A question from an Iraqi child.... who was shot by the American people

"Everybody knows" by Leonard Cohen

Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

Photo is of City Hall in Asheville in the summer of 2011.

UPCOMING EVENTS

12/12/11 NC POLICY WATCH CRITICAL CONVERSATION
The fall NC Policy Watch road trip continues!  Chris Fitzsimon and Rob Schofield will be in Asheville for a noon Crucial Conversation at the Unitarian Universalist Church.  They will review what a year of conservative leadership has meant for/inflicted on the N.C. General Assembly.  Later that same day we’ll be in Boone at the Cooperative Extension Agricultural Conference Center at 7 PM.  Cost is $10 and includes a box lunch.  Register for the Asheville event at: http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/event-registration/?regevent_action=register&event_id=15#reg-form

12/16/11 WNC PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MEETING
The next WNC PSR monthly meeting will be at the home of Steve and Beth Gilman.  Brown Bag lunch at noon with meeting from 12:30 to 2 PM.  Directions to the Gilman's home:  Take Highway 70 - Tunnel Road east from downtown Asheville. (From Interstate 240 going east, take Exit 7 and turn left at end of ramp.) Go several miles past the VA Hospital on left. Just before Blue Ridge Parkway overpass, turn right at stoplight onto Pleasant Ridge Road. Take 2nd right turn onto Wagon Road. Then turn left onto Birchwood to #18 on left.  Physicians, health personnel and, yes, everyone; all are welcomed at the monthly meetings!  Please go to www.wncpsr.org  for more information, which includes how to get there and other details.

12/17/11 ENVISION AN OCCUPATION
A local activist presents photography and video of Liberty Plaza, hours before it was raided by NYPD. Prints will be available for sale to benefit the Occupy Asheville Street Medic Team as it creates the Asheville Peoples Clinic, a free health clinic for the people of Asheville!  Time is 6 to 9 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe.

01/04/12 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
Richard Kark will discuss his river canoeing adventures over his lifetime.  Social is at 7 PM and program starts at 7:30 PM.  Location is the Unitarian Church at 1 Edwin Street in Asheville.

01/05/12 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street (the corner of Haywood and Roberts), Asheville. VFP CHAPTER 099: http://vfpchapter099wnc.blogspot.com/

01/06/12 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MOVIE NIGHT
The movie “Carbon Nation” will be shown at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville at the corner of Edwin and Charlotte Street.  Time will be 7 PM.  Donations accepted.  Contact David Williams for more information at devwilliams@juno.com.

01/07/12 GREEN PARTY MEETING
The Buncombe County GREEN Party's business meeting is free & open to the public. It will be held from 10AM to noon, upstairs in the Fortune Building, 729 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Contact Ronald @ 828LUCK180 or Larry @ 828-225-4347 for more information.

01/12/12 TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF GUANTANAMO BAY PRISON
Amnesty International will be holding a protest in DC to mark this horrible anniversary.

*******************************************
ONGOING EVENTS
*******************************************
SUNDAY
Episcopal Peace Fellowship holds a weekly vigil from 4:30 to 5 PM at All Soul's Cathedral.
 
TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 4:30 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
 
WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood Country Courthouse in Waynesville.
Asheville Cop Watch meeting at 5 PM at Firestorm Cafe.
 
THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe.

FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square (Ash.) on the first Friday of the month.
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the Old Courthouse in Hendersonville
 
SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard. 

OCCUPY WALL STREET ASHEVILLE
Go to www.occupyasheville.org for more information, or call 888-378-0788. Information on Occupy Asheville late breaking events:  http://occupyasheville.org/calendar/.  General Assembly will be held at 6 PM on Tuesday and Thursday at City Hall, and at 3 PM on Saturday at Pritchard Park.

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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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OCCUPY ASHEVILLE

From an email on Vets for Peace listserve:

I hope you all can support our local Occupy Asheville, Tuesday at 5pm, City Council Meeting .  They need folks inside/out. The camp is being threatened by City Council.

