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Democracy Cell of One!
I just got this email from our DCP friend Kay, in Ohio, and I could not wait to get it to you!
Karen, I know you and Dick are on vacation, so I wanted to give a little more than five minutes for democracy this week. So I got me a pen and some paper and I made up my own little sign (Monkey would appreciate that) ... I went to the public square in Mansfield, county seat of Richland County, Ohio. I took along a chair and some flyers about Cindy Sheehan. I stopped along the way and bought a pink umbrella , some poster board, and a marker. I made the sign on the hood of my van in 90+ degree heat. That's my excuse for why the sign doesn't look so good. It says "Pres. Bush, Have you talked with Cindy Sheehan yet? democracycellproject.net"
The public square in Mansfield is located on Rt. 42 now, but the road used to be Rt. 30 called the Lincoln Highway. Before interstates it was the main east/ west highway in the nation. The square is half a block from the county courthouse, county jail, municipal building and municipal jail. One block from my UCC church and three blocks from my school. As you can imagine there is a great deal of law enforcement traffic. I wasn't sure if what I was planning was allowed without a permit, but.I thought that the worst that could happen was that I would be asked to leave.
I arrived at the square at 11:30 and planned to stay until 1:30 because I knew this would be the time with the most foot traffic. I opened my chair turned around and there was a city vehicle parked on the sidewalk about four feet from me. The worker was coming toward me so I gave him my biggest grin and asked, "Have you come to tell me to go away?" He said that he hadn't, so I asked him if he had heard of Cindy Sheehan.
He thought so but wasn't sure. I refreshed his memory . Then he said he had a son in Iraq. He mentioned his sticker on the truck. As I walked over to look at it, I said " I bet you're proud of him." He grinned and then I saw the "sticker": a big plaque that said" Proud Parent of a Marine". He left the truck by me for about 20 minutes while he worked. As he left, he grinned , waved, and told me to stay as long as I wanted. That made me feel a lot better.
The next person I talked to was a man who said that he also thought he knew who Cindy was. Again I told him about her and he said,' I have a son in Iraq". He told me he is a pastor and invited me to church. I told him my church was on the corner and invited him to visit. He asked if I had any prayer requests, so I gave him a flyer and asked him to pray for Cindy, all parents who have lost children in Iraq, and those who are serving. He said he would.
I wasn't sure if people passing in cars could read the sign, but a woman stuck her head out the window and yelled," Good on ya', girl". Her car sticker said "Prayer changes things" and she had multiple support the troop ribbons. She was dressed in the sort of clothes and wore her hair in the style that religious fundamentalists wear around here. I was shocked! I was also pleased to be called a girl. She was the only person I encountered who knew who Cindy Sheehan was without being reminded. Hard to do anyway to people going by in vehicles!
I saw two families from my school. I suppose they think this is how teachers' spend vacation. The children seemed happy to see me. I was comfortably located near a large fountain where children like to splash their hands on hot days. There was a cool breeze which sent a mist over me at times. I almost felt as if I were at the beach.
Next to come down the sidewalk was a former student of mine. He and his friend stopped to chat, so I asked his friend to take a digital picture. I wanted to share with you. Why is this woman laughing? Because the boy in the picture whose friend only slightly cut off his head kept saying, " This is my kindergarten teacher!" I don't know if he thinks I have lost my mind or if I had some how amazed him.
I met only one negative man in the time I was there. After I explained who Cindy is, he remembered that he didn't like her and didn't think Bush should talk to her. I said, " but sir, her son is dead." He gave me a dirty look and walked away mumbling ,"but he never talks to any of them!" Being so near the courthouse, I wanted to shout, " I rest my case".
All in all it was a wonderful experience and I am already thinking about what my next project will be.
I don't know the process for posting pictures, but would appreciate it if you would have someone post this somewhere so that others can see what a good time even a project with one participant can be.
By the way, please wish Dick a happy belated birthday.
Best regards, kay
Well, I cannot wait to tell Dick what his birthday present was/is! Kay--you are a wonder--along with all the other DCPers who have risen to the occasion and who are supporting Cindy. Thank you, on behalf of all mothers/fathers/activists. We are here with our kids and they are 16, 16, and 18 and therefore vulnerable to various forms of conscription for this horror of a war. I have been touched by Cindy's strength and sense of purpose, and therefore I am immensely grateful to all who are speaking up and out for the truth.
Karen
Kay, you are truly an inspiration!
"Never underestimate the power of a woman."
Hey all, just listened to Daniel Schorr on NPR and his entire spiel was about Cindy. He talked to her by phone today and gave his case for why Bush is in deep trouble. He tied it very strongly to what happened as people became aware of the quagmire that was Vietnam.
Go Cindy.
Kay,
Good on ya, girl!
Very good work.
