Business blog perpetuates Pinkwashing in story about the auto industry and Breast Cancer Awareness
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that means we will all be seeing more and more of the pink ribbons on products being sold.
Corporations like KFC, ConAgra, Occidental Chemical and Johnson & Johnson are all telling consumers that if they buy their products with the strategically placed pink ribbons on the box, the company will donate money to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Sounds like a good thing, right? According to Samatha King, author of the groundbreaking book Pink Ribbons Inc: Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy, most of the commercial sponsorship of breast cancer awareness is nothing more than pinkwashing.
I good example pinkwashing is an article in Michigan Loves Manufacturing, touring the ongoing commitment of GM and Chevrolet to “support the fight against cancer.” The article is essentially a PR piece listing the fabulous things that these auto companies will be doing to raise money for breast cancer awareness, such as walks, incentives for customers to bring their car to GM/Chevy service stations, test car drives and displaying a pink Chevy Camaro at various events during the month of October, which will result in money being donated to the American Cancer Society.
There are two major reasons why this is an example of pinkwashing. First, the money that will be raised by Chevrolet/GM may not even be used in finding a cure for breast cancer, let alone information about breast cancer prevention. What companies like Chevrolet/GM are doing is tapping into the branding of Breast Cancer Awareness as a way of attracting customers and having their name associated with this campaign.
The second reason, which is related to the first, is a bit more insidious, but speaks to the issue of pinkwashing more directly. GM and Chevrolet are auto companies that by their very nature are major polluting industries. Auto manufacturers contribute to pollution by their role in requiring the use of metals and plastics needed for the production of their vehicles, which results in the mining and extraction of resources that contribute tremendously to the polluting and contaminating of soil, water and humans. Auto companies pollute by manufacturing cars and trucks at their facilities all over the world and by the pollution generating from millions and millions of people driving cars and trucks on a daily basis around the global. The main culprit is the toxins that are emitted from the auto exhaust system, which have been link to cancer in humans and animals.
What researchers like Samantha King and the new film Pink Ribbons Inc. demonstrate is that the very toxins and pollutants that the auto industry (and other industries) generate, all contribute to increasing the chances that people will get cancer, particularly breast cancer. This is the most insidious aspect of pinkwashing, since some companies are not only making money by branding themselves as allies against breast cancer, but because they are major contributors to breast cancer.
The group Breast Cancer Action has some really good resources on understanding the pinkwashing phenomenon. They provide good resources on how to avoid buying into pinkwashing consumerism with a tool called Think Before You Pink. They also have really good information on various campaigns, which target specific industries, like the auto industry and a toolkit for people who want to organize around this issue in their local communities.
Brought To You By “Clean Coal:” All You Need To Know About the 2012 Obama- Romney Debates
This article by Bruce Dixon is re-posted from Black Agenda Report.
A few weeks ago, we wrote about the top 15 things that Mitt Romney and Barack Obama agree on. It was a list that easily could have been longer.
Both agree on more money for the military, more wars in more countries, more drone killings, more privatizations of schools, roads and everything else in sight, and more bailouts for banksters, and continuing the 40 year war on drugs. Both say no, though in different language to minimum wage increases and the right to organize unions and strike. Both say no to climate change treaties, or even negotiations that might lead to such treaties, and both say no to foreclosure moratoriums, WPA style job creation programs and Medicare For All. Neither one will prosecute banksters or torturers, or talk much at all about poverty, although the last time there were this many poor a Democrat called for a War on Poverty.
Given their areas of agreement alone, the presidential debates won’t be real debates. The so-called Presidential Debate Commission is a private corporation founded by leaders of the two corporate parties, who choose the format, the location, the moderators and the questions, and explicitly draw up the rules to exclude candidates and parties other than Democrats and Republicans.
Although the broadcast airwaves have existed longer than the sun, and cable networks everywhere run beneath public roads and streets, US law lets private corporations determine on their own what political messages reach the population by controlling news and demanding large sums of money for a few seconds of commercials. These large amounts of money can only be gotten from the same plutocratic shot calling individuals and corporations who make the careers of Republicans like Mitt Romney and Democrats like Barack Obama possible.
