Category Archives: How You Can Help

Your Second Priority

Posted on September 10, 2005 by Trish Nelson

Your Second Priority

NicholasJohnson.org

Nick Johnson (pictured above) was formerly an FCC Commissioner and Iowa City School Board member and now teaches at the University of Iowa College of Law.  These are his remarks to the Iowa City Federation of Labor Labor Day Picnic, September 5, 2005


“Whatever is your first priority, your second priority has to be media reform.”

I've been saying that to gatherings of labor, and other progressive organizations, for 40 years now.

Your first priority may be a fairer shake for labor. Healthcare for Iowans. Rights for women and minorities. Improvements in local schools, or the environment. Electing your candidates to public office.

Whatever is your first priority, you have little hope of making any progress with it if you can't get media coverage – fair and favorable media coverage.

For no group is this more true than for labor.

“Yeah, so what else is new?” I hear you say.

I'll tell you what's new.

For the first time in the history of Iowa, so far as I know, two currently sitting commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission – Michael Copps and Jon Adelstein – are coming to Iowa City because they want to hear from you.

The national organization Free Press is seeing to it that Wednesday, October 5th, a month from today, probably at the IMU, hundreds of Iowans will be coming forward to tell the FCC what they think about our local media.

There are petitions that give you a chance to participate. The petitions ask the FCC to at least hold hearings before automatically granting license renewals to Iowa's television stations.

All those Iowa stations have to file for renewal by October 1st. If their licenses are renewed they will be able to keep up what they've been doing for another 8 years.

Meanwhile, a local group called Iowans for Better Local Television,  and anyone else in the state, has from now until the end of December to get comments and petitions to the Commission. IBLTV's Web site actually lets you sign the petition online.

So why should labor care?

You can probably answer that better than I.

 – When did you last see a documentary favorable to organized labor on local television?


Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, How You Can Help, Iowa in the News, Jobs, Labor, Local Events, Main Page, Media Bias, Progressive Community | Comments Off on Your Second Priority

Al Gore Quietly Aids Katrina Victims

Posted on September 10, 2005 by bfiamollyreagan

  Al Gore Quietly Aids Katrina Victims by Molly Regan and Caroline Vernon Here is a story you will not hear on the endless media reports about Louisiana because the man involved will do no interviews and has only told … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, How You Can Help, Main Page | 1 Comment

4 Star-rated Katrina Charities

Posted on September 6, 2005 by bfialindathieman

4 Star-rated Katrina Charities These charities aiding victims of Katrina have been rated 4 Stars by the website Charity Navigator.  Click the link to learn more about them.  And remember, never give out credit card information to a “charity” that … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, How You Can Help, Main Page | Comments Off on 4 Star-rated Katrina Charities

Iowa to Accept Storm Victims

Posted on September 3, 2005 by bfialindathieman

Iowa to Accept Storm Victims by Mike Owen, West Branch, Iowa Iowans should be proud to have Governor Vilsack speaking for them about the state's interest in helping up to 5,000 victims of Hurricane Katrina relocate to our state. As … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest Posts, How You Can Help, Iowa in the News, Jobs, Local Events, Main Page, National News | Comments Off on Iowa to Accept Storm Victims

Confronting The Evidence – A Call to Reopen the 9/11 Investigation

Posted on August 31, 2005 by bfiacarolinevernon

Confronting the Evidence – A Call to Reopen the 9/11 Investigation by Caroline Vernon Excerpts from http://www.Reopen911.org 90% of CNN Viewers Believe in a 9/11 Cover-up: On Wednesday, November 10th, Anderson Cooper featured Kyle Hence and Jimmy Walter regarding the … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Government, Calls to Action, Corporate Greed, Environment, How You Can Help, Main Page, Media Bias, National News, Progressive Community | 2 Comments

First DFA/Democracy for Iowa Statewide Meeting September 10

Posted on August 30, 2005 by bfialindathieman

First DFA/Democracy for Iowa Statewide Meeting September 10 by Dennis Roseman, Iowa City DFA Organizer Preliminary Agenda for a Statewide Meeting of Democracy for Iowa September 10 Iowa Room, Iowa Memorial Union Iowa City Iowa 9 a.m.-4 p.m. This will … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, David Loebsack, How You Can Help, Introducing DFIA, Labor, Local Events, Main Page, Progressive Community | 3 Comments

Tonight, Vigils for Cindy Sheehan Across Iowa

Posted on August 17, 2005 by bfialindathieman

Tonight, Vigils for Cindy Sheehan Across Iowa It's a coming together of three of the biggest and most active progressive groups in the country.  Democracy for America, MoveOn.org, and TrueMajority are teaming up to sponsor/organize tonight's Vigils for Cindy Sheehan. … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, How You Can Help, Local Events, Main Page, National News, Progressive Community | Comments Off on Tonight, Vigils for Cindy Sheehan Across Iowa

BUY FRESH, BUY LOCAL

Posted on August 14, 2005 by bfiamollyreagan

BUY FRESH, BUY LOCAL Had a good PEACH lately that wasn't laced with pesticides?  How about a free-range egg?  Or, well… you know… a free-range chicken?  Actually, peaches happen to be one of the fruits with the most pesticides in … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, Environment, Farming, How You Can Help, Jobs, Main Page, Organic Foods & Farming, Progressive Community | 4 Comments

Iowa State Fair: JOIN ICAN AS A VOLUNTEER IN THE “IOWANS FOR SUSTAINABLE FAMILY FARMS” BOOTH

Posted on August 9, 2005 by bfialindathieman

Iowa State Fair: JOIN ICAN AS A VOLUNTEER IN THE “IOWANS FOR SUSTAINABLE FAMILY FARMS” BOOTH Spend a day at the Iowa State Fair, volunteer for 3 hours in the agriculture building, and get your admission paid for by ICAN. … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, Farming, How You Can Help, Local Events, Main Page, Progressive Community | Comments Off on Iowa State Fair: JOIN ICAN AS A VOLUNTEER IN THE “IOWANS FOR SUSTAINABLE FAMILY FARMS” BOOTH

GET IRATE OVER MERCURY, MOMMIES

Posted on August 7, 2005 by bfiamollyreagan

“GET IRATE OVER MERCURY, MOMMIES” In December, 2003, this title to an article written by MOLLY IVINS appeared in the Des Moines Register.  I remember saving it at the time, and it is still extremely relevant.  Ms. Ivins said…“Mercury is … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Government, Calls to Action, Environment, Farming, How You Can Help, Main Page, Progressive Community | Comments Off on GET IRATE OVER MERCURY, MOMMIES