dear human rights watch...

"As a longtime human rights activist on Latin American issues I am concerned about the report by Jose Miguel Vivanco on Venezuela. In order to preserve the dignity of HRW, these accusations of bias and innacurate reporting need to be properly addressed."

fabulous websites: upside down world - "uncovering latin american activism"
Znet - absolutely awesome
znet has a two week course (some taught by noam chomsky!!) over the summer on alternative media and participatory democracy. i have been very politicaly influenced by many of these people and it would be one of the coolest things ever to take this course.
1. need to be employed before the deadline in a week
2. would need to be assured i could take the time off

i can't see the display of this blog anymore. my computer sucks ass and i deleted java and other programs in an effort to keep the computer running for longer. however, now i can't use a lot of programs. hmmm. i tried to re-dowload java which didn't work. did i break it? i need a new computer...

my other letter to the international labor rights forum.. since i occupy myself these days with reading immensly, then I offer my wonderful opinions to the open market. I also like to exagerate my credentials. Its interesting to think that even though I attended college, I am a self made "expert". most of what i learn i do on my own. Yet having gone to college is the only way I get some credibility with my self made knowledge. there is something seriously wrong with that picture.


Hello,
I read the educators packet on flower workers in Colombia. I study paramilitary violence against mine workers and various other trade unions in Colombia, as well as gendered studies. I found the report very informative but I suggest updating the portion on sexual violence.
1. connect sexual violence to the big picture of exploitation and globalization. The power structures involved in these exploitative jobs are at the root of sexual violence.
2 The issues of accountability and prosecution are only secondary problems considering 50% of the female floral workers experience sexual violence. even if the workers did not have work late at night or had better hours the problem would not go away.
2. The problem is not cultural attitudes in Ecuador. Please remember that immigrants in the U.S face similar proportions of sexual harassment and violence; as well as other groups working in exploitative working conditions around the world.