Celebrate the life of Molly Ivins - join the tribute today!

In case you haven't heard, the beloved Molly Ivins has passed away, following a long battle with breast cancer. Just before she died, she pledged to spend the rest of her columns on fighting the Iraq War, working to bring it to a close.

We now have the opportunity, thanks to the Berkeley Daily Planet, to carry on her legacy and speak truth to power in a way greater than anything we've done before.

Anytime you feel like writing about the issue of Iraq, or the onrushing war with Iran, send your submissions to the Daily Planet and you will be a part of their ongoing series, in honor of that pioneering progressive heroine, Molly Ivins of Texas.

Here's my submission:

Senators Worry Over Bush's Dirty War

"Senators Warn Against War in Iran". Nearly a year and a half after former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter warned America that "the war with Iran has already begun", a few sensible Democrats in the US Senate are finally starting to come around.

It's about time. As Scott Ritter warned in his piece on Common Dreams:

"Americans should be put on notice that Iran is well-fixed in the cross-hairs as the next target for the illegal policy of regime change being implemented by the Bush administration...But Americans, and indeed much of the rest of the world, continue to be lulled into a false sense of complacency by the fact that overt conventional military operations have not yet commenced between the United States and Iran."

We have allowed the right-wing media and the Republicans in the House and Senate to distort and downplay this issue since June of 2005, and now that the policy has advanced nearly to the final bloody stages of an all-out invasion of Iran, only now a few Senators have developed enough spine to voice their concerns?
Why now? What's changed? Why should this be the week that the threat of war with Iran be considered dangerous enough for these Senators to mention it, on the record?

Could it have something to do with the fact that three of these Senators are running for President? Could be. Presidential campaigns have a way of bringing out the spark in a dim-bulb representative. But Hagel, Obama, and Biden have had Presidential aspirations longer than the past few weeks. Something else is happening here, that goes beyond just the standard posturing of political campaigns.

Where were the august voices of these public servants when American military forces stormed the Iranian consulate in Iraq last month? How about when two carrier groups were ordered to the Persian Gulf, along with a ship carrying a Patriot missile system? Patriot missiles will be useless in Iraq. They are useful only against airborne targets, of which there are presently zero in Iraq. And one of those carrier groups steaming to the Gulf is supposedly replacing the USS Abraham Lincoln, which will be moving to the Indian Ocean.

Guess which ocean the Persian Gulf drains into? If you guessed the Indian Ocean, you win a prize.

Are you starting to see just how close we are to all-out war with Iran? If you consider Scott Ritter's words regarding the optimum timing of war in the Middle East being sometime in February or March due to weather conditions unique to the Persian Gulf, you get it that we are directly on the cusp of a global catastrophe. War with Iran will surely end up with a worse outcome than even our disastrous occupation of Iraq. And don't even get me started about the price of oil after such an event.

Of course, now that our fine Senators have begun speaking out about this, this new war will surely be averted, right?

Wrong. Several Democratic Senators are on record speaking hyperbolically of the dangers posed by Iran's nuclear program. Sadly, they fail to mention the fact that Iran is at least ten years away from being able to build an actual nuclear weapon. Former Senator John Edwards and New York Senator Hillary Clinton, two more Democratic contenders for the Presidency, just got back from a "security" conference in Israel in which they both spoke of the serious threats posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran may be scary, they may send money and even arms to support terrorists in Syria and Palestine, but they are nowhere near having the capability to build a nuclear weapon, so what's all the fuss?

I believe that what we are seeing now is the same kind of "reasoned debate" we had regarding the threat of Iraq just prior to the invasion of that country, a country that posed no threat to us or to our allies, a country which had no weapons of mass destruction, a country whose leader was hemmed in and unable to attack its neighbors even if he wanted to. This "reasoned debate" is simply the platform on which the actual plans for invasion will be signed, quickly and under cover of official sanction, when the provocation for war with Iran is considered large enough to justify an attack.

So what form might such a provocation take? An invasion by ground troops, following on the heels of an "invading" Iranian raiding party? A bombing of a caravan of Iranian merchants, supposedly smuggling Katyusha rockets under their pots and pans, sparking a violent counter-reaction by the Iranian military? Or how about a "Remember the Maine" style event, in which an American ship is shot and possibly sunk by a missile from inside Iranian territory?

If you consider what Scott Ritter has told us about the terrorist groups inside Iran operating on the behest of the CIA, is it too unlikely to believe that they might be positioning to fire on our troops from inside that country, thereby justifying a massive aerial bombardment of Iran and her nuclear facilities?

Sound a little nutty? Too conspiracy-minded? I sure hope you're right. And if enough of you get on the horn and call your Senators and members of Congress, maybe, just maybe, this nightmare scenario might just be avoided.

God willing, the tragic death of Molly Ivins will have a happy outcome, with a resolution to stop the escalation into Iraq passing the House and Senate, and the oncoming war with Iran being stopped dead in its tracks.

Our future's in your hands, America. Do you have what it takes to change the fate of the entire world?

