Eyes Wide Open

Eyes Wide Open is coming to Asheville, NC this upcoming weekend. I have wanted to bring this exhibit to our town for over a year and a half. I worked on this exhibit up in DC during the week of the inauguration in January 2004.

The purpose of the exhibit is to open people's eyes to the reality of war and the human cost of war. More information can be found at the American Friends Service Committee website.

The Grace Lee Peace Award

Last night, I received the Grace Lee Peace Award. Now, first off, it is not often that you hear of someone receiving an award for peace. Lots of awards and promotions and metals given out for war, but usually not for peace. So, I feel this was sweet for them to think of me. The other person they honored was Bob Smith, who speaks at some of our rallies, runs the local Community Action Board and happens to go to my church, or 'meeting for worship' as we call it. Better known as the Asheville Friends Meeting.

It was Buzz Lee who called me to tell me that I had won this award and he also told me that the award was named after his mother, Grace Lee. Grace was a life-long activist for peace and social justice issues, and Buzz, her son, is an activist also. He is also an active member of the local Democrat Party, and he lives in a retirement home lately. Buzz is a sweet guy, and I first got to know him when he sent in a donation and a letter to the WNC Peace Coalition because of an editorial I wrote. That was a few years back.

Anyway, I knew this Peace Award was part of a program called the Davidson Roundtable, which is a lecture series on social justice issues. I never seem to have time to attend these free lectures, but they often have very interesting speakers, and the main speaker is followed by a roundtable discussion with some individuals who are active in the issues being address. Last night they had Hodding Carter III as the main speaker, and I did not know who he was so I looked him up on google, and found out he was a journalist, as was his father, in the deep south during the civil rights era. He also worked as an assistant secretary of state for the Carter administration (no relation) and is currently a professor at UNC-CH.

I found his speech very interesting. He described how his positions on civil rights issues evolved, along with various other issues that he faced in his life. One of these was the issue of violence via guns, or the threat of such violence. His family had guns during the time they had problems with their white neighbors over civil rights issues, and they believed and the community believed that they would use them if they felt a need. One night they sat up all night expecting trouble, but none came. The next night, they were so exhausted they all went to sleep, and that night someone burned a cross on their yard. Hodding said that the family is very grateful today that they were all asleep, because if they were awake, they would have shot at them. Turns out it was a pack of kids, acting out their parent's hatred. Hodding went on to say how he had a gun on him every day for five years, and never took it out of his holster, until 1964. One day that year, he took it off and got rid of all the guns in the family. He did it because he brother had died from a gun accident.

So, he felt the guns kept him and his family safe, until his brother died. One is left to wonder how they would have fared without any guns at all during those years. Would they have been subjected to violence? Would his brother still be alive? The answer to the last one is "most likely".

I found all their discussion very interesting, but before they spoke, I was given the Grace Lee Peace Award. Buzz introduced me by saying that I am an audiologist and that whenever there is a rally or event in Asheville concerning peace or social justice issues, I am always there and nearly always one of the organizers. I spent a few minutes speaking on EYES WIDE OPEN, an exhibit that is coming to Asheville next weekend that I am very involved with currently. I spoke on the WNC Peace Coalition and I spoke on the fact that war does not work and that we need to abolish war altogether.

Sure enough, one of the later speakers had to mention that sometimes "we have to fight". Well, if we "have to fight" how come we never seem to get to the point where the problems are solved and we don't have to fight? One of the main reasons I feel we have to stop war is because if we continue on this path, one day we may find ourselves in a nuclear war. And that would be suicide for most of the planet. I also feel war is a horrible thing to have happen to your home and community.

Anyway, I did not know it until last night, but the Grace Lee Peace Award came with a check. I was thinking it would be $50 or so, and that I would donate it to the Peace Coalition. Well, turns out they gave me a check for considerably more than that, and a W-9 form to go with it. So I will put it in the bank until I figure out how much taxes on it I have to pay. And I have a certificate which I will frame. Here's my ideas for how to obtain a Peace Award:

1. Show Up
2. Do the work
3. Get Lucky!

Really, I have never understood why some good things get attention and rewarded while other things are just ignored, and how some people get recognized and others don't. I guess all you can really do is what you think is a good use of your time overall, and try to better the world. I am very honored to be given an award for peace! And I hope what I do does help promote peace in the world.

Article on "Who Is A Terrorist?"

Who Is A Terrorist?

