Sunday, April 30, 2006

Colbert killed (not literally)!

Check out Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondant's Dinner this past weekend. Priceless, witty satire!

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Sunday, April 30, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Friday, April 28, 2006

Five members of Congress arrested at protest

USA Today is reporting that five Democrat members of Congress have been arrested at the Sudanese embassy today. Excerpt ...
WASHINGTON (AP) — Five Congress members were willingly arrested and led away from the Sudanese Embassy in plastic handcuffs Friday in protest of the Sudanese government's role in atrocities in the Darfur region.

"The slaughter of the people of Darfur must end," Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., a Holocaust survivor who founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, said from the embassy steps before his arrest.

Four other Democratic Congress members — James McGovern and John Olver of Massachusetts, Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and Jim Moran of Virginia — were among 11 protesters arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly, a misdemeanor subject to a fine.

"We must hold the Sudanese government accountable for the attacks they have supported on their own citizens in Darfur," Olver said.

The rest of the story.
I say:

Good for them. Lead by example. We live in strange times, and peaceful civil disobediance -- including premeditated arrest -- is the height of service and loyalty a patriotic citizen can offer this nation right now. The genocide in Darfur has been ignored while we focus on the Iraq tar baby. Millions have died and more are on the way. These members of Congress have made a bold statement that we should pay attention to, before it is too late.

A good idea: redeploy troops on their first tour in Iraq to Darfur. Bring together a coalition in the U.N. and assemble a peacekeeping force. We could provide support for U.N. troops and STOP THIS MADNESS in its tracks.

That, my friends, would be America at its finest.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Friday, April 28, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Bush outsources national defense

I've got a badass case of scandal fatigue. IT NEVER ENDS WITH THESE PEOPLE!

What the hell am I talking about? Bush has given a Dubai company control of portions of our national defenses! And we thought the ports deal was bad ...

From CNN ...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- President George W. Bush approved Dubai's $1.24 billion takeover of Doncasters, a British engineering company with U.S. plants that supply the Pentagon, the White House said on Friday.

The decision, announced by White House spokesman Scott McClellan, followed a congressional uproar over security fears that scuttled another Dubai state-owned company's plan to acquire operations at major U.S. ports.

All the rest.
I say:

HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH YET? HUH? HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH? SERIOUSLY. WHEN WILL IT END?

I swear by GOD and the blood of my ancestors, I think Bush is insane. His administration must be impeached for the safety of America and the world!

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Friday, April 28, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

An Examination of the 9/11 Truth Movement, part three

See also: Part One | Part Two

The Webster Retort
By Stephen Webster
Investigative Reporter
Publication date: May 2, 2006
For: The Lone Star Iconoclast

An Examination of the 9/11 Truth Movement, Part Three

At the height of the Cold War, America was a land cloaked in absolute fear. Arguably the closest we came to all out thermo-nuclear war was during those fateful 13 days, when the Soviets had missiles placed in Cuba, ready to hit American cities at the push of a button. Millions upon millions of lives hung in the balance. Literally moments before the orders were given, at the latest hour possible, Kennedy struck a deal. It was the defining moment of American diplomacy. We avoided Armageddon, and it was not the first time; nor will it be the last.

Most high school students can, with a little prompting, recall the key factors that guided the American plot to overthrow Castro during what our history textbooks call The Bay of Pigs Invasion. We trained rebel Cubans to initiate a coup, similar to our involvements in Iran during Regan’s contra scandal. See also: most South American socialist democracies – the Dominican Republic, Chile, Venezuela, Nicaragua, ET. Al.

But when the Bay of Pigs Invasion failed, Kennedy’s Joint Chiefs devised another plan. They decided it was necessary to find some sort of justification for military intervention in Cuba. Their scheme was called “Operation Northwoods.” The plan was classified for many years, but was finally made public on November 18, 1997. The John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board released it after repeated calls for the veil of secrecy surrounding the murder to be dropped. It is now available on the internet via the National Security Archive.

Drafted by Lyman Lemnitzer, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in conjunction with the Department of Defense, Northwoods suggested several routs of action to justify an invasion of Cuba. The suggestions Lemnitzer made to Kenndy included ...

“Land friendly Cubans in uniform ‘over the fence’ to stage an attack on [the U.S. base at Guantanimo Bay]. Start riots near the base main gate (friendly Cubans). Blow up ammunition inside the base; start fires. Burn aircraft on air base (sabotage). Lob mortar shells from outside of base into base. Some damage to installations. Capture assault teams approaching from the sea or vicinity of Guantanamo city. Capture militia group which storms the base. Sabotage ship in harbor; large fires – naphthalene. Sink ship near harbor entrance. Conduct funerals for mock-victims. “

It gets worse. Much worse. Lemnitzer also wrote ...

“We could blow up a US Ship in Guantanamo Bay and blame Cuba. We could blow up a drone (unmanned) vessel anywhere in the Cuban waters. We could arrange to cause such incident in the vicinity of Havana or Santiago as a spectacular result of Cuban attack from the air or sea, or both. The US could follow up with an air/sea rescue operation covered by US fighters to ‘evacuate’ remaining members of the non-existent crew. Casualty lists in US newspapers would cause a helpful wave of national indignation. We could develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington. The terror campaign could be pointed at Cuban refugees seeking haven in the United States. We could sink a boatload of Cubans enroute to Florida (real or simulated). We could foster attempts on lives of Cuban refugees in the United States even to the extend of wounding in instances to be widely publicized. Exploding a few plastic bombs in carefully chosen spots. “

Creeped out yet? Now, the freefall ...

“MIG type aircraft by US pilots could provide additional provocation. Harassment of civil air, attacks on surface shipping and destruction of US military drone aircraft by MIG type planes would be useful as complementary actions. An F-86 properly painted would convince air passengers that they saw a Cuban MIG, especially if the pilot of the transport were to announce such a fact. … [R]easonable copies of the MIG could be produced from US resources in about three months.”

And then, the train completely derails.

“Hijacking attempts,” wrote Lemnitzer, “against civil air and surface craft should appear to continue as harassing measures condoned by the government of Cuba. It is possible to create an incident which will demonstrate convincingly that Cuban aircraft has attacked and shot down a chartered civil airliner enroute from the United States to Jamaica, Guatemala, Panama or Venezuela. … The passengers could be a group of college students off on a holiday or any grouping of persons with a common interest to support chartering a non-scheduled flight. An aircraft at Eglin AFB [Air Force Base] would be painted and numbered as an exact duplicate for a civil registered aircraft belonging to a CIA proprietary organization in the Miami area. At a designated time the duplicate would be substituted for actual civil aircraft and would be loaded with the selected passengers, all boarded under carefully prepared aliases. The actual registered aircraft would be converted to a drone.”

“Take off time for the drone aircraft and the actual aircraft will be scheduled to allow a rendezvous south of Florida. From the rendezvous point the passenger-carrying aircraft will descend to minimum altitude and go directly into an auziliary field at Englin AFB where arrangements will have been made to evacuate the passengers and return the aircraft to its original status. The drone aircraft meanwhile will continue to fly the filed flight plan. When over Cuba the drone will being transmitting on the international distress frequency a “MAY DAY” message stating he is under attack by Cuban MIG aircraft. The transmission will be interrupted by destruction of the aircraft which will be triggered by radio signal.”

He goes on for a bit, fleshing out several prior ideas. Then, on page 11 of the 12 page document, he writes …

“It is possible to create an incident which will make it appear that Communist Cuban MIGs have destroyed a USAF aircraft over international waters in an unprovoked attack. … At precisely the same time that the aircraft was presumably shot down a submarine or small surface craft with disburse F-101 parts, parachute, etc., at approximately 15 to 20 miles off the Cuban coast and depart. The pilots returning to Homestead would have a true story as far as they knew. Search ships and aircraft could be dispatched and parts of the aircraft found.”

“It is understood that the Department of State also is preparing suggested courses of action to develop justification for US military intervention in Cuba.”

Operation Northwoods was given to Kennedy on March 13, 1962. Days later, the plan’s author, Lemnitzer, was personally removed from the Joint Chiefs by the president. Before this happened, the Pentagon got in on the action. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara suggested a plan called Operation Mongoose which, among other things, advocated paying someone within Castro’s government to attack America. All of this material and more is discussed at length in the book “Body of Secrets” by James Bamford.

I have taken the liberty of uploading the full Northwoods document to the web, found here in PDF format. Please, don’t take my word for it. Read it for yourself. Operation Northwoods is cited by many among the 9/11 Truth Movement as historical precedent; reason to question the government’s story of what really happened on Sept. 11, 2001. Some go a little further than that. I do not.

However, the Gulf of Tonkin attacks which started the Vietnam War should be taken into consideration under this pretext. Allegedly, Vietnamese gun ships fired on the USS C. Turner Joy and the USS Maddox in what America considered to be international waters. This happened less than one year after Kennedy’s assassination. In November 2005, the National Security Agency released hundreds of documents related to the Gulf of Tonkin attacks. Among them was an article written by agency historian Robert J. Hanyok. The document is titled "Skunks, Bogies, Silent Hounds, and the Flying Fish: The Gulf of Tonkin Mystery, 2-4 August 1964." He claims that, like the Iraq war, evidence denying the attacks had occurred was excluded when it was presented to decision makers.

In 2001, a taped conversation between Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and recently-appointed President Johnson was released to the public. Recorded just weeks after The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed (thereby starting the war), McNamara told Johnson he did not think the attacks ever occurred. What followed was, as you likely know, one of the most turbulent times this nation has ever experienced.

As for your Faithful Muckraker, I just don’t know what to think. All of the materials I have been digesting over for the last few months prove quite a bit, but also seem to assume even more. I am not saying that our government attacked us. I am saying that at one point in time, it was considered. And those plans sound an awful lot like what we saw on 9/11. Assumption is not an option, so I am only left with questions.

During the lead-up to our invasion of Iraq, Bush and Blair discussed flying U2 reconnaissance aircraft painted in U.N. colors over Iraq, hoping to provoke Saddam into firing, thereby violating U.N. resolutions and establishing a pretext for war. This was reported by The New York Times on March 27, 2006. Does this sound familiar to you?

Now is the time to question everything (my own writings included). If you believe Bush lied about Iraq’s WMD’s, why would you believe everything his hand-selected committee reported? There must be an independent investigation into these painful, burning questions. If the Democrats regain a majority in the House, Senate or both this November, we must lobby them, hard, for a new investigation.

Prominent minds within the 9/11 Truth Movement have called for American 9/11 skeptics to march with Civil Rights and Anti-War protesters. They ask supporters to wear black shirts or armbands, and carry signs that simply read “Re-Investigate 9/11!” It is time for these questions to be asked from coast to coast.

What really happened on the most important day in America’s history?

I don’t know, but someone does. It is our duty, and within our power as members of this still free nation, to find out.

Stephen Webster is an Investigative Reporter and Syndicated Columnist with The News Connection, a Staff Columnist with George W. Bush’s hometown weekly The Lone Star Iconoclast, and a former Contributor to The Dallas Morning News’ Science & Technology section. For more of Webster’s musings, visit GonzoMuckraker.BlogSpot.com.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Friday, April 28, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Approval rating of the Republican Congress just 22 percent

NBC/Wall Street Journal put out a new poll today.

Basically, everyone hates Republicans. Well, almost everyone. An excerpt ...
According to the poll, just 22 percent approve of the job Congress is doing, a drop of 11 points since March. “That’s a lot of movement in a four- to six-week period,” says McInturff, the GOP pollster, who attributes the drop to a sharp decline in approval by Republican respondents.
HOWEVER, this is found in the paragraphs below ...
Asked to rank the top one or two reasons for their disapproval of Congress, 44 percent say they are tired of Democrats and Republicans fighting with each other, 36 percent say Congress doesn’t seem to get that much done, and 34 percent say members are corrupt and unethical.

How will that anger play out in November’s midterm elections? Forty-five percent of registered voters say they prefer Democrats controlling Congress, compared with 39 percent who say they want Republicans in charge. That six-point Democratic advantage, however, is smaller than the 13-point advantage Democrats held in March or the nine-point advantage they had in January.

People have really come to hate the fake parties. When both arms are connected to the same body, you have no real choice in who picks you up/knocks you down. I read a poll earlier today (wish I'd saved the link) that projected less than 21 percent of the country voting for a Republican, and less than 30 percent of the country voting for a Democrat, if an Independent or Third-Party candidate were to step up in 2008 with a clear focus on border security.

The time has come. Which third party will make a power play? We need one, desperately. This double-headed dragon shit is not working. I'm a liberal, but I'd be more than happy to support a strong, non-party moderate, even if I disagree with much of that person's platform. ANYTHING to break this collusive monopoly that has gripped our system of politics.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Thursday, April 27, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

WHAT?

This is just too much.

Bush has signed a bill that did not pass the House of Representatives! He just made a law illegally. Unconstitutionally. And the Democrats are suing. Good for them.

On Feb. 5, Bush signed an alternate version of his own budget bill (the one that saddles every American taxpayer with an excess of $30,000 of debt). Problem is, the House never voted on this altered version. He signed the bill into a law without approval of our Congress!

Congressman Conyers fired a salvo at the Bush Administration, yelling from the House floor, "Everyone who has passed the sixth grade knows that before a bill can become a law, both Houses of Congress must approve it. That the Bush Administration would say otherwise underscores the Constitutional crisis we are facing in this country."

The list of legislators who have joined the suit is long, so I nabbed Raw Story's compiliation ...
Joining Conyers in the suit are ...

Rep. John Dingell, Ranking Member on the Energy and Commerce Committee; Rep. Charles B. Rangel, Ranking Member on the Ways and Means Committee; Rep. George Miller, Ranking Member on the Education and Workforce Committee; Rep. James L. Oberstar, Ranking Member on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; Rep. Barney Frank, Ranking Member on the Financial Services Committee; Rep. Collin C. Peterson, Ranking Member on the Agriculture Committee; Rep. Bennie Thompson, Ranking Member on the Homeland Security Committee; Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, Ranking Member on the Rules Committee; Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark, Ranking Member on the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee; Rep. Sherrod Brown, Ranking Member on the Commerce Health Subcommittee. The Congressmen are represented by Dykema Gossett PLLC and Professor Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional expert at Duke Law School.
More here.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Thursday, April 27, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Shortcut to Getting Kinky in Argyle

Needed to upload a small image to be used as a shortcut to this article from your Muckraker's MySpace profile.

Here's the pic ...


Annnnndddd, here's the shortcut ... Read - Getting Kinky in Argyle

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 26, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Getting Kinky in Argyle

Getting Kinky in Argyle
By Stephen Webster
Investigative Reporter
For: The News Connection, The Lone Star Iconoclast
Publication date(s): April 28; May 2

According to Independent Gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman, Texas is in such bad shape that the electoral contest is no longer politician versus politician, where ideas compete for dominance among voters. Instead, the new theme of the battle for Texas Governor will come down to one rather simple human trait: apathy. The last Governor’s election in the state only drew 21 percent of registered voters to the polls. And the Democratic and Republican primaries, held this past March, resulted in a meager five percent turnout. “It is not about Kinky Friedman versus Rick Perry, or Kinky Friedman versus Carole Strayhorn,” insists Friedman. “It is about Kinky Friedman versus apathy. If we can get 21 percent up to 40 percent, I’m the Governor.”

The campaign's documentary film crew (left) rolls camera as I (middle) conduct my interview with The Kinkster Himself (right).
Photo by Annette Weir

Yes, Kinky is a character alright. Frequently appearing in boots with blue jeans, a black coat and a 10-gallon Stinson, Friedman is a man not afraid to light his cigar in public. However unconventional he may seem to some, his campaign has taken a much more serious tone over the last few months. Since he is running as an Independent, in order to get his name on the ballot, state law requires him to collect 45,540 signatures from registered voters who skipped the primary elections.

From the look of things, the Kinky Train has reached terminal velocity. Having collected over 100,000 signatures, all that remains is verification and certification by the Secretary of State. Then, the real campaign begins.

On Saturday, April 22, Kinky Friedman was at a private residence in Argyle for a fundraiser. The bluegrass band Baloney Moon entertained a crowd of about 60 people while this reporter sat down with the Kinkster for a one-on-one chat.

Stephen Webster, The News Connection: “So Kinky, tell me how your campaign is progressing.”

Kinky Friedman: “Well, I think it’s out of control, which is a good thing. The petition drive is doing very, very well. We’re very close to 100,000, but we may even be over that number. After [May 11] we’ll be on the ballot. From then on, I think the peasants are coming with pitchforks in November. I really do.”

TNC: “What kind of response have you been getting from mainline Republicans in Texas?”

