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Do ItEnsure That Those Who Are Responsible For War Crimes Being Committed in Iraq Are Held Accountable by Center for Constitutional Rights June 6, 2004 Take action today together with The Center For Constitutional Rights, Greenpeace International, the Center for Economic and Social Rights and Peacerights to ensure the accountability of persons responsible for war crimes against the Iraqi people. International humanitarian law requires that warring parties not indiscriminately attack civilians or the infrastructure on which they depend to live. Likewise, attacks designed to spread terror amongst civilians are not permitted Today the US, UK and other forces launched a massive air strike against Iraq as part of the US military plan, "shock and awe." In the first 48 hours of this attack some 3,000 precision-guided missiles will be fired at or near Baghdad, a densely populated city of 5.6 million. In Afghanistan, these weapons had a maximum success rate of 85%, indicating that at least some 200 missiles will miss their targets daily and result in the indiscriminate deaths of innocent civilians. These tactics are illegal under the Geneva Convention as well as under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The U.S. B-2 Bombers involved in this attack were based at Fairford Air Base in the UK and Diego Garcia, an Island territory of the UK in the Indian Ocean. This fact brings these crimes within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). If you want to see the criminals of this war prosecuted to the full extent of the law, please send a message to the Prosecutor of the ICC who is due to be appointed in the very near future. Help us ensure that the atrocities in Iraq are at the top of his or her agenda with a mountain of mail demanding justice. Add your name and address to the letter at http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/whatsnew/action/actionAlert.asp Email this article to a friend Act now to stop bad election reform in Ohio! by Free Press staff June 23, 2005 The Ohio Senate Rules Committee is currently holding hearings to consider H.B. 3 - the election reform omnibus bill. This will not solve the problems witnessed in Ohio's elections last November. Legislation that requires all voters to show photo identification is misguided and will do more to disenfranchise legitimate voters than it ever will to curb "fraud". S.B. 36 needs to be defeated. H.B. 3 contains language that would put barriers in the way of voters. There are glaring omissions in the bill and it fails to address several key OH election problems - such as a lack of notification of former felons when their voting rights have been restored, simply put, H.B. 3 does not go far enough to protect the voting rights of Ohioans and should not be passed in its current form. A) Vote NO to S.B. 36! Photo identification requirements harm Ohio voters. B) Table H.B. 3 for further consideration! Ohioans deserve real election reform and H.B. 3 will not fix any of the problems seen in the November election. Sen. Bill Harris, Statehouse Room #201, Second Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: (614) 466-8086 Email: SD19@mailr.sen.state.oh.us If you have additional time - please call the other members of the Senate Rules Committee. They can be found at www.senate.state.oh.us/committees/com_rules.html Email this article to a friend Take Final Steps to Protect Medicaid in Budget by CPA NEWS August 29, 2005 RESULTS has made protecting Medicaid a major domestic focus for more than 6 months and the final outcome is right around the corner. By September 16, Congress must put together their final budget proposal, which includes $10 billion in cuts to the Senate Finance and House Energy and Commerce Committees that have jurisdiction over Medicaid. During the August recess, staffers will be putting together the final “menus” of budget options that Members will have to choose from when they return. This week, voice your support for Medicaid and tell Congress not to make any cuts to Medicaid that would hurt beneficiaries. Visit our Take Action Now center to send an e-mail to MOCs about Medicaid. (http://capwiz.com/results/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=7583841) For more resources and information on our health care work in 2005, check out our new Health Care for All Campaign Website. (http://www.results.org/website/article.asp?id=1459) Email this article to a friend What's next in Ohio? Outlawing Abortion? by NARAL September 20, 2005 This past spring anti-choice representatives in the Ohio House introduced a bill that would completely outlaw abortion in Ohio without exception: not to save a woman's life, not for victims of rape or incest. It would even put someone in jail for 15 years for driving a woman to another state to get an abortion. When he introduced the bill, Rep. Brinkman announced that his plan was to get the bill passed and then take it to the Supreme Court and use it to overturn Roe. Initially this looked like a far-fetched dream, but now with the dual vacancy on the Court, and John Roberts as the nominee for Chief Justice this dream may quickly turn into a reality and a nightmare for women in Ohio. Pro-choice Ohioans need to stand up now and say NO. We can't let this attack on Roe come from our home state! Please help us keep Brinkman's dreams in his imagination. Protect the right to choose in your community. Check out the NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio website for ways to get involved. Our community calendar lists our events going on throughout the state in the coming months. We need you now more than ever to do everything you can to make sure the above headline does not become a reality. Remember when you were told to just ignore something and it will go away? Well, right now if we ignore our right to choose, we are likely to soon watch it go away right here in Ohio, and across our county. Please get involved today and help us protect this critical right. Yours in Choice, Jaime Miracle Outreach and Field Director Email this article to a friend Routine air sampler detection system in Washington DC indicates results from possible disease agent by D.C. Health Department, Leila Abrar (202) 841-9232 October 4, 2005 Sept. 24 Test Results Indicate Tularemia Bacteria (RICHMOND, Va) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified the states of Maryland and Virginia and the District of Columbia today that an airborne form of Tularemia bacterium was detected by air sensors in the vicinity of the National Capital Mall during the weekend of Sept. 24 - 25. Since then, additional tests from these collectors have all been negative. Subsequent laboratory tests performed on the Sept. 24-25 samples have supported the presence of low levels of the bacterium in the environment. Public health officials do not believe the finding of low levels of the bacterium near the National Mall indicate a public health threat. Tularemia, which occurs naturally, is easily treated with common antibiotics. It cannot be transmitted from person to person. Tularemia is found naturally in the environment, and health officials are doing additional environmental sampling as well as reviewing other possible causes of the positive reading. State health departments have alerted local health departments, acute care treatment facilities, health care providers and veterinarians to be on the alert for signs of respiratory infections related to Tularemia. Also as a precaution, CDC and public health officials are alerting the medical community to be on the lookout for possible cases of Tularemia. To date, no cases of Tularemia have been discovered or reported. As a precautionary measure, CDC and public health officials are recommending that anyone who visited areas around the National Mall between 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 24 and 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 should see a health care provider if they experience symptoms related to Tularemia, which include: Sudden fever Chills Headaches Muscle aches Joint pain Dry cough Conjunctivitis Pneumonia People who do not have symptoms of Tularemia do not need to seek out medical attention. The Centers for Disease Control is the lead agency investigating this incident. Information about Tularemia is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov http://www.cdc.gov/. Similar information is available on the Virginia Department of Health Web site at www.vdh.virginia.gov. D.C. Health Department, Leila Abrar (202) 841-9232 Maryland Department of Health, Karen Black (804) 471-0842 VDH Press Pager (877) 573-9504 Email this article to a friend New Mexico Election Results Need Analyzed by VoterVoter Action/IH Center October 9, 2005 Help raise money to continue the valuable discovery of privatized electronic vote recording and tabulation problems. If adequate funding is raised immediately, discovery will continue with meaningful machine inspections conducted by academic experts. There are real and serious problems with the 2004 General Election results. Although we have seen similar issues in other states, the analysis in New Mexico, due to the availability of the data, and thoroughness and manner in which the analysis was conducted, has pinpointed serious problems according to specific machine types at the precinct level. Troubling patterns of unreliability and gross errors in the official election results especially in Native American and Hispanic communities have emerged. Problems include: * 24,000 "under votes", that is , a ballot cast but no vote recorded, with the highest under vote percentages in Hispanic and Native American precincts - but only when those voters votes on specific electronic paperless voting equipment. These under vote rates in the same precincts dropped when voters used paper ballots. * Over 2,000 phantom votes in the Presidential election alone (Over 10,000 across the state) * A high number of incident reports of switched votes on touch screen machines * Data manipulation by a third party vendor after the canvass report had been filed. * Tally results from a poll tape that omit the name and results for Kerry altogether * A disturbing review by a certified public accountant hired by the Secretary of State regarding the official results. A lawsuit was filed in New Mexico state court on January 14, 2005. The primary purpose of this action is to obtain a permanent injunction against use of the voting machines that have been linked to these problems. In addition to this goal, we hope to also gain better understanding of the problems through extensive discovery and share those findings with organizations and the public on a national level. This is a unique opportunity. Money must be raised quickly in order to move discovery forward in a timely and effective manner (see discovery update below for our initial findings). Currently we are in negotiations for machine inspection which, once agreement has been met, will require immediate cash flow. If we are able to secure adequate funding by the end of October we will be able to proceed.A minimum of approximately $70K must be raised in October to accomplish this in a meaningful way. The total budget for the New Mexico research and litigation effort is $250,000. As a project of the International Humanities Center, a 501(c)(3) organization, Voter Action can offer donors tax deductibility to the full extent permitted by law. Checks should be made out to Voter Action/IH Center c/o Voter Action, PO Box 25651, Albuquerque, NM 87125. Credit card payments may be made at our website - Voter Action. Gifts of stock can be made by contacting Pam Stokes at Voter Action New Mexico 505 823 6362 or Co Director Holly Jacobson 206 769 7185. Please help us continue this work! Email this article to a friend Tell Congress -- Save Organic Standards! by Act for Change October 11, 2005 Organic standards are under fire in Washington. An industry-sponsored "sneak attack" rider to the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill would take away traditional organic community and National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) control over organic standards, and centralize control in the hands of White House-appointed USDA officials. This would likely open the door for non-organic animal feed and hundreds of synthetic ingredients and processing aids in organic foods. The sneak attack rider is being pushed by powerful corporate interests such as Kraft, Dole, General Mills, and the Grocery Manufacturers of America (which includes Wal-Mart and the supermarket chains). Take action today to stop this "unfriendly takeover" of America's alternative food system by giant food processors and supermarket chains. Click here to take action now: Save Organic Standards Email this article to a friend Protect abortion rights by NARAL October 13, 2005 Yesterday the Ohio House Health committee held a hearing on House Bill 239. This politically-motivated and dangerous bill would make it more difficult for Ohio women to obtain safe, legal abortion care by: Eliminating funding for Medicaid and public employee health plans for abortion care for rape victims, and women whose health is at stake. Banning public hospitals and employees from providing abortion care—except to save the life of the woman. This bill has no exceptions for victims of rape or incest, for women who are at risk of losing a major bodily function or organ, or in cases where there are severe fetal abnormalities that will likely result in stillbirth. At the same time that the bill limits women's ability to exercise their legal right to choose, it doesn't provide a single penny of funding for prenatal or postnatal care that would promote healthy mothers and healthy babies. This legislation is full of rhetoric, but does nothing to prevent unintended pregnancies or to promote healthy pregnancies. Once again, Ohio politicians and anti-choice radicals are trying to practice medicine and intrude on the private decisions of Ohio families. Contact the members of the House Health Committee and tell them that enough is enough. Tell them to clean up their own house and stay out of yours! Send a letter to the following decision maker(s): Ohio House Committee on Health (if you live in OH) Below is the sample letter: Subject: Oppose HB 239 Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here], I am writing today in opposition to House Bill 239 which is before you for consideration in the House Health Committee. I am opposed to this politically motivated legislation because it is bad for women's health. This bill will make it more difficult for women to obtain legal abortion care in Ohio by banning public funds from being used for any abortion unless it is necessary to save the life of the woman. This bill is designed to limit access to abortion services for women whose pregnancies are the result of rape or incest and for women whose health is endangered. This seems unnecessarily cruel. Wouldn't it be better policy to support programs that prevent unintended pregnancies and protect Ohio women from rape and incest? I think the public policy of our state should be to prevent unintended pregnancies in the first place and to promote healthy childbearing whenever a woman chooses to have a family. Please vote no on House Bill 239 when it comes before the committee for a vote, and work on legislation that truly protects the health of Ohio women and their families! Sincerely, Your name Take Action! Email this article to a friend Save the polar bear from extinction by John H. Adams October 27, 2005 At this moment, the polar bear's Arctic habitat is literally melting away beneath it due to global warming. If we don't intervene now, these majestic bears may not survive beyond the next few decades. Please go to Polar Bear Action and send a message urging Interior Secretary Gale Norton to protect polar bears as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Global warming has already taken a serious toll on the large expanses of summer sea ice that polar bears depend on for survival. Since 1979, more than 20 percent of the polar ice cap has disappeared. Yet the Bush administration refuses to lift a finger to help the polar bear. Leading scientists now warn that if current rates of global warming continue, the polar bear could face extinction by the end of this century. To head off this unthinkable tragedy, NRDC is launching a campaign of intense public and courtroom pressure to compel the administration to act. We have just put the Interior Secretary on notice that we will be taking her agency to federal court on behalf of the polar bear. Please join our effort to protect polar bears by speaking out right now. Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/polar/takeaction.asp and call on the Interior Secretary to take the first step toward ensuring a future for the polar bear by listing it as a threatened species. Thank you for taking action. Email this article to a friend INDIGENOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ALERT! by Indigenous Environmental Network November 2, 2005 ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IT'S THE 11th HOUR OUR LAST CHANCE TO PROTECT THE ARCTIC REFUGE! Throughout the previous years, the Gwich’in indigenous peoples, conservation and environmental coalitions and American voters have successfully prevented U.S. Congress from opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. But the political landscape of America has changed. With record highs in gasoline and fossil fuel prices, the oil and energy industry are using fear to push their corporate agenda to open the Arctic Refuge to drilling. Oil corporations and their friends in the U.S. Congress continue to try to use the Budget Process to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. They have attached a drilling provision to the massive 2006 Budget Reconciliation package in an effort to limit public debate and circumvent normal congressional procedure. The Senate is expected to vote this Thursday, November 3, and the House is poised to vote the week of Nov. 7. The most important thing to do RIGHT NOW to help save the Arctic Refuge is to call your Senators and Representatives. Urge them to vote against any budget reconciliation bill that allows oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge. You could call them at the Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121. Or call toll-free with the Arctic Action Hotline: 1-888-8-WILDAK (1-888-894-5325). The Budget Reconciliation Bill will formally legalize drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge! With your help, we will defeat it. Want to do more? Call your Senator's in-district office and leave a message there as well. Only through your action can we ensure the safe future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and this countries other special areas that are rich in biological and cultural diversity! Some key points to remind your elected representatives: Please vote against any budget reconciliation budget that allows oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge. The Arctic Refuge is a national treasure that should be protected for future generations, not destroyed for a speculative and finite amount of oil. Even the Energy Information Agency has determined that Arctic oil, even at peak production, will only reduce the cost of a gallon of gas by about a penny…..in 20 years. We don't need to plunder our natural heritage to meet our country's energy needs. The gains are too small and the sacrifice too great. · Drilling in the Arctic has nothing to do with the budget nor with generating revenues for America. The figures put forward in the reconciliation package are highly speculative at best. Both the House and Senate assume $2.4 billion in revenues from Arctic drilling, a number that is inflated to 80 times the going rate for oil leases in the region. If they really cared about high prices, they would be looking into why oil companies are raking in record profits in the wake of the recent hurricanes. · The issue of oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge is too important to the American public and future generations to be snuck through in the budget bill in an attempt to circumvent the established process. It should be fully debated and brought to a vote on its own merits. · Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would not put a dent in our dependence on foreign oil, would do nothing to strengthen our national security, and would not save consumers a dime at the pump. But the harm to wildlife and this spectacular wilderness would be permanent and irreparable. · Any construction and implementation of the vast oil extractive infrastructure to be built in the pristine environment of the Arctic Refuge presents too much of an ecological risk that could endanger the survival of the Porcupine Caribou, polar bears, migratory birds and other rich biodiversity. Any impact to the caribou and biodiversity in the Arctic Refuge area would negatively impact the cultural and human rights of the Gwich’in and Inupiaq indigenous communities. Opening this area to oil drilling could set into motion the next step towards drilling offshore adjacent to Inupiaq villages such as Kaktovik. · Americans deserve a cheaper, quicker, safer and cleaner energy policy that safeguards the wild places we care so deeply about. We cannot drill our way to energy independence, but we can embrace responsible measures and real, 21st Century energy solutions that make cars go farther on a gallon of gas, promote conservation, energy efficiency, invest in clean renewable energy, and protect our natural heritage. By simply increasing fuel efficiency standards for our cars to an average of 40 miles per gallon we could save more oil than we currently import from the Persian Gulf or could ever extract from the Arctic Refuge, combined. This is it! The showdown vote to protect the Arctic Refuge is upon us NOW! There are some places that should be off-limits to oil drilling and industrial development, and the Arctic Refuge is one of them. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska is the home of the Porcupine Caribou Herd's calving grounds, located in the Northern coastal plain. This coastal area referred to as ANWR or the 1002 lands by the oil companies, is to the Gwich’in Vadzaih googii vi dehk'it gwanlii - or "sacred place where life begins," and is *exactly* where the U.S. Republicans want to drill for the *possibility* of oil. We have a moral responsibility to save places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for future generations. That's why our country has remained committed to its protection for nearly 50 years. This is both an environmental justice and human rights issue. Email this article to a friend "Stop Global Warming" Actions on December 3 by Ted Glick November 10, 2005 Climate Crisis Coalition Organizing Nationwide Climate Crisis, USA Join the World! Climate Crisis Website today announced that it is organizing actions across the United States on and around December 3 to demand that the U.S. government support action that is commensurate with the urgency of the deepening climate crisis. "Scores of Stop Global Warming local actions will be happening during the Nov. 28-Dec. 9 time period when the huge, United Nations Climate Conference in Montreal takes place," said Ted Glick, spokesperson for the group. "We will be acting in concert with hundreds of thousands of people in at least 28 countries around the world who are making December 3rd an International Day of Action to Stop Global Warming." The Climate Crisis group is demanding that the U.S. government join the world by ratifying the Kyoto Protocol. Climate Crisis also demands that the federal government withdraw its annual $25 billion in subsidies for coal and oil and create equivalent subsidies for clean, safe, non-nuclear energy alternatives; that it dramatically strengthen energy conservation and fuel efficiency standards; that it plan for a just transition for workers, Indigenous communities and others affected by a change to clean energy; and that it actively defend the world's forests and support community-run tree planting campaigns. States where local actions will be taking place include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington. In D.C. on December 3, scores of hybrid vehicles organized by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network will circle the White House. In New Orleans the Alliance for Affordable Energy will be holding a Stop Global Warming event in the French Quarter. In Los Angeles on December 2, the Labor/Community Strategy Center will be doing an action calling for an expansion of the city's bus fleet to provide badly-needed public transportation which will also cut down on car-producing greenhouse gases. And in New York, also on December 2, a coalition of groups will rally in Foley Square across from the Federal Building calling for the federal government to stop its obstructionist efforts and instead act to address this urgent crisis. In many localities, following the lead of organizers of a massive march on December 3 in Montreal, participants in the actions will try to hold their breath for 60 seconds. USA Join the World! coordinator Glick explained that, “Doing so reminds us all how important clean air is to all living things. It reminds us of the urgency of our work. It is a metaphor for what people on some Pacific islands may soon have to do as the oceans rise and their islands disappear and breathing becomes impossible.” Ted Glick, 973-338-5398 Barbara Lerman, 609-203-1842 Email this article to a friend Protect sick patients by Brandy Zink November 14, 2005 I am writing you to let you know about an important bill in the Ohio Senate that will protect sick patients and their caregivers. The bill is Senate Bill 74, the Ohio Marijuana Act sponsored by Senator Robert Hagan with the Ohio Patient Network. http://ohiopatient.net/v2/content/view/65/88/ The Ohio Patient Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit coalition of patients, caregivers, activists and medical professionals who support the compassionate use of cannabis for various medicinal purposes. Our mission is to coordinate information between patients, medical professionals, and attorneys, as well as to educate the public and keep the interested current with the movement`s news. To learn more about OPN and our efforts please visit: http://ohiopatient.net/v2/ The Ohio Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA), otherwise known as Ohio SB 74 introduced by Senator Hagan, is currently in committee. That committee is the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, chaired by Sen. Jim Jordan. Contact info for Sen. Jordan: Senator Jim Jordan Senate Building Room #128, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-7584 Fax: 614/466-7662 Email: jjordan@mailr.sen.state.oh.us There is no better time than now to declare your support of sick patients in their fight for legal medicine. Please consider a written endorsement of SB 74 to help us in our work to secure the rights of patients in Ohio. Please feel free to write me with any questions. hempmother@yahoo.com Power to the People, Brandy Zink Vice President of the Ohio Patient Action Network Email this article to a friend Worldwide Humanitarian Aid needs help by Suzanne Patzer December 4, 2005 A small group of very dedicated volunteers in central Ohio work every Thursday morning, 8:30am-12 noon at the Worldwide Humanitarian Aid warehouse to collect, organize and pack up equipment and supplies for people who need help all over the world. You could help by donating your time just once a week, or once a month. Worldwide Humanitarian Aid has delivered truckloads of goods to El Salvador, Chiapas, New Orleans, Native American reservations, the Ukraine and many other places in the past ten years. They have supported medical clinics, donated ambulances, and provided training for doctors in Third World countries. They have provided computers and school supplies for schoolchildren in central America, and are now collecting money for uniforms for kids in El Salvador so they can attend school. They are planting moringa trees in communities to help them become self-sufficient. There are many central Ohio hospitals and companies willing to donate supplies and equipment. All that Worldwide Humanitarian Aid needs now is people-power to pick up the supplies, sort through donations, and pack up trucks. You can even drive a truck to the recipient community if you have the time. If you can help, please contact: 262-1347 or info@worldwidehumanitarianaid.org. If your company or organization wants to donate materials, this is a list of what's needed: Computers (Pentium 2 or higher) and computer accessories Typewriters and supplies Sewing machines Medial equipment and supplies Bikes with new tires School supplies Large boxes (broken down) Worldwide Humanitarian Aid website Email this article to a friend ACTION ALERT! Christian Peacemakers held hostage in Iraq by Patricia Wagner December 7, 2005 Four members of the Christian Peacemaker Team have been kidnapped by a heretofore unknown group, the Swords of Righteousness. The group has said they will kill the 4 this Thursday, December 8, if all prisoners in Iraq are not released by then. Two local churches - Columbus Mennonite Church and North Broadway UMC - will be hosting a vigil tomorrow (Wednesday, December 7th), the eve of the possible executions. We will be at the corner of North Broadway and High Street from 5 to 5:30 p.m. At 5:30 we will proceed to Columbus Mennnonite Church - which is on Oakland Park, just one block north of North Broadway, and one block east of High Street, where there will be a vigil through the evening. The Christian Peacemaker Team in Iraq has been there since 2002. They were part of the "human shield" that sought to stop the bombing of civilian sites, as the war began. Since then their primary mission has been in the area of support for prisoners, released persons, and their families, as well as getting word out of genuine conditions on the ground. Because of their contacts in the communities, they were the group that first alerted the American press to the torture of prisoners at Abu Garib. Christian Peacemakers Teams are at work in Columbia and in Palestine, specifically in the divided city of Hebron. They have been a remarkable presence of peace and solidarity in that divided city. Since the 4 were taken hostage, the leaders and peoples of Palestine have come out in force asking for the release of the hostages. I find this an extremely moving show of inter-faith solidarity, and include press coverage below of that. Also Muslim detainees in Canada have issued a letter to the captors calling for their release. That is at the bottom of this page. You can go to ElectonicIraq.net for complete transcriptions in Arabic or to the CPT.org website for updates, or to add letters for the captives release. Let us keep one another, and Tom Fox, Norman Kember, James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden, and the people of Iraq in our prayers. Let us pray that the hearts of their captors would be softened, that they would listen to the wisdom of the world, particularly their Muslim brothers and sisters. Grace and peace to you all, Wassalam, Patricia Wagner Email this article to a friend Demand an investigation of White House spying by Sheri Myers December 20, 2005 If ever there was a time to speak up... THIS IS IT. It takes FIVE minutes or less. Please take action NOW! Nadler Demands Appointment of Special Counsel to Investigate Illegal Eavesdropping Operation “Neither the President himself, nor anyone else in the White House can authorize an order to spy on Americans without a warrant.” WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) today demanded that Attorney General Gonzales appoint a special counsel to investigate the President’s apparent violation of law in asking the National Security Agency to eavesdrop, without warrants, on Americans’ international phone calls. Full text of article ASK YOUR CONGRESSPERSON TO SUPPORT NADLER'S CALL! WE NEED REAL HEARINGS ON SPYING IN THE U.S. WITHOUT WARRANT ACTION PAGE Here's an excellent article by Will Pitt on this issue Email this article to a friend Call for a filibuster by Sheila Parks & Stephanie Low January 13, 2006 From Sheila Parks: I have just come from a meeting with two Kennedy aides - about Alito. This is about a filibuster. We must get enough Democratic votes for a filibuster. Everyone in each state must work on their Senator - those that voted for Roberts. Call, email, visit, etc., etc., etc. Those up for election are especially vulnerable (of course, this precludes the e-voting machines). Two free numbers for D.C Capitol Switchboard: 1-866-340-9281 and 1-866-340-9279 EVERYONE SHOULD CALL FEINSTEIN IN CA. SHE IS ON THE COMMITTEE. Everyone should call Feingold - (this from us: 202-224-5323 - or the above numbers. As far as working on the Repubs, there is always Chafee, Snowe and Collins, but working on the Dems is better. CHOICE IS THE KEY ISSUE we were told From Stephanie Low: New Yorkers, in addition to the request below, join the phone banks at PFAW this week and next. Call Tony Simone at 212 420 0440 and tell him you can come in with your cell phone to call people to lobby their reps against Alito. Thanks! Current thinking and analysis seems to bring us to the following WRT Judge Alito. He's a weasel, and worse than that, he's a non-responsive weasel. Anyone at all who has listened to the hearings (including Schumer's masterful attempts to get him to give a straight answer on anything) cannot conclude otherwise. Further, that for the moment, unless a lot more Americans get off their butt and call or write their Senators, he's getting that seat on the Court. This might be expected to have an adverse impact on women's rights, including abortion, privacy, and the Imperial Presidency, along with the environment, promotion of big business, and strip searching ten year old girls. But Americans cannot or will not connect the dots and do something about it, or try to. Here is the Judiciary Committee, you know who your senators are, go to it. Arlen Specter CHAIRMAN, PENNSYLVANIA http://specter.senate.gov/ Orrin G. Hatch UTAH http://Hatch.senate.gov Patrick J. Leahy RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER, VERMONT http://leahy.senate.gov/ Charles E. Grassley IOWA http://grassley.senate.gov/ Edward M. Kennedy MASSACHUSETTS http://kennedy.senate.gov/ Jon Kyl ARIZONA http://kyl.senate.gov/ Joseph R. Biden, Jr. DELAWARE http://biden.senate.gov/ Mike DeWine OHIO http://dewine.senate.gov/ Herbert Kohl WISCONSIN http://kohl.senate.gov/ Jeff Sessions ALABAMA http://sessions.senate.gov/ Dianne Feinstein CALIFORNIA http://feinstein.senate.gov/ Lindsey Graham SOUTH CAROLINA http://lgraham.senate.gov/ Russell D. Feingold WISCONSIN http://feingold.senate.gov/ John Cornyn TEXAS http://cornyn.senate.gov/ Charles E. Schumer NEW YORK http://schumer.senate.gov/ Sam Brownback KANSAS http://brownback.senate.gov/ Richard J. Durbin ILLINOIS http://durbin.senate.gov/ Tom Coburn OKLAHOMA http://durbin.senate.gov/ Email this article to a friend Digital Records Team needs volunteers by Connie Harris January 31, 2006 We are acquiring all Ohio's voting records starting with the Nov. 2, 2004 election, by digitally photographing ballots (or thermal paper rolls), roster and poll books. A team of five (usually) travels to a county Board of Elections and spends a few days collecting the records. We need volunteers who can provide and operate a digital camera (altho sometimes we have an extra set of equipment.) Bring a tripod, extra batteries and at least a gigabyte of memory. The pictures will be uploaded onto a laptop at the end of each day's work. If you want to help us preserve the historical record, please contact Rady Ananda at ohiorecords@gmail.com Elections belong to the people! Support OHIO ELECTION PROTECTION 2006-2008! Email this article to a friend Native American Indian Center needs help by NAICCO Trustee February 1, 2006 I'm writing to ask for help. The Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio is currently out of funding until we get our next grant. We need donations of food to keep the food bank open. We need help with whatever you can donate - groceries or cash. We don't want to close the food bank, as so many people depend on it. We will take any grocery item that has not been opened. The hours are usually 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and Wed. evening until 9 p.m. But with the loss of income there are no longer any paid staff, just volunteers. So you might want to phone first to make sure someone will be there. They can pick up food, too, if necessary. Hoping you can help. Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio PO Box 007705 65 E. Innis Columbus, OH 43207 (614) 443-6120 Email this article to a friend Free Leonard Peltier! Political Prisoner held for 30 years by U.S. government by IAC February 12, 2006 A Hearing has been scheduled for February 13, 2006 to correct the illegal sentencing that occurred in Leonard Peltier's case. The basis for this motion is that the United States District Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction under the statutes upon which Mr. Peltier was convicted and sentenced. Leonard Peltier is a citizen of the Anishinabe and Dakota/Lakota Nations who has been unjustly imprisoned since 1976, even though government attorneys and courts acknowledge that the government withheld evidence, fabricated evidence, and coerced witnesses to fraudulently convict him. Leonard is recognized worldwide as a political prisoner and a symbol of resistance against the abuse and repression of indigenous people. To many Indigenous Peoples, Leonard Peltier is a symbol of the long history of abuse and repression they have endured. This year marks the 30th year of Leonard’s imprisonment. Despite the fact that the government has admitted that the trial was a fraud, Leonard is still behind bars because the U.S. doesn’t want this vocal defender of indigenous rights to be free. Call or Fax the Federal Court in St. Louis: Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse 111 South 10th Street St. Louis, MO 63102 Phone (314) 244-2600 FAX (314) 244-2605 for more information about Leonard Peltier's case and how you can help go to leonardpeltier.org . Email this article to a friend Help Katrina victims by www.katrinaaction.org February 26, 2006 Hotel Evictions - Turn Up the HEAT! Just as we feared, most of those evicted on the 13th did not have alternative housing. Some were arrested for trespassing as they sought shelter in abandoned buildings, and many dispersed throughout the country, refugees once again. This cannot be allowed to happen again. March 1st will be another battle for thousands of NOLA families facing homelessness. It will only be organization and action that can avert this crisis – the courts have already failed the people. Federal Judge Duval refused to intervene, saying, "I'm not sure if I'm serving justice but at least I know I'm following the law." When the courts are not just, justice is up to the people! On the 13th, private security firms, mercenaries, with shotguns stood ready to evict families with nowhere else to go. It was public pressure through the calls and emails sent in, the threat of an injunction, and our presence at the hotels that kept families housed until March 1st. We need everyone to continue calling and writing everyday before the March 1st evictions! Down Load "NOHEAT" Contact List and Talking Points! Read the Story Email this article to a friend THE FULL SENATE MUST DO WHAT THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE WOULD NOT, CENSURE BUSH FOR HIS ILLEGAL WIRETAPS by Powered by The People's Email Network March 13, 2006 The president has admitted he broke the law. And yet the Senate Intelligence Committed abdicated its oversight responsibility by refusing to even conduct an investigation. On March 12, Senator Feingold called for the Senate to censure Bush for systematically authorizing illegal wiretaps of Americans in defiance of the authority of the FISA court. Even retiring justice Sandra Day O'Connor sees the looming threat of dictatorship. When will members of Congress who hate Americans and their rights stop conflating the checks and balances in our Constitution with treason? The REAL treason is by those who would defend any criminal behavior by the commander in chief in the name of patriotism. Crimes against our own citizens do NOT make us safer and cannot be tolerated in a free democratic society, and especially not when justified by fear-mongering about the threat from outside. ACTION PAGE Please take action NOW, so we can win all victories that are supposed to be ours, and forward this message to everyone else you know. Email this article to a friend Tell your Senators to Defend the Endangered Species Act by Natural Resources Defense Council March 24, 2006 The Endangered Species Act is one of America’s most important and effective environmental laws. Large-scale developers and other powerful industry players are using their money and influence to try to undermine the act. Last September, the House of Representatives passed a destructive bill (H.R. 3824) that would severely weaken protections for imperiled wildlife. Now, the fight over the fate of this law is moving to the Senate. Urge your senators to vote NO on any legislation that would weaken the Endangered Species Act. March 24, 2006 Your U.S. senators I strongly support the Endangered Species Act and urge you to vote NO on any legislation that would weaken this landmark law. The Endangered Species Act has provided a crucial safety net for wildlife, fish and plants on the brink of extinction for more than three decades. The act has helped prevent the extinction of almost every listed species, including the bald eagle, the gray wolf, the grizzly bear and the Pacific salmon. Ninety-eight percent of the species protected under the act still exist today, and many are stable or improving. Despite the overwhelming success of the Endangered Species Act, the House of Representatives has passed a destructive bill (H.R. 3824), sponsored by Representative Pombo of California, that would severely weaken this important law. Now, the Senate is about to consider similar legislation. As you know, any bill passed by the Senate would have to be reconciled with Representative Pombo's bill in order to become law. For the sake of future generations, we must fulfill our responsibility to protect the earth’s most vulnerable species. No species should be lost on our watch. I urge you to help defend the Endangered Species Act by voting NO on any legislation that would undermine this important law. Dear Senator, Sincerely, Your Name NRDC Action page Email this article to a friend Campaign against Anti-Palestinian Legislation Stepped Up by Josh Ruebner March 29, 2006 300+ Organizations & 5,000+ Individuals Protest Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act: The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation stepped up today its campaign against HR4681, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, by delivering to the House International Relations Committee a letter opposing the bill signed by more than 300 organizations. The US Campaign also delivered a petition against the resolution signed by more than 5,000 people to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), the sponsor of HR4681. The letter and petition were also delivered by the Council for the National Interest (CNI) and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). The petition was composed of letters signed by supporters of the US Campaign, CNI, and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). According to Josh Ruebner, Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, “there is widespread grassroots opposition to punishing the Palestinian people for voting by imposing harsh sanctions on them, as proposed in the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act. Palestinians are already facing dire humanitarian conditions as a result of Israeli occupation and siege policies. Cutting humanitarian aid to them, as proposed in this resolution, is not only politically unwise, but morally unconscionable as well.” Other organizations opposing HR4681, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, include the American Friends Service Committee, Black Voices for Peace, Code Pink Women for Peace, the Green Party of the United States, the Methodist Federation for Social Action, Pax Christ USA, Peace Action, Progressive Democrats of America, the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, United for Peace and Justice, and Veterans for Peace. Contact: 202-423-7666, congress@endtheoccupation.org The complete list of endorsing organizations can be found at: End the Occupation Email this article to a friend ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST GEORGE W. BUSH by April 8, 2006 The ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST GEORGE W. BUSH by the Center for Constitutional Rights (Melville House). Impeachment Book can serve as a useful handbook. It states the case for impeachment clearly, concisely, and persuasively. It is not a polemic, and you don’t have to be an attorney to comprehend what it says. It includes: € the case exactly as it could be presented by the House of Representatives to the Senate . . . € necessary evidence and legal precedents for each article of impeachment . . . € what the Constitution says about impeachment . . . € a brief history of impeachment . . . € the rules of procedure . . . € the articles of impeachment brought against previous presidents, Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton, for comparison . . . € a “webliography” including links to numerous other resources and groups on the Web . . . Melville House Publishing has launched a campaign on its website where people can send a copy to their congressperson and the publisher will pay the shipping and handling costs. And there is a significant discount available for activists/organizers who would like to buy copies in bulk. Please contact us here at Melville House, info@mhpbooks.com or 201-222-2640 Email this article to a friend DEMAND VOTING RIGHTS FOR KATRINA SURVIVORS by Rainbow/PUSH April 9, 2006 New Orleans Stands Up By Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. 