Creative Arts Therapists Get on Board the Peace Train

So where are the strong?
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.

'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry.
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?

Chuck in Houston

Elvis is King.

That's right!
You've got that Elvis inside of you
and he's talkin to you
He says he wants you to sing!
Everybody's got to sing like the king!

Chuck in Houston

PS: To keep Otter hapy and stay clean on the attributiobs, the prior is from the Elvis Costello website and this is from Mojo Nixon

This is my favorite. It's kind of long, but it's from Tolstoy's "War and Peace," which is a long book:

START QUOTE
From the close of the year 1811 intensified arming and concentrating of the forces of Western Europe began, and in 1812 these forces- millions of men, reckoning those transporting and feeding the army- moved from the west eastwards to the Russian frontier, toward which since 1811 Russian forces had been similarly drawn. On the twelfth of June, 1812, the forces of Western Europe crossed the Russian frontier and war began, that is, an event took place opposed to human reason and to human nature. Millions of men perpetrated against one another such innumerable crimes, frauds, treacheries, thefts, forgeries, issues of false money, burglaries, incendiarisms, and murders as in whole centuries are not recorded in the annals of all the law courts of the world, but which those who committed them did not at the time regard as being crimes.

What produced this extraordinary occurrence? What were its causes? The historians tell us with naive assurance that its causes were the wrongs inflicted on the Duke of Oldenburg, the nonobservance of the Continental System, the ambition of Napoleon, the firmness of Alexander, the mistakes of the diplomatists, and so on.

Consequently, it would only have been necessary for Metternich, Rumyantsev, or Talleyrand, between a levee and an evening party, to have taken proper pains and written a more adroit note, or for Napoleon to have written to Alexander: "My respected Brother, I consent to restore the duchy to the Duke of Oldenburg"- and there would have been no war.

We can understand that the matter seemed like that to contemporaries. It naturally seemed to Napoleon that the war was caused by England's intrigues (as in fact he said on the island of St. Helena). It naturally seemed to members of the English Parliament that the cause of the war was Napoleon's ambition; to the Duke of Oldenburg, that the cause of the war was the violence done to him; to businessmen that the cause of the way was the Continental System which was ruining Europe; to the generals and old soldiers that the chief reason for the war was the necessity of giving them employment; to the legitimists of that day that it was the need of re-establishing les bons principes, and to the diplomatists of that time that it all resulted from the fact that the alliance between Russia and Austria in 1809 had not been sufficiently well concealed from Napoleon, and from the awkward wording of Memorandum No. 178. It is natural that these and a countless and infinite quantity of other reasons, the number depending on the endless diversity of points of view, presented themselves to the men of that day; but to us, to posterity who view the thing that happened in all its magnitude and perceive its plain and terrible meaning, these causes seem insufficient. To us it is incomprehensible that millions of Christian men killed and tortured each other either because Napoleon was ambitious or Alexander was firm, or because England's policy was astute or the Duke of Oldenburg wronged. We cannot grasp what connection such circumstances have with the actual fact of slaughter and violence: why because the Duke was wronged, thousands of men from the other side of Europe killed and ruined the people of Smolensk and Moscow and were killed by them.

To us, their descendants, who are not historians and are not carried away by the process of research and can therefore regard the event with unclouded common sense, an incalculable number of causes present themselves. The deeper we delve in search of these causes the more of them we find; and each separate cause or whole series of causes appears to us equally valid in itself and equally false by its insignificance compared to the magnitude of the events, and by its impotence- apart from the cooperation of all the other coincident causes- to occasion the event. To us, the wish or objection of this or that French corporal to serve a second term appears as much a cause as Napoleon's refusal to withdraw his troops beyond the Vistula and to restore the duchy of Oldenburg; for had he not wished to serve, and had a second, a third, and a thousandth corporal and private also refused, there would have been so many less men in Napoleon's army and the war could not have occurred.

Had Napoleon not taken offense at the demand that he should withdraw beyond the Vistula, and not ordered his troops to advance, there would have been no war; but had all his sergeants objected to serving a second term then also there could have been no war. Nor could there have been a war had there been no English intrigues and no Duke of Oldenburg, and had Alexander not felt insulted, and had there not been an autocratic government in Russia, or a Revolution in France and a subsequent dictatorship and Empire, or all the things that produced the French Revolution, and so on. Without each of these causes nothing could have happened. So all these causes- myriads of causes- coincided to bring it about. And so there was no one cause for that occurrence, but it had to occur because it had to. Millions of men, renouncing their human feelings and reason, had to go from west to east to slay their fellows, just as some centuries previously hordes of men had come from the east to the west, slaying their fellows.

