Mn-prog-events Mailing List: Progressive Calendar 07.16.10

[David Shove (shove001]

             P R O G R E S S I V E   C A L E N D A R   07.16.10

1. Palestine vigil     7.16 4:15pm
2. Immigration/justice 7.16 7pm

3. Rondo Days          7.17 8:30am
4. Peace walk          7.17 9am Cambridge MN
5. Lydia sells out     7.17 10am
6. Immigrant rights    7.17 10am
7. Pentel for Gov      7.17 12noon
8. CUAPB               7.17 1:30pm
9. Northtown vigil     7.17 2pm
10. $ crisis root      7.17 7pm
11. Rwanda v Erlinder  7.17 9pm
12. Pigstock/McKinney  7.17 HagerCity WI

13. Marco Dávila       - Boycott helps Jimmy Johns condemn AZ Law SB1070
14. PCJF               - Victory for protest
15. Alexander Cockburn - The fall of Obama
16. Tom Turnipseed     - Military madness/killing for fun
17. Sam Smith          - How progressives and liberals are different

--------1 of 17--------

From: Eric Angell <eric-angell [at] riseup.net>
Subject: Palestine vigil 7.16 4:15pm

The weekly vigil for the liberation of Palestine continues at the
intersection of Snelling and Summit Aves in St. Paul. The Friday demo
starts at 4:15 and ends around 5:30. There are usually extra signs
available.


--------2 of 17--------

From: Christine Frank <socialistaction [at] visi.com>
Subject: Immigration/justice 7.16 7pm

"Immigration and Justice"
--from the Slaveocracy's Conquest of
Northern Mexico to Arizona SB 1070

Speakers:
Manuel Barrera, PhD, Educator and Activist, Metropolitan
State University
Peter Rachleff, Professor of History, Macalester College
Daysi Santos, FMLN Minnesota

Friday, July 16, 7:00 PM
Mayday Bookstore
301 Cedar Avenue, Minneapolis

Sponsored by Twin Cities Socialist Action
Co-sponsored by Mayday Bookstore
For more information: (612) 333-4719


--------3 of 17--------

From: Steven Clift <clift [at] e-democracy.org>
Subject: Rondo Days 7.17 8:30am

From: http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/98573449.html

Festival and cycling events run all day Saturday in St. Paul

Rondo-Major Taylor Family Fun Ride starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday with
6- and 14-mile routes leaving from Rondo Education Center.

Parade begins at 10 a.m. at St. Peter Claver Church on Central Avenue
and ends at Martin Luther King Park

Festival is held at Martin Luther King Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SENIOR RECOGNITION DINNER

Rondo Avenue Inc. is honored each year to provide a very special
dinner in which we are able to celebrate the many contributions of our
elders to the beloved Rondo community. This wonderful gathering
provides our elders with an opportunity to share their wisdom and life
experiences with the children and young adults of our community. As a
tribute to our elders this celebration is provided to them at no cost.
All seniors are invited to attend. In addition to the dinner, the
Rondo Avenue Inc., Board of director's also selects one individual
whose contributions to the Rondo community exemplifies the values and
meaning of Rondo.
GRANDE PARADE

The Rondo Days Celebration would not be complete without the biggest,
longest, most glamorous parade possible. The Annual Rondo Days Grand
Parade, brings back the glitz and glamour of the old days.

Families that resided in the historic Rondo community, plan their
family reunions and come back to participate in the parade.
Businesses, churches, youth groups, drill teams, politicians, and
families come from near and far showing off their floats, banners,
signs and balloons all showing their pride for the rondo Community.
Like our Drill Team Competition the Parade is featured on SPNN
throughout the year.
DRILL, STEP & DANCE EXHIBITION

The Rondo Days Drill, Dance & Step Exhibition has become one of the
major highlights of the Rondo Days Festival. It has grown over the
years expanding its reach across the country. Drill, Step and Drum
line teams, along with Precision Dance Teams, come from as far away
California, Oklahoma, Iowa and Baltimore come to compete for the
coveted 1st place trophy. Each year the judges are challenged to
determine the best of the best in street performances.
THE GREAT RONDO ENTERTAINMENT STAGE

The entertainment stage at the Rondo Days Festival has always the best
in local and national entertainment. Previous entertainers that have
given their time and talent as a service to the legacy of Rondo and
the great history that Rondo represents have included Sounds of
Blackness, Excelsior Choral Ensemble, Moore by Four, James Greer and
Company, the Steele's and the list goes on.

