Activism

By Dave Lindorff

If you want to know how moribund the Democratic Party is, how completely owned by Wall Street the president is, and how sick our national politics have become, just consider Social Security.

Hundreds rally at Obama campaign offices for Bradley, veterans arrested (photos & video

The Bradley Manning Support Network, Afghans For Peace and SF Bay Iraq Veterans Against the War Call for Nationwide Actions at local Obama Campaign Offices September 6th 2012 during the Democratic National Convention! Free Bradley Manning!

Since Army PFC Bradley Manning’s arrest in May 2010 for allegedly sharing the “Collateral Murder” video and other evidence of war crimes and government corruption with the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks, progressives and human rights activists have been asking, “Why isn’t President Obama stepping in to help Bradley?”

After all, it was President Obama who in May 2011 declared with regards to protests in the Middle East,

“In the 21st Century, information is power; the truth cannot be hidden; and the legitimacy of governments will ultimately depend on active and informed citizens.”

On Thursday, August 16, US military veterans in Portland OR, Oakland CA, and Los Angeles CA, occupied Obama 2012 campaign offices and faxed a letter of demands to the Obama campaign’s central office. Those letters began:

As those who have spent years serving our country, we have faith that as Commander-in-Chief, President Obama will do the right thing in answering our request.

The letter went on to list the following demands:

That President Obama retract and apologize for remarks made in April 2011, in which he said Bradley Manning “broke the law.” Because President Obama is commander-in-chief, this constitutes unlawful command influence, violating Article 37 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and prevents Bradley from receiving a fair trial.

That President Obama pardon the accused whistle-blower, taking into consideration his 800 days of pretrial confinement. UN torture chief Juan Mendez called Manning’s treatment “cruel and inhuman,” as it included nine months of solitary confinement at Quantico despite Brig psychiatrists recommending relaxed conditions.

The Bradley Manning Support Network maintains hope that justice will prevail and that President Obama can be the vehicle of change on this issue, but first he needs to hear loud and clear from veterans and civilians across the country that the American people want amends for the unlawful torture of Bradley Manning, and believe he should be freed.

Organizers of the August 16 West Coast actions are now urging others to join them in a nationwide effort to hold actions at many more local Obama campaign offices on September 6th, the day of candidate’s nomination acceptance speech. We want to share messages of support for Bradley with Obama campaign offices from coast to coast.

Please contact emma@bradleymanning.org for more information about attending and/or organizing an event.

On Thursday August 16, as news broke that Ecuador was giving political asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, World Can't Wait in NYC quickly put together a plan to demonstrate support for this brave decision. About 10 people who understand the significance of Wikileaks got together in front of the Ecuadorian Consulate with signs supporting the courageous stand of the Ecuadorian government:  "small country - high ethics - big heart," "hands off Ecuador and Assange," and "thanks for standing up for law and morality."

By Dave Lindorff

The concerted and orchestrated campaign to capture Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and ultimately to hand him over to the tender mercies of a kangaroo court in the US, where he would likely be tried for spying and other possibly capital offenses, continues as Britain threatens the Ecuadoran Embassy with a police assault.

World Can't Wait will be in Charlotte, NC September 1-6 to protest these crimes.

• Join our contingent of orange jumpsuits and model drones to represent those who have been victims of these crimes for the mass march on Sunday, September 2. Rally 11:00 am, March 1:00 pm from Frazier Park, Charlotte NC
• Join us for street outreach and theater throughout the week. Help bring the message Humanity and the Planet Come First: Stop the Crimes of Your Government before the eyes of the world in Charlotte!
  

Chicago will witness the annual Air & Water Show this weekend. Weapons of mass destruction will screech across the sky and military recruiters will prowl for 'warm bodies' among the hundreds of thousands who come for an afternoon at the beach.

