Friday, November 30, 2012

Soapbox Podcasts Relating to Political Prisoners



Cindy Sheehan is still on break diligently working on her new book, but in honor of Bradley Manning, we are
compiling a list of Soapbox Podcasts related to
political prisoners and other US (in)justice system related
issues!


Please check it out and listen if anything strikes your fancy!

This complilation reflects the seriousness with which we take this issue.

The Soapbox believes that trying to remove specks out of the eyes of other world leaders about this issue while ignoring the huge log in Obama's eye fails to address the true issue:
The US incarcerates more people per capita than any other country and it is obviously at least two different (in)justice systems--one for the rich and another for the poor.     

Here at the Soapbox, we also think it's tragic that more people in the US have heard of Putin's Pussy Rioters than of Bradley Manning, Lynne Stewart or the Cuban 5.
(We try to change that!)  

 (From Earliest to Latest)

Radicals - January 11, 2009 (SOAPBOX #1) with Debra Sweet, Gloria La Riva, & Greta Berlin.)
(CUBAN 5)

Tortured Prisoners; Tortured Economy - February 8, 2009 (SOAPBOX #5, with Matt Daloisio from Witness Against Torture, & Economist Paul Craig Roberts)
 (GUANTANAMO)

Torture as Policy, then and now - June 07, 2009 (SOAPBOX #21 - Cindy chats with San Francisco Black Panther Party member Richard Brown about the case involving torture, institutional laziness, corruption, cruelty, and ineptness and the trial for murder he is involved in, beginning tomorrow in San Francisco.  We need to address society's use of Torture as Policy, whether occurring today or 38 years ago in New Orleans, conducted with help from the SF PD.  See Cindy's op-ed from Friday's SF Chronicle "Drop charges in 38-year-old murder case". Her article appeared on page A - 13.)
(SF 8)

Injustice to one = injustice to all - June 14, 2009 (SOAPBOX #22 - Cindy interviews Khalil Meek of the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), about another travesty of justice involving the so-called Holy Land Foundation 5. Ever since the the murders of 9/11 our Nation has seen far too many travesties of justice - all rooted in fear. While it would be presemptuous to label any one of these "the worst", this is surely an outstanding contender for that title! Please visit their site, and donate anything you can to help fund the legal appeal appeal of these brothers: Muslim Legal Fund of America.)
(HOLY LAND FOUNDATION 5)

Two-fers - August 9, 2009 (SOAPBOX #29 - Cindy features two guests: Manny Badillo, who is co-ordinating NYCCAN - a ballot initiative demanding a full and private investigation into the 9-11 attacks that includes subpoena power and immunity for so-called whistle blowers, plus Francisco Torres (a member of the "SF-8") who was falsely accused of murder by confessions that were gleaned from torture:  In 1971!  We want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!  Check it out!
(SF 8 AGAIN)

M*A*S*H Who, Igor? - October 4, 2009 (SOAPBOX #36 - Cindy's guest is Mike Farrell - Captain B.J. Hunnicutt he's not. But he is a famous actor - and a died-in-the-wool progressive activist. (He's been a fiend of Cindy's for quite a while.) Mike shows himself to be a very serious intellectual, with plenty of insight to offer on the key issues of the day - up to and including the death penalty. Yes, this was a really worthwhile discussion. It even included talking about the executed - but innocent - Cameron Todd Willingham. (Scalia says "It's OK: We gave him a fair trial before we killed him.") So WAKE UP & tune in, folks!
(DEATH PENALTY)

STOP the KILLING - January 24, 2010 (SOAPBOX #47 - Cindy welcomes Robert R. Bryan, defense attorney representing Mumia_Abu-Jamal.  He has been described as "perhaps the best known Death-Row prisoner in the world," and his sentence is still one of the most debated today.  On Friday, 1/15/10, the US Supreme Court was to hear Pennsylvania's effort to execute Mumia, so arguments are still going on.  Please tune in and let Cindy and Robert update you.  Listen in!
(MUMIA)

Blast from the Past - January 31, 2010 (SOAPBOX #48 - Cindy says farewell to beloved and revered Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922 - January 27, 2010), an inspiring and influentual American historian, author, activist, playwright, intellectual and Professor of Political Science at Boston University from 1964 to 1988.  He was interviewed on this show by guest-host Cynthia McKinney on September 27, 2009.  His trenchant insights are especially valuable now following the attempted health care reform melt-down and the planned "budget freeze" on help for the people - but no budget freeze on help for the war industry.  Cindy replays the interview.  She also hosts Betty Ann Peltier, sister of designated (and innocent) scapegoat Leonard Peltier, convected for the deaths of two FBI agents at Wounded Knee in 1975.  (At one time it was widely known that the FBI never proved Leonard was even at Wounded Knee when the agents died.)  Please tune in and let us inform you.  It's worth checking out!
(LEONARD)

