the guy by the door …

Out of Iraq Caucus Press Conference, July 13, 2006. It is now day 25.
July 28, 2006

Dear Randy,

We have exciting news to share with you today! After being rebuffed in our numerous attempts to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, including setting up “Camp Al-Maliki” across from the Iraqi Embassy and publishing an open letter to him in one of the largest Iraqi newspapers, we received an amazing invitation: Five members of the Iraqi Parliament who are working on a Reconciliation Plan to end the violence in their country contacted us. Moved by the commitment of the long-term fasters and dismayed by their prime minister’s refusal to meet with us, these parliamentarians asked us to join them in Amman, Jordan next week to discuss their Reconciliation Plan, on condition that we break our long-term fast with them!

Capitol police remove Medea Benjamin from the House gallery after she disrupted a speech by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Capitol on July 26, 2006, as the prime minister addressed a joint meeting of Congress. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)

Code Pink cofounder Medea [Μήδεια] Benjamin interrupted the speech of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki shouting from the House vistor’s gallery, “Iraqis want the troops to leave, bring them home now! Listen to the Iraqis!”. She was referring to an op-ed in the July 20 Washington Post by Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie, “The eventual removal of coalition troops from Iraqi streets will help the Iraqis, who now see foreign troops as occupiers rather than the liberators they were meant to be.” In the speech Benjamin interrupted, al-Maliki appealed for more money and troops clearly identifying Iraq as part of the war on terror. He made no mention of Hezbollah, Lebanon, or Israel. Benjamin, 54 of San Francisco, was lifted from her seat by officers and carried out.

You go, girl!

The text of al-Rubaie’s Washington Post op-ed and Benjamin’s commentary available at After Downing Street.

Code Pink’s coverage.

For me, ‘unthinkable” usually means thermonuclear war, but for the Black Commentator it refers to the threat to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

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The unpleasant truths of this political moment are:

1. Renewable portions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) seem increasingly likely to die in the Congress this session.

2. Recent Supreme Court decisions indicate the court is inclined to “interpret” permanent provisions of the Voting Rights Act into meaninglessness.

3. Democrats in the US. House and Senate seem disinclined to fight very hard for the voting rights of blacks, and;

4. With no superpower rival on the international scene and the domestic mass movement disbanded and sent home a generation ago, the powers that be face little or no meaningful consequences at home or abroad for killing the VRA.

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The full article includes a brief and cogent history of voter disenfranchisement in the south. The Associated Press reports that the Senate passed renewal of the Act 98-0. Last week the House passed renewal 390-33. Bush vowed to sign it in his speech before the NAACP. I can’t tell exactly how intact the Act is and how significant it is. The AP report mentions that the “preclearance” by the Department of Justice of changes to voting procedures in specified southern states has survived challenge by sourthern lawmakers. But with the current DOJ [under Alberto ‘torture guy’ Gonzales], how much protection is this? On the other hand, the renewal has a life of 25 years and might mean more down the road.

As part of the International Day of Action to Shut Down Guantanamo, Brookline Peace Works gathered gathered in front of the Holyoke Center.

On the map: The World Doesn’t Need Another Unjust War

Later they presented the film “The Road to Guantanamo” at the Democracy Center [45 Mt Auburn St] . There will be another free showing at:

The Coolidge Corner Library
31 Pleasant St
Brookline

When I was on the edge of hell, I did not know Reverend Earl Kooperkamp of St. Mary’s parish. His Witness Against Torture brings back some of the rare good moments of that time.

You can help the detainees prisoners of an illegal, unjust, unnecessary war by contributing to the Center for Constitutional Rights whose lawyers work to help the Guantanamo prisoners.

Have you ever showed a co-worker how to perform a task at work? Have you ever been asked to look over someone else’s work? If so, the Bush appointed National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is poised to make a decision which could affect your right to join a union.

Jobs with Justice has the full story….

I am a registered girlie man. Anybody have problem with that?

Join the Troops Home Fast!To pledge your commitment to fast: June 29, 2006 Dear Randy, The Bush administration has repeatedly stated that when the Iraqis stand up, our soldiers will stand down. But when the Iraqi government and several armed groups tried to stand up by unveiling a serious reconciliation plan, the U.S. government scuttled this plan by forcing them to eliminate two key aspects of the original proposal—the withdrawal of U.S. troops and amnesty for Iraqis not involved in the killing of civilians. Click here to read more. A courageous number of people, however, have decided to implement their own peace process: U.S. soldiers who are refusing to fight in this war. On Tuesday, CODEPINK participated in actions all over the country to support the first officer who refused to deploy to Iraq, Lt. Ehren Watada. “A war can end when the soldiers choose to stop fighting it,” Lt. Watada said when he announced his decision to resist. He is joined in his resistance by Army Specialist Suzanne Swift, who refused to deploy with her Army unit to Iraq; she is now being held in Ft. Lewis and needs our support. These two brave soldiers are joined by hundreds of U.S. military personnel who have gone to Canada to avoid being sent to Iraq, and over 6,400 U.S. military who have deserted their posts. Read Ann Wright’s article here. Lt. Watada’s mom, Carolyn Ho, wrote to CODEPINK, “As a mother, I have evolved from fearing for his safety and for his future to the realization that there is a higher purpose to all that has transpired. My son no longer stands at the crossroads. He has chosen ‘the road less traveled’.” As part of that “road less traveled,” Lt. Watada and his mother have both decided to participate in the Troops Home Fast on July 4, and invite you to join them. The growing list of fasters includes Cindy Sheehan, Dick Gregory, Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, Graham Nash, Dolores Huerta, Julia Butterfly Hill and over 1,500 more. You can join us in DC or at home; you can fast for one day, one week or leave the process open-ended. Go to www.troopshomefast.org to learn, sign up, or donate funds to make this fast as effective as possible. Let’s stand up with those in the U.S. military who are taking peace into their own hands by refusing to fight. If enough of us stand up, the war-makers will be forced to stand down! Standing tall, Allison, Dana, Erin, Farida, Gael, Jodie, Katie, Medea, Meredith, Nancy, Rae, Samantha and Tiffany P.S. Remember, you can join in many travel opportunities this summer, from a New Orleans work camp to Camp Casey in Crawford to a retreat/spa in Austin. Click here for info. Don’t forget to forward this message to friends check out our online store to get your solidarity “I Support the Troops Home FAST” tshirts, tank tops and buttons!