The scenes from Gaza are heartbreaking. Heartbreaking? That's not for certain. The sight of the Aben family from Beit Lahiya mourning its 12-year-old daughter Hadil last week did not stir any particular shock in Israel. Nor did anyone take to the streets and protest over the sight of her wounded mother and little brother lying in shock on the floor of their shanty in Gaza. On the day Hadil Aben was killed, Yedioth Aharonoth carried a story about Nelly, the dog from Kibbutz Zikim that died of heart failure from the booming noise of the Israeli artillery firing into Gaza.

Instead of expressions of sorrow at the death of children, the upper echelons of the defense establishment came out with a stream of strident statements. The defense minister said that the only thing to do was step up the pressure on the Palestinians. The deputy chief of staff spoke about a possible invasion of Gaza and the head of army operations added, "what we've seen so far are only the previews." The IDF announced it would further reduce the "safety range" that is designed to avoid shells hitting the civilian population.




The article I cited above is excellent at presenting the immorality of the Israeli’s government’s actions. Israel is dropping bombs on Gaza, while the Palestinians are firing rockets at Israel. The Palestinians have yet to kill anyone with the rockets, yet they are the ones labeled a “terrorist” – a name they lived up to the other day when one of them did a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.

This Israeli author argues that the approach they should try (to quiet down the violence in Gaza) is to lift the embargo, restore aid, and help the Palestinian people. (It is likely that this would save them money also; however the arms manufacturers would lose money.) This is the exact opposite of what they are doing. In spite of the fact that Israel’s policy is not working, they continue to use their failed policies. And, as one can see, some Palestinians also apply their failed policies to achieve justice and freedom. They care enough to give their life in the process, and they are so desperate, or so ill, that that is all they have to give.

I think he is a HERO

Malcolm Kendall-Smith took a stand and refused to go back to Iraq. I think he is a TRUE HERO of this war, because he stood up for what was right and what was just. He is paying a price for that stand, but I hope he knows that there are many people who admire him and recognize that he is the one who is doing what is morally right.

A Letter from the Guardian (more at the link):

RAF Doctor's Duty and Conscience

When sentencing Flight Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith to eight months in prison (RAF doctor sent to jail for refusing to serve in Iraq, April 14), judge advocate Jack Bayliss explained that the crime of aggression under international law "can only be committed by those responsible for the policy of a nation, at the top of government or the armed forces, and that responsibility for it does not trickle down to those at lower levels of the chain of command". The judge had also said: "Obedience of orders is at the heart of any disciplined force."

This judgment means that in any conflict - if instructed to murder, torture or maim - those of the lower orders cannot be held responsible for their leaders' commands. Those involved in conflicts from the second world war onwards, including Iraq, could claim that they were only carrying out orders. The hypocrisy of this stares you in the face. Flt Lt Kendall-Smith didn't have a chance of winning. I add my support to his stand. JR Faulkes London

Don't Attack Iran!

Please go to www.dontattackiran.org and sign the petition telling the US government not to attack Iran. This is truly insane to do this, and I am afraid they just might try.

What is takes for protests to really work....

Below is an article I took from Daily Kos. I agreee whole-heartedly: for a protest to work, it has to be serious, respectful, focused and large. I don’t see that happening with the anti-war movement, unfortunately. I have reprinted most of the article here.



Sometimes it ain't what you do, but the way that you do it, that matters. Some demonstrations have changed the world. But in my long and jaded experience some demonstrating is a waste of time. Some demonstrating is even counterproductive. What makes effective protest? I've been thinking about that since the big antiwar march in Washington last September. I started thinking about it more after Coretta Scott King died.


Rule #1. Be serious.

Study the great civil rights marches of the 1950s and 1960s. People in those marches looked as if they were assembled for a serious purpose. They wore serious clothes. They marched both joyously and solemnly. Most of all, they carried themselves with the dignity befitting a great and noble cause. And if they chanted or carried signs, the chants or signs didn't contain language you couldn't repeat to your grandmother. The antiwar protests I've attended in New York City, by contrast, were often more like moving carnivals than protests. Costumes, banners, and behavior on display were often juvenile and raunchy. Lots of people seemed to be there to get attention, and the message they conveyed was LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT HOW CLEVER I AM, not NO IRAQ WAR. Really. And, please, nix the street theater. It isn't that I don't enjoy some of it -- I am fond of Billionaires for Bush -- and a display of flag-draped coffins moving down the street has real impact. But most of the time street theater is juvenile and tiresome and reminds me of bad summer camp skits. Except raunchier. Which takes me to --


Rule #2. Be unified of purpose.

