Tag: civil rights

MAR 28, 2014 - Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina of Pussy Riot have really been in the news a lot recently, I even heard Mika Brezhinski on Morning Joe say "Pussy Riot" the other day! The two activist-musicians have formed a NGO called Zona Prava "Law Zone" (Use Google Chrome to translate Russian),  a campaign to work for prisoner's rights and justice. Read about the NGO Zona Prava on Hollywood Reporter. Also, Pussy Riot will attend the Women In The World summit April 3-5, 2014 in New York. Read more about Nadezhda and Maria attending the WITW Summit on The Daily Beast.

MAR 23, 20134 - We all know that life for a struggling musician is hard when it comes to paying bills (and getting paid for a gig!!), and for decades it has been virtually impossible for them to afford health insurance. The Affordable Care Act is addressing that issue but JTMP has found that it is being hampered not by "Obamacare", but by Republican state lawmakers who, because of a US Supreme Court ruling, do not have to take the money...so they don't. Kathleen Sebilius of the Health and Human Services said in a statement, "Texas taxpayers are losing roughly $18 million a day while the state turns down federal dollars to expand Medicaid." They could take the Federal funds, and then struggling musicians like Christian from The Hates (pictured right) in Texas would be able to apply for Medicaid and get health insurance, but no. It is more important for the Republican lawmakers to take a stance against "Obamacare" than to help their constituents. Unbelievable. Read about the struggle of Texas musician Christian Arnheiter aka "Christian of The Hates" not only fighting disease and our decrepit SICK care system but also battling their elected representatives that are supposed to help them on the HoustonPress.com website.  (photo credit: The Hate)

MAR 14, 2014 - Musical-activist Jared Leto gave a shout out to the people of Ukraine, Venezuela and elsewhere around the world fighting for their freedom and what he calls "the privilege of owning yourself" in his Oscar speech, and Wednesday night he and his band played a concert in Kiev and it became quite a show with not only great music, but he also connected with the Ukrainian people and their struggle leading them with a "Glory to Ukraine" chant.  He even brought some Ukrainian citizens on stage and asking them their name, what town they are from, and really making this struggle personal and even hugging one fan at one point and the crowd cheered. Watch Jared Leto with Ukrainian fans below, and listen to an awesome version of "Bright Lights" at the same concert here.

MAR 13, 2014 - US Attorney General Eric Holder has announced that the US Justice Department will adopt new policies that will result in shorter sentences, shaving off as much as 25% of the mandatory minimum sentences they were subjected to before. JTMP does applaud this, but we feel we need to go even further and treat drug issues like the health problem issues they are, and not with handcuffs, courts and prison. Read more about this exciting development on HuffPO here.

MAR 13, 2014 - It's National Cannabis Industry Association Lobby Week here in DC, and entrepreneur job creating marijuana merchants are descending on Capitol Hill and visiting US Representatives and Senators and lobbying for many things such as allowing banks to do business with them instead of always having to deal in cash (and some banks wont take cash smelling like marijuana), and removing marijuana from the Schedule 1 List; because marijuana has been clearly shown to have a myriad of medicinal uses. This is grassroots citizen-lobbying at the grassroots level demanding our government servants respond to the needs and wishes of the public that elected them and pays their salary. It is time the federal government once and for all clarify marijuana and hemp as 100% legal commodities in our market, and allow these job creators a free and fair market to do their work in. JTMP urges you to call your US Representative, and tell them to support Rep. Blumenauer (D-OR) and his letter demanding President Obama remove marijuana from the Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act. The DEA acts under the Executive Branch, and President Obama DOES have the power to remove it, regardless of what he may say in public. To find out more check out the National Cannabis Industry Association website.