PLEASE go to City Hall for the City Council meeting this Tuesday at 5pm because the City Council is to vote on ordinances to shut down the Occupy encampment and other 24/7 activities.  Relevant information can be found at ashevillenc.gov or these links:

December 13, 2011 Meeting Agenda

Staff Report, including proposed ordinances, as requested by Mayor Bellamy

Anthony & others are coordinating a response to this.  Legal representation is available now!  GLoLady says a concern is sanitation issue: illegal to urinate or defecate in public, but there are NO alternatives provided by the city and the city refuses to allow us to provide our own port-a-johns.  Scott emphasizes that these ordinances will also affect the houseless population in general.  This is an excuse to take away everyone’s civil liberties.  Matthew spoke with Cecil Bothwell who says it is very likely the City Council will pass the ordinances unless an alternative is proposed.  We must blow holes in the statements they’ve made.  For example, can’t put a port-a-john near the encampment, so how can we deal with sanitation issues?  Need a letter of intent for lawsuit because the ordinances are blatant discrimination in response to a political movement.  Must draft something else to assure our safety and to ensure re-sodding of grass.  City Attorney is on city staff; not an elected official, so this means that Mayor Bellamy asked him to draft the new ordinances that specifically target Occupy Asheville.  She said she will not accept civil disobedience in “her town.”  Matthew is starting a WG on this issue.  Scott suggests being a Sanctuary City for the Democratic Process.

Please read the article below and then email the members of Asheville City Council and tell them what you think:

mayorbellamy@avlcouncil.com, emanheimer@vwlawfirm.com, cecil@braveulysses.com, jandavis@avlcouncil.com, marchunt@avlcouncil.com, chrispelly@avlcouncil.com,  gordonsmith@avlcouncil.com,  

******************

City of Cleveland Passes Emergency Vote to Support OWS

The Cleveland City Council pass an emergency resolution 1720-11 in support of Occupy Cleveland and the Occupy Movement in general. The final vote from all the Wards was 18 yea and 1 nay. With the passing of the 1720-11 resolution Cleveland (a US City with a population of 2,250,000 people) joins other cities (Seattle, LA and Chicago etc.) that also have voiced their official support of the Occupy Movement. The following Resolution was sent to President Barack Obama and all members of the U.S. Congress.

We are unstopable - another world is possible!

"The Occupation" by David Wilcox

GO OCCUPY GO!!!

Ry Cooder - Wall Street Part of Town

A Message for this season.....

Protest song by Jackson Browne & Dawes

They sang this at Occupy Wall Street on December 1, 2011.  It did not even have a title yet.

Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

A bunch of Asheville Santas exercising their free speech rights in front of the police station on 12-3-11.

UPCOMING EVENTS

12/05/11 MUSLIM AWARENESS PROJECT AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
“Muslim Economics and the Current World Economic Crisis”  Visiting Guest:  Dr. Zaid Albarzinji.  Dr. Albarzinji is a native of Iraq, educated at the International Islamic University in Malaysia and with a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Utah, he works for the Bank of America in Charlotte.  5:45 p.m. Mierke Dining Room /Gladfelter.  For questions, email:  spirituallife@warren-wilson.edu

12/05/11 LECTURE AT UNCA
“Where have we been?  Where are we?  Where are we going?  The Ebb and Flow of Empires” with Ann Dunn, lecturer in humanities.  Held in Lipinsky Auditorium at 11:25 AM.

12/06/11 MUSLIM AWARENESS PROJECT AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
“Embracing Hope/Overcoming Fear”    Visiting Guest:  Shaikh Imam Yahya of the Muslim American Society in Charlotte.  5:45 p.m. Mierke Dining Room./Gladfelter.  For questions, email:  spirituallife@warren-wilson.edu

12/06/11 LECTURE AT UNCA
“The Arab Spring:  Is it Summer (or Winter) Yet and Why Does It Matter? with James Larocco, director of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies.  Cost is $8.  This will be held in the Reuter Center at 7 PM.