Criminalized Dissent - April 4, 2010 (SOAPBOX #55) - Cindy welcomes three friends who were "guests" of our Gubbermint for 50 chilling hours during the opening of Camp Out in protest of our ever-surging Nobel Peace Prize Lauriate's addiction to: - to surging, (thereby killing lots of our soldiers, along with innocent Af-Pak civilians.)  This week's show is about criminalization of protest and dissent.  Cindy's guests are three Gubbermint "guests" who got arrested with her on March 20th: Elaine Brower, Jon Gold, and Matthis Chiroux.  Elaine is with the World Can't Wait (WCW) and Military Families Speak Out (MFSO).  Jon is an active 9/11 Truther, from way back.  Matthis is an active war resister and member of Iraq Veterans Against the the War (IVAW).  All three thought that D.C. officialdom this time was starting to get much nastier in repressing dissent than "back in the good ole days" - but all felt they had clearly done the right thing, and they all were happy for having made that choice.  So hey, boyz and grrls, please listen in for our show.
(ANTIWAR PROTESTERS)

Just Say Now  -  August 15, 2010 (SOAPBOX #67) - Cindy welcomes Tommy Chong to chat with him about legalization/decriminalization of marijuana, and the use of hemp for plastics and fuel.  Tommy Chong is a marijuana activist, and a supporter of marijuana legalization and medical use of marijuana.  (Only I really must apologize for something here, boyz and grrls:  This episode's name is a blatant rip-off of Jane Hamsher's most outstanding and desperately needed Marijuana Legalization campaign.)  We also speak with a San Francisco pot activist, Mesha Monge-Irizarry, who will talk about these issues from a local standpoint.  Former Soapbox guest Ralph Lopez offers his EXPLOSIVE observations:  He notes that the Wikileaks soldier who found the rocket launcher at the scene (last week's guest, Ethan McCord) says "No Attack Was Imminent."  McCord discussed these observations in last week's interview.  The massacre video showed 12 men, including two Reuters newsmen, standing on a street corner before being fired upon with the Apache's 30mm cannon, resulting in what appears to be unprovoked murder. The video caused an international outcry after it was leaked to the media by the government watchdog Wikileaks.  The presence of the rocket launcher that McCord found was seized upon by defenders of the attack as proof that the attack was justified, and offered as evidence of an impending ambush.  There's only one problem: Ethan McCord says "It ain't so!"  Click here to read Ralph's article and listen to the interview.  Today's discussion asks "Why is our nation jumping so rabidly on the Save Drug Cartel Profits bandwagon?"  I mean, come on.  Haven't we already tried prohibition, back in the 1920s & 1930s?  Do we really need to guarantee the continuance of drug related carnage, exactly as bootlegging profits fed Prohibition carnage back then?  It looks like we will need to use the power of NO to stop rewarding drug cartels with Marijuana profits and generate some desperately needed State revenue.  Please use the link above to listen to today's discussions.
(TOMMY CHONG)

Anniversary Madness  -  January 16, 2011 (SOAPBOX #81) - Cindy presents admirably scurrulous election satire by no less than George Carlin, and then "celebrates" two anniversaries, one famous and most healthy for our nation - but oh so hated today by the "religious right" (which is really neither) - Roe versus Wade - and the other, a truly sickening anniversary, that of the opening of Guantanamo Bay Prison, on Jan 11th, 2002.  Roe versus Wade is commemorated by Somer Loen, a long-time activist for the Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights, or BACORR.  The disgusting opening of Guantanamo Bay Prison by Matthew Daloisio of Witness Against Torture, another long standing activist against our modern Imperial "Death State" (as so eloquently designated by one of our webmaster's heroes, Arthur Silber).  Cindy and Matt have an illuminating discusion about Guantanamo and its meaning for America's future.  A future which we all hope will be far brighter than today's sad state of affairs.   Please use the link above to scope out the madness!
(GITMO)

Dissent, as a Federal Crime  -  May 8, 2011 (SOAPBOX #96) - Cindy hosts Ralph Poynter, husband of Lynne Stewart, telling us Lynne's story:  Lynne found the truth:  Told the truth:  Learned too many of the powerful - hated the truth.  Eventually she was convicted of supplying her blind Egyptian cleric client (Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman) TO THE TERRORISTS - by virtue of having defended him.  Which, of course, she was legally obligated to do.  They also found her guilty of "conspiring to kill American Citizens overseas" - avoiding pesky embarrassing questions like asking which American citizens (i.e., who?)  Without raising questions like what did she plan to do to them?"  Without specifying "when did she originate this unspecific - but still nefarious (huh?) plan."  Finally, the prosecutors skipped questions of the form "overseas, where?"  So let's see:  She's guilty of a crime.  We don't know what the planned crime was.  We don't know who the targeted victims were.  We don't know when did she "conspire."  We don't even know where this conspiracy was planned.  WE KNOW NOTHING.  Having said that, I can but recommend: listen in as Ralph rips into this "school of thought" - and tears them some brand new anal orifices!  How 'bout some Mother's Day cards and letters for Lynne, boyz and grrls?  She has risked so much for all of us.  Life in lockup is very hard on dissidents. To at least some degree her life in lockup depends om how many people respect & support her through snail-mail and post cards.  Her mailing address is LYNNE STEWART; 53504-054; FMC CARSWELL; FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER; P.O. BOX 27137; FORT WORTH, TX 76127.  The more public support she has, then the less official harassment she must face.  Please use the title link above, and listen to their revelational discussions.
(LYNNE STEWART)