Here's the toll-free number for Congress: 1-800-862-5530. Call em today, and tell em Molly Ivins sent ya.

Categories: War & Peace, Alternative Media, Politics - National

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Tell your newspaper that payday lenders (and Steve Kirby) have got to go

Follow my lead and send your letters to the editors in response to Representative Steve Kirby screwing over the working man with these dang payday lenders.

The TNT has the article here:

Here's my letter:

This is an outrage. Representative Kirby, chair of the important House Consumer Protection Committee, decides to block legislation that would actually protect consumers because it would deal a harsh blow to the payday lending industry.

This is precisely why public financing of elections is so critical. If payday lenders and their ilk were not allowed to fund the reelection campaigns of corrupt legislators, such legislators would be forced to serve the public interest, or risk being voted out of office. There's a reason why legislators take money for reelection campaigns when they're running unopposed. It's to keep upstarts like you and me from thinking they can be beat.

The time has come to defend working people and the interests of all citizens by doing two things. One, getting rid of Steve Kirby and Two, passing full public financing for all elections.

Clean money means clean candidates, and that means legislation that serves you and me, and not the corporations. It's about time we took this step. It works for New Mexico and Maine, so why wouldn't it work here?

Jeff Richardson
Education Director
America in Solidarity
www.americasolidarity.org

Categories: Politics - Local, Free & Fair Elections

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9/11 activists start their own newspaper - read it today!

The paper is called Rock Creek Free Press and its first issue includes articles on 9/11, impeachment (written by Cynthia McKinney), and the history of Al Qaeda. It's being handed out today in D.C. during the huge anti-war protest. This is a great opportunity for those of you with a little dough to support an effort that really can make a difference.

Check it out, submit articles, and be a part of the Peaceful Revolution!

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Responding to Jim Webb's Democratic response

In this post I'll quote the speech and deliver my opinion of each section. After that, I'll write a bit about what I think should have been included.

"It would not be possible in this short amount of time to actually rebut the president's message, nor would it be useful. Let me simply say that we in the Democratic Party hope that this administration is serious about improving education and healthcare for all Americans, and addressing such domestic priorities as restoring the vitality of New Orleans."

Great start. While I think the Democratic response could be used to rebut actual inaccuracies in Bush's speech, I accept that the time they're given is quite short, so it's important to use the time in the best way they can.

It was also a great idea to stick the words "New Orleans" into the speech right at the beginning, to remind the viewers about the worst example of Bush's disastrous leadership.

"...this is the seventh time the president has mentioned energy independence in his state of the union message, but for the first time this exchange is taking place in a Congress led by the Democratic Party. We are looking for affirmative solutions that will strengthen our nation by freeing us from our dependence on foreign oil, and spurring a wave of entrepreneurial growth in the form of alternate energy programs. We look forward to working with the president and his party to bring about these changes."

Sets the Democrats up as the party of fiscal responsibility and good management. An easy win, nothing too radical here. Also, the easy shot at the President's prior divisiveness with the Party.

"There are two areas where our respective parties have largely stood in contradiction, and I want to take a few minutes to address them tonight. The first relates to how we see the health of our economy — how we measure it, and how we ensure that its benefits are properly shared among all Americans. The second regards our foreign policy — how we might bring the war in Iraq to a proper conclusion that will also allow us to continue to fight the war against international terrorism, and to address other strategic concerns that our country faces around the world."

Translation: the President has provided little or no leadership on these two issues, and we plan to take the lead on them. Also, the war in Iraq is actually distracting us from the broader "war against international terrorism." It's a decent construction - let's see where he takes it.

"When one looks at the health of our economy, it's almost as if we are living in two different countries." [Two Americas? Reminds me of John Edwards.] "Some say that things have never been better. The stock market is at an all-time high, and so are corporate profits. But these benefits are not being fairly shared. When I graduated from college, the average corporate CEO made 20 times what the average worker did; today, it¹s nearly 400 times. In other words, it takes the average worker more than a year to make the money that his or her boss makes in one day."

And here's where Webb separates from so-called Centrists like Clinton and Lieberman. He goes right for the wage inequities that truly show how screwed up our capitalist system is. He's not openly calling for class warfare, but he's hinting at it. I like what I hear so far.

"Wages and salaries for our workers are at all-time lows as a percentage of national wealth, even though the productivity of American workers is the highest in the world. Medical costs have skyrocketed. College tuition rates are off the charts. Our manufacturing base is being dismantled and sent overseas. Good American jobs are being sent along with them."

He's talking about corporate "free trade". Will he advocate restoring protective tariffs?

"In short, the middle class of this country, our historic backbone and our best hope for a strong society in the future, is losing its place at the table. Our workers know this, through painful experience. Our white-collar professionals are beginning to understand it, as their jobs start disappearing also. And they expect, rightly, that in this age of globalization, their government has a duty to insist that their concerns be dealt with fairly in the international marketplace."

He's talking about FDR-style leadership - government that preserves capitalism by restricting its most abusive practices. This is my kind of Democratic talking point.

