More on the protests at TD Bank

Photo from this blog.

From Sierra Hollister, another person arrested at TD Bank last week:

This is the statement that I read inside of the bank:

I am here today to ask Toronto Dominion Bank (TD Bank) to divest from all investments and support for the Keystone XL Pipeline Project. At this point in time, TD Bank is responsible for the largest corporate loans for the Keystone project and in 2012, TD Bank was one of the largest institutional shareholders in Transcanada Corporation, the oil company responsible for the pipeline.

In addition to requesting that you cease all support and investment in the Keystone XL Pipeline, I also want to put you on notice that I will work to  notify your banking customers as well as the local community that by banking with you they are supporting the most egregious and destructive development of fossil fuels to date. In addition to posing a significant threat to the climate, the tar sands are destroying local communities, trashing the environment for all species and threatening the water supply, from Alberta to Port Arthur, Texas.

I can’t help but ask, at what point is the cost to life too great for TD Bank and their desire to make profit? How many lives are you willing to sacrifice for your returns?

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There is more at Sierra’s blog! Click here.

My visit with Senator Hagan last week

I went to DC last week to lobby on climate issues with FCNL. We had training on Sunday and Monday, and on Tuesday met with legislative aids from Senator Burr, Senator Hagan, Representative Price and Representative McHenry. Then, on Wednesday, I went to Carolina Coffee hour at Senator Hagan's office. At this event, you get to talk directly to Senator Hagan and get your picture taken.  (and then they sent it to you and post on Facebook). I directly asked Senator Hagan to vote NO on the resolution approving the Keystone XL Pipeline. She said that she was meeting with some folks later in the day about how the pipeline would be an economic boost (it won't be, at least for the USA). She also agreed with me about the climate changing and that the burning of coal is making little children sick.

And then she voted YES on the resolution approving the pipeline. Such a disappointment.

And then last Friday (while I was out of town) some of my friends protested and got arrested at a local TD Bank, as the post before and after this one shows. I am proud of them! Hope they are more successful than I was with Senator Hagan. I plan to join them in future protests.

Protests at TD Bank last week

Four people were arrested at TD Bank in Asheville this past Friday. They were protesting the building of the Keystone XL Pipeline.  

Photo from this blog.

A video from WLOS is here.

Here is a message from Laura Sorenson, one of the arrested:

Sharing my experience:

The bank manager was very upset and met the 4 of us as we entered the door with the female officer at her side.  The manager said, “May I help you and do you have any business with the bank?” We said yes and she told us to move to the teller and we said no, not that kind of business.  She said then you need to leave.  We then said we'd like her to get the President of the bank in Toronto on the phone line and she said NO and you need to leave.  Then we ignored her and each read our statement to TD Bank and had time to sing 3 rounds of the song “They are digging us a hole.” Then the officer explained the rules and said we would be arrested if we did not leave and we said yes and we aren't leaving.  As they took us out the back door in handcuffs we continued to tell the employees they needed to tell their boss in Canada it is not OK to destroy the planet. One male employee responded by saying to me “yes, and do you know you are here illegally?”  (Funny because I was handcuffed at this point).  I replied “Of course.  We do this because nobody is listening and we need to be heard on this issue.”  I was about to cry and he looked at me solemn and said OK.
Some of the points we made:

1) their millions spent on  false advertising about being a bank of humanity.
2) profiting from dirty oil while the earth and people suffer:  millions invested by TD
3) sick children and parents dying of cancer
4) the climate change contribution........we are upset parents and grandparents!
5) people's lands being stolen from them
6) tribal violations
7) we'll be back until you stop participating in this nightmare

Our experience with the police was positive and friendly.  One cop told us she knew they were doing this all over the country. We had no bond and our court date is May 9th.  I think it was 7:30 when we were released. Finger prints, mug shots and paperwork take time. While waiting for the magistrate, we had an intimate talk with a young officer about what it was like to be a cop.  He wanted us to know that officers live with the challenge of knowing in the back of their minds at any moment they could be punched, attacked or shot and at the same time they have to be nice and respectful 24/7.  When I shared witnessing police brutality several years ago, he admitted there were some cops with attitude.  But I have to say everyone treated us with respect and a good sense of humor last night.
Laura Sorensen

Letter writing campaign by Witness Against Torture

I am sending off this letter:

Detainee Name:  Al Sabri, Mashur
Detainee ISN: 324
Guantánamo Bay
P.O. Box 160
Washington, D.C. 20053
United States of America

March 25, 2013

Salaam Alaykum,

I recently learned about the ongoing hunger strike undertaken by a large number of the prisoners at Guantánamo. I am writing to express my outrage at your continued detention without charge or trial, or any real justice before the law.

I am deeply moved by your continued resolve, your determination to remind us that you are human beings and deserve to be treated as such. I am appalled that you continue to suffer inhumane and degrading treatment: not only do many of you continue to be held indefinitely without charge or trial, but we have learned that you have been subjected to increased harassment, including the desecration of Korans and confiscation of personal effects such as family photos and personal letters.

Many concerned U.S. citizens plan to abstain from food, in a solidarity fast lasting from March 24th through 30th. This fast is voluntary and is in no way comparable to your hunger strike, but we hope that it will, God willing, lead to the closing of Guantanamo and true justice for the men held there. I will not be fasting, but I will be praying for you and all the prisoners in Guantanamo.

Please know that you are not forgotten, that you are in our hearts.

Sincerely,

Here is a link to the full list of names and instructions for this campaign.

Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

UPCOMING EVENTS

03/25/13 EARTH SABBATH

March Asheville Earth Sabbath is from 7 to 7:45 PM at St. Mary's Church (in new hall) on Charlotte Street. Byron Ballard will lead us in a Celebration of the Spring Equinox. For more information, contact Jean at larson_jean@hotmail.com.

03/25/13 UNCA: RISKS & REALITIES OF COAL AND NUCLEAR POWER

“The Dirty Energy Roadshow: Risks & Realities of Coal and Nuclear Power” Eric Blevins and Johanna Anderson will present on the parallels between coal, nuclear and other forms of dirty energy, and their risks and consequences for local communities and the world. Sponsored by Asheville Students for a Healthy Environment (ASHE) and Katuah Earth First! Information will be shared about upcoming events. Time is 7 PM and location is Lipinsky Auditorium. Contact Johanna at boneflower@riseup.net for more information.