It's f*^&%ing STUPID to hand out Death Penalties!  -  October 9, 2011 (SOAPBOX #112) - Cindy brings aboard Martina Correia, sister of the likely innocent - but still executed - Troy Davis.  Today we all dwell in a dungeon of economically-driven inequality, where so-called "cop-killers" are put to death but killer cops go free with at most a slap on the wrist. (Ask the relatives of Oscar Grant, executed by BART police as he lay on the ground, unarmed and fully cooperating.  The unprovoked killing was captured on numerous videos and went viral on YouTube.  Oscar's killer was eventually found guilty of "involuntary manslaughter.)"  Now it's too late for Oscar.  It's also too late for Troy.  And back in the present day, Martina is carrying on the fight for accountability.  Cindy and Martina discuss this killing, who is responsible and how they can be held to account for what they've done.  They talk about the Georgia Parole Board - which will spare the life of one who pleads "guilty," but vengefully kills any who insist on their innocence.  This is state sponsored killing of the innocent.  Of course, bear in mind that some who proclaim their "innocence" are actually guilty; but who among us are wise enough to NEVER make a mistake?  Who is wise enough to carry the burden of choosing life or death - for others?  Cindy and Martina continue to explore the relevant issues here.  Please use the title link above this paragraph to listen in to Cindy and Martina!
(TROY DAVIS)


Pussy Riot, police brutality and challenging the system_on Soapbox

This show was broadcast September 1, 2012. It is now archived here — Use Player Coming up every Saturday at 1:00 pm Pacific * 04:00 pm Eastern * 20:00 GMTPussy Riot, police brutality and challenging the system Cindy Sheehan on this show talks about the Pussy Riot, police brutality and challenging the system. Cindy’s website… »»»
(PUSSY RIOT)

Will the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up_on Soapbox

This show was broadcast October 13, 2012. It is now archived here — Use Player Coming up Saturday at 1:00 pm Pacific * 04:00 pm Eastern * 20:00 GMTWill the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up — Saul Landau Cindy chats with filmmaker, author and professor, Saul Landau, about the case of the Cuban 5 and… »»»
(CUBAN 5)




 
 
 
 
 
 
 






  

Cindy in Sarasota: January 3-5

Book Event
Revolution, A Love Story
by Cindy Sheehan
 
WHERE: BOOKSTORE 1
1359 MAIN ST
SARASOTA, FL
941-635-7900
 
WHEN: THURSDAY, JANUARY 3
7PM
 
**********************************
  
 
     

Monday, November 26, 2012

Where Is Cindy Sheehan?


It's not exactly hard to find her or see what she's up to.

Peace, how? The Way Forward by Cindy Sheehan



I had the strangest dream last night (no, I didn’t dream of Joe Hill or that I was eating a giant marshmallow).

It was a vivid dream, you know, one of those that seem too real to be a dream, but too bizarre to be real? I dreamt that the Congressional Democrats (including my old nemesis, Nancy Pelosi) had invited me to speak to a large gathering of the Democratic faithful. Of course, I didn’t realize this until I was in the middle of my speech and the details were revealed.
I was giving my regular “It’s not about partisan politics, it’s about the CYST-em” speech and I was amazed that I was receiving standing ovations from this crowd of raging-Democrats! I was just getting into how the “Fiscal Cliff” could be avoided by ending the occupations and closing the hundreds of US military bases around the world, when I was cut-off by a Congressperson who had apparently had enough of my ranting. After I was cut off, many members of the audience came up to me to hug me and tell me that they had always “loved” me and that I had been correct about Obama and the Dems all along. There was a lot of weeping and hugging and then I woke up! Why do I tell this story?

Well, obviously many, many people who voted for and support Obama don’t support drone bombings, targeted assassinations or kill lists. I am sure that these voters don’t go to the polls to give their seal of approval on the Empire’s expanding wars abroad and restricting civil liberties here at home; yet, technically that’s what Democratic voters do. I have cynically claimed on more than one occasion, that the antiwar movement only has movement during Republican wars because that seems to be the case.

