Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox

Listen to this good interview OF Cindy Sheehan

2012-01-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Episode #021 – Special Guest: America’s Beloved Anti-War Activist Cindy Sheehan

www.theoverthrowshow.com

By Peter Santilli of Overthrow Show.

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Buy your copies of Dear President Bush by Cindy Sheehan

2012-01-21T11:43:00.000-08:00

After Camp Casey in the
summer of 2005, a naive antiwar
activist, Cindy Sheehan,
sat down for an interview with
journalist, Greg Ruggiero, and the
result became this pamphlet fromOpen Media called:
Dear President Bush.Now, Cindy never would have
chosen that name, if she was in
charge of the title, it probably wouldhave been something like:
Hey, George.

Anyway, as a way to support the
work of Cindy Sheehan and the
Soapbox, signed (by Cindy) copies
of this pamphlet are being offered.

It's a good way to support impor-
tant work, but to also see how
Cindy's activism and political
philosophy have developed over all
these years.

The cost for one is: $5 plus $3 S&H

If you purchase multiple copies,
though, The Soapbox will pay
S&H while supplies last.

Click the image for ordering info.

Amount of Books

Or send a CHECK/MONEY ORDER TO:

CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX, LLC
PO BOX 6264
VACAVILLE, CA 95696

The BP Plague; Soapbox from 12/19/10

2012-01-20T21:38:00.000-08:00

The BP Plague. - December 19, 2010 (SOAPBOX #79) - Cindy welcomes FOUR guests (count them!) in this year-ending blowout, all discussing the ever-spreading BP Plague, still destroying our Gulf Coast. First up is Karen Mayer Hopkins. She is Treasurer of Gulf Change, an environmental group from within the Gulf Seafood Industry. Next is Mac MacKenzie, founder of NOLA Emergency Response (http://www.nolaer.org/), who purchased 3 lbs. of Gulf Shrimp and had their digestive tracts tested for contaminants. She found 193 PPM of organic matter and hydrocarbons and then corroborated that by other tests. She therefore warns us that the seafood sill isn't safe to eat. She's followed by Trisha Springstead, RN - a Medical Research Professional with a web site at morgellonsreport.com. Trish discusses the effects and biochemical results of all this ignored oil and dispersant brew. She proceeds onwards from there. Cindy completes her power play with Medical Professional, activist and organizer - Anita Stewart, who also delves into the real-world consequences of this un-acknowledged disaster.

Please, Use the link above to learn of this hidden plague!

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"Love it, or leave it" v. "Loathe it and stay to fight it" by Cindy Sheehan

2012-01-17T16:31:00.000-08:00

"Love it, or leave it" vs. "Loathe it and Stay to Fight it"
January 17, 2012

Cindy Sheehan

On January 2nd, I spoke at the rally after our Occupy the Rose Parade protest. There were at least 2,000 activists who formed a contingent at the end of the Rose Parade to protest an alphabet soup of outrages. I was there to represent the antiwar element.

I am not just an antiwar activist, I am a peacemonger--being a peacemonger goes far beyond just being "against" wars. Being a peacemonger means connecting an almost infinite number of dots to try and figure out why it seems this nation is in almost constant war because it's so difficult to stop wars once the 1% start them. It's so hard to try and put all of the pieces together and to make sense out of the hodgepodge of crimes and behind the scenes hanky-panky, but one thing I do know--wars can't be fought without an almost bottomless reserve of cash.

During my speech at the OTRP protest, I stated that I did not pay my income taxes and the response from some rightwing knee-jerkers was swift, divorced from reality (as always) and boorish.

A video of my speech, entitled something like, "Cindy Sheehan admits that she doesn't pay her taxes" was even posted at the "leftwing" (I can't type that with a straight face) Huffington Post and the comments were also divorced from reality and boorish and can be summarized thusly:

"Other people have lost their sons in the wars, what gives her the right to evade her taxes?" (Tax resistance is a moral principle that should be decided by each and every individual--and I would dare to say that most bereaved parents support the wars, anyway. For example, even though he opposes the wars, Casey's father has chosen to pay his taxes, that's not my problem or my business).

"I used to support Cindy Sheehan, but this is stealing." (I would steal to feed my grand-babies without a second thought, but I feel that not paying for the mega-crimes of my government is a far lesser crime and that this Empire murders, tortures and/or economically oppresses millions of people each and every day).

"Cindy Sheehan sounds like a Tea-Bagger." (This accusation amuses me. I think most "Tea-Baggers" are tax-paying, gun-toting, law-abiding citizens who like to whine about "big government" without actually doing anything about it. I am not against all forms of government, but I am certainly against this one we have today. I don't tote a gun and I think it's a moral imperative to "break" laws that hurt people. I have a higher law, and that's Peace).

"Taxes pay for good things like roads, bridges, libraries, Social Security and Medicare." (First of all, let's say that our roads and bridges aren't falling apart; and that libraries, schools, Social Security and Medicare are not being robbed of funding--when I do drive, I pay gas taxes and bridge tolls. I also pay sales tax, park fees, and many other varieties of taxes and fees for things I actually do use. At least 54% of federal expenditures are to pay for current wars or to service debt on past wars. If my tax money would go to single-payer health care, fully-funded schools and other social programs, etc--I would gladly pay. However, even if I decided to pay 46% of my taxes, would I be guaranteed that not one thin dime of mine would be going to kill someone? I think war profiteering has first claim on any money here in the dis-United Empire of the Earth).

"The IRS should put her in prison." (The IRS is not a law enforcement or adjudication agency. They are a collection agency--collecting for the most gargantuan crime syndicate in history).

To be sure, interspersed amongst the ignorance and hate, there were some comments in support of my protest, but I would like to iterate here, that I am not a "tax evader" and I have been very open and honest about my tax protest every since I embarked upon it. How can this Empire be put on trial? Obama has blocked prosecution of Bush administration officials as his DOJ is targeting activists, whistle blowers, and, worst of all, his CIA is bombing children with his hell-fire missiles.

So, today I had meeting numero dos with a low-level bureaucratic functionary at the local IRS office and the next step for me may be court to try and force me to produce my financial statement, which I did not do today.

I found it very instructive that, even though I was sitting right there in the room next to my attorney, the revenue officer referred to me often as, "The Taxpayer." I had to bite almost clean through my tongue to ask him if he calls every person, "The Taxpayer." Here in the good ol' USA, we have been reduced to either, "Taxpayers," or "consumers," never, "citizens." We are conditioned from birth to feed our masters, toil for them, and care about them before we care for our own flesh and blood. We pay, they profit. We go into debt, they horde. We work, they benefit. We lose, they win. And "They" are not accustomed to any questioning or resistance to their orders or ordered ways of life. What is now referred to as the "1%" feel entitled to our money and our labor and the problem is that 99% of the 99% also feel that the 1% is entitled to THEIR money and THEIR labor.

Today, the revenue officer admitted that they are just looking for assets to confiscate from me. Even in the years that they are trying to collect 105k in back taxes, fines, and interest, I re-invested most of the money I ever made by speaker's fees, donations, or book sales right back into the movement. Now, I intentionally live simply and don't own anything the establishment considers of value. If the IRS goes looking for my assets, they will not find anything. If I had some kind of secret trust fund, I certainly wouldn't be scraping by for rent money every month.

I followed the advice of my new attorney (who is not a tax attorney, but he is working with one who is and who is an adviser from the National War Tax Resister's Coordinating Committee), I didn't speak during the entire meeting, but when the revenue officer said that the tax lien that has been recorded with the county clerk is going to "hurt my credit," I had to stifle a guffaw.

As stated, I don't own anything and I don't want or even need to own anything that the 1% tells me that I need to own to make my life "worthwhile." I have had to pare my life down to one that is oriented, not around things, but around ideas, people, activism, peace and mostly, love. These are things that can't be purchased with a predatory credit card charging high fees, exorbitant over-limit penalties, and usurious interest rates--but they are things that really give my life meaning and which are indispensable to me.

My son, who was killed in just one of this nation's illegal and immoral wars had priceless value to me, too--and you know what? So does everyone else killed, maimed, tortured, beaten, or otherwise oppressed by the country I was born in and choose to stay in because the people I love the most live here.

Just as The Troops ® (Registered Trademark exploited to justify war expenditures and jingoistic patriotism), who have moral opposition to any imperial war of choice, should not have to choose to be imprisoned in a Gray Bar Hotel or be trapped in a war zone--I (in answer to my kneejerker critics) should not have to "love it, or leave it." I choose to "loathe it and stay" and by the example of my actions try and make this nation a place to be proud of where the national priority is to enhance life not to destroy it.

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Buy-Buy Myth American Pie

2012-01-15T14:29:00.000-08:00

Buy-Buy Myth American Pie

(Afterword to Myth America II)

January 21, 2010

Cindy Sheehan

"The roses in the window box

Have tilted to one side

Everything about this house

Was born to grow and die"

-Elton John, "Funeral for a Friend (Love Lies Bleeding)"

"I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our government in a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country."

-Thomas Jefferson

I find it super-ironic that I am writing the very last words to Myth America II on the day that any semblance to the US being "by and for the people" died.

The publication of this book has been delayed by so many urgent events--Obama goes on a $50k/week vacation to Martha's Vineyard (August 20009) while war rages on--Obama escalates troop presence in Afghanistan, not once, not twice, but THRREE times--Obama approves expanding military and CIA unmanned aerial vehicle bombings--Obama is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize--Senator Kennedy dies and the Dems lose big time in Massachussets!

I know I am leaving out so many things (note--especially the many things that happened after Jan 2010)--like the Obama regime covering up the murder of three detainees in Gitmo and protecting the Bush Administration and following in the footsteps of the Bush regime by fomenting hostilities with Venezuela and Iran.

Then after the people of Haiti suffer a devastating earthquake, Obama appoints George Bush to lead US relief efforts. Obama's first year was quite a busy, busy year that wasn't so much about CHANGE as it was about tying a cement block around HOPE and drowning it in the Potomac River.

I had a busy 2009, too--because as Obama climbed to new lows of thuggery--I met him there to challenge him (and you). As one of the only people, who from the beginning, criticized the Dalai Bama, I have been shunned and scorned, but also welcomed to many places where truth, peace and justice are still valuable commodities.

Anyway, today was a landmark day in US history--and even though this book is finished--WE MUST add an addendum about this.

No matter what happens tomorrow: If the Bra Bomber finally materializes, or Obama gets caught in a compromising position with Tiger Woods, or if Michelle is caught growing weed in her organic garden (then, I would think she's cool): THIS BOOK IS FINISHED--and so might be my country.

We have talked about the scandal of corporate personhood and how two sentences from Supreme Court Chief Justice Waite, before the oral arguments were even heard in the 1886 case of The City and County of Santa Clara v. The Southern Pacific Railroad changed our history forever:

"The court does not wish to hear arguments on the question whether the provision in the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which forbids a State to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws, applies to these corporations. We are all of the opinion that it does."

No law has ever been passed giving corporations rights, not just privileges--no Supreme Court decision in the past ever gave Goldman Sachs literally millions of more votes than me--it was just a freaking statement before the hearing ever began! We are losing everything because some old dead white guy flapped his jaws and "voila" the Fourteenth Amendment applies to corporations.

Today, in Citizens United v. The Federal Election's Commission, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that any cap put on corporations and, presumably union and other organizations, to spend on campaign ads and other campaign expenses violates a corporation's "Freedom of Speech" which has been illegally protected for 134 years. Like I pointed out in the Myth that Elections Matter--our system is already rigged in favor of the Robber Class--corporations HAVE NO MOUTHS, how can the paper entities have free speech?

This expansion (not granting) of "Free Speech" to corporations effectively kills Robbed Class "Free Speech" when it comes to elections.

Money is what buys influence with our government--that's all, nothing else. We ain't got no money, so we ain't got no influence.

The only tool we have left to us is Revolution as JFK said: "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable."

Peace, Resistance and Revolution

From NYC

January 21, 2010

January 15, 2012: Note from Cindy--Myth America II: 20 Greatest Myths of the Robber Class and the Case for Revolution, ended with these words that I wrote from NYC in 2010. Little did I know that in September 2011, the Occupy Wall Street movement would spring up not far from where I wrote those words. I am posting a re-print of this article because I am working on a new piece called: Occupy Myth, to analyze the Occupy movement and how we can use that movement and the suggestions of grassroots democracy and community building that I advocated in Myth America to actually effect healthy and meaningful change for us.

If you would like a PDF copy of the original Myth America, please click this link for your free download!

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What Kind of Extremist Will You Be?

2012-01-13T10:58:00.000-08:00

(note from Cindy: This article was adapted from a speech I gave at the historic Riverside Church in NYC on April 04, 2005---one year after my son's death and 32 years after Dr. King's assassination).

What Kind of Extremist Will You Be?

by Cindy Sheehan

Early morning, April 04, a shot rings out in the Memphis sky,
Free at last, they asked for your life, But they could not take your pride.
In the name of love, one more in the name of love.
--U2: Pride (In the name of love)

Most everyone who is reading this knows what happened to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 04, 1968. Some of you may even know what happened to my son, Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan on April 04, 2004. If you don't know, Dr King and Casey were murdered by the same malevolent entities: People and ideologies that say that we have to be mortally afraid of the "ism" du jour and we, as Americans who have the "moral high-ground" in the world can send our innocent children to invade innocent countries and kill innocent people to fight the "ists" that go with the "isms." In Vietnam we were fighting the evil Communists and in Iraq we are fighting the evil terrorists.

Our war against Communism out-stayed its "welcome" in the 1980's and the military industrial war complex was running out of excuses to build bombs, tanks, bullets, ships, submarines, and soldiers; so in 2001, our leaders who serve the war machine had to switch our enemy of the state to terrorism.

Dr. King had the temerity to challenge the war machine and war racketeers on April 04, 1967 in his famous speech on Vietnam--and he paid for that bit of inspired, courageous, honesty with his life exactly one year later. Casey had the naive gall to join the US Army thinking he would be making the world a better, safer place--and he paid for that kind of immature (but honest) mistake with his wonderful life.

Casey was a brave and honorable man who we were told volunteered to go on the mission that killed him to save the lives of his buddies. He was shot in the back of the head and died a little while later in a medic's station while a medic was trying to hold his brains in while the doctors tried to keep him breathing. We have heard many wildly disparate stories of Casey's last few minutes on earth, I don't know if we will ever know the truth. One thing I do know, however, is that like Dr. King, Casey's murder will be to advance the cause for peace and in the name of love.

I am wholly and completely convinced that this aggression on Iraq is illegal, immoral and appallingly unnecessary. I am also convinced that one drop of blood was one drop of blood too much to be shed for this abomination in Iraq. Now oceans of blood—both Iraqi and American—have been spilled for ruinous and disturbing policies of very bad people in our government who have based their reasons for invasion and occupation on their twisted imaginations and their seemingly bottomless lust for power, profits, chaos and confusion.

Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote this from the Birmingham Jail in 1963 and it is so relevant today:

We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.

I must regretfully admit that before my son was killed, I didn't publicly speak out against the invasion/occupation of Iraq. I didn't shout out and say: "Stop! Stop this insane rush to an invasion that has no basis in reality—don't invade a country based on cherry-picked, prefabricated intelligence and contemptible scare tactics!"

I didn't stand up and scream: "Congress, don't you dare abrogate your constitutional rights and responsibilities! Do not, under ANY circumstances give the keys to our country to power-drunk, irresponsible and reckless maniacs!"

When George threateningly stated in his disordered and defiant headlong rush to disaster: "If you're not for us, you're against us," I will regret forever not calling him on the phone and screaming: "I am SO against you and your repulsive policies, you self-important man. I am against killing innocent people and I am against you telling me it's unpatriotic to be against you and your murderous philosophy!"

If I had broken the bonds of my slavery to silence sooner, would Casey (and scores of others) still be alive? I don't know. There were and still are so many good people working for peace and justice and they have been for so many years. One thing I do know, however, is that no matter how much I scream and cry and rail against God, country, and humanity, I cannot bring Casey back. But, I have not shut up since Casey was killed, nor will I be silent until every last one of our nation's sons and daughters are brought back from this morally repugnant and ill-fated war!! Nor, will I give up when this occupation is finished. I will continue fighting for the children of the world and make sure a tragedy of historic proportions like this never happens again. If I can save even one mother here or there from the pain and agony I'm going through, then it will have been so immensely worth it.

