Earlier this week, the American Friends Service Committee asked me to speak about finding hope in hard times as part of an interfaith service to conclude their “Eyes Wide Open” display in Chicago’s Grant Park. The display arranged 3,438 soldiers’ boots to commemorate U.S. military people killed in Iraq, along with life sized pictures of Iraqi civilians and a collection of numerous civilian shoes to remember hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have been killed in Iraq since 2003. I asked the audience to join me in recalling experiences I had while imprisoned at the Pekin Federal prison for “crossing the line” at Fort Benning, Georgia. Read the rest of this entry »
[Ed. Note: This writer (Charles Jenks) fully agrees with Cindy Sheehan about the peace movement. It too often works at cross purposes, and is beset by turf defending and sectarianism. I also believe that partisan politics has failed the American people, the Iraqi people and the people of the world. The Iraq War is a bi-partisan war. It was bi-partisan before the invasion - via the horrendous and genocidal sanctions - and continues through this day, as both parties voted for the war resolution and have continued to fund the war. Recently, some Reps have touted their voting against war funding. Well, these same Reps voted to advance the bill for voting, a bill they knew would pass. The procedural vote was the important one here. If Reps had declined to vote on funding the war, Bush would have to use existing funds to withdraw the troops.
As for our beloved Cindy, we pray that she gets some good R and R. Heaven knows she deserves it. Then, we need her back.]
“Good Riddance Attention Whore”
Cindy Sheehan
I have endured a lot of smear and hatred since Casey was killed and especially since I became the so-called “Face” of the American anti-war movement. Especially since I renounced any tie I have remaining with the Democratic Party, I have been further trashed on such “liberal blogs” as the Democratic Underground. Being called an “attention whore” and being told “good riddance” are some of the more milder rebukes.
I have come to some heartbreaking conclusions this Memorial Day Morning. These are not spur of the moment reflections, but things I have been meditating on for about a year now. The conclusions that I have slowly and very reluctantly come to are very heartbreaking to me. Read the rest of this entry »
On May 25, 2007 Andrew Card faced hundreds of boos and catcalls as he was given an honorary degree during the graduate school commencement at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.Before the commencement, over a hundred protesters staged a rally and press conference outside the Mullin Center on the UMass campus. Hundreds more students and faculty who opposed the honorary degree would later protest inside the hall.Card, former Bush Administration Chief of Staff and chief salesman for the invasion of Iraq as head of the White House Iraq Group, faced signs calling him a war criminal. People are now calling on UMass to rescind the honorary degree. Read the rest of this entry »
Students and activists from UMass/Amherst and Western Massachusetts say why they’re excited about the upcoming conference: “SOCIALISM 2007: Socialism for the 21st Century,” being held at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare, June 14-17, 2007. See http://www.socialismconference.org for more details.
SOCIALISM 2007 will bring together socialists and activists who are involved in struggles across the country–from opposing the war to organizing against the death penalty–and share a vision of rebuilding the left.
Join John Pilger, Amy Goodman, Dahr Jamail, Dave Zirin, Anthony Arnove, Sharon Smith, Laura Flanders, Dr. John Carlos, Jeff St. Clair, IVAW’s Kelly Dougherty, and a host of other speakers at Socialism 2007, and participate in the discussion over the future of radical and socialist politics in the 21st Century.
Last summer, some 1,500 people turned out for Socialism 2006 in New York City.
Student comments were videotaped on May 17, 2007 at the Campus Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Many thanks to Mike, Rachel, Tony, Sarah, Gary, Dustin and Tristan for their comments, and to Jason for helping to organize the video.
See coverage of previous years’ conferences at http://www.traprockpeace.org/ with video on this channel – http://www.youtube.com/TraprockPeace?TV
We have an old saying in my adopted state of Texas and you may have it in your own state too: “Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” America is not unique for perpetuating a history that was founded on genocide and where violence is constantly relied upon for problem solving, but this is our country and how can we finally learn the lessons of war and corrupt regimes?
