Saturday, February 09, 2008

THIS JUST IN! BAMBI IS BULLY BOY!

 
IN A CALL WITH TWO BARACK OBAMA CAMPAIGN STAFFERS TODAY, THESE REPORTERS LEARNED THE CAMPAIGN'S BIGGEST FEAR.
 
 
LIKE BULLY BOY, BAMBI CAN ALSO BE HAUGHTY AND DISRESPECTFUL TO MEMBERS OF THE PRESS.  SADLY, SOME CAN FIND THE STORY AMUSING INCLUDING SOME IN THE PRESS.  BELOW IS NICKLAUS LOVELDAY'S ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DO HIS JOB AS A REPORTER FOR THE HENRY DAILY HERALD:
 
 
 
AFTER ABOUT FIVE QUESTIONS FROM DIFFERENT TELEVISION AND NEWSPAPERS REPORTERS, I STOOD UP TO ASK MINE.
"WAIT A MINUTE SON, THIS IS FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDIA ONLY," OBAMA SAID TO ME.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I WORK FOR THE LOCAL PAPER," I SAID WITH A CRACKLING NERVOUS VOICE.
"OH, I'M SORRY.  I THOUGHT YOU WERE A COLLEGE STUDENT.  YOU HAVE SUCH A BABY FACE," HE SAID WITH AN UNREMORSEFUL GRIN.
AT THAT POINT EVERYONE IN THE ROOM TURNED TO LOOK AT ME AND LAUGH.  THE 800 PEOPLE IN THE LOBBY LAUGHED AS MY FACE WAS PROJECTED ON THE BIG SCREEN.
 
THERE IS THE INSULT TO THE PRESS.  THE REFUSAL TO APOLOGIZE IMMEDIATELY BUT INSTEAD RIDICULE THE MAN AND COMPOUND THE INSULT WITH "BABY FACE."  AND THERE IS THE ISSUE OF SO WHAT IF THE REPORTER HAD BEEN A COLLEGE STUDENT?  HE WAS A REPORTER FOR A DAILY PAPER, BUT DOES BAMBI -- THE "YOUTH" POSTER BOY -- THINK HE COULD DISRESPECT COLLEGE STUDENTS.
 
SAID ONE STAFFER, "WE'RE TELLING HIM TO STOP LOOKING DOWN HIS NOSE IN PUBLIC BUT HIS ATTITUDE IS MUCH WORSE THAN PEOPLE KNOW.  WE'RE JUST HOPING THE PRESS DOESN'T START EXPLORING IT."
 
 
Starting with war resistance, Krystalline Kraus (The Rabble) traces the historical support Canada has provided to war resisters:
 
According to Lee Zaslofsky, a key organizer for the War Resisters Support Campaign and a Vietnam resister himself, he believes that Canada has a certain historical legacy to live up to by accepting war resisters.       
It was Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and the Liberal Party who opened Canada's doors during the Vietnam war to thousands of Americans war resisters, who were often motivated by the same feeling of objection to an unjust and illegal war.    
"Of course, Canada's legacy extends back further to the [American] Civil War and before that when slaves came north via the underground railroad, and even before that with the United Empire Loyalists, so there is sort of a Canadian tradition of welcoming dissenters from the United States and this is another part of that," Zaslofsky explains.         
 
With the Canadian Supreme Court refusing to hear appeals on this issue in November, the country's Parliament remains the best hope for safe harbor war resisters may have.  You can make your voice heard by the Canadian parliament which has the ability to pass legislation to grant war resisters the right to remain in Canada.  Three e-mails addresses to focus on are: Prime Minister Stephen Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca -- that's pm at gc.ca) who is with the Conservative party and these two Liberals, Stephane Dion (Dion.S@parl.gc.ca -- that's Dion.S at parl.gc.ca) who is the leader of the Liberal Party and Maurizio Bevilacqua (Bevilacqua.M@parl.gc.ca -- that's Bevilacqua.M at parl.gc.ca) who is the Liberal Party's Critic for Citizenship and Immigration. A few more can be found here at War Resisters Support Campaign. For those in the US, Courage to Resist has an online form that's very easy to use.
 
There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Josh Randall, Robby Keller, Chuck Wiley, James Stepp, Rodney Watson, Michael Espinal, Matthew Lowell, Derek Hess, Diedra Cobb, Brad McCall, Justin Cliburn, Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Peter Brown, Bethany "Skylar" James, Zamesha Dominique, Chrisopther Scott Magaoay, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Clara Gomez, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Agustin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Abdullah Webster, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder, Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, Blake LeMoine, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Dale Bartell, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Chris Capps, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Kjar, Kyle Huwer, Wilfredo Torres, Michael Sudbury, Ghanim Khalil, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, at least fifty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.



Information on war resistance within the military can be found at The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline [(877) 447-4487], Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Tom Joad maintains a list of known war resisters. In addition, VETWOW is an organization that assists those suffering from MST (Military Sexual Trauma).
 
 

 
In 1971, over one hundred members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War gathered in Detroit to share their stories with America. Atrocities like the My Lai massacre had ignited popular opposition to the war, but political and military leaders insisted that such crimes were isolated exceptions. The members of VVAW knew differently.
Over three days in January, these soldiers testified on the systematic brutality they had seen visited upon the people of Vietnam. They called it the Winter Soldier investigation, after Thomas Paine's famous admonishing of the "summer soldier" who shirks his duty during difficult times. In a time of war and lies, the veterans who gathered in Detroit knew it was their duty to tell the truth.
Over thirty years later, we find ourselves faced with a new war. But the lies are the same. Once again, American troops are sinking into increasingly bloody occupations. Once again, war crimes in places like Haditha, Fallujah, and Abu Ghraib have turned the public against the war. Once again, politicians and generals are blaming "a few bad apples" instead of examining the military policies that have destroyed Iraq and Afghanistan.
Once again, our country needs Winter Soldiers.
In March of 2008, Iraq Veterans Against the War will gather in our nation's capital to break the silence and hold our leaders accountable for these wars. We hope you'll join us, because yours is a story that every American needs to hear.