Thank you.
Posted by: dwahzon at August 10, 2005 05:23 PM
I heard that too! It was great.
In case you miss it, you can listen to the audio here ===> http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4794594 after 7:30 EDT.
That great quote from Margaret Meade comes to mind...
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Kay, you are amazing! THANK YOU!
Karen,
Thanks! You are one quick woman for someone on a leisurely vacation. I can't say how much I enjoyed talking with people today. I only wish that more knew about Cindy. Huess I'll have to go back , but have somebody tip off the paper ahead of time.
Did anyone catch this article in the Wash Post today about a soldier who refused to meet with George, Dickie, Rummy, or Condi??? Another amazing person with courage...
Talking Wounded
Terry Rodgers Came Back From Iraq a Changed Man, and Not Just Because of the Bomb
--snip--
Terry Rodgers, who just turned 21, grew up in Rockville, son of a carpenter and a courthouse clerk. After graduating from Richard Montgomery High School in 2002, he worked as a mechanic in a Washington gas station, then joined the Army.
--snip--
He spent a month and a half at Walter Reed. The doctors wired his jaw shut, put a metal rod in his leg, did nine hours of surgery on his eye, reconstructed his calf, and did skin grafts.
"I've had way too many surgeries to count," he says.
He was never alone. Every night somebody stayed with him -- his mother or father or sister Marie, or his girlfriend, Jane Libert, 19, a student at McDaniel College in Maryland.
"I always had somebody to talk to," he says.
He got visits from celebrities, too. Generals came by to shake his hand and ask how he was doing. The Dave Matthews Band visited, as did players from the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies.
"I didn't catch their names," he says. "I was kind of high on morphine at the time. And you can't read their autographs."
One day a nurse came in to ask Rodgers if he wanted to meet President Bush, who was visiting the hospital. Rodgers declined.
"I don't want anything to do with him," he explains. "My belief is that his ego is getting people killed and mutilated for no reason -- just his ego and his reputation. If we really wanted to, we could pull out of Iraq. Maybe not completely but enough that we wouldn't be losing people -- at least not at this rate. So I think he himself is responsible for quite a few American deaths."
Bill Swisher, a spokesman for Walter Reed, says it's "fairly common" for patients to decline to see visitors. "We've had visitors from Sheryl Crow to Hulk Hogan," he says, but he has no idea how many have refused to see Bush, who has visited the hospital eight times.
Rodgers says he also declined to meet Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice. This wounded soldier has lost faith in his leaders, and he no longer believes their repeated assurances of victory.
"It's gonna go on as long as we're there," he says. "There's always gonna be insurgents trying to blow us up. There's just too many of 'em that are willing to do it. You're never gonna catch all of 'em. And it seems like they have unlimited amounts of ammunition. So I don't think it's ever gonna end."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/09/AR2005080901441_pf.html
kay,
Look here--http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/1334
And this one...
courtesy of dkos diarist krazypuppy
I went to Afghanistan & came back disabled & KBR/Halliburton refuses to pay me disabilities to pay for my medical care - even though it's the law.
That's the story of a Bryan, Tx man, Celester Hall, who went to Afghanistan to support the troops & make a better life for himself & family.
If you get a chance to pick up the latest Houston Press, please check out it's cover story on Mr. Hall. I checked their website but it's not the latest issue. Should be soon I'm expecting.
I believe in business. Hey, I'm a Texan. It's in mah blood. I haven't jumped on the KBR are criminals bandwagon but I may have to.
Listen to his story. It's just gets worse & worse.
Mr. Hall was a truck driver who went to Afghanistan b/c it paid him alot more than the $20,000 he made supporting his wife & teenage daughters here.
He contracted a respiratory disease there which has left him deaf, in diapers and disabled. Afghanistan ravaged the Russian military with this disease when they invaded the country. 43% of the Russian military contracted acute pneumonia in the 1st year.
That's happening to our guys there now (#'s unknown of course) but at Mr. Hall's station, the doctor said he was seeing 70 cases a day.
A menigitis vaccine is available that would reduce the chances of pneumococcal infection by 70% - HOWEVER KBR in it's infinite wisdom does not routinely give this vaccine.
All of this is dumb & negligent so far. What happens next is infuriating & IMHO criminal.
Mr. Hall came back disabled which entitled him under the Defense Base Act (DFA) to disabilites coverage. He currently has $100,000 in medical expenses to pay. The DFA covers an civilian who supports the troops & entitles them or their family (in the case of death) financial coverage.
So he should be covered, righ? He put his life on the line, risked death to make life better for his family. Mr. Hall OF COURSE is entitled by law & MORALTY to be covered.
RIIIIGHT? Not according to Halliburton/KBR.
The VERY night Mr. Hall was emergency lifted out of Afghanistan to Germany, KBR terminated his employment.
