More heat and more light. Amen, Revolujah!

On December 22nd, the 99% Choir walked into Bank of America's Seattle headquarters, sang appropriately updated carols, and posted foreclosure notices citing bribery, fraud, and extortion. Thanks goes to The Other 98% , The Backbone Campaign, Washington Community Action Center, and the Seattle Labor Chorus for this action and video.

We send our strongest support and solidarity to the thousands of women in Tahrir Square and across Egypt protesting the unacceptable violent assault of women protesters by the military. We are troubled, shocked, and outraged at images of a woman protester being beaten and stripped in the streets.

Systematic targeting, marginalization, silencing, and violence against women by anyone, especially the military authorities entrusted to protect us, are unacceptable.These tactics are brutal, criminal and dishonorable. We share your anger.

We recognize the brave women of Egypt and women around the world who risk their lives to protest unjust systems. Women are powerful and essential forces in revolutions. Your power and courage are incredibly inspiring to all women.

We send solidarity and encouragement to you in this honorable fight to protect women’s rights. We join you in outrage and support your fight for peace and justice. We stand united with all women of Egypt.

United, we will never be defeated.

--

© Антон Тушин/Ridus.ru

Earlier this month, tens of thousands of Russians marched in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and several other cities decrying the recent parliamentary election results. In the largest series of protests since the fall of the Soviet Union 20 years ago people have united across political affiliations shouting, “We exist! We exist!”

The protests began December 4th - shortly after election results were released showing in some instances returns that totaled as high as 146% of the popular vote. Russians took to the streets, chanting, “Putin is a thief” and “Russia without Putin.” By the following Saturday, people turned out en masse (estimates range from 25,000-100,000) for a protest in Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square. It was accompanied by dozens of smaller rallies across Russia’s nine time zones.

During the election, ballot boxes were stuffed; monitors shooed away; voter registrations bought, sold, and forged; and teams of United Russia activists bussed from precinct to precinct to vote early and often, in a process called "The Carousel."

The elections were not a surprise. Last September the current President Dmitry Medvedev announced Vladimir Putin would run again for the presidency, a post that he held from 2000 to 2008 and an impossibility until a recent amendment to the Russian Constitution.

This revealed a level of cronyism, long suspected - Medvedev has been cast as “Robin to Putin’s Batman”. Some Russians now snidely refer to this political maneuvering as “rokirovka” - the Russian word for castling in chess, the move in which a rook and the king are moved at the same time, to shelter the king. This “castling move” will allow Mr. Medvedev to assume Mr. Putin’s job as prime minister after the elections March 4th - an agreement according to Putin that was reached “a long time ago, several years back.”

This announcement was understandably met with public outrage and frustration. Putin’s approval ratings went down. Vladimir Aristarkhov, a local publishing house employee, explained, “Our local version of Dr. Evil and his Mini-Me will stay in power as long as they can.” At the time there were a few small protests but nothing compared with the magnitude of crowds post-election, inspired by people-powered movements across the globe.

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‎2011 was a revolutionary year for a new movement that is changing the world. From NYC to Cairo, we are just getting started. We are still busy building this amazing movement, and we couldn't do it without you -- our supporters! Let's make next year even better!

(This video was passed by consensus through the New York City General Assembly on Tuesday, December 20, 2011.)