Our history is also rife with giants who have gone before us who either affected true and relevant change, or who have at least alleviated temporary suffering. Women now have the right to vote and participate fully in our government due to giants such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Jeannette Rankin. Slavery was abolished because of the brave efforts of some like Harriet Tubman, Bronson Alcott, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Frederick Douglas. The Civil Rights movement was enriched by the presence of ministers like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Joseph Lowery among many others. Active duty soldiers joined with the anti-war movement during the Vietnam conflict to help bring a close to that other most recent illegal war of aggression. Read the rest of this entry »
On May 15, 2007, students, faculty and staff protested the decision by the University of Massachusetts to give an honorary degree to Andy Card, and former head of the Bush Administration’s White House Iraq Group. Students held a rally outside the Whitmore administration building. When they went to enter the building, they found that the university had closed it. They then marched to the graduate school administration building and held a sit-in. They marched across campus to the Whitmore building, and heard from a university spokesperson – standing outside – that the university had not changed its mind. Students then marched around the administration building, symbolically knocked on the locked doors, and held a rally, with students taking turns speaking out.
Please call and tell Chancellor John Lombardi what you think – 413-545-2211.
This is Part 2 of the video coverage, from the statement of the university spokesperson to the end rally. Due to storms, we had difficulty uploading the longer Part 1 (which we were able to accomplish on May 16th.) We are also uploading a higher quality single video of the protest to Google.
Previously, on May 10th, more than 300 faculty, graduate and undergraduate students marched to Chancellor Lombardi’s office and demanded that University of Massachusetts administrators revoke the offer of the honorary degree.
On Mother’s Day – May 13, 2007 – Frances Crowe tells story from a previous Mother’s Day protest of 25 years ago. She was speaking with Sunny Miller, Executive Director of Traprock Peace Center.
Frances Crowe is a prominent peace organizer and pacifist. She was a co-founder of Traprock Peace Center. She urges Traprock to “carry on” as it faces of challenge of having to relocate after 27 years.
When we left Lafayette Park yesterday there were 3396 Americans dead in Iraq. When we got to the Capitol about 45 minutes later, the count was up to 3498 and when we got out of jail 8 hours later, 3401 were gone.
Three-hundred amazing Americans joined us yesterday in The Mother of a March which was sponsored by The Camp Casey Peace Institute and supported and co-sponsored by many other peace groups. Read the rest of this entry »
Needless Carnage
(And the Beat Goes On)
Cindy Sheehan
“My son, Jon Michael, is the best son a dad can have. He will always be my pride and joy.” – George Tenet: Former Director of Central Intelligence; page 520 of his book:
At the Center of the Storm
I had difficulty making the purchase of George Tenet’s new book. With a multi-million dollar advance already, I didn’t want to contribute to someone who has already profited so obscenely from other people’s dead children. This self-congratulatory, buck-passing book was even more difficult to read. But when I came to the last paragraph and read the above quote about Tenet’s precious son, Jon Michael, I began to cry in my uncomfortable airplane seat. Read the rest of this entry »
Andy Jacobs, former Indiana Congressperson, decried the unconstitutional and illegal war against Iraq and exposed the bi-partisan sellout of the US to foreign investors. Foreign investment – and US budget deficits – have financed US wars, including the war against Iraq. This sellout – started during the Reagan administration – rescinded tax withholding from foreign investments. This reduced interest rates, but also led to a skyrocketing of foreign debt. Most media – such as Washington Post and the Today Show – chose to remain silent on this sell-out. See Time article.
Jacobs further examined the unconstitutional abdication of war powers authority by Congress in October, 2002. Unilateral war making by rulers is the most oppressive of the kingly oppressions, said Jacobs.
Jacobs, a Koren War veteran, spoke on April 18, 2007 on “US Policy in the Middle East: Diplomacy, Foreigh Debt and War Powers.” He spoke in the General Pershing Room of the War Memorial, Indianapolis, Indiana. He shared the podium with Scott Ritter, former Major of the US Mariens and former UN Chief UNSCOM Weapons Inspector in Iraq. See Ritter’s talks at http://www.youtube.com/TraprockPeaceTV
The program was sponsored by Veterans for Peace, Indiana Chapter #49, Indianapolis Peace House & Plowshares, Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center, and Traprock Peace Center.
