It's the War Economy, Duh! by Cindy Sheehan

“Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.” 

Karl Marx

"I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag."

Smedley Darlington Butler

I recently sent out a statement in solidarity with the workers who are standing firm against their respective states wanting to make the workers pay more for their benefits and retirement—Wisconsin is hoping to make state workers take what amounts to an 18% cut in pay by raising their contributions for these safety nets. Wisconsin is also trying to severely limit collective bargaining for state workers, which, of course would further undermine labor.

With the cost of EVERYTHING rising because the cost of the US’s “reserve currency,” gasoline, is rising, asking the working class to sacrifice any more is unconscionable, especially when it is not the fault of the workers that capitalism is in such a state of crisis right now. Where does the Robber Class always go to preserve its status quo? That’s right, right after the resources of the Robbed Class.

Last year on this date, the average price of a gallon of gas was $2.70, and today it’s $3.29! With the volatility of oil prices resting on increasing political turmoil in the countries that produce (or give unfettered access to canals and pipelines) the most oil, one would have to wonder who really is behind the chaos in these countries? 

Today, with the average price per gallon of heating oil rising to 3.62 (up .72 cents per gallon from last year), the Obama administration is cutting back on and heating oil subsidies for the most vulnerable of our population after he just signed a two-year extension of tax cuts for the rich! Extending the Bush era tax cuts for the rich added almost 900 billion dollars to the deficit and to partially offset that wealthy-fare, he is slashing social programs for the poor.

The defense industry received another swelling of its coffers by the Pentagon (the cash machine for the profiteers) being allotted a record-shattering 550 billion dollars plus some 160 billion dollars for the OCO (Overseas Contingency Operation). That brings the Pentagon’s base budget (doesn’t include black-ops , the nuclear program , or foreign military aid ). All this from a "peace" president who campaigned on a platform unequivocally stating (with his fingers crossed behind his back), that, as president, he would include the cost of the wars in with the regular budgets and not ask for supplemental funding as his predecessor had done on numerous occasions.

I got a text from my sister in Southern California tonight and it said: “Wow, Ed Schultz (centrist radio talk show host and host of The Ed Schultz Show) is really bashing Obama for this thing in Wisconsin right now.” First of all, I don’t watch MSNBC, because once one starts cashing ones pay checks from the war machine, it changes a person. No matter how good he/she was before, the Imperial Puppet Show must go on!

Secondly, my reply to her was: “It’s about time, too bad few people have been disillusioned by Obama’s violent foreign policy!” Indeed, I have been watching the left-wing coverage of the stand in Wisconsin, and elsewhere (which I wholeheartedly support), and I have yet to see one sign that says something like: “End the Wars, End our Economic Woes.” Just because I haven’t seen a sign like that doesn’t mean there aren’t any out there, but there couldn’t be that many.

Madison is a town I have been to several times and I enjoy its radicalism and easy-going rhythms. I know it’s also a town steeped in antiwar radicalism, yet I wonder when was the last time that Madison got tens of thousands of people out for an antiwar rally—and when was the last time thousands of Wisconsinites occupied its state building and demanded that the Wisconsin National Guard (and millions of dollars) be brought back from the disastrous war of terror? I am not picking on the dear people of Wisconsin—I AM PICKING ON ALL OF US!

Last March, I called for the same kind of action on the National Mall—camp out and refuse to leave until Obama set a date for complete withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq—we didn’t even get tens of dozens of people to come out to Camp Out Now, and it’s not really possible to make a stand with about 20 people. Tens of thousands of committed people would have made a difference, twos of tens could not.

MoveOn.org, the amazing anti-Bush and anti-Republican online activist organization that has met few Democratic War Mongers that it didn’t love, is calling for rallies at all 50 state capitol buildings on February 25^th—what a bunch of astounding hypocrites that organization has turned out to be—the only reason that MoveOn.org is getting behind the working people is because they know, that like the war in Iraq when Bush was president, this is an issue that can highlight the failures of the Republican Party while conveniently ignoring the fact that, besides take the money of organized labor, the Democrats have done very little in recent memory to elevate the economic and social conditions of the working class in this country. The failure of the economy to work for the working class is systemic--it is not a partisan issue. It’s a class issue—and while Obama gives lip service in support of the cause wherever there is a Republican governor, he’s sending the children of our working class (military recruitment has been Obama’s only successful jobs’ program) to kill the children of the disadvantaged in foreign lands.

It’s the war economy, duh. It’s been widely reported that it costs one million dollars a year to keep one troop deployed in Afghanistan—with about 100, 000 troops currently there, if that immoral misadventure ended tomorrow, that would be a 100 BILLION dollar savings just on troop upkeep!

Wisconsin is facing a 137 million dollar budget deficit—that’s 137 troops. If Obama brought home 137 troops and gave the savings to Wisconsin, that problem would be solved!

Indiana is facing a one billion dollar shortfall for 2012-2014 (they have two year budgetary cycles), and that would mean that 1000 more troops home would solve Indiana’s budgetary crisis.

My own dear state, California, is facing a WHOPPING 26 billion—because we’re a whopping state—Obama, bring home 2600 more troops and fork over the savings to us.

As a matter of fact without listing each state individually, 44 states plus the District of Columbia are in financial crises right now with a projected cumulative short fall of 125 BILLION dollars. Bringing every troop home from Afghanistan, and the remaining troops from Iraq would save 160 billion plus, because the troops are coming home, cancel that 36 billion dollar contract Boeing just received to build 179 tankers for the War Machine. Take the savings and reinvest that money back into the states and a real jobs’ program that isn’t chaired by the King of Outsourcing (Jeff Immelt), and we down here in our stratosphere would be sitting rather prettily.

Our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters and friends would be home from the killing deserts and there would be decent paying jobs for them when they returned.