KF: “Well, I don’t know who’s mainline and who’s not anymore. The people we meet are mad as hell and they’re not gonna take it anymore. I think an equal number of Republicans and Democrats have already come over to our side, and it is growing every day. We’ve got over 5,000 volunteers signed up on our website, but there are so many more than that. The petition drive process was designed to keep us off the ballot. In 147 years, no one has done it. And, ah, it is a daunting task because you can’t do it online. They don’t do anything to make it easy. Then, you’ve got to notarize the signatures as you go. But it has worked very well for us. The same device they tried to keep us off the ballot with has actually put us on the map. I think we’ve got a real grass-roots organization going, as opposed to [Independent candidate Carole] Strayhorn, who has spent a lot of money on this and hired several big, out of state firms to do it for her.”

TNC: “Lately, gas prices have been nearly unaffordable for a lot of Texans. Talk to me about ethanol and biodiesel production.”

KF: “This is something that Willie Nelson and I want to do together. When I’m Governor, the first thing I’ll do is put 35,000 school busses on biodiesel. Willie will be the energy chief, and in a very short amount of time he will have the eight or 10 percent of Texans we need on biodiesel. The way to do it, of course, is to help the biodiesel co-ops; build them all along the highways so farmers have work – fuel you can grow. Then we can be like Brazil: energy independent. Like Iceland. Like Penn State University, which is totally biodiesel run. It will give us a chance to be number one in renewable fuels, solar power, and wind power … To be number one in something besides executions, toll roads and property taxes. That is what Texas needs. And we can do it.”

"Ask not if you're proud of Texas," reads the shirt. "Ask if you've made Texas proud of you."
Photo by Stephen Webster

TNC: “Education reform is a big issue. What is the biggest problem facing the Texas education system?”

KF: “(sighs) Well, the human component is always important. A lot of politicians don’t care about education – especially public education. But, as LBJ said, ‘education is not a problem. Education is an opportunity.’ You’ve got to pay for that opportunity, and you can’t do it with one-time money, which they’re always trying to. You need a permanent revenue stream. The way to do that is legalize casino gambling. We invented Texas Hold ‘Em and we can’t even play it here! Its just not even common sense to let Oklahoma and New Mexico and Louisiana take all the money out of Texas. So, legalize casino gambling, take sports funding out of the education budget and let the corporate sector bid on high school stadiums and athletic directors. We have a plan called Trust for Texas Heroes which is a one percent surcharge on big gas and big oil. That’ll generate $2-3 billion a year. Add that to the $3-5 billion that casino gambling will bring in and you’ve got your $8 billion which you need. $8 billion would do it. That would raise teacher salaries up to the national average, maybe even higher. It would lower property taxes. It is what needs to be done. The only reason it is not being done right now is the far Religious Right in this state is holding it back. Just as the far politically-correct left wing of this state is making people feel uncomfortable when they say Merry Christmas. This state is too big to be held back by the far left and the far right.”

TNC: “You have proposed giving 15 percent of 2004’s property taxes back to the homeowners. What is wrong with our appraisal system?

KF: “Now its more than that. Now it is $82 billion, I understand. It wasn’t $4.3 billion. The latest figures are coming out, and it is over $8 billion. And the problem is that Carole Strayhorn [formerly the Texas state Comptroller of Public Accounts] can’t count right. I don’t know what else to say. She’s in charge of counting and she can’t count right. And it all happened under Rick Perry’s watch. She’s blaming him and he’s blaming her. Meanwhile they’re calling it a ‘budget surplus.’ Well, it ain’t a budget surplus, it is Texans being over taxed! Period! That’s exactly what it is and the money should go back to them. That’s what I think.”

TNC: “Are you aware of the issues we’ve had in Denton County with our appraisal system?”

KF: “No.”

TNC: “[The News Connection] has run a series of 20 articles dealing with that issue. Our appraisal district is simply over charging people. They seem to have no regard for that 10 percent cap on increased home evaluations. They’re taking homesteads and raising them 20, 30, even 50 percent anyway.”

KF: “Well, it is not a surprise. That doesn’t surprise me at all. But, I mean, $8 billion is a little shocking. We all know that property taxes are out of whack, but this is a bit much. I don’t think they are going to give that money back. They are going to spend it on frivolous things. I think the money should go back to the people who paid it.”

TNC: “You seem to have taken on a different tone in your campaign. At first you relied pretty heavily on what a lot of people were calling one-liners. Now, it seems that you really hit the issues and go in-depth on what you care about. What brought about that change?”

KF: “I think everybody in politics and the public eye uses one-liners. The other guys use ‘em too, but they’re just not as humorous and they’re not as memorable. So, when I say something like, ‘never re-elect anybody,’ well, there’s a bit of truth to that. If we never re-elected anybody we’d have what the founding fathers wanted. We’d have what George Washington wanted. What’s so bad about that? Why do you have people like Perry and Strayhorn hanging on to politics for 59 years? Putting them together, they have 59 years in political life. That’s way too much! That’s the problem. Those are the people that got the train off the track and into the ditch. You can’t expect that they’re gonna come back and fix it, can you? I mean, why would they? How could they? It has got to be someone from the outside who does it. I say, get the politicians out of politics. If we can do that, we’re on our way.”

After his speech, Friedmen spent most of his time talking to people, signing copies of his many mystery novels, and puffing on his cigar.
Photo by Stephen Webster

TNC: “You said that if you are elected, you will only serve one term.”

KF: “Yes. That’s all it will need.”

TNC: “Just one term?”

KF: “Yep. Besides, after that I’ll be too old. Right now, I’m 61: too young for medicare, too old for women to care.”

TNC: (Laughter)

KF: “But I care.”

TNC: “So, what other issues are key to your campaign?”

KF: “Political reform, criminal justice, the border and immigration – which everybody is now talking about. Even Rick Perry is talking about it. Of course, it is an election year. It is a positive thing that he’s discovered that we have a border with Mexico. That’s good. I fight against political correctness. This is not a joke. People have to decide if they think political correctness is important. If they do, they should vote for one of the other three candidates. All of them are very politically correct. They have to be. I don’t know. I value personal honesty and truth more.”

TNC: “What did you make of the 500,000 people marching through Dallas a couple weeks ago?”

KF: “Well, I was talking to Senator John McCain [R-AZ] a couple weeks ago - the first time I’d met him – over at A&M. I told him that I wasn’t afraid to offend people, and that’s why I thought I should be Governor. I’m not afraid of 500,000 Hispanics marching in Dallas. He says that is the biggest problem that we have; that politicians are afraid of offending anybody, so they don’t do anything and they don’t want to take a stand on anything or say anything. I have yet to meet a Hispanic, and I’ve talked to a lot of them, that doesn’t appreciate being told the truth, that doesn’t appreciate someone who cares about education. Education is the word. Educate their kids. They want a safe border. They want jobs. They don’t want their jobs taken away by illegals either. Most of them I talk to pretty much agree with John McCain. I pretty much fall between John McCain and [Governor] Bill Richardson [D-NM], two people that Rick Perry has not consulted at all. They believe that illegals should not get to the front of the line if they’ve cut in. People have died to get U.S. citizenship. People have waited a lifetime and still didn’t get it. What are we gonna do? Let 11 million people who have cut in line have a free pass? Absolutely not. They can be on the pathway to legalization, but we’re gonna make it difficult for them. It is not going to be easy. Then, they’ll get to the back of the line.”

TNC: “How did you feel about the felony provision of the Republican immigration bill, H.R. 4437?”

KF: “I don’t know much about it. They made it a felony, or it is a felony …You know, they’re getting screwed anyway. Everyone is getting screwed but [Mexican President] Vicente Fox. Just remember that, okay? He is doing well. He likes the system as it is. You’re familiar with the Five Mexican Generals plan? Well, I talked about that with George Bush Sr. and McCain. McCain already knew all about the Five Mexican Generals plan, so I told it to George Bush. He was kinda chuckling about it and McCain made an interesting observation about it. He leaned forward and said, ‘The Five Mexican Generals plan is probably better than anything we’ve got going right now. That’s what I’m talking about. This is not the sense of humor, even though McCain has one. This is truth. It is a better plan than what we’ve got going right now. All I’m saying is that we’re gonna have to think unconventionally. We’re gonna have to do something that is unconventional and compassionate. We don’t want people dying on the sidewalks in front of out hospitals, you know? Nor do we want to finance these people by ourselves. We want the Mexican government to step up and do their fair share. So, because Perry has swept it under the rug for six years, now we’re following New Mexico. Now we’re letting New Mexico work out the policy. One of the poorest, least-populates states in America has a visionary Governor, Bill Richardson, who happens to be a Democrat. And Texas will probably be adapting Bill Richardson’s policies as we move along. If we do, it’ll be a good thing. Except, we should have done it six years ago. They’ve got joint border patrols working. They’ve got federal money coming in. They’ve been focused on this for a year and a half, two years. I’ve been focused on it since last February, a year and a half ago almost. We’ve been talking about [a lot of] different programs, but it isn’t a one-way street, you know? Remember the Alamo. Lets defend our own borders here in Texas. Lets fix Texas first. I don’t like illegals getting screwed either. I don’t like anybody getting screwed. I don’t like the roofing contractor in Houston that works illegals then calls the border patrol when the payrolls are due. They just pick ‘em up and take ‘em back. That’s not fair. At the moment, we’ve got our work to do to make sure that Vicente Fox pays his share of what we’re now paying for healthcare, education and everything else.”

Friedman, on stage with local bluegrass band Baloney Moon, gave an impassioned speech that drew a strong reaction from the crowd.
Photo by Stephen Webster

TNC: “So, how would we deal with the estimated 11 million illegals?”

KF: “Well, that’s a federal problem. I don’t know what they’re going to do about it. As far as Texas is concerned, I would say that they should speak English before they become American citizens. They should pay a fine for coming in our country illegally. They’re paying taxes right now, most of them, but they’ll never see that money helping them. The whole system is unbalanced and unfair, and it needs to be overhauled. But it is more important to Texas than it would be in a place like Rhode Island, you know? It is real important here. God knows what is coming through that border right now, in the way of drugs and gangs or terrorists. That’s what happens when you neglect the border for so long. That is why you find dead bodies in cargo container trucks: because you neglected the border. So, the more attention we can focus on it the better. Two reasons that I figure why Rick Perry hasn’t even spoken to [Arizona Governor] Janet Nepalitano or Bill Richardson – it could be that they’re Democrats and he’s a Republican, or it could be that he wants to leave Hispanics alone because he’s afraid of them, and he thinks they’re beginning to move to his side. So does George W. [They think] they’re beginning to turn Republican and they don’t want to get in the way of that by trying to do anything to illegals that would scare off half a million people from the Republican party. And the Democrats just don’t know what to do. The Hispanics here in Texas know what to do. They appreciate truth like anybody else. When I was in the valley, two months ago, three times I was asked the question by Hispanics: ‘What are we gonna do with all these Mexicans coming over here?’ If I went to Austin and said, ‘What are we gonna do with all these Mexicans coming over here?’ people would say, ‘He’s a racist!’ (Laughs) But you listen to the Hispanics saying ‘What are we gonna do with all these Mexicans?’ That’s a logical question, isn’t it? So what are we gonna do? Well, we’d better figure it out. I don’t have all the answers, but I know one thing. If you ignore the border, you ignore it at your peril. The border and education are the two biggest issues facing all of us. Gay marriage is not facing all of us, okay? That’s one that if we’d tackled it or not tackled it, it wouldn’t have made any damn difference. So while the Governor has been wasting time and money – our money – on banning gay marriage, I believe that education and the border have been neglected severely in Texas. That needs to be addressed.”

TNC: “You also said that law enforcement is an issue close to you. How do you feel about how that arm of the government is handled in Texas?”

KF: “Well, I think cops, firemen, teachers and the troops, the veterans, are the foremost important groups of people in this society. Other people contribute, of course. But they are right on the front lines. The teachers, the cops, the firefighters and the veterans, arguably the most important. All of them are underpaid. All of them are not honored. The troops, as soon as they come home, are forgotten. Teachers are treated like shit in Texas; very badly. It is cynical to say that we care about education when we’re treating our teachers this badly. And it is not just the salaries. Everything is going against them. The whole system – teaching to the test – is killing education. For one thing, it is not educating kids. It is turning out a whole generation of kids who’ve never heard of Mark Twain ‘cause he’s not on the test. That is a flawed concept. That’ll get you out of teaching fast, if you’re smart. We’ve got to get rid of teaching to the test. We’ve got to make a lot of fundamental changes. We’ve got to get money fueling the system. Then, maybe we’ll have a chance, by putting the teachers back in charge.”

Friedman on Iraq - "[W]e attacked the wrong 'I-country.'"
Photo by Stephen Webster

TNC: “You have said we need to make more room in jail for pedophiles and perverts and let some of the pot heads out because they are not hurting anybody. Does that mean you want to reform our marijuana laws?”

KF: “Yes. I think the War on Drugs has failed. I talked to McCain about that as well. He agrees. He told me that cocaine in Phoenix now is cheaper, better and more available than it has ever been. If that is any example of how it is across the country, the War on Drugs has failed. It has also failed because we’ve now got more prisoners than the entire population of Alaska in our jails here in Texas. As you know, the majority of them are non-violent druggies who should be in rehab. Every neighborhood has a sexual predator. Every single one of them. Every time the reason is given: Why is the guy out? Well, he was in for three months but they couldn’t hold him or they didn’t have room. What do you mean they didn’t have room for him? What’s going on here? So, let’s make room for them. Let’s get some of the druggies out. (Laughs) You know, I’m not going to be able to take a very hard stance on drugs with Willie Nelson being in my cabinet. So, I won’t actually be able to take any draconian measures. But, I don’t think that drugs are the issue here in Texas. I don’t think handguns is. I don’t think abortion is. I think education is, and the border. Those are the biggies. And I’m not very happy with the pardons and parole board either. I want to look at that one. As far as I know, those guys are getting paid an upwards of $80,000 a year or more a piece – there’s 18 of them – and I only found out recently that when a man dies here in Texas, which has been on the average of about one every two weeks, these guys don’t even meet. They don’t even call. They fax it in. They have their secretaries fax in their vote. They fax it in from the deli. I am not happy with that. I asked the question: ‘When was the last time a rich man was executed in Texas?’ The answer, of course, is never. So, if the system is that imperfect, I think we’d better review it, because it is the same system that killed Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago, which was imperfect too. What have we learned in 2,000 years?”

TNC: “To wrap it up, I have one final question. It doesn’t directly pertain to the Texas Governor’s office, but it affects a lot of Texans nonetheless …”

KF: “Oh, I’m sorry. I can’t answer any more questions. (Laughter) Yeah, sure. Fire away.”

TNC: “How do you feel about the Iraq war?”

FK: “Well, I think everybody is pretty well agreeing now that we attacked the wrong ‘I-country.’ It’s a mess and we’re stuck. It’s a tar baby. We can’t get out. We can’t just pull out. So, what do we do? I would leave it to military men. I’d leave it to men like Dick Cheney. Who, ah … By the way, I want to stand up for Dick’s hunting accident. You know, I actually think it is a pretty fitting end to a long, distinguished military career. But, we’ll leave it up to Dick Cheney to work it out. He got us in … maybe he can get us out. But, I’m running for Governor, not King. So, that’s really not my problem.”

For more information about Kinky Friedman, or to sign his petition and put him on the Texas ballot in November, see KinkyFriedman.com.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 26, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

New Kinky toon!

Hey Texans. You know, 'round these parts, government has been business as usual for a long time. The Good 'ole Boys have been running things for a little too long, if you ask me. I'm for Kinky Friedman, if you know what I mean. And I think you should be, too.

Do me this favor -- even if you are a mainline Republican or Democrat, check out this advertisement. Just click the pic below and it'll take you right there. It'll really shock you, how deeply this guy's message can touch your sensibilities as a Texan. So watch it, then go sign The Kinkster's Petition so he can get on the Texas ballot this November!

Can you spot the celeberties in this ad?

Check it out: Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, Bruce Robison, Kelly Willis, Pat Green, and the Dixie Chicks all contributed to the song "Save Yourself for Kinky (and save our friggin' state)" and by-God, it is a great little piece.

Watch it and pass it on!

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 26, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

He said WHAT?

The White House has just hired Fox "News" editorialist Tony Snow as the new press secretary.

Interesting that they would hire a member of the media to tell you what they want you to hear. Says something powerful about Fox News. But, it also says something powerful about how worried some people are about the Bush Bubble. You know, the idea that he is isolated and surrounded by Yes Men. It appears as though Snow will not be a Yes Man.

What has he said about Bush in the past? Check it out (courtesy Think Progress)...