Moderator: Pierre Atlas
Political Science Professor and Director of Franciscan Center for Global Studies at Marian College
We are students from Bay Area colleges and universities and part of the Campus Antiwar Network. We are concerned about the state of the war and occupation in Iraq as well as the effect that this is having on our schools and our communities. We are furthermore concerned that the debate about the war has been hamstrung by political maneuvering rather than principled commitments to peace and justice. In that vein, we believe that any meaningful solution in the Middle East requires the following:
1) Immediate withdrawal of all US forces, personnel, and contractors from Iraq
2) Iraqi control over Iraq: no permanent military bases, no control over Iraqi oil, no US intervention in their political process
3) Full funding of veterans’ benefits and health care, including mental health care
4) Reparations to the Iraqi people
5) Ban on the use of depleted uranium munitions in Iraq
6) Redistribution of the war budget towards jobs and education Read the rest of this entry »
Student activists from the University of Wisconsin, Madison say why they’re excited about the upcoming conference: “SOCIALISM 2007: Socialism for the 21st Century.” being held at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare, June 14-17, 2007. See http://www.socialismconference.org for more details.
SOCIALISM 2007 will bring together socialists and activists who are involved in struggles across the country–from opposing the war to organizing against the death penalty–and share a vision of rebuilding the left.
Join John Pilger, Amy Goodman, Dahr Jamail, Dave Zirin, Anthony Arnove, Sharon Smith, Laura Flanders, Dr. John Carlos, Jeff St. Clair, IVAW’s Kelly Dougherty, and a host of other speakers at Socialism 2007, and participate in the discussion over the future of radical and socialist politics in the 21st Century.
Last summer, some 1,500 people turned out for Socialism 2006 in New York City.
Student comments were videotaped on May 4, 2007 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Many thanks to Chris Dols and Elizabeth Wrigley-Field for their organizing (and for their comments), and to all the students who participated.
This is the keynote address Cindy gave on May 04, 2007, at the commemoration of the Kent State Massacre.
First of ail, I would just like to say that I am not only in favor of impeaching George Bush and Dick Cheney, but of trying them for war crimes and locking them both up in Guantanamo for the rest of their lives! I also agree with Tom (Hayden) that an “anti-war” movement is basically a self-destructive movement, because when our objectives are achieved, the movement is over. That is why we must call ourselves a “peace” movement so our movement will never end. There will always be a need for people who commit their lives to peace as strenuously as they commit their lives to the anti-war movement. Read the rest of this entry »
A recent Harris Poll indicated that only 22% of Americans support George’s war of terror. I suspect that the less than one-fourth of our country who are still in favor of the hopeless mess BushCo has tragically involved the USA in get all of their “news” from Fox News. Read the rest of this entry »
May 4th, 2007 will be the 37th year since the Kent State, Ohio, massacre where four anti-war protesters were killed by Ohio National Guardsmen during a protest against Richard Nixon’s announced escalation in Vietnam.
On that day in 1970, anti-Vietnam war sentiment in the entire nation was high as hundreds of soldiers were coming home in flag-draped coffins every week and we were bombarded daily with images of burning villages and screaming Vietnamese children. The images were harsh, but what was even harsher was the Nixon regime escalating a war in a Johnsonian way when he had promised that he would end the quagmire in Vietnam if elected. Read the rest of this entry »
“The nickname for my country is ‘the land of thousands of hills,’” writes Paul Rusesabagina, in his autobiography, An Ordinary Man, “but this signifies a gross undercount. There are at least half a million hills, maybe more…we are the children of the hills, the grassy slopes, the valley roads, the spider patterns of rivers, and the millions of rivulets and crevasses and buckles of earth… In this country, we don’t talk about coming from a particular village, but from a particular hill.”
Paul Rusesabagina was born into a family of nine children, farmers, on the side of a steep hill, in a home made of mud and sticks. The Rwanda of his youth was green and bright, full of cooking fires and sisters murmuring and drying sorghum and corn leaves in the wind and in the warm arms of his mother. But this image of a happy, quiet youth spent in the quaint hills of some far-off place is not one the western world holds in its modern memory of Rwanda. Instead we are confronted by horror. Read the rest of this entry »
There was an unbelievable story in The Cove Herald last week that comes from near where George Bush and I own property: Copperas Cove, Texas. Apparently two residents: Bill and Georgia Thomas decided that the Resident in Chief deserved one of the three Purple Hearts that Bill earned in Vietnam for: “emotional wounds and scars” because people all over the world talk so badly about poor George.