 
March 13th through 16th are the dates for the Winter Soldier Iraq & Afghanistan Investigation. Dee Knight (Workers World) notes, "IVAW wants as many people as possible to attend the event. It is planning to provide live broadcasting of the sessions for those who cannot hear the testimony firsthand. 'We have been inspired by the tremendous support the movement has shown us,' IVAW says. 'We believe the success of Winter Soldier will ultimately depend on the support of our allies and the hard work of our members'."  As part of their fundraising efforts for the event, they are holding houseparties and a recent one in Boston featured both IVAW's Liam Madden and the incomprable Howard Zinn as speakers.
 
In the United States, a new poll may cause a stir.  Jeannine Aversa (AP) reports that Americans surveyed by AP and Ipsos feel "The way to get the country out of recession -- and most people think we're in one -- is to get the country out of Iraq" and "Pulling out of the war ranked first among proposed remedies in the survey, followed by spending more on domestic programs, cutting taxes and, at the bottom end, giving rebates to poor people in hopes they'll spend the economy into recovery."  The number saying ending the illegal war would pull the United States out a recession was 43% and included respondent Hilda Sanchez who declares, "Let's stop paying for this war.  There are a lot of people who are struggling.  We can use the money to pay for medical care and help people who were put out of their homes."  [Marin of error on the poll was plus/minus 3/1%.]
 
 

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Thursday, February 07, 2008

Rub a dub dub Bambi & the boys in the tub

 
FADED BOX OFFICE SEMI-STAR AND TV CUT UP GEORGE CLOONEY CAME OUT TODAY STATING, "I'VE BEEN AN OBAMA GUY FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND I'M VERY EXCITED BY HIS CAMPAIGN."  REMEMBER, WHEN CHARLOTTE RAE'S FORMER CO-STAR SPEAKS . . . AMERICA SNOOZES.  OR ELSE DEMANDS A REFUND FOR OCEAN'S 12.
 
IN OTHER NEWS, CHET CULVER CONTACTED THESE REPORTERS TODAY.  WHEN WE SAW HIM ON OUR CALLER I.D. WE GROANED.  "GUYS!  GUESS WHAT!  I'M GOING TO ENDORSE OBAMA!"
 
AS POLITELY AS POSSIBLE, THESE REPORTERS EXPLAINED TO GOVERNOR CULVER THAT HIS STATE ALREADY HAD THEIR DAY, THEIR CAUCUS AND THE PRESS NEEDED AT LEAST 4 MORE YEARS BEFORE THEY COULD STOMACH IOWA AGAIN.
 
"B-B-BUT, DON'T YOU LOVE ME NO MORE?  DON'T YOU CARE WHAT IOWANS THINK AND DO AND WHERE WE GET OUR HAIR CUT AND WHERE WE GET OUR GROCERIES AND WHAT WE THINK THE REAL MEANING IS  AND . . ."
 
"TUNNEL," WE LIED AND HUNG UP.
 
JUST IN TIME TO CATCH A CALL FROM BAMBI HIMSELF WHO WANTED TO KNOW, "DOES BIG TONY LOOK LIKE HE'S EATING?"
 
 
"DID HE MENTION ME?"
 
NOT YET, WE REPLIED, BUT HE WASN'T ON THE WITNESS STAND.
 
 
 
 
Starting with war resistance.  Chuck Wiley is a US war resister currently in Canada.  He and his wife (also in the military) left after Wiley served in the Persian Gulf and realized he couldn't take part in an illegal war.  In doing so, he gave up a lengthy military career.  "Drastic and difficult measures" is how the The Whig Standard characterizes it in their editorial "Welcome U.S. war resisters" advocating that the Canadian Parliament take action on the part of the war resisters and pass the motion for safe harbor put forward by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration:
 
Canada should welcome these combat refugees without hesitation.        
Most Canadians recognize that the conflict in Iraq is an unjust war. That's why former prime minister Jean Chretien opted to fight the war on terror in Afghanistan, not Iraq. Chretien knew invading Iraq was unjustifiable and that there were some places one shouldn't follow even a close ally.          
Some will argue that men and women like Wiley knew when they enlisted that some day they might find themselves in combat; that it would be their sworn duty to fight on behalf of their country.          
But Bush, as the American commander-in-chief, abused the trust of his military personnel. We should not send them back to face further injustice.        
 
Reality check -- where is independent media?  Matty Rothschild could weigh in on Super Duper Tuesday at The Progressive.  Katrina vanden Heuvel at The Nation is stomping her feet and insisting that "Howard Dean and the state parties need to head off a situation in which back-room deals determine the Democratic nominee."   Where are they on war resistance?  It's not as if they're shy about writing about governments or other countries.  But independent media -- print and broadcast -- has shown no interest in this story.  In November the Canadian Supreme Court refused to weigh in.  The Canadian Parliament is the only answer and there is a window of time for passage.  But it's not 'pressing' apparently.  And let's not forget Professor Patti who, apparently flipping through the latest People magazine yet again, manages to write about Britney Spears but not one damn word about war resisters.  Professor Patti's a law professor and surely the latest on Spears is more pressing than granting refugee status to resisters of an illegal war.
 
Unlike them, you can make your voice heard by the Canadian parliament which has the ability to pass legislation to grant war resisters the right to remain in Canada.  Three e-mails addresses to focus on are: Prime Minister Stephen Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca -- that's pm at gc.ca) who is with the Conservative party and these two Liberals, Stephane Dion (Dion.S@parl.gc.ca -- that's Dion.S at parl.gc.ca) who is the leader of the Liberal Party and Maurizio Bevilacqua (Bevilacqua.M@parl.gc.ca -- that's Bevilacqua.M at parl.gc.ca) who is the Liberal Party's Critic for Citizenship and Immigration. A few more can be found here at War Resisters Support Campaign. For those in the US, Courage to Resist has an online form that's very easy to use.
 
There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Josh Randall, Robby Keller, Chuck Wiley, James Stepp, Rodney Watson, Michael Espinal, Matthew Lowell, Derek Hess, Diedra Cobb, Brad McCall, Justin Cliburn, Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Peter Brown, Bethany "Skylar" James, Zamesha Dominique, Chrisopther Scott Magaoay, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Clara Gomez, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Agustin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Abdullah Webster, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder, Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, Blake LeMoine, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Dale Bartell, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Chris Capps, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Kjar, Kyle Huwer, Wilfredo Torres, Michael Sudbury, Ghanim Khalil, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, at least fifty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.



