Democracy Now! October 7, 2002

Program Title:
Democracy Now! October 7, 2002
Series Title:
PRA Archive #: 
PZ0517.05
Description: 

Lula Takes Big Lead in Brazil: Leftist candidate from the Workers Party narrowly misses 50 percent vote forcing presidential run-off; Not In Our Name: More than 20,000 gather in New York s Central Park. We hear from Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), director Mira Nair, actor Tim Robbins, hip-hop poet Saul Williams and Afghan-American Shokriea Yaghi, whose husband was secretly deported in June; Fannie Lou Hamer: A memorial broadcast to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the civil rights leader's birth

9:00-9:01 Billboard 9:01-9:06 Headlines 9:06-9:07 One Minute Music Break 9:07-9:08: Leftist former trade unionist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva dominated Brazil's presidential elections, but failed to get an absolute majority. He is now headed for a face-off with the government's candidate. Lula garnered 47 percent of the vote in Sunday's election, three points short of an outright victory in the first round. The onetime metal worker will battle it out with Jose Serra, 60, of the ruling Brazilian Social Democratic Party on October 27. Serra had 24 percent of the vote. Lula was born 56 years ago in a hut in the impoverished north-eastern state of Pernambuco. He trained as a lathe operator, a trade that cost him a finger, and found work in Sao Paolo. In 1964 a military junta overthrew the elected government and began a brutal reign of terror that outlawed unions and branded them communist fronts . Despite the dangers, Lula, then in his twenties, led metal workers in a strike against Volkswagen of Brazil. Lula spent time in prison for his trade union activism but the movement s support swelled. Strikes and protests put constant pressure on the dictatorship and contributed to its ultimate collapse in 1985. Lula went on to lead the Workers Party in serious challenges for the presidency in 1988, 1994, and 1998, each time losing by small margins to opposition coalitions. He was the voice of the poor and down-trodden masses in these struggles, but this time around he is playing the game. His running mate is a right-wing textile magnate and he has moderated his criticism of the United States and the IMF. Guest: Esther Hamburger, reporter with The Folha de Sao Paulo which is one of the largest newspapers in Brazil. She is also a professor in the school of communications at the University of Sao Paulo 9:15-9:45: Tens of thousands protested against war in the United States this weekend. In New York over 20,000 converged in Central Park in the largest U.S. anti-war rally this year. Thousands also gathered in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon and many smaller cities. In Italy up to 1.5 million took to the streets this weekend as most large cities hosted anti-war demonstrations In Belgium 1100 anti-war activists were arrested outside an air force base where U.S. nuclear bombs are allegedly stockpiled. Protesters tried to enter the base and occupy it to demand the removal of the bombs In Australia on Saturday, about 300 people rallied outside Pine Gap, a joint U.S.-Australian military intelligence base in the Outback to protest possible military strikes on Iraq. Established in 1968, Pine Gap is an intelligence and satellite relay station run jointly by the United States and Australia. It would likely relay intelligence for any U.S.-led military strike on Iraq. Tape: Saul Williams, hip-hop poet who wrote Not In Our Name and September 11 Tape: Congressmember Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), a leading Congressional critic of a U.S. invasion of Iraq. She was defeated in the Georgian Democratic primary in September largely because Republicans are allowed to cast votes in Democratic primaries in Georgia. 9:20-9:21 One-Minute Music Break Tape: Shokriea Yaghi, her husband, Ali, was one of 1200 Muslim men who were detained by the U.S. government after Sept. 11. After nine months in detention, Ali, a father of three, was secretly deported back to Jordan. His family and lawyer were given no notice. He had lived in the United States for 17 years. Tape: Mira Nair, acclaimed Indian film director responsible for such films as Salaam Bombay! and Mississippi Masala Tape: Tim Robbins, actor, film director and social activist, best known for directing Dead Man Walking and his performance in Bob Roberts. 9:21-9:40 PROTEST CONT D 9:40-9:41 One-Minute Music Break 9:41-9:45 PROTEST CONT D 9:45-9:48 DEMOCRACY NOW LISTENERS SHARE THEIR COMMENTS ON THE WAR For the past few days, listeners have called into our war and peace message machine to share their thoughts during this time of militarism and to tell us what they're doing about it. What do you think? Call us at 212-209-2999. 9:48-9:58: The daughter of Mississippi sharecroppers in Montgomery County, Fannie Lou Hamer was born 85 years ago yesterday on October 6, 1917. Hamer became involved in the civil rights movement when she volunteered to attempt to register to vote in 1962. By then 45 years old and a mother, Hamer lost her job and continually risked her life because of her civil rights activism. Despite this and a brutal beating, Hamer helped organize the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, to challenge white domination of the Mississippi Democratic Party. In 1964, the party challenged the all-white Mississippi delegation at the Democratic Convention with Hamer leading the challenge. Her voice, along with others, led to an integrated Mississippi delegation in 1968. She is buried in her hometown of Ruleville, Mississippi, where her tombstone reads, "I am sick and tired of being sick and tired." Tape: Fannie Lou Hamer

Date Recorded on: 
October 7, 2002
Date Broadcast on: 
October 7, 2002
Item duration: 
59 min.
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Distributor: 
WBAI; Amy Goodman, host., October 7, 2002
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