This story stunned me on a day when nine US soldiers and 20 were wounded in a car bomb attack in the Iraqi province of Diyala. Over 500 Iraqis were killed or found decomposing in Baghdad last week and April ’07 is shaping up to be one of the deadliest months for US troop fatalities. This is also a day when there is a hearing into the Army’s exploitation of Pat Tillman’s death to use him as a poster boy for patriotic fervor and unfounded hero worship. Why can’t we talk about our soldier’s heroic lives and not their tragic deaths as victims of the military industrial complex. Read the rest of this entry »
“Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect.”
~Chief Seattle~1855
Last night, at the annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner, we did not get the usual “stellar” comedy performance from George Bush in deference to the Virginia Tech tragedy. Who can forget that “uproariously hilarious” bit he did looking for WMD under the couch in his office in 2004 shortly before my son was killed in Iraq by this joker in chief? How nice that George reined in his comedic impulses for the families and friends of the murdered VT students…because I can assure you, their families are finding nothing funny right now.
Troops dying unnecessarily every day in Iraq has not even slowed down this annual event with correspondents and George Bush has not found it in the slight bit crucial to temper his comedy routines in deference to the families that he has destroyed by his war for profit in Iraq . Read the rest of this entry »
“War will not solve any problem we face with Iran.”
Scott Ritter, former Major of the US Marines and Chief UNSCOM Weapons Inspector in Iraq, spoke on the folly of war with Iran in the General Pershing Room of the War Memorial, Indianapolis, IN on April 18, 2007.
This is Part 1 – his presentation in the program “US Policy in the Middle East; Target Iran and the role of Congress.”
Clips from the Q and A will follow. He spoke on a two person panel with the Honorable Andy Jacobs, former Congressperson from Indiana.
The program was sponsored by Veterans for Peace, Indiana Chapter #49, Indianapolis Peace House & Plowshares, Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center, and Traprock Peace Center.
Moderator: Pierre Atlas
Political Science Professor and Director of Franciscan Center for Global Studies at Marian College
On Wednesday, April 18, the Campus Antiwar Network at the University of Wisconsin-Madison led a walkout of approximately 200 students against the war. This walkout culminated in 100 antiwar activists entering the office of Senator Herb Kohl, with twenty-five staying the night and dozens more joining us in the morning before Senator Kohl’s staff had us evicted by the Madison Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security.
WHY WE OCCUPIED SENATOR KOHL’S OFFICE
The simplest reason: Senator Kohl (D – WI) says he’s against the war, but votes to fund the continuation of the war. Moreover, in a remarkable display of arrogance, Senator Kohl has refused to meet with the antiwar movement in his state during the entire four years of the war in Iraq. Thus, the vibrant antiwar community in Madison, including chapters of the Campus Antiwar Network and Iraq Veterans Against the War, the Madison Area Peace Coalition and the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, has never been able to discuss our position with a senator who says he is on our side, but never votes that way.
We presented Senator Kohl’s office with six demands, and informed him that setting a definite date for a public meeting with him to discuss these demands would end our building occupation immediately. Ultimately, his office preferred to inflict the force of the police on us rather than the force of our arguments on the senator. Read the rest of this entry »
Below is coverage of UW-Madison CAN’s ongoing occupation of Senator Herb Kohl’s office. (Despite the abrupt ending of the first article, which doesn’t make this clear, we’re still in the office.) Other coverage has included Air America and local television and radio.
Elizabeth Wrigley-Field
<http://www.dailycardinal.com/news/
anti-war-network-sits-in-at-sen.-kohl-s-office-through-the-night.html>
(link no longer works)
Anti-war network sits in at Sen. Kohl’s office through the night
Written by Erica Pelzek
Thursday, 19 April 2007
UW students stage walk out in protest of Iraq war
After walking out of their classes at 1 p.m. Wednesday in protest of the war in Iraq and rallying students down State Street, more than 40 members of UW-Madison’s Campus Anti-war Network staged an all-night sit-in at U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl’s, D-Wis., Madison office. Read the rest of this entry »
Sacrifice
Keynote Speech for the Omaha Peace and Justice Expo
Cindy Sheehan
If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.