03/25/13 INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY TALK

“Designing Healthy Communities” will be the topic at this talk. It will be on Monday, March 25th from 6 PM to 9 PM at UNCA Sherrill Center. Dr. Richard Jackson of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Urban Planning, UCLA School of Public Health, connects bad community design with growing health costs and analyzes and illustrates what architects, planners and citizens are doing about this urgent crisis. Open to the public, free. For more information, contact Terri at 828-250-4047.

03/26/13 MOVIE AT UNCA

"On Coal River" takes viewers on a gripping emotional journey into the Coal River Valley of West Virginia—a community surrounded by lush mountains and a looming toxic threat. The film follows a former coal miner and his neighbors in a David-and-Goliath struggle for the future of their valley, their children, and life as they know it. Local filmmakers Francine Cavanaugh and Adams Wood will be available for a Q&A after the screening. See the trailer at oncoalriver.com. Time is 7 PM and location is Highsmith Union Grotto.

03/26/13 UNITED FOR MARRIAGE VIGIL

Join us for an Asheville vigil to call for full LGBT equality. Vigils will be taking place across the country as the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the Prop 8 and DOMA cases on March 26 and 27. Time is 7 PM at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville. Hosted by Campaign for Southern Equality and cosponsored by Youth OutRight, Western NC Citizens to End Institutional Bigotry, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, and Land of the Sky UCC. Childcare provided.

03/27/13 MOUNTAIN HERO: JUNIOR WALK

From living with contaminated water in his own home as a child, to being kicked out of the house for speaking out against the coal company, Junior Walk's path to activism was not an easy one. His courage and clear voice calling for change has been widely recognized. Today Walk works with Coal River Mountain Watch, Keeper of the Mountains Foundation, and RAMPS (Radical Action for Mountain People's Survival) to end mountaintop removal mining. He travels the country with the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation educating people about the long-term environmental, health and community degradation caused by coal mining. He was a recipient of the prestigious Brower Youth Awards in 2011. The late renowned environmentalist David Brower famously said, “Tough mountains build bold leaders.”  Junior Walk is one of the many courageous and bold leaders whom the Appalachian Mountains have built. Time is 7 PM and location is Highsmith Union, Alumni Hall.

03/27/13 ASHEVILLE GREEN DRINKS

Join Asheville Green Drinks, Wednesday March 27th as we welcome Our VOICE in celebration of International Women’s Day.  International Women’s Day is March 8th.  Our VOICE, Inc. is a non-profit crisis intervention and prevention agency which serves victims of sexual violence, age 13 through adult, in Buncombe County. Socializing begins at 5:30 Pm and program begins at 6 PM. Location is Olive or Twist Restaurant at 81 Broadway Street in Asheville.

03/29/13 MOVIE SHOWN BY COMMON LIGHT MEETING HOUSE

The movie is “Five Broken Cameras” and it is about Palestinian non-violent resistance.  Time is 7 PM at Common Light Meeting House at 137 Center Avenue in Black Mountain, NC. This is sponsored by Western Carolinians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East. For more information, contact Susan at 828-669-2073.

03/30/13 REALLY, REALLY FREE MARKET

This will be at Aston Park in Asheville. Time is 11 AM to 5 PM.

03/30/13 FIRST ANNUAL HOMESTEADING FAIR

Want to transform your piece of Asheville into a thriving homestead? French Broad Food Coop is throwing a fair and has invited everyone you need to meet. This event is free and open to all. Over 30 vendors and educators will present a plethora of ideas and products, including: bee keeping, mushroom growing, poultry raising, mead making, permaculture, alternative energy sources, bread oven building, hops growing, alternative education, herbal medicine making, and fermentation…. And more! Time is 11 AM to 8 PM.

04/01/13 SPEAKERS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE

The Academia and Activism Speaker Series will have a presentation by Alan Jenkins at 7 PM in Jensen Lecture Hall. For more information call 771-2083.

04/01/13 GREEN PARTY MEETING

The Buncombe County GREEN Party's business meeting is open to the public. It is held on the first Monday of the month. Time is 6 PM and location is the Fortune Building (upstairs), at 729 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Parking in back and on the street. Contact Ronald @ 828-LUCK-180 or Larry @ 828-225-4347 for more information.

04/02/13 MOVIE ON FRACKING FROM CLEAN WATER NC

This evening there will be a potluck snack and a presentation on fracking in North Carolina.  It is called “Message from Marcellus” and sponsored by Clean Water NC. Location is Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road, Asheville. Time is 7 PM. Free, donations accepted.

04/03/13 SIERRA CLUB MEETING

“Climate Change and Home Energy Efficiency” with data from the NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, speaker Jake Crouch; along with Amy Musser of Vandermusser Design, local home energy expert. Time is 7 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville (corner of Charlotte & Edwin). Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.

04/04/13 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING

Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street in Asheville. VFP Chapter 099: http://vfpchapter099wnc.blogspot.com/

04/04/13 WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL

The Western North Carolina Alliance invites the community to the 2013 Wild & Scenic Film Festival, featuring a selection of 14 short films that put our work–and yours–into the broader environmental and social context and serves to remind us that we’re participants in a global movement for a more wild and scenic world. Free raffle ticket with entry. Time is 7 to 10 PM. Location is Fine Arts Theatre. For ticket prices and raffle information, go to http://www.fineartstheatre.com/. For more information contact Rachel at Rachel@wnca.org or call (828) 258-8737 x201.

04/04/13 to 04/07/13 CARING FOR GOD’S CREATION

Dr. James Hansen, head of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City, will be joining Caring for Creation 2013 via SKYPE. Over 20 environmental experts will provide leadership at the 2013 event. Join us at Lake Junaluska to discover your residential and faith communities' role in environmental care. Visit www.lakejunaluska.com/caring-for-creation for more information or to register.

04/04/13 ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT FILM SERIES

This will be at the Fine Arts Theatre, and “The Gatekeepers” will be shown at 7 PM. Film will be followed by a discussion, and regular ticket prices will apply. Go to http://www.fineartstheatre.com/ for more information. This is sponsored by UNCA Hillel, Belk Distinguished Professorship in the Humanities, Jewish Community Center, and Beth HaTephila.

04/04/13 FIFTH ANNUAL FREEDOM BALL

This will be held at the Gray Eagle in Asheville. Time is 7 PM, and tickets are $20 (includes food). This is a celebration of Glen Edward Chapman’s exoneration and freedom. Hosted by David Lamotte and to benefit Asheville Green Opportunities.