"In the early days of our republic, President Andrew Jackson established an important principle of American-style democracy — that we should measure the health of our society not at its apex, but at its base. Not with the numbers that come out of Wall Street, but with the living conditions that exist on Main Street. We must recapture that spirit today."

A bit of forgotten history evoking a kind of politics that isn't practiced these days. The name of Andrew Jackson may not speak to the average citizen, but the idea that Main Street should be considered more important than Wall Street - that's political gold.

"And under the leadership of the new Democratic Congress, we are on our way to doing so. The House just passed a minimum wage increase, the first in ten years, and the Senate will soon follow. We've introduced a broad legislative package designed to regain the trust of the American people. We've established a tone of cooperation and consensus that extends beyond party lines. We're working to get the right things done, for the right people and for the right reasons."

The right people? It sounds to this commentator like he's talking about the middle class, instead of the selfish super-rich. Does this mean they plan to roll back tax cuts to the top one percent?

"With respect to foreign policy, this country has patiently endured a mismanaged war for nearly four years. Many, including myself, warned even before the war began that it was unnecessary, that it would take our energy and attention away from the larger war against terrorism, and that invading and occupying Iraq would leave us strategically vulnerable in the most violent and turbulent corner of the world."

Translation: I told the President and his people that this was a HUGE mistake before they went into it. They didn't listen, and America is less safe as a result. This is a powerful frame, because it builds a bridge between those who trusted the President's lies on Iraq to someone who didn't. Instead of being threatened by the idea that THEY were wrong, they can accept that the PRESIDENT was wrong instead. And they can choose NOW to side with the opposition party and its more sensible leaders, leaders like Jim Webb.

"I want to share with all of you a picture that I have carried with me for more than 50 years. This is my father, when he was a young Air Force captain, flying cargo planes during the Berlin Airlift. He sent us the picture from Germany, as we waited for him, back here at home. When I was a small boy, I used to take the picture to bed with me every night, because for more than three years my father was deployed, unable to live with us full-time, serving overseas or in bases where there was no family housing. I still keep it, to remind me of the sacrifices that my mother and others had to make, over and over again, as my father gladly served our country. I was proud to follow in his footsteps, serving as a Marine in Vietnam. My brother did as well, serving as a Marine helicopter pilot. My son has joined the tradition, now serving as an infantry Marine in Iraq."

He tells you that he didn't trust the President, and then immediately moves into his bio, a bio that stresses the sacrifice of his family, and by extension, himself. This puts him in the category of hard-working patriot, in direct contradiction to the President. This activates the frame of the President as AWOL chickenhawk, and the Democrats as real soldiers for freedom. I am really liking this guy, and I can't tell if it's because he fought for his country or if it's because the President didn't. An effective way to draw us into the correct opinion of the war as a mistake.

"Like so many other Americans, today and throughout our history, we serve and have served, not for political reasons, but because we love our country. On the political issues — those matters of war and peace, and in some cases of life and death — we trusted the judgment of our national leaders. We hoped that they would be right, that they would measure with accuracy the value of our lives against the enormity of the national interest that might call upon us to go into harm¹s way."

Again the idea that we trusted the President, and he let us down. Despite that, we went into battle anyway, as we are loyal patriots. If you remember the context, that this is the Democratic response to the President, you get that he's telling Americans they can trust Democrats to be honest and self-sacrificing, for the good of the country. I almost see this speech as a Democratic Party recruitment tape.

"We owed them our loyalty, as Americans, and we gave it. But they owed us — sound judgment, clear thinking, concern for our welfare, a guarantee that the threat to our country was equal to the price we might be called upon to pay in defending it."

Think about this: what the President and his party DIDN'T GIVE US was "sound judgement, clear thinking, and concern for our welfare". Do you get this? He's telling you that your President lied to you and put your sons and daughters in harm's way.

"The president took us into this war recklessly. He disregarded warnings from the national security adviser during the first Gulf War, the chief of staff of the army, two former commanding generals of the Central Command, whose jurisdiction includes Iraq, the director of operations on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and many, many others with great integrity and long experience in national security affairs. We are now, as a nation, held hostage to the predictable — and predicted — disarray that has followed."

This is awesome. The Democratic response to the President is delivering more than just policy differences, it's delivering HEAT. Jim Webb is directly challenging the President as having "recklessly" put us into an unavoidable and disastrous war. I love it.

"The war's costs to our nation have been staggering. Financially. The damage to our reputation around the world. The lost opportunities to defeat the forces of international terrorism. And especially the precious blood of our citizens who have stepped forward to serve."

If you're against this war already, you feel it. Each cost hits you like a brick to the face. If you still think it might be worth it, you're forced to think about what we've paid to get where we are.

"The majority of the nation no longer supports the way this war is being fought; nor does the majority of our military. We need a new direction. Not one step back from the war against international terrorism. Not a precipitous withdrawal that ignores the possibility of further chaos. But an immediate shift toward strong regionally-based diplomacy, a policy that takes our soldiers off the streets of Iraq¹s cities, and a formula that will in short order allow our combat forces to leave Iraq."