One of my ongoing gripes about antiwar marches is the way some groups try to tack their own agenda, which many others in the demonstration may not share, onto marches. ANSWER is a repeat offender. Most of the marchers last September were in Washington for the sole purpose of protesting the war. But ANSWER hijacked CSPAN's attention and put on a display so moonbatty it made The Daily Show. Message control is essential. During the Vietnam era, I witnessed many an antiwar protest get hijacked by a few assholes who waved North Vietnamese flags and spouted anti-American messages, which is not exactly the way to win hearts and minds --


Rule #3 -- Good protesting is good PR.

I know they're called "protests," but your central purpose is to win support for your cause. You want people looking on to be favorably impressed. You want them to think, wow, I like these people. They're not crazy. They're not scary. I think I will take them seriously. That means you should try not to be visibly angry, because angry people are scary. Anger is not good PR. Grossing people out is not good PR. Yelling at people that they're stupid for not agreeing with you is not good PR. Screaming the F word at television camera crews is not good PR.


Rule #4 -- Size matters.

Size of crowds, that is. Remember that one of your purposes is to show off how many people came together for the cause. But most people will only see your protest in photographs and news videos. The number of people who marched for immigration reform over the past few days was stunning. It's the biggest reason the marches got news coverage. A sub-rule -- IMO, an occasional REALLY BIG demonstration that gets a lot of media attention is way better than a steady drizzle of little demonstrations that become just so much background noise..


Rule #5 -- Be sure your opposition is uglier/more hateful/snottier than you are.

In the 1950s and 1960s white television viewers were shocked and ashamed to see the civil rights marchers -- who were behaving nicely and wearing suits, remember -- jeered at by hateful racists. And when those redneck Southern sheriffs turned fire hoses and attack dogs on the marchers, it pretty much doomed Jim Crow to the dustbin of history. I think Cindy Sheehan's encampment in Crawford last August, although a relatively small group, was successful because of the contrast between Sheehan and the Snot-in-Chief cruising by in his motorcade without so much as a how d'you do. Truly, if Bush had invited the Sheehan crew over for lemonade and a handshake, the show would've been over. But he didn't. At the same time, if Sheehan's crew had yelled obscenities or thrown rocks at Bush's motorcade, it would have helped Bush's approval ratings considerably. But they didn't. This takes us back to rules #1 and #2. You don't win support by being assholes. You win support by showing the world that your opponents are assholes.


Rules #6 -- Demonstrations are not enough.

It's essential to be able to work with people in positions of power to advance your agenda. And if there aren't enough people in power to advance your agenda, then get some. Frankly, I think some lefties are caught up in the romance of being oppressed and powerless and can't see beyond that. Remember, speaking truth to power is just the first step. The goal is to get power for yourself. Fortunately, the netroots revolution is showing us the way to do just that.


Other observations:
I don't know how to persuade people who march against the war to let go of self-indulgence and exhibitionism and get serious. I once posted the opinion that I am weary of the "old fringe that's stuck in a 1970s time warp of identity politics and street theater projects and handing out fliers for the next cause du jour rally," and boy, did I get slammed for that. Clearly, I had just slaughtered a whole herd of sacred cows. Imagine whistling "We Shall Overcome" at a Klan meeting.


This blog post ended with:
I also believe the antiwar movement today is floundering because of lack of cohesive leadership. The dignified presence of Martin Luther King guided the great civil rights protests and made them exemplary. Judging by some demonstrations I've seen, the antiwar movement is being guided by Sideshow Bob.

The Death of a General

I saw this report on CBS news on Sunday night. It was very disturbing, for many different reasons. I am going to present some of the "facts" of the case, as stated by Mr. Welshofer, and my interpretation of those "facts". Mr. Welshofer is in the US military, but he does not deserve any title that was given to him, so I will not use them.

Mr. Welshofer says: "And you just tell yourself, you know what? This has got to stop. You have to protect these guys."

He's not talking about Iraqis here, he's talking about injured US soldiers. Of course, the US soldiers would not be injured if they WERE IN THE USA, would they?

The story goes on: "The way to protect them, according to the military, was by finding Saddam Hussein — who was then still at large — and by cracking the insurgency. One day, the key to the solution appeared on Welshofer’s doorstep: an Iraqi major general with close links to Saddam. His name was Abid Hamed Mowhoush. Welshofer says he thought Mowhoush might know where Saddam was hiding and also help him understand how the insurgency was organized and financed."

At this point in time, we all know that Saddam was not behind the insurgency at all. He's been in prison for over two years and the insurgency rages on. This story fails to mention why this Iraqi Major General showed up at Mr. Welshofer's door. The General was there because they had abducted his sons. He was turning himself in - to get his sons free. Keep in mind here that Mr. Welshofer wanted to get INFORMATION from the General.