THEN they refused to pay for his disabilities.
Turns out this is a fairly common practice among unscrupilous comanpies & insurance companies. You may have seen this in the movie, Rainmaker.
The idea is that by denying the claim, the company is banking that an employee will not get a lawyer & fight the matter. KBR is banking on the ROI: that the cost of litigation will be less than the cost of paying out all claims (more on that below).
For them, it may be #'s, but for the families, it can mean emotional & financial bankruptcy.
As their lawyers state: "The people they're screwing here are the widows & children of heroes who are going over there to support the war effort" Gary Pitts.
But wait! KBR doesn't even have fear the cost of litigation! Why? B/c it has a cost-plus contract with the government. Remember those NO-BID contracts? Turns out that all litigation costs that KBR incurs can be (AND ARE) charged back to the American government.
In other words, the American taxpayer pays for their court costs.
In OTHER words, you & me & everybody here is paying to have Mr. Hall's disability denied to him.
How's that make ya'll feel???
I encourage you all to read the article (check later online). If any Texas KOS member is in Bryan/College Station, I'd love to see an interview of him.
Let's get this man's story out. We can talk all the corruption we want but America doesn't get it until we put a face to it.
Cindy is the face of American soldiers who are dying in Iraq for nothing.
Mr. Hall can be the face of government & Halliburton corruption.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/8/10/154827/369
Repost from previous thread by Truth Shall Prevail...
Here's a direct link to the MoveOn.org where you can be sign & be counted as a supporter to a newspaper ad they're going to take out that supports Cindy Sheehan's vigil...
Note that they will not publish names; they will identify the number of people who have signed. Please do this before 3pm Friday and pass it on.
http://www.moveonpac.org/meetwithcindy/
That's my cousin! Yeah, girl. I am so proud of you! Wish I was there-I woulda gone with ya, but instead, I will pass along the pictures and websites, pray for Cindy and Celeste and for all our troops stationed in harm's way. By the way, I think it's a great way to spend your summer vacation.
Kay
I am so proud of you. You will make a huge difference in your town and in Ohio.
I think even the man who disagreed with you will go home and think, and maybe it will set in..."WHY doesn't Bush talk to that woman? WHat is he afraid of? Why is his behavior reprehensible?" And maybe someday, it will click in his head what this is about.
I myself have ventured on a new path of enlightment towards helping Cindy; however, mine resulted in a catastrophe. I was designing some t'shirts for Cindy and was sending the final design by email, when my computer locked up. So I rebooted the computer. Not a big deal right?
Well...it was for me, because when the computer restarted, I had lost the last 7 years of work, files, etc including the microsoft xp and was back to the 98 windows which is compatable with nothing here! I don't know if this was a virus. I hadn't opened anything in the email but I don't know if I could have caught a virus from net surfing. However, we do have a virus protection system and it had been run not too long ago, so perhaps the 10 year old computer said, "Enough of this horrible stuff--I'm going back to when Clinton was President!"
At anyrate, I'm borrowing a computer right now, so I decided to check in. I will try to work on the design again and hope it doesn't kill this computer too.
I'm proud to see your post and picture because sometimes that's exactly what I look like! (Except you know more people than I do!)
Keep up the good work.
Go, Kay, Go!!! :-) Lookin' Good!!! :-)
Articles I found in e-newsletters about Cindy Sheehan. BTW, when I tried to access her site from one of the e-newsletters, I got a message board popup that said the site may contain viruses... WTF? Is our nefarious government monitoring her web site???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Rivers Pitt | Bush Is No Nixon
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/081005I.shtml
No mother who lost her son to this Iraq war should be made to stand in a ditch, writes TO contributor William Rivers Pitt. And yet that is exactly where Cindy Sheehan stands today, by the side of the road in Crawford, Texas.
A MOTHER'S TEXAS VIGIL
Lakshmi Chaudhry,
Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in the Iraq war, talks with AlterNet about her determination to speak to President Bush -- consequences be damned.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/23984/
Bereaved mother camps outside Bush 's private estate :
"I want to ask him why did my son die? What was this noble cause you talk about? And if the cause is so noble, when are you going to send your daughters over there and let somebody else's son come home?"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1545845,00.html?gusrc=rss
"You killed my son, George Bush"
What One Mom has to Say to Bush
By Mike Ferner
I want him to tell me is ‘just what was the noble cause Casey died for?’ Was it freedom and democracy? Bullshit! He died for oil. He died to make your friends richer. He died to expand American imperialism in the Middle East. - “There, I used the ‘I’ word – imperialism,” the 48 year-old mother quipped. “And now I’m going to use another ‘I’ word – impeachment – because we cannot have these people pardoned. They need to be tried on war crimes and go to jail.”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9727.htm
16 Democrats call on Bush to meet mother of fallen soldier:
For several days now, she has been waiting outside your ranch, hoping to meet with you about the loss of her son and the failure to discover weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
http://snipurl.com/guuy
Dr. Teresa Whitehurst: Angry Mothers and Trembling Grizzlies:
The Sheehan Effect : What, they ask, is the big deal? One soldier killed, one mother grieving – so what?