Information on war resistance within the military can be found at The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline [(877) 447-4487], Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Tom Joad maintains a list of known war resisters. In addition, VETWOW is an organization that assists those suffering from MST (Military Sexual Trauma).
 
 

 
In 1971, over one hundred members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War gathered in Detroit to share their stories with America. Atrocities like the My Lai massacre had ignited popular opposition to the war, but political and military leaders insisted that such crimes were isolated exceptions. The members of VVAW knew differently.
Over three days in January, these soldiers testified on the systematic brutality they had seen visited upon the people of Vietnam. They called it the Winter Soldier investigation, after Thomas Paine's famous admonishing of the "summer soldier" who shirks his duty during difficult times. In a time of war and lies, the veterans who gathered in Detroit knew it was their duty to tell the truth.
Over thirty years later, we find ourselves faced with a new war. But the lies are the same. Once again, American troops are sinking into increasingly bloody occupations. Once again, war crimes in places like Haditha, Fallujah, and Abu Ghraib have turned the public against the war. Once again, politicians and generals are blaming "a few bad apples" instead of examining the military policies that have destroyed Iraq and Afghanistan.
Once again, our country needs Winter Soldiers.
In March of 2008, Iraq Veterans Against the War will gather in our nation's capital to break the silence and hold our leaders accountable for these wars. We hope you'll join us, because yours is a story that every American needs to hear.

 
March 13th through 16th are the dates for the Winter Soldier Iraq & Afghanistan Investigation. Dee Knight (Workers World) notes, "IVAW wants as many people as possible to attend the event. It is planning to provide live broadcasting of the sessions for those who cannot hear the testimony firsthand. 'We have been inspired by the tremendous support the movement has shown us,' IVAW says. 'We believe the success of Winter Soldier will ultimately depend on the support of our allies and the hard work of our members'."  As part of their fundraising efforts for the event, they are holding houseparties and a recent one in Boston featured both IVAW's Liam Madden and the incomprable Howard Zinn as speakers.
 
Turning to Iraq.  UK MTV News reports, "Angelina Jolie has made a surprise visit to Iraq in her role as a UN goodwill ambassador.  The gorgeous actress touched down in the Baghdad today to raise awareness of the 2 million refugees displaced in the war-torn Middle Eastern country."  Video of Jolie being interviewed by Arwa Damon (CNN) here and transcript of the interview here.  Jolie explains, "Well I came to the region about 6 months ago, I first went to Syria because I work with U.N.H.C.R. and there are 1.5 million refugees in Syria alone from Iraq and while I was there, I went inside and met with some internally displaced people.  And this trip is to get a better picture of the internally displaced people and to discuss with the local government, with our government, with the NGOs and with local people, the situation and to try to understand what is happening, because there are over 2 million internally displaced people and there doesn't seem to be a real coherent plan to help them and there's lots of good will and lot's of discussion -- but there seem to be a lot of uh -- just a lot of talk at the moment and a lot of pieces need to be put together."  Jolie goes on to note that more than four million Iraqi refugees exist and, of the four million, two million are internally displace with an estimate that the latter includes 58% under the age of the twelve.  Note that it's Angelina Jolie talking about the issue which we will get back to later in the snapshot.  The Iraqi Red Crescent Organization explains, "Pregnant mothers and young children suffer particular hardships and health risks as a result of the instability and displacement of the war.  Electricity shortages, insufficient clean water, deteriorating health services and worsening living conditions have led to a doubling of the child mortality rate since 1990.  Chronic child malnutrition has reached 21% of the population." In addition, they note of the internal refugees, "Some families have been forced out of their homes as a result of the sectarian realignment that has affected many areas, and many have had their living space destroyed as a result of the armed conflict.  Families fleeing the violence take immediate shelter wherever they can find it, sometimes in areas of uncertain safety, too often with limited access to clean water."
 
As Jolie calls attention to the internal refugees, new developments emerge on the external refugees.  Working from AP and AFP wire reports, the Taipei Times reports the numbers are yet again rising in Iraqis fleeing Iraq and going to Syria: "A report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR), citing Syrian immigration officials, said that late last month, an average of 1,200 Iraqis came to Syria ever day compared with around 700 who returned."  As before, the ones who go back to Iraq are not returning due to the 'safety' myth, they are doing so because they have exhausted their funds or are unable to receive visas (or have them extended).  And while the UN was looking at externam refugees, Reuters reports the Iraqi Red Crescent has found the same trend among the internally displaced, "Iraqi officials have been eager to stress that displaced families, who fled across Iraq or to other countries because of fierce clashes between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Muslims, were coming back in large numbers as security improved. But the IRC's report for January, seen by Reuters on Thursday, said the number of internally displaced people (IDP) returning home had slowed sharply.  The number of registered IDPs fell by 110,000 in October, but dropped by fewer than 3,000 in December, it said." 
 
In what sounds like an attempt to change the dialogue (while actually doing nothing), the puppet government in Baghdad is making noises about 'help' on the way.  IRIN reports that Ali Shaalan, of the Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration's planning directorate, is announcing "compounds" will be construction "nationwide" that will provide 'homes' to the displaced and he declares, "We are still at the drawing-board phase for residential compounds to be built over 50,000 square metres, scattered nationwide.  We expect to complete this phase in about a month.  So far we've managed to buy land in only seven provinces including Missan, Karbala, Basra and Thi Qar; we are planning to buy more land nationwide."  Drawing-board?  Yeah.  And note that homes will be "compounds."  The UNHCR report is entitled [PDF format warning] "UNHCR Syria Update on Iraqi Refugees."  The report offers the estimate of 1.5 million Iraqi refugees residing in Syria and that the "UNHCR has registered over 153,516 Iraqi refugees (53% male, 47% female).  18,969 registered since 2007 are classified as victims of torture/violence in Iraq.  21,546 registered since 2007 have an important medical condition.  2,654 registered since 2007 are considered to be women at risk."  The report also notes, "The Office is following up to secure access to 50 Iraqi women in Douma Prison, and Iraqi Girls (12-17 years old) in the Juvenile and Rehabilitation Centre.  The majority of the women are charged because of their involvement in prostitution acts, and the majority of the girls are survivors of SGBV including rape and forced prostitution."  Those who turn to prostitution are then at risk for deportation because the report outlines that prostitution, "forring documents" and "petty crimes" are among the crimes that can lead to deportation in Syria.  The Syrian government has now implemented a policy where visas are only valid for three months. 
 