How irresponsible, how locked down, how deceitfully scripted and divorced from the real world in which most of us live are these presidential debates? Besides everything the candidates agree on, and who runs the so-called debate “commission”, all you need to know is that one of the marquee sponsors of the 2012 presidential debates, and the 2008 ones as well, is an industry front group called the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. Both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates are deep in the pocket of “clean coal,” as they are in the pockets of Big Ag, Big Insurance, military contractors, Wall Street and other centers of real power.
One answer to the lack of real discussions presented us by the rigged “commission” on presidential debates will be Occupy The Debates, a project undertaken by Occupy activists in multiple cities, in which a live meeting will entertain live questions from a live audience. Occupy the Debates’ first scheduled public meeting will be in Denver CO, the same evening as the first so-called “debate” between the two corporate candidates. Occupy the Debates will be streamed live on the internet that evening, and will include the participation of Black Agenda Report co-counder Glen Ford. Several occupy movements around the country are expected to follow suit and organize their own local events over the next few weeks. For more information on real debates on real issues, visit Occupy the Debates, either on FaceBook or at www.occupythedebates.org.
Several events planned for Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Grand Rapids
October is domestic violence awareness month and several local organizations are hosting informational events and providing opportunities for people to participate in solidarity with those that are victims of domestic violence.
The following events are put on by the GVSU Women’s Center, YWCA of Western Michigan, Safe Haven Ministries and a number of other sponsoring groups.
Candlelight Vigil
Monday, October 1, 2012 at 5:30pm
Location: YWCA of West Central Michigan (25 Sheldon Blvd, Grand Rapids)
A quiet vigil to honor women who have lost their lives to domestic violence.
Clothesline Project (Grand Rapids)
October 1-5, 2012 from 9am-5pm
Location: YWCA of West Central Michigan (25 Sheldon Blvd, Grand Rapids)
A visual display aimed at raising awareness of violence against women. The Clothesline Project is a collection of T-shirts with messages and illustrations that have been designed by women survivors of violence or by someone honoring a woman who has been killed.
Silent Witness Program
Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 12pm
Location: Grand Valley State University (Allendale), Kirkhof Center, Rm 2263
This is an annual event held at GVSU to remember women and children from Michigan who have lost their lives due to dating or domestic violence in the past year. These individuals are represented by full-sized cardboard silhouettes, each assigned with their own story. Story readers represent GVSU student organizations, faculty, staff and community members. http://gvsu.edu/women_cen/module–event–index.htm
Take Back the Night
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 from 7-9:00pm
Location: Grand Valley State University (Allendale), Kirkhof Center, Grand River Rm
Starting at 7pm Staceyann Chin, survivor, author, advocate and artist, will be the featured speaker for GVSU’s annual Take Back The Night march. Chin will offer an interactive, provoking, and challenging presentation around ending sexual assault. Survivors, activists, and all who care about their campus community are welcome to attend. The march around campus will follow her program. http://gvsu.edu/women_cen/module–event–index.htm
Spitting Game
The College Hook-Up Culture
Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at 6pm
Location: Grand Valley State University (Allendale), Kirkhof Center, Rm 2204
This provocative film gets inside the hook-up scene, and explores its gender politics, sexual health, peer pressure and self-esteem. Receiving the Best Social Awareness Documentary award at Delray Beach Film Festival, Denice Ann Evans, CEO of J’Hue Film Productions will lead a discussion following the film.
Clothesline Project (Allendale)
October 15-19, 2012 from 9am-4pm
Location: Grand Valley State University (Allendale), Kirkhof Center lobby
A visual display aimed at raising awareness of violence against women. The Clothesline Project is a collection of T-shirts with messages and illustrations that have been designed by women survivors of violence or by someone honoring a woman who has been killed.