END QUOTE

Chuck in Houston

Chuck:

Who built the pyramids?

Who built Stonehenge?

ELVIS!

Otter:

Or as John Lee Hooker sang:

When I laid down last night,
I heard my mama and papa talking.

I said when I laid down last night,
I heard my mama and papa talking.

Papa said "Mama, the boy's got it in him,
and it has to come out.

"He's got to boogie. Boogie woogie."

(END QUOTE)

So, in that sense, if Karen is right, and we all get in touch with the inner Elvis, as John Lee Hooker said, "it's got to come out."

OK, so that is a stretch. But I can hope can't I? I guess it's a matter of faith.

I'll stop while I'm behind....

Chuck in Houston

It was almost almost 9 months ago on the Anniversary of 9-11 that I got to join in a dance for Gandhi and for Peace and for the spirit of 9-11 on the National Mall in DC. The experience itself was quite unique for me, but it was quite special too.

In a way, it was an unusual experience of being within myself expressing my emotions while yet by virtue of it being in a public space it was an external expression of hope and peace. I guess they call it an "interpretive dance."

Actually, the organizer, Marylee Hardenbergh called it a dance choir.

Whatever you call it, it draws in the interpretive movements with the social/ political nature of universe.

Marylee had earlier had organized a huge environmental education and interpretive dance choir along the Mississippi River called "One River Mississippi." Earlier she'd also created a dance choir in Bosnia; I believe during the bombings in the 90's.

At any rate, the creativity and the sharing involved was a new experience for me. And yet, there was a power and a connection that I hadn't expected.

But dancing in the public square isn't for everyone.

I've also been lucky to have watched some friends create some inspirational YouTube pieces. I'm told that the tools to create these expressive pieces are already on my computer and very likely yours. It's called Windows Movie Maker.

Their amazing art and those of others often bring tears to my eyes or laughter to my heart.

Take a look at Island Blue's piece.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUdh3WPGmhA

And now watch my other friend's Global Village.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48viQV4qjXA

Two different styles but they both capture different moods and possibilities through their use of words, screens, pictures, and music. I keep threatening to try it too, but I never get past the opening page.

Yet, it's really amazing to me to see the extent of artistic political pieces out there.

I know it's not the first time that people created anti-establishment music, dances, or art. But it's very cool to join in and participate in my own clumsy way, even if it takes me a while to leap into the fray.

I've joined up with ArtKos and will be going to YearlyKos in Chicago in summer.

See my latest at http://www.silencedmajority.blogs.com - The Liberals (it's kind of farcical) and scroll down and see The Conservative Pundits. I am working on more and did one last night called "The Bush and Blair Experience," patterned after "The Beavis and Butthead Experience" and will put that on there soon. There are also posters with the 2008 candidates, both parties (again kind of satirical) and the current round of dictators (patterned after the listing that Parade magazine does yearly, only I've added you-know-whom, the most obvious choice).

My son is also over and he, amazingly, had been too busy working to have even heard about the serial killings in Virginia! He is now reading through the Constitution and he says the 2nd amendment does not give individuals the right to bear arms except as part of a well-ordered militia. The draft would have unconstitution under the 2nd amendment as James Madison had written it, but that part was removed after debate. The original version that no one could be required to render military service in person. Therefore, the draft would have been unconsitutional.

Wanna bet these Democrats will wimp out on gun control?
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=3050099
I support a ban on handguns, concealed weapons and automatic guns. Guns should be for people with a specific purpose such as target shooting at a range (they could use the guns there) or hunting. Dick Cheney doesn't need an arsenal either. It doesn't make him a man anymore than his pacemaker makes him have a heart. This country is gun crazy. Howard Dean supported the NRA and sought their support. John Kerry may be a hunter but he had to flaunt it. I am getting to the point where I am not going to vote anymore for someone who does it. It will be my uncompromising single issue, like some people have for abortion or the war, a moral issue.

I did see a t-shirt I had to laugh at though - "Guns don't kill people. People with mustaches kill people."

I also heard that the company where the serial killer got his glock still has the thing featured on its website. Maybe they will see a surge in sales, like White Broncos did after OJ.