The Rondo Entertainment Stage features youth and adult entertainers
from venues such as jazz, praise dancing, R&B, and even a little Rap.
Local artists have come to the stage hoping for their lucky break.
There is always something for everyone and every age group on the
rondo Entertainment Stage.
5K WALK & RUN:

Health and Wellness have become an important part of preserving not
only our physical health but the health of our communities. In efforts
to encourage a healthy life style Rondo Avenue Inc, has partnered with
the Inner Cities Athletic Association Summer Youth Track Team to host
the Annual Rondo Days 5K Walk and Run. The 5K Walk and Run route runs
throughout the historic Rondo community. All age groups are welcome to
participate. Participants will receive a Rondo/Inner City Athletics
T-Shirt. And as a contribution to the community, we ask all runners to
bring a non perishable food item, to be donated to local community
food shelves.
RONDO MAJOR TAYLOR
URBAN BICYLE SUMMIT & FAMILY FUN RIDE

The Rondo Days-Major Taylor have partnered together to host the Urban
Bicycle Festival and Rondo Family Fun Ride. The Rondo-Major Taylor
Urban Bicycle Summit will take place from July 15 - 17 and will bring
over 300 African-American bicyclists from across the country to our
great city of St. Paul.

The Rondo Family Fun Ride will cover a 5 mile and 12 mile route down
beautiful Summit Avenue, Mississippi River Road and the Historical
Rondo Neighborhood. It will end as the anchor of the Rondo Days
Festival Parade. The Goal of the event is introduce and support
children and families to cycling as an activity to support healthy
lifestyle, personal discovery and community. All ages and stages of
fitness are encouraged to come. There will be technical support,
refreshments, free bike check, bike fittings, helmet fittings, free
helmets and a commemorative t-shirts for all participants. Come and
ride with us.


--------4 of 17--------

From: Ken Reine <reine008 [at] umn.edu>
Subject: Peace walk 7.16 9am Cambridge MN

every Saturday 9AM to 9:35AM
Peace walk in Cambridge - start at Hwy 95 and Fern Street


--------5 of 17--------

From: Lydia Howell <lydiahowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Lydia sells out 7.17 10am   [ed head]

SAT.JULY 17, 10 AM to 5:30 PM
Progressive Sidewalk Sale/Minneapolis

Lydia Howell, local KFAI journalist & TC activist hosts a yard sale. LOTS
of BOOKS: [read only by old ladies in Pasadena -ed] politics, diverse
literature,history, cook books. DVDs & VIDEOS.CDs. Political t-shirts &
other clothes (LEATHER JACKET).Roller blades. CHILDREN'S BOOKS &
VIDEOS.Posters. NEW ESPRESSO MACHINE. Other cool stuff.

Get some good deals and help an activist get through the recession. GOOD
PRICES/Make an offer on any item.
2121 Minnehaha Ave. South, one block south of Cedar Ave. S.,Minneapolis


--------6 of 17--------

From: Jason Stone <jason.stone [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: Immigrant rights 7.17 10am

Coffee Hour: Immigrants' Rights- July 17
Saturday, July 17
10:00am-11:45am
At the Resource Center of the Americas
Presented in English

The presentation will focus on the central legal rights that are available
to everyone physically situated within the United States. I will focus
specifically on navigating encounters with the police (the best place to
know what you can and cannot do), and I will use various examples of what
to do, and what not to do.

Speaker:
Andrew Gordon: Mr. Gordon was born and raised in Jamaica. He graduated
from Macalester College in St. Paul, and from the University of Minnesota
Law School in Minneapolis. He has practice law in Massachusetts and
Minnesota, and works exclusively in the area of criminal defense.

CONTACT Andrew Gordon agord [at] legalrightscenter.org 612-337-0030 ext. 17.