4/4/2006 - Tribune Media Services Thousands of New Orleans residents marched on Saturday to demand the right to vote. They marched across the Mississippi River Bridge where Gretna police had repelled residents as they tried to escape the horrors of Katrina. Forty years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act, African Americans once more must march to gain the right to vote. There's an election called for New Orleans on April 22, but the South has always had elections. After centuries of slavery and segregation, the reason for the Voting Rights Act was to defend the right of blacks to vote. The Act requires the federal government clear ahead of time - preclearance - any changes in voting procedures to protect against any trick or scheme that would dilute the voting rights of minorities in those areas of the country with a history of discrimination. Yet in New Orleans, the letter and the spirit of the Voting Rights Act are being violated. And the rights of New Orleans residents to vote are being trampled. Displaced by Katrina's furies, stranded by FEMA's failures, these citizens are now being betrayed by callous state and federal officials intent on denying them a voice in the future of their city. New Orleans, once a city of 450,000, now has about 150,000 residents. The rest ? disproportionately African Americans, workers and the poor ? have been scattered across 49 states in federally arranged relocations. These are citizens, tax payers, often home owners, whose houses have been destroyed and jobs shut down. Their return to New Orleans has been stymied by federal, state and local officials failing to respond adequately to Katrina?s damage. In place of getting people back to their homes, federal and state officials now seem intent on denying them a vote on those who will represent them. How is it done? It's brutal and simple. The state of Louisiana and the federal government have refused to set up satellite voting places in states where New Orleans residents are scattered. The Bush administration provided satellite voting for Iraqis to vote in the Iraqi election ? with same day voter registration. It did the same for Mexican-Americans to vote in the Mexican election. But neither the state nor the Bush administration will spend the small sums required to set up satellite stations in the US for US citizens displaced by a natural storm and an incompetent administration. The dispersed are told to vote by absentee ballot. They have to write to get a ballot (it won't be supplied to them) sent by mail, and send it back by mail. But many don't know what their address will be next week, as FEMA keeps jacking them about. And the damage wrought by Katrina means that the mail still doesn't work well. Even residents in the damaged areas that live in New Orleans will have a hard time voting. The state has certified a range of election places that in fact are destroyed. Officials will change or eliminate those places at the last minute ? voters are likely to be both confused about where to vote and find long lines in the few places where they can vote. And to add insult to the injury, the state of Louisiana has an updated voter list that contains the addresses of all those displaced across the country ? but it won?t supply the list to the candidates. So candidates don?t know where their voters are, and many voters will have no idea who the candidates are. This looks less like an accident than a design - either way it is clearly illegal under the Voting Rights Act. It will - and it is hard to see anything but malign intent - lower the African American vote drastically. This will impact who governs New Orleans, and who represents the region in the state, the Congress and the US Senate. Bush named Karl Rove to head up the New Orleans recovery after the FEMA failures even though he had no experience in emergency relief or recovery. What Rove knows is how to count votes and win elections. It may take brutalizing Katrina-s survivors once more, and trampling the Voting Rights Act, but the administration seems intent on suppressing the African American vote in New Orleans and in Louisiana. And so like the marchers in Selma forty-one years ago, thousands of citizens in New Orleans march for the right to vote. They demand that the election be postponed until September so that (1) the updated voter roll is shared with candidates; (2) satellite voting places are provided in states across the country; (3) voting places in sufficient number are secured throughout New Orleans, and (4) that all changes are reviewed and cleared ahead of time by career officials at the Justice Department to insure that the Voting Rights Act is enforced. Katrina-s survivors have remarkable spirit. They have survived the ravages of nature. Suffered the catastrophic callousness of the administration. Overcome the discouragements of deprivation and displacement. Many have lost their homes, their livelihoods, their neighborhoods. But they have fought too hard, and stayed strong too long to allow officials now to trample their right to vote. Send a letter to the following decision maker(s): Governor Kathleen Blanco (if you live in LA) Below is the sample letter: Subject: Demand Voting Rights in New Orleans: Call Governor Blanco NOW Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here], Dear Governor Blanco: On April 1, thousands of people marched and rallied to support the Katrina survivors right to return, their right to an open, free and fair election, and their right to fully participate in the rebuilding and reconstruction of New Orleans. The planned April 22 New Orleans election violates the Voting Rights Act and will disenfranchise Katrina survivors dispersed and displaced around the country. We urge you to issue an immediate Executive Order to set up satellite polling places in the cities and states where Katrina survivors now reside. Secondly, we urge you to work with the Attorney General and Secretary of State to produce and make available to candiates and the public an updated voter roll. Currently, candidates do not know who and where voters are and cannot contact them; voters outside of New Orleans do not know who the candidates are and, in many cases, how to cast their ballot. Lastly, absentee ballot voting procedures leave Katrina survivors with unequal access to voting. And first time voters, no matter how far from New Orleans they may be, must travel and vote at their designated precinct in the city. As Governor of Louisiana, I urge you to exercise your sacred duty to protect the democratic voting rights of Katrina survivors, and move quickly to enact these measures. Sincerely, Sincerely, Email this article to a friend Help at the polls in Ohio May 2 by Marj Creech April 18, 2006 What are you doing on May 2, other than hoping your vote will count as cast? We need a few people all over Ohio to staff a table outside (100 feet) a precinct to take parallel (not official election) ballots. Two shifts--morning, 7am till one pm, and the afternoon shift , 1 pm till 7:30pm. Three people per shift. Then you all gather some place and count the ballots and report them to our central headquarters in Col by phone and email. It would be good if two of you could then go to the county BOE and watch the official vote count come in and get the records they hand out to observers. Parallel elections are fun, you get to talk to people about their voting issues, and we just might catch some "monkeying" with the election. It is also a check on the machine counts. Precincts will be chosen depending upon where you, the volunteer, lives. Training the week or Sat before, depending again on where you live. We will travel to interested groups if we get enough volunteers in an area. So ask your friends if they will help you. Parallel voting is citizens taking back our election process. It is history in the making. Not perfect yet but still capable of catching fraud and crookedness. PASS THE WORD. We need to know THIS WEEK so we can train you NEXT WEEK. DEMOCRACY is something you do! EMAIL me back: RisenRegan@earthlink.net Email this article to a friend Urgent Action: Call on Congress to Save Cape Wind by Greenpeace April 21, 2006 Last week, I wrote to you about a back-door deal in Congress that's threatening to destroy America's first offshore wind project. Already nearly 18,000 of you have recognized the urgency of this situation and taken action. Thank you. But there's more to do and we can't stop now. While you're paying close to $3.00 a gallon at the gas pump, Congress is secretly trying to kill big oil's competition, and only YOU can help us fight back. Right now, the Senate holds the key to keeping offshore wind energy alive, so your senators need to hear from you TODAY. Call 1-866-200-7070 now and we'll connect you instantly to your senators' offices, and provide you with exactly what you'll need to say to convince them to save the Cape Wind project. Please, less than five minutes of your time could make a real difference in the future of renewable energy in our country, so take action. Email this article to a friend Eyes Wide Open Exhibit by Java Kitrick May 4, 2006 Your help is needed to bring a dynamic exhibit on the human cost of war to Columbus, Ohio June 12-14. The American Friends Service Committee exhibit: "Eyes Wide Open: The Human Cost of War" will open at 11:00 AM, Monday, June 12, on the West Lawn of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio (High Street between Broad and State) and remain in place through Wednesday, June 14. The Episcopal Peace Fellowship is bringing the exhibit to coincide with the national General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the USA. We need additional contributions from individuals and groups: $10 from 600 people, or $100 from 60 groups, or a combination! All contributions will be used for the exhibit. The exhibit features: • A panel display memorializing the civilian Iraqis killed in the war. • A field of empty combat boots symbolizing the more than 2,350 US soldiers who have lost their lives, each pair of boots bearing the name of a fallen soldier. • An interlocked field of shoes and sandals representing Iraqi children, women, and men who have died. This exhibit can happen only with your help! We need assistance promoting the event, setting up and breaking down the displays each day, and passing out educational information. We are organizing two-hour shifts Monday and Tuesday, from 7 am – 11 pm, and Wednesday, from 7 am – 9 pm. In addition, we need volunteers who can be available on short notice to remove the exhibit in case of rain. Please consider volunteering some of your time to these efforts and also inviting your friends, neighbors, colleagues and families along to help. The goals of the exhibit are to put a human face to the casualties in the Iraq war, to lift up the deaths of US soldiers and Iraqis, and urge US government accountability. The exhibit is traveling throughout the country and will travel from Columbus to Birmingham, Alabama, for the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. The Columbus event will also include an AFSC hosted press conference on Monday, June 12, as well as other program events highlighting diverse voices from the interfaith community. The exhibit is supported by a grant from the Puffin Foundation, by the work of numerous local organizations, and by contributions to the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. We need additional contributions from individuals and groups: $10 from 600 people, or $100 from 60 groups, or a combination! All contributions will be used for the exhibit. Contributions are tax deductible and can be made via the internet at www.episcopalpeacefellowship.org or write a check to Episcopal Peace Fellowship, write EWO in the memo line, and send it to one of the following people: Madeleine Trichel, Interfaith Center for Peace, 1970 Waldeck Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201 Java Kitrick, Director, Puffin Foundation, Ltd., 2186 East Broad Street, Bexley, Ohio 43209 To volunteer, please call Pat Rose at 614-294-9019 or email ProgramAsst@peace-center.org. For more information on the exhibit visit http://www.afsc.org/eyes/about-the-exhibit.htm Thank you for your help. Email this article to a friend Global Warming Resolution by Faithful America May 17, 2006 On Wednesday, May 10th, the House Appropriations Committee went on record in support of addressing global warming with mandatory measures to reduce U.S. emissions. The “Sense of the Congress” resolution mirrors one passed by the Senate last year. This small step is a cause to rejoice however. . . Opponents are trying every trick of the trade to stop Congress from going on record that global warming is real and that we need to do something about it NOW! We need your voice, as a person of faith concerned for the gracious gift of God’s creation, to let Congress know this language should remain! Please TAKE ACTION NOW by urging your Congressional representative to support of the “Sense of the Congress on Global Warming” resolution in the Interior Appropriations bill. Send a letter to the following decision maker(s): Below is the sample letter: Subject: Sense of Congress on Global Warming Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here], I am writing to urge your support of the "Sense of Congress on Global Warming" resolution in the Interior Appropriations bill, which is expected to reach the House floor by the end of this week. My faith teaches that we are called to be responsible stewards of the earth as well as caring, compassionate neighbors within the human family. I urge you to address global warming not only because of its obvious impacts on the environment, but also because of the disproportionate affect climate change has upon the economy - especially those living in poverty. America's religious community has consistently urged action on global warming for years because of our religious teachings and deeply held beliefs. In 2004 over 1000 clergy from around the United States signed on to a letter urging action on global warming. And earlier this year, eighty-six evangelical leaders signed on to a statement urging action on global warming. In the last few years the urgency of global warming has become more pressing. I believe it is time for Congress to take responsibility for a problem that requires us to act on a national scale. Please write back to let me know your position on the resolution language. Sincerely, Email this article to a friend The Threat to the Internet is Real by Savetheinternet May 31, 2006 Congress is pushing a law that would abandon the Internet's First Amendment -- a principle called Network Neutrality that prevents companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from deciding which Web sites work best for you -- based on what site pays them the most. If the public doesn't speak up now, our elected officials will cave to a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign. How this affects you Act Now Email this article to a friend Protest Big Oil in Columbus by Moveon.org June 27, 2006 Republicans are using the national frustration with gas prices as an excuse to push through even more giveaways to Big Oil instead of getting serious about clean energy alternatives that can move us away from oil. Why? Because the oil industry has bought the majority stake in the Republican party. Big Oil has given hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign contributions to Republicans and in return, Big Oil has received billions in subsidies from Congress. We can't afford Congress' addiction to oil money anymore. It keeps gas prices high, keeps us dependent on the Middle East and is blocking progress on a clean energy future, Congress needs to know that we're paying attention. We need them to start working for us, not Big Oil. Tomorrow we're going to make it clear that we want an oil-free, clean energy future and we want it now. National Day of Action for an "Oil-Free" Congress Where: Speedway Main Street & Scioto-Darby Main Street & Scioto Darby Road, Hilliard, OH When: Wednesday, 28 Jun 2006, 5:30 PM Link to RSVP: RSVP Hilliard National Day of Action for an "Oil-Free" Congress Where: corner of Rich and Fifth 345 Rich St., Columbus, OH When: Wednesday, 28 Jun 2006, 3:00 PM Link to RSVP: RSVP Rich/Fifth National Day of Action for an "Oil-Free" Congress Where: Exxon Station at the corner of Broad and Hamilton Broad and Hamilton, Columbus, OH When: Wednesday, 28 Jun 2006, 5:00 PM Link to RSVP: RSVP Broad/Hamilton Click here to search for events near you: Find Event Near You Email this article to a friend Urge Congress to Support Democracy & Peace in Timor by East Timor Action Network June 29, 2006 The U.S. Must Support Strong UN Mission in Timor-Leste. The UN Security Council will soon debate the nature of the next UN mission for Timor-Leste (East Timor). Amidst violence and political turmoil, East Timor's prime minister has resigned. Dozens have been killed, houses have been burned or looted across the city, and most of the capital's population has fled their homes. The reasons for this instability are many and complex, but UN involvement remains crucial. The U.S. must support a robust UN mission to enable the new nation to achieve peace with justice and economic prosperity. Both ETAN and the Timorese government have consistently advocated for more effective UN activities. The U.S. government, however, has repeatedly pushed the UN to rapidly reduce its presence since 2002. U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton recently stated his belief in this unwise approach. But several Representatives are pushing Ambassador Bolton and Secretary of State Rice to support a robust UN mission. Urge your Representative to sign their letter. What YOU Can Do: Contact your Representative and tell her/him to: **Sign the bipartisan Dear Colleague letter to Secretary of State Rice urging her to support a robust United Nations mission to East Timor. The letter is being circulated by Representatives Allyson Schwartz and Patrick Kennedy. ** East Timor's potential to succeed remains strong, but the recent violence is an indication that the UN must continue to play a critical nation-building role. The deadline for the letter is July 7. To sign the letter, offices should contact Aaron Brand in Rep. Schwartz's office or Dominic Nguyen in Rep. Patrick Kennedy's office. Co-signers so far include: Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ), Tom Lantos (D-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA). Phone calls and faxes are generally more effective than emails. The congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121 (ask for the office of your Representative), or check A copy of the letter follows. Thanks for your support. Please let us know the results of your efforts. Send updates to This alert can be found at http://etan.org/action/2006/07alert.htm>Action Alert Support Democracy and Stability in East Timor Urge Secretary Rice to support a U.N. Mission to East Timor Deadline: COB Friday, July 7 Dear Colleague: After months of violence, last week, the United Nations Security Council voted to renew its political mission in East Timor, and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has indicated that the return of peacekeeping forces is under consideration. Please join us in writing to Secretary of State Rice urging her to support a robust United Nations mission to East Timor. Just months ago, East Timor was viewed as a model for international nation-building; however, today, the progress East Timor has made as a young and vibrant democracy is under serious threat. The United Nations played an instrumental role in the nation's early stages - providing peacekeeping, humanitarian, and reconstruction assistance, and capacity building. However, as the United Nations has rapidly scaled back its mission post-independence, serious problems within East Timor's police and military infrastructure have been exposed. East Timor's potential as a young democracy and its prospects to succeed remain strong. However, the recent violence is an indication that the United Nations cannot draw-down its presence precipitously, and that it must continue to play a critical nation-building role. We believe the United States' interests in building strong and self-sustaining democracies would be best served by supporting a renewed United Nations commitment to East Timor. We hope you will join us in this effort. If you have any questions or would like to sign the letter, please contact Aaron Brand in Rep. Schwartz's office (5-6111 or July xx, 2006 The Honorable Dr. Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 Dear Madam Secretary: We have been watching the violence that has ensued in East Timor with a great deal of concern. Just months ago, East Timor was viewed as a model for international nation-building. However, today, the progress East Timor has made as a young democracy is under serious threat. The United Nations Security Council recently voted to renew its political mission in East Timor, and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has indicated that the return of peacekeeping forces is under consideration. At this crucial juncture, we urge you to support a robust United Nations mission that includes a significant police and peacekeeping presence - with all foreign troops under UN command - to ensure that East Timor continues to make progress on the path to democracy, stability, and self-sustainability. The East Timorese government has requested such a robust mission. As you know, following East Timor's vote for independence from Indonesia in 1999, militias backed by elements of the Indonesian military ravaged the country. Yet East Timor - with significant support from the United Nations and international community - was able to restore order and has made substantial strides toward stability and democracy as evidenced by a United Nations report stating that East Timor has "made remarkable progress in laying the foundations for a functioning civil society." Additionally, an agreement with the Australian government on shared revenues from offshore oil and gas fields is beginning to provide critical funds to the government and in February 2006 members of the U.S. House of Representatives Democracy Assistance Commission visited East Timor to provide advice on structuring an accountable and transparent government. However, much work remains and as the United Nations has rapidly scaled back its mission post-independence, serious problems within East Timor's police and military infrastructure have been exposed. The recent violence is an indication that the United Nations cannot draw-down its presence precipitously, and that it must continue to play a critical nation-building role - assisting East Timor with its efforts to consolidate and expand on the gains it has made. Therefore, we respectfully request that U.N. Ambassador Bolton strongly support a United Nations mission to help maintain order and provide support at least through next year's crucial parliamentary and presidential elections. This mission should focus on enhanced police assistance and training to prevent violence. Additionally, a United Nations mission should help East Timor address the deeply-rooted poverty and unemployment that plagues the nation; build strong public institutions that will ensure a stable and lasting democracy and promote rule of law; bring justice and reconciliation for crimes against humanity committed during the Indonesian military occupation; and investigate the recent criminal violence. Supporting the development of strong and self-sustaining democracies throughout the world is a vital component of U.S. foreign policy. In this case, this goal would be best advanced by supporting a robust United Nations mission working in cooperation with a sovereign East Timorese government. We thank you for your attention and we look forward to working with you on this matter. Sincerely, cc: Ambassador John R. Bolton John M. Miller Internet: fbp@igc.org National Coordinator East Timor Timor & Indonesia Network 48 Duffield St., Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA Phone: (718)596-7668 Mobile: (917)690-4391 Web site: ETAN Send a blank e-mail message to info@etan.org to find out how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet Support ETAN by making a secure financial contribution, just go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm Email this article to a friend Reduce - Reuse - Recycle by Greenpeace July 4, 2006 In recent years, "reduce, reuse and recycle" has become as popular as "stop, drop and roll." If we all do what we can in our daily lives to combat global warming, it can add up to a very big step in the right direction. More importantly, it will send a message to a government that refuses to act, that this issue is something Americans care about. Get started with these helpful tips. At home:
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Avoid anything battery operated (or use rechargables or solar rechargables if batteries are unavoidable). Buy locally - not only is it good for the local economy, it will save energy because products haven't traveled across the globe to get to you.
Don't let the water run while doing dishes. Cooking frozen foods uses more energy - thaw them out first.
A warm wash and cold rinse will work just as well as a hot water wash and a warm rinse on nearly all clothes. Hang clothing outside to dry or inside in a dry, warm room and save energy.
Don't leave the tap running while brushing your teeth or shaving. A shower (about 10 minutes) uses 2/3 the amount of water as a bath.
Ask your office manager to weatherproof the building to save energy. Remind your coworkers to recycle and turn off the lights when they leave for the night. Email this article to a friend Stop Blackwell from supervising his own election! by Ray Beckerman July 10, 2006 Join the movement for free and fair elections in Ohio! Stop Secretary of State Ken Blackwell from supervising his own election. We know what happened when he worked as the co-chair for Bush and Cheney in 2004. Lines at the polls in the inner cities, purging voters, suppressing the vote with provisional ballots, suspicious vote counts in Republican counties... Here's your chance to sign a petition to put a halt to the corruption of Blackwell and stealing of elections in Ohio. Go to this website Stop Blackwell petition Email this article to a friend ACTION ALERT: Stop Israel's Attacks on Gaza & Lebanon by www.endtheoccupation.org July 18, 2006 US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation BACKGROUND: Israel is using weapons supplied by the United States to target Palestinian & Lebanese civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon in violation of the US Arms Export Control Act and the Geneva Conventions. * On July 12th, Israel killed 23 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip with missiles fired from aircraft and shells fired from tanks. Israel killed 9 members of one family in a missile strike on a house near Gaza City. * On July 12th, Israel launched a massive invasion of Lebanon. Israeli aircraft fired missiles targeting civilian infrastructure, including bridges, roads, a mosque, a community center, and the Beirut International Airport, and the Israeli navy is blockading Lebanon's ports. Israel has killed at least 50 Lebanese civilians and injured more than 100, including entire Lebanese families of 10 and 7 people killed in the villages of Dweir and Baflay. * On June 27th, Israel launched a massive invasion of the Gaza Strip. Israeli aircraft fired missiles targeting civilian infrastructure. In illegal acts of collective punishment, Israel demolished three key bridges, the Gaza Strip's only electricity generation plant, and part of a university, thereby endangering Palestinian human rights to food, water, health, electricity, education, and freedom of movement. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert admitted that the purpose of these measures is to "apply pressure" to the civilian population of the Gaza Strip. * On June 20th, Israeli aircraft fired at least one missile at a car in an extrajudicial assassination attempt on a road between Jabalya and Gaza City. The missile missed its intended target and killed three Palestinian children and wounded 15. * On June 13th, Israeli aircraft fired missiles at a van in an extrajudicial assassination of two Palestinians in Gaza City. A second barrage of missiles fired shortly afterward killed nine Palestinian bystanders. * On June 9th, Israel shelled a beach in Beit Lahiya killing 8 civilians and injuring 32. At the site of the killing, Human Rights Watch found evidence of a 155mm artillery shell consistent with those fired from an Israeli M-109 Self-Propelled Artillery. Israel's human rights violations in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon are being committed with US weapons financed by US tax dollars: The Israeli air force fighter squadrons are composed of Lockheed Martin F-16I Fighting Falcons and Boeing F-15Is, which fire US-manufactured AMRAAM, Sidewinder, and Sparrow missiles. From 2000-2005, the United States licensed to Israel at least $1.062 billion of spare parts, engines, and missiles for its F-15 and F-16 fighter planes. From 2000-2005, the United States licensed to the Israeli navy more than $572 million worth of patrol boat, ship, and submarine components and spare parts, torpedoes, and sonar equipment. From 2000-2005, the United States licensed to Israel more than $348 million worth of tanks, components, and spare parts. From 2000-2005, the United States licensed to Israel $69,163 worth of M-109 spare parts and 155mm artillery shells. (Statistics for US weapons licensed to Israel are compiled from the State Department's annual report to Congress pursuant to Sec. 655 of the Foreign Assistance Act. For more information, click here: http://pmddtc.state.gov/) Israel's summer of killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip is a clear reminder that Israel remains the occupying power of the Gaza Strip despite last year's "unilateral disengagement". Living under military occupation, the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip are "protected persons" under the terms of the Geneva Conventions. Israel's targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon is a violation of the Geneva Conventions and constitutes war crimes. In addition, by using US-supplied weapons to commit these atrocities, Israel is violating the terms of the US Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act. The Arms Export Control Act restricts the use of US weapons to legitimate self-defense and internal policing; US weapons cannot be used to attack civilians in offensive operations. The Foreign Assistance Act prohibits US aid of any kind to a country with a pattern of gross human rights violations. TAKE ACTION: Hold Israel to account for its killing of civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. 1. Contact the White House, State Department, and your Members of Congress to demand that Israel is held accountable for its violations of the US Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act and urge that military aid to Israel be cut off as required by law. Click here to send an email: http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/uscampaign/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=4460 2. Write a letter to the editor or op-ed for your local newspaper and call your local talk radio stations to protest Israel's atrocities in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon and highlight US support for these actions. For contact information for your local media, click here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/ Below is a template for a letter to the editor: Letters to the editor should be short, punchy, and clear. They MUST refer to actual coverage of that particular paper, either naming a particular article or referring to trends (as below). Be sure the text of the letter does in fact respond to the particular article or trend you reference. Be sure to include full name, address, contact phone numbers and (for some, not for others) name of the organization. BE SURE THAT LETTERS ARE ALL DIFFERENT, AND DO NOT LOOK LIKE CARBON COPIES OF EACH OTHER! TEMPLATE: USE THIS AS A GUIDE, NOT A CARBON COPY! * Ask WHY DOESN'T [NAME THE NEWSPAPER] ACKNOWLEDGE or DOWNPLAYS or MINIMIZES THE FACT THAT or DOES NOT EMPHASIZE THAT a) ISRAEL IS ATTACKING CIVILIANS or b) ISRAEL IS DESTROYING NON-MILITARY INFRASTRUCTURE or c) ISRAEL'S RESPONSE IS DISPROPORTIONATE * Add YOUR READERS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO MORE INFORMATION, INCLUDING a) THAT THE VICTIMS INCLUDE X, AGE XX, Y, AGE XX, AND Z, AGE XX or b) THAT DESTROYING THE ELECTRICAL PLANT MEANS 1) 860,000 CIVILIANS WITHOUT POWER, MANY WITHOUT WATER or 2) HOSPITALS DEPENDING ON LAST WEEK OF FUEL FOR GENERATORS or 3) THE UN SAYS GAZA FACES A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE or 4) ISRAEL AND U.S. HAD ALREADY IMPOSED A SEVERE BOYCOTT ON GAZA CAUSING HUGE HUMANITARIAN CRISES * EXPRESS CONCERN FOR ISRAELI VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND THE UNCRITICAL NATURE OF U.S. SUPPORT FOR THOSE VIOLATIONS. * ASK [THE NEWSPAPER] TO BE MORE BALANCED IN ITS COVERAGE. MODEL LETTER: 3. Make a donation to support humanitarian efforts to reprovision the Gaza Strip with much-needed medical supplies for Palestinian children. The Middle East Children's Alliance and Grassroots International, member organizations of the US Campaign, are accepting tax-deductible donations to send medical supplies. Click here to donate: http://www.mecaforpeace.org/GazaMeds.html or http://www.grassrootsonline.org/ 4. Support the efforts of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation to build a national movement to challenge US support for Israel's human rights violations. Click here to donate to our summer fundraising drive: http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1221 Email this article to a friend Save the Ballots! by freepress.org August 8, 2006 On September 3, 2006, all the ballots from Ohio's 2004 presidential election will be destroyed. There are several voting rights organizations working to investigate and analyze these ballots in regards to irregularities in that election. There have been many barriers to access to these ballots since the election and we must depend on the cooperation of local county Boards of Elections. If we don't save the ballots, the public record will be gone forever. Act now! Funds are needed to pay for copying and personnel to gather, preserve and analyze the ballots. Go to Save the Ballots If you can volunteer, contact Ohio Honest Elections at 614-224-8771. Email this article to a friend United for New Directions in Iraq by Harry Reid August 16, 2006 United with one voice, Democratic leaders from Joe Biden to John Murtha sent a clear message to George Bush -- it's time for a New Direction in Iraq. Our plan is straightforward: we believe that a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq should begin by the end of 2006. And our soldiers in the region should transition to a more limited mission focused on counterterrorism, force protection of U.S. personnel, training and logistical support of Iraqi security forces. Read the letter below and add your name: Thank you, Harry Reid July 30, 2006 The President The White House Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. President: While the world has been focused on the crisis in the Middle East, Iraq has exploded in violence. Some 6,000 Iraqis were killed in May and June, and sectarian and insurgent violence continues to claim American and Iraqi lives at an alarming rate. In the face of this onslaught, one can only conclude that the Baghdad security plan you announced five weeks ago is in great jeopardy. Despite the latest evidence that your Administration lacks a coherent strategy to stabilize Iraq and achieve victory, there has been virtually no diplomatic effort to resolve sectarian differences, no regional effort to establish a broader security framework, and no attempt to revive a struggling reconstruction effort. Instead, we learned of your plans to redeploy an additional 5,000 U.S. troops into an urban war zone in Baghdad. Far from implementing a comprehensive "Strategy for Victory" as you promised months ago, your Administration's strategy appears to be one of trying to avoid defeat. Meanwhile, U.S. troops and taxpayers continue to pay a high price as your Administration searches for a policy. Over 2,500 Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice and over 18,000 others have been wounded. The Iraq war has also strained our military and constrained our ability to deal with other challenges. Readiness levels for the Army are at lows not seen since Vietnam, as virtually no active Army non-deployed combat brigade is prepared to perform its wartime missions. American taxpayers have already contributed over $300 billion and each week we stay in Iraq adds nearly $3 billion more to our record budget deficit. In the interests of American national security, our troops, and our taxpayers, the open-ended commitment in Iraq that you have embraced cannot and should not be sustained. Rather, we continue to believe that it is time for Iraqis to step forward and take the lead for securing and governing their own country. This is the principle enshrined in the "United States Policy in Iraq Act" enacted last year. This law declares 2006 to be a year of "significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty, with Iraqi security forces taking the lead for the security of a free and sovereign Iraq, thereby creating the conditions for the phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq." Regrettably, your policy seems to be moving in the opposite direction. This legislation made clear that Iraqi political leaders must be informed that American patience, blood and treasure are not unlimited. We were disappointed that you did not convey this message to Prime Minister Maliki during his recent visit. Reducing the U.S. footprint in Iraq will not only give the Iraqis a greater incentive to take the lead for the security of their own nation, but will also allow U.S. forces to be able to respond to contingencies affecting the security of the United States elsewhere in the world. We believe that a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq should begin before the end of 2006. U.S. forces in Iraq should transition to a more limited mission focused on counterterrorism, training and logistical support of Iraqi security forces, and force protection of U.S. personnel. Additionally, every effort should be made to urge the Iraqis to take the steps necessary to achieve a broad-based and sustainable political settlement, including amending the constitution to achieve a fair sharing of power and resources. It is also essential to disarm the militias and ensure forces loyal to the national government. Finally, an international conference should be convened to persuade other governments to be more involved, and to secure the resources necessary to finance Iraq=s reconstruction and rebuild its economy. Mr. President, simply staying the course in Iraq is not working. We need to take a new direction. We believe these recommendations comprise an effective alternative to the current open-ended commitment which is not producing the progress in Iraq we would all like to see. Thank you for your careful consideration of these suggestions. Harry Reid, Senate Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader Dick Durbin, Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer, House Minority Whip Carl Levin, Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee Ike Skelton, Ranking Member, House Armed Services Committee Joe Biden, Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Tom Lantos, Ranking Member, House International Relations Committee Jay Rockefeller, Vice Chairman, Senate Intelligence Committee Jane Harman, Ranking Member, House Intelligence Committee Daniel Inouye, Ranking Member, Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee John Murtha, Ranking Member, House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Add your name now: Website Email this article to a friend Click here to feed rescued animals by The Animal Rescue site August 28, 2006 Hi, all you animal lovers. This is pretty simple. Please tell your friends to tell their friends today! The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "feed an animal in need" for free. This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising. Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know. Animal Rescue Site AGAIN, PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!! Email this article to a friend Volunteer to help investigate with the Save the Ballots campaign by The Free Press August 31, 2006 As the destruction of the ballots from the 2004 presidential campaign draws closer, the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism has been sending crews of people to the county boards of elections to count ballots and study the signature books. If you are interested in helping with the investigations, contact: Bob Fitrakis - 614-374-2380 or 614-253-2571. Email this article to a friend Help save the Center - participate in the Native American Indian Center Auction by NAICCO Trustee September 15, 2006 The NAICCO online auction opens for bidding on September 5, 2006 at 8:00 AM, Eastern Daylight Time. Our goal this year is to raise $10,000 to support the operation of the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio. We need your support! This is an exciting and fun way to help us, and at the same time have a chance to win cool items! We'll continue adding new items to our catalog for you to preview as the auction proceeds. Check back often to see what's new. Feel free to place a Watch on your favorites, so that you'll know as soon as bidding begins! Entire auction catalog Email this article to a friend Please help save the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio by Suzanne Patzer September 19, 2006 The NAICCO online auction opens for bidding on September 5, 2006 at 8:00 AM, Eastern Daylight Time. Our goal this year is to raise $10,000 to support the operation of the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio. We need your support! This is an exciting and fun way to help us, and at the same time have a chance to win cool items! We'll continue adding new items to our catalog for you to preview as the auction proceeds. Check back often to see what's new. Feel free to place a Watch on your favorites, so that you'll know as soon as bidding begins! Entire auction catalog Email this article to a friend YOU CAN HELP ENSURE A FAIR ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 7, 2006 by Pete Johnson October 20, 2006 There are several ways that YOU can help protect the vote in 2006: VIDEO THE VOTE: Help document irregularities on election day, join the team. Video records will be immediately uploaded to the web. If you are interested in the video project, please contact Melissa Giraud at melissa@columbusvotes.org. See Video the Vote on YouTube PARALLEL ELECTION VOLUNTEER: Learn how hand-counted paper ballots are the most accurate way to count votes by helping in a citizen-run Parallel Election. For more information, contact Rady Ananda at rady.j30@gmail.com or Marj Creech at 740.940.5038 or risenregan@earthlink.net. See Parallel Elections ELECTION OBSERVER: Contact Phil Fry (937) 362-4493, phil@ctcn.net. He is coordinating observers for 5 candidates who are running state-wide including Bob Fitrakis and Bill Peirce. Position is quite flexible. You may be asked to follow the precinct captain with the electronic ballot from the precinct to witness the vote count at the central tabulator. Go to CASE Ohio and look under "Election Day Action." ELECTION PROTECTION VOLUNTEER: EP workers will be present at the polls, armed with information to help voters who are refused access due to the new ID requirement and other reasons, or are forced to vote by provisional ballot.This program is run by People for the American Way. For more information, go to People for the American Way EXIT POLLS: Work with statisticians at the Vote County Project. To get involved, see Election Integrity Vote Count Project Email this article to a friend MPEACHMENT BY SPRING: HERE'S THE PLAN by After Downing Street November 15, 2006 Plan Events on December 10th, Human Rights and Impeachment Day - December 10 is Human Rights Day, and this year we're making it Human Rights and Impeachment Day. Slogan: "Putting Impeachment on the Table." We encourage you to organize a town hall forum or rally on this day for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. You can create a public listing of your event here. You will be able to communicate with the people who sign up for your event, and to edit the listing for your event, changing or filling in details later. Be sure also to invite your Congress Member or newly elected future Congress Member to speak. Here are resources that will make your event easy and effective: December 10 Collect Signatures on Petitions - Collect millions of them, especially in front of your Congress Member's offices. Use this to build local organizations as well as a national list of names. Petition Join a Congressional District Impeachment Committee -Organize locally to lobby your Representative: Impeachment Committee Pass State and Local Resolutions -Pass impeachment resolutions in your town or city, state, political party, or labor union. Use the petitioning (above) to help make this happen: Resolutions Be a Media Activist- Work the media for impeachment: Media Talking Points and Other Resources to Assist You Resource Center Impeachment Conference Call November 13, 2006/b> - 81 organizers and activists from across the country took part in a conference call Monday evening to discuss upcoming actions to advance the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. You can listen to the 90-minute call to catch up and get involved. We'll post the transcript and notes ASAP. Transcript Audio and Video from Philadelphia on Veterans Day - Here is video of our impeachment movement launch: Video Here is audio: Audio We Now Have Shirts With Long Sleeves Shirts Invite the Bush Chain Gang to Your Town- Reduce fear and roadside trash: put them to work. Chain Gang help organize: Organize here's where to plan events: Events please sign up to stay informed: Informed Philly reports: Reports Email this article to a friend Stop Expansion of Oil Drilling on our Coasts by NRDC December 5, 2006 This lame-duck Congress will likely be launching their first attack TOMORROW. The House of Representatives will likely vote tomorrow on a dangerous bill to expand oil drilling off our coasts, even in some special areas where drilling is currently banned. We need your immediate action to stop this last-ditch attempt to hand over our natural heritage to Big Oil. Please call your Representative right now: Tell your Member of Congress to vote NO on S.3711, the offshore oil and gas drilling bill and to stop the giveaways to Big Oil. Urge your Representative to support bills that will give us more renewable energy and REDUCE our destructive dependence on oil. And please help the NRDC Action Fund to expose and stop these eleventh-hour attacks on our environment by making a special donation today: Drilling Fund Your contribution will enable us to mobilize nearly one million online activists, dozens of experts, and our lightning-fast media operation in order to thwart this and other lame-duck assaults on our last wild places. Drilling off our coasts will NOT bring down gas prices or advance energy security. Remember: this is the same Congress that refused to make America's gas-guzzlers more fuel-efficient but has doled out billions of tax dollars to oil and coal companies instead. This latest bill is just more of the same corporate welfare. The American people voted on Election Day for a clean energy future that will help us kick the oil habit, slow global warming and save our natural heritage from destruction. Tell your Representative to listen to the people -- not the polluters -- and vote NO on the offshore oil and gas drilling bill. Email this article to a friend This Holiday Season, try these 10 trash-busting steps to reduce holiday waste when giving gifts. by Defenders of Wildlife December 8, 2006 Tis the season -- peak garbage season, that is. These 10 trash-busting steps can help reduce your contribution to holiday waste when wrapping, packing and opening gifts... 