I encourage and challenge every citizen of the world to do one small thing for peace each day. Even if it is to nag your elected officials to demand the keys of our country back from the all but convicted felons, liars and self-proclaimed pro-life hypocrites who have them now.

Casey and Dr. King were both violently killed on April 04 in different years and during different wars--two wars that are really just two different sides of the same coin. I want their deaths to mean something. I want them to count for peace and justice, not violence and hatred.

I can feel my son's presence urging me on to save his buddies. I can hear him whispering in my ear and in my dreams: "Mom, finish my mission. Bring my buddies home alive." I can hear Dr. King's words similarly challenging me to action: "The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists will we be?"

Well, Casey, my son, my hero. Well, Dr. King, the hero of millions, I pledge to be the kind of extremist who works for peace with justice and who will never take "No" for an answer. I will strive to hold the bad people in our government accountable for all of the heartache and emptiness they have caused our world by their deliberate lies and deceptions and by their misuse of power and their abuse of our nation's precious human resources.

I will be the kind of extremist who believes that our country can be taken back from the corporatocracy and unethical war profiteers that have control of it now. I will be the kind of extremist who believes that the people of Iraq can rebuild their own country without the dangerous "help" of the American military presence and I will be the kind of extremist who strives to bring our kids home from the Middle East immediately.

If there ever was a time in our nation's history that required the passion and compassion of extremists, it is now: This very minute.

What kind of extremist will you be?

Who Really Killed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr (AND RFK)?

2012-01-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

CLICK THIS LINK TO LISTEN TO THIS SHOW WHICH WAS FIRST BROADCAST ON FEB 20, 2011

Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox continues its quest for truth, peace, and accountability with this offering! Cindy starts with Dr. William Pepper, who talks about his personal associations with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr during the last year of his life, and then the legal battles Dr. Pepper undertook on behalf of Dr. King's family and the patsy: James Earl Ray.

Dr. Pepper offers an unpublicized retrospective view of the passing of one of our nation's most revered and inspirational leaders.

Cindy's dear friend and good Soapbox buddy, Ray McGovern was brutalized at an event where Sec. of State, Hillary Clinton, was speaking, condemning foreign governments for treating protesters harshly. Ray stood in silent and dignified protest, turning his back on her - when he was blindsided, manhandled and arrested - for peacefully protesting. (Fine job Hillary: Show everyone how we respect our own protesters, here at home!) Cindy chats with Ray about that awful experience.

BECOME A MONTHLY SOAPBOX SUSTAINER

2012-01-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

Or, as always, you can send a check or money order to:

Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox, LLC

PO BOX 6264

VACAVILLE, CA 95696

IF YOU WORK FOR PEACE, STOP PAYING FOR WAR by Cindy Sheehan

2012-01-08T08:28:00.000-08:00

War Tax Resistance

Cindy Sheehan

Recently, at the Occupy the Rose Parade Rally where I spoke, I talked about one of my forms of resistance: Not paying my federal income taxes.

Even though I have been very vocal about this for almost eight years now, since my son was killed in Iraq; and even though tax resistance is a long and honored form of protest, all of a sudden I am being attacked for tax “evasion.”

I can’t help it if people don’t pay attention to what I say and what I do and I also can’t help it if other people want to contribute to the crimes of the U.S. government, but I recently wrote this article entitled: “We Will Never Pay so Stop Harassing Us.”

Also, for the last Soapbox of 2012, I hosted the co-ordinators of the National War Tax Resistance League on Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox—listen here at this link.

TIS THE SEASON TO REJECT THE CURRENT MONETARY CYST-EM

2012-01-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

May 1, 2011 (SOAPBOX #95) - Cindy Sheehan celebrated the arrival of May by extending a happy welcome to Genevieve Vaughan, driving force behind the perspicacious and innovative website, Gift Economy. Ms. Vaughan is an independent researcher, a strong feminist and a highly original economic thinker. She developed the theory of a gift-based economy - in contrast to today's exchange-based systems. She is the author of For-Giving: A Feminist Criticism of [the] Exchange [economy]. Genevieve has much to say, which has proved tough to get out to the public. Who could imagine having trouble getting an unapproved message out, here in the land of our oft-vaunted freedoms, for which "they" hate us (?)

It's likely you've never heard a discussion like the one between Ms. Vaughan and Cindy!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW

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GUEST BLOG FROM MARK GAFFNEY

2012-01-06T20:32:00.000-08:00

Behind the Deepening Crisis with Iran: the Real Story Versus the Cover Story

by Mark H Gaffney

Recently, President Obama imposed new sanctions on Iran which according to reports have been very effective, causing a sudden major devaluation of Iran's currency. The Iranians correctly understand that they are under attack, and have threatened to respond by closing the strait of Hormuz, through which a large percentage of oil from the Mideast flows to the global economy.

If the crisis deepens and Iran makes good on its threat to close Hormuz, there is little doubt that the US will intervene to reopen the strait. This will lead to a shooting war for which Iran will be blamed, even though the recent US sanctions were tantamount to overt aggression.

I believe the US will exploit the situation to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. But, even more importantly, the US will target Iran's conventional missiles. Indeed, I believe this is the real reason for US sanctions in the first place, and for the buildup of tensions in recent days. Despite public perceptions, and all the rhetoric about nukes, the present crisis has nothing to do with Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program. In my opinion, that is just a cover story.

The real issue is the fact that Iran has upgraded its medium range conventionally-armed missiles with GPS technology, making its missiles much more accurate. This means Iran can now target Israel's own nuclear, bio and chemical weapons stockpiles, located inside Israel, as well as the Dimona nuclear reactor.

In short, Iran has achieved a conventional deterrent to Israel. Therefor, statements by Iranian officials that Iran has no nuclear weapons program are in my view probably correct. Presently, Iran does not need nukes to deter Israel. It can do so with its GPS-guided medium range missiles. The Israelis are no doubt gnashing their teeth over this, because they now find themselves threatened by their own WMD stockpiles, and by their own nuclear reactors, especially Dimona, all of which have become targets.

A few direct hits by Iran could cause a toxic plume, killing thousands of Israelis. A worst case might signal the end of the Jewish state.

It is important to realize that Iran would never launch a pre-emptive strike on Israel because the Iranians know that the US/Israeli response would be devastating. However, if Iran comes under attack first, all bets are off. Iran will defend itself. A counter attack on Israel cannot be ruled out because Iranian leaders understand clearly (even if the American people do not) that the crisis has been manufactured, on Israel's behalf.

From the Israeli standpoint, the present Iranian deterrent (though conventional) is simply unacceptable. Israel's military strategists have always insisted on total freedom of movement. This is why Israel refused a US offer many years ago to sign a defense pact with the US. Such a treaty would have limited Israel's freedom of movement, and this was unacceptable. Israel's leaders preferred to remain independent. Israel has always insisted on the "freedom" to intimidate its neighbors, whenever and howsoever it chooses. Iran's conventional missiles now curtail that "freedom." Israeli officials probably worry, for example, that Iran's conventional missiles would limit its freedom to attack Hezbollah in Lebanon, in a future conflict. Hezbollah is closely allied with Tehran.

I believe the present crisis has been manufactured to create the pretext for a US air campaign to take out Iran's conventional missile sites. The US will also target Iran's nuclear facilities, but the primary target will be Iran's conventional missiles. The US will be doing Israel's bidding. The Zionist tail will be wagging the servile US dog.

Obviously, you can't generate public support for such a bombing campaign, on Israel's behalf. Hence the cover story about nukes and the alleged Iranian threat to wipe Israel off the map, all of which is untrue but very effective propaganda nonetheless.

The problem for the US is that depriving Iran of its conventional deterrent will not be easy to accomplish. Indeed, it will be even more difficult than taking out all of Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran's conventional missiles are probably dispersed widely. If they come under attack, the purpose of the air campaign will be transparently obvious to the Iranian leadership. Faced with the prospect of losing their deterrent, the Mullahs may well decide to fire their conventional missiles. If they do and manage some direct hits on Israel's nuclear-bio-and chemical weapons stockpiles, the ensuing disaster will prompt an Israeli response. Israel may even resort to the Samson Option, and attack Iran with nukes. Words cannot describe the horrific scale of such an outcome. Unfortunately, it is all too possible.

Early in the war, US naval forces in the Gulf will also come under attack. No mistake, Iran has enough anti-ship cruise missiles to pose a grave threat to the US naval presence in the Gulf. Thousands of US sailors are now in harm's way, and at risk.

We must rally to prevent such a war. Peace activists must now marshal every asset for peace that we possess. The American people need to know the truth. This is a phony crisis. Yet the danger is very real. Now is the time to speak out with all of our strength. Tomorrow could come too late.

Mark H Gaffney’s forthcoming book, Black 9/11, will be released this winter by Trineday Press. Mark can be reached for comment at markhgaffney@earthlink.net

NOTE FROM CINDY: This piece is unedited by Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox and may, or may not, represent the views of Cindy Sheehan. All questions or comments should be directed to the author at his email address.

REPRINT: TO THE IRS: WE WILL NEVER PAY, SO STOP HARASSING US,

2012-01-05T10:57:00.001-08:00

We Will Never Pay, So Stop Harassing Us

Cindy Sheehan

Christy (Dede) Miller

November 8, 2011

To: Whom it may concern in the Internal Revenue Service (hereafter known as IRS).

From: Cindy Sheehan, grieving mother of Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, KIA in Iraq on 04/04/04

From: Christy (Dede) Miller, grieving aunt of Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, KIA in Iraq on 04/04/04

RE: Recent Notices of Levy and SUMMONS to appear from the IRS to Cindy Sheehan

COPY: The American People

“How does it become a wo(man) to behave towards the American government today? I answer, that s/he cannot without disgrace be associated with it”.

Henry David Thoreau

We recently have received your “Notice of Levy,” and “SUMMONS.”

Let us be clear why we are not paying your bill.

On April 04, 2004, three of your co-workers in the Military branch of the US government came to Cindy’s home to inform us that her oldest son, Casey, had been “killed in combat in Iraq.” After Cindy somehow pulled herself from the floor after falling there screaming, “NO, NO, NO!” the Grim Reapers in Army costumes didn’t have much more to tell Casey’s shocked and devastated family, except they asked Cindy for her Social Security number.

Let us go back a little farther than 04/04/04—let us go back to September 11, 2001 when the US was attacked and over 3000 Americans were killed. There is much evidence that even if 9/11 was not “an inside job,” there are many irregularities and lies in the “official story.” Whatever happened that day, the tragedy was used to justify the illegal and supremely immoral invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan—and today, the current regime is still using the, “we were attacked on 9/11,” meme to justify its crimes of aggression against, not only the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, but Pakistan, Somalia, Uganda, Yemen and Palestine (via the billions the US gives to Israel every year). Not to mention the outrageous attack on the people of Libya and recent assassination of Moammar Gaddaffi for the purpose of regime change to a more pro-U.S. corporate government.

Casey was only in the Army anyway because one of your colleagues in the Military branch lied to him and I think it’s been pretty well proven that these wars embarked upon by the US were based on lies—but the confessed liars such as: Donald Rumsfeld, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, and George Tenet, among others, are still roaming free and profiting off of the wars through unethical connections to the war machine, books and speaking engagements. There is also much evidence that these people and other Kleptocrats just take, take, take from us and have many, many loopholes that protect them from paying too much in income taxes from their ill-gotten gains.

Another example of a war profiteer not paying any taxes is General Electric. Not only does GE realize vast profits from these illegal and immoral wars of terror that are currently being waged all over the world, but it also profits off of the highly dangerous nuclear power technology that is poisoning the planet as we speak.

GE not only did not pay any taxes for the year 2010, it received a “1.1 billion dollar tax benefit” (according to CNN Money) for its tax filings in the U.S. How did GE do this when it made a 10.8 billion dollar profit in 2010? The company recorded a loss here in the U.S. of 408 million. GE is just one company or wealthy individual that has teams of lawyers and accountants to drive trucks through the loopholes the U.S. government legislates for them. Are you saying we owe more money than General Electric?

Well, our family recorded a loss in 2004 that is priceless. How can one put a value on a human being—an oldest child—a beloved nephew? Dozens of people who knew Casey are still feeling his loss in very profound and painful ways—Cindy grew his body in her body giving him the best nutrients she could for his health—she gave birth to him after 20 hours of labor on May 29^th, 1979—she loved him and nurtured him with the milk from her own body for 14 months—she sat up with him when he was ill—she helped him with his homework and Cindy sewed his Boy Scout patches on his sash and stood with him when he was awarded his Eagle Scout Award—she sobbed when he went to war and her life was over the day his was.

Being childless herself, Christy adores her nieces and nephews and was like a 2^nd Mom to Casey—and is still very, very close to Casey’s three surviving siblings and their children, today. How can you say any of us who have had our loved ones stolen from us for lies owe you even one more penny? Does the abuse know no end?

For almost five decades of our lives, we sisters were taxpaying, law-abiding citizens. Sure, we got the occasional traffic or parking tickets, but we dutifully paid them or went to traffic school. IRS Agent, can you imagine in your Revenuer’s heart the agony we felt when we realized that we had funded the murder of our own dear Casey? As our awareness grew, so did our disgust with our complicity in this system as the body count for totally innocent civilians rose. We now feel that for at least 30 years of taxpaying perfidy, we funded the murders and torture of millions! The only way we could live with ourselves was to stop being accessories to our government’s war crimes and crimes against humanity.

To whoever is reading this: You’re a working stiff aren’t you? You work for one of the most evil agencies in a deeply corrupt and criminal organization, but you are still a working person! Does it bother you that the banks and Wall Street have received billions of bailout dollars from the U.S. government while you are taking money from people in our own class to do so? Does it bother you that the rich are getting wealthier and you have to try and collect your pound of flesh, or blood money, from a mother and an auntie who have already had their own flesh and blood violently ripped from their lives?

To honor Casey's needless sacrifice and to protect others, we will not pay these bills. You do what you have to do, but our membership in the human race demands that we withhold money from such a homicidal, nay genocidal cabal as the US government. Scores of people in this nation have taken the principled stand that we take and we feel that our moral compasses trump your “laws.” We could have taken the strategy of only paying a portion of our taxes like some do, but we feel we have no control over where our money is spent.

If Citizens United (Citizens United v. The Federal Elections Commission) can claim that money is Free Speech and it can spend freely on its political causes, then we feel we have the same right to withhold our money in an act of moral courage and loyalty to not only our brothers, sisters and children being murdered, displaced or tortured, but to our own First Amendment Rights. We have sacrificed much and invested not only our own money, but also our very lives in our campaigns for peace and justice. We will never again co-operate with the USA in its crimes against peace.

You can try and make an example of us, but we will fight you tooth and nail and we will put the wars of your government on trial. If it comes to that, peace will get its day in court, finally. Let’s put the real criminals on trial, huh?

We strongly reiterate: we won’t help fund the terrorism of this government abroad and the economic terrorism of this government here at home.

Like we said before, we can’t put a value on Casey’s life, and since we were not his dependents, we can’t place a value on his potential future earnings. We can only mourn his loss and the loss of any potential children he may have had and the life he may have lived if he were not killed for lies—this is a fact that we will have to deal with every day of the rest of our lives—we don’t need the additional harassment of his murderers on top of this tragic and unnecessary reality.

Any questions?

Cindy Sheehan can be reached at:

Cindy@CindySheehansSoapbox.com

Christy Miller can be reached at:

DedeMiller123@gmail.com

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2012-01-04T17:24:00.001-08:00

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Here Comes the Tornado by Cindy Sheehan

2011-12-31T18:14:00.000-08:00

Here Comes The Tornado

Cindy Sheehan

Cindy Lee Miller was born on July 10, 1957, in Inglewood, Ca. She was the oldest child of Dennis, an electrician, and Shirley, a stay-at-home mom (or "housewife" as they would say back in 1957).