What were Democrat voters afraid of in 2012? That under a Romney regime, their inaction during Obama’s wars and attacks on civil rights would seem a tad bit hypocritical and it would now look lame if these things suddenly and magically became wrong again? I can’t speak for those people, but if I adhere to the beautiful vision of my dream, peace is possible if we put the safety and prosperity of people outside of the borders of the USA above the uteri of American women.

Is this vision possible? Will the safety of children in Pakistan ever be more important than our children being able to watch a government funded big yellow bird? Will families in Afghanistan ever be able to hold a wedding party without fearing it will rain Hellfire missiles? Can the spectacle of “Black Friday” in the US ever be far from the minds of those who are being starved by inhumane US/Israeli led blockades in various parts of the world?
I don’t care if a comrade is a Communist or Libertarian, or anything in between. The way forward to peace will be gained only by total unanimity of one point: We must have complete opposition to ALL wars of Empire, even the wars that are waged under the Imperial Seal of “Democrat” and even if the Imperial Spin Doctor attaches the oxymoronic label: Humanitarian War.

Can our former colleagues (D) in the Anti-Bush War Movement be reached? Can we have détente with the so-called wedge issues to courageously and with the highest regard for peace and the human rights of all, attack the root issues and agree to disagree (we mostly agree, it’s just the degree of importance we attach to the issues that differs) for the time being on those wedgies that are intentionally meant to divide us?

Can we agree with the anti-war right that the Empire is bad but disagree about what a new society built on peace will look like after the collapse? Will we have a planned socialist economy (I hope) or more free market Capitalist chaos? (Ha!)

Apparently, I have many questions, but few answers—not that I haven’t tried. Contrary to what the neo-conservative right wants to believe about me, I have NOT retired since Obomber came into being as I have been arrested protesting many times the same things I protested when Bush was there. I tried to stimulate interest in the antiwar message during three camps I held in the proximity of Obomber. I thought the Occupy movement was our chance, but systemic change was not sought and we got status quo on steroids.  And contrary to one very angry email I received from a Democrat recently IN ALL CAPITALS: Obama IS NOT the only way to peace. One must have to be on some serious medication to even partially believe that kind of bull crap.

I am just a very tiny operation that consists of me and my computer and a few very dedicated volunteers, but I am going to list contact info for the national organizations (no political parties) that I have partnered well with over the last four lonely years and hopefully some momentum will build for peace. 

If you want to get involved, contact me, or any of the below organizations!

These organizations have stayed above the two-party scandal and, in my honest opinion, that’s the only place true and positive change will ever happen!

World Can’t Wait: www.worldcantwait.net

A.N.S.W.E.R: www.answercoalition.org

The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee: www.nwtrcc.org

Coalition Against Nukes: www.coalitionagainstnukes.org

ANTIWAR.COM: www.antiwar.com

National Lawyer’s Guild: www.nlg.org

I would also like to recommend these organizations on a local level, if there are chapters near you:

Veterans for Peace: www.veteransforpeace.org

CODEPINK: www.codepink.org

Iraq Vets Against the War: www.IVAW.org

Of course, please stay up to speed at:

Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox: www.CindySheehansSoapbox.com













Saturday, November 24, 2012

CINDY IN SAN RAFAEL, DECEMBER 15TH!






SATURDAY 

DECEMBER 15, 2012

NOON - 3 PM 


CINDY SHEEHAN TALKS ABOUT HER NEW BOOK

"REVOLUTION, A LOVE STORY"
(book sales and signing to follow Q and A)

WITH Q & A



@ COMMUNITY MEDIA CENTER OF MARIN

819 A STREET SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901
 
For more information, contact: 
Jolie De Pauw
Jolie@lotusdog.net  

Cindy Speaking at Occupy AIPAC in Sacto on Dec 2

It’s time to expose AIPAC!
It’s time to tell our elected officials to say NO to the Israel lobby:
Sunday, December 2, 2012 ◊ 10:00 a.m.-12 noon ◊ Sacramento ◊ Exact location TBA
It’s time to stop $8 million/day of U.S. taxes going to support Israel’s occupation and warmongering.
It’s time for Congress to say NO to the Israel Lobby.
It’s time to expose AIPAC.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), part of the Israel lobby, has created an atmosphere of coercion and intimidation in our country’s political system that works for an agenda of endless war, Israeli occupation, apartheid, rampant Anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia.

AIPAC is currently drumming up American support for an attack on Iran, which would cause untold suffering in that country at the cost of billions of US dollars with no conceivable benefit for U.S. citizens.

AIPAC consistently lobbies on behalf of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands,
facilitating
the transfer of more than $3 billion in U.S. taxes a year ($8 million per day) in military aid to Israel and ensuring the diplomatic protection that allows Israel to maintain its illegal settlements and apartheid wall, hold Gaza under siege and engage in numerous
other brutal methods of collective punishment deemed illegal under international law.

The Israel Lobby’s promotion of Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism have created an atmosphere in which billions of American dollars can be used to launch wars in the Middle
East and to enforce a system of apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territories without
Americans realizing the true human cost of American support for war and aggression.