Don’t expect MoveOn.org to connect the dots of war spending with these budget emergencies—a look at the front page of its website mentions nada about wars, except to slam Rummy’s new book, but he’s just a Republican, anyway.

End the wars; End our Economic Woes.

It’s the War Economy, duh!

Bring our troops home and bring our prosperity home.

It's the War Economy, duh!

Plenty of Bread for War but no Bread for Bread.

It's the War Economy, duh!

No More Money for Occupation, We Need Money for Education!

It's the War Economy, duh! 

Workers of the World Unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains!

A Message of Solidarity with Workers from Cindy Sheehan

A MESSAGE FROM CINDY SHEEHAN

Working women and men, I stand with you, because I am one of you!

Some people call me the “Peace Mom," because of my unwavering work and stand for peace. In 2004, my son Casey made the ultimate sacrifice for war profiteering and imperial hubris; he was only in the Army because he wanted to take pressure off of his family for college tuition. Because I am one of you, I know that working women and men make substantial sacrifices every day of their lives.

You do it for your kids. For your spouse. And yes, even for your country.

But the sacrifices you are being asked to make today (and make no mistake, leaders of both political parties are responsible) are excessive, egregious, unconscionable and simply unthinkable in the context of personal freedom, collective responsibility, and unconditional equality.

We hear a lot of talk from politicians about compassion and concern, but the minute a politician, or a CEO, thinks the cost of doing business is too high, all that talk goes out the window – and workers pay the ultimate price.

WE MUST CHANGE THAT AND THE STRUGGLE HAS BEGUN!

This is NOT a financial issue! State and national deficits rise and fall with economic cycles. Those who would rob you of your rights know this, and they are lying! They want to scare you into giving up your rights.

DON’T LET THEM! WE MUST STAND FIRM!


This is not a political issue! It has nothing to do with conservatives or liberals, as some try to portray it. A brand new poll says that over 60 percent of American workers SUPPORT your right of collective bargaining!

No my friends, this is not a financial issue. This is not a political issue. IT IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE!

If a president or a governor or a legislature or a board of directors can organize to try to steal away your rights, you must exercise your basic right to organize against them!

THAT BASIC HUMAN RIGHT IS WHAT’S AT STAKE HERE, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS! I STAND WITH YOU IN DEFENDING IT!


Stand your ground, fight for every thing that is rightfully yours, but don't let your principled and courageous stand be co-opted for crass political gain. Politicians love to grandstand on our movements and co-opt our sacrifices for votes and political contributions, but have a way of conveniently forgetting their promises shortly after election day.

As this assault on your rights continues, take a minute to think about how it happened. We got to this place because we have voted, year after year, for the LESSER OF TWO EVILS. Remember this fact the next time you vote, and remember this: THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS IS STILL EVIL.

If America is serious about leading the way in human rights, we must protect and expand the rights of those who keep America going: the working class.

I THANK YOU!! I SUPPORT YOU!!

IN SOLIDARITY,

Cindy Sheehan

USA MATRIOT ACT by Cindy Sheehan

The USA MATRIOT ACT

"Uniting and Strengthening All by Mentoring Appropriate Trust Required to Instruct and Obstruct Tyranny"

EGYPTIAN WOMEN FIGHTING TYRANNY

Today, (Feb 16, 2011) the Senate approved an extension of the treasonous USA PATRIOT ACT, following the lead of the House of Representatives.

The USA PATRIOT ACT, commonly called "the Patriot Act," is an acronym contrived to make something that is completely tyrannical and fascist sound appealing. The USA PATRIOT ACT stands for: Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act

With this nation overstretched in at least three foreign wars of aggression based on the lies of such international “luminaries” as confessed liar/murderer “Curveball,” and with the concurrent global economic crisis, it’s dubious whether the USA PATRIOT ACT “united or strengthened America,” in the first place. Secondly, there are many reasons to be cynical about the reasons for ramming the Patriot Act down our throats, anyway.

Michael Moore’s film, Fahrenheit 911 was probably the first international, semi-mainstream exposure that highlighted the way the Patriot Act was passed. Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) recounts how each office got a copy of this massive bill and were given instructions to pass it without having time to analyze or even skim it. Sixty-six House Members and one Senator, Feingold from Wisconsin, were the only ones who did not commit treason on October 26, 2001 by voting to flush what remained of the US Constitution down the toilet of manufactured-mass hysteria.

Of course, my opponent when I ran for US Congress in 2008, “liberal” Nancy Pelosi from “left-wing” San Francisco voted “aye.” Nancy Pelosi proves that not all women operate with the same instincts for peace and protecting the defenseless. This is a side note, but I read a transcript of the interview that I did with President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, (the interview was in English and Spanish) and when the person who transcribed the interview, who was switching from English to Spanish and doing a fabulous job, heard that I told President Chavez that I ran against “Nancy Pelosi,” she heard and wrote: “Nazi policy,” Nancy’s recent career and the trajectory of this Empire in reauthorizing the USA PATRIOT ACT today (under the regime of a Constitutional Law professor) only highlights the Freudian nature of that “slip.”

Well, unlike the POTUS, I am not a Constitutional Law professor, but it “doesn’t take a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” and I have felt the impact of the increased police state since the passage of this act in 2001.

I have written pretty extensively on the idea of "Matriotism" as a counterbalance to the oftentimes violent jingoism of "Patriotism," where in a time of national crisis, we are to rally around the leadership of this country and blindly follow them to death, or the death of our children (not theirs), no matter how demented their policies are, or no matter how much they contradict basic human rights, human nature and common sense. A Matriot rallies around common sense and peaceful conflict resolution in times of crises—we believe that every human being--not just white, Christian Americans—have the same rights to peace and prosperity and the only way we’ll ever fight is to protect defenseless souls from the encroachment of the dreaded Patriotism. “Patriotism and Patriarchy” stem from the same Roman root of patria which means “fatherland,” but sometimes Father doesn’t always Know Best!