Mr. Welshofer wasn't getting any information out of this General, so he started hitting him. "I put him on his knees and I used the facial slap," recalls Welshofer. (I think he is lying. I think he started right off with this type of physical abuse, and quickly moved into torture.)

The General still wasn't giving him any information. (I wonder if Welshofer is intelligent enough to ponder the idea that maybe, just maybe, the General did not know where Saddam was hiding. I doubt it.) So, according to the CBS program, Welshofer got "creative". That is an interesting choice of words for Welshofer's behavior: it is not every day that we call killing other people "creative".

So, he beats the crap out of the General, breaking his ribs among other things, and then stuffs him inside a sleeping bag, ties a cord around him, and sits on him. And proceeds to hold his hand over his mouth from time to time. Of course, the sleeping bag is not see-through, so maybe he covered his nose with his hands and/or the sleeping bag. Apparently, this possibility does not cross Welshofer's puny brain. He claims he didn't cover the General's nose.

In spite of broken ribs (established on autopsy), someone sitting on him, and someone putting his hand over his "mouth" - somehow the General keeps talking. (This is, of course, a pile of stinking lies.) But the General does not say what Welshofer wants to hear. Welshofer gives up, and removes the bag from the General, and has this to say:

"The general had a smile on his face. An honest-to-God grin on his face. So I’m thinking he’s messing with me. So, I grabbed a little bit of water and sprinkled it on the general’s face, because he was not responding to any questions, any type of conversation at all. I saw that the water pooled in his mouth, and it was at that point that I realized there was a problem here. The general’s dead," Welshofer recalls.

First off, if he "grabbed a little bit of water and sprinkled it" there is no way he would see that water "pooled in his mouth" - so he is flat-out lying here. He dumped a bucket of water on the General, and because it was a significant amount, it pooled in his mouth. Then Welshofer figured out the General is dead. Welshofer is again lying here or he is dumber than dirt. Here's a clue, Mr. Welshofer: living people breathe, which makes their chest move. You will see that in EVERY living person on the planet, I guarantee you.

Then the lying and stupid Mr. Welshofer claims he didn't think he killed the guy!

The second autopsy said the General died "asphyxia due to smothering and chest compression". This autopsy also says " “Findings included rib fractures, numerous contusions (bruises), some of which were due to impacts with a blunt object(s).” The first autopsy was a sham.

But here's the part that shows that Welshofer is truly incapable of intelligent thought and totally deficient in moral development:


"Asked if he would do all this again, Welshofer says, "I helped save soldiers lives. I'm 100 percent convinced of that. If I had done anything less than what I did, if one soldier more had died because I had done anything different, I find that even more reprehensible — even more unacceptable."


How do you get information from a DEAD guy? How stupid is this man not to realize that murdering a surrendered Iraqi General would inspire more Iraqis to join the insurgency? What other choices do they have? If someone who is a General surrenders and cooperates with the American troops and then is brutally murdered, what chance does a regular person have? Why would ANYONE cooperate with such individuals acting like such evil immoral animals?


Not only did Welshofer's killing of the Iraqi General make sure they did not get any information from him, it also made sure that hundreds of Iraqi soldiers picked up arms against the US troops. He inspired them to kill Americans. Welshofer helped promote the violence in Iraq, and some American funerals are directly thanks to him, even if he is too stupid to realize it.


Now, I have no doubt that people in Welshofer's chain of command authorized these evil acts also, and they are probably as convinced as Welshofer is that acting like this is saving American lives. (They don't give a damn about saving Iraqi lives.)


They are evil, they are stupid, and they are a disgrace to the military, to all Americans and the entire human race.


They don't even deserve to consider themselves part of the human race. Mr. Welshofer and his commanders are lower than dirt.

Stopping war

I posted the comment below to Talking about Iraq blog



What happens to the people who say "no" to the corruption and don't play the game? They get sidelined or silenced, or in Iraq, probably killed.

I am wondering these days how we deal with people who believe in "power over" vs. "power shared".... how do we stop them if they think they can impose their agenda and their will on people, even by violence? How do we stop them?

In the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), the people who were behind this war on Iraq wrote how they want "global dominance" for the pursuit of American interests, using American's military might to achieve it. And the Americans voted them into office - and the Americans don't object to spend a huge amount of money on weapons. Even more surprising, the American people do not object to American companies selling arms all over the world. Even the military guys, who have got to know that those arms make their fighting wars more dangerous, don't object. So, we have the American military with more weapons than any reasonable useage would suggest, and American companies arming the rest of the world to an unbelievable degree. If the goal is the end of the world, then we are making the correct choices.