It’s time to defy AIPAC and demand a U.S. policy in the Middle East based on respect for human rights and democracy, not on endless war.



Text Box: Contact information 

 ● Sacramento city officials: www.cityofsacramento.org/council
 
 ● County of Sacramento: www.bos.saccounty.net

● California Legislature: www.sen.ca.gov and www.assembly.ca.gov 

● Congress: 202-224-3121: www.senate.gov - www.house.gov
Contact your city, county, state and federal elected officials and ask them to NOT attend AIPAC’s Annual Membership Meeting on December 2, 2012. Let them know:

• While every representative can listen to points of view and meet in their office with anyone, attending the AIPAC meeting is a public display of support for war and occupation and gives AIPAC respectability and credibility it does not deserve.
• U.S. tax dollars should be used for building up our cities here, not supporting the destruction of homes and farms in occupied Palestine. AIPAC's unconditional support for even the very worst of Israel's policies is directly contradictory to the values of peace and fairness that are best for our city, our country and our world.
• Attending an AIPAC event implies support for AIPAC’s lobbying to attack Iran. We should be actively supporting global nuclear disarmament (for all countries, including the United States and Israel), not threatening others with military action.
• Attending AIPAC events helps build support for AIPAC's agenda and does nothing to advance a just foreign policy based on respect for human rights and international law.
For more info:  Sacramento Region Coalition for Palestinian Rights SacReg4PalestinianRights@gmail.com
Local events: www.sacpeace.org
 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Compilation of Soapboxes related to Palestine

AS ONE CAN PROBABLY TELL, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AND URGENT ISSUE FOR THE SOAPBOX AND MOST OF IT'S LISTENERS
IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
Radicals - January 11, 2009 (SOAPBOX #1) with Debra Sweet, Gloria La Riva, & Greta Berlin.)

Cynthia McKinney Special - July 5, 2009 (SOAPBOX #24 - Cindy's special focuses on former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, presently imprisoned in Israel for attempting to deliver humanitartian aid to the people of Gaza. Read Ms. McKinney's letter from an Israeli jail here. Also imprisoned is Nobel Prize winner Mairead Maguire. Ms. McKinney said the boat was on a humanitarian mission and was not in Israeli waters. The Israeli military said the boat was trying to enter Gaza illegally. Cindy presents a live interview with Ms. McKinney from an Israeli jail, plus other worthwhile info. You can call the White House at 202-456-1111, and the Israeli Embassy in DC at 202-364-5500. You can email the Israeli Embassy in Tel Aviv at amctelaviv@state.gov. You can throw in that you would also like the siege of Gaza to end, while you are at it.)

A Peace Mom welcomes a Peace Prize WINNER - July 19, 2009 (SOAPBOX #26 - Cindy talks with Mairead Maguire, a 1976 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, from her home in Ireland.  They discuss Mairead's recent kidnaping by the Israeli Navy in International waters, as well as other Peace related issues.  Check it out!

Cynthia! - August 16, 2009 (SOAPBOX #30 - Cindy welcomes former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, "kidnapped" and imprisoned by the Israelis for seven days.  Maybe she was considered dangerous for her "crime":  She actually brought CRAYONS to the children of Gaza!  A heinous crime indeed!  Everybody knows that we should look forward and not back when it comes to trivial matters (like sytematic torture) - but intolerable evils such as distributing CRAYONS to CHILDREN (evidently) deserve the full force of (someone's) law!  What a danger to humanity!  Listen in!

Temir Porras - March 28, 2010 (SOAPBOX #54) - Cindy welcomes Temir Porras, Venezuela's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, in charge of the Middle East and Asia.  In today's world, Venezuela and its popularly beloved President, Hugo Chavez, are tarred as a "communist dictatorship" because of robber-class fears that his good example could give others ideas, too.  (Where would the world be if we let people realize that Hugo Chavez is beloved precisely BECAUSE he takes good care of all his people - not just the wealthy and powerful few.)  The National Endowment for Democracy is a Washington D.C-based non-profit, funded by the U.S. national budget to subvert real democracy wherever it threatens to stay established.  In particular they spend millions of dollars of taxpayer money every year in Venezuela to delegitmatize and destabilize Chavez's democratically elected government.  The U.S. media, showing all their characteristic perspicacity and integrity, faithfully all spout this same "party line" and forbid any alternative view.  But not Cindy.  Today, with this absolutely marvelous interview, she gives us all some deeper insight into the realities of life and viewpoint in Chavez's "communist dictatorship" - while back at home in "the freest nation on earth" our President keeps us safe by killing us - if we're suspects - and all without any namby-pamby trials.  This perspective is worthwhile plus, and usually unavailable to us.  Please listen.
(VZ POSITION ON ISRAEL/PALESTINE IS DISCUSSED)