1. Give gifts that don’t require wrapping. Tickets, memberships, subscriptions, gift cards, and certificates for babysitting, snow-shoveling and other services. Or how about just an e-card and a hug? 2. Make the wrapping part of the present. Present gifts in baskets, tins and other reusable containers. Or wrap them in scarves, handkerchiefs, pillowcases, cloth napkins or tablecloths. 3. Don’t wrap presents for pets. Does Fido really care? 4. Hide unwrapped gifts and make finding them part of the fun. Provide cards with clues for finding them. Hang jewelry and other small items right on the Christmas tree. 5. Use gift bags instead of wrapping paper. They’re just as attractive and readily reusable. 6. Buy recycled wrapping paper. Look for paper with a high percentage of postconsumer waste. 7. Avoid foil, metallic and glittery papers, which are not recyclable. 9. Don’t use Styrofoam packing peanuts and bubble wrap. Crumpled newspaper or corn-based packing peanuts that disintegrate in water are the greener choice. Better yet, use air-popped, unsalted popcorn or peanuts in the shell, which can be tossed outside to feed the birds. 10. Unwrap gifts carefully and have designated “reuse” and “recycle” boxes ready. Collect gift wrap, bags, ribbons and bows for storage until next year. Sort other materials according to your local recycling guidelines. Email this article to a friend An easy way to help fund AIDS research by Ceasar Montoya December 10, 2006 Bristol-Myers is donating a dollar to AIDS research each time someone goes to their website, moves the match to the candle and lights it. Please forward this to your friends to spread. It takes a second to raise a dollar. Click on the link below or copy and paste the link below in your browser and please light the candle. https://www.lighttounite.org/. Light to Unite Email this article to a friend Give Harry Hell! by Code Pink December 23, 2006 With the November elections, the voters gave a clear mandate for the new Democratic Congress to end the war in Iraq. We hoped our newly elected officials would listen to the people, but they're already backsliding. We were appalled to hear Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, on Sunday's ABC show "This Week," say he would support a "short-term" increase of U.S. troops in Iraq. AN INCREASE IN TROOPS? What is Harry thinking? The voters didn't put his party in power to escalate this war, but the end it! Harry's website may be named GiveEmHellHarry.com, but now it's time for us to give him hell for buckling so quickly to Bush's war machine. Please take a moment out of your busy holiday schedule to call, email or FAX Harry Reid and tell him this just isn't acceptable. Call: 202-224-2158 -- Democratic Leadership Office in DC (If that doesn’t work call his scheduler: 202-224-7003) Email: Susan_McCue@reid.senate.gov (chief of staff) Fax: 202-224-7327 -- DC Office P.S. Harry Reid's actions make our plans to mobilize in Washington D.C. on January 27th even more pressing. Find out more about our upcoming actions and how to join us here: Code Pink Plans You can use the sample letter below or write your own. Let Harry Reid know that he must honor the peace sentiment of the American people and bring our troops home! Dear Senator Reid, The November 7 election was a voter mandate for peace, not for escalating the war in Iraq. Your recent remarks supporting the sending of more troops in an ill-conceived effort to "pacify Baghdad" is an affront to the voters who put your party in power. We passionately oppose such an ill-conceived escalation that will only lead to more dead and wounded American soldiers, and more dead and wounded Iraqis. It will not lead to peace, but only intensify the cycle of violence and inflame anti-American sentiments throughout the region. After the historic November 7 election, this is no time for caving into the Bush war agenda. It's a time for honoring the peace sentiment of the American people. We call on you to oppose any escalation of US troops and firmly demand a timetable for bringing our troops home. Sincerely, Email this article to a friend Help Save Progressive Radio by Progress Ohio January 3, 2007 Protest Clear Channel's dropping Air America! Come out on Monday 1/8 during the Stephanie Miller show FOR A PUBLIC SHOW OF SUPPORT to Stephanie Miller for two years of progressive talk in Columbus, 11AM-Noon, on the sidewalk in front of the Ohio statehouse. Clear Channel is dropping 1230am's progressive format and will be taking a hard right turn. WTPG (We're Talking Progressive) will change it's call letters to WYTS and will abandon voices like Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, and Al Franken in favor of Michael Savage and Laura Ingraham. Sign the petition to help save progressive radio: Save Progressive Radio In a recent Columbus Dispatch article, it is claimed that "The progressive-talk format, in place at WTPG since September 2004, never took off here despite live broadcasts in Columbus by Franken, Miller and Schultz." What it doesn't tell you is that WTPG TRIPLED its ratings since switching to a progressive format 2 years ago, and moved the former WCOL frequency into the top 25 stations for the first time in years. We are working on ways to join others in direct action to prevent this move like Madison, Wisconsin did. They did it with a massive public outcry from citizens, community leaders, and dedicated advertisers. We need to fuel the same here in our community. Email this article to a friend Stop the War Now! by January 15, 2007 United for Peace and Justice is organizing a massive demonstration for ending American presence in Iraq NOW, on Jan. 27. You can read about it at United for Peace and Justice There will be a charter bus leaving from Yellow Springs, Ohio, on the evening of Jan 26, and will return to Yellow Springs late night of Jan. 27. Cost is $60.00 round trip, some scholarships are available. Please share this information with your group, and/or forward this email to folks who may be interested. Call 937-767-1022, or return email ken.simon@yahoo.com. Seats need to be reserved soon! Central Ohio organizing information: 614-252-9255. OSU chapter of the Campus Antiwar Network, a national antiwar network: www.campusantiwar.net is having a meeting to organize aorund this protest. Location: Page Hall, Room 060, Ohio State University (next to Hagerty Hall and Parking Garage C, facing the south oval). Contact: negi.2@osu.edu for more details or to endorse the meeting. Northeast Ohio Anti-War Coalition is contracting for a second bus to United for Peace call to Congress to end the war,Jan27,07. First bus is almost full. To reserve go ito www.noacinfo.org for instructions. Free parking available at secure lot. Leaving Cleveland west side Gordon Square,( West 65th and Detroit )Friday Jan26th 11:30 pm. Return Sunday Jan28th,morning. Bus service wants payment due two weeks in advance. If interested make arrangenents now. NOAC will provide Metro instructions in and out of Washington. Email this article to a friend Tell Sens. Voinovich and Brown: Rein in Bush on Iran by Moveon.org March 6, 2007 Yesterday, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) introduced a bill to stop the war from escalating into Iran. His bill would prohibit President Bush from spending money for military operations in Iran without the consent of Congress. With Congress already struggling to get us out of the mess in Iraq, the president is edging us closer to war with Iran. We can't risk a repeat. Can you call your senators, Sens. Voinovich and Brown, and tell them to follow Webb's lead and support his bill on Iran? Senator George Voinovich Phone: 202-224-3353 Senator Sherrod Brown Phone: 202-224-2315 Then, please report your call by clicking here: Report your call When you call, be polite but firm and speak from the heart. You can say something like "I am calling to ask the senator to support Sen. Webb's bill requiring congressional approval for military action in Iran, because..." The stakes are too high to risk having the mess in Iraq spread to Iran, and that means we need oversight of the president. Dealing with Iran will require strategic diplomacy and working with other countries. As Senator Webb said yesterday: This presidency has shot from the hip too many times for us to be able to trust it to act on its own. It's not the way the Constitution was designed. We need Congress to be involved in any decision to commence military activities absent an attack from the other side or a direct threat.1 The Pentagon has said it has no plans to attack Iran, but the tension has risen alarmingly in the last few weeks. The U.S. has been positioning military personnel in the region and increasing its threatening rhetoric toward Iran. Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid remarked to reporters last Thursday, "There are many out there much smarter than I am who believe the administration is ramping up to have the same thing happen in Iran that happened in Iraq."2 Can you call your senators now and let them know that Congress should check the president on Iran? Thanks for all you do, –Eli, Karin, Marc, Matt and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team Tuesday, March 6th, 2007 Sources: 1. Webb Introduces Bill Barring Funding For Military Action Against Iran, Fox News, March 5, 2007 Fox News 2. "Sen. Reid favors bill restricting attack on Iran," Washington Post, March 1, 2007 Moveon Support our member-driven organization: MoveOn.org Political Action is entirely funded by our 3.2 million members. We have no corporate contributors, no foundation grants, no money from unions. Our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. If you'd like to support our work, you can give now at: moveon.org Email this article to a friend Need stories of families who need health care in Ohio by Kathleen Gmeiner March 8, 2007 Next week the Governor will release his first budget and the Family Coverage Coalition and Voices for Ohio's Children and the Coalition for Affordable Healthcare in Ohio are all collaborating on finding stories of people who would benefit from raising parents' coverage to 100% of the federal poverty level, raising children's eligibility to 300% of the federal poverty level, parents and children already benefiting from Medicaid, people who are employed, but can't access coverage and the very poor, chronically ill who have been unable to enroll in Disability Medical Assistance, We need these stories as soon as possible! The media will be looking for persons in these categories when the budget is announced next week (3/15) and we will need to prepare people for legislative testimony which will start shortly after the budget is released. Email Kathleen Gmeiner, kgmeiner@columbus.rr.com, or call her at (614) 443-2845 to receive more information and the submission form. Email this article to a friend Donate now to bring local progressive radio to Columbus! by Free Press staff March 10, 2007 The Free Press Radio Project needs your contribution. The Free Press has recently acquired a building permit for a radio translator. We need to raise $5,000 by March 26 to translate the FM signal from the local LPFM channel. This is possible with your help. Currently Columbus is without progressive and alternative radio. Your contribution can make the difference between rightwing reactionary radio and a principled and unwavering voice that stands for human rights and social justice. Go to Online Store Email this article to a friend Halt the Holt Bill Tonight! by Sheri Myers March 28, 2007 This will be quick. We're almost out of time. If you have a fax or a phone and ten minutes, your democracy needs you. At 10:00 tomorrow (Thursday 3/29) , the well-meaning, but misinformed members of the House Adminstration Committee will be marking up Rush Holt's HR. 811. This bill is called the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007. Many many election integrity activists and groups have serious problems with the bill. It cannot, it must not pass as it stands. All you have to do, is print up the Thirteen Issues with the Holt Bill and fax it to the congressional offices in the column on the right. If you can't fax, call. Please, please, do something. 13 ISSUES with the HOLT BILL "Hacking Democracy" on DVD See it and Weep Read "Cheated!" - the graphic novel about Ohio 2004, that illustrates the true events Email this article to a friend ONLY 2 Days Left to Bid!!! Native American Indian Center Auction by NAICCO Trustee March 30, 2007 The Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio Auction closes on April 1, 2007 at 12:59 AM, Eastern Daylight Time. If you've got your heart set on a special item... you still have time to win! Check Out These Great Buys... You can still bid on any of the special items in our auction catalog right up to the final seconds of this exciting event. Every tick of the clock brings us closer to the finish line. This may be your last chance to win that special item or to grab a great bargain. So don't miss out... BID NOW! Spread the Word! Remind your friends the end is almost here! Just Refer your Friends so they have the chance to offer their support and get some great last-minute deals. Don't Forget: Every bid supports the work we do at Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio! Auction Email this article to a friend On the state level: Access to local media threatened by Ohio Bill by Rich James April 2, 2007 As big media faces a more public-interest oriented Congress, some public policy battles are moving to state legislatures. Phone giants interested in entering the video market want to get rid of local franchising, the locale-by-locale permission to use public right-of-ways that cable companies have had to secure. A community with enough foresight to take advantage of franchising--and Columbus, regrettably, has not--has been able to leverage Public, Educational and Government (PEG) channels with budgets to run them, to provide high-speed governmental and civic sector networks, to require services in low-income communities, and to generate other benefits, services and local income. All this will go away if recently introduced Ohio Senate Bill 117 becomes law. Franchising authority would be placed in the hands of the state Commerce Director. According to Ohio community technology advocate Bill Callahan of Cleveland Digital Vision, passage of this bill would mean no more citywide service obligations, no more demands for special services to municipal and school facilities, no more requirements to support community media access and technology programs, no negotiation of any kind. Where a franchise remains in effect, the cable company can walk away whenever it chooses, and "no provision of that franchise or agreement is enforceable" by the community. The law would prohibit the state from negotiating any similar public benefits on behalf of its communities. Let your State Senator know that you choose local control, PEG media and broadband services for all Ohioans so all can participate fully in our economy, educational system and culture. Call your state representatives now! To learn more, read Bill Callahan's blog: Blog Email this article to a friend Join Feingold and Reid in the fight against Bush's veto of a timeline for bringing the troops home by Will Easton April 6, 2007 On Tuesday, in anticipation of the Bush veto, Senator Russ Feingold will formally propose legislation that will effectively end the current military mission in Iraq and begin the redeployment of U.S. forces. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is joining Feingold in this call. We need as many Senators as possible to go on the record in support of this bill before Tuesday so it can be introduced with overwhelming support that reflects the will of the people. The Feingold/Reid bill requires the President to begin safely redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq 120 days from enactment, as required by the emergency supplemental spending bill the Senate recently passed. The bill ends funding for the war, with three narrow exceptions, effective March 31, 2008. Tell your Senators: Join Feingold and Reid in the fight against Bush's veto of a timeline for bringing the troops home ACT FOR CHANGE Will Easton, Manager, ActForChange.com Email this article to a friend After Imus; What you can do by Robert McChesney April 13, 2007 The controversy over Don Imus' racist remarks goes far beyond one bigoted commentator. But getting rid of Imus won't fix the media problem. Most of our TV and radio stations are owned by giant corporate conglomerates. They don't represent the views of most Americans -- and they make huge profits off the public airwaves. What we need are more diverse, independent and local media owners. Yet right now less than 10% of TV and radio stations are owned by people of color or women. But instead of addressing this national disgrace, the Federal Communications Commission is actually trying to let the largest companies buy up even more stations! Tell the FCC: We Need More Diversity in the Media What Imus said is just the tip of the iceberg. Scores of other TV and radio hosts regularly make racist and sexist comments. The best way to stop this race to the bottom is to change who's sitting at the top -- and making the decisions about who's behind the mic. Today, according to one industry study, only 2.5% of radio stations have a person of color in the role of general manager, and only 4.4% have a racial or ethnic minority in the role of news director. The percentage of women in these jobs isn't much higher. No wonder shock jocks like Imus have been able to keep their jobs for so long. Now is our chance to make a change. In 2003, we stopped the FCC from allowing more media concentration, when more than 3 million people took action to stop Big Media. This time, we must not only stop further consolidation -- we must demand media ownership that reflects the diversity that makes our nation great. Onward, Robert McChesney President Free Press www.freepress.net P.S. For more on how minority owners have been shutout of the media system, read the Free Press study Out of the Picture:" Stop Big Media Email this article to a friend Your Earth Day To-Do List! by Will Easton, Manager, ActForChange.com, Working Assets April 20, 2007 The bad news: Global warming is real. The better news: there are real ways you can help. In honor of Earth Day, here are five things you can do to make a cleaner planet and a better tomorrow. The best part is they are low-cost or free -- but have a huge impact. 1. Reduce. Here's a bright idea: Swap out five standard light bulbs for energy-saving compact fluorescents. They use 25% less energy and last 10 times as long. Other ways to save: unplug unused appliances and take public transit. For more cool tips, go to the Natural Resources Defense Council website: Act for Change 2. Offset. Once you've done what you can to reduce your impact on the environment, offset the rest. Make a donation to reverse the greenhouse gases you produce. Go to CarbonFund.org: CarbonFund 3. Recycle. Have an old cellphone just sitting in a drawer? CollectiveGood can send these phones for use in developing countries, or safely recycles materials from them. To donate your phone today (the shipping is free), go to CollectiveGood.com: Collective Good 4. Take Action. We need bold action to solve the climate crisis. The United States is currently responsible for nearly 25% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, so we need to take the lead in solving the problem. Senators Boxer and Sanders have come forward with a bill to achieve 80% emissions reductions by 2050; click here to support the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act: Pollution reduction 5. Get a cool credit card. Get the credit card that plants trees and supports alternative-energy groups. Click to find out more: Credit card. Email this article to a friend Stamp out postal rate hikes! by Timothy Karr, Campaign Director, Free Press, www.freepress.net April 22, 2007 The Post Office is about to accept a hike in its rates that would put diverse and free speech in America at risk. Postal regulators have decided to adopt a plan that locks in special favors to the nation's largest publishers, like Time Warner and Hearst, while unfairly burdening smaller and independent magazines with higher postal rates. You can help reverse this unfair decision by signing our letter demanding that the new postal rates stop favoring Big Media over small publishers: Sign Our Letter to Stamp Out the Rate Hikes The plan to give Big Media lower rates was submitted by Time Warner, the nation's largest publisher. Surprisingly, postal regulators chose the Time Warner plan -- with no public input -- instead of another proposal that would have imposed an equal increase on all publishers. If implemented, the Time Warner plan could push many smaller publications to the brink of bankruptcy. America's founding fathers understood that the First Amendment would be worth little without a postal system that encouraged broad public participation in America's marketplace of ideas. To ensure that a diversity of viewpoints were available to "the whole mass of the people," they created affordable postal rates that gave smaller political journals a voice. The Time Warner rate increase reverses this egalitarian ideal and threatens the democratic discourse that our founding fathers fostered through the U.S. mail system. Please join us in urging postal regulators and Congress to convene public hearings, determine how these rate increases were decided in such an unfair and unorthodox way, and reverse the rulling. We only have until next Wednesday, April 25, to respond -- so please take action today: Act Now: Save Small and Independent Publishers The Post Office should not use its monopoly power to favor the largest publishers and undermine the ability of smaller publishers to compete. With your help, we can reverse this decision and restore the postal system that has served free speech in America so well. Thanks for all you do, P.S. To learn more about the campaign visit: Stop Postal Rate Hikes Email this article to a friend Cast your vote for Video The Vote! by Melissa Giraud, League of Young Voters April 28, 2007 CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 has chosen to feature Video the Vote as one of four pieces in its year ending “Keeping Them Honest” segment. Their Video the Vote piece will be featured on the CNN website in the coming days where viewers LIKE YOU will be asked to go to the internet and vote on their favorite segment. If Video the Vote gets the most votes, Ian Inaba, our co-founder (and one of our hardest working volunteers) will win the chance to represent all of us in an interview with Anderson Cooper on New Year’s Eve. More importantly, if Video the Voters get the most votes, we’ll win an opportunity to highlight the continued problem of voter suppression by broadcasting your videos to the CNN audience. So please vote for Ian Inaba, for Video the Vote and for doing our part to end voter suppression. Cast your ballot at: CNN Vote Site Also, please know that Video the Vote volunteers have continued to work long past election day. We’ve had continued activity in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and, of course, Florida. Video the Voters Jeannie Dean and Leonard Schmiege have been particularly busy this last month in Sarasota. They have kept focus on the absurd situation in Sarasota, at times when no other cameras were watching. Check out their latest updates at Video the Vote We’ll continue to update you as your videos are put to good use. We’re working with our partner organizations from Election Protection to add video to their legislative and legal appeals. So if you still have video to submit, please let us know at Email Email this article to a friend Protest Bush's veto! by Move on May 4, 2007 The president just vetoed a plan that would bring our troops home from Iraq this year. There's a huge amount of pressure right now on Democrats in Congress to compromise and give the president what he wants. We need to make sure Congress stands firm on a deadline to end the war--instead of sending another blank check. Can you help out by signing the petition at the link below? It'll only take a second. petition Email this article to a friend Pelosi Has Started Phone Tally for Impeachment by ufpj-news May 8, 2007 Pelosi Has Started Phone Tally for Impeachment- CALL NOW!!! House Speaker Pelosi's office is taking calls voting for Impeachment of Bush/Cheney at 202-225-0100. Folks, each of you who have been wanting impeachment, need to commit right now to ask at least 10 others to call and ask each person to commit to asking 10 others to call and so on. It needs to happen fast and NOW. Let's BLITZKREIG the Speaker's office with demands for impeachment of Bush AND Cheney. Please make a call, and thanks so very much. Email this article to a friend Don't let AT&T buy Ohio! Save Free Speech! Save Public Access Television! by Logan Martinez May 24, 2007 Public, Educational and Government Access channels are under imminent threat by AT&T sponsored legislation. The Ohio House of Representatives' public utilities committee will be holding their hearing on Senate Bill SB 117 on Wednesday, May 30th at 11 a.m. We need people to attend. We will be holding a short rally at the capital at 10:40 A.M. Ohio Senate Bill SB 117 threatens to undermine public, educational and government access television (PEG) throughout the state of Ohio. Established in the early years of cable television, public access provides the opportunity for average citizens to produce and broadcast their own TV shows, an extension of First Amendment free-speech rights. Cable access channels are a vital part of our democracy, allowing citizens to communicate directly with one another without mediation by the dominant corporate media. AT&T's bill is threatening this essential part of our democracy. SB 117 allows cable companies to redline, targeting wealthy and middle class neighborhoods for service, avoiding low income and working class neighborhoods. It includes a major cut in franchise fees threatening already financially strapped public access stations, passing on line fees and other costs to them, further eroding their viability. PEG channels will be moved off of basic to upper tiers, totally marginalizing them by cutting their potential audience. The bill sunsets funding for PEG access at the end of the franchise or January 2012, whichever comes first. DATV's (our local access station) contract expires in January 2008! AT&T?s proposed delivery system for PEG access is internet streaming which severely limits the quality of the video. It also allows cable companies to disenfranchise access stations altogether. Call and or write your representative and the Governor. Ask your organization to pass a resolution in opposition to the Bill. Miami Valley Full Employment Council produces Citizen Impact, a news magazine show at DATV. Logan Martinez 275-7259/ americassafetynet@hotmail.com Email this article to a friend The FCC needs to hear your story about the importance of protecting a free and open Internet. by Savetheinternet.com May 29, 2007 The FCC recently launched an official inquiry into Net Neutrality. They're already hearing plenty from AT&T, Verizon and Comcast - who want to be the gatekeepers deciding what you can do online. Now they need to hear from you. This may be the best chance we have this year to demonstrate to Washington that protecting Internet freedom is an issue that matters millions of Americans. Please Tell your story to the FCC: Save the Internet Email this article to a friend The Department of Energy wants to turn Southern Ohio into a nuclear waste dump by Progress Ohio May 31, 2007 The federal reservation near Piketon, Ohio, has been proposed as a storage site for high-level nuclear waste, imported from other counties, other states, and other countries. These plans were developed in secret without public disclosure and with fraudulent claims of community support. The Southern Ohio Neighbors Group (SONG) is fighting against these efforts. ProgressOhio and the Southern Ohio Neighbors Group will deliver your signature to the Office of Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. Let’s tell the government we don’t want nuclear waste in our backyard! The filing deadline is June 4 so please ACT NOW and save Southern Ohio! Please click here petitionto see the proposed dump site and to sign a petition opposing the importation of nuclear and radioactive waste in Ohio. Email this article to a friend Stop Holt Bill by Sheri Myers June 4, 2007 Dear Fellow Lovers of Democracy, HR811 may come up for a vote on the floor of the House Tuesday, June 5.Election Integrity Advocates of the best intentions differ passionately about this bill. It is deeply flawed. (Read the EDA 811 Resource page). Support EDA's call on Congress to step off the fast track and open up HR 811 to the public debate and careful examination this bill requires. Our democracy deserves no less. CALL and FAX your Congressional Rep. It's easy, all the steps are outlined below. They really need to hear from us, TODAY. Halt Holt Email this article to a friend Save public access! Save Free Speech! UPDATE by Logan Martinez June 5, 2007 The Ohio House of Representatives' public utilities committee will be holding another hearing on Senate Bill SB 117 on Wednesday, June 6, at 11 a.m. We need people to attend. Please call and or e-mail your representative and the Governor this week. Public, Educational and Government Access channels are under imminent threat by AT&T sponsored legislation. Ohio Senate Bill SB 117 threatens to undermine public, educational and government access television (PEG) throughout the state of Ohio. Established in the early years of cable television, public access provides the opportunity for average citizens to produce and broadcast their own TV shows, an extension of First Amendment free-speech rights. Cable access channels are a vital part of our democracy, allowing citizens to communicate directly with one another without mediation by the dominant corporate media. AT&T's bill is threatening this essential part of our democracy. SB 117 allows cable companies to redline, targeting wealthy and middle class neighborhoods for service, avoiding low income and working class neighborhoods. It includes a major cut in franchise fees threatening already financially strapped public access stations, passing on line fees and other costs to them, further eroding their viability. PEG channels will be moved off of basic to upper tiers, totally marginalizing them by cutting their potential audience. The bill sunsets funding for PEG access at the end of the franchise or January 2012, whichever comes first. DATV's (our local access station) contract expires in January 2008! AT&T?s proposed delivery system for PEG access is internet streaming which severely limits the quality of the video. It also allows cable companies to disenfranchise access stations altogether. . Ask your organization to pass a resolution in opposition to the Bill. Don't let AT&T buy Ohio! Save Free Speech! Save Public Access Television! Miami Valley Full Employment Council produces Citizen Impact, a news magazine show at DATV. Logan Martinez 275-7259/ americassafetynet@hotmail.com Email this article to a friend Stop the U.S. destabilization campaign against Venezuela! by International Action Center June 7, 2007 Join us in standing with the people of Venezuela and their democratically elected President Hugo Chavez, and condemning Washington's propaganda campaign against the Venezuelan government, carried out with the complicity of the U.S. corporate media. Sign the petition online at: Petition International Action Center / Centro de Acción Internacional Founded by / Fundado por Ramsey Clark 5C - Solidarity Center - 55 West 17th Street - New York, N.Y. 10011 212-633-6646 - fax 212-633-2889 IACenter@action-mail.org; En Espańol: IAC-CAI@action-mail.org www.IACenter.org Email this article to a friend Action Alert—Support efforts to protect Ohio public lands from corporate abuse by Buckeye Forest Council June 8, 2007 There's still time to contact your state representatives. The Buckeye Forest Council (BFC) applauds Representative Mike Foley (D-Cleveland) for addressing the abuses of clear-cutting along utility easements through public property. The BFC helped shape a proposal with Representative Foley that would give Ohioans the opportunity to formally voice concerns over clear-cutting and pipeline maintenance activities occurring on state lands. We need your help right away to build support for this effort. Representative Foley’s memo calling for co-sponsors announces: “I will soon be introducing legislation that will require the Director of Natural Resources to hold a public hearing before entering into a lease or granting an easement for any of specified purposes or allowing clear-cutting of trees on lands owned, controlled, maintained, or administered by the Department of Natural Resources. Utilities and transmission companies have asserted their right of way by clear-cutting through public and private property without regard for environmental consequences or respect for property owners. Massive tree removal along pipelines and wells significantly impacts natural areas that Ohioans treasure for their scenic, ecological and recreational value. Pipeline safety and service cannot be ignored, but transmission companies have gone beyond what is reasonable in their clear-cutting activities. There is little justification for clear-cutting beyond what has been historically adequate for pipeline and well maintenance. In the meantime, Ohioans are losing natural treasures and important recreation areas without a formal avenue to assert the will of the public. Ohio citizens deserve the right to comment on cutting and maintenance activities that harm our public forests and parks. A legitimate public input process, occurring before clear-cutting or before maintenance activities are carried out along easements through ODNR land , would give Ohioans a chance to weigh in on the future of our public lands and create a more accountable process. Take Action! We need your help to encourage more accountability and protection for Ohio’s natural heritage. Write, call or email your state representative Before June 14 and urge him/her to co-sponsor Representative Foley’s proposal, which creates an opportunity for the public to weigh in on clear-cutting activities along easements through ODNR-controlled land. Find your state representative by visiting Legislature Let him/her know that public lands provide valuable scenic, ecological and recreational opportunities for all of Ohioans to enjoy. Let him/her know that you support legislation to give Ohioans a chance to weigh in on the future of our public resources and create a more accountable process. Please let us know if you contacted your state representative and what response you got. All state representatives need to hear from us in order to secure bi-partisan support. Constituents in Representative Thom Collier’s district (R-Mt.Vernon) and Representative Jay Goyal’s district (D-Mansfield) especially need to encourage support for this proposal. It would address situations such as caused by Columbia Gas, which tried to clear-cut trees along a 50-foot wide path through the Mohican State Forest and park. Public outcry has urged the company to reconsider. Citizens living in Representative Jimmy Stewart’s district (R-Athens) should also encourage support for Representative Foley’s proposal. Buckeye Forest Council 1200 W. Fifth Ave., #103 Columbus, OH 43212 614-487-9290, 1-866-OH-TREES Buckeye Forest Council Help raise money for the Buckeye Forest Council just by searching the Internet with GoodSearch - www.goodsearch.com - powered by Yahoo! Email this article to a friend The campaign to remove Attorney General Alberto Gonzales heats up this week and you can help... right now! by DFA June 11, 2007 The Senate could hold a no-confidence vote as early as today. The resolution is non-binding and symbolic, but it will put Senators on record and send a strong message to President Bush. Make sure your Senators know you want them to support the no-confidence vote: Senator Sherrod Brown (202) 224-2315 Senator George Voinovich (202) 224-3353 This vote puts us one step closer to removing Alberto Gonzales and restoring integrity to the U.S. Department of Justice. But George Bush is still blocking the way. This morning the President continued to stand by his man, saying: "They can have their votes of no-confidence but it's not going to make the determination about who serves in my government." Call your Senators today. Tell them they have the power to challenge President Bush and remove Alberto Gonzales. After you call, sign the Impeach Gonzales petition that will be delivered to your representative in the next few days: Impeach Gonzales Together, we will hold the Bush Administration accountable and restore integrity to the Justice Department. Email this article to a friend Stop hate crimes by Michael Greenman June 12, 2007 Did you know that one in six hate crimes are motivated by the victim's sexual orientation, and yet today's federal laws don't include any protections for these Americans? What's even more outrageous is that some radical groups are running an all-out campaign to stop Congress from expanding hate crimes laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity--something three out of four Americans support. A bill expanding hate crimes laws has already been approved in the House of Representatives and now a similar bill needs to make it through the Senate. Please contact your Senators and urge them to pass this important legislation! To send your letter, go to: HR Action Center Email this article to a friend The Senate is moving energy legislation that undermines current and future efforts to save the planet by Friends of the Earth June 15, 2007 Tell your senators you expect better! The new Congress is trying to pass the buck on global warming and we can't let them. As currently written, legislation coming to the floor in the Senate and developing in the House not only comes up short, it will likely take us backwards. Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Pete Domenici (R-NM) moved a misguided biofuels bill out of their committee to form the basis of the major Democratic energy package in the Senate. Under pressure from industry, this Senate package is getting worse. Fuel Efficiency Standards: Though better than nothing, the Senate bill sets a weak car and light-truck fuel economy standard for the year 2020 -- only 35mpg. But thanks to big loopholes, even this less-than-ambitious standard will be easy to duck. (The Democrats' House bill contains standards weaker than those in proposals President Bush has advanced! More on this in alerts to come.) Stripping EPA's Power to Regulate: Stunningly, the current Senate legislation would, in effect, overturn April's landmark Supreme Court ruling by stripping the EPA of powers to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks! While the Bush administration's EPA is no model of environmental protection, why on Earth would Democrats seek to hobble the next president's ability to limit global warming emissions from vehicles? Coal to Liquid: A group of Democratic senators from coal-producing states are pushing an amendment to the bill that would encourage "liquid coal" technology. If adopted, this would turn bad legislation into an ecological nightmare. Leaving aside the environmental damage done by getting coal out of the ground, the process of creating and burning liquid coal fuel in our vehicles would result in more than double the greenhouse gas emissions from old fashion gasoline! Our planet is already changing. In areas around the world, global warming is producing longer droughts, changing river patters, stronger storms, erratic growing seasons, and on, and on. If this new Congress is permitted to pass the buck on to next generations in return for short-term political gain, we are in real trouble. We must take on congressional timidity - and the Senate is where we need to start: Tell the Senate that its current legislation fails the public and must change. Action Write now - spread the word - and keep the pressure on. Email this article to a friend Congress Votes this Week to Cut Funding to the School of the Americas by School of the Americas Watch June 18, 2007 Action Alert! SOA Watch has received confirmation that this week Congress will vote on an amendment to close the School of the Americas, now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (SOA/ WHINSEC). Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts will introduce an amendment to the Foreign Operations appropriations bill to cut funding for the school! Click here to send an email and fax to your Representative Email (Be sure to click the "Send a Fax" box to have the fax sent). Call-in Days to Close the SOA/WHINSEC Monday, June 18 - Wednesday, June 20: Call Congress at 202-224-3121. Ask to speak with the foreign affairs legislative assistant. Here is a suggested message for you to convey: "I am calling Representative ________ to urge her/him to vote YES on the McGovern amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. This amendment is a cut in funding for the School of the Americas/ WHINSEC. New information indicates that WHINSEC has allowed known human rights abusers to instruct and receive training at the school. The governments of Costa Rica, Argentina and Uruguay have made public announcements they will no longer send students to the school, citing the negative image and history of this institution. Voting YES on this amendment sends a positive human rights message to Latin America and will help to improve the U.S. image abroad. As an elected official in Washington D.C., I hope you will represent me and vote YES on any amendment in the House that would cut funding for the school." We expect a close vote in the House this week, and we need as many people as possible flooding the offices of Members of Congress with calls in support of a YES vote on the amendment! We need you to call, email and fax Congress every day until the vote happens. Tell your family and friends to do the same! It's been a year since our last vote in Congress, and the work of thousands of people like you across the Americas who care about justice has gotten us to where we are today. Let's seize this opportunity to make history in the defense for human rights! Visit the Legislative Action Index for more information: Legislative BACKGROUND INFORMATION - The School of the Americas is a military training facility for Latin American security personnel located at Fort Benning, Georgia that made headlines in 1996 when the Pentagon released training manuals used at the school that advocated torture, extortion and execution. Despite this shocking admission and hundreds of documented human rights abuses connected to soldiers trained at the school, no independent investigation into the training facility has ever taken place. Read more at SOAW Email this article to a friend We need VOTERS who were CHALLENGED in the 2004 ELECTION by The Free Press July 4, 2007 Was YOUR registration challenged in the 2004 presidential election? The Free Press wants to know! Please contact us immediately if your registration was either challenged BEFORE or ON ELECTION DAY, 2004. Did you receive a letter from your Board of Elections telling you your registration was challenged? Did you show up at the polls and were your challenged or forced to vote provisionally? Your story may be used in a video. Please contact us through email at: truth@freepress.org Please put CHALLENGE in your subject line of your email. Thank you! Bob Fitrakis, Editor The Free Press, freepress.org Email this article to a friend Save the fishes at Franklin Park by Free Press staff July 15, 2007 Drop a dime on the eco-criminals at Franklin Park. Call the City of Columbus Hotline at "311" on your phone to complain about the slow death of the ponds at Franklin Park (Broad Street and Nelson Road) due to a faulty pump. For the past several months the elaborate ponds and waterways perfected at the park for Ameriflora in 1992, home to a thriving ecosystem of ducks, geese, fish, frogs, and other wildlife - has almost completely dried up killing in an unknown number of aquatic and other life forms. If it was Les Wexner's pond and in New Albany, the city would have fixed it a long time ago. But an inner-city pond is allowed to go dry from neglect or indifference. You you care about the natural ecosystem at Franklin Park and the lives of our fellow creatures, call the Mayor and tell him to get that pump fixed! 311 is the 911 on this emergency!! Email this article to a friend Tell the Bush Administration It Has No License to Kill Wolves! by National Resources Defense Council July 22, 2007 The restoration of the gray wolf in the northern Rockies is one of America's greatest environmental success stories. Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone and the central Idaho wilderness in 1995 after being exterminated by settlers, trappers and the federal government. Since then, these new populations have increased to 1200 or so animals. Wolves play a crucial role in northern Rockies ecosystems, helping to preserve riparian forests and maintain healthy populations of raptors, rodents and coyotes. They are also a boon to the region's economy, generating tens of millions of dollars in tourist revenue each year. But Rocky Mountain wolves are by no means out of danger. The Bush Administration has proposed turning over management authority to state agencies, and the governors of Idaho and Wyoming are seeking to kill off more than 700 wolves -- over two-thirds of the Yellowstone and central Idaho populations. Instead of killing wolves, these states should be redoubling their efforts to protect them in the face of mounting development and other habitat destruction. The Bush Administration should continue protecting wolves under the Endangered Species Act until the states have plans in place to ensure that wolf populations will flourish in the future. They should make certain that connections are maintained between the three populations in the northern Rockies so that these populations remain genetically healthy. These ecological bridges are increasingly important as rural sprawl and industrial development continue to fragment wolf habitat throughout the region. Even as the Bush Administration pushes ahead with its plan to strip Greater Yellowstone's wolves of federal protection early next year, it has announced a separate proposal to authorize the mass killing of wolves -- even while wolves are still on the endangered species list. The administration wants to be able to kill wolves anywhere that elk herd numbers may be affected by wolves. It is focusing on areas where elk herds are smaller than the states want. But those few cases of declines in elk herds have been caused by a combination of factors including habitat destruction, drought and human hunting -- not just by wolves. And in most areas of the Northern Rockies, elk numbers are at all-time highs. Government agencies have already purchased planes and helicopters that are capable of gunning down entire packs of wolves in minutes, and state officials have said they would begin slaughtering wolves immediately if the plan is approved, reversing more than a decade of recovery efforts. In Wyoming, wolves would be classified as “predatory animals” in three-fourths of the state, allowing them to be killed by anyone, anywhere, anytime. Tell the Bush Administration It Has No License to Kill Wolves! We must stop the Bush Administration's plan to declare open season on the wolves of Greater Yellowstone and central Idaho. Once approved, Wyoming and Idaho intend to begin exterminating up to half their gray wolves -- by aerial gunning and other cruel methods -- as early as this fall. Submit your Official Citizen Comment, opposing this disastrous plan, before August 6. Campaign to Save Wolves Email this article to a friend An urgent call to stop the $50 billion nuke power give-away by Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash and Harvey Wasserman, Co-Founders, Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) August 3, 2007 As early as this Friday, Congress may approve legislation allowing the Department of Energy to approve $50 billion and more in federal loan guarantees to build new nuclear power plants. We ask that you call your US Representative to make sure this does not happen. The nuclear industry itself has made it clear that this astonishing taxpayer give-away is the only way new atomic reactors will be built in this country. After fifty years of proven failure, neither Wall Street nor the utility industry wants to finance new atomic construction without your taxpayer dollars to guarantee their investments. You might think that after half a century, technology once sold on the promise of being "too cheap to meter" would be able to raise its own funding. But it can't. By contrast, no federal guarantees are needed for the billions of dollars being invested in building new wind farms all over the world. Now the reactor industry falsely claims that it can help solve the global warming problem, even though all reactors emit huge quantities of excess heat directly into the air and water. They also cause major CO2 emissions in the mining, milling and enriching of nuclear fuel, in the reactor construction and decommissioning process, and in the long-term management of spent radioactive fuel, for which there is no real solution. A single dollar spent on increased efficiency saves as much energy as ten dollars spent on nuclear power can produce. But under this phony "green" guise, the industry wants to exploit a single-sentence loophole in the Energy Bill passed by the U.S. Senate to cash in on virtually limitless federal loan guarantees. The sentence was slipped into the law without open debate. It does not appear in the House energy bill. It is essential that we stop this gargantuan nuclear rip-off from happening. This is just the first major battle in what will be a long, hard fight to stop atomic energy from once again derailing the necessary transition to a global economy based on the efficient, equitable use of natural energies provided by our Mother Earth. Thanks…..No Nukes…Bonnie, Jackson, Graham, Harvey…. Email this article to a friend Help us give Dick Cheney a PINK SLIP! by CODE PINK August 4, 2007 Nine Reasons to Pink Slip Dick Cheney 1. He purposely manipulated information about the existence weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to make a case for launching a war against that country. THERE WERE NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN IRAQ AND HE KNEW IT. 2. He repeatedly lied about a connection between Al Queda and Saddam Hussein in order to make a case for invading Iraq. THERE WAS NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AL QUEDA AND SADDAM HUSSEIN AND HE KNEW IT. 3. He has threatened to bomb Iran even though Iran currently has no nuclear weapons, is years from developing them, and has agreed to allow U.N. weapons inspectors into the country. He has gone so far as to propose the use of nuclear weapons against that country. AS IF THE FAILED WAR AND OCCUPATION IN IRAQ ISN’T BAD ENOUGH, HE WANTS TO START ANOTHER WAR. 4. He has sanctioned the use of torture against the invented category of “illegal enemy combatants.” With his approval, people have been kidnapped, flown to secret locations and tortured. IN HIS ENDLESS WAR ON TERROR, CHENEY FEELS HE SHOULDN’T OBEY ANY LAW THAT GETS IN HIS WAY. 5. He has said that the law of the land doesn’t apply to him because he isn’t part of the executive branch (as President of the Senate he is part of the legislative branch) and he has said the law doesn’t apply to him because he is protected by Executive Privilege. CHENEY DOESN’T THINK HE IS SUBJECT TO ANY LAW IN THIS COUNTRY, OR IN THIS UNIVERSE OR ANY OTHER. 6. He is the mastermind behind the National Security Agency’s warrantless wiretapping program. In this illegal program, the government spied on American citizens on American soil. CHENEY ARGUES THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO BREAK INTO OUR HOMES, OPEN OUR MAIL, LISTEN TO OUR PHONE CALLS, TORTURE AND ASSASSINATE PEOPLE, IN SHORT DO ANYTHING HE FEELS LIKE DOING UNDER THE COVER OF “THE WAR ON TERROR.” 7. Even if Congress can’t come up with the 218 votes needed to impeach Cheney, the more Congress members who sign onto Kucinich’s articles of impeachment, the less powerful Cheney becomes. IT WILL BE A FORECEFUL MESSAGE OF OPPOSITION AND CENSURE THAT WILL MAKE AN ATTACK ON IRAN HARDER TO SELL. 8. Signing onto the articles of impeachment can be used as a litmus test for progressive Democrats. If you are for the rule of law, if you are against endless war, if you believe in civil liberties, this is your chance to take a principled stand. THIS WILL SHIFT THE POLITICAL CENTER AND GIVE “MODERATE” DEMOCRATS COVER FOR VOTING AGAINST IRAQ WAR FUNDING. 9. There will be little, if any, political blowback. With Cheney’s approval rating hovering in the teens, the vast majority of Americans would be happy to see him impeached. CODEPINK SAYS: PINK SLIP CHENEY! Sign the petition here Email this article to a friend GENERAL STRIKE IN USA on Sept. 11, 2007 – 9/11 “No School * No Work * No Shopping. Hit the Streets” by Michael Collins, “Scoop” Independent Media August 13, 2007 This is our country. And our world. We just have to stand up. A general strike is proposed for the United States on September 11, 2007, the sixth anniversary of the 9/11/2001 attacks on New York City and Arlington, Virginia. The general strike movement has no clearly named leadership. It’s described as an Internet viral effort. Wikipedia defines viral efforts on the Internet as: An object (or an idea) is viral when it has the ability to spread copies of itself or change other similar objects to become more like (it) when those objects are simply exposed to the viral object. General strikes, more common in Europe, are events that shut down the normal operations of a city, state, or nation for a period of time. These strikes aim to force awareness and action on a single issue or broader set of concerns. The 9/11/07 General Strike has a central location - Strike 911 - on the Internet, which is linked to and reproduced on a variety of other internet sites. The site states the rationale for the effort: The General Strike is a national call to action, from citizens to other citizens. It is not about a single issue. It is not an anti-war protest, a civil rights protest, an election fraud protest. It is not about torture, surveillance, corporate media, the 9/11 coverup, or the environment. This strike is about all these issues and more. We all have different concerns, but we all have the same concern: we are being lied to and this government does not represent us. Join other Americans in demanding truth, justice, and accountability. The strike targets key issues facing the American public, issues that have not been addressed in any meaningful way by any branch of government. These include enduring questions and inconsistencies about 911, the Iraq War; violations of civil rights; and election fraud. As the statement above indicates, one key means of the coverup is the corporate media. Citizen discontent with 911 has been expressed in a number of public opinion polls. One of the most shocking surveyed citizens of New York City. The little reported August, 2004 Zogby Poll found that “Half of New Yorkers Believe US Leaders Had Foreknowledge of Impending 9-11 Attacks and “Consciously Failed.” National surveys also show substantial skepticism about the efforts of “US Leaders.” Other concerns of the strike include areas of strong public skepticism. As of August, 2007, 64% of Americans oppose the Iraq War and a majority says it should never have happened in the first place. Massive violations of civil rights are occurring with the aid of the U.S. Department of Justice, as reported by its former voting rights head. Confidence in the legitimacy of the Bush government has been voiced in polls in Pennsylvania and in a national sample of registered voters. Both Zogby polls showed that tens of millions of Americans have little faith in the fairness and results of the 2004 presidential election. Reflecting the disquiet of the American public, Bush popularity is in free fall. As low as 26% approval in recent polls, his decline has been steady and unending since the peak after the 9/11 attacks (with an odd spike on Election Day 2004). The strike campaign argues that these and other issues rarely covered in any depth by nearly all of the corporate media leave only one move for citizens - a general strike to protest the policies plus the lack of recognition and response. Standing up includes no work or school on September 11, 2007. It also includes “no shopping;” a suspension of all purchasing during the strike. One strike web site claims that this can have a substantial impact even with just a small percentage of the population participating. The general strike calls for participants to “Hit the Streets.” Significant activity is expected to focus on New York and Washington, DC but, in the viral spirit, the venues of protest can’t be predicted. Seattle General Strike Project The Seattle general strike of 1919 is the first known city-wide general strike in U.S. history. Failing to get promised wage increases, 35,000 ship yard workers were joined by 25,000 other Seattle union members for a 6 day work stoppage. The 60,000 workers and their families represented a huge portion of Seattle’s 315,000 populations at the time. The most recent U.S. general strike occurred on May 1, 2006 when millions of Latinos hit the streets across the country. The Latino population once, known as the sleeping giant of American politics, awoke that day in a national effort that shocked and awed the U.S. political elite. Millions protested proposed immigration laws that would made a felon out of anyone claimed to have assisted undocumented workers and broader social justice issues. The May Day demonstrations, in effect a general strike, were preceded by a series of protests beginning in March 2006. This is the type of coalition that may produce major results for the 9/11/07 General Strike. The March 2006 Los Angeles protest saw 500,000 Angelinos join together. It was a predictor of the May Day millions across the nation. It included a majority of Latino civil rights advocates along with anti-Bush and antiwar participants. Image: Michael Sedano (with permission) Saturday, March 25, 2006, I joined 499,999--heck, maybe there were a million of us-- other gente in the area around Los Angeles' City Hall. Our massive reaffirmation of the US Constitution was one of many such manifestations of community, and concern that the nation's growing repression of people like us requires critical attention. Half Million Immigrant Readers, Voters, Mass in LA Michael Sedano, La Bloga March, 2006 Possible Origins While viral in nature at this point, recent history may result in a broad based coalition. The pervasive motivation is the clear indifference to pressing issues by all three branches of the federal government. The White House stalled the 911 investigation and then crippled the 911 Commission in many ways, including delay followed by insufficient funds and authority. The Supreme Court of the U.S. recently overturned landmark civil right legislation thanks to two newly appointed justices who convinced key Senators that they would not overturn civil rights protections. The new Democratic Congress of 2006 has failed to pass a meaningful resolution to end the Iraq War. Specific recent political actions may well have contributed to the general strike. They reflect the joining of antiwar, 911 Truth, and impeachment groups. On June 27, 2007, the United States Social Forum, a convention of various social justice groups, passed a resolution that called for both the reopening of the 911 investigation and the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. This cooperative effort by the 911 Truth movement, impeachment organizations, and the anti war coalition is a new trend. On July 4, 2007, the Philadelphia Emergency Anti War Convention convened in Pennsylvania. Cindy Sheehan pointed out that her audiences have been filled with 911 Truth members who deserved answers to their questions. The convention produced a strong set of demands known as The Act Independent United Front Program. The program calls for impeachment of Bush, Cheney and associates; an end to all wars; restoration of Constitutional Rights; an end to “Bush police-state dictatorship;” a government by and for the people; and 9/11 truth – reopening the investigation and full release of all 9/11 documentation. Only Four Weeks Left Until Sept. 11, 2007 Should this effort achieve momentum and see hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, “hit the streets,” politicians will be faced with a real dilemma. They can continue to ignore, delay and dissemble, reaping the consequences in 2008. Or they can act promptly and effectively to satisfy the demands of the American public. Permission granted to reprint in whole or part with a link to this article in “Scoop” and attribution of authorship. Link: Scoop Email this article to a friend Jim Crow-like oppression in Louisiana by Color of Change August 23, 2007 Last fall in Jena, the day after two Black high school students sat beneath the "white tree" on their campus, nooses were hung from the tree. When the superintendent dismissed the nooses as a "prank," more Black students sat under the tree in protest. The District Attorney then came to the school accompanied by the town's police and demanded that the students end their protest, telling them, "I can be your best friend or your worst enemy... I can take away your lives with a stroke of my pen." A series of white-on-black incidents of violence followed, and the DA did nothing. But when a white student was beaten up in a schoolyard fight, the DA responded by charging six black students with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. It's a story that reads like one from the Jim Crow era, when judges, lawyers and all-white juries used the justice system to keep blacks in "their place." But it's happening today. The families of these young men are fighting back, but the story has gotten minimal press. Together, we can make sure their story is told and that the Governor of Louisiana intervenes and provides justice for the Jena 6. It starts now: Justice for Jena 6 The noose-hanging incident and the DA's visit to the school set the stage for everything that followed. Racial tension escalated over the next couple of months, and on November 30, the main academic building of Jena High School was burned down in an unsolved fire. Later the same weekend, a black student was beaten up by white students at a party. The next day, black students at a convenience store were threatened by a young white man with a shotgun. They wrestled the gun from him and ran away. While no charges were filed against the white man, the students were later arrested for the theft of the gun. That Monday at school, a white student, who had been a vocal supporter of the students who hung the nooses, taunted the black student who was beaten up at the off-campus party and allegedly called several black students "nigger." After lunch, he was knocked down, punched and kicked by black students. He was taken to the hospital, but was released and was well enough to go to a social event that evening. Six Black Jena High students, Robert Bailey (17), Theo Shaw (17), Carwin Jones (18), Bryant Purvis (17), Mychal Bell (16) and an unidentified minor, were expelled from school, arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder. The first trial ended last month, and Mychal Bell, who has been in prison since December, was convicted of aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery (both felonies) by an all-white jury in a trial where his public defender called no witnesses. During his trial, Mychal's parents were ordered not to speak to the media and the court prohibited protests from taking place near the courtroom or where the judge could see them. Mychal is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31st, and could go to jail for 22 years. Theo Shaw's trial is next. He will finally make bail this week. The Jena Six are lucky to have parents and loved ones who are fighting tooth and nail to free them. They have been threatened but they are standing strong. We know that if the families have to go it alone, their sons will be a long time coming home. But if we act now, we can make a difference. Join in demanding that Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco get involved to make sure that justice is served for Mychal Bell, and that DA Reed Walters drop the charges against the 5 boys who have not yet gone to trial. Email this article to a friend DON’T NUKE THE CLIMATE! by Nuclear Information and Resource Service August 26, 2007 The simple statement on nuclear power and climate has gathered almost 900 signatures since it went online Tuesday evening, including nearly 200 organizations from across the U.S. and the world (Lists of the organizational signers are available on NIRS homepage, www.nirs.org). The statement already has been translated into French, Russian and Ukrainian, and a Spanish translation will be available soon. If you haven’t signed yet, please do so at: Nuclear power The statement is plain and straightforward: "We do not support construction of new nuclear reactors as a means of addressing the climate crisis. Available renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies are faster, cheaper, safer and cleaner strategies for reducing greenhouse emissions than nuclear power." The more signatures we get, the faster the media and pro-nuclear politicians will get the message that the only people who want more nuclear power are those who are paid by the nuclear power industry! Email this article to a friend Welcome Back Congress National Call-In Day by Ufpj-news September 6, 2007 Join the nationwide effort to flood the offices of our member of Congress with calls demanding an end to the U.S. war in Iraq. Let's make it clear: there cannot be "business as usual" in Washington until effective action to bring all the troops home is taken! Call your Representative and both Senators on Thursday, September 6th. Capitol Hill Switchboard: 202-224-3121 Tell them: I want you to act now to end the war and occupation of Iraq. The Congress has the Constitutional right and a moral responsibility to use the power of the purse to withdraw all U.S. soldiers and contractors from Iraq on a rapid and binding schedule. Four and a half years of this war is too long - it has to end now! Not sure who represents you in Congress? Look Here. Background: In September, Congress will focus on Iraq. They will vote on the President's request for continued funding of the war. At this writing, the request stands at $142 billion, but Bush will probably increase it to over $190 billion! Congress is not required to give Bush any of this money, or even to bring the request to a vote. Congress can also put restrictions, firm withdrawal timelines and other conditions on any funding in order to force an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Thank You! Sue Udry Legislative Action Coordinator United for Peace and Justice 301-565-4050 x315 Visit our website Support our work Email this article to a friend Join the Energy saving [r]evolution - first 7 steps by Greenpeace September 9, 2007 We need to kick start an energy [r]evolution! By burning fossil fuels for energy, we're altering our atmosphere - causing climate change. To reverse it, we'll need to stop burning so much coal and oil. Renewable energy like wind and solar power is part of the answer, but the fastest (and most cost effective) way to reduce our global warming pollution is simply use less energy. What's so revolutionary about that? Sure, energy efficiency is only common sense. But the idea that with smarter technology we can have growing economies while using less and less energy is new and bold. It's the sort of thing that might even happen without us if we had the time to wait. But we don't. The effects of climate change are already starting to pile up, construction begins on new power plants literally every week and billions of energy wasting lightbulbs are still sold every year. Consider this: A simple switch to energy saving bulbs in the EU alone, would save 20 million tonnes of CO2, equal to shutting down 25 medium-size dirty power plants; and this is before we consider the efficiency of other household products, or even cars! It's not only about changing lightbulbs Specifically, it's not about your lightbulbs. Changing your lightbulbs is just an easy way to get started. Plus, it saves you money. Think of it as step one. Revolutions start with individuals getting together for a common goal. That's why the next steps are about sharing this idea with your friends and community. Then you'll be ready to challenge governments and influence businesses. It's all easier than you might think. Most governments already support energy efficiency to some degree - a few (like Canada, Australia and the Netherlands) have already said they'll phase out energy wasting lightbulbs eventually. With a little helpful push, we can get them to act now. We're asking you to start with lightbulbs simply because they are so wasteful, and better alternatives are so easy to install. Soon, we'll take on other energy wasting products. Why today is the day Every ton of carbon dioxide pumped into the atmosphere, every coal burning power plant built and every energy wasting lightbulb installed makes it harder for us to stop climate change. Each one is one more thing we'll need to undo. Better to do it right the first time. Use an energy saving CFL so we'll need less electricity, avoid building another dirty power plant and protect our planet. That's an energy revolution. Your energy revolution. Sign up here Email this article to a friend Clean up our Trains, Buses and Light Rail! by actionalerts@care2.com September 14, 2007 I personally cringe every time I see the freeway packed with single-car SUV drivers. Sign the petition for more investment in transportation! America's transportation sector accounts for 1/4 of our total global warming emissions. If we could clean up transportation, make it more efficient and make sure the systems get the funding they need to operate well, more and more people would ditch their polluting cars for the convenience and stress-free nature of public transportation. Tell your governor to increase investment in transportation infrastructure as soon as possible! Email this article to a friend Prepare your resolution to present at the 2007 Citizens' Grassroots Congress by Central Ohio Green Education Fund September 26, 2007 The Central Ohio Green Education Fund is reforming and reconfiguring the 2007 Citizens’ Grassroots Congress (2007CGC). We believe the progressive community of Columbus is growing, is more active than ever and is accomplishing great things. The 2007CGC is an event to bring together representatives of as many local community groups as possible to put together a “Grassroots Agenda” for Central Ohio. The date: Saturday, October 20, at the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism office, 1000 E. Main St., from 11am-5pm. We are inviting you to come to the 2007CGC representing your organization and be prepared to introduce a resolution to the Congress. At the end of the day, we hope to have a Grassroots Agenda of resolutions ready to type up, publish and present to our public officials, fall 2007 political candidates, the media and the public. Four categories: Below is a list of areas of focus and some examples of proposals: • Grassroots Democracy Election and campaign finance reform Alternative media/community radio • Sustainability and the Environment Public transportation Recycling • Social and Economic Justice Health care Housing Living wage • Peace and Non-Violence City of Peace resolution The event: Friday night, October 19, from 7-9pm, the office will be open for a social gathering prior to the event. Doors will open at 9am Saturday morning. If groups need to use computers or copiers to complete their resolutions or make copies for everyone, the resources will be available Friday night and all day Saturday. We will use the first half hour to introduce the Congress, each other, and go over the procedures. The first session begins at 10:30am. At noon, lunch will be provided: pizza, salad and drinks. During the afternoon, an hour will be used for each resolution to be proposed, discussed, and voted upon. There will have to be strict time constraints in order to keep the agenda moving. The agenda is as follows: Friday, October 19 7-9pm – Reception for participants, use of resources to type and copy resolutions Saturday, October 20 9am-all day – Resources available for participants to type and copy resolutions 9:30-10am - Registration 10am-10-30am – Introductions 10:30-noon – Peace and Non-violence noon-1pm – Lunch 1-2:30pm – Grassroots Democracy 2:30-4pm – Sustainability and the Environment 4-5:30pm – Social and Economic Justice 5:30pm – Brief wrap-up Outcomes: After a report is published, the 2007CGC plans to present it to Charleta Tavares personally, and the complete Columbus City Council in general. If other public bodies are involved in our resolutions, we will make sure it is presented to them as well. If there are specific resolutions for Columbus City Council to adopt, such as a “City for Peace” resolution, we will plan a date for members of the 2007CGC to come to a Council meeting to participate in the request in person. The 2007CGC hopes that another outcome of this meeting is coalition-building between community groups to discuss, plan, and carry out the resolutions passed at the Congress. For instance, if a resolution proposes a plan for development of the Whittier Peninsula, a group of interested people could work together to carry it out. The 2007CGC hopes you can participate in this event. There is strength in numbers, and we have the people, the organizations, the ideas and the power. We just need to work together to start making things happen in Central Ohio! How to write a resolution: The first part of the resolution, the preamble, is motivational and explanatory on why we need the new policy or procedure. This part must cite examples, i.e., noting that the district of Washington, DC has excellent mass transit or recalling that Columbus, Ohio had excellent mass transit at the turn of the century. The second part can be as detailed or general as you wish, of what we need. You should describe and make your proposal: “Be it resolved that the 2007 Citizens’ Grassroots Congress endorse a light rail system for central Ohio.” RSVP to Doug Todd at dougsftc@yahoo.com Email this article to a friend "WE ALL LIVE IN JENA"--NATIONAL STUDENT WALKOUT CAMPAIGN by Various groups September 30, 2007 Monday, October 1, at 12 noon--Washington Square Park, 1:30pm--March to 250 Broadway Artist/Activist Mos Def, Idris Elba, Common, Erykah Badu, M1, Talib Kweli, MC Lyte, the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Sankofa Community Empowerment, Change the Game, the National Hip Hop Political Convention, The Hip Hop Association, Color of Change and student leaders from over 100 campuses call for a National Student Walk-Out on Monday October 1 at 12 noon to support the Jena 6, who are being denied their human rights by the Louisiana criminal justice system. In New York, a MOBILIZATION of all those participating in the walkout will occuring Washington Square Park directly following the 12 noon walkout. At 1:30p those present will MARCH from Washington Square Park to 250 Broadway (near City Hall) where a PRESS CONFERENCE will be held and the demands of the walkout will be read. This mobilization will feature Congressman Charles Barron, HipHop Artist Immortal Technique, Soul Singer/Songwriter Gordon Chambers, speakers from New York Area Schools including New York University, Columbia University, Fordham University, New School as well as area high school students and YOU! EVERYONE, MARCHING OR NOT, IS ASKED TO WEAR BLACK ON MONDAY TO SHOW SOLIDARITY AND CONSCIENTIOUSNESS Directions: ACEBDFV Trains to West 4th St. Mos Def, who spearheaded the campaign, said "This is the time for Black people to support the Jena 6, and call attention to the unequal treatment the criminal Justice system is dishing out not only in Jena Louisiana but across this nation…we all live in Jena." The Jena case began last fall, when two Black high school students sat under the "white" tree on their campus. White students responded by hanging nooses from the tree, conjuring up images of lynching and racial terrorism endured by Black people across the country. When Black students protested the light punishment for the students who hung the nooses, District Attorney Reed Walters came to the school and told the students he could "take [their] lives away with a stroke of [his] pen." Racial tension continued to mount in Jena, and the District Attorney did nothing in response to several egregious cases of violence and threats against black students. But when a white student--who had been a vocal supporter of the student's who hung the nooses, taunted a black student and called several black students "nigger"--sustained minor injuries from a school fight, six black students were charged with second-degree attempted murder. Last month, the first young man to be tried, Mychal B ell, was convicted. He faced up to 22 years in prison for a school fight until Black people began to organize and his conviction was thrown out by a court that rules he should not have been tried as an adult. This case has become a symbol for the Black community of the disproportionate arrest and incarceration rate of Black people and the excessive punishment of Black students in schools across the country. Many local organizers say what is happening to the Jena 6 youth is similar to what happens in their cities. Mos Def added, "Jena Louisiana is the same as 'Jena' New York. From Mychal Bell to Sean Bell our communities continue to be targeted." The group has created a list of demands that will be read at noon during rallies around the country. Demands Judge J.P. Mauffray and District Attorney Reed Walters have engaged in a string of egregious actions. We call for: 1. All charges against the Jena 6 be dropped; 2. The United States Department of Justice to convene an immediate inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the arrests and prosecutions of the Jena 6; 3. Judge Mauffray to be recused from presiding over Bell's juvenile court hearings or other proceedings; 4. The Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Counsel to investigate Reed Walters for unethical and possibly illegal conduct; 5. The Louisiana Judiciary Commission investigate Judge Mauffray for unethical conduct; 6. The Jena School District superintendent to be removed from office; and 7. That each local, state and federal criminal justice apparatus stop profiling the black community in general and specifically black youth for imprisonment and free labor. For more information: MXGM and Sankofa Empowerment To add your name and school to join this movement please contact: Assata Richards at assata@pitt.edu or Shantrelle P. Lewis at SJPLewis@hotmail.com List of additional endorsers: Cynthia McKinney, April Silver/akilaworksongs, Kevin Powell, Immortal Technique, Pharoahe Monch, Brian White, NyOil, K'naan, Goapele, Dwayne Wiggins, X-Clan, Wise Intelligent List Of Participating Schools: Otterbein College, John Marshal Law School, Georgetown University, Howard University, Hunter College, Middle and High of Yonkers New York, Eastern Michigan University, University of Pittsburgh, Fordham, Columbia, Salem High School, Manhattan College- City Hall, Alliant International University, Shelby High School, Notre Dame College of Ohio, Penn State University, Syracuse University- campus (no specific location yet), University of Alabama, Westchester Community College of Valhalla, Plymouth High School, Canton High School, Morris Brown- Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta GA, Clark Atlanta University- Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta GA, Spellman- Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta GA, Morehouse- Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta GA, Omaha Creighton University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, New Jersey City University, Los Angeles City College, Ramapo College, Wesleyan University, Monrovia High School, Meharry Medical College, Tulane University, Temple University, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, University of Nebraska at Omaha, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Georgia, Georgia State University- Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta GA, Georgia Tech University, University of Texas (Austin)- Capitol Building, Western Washington University, University of California-Berkley, University of Massachusetts, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), University of Pittsburgh, College of The Rockies in Cranbrook, Lehman College- City Hall, Brooklyn College- City Hall, Bushwick High School Email this article to a friend October 8 Interfaith Fast to End the War in Iraq: From conquest to community... From violence to reverence... by Faith Communities Uniting for Peace October 2, 2007 Faith Communities Uniting for Peace calls upon people of faith and conscience in Central Ohio to join in fasting from dawn to dusk on Monday, October 8, to call for an end to the Iraq War. On this day, people of faith in local communities across our nation will act as catalysts to transform the meaning of the day from one of conquest to community and from violence to reverence. Ending this war can become the first step toward a policy that embodies a deeper, broader sense of generosity and community at home and in the world. We invite Central Ohioans to join in a community breaking of the fast on October 8, 2007 evening at the intersection of North Broadway and High Street in Clintonville (Columbus, Ohio). We will gather at 6:30 pm and break the fast at 7:04 pm . The event will be a silent vigil. Please feel free to bring a brown bag dinner to eat after the sunset breaking of the fast. After the breaking of the fast, you are also invited to attend a special presentation at 7:15 pm hosted by Central Ohioans for Peace of Ms. Mary Yoder on her experiences in the West Bank with Christian Peacemaker Teams. The presentation will be held at nearby Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Avenue (one block North of North Broadway and one block East of North High Street). Parking is available at Columbus Mennonite Church and nearby city streets (please do not park in the Kroger parking lot). The local Interfaith fast to end the war in Iraq is a part of a national campaign by religious organizations to end the war in Iraq. National organizations sponsoring this campaign include Alliance for Jewish Renewal, American Friends Service Committee, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Council on American Islamic Relations, Church of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, Ecumenical Peace Institute/Clergy and Laity Concerned, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, The Fellowship of Reconciliation, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, National Council of Churches USA, Network of Spiritual Progressives, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, Religions for Peace - USA, Shalom Center, Sojourners Magazine, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, and United Church of Christ - Justice and Witness Ministries.More information is available at http://interfaithfast.org/. On October 8, Central Ohioans will gather together as communities of diverse faiths to fast to: - End the war in Iraq - pray for peace - promote peace, harmony, restraint, and interfaith understanding, and - foster unity among people in Central Ohio and around the world. Faith Communities Uniting for Peace is a gathering of people of faith in Central Ohio, prompted by the war on Iraq, to find common ground, encouragement and wisdom for the transformation of the world. The organization affirms that "all faiths call followers to live and speak with peace, justice and compassion," and commits itself to putting our faith values into action. Members of Faith Communities Uniting for Peace include persons affiliated with several faith groups (American Baptist, Baha'i, Buddhist, Church of the Brethren, Episcopal, Friends, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, Lutheran, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Sikh, United Church of Christ, and United Methodist) as well as other people of conscience. Rev. John Wagner, 614-895-0243, johnandmiriam6540@sbcglobal.net Rev. Deanna Stickley-Miner, 614-844-6200, dstickley@wocumc.org Email this article to a friend Donate to the Columbus and Central Ohio Community Radio Project by The Neighborhood Network October 8, 2007 Any way you look at it, there ís simply not enough variety in our local broadcast spectrum. Radio in Central Ohio is dominated by right wing propagandists and commercial mediocrity. Columbus needs broadcast outlets that provide uncensored news/analysis and grassroots multicultural programming. The Neighborhood Network is applying for a full-power radio license to increase our broadcast opportunities. The FCC has opened a small window for nonprofit groups to apply for full-power radio licenses until October 19! We need to raise $5000 to complete the filing requirements: attorney fees, engineer fees and filing fees. The Neighborhood Network, a non-profit, 501c3, media organization currently supplies programming for the Low Power FM Community Radio Station and is a Pacifica Radio Network affiliate. Please support our efforts to build the community media infrastructure in Central Ohio. Your donation of $25, $50, $100 or more is appreciated! Pay through Paypal at: Paypal or send a check to: Community Radio Project 1240 Bryden Rd. Columbus, OH 43205 Email this article to a friend New Chinese Shamanic and Tiger Qigong Classes by Monkey's Retreat October 27, 2007 Ro-z and Darryl Mendelson of Monkeys Retreat Tai Chi and Chi Kung Center will be teaching Chinese Shamanic Tiger Qigong on Saturdays from 11 am - 12:30 pm, starting on November 3rd with a free introductory class. Ro-z and Darryl learned this form directly from Master Zhongxian Wu who provides detailed instruction in his book and dvd, Vital Breath of the Dao: Chinese Shamanic Tiger Qigong (Laohu Gong). Master Wu (http://www.masterwu.net) has committed himself to the life-long pursuit of the ancient arts of internal cultivation. Qi (Chi) can mean breath or Vital Energy. Qigong is the science or practice of cultivating the bodies internal energy and inner knowledge. It is a way to help people return to the union of the Human Being with the Universe and to understand the laws of the universe and how they influence human life. Chinese Shamanic Tiger Qigong is a uniquely potent practice designed to bolster health and deepen the spiritual connection to universal energy. It is a powerful 24-movement Qigong form, which combines the traditions of ancient shamanism, Confucianism, Daoism, classical Chinese medicine, and the martial arts. The form is easy to learn and can be shown in one 90 minute class. Don't forget that Monkeys is also offering a Tai Chi class Monday evenings from 7 pm to 8:30 pm. Free introductory class. We invite and encourage all our friends and those interested in the healing arts to participate. Monkeys Retreat 1202 N. High St. (at 5th Ave.) Columbus, Ohio 614-294-9511 TigerQigong@monkeysretreat.com Monkeys Retreat Email this article to a friend HELP KROGER WORKERS GET A FAIR CONTRACT!! by November 1, 2007 ATTENTION COMMUNITY: Call Kroger's CEO Dave Dillon at 1-866-221-4141. Tell him that you Support the Cincinnati Kroger Workers in a FAIR CONTRACT! One that includes: * Quality, Affordable Health Care * Fair Wages * A Responsible Benefits Package Because a Fair Contract is more that just a worker issueit affects our whole community! More Info or to volunteer to help in the workers' fight: Ellen Dienger, 513-807-3898, ellend@ufcw1099.org. America Votes participating groups include: ACORN, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, Alliance for Retired Americans, American Association for Justice, American Federation of Teachers, Americans United for Change, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence United with the Million Mom March, Campaign for America's Future, Change to Win, Clean Water Action, Communities for Quality Education, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, Democracy for America, EMILY's List, Equality Cincinnati, Equality Ohio, The Human Rights Campaign, INDN's List, IUPAT DC 12, Laborers 265, Laborers 310, League of Conservation Voters, League of Young Voters, LULAC, MoveOn.org Political Action, Music for America, My Rural America, NAACP National Voter Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America, NDN, National Education Association, National Jewish Democratic Council, People For the American Way, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Progressive Majority, ProgressNow Action, ProgressOhio, SEIU, Sierra Club, UFCW 1059, UFCW 1099, US Action, Voices for Working Families, Women's Campaign Forum, Women's Voices. Women Vote, Working America, Young Democrats of America, 21st Century Democrats Email this article to a friend Tell Nancy to Impeach Dick Cheney by November 12, 2007 House Resolution 333 for the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney is off the House floor, and has instead been sent to the Judiciary Committee for "further study." This maneuver, organized by Pelosi and the Democratic leadership, is consistent with their mantra that impeachment is "off the table." But, we are told Nancy Pelosi is reported to have replied to the question of impeachment that if she received 10,000 hand written letters she would proceed with it. What are we waiting for? Cindy Sheehan wrote this: Dear Friends Instead of sending your impeachment letters for Dick Cheney to Nancy Pelosi's office, send them to my office so we can get an official count. Please send them to: Cindy for Congress RE: Impeach Dick Cheney 1260 Mission Blvd San Francisco, Ca 94103 Please pass this around and have them sent by Friday, November 16th and we will have them delivered to her office in San Francisco before Thanksgiving. Spread this far and wide so we can take sacks of letters to her. Don't include anything besides the letter. Love Cindy Email this article to a friend Stop funding for Iraq War by Progressive Democrats of America December 9, 2007 Congress to Vote on Iraq Funds as early as Monday, December 10! As most members of the Senate and the House are preparing to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace with their loved ones, they are about to vote to fund more death and destruction. In a complete capitulation to Bush and the Republican war machine, Congress is expected to vote on Monday, December 10, to approve continued funding for the occupation of Iraq with NO STRINGS ATTACHED! We're fed up. Though time is short, peace activists are mobilizing to make our voice heard yet again. Choose which works best for you and your district from the following tactics and please, act quickly: Send an email to your senators and representative that says “Peace is Possible, if you vote NO.” Send a delegation to the offices of your Senators and Representative on Monday--emphatically demand an end to the occupation. Your peaceful visit can be brief, or last long enough for you to read the names of every civilian and soldier killed in Iraq, or it can last until the member of Congress agrees to oppose all funding that is not tied to the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops and contractors. Post a notice of this action here and check here to see if there's an action planned in your district. Flood both your senators and representatives with phone calls through the Capitol Hill switchboard (202-224-3121) with this message: “Vote NO to any funding for the occupation of Iraq that does not require the rapid withdrawal of all U.S. troops and contractors.” Issue a press release or letter to the editor denouncing Congress' capitulation to Bush and demand an end to the occupation. Send it TODAY! Yours in the movement, Tim Carpenter PDA National Director Email this article to a friend Nuclear Loan Guarantees: How Could It Get Worse? by Michael Mariotte, Nuclear Information and Resource Service December 14, 2007 We are hearing that Senate-House appropriators are near agreement on a loan guarantee package that looks like this: $25 billion for nukes $10 billion for renewables $10 billion for coal to liquids $2 billion for uranium enrichment $2 billion for coal to gas While the $10 billion for renewables might be welcome, the package as a whole reflects misplaced priorities and a lost opportunity to address the climate crisis. Indeed, such an energy policy would make things far worse and make it much harder to reduce carbon emissions. Throwing taxpayer money at wealthy utilities is not the way toward a sane, sustainable energy future. *Please call your Senators and Representative today! No loan guarantees for nuclear power (nor coal!)