Cindy grew up in Bellflower, Ca. with her sister, Dede and brother, Scott. The Millers were firmly ensconced in the working-poor class and the siblings can recall many times when the electricity was turned off for weeks at a time and a few evictions before their parents split in 1976.

Cindy Lee Miller (a loan adjustor at Security Pacific National Bank—which was long ago consumed by BofA) became Cindy Lee Sheehan on April 30, 1977, when she married, Patrick Thomas Sheehan (a hardware salesman). Patrick and Cindy began their family on May 29, 1979, when their cherished firstborn, Casey, was born. Then, bam, bam, bam—in quick succession, three more children followed: Carly, Andy and Jane.

By all accounts, the Sheehans were a relatively happy lower middle-class family on the Left Coast. Those days, before Cindy went to her "reward," the Sheehans would have been identified as Catholic and Democrat who were quietly pro-choice and loudly pro-fun. Happy, that is, until April 04, 2004 at 9:01pm, which was the day and time that Cindy died.

April 4^th of that year was a beautiful Sunday (Palm, that is) and Cindy awoke worried, but seemingly at peace, about the fact that her dearest oldest child Casey was stationed somewhere in Iraq. Since he had deployed in mid-March, Cindy had been distracted, tearful, sleepless, and without much of an appetite. Casey had been gone before on trips with his Scout Troop and Church youth group (once even to Europe), and Cindy had worried like any mother would, but she discovered quickly that worrying about a child camping up at Yosemite or camped in the heat of an Iraqi desert were two very different things.

The final time Cindy and Casey had spoken, Cindy begged Casey to be careful and he assured her he would. Cindy semi-jokingly told Casey that she would break his legs or take him to Canada and he said that he didn’t want to go, but the “sooner I go, Mom, the sooner I’ll be home.”

On the day she died, Cindy even remarked to Casey’s next youngest sibling, Carly, that it was the first day since Casey left that she felt happy and energized. Boy, Cindy got a lot done that day: laundry, house-cleaning, shopping for food and other assorted tasks one does on a sunny Sunday.

The other three children were out and about around dinnertime, so Patrick grilled up something on the George Foreman grill that Casey had given him on a previous birthday, and Pat and Cindy sat down to a quiet Sunday dinner watching CNN, as was their custom—thinking that watching CNN actually made them “well informed.”

No sooner had Cindy taken her first bite when a burning Humvee popped up on the screen and Pat and Cindy were told that “eight U.S. troops were killed in Baghdad” that day. Cindy’s heart turned to ice and spitting the bite back out on her plate (that was positioned on the oak coffee table that had held hundreds of loads of folded laundry and which also doubled as a tent, launch ramp, car track, coloring table and other assorted kid activities) and croaked out: “one of them was Casey.”

Visibly shaken, Pat started to scream at the air, because he was not really upset with Cindy: “stop it, you don’t even know where Casey is stationed yet, and he’s a mechanic, and there’s tens of thousands of troops there, chances are it wasn’t Casey!”

“I don’t care what you say, I know one of them was Casey,” Cindy cried.

“He’s going to be there for a year, you need help if you are going to think that every report of every soldier wounded or killed is Casey,” Pat answered.

That was it for dinner and Cindy sat around for the rest of the evening waiting for a call or something telling her that her beloved son was dead. Around 8:30, that call hadn’t come, so, feeling sheepish about her relief, knowing that some mother's son had been killed that day—she took the family’s two dogs, Chewy, a brown and white Shih-Tzu, and Buster, Chewy’s black and white son, for their nightly walk.

In those days before she died, Cindy would just have to start thinking that it was time to walk the dogs and Buster and Chewy would become excited and start to jump around—that evening was no exception.

However, this night on the walk around their normal route, Cindy cried the entire time thinking of Casey and she had just decided that the next day she would see if there was some kind of support group at the nearest US military base, Travis AFB, when she rounded the corner of the garage and she could see, through the open screen door, her worst nightmare in horrible living color standing there: three military man gathered together, as if mustering for an attack on her small world, indeed they were about to make it come crashing down around her.

Cindy knew in her heart that The Army would not come to visit unless Casey was already dead and as she finished the last few steps of the routine walk, the world started to spin and her legs began to turn into rubber and she somehow made it just inside the front door.

Before Cindy fell on the floor and died, she glimpsed her oldest daughter, Carly, standing close to the door having just returned from work with a look of profound shock on her face, and then she saw Casey’s dad, Pat, hands frozen in time where he had been folding a pair of his slacks.

The day, Casey Austin Sheehan, born on John F. Kennedy’s birthday in 1979, was killed in the illegal and immoral war of choice in Iraq exactly 36 years after Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated, was also the day his mother, Cindy, passed away.

Cindy lay on the floor doubled over in agonizing pain—screaming so hard she felt like a blood vessel in her brain would surely burst.

To say that Cindy’s heart broke that day would be an inadequate way to describe what happened.

Cindy’s heart wasn’t merely broken it was shattered, spindled, folded and mutilated. The intense emotional pain is felt physically and as Cindy lie on the ground that April evening she prayed to a cruel god to take her also.

One can recall the days when a pimple on picture day in junior high school or when your main squeeze of two weeks dumped you seemed like the end of the world. Before Casey was killed, the Sheehans had money problems and minor teenage angst, which seemed pretty terrible at the time; however, Cindy had nothing at all to compare with the sickly unnatural phenomena of having a child precede her in death.

I said "Cindy died," but obviously I am alive and well. I can assure you, though, dear reader, that any resemblance to the Cindy of April 3^rd, 2004 and the Cindy of today is purely physical. Yes, I look like pre-disaster Cindy, but I don’t act like her in any way, shape or form.

After my son was killed, I was paralyzed or immobilized with grief. I spent all day every day laying on the love seat in the same living room that had been visited by Uncle Sam’s Messengers of Death with my long legs propped up on one arm of the love seat. I would stare for hours at my legs, knees and feet and marvel at the fact that they could move and had substance, when I felt dead inside.

In the first months of my bereavement, I had an unreasonable hatred of the sun. Usually after a sleepless night, I would wonder how it was possible for the sun to rise every morning when my own son was interred in his permanent grave just a few miles away? How could everything and everyone in the world look and act so normally when my entire existence now seemed so profoundly abnormal?

To help my sleeping problem, a well-meaning, but idiotic health care provider prescribed some sleeping pills for me. What doctor’s manual gives the stamp of approval for giving a grieving mother a 'script for “suicide in a brown-tinted, plastic bottle?" Every night, I would go to the cupboard and pull out my bottle of Ambien, take the prescribed dosage and then use every ounce of strength and energy I had to do battle with myself to not consume every pill in the bottle. There was Evil Cindy sitting on one shoulder telling me that the “pain is too much for anyone to bear, much less a weakling like yourself.” Then the Good Cindy would chime in saying, “Your children already lost their brother. How could you selfishly take your own life and make theirs harder?” Well, Good Cindy obviously won the debate every night, because I am still here, and some people would argue, “Everything happens for a reason.”

The rest, as they also say, is history.

One afternoon, about three weeks after Casey and I died, Carly came out into the living room from her bedroom, to find me prone on on the love seat in my new-normal position and said: “Mom, would you like to hear a poem I wrote.” I was in deep pain, but I was then and still am the consummate mother, so I said: “Of course, honey.” I didn’t know that poem was about to give me another incentive, besides my surviving children, to live.

Carly’s Poem

Have you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son?

The torrential rains of a mother's weeping will never be done
They call him a hero, you should be glad that he's one, but
Have you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son?

Have you ever heard the sound of a father holding back his cries?

He must be brave because his boy died for another man's lies
The only grief he allows himself are long, deep sighs
Have you ever heard the sound of a father holding back his cries?

Have you ever heard the sound of taps played at your brother's grave?

They say that he died so that the flag will continue to wave
But I believe he died because they had oil to save
Have you ever heard the sound of taps played at your brother's grave?

Have you ever heard the sound of a nation being rocked to sleep?

The leaders want to keep you numb so the pain won't be so deep
But if we the people let them continue another mother will weep
Have you ever heard the sound of a nation being rocked to sleep?

Wow, Carly’s poem stunned me, yet I once again felt a deep thrill of life course through my body after she read it—she said it took her about 10 minutes to write. If I were a religious person, I would say that the angels inspired her, because in a little over a year, I moved from the love seat in my living room to a ditch outside of George Bush’s ranch in Crawford, TX.

This is where the “Tornado” part comes in.

Since Casey was killed, I (a dedicated, law-abiding citizen) have been arrested about 15 times for abiding the original law of this nation: The Constitution. I believe that I also obey a higher law than that of the U.S. Constitution: the law of Human Rights.

It is our Human Right, to exercise our free speech and to peaceably protest the crimes of our government. As a matter of fact, I would argue that it’s not just a right, but also a sacred responsibility to do so.

All of my actions, arrests, letters, articles, radio shows, protests, running for Congress, and on and on, will not bring my sweet Casey back, but I feel, as I shirked my duty to him, I have a duty to humanity, now. I not only feel, but have been told, that my activism has saved lives by preventing other “Caseys and Cindys” from making the same terrible mistake we did by not trying harder to keep Casey out of the military to be used as a disposable tool for profit.

If anyone told me less than eight years ago that I would be standing up to authority and not cowering in front of it (no matter what the political party, or badge number of said authority) and that I would have spent many a night in jail with prostitutes, drunk drivers, drug users, other petty accused criminals and fellow activist colleagues, I would have choked on my belly-laughter.

My life before we were killed was being a chauffeur for my children and sometimes working at three jobs just to help make ends meet. Since our deaths, I have met world leaders, actors, musicians, intellectuals, politicians, and even shared a couple of stages with my pretend boyfriend, Jackson Browne. But the coolest thing that ever happened was the day I discovered that I, Cindy Sheehan, had a Secret Service name!

For those of you who don’t know—everyone the Secret Service protects, (like the President and Vice President) has a “code name.” Well, I guess I was elevated to special status when I became the virtual (and best-known) stalker of the 43^rd President of the USA, George Bush!

In the summer of 2005, when Camp Casey (named after my son) began, we camped in the ditches of Prairie Chapel Road and in a vacant lot near the faux-ranch that was donated to us—well, after the first year, the county where Crawford is situated passed what were informally known as the “Cindy Sheehan Ordinances,” which prohibited sleeping, eating, using porta-potties, or camping along roads in the county. Consequently, never to be deterred, I bought five acres about five miles from the Secret Service checkpoint to Bush’s converted pig farm cum Flying Photo-Op Ranch.

The summer of 2006 was spent sleeping, eating, and working at Camp Casey III and shuttling protesters back and forth between our peace camp and the checkpoint. Well, that summer, I almost died from female problems, and before I went into the hospital for emergency surgery, I was protesting out at the checkpoint in the 100-degree plus central Texas heat (plus humidity) with the others. However, every time the shuttle van drove to drop someone off, or pick someone up, I went with it, to go back to camp to use the facilities.

Well, after about the 4^th or 5^th trip, my dear Dallas friend, Diane, who had been near the Secret Service protesting all day, ran up to me and very excitedly said, “Cindy, this is the coolest thing—you have a secret service Code Name!”

“How do you know?" I asked.

“Every time you left, they would say, ‘so and so has left’ into their walkie-talkies and every time you came back, they would say, ‘so and so has returned.”

Well, I have already given away my Secret Service code name—it was, “The Tornado.”

I have had many people say to me or write to me that it’s one thing for me to be a political gadfly, and he/she would “love to do what you do, but I am not Cindy Sheehan.”

I always assure them that before I arose from the dead on April 04, 2004, I wasn’t “Cindy Sheehan” either.

It’s very true that by dying, my son gave birth to his true mom, CINDY SHEEHAN. However, I know that the ability to be brave in the face of danger and adversity and to go from being terrified of public speaking to speaking at rallies in front of tens of thousands, and so on, must have always been in me. It’s just a damned shame that it took a tragedy of such immense proportions to bring them out.

I think many in the so-called 1% want us down here in the 99% to believe that “one person cannot make a difference.” I am living proof that’s just pure bullshit.

If, I can accomplish the things I have been able to, trust me, the ability to do so resides in almost every single person on this planet.

You just have to define what your cause is and get off of your metaphorical love seat and start trying to make a difference.

If you do TRY, I can give you my money-back guarantee that you WILL.

This is my submission to an essay contest that Michael Moore is sponsoring.

Info:
http://michaelmoore.com/book-tour/contests#your-story

Wish me luck!

Just go, Pelosi! by Cindy Sheehan

2011-12-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

"Don't worry, my love, impeachment is off the table."

Cindy Sheehan for Congress paid thousands of dollars at the end of my campaign in 2008 to post this photo in the San Francisco Chronicle. To us, it showed the hypocrisy and hopelessness of the "opposition" parties in the Federal Government. Pelosi would not impeach George Bush because they were cut from the same expensive silk cloth--the pattern is the only thing that differed.

Both Pelosi and Bush come from political families with long pedigrees of exploitation and cronyism--George's time in office enriched many of his and Cheney's business associates (and themselves) and Pelosi's tenure has also proven to be profitable for her family and friends. Both are shameless frauds, but they are only two of the most recognizable and notorious.

Today, I was sent an article that was posted on a site called BigGovernment where Nancy's daughter, Alexandra (documentarian of slime ball, Bush), noted that her mother desperately wants to leave Congress, but her (I am not making this up) "donors" want her to stay.

First of all, why did Alexandra say, "donors" instead of "constituents?" Isn't the very definition of prostitution one where someone is performing a task or duty solely for money--where a benefit is conferred? Well, with Pelosi's inside trading and conferring of government pork to her friends and family, she certainly has perfectly played the part of political-prostitute.

Secondly, why is Ms. Alexandra Pelosi "leaking" this information at this time? I think the traitor Pelosi should leave Congress, and as a matter of fact, flee the country in disgrace, but I have discovered in my short public life that very little happens by "accident." Nancy Pelosi has grabbed power by the balls and has wielded it simultaneously as a weapon and a carrot. By all reason, when she blew her stint as House Speaker, she should have resigned, or at the very least, had her leadership stripped from her--but no, she clawed her way back up to the top. Nancy is no long, suffering public servant. She is a full-member of the political corruption machine. I don't have the answer to my own question, but when one reads the article, if one has a brain--we can see that Alex didn't just let this little nugget of info slip.

With even establishment adoring, 60 Minutes, highlighting the former Speaker's financial indiscretions, I think that, "Spending more time with the family," is just code for: "Oops, I got caught and I better leave before I am forced out."

Has Nancy's Robber Class depravity finally caught up with her?

Is she just the lead rat leaving the sinking ship of state?

I am no fan of any career politician and I think most of the 535 members of Congress should resign in disgrace, but I have a particular disgust for the fraudulent Pelosi who is still unbelievably heralded or denounced at some kind of far-leftist from a far-left district.

Oh, yeah?

Spend two years living in that "far-left" bastion of the status quo and running for Congress on a truly progressive-left platform and you will also discover the truth.

Listen to a Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox from February 22, 2009 where former Los Angeles County Assistant District Attorney, Vincent Bugliosi thinks George Bush should be prosecuted for murder.

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The Soapbox: Ahead of the Curve!

2011-12-28T16:35:00.000-08:00

2009 started with so many people hope-notized with the promise of a kindler, gentler emperor of the U.S.A.

Even though I was running against Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco, I never bought the empty-rhetoric and lies of the Obama campaign and felt that it was the responsibility of my independent campaign for Congress to expose the hypocrisy and similarities of the "two" party system.

In the end, about 49,000 voters in California's 8th district believed in me and my message, but over 130,000 still believed that Pelosi and her ilk were the answer to the problems that she and her ilk created. So, jobless, I decided to begin a radio show... Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox.

Three days after Obama was elected, he ordered the first of many of his notorious drone strikes in Northern Pakistan killing dozens of people and I sent the image above to my email contacts with an article denouncing those strikes: instead of support, I was thoroughly attacked and told such things as, "You should give Obama a chance." Really? Like the "chance" he gave those innocent people in Pakistan?