"We need a new direction." A Democratic Party slogan, but one that fits perfectly in the context of this war. The President has let us down and got our kids mired in a lose-lose situation. And now the Democratic Party is telling you that they can get us out.

"On both of these vital issues, our economy and our national security, it falls upon those of us in elected office to take action."

Translation: It falls to us, the Democrats who now run Congress.

"Regarding the economic imbalance in our country, I am reminded of the situation President Theodore Roosevelt faced in the early days of the 20th century. America was then, as now, drifting apart along class lines. The so-called robber barons were unapologetically raking in a huge percentage of the national wealth. The dispossessed workers at the bottom were threatening revolt."

A little more history, moving chronologically up to TR, who almost single-handedly saved capitalism from the forces of corporate greed.

"Roosevelt spoke strongly against these divisions. He told his fellow Republicans that they must set themselves "as resolutely against improper corporate influence on the one hand as against demagogy and mob rule on the other." And he did something about it."

Get this: he is suggesting that the President of the United States could emulate Theodore Roosevelt and take on his own party AGAINST the ruthless corporate elite that is destroying this country. Of course that would never happen in a million years, but he's actually suggesting that it's possible.

"As I look at Iraq, I recall the words of former general and soon-to-be President Dwight Eisenhower during the dark days of the Korean War, which had fallen into a bloody stalemate. "When comes the end?" asked the General who had commanded our forces in Europe during World War II. And as soon as he became President, he brought the Korean War to an end."

Translation: If Eisenhower could end the Korean War, George W. Bush could end the Iraq War.

"These presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this president to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way."

"Showing him the way"? Sounds a lot like showing him the door.

A great performance. It lived up to what I thought it would be like, and showed Jim Webb the war hero to America in a way that showed America what the Democratic Party looks like. It seemed almost calculated, as if the speechwriter consulted with George Lakoff ahead of time, but it works. Webb delivered it in a way that felt natural, that felt real. You get that this guy is facing difficult times wondering if his son will survive the war, wondering when this nightmare will end. You want to HELP HIM end it. A good speech, in general, and one that we should remember.

But I do want to say a little bit about what wasn't included. Any talk of the abandonment of the poor and middle class in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, other than that little tease right at the beginning. Any discussion of the scandalous cuts in the Veteran's Administration for returning veterans seeking help with problems after the war, not to mention long-term funding problems that make it hard for older veterans to get help in a timely manner.

It seems to me that this speech whets our appetite for more Democratic Party rhetoric. It makes us want to know more about Jim Webb, and the Democratic Party position on the war as well as domestic issues. But what it doesn't do is tell us exactly how the Democrats are going to fix the problems that Bush and his neocons have brought to this country.

For that, we'll just have to stay tuned. With any luck, this performance by Webb will increase the interest of the average American in learning more about Democrats and their plans for fixing the problems we face. If that happens, this speech will have done it's job.

If not, I don't think we can blame Jim Webb. Chances are, this speech will have only as much impact as the right-wing corporate media will allow it to have. Which, if what little coverage of the speech I've seen on the news so far is any indication, won't be much.

What can you do? Call the Democratic National Committee and congratulate Jim Webb on doing such a tremendous job. And while you're on the phone, why not call Jim Webb's office personally, and let him know that you liked what you saw.

If enough of us do that, I think we can expect more of the same, from Webb as well as the rest of the Democratic Party.

Categories: Politics - National, War & Peace

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Yours truly appears on Ring of Fire to talk about signing statements

Special thanks to Mike Pappantonio and Bobby Kennedy for having me on their awesome Air America radio show, Ring of Fire.

These guys consistently put out a great show, despite all the other work they do all week to protect consumers and defend the environment from the corporations. They were a lot of fun to talk to, and they both understood the importance of exposing Bush's signing statements and what they mean for our democracy.

For those of you who are reading The Activist for the first time, check out our interview section - and if you're interested in joining Postal Workers United Against Tyranny, or would like to sign our online petition against Bush's warantless opening of our mail, check us out at www.postalworkersunited.blogspot.com

Categories: Alternative Media, National Security State

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You email Congress, why not the State Legislature?

I know it may sound goofy, but your state legislators really love to hear from you. And if the issue is one that can actually improve society, like public financing of elections, why not make the connection?

I went to the State Legislature and found it was very simple to contact my legislators. Each one had an email webform, and I put my phone number in the text of my message, so I may hear from them soon. And with an issue like public financing gaining greater public esteem, this is a clear winner to start your comments with.

The bill under consideration is public financing of judicial elections, so we don't have any more 2 million dollar elections for judges.

Categories: Free & Fair Elections, Politics - Local

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Media pretending that Kucinich doesn't exist - set them straight!

Check out this post from Dennis Kucinich's website. The media has already begun to erase him from the campaign. Email them and tell your favorite radio hosts - this is wrong!