I would say that all wars about about power and greed, and it is nothing new to lie to a people about the reasons for war (that happens all the time) and the underlying reasons for starting up any war is to control the area and the resources.

And, I would say that responding to violence with violence does not work too well either..... it only leads to more violence.

How do we stop these people??



His answer was very simple, and probably correct: stop giving them money.

What the FCNL wants

Friends Committee on National Legislation

We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
We seek a society with equity and justice for all
We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled
We seek an earth restored.

Life in Baghdad today

Iraqis search among bodies laying outside a morgue of a local hospital in Baghdad, for missed relatives. Insurgents killed six in more attacks in Iraq as officials pressed on with efforts to form a unity government amid mounting frustration at their sluggish progress.(AFP/Ali Al Saadi)

For more updated information on what is happening in Iraq, go to Today In Iraq blog.

Dr. Rashad Pleads with You: Call Congress

This was sent to me in an email:


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Dr. Rashad Pleads with You: Call Congress!

Long but a lot of very good info

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On Wednesday Dr. Rashad Zidan, an Iraqi pharmacist and humanitarian, gave a powerful, moving, eloquent talk at NCSU at a wonderful event organized by the CodePink, NC Peace & Justice, the NCSU campus democrats, NCSU campus greens, MENASA (Middle Eastern & North African Student Association) and with great assistance from Dr. Gerald Surh. With over 130 people in attendance, Dr. Rashad spent nearly 2 hours answering audience questions about the reality of war and occupation in Iraq. An outstanding article by Saja Hindi and Curtis Martin in Thursday's Technician outlines many of her arguments for a speedy withdrawl by US occupation forces - online at: http://www.technicianonline.com/media/paper848/news/2006/03/23/News/Iraqi.Pharmacist.Relates.Experiences-1713981.shtml?norewrite200603231425&sourcedomain=www.technicianonline.com

At the heart of many Iraqi's call for an end to the occupation are many of the same concerns of the peace & justice movement:

*The presence of US troops puts ordinary Iraqis in a catch 22 - If they work with the occupation forices, they are collaborators. If not, they are targeted as insurgents.
*Occupation troops fuel the fire of a growing insurgency, which attracts foreign fighters and terrorists into the battle, and creates divisions among Iraqis where there were none before.
*The US Occupation has used divide and conquer tactics, arming the very militias which commit acts of atrocity against fellow Iraqis.
*The Occupation forces and mercenaries in Iraq are getting away with crimes that undermine any attempt at establishing a justice system or civil society.

Once US troops leave, the majority of Iraqi's can put their energy into building a coalition government, holding accountable elections, rebuilding their society, and providing for their security. The hard-core foreign and fundamentalist fighters still represent a small proportion of the resistance, and Iraqi society will better be able to handle this element once the fuel to their fire has been removed. The sooner the occupation ends, the more likely it is that Iraq as a society can survive.

Dr. Rashad met with Representative Price and Miller during her visit, pleading with them to end the suffering by ending the occupation. She also asked that all of us support her and all those in Iraq working for peace by being a voice for change with our elected officials.

NC Peace & Justice again encourages everyone across the state to contact members of Congress while they are on recess in their districts. If you haven't already, please make a call or fax to your Representative and Senator to their district and DC offices by Monday - you can even leave a voice mail over the weekend!

House Votes to Spend Another $72 Billion on War; Peace Movement Victory on "No Permanent Bases"March 17th, 2006

First, the Bad News ...Rushing through debate in order to get out of town for the St. Patrick's Day Recess, the House passed Bush's $92 billion Emergency Supplemental Appropriation request. The request included $19 billion for hurricane relief, which caused some Representatives to vote for the bill.

Silver Lining:In a voice vote, the House approved the Lee-Allen-Hinchey-Schakowsky Amendment, assuring that "None of the funds in this Act may be used by the US government to enter into a basing rights agreement between the United States and Iraq." This victory is a direct result of the pressure the peace movement. Although the House passed the supplemental spending bill, we can take heart in the 71 votes against the bill. Last year only 43 members of the House were willing to stand up against the war.

Some Resolutions to ask Congress to Support:

Rep Conyer’s H.Res.635 - Creating a select committee to investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HE00635:@@@P No NC co-sponsors

Rep Murtha’s H.J.Res.73 - To redeploy U. S. Forces from Iraq. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HJ00073:@@@P - Cosponsors include NC Rep Butterfield

The Senate will begin to consider the supplemental appropriation on March 30, aiming to finish before their Spring Recess (April 7–24). The Senate is generally more willing and able to consider amendments to appropriations bills, and we can expect a "No Permanent Bases" amendment to be offered in the Senate. Your Senators will be in their home states March 17–26, make sure they hear from you. Your message: Support a "No Permanent Bases" amendment, and vote against any appropriation for the War in Iraq.

