| Progressive Calendar 11.07.05 | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: David Shove (shove001 tc.umn.edu)
|
|
| Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 16:47:44 -0800 (PST) | |
P R O G R E S S I V E C A L E N D A R 11.07.05
VOTE TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8
1. Bicking campaign 11.07
2. Plan/end homelessness 11.08 1:45pm
3. Salon/Wellstone 11.08 6:30pm
4. Zimmermann/Maria's 11.09 8am
5. Churches/non-violence 11.09 8am
6. Palace preservation 11.09 12noon
7. Get real/films 11.09 2:30pm +
8. Anti-torture 11.09 3pm
9. NSF/racquet/swim 11.09 5:30pm
10. Godless 11.09 6pm
11. Kristallnacht 11.09 6:30pm
12. Reason sleeps/play 11.09 7pm +
13. Carol Bly/Loveland 11.09 7pm
14. No Anoka stadium 11.09 7pm
15. AI StPaul 11.09 7:30pm
16. Mpls CLU - Minneapolis passes living wage ordinance
17. MN Daily - Endorses Gordon & Neumann
18. Michael Mackey - Park board
19. Sierra Club - Park Board
20. Diane Wiley - Annie Young for At-large Park Board Commissioner
21. Mike Whitney - Globalizing sadism: the United States of torture
22. Ron Jacobs - Capitalism and the Protestant ethic
23. Ben Tripp - Don't start cheering just yet
24. ed - Veto Alito (poem)
--------1 of 24--------
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 11:18:55 -0600
From: Ian Stade <ianstade [at] gmail.com>
Subject: Bicking campaign 11.07
Last Minute Lit Droppers needed for Dave Bicking [Green Party] Campaign
This weekend we got a lot of Ward Nine covered with new literature. We
still need to cover some blocks in three precincts. If you have time
during the day today or this evening, please call Stephen at 747-2854.
Thanks for all your hard work,
Ian Stade Volunteer Coordinator Bicking for City Council
--------2 of 24--------
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 00:35:27 -0600
From: Renee Jenson <faarjenson [at] qwest.net>
Subject: Plan/end homelessness 11.08 1:45pm
Here is a note I received from Jim Anderson of Ramsey County:
We are about to present the Plan to End Homelessness to the County Board
and the City Council. Here is the final version. You can let people know
that we are doing a Board Workshop on the Plan next Tuesday, November 8
from 1:45 - 3:00 in the Courthouse Room 220. It is open to the public to
observe. Also, we are just beginning work on Part 2 of the plan which is
going to look at the broader issue of homelessness (other than long-term
homelessness). Anyone who would like to be a part of that process should
contact me at 266-4116 or by e-mail. -Jim
--------3 of 24--------
Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2005 22:22:01 -0600
From: patty guerrero <pattypax [at] earthlink.net>
Subject: Salon/Wellstone 11.08 6:30pm
The Salon on Tuesday, Nov 8, well be showing the new documentary -
WELLSTONE. This is the same film shown last week of Public TV but in case
any of you missed it, now is the time to see it again and with discussion
afterwards. We will be showing it in 2 parts, this Tues. and also on Nov
15 so we can have discussion.
Salons are held (unless otherwise noted in advance):
Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Mad Hatter's Tea House,
943 W 7th, St Paul, MN
Salons are free but donations encouraged for program and treats.
Call 651-227-3228 or 651-227-2511 for information.
--------4 of 24--------
From: "Collins, Natalie M" <Natalie.Collins [at] ci.minneapolis.mn.us>
Subject: Zimmermann/Maria's 11.09 8am
Please join 6th Ward Council Member Dean Zimmermann for his second
post-election breakfast at Maria's Cafe, 1113 E Franklin Ave! We will
meet in the back room next Wednesday, October 10 at 8am. Coffee will be
provided, and menu service will be available.
For further information, contact the Ward 6 Office, 673-2206.
Natalie Collins Aide to 6th Ward Council Member Dean Zimmermann
(612)673-2206 natalie.collins-AT-ci.minneapolis.mn.us
--------5 of 24--------
From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Churches/non-violence 11.09 8am
Wednesday, 11/9, 8-10 am, Cindy Kennedy from MN Council of Churches talks
on "How can we help churches teach non-violence," St. Martin's Table, 2001
Riverside, W. Bank, Mpls. FFI: 763-784-5177.
--------6 of 24--------
From: Carol Carey <cmcarey [at] earthlink.net>
Subject: Palace preservation 11.09 12noon
HISTORIC SAINT PAUL
presents PRESERVATION TALKS the Brown Bag Discussion Series
A great opportunity to gather information and connect with others
regarding current preservation issues and opportunites in St. Paul. The
event is free and anyone interested is welcome. Bring your lunch!
Wednesday November 9, 12noon-1pm
Room 317 Landmark Center 75 West 5th Street Saint Paul, MN
Preserving the Palace Theatre w/ David Jennings, historian and theatre
enthusiast. Learn about the rich history of the 1916 Palace Theatre and
Saint Paul's vaudeville past. [The Randy Kelly Show? -ed] Learn about
recent efforts to explore the revitalization of this cultural landmark and
its potential to add new dimension to downtown Saint Paul's entertainment
venues and night life.
