Mn-prog-events Mailing List: Progressive Calendar 06.08.07

[David Shove (shove001]

             P R O G R E S S I V E   C A L E N D A R    06.08.07

1. Language of peace 6.09 9am Frontenac MN
2. Palestine         6.09 9:30am
3. Trans health      6.09 10am
4. Homeless connect  6.09 10am
5. Health tabling    6.09 10am
6. Food labor        6.09 10am
7. NWN4P Minnetonka  6.09 11am
8. GreenParty StPaul 6.09 12noon
9. War! Yay Bush!    6.09 12noon
10. Northtown vigil  6.09 2pm
11. RNC planning     6.09 2pm
12. Survivor dinner  6.09 5:30pm
13. Doubt media/CTV  6.09 9pm
14. David Korten/CTV 6.09 10pm

15. Stillwater vigil 6.10 1pm
16. AWC volunteer    6.10 1pm
17. WAMM 25th Bday   6.10 3pm
18. Jermey Scahill   6.10 eve?

19. Jeffrey StClair - Israel's attack on the USS Liberty, revisited

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From: "Jean Lauer" <jlauer [at] hbci.com>
Subject: Language of peace 6.09 9am Frontenac MN

Dear friends committed to peace in our world and in our lives,

We'd like to invite you to participate in a workshop on compassionate
communication to be held on June 9 at Villa Maria Center in Frontenac.
Please share the following information and the attached poster with members
of your organization who would like to focus on nonviolent communication.
Deep peace to you and yours, Jean Lauer Minister of Programs

VILLA MARIA CENTER TO HOST WORKSHOP
ON COMPASSIONATE COMMUNICATION JUNE 9

Frontenac, MN - Both a concrete road map of communication skills and a
spiritual practice, Nonviolent Communication (NVC) helps us see our common
humanity and live more peacefully.  In "The Language of Peace" workshop,
Wade Britzius teaches participants practical skills for communicating in
ways that honor the needs of both sides.

"I have been studying meditation for 20 years and have served as a
volunteer mediator for Trempealeau County Circuit Court for several years.
Teaching nonviolent communication gives hands and feet to spiritual
practice," says Wade Britzius.

Wade has been studying Nonviolent Communication since 2003.  He lives in
Galesville, Wisconsin, where he manages a Community Television Facility.
He has always had a strong interest in peace and the possibility of peace
between human beings.  Working towards certification in Nonviolent
Communication is a way to combine his education, experience and passion
for peace.

"It's easy to have lots of wonderful ideas to be more loving and get
along," said Wade, "but this workshop will give participants practical
tools and skills for peaceful communication.  It allows people to create a
quality connection and offers the possibility of meeting the needs of both
sides."

"A Language of Peace" will be held at Villa Maria Retreat Center on
Saturday, June 9 from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm.  Nonviolent Communication is
an effective, transformative, and learnable process for creating
fulfilling relationships, emotional freedom, self-acceptance, and inner
and outer peace.  The practice of this communication model is based on the
work of Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D. and the Center for Nonviolent
Communication (www.cnvc.org <http://www.cnvc.org/> .)

Participants will be introduced to simple yet powerful skills that will
allow them to recognize language that disconnects them from their inner
self and others.  They will also be immersed in active and empathetic
listening and learn to speak without creating hostility.  This process of
compassionate communicating allows people to resolve conflict peacefully
and in mutually satisfying ways.

"One of the core values of the Villa Maria Retreat Center is to promote
justice, peace and environmental stewardship," said Jean Lauer, program
director at the Villa. "Offering this type of workshop further
demonstrates our belief in and the importance of this value."

Villa Maria is located in Frontenac, Minnesota, overlooking the
Mississippi River and the bluffs of Wisconsin and is open to all.  Their
motto, "where God is center and the world is welcome" gives voice to their
mission to be open and inviting, providing a place for quiet, relaxation
and spiritual time.  In addition to individual retreats, the Villa offers
individual and group spiritual direction, retreats, a dream-work group,
and "A Day Away," which is a day of renewal, relaxation, spiritual
guidance and a massage.

For more information, please call Villa Maria Retreat & Conference Center
at 651-345-4582 or toll-free at 866-244-4582 or see the website at
www.villamariaretreats.org <http://www.villamariaretreats.org/>

Villa Maria Retreat and Conference Center 29847 Co. 2 Blvd., Frontenac, MN
55026 Phone:  651-345-4582 Ext. 17 Toll-Free:  866-244-4582 Home Office
Phone:  507-453-0576 Email:  <mailto:jlauer [at] hbci.com> jlauer [at] hbci.com
Website:  <http://www.villamariaretreats.org/> www.villamariaretreats.org
Contact: Jean Lauer jlauer [at] hbci.com www.villamariaretreats.org
http://www.villamariaretreats.org/>


--------2 of 19--------

From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Palestine 6.09 9:30am

Saturday, 6/9, 9:30 coffee, 10 to 11 am program, Palestine Solidarity
Project presents "Israel's Occupation of Palestinians: Isn't 40 Years
Encough?," Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 41st St & Lyndale, Mpls.
651-696-1642.


--------3 of 19--------

From: David Strand <mncivil [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: Trans health 6.09 10am

The Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition announces our first annual . .
TRANS COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR
Saturday, June 9, 2007
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
at the Phelps Recreation Center, 701 E 39th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
FREE with lunch and snacks provided (meat, vegetarian, vegan options available)
Pre-register online NOW at our website: http://www.mntransh ealth.org

FEATURING
"Getting Us All Covered For Everything: Steps to Trans Inclusive
Insurance" keynote speech by visiting expert Andre Wilson; 12 unique
workshops; variety of free health screenings;  community info tables &
free stuff!

DETAILS, DIRECTIONS & ACCESS
- An event for trans and gender variant people, partners, family, allies
and community
- Pre-registration is preferred: online at www.mntranshealth. org by phone
612-823-1152
- Registration will also be available at the door
- To request an ASL interpreter, please register online or by phone and
place your request by June 1
- Phelps Recreation Center is wheelchair accessible, has a small
off-street parking lot and plenty of on-street parking available, and is
located within 1 block of Metro Transit bus lines 5, 23, and 133 (see
www.metrotransit. org). There are both gender-neutral and gender-specific
restrooms available. Please refrain from wearing scented products so that
everyone, including those with allergies and Multiple Chemical
Sensitivities, can participate.
See our website for more details.