 
 

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Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Banned from Democracy Now!

 
AMY GOODMAN PRESENTED A 'ROUNDTABLE' ON DEMOCRACY NOW! PROVING THAT ALL THE UNPOPULAR KIDS WISH THEY WERE THE THIRD ESTATE SUNDAY REVIEW.
 
THE TOPIC WAS THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES AND AFTER GOODMAN FINISHED THE SEGMENT, THESE REPORTERS ASKED HER HOW FAIR SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD JUST BEEN CONSIDERING THE 4 GUESTS CONTAINED NOT ONE HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER BUT DID CONTAIN 3 BAMBI SUPPORTERS?
 
"ON A GOODMAN SCALE OR ON AN OBAMA SCALE?"  SHE ASKED.
 
WHEN WE INQUIRED WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS, SHE REPLIED, "REALLY NOT MUCH.  BOTH ARE RIGGED IN MY FAVOR."
 
BEFORE WE COULD ASK ANOTHER QUESTION, GOODMAN BEGAN SPEAKING INTO HER MICROPHONE, "WE ARE INDEPENDENT RADIO.  WHILE THE CORPORATE MEDIA SLANTS THE TRUTH AND TOLD THE LIES OF WAR, WE TOLD YOU THE TRUTH YOU COULDN'T HEAR ELSEWHERE.  SO DIG, DIG DEEP.  PACIFICA RADIO IS COMMUNITY RADIO, LISTENER SUPPORTED RADIO AND WE NEED YOU TO NOW.  IF YOU VALUE WHAT WE DO, IF YOU VALUE THE TRUTH . . ."
 
AS THESE REPORTERS STOOD OFF TO THE SIDE GIGGLING, A NON-UNION SECURITY GUARD STORMED OVER AND TOLD US TO LEAVE. 
 
 
 
Starting with war resistance.  Lauren Miele (The Eyeopener) reports on Kathryn Palmanteer's photo exhibit of US war resisters which is being exhibited at Ryerson University in Toronto which attempts to "relay the message that these Resisters should be welcomed in Canada" and Palmanteer explains, "I used these documentary portraits to give voice to the voiceless, allowing them to have the opportunity to tell their stories."  "From Whisper to Roar" is displayed through Thursday at the Podium Building's Credit Union Lounge and "Each photograph is a portrait of a US soldier who has come to Canada seeking refugee status.  Underneath each photograph is a quote that underlines why the subject is a resister of war.  Along with the various marines and navy military that are featured, there are also wives of US War Resisters who are resisters themselves."   Jennifer Prichett (The Whig Standard) also examines war resistance and starts by explaining how US navy chief petty officer Chuck Wiley came to Canada with his wife due to the illegal war: "Wearing jeans and a black T-shirt emblazoned with 'Say Yes to Soldiers Who Say No,' Wiley told the crowd that he would like to see Canada become 'a refugee for those who don't participate in an unjust war."  The Wileys are class of 2007 -- translation, US media ignored them completely -- and entered Canada in February of last year after both had served many years in the military. 
 
You can make your voice heard by the Canadian parliament which has the ability to pass legislation to grant war resisters the right to remain in Canada.  Three e-mails addresses to focus on are: Prime Minister Stephen Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca -- that's pm at gc.ca) who is with the Conservative party and these two Liberals, Stephane Dion (Dion.S@parl.gc.ca -- that's Dion.S at parl.gc.ca) who is the leader of the Liberal Party and Maurizio Bevilacqua (Bevilacqua.M@parl.gc.ca -- that's Bevilacqua.M at parl.gc.ca) who is the Liberal Party's Critic for Citizenship and Immigration. A few more can be found here at War Resisters Support Campaign. For those in the US, Courage to Resist has an online form that's very easy to use.
 
There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Josh Randall, Robby Keller, Chuck Wiley, James Stepp, Rodney Watson, Michael Espinal, Matthew Lowell, Derek Hess, Diedra Cobb, Brad McCall, Justin Cliburn, Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Peter Brown, Bethany "Skylar" James, Zamesha Dominique, Chrisopther Scott Magaoay, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Clara Gomez, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Agustin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Abdullah Webster, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder, Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, Blake LeMoine, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Dale Bartell, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Chris Capps, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Kjar, Kyle Huwer, Wilfredo Torres, Michael Sudbury, Ghanim Khalil, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, at least fifty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.



Information on war resistance within the military can be found at The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline [(877) 447-4487], Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Tom Joad maintains a list of known war resisters. In addition, VETWOW is an organization that assists those suffering from MST (Military Sexual Trauma).
 
 

 
In 1971, over one hundred members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War gathered in Detroit to share their stories with America. Atrocities like the My Lai massacre had ignited popular opposition to the war, but political and military leaders insisted that such crimes were isolated exceptions. The members of VVAW knew differently.
Over three days in January, these soldiers testified on the systematic brutality they had seen visited upon the people of Vietnam. They called it the Winter Soldier investigation, after Thomas Paine's famous admonishing of the "summer soldier" who shirks his duty during difficult times. In a time of war and lies, the veterans who gathered in Detroit knew it was their duty to tell the truth.
Over thirty years later, we find ourselves faced with a new war. But the lies are the same. Once again, American troops are sinking into increasingly bloody occupations. Once again, war crimes in places like Haditha, Fallujah, and Abu Ghraib have turned the public against the war. Once again, politicians and generals are blaming "a few bad apples" instead of examining the military policies that have destroyed Iraq and Afghanistan.
Once again, our country needs Winter Soldiers.
In March of 2008, Iraq Veterans Against the War will gather in our nation's capital to break the silence and hold our leaders accountable for these wars. We hope you'll join us, because yours is a story that every American needs to hear.

 
March 13th through 16th are the dates for the Winter Soldier Iraq & Afghanistan Investigation. Dee Knight (Workers World) notes, "IVAW wants as many people as possible to attend the event. It is planning to provide live broadcasting of the sessions for those who cannot hear the testimony firsthand. 'We have been inspired by the tremendous support the movement has shown us,' IVAW says. 'We believe the success of Winter Soldier will ultimately depend on the support of our allies and the hard work of our members'."  As part of their fundraising efforts for the event, they are holding houseparties and a recent one in Boston featured both IVAW's Liam Madden and the incomprable Howard Zinn as speakers.
 

