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Politics : The Donkey's Inn -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

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To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 2/15/2003 10:39:01 PM From: TigerPaw   Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 15516   Mad Cowboy disease. I saw some of those today. Several Impeach Bush too. Most just said NO WAR, or Don't be stupid about war. It was a very envigorating march and rally. --------------------------------------------------------- Thousands in Austin rally against war Rally is one of the largest political demonstrations in Austin history By Dick Stanley and Monica Polanco AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Saturday, February 15, 2003 Thousands of people gathered Saturday on the south lawn of the Texas Capitol for a 90-minute rally in one of the largest political demonstrations in Austin history. Then they capped the afternoon protest against a possible U.S. attack to disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein by marching south down Congress Avenue, under American and Texas flags emblazoned with peace symbols, until they stretched more than 13 blocks from 11th Street to Barton Springs Road. Organizers claimed a turnout of more than 10,000 people despite a chilly wind that was brisk at times. Capitol police declined to estimate or characterize the crowd, which included both young people and the middle-aged. But Austin police estimated their number between 8,000 and 10,000 and said they seemed to be a cross-section of area residents. There were no disturbances or arrests. "It was an incredible turnout," said University of Texas journalism professor Robert Jensen, the rally's emcee and one of the organizers of the event which was timed to match similar ones by millions of people in scores of cities around the world. "It was a multifaceted group." Principal among a long list of rally speakers was U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, who drew cheers when he criticized President Bush. "Mr. President, the policies you are pursuing in the name of our security are wrongheaded," Doggett said. He said there was "no evidence" that Iraq would use weapons of mass destruction to attack the United States, and that the Bush administration's policy of first strikes against rogue states in the war on terrorism "is a formula for international anarchy." There were similar but smaller rallies in Houston and Dallas. An estimated 3,000 turned out in Houston and between 2,000 and 5,000 in Dallas. Some of Saturday's protestors in Austin said they were against a war with Iraq because civilians as well as soldiers could be killed. They said they didn't think there was enough evidence of Iraqi wrongdoing. But many either said or carried signs showing that they simply didn't trust the Bush administration. "It's a war to avenge Daddy," said Amy Lambert, 36, of Austin, referring to President Bush's father, the former president, who led the nation into the Persian Gulf War in 1991 to punish Iraq for seizing Kuwait. Iraq was later linked to a plot to kill the senior Bush during a visit to Kuwait. Many people brought their children, some only a few months old pushed in strollers. "I want him to learn very young that he needs to participate in public policy," said Laura Colwell of her 4-year-old son, Julian. The rally crowd was so large and noisy that, from within its ranks, it was often impossible to hear the speakers. There were many homemade signs, as well as professionally printed ones. The latter included the red and white "American for Peace" signs which have sprouted in some Austin neighborhoods. Among the homemade signs were: "Draft SUV drivers to fight," "Disarm the Bush regime," "Relax George," and "Viva La France," a reference to French opposition to American aims in the U.N. Security Council. Many who turned out for earlier, smaller Austin anti-war rallies were there, such as members of the Green Party, and www.international- socialist.org who handed out copies of the tabloid "Socialist Worker." A group of young men with nose rings carried black flags of anarchy and a red and black banner for the Industrial Workers of the World. Black Muslims handed out fliers touting an upcoming anti-war speech by Minister Lewis Farrakan. Some signs turned the S in Bush's name to a Nazi swastika. There were a few Palestinian kafeyah, or scarves, but the Iraqi and Palestinian flags evident at a rally in October were missing. When Saturday's rally ended and the march down Congress Avenue got underway, the crowd stretched for many blocks. Some banged on drums, rattled gourds and danced their way south to Barton Springs Road, which was blocked by police. The Congresss Avenue bridge vibrated under the pressure of the dancing feet. Deb Eckols, of Austin, said she was encouraged by the large turnout. "This is awesome," she said. "It looks like the 60's when we protested against Vietnam." Some of the marchers took over the Congress Avenue Bridge for about 30 minutes, until they were dispersed by police on motorcycles. "At the bridge most disbanded," said police spokesman Kevin Buchman. "A few hundred marched back to the Capitol. We were prepared for trouble, but it was a very peaceful event." Small groups of counter protestors gathered on the periphery of the larger crowd. "3,000 Lives Forgotten?," a reference to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was a homemade sign held by a man in a Longhorns shirt and cap. Another man carrying a "Liberate Iraq" sign was engaged in argument by several demonstrators. The man, who declined to give his name, said he was there to "support the president." austin360.com

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 2/15/2003 11:49:02 PM From: Mephisto   Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 15516   One million. And still they came Euan Ferguson reports on a historic peace march whose massive turnout surpassed the organisers' wildest expectations and Tony Blair's worst fears Sunday February 16, 2003 The Observer "It was the biggest public demonstration ever held in Britain, surpassing every one of the organisers' wildest expectations and Tony Blair's worst fears, and it will be remembered for the bleak bitterness of the day and the colourful warmth of feeling in the extraordinary crowds. Organisers claimed that more than 1.5 million had turned out; even the police agreed to 750,000 and rising." guardian.co.uk

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 2/20/2003 1:15:15 AM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Don't ignore public opinion on Iraq: India to UN timesofindia.indiatimes.com PTI [ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2003 11:04:38 AM ] UNITED NATIONS: Strongly advocating a peaceful resolution of the Iraq issue, India has warned against danger of radicalisation of public opinion around the world if military action is taken against Baghdad. Asserting that force should be used only as 'last, unavoidable option', India's Ambassador to the United Nations V K Nambiar stressed on the need to maintain 'primacy of multilateral route' and asked the Security Council to "seriously" consider humanitarian and political impact on the region before deciding on a military action. "Apart from the immediate consequences of military action in a region which is already volatile, the Council would need to take into account the impact of possible break up the concerned State on neighbouring states and its larger implications for peace, stability and security of the region as well as the dangers of radicalisation of the public opinion around the world," he said. Participating in the debate of Iraq situation in the Council on Tuesday in the context of recent reports by Chief Weapons Inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei, Nambiar said that before making final determination, the Council needs to "seriously consider" the numerous complex ramifications that surround such a step." These include issues such as the danger posed by the development of weapons of mass destruction and risks of their diversion to non-state actors, the credibility of enforcement action, the rationale and effectiveness of weapons inspections and continuing pressure of sanction, he told the Council. Another set of issues, Nambiar said concern the potential massive internal displacements of people and possible refugee flow, the disruption of oil supplies and other such economic and social repercussions of a possible outbreak of conflict. "As a multilateral organ of the United Nations charged with the safeguarding of international peace and security, the Security Council must give careful thought to these questions and issues before it makes irrevocable move," he emphasised. Urging Iraq to "cooperate actively" with the inspection process and comply fully with all Council resolutions, he stressed on the need for the Council to act unitedly. Nambiar said India is concerned about difficult humanitarian situation in Iraq as its people have suffered severe shortages and privations for over decade. As many as 60 per cent of Iraqis depend on the UN's "Oil for Food" programme which a military action could jeopardize, he said, pointing out that it could render as many ten million people dependent on the outside world for food assistance, he added. India, Nambiar said, is 'vitally' interested in the peace and prosperity of the Gulf region with which it had "profound" political, cultural, economic and religious ties spread over centuries. "Our special interest in the current crisis arises from the presence of millions of our expatriates that live and work in the Gulf region," he said.