PROGRAMMING WILL INCLUDE:
 * "Getting Us All Covered For Everything:  Steps to Trans Inclusive
Insurance" -- a keynote speech by André Wilson from Michigan, a leading
expert on advocacy for transgender- inclusive insurance coverage,
currently serving as the Health Access Program Manager for the National
Center for Transgender Equality. In 2005, André led a successful union
campaign to bring trans-inclusive coverage to graduate employees at the
University of Michigan, work now carried forward in the national union
movement with resolutions in the American Federation of Teachers and Pride
At Work.
 * Health screenings and information (blood glucose, diabetes, stroke
prevention, blood pressure, cholesterol, heartburn treatment/preventio n,
healthy spine chiropractic screenings, HIV and STD info, and more)
 * 12 unique workshops, including hormones and surgery information,
holistic health and surgery, a panel of trans people in transition,
partners dialogue, advocacy panel, intro to yoga, and many more!
 * Chair massage
 * Info tables and free stuff by many trans, GLBTA and health community
organizations
y
CONTACT US If you have questions, or if you're interested in volunteering
or hosting an information table, please contact us at 612-823-1152 or
email us at info [at] mntranshealth. org.


--------4 of 19--------

From: Renee Jenson <faarjenson [at] qwest.net>
Subject: Homeless connect 6.09 10am

Volunteer at St. Paul/Ramsey County Project Homeless Connect

If you have questions about the email below, please contact Jim Anderson,
CHS Planner, at 266-4116 or jim.anderson [at] co.ramsey.mn.us

Please join St. Paul/Ramsey County Project Homeless Connect at the St.
Paul Armory on June 19, 2007. Your time and services will help end
homelessness.  Hundreds of volunteers will be needed to make this event a
success.  Please invite your friends, family and co-workers to volunteer
too.

There are opportunities for individuals and groups to volunteer.
Volunteer Commitment We ask that volunteers attend a one hour training
session prior to the event.  Set-up and clean-up volunteers are not
required to attend the training, but are welcome to. This year we are
offering two training options. When you register to volunteer, you will
also register to attend one of the training session.

Training Sessions
Saturday, June 9, 2007 from 10-11am
Union Gospel Mission, 435 University Avenue, St. Paul
or
Tuesday, June 12, 2007 from 7-8 pm
Catholic Charities Seton Services, 1276 University Avenue W, St. Paul
(please park on the street or in the Target Shopping Center parking lot)


--------5 of 19-------

From: joel michael albers <joel [at] uhcan-mn.org>
Subject: Health tabling 6.09 10am

We have a great tabling opportunity for getting the word out about
single-payer, health care for artists etc at the Northside Arts Collective
Arts Festival this saturday, from 10 AM-6PM, North Commons Park, 15th &
James, North Mpls.

Is there anyone out there who can table (distribute UHCAN-MN health care
literature) esp from 1PM-6PM or whatever. They waived the $40 fee because
they understand that many artists are not only starving, but don't have
health insurance.  In addition to art there will be music, food and just
fun. We will be next to a friend of mine so if you need time to roam
that's fine.

If interested in volunteering, i can email you all the info. Let me know
ASAP if you can do this fun event.

Joel Albers Universal Health Care Action Network Minnesota 612-384-0973
joel [at] uhcan-mn.org www.uhcan-mn.org Health Care Economics Researcher,
Clinical Pharmacist


--------6 of 18--------

From: Brian Payne <brianpayneyvp [at] gmail.com>
Subject: Food labor 6.09 10am

Contact: Brian Payne, brianpayneyvp [at] gmail.com, 612-859-5750
Report Back from Twin Cities Caravan to CIW action at McDonald's HQ in Chicago

Earlier this year, over 70 Minnesotans drove to Chicago to join the
Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) at McDonald's Global Headquarters to
demand an end to human rights violations in the fast-food giants' tomato
supply chain - AND WE WON!  Join participants for a Report-Back from the
action, and to learn more about the continuing struggle to end sweatshops
and slavery in the fields of Florida:

Saturday, June 9, 10am
Coffee Hour
Resource Center of the Americas
3019 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis

BACKGROUND:
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is a community-based worker
organization made up of Latino, Haitian and Mayan immigrants who are
working in low-wage jobs throughout the state of Florida.  The work of the
CIW to end human rights violations in the fields of Florida has been
recognized internationally, due in large part to the historic Taco Bell
Boycott which ended in significant pay increases and improved working
conditions for thousands of tomato pickers.

Following the victory in the Taco Bell Boycott, the CIW began focusing
pressure on the largest restaurant chain in the world - McDonald's - to
meet the same demands.  After a two year battle with McDonald's, the CIW
and their allies took an important step forward.  Only days before
thousands of people were to converge on McDonald's headquarters in
Chicago, McDonald's and the CIW reached a landmark accord that not only
met the standards set in the Taco Bell agreement, but also committed the
fast food giant to collaborate with the CIW to establish an industry-wide
third-party mechanism for monitoring conditions in the fields and
investigating abuses.  The agreement consisted of:

1. A penny more per pound to workers harvesting tomatoes for McDonald's
2. A stronger code of conduct based on the principle of worker
participation
3. And a collaborative effort to develop a third-party mechanism for
monitoring conditions in the fields and investigating workers' complaints
of abuse

The Twin Cities CIW Solidarity Committee is inviting the community to join
local participants from the historic Caravan to Chicago in a discussion
about the work of the CIW:

Saturday, June 9, 10am
Resource Center of the Americas
3019 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis


--------7 of 19--------

From: Carole Rydberg <carydberg [at] comcast.net>
Subject: NWN4P Minnetonka 6.09 11am

NWN4P-Minnetonka demonstration- Every Saturday, 11 AM to noon, at Hwy. 7
and 101.  Park in the Target Greatland lot; meet near the
fountain. We will walk along the public sidewalk. Bring your own signs.