Those interested can join David for a tour of the theater immediately
after the session. (please RSVP and get some specific instructions for the
tour to Lisa Lyons at 651-222-3049)
Historic Saint Paul 318 Landmark Center | 75 West 5th Street | Saint Paul,
MN 55102 Phone 651-222-3049 | Fax 651-222-7783 | www.historicsaintpaul.org
Carol Carey Dayton's Bluff, Saint Paul More info:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/stpaul/contacts/carolcarey
--------7 of 24--------
From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Get real/films 11.09 2:30pm +
Get Real!: City Pages Documentary Film Festival
Landmark's Lagoon Cinema, on Lagoon Ave. off Hennepin Ave.S, uptown
Minneapolis
www.citypages.com/getreal
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
2:30pm: Search and Rescue: Minnesota Documents (FREE admission) The series
SEARCH & RESCUE hosted by U (of MN) FILM SOCIETY is now at Bryant-Lake
Bowl one WEDNESDAY night at month. Get a glimpse of this celluloid
heritage at this free screening!(For future films see:www.mnfilmarts.org)
(Afternoon happy hour at Bryant Lake Bowl! Enjoy reduced rates on
cocktails, wine, beer and select appetizers following the afternoon
screenings.)
5:30pm: Code 33
See the REAL CSI: Miami! The same film-makers who brought you HORNS &
HALOs (about a Texas journalist who GW Bush in a controversial book) are
back with a look at 'suspect sketch artists'. Truth IS more suspenseful
than fiction!
7:30pm: Unknown White Male
Imagine being on the subway train, suddenly realizing you have no idea who
you are [It's called Bush's America - ed] : Bruce, a 30-something
successful stockbroker experiences rare & total AMNESIA [It's called
Bush's media - ed] - whose cause can't be explained. What's most riveting
about this film is Bruce's journey to re-create himself - and the
questions about what the Self really is for all of us.
9:45pm: Real Life
--------8 of 24--------
From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Anti-torture 11.09 3pm
Wednesday, 11/9 (and every Wednesday), 3 to 4 pm, meeting of anti-torture
group Tackling Torture at the Top, St. Martin's Table, 2001, Riverside,
Minneapolis. lynne [at] usfamily.net
--------9 of 24--------
From: Alliance for Sustainability <iasa [at] mtn.org>
Subject: NSF/racquet/swim 11.09 5:30pm
You're invited - Nov. 9 & 16 NSF Seminar at White Bear Racquet and Swim
Dear Alliance Members,
We hope you are enjoying the Fall colors! Please plan to join us for
our next Natural Step Framework Seminar November 9 & 16 at the
award-winning White Bear Racquet and Swim. Each night will also include
an informative tour of this leading edge health and fitness facility and
time before and after to use the facilities, including chlorine-free
pools!
Sean Gosiewski, Executive Director Alliance for Sustainability
612-331-1099 x 1 iasa [at] mtn.org www.allianceforsustainability.net
<http://www.allianceforsustainability.net/>
Can we create a healthy, sustainable future for our children?
Does environmental responsibility have to cost more or mean a lesser
lifestyle?
Can business thrive while becoming sustainable?
Want to see one of the country's leading examples of a green health
club?
Sustainability and the Natural Step Framework:
A Win-Win-Win for Business, Our Community and the Earth
This Seminar provides an innovative, successful, and cost-effective
approach for becoming environmentally and socially responsible based on
consensus and systems thinking. Its purpose is to present a common
framework comprised of easily-understood, scientifically-based principles
that can serve as a compass to guide society toward a just and sustainable
future.
2 Parts: Weds Nov 9 & 16 6:15-9:45 pm
5:30 pm Nov 9 Optional dinner in Café and registration
Nov 16 Optional dinner and informative tour of this leading edge health
and fitness facility.
Both nights participants have opportunity before and after to use
facilities, including chlorine-free pools.
White Bear Racquet and Swim
4800 White Bear Parkway, White Bear Lake, MN 651-426-1308
www.wbfit.com <http://www.wbfit.com/>
RSVP Requested and Advanced Registration Discount: $95 if payment received
by Nov 2. $10 additional after and $20 at the door if available.
Contributing members of Alliance and other sponsors get $20 discount. A
limited number of scholarships are available. For registration/info,
Alliance for Sustainability: www.allianceforsustainability.net
<http://www.allianceforsustainability.net/> ; 612-331-1099,
info [at] allianceforsustainability.net
Presenter: Terry Gips is an economist, ecologist, and author of Breaking
the Pesticide Habit and The Humane Consumer and Producer Guide. Terry is
one of the first US NSF trainers (independent), President of the Alliance
for Sustainability and head of Sustainability Associates, a Minneapolis
environmental consulting firm. He has served as a White House and
Congressional aide, co-founder of the Sacramento Community Garden Program,
Cargill economist, and Aveda Sustainability Director.