– Bush has “lost control of the federal budget and cannot resist the temptation to stop raiding the public fisc.” [3/17/06]

– “George W. Bush and his colleagues have become not merely the custodians of the largest government in the history of humankind, but also exponents of its vigorous expansion.” [3/17/06]

– “President Bush distilled the essence of his presidency in this year’s State of the Union Address: brilliant foreign policy and listless domestic policy.” [2/3/06]

– “George Bush has become something of an embarrassment.” [11/11/05]

– Bush “has a habit of singing from the Political Correctness hymnal.” [10/7/05]

– “No president has looked this impotent this long when it comes to defending presidential powers and prerogatives.” [9/30/05]

– Bush “has given the impression that [he] is more eager to please than lead, and that political opponents can get their way if they simply dig in their heels and behave like petulant trust-fund brats, demanding money and favor — now!” [9/30/05]

– “When it comes to federal spending, George W. Bush is the boy who can’t say no. In each of his three years at the helm, the president has warned Congress to restrain its spending appetites, but so far nobody has pushed away from the table mainly because the president doesn’t seem to mean what he says.” [The Detroit News, 12/28/03]

– “The president doesn’t seem to give a rip about spending restraint.” [The Detroit News, 12/28/03]

– “Bush, for all his personal appeal, ultimately bolstered his detractors’ claims that he didn’t have the drive and work ethic to succeed.” [11/16/00]

– “Little in the character of demeanor of Al Gore or George Bush makes us say to ourselves: Now, this man is truly special! Little in our present peace and prosperity impels us to say: Give us a great man!” [8/25/00]

– “George W. Bush, meanwhile, talks of a pillowy America, full of niceness and goodwill. Bush has inherited his mother’s attractive feistiness, but he also got his father’s syntax. At one point last week, he stunned a friendly audience by barking out absurd and inappropriate words, like a soul tortured with Tourette’s.” [8/25/00]

– “He recently tried to dazzle reporters by discussing the vagaries of Congressional Budget Office economic forecasts, but his recitation of numbers proved so bewildering that not even his aides could produce a comprehensible translation. The English Language has become a minefield for the man, whose malaprops make him the political heir not of Ronald Reagan, but Norm Crosby.” [8/25/00]

– “On the policy side, he has become a classical dime-store Democrat. He gladly will shovel money into programs that enjoy undeserved prestige, such as Head Start. He seems to consider it mean-spirited to shut down programs that rip-off taxpayers and mislead supposed beneficiaries.” [8/25/00]

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 26, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

The war on the Internet is REAL

And you can fight back.

A good source of info on this topic can be found here.

MoveOn has a petition running. Sign it, regardless of your political affiliation.

Keep the people's internet FREE!

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 25, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Oh? Corrupt Democrat? My STARS!

Okay, so I'm not shocked at all. In fact, I'm sort of relieved. Corruption is not a partisan issue. At least the reality of that is starting to be reflected in our oxymoronic system of "justice."

From Raw Story ...
Twelve-term House Democrat Alan Mollohan (D-WV) -- who just recently stepped down as the ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee -- is now facing scrutiny from the FBI in West Virginia and Washington in a probe seeking to ascertain whether the congressman improperly steered federal funds to personal projects, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday's page one.
I say: take him down.

Then again, why not take all these bastards down? It needs to happen. Time to Clean the House.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 25, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Some relief, maybe?

Gas prices are ABSURD. We can all agree on this, despite our political differences.

Today, George W. Bush announced that we will stop filling the strategic oil reserve in order to reduce prices. That is a good thing. Good job, W. Yes, I am complimenting our president. This is the first time.

However, I seem to remember this being discussed once before. I believe it was during the year 2000, a few months before Bush v. Gore took center stage. Sure, it was a different time. Some may even say it was a different world. Circumstances were not as dire as they are today, but the dookie was still flying off those fan blades in record quantities.

If I am not mistaken (and I'm not), Gore proposed stopping the flow of excess oil into the strategic reserves in order to lower prices at the pump. In fact, I've got a CNN transcript of what then Governor Bush said in response to Gore's plan.

What was it, exactly, that Bush said six years ago?

Ah, yes. Here it is.
"The Strategic Reserve is an insurance policy meant for a sudden disruption of our energy supply or for war. Strategic Reserve should not be used as an attempt to drive down oil prices right before an election. It should not be used for short-term political gain at the cost of long-term national security."
Burn, baby. Burn. He did the right thing, at the megar cost of poking another hole in his credibility. Not like his rep isn't riddled with bullet-holes aready, but SHEESH! He is doing exactly what he criticised others for proposing. And right before an election, at that.

Hypocrite.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 25, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Chong: "I know Dick Cheney's Secret Service guys smoke pot."

"The reason I know is because I sold them bongs," said Chong at Friday's NORML conference in San Francisco.

Pardon me while I chuckle. The story is in The Times-Standard Online.

Chong added, "The dangerous thing about tweekers is that they can take things apart, but they can't put them back together again. That's what George Bush has done to this country."

Amen, brother. And you might be right about that tweeker thing. They tend to have a problem with twitching jaws. And involuntary movements of the upper body.

Snoogans. I'll keep my sobriety, thanks.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 25, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Spinning classes?

I just read this story on Drudge Report. The headline: Gym instructor mocks Bush in front of First Daughters. So, everybody panic, someone excercised their first ammendment rights in front of the Chief's pill-popping, alcoholic daughters. I'm so freaking sad.

Anyway, what struck me as odd about this story is the gym teacher's position at this D.C. club. Drudge says ...
A spinning instructor at Washington, DC's Sports Club/LA mocked President Bush without realizing (believe it or not) that the first daughters were in his class!
So, let's examine this a little more closely. The president's daughters were taking ... SPINNING CLASSES?

Seriously.

SPINNING CLASSES?

He was mocking the wrong person!

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 25, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Shameless Self-Promotion

Yeah, we're all guilty of it. But as a writer, promoting yourself, especially on the internet, is important. At least, it is if I ever want to make more money than I already do. And we all know the answer to that question.

Anyway, all talk of money aside, I've got a little success to share this morning. Not only is it my 23rd birthday today, April 25, 2006 -- I also got a nice email this morning notifying me that Peace Journalism has picked up Easter in Crawford.

Interestingly, when I went to their main page, I discovered my name above Jimmy Carter and John Kerry. It is ironic that today I am wearing one of Kerry's t-shirts from the campaign. Anyway, I took a screen grab of the link on their main portal. I thought it was kind of nice. Click the image for the story.


Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 25, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Monday, April 24, 2006

An Open Letter to Congressman Burgess

The Webster Retort
By Stephen Webster
Investigative Reporter
For: The News Connection
Publication date: April 28, 2006

An Open Letter to Congressman Burgess

Dear Congressman Burgess,

As you probably know, your constituents are going through a tough time. Gas prices have reached an insane level, and it only looks to get worse as the summer hums along. Likewise, energy prices are soaring, and the rolling blackouts will only continue while market deregulation is up for grabs this November. Arguably the largest voting block in this state, our Latino brothers and sisters, are getting fed up with the Republican rhetoric about how they are criminals, even if many did nothing wrong at all. Likewise, we have completely neglected our borders in this, a very unstable time.

Looking over your list of contributors, one cannot help but wonder what it is like to enjoy the support of today’s Reigning Oligarchs. Corporations like TXU, AT&T, Pfizer and General Electric are not your constituents, nor do they represent any of those who reside in your district. Despite this, your War Chest is full of their dollars; your head full of their agendas; your votes directed by their financial interests.

Why, think of it! Touting “Conservative Values” will get you only so far. Big talk requires bold action, yet you voted for the Bush Budget, which authorized the accumulation of the most debt in the history of all this nation’s presidents, combined. With the passage of this deceptive bill, we, the citizens, are responsible for paying in excess of $30,000 per person. In the words of the Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery, “Billions more for war, but no more for the poor!”

You voted for President Bush’s “Medicare Part D” program, which caused over a dozen Governors in this nation to announce states of emergency because so many people were unable to get their prescriptions. Is that why Pfizer gave you so much money? So they can sell drugs at a higher price? Even our own Governor, who I am not so fond of, did the right thing and sued those who give your marching orders over this treacherous plot to hurt our most vulnerable.

Certainly you are aware of the ethics rules surrounding donations to congressional campaigns. One time contributions of up to, but not exceeding, $1,000 are allowable. Why then, did you give Tom DeLay’s Congressional Committee not one, but two $2,000 donations? And then, ON THE SAME DAY, you kicked an extra $5,000 for Tom DeLay’s “Legal Defense Trust.”

Don’t you know that he lobbied on behalf of the child labor and sex trades in the U.S. territory of Saipan? Don’t you know that his two former aids are close associates with Jack Abramoff? Your vote against strengthening U.S. House ethics rules in order to save DeLay’s seat of power will not be one that we, your constituents, will think upon with any kindness.

But let’s get to the core issues here, Doctor. Those who normally support you, in our beautiful corner of North Texas, are Christian. Those who mainline Republicans have duped through the issue of abortion now sit conflicted by the horrible war that your vote helped bring upon us. It is hard, really, to call abortion murder in a medical building, when you fail to do or say anything about bombing Iraqi children; or the use of Depleted Uranium that mutates Iraqi babies into terrifying effigies of nature run afoul; or the use of White Phosphorus, an internationally banned chemical weapon, against innocent civilians. Let’s not even mention the unspeakable, homoerotic mechanisms of torture created by our Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfield.

Please forgive me if I’m mistaken, but Christians follow the teachings of Christ, right? They still have it set up like that, last I checked. So, bear with me for a moment while I recall what many consider Christ at his most political. Let us dig up a few key passages from The Sermon on the Mount, shall we? Allow me to paraphrase from the New King James version …

“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. You shall not commit murder. But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. You cannot serve God and wealth. In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the law of the prophets. Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell – and great was its fall.”

Be aware, Congressman. The rainy season has only just begun.

Mahalo.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 24, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

In other news ...

NEWS FLASH - April 24, 2006

In Alternative News today, police in Freetown, Sierra Leone are searching for roughly 27 chimpanzees that killed one man and injured at least four others. CNN reports that the chimps escaped from the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary and attacked a vehicle carting several American passengers, among others.

The driver of the car, a Sierra Leone native, was killed as the chimps "ripped his body apart." Three Americans are in the local hospital for undisclosed injuries. Another man, also a Sierra Leone native, had to have his hands amputated after the monkey mauling.

Bystanders called the vehicle that the victims were in a "taxicab." Local officials could only speculate that the ape apes went mad at the sight of a giant, yellow banana on wheels.

In Alta, California, we have more evidence of mother nature's tracheary. In a scene torn straight from a horror film, a 27-year old man has fallen to his death when a giant hole suddenly opened up beneath him as he stood in his home's kitchen.

We couldn't make this stuff up.

At 9:30 p.m. on Friday, the floor of the man's house suddenly gave way and a "sinkhole" opened up beneath him. From the outside, his home looks completely normal. In his kitchen, a pit leading to a decades-old mine has engulfed him. The man's identity has yet to be confirmed as geologists are still testing the safety of the structure.

When contacted for more information, God responded saying, "Shit happens."

Indeed it does.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 24, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Impeachment is coming

Dun-dun-DUUNNNN!

Do you know much about Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives? If you are like me, you know very little about this text that governs the movements of our Representatives. However, Illinois State Rep. Karen Yarbrough (D-Marrywood) knows quite a bit about this manual. She has introduced a bill to the state legislature, House Joint Resolution 125, that falls under Jefferson's rules, Section 603, titled "Inception of Impeachment Proceedings in the House. "

That section reads (quoting here) ...
§603 Inception of Impeachment Proceeding in the House
In the House of Representatives there are various methods of setting an impeachment in motion: by charges made on the floor on the responsibility of a Member or Delegate (II, 1303; III, 2342, 2400, 2469; VI, 525, 526, 528, 535, 536); by charges preferred by a memorial, which is usually referred to a committee for examination (III, 2364, 2491, 2494, 249G, 2499, 2515; VI, 552); or by a resolution dropped in the hopper by a Member and referred to a committee (April 15, 1970, p. 11941-2); by a message from the President (III, 2294, 2319; VI, 498); by charges transmitted from the legislature of a State (III, 2469) or Territory (III, 2487) or from a grand jury (III, 2488); or from facts developed and reported by an investigating committee of the House (III, 2399, 2444).
So you see my friends, if the Illinois state legislature, controlled by Democrats, pass this bill, the United States House of Representatives will be forced to take up the measure as a privileged bill which takes precedent over other House duties.

As soon as news of this measure in the Illinois Legislature broke, California Assemblyman Paul Koretz of Los Angeles introduced Assembly Joint Resolution No. 39, which calls for the impeachment of the president under Jefferson's Manual. AJR39, first introduced in January, called for the hault of the use of Depleted Uranium weapons in Iraq. The Congressman has now gutted the bill and ammended it to support the impeachment of Bush and Cheney.

If either of these measures pass, we could be seeing the House of Representatives being forced into impeachment proceedings. The Chicago Sun Times takes on the matter, but lends a skeptical ear to Republicans. Said the paper ...

Jefferson wrote that there are various methods of setting an impeachment in motion, including "charges transmitted from the legislature of a State."

If Yarbrough's resolution passes the General Assembly, it would go to the U.S. House, where it likely would be referred to the Judiciary Committee, said a spokesman for the Committee on U.S. House Administration.

"It's up to that committee to decide what action it will take, if any," committee spokesman Jon Brandt said. "[The resolution] does not, in and of itself, start a process."

In closing, the battle is far from over. But impeachment activists have just won a resounding victory by getting these measures into state legislatures. Sounds like some Democrats still have spine. I say: good for them. You can't expect true progressive voters to support you unless you are, yourself, a progressive. And impeachment is what I call progress.

The text of the Illinois bill ...

WHEREAS, Section 603 of Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives allows federal impeachment proceedings to be initiated by joint resolution of a state legislature; and

WHEREAS, President Bush has publicly admitted to ordering the National Security Agency to violate provisions of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a felony, specifically authorizing the Agency to spy on American citizens without warrant; and

WHEREAS, Evidence suggests that President Bush authorized violation of the Torture Convention of the Geneva Conventions, a treaty regarded a supreme law by the United States Constitution; and

WHEREAS, The Bush Administration has held American citizens and citizens of other nations as prisoners of war without charge or trial; and

WHEREAS, Evidence suggests that the Bush Administration has manipulated intelligence for the purpose of initiating a war against the sovereign nation of Iraq, resulting in the deaths of large numbers of Iraqi civilians and causing the United States to incur loss of life, diminished security and billions of dollars in unnecessary expenses; and

WHEREAS, The Bush Administration leaked classified national secrets to further a political agenda, exposing an unknown number of covert U. S. intelligence agents to potential harm and retribution while simultaneously refusing to investigate the matter; and

WHEREAS, the Republican-controlled Congress has decline to fully investigate these charges to date; therefore be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the General Assembly of the State of Illinois has good cause to submit charges to the U. S. House of Representatives under Section 603 that the President of the United States has willfully violated his Oath of Office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States; and be it further

RESOLVED, That George W. Bush, if found guilty of the charges contained herein, should be removed from office and disqualified to hold any other office in the United States.

We will march on a road of bones.

Mahalo.

Additional resources ...

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-impeach24.html
http://www.impeachpac.org/
http://impeachpac.org/node/889
http://impeachpac.org/node/824

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 24, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Friday, April 21, 2006

Make love, not Unreal Tournament

Ha! Watch this. You will appreciate it much more if you are a fan of modern video games. If not, you won't care. But I'm an off-and-on gamer, so I dig it. Snoogans.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Friday, April 21, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Okay, now they're just being dicks

Look, I recognize the important role the Food and Drug Administration plays in our society. Without the FDA we'd probably have a lot more bad drug scares coming out of big pharma. Or, at least that is what I think. I have no facts to back that one up. Even still, I appreciate it. I do not think it is some sort of nebulous concept with no relation to reality -- like the Department of Justice. But still ...

Yesterday the FDA released a report on the medical properties of marijuana, and the "safety" of using it for medicinal purposes.

An excerpt from their "findings" ...
"[M]arijuana has a high potential for abuse, has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision."
So, it should remain illegal for our terminally ill patients ... because there is no accepted medical use treatment already set up? Am I missing something here, or is that a falacious argument? Also, "lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision"? Huh? This stuff is used more commonly around the world than wine (you know, fermented grapes?), and there is no "accepted safety" to use under the guidance of a doctor? I cannot ever remember reading about a single case of marijuana poisoning. Why is that? It has no known toxicity level in humans.

Let's be real - if you do drugs, pot is the safest. It is even less damaging than cigarettes, which are perfectly legal. You shouldn't do drugs ... but come on, a lot of people smoke pot. I would not advocate smoking pot for any reason, mostly because it is illegal and, ultimately, addictive. Then again, religion is addictive as well, and it is protected by our constitution. (But seriously, which has claimed more lives through human history - pot or "holinesss"? I kid because I love.)

FDA also says ...
"[There are] no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use."
So then, "no sound scientific studies", eh? Now we are being asked to believe that the six states that implimented M.M. programs did so on the basis of nothing? California (1979), Georgia (1980), Michigan (1979, 1982), New Mexico (1978), New York (1980), Tennessee (1981) have all approved the use of M.M. by their cancer patients. California's 1981 study returned saying, "Over 74 percent of the cancer patients treated in the program have reported that marijuana is more effective in relieving their nausea and vomiting than any other drug they have tried."