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 2/21/2003 6:28:02 PM From: Mephisto   Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 15516   Bush Gives You The Finger Millions worldwide rally against Dubya's oily little war -- not that he gives a damn By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist sfgate.com Friday, February 21, 2003 And then there's the one about the smirky war-happy oil-drunk American president who shrugged off the disdain of pretty much the entire world and humiliated us all on a global scale and went ahead and blasted the living hell out of an otherwise worthless oil-rich nation with no real proof of serious wrongdoing and for no justifiable reason, except for the oil and the power and for Daddy and for the face-saving faux-macho pride, and the oil. This is the guy. This is the president who cares not a whit that just last weekend, over a million people rallied in London -- the largest political gathering of any kind in British history -- to protest his (and Tony Blair's) little multibillion-dollar war. Or that 500,000 gathered at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, chanting slogans against his fearmongering ego, or that another 500,000 attempted to gather for a huge protest near the U.N. building in New York but, lacking a permit, were partially blocked by police. This is the smirky Texas executioner-president who looked on while even in God-thumping pro-family ultraconservative Colorado Springs, Colo., land of the Born Agains and the heavily uptight, police fired tear gas into a crowd of war protesters, even though children were in an adjacent playground. Isn't that nice? And Christian? Shrub just shrugs. Damn hippies. God bless America. And, really, who cares about the huge protests in Amsterdam, Brussels, Barcelona, Melbourne, Paris, Rome, Berlin, San Francisco, Seoul, Tokyo and at least 600 other cities all over the world last week? We've got a bogus war to fabricate here, people. And an environment to gouge. An economy to gut. Busy, busy. And, besides, were any of those horrified protesters petrochemical CEOs? Military-supply execs? Members of Bush Sr.'s draconian Carlyle Group? Colleagues of the ShrubCo cabal of neo-conservative gangster executives who stand to rake in billions when we go to war? No they were not. Screw 'em. Tough numbers to deny, nonetheless. Over 600 cities across the globe, all staging major anti-war rallies against America's aggro attitude and insipid war posture, millions and millions of people -- teachers and salespeople and politicians and doctors and students and workers, every creed and gender and age group and nationality and hairstyle -- and yet Geedubya simply equates them all with some sort of negligible "focus group." And he said he doesn't base his policy decisions on focus groups, of course, because naturally he uses Barbie's Super Magic 8 Ball and old secret codes from his Vietnam draft-dodging days intermixed with his father's late-night gin-soaked advice and a cassette of Dick Cheney whispering demon-conjuring incantations in Latin. I mean, really, how else can you explain it? This is the president who "respectfully disagrees" with just about everyone on the planet, with the almost universally held and repeatedly proven fact that Saddam isn't the slightest threat to the U.S. and never really has been, nor that he had anything to do with 9/11. Hey, with that sort of respect, who needs a bloody violent skull bludgeoning? Can I get a hell-yeah? This is the president who scowled his super-duper scariest scowl at Hans Blix, chief U.N. weapons inspector, as Blix calmly and rationally rebuffed everything a flustered Colin Powell could throw at him during the U.S. plea before the U.N. Security Council to please please please let America launch all our big new bombs and shiny cool expensive Lockheed Martin planes and then arm up 180,000 of America's poor and have them go kill a half-million scary Iraqi people and destabilize an entire continent even further, please please oh pretty please. U.N. inspectors, Blix reiterated for the 20th time, have found next to nothing. All those buildings in Powell's super-top-secret satellite photos? Empty. Nuclear factories? Nada. All those terrifying WMDs? Almost nonexistent. Can you smell it? This is when all that pro-war WWII-style jingoism starts to reek, its fumes just a little sour, a little venomous and toxic and soul curdling. Or that could just be Rumsfeld's cologne. Eau du Warhead. A touching side story: J. Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the House and noted hunk of conservative sweating Muenster cheese, was actually considering legislation to ban French wine and bottled water -- for "health reasons," he said, and not because France has smartly dissed poor Shrub on the whole bogus-war thing. Isn't that cute? Hastert claimed that some French wine is clarified using cow blood. Hee. Oh Dennis. As the kids say, are you high? Hastert also reportedly claimed that certain molecules in French fries and French toast and French ticklers have perhaps been secretly coded by French porn stars with perverted terrorist messages designed to drive American babies insane and cause massive genital warts on teenagers and SUV owners. Just, you know, something he read. Note to Dennis: hush now. But enough with the bit players. Have we seen this sort of thing before? This kind of protest, on this scale? Vietnam rings a rather bitter, and heartbreaking, bell. But that movement had a decidedly different complexion. Huge protests, yes, but more localized, organized largely by doomed students, not quite so many millions of "normal" citizens rallying from Spain to Germany to Greece, all on the same day, all holding up signs featuring giant photos of our smirky squinty blank-eyed leader with a big red X over his face. And oh yes, upwards of 50,000 U.S. troops were killed in Vietnam. In Iraq, we might suffer, say, two dozen casualties, most from our own mistakes and "friendly fire" (if Desert Storm is any precedent), while we can expect to massacre roughly half a million Iraqis in the first week. Now, that's patriotic. Would anyone tolerate Shrub's warmongering if we stood to lose 50,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq? Hardly. Good thing it's mostly just innocent foreign civilians and children. Which brings us to the latest phony Orange Alert. And all the other astoundingly coincidental announcements of alleged terrorist action threatening the U.S., shrill alarmist rhetoric that, every single time, just so happened to be conveniently timed for just when Shrub was prancing most precariously in the glaring light of general idiocy and ratings slippage. Enron scandal: Time for a terror alert. The economy is tanking: Look out! Terrorists! Tax cuts for the rich: Terrorists are in your yard! The U.N. rejects your plea, the whole damn world is against your little war and you need to drum up some additional domestic fear like, pronto, to justify your small-scale megalomania: Stand back, time for a bogus Orange Alert! Coincidence? You do the math. This just in: A federal appeals court just decided that Arkansas officials can use drugs to render an insane murderer sane enough to execute. True. Finally, something Geedubya can cheer about. Just like Texas, eh, George? When life was easy and killing them crimnulz was just a flipped switch away? When all you had to deal with were a few dozen ragtag protesters outside the prison, decrying your love of killin' in the name of the state. Shoot. Life sure was simpler then. Damn hippies.

