Tag Archives: Activism

Progressive Talk Show Host to Purchase Cindy Sheehan’s Property

A couple of week’s ago, Cindy Sheehan announced that she was stopping her campaign of the last couple of years to confront the Bush administration on its lies to the American People.  In an open letter, she explained her frustration with the two-party system, electoral politics, and even with progressives.  Cindy announced she would be taking a break for an undetermined amount of time.

Cindy purchased Camp Casey over a year ago in Crawford Texas and held actions and events at the property.  I was fortunate to have been able to attend Camp Casey last August.  Cindy, in her article, announced that Camp Casey was up for sale.  There has been a lot of talk by progressives in many circles about how to purchase the property and continue having it devoted to peace.  Well, someone has stepped forward and will purchase the property and develop it into a peace garden of sorts:

EXCLUSIVE: PROGRESSIVE LA TALK RADIO HOST TO BUY CINDY SHEEHAN PROPERTY IN CRAWFORD, TEXAS

Former TV News Anchor Bree Walker to Purchase 5-Acre ‘Camp Casey’ Property Near Bush Ranch
Will Keep Property Open to Public as ‘Legacy for Peace’; Sheehan to Appear Live in Studio on Walker’s Program Saturday…

A former Los Angles newscaster turned progressive talk radio host, Bree Walker, will be purchasing Cindy Sheehan’s 5-acre property near the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas, The BRAD BLOG has learned.

Walker, currently a resident of San Diego, was previously a television news anchor in Los Angles and New York. She confirmed the news to us moments ago, in an exclusive interview, that she intends to keep the property “as a ground for freedom and peace” and is considering erecting a memorial there for troops killed in Iraq. She hopes to create a meditation garden on the grounds and to keep it open to the public.

“I’m cashing out my capitalist corporate stocks and buying into a legacy of peace,” she told The BRAD BLOG moments ago. Sheehan will be selling the property for the same price she purchased it for so as not to be seen as profiting from the sale, Walker explained.

Walker is the host of the The Bree Walker Show on the Los Angeles Air America affiliate station KTLK AM1150 on Saturdays from 2-4pm PT.

Sheehan will appear in studio with Walker for the entirety of tomorrow’s broadcast where, Walker says, she’ll “give Cindy the check, and Cindy will give me the deed to the property.”

 

She tells us that she’ll be taking calls from listeners during tomorrow’s show as she wants “listener input on what should be done with the land.”

The BRAD BLOG’s creator and publisher, Brad Friedman, is scheduled to appear on Walker’s show Saturday as well, at 3:00pm PT, by phone.

In a Memorial Day posting, Sheehan announced that she would be stepping away from her leadership role in the Peace Movement and planned to sell the Crawford property. Originally she had announced the property would be sold on Ebay, but shortly afterwards a group of Bush supporters announced their intentions to try and purchase the land.

That group, “Moving America Forward,” had staged protests during Sheehan’s original attempt, in the summer of 2005, to meet with Bush in hopes that he would explain the “noble cause” that he had claimed her son, and others, had died for in Iraq.

Bush refused to meet with Sheehan, whose son Casey, an Army Specialist, was killed in an April 2004 rescue mission in Sadr City, Iraq. Thousands of supporters gathered from around the nation to hold a vigil along with Sheehan in 2005 near Bush’s ranch during his summer vacation. A national peace movement grew out of her stand that summer. The area where the protests were held was dubbed “Camp Casey.”

After the city created new ordinances to keep protesters from occupying public property during protests, Sheehan bought the land where protest gatherings have been held at various times since whenever Bush was to be on vacation.

Ours was the only organization doing regular full-length daily radio broadcasts from the protest grounds that summer. Highlights from The BRAD SHOW’s more than 50 hours of special “Operation Noble Cause” radio broadcasts may be heard online here.

PRIDE Day

Last Sunday was the annual PRIDE parade in Salt Lake City – one of the biggest PRIDE celebrations around.  This year the  parade broke Utah’s parade record ever by being the biggest parade in Utah History!

 Pom Poms Not Bomb Bombs, Utah’s Radical Cheerleaders (of which I am a member) participated in the parade
I had great fun being in the parade and then tabling for the Desert Greens Green Party of Utah!

Iraq Vets Take to the Streets of NYC

In this simulation of what soldiers do in Iraq, these vets of Iraq Veterans Against the War, portray a typical day on the streets of U.S. soldiers. Great counter recruitment tool. Thanks to Pat Elder for sending this.