With the next study in California, that number rose to 78.9 percent. Studies in New York state and New Mexico had success ratings in the upper 90 percentile, and nobody fell ill or became addicted. In fact, they became healthier, because they could finally hold down food and be without dissolving pharma-chunks (pills) eating holes through their fragile digestive systems.

Ultimately, the California commission found that ...
"The California Program also has met its research objectives. Marijuana has been shown to be effective for many cancer chemotherapy patients, safe dosage levels have been established and a dosage regimen which minimizes undesirable side effects has been devised and tested."
I think I know why the FDA issued their "findings" yesterday.

They're assholes. It was 4/20.

And with no regard to the complete lack of substance or evidence to support their claims, they put out all of this stuff simply to spite those who smoke recreationally. And they did it under the guise of "safety" for possible medicinal users, all of whom are suffering from terrible diseases; all of whom could benefit greatly from this plant.

Oh, yeah. April 20, for those of you who never went to college, is a national pot smokers holiday, based on a strange series of events surrounding the band The Greatful Dead. You don't need to look any further than Cheech & Chong or Half Baked to catch the 4/20 symbolism. It is there, right in front of you, all the time.

So ... yeah, the FDA is being especially dickish by putting out that report on April 20. They know exactly what kind of statement they are making, and they think you don't.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Friday, April 21, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Send Christ's Sermon on the Mount to the White House

Alright, here's how it is. The Reverend Peter Johnson, who works for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (founded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), is asking every American to mail, email and fax Christ's Sermon on the Mount to the White House. So, I'm going to help those efforts.

I have already sent the sermon to the White House PR team, as well as the Vice President's office, via email. I also faxed the six-page document to the White House fax line. I want you to do the same. The full text of the sermon can be found below the White House contact information.

Mail the sermon to ...
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Fax the sermon to ...
White House Fax Line
(202) 456-2461

Email the sermon to ...
comments@whitehouse.gov
vice_president@whitehouse.gov

Copy and paste the FULL TEXT of the following into your message ...

Christ’s Sermon on the Mount
New King James version

A few helpful suggestions for the president ...
--------------------------------------------------

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying...

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

You have heard that the ancients were told, "You shall not commit murder" and "Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court."

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, "You good-for-nothing," shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, "You fool," shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery." But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

It was said, "Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce."

But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, "You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord."

But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

But let your statement be, "Yes, yes" or "No, no." Anything beyond these is of evil.

You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."

But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.

Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

Pray, then, in this way:

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom
and the power
and the glory forever.
Amen.

For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

Do not worry then, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What will we wear for clothing?" For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.


Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.

Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Many will say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness."

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell - and great was its fall.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Thursday, April 20, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

The Decider (the song)

This is freaking classic.


Courtesy of The Huffington Post (where I ganked the image above from), a new song titled "I am the Decider" has just hit the web. I love it! You will love it! Share it with your friends and family. Some lyrics ...

Sitting on my own brain, waiting for the end of days
Corporation profits, Bloody oil money
I'm above the law and I'll decide what's right or wrong

I am the egg head, I'm the Commander, I'm the Decider
Koo-Koo-Kachoo

Yes, it is set to the tune of The Beatles' "I am the Walrus". Click the picture above to listen to the track.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 19, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Easter in Crawford - the column

TNC is not going to publish the Easter in Crawford piece because it is not local interest. But that is okay. I mostly did it for myself. I needed a spiritual refresher. So, with that in mind, I cut out my favorite snippets from the article and made it into a well-rounded editorial. Here's the latest Webster Retort for this week's Connection ...

==============================================

The Webster Retort, April 21, 2006
By Stephen Webster
Investigative Reporter
For: The News Connection

Easter in Crawford

Hello once again, TNC readers. We’ve been right-full with the advertising lately, and my humble column has been bumped like a skullcap in a below-deck cabin on choppy seas. Good To Be Back. And if you remember what I was talking about last, you are probably wondering what happened to the 9/11 Truth series. All I can say is, watch the film Loose Change: Second Edition. You can view it free on the internet. My personal favorite venue is Google Video (video.google.com). Just search for the film’s title.

Okay. Back to Business.

On Easter Sunday, I was in Crawford, Texas, covering a story, a la freelance. On Friday, the Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery, who co-founded with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, came to town. Perhaps you remember one of Rev. Lowery’s more recent hits, uttered at the funeral of Coretta Scott King, in the presence of the Shrub family, the Clintons and Jimmy Carter.

Come on. You remember it. It was classic.

“We know there were no weapons of mass destruction over there, but there are weapons of misdirection right down here!” he said. “Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war billions more but no more for the poor!” Amen, Hallelujah and Mahalo. Couldn’t have said it better.

So, I went to Crawford to hear this man speak. Unfortunately, I was a day late. I was so discouraged that I missed him, I almost gave up on getting a story out of the experience. I’d been there before, so what could happen that I had not already seen?

The answer, in short, is … well, quite a bit.

I ended up writing a 4,725 word (that is 10+ pages in 12-point type) feature article in just one day. And to my great surprise, one of Rev. Lowery’s associates from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Rev. Peter Johnson, was giving a speech and invocation for that morning’s Easter service. Ironic, I thought, that Easter would be the same day as the peace house’s third anniversary.

Rev. Johnson’s words seared like fire, and his prayer moved several in the audience to tears. He pleaded with those in attendance to make copies of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount and mail them to the White House. He said he wanted to see their email servers crash from so much gospel, and he begged everyone to get their friends to do it too. I did it, and it felt pretty good. Won’t you join me?

I ended up meeting Cindy Sheehan and talking to her for about 10 minutes. I’ve got to say, even I had some preconceived notions about this woman. I am pleased to say that none of them were true. When I introduced myself, she gave me a giant hug. Just when I thought our embrace was done, she squeezed even tighter. Quite frankly, she is one of the most genuinely kind people I have ever met.

Perhaps the most powerful part of my Easter Sunday in Crawford was talking with the parents of fallen soldiers, as well as a few soldiers themselves. I talked to a guy named Geoff Reymillard, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. He told me he had been stationed with the Army’s 42nd Infantry in Tikrit, more commonly known as the northern axis of the Sunni Triangle; a hotbed violence.

“One of the experiences that has made the deepest impact on me, as far as being against the war in general, is that we have to understand the term Haji,” said Reymillard. “During Vietnam you had the term Gook, and today you have the term Haji. There was an incident one day where there was a traffic control point set up. This car sped at the traffic control point very quickly and a young private who was manning a .50 caliber machine gun fired into the car and killed all four of the family members. It was a mother, a father, and two children, both under the age of five. After they were killed it was sent up the chain. I went to a briefing that night and there were two Generals, two Colonels, and two Lieutenant Colonels. After it was briefed to them, a Colonel turns to the entire crowd and he says, and I quote, ‘if these (expletive) Haji’s would learn how to drive, that (expletive) wouldn’t happen.’”

He looked down and took a bite of his food, just shaking his head.

“What we are seeing here is an Iraqi no longer being a human,” he continued. “They become this Haji, just like they became Gooks in Vietnam, they have become Haji’s to our soldiers. Their deaths are not reported at all. They are all just chalked up to being insurgents. That is what happens over and over again. All the Iraqis being killed just ‘become’ insurgents. I just … I don’t know how you can be in favor of that at all.”

The piece I wrote is way too long for newsprint. I think I did it more for myself than anything; you know, exorcising the demons. But if you would like to read it, just send me an email – swebster@thenewsconnection.com. I’ll be more than happy to send it your way.

In the mean time, find yourself a copy of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount and send it to the White House however you see fit. Rev. Johnson would expect no less.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 19, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Shortcut to "Easter in Crawford"

I'm posting this story to my profile on MySpace, but I needed to upload a smaller image. Here's the image:


Aaaaannnnndddd ... Here's the link: Read, "Easter in Crawford."

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 19, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Rove, too? Not exactly, but still ...

(Image from AdBusters.)

Rove out as well? Not quite. Sort of.

President Bush's "Brain," Karl Rove, has given up overseeing the development of domestic policy from within the White House. He is now assigned to focus on helping Congressional Republicans retain seats in this year's midterm elections.

Also interesting to note, D.C. Examiner is reporting that Fox News anchor Tony Snow has been offered the job as White House Press Secretary. Faux (er, Fox) News confirms it.

What does that tell us about Faux News?

Exactly what (most of us) have known all along: Faux News is propaganda, and their anchors move freely between the government and their newsroom desks.

This is not an example of a free press.

Keep that in mind.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 19, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Scott McClellan resigns!


Ladies and Gentlemen, the White House Press Secretary, Scott McClellan, has resigned as of Wednesday, April 19, 2006. America's own "Chemical Ali," the most outrageous liar in our government, is gone.


BYE-BYE, SCOTTIE BOY.

Now ... who will they replace him with?

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 19, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Marc Ecko tagged AIR FORCE ONE!

Sorry for my abounding love-fest over this little video clip. It makes me happy. Very, very happy. :)

(So happy, I had to use a damn e-mote.)

You see, the clip below is of artist (and video game producer) Marc Ecko. He broke into an Air Force base and spraypainted his tag on the jet engine of Air Force One. This video is going to spread across the 'net like wildfire. If this is your first time seeing it, I encourage you all to pass it on.

Ecko wrote the words that mean so much ...




Take that, Bush.

As for Mr. Ecko -- I'm buying his video game now. I don't care if it sucks. I am buying it, because he did that. I hope everyone else will do the same. Go and buy Mark Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure for PS2 and Xbox. I mean that. His clothing line -- well, everyone has their own taste. But still ...

Bravo, Mr. Ecko. You are my hero. Bra-FUCKING-vo.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 18, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

From the eyes of an "Insurgent"

I post this here with no comment. Please watch it.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 18, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Monday, April 17, 2006

Easter in Crawford - FINAL

Alright. This is the final version of Easter in Crawford. I hope you like it.
================================

Welcome to Camp Casey in Crawford, Texas.
Photo by Stephen Webster

Easter in Crawford
By Stephen Webster
Investigative Reporter
For: The Lone Star Iconoclast

On April 4, 1968, one of America’s greatest national heroes was shot down in cold blood. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the most recognized personality of the Civil Rights and Anti-Vietnam War movements. He was a man whose impact on our society simply cannot be measured. He shook the halls of power by highlighting injustice in all its forms, be it a war waged on a currency of lies, or a group of innocent people being savaged by dogs and fire hoses in the South.

On April 4, 2004, Spc. Casey Sheehan was shot in the back of his head while defending his brothers in Iraq. He joined the Army before the war, hoping to earn an education and make his life and world a better place. After his death, his mother Cindy began camping in a ditch down the street from President George W. Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas. She had one simple question to ask – “For what noble cause did my son die?” She has since become one of the key prime movers for the nation’s anti-war activists. During the president’s 2006 State of the Union speech, she had the distinction of being arrested for wearing a t-shirt. Today she is known as the mother of the new peace movement.

From 1952 through 1961, Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery was the minister of Warren Street United Methodist Church in Mobile, Alabama. He was one of the principal organizers of the Montgomery bus boycott that sprung up after the arrest of Rosa Parks. He was subject to seizure of his property when the State of Alabama sued him for libel. Decades later, at the funeral of Dr. King’s wife Coretta Scott, Lowery openly challenged President Bush in his presence, calling down a firestorm of criticism from America’s right wing. “[T]here are weapons of misdirection right down here!” he said. “Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war billions more but no more for the poor!” His words must have struck a cord, especially coming from the man who co-founded with Dr. King the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Today Reverend Lowery is retired, having served as President Emeritus of the conference for over two decades.

Dr. King and Spc. Sheehan were two men of different color, creed and alliance. But both fought for what they believed was right, and died in that process. Their passing shares the same date in two different years, in two different eras, in two different wars. Considering this, one might agree with Lowery’s sentiment that the Crawford Peace House’s Easter -slash- third anniversary celebration was an act of divine providence.

During the second week of April 2006, about 200 anti-war protesters gathered in George W. Bush’s adopted hometown of Crawford, Texas to revive the past summer’s Camp Casey rally. In 2005, nearly 6,000 protesters descended on the tiny Texas town to let the world – and America’s president – know their disapproval of the war in Iraq, among other things. This year, the protests have been smaller, in Crawford at least. But around the nation, thousands are in the streets weekly, protesting the war, protesting oppressive immigration legislation, and protesting the government’s lack of response to the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina.

On that Easter weekend in Crawford, a strange thing came about: two people, inexorably tied by the deaths of those close to them, joined together to begin anew. Their common goal: the further growth of the new civil rights and peace movements.

I arrived at the Crawford Peace House around noon on Easter Sunday, having driven to Waco from Lewisville the night prior. It became quickly apparent that I was about three days late. According to reports from area media, the scene had gotten harsh not but 24 hours earlier. My friend Nathan Diebenow with The Lone Star Iconoclast wrote that a man on horseback wielding an American flag had ridden into the middle of a crowd at Camp Casey II, provoking them with profanity and threats of violence. In fact, just two days prior - on Good Friday of all days – 14 protesters were arrested under a new county ordinance that prohibits camping on public grounds. It was passed in response to last summer’s massive camp-ins.

The “Good Friday 14,” as they have come to be known, had only just gotten out of jail when I arrived. Within seconds of stepping out of my vehicle, it was quickly apparent the atmosphere was still one of Fear and Loathing.

Within ten minutes, trouble was brewing. As I sat on a yard chair in front of the peace house talking amiably with several folks who were selling anti-war related merchandise, a man on a motorcycle suddenly appeared next to us. He was older, and quite haggard, wearing a white shirt, jeans and sunglasses. He revved his engines and spun out in the dirt, kicking up a cloud that flapped open a U.S. Marine Corps flag hoisted from the rear of his bike. Tom Swann, a blind Vietnam veteran, approached the biker and demanded to know why a motorcycle was on the lawn.

The intruder (on bike) is confronted by David Broiles, the peace house's lawyer.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“Get the fuck away from me, motherfucker. Fuck you!” said the man on the motorcycle. Within seconds three more peace supporters were at the bike’s side.

“Someone call the cops!” yelled an older lady.

“Get the fuck away from me, assholes,” said the man on the bike. He raised his fist to the blind man and threatened him. “I will beat your ass, motherfucker.”

He made sure to spin out and kick up a lot of dust before driving away.
Photo by Stephen Webster

Recognizing the threat, I drew my camera and started shooting. As my lens flickered away, he pulled out of the peace house’s front yard and roared down the road into town, leaving a thick, orange cloud in his wake. I held up my camera and smiled. “Guys,” I said, “I’ve got him on tape and film”

A few seconds later, two teenage girls in a green Ford Mustang rode past the peace house, hands out their windows. They were making the peace symbol, except they were holding it upside-down; an inverted ‘v’. They made a u-turn after passing, and pulled up to some sign-holding protesters on the side of the road.

These two girls drove past the peace house at least eight times, shouting and throwing things.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“I have a question for you bastards,” said the driver. “Don’t you remember 9/11? Fuck you!” They sped off as the protesters yelled back, pointing to images on their signs depicting bombs inside the World Trade Center towers. They reached the end of the street in town and parked in front of Crawford’s only gas station. They hopped out and gleefully skipped inside. When they returned to their car, they headed back in the direction of the peace house. This time, the man on the motorcycle was following them.

Working together? We may never know.
Photo by Stephen Webster

As they rode by, they held middle fingers out their windows and screamed obscenities. I photographed them and recorded their passing. The man on the motorcycle threw a bottle of water at a few people standing off the side of the road. They circled and returned again, and repeated this about six times. Finally, the McLennan County police showed up. The peace house’s lawyer, David Broiles of Dallas, asked me to speak with the officers.

“For some reason,” he said, “the f-word is illegal out here. But we can pretty much use that against anyone who is harassing us. As long as we keep it civil, they usually screw themselves by thinking they are above the law and we aren’t.”

“You took pictures of the disturbance?” asked Officer David Fulford, who had personally overseen the arrest of the “Good Friday 14.”

The peace house regulars had many nice things to say about Officer David Fulford (right), who arrested the harassers.

Photo by Stephen Webster

I told him yes, that I was just doing my job, simply documenting the event. I told him I am a reporter, and that my photos did indeed have the license plate numbers of the offenders’ vehicles.

“Oh, wow. There is a God,” he said. I was sort of taken aback.

“We’re going to prosecute these people. Why can’t they just leave you guys alone? Can you download all those pictures for me?”

“Yes sir,” I said.

“Oh, you are fan-tastic.”

This, coming from the Crawford police.

Several hours later I was informed both the driver and passenger of the green Mustang were arrested, as was the man on the motorcycle. The protesters did not stop thanking me for the rest of the day.

We took a shuttle to Camp Casey, which had been set up about three days before. Upon arrival, we noticed a relatively small amount of activity. Most people were tearing the structure down, packing pallets of bottled water, and talking about their experiences. I walked around the site, eavesdropping on various conversations. Finally I decided to look for the peace mom herself, Cindy Sheehan.