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 2/22/2003 12:59:20 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   'Who Would Jesus Bomb?' And other great questions from Seattle's anti-war march. seattleweekly.com February 19 - 25, 2003 MOSSBACK And other great questions from Seattle's anti-war march. by Knute Berger LAST SATURDAY, Feb. 15, I went out to cover the anti-war march, which, to be frank, meant wearing my press credentials and scribbling in my reporter's notebook while swimming with a current of humanity whose collective purpose I endorse. But covering demonstrations-and participating in them-is weird. Not only because, in this case, I was trying to keep a writer's detachment while being stirred by the people's passions, but because there is no way a protest of this magnitude can ever make a coherent argument. Or reflect your own. Despite a singleness of purpose, it was made up of people with a vast array of ideas, beliefs, outrages, religions, and flash points. There are as many reasons to object to the war in Iraq as there were people in the march; the only thing solid in the solidarity is the flow itself. That's why they call it a "movement." The issue of "how many" is interesting because the estimates of the size of the Seattle demonstration varied so widely. At Westlake Park, I asked two police officers who guessed 8,000 or 15,000 but admitted they had no frickin' idea. Officially, the number was more like 20,000, organizers said closer to 30,000, and the Seattle Independent Media Center Web site estimated 55,000. My sense, drawn from having participated and covered many local marches and demonstrations-from Vietnam in the late 1960s to WTO in 1999-is that the Indymedia folks were closer to the truth. Standing at Second Avenue and Pine Street, one could look down the broad, full length of the avenue as far as the eye could see and see nothing but marchers-and that was just a fraction of those who were farther ahead and way behind. Certainly, the crowd would have matched a sellout at Safeco Field. One poster on the Indymedia Web site said this march was "The Anti-War Movement brought to you by Banana Republic." One was struck by the middle-class nature of the crowd, with affinity groups by neighborhood ("Lake Forest Park for Peace!") or special interests ("Knit Yes, Bombs No"). In addition to humor and outrage, some of the signs people carried evinced a desire to assert the complexities of the situation. OK, ENOUGH. I turn over the rest of my column to Seattleites who spoke via the signs they carried and T-shirts they wore. They convey the essence of Feb. 15: "How Many Lives = an Oil Field?" "Patriots for Peace" "Kill, Drill, Fill My Pocket" "Impeach Bush" "Try Bush for Treason" "Cryptids and Daredevils for Peace" "Bush Is a Moron, Don't Let Him Get His War On" "How Many Lives per Gallon?" "Pro-Israel, Anti-War" "Our Asses of Evil: Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld" "Let's Bomb Texas: They've Got Oil" "Stop Mad Cowboy Disease" "Space Is for Deadheads, not Warheads" "English Majors for Peace" "Queer Jews Against the War" "Use Your Words: Don't Fight" "Time for Pre-emptive Diplomacy" "Question Authority" "Empty Warheads Found in Washington" "No Blood for Re-election" "Stop Global Warring" "One Nation, Under Surveillance" "Disarm Bush Too" "Support Our Troops: Bring Them Home Now!" "Peace Is Pre-emptive" "If You're Not Outraged, You're Not Paying Attention" "Drunken Frat Boy Drives Country Into Ditch" "Dear George: Eat Me" "No War, Eat Bush" "Truckers Against This Stupid War" "Bush: Big Business Bitch" "War Is Terrorism" "The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Bush Himself" "Satellite Data Now" "Repent From an Addiction to Power & Violence" "Peaceful Relations With All Other Nations" "War Is a Feminist Issue" "Germany Has Learned Its Lesson, You Have Not" "Lieberman: Whore to Power" "Who Would Jesus Bomb?" "Anti Gas-Guzzlers Unite!" "Bush Is to Christianity as Osama Is to Islam" "Err on the Side of Humanity" "God's Country Is the World" "Sacrifice SUVs, Not Our Children" "Do We Need Our Allies to Save Us From Ourselves?" "Don't Oil-Jack Iraq" "Draft SUV Drivers First" "It's Not a War, It's a Con" "Code Orange Is Bullshit" "If It Was Right, We'd Have More Allies" "Corporate-Owned Media Is Killing Democracy-No More Junk Food News" "Don't Kill More Iraqi Babies" "Duct Tape and Plastic for the Poor" "We Cannot Spread Democracy With Laser-Guided Bombs" "Apocalypse Democracy" "Geishas for Peace" "Poodles for Peace" "Rumsfeld = Old America" "Let Exxon Send Their Own Troops" "Disarm the Texas Oil Mafia" "War Begins with Dubya" "Bush is Al Qaeda's Top Recruiter" "In Sauron We Trust . . . Welcome to Mordor" "Know Your History: Distrust Government" "God Save America" "Inspectors Forever: No War" "A Village in Texas Is Missing Its Idiot" "Peace Is Worth It" kberger@seattleweekly.com seattleweekly.com

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/7/2003 2:22:03 AM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   "Students and Youth Walk Out; Pentagon Announces Planned War Crimes; International Peace Movement Adopts March 15 as Date of Solidarity Actions Worldwide Date: THU, 6 MAR 2003 13:44:02 -0500 " Dear VoteNoWar Member: Tens of thousands of people walked out yesterday to protest war against Iraq. Youth, students, and others left high school, left college campuses, left their workplaces and walked out into the streets carrying out hundreds of anti-war actions in communities around the United States, yesterday, March 5. It is undeniable that the anti-war movement emanates from every community now, and it has become a powerful force demanding a halt to Bush's war drive. VoteNoWar members and ANSWER youth and students participated in many of these actions. The reason the anti-war movement is growing so fast is that the world recognizes that the Bush Administration is not only planning to carry out an llegal unprovoked assault but that it intends to use methods that constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The reign of terror and violence is no longer a secret but the declared policy and strategy of the Bush administration. Fearful that a large number of U.S casualties will intensify a political backlash at home, the war planners are openly admitting that they intend to create maximum terror among the raqi population. A front page article in the New York Times yesterday reported the Pentagon's plans for "unleashing 3,000 precision-guided bombs and missiles in the first 48 hours of the campaign. General Myers warned that the American attack would result in Iraqi civilian casualties... 'But we can't forget that war is inherently violent,' he said. 'People are going to die. As hard as we try to limit civilian casualties, it will occur. We need to condition people that that is war. People get the idea this is going to be antiseptic. Well, its not going to be.'" ("U.S. General Sees Plan to Shock Iraq Into Surrendering" New York Times, March 5, 2003) Those of us who are unwilling to be "conditioned" must do everything in our power in the next days to make March 15th a day that tells the Bush administration they cannot launch this slaughter. More than 120 representatives from the anti-war movement in 28 countries convened in London this past weekend to plan strategies and coordinate international efforts to stop the war on Iraq. The U.S. was represented by a delegation from the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition." >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> This post was in my email. I thought I'd share.

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/9/2003 12:33:45 AM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Activists Plan Strong Anti-War Strategy seattlepi.nwsource.com By JEFF DONN ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER The following is an excerpt from article: "On Wednesday, thousands of students around the United States walked out of classes. Some Americans have taken quiet, personal actions too. Anti-war members of the clergy have slipped into Iraq - without U.S. government permission mandated by American sanctions law - or visited European countries to lobby and pray with the local religious communities. Anti-war American doctors have gone to Iraq to evaluate the dangers that war poses for civilians there. Picking up on domestic anxieties, some anti-war activists have argued that conflict might foster more terrorism that endangers American civilians on their own turf. "It's almost certainly going to guarantee not only more violence in the Middle East, but will almost guarantee another calamitous attack on U.S. soil," said Scott Lynch, a spokesman for Peace Action. The White House has argued that disarming Iraq is part of its war on terrorism and will disrupt that government's links with terrorist groups. The peace movement has also embraced a particularly influential contingent of supporters: veterans of the war with Iraq 12 years ago. "Sept. 11 was nothing compared to the destruction that we visited on Iraq 12 years ago and even more so for what will probably happen this time," said Charles Sheehan-Miles, a decorated tank crewman in the 1991 Persian Gulf War who now wants peace." seattlepi.nwsource.com --- On the Net peace-action.org notinourname.net freerepublic.com rallyforamerica.org

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/11/2003 2:35:53 AM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   [ Democratic] Candidates Find Agendas Eclipsed by Antiwar Questions The following is an excerpt: "I'd like to hear something stronger from Congress," said Barbara Boatwright, a longtime Polk County Democratic activist who sternly pressed Mr. Kerry on his vote. "I wish we'd have an outcry and protest from Democratic members of Congress." Article: Candidates Find Agendas Eclipsed by Antiwar Questions Author: Adam Nagourney Source: New York Times Date: March 10, 2003 Page A 16

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/12/2003 1:57:36 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   counterspin.blogspot.com >>>>>>>>>> I found the above link in my email--Mephisto

