April 14, 2003
1. More on what now for the peace movement
2. Interesting point regarding putting money where our mouths are, in
the political arena
3. Precision bombing - Marc Herold
4. I find articles like these helpful in formulating my response to
those who simplify the whole thing by focusing on the removal of Saddam
Hussein as if that were the only issue at stake.
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1. Boston Globe editorial -
http://truthout.org/docs_03/032503F.shtml
2. Disclaimer: I am not endorsing any particular peace candidate by
forwarding this - the person who wrote it focuses on Kucinich, but it
could just as easily be another peace candidate, if there is one.
The writer of the piece below makes an interesting observation about the
difference between the "right wing" and the peace movement, when it
comes to the political process. Thought it was worth passing along.
April 4, 2003 How to Save the World for $20 Bucks.
Let's get right to the point. We are in grave danger, which means
there is unbelievable opportunity. But you, not that guy next to you,
not your mother in law, you, have to be part of creating it. Back in the
day, when I was just a wee right wing person, I coughed up my
baby-sitting money to join the Young Americans for Freedom. Because
we conservative folks didn't march, we opened our wallets and sent the
bucks to the causes we believed in. Because: money, money, money,
carefully given, is power.
Peaceniks marched and went home. We, on the other hand, gave and we gave
and we gave. And eventually we won.
I come from a right-wing perspective. With discipline and money,
anything is possible. Because Money talks. It says: I care, I vote, I
am angry, and you, politician, are the one who will pay if you don't
listen to me. And early money talks the loudest. While millions were
marching for peace, the pro-war Demo candidate was raising millions of
dollars and now is the frontrunner.
Does that make you ill? Then stop marching around for a minute and take
out a crisp twenty dollar bill and send it to Dennis Kucinich, Democrat,
Ohio, running for Prez unashamedly and unabashedly on a Peace platform.
Even if you like somebody else. Give Rep. K your latte money for one
week. Why? Because the man stood on the floor of the House last week
in his oversized suit and demanded that we stop the war. He ain't
running for cover. He's running for peace
Lemme be clear. You don't have to love or like Mr. Kucinich. You can be
conservative, liberal, green, or blue. You can vote for somebody else
and never learn how to spell his name. That's not the point. The point
is, if you hate this war, stop being relevant. Open your wallet and
ACT. The point is, Kucinich's views are so clear and fearless that your
twenty bucks will speak loud and clear.
It will say: no war. No War. No damn war.
Look, nobody takes the peace movement seriously. But if two million
people who are shocked and awed by what is happening to our country send
Kucinich twenty bucks, they will take you plenty seriously. The press
core will plotz.
The timid who are running will be left in the dust. The peace agenda
will rocket to the front pages, just like George W. did in 1999 when he
and his cronies raised $37 million 18 months before the election. Your
views will stop being described as those of a "small minority". You
will, in fact, change the world.
Ok, how are we going to pull this off? Easy. But it has to be a team
effort, guys. If 100 people will send the bucks and tell three people
to do the same, by the 14th round of 3 people telling 3 people,
459,000,000 people will have received the message. By the 19th, round,
the entire population of the earth will have received the message five
times.
Send this column to your email list. Let's create an e-mail chain
letter, that spreads and grows like a web of hope to counteract the
circle of pain, hatred and despair that grows with every bomb we drop on
the cradle of civilization. It can be a tidal wave for peace that
nothing can stop.
So that we can stand proud again. People are excited. Everybody I have
asked has surfed over to
www.Kucinich.us to cough up the price of a CD and gotten 3 other
people to do likewise. Because it will work. Because we are sick and
tired of being sick and tired. Let's go, team, get out there and Get
This Done!
If you'd like to send in your contribution by mail, please make checks
payable to "Kucinich for President Committee" and send to: Kucinich for
President Committee Attn: Fundraising, P.O. Box 110180, Cleveland, OH
44111
They require the following information per FEC regulations. Please
include it with your contribution: Your name, mailing address (no P.O.
Box), and phone number.
thanks, cheers, peace & love.
3. This was written on April 8, I believe, by Marc Herold. He is a
consultant to the iraqbodycount website, which is carefully documenting
civilian casualties.
http://www.cursor.org/stories/iraq.html
4. All of these focus on the longer term consequences of our invasion
of Iraq.
* "The National Gloat - on the fall of Baghdad and the wars to come"
http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=14827
* "History fuels the fire of anger"
http://www.latimes.com/la-war-opbarghouti13apr13,0,5675082.story
* "Plan for democracy in Iraq may be folly"
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/04/13/MN286737.DTL