Kucinich - Strength through Peace

Dennis Kucinich is going to introduce his bill to impeach cheney. He is asking us, and Progressive Democrats of America is asking us, to inform our Representatives to vote to bring this bill to the floor of the US House of Representatives. Here is a link to the page where you can sign the email to your Representative. And here is a video of Kucinich talking about impeachment, and why we need to do this.

Book Review: Siddhartha

I quite enjoyed re-reading this book. I had read it many decades ago. Since then, I had taken up, and left behind, whitewater kayaking. So the thing that really struck me about the book on this reading was the discussions about rivers.

I have always felt that the rivers and the woods hold great secrets - that are ours to find.

Siddhartha also found great secrets in the rivers. His teacher was Vasudeva, a ferryman on the river. Vasudeva had this to say: “The river is everywhere at the same time, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the current, in the ocean and in the mountains, everywhere, and that the present only exists for it, not the shadow of the past, not the shadow of the future.”

Siddhartha had also learned that lesson and applied it to his own life. He said that the different ages of his life were only separated by shadows, not through reality. He also said: “Nothing was, nothing will be, everything has reality and presence.” Siddhartha was happy to discover this, and felt that all sorrows, self-torment, and fear, were conquered as soon as one conquered time, or dispelled time. There was no such thing as time.

The river spoke to him with many voices. The voices of all living creatures were in it’s voice. And when they listened to all the voices of the river, they heard the holy OM. When you can hear the voices of the river and really listen to it, the river is no longer an obstacle or a hindrance to cross, it is instead a holy place to be treasured.

The river laughed.

This book was written by Herman Hesse in 1922. The notes say that WWI came as a terrific shock to Hesse, and he worked with the pacifists to end the war.

Forewarned is Forearmed: Bush on Iran

I don’t think that the bush administration will bomb Iran, but I still think that all the warmongering statements he (and his administration) have made is WRONG. I think they are in the “prepare for war” stage – like they were with Iraq for all those years of sanctions. They know that Iran is way too strong to attack now – all bullies are only interested in picking on someone much weaker than them. They would not think of picking on someone who might give them a hurting in response to their bulling efforts.

But, since what these “people” (I use that word loosely – not sure they really are human) are doing is very, very EVIL, we should always make a point of exposing them whenever we can. And this psychologist, Dr. Eidelson, has done a great job of doing exactly that.

More information on him at his website.

Kucinich comments

Today, I read this story on comments Kucinich made:

Kucinich: Bush's World War III comment shows mental instability

In an interview today, Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich questioned President Bush's mental health in light of comments he made about a nuclear Iran precipitating World War Three. Kucinich said the president doesn't seem to understand that his words have real impact in the world. In an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer's editorial board, Kucinich said if there isn't something wrong with Bush then there's something wrong with the American public.

Kucinich is totally correct. It is wrong for bush to threaten Iran with war or bombings, and wrong for bush to laugh while he suggests World War III. I think there is also something wrong with the American people, and something even more wrong with the politicians in DC. The typical American will easily sign a petition for impeachment - they are eager to do so. They realize that bush/cheney has done some hugely wicked things, and should be brought to justice for this. The typical politician in DC, even the Democratic ones, do not see that bush/cheney need to be impeached, and therefore they won't take steps to do that. They will really regret that one day.

I don't think bush/cheney will bomb Iran, unless Iran does something really blatant and provocative. I don't think they will - and I guess another "gulf of tonkin" is always possible - but what I really think right now is that bush/cheney and the other assholes in DC will just threaten and say really stupid things about Iran. They will continue the sanctions, and try to isolate Iran. That won't work, by the way, but they will try it. They are going to try to make Iran weaker so that one day in the future, they can attack Iran. I believe that is their plans right now. And their plans are evil, pure evil.

Sing It Loud and Proud!

If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.....

[A man stands amidst the rubble of a destroyed house after a U.S air strike in Baghdad September 6, 2007. A U.S. air strike on a Baghdad neighbourhood overnight killed 14 people and demolished several houses, the police said on Thursday. REUTERS/Mahmoud Raouf Mahmoud (IRAQ)]

And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife....

[A feeding bottle lies on a pillow amid the rubble of a destroyed house after a U.S airstrike in Baghdad September 6, 2007. A U.S. airstrike on a Baghdad neighbourhood overnight killed 14 people and demolished several houses, the police said on Thursday. REUTERS/Mahmoud Raouf Mahmoud (IRAQ)]

I’d thank my lucky stars, to be livin' here today....

[An Iraqi boy looks at a damaged car after an overnight raid in the Shiite enclave of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007. U.S. forces killed nine suspects in a raid early Tuesday on the Baghdad stronghold of a powerful Shiite militia, the military said. Iraqi police and witnesses said only three people were killed, all civilians. (AP Photo/ Karim Kadim)]

‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

[Demonstrators hold a banner during a protest in Basra September 10, 2007. Hundreds of people took to the streets asking the political bloc loyal to Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to pull out from the government and accusing the government of not providing necessary services for residents. The banner reads: "We will not stop the resistance till the complete liberation". REUTERS/Atef Hassan (IRAQ)]

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.

