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JTM Launches New Online Voter Registration Form
JTM now has a new online voter registration form that you can fill
in right from your computer. It tells you exactly where to send the form to
ensure that you are properly registered. Please feel free to put
this linkable voter registration button on your site to help us register a
record number of voters this election. We will be partnering with several
youth voter organizations this election that will be using this form and we
will add those names here as they join with us.
Obama To Launch Vote For Change
This Saturday, May 10th, Barack Obama is lanching Vote For Change, a 50-state voter registration and mobilization drive. Events are planned in every state across the country with the aim of registering millions of new voters as a strong statement to the old guard of 'Politics As Usual'.
Voters under 30 are projected to have a great impact on this year's election. They are turning out on college campuses across the country, and voting in state primaries. This is encouraging news according to behavior researchers, who say that once people cast their first vote, they tend to keep voting. This suggests that the Millennial Generation will probably be a force in politics for many years to come.
Barack Obama and Ron Paul are fueling much of the interest of young voters this primary season, but some are saying they may stay home if their candidate doesn't win the nomination.
Eisley and Myriad, two great bands came to town and rocked with JTMP, urging everyone to register and vote! We sat down with Eisley and Myriad and they spoke about the importance of young people getting out and getting involved. They will be featured in our new JTMP Voting Promo we will have up on our JTMP YouTube page, and our "Rock Your Rights III" DVD we will release in the fall. You can see all our videos at WWW.YouTube.com/JTMPAdmin.
If you haven't yet, JTMP urges you to check out these great bands, and follow their advice...register and VOTE!!
Roger Waters' Obama Endoresment
At a performance in Indio CA, Roger Waters finished the show by releasing a giant pig balloon into the night sky. Spray painted on one side of the balloon was the slogan Don't Be Led To The Slaughter and on the other, Fear Builds Walls. On the underside of the pig was the name Obama next to a checked box.
MSNBC reports that the last 7 states to hold primaries have registered over 1 million new Democratic voters, while Republican numbers stagnated or decreased.
There is no one reason for the surge in Democratic voter registrations; they range from the rising cost of healthcare to concerns over the economy and job availability to general disgust with the Bush Administration.
Situation In Darfur Worse Than Originally Reported
CNN reports that the death toll since 2006 in Darfur may have been underestimated by as much as 50%. International data had indicated that 200,000 people had died in the previous 15 months, but new estimates put the figure at 300,000 for that time period.
Lawlessnes in the region is rampant: Reports show sexual violence on the rise, and the World Food Programme has announced it will have to cut back aid to refugees in May due to attacks on food convoys.
A recent article in the Washington Post predicts that young voters (ages 18-29) will have a great impact on the coming election. According to a Harvard University study, the number of young voters has not only increased but multiplied in many states, including several battleground states- findings which were borne out in polls conducted by CBS News and MTV.
Further analysis of the poll numbers indicates that these young voters favor Barack Obama in the primary and the Democrats in the general election. By far the most important issue is the economy and future job prospects.
Want to watch all of our great videos? Then head on over to YouTube and check out all the great video footage we have collected over the years. We have bands speaking out on issues, as well as some performance videos. Check back regularly, because we will be adding a new video each week about specific issues and topics.
On Sunday April 20th, JTMP will be covering one of the largest of these events: A day-long free concert on the National Mall in Washington DC. Among the performers and celebrities appearing will be Jordin Sparks, O.A.R. Gov't Mule, Edward Norton, Chevy Chase and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
In the midst of the flap over Barack Obama's much publicized remarks in Pennsylvania last week, an icon of the mainstream American working class has come out in his support.
On his website this week, Bruce Springsteen has published a statement endorsing Barck Obama for President of the United States.
Al Gore Launches WE Campaign to Protect the Environment.
Former Vice President and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore has launched a new campaign to protect the environment: We Can Solve It. The WE Capaign's ultimate goal is to halt globabl warming by educating people in the US and around the world to the dangers and urgency of global climate change.
As the 2008 election draws near, more and more young people (18-29) are registering and voting in the primaries. In recent elections, this demographic has been voting in greater and greater numbers, and the trend is continuing in this election cycle.The voice of the Millennial Generation is growing louder.
The word is also getting out to even younger voters. States such as Indiana allow voters who will be 18 in time for the general election to register and vote in the primaries. Nationally, anyone who will be 18 by Novemeber 4th, and wishes to vote can register at 17. If you wish to register online, you can do so by clicking the link at the top of this page.
Sudanese government troops have launched a new wave of genocidal attacks against the Black African population of Darfur in recent weeks, despite the presence of UN Peacekeepers.
Looting, burning, raping and mass-murder are all par for the course as violence resumed with renwed ferocity in defiance of the world. Unfortunately Western leaders have been slow to take any consequential action as Sudanese government troops now openly do their own dirty work rather than use Janjaweed militias as their proxies.