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/13/2003 3:33:54 AM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   The tyrants muzzling our free speech? Us accessatlanta.com When President Bush visited Atlanta in mid-February, Cobb County homemaker Sally Rountree decided to take the opportunity to show her opposition to the probable invasion of Iraq. So she scribbled a homemade sign -- "No War for Oil" -- and found a place along the route of the presidential motorcade, hoping Bush would see her protest. As she tells it, she was never rude. She didn't shout. She didn't elbow other onlookers or jostle toward the front of the crowd. She merely stood holding her sign. Nevertheless, for the offense of exercising her rights as a citizen of one of the world's greatest democracies, she was spat on, threatened and yelled at. One man went so far as to denounce her for wearing a cross around her neck, "insinuating I was not a Christian," she said. As she wrote in an op-ed essay for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "I was frightened that my neighbors were going to hurt me because I dared to express my opinion. This could not be happening. Not in America, right?" But it is happening here. Rountree is not the only dissenting voice to find that her fellow citizens have adopted a pinched and distorted pseudo-patriotism that mangles the principles upon which the nation was founded -- including the freedom to criticize the president without fear of retribution. Around the country, antiwar dissenters have been threatened and harassed, even for the mildest protests. An Albany, N.Y., mall, for example, has apparently ejected some shoppers for wearing T-shirts with peace slogans. Last week, a security guard approached Stephen Downs at the Crossgates Mall and asked him to remove the T-shirt he was wearing, emblazoned with the words "Peace on Earth" and "Give peace a chance." When Downs refused to remove the shirt or leave the mall, he was arrested for trespassing. (The charges were later dropped.) A few weeks ago, Cobb County resident Donna Smythe found that an intruder had driven into her yard to run over her sign, which declared, "War Is Not the Answer." She bravely replaced it with multiple antiwar signs, which, so far, remain standing. There is layer upon layer of sad irony in the actions of those who would muzzle Smythe and other dissenters. Even as Bush denounces Saddam Hussein's tyranny and vows to plant the seeds of democracy in Iraq, Americans are trying to tear down one of the pillars of their democracy. The citizens' right to criticize their leaders was so important to the Founding Fathers that they placed free speech in the First Amendment to the Constitution. You would think that Bush would use his bully pulpit to remind Americans that they ought to be modeling the democratic values that we are trying to export. But the president has shown himself to be wary of democratic processes if they happen to clash with his agenda. Consider Bush's answer to a recent question from reporters about Mexico, which may not vote to support a U.N. resolution authorizing war against Iraq. While saying "I don't expect there to be significant retribution from the government," Bush also mentioned, curiously, "a backlash against the French, not stirred up by anybody except the people." Was the president suggesting Americans should be hostile toward Mexicans in this country if Mexico doesn't support the U.S. position in the United Nations? The oddest thing about this wave of hardline pseudo-patriotism is that it substitutes for genuine patriotism -- for a sense of shared sacrifice that would befit a proud nation threatened by hostile forces. Military recruiters report no upsurge in enlistment. And while one or two courageous voices have suggested a debate on bringing back the draft -- either for the military or for homeland security -- conscription is widely considered a political impossibility. Few politicians would dare suggest we make any real sacrifices in the service of our country. Instead, too many of us believe we have shown ourselves to be great patriots when we stick an American flag bumper sticker on the old SUV and run over the peace placards in our neighbor's yard. Perhaps we've forgotten what we're fighting to defend. Cynthia Tucker is the editorial page editor. Her column appears Sundays and Wednesdays.

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/20/2003 11:41:32 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Ready for Peace? By Bob Herbert Bob Friday, March 21, 2003 nytimes.com NEW YORK Now that U.S. strikes against Iraq have begun, Americans should get rid of one canard immediately, and that's the notion that criticism of the Bush administration and opposition to this U.S.-led invasion imply in some sense a lack of support or concern for the men and women who are under arms. The names of too many of my friends are recorded on the wall of the Vietnam Memorial for me to tolerate that kind of nonsense. I hope that the war goes well, that American troops prevail quickly and that casualties everywhere are kept to a minimum. But the fact that a war may be quick does not mean that it is wise. Against the wishes of most of the world, we Americans have plunged not just into war, but toward a peace that is potentially more problematic than the war itself. Are Americans ready to pay the cost in lives and dollars of a long-term military occupation of Iraq? To what end? Will an occupation of Iraq increase or decrease our security here at home? Do most Americans understand that even as they are launching one of the most devastating air assaults in the history of warfare, private companies are lining up to reap the riches of rebuilding the very structures the United States in the process of destroying? Companies like Halliburton and Schlumberger and the Bechtel Group understand this conflict a heck of a lot better than most of the men and women who will fight and die in it, or the armchair patriots who'll be watching on CNN and cheering them on. It's not unpatriotic to say that there are billions of dollars to be made in Iraq and that the gold rush is already under way. It's simply a matter of fact. Back in January, an article in The Wall Street Journal noted: "With oil reserves second only to Saudi Arabia's, Iraq would offer the oil industry enormous opportunity should a war topple Saddam Hussein. "The early spoils would probably go to companies needed to keep Iraq's already run-down oil operations running, especially if oil-services firms such as Halliburton Co., where Vice President Dick Cheney formerly served as chief executive, and Schlumberger Ltd. are seen as favorites for what could be as much as $1.5 billion in contracts." There is tremendous unease at the highest levels of the Pentagon about this war and its aftermath. The president and his civilian advisers are making a big deal about the anticipated rejoicing of the liberated populace once the war is over. Iraq, however, is an inherently unstable place, and while the forces assembled to chase Saddam from power are superbly trained for combat, the military is not well prepared for a long-term occupation in the most volatile region in the world. What's driving this war is President George W. Bush's Manichaean view of the world and messianic vision of himself, the dangerously grandiose perception of American power held by his saber-rattling advisers, and the irresistible lure of Iraq's enormous oil reserves. Polls show that the public is terribly confused about what's going on, so much so that some 40 percent believe Saddam Hussein was personally involved in the Sept. 11 attacks. That's really scary. Rather than correct this misconception, the administration has gone out of its way to reinforce it. I think the men and women moving militarily against Saddam are among the few truly brave and even noble individuals left in U.S. society. They have volunteered for the dangerous duty of defending the rest of the American people. But I also believe they are being put unnecessarily in harm's way. As a result of the military buildup, there is hardly a more hobbled leader on Earth at the moment than Saddam Hussein. A skillful marshaling of international pressure could have forced him from power. But then the Bush administration would not have had its war and its occupation. It would not have been able to turn Iraq into an American protectorate, which is as good a term as any for a colony. Is it a good idea to liberate the people of Iraq from the clutches of a degenerate like Saddam? Sure. But there were better, less dangerous ways to go about it. In the epigraph to his memoir, "Present at the Creation," Dean Acheson quoted a 13th-century king of Spain, Alphonso X, the Learned: "Had I been present at the creation I would have given some useful hints for the better ordering of the universe."

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/21/2003 2:47:10 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   1,000 arrests at San Francisco demonstration news.independent.co.uk AP 21 March 2003 Galvanised by the Anglo-American attack on Iraq, thousands of anti-war activists around the world have taken to the streets, with more than 1,000 people arrested while demonstrating in San Francisco. In the US the anti-war groundswell also brought out thousands of counter-demonstrators. One in Mississippi carried a sign saying, "Support the US or keep your mouth shut." "This is no ordinary day," said Jason Mark, a San Francisco activist. "America is different today: We've just launched an unprovoked, unjust war." Protests erupted in Asia and Australia. The streets of Melbourne were choked with 5,000 protesters demanding an end to the conflict as mock air raid sirens wailed. In Islamabad, Pakistan's religious right urged anti-war activists to stage marches, but withdrew a call for a nation-wide strike saying it would hurt ordinary Pakistanis trying to make a living. In Bangkok, about 100 Thai anti-war activists marched on the US Embassy. Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, girded for large protests and police beefed up security at foreign embassies and businesses. Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched on American embassies in European capitals and in Manila, the Philippines. In Egypt, riot police used water cannons and attack dogs to keep anti-war demonstrators away from the US Embassy. Protesters hurled stones, pounded cars and shouted against the United States and Egypt's leaders. Police reports said 37 protesters and police were injured. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, police fired tear gas grenades and rubber bullets to scatter demonstrators who stoned the US Embassy. Italians marched by the thousands in Rome and other cities, and the country's powerful trade unions organised two hour work strikes. In Athens, more than 100,000 people marched to the US embassy, where their rally ended peacefully. But violence broke out in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, where demonstrators set fire to a car and hurled eggs and red paint at police. In the United States, San Francisco saw some of the heaviest anti-war activity.Thousands in roving bands temporarily took control of some city centre streets. Smaller splinter groups broke windows, heaved debris into streets and occasionally scuffled with police. Police wearing helmets and carrying night-sticks made at least 1,025 arrests. Hundreds of protesters marched in Pittsburgh and 50 arrests were made. Anti-war protesters blocked traffic in Washington. Dozens of activists temporarily shut down inbound lanes of a Potomac River crossing, holding up the morning traffic. Outside the White House, about 50 stood in chilly rain and shouted, "No blood for oil!" About 300 protesters rallied in the evening. In New York, anti-war protesters converged in a steady rain on Times Square at rush hour. news.independent.co.uk

