Talk about a hero protester giving your life for a cause

[Dave Wood]

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_7494472?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Please consider leaving this story in grassroots for a while just so people here can see that other regular people DO stand up for what they believe in and put their lives in danger at times as well.

Please dont scream at me because it doesnt say Ron Paul on it......this is something that can inspire action in the grassroots, inspiring.

[NewEnd]

Ill scream because it requires registration

;)

[AdoubleR]

Ill scream because it requires registration

;)

I second that...

[LibertyEagle]

Gas-station owner dies after fast against oil giants
Liver failure claims the life of Mehdi Shahbazi
By Sharon Noguchi
Mercury News
Article Launched: 11/17/2007 08:31:10 PM PST


Mehdi Shahbazi was a man who championed the consumer and listened to his own counsel as he waged a years-long battle against Exxon Oil and then Shell Oil.

The conflicts cost him his eight service stations - from Salinas to San Jose - his home, his health and his life.

Shahbazi, 65, died Wednesday at Stanford Hospital due to a fast of more than four months to protest the power of oil companies - and as gas prices approach record highs in California.

At his former Marina station - where two years ago he posted a sign that read "Consumers' pain is Big Oil's unearned profit!" - customers have erected a memorial of flowers, cards and signs proclaiming love and appreciation.

Until a court decision last month that gave Shell legal control over his final station, Shahbazi was positive he would prevail, said his nephew, Kaz Ajir of Marina.

But the news devastated him, and his health dramatically declined.

Shahbazi was born in Kermanshah, the Kurdish region of Iran. The youngest of five children, he immigrated to the United States in his 20s, working at his brother's gas station in Los Angeles.

"He came here with nothing," Ajir said. "He was a self-made individual."

By the early '70s, Shahbazi opened his own station in the Monterey Bay area. Patrons loved to hang out there with him because of his sense of humor, his nephew said. Sometimes, customers who could not pay got gas for free.

Shahbazi joined 44 other dealers who sued Exxon over gas pricing and won a partial victory, Ajir said. Then he took on Shell, two years ago handing out fliers accusing oil companies of manipulating gas prices and trying to drive franchise owners like himself out of business.

He passed out business cards that read "Pumping Mad" above his phone number and Web site. He had hoped to spur a class-action lawsuit forcing oil companies to pay refunds to customers.

Shell ordered him to take down signs criticizing oil companies - then sued him. Shahbazi countersued claiming freedom of speech. Shell terminated his lease, and Shahbazi, acting as his own lawyer, took on five attorneys hired by the oil giant.

Although his gas pumps were fenced off, he sold snacks and car washes at his Del Monte Avenue station. Every day, 10 or 20 patrons stopped by to cheer him on, Ajir said. Yet friends and family urged him to give up his lawsuit and later his life-threatening fast. At one point, Shell offered him $650,000 to abandon his fight. He refused.

He lost his home to foreclosure, and his wife and one son moved to Southern California.

In June, Shahbazi began a liquid-only fast. He was hospitalized in late September and died Wednesday of liver failure.

He is survived by his wife, Valerie Shahbazi, and two sons, Saam, 22, and Kayvon, 14, all of Upland; his brother, Max Shahbazi of Thousand Oaks; and sister, Bobbie Ajir of Carmel Valley.

A private service is being held today in Fremont.

"He was kind, wise and generous beyond imagination," said Jeffrey Cohen, a Salinas physician who met Shahbazi as a patient and remained a friend for 32 years. "I want people to know that he wasn't crazy. He used what he felt was the last non-violent method of protest that he could muster. He was expressing what we all feel."

[MadTheologian]

Gas-station owner dies after fast against oil giants
Liver failure claims the life of Mehdi Shahbazi
By Sharon Noguchi
Mercury News
Article Launched: 11/17/2007 08:31:10 PM PST


Mehdi Shahbazi was a man who championed the consumer and listened to his own counsel as he waged a years-long battle against Exxon Oil and then Shell Oil.