--------10 of 24--------
From: Rod Krueger <rodmn [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Godless 11.09 6pm
Meet the Author: Pete Hautman @ MPL
Local author Pete Hautman writes for adults and teens, and last year won
the National Book Award for "Godless", a book in which a group of youth
decide to worship a water tower - and the joke takes on a power of its
own.
Pete will read from and discuss his work. His newest book is the novel
"Invisible".
6-7pm ˇ Wednesday, November 9th Washburn Library - 5244 Lyndale Ave. S. -
Minneapolis
For more information on Pete Hautman: http://www.petehautman.com/
--------11 of 24--------
From: Stephen Feinstein <feins001 [at] umn.edu>
Subject: Kristallnacht 11.09 6:30pm
The Twin Cities'newest museum, TRACES Center for History and culture in
downtown Saint Paul's historic Landmark Center, is inviting the public to
attend a timely observances in mid November - on the 9th about
Kristallnacht.
November 9th marks the 67th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Nazis'
pogrom against German and Austrian Jews in 1938. The "final notice" that
Jews were not welcome in Hitler's Third Reich, it resulted in the
destruction of thousands of apartments and businesses, and in the
temporary detention of some 10,000 men, including at Dachau.
Kristallnacht also was the direct impetus for the creation of Scattergood
Hostel, a Quaker-run refugee center in Iowa that included staff from
Mankato and Saint Paul. Some of the 186 refugees who found a safe haven at
this "Schindler's List" on the Prairie, later settled in Minneapolis,
Saint Paul, Duluth and Bemidji.
The related Kristallnacht observance will begin at 6:30pm in the Landmark
Center's Galleria (2nd floor) and include the showing of a PBS documentary
about Scattergood Hostel made by Nikki Tundel, a producer at Minnesota
Public Radio, as well as a presentation and discussion. TRACES related
exhibit will be available for viewing.
--------12 of 24--------
From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: When reason sleeps/play 11.09 7pm +
Ben Kreilkamp's provocative new play, "When Reason Sleeps", is being
performed four more times at the Bryant Lake Bowl.
The story of an unemployed artist who takes a temp job as a priest hearing
confessions in a mall, "When Reason Sleeps" is a nightmare comedy that
deals with the personal implications of U.S. policy and practice of
torture.
Show times:
Wednesday November 9th
Saturday November 12th
Thursday November 17th
Saturday November 19th
All performances at 7pm
Tickets $10-$14 discounts available for Vets for Peace, WAMM, Fringe,
Amensty International
Reservations 612.825.8949
Bryant Lake Bowl, a unique combination restaurant, bar, bowling alley and
theater is located at 810 W. Lake St., two blocks West of Lyndale
(www.bryantlakebowl.com). Full food and bar menu is available in the
theater and parking is free on the street.
"When Reason Sleeps" had a successful run at this year's Fringe Festival
at the Illusion Theater, with audiences responding strongly for and
against this thought-provoking play. Audience comments are still available
at fringefestival.org. Just click on 'audience reviews' and then scroll
down to "When Reason Sleeps".
Carolyn Petrie (in the Pioneer Press) wrote: "You may hate it, but it'll
get you thinking." While serious, the play is also quite funny. The
playwright terms it a 'nightmare comedy.' Kristin Van Loon (artistic
director of the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater) says "I laughed my ass off."
[Not covered by medical insurance - ed] April Sellers says "When Reason
Sleeps" was "the best show I've ever seen at the Fringe". Other comments
include: "disturbingly funny", and "kick-ass political theater". John
Townsend of Lavender says "When Reason Sleeps is definitely a satirical
gem."
--------13 of 24--------
From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Carol Bly/Loveland 11.09 7pm
Wednesday November 9, 7pm
Carol Bly and Cynthia Loveland
A Shout to American Clergy
Carol Bly and Cynthia Loveland, authors of Three Readings for Republicans
and Democrats and Stopping The Gallop to Empire will be here to read from
their latest book, A Shout to American Clergy, a plea to the heads of
churches to "save the American judicial system."
AMAZON Bookstore, 4755 Chicago Ave. S, Minneapolis
--------14 of 24--------
From: Ron Holch <rrholch [at] attg.net>
To: rrholch [at] attg.net
Subject: No Anoka stadium 11.09 7pm
Taxpayers Against an Anoka County Vikings Stadium
Wednesday November 9, at 7pm
Centennial High School
Red Building - Room 104
4704 North Road
Circle Pines, MN
The red building is on the east end of the high school complex, and is set
back furthest from North Road. The largest parking lots are near this
building.
Don't forget to Vote Tuesday November 8 and find out if your candidates
city county or state support a referendum on taxes for a stadium.
No matter where you live in Minnesota, If you haven't already done so
please write your representatives and tell them we do not need to waste
more money on a special session to decide on stadium giveaways to
Billionaires. Please continue to tell them we want a vote as required by
state law for any tax increase to pay for a stadium. Write your local
paper too.
