I hope you tuned-in at some point over the New Year’s weekend to witness the “year-in-review”… a compilation of “Amy Goodman – Democracy Now!” programming for 2011 (see below for topics covered and date of original broadcast).
2011 was definitely filled with significant events, both destructive and uplifting. The year had just begun when an assassin in Arizona struck down Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and other innocents waiting in line to say hello to their elected representative. January continued with the first of many uprisings in the Mid-East. A Tunisian man martyred himself and triggered people’s uprisings in Tunisia, then Egypt, and finally the overthrow of a 40 year despot in Lybia. Thousands in Japan suffered from a devastating earthquake, followed by Tsunami flooding, and continues to struggle with nuclear poisoning from damaged atomic power plants.
But in 2011, we also witnessed the indomitable human spirit of recovery, reconstruction and renewal. “Gabby” Giffords is talking, telling her astronaut husband “I love you”. The world joined the Royal Family in celebration of a wedding with amazing pomp and humanity on display. Haiti is slowly recovering one year removed from their devastating earthquake. Japan is making an incredible recovery, honoring their dead and rebuilding their infrastructure. And perhaps no series of incidents better depict abrupt ends and new beginnings more vividly than the death of terrorist Osama Bin Laden, quickly followed by the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, and the continuing story of regime change in the Mid-East.
To each of you in the Access Sacramento “family”, we wish you all the best in the new year, 2012. Judging from the year past, we will suffer, we will celebrate, and we will persevere. We will elect a president. We will make decisions about local leadership, growth, and the economy. We will succeed and we will fail.
Stagnation is not an option. Life moves forward with our direction or in spite of us. Choosing to not participate is a choice of little consequence. Resolve to make a difference in your life and here at Access Sacramento – one voice, YOUR VOICE, making a difference, each and every time. Welcome to the New Year. Let’s make a difference!
“Best of Democracy Now!” Program Line-up