Even though, as a Matriot, I have deep problems with the Constitution as it favored the immoral institution of slavery, did nothing to curb imperialism, or the slaughter of the indigenous populations, and didn’t even mention women, it was a fairly liberal document and became more so with the forced inclusion of a Bill of Rights—I think the US Constitution is far superior to the USA PATRIOT ACT, yet has been rendered totally irrelevant it.

The Patriot Act blatantly curbs our own human rights to privacy and due process in this country and has been used to justify everything from warrantless wire-tapping to indefinite detention—the Bill of Rights explicitly covers these two breeches in the 4^th (The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized), and 6^th (all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense), and 8^th (excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted).  

Security of ones person and papers and being free from torture and illegal detention were some of the major points of contention the colonials had with the British colonists.

So, in my opinion, here we live in a country where the government has no legitimate right to rule over us! If the Congress can abrogate the Bill of Rights and its enumerated power  (Article I, Sect 8, Clause 11) to declare war, then it has abrogated itself!

Consequently, since today the Congress of the USA has just further made itself illegitimate under US law, a free people do declare that Congress is not the "boss of us."

We reject the USA PATRIOT ACT and its draconian oppressions and declare ourselves a free people based on the political and human law that says a government can only have authority over us with our permission.

Please join me in withdrawing your permission to be misgoverned—the USA MATRIOT ACT: the Unity and Strengthening All by Mentoring Appropriate Trust Required to Instruct and Obstruct Tyranny, is OUR WAY—whether you are male or female.

Education, peace, and the struggle against tyranny is our inalienable human responsibility.

A Tale of Two Cindys (CIndy Sheehan interviews Cindy Corrie)

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Once Upon a Time in the Evil Empire by Cindy Sheehan

America is a Nation with a mission - and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace - a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman.
Emperor George the III
 

Once upon a time in the Evil Empire, there arose to the Most Powerful Office in the Land, a very stupidly evil man named, George Walker Bush (the III George of the Empire).

George the III had been a less than mediocre student in school, he failed in every business that he tried to operate and as governor of one of the far-flung provinces of the Evil Empire called Texas, he was an unmitigated disaster. The axe of his executioner swung wildly and he dismantled the education system while ruining the environment.

George Walker Bush was not much different that any other Ruler of the Evil Empire in his Evilness, but the arrogant stupidity of his Evilness began to turn many of the Subjects of the Evil Empire off. What was also so different about George the III was that he stole the office in not a subtle coup, as in previous times, but in an obvious coup that ripped any semblance of democracy to shreds.

In the first year of the Reign of George the III, the Evil Empire was attacked because of its Evil Ways around the globe and George the III and his Consort, Richard the Sick-Hearted, sent the Armies of the Evil Empire to various regions of the planet to murder, rape and pillage, thus causing more hatred and resentment towards the Evil Empire, and anon, the Subjects of the Evil Empire also became very restless.

The Subjects of the Evil Empire rose up in great numbers to oust George and Richard, but the Royal Ass-wipes in the Parliament refused to depose the dictators until the appointed time that they were to leave the Highest Office in the Land.

George and Richard returned to the comfortable lives of the Evil Empire’s Nobility, but when they left, they left two wars raging and an economic crisis that was the worst that the Subjects had experienced in generations.

Lo, and in the Year of the Lord 2008, an Angel appeared unto the Evil Empire (on CNN) and said: "Rejoice, you highly favored Ones! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among Nations!” And unto the Evil Empire was given a savior: Barack Obama.

The Subjects in the Kingdom of Democrats did rejoice with great rejoicing and the memory of the trials and tribulations of the last eight years receded from Memory—although the trials and tribulations remained.

In the Kingdom of the Republicans, though, the same trials and tribulations that Blinded them during the reign of George the III and Richard the Sick-Hearted miraculously appeared to them and they became most distressed and formed their rage into Tea Parties where no actual tea was served along with the stupidity and racism.

What is the point of this above Fairy Tale? The US is a Mythocracy where the puppets in apparent leadership roles dance to the whims of the real rulers of this country: the Corporatocracy:

Basically, what Economic Hit Men are trained to do is to build up the American empire. To create situations where as many resources as possible flow into this country, to our corporations, and our government, and in fact we've been very successful.
John Perkins (Confessions of an Economic Hitman)
 

This fact is not a crazy conspiracy theory and the US isn’t the only country run by the super-wealthy—Anti-globalization movements like the ones against the economic oligarchies of the G8, G20, WTO and World Bank understand this simple fact.

Look at the recent democratic uprising in Egypt. The puppet of this global oligarchy, Mubarak, hung onto to power for 18 days, even sending in thugs to kill hundreds of anti-Mubarak protesters, stalling the inevitability of his departure.

Why did Mubarak stay for so long? He told CNN’s, Christiane Amanpour, that he didn’t even want to be “president” anymore, after 30 years of rape and pillage. He stayed, according to a recent article in the UK Telegraph, to make sure his wealth, estimated upwards of 70 billion dollars was secure. Mubarak was not about to beat a hasty retreat without making sure every last penny was securely away from being frozen by Swiss authorities or re-appropriated back to the people he stole it from.

Mubarak was never a public servant of the people of Egypt—public servants don’t amass Pharaoh-sized fortunes. He was given billions of pieces of silver to betray his people and the people of Palestine with this blood money.