The Clothesline Project can be viewed in the Kirkhof Center on the Allendale Campus and on the Holland Campus. There will be T-shirt making workshops in 1201 Kirkhof from 9am to 5pm October 15-19 and on the Holland Campus from 9am-8pm October 15-19. http://gvsu.edu/women_cen/module–event–index.htm
The Bro Code
How contemporary culture creates sexist men
Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 6-7:30pm
Location: Grand Valley State University (Allendale), Kirkhof Center, Rm 2270
In The Bro Code, filmmaker Thomas Keith takes aim at the forces in male culture that condition boys and men to dehumanize and disrespect women. Keith breaks down a range of contemporary media forms that are saturated with sexism — movies and music videos that glamorize misogyny; pornography that trades in the brutalization of women; comedy routines that make fun of sexual assault; and a slate of men’s magazines and cable TV shows whose sole purpose is to revel in reactionary myths of American manhood. The message he uncovers in virtually every corner of our entertainment culture is clear: It’s not only normal — but cool — for boys and men to control and humiliate women. By showing how there’s nothing natural or inevitable about this mentality, and by setting it against the terrible reality of men’s violence against women in the real world, The Bro Code challenges young people to step up and fight back against the idea that being a real man means disrespecting women. Featuring interviews with Michael Kimmel, Robert Jensen, Shira Tarrant, J.W. Wiley, Douglas Rushkoff, Eric Anderson, and Neal King. http://gvsu.edu/women_cen/module–event–index.htm
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
Monday, October 29, 2012 from 6-9pm
Location: Grand Valley State University (Allendale), Kirkhof Center, Grand River Rm
In an effort to raise awareness of rape, sexual assault and gender based violence, Grand Valley State University Inter Fraternity Counsel (IFC) is hosting Walk A Mile In Her Shoes.
This eventis an international men’s march to increase understanding about rape, sexual assault and gender violence. Founded in 2001, with the idea that men must be a part of the solution to end sexual violence, walks are held around the country each year. Specifically, men are invited to wear high heels and then actually “walk a mile in her shoes.” This event is not only for men, nor must everyone wear high heels. We invite all community members to participate in this event.
Walk A Mile In Her Shoes challenges societal and behavioral norms, encouraging us to pause and seriously consider the message. High heel shoes can symbolize the oppression that women face when they are victims of sexual violence. When men wear high heels, they can experience for a while the limits; the uncomfortable and constraining gender norms that society places on women. Organizers hope that men “step up” and challenge attitudes that lead to rape and sexual violence.
The proceeds from Walk A Mile In Her Shoes go to support GVSU’s RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) Program, which is designed to teach both self-defense and larger issues around gender socialization and sexual violence. http://gvsu.edu/women_cen/module–event–index.htm
Domestic Violence Orientation
Tuesday, November 27, 2012 OR
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 from 6-9pm
Location: Safe Haven Ministries (3501 Lake Eastbrook Blvd, Grand Rapids). This is a free seminar offered six times per year. Contact (616) 452-6664 or go to http://www.safehavenministries.org/news–events for more info and to register.
Tim Wise on Racism 2.0 and the Burden of Blackness in the Age of Obama
This audio clip from a speech by Tim Wise is re-posted from his blog.
Section from a longer 2008 speech, 10 days after the presidential election, in which I discuss how racism of a 2.0 variety — which I explain in the clip — may be in full effect despite the election of Barack Obama to the office of the presidency.
I also explore how black folks and people of color generally must meet a much higher threshold of acceptability to white voters than white candidates have had to meet, in terms of education, erudition, style and affect, and how the “archetype of acceptable blackness” may become more constricting then ever with the election of President Obama.
Listen by clicking here racism-2-0-and-the-burden-of .
Protest being planned for October 24 DNR Land Auction in Lansing
In May, we reported on a protest at a DNR land auction in Lansing, where the state of Michigan was auctioning off mineral rights to oil & gas companies. This auction is part of a larger push by oil & gas companies to explore for and extract natural gas through the method known as fracking.
In May, over 100 people showed up to protest the auctioning off of not only public land for drilling, but also the auction off of clean water, the contamination of land, the destruction of wildlife and the threat to human health.
On Wednesday, October 24 there is another DNR land auction scheduled in Lansing and plans are already underway to protest the further exploitation of Michigan by gas and oil companies.
Citizens Against Drilling on Public Land (CADPL) created a facebook event page yesterday as the first visible sign of a protest against the land auction on October 24.