http://www.antiwar.com/whitehurst/?articleid=6912
Norman Solomon | Rage Against the Killing of the Light
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0810-31.htm
Other miscellaneous news... stuff going on behind the scenes of infotainment news that's been thrown at us to cover up Cindy's story, losses in Iraq, CIA leak, Bolton, Roberts, et al.... and behind the rumbles of "worries" about Iran.... I think I'm the only person not worried about Iran's intentions with nuclear stuff, but I AM worried about pResNitwit & his cabal's continued war rhetoric (and lies) about Iran. Our kids in Iraq, and coalition military in Iraq, and Iraqi people will be suffering from the ubiquitous American WMD of depleted uranium for years to come (link below). Iran doesn't worry me. pResNitwit's continual talk of war does worry me....
And Rummy's planned parade.... Disgraceful idea!!! (IMHO) More bandwagon patriotism. How long does the Bu$h administration think they can keep on pulling the wool over our eyes without even his supports finally getting the point that they are lying through their teeth, daily, every time they open their mouths?
How can you tell when the people in the Bu$h administration are lying?
When their mouths are open....
~~~~~~~~~
9/11 Panel: 'Did Pentagon Withhold Hijacker Files?'
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/081005J.shtml
"I think this is a big deal," said John F. Lehman, a Republican member of the commission. "The issue is whether there was in fact surveillance before 9/11 of Atta and, if so, why weren't we told about it? Who made the decision not to brief the commission's staff or the commissioners?"
{{{ You know someone is going to blame Clinton for 9/11, don't you?!? Never mind any trivial details like someone told the new administration what was happening and the Bu$hCo administration ignored it, just like he and Condisleazy ignored the terrorist memo in Aug. 2001....}}}
Anger over Plan for Secret Courts in Britain
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/081005L.shtml
The thought of secret hearings in which the accused would not hear the cases against them filled her with dread, said the director of Liberty.
{{{ I hope the Brits have more sense than to follow Bu$hCo's example for acquiring laws that take away the rights of their citizens!!!}}}
Over 50,000 Pages of Roberts' Papers Held Back
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/081005Z.shtml
White House aides are delaying the release of tens of thousands of documents from the Reagan administration to give themselves time to find any new surprises before they are turned into political ammunition by Democrats.
Conservative Group to Oppose John Roberts
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/081005C.shtml
A conservative group in Virginia said Tuesday it was withdrawing its support for Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' confirmation Wednesday, August 10, 2005.
Phyllis Bennis | Bush Sends John Bolton to the United Nations
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0810-30.htm
JUDITH MILLER’S SECRET MEETING
Murray Waas, The American Prospect
Scooter Libby and jailed reporter Judy Miller met just two days after Joe Wilson published his op-ed -- and Patrick Fitzgerald is very interested.
http://www.alternet.org/story/23980/
Did Speaker Hastert Accept Turkish Bribes to Deny Armenian Genocide and Approve Weapons Sales?:
Former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds is accusing the FBI of covering up improper contacts and financial dealings between certain Turkish nationals and the office of House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/10/1346254
Marjorie Cohn: Bush and the Bomb
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/081005Y.shtml
Pentagon to Host 9/11 March, Show
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0810-06.htm
{{{ Hmmmm...... Perfect place to hold a peace rally? Or..., 'what if they held a bandwagon patriotic march and no one came...?!? Rumsfeld announced this one.... Jeez...}}}
Depleted uranium is WMD:
I have worked in two U.S. nuclear weapons laboratories, and in 1991 I became a whistleblower at the Livermore lab. Depleted uranium is very, very, very nasty stuff:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9728.htm
Coffins And Empire
By Stan Moore
This war cannot be won by America. Those pathetic Iraqis just will not stand and fight toe to toe. For some strange reason, the Iraqis are fighting to win, not to meet American wishes and expectations. Every day that Americans are in Iraq fighting the insurgency is another day that George Bush is losing ground.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9723.htm
Dissent in the United States
“If you don’t love this country, get the f--- out!”
By James Rothenberg
Albert Einstein called racism our national disease. In a similar but narrower vein, I’ll offer what I consider to be our national, political disease: hypocrisy. And for the national hypocrisy, the pledge of allegiance, notably the phrases, “for which it stands”, and “under God”.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9730.htm
The Origin Of Specious
By Dom Stasi
My god! Are we so insane now that we’re about to allow George W. Bush to influence our children’s thinking and thus the next generation of American scientists – or would alchemists be a more appropriate title? How about sorcerers?