On Saturday, Aug 18, Chicago World Can't Wait, Occupy Chicago, No Drones Illinois, Protest Chaplains, Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ and many friends will challenge this glorification of war for empire and engage thousands who will be there. Dynamic political theater, interactive art, and the counter-recruitment message of We Are Not Your Soldiers will turn the biggest day of the year for military recruiting into a day for mobilizing to stop these wars for empire.

Early in September, Obama and the Democrats, who have carried forward some of the very crimes so hated under Bush, will gather at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC to affirm, bless, and continue US aggression around the world and unjust policies at home.

If you believed that wars of aggression, indefinite detention, torture, drone bombings, a presidential “kill list,” the outrageous suspension of core civil liberties, and the wars on immigrants and women were wrong under Bush, then they are just as wrong under Obama.

By Dave Lindorff

We’ve all heard it said by our teachers when we were in school, we’ve all heard it said by politicians, including presidents: “Democracies don’t start wars.”

Daniel Fearn has died.  We will miss him badly.  The entire Impeach for Peace and Justice section of this website was his doing:

http://warisacrime.org/ifpj

Susan Clark and Woden Teachout's new book, "Slow Democracy," offers the civil equivalent to slow food. The goal of both is not slowness for its own sake, but quality, health, sustainability, and the pursuit of happiness.

We all know that the federal government ignores us most of the time, state governments nod in our direction once in a blue moon, and local governments listen to us quite often. So, there is an argument to be made for moving decision-making powers to the local level and engaging there.

By Linn Washington, Jr. 

One year after riots rocked 66 areas across England for five days in some of the worst disturbances in that nation’s history, the issue that initially ignited those disturbances – police abuse – remains an unresolved problem.

By David R. Weyeneth, Sr.
 
I. Many Reasons or Excuses
II. Realistic Anti-War Scenario
III. Stop War on Drugs, Too
IV. Balanced Diet Is Like Balanced Peace Work
V. Peace Workers Need a Support Group
VI. Make the Oppression Obsolete
VII. Democracy Education
VIII. Changing Minds by Violence or by Nonviolence
IX. Intentional Community may be Necessary
X. Resisting Token Economy Psychology
XI. Fiat Currency
XII. Bubbles Break
XIII. Fossil Fuel Madness and Gold Fever
XIV. Planet for Sale
XV. World Enough and Time: To His Coy Mistress, Andrew Marvel
XVI. Jet Contrails Are a Big Problem, as Is Atmospheric Carbon
XVII. Jet Contrails Are Not Necessary
XVIII. What Goes Around Comes Around: Sunlight
XIX. Wasn’t Asbestos Banned?
XX. Non-Intrusive Mining
XXI. Forest Custodians
XXII. Paying for Detective Work and Inspectors
XXIII. Sea-steaders Demonstrate Space Colony Structure

Many of you remember the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers (AYPV), a remarkable group of young people in Afghanistan who are working to create a peaceful future, through the teachings of Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and others.  You may have been on, or heard of, the monthly Global Conference Calls for Peace, which has connected thousands of like-minded youth and activists around the world to discuss a vision of a world without war.  Guests of the Conference call have included Noam Chomsky.  Now two of the youth,Abdulhai and Ali, both 15, have been invited to speak to young peace activists and others in the US.

Let's make this global!

http://friedensbuendnis-berlin.de/aufruf/aufruf-english/

War only serves profit interests, not only of the weapons industry -
national elites use it to extend their influence –
at the cost of countless human lives.
Entire regions are being destroyed and made uninhabitable –
in the name of “our” democracies, with the help of “our” governments.

Stop all wars, and all preparations for war!
Start the disarmament immediately!
Stop all arms production!

On September 15, the Occupy movement and the Real Democracy Now movement,
in solidarity with numerous initiatives and organizations, artists and personalities
from science, politics and culture will publicly support and demonstrate
to manifest our following positions:
 
People all around the world take to the streets and occupy the squares, in order to achieve a fundamental change. The massive problems and issues of injustice in economy, nature and social interaction, are caused by an unjust, destructive economic and monetary system, continuous erosion of democracy, and unequal distribution of wealth. The system is not having a crisis, the system IS the crisis! Only together we will be able to develop a way of living together fairly and equally!