The event page reads in part:
Michigan’s DNR is supposed to protect our natural resources, and by leasing our public land and state parks to oil and gas companies, they are ignoring their duty to Michigan’s citizens.
CADPL has worked hard in the past few months to organize a coalition of citizens and organizations that oppose this auction. We have generated over 1300 public comments to the DNR, 1000 petition signatures, and have been endorsed by both statewide and national organizations. Still, the DNR has decided to collude with Big Oil and Gas and once again serve as the stage on which the industry can conduct their show.
On October 24, we will be at the auction to tell the DNR to STOP THE SHOW. We do not want fracking and drilling in our public parks!
Stay tuned; more information to come.
We encourage people to be part of the resistance to fracking in Michigan, by participating in whatever level people are capable of on October 24.
The Grand Rapids group, Mutual Aid GR plans to participate in the protest and will be holding a meeting before the October 24 land auction date. For those who are in West Michigan and want to be part of planning, participating and supporting any and all actions that day, contact Mutual Aid GR online at http://www.facebook.com/MutualAidGR.
The Land Auction begins at 8:00AM on Wednesday, October 24 in the Lansing Center, located at 333 E. Michigan Ave, in Lansing.
Last night, Grand Valley State University hosted a talk by nationally known environmental author and activist Bill McKibben. McKibben is the author of numerous books, most recently Eaarth: Making Life on a Tough New Planet. The talk was done via Skype, in the Eberhard Center on the downtown campus of GVSU.
McKibben began by talking about how long he has been writing about global warming and that based on the age of the audience, his first book came out before many of them were born. His first book was The End of Nature, which was first published in 1989.
The author/activist then talked about the seriousness of the crisis by talking about what is happening now in the Arctic Circle and the drastic changes to that ecosystem. However, McKibben take the opportunity to talk about the proposed drilling by oil companies in that part of the world or the resistance by groups like Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd.
Another major change for those of us in the US is that the climate is actually much wetter than before, which means that more water evaporates to create drought conditions and when it does rain it tends to be more intense than what we have traditionally known.
McKibben said that the urgency of the climate crisis is not just the assessment of environmentalists, even insurance agencies are acknowledging major changes in the climate that must be due to global warming.
In Michigan, McKibben noted that the early frost destroyed a great deal of the fruit grown in the state. Other states out west were engulfed by wildfires and yet other states have been confronted by high winds, which compounded the drought conditions. One result of this years’ climate has been a 65% increase in the price of basic grains, which for many around the world is devastating.
“The scientific community is now telling us that if we do not end our use of fossil fuels like coal, oil ad natural gas there is no way to avoid a catastrophe for life on this planet.”
McKibben then talked about the creation of the group 350.org, which in many ways was based on the research of NASA scientist James Hansen. 350 comes from the idea that “to preserve our planet, scientists tell us we must reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere from its current level of 392 parts per million (“ppm”)to below 350 ppm. But 350 is more than a number—it’s a symbol of where we need to head as a planet.”
The group, which was made up mostly of college students, also made it a goal for their effort to be a global campaign. McKibben talked about the first major action, which consisted of nothing more than groups all around the world making statements or images reflecting the message of 350.org. Grand Rapids participated in this symbolic action in 2009.
The educational efforts, according to McKibben, were not enough however, “so we knew that we needed to up the ante and take more action.” 350.org organized a massive action of civil disobedience last fall in front of the White House to pressure the US government to not support the Keystone XL Pipeline, what are known as the Tar Sands.
McKibben said that they result was that the Obama administration said they would not make a decision until after the election. The people at 350.org took it as a victory, but they recognize that they don’t know how this will “play out.”
The next major effort they plan to engage in is a 20 – day tour across the country, beginning the day after the election, called the Do the Math Tour. The goal of this tour is to educate people about the power that the fossil fuel industry has. The want to take on the industry and expose them for the amount of influence they have had on the energy policy of this country.
McKibben said that this tour will target universities and colleges, since he believes that young people will be the leaders of this movement for climate justice.