Shifting Sands - April 25, 2010 (SOAPBOX #58) - Cindy welcomes author/editor Osie Adelfang of an anthology, telling a story best capsulized as "Jewish Women Confront the Israeli Occupation."  Now this is significant, because Osie was raised as a Jewish Israeli girl in the USA, and was nourished with the "official" propaganda story of Jewish emigration into an empty land and their subsequent victimization by Arab predators.  This "official" line somehow failed to tell Jewish children of the fact the land was already occupied - by Palestinians.  Osie had quite a journey to come to understand what she really knew, what she really didn't know, and what she "knew" that just wasn't so!  She was so alone.  Even today, the "official" rendition of current events within Israel doesn't include inconvenient facts, like the recent worldwide Gaza freedom march.  It was a *bleeping* difficult transformation, for all who did undergo it.  It was a principal motivation for her book, so the book holds many poignant, meaningful stories.  Osie and Cindy discuss much personally meaningful detail, and tell marvelous stories.  The process of revising what you've always believed to be the "facts" of your life is always the most poignant of human experiences.  Especially the mythology of "A land without a people for a people without a land" was especially difficult to confront and rectify.  Osie tells Cindy of her own experiences.  They have much worth listening to,  So please do it: use the link!

Ann Wright: All Right! - July 18, 2010 (SOAPBOX #63) - Cindy interviews a noted woman of conscience, Ann Wright, former Army Colonel, Foreign Diplomat, and Anti-war Activist.  Ann was in a small boat, just astern of the Mavi Marmara in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla - from which vantage point she closely observed the unprovoked Israeli attack on an unarmed mercy ship in International waters.  Colonel Wright is an old friend of Cindy's; having helped her organize and operate Camp Casey during Cindy's famous mission to Crawford, Texas in 2005.  (You remember: back when President Bush demonstrated to the whole world he was afraid to meet with her.)  Today, we have a brand-new President, bringing brand new changes.  Since that brand-new President still wants more sacrifices (of other mothers' children) for that noble cause, Cindy still wants to know what that "noble cause" might be.  (Is that too hard to comprehend?)  Certainly, the President of the most powerful nation on the face of the earth cannot be scared to explain to one mother just why grinding her once-living precious baby into just another corpse was a noble act, can he?  After all, it's not like it's something he doesn't do every day.  Every day he send out the children of other mothers to be turned into corpses, - or, if they're lucky, to grind the children of Iraqi or Afghan mothers into corpses instead.  By now we've had two Presidents tell us "this is noble."  Is it too much to ask the current wearer of Imperial purple just why it's noble to turn children into corpses?  We're dying to hear your explanation.  Cindy and Ann Wright have lots to discuss; it's all good listening!  [Note: The web site for Colonel Wright's boat to Gaza is here, (a dot org site) - not at the dot com site she inadvertently gave in her conversation.]  Please do: use Ann Wright's link above, and listen to their discussion!

Independent Journalism  -  September 26, 2010 (SOAPBOX #73) - Cindy holds a very in-depth interview with British journalist, Robert Fisk, who has been living in the Middle East and reporting from there for decades.  He is an English writer and journalist from Maidstone, Kent and has primarily been based in Beirut for more than 30 years.  He has published a number of books and has reported from the United States's attack on Afghanistan and the same country's 2003 invasion of Iraq.  Fisk holds more British and International Journalism awards than any other foreign correspondent.  Robert FiskHe reported the Northern Ireland troubles in the 1970s, the Portuguese Revolution in 1974, the Lebanese Civil War, the Iranian revolution in 1979, the Soviet war in Afghanistan, the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War and the invasion of Iraq in 2003. A vernacular Arabic speaker, he is one of few Western journalists to have interviewed Osama bin Laden, and did so three times between 1994 and 1997.  His awards include being voted International Journalist of the Year seven times.  Fisk has said that journalism must, "challenge authority, all authority, especially so when governments and politicians take us to war." He has quoted with approval the Israeli journalist Amira Hass: "There is a misconception that journalists can be objective.  ... What journalism is really about is to monitor power and the centres of power."  He has written at length on how much of contemporary conflict has its origin, in his view, in lines drawn on maps:  "After the allied victory of 1918, at the end of my father's war, the victors divided up the lands of their former enemies.  In the space of just seventeen months, they created the borders of Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia and most of the Middle East.  And I have spent my entire career - in Belfast and Sarajevo, in Beirut and Baghdad - watching the people within those borders burn."  Please use the link above to listen for today's today's fascinating discussions!