12/06/11 LATINO IMMIGRATION AND US POLICY
Elaine Lacy will discuss Latino immigration and US policy.  Held in the Manheimer Auditorium of UNCA’s Reuter Center.  Cost is $8 and time is 7:30 PM.

12/07/11 SIERRA CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY
Bring a dish for the potluck and a book to share.  Social is at 7 PM.  Location is the Unitarian Church at 1 Edwin Street in Asheville.

12/08/11 HOMEWARD BOUND OF ASHEVILLE
Homeward Bound will be holding a fundraiser at Battery Park Book Exchange from 5 to 8 PM.  They will also be collecting warm winter wear for the less fortunate.  For more information please call 828-258-1695.

12/08/11 RALLY FOR THOSE ARRESTED FOR FREE SPEECH
This will be held at 8 AM in front of the Courthouse in Asheville.  This is to support the people of Occupy Asheville who were arrested for free speech activities.

12/09/11 SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHT AT UU CHURCH
Tonight’s film will be “Forks over Knives” and will be shown at 7 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville at the corner of Edwin and Charlotte.  Donations accepted.

12/12/11 NC POLICY WATCH CRITICAL CONVERSATION
The fall NC Policy Watch road trip continues!  Chris Fitzsimon and Rob Schofield will be in Asheville for a noon Crucial Conversation at the Unitarian Universalist Church.  They will review what a year of conservative leadership has meant for/inflicted on the N.C. General Assembly. Later that same day we’ll be in Boone at the Cooperative Extension Agricultural Conference Center at 7 PM.  Cost is $10 and includes a box lunch.  Register for the Asheville event at: http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/event-registration/?regevent_action=register&event_id=15#reg-form

12/17/11 ENVISION AN OCCUPATION
A local activist presents photography and video of Liberty Plaza, hours before it was raided by NYPD. Prints will be be available for sale to benefit the Occupy Asheville Street Medic Team as it creates the Asheville Peoples Clinic, a free health clinic for the people of Asheville!  Time is 6 to 9 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe.

*******************************************
ONGOING EVENTS
*******************************************
SUNDAY
Episcopal Peace Fellowship holds a weekly vigil from 4:30 to 5 PM at All Soul's Cathedral.

TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 4:30 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument

WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood Country Courthouse in Waynesville.
Asheville Cop Watch meeting at 5 PM at Firestorm Cafe.

THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe.

FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square (Ash.) on the first Friday of the month.
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the Old Courthouse in Hendersonville

SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard.

Information on Occupy Asheville late breaking events:  http://occupyasheville.org/calendar/ 

Go to occupyasheville.org for more information, or call 888-378-0788.

Occupy message....

Wall Street is totally corrupt.  AND they own our politicians and our political parties, resulting in crony capitalism.  There actions over the last 12 or so years will bring the entire world to financial disaster.
And this corrupt capitalism is also destroying our environment, which will one day bring nearly the entire world to environmental disaster.

The “free market capitalism” that I grew up under is long, long gone, with crony capitalism firmly in its place.

The future will not be boring.  OCCUPY EVERYWHERE!!

All those wars were for oil - per John Bolton

He also shows that he is a totally immoral asshole.

Art show in Iraq

 

An Iraqi man looks at anti-US cartoons displayed at an exhibition in Karbala, central Iraq, on November 28, 2011.

AFP PHOTO/MOHAMMED SAWAF

Date created: 28 Nov 2011

A cartoon against US security firm Blackwater, which was barred from Iraq over a deadly 2007 shooting, is displayed at an exhibition in Karbala, central Iraq, on November 28, 2011. All US troops are due to depart Iraq by the end of the year, bringing to a close an almost nine-year war that has left thousands of US soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis dead, and cost hundreds of billions of dollars.

AFP PHOTO/MOHAMMED SAWAF

Date created: 28 Nov 2011

It has killed HUNDREDS of thousands of Iraqis, maybe over a MILLION. - dancewater

Logos

"After a recent conversation with a friend about the oil spill, I designed these logos to describe the connections between corporate power, American politics, war, and greed."
- Heather Ault

Occupy Sidney - a run down on our economy and it's problems

"All you fascists bound to loose" by Woody Guthrie

Another great song for the Occupy movement.