04/04/13 EVENT AT MALAPROPS

Political Economist Gar Alperovitz will lecture and have a book signing at Malaprops in Asheville. He is a Professor of Political Economy at the University of Maryland, is co-founder of The Democracy Collaborative. He is a former fellow of the Institute of Politics at Harvard and of King's College at Cambridge University. In “What Then Must We Do?” Alperovitz proposes an evolution, not a revolution, out of the old, now-crumbling US economic system, and into one that is "entirely American" - democratic, community-oriented, yet sophisticated enough to manage a large-scale, powerful economy - and he offers a way for citizens to move from anger to strategy. Time is 7 PM.

04/05/13 WNC ALLIANCE: TAKING ACTIVISM TO THE NEXT LEVEL

WNCA offers a free workshop at Lenoir-Rhyne University Center for Graduate Studies, 36 Montford Ave, Asheville. Topic is ‘Leadership Development: Taking Passion and Activism to Next Level in Local Communities’. Organized by WNCA and the North Carolina Conservation Network.  We’ll hear from leaders like Asheville City Councilmen Marc Hunt and Gordon Smith, who share our commitment to a healthy environment. They’ll tell us about their experiences and the opportunities they’ve had to make a difference through their positions. When: 10 AM to Noon Pre-registration is required, but there is no cost. http://action.ncconservationnetwork.org/site/Calendar?id=100802&view=Detail  

04/05/13 EVENT AT MALAPROPS

Philosopher A.C. Grayling, acclaimed author of “The God Argument: The Case Against Religion and For Humanism” is one of the world's leading public intellectuals, a professor of philosophy and master of the  New College of Humanities in London. He "has the sharp analytical mind of fellow naysayer Richard Dawkins, though he is gentler about saying no to God or god or gods."- Kirkus Reviews Time is 7 PM and location is Malaprops in Asheville.

04/06/13 OCCUPY ASHEVILLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Occupy Asheville will hold a General Assembly at 2 PM at Pritchard Park. All are welcome to come and plan our future.

04/06/13 APRIL ACTION AT THE Y12 NUCLEAR WEAPONS COMPLEX

Saturday April 6 -- Gather at 12:30 at the Friendship Bell in Bissell Park in Oak Ridge; walk together to the gates of the Y-12 bomb plant where we will hear speakers, join our voices in song, enjoy skits, & learn about the UPF; and engage in nonviolent protest against the expansion and expense of this militaristic government program. You will not be arrested for civil disobedience merely by participating in this event.  http://orepa.org/say-no-to-the-upf/

04/06/13 FUNDRAISER FOR START FROM SEED

Start From Seed, our volunteer doula program, presents an evening with Ina May Gaskin and the screening of ‘Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives’, at Ferguson Auditorium on the campus of AB Tech. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with exhibits, film starts at 6:30 and will be followed at about 8 p.m. by a 90-minute panel discussion that will include Ina May Gaskin and Stephen Gaskin, midwives, doctors, and other local birth professionals. Tickets are $25 and all proceeds go to Start From Seed. To buy tickets, visit birthstoryasheville.eventbrite.com. For more information, contact Cheryl at 828-776-3327.

04/06/13 WNC ALLIANCE SPRING GATHERING

We look forward to seeing our friends and supporters at our annual Spring Gathering, scheduled for Saturday, April 6 in Sylva. The fun daylong event will feature two morning hikes (your choice) and will be followed by an evening program from 6-9 p.m. featuring a barbecue dinner, square dancing and musical guests. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to http://wnca.org/save-the-date-wncas-spring-gathering-is-april-6/

04/08/13 to 04/10/13 APRIL DAYS OF ACTION IN DC FOR THE SOA WATCH

http://www.soaw.org/take-action/april

04/09/13 HEARTSPEAK CLASS

Tuesday, April 9, 7-9 pm: West Asheville Presbyterian Church, 690 Haywood Rd.  HeartSpeak free class with Cathy Holt.  Build your listening skills, learn heart coherence and empathic connection. Class size limited. For more information or to register: 828-545-9681, www.heartspeakpeace.com.

04/09/13 TALK:  MORAL LUCK

Dr Jonathan Shay, psychiatrist at the Boston VA hospital and author of many books on veterans' experiences with PTSD will be visiting UNC Asheville to give three talks from April 9th-11th. This one will be at 7:30 PM in the Mountain View Room at the Sherrill Center at UNCA. For more information, contact Sophie Mills, Professor, UNCA at 828-251-6296.

04/10/13 TALK: THEATRE OF WAR: COMMUNALIZATION OF TRAUMA THROUGH ARTS

Dr Jonathan Shay, psychiatrist at the Boston VA hospital and author of many books on veterans' experiences with PTSD will be visiting UNC Asheville to give three talks from April 9th-11th. This one will be at 7:30 PM in the Alumni Hall in the Highsmith Center at UNCA. For more information, contact Sophie Mills, Professor, UNCA at 828-251-6296.

04/11/13 TALK:  OPEN DISCUSSION ON SLEEP, COMMUNITY, OTHER HOBBY HORSES

Dr Jonathan Shay, psychiatrist at the Boston VA hospital and author of many books on veterans' experiences with PTSD will be visiting UNC Asheville to give three talks from April 9th-11th. This one will be at 7:30 PM in the Mountain View Room at the Sherrill Center at UNCA. For more information, contact Sophie Mills, Professor, UNCA at 828-251-6296.

04/12/13 SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM AT UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

The film shown tonight will be “Crossing Arizona”. This film covers the crisis of immigration in the US from all sides through the eyes of those directly affected. Time is 7 PM and location is the UU at Charlotte and Edwin Streets in Asheville. Donations accepted.

04/15/13 SPEAKERS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE

The Academia and Activism Speaker Series will have a presentation by Nithya Raman at 7 PM in Jensen Lecture Hall. For more information call 771-2083.

04/15/13 GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST MILITARY SPENDING

04/18/13 ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT FILM SERIES

This will be at the Alumni Hall at UNCA. Time is 7 PM. The movie is “5 Broken Cameras” and will be followed by a discussion. Free. For more information email hillel@unca.edu. This is sponsored by UNCA Hillel, Belk Distinguished Professorship in the Humanities, Jewish Community Center, and Beth HaTephila.

04/18/13 DANCE LIKE THERE’S NOBODY WATCHING

This is a fundraiser for the WNC Health Alliance. Our third annual dance party with live music, raffle items and more. Starts at 6 PM and the location is Altamont Brewing Company at 1042 Haywood Road in Asheville. Suggested minimum donation of $12

04/20/13 GREEN GRANNIES ‘SING FOR THE CLIMATE’

Join the Green Grannies to "SING FOR THE CLIMATE". This is every third Saturday at 5 PM, Vance Monument.  See the video, singfortheclimate.com.