Categories: Politics - National

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Friends of Watada: Come to the Citizens' Hearing on the Illegality of the War

Do you support Lt. Watada? Then come to the Citizens' Hearing on the Legality of the War in Iraq and hear the evidence the military won't allow on the record.

The Tahoma Organizer has the scoop. Also, check out the Tahoma Activist Calendar for more information.

Categories: War & Peace, Local Events

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Congressman Ron Paul concerned Bush might stage a new Gulf of Tonkin

Congressman Ron Paul may be a libertarian, but he definitely says the right thing on issues of foreign policy. Check out these latest gems:

"While the president’s announcement that an additional 20,000 troops would be sent to Iraq dominated the headlines last week, the real story was the president’s sharp rhetoric towards Iran and Syria. And recent moves by the administration only serve to confirm the likelihood of a wider conflict in the Middle East.

"The president stated last week that, 'Succeeding in Iraq also requires defending its territorial integrity- and stabilizing the region in the face of the extremist challenge. This begins with addressing Iran and Syria.' He also announced the deployment of an additional aircraft carrier battle group to the Persian Gulf, and the deployment of Patriot air missile defense systems to countries in the Middle East. Meanwhile, US troops stormed the Iranian consulate in Iraq and detained several Iranian diplomats. Taken together, the message was clear: the administration intends to move the US closer to a dangerous and ill-advised conflict with Iran.
As I said last week on the House floor, speculation in Washington focuses on when, not if, either Israel or the U.S. will bomb Iran-- possibly with nuclear weapons. The accusation sounds very familiar: namely, that Iran possesses weapons of mass destruction. Iran has never been found in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and our own Central Intelligence Agency says Iran is more than ten years away from producing any kind of nuclear weapon. Yet we are told we must act immediately while we still can!

"This all sounds very familiar, but many of my colleagues don’t seem to have learned much from the invasion of Iraq. House Democrats strongly criticized the Iraq troop surge after the president’s announcement, but then praised the president’s confrontational words condemning Iran. Many of those opposing a troop surge are not calling for a withdrawal of our troops from the Middle East, but rather for “redeployment.” Redeployment to where? Iran?

"We need to return to reality when it comes to our Middle East policy. We need to reject the increasingly shrill rhetoric coming from the same voices who urged the president to invade Iraq.

"The truth is that Iran, like Iraq, is a third-world nation without a significant military. Nothing in history hints that she is likely to invade a neighboring country, let alone America or Israel. I am concerned, however, that a contrived Gulf of Tonkin- type incident may occur to gain popular support for an attack on Iran.
The best approach to Iran, and Syria for that matter, is to heed the advice of the Iraq Study Group Report, which states:

"… the United States should engage directly with Iran and Syria in order to try to obtain their commitment to constructive policies toward Iraq and other regional issues. In engaging with Syria and Iran, the United States should consider incentives, as well as disincentives, in seeking constructive results."
In coming weeks I plan to introduce legislation that urges the administration to heed the advice of the Iraq Study Group. Dialogue and discussion should replace inflammatory rhetoric and confrontation in our Middle East policy, if we truly seek to defeat violent extremism and terrorism.

Categories: War & Peace, Politics - National

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Postal workers should oppose Bush's treason

Here's the latest letter I've sent to the News Tribune on this issue:

I'm a letter carrier here in Tacoma. Recently, President Bush's signing statement authorizing the opening of citizens' mail without a warrant has me extremely concerned.

Today I had the opportunity to confront the new Postmaster of Tacoma during work. I asked her directly whether this signing statement truly allowed the President to do this.

She said no. She said that the President misspoke, and that the media had blown this into a bigger deal than it really is.

Why don't I believe her? Could it be because the President has already been caught admitting that he's spied on Americans without warrants?

This is one postal worker who won't take it lying down.

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Bush's shock troops invade Iranian territory, kidnap diplomats

World War Three is on our doorstep. Read this post by Dying to Preserve the Lies on Bush's latest provocation with Iran.

Invading a foreign consulate and kidnapping DIPLOMATS is an ACT OF WAR. When the Iranian college students kidnapped our diplomats in Tehran, that was considered an act of war, and was responded to with UN Sanctions and a months-long crisis that ended up getting RONALD FREAKING REAGAN elected President of the United States, and sending Jimmy Carter packing.

This is a nightmare. If Iran is smart, they will play the victim and use the UN to totally shame us worldwide into giving up these kidnapped individuals. Unfortunately, we don't know what the clerics of Iran want out of this confrontation.

God willing, this nightmare will end with a positive outcome, with the Democrats speaking out against it and calling for an end to ALL funding in Iraq.

You have a duty now, dear reader. You need to call your members of Congress and demand that they cut the funding for Bush's escalation, and beyond that, for the entire Iraq War. You ought to call Senator Kennedy's office, and Congressman Markie's office. You ought to call Congressman Inslee's office, and Senator Feingold's office. And you ought to join the campaign to elect Congressman Dennis Kucinich to the Presidency of the United States.