[An Iraqi woman holds her daughter as US soldiers from 1-40 Cavalry Squadron stand guard around them while fellow soldiers search her home during a patrol into southern Baghdad, 11 September 2007. The US Senate approved Wednesday a Bosnia-style plan to divide Iraq on ethnic and religious lines, touted by backers as the sole hope of forging a federal state out of sectarian strife. (AFP/File/David Furst)]

And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.....

[A U.S. soldier from the Delta 112 Cav. Battalion stand next to a group of women as they perform a house to house search near the city of Baqouba, 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad on Friday, Aug. 31, 2007. (AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo)]

And I gladly stand up, next to you

[An Iraqi woman shouts "Don't shoot!" as US soldiers detain her son and husband (L) south of Baquba. A US judge on Friday stayed prosecutors from taking a second shot at the court martial of a soldier refusing to fight in Iraq because he believes the war is illegal(AFP/Alexander Nemenov)]

and defend her still today......

[A US soldier detains a father and son five miles south of Baquba. The US-led "war on terror" has been a "disaster" and Washington and its allies must change their policy in Iraq and Afghanistan to defeat Al-Qaeda, an independent global security think tank said Monday(AFP/File/Aleaxnder Nemenov)]

'Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA

[A hooded prisoner allegedly being tortured at Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib jail supposely during interrogation by US soldiers in Baghdad in 2004. Lieutenant Colonel Steven Jordan, the only military officer charged in the prisoner abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib jail, goes before a court martial Monday in Fort Meade, Maryland.(AFP/SBS Dateline/File)]

Eddie Vedder singing Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War”

cheney talks trash

cheney was talking in DC about Lebanon and the upcoming elections:

“Lebanon has the right to conduct the upcoming elections free of any foreign interference. The United States will work with free Lebanon’s other friends and allies to preserve Lebanon’s hard won independence and to defeat the forces of extremism and terror that threaten not only that region,

but US countries across the wider region.”

I got this quote from Democracy Now on October 22, 2007.

So, now, are we multiple countries? Has part of the US up and moved to the Middle East region? Or is this his way of saying that Iraq is really a US country? Hey, maybe Israel is too! WHO KNOWS? I find it startling that he said this. It is also deeply hypocritical that he talks about “forces of extremism and terror” when he was the main architect of the war of aggression against Iraq. He is the biggest terrorist on the planet right now. And while he is championing no outside interference, you can bet the US is interfering all over the place. The US has been sending plane-loads of weapons into Lebanon (per Robert Fisk) and the US is planning on building a military airbase in Lebanon. The road to this proposed airbase goes right beside the recently destroyed Palestinian camp in Lebanon. There is talk of other US military installations in Lebanon. So, Lebanon is not free of “foreign interference” by a long shot.

Of course, some Americans have trouble seeing themselves as “foreign” no matter where they are. I heard a story where US troops in Iraq asked a farmer if he saw any foreign troops recently, and he told them that he had, and that he was currently talking to them.

I feel sorry for the people in Lebanon. Between the US and Israel, they will see lots of violence, I fear.

I do not capitalize cheney's name as a sign of my deep disrespect for him and his evil ways.

October 27th coming up!

Take a stand! Sign up here to say you are going to an event on October 27, 2007! As for myself - this will be the first major rally that I have missed in years. I am going to Natahala to sell some of my outdoor equipment that I am no longer using, and hopefully to donate some money to help Iraqi refugees. But if you can, take a stand!

Impeachment petitions

Today, I mailed out the impeachment petition that I had gotten people to sign. I collected over 500 signatures with very little time or effort - mainly because I don't have extra time to do this, even while I wish I did. About 270 of these signatures were from people in North Carolina. I sent copies of the petition to Grassroots Impeachment Movement, Rep. Kucinich and (the NC ones) to Rep. Shuler. Below is the letter I included with the petitions I sent to Shuler.

Dear Rep. Shuler;

I collected these signatures on these petitions over two month’s time, with very little effort. I am only mailing the ones from people in North Carolina, but I got quite a few from out of state people too. I sent a copy of all of these signatures to Rep. Kucinich.

At Bele Chere, I held my sign for exactly 90 minutes and got 132 signatures. Imagine how many I would have gotten if I had spent the entire weekend doing this! But, unfortunately, I have other obligations and commitments and could not do that. I had people stopping me while walking on the street with a sign saying “sign petition to impeach” because they want to see these criminals impeached.

Since Bele Chere, I collected these signatures when I could, which was not very often. I did this because I believe bush and cheney are war criminals and the only peaceful and non-violent remedy we have to their abuses of power and torture, murder, genocide that they have ordered is IMPEACHMENT.