So, the people who were my comrades and partners in "crime" for the horrible years of the Bush presidency became my opposition in the beginning of the horrible years of the Obama presidency--although many of the people who have a working set of brains between their ears have come around full-circle to where I was in 2008 and before: There's very little difference between Frick and Frack at the top of the political dungheap in the U.S. and we have seen the rising of a movement against corporate greed that needs to grow to be logically against the twin parties of greed, war, and corruption.

Please listen to one of our first shows with Matt Gonzalez (Ralph Nader's Candidate for VP in 2008 and Brother Larry Pinkney from the Black Commentator).

Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss

And try not to get fooled again!

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Send a note to Lynne Stewart!

2011-12-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

CLICK THE PIC OF RALPH AND LYNNE TO LISTEN TO CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX WITH SPECIAL GUEST, RALPH POYNTER TO HEAR ABOUT LYNNE'S CASE.

To my hero, Lynne Stewart

REG. NO. 53504-054

FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER, CARSWELL

PO BOX 27137

FT. WORTH, TX 76127

Dear Lynne,

It was so wonderful and inspiring to receive your holiday greeting! I think of you and the injustice that you are experiencing and the grace and dignity that you show in a situation that would cripple many people.

I also send healing thoughts and love for your health issues and hope you are getting good care in prison.

My friends and supporters also send love and holiday greetings back to you.

To address something that you said in your note: yes, the Occupy Movement is very righteous and has some powerful grievances against the criminal elite class in this country and the world. But if I see a weakness in the movement, it’s that it doesn’t want to make any demands and enforce them with the power of its numbers and it seems to not want to hear the wisdom of the elders. If there’s one thing that I have learned, it’s that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time we begin a new action.

2011 was a terrible year for police state oppression and war. On my radio show, I have spoken with the families of or legal representatives of political prisoners, including your husband, Ralph. I just returned from Cuba where I attended a symposium on the Cuban 5. I know that you know that George Bush and his regime didn’t invent any of these tactics and it’s so demoralizing to many people that Obama is continuing them: including allowing your unjustifiable incarceration and that of Bradley Manning.

My hope for 2012 is that the people’s movement that is arising addresses more the issues of war and peace and the alarming nature of the rise of the oppressive police state here at home.

You are loved and may 2012 return you to your loved ones and freedom!

In, love, peace, solidarity and admiration!

Cindy Sheehan

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What Consistently, Courageously, Intelligently and Interestingly Challenges the War Makers?

2011-12-25T19:48:00.000-08:00

... Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox .. That's What!

To All Our Friends and Supporters Who Care…

Happy New Year and Happy Holidays:

For the past three years Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox has been producing a weekly radio show centered around guest interviews that help bring into focus important issues from an alternative left-wing viewpoint.

Past guests have included:

Roseanne Barr

Cynthia McKinney

Troy Davis' sister, the late, Martina Correia

Ann Wright

Dr. Michio Kaku - theoretical scientist

Eva Golinger

Arun Gandhi - the grandson of the Mahatma

Rachel Corrie's mother, Cindy

Yoko Ono

Helen Thomas

Robert Fisk

Professor Angela Davis

Daniel Ellsberg

Tommy Chong

Ambassador Edward Peck

John Pilger

Russell Means

The late Howard Zinn

Congressman Dennis Kucinich

Malalai Joya (Afghan Parliamentarian)

Actor, Mike Farrell

Dahr Jamail

Rosa Clemente (Green Party Candidate for VP)

Gore Vidal

Jesse Ventura

John Perkins

Graham Nash

...and the list goes on and on.

Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox is run on donations from listeners.

No corporate or compromised dollars control the direction or content of the show.

The comments and feedback from our listeners oftentimes guide the content and guests selected for interviews. In fact, many of the guests are sometimes the activist/listeners themselves - people who are making a difference in their respective area with various organizations local and national.

In 2012, as Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox continues to grow we are going to be broadcasting on two new radio networks: UWS - United We Strike and CPR - Community Progressive Radio. Both networks are aimed at bringing the stories and issues to the public that mainstream media seems to overlook.

If there has been one unifying theme of Cindy Sheehan's Work and the Soapbox it is the desire to increase our efforts for peace and justice. That really is the heart and soul of the show and none of this could happen without united action. No one person can do it his/herself. It takes the efforts and resources of many to achieve peace and justice for the many.

Our nation and our world are at a crossroads, and independent voices and media are needed to help us choose the right path.

Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox has been overwhelmed with pleas to stay connected and broadcasting, we can only do it with your support.

Won't you take time to consider a donation to the Soapbox?

Please click the button to make your tax-deductible donation today!

Never-ending War: R.I.P. Brian Arredondo

2011-12-21T19:15:00.000-08:00

"He Suffered So Much"

Brian Arredondo, R.I.P.

May 10, 1987 to 12/19/2011

Cindy Sheehan

Brian Arredondo was 17 when his 20 year-old brother, Alex, a U.S. Marine, was killed in Iraq on 25 August, 2004—he was 24 this past Monday, 19 December, when he took his own life.

Recall that Carlos Arredondo, the father of Alex and Brian, his only children, was so distraught when the Marines came to tell him that his oldest son was killed, he caught their van and himself on fire, burning over 26% of his body. His recovery from his physical wounds was long and difficult, but his emotional wounds from having his son killed by the U.S. government in its illegal and immoral war in Iraq will never completely heal. However, I know since my son, Casey, was killed in Iraq only four months before Alex, that Carlos was beginning to be able to get through his days without overwhelming pain before his other son committed suicide.

Carlos, and his wife, Melida (stepmother to the boys) are part of our Camp Casey family and the wider peace movement. Carlos credits Camp Casey with giving him his “voice” to be able to speak for Alex and against the war that took his life. When we held our Camp Casey gatherings, Carlos would always be there with his rolling monument to his son, Alex, and he would often be the first one to get up in the morning and the last one to go to bed—he was always working and there for me when I needed a bottle of water, a plate of food, or a hug. However, Carlos could always take a break to talk to a visitor to make him/her feel welcome, and share his son’s story.

Carlos and Melida are wonderful people who have sacrificed much for peace—and even though I wouldn’t wish this kind of pain on anybody—they did not deserve to bury even one son, let alone two. Of course, my love also goes out to Brian's mom, whom I have never met, but I wish her healing, also.

When I spoke to the Arredondos on the phone today, Carlos told me that Brian, “suffered so much,” from the death of his brother, and it’s so sad that siblings are often forgotten in the heartache of loss. Brian’s suffering has now ended, but his family’s and other loved ones has just begun. It’s often said that what doesn’t kill a person makes him/her “stronger,” and although that saying is annoying, it’s true. I know Carlos and Melida have incredible strength and I have found depths of strength that I never knew I had since I have a daily survival struggle from the tragic death of my son. Sadly, Brian could never fully recover and was recently told by mental health professionals that "nothing was wrong" with him—he tragically fell through the cracks as so many in our dispassionate society often do.

Besides the fact that I adore the Arredondos and know about the struggle they have had with Brian over the years, this terrible news highlights the glaring truth that, even though wars may end (and I dispute that the war on Iraq has even ended), for some people, the tragedy and pain never will be over.

I am profoundly sorry for the pain of our losses, but war does terrible things to people. It doesn’t matter if a person supports war, or doesn’t, it’s undeniable that war causes everlasting pain and irreparable damage.

The President and Vice President of the U.S. may be celebrating the “end” of the Iraq War, but on Monday, December 19, 2011, that war of choice for profit claimed another innocent victim: handsome, sensitive, and compassionate, beautiful soul, Brian Arredondo.

How many more will suffer? The country of Iraq is spoiled with depleted uranium and babies are being born with birth defects and children are dying from leukemia and other war-related illnesses every day, still. How many years will it take the Iraqi people to recover from the decades’ long devastation the U.S. has caused?

How many of our veterans will commit suicide, or die from long, painful deaths from DU poisoning, emotional scars, or other wounds?

Wars never truly end, so the best thing to do is never allow them to begin in the first place.

If the reader is in a position to do so, please send a donation to Brian’s memorial fund to help cover the funeral expenses.

Send donations to:
Brian Arredondo Memorial Fund, at
The Cooperative Bank
40 Belgrade Avenue
Roslindale, MA 02131

Brian’s Wake:
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Time: 4:00pm until 9:00pm
Mann and Rodgers Funeral Home
44 Perkins Street, Jamaica Plain,
Massachusetts

Brian’s Funeral Mass
Weds, December 28^th
Time: 12noon to 2pm
St Thomas Aquinas Parish

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND A CARD DIRECTLY TO THE ARREDONDOS, THEIR ADDRESS IS:
11 Seymour Street Roslindale, MA 02131

Brian and dad, Carlos in July 2011

DONATE TO THE SOAPBOX TODAY!

2011-12-14T08:18:00.001-08:00

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Attend a Rally for Bradley Manning near you this weekend!

2011-12-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

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The Politics of Lesser Evilism by Ted Rall

2011-12-12T19:31:00.001-08:00

Rally at Occupy Concord, Ca with Cindy Sheehan on 11/17/11

2011-12-11T20:04:00.000-08:00

Protest the Robber Class Chase Bank in Woodland with Cindy Sheehan

2011-12-10T16:13:00.001-08:00

Turn, Turn, Turn: An Important Message from Cindy Sheehan

2011-12-08T14:34:00.000-08:00

Turn, Turn, Turn

Dear Friends,

I have some wonderful news, after almost two years and much stress, heart break, and inspiration, I am within a couple of weeks of finishing my project, Revolution, A Love Story.

As some of you may remember, or not, Revolution, A Love Story began as a documentary project after I traveled to Venezuela in February-March of 2010 to interview President Hugo Chávez for Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox Radio Show. I had a terrible split with one of the cameramen, who was my roommate at the time, who not only absconded with the footage for the film, but with thousands of dollars of merchandise that belonged to my non-profit, Peace of the Action. The end of last year was terrible for me, but it wasn’t the first time I had been stabbed in the back by someone whom I trusted—it was just the worst time.

Anyway, since I do write, I decided to write a book based on my research and to be able to give something to my supporters (the one who stole the footage had no supporters and didn’t raise one penny for the project) who pre-ordered the movie to give us some working capital. It took me way longer to write than my previous books, perhaps because I never tried to write a book while being a grandmother to four adorable babies before, but I don’t know. I was still busy with my radio show, blog, protesting and traveling the world on my almost 8-year long quest for peace.

So, the wonderful news is that by the end of this year, I can fulfill my commitment to my supporters to deliver a product to them. It’s not what I hoped it would be, but it’s something.
So here’s the difficult news I have to share. I have been waging a mighty internal struggle for some time and have come to some important conclusions. The movement moved away from me a long time ago, or I moved away from it when I realized that the Democratic Party was part of the problem, and not worth investing any time or energy into. It doesn’t matter who moved away from whom at this point because it’s become increasingly difficult for me to survive—I don’t want to become rich from circumstances leading from my son’s death and that’s why I have poured most of my earnings back into the movement, but the struggle to remain a full-time activist that hasn’t sold out her principles has grown too great. I am literally just one person, now; I can’t do it anymore. I don't think anyone, friend or foe, can't say that I haven't tried my hardest.

I have also come to terms with the fact that, contrary to what I believe, Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox must not be a good show, because it is not supported. Since January of 2009, when the show premiered, it has always been a struggle to pay the Soapbox bills. The only way it has remained on the air for the last six months, however, is because my staff has been working for free and I cannot ask them to do that any longer. I appreciate the help from them all and appreciate that they believed in the show, but banging ones head against the wall just gives one a headache. I can’t afford to pay for the bandwidth to keep the show on the air or the email service I use to send out my reminders and other info anymore, either. For me, at least, sadly, Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox is signing off.

For everything there is a season and some of the events of this past year show great promise for a renewed sense of activism and empowerment, but even though I have been preaching this gospel for years, now, and organized the post-911’s first Occupy activity (Camp Casey in Crawford, Tx), a new generation is arising. I am super-happy about that and super-excited that the energy is there and the OWS movement has the resources it needs to do whatever it thinks it needs to do. I am not needed and that’s perfectly fine by me.

The only thing that’s not fine with me is that foreign policy issues are getting scarier and scarier, and it doesn’t seem that there’s currently much of a movement to address this. Like I said, I put everything into working for peace: my heart, my soul, my money, etc, and the only thing I have to show for it is some dusty awards and a bank account that has a negative balance of $4. The Evil Empire is even farther away from peace than it was when my son was killed and this is a fact that causes me much pain and frustration.

This is not a message asking anyone for money. I will never ask you for money again. I have to sell my soul, swallow my principles (like someone just reminded me, people do it every day—but it won’t be easy) work with the IRS and find a job, or assistance to go back to school, or something.

Life has two guarantees: either everything will be okay, or it won’t.

I have a strong feeling that I will be okay, because I have survived the worst thing any mother can survive, the pre-mature and unnecessary death of a child. Somehow, I am always “okay," and I will continue to do what I can as a part-time peace and justice activist.
I can’t even express my gratitude strongly enough for all the love and support that each of you have shown me over the years and give thanks for the memories, because there have been far more good ones than bad ones. I am excited to begin this new phase of my life.

In May of 2007, when I resigned as “face of the antiwar movement,” I was physically ill and profoundly exhausted, I can’t say that now! I honestly feel healthier and in better physical shape than I have been in years. This message is not self-pity party because I have no regrets. Regrets are for those that live in the past. I do detect a certain amount of irony, however, in the fact that the murderers responsible for my son's death seem to be prospering and have an endless stream of opporunities available to them. It would be funny if it weren't so tragic and continuous.

Oh, one last thing I will ask of you all—does anyone know any job available for someone that can read, write, speak in public, has a better than average grasp of current events, is articulate, can cause trouble with the best of them, and who is fearless, funny and smart? I'm the woman!
Love and peace,

Cindy Sheehan

PEACE OUT!

Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox, LLC
PO BOX 6264
Vacaville, Ca 95696

Occupy Revolution: Order your PDF copy of Revolution, A Love Story by Cindy Sheehan

2011-12-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

Finally!

Cindy's tribute to Hugo Chávez and his Bolivarian Revolution, Revolution, A Love Story, is at the editor for final edits and should be completely finished within the next two weeks, (more or less)!

If you haven't ordered your copy yet, use the links below to order.

If you would like a signed copy (by Cindy) of the cover sheet mailed to you, please choose option 2.

The PDF is 10.00 and the PDF with signed and mailed cover sheet is 25.00

The book will also be available to download on Amazon Kindle, soon.

Book orders help Cindy continue her activism and work on

Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox Radio Show and blog.

Look forward to Cindy's next book, provocatively titled:

I Left My Marbles in San Francisco.

The road to the finished product of Revolution, A Love Story was long and sometimes arduous, but always inspiring and rewarding.

Cindy Sheehan interviews President Hugo Chavez

PDF ONLY/PDF WITH COVER SHEET

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Cindy Sheehan to attend 1st Amendment Party at Occupy Sacto

2011-12-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

Cindy Sheehan, dozens of others may be arrested
Wednesday night at Occupy Sacramento; City
expected to play the role of 'Scrooge' again

SACRAMENTO – Occupy Sacramento has announced it will hold a "First Amendment Party" at Cesar Chavez Park Wednesday night – and that it expects the City of Sacramento to again play the Scrooge.

The "Party" begins at 11:01 p.m. Wednesday night at Cesar Chavez Park, one minute after the city imposed curfew, which has led to 87 misdemeanor arrests since Occupy Sacramento started Oct. 6. "Occupiers" are expected to gather between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Cindy Sheehan, and participants from the greater Sacramento area, foothills, Stockton, Elk Grove and Woodland are expected to join the festivities. But dozens of arrests may occur if the City maintains its "zero tolerance" policy.

Nine jury trials are set to begin Dec. 13. The District Attorney refused to prosecute, but the City of Sacramento is pursing the cases, which carry six-month jail sentences for a curfew violation.

Occupy Sacramento maintains the First Amendment does not end at 11 p.m. (midnight on weekends), and that free speech and freedom of assembly rights continue for 24 hours a day, despite a local ordinance banning First Amendment activities in city parks at night.