Arabian Proverb
I recently discovered an incredible woman: Jeannette Rankin. She was the first Congress woman, in 1916…she was from the state of Montana and besides beginning the debate on the 19th Amendment to finally give women our long overdue right to vote, she was an uncompromising and sassy peace activist (like me) for her entire life. In her Congressional roles, she voted “Nay” on World War I and II. Read the rest of this entry »
“They can kill somebody’s body, but they can’t kill love.” – Cindy Sheehan.
Cindy Sheehan calls for nonviolent revolution, encourages activists and shares her emotions about the senseless killings of Iraqis and US soldiers due to this war. This is a must watch question and answer session, after her talk at the 3rd Annual Midwest Peace and Justice Summit held at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, on April 13, 2007.
“They want us to live in fear….It’s time that we’re willing to sacrifice and put our bodies on the line for peace and justice.”
Sponsoring organizations were IUPUI Students Advocates for Global Equality, Plowshares Consortium of Peace Studies, Indiana Peace and Justice Network, IUPUI Center for Service and Learning, Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center, and IUPUI Office of Campus and Community Life.
Organizations throughout the Midwest participated. See more on the conference at http://www.mpjs.org
Cindy Sheehan spoke at Purdue University on April 12, 2007. Proponents of war with Iraq tried to prevent her coming, by smearing her in the Lafayette newspaper and trying to discourage the university for bringing her to speak. The Peace Studies Committee at Purdue University sponsored her appearance (without using university funds). Protestors in the hall were vastly outnumbered by those against the war and continuing occupation of Iraq. About 600 people heard her speak, live or in the overflow room.
This is the Q and A session. While we taped the main talk, it is available in its entirety via the student newspaper site. We defer to the students, and offer the Q and A as it is not otherwise available.
Many thanks to Professor Harry Targ – one of the ‘most dangerous 100 professors’ according to David Horowitz (oh, to be on that list!) and Sheila Rosenthal – an organizer supreme – of the Lafayette Area Peace Coalition.
This is Part 2 of a 2 part video (split due to YouTube size limitations). It features Chaplain James Yee, former US Army Muslim Chaplain at Guantanamo. In this Part 2, he discusses Guantanamo, including shocking interrogation technigues (such as sexual taunting from naked female interrogators), physical and psychological abuse, and desecration of the Koran. He also discusses his own arrest, solitary confinement with sensory deprivation, and eventual total exoneration. All charges were dropped again him. He was returned to duty and given a commendation. He resigned his commission and received an honorable discharge.
In Part I, he went into detail about why he became a Muslim.
Chaplain Yee spoke on April 14, 2007 at the 3rd Annual Midwest Peace and Justice Summit held on the IUPUI campus in Indianapolis, IN. For more information, see http://www.mpjs.org
Conference sponsors were: IUPUI Student Advocates for Global Equality; Indiana Peace & Justice Network; Plowshares Consortium of Peace Studies Programs; IUPUI Center for Service and Learning; Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center; and IUPUI Office of Campus and Community Life.
This is Part 1 of a 2 part video (split due to YouTube size limitations). It features Chaplain James Yee, former US Army Muslim Chaplain at Guantanamo. In this Part I, he discusses how he became a Muslim. In Part II, he goes into detail about shocking abuses at Guantanamo and his arrest and threatened court martial while serving as chaplain. All charges were dropped again him. He was returned to duty and given a commendation. He resigned his commission and received an honorable discharge.
Mr. Yee spoke on April 14, 2007 at the 3rd Annual Midwest Peace and Justice Summit held on the IUPUI campus in Indianapolis, IN. For more information, see http://www.mpjs.org
Conference sponsors were: IUPUI Student Advocates for Global Equality; Indiana Peace & Justice Network; Plowshares Consortium of Peace Studies Programs; IUPUI Center for Service and Learning; Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center; and IUPUI Office of Campus and Community Life.
Cindy Sheehan gave the Plowshare Keynote Address at the 3rd Annual Midwest Peace and Justice Summit on April 13, 2007 at the Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis campus.
See more on the conference at http://www.mpjs.org
Sponsoring organizations were IUPUI Students Advocates for Global Equality, Plowshares Consortium of Peace Studies, Indiana Peace and Justice Network, IUPUI Center for Service and Learning, Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center, and IUPUI Office of Campus and Community Life.
Organizations throughout the Midwest participated.
