Monday, July 30, 2007

Ft. Worth impeachment resolution details

Friends and fellow activists, lend me your eyes.

Our sisters with Code Pink Ft. Worth and the Tarrant County Green Party are going to be speaking before the FW city council on August 9. They will present the council with a resolution to Impeach Bush and Cheney for their numerous crimes.

AND THEY NEED YOU TO BE THERE!!!

So far, they've got seven or eight speakers lined up. At the end of the meeting, during the public input section, each person will be given three minutes to say a few words. They hope to eat up at least 30 minutes, but if they can get more people to attend, they'll get even more time.

You do not have to be a Ft. Worth resident to speak before the council. You just have to be there.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 1000 Throckmorton Ave. in Ft. Worth on August 9. For more info, please contact Diane Wood at (817) 800-4249, or e-mail dianewoodtarrantgreens (at) yahoo.com.

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Lazer tag: You're it!

That's one cool projector.

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Thompson, Paul win Georgetown GOP debate

Who is in the "top tier" now? Ron Paul, the anti-war Republican, has the wind at his back.

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Global Peace Index

A group called Vision of Humanity has posted the world's first "Global Peace Index", ranking all the nations of the world in order of most peaceful to most violent.

Surprise, surprise (?): the United States of America is at #96. A few other rankings -- Japan: #5 -- Australia: #10 -- Spain: #21 -- Qatar: #30 -- Ghana: #40 -- United Kingdom: #49.

Iraq ... is at the very bottom of the list, with Darfur ranked just one spot above it. Does that mean what is going on in Iraq is worse than the ongoing genocide in Darfur? I shudder to think.

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Friday, July 27, 2007

Slaves used to build U.S. embassy in Iraq?

Bizarre but true. U.S. contractors in Iraq have kidnapped people all over the world and put them to work in Iraq, building city-size embassies across the desert.

Or, so claims Rory Mayberry, a former subcontractor employee for First Kuwaiti Trading & Contracting Company, in his recent testimony to Congress. Watch it for yourself:

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Iraqis experience sadness?

A new study out of The Onion's Baghdad bureau carries a shocking new find: Iraqis, when confronted with the deaths of family and friends, may in fact experience sadness.

Who'da thunk it?

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Fred Thompson has reporter arrested and assaulted

Seems like this guy has a lot of respect for our constitutional freedoms.



Now, who wouldn't want a man like that as the President?

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Texas education now a "faith based" organization

Rick Perry has appointed Don McLeroy, a creationist from Bryan, TX, to head up the state's public education agency.

In other news, a Malaysian fisher recently discovered this ...

Yes, that is a shark with webbed feet. More here.

Reached for comment, the children of the state of Texas merely proclaimed, "Eek!"

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Thursday, July 26, 2007

The ULTIMATE guide to the HLF trial

My friend Beth Freed with Hungry for Justice and The Dallas Peace Center has a great guide to the Holy Land Foundation trial. Check it out here.


On my end, it turns out I've not been taken on with the group to blog the trial. But you can count on updates -- it is a very important moment in our history.

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Monday, July 23, 2007

Ft. Worth getting an Impeachment Resolution?

Word has it that on August 7, at 7 p.m., a large group of people are getting together at Ft. Worth City Hall (located here) to present the council with a resolution to Impeach President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney.

This is all, sort-of hushhush for now. There is some air of concern that the council will attempt to obstruct those presenting, as they will be bringing speakers to stack up the three-minute citizens' input segment of the meeting.

Word on the grapevine has it that this group will be holding a meeting this coming Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m., though a location hasn't been established. Their date of presentation might even change. Who knows? Everything is fluid right now.

This blog will carry further details when available. Or, you can talk to the Tarrant County Green Party, which is said to be co-sponsoring the presentation.

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Sunday, July 22, 2007

Three members are needed, but missing

House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers needs three more members to sign his legislation that would initiate impeachment proceedings, and he needs 'em NOW!

After Downing Street has the scoop.