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From: Andrew Abruzzese <spreadleft [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: GreenParty StPaul 6.09 12noon

This is a reminder that the June GPSP meetings have been rescheduled due to
the GPMN meeting that is scheduled for June 2.  Because of the conflict with
the GPMN meeting, the June GPSP meeting was rescheduled to the following
Saturday, at the same location and time:

Saturday, June 9, 2007, 12:00-2:00, Mississippi Market, Selby/Dale.


--------9 of 19---------

From: Jodin <jodin [at] beingism.org>
Subject: War! Yay Bush! 6.09 12noon

Contact: Jodin Morey Cofounder Impeach for Peace 1111 Elway St. Suite 505
St. Paul, MN 55116 Phone: 612-328-1451 jodin [at] beingism.org
http://ImpeachforPeace.org

Rally to Stop Impeachment and Continue the War!

On Saturday, June 9th, 2007 at noon, ImpeachForPeace.org and concerned
citizens of Minnesota will gather in Uptown Minneapolis under the guise of
the organization Patriots for Corporate Rights. Meeting at Lagoon and
Hennepin in front of the library, the group will present a shocking
message: Our President needs to be able to preemptively invade any country
he decides may be a threat to our own. Attendees will also carry signs
that support President Bush¹s right to arrest, detain indefinitely, and
torture Americans.

By boldly standing up in defense of war and torture and opposing
impeachment, ImpeachForPeace.org hopes to motivate people to take action
against the war and to support the impeachment of President Bush. They
will be holding signs reading, ³Stop talking about impeachment!² ³Death to
Iraq!² "3,000 Soldiers is worth it" and ³War is good for business.² This
kind of dissent is in the tradition of groups like The Yes Men or
Billionaires for Bush.

ImpeachForPeace.org invites people who oppose the war to join them and
bring signs that express outrage at the idea of impeachment. This event is
a follow up to Patriots for Corporate Rights¹ first rally in February; a
video for this event can be found at http://corporaterights.org .

Malcolm Bosman http://CorporateRights.org
For more information please contact Jodin Morey, Cofounder of Impeach for
Peace, at 612.328.1451, or call Mikael Rudolph directly at 612-302-9252.
Additional Contact Information: jodin [at] beingism.org
minneapolis [at] impeachforpeace.org http://impeachforpeace.org


--------10 of 19--------

From: Lennie <major18 [at] comcast.net>
Subject: Northtown vigil 6.09 2pm

Mounds View peace vigil EVERY SATURDAY from 2-3pm at the at the southeast
corner of the intersection of Co. Hwy 10 and University Ave NE in Blaine,
which is the northwest most corner of the Northtown Mall area. This is a
MUCH better location.

We'll have extra signs.  Communities situated near the Northtown Mall
include: Blaine, Mounds View, New Brighton, Roseville, Shoreview, Arden
Hills, Spring Lake Park, Fridley, and Coon Rapids.

For further information, email major18 [at] comcast.net or call Lennie at
763-717-9168


--------11 of 19-------

From: Dave Bicking <dave [at] colorstudy.com>
Subject: RNC planning 6.09 2pm

Fellow Greens,

Organizers have been planning a response to the Republican National
Convention ever since it was announced that it would be held in St. Paul
in 2008.  We need to show the nation and the world what we think of the
Republicans and of the (largely bi- partisan) agenda of war, torture,
theft from the poor, environmental destruction, etc.  This is a moment for
Greens to show our contrast with an organization that opposes every single
one of our Ten Key Values.  Twin Cities activists will also be providing
coordination and logistics for a huge influx of protesters from around the
country.

To give direction to the planning, two major organizing groups have
organized a Town Hall Meeting to bring out people's visions and ideas for
what our response should be to the RNC.

 * Saturday, June 9, 2pm Town Hall planning meeting for RNC, at St. Paul
Student Union (North Terrace), 2017 Buford Ave, St.  Paul (NEW location)
(full announcement reprinted below)

Note the new location, in case you have received an earlier notice of this
meeting from some other source.  Last minute problems necessitated a
change from the St. Paul Trades and Labor Hall.  The St. Paul Student
Union is on the St. Paul campus of the U of M, at the corner of Buford and
Cleveland Ave. N.

The MN Green Party certainly has something to contribute to this process.
Our critique of the values of both major parties is combined with a real
alternative vision.

This should be a big and important meeting.  I hope you can make it there.
Also, I would like the Green Party to be thinking about how we want to
build for and participate in the protests at the RNC.
 Group endorsements are being sought for a call to protest at the RNC.  I
would like the State Green Party to endorse that call.  Tomorrow's meeting
would be a good chance for members to check out the current organizing and
influence its direction.

I'll send another email later with more information on the call for
endorsements.  Until then, you can look up the call and the list of
current endorsers at:  http://protestrnc2008.org/

Here is the announcement as written by the groups organizing tomorrow's
meeting:

Resisting the RNC: Minnesota Town Hall Organizing Meeting
Saturday, June 9th @ 2pm to 5pm
NEW LOCATION (sorry for confusion)
 U of M - St. Paul Student Center
 2017 Buford Ave, St. Paul, MN
   Directions and parking info:
http://www.spsc.umn.edu/about/directions.php

The Republican National Convention (RNC) is coming to our backyard.
Feeling angry?  Want to do something? You and your organization are
invited to join us for a gathering of those who have already started
organizing to resist the RNC in 2008 and those looking for a place to
start.  This will be a space for people to come together and share ideas
and energy.

The afternoon will be broken into 3 parts.  We'll start with a
"clearinghouse" where organizations can table and have an opportunity to
chat with attendees one-on-one.  This will be followed by a facilitated
"open mic" discussion period.  Discussion will start with explanations
about what is already underway, and continue with attendees sharing their
hopes, dreams, and visions with each other.  The day will conclude with
"break out" sessions where participants gather around specific topics of
interest and decide on "next steps." Let's meet each other, get to know
each other, and start to work together! Child Care and Snacks Provided.

Co-hosted by: Protest RNC 2008 and the RNC "Welcoming"  Committee.  (
http://protestrnc2008.org/ and http://www.nornc.org/ )

 To increase your participation level please contact Karen R at:
vegan14ever [at] riseup.net.  Increased participation could include:  having an
information table, presenting your "already underway"  plans, and/or
volunteering to help with the event.


