The G.O.P. perp walk

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIX MIX -- DC.


TODAY, JUDGE PAUL L. FRIEDMAN HAS SENTENCED FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION DAVID SAFAVIAN TO 18 MONTHS IMPRISONMENT

SAFAVIAN WAS ALSO THE EX-WHITE HOUSE BUDGET OFFICE APPOINTEE BUT THAT LITTLE RUN IN WITH THE LAW PREVENTED THAT.

NOW HE'S DOING THE DANCE THAT'S SWEEPING THE NATION!

THE G.O.P. PERP WALK!

IT'S A DANCE THAT'S SWEEPING THE NATION IN THE REPUBLICAN SET. JUST YESTERDAY DAVID A. PETERSON OF ARIZONA WAS DOING IT, THE TREASURER OF ARIZONA.

SOON, IT'S SAID, SCOOTER LIBBY WILL BE DOING IT.

AND BOOKIES ARE TAKING ON EVEN MONEY ON BETS THAT BULLY BOY WILL BE DOING THE PERP WALK BEFORE 2009.


HERE'S HOW THE DANCE WORKS:

1) BALL YOUR FISTS IN FRONT OF YOU.

2) MOVE RIGHT TO LEFT, RIGHT TO LEFT WITH YOUR FEET.

3) POINT FINGER AND SAY, "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! I'M NOT GUILTY!"

4) THROW YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOU (AS THOUGH HANDCUFFED), BEND AT THE WAIST AND DUCK WALK ACROSS THE DANCE FLOOR.




FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Tomorrow Kyle Snyder will return to the United States, Mike Howell reports for the Toronto Star noting that Snyder notes war resister Darrell Anderson's decision to return to the US (Anderson returned September 30th). Like Anderson, Snyder elected to self-check out of the military. For Snyder, that happened in April 2005. As Snyder explains in Michelle Mason's Breaking Ranks, military recruiters were circling throughout high school: "I had just received my high school diploma. I get off of the stage and here's another recruiter right outside the door -- waiting for me. I look back at i now and everything that I'm going through, everything that I've worked through I can retrace down to that moment that I signed the f**king contract." Snyder has addressed how the military broke its contract with him -- such as by refusing to investigate incidents of violence targeting Iraqis.


In August, Synder explained his decision to self-check out of the US military and go to Canada to Karen Button noting, "You know, if they want to help people in Iraq . . . imagine a 15 year-old kid, for the last . . . years all he's seen is [US] military personnel with weapons going through his city. How is that child supposed to believe that the man, in that uniform is helping him? Now, if that child saw a convoy of logs being brought to his city, or a convory of water being brought to his city, still guarded, it would be a completely different situation. That's where the American military messed up. Because they forgot about the perception of civilisation. They forgot about the perception of the Iraqi people."

Kyle Snyder intends to return to the US Saturday and turn himself in. Michelle Mason's documentary Breaking Ranks takes a look at US war resisters who have gone to Canada seeking asylum. In addition to Mason's film, more information on war resisters hoping to be granted refugee status (which the Canadian government has thus far refused to do, unlike during the Vietnam era) can be found at War Resisters Support Campaign.


Kyle Snyder, Darrell Anderson, Ricky Clousing, Mark Wilkerson, Agustin Aguayo, Corey Glass, Patrick Hart, Jeremy Hinzman, Brandon Hughey, Carl Webb, Camilo Mejia, Pablo Paredes, Aidan Delgado, Ryan Johnson, Joshua Key, Katherine Jashinski, Ivan Brobeck, Robin Long, Kevin Benderman and Clifford Cornell are among those war resisters who have gone public. And that's only the names of those who have gone public. The war resistance within the military is a movement.

Earlier this week, US service members created a website, Appeal for Redress, and are attempting to collect 2000 signatures for their petition to Congress to end the illegal war. From Appeal for Redress

An Appeal for Redress from the War in IraqMany active duty, reserve, and guard service members are concerned about the war in Iraq and support the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The Appeal for Redress provides a way in which individual service members can appeal to their Congressional Representative and US Senators to urge an end to the U.S. military occupation. The Appeal messages will be delivered to members of Congress at the time of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January 2007.The wording of the Appeal for Redress is short and simple. It is patriotic and respectful in tone.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.If you agree with this message, click here.The Appeal for Redress is sponsored by active duty service members based in the Norfolk area and by a sponsoring committee of veterans and military family members. The Sponsoring committee consists of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans For Peace, and Military Families Speak Out.Members of the military have a legal right to communicate with their member of Congress. To learn more about the rights and restrictions that apply to service members click here.Attorneys and counselors experienced in military law are available to help service members who need assistance in countering any attempts to suppress this communication with members of Congress.Several members of Congress have expressed interest in receiving the Appeal for Redress.Click here to send the Appeal to your elected representatives.


Meanwhile, Citizen Soldier announces the opening, today, of "the first soldiers' coffeehouse of the current Iraq war in Watertown, NY." More information can be found at Citizen Soldier and at Different Drummer, the name of the coffeehouse. It is a movement and for those wanting more information on the importance of the GI coffeehouse to a peace movement should view David Zeiger's Sir! No Sir! documentary.


Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"
"And the war drags on"
"War resister Kyle Snyder returns to the US tomorrow"
"NYT: "42 Iraqis Die as Insurgents Attack Police Near Baquba" (Richard A. Oppel Jr & Kirk Semple)"
"thoughts"
"Iraq"
"Tough Scandalous Times for the GOP (humor)"
"THIS JUST IN! ANOTHER GOP OFFICIAL BITES THE DUST!"