If he can get three more, the impeachment of Bush and Cheney could begin. I hope the stipulation would be to impeach Cheney first ... As I believe a Cheney presidency would put this country into a new dark age. This is why I fear for the life of our president on some dark nights. I hope no physical harm comes to him, because the man who will ascend to the throne will bring much greater death and destruction.

One way or the other, Congress, if it is to continue asserting its authority as a legitimate branch of government, has only one option now. Bush's claims of executive privilege simply go beyond the pale. Not even Nixon was this ambitious.

You can help. Call John Conyers at (202) 225-5126 and ask him to begin Impeachment proceedings and reinstate Congress as a branch of the government. Then call your own member of Congress at (202) 224-3121 and ask that they support the impeachment efforts by endorsing Conyers' legislation.

It is time to end an error. Three more members of Congress can begin the process.

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Ship of Fools

Haven't you always wanted to hop a cruise liner with a pack of Neo-Cons? Its Republican dating, Bush style! Set sail with The Independent's Johann Hari for a swashbuckling adventure in "Ship of Fools", one of the funniest political pieces I've read in a long time.

A brief excerpt from the first few paragraphs ...
I lie on the beach with Hillary-Ann, a chatty, scatty 35-year-old Californian designer. As she explains the perils of Republican dating, my mind drifts, watching the gentle tide. When I hear her say, " Of course, we need to execute some of these people," I wake up. Who do we need to execute? She runs her fingers through the sand lazily. "A few of these prominent liberals who are trying to demoralise the country," she says. "Just take a couple of these anti-war people off to the gas chamber for treason to show, if you try to bring down America at a time of war, that's what you'll get." She squints at the sun and smiles. " Then things'll change."
They sure will, Hillary-Ann. They will indeed.

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Saturday, July 21, 2007

Bush kills 5th Amendment

The Fifth Amendment to our Constitution is no more, as of July 17, 2007. The Department of the Treasury can now seize anyone's property if they are determined -- in secret by the Sec. of the Treasury -- to have aided, in ANY way, the destabilization of Iraq (I.E. protesters). The language is broad, and it specifically applies to persons residing or claiming citizenship in the United States of America. Details are here and here.

I think this order is much more severe than just clamping down on people who vocally speak and act out against the war. There is another motive for this sort of craziness by the Administration.

I think this executive order also has to do with a trial that is about to begin in Dallas. Have you heard of the Holy Land Foundation?

(Note: the Wikipedia entry about HLF is about the most atrocious thing I've ever seen.)

This group was the nation's largest Islamic charitable organization. It gave millions of dollars for humanitarian relief all over the world, including within the United States. In December 2001, its funds and assets were frozen by the Secretary of the Treasury and they were accused of providing material support to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

In summary, the evidence that the feds will present against HLF draws a jagged line connecting the two organizations. The allegation is that when HLF donated funds to humanitarian organizations to groups within Palestine that were sanctioned by Israel as legitimate, relatives of
those who directed the application of the funds were able to funnel off money to the militants. The feds also allege that by supporting hospitals and schools in Palestine, Hamas was then freed up to concentrate its assets on further acts of violence.

Under the language of this new executive order, your assets could be frozen and your property confiscated if you give support to an organization that gave support to an organization that has some sort of proximity to an organization which may be conducting terrorist activities. It is guilt by association, and this new order applies in a variety of manors.

Because this trial is in Dallas, and it is starting THIS COMING MONDAY, I think we should hold our event at the federal building.

Our fellow dissenters with Hungry for Justice, a group of Dallas Muslims, will be gathering at the federal building in Dallas on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this coming week, from 12 p.m. to 1. They are intently focused on winning this trial, because if HLF were to be blocked by this sort of stacked evidence (some of which was obtained through the use of warrantless wiretapping, which produced transcripts that had to be translated by FBI linguists, who, HLF alleges, made egregious translation errors during this process), we could be looking at the end of all humanitarian aid to Palestine.

We're looking at what could possibly be the first application of this monstrous executive order, right here in Dallas.

And if they can do it to the peaceful Muslim community here, they can do it to you too.