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/22/2003 2:38:28 AM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Redeem this day of shame Andrew Murray Friday March 21, 2003 The Guardian The assault on Iraq which began yesterday is a war the British people do not want. Never before, at least since public opinion first became a serious political consideration, has this country gone to war with only a minority of the population in support. Tens of thousands across the country drove that point home yesterday, in the biggest ever display of coordinated civil disobedience on the streets of our towns and cities. Many more will march for peace in London tomorrow. Tony Blair's appeal for national support for the war effort is already falling on deaf ears. Despite the government's efforts over the past few days to re-spin the attack on Iraq as if it were now supported by a new national consensus, the anti-war movement - unprecedented in its scope and representativeness - is clear: we cannot and will not support this war. The logic is simple. If it is right to oppose a crime when it is being publicly contemplated, how much more important is it to do so when it is in the process of commission. It is not those who oppose the war who need to justify themselves, but those Labour MPs who assured their local parties as recently as last weekend that they would never support war without UN authority, only to do just that days later. Ministers will, of course, play on the sympathy of many people for British troops. Yet the fact remains that they are not fighting in the interests of the British people, nor on behalf of any international community, but for a reactionary and dangerous US administration to which Tony Blair has subordinated our country. The prime minister was, however, clearly right when he told the Commons this week that the conduct of this crisis will shape world politics for the next 20 years. For him, that apparently means a generation in which international affairs will be conducted on the basis of a disregard for law and UN authority, and an unconditional subordination to US imperial power. That outlook is not shared by the other major powers, France, Russia, China and Germany among them. The great majority of the countries of the world appear no more ready to embrace the hegemony of the US today than they did that of the British empire a century ago. The most sobering aspect of the great power split provoked by George Bush's unilateralism is the reminder that, in the past, neo-colonial conflicts like this one have often led to much larger wars. So now is the time to speak out, or risk becoming complicit in a repetition of some of the worst crimes of the 19th and 20th centuries. Blair's responsibility for this crisis cannot be concealed by the week's big lie - that it is all the fault of the French. The prime minister did not get the second security council resolution which he so craved because the majority of the council opposed him and the US administration was not interested anyway. It is far more likely that, had Britain adopted the firm position of France and Germany from the beginning, a peaceful solution to the crisis could have been found. Instead, he has given comfort to the wild men in charge in Washington throughout by denying them the total international isolation their policies warrant. As it is, it is the prime minister himself who is isolated. His war is opposed by most of the people he was elected to represent, and denounced by virtually every expert on international law except the attorney general, as well as by almost every other country he would like to claim as a friend. The course of events in the Gulf itself is unpredictable. Blair is banking on a sense of fatalism and powerlessness to immobilise the majority opposed to the aggression; but he knows he has no margin for error in either military or political events as they unfold. Beyond the coalition of Conservatives and the minority of Labour backbenchers supporting the invasion, public opinion is unlikely to tolerate either British military casualties or Iraqi civilian casualties on any significant scale, given that it was never convinced of the case for war in the first place. It should have been possible to avoid the possibility of either. But Tony Blair has chosen loyalty to the US president over the people of this country. As a result, tomorrow will see the largest-ever demonstration against a war in which British troops are fighting, while they are doing so. That is the pass to which Tony Blair has brought the country, even before the British people start to reap the inevitable whirlwind the prime minister is sowing in the Middle East. This is a day of shame for Britain. Only the actions of ordinary people standing up for peace and democracy can now redeem it. · Andrew Murray is chairman of the Stop the War Coalition, which has called tomorrow's demonstration in London apdmurray@hotmail.com >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 100,000 expected at London peace march Airports halted, roads blocked, and flags burnt guardian.co.uk John Vidal Saturday March 22, 2003 The Guardian More than 100,000 people are expected to demonstrate today in central London, the anti-war coalition said yesterday as peace activists continued to protest around the world, stopping airports, blocking roads, holding vigils and burning British and US flags. Greece was shut down by a four-hour general strike and hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated in Dublin and in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Middle East, with people laying siege to fast food restaurants and British and American banks. The scale of yesterday's protests in Britain was not as great as on Thursday, when tens of thousands of people, including many students and schoolchildren, disrupted city centres. But traffic in Parliament Square, London, and Sheffield city centre was brought to a halt by hundreds of cyclists chanting anti-war slogans. Sixteen people were arrested in Manchester for public order offences during a protest which blocked a main road. Today's march in London is expected to be considerably smaller than the one in February which attracted more than 1 million people. "We had two months to organise February's protest and just four days for this one. But we expect one of the biggest demonstrations ever held in Britain during wartime," said John Rees, of the anti-war coalition. He expects protests and vigils to continue throughout the war, but does not expect another national rally. Protests are expected in more than 2,000 cities worldwide over the weekend, but organisers are unsure of numbers. "We will not hear of many until much later," said a spokesman for International Answer, a US anti-war group. "But we do know that the protests against the Vietnam war built up over time. We can expect the same." Meanwhile, Greenpeace dropped thousands of "No war" leaflets over RAF Fairford air base in Gloucestershire shortly before eight of the 14 B-52 bombers based there took off for Iraq. The environment group said that it had alerted the air base, the civil aviation authority and the police beforehand. Gloucestershire police said they were taking no action over the protest. "I know the flight time to Iraq and I keep on looking at my watch and when six hours have gone by, I know what will be happening," said Adele Perret, 27, who is with the peace camp outside the base. "All we can do is pray for the people out there and for the pilots." In Liverpool, where there have been major protests for three days, peace protesters faced a backlash from a small pro-war rally. Extra police officers were drafted in to patrol a peace march after word of a rival, impromptu pro-war demonstration was circulated. Workers across the Irish Republic downed tools at lunchtime yesterday in protest and peace vigils were held outside all post offices in a demonstration organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. Tomorrow tens of thousands of people are expected to take part in peace marches in towns and cities throughout Ireland. The strike in Greece shut down airports, banks, roads, and stores. More than 200,000 people demonstrated in major cities and consumer unions called for a boycott of American products, from clothes to films. Meanwhile, the Electro Hippies collective, an online anonymous group of "hacktivists" specialising in computer demonstrations and sit-ins, was yesterday trying to jam the official websites of the British and US governments. It called on tens of thousands of people to "stop up the official electronic mouthpieces of the major powers behind the war". The Stop the War coalition march to Hyde Park starts at midday. Meeting points, as on February 15, are Gower Street and Embankment. Details www.stopwar.org.uk and 020-7053-2153/4/5/6. CND will hold a peace vigil in Whitehall from 11am