“ A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

2nd amendment

-- According to my son, when this was written we were not sure we were going to have a standing army and many opposed one. There needed to be a way to protect in case of foreign invader, so The People (groups of people, not individuals) could form militias.

He insists it does not cover individuals. Any Consitutional scholars?

Someone sent me two plays from the serial killer guy (off AOL) and I read one of them and feel really funny. It would be strange enough as a personal deranged diary, but to think that he actually handed it in as a creative writing college assignment is mind boggling and sad.

Tomorrow I'm going to work as usual but there are two things I'm very curious about. What will be the outcome of the WA state senate hearing tomorrow on impeachment? There is to be a citizen rally on the steps of the Capitol buildingin Olympia.

Secondly, students from 30 students are set to walk out of class against the war, and go to where the school board is meeting. I wonder about turnout and press coverage?

It surely is strange to live in "interesting times" ..

Posted by: not my president at April 18, 2007 12:28 AM

The People includes anyone who was a full person - at the time of the Constitutional Convention, that would've been property-owning white men, and now expanded thereafter.

The way I interpret it, people DO have the right to bear arms, but only for the specific purpose of militia (national defense). It's a lot like the Swiss, who require men to own guns as part of their compulsory military reserve service - no more, no less.

And the definition of "arms" is up in the air too. It could be a gun, a sword, a dagger, a spear, a tank, a howitzer, anything. The line does need to be drawn somewhere; do we really want private citizens owning howitzers?

Living Liberally -- the parentorganization of Drinking Liberally as well as Laughing, Screening,Eating, Blogging and Reading Liberally -- is dedicated to expandingand strengthening your network to make it an even more effectiveprogressive force.
http://livingliberally.org/4.21.07

As Chris Bowers of MyDD.com wrote today on the Huffington Pos
"There is probably no organization that better represents the
connection between a progressive lifestyle and progressive politicsthan Living Liberally."

Ally
I have two arms, my left and my right, and I consider myself fortunate! It's alot more than some of the soldiers coming back from war have. Not to be too dark-minded, but it's true.

I heard W going on like he was a Pastor and asking people to pray, and trying to sound all compassionate-like, which he can't really do because he lacks empathy. I know the President is the person who would traditionally speak for something like that, but it just rang so hollow after we have gone to war for nothing.

I also read where Generals are predicting further future wars because of global warming, as the countries on the planet fight over resources. That sure seems like an admission that some of these wars have been blood for oil. It's not just a lefty slogan.

Posted by: not my president at April 18, 2007 12:58 AM

Good one - though Volvos are the domain of anti-choice Republicans, at least where I live. :)

Fear Behind America's Love of Guns
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/466/story.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10434741
Editorial and followed by many comments, and lots of them are from defensive Americans who don't think people in other parts of the world have the right to comment on the Virginia shooting tragedy, or that they don't have the right to link it to our behavior in Iraq. Arming everyone won't decrease paranoia.

There's somethin' happenin' here.
What it is ain't exactly clear.
There's a man with a gun over there
A-tellin' me I've got to beware.

I think it's time we stop.
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin' down.

There's battle lines bein' drawn.
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong.
Young people speakin' their minds
A-gettin' so much resistance from behind.

I think it's time we stop.
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin' down.

What a field day for the heat.
A thousand people in the street
Singin' songs and a-carryin' signs
Mostly sayin' hooray for our side.

It's time we stop.
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin' down.

Paranoia strikes deep.
Into your life it will creep.
It starts when you're always afraid.
Step out of line, the men come and take you away.

You better stop.
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin'..
You better stop.
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin'..
You better stop.
Now, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin'..
You better stop.
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin'..

(For What It's Worth .. Buffalo Springfield)

Love is but a song we sing
fears' the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
or make the angels cry

Though the dove is on the wing
and you may not know why

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
and try to love one another right now

Some may come and some may go
He will surely pass
When the one that left us here
returns for us at last
We are but a moment's sunlight
fading in the grass

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
try to love one another right now

If you hear the song I sing
you will understand...listen
You hold the key to love and fear
all in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
Its there at your command

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
Everybody get together
try to love one another right now

(Get Together, The Youngbloods)

Breaking News: Supreme Court upholds first nationwide ban on an abortion procedure

Top court upholds ban on abortion procedure
Partial birth abortions at issue; first time justices ban specific procedure

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court upheld the nationwide ban on a controversial abortion procedure Wednesday, handing abortion opponents the long-awaited victory they expected from a more conservative bench.

The 5-4 ruling said the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act that Congress passed and President Bush signed into law in 2003 does not violate a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion.