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Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Bambi wraps up the roll your own vote

 
WHAT'S MORE PATHETIC?
 
THAT A 60S 'BAND' IS ENDORSING A POLITICIAN OR THAT IT IS ENDORSING BARACK BAMBI OBAMA?
 
 
 
BOB WEIR, MICKEY HART AND PHIL LESH -- IT'S OKAY TO SAY "WHO?" -- REGROUPED TODAY BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING TO LEFT TO DO AND NO CAREERS OF THEIR OWN.  THEY THREW A GET OUT THE VOTE FOR A POLITICIAN WHO HAS REPEATEDLY SPIT ON THE 60S.  APPARENTLY ORRIN HATCH DIDN'T NEED HELP FROM "THE DEAD" THIS WEEK?
 
WHEN REACHED FOR COMMENT, BOB WEIR EXPLAINED, WHILE STOWING HIS BONG, "MAN, I JUST THINK, MAN, THAT, LIKE I SHOULD HAVE HAD AN ICE CREAM, YOU DIG, I MEAN JERRY GARCIA WASN'T EVEN INTO ICE CREAM, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT BUMMED HIM OUT AND STUFF AND LIKE I WAS THE ONE GOING 'THE CREAM SHALL RISE THE CREAM IS OUR FRIEND WE ARE THE CREAM AND THE CREAM IS US' AND LIKE I TURNED SONNY BONO ONTO CHOCOLATE.  BEFORE ME, HE ONLY LIKE ATE VANILLA.  I WAS LIKE, DIG IT, THE PLAYGROUND PUSHER FOR ICE CREAM ALL THROUGH THE SIXTIES, WOAH, ARE THE WALLS TALKING.  SHH.  DUDES, LISTEN."
 
 
Starting with war resistance.  Bruce Elder (Sydney Morning Herald via The Canberra Times) reviews Joshua Key's book The Deserter's Tale (written with Lawrence Hill) and notes, "Most nights on SBS's NewsHour With Jim Lehrer there's a silent roll call of American soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are, with few exceptions, teenagers or young men in their twenties. Who are these casualties of war? What is their background?" and concludes, "This is the raw, front-line story of America at war and it makes ugly, deeply disturbing but essential reading.  Key's final line -- 'I owe one apology and one apology only, and that is to the people of Iraq' -- neatly sums up the tragedy of the war."  Joshua Key recognized what he saw on the ground in Iraq: an illegal war.  Today, he and his family lives in Canada and are among the ones hoping to be granted safe harbor status.  Stuart Netbydrou Oja Jay (The Dominion) reviews the month of January and notes this, "Three hundred supporters of Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey, the first two war resisters to cross into Canada after refusing to deploy to Iraq with the US military, gathered in Toronto calling upon the Canadian parliament to pass a motion allowing them to remain in Canada. The rally was attended by Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae, as well as Toronto NDP MP Olivia Chow. Similar rallies and actions were held in 11 cities across the country. Days before, a rally of 50 Iraq veterans gathered at the Canadian Embassy in Washington urging the Canadian government to provide sanctuary to all military service personnel looking to escape deployments with the US military. In November the Canadian Supreme Court refused to hear the cases of Hinzman and Hughey, on the grounds that they had previously been turned down by the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, which considered the illegality of the Iraq war under international law inadmissible."
 
You can make your voice heard by the Canadian parliament which has the ability to pass legislation to grant war resisters the right to remain in Canada.  Three e-mails addresses to focus on are: Prime Minister Stephen Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca -- that's pm at gc.ca) who is with the Conservative party and these two Liberals, Stephane Dion (Dion.S@parl.gc.ca -- that's Dion.S at parl.gc.ca) who is the leader of the Liberal Party and Maurizio Bevilacqua (Bevilacqua.M@parl.gc.ca -- that's Bevilacqua.M at parl.gc.ca) who is the Liberal Party's Critic for Citizenship and Immigration. A few more can be found here at War Resisters Support Campaign. For those in the US, Courage to Resist has an online form that's very easy to use.
 
There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Josh Randall, Robby Keller, Chuck Wiley, James Stepp, Rodney Watson, Michael Espinal, Matthew Lowell, Derek Hess, Diedra Cobb, Brad McCall, Justin Cliburn, Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Peter Brown, Bethany "Skylar" James, Zamesha Dominique, Chrisopther Scott Magaoay, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Clara Gomez, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Agustin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Abdullah Webster, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder, Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, Blake LeMoine, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Dale Bartell, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Chris Capps, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Kjar, Kyle Huwer, Wilfredo Torres, Michael Sudbury, Ghanim Khalil, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, at least fifty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.



Information on war resistance within the military can be found at The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline [(877) 447-4487], Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Tom Joad maintains a list of known war resisters. In addition, VETWOW is an organization that assists those suffering from MST (Military Sexual Trauma).
 
 

 
In 1971, over one hundred members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War gathered in Detroit to share their stories with America. Atrocities like the My Lai massacre had ignited popular opposition to the war, but political and military leaders insisted that such crimes were isolated exceptions. The members of VVAW knew differently.
Over three days in January, these soldiers testified on the systematic brutality they had seen visited upon the people of Vietnam. They called it the Winter Soldier investigation, after Thomas Paine's famous admonishing of the "summer soldier" who shirks his duty during difficult times. In a time of war and lies, the veterans who gathered in Detroit knew it was their duty to tell the truth.
Over thirty years later, we find ourselves faced with a new war. But the lies are the same. Once again, American troops are sinking into increasingly bloody occupations. Once again, war crimes in places like Haditha, Fallujah, and Abu Ghraib have turned the public against the war. Once again, politicians and generals are blaming "a few bad apples" instead of examining the military policies that have destroyed Iraq and Afghanistan.
Once again, our country needs Winter Soldiers.
In March of 2008, Iraq Veterans Against the War will gather in our nation's capital to break the silence and hold our leaders accountable for these wars. We hope you'll join us, because yours is a story that every American needs to hear.