Free Call to All Congress… 877-762-8762House of Representatives

(Name, DC Phone, NC Phone, Office Location)
Rep. G. K. Butterfield (D - 01) 202-225-3101, 252-237-9816 Wilson
Rep. Bobby Etheridge (D - 02) 202-225-4531, 910-814-0335 Lillington
Rep. Walter B. Jones (R - 03) 202-225-3415, 800-351-1697 Greeneville
Rep. David E. Price (D - 04) 202-225-1784, 919-967-7924 Chapel Hill
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R - 05) 202-225-2071, 828-265-0240 Boone
Rep. Howard Coble (R - 06) 202-225-3065, 336-333-5005 Greensboro
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D - 07) 202-225-2731, 910-735-0610 Lumberton
Rep. Robert Hayes (R - 08) 202-225-3715, 888-207-1311 Concord
Rep. Sue Myrick (R - 09) 202-225-1976, 704-362-1060 Charlotte
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R - 10) 202-225-2576, 828-327-6100 Hickory
Rep. Charles H. Taylor (R - 11) 202-225-6401, 828-251-1988 Asheville
Rep. Melvin L. Watt (D - 12) 202-225-1510, 704-344-9950 Charlotte
Rep. Brad Miller (D - 13) 202-225-3032, 919-836-1313 Raleigh

Senator Burr http://burr.senate.gov/
Washington, DC Office 217 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3154 Fax: (202) 228-2981
Asheville OfficeFederal Building151 Patton Avenue, Suite 204Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 350-2437 Fax: (828) 350-2439

Gastonia OfficeCity Hall181 South Street, Room 222Gastonia, NC 28052
Phone: (704) 833-0854 Fax: (704) 833-1467
Rocky Mount Office100 Coast Line Street, Room 210Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Phone: (252) 977-9522 Fax: (252) 977-7902
Wilmington Office201 North Front StreetSuite 809Wilmington, NC 28401
Phone: (910) 251-1058 Fax: (910) 251-7975

Winston-Salem Office2000 West First StreetSuite 508Winston-Salem, NC 27104
Phone: (800) 685-8916 Add. Phone: (336) 631-5125 Fax: (336) 725-4493

Senator Dole http://dole.senate.gov/ 555 Dirksen Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510
Ph: 202.224.6342 Fax: 202.224.1100

Raleigh Office:310 New Bern AvenueSuite 122Raleigh, NC 27601
Ph: 919.856.4630 Fax: 919.856.4053

Salisbury Office:225 North Main StreetSuite 304Salisbury, NC 28144
Ph: 704.633.5011 Fax: 704.633.2937

Western Office:401 North Main StreetSuite 200Hendersonville, NC 28792
Ph: 828.698.3747 Fax: 828.698.1267

Eastern Office:306 South Evans StreetGreenville, NC 27835
Ph: 252.329.1093 Fax: 252.329.1097

Forwarded by N. C. PEACE ACTION

Letter to the Washington Post

I find it curious indeed that a majority of Americans have the opinion that Muslims are disproportionately prone to violence, per your article on "Negative Perception of Islam Increasing." After all, it was the American goverment that authorized the war on Iraq, even with no evidence (just mistaken beliefs) that Iraq was a threat to the USA.

And it was the American military that dropped thousands of bombs on this country and killed at least 30,000 of it's citizens (actually, the number is probably much, much higher) when Iraq did not attack or threaten us.

Who is more prone to violence here? Who has killed more innocents?

(This letter has not been published by the Washington Post.)

Bush lies yet again

From press conference:

Q I'd like to ask you, Mr. President, your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime. Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is, why did you really want to go to war? From the moment you stepped into the White House, from your Cabinet -- your Cabinet officers, intelligence people, and so forth -- what was your real reason? You have said it wasn't oil -- quest for oil, it hasn't been Israel, or anything else. What was it?

THE PRESIDENT: I think your premise -- in all due respect to your question and to you as a lifelong journalist -- is that -- I didn't want war. To assume I wanted war is just flat wrong, Helen, in all due respect --

Q Everything --

THE PRESIDENT: Hold on for a second, please.