04/26/13 SISTER PREJEAN SPEAKING – AND AN OPERA: DEAD MAN WALKING

Sister Prejean will be speaking about abolishing the death penalty. Time is 2:30 to 3:30 PM at Lipinski Auditorium, UNCA. The movie “Dead Man Walking” was based on her life. Her talk will be called “Dead Man Walking – The Journey Continues”. Free. At 8 PM, there will be a presentation of an opera called “Dead Man Walking” (based on the book) at Lipinski Auditorium. Ticket prices for the general public start at $25. For more information, go to http://cesap.unca.edu/events/dead-man-walking-opera.

04/26/13 SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM AT UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

The film shown tonight will be “Brother Outsider, the Life of Bayard Rustin” in conjunction with the YMCA’s Stand Against Racism events. This film covers the life of a master strategist and tireless activist. He brought Gandhi’s protest techniques to the American civil rights movement, and was fired from important leadership positions because he was openly gay. 7 PM and location is the UU at Charlotte and Edwin Streets in Asheville. Donations accepted.

06/01/13 RALLY FOR BRADLEY MANNING AT FORT MEADE

http://www.bradleymanning.org/support_events/rally-for-bradley-at-fort-meade

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ONGOING EVENTS

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MONDAY

TUESDAY

Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument

WEDNESDAY

Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville.

THURSDAY

Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe.

FRIDAY

Women in Black have a vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square (Asheville) on the first Friday of the month.

Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall 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.

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ACTIONS AND READINGS

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To mark the tenth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Iraqis and U.S. military veterans came together to hold the U.S. government accountable for the lasting effects of war and the rights of veterans and civilians to heal. They requested a hearing on these issues with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a body of the Organization of American States.

I just added my name to a letter of support for their request, and I urge you to do the same. Use this link:

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5966/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=13332

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Sign the Petition to Declare June as 'Solar Month' in North Carolina and Help Move Our State One Step Closer to Being First in Solar!

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/PageNavigator/NCSolarMonth.html  

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FrackFree NC goes live!  The alliance of NC organizations working against fracking in NC has launched a website:  

Go to http://www.frackfreenc.org/  to learn more and sign the petition.

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Also check out the calendar at http://organizenorthcarolina.org/code/calendar.html  for social justice event in other parts of North Carolina.

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An Iraqi Fairy Tale

An Iraqi Fairy Tale

By Jenan Mohammad

I read something that made me very sad. There are currently 5 million Iraqi orphans due to the war and occupation of iraq....that was hard for me to comprehend that there were 5 million children's parents who are no longer around because of a false war. Every child in the world deserves to be loved and cared for by their parents...  God help those children....

An Iraqi fairy tale

By Jenan Mohammad

A river of blood is all I see

A barrier to peace

they offer me

Let the desert burn

and burn

For what crime did my baby earn?

His body churns

from white phosphorus

sent by democracy

weapons of mass destruction

a clever fantasy

For the only ones I saw

were those that  you brought

Raining down

from your shock and awe

Lit the sky with your pride

Shame, fame, fables, lies

Rich men’s noble tales or

Wall Street fairy tales;

A land of orphans you did create

A family of women; all men detained

Gone in the night; never to return

No end in sight

Unlearn what you learned

My reality is your fiction

My fate is your position

My freedom at your discretion

My faith; oh you’re mistaken

Slavery to a dark policy

I won’t submit

My neighbors agree

we will commit

pledge allegiance to our stance

With my right hand

I ask you to remember

The heroes of American past                                                                                                                   fought for independence                                                                                                                     with the same mask

We race to freedom                                                                                     

from your clutches

Take off your mask

See my reflection?                                                                                                                           Unleash our oil from your “protection”

Inspiring video!!

Murderous fools....

or blood-gargling psychopaths? One thing for sure:  THEY ARE WAR CRIMINALS!!

Anniversary of War of Aggression on Iraq

This is a video from 2012 - where the Iraqis marked the anniversary of the invasion and occupation and destruction of Iraq by the USA.

Fracking stupid comments about Iraq

Stupid Quotes About Iraq

25 Mind-Numbingly Stupid Official Statements About Iraq

1) "My answer is bring 'em on." —President George W. Bush, challenging militants attacking U.S. forces in Iraq, July 2, 2003 (Source)

2) "I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency." --Vice President Dick Cheney, on the Iraq insurgency, June 20, 2005 (Source)

3) "As you know, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time." —Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, responding to a U.S. soldier serving in Iraq who asked him why troops had to dig through scrap metal to armor vehicles, Dec. 8, 2004 (Source)

4) "My belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators." –Vice President Dick Cheney, "Meet the Press," March 16, 2003 (Source)

5) "F**k Saddam, we're taking him out." –President Bush to three U.S. Senators in March 2002, a full year before the Iraq invasion (Source)

6) "Ladies and gentlemen, these are not assertions. These are facts, corroborated by many sources, some of them sources of the intelligence services of other countries." –Secretary of State Colin Powell, testifying about Iraq's chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons capabilities before the United Nations Security Council, Feb. 5, 2003 (Source)

7) "Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things." –Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on looting in Iraq after the U.S. invasion, adding "stuff happens," April 11, 2003 (Source)

8) "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." –President Bush, standing under a "Mission Accomplished" banner on the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier, May 2, 2003 (Source)

9) "It's hard to conceive that it would take more forces to provide stability in post-Saddam Iraq than it would take to conduct the war itself and to secure the surrender of Saddam’s security forces and his army. Hard to imagine." –Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, testifying before the House Budget Committee prior to the Iraq war, Feb. 27, 2003 (Source)

10) "From a marketing point of view, you don't roll out new products in August." --White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, on why the Bush administration waited until after Labor Day to try to sell the American people on war against Iraq, "New York Times" interview, Sept. 7, 2002 (Source)

MORE HERE.

Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

This is a picture of Desiree getting in Rice's face over her mass murder of Iraqi people. Rice, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and a whole lot of other people from DC have innocent blood on their hands.  March 19th is the tenth anniversary of the illegal and immoral war of aggression on Iraq.

UPCOMING EVENTS

03/18/13 ASHEVILLE ‘FIX A LEAK’ WEEK
Asheville water is worth it!  From March 18 to March 24, Asheville residents are eligible to receive a water conservation kit valued at $50 – for FREE. Kits can be picked up at the following locations: Asheville GreenWorks, Warren Wilson College, Little Green Frog, PlumbSmart Technologies, Wesley Grant Community Center, Shiloh Community Center. Go to www.fixaleakweek.org for more details. More information below under ‘actions'.