While searching for Cindy Sheehan, I came across this rather orderly memorial.
Photo by Stephen Webster

As I paced through the camp, I asked several people if they knew were I could find Cindy. Everyone I talked to said she was around somewhere, but nobody was quite sure. I was informed that Cindy would be speaking about two hours later at the peace house’s service and lunch, and would be joined by Rev. Johnson, who would be speaking in Rev. Lowery’s stead. I was more than a little let down that I had missed the Civil Rights leader’s speech on Saturday. Kicking the dirt I walked back out into the beating sunlight, squinting and wrinkled my face, struggling to get a make on Cindy. Ah, I thought, there she is.

I approached Cindy as she was speaking with two other people. They finished their conversation and moved on. Just as it looked like Cindy was going to turn and leave, she noticed me approaching her and stopped.

“Cindy?” I asked.

“Yes?”

“Hi. My name is Stephen Webster. I’m with The News Connection and The Lone Star Iconoclast.”

She paused and furrowed her brow.

“Webster? Iconoclast? I know you,” she said, pointing an index finger at me and nodding her head.

Before I could eek out a response, she closed the distance between us, taking five large steps in my direction. Her arms opened up and embraced me. I reciprocated.

“Thank you,” she said.

“No, thank you,” I responded. “None of this would be happening without you.”

Just when I thought our hug had ended, as I began to relax my arms and relinquish my hold, she squeezed even tighter and put her face against my collarbone.

“Thank you. You guys do so much good,” she said, giving me a final squeeze.

We let our arms fall at our sides and stepped away from each other. I reached into my pocket and pulled out three folded sheets of paper, offering them to her with an outstretched hand. I told her it was a column I had written about Halliburton, and how they are building ‘immigrant detention facilities’ in America at the behest of the Department of Homeland Security. She shook her head and said she had heard the rumor, but did not know many of the details. I said that I thought she might like the story, and that I wanted her to have it. Then we got together for that obligatory ‘picture-with-a-famous-person’ pose where we lock arms over shoulders and grin real big. Everyone felt all fuzzy inside.

Bill Mitchell (left), Cindy Sheehan (center) and Stephen Webster (right) at Camp Casey II on April 16, 2006.
Photo by an unnamed, friendly person


Cindy Sheehan (left) and my friend Matt Swain (right) with his sign, which she autographed.
Photo by Stephen Webster

A woman in a white shirt with a peace symbol on it approached as Cindy walked away.

“Are you Stephen?” she asked. “With The Iconoclast?”

Yes, I said.

“Okay, I’m sorry to bother you, but they need you back at the peace house. The cops are there, and you have to make a statement. They said you took pictures of the disturbance as well, so they need those too. Could I get you to come back on the next shuttle?”

I obliged and hopped the next van back.

When I retuned to the peace house, two police vehicles were parked across the street. I downloaded the images on the public computer at the peace house and showed them to officer Fulford, who seemed to be more on the side of the peace folks than the antagonists. I made several copies of pictures depicting the vehicles’ license plates.

As I walked outside, the sound of clapping filled the air. I turned the corner and headed for the back yard, and encountered a group of about 90 people in a circle, standing in the shade of a large oak tree. Under a white tarp stood Reverend Peter Johnson, preparing to address the crowd. Lowery, who I thought was speaking that day, is an associate of Johnson’s at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, where Johnson is a senior staff member.

In the back yard of the peace house, people gathered for speeches, prayer and vegetarian cuisine.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“Happy Holy Day, everybody. And I say ‘Holy Day’ because this is in fact not a ‘holiday,’ it is a Holy Day,” said Johnson. “The fourth of July; now that’s a holiday. Resurrection day is a Holy Day. And to have the third anniversary of the Crawford Peace House on resurrection day; that ought to say to you that there is magic in the way God works.”

“You know, the book of Ezekiel talks about the wheel in the middle of a wheel,” continued Johnson. “The Crawford Peace House is like that wheel in the middle of a wheel. The town of Crawford is the outer wheel, spinning the wrong way. The wheel in the middle of the wheel will turn those going the wrong way, and help them see the right way. And we will all stand together.”

Rev. Johnson delivered a powerful, passionate speech and invocation.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“Everything that happens is divine. The Crawford Peace House, being here at the right time, is divine,” he said. “The whole Civil Rights movement … I would like to tell people that we were so smart and sophisticated that we planned all of that stuff. But, no, we didn’t. In fact, everything we planned failed. Everything God planned worked. How many of you all know about the Albany, Georgia movement?”

Only one person raised a hand.

“The reason for that is that we planned that. Everybody knows about the Montgomery Bus Boycott. That was God’s plan. We like to say that the good lord came on Rosa Parks’ heart one day and started a movement. Birmingham was God’s plan, not ours. Selma, Alabama was God’s plan, not ours. In fact, during that year when we were planning to do all of these ourselves, Selma was not even on the map. Let me tell you why Selma was not on the map and how God works in mysterious ways …”

Reverend Johnson described his experiences in the spring of 1965, when about 650 protesters marched out of Selma, Alabama toward the capitol, Montgomery. American history books refer to the final day of this march as “Bloody Sunday.” On March 7, 1965, protesters made it just six blocks before being attacked by police brandishing clubs and tear gas. Days later Dr. Martin Luther King entered the town and held another march to the street where the attack occurred. Shortly thereafter Federal District Court Judge Frank Minis Johnson ruled that the citizens were acting within their rights, even while marching down a public highway.

“This was the beginning of the end,” said Rev. Johnson. “They warned us about Selma, back when Dr. King was just dating Coretta. Dr. King’s father warned him about Selma, and said that white people there are mean and dangerous. We were gonna avoid Selma. Two weeks after Dr. King’s first march out of Selma, almost 3,000 people came to Selma to walk with us once again. We walked miles and miles every day and people was sleeping wherever they could. When we got to Montgomery, there were over 20,000 people with us. In Selma, with our feet, we wrote the Voting Rights Act. We did not plan to do that. God did that. So you see, God really does work in mysterious ways.”

The crowd went wild.

Was the peace house Divine providence? Rev. Johnson thinks so.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“The Crawford Peace House was inspired by God,” said Johnson. “Nobody sent for Cindy Sheehan. She came here because God sent her here. She came here and took a seat in a ditch. If God had not put the Crawford Peace House here, that would not have worked. Even when we were asleep, God was making this thing work. He said, ‘I’m gonna send a lady to Crawford, but I need a peace house there to welcome her. I’m gonna send people from all over America to Crawford to make a witness for peace, but I need a peace house there with a bathroom and a kitchen, and with two people with big hearts, with love in their hearts.' So, you see, we did not plan this thing. I would love to say that we planned this, but that is not true. God planned this for us. Do not be discouraged.”

Once Johnson finished his speech, Cindy Sheehan took the microphone. She talked about her son Casey, and why she had come to Crawford in the first place. She repeatedly thanked Rev. Johnson, and offered her thanks and praise to God for placing the Crawford Peace House in the president’s adopted home town, and for causing its third anniversary to coincide with Easter this year. She called it divine providence, and echoed the words of Dr. King and Dr. Lowery. She evoked images of the Civil Rights movement, and thanked those in attendance.

Sheehan's speech was equally impassioned.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“When I decided to come to Camp Casey on August 3rd, 2005, that was a Wednesday, and I had no idea that the Crawford Peace House even existed,” said Sheehan. “I sent out my famous email to about 300 people. I said, 14 Marines were killed today, and that was 20 in two days because six more were killed the day before. We have been working so hard for peace. What is it gonna take? I just had a brainstorm while I was typing that email. It was my frustration over the continued loss of life because of the lies. I said, I’m going to Dallas, Texas. I’m going to the Veterans for Peace convention. When I’m through with that I’m driving down to Crawford, Texas. I’m gonna get as close as I can. I’m going to demand to meet with the president and I’m gonna ask him what noble cause he killed my son for.”

She recounted how she first met the founder of the Crawford Peace House, Hadi Jawad. She said when she first arrived at the peace house, their phone was turned off, so she paid $250 to have it turned back on.

"God really does work in mysterious ways."
Photo by Stephen Webster

“Little did I know, I was about to be stuck in Crawford for the next 26 days not being able to transfer funds,” said Sheehan. “So that check bounced! But two weeks later, as more and more people were coming to Crawford, people from all over America gave us over $30,000.”

Everybody applauded. I spotted a couple people crying.

As Cindy wrapped her speech, Rev. Johnson walked up and embraced her. He turned and faced the audience, taking the microphone in one hand and placing his arm over Sheehan’s shoulder.

Rev. Johnson and Sheehan encouraged everyone to mail, email, phone and fax Jesus' Sermon on the Mount to the White House.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“There is something I want to ask each and every one of ya’ll to do,” said Rev. Johnson. “Please, ask all of our friends from all over the world to do this too. I want ya’ll to make copies of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and send it to the White House. I want you to send it in emails and letters. I want to flood the White House’s mail room with copies of the Sermon on the Mount. I want to clog up the White House email systems with Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. Please do this, and get your friends to do it too.”

Johnny Wolf, a co-founder of the peace house, stepped up to the microphone as Cindy and Rev. Johnson waived and smiled at the crowd. “Its all yours, Johnny,” said Sheehan.

“We have a traditional blessing that we all do here,” he said. “I’d like you all to join in. It’s a little bit Buddhist and a little bit Little Rascals.” Members of the audience hungrily eyed the large bowls of vegetarian cuisine set out on tables under the tarp.

“It goes a little something like this,” began Wolf.

“Yuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm,” he said, his voice ringing in his throat like a meditative om. He opened his eyes and pointed the microphone at the audience.

Chow time at the peace house.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“Yuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm,” they said.

“Yuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm,” he retorted.

Again, “Yuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm,” echoed the audience.

“Eat ‘em up,” concluded Wolf in a deep, resonant voice. The crowd applauded, and then started moving toward the food.

As they dined on seasoned squash and steamed rice, I made my way inside the peace house, taking a seat on a couch next to a tattooed man wearing a white shirt that read, “Iraq Veterans Against the War.” His name was Geoff Reymillard, and he asked that I only identify him if I plan on mentioning the organization imprinted across his shirt. I agreed. He told me he had been stationed with the Army’s 42nd Infantry in Tikrit, more commonly known as the northern axis of the Sunni Triangle; a hotbed violence.

Geoff Reymillard of Iraqi Veterans Against the War spoke about his experiences.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“One of the experiences that has made the deepest impact on me, as far as being against the war in general, is that we have to understand the term Haji,” said Reymillard. “During Vietnam you had the term Gook, and today you have the term Haji. There was an incident one day where there was a traffic control point set up. This car sped at the traffic control point very quickly and a young private who was manning a .50 caliber machine gun fired into the car and killed all four of the family members. It was a mother, a father, and two children, both under the age of five. After they were killed it was sent up the chain. I went to a briefing that night and there were two Generals, two Colonels, and two Lieutenant Colonels. After it was briefed to them, a Colonel turns to the entire crowd and he says, and I quote, ‘if these fucking Haji’s would learn how to drive, that shit wouldn’t happen.’”

He looked down and took a bite of his food, just shaking his head.

“What we are seeing here is an Iraqi no longer being a human,” he continued. “They become this Haji, just like they became Gooks in Vietnam, they have become Haji’s to our soldiers. Their deaths are not reported at all. They are all just chalked up to being insurgents. That is what happens over and over again. All the Iraqis being killed just ‘become’ insurgents. I just … I don’t know how you can be in favor of that at all.”

I walked outside toward the road in front of the peace house and drew a cigarette from my pocket. Dragging off the butt, I walked toward my vehicle, intending to find a place to leave a stack of newspapers I had collected. A man with a friendly-looking moustache wearing a floppy hat and large sunglasses approached me.

“Hey buddy!” he said. “I wanted to thank you for snapping those shots of those crazies who came around here earlier.”

“Oh. Thanks. Not a problem. Just doing my job, you know?”

He stuck out a hand and smiled.

“Bill Mitchell. I’m a friend of Cindy’s,” he said as I grasped his knuckles.

Bill Mitchell, father of Mike Mitchell, who died in Iraq on April 4, 2004.
Photo by Stephen Webster

I told him that I am a writer. He quickly offered, “My son was killed in Iraq. I’ll talk if you want.”

We both leaned against the side of the car and I switched on my recorder.

“My son, Mike Mitchell, was in the Army for 11 months,” he said. “He was killed in Sadir City, Iraq on ‘o-four, o-four, o-four’ [04/04/04]. On April 3rd, 2004 he packed his bags. Him and all 80 buddies of his were all going home, and they were all so excited. April 4th was the Sadir City uprising, the first cog of what Casey Sheehan was a part of. Twenty of our soldiers got ambushed in Sadir City, my son had spent eight months in Sadir City. I’m firmly convinced that Mike’s First Armor would not have been caught in the uprising. April 4th was a turnover of power from the First Armor to the First Cat. That is when the Shiite uprising happened. That is what Casey Sheehan was caught up in. Six other boys died in Sadir City that day. Six-hundred and four had died up to that point. One-hundred thirty five had been killed in just that month of April. That was when this whole damn war blew apart.”

He was wearing dark sunglasses, but when he looked down I could see the edges of his mouth begin to tremble. “I … ah … I …” he began.

“Just give me a minute, okay?” He turned his back and took a few paces in a circle.

“Hey, do you have a lighter?” he asked. I did, so I handed it to him.

He pulled hard on a Camel cigarette and handed the lighter back.

“Okay, where was I? Oh, yeah,” he said. “Sadir City. That’s right.”

"The day before my son died, we had captured the editor of one of Sadir City’s newspapers, Al-Haswah. They shut down the press just before the uprising. Now they have a new paper, and it is sponsored by the Department of Defense, which pays people in our military to write propaganda. We go in there to supposedly force Democracy on these people at the point of a gun, but we can’t even let them have a free press? I just don’t believe it.”

I shook his hand again and thanked him for sharing. He was still a little broken up. He shook his head as he took several steps away, and kicked the ground turning up a cloud of dust. Turning to face me once again, he held out both arms and shouted, “FOR WHAT? HUH? FOR WHAT?” His shoulders sank. His head fell. He turned around again and slowly walked away.

It was then I noticed a tan-colored van, moving very slowly past the peace house. I stood and held my camera at the ready, thinking it was another disturbance in the making. Instead, it was two elderly people wearing Sunday clothes. The man was fat and bald, and he was wearing a white shirt, black jacket and a brown coat. His wife had a tall, poofy looking hair-doo and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. Her dress was adorned with flowers. A Bible rested on their dash board.

The passenger-side window came down and the woman looked directly at me.

“Why don’t you go home?” she shouted. It did not sound like a question.

“Just go home! Get the hell out of here!” she screamed. She was very upset.

I looked at her and turned my head sideways. It made no sense, going from one political extreme to another, but staying within the boundaries of a single religious philosophy. As a child, I was raised to be a literalist Christian, though I am not today. But Rev. Johnson had convinced me of one thing: God intended this. God had sent me there. God had sent her there. And I would be damned (perhaps literally?) if I did not let her know it.

I put my right hand on my chest and took three steps toward the van.

“God loves you,” I said. She shook her head once left, and once right, then repeated herself.

“GO HOME! WE DON’T WANT YOU HERE!”

I took one step closer to her.

“Jesus loves you. And so do we,” I said. This time she looked utterly shocked.

“Whatever. Get away from us!” she yelled.

As they began to drive off, David Broiles, the lawyer, approached to my right.

“Happy Easter,” he said with a wave. “Happy Resurrection Day, my friends.” The woman’s only response was to throw a cup out of her window. It was empty.

Rev. Johnson urged everyone to not just pray for peace, but to be a witness for it.
Photo by Stephen Webster

When I finally departed, the sun was low in the sky, but much of the activity at the peace house continued still. Though I had missed a majority of the weekend’s activism, and apparently some real danger and excitement, I felt spiritually refreshed, having seen what I had seen, and taking part in this unusual commemoration of Resurrection Day; the Holy Day; a day of many coincidences.

Divine providence? I do not know. I’ve never quite been an Athiest, but I’ve never quite gotten away from the teachings of Christ and Buddha and Mohammed. But the one ignis fatuus I was able to eliminate from my philosophical spectrum is the non-attachment of common and uncommon happenings.

There are no coincidences.

Stephen Webster is an Investigative Reporter and Syndicated Columnist with The News Connection, a Staff Columnist with George W. Bush’s hometown weekly The Lone Star Iconoclast, and a former Contributor to The Dallas Morning News’ Science & Technology section. For more of Webster’s musings, visit The Gonzo Muckraker.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 17, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

One more thing ...

So, I met Cindy Sheehan this weekend. I was in Crawford for their Easter Sunday service at the peace house. Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., gave the sermon. Some call him the "Dean" of the Civil Rights movement. I call him a heck of an inspiring speaker. Then Cindy took the mike and we all offered a Christian prayer before chowing down on some vegetarian cuisine.

Anyhow, I've been to the town before to cover stories for the other paper that I moonlight for -- The Lone Star Iconoclast -- but I'd never met the mom who kick started the peace movement. Check it out ...