Veterans For Peace
216 South Meramec Ave
St. Louis MO 63105
http://veteransforpeace.org
(314) 725-6005(office)
(314) 725-7103 (fax)
For Immediate Release - August 1, 2012

Veterans For Peace will hold its 2012 National Convention in Miami, Fla., August 8-11. The event, which includes speeches, films, workshops, and musical entertainment, is open to the public and will feature prize-winning novelist Alice Walker, film producer Phil Donahue, activist Roy Bourgeois, and many other speakers.  The text of a public service announcement follows the list of speakers below.

The theme of this 27th annual convention will be "Liberating the Americas: Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean."

"No region in the world these days," said Veterans For Peace President Leah Bolger, "is as much on the forward march toward liberation. We are in the third century of the struggle to abolish the Monroe Doctrine. Advances (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Uruguay) exist side-by-side with setbacks engineered by U.S. imperialism (Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, etc.). We in the United States have a moral responsibility to change our government's view of Latin American and Caribbean nations as being our 'backyard' and sources of cheap labor and natural resources. It is time for our government to stop bullying the region and show respect and recognition for rights to national sovereignty."

The full schedule and registration information are available at http://vfpnationalconvention.org

Alice Walker
Pulitzer prize winning novelist and poet, teacher, and activist.  Ms Walker will be a keynote speaker at the banquet Saturday, August 11th.

Phil Donahue
Media personality, writer, and film producer.
Mr. Donahue will present the film “Body of War,” which he produced, Wednesday, August 8th.

Father Roy Bourgeois
Activist and priest, founder of the human rights organization “School of the Americas Watch.”  Father Bourgeois will be a keynote speaker at the banquet Saturday, August 11th.

Marleine Bastien
Haitian-American activist and Congressional candidate, Executive Director of “Haitian Women of America.”  Ms Bastien will be a speaker at the opening plenary Thursday, August 9th.

Ann Wright
Retired Army colonel and former diplomat, author and activist.  Ms Wright will co-facilitate a workshop about drones with Medea Benjamin, and will moderate a panel on Military Sexual Trauma.

Medea Benjamin
Activist and author, founder of anti-war organization “Code Pink,” and fair trade advocacy group “Global Exchange.”  Ms Benjamin will co-facilitate a workshop about drones with Ann Wright and will speak at the Friday evening event.

Leah Bolger
Retired Navy commander and activist, President of Veterans For Peace.   Ms Bolger will speak at the opening plenary on Thursday, August 9th.

David Swanson
Author, activist, and radio host.  Mr. Swanson will co-facilitate a workshop entitled, Misleading America:  U. S. Military Expansion Since the End of the Cold War.

Mike Reid
Executive Director of Veterans For Peace.  Mr. Reid will host the Saturday Banquet.

Paula Caplan
PH.D., Fellow, Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School;Associate, DuBois Institute, Harvard University.  Ms. Caplan will facilitate the plenary workshop on War Trauma.

Camilo Mejia
First veteran from Iraq to publicly challenge the morality of the war and refuse to fight.  Author of The Road from Ar Ramadi.   Mr. Mejia will emcee the opening plenary on Thursday, August 9th.

Charlie Clements
Carr Center's Executive Director, widely respected human rights activist and public health physician.  Dr.   Clements will host an Academy Award winning documentary about his experiences as a guerrilla doctor in El Salvador in the 1980's, Witness to War.

Bruce Gagnon
Executive Director of Global Network, deeply involved in JeJu Island Action.  Mr. Gagnon will co-facilitate the workshop entitled,  Obama’s Pivot Toward Asia-Pacific:  Dangerous, Destabilizing and Costly.