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9731.htm
{{{ This is longish... grab a cuppa.... "Must Read" and well worth the time to read it all! I wrote to Stasi and complimented him about this article.... }}}
Kansas Education Board Advances a Draft Critical of Evolution
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/081005G.shtml
The State Board of Education has approved the latest draft of science standards that include greater criticism of evolution.
I just saw the first bit of information I have seen about Cindy Sheehan's gathering in Crawford, Texas. CNN Headline News just had the words scrolled at the bottom of the screen
"Dead soldier's mother holding a peaceful rally in Crawford, Tx is drawing support nationwide."
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at August 10, 2005 08:20 PM
Well, finally. Ya think it's because I sent them an email saying something like..."How can you provide endlessly silly reports about a runaway bride but you can't report anything about a mother who lost her son in the Iraqi War (or War on Terror or Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism or whatever the nom du jour is...) who wants to talk to the president..."
I hope they got tons of emails/calls like that...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4309225
Pro-Bush bbq is cancelled.
Sparrow: So the Pro-Bush BBQ is cancelled due to lack of interest, and Cindy Sheehan is in this for real. WOW!
Loved her speech to the Veterans for Peace meeting--on the Truthout site. Absolute truth and absolutely straight-up.
Here's a good article by Carol Marin in Chicago Sun-Times (also home of Count Novakula).
Americans join mom in waiting for Iraq answers
I keep thinking about that mother who is camped out somewhere near the end of President Bush's driveway in Crawford, Texas. Her name is Cindy Sheehan, and her 24-year-old son, Casey, is dead. He was a soldier, killed last year in the Iraq war.
--snip--
I wondered when Bush left Crawford this morning to come here to Illinois if he left his ranch by car and therefore traveled down his driveway in the vicinity of Sheehan? Or was he lifted out by helicopter, flying up and out over her head? Either way, she is down there in Texas today and Bush is here.
The reason the president is taking time away from his summer ranch vacation to come to Illinois is to sign a big transportation bill outside of Aurora.
--snip--
This bill represents one of those rare moments of bipartisan unity because all of the state's Democrats and Republicans in Congress voted for it, as did our two United States senators. There will be a lot of applause and and a sense of accomplishment, a lot of back-slapping and congratulation. These are the kind of events that people in public life love. It's a way to focus on the positive.
The Iraq war is not a positive. That's why for two years we haven't been allowed to view soldiers' flag-draped coffins coming into Dover Air Force base. That's why the president keeps the cost of this war out of the official annual budget document, relegating it to supplemental appropriations instead. And that's why the administration would rather use terms like "coalition forces" rather than actually name the countries supporting us. After all, just how many troops do we really think can be supplied by Albania, Azerbaijan and Estonia?
--snip--
And as Sun-Times reporter Cheryl Reed has shown us in stunning detail, we talk a good game in this country about honoring the troops and respecting our veterans, but we fall disgracefully short of putting our money where our mouth is.
On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was his usual prickly self when asked how long we expect to keep our troops in Iraq and how long before we begin a promised drawdown. He and Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, can't say. They have, in truth, never been able to tell us.
Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Rumsfeld and all the rest of them who took us to this war by catering to our worst fears and filling us with false information continue to this day to defend the indefensible.
As the financial cost of this war approaches $200 billion and as we are fast moving toward our 2,000th casualty, something has to change.
Cindy Sheehan, waiting down at the end of the president's driveway in Texas, is right about this war.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/marin/cst-edt-carol10.html
George Bush is his only response to any question of Intelligent Design. He only needs to look in a mirror or listen to one of his own speeches. And, the American people are told that they elected this dimwit.
Another incredibly bad day for the Bush administration in Iraq. The "mayor" of Baghdad has gone into hiding for fear of getting assassinated. Shiite militiamen are in control of the mayor's office now. Another top Iraqi government official was kidnapped. And 5 U.S. soldiers were killed.
I was surprised that this news that the mayor of Baghdad has fled and Shiite militia are now in control of the municipal office was not a top news story here in the American press. It didn't make NPR news nor did it make C-Span's Washington Journal.
a reluctant soldier, forced to go to Iraq; now he's dead.
More Death in Iraq: A Reluctant Soldier's Story
Two days before he left for Iraq last November, Gennaro Pellegrini, Jr., a 31-year-old Philly cop and up-and-coming boxer, questioned the "so-called war." He will not be returning from it.
By Will Bunch
(August 10, 2005) -- "I just want to get it done, come home, and continue my life." Those were just about the last words that Gennaro Pellegrini, Jr. -- a 31-year-old Philly cop and up-and-coming boxer -- said to me last November. In less than 48 hours, Pellegrini was to step onto an airplane bound for Iraq, along with the rest of his Pennsylvania National Guard unit from Northeast Philadelphia.