International Pariahs by Cindy Sheehan

2011-12-05T22:27:00.000-08:00

I happened to be watching CSPAN today and was “treated” to a rebroadcast (From 12/2) speech by Leon Panetta, who recently was the head of the CIA, but now is Secretary of Defense for the USA (that info is important for this article).

The obsequious, Leon, was speaking at the Saban Conference (organized by a very modest Haim SABAN of Power Ranger fame and of the SABAN Center for Middle East Policy at the allegedly “liberal” stink tank, Brookings Institute). The conference was entitled: Strategic Challenges in a New Middle East. In Haim’s intro of Leon, he states (verbatim) that one of the challenges of Israel, in this “New Middle East,” is how to “sustain the occupation,” of Palestine.

Leon isn't the first politician in the U.S. to pledge his/her undying love and fervent loyalty to Israel, in fact, I think it's a Congressional right of passage, but clearly, recent uprisings in the Middle East have shaken the Zionist state of Israel and its shills to the core. Leon is just one of those shills—a Catholic who admits in his keynote address that, as U.S. Secretary of Defense, one of his “key priorities” is “strengthening the bond between the U.S. and Israel", and “of course,” he takes his commitment to the safety of Israel very seriously and he meets with his Israeli counterparts frequently in their “shared efforts to strengthen Israeli security.” Maybe I am naïve, but isn’t the job of the SecDef of the U.S. to ensure the safety of the U.S? It’s been obvious for quite some time that the “special relationship” that the U.S. and Israel share has harmed the U.S. I don’t see any benefit that the U.S. receives from that special relationship.

In fact, Israel receives the most foreign aid from the U.S. than any other country and Leon assured the conference attendees that even though the U.S. has some severe economic troubles here at home, extra money and military hardware will keep flowing to Israel. Leon did receive a question from the audience about the possibility of foreign aid being reduced to Israel, and I swear, he was almost on the verge of tears over the remote likelihood that the U.S. government would actually do something for peace and that makes a little sense.

Israel’s oppressive and violent “occupation” (SABAN’S word) of Palestine with the support, encouragement, and protection of the U.S. (especially in the UN) pours gasoline on the flames of hatred towards this country. In his speech, Leon Panetta reiterated that one of the reasons for the U.S.’s oppressive and violent occupation of Iraq was for Israel’s safety in the region. Of course, U.S. regional violence combined with Israeli regional violence is a dangerous cocktail of provocation that only decreases regional stability--but I have a feeling Leon and his Israeli counterparts have never been interested in stability. Their actions speak so loud, the hollow words get drowned out.

During the Q and A period, many of the questions revolved around the Iran “issue.” Leon called Iran a “pariah state.” Seriously, I guess it takes one member of a “pariah state” to recognize another.

Look, I don’t know if Iran is a “pariah state” or not—I receive a lot of conflicting information. I know that I am uncomfortable with religious fundamentalism whether it be Jewish, Christian, or Muslim. I do know that I am certain that I oppose nuclear power and, most of all, nuclear weapons and will vigorously protest the usage of that technology; however, Iran is a sovereign state that is unfortunately situated not too far away from a state with hundreds of known nuclear weapons: Israel. And how many nukes and nuclear power plants does the country Leon lives in have? Hmm?

With many of Israel's neighbors in internal/external turmoil, the Lebanon-ization of the Middle East is nearly complete. Also, many of the leaders who were critical of the regional hegemon, Israel; or the international, hegemon, the U.S.A., have been either killed or run-off. It’s called “divide and conquer” and occupiers have been skilled at using this strategy for millennia.

Iran has not been the aggressor in any wars for centuries, but the “pariah states” of the U.S. and Israel have. With Russia joining the saber rattling, it would seriously behoove the rest of us as members of humanity to look beyond our noses at the cauldron of instability and bloody wars that the Pariah States are stirring up.

In the meantime, I am going to register a complaint with my cable provider at the soft-core porn love affair I was subjected to between Leon Panetta and Israel that it rebroadcast today. Disgusting!

Why Socialism by Albert Einstein

2011-11-30T18:03:00.000-08:00

Albert Einstein is the world-famous physicist. This article was originally published in the first issue of Monthly Review (May 1949). It was subsequently published in May 1998 to commemorate the first issue of MR‘s fiftieth year.

Is it advisable for one who is not an expert on economic and social issues to express views on the subject of socialism? I believe for a number of reasons that it is.

Let us first consider the question from the point of view of scientific knowledge. It might appear that there are no essential methodological differences between astronomy and economics: scientists in both fields attempt to discover laws of general acceptability for a circumscribed group of phenomena in order to make the interconnection of these phenomena as clearly understandable as possible. But in reality such methodological differences do exist. The discovery of general laws in the field of economics is made difficult by the circumstance that observed economic phenomena are often affected by many factors which are very hard to evaluate separately. In addition, the experience which has accumulated since the beginning of the so-called civilized period of human history has—as is well known—been largely influenced and limited by causes which are by no means exclusively economic in nature. For example, most of the major states of history owed their existence to conquest. The conquering peoples established themselves, legally and economically, as the privileged class of the conquered country. They seized for themselves a monopoly of the land ownership and appointed a priesthood from among their own ranks. The priests, in control of education, made the class division of society into a permanent institution and created a system of values by which the people were thenceforth, to a large extent unconsciously, guided in their social behavior.

But historic tradition is, so to speak, of yesterday; nowhere have we really overcome what Thorstein Veblen called “the predatory phase” of human development. The observable economic facts belong to that phase and even such laws as we can derive from them are not applicable to other phases. Since the real purpose of socialism is precisely to overcome and advance beyond the predatory phase of human development, economic science in its present state can throw little light on the socialist society of the future.

Second, socialism is directed towards a social-ethical end. Science, however, cannot create ends and, even less, instill them in human beings; science, at most, can supply the means by which to attain certain ends. But the ends themselves are conceived by personalities with lofty ethical ideals and—if these ends are not stillborn, but vital and vigorous—are adopted and carried forward by those many human beings who, half unconsciously, determine the slow evolution of society.

For these reasons, we should be on our guard not to overestimate science and scientific methods when it is a question of human problems; and we should not assume that experts are the only ones who have a right to express themselves on questions affecting the organization of society.

Innumerable voices have been asserting for some time now that human society is passing through a crisis, that its stability has been gravely shattered. It is characteristic of such a situation that individuals feel indifferent or even hostile toward the group, small or large, to which they belong. In order to illustrate my meaning, let me record here a personal experience. I recently discussed with an intelligent and well-disposed man the threat of another war, which in my opinion would seriously endanger the existence of mankind, and I remarked that only a supra-national organization would offer protection from that danger. Thereupon my visitor, very calmly and coolly, said to me: “Why are you so deeply opposed to the disappearance of the human race?”

I am sure that as little as a century ago no one would have so lightly made a statement of this kind. It is the statement of a man who has striven in vain to attain an equilibrium within himself and has more or less lost hope of succeeding. It is the expression of a painful solitude and isolation from which so many people are suffering in these days. What is the cause? Is there a way out?

It is easy to raise such questions, but difficult to answer them with any degree of assurance. I must try, however, as best I can, although I am very conscious of the fact that our feelings and strivings are often contradictory and obscure and that they cannot be expressed in easy and simple formulas.

Man is, at one and the same time, a solitary being and a social being. As a solitary being, he attempts to protect his own existence and that of those who are closest to him, to satisfy his personal desires, and to develop his innate abilities. As a social being, he seeks to gain the recognition and affection of his fellow human beings, to share in their pleasures, to comfort them in their sorrows, and to improve their conditions of life. Only the existence of these varied, frequently conflicting, strivings accounts for the special character of a man, and their specific combination determines the extent to which an individual can achieve an inner equilibrium and can contribute to the well-being of society. It is quite possible that the relative strength of these two drives is, in the main, fixed by inheritance. But the personality that finally emerges is largely formed by the environment in which a man happens to find himself during his development, by the structure of the society in which he grows up, by the tradition of that society, and by its appraisal of particular types of behavior. The abstract concept “society” means to the individual human being the sum total of his direct and indirect relations to his contemporaries and to all the people of earlier generations. The individual is able to think, feel, strive, and work by himself; but he depends so much upon society—in his physical, intellectual, and emotional existence—that it is impossible to think of him, or to understand him, outside the framework of society. It is “society” which provides man with food, clothing, a home, the tools of work, language, the forms of thought, and most of the content of thought; his life is made possible through the labor and the accomplishments of the many millions past and present who are all hidden behind the small word “society.”

It is evident, therefore, that the dependence of the individual upon society is a fact of nature which cannot be abolished—just as in the case of ants and bees. However, while the whole life process of ants and bees is fixed down to the smallest detail by rigid, hereditary instincts, the social pattern and interrelationships of human beings are very variable and susceptible to change. Memory, the capacity to make new combinations, the gift of oral communication have made possible developments among human being which are not dictated by biological necessities. Such developments manifest themselves in traditions, institutions, and organizations; in literature; in scientific and engineering accomplishments; in works of art. This explains how it happens that, in a certain sense, man can influence his life through his own conduct, and that in this process conscious thinking and wanting can play a part.

Man acquires at birth, through heredity, a biological constitution which we must consider fixed and unalterable, including the natural urges which are characteristic of the human species. In addition, during his lifetime, he acquires a cultural constitution which he adopts from society through communication and through many other types of influences. It is this cultural constitution which, with the passage of time, is subject to change and which determines to a very large extent the relationship between the individual and society. Modern anthropology has taught us, through comparative investigation of so-called primitive cultures, that the social behavior of human beings may differ greatly, depending upon prevailing cultural patterns and the types of organization which predominate in society. It is on this that those who are striving to improve the lot of man may ground their hopes: human beings are not condemned, because of their biological constitution, to annihilate each other or to be at the mercy of a cruel, self-inflicted fate.

If we ask ourselves how the structure of society and the cultural attitude of man should be changed in order to make human life as satisfying as possible, we should constantly be conscious of the fact that there are certain conditions which we are unable to modify. As mentioned before, the biological nature of man is, for all practical purposes, not subject to change. Furthermore, technological and demographic developments of the last few centuries have created conditions which are here to stay. In relatively densely settled populations with the goods which are indispensable to their continued existence, an extreme division of labor and a highly-centralized productive apparatus are absolutely necessary. The time—which, looking back, seems so idyllic—is gone forever when individuals or relatively small groups could be completely self-sufficient. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that mankind constitutes even now a planetary community of production and consumption.

I have now reached the point where I may indicate briefly what to me constitutes the essence of the crisis of our time. It concerns the relationship of the individual to society. The individual has become more conscious than ever of his dependence upon society. But he does not experience this dependence as a positive asset, as an organic tie, as a protective force, but rather as a threat to his natural rights, or even to his economic existence. Moreover, his position in society is such that the egotistical drives of his make-up are constantly being accentuated, while his social drives, which are by nature weaker, progressively deteriorate. All human beings, whatever their position in society, are suffering from this process of deterioration. Unknowingly prisoners of their own egotism, they feel insecure, lonely, and deprived of the naive, simple, and unsophisticated enjoyment of life. Man can find meaning in life, short and perilous as it is, only through devoting himself to society.
The economic anarchy of capitalist society as it exists today is, in my opinion, the real source of the evil. We see before us a huge community of producers the members of which are unceasingly striving to deprive each other of the fruits of their collective labor—not by force, but on the whole in faithful compliance with legally established rules. In this respect, it is important to realize that the means of production—that is to say, the entire productive capacity that is needed for producing consumer goods as well as additional capital goods—may legally be, and for the most part are, the private property of individuals.

For the sake of simplicity, in the discussion that follows I shall call “workers” all those who do not share in the ownership of the means of production—although this does not quite correspond to the customary use of the term. The owner of the means of production is in a position to purchase the labor power of the worker. By using the means of production, the worker produces new goods which become the property of the capitalist. The essential point about this process is the relation between what the worker produces and what he is paid, both measured in terms of real value. Insofar as the labor contract is “free,” what the worker receives is determined not by the real value of the goods he produces, but by his minimum needs and by the capitalists’ requirements for labor power in relation to the number of workers competing for jobs. It is important to understand that even in theory the payment of the worker is not determined by the value of his product.

Private capital tends to become concentrated in few hands, partly because of competition among the capitalists, and partly because technological development and the increasing division of labor encourage the formation of larger units of production at the expense of smaller ones. The result of these developments is an oligarchy of private capital the enormous power of which cannot be effectively checked even by a democratically organized political society. This is true since the members of legislative bodies are selected by political parties, largely financed or otherwise influenced by private capitalists who, for all practical purposes, separate the electorate from the legislature. The consequence is that the representatives of the people do not in fact sufficiently protect the interests of the underprivileged sections of the population. Moreover, under existing conditions, private capitalists inevitably control, directly or indirectly, the main sources of information (press, radio, education). It is thus extremely difficult, and indeed in most cases quite impossible, for the individual citizen to come to objective conclusions and to make intelligent use of his political rights.
The situation prevailing in an economy based on the private ownership of capital is thus characterized by two main principles: first, means of production (capital) are privately owned and the owners dispose of them as they see fit; second, the labor contract is free. Of course, there is no such thing as a pure capitalist society in this sense. In particular, it should be noted that the workers, through long and bitter political struggles, have succeeded in securing a somewhat improved form of the “free labor contract” for certain categories of workers. But taken as a whole, the present day economy does not differ much from “pure” capitalism.

Production is carried on for profit, not for use. There is no provision that all those able and willing to work will always be in a position to find employment; an “army of unemployed” almost always exists. The worker is constantly in fear of losing his job. Since unemployed and poorly paid workers do not provide a profitable market, the production of consumers’ goods is restricted, and great hardship is the consequence. Technological progress frequently results in more unemployment rather than in an easing of the burden of work for all. The profit motive, in conjunction with competition among capitalists, is responsible for an instability in the accumulation and utilization of capital which leads to increasingly severe depressions. Unlimited competition leads to a huge waste of labor, and to that crippling of the social consciousness of individuals which I mentioned before.

This crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future career.

I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by an educational system which would be oriented toward social goals. In such an economy, the means of production are owned by society itself and are utilized in a planned fashion. A planned economy, which adjusts production to the needs of the community, would distribute the work to be done among all those able to work and would guarantee a livelihood to every man, woman, and child. The education of the individual, in addition to promoting his own innate abilities, would attempt to develop in him a sense of responsibility for his fellow men in place of the glorification of power and success in our present society.

Nevertheless, it is necessary to remember that a planned economy is not yet socialism. A planned economy as such may be accompanied by the complete enslavement of the individual. The achievement of socialism requires the solution of some extremely difficult socio-political problems: how is it possible, in view of the far-reaching centralization of political and economic power, to prevent bureaucracy from becoming all-powerful and overweening? How can the rights of the individual be protected and therewith a democratic counterweight to the power of bureaucracy be assured?

Clarity about the aims and problems of socialism is of greatest significance in our age of transition. Since, under present circumstances, free and unhindered discussion of these problems has come under a powerful taboo, I consider the foundation of this magazine to be an important public service.

Make your tax deductible donation to Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox

2011-11-28T20:45:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Alliance for Global Justice, donations to the Soapbox can be deducted from your income taxes

CLICK BUTTON TO DONATE

(Make sure you scroll down the donation page to

Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox)

or send a Check/Money order to:

Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox, LLC

PO Box 6264

Vacaville, Ca 95696

Frivolity by Cindy Sheehan

2011-11-28T20:33:00.000-08:00

Frivolity

Cindy Sheehan

It’s been almost eight years since my son, Casey, was killed in Iraq on 04/04/04.

The last time we saw him was when he came home for Christmas in 2003. As most people (with functioning hearts) can probably imagine, this time of year is hard for anyone who has buried a child no matter what the cause of death was.

When Casey was first killed many well-meaning people told me that “time heals all.” I have discovered that the farther away I get from that horrible day, the less the physical pain of loss is, but the wound never heals, it is just like a chronic condition that one learns to live with.

I have had some wonderful experiences in the last past seven years since we Occupied Crawford, Tx, but those experiences are tinged with the fog of loss. Even the profound joy of grandchildren is dampened by the absence of their uncle. The same things that make me happy about the babies also make me sad. Each one carries a piece of their uncle in them and I know he would love each and everyone of them so much. All this is without having to wonder if he would be a father by now, or not—which is also so hard.