Dennis Trainor, Jr.
Producer of film, American Autumn:  An Occudoc.  Mr. Trainor will host a showing of the film on Thursday, August 9th.

John Lindsay Poland
Research and advocacy director of Fellowship of Reconciliation and founder of Colombia's Peace Team.  Mr. Poland will host the workshop entitled, The Pentagon in Latin America and the Caribbean.

PSA text:

Veterans For Peace invites you to attend its 27th annual national convention August 8 - 11 at the Miami Marriott - Biscayne Bay (1633 North Bayshore Drive, Miami). The convention features Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Walker and Father Roy Bourgeois (initiator of the School of the Americas Watch at Fort Benning, GA) at the culminating Saturday night banquet with steel pan entertainment provided by pannist David DeSousa. Phil Donahue hosts Body of War, his film about Iraq veteran Tomas Young on opening night Wednesday. Marleine Bastien, Leah Bolger, DeAnne Graham and Camilo Mejia present at the opening plenary Thursday morning, and Medea Benjamin, Max Rameau, Dr. Jill Stein, and Rep. Frederica Wilson speak at the "Veterans Meet the Community" program Friday evening at Trinity Episcopal Catherdral, next door to the Marriott.

Movies (free and open to the public) are featured each day at lunch and in the evening. All activities except Friday night's event will be in the 3rd floor ballroom of the Marriott. Banquet tickets are $60, 4 for $200, or a table of 10 for $450. Exciting and informative workshops and plenaries take place all day Thursday and Friday (War Trauma/PTSD, Agent Orange, No War on Iran, Close Down the School of the Americas, Active-Duty GI Resistance, etc). A one-day pass is $25. For more information (including a schedule of events, workshops, and plenaries) visit www.vfpnationalconvention.org, or contact Patrick McCann at 240-271-2246 or unityact2@aol.com.

#

Veterans For Peace was founded in 1985 and has approximately 5,000 members in 150 chapters located in every U.S. state and several countries.  It is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization recognized as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) by the United Nations, and is the only national veterans' organization calling for the abolishment of war.

##

Rain has been one of our most determined, dedicated, and reliable peace and justice activists in Virginia.  Now she needs our help. Helping her will help us all.  Please chip in! --David Swanson

Gloria Steinem says:

Help a Feminist in Need!

The Gloria Steinem office came across this story of Rain Burroughs, a feminist who lives with her daughter in Richmond, VA, who are at risk of losing their home! Please watch the video below and go here to make a donation. Every little bit helps!

This is the second in a series of profiles and interviews Antiwar.com is conducting this summer with activists who have made it their life’s work to challenge the mighty bulwarks of the U.S. national security state.

David Swanson

If you haven’t seen David Swanson, chances are you’ve read his blogs and articles — invariably with headlines like “Pepper Sprayed for Peace” and declaring things like “Freedom Plaza is now ours — and we’re never giving it back.” You’ve listened to his radio show, and see his comments in various antiwar forums and in your mind, willingly or not, picture a stereotype: a wild-eyed hippie, long hair, tattoos. Maybe an earring or two. A beard.

READ THE REST AT ANTIWAR.COM

 Monday, July 23, 2012, as Obama came to the Bay Area for multiple campaign fundraising appearances, a large protest crowd was in the streets of downtown Oakland for hours.  An anti-war action was called by World Can’t Wait, Afghans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Code Pink, the Bradley Manning Support Network and Courage to Resist and we were there with banners and signs aloft.  Near the Fox Theater (the Obama rally site) we gathered with more groups: Occupy Oakland and Redwood City, Vets for Peace, students.  There were other clusters of protest scattered around the area at different times: youth protesting for immigrant rights, Occupiers, environmentalists.  Also there were lots of people who had earlier been at a large rally for medical marijuana  (the feds have raided major Oakland dispensaries despite their le

Bail-outs Included Foreign Banks

After 89 Democrats in the House voted in a victory for bipartisanship for HR 459 to audit the Federal Reserve, some jaw-dropping numbers are emerging as a result of a partial audit conducted this year.  It is no surprise that the news is dropping with a dull thud in the media.  That's why you should get your news from the Internet and sites like this.