But even more than just making phone calls, you need to get active. War with Iran may be right around the corner. Opponents of this madness are having vigils tonight, which you can learn more about at Americasaysno.org

If you can't make one of these vigils, put a candle in your window to express solidarity with the Iranian people, and your fellowers believers in the importance of seeking a more peaceful world.

Write letters to your local paper explaining this issue. If you get one printed, or even if you don't, send it to me and I will print it. Iran is not just another ripe fruit for Bush's taking. Iran is a sovereign nation full of MILLIONS of ordinary working-class people who deserve to live in peace without the threat of American bombs raining down upon their heads.

This rank imperialism is a disastrous policy that will only lead to more and more American deaths, and eventually the collapse of our entire economy. Nothing less than the fate of American democracy is at stake.

Please tell your friends and neighbors about this. Please let them know how important it is that we stop this impending war. World War Three is not an acceptable alternative to quagmire in Iraq.

See the postcard at the top of this post? Email it to everyone you know, and tell them to email it to their member of Congress. This is how we end the war.

Here's that website again - www.americasaysno.org

Categories: War & Peace, Politics - National, World News

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Thank Inslee and Kennedy for their clarity on Iraq escalation!

Thank the Lord for honest, forthright legislators. Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts yesterday laid out his reasoning for why cutting funding was the right approach to Bush's escalation of the occupation. Today, Jay Inslee followed up with his own floor speech on the issue.

Please do as I did today and call the offices of Senator Kennedy and Congressman Inslee and thank them for their service to their nation. And while you have their staffers on the phone, tell them that cutting funds for the escalation is not enough, we must call for an end to war funding altogether. Ending the war is Congress's job; Bush WILL NOT DO IT. He has said as much in the past. The time has come for our legislators to do what it takes to end this war. NOW.

Make your voices heard. And then report back here with the results.

Toll-free number for Congress: 1-866-340-9281

Today the staffer at Kennedy's office (after waiting for hours to get through on the phone) was very nice and seemed very interested to hear what I had to say. This is good news!

Categories: War & Peace, Politics - National

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Pride for my daughter

One year after her daughter was taken into custody by the United States Army, Suzanne Swift's mother, Sara Rich, speaks about her experience:

30 days in prison and stripped of rank, my daughter Suzanne is now more than ever my hero. I write to update you on recent events, and ask again for your help (specifics at the end of this letter).

The court martial is over. I sat through the proceedings and testified. Suzanne was respectful through the whole thing. Then she had to recount her harassment and sexual abuse experiences with the molester in Iraq. She started to quietly cry as she re-told her story of being abused and humiliated by this monster who was *supposed* to be her employer and surrogate parent in a combat zone.

He groomed and manipulated her. Threatened and intimidated. Harassed and sabotaged -- until my daughter felt suicidal and stopped caring about her life.

I sat behind her and silently cried with her, hearing the nightmarish recounting of what my firstborn had to endure... in the middle of a combat zone.

I told them about my experience as a mother watching her child suffer. I kept it together. I wanted them to know the depth of my daughter's pain, how she suffered, how she's been punished enough.

On a break, I told Lt. Col. Kuhn what we spent on attorney fees when we couldn't find a single letter from any of Suzanne's legal representatives in her case file. There was a letter I never received in the file -- written to me March 10, 2006, three copies with correct name and address, saying Suzanne was dropped from the ranks and considered AWOL.

As Suzanne pleaded guilty to the "missing movement" and AWOL charges, she summoned all her strength. My heart swelled with pride as she stood up and was so professional and beautiful. Even with fear of prison, not knowing her fate, she held her head high with eyes clear.

Something struck me as I read Suzanne's file, other than the names of the three sexual predators and harassers. Others are just culpable as these three in their lack of protection of this soldier. Equal Opportunity officer William Cox ignored Suzanne's plea for protection. Who trains these criminals who are supposed to help and advocate for people who're being abused? The entire chain of command let Suzanne down.

Now three years later, the military system is again severely traumatizing and victimizing my daughter. General James Dubick, Colonel Katherine Miller, Lt. Col. Kimberly Kuhn and Capt. Sheldon Beer decided that Suzanne needed more punishment. Why not simply take her deteriorated mental health condition and allow a medical or
general discharge?

Instead they made an example out of Suzanne, letting the world know that rape is systematically ignored and even condoned in the US Army.

Perhaps they thought they sent a different message, but ordinary citizens, and the citizens of the world see clearly. They see the "free pass" given to rapists in the US Armed Services.

The victim's mental health does not matter. They stripped Suzanne's rank and sent her to prison for 30 days. She asked for a deferment so she could be home for Christmas and the birth of her sister's first baby. DENIED.

Suzanne took responsibility for the two charges, and asked for clemency, that her rank be maintained or suspended. She was so proud to make specialist and dreamed of being a Sergeant. DENIED.

How can these people care so little about a young girl abused by the very system they're a part of?