It was interesting, being there among the really hard core activist types. As Dr. Gonzo would have said, the tension was running high; you could strike sparks anywhere. I talked to a lot of Iraq vets, mostly guys my age. There were a lot of Iraq war parents there as well, several of whom I got on the record.

The guy on Cindy's right (left side o the pic) is a friend of hers whose name is not coming to mind. I have him on my recorder talking about his son, who died the same day as Casey Sheehan. The nice thing about being a reporter is that a detailed memory is not necessary if you take thorough notes, which I do. So, when I get around to writing about the experience, I'll make sure to get his name.

Anyway, meeting Cindy Sheehan on Easter Sunday was a unique experience. I introduced myself by saying, "Hello Cindy. My name is Stephen Webster. I am with The News Connection and The Lone Star Iconoclast." I extended my hand and smiled. She pointed at me and said, "Webster? Iconoclast? I know you."

She took about four paces toward me and gave me a giant hug. I reciprocated, putting my arms around her shoulders. "Thank you," she said. Just when I thought the hug was through and I began to release my embrace she squeezed me a little tighter and said, "You guys do so much good. Thank you."

I honestly came away with the distinct impression that Cindy Sheehan is about as genuine a person as I have ever met. Not every movement can choose who speaks for it. But my preconceived notions about this woman were completely wrong. I expected something fake. I expected her to be protected, on the make, and out of the sun. Nope.

It was a great experience, and I'm sure it'll make a great story. Too bad there is little/no "local interest" for TNC. But we've always got the Internet, right?


Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 17, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Easter in Crawford and a poll

So, I spent Easter Sunday in Crawford. I met Cindy Sheehan, chilled with some peace-nics, snapped some great photos, got some awesome interviews, and I'll have a story by the end of today.

In the mean time, check out this MSNBC poll on impeaching the president. This is the results as of 9:45 a.m., April 17, 2006 ...



So, what are you waiting for? Why aren't you voting?

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 17, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Oh, the terror! The terror!

Okay ... so, if we believe our media, the United States Government has over 325,000 names on its "Terrorist Watch List." I am, of course, talking about a Feb. 15, 2006 story in The Washington Post. So, we are surrounded by terror. The suspects are everywhere. It seems like these days, you can't even trust your own neighbor.

When I was in High School, just after the Columbine shootings, my administration prepared a similar list. We installed cameras everywhere, devised plans (they'd yell "code red" over the PA if we had a shooter), endlessly wrung hands, and made a list of "at risk" students. I was one of them. Does that mean I was "at risk" in any way? No, aside from being "at risk" of getting run over by crazy drivers in the parking lot.

But, you see, the principal of the school, Jon Forsythe, did not like me. I had stymied him with an article protesting mandatory prayer "in the name of Jesus" via the school's newspaper, so they were keeping an eye on me. "No Supreme Court is ever gonna' tell me how to run my school, boy," he said. I'll never forget that idiot. He was a bright, shining example of the type of ignorance I must overcome in my lifetime if I am to consider myself successful in any way.

So, that was High School. And I'm wondering: why is this sort of lunacy spreading so quickly across America? You'll never believe what I just found on the AP wire ...
Watch List Delays Reservist's Homecoming
Apr 12 7:44 PM US/Eastern
MINNEAPOLIS
Associated Press

A Marine reservist returning home after eight months in Iraq was told he couldn't board a plane to Minneapolis because his name appeared on a watch list as a possible terrorist.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Brown, who was in uniform and returning from the war Tuesday with 26 other Marine military police reservists, was delayed briefly in Los Angeles until the issue was cleared up.

The other reservists arrived at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as scheduled, but instead of immediately meeting their families, they waited on a bus for Brown.

"We don't leave anybody behind," 1st Sgt. Drew Benson said. "We start together, and we finish together."

Brown, 32, arrived more than an hour later. He had also had airport trouble when he was trying to go to Iraq ... and he missed his plane then as well.

"A guy goes over and serves his country fighting for eight or nine months, and then we come home and put up with this?" he asked.

The rest of the story ...

ARE YOU DISGUSTED YET?

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 12, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

The time has come.

A friend sent this to me earlier today. I felt as though I had touched the soul of America after watching it. I came to a conclusion:

The good people of America must not remain idle any longer.

Hold your breath. You are in for a rough 60 seconds. The truth is awfully painful.


Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 12, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Yeah, I'll give you an appology

So, everyone in D.C. is freaking out over this morning's Washington Post bombshell (good for them). Basically, we're looking at incontrovertible truth that Bush, Cheney, and the rest of the fiends lied. They lied to start a war, and have killed over a hundred thousand innocent people. Isn't that a sinking feeling? I mean, just saying it, trying to wrap my mind around the utter horror. It is a hard thing to accept.

I remember watching All The President's Men. I watched it again about two weeks ago. Very good movie -- an even better true story. One of the things I found most striking about it: when the Watergate stories really picked up steam and began hitting about as hard as this one did today, the first thing members of the Administration did was to demand an appology from the Post. They ballyhooed and grandstanded and thumped their flabby tits right up until hours before the rats started jumping ship en masse.

This same thing happened with CBS' Edward R. Murrow went after Senator McCarthy. And that was before the Nixon revolution. Just watch Good Night and Good Luck. It is the best film of 2005, if you ask me.

Well, I came back from lunch today and found a rather striking story crossing the wire. Check out the latest classic bit of wit and wisdom from America's own "Chemical Ali," White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan (excerpt from a White House press briefing earlier today, via Think Progress) ...

You know, I saw some reporting talking about how this latest revelation — which is not something that is new; this is all old information that’s being rehashed — was an embarrassment for the White House. No, it’s an embarrassment for the media that is out there reporting this.

I brought up with some of you earlier today some of the reporting that was based of this Washington Post report. And I talked to one of network about it…they expressed their apologies to the White House.

I hope they will go and publicly apologize on the air about the statements that were made, because I think it is important given that they had made those statements in front of all their viewers. So we look forward to that happening as well.

Yes, you read correctly. No denial. Tit thumping. Grandstanding.

The ship is sinking. Man overboard! The rats are already bailing out.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 12, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

*Wham! Bam!* Thank You, Gillman!

Todd J. Gillman of The Dallas Morning News beat me to the punch.

Okay, so there is nothing new there. A daily beats a weekly to the street with everything. But, moving on ...

Yesterday's paper has an article titled, "Holding to a hard line on migrants" in which Gillman takes my Congressman, Republican Michael Burgess, to task for completely ignoring the immigrant voting bloc that marched en masse through Dallas over the weekend.

To Burgess, 500,000 people marching for their rights, their freedoms, their very existence, is nothing more than a dire sign that we've got to crack down. "We need to stop the hemorrhaging," he said. Several months ago my editor quoted him in The News Connection as calling the immigrants part of "an invading force."

Them's fightin' words, Congressman.

Gillman's piece takes a more-or-less neutral stance on the issue. He instead opts to report on what the saber-rattlers are rattling on about, which is okay. It's good. Needed, even. But I have a bit of a different view of this. I had written my story about the immigrants' rights protest fully expecting TNC to run it. But we can't. Full up - too many ads this week. So I decided to cut it up a bit and call it my column. But that isn't running either. *sigh*

Thankfully, the good folks at the more-widely-read Lone Star Iconoclast loved the story, and they are running it as a feature next issue. They are even going to include eight of my photos. Too bad I'm not getting paid for it.

So, Gillman beat me to the punch on Burgess and immigration. But I've got quite a bit to say on the subject, and when page A6 of TNC isn't home to a full-page ad, you can be certain that I'll spit the truth as I see it. Its just what I do, you know?

In the mean time, check out this muy bueno DMN article.

As for Chucklehead over on Corporate Ave. (no, seriously, that is where is office is located - CORPORATE AVENUE off I-35E in Lewisville) ...

I'm watching your votes closely, Burgess.

If your party's primary elections are any indicator, your supporters are dropping like flies. I wonder what kind of difference an additional 500,000 energized voters would make in our November election. I think the 15,000 or-so Republican voters who control this county could be somewhat overwhelmed.

Let's see ... where does Congress stand right now? Well, if you believe USA Today, in Feb. of 2005, just 36 percent of this nation thought the Congress was leading us in the wrong direction. As of Jan. of 2006, that number rests at 50 percent. We've got seven more months for the discontent to simmer. CBS says 67 percent feel Congress has accomplished far less than average for a two-year session. Newsweek claims a full 34 percent want to retain a Republican Congress.

Pardon me while I get down on this.

OH SNAP!

*ahem* Anyway ...

What we're looking at is a revolution in democratic participation, and the rebirth of the spirit of dissent from coast to coast; sea to shining sea. Shock! That's right - it didn't die after September 11. Our media may have been cowed, but not all of us went along with the fear. I hope you are ready for a radically different electorate, Congressman. Most of us are, even in Jerrymandered-to-hell Denton County.

Just keep saying to yourself, "500,000 people couldn't control our local government. 500,000 people couldn't throw me out of power. 500,000 people ... They're just a focus group. Like the 1 million protesters in New York at the 2004 RNC convention. Like the rioting French crazies that have already affected Administration policy. Like the minorities and the hippies and the beatnics and the druggies and the poor and the youth. Everything is okay. Everything is okay."

"I'm not going to lose my job," you might be saying to yourself. "Rich, white people love me! And we still outnumber this invading force. Stop the hemorrhaging. It is not too late. Guest worker programs could still be used to turn them into a new lower-class of cheap, corporate labor. Flip the switch on American Economic Apartheid. Keep the oppression running. Turn up the volume of artifically-imposed inflation in all of South America and provoke a confrontation. We still need our fear. It keeps us alive."

"Shut down the Mexicans; they steal your jobs!" you think. "Rally to the base. Yes. Round them up and put them in camps! They are druggies, criminals, dark-skinned hooligans! They want to overthrow America! Though, I probably should have read the legislation before I voted for it. Damn! I'm chained to this ship now. But I've still got my campaign contributions from TXU and Pfizer and AT&T. They'll save me. They'll save me. I've still got a friend in Tom DeLay. He'll save me. I am suddenly glad I gave nearly $26,000 to his legal defense fund. Oh, I hope nobody knows that!"

In Dallas, the sea of white shirts was endless.

La Hora de pulir la máquina de mentira ha venido con todo otra vez.

Espero que usted tenga español practicado.

El final de este fascismo viene muy pronto!

Brace yourself for the backlash. It will be stunning and absolute.

Viva Freedom!

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 12, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Washington Post drops a bombshell

Ladies and Gentlemen, this morning's Washington Post has an article that gave me goosebumps. I present, for your thoughtful consideration, a small piece of the truth ...
Lacking Biolabs, Trailers Carried Case for War
Administration Pushed Notion of Banned Iraqi Weapons Despite Evidence to Contrary

By Joby Warrick
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 12, 2006; A01

On May 29, 2003, 50 days after the fall of Baghdad, President Bush proclaimed a fresh victory for his administration in Iraq: Two small trailers captured by U.S. and Kurdish troops had turned out to be long-sought mobile "biological laboratories." He declared, "We have found the weapons of mass destruction."

The claim, repeated by top administration officials for months afterward, was hailed at the time as a vindication of the decision to go to war. But even as Bush spoke, U.S. intelligence officials possessed powerful evidence that it was not true.

A secret fact-finding mission to Iraq -- not made public until now -- had already concluded that the trailers had nothing to do with biological weapons. Leaders of the Pentagon-sponsored mission transmitted their unanimous findings to Washington in a field report on May 27, 2003, two days before the president's statement.

The three-page field report and a 122-page final report three weeks later were stamped "secret" and shelved. Meanwhile, for nearly a year, administration and intelligence officials continued to publicly assert that the trailers were weapons factories.

The authors of the reports were nine U.S. and British civilian experts -- scientists and engineers with extensive experience in all the technical fields involved in making bioweapons -- who were dispatched to Baghdad by the Defense Intelligence Agency for an analysis of the trailers. Their actions and findings were described to a Washington Post reporter in interviews with six government officials and weapons experts who participated in the mission or had direct knowledge of it.

None would consent to being identified by name because of fear that their jobs would be jeopardized. Their accounts were verified by other current and former government officials knowledgeable about the mission. The contents of the final report, "Final Technical Engineering Exploitation Report on Iraqi Suspected Biological Weapons-Associated Trailers," remain classified. But interviews reveal that the technical team was unequivocal in its conclusion that the trailers were not intended to manufacture biological weapons. Those interviewed took care not to discuss the classified portions of their work.

"There was no connection to anything biological," said one expert who studied the trailers. Another recalled an epithet that came to be associated with the trailers: "the biggest sand toilets in the world."

The rest of the story ...

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 12, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

The protests have succeeded!

BIG NEWS EVERYBODY!

The Immigrants' Rights protests have succeeded!

Senate Republicans have decided to drop the felony provision of HR 4437 and work on a new immigration bill entirely!

This DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD NO LONGER DEMONSTRATE. This means they have heard us. Their resulting actions will dictate further movements among the FREE people of America. This is not over by a long shot.

We must all remember to register and vote in the November elections.

Do not let them forget why so many millions marched through the streets. The Republicans must not keep their power if this is how they use it!

Well, that is my opinion anyway.

See news story below.

====================
GOP Leaders to Drop Felony for Immigrants
By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent
Wed Apr 12, 7:06 AM ET

WASHINGTON - The two top Republicans in Congress, confronted with internal party divisions as well as large public demonstrations, said Tuesday they intend to pass immigration legislation that does not subject illegal immigrants to prosecution as felons.

A written statement by House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, did not say whether they would seek legislation subjecting illegal immigrants to misdemeanor prosecution or possibly a civil penalty such as a fine.

"It remains our intent to produce a strong border security bill that will not make unlawful presence in the United States a felony," the two men said. An estimated 11 million men, women and children are in the United States illegally.

The Republican-controlled House passed legislation late last year that is generally limited to border security measures. It makes illegal immigrants subject to felony prosecution.

Senate efforts to write a broader bill — covering border security, a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for many of the 11 million in the country illegally — are gridlocked with lawmakers on a two-week vacation.

Frist has said he intends to bring the issue back to the Senate floor, although he stopped short of a flat commitment and the prospects for passage of an election-year immigration bill are uncertain.

The late-afternoon statement by the top GOP leaders in both houses came after days of large street demonstrations by protesters opposed to criminal penalties for illegal immigrants.

Additionally, in a Washington Post-ABC News poll published during the day, only 20 percent of those questioned said they favored declaring illegal immigrants to be felons and barring them from work. More than 60 percent indicated support for the general approach envisioned in the leading Senate proposal. It includes a requirement that illegal immigrants be required to pay a fine and back taxes as part of a process of qualifying for eventual citizenship.
The rest of the story ...

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 12, 2006 | | Comments | links to this post

Monday, April 10, 2006

Protesters shut down Dallas

Immigrants' rights protesters flood streets of Dallas
By Stephen Webster
Investigative Reporter
Publication date: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 – Lone Star Iconoclast

When Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) introduced House Resolution 4437 in December of 2005, his Republican supporters in Congress must not have had any idea of the backlash it would cause. On Sunday, April 9, over half a million protesters flooded the streets of downtown Dallas, marching against the bill which was recently approved by the House of Representatives, mostly along party lines. It was only one of thousands of protests that have dotted the nation over the last 60 days, nearly all of them in fierce opposition to the immigration reform proposal.

The sign says it all.
Photo by Stephen Webster

HR 4437, in short, would make it a felony to enter or live within the United States without proper documentation. HR 4437 also makes it a felony to offer aid or assistance to any illegal immigrant. Hospitals would not be allowed to treat their wounds. Churches would not be allowed to feed their hungry. Volunteer educators would not be allowed to teach them English. Over 12 million illegal immigrants and the people closest to them would become criminals overnight, should HR 4437 pass.

"Viva America!" he yelled as he crossed the street.
Photo by Stephen Webster

The groups began to mobilize en masse after a series of student-lead walkouts triggered national media attention. High school and college students planned demonstrations over MySpace.com, now the largest hotbed of student-organized political dissent in the history of the world. Priests within the Catholic Church, concerned by the potential criminalization of good Samaritans, began organizing from behind the pulpit, urging congregations to join the protests. Police in cities all around the nation have been shocked at the size of the demonstrations, completely underestimating the organizing power of the Spanish-speaking media. “Desgaste las camisas blancas” (Wear the white shirts), said organizers on Saturday. “Y traiga banderas Americanas.” (And bring American flags.)

They came by the carload. They came by bike, by train and by foot. Entire churches piled into busses after Sunday morning services all over the metropolis, spending hours on the surrounding roads trying to find parking. The rally was scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m., in front of the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe. By noon there were thousands, meandering through the streets toward the church. By 3:00 p.m., the city was awash in white t-shirts and denim. Almost all commerce in downtown Dallas had come to a standstill. The only ones making any money were street-cart vendors selling ice cream and water.

