The personal/political Aries Point chain reaction has been moving right along while we’ve all been justifiably focused on the disaster in Japan, but I admit to being one of many who had difficulty finding the mental/emotional space and time to keep tabs on it all. Here are some current highlights, mainly taken from the headlines of Democracy Now! and Madison.com. – amanda
- In addition to the Yemeni commanders mentioned in the photo caption above, the mayor of the Yemeni city of Aden and Yemen’s ambassador to the United Nations have also resigned to protest the killing of 45 protesters a few days ago in that country.
- Since Friday, at least five protesters in Syria have been killed. Thousands marched on the southern city of Deraa today.
- Egyptian voters have approved a referendum on constitutional changes as they move toward Egypt’s first election since Hosni Mubarak stepped down. Among the amendments is one limiting the president to two consecutive four-year terms.
- Weekend protests in the US resulted in more than 100 antiwar activists arrested outside the White House on Saturday and 31 protesters arrested outside the gates of the Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virigina. Those in Virginia were protesting the military’s treatment of accused Army whistleblower Private Bradley Manning.
- Meanwhile in Madison, you’ve probably already heard that Judge Maryann Sumi ruled that Republican lawmakers were likely in violation of the state open meeting laws when it pushed through the legislation two weeks ago. She has issued a temporary restraining order blocking implementation of Gov. Walker’s union-busting bill. And in case you were wondering, the protests have not ended in Madison. Veterans protesting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan joined the collective-bargaining-and-budget faithful on Saturday, and today seniors and retirees were planning to protest against Gov. Scott Walker’s state budget plan that would make major cuts in the state’s SeniorCare program, carrying signs reading, “Don’t Walker on me!”