Category: Action

Not even General Petraeus can see any light at the end of the tunnel.

There’s no exit plan, no timetable, not even any criteria to know when we’ve achieved the “victory” that George Bush keeps promising.

The Pentagon keeps sending the same troops into the combat zone, over and over and over.

And as long as that continues, the antiwar effort must continue just as doggedly, month in and month out, over and over and over.  There is no other choice except to surrender to the warmongers.

Friday is Iraq Moratorium #8, a day to do something to show that you want the war and the occupation to end.  Please do something.  

A new campaign and brilliant video from TrueMajority.org, Brave New Films, and Democracy for America. Get thee thither and sign!

CondiMustGo.com

   America will not stand for a Secretary of State who approved torture and then misled Congress. We call on the Presidential candidates to ask Secretary of State Rice to resign

  1. ABC Broke the Story on Torture

  2. We’re running a 30 second version of the torture video on ABC right after the debate in Philly

  3. ABC is hosting the debate tonight.

Please REC this diary so we can create a blog swarm and get ABC to ask this question at tonight’s debate.

Via Dkos and Ilya Sheyman. (Online Organizing Manager at TrueMajority.org) Please go recommend!

From serendipity in the comments: Pfiore8  suggested that I post these links here, so here they are: Contact ABC  and, for good measure, this link to the  Senate Intelligence Committee.

The United States of America tortures people.

Get used to that.  It is no secret – it isn’t even up for debate.  There is not one person that has even the cursory knowledge of what was discussed, what was authorized, what was justified or the acts that were carried out on detainees by people representing the United States of America.

This is not a “time for healing”.  Not yet.

This is the time of reckoning for the people and future of America – an accountability moment.  The corporate media here in the US, not surprisingly, is ignoring this story but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t widely reported or known around the world.  This isn’t new, although the revelations about the entire uppermost level of the Bush administration spent hours discussing sadistic acts that they could do via proxy to others “in the name of freedom” is new.

This can not pass – this can not fall into the waste heap of all of the dozens, nay, scores of scandals, crimes or “just” unethical acts taken by these torturing, lying, thieving, murderous criminals since stealing the 2000 election.  This can not be swept under the rug.  It can not and will not be forgotten.  After all, civilized countries do not torture people, no matter what.

We can’t just move forward and put this bad period behind us.  We need to understand how we got to this point, how we allowed this to be done in our names, and why those who were supposed to be “the opposition” did not object when briefed, did not investigate in any meaningful manner and are not screaming from the rooftops at the most recent discovery.

Torture is not something that will be excused – not for any reason.  There needs to be justice.  There needs to be a recognition of how far we have sunk – how a callous disregard for law and a complete and utter lack of any humanity by those who occupy the top offices in the United States Government has resulted in a sanctioned program that was specifically designed to do nothing other than torture people.

(Cross posted from DailyKos)

There has been a flurry of torture items on the Recommended Diary list this week (If you missed them, incredible outpourings in Troutfishing’s series, here, here, here, and here,  and clammyc’s piece, as well) We are all sickened and outraged (see OPOL’s great diary) and left feeling shame and horror, and maybe overwhelming helplessness, too.

Here is a chance to do something to shame those who have known about it, allowed it, and still do not stop it. If enough of us care, and raise our voices in outrage, we can make them feel pressured to do something to stop Bush and Cheney from torturing in our names.

If you’ve read my posts you know I’m no fan of Barack Obama, and that I have a distinct tendency to display copious amounts of Righteous Indignation.  There’s a reason for that, but there is always a danger in creating outrage fatigue, so today I’m going to try to help put it all into perspective.

If you are not a member of Avaaz.org you should be. There are on the forefront of the global fight for justice and make it easy to help out in big or small ways.

There latest campaign is about one of the most pressing issues in the world right now. The situation in Zimbabwe. Generally the people on this site are well informed so I will assume you are up to date with what has been happening. Essentially Robert Mugabe’s government has withheld the results of the national elections–and threatens to use violence and fraud to hold on to power. They want immunity for there criminal acts before they hand over power (sound familiar?) but if they don’t get it they are willing to go on with their repressive regime that is crippling the people of Zimbabwe.

Mugabe has resisted international pressure so far–but South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki, who is a close freind of Mugabe’s, might listen. A global outcry is needed to ensure that Mbeki knows his status as a global and regional leader is on the line: the world is turning to him to help bring justice for the people of Zimbabwe.