The D.A.R.T. rail system was completely overloaded as the protest came to a close.
Photo by Stephen Webster

I drove to the protest from my home in Lewisville. Around 1:00 p.m., I found myself stuck on a highway in North Dallas. The directions I had printed off the internet pointed me toward an exit that had been blockaded by police. “Special events” read their barricades. The next four exits were the same. Moving inch by inch through the traffic, my car’s engine began to shake and sputter. Then, steam and smoke started rising from under the hood. I stopped the car and pushed it onto the shoulder. Traffic remained at a standstill. Sitting on the Interstate looking south, a massive stream of white shirts and American flags could be seen moving slowly through the streets in the distance; the gaps between buildings providing a preview of what I was about to enter.

Ninety minutes and two breakdowns later, I had found parking behind a series of cones, right across the street from The Dallas Morning News building. I had come to a rolling stop, having overheated yet again while waiting at a never-ending stoplight. I put on my emergency blinkers and jumped out to push. A man in a white shirt and jeans walked up to the back of my car and began helping. Once I had parked, I thanked him. He smiled and nodded, saying nothing and disappearing as quickly as he came.

In the thick of it -- Most people were carrying American flags.
Photo by Stephen Webster

I had parked nearly two miles from where the march was to begin, and I had no idea where everyone would ultimately end up. I began walking toward the ever-growing sea of people, passing a very crowded McDonalds on my way. It occurred to me that I needed some water. Walking to the front of the fast-food joint, I realized this would be impossible. Around 500 people sat outside the building, the crowd spilling over into the parking lot. At the front door, a large, burly-looking man with a headset stood like a VIP room bouncer, counting heads as people entered. “I’m sorry. No more room,” he said to a group of boys, turning them away.

Nearing the center of dissent, I began noticing a large police presence. Along the sides of each street through downtown, police stood behind metal barriers, hands behind their backs. Officers zipped back and forward behind the barriers on motorcycles. Recently, the Motorola Company announced a sponsorship for major police forces. The company’s logo was clearly embossed on Dallas police vehicles. Officers with stun-guns attached to their belts walked among the crowd, and unmarked, black SUV’s seemed to appear wherever large numbers of protesters were gathering.


Corporate sponsorship of the police is a reality. Note the Motorola symbol on the officer's motorcycle.
Photo by Stephen Webster


After trying to heard the majority of the protesters through a pre-determined route, Dallas cops gave up and took down makeshift-roadblocks. There was absolutely nothing they could do but sit and watch.
Photo by Stephen Webster

I had finally realized a bleak reality: there are practically no convenience stores in downtown Dallas. I decided to look for shade and refreshment at a Greyhound Bus station. There were only a few people outside. As I walked toward the side-entrance, I noticed a police officer talking to a tall man in a white fedora and black suit. Brushing past them I headed for the refreshments area and picked up three bottles of water.

“You with the protesters?” asked a woman behind the counter.

“Yes,” I said. “Well, sort of. I’m with the press. Newspaper. Ah, but I’m here for the protest.” I held up my camera and smiled.

“Hm. That’s weird,” she said. “They let you in here?”

“I just walked right in,” I replied. “I’m thirsty, and my car overheated. I need some water. Was I not supposed to come in?”

“No, no. You’re good. Don’t worry,” she said with a look of unease. “But you’re lucky. They’ve been turning away all the Mexicans. We’ve got guards at all the doors.”

“So, they let me in because I’m white?” I asked.

“Well, what do you think? Uh, just don’t put my name in the story,” she said, covering her name-badge. “And write something nice about Greyhound, okay?”

I thanked her and walked outside.

The church where many gathered for shade and cold water. Almost all downtown business were closed. Others simply turned away "Mexicans," said a Greyhound Bus employee.
Photo by Stephen Webster

Back in the streets, the protesters’ numbers had begun to burst at the seams. As I approached a dense group of white shirts near Pearl Street, I watched as a group of Dallas Police – probably 10 of them – nodded in unison as they listened to their radios. Seconds later they began dismantling the roadblock they had been guarding. Less than two minutes later, the street was shoulder to shoulder with protesters cutting through from a parallel road. About a half hour later I spotted a group of four officers sitting on the steps of a colonial-era landmark, laughing at each other’s jokes and smoking cigarettes.

After the first four hours, cops finally stopped trying to corral the crowd in the streets. Many took seats and relaxed as the crowds began to dwindle.
Photo by Stephen Webster

As I approached the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, where the protesters were to begin the march, I turned to a woman next to me and aimed my camera. She smiled, noticing me, and then turned giving a full view of her sign. “We are workers, not criminals,” it read. “My name is Candy Hernandez,” she said as she waived her small American flag. “I live in Lewisville and clean houses for a living. Who are you?”

I told her I am a reporter, and I would be writing a story about the protest.

“They can’t pass this law. We’re all same. We’re all in this together. Will you put that in your story?” she asked.

“Well, sure,” I said. “Anything else?”

“Well, okay … Let me think,” she began. “Okay, first, we are not criminals. We are workers, just like the sign says. Today we are marching, but this November we will vote. They better keep that in mind. Shame on the Republicans for trying to do this to us! We are part of this country! They can’t just throw all the Mexicans in jail.” I thanked her and moved on.

Candy Hernandez from Lewisville (holding the sign): "Thank you for coming to support us. We work hard and follow the law. We are not criminals!"
Photo by Stephen Webster

While the day’s protest was clearly and overwhelmingly opposed to the passage of HR 4437, other groups joined in, perhaps to merge popular discontent over many issues into a single movement. A man in his early 20’s stood on a corner passing out pamphlets detailing a $385 million contract given to Halliburton by the Department of Homeland Security – money that Halliburton its self claimed to be designated to the construction of “detention camps” for illegal immigrants. He was wearing a white shirt with a marker-written message: “The Government is LYING about 9/11!”

This protest attracted more than just immigrants' rights activists. Peace in Iraq and 9/11 Truth supporters made a showing as well.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“For Congress to think that this bill is something that is helpful or good is just ignorant,” said Matthew Swain of Lewisville. “They lied about our elections in 2000 and 2004, they lied about September 11, and they lied about Iraq’s WMD’s. Now the Department of Homeland Security is giving Halliburton millions of dollars to build ‘Immigrant Detention Facilities’ in America? What is our government thinking? I’m not Mexican, and I was born in America. But I am half Puerto Rican. I am part Latino. I am proud to stand up for my brothers and sisters. The government thinks they are just going to round up 12 million people? How much closer to Nazi Germany is this Congress going to take us? I don’t think so. We will resist. This is just the beginning.”

Protesters gathered at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Downtown Dallas. Note the cute kid with the flag.
Photo by Stephen Webster

More from the church (and the kid).
Photo by Stephen Webster

Another group of mostly white, college-age protesters marched in a straight line down Pearl Street, each holding part of a large banner that read, “Immigrants’ Rights – Peace in Iraq – Justice for All. We are ONE. We are AMERICA.”

Despite the seemingly unending animosity for Republicans who support HR 4437, I managed to find at least one person who still likes President George W. Bush. “We are friends with Bush/Cheney ‘04” read a piece of cardboard with a Bush campaign sign from the last election cycle taped to the bottom. When I approached the woman holding it and asked if she would speak to me, she just shook her head and continued marching.

More from the D.A.R.T. public transportation rails.
Photo by Stephen Webster

“It was amazing to see how many people are coming out to try to make change and make the world better,” said Shalen Hillard of Lewisville. “I just think it is amazing. They are us. We are a country of immigrants. It is sad that we have to stand up for ourselves against our government. I am just glad that so many people agree with me. We can’t let this happen.”

I continued marching until my feet could no longer withstand the battery. After my sixth hour in the streets, I reluctantly sat down against a road median in the shade of a highway overpass, watching as thousands of people walked past me over the course of just a few minutes. Young and old of all races marched with unity of purpose in the face of a government seeking to criminalize their very existence. It was the first time I had ever experienced such upheaval in my society. It was a first for everyone there that day.

So-called experts have labeled this “a civil rights movement reborn.” But to the people in the streets, it was different. There were no “hippies.” There were no Marxist youth or Communist Revolutionaries. They were poor, working, immigrant families huddling around each other. They took turns carrying their youngest on their backs and pushing their oldest along in wheelchairs, marching on for miles and miles. From inside the fray, the sea of people had no beginning and no end.

A sea of white shirts.
Photo by Stephen Webster

As I rested my weight against the concrete girder, a boy who could not have been older than 10 walked toward me, balancing carefully on the median.

“Hey,” I said. “Having fun?”

“No,” he replied. “It’s hot. But my dad said I need to be here. He said the cops were gonna take him away if I didn’t come.”

“Don’t be afraid,” I said to him. “That is why so many people have come here. They don’t want that to happen.”

“I just don’t my dad to go away,” he responded, wavering left and right before finally regaining his balance. His shirt read, “I’m not a terrorist. I’m just a wet-back. Necesito libertad! (I need freedom!)”

“I just want to be with my dad,” he said. “Why would they take him away?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “But everything will be okay.” I did not say that with any certainty.

“Hijo,” yelled his father from a distance, waiving to the boy. His head popped up as he scanned the crowd. “Debemos apresurarnos. Tenemos mucho por hacer.” With that he jumped down from the median and waved at me. “Thanks! Adios!” he said cheerfully, running off.

I had my recorder running, and caught what his father said. The next day I asked a friend translate it for me.

“Son, we must hurry,” he had said. “We have much to do.”

Indeed we do.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 10, 2006 | | links to this post

Saturday, April 08, 2006

"The largest protest Dallas has ever seen."

This Sunday (tomorrow), April 9, 2006, peace and immigrant rights activists are planning what they hope will be "the largest protest Dallas has ever seen."

Meet at Dallas City Hall at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 9, and bring a sign!!!

If you need directions, click here.

Dallas City Hall is located at 1500 Marilla Street, Dallas, TX 75201.

Confirmed activist groups are coming in from all over the state for this protest. If you live in or near the Dallas or Fort Worth area, please tell everyone you know. Come to this protest and MAKE THEM HEAR THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

The future of America depends on you.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON! TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Saturday, April 08, 2006 | | links to this post

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Truth, in the form of Hip-Hop

I've been putting in quite a bit of time on MySpace.com, the uber-popular social networking service that seems to be all the rage among college-age dissenters. You know, my people. It has turned me on to several artists, most importantly a guy named Immortal Technique. His albums, Revolutionary Voumes 1 and 2, light a fire in my soul. It is hard to describe.

He just came out with this music video, featuring Emenim (who I officially like because of this) and Mos Def, one of NYC's most tallented hip-hop artists. Previously unknown down here in Texas, this guy has outright refued to sign record contracts or be censored, and he is using the internet to become the next big thing. Brace yourself for this one. You will never see it on television. Here's some truth in the form of hip-hop ...

CENSORED MUSIC VIDEO: Immortal Technique - Bin Laden Remix



Earlier today -- first thing this morning, actually -- a friend sent the following music video to me. Public Enemy has stepped up once again, and this time their message is not one of guns, drugs and violence. They've broken through, and now practice an enlightened form of politically conscious hip-hop. It isn't quite Immortal Technique, but it sure as hell got censored. See what MTV won't show you ...

Censored Music Video: Public Enemy - Son of a Bush

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Wednesday, April 05, 2006 | | links to this post

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Decorated Intel. vet accuses Cheney of planning 9/11

First of all, let me say that I do not believe anything Paul Joseph Watson from "Prison Planet" writes. That being said, I heard the audio of this interview, so I have no reason to discount this story.

The quotes were taken directly from the Alex Jones radio show. This key individual has come forward to proclaim that 9/11 was a fraud perpetrated on the American people by none other than Dick Cheney. And he's running for Congress. I wonder if he will get any mainstream media attention.

See below ...

Former Head Of Star Wars Program Says Cheney Main 9/11 Suspect
Official version of events a conspiracy theory, says drills were cover for attacks
Paul Joseph Wilson | Prison Planet | April 4, 2006

The former head of the Star Wars missile defense program under Presidents Ford and Carter has gone public to say that the official version of 9/11 is a conspiracy theory and his main suspect for the architect of the attack is Vice President Dick Cheney.

Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Lt. Col., USAF, ret. flew 101 combat missions in Vietnam. He is the recipient of the Eisenhower Medal, the George F. Kennan Peace Prize, the President’s Medal of Veterans for Peace, the Society of Military Engineers Gold Medal (twice), six Air Medals, and dozens of other awards and honors. His Ph.D. is in Aeronautics and Nuclear Engineering from Caltech. He chaired 8 major international conferences, and is one of the country’s foremost experts on National Security.

Bowman worked secretly for the US government on the Star Wars project and was the first to coin the very term in a 1977 secret memo. After Bowman realized that the program was only ever intended to be used as an aggressive and not defensive tool, as part of a plan to initiate a nuclear war with the Soviets, he left the program and campaigned against it.

In an interview with The Alex Jones Show aired nationally on the GCN Radio Network, Bowman (pictured below) stated that at the bare minimum if Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda were involved in 9/11 then the government stood down and allowed the attacks to happen. He said it is plausible that the entire chain of military command were unaware of what was taking place and were used as tools by the people pulling the strings behind the attack.

Bowman outlined how the drills on the morning of 9/11 that simulated planes crashing into buildings on the east coast were used as a cover to dupe unwitting air defense personnel into not responding quickly enough to stop the attack.

"The exercises that went on that morning simulating the exact kind of thing that was happening so confused the people in the FAA and NORAD....that they didn't they didn't know what was real and what was part of the exercise," said Bowman

"I think the people who planned and carried out those exercises, they're the ones that should be the object of investigation."

Asked if he could name a prime suspect who was the likely architect behind the attacks, Bowman stated, "If I had to narrow it down to one person....I think my prime suspect would be Dick Cheney."

Bowman said that privately his military fighter pilot peers and colleagues did not disagree with his sentiments about the real story behind 9/11.

Bowman agreed that the US was in danger of slipping into a dictatorship and stated, "I think there's been nothing closer to fascism than what we've seen lately from this government."

Bowman slammed the Patriot Act as having, "Done more to destroy the rights of Americans than all of our enemies combined."

Bowman trashed the 9/11 Commission as a politically motivated cover-up with abounding conflicts of interest, charging, "The 9/11 Commission omitted anything that might be the least bit suspicious or embarrassing or in any way detract from the official conspiracy so it was a total whitewash."

"There needs to be a true investigation, not the kind of sham investigations we have had with the 9/11 omission and all the rest of that junk," said Bowman.

Asked if the perpetrators of 9/11 were preparing to stage another false-flag attack to reinvigorate their agenda Bowman agreed that, "I can see that and I hope they can't pull it off, I hope they are prevented from pulling it off but I know darn good and well they'd like to have another one."

A mainstay of the attack pieces against Charlie Sheen have been that he is not credible enough to speak on the topic of 9/11. These charges are ridiculed by the fact that Sheen is an expert on 9/11 who spends hours a day meticulously researching the topic, something that the attack dogs have failed to do, aiming their comments solely at Sheen's personal life and ignoring his invitation to challenge him on the facts.

In addition, from the very start we have put forth eminently credible individuals only for them to be ignored by the establishment media. Physics Professors, former White House advisors and CIA analysts, the father of Reaganomics, German Defense Ministers and Bush's former Secretary of the Treasury, have all gone public on 9/11 but have been uniformly ignored by the majority of the establishment press.

Will Robert Bowman also be blackballed as the mainstream continue to misrepresent the 9/11 truth movement as an occupation of the fringe minority?

Bowman is currently running for Congress in Florida's 15th District.

---------------------------------

Click here to listen to the entire interview for free.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 04, 2006 | | links to this post

Could this be your new home?

If you are reading this blog, you are likely a dissident, like me. You disagree with your government enough to keep yourself informed and inform others.

A while back, I wrote about "detention facilities" being constructed in America by Dick Cheney's Halliburton, via a no-bid contract awarded through the Department of Homeland Security. I have personally seen one of these so-called camps (Carrolton's Elm Fork water treatment plant), and it made the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention. And then, I found this video ...




Please share it with everyone you know.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Tuesday, April 04, 2006 | | links to this post

Monday, April 03, 2006

Pepco - who are these people?

Or, more importantly, where does their money go?

This ties in with my previous post about the Pepco Energy Company, responsible for the strange power-outage in the capitol today. When was the last time power was cut to all of the capitol buildings? I cannot remember that ever happening ... **Update - I take that back. In 2003, a huge number of power plants went offline (article). Unsure if it affected D.C. or not.

Maybe some intrepid investigators can start putting names to dollars. Who are these people connected to? I do not have the answer. I pray to God nothing happens to the capitol buildings, and I pray that none of the people are harmed. But my gut instinct is telling me something is very, very wrong. I so hope I am incorrect in that assumption.

Board of Directors

Edmund B. Cronin, Jr.