He ended his talk by saying that despite all the efforts of recycling, biking, LEED certified buildings, etc, all of which is good, it’s not enough to avoid catastrophe. We need to make structural change and that means to dismantle the fossil fuel industry. He referred to his Rolling Stone article and the harsh data it contained, which stated that the crisis is even greater than what was believed in previous years in terms of how serious global warming truly is.
There was a brief Question and Answer period, but what was worth noting to this writer was McKibben’s support for energy efficiency in the form of newer cars coming out of Detroit. It doesn’t seem that continued support of the auto industry will seriously challenge the fossil fuel industry’s power, but McKibben also acknowledged that there is no “silver bullet” or easy answer to surviving the climate crisis.
After McKibben signed off there were some brief presentations from local environmental groups, a GVSU student group, Ban Fracking Michigan and Mutual Aid GR.
Eight Blockaders Start Indefinite Tree Sit to Stop Keystone XL Pipeline Construction
This article is re-posted from EcoWatch.
This morning eight people climbed 80 feet into trees in the path of Keystone XL construction, and pledged not to come down until the pipeline is stopped for good. Construction cannot proceed until tree-sitters descend as TransCanada clear-cuts through hundreds of trees to make way for the toxic tar sands pipeline.
The blockade is carefully organized to ensure that everyone sitting in the trees can remain safe as long as TransCanada does not attempt to continue clear-cutting the trees. These ardent advocates of landowner’s rights and climate justice have the safety equipment and food supplies to last indefinitely.
“Today I climbed a tree in the path of Keystone XL to demand TransCanada stop construction of this dirty and dangerous pipeline. This pipeline is a disaster for everyone it touches, from the cancer tar sands extraction is causing indigenous communities to the water poisoned by inevitable tar sands spills to the landowners whose land has been seized and to everyone that will be affected by climate change,” said Mary Washington, one of the Tar Sands Blockade members sitting in a tree.
It’s not easy to see our friends disappear up a tree, exposed to the elements and not know when we will see them again. But knowing what this pipeline is doing to our neighbors and the planet, we are more resolved than ever to keep fighting this pipeline by whatever means we can.
This blockade is a continuation of an unprecedented summer of actions against fossil fuel infrastructure across America, from Montana to Ohio to New York. As a record heat wave baked the country, Americans stood up in unheard of numbers to oppose fossil fuels that are contributing to climate change.
Climate change killed half a billion trees in Texas last year, and if TransCanada cuts these down, than the dirty oil they send down the pipeline will trigger yet more out-of-control warming,” said climate activist Bill McKibben, who helped lead huge protests in Washington, DC against the pipeline last fall.
Tar Sands Blockade has already successfully shut down Keystone XL construction for about two-and-a-half days in Livingston, Saltillo and Winnsboro.
“Today’s bold action by these eight brave people demonstrates their resolve to stop this dirty and dangerous pipeline. They understand the severity of the threat and that taking action is less risky than doing nothing,” said Ron Seifert, a spokesperson with Tar Sands Blockade. “We are defending our homes, our communities clean drinking water, our land rights and a stable, livable climate.”
MLive article provides a platform for Emergency Financial Management Law supporters
Earlier today, MLive posted an article with the headline, “Gov. Snyder’s emergency manager law can change public-spending culture, Grand Rapids-area leaders say.”
The headline doesn’t make it clear how the states Emergency Financial Manager EFM) law will change public-spending culture, whether that is a benefit to communities or a detriment.
However, it is clear from the MLive article that it would be a benefit, at least that is the perspective provided. The reporter only provides to direct sources in the article, someone with the Grand Valley Metro Council (Michael DeVries) and the Mayor of Grand Rapids, George Heartwell.
Both Heartwell and DeVries endorse the Emergency Financial Manager law, because they believe it makes municipalities fiscally responsible. Heartwell is quoted as saying:
Where cities are not succeeding because they’ve been poorly managed or they’ve made commitments in previous generations of political leadership that they can’t hope to meet today, it may be that the financial manager is the only way that they can survive as a city. I look at the cities that are under financial management and I do not believe that any of those cities could have survived without the strong arm of a financial manager.