Cindy Sheehan’s Letter

Michael over on Common Circle has a commentary on Cindy Sheehan’s “Goodbye Letter”.  Like many other people, she is fed up  – especially with the Democrats – and is calling it quits.  She points out that when she first started her crusade to hold George Bush accountable for a war based on lies, she targeted the Republicans and Bush.  Then when she started holding the Democrats to the same standards, she began enduring slander from them as well as from the right wingers.   She explains her other conclusions, among them the most devastating for her:

The most devastating conclusion that I reached this morning, however, was that Casey did indeed die for nothing. His precious lifeblood drained out in a country far away from his family who loves him, killed by his own country which is beholden to and run by a war machine that even controls what we think. I have tried every since he died to make his sacrifice meaningful. Casey died for a country which cares more about who will be the next American Idol than how many people will be killed in the next few months while Democrats and Republicans play politics with human lives. It is so painful to me to know that I bought into this system for so many years and Casey paid the price for that allegiance. I failed my boy and that hurts the most.

Cindy says she is selling Camp Casey which has served its purpose and is “going home” to take care of her family and nurture the relationships she has had the fortune to maintain throughout her journey.

I feel fortunate to have been able to visit Camp Casey and meet Cindy Sheehan.   I developed some releationships of my own whiloe there that continue today.  I came away from Camp Casey with a little more motivation and enthusiasm, a little more conviction, and a little more hope.  While Cindy is stepping back from her crusade, I am hopeful that she will contribute in other ways as she deems appropriate.  

Huh?

This week:
The U.S. Senate  is proposing to cut off funding for the Iraq War after March 31, 2008.
Wait, though.
The U.S. Senate is proposing to still spend 120 Billion dollars on Iraq and Afghanistan.
But wait.
The U.S. Senate proposes a call for troops to begin leaving Iraq by October 1.
But then….
The U.S. Senate say the president can wave the October 1 call if he doesn’t like that.

Huh?

This makes no sense.  People, call your senators and representatives today to tell them:
NO MORE.  BRING ‘EM HOME.  NOW.  NO MORE DOLLARS. NO MORE DEATHS.  OUT OF IRAQ NOW.

Mothers Day at the Nevada Test Site

Corbin Harney, Western Shoshone Spiritual Leader, has invited everyone to a Mothers Day Gathering at the Nevada Test Site this weekend.  Corbin has been quite the anti-nuclear activist world-wide and is widely revered and respected.  Corbin’s health has been in state of decline recently and people are gathering this weekend to not only honor our mother earth but also to honor Corbin and his work.  We like to attend these gatherings but cannot this year due to the time it takes to travel there and having to be back by Monday morning for our day jobs.  We have sent our blessings and regards to those gathering this weekend and especially to  Corbin Harney.   Here is the official announcement and information. 

Mothers Day weekend gathering and reunion at Peace Camp, Nevada Test Site, May 11 – 13th, 2007

Corbin Harney invites everyone to a Mothers Day weekend gathering and reunion at Peace Camp, Nevada Test Site, May 11 – 13th
This gathering is to honor Corbin and all who have participated over the decades at NTS to end the nuclear madness and the destruction of our Mother Earth.
Corbin has taught many to respect and protect Mother Earth and traditional ways through ceremony and non-violent direct action.

We’re calling for everyone who loves Mother Earth to join us.

MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND!!!

CEREMONIES

PUBLIC SPEAKERS

PEACEFUL NON-VIOLENT DIRECT ACTIONS

RAFFLE & MORE ACTIVITIES

 

Come Self sufficient for desert camping. Be prepared for hot days and cold nights. Bring plenty of water, food, sunscreen, hats and layered clothing.

This is an invitation to Newe Sogbia (Western Shoshone land) where we observe traditional native spirituality.

YOU’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN PETS

NO DRUGS, ALCOHOL, or WEAPONS.