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/22/2003 3:05:31 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Anti-war protesters promise more demonstrations as war continues in Iraq MARTHA MENDOZA, Associated Press Writer Saturday, March 22, 2003 (03-22) 07:25 PST SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Undeterred by mass arrests, anti-war protesters nationwide took to the streets brandishing fake blood, homemade signs and candles, while rallies to support the troops sometimes were held just a few blocks away. From demonstrations near the White House to a march through downtown Boulder, Colo., from candlelight vigils to traffic disruptions, anti-war demonstrations continued Friday as U.S. troops marched toward Baghdad. "We will sustain this for many days. This is really just the start," said Jamie Hurlbut, an office worker who joined protesters blocking downtown San Francisco traffic Friday after eight hours in police custody. "I literally went to sleep and came back out to hit the streets again." Anti-war protests were planned Saturday for New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Paul, Minn., and other cities. Rallies to show support for U.S. troops also were planned. On Friday, raucous bands of demonstrators marched through the streets of San Francisco in the largest of the nation's anti-war protests, and remained on the streets late into the night. Two side-by-side rallies, one attacking and the other defending U.S. policies, were held in Pittsburgh's downtown Market Square. Printer Bryan Reiter and co-workers left their job for a pro-U.S. rally, and held a sign that read: "War is evil, but sometimes it is the lesser of evils." At a Columbus, Ohio, rally to support U.S. soldiers, several hundred people brought shaving cream, toothpaste and other supplies for the troops. In return, Gov. Bob Taft's office distributed 1,000 red, white and blue ribbons. In Amherst, N.Y., 80-year-old George Messer took part in his first-ever rally -- a show of support for U.S. troops. "I had to get out because of these anti-war protesters," the World War II veteran said outside the Amherst Municipal Building, where about 75 people gathered. After the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of prayer, the group broke into the "Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America." Passing cars honked their support. Protests were far more subdued on Friday than on Thursday, when police made more than 2,000 arrests, including more than 1,300 in San Francisco. On Friday, about 900 people were arrested in San Francisco, 65 in Chicago, 26 in Washington, D.C., and at least six in Portland, Ore. None were detained in New York. Though earlier protests had been peaceful, even festive, some demonstrators scuffled with police, and San Francisco police on Friday vowed to be more aggressive in controlling the crowds. "We went from what I would call legal protests to absolute anarchy," Assistant Police Chief Alex Fagan Sr. said. His department said it spent $450,000 containing the demonstrations. The policy was evident Friday night, when San Francisco police divided, cordoned off and arrested a crowd of a few hundred, some of whom said they were not demonstrating but caught up in the marching crowd. Several journalists who were covering the protests were detained. Many anti-war demonstrations focused on federal buildings and the offices of politicians, including Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman in Hartford, Conn., and Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer in New York. All three voted in October to authorize President Bush to use military force, if necessary, to disarm Iraq. Three anti-war demonstrators were arrested as they tried to enter the Nashville office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and in San Francisco, police blocked hundreds from entering the offices of Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. In Olympia, Wash., a vigil at the Capitol entered its third day Friday. Peace activists with candles arrived shortly before the first bombs fell over Iraq Wednesday, and have since maintained a presence. The turnouts were considerably scaled down from Thursday, when an estimated 2,000 people protested the war in downtown Seattle, hundreds more marched in Bellingham and Olympia, and smaller groups turned out in Yakima and Spokane. In the nation's capital, about 100 people gathered outside a park near the White House. Atop the stroller of 2 1/2-year-old Margot Bloch her mother, Nadine, had written: "Be nice. No hitting. Peace now." Police said 22 people were arrested for disrupting traffic. Smaller groups of protesters staged "die-ins" at major intersections near the White House, lying down and drawing chalk lines around their bodies, or smearing fake blood on themselves and the street. Fake blood was also tossed Friday in Lawrence, Kan., where a man dressed as Uncle Sam stopped traffic as he dribbled red liquid on mock victims lying in the street. At a federal courthouse in Baltimore, about 45 people were arrested after blocking a driveway. University of Maryland students staged a mock "funeral for democracy" in nearby College Park and about 70 protesters waved anti-war banners before trying to enter the building. When security guards blocked them, they dropped to the damp ground to simulate war casualties. "We are mourning the deaths of innocent Iraqis who have no responsibility for anything their government may have done," said Ellen Barfield as she lay on her back in the grass. In Boston on Friday, a five-week peace march culminated with a 200-person rally on City Hall Plaza. "It's more important than ever that we continue to walk and pray and raise our voices against this war," said Sister Clare Carter of the Buddhist Peace Pagoda in Leverett, Mass., where the march started Feb. 16. "If we give in to war, there really is no hope." sfgate.com On the Net: Win Without War: winwithoutwarus.org >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> War protesters not too thrilled about their night in S.F. jail They say police were rude, food and bedding inadequate Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer Saturday, March 22, 2003 Anti-war protesters emerged tired, hungry and, in some cases, tearful Friday after being held overnight in a San Francisco jail. They weren't exactly treated like royalty but said they would be willing to get arrested again. Most of the 1,400 demonstrators arrested by police Thursday were cited and released either later in the day or Friday on misdemeanors, including blocking traffic, unlawful assembly and disturbing the peace. Five people arrested on Thursday and one on Friday face felony charges, most of which involve battery on a police officer. They will be arraigned Tuesday. "Our interest is to distinguish between those (who) practice civil disobedience and those intent on violence and destruction. The latter will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Mark MacNamara, spokesman for District Attorney Terence Hallinan. Among those facing felony charges is Asaf Achitoov, 34, of San Francisco, who allegedly threw bottles at police on horseback at Powell and Market streets, and Mink Kim, who grabbed another protester in a bear hug near Van Ness Avenue and Fell Street in an attempt to thwart an arrest of that man, police said. Ian Walker, 39, of San Francisco was arrested for allegedly grabbing an officer's billy club near Fourth and Market streets, prompting police to hit him with batons. Those who were released Friday whooped it up as they reunited with their friends outside San Francisco County Jail on Seventh Street. A group of women hugged and cried. Many declined to give their real names as they ate hot cereal and drank tea provided by supporters. "I'm free -- no charges, no papers. Bonjour, mon ami!" exclaimed one man in a bright yellow sweatshirt. Protesters were less pleased about how they had been forced to spend the night. "We understand that we were not on vacation, but it was unacceptable the way we were treated," said a protester who gave her name as Pancetta, 24, of Berkeley. Some protesters said a few officers and deputies were cordial and accommodating, flashing peace signs and responding to their requests quickly. The complaints, however, were more widespread. Some arrestees said that their hands had been bound too tightly and that police had ignored their complaints. Brian Henderson, 19, a UC Santa Cruz student, said police had used "scare tactics" on a protester who wouldn't give her name, including threatening to withhold bathroom privileges. "That is not right," Henderson said. Overnight, some protesters slept fitfully on the ground in small holding cells that housed 25 each. Others slept on mats with blankets in a gymnasium. Some women were addressed by deputies as "little girl" or "hon," one protester said. They griped that their requests for water or food were ignored or delayed for hours. When they did get fed, they got cheese or peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches that didn't taste great. "They didn't give us any water at all," said a woman who wished to be identified as Venus, 23, of Berkeley. "One (deputy) looked at me and turned away, and another said, 'I just got on duty, I don't know about water.' " Chris, 25, of Berkeley said their complaints were met by derision by deputies, who said, "This is what you get for protesting. Next time, don't protest." Carolina Dolimite, 20, of Oakland said of the jail conditions, "Just because it's expected doesn't mean it's right." Sheriff's spokeswoman Eileen Hirst said that those arrested had been processed and housed according to department policies and that anyone was free to file complaints. E-mail Henry K. Lee at hlee@sfchronicle.com.

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/22/2003 6:04:23 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Anti-war protests sweep the globe EXCERPT: news.bbc.co.uk " Tens of thousands of people worldwide have taken to the streets to stage the latest series of demonstrations against the conflict in Iraq. There have been rallies in Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East and Asia, while in the US marches are planned in Washington and other major cities. Demonstrations are also being held in Paris, Brussels and London, where protesters gathered in the city's Hyde Park for an afternoon of speeches. Some protests turned violent. In Brussels riot police tried to prevent protesters who hurled rocks and sticks at the US embassy from getting too close to the building, later using water cannon on a small number who split from the main protest. Mass protest in New York In New York City, around 100,000 people marched at lunchtime from Times Square to Greenwich Village's Washington Square Park, filling 20 city blocks. A few clashes took place as police chased and surrounded a small group who broke away from the main march. "We support the troops, but we do not support the president," said New York Congressman Charles Rangel. In Washington, several hundred protesters, chanting "No blood for oil," strode through the streets and rallied in front of the White House. But pro-war rallies were also reported in some cities, like Atlanta, Chicago, and Lansing, Michigan. Recent polls have suggested increasing support for the war among the US public. Pope's plea As 10,000 anti-war protesters marched through the Italian city of Naples towards a Nato base in Bagnoli, Pope John Paul II made his first public comment on the conflict. "When war, like the one now in Iraq, threatens the fate of humanity, it is even more urgent for us to proclaim, with a firm and decisive voice, that only peace is the way of building a more just and caring society," he said."