Military spending costs us jobs

and even if it didn't, it is still wrong to destroy other people and their lands.

Hypocrisy

“I want to be very clear in calling upon the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protestors.  The people of Egypt have rights that are universal.  That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny.  These are human rights.  And the United States will stand up for them everywhere.” – Barack Obama, 28 January 2011

 

Students at UC Davis during an Occupy Wall Street non-​violent protest were pepper sprayed by police point blank, in the face, and just sat there, passively, and took it.  This video in a few short hours has gone viral and rightly so. This will go down in history as a moment that America realized our police forces are not only para-​military forces — and out of control, para-​military forces — but they have lost their souls. 

Link here.  Picture taken on 11-18-11.  I left a comment on the UC Davis police contact page about this vile and evil behavior. 

Some of our military

In a Friday, June 13, 2011 [should be 2003 – dancewater] file photo, U.S. military police officer Bryan Pacholski, left, comforts his hometown friend, U.S. military police David Borell, both from Toledo, Ohio, at the entrance of the military base in Balad, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Baghdad. Borell broke down after seeing three Iraqi children who were injured while playing with explosive material and then learning that Army doctors refused to treat them. Borrell says eight years later that the moment made him question what it means to be an American soldier, but he still respects the military.

(AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

++++++++++

Some of our military people have outstanding morals and a very big heart.  Too bad the rest of the US military, especially it's leadership, do not listen to them. 

Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

Photo:  Student David Buscho, 22, speaks to the crowd during a rally on the University of California, Davis campus in Davis, Calif., Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 after police pepper-sprayed peaceful demonstrators during a protest on Friday. He was pepper sprayed on Friday. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

UPCOMING EVENTS

11/27/11 to 12/3/11 AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT
The AIDS Memorial Quilt “A Tapestry of Lives, Living with 30 Years of HIV/AIDS” will be hosted by the Western North Carolina AIDS Project at Pack Square, 2 South Park Square.  Info at www.wncap.org.  On 12/1/11, a candlelight memorial will be held to honor World AIDS Day from 7 to 9 PM at Pack Square.

11/29/11 MUSLIM AWARENESS PROJECT AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
“Representations of Muslim Women in Jordan and Indonesia:  Diversity and Contradiction” . Visiting Guest:  Dr. Siti Kusujiarti, a native of Indonesia and a professor of Sociology, Warren Wilson College, returning from a summer research project in Jordan.  5:45 p.m. Mierke Dining Room /Gladfelter.  For questions, email:spirituallife@warren-wilson.edu

11/29/11 FORUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY IN NC
“The Real Death Penalty: A Summary of the Data and Scientific Studies” a public forum hosted by Dr. Matthew Robinson, professor of Government& Justice Studies at Appalachian State University.  Time is 7 PM and location is UNC-Asheville's Highsmith Union Grotto.  Dr. Matthew Robinson is the author of “Death Nation: The Experts Explain American Capital Punishment”.  For more information, contact Alexandra at cury.alexandra@gmail.com or (828) 253-5088.

11/29/11 NC CONSERVATION NETWORK
This is part of the NC Take Action Tour, where NC Conservation Network will discuss what is happening in NC in regards to the environment.  This will be held at Firestorm Cafe in downtown Asheville.  Time is 6 to 8 PM.

11/30/11 BILL MCKIBBEN SPEAKS AT UNCA
At 7 PM, a number of groups, including the Western North Carolina Allliance, the Canary Coalition, Transition Asheville, the Sierra Club and others, will host Bill McKibben at Lipinsky Hall at UNCA.  McKibben is the author of a dozen books about the environment, beginning with The End of Nature in 1989, which is regarded as the first book for a general audience on climate change. He is a founder
of the grassroots climate campaign 350.org, which has coordinated 15,000 rallies in 189 countries since 2009.