AGENDA ITEMS INCLUDE:
Questioning the Anoka Co. website claims
Fund Raising Ideas
Legislative update/ Polling Legislators and polling city officials
Website
Petition Promotion
No Stadium Tax Coalition Update
Any Questions, comments contact me at: Ron Holch rrholch [at] attg.net
<mailto:rrholch [at] attg.net>
--------15 of 24-------
From: Gabe Ormsby <gabeo [at] bitstream.net>
Subject: AI StPaul 11.09 7:30pm
There are several local Amnesty International groups in the Twin Cities
area.
AIUSA Group 640 (Saint Paul) meets Wednesday, November 9th, at 7:30pm.
Mad Hatter Teahouse, 943 West 7th Street, Saint Paul.
http://www.aistpaul.org
--------16 of 24--------
Date: Mon, 07 Nov 2005 16:14:01 GMT
From: Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council <kyle [at] mplscluc.com>
Subject: Minneapolis passes living wage ordinance
Living Wage Ordinance passes in Minneapolis!
At a standing-room only City Council meeting on Friday, Council Members
voted 11-2 to pass the Minneapolis Living Wage Ordinance proposed by a
coalition of 21 faith groups, community organizations, and labor
organizations. Voting no were Council Members Niziolek and Lane.
This represents a significant victory for workers in Minneapolis and the
cause of economic justice. Great work done by a great coalition! You can
read a full account of the Council meeting and vote, along with analysis,
at www.minneapolisunions.org . Thank you to everyone who helped on this
campaign!
The new Living Wage Ordinance strengthens the current policy in
these ways:
-Raises the definition of a Living Wage to 130% of the federal poverty
limit ($12.09/hr - the level at which a family of four qualifies for food
stamps).
-Applies to businesses who are awarded city contracts or business
subsidies.
-Makes it a strong, enforceable ordinance with penalties for violations
and strong enforcement mechanisms.
The Living Wages YES! Campaign is supported by the Minneapolis Central
Labor Union Council, SEIU MN State Council, AFSCME Council 5, MN ACORN,
MFT Local #59, Teamsters DRIVE, Progressive Minnesota, ISAIAH, UNITE HERE
#17, Jewish Community Action, Twin Cities Coalition of Labor Union Women,
Twin Cities Religion and Labor Network, Confederation of Somali
Communities in Minnesota, Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Office
for Social Justice, JOBS NOW Coalition, Minnesota Association of
Professional Employees, Minneapolis DFL Party, Green Party of MN - 5th
Congressional District, MPIRG, and the Alliance for Metropolitan
Stability.
--------17 of 24--------
MN Daily Endorses
November 7, 2005
Opinion [EDITORIAL]
Whom you should vote for
Local elections are having more and more of a direct impact on our lives
as it becomes clear that the average citizen is shut out from higher
levels of government. Tuesday is an important day, make no doubt about it.
Tuesday's election will largely decide if the communities that the
University dominates in numbers will instead be governed on the behalf of
real estate developers and opportunists. We need leaders with a vision
toward emphasizing the importance of small businesses, community
interaction and seeking diverse voices. The candidates below are the
strongest and provide the energy and vision necessary to lead the Twin
Cities. The Daily editorial board endorses the following candidates.
Ward 2: Cam Gordon
In the Cam Gordon versus Cara Letofsky race, Gordon is clearly a better
City Council candidate than Letofsky. Gordon has more consistently reached
out to students and has better communicated his vision. He has concrete
plans for making Minneapolis a sustainable city and has the integrity to
do so. Letofsky, on the other hand, severely lacks such a vision. She
accepts money from real estate developers while Gordon does not. A vote
for Letofsky in this race is a vote for the degradation of our communities
at the hands of corporate developers. Letofsky would also be subject to
the top-down pressure so often exercised by the DFL party in Minnesota. A
win for Letofsky would likely result in students getting the same
attention as Paul Zerby's gave them ... little to nil. Letofsky does have
positives in that she is better connected to the established political
structure but that advantage is just as big of a disadvantage.
Ward 3: Aaron Neumann
This race is clearly between the interests of the students living in
neighborhoods such as Marcy-Holmes and the minority of long-term residents
in those areas. Neumann wants Minneapolis to work with the Green
Institute, desires more bike paths and wants the voice of students to be
heard. Diane Hofstede, on the other hand, offers little if any vision. Her
push toward a centralized library arguably hurt Minneapolis communities as
a whole rather than helped them. Hofstede seems very disconnected from
students and has communicated little understanding about their interests.
Sure, Hofstede has the experience with city inner-bureaucracy, but so much
so that she has isolated herself from the less politically connected in
her community. The only supposed negative against Neumann is that he is
young. Voting based on age is surely a faster path to more conservatism
and disconnected ness that has fueled outrages against all University
students. Neumann has the vigor to get things done.
http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/11/07/65983
--------18 of 24--------
[The privatizing anti-park Park Board Majority Five are
Bob Fine, Jon Olson, Walt Dziedzic, Marie Hauser and Carol Kummer.