I was hoping to see someone else write a substantive post about yesterday’s action in Smithfield, North Carolina. Here I’ll share my experience/observations in lieu of a report from someone more intimate with the details. I think it’s important that awareness be raised on this issue for several reasons. First and foremost because torture is illegal and inhumane. Secondly because our Governor, to my knowledge, hasn’t taken any real steps to end the complicity of the state of North Carolina and county of Johnston with Aero Contractors by allowing the torture taxis to be based in Kinston and Smithfield apparently without question. Whatever good the CIA and AERO may have done is being overshadowed by a grievous series of events involving renditions and torture.
I got up early Monday to drive to Smithfield where I met with organizers and participants of a planned frontal approach to AERO CONTRACTORS who lease space at the Johnston County Airport. You may not know that 3 employees of AERO CONTRACTORS have been indicted by the government of GERMANY for their participation in the kidnapping and rendition of a German citizen, Khaled El-Masri. He is of Lebanese descent – not Iraqi, Iranian, Pakistani nor Afghani. Heck, he isn’t even Saudi like most of the folks who supposedly perpetrated the 911 attack on the WTC. Read the rest of this entry »
Wally Nelson would have been 98 on March 27th. He was a pioneer civil rights activist and is considered a parent – along with his partner Juanita Nelson – of the modern war tax resistance movement in the US.
See more on Wally (with links to other resources) at http://www.traprockpeace.org/wallynel…
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Ne…
This short video is a compilation of moments from 1999 to 2002. The final clip is Wally last birthday celebration.
Veterans Paul Abernathy and Matt Southworth, both member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, speak with Sunny Miller, Executive Director of Traprock Peace Center, after the antiwar/anti-occupation rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina on March 17, 2007.
For more information, see:
http://www.ivaw.org
http://www.traprockpeace.org
http://www.veteransforpeace.org
For videos of the Fayetteville peace events on March 17-18, 2007 (more coming), visit http://www.youtube.com/TraprockPeaceTV
Iraq War veterans leading march in Fayetteville, North Carolina – March 17, 2007. A short clip of the head of the march. The vets led the chanting for the march through Fayetteville, the home of Fort Bragg (82nd Airborne). See Veterans for Peace – http://www.veteransforpeace.org – and Iraq Veterans Against the War – http://www.ivaw.org.
For more on the march, see http://www.fayetteville-peace-rally.org
Marchers in North Carolina took to the streets to protest war in Fayetteville on March 17, 2007. About 500 marched to a rally against the war and occupation. For more information on the rally and march, see http://www.fayetteville-peace-rally.org
“We want justice, got to have justice.” This was one of the songs performed by the Fruit of Labor Singing Ensemble at the peace rally in Fayetteville, NC on March 17, 2007.
Fruit of Labor is the cultural arm of Black Workers for Justice; http://www.bwfj.org
Members are affiliated with the NC Public Service Workers Union, UE Loccal 150 – http://www.ue150.org
For more information on the peace rally, see http://www.fayetteville-peace-rally.org
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber spoke at the peace rally in Fayetteville, NC on March 17, 2007. He is President of the NC NAACP and pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, NC. Chuck Fager of Quaker House introduced him.
For more information, see http://www.fayetteville-peace-rally.org
video recorded and edited by Charles Jenks; charles@traprockpeace.org
Anti-torture and antiwar activists in North Carolina, joined by Ann Wright and Sunny Miller, protested outside the gates of Aero Contractors LTD in Smithfield, NC. Aero Contractors has been reported to provide planes and pilots for the CIA’s ‘extraordinary rendition’, in other words kidnapping, of people in other countries for interrogation and imprisonment, which has included torture. Several organizations participated in this action:
North Carolina Stop Torture Now
The feeble Democratic leadership has given up on legislation to require the President to seek approval from Congress before attacking Iran. It stripped the language from the Iraq Supplemental Appropriation Bill. Reportedly convervative Democrats didn’t want to “tie the President’s hands”. While the President’s hands were left free no doubt many in Congress found their arms twisted by over 1,000 lobbyists from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee who descended on Washington recently to spread hysteria about Iran. Read the rest of this entry »
“DEATH” OF CONGRESS SHIFTS WEIGHT OF
WAR RESISTANCE MORE HEAVILY ON MILITARY
By Nick Mottern, Director, ConsumersforPeace.org
March 2, 2007
One can argue that Congress died as a representative body on Feb. 16-17, 2007 when it went on record as doing nothing to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq. Statements of the Democratic leadership about the war since then can be compared to the chattering of microbes in a cadaver.