Terrific Triumphant Trifecta.  -  October 3, 2010 (SOAPBOX #74) - Cindy welcomes 3 respected guests:  Count them; three!  1) Father Roy Bourgeois of the School of the Americas Watch.  SOA is a notorious training school for torturers and right-wing activist coup plotters that is currently actively destabilizing democratic regimes in South America.  His biography can be found here, 2) Jess Sundin, who was one of the activists raided by the FBI last week.  She's a longtime antiwar activist in Minneapolis.  Evidently, this was reason enough for the FBI to paint a target marker on her back.  This is documented on Democracy Now!  (Is our government still rivaling the old Soviet Empire as well as modern Iran for supremacy in social control ?),  and finally 3) Lisa Barr, who works at Pacifica radio station WTND-FM in rural Illinois.  It's been a long time since we've had 3 guests!  I'm so excited.  Please use the link above to check out today's today's fascinating discussions!

Grande Dame.  -  October 31, 2010 (SOAPBOX #76) - Cindy speaks for herself:  "Dear Friends,  As a path finding journalist that covered every president since JFK, Helen Thomas ended every presidential press conference with her trademark: "Thank you, Mr. President," (except for during the Bush years, when she was relegated to the back row).  This Sunday, we say: "Thank you, Helen Thomas," as I chat with her about her life that has been intertwined with our history for the last five decades.  She is characteristically straightforward in this interview that will first air on October 31st at 2pm Pacific at the website. If you miss it this Sunday, you can access it any time after that at the archives.  Please use the link above to listen to these gems of wisdom, from two of our wisest.

A Tale of Two Cindys  -  February 13, 2011 (SOAPBOX #85) - Cindy Sheehan welcomes a most honored guest, Cindy Corrie.  (Note:  That link goes to Part 1 of an interview with Rachel Corrie's parents.  Part 2 is here.)  Both of these ladies suffered a mother's worst nightmare: the loss of her precious child - to the forces of empire!  Our listeners here are all aware of the loss of Casey Sheehan in Iraq in 2005.  Cindy Corrie's daughter, peace activist Rachel Corrie, was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer in 2003 as she tried to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian family's home.  Rachel CorrieMotivated by her daughter's work and sacrifice, Cindy Corrie has dedicated herself to the pursuit of justice and peace in the Middle East.  Today - for some reason - neither of these two are big fans of military empire - by anyone, at any time, under any name!  (Why can't they just be reasonable and respectable patriots who accept that "KILLING = GLORY," just as they're taught?)  My goodness; you might think they were actually offended by the military killing their children!  What chutzpah!  You'd think they believed in the supreme value of a single human life!  How impractical:  Kill one single innocent civilian - and you're guilty of murder.  Rack up 100,000 corpses or a few millions, and you're a glorious hero, conducting foreign policy!  Evidently, the bigger the number of victims the more glorious your "victory."  (Or is it really that the more publicity you get, the more glorious your "victory" becomes?)  Please use the link above, and listen in while these two bereaved mothers share what's in their hearts and in their minds.

AIPAC disruptors disrupted  -  May 29, 2011 (SOAPBOX #99) - Cindy welcomes her special guest, Rae Abileah, central character in the International Solidarity Movement's Jewish protester disrupts Netanyahu During Congressional Address story.  Rae courageously interrupted the speech of Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in Congress this past week, earning her a roughing up by AIPAC thugs and the Capitol Hill Police.  In fact, Code Pink organized a campaign "Move Over, AIPAC" to address peace and justice related issues at this year's AIPAC gala.  Check the Gala Protest here.  During Netanyahu's speech to AIPAC yesterday, 5 individuals interrupted Netanyahu and were removed from the building.  Please use the title link above, and check out Ms. Abileah's tale.

Women, strong and wise.  -  July 17, 2011 (SOAPBOX #103) - Cindy brings us two very different guests.  First up is Chelsea Byers, a young Code Pink Intern who was sexually assaulted at AIPAC conference when she tried protesting Netanyahu's speech at the gala.  Chelsea says the sexual assault by an AIPAC member was an attempt to dampen her spirits.  She said there was an organized response of violence there [ready] to squelch protests.  Fortunately, Chelsea has recovered (as much as one can "recover" from such deep personal violation) and is continuing her University education, where she's majoring in Political Science and Women's Studies.  Cindy's second guest is Kathleen Barry, Feminist and Professor Emerita from Penn State University.  Her new book is UNMAKING WAR, REMAKING MEN: How empathy can reshape our politics, our soldiers and ourselves.  Dr. Barry focuses on the masculinity of war and the social expectations placed on boys.  Introducing new concepts such as core masculinity and expendable lives, this book exposes how masculinity and the military prepare men for killing and introduces new approaches to world peace and a new masculinity that is already in the making.  We can change socialization within our society to reduce the agression and violence which war demands!)  Please use the title link above, and give them your ear.

Ms. Wright speaks.  -  September 4, 2011 (SOAPBOX #107) - Cindy welcomes good friend of peace and of Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox, the notable woman of conscience, Ann WrightMs. Wright won't steer you wrong!  On this show she will talk about the recent Gaza Freedom Flotilla which she was a leader on the American boat and her recent trip to Jeju Island in South Korea where the Korean occupants are making a courageous stand against a US Naval base being built there.  The American Empire doesn't even pay attention to the 82% of its citizens who want to preserve our safety net in the face of an artificial "deficit" crisis necessitating "austerity" - so why would they care what the occupants of Jeju island want?  They're not even Americans, after all.  Please listen to her current assessment.   Use the title link above.