Vote them all out - ed]
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 11:42:04 -0600
From: Michael Mackey <mackeymichael [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Save Minneapolis' Precious Jewel: Elect Reform Candidates
for the Park Board
The following is a copy of a mail that I have distributed to my friends
and colleagues. While members of this list are probably well informed
about mismanagement and corruption at the Park Board, most citizens do not
have the time to inform themselves on the more arcane races on the ballot.
Hence, I encourage you to distribute this or a similar message to your
well-intentioned but less-informed friends.
Crucial election on Tuesday for the Minneapolis Park Board that could
determine the future of Minneapolis' greatest public jewel: the park
system.
Short story: A cabal of five commissioners has taken over the Park Board
and implemented policies of privatizing public park assets (usually behind
closed doors and trying to avoid public scrutiny). In an act of cronyism
that puts even Bush's techniques to shame, this cabal also secretly hired
the Parks Superintendent without an interview, selection process, input
from the public, or informing the other four members of the Board (the
Superintendent was a high school buddy of the leader of the cabal).
Fortunately, a group of concerned citizens has formed a watch dog
organization to hold the Park Board accountable to the public. This group
is recommending a slate of "reform" candidates to oust the cabal. I
encourage you to print the following list of candidates and vote for them
on Tue. You'll vote for one person in your district, and three "at large"
candidates. Also, please circulate this mail widely. For more
information, see the links at the bottom.
* District 1: LuAnn Wilcox
* District 2: no endorsement
* District 3: Scott Vreeland
* District 4: Tracy Nordstrom
* District 5: Jason Stone
* District 6: Jim Bernstein
* At-large (city wide): Rochelle Berry Graves
* At-large (city wide): Tom Nordyke
* At-large (city wide): Annie Young
A City Pages story about the corruption on the Park Board:
http://www.citypages.com/databank/26/1300/article13825.asp
Web site of Minneapolis Park Watch (the citizens' reform group):
http://www.mplsparkwatch.org/
--------19 of 24---------
Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 16:36:37 -0600
From: Jill Boogren <jillboogren [at] msn.com>
Subject: Sierra Club Endorsements for Park Board
The Sierra Club enthusiastically endorses the following candidates for
Park Board because they put a premium on environmental stewardship and an
open, public process and will be the strongest advocates for clean air and
water, greener government, vibrant neighborhoods and world-class parks:
At-Large*
Rochelle Berry Graves (612) 374-5601
Tom Nordyke www.nordykeforminneapolisparks.com
Annie Young www.annieyoung.net
District 1 LuAnn Wilcox www.wilcoxforparks.com
District 3 Scott Vreeland www.scottvreeland. org/index.html
District 4 Tracy Nordstrom www.tracynordstrom.com
District 5 Jason Stone www.jasonforparks.com
District 6 Jim Bernstein www.bernsteinforparks.org
*Voters are asked to select up to 3 at-large (citywide) commissioners and
one for their district
You can find your Park District at
www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/redistricting/docs/parkplan-streets.pdf
Endorsements began early in the spring and followed a two committee process.
The Minneapolis Political Committee, comprised of member volunteers,
evaluated the candidates and sent recommendations to the Executive
Committee, the elected governing body for the Sierra Club's Minnesota
chapter, which has final authority over endorsement decisions. A two
thirds vote is required by each committee.
For information on other Sierra Club endorsed candidates, please see:
http://northstar.sierraclub.org/campaigns/politics/2005/endorseMpls20050802.html
Jill Boogren Sierra Club Minneapolis Political Committee Standish-Ericsson
Neighborhood
--------20 of 24--------
Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2005 17:31:17 -0600
From: Diane Wiley <dwiley [at] njp.com>
Subject: Annie Young for At-large Park Board Commissioner
Here is the whole text of what I sent to the Star Tribune - of which they
printed about half:
It would be a crime not to re-elect Annie Young as an at-large Minneapolis
Park Board Commissioner. Annie has a proven track record. She is someone
who has been totally accessible to the public - she will listen and talk
to anyone who has concerns, and she has had email access for city
residents to contact her for the past 5 or 6 years now. Annie does her
homework - she's knowledgeable, she knows why she is taking any positions
she takes. She works tirelessly and attends as many relevant events and
meetings as is humanly possible, again, listening and talking to people
about Park Board issues.
Annie's in-depth understanding of important environmental issues such as
water quality and wetlands is invaluable. She understands the importance
of keeping our neighborhood parks open and available to all. She has
steadfastly voted against privatizing and giving away our park resources
to private developers. She has shown herself to be committed to land use
planning and developing a new Master Plan for the park system so that we
can continue to have one of the best park systems in the country.
Annie Young doesn't owe anything to any special interests - she votes her
conscience and for the betterment of the parks and the public. She has
been a true public servant in the best sense of the word. A vote for
Annie on November 8th is a vote for all of us and for the future of the
Minneapolis Parks.