The oligarchy’s hand-picked, hand-puppet in Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, and his family sit on a goldmine for them and their masters: vast mineral deposits and the CIA-opium trade. According to Wiki-leaks documents released late last year, the US is “distressed” at the corruption in Afghanistan and millions (if not billions) of dollars that flow into Afghanistan from US taxpayers, flow right back out of the country to such places as Dubai, where Karzai and his cronies can be assured that if they are chased out of Afghanistan by a popular uprising, their wealth is secured. If the US is so “distressed” by all the corruption and graft in Afghanistan, why is Karzai allowed to remain—it’s not because he has been “democratically” elected in a process that is blatantly fraudulent—no, it’s because he’s a willing dancer with the hand of the puppeteer firmly ensconced in his nether-regions.

There are some nations that are able to remain relatively independent of the global oligarchy and one such nation sits just 90 miles off the tip of Florida: Cuba.

Although Cuba was used as a wedge between the US and the USSR during the Cold War, it has never been a military or economic threat to us—what it is down there is a constant reminder to the Global Imperialists that, no matter how tiny, there are still places that can remain free and survive.

The propaganda about Cuba is stunningly wrong and pathetically obvious, and one doesn’t have to dig too deeply in the mire to find out the truth, but ask yourself this: Why is the US obsessed with Cuba and the Castros when it has supported too many dictatorships in Latin America to count? Why was Allende overthrown in favor of the appalling murderer and oppressor, Pinochet in Chile?

Why is the Empire obsessed with democratically elected and supported Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, yet props up a violent Narco-State like Colombia?

The still recent CIA-backed coup (they’re all CIA backed) in Honduras deposed Zelaya to install a more oligarchy friendly regime, is another example of blatant hypocrisy.

The reason the Karzais and Mubaraks of the world are so beloved by the globalists and hated by the people is the same reason that the Chavez’s and Castro’s of the world are hated by the globalists and loved by their people (and others who have been inspired by their stands)—leaders like Chavez and Castro have insulted this Corporatocracy by insisting that the wealth and resources of their respective countries belong to the people of that nation.

Let’s hope that the uprisings against the elites of this world that didn’t start in Egypt, but was so obvious there, continue.

Our brothers and sisters in Latin America have been doing an admirable, if unsung job, rising up against the puppet-masters from the bottom to the top in some cases.

Here we sit in the seat of the globalist’s wet dream—the United States of America. Ah, America, where the people on the bottom of the economic ladder still think it’s possible to claw, fight, kick, and scratch our way to the top and we won’t allow any pesky facts to get in the way of our quest for this impossible Madison avenue induced nightmare.

If most of us can’t even discern that it doesn’t matter who dances for the elite in the Oval Office, then all is lost before we even begin.

Emperor Obama, and Emperor Bush before him, were installed in their positions by the same institutions that installed Mubarak and Karzai. The difference is, with our complicit media, many of us still firmly believe in the illusion of political “choice.”

The elites of the world never call these people dictators, but their people do.    

Will this Once Upon a Time have a happy ending for the heroes? Only the people themselves can decide that.

The antiwar movement is asleep at the wheel. Interview WITH Cindy Sheehan

 

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO INTERVIEW

Stuck in Stage Two by Cindy Sheehan

Iraqi Mother and Son--Nameless to us.

Casey Sheehan, not just a number.

The 5 Stages of Grief:

1)   Denial

2)   Anger

3)   Bargaining

4)   Depression

5)   Acceptance

In 1969, Swiss psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross published a groundbreaking book called: On Death and Dying. The five stages of grief listed above are called the Kubler-Ross Model and were originally designated for people who were diagnosed with a terminal illness but were extended to anyone who has suffered a major loss such as: losing a limb, losing freedom, or a death of a close loved one.

Subsequent studies have shown that most people suffering such a profound tragedy go through at least two of these stages, some go through all, few go through in the order the stages are listed, there is no set time-frame, but the theory is, each “griever” finally reaches the final stage of “acceptance.”

As most of you who are reading this know, my son was killed on April 04, 2004, in the US’s illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq. He was a US soldier who enlisted to not only get college benefits, but also for some kind of misguided idea that he would be performing some kind of valuable service for his country. So far, in almost seven years of my grief, I have experienced the first two listed stages.

When we were informed by the military that Casey was killed in action in Baghdad on Palm Sunday that year, my “denial” stage lasted as long as I laid on our living room floor screaming, “Nooooooooo, nooooooooo, nooooooooo, not Casey,” over and over. It felt like an eternity, but it was probably only a couple of minutes. I don’t know, but I am surprised I didn’t burst capillaries in my brain, heart or lungs after that episode. Since about 9:05 PM on that day, I have been stuck in stage two: Anger.

The Anger stage of grieving can manifest itself in many ways. One can be angry with oneself for a stupid lifestyle choice that led to an illness or incapacitation. One can be angry with the loved one for his/her choices that led to death. I have never been angry with Casey—I have been angry with myself for not trying harder to stop him from enlisting or going to Iraq. In this stage it is very common to place blame. Besides blaming myself, (and my prison is the hell of living the rest of my life knowing I failed my son who died too early before he could really even live), I blame the rotten system here in the USA. At first, all my anger and recrimination was focused on the Bush administration, but as my knowledge and experience expanded, I realized that there was enough blame to go around: war profiteers, the media, the banksters, Congress, greed, the apathy of the average US citizen, etc.

So, after almost seven years, why am I stuck in the Anger stage? I haven’t even gone through the depression stage and my oldest son was killed. I get up every day and mostly greet each day with the gusto of having a purpose greater than myself. There have been days, especially in the first year, when I felt that the pain was so overwhelming and unbearable that I would walk aimlessly around the house just picking up things and putting them down with tears streaming from my eyes. I spent hours journaling at Casey’s grave trying to make sense out of something that was so disordered, violent, and senseless. But I have never been depressed. Down, sad, wracked with pain, but not depressed.