12/01/11 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street (the corner of Haywood and Roberts), Asheville. VFP CHAPTER 099: http://vfpchapter099wnc.blogspot.com/

12/03/11 GREEN PARTY MEETING
The Buncombe County GREEN Party's business meeting is free & open to the public. It will be held from 10AM to noon, upstairs in the Fortune Building, 729 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Contact Ronald @ 828LUCK180 or Larry @ 828-225-4347 for more information.

12/03/11 Occupy the Future!
This will be a day of families standing up together.  At 12 PM, therewill be a carnival at Pritchard Park with kid-friendly and educational games, songs, performances, art stations, and learning opportunities.
At 3 PM, there will be a General Assembly, with activities and space set up for younger kids so that parents and teens can participate in the General Assembly.  At 4 PM, there will be a parade on the sidewalk to Vance monument, and then at 5 PM there will be a picket at Vance monument.

12/05/11 MUSLIM AWARENESS PROJECT AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
“Muslim Economics and the Current World Economic Crisis” Visiting Guest:  Dr. Zaid Albarzinji.  Dr. Albarzinji is a native of Iraq, educated at the International Islamic University in Malaysia and with
a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Utah, he works for the Bank of America in Charlotte.  5:45 p.m. Mierke Dining Room /Gladfelter.  For questions, email:  spirituallife@warren-wilson.edu

12/06/11 MUSLIM AWARENESS PROJECT AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
“Embracing Hope/Overcoming Fear”    Visiting Guest:  Shaikh Imam Yahya of the Muslim American Society in Charlotte.  5:45 p.m. Mierke Dining Room./Gladfelter.  For questions, email: spirituallife@warren-wilson.edu

12/07/11 SIERRA CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY
Bring a dish for the potluck and a book to share.  Social is at 7 PM.  Location is the Unitarian Church at 1 Edwin Street in Asheville.

12/09/11 SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHT AT UU CHURCH
Tonight’s film will be “Forks over Knives” and will be shown at 7 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville at the corner of Edwin and Charlotte.  Donations accepted.

12/12/11 NC POLICY WATCH CRITICAL CONVERSATION
The fall NC Policy Watch road trip continues!  Chris Fitzsimon and Rob Schofield will be in Asheville for a noon Crucial Conversation at the Unitarian Universalist Church.  They will review what a year of
conservative leadership has meant for/inflicted on the N.C. General Assembly. Later that same day we’ll be in Boone at the Cooperative Extension Agricultural Conference Center at  7 PM.  Cost is $10 and
includes a box lunch.  Register for the Asheville event at: http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/event-registration/?regevent_action=register&event_id=15#reg-form

01/04/12 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
Richard Kark will discuss his river canoeing adventures over his lifetime.  Social is at 7 PM and program starts at 7:30 PM.  Locationis the Unitarian Church at 1 Edwin Street in Asheville.

01/12/12 TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF GUANTANAMO BAY PRISON
Amnesty International will be holding a protest in DC to mark this horrible anniversary.

*******************************************
ONGOING EVENTS
*******************************************
SUNDAY
Episcopal Peace Fellowship holds a weekly vigil from 5:30 to 6 PM at All Soul's Cathedral.

TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 4:30 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument

WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood Country Courthouse in Waynesville.
Asheville Cop Watch meeting at 5 PM at Firestorm Cafe.

THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe.

FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square (Ash.) on the first Friday of the month.
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the Old Courthouse in Hendersonville

SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard.

Information on Occupy Asheville late breaking events: http://occupyasheville.org/calendar/

*******************************************
ACTIONS AND READINGS
*******************************************
VETERANS FOR PEACE INFORMATION

VFP CHAPTER 099: http://vfpchapter099wnc.blogspot.com/

WAR CRIMES TIMES:http://www.WarCrimesTimes.org/
A publication of Veterans For Peace -- exposing the true costs of war.

Visit VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street (the corner of Haywood and Roberts), Asheville, 28801. (828-258-1800). Hours: Tue-Sat 11 to 3 pm