--------21 of 24--------
Globalizing Sadism
The United States of Torture
By MIKE WHITNEY
CounterPunch
November 5 / 6, 2005
How did we stoop so low?
As if Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo weren't bad enough, the Bush
administration has added another layer of shame to our national disgrace.
Dana Priest's article "The CIA Holds Terror Suspects in Secret Prisons"
paints a sobering picture of an administration that has abandoned any
trace of integrity and completely run amok. The United States has become
the number 1 exporter of torture in the world today with Bush serving as
its foremost champion.
The article provides a window into the constellation of CIA prison camps
that dot the globe like the myriad islands in the Pacific. Thousands of
Muslim's have been swept up in a global dragnet and dumped in secret
gulags where they are subjected to the grueling regimen of beatings and
torture. The camps were authorized by President Bush in an executive
"finding" 6 days after Sept 11, that's when, as one high-ranking official
said, "The gloves came off". It "gave the CIA broad authorization to
disrupt terrorist activity, including permission to kill, capture and
detain members of al Qaeda anywhere in the world."
The result of Bush's action was the development of "black sites" where the
"disappeared" victims of American foreign policy could be held and treated
with impunity. These prisoners have been abducted from sovereign nations,
in clear violation of international law, tortured and, perhaps, killed,
without any legal process in place to shield them from the arbitrary
authority of US agents. How can any US citizen or American ally defend
this capricious and lethal conduct?
"The top 30 al Qaeda prisoners exist in complete isolation from the
outside world. Kept in dark, sometimes underground cells, they have no
recognized legal rights, and no one outside the CIA is allowed to talk
with or even see them, or to otherwise verify their well-being, said
current and former and U.S. and foreign government and intelligence
officials," Priest states.
"Complete isolation"? "No legal rights"? "Underground cells"?
Again, we see the familiar pattern of an administration which refuses to
be bound by either international law or common decency.
Ironically, Bush and co. have resurrected a number of the Soviet-era
prisons in the Eastern block for their vile activities. How strange that
the spawn of Ronald Reagan, arch-rival of the "evil empire", would breathe
new life into these relics of communist rule; throwing open the iron gates
and putting them back to work.
"Welcome to Riga Gulag: Under New Management."
Certainly, Dick Cheney would match up quite nicely with his antecedent,
Joe Stalin. Cheney has become the administration's foremost "advocate of
torture" (Washington Post). He has made a straightforward appeal to
members of Congress to continue to allow the "cruel, degrading and
inhuman" treatment of prisoners even though it is in clear violation of US
treaties banning torture and the Geneva Conventions. Many people now
believe that Cheney's impassioned plea to Congress has less to do with his
heartfelt convictions and more to do with the fact that the bloody
footprints for the abusive behavior leads straight to the VP's front door.
As Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell,
stated on NPR, "The Secretary of Defense, under cover of the Vice
President's office, began to authorize procedures within the armed forces
that led to what we've seen. There was a visible audit trail from the Vice
President's office through the Secretary of Defense, down to commanders in
the field."
Clearly, Cheney's present machinations in the Senate are just a way of
concealing his role in creating the policy. There's little doubt now of
his culpability.
The political fallout from the abuse-scandal will linger for decades to
come, tarnishing the image of the United States and undermining its claim
of being a staunch defender of human rights. What began in metal
containers in Afghanistan where Taliban suspects were asphyxiated in the
broiling summer sun, led to the open-air cages in Guantanamo Bay where
prisoners were callously exposed to the elements for nearly 4 months. The
devolution of policy has produced a daisy-chain of rat-infested dungeons
manned by CIA goons and bearing the imprimatur of the President of the
United States. The war on terror has metastasized into a war OF terror
producing its own toxic ethos that has infected every area of the body
politic.
The Red Cross, the ACLU, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International
have all provided documented evidence that the Bush administration is
engaged in widespread prisoner abuse. The allegations are further
corroborated by the eyewitness accounts of military personnel, former
inmates, and even Abu Ghraib's former-Commanding Officer, Gen. Janice
Karpinski. There's no doubt that cruel and unusual treatment of prisoners
is administration policy or that the chain of command follows a straight
path to the Oval Office.
The long catalogue of abominations and abuses begins and ends with George
W. Bush. He's the man in charge and that's where the buck stops.
Mike Whitney lives in Washington state. He can be reached at:
fergiewhitney [at] msn.com
--------22 of 24--------
[Capitalism and the Protestant ethic]
See How High You Can Fly...
When Gen. Westmoreland Visited My High School to Pray
By RON JACOBS
CounterPunch
November 5 / 6, 2005
In case you missed the news last summer, General Westmoreland is dead.
Some have written how the general was the "architect" of US military
policy in Vietnam. Let's get something straight here - Westmoreland wasn't
the architect of anything. His war strategy was older than King David:
just keep on sending warm bodies into battle and let them kill or be
killed. Then lie to the citizens about the way the war was going. That's
not a plan, it's plain murder. As young men facing the possibility of
being drafted into Westmoreland's architectural disaster, my friends and I
(and millions of other young men and their parents) were not impressed
with the General or his strategy. Unfortunately, our opinion didn't
matter.