 
March 13th through 16th are the dates for the Winter Soldier Iraq & Afghanistan Investigation. Dee Knight (Workers World) notes, "IVAW wants as many people as possible to attend the event. It is planning to provide live broadcasting of the sessions for those who cannot hear the testimony firsthand. 'We have been inspired by the tremendous support the movement has shown us,' IVAW says. 'We believe the success of Winter Soldier will ultimately depend on the support of our allies and the hard work of our members'."  As part of their fundraising efforts for the event, they are holding houseparties and a recent one in Boston featured both IVAW's Liam Madden and the incomprable Howard Zinn as speakers.
 
[. . .]
 
Meanwhile out lesbian Laura Flanders writes at The Nation (no link to trash), "I wish I felt what Robin Morgan feels.  'Our President Ourselves!' she cheers, in a rousing pitch for Hillary Clinton."  Laura, we all just wish you'd have the self-respect to call out the homophobia by the Barack Obama campaign instead of writing that ridiculous "please, Bambi, break with Richard Daley" whimper.  It was stupid because Michelle Obama was assistant to who?  Richard Daley, that's right.  Information is power and lack of it is weakness -- thereby explaining RadioNation with Laura Flanders (again, no links to trash).  It was disgusting because when a gay woman won't call out homophobia, what will she call out?  Nothing. 
 
Flanders likes to talk about "people power" and used to enjoy rocking out to Patti Smith's "People Have the Power" but Laura herself has none because she refused to call out of homophobia.  It was more important to her to 'fit in' and be 'one of the gang' than it was to stand up for justice, to stand up for what was right.  If you haven't already, be sure to read Marcia's "Laura Flanders the self-hating, disrespecting lesbian."  Apparently having a girl-crush on Michelle Obama, Laura Flanders concludes, "Today, with fingers crossed, I'm voting for Barack and Michelle Obama.  At least we can call their community organizers' bluff."  What?  Flanders has never called Barack or Michelle out on anything.  Homophobia was okay with little Laura when it was blasted onstage in South Carolina.  Not a peep.  Can't speak up when it matters then maybe you shouldn't have a voice. 
 
But this is the woman who wanted to get up in arms that Obama's campaign was using a song by a child molestor (yes, that was over a year ago, she fell in line because she knows who signs her checks and keeps her on air) but had no problem booking Pig-Boy who was twice busted for online predatory activities with younger women.  It's a funny kind of 'strength,' a temporary one.  She's weak.  And that may be the worst we can say about someone who's tried to self-present as strong. 
 
She might try to argue that she's applauded the 'movement' and not the candidate previously.  When the 'movement' utilizes homophobia, applauding it and refusing to call it out makes Flanders the Andrew Sullivan of the 'left.'  She was once a strong voice.  The Nation cut her great radio program down from six hours a week to one.  It took Flanders to cut herself down from greatness which she has.  And all these people using their 'name' and 'image' this campaign cycle don't seem aware of the damage they've done to themselves.  These things will not be forgotten, regardless of today's outcome.  They have trashed their own nests and, for chuckles, picture ten years on down the line when it's, "Ms. Flanders, clean up an aisle twelve."  Hopefully, someone other than Bambi -- and of course Flanders herself -- will have stood up for the rights of LGBT so she'll have some work place protections left. 
 
Robin Morgan, the one and only Robin Morgan, puts it into perpsective, puts it on the table, in "Goodbye To All That (#2)" (Women's Media Center) and that's because it takes a woman not afraid to be called a woman -- or any of the slurs on women -- to speak the truth.  A woman who hides, who says, "I'm gay but if I call out Bambi's homophobia they might cancel my radio show and no one listens to it anymore and I can't get a real job so I have to make nice . . ." can't speak for any woman because she can't even speak for herself.  Morgan's never been a Flanders.  Morgan explains the double standard in place that exists to knock down a female candidate no matter what. 
 
-- Young political Kennedys -- Kathleen, Kerry, and Bobby Jr. -- all endorsed Hillary.  Senator Ted, age 76, endorsed Obama.  If the situation were reversed, pundits would snort "See?  Ted and establishment types back her, but the forward-looking generation backs him."  (Personally, I'm unimpressed with Caroline's longing for the Return of the Fathers.  Unlike the rest of the world, Americans have short memories.  Me, I still recall Marilyn Monroe's suicide and a dead girl named Mary Jo Kopechne in Chappaquiddick.)
[. . .]
Goodbye to pretending the black community is entirely male and all women are white . . .
Surprise! Women exist in all opinions, pigmentations, ethnicities, abilities, sexual preferences, and ages -- not only African American and European American but Latina and Native American, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Arab American and -- hey, every group, because a group wouldn't exist if we hadn't given birth to it.  A few non-racist countries may exist -- but sexism is everywhere.  No matter how many ways a woman breaks free from other discriminiations, she remains a female human being in a world still so patriarchal that it's the "norm."
[. . .]
Goodby to some women letting history pass by while wringing their hands, because Hillary isn't as "likeable" as they've been warned they must be, or because she didn't leave him, couldn't "control" him, kept her family together and raised a smart, sane daughter.  (Think of the blame if Chelsea had ever acted in the alcoholic, neurotic manner of the Bush twins!)  Godbye to some women pouting because she didn't bake cookies or she did, sniping because she learned the rules and then bent or broke them.  Grow the hell up.  She is not running for Ms.-perfect-pure-queen-icon of the feminist movement.  She's running to be president of the United States. 
[. . .]
Goodbye to some young women eager to win male approval by showing they're not feminists (at least not the kind who actually threaten the status quo), who can't indentify with a woman candidate because she is unafraid of eeueweeeu yucky power, who fear their boyfriends might look at them funny if they say something good about her.  Goodbye to women of any age again feeling unworthy, sulking "what if she's not electable?" or "maybe it's post-feminism and whooosh we're already free."  Let a statement by the magnificent Harriet Tubman stand as reply.  When asked how she managed to save hundreds of enslaved African Americans via the Underground Railroad during the Civil War, she replied bitterly, "I could have saved thousands -- if only I'd been able to convince them they were slaves."
I'd rather say a joyful Hello to all the glorious young women who do identify with Hillary and all the brave, smart men -- of all ethnicities and age -- who get that it's in their self-interest, too.  She's better qualified.  (D'uh.)  She's a high-profile candidate with an enormous grasp of foreign- and domestic-policy nuance, dedication to detail, ability to absorb staggering insult and personal pain while retaining dignity, resolve, even humor, and keep on keeping on.  (Also, yes, dammit, let's hear it for her connections and funding and party-building background, too.  Obama was awfully glad about those when she raised dough and campaigned for him to get to the Senate in the first place.) 
I'd rather look foward to what a good president he might make in eight years, when his vision and spirit are seasoned by practical know-how -- and he'll be all of 54.  Meanwhile, goodbye to turning him into a shining knight when actually he's an astute, smooth pol with speechwriters who've worked with the Kennedys' own speechwriter-courtier Ted Sorenson.  If it's only about ringing rhetoric, let speechwriters run.  But isn't it about getting the policies we want enacted?
 