The holidays were hard for us all. Yes, I'm constantly grateful my daughter is alive. But our family wasn't able to visit Suzanne during the holidays due to her nephew's impending birth. We cried thinking about her in prison on Christmas day. We had no way to call on the birth of her nephew New Year's Eve.

Thanks to Jeff and Susan for visiting, and Wally and Anna Marie, who tried to set up visitors. Suzanne received lots of mail which made her rather unpopular with the mail "screeners", but made her happy to know so many people cared. Thank you so much for your cards to her!

Suzanne is an emotional wreck since leaving prison. Sometimes I wonder if she'll truly lose it this time. When she called Congressman DeFazio's office to solicit help, she was put on hold, then told he wasn't in Oregon. She asked for a specific staff person six days ago; no one has returned her call.

She wrote three letters asking for help in September 2006, to DeFazio, Wyden and Smith, with signed privacy act waivers. Wyden and Smith returned regurgitated military jargon saying the investigation was complete and thorough. Suzanne read them, her shoulders sagged and she threw the letters down. I wonder how other military victims are treated when they try to advocate for themselves, without
families or loved ones to help? How do they afford attorneys if they have nothing? The military is a big beast to wrestle, and most people it damages are unable to advocate for themselves. How sad.

Now the Army has made decisions for Suzanne. A new job: clerical shipping and ordering. Then March 30, 2007 a transfer to Ft. Irwin, California. 917 miles from our home. 14 hours versus 4 hours away.

They take away her support system, including her psychologist. The Army wants her to see an Army psychologist and break off her year-long working relationship with someone who's truly helped her. What unprofessional disregard for Suzanne's emotional and mental health.

For the record this "deal" was anything but "phenomenal." It was more "abominable". Soldiers who've been in combat in Iraq who have PTSD from sexual abuse don't deserve to be stripped of their rank and sent to prison. Be mindful who you trust to take care of your children.

Once again I ask for your help, please write and call your Congressional Representatives and Senators, and ask them to help Suzanne. Allow Suzanne to have a medical discharge.

As her mental health deteriorates, she deserves what any Iraq Combat Veteran deserves: RESPECT. Especially, she deserves what an Iraq War Veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who was sexually abused in a combat zone needs: RESPECT. Please write your local media, to help us keep this case alive until justice is done.

Huge thanks and appreciation to all of you who have written, donated and acted on Suzanne's behalf. Too many to name, but I think of you all often and I am so grateful for you.

Let us walk in Peace, and take action every day to military sexual violence.

Sara Rich,
proud parent of Suzanne, Sonja, Brandy and Jake
http://suzanneswift.org

Categories: War & Peace, Worker's Rights

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The War at Home

This is a letter I just wrote to my union newsletter. Hopefully, the editor will print it and my union members will take notice.

I would urge all other postal workers that read this to do the same.

The War at Home

Greetings, fellow workers:

Before I get into the meat of this article, I'd like to thank everyone who voted in last month's election, everyone who donated toys to our toy drive, and everyone who saw it in their heart to donate time and money to the less fortunate this Holiday season. Our commitments to our community, and to our union, are two of the most important obligations we have.

Usually in this space, I write about the activities of the Central Labor Council and the broader Labor Movement. Today I am writing directly to you, the rank-and-file union member, about an issue that affects ALL of us:

President Bush wants to open your mail without a warrant.

That's right. The President of the United States has asserted, in contradiction of two centuries of American law and in violation of the fourth amendment to the US Constitution, that he has the right to open your mail without a warrant.

This is an outrage.

As postal workers, we are held to the highest standards of integrity and respect, representing for our customers the most honorable face of government. With the President's unconstitutional interpretation of this important Postal reform bill, he has put our time-honored reputations in danger. Imagine what your customers will think of you when they think you might be reading their mail.

This is a crime against democracy. This is a crime no President should be allowed to get away with. The President, in his unconstitutional "signing statements", has asserted rights prohibited by the Constitution, and now we're the ones in the line of fire.

We must stand against this President's insane refusal to obey the rule of law. We must resist, as a union, as the sacred defenders of the first amendment to the Constitution. We must speak out with all the breath we have inside us, and we must not rest until our victory is won.

I've set up a website where you can find several ways to fight back on this issue: writing letters to the newspaper, contacting members of Congress, etc.

www.postalworkersunited.blogspot.com

Come to the site and sign our petition compelling Congress to register their rejection of this illegal and unconstitutional violation of our God-given rights.

We must unite against this tyranny before we have no democracy left. We have no choice. The time has come to defend our American principles before everything we've ever believed in is gone.

In Solidarity,

Jeff Richardson
Delegate, Pierce County Central Labor Council

Categories: National Security State, Organized Labor

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Calling all outraged postal workers!

If you or anyone you know works for the postal service, come on over (or send them over) to Postal Workers United Against Tyranny, a new blog I put together to organize the opposition to this insane new policy of the President to spy on our mail.

The website is www.postalworkersunited.blogspot.com - tell every mail carrier, clerk and mailhandler you know!

Pleas get involved - this issue won't solve itself!