03/18/13 FOREST PLAN REVISION PUBLIC MEETING
The U.S. Forest Service is revising the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests Land and Resource Management Plan (the Plan). When revision of the Plan is completed, it will guide management of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests for approximately 15 years. The Forest Service published the original Plan in 1987. A significant amendment to the Plan was published in 1994, and smaller amendments occurred in subsequent years. A meeting for Pisgah Ranger District will be at Transylvania County Library at 212 S. Gaston Street in Brevard. Meeting will run from 6 to 9 PM.

03/18/13 VOICES FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE
Have you heard about the Voices for Economic Justice program of Just Economics and wondered what it is? Come to a one hour information session and learn more about this exciting training. Are you sick of struggling to make ends meet? Are you interested in working for change? Then Voices for Economic Justice may be for you...Come find out! Location is Firestorm Café & Books and time is 6 PM.

03/19/13 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE PERMACULTURE POTLUCKS
Each month in 2013, a different local teacher will present new permaculture principle. Time is 5:30 PM and the location is Community Action Opportunities at 25 Gaston Street in Asheville. This month’s principle is “Obtain a Yield” with Andrew Goodheart Brown.

03/20/13 OPENING RECEPTION AND KEYNOTE FOR “PARALLEL JOURNEYS”
This was rescheduled from 03/06/13, due to bad weather. Opening Reception is from 5:30-6:45 PM at UNC Asheville Karpen Lobby. Opening Keynote is at 7 PM at Highsmith Student Union Alumni Hall. “How the Holocaust Shaped My Life” is the topic with Dr. Walter Ziffer speaking. From March 4 - 31, “Parallel Journeys: World War II and the Holocaust” tells the stories of dozens of teenagers who were witnesses, participants, and often victims of this brutal conflict. Profiles of well-known teens, not all of whom were heroic, are part of the exhibition. Elie Wiesel (Auschwitz survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner), members of the resistance group the White Rose, and Traudl Junge (Adolf Hitler's secretary) will be included.  For more information email dmiles@unca.edu or call 828-232-5024.

03/20/13 TRANSITION HENDERSONVILLE
Transition Hendersonville will screen the film “Microcosmos” at the Black Bear Café on Main Street in Hendersonville. Free. Time is 6 PM. For more info: www.transitionhendersonville.com.

03/20/13 IDLE NO MORE RALLY
The Asheville Idle No More group will rally at Pack Square on Wednesday March 20th at 4:00 pm for drumming and dancing to celebrate spring and the Idle No More Day of Action.

03/21/13 COMMUNITY RACE DISCUSSION GROUP
This discussion is held every third Thursday at 5:30 pm at Firestorm Café & Books.  This monthly discussion group is open to the public and invites community members in Asheville and Buncombe County to get together to explore issues of race, racism, privilege and identity -- topics we don't explore together on a regular basis. A new topic and facilitator pair will be selected for each meeting. Sponsored in partnership with the YWCA.

03/22/13 CELEBRATING WORLD WATER DAY BY TRANSITION ASHEVILLE
World Water Day will be celebrated in Asheville at the Wesley Grant Southside Community Center. Time will be 11 AM to 6:30 PM. See below under ‘actions’ for more information.

03/22/13 PROTEST AGAINST THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE
Friday March 22nd, Pritchard Park, Downtown Asheville. Meet at 4:30 PM and march at 4:45 to TD Bank (a major investor in the Keystone XL pipeline). Join Katuah Earth First! in a spirited march against the dirty KXL pipeline. If built, the pipeline would tear through thousands of miles of wilderness, farmland, and Native American tribal lands. The pipeline is necessary for Canada to expand the tar sands oil industry in Alberta, which has been called the dirtiest project on the planet. Without it they do not have an economical way to get the dirty oil to US refineries.

03/25/13 EARTH SABBATH
March Asheville Earth Sabbath is from 7 to 7:45 PM at St. Mary's Church (in new hall) on Charlotte Street. Byron Ballard will lead us in a Celebration of the Spring Equinox. For more information, contact Jean at larson_jean@hotmail.com.

03/26/13 MOVIE AT UNCA
"On Coal River" takes viewers on a gripping emotional journey into the Coal River Valley of West Virginia—a community surrounded by lush mountains and a looming toxic threat. The film follows a former coal miner and his neighbors in a David-and-Goliath struggle for the future of their valley, their children, and life as they know it. Local filmmakers Francine Cavanaugh and Adams Wood will be available for a Q&A after the screening. See the trailer at oncoalriver.com. Time is 7 PM and location is Highsmith Union Grotto.

03/26/13 UNITED FOR MARRIAGE VIGIL
Join us for an Asheville vigil to call for full LGBT equality. Vigils will be taking place across the country as the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the Prop 8 and DOMA cases on March 26 and 27. Time is 7 PM at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville. Hosted by Campaign for Southern Equality and cosponsored by Youth OutRight, Western NC Citizens to End Institutional Bigotry, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, and Land of the Sky UCC. Childcare provided.

03/27/13 MOUNTAIN HERO: JUNIOR WALK
From living with contaminated water in his own home as a child, to being kicked out of the house for speaking out against the coal company, Junior Walk's path to activism was not an easy one. His courage and clear voice calling for change has been widely recognized. Today Walk works with Coal River Mountain Watch, Keeper of the Mountains Foundation, and RAMPS (Radical Action for Mountain People's Survival) to end mountaintop removal mining. He travels the country with the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation educating people about the long-term environmental, health and community degradation caused by coal mining. He was a recipient of the prestigious Brower Youth Awards in 2011. The late renowned environmentalist David Brower famously said, “Tough mountains build bold leaders.”  Junior Walk is one of the many courageous and bold leaders whom the Appalachian Mountains have built. Time is 7 PM and location is Highsmith Union, Alumni Hall.

04/01/13 SPEAKERS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
The Academia and Activism Speaker Series will have a presentation by Alan Jenkins at 7 PM in Jensen Lecture Hall. For more information call 771-2083.

04/01/13 GREEN PARTY MEETING
The Buncombe County GREEN Party's business meeting is open to the public. It is held on the first Monday of the month. Time is 6 PM and location is the Fortune Building (upstairs), at 729 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Parking in back and on the street. Contact Ronald @ 828-LUCK-180 or Larry @ 828-225-4347 for more information.