The Congressional Iraq failure made it even more clear that Congress will not block an attack against Iran, despite mounting evidence that such an attack is likely within a few months if not weeks.
And nothing can be expected from Congress to reduce U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan, which, in the shadow cast by the death toll in Iraq, is becoming a war and occupation with no foreseeable end, a war possibly spreading into Pakistan. Indeed, the Afghanistan Plus war seems to have wide support in the Congress. Read the rest of this entry »
“As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.” Read the rest of this entry »
At least seven bills have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would halt the escalation of the Iraq War and/or forbid further money from being used for anything except bringing U.S. forces completely out of Iraq. H.R. 508, introduced by Cong. Lynn Woolsey D-CA would require all U.S. military and private security personnel to be out of Iraq within six months of the legislation’s passage.
These bills, for all practical purposes, are being sidelined by the leaders of the Democratically-controlled House: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi D-CA; Majority Leader Steny Hoyer D-MD; and Cong. John Murtha D-PA, a legislatively powerful war critic because of his chairmanship of the Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. Instead, attention of the House has been focused by the leadership this week on a non-binding resolution expressing disapproval of sending 20,000 more troops to Iraq. Read the rest of this entry »
The arrests started just five minutes after people
entered Senator John McCain’s (R-AZ) office in the
Senate Office Building. The first of a planned
three-month series of occupations of U.S. legislators’
offices was designed to demand specific action to
quickly end the U.S. war in and occupation of Iraq.
About 50 people, representing nearly twenty
participating organizations, took part in the
nonviolent civil disobedience. Both TV and print media
covered the event. Read the rest of this entry »
On January 27th, the people sent a clear message to Washington – “Get U.S. Troops Out of Iraq Now!” Hundreds of thousands of people marched, and they completely – for the first time in history it is reported – surrounded the Capitol Building. When the first marchers came to the end of the loop there were people still waiting to start marching.
Unfortunately, United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) – the primary sponsor – didn’t live up to the standards set by the marchers. Its continuing refusal to work with some other national coalitions, and its focus on celebrities and politicians, was reflected in its botching the start of the march and focusing of media coverage.
The great news though, from my perspective, is that this march drew such a broad range of people. Look at the people marching – www.traprockpeace.org has over 200 march photos – and you’ll see a cross-section of America. This – as much as the numbers – is what should worry the Bush Administration and Congress. Read the rest of this entry »
WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
Why protest matters
By Sharon Smith | February 9, 2007
HUNDREDS OF thousands of antiwar protesters amassed on the streets of Washington, D.C., on January 27, emboldened by the optimism of an antiwar majority that has finally found its voice.
To be sure, skeptics were quick to point out that members of Congress had vacated their offices for the weekend, as if their physical presence was necessary to notice the throngs of protesters. Other cynics remind us that even the enormous February 15, 2003, antiwar demonstrations failed to halt the U.S. drive to war on Iraq, as if protest is a futile exercise.
It is politically naïve, however, to expect that a single demonstration of any size is enough to persuade the world’s lone military superpower to reverse its bloodthirsty course.
A demonstration is not a protest movement. Such a movement requires an ongoing commitment to grassroots struggle. Read the rest of this entry »
The Campus Antiwar Network brought hundreds of students into the Unified Youth and Student Contingent on January 27th in DC. The new SDS, World Can’t Wait and other groups joined in one of the largest contingents in the march, and clearly the largest student bloc.
This 8 minute video shows the march to the rally point on the Mall; the spirited rally with chanting and talks by students; and the contingent marching on Constitution Avenue toward the Capitol.
It was a day of affirmation for the student movement, and a signal that the movement is strong and gaining momentum.
CAN was conceived in October, 2002 and formed via joint sister conferences – in DC and San Francisco – on January 17, 2003. It has been the largest and most active student coalition since the start of the war against Iraq. CAN was founded by students, and it is run entirely by students. It is democratic, grassroots, independent and owns its own website, which it maintains itself. Its operations are overseen by a national coordinating committee which is elected by delegates at its national conferences.
FORMER -GENERALS WHO WANT THE U.S. TO STAY IN IRAQ ARE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE WAR INDUSTRY
- Keane devises and pushes Bush’s “surge”.
