THREE YEARS TOO MANY!!!
This weekend’s forcast isn’t exactly rally-going weather…just bring your warm clothes, umbrellas, raincoats and VOICES!! Here is a schedule of events beginning tomorrow and going through Monday:
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This weekend’s forcast isn’t exactly rally-going weather…just bring your warm clothes, umbrellas, raincoats and VOICES!! Here is a schedule of events beginning tomorrow and going through Monday:
Continue reading
I have been party of the planning committee to organize a series of events this weekend marking the third anniversary of the illegal war in Iraq.
I will be posting more detailed information here in a day or two. Meantime, viewers can see the events listing at: THREE YEARS TOO MANY.
I am involved with represenatives of several organizations in planning a mass rally and march on March 18th, the weekend of the 3rd anniversary of the Iraq War. It will be a day of protest against that illegal war of agression that continues.
There will be other “celebrations” on that day.
I found this in today’s Deseret News – an announcement about an event being held blocks from my house:
Public invited to attend Thank A Soldier event
WEST JORDAN — The public is invited to attend the second annual Thank A Soldier event on Saturday, March 18, at Veterans’ Memorial Park, 7800 S. 1985 West.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be music, entertainment, camouflage face-painting for children, a rock climbing wall and more. There is no charge for admission.
I am not necessarily opposed to an event whereby citizens want to honor soldiers for their work, depending on the “work” such as disaster relief. I am opposed to honoring soldiers for the work in illegal wars and wars of agression and I am also opposed to glorifying the military with our children (or anyone else for that matter) by holding activities such as “camouflage face-painting”.
Is the concept of camouflage also going to be explained to the children? Will it be explained to them about the original concept verses camouflage in modern warfare as is explained in How Military Camouflage Works?
Will the concepts of concealment and deception in war via the use of camouflage be explained to children?
I am highlighting the camouflage concept of this event to point out that war is being glorified, not soldiers, even though events like this are framed as the latter. War should not be glorified, no matter what the justification in peoples’ minds. War is ugly and devastating. To celebrate war is to celebrate violence.
Utah’s legislative session passed a hate crimes and anti-bullying law this year. I think it sends mixed messages to our children to educate them on character in these areas while at the same time glorifying violence in the form of war.
Today’s Deseret News has an article on Deb Sawyer, a local peace activist in Salt Lake.
Deb is the director for The Gandhi Alliance for Peace, which has the mission of bringing the teachings of Gandhi to schools and providing assistance to citizens in countries ravaged by war and disaster. Projects of the Gandhi Alliance for Peace include Landmines (through its Adop-A-Minefield Program–providing support to remove landmines in Afghanistan) and Tsunami Relief.
“Our kids aren’t being taught non-violence,” she says. “Their images of bravery are of people standing up to violence with more violence. We want to teach them that there’s another way.”
Currently, Deb and her friends are raising funds to help villagers in Afghanistan, a country littered with millions of land mines and unexploded ordnance. Through the “Adopt-a-Minefield” program, land is being cleared so war refugees can find a safe place to resettle.
Deb has provided speeches and stories at local peace rallies in the past:
March 15, 2003
September 11, 2003
Every year the The Gandhi Alliance for Peace holds “Night of a Thousand Dinners” to raise money for its Adopt-A-Minefield Program. My vocal students from school are always invited by Deb to perform at this event, which is enjoyed by many and a great experience for my students.
Deb Sawyer is truly a model for peace activists in our community. I have always admired her and was happy today to see her and the work she is doing highlighted in a major Utah newspaper.

Jeremy Scahill, a correspondent for Democracy Now!, has a piece on Common Dreams entitled On CNN The Real Abu Ghraib Scandal is The Photos, Not the Abuse. Scahill scolds CNN for reporting that the real scandal was the release of the photos – not the actual abuse.
Just when you think you have heard it all……
Published on Friday, January 27, 2006 by the Progressive
Teacher Awaits Day in Court
by Matthew Rothschild
Deb Mayer was a teacher of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders at Clear Creek Elementary School in Bloomington, Indiana, during the 2002-2003 school year. On January 10, 2003, she was leading a class discussion on an issue of “Time for Kids”—Time magazine’s school-age version, which the class usually discussed on Fridays and which is part of Clear Creek’s approved curriculum.
There were several articles in the magazine that discussed topics relating to the imminent war againstIraq, and one that mentioned a peace march.
According to Mayer, a student asked her if she would ever participate in such a march.
And Mayer said, “When I drive past the courthouse square and the demonstrators are picketing, I honk my horn for peace because their signs say, ‘Honk for peace.’ ” She added that she thought “it was
important for people to seek out peaceful solutions to problems before going to war and that we train kids to be mediators on the playground so that they can seek out peaceful solutions to their own problems.”
Mayer claims in a pending federal lawsuit that the school chilled her First Amendment rights because of this one conversation in class, which she says took all of about five minutes, and that the school district refused to renew her contract because of it. (The quotes above are taken from court documents.)
I spoke with Mayer on January 24—more than three years after this incident took place.
“It didn’t dawn on me that people would object to me saying peace was an option to war,” she says. “I didn’t even think it was controversial.”But it sure turned out to be.
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Yesterday was the anniversary of Bob Dylan’s 1964 release of The Times They Are A-Changin’ album.
I thought this was appropriate especially now to post these lyrics. They are a reminder and affirmation of what we must do to be the change we advocate.

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’
Words and Music by Bob Dylan
1963, 1968 Warner Bros. Inc
Renewed 1991 Special Rider Music
Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’.
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Yes, folks, it’s true. G.I. Joe is 40. My, oh my, where has the time gone?
In case you are wondering what to get your child for their birthday this year, never fear. Lots of places are selling the G.I. Joe Doll for tremendous savings! It’s G.I. Joe’s 40th birthday year! (Today is the actual anniversary day). The Army never had it so good.
Just do a google search and you will see all the different toy vendors selling the doll. Here is one description by eToys.com:
When he was first introduced in 1964, G.I. Joe took the toy world by storm. With 21 movable parts and loads of detailed accessories, “America’s Movable Fighting Man” quickly became a sensation and a new way to play for boys across the nation. With uniforms, equipment and packaging patterned after the original, the G.I. Joe 40th Anniversary Collection is sure to rekindle the fond memories of childhood.
This Beach Head Action Figure is an authentically re-created G.I. Joe figure, and he looks just the way he was introduced in 1964. Includes tent, tent poles, flamethrower, first aid pouch, pistol belt, mess kit, knife, fork, spoon and Marine Field Manual. Figure measures approximately 12 inches tall.
But wait….there’s more! You can join the G.I.Joe’s Collector Club!
It’s time for G.I. Joe to retire. Get a grip people. While people holler about mistreatment in a variety of scenarios, including bullying, etc., many of these same people advocate violence and bullying by virtue of the fact that they purchase toys such as these for their children, because they love the military, guns, hunting, and shooting paintballs. What kind of mixed message is that?
If you find a G.I. Joe Doll at a thrift store or yard sale (I would never advocate purcasing a new one), do this:
– Buy it
– Paint it pink and put flowers on it
– Take it to your local recruiting office
– Drop it off as a gift – preferrably anonymously
Part of the Plan has a very sound piece of advice to a group of teenagers who recently formed the Lone Peak Teenage Republicans.
The bottom line is: Walk the talk!
Be sure to invite U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch from Utah to retire at tonight’s Nutcakes Rally.
Having run on a platform that included advocating term limits, Hatch has broken his initial pledge to serve for only two terms. 30 years later, Hatch, now 72, is still in office.
The gig was up a long time ago. Nutcakes unite!