The opponents of the act “have not demonstrated that the Act would be unconstitutional in a large fraction of relevant cases,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion.

Story continues below ↓
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The decision pitted the court’s conservatives against its liberals, with President Bush’s two appointees, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, siding with the majority.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia also were in the majority.

It was the first time the court banned a specific procedure in a case over how — not whether — to perform an abortion.

Abortion rights groups have said the procedure sometimes is the safest for a woman. They also said that such a ruling could threaten most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, although government lawyers and others who favor the ban said there are alternate, more widely used procedures that remain legal.

The outcome is likely to spur efforts at the state level to place more restrictions on abortions.

more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18174245/

OY. The Supremes continue a war on women's bodies and the lack of gun control and poor mental health treatment on our nation's campuses becomes ever more apparent as the stories about the VA Tech shooting come out, and what will we do about it?

I swear, that two-bedroom church in Nova Scotia (still for sale) looks mighty good to me again.

One of my graduate students knew one of the young men killed Monday and is still in shock. Several of my graduate students were horrified by a disturbed faculty member, who committed suicide last semester. The lack of mental health care available, not to mention the lack of awareness about the deadly effects of mental illness, is wreaking havoc on our young people, as their rights are being whittled away, their access to resources is diminishing, and their very future being sold to the highest bidders.

I am angry today. All of the rage I have felt at irresponsible so-called adults, who act without regard for life, learning, or community is rising to the surface.

I know that creativity builds intelligence, and that the self-reflective insights that emerge from truly unpacking one's endeavors can be life-enhancing and life-changing and life-fulfilling. I wish I lived in a country that valued critical analysis, aspirations and enterprise on the part of young people (especially over profiteering), new ideas, creative solutions, and taking care of each other.

Instead I live in a country that seeks ownership for profitmaking, prefers imperialism to democratic ideals, cares more about the fetus than the child and the mother, values weapons over real communication, and walks by heart-breaking virtuosic music in order to get to the gingerbread lattes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html)

I want a country upgrade.

Listen to this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/04/09/VI2007040900536.html

It is making me feel a little better anyway. What a gift.

I'm sorry. I don't know how I feel about the partial birth ban. The procedure sounds horrendous. I'm sure the women utilizing it are doing so because the fetus is severly deformed and they're not doing it for birth control.

I'm really torn about if this is a black and white issue here.

That said, I suppose I should confess that I've signed up to counsel pregnant teenage girls through our local Catholic services. We do not counsel abortion. But instead what I do is help these young girls learn how to take care of themselves and the babies they've decided to keep.

We do not counsel abortion. But instead what I do is help these young girls learn how to take care of themselves and the babies they've decided to keep.

Posted by: sparrow at April 18, 2007 11:30 AM

That's the best method of all. Abortion should be safe, legal, AND rare.

I want a country upgrade.

Posted by: karen at April 18, 2007 11:20 AM

We can all use one. Let's make it happen!

the Justice Department's 90 second review process for U.S. attorneys.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003034.php

The real sad thing about our mental health system is that it's starting to look more like the ones in China or Nazi Germany - it is a tool to lock up political dissidents, rather than to treat and rehabilitate.

White House: Bush still confident in Wolfowitz
President has ‘full confidence’ in World Bank president despite scandal

WASHINGTON - The White House said on Wednesday that President Bush still had “full confidence” in World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, who faces a storm of criticism for helping arrange a high-paying promotion for his girlfriend.

“We still have full confidence, the president has full confidence in President Wolfowitz,” White House spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters.

Wolfowitz, a key Iraq war architect who left the Pentagon in 2005 to become president of the World Bank, played a role in dictating the terms that his girlfriend, bank employee Shaha Riza, would be offered to take an outside assignment.

The bank’s board is examining Wolfowitz’s role in helping to arrange the promotion and the bank’s staff association has called for his resignation.

“I think the effort of the World Bank board should be to get to the facts, treat it with fairness and think of the long-term effectiveness of the institution,” Fratto said.

more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18175059/from/RS.1/

Wow, 1 year ago TO THE DAY, His Chimpiness said...

Bush Backs Rumsfeld Anew, Rejects Critics
By Scott Stearns
White House
18 April 2006

President Bush is rejecting critics of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The president says he has the final say in whether Rumsfeld stays in the job, and that he has full confidence in his defense secretary. The comments follow criticism from retired generals calling for Rumsfeld's dismissal.