--------12 of 19---------

From: Michelle Gross <mgresist [at] minn.net>
Subject: Survivor dinner 6.09 5:30pm

We sent this out in our newsletter but I want to extend a personal
invitation to you to attend our Survivor, Family and Friends dinner next
Saturday.  These dinners are a wonderful opportunity to relax together,
celebrate our victories, get to know each other better and renew our
energy for the struggle ahead.  We promise outstanding food and
conversation.

AS AN ADDED BONUS, I'll be turning 50 a few days after the dinner so I'll
donate a cake so I can celebrate with you, my colleagues and friends.
-Michelle

SURVIVOR, FAMILY AND FRIENDS DINNER
Saturday, June 9th, 5:30 p.m.
Walker Church
3100 16th Ave S, Minneapolis
***FREE***

Transportation and Child Care Available (call 612-874-7867) Survivors of
police brutality, family members and all of our friends who oppose police
brutality and support police accountability are invited to an evening of
dining and socializing.  You will be treated to a sumptuous feast prepared
by one of our volunteers, a top-notch chef.  This event will be informal
and children are more than welcome.

This event is free.  No donations will be solicited.  This is just a
chance for people dealing with the effects of police brutality to meet and
get to know each other in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.  During past
events, people who met ended up supporting each other in court and helping
other survivors get justice.  Just knowing that others are dealing with
what you experienced can be beneficial.  Join us for good food and good
fellowship.


--------13 of 19-------

From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Doubt media/CTV 6.09 9pm

Minneapolis Television Network (MTN 17) viewers:

"Our World In Depth" cablecasts weekly on MTN Channel 17.  Households with
basic cable can watch.  "Our World In Depth" is on Saturday at 9 pm and
the following Tuesday at 8 am (as well as other times).

** 6/9 and 6/12 **  "Questioning the Media" w/Lydia Howell of The Pulse of
the Twin Cities and Jeff Nygaard of Nygaard Notes.  Hosted by Karen
Redleaf.

"Our World In Depth" features analysis of public affairs with
consideration of and participation from Twin Cities area activists.  The
show is mostly local and not corporately influenced! With respect to Mr.
Moyers, "Our World In Depth" might be better than PBS!  For information
about future programing of "Our World In Depth", please send an e-mail to
eric-angell [at] riseup.net.


-------14 of 19--------

From: alforgreens [at] comcast.net
Subject: David Korten/CTV 6.09 10pm

Northwest Community Television  Channel 20

6/9 and 6/10 "David Korten: The Great Turning from Empire to Earth
Community".  Presentation by author Korten recorded April '07 in Mpls. on
the program "Our World in Depth" by Eric Angell

Saturday, June 9, 2007 10:00PM
Sunday, June 10, 2007 4:00AM
Sunday, June 10, 2007 10:00AM
Sunday, June 10, 2007 4:00PM


--------15 of 19--------

From: scot b <earthmannow [at] comcast.net>
Subject: Stillwater vigil 6.10 1pm

A weekly Vigil for Peace Every Sunday, at the Stillwater bridge from 1- 2
p.m.  Come after Church or after brunch ! All are invited to join in song
and witness to the human desire for peace in our world. Signs need to be
positive.  Sponsored by the St. Croix Valley Peacemakers.

If you have a United Nations flag or a United States flag please bring it.
Be sure to dress for the weather . For more information go to
<http://www.stcroixvalleypeacemakers.com/>http://www.stcroixvalleypeacemakers.com/

For more information you could call 651 275 0247 or 651 999 - 9560


--------16 of 19--------

From: awcmere <meredith [at] antiwarcommittee.org>
Subject: AWC volunteer 6.10 1pm

Volunteer Day: Pride planning
Sun 6/10 @ 1 to 3pm @ AWC office, 1313 5th St SE #213, Mpls.

Many hands make for light work! Please help us get ready for our
biggest outreach event of the year.


--------17 of 19--------

From: "wamm [at] mtn.org" <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: WAMM 25th Bday 6.10 3pm

Women Against Military Madness  (WAMM) is  Celebrating 25 Years of
Making Waves.
25th Anniversary celebration will be held Sunday, June 10, 2007 at the
Minnesota Boat Club on Raspberry Island, One South Wabasha, St. Paul,
Minnesota
Open House, 3:00 - 8:00 p.m. Music,hor d'oeuvres, cash bar.

More information: 612-827-5364
Suggested donations (to continue the work of WAMM) : $25-$250+
An opportunity to meet the wonderful women of WAMM, celebrate past
achievements and continuing work for justice and peace in the world.

Women Against Military Madness (WAMM)

Organization History, Goals and Accomplishments:
Women Against Military Madness, was founded in 1982, as a nonviolent
feminist organization that works in solidarity with others to create a
system of social equality, self-determination and justice through
education and empowerment of women. WAMM's purpose is to dismantle systems
of militarism and global oppression.

WAMM acts for social justice in U.S. foreign and defense policy. WAMM
condemns a U.S. foreign policy that uses military action to respond to
world conflicts and to seize and maintain power over other people and
nations. We support the development and implementation of non-violent
solutions to the ever-changing challenges of living in a global community.
WAMM supports the transfer of funds from the military budget to programs
beneficial to the health and welfare of those in need and to the
preservation of the earth.

WAMM opposed the nuclear arms race; supported Native American
spear-fishing rights, the Minnesota nurses strike, and welfare rights;
and, in coalition with the Honeywell Project, struggled to get Honeywell
to stop producing landmines. WAMM became known for its creative and
consistent, legal nonviolent activism. WAMM and coalition partners held
the first protest in the U.S. against troop deployment leading up to the
Gulf War. Since then, WAMM has organized demonstrations, vigils and fasts
to protest against the deadly sanctions and continued bombing of Iraq,
Afghanistan and the second war against Iraq. WAMM called for an end to the
interventions and bloody conflicts in Panama, Yugoslavia, East Timor,
Somalia, and Israel/Palestine. By campaigning against the "Contract On
America," WAMM linked domestic cuts to military madness. Today WAMM joins
Welfare Rights Committee in their quests to protect society's most
vulnerable people.  Together with coalition partners, WAMM defeated
attempts to mandate Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) in
Minneapolis public high schools. WAMM has been active ever since in
counter recruitment and conscientious objection (the legal right to refuse
to kill)

Over the past few years, through the Tackling Torture at the Top (T3)
Committee, WAMM has been active in opposing professional complicity
(doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, attorneys, professors, etc. who
are complicit in working in institutions such as the government, military
and colleges) in employing torture. WAMM's Middle East Committee, always
active, is conducting a series of events in early June on
Israel/Palestine. WAMM's Iraq Committee continues to be active in working
on stopping the war and occupation.

