Links to Justice

And other places of interest

About Tom Joad and the The Grapes of Wrath:

 A good summary of the book can be found here, but I do suggest reading it for yourself.   Pick it up at an independent bookstore.  You might also read the lyrics to the Ballad of Tom Joad, by Woody Guthrie.  Woody Guthrie wrote the song the night he saw the film.  In a newspaper column he wrote:

"Shows the dam bankers men that broke us and the dust that choked us, and comes right out in plain old English and says what to do about it.

"It says you got to get together and have some meeting, and stick together, and raise old billy hell till you get youre job, and get your farm back, and your house and your chickens and your groceries and your clothes, and your money back" (reprinted in Woody Sez [New York, 1975], p. 133).

There is also Bruce Springsteen's more recent ballad, The Ghost of Tom Joad.

 You may also wish to check out the folks who carry on the struggle for justice in the fields where our food is grown, by visiting the United Farm Workers. 

Organizations for justice:

 This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the good people-oriented organizations on the planet, or even the San Francisco Bay Area, but they come highly recommended.  Listing here does not imply full endorsement of all positions these groups take. 

  If you want to see just about every progressive organization in the Bay Area, you can go to Ken's Bay Area Progressive Directory.  And check out Ken's calendar of progressive events . 

  The Northern California Support Group of the International Solidarity Movement, a Bay Area group that supports the work of the Palestinian-led International Solidarity Movement, based in Palestine.  This group does non-violent direct action in resistance to the military occupation of Palestine. 

   Friends of Deir Ibzi'a, a Bay Area group that works to support a village near Ramallah in the West Bank.  It raises funds for scholarships of local University students and awareness of the village's plight under occupation.  

  Middle East Children's Alliance, working for peace and justice in the Middle East; focusing on Palestine, Israel, Lebanon and Iraq. Programs emphasize the need to educate North Americans about the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy, and to support projects that aid and empower communities.  

  Jewish Voice for Peace, through grassroots organizing, education and advocacy, Jewish Voice for Peace works to achieve a lasting peace that recognizes the aspirations of both the Israelis and Palestinians for security and self-determination. 

   Global Exchange, is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting environmental, political and social justice. Promotes fair trade and a humane foreign policy. 

Information Sources:

   ZNet, from the people who publish Z magazine, is rich in resources for discussion of the sorry state of the world and what can be done about it.  Writers like Noam Chomsky, Arundhati Roy, Molly Ivins, Mike Davis, Robert Fisk, are just some of the folks you are likely to encounter here.  It's free, but worth much more. 

   IMEMC is a good resource for timely updates from the ground in Palestine.  You read here what you will not find in the U.S. media. Another excellent source for news from Palestine is Rafah Today. Rafah, Gaza is undergoing the worst treatment under a very brutal, inhuman occupation.  Get the story straight outta' Palestine.