Q -- everything I've heard --

THE PRESIDENT: Excuse me, excuse me. No President wants war. Everything you may have heard is that, but it's just simply not true. My attitude about the defense of this country changed on September the 11th. We -- when we got attacked, I vowed then and there to use every asset at my disposal to protect the American people. Our foreign policy changed on that day, Helen. You know, we used to think we were secure because of oceans and previous diplomacy. But we realized on September the 11th, 2001, that killers could destroy innocent life. And I'm never going to forget it. And I'm never going to forget the vow I made to the American people that we will do everything in our power to protect our people.
Part of that meant to make sure that we didn't allow people to provide safe haven to an enemy. And that's why I went into Iraq -- hold on for a second --

Q They didn't do anything to you, or to our country.

THE PRESIDENT: Look -- excuse me for a second, please. Excuse me for a second. They did. The Taliban provided safe haven for al Qaeda. That's where al Qaeda trained --

Q I'm talking about Iraq --

THE PRESIDENT: Helen, excuse me. That's where -- Afghanistan provided safe haven for al Qaeda. That's where they trained. That's where they plotted. That's where they planned the attacks that killed thousands of innocent Americans.
I also saw a threat in Iraq. I was hoping to solve this problem diplomatically. That's why I went to the Security Council; that's why it was important to pass 1441, which was unanimously passed. And the world said, disarm, disclose, or face serious consequences --

Q -- go to war --

THE PRESIDENT: -- and therefore, we worked with the world, we worked to make sure that Saddam Hussein heard the message of the world. And when he chose to deny inspectors, when he chose not to disclose, then I had the difficult decision to make to remove him. And we did, and the world is safer for it.



Saddam did not deny inspectors, and he did disclose that he had no WMDs. So, Bush is a bigger liar than Saddam. What a sad day for America that we elected such a flat-out stupid liar.

I put this on my blog to document how badly Bush lies. Also, he said yesterday that he does not intend to leave Iraq, and that is for a future president to do........ well, let's hope he does not shread the constitution and declare himself "leader for life".

I never believe the fear-mongering about the WMDs, and I was sure they would not find any nuclear WMDs. And while I could not establish that there was no chemical or biological WMDs there, I knew they could not hurt the USA.

No matter how many lies Bush tells about "the terrorists".

I have never believed Bush when he talked about "freedom and democracy" for Iraq. I seems to me that he is bringing them the freedom of the grave and the democracy of death.

Another picture of setting the flags up

This is again from the Asheville Citizens Times website. This gives a better idea of the number of the flags. There are 1,400 for Iraqi civilian fatalities, and 23 for American fatalities.

May they all rest in peace.

May our country find peace.

Photo of the setting of the flags

This photo was taken by the Asheville Citizen Times and published on their website.

March 19, 2006

Rally for Peace 2006

On March 19, 2006, the Western North Carolina Peace Coalition held a Rally for Peace. This was the third annual rally to mark the start of the Iraq war, and this followed large pre-war rallies in 2002 and 2003. Our theme for this Rally for Peace was "the wages of peace".

This rally was held at Pack Square in downtown Asheville. We had over twenty different groups doing tables at the rally, and they included NOW, Women in Black, Kindness Campaign, Mountain Greens, Veterans for Peace, and Department of Peace Campaign. We had even more sponsors, and they included Physicians for Social Responsibility and several local churches.

We had 450 stickers to pass out to attendees that said "End the Occupation of Iraq". These stickers were from the Progressive Democrats of America, and we handed out all of them shortly before the program started. But people kept coming, and we estimate that another 150-250 people came after the start of the program. We had an activist table for the Peace Coalition, with petitions to be signed and pre-made postcards to send to our elected officials. The postcards said "WAGE PEACE for a better world" on the front along with a peace dove and "I believe in peace and ask you to support an end to the war in Iraq" on the back. We had hundreds of postcards signed and returned to us for mailing.

Several of our speakers were ministers from local churches, including one who was a member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation and Voices in the Wilderness. He was in Iraq in 2003. We had a speaker from the local Department of Peace campaign and several music acts. We had a couple of exhibits at the rally. One was five display boards of the names of Iraqi civilians killed by this war and another was a sculpture by DeWayne Barton. That sculpture spoke to the Iraq war and the Katrina disaster. It showed how we waste our money on destructive activities instead of helping our own people.

The very best part of our program was, in my opinion, the ending. We had a musical group called Pure Energy that consisted of two young men, with one playing bells and another playing the didgeridoo. The music was both inspiring and mystical. Along with that, two young women released their Peace Doves, which were trained homing pigeons. They were snow white, and they started by releasing two doves, then a few more, and then an entire box full of doves. The doves were trained to fly together in formation, and they formed two distinct groups that flew above us, dipping and gliding and circling around, as we listened to the magical music.