WAMM works in issue-based committees. WAMM maintains weekly peace vigils
in the Twin Cities area to end the occupations of Iraq and Palestine,
sends out a weekly e-calendar of WAMM-sponsored and endorsed events,
maintains a web site www.worldwidewamm.org that is regularly updated and
publishes a newsletter ten times a year with original articles that
analyze current and ongoing peace and justice issues (archived online).
Once a month WAMM presents documentaries, followed by discussion, to
explore current topics at Monday Night at the Movies. WAMM's outreach
further extends to continually holding educational forums and talks with
knowledgeable speakers, often from the country in which a conflict
occurred, to educate themselves and the public on root causes of violence.
WAMM also maintains a book club to study issues of foreign policy
(empire-related) and related domestic issues. WAMM conducts outreach to
schools, community organizations and religious and secular groups. Most of
WAMM's events are free and open to the public. WAMM often works in
coalition with other organizations that have common goals.

WAMM is comprised of volunteer committees, two full-timed staff members
(Mary Beaudoin has been the director for the past three years. Vanessa
Lawrow has been the office manager for the past three years). High-school
and college interns also contribute their time and efforts to WAMM

WAMM COMMITTEES
BOOK CLUB
COUNTER RECRUITMENT/CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
INTERNATIONAL
IRAQ
MIDDLE EAST
ST. JOAN OF ARC/WAMM PEACEMAKERS
TACKLING TORTURE AT THE TOP (T3)
THIRD MONDAY AT THE MOVIES
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
COALITIONS WAMM BELONGS TO:
MIDDLE EAST PEACE NOW
COALITION FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS
HAITI JUSTICE
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
IRAQ PEACE ACTION (IPAC)
MINNESOTA ALLIANCE OF PEACEMAKERS  (MAP)
MINNESOTA ALLIANCE OF PROGRESSIVE ACTION (MAPA)
PHILLIP BERRIGAN DEPLETED URANIUM

To give a donation to WAMM, click this link:
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--------18 of 19--------

From: Ahmed <ata200221 [at] MSN.COM>
Subject: Jermey Scahill 6.10 eve?

Guest of this week/ June 10th [some time in the evening, I think - ed]
Jeremy Scahill

Belahdan interviewed Jeremy Scahill, regular contributor to the Nation and
Democracy Now and author of "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most
Powerful Mercenary Army," Please watch his interview on tpt June 10th.

Thank you Sincerely Ahmed Tharwat Host/ Producer TV show BelAhdan a show
with an accent Airs every Sunday

MN Public TV ahmed [at] belAhdan.com www.belahdan.com
<http://www.belahdan.com/>


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Rockets, Napalm, Torpedoes & Lie
Israel's Attack on the USS Liberty, Revisited
By JEFFREY ST. CLAIR
CounterPunch
June 8, 2007

In early June of 1967, at the onset of the Six Day War, the Pentagon sent
the USS Liberty from Spain into international waters off the coast of Gaza
to monitor the progress of Israel's attack on the Arab states. The Liberty
was a lightly armed surveillance ship.

Only hours after the Liberty arrived it was spotted by the Israeli
military. The IDF sent out reconnaissance planes to identify the ship.
They made eight trips over a period of three hours. The Liberty was flying
a large US flag and was easily recognizable as an American vessel.

A few hours later more planes came. These were Israeli Mirage III
fighters, armed with rockets and machine guns. As off-duty officers
sunbathed on the deck, the fighters opened fire on the defenseless ship
with rockets and machine guns.

A few minutes later a second wave of planes streaked overhead,
French-built Mystere jets, which not only pelted the ship with gunfire but
also with napalm bomblets, coating the deck with the flaming jelly. By
now, the Liberty was on fire and dozens were wounded and killed, excluding
several of the ship's top officers.

The Liberty's radio team tried to issue a distress call, but discovered
the frequencies had been jammed by the Israeli planes with what one
communications specialist called "a buzzsaw sound". Finally, an open
channel was found and the Liberty got out a message to the USS America,
the Sixth Fleet's large aircraft carrier, that it was under attack

Two F-4s left the carrier to come to the Liberty's aid. Apparently, the
jets were armed only with nuclear weapons. When word reached the Pentagon,
Defense Secretary Robert McNamara became irate and ordered the jets to
return. "Tell the Sixth Fleet to get those aircraft back immediately," he
barked. McNamara's injunction was reiterated in saltier terms by Admiral
David L. McDonald, the chief of Naval Operations: "You get those fucking
airplanes back on deck, and you get them back down." The planes turned
around. And the attack on the Liberty continued.

After the Israeli fighter jets had emptied their arsenal of rockets, three
Israeli attack boats approached the Liberty. Two torpedoes were launched
at the crippled ship, one tore a 40-foot wide hole in the hull, flooding
the lower compartments, and killing more than a dozen American sailors.

As the Liberty listed in the choppy seas, its deck aflame, crew members
dropped life rafts into the water and prepared to scuttle the ship. Given
the number of wounded, this was going to be a dangerous operation. But it
soon proved impossible, as the Israeli attack boats strafed the rafts with
machine gun fire. No body was going to get out alive that way.

After more than two hours of unremitting assault, the Israelis finally
halted their attack. One of the torpedo boats approached the Liberty. An
officer asked in English over a bullhorn: "Do you need any help?"

The wounded commander of the Liberty, Lt. William McGonagle, instructed
the quartermaster to respond emphatically: "Fuck you."

The Israeli boat turned and left.

A Soviet destroyer responded before the US Navy, even though a US
submarine, on a covert mission, was apparently in the area and had
monitored the attack. The Soviet ship reached the Liberty six hours before
the USS Davis. The captain of the Soviet ship offered his aid, but the
Liberty's commanding officer refused.