Westmoreland continued to get his troops and Vietnamese and Americans kept
dying. The only time I ever was near the general was in high school. It
was 1971 or 1972 and near graduation. As part of the pomp and
circumstance, that year's graduating class was told that they must attend
a service at the base chapel. Very few seniors were excused from this
duplicitous exercise in piety. Unknown to all of the seniors, however, was
the fact that General Westmoreland would be in attendance and probably say
a few words. Now, just because the high school was on a military base and
catered to military dependents didn't mean that the young men and women
who attended the school supported the war. In fact, we had a pretty
good-sized group of students who were vocally opposed to that murderous
debacle. Indeed, after the invasion of Cambodia and the murders at Kent
State in 1970, close to half of the students walked out in protest. Of
course, there were also quite a few faculty members who shared (and
encouraged) our opposition.
Anyhow, as I heard the story (not being a senior I wasn't allowed to
attend the service), sometime after the second reading of the service, the
General stood up from his pew at the front of the church (where he was
surrounded by Military Police and various sycophantic officers) and walked
to the lectern. He began to issue forth the standard nonsense most
graduating seniors always hear about the future and so on. Then, he began
to talk about the holy mission of the US and its special place in the
world. My friend said it was like hearing John Winthrop give his city on
the hill sermon. After a couple minutes of this, some of the more
political students decided that they couldn't just sit there and do
nothing when this major war criminal was less than a hundred feet away
from them. So, they decided to stand up, say something and then walk out.
As it turned out, they had barely stood up when a couple school
administrators accompanied by a military policeman or two were at their
side. Before any of the standing students could utter a word they were
escorted from the building. I assume the General continued on.
There is a song by Eric Burdon and the Animals titled "Sky-Pilot." For
those readers unfamiliar with this tune, it is about the hypocritical life
of a military chaplain as he uses the name of god to send men and women of
to kill and die for the State. Whenever I play this tune or hear it on the
radio, I think of two events: the episode described herein with General
Wastemoreland and the constant characterization of this land's native
peoples as heathens and savages by US religious men during Washington's
campaign to exterminate America's indigenous nations. This use of religion
is the ultimate justification. Having it come from the mouths of men who
are supposedly in touch with god makes it the ultimate contradiction. In
today's world where the politicians and commentators wonder about and
curse the young men and women who choose radical Islam and kill themselves
in suicide bombings for their god, it might do well for us all to give
this song a listen. And wonder about those of us of the supposedly
Christian or Jewish persuasion who kill for our version of the holy one. A
name that comes instantly to mind in regards to the latter is General
Boykin, who considers Muslims to be the spawn of Satan. He is not alone. I
recently received an email from a gentleman whose brother is a chaplain in
the military and considers the Iraq war to be just, despite the fact that
the Vatican has decided the opposite. This writer has it right when he
wrote that his brother doesn't work for god, he works for the Pentagon.
Therein lays the confusion, no matter who the god is or the government.
Max Weber, the last century's great German thinker and writer on topics
peculiar to the world of bureaucracy and bloodshed that century created,
spoke of an iron cage of religion and capitalism in what is perhaps his
best work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. The essence
of his argument was this: the Protestant sects of Christianity
rationalized that profits derived by the few from the labor of many was
the will of their god. This was especially true if the man laboring and
the man profiting were doing it solely for the goodness of that god.
Indeed, this work on both sides of the owner's desk was to maintain an
almost ascetic quality, much in the manner that monks make wine and till
fields for nothing but a place to live and pray and food on the table. Of
course, the laborer suffered from this dynamic much more than the business
owner or the banker, but it was his god-given lot to do so and accept
that.
Weber continues, however, by stating that modern capitalism, with its
technology and mechanical basis, no longer requires this ascetic approach.
Now, instead of god's grace being the reason that caged man into a life
designed by the needs of capital (foremost among those being the need for
greater and greater profit), it is the need for profit itself. As for
those who labor for the boss, they have replaced toiling for the greater
good of god for toiling for the god of consumerism. Weber writes regarding
the profiteers: "the pursuit of wealth, stripped of its religious and
ethical meaning, tends to become associated with purely mundane passions,
which often give it the character of sport." As for the rest of us,
laboring to make our car payments and buy the latest thing from Circuit
City, we have become "Specialists without spirit, sensualists without
heart" who "imagine that (we) have attained a level of civilization never
before achieved."
Back to the war. What we are seeing in Iraq and the so-called war on
terror is a combination of cynical and millenarian impulses killing with
one intention. That intention is to control the world's resources and the
profits those resources bring. The aforementioned General Boykin (and
probably George Bush, as well) are of the millenarian inclination in that
they truly believe that the war they are waging is a holy one. On the
other hand are the cynics-I would include Rumsfeld and Cheney in this
group-who have no religious illusions and understand quite plainly that
this war is being fought for the only true religion-the religion of the
dollar. Indeed, the insensitivity and callousness of the war's treatment
of its victims, living and dead, is the ultimate realization of Weber's
"pursuit of wealth, stripped of its religious and ethical meaning," with
the war and its torture, wanton bloodshed, and deception becoming
something that these men and women play as if it were a sport. Meanwhile,
those of us who labor inside the iron cage whose gate is controlled by the
Rumsfelds, Bushes and those for whom they work, help to keep that gate
closed. After all, we have a civilization to maintain.