As an introspective person, I think there are two major reasons I am stuck in Anger—first of all; my grief extends to every single person who has been killed in these Imperial wars for profit. My dear son wasn’t the first one killed by US violence and the killing hasn’t stopped. Violence perpetrated by the US is a daily occurrence and the wound that was opened on 04/04/04 can’t even scab over. That’s why this piece is relevant in general, not just specifically to me. Millions of people have been killed, wounded, displaced or otherwise traumatized since 9/11/01. Casey’s murder is literally just a teardrop in an ocean of global grief caused by the lies and crimes that led to so much heartache.

The second reason that I am stuck in Anger is that, even though the culprits for this pain have been self-identified, there has been no justice delivered. 

My son was killed. Casey didn’t die of natural causes or by accident. He was deliberately put into harms’ way and many people in the Bush administration have incriminated themselves, or others, by admitting that Saddam had no WMD, or lying and saying that they never said he did. Cheney has even said that he never implicated that Saddam was connected to 9/11, and are now trumpeting some myth of a “free Iraq.”

From Cheney having pre-invasion meetings with oil execs, to Condi having meetings with foreign diplomats saying that "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy"(Downing Street Minutes) of invading Iraq, to George Bush even admitting in his recent book that he was an enthusiastic supporter of torture—the murderers of Casey, et al, should not be roaming free and prospering from their eight years of unfettered carnage. “It’s just not fair,” is the refrain that keeps running through my mind.

I worked super hard for the impeachment of the Bush administration. I even ran for Congress against Nancy “Impeachment off the table” Pelosi for this very reason, announcing my run right before Congressman John Conyers, who was at that time Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, had me and about 49 other impeachment activists arrested in his Capitol Hill office.

Even though the US has committed international crimes of aggression since they were more precisely defined after World War II, and since the US regularly violates UN resolutions and runs roughshod over the Security Council for its own interests, and not one US president has ever been held accountable, I have all but given up on my son receiving justice for his murder. It’s sad because I don’t think complete healing (of me, or humanity) and acceptance can be achieved without justice. I am not talking about revenge. Revenge is just perpetuation of violence.

This planet has been set on the road to mutual ruin. Would Bush have felt so full of hubris if one of the war criminals that preceded him in office had to pay for his crimes? Would Obama feel so free and comfortable continuing the vicious policies of the Bush years, if BushCo had been held accountable?

Not too long after his inauguration, Obama basically said that accountability for the crimes (national and international) of the Bush regime would be “off the table,” because we need to “look forward.” That’s easy to say if A) one hasn’t experienced such unpunished loss, and B) one is planning on continuing the crimes. Indeed, the Obama DOJ has vigorously blocked accountability for anyone in the Bush regime; maybe most notably, John Yoo and Federal Judge, Jay Bybee, who collaborated to formulate the disastrous US torture policy.

I can’t lie to myself or to you, I am stuck in Stage Two, and if someone, anyone, had a fair trial (something denied to thousands of their detainees and political prisoners), and was convicted (since it was a fair trial) and sent to prison, I would get “unstuck,” but I am not the only one in this country who is “stuck.”

We have to come collectively out of our “denial” that we live in an Evil Empire that won’t stop, and indeed will use every tool at its disposal, until it drains this planet dry of every drop of oil and every molecule of precious minerals, and it doesn’t really matter who inhabits the Oval Office.

We need to get angry enough to actually do something about it and leave the depression stage for the oppressors when their ways of lives are diminished because their wars for profit have ended.

And we won’t “bargain” with anybody for peace or justice, we will seize them as we reject the violence of Empire and embrace healing.

Finally, acceptance, Never! We won’t rest until we have created a world that is free from the wars of the ruling class and filled with economic equality and environmental sustainability for everyone.

We need to “Protest like an Egyptian.”

Urgent Solidarity: Prisoner Activist Facing Violent Retaliation

PLEASE CLICK TO READ THE STATEMENT AND ACTION ITEMS

The "R" Word by Cindy Sheehan

PROTESTER IN EGYPT

The “R” Word

Cindy Sheehan

More powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound--Revolution is simply joining forces to overthrow the status quo with uprisings against the world’s ruling class courageously springing up all over the globe.

I have a few "friends" that have been rather indignant and have broken off contact with me because I frequently use the word, “revolution.” I wonder if these same people quit eating at IHOP when the restaurant chain, known for it’s pancakes started it’s new club: “The Pancake Revolution.”

I’m serious, if one Googles the words, “Pancake Revolution,” you will be taken to IHOP’s page to sign up for the “Revolution.” The slogan for the Pancake Revolution, is, you guessed it: “Pancakes to the People.” The sign up page has a distinct revolutionary look to it.  What is a pancake revolution anyway? They make them into triangles?

We are slammed with the word “Revolution” in advertising—we are cool with the Pancake Revolution, the Chevy Revolution, the iPhone Revolution, and even the American Revolution—why was it okay for we here in America to violently throw off the shackles of an Evil Empire 235 years ago, but to not do it peacefully today? Our war for Independence was just as bloody as any other “revolution.” I suppose the revolutionaries of those days were also “defriended” many times over before Facebook was even invented.

Since we started exploring the idea of Re-Creating Revolutionary Communities, which is a totally non-violent way of resisting the crimes of the Empire, the world has witnessed some honest to god uprisings in the Arab world: Yemen, Tunisia, Jordan, and now Egypt, where tens of thousands of people are there courageously standing up to a horrible US/Israeli propped up dictatorship that has been in place for almost 30 years. Of course, mouthpieces of the Empire are warning Egypt to “reform” its government and use “restraint” when the billions of dollars they have sent to Mubarek since he became dictator are what he uses to oppress his people and what he used to create the police state that has helped our CIA imprison and torture other people, among other things. The people of Egypt know which side of the “Wall” that the US regime stands on, and it’s not the side of the people.