--------7 of 17--------

From: PRO826 [at] aol.com
Subject: Pentel for Gov 7.17 12noon

Subject: Ken Pentel on the Campaign Trail - Mississippi Leg

The Mississippi River segment of Ken Pentel's Central Minnesota Human
-Powered Campaign has its paddle-off the morning of Thursday July 15th at
9:00am from Kiwanis Park in Brainerd.  The Canoe Campaign will proceed
down river stopping at Crow Wing State Park, Fort Ripley Landing, Fletcher
Creek Landing, Maple Island Park in Little Falls, Bend in the River Park
near Rice, and stops at Sartell and Sauk Rapids before culminating at
Riverside Park in St.Cloud Saturday evening.

MEET KEN PENTEL CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR OF MINNESOTA  OF
THE ECOLOGY DEMOCRACY PARTY  at the  following locations:

Saturday, July 17 Bend in the River Park, Rice Noon
Saturday, July 17 Riverside Park, StCloud Evening

Join Ken and the Ecology Democracy Party as he promotes ecological
consciousness, proportional representation and the removal of undue
corporate influence on the health, democracy and prosperity of Minnesota.

Danene Provencher Co-campaign Manager Ken Pentel for Governor 2010 Ecology
Democracy Party 952-472-7863


--------8 of 17--------

From: Michelle Gross <mgresist [at] visi.com>
Subject: CUAPB 7.17 1:30pm

Meetings: Every Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Walker Church, 3104 16th Avenue
South http://www.CUAPB.org

Communities United Against Police Brutality
3100 16th Avenue S
Minneapolis, MN 55407
Hotline 612-874-STOP (7867)


--------9 of 17--------

From: Vanka485 [at] aol.com
Subject: Northtown vigil 7.17 2pm

Peace vigil at Northtown (Old Hwy 10 & University Av), every Saturday
2-3pm


--------10 of 17--------

From: jtmiller jtmiller <jtmiller [at] minn.net>
Subject: $ crisis root 7.17 7pm

Saturday, July 19, 7:00 pm
Working Democracy Discussion Forum
"The Real Cause of the Financial Crisis"

Greedy Wall Street bankers. Crooked mortgage lenders. Irresponsible
borrowers. Lax government regulators. Alan Greenspan.

All have been blamed for the financial crisis that sent global capitalism
to the brink of collapse - where it remains today.

But none of the pundits, economists or politicians dare suggest that the
capitalist system itself produces the conditions and crises that threaten
its own existence.

At this Discussion Forum we will examinine the inner workings of the
system to uncover The Real Cause of the Financial Crisis.

MayDay Bookstore
301 Cedar, West Bank


--------11 of 17--------

From: Eric Angell <eric-angell [at] riseup.net>
Subject: Rwanda v Erlinder 7.17 9pm

Minneapolis Television Network (MTN) viewers
"Our World In Depth" cablecasts on MTN Channel 17 on Saturdays at 9pm and
Tuesdays at 8am, after DemocracyNow!  Households with basic cable may
watch.

7/17, 9pm and Tues, 7/20, 8am
"Genocide Denial?  The State of Rwanda v. Peter Erlinder"

Recently released from detention in Rwanda, William Mitchell College of
Law Professor Peter Erlinder shares details of his recent and ongoing
ordeal.  Erlinder and his two heroic Kenyan attorneys who won Peter's
release describe the context of the detention and the global effort to
save his life and gain his freedom.  (interview filmed 6/29/2010)


--------12 of 17--------

From: Women Against Military Madness <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Pigstock/McKinney 7.17 HagerCity WI

Veterans for Peace Retreat: Pigstock
Saturday, July 17, All Day Windbeam Farm, N2934 750th Street, Hager City,
Wisconsin (for directions with a map see: www.windbeamfarm.com).

Minnesota Veterans for Peace daylong retreat that includes: a general
meeting, announcements, speakers, food, entertainment and ceremonies.
Featured speakers include: Cynthia McKinney, activist and former
Congresswoman from Georgia; Mike Ferner, National Chairman of Veterans for
Peace.  Camping grounds are available for Friday and Saturday nights.
Sponsored by: Veterans for Peace, Chapter 115. Endorsed by: WAMM. FFI
and/or to register: Call Bill Habedank, 651-388-7733 or email
habedank [