whole article by Stephen C. Webster on RawStory.com here.

APR 30, 2013 - Willie Nelson on Conan O'Brien's "Team CoCo YouTube Channel" has a hilarious video out with Willie doing a parody of him auditioning for the role of Gandalf in "The Hobbitt 2". Willie is seen wearing a big wizard hat and waving a staff saying, "You shall not pass...an unlit joint, that's just not cool!". Watch the hilarious video below.