04/02/13 MOVIE ON FRACKING FROM CLEAN WATER NC
This evening there will be a potluck snack and a presentation on fracking in North Carolina.  It is called “Message from Marcellus” and sponsored by Clean Water NC. Location is Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road, Asheville. Time is 7 PM. Free, donations accepted.

04/03/13 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
Topic is North Carolina’s energy future, climate change and energy efficiency. Time is 7 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville (corner of Charlotte & Edwin). Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.

04/04/13 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street in Asheville. VFP Chapter 099: http://vfpchapter099wnc.blogspot.com/

04/04/13 to 04/07/13 CARING FOR GOD’S CREATION
Dr. James Hansen, head of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City, will be joining Caring for Creation 2013 via SKYPE. Over 20 environmental experts will provide leadership at the 2013 event. Join us at Lake Junaluska to discover your residential and faith communities' role in environmental care. Visit www.lakejunaluska.com/caring-for-creation for more information or to register.

04/04/13 ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT FILM SERIES
This will be at the Fine Arts Theatre, and “The Gatekeepers” will be shown at 7 PM. Film will be followed by a discussion, and regular ticket prices will apply. Go to http://www.fineartstheatre.com/ for more information. This is sponsored by UNCA Hillel, Belk Distinguished Professorship in the Humanities, Jewish Community Center, and Beth HaTephila.

04/04/13 FIFTH ANNUAL FREEDOM BALL
This will be held at the Gray Eagle in Asheville. Time is 7 PM, and tickets are $20 (includes food). This is a celebration of Glen Edward Chapman’s exoneration and freedom. Hosted by David Lamotte and to benefit Asheville Green Opportunities.

04/06/13 OCCUPY ASHEVILLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Occupy Asheville will hold a General Assembly at 2 PM at Pritchard Park. All are welcome to come and plan our future.

04/06/13 APRIL ACTION AT THE Y12 NUCLEAR WEAPONS COMPLEX
Saturday April 6 -- Gather at 12:30 at the Friendship Bell in Bissell Park in Oak Ridge; walk together to the gates of the Y-12 bomb plant where we will hear speakers, join our voices in song, enjoy skits, & learn about the UPF; and engage in nonviolent protest against the expansion and expense of this militaristic government program. You will not be arrested for civil disobedience merely by participating in this event.  http://orepa.org/say-no-to-the-upf/

04/06/13 FUNDRAISER FOR START FROM SEED
Start From Seed, our volunteer doula program, presents an evening with Ina May Gaskin and the screening of 'Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives,' at Ferguson Auditorium on the campus of AB Tech. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with exhibits, film starts at 6:30 and will be followed at about 8 p.m. by a 90-minute panel discussion that will include Ina May Gaskin and Stephen Gaskin, midwives, doctors, and other local birth professionals. Tickets are $25 and all proceeds go to Start From Seed. To buy tickets, visit birthstoryasheville.eventbrite.com.

04/06/13 WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL
The Western North Carolina Alliance invites the community to the 2013 Wild & Scenic Film Festival, featuring a selection of 14 short films that put our work–and yours–into the broader environmental and social context and serves to remind us that we’re participants in a global movement for a more wild and scenic world. Free raffle ticket with entry. Time is 7 to 10 PM. Location is Fine Arts Theatre. For ticket prices and raffle information, go to http://www.fineartstheatre.com/.

04/06/13 FILM: “BIRTH STORY: INA MAY GASKIN AND THE FARM MIDWIVES”
This will be at Ferguson Auditorium at 5:30 (Reception and Exhibits) and 6:30 for the film, followed by a panel discussion. Tickets are $25- Sold in Asheville at Flora, West Asheville or online- Birthstoryasheville.eventbrite.com. BIRTH STORY captures a spirited group of women who taught themselves how to deliver babies on a 1970s hippie commune, rescued modern midwifery from extinction, and changed the way a generation thought about childbirth. Today, as nearly 1/3 of all U.S. babies are born via C-section, they labor on, fighting to preserve their knowledge and pushing, once again, for the rebirth of birth. For more information, contact Cheryl at 828-776-3327.


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ONGOING EVENTS
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MONDAY

TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument

WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville.

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

FRIDAY
Women in Black have a vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square (Asheville) on the first Friday of the month.
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall 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.

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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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Transition Asheville and many other local businesses and organizations are supporting the "Fix a Leak Week" program put together by Warren Wilson College.  This is part of the annual national campaign of the Environmental Protection Agency to identify and repair plumbing leaks and reduce water consumption.  The final celebration will be held at the Center at 285 Livingston Street, from 11 am til 6:30 pm.  Transition Asheville will be demonstrating and facilitating the use of A-frame levels to mark contours, plus making and having A-frame levels available for purchase.  We will have a 3-D topographic map and hope to install some infiltration basins around existing vegetation.  We may help give tours of the facility and even have a poster about composting and the watershed finished!

Water conservation kits will be given away at these pick-up locations, dates and times:
-Warren Wilson College Plumbing Dept; 18th–22nd, 9:00AM-4:30PM
-Asheville GreenWorks; 18th-22nd, 11:00AM-3:00PM
-Little Green Frog; 18th, 20th, 22nd, 11:00AM-4:00 PM
-PlumbSmart Technologies, Inc; 18th-22nd, 9:00AM-5:00PM
-Shiloh Community Center; 18th, 21st, 3:00PM-8:00PM
-Wesley Grant Community Center; 22nd, 11:00AM-6:30PM
Come out and help us mark the importance of water and educate residents in the need to provide for changes in climate and the importance of providing for and using local resources!  To learn more, visit http://www.fixaleakweek.org/.  Contact Sherry at si726@aol.c if you want to help out.

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CARE ABOUT OUR FORESTS?  TIME TO SPEAK UP.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/home/?cid=STELPRDB5397660

Hard copies of comments can be mailed to:
National Forests in North Carolina, Nantahala-Pisgah Plan Revision, 160 Zillicoa St. Suite A, Asheville, NC 28801.

An opinion on a part of this plan:

Information under consideration for further action by the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League

The US Forest Service “Grandfather Restoration Project, a Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Proposal”, states that “The Grandfather Restoration Collaborative pledges that all actions will be consistent with Title IV of the Omnibus Public Lands Act of 2009 (Title IV.). The Proposal repeatedly fails to fulfill this pledge because it is non-compliant with multiple Purpose and Eligibility requirements of Title IV. This proposal, already funded for $4.5 million, lacks due diligence, objectivity and comprehensiveness, which results in inadequate strength of integrity and failed accountability. Study of the approximately 12,000 acre Linville Gorge Wilderness Area which comprises  24% of the acreage to be treated in the Grandfather District and demonstrates deficiencies within the Proposal that should disqualify it from funding.