Edmund B. Cronin, Jr., age 68, since 2000 has been Chairman of the Board, and since 1995 has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Washington Real Estate Investment Trust, based in Rockville, Maryland, which owns income-producing real estate in the mid-Atlantic region. Mr. Cronin was a director of Potomac Electric Power Company from 1998 until August 1, 2002. He has been a director of the Company since August 1, 2002. Mr. Cronin's term expires in 2005.

Jack B. Dunn, IV

Jack B. Dunn, IV, age 55, since October 1995 has been Chief Executive Officer and since October 2004 has been President of FTI Consulting, Inc., a multi-disciplined consulting firm with practices in the areas of financial restructuring, litigation consulting and engineering and scientific investigation, located in Annapolis, Maryland. He served as Chairman of the Board of FTI from December 1998 to October 2004 and as President from October 1995 to December 1998. Mr. Dunn is a limited partner of the Baltimore Orioles and is a director of Aether Systems, Inc. He has been a director of the Company since May 21, 2004. Mr. Dunn’s term expires in 2007.

Terence C. Golden

Terence C. Golden, age 61, since 1993 has been Chairman of Bailey Capital Corporation in Washington, D.C. Bailey Capital Corporation is a private investment company. From 1995 until 2000, Mr. Golden was President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Host Marriott Corporation. He continues to serve as a director of Host Marriott Corporation. He is also a director of the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. Mr. Golden also currently serves as Chairman of the Federal City Council. Mr. Golden was a director of Potomac Electric Power Company from 1998 until August 1, 2002. He has been a director of the Company since August 1, 2002. Mr. Golden's term expires in 2006.

George F. MacCormack

George F. MacCormack, age 62, is retired Group Vice President, DuPont, Wilmington, Delaware, a position he held from 1999 through 2003. He was previously Vice President and General Manager (1998), White Pigments & Mineral Products Strategic Business Unit and Vice President and General Manager (1995), Specialty Chemicals Strategic Business Unit for DuPont. Mr. MacCormack was a director of Conectiv from 2000 until August 1, 2002. He has been a director of the Company since August 1, 2002. Mr. MacCormack's term expires in 2006.

Richard B. McGlynn

Richard B. McGlynn, age 67, is an attorney. From 1995-2000, he was Vice President and General Counsel of United Water Resources, Inc., Harrington Park, New Jersey and from 1992-1995, he was a partner in the law firm LeBoeuf, Lamb, Green & MacRae. He was a director of Atlantic Energy, Inc. from 1986 to 1998. Mr. McGlynn was a director of Conectiv from 1998 until August 1, 2002. He has been a director of the Company since August 1, 2002. Mr. McGlynn's term expires in 2007.

Floretta D. McKenzie

Floretta D. McKenzie, age 70, is, since January 1, 2005 Senior Advisor to The American Institutes for Research, a District of Columbia-based education research organization and was the Founder and, until December 31, 2004, Chairwoman of The McKenzie Group, Inc., a District of Columbia-based educational consulting firm. Until 2001, Dr. McKenzie was also Chief Executive Officer of The McKenzie Group, Inc. Dr. McKenzie is a director of Marriott International, Inc. Dr. McKenzie was a director of Potomac Electric Power Company from 1988 until August 1, 2002. She has been a director of the Company since August 1, 2002. Dr. McKenzie's term expires in 2006.

Lawrence C. Nussdorf

Lawrence C. Nussdorf, age 59, since 1998 has been President and Chief Operating Officer of Clark Enterprises, Inc., a privately held investment and real estate company based in Bethesda, Maryland, whose interests include The Clark Construction Group, a general contracting company, of which Mr. Nussdorf has been Vice President and Treasurer since 1977. Mr. Nussdorf was a director of Potomac Electric Power Company from 2001 until August 1, 2002. He has been a director of the Company since August 1, 2002. Mr. Nussdorf's term expires in 2006.

Peter F. O'Malley

Peter F. O'Malley, age 67, since 1989 has been of counsel to O'Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore, P.A., a law firm headquartered in Calverton, Maryland. Mr. O'Malley currently serves as the President of Aberdeen Creek Corp., a privately held company engaged in investment, business consulting and development activities. Mr. O'Malley is a director of FTI Consulting, Inc. He was a director of Potomac Electric Power Company from 1982 until August 1, 2002. He has been a director of the Company since August 1, 2002 and currently serves as the Lead Independent Director. Mr. O'Malley's term expires in 2007.

Frank K. Ross

Frank K. Ross, age 62, is retired managing partner for the mid-Atlantic Audit and Risk Advisory Services Practice and managing partner of the Washington, D.C. offices of the accounting firm KPMG LLP, positions he held from July 1, 1996 to December 31, 2003. He is currently a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Howard University, Washington, D.C. and the Director of its Center for Accounting Education. He is a director of NCRIC Group, Inc. and Cohen & Steers Funds. Mr. Ross serves on The Greater Washington, D.C. Urban League, Gallaudet University, and The Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund. He has been a director of the Company since May 21, 2004 . Mr. Ross’ term expires in 2007.

Pauline A. Schneider

Pauline A. Schneider, age 62, joined the Washington office of the law firm of Hunton & Williams in 1985 and has been a partner there since 1987. From October 2000 to October 2002, Ms. Schneider served as Chair of the Board of MedStar Health, Inc., a community-based healthcare organization that includes seven major hospitals in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area. Also, between 1998 and 2002, she chaired the Board of The Access Group, Inc., a not-for-profit student loan provider headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. She continues her service on both boards. She is a director of DiamondCluster International, Inc. Ms. Schneider was a director of Potomac Electric Power Company from 2001 until August 1, 2002. She has been a director of the Company since August 1, 2002. Ms. Schneider's term expires in 2005.

William T. Torgerson

William T. Torgerson, age 61, has been Vice Chairman of the Company since June 1, 2003 and has been General Counsel of the Company since August 1, 2002. From August 1, 2002 to June 2003, he was also Executive Vice President of the Company. From December 2000 to August 2002, he was Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Potomac Electric Power Company and from April 1994 to December 2000, he was Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Potomac Electric Power Company. Mr. Torgerson has been a director of Potomac Electric Power Company and Conectiv since August 1, 2002. He has been a director of the Company since May 21, 2004. Mr. Torgerson’s term expires in 2007.

Dennis R. Wraase

Dennis R. Wraase, age 62, is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. He is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Potomac Electric Power Company and Conectiv and was President and Chief Operating Officer of Potomac Electric Power Company from January 2001 through August 1, 2002. From August 2002 through May 2003, Mr. Wraase was Chief Operating Officer of the Company. He was President and Chief Financial Officer of Potomac Electric Power Company from May 2000 until January 2001. From 1999 to 2000, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and from 1996 until 1999, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Potomac Electric Power Company. Mr. Wraase has been a director of Potomac Electric Power Company since 1998 and of Conectiv since August 1, 2002. He has been a director of the Company since 2001. Mr. Wraase's term expires in 2005.


Management
President and CEO of Pepco Energy Services and Senior Vice President of Pepco Holdings, Inc.
Ed Mayberry

Senior Vice President and CFO
Jim McDonnell

Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Peter Meier

Senior Vice President, Planning
John Huffman

Vice President, Risk Management
Scott Snyder

Vice President, Marketing
Kim Price

President and COO, Pepco Building Services
Bob Aylward

President and COO, Asset Management Group of Pepco Energy Services
Mark Kumm

President and COO, Performance Management Group of Pepco Energy Services
David Weiss

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 03, 2006 | | links to this post

Something going down in Washington

Something of great signifigance is happening or has just happened in Washington.

Reuters is reporting on a power outage in Washington ... A Homeland Security officer said it only affects Capitol buildings. Everyone was evacuated and kept out of the buildings for a period of time. "Pepco," supposedly their power supplier, is investigating what happened. The story is below.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Capitol was evacuated on Monday after electricity was briefly lost, police and Senate officials said.

A Pepco spokeswoman said power was restored to the building and the company was investigating the cause of the outage.

A spokesman for Republican Majority leader Bill Frist said the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate were evacuated because of the widespread black out.

"It's routine procedure to evacuate the building," said spokesman Eric Ueland.

A Department of Homeland Security official said it was a "simple power outage" that only affected the Capitol not other buildings.

Alarms went off on both sides of the Capitol building and people were ordered to leave. U.S. Capitol Hill police were directing people to move away from the building and across the street.

I do not trust this. Something has happened. Something other than a simple power outage. Why did it only affect the capitol buildings? That is SO strange. I will keep my darkest fears out of public discourse unless they come true. But I'm wondering what this Pepco company is and who runs it. I'll have more here if I find anything.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 03, 2006 | | links to this post

MySpace censors "War on the Internet" story

MySpace has just censored my respost of The Sunday Herald's story about the Pentagon's plans to conduct a war against the internet.

I attempted to post the article to my discussion forum, "The League of Gonzo Journalists." After pressing the post button, it took me to the forums index. Normally I get a confirmation of the post. I tried the MySpace Democrats forum. Same thing. I tried "Underground Annonymous." No dice. Same result on the "Knowledge is power ... Feed your Mind" forum. Ditto for the forum "9/11 Truth." Censored as well on "Will Rupert Murdoch Shut This Thing Down?" and "Truthout."

I've got butterflies in my gut.

**Update:
I just found a way to post the story ... sort of. I've been passing the following around through MySpace forums --
http://gonzomuckraker.blogspot.com/2006/04/pentagon-plans-to-dominate-internet.html

There is a push from the Pentagon to dominate the internet through heavy censorship and psy-ops to control your mind. This is no Alex Jones conspiracy shit. It is real. Follow the link above. I am working on a further investigation.

I am not crazy or kidding. Read the story at the link above, I am begging you! It has been censored all across MySpace. This is the only way I can pass it on -- by removing "keywords" and the html to make the above link work. MySpace censorship is real, and very soon it will become endemic to the Internet.
It seems as though the system is sensitive to html code and active links. I did not include a link to the Sunday Herald's piece, not did I go into any detail about the program. Somehow, I've got the story through. I am not sure what the keywords were that triggered it, or if they have simply black-listed that link ... But this blog just updated, so I bet they haven't spotted it yet.

We'll see. I'm going to keep posting the above message. If it stops going through at some point, I'll have a better grasp of how this beast works.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 03, 2006 | | links to this post

Pentagon plans to dominate the internet

We're doomed. We're all doomed.

I post this here with no comment. I am currently working on something that deals with related matters, so I do not want to put everything out there all at once. In the mean time, consider what this story, from yesterday's Sunday Herald, means ...
America's war on the web

While the US remains committed to hunting down al-Qaeda operatives, it is now taking the battle to new fronts. Deep within the Pentagon, technologies are being deployed to wage the war on terror on the internet, in newspapers and even through mobile phones. Investigations editor Neil Mackay reports.

IMAGINE a world where wars are fought over the internet; where TV broadcasts and newspaper reports are designed by the military to confuse the population; and where a foreign armed power can shut down your computer, phone, radio or TV at will.

In 2006, we are just about to enter such a world. This is the age of information warfare, and details of how this new military doctrine will affect everyone on the planet are contained in a report, entitled The Information Operations Roadmap, commissioned and approved by US secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld and seen by the Sunday Herald.

The Pentagon has already signed off $383 million to force through the document’s recommendations by 2009. Military and intelligence sources in the US talk of “a revolution in the concept of warfare”. The report orders three new developments in America’s approach to warfare:

Firstly, the Pentagon says it will wage war against the internet in order to dominate the realm of communications, prevent digital attacks on the US and its allies, and to have the upper hand when launching cyber-attacks against enemies.

Secondly, psychological military operations, known as psyops, will be at the heart of future military action. Psyops involve using any media – from newspapers, books and posters to the internet, music, Blackberrys and personal digital assistants (PDAs) – to put out black propaganda to assist government and military strategy. Psyops involve the dissemination of lies and fake stories and releasing information to wrong-foot the enemy.

Thirdly, the US wants to take control of the Earth’s electromagnetic spectrum, allowing US war planners to dominate mobile phones, PDAs, the web, radio, TV and other forms of modern communication. That could see entire countries denied access to telecommunications at the flick of a switch by America.

Freedom of speech advocates are horrified at this new doctrine, but military planners and members of the intelligence community embrace the idea as a necessary development in modern combat.
The rest of the story ...

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 03, 2006 | | links to this post

U.S. General says Rummy should resign

Wow. Here is the transcript from this morning's Meet the Press. General Anthony Zinni, former commander of U.S. forces in the Middle-East, has called on the Secretary of Defense to resign. See below.

ZINNI: There’s a series of disastrous mistakes. We just heard the Secretary of State say these were tactical mistakes. These were not tactical mistakes. These were strategic mistakes, mistakes of policies made back here. Don’t blame the troops. They’ve been magnificent. If anything saves us, it will be them.

RUSSERT: Should someone resign?

ZINNI: Absolutely.

RUSSERT: Who?

ZINNI: Secretary of Defense to begin with.

RUSSERT: Anyone else?

ZINNI: Well, I think that we — those that have been responsible for the planning, for overriding all the efforts that were made in planning before that, that those that stood by and allowed this to happen that didn’t speak out – and there were appropriate ways within the system you can speak out, at congressional hearings and otherwise — I think they have to be held accountable.

Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker at Monday, April 03, 2006 | | links to this post

The backlash begins

I just got this email from Chip Mahaney, Managing Editor of KDFW FOX 4 News. He seems to have very much liked the article I did after inflitrating a local church disguised as a bum.
Stephen, you did a great job on the poverty church story. I go to Trietsch, and I fear I would have done the same thing, had I encountered you in our church. Thank you for writing this article. It made me think. I wrote a bit more of my feelings in one of my blogs: flowermoundroad.com.

I don't always agree with what I read in the News Connection, but I'm really glad you guys are in business. Looks like business is good for TNC, from all the ads I see. I always look forward to each week's issue, because something in there will stir me up. Keep it up, and good luck.

Best,
Chip Mahaney / Flower Mound, TX
Gee ... I'm flattered! And from a rather important person, so to speak. I'll consider the story as having paid off, even if I've already gotten a bunch of hate mail. For the benefit of my readers, I've posted Mr. Mahaney's comment on his blog here on, er, my ... blog ... Can't we think of a better name for these things? Anyway ...

This was a great story.  Front page of The News Connection this week: Poverty and the Modern Christian.

Investigative reporter Stephen Website goes undercover at Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church, at the behest of its senior pastor Jim Ozier, to find out how a smelly, disheveled man (a "bum") would be received in God's house. You might be surprised. You might not be.

My wife and kids and I are members of Trietsch. We joined the church 10 years ago, and we've been privileged to be part of its phenomenal growth. It's a terrific place to worship and share faith in Jesus Christ. The people at Trietsch are as loving as any you will find, and the church regularly supports many community and world ministries, including Christian Community Action. 

So why am I not surprised that a "bum" would get the "bum's rush" in our church? Probably because I am the church, and the church is me. Sad as that is. Up here in Flower Mound, we're pretty isolated from seeing things like this. Had I encountered Mr. Webster in church like some of our members reportedly did, I fear I would have been the same unloving example of God's love. And that saddens me.

Good job, Mr. Webster.  Heckuva story.                       
Posted by Chip Mahaney @ 10:38 PM 
Mr. Mahaney, thank you. I'm honored. I had to overcome a great amount of fear to walk into that church and actually write the story.

However, this other person would disagree with you. I'll simply post his letter and not respond. Though it was not my idea to do this, I did it nonetheless, with little regard as to what people would think of me. I hope my readers will decide for themselves.

The Poverty and the Modern Christian article was so funny I only quit  laughing when I saw the author's picture and realized he was older than  12.  Obviously old enough to know better.  Let's see, dress bad, smell  bad, don't initiate contact and see if people in a public place are  friendly.  Amazingly, they are not. Mr. Stephen Webster could have  saved himself the aggravation and his fiancé's olfactory system.  It  generally takes asking for help to get help.  People don't warm up to  strangers regardless of setting.  
 
 
 
I am out with my handicapped children in public often. The stares and odd  looks happen to us much more frequently than just an hour of social  experiment at church.  Between my ugly mug and the assortment of sounds and  fluids provided by my kiddos it can be quite a show.  A mobile  leper colony.  It is not often that help materializes out of the  blue but that is no indictment of the human race.  You find what you  seek. I am continually amazed at those who do answer the  call to lend a hand or a kind word.
 
 
 
In your story, instead of a solution you blame all poverty on a human  character flaw.  Even Jesus said there will be poor always.   Check it out next time you are in church.
 
 
 
Yours Truly,
 
Alex Buck
 
[address removed]
 
Highland Village, TX
====================================================

*A-hem*

I wonder if he knows what "economic apartheid" is. Anyway ...

So, wasn't that a nice way to start the week? Life is so bittersweet.


    

        Posted by The Gonzo Muckraker  at Monday, April 03, 2006  |  | links to this post 

    

    
        

    




            

   
            
        

   

        
                            

                    

                    


   

        

    
    

        
The Weird, Turned Pro.
           
                Created by The Gonzo Muckraker

                Based in Dallas, Texas

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