So Avaaz has launched a petition that reads as follows:

Petition to Robert Mugabe, Thabo Mbeki, and world leaders:

We sign to support the democratic and human rights of the people of Zimbabwe. Election results must be released immediately, verified independently, and–if approved as legitimate–accepted by all parties. If a run-off is required, it should be monitored by international observers and be kept free of violence, fraud, and intimidation. World leaders, including South African President Thabo Mbeki, should do all they can to ensure a just result.

We must stand with the people of Zimbabwe. We must take action. So far 88,234 people have signed and they are trying to get to 100,000 or even more. Every voice counts.

Take a stand for justice. Take action.

Peace.

Down in New Orleans, they are burying the noted blogger, rabid Saints fan and local bon vivant ashley morris today. He leaves behind a wife and three young kids, and they need your help.

Ashley Morris

A few days ago, I posted on the untimely death one of our blogging brethren, New Orleans native  Dr. Ashley Morris

For those of you unfamiliar with Ashley’s work, here is, IMHO, the finest rant I have ever read. He posted this the November after Katrina hit New Orleans. It has become something of a legend on the Gulf Coast, and it is now known simply as FYYFF:

I’ve been taken hostage by cats.

Yes, the Six Ragdoll cats own me and they are FRIGGIN’ serious this time, OK?

They have demands.  I need help, if I am to get out to make more money to buy them food.

They call my house KITMO.

They insist I work each day and bring home the groceries, as long as the groceries don’t include fruit or vegies.

They want you to send money too, or volunteer at your local animal shelter, or they will continue making me go to work each day and bring home the groceries (did I mention that they won’t allow fruit or vegies)?  

It is spring, so lots of new kittens and puppies will be finding their way into a local Animal Shelter near you.  If you can, please donate some kitten, puppy, cat or dog food, or your time to your local shelter.

The internet, primarily through blogs, has brought about a communications revolution. Yet the traditional media has maintained their position as information gatekeepers, and they won’t let you hear us.

We can’t bring about change when the media ignores us. We can’t rely on politicians to fix things for us. So we’re through playing nice. We’re done begging for attention. We’re bypassing the media and coming direct to you.

We can solve our problems if we work together. We can make things better when all of us try. All we’re asking for is your help. So we can generate a little Feedback.

Welcome to the first call for article submissions for Feedback!

If you already have an idea of what this is all about and want to get started writing, scroll down to our Guidelines section.  And don’t forget to subscribe for the weekly release if you haven’t done so already.  Just send an email to feedback.news.report{at}gmail.com with “subscribe” in the subject line.

If this is all new to you, or you just feel like refreshing your memory, start from the beginning and work your way through.  It’s not as long as it looks.  You can also check out our latest issue online.

This is a plea for signatures to help a young girl, Jayci Yaeger see her father for the last time before she dies of brain cancer.  Jayci’s father, Jason Charles Yaeger, is incarcerated in a South Dakota prison just three and half hours drive from his daughter.  He is scheduled to be released from prison in August.

Quote from ABC News:

He (Mr. Yaeger) has pleaded repeatedly with prison officials to honor the bureau’s apparent policy of allowing furloughs and transfers under “extraordinary” circumstances, but has been rebuffed time and again

And prison officials released a statement (pdf) saying:

Late Thursday, after abcnews.com published this story, the Bureau of Prisons released a statement saying that officials there “have reviewed inmate Yaeger’s request for a compassionate release and have determined his situation does not meet the criteria…”

If an inmates daughter’s dying does not constitute “extraordinary circumstances” then what does?

To sign the petition, CLICK HERE, there were only about 420 signatures when I signed and their goal is to get 100,000  so we need to get many, many more…QUICKLY!

This little girls life is coming to an end very soon.  Please help Jayci see her father.

Please send the petition on to friends, family or even your entire e-mail list.  

Let’s get this done!!!

cross-posted with minor edits from dailykos as part of today’s NOLA diary-athon.

You’ve read about the situation in New Orleans.  You know there are still crumbled houses all over, that thousands have never come back, that the economy is crippled and crime out of control.  You’ve heard that the levees are still unimproved, the local politicians are corrupt or ineffective or both, and that the cable news networks no longer see the issue as sexy enough for your attention.  You’ve wondered if things can get better.

Good news: this diary is dedicated to you, and what you can do to help.