The Proposal uses language to create a superficial appearance to convey that the US Forest Service’s plan to burn the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area is safe, beneficial and has a lucrative impact on the region when in fact it lacks an objective and comprehensive review of the negative impacts on the economy that people owning businesses will experience.  A concerned citizen has submitted to BREDL the attached 25 page Scoping File comment they provided to the US Forest Service, which outlines these concerns in detail. Key points of this correspondence follow.

The Scoping Letter for this Proposal describes that the prescribed burn will be conducted by dropping ping pong ball sized ignition agents into the Wilderness Area via helicopter to ignite prescribed burns.  The public and numerous forest fire experts outside the US Forest Service have stated that fire can not be controlled in areas such as the steep and windy Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. The US Forest Service, without a site specific risk assessment, has during the scoping period, publicized in newspapers that there is only a 1% chance of risk of out of control burns, and has asserted that they can control these burns safely.  This has poisoned the public Scoping Period comment process as the US Forest Service has worked to persuade the public that the impacts of the actions of the Proposal will not have significant action on the environment and the health and safety of people. Also, the Proposal states it will save over six million dollars in fire fighting costs, which is another misleading statement to assure the public that this work must be done.

Regarding risk of fire, the Proposal is negligent in addressing site specific areas of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area.  The proposal states, “Fuel loads in fire adapted vegetation types are generally dangerously high in the Project Area”.  No fuel load was measured and no standard risk assessment using site specific criteria was conducted before the grant writers decided this work, which appears will fund over 11 full time jobs for the grant writing team agencies, must be done. Dangerously high fuel load areas are not necessarily candidates for prescribed burning.  If the fuel load is too high, prescribed burning may be prohibitive. Mechanical thinning of small diameter trees is supposed to be performed in conjunction with prescribed burning per Title IV. Criteria and in accordance with 2012 US Forest Service Research on Prescribed Fire in the Southern Appalachians. No thinning of trees is allowed in the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, which should eliminate this area from using prescribed fire.

Within the Proposal, the government organization, Land of Sky Regional Council of Government, based in Asheville, was selected to represent the Proposal area.  The Linville Gorge Wilderness Area is bordered by Burke, Avery, and McDowell counties, and should have been represented by High Country Council of Government and Western NC Council of Government, who actually serve these jurisdictions.  The Land of Sky wrote glowingly of the small diameter wood products that will benefit the local economy, which can utilize these products heavily, when in fact less than 1 of over 12 full time jobs to be created by the grant is allocated for wood products and no wood products will be removed from the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area for economic benefit to the local rural community.

The above points summarize some of the key issues within the US Forest Service’s Proposal and their Scoping Process for the Proposal.  There are many more misrepresentations that should be considered to grasp the lack of due diligence, objectivity and comprehensiveness, which results in inadequate strength of integrity and failed accountability.  The Grandfather Restoration Project proposal needs to be cancelled.

Alice Walker reads Rachel Corrie

In Remembrance of Rachel Corrie

Picture of Rachel Corrie from the website about her.

Rachel was in Gaza on March 16, 2003, trying to prevent the Israeli demolition of a Palestinian home. She was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer. Today marks the tenth anniversary of her death.

She is a heroine of mine.

She stood up for what was right, and laid down her life for her friends in Palestine. No greater love exists on this planet than to lay down your life for the well being of your friends.

More information on Rachel, her life, her actions, herwords, and her inspiration to other people can be found at this link.

May she rest in peace.

Letter

This is a letter to the editor of the local paper - the Mountain Express.  They did not publish this letter.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

February 15, 2003 was THE DAY THE WORLD MARCHED. On every continent, in about 800 cities and towns, millions of people marched against the upcoming US war on Iraq. It was the largest protest in human history. Here in Asheville, we held a rally at Pritchard Park.  We had the same goals and the same feelings as all good people around the planet. We did not want to see Iraq invaded and bombed based on a pack of lies about WMDs. We did not want to see a war of aggression against people who never harmed or threatened us. We did not want to see innocent people killed or their lives destroyed by US military aggression under the orders of the US government.

We did not stop the massively evil war on Iraq (that actually started in 1991 with bombing and sanctions that killed hundreds of thousands), but we do have the satisfaction of knowing that we were the moral ones and the ones who figured out we were being fed a pack of lies. (That lying continued through out the illegal occupation.) We have the satisfaction of knowing that we stood up, spoke the truth, rallied and marched for peace and justice. We have the very sad satisfaction of being correct about what was going to happen to Iraq.

In my eyes, the people who supported this war of aggression on Iraq are accessories to mass murder. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis were killed, millions of orphans and widows were created, millions became refugees, and tens of millions of people were injured and traumatized or had their lives destroyed. Parts of Iraq were forever poisoned by toxic waste from our bombs. And it was all based on lies that were easily disproved.

Fracking Liars

Best Of The Blogs: What a Tangled Web We Weave...

Tuesday, 3 June 2003, 4:03 pm
Article: Best Of The Blogs

What a Tangled Web We Weave . . .
. . . when first we practice to deceive!

Posted by billmon at May 29, 2003 03:20 AM
From: http://billmon.org.v.sabren.com/archives/000172.html "Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction."
Dick Cheney
Speech to VFW National Convention August 26, 2002

"Right now, Iraq is expanding and improving facilities that were used for the production of biological weapons. "
George W. Bush
Speech to UN General Assembly September 12, 2002

"If he declares he has none, then we will know that Saddam Hussein is once again misleading the world."
Ari Fleischer
Press Briefing December 2, 2002

"We know for a fact that there are weapons there."
Ari Fleischer
Press Briefing January 9, 2003

"Our intelligence officials estimate that Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent. "
George W. Bush
State of the Union Address January 28, 2003

"We know that Saddam Hussein is determined to keep his weapons of mass destruction, is determined to make more."
Colin Powell
Remarks to UN Security Council February 5, 2003

"We have sources that tell us that Saddam Hussein recently authorized Iraqi field commanders to use chemical weapons -- the very weapons the dictator tells us he does not have."
George W. Bush
Radio Address February 8, 2003

"If Iraq had disarmed itself, gotten rid of its weapons of mass destruction over the past 12 years, or over the last several months since (UN Resolution) 1441 was enacted, we would not be facing the crisis that we now have before us . . . But the suggestion that we are doing this because we want to go to every country in the Middle East and rearrange all of its pieces is not correct."
Colin Powell
Interview with Radio France International February 28, 2003