That's a lengthy excerpt but not even the entire piece.  Take a moment to grasp how much the Womens Media Center is needed. It's not going to be cross-posted at Common Dreams -- just, as Jess pointed out, they refused to cross-post Gloria Steinem's "Women Are Never Front-Runners" but were happy to post a 'rebuttal.'
 
Jess: What is known is that Common Dreams posted an idiot's response to Gloria Steinem but failed to have posted, before or since, Gloria Steinem's column "Women Are Never Front-Runners." And for anyone trying to give Common Dreams a pass on that by saying, "It was a New York Times column," Common Dreams regularly reposts NYT columns and editorials in full with their "fair use" tag at the end. They made a decision on Tuesday, when the column ran, not to post it. On Thursday, they made a decision to post a Bambi's groupies' trashing of Gloria Steinem.
 
What the election cycle has demonstrated on the Democratic side is how much women are still devalued and hated.  Don't kid that it's not so.  Like Laura Flanders has no problem bringing the Pig (twice busted for attempting to set up sex with an underage female online) onto her radio program, Common Dreams has no problem posting him.  They've got him up today.  But they didn't post Steinem and they didn't post Morgan.  With Pig, we're supposed to overlook the busts.  It's more important that his 'voice' be heard than that he's a predator and, thing is, women know that argument because we've heard it over and over, decade after decade.  Gender is the greatest barrier.  All women are told to wait -- over and over.  Ask Flanders why she was so offended about Gary Glitter but thought nothing of repeatedly booking Pig on her program?  Ask her to explain that.  Ask Amy Goodman to.  Ask Katrina vanden Heuvel why she, the mother of a teenage daughter, thinks his rambles are worth carrying at The Nation?  Big media had the sense to wash their hands of him when the arrests came out.  Not little media.  Because you've got a lot of queen bees who won't use their voices, they don't want to look 'bitchy' or 'assertive' or 'demanding.'  How's that working out for you?
 
 

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Monday, February 04, 2008

Michelle & Bambi: The Scheme Team

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- NYC.

MICHELLE OBAMA DECLARED ON ABC'S GOOD MORNING AMERICA THAT SHE COULDN'T SAY SHE WOULD SUPPORT HILLARY CLINTON IF CLINTON RECEIVED THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION. NO WORD ON WHETHER HER REFUSAL HAD TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT CLINTON IS WHITE OR WHETHER SHE COULD BRING HERSELF TO VOTE FOR ANY WHITE CANDIDATE.

HER SIDE-BOOB ISSUE WILL BE RAW MEAT FOR THE G.O.P. SHOULD BAMBI GET THE DEMOCRATIC NOD. APPARENTLY, HER SPILLING OUT OF HER TOP IS THE LEAST OF HER PROBLEMS. NOR IS HER SITTING A CHICAGO COMMISSION THAT PAVED THE WAY FOR THE PURCHASE OF HER MANSION.

IN OTHER NEWS FAT-SKINNY-FAT-SKINNY-ENDS-UP-CHUNKY OPRAH WINFREY WAS SHOWN LOOKING HAGGARED ON DEMOCRACY NOW! TODAY BECAUSE . . . SHE SPOKE ABOUT BAMBI. AMY GOODMAN IS A HOOKER FOR BAMBI WHICH IS WHY SHE AGAIN GAVE GLOSSY TREATMENT TO BAMBS BY IGNORING ANY MENTION OF PAUL KRUGMAN'S COLUMN OR THE RECENT STUDY WHICH SAYS BAMBI COMES UP SHORT ON HEALTH CARE. IN ADDITION, SHE REFUSED TO NOTE THE NEW YORK TIMES BIG STORY ON OBAMA AND HIS TEAM BEING BAG MEN FOR THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY.

WHEN REACHED FOR COMMENT, AMY GOODMAN RESPONSED, "YOU THOUGHT I WAS A JOURNALIST? OH, THAT IS FUNNY! EVEN TO ME. LOOK IF YOU ARE GOING TO STAY ON THE LINE, IT'S GOING TO BE $2.99 A MINUTE."


FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Starting with war resistance. On Saturday Angela Hickman (Queen's Journal) spoke with author Lawrence Hill who had two books released last year -- the fictional Someone Knows My Name (Canadian title: The Book of Negroes) and The Deserter's Tale, with Joshua Key, which documents Key's service in Iraq and how he came to the decision that he could no longer participate in the illegal war. Hill explained, "[The main characters are] both ordinary people who are drawn into a canvas of world events that they didn't ask to be drawn into." Hickman explains, "Hill said he heard Key interviewed on CBC and thought his story was fascinating and the next day his publisher approached Hill about doing the story." Joshua Key, wife Brandi and their children went to Canada as have many war resisters. Dee Knight (Workers World) reports on the actions two weekends ago in support of war resisters being granted safe harbor in Canada:

The rallies urged the Canadian House of Commons to adopt a recommendation of its Committee on Citizenship and Immigration that would make it possible for U.S. Iraq War resisters to obtain permanent resident status in Canada.
[. . .]
Courage to Resist in collaboration with the War Resisters Support Campaign (Canada) initiated the actions at Canadian consulates across the U.S. They had the support of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace and many other groups. This event was the first nationally coordinated action in the U.S. in support of war resisters in Canada. Since the illegal U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, many soldiers have been going AWOL (Absent Without Leave). GIs who have publicly refused to deploy--or re-deploy--to Iraq have been court-martialed and imprisoned. Thousands of service people are AWOL and are believed to be in hiding in the U.S. and abroad. Hundreds have fled to Canada.