As of this writing, Mubarek is stubbornly holding on to power in Egypt, no matter what the people want. After years of truly sham elections, the people are resisting and bearing witness and many in the lamestream media want to portray Egypt’s uprising as anti-austerity riots, or protesting food shortages—I heard one commentator say that the Egyptians have been "happy" with the dictatorship for almost 3 decades, now—so what are they protesting? Why are they all of a sudden angry at Mubarek, what did he do? I have been to Egypt and worked with activists there—these uprisings have been brewing for many years now. People can only take so much and I heard one CNN reporter that has lived in Egypt for over 20 years confirm this and he also told us here back in the states that the violence is “not coming from the protesters,” which is almost always the case.

My idea for Re-Creating Revolutionary Communities does have that dreaded “R” word in it. The Empire is taking away our homes while bailing out and supporting the banksters that are stealing them. The Empire appoints a man notorious for sending jobs (Immeldt of GE) out of the country to “solve” a Great Depression Era unemployment crisis. The Empire is continually allowing drilling and more exploration for fossil fuels in a world that is being poisoned and violated by its dependence on this filthy fuel. The Empire is imprisoning whistleblowers without a trial while self-confessed criminals like George, Dick, Condi and Donny run free.

Is it possible for we here in the pit of the Empire to reclaim our revolutionary spirit and organize to throw off the chains of oppression—maybe, but many people believe that the chains are there for our own good, and that’s really bad!

What we can do is work on the localization movements to not only create healthy communities locally, but to link globally to break the chains of oppression and create strong bonds of awareness, prosperity, peace, health, and sustainability.

Re-Creating Revolutionary Communities is holding a conference call Sunday, February 6^th and we have over 130 participants—we are going to plan the kick-off community events for our healthy, truly grass roots movement.

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TRAILER FOR THE ECONOMICS OF HAPPINESS

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CLICK HERE TO READ LATEST NEWS ON BRADLEY MANNING

 

Report: U.S. Can’t Link Bradley Manning to Julian Assange

Bradley Manning Friend Prevented From Visiting Soldier Over Traffic Violation

Military Officials Admit Bradley Manning Put on Suicide Watch to Punish Him

 

COLLATERAL MURDER

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INTERVIEW WITH SPOGMAI AKSEER FROM AFGHANS FOR PEACE

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ANN WRIGHT DISCUSSES WHY WAR IN AFGHANISTAN IS UNWINNABLE

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Afghani-Scammed by Cindy Sheehan

Statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception.
- Mark Twain, "Chronicle of Young Satan"

The current president of the USA is no less skilled at being the Liar-in-Chief than the last one—after all, to be fair, that is the job description of the CEO of the Empire. Near the end of 2010, the president, (whom, in instances pertaining to the eternal war in Afghanistan, I call: “Barackistan O’Bomber”), had this to say: "Today, al-Qaeda’s senior leadership in the border region is under more pressure than at any point since they fled Afghanistan nine years ago. Senior leaders have been killed. It's harder for them to recruit … It's harder for them to plot and launch attacks. In short, al-Qaeda is hunkered down.”

So, "in short," the U.S. occupying forces are making progress, but the progress is slow, and more troops and hardware will be needed to ferret out this few very few people that are “hunkered down,” plotting more attacks on defenseless Americans. At a cost of one million dollars per year, per soldier, someone is benefiting from this violent occupation, but it’s not the people of Afghanistan as the people of that war-torn country (that “coincidentally is rich in minerals, oil and natural gas), struggle to survive.

Another “ace in the hole” of supporting violent Imperial aims is the USA’s top “diplomat,” Hillary Clinton who, being skilled at fear-based rhetoric, warned us that if we “abandon” Afghanistan now, like we did after the U.S.S.R. failed to subdue the country (being closer and using all of its advanced weaponry), it would be a “grave mistake.” The graves that the US/NATO forces are digging with their Hellfire missiles in the border regions of Af/Pak mean little to the hellions of the Empire as human life means so little compared to the rich natural resources of that region.

There is very little left to be said if you buy into the scam that the invasion and subsequent occupation of Afghanistan was justified because the U.S. was “attacked” on 9/11—however, here is brief review of facts, not scam:

Afghanistan didn’t attack us on 9/11. Even if one believes the lies of the Empire about the “official story,” the nationality of the hijackers were overwhelmingly Saudi Arabians—and the US didn’t go half-cocked into Saudi Arabia to invade its buddies there. No, in fact, in 2010, the U.S. sold 60 billion dollars worth of arms to Saudi Arabia—making it the largest such sale in history. Which makes the next fact a little more interesting:

Al Qaeda was a construct of the CIA and the CIA armed Osama bin Laden and Saudi Arabia funded him to wage jihad against the Soviet Union. Al Qaeda was originally a CIA database of thousands of mujahadeen who were recruited and trained by the CIA. Our troops are being killed by first and second generation CIA operatives in Afghanistan and Pakistan and, knowing what I know now, I have very little illusion that the CIA didn’t know what it was doing or that the mujahadeen would eventually use those weapons against the U.S. Being the biggest dope dealer in the world, the CIA had big stakes in Afghanistan’s poppy fields.

Two of the biggest lies the Empire tells about U.S. crimes in Afghanistan are we are there to: A) Redevelop the country (like Haiti) and B) Protect the women. “Protecting the women” of Afghanistan is one thing the liberals here in the U.S. and Laura Bush have in common as a justification for the occupation.

On Sunday, January 23, 2011, my guest on Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox was Spogmai (Spaj-My) Akseer, who is a bright young woman on the steering committee of the international organization, Afghans for Peace (AFP). Spogmai was born in Afghanistan and now lives in Canada. She travels to Afghanistan frequently and she clearly dispelled the above two myths.

