Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter

NEWS ABOUT: political activism

political activism stories: 29 news summaries

1 - 20 of 29 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

Switch to grid view »

Anti-Tea Party Tide
Turning Bloody

Experts worry fights may be next wave

Nov 19, 09 4:08 AM CST
(Newser) - Fistfights at tea party rallies over the weekend have some analysts worried that the violent backlash may be only just beginning. In Fort Lauderdale, anti-tea party activists chanting "Amnesty yes, racists no!" clashed with tea party protesters who entered their protest zone. The group had emailed members calling... More »

MORE ABOUT:
protests • political activism • tea parties • tea party fight • Fort Lauderdale tea party

PROFILE

 In Health Battle, 
 Dick Armey Rides Again 

Ex-House leader strides back onto national stage over health care

Nov 5, 09 3:10 AM CST
(Newser) - This year's battle over health care reform feels like the early '90s all over again to Dick Armey. The former House majority leader and his FreedomWorks foundation have been at the heart of protests against the Obama administration, channeling conservative power in the same way the Christian right used to,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Republican • House of Representatives • political activism • health care reform • town hall meeting • Dick Armey • tea parties • FreedomWorks Foundation

VIRGINIA M. MONCRIEFF

 At Last, Rockers 
 Shut Up and Sing 

Really, it's about time rockers made concerts all about the music

Oct 27, 09 12:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - Bono—he of the eons-long concert diatribes about everything from Burma to the whales—has done the unthinkable. "Bono has started editing himself," Virginia M. Moncrieff realized during U2's Rose Bowl concert. And it's about time: Though Moncrieff admires their causes, she has reached the age where the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • music • Bono • celebrity • political activism • Jay-ZTV

Terror Act Used to Block
Climate Activist's Trip

Protester stopped en route to Copenhagen

Oct 15, 09 4:41 AM CDT
(Newser) - A British climate change activist says police abused anti-terror laws to prevent him from traveling to this week's climate change conference in Copenhagen. Police yanked him and another activist off a bus they stopped on the way to the Channel Tunnel. The activist, who has taken part in several acts... More »

MORE ABOUT:
climate change • terrorism • political activism • protesters • Copenhagen climate change conference

NYC MAYORAL ELECTION

 Bloomberg's Challenger: 
 Upstart Anti-Shopping Rev 


Sep 8, 09 2:03 PM CDT
(Newser) - Even supporters of the Rev. Billy Tallen don’t think he’s got much of a shot at beating Michael Bloomberg in this year’s election. But like any crusader, the “theater refugee” will tell you it’s not about winning, reports Good. “The reason we said yes... More »

MORE ABOUT:
New York City • Michael Bloomberg • mayor • political activism • consumerism • Green Party • Election 2010 • Reverend Billy • Bill Tallen • mayoral race

 Health Battle Tests 
 Obama Grassroots Group 

Organizing for America struggles to become force for policy activism

Aug 23, 09 12:08 PM CDT
(Newser) - For Jeremy Bird, deputy director of Organizing for America, the battle for health care reform takes the shape of the numerous meetings he’s had with discouraged volunteers across Wisconsin this weekend. The OFA network is smaller and underfunded compared with its campaign-era version, and volunteers feel “outshouted” by... More »

MORE ABOUT:
health care • Wisconsin • political activism • grassroots • health care reform • Obama administration • Organizing for America

$57M Health Care Battle Infects Airwaves

Groups spend $57M on tough TV ads

Aug 15, 09 4:51 PM CDT
(Newser) - A popular ad blasting President Obama’s health care effort symbolizes the overhaul with a bulging balloon: Eventually, the balloon bursts, as could Obama’s ambitious plan if the White House loses a fierce TV ad war against critics, Katharine Q. Seelye writes in the New York Times. So far... More »

MORE ABOUT:
health care • Barack Obama • conservative • political activism • health care reform • tv ads

 Dumbledore  
 Sparks Fight for  
 Real-World Justice 

Nonprofit Harry Potter Alliance uses books as inspiration

Jul 20, 09 1:45 PM CDT
(Newser) - Harry Potter’s battle against injustice in the wizarding world has prompted fans to take the fight to the Muggle universe, the Los Angeles Times reports. Inspired by moral teachings of Albus Dumbledore, Harry’s mentor, the nonprofit Harry Potter Alliance has registered voters, collected some 13,000 books to... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Harry Potter • Darfur • Sudan • JK Rowling • literature • political activism • Myanmar • Burma • book • Albus Dumbledore • Andrew Slack • Harry Potter Alliance

OPINION

I'm a Celebrity, Now Get Me a Cause!