For anyone who's worried about the return of a military draft, Pellegrini was living proof that we already have one. He desperately did not want to serve in the Persian Gulf.
He was just two weeks away from finishing up his six-year stint in the Guard when he was told that his tour of duty was being extended and that he would serve in Iraq for at least a year, maybe longer. The news could not have come at a worse time for Pellegrini. He was training for his first pro fight, newly engaged to be married, and settling into his job as a Philadelphia police officer, just like his dad.
Instead, he was ordered by his government to fight a war that he did not believe in. He told us that the conflict in Iraq was "a so-called war" and that he saw U.S. troops as caught in an impossible situation.
In the end, Pellegrini's stay in Iraq lasted little more than eight months. His parents have just been notified that he was killed on Tuesday by a roadside bomb.
There is so much sadness, and so much irony. The news of his death comes at the very same time that a right-wing slime machine is trying to put words in the mouth of a dead Marine, 24-year-old Casey Sheehan. They have engaged in obscene speculation that he would not have wanted his mother Cindy Sheehan -- the anti-war protester now camped outside the Bush compound in Crawford, Texas -- speaking out.
The obvious reality is that we'll never know exactly what Casey Sheehan, who was ambushed and killed in Sadr City in April 2004, thought about the war. But we do know what Gennaro Pellegrini thought, because he told us. A four-year veteran of the Philadelphia police force, he seemed to know what has eluded the grasp of the Pentagon, that the situation on the ground in Iraq was unworkable.
"This isn't a war they're giving us over there -- this is policing stuff," he told us.
continue~
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/shoptalk_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001012879
You know, I revere Rosa Parks, therefore I hesitate to call Cindy Sheehan the Rosa Parks of the anti-war movement.
I like thinking of her as her own person. And if you ask me, she and Rosa Parks can go toe-to-toe with all the women-hating cretins prevalent in the White House today.
Both Rosa and Cindy are goddesses of justice in my book.
And, the American people are told that they elected this dimwit.
Posted by: ray S at August 10, 2005 09:24 PM
Yeah, I know... I have wondered how that happened..........(scratching head).......
Betty Lee!
Welcome. What a surprise to see you here. I hope you'll set a spell with us. These folks can give you so much ammunition to use in your talks with the people at the hospital who need to see the light.
Karen,
It was so nice of you to post this on afterdowningstreet. I feel so honored.
Thanks everybody for your positive comments. It's good to be here with you.
wow.
Plaming Cindy Sheehan
by Ahmed Amr
(Wednesday August 10 2005)
A few weeks ago, David Frum – the neo-con author of the ‘axis of evil’ doctrine – had the audacity to call Cindy Sheehan an ‘anti-war crazy.’ The neo-cons are good at that sort of thing. When they come up against compelling arguments for which they have no canned retort, they never hesitate to go for the jugulars. As Ambassador Joseph Wilson or Hans Blix can attest, they have a nasty habit of viciously Plaming dissenters to teach them the proper etiquette for addressing impertinent questions to our White House governors.
Within forty-eight hours after Cindy marched on Bush’s Texas ranch, the long knives were being sharpened. Instead of answering her questions, the Rove squads made the decision to give her the ‘Valerie Plame’ treatment. Plaming is a two step process - first you denigrate the offending serf in the public square. You then call in the mass media muscle guys to dump the remains some place where the victim can safely be ignored. In keeping with the game plan, CNN and FOX are back filming the endless soap opera in Aruba and monitoring shark attacks and Tsunamis. If only they could spare that kind of coverage for Cindy Sheehan – George Bush would be permanently retired in Crawford and the neo-con brigades would be sharing bunks in a federal penitentiary.
Not one to be easily deterred, Cindy Sheehan has managed to lay siege to Bush’s hideout. Instead of flame throwers, she launched her campaign armed with nothing more than a few uncomplicated questions.
snip~
Cindy Sheehan is asking life and death questions that we all need answers to. She obviously isn’t falling for the ‘intelligence failure’ scam. She wants to know why the administration felt the need to conduct elaborate and costly misinformation campaigns to market this conflict. If it wasn’t about WMDs and it wasn’t about links to Al Qaida – why did Bush take us to war? Forget about writing off this quagmire to “intelligence failures” – Ambassador Wilson and the Downing Street Memos have blown that cover-up scam to shreds. As for the malarkey about ‘promoting democracy in the Greater Middle East’ – can it be that our soldiers are still dying in Iraq to install a theocratic Republic in the Iranian sphere of influence? Did we really need to invade Iraq to prod Saudi Arabia to hold male-only elections for half the seats on a few municipal councils?