The conflicts cost him his eight service stations - from Salinas to San Jose - his home, his health and his life.

Shahbazi, 65, died Wednesday at Stanford Hospital due to a fast of more than four months to protest the power of oil companies - and as gas prices approach record highs in California.

At his former Marina station - where two years ago he posted a sign that read "Consumers' pain is Big Oil's unearned profit!" - customers have erected a memorial of flowers, cards and signs proclaiming love and appreciation.

Until a court decision last month that gave Shell legal control over his final station, Shahbazi was positive he would prevail, said his nephew, Kaz Ajir of Marina.

But the news devastated him, and his health dramatically declined.

Shahbazi was born in Kermanshah, the Kurdish region of Iran. The youngest of five children, he immigrated to the United States in his 20s, working at his brother's gas station in Los Angeles.

"He came here with nothing," Ajir said. "He was a self-made individual."

By the early '70s, Shahbazi opened his own station in the Monterey Bay area. Patrons loved to hang out there with him because of his sense of humor, his nephew said. Sometimes, customers who could not pay got gas for free.

Shahbazi joined 44 other dealers who sued Exxon over gas pricing and won a partial victory, Ajir said. Then he took on Shell, two years ago handing out fliers accusing oil companies of manipulating gas prices and trying to drive franchise owners like himself out of business.

He passed out business cards that read "Pumping Mad" above his phone number and Web site. He had hoped to spur a class-action lawsuit forcing oil companies to pay refunds to customers.

Shell ordered him to take down signs criticizing oil companies - then sued him. Shahbazi countersued claiming freedom of speech. Shell terminated his lease, and Shahbazi, acting as his own lawyer, took on five attorneys hired by the oil giant.

Although his gas pumps were fenced off, he sold snacks and car washes at his Del Monte Avenue station. Every day, 10 or 20 patrons stopped by to cheer him on, Ajir said. Yet friends and family urged him to give up his lawsuit and later his life-threatening fast. At one point, Shell offered him $650,000 to abandon his fight. He refused.

He lost his home to foreclosure, and his wife and one son moved to Southern California.

In June, Shahbazi began a liquid-only fast. He was hospitalized in late September and died Wednesday of liver failure.

He is survived by his wife, Valerie Shahbazi, and two sons, Saam, 22, and Kayvon, 14, all of Upland; his brother, Max Shahbazi of Thousand Oaks; and sister, Bobbie Ajir of Carmel Valley.

A private service is being held today in Fremont.

"He was kind, wise and generous beyond imagination," said Jeffrey Cohen, a Salinas physician who met Shahbazi as a patient and remained a friend for 32 years. "I want people to know that he wasn't crazy. He used what he felt was the last non-violent method of protest that he could muster. He was expressing what we all feel."

Monterey County Herald Staff Writer Larry Parsons contributed to this report.

[MadTheologian]

(homer simpson)
d'oh!

[Dave Wood]

Ill scream because it requires registration

;)


Sorry all, came right up for me:o

[Brian4Liberty]

Shahbazi joined 44 other dealers who sued Exxon over gas pricing and won a partial victory, Ajir said. Then he took on Shell, two years ago handing out fliers accusing oil companies of manipulating gas prices and trying to drive franchise owners like himself out of business.


He died fighting for competetive markets...now that's unusual.

Just last week, the corporatist progandists were on CNBC talking about how the Airline industry needs to consolidate until there are only 4 carriers. Eliminate that nasty competition (and make big bucks on all those mergers).

Funny how the Oligarchy constantly pays lip-service to "free-markets", when all they really want is the freedom to eliminate all competition and build their global monopolies.

[Brian4Liberty]

Bump...because this guy gave his life for competitive markets...and no one cares, certainly not the msm...

The media, the government, wall street and the oligarchy have pushed monopoly and oligopoly so much that no one even questions it...

[Brian4Liberty]

Just happened to see this story on tv last night...

He said "It's about the Constitution of the United States"...

Here's the video:

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=28670@kpix.dayport.com

[cmc]

http://www.bugmenot.com/