Finally, 16 hours after the attack two US destroyers reached the Liberty.
By that time, 34 US sailors were dead and 174 injured, many seriously. As
the wounded were being evacuated, an officer with the Office of Naval
Intelligence instructed the men not to talk to the press about their
ordeal.

The following morning Israel launched a surprise invasion of Syria,
breaching the new cease-fire agreement and seizing control of the Golan
Heights.

Within three weeks, the Navy put out a 700-page report, exonerating the
Israelis, claiming the attack had been accidental and that the Israelis
had pulled back as soon as they realized their mistake. Defense Secretary
Robert McNamara suggested the whole affair should be forgotten. "These
errors do occur," McNamara concluded.

***
In Assault on the Liberty, a first-hand account by James Ennes Jr.,
McNamara's version of events is proven to be as big a sham as his
concurrent lies about Vietnam. Ennes's book created a media storm when it
was first published by Random House in 1980, including (predictably)
charges that Ennes was a liar and an anti-Semite. Still, the book sold
more than 40,000 copies, but was eventually allowed to go out of print.
Now Ennes has published an updated version, which incorporates much new
evidence that the Israeli attack was deliberate and that the US government
went to extraordinary lengths to disguise the truth.

It's a story of Israel aggression, Pentagon incompetence, official lies,
and a cover-up that persists to this day. The book gains much of its power
from the immediacy of Ennes's first-hand account of the attack and the
lies that followed.

Now, 35 years later, Ennes warns that the bloodbath on board the Liberty
and its aftermath should serve as a tragic cautionary tale about the
continuing ties between the US government and the government of Israel.

The Attack on the Liberty is the kind of book that makes your blood
seethe. Ennes skillfully documents the life of the average sailor on one
of the more peculiar vessels in the US Navy, with an attention for detail
that reminds one of Dana or O'Brien. After all, the year was 1967 and most
of the men on the Liberty were certainly glad to be on a non-combat ship
in the middle of the Mediterranean, rather than in the Gulf of Tonkin or
Mekong Delta.

But this isn't Two Years Before the Mast. In fact, Ennes's tour on the
Liberty last only a few short weeks. He had scarcely settled into a
routine before his new ship was shattered before his eyes.

Ennes joined the Liberty in May of 1967, as an Electronics Material
Officer. Serving on a "spook ship", as the Liberty was known to Navy
wives, was supposed to be a sure path to career enhancement. The Liberty's
normal routine was to ply the African coast, tuning in its eavesdropping
equipment on the electronic traffic in the region.

The Liberty had barely reached Africa when it received a flash message
from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to sail from the Ivory Coast to the
Mediterranean, where it was to re-deploy off the coast of the Sinai to
monitor the Israeli attack on Egypt and the allied Arab nations.

As the war intensified, the Liberty sent a request to the fleet
headquarters requesting an escort. Request denied, by Admiral William
Martin. The Liberty moved alone to a position in international waters
about 13 miles from the shore at El Arish, then under furious siege by the
IDF.

On June 6, the Joint Chiefs sent Admiral McCain, father of the senator
from Arizona, an urgent message instructing him to move the Liberty out of
the war zone to a position at least 100 miles off the Gaza Coast. McCain
never forwarded the message to the ship.

A little after seven in the morning on June 8, Ennes entered the bridge of
the Liberty to take the morning watch. Ennes was told that an hour earlier
a "flying boxcar" (later identified as a twin-engine Nord 2501 Noratlas)
had flown over the ship at a low level.

Ennes says he noticed that the ship's American flag had become stained
with soot and ordered a new flag run up the mast. The morning was clear
and calm, with a light breeze.

At 9 am, Ennes spotted another reconnaissance plane, which circled the
Liberty. An hour later two Israeli fighter jets buzzed the ship. Over the
next four hours, Israeli planes flew over the Liberty five more times.

When the first fighter jet struck, a little before two in the afternoon,
Ennes was scanning the skies from the starboard side of the bridge,
binoculars in his hands. A rocket hit the ship just below where Ennes was
standing, the fragments shredded the men closest to him.

After the explosion, Ennes noticed that he was the only man left standing.
But he also had been hit by more than 20 shards of shrapnel and the force
of the blast had shattered his left leg. As he crawled into the
pilothouse, a second fighter jet streaked above them and unleashed its
payload on the hobbled Liberty.

At that point, Ennes says the crew of the Liberty had no idea who was
attacking them or why. For a few moments, they suspected it might be the
Soviets, after an officer mistakenly identified the fighters as MIG-15s.
They knew that the Egyptian air force already had been decimated by the
Israelis. The idea that the Israelis might be attacking them didn't occur
to them until one of the crew spotted a Star of David on the wing of one
of the French-built Mystere jets.

Ennes was finally taken below deck to a makeshift dressing station, with
other wounded men. It was hardly a safe harbor. As Ennes worried that his
fractured leg might slice through his femoral artery leaving him to bleed
to death, the Liberty was pummeled by rockets, machine-gun fire and an
Italian-made torpedo packed with 1,000-pounds of explosive.

After the attack ended, Ennes was approached by his friend Pat O'Malley, a
junior officer, who had just sent a list of killed and wounded to the
Bureau of Naval Personnel. He got an immediate message back. "They said,
'Wounded in what action? Killed in what action?'," O'Malley told Ennes.
"They said it wasn't an 'action,' it was an accident. I'd like for them to
come out here and see the difference between an action and an accident.
Stupid bastards."

The cover-up had begun.

***
The Pentagon lied to the public about the attack on the Liberty from the
very beginning. In a decision personally approved by the loathsome
McNamara, the Pentagon denied to the press that the Liberty was an
intelligence ship, referring to it instead as a Technical Research ship,
as if it were little more than a military version of Jacques Cousteau's
Calypso.

The military press corps on the USS America, where most of the wounded
sailors had been taken, were placed under extreme restrictions. All of the
stories filed from the carrier were first routed through the Pentagon for
security clearance, objectionable material was removed with barely a bleat
of protest from the reporters or their publications.