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/22/2003 6:06:08 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Demonstrators converge on US embassies news.independent.co.uk By Severin Carrell and Alyssa Cohen 23 March 2003 Tens of thousands of people continued to demonstrate against the war yesterday, with a series of protests around the globe. In Switzerland, 20,000 protesters in Geneva demanded an end to the conflict. Tens of thousands protested in Paris, and a similar number marched in Berlin with Iraqi, Palestinian and trade union flags. In Ireland, protesters and trade unionists staged marches in most major cities, including the capital, Dublin, where more than 5,000 people denounced the Irish parliament's vote to allow US planes to refuel at Shannon airport. Thousands of Italians marched on a Nato air base near Naples, southern Italy, while in Rome, petrol pumps were damaged by protesters. In the Middle East, several hundred students threw stones at teargas-wielding police in Bahrain, home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet. Police in New Delhi blocked about 5,000 war protesters from reaching the US embassy and arrested 30 protesters, mostly women. In Bangladesh, Dhaka was hit by a half-day strike and anti-American protests. In the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and in Hanoi, Vietnam, protesters rallied outside both US embassies, and 8,000 people joined a "peace run" in the Malaysian state of Kelantan. South Koreans marched in Seoul, complaining about the government's decision to send 700 non-combat troops to help US forces. In Bangkok, about 300 Thai Muslims, many wearing Osama bin Laden T-shirts, shouted slogans such as "God is great - Bush be damned," in front of the US embassy, while some stamped on Bush's portrait. The US embassy in the New Zealand capital of Wellington was besieged by about 4,000 people blowing trumpets, banging drums, and hurling toilet rolls. Demonstrators in the Australian cities of Brisbane and Hobart, sported gas masks and black armbands, and brought traffic to a standstill. In Japan, protesters marched through Tokyo and on the HQ of the US 7th Fleet at Yokosuka naval base. In addition to the huge protest march in London, anti-war demonstrators massed in Tony Blair's constituency and at key US military bases in Britain. About 100 peace activists gathered at the Prime Minister's constituency party offices in Trimdon, Co Durham, to picket a meeting of the local Labour Party. Meanwhile, about a 1,000 people gathered at the US National Security Agency base at Menwith Hill, North Yorkshire. Several hundred of them wore strips of tin foil in a tongue-in-cheek attempt to disrupt its highly-sensitive satellite and radio systems. In Scotland, more than 10,000 protesters marched and staged sit-down protests in the centres of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. Elsewhere in Britain, peace groups staged sit-downs, marches, slow cycle rides and motorcades through a number of cities. 22 March 2003 14:23 news.independent.co.uk

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/22/2003 11:02:25 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Marching Forward The New York Times March 22, 2003 By DAVID CALLAHAN Today there will be another rally for peace in Manhattan. In the last few months, the United States has seen the emergence of the largest antiwar movement since the days of Vietnam. Yet the protests had no evident impact on the Bush administration's plans for war in Iraq, which began Wednesday. The movement could still influence the direction of United States foreign policy by signaling the profound unease that many Americans feel about a militarized, unilateral approach to the world. It may be, however, that the greater significance of the protests lies in what they portend for politics here at home. While antiwar movements are rarely successful in their immediate goal, they are often prescient indicators of the national mood. Historically, antiwar movements have nearly always put forth larger critiques of how American society is organized, and have often been entwined with powerful social movements focused on domestic problems. Protesters against the Mexican-American War of 1846, worried that it would add more slave-holding states to the Union, energized the abolitionist movement. At the turn of the century, many critics of the imperialistic Spanish-American War were also leaders in a growing push to curb the power of corporate trusts. Likewise, the intense opposition among many Progressive leaders to America's entry into World War I was wrapped up in domestic considerations. These leaders - the predecessors of New Deal liberals - argued that initiatives to create greater social and economic equity should take precedence over involvement in a European war. In the 1960's, the movement against the Vietnam War was linked to a range of national reform efforts, including demands for more civil rights and less poverty. The protests also helped create a counterculture of nonconformity that reshaped American society. What might today's antiwar movement say about domestic politics? Two undercurrents of the protests hint at larger critiques of United States society that seem to be gaining momentum. One relates to consumption, the other to democracy. Recent years have seen mounting public uneasiness with the relentless consumption and waste in America. This uneasiness fuels new and different kinds of environmental activism, like campaigns against suburban sprawl or S.U.V.'s. It also underlies the growing movement of "downshifting," which emphasizes simplicity and authenticity over earning and spending. So when antiwar protesters chant about oil, it should come as no surprise. They are questioning not just the huge United States military presence in the Persian Gulf; they are also criticizing a wasteful American way of life. This critique of our society existed before the war against Iraq, and it will become only more pronounced afterward. A larger message about the health of American democracy can also be heard amid the din of disparate antiwar arguments. Many protesters are unhappy that their arguments are being ignored - not so much by the news media, although coverage has been sporadic at best, but by their elected leaders. Of course, a disconnect between the will of ordinary people and elites in Washington has been obvious for more than a decade. It has spurred many third-party candidacies and led to campaign-finance reform. Now, after the manipulation of public opinion by a president intent on war, and the failure of Congress to offer real dissent to his policy, voters' concerns about the health of American democracy will only deepen. None of these undercurrents is likely to transform American politics any time soon. But elected leaders should understand that the direction of American foreign policy and the fate of Iraq are not the only things protesters are concerned about. They are also worried about the fate of America - and if history is any guide, their voices will only get louder. David Callahan is director of research at Demos, a public policy organization. nytimes.com Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 3/31/2003 2:29:41 AM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Giving Wings to the Peace Movement By Tomas Alex Tizon, Times Staff Writer latimes.com ISSAQUAH, Wash. In the mind of peace advocate Michiko Pumpian, the crane is mightier than the sword -- and, for that matter, more persuasive than protest marches. The tall, graceful bird is a symbol of peace in her native Japan, and the 48-year-old Pumpian has exported the idea across the globe. For the last decade, she has led the World Peace Project for Children, which promotes peace through the creation of origami cranes. In 1999, Pumpian got children from around the world to create a crane 120 feet tall and 215 feet wide. All over it were handwritten messages of peace. It was displayed in Seattle's Kingdome and holds a spot in the Guinness Book of Records. "When people sit down to make something with their hands, when they work together and think about peace together, they can't help but become friends," said Pumpian, who immigrated to Los Angeles in 1981 and later moved to this small town east of Seattle with her husband and three children. While antiwar demonstrators block intersections a few miles from her home and make speeches on nearby university campuses, Pumpian represents another side of the movement -- one that predates the Iraq war and takes a longer-term and understated approach. These kinds of organizations, which distinguish themselves by promoting peace rather than opposing war, tend to be overshadowed by more vocal groups during times of conflict. And yet Pumpian and her fellow peace workers say their method accomplishes more change. Estimates vary on the number of peace groups in this country -- from dozens to hundreds, depending on how the term is defined. But long-standing organizations devoted exclusively to peace have more effect on citizens because "we exist outside the atmosphere of confrontation," said Jerry Linscheid of the Mennonite Central Committee, a group based in Akron, Pa. The committee, founded in 1920, has organized programs that bring Israeli and Palestinian teenagers together on camping trips or teach ministers in Africa about peaceful mediation between warring groups. The Buddhist Peace Fellowship in Berkeley, in existence for 25 years, encourages members to pray and meditate openly about peace -- usually in silence -- making sure not to disrupt any aspect of the community. The Atrium Society of Middlebury, Conn., was founded in 1984 and holds workshops on preventing violent conflict on personal and global levels. Like Pumpian's organization, the society seeks to instill the concept of peace at a young age. Pumpian traces her preoccupation with peace to her parents, who were in Nagasaki when the United States dropped one of two atomic bombs on Japan to bring an end to World War II. She grew up with stories and images of what the bomb had wrought. She talked of desolated cityscapes, burned children, smoking corpses. "What war is really about," she said. From the horror was born the idea of spreading the message of peace as far as possible. Pumpian said she was especially inspired by the story of one Japanese child, Sadako Sasaki, who died at age 12 from the effects of the bomb. During her illness, Sadako prayed for recovery and for peace in the world, all the while folding paper cranes through the art of origami. According to Japanese legend, if you fold 1,000 cranes, you get a wish. Sadako died 36 cranes short. Pumpian has spent the last 10 years making up for Sadako's shortfall. With help from supporters in nearly a dozen countries, Pumpian started the World Peace Project for Children, which teaches peace through books, songs and art. She also started the Sadako Peace Club, which brings children from different nations together on projects such as the giant crane. In the last four years, children from around the globe have sent cranes to Pumpian with messages such as, "Don't let bombs drop in the world," and "Peace for everyone." It's part of her latest project, One Peace, One Crane. After amassing 1,000, she presents the bouquet of cranes to a peace worker or organization. Pumpian is a picture of Northwest casual in black sweat pants, a flowered shirt and furry slippers. She is petite, affable, supremely hospitable. She listens carefully and speaks slowly. She plays the piano and guitar and gives voice lessons to help make ends meet. Musical instruments and books dominate the living room where she runs her peace programs via telephone and e-mail. She said the war in Iraq makes her "sad," but quickly added that it isn't her role to protest. She and other peace advocates, however, recognize the role of protesters. "They're important too," said Bob Lyons of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. "They're part of the spectrum. We work on one level, they work on another level." On many occasions, the lines between peace advocates and antiwar protesters blur, with one agreeing to work with the other. Pumpian said she's been contacted by several protest groups, but she has not made up her mind to what extent she wants to get involved in the debate over the war in Iraq. She said she's willing, however, to release her giant crane for the purposes of peace -- given the right circumstances. In a storage shed behind her house sit the rolled-up segments of her world-record bird. There are 640 strips, 3 feet wide and 36 feet long. Four years ago it took hundreds of people, an engineering firm and lots of thick cable to put it together. The end result was a big bird with a big message. Ten thousand children wrote messages of peace that were attached to the crane. "And you know," Pumpian said, when the bird was spread out in the Kingdome, "it gave all those kids an image -- and an idea -- they would never forget."

