The Los Angeles Independent Media Center a non-commercial local unit of the Independent Media Center or Indy media which is a collective network of journalists aimed at reporting on different socio-political issues. The website of the Los Angeles Independent Media Center features and shares left wing issues on the web to spread awareness of the events. They have a wide-ranging left wing issues segmented into different categories from anti-war to immigration and animals rights. Some of the left-wing issues covered in the website includes the following:
i) One of the most debatable issues today is the consumption of genetically modified foods which range from vegetables, fruits to meats of pigs and cows. Since it's been hardly a little over a decade of GMO's presence in the market, the long term implications of GM food are still unknown. As per the National Environmental Policy Act a citizen has the right to demand for a judicial review of specific GMP plantings and their impacts on the environment and public health. However, a rider attached to the Spending Bill of 2013 drafted by Roy Blount representing Missouri which is the home state of one of the largest GM food producers the Monsanto Corporation came under heat because the rider that has been signed by the President Obama nullifies the rights of the citizens to request a judicial review and there are several protests breaking out against the rider across all the states of USA.
ii) Another issue covered in the website is the protest campaigns of farmers to save the South Central Farm which was a community garden and an urban farm in Los Angeles. The current owner of the farm in collaboration with PIMA, a conglomerate of four garment companies, wants to build four industrial facilities there. The development of the industries is estimated to create as many as 650 jobs in the area. But the project is in halt due to the objection raised by the South Central residents who cherish a sentimental value for the South Central Farm and fear that the building of industries in the area would create pollution and traffic congestion.
iii) One of the left wing issues featured in the website is the President Obama's deportation policy of illegal immigrants. Hundreds of immigrants affected by the policy are holding demonstrations across all the states of USA gathering in droves and holding banner that has a portrait of the President Obama and reads ‘Deporter in Chief’ (Rockero, 2013). The protesters want the Obama government to halt the process of deportation and legalize millions of undocumented immigrants.
iv) The website also covers the issue of the Indigenous movement 'Idle No More' against Bill C-45 of Canada and the proposed Keystone XL pipeline of the US. The Bill C-45 would strain the treaties of Canada with the First Nations people, cut jobs for Canadians and would affect the lands and waterways on both side of US and Canada border whereas the proposed XL pipeline would inflict severe damages on wetlands and aquifers in case of leakage.
v) One issue broadly covered in the website is the illegal foreclosures and evictions by the banks of USA. Activists of Occupy Fights Foreclosures and ACCE hold public demonstration against several banks of USA including Bank of America and Wells Fargo Bank. In one of such protest march in front of Bank of America, the activists and homeowners shouted the slogan, "B.O.A how many homes did you steal today. Bank of America, Bad for America" (Natasha Petrosova, 2013).
vi) One matter that received a huge outcry was the unjust shootings of Manuel Diaz and others in the recent shooting by Anaheim police. Mothers, family members and community members of the victims have made a coalition to demand justice for Anaheim shooting victims. Manuel Diaz was a victim of police shoot out on 21st July 2012 and following his death, several protests took place in the town with several signs carried by the protesters reading "“FTP – Film The Police” and “Jail Killer Cops” (Oceloyotl, 2012).
vii) The website covers the issue of the building of waste transfer station in Ponoma city of California and the protest rallies held against it. Valley Vista, a waste service and recycling company wants to erect a waste transfer station in Ponoma across 10 acres of land but the project is halted due to the rising protests of different communities of Ponoma.
viii) Another issue covered involves an explanation demanded by the protesters as how Red Cross is spending the money collected from huge donations for the earthquake disaster of Haiti. After the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, generous amount of donations were contributed to the NGOs from all corners of the world for the disaster relief, especially the Red Cross received a hefty amount of $479 million but the life of Haitians hardly improved with over 300,000 shelterless Haitians still living in tents. The Red Cross is allegedly spending the amount after increasing the staff salaries and building luxury hotel and conference centers. Protest marches broke out in London and several states of the USA in demand of a clarification of how the money is being spent.
Of all the above left wing groups emerging in protests against the government and government affiliations, the protests over Manuel Diaz's death has taken a violent form with both police and protesters engaged in firefights. Manual Diaz was a member of a notorious street gang and his online criminal records show that he was indicted for possessing drugs and firearms on the school campus. On 21st July 2012, during a chase he ignored the police warning to stop and was killed by two police officers who are now facing investigation for their action. Another shooting took place when the police were chasing a suspected gang member Joel Mathew Acevedo who shot one or two rounds of fires aimed at an officer and the officer in turn pulled the trigger and killed the man. Following the death of Manuel Diaz, angry protesters took to streets hurling bottles and rocks at the police personnel who reacted by throwing bean balls and pepper balls into the crowd. The next morning after Manuel was killed; demonstrators broke into a news conference held at police headquarters. They also set a trash bin alight and shoved it into the street. During the unrest, a police dog accidentally got out of the patrol car and attacked many people including a woman and child.
The purpose of the Los Angeles Independent Media Center is to provide an information infrastructure to people believing in the same causes to unite in support of global, regional and local movements against oppression and exploitation. Since the website covers a plethora of controversial topics ranging from class war, human rights, racism, and immigration to elections, there are many articles which have the potential to trigger criminal acts and public disorder. These subjects are grouped into different categories so that reports and opinions could be furnished in order of interests. The website tries to highlight the local events which don’t receive adequate media coverage. It also tries to provide the true story of people's struggles shared from the perspective of the sufferers so that people can get to bottom of the story. The best thing about this website is posts can be published at any time of the day and the website also features links of similar websites of other countries, states and cities. This helps people of similar causes unite on a worldwide platform of left wing issues.
References
Petrosova, Natasha (2013). Occupy Fights Foreclosures Protests in front of Bank of America on Wednesday, February 20, Los Angeles Indymedia. Retrieved on 17th June 2013 from <http://la.indymedia.org/news/2013/02/258563.php>
Oceloyotl (2012). A Coalition of Mothers, Family and Community Members Fed Up With The Injustices By Anaheim, Los Angeles Indymedia: Activist News. Retrieved on 17th June 2013 from <http://la.indymedia.org/news/2012/12/257335.php>
Rockero (2013). Civil disobedience outside of Obama fundraiser calls for "Not One More" deportation, Los Angeles Indymedia: Activist News. Retrieved on 17th June 2013 from <http://la.indymedia.org/news/2013/06/260469.php>
Taxin, Amy (2012). Manuel Diaz's Fatal Shooting By Police Officer Makes Community Question Law Enforcement's Motives, Huffington Post Los Angeles. Retrieved on 17th June 2013 from < http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/23/manuel-diaz-fatal-shooti_n_1696646.html>