Before he launched this bloody misadventure in the Gulf, George Bush seemed certain enough about cause and consequence. Back then, he knew little enough about the Middle East to have a firm opinion. Lest we forget, Bush confessed to getting his battle plans from God. Now, one mother of one fallen soldier wants to know what really motivated the President and his neo-con Praetorian guards to lie about WMDs and non-existent Iraqi links to Al Qaeda.
Bring on the answers, George. Give Cindy the minutes with the secret agendas. Tell her the truth, George. “It was for oil, petro-dollars, Greater Israel and making Saudi Arabia safe for absolute monarchy.”
Tell her a little more, George. “We knew we had to close the bases in Saudi Arabia and lift the genocidal sanctions. We realized after 9/11 that my dad made a terrible mistake by building permanent bases on Saudi soil.”
Keep going, George. “The build up to the war also allowed us to build a high tech replacement base in Qatar.”
What else do you have up your sleeve, Mr. President? “Frankly, we didn’t think the war would cost that much in blood or treasure. My neo-con advisers assured me it would be a cakewalk. We expected our forces to sustain under 100 fatalities. Again and again I was assured by Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz that there was no threat of an insurgency.”
What were you thinking, George? “Honestly, I believed Ahmed Chalabi would be president by now and out tanks would be deployed in downtown Damascus and Tehran.”
So, did Casey Sheehan die in vain, Mr. President? “Casey was a foot soldier in the imperial army of the United States of America. Empire – especially in that region of the world – is vital to the economic health of the nation. As you can imagine, we find it hard to motivate our young men to go to distant lands to defend the currency of their country by securing our control over the oil plantations. So, we came up with the WMD hoax. The truth is, Americans can’t handle the truth. We do not maintain a military presence in that region for charitable reasons.”
George can’t spare the time to discuss the war with Cindy because they both know the questions and they both know the answers. He doesn’t want to talk about it and Cindy wants the whole country in on the conversation.
snip~
Casey Sheehan did not die in vain. His mother is making sure of that. In his name, many other American and Iraqi lives may yet be saved. In his name, Cindy has driven millions of Americans to demand answers for questions that the eunuchs in Congress and the mainstream media never ask. This one courageous woman is sending a message to the policy makers at the Pentagon and the White House. Before they send more young Americans to kill and die in distant lands, the big boys in Washington will have to come up with some legitimate and compelling answers for the Cindy Sheehans of the world.
There is precious little we can do to bring Casey Sheehan back. But we can lend a hand to his mother. Cindy shouldn’t be out there alone braving the scorching heat of a Texas summer while Bush luxuriates in the regal splendor of his ranch. We can all assist Cindy in her quest for straight answers about this illegal and unnecessary war. While Cindy is having a go at the President, you can call our Congressmen and Senators and spoil their summer vacations by asking a few uncomplicated questions of your own. Let them feel some Baghdad heat till they demonstrate their support for the troops and start bringing them home.
continue here, worth reading~
http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/17653
Here are some great photos from today at Camp Casey, compliments of the Lone Star Iconoclast & W. Leon Smith, publisher.
http://198.65.14.85/News/2005/31-40/32news13.htm
(Warning: loads slow sometimes.)
BTW, we haven't forgotten about...
- Bush & his lying
- Rover & his leaking
- Roberts & his confirmation
- the White House & their stonewalling
- Rumsfeld & his ranting
- Tom DeLay & his lying/cheating
Feel free to add to the list.
My goodness!!!
I go away for a while and come back to all kinds of news. I went from goose bumps of happiness over the pro-Bush BBQ being cancelled, and the fact that Cindy Sheehan is making a big impact, to big time giggles over Ralphdh's post about Baghdad's mayor going into hiding and the Shiite militia taking control of the mayor's office.
Not because the deaths of anyone involved in that Baghdad scene are funny, but I mean now, come on.
No wonder I don't like to watch t.v. and read fiction any more. You couldn't pay somebody to write a script any better than this.
Welcome to "The Keystone Cops Meet at the Ponderosa". Starring Cowboy Commando-in-Chief and The Partners on the Range. (The plot goes something like this....Cowboy Commando and his partners try to turn a foreign sovereign nation into the Ponderosa.....but, it doesn't work out because they are, *ahem*...., De-Ranged.)
We simply must get the message to the citizens of Iraq that we know EXACTLY how they feel. Bu$hCo doesn't do any better of a job promoting "freedom and democracy" here, either.
Yep, Cowboy George, yer doin' a fine job. Just like ya did fer Harken and Arbusto. And, although I can't say that everything you touch turns to "gold", I can say you are consistent.
Yep, Cowboy George, yer doin' a fine job. Just like ya did fer Harken and Arbusto. And, although I can't say that everything you touch turns to "gold", I can say you are consistent.