It was the most spiritual experience that I have ever experienced while attending a public event. It was both moving and hopeful, and this was a feeling shared by all who watched the doves and listened to the music. It was inspiring to see some young adults show such creative talent and energy into expressing their personal desires for peace.

It was awesome.

We did get some coverage in the local paper, but we did not feel it was an accurate portrayal of the Rally for Peace.

Also, the WNC Peace Coalition made flags to commemorate the casualties of the Iraq war, and they are now on display at Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville. The picture above is a close up of the flags. We made 1,400 of them for the Iraqi civilians and 23 for the US military casualties. I don't have any good pictures of the Rally for Peace 2006.

US Legislation

Good News from Friends Council on National Legislation in DC:

This week the House voted to approve one of two key components of FCNL’s Iraq STEP Resolution and to protect civilians in Darfur. These victories are the result of your hard work: the thousands of emails you’ve sent to your representatives on Iraq and Darfur, the in-district lobby meetings with your members of Congress, your efforts to gain endorsements for FCNL’s STEP proposal, and your phone calls. Congratulations!

The STEP resoluton is to ban any permanent military bases in Iraq. So, the House of Representatives passed a bill saying they can not do that.... but will Bush follow the law?

Bless the children

This picture is from Yahoo news, and it shows a child killed in a US bombing raid.... or, a US shooting raid, depending on who you talk to, in Iraq. There are more pictures on Yahoo news that show the 11 people killed in this incident. The US admits to 4 being killed, and say they were going after an insurgent. The pictures tell a different story. I printed up two copies of this picture and I am putting it on the back of an envelopes that will go to my Senators. That would be Dole and Burr.

Tomorrow is our Rally for Peace here in Asheville, where will will have speakers, music, poetry and peace doves released. We will think about and talk about what has happened in Iraq over the last three years, but we will never know the extent of it. And, our elected leaders will know even less. They don't care at all about the innocents who have lost their lives in Iraq.

More pictures of these children are on this website. This is not Yahoo News, so the pictures are even worse than above. They show the true reality of war. They also support the claim that the children were killed by shooting, not by a bomb blowing up their home.

God bless the children caught in this horrible conflict.

This is the weekend to Rally for Peace

Regarding this war, I can claim a lot less guilt than most Americans since I have put a LOT of effort into stopping this war. I will/have only done moral things, which means no violence. I have worked on it for hours per day, nearly every day. I have phone numbers of elected officials memorized by 2004 since I called so many times.


I feel sorry for the civilians, not the combatants. Particularly not for combatants that are not in their own homeland or doing it for defense. US troops are fighting for profit for Bush cronies.

Of course, we don't hear the stories of civilians who go through horrible things (like the dead children in today's news) and in Iraq, they not only lack press coverage, they lack medical care too (usually). They just die. Anyone should be able to use their imagaination to know what is happening to the citizens of Iraq.


This war is wicked evil, and the Americans who participated/supported/glamorized all this: shame on you.


This is the weekend to go to a rally and show the world where you stand on the issue of this war. United for Peace and Justice has the most complete list of events, if you are unsure of what is going on in your area. Asheville will have a Rally for Peace on Sunday at Pack Square from 2 to 4 PM. We expect better than 500 people.

Demonstration against Israeli government actions

URGENT: Demonstration at 5 PM at Vance Monument on 3/15/06 against the recent actions of the government of Israel (with USA and British help) in Palestine. This will be at Pack Square in downtown Asheville, NC.

UNCA students are organizing this event. This is their announcement:


EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATION TOMORROW (Wednesday March 15), VANCE MONUMENT, 5PM


Today the Israeli occupation forces launched a brutal and illegal raid on Jericho Prison with the goal of capturing or killing Palestinian resistance leader Ahmed Sa'adat. Sa'adat is the General Secretary ofthe Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. He has been imprisoned since 2001 but has never been officially charged or tried. When the new Hamas government announced its intent to release Sa'adat and other prisoners of conscience held in the jail, the Israeli military responded with massive military force. Over 80 military vehicles, including two bulldozers and two helicopters, were sent to the prison in an all-out assault, only fifteen minutes after US andBritish overseers left the facility. The Israeli force attacked prisoners and guards indiscriminately, showing its willingness to kill whomever it needed to in order to keep the popular and respected resistance leader from going free. Two prison guards were killed anda number of other guards and prisoners were wounded before Sa'adat surrendered. Now his fate, in the hands of the Israeli military, is uncertain.Tomorrow at 5pm we will stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people to denounce this, the latest in a long list of Israeli crimes. We ask everyone who can to come out and show your support.