Predictably, Israel's first response was to blame the victim, a tactic
that has served them so well in the Palestinian situation. First, the IDF
alleged that it had asked the State Department and the Pentagon to
identify any US ships in the area and was told that there were none. Then
the Israeli government charged that the Liberty failed to fly its flag and
didn't respond to calls for it to identify itself. The Israelis contended
that they assumed the Liberty was an Egyptian supply ship called El Quseir
which, even though it was a rusting transport ship then docked in
Alexandria, the IDF claimed was suspected of shelling Israeli troops from
the sea. Under these circumstances, the Israelis said they were justified
in opening fire on the Liberty. The Israelis said that they halted the
attack almost immediately, when they realized their mistake.

"The Liberty contributed decisively toward its identification as an enemy
ship," the IDF report concluded. This was entirely false, since the
Israelis had identified the Liberty at least six hours prior to the attack
on the ship.

Even though the Pentagon knew better, it gave credence to the Israeli
account by saying that perhaps the Liberty's flag had lain limp on the
flagpole in a windless sea. The Pentagon also suggested that the attack
might have lasted less than 20 minutes.

After the initial battery of misinformation, the Pentagon imposed a news
blackout on the Liberty disaster until after the completion of a Court of
Inquiry investigation.

The inquiry was headed by Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd. Kidd didn't have a
free hand. He'd been instructed by Vice-Admiral McCain to limit the damage
to the Pentagon and to protect the reputation of Israel.

Kidd interviewed the crew on June 14 and 15. The questioning was extremely
circumscribed. According to Ennes, the investigators "asked nothing that
might be embarrassing to Israel and testimony that tended to embarrass
Israel was covered with a 'Top Secret' label, if it was accepted at all."

Ennes notes that even testimony by the Liberty's communications officers
about the jamming of the ship's radios was classified as "Top Secret". The
reason? It proved that Israel knew it was attacking an American ship.
"Here was strong evidence that the attack was planned in advance and that
our ship's identity was known to the attackers (for it its practically
impossible to jam the radio of a stranger), but this information was
hushed up and no conclusions were drawn from it," Ennes writes.

Similarly, the Court of Inquiry deep-sixed testimony and affidavits
regarding the flag. Ennes, remember, had ordered a crisp new one deployed
early on the morning of the attack. The investigators buried intercepts of
conversations between IDF pilots identifying the ship as flying an
American flag.

It also refused to accept evidence about the IDF's use of napalm during
the attacks and choose not to hear testimony regarding the duration of the
attacks and the fact that the US Navy failed to send planes to defend the
ship.

"No one came to help us," said Dr. Richard F. Kiepfer, the Liberty's
physician. "We were promised help, but no help came. The Russians arrived
before our own ships did. We asked for an escort before we ever came to
the war zone and we were turned down."

None of this made its way into the 700-page Court of Inquiry report, which
was completed within a couple of weeks and sent to Admiral McCain in
London for review.

McCain approved the report over the objections of Captain Merlin Staring,
the Navy legal officer assigned to the inquiry, who found the report to be
flawed, incomplete and contrary to the evidence.

Staring sent a letter to the Judge Advocate General of the Navy disavowing
the report. The JAG seemed to take Staring's objections to heart. He
prepared a summary for the Chief of Naval Operations that almost
completely ignored the Kidd/McCain report. Instead, it concluded:

"that the Liberty was easily recognizable as an American naval vessel;
that its flag was fully deployed and flying in a moderate breeze; that
Israeli planes made at least eight reconnaissance flights at close range;
the ship came under a prolonged attack from Israeli fighter jets and
torpedo boats."

This succinct and largely accurate report was stamped Top Secret by Navy
brass and stayed locked up for many years. But it was seen by many in the
Pentagon and some in the Oval Office. But there was enough grumbling about
the way the Liberty incident had been handled that LBJ summoned that old
Washington fixer Clark Clifford to do damage control. It didn't take
Clifford long to come up with the official line: the Israelis simply had
made a tragic mistake.

It turns out that Admiral Kidd and Captain Ward Boston, the two
investigating officers who prepared the original report for Admiral
McCain, both believed that the Israeli attack was intentional and
sustained. In other words, the IDF knew that they were striking an
American spy ship and they wanted to sink it and kill as many sailors as
possible. Why then did the Navy investigators produce a sham report that
concluded it was an accident?

Twenty-five years later we've finally found out. In June of 2002, Captain
Boston told the Navy Times: "Officers follow orders."

It gets worse. There's plenty of evidence that US intelligence agencies
learned on June 7 that Israel intended to attack the Liberty on the
following day and that the strike had been personally ordered by Moshe
Dayan.

As the attacks were going on, conversations between Israeli pilots were
overheard by US Air Force officers in an EC121 surveillance plane
overhead. The spy plane was spotted by Israeli jets, which were given
orders to shoot it down. The American plane narrowly avoided the IDF
missiles.

Initial reports on the incident prepared by the CIA, Office of Naval
Intelligence and the National Security Agency all reached similar
conclusions.

A particularly damning report compiled by a CIA informant suggests that
Israeli Defense minister Moshe Dayan personally ordered the attack and
wanted it to proceed until the Liberty was sunk and all on board killed. A
heavily redacted version of the report was released in 1977. It reads in
part:

"[The source] said that Dayan personally ordered the attack on the ship
and that one of his generals adamantly opposed the action and said, 'This
is pure murder.' One of the admirals who was present also disapproved of
the action, and it was he who ordered it stopped and not Dayan."

This amazing document generated little attention from the press and Dayan
was never publicly questioned about his role in the attack.

The analyses by the intelligence agencies are collected in a 1967
investigation by the Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations. Two and half
decades later that report remains classified. Why? A former committee
staffer said: "So as not to embarrass Israel."

More proof has recently come to light from the Israeli side. A few years
after Attack on the Liberty was originally published, Ennes got a call
from Evan Toni, an Israeli pilot. Toni told Ennes that he had just read
his book and wanted to tell him his story. Toni said that he was the pilot
in the first Israeli Mirage fighter to reach the Liberty. He immediately
recognized the ship to be a US Navy vessel. He radioed Israeli air command
with this information and asked for instructions. Toni said he was ordered
to "attack". He refused and flew back to the air base at Ashdod. When he
arrived he was summarily arrested for disobeying orders.