Donations are needed for: expenses of gathering, and food for community kitchen. Bring Raffle Items

Fundraising appeal for Mothers Day Gathering

To print a flyer and for more information please visit http://www.wildernessthx.com/ntsreunionwcorbin

E-MAIL: ntsgathering@wildernessthx.com

JULIA MOON SPARROW Cell: 702 521 7627 Home: 702 304 9859

WILLIE FRAGOSA Cell: 702 812 4664 Home: 702 649 6014

Directions to the NTS Peace Camp

Map to Peace Camp from surrounding areas

The Peace Camp is across from the entrance to the Nevada Test Site, one hour north of Las Vegas, on Highway 95. The camp can be accessed directly from the southbound “Mercury” exit of 95. If you are heading north from Las Vegas, continue past the Mercury exit until the highway is no longer divided (about one mile), pull off on to the shoulder, and make a U turn. Now you should be driving south on Hwy 95. Take the Mercury Exit, look for signs to the camp. The nearest place to get gas, telephone access, food or water is Indian Springs, about 20 miles south of the camp, back towards Las Vegas.

 

Elders housing will be at Cactus Springs on the west side of Highway 95, 3 miles north of Indian Springs and 15 miles south of Peace Camp and the Nevada Test Site entrance at the Mercury Exit. Look for signs.

  • US 95 North of Las Vegas, 2.5 miles North of Indian Springs look for a road sign indicating an intersection and labeled “Cactus Springs”. There is a grove of cottonwood trees and billboards.
  • *Turn West at the intersection and into a gravel parking area
  • Follow the gravel road at the far right corner of the parking area
  • After a few hundred feet, keep right at a fork and follow signs to the gathering.
  • From: Julia Moonsparrow 5/5/07
    Re: Updated information on location of Mothers Day Weekend Gathering, May 11 – 13, 2007

    The Gathering will take place at Peace Camp at the entrance to the Nevada Test Site, Mercury exit, off of Hwy 95. This is 18 miles north of Indian Springs.

    Hi Folks!

    On May 4th, Willy, Corbin and I spent a wonderful day together visiting and discussing life, important issues and Gathering logistics, including finances and program. We all three concluded that it’s better to take out a loan to be able to shift our base camp location to Peace Camp, so the People can be united. We appreciate the Western Shoshone National Council and the Goddess Temple caretakers for their hospitality in providing Cactus Springs as a base camp, due to lack of funding. We will be using Anne Key’s house and the women’s retreat and the Water available at Cactus Springs for support of this Mother’s Day Reunion.

    Please print, distribute and post the attached recently updated flyer for the Gathering, as well as the attached fundraising letter. Please note the emphasis on financial needs. Everyone, PLEASE do what you can to bring or send more financial support for this event!

    As noted in the attachments, if mailing checks, please be sure to make them out to CER (with “NTS w/Corbin ’07” written in the memo) and mail them to: CER, 104 Commercial St NE, Salem, OR 97301.

    Thank you everyone for your flexibility. Corbin emphasized repeatedly how important these annual events for people uniting together, praying and working together, are to protect all our relations – including our future relations – and to teach the youth how to take care of our Air, our Water, and our Mother Earth. He feels it’s urgent for people to get how important this is. Thank you for your support.

    Shundahai,
    Julia

    5/4/07 Hi Everyone!

    This is just a rough draft of the logistics and some program info.

    Thursday, May 10th:
    Wade’s kitchen arrives. Possibility of Sweat Lodge construction either on Goddess Temple land or Corporation of Newe Segobia Land, depending on what is appropriate regarding the Corporation of Newe Segobia and the WSNC.

    Most likely, food from Mountain People’s Warehouse arrives at Cactus Springs (dependent on Mountain People’s trucking schedule).

    Dinner by Wade.

    Friday, May 11th:
    Sunrise Ceremony..

    Breakfast by Wade V. for set-up crew.
    Crew needed to set up tents, etc at Peace Camp.

    Port-a-potties arriving from Las Vegas at Peace Camp

    Set up registration booth

    Lunch.

    More set up. PA system, etc.

    Dinner.

    Possible special feature screening at sundown of “Trespassing”, courtesy of producer, Carlos DeMendez.

    Saturday, May 12th
    Sunrise Ceremony, walkers arrive into Peace Camp from Johnny Bob’s Spirit Run.

    Breakfast.

    Honoring Corbin
    Speakers: Corbin, Katherine, representative from WSNC, Darlene.

    Lunch.

    #1
    Either speakers or visiting time with Corbin, as determined by Corbin.

    #2
    Non-violence training for those who are line crossing and need or want training.

    #3
    Building Sweat Lodge at Peace Camp. Lodge times to be determined by Lodge Leaders. (Helpers needed.)

    #4
    Ceremony and speaking honoring those who’ve crossed over to Spirit World (led by Willy, location determined by Willy).