Hungry for Justice is rallying around this trial. I'll be blogging from the courtroom once it gets underway, probably two times a week, with other writers filling in the remaining gaps. I'll keep you updated as best I can, but please note that Monday through Thursday, from noon to 1 p.m., there will be protests in front of the federal building.

If you're interested in a show of defiance against this new executive order, I say we protest its possibly application against American protesters AND the ongoing, direct application against our neighbors in the Dallas Muslim community. If you can't make it out in the middle of the day, perhaps we could gather toward the end of business hours for a rally in support? (For more, join the newsgroup at DallasRally.com.)

Fast action is needed. If a large crowd swamps the federal building at the start of this trial, it is more likely to be widely publicized.

They're going to test this order on a small minority group first. And if we do not speak up for them, who will speak up for us when we're all that remain?

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Be a Good Man!

Don't shoot the President.








A revolution not worth laughter is a revolution not worth having.

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Thursday, July 19, 2007

History lies in a shallow grave

Take a deep breath and think back to 2003. It seems like an age ago, when our leaders justified attacking a nation that had not first attacked us. But thanks to the power of YouTube, we can all remember exactly what was said, and when.

Let's remember, if but for a few moments, how it all came to be ...







One word springs to mind ...

IMPEACH!!!

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Cindy Sheehan: Good Riddance, Media Bore

Oh, SNAP!

My friend Nathan Diebenow, Associate Editor of The Lone Star Iconoclast in Crawford, Texas, really takes it to Cindy Sheehan in a recent column entitled "Good Riddance, Media Bore".

Having been to Camp Casey and the Crawford Peace House a half-dozen times now (but only staying overnight thrice), I can say he's right about a number of things. Like the passage, "This leads me to the 'Cindy Sheehan worshipers' who attended her party last weekend. To me, the whole affair felt like a family reunion for vampires."

While I would not characterize my time spent in Crawford as hanging with 'vampires' (I actually like almost everyone I've encountered there), there is an element of prestige they seem to carry, being that they were there, with Cindy. Like bing pictured with Cindy is somehow more remarkable than being pictured with any mother whose son has died in this pointless damned war. (Though I'll admit to taking that picture as well, *natch*.)

But, our media did make her out to be the face of the American peace movement.

Then again, she really doesn't think like an organizer. Her mythos has never included anyone other than herself. She's a real sweetie, don't get me wrong. But Nathan is right. She's a real hound for the cameras, as she should be, but everyone else, some with stories far more compelling, gets brushed to the side when she's around.

So Cindy isn't in Crawford anymore. But the Peace Movement still is. Bree Walker is. So are my friends at the Crawford Peace House. So is The Iconoclast.

What remains in question now is whether this mecca for Revolution will remain a viable point in the annals of peacemaker history. And that's up to the people now, no longer just Cindy. But us.

And, well, let's face it: Cindy isn't as good an interview as say, Reverand Yearwood.

The Peace Movement needs new public faces. Cindy's 'retirement' (more like a brief hiatus before launching off on new projects) is a good thing. I'm not as strident as Nathan, as I haven't been exposed to the circus for as long. But I will say this ...

We've heard Cindy's story. We know the tragedy that touched her and thousands of others. We understand that it must stop, but in order to convince more of our countrymen, one voice must become thousands. I want to hear about these people:


It is time to move on.

Not every movement can select those who speak for it. Here's to hoping those who can choose -- those holding the cameras and picking the edits -- will turn to the swarming masses in the streets for their next new face.

As Immortal Technique said, "Change gone come". So we'd better get ready for it.

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Friday, July 13, 2007

Pot farm discovered 200 yards from Dallas DEA office

Pardon me while I disguise my glee over this. I've just never seen a better example of why the nontoxic drug called marijuana should be TAXED and REGULATED. From My Fox DFW ...
DALLAS -- Drug Enforcement Administration officials discovered a large number of marijuana plants growing in a wooded area near the Trinity River in Dallas Thursday afternoon.

The secret pot farm was practically right under their noses. In fact, if you could walk in a straight line from the riverbank through the marshy underbrush and tangled wilderness, you'd walk just 200 yards before you hit the DEA's office building.