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at August 10, 2005 11:00 PM
Companies Georgie Boy has been involved with always go bust. He's just the front face for the people who have the real power. In exchange, they'll support him for the rest of his life so he can't go broke again with any other companies... and, of course, he'll get free protection from secret service people for the rest of his life (gawd, but can you imagine what it will be like for those poor SS people stuck in Crawford for years on end... Gag-g-g-g-g), in addition to a federal pension and life insurance. Ditto for the Dickster in Wyoming, of course, but his company has money waiting for him, thanks to the no-bid contracts he gave Halliburton and subsidiaries....
The only place NOT accumulating "gold" is the US Treasury....
Just makes me ill to think how much they, their evil cabal, and their families are benefiting from the people of this nation.... or, more precisely, from the children and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren not even born yet who will be paying for the sins of the Bu$hCo cabal.
NonnyO,
It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall at the water cooler, listening to the conversation between secret service agents about trying to keep Georgie on his bike, would it not?
Where's DiAnne?
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at August 10, 2005 11:42 PM
Where's DiAnne?
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at August 10, 2005 11:43 PM
Yes, I'll bet some of the conversations get a bit... um... difficult. If I were those poor people having to protect someone that evil, I'd take a leave of absence or quit....
I don't know where DiAnne is. Think I read something a few threads back that she was headed somewhere? Don't remember where, just now.
Posted by: madame defarge at August 10, 2005 11:00 PM
Nope, we sure haven't forgotten everything else!!! We've all known all along that shenanigans would be pulled this month before Congress goes back in session in Sept.... I'm keeping my eye out for those stories that aren't getting much attention, but are still there.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050810/ap_on_re_eu/auschwitz_video
Jewish Group Denounces Video on Auschwitz
PARIS - An Internet video that depicts the Nazi death camp Auschwitz as a rave party drew sharp criticism Wednesday from a Jewish rights group, which urged authorities to have it removed from European Web sites.
{{{ More on link. Haven't the Auschwitz survivors suffered enough??? What is making young people so insensitive nowadays that they can make light of the Holocaust?!?!?}}}
If anyone missed this posting a couple of threads back... it's worth the read! Morford is right on, again, as usual....
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2005/08/10/notes081005.DTL&nl=fix
Liberals Are So Intolerant!
What absolute morons in the Bush Administration. This guy Goeglein, apparently with a position in the Bush Whitehouse, is going around the country telling folks that doctors and lawyers tend to be Republicans. Where in the world do these morons come up with such absolutely stupid stereotypes. Its just amazing to try and understand their mindset. Personally I know very few lawyers, including those in the D.A.'s office, except a small number working in large law firms dealing with corporate or SEC laws that are self described Republicans.
"While addressing more than 200 Republican students aiming to be tomorrow's leaders and federal highfliers last Friday at George Washington University, the White House official managed just that.
Goeglein recalled a dinner party that he and his wife recently attended in Northwest. Out of the six couples around the table, Goeglein and his wife were the only Republicans.
As is inevitably the case, he said, the conversation soon turned to the couples' children -- most 5 or 6 years old -- and aspirations for their future occupations. One parent said editor; another, publisher; a third wanted the child to go into education.
"I was intrigued by the question, and the answers of every one of our Democratic friends," Goeglein said. Not one parent, he said, gave an answer that would be more typical of Republicans. "Our party, in the way it is constituted, we think of medicine, we think of law, we think of business. We don't think, gee, I hope my son grows up to be a great playwright or painter or poet," he explained."
They just love to simply and stereotype us.
Good work Kay!
Ira - these Republicans should all go into the construction mafia business, or become fishermen and hunters. Those places ARE where all the Republicans are.
Plenty of Democratic doctors and lawyers AFAIK, so this Republican guy is spewing nonsense.
Kay,I am proud to say I live in Mansfield. Your hubby knows who I am. If you want me to ever go with you and sit on the square in Mansfield call me.
You go Kay :)
Linda,
Thanks for your support. Cliff says you are a very smart, very nice lady. He always enjoys his time with you and the others on the computer. The people here are my circle of computer friends. Hope you will join in.
KAY!
You are a 'phenominal woman'! You have made a difference!
You go, girl!
Kay,
It looks like a cell of two or three now! Way to go!
dw
yes it does sound like the cell has potential for growth. Of course, the cousin who said she would come along lives in Virginia Beach so that's a bit of a drive. I think one person was sufficient for this. Too many people might have seemed like a protest and others may have walked away. I was just a mom sitting in a chair on a sunny day in the park asking the president a question. The only people who didn't approach to talk were especially well dressed. I think they may have thought the sign said " Will work for food". That did give me another idea for a sign though. It'll say " Will work to get out the vote" while I have registration sheets with me.