As I have previously stated in other articles and speeches I have made, when Casey was killed for lies and profit in Iraq, I decided, out of guilt at first, that I would not pay my income taxes. The more I became involved in peace and human rights’ work, the more my guilt expanded to a principled stand against paying for the crimes of my government and I have not filed or paid my income taxes since 2005.

Now, the IRS is hounding me. It wants my financial information and my money/property to pay what it says that I owe. Any argument highlighting my opposition to what the government does with that money is considered by the IRS as “frivolous.”

Here is Dictionary.com’s definition of “frivolous:”

1. Characterized by lack of seriousness or sense: frivolous conduct.

2. Self-indulgently carefree; unconcerned about or lacking any serious purpose.

3. (Of a person) given to trifling or undue levity: a frivolous, empty-headed person.

4. Of little or no weight, worth, or importance; not worthy of serious notice: a frivolous suggestion.

According to the above definitions, my reason for not paying the IRS is anything but “frivolous.”

I don’t consider burying a child, “frivolous.”

I don’t consider war crimes such as bombing villages with drone technology, “frivolous.”

I don’t consider imprisoning and torturing people based solely on his religious affiliation and geographical location, “frivolous.”

I don’t consider war for the sole purpose of profit and total imperial hegemony, “frivolous.”

Indeed, all of the above (and much more) are deadly serious activities, and my opposition to them is not “frivolous” but also, deadly serious.

I can’t stress hard enough how the rest of my life will be clouded by Casey’s death. The IRS can threaten, me, a tax resister with prison, yet the institution cannot realize that I am already in a virtual prison--forged by the Empire with lies and violence. I am in a prison of grief that I can never escape. And as a tax resister, I have dedicated my life to antithetical American living—no job, no income, and no possessions, besides my personal clothes and furniture (which is actually a very liberating way to live if one can pull it off).

In our society and during this season where “frivolity” seems to be measured by how many pieces of plastic consumer crap we can buy on credit, I reject that paradigm, I mourn my loss, I appreciate the good and I rededicate my life to peace.

Courageous Resistance on Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox (November 27)

2011-11-26T20:36:00.000-08:00

Your Tax Dollars at Work

Resistance Click here to listen or download, beginning at 2:00 PM San Francisco time.

Today, (November 27th), Cindy brings us a virtual smörgåsbord of principled resisters to a globalized American military empire. [Note to self: some people DO object - and effectively!] First up are Ruth Benn and Ed Hedemann of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee (NWTRCC). Ed is the author, and Ruth a co-editor of War Tax Resistance: A Guide to Withholding Your Support From the Military. Next comes Cheryl LaBash, co-coordinator of the U.S. Cuba Labor Exchange (an association of individuals who act on their belief that the best way to learn about working people around the world is through meeting with them face to face). Shockingly, they're somehow rather anti imperial propaganda oriented! Plenty of informative and fascinating discussion follows. Please check out THESE conversations!

Soapbox Winter Fundraiser

2011-11-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

CLICK THE BUTTON TO DONATE OR SEND A CHECK/MONEY ORDER TO:

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Is this purchase really necessary? by Cindy Sheeha

2011-11-25T13:33:00.000-08:00

Is This Purchase Really Necessary?

Cindy Sheehan

Even though, I abhor war and believe that, instead of jumping to the Empire’s foregone conclusion, that the solution to every man-made problem is war, at least up until the US’s War OF Terror, the nation, more or less, had a shared sacrifice.

During World War II, we still hear about people with the last name of Bush, Kennedy, and Roosevelt, fighting—whether the tales of “heroism” were grossly exaggerated, or not.

Even up to Vietnam, the draft was pervasive, even though people like Cheney got deferments and people like Bush got cushy assignments—which he apparently never had to report for.

All the wars have a class-based sacrifice attached to them, but never so apparent as now.

During the First and Second World Wars, those who weren’t serving in the armed forces, were asked to put the war effort first, before travel and other wasteful activities, but today, we are reminded to “shop.”

I am seriously ashamed to be living in the same country where people are pepper-sprayed, not only by the police state, but also by fellow shoppers who are apparently engaging in what is now being called: “Competitive shopping!” There is a militant uprising in Egypt where citizens are being killed standing up for what they believe in, but here in the US, today on Bloody Friday, “consumers” (empire-speak for “citizen”) riot over $2 Waffle Irons at Walmart.

The Great Walmart Waffle Iron Riot of 2011

Recently, I was in Cuba, and while basic needs are usually met (food, shelter, clothing, education), there is not a whole lot of cheap consumer crap to riot over. In fact, the entire country looks like a “car show” here in the states, with all of the US cars made in the ‘50’s are on the road and still in good working condition.

While I was there, I learned that Cubans even recycle and reuse “disposable” lighters. It is a concept that we who live in a “disposable” society can’t quite wrap our minds around!

Also, while I was in Cuba, I left my iPod Touch in the seat pocket of a plane I rode in (was that trip necessary?) from Havana to Holguin. Crap! I mostly use my iPod when I am running on a treadmill, or flying, to listen to music or audiobooks to alleviate the boredom. My iPod is backed up on my computer, so I didn’t lose any of the aps or music, but the iPod Touch retails itself for about $200.

So, looking at my life with the lens of the feeding frenzy of consumerism, I have to ask myself: “Self, is this purchase necessary?” Was it necessary when I made it the first time? Yes, iPods are definitely cool, but I know that the parts and especially foreign labor costs don’t add up to $200. I have decided that this purchase is not necessary—even though, in the climate where I run, there are about two months where it’s not too hot, too cold, or too pollenish to run outside.

Corporate profit is indeed a huge problem in our society, but so is this ravenous consumerism that 99% of the 99% revel in. If we could break the cycle of exploitation that not only builds the crap, but also makes us believe that we can’t live without it, no profound change will occur.

I guess this is what we call, “Preaching to the choir,” because I believe that just about everyone who reads this is in solidarity with this message—but, really, take a quick look around, like I do occasionally, and ask yourself if you are living the “American Dream,” or the “Nightmare.”

Ugly Americans by Cindy Sheehan

2011-11-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

ON THE ROAD TO CUBA

DAY TWO

(THIS WAS MY ONLY OTHER POST FROM CUBA--INTERNET CONNECTION NEARLY NON-EXISTENT)

After overnighting in Cancun, I caught the 2:47 PM flight to Havana (which left an hour late—standard operating procedure).

The flight was approximately 3/4ths filled and I would guestimate that about 1/3rd of those were from the U.S.

As fate is want to have, my row mates were both from the U.S. I was in the window seat and the man on the aisle sat down after me and promptly emitted, into the close atmosphere, an enormous sneeze. At the time, I didn’t know the nationality or language of the man, so I tried, as politely as possible, to gesture that he should cover his mouth when he sneezes to avoid a germ spree, and that’s when I found out that he was a North American.

His buddy soon sat himself down in the middle-seat and after we chatted for a few minutes, I asked him if I was going to catch some kind of plague from his comrade, and he assured me that it was “allergies or sinus” problems. Fair enough.

The man in the middle claimed to be surprised that I was from the States because he said I “looked foreign” as he gave me the once or twice over. I asked him what “looking foreign” meant and he said that he couldn’t explain it. I then opined that “looking foreign” is relative, because in Mexico, he, too, looked foreign. At that minute we all three were foreigners.

I asked him if this was his first trip to Cuba and he said, “no,” it was his 5^th time. I perked up then, and said, “don’t you love Cuba?” I deduced that someone who has been somewhere (illegally, at that) five times would love the place he was sacrificing so much to visit.

“God no,” he replied, “I hate it!” He looked at me incredulously and said, “You love it?”

“Of course I do, this is my 3^rd time visiting. If you ‘hate’ Cuba so much why do you keep going there and what do you hate about it?”

He gave me some extraordinarily vague answer about having a “medical non-profit” that sends medical supplies all over the world and he was trying to establish it in Cuba and he added that, “ending the blockade” would be disastrous for the U.S. At that point, I figured that ending the blockade would be disastrous for his bank account, or other shady dealings. (CIA?)

Now, I will tell you his main two reasons for hating Cuba and my response to his American ridiculousness.

His first reason for “hating Cuba” is that the government is “Corrupt” and as a corollary to that, Fidel is the “wealthiest man in the world.”

Now it was my turn to drop my jaw with horror at the hypocrisy of what he just said.

I asked him if he thought that our government was free from corruption and if he had seen the 60 Minutes that had aired just the night before which exposed the “legal” insider trading scheme of Congress that is being used to increase the wealth of already extremely wealthy people like Nancy Pelosi. Of course, if someone like Martha Stewart is accused and convicted of doing it, she goes to prison, but Congress has made its graft perfectly legal.

Also, regarding Fidel as the “wealthiest man in the world,” in its yearly tribute to capitalistic excess, Forbes magazine regularly lists Fidel at the top of the dung heap. Forbes counts the land of Cuba in its estimations, Fidel does not own the land of Cuba and it’s done as further propaganda to demonize and undermine the revolution. I have seen how government officials live in Cuba (not Fidel, I have never had the honor of meeting him), and, believe me; they live very modestly according to U.S. working class standards.

After I pointed out these inconvenient truths to the Americano Feo, he told me his second main reason for “hating Cuba:” It is a “socialist” country and people are not free to move around the country as they like and he actually knows people who have, “been arrested” for being in “places they shouldn’t be.”

At this one, I covered my face in a gesture of frustration and unbelief. I told him that I, myself have, and I know other people in the U.S. who get regularly arrested, beaten, tear-gassed, shot at, and otherwise abused for being in places where we SHOULD BE. Besides that, how many countries out there give full-access to every single square inch of the nation—such as bank vaults, libraries after hours, private dwellings, etc? Again, in Cuba, I once visited the president of the parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, and we just walked in the building—no metal detectors, no searches, no full-body scanners. Where does this happen in the U.S. in government buildings? Nowhere.

Also, I pointed out the further hypocrisies of his reasoning. He, himself, is breaking U.S. law by sneaking in and out of the country to travel to a place where we have been forbidden from traveling to. Also, he hates socialism and the country, but in his own mind, he is perfectly free from any guilt in trying to exploit Cuba for profit and that Cuba gives him free access to go in and out of the country. He then admitted to me with a chuckle that he knows that he has an advanced set of “double standards.”

This man is the first USAian that I have ever encountered that having been to Cuba, hates it.

I go to Cuba whenever I have the honor of having the opportunity, because I don’t think my government has the right to tell a fully-functioning adult where he/she is allowed or prohibited to travel to. I think the blockade, or embargo, is a ridiculous anachronism from the Cold War and I want to be able to come home and tell my fellow propagandized citizens the truth—then we have counter-truthers like my airplane comrade who goes back and spreads evil lies.

Cuba is not a problem-free society. There is still too much poverty, but everyone has the basics. The standard of living in low, compared to poor-debt laden norteamericanos, but how does one compare “standard of life” to “quality of life?” How many sleepless nights have we spent worrying about paying the interest heavy debt that we have accrued? Also, Cuba could desperately use building supplies to service a crumbling infrastructure and the best and cheapest place to get those from would be the U.S. or partners of the U.S.

I have been told, that if the U.S. lifted the blockade, and USAians could freely travel to Cuba, it would pump at least three-billion desperately needed dollars into the Cuban economy and there would be huge advantage to the U.S. People could come to a country that has proudly and bravely resisted the onslaught of U.S. imperialism for decades and see the miracles it accomplishes with the little it has.

We can live without the next “new and improved, high-speed, fully techno-color” gadget. We really can. I promise.

In Cuba, I learned to relax and how to live without 24/7 instant access to high-speed wifi. It can be done.

Also, even though USAians are notorious for being obnoxious when we travel, our tourism dollars are not turned down--the ugliest kind of American lives in the White House and orders bombings, wars, executions, torture and economic exploitation. My row-mate on that flight to Cuba was the hideous kind who likes to profit off of all that.

Day One of ON THE ROAD TO CUBA

2011-11-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

In Cuba in 2007

Dear Reader,

How are you doing? I am writing this from an airplane speeding towards Mexico City at about 37,000 feet. I am heading towards my favorite place in the entire world, Cuba.

Few USAians get to visit Cuba since the US blockade began in 1959, and I feel so fortunate to be on my 3^rd trip down there. My way is being paid by an NGO in Cuba that I have worked with before.

Cuba is a tropical island that is free of most of the grit, grime and pollution in the States, but also free of most of the crime in other tropical tourist destinations. I have rarely felt more safe than when I am in Cuba and one of my favorite things to do is sit out on a patio in the evening (after a day of meetings and such) sipping on a Mojito or other cold drink and feel the warm, sweet breeze blow over me.

Just a few weeks ago, US President Obama was asked about the possibility of opening up talks with Cuba to help thaw the needless block of ice that has frozen diplomatic relations between our two countries. He answered: “Cuba has to change its society first!” Fidel Castro called him, “stupid,” and I agree with Fidel and here’s why.

I would like US society to change the way Cuba’s society is. Besides providing every resident with a free and outstanding education through university and outstanding health care in a system that trains foreign doctors to work in economically and socially disadvantaged areas (yes, even Americans), the lifestyle is simpler and community is not just a concept, it’s a reality.

In 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba went through what it calls the “Special Period,” where its imports and exports were cut by 80% and the Period was defined by a lack of petroleum products. Less emphasis was put on the automobile. Hunger was rampant, and the people of the nation are rightly proud of the fact that everyone worked together to survive and make food security a number one priority. Sustainable farming was instituted by necessity. I was told that the Mothers of Cuba are honored for their commitment during the Special Period to finding enough food to keep her family alive, and ways to prepare it that were not too disgusting to ingest.

I have heard stories from the Revolution and stayed, once, in a hospitality house that are staffed by descendants of men and women who allied with the Revolution in the Sierra Madres and helped the Castros be victorious. It is a very honored position.

As Fidel said, the US empire with probably collapse before the Revolution fails in Cuba.

I believe that every American that has the opportunity should travel down to Cuba. We have been propangandized about that country for decades now and Fidel has survived hundreds of CIA assassination attempts. With the profound meddling of the US, how has the revolution been able to continue for so long if it is unpopular?

Since my son was killed and I occupied Crawford, Texas, I have been so fortunate to be able to travel around the world and experience things that few Americans have and one of these things has been to go to Cuba and bear witness to the truth.

I will try and post an update everyday, but Cuba is not a frenetic, "we must be hardwired to our technology" kind of place.

Long live the Revolution!

Cuba Libre!

Hasta la victoria, siempre.

Cindy Sheehan

Legendary Jim Thorpe: Subject of Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox (11/13)

2011-11-13T11:06:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW BEGINNING AT 2PM PACIFIC

(OR ANYTIME IN THE ARCHIVES)

Today, (November 13th), Cindy presents William (Bill) Thorpe, the surviving son of James Thorpe - and Robert Wheeler, his biographer.

Jim Thorpe was a Sac and Fox Indian who was sent to the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, where he led the football team to victories over some of the nation's best college teams. From that point, his career was well launched. In 1912 he participated in the Olympic Games in Stockholm, winning both the decathlon and pentathlon.

King Gustav V of Sweden dubbed him "the world's greatest athlete." Ironically, Thorpe's Medals and record were stripped by the IOC after they decided he had played baseball during 1909 and 1910 to earn money as a college student. Afterwards he became a professional athlete - eventually becoming the first President of the National Football League, upon its foundation in 1920. He died and was buried in 1953 - and so began the final conflict saga in his EPIC story, an issue of where he can be laid to rest

The case is still being litigated, and the brothers William and Richard [Thorpe] as well as the Sac & Fox Nation have joined the fight for the return of Jim Thorpe's remains to Oklahoma. Please remember: the 2012 Olympics will mark the 100th year anniversary of Jim Thorpe's victories at the 1912 Olympics. Listen in [above] to Bill [Thorpe]'s, Robert [Wheeler]'s and Cindy's carefully nuanced commentary ! !