But it looks like the Democrats in DC are not interested in following this route, even while the majority of citizens support it. I fail (totally) to see how this lack of action will help our standing in the world, our civil rights here at home, or even the Democratic party itself. The Republicans sure don’t have any problems with going after Clinton for a blow-job. What bush and cheney have done is vastly more serious than a extramarital blow-job.

I am of the opinion that the American people elect people to office that reflect themselves, but in this case, the American people are way ahead of the elected officials.

But, if the Democrats do not want to lead or do what is the morally right thing to do, I certainly am not going to keep beating a dead donkey forever.

Peace Activists invade Blackwater

Letter to Rep. Watt (NC)

September 16, 2007
Representative Melvin Watt
Main District Office
1230 W. Morehead St., Ste. 306
Charlotte, NC 28208

Dear Representative Watt:

I am writing you today to thank you for signing on to the letter to Mr. Bush, written by Woolsey and Lee and the rest of the Progressive Caucus, saying that:

“We are writing to inform you that we will only support appropriating additional funds for U.S. military operations in Iraq during Fiscal Year 2008 and beyond for the protection and safe redeployment of all our troops out of Iraq before you leave office.”

I am very supportive of this position, and of all the work the Progressive Caucus is doing. I know I speak for a lot of progressives around the state when I say I wish all our Representatives in North Carolina would follow your lead. The reason I am a member of, and work for, the Progressive Democrats of America is to support the members of the Progressive Caucus. I sincerely hope we can elect more good men and women (like the members of the Progressive Caucus) to office in DC. We desperately need them.

I will be emailing members of PDA in North Carolina soon to share this news with them, and to ask them to call their own Representatives and ask them to also sign on to this letter.

Thank you for all the good work you do.

Full text of the letter that the Progressive Caucus has signed on to.

It was Rep. Lee and Rep. Woolsey that started this letter, and they are two of my favorite people in DC.

Progressive Democrats of Buncombe County

Minutes of the meeting held on October 9, 2007 at North Asheville Library.

Attending: John, Tom, Barbara, Leah, Susan

Minutes taken by Susan.

We discussed the upcoming events in Smithfield NC on October 27, 2007. There will be a Peace Rally and Walk of Remembrance for Victims of War and Torture in Smithfield that day. We all agreed with the goals of this event, but none of us will be able to attend. We also support the event, but declined to contribute money since our funds are limited. Susan will contact them and tell them that we do endorse their efforts, but we cannot contribute $50 like they asked.

Financial: We spent $10 for rent of the room at North Asheville Library and we have $30 left in our treasury.

Tom spoke on “How to Accomplish Reform – How to get there” tonight. Tom has been a member of Common Cause since 1982. He has worked on public funding for state wide elections from the mid 1990’s. They had many years where they could not get that out of committee, so other groups suggested forming a coalition, called the NC Voters for Clean Elections. Although a number of "good Government" organizations had been working on reform issues for years, they had made scant progress until, in 1999 they agreed to closely collaborate and press for one issue, public funding for statewide elections (later expanded to include municipal elections and lobby reform). A planning committee from these organizations was put in place, resulting in the formation of the North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections coalition. It originally included Common Cause, Democracy South, The NC Center for Voter Education and the League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Later it was joined by PIRG and the State League of Women Voters. Altogher, 35 organizations now belong to the coalition, lending their names to the cause, while the original members, whose basic mission is campaign reform, does the "heavy lifting."

Tom said he got to see how the process worked and how cumulative effect might work. The reason for state funded elections is to get special interest money out of elections. People don’t feel that they have much effect on the federal government, but we do have an effect on state government, and Tom said that after state governments fall in line, then federal governments will also. Organizations have to raise money in order to get money out of politics, and also figure out which organizations have the best strategies. Tom also said that you need to sacrifice your ego and it needs to be a collaborative effort. He also said that you need patience, and that no reform happens overnight. He has been working on this issue since 1980’s.

Tom said that it is important to cultivate your legislators over time, and that all of Buncombe and Madison County Democrats (in office) are now supporters. Three Council of State positions are now in a pilot program: Insurance Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction Superintendent, and State Auditor. (The five other Council of State positions are Agriculture, Secretary of State, and Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor and Commissioner of Labor.) Someone running for one of these offices needs to get a lot of small contributions to be eligible for public funding. There are also rules about getting extra funding if there are media ads that are run by an opponent that are false or damaging.

Right now, the state wide judges are publicly funded, with some money coming from the general fund. If all statewide offices, governor, council of state, appellate judiciary and legislature were publicly funded, it would cost less than $4 per year per NC citizen. The US Supreme Court has ruled that a person can contribute as much as they want to their own campaigns. Tom said the plans for 2009 include a move into funding state legislators’ campaigns, and also the campaign for NC Governor.

Next meeting of the Progressive Democrats of Buncombe County is January 8, 2008.

Photo is of me standing with a Honk to Impeach sign on I-240 last August.