Activist celebs are annoying, but effective and necessary: Firth

Jul 6, 09 6:43 AM CDT
(Newser) - Actor Colin Firth doesn’t like it when his fellow actors get on the soapbox for humanitarian causes. He’s also tired of doing it himself, and sick of the endless tedium of fundraisers, speeches, and photo ops. But that’s too bad, because the only way anything is going... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • television • film • political activism • celebrity humanitarianism • actor • Colin Firth

U2 Star Plans 5 Malibu Homes; Locals Annoyed

The Edge's project raises concerns
about environment

Apr 17, 09 2:59 PM CDT
(Newser) - U2’s the Edge is ruffling the feathers of some of his fellow Malibu residents with a plan to build five houses atop a hill overlooking the Pacific, the Los Angeles Times reports. Both potential neighbors and California preservation agencies charge that David Evans' project is too ambitious for the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
environment • California • Malibu • musician • political activism • environmental damage • the Edge

(Newser) - The Obama administration’s strict new rules on lobbying—aimed at stopping stereotypical DC weasels from cashing in—are also tripping up do-gooders, the Washington Post reports. Activists who work for non-profits and charities, many of whom registered as lobbyists for reasons of transparency and have a yen to work... More »

MORE ABOUT:
lobbying • political activism • public interest • Obama administration • President Obama • restrictions • White House staff

 Year's Top 10 
 Moments of 
 Celeb Activism 

Oprah, Paris, Will.i.am make a difference

Dec 29, 08 11:50 AM CST
(Newser) - It’s been a big year for celebrity activism—so big that it deserves its own year-end top 10 list, Tina Daunt writes in the Los Angeles Times. Some famous faces that made a difference in 2008:
  • Oprah Winfrey fought hard for Barack Obama, including hosting a traffic-stopping garden
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Don Cheadle • Ron Burkle • Paris Hilton • Oprah Winfrey • Matt Damon • political activism • activist • Sarah Silverman • George Clooney • Will.i.am • Proposition 8 • Norman Lear • Best of 2008

 Paul: I Was the Political Beatle 

Paul claims he introduced band to anti-war ideas

Dec 15, 08 9:29 AM CST
(Newser) - In a revelation that will likely befuddle longtime Beatles fans, Paul McCartney claims he was the one who turned the band onto politics, the Times reports. Though McCartney was writing pop songs while activist John Lennon penned blatantly political tunes, as McCartney tells it in a Prospect magazine interview, it... More »

MORE ABOUT:
music • Paul McCartney • John Lennon • celebrity • political activism • pacifists • Vietnam War • Beatles • protesters • celebrity interview

 Singer Makeba 
 Dies After 
 Concert 

MIriam Makeba collapses as she exits stage in Italy

Nov 10, 08 5:54 AM CST
(Newser) - The South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba, known to many as “Mama Africa,” died today of an apparent heart attack, the New York Times reports. Makeba, who was 76, was exiled from South Africa in 1960. Her music was also banned from her home country in 1976... More »

MORE ABOUT:
music • South Africa • apartheid • political activism

 Young Vets Burst 
 Onto Political Scene 

Military stays neutral, but returned troops stump for both sides

Oct 28, 08 7:42 AM CDT
(Newser) - Military rules bar troops from getting involved in politics while on duty, the New York Times reports, but as they return home more young vets are diving into an election that will determine the nation's course in Afghanistan and Iraq. Driven by a sense of political duty and kept up... More »

MORE ABOUT:
veterans • US military • political activism • Iraq veterans • Afghanistan veterans • Election 2008

(Newser) - There are a scant 27 days left to dedicate your blood, sweat, and tears to your candidate of choice. But some activists' moves are better than others. Christopher Beam runs down the best way to put your limited resources to good use in Slate: Got time to kill?
  1. Knock
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
volunteer • political activism • campaign contributions • campaign advertising • Election 2008

 Fake Polls Smear 
 'Muslim' Obama 

Callers link candidate to Hamas, imply he is a Muslim in calls

Oct 3, 08 12:15 PM CDT
(Newser) - The ugly tactic of “push polling” has resurfaced in key swing states, as fake pollsters seek to influence voters with scam questions that present an unfavorable view of Barack Obama, the Guardian reports. On one call, a Jewish voter in Pennsylvania says, she was asked if she would vote... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Florida • Barack Obama • Ohio • poll • Muslim • smear campaign • political activism • Jeremiah Wright • Election 2008

Young Burmese Monks
Ready to Take Up Arms

Buddhist movement gets bolder; some suggest stockpiling weapons

Sep 20, 08 6:41 AM CDT
(Newser) - After seeing nonviolent protesters killed or detained in last year’s protests against the ruling junta, younger segments of Burma’s Buddhist monks are becoming more radical, embracing armed resistance and overt dissent, the Christian Science Monitor reports. "We need weapons,” one young monk said. “That is... More »

MORE ABOUT:
revolution • political activism • Myanmar • Burma • Buddhist monks • Buddhism • monks • junta • repression

China Revokes Visa of Olympian Darfur Activist

Speedskater Joey Cheek leads team for peace in Sudan

Aug 6, 08 8:56 AM CDT
(Newser) - Hours before he was due to leave for Beijing today, US gold-medalist and Darfur activist Joey Cheek got a call from Chinese authorities revoking his visa, the Boston Globe reports. A retired speedskater, Cheek is the founder of Team Darfur, a global group of athletes devoted to bringing peace to... More »

MORE ABOUT:
China • Darfur • Sudan • 2008 Beijing Olympics • visa • political activism • Joey Cheek • Team Darfur

Want Denver Coronation Tix? Be Prepared to Work 

Activists with a plan will be rewarded with seats at Dem's acceptance speech

Jul 24, 08 8:36 PM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama wants you to help fill Denver’s Invesco Field for his coronation at the Democratic convention—but you’ll have to work for it, the Denver Post reports. A campaign official says would-be spectators will have to outline a plan for activism before and after the Aug. 28... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Denver • Democratic National Convention • political activism • Barack Obama supporters • Invesco Field • quid pro quo

1 - 20 of 29 Stories | 1 2 Next >>


from our news partners