    #5
    Possible special feature screening of “Trespassing”, courtesy of producer, Carlos DeMendez (in Anne’s house).

    Dinner.

    Raffle (to provide fundraising for the port-a-potties, etc.)

    Sunday May 13th
    Sunrise Ceremony.

    Note: all Sweat Lodge participants to arrive at Sunrise Ceremony with appropriate Sweat Lodge clothing layered underneath. Bring towels and water to Sunrise Ceremony. Sweat Lodge conducted by Darlene immediately after sunrise. No changing of clothes, or waiting for late comers.

    Breakfast at Peace Camp

    Speakers

    Lodge participants eat set-aside breakfast and re-join the group.

    Corbin to Bless the People before procession to the front gate.

    Front Gate Activities. Line crossing

    Return to Peace Camp

    Lunch.

    Breakdown of tents, etc at Peace Camp

Polictical messages on license plates might get you in trouble……

There is an item on Common Dreams about the DMV in South Dakota attempting to revoke a woman’s license plate because of the plates political messageMPEACHW  She had the plates made to match her husband’s which had IMPCH W

On April 18, Heather Morijah got a letter from the South Dakota DMV.

The agency “is in receipt of a written complaint about your personalized plates,” the letter says. “With this complaint I am sorry to inform you that the set of plates MPEACHW are being recalled. . . . You will have 10 days from the date of receiving this letter to surrender the plates.”

When Morijahn called the DMV and asked for a copy of the complaint (with the person’s name blacked out, a list of all the vanity plates they’d issued in the last year, and  a list of the vanity plates they had recalled, she was denied the request.

When a reporter contact the DMV, the response was:

“I’m following the letter of the law,” DMV director Deb Hillmer told Woster. “It’s offensive to someone and not in good taste and decency. And the plates are the property of the state of South Dakota.”

Thanks to the ACLU, the DMV changed their tune.

The ACLU’s Ring then faxed over a letter on May 4 to Paul Kinsman, secretary of Revenue and Regulation, which oversees the DMV.

“Her opinion may not be shared by everyone in the United States or in South Dakota,” Ring wrote. “Regardless, her political comments and criticism are protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and the Article 4, Section 5, of the South Dakota Constitution, and the state is not permitted to censor that protected speech.”

Ring pointed out that “political speech such as ‘impeach George Bush’ is indisputably not ‘indecent’ or ‘vulgar’ in any respect. It may offend some citizens of South Dakota, but that is not a valid basis for the State to censor pure political speech.”

On May 7, the DMV pulled a U-turn.

Heather Morijah states:

“We both feel very strongly about this administration for a large number of reasons. The big number one would be leading us into an imperialistic occupation in Iraq to get their oil, and lying to the American people at the expense of many American lives and many Iraqi lives. And number two, the horrifying damage they’re inflicting on the environment in this country and in the world. This particular issue has been resolved,” she says. “But I hope the momentum this has created continues. And not just on the free speech issue, but also on going forward with removing this incredibly harmful administration.”

Iacocca on Leaadership?

Lee Iacocca has written an article called Where Have All the Leaders Gone? over at Common Dreams Based on his book by the same name, Iacocca blasts the current administration and state of affairs.

Had Enough?
Am I the only guy in this country who’s fed up with what’s happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder.  

0508 06

We’ve got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we’ve got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can’t even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, “Stay the course.”

Stay the course? You’ve got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic. I’ll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!

Iacocca describes his  “C” list that serves as a “test of a leader”:  Curiosity, Creative, Communicate, Character, Courage, Charisma, Conviction, Competent, Common Sense.  He states that the Biggest “C” is Crisis.

Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It’s easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else’s kids off to war when you’ve never seen a battlefield yourself. It’s another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. Where was George Bush? He was reading a story about a pet goat to kids in Florida when he heard about the attacks. He kept sitting there for twenty minutes with a baffled look on his face. It’s all on tape. You can see it for yourself. Then, instead of taking the quickest route back to Washington and immediately going on the air to reassure the panicked people of this country, he decided it wasn’t safe to return to the White House. He basically went into hiding for the day—and he told Vice President Dick Cheney to stay put in his bunker. We were all frozen in front of our TVs, scared out of our wits, waiting for our leaders to tell us that we were going to be okay, and there was nobody home. It took Bush a couple of days to get his bearings and devise the right photo op at Ground Zero.