Concern Among Young Voters Spurs Increased Turnout
The declining economy, the healthcare crisis, education costs, global warming and rising oil prices are all issues of concern to young (18-29) voters, and they are turning out in ever increasing numbers.
The results of a Time magazine poll indicate that these young voters tend to skew Democratic- Particularly favoring the Obama campaign.
Of 9.5 million Americans who cast votes in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island 23% were between the ages of 18 and 24. Since 2000, young voters have been turning out in ever increasing numbers, and are having a greater and greater imapct on issues and candidates.
"Campaigners must set aside normative wishes about kids voting and be realistic about the likelihood of that happening. Regrettably, youth vote boosters like Heather induce too many candidates and campaigns to place too much emphasis and hope on that unreliable slice of the electorate. If Barack Obama wants to build his entire campaign on exciting the youth vote, then as a Republican I hope he does exactly that, because it will lead to his defeat. The hard numbers don’t lie."
"but the more compelling number may be that 58.1 percent of the entire 18- to 24-year-old cohort didn’t vote. That doubles non-voting among 65- to 74-year-olds, only 29.2 percent of whom didn’t vote."
-David Hill, Reporter for The Hill, and Republican Pollster
Two websites, Voter Virgin and Votergasm, are working at the grassroots level to stimulate youth interest in the political process and register young voters. Voter Virgin began in 2004, while Votergasm is new this election cycle.
Both sites provide 'how to' sections on voter registration and contqacting elected officials, plus news, blogs, event calendars, and -of course- online shops.
Did you know.....that JTMP features an "Artist of the Month" on our MySpace site?
We keep an ear out for Artists and Bands that have a great social message in their music, and then we let you know about them with our "Artist of the Month" feature on our MySpace site. We select a new Artist or Band every month, and many times have one of their songs in our player so you can check them out. If you like what you hear, we provide you with a link to their MySpace site so you can check them out further and make them your "Friend".
So, head on over to MySpace, make us your "Friend" if you haven't already,
and check out our latest "JTMP Artist of the Month"!
Al Gore Wants You To Help Save Planet Earth
New JTM Music Video Brings Attention To The Genocide in Darfur
Justice Through Music just released a new music video called Black Specter,
The Killing Of Darfur to inspire people to take action to stop the genocide in
Darfur. Check it out on YouTube and spread it far and wide at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynkIQFQUj4U
We have been talking a lot this year about Darfur to urge the Bush
Administration to show some leadership and initiate a no-fly zone in
the area to stop the militias from killing the innocent black Africans.
This new video includes never before published photos taken
by Brian Steidle, a military observer in Darfur who was so frustrated with the
lack of action that he brought the photos back to the US and took them to the
New York Times. This led to a full feature documentary movie called
The Devil Came on
Horseback that opened to wide acclaim this fall. Brian kindly made all of
his photos available to Justice Through Music for this video. Other footage
was donated by the Save Darfur coalition, www.savedarfur.org.
New Music Video On The 2004 Election In Ohio And The
Resulting Death Of Our Soldiers
Justice Through Music released a new music video tying the manipulation of the Ohio 2004
presidential election to the death of thousands of soldiers in Iraq. It is
called “More Dead Cause of Ohio,” and it is a re-make of Neil Young’s
anti-war song, “Ohio,” now with new lyrics and lots of contoversial footage from
Arlington National Cemetery, including the digging of new graves.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VSdvsJKzmN0
Regarding the election footage, JTM worked closely with David Earnhardt,
the producer of “Uncounted,” a powerful movie about the manipulation of the
Ohio election, which was released to rave reviews and a sold out premier.
You can see the trailer and buy the film at
www.uncountedthemovie.com.
Please spread this video all over and embed it on your site. This is all
you need to know about why it is important to protect our votes. If we
do, we also protect our men and women in uniform.
Happy Springtime Covered in Washington Post
Al Gore Wins The Nobel Peace Prize For His Focus On Protecting Mankind
On October 12, 2007, Al Gore was given the Nobel Peace Prize for his
groundbreaking work on saving the environment and all of mankind. We
have been big fans Al’s especially since he launched his Live Earth
Concert series to use bands and music to promote a green environment.
The Peace Prize is a fitting tribute to a man who won the popular vote in
2000 and is in stark contrast to his opponent in that election whose name
is synonymous with war. Congratulations Al from all of us who work day and
night for peace, progress, understanding and enlightenment.