Right now, agents have no idea who planted and carefully tended to the elaborate farm, it appears whoever it was spent a lot of time and money on the project.

From the air, four agents could be seen pulling up huge plants -- some up to four or five feet tall -- and confiscated them. Officials say they found more than 300 plants, worth at least $300,000 on the street.
I know some people who've got a better idea. Take a listen ...



Mahalo.

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Thursday, July 12, 2007

"Payback's a bitch"

Larry Flynt, proprietor of Hustler Magazine, may be one of my new heroes! No, not because he's a pornographer, but because of this.

A while back he dropped $150,000 for a full page ad in The Washington Post. The ad offered $1,000,000 to anyone who may have had illicit sexual relations with a member of Congress.

"If someone's living a lie ... They become fair game," said Flynt.

So far, Hustler has ongoing investigations into 20 members of Congress.

One of the most recent to fall is Bob Allen, a GOP State Rep from Florida and campaign strategist for the John McCain crew. While he was not arrested in connection with Flynt's investigations, he DID solicit an undercover police officer for sex in a male bathroom. (*snicker-snicker*)

We're going to see a lot of liars getting dropped in the next few months. I'm just waiting for the big Dick Cheney revelation. Any day now.

Or as Raw Story published ...

Referring to his past court battles over indecency charges, the hardcore magazine publisher said the government "did everything it could for 15 years" to put him behind bars.

"This is payback time," he said. "And payback's a bitch."

Yes. Dear LORD yes. :O)

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Tuesday, July 10, 2007

GOP braces for impact

The prostitution phone records are out, and D.C. is panicking.

One of the first bigwigs to be identified is first term senator David Vitter, who during President Clinton's salacious affair, called on the President to resign.

You've gotta wonder if he's going to hold true to those values.

Who is up next? We already know that Cheney's been dipping his wick with some of the D.C. madam's call girls. Which major news organization will be the first to drive it home to John and Sally Q. Heartland?

(My money is on anyone but Fox and ABC.)

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Tuesday, July 03, 2007

A heroic encounter

William Rodriguez is coming to town. Don't know William? Apparently, neither did this guy ...


William Rodriguez is a genuine American hero. For over two decades, he worked as a custodian at the World Trade Center in New York City. And on 9/11, he was the sole holder of the master key that firefighters needed to save people trapped in the towers. He heroically risked his life to save others, going into and out of the buildings numerous times before the collapses.

The thing about William is, the entire time this was happening, he was hearing explosions. Even before the first plane hit, he claims there were bombs going off in the basement. Since 9/11, he's been homeless and unemployed, until he finally began telling his story.

Now he's on an international tour, raising awareness of what he personally witnessed take place on that fateful day. He carries with him a woefully different version of the events than what has been fed to us by the Bush Administration -- yet in spite of this, William has been personally honored by President Bush at the White House on numerous occasions.

He is a nationally-recognized hero, and you have every reason to hear this man out.

William will be in Dallas on August 9, speaking at the Lakewood Theater (map) on Abrams Road. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and William will speak at 7:30. His speech will last about an hour and a half, and he will be available shortly thereafter to meet with and speak to visitors.

Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.

(And on a personal note, I'd like to thank the owners of the Lakewood Theater for holding such an event. This is not the first time they have sponsored vocal dissenters, nor, I suspect, will it be the last.)

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Monday, July 02, 2007

Libby gets a pardon

In July 2005, responding to critics who claim someone in the administration leaked the covert identity of a CIA spy working on WMD nonproliferation, President Bush said that if someone is found to have committed a crime, they would "no longer work in my administration."

Once it became clear that the Vice President, the Veep's Chief of Staff, and the President's top political adviser all had a hand in the crime, Bush did nothing.

Then, Lewis had his day in court. It was ugly.


He was found guilty of lying under oath and obstructing the investigation. Not only was he involved, but he committed further crimes covering it all up.

Today, he's been given a new lease on life: a pardon by the president.

Does that mean that jeopardizing the lives of undercover intelligence operatives then lying to investigators and a jury is an okay thing to do? Seems that way ...

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The Weird, Turned Pro.

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