Categories: National Security State

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Bush decides to open your mail, without a warrant

President Bush decides to trample what little bit of our privacy is left, claiming in a recent signing statement that he has the right, in clear contradiction of the law, to spy on our mail at any time, for any reason, without a warrant.

That letter from Grandma, in which she mentions your Grandpa's sciatica? That love letter from a boyfriend away at college? That secret communique from a fellow revolutionary? All fair game, and all part of the NSA's plot to scare the bejeezus out of activists nationwide.

I am calling for postal workers all across the country to rise up and oppose this unconstitutional and illegal action by this insane, illegitimate President and his unaccountable "Justice" Department.

Here's the text of a letter I just sent to the News Tribune here in Tacoma. We'll see if they have the stones to print it:

I just discovered that the President of the United States added another of his famous "signing statements" to the recently passed Postal Reform Bill. In this statement, he asserts the right to open our mail for any reason, without any judicial review.

Opening our mail without a warrant? What's next? Inspecting our private parts without a medical degree?

This time the President has gone too far. Speaking as a letter carrier and as an employee of the United States Postal Service, I want to tell this insane and illegitimate President that I will never, under any circumstances, surrender anyone's mail to anyone for any reason, without a court order, signed by a judge. The security of our mail is one of our most important freedoms, and without it, freedom of speech simply cannot survive.

Claiming that he has the power to open our mail without a warrant, in direct violation of the law just passed by Congress, is a direct challenge to the Constitution of the United States, and will undoubtedly provoke a serious reaction from postal workers, and postal customers, nationwide.

This is one postal worker that refuses to submit quietly to tyranny. Hopefully I am not the only one. I would encourage every other postal worker who reads this to speak out, and loudly, until this statement is retracted.

As far as why the President feels the need to inspect our mail without a warrant, ask yourself why would he do that? Could it be that he doesn't want a judge knowing who he's spying on?

Maybe he wants to be able to open John Conyer's mail without a judge knowing about it. Considering all the investigations the Democrats will soon be conducting, should we really let the President get away with snooping on our mail, above everything else he's already gotten away with?

Jeff Richardson
Delegate to the AFL-CIO
National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 130
Tacoma, WA

Please contact your member of Congress and tell them how disgusted you are by this latest outrage, and demand accountability for Bush and his neocon cabal. Call em on the phone, or send a letter. If you happen to belong to a postal union, by all means get a resolution passed to oppose this rank violation of American principles.


Categories: National Security State

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Yahoo interviews Lt. Watada

Incredibly, Lt. Watada is getting press coverage that other war resistors haven't. I say more power to him. Whatever it takes to end this fool war.

Here's the link.

Here's a link to a post on CoolAqua about freelance journalist Sarah Olsen and her struggles with the military over Watada's case.

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3000 dead, for what?

I just want to take a minute to honor our fallen comrades, all three thousand of them and growing. These men and women didn't all want to kill Iraqis for sport. Most of them just wanted to serve their country and defend democracy, while sticking it to Saddam and his dead-end army. These poor souls actually believed that Saddam had something to do with 9/11, and they were willing to fight and to die to make him pay.

Sadly, they were wrong. They were lied to, just like we were lied to. Just like our Senators and Congressmembers were lied to. They were told to fight for freedom and democracy and they ended up fighting for Big Oil and Halliburton instead. And now that they're dead, exactly what has their sacrifice won?

A dead dictator, a nation in flames, and more angry Muslims then you could kill or imprison in ten lifetimes. We have lost this war, and for the three thousand who helped us fight it, their sacrifice will not snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Just like in Vietnam, we have killed our sons and daughters to fatten the portfolios of the fat, greedy war pigs in the military industrial complex. And just like in Vietnam, there are still too many people who continue to believe that what we are doing is correct.

Today, as you toast the new year, say a prayer for the families of those three thousand. Their sons and daughters fought using the tools they were given, following the orders they were given, waging the war they were forced to wage, and now they're gone. And their families are looking for some way that their loss can make sense.

There is a way out of this nightmare, although many families won't want to take it. The answer is quite simple. Their sons and daughters were sacrificed on the altar of greed, for Bush and his neocons to make fabulous sums of money and for the military dominance of the US and its major companies to continue in the Middle East. This so-called "War on terror" has got to end, or else more sons and daughters will continue to die for this Great Lie.

9/11 was an inside job, and without it, those three thousands souls would still be walking the earth, raising their families, playing ball with their kids, cooking holiday meals, and generally living a normal, carefree American life. But because of 9/11 and the "War on Terror", they were shoved into a pit of fire and made to dance for our leaders' perverted pleasure. They were sacrificed for blood and money, and now their families have to go on without them. Children without fathers, wives without husbands, sisters without sisters, friends without friends.

Say a prayer for the fallen today and remember who put them in that position. The President, his bloodthirsty cabal, and you, for not standing up, for not speaking out, for not demanding an end to this occupation and this phony "War on Terror".

Time is running out. We need to step it up or we will lose a whole lot more than three thousand in the coming years.

Categories: War & Peace

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