Spogmai and AFP believe that the occupation of Afghanistan is for the financial benefit of global war profiteers, some NGO’s, and the elite of Afghanistan. Spogmai has seen very little progress in the way of development for the average citizen of Afghanistan. If I believed in Hell, it would be a comfort to know that there was a special level for War Profiteers who must spend eternity paying for their inhumanity by living in a constant state of deprivation and war. But as Spogmai has personally witnessed in her many trips to Afghanistan, unusable schools have been built, roads to nowhere have been constructed and there is zero accountability for the contractor who builds useless infrastructure than leaves the country with a tidy bundle of U.S. taxpayer dollars in his bank account. In a country rife with corruption and scandal, there is enough blame and fraud to go around

I told Spogmai a story about a time, last July, when I was vigiling in front of the White House (in Lafayette Park, because I had a ‘stay-away’ order from the WH at that time) and a phalanx of very elegantly and expensively dressed Afghans emerged from a meeting. The women of the party, who knew who I was, came up to me and through a translator, explained to me how they had been in the White House to meet with the president (something which I have always been denied) so they could tell him how desperate the situation is in Afghanistan and how our troops needed to stay there, even though they “regret” the deaths of our young people. Occupations always benefit the elitists of every country through similar Carpetbagging corruption as the Karzais and their cronies—it even happened in our own South during the Reconstruction period. There is nothing new here—and what else is an age-old story is how the non-elites of the world lap this crap up believing in the myth of the “accidental war/tragedy profiteer.” Isn't this part of the "American Dream," to be in the "right place" at the "right time?" How fortuitous! There is no way to "get rich quicker" than through the war and its profitable aftermath.

Afghanistan is just one tragedy in the long list of scams every Empire has perpetrated in the name of profit and population control.

The destruction of the way of life of we non-elites will only stop when we stop participating in our own demise.

Spogmai and Afghans for Peace work for peace, development and Afghan sovereignty. It’s very dangerous for the people in Afghanistan to speak out against the occupiers and the elite in their own country, so we must, whether Afghan, or not, struggle in solidarity FOR these noble goals against the violence and with the people who are paying the most for the disease of Empire.

Anniversaries Abound on Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox!

Click here to listen

Beginning at 2PM San Francisco time (and in the archives for eternity).

This Sunday (January 16th), 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 be sure to use the "Click here" link above, and listen in.  Plus, get your very own copy of Two-Time Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Major General Smedley Butler's woefully still not famous speech, "War is a Racket."  (And then, please do go read it!)  OK - Maybe it isn't a surprise any more, but we kept it:  Click on Smedley's picture (on the right) to watch Smedley's very own special message, "Now You Mothers."

Pebble People by Cindy Sheehan

"Our problems stem from our acceptance of this filthy, rotten system." Dorothy Day

I interviewed Yoko Ono on Thursday, January 4^th for Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox Radio Show. The interview itself, besides being a great coup for my show, struck a deep chord with me.

True, I have spent a small part of my life trying to change the way the Empire I live does business, but I have done everything from camp out for weeks in Crawford, Tx to running for Congress in San Francisco. I have been arrested multiple times and have shaken my fist more than once at empty buildings in DC on those confusing Saturday marches. I think the emotion I can associate with my activism, besides continuing and constant sorrow (for Casey and all the other victims), is anger! I got to a point, that like a sponge, I had absorbed so much news of blood, gore, pain, greed, lies, oppression and overall suffering that it got to a point where the new info registered, but bounced off my psyche. As Popeye says: “that’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more.” But unlike Popeye, most of us have to suppress our “fight or flight” instincts because we are not three-years old.

I do believe that anger is a reasonable response for a reasoning and aware human-being to the unreasonable crimes of the Empire; however, these crimes have been occurring for centuries and they do continue to occur with shocking regularity—no matter who occupies the Imperial Throne. A state of rage, I’ve learned, cannot be sustained forever without some kind of permanent damage being done. I tend to write, or pick up my bullhorn to yell at the people I’m pissed at, but some, like this Empire and Jared Loughner can choose to express their anger with violence.

Back to my interview with Yoko—in it she basically said (listen to the entire interview here) that we should not be angry with the government, because our anger/marches have no affect on its policies. Yoko said, rightly, that 99% of the people in this world want peace and it’s the other 1% that causes most of the violence and problems out of greed. I can imagine, since Yoko’s younger days in war-torn Japan, that she has seen this dichotomy grow even more pronounced. What I do know, though, is she’s right, our activities and anger have little affect on those one-percenters; so what should we do?

The anti-war movement has been on the decline for years after it peaked in the Fall of 2005. There are many reasons for this—some are tired; some are poor; some hated Bush, but not so much his wars; some are frustrated and discouraged; some were in the movement just to destroy it from within—and some have just grown more and more fearful of the creeping fascism of this “Post-9/11” terroristic government.

Near the very end of the interview, I told Yoko about our idea of Re-Creating Revolutionary Communities (RRC). It’s a plan to implement the ideas in the last chapter of my book: Myth America: 20 Greatest Myths of the Robber Class and the Case for Revolution.

It’s about creating revolutionary change in our own communities or tribes. We can do this by growing and trading as much of our own food as possible (while advocating for more seasonal consumption of food, native seed, organic farming, water-conservation, etc); trading goods/services and supporting our local thrift stores and merchants; being the primary educators for our children/grandchildren and other community's children (while advocating for increased funding and more diverse and well-rounded curricula in our neighborhood schools); creating local economies based on trade and local scrip when we can; making/saving as much energy as we can (while advocating an end to the resource wars and increased investments in renewable and sustainable forms of energy); running for local city councils and school boards—your local government is the one that can be most easily influenced by regular citizens and ones that we have the most chance of infiltrating with our progressive and compassionate ideas.