(SPECIAL THANKS TO PRODUCER, MIKEY, FOR PUTTING THIS SHOW TOGETHER AND HELPING CINDY WRAP HER MIND AROUND THE SUBJECT).

We Will Never Pay, So Stop Harassing Us by Cindy Sheehan and Christy (Dede Miller)

2011-11-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

We Will Never Pay, So Stop Harassing Us

Cindy Sheehan

Christy (Dede) Miller

November 8, 2011

To: Whom it may concern in the Internal Revenue Service (hereafter known as IRS).

From: Cindy Sheehan, grieving mother of Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, KIA in Iraq on 04/04/04

From: Christy (Dede) Miller, grieving aunt of Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, KIA in Iraq on 04/04/04

RE: Recent Notices of Levy and SUMMONS to appear from the IRS to Cindy Sheehan

COPY: The American People

“How does it become a wo(man) to behave towards the American government today? I answer, that s/he cannot without disgrace be associated with it”.

Henry David Thoreau

We recently have received your “Notice of Levy,” and “SUMMONS.”

Let us be clear why we are not paying your bill.

We strongly reiterate: we won’t help fund the terrorism of this government abroad and the economic terrorism of this government here at home.

Any questions?

Cindy Sheehan can be reached at:

Cindy@CindySheehansSoapbox.com

Christy Miller can be reached at:

DedeMiller123@gmail.com

NOTE: THE ADDRESS FOR CINDY SHEEHAN LISTED WAS HER ADDRESS ABOUT THREE MOVES AGO
PLEAE DON'T BOTHER THE CURRENT RESIDENT WHO HAS NO TIES TO CINDY SHEEHAN OR HER PEACE WORK.

MORE SHEEHANIGANS

2011-11-07T22:36:00.000-08:00

CINDY WITH ATTY JOSH KAIZUKA IN COURT

On November 3rd, I was arraigned in Sacramento for my arrest at Occupy Sacramento on October 15th.

The City of Sacramento refuses to allow Occupy Sacto to remain in Caesar Chávez Park after 11pm, so some of the activists commit civil disobedience on some nights to challenge the law.

On the night of Saturday, October 15th, 19 of us decided to stay in the park and we were arrested for, "Refusing to leave the scene of a riot," (it was the most boring and peaceful "riot" I had ever been to) and "Violation curfew." Excuse me? I am 54 years old and don't have a curfew. Anyway--several dozen of us were arraigned on November 3rd and our trials are set for December 13th.

I have read that each trial will cost the city about $10,000 per defendant and so far, there are about 80 of us who refused to take the plea agreement (which I am not even sure what it was because we are in for the whole enchilada--we aren't doing anything wrong, in fact we are being uber-correct).

One very miraculous thing is that the legal community of Sacramento has rallied around the Occupy activists and we actually had more attorneys offering to help us the day of our arraignment than we had defendants.

I am linking some articles that are pertinent to the case.

FEDERAL JUDGE BACKS CURFEW AT OCCUPY SACTO

CINDY SHEEHAN LEADS MASS ARRAIGNMENT

CINDY SHEEHAN SPEAKS AFTER ARRAIGNMENT

FROM OWS to RRC by Cindy Sheehan

2011-11-07T20:52:00.000-08:00

From OWS to RRC

Cindy Sheehan

Recent events at Occupy movements, particularly in Oakland, Denver, Atlanta, Portland and Chicago, where hundreds were arrested and some seriously injured—it’s becoming clear that when we in the Robbed Class allow ourselves to be contained in a small, easily attacked geographic location, we open ourselves up for Imperial Abuse and more Police Brutality. As a non-violent movement, we the people do not have the tools or the will to be involved in a war against the Police State. We will lose, especially if we are inclined to confine ourselves to easily surrounded city parks.

Remember the tales we were told in grammar school about our great revolutionary leaders who became almost like guerrilla warriors during the war for independence? How they learned how to break the easily attacked ranks and fight like the “Indians?” Can you imagine the people in the countries occupied by the US gathering in local parks and telling US troops thus making it easy to find them and obliterate them?

Obviously, the United Police States of America knows no constraint on its violence. There is a similar lack of accountability for the goon squads or the people who order them to do attack innocent people. As someone who has watched Occupy Sacramento spend more time fighting with the city to allow its encampment to remain set up in the park than actually confronting the issues I think maybe it’s time to move from occupation to solution in smaller, yet connected groups of Robbed Class insurgency?

Since the beginning of 2009, I have been urging people to break their chains of slavery with the Robber Class--that is now happening. The Robbed Class is waking up to the fact that we have been co-dependent with the crimes of the Robber Class for generations now and that cycle must be broken. But what are some of the major institutions or practices that enlarge this vast income and social inequality?

The major problem is that here in the US basic human rights are sold to us as “privileges” that we must either be born into or sell our souls to the corporate devil to obtain—but even that option is disappearing with the outsourcing of jobs and the growth of predatory credit systems. Meaningful work that doesn’t make one want to scrub the stench of the regret of selling-out is very hard to come by lately in the “wealthiest” nation on the planet.

What are basic physical human rights as outlined and recognized by the international community?

The right to peace;

The right to health care;

The right to a clean and sustainable environment;

The right to housing;

The right to education;

The right to healthy food free from genetically modified organisms;

The right to clean water;

The right to a meaningful job paying a living wage;

And the right to organize into true democratic systems.

My book, Myth America, 20 Greatest Myths of the Robber Class and the Case for Revolution presents an argument against being co-dependent with the Robber Class and offers many do-able solutions to build healthy, healing, peaceful and sustainable communities. Re-Creating Revolution Communities (RRC) begins the hard work of siphoning off the power and resources from the Robber Class and keeping it in our own communities and making civilization work for us.

Another grave, but not insurmountable problem we have here is a vertical, hierarchical power structure—the solution is horizontal, grassroots, decision-making and power sharing.

The PDF of Myth America is free and all you have to do is click this link to download your copy!

Bluming Brilliant: William Blum on Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox

2011-11-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

William's Wisdom Click here to listen or download, beginning at 2:00 PM San Francisco time. Today, (November 6th), Cindy welcomes William Blum, who is an American author, historian, and critic of United States foreign policy. He studied accounting in college. Later he had a low-level computer-related position at the United States Department of State in the mid-1960s. Initially an anti-communist with dreams of becoming a foreign service officer, he said he became disillusioned by the Vietnam War. He now lives in Long Beach, New York. A prolific critic of our militarized world-wide American Empire, William - with his impressive Publications list here for our edification, brings his perceptive intelligence and most sagacious commentary to us here, on our Soapbox. He and Cindy then proceed with the most wonderful discussion!

Transcript of Soapbox Interview with Dr. Justin Frank

2011-11-05T12:19:00.000-07:00

CS: Cindy Sheehan

JF: Justin Frank

CLICK THIS LINK TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW

CS: Welcome back to Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox. I am your host Cindy Sheehan and you are listening at CindySheehansSoapbox.com.

Today my guest is a dear friend of mine, Dr. Justy Frank, or Justin Frank, who practices and teaches psychoanalysis in Washington, DC and is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the George Washington University Medical Center.

A clinician with more than thirty year's experience, Dr. Frank has been a former columnist for Salon.com, DailyBeast.com, and continues to be a frequent contributor to HuffingtonPost.com on topics as diverse as politics, film, and theater. He employs the principles of applied psychoanalysis to assemble the kind of psychological profile used in his previous best-selling book Bush on the Couch (Regan Books 2004, 5, 7) in his new book Obama on the Couch: Inside the mind of the President, released October 18, 2011 by FreePress/Simon&Schuster he does the same thing.

Dr. Justy Frank welcome to Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox.

JF: Thank you. Pleasure to be here.

CS: I should say welcome back to Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox because you’ve been on before.

JF: Yes I have, in the very early days.

CS: Yes, the early days of Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox. So you’re on because you just published a new book called Obama on the Couch, which I guess I don’t know if you can call it a sequel to your book Bush on the Couch. First of all before we talk about your new book why don’t you tell us about Bush on the Couch and about your methodology because I think it is relevant for your new book also?

JF: Well it’s an old methodology called applied psychoanalysis which is taking psychoanalytical principals and applying the principals of psychoanalytical work which was originally pioneered by Freud, applying that to working with people who you don’t get to see in your consulting room like public figures sometimes even fictitious people. I mean there has been lots of psychoanalytic studies say of Hamlet. But we are familiar of political figures. Everybody knows for instance, well not everybody but lots of people know that Lincoln was depressed. There have been several extensive psychoanalytic studies about Lincoln and it involves finding out everything you can about them. Which means in Obama’s case and in Bush’s case well in Obama’s case in particular he had written two autobiographies so that is a lot of information. Plus there is all the things you get to watch in press conferences, speeches, behavior, public behavior actions and all of that.

So it’s essentially looking for patterns. Looking for ways, different things that to help understand the person better and really think about them. The CIA does it all the time now with hiring psychologists and psychoanalysts to analyze foreign leaders. Roosevelt himself hired a psychoanalyst. He was the first one to start this in the political world. He hired a well known psychoanalyst named Fritz Redlich to analyze Hitler because he thought he’d like to know how to deal with Hitler should they have to negotiate after the war. Neither of them lived through the war so it never happened but the book was printed. So anyway that’s what I do and it’s actually very interesting and very thorough time honored technique.

CS: Well it must be on the one hand easier these days because you have more video and audio and material but then that must also make it harder because you have more video, audio and material to go through.

JF: You got it exactly right. It is easier and harder. The mass of material and information and he certainly, he gives these weekly Saturday broadcasts, so did Bush but he does much more public appearances than Bush did when he was President. So it’s a lot of material. There’s no way for it to be comprehensive you know, that’s always been a problem with doing psychoanalysis because I only hear in normal situations when I am working with a patient intensively sometimes five times a week I still only hear what they tell me about so I don’t know about their lives the rest of the day except what they tell me. In a way their analysis goes on on their own too. So with Obama it is actually harder. There’s so much material and I have to start selecting things. That’s frustrating.

CS: I just got your notice the other day that your book was coming out and so I had my producer Mikey arrange this interview so it was very quick and I haven’t received my copy of the book yet so I have to admit that I haven’t even looked at it. I am anxiously waiting for it.

JF: You’ll get. You know they had a thing where they said they couldn’t deliver it over night to a PO box and I should have called you for an address that I could have given them but I’ve been so swamped myself.

CS: I am sure you have.

JF: So why don’t we talk about it now. And why don’t if you read it and don’t like it I can come back in a month or two or whatever you want and then we can talk about it again. Cause I know you will have some interesting observations. I know you too well.

CS: Pretty soon it will be Cindy Sheehan on the Couch.

JF: Well I don’t know about that. I don’t do that with people I know so you’re safe.

CS: Okay cool. So anyway tell us about the book. Tell us about Obama on the Couch and what you concluded.

JF: Well the book is slightly different than Bush on the Couch initially because I really liked Obama and I was really frightened of Bush I initially thought that he was psychologically unstable and dangerous which I think history has born out. Whereas Obama I felt like I don’t have to see a psychoanalytic study as a kind of weapon to warm people. It’s much more a chance to get to think someone and get to know them and look at some of their issues. But the motivation for the book was that I was actually stunned and this may be more about me than about Obama. And I don’t think you were stunned actually.

CS: No I have to say that I’m not surprised by what’s been going on the last three years but I am a little stunned that it is actually worse than I thought it was going to be.

JF: Yes I think so too and I was stunned by the discrepancy between candidate and president and I was trying to understand what that was. And I knew that when he was a candidate he was not a real liberal guy. I mean I know enough about that I’ve been studying that so that was not a surprise to me. That he even took on guys like Geihtner, Summers and those people. The surprise to me and what’s in the book is about his paralysis at times. Like when there’s the oil spill and he doesn’t react. Or when there are things happening that are terrible he doesn’t react.

This disconnect between that and this methodical campaign where he just went after Hillary then he went after John McCain and he was clear and focused and strong and then even when he had bin Laden murdered it was like focused and decisive and he did it in this focused way where he was at the Press Club the night before joking around and it was the night it was going on. He was amazingly focused and yet when he is dealing with republicans, when he is dealing with his own party, when he’s dealing with congress he seems tentative and indecisive and almost paralyzed. In fact Gail Sheehy who read the book wrote a blurb on the back and said she thought he was neutered. She used the word neutered.

You know that’s after reading the book. That’s what I was beginning to, what really bothered me so I wrote this book looking in to why he was like this. One of the things I figured out is that the way he used the word change and the way that we understood, we meaning the way most people understood change was dramatically different. Most people felt he meant change away from Bush and change away from Bush’s policies like war, like Guantanamo, like economic dishonesty and unfairness, like tax breaks for the wealthy. All of those things.

CS: Right.

JF: Environmental, you know how Bush ignored the environment, ignored the Kyoto accords. So I mean the change meant a change away from that it seems like. But I don’t think that is what he meant. In researching him I don’t think that is what he meant by change.

CS: Well I say that an awful lot. You know, I say that change could mean so many different things to so many different people. And even though he didn’t mean change away from the Bush policies to me I think that he was very happy to let his supporters believe that is what he meant.

JF: I agree with that. He was very happy to be what we call in my field a projection screen. A blank screen where you project your own hopes and dreams and wishes and he allowed himself to be that and I think he actually I agree with what you said. He liked that.

CS: He did actually say that right?

JF: He did say that. He said that at one point. I don’t remember where but he did say that. During the campaign even. So I think in that sense he likes the mystery and being a blank screen and he knew in that sense he was manipulating people. I think that’s right. And that’s what I didn’t write as much about in my book as I did that we the people, that he did mean change but he meant change in a way that was very idiosychcratic to him because of his upbringing.

CS: Talk a little bit about that. Talk about what you found out.

JF: Well first of all the change he meant was change towards civility where people could actually have dialogue and discuss and that’s why he became a community organizer originally. That’s his interest. His interest is to get people to see what they have in common. That was his speech in 2004 about no red states or blue states. It’s been a focus even when, even after he made the announcement about Bin Laden. He ended that brief announcement with something about we are all in this together kind of thing.

When he talks that every chance he can. So why does he do that? As a child he was first of all bi-racial. So he had a black face and he was raised, surrounded by a sea of white faces. So that’s the first thing. The second thing is his father abandoned him when he was a baby. Abandoned the family. Not when he was two like people are saying but when he was a baby. And then his mother remarried and then he had a stepfather that he was very close to and the stepfather taught him how to box, how to defend himself.

The stepfather, he even writes that his step father was like the ground he walked on and the air he breathed he was really that intensely involved with him and then his mother took him away from the stepfather when he was ten with the overt reason and I don’t know why fully, the overt reason was that she felt that her son was becoming too Indonesian and wanted him to become more American and go to American school. So that was the second broken home. In other words. So he grew up by the time he was ten he was from two broken homes. He never had a father after that. He had a father that he yearned for. He met his natural father only for a month when he was about ten and that was it. So the next father figure he had I think in any deep meaning was Reverend Wright and that’s much later in his life.

CS: What about his grandfather? Wasn’t he…

JF: His grandfather…

CS: Didn’t he spend al lot of time with his grandparents?

JF: Yes, he spent a lot of time with his grand parents but his grandfather was a drinker who was not very focused and was sort of dismissed as an authority figure or as a wise person by the grand mother yet alone by the grandson. But the grandmother was strict and there and focused so she really helped raised him a lot and was very much involved. So he did have, he didn’t have like nobody there. And in fact his mother, the irony is though that his mother was there in a way that was really inconsistent because she was there and she abandoned him to pursue her own interests in anthropology when she went to these remote Indonesian locations.

And at one point in the book I came with the thought that he really had to struggle with his feelings about his mother because he adored his mother. He needed his mother and yet she was the only person that was so intimate and intense with him at the same time. He was probably really angry with her for pushing him but also for leaving him. She would push him then leave. So I started thinking about that and I was wondering I know, I mean I don’t know what your kids did you know because your son was killed so it’s very different. But I don’t know how your kids, I don’t remember how old your other kids were when you started traveling and speaking out.

CS: Well they were all 19 and above but still they had some difficulties with the dramatic way and traumatic way our family life changed.