President Bush says he does not appreciate speculation about Rumsfeld's future, speculation sparked by unusually public criticism from six retired generals calling for the defense secretary's dismissal.

Taking questions from reporters in the White House Rose Garden, Mr. Bush says he listens to all the voices, but his is the final decision.

"Don Rumsfeld is doing a fine job," Mr. Bush says. "He is not only transforming the military, he is fighting a war on terror. He is helping us fight a war on terror. I have strong confidence in Don Rumsfeld. I hear the voices. And I read the front page. And I know the speculation. But I am the decider. And I decide what is best. And what is best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."

http://tinyurl.com/39ssau

Bush Reaffirms His Confidence in Rove
Critics Say Aide's Role In Leak Calls For Accountability

By Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 15, 2006; Page A04

President Bush yesterday reaffirmed his trust in White House strategist Karl Rove, and GOP allies said the longtime presidential adviser has no reason to apologize for his role in the disclosure of a CIA officer's identity three years ago.

http://tinyurl.com/238a9c

... and who can forget this one...

Q Scott, does the President retain confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security?

MR. McCLELLAN: And again, David, see, this is where some people want to look at the blame game issue, and finger-point. We're focused on solving problems, and we're doing everything we can --

Q What about the question?

MR. McCLELLAN: We're doing everything we can in support --

Q We know all that.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- of the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.

Q Does he retain complete confidence --

MR. McCLELLAN: We're going to continue. We appreciate the great effort that all of those at FEMA, including the head of FEMA, are doing to help the people in the region. And I'm just not going to engage in the blame game or finger-pointing that you're trying to get me to engage.

Q Okay, but that's not at all what I was asking.

MR. McCLELLAN: Sure it is. It's exactly what you're trying to play.

Q You have your same point you want to make about the blame game, which you've said enough now. I'm asking you a direct question, which you're dodging.

MR. McCLELLAN: No --

Q Does the President retain complete confidence in his Director of FEMA and Secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: I just answered the question.

Q Is the answer "yes" on both?

MR. McCLELLAN: And what you're doing is trying to engage in a game of finger-pointing.

Q There's a lot of criticism. I'm just wondering if he still has confidence.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and blame-gaming. What we're trying to do is solve problems, David. And that's where we're going to keep our focus.

Q So you're not -- you won't answer that question directly?

MR. McCLELLAN: I did. I just did.

Q No, you didn't. Yes or no? Does he have complete confidence or doesn't he?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, if you want to continue to engage in finger-pointing and blame-gaming, that's fine --

Q Scott, that's ridiculous. I'm not engaging in any of that.

MR. McCLELLAN: It's not ridiculous.

Q Don't try to accuse me of that. I'm asking you a direct question and you should answer it. Does he retain complete confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said -- that's exactly what you're engaging in.

Q I'm not engaging in anything. I'm asking you a question about what the President's views are --

MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely -- absolutely --

Q -- under pretty substantial criticism of members of his administration. Okay? And you know that, and everybody watching knows that, as well.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, everybody watching this knows, David, that you're trying to engage in a blame game.

Q I'm trying to engage?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q I am trying to engage?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's correct.

Q That's a dodge. I have a follow-up question since you dodged that one. Does the White House feel like it missed opportunities to alleviate or head off some of the damage in the New Orleans area, flood damage? Did it miss an opportunity to head any of that off?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050907-2.html

K. O. D.

Kiss of death for Wolfie...

BUH-BYE!!!

I don't think the true issue should be abortion but birth control and sex education. There would be no unwanted pregnancy. Enough with the unrealistic expectation of waiting til marriage. Teach kids biologically what causes pregnancy and venereal diseases and they'll think twice. Let them know what it's like to take care of a baby (simulation). They'll think twice. Abstinence may happen for some, but it's unrealistic for many. Those not armed with knowledge (and perhaps birth control) may end up pregnant. I'm so glad WA state is going to offer REAL birth control. I had better birth control in the 1960s in South Dakota than is being offered in most states now, and I had it at home, through school and also the church. There are too many unwanted, unplanned pregnancies that end in abortion or immature, at-risk mothering. We need sex education and birth control and the rest will follow.

Posted by: not my president at April 18, 2007 02:03 PM

Don't forget adding "Pulling Ones Head From Ones Ass 101" to Americas education curriculum.

No Scent of Sensibility

Meanwhile, monkey, people are talking about you behind your back over on the new thread.