- McCaffery wants more arms and money for Iraqis.
- Hoar and Odom, little connected to military business,
call for withdrawal.
- The importance of “contractors” in sustaining the war; “doing the patriotic bit.”
By Nick Mottern, Director, ConsumersforPeace.Org
As Congress weighs action on the escalation of the Iraq War, it may want to consider the business connections of retired generals who have been making recommendations, particularly those of retired four-star Army general John M. “Jack” Keane, who is one of the authors of President Bush’s “surge” policy. Read the rest of this entry »
This video joins 10 clips together to give a sense of this historic event, on January 27, 2007, which brought about 500,000 people to DC to march on the Capitol.
The video starts with a short clip of the intended ‘head’ of the march, with celebrities and politicians. A large swarm of photographers and videographers were jostling for position in front of the formation, which was behind a yellow taped in area. When the formation started to move, it took baby steps with the photographers walking backwards, clicking away. Hundreds had now gathered in the street – in front of the ‘head’ – ignoring pleas from march marshals to get up on the curb and “fall in behind” the celebrity formation. On the other side of these hundreds, the police escort then started up their engines, and these hundreds became the actual head of the march, with the celebrities coming up behind with their big banner.
The clip captures several energetic large contingents – the Service Employees International Union, the Campus Antiwar Network, and the International Socialist Organization. There are also people of all sorts marching, along with stilt walkers, puppets, etc.
And see coverage of a great after the march event – the End the War Now! program at Busboys and Poets. See videos, and download the audio, of the amazing hip hop artist Son of Nun; and speakers Kelly Dougherty, co-founder of Iraq Veterans Against the War; and Anthony Arnove, author of Iraq: the Logic of Withdrawal. http://www.traprockpeace.org/arnove_dougherty_012707.html
On January 27, 2007, 500,000 marched against war and occupation in Washington, DC. After this mass demonstration against the war, Kelly Dougherty, co-founder and Executive Director of Iraq Veterans Against War, and Anthony Arnove, author of Iraq: the Logic of Withdrawal, spoke at the Bus Boys and Poets cafe. Their talks followed an incredible performance of songs by activist/hip hop artist Son of Nun.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2CfBwXroQU[/youtube]
Son of Nun performs “Speak on It”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-H9SU5ZjhY[/youtube]
Kelley Dougherty, Iraq Veterans Against the War
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li5WqQbLlew[/youtube]
Anthony Arnove, author of Iraq: the Logic of Withdrawal
In a moving, personal message that give a glimpse of the everyday tragedy of this war Dougherty recounted her experiences as a US national guard MP in Iraq. She gave witness to the miseries endured by the Iraqi people, and the relentless pursuit of profits in Iraq by companies such as KBR.
Arnove spelled out the disastrous consequences of this war, for the Iraqi people and the US, and made the case for immediate withdrawal of occupation forces, with reparations. (The video of his presentation is also on Google at
Son of Nun, the activist hip hop artist from Baltimore, performed 3 stirring pieces. Watch for video of his song about Katrina!
Andy Shallal, owner of Busboys and Poets, and Pamela Pinnock, Events Manager, introduced the program and served as hosts to an overflow audience, with people sitting on the stage. Michele Bollinger of the International Socialist Organization, which organized the event, served as moderator.
Learn more about the International Socialist Organization at http://www.internationalsocialist.?org and read news on the world and the movement at http://www.socialistworker.org
Learn more about Iraq Veterans Against the War at http://www.ivaw.org
See Son of Nun’s website at http://www.sonofnun.net/
Learn more about Busboys and Poets at http://www.busboysandpoets.com
The video was produced by Traprock Peace Center; Sunny Miller and Charles Jenks filmed and recorded the event. Find comlete coverage of this program and the days peace march at http://www.traprockpeace.org
Thanks to YouTube and Google for hosting the video!
Testimony by Anthony Arnove before the Congressional Out Now Caucus – January 29, 2007
Our Now Caucus
Iraq Book Fair
1100 Longworth House Office Building
Representatives Waters and Woolsey, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War in the gallery, colleagues: It is an honor to speak today about my book Iraq: The Logic of Withdrawal.
June 1, 2007 
Posted in by Kathy Kelly, Iraq 
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