You can make your voice heard by the Canadian parliament which has the ability to pass legislation to grant war resisters the right to remain in Canada. Three e-mails addresses to focus on are: Prime Minister Stephen Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca -- that's pm at gc.ca) who is with the Conservative party and these two Liberals, Stephane Dion (Dion.S@parl.gc.ca -- that's Dion.S at parl.gc.ca) who is the leader of the Liberal Party and Maurizio Bevilacqua (Bevilacqua.M@parl.gc.ca -- that's Bevilacqua.M at parl.gc.ca) who is the Liberal Party's Critic for Citizenship and Immigration. A few more can be found here at War Resisters Support Campaign. For those in the US, Courage to Resist has an online form that's very easy to use.

There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Josh Randall, Robby Keller, Chuck Wiley, James Stepp, Rodney Watson, Michael Espinal, Matthew Lowell, Derek Hess, Diedra Cobb, Brad McCall, Justin Cliburn, Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Peter Brown, Bethany "Skylar" James, Zamesha Dominique, Chrisopther Scott Magaoay, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Clara Gomez, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Agustin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Abdullah Webster, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder, Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, Blake LeMoine, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Dale Bartell, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Chris Capps, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Kjar, Kyle Huwer, Wilfredo Torres, Michael Sudbury, Ghanim Khalil, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, at least fifty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.
Information on war resistance within the military can be found at The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline [(877) 447-4487], Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Tom Joad maintains a list of known war resisters. In addition, VETWOW is an organization that assists those suffering from MST (Military Sexual Trauma).


Meanwhile IVAW is organizing a March 2008 DC event:

In 1971, over one hundred members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War gathered in Detroit to share their stories with America. Atrocities like the My Lai massacre had ignited popular opposition to the war, but political and military leaders insisted that such crimes were isolated exceptions. The members of VVAW knew differently.
Over three days in January, these soldiers testified on the systematic brutality they had seen visited upon the people of Vietnam. They called it the Winter Soldier investigation, after Thomas Paine's famous admonishing of the "summer soldier" who shirks his duty during difficult times. In a time of war and lies, the veterans who gathered in Detroit knew it was their duty to tell the truth.
Over thirty years later, we find ourselves faced with a new war. But the lies are the same. Once again, American troops are sinking into increasingly bloody occupations. Once again, war crimes in places like Haditha, Fallujah, and Abu Ghraib have turned the public against the war. Once again, politicians and generals are blaming "a few bad apples" instead of examining the military policies that have destroyed Iraq and Afghanistan.
Once again, our country needs Winter Soldiers.
In March of 2008, Iraq Veterans Against the War will gather in our nation's capital to break the silence and hold our leaders accountable for these wars. We hope you'll join us, because yours is a story that every American needs to hear.
Click here to sign a statement of support for Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan

March 13th through 16th are the dates for the Winter Soldier Iraq & Afghanistan Investigation. Dee Knight (Workers World) notes, "IVAW wants as many people as possible to attend the event. It is planning to provide live broadcasting of the sessions for those who cannot hear the testimony firsthand. 'We have been inspired by the tremendous support the movement has shown us,' IVAW says. 'We believe the success of Winter Soldier will ultimately depend on the support of our allies and the hard work of our members'." As part of their fundraising efforts for the event, they are holding houseparties and a recent one in Boston featured both IVAW's Liam Madden and the incomprable Howard Zinn as speakers.


In Iraq a law has been passed -- a benchmark, in fact -- but hold off on sounding the trumpets. Amit R. Paley and Joshua Partlow (Washington Post) report that the de-de-Baathification law will be practiced law next week since it is "considered as approved" following the refusal of anyone on the presidency council to officially object. CBS and AP observe it became law without the singature of the Sunni representative on the three-member presidency council because the constitution requires the body to act within 10 days after the panel received the law, according to Iraq's constitution." Alissa J. Rubin (New York Times) reported yesterday (before it was known what step the council would take) CIA asset and Iraqi exile into the US invaded Ahmed Chalabi has been blistering in his criticism stating that the result of passage would be "all former Baathists now serving in the security services would lose their jobs, a total of 7,000 people" and, of the Iraqi Parliament, "People should pay attention to what they are discussing and voting on."

Today Leila Fadel (McClatchy Newspapers) again explores conditions for women in Iraq (and the outlet should create a folder of her reports on this topic and cites the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights as the source for 1.5 million figure -- the number of women who have become widows during the illegal war -- while Iraq al Amal Association's Hanaa Edward explains that "11 percent of the more than 20 million Iraqi families were supported by unmarried or widowed women in 2005. Widows who register with the state receive about $40 a month, barely enough to survive on their own, let alone take care of their children." Meanwhile Weam Namou (uruknet.info) looks at what has been lost for women during the Iraq War for 'liberation,' "Since the invasion, many women have been executed, assaulted, raped or released only after their families paid considerable ransom money. Serious threats and deadly attacks have forced Christians and Muslims to wear the veil and quit their jobs, and to avoid makeup and education. My friend's sister-in-law, at the start of the war, was stabbed in the heart simply because she was wearing a cross, which was ripped off her neck and thrown over her body. Today when you talk to Iraqi women they remember 'the good old days' when Saddam was in power and women were able to safely go to work, participate in social activities, take part in politics or stroll outside in the middle of the night. During Saddam's regime, women were free to choose whether to wear western-style dress and make-up or the black abaya. When I was in Baghdad, I wore the clothes I'd packed from America. No one in the streets blinked an eye."

RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot"
"Other Items"
"Oops"
"And the war drags on . . ."
Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "State of Misunion"
"Despite problems de-de-Baathification becomes law"
"Ruth's Report"
"The bombings"
"On notice?"
"Truest statement of the week"
"Truest statement of the week II"
"A Note to Our Readers"
"Editorial: Florida, Florida, Florida!"
"TV: Nah-nah-nah, Hey-hey-hey, Goodbye"
"Roundtable"
"1 Book, 5 Minutes"
"Which endorsements matter?"
"Thanks, Amy Goodman????"
"A contest, Super Duper Tuesday"
"Ralph DiGia (1914-2008)"
"Highlights"
"When Ari met his finger . . ."
"THIS JUST IN! ANOTHER RIGGED ELECTION!"
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