Senator Bernie Sanders at his official website reports:

Total run time: 29:00

Host: David Swanson.
Producer: David Swanson.
Engineer: Christiane Brown.
Music by Duke Ellington.

Download or get embed code from Archive.org or AudioPort or LetsTryDemocracy.

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Please encourage your local radio stations to carry this program every week!

Embed on your own site with this code:

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Want to be part of most progressive strategic and fast growing online group I know of, and keep it growing, and keep me employed? Go take an action (it takes 30 seconds) at http://rootsaction.org

THANKS!
David

July 26: Speak Out For the World....and Against Ugly America No. 1 Chauvinism

by Larry Everest

Don't get me wrong, I love most sports. But I'm going to have my TV remote (with mute!) at the ready for the upcoming summer Olympics. You know the drill—soaring, beautiful feats of heart, talent and skill by athletes from around the world will be twisted into training people in flag-waving "USA, USA, USA" jingoism and rooting for "our" country—with the occasional "human interest" bit on non-U.S. athletes thrown in to help the chauvinist poison go down. No matter where the U.S. ends up in the ever-present medal count, all this will prove—once again—that this imperialist system works to turn everything it touches—no matter its human potential—into something oppressive and ugly.

By Dave Lindorff

ThisCantBeHappening! lost a valued friend Friday night with the death, from cancer, of Alexander Cockburn, 71. Alex and his comrade-in-arms Jeffrey St. Clair atCounterpunch magazine have helped our struggling little online left alternative newspaper mightily by running most of our articles on their site when other allegedly progressive news aggregator sites have rejected stories as being too radical, or in the case of  Truthout, have simply barred us from their site.

Greg Muttitt, visiting from the U.K., is the author of the brand new book on Iraq that is making a lot of news.  It's called Fuel on the Fire: Oil and Politics in Occupied Iraq.

"Nothing short of a secret history of the war" -- Naomi Klein.

Democracy Now aired this interview of Greg this week.

Greg will speak and answer your questions:

Tuesday, July 24, 2012, 7 p.m.

Random Row Books
315 West Main Street 
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 295-2493
Map

Please sign up and spread the word on FaceBook!

Please email and tell everyone you know!

About Fuel on the Fire:

The departure of the last U.S. troops from Iraq at the end of 2011 left a broken country and a host of unanswered questions. What was the war really about? Why and how did the occupation drag on for nearly nine years, while most Iraqis, Britons, and Americans desperately wanted it to end? And why did the troops have to leave?

Now, in a gripping account of the war that dominated US and UK foreign policy over the last decade, investigative reporter and activist Greg Muttitt takes us behind the scenes to answer some of these questions and reveals the previously untold story of the oil politics that played out
through the occupation of Iraq.

Drawing upon hundreds of unreleased government documents and extensive interviews with senior American, British, and Iraqi officials, Muttitt exposes the plans and preparations that were in place to shape policies in favor of American and British energy interests. But he also tells the inspiring story of how Iraqi trade unions organized not only to defend their members’ rights, but also to thwart many of the USA’s oil plans  -- with remarkable success. Through their stories, we begin to see a very different Iraq from the one our politicians have told us about.

In light of the Arab revolutions, the war in Libya, and renewed threats against Iran, Fuel on the Fire provides a vital guide to the lessons from Iraq and of the global consequences of our persistent oil addiction.

"Excellent... a textbook example of how international pressures are put on politicians to get them to buckle" - The Guardian

"Set to turn our understanding of the war on its head" - The Independent

"Will trouble the most ardent liberal interventionist" - Petroleum Economist

"The Iraqi civil society voices resound with dignity in this brilliant, comprehensive account" - New Internationalist