Ron Jacobs is author of The Way the Wind Blew: a history of the Weather
Underground, which is just republished by Verso. Jacobs' essay on Big Bill
Broonzy is featured in CounterPunch's new collection on music, art and
sex, Serpents in the Garden. He can be reached at: rjacobs3625 [at] charter.net
This piece originally appeared in State of Nature.
--------23 of 24--------
Don't Start Cheering Just Yet
Beginning of the End?
By BEN TRIPP
CounterPunch
November 5 / 6, 2005
Watching the zeppelin of the neoconservative movement burst into flames,
tethered to the mooring mast of George W. Bush's presidency, I experience
a shiver of such undiluted schadenfreude it's like to blew my earlobes
off. What joy to see these scheming, lubricious barghests come undone,
sinking beneath the hubris of their utter assurance that they alone are
blessed with the vision to fulfill mankind's destiny: to shovel money into
their pockets, regardless of the cost to life, love, or the future of the
world. May a trillion satanic parrots empty their fetorous bowels on the
sleek Italian suitings of these cruel arch-manipulators throughout a
sulfurous eternity. When any organism behaves in a manner contrary to the
mandates of survival, it perishes. This is the single law of life. So the
neoconservatives and their Republican strongmen have behaved, and so they
succumb. All well and good. But it's not over yet. The Right-wing beast is
not dead. Do not rejoice until the monster's head is stuffed and mounted
over the fireplace, and even then, keep a fire axe close to hand, and
watch its eyes. Because anything that lives on greed, lives forever. It
will need killing again before long.
There's been overmuch crowing on the Left at the misfortunes of the
rulership: look, hurricanes and sputtering economies and ill-got wars and
evil in all its banal and exotic forms, a once-great nation drowning in
its own effluent. Bird flu and cancer, radioactive waste and Chinese
capital; we little righteous folk may suffer, but we suffer less for being
the least culpable. At least our consciences are clean as we're flung like
bundles of faggots at the feet of the self-martyred burning swine that
sought to rule the world. So what? We're being just as gullible as swing
voters. After all, even if the cabal disbands, its members will be richer
than the greatest Caesars of Rome, more powerful than all the Medicis and
Rothschilds and a gross of King Louies together, even in disgrace. The
laws are bent in their favor, the rules loopholed to suit their game;
Croesus never had it so good, and the rest of us, besotten on good-on-yer
revenge, will continue to eat cold soup out of cans and live three to a
bedroom in shambolic obscurity until it's time to die.
The neocons have won, and won the long game, even if Bush goes down, which
he may not. The media loves a comeback story. If Bush cleans house, fires
a couple of front men and replaces them with photogenic ringers, and goes
on the road, the least penitence will earn him congratulatory spreads in
People magazine that would make an actress emerging from rehab blush. A
comeback narrative! O joy. O POTUS, promote us. And his poll numbers will
go up and he'll see to it that abortions are made illegal and the IRS is
devoted only to harrying the poor and the War on Frightening People goes
on and on forever and the loot pours into the coffers of a few
corporations with which he's friendly. Legacy? His legacy is secured
henceforth, no need to accomplish more. There is fifty years of work ahead
of us to repair the damage done to our republic, and two hundred years of
goodwill lost, and five hundred centuries of novelty weather to contend
with, and if there is a God, he is big wroth, daddy. I call that a win for
the folks that couldn't care less about such trifles. The rest of us have
work to do. For the next hundred years.
For one thing, America doesn't work properly. We need to fix that. The
two-party system has done what all binary systems do: it has settled into
stasis. Neither side has much more sway than the other, and so both sides
have drifted into the gravity of a larger body, in this case money.
Immense quantities of money have caused the so-called Left and Right to
enter an orbit around it. A third party would throw the system out of
balance, and then some progress might be achieved. Strip corporations of
their spurious human rights. That also would help. But whatever else must
be done, we must not imagine the fight is over. Winston Churchill, at the
Lord Mayor's Luncheon in 1942, said, "This is not the end. It is not even
the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
Obviously he was drunk, but the fat lady hasn't even cleared her throat
yet. Semper vigilans, me hearties. The beast lives.
Ben Tripp is an independent filmmaker and all-around swine. His book,
Square In The Nuts, may be purchased here, with other outlets to follow:
http://www.lulu.com/Squareinthenuts. Swag is available as always from
http://www.cafeshops/tarantulabros. And Mr. Tripp may be reached at
credel [at] earthlink.net.
--------24 of 24--------
It would be o so
neato to veto Alito
deny him a seato
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- David Shove shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu
rhymes with clove Progressive Calendar
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