Cynthia's Newest Soapbox!  -  March 18, 2012 (SOAPBOX #125) - Cindy is still in Ireland, helping the Irish Committee to Free the (Cuban) 5.  She once more presents our returning guest-host: Cynthia McKinney, who then welcomes the controversial writer and musician, Gilad Atzmon.  Right wingers call him "anti-semitic" and a "fully fledged holocaust denier."  His book The Wandering Who is an investigation of Jewish identity politics and Jewish contemporary ideology using both popular culture and scholarly texts.  Jewish identity is tied up with some of the most difficult and contentious issues of today.  The purpose in this book is to open many of these issues up for discussion.  Cynthia provides deep insight into his fascinating philosophy and its applications.  Don't miss this unique opportunity to appreciate his deep grasp of today's most complicated and subtle issues! 


The Impending Israeli Invasion of Iran_on Soapbox

Don't Attack Iran
This show was broadcast August 25, 2012. It is now archived here — Use Player Coming up every Saturday at 1:00 pm Pacific * 04:00 pm Eastern * 20:00 GMT The Impending Israeli Invasion of Iran Cindy Sheehan interviews ex-CIA analyst, Raymond McGovern, about an impending Israeli invasion of Iran. Cindy’s website is here…. »»»

Rachel Corrie, Her Sacrifice and Aussie Anti-war Action _ on Soapbox

This show was broadcast September 29, 2012. It is now archived here — Use Player Coming up Saturday at 1:00 pm Pacific * 04:00 pm Eastern * 20:00 GMTRachel Corrie, Her Sacrifice and Aussie Anti-war Action Cindy Sheehan and Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox hosts the parents of Rachel Corrie: Cindy and Craig. Cindy and Craig talk… »»»

Transformation from Zionist to Peace Activist_in Soapbox

Cindy Sheehan Soapbox This show was broadcast November 10, 2012. It is now archived here — Use Player Coming up Saturday at 1:00 pm Pacific * 04:00 pm Eastern * 21:00 GMT Transformation from Zionist to Peace Activist Cindy Sheehan interviews Miko Peled who has a wonderful tale of transformation from being a Zionist to a peace activist…. »»»


FREEDOM SAILORS
Today, on Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox,
Cindy interviews, blogger, Vast Left (who does a daily "American Extremist" cartoon) and has principled criticism of Barack Obama and his supporters.
And today is also a "twofer the price of one," as our 2nd honored guest is one of the founders of the Free Gaza Movement and a mover and shaker behind the Freedom Flotillas, Greta Berlin.
Greta has co-authored a book called, Freedom Sailors, about the
experiences of the Flotillas--which are the stuff of high adventure and courageous action.
(We apologize for tech difficulties towards the end of the show...but hang in there, it gets better).
CLICK FOR BOOK INFO
 There is also a sweet surprise at the end: Cindy's 34 month old granddaughter, Jovie Lee, singing a snippet of "Twinkle, Twinkle."
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE SHOW




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




It's a Blast! (From the Past) with Tommy Chong

Tommy Chong

"Unfortunately, the American justice system is just riddled with lied and inconsistencies."
Tommy Chong


While Cindy takes a short break to finish writing her book:
I Left My Marbles in San Francisco:
The Scandal of Federal Electoral Politricks
we are re-mastering some classic Soapboxes for you.

This one is with Tommy Chong and Mesha Monge-Irizarry
and the subject is: Prison reform and drug legalization.

Please click HERE to enjoy the still timely episode!  

Also check out this brilliant documentary about Tommy's
persecution by the feds and eventual imprisonment:

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Cindy Sheehan In Fresno


This is an 11:53 minute video of Cindy Sheehan speaking in Fresno at the College Community Congregational Church. Cindy talks about her new book: Revolution, A Love Story & announces that she will run for Governor of California in 2014.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Cindy Sheehan Visits Fresno - 11/10/2012


Source: ksee24.com

Cindy Sheehan, Roseanne Barr's running mate for the presidential election, made an appearance in Fresno. She joined Peace Fresno at Blackstone and Shaw to protest war and President Obama's foreign policy.

Sheehan's son was killed in Iraq, back in 2004.

She's also known for setting up a protest camp outside of George Bush's ranch that same year (Correction: she set up Camp Casey in Aug. 2005).

After the protest, the group marched to a church to talk about peace.

"That's what the march is for, to end the wars. Call attention to the fact that we're still at war and to hopefully inspire a new movement against the wars."

Sheehan also talked about her new book, Revolution, A Love Story.

The fifth book she's written in her quest for peace.

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