"So has the strategic decision been made to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction by the leadership in Baghdad? . . . I think our judgment has to be clearly not."
Colin Powell
Remarks to UN Security Council March 7, 2003

"Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised."
George W. Bush
Address to the Nation March 17, 2003

"Well, there is no question that we have evidence and information that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, biological and chemical particularly . . . all this will be made clear in the course of the operation, for whatever duration it takes."
Ari Fleischer
Press Briefing March 21, 2003

"There is no doubt that the regime of Saddam Hussein possesses weapons of mass destruction. And . . . as this operation continues, those weapons will be identified, found, along with the people who have produced them and who guard them."
Gen. Tommy Franks
Press Conference March 22, 2003

"I have no doubt we're going to find big stores of weapons of mass destruction."
Defense Policy Board member Kenneth Adelman
Washington Post , p. A27March 23, 2003

"One of our top objectives is to find and destroy the WMD. There are a number of sites."
Pentagon Spokeswoman Victoria Clark
Press Briefing March 22, 2003

"We know where they are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat."
Donald Rumsfeld
ABC Interview March 30, 2003

"Obviously the administration intends to publicize all the weapons of mass destruction U.S. forces find -- and there will be plenty. "
Neocon scholar Robert Kagan
Washington Post op-ed April 9, 2003

"But make no mistake -- as I said earlier -- we have high confidence that they have weapons of mass destruction. That is what this war was about and it is about. And we have high confidence it will be found."
Ari Fleischer
Press Briefing April 10, 2003

"We are learning more as we interrogate or have discussions with Iraqi scientists and people within the Iraqi structure, that perhaps he destroyed some, perhaps he dispersed some. And so we will find them."
George W. Bush
NBC Interview April 24, 2003

"There are people who in large measure have information that we need . . . so that we can track down the weapons of mass destruction in that country."
Donald Rumsfeld
Press Briefing April 25, 2003

"We'll find them. It'll be a matter of time to do so."
George W. Bush
Remarks to Reporters May 3, 2003

"I'm absolutely sure that there are weapons of mass destruction there and the evidence will be forthcoming. We're just getting it just now. "
Colin Powell
Remarks to Reporters May 4, 2003

"We never believed that we'd just tumble over weapons of mass destruction in that country."
Donald Rumsfeld
Fox News Interview May 4, 2003

"I'm not surprised if we begin to uncover the weapons program of Saddam Hussein -- because he had a weapons program. "
George W. Bush
Remarks to Reporters May 6, 2003

"U.S. officials never expected that "we were going to open garages and find" weapons of mass destruction."
Condoleeza Rice
Reuters Interview May 12, 2003

"I just don't know whether it was all destroyed years ago -- I mean, there's no question that there were chemical weapons years ago -- whether they were destroyed right before the war, (or) whether they're still hidden."
Maj. Gen. David Petraeus, Commander 101st Airborne
Press Briefing May 13, 2003

"Before the war, there's no doubt in my mind that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, biological and chemical. I expected them to be found. I still expect them to be found."
Gen. Michael Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corps
Interview with Reporters May 21, 2003

"Given time, given the number of prisoners now that we're interrogating, I'm confident that we're going to find weapons of mass destruction."
Gen. Richard Myers, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff
NBC Today Show interview May 26, 2003

"They may have had time to destroy them, and I don't know the answer."
Donald Rumsfeld
Remarks to the Council on Foreign Relations May 27, 2003

"For bureaucratic reasons, we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction (as justification for invading Iraq) because it was the one reason everyone could agree on."
Paul Wolfowitz
Vanity Fair interview May 28, 2003

"It was a surprise to me then — it remains a surprise to me now — that we have not uncovered weapons, as you say, in some of the forward dispersal sites. Believe me, it's not for lack of trying. We've been to virtually every ammunition supply point between the Kuwaiti border and Baghdad, but they're simply not there. "
Lt. Gen. James Conway, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
Press Interview May 30, 2003

"Do I think we're going to find something? Yeah, I kind of do, because I think there's a lot of information out there.""
Maj. Gen. Keith Dayton, Defense Intelligence Agency
Press Conference May 30, 2003

Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear Weapons Must Be Eradicated for all Our Sakes

By Desmond Tutu, The Guardian [UK] [March 4, 2013]

---- We cannot intimidate others into behaving well when we ourselves are misbehaving. Yet that is precisely what nations armed with nuclear weapons hope to do by censuring North Korea for its nuclear tests and sounding alarm bells over Iran's pursuit of enriched uranium. According to their logic, a select few nations can ensure the security of all by having the capacity to destroy all. As an Oslo conference on nuclear weapons starts, we should not accept that a 'select few nations can ensure the security of all by having the capacity to destroy all. Until we overcome this double standard - until we accept that nuclear weapons are abhorrent and a grave danger no matter who possesses them, that threatening a city with radioactive incineration is intolerable no matter the nationality or religion of its inhabitants - we are unlikely to make meaningful progress in halting the spread of these monstrous devices, let alone banishing them from national arsenals.

Letter on S. Res 65 to Senators Burr & Hagan

I am concerned that you are cosponsoring S.Res. 65, which calls for the United States to provide military support if Israel attacks Iran, which would undermine diplomacy and could make war more likely. I am particularly concerned about section 1(8) which calls on the U.S. government to provide military support to Israel if it decides to take military action against Iran. Please work to remove this section from the bill.

With tensions rising between Iran and the United States, even nonbinding resolutions like S. Res 65 can fuel confrontation and undermine the diplomatic engagement that is needed to resolve the current dispute. Please withdraw your cosponsorship of this resolution. At a minimum, I hope you will work to remove Section 1(8).

AND - you might want to start paying attention to North Korea, who has threatened to attack the USA. Iran is NOT building nuclear weapons, does NOT have a nuclear weapons program, and has NOT  threatened the USA. But North Korea has and it is not even discussed.

Two children in Afghanistan

This photo is of two Afghan boys, and was taken by the Afghan Peace Volunteers.

Reuters

Sunday 3 March 2013

KABUL -  NATO forces accidentally shot dead two boys during an operation in Afghanistan’s south, the alliance said on Saturday, in the latest in a series of incidents involving allegations of civilian deaths at the hands of international troops.

The two boys were shot dead when they were mistaken for insurgents during an operation in the northwest of Uruzgan on February 28, ISAF commander, US General Joseph Dunford, said.

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It is beyond disgusting that we are killing children in Afghanistan. And the "mistaken" comment just shows that they don't know who they are killing or bombing, in Afghanistan or anywhere else.