That was George Bush’s moment of truth, and he was paralyzed. And what did he do when he’d regained his composure? He led us down the road to Iraq—a road his own father had considered disastrous when he was President. But Bush didn’t listen to Daddy. He listened to a higher father. He prides himself on being faith based, not reality based. If that doesn’t scare the crap out of you, I don’t know what will.

Common Dreams started allowing comments to its articles.  There are some very interesting points made to this post:

what leaders?!?!? have not seen one in years!!!!! Iacocca, were you ever a leader? what did you ever do to improve the overall quality of life in the united states. after 82 years….well… better late than never. use your “business skills” to empower people!

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn’t elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bobblehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don’t you guys show some spine for a change?”

And the “gang” in Congress, as you sensibly call them, has news for you too, Lee. Currently, it’s called the PR Plan. The Pelosi-Reid Plan to Abolish America:

Pelosi and Reid have turned to their plan for controlling Iraq – popularly known as the PR Plan.

They vowed, “We will work with the President in whatever way we can.” They meant the statement to be totally ambiguous, but unfortunately for them, upon uttering it, the official pair instantly collapsed to the ground, apparently for lack of some vital measure of blood and bone, as well as some bizarre overabundance of scales, claws, and oozing oil.

“Defunding the war immediately is totally impossible,” uttered Pelosi and Reid in unison while slithering across the ground, sliming their way back to their Gang of Democrats. The Republican Gang applauded silently from the side.

“It seems clear now,” one observer remarked, “that the Democrat and Republican parties are gone – if parties they ever were – and are replaced by gangs. Official suite gangs.” Oddly, no one was heard to contradict him.

Within hours, a person we can only identify as Deep Source delivered to us the following rather striking internal document. We have rarely seen a government document quite as internal as this, and we must confess, as good members of the press, we hope to see very few more like it. “The 10 Point PR Plan (For Internal Consumption Only)”:

1st: Pretend that you intend to end the War against Iraq.

[etc]

http://apragmaticpolicy.wordpress.com/2007/05/06/the-pelosi-reid-plan-to-abolish-america/

————————————————————————————————————-

Dear Mr. Iacocca: Once again I read a clear delineation of the problems this country confronts, and I agree with your findings. Unfortunately, no one in our government is willing to respond with the same firmness and clarity, least of all, those who most want to head the government. There is not a leader in the lot, though one or two – Mr. Kucinich or Mr. Gravel, perhaps – show some potential. But to articulate the problems is not enough. Nor is your call to “shake off the horseshit and go to work.” What is missing most, what we are seeking, is an equally clear course of action to take. We are all tired of the garbage that passes as news, the platitudes our overpaid politicians have convinced themselves are meaningful. We are all outraged at the actions of those who pretend to be leaders. We need something more, much more. I now find myself among people so disheartened that they are talking reluctantly and sadly about the growing need for a tangible revolution, because everything else seems to have failed to produce a badly needed change.

I tend to agree with the readers: “Where have all the leaders gone?” is a misnomer indeed.

Rocky vs. Hannity – part 2

One Utah has a couple of posts on the Rocky vs. Hannity event from a few nights ago:

Rocky Hannity Debate – Entire Show – Fox

The “Rockity I” Awards

Rocky v Hannity – Live Blog by Grokov

.

Rocky vs. Hannity

The “debate” is over (I’ve been watching it via live stream),and it is highly clear that Rocky had the most rational and factual presentation.  Hannity did nothing but attack Rocky and progressives and never once did he address the accuracy of Rocky’s information presented.  His entire “rebuttal” to Rocky’s presentation was lame and not in defense AT ALL!  He kept linking the Iraq situation back to the 911 terrorist attack and kept bringing up Clinton’s mistakes in his presidency (huh?!?).  Hannity continually resorted to name calling and insults. Rocky did not.  Rocky did not mention Hannity once during his initial presenation.  He presented the facts.  During the question answer time, Hannity consistently evade the questons.  Rocky confronted the questions by providing answers.

Hannity was very nationalistic in his approach.  Rocky was very humanistic and global in his approach.  It was lucidly apparent who was the more concerned about humanity.

I do not have a link yet to the video of the “debate”, but watch for information at One Utah and here.

Rocky, you rock!  Thank you for standing up and giving an example of gracious and courteous behavior, not to mention a well organized factual and substantiated presentation on the war crimes committed by the Bush administration.

News Links:
Rocky, Hannity go at it before rowdy crowd