What Heartwell fails to acknowledge in his comments and what the MLive story fails to communicate is that the EMF law is not just about fiscal responsibility. Gov. Snyder made it clear what this law would do when he visited Grand Rapids in March of 2011 to announce the then proposed law. Snyder said the EMF law would reward municipalities that had “best practices” in three areas – accountability, service consolidation and employee compensation. Translated this means that municipalities that are willing to privatize services, consolidate with area governments and eliminate pensions and benefits from city employees would get funds from the state.
This is exactly what Grand Rapids has been doing in recent years as a response to poor financial management from the state. Grand Rapids has privatized some services, is constantly looking for ways to consolidate services with other area municipalities and has downsized its responsibility to city employees and retirees, by slashing health benefits and pensions.
The MLive article at the very end does acknowledge that there is significant opposition to the EMF law and that according to a recent poll most Michigan voters don’t like it.
Unfortunately, none of the Michigan voters who oppose the EMF law are sought out by MLive to provide a comment about why the law is bad for Michigan and bad for local municipalities. There has been plenty of resistance to this issue across the state, which is exactly why it is on the November ballot as Proposal 1. The fact that MLive did not use or seek out a perspective critical of the Emergency Financial Management law is revealing and demonstrates a clear bias.
15 Issues This Election is Not About
This article by Bill Quigley is re-posted from CounterPunch.
Neither candidate is interested in stopping the use of the death penalty for federal or state crimes.
Neither candidate is interested in eliminating or reducing the 5,113 US nuclear warheads.
Neither candidate is campaigning to close Guantanamo prison.
Neither candidate has called for arresting and prosecuting high ranking people on Wall Street for the subprime mortgage catastrophe.
Neither candidate is interested in holding anyone in the Bush administration accountable for the torture committed by US personnel against prisoners in Guantanamo or in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Neither candidate is interested in stopping the use of drones to assassinate people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen or Somalia.
Neither candidate is against warrantless surveillance, indefinite detention, or racial profiling in fighting “terrorism.”
Neither candidate is interested in fighting for a living wage. In fact neither are really committed beyond lip service to raising the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour – which, if it kept pace with inflation since the 1960s should be about $10 an hour.
Neither candidate was interested in arresting Osama bin Laden and having him tried in court.
Neither candidate will declare they refuse to bomb Iran.
Neither candidate is refusing to take huge campaign contributions from people and organizations.
Neither candidate proposes any significant specific steps to reverse global warming.
Neither candidate is talking about the over 2 million people in jails and prisons in the US.
Neither candidate proposes to create public jobs so everyone who wants to work can.
Neither candidate opposes the nuclear power industry. In fact both support expansion.
Skill-share, “Canning Applesauce & Brewing Herbal Teas for the Cold Season” this Saturday
Our Kitchen Table hosts the last in its 2012 series, Preserving the Harvest, with a skill share on Canning Applesauce & Brewing Herbal Teas for the Cold Season. Co-sponsored byThe Bloom Collective, the event takes place upstairs from The Bloom space in the kitchen of Steepletown Center, 671 Davis NW (corner of 5th) this Saturday, Sept. 29 from 2 – 4 p.m.
Facilitated by Jeff Smith, from The Bloom Collective, and Stelle, from The Bloom and OKT, the skill-share is free and open to everyone. OKT will provide fruit and jars.
OKT initiated the Preserving the Harvest series not as a way to jump on board the current “canning bandwagon,” but as part of its efforts to build an alternative food system within Grand Rapids’ neighborhoods. Canning your own food is easy and cheaper – you end up with a superior product when it comes to nutrition and flavor.
In addition, canning your own locally grown food takes you a step away from the industrial food system, a food system that is environmentally unsustainable, nutritionally bankrupt and profits by underpaying farmers and farm workers.
Are you one of the millions of Americans without health insurance? Brewing your own cold season remedies can provide you a gentle, inexpensive alternative to often dangerous prescription and over the counter remedies. We will look at simple teas that help relieve symptoms of sinus congestion, sore throat, cough and tummy troubles. If you have your own remedies, please bring them along to share.
Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy 