The Ruckus - October 27, 2010
In this edition of The Ruckus, Quotidian Dissent’s round-up of interesting and exciting protests around the world, we bring you street riots, frogs legs, and protest votes.
- In Ecuador, anti-government protests over planned wage cuts spiralled out of control, resulting in five deaths. The protesters attacked President Rafael Correa and kept him holed up in a hospital, in what he called an attempted Coup. In France, weeks of strikes, protests, and occasional street violence against austerity measures (like raising the retirement age from 60 to 62) are losing steam, while marches against austerity measures in Romania are just heating up.
- The voting booths in Nevada are home to a unique form of protest. The ballot includes the option to vote for “None of These Candidates,” giving voters an option to officially register their disaffection with the listed candidate. Beyond mere symbolism, the ballot quirk may play into the re-election strategy of embattled Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
- In a case that blurs the line between protesting and stalking, a crazed anti-gay activist (who happens to be an Assistant Attorney General in Michigan) ran a multi-faceted one-man campaign against the University of Michigan’s student body president, who happens to be gay.
- Responding to the international outcry and sharp diplomatic rebukes, Iran dropped the stoning death sentence against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a woman convicted of adultery. State officials said she could still be sentenced for the alleged murder of her husband.
- A group of eighth graders outside the District of Columbia gathered outside the Rio Grande Cafe restaurant in defense of frogs. The chain, which serves up frog legs, is helping the United States approach France and Belgium as the top eaters of the amphibians. The kids are part of an amphibian conservation group called Save The Frogs.
Stay tuned Quotidian Dissent’s coverage of the Stewart/Colbert rallies, the story of a 12-year protester, and watch for our article this week in the Christian Science Monitor!