***
How tightly does the Israeli lobby control the Hill? For the first time in
history, an attack on an America ship was not subjected to a public
investigation by Congress. In 1980, Adlai Stevenson and Barry Goldwater
planned to open a senate hearing into the Liberty affair. Then Jimmy
Carter intervened by brokering a deal with Menachem Begin, where Israel
agreed to pony up $6 million to pay for damages to the ship. A State
Department press release announcing the payment said, "The book is now
closed on the USS Liberty."

It certainly was the last chapter for Adlai Stevenson. He ran for governor
of Illinois the following year, where his less than perfect record on
Israel, and his unsettling questions about the Liberty affair, became an
issue in the campaign. Big money flowed into the coffers of his Republican
opponent, Big Jim Thompson, and Stevenson went down to a narrow defeat.

But the book wasn't closed for the sailors either, of course. After a
Newsweek story exposed the gist of what really happened on that day in the
Mediterranean, an enraged Admiral McCain placed all the sailors under a
gag order. When one sailor told an officer that he was having problems
living with the cover-up, he was told: "Forget about it, that's an order."

The Navy went to bizarre lengths to keep the crew of the Liberty from
telling what they knew. When gag orders didn't work, they threatened
sanctions. Ennes tells of the confinement and interrogation of two Liberty
sailors that sounds like something straight from the CIA's MK-Ultra
program.

"In an incredible abuse of authority, military officers held two young
Liberty sailors against their will in a locked and heavily guarded
psychiatric ward of the base hospital," Ennes writes. "For days these men
were drugged and questioned about their recollections of the attack by a
'therapist' who admitted to being untrained in either psychiatry or
psychology. At one point, they avoided electroshock only by bolting from
the room and demanding to see the commanding officer."

Since coming home, the veterans who have tried to tell of their ordeal
have been harassed relentlessly. They've been branded as drunks, bigots,
liars and frauds. Often, it turns out, these slurs have been leaked by the
Pentagon. And, oh yeah, they've also been painted as anti-Semites.

In a recent column, Charley Reese describes just how mean-spirited and
petty this campaign became. "When a small town in Wisconsin decided to
name its library in honor of the USS Liberty crewmen, a campaign claiming
it was anti-Semitic was launched," writes Reese. "And when the town went
ahead, the U.S. government ordered no Navy personnel to attend, and sent
no messages. This little library was the first, and at the time the only,
memorial to the men who died on the Liberty."

***
So why then did the Israelis attack the Liberty?

A few days before the Six Days War, Israel's Foreign Minister Abba Eban
visited Washington to inform LBJ about the forthcoming invasion. Johnson
cautioned Eban that the US could not support such an attack.

It's possible, then, that the IDF assumed that the Liberty was spying on
the Israeli war plans. Possible, but not likely. Despite the official
denials, as Andrew and Leslie Cockburn demonstrate in Dangerous Liaison,
at the time of the Six Days War the US and Israel had developed a warm
covert relationship. So closely were the two sides working that US
intelligence aid certainly helped secure Israel's swift victory. In fact,
it's possible that the Liberty had been sent to the region to spy for the
IDF.

A somewhat more likely scenario holds that Moshe Dayan wanted to keep the
lid on Israel's plan to breach the new cease-fire and invade into Syria to
seize the Golan.

It has also been suggested that Dayan ordered the attack on the Liberty
with the intent of pinning the blame on the Egyptians and thus swinging
public and political opinion in the United States solidly behind the
Israelis. Of course, for this plan to work, the Liberty had to be
destroyed and its crew killed.

There's another factor. The Liberty was positioned just off the coast from
the town of El Arish. In fact, Ennes and others had used the town's mosque
tower to fix the location of the ship along the otherwise featureless
desert shoreline. The IDF had seized El Arish and had used the airport
there as a prisoner of war camp. On the very day the Liberty was attacked,
the IDF was in the process of executing as many as 1,000 Palestinian and
Egyptian POWs, a war crime that they surely wanted to conceal from prying
eyes. According to Gabriel Bron, now an Israeli reporter, who witnessed
part of the massacre as a soldier: "The Egyptian prisoners of war were
ordered to dig pits and then army police shot them to death."

The bigger question is why the US government would participate so
enthusiastically in the cover-up of a war crime against its own sailors.
Well, the Pentagon has never been slow to hide its own incompetence. And
there's plenty of that in the Liberty affair: bungled communications,
refusal to provide an escort, situating the defenseless Liberty too close
to a raging battle, the inability to intervene in the attack and the
inexcusably long time it took to reach the battered ship and its wounded.

That's par for the course. But something else was going on that would only
come to light later. Through most of the 1960s, the US congress had
imposed a ban on the sale of arms to both Israel and Jordan. But at the
time of the Liberty attack, the Pentagon (and its allies in the White
House and on the Hill) was seeking to have this proscription overturned.
The top brass certainly knew that any evidence of a deliberate attack on a
US Navy ship by the IDF would scuttle their plans. So they hushed it up.

In January 1968, the arms embargo on Israel was lifted and the sale of
American weapons began to flow. By 1971, Israel was buying $600 million of
American-made weapons a year. Two years later the purchases topped $3
billion. Almost overnight, Israel had become the largest buyer of US-made
arms and aircraft.

Perversely, then, the IDF's strike on the Liberty served to weld the US
and Israel together, in a kind of political and military embrace. Now,
every time the IDF attacks defenseless villages in Gaza and the West Bank
with F-16s and Apache helicopters, the Palestinians quite rightly see the
bloody assaults as a joint operation, with the Pentagon as a hidden
partner.

Thus, does the legacy of Liberty live on, one raid after another.

This is essay appears in The Politics of Anti-Semitism edited by Alexander
Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair.

Jeffrey St. Clair is the author of Been Brown So Long It Looked Like Green
to Me: the Politics of Nature and Grand Theft Pentagon. His newest book is
End Times: the Death of the Fourth Estate, co-written with Alexander
Cockburn.

He can be reached at: sitka [at] comcast.net

[For several years all my sympathy has been for Palestine and other
victims of Israeli aggression; with no sympathy whatsoever for Zionist
Israel, which is as evil and corrupt as the collaborating US ruling class.
-ed]


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