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 4/3/2003 11:46:06 AM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Democracy Threatened? See next post.

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 4/3/2003 11:47:17 AM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Oregon Law Would Jail War Protesters as Terrorists Wed Apr 2, 9:01 PM ET story.news.yahoo.com Add Top Stories - By Lee Douglas PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) - b>An Oregon anti-terrorism bill would jail street-blocking protesters for at least 25 years in a thinly veiled effort to discourage anti-war demonstrations, critics say. The bill has met strong opposition but lawmakers still expect a debate on the definition of terrorism and the value of free speech before a vote by the state senate judiciary committee, whose Chairman, Republican Senator John Minnis, wrote the proposed legislation. Dubbed Senate Bill 742, it identifies a terrorist as a person who "plans or participates in an act that is intended, by at least one of its participants, to disrupt" business, transportation, schools, government, or free assembly. The bill's few public supporters say police need stronger laws to break up protests that have created havoc in cities like Portland, where thousands of people have marched and demonstrated against war in Iraq (news - web sites) since last fall. "We need some additional tools to control protests that shut down the city," said Lars Larson, a conservative radio talk show host who has aggressively stumped for the bill. Larson said protesters should be protected by free speech laws, but not given free reign to hold up ambulances or frighten people out of their daily routines, adding that police and the court system could be trusted to see the difference. "Right now a group of people can get together and go downtown and block a freeway," Larson said. "You need a tool to deal with that." The bill contains automatic sentences of 25 years to life for the crime of terrorism. Critics of the bill say its language is so vague it erodes basic freedoms in the name of fighting terrorism under an extremely broad definition. "Under the original version (terrorism) meant essentially a food fight," said Andrea Meyer of the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) (ACLU), which opposes the bill. Police unions and minority groups also oppose the bill for fear it could have a chilling effect on relations between police and poor people, minorities, children and "vulnerable" populations. Legislators say the bill stands little chance of passage. "I just don't think this bill is ever going to get out of committee," said Democratic Senator Vicki Walker, one of four members on the six-person panel who have said they oppose the legislation.

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 4/7/2003 6:02:19 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Police Attack Calif. Anti-War Protesters Monday April 7, 2003 9:50 PM OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Police opened fire with non-lethal projectiles at an anti-war protest at the Port of Oakland on Monday, injuring at least a dozen demonstrators and six longshoremen standing nearby. Most of the 500 demonstrators were dispersed peacefully, but police shot the projectiles at two gates when protesters refused to move and some of them allegedly threw rocks and bolts. The longshoremen, pinned against a fence, were caught in the line of fire. Police spokeswoman Danielle Ashford said officers fired bean-bag rounds and wooden dowels. They also used ``sting balls,'' which send out a spray of BB-sized rubber pellets and a cloud of tear gas and feel like a bee sting when they hit someone. Demonstrators said they targeted the port because at least one company there is handling war supplies. They said it was the first time they had been fired upon in Bay area protests since the Iraq war began last month. ``Oakland police are being the most aggressive of any department I've seen in the Bay Area since the war began,'' said protester Damien McAnany, a database manager. ``The San Francisco Police Department never used any of this stuff against us.'' Liz Highleyman, a San Francisco writer who has been at many of the major protests across the country in recent years, said the police response reminded her of the World Trade Organization riots in Seattle four years ago. ``This is a level of injury as high as I've seen anywhere since Seattle in 1999,'' she said. About 200 of the port demonstrators later marched to the federal building in Oakland, blocking a street and chanting: ``Out of the office and into the streets! U.S. out of the Middle East!'' They were joined by Oakland City Council members Jane Bruner and Jean Quan. ``They should not have been using the wooden bullets,'' Bruner said. ``Given what's happening in the world today, we're going to be seeing more of this. And we should be prepared to handle it.'' Oakland Police said at least 24 people were arrested. ``Some people were blocking port property and the port authorities asked us to move them off,'' said Deputy Police Chief Patrick Haw. ``Police moved aggressively against crowds because some people threw rocks and big iron bolts at officers.'' Six longshoremen were treated by paramedics, some of whom had bloody welts the size of a silver dollar. ``I was standing as far back as I could,'' said longshoremen Kevin Wilson. ``It was very scary. All of that force wasn't necessary.'' Steve Stallone, spokesman for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, said most of the dockworkers went back to work after the protesters left. A few were too shaken up to return. He said a union arbitrator was evaluating the situation, trying to determine whether the longshoremen should cross the protesters' picket line and go to work, when police started firing. ``They didn't care,'' he said. ``They just attacked the picket line. They declared it an illegal assembly and gave people two minutes to disperse. The police did not move to arrest anyone, they just started shooting.'' Protests also took place Monday at the federal building in San Francisco and at the Concord Naval Weapons Station. And seven people were arrested when they temporarily blocked an exit ramp off Interstate 280 in San Francisco. ^--- guardian.co.uk On the Net: Protest organizers: actagainstwar.org

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 4/7/2003 7:43:46 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Large demonstrations against Bush in Belfast, according to radio!

To: Mephisto who wrote (6111) 4/7/2003 8:55:19 PM From: Mephisto   Respond to of 15516   Peace protesters march on Belfast summit Ananova Monday April 7, 2003 10:12 PM Thousands of protesters marched on George Bush and Tony Blair's war summit near Belfast. Heavy security kept demonstrators away from Hillsborough Castle where the US President and the Prime Minister met for talks, but a procession made its way up to the County Down village to show opposition to the conflict. Amid the beat of drums and chants the crowds told the two leaders to leave Northern Ireland. Trade union leaders, politicians and relatives of those caught up in the war all joined the rally. One Iraqi who travelled from his new home in Londonderry to take part in the protest told how he lost contact with his family in Kirkuk in the northern region of the country 13 days ago. Abdul al-Jibouri, launched a fierce criticism of the US and British administrations. He said: "We have come here to make sure both the cowboy and his poodle get the message, we are not supporting war. "They need to get it into their thick heads that this is a war for oil which is leading to the slaughter of innocents." guardian.co.uk

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