All of these things, and more, can be easily done on a micro scale with very little (or no) investment. I believe we have little chance to bring world peace before we create peace in our own communities or families to spread in a very horizontal way.

RRC is a grassroots movement that already has attracted people willing to become involved from about 40 different states and five different countries.

We oftentimes seek immediate gratification in this fast food, open 24 hours/day society. I wanted peace in the Middle East yesterday. I want the war criminals from the USA to be held accountable today. But most of all, I want a peaceful and sustainable future for my grandchildren and all of the children of the world tomorrow.

No matter how pretty he talks, Obama is not the answer to our problems, or even the question. Obama is not the Alpha/Omega, or the cat’s pajamas—he is a man deeply invested in promoting and supporting the filthy, rotten systems that oppress us. In the interview with Yoko, she said that we give the government too much power over our lives, and she was right.

According to our own Constitution, common law, and common sense, government can only derive its authority from the consent of those governed.

RRC is about withdrawing our consent in a very peaceful and healthy manner and supporting each other so our wealth, resources, and children can stay in our own communities and families and not contribute any more to the wars or violence of the Robber Class.

We do live in the Empire, but we do not have to be subjects of it—we owe our allegiance to the human family, not it. However, RRC is not a separatist movement—it’s a movement to be constantly stretching our wings and connecting with each other to eventually have a favorable society that is finally by, for and of the people.

In conclusion, as Yoko said, we often try to throw boulders into the Ocean of Change to make huge splashes, but oftentimes, we create more problems, or get washed away by the tidal wave. Although, big and exciting, these movements are also over very quickly.

We can have greater and better affect by being “Pebble People.” Dropping our small pebbles into ponds to create gentler, yet infinite, ripples for profound and lasting change.

Not as glamorous as the boulders, but it’s our best chance to reject this “filthy, rotten system.”

For more info on RRC, Contact Cindy Sheehan

Unitedrevs@gmail.com

PEACE AND JUSTICE GROUPS ASK MILITARY TO END INHUMANE TREATMENT OF BRADLEY MANNING

		Peace and Justice Groups Ask Military to End Inhumane Treatment of Bradley Manning January 12, 2011 Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 9999 Joint Staff Pentagon Washington, D.C. 20318-9999 Gen. George W. Casey Jr., Army Chief of Staff 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington DC 20301-1400 Gen. James F. Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps 3000 Marine Corps Pentagon Washington, DC 20350-3000 Colonel Daniel J. Choike, Base Commander Marine Corps Base Quantico 3250 Catlin Avenue Quantico, VA 22134-5000 Dear Adm. Mullen, Gen. Casey, Gen. Amos, Col. Choike, The undersigned organizations are deeply concerned about the inhumane treatment of Pfc Bradley Manning, who has not been convicted of any crime, and yet has been subjected to six months of solitary confinement with no known end date. It has been reported by his attorney and a visitor that Manning's mental health is suffering from this cruelty, which serves no known judicial purpose and could result in Manning being found unfit to stand trial. Your conduct, as judged by the information available to the public, appears to be in clear violation of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, a treaty to which the United States is a party and which is therefore, under Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, the Supreme Law of the Land. The treaty is also enforced by US Code Title 18, Part I, CHAPTER 113C. The Uniform Code of Military Justice states that "No person, while being held for trial, may be subjected to punishment or penalty other than arrest or confinement upon the charges pending against him, nor shall the arrest or confinement imposed upon him be any more rigorous than the circumstances required to insure his presence." The same UCMJ bans cruel and unusual punishments following convictions. We urge you to come into immediate compliance with the law. As a U.S. citizen and as a member of the U.S. military, Bradley Manning has legal rights that are being grossly violated. If you have reclassified Manning as an enemy in some sort of war, the same is true. The US Code bans war crimes, defined as a grave breach in any of the international conventions signed at Geneva 12 August 1949, or any protocol to such convention to which the United States is a party. The following are a few examples of the rights you are bound by the Supreme Law of the Land to respect for prisoners of war: -Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated. -The Power detaining prisoners of war shall be bound to provide free of charge for their maintenance and for the medical attention required by their state of health. -Prisoners shall have opportunities for taking physical exercise, including sports and games, and for being out of doors. Sufficient open spaces shall be provided for this purpose in all camps. This is not to suggest that Bradley Manning could rightly be considered some kind of Prisoner of War, but under international treaties which the U.S. has signed, EVEN POWs are guaranteed certain rights now being ignored in the case of Manning, a citizen of the United States. Manning is, in fact, being subjected to treatment almost certain to cause permanent psychological damage. Please see the enclosed letter from Psychologists for Social Responsibility to Robert Gates re. Bradley Manning on January 3, 2011. The following steps should, at a minimum, be taken immediately to mitigate the damage and increase the likelihood of Manning being capable of assisting in his own defense. He should be permitted: -Lifting of the baseless POI (prevention of injury) status that allows guards to harass him with inquiries -Extensive daily interaction with other accused but not convicted prisoners -His meals in a common area with other accused but not convicted prisoners -Nightly sleep undisturbed by light, noise, or interruption -Sleep during daytime as desired -Normal blankets -Sight at all times of daylight or night's darkness -Exercise in his cell anytime he wants -At least three hours outside each day, and access to basic exercise and sports equipment -Whatever reading material he wants Sincerely, (initial signers) Backbone Campaign, Bill of Right Defense Committee, CodePink, Courage to Resist, DC Bill of Rights Coalition, DC National Lawyers Guild, Defending Dissent Foundation, Democrats.com, Friends of Human Rights, Jobs for Afghans, Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition, National Accountability Action Network, National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, Peace Action, Peace of the Action, Progressive Democrats of America, Tackling Torture at the Top - subcommittee of Women Against Military Madness, United for Peace and Justice, Voters for Peace, WarIsALie.org, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, Witness Against Torture, World Can’t Wait