THE YOUTH VOTE
COUNTS SO CANDIDATES BETTER LISTEN UP
Justice Through Music has been mobilizing young people to
vote for the past three elections and we are proud to say that each year more
and more of you paid attention to the issues and made your voices known at the
ballot box. Well, it is finally getting the attention of the think tanks
that JTM youth make a difference and politicians better listen to us and
address our needs or we will elect someone who will. Last week, the
Century Foundation issued a report called
Youth Vote 2008
which found that almost 75% of eligible young voters are registered and that most of
those plan to vote. We expect that 2008 will have a record youth vote turnout and we want
politicians to reflect on what JTM youth want so we are going to spell it out
by revisiting and updating our list of issues from a few elections ago.
stop cuts in education spending;
stop telling women what to do with their bodies;
stop snooping on law abiding people;
stop prosecuting people based on race or religion;
stop wars based on lies, oil or pre-emption;
stop government sponsored torture;
stop calls for the draft;
stop mandatory minimum drug laws;
stop the criminalization of marijuana;
stop denying money for AIDS prevention;
stop censoring sex education;
stop denying universal medical care;
stop the Patriot Act;
stop denying global warming;
stop the genocide in Darfur
stop pandering to the military industrial complex;
stop censoring the truth;
stop government propaganda;
stop detaining people without due process;
stop denying marriage based on gender;
stop denying rehabilitation in prisons;
stop denying student aid to people who try drugs;
stop cheating in elections;
stop No Child Left Behind testing;
stop building prisons;
stop ignoring the environment;
stop drug testing in schools;
stop the death penalty;
stop prohibitions against medical marijuana;
stop politics based on religion;
stop protecting corrupt and unethical politicians.
JTM WANTS YOU TO HELP STOP THE GENOCIDE IN DARFUR
We are starting work on a new music video called Black
Specter, about the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. However, because it takes
months to complete such a video, we wanted to urge all of you not to wait
but to get involved to stop that monstrous affront to mankind. Here are the
stats: 450,000 are
dead, 3 million are displaced, and 3.5 million depend on food aid.
Since 2003, Sudan’s Arab government and its Janjaweed militias have been
destroying villages and displacing, raping, torturing, and killing Darfur’s
black African citizens. So what can you do? Well, we have started working
with several groups that have been on this issue for some time and they have
action kits, a movie and letter writing campaign. First is Global
Grassroots a non profit that works to advance the wellbeing of women in poor countries. It
was founded by Gretchen Wallace, the sister of Brian Steidle, a former military
observer in Darfur who took thousands of pictures that formed the basis for the
critically acclaimed movie, The
Devil Came on Horseback.
Second is Three Generations,
an organization dedicated to exposing genocide and educating people and
governments about genocide. Third is Save Darfur.
Here is what they suggest: Speak Out by calling
your Congress Member to demand 1) a strong UN Peacekeeping force, 2) establishment
of a no-fly zone, 3) generous humanitarian aide, 4) divestment from Sudan, 5) military
sanctions and 6) International Criminal Court prosecutions. Also, see the
film, contact the press to demand more coverage and make some noise. We are in
the process of getting footage and photos for the video and it will be released
first here as soon as it’s done.
Justice Through Music and Op-Critical Team Up Again To Oppose Torture And Extreme Rendition
We have teamed up with Op-Critical in a new music video called Exile to
bring attention to the barbaric use of torture and extreme rendition by our
government. One of the members of Op-Critical was actually subjected torture
in this video in order to portray the reality of the situation. It is a shame
that this type of conduct is being done in the name of the United States.
Check it out here and spread the word far and wide.
Justice Through Music has been a big part of the Internet,
and the popular MySpace site is no exception. We have been networking
with hundreds of bands and music fans promoting voting rights and
civil justice.
Every month we feature an "Artist of the Month" for using
music as a tool for positive social change. These artists or bands
are not afraid to speak out with good music.
We urge all of our supporters to check out our MySpace site, and
become part of the JTMP MySpace friends network. Also, check out our
current "Artist of the Month!"
Click on the logo below to go to our MySpace site!
JUSTICE THROUGH MUSIC AND OP-CRITICAL RELEASE HAPPY
SPRINGTIME, BUSH IS OVER
Thirty some years ago, John Lennon released Happy Xmas, War
Is Over as a prelude to the end of the Vietnam War. Now JTM and
Op-Critical have released a remake of the song with new lyrics, called
Happy Springtime, Bush Is Over. In the original, the Harlem Children’s
Choir sang the hook, and in our new version, the Harmonic Angels do a
terrific job on the chorus and the hook. Here is the video of the band
and the choir, complete with footage of Yoko Ono’s giant Imagine Peace
billboard and her Peace Prayer Trees that she put in Washington in early
April.
Enjoy, spread the message, spread the links and imagine peace.
by: John Lennon
by: The Beatles
by: Violent Femmes
by: Eminem
by: Bright Eyes
by: The Legendary K.O.
by: Perfect Circle Note: QuickTime
Word by: Adam Kontras, Music from Kanye West
by Jackson Browne Animation by Andrew Thomas
by James Blunt
by Adam Kontras
by tomsongs.org
Song by Jesse Dyen Video by Chun Pan
by WhiteNoise
by WhiteNoise
by public service announcement
by Ralph Buckley
by JoChris
by Anti Flag
by Conrad
by Tamaras
by Twinemen
Video by Lisa Seidenberg, jumpcut03@yahoo.com Music by Suzanne Sheridan
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