JF: It was really dramatic and traumatic. And I think what happened with him was that he was a little boy and he had no siblings at the time. I mean he didn’t even have a sibling until he was nine. So he didn’t have what your kids had for growing up. Then his mother would not be around so then he never protested his mother being away. You know I had this idea, why couldn’t he say, you know I opened a restaurant when my son was six and man was that dump and I am a psychoanalyst. I was gone a lot. This was really dumb. And Joey said to me at one point, what’s more important Dad, a Dad or a restaurant? A boy or a restaurant? And that stuck with me. That was the last day I cooked at the restaurant by the way. I just said, you are right.

CS: Justy the way our society is that there are very few families that are untouched by financial difficulties or other stresses that are really pressing the average or normal American family or the 99 percent what the Occupy Wall Street people will say. You know we know that what they call a so-called family with a mom and dad at home, you know dad working and mom staying home..

JF: Those are the exception to the rule.

CS: Yeah so we’re probably from now on going to be facing this with just about everybody that runs for President now or seeks the office of the President. And what do we do when it is probably not the man or the woman that really is in charge of the empire. What do we do when the empire is so diseased?

JF: Well first of all there’s more than one way to be away.

It always hurts a child or the mother or the father when they’re not spending as much time with them or they leave. It makes them feel bad. Makes everybody feel bad and the necessity is the necessity. But there’s more than one way of attaching to your children and for them to attach to you. There’s lots of different terms for this and I really didn’t get in to that in my book but I think it’s important, very important. One of them is called anxious attachment, one is called dismissive attachment and the other is called like pursuing attachment.

I forget what it is called but it is where you always want more, where you go after your mother or father for more. Or the dismissive one is where you get your feelings hurt and boom, you cut yourself off and you don’t feel it and I think that’s what happened to Obama. I think it doesn’t have to happen that way that when people are working and they’re busy and trapped by our diseased system and everything, have to work to make ends meet and you know we are in a system that is not a good one right now. I mean it never was but now it’s coming to fruition.

CS: Can I just give you my impression of Barack Obama when I had a sit down meeting with him back in 2005 and then have you comment on it because we un believable only have a few minutes left.

JF: Oh no!

CS: I know it goes by so fast I can’t believe it.

JF: I thought it was an hour. I didn’t know.

CS: Oh gosh, no, no, no it only works out to be about 25 minutes for an interview.

JF: Tell me your impression.

CS: It’s been fascinating so far and then of course we will have you back on after I read your book for sure.

JF: Good.

CS: So after Camp Casey in 2005 I was pursued by the Democratic Party. You know they recognized the power of the antiwar movement in the United States at that point. I met with everybody. I met with Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, John Kerry, you know from Congress people, a lot of Congress people both Democratic and Republican and they were very open meetings where their staff would be there, my staff would be there. My staff who was really my sister who ran behind the scenes…

JF: I remember your sister. She was great.

CS: And half the time her stupid phone would go off and she had the Benny Hill them music on it. I would look at her and go," really, by now you’re not turning your ringer off?" But anyway then there would be press and everything. Barack Obama insisted that it just be he and I. No press. None of his staff, none of my staff and um…

JF: He was the only one who did that?

CS: Yes, the only one that did that. You also know me very well that when I am out on the protest line it’s shorts and a protest t-shirt. So I had been going from Crawford Texas to Washington DC. It took us 3 weeks to get there. Stopping, flying and very busy. So I am still mostly in my protest attire. I walked in and the first thing he did was criticize the way I looked. Then he was very, very sarcastic, very dismissive of my input and I got the impression almost the same as when I got the face to face with George Bush..

JF: Yeah, it sounds very much like him.

CS: it was an arrogance and it was also like you said earlier a detachment from humanity. Of course I got the same impression from Hillary Clinton and most of our elected officials are to some degree bought. But a lot of them still have an ability to empathize with people. But I didn’t get that feeling from George Bush or Barack Obama.

JF: So interesting. And I have a question. Was this when he was already President or Candidate or was a Senator?

CS: He Senator was in 05’

JF: So it was early before he even ran for the Senate? Oh no he was a Senator.

CS: He was in the Senate. Yeah he was a Senator at that point.

JF: Right.

CS: But he was also the super star of the Democratic Party.

JF: Right. So this was in 05’. Oh my God. Oh my goodness. Well I’m a little speechless. I want to think about that because I think he, the thing that I thought about him and maybe he’s different form the way he is. I am curious how he is with men and with women? Because I think he is seductive not in a sexual way but seductive in a way where people feel listened to and attended to. I wonder if he is more seductive towards men that way and he feels that they feel that he pays attention and listens to them. Because I know several people and they’re women too who say they’ve never met a person who listens better than him.

CS: Oh well that wasn’t my experience.

JF: No! Not at all.

CS: I mean as soon as I was in the door he was on the attack. Attacking my appearance.

JF: God.

CS: Then of course it was the whole; we’re going to do this. And so when he was campaigning on transparency I thought that was pretty ironic considering my own personal experience with him. Our meeting was just he and I and you know of course there was no record of our meeting or anything.

JF: I am aware now of time but you’ve got me worried that Bush taught me that national politicians, especially national ones, whenever they say something about a major idea you always have to think that they also mean the opposite. So when he says I am a uniter not a divider you have to think that he is a divider. When he says he is a compassionate conservative you have to think that he is not compassionate.

Well I thought that way about Obama when he said transparency meaning he’s not transparent. But I didn’t focus on that because I was so struck by this what I call obsessive bipartisan disorder that he has that everybody get along and that blinds him to everything else. It leads him to be paralyzed. But I think you are right about transparency and even change you could say. I was writing I thought it should be called Change you can’t Believe in. Or Change you Shouldn’t Believe In. I have a chapter in the book that says he’s afraid of change.

CS: Well I can’t wait to get your book Justy and can you tell my listeners how they can get a hold of their own copy or contact you if they have any questions or comments?

JF: First of all I have a website called Justin Frank that’s very simple. Or Obama on the Couch. Either one .com. It tells about contacting me and all that and they’re reviews of the book. The cheapest way to get the book if you have a computer is Amazon.com because its listed $26 and they are selling it for $16.

CS: All right.

JF: Bookstores, you can get it at any bookstore and it also comes in e-books in terms of Kindle and all that stuff. So you can get it in any form you want and it’s available widely. It just came out and you’re interviewing me the day after the book was released.

CS: Yay!!

JF: So this is very immediate. It’s the longest interview I’ve had even though you had to cut it off. So that’s how you get the book and it’s pretty straight forward to get, It’s got, one of the things that’s different about it is it’s got a chapter called, Our Obama, and a chapter called, Their Obama, and a lot of those chapters are focusing on the people who support him and the people who attacked him in the beginning. Thinking about their psychology and what he means to them. The second thing that makes it different is that there is a glossary of terms at the end so in reading it you’re not stuck with psychoanalytic stuff.

CS: Um huh, jargon.

JF: Jargon, it’s very readable. I think it’s very readable.

CS: Yeah, your book Bush on the Couch was a super interesting and fast read so I’m really looking forward to my copy and Justy my friend, as you are my friend, my personal friend, how’s the family?

JF: The family is good. My middle son is Abe is in Los Angeles making money from tutoring kids for college boards, for SAT’s to pay his rent so he can write screenplays. So he is a struggling writer. My oldest some Joey, I guess you know he made a movie and won Sundance Grand Prize so I am very proud of him winning the Sundance award.

CS: No kidding!

JF: Yeah, it was a documentary about Brazil, about corruption in Brazil and it’s really good. Then my daughter that you know, Ginevra, well you knew Joey too the oldest, the first-born. Ginevra is finishing up her senior year at the University of Maryland. So they’re all moving along and Heather is great. She’s got this big job so she can’t work for the book or anything with it. She is now Vice President at USA Today.

CS: Wow! So now that the book is finished then you should be in better touch.

JF: I will definitely. I will guarantee you. Scouts honor I will.

CS: Okay Justy. Thank you so much for being on Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox today.

JF: You’re welcome. I love you.

CS: Talk to you soon. Love you too.

THANKS TO THE BENNY HILL PERSON IN THIS STORY FOR TRANSCRIBING THE SHOW--DEDE MILLER--

Mass Arraignment in Sacramento to include Cindy Sheehan

2011-11-02T17:54:00.000-07:00

MEET AT 8 AM THURSDAY OUTSIDE the courthouse on 9th St. side

For immediate release
Wednesday, November 2, 2011

DAY 28/Wednesday/UPDATE:

Cindy Sheehan leads 30 Occupy Sacramento
defendants to mass arraignment Thursday;
courts balk at other 'occupier' cases

SACRAMENTO – Anti-war Mom Cindy Sheehan and 29 other Occupy Sacramento defendants will appear in the largest mass arraignment yet this THURSDAY – even as Sacramento Superior Court judges try to stop the constant barrage of "occupiers" into the courts.

Sheehan and the others will be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in Dept. 3 and 4. They will hold a media availability outside the courthouse (720 9th St.) at 8 a.m.

The trial courts Wednesday refused to let additional occupiers be arraigned Thursday because it became apparently the courts can't handle the load.

83 arrests have been made at Occupy Sacramento at Cesar Chavez Park since Oct. 6. Dozens of people still have not had their court dates. Thursday will be Day 29 of the occupation.

All are expected to plead not guilty, reject any offer by the City of Sacramento and demand a jury trial.

A temporary restraining order requested of the federal court to permit "occupiers" to continue their free speech activities 24 hours a day and prevent the City from continuing arrests will be heard late Thursday afternoon. The lawsuit will continue even if the TRO is turned down.

EMPIRE BURLESQUE AND ALL THAT JAZZ

2011-10-29T21:27:00.000-07:00

NOW HEAR THIS: Cindy's Internet broadcasts continue!

CHRIS FLOYD! Click here to listen or download, beginning at 2:00 PM San Francisco time. Today, (October 30th), Cindy brings us a long-anticipated (and memorable) interview with Chris Floyd, the intellectual light shining through the pages of "Empire Burlesque." A prolific and articulate writer, his perceptive private blog has illuminated all of us here at Soapbox and inspired many of our firm principles. We're not yet certain WHICH topics he'll discuss with Cindy. However, I would guess that he will discuss our recent "Police Riot" in Oakland on Tuesday night, 10/25 2011. That was the evening that Scott Olsen sustained a skull fracture after being shot in the head with a police projectile while peacefully participating in an Occupy Oakland march. Honor our veterans? An Iraq War veteran who survived two tours of duty got his skull fractured in ... Oakland! 53 activists were arrested in Atlanta. while Nationally, SWAT teams were deployed to boot out peaceful protesters! THIS is how we protect our First Amendment rights! Cindy observed the fact that the Occupy movement's terminology about "the 99 percent vs. the 1 percent elite" is not entirely accurate; far too many of the 99 percent are serving as willing tools of the 1 percent - in the police forces, in the media, even in the general public, where you can always find plenty of people eagerly genuflecting to the high and mighty. As Chris notes: "You can smell the fear in the boardrooms (and in their bought-and-paid-for extensions, the government offices) around the world." He and Cindy then proceed with their most wonderful discussion!

And please be sure to use the "Click here" link above to hear Chris Floyd talk with Cindy.

HALLOWEEN GARAGE SALE

2011-10-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

CINDY SHEEHAN'S FIRST BOOK

BLOGS FROM THE ORIGINAL OCCUPY MOVEMENT AT CRAWFORD, TEXAS IN 2005

GREAT GIFT IDEA

AUTOGRAPHED BY THE AUTHOR

ORDER QUANTITY

OR SEND CHECK/MONEY ORDER FOR
$10 (TIMES THE NUMBER OF BOOKS YOU WOULD LIKE)
(ADDRESS REQUIRED) TO:

CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX, LLC
PO BOX 6264
VACAVILLE, CA 95696

Obama on the Couch--10/23/11 Soapbox Show

2011-10-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

Obama On The Couch! Click here to listen or download, beginning at 2:00 PM San Francisco time. Today, (October 23rd), Cindy welcomes Dr. Justin A. Frank M.D. - who practices and teaches psychoanalysis in Washington, DC and is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the George Washington University Medical Center. A clinician with more than thirty year's experience, Dr. Frank has been a former columnist for Salon.com, DailyBeast.com, and continues to be a frequent contributor to HuffingtonPost.com on topics as diverse as politics, film, and theater. He employs the principles of applied psychoanalysis to assemble the kind of psychological profile used in his previous best-selling book Bush on the Couch (ReganBooks 2004, 5, 7) in his new book Obama on the Couch: Inside the mind of the President, released October 18, 2011 by FreePress/Simon&Schuster.

The United Rogue States of America by Cindy Sheehan

2011-10-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

(The USA is the) most dangerous power the world has ever known - the authentic rogue state, but a rogue state of colossal military and economic might. Nobel Literature Laureate; Harold Pintar, 2001

As Khujeci Tomai put it, “Dead men tell no tales. They cannot stand trial. They cannot name the people who helped them stay in power. All secrets die with them.”

Dictionary.com defines a Rogue State as: “—n a state that conducts its policy in a dangerously unpredictable way, disregarding international law or diplomacy.” Especially since 9/11, according to this definition, the USA has sunk to the level of Rogue State.

Wow, I thought Bush was bad and that we had sunk about as low as we could go during those insane years, but Obama is excavating new territory.

Just since the Occupy movement began, the Obama regime has (among other things): 1) assassinated several US citizens in Yemen, (without due process) including a 16 year old having dinner with his buddies; 2) Sent “advisors” to Vietnam (oops, I meant Uganda; 3) aided and abetted the assassination of a leader of a sovereign state.

Not a bad month for a Rogue President still in his first term, eh?

After the assassination of Qaddafi, at least two interesting things came to my awareness—the first one was the Rogue Libyan ambassador to the US telling our own Rogue news commentator, Wolf Blitzer, that the “rebels” were so happy that the US paid at least two billion dollars for the overthrow of Qaddafi. The second one was a tweet from the OWS movement the day Qaddafi was assassinated that said, “Congrats Libya! Your struggles against the #Gadhafi regime is (sic) over. Let's hope for a bright future #solidarity.”

Okay, let’s deconstruct and connect these two events.

First of all, Ambassador Ali Aujali was absolutely gloating and so ecstatic that Qaddafi was executed because it was “better” for Aujali that he not be captured and brought to trial—those were unexpected true words from the Robber Class--since dead men can tell no tales. In all his bloodthirsty glory Wolf, who has at last, dropped all pretenses at being a journalist, was also beaming with glee that Qaddafi was slaughtered (also without due process).

During that interview, Wolf did ask Aujali about the chances of the “rebels” paying the US back for the literal blood money taxpayers paid for this criminal regime change. Aujali demurred.

Then the tweet from the OWS movement came to my attention, showing a profound shallowness of comprehension on its part.

The “people” of Libya did not, I repeat, did not, rise up against Qaddafi. While I am sure that there were some well-meaning individuals who wanted to see the end of the Qaddafi regime, it was more like the two billion from the US funny money mint and over 26,000 US/NATO bombing raids that killed unknown thousands of innocent Libyans that actually accomplished that feat.

How can the “struggle” of the people be over if the new government is flying the flag of the deposed and oppressive former monarchy and dividing up the spoils of blood-soaked victory between various foreign oil companies? I really wish the Occupy Wall Street movement would think harder before it parrots the propaganda of the establishment. Even though I am a member of the 99%, that kind of language does not speak for me.

Remember, way back in March when I denounced the UN “no-fly zone,” because I said that was code for, “bombing civilians?” Many people accused me of “not caring about the people of Libya,” but it appears that I was tragically correct.

Yes, Wall Street is a big problem and Obama is, once again, raking in all the ill-gotten gains from donors from there as he can. But does anyone reading this have any better ideas for ways that the US can spend two billion dollars rather than killing civilians, deposing leaders, and propping up puppet governments that will be friendly to big oil? If the war issues are not addressed in a more meaningful and comprehensive way, then I am afraid the movement has every chance of being neutralized. What happens if Geithner and Bernanke are “indicted,” and the crazy-empire train keeps chugging along?

Our Rogue State is clearly out of control and, as I have said many times, economic and social justice just are not possible without complete and unconditional peace.