! Tell them to reject the entire omnibus appropriations bill if it includes such loan guarantees. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 *If you’ve already called them this week, or can make an additional call, then call Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and tell him to stand up to the polluting energy interests and not to allow such a parting gift to retiring Senator Pete Domenici and the outgoing Bush Administration. Senator Reid’s office is 202-224-3542. If everyone receiving this message makes these calls, we can win this battle! (but please forward widely—and quickly—anyway)! And please act now. Michael Mariotte, Nuclear Information and Resource Service nirsnet@nirs.org; www.nirs.org 301-270-6477 Email this article to a friend Support the filibuster on federal surveillance by Rep. John Conyers December 16, 2007 FISA Call to Action Dear Friend: The Senate will soon consider legislation addressing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). I emailed you about this issue recently responding to inaccuracies in the press about Democratic efforts to improve protection of civil liberties. I am writing you today to update you on the current state of the bill and to ask for your help. About FISA One critical question being considered in the Senate's FISA bill is whether to offer telecom companies retroactive immunity for any actions they undertook in the wireless surveillance program. The Bush Administration has claimed that this is necessary for national security reasons, but I am skeptical. If the Administration was serious about arguing for this immunity, I suspect they would take steps to demonstrate to Congress the extent of this surveillance program and what role the phone companies played. Yet they have refused to share even this information with the House. Clearly, it is a bit much to ask for immunity from prosecution without explaining why it is necessary. Because of these reservations, the House-passed FISA bill did not include the immunity the president sought. In the Senate, however, it is becoming clear that a tough battle will now ensue over this provision. Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut has been a vocal opponent of telecom immunity and has promised to filibuster any FISA legislation that includes this provision. Senator Dodd needs your help right now. Please visit his site and lend your support to the filibuster now. Your help can make a difference at this important juncture. Dodd's filibuster Thank you again for your continued support for a better democracy. Your Friend, John Conyers, Jr. John Conyers Email this article to a friend Impeachment of Vice President Cheney by Thomas W. Warner (Secretary Seattle/Cuba Friendship Committee December 20, 2007 I just heard on the progressive Seattle radio station (1090) that the on line petition that has been launched by Robert Wexler (D Fla who sits on the House Judiciary Committee) that supports hearings on the impeachment of Vice President Cheney, has gathered more than 100,000 signatures in just three days. The Judiciary committee has been sitting on this proposal for a LONG time and at least two members besides Wexler are in support of opening these hearings. Conyers is the chair of the committee and perhaps he needs a mass outpouring of support to get the hearings underway. Everyone can sign the petition by going to wexlerwantshearings.com and filling in the dots. Hearings would make public in a dramatic way the violations of the constitution that have happened in the present administration. I recommend that everyone join in this big email petition that might build a fire under congress people who have said that impeachment in order butrefuse to act on it now that it is a possibility. Go to Wexler Wants Hearings and put your name down. What is the down side? Email this article to a friend Stop using pigs for research by Ryan Merkley January 5, 2008 We urgently need your help to stop a live animal lab from taking place at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio this month. The school plans on using pigs in its elective laparoscopy surgery lab. Pigs are highly intelligent, social, and sensitive animals. According to this recent article in The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Case Western has stopped using live dogs, cats, and ferrets to teach surgery and other medical courses, and it also plans to stop using pigs—but not until the next academic year. Live animal laparoscopy labs are easily replaced by inexpensive, high-quality simulators. Please urge Case Western to discontinue its live animal lab program today. Being polite is the most effective way to help these animals. Here’s what you can do to help: Call Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Dean Pamela B. Davis, M.D., Ph.D., at 216-368-2825 and politely ask her to end the school’s live animal lab once and for all. Send an automatic e-mail to Dr. Davis and politely ask her to end the school’s live animal lab program now. Forward this e-mail to all of your friends and family in Ohio and ask them to take action, too. Visit Save Case Western Animals for the most up-to-date information about our campaign to end Case Western’s pig lab. Twenty years ago, live animals were commonly used in physiology, pharmacology, and surgery classes at medical schools. A standard lab involved anesthetizing the animal, followed by injecting pharmaceuticals or practicing surgical techniques. After the class, the animal was killed. Fortunately, times have changed. Only 10 out of 126 U.S. medical schools still use live animals in their curricula. In April 2007, the American Medical Student Association passed a resolution encouraging the replacement of live animal laboratories with non-animal alternatives in undergraduate medical education. And the American College of Surgeons no longer uses live animals in any of its own training exercises. Learn more about live animal labs. Thank you so much for taking action to help save these pigs and reform medical education at Case Western. Please feel free to contact me at rmerkley@pcrm.org if you have any questions. Email this article to a friend URGENT: Help defend the rights of American voters by The Kucinich Campaign January 12, 2008 Friends, Once again, America is faced with questions about the integrity of machine-counted ballots and about the rights of Americans to decide for themselves who they should be allowed to vote for in this crucial Presidential election. In New Hampshire, it's a question of whether votes were counted or manipulated. In Nevada, it's a question of whether the GE-owned NBC television network should have the power to decide who your choices should be for President. The vote counts in New Hampshire are suspicious. And, today's decision by NBC to exclude Dennis from next week's Presidential debate - even though he met the criteria - is outrageous. And, we need your help to deal with both of these matters. Because of the unexplained disparities between hand-counted and machine-counted ballots in New Hampshire, Dennis has asked for a recount. "I am not making this request in the expectation that a recount will significantly affect the number of votes that were cast on my behalf," Dennis said in his letter to the Secretary of State of New Hampshire. But, he cited “serious and credible reports, allegations and rumors" that question the integrity of the machine-controlled process. If New Hampshire agrees to a recount, this campaign will have to pay for it. And we can't investigate what happened in New Hampshire - or protect every other state in the Union - without your help. Likewise, NBC and MSNBC have made a corporate decision to exclude the one and only voice who represents you and those things that the Democratic Party should stand for. If you are as outraged as we are, feel free to call: NBC/MSNBC at 212 664-4444 and ask for the Comment Line or email NBC/MSNBC at letters@msnbc.com PLEASE share this message with everyone you know so that the voice of the people will be heard and their votes WILL be counted. Email this article to a friend Don't let them get away with reading your emails by True Majority January 23, 2008 Tomorrow, the Senate will begin debate -- again -- on whether or not to give immunity to giant telecom companies that helped the NSA illegally listen to your phone conversations and read your emails. The White House is fighting hard for their friends in the industry, but it's up to the Senate to do the right thing. We cannot allow our basic civil liberties to be ignored. Tell your Senators today that you expect them to hold the telecom companies responsible for their actions. Tell the Senate: No immunity for giant telecom companies. True Majority The House has already passed a version of the bill that does NOT include immunity. Now it's time for the Senate to do the same. Don't let the White House bully the Senate into trampling our basic civil liberties. While the government issued the order, it was up to the telecom companies to decide whether or not to break the law. Those that did should be held responsible. In this country it takes a warrant to listen to the private conversations of American citizens. End of story. They better be listening now, Ben Kroetz, TrueMajorityAction.org Online Organizer Email this article to a friend Please join the online campaign to SAY NO! TO BUSH'S FRAUDULENT IRAN WAR-MONGERING PROVOCATION! Your Emergency Action is Needed Now! by Stop War on Iran Committee January 26, 2008 Don’t Let Washington Provoke Another War Based on Lies and Fraud! The Bush Administration has been caught red-handed manufacturing the highly publicized "provocation" off the Iranian coast on Jan. 6 when five small Iranian open-air speedboats allegedly challenged three massive U. S. guided-missile warships. The U.S. Navy has now admitted that it had spliced together the audio and video tape it presented as evidence and that the threatening voice on the video warning “you may explode” may not have belonged to any Iranian sailors. This incident was manufactured just days before President Bush departed for an eight-day trip to the Middle East, attempting to mobilize a collection of oil-rich U.S. client states against Iran and using the video as the evidence. We must demand a People’s Inquiry to find out who manufactured this video? Who spliced Help build a movement to STOP another war based on lies. In the next few days and weeks, Stop War on Iran will be organizing meetings, speakouts, and a massive grassroots campaign to expose and stop the Bush Administration's drive to war. Stop War on Iran was the first international campaign formed to oppose Washington's agenda of war against Iran, and we have generated more than half a million petitions in the past two years. We have been a presence at every major antiwar demonstration and have organized meetings across the U.S. But it is clear that we must do more, and we need your help to do that. Please consider making an emergency donation. You can donate online at http://stopwaroniran.org/donate.shtml together completely different sound and video footage? Who signed off on it? Who distributed it to all the major media? We must hold the administration accountable, because we know that this is not the first time that a manufactured U.S. crisis has launched a war. On Feb. 5, 2003, the Bush administration presented satellite photos to the United Nations to prove that Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction. This followed Bush’s assertion that Iraq was attempting to purchase yellow cake uranium from Niger, a statement that he knew was untrue. The Downing Street memos have revealed that the Bush administration was engaged in a deliberate attempt to falsify intelligence in order to justify a war they had been planning for years. Before the first Gulf War in 1991 the photo images of Iraqi units supposedly massed to invade on the Saudi Arabia border also turned out to be totally fraudulent. Manufactured evidence was also used in the famous "Gulf of Tonkin Incident," when North Vietnamese Coast Guard boats supposedly attacked two U.S. destroyers off the coast of Vietnam in August 1964. This fraud provided the justification for a Congressional resolution authorizing the escalation of the U.S. war against Vietnam. This latest fabrication comes after a National Intelligence Estimate from 16 top U.S. spy agencies publicly reported that Iran has not had nuclear weapons program since at least 2003, nor do they have any nuclear weapons. We must demand a People’s Inquiry What is most ominous about this is that no major U.S. politician – no one in Congressional leadership, none of the leading Presidential candidates – has denounced it, nor have they called for an inquiry or investigation. Neither the U.S. Congress - now in session - nor any of its committees, all of them now controlled by the Democratic majority elected on an anti-war vote, took action, even when it become clear that the entire incident was fabricated. With almost half the U.S. Navy hovering off the coast of Iran, this war provocation must be challenged and confronted. The largest and deadliest ships in world history armed and in attack mode, with targets selected, are now off the coast of Iran. We must take action now to stop an attack on Iran, and demand that the Bush administration be held accountable for its campaign of lies, provocation, and hostility. We must demand a full investigation of this war provocation and the illegal war games that the U.S. Navy has been staging in the Persian Gulf, in order to prevent Bush and the Pentagon from using this scenario or another staged operation to launch an attack on Iran. The Stop War On Iran Campaign also urges rank-and-file Navy personnel on U.S. ships in the Gulf and lower ranking officers to reveal what they know of U.S. war preparations, war games in the region, and the attempts to create a provocation in the Gulf in order to justify Washington’s plans to attack Iran. We must take action now to expose the lies of the Bush administration before it moves forward with devastating military action. Please sign the statement at Stop War on Iran – which will go to the White House, Congress, and the major media, to demand an inquiry into this latest incident and into the Bush administration’s drive to war. Email this article to a friend Tell the Senate: Get a Jolt to the Jobless by Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO February 5, 2008 The latest job numbers are in. And it isn’t a pretty picture. The overall economy lost jobs last month for the first time in four years. Over the next six months, 1.3 million unemployed men and women will run out of benefits without finding new work. First-time unemployment claims rose a whopping 69,000 in the week ended Jan. 26. It’s the largest one-week jump since Hurricane Katrina. The numbers confirm what we already know—Congress must act immediately and decisively to head off the worst. The quickest and most effective way to do it is to put money in the pockets of those who need it most—the unemployed. In addition, the U.S. Senate should include additional effective mechanisms for economic stimulus. It can provide for fiscal relief to the states, accelerate ready-to-go construction projects, temporarily increase food-stamp benefits and offer tax rebates to low-income seniors and disabled veterans. Economists agree that extending unemployment benefits is a proven way to stimulate the economy. Unemployed workers are likely to spend these benefits quickly to make ends meet, which quickly pumps money into the economy. As Moody’s economist Mark Zandi points out: If someone who is literally living paycheck to paycheck gets an extra dollar, it’s very likely that they will spend that dollar immediately on whatever they need—groceries, to pay the telephone bill, to pay the electric bill. Congress must act now to ensure the jobless are left with something to fall back on as job creation falters and the economy creaks toward recession. Tell your senators to support quick, effective stimulus today: Union Voice Email this article to a friend Hold your own "Uncounted" House Party by Dave Earnhardt February 11, 2008 Did you think the 2000 election was stolen? And that maybe something was wrong in 2004 as well? Are you wondering what effect election fraud had in 2006? Do you want to know what really happened and how itďż˝ll affect this yearďż˝s election? If you answered 'YES' to the above questions, then you need to host a DFA-Uncounted House Party on February 13th. From your house party, you'll be able to call in to a very special conference call with filmmaker David Earnhardt and DFA Chair Jim Dean. Uncounted is an explosive new documentary that shows how the election fraud that changed the outcome of the 2004 election led to even greater fraud in 2006 - and now looms as an unbridled threat to the outcome of the 2008 election. This film examines in startling terms how easy it is to change election outcomes and undermine election integrity across the U.S. We have free copies of Uncounted on DVD to send to the first 200 House Parties with 10 RSVPs before February 6th. Uncounted House Party Info Email this article to a friend Action Alert: Ohio's Energy Bill by Pat Marida, Sierra Club February 14, 2008 Act Today for A Clean Energy Tomorrow Please go to the link below to contact Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted. Thank him for including renewable energy in Ohio's energy bill. Ask him to remove coal and nuclear! Deadline for responding: Please take action by Tuesday, April 01, 2008. Action Alert The Ohio House has the opportunity to pass a strong clean energy policy, but they won’t do it without your support. Problem: The world’s climate scientists agree: Global warming is real, here, and happening faster than anyone predicted. But, scientists agree that we can curb global warming and its consequences if we take bold, comprehensive action now. Solution: The proposed State Energy Policy, Senate Bill 221, provides Ohio with an opportunity to enact strong, meaningful energy policy. But the proposed clean energy standards are too weak to make the necessary reductions in global warming emissions. As written, the legislation includes some renewable energy and energy efficiency, but also includes coal and nuclear. We are committed to making the State Energy Policy better by encouraging lawmakers to strengthen the energy efficiency standard and remove coal and nuclear. A strong clean energy policy will create jobs and reduce energy costs. Ohio can curb global warming and improve its economy. Action Needed: We won’t succeed without your help. Please contact Speaker of the House Jon Husted. Ask him to support stronger clean energy standards. Email this article to a friend Help End Biomedical Research on Chimps by Rebecca Young, Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team February 18, 2008 Lulu is one of the lucky ones. Lulu the chimpanzee was fortunate enough to be rescued from a publicly-funded biomedical research lab, and is now thriving at The Humane Society of the United States’ animal sanctuary in Texas. But nearly 1,200 chimps - some of whom were captured in the wild - still suffer in labs across the country, routinely subjected to painful and invasive experiments or warehoused in cages. Some have been held for more than 50 years. These chimps can't wait any longer. Please help end their misery by making a special gift today. Help the Chimps! Chimps are highly intelligent animals with rich social and emotional lives. They feel a wide range of emotions, including anxiety, depression, empathy and grief. Your support today will allow The Humane Society of the United States to move every chimp from the darkness of a research lab to the sunshine of a sanctuary. The Humane Society of the United States is determined to end the use of invasive biomedical research and testing on chimps. Your gift will help ensure that The Humane Society of the United States has the resources they need to push for critical policy reforms to phase out the use of chimps - our closest living relatives - in biomedical research. Please help The Humane Society of the United States fight to provide a better life for these intelligent and sensitive animals, who would otherwise be condemned to suffer decades in U.S. research labs. Thank you for helping the chimps, and for all you do for animals. Email this article to a friend Report Election Day Problems by Free Press Election Protection February 28, 2008 Please call the Free Press if you experience or observe problems at the polling booth or irregularities in voting activities on primary election day in Ohio! 614-224-1082 614-224-8771 Attorneys and "video the vote" volunteers will be on hand to answer questions, take affidavits, take action, or videotape the situation. Watch this site for up-to-the-minute primary election day reports! Email this article to a friend Join us to promote Columbus Ohio as a "City for Peace" by Citizens Grassroots Congress March 6, 2008 Join us at the Monday, March 17 Columbus City Council meeting in solidarity to three speakers who will introduce the resolution "City for Peace" to Columbus City Council. Hundreds of other local municipalities have passed resolutions for peace in Iraq, to bring the troops home and to protest an attack on Iran. Taxpayers in Columbus, Ohio have paid $1.1 billion for the Iraq War thus far. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided: 376,665 People with Health Care OR 1,190,162 Homes with Renewable Electricity OR 24,063 Public Safety Officers OR 16,271 Music and Arts Teachers OR 122,614 Scholarships for University Students OR 97 New Elementary Schools OR 9,911 Affordable Housing Units OR 639,060 Children with Health Care OR 165,452 Head Start Places for Children OR 16,935 Elementary School Teachers OR 18,660 Port Container Inspectors Email this article to a friend Tell Your Senators: Support the Foreclosure Prevention Act by Will Easton, Activism Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets March 22, 2008 Bailouts for Wall Street...how about for Main Street? If we're to prevent this economic crisis from deepening, low- and moderate-income homeowners need help with mortgage restructuring. Tell your senators to support the Foreclosure Prevention Act. The federal government has stepped in recently with huge bailouts for the big Wall Street firms like Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs...so where's the help for regular Americans? The financial crisis is now threatening to impact ordinary Americans, as obstinate lenders refuse to renegotiate mortgages, and greater numbers of borrowers are forced into foreclosure -- which impacts everyone's property values. Fortunately, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has introduced legislation (S.2636, the "Foreclosure Prevention Act") that will help solve this problem. Tell your senators: Support the Foreclosure Prevention Act. This bill gives bankruptcy judges the power to modify harmful mortgages marketed by subprime lenders in recent years, and would help more than 600,000 families stuck in bad loans keep their homes. It also ramps up resources available to foreclosure counseling services, and permits municipal governments to use tax-exempt bonds to help refinance subprime loans. TEll your senators to support the Foreclosure Prevention Act This legislation won't singlehandedly solve the crisis in the housing markets, but it will deliver targeted assistance to those victimized by predatory lenders, and help break the vicious circle that threatens so many low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Email this article to a friend HB487 Introduced by Representative Jim McGregor - A New Piece of the State Energy Legislation by Buckeye Forest Council April 7, 2008 Action Alert Background In October 2007 Representative Jim McGregor (R - HD 20 - Gahanna) introduced HB 357. The bill had some good provisions, which would have helped Ohio move to increased research, development and investments in renewable energy sources. We were very concerned about provisions that would open “developed” portions of state owned land for oil and gas drilling. In February 2008, House Speaker John Husted announced plans to move the renewable and advanced energy provisions of SB221 (which contains Governor Strickland’s energy proposals) into a new measure to be offered by Representative McGregor. That new measure, HB487 does not allow for oil and natural gas drilling in state parks or preserves. So while we have an apparent success, we are still very concerned that: A) The oil and gas-drilling lobby will not stop their efforts to find a legislator willing to help them open public lands for their private sector enterprises, and B) HB 487 contains language that defines "Renewable energy resource" as solar photovoltaic or solar thermal energy, wind energy, hydropower, geothermal energy, fuel derived from municipal solid waste through a process other than combustion, biomass energy, biologically derived methane gas, or energy derived from non-treated byproducts of the pulping process or wood manufacturing process, including bark, wood chips, sawdust, and lignin in spent pulping liquors. "Renewable energy resource" includes, but is not limited to, a fuel cell powered by any such energy, any storage facility that will promote the better utilization of renewable energy resources and primarily operates off peak, or a distributed generation system used by a customer to generate electricity from any such energy.” Our concern is that the road to the wood “by-products” will lead straight into the woods and then into our public forests. We already know that the Division Of Forestry is planning thousands of acres of prescribed burns in the Shawnee Forest and is preparing to take 520 tons of hardwood pulpwood from Blue Rock State Forest (southeast of Zanesville). Given the budget shortfalls and our unquenchable thirst for energy sources, it does not take much to imagine the run on our public forests this legislation could create. We want to make sure that House Speaker John Husted hears very clearly that burning wood pulp and wood “by-products” is not a clean renewable energy resource. You can HELP – take action now - Make A Call Call Speaker John Husted’s office early the week of April 7th. Thank him for his strong support for energy efficiency and let him know you support developing renewable energy resources as long as we do not include burning pulpwood or other wood byproducts, municipal solid waste or tires. The office number is 614-644-6008 Email this article to a friend Oppose the Bush administration's assault on free speech -- Save the National Mall as a place of protest! by Mara Verheyden-Hillard and Carl Messineo, co-founders of Partnership for Civil Justice April 12, 2008 The struggle to preserve Free Speech in Washington D.C. has entered a new phase. We are writing to you so that you can help in the next step of this critical struggle. If he gets his way, Bush will leave office having shredded fundamental rights to redress grievances and engage in dissent on the National Mall in the nation’s capital. But we can stop this plan. Because of the participation of you and so many other people around the country, the Bush Administration has been pushed on the defensive. Due to immense public pressure that has been mobilized in the last months the government is now resorting to a smoke and mirror campaign to derail those who are fighting to preserve cherished rights. The people can stop them. We need you to take action right now: We are planning on sending the Statement in Defense of Free Speech Rights on the National Mall -- with a list of its thousands of signers -- to the National Park Service and want to further publish the statement. Showing just how many people have already taken action will be an important part of the campaign to defend the National Mall and the First Amendment. Before we send or publish the statement and signers, we want to confirm with you that we can include you as a signer. We value your privacy. Please take 30 seconds to fill out the form here if you have already signed the statement Please take a moment and help this Free Speech movement take the next step. If you signed the Statement in Defense of Free Speech on the National Mall before it is crucial that you take the next step. You can also let us know on this same link if you do not want your name included publicly. Initial signers include, Howard Zinn, Cindy Sheehan, Ed Asner, Malik Rahim, Ramsey Clark, Kathy Kelly, Ron Kovic, Dennis Banks and many others. Here is the situation: More than 15,000 letters flooded the National Park Service (NPS) supporting the centrality of free speech rights on the National Mall. The Bush Administration was shocked by the overwhelming response. They thought that they could essentially privatize the National Mall in Washington DC and quietly eliminate essential Free Speech activities. The plan is to go into effect the last month that Bush is in office in January 2009. This insidious goal hasn’t changed one bit but they have now quickly shifted their tactics to blunt the massive new movement that has arisen to defend Free Speech on the National Mall. Bush’s NPS has quickly revamped the web site. The phrase “First Amendment" now appears all over the site. You would think that they are re-organizing the National Mall in order to have more demonstrations, protests and rallies rather than try to banish or limit them. It is all smoke and mirrors. More untruths from the Bush Administration working in partnership with Corporate America. This is a coordinated effort that we are seeing across the country - the privatization of our public spaces to make them off-limits for us to gather for free speech and assembly. While we have just been victorious in the fight for the Great Lawn of Central Park all eyes are now turning to the National Mall. This is the battle of most significance with repercussions that will be felt coast-to-coast. Here is how you can help. It will take only a moment of your time but it will make a huge difference. 1) The Partnership for Civil Justice has set up an easy-to-use mechanism that will allow you to send a message directly to the National Park Service about their National Mall Plan. Click this link to send your message 2) Sign the Statement in Defense of Free Speech Rights on the National Mall 3) If you have already signed this statement, let us know if we can publicize you as a signer of this important statement. 4) If you are unsure whether you have already signed, you can sign the statement again, and all duplicate names will be eliminated. Sincerely, Mara Verheyden-Hillard and Carl Messineo, co-founders of Partnership for Civil Justice More links : Background on the NPS initiative to restrict protesting on the National Mall Washington Post article: The Battle to Remold the Mall Alternet article: National Mall Redesign Could Seriously Restrict Free Speech Email this article to a friend Tune Your Radios to WCRS, 102.1 and 98.3 FM in Central Ohio by Free Press staff April 26, 2008 If you haven't pre-programmed your radios, take this reminder to start listening to WCRS, the Community Radio Service of Simply Living. We're broadcasting from 3-8 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and now on Weekends! The schedule now includes 8 hours weekly of local talk and music radio plus nationally syndicated Pacifica programming. Check out the schedule: WCRS Schedule. To get involved, call Zach at 447-0296 x103. Email this article to a friend Salvadoran Youth from Suchitoto 13 Murdered; Tell Congress No Funding to Plan Mexico or the ILEA! by CISPES ACTION ALERT May 14, 2008 On May 3, Hector Antonio Ventura, one of the 14 people originally captured during an anti-water privatization protest in the town of Suchitoto last year, was stabbed to death in his home. Given his role as one of the accused in the high profile anti-terrorism case, Ventura’s death could likely be politically motivated, and therefore Salvadoran social movement organizations have called for a full investigation into his death. Ventura was among 13 people charged last year under the controversial 2006 “Special Law Against Acts of Terrorism”. In February all charges against the activists were dropped, but the case demonstrated internationally the repressive nature of the current right-wing ARENA government. Other possible political murders – such as the slaying of Wilber Funes, a mayor from the leftist FMLN party – have yet to be resolved, raising fear of increased political violence during the lead up to the 2009 Salvadoran elections. Meanwhile, Congress is set to vote this week on a huge, new funding package that would dramatically increase US support for “security” forces in Mexico and Central America. The so-called Merida Initiative (also known as Plan Mexico) includes over $60 million for anti-gang and anti-drug programs in Central America, including an additional $2 million for the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA). The funding will be voted on this week as part of the Iraq war supplemental bill, and the authorization will be voted on separately, first in a mark-up held Wednesday in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The second part of the Merida Initiative funding – which includes more than $120 million for Central America – will be voted on in June as part of the 2009 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. CISPES and our allies reject increased U.S. funding for repressive governments like the right-wing ARENA government in El Salvador, be it for police or military forces. Such initiatives work to reinforce failing policies such as ARENA’s infamous Mano Dura (“iron fist”), which has contributed to a dramatic increase in murder and violent crime since the crackdowns began in 2003. No funding included in the Merida Plan addresses the real causes of poverty, violence, and drug trafficking in the region; rather, the Central America portion of the initiative would increase equipment and training for policing and surveillance, as well as bolster institutions like the ILEA that many believe have worsened the human rights situation in El Salvador. Your action is critical at this moment! Please call Congress about the upcoming votes on the Merida Initiative and the ILEA, and email or fax directly to the Salvadoran government to insist they carry out a full investigation into the murder of Hector Ventura. Take Action! Call your Congressional Representative and demand that they oppose the authorization of the Merida Authorization Act of 2008, otherwise known as Plan Mexico. If your member of Congress is on the House Foreign Affairs Committee then ask that they opposed the authorization during the mark up on Wednesday May 14. Go here for a list of committee members and go to www.cispes.org/ilea for talking points. Tell your Rep to contact Congressman Elliot Engel, Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, to request that he hold a hearing on the deteriorating situation of human rights in El Salvador, the role of the Salvadoran police, and the ILEA (see below or go to www.cispes.org/ilea for talking points). Contact Salvadoran President Antonio Saca and Attorney General Felix Safie to demand that a full investigation be carried out into the murder of Hector Ventura. You can email Saca at fmelgar@presidencia.gob.sv and cc Safie at fgsafie@fgr.gob.sv, as well as US Ambassador Charles Glazer at GlazerCL@state.gov. You can also send faxes to Saca (011-503-2243-9947) and Safie (011-503-2528-6095). See below for sample note. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Talking points Background: This year, the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) is being funded through both the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill and the so-called Merida Initiative, the latter of which will be voted on in the coming weeks in the U.S. Congress. The U.S.-sponsored ILEA has been operating in El Salvador over two years and has been criticized by social movement organizations and human rights groups as another potential School of the Americas (SOA), under a new name and in a new location. Since the opening of this institution, human rights abuses have increased in El Salvador, from attacks on peaceful protesters by the National Civilian Police (PNC) to the documented role of the PNC in at least 8 extra-judicial killings in one year. In the coming months before the June vote on the Foreign Operation Appropriations bill we hope to continue to educate Congress by pushing for a Congressional hearing and challenging Congress to increase oversight of the ILEA, as part of our campaign to shut down the police academy! Call the House Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 When you call: 1) Ask the operator for your Representative, and then ask to speak to your Representative’s foreign affairs legislative assistant, chief of staff or legislative director. 2) Tell them you are a constituent and want to know your congressperson’s position on the Merida Initiative and the ILEA. If they don’t know much about these programs, inform your rep. 3) Using the description above and the talking points on the CISPES webpage (www.cispes.org/ilea), explain why Congress should reject Merida Initiative funding. (If the Rep. is on the Foreign Affairs Committee, tell them to vote against the proposal in committee on Wednesday) 4) Urge them to call congressmen Engel’s office to request a hearing on the ILEA at the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee in order to provide them with more information about the situation of the National Civilian Police, human rights abuses in El Salvador, and the ILEA. 5) If the Rep. agrees to take a stand on the issue or push for a hearing, send an email to CISPES (burke@cispes.org) with the name of the person you spoke with and your Rep’s name, and we will send their office more details about Plan Merida, the ILEA and our campaign against repression in El Salvador. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sample letter to President Saca Sr. Elías Antonio Saca, Presidente de El Salvador: Fax (011 503) 2243-9947 13 de Mayo de 2008 Seńor Presidente Saca: Le escribo con suma preocupación por el posible asesinato político de Héctor Ventura. El joven – uno de los arrestados durante la protesta en Suchitoto el ańo pasado quien fue acusado erróneamente de actos de terrorismo – fue apuńalado hasta morir cuando dormía en su domicilio en Suchitoto. Como presidente, es imperativo que Ud. asegure se de una investigación completa y transparente de los hechos para que de manera rápida se traiga justicia a este ataque violento. Además, es crítico que se resuelvan otros casos de violencia política, como el posible asesinato político de Wilmer Funes en Alegría, Usulután. Como presidente Ud. tiene que asegurarse que la Fiscalía General conduzca una pronta investigación y que esta junto con la PNC trabaje para poner un alto a cualquier violencia política en el futuro. Finalmente, el gobierno debe de hacer una declaración pública expresando su consternación por los asesinatos ocurridos y hacer un llamando a la justicia. El garantizar la libertad de expresión, y particularmente la expresión política, es esencial en cualquier democracia. Ahora, en este ańo pre-electoral, es crítico que el gobierno de El Salvador demuestre su compromiso por la defensa del derecho de todas y todos los salvadoreńos y su expresión política. Atentamente, __________________ (name) __________________ (state, country) Cc Salvadoran Attorney General Felix Safie Cc US Ambassador Charles Glazer This is the translation; please send Spanish version Dear President Saca, I am writing to express concern about the possible political assassination of Hector Ventura. The youth – one of the people arrested last year in Suchitoto and later falsely accused of acts of terrorism – was stabbed to death while sleeping in his house in the town of Suchitoto. As president, its important that you assure a complete and transparent investigation into the events in order to quickly bring justice in this case. It is also important that you work to resolve other cases of political violence such as the likely political assassination of the mayor of Alegria, Wilmer Funes. Its also necessary that you ensure your Attorney General conduct a thorough investigation and that together with the National Civilian Police you work to put a stop to such violence in the future. Finally, the government should make a public declaration expressing your consternation for these recent assassinations and making a call for justice. Guaranteeing freedom of expression, and particularly political expression, is essential in a democracy. Now, in this pre-electoral year, it is critical that the government of El Salvador demonstrate its commitment to the defense of the right of all Salvadorans to express themselves politically. Email this article to a friend Improve Health Care For Female Veterans by Anonymous May 28, 2008 The fastest growing group of people serving in America's military is women. More than 155,000 women have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002. Veterans Administration officials estimate that the number of female veterans who use VA services will double in the next five years. Our women veterans face unique physical and mental health care needs, especially in regards to Military Sexual Trauma. Urge your Senator to improve the health care for our women veterans Click here The Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2008 (S.2799), a bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate last month, will dramatically increase the care available to our women veterans, including authorizing programs to improve care for Military Sexual Trauma. The bill will also increase research on the current barriers to care and expand staff positions for women at the VA. Email this article to a friend Improve Health Care For Female Veterans by Anonymous May 28, 2008 The fastest growing group of people serving in America's military is women. More than 155,000 women have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002. Veterans Administration officials estimate that the number of female veterans who use VA services will double in the next five years. Our women veterans face unique physical and mental health care needs, especially in regards to Military Sexual Trauma. Urge your Senator to improve the health care for our women veterans Click here The Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2008 (S.2799), a bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate last month, will dramatically increase the care available to our women veterans, including authorizing programs to improve care for Military Sexual Trauma. The bill will also increase research on the current barriers to care and expand staff positions for women at the VA. Email this article to a friend Be Part of the Art ...and reuse those plastic bottles before recycling them! by June 8, 2008 The Worthington Arts Council has chosen a proposal for Project Green, a public visual arts installation to celebrate the spring groundbreaking of the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center. William Cravis, a visiting professor of sculpture and foundations at Ohio University, will execute his proposal this summer. In keeping with Project Green’s theme of sustainability, Cravis’ proposal incorporates the use of thousands of plastic bottles and containers. To collect these materials, the Worthington Arts Council and Sustainable Worthington are partnering on a city-wide Bottle Drive from May 2 – June 18. They are in need of plastic containers of all shapes, sizes and colors. Bottles or containers should be rinsed out, the labels removed and the caps left on. The plastic materials can be dropped off at several sites across Worthington: WAC Office/Griswold Senior Center, 777 High St. 2nd Floor Northwest Library, 2280 Hard Rd. Old Worthington Library, 820 High St. Worthington Community Center, 345 E. Wilson Bridge Rd. Worthington Municipal Building, 6550 N. High St. For more information about the Worthington Arts Council, check out their website: Worthington Arts For more information about the artist William Cravis, go to William Cravis Email this article to a friend Stop War on Iran by stopwaroniran.org June 12, 2008 We are writing because of the new and immediate danger of a U.S. attack on Iran, either directly by the Pentagon or through Israel. In the next few weeks and months, we need your help to organize and mobilize a grassroots movement in opposition to another illegal U.S. war predicated on lies about “weapons of mass destruction.” The real threat of such an attack was made clear last week, when Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, addressing a convention of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in Washington DC, said that Iran's nuclear program must be stopped by "all possible means." Democrats and Republicans seemed united as they lined up to express unequivocal support for this position, presenting Iran’s totally legal development of nuclear energy as a dire threat to "world peace." This well-coordinated threat escalated after Olmert returned to Israel from his U.S. meetings. Within hours of his return, Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz called war against Iran "unavoidable." Prime Minister Olmert then fanned the flames, echoing President Bush in saying, “All options, including the military option, must remain on the table." Bush's swing through European capitals took the same message of threats against Iran. Meanwhile, the May 28 Asia Times On-Line reported that the Bush administration plans to launch an air strike against Iran within the next two months. According to the article, two key U.S. senators briefed on the attack, Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California and Senator Richard Lugar, Republican of Indiana, plan to go public with their opposition to the move. But their projected New York Times op-ed piece has yet to appear. Even former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer warned in the Israeli daily Haaretz of June 1 that Bush and Olmert seem to be planning to end Iran's nuclear program "by military, rather than by diplomatic means." The only real opposition to the growing danger of a new war will come from the grassroots, not from the politicians. It is imperative that we take this threat seriously and begin to mobilize now. Stop War on Iran was the first international grassroots campaign launched to oppose the Bush Administration’s drive to war. Since our launch in 2005, we have generated more than half a million petitions sent to elected officials and the media. We have held meetings across the U.S. and have taken Stop War on Iran placards, literature and buttons to dozens of local and national antiwar rallies. But it is clear that we must do more. This is a time when the grassroots movement cannot be silent. Over the next few weeks and months, we must do everything we can to mobilize to stop another criminal war for oil. We need your help - please sign the attached petition; help circulate it to friends, co-workers, and classmates; print it out and take it to your school, community center, union hall, or place of worship; and please consider making an emergency donation to help with the enormous expenses of printing literature and petitions, producing placards, and organizing meetings. Stop War on Iran Email this article to a friend Wexler Attacked for Impeachment Support - Help Respond! by Wexler office June 15, 2008 Last Thursday the largest newspaper in my congressional district - the South Florida Sun-Sentinel - published an editorial lambasting my enthusiastic support for immediately holding impeachment hearings for President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Numerous letters to the editor have also criticized my support for this movement. Below, you'll find the original Sun-Sentinel editorial, followed by my response, which was printed yesterday. I assure you that I will not back down from this fight – no matter the consequences or political cost. The only thing that maters is that we deliver accountability for the Bush Cheney Administration and defend our government and our constitution. If you would like to write a letter to the Sun Sentinel, you can email mail to sun sentinel Thank you for your continued support. Robert Wexler DONATE Sun-Sentinel Editorial Impeachment not worth another minute of anybody's time South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board June 12, 2008 ISSUE: Some in Congress want an impeachment. The nation does have a few pressing issues pending that could use some attention from our federal lawmakers. Let's see. There are a couple of wars going on, unemployment is on the rise as the value of a house continues to fall, millions of Americans have no health insurance, and did we mention that gas prices are expected to hit $5 a gallon? You get the idea. And still, some in Congress feel the nation is just itching for another presidential impeachment. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who has made a career out of eye-rolling issues like these, said this week he wants the House to consider a resolution to impeach President Bush. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, who is smarter than this, supported the Articles of Impeachment, which won't go anywhere and thankfully have been buried in a committee not likely to hold hearings before Bush leaves office. Last year, Kucinich led the misguided charge to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney, and Wexler supported that. In the case of Bush, Wexler called it a "sworn duty" of Congress to act. Actually, it's nobody's sworn duty to take up any time to go after a badly battered president with only a few months left in office. This is a president so unpopular, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain won't make many public appearances with him. This is a president who is such a non-entity, peace activists didn't even bother to protest his appearance in Berlin this week. Nor should Congress bother with the ridiculous idea of impeachment, which Kucinich contends is warranted because Bush deceived the nation into war. There's plenty of evidence to fuel Kucinich's ire, but not his choice of remedy. If Congress needs more things than impeachment to keep lawmakers busy, it has myriad options. BOTTOM LINE: Get on with REAL issues. Copyright (c) 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel The Wexler Response: The Sun-Sentinel recently ran an editorial criticizing my support for the articles of impeachment against President Bush opining that Congress should instead "get on with REAL issues" such as the Iraq war. In fact, it is this very war -- entered into following an unprecedented campaign of lies and manipulated intelligence by the Bush Administration -- that necessitates impeachment hearings. This war has cost us the lives of 4,090 US soldiers, injuries to over 30,000, and more than a trillion taxpayer dollars when it is all said and done. It is a dark day when the Sun-Sentinel has the gall to tell the parents of the soldiers who have died in Iraq that pursuing consequences for those that prosecuted this war of choice based on outright deception is not a "REAL" issue that Congress should address. Sadly, the war is only the beginning. We now know that this Administration illegally ordered the torture of prisoners, obstructed justice by lying about the outing of a covert CIA agent and authorizing warrantless spying on American citizens. No one can deny that if proven these allegations amount to High Crimes. Our failure to act sets an awful precedent and enables future Presidents to break the law and violate our Constitution without sanctions from Congress. The Sentinel says impeachment is the wrong "remedy" for this litany of crimes. What then is the proper remedy? A harsh lecture? A strongly worded editorial? Or how about doing absolutely nothing in the face of these outrageous abuses of power? Impeachment hearings need not distract us from other important priorities such as the economy, gas prices and bringing the troops home from Iraq. Congress can and should address all important issues - including safeguarding our constitutional rights and obligations. Email this article to a friend Support Dennis Kucinich by Committee to Re-Elect Congressman Kucinich June 21, 2008 Only one Congressman had the personal courage and the profound respect for our Constitution to stand on the floor of the House of Representatives and exercise his right and his responsibility to bring Articles of Impeachment against President George W. Bush - Ohio Representative Dennis J. Kucinich. Now is the time for Americans to speak with one voice to support his bold and historic efforts to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. (Impeachment) Beginning today, Americans who cherish our Democracy and the Constitutional principles upon which it was founded can stand up, speak out, and take action by signing the one official petition that carries the full and unqualified support of the one and only original sponsor of the impeachment resolution: Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich. Read the Articles (Articles of Impeachment) and exercise your right to be heard by signing the official Kucinich Petition. Petition Thank you Email this article to a friend Free our activists! by Greenpeace July 11, 2008 Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki are charged with stealing a box of whale meat which they presented as evidence of a whale meat smuggling operation. The activists requested a Japanese government investigation into the scandal, and the Tokyo public prosecutor agreed there was sufficient evidence of wrongdoing. His investigation has now concluded. The only persons charged are the Greenpeace activists who presented the evidence. Our activists are innocent of any crime. They have been arrested for returning whale meat that was stolen from Japanese taxpayers, and exposing a fraud that may reach high into the Japanese government agencies that run the whaling program. Please write to the Japanese Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and demand the activists’ immediate release. Take Action Total Letters sent globally: 235,000 Email this article to a friend Protest Columbus Police Abuse of Long Walkers by Free Press staff July 13, 2008 July 14, 2008 action at City Council. Call Sandi 614-431-9460 (voice) or Carol Welsh at 614-571-5889 to confirm as to whether or you they will attend our gathering at Columbus City Council on Monday, July the 14th. Protest the Columbus Police abuse of the Longest Walk II participants. Email this article to a friend Are you mad about FISA? by ACLU July 15, 2008 On FISA, Congress and President Bush betrayed their commitment to protecting the Constitution -- and people all over the country are expressing their outrage. From the moment the ACLU announced our lawsuit challenging the new FISA law as a violation of the Constitution, we’ve seen a remarkable outpouring of pubic support. The next step in our all-out campaign is a dramatic show of public outrage in this Thursday’s edition of the New York Times. Stand with us: add your name to our July 17th New York Times ad. Our ad will show thousands upon thousands of names streaming across a full page of the New York Times -- making it clear just how determined people all across the nation are to keep fighting for our freedom. The ACLU is challenging this dangerous new law directly in the courts. But, equally important, we must let Congress know that when they betray the trust of the American voters, they’ll hear from you in the court of public opinion. Send Congress and President Bush a powerful message: democracy is about the government listening, not listening in. And next time, stand up for our rights. Ad your name to the ad The deadline for submitting our ad to the New York Times is only 24 hours away. We’ll do our best to get as many names as possible in the ad, but may not be able to fit every one. Act quickly. Sign up now in support of our lawsuit. In defense of freedom, Anthony D. Romero Executive Director ACLU P.S. This is one of those times when passing on an email to others really counts. Please get as many friends as possible to sign this ad. The broader our support, the sooner we reclaim our freedom. Email this article to a friend Send Karl Rove to Jail by CREDO July 21, 2008 He's gone too far this time, and we can make him pay. This sounds like a dream, doesn't it? Well, it's not. We have a unique opportunity right now to send Karl Rove to jail, but only if we take immediate action. Watch the video, then take action. All we have to do is pressure the 40 members of the House Judiciary Committee, make them hold Rove in contempt and send him to jail. We've never had such a direct opportunity to hold Rove accountable. No, this is not enough punishment for his years and years of crimes, but it's a huge start, and will send a very clear message to the entire Bush administration. Our friends at Brave New Films put together this video to explain the issues surrounding Rove's failure to testify before Congress, and why Rove should be held in contempt and sent to jail. We've teamed up with Brave New Films and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington to hold Karl Rove accountable. Check out Send Karl Rove to Jail, and sign our petition to ensure that the House Judiciary Committee holds Rove in contempt. We're delivering the petition to all 40 members of the House Judiciary Committee this Thursday, so time is of the essence. Karl Rove is hiding under the cloak of "executive privilege" — a cloak that doesn't apply to his alleged dirty dealings with the Department of Justice. Congress has the power to force Rove to testify; all we have to do is convince them to use it. Tell Congress: we won't sit idly by while Karl Rove spits in the face of justice. After you sign the petition, be sure to tell a few friends. Will Easton, Activism Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets Email this article to a friend Fight Bush's attack on birth control! by NARAL July 30, 2008 In its last months in office, the Bush administration is proposing new rules that could discourage doctors and health-care companies from providing birth control to women who need it! The regulation blurs the distinction between abortion and birth control and could even threaten good state laws that protect women's access to contraception. Tell Congress that they need to do everything they can to stop this regulation. Take Action "Birth Control - It's Prevention!" The new rule would allow doctors and health-care companies to deny women birth control. NARAL Pro-Choice America helped break this story in the media and, with your help, we can stop this attack on birth control in its tracks. Purchase your "Birth Control - It's Prevention!" pack of pills for $10! When you contribute, we will send your symbolic pill pack to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - which is where this egregious rule has surfaced. Join our campaign Email this article to a friend Action Alert – Shawnee State Forest Day Trail Threatened by Buckeye Forest Council August 4, 2008 Action needed by Monday August 11. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division Of Forestry periodically issues a Bid Prospectus announcing State Forest timber for sale. A July 14, 2008 Bid Prospectus calls for bids on 727,686 board feet International Ľ of hardwood sawtimber and 2008 tons of hardwood pulpwood stumpage located on 89 acres in the Shawnee State Forest. The bid opening is to be Wednesday, August 13, 2008 ay 3:00 p.m. Among the trees to be cut are included 353 White Oak trees, 374 Black Oak trees, and 537 Scarlet Oak trees. 704 of these trees will be 20” average diameter at breast height (dbh). This bid contains 5 cutting sections and “All sections shall be clearcut for natural regeneration…The purchaser shall make reasonable efforts to leave large snags standing in all cutting sections.” According to a recent call for action issued by Cheryl Carpenter founder of Voices For the Forest “Shawnee's Day Trail is ranked the 19th best trail in Ohio by Trails.com. The Trails.com team has traveled and explored the outdoors all over North America and internationally in Europe, Asia, and Africa and has received numerous prestigious awards.” It is critical that we let the Governor know that these cuts to support unproven forest management techniques including cutting down Oak trees to grow more Oak trees is both a waste of our natural and financial resources. Please go to Voices For the Forest and use the simple and effective communications tool found there and support our efforts to stop this Bid process from destroying yet another place of wonder and peace. Action Email this article to a friend No nukes! Challenge Sen. Voinovich's Pro-Nuclear Stance by Sierra Club August 11, 2008 Senator Voinovich brags that he introduced 2002 legislation that continued the Price Anderson indemnity for the nuclear power industry, thus allowing further nuclear power development. The Nuclear team of the Ohio Sierra Club is organizing a rally to challenge Senator George Voinovich’s support for the expansion of nuclear power in Ohio. At a time when Ohioans are already reeling from multiple economic blows and environmental devastation, a ramping up of nuclear power will only leave the state with more contamination, more sickness and more debt. Like others in the pro-nuclear lobby, Voinovich has tried pasting a happy face on nuclear power by claiming that nukes are “clean, green, safe and cheap” and that they offer a solution to the global climate crisis. But the truth lies in the opposite direction. If the world is to avoid catastrophic global warming we must start reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions immediately. More reactors cannot halt climate change in time. Even if nuclear power were clean and safe (which it is not) it would take more than 300 new reactors in the U.S. and 1,500 worldwide just to make a dent in greenhouse gas emissions. One reactor takes at least 10 years and upwards of $6 billion to build. Since climate protection will take loads of money, every $ must be spent as efficiently as possible. Study after study concludes that nuclear power comes out as the most expensive energy option. According to the highly regarded energy efficiency analyst Amory Lovins, “If you buy more nuclear plants, you ‘re going to get about two to ten times less climate solution per dollar, and you’ll get it about twenty to forty times slower” than efficient use of electricity, renewables and micropower. Nuclear power is not emissions-free. The fossil-fuel intensive processes of mining, milling, enriching and fabricating uranium fuel plus all the failed attempts at storing the radioactive waste add up to enormous quantities of CO2 emissions. Then there’s the problem of where to store the high level radioactive waste for the next 240,000 years. Building 1,000 new reactors in the world would require a new Yucca Mountain-sized dump every 4 years. So far the world hasn’t figured out how to safely store even the first cupful of the thousands of tons of high level waste that are piled up next to the reactors. The Chernobyl explosion and its lingering radioactive fallout have killed at least 500,000 people in horribly, painful ways.2 Twenty years later there are still food restrictions caused by the fallout in certain places that are thousands of miles from the site.3 Expanding nuclear power means increasing the risks of another Chernobyl-type accident. Then there are the routine releases of radioactive gases from reactors into the surrounding communities. Since winning election to the U.S. Senate in 1999, Senator Voinovich has been an outspoken proponent for nuclear power. He is the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate Change and Nuclear Safety, which has jurisdiction over the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and legislation pertaining to nuclear energy. He was a major supporter of the 2005 Energy Policy Act which provides over $13 billion in subsidies for the nuclear industry. Senator Voinovich wrote in an article in the March 2008 issue of Nuclear News titled Making the Nuclear Renaissance a Reality in which he says “I intend to work with my colleagues in the Senate to build bipartisan support and leadership for making the nuclear renaissance a reality.” Senator Voinovich and other nuclear industry advocates have identified Ohio as susceptible to these deceptive claims that nuclear energy is clean, green, safe, cheap and an answer to global warming. Let him know that you know differently. Please join in this critical effort to oppose the actions of Senator Voinovich and the nuclear industry for the sake of Ohio’s economy and environment. ***Please write to Senator George Voinovich, 37 W. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215 and ask him to stop promoting nuclear power. For more information contact Ohio Sierra Club Nuclear Committee Chair Pat Marida at 614-890-7865 or marida@wideopenwest.com. ***Come to the rally on Sept. 9 between 11:45 and 1pm at 37 W. Broad in downtown Columbus! Email this article to a friend Let's get "The Battle in Seattle" movie in Columbus! by Karen Hansen August 20, 2008 Dear Activist Friends, The Battle in Seattle film starring Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson, Ray Liota and 50,000 Seattle WTO protest activists will open in select cities September 19. Ohio cities are not on the list…..yet! Here's the deal: Corporate America does not want the real story of the outrage of corporate globalization, the WTO or how motivated activists won against impossible odds to tell their story. The Hollywood studios loved the script - written by actor Stuart Towsend after three years of research - but refused to make the film even as they complimented the script as entertaining and compelling. Townsend persevered. Six years in the making, once complete the movie got rave reviews at film festivals, but there were no distribution offers from major film companies. As Stuart noted in a recent interview: "None of the corporations wanted to buy. It's a movie with stars. It's a movie they normally would buy in a heartbeat. Not to get too conspiratorial, but it hasn't been an easy ride making a movie like this." So ultimately, Townsend decided to distribute the film independently. Here's how independent distribution works: if lots of people buy tickets during film's first two-week limited release starting September 19, the film will get national distribution and so will our story of citizens' speaking truth to power - and winning! If not, it goes right to DVD - not good. Now, by hitting the seats - and building demand for getting the film's initial limited release in more cities - we can create the Seattle Surprise II - national screening of the most subtly subversive full-feature film you'll even see packed with major stars and ready to turn on a new generation. It is easy to get this film to come to our Ohio cities. Stuart has set up this system on the film's website (www.battleinseattlemovie.com ) that allows anyone to 'DEMAND IT' to come to their city. If 200 people sign up on the Demand It Widget, the film gets sent there during the opening weeks! This seems like a very worthwhile effort to get this story out! As Stuart notes in a forthcoming PC magazine article: "The Seattle protests captured many of the most important and ongoing issues of our time. But it was also an event that had largely been forgotten. I felt that making a fictional movie with well-known actors might be able to give people a different way to connect and learn about one of the proudest moments in American history," Townsend said. "The wonderfully diverse Seattle coalition had its hands on the pulse of what was going wrong in this world - the corporatization of our world. And you showed something could be done to fight it." Can you send the word out on your email lists for folks to use the website DEMAND IT function to get a screening? (Note: Screenings of the movie are being held at both party conventions this year.) Karen Hansen Ohio Conference on Fair Trade 614.280.3631 PS. You can also see a trailer on the website. "Battle in Seattle" will be released in New York, San Francisco and Seattle beginning Sept. 19 and in Washington, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit and Sacramento on Sept. 26, so please let anyone you know in those cities! Battle in Seattle Email this article to a friend Help the evacuees from New Orleans by Kali August 30, 2008 This is a call to support the evacuation of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricanes Gustav's potential landfall within the next several days. As many of you know, thousands of our people are presently evacuating the area. In the attempt to learn from preparedness shortcomings of Hurricane Katrina, a network of New Orleans activists, some whom have evacuated already and others whom are intent on staying are in the process of creating a support network which is in need of all our help. How you can help (outside of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast): 1. Serve as a point of contact in your area for evacuees. 2. Help create safe and accessible relief networks and stations in your city/region. This is particularly going to be crucial for allies in Northern Louisiana, Jackson, and Memphis, where it appears most of the evacuees are going to be stationed. We hope to have identified the rest of the specific cities by this evening. 3. Serve as a media liaison for the support network and the forces staying in New Orleans. If you or your organization can serve in one or more of these capacities please contact one of the following individuals and send your name, cell phone, land line, email address and relevant address information for relief stations. Kali Akuno 510.593.3956 (please text if no answer if possible) or kaliakuno@gmail.com Lydia 314-537-0537 (C) 770-559-1461 land line Molly 510-847-6101 (C) In Unity and Struggle, Kali Email this article to a friend Amy Goodman Arrested in Minneapolis at RNC - Take Action Now by FreePress.net September 2, 2008 Yesterday, police in St. Paul arrested several journalists, including Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and an AP photographer as they were covering protests of the Republican National Convention. Amy Goodman and others were released last night, but the story is not over. We need you to cosign our public letter demanding that press intimidation cease immediately, and that all charges be dropped. It will be delivered immediately to St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, the RNC Host Committee and the local prosecuting attorneys. We need 10,000 signatures in the next 24 hours, so please take action now: Sign the Letter: Drop All Charges Against Journalists In addition to these arrests, police with firearms drawn raided a meeting of the video journalists' group I-Witness and arrested independent media, bloggers and videomakers. We’re also receiving late-breaking reports of other arrests. By signing this letter, you’re sending a powerful message: Officials must rein in aggressive and violent tactics by local law enforcement, stop the targeting of journalists and immediately drop all charges against them. Reporting by independent journalists is vital to a functioning democracy. Americans must have access to diverse sources of information to hold their leaders accountable. Journalists must be free to do their jobs without intimidation. Don’t wait. We need a free press now more than ever. Tell your friends and take action now! Thank you, Josh Silver Executive Director Free Press www.freepress.net Watch the video of Goodman's arrest Email this article to a friend Report Election Day Problems by Free Press Staff October 24, 2008 The Free Press office: 1021 E. Broad St., Columbus call in your voter suppression problems: 614-224-1082 614-252-2914 614-374-2448 614-374-2380 Email this article to a friend Debt Relief for Impoverished Nations by Care2Make a Difference November 17, 2008 Target: G8 Leaders: Developing nations struggle to provide healthcare, education and HIV and AIDS prevention/treatment for their citizens. Debt relief or debt cancellation gives the opportunity for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) to reprioritize funds and focus on development, creating programs and opportunities that benefit their citizens. Debt relief already has proven successful in parts of Africa. For example, after recent debt cancellation, Nigeria now expects to employ 120,000 new teachers enabling 3.5 million children to receive an education. In Tanzania the number of children receiving primary education has doubled. They are making excellent use of 1,000 new schools and 31,000 new schoolrooms. Choosing to relieve the debt of HIPC will not hurt those countries receiving debt payments because the payments are insignificant in comparison to the powerhouse economies of the lenders. It is time to help the world's poorest by giving HIPC the chance to develop. Tell the G8 world leaders to act in a timely manner forgiving debt to all indebted nations. Take Action Email this article to a friend UE Members in Chicago Need Our Help! by peaceandjustice2005@gmail.com December 7, 2008 UE Local 1110 members in Chicago who work at Republic Windows and Doors, are now engaged in a battle with their employer as well as the giant Bank of America. The bank -- which has already been given $25 billion dollars in taxpayer bailout monies -- is refusing to extend credit to the company. The national Jobs with Justice coalition has taken up the fight on behalf of these UE members,20launching a campaign to expose the shameful behavior by Bank of America -- as well as the many other outrages of the government bailout. To lend a hand, click here Do your part today to support these fellow workers and push back against the Wall Street and big bank rip-off of taxpayers. Please participate in the Jobs with Justice Week of Action for a People's Bailout Now! To lend a hand please visit the main Jobs with Justice page. Chicago Factory Occupied by Lee Sustar What YOU Can Do If negotiations with Bank of America fail to resolve the issue, there will be a picket of BoA's Chicago headquarters at 231 S. La Salle on Tuesday, December 9 at 12 noon. Members of Local 1110 need your support. Make checks payable to the UE Local 1110 Solidarity Fund, and mail to: 37 S. Ashland, Chicago, IL 60607. Messages of support can be sent to leahfried@gmail.com. For more information, call UE at 312-829-8300. At the Jobs with Justice Web site, you can send a message of protest to Bank of America. Workers occupying the Republic Wind ows & Doors factory slated for closure are vowing to remain in the Chicago plant until they win the $1.5 million in severance and vacation pay owed them by management. In a tactic rarely used in the U.S. since the labor struggles of the 1930s, the work ers, members of United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) Local 1110, refused to leave the plant on December 5, its last scheduled day of operation. "We decided to do it because this is money that belongs to us," said Maria Roman, who's worked at the plant for eight years. "These are our rights." Word of the occupation spread quickly both among labor and immigrant rights activists -- the overwhelming majority of the workers are Latinos. Seven local TV news stations showed up to do interviews and live reports, and a steady stream of activists arrived to bring donations of food and money and to plan solidarity actions. Management claims that it can't continue operations because its main creditor, Bank of America (BoA), refuses to make any more loans to the company. After workers picketed BoA headquarters December 3, bank officials a greed to sit down with Republic management and UE to discuss the matter at a December 5 meeting arranged by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill), said UE organizer Leah Fried. BoA had said that it couldn't discuss the matter with the union directly without written approval from Republic's management. But Republic representatives failed to show up at the meeting, and plant managers prepared to close the doors for good -- violating the federal WARN Act that requires 60 days notice of a plant closure. The workers decided this couldn't go unchallenged. "The company and Bank of America are throwing the ball to one another, and we're in the middle," said Vicente Rangel, a shop steward and former vice president of Local 1110. Many workers had suspected the company was planning to go out of business -- and perhaps restart operations elsewhere. Several said managers had removed both production and office equipment in recent days. Furthermore, while inventory records indicated there were plenty of parts in the plant, workers on the production line found shortages. =2 0And the order books, while certainly down from the peak years of the housing boom, didn't square with management's claims of a total collapse. "Where did all those windows go?" one worker asked. Workers were especially outraged that Bank of America, which recently received a bailout in taxpayer money, won't provide credit to Republic. "They get $25 billion from the government, and won't loan a few million to this company so workers can keep their jobs?" said Ricardo Caceres, who has worked at the plant for six years. The members of Local 1110 have a history of struggle. In 2004, they decertified the Central States Joint Board -- a union notorious for corruption and sweetheart contracts with management -- and brought in UE, a far more democratic organization. In May of this year, Local 1110 mobilized for a contract by organizing a "practice"=2 0picket, and 70 workers used their lunch break to confront the boss with a petition listing their demands. The workers were able to turn back the company's effort to20win major concessions and won solid pay increases. Now, management is trying to get revenge by pocketing money that belongs to the workers. UE officials and workers acknowledge that it will be difficult to stop the plant from closing. But they're determined to get the money owed to them -- and they believe that by fighting, they can set an example for other workers facing layoffs and plant closures as the recession deepens. Negotiations are set for Monday, December 8. Whatever happens, however, the workers have already sent a message to employers that if they violate workers rights and the law, they can expect a fight. "This is a message to the workers of America," said Vicente Rangel, the shop steward. "If we stand together, we will prevail until justice is done, and we get what we're due." Email this article to a friend Stop the cruelty - stop the factory egg farm in central Ohio by Mercy for Animals December 19, 2008 Write and call Governor Strickland to urge him to try to keep the Hi-Q factory egg farm out of central Ohio! Tell him you will hold him personally responsible - (614)466-3555. Please use this letter as an example: The Honorable Ted Strickland Governor’s Office Riffe Center, 30th Floor 77 South High Street Columbus, OH 43215-6108 May 6, 2008 Dear Governor Ted Strickland, I write on behalf of the over 16,000 members and supporters of Mercy For Animals, an Ohio-based animal protection organization, to ask you to ban the construction of fac- tory farms in the great state of Ohio. As more people experience the negative effects of factory farms—including land, water and air degradation; decreased property values; the emergence of antibiotic-resistant, more virulent diseases; and the intolerable cruelty inflicted on animals—it is becoming clear that we, as a state, must phase out factory farms. Animal factory farms harm the public and violate the values and ideals of Ohioans. Mercy For Animals recently released a new, hidden-camera investigation at a battery cage egg facility, where our undercover investigator documented gross neglect and shocking acts of cruelty and abuse, including the following: • Workers using brutal killing methods, such as standing on birds, kicking birds into manure pits to drown in excrement, twisting their necks and hurling them against shed walls • Hens living in barren, file drawer-sized battery cages, 5 to 7 birds per cage, too cramped to spread even one wing • Workers violently shoving birds through the small entryways of battery cages with no regard for breaking the birds’ bones in the process • Birds with feces-caked feathers living in their own excrement and the spillover excrement from the birds in the cages above them • Hens living on top of the rotting corpses of dead cage-mates • Badly decomposed bodies in the egg receptacles, alongside eggs to be sold for human consumption • Crippled and sick hens left to languish in shed aisles without medical care or ac- cess to food or water • Hens with untreated facial lesions, broken wings and legs, prolapsed uteruses, infections and abscesses Please visit www.mercyforanimals.org/caeggs to see the undercover video and pho- tographic evidence we obtained, as well as expert testimony from veterinarians, who confirmed that the hens were undoubtedly suffering, and in great pain. Although this investigation was conducted at Gemperle Enterprises in Turlock and Hilmar California, the abuses uncovered are consistent with the routine cruelty, neglect and abuse Mercy For Animals documented at the following four battery cage egg farms in Ohio: Buckeye Egg Farm in LaRue; Ohio Fresh Eggs in Croton, Daylay Egg Farm in Raymond and the Weaver Brothers Egg Farm in Versailles. At these facilities MFA investigators witnessed diseased and injured animals left to languish with untreated injuries, painfully debeaked hens crammed into cages so tightly they could not turn around or stretch their wings, and dead, decomposing hens in cages with live hens still laying eggs for human consumption. The consistency of the abuses documented during these investigations strongly suggests that battery cage egg farming is inherently cruel, and that the abuses documented at Gemperle Enterprises are the industry norm, not the exception. The cruelty that hens suffer on battery cage egg farms affronts Ohioans’ values regard- ing how animals should be treated. A 2004 Ohio State University survey found that 92% of Ohioans agree or strongly agree with the statement, “It is important to me that animals on farms are well-cared for.” The same survey also found that 81% of Ohio- ans agree that, “The well-being of farm animals is just as important as the well-being of pets.” Across the nation we see similar concern for the humane treatment of farmed animals, which explains the recent wave of legislation in the U.S. banning cruel farming prac- tices. In 2002, a ballot initiative allowed Florida voters to pass the first law prohibiting the confinement of pigs in gestation crates – two feet-wide metal crates that prevent the animals from taking a step, stretching, or turning around. In 2006, Arizonians over- whelmingly voted to outlaw both gestation crates and veal crates. In 2007, Oregon state legislators passed a bill outlawing gestation crates. This year, Colorado banned gesta- tion crates and veal crates. In November, California voters will have the opportunity to outlaw confinement systems that prevent animals from moving freely. We are confident that this legislation will pass, effectively banning battery cages, veal crates, and gesta- tion crates. Many agribusiness companies see the writing on the wall, and are phasing out cruel ani- mal confinement systems. In January 2007, Smithfield, the U.S.’s largest pork producer, announced that it will phase out the use of gestation crates in its operations over the next decade. Around the same time, Strauss Veal, the leading U.S. veal producer, and Marcho Farms both pledged to end their use of veal crates within the next three years. Not only are factory farms repositories for unconscionable animal cruelty and neglect, they threaten human health, the environment and local economies. The Pew Charitable Trust recently released a report on industrial animal farm production (IFAP) – the prod- uct of a landmark two-year study conducted by a prestigious panel of experts. The panel was chaired by former Kansas Governor, John Carlin, and included former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman, as well as farmers, scientists, veterinar- ians, and public officials. The panel concluded that animal factory farms pose unacceptable risks to public health, the environment and animal welfare, noting in its report that factory farms contribute to the development of more virulent strains of human diseases; generate significant greenhouse gases; pollute air, land, and water; and siphon investment and wealth away from the local communities in which they operate. “The goal of this Commission is to sound the alarm that significant change is urgent- ly needed in industrial farm animal production,” says John Carlin. “I believe that the IFAP system was first developed simply to help increase farmer productivity and that the negative effects were never intended. Regardless, the consequences are real and serious and must be addressed.” One of the Commission’s key recommendations is to “phase out the most intensive and inhumane production practices within a decade to reduce the risk of IFAP to public health and improve animal wellbeing.” A good first step toward such a phase-out would be for Ohio to institute a ban on the construction of any new factory farms in the state; including any farm that would employ the use of battery cages, gestation crates, or veal crates. Given growing consumer and legislative concern for the welfare of farmed animals, and the farm industry’s trend away from cruel confinement systems, a ban on the construction of new factory farms in Ohio makes sound economic and humane sense. Constructing new factory farms would be a waste of investors’ financial re- sources when these confinement systems’ obsolescence is on the horizon. Among the first construction permits, which should be urgently denied, is the one requested by Hi-Q Egg Products to build a 6 million-chicken battery cage facility at 22450 Davis Rd. in West Mansfield. Local residents, including farmers, are protest- ing the establishment of this facility out of concerns that it will negatively impact their health, ground water, streams, air, soil, roads and property values. On behalf of MFA’s constituents and all Ohioans, I urge you to strengthen local economies and create a cleaner, healthier and more humane Ohio by enacting a permanent ban on the construction of new factory farms in our great state. Thank you for your time, attention and consideration. Please feel free to contact me at 614-256-7959 or FreemanW@MercyForAnimals.org with any questions that you might have. I am at your disposal and would be happy to discuss this with you further. Sincerely, Freeman Wicklund Director of Campaigns Mercy For Animals Email this article to a friend Petition the Special Prosecutor to try Bush for War Crimes by Democrats.com January 17, 2009 We are trying to reach 100,000 signatures! Sign here: Petition Email this article to a friend URGENT ALERT! Leonard Peltiers safety is in jeopardy! by Betty Peltier-Solano January 21, 2009 Following is an extremely urgent letter from Leonard Peltier's sister. Please consider doing anything you can to help stop Leonard Peltier's murder in prison. Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:20:21 -0800 (PST) Dear LP Supporters I am so OUTRAGED! My brother Leonard was severely beaten upon his arrival at the Canaan Federal Penitentiary. When he went into population after his transfer, some inmates assaulted him. The severity of his injuries is that he suffered numerous blows to his head and body, receiving a large bump on his head, possibly a concussion, and numerous bruises. Also, one of his fingers is swollen and discolored and he has pain in his chest and ribcage. There was blood everywhere from his injuries. We feel that prison authorities at the prompting of the FBI orchestrated this attack and thus, we are greatly concerned about his safety. It may be that the attackers, whom Leonard did not even know, were offered reduced sentences for carrying out this heinous assault. Since Leonard is up for parole soon, this could be a conspiracy to discredit a model prisoner. He was placed in solitary confinement and only given one meal, this is generally done when you won't name your attackers; incidentally being only given one meal seriously jeopardizes his health because of his diabetes. Prison officials refuse to release any info to the family, but they need to hear from his supporters to protect his safety, as does President Obama. His attorneys are trying to get calls into him now. This attack on LP comes on the heels of the FBI's recent letter, prompting this attack by FBI supporters as an attempt to discredit LP as a model prisoner. Anyone who has been in the prison system knows well that if you refuse to name your attackers or file charges against them, then you lose your status as a victim and/or given points against your possible parole and labeled as a perpetrator. It is not uncommon, in fact is quite common for the government to use Indian against Indian and they still operate under the old adage "it takes an Indian to catch an Indian". In 1978, they made an attempt to assassinate him through another Indian man who was also at Marion prison with LP. But Standing Deer chose to reveal the plot to him instead of taking his life in exchange FOR A CHANCE AT FREEDOM. When Standing Deer was released in 2001, he joined the former Leonard Peltier Defense Committee as a board member. He also began to speak on Leonard's behalf until his murder six years ago today. Prior to his murder, Standing Deer confided with close friends and associates that the same man who visited him in Marion to assassinate Peltier, had came to Houston, TX and told him that he had better stay away from Peltier and anything to do with him. We are aware that currently, the FBI is actively seeking support for his continued imprisonment of Leonard Peltier and also also seeking support from Native People. So please be aware, and keep Leonard in your prayers. The FBI is apparently afraid of the impact we are having. If they will set him up to blemish his record just before a parole hearing, what will they do when it looks like his freedom will become a reality? We need to make sure that nothing happens to him again! Please write the President, send it priority or registered mail. Email to Change.gov or email President Obama. Call your congressional representatives and write letters, not email, to them. Do what you can to get the word out to insure that LP is receiving adequate medical attention for his injuries. I am asking you, supporters of Leonard and advocates of justice at this time to help. I don't know what else to do. Please Help! Thank you Betty Peltier-Solano Executive Coordinator Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee From: contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info Also call and request Leonard be treated with dignity and respect. Canaan Federal Prison 570-488-8000 Free Leonard Peltier -- "Amnesty International considers Leonard Peltier to be a political prisoner whose avenues of redress have long been exhausted....Amnesty International recognizes that a retrial is no longer a feasible option and believes that Leonard Peltier should be immediately and unconditionally released." Documents show that although the prosecution and government pointed the finger at Peltier for shooting FBI agents at close range during the trial in 1976, for three years the prosecution withheld critical ballistic test results proving that the fatal bullets could not have come from the gun tied to Leonard Peltier. This trial also denied evidence of self defense. The U.S. Prosecutor, during subsequent oral arguments, stated: "we can't prove who shot those agents". The Eighth Circuit found that "There is a possibility that the jury would have acquitted Leonard Peltier had the records and data improperly withheld from the defense been available to him in order to better exploit and reinforce the inconsistencies casting strong doubts upon the government's case." Yet, a new trial was denied. Judge Heaney, who authored the denial now supports Mr. Peltier's release, stating that the FBI used improper tactics to gain Mr. Peltier's conviction. A good way to learn about Leonard Peltier is to read his book: Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance. For excerpts, see the following link, under article by Louise Erdich: Time for Human Rights on Native Ground YouTube of Leonard reading his own words to music and photos is really beautiful For more resources: Free Leonard Peltier! Email this article to a friend Update on Leonard Peltier by Michael Eckhardt January 26, 2009 Update: 23 Jan 2009. We received a phone call from Leonard on 1/22. He was jumped by young gang members. He's been put in solitary, he says, and won't be released again into the general population. He was told by the FBI that he was the victim in the attack, the proof of this being a videotape. Assured that he'd enjoy all his privileges upon his transfer to USP-Canaan, he's now been told he'll be allowed only one phone call a month. Two attorneys attempted to get inside the prison to meet with Leonard, but their requests for legal visits were denied. Peltier is clearly being isolated from friends and family and even his attorneys. Update: 24 Jan 2009. Sheila Dugan, Esq., an attorney residing in Pennsylvania and working with Peltier attorney Michael Kuzma was able to visit Leonard this morning for four hours. She saw his bruises. Leonard's chest still hurts. Leonard was not taken to a hospital to be examined after he was beaten by two other inmates. Leonard is in solitary confinement. As crazy as it sounds, he doesn't have a comb so he can't comb his hair. Also, this was a no-contact visit. A glass barrier separated Leonard and Ms. Dugan. She had to talk to him via phone for the entire four hours. The letter below to the Bureau of Prisons was written today by Michael Kuzma, Esq., attorney for Leonard Peltier. Please consider writing letters of concern to the BOP as well! January 24, 2009 Mr. Harley G. Lappin, Director Bureau of Prisons 320 First Street, N. W. Washington, D. C. 20534 Re: Leonard Peltier, #89637-132 Dear Director Lappin: I represent Mr. Leonard Peltier, #89637-132, who is currently incarcerated at USP Canaan. Mr. Peltier was recently transferred to USP Canaan from USP Lewisburg. It is my understanding that Mr. Peltier was brutally attacked on or about January 13, 2009. Mr. Peltier suffered a possible concussion, the middle finger on his left hand may be broken or is badly injured, he has a large bump near his right wrist, the right side of his rib cage and chest are in a pain, the right side of his chest is bruised as is his left knee, and he is now having headaches, which Mr. Peltier believes are a direct result of the January 13, 2009 beating. It is clear that Mr. Peltier is in grave danger at USP Canaan. By letters dated November 29, 2008 and December 15, 2008, I requested that Mr. Peltier be transferred to the Turtle Mountain reservation or, in the alternative, he be sent to Sandstone FCI or Oxford FCI. As I noted in my letter of December 15, 2008, on August 20, 2008 Mr. Peltier sought to be transferred to Sandstone FCI or Oxford FCI. A copy of the "Inmate Request to Staff" form dated August 20, 2008 that Mr. Peltier submitted to Case Manager Rothermel is once again enclosed for your information. Please advise me of what steps, if any, you have taken to ensure Mr. Peltier's safety. More specifically, I would like to know what you have done to make sure that he is not attacked again in the future. Also, has Mr. Peltier received appropriate medical treatment for his injuries? If not, it is imperative that he sees health care professionals without any further delay so that his injuries may be properly treated. I look forward to hearing from you shortly. Thank you. Yours truly, Michael Kuzma, Esq. President Obama has stated in his Indian Policy Papers that he will respect and honor the sovereignty of the First Nations. Please contact the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and encourage them to apply Nation-to-Nation pressure on the government of the United States to return their enrolled citizen Leonard Peltier to their Nation. Ask the Council at Turtle Mountain if there is anything that you can do to assist them in this effort. Richard Marcellais, Tribal Chairman Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians PO Box 900 Highway 5 West Belcourt, ND 58316 Please send a copy of your letter to the Turtle Mountain Star, 11 1st Avenue, NE, Rolla, ND 58367. Email this article to a friend Move Passenger Transit Forward in Ohio! by Jen Miller & Brandi Whetstone, Sierra Club Ohio Chapter February 25, 2009 Demonstrate to the Ohio General Assembly that Ohioans care about passenger rail development. Can you help move Ohio forward? Let Ohio's decisionmakers know you support the Ohio Hub - a proposed rail line connecting Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Delaware, and Cleveland in phase I and incorporating Toledo in phase II. Click here to take action According to the Ohio Rail Commission, benefits of the Hub include: *Creates 16,700 permanent jobs *Generates more than $3 billion in development activity near stations *Creates an annual $80 million impact on state tourism *Generates an annual fuel savings of approximately 9.4 million gallons On March 3, we will need dozens of volunteer advocates to personally communicate to state legislators about the benefits of passenger rail initiatives. You will receive training and materials to assist you and will work as part of a team. Can't make it to Columbus March 3? There's another way you can help. Email this article to a friend The man who suborned torture should not be a federal judge by Kate Stayman-London, Campaign Manager CREDO Action March 6, 2009 Tell Rep. Tiberi: Impeach Jay Bybee. Jay Bybee wrote memos giving the Bush administration legal cover to undermine the Constitution. He should not be a federal judge. When presidents and federal judges take office, they must swear to support and defend the Constitution. But federal judge Jay Bybee worked long and hard to undermine the Bill of Rights — and to make sure that President George W. Bush could do the same. On March 2, the Justice Department released a series of legal memos, some authored by Jay Bybee, that gave the Bush Administration legal cover to wiretap Americans without court approval, to send prisoners oversees where they were likely to be tortured, to use U.S. military forces for domestic purposes, and a number of other actions that previously would have been considered unconstitutional. For his service, Bybee was rewarded by the Bush administration with a federal judgeship — a lifetime appointment. CREDO worked to oppose his nomination, but only 19 senators sided with us, and Bybee was overwhelmingly confirmed. Now that we know the extent of the crimes he authorized — the extent to which he worked against our own Constitution — Bybee must be impeached. The Bush administration didn't bother to repudiate the Bybee memos until five days before President Obama took office. While his federal judgeship is a lifetime appointment, Congress has the power to remove him from the bench. The House Judiciary Committee should begin impeachment hearings immediately to learn the full scope of Bybee's successful campaign to undermine the Constitution. Click here to tell Rep. Tiberi to vote to impeach Judge Bybee Thank you for working to support and defend our Constitution. Email this article to a friend Don't Let The Senate Derail Ohio Passenger Trains by Progress Ohio March 11, 2009 A quirk in the law is stopping us from effectively competing for stimulus money to bring passenger rail back to Ohio. A bill currently in the Ohio Senate would fix this, authorizing the state to use stimulus money to operate a passenger rail line. If the bill doesn’t pass this week, we’ll miss out on Ohio’s best chance to bring passenger rail back to Ohio. Tell the Senate to pass the Transportation Budget and bring passenger rail back to Ohio. Email here Email this article to a friend Contact Gov. Richardson today! by Abe Bonowitz March 14, 2009 Greetings From New Mexico! On Friday, March 13, 2009, the New Mexico Senate voted 24-18 to repeal the death penalty in New Mexico and replace it with a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole. House Bill 285 passed the house last month and now goes to Gov. Bill Richardson for his signature. When Governor Richardson signs this bill, New Mexico will become the second state in as many years to legislatively abolish the death penalty. As I listened to the debate in the gallery of the New Mexico Senate this afternoon, I could not help but feel grateful and proud to be representing your National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty on this historic day. NCADP is a partner to its affiliate, the New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty, and I was there in my role as Director of Affiliate Support to watch the culmination of years of tireless work that brought us to this day. Our work is not yet done. I am writing to ask you to take a few minutes right now to contact New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and ask him to sign House Bill 285 as soon as possible. Governor Richardson's office has set up a hotline to receive the opinions of New Mexicans (and anyone else) on the issue. That number is 505-476-2225. Those wishing to weigh in via e-mail can do so through the governor's web site and clicking on "Contact the Governor." "This is an extremely difficult issue that deserved the serious and thoughtful debate it received in the Legislature," Richardson said in a prepared statement. "I have met with many people and will continue to consider all sides of the issue before making a decision." Please take action RIGHT NOW to urge Governor Richardson to sign HB 285, the Death Penalty Repeal Bill, whether you live in New Mexico or anywhere else. Especially if you know people who live in New Mexico, please forward this message and urge them to take action immediately. Thank you. A few additional thoughts: Channel 7 (ABC affiliate) has a poll on repeal -- ABC -- look under "as seen on 7" on the left side of the page, and click to vote! Please visit NCADP's blog to see some photos of a few of the many key players who helped make this happen. Check out NCADP on Twitter to see my "tweets" - short comments I made as sort of a play by play as the day went on. While there you can sign up to follow NCADP on Twitter. And finally, please make a generous contribution today to help NCADP continue to be a useful partner to the efforts of our affiliates, the folks who are on the front lines every day in this struggle. New Jersey in 2007. New Mexico and possibly others in 2009. And many others with much work still to do. Your support makes it happen. Thank you. Yours in the Struggle, --abe Abraham J. Bonowitz Director of Affiliate Support National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty http://www.NCADP.org Email this article to a friend Tell Sherrod Brown to open up travel to Cuba by Mavis Anderson March 29, 2009 Ohio friends, I’m writing to enlist your help. We are closing in on an initial goal in getting cosponsors for S 428, the Cuba “travel for all” bill in the Senate. The authors of the bill (Senator Dorgan, D-ND and Senator Enzi, R-WY) are looking to “go public” with the bill shortly. As we approach the public announcement, we’d like to get a few more key senators on board. We’ve identified Senator Sherrod Brown as key to this effort. Senator Brown is a new senator, so he doesn’t have a record on Cuba votes in the Senate; but he does have a record from his years in the House of Representatives. And it is a good record, so it should not be a stretch for him to cosponsor this bill. We just haven’t been able to get his attention to sign onto this bill. We need to get the bill, S 428, on his radar screen (or his staff’s radar screens) so that he will sign on before the big public roll-out happens before the April recess. Can you help? Please call his office this week to request that he cosponsor S 428, the bill to allow U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba . (There is more detail about the bill on our website at www.lawg.org .) Senator Brown’s number is 202.224.2315. If you prefer email, go to his website at Sherrod Brown's website and choose “Contact the Senator” from the menu on the top of his home page. If you call, ask to speak to the foreign policy aide; if that person isn’t available, please leave a message with your request. To cosponsor, staff should call Brian Moran in Senator Dorgan’s office. S 428 will allow unrestricted travel for U.S. citizens to Cuba . As you know, this policy is out-dated, inhumane, and counterproductive. It has failed; let’s try something new in our relationship with Cuba . And changing Cuba policy will send a signal to all of Latin America that a change has happened in Washington ’s attitude toward the region. If you want help with background on the issue, you can see some talking points here: Talking Points Please let me know (manderson@lawg.org) when you have made your call or sent your email so that we can communicate with his office that we know constituents are interested in this issue. This is the year for us to make big progress on Cuba policy! Many thanks, Mavis Mavis Anderson Senior Associate ( Cuba & Venezuela ) Latin America Working Group T: 202-546-7010 F: 202-543-7647 manderson@lawg.org Email this article to a friend Tell President Obama: The Senate failed us. Now fighting Global Warming is up to you. by CREDO April 4, 2009 Representatives of the coal, utility and auto industries in the Senate have refused to exercise leadership on climate change. It's time for President Obama to use his executive power through the Environmental Protection Agency and take action on global warming. On Wednesday, 26 Democrats joined Republicans in the Senate and voted to ensure that the filibuster will be used to block any meaningful climate legislation this year. The rule passed prohibits Congress from using the budget reconciliation process to pass real action on climate. Any truly effective bill will surely suffer death by filibuster because there are more than 40 Senators committed to deferring any real action on climate change that would threaten the coal, oil, and auto industries. This betrayal by Democrats on one of the most important issues of our time, is deeply disappointing. However, President Obama doesn't need Congress' help to take a very important step: Regulating carbon. During the Bush administration, EPA administrators rejected scientists' findings on the dangers of carbon. But on March 20, the Obama Administration's EPA finally submitted a long-awaited "endangerment finding" to the White House. Now with this finding, President Obama can order the EPA to reduce carbon emissions, including those from coal burning utilities. With Congress dragging its feet on progress, the time for President Obama to act is now. Sign this petition today to ask President Obama to approve the EPA endangerment finding and regulate carbon emissions now. Email this article to a friend International Campaign for Constitutional Justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal by Various sponsors April 16, 2009 Tell the Obama Administration you demand Constitutional Justice Now for Mumia Abu-Jamal Initiated by the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (NYC) SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION AT Petition On April 6, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal asking for a new trial for death row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, based on evidence of racist prosecutorial misconduct during his original 1982 trial in Philadelphia. An important aspect of this misconduct is based on the 1986 Batson issue—a legal decision that says that prospective jurors cannot be selected or unselected based on their race. In Mumia’s 1982 trial, the white prosecutor used 11 of his 15 strikes to remove Black jurors from the jury. In the end, Mumia’s case was tried before a jury of ten whites and two Blacks. On top of the strikes made by prosecutors, there was also a well-documented culture of racial discrimination by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. Please take a few minutes to read, sign and circulate widely the important letter below to the various departments of the U.S. government on behalf of defending Mumia’s civil rights, which have been clearly violated. Only a powerful, international campaign can win long, overdue freedom for this outspoken, award-winning journalist and stop a 27 year-old conspiracy to silence him with legal lynching or life in prison without parole. Both options are unacceptable. Mumia needs our movement and our movement needs Mumia. Let President Obama, Vice President Biden, Attorney General Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, Secretary of State Clinton, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders, the Congressional Black Caucus, U.N. Secy General Ban, and members of the media know you want the Obama administration to correct the decades of constitutional injustice in Mumia's case NOW! The petition text follows: Urgent Appeal to the Obama administration: correct the constitutional injustice in Mumia's case NOW! To: Attorney General Holder cc: President Obama, Vice President Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, Secretary of State Clinton, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders, the Congressional Black Caucus, U.N. Secy Gen Ban, and members of the media I write to you with a sense of grave concern and outrage about the U.S. Supreme Court's denial of a hearing to Mumia Abu-Jamal on the issue of racial bias in jury selection, that is, the "Batson issue". Inasmuch as there is no other court to which Abu-Jamal can appeal for justice, I turn to you for remedy of a 27-year history of gross violations of U.S. constitutional law and international standards of justice as documented by Amnesty International and many other legal groups around the world. I call on you and the Justice Department to immediately commence a civil rights investigation to examine the many examples of egregious and racist prosecutorial and judicial misconduct dating back to the original trial in 1982 and continuing through to the current inaction of the U.S. Supreme Court. The statute of limitations should not be a factor in this case as there is very strong evidence of an ongoing conspiracy to deny Abu-Jamal his constitutional rights. I am aware of the many differences that exist between the case of former Senator Ted Stevens and Mumia Abu-Jamal. Still, I note with great interest the actions you have taken with regard to Senator Stevens' conviction to assure that he not be denied his constitutional rights. You were specifically outraged by the fact that the prosecution withheld information critical to the defense's argument for acquittal, a violation clearly committed by the prosecution in Abu-Jamal's case. Mumia Abu-Jamal, though not a U.S. senator of great wealth and power, is a Black man revered around the world for his courage, clarity, and commitment and deserves no less than Senator Stevens. Cordially, (Your signature will be appended here based on the contact information you enter in the form above) Email this article to a friend NATIONAL GRASSROOTS CALL-IN DAY TO STOP NUKE/COAL SUBSIDIES by Nuclear Information and Resource Service April 29, 2009 LET'S KEEP CONGRESSIONAL PHONES RINGING ALL DAY LONG! Both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are beginning to consider separate legislation that could have an enormous impact on our nation's energy future. It is essential that we all weigh in now, in the strongest possible manner, to help shape that energy future. Let's tell Congress loud and clear to support renewable energy and energy efficiency programs and to stop any more taxpayer support for dirty and dangerous nuclear power and coal technologies. Washington-based groups like NIRS, PSR, FoE, NRDC, NukeFree.org, and others are working hard to stop this legislation from becoming a gift to the nuclear power and coal industries. But the nuclear and coal industries have far more lobbyists and far more money than we do. What those industries don't have is YOU. And YOU can make the difference. On Thursday, April 30, let's keep the phones in the Senate and House ringing all day long with a simple message: YES to renewable energy and energy efficiency programs, NO to any more taxpayer subsidies for nuclear power and coal. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121. In the Senate, the Senate Energy Committee will begin considering a major new energy bill sponsored by Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM). Efforts will be made to add nuclear power to the bill's Renewable Electricity Standard, to add nuclear power to a so-called "Clean Energy Bank," to add still more taxpayer loan guarantees for new nuclear reactors and coal plants, and so forth. In the House, the House Energy Committee will begin considering the Waxman-Markey climate crisis legislation. And we're going to see similar efforts in the House to add the same kind of nuclear and coal nonsense. On April 30, please call both of your Senators and your Representative with the simple message: YES to renewables and efficiency, NO to nuclear power and coal. And to help set the stage for thousands of phone calls, let's now start clogging the Congressional e-mail boxes with thousands of your letters! You can e-mail your Senators here and you can e-mail your Representative here. Please forward this Alert as widely as possible, please make sure all your friends and colleagues know about it and can participate. Post the info on your websites, blogs, Facebook & MySpace pages, Twitter it, spread the word! It will take many thousands of us to overcome the nuclear and coal industry's lobbying efforts. But we CAN do it! And please consider supporting our outreach and mobilization efforts with your contribution here. Honestly, your donations of any amount are both needed and very gratefully appreciated. We can't do this work without you! And now for some good news: yesterday, the Missouri utility Ameren UE announced that it is suspending its plans to build a new EPR reactor, Callaway-2! Congratulations to everyone in Missouri and elsewhere who have worked so hard to block Ameren's plans to force ratepayers to pre-pay for this proposed reactor! And some more good news: yesterday we learned that the FY 2010 budget resolution will NOT include the amendments from Sen. Crapo to support $50 billion in new taxpayer loan guarantees for new reactors and additional funding for reprocessing technologies.. Again, thank you to everyone who took action over the past two weeks to object to those provisions! Maybe it sometimes doesn't seem like making a couple phone calls or sending some e-mails, or even contributing $5 or $10, makes a difference: but it does! And we've already seen it several times this year. Now we're asking you to take action again--because your actions CAN make the difference. We will keep you posted on the progress of the Senate Energy Bill and House Climate Bill. But please send your letters in now, call on April 30, and spread the word! Thanks for all you do, Michael Mariotte Executive Director Nuclear Information and Resource Service Email Website Email this article to a friend STOP THE CLEAN ENERGY BILL by Nuclear Information and Resource Service May 14, 2009 WE CAN WIN THIS ONE: ACT NOW! We've asked a lot of you this past several months. As the Obama administration has moved into power, the pace of activity has increased; we know that. So we don't waste your time asking you to take actions that aren't meaningful. And right now, we're asking you to take the most important action of the year. Write your House member and Speaker Nancy Pelosi now. And then forward this message to everyone you can think of. We should have figured it out earlier, but we didn't. The section in the bill was so obscure we all missed it. But the "Clean Energy Bank" legislation sponsored by Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman and Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) includes UNLIMITED taxpayer loan guarantees for construction of new nuclear reactors. Not $50 Billion, or $100 Billion. UNLIMITED! In other words, under the guise of a clean energy program, the nuclear power industry could get taxpayer money to build as many reactors as they wanted, regardless of their cost, regardless of their projected default rate. That's just unacceptable. We need to act on this as loudly and clearly as possible. Write your House member and Speaker Nancy Pelosi now. And then forward this message to everyone you can think of. Write your House member here. PLEASE forward this Alert to everyone you can think of. In 24 hours, we generated more than 3,000 letters in opposition to the pro-nuclear Murkowski amendment to the Senate energy bill. That's pretty good for one day, and we thank everyone who wrote (the Murkowski amendment has not yet been considered, it will likely come up next week). But we need to generate at least 10,000 letters to Pelosi and House members to stop this fake "clean energy" bank. Please help everyone you can think of to send letters now by forwarding this Alert. Phone calls to House members would be very effective too: 202-224-3121. A NIRS blog posting on the "clean energy" bank is available here. It provides a lot more background info on this issue. You have our permission to re-post this everywhere and anywhere you want. Please do so. This really is it folks. The effectiveness of our actions now will determine our energy--and quite possibly our economic--future. There is just no reason for inaction; let's all do everything we can. Pass the word; send an e-mail to your friends, forward this Alert everywhere. Put in on Facebook and MySpace. Twitter it. Blog it. Print this and take it to meetings. Do whatever you can. We can't let this stand. Website Email this article to a friend Six days to Free Aun San Suu Kyi by avaaz May 20, 2009 After 13 years of detention, Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been jailed again on trumped up charges by the brutal Burmese regime. Call on UN Secretary General to secure her and all political prisoners' release. Burma's democracy leader and Nobel Peace prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been locked up on new trumped up charges, just days before her 13 years of detention was due to expire. She and thousands of fellow monks and students have been imprisoned for bravely challenging the brutal military regime with peaceful calls for democracy. Risking danger to speak out for their jailed friends, Burmese activists are demanding the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners and calling on the world to help. We have just six days to get a flood of petition signatures to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon calling on him to make their release a top priority -- he can make this a condition of any renewed international engagement. Follow the link to sign the petition, and forward this email on to friends to ensure Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners are freed. Burmese activists will present the global petition to the media on May 26th: Sign the petition On May 14th, Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested and sent to jail, charged in connection with an American man who allegedly sneaked uninvited into the compound where she is being held in Yangon. The charges are absurd -- it is the Burmese military, now accusing her of breach of house arrest, that are responsible for the security of the compound. It is a pretext to keep her detained until after elections which are set for 2010. The Burmese regime is renown for its vicious repression of any threat to full military control - thousands are in jail in inhumane conditions and denied any medical care, there are ongoing abuses of human rights, there is violent repression of ethnic groups, and over a million have been forced into refuge across the border. Aung San Suu Kyi's is the greatest threat to the junta's hold on power. Her moral leadership of the democracy movement and the legacy of her landslide victory in 1990 elections means that she is the only figure who could face down the military in elections next year. She has been detained over and over again since 1988 -- under house arrest and allowed no contact with the outside world. But this scandalous new detention in the notorious Insein Prison without medical care could be very dangerous because she is seriously ill. Sources say that the military regime is fearful of this unified and massive online call to the UN -- over 160 Burma exile and solidarity groups in 24 countries are participating in the campaign. And the Secretary General and key regional players that are looking to re-engage with the Burmese regime, can influence the fate of these prisoners. Last week Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said: 'Aung San Suu Kyi and all those that have a contribution to make to the future of their country must be free'. Let's overwhelm him with a global call to urgently act on his words and stop the arrests and brutality: As with the release of Nelson Mandela from years of prison in South Africa, the freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi from years of unjust detention, will bring a new beginning to Burma and hope for democracy. This week could be that historical time for change - let's stand united behind Suu Kyi and these brave men and women and demand their release now! P.S. Want to support Avaaz's work We're entirely funded by member donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our tiny online team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way. Donate here For more about Aung San Suu Kyi visit: Burma Campaign For more about the Global Free Political Prisoners Campaign visit: Website A Letter from former Presidents for the release of political prisoners: Letter For the West and Asian countries reactions to Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest: Reactions For the full statement from the UN Sectretary General on Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest: UN ABOUT AVAAZ Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Buenos Aires, and Geneva. Call us at: +1 888 922 8229 or +55 21 2509 0368. Email this article to a friend Give Obama the Power to Stop Greenhouse Gases by Greenpeace May 26, 2009 President Obama could soon have the power to regulate dangerous greenhouse gases himself should Congress fail to do what’s necessary. It’s up to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and YOU to decide. Here’s the deal: The EPA has concluded that there is overwhelming evidence that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels endanger our health and welfare -- which means that by law they have the ability to regulate those emissions under the Clean Air Act. But, before they make a final decision they’re giving the public a chance to comment. Make sure that the EPA knows how you feel by submitting a comment today. Tell the EPA to give President Obama the power to rescue the climate. These comments really do make a difference. The more people who tell the EPA to finalize these findings the better chance we have of giving President Obama the tools he needs to be a leader on global warming. It really is that simple. Now, you can bet that the Coal, Gas and Oil industries, the same people who spent $45 million to undermine global warming legislation in Congress, will be hard at work pressuring the EPA not to take decisive, let alone effective action on this as well. But while money can buy you influence and access in Washington, it can’t buy you public support. Tell the EPA to do the right thing and give the Obama Administration the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The public comment period ends on June 23rd. That means we have just about a month to make our voices heard at the EPA. It’s going to take every tool available to rescue the climate and this ruling could turn out to be absolutely critical if Congress fails to pass a strong global warming bill. We can’t let dirty industry have their way on this. This is YOUR chance to have a major impact on global warming policy. For the planet, Damon Moglen Global Warming Campaign Director Email this article to a friend DO YOUR PART-STAND UP TO THE MAN-SAVE HEMPFEST! by Hempfest Committee May 27, 2009 The Ohio State University is once again trying to stop the OSU Hempfest from happening. This time they have tried to intimidate their own students by first saying we needed to put a $10,000 deposit down UP FRONT if we wanted to have the festival this year. We called their bluff, and they were forced to lower their demand to $5,000. We are up against the wall this year, and we need to raise $5,000 or the festival WILL NOT HAPPEN. We are asking students to donate between $5-10. If there are just 500 students that can pledge $10 each, the festival will be saved. Donations can be made directly to SSDP on the Main Oval every Tuesday and Friday until the day of the festival from 10AM-4PM. You can also write a check and mail it to 83 West 9th Ave., Apt #2. Email this article to a friend Please help Harold Koh by Phil Nash June 4, 2009 Almost a month has passed since the Senate Foreign Relations committee approved Harold Koh to serve as Legal Advisor (head lawyer) at the State Department. As Dean of Yale Law School and an expert in international law with a long track record of human rights work, he is the perfect person to help our nation move forward with international legal affairs. However, despite strong support from fair-minded lawyers all across the political spectrum (including lawyers he opposed in his inspirational work to help Haitian refugees in the early 1990s - see Yale Alumni Magazine Koh's nomination is bottled up and needs your help. Senators Collins, Snowe and Voinovich are Republican senators whose support is needed to bring a vote on Koh's nomination. Would you mind taking 5 minutes right now to help Harold? Here is a phone script you can use: Phone script Here is contact info: * Collins: Contact Senator Collins * Snowe: Contact Senator Snow * Voinovich: Contact Senator Voinovich His bio is below and more on the process is here: More Info Thanks for your help! Harold Hongju Koh, Dean and Gerard C. & Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of International Law at Yale Law School, is one of the country’s leading experts on public and private international law, national security law, and human rights. From 1998 to 2001, Koh served as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. He previously served on the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on Public International Law. A Marshall Scholar, Koh graduated from Harvard, Oxford, and Harvard Law School, and has received eleven honorary degrees and more than thirty awards for his human rights work, including awards from Columbia Law School and the American Bar Association for his lifetime achievements in International law. Following clerkships with Judge Malcolm Richard Wilkey of the D.C. Circuit and Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun, he served as Attorney-Adviser at the Office of Legal Counsel, Department of Justice and practiced law at Covington & Burling. As a Yale law professor since 1985, Koh has taught courses, authored or co-authored eight books, published more than 170 articles, testified before Congress, and litigated numerous cases involving international law issues. A Fellow of the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Council of the American Law Institute, he has served on the Board of Editors of the American Journal of International Law and as a Counselor of the American Society of International Law. He has sat on the boards of Harvard University, the Brookings Institution, Human Rights First, the American Arbitration Association, and the National Democratic Institute. He has been named one of America’s “45 Leading Public Sector Lawyers Under The Age of 45 by American Lawyer magazine and one of the “100 Most Influential Asian-Americans of the 1990s” by A Magazine.. Email this article to a friend Support Single-Payer Health Care by June 10, 2009 Obama plans to take a larger role in the health care reform issue. Website If you think that single payer health care should at least be on the table then take 3 minutes to link to The White House web page and demand that it be included in the debate. Please forward this to as many as possible. Let's take control of our government. Contact the White House Email this article to a friend Accountability for Torture Action Center by ACLU June 12, 2009 Dear ACLU Supporter -- The evidence of the Bush administration’s illegal torture program continues to mount. And today, we’re seeking your help to get that evidence in front of Attorney General Eric Holder. You can help submit evidence and demand accountability by using our new Accountability for Torture action center. At this comprehensive and resource-filled new site, you can also view videos that make a powerful case for accountability…see profiles of the main architects of the Bush torture program…and use a search engine to examine the mountains of evidence the ACLU has obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation. Click here to visit our new action center where you can submit evidence to Attorney General Holder You can help submit evidence and demand accountability by using our new Accountability for Torture action center. Just today, the ACLU submitted another FOIA request seeking additional evidence of high-ranking involvement in the Bush administration’s torture program. We've already uncovered thousands of documents through our torture FOIA, and with mounting evidence must come mounting pressure to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate systematic torture. In America, no one is above the law -- and when crimes have been committed, our legal system demands accountability. That’s why tens of thousands of ACLU supporters have already demanded this critical investigation. But Attorney General Holder has yet to act. So, we must keep the pressure on. Starting today, we’re asking people all across the country to deluge the Justice Department with more and more evidence that an independent investigation is fully warranted. Visit our action center and urge Attorney General Holder to launch an independent investigation of the Bush torture program now. You’ve helped the ACLU uncover critical pieces of evidence already. And, in the weeks ahead, we expect much more to be revealed. Together, we must use this compelling evidence to create mounting pressure for a full and independent investigation. Thank you for standing with us. Sincerely, Anthony D. Romero Executive Director American Civil Liberties Union Email this article to a friend Tell Holder to Stand Strong by MoveOn.org Political Action/Adam Schwartzbaum July 15, 2009 Attorney General Holder may be ready to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Bush-era torture program. We need to tell him to move forward, and to include the architects of the program in the investigation. Tell the Attorney General to Stand Strong on Torture! With new revelations coming to light regularly, it's critical that an impartial investigator has the power to find out exactly what happened and who was responsible. And that investigation must hold the architects of the program accountable. It's the only way we'll be able to make sure it never happens again. But there's enormous political pressure to bury the worst abuses. The Attorney General is sending signals that he may move forward despite the pressure—and he needs to hear from regular Americans who are standing with him and want the truth. Can you email Holder right now to ask him to appoint a special prosecutor who can hold the architects of the program accountable? Attorney General Eric Holder AskDOJ@usdoj.gov Below is a copy of the letter I sent to the AJ. Feel free to crib from it for your own letter. Dear Attorney General Holder, As many Republican Senators reminded us today in the confirmation hearings for Judge Sotomayor, we are a nation of laws that must uphold the rule of law. The pursuit of equal justice under our law demands that those who break it be held responsible for their crimes. There is much we still do not know about the torture program authorized by the Bush Administration. The little we do know suggests that a deeper investigation is warranted - and it is to you, and our Department of Justice, that we look to hold the architects of the program accountable. There MUST be consequences for breaking law, and it is within your power to assure that justice be done. I hope and pray that you will do the right thing by authorizing an independent investigation of the Bush-era torture program. The appointment of a special prosecutore who will be able to investigate the entire program, inclduing those who designed it, will be an important step in restoring the rule of law in our democracy. Sincerely, Adam Schwartzbaum Email this article to a friend Alaska national parks at risk from new mines by Change.org July 24, 2009 One million acres of prime fish and wildlife habitat adjacent to Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks in Alaska could be opened to new mining claims with a stroke of a pen. In the waning days of the Bush Administration, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recommended that a mineral closure in place since 1971 be lifted by the Secretary of the Interior, an action that could create a new stampede of mineral staking as state lands in this region are already under advanced exploration. Click here to protect these pristine national parks All of these lands lie in southwest Alaska's Bristol Bay watershed, home to the largest remaining wild salmon fishery in the world. A new report issued by the National Parks Conservation Association's (NPCA) Center for State of the Park clearly identifies this proposed mining district immediately adjacent to Lake Clark as the single biggest threat to one of America's most pristine and wild national parks. BLM's plan needs to be reworked with the region's globally significant salmon and wildlife values taken into consideration. Instead of signing BLM's proposed order lifting the mineral closure, NPCA is asking Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to take no action on the recommendation and send this plan back to the drawing board. Email this article to a friend Mohawk people under attack by Mohawk nation August 30, 2009 CICERO AND THE GREAT LAW - MNN. Aug. 24, 2009. History repeats itself. As Cicero said [106-43 BC], “A nation can survive its fools and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less dangerous, for he is known and he carries his banners openly against the people. But the traitor moves among those within the gates freely, his sly whispers rustling through all alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor doesn’t appear like a traitor. They speak in the accents familiar to their victims. They wear their face and their clothes and appeal to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of their people. They rot the soul of a nation. They work secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of a community. They infect the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to be feared. The traitor is the plague." Sounds like the colonial band and tribal council system set up by the invaders, which violates the Great Law, our constitution and philosophy. The only legal national governments on Great Turtle Island are those of the Indigenous Peoples. Those band or tribal councilors secretly negotiating with these pirates are committing treason [Great Law, Wampum 58]. At the near empty U.S. border crossing on the south shore a few trucks sit while cars cross the bridge. The Canadian border mobsters have left Akwesasne for good. The temporary checkpoint tent set up by the Canadian Border Services Agency CBSA sits on a small sliver of Akwesasne land. These robber barons sit around waiting to pounce on passers-by to confiscate money and favors. The old abandoned Canada customs house in the middle of Kawenoke on Cornwall Island rests empty, boarded up like those foreclosed homes and businesses caused by capitalist corruption. It has a lonely sign telling us to proceed slowly. Spiders, raccoons, ants, birds, bats, coyotes, foxes and mice are sniffing around waiting to start making permanent homes. Vines and natural growth are already starting to envelope the buildings. As time goes on, this and other imperial neo-con infra structures will crumble and mother nature will take over. Great Turtle Island will once again look like a garden burying colonial ghosts. The portable checkpoint looks like those quickie cardboard stolen goods salestables on the sidewalks of Time Square. This posse wants us to come across from the US side of Akwesasne, drive over the bridge, go through Kawenoke and over the bridge to Cornwall. Then they want us to check in with them so they can extort something and let us cross the bridge back to our homes in Kawenoke. Few actually do it. Everybody knows the checkpoints of these two invading entities are legal. Our law predominates on Great Turtle Island. [Read the Mohawk Manifesto]. On August 13th at the Canadian border tent eight Mohawks were pulled over, handcuffed and arrested. One was charged with running the port in a previous lifetime. They were kept in a compound without food or water. One was seven months pregnant. One managed to use his cell phone, “They’re detaining us”, he yelled. The goons got angry at the detainees for speaking Mohawk. They supposedly had just finished taking cultural sensitivity training, which seems to be making them oversensitive to us. They could learn to politely say SEGO, ONEN and NIA:WEN? They probably want a law making Mohawk at the border a criminal offence. A group of elders and people went over to see what was going on. The border goons refused to let them see the detainees. Natalie the Liar came out and told us, “Believe me, believe me”, two have been sent to Ottawa, two to the RCMP holding station and two to Cornwall. It wasn’t true. Eventually the detainees were charged with “hindrance”, or not smiling or something, and released at 1 am, except for the one who supposedly ran the imaginary line. In the North Shore Claim Mohawks want the land back and refuse money. The Canadian band council puppets want money. CBSA knows they will soon have to break camp and move again. Trying to confuse the issue are a few people who declare themselves to be natural human beings, not Mohawks. These hippie types are flashing around Egyptian symbols. They say we signed the preposterous Camel Hair Treaty of 409 AD that brought down the Roman Empire!! They even carry new age camel hair identity cards. Shouldn’t they be on stone tablets? They tell us the Moors were here before us. A few of our people are being recruited to become mindless flakes to eliminate Ongwehonwe thinking. These preachers gave up and incite others to give up. We Mohawks have a responsibility to assert our inherent relationship on Great Turtle Island and to uphold the Great Law. Those adhering to foreign doctrines are committing espionage, conspiracy and treason. Our birthright cannot be blurred by cult followers or anyone else. Such false prophets and their illusions might be sent in to disrupt, demoralize and confuse us. We should rely on ourselves, our own laws, our language and our relationships that we can substantiate. These foreign fantasies are trying to overshadow what we know, touch, feel and see. It’s meant to stop us from working in harmony with each other, the natural world and the Great Law. To stop the CBSA from coming in, we need to keep our fire going and to erect a building. To help, please contact 613-937-1813. Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Or go to PayPal on website. Nia:wen thank you very much. Go to MNN “BORDER” and “AKWESASNE” categories for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore Mohawk Nation News Email this article to a friend Stop Glenn Beck show advertisers from supporting stupidity by Color of Change September 11, 2009 Below are the advertisers on the Glenn Beck Show. If you feel like it, contact them and let them know whether or not you appreciate their sponsorship of Glenn Beck's show. You can remind them of Glenn Beck's comments, like "I think President Obama is a racist" and "The Hurricane Katrina survivors are scumbags" and ""I didn't think I could hate victims faster than the 9-11 victims." You could ask these advertisers if they endorse or reject Glenn Beck's comments and insinuations. Click here Click here The Glenn Beck Show can be heard between 9 AM and noon weekdays on 610 WTVN, Brian Dytko, General Manager, phone number 486-6101. You could suggest that WTVN's parent company, Clear Channel, return Progressive Talk to the radio airwaves in Columbus so the majority of people in our community have a station that they do not find insulting and hateful. Many of the advertisers did not realize that their ads were running during the Glenn Beck Show. This campaign has already made a difference. The Ohio Lottery and Ohio Health have pulled their ad buys during the Glenn Beck Show. Here are recent advertisers heard during the Glenn Beck Radio Show: Rep. Zack Space (D), yes a Democrat is a Glenn Beck sponsor!!! The ad was paid for by the Ohio chapter of the National Education Association: Ohio NEA 228-4526, Rep. Space (202) 225-6265 3C Body Shop, 274-8245 ask for Bob Juniper Dave Fox Remodeling, 459-7211, ask for Bryce Care Heating and Cooling, 841-1555, info(ATSIGN)careheatingcooling(dot)com Half-Price Books 214-360-0833 Bruck Safe Company, 882-2236 Granite Tranformations, 219-1226 Giant Eagle, 1-800-553-2324 Safe-lite Auto Glass, 614-210-9015, ask for Matt J. Stone Creek Dental, 452-4650 Dealer's Lumber, 252-2123 Immke Northwest Honda, 764-9449 Tickets Galore, 889-2989 Auto Body Collision and Glass, 759-1100, ask for Steve Ohio State Medical Center (robotic surgery), 293-3670, marketing department Ohio Male Performance Clinic, no surprise here! 538-2200 Time Warner,384-2626 Ask for Dawna Hummer Columbus, 717-9494 And, here are the advertisers of The Glenn Beck TV show on Fox News, weekdays 5:00 to 6:00 PM: Massey's Pizza, 866-0700 Dr. Robin Beran, 939-1600 Original Mattress Factory, 921-1223, ask for Tony WOW, 948-4600 Byer’s Auto, 791-8686 Dr. Nina Deep, 855-5555 Paintball Ohio, 784-1104, ask for Jim There is a national effort to contact the advertisers of the Glenn Beck radio and TV shows. Learn more about it at: Color of Change Email this article to a friend The Columbus Free Press seeks your input on The American Clean Energy and Security Act, which is headed for the U.S. Senate this fall by Tom Over September 16, 2009 ****To whoever may be interested in responding to the following arguments made against the legislation, which is also known as the Waxman-Markey Bill, here are many of the points made at a public event that US Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) and US Rep. Mike Pence (R-Indiana) hosted on Sept 2, 2009, at the Ohio State University. Your input will be added to this article if you phone in, email, or otherwise communicate your ideas. Send comments to: thomasover@gmail.com and/or phone them in at 614 202 0178. **** House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R-OH) said "the president said that with cap and trade, only the polluters are going to pay. But who are those polluters? One of them is AK Steel. Under the proposal, AK Steel would be out of business, because their competitors in India and China will be able to produce steel at a much cheaper rate." He said "then I think about farmers in my district. Their inputs would rise markedly-farming is a very energy-intensive industry. As a result, the cost to produce the food and fiber we need in this country would be increased. Cap and trade will crush any business that depends on coal." Boehner said residential and business consumers will pay much more for energy but that"the bigger threat is the millions of jobs that will be lost." But when this idea was put to Amanda Moore of Environment Ohio she countered by saying "Ohio households will save, on average, $183 per year on their energy bills by 2020 and $469 per year by 2030." Deb Steele, a Greenpeace field organizer in Columbus, Ohio said Greenpeace is trying to play a constructive role as it pertains to Climate legislation, even though the organization did not support passage in the Waxman-Markey Bill when it was in the House. Regarding Boehner's statements, Steele said in an email sent on Sept 8, "what is clear to is Rep. Boehner's dependence on dirty energy as a top campaign contributor. To date he has taken over $700,000.00 in contributions." Steele also said "the biggest threat to workers and this country is a continued dependence on fossil fuels. We can have two or three times the number of jobs when we are building green industries such as wind turbines or solar panels for example, at half the cost of things like unproven coal technologies or nuclear power." At the Sept 2, 2009 event at OSU, Boehner and just about all of the other members of the panel advocated the all-of-the-above approach to energy security. Boehner said additional oil and natural gas can be produced domestically and "in an environmentally friendly way." Steele of Greenpeace responded to that idea by saying in the same email, "there is nothing environmentally friendly about oil. By burning coal and oil we are changing our climate in fundamental ways. It is no surprise that members of Congress who are close with the dirty polluters continue to fight any meaningful action towards addressing climate change or ending our dependence on fossil fuels. Steele also referred the Columbus Free Press and its readers to OpenSecrets.org, saying that the data base there indicates that the Republican lawmakers who participated in this "energy summit" as it was called in press releases (Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) Rep. Robert Latta (R-OH) Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) and Rep. Steve Austria (R-OH) received in their entire political careers a combined total of $628,150 from oil and gas industries, $782,186 from electric utilities, $132,000 from the coal mining industry. During the Sept 2 public meeting at OSU, Boehner said, "nuclear energy -- probably the cleanest form of energy -- is an integral part" of the process of addressing energy security, adding that the American Energy Act, (which is not to be confused with ACES and which Republicans present as an alternative to the Waxman-Markey Bill), will do more to promote renewable energy than the bill which is now headed for the Senate. A couple of weeks after the Sept 2 event at OSU, Moore of Environment Ohio responded to this idea by writing an email message: "Nuclear energy is extremely unsafe. Just consider the Davis-Besse nuclear plant along the shore of Lake Erie. In 2002, acid ate through almost 6.5 inches of steel before the leak was discovered. It's also extremely expensive. Another Ohio nuclear plant, the Perry plant near Cleveland, cost $6 billion when it was built in the 1980s. A new nuclear plant today would cost $10-15 billion dollars." U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) told fellow members of the panel at the Sept 2 event at OSU, along with the 50 or so people in the audience, that he represents the "largest manufacturing district in Ohio and the largest agricultural district in Ohio" and that his constituents tell him that "we have to have an energy policy that we can compete with." Like Rep. Boehner, Rep. Latta advocated an all-of-the-above approach to energy security, which seemed to be one of the catch phrases members of the panel used. The meeting tended to focus more on energy security and less on addressing Climate Change or any other environmental concern such as water security or biodiversity. Moore of Environment Ohio said that those concerns are not mutually exclusive. She said in an email on Sept 13 : "Addressing climate change is drastically important if we are to protect our national security. Instead of sending billions of dollars overseas every year to purchase oil, paradoxically funding both sides of the war on terror, we could produce our energy here at home. "Instead of allowing our planet's climate to destabilize and put billions of people in danger, we could prevent these changes in the first place. Simply continuing today's way of life will be extremely expensive. Corn and wheat crops will have lower yields here in Ohio. Additionally, the size of Lake Erie will shrink, causing increased dredging and increased shipping costs by over $1 billion." At the Sept 2 event at Ohio State Latta said, "if we can't have energy to produce at the right cost, someone else is going to eat our lunch." He said the Waxman-Markey Bill, if it passes the Senate, will make it "difficult for American companies to compete with manufacturers in India and China." Latta said "We want a clean environment, but it's not going to happen with this bill." While praising a program he referred to as "A Million New Scientists-A million new ideas," U.S. Rep Patrick J. Tiberi (R-Ohio) said "less dependency on foreign energy will require a new generation of scientists." But Moore said in email sent on Sept. 13 "we have the technology today to create 100% of our energy here in the United States. This is technology created by today's scientists. There are over 440 businesses involved in the clean energy industry in Ohio alone that utilize this technology and stand to benefit from investing in them instead of continuing our reliance on fossil fuels." Tiberi said he agrees with the stated goals of the Waxman-Markey Bill but that "there is a better way and it's the bill that Leader Boehner introduced." He was referring to the American Energy Act which House Republicans introduced as an alternative to the Waxman-Markey Bill, which is also known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Referring to the Waxman-Markey Bill, Tiberi said "the bill that passed the House will create higher prices for energy consumers. It's not fair. It can't happen in America. People on fixed incomes will see their electricity and gas bills go up. This would be devastating for Ohio." U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) said "I understand what this bill will do in my district." Schmidt said her district, which is in the Cincinnati area and borders the edge of Appalachia, includes some of the wealthiest and some of the poorest people in Ohio. "This bill will negatively impact everyone," Schmidt said while also saying she supports an "all-of-the-above" approach to energy security. Like Boehner and Tiberi, she said she and her colleagues all support having a "clean environment" but that the Waxman-Markey Bill is the wrong approach. The term "Climate Change" or "Global Warming" was used once or twice during the 2 and 1/2 hour meeting. Other resource concerns such as those pertaining to water quality or water security or biodiversity were not expressed. "Clean environment" was the term of choice. Like Boehner, Schmidt referred to Waxman-Markey as a cap-and-trade bill that will hurt farmers, given that farming is petroleum-intensive. "In Ohio, agriculture is the number one industry, with manufacturing right on its heels." She said the bill is bad for not only for Ohioans but for Americans in general. "So when you look at the bill, what's it going to do for Americans when they go to the grocery store to buy bread, meat or eggs? What about the people who are barely hanging on financially? What about manufacturing? One of the things we have to look at are: what are the costs of this bill?" Moore of Environment Ohio responded to that question. In an email she sent on Sept 13 she said "the benefits of this bill outweigh any potential costs. The most conservative estimates place this ratio as 9-1 in favor of the bill's benefits, such as using our energy more efficiently (with less waste), creating almost 2 million new jobs (when combined with the economic stimulus package) and reducing devastating greenhouse gas emissions." Like the other Republican lawmakers at the Sept 2 public meeting, U.S. Rep. Stephen Austria (R-Ohio) said when he visits constituents in his district they tell him they are concerned the Waxman-Markey bill will make companies in Ohio less competitive. "What's that going to lead to in job losses? Both agriculture and manufacturing will be negatively affected, making this current unemployment problem worse." Austria said the bill will hurt Ohioans because nearly 90 percent of Ohio's energy comes from burning coal. "This will affect every household and every small business across the state. That cost will be passed on to consumers." Austria said everyone uses carbon and that increasing the cost of energy during difficult economic times makes no sense. "We all want clean air, a clean environment. We all want to move toward renewable energy. But this bill is not the way to do it." Harry Alford of the National Black Chamber of Commerce said "it's imperative that the U.S. have an effective energy policy. It must enable the U.S. to be self-sufficient in its energy supplies." He said having a sense of responsibility for future generations requires people to address the issue of energy security, invoking an obligation toward posterity reminiscent, perhaps ironically, of similar calls for inter-generational responsibility often heard from Climate Change activists and other environmentalists. "Brazil is using an all-of-the-above approach. They don't import a drop of oil. They have oil reserves to last 20 years. Our oil reserves will last us 4 months. We're vulnerable," Alford said. In reference to the affect on energy prices he expects the Waxman-Markey Bill to have, he said "we need to deliver energy at an affordable rate." About Climate Change Alford said "we need to reduce green-house gas emissions and study the issue further," but his emphasis, like that of all of the panel members at this event, was on energy security, not Climate Change or other environmental concerns such as preserving biodiversity or slowing down deforestation. "This is a matter of survival. In World War II, it was our manufacturing capacity that saved us," Alford said, making the connection between access to affordable energy and our nation's manufacturing capacity. People with ideas about reconciling the tension between concerns about energy security which seem to dominate Republican approaches, with concerns about Climate Change and other environmental issues which seem to dominate Democratic approaches are welcome to respond. Though she did not specifically address concerns about industrial access to affordable energy Moore pointed to Climate Change, itself, as being a threat to U.S. national security. She said in an email sent on Sept 13, "numerous admirals and generals have spoken out about the threat that climate change poses to national security. As temperatures warm, droughts increase and storms become more severe, many parts of the planet will become unstable. This could send billions of refugees around the world, overpopulating already densely populated regions, and fostering terrorism." Ohio Coal Association President Michael Carey said during the Sept 2 public meeting at OSU, "if Waxman-Markey passes, by the year 2030, 80 percent of all coal mining (in Ohio) would stop." Regarding the idea that liberal states such as California and Massachusetts are promoting a national policy which is bad for other regions of the country, such as Ohio, Carey said "I can assure you that in California and Massachusetts, there aren't any coal miners." Carey said "Obama said in San Francisco 'we'll bankrupt the coal industry.' Biden said 'we're not going to build coal plants in the USA, let them build them in China and India.'" Jolene Thompson of American Municipal Power was also at the Sept 2 meeting at OSU. She said "in my 81 communities in Ohio that operate their own energy systems, the policies within the bill would have a profound impact. There are significant flaws in Waxman-Markey." Thompson said studies proponents have presented in support of the legislation involve flawed assumptions and "overly optimistic projections" of clean renewable sources of energy being available as substitutes for fossil fuels. Moore of Environment Ohio responded by saying in an email on Sept 13 that "First Solar, with a manufacturing plant located in Perrysburg, Ohio, is the world's largest manufacturer of thin-filmed solar panels. They export most of their panels to Germany. "Germany created a policy to encourage investment in clean energy, and they reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 23% while growing their economy by 30%. We have everything we need to advance the transition to a clean energy economy except the policy. That's why we need to pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act through the Senate." Christopher Horner, author and senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, was also a member of the panel, which, by the way, took no questions from the 40 or so members of the community who showed up for the event. Early on during the event, Pence had said "this is not a town-hall meeting. This is a field meeting." Horner called the Waxman-Markey Bill a "financial scandal in the making" and said "I'm with Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace on this." What Horner did not say during this summit was that those environmental groups oppose the bill because they think it gives polluters too much leeway. v They, obviously do not oppose Waxman-Markey because they think, as Horner says in one of his books, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming (and Environmentalism) that environmentalism has little if any merit and is essentially a hidden agenda for promoting on a global scale communism and totalitarianism. In that book Horner uses the phrase "green on the outside, red to the core" to stand for the hidden communist agenda that environmentalism, according him, conceals. This water-melon theme has been heard recently in the form of Glen Beck's role in bringing down Obama's (unfortunately named) "green jobs czar," Van Jones. The Columbus Free Press contacted Horner regarding the apparent irony of his siding with two prominent environmental groups. He said in an email on Sept 3, "I noted and affirm that I am with Friends of the Earth on this for saying that cap-and-trade is designed to be a financial scandal in the making, and I'm with Greenpeace on their assertion that the bill would do nothing climatically." During the event in Columbus, Horner said "cap-and-trade is a rationing scheme that shows zero promise of working. How do we know? Europe imposed this scheme. Europe's emissions went up since Kyoto faster than guess who's ? Ours." Apparently to further discredit cap-and-trade, Horner said Enron chief Ken Lay had championed the concept. Horner said the Waxman-Markey bill would have :enormous human impact with absolutely zero results: and that "we're increasing our costs unilaterally while the rest of the world is being very clear that they will not do it." The entirety of the bill sat on the conference table. It was a stack of papers almost a foot high. Pence said "we agree with the goals but we disagree strongly with the ways to get there presented in this legislation. Nuclear energy is not even mentioned in this massive legislation. We believe in the all-of-the-above strategy as our means for ending that cancer-like dependence on foreign oil." Ohio Farm Bureau President Brent Porteus also opposes the Waxman-Markey Bill but did not go as far as Horner or some of the other members of the panel. At the Sept 2 public meeting at OSU's 4-H center which is housed in a LEEDS certified building, Porteus said "any cap-and-trade must involve some basic principles. The legislation must plug the holes left from the energy sources that are lost. Global issues require a global response. But this bill does not have that. China, India, and other nations are not going along with this. This would make US agriculture and other industries less competitive." Porteus said Waxman-Markey would involve requirements that will hurt some farmers. As an example, he said "not every dairy farm can have a methane digester...Ohio farmers support a diversified portfolio of energy options - let's not put our farmers and consumers at a disadvantage. Let's not become a food-importing nation." At one point during the meeting Boehner said "the U.S. is the Saudi Arabia of coal," asking Carey of the Ohio Coal Association, "how can the U.S. use coal in a clean way?" Carey said coal has become cleaner in terms of non-carbon emissions such as sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide, and that further progress can be made if the coal industry is given the chance to try out innovations for making coal cleaner. But he mocked the idea that carbon dioxide is a pollutant, saying it is something that natural processes, such as those involved with rotting vegetable matter, create. But Moore said in an email on Sept 13, "the electrical utilities were required to reduce sulfur emissions due to the legislation of a cap and trade program, which actually helped polluters to reduce their emissions before their target dates. The excessive production of carbon dioxide through non-natural processes, such as burning coal to produce electricity, is well-known in the scientific community to be a leading cause of climate change." At the Sept 2 public event at OSU, Carey said, "we have about 250 years of supply. National security is about all energy sources, whether it's about coal, natural gas or nuclear. We as a country and we as a state cannot conserve of our way to prosperity. Companies in India and China are eyeing our coal, because they think we're not going to be able to use it. The future for coal is very good as long as we have sound judgment in our policies." Pence said "cap--and--trade is an economic declaration of war on the Midwest by liberals in D.C." He asked Alford of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, "what would a national energy tax mean to small business owners?" Alford said, "of the 12,000 African-American companies in Ohio, 50 percent would be gone quickly. A cap-and-trade bill will hurt African-American communities... I'll debate anyone on this issue. Maxine Waters and others already know this." After the conference, Boehner said during a brief Q & A with about a half dozen reporters, "we believe we have a better solution. We have a trust fund to take royalties from oil and gas companies and put the money into renewables." He said "America alone cannot solve this problem. Punishing Americans and favoring India and China and other developing countries is not in our best interests. I'm not going to punish my constituents." Boehner and others at this meeting said multiple times that the Waxman-Markey Bill would adversely affect farmers and in turn, adversely affect people's ability to buy food. When asked about the extent to which promoting small-scale local agriculture was at least part of the solution to these concerns, Boehner dismissed the question, saying "this meeting is about energy," despite having said at the start of the meeting, "farming is a very energy-intensive industry." Horner said he was against trade barriers and subsidies, as if supporting smaller, more local agriculture involved trying to block food imports into the country in a manner similar to efforts to block the importation of steel. COMMENTS: Tom, Saw your action alert at the Free Press website. I am a liberal Democrat and strongly opposed to the Waxman/Markey cap and trade. The worst thing about it is that the Supreme Court has ruled that the government has the power to regulate carbon emmissions as pollution. The Waxman bill would take away that right. Why should we hand off our greatest challenge (atmospheric deterioration, commonly called global warming) to Wall Street to solve? Rather we need government regulation and enforcement of carbon emmissions similar to the Clean Water Act. We also need government investments and policies that incentivize renewable energy. Rep. Peter DeFazio D-Oregon, spoke to the Portland City Club several months ago regarding his opposition to cap and trade. I think his remarks are very informative: DeFazio remarks Email this article to a friend Stop Executions Now! by ACLU September 30, 2009 Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, Ohio had its third botched execution in as many years. It is unacceptable to put people to death under a system that is fundamentally flawed. Please call Governor Ted Strickland and tell him to put an immediate stop to all executions indefinitely. His number is (614) 466-3555 or contact him electronically here. After over two hours of excruciating needling, the execution team could not locate a viable vein in Romell Broom to conduct the lethal injection. Governor Strickland delayed his execution for one week, so officials can devise a way to put him to death. Broom’s failed execution follows the similar experiences of Joseph Clark in May 2006 and Christopher Newton in May 2007. If we continue using this system next week with Mr. Broom or the following month with the next condemned person, it is simply a question of when, not if, another horrible problem will occur. Please call Governor Strickland today and urge him to stop executions in Ohio. PS – Please let us know once you have contacted Governor Strickland and if you receive a response. We can be reached at (216) 472-2200 or contact@acluohio.org. Email this article to a friend Stand Up and Take Action - Against Global Poverty! by African Action October 13, 2009 The global economic crisis will push 100 million people into extreme poverty this year. More than 30 poor countries are in now in serious debt distress. This weekend, hundreds of millions of people around the world will Stand Up and Take Action to fight global poverty. More than 116 million people across the globe - people of every creed, every continent, and every class - will gather in their faith communities, schools, and homes to take action in support of the Millennium Development Goals. Click here to join this global effort to help end world poverty Almost 10 years ago, world leaders committed to a bold roadmap to end global poverty and its root causes - beginning with achieving the Millennium Development Goals which include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, improving maternal health and ensuring environmental sustainability by 2015. We are all coming together at this critical moment because we know that despite the gains we've made, the global economic crisis is threatening our progress. In the world's most impoverished countries, a hundred million dollars is spent every day paying debt. Can you imagine if this money went toward shelter, education and health care? We know that it is possible, and that's why we need your help to stand up against global poverty today. The Jubilee Act is an exciting bill in the U.S. Congress that will expand debt cancellation to the world's poorest countries in a responsible way that creates a more just global economic system. Without debt cancellation, we will not reach the Millennium Development Goals in time. With so much at stake, it is critical that Congress passes the Jubilee Act. We know that by passing the Jubilee Act, we can help lift the many countries that have not received life-saving debt cancellation out of poverty. Here's why: The debt costs lives. In the world's most impoverished countries, resources are diverted away from citizens' basic needs - shelter, education, health care - and used to pay debt service to rich countries and institutions. Debt cancellation costs only cents to the U.S. It would only cost .40 cents per U.S. resident to cancel the debt of up to 24 additional impoverished countries' debts to the U.S., and less than a $1 on top of that to cancel the debts of these countries to the World Bank & IMF. Debt cancellation works. Debt cancellation has already brought increased education, healthcare and vital social services for 26 countries in Africa and Latin America. It couldn't be clearer - by passing the Jubilee Act, we can make an immediate difference in the world's poorest countries. Our policymakers must know that it is time for global change - time for a global economy that works for all. It is time to Stand Up and Take Action to break the chains of international debt to fight poverty. Email this article to a friend CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS TO FIGHT ISSUE 2 - Now until November 3rd by Ohio ACT October 27, 2009 Ohio ACT is leading the fight against Issue 2 and our first hurdle is getting volunteers. We only have a couple weeks left to spread the word, every person and every hour helps. We need volunteers to help with events, literature drops, and phone banking, which will be taking place EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK starting this Monday the 19th all the way through the elections. Please contact Ryan if you're able to help: 614-440-3485, Email Email this article to a friend Tell Senator Reid: Stop Abortion Coverage Ban by Change.org November 12, 2009 Anti-choice politics shouldn't trump women's health in Congress. It's unacceptable. Yet that's what happened when the House passed the last-minute Stupak-Pitts amendment to its health-reform bill, which will seriously jeopardize women's access to abortion. We cannot let this attack stand in the Senate. Tell Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to save abortion coverage and ensure that the same ban is not included in the Senate's bill. This ban would have the effect of denying women the right to use their own personal, private funds to purchase an insurance plan with abortion coverage in the new health system. This is a radical departure from the status quo. Presently, more than 85 percent of private insurance plans cover abortion services. A vote to ban insurance coverage for abortion in the new system will come down to the wire, so we must call on Majority Leader Reid to stand strong against this attack from the outset. Stand up for women's access to abortion and sign the petition to Majority Leader Reid today. Petition Thank you for adding your voice, - The Change.org team in partnership with NARAL Pro-Choice America Email this article to a friend Tell Congress that Being a Woman is Not a "Pre-Existing Condition" by Change.org Tea October 22, 2009 Did you know that being a woman is increasingly considered a "pre-existing condition" by health insurance companies? No, we're not kidding. Perhaps the most underreported practice of discrimination in our health care system is that women are regularly denied coverage for "pre-existing conditions" that include pregnancy, a previous C-Section, or being a victim of past domestic abuse. Tell Congress to stop discriminatory health care practices today Even when women do get coverage, it isn't cheap. More than 90 percent of the best-selling insurance plans charge women more than men, in some cases charging as much as 48 percent more for the same coverage. These pricey plans don't even include maternity care, vital reproductive health coverage which is nearly impossible to find on the private insurance market. This treatment of women by the health care industry is unfair, unhealthy for our families, and unsustainable. It is discrimination we can no longer accept, and Congress needs to hear from people around the country that the fair treatment of women should be an essential part of health care reform. The health care debate is coming to a close, and Congress will soon decide whether to end discriminatory health care. Your action is needed now. Tell Congress to support health care reform that does not discriminate against women today! Email this article to a friend TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA: DON'T SUPPORT THE ILLEGAL COUP REGIME IN HONDURAS - DON'T RECOGNIZE THE NOV. 29TH ELECTIONS by IFCO / Pastors for Peace November 23, 2009 On October 28 the State Department sent its Asst. Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, Tom Shannon to Honduras with the purpose of “urging opposing political sides in Honduras to be more flexible.” As result of this pressure by our government, a questionable accord was agreed to between the Coup forces and President Zelaya. Both President Zelaya and the people of Honduras had hoped that this agreement would result in his reinstatement within a short period of time. Yet this agreement was pending on a vote of approval by the Honduran Congress and on a judicial ruling by the Supreme Court. Neither nor Congress or Supreme Court acted and while President Zelaya waited Michelleti was already calling for a new government of so called “Unity and Reconciliation.” This new government without the inclusion of President Zelaya would only serve to legitimize the coup. The National Resistance Front and President Zelaya have therefore called this sham of an agreement “dead.” President Zelaya said, “There is no point in deceiving Hondurans.” The illegitimate coup government led by Michelleti still plans to go ahead with the November 29th elections. But the Honduran people who have been in resistance for 135 days are very clear that elections under the coup and without Zelaya’s reinstament would be an act of fraud against the people of Honduras. According to a 10/24/09 human rights report from COFADEH (Honduran Committee of the Families of the Disappeared) the illegal coup regime has committed more than 4,000 human rights violations including illegal detentions and political murders. In this climate of aggressive repression in which the military continue to attack nonviolent protesters and close down independent media, how can there be free and fair elections? In another blow to democracy in Honduras, the US State Department says that it will recognize these elections whether President Zelaya is reinstated or not. To do so would only continue to legitimize the illegal coup government and all of its egregious actions. At this critical point in the struggle of the people of Honduras, the National Resistance Front points out that it is more important than ever to keep the pressure on our government to not recognize the illegitimate elections planned for November 29th. The people’s demands for a constitutional assembly and the return of constitutionally elected President Zelaya are yet to be met. We must keep the pressure on in order to guarantee that the people of Honduras are free to forge their own future in a democratic and inclusive society. KEEP THE PRESSURE ON!! THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!! CALL CONGRESS! CALL THE WHITE HOUSE! CALL THE STATE DEPARTMENT! Demand that the November 29th elections are not recognized and bring about an end to the coup! Congressional switchboard: 202/225-3121 President Barack Obama 202/456-1111 Whitehouse Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: 202/647-9572 John Waller Cuba Caravan Coordinator IFCO-Pastors for Peace Cell 831-512-6688 Pastors for Peace 418 W 145th Street New York, NY, 10031 Email this article to a friend GIVE TO COMMUNITY SHARES OF MID OHIO! by COSMO December 1, 2009 IT'S EASY TO HELP WITH PAYROLL GIVING CAMPAIGNS! Connect to your community through payroll contributions made directly from your paycheck. 2009 Workplace Campaigns are underway! YOUR DONATION WILL HELP PROVIDE STABLE FUNDING FOR LOCAL NON-PROFITS TODAY! For over 15 years, Community Shares of Mid Ohio has participated in workplace giving campaigns that provide vital and stable financial support for our non-profit member charities. Working together, we will defend human and civil rights, feed the hungry, build affordable housing, prevent family, youth, school and neighborhood violence, preserve the environment, and increase health, safety, education, social justice and democracy in our community. The Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism, publishers of the Free Press, has been a member of COSMO since 1993 - please give to us! Get dates and details here or learn how you can start a campaign at your workplace! Email this article to a friend Stop the Afghanistan escalation! by True Majority December 2, 2009 SIGN THE PETITION TO CONGRESS President Obama has decided to send more than 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan, at a cost of more than $100 billion/year. But America cannot afford a war that does not make us safer, and Congress has the power to stop the escalation. Vote NO on any spending bill that would send more troops to Afghanistan. Sign the petition Email this article to a friend Stop Murkowski - Save the Clean Air Act by CREDO Action January 12, 2010 Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is launching a potentially devastating attack on the Clean Air Act. Majority Leader Harry Reid has granted her a vote for January 20 that would block the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from coal plants and other polluters in 2010. The vote -- on an amendment to a must-pass bill to lift the debt ceiling -- will remove the EPA's enforcement funding and power so big polluters like the coal industry can ignore the Clean Air Act. You think this would be easy to stop, but the vote is predicted to be close with many Democrats considering voting for the bill. This attack is a rerun of the successful efforts by Newt Gingrich to hamstring the Clinton EPA in the 90s. "Congress must not block the Clean Air Act's limits on global warming pollution." Republican and Democratic senators alike need to hear from you. The coal industry has been working furiously to close deals with senators across the political spectrum, including those who say they want to protect the environment. We cannot underestimate the Senate's vulnerability to cynical attempts to handcuff the EPA. The vote is expected to be close and we cannot take victory for granted. Sign the Petition Email this article to a friend Make the World a Safer Place - Ban Nuclear Testing by Connie Gadell-Newton January 21, 2010 The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a treaty which bans nuclear testing and puts into place a verification system to alert the international community in case of a nuclear explosion. Ratification of the CTBT is expected to come up for vote in the Senate later this year. Faith leaders around Ohio are asked to support this treaty in letters to Senator Voinovich. Please contact Connie Gadell-Newton of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) at cgadellnewton@gmail.com or (614) 288-1082 and she would be happy to come speak with your Church or community group about how to get involved with this issue. Email this article to a friend There are 3 people treesitting in West Virginia to stop Mountain Top Removal right NOW by Anonymous February 1, 2010 Friends- some of you may not be aware of this, but these brave young people have been treesitting on Coal River Mtn for about a week now, putting up with freezing temps, loud horn noisemakers kept on all night to try to make them leave the trees, lack of food because resupply efforts have been halted etc. -- here's the main website that you can find the updates on: Climate Ground Zero A few of you i'm writing to have even sat in trees for forest protection yourself in the past, or supported such actions, and now is the time to step up and support *these* courageous folks for the fight of this moment, the effort to save beautiful mountain ranges in Appalachia from being blown up into rubble, to get in the cheapest way what amounts to only 5% of the US supply of coal (of course, i don't really support coal mining anyway, but at least subsurface mining using individual miners creates more jobs, and leaves the Earth's surface intact, and a majority of WV residents oppose MTR, as well). Blowing up the mtns also totally eliminates the possibility of making windfarms on these mtns for long-term sustainable energy -- you can find more on this here: I Love Mountains Anti-MTR (Mountain Top Removal Coal Mining) actions have been ramping up over the last year, but as far as i know, this is the first one where people are actually sitting in trees long-term, putting themselves at such risk to stop this. We can end this terrible rape of the Earth within a short timescale if we all put our hearts into it. it's the env'l issue i've cared most about in recent times. I just called the Climate Ground Zero hdqrtrs at: 304-854-7372, and got patched through to a person (Guin) who apparently was even out at Redwood Summer in 1990, knows both Darryl Cherney and David Solnit, two long-time activist friends of mine, and said what they really desperately need is bail money for the treesitters if and when they come down (link is right on their site) and also directed me to Scott Parkin at RAN (Rainforest Action Network , ran.org) because they also have a major anti-MTR campaign going on. I've already supported this action with $ and petitions over the last week, and am glad to hear that at least the Gov of WV, Manchin, under pressure, has ambivalently stopped the use of the noisemakers against the treesitters, see: West Virginia Gazette But we really need to do *much* more to get people to realize what these people are sacrificing and the risk they're putting themselves in order to protect the mountains of Appalachia, our common heritage. I hope you will step up and support these folks somehow, pass this on -- so that their statement is the loudest possible, and we can *stop* the destruction of Coal River Mountain, and ultimately, shut down MTR mining. The Appalachian Mountains thank you-- Email this article to a friend The Free Speech for People Campaign by Free Speech for People February 2, 2010 Counteracting the recent US Supreme Court decision to let US big corporations pour as much money they want during every single US political election as to elect their candidates that would promote their exclusive business interests even at the expense of the American people. The Edwards amendment will ensure that Congress and the states may prohibit corporations from spending their funds for political activity. Twelve days ago, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling striking at the heart of our democracy. The Court disregarded more than a century of precedent and ruled that our Constitution prevents the American people from regulating corporate money in our elections and politics. That’s wrong and we don’t buy it. And twelve days ago, we stood up to fight back. Thousands of you joined us in our call for a constitutional amendment to defend our democracy and to restore the First Amendment to its intended purpose: to protect people, not corporations. And, today, Congresswoman Donna Edwards of Maryland has introduced a constitutional amendment to overturn the Court’s ruling. Joined by Congressman John Conyers, Jr. of Michigan, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, the Edwards amendment will ensure that Congress and the states may prohibit corporations from spending their funds for political activity. The Framers of the Constitution intended the First Amendment to protect the rights of citizens, everyday people, not corporations. Corporations are not people. They are artificial entities created by the state with state-based advantages. In fact, the recent ruling will certainly drown out the voices of the very citizens the First Amendment was meant to protect. We as a nation have amended the United States Constitution before. Twenty-seven times. That history includes amendments in response to US Supreme Court rulings directly threatening the democratic process. The Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC demands a similar constitutional amendment response. But to do this, we need to build a broad-based democracy movement. You can help make this happen. Ways to Get Involved Forward this email to at least 10 or more of your friends urging that they join us and sign the petition. Contact your Member of Congress in the House of Representatives and United States Senate, about the Edwards amendment. Organize a local amendment committee. Donate to support this campaign. Follow Free Speech for People on Twitter and Facebook to receive the latest news on the campaign. Together, we will reclaim our First Amendment and our democracy. Free Speech for the People Email this article to a friend |
"Impeach Bush Now"
Barbra Streisand
December 19, 2005
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December 13, 2005
"Sierra Club Calls for Boycott of ExxonMobil - Sign the Petition!"
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Greenpeace
August 30, 2005
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August 25, 2005
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Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
August 18, 2005
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AfterDowningStreet.org
July 26, 2005
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NOW
July 21, 2005
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July 18, 2005
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July 11, 2005
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July 10, 2005
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Jobs with Justice
July 6, 2005
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July 3, 2005
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July 1, 2005
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July 1, 2005
"Support John Conyers' inquiry into Downing Street Memo"
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June 6, 2005
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May 20, 2005
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April 26, 2005
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BFC
April 24, 2005
"We Want Your Stories"
Rachel Barber and Carolyn Sherman
April 13, 2005
"Take Action:From the Ongoing Sit In at Washington University in St. Louis"
Meredith Davis
April 6, 2005
"CAFTA Alert"
Staff at citizen.org
February 13, 2005
"Threat to Disability Medical Assistance"
Connie Hammond
February 10, 2005
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February 10, 2005
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February 6, 2005
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ACLU of Ohio
February 5, 2005
"Judiciary Comm Halts; NOW Is the Time for Action "
Connie Hammond
January 24, 2005
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