anti-abortion

“We're all veterans of a war againt the poor in the United States. We have a tremendous opportunity to have a vocation as peacemakers," says Kathy Kelly, a veteran peacemaker herself. ; Recently returned from another trip to Afghanistan where she spoke to everyday citizens, including men and women, Kelly notes that the average person on the ground there has little awareness of the September 11 attacks, despite the rationale for the U.S. occupation.Kelly joins us in studio to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, Obama's trip to India and arms deals, and why quoting Gandhi comes with responsibilities.As anti-abortion activist Flip Benham faces trial for stalking and violating a law against residential picketing, we zero in once again on the various tactics of the anti-choice movement. From "Wanted" posters with abortion providers' faces, names and addresses to the use of racially-loaded language by Frank Pavone and his Priests for Life group--a decidedly white organization claiming concern for African-American babies, Charles Stuart for GRITtv Digs keeps an eye on the movement in this third installment of "Conspiracy Tactics."Finally, as Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal stalls in Congress, Laura wonders what it is about our military that keeps it such a deadly place for women, as well as gay and lesbian service members.

Seth Wessler joins us, along with Irasema Garza, president of Legal Momentum, Wanda Fossett with Community Voices Heard, and Carmen Cordero, welfare rights activist with the Hartford-based group Vecinos Unidos. They discuss food stamps, poverty, and why this might be the best opportunity we have to rebuild the social safety net. Dean Baker of the Center for Economic And Policy Research, Beat the Press, and author of a new book, False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble Economy, has some words for Democrats and Republicans alike who want to focus on "fiscal responsibility" while millions of Americans still struggle for jobs: they're heading "180 degrees the wrong way." From our friends at Tactical Technology Collective, this second video in the series shows how ordinary citizens from around the world used basic video technology to record events and corrupt actions and effect change. Imran Malik has just returned from a trip to Haiti providing medical aid--he went to medical school in Pakistan and got his first experience with emergency relief during the earthquake there in 2005. He also plays drums in Pakistani-American punk band The Kominas, who were featured in Taqwacore, a documentary on Muslim punk bands. He joins Laura in studio to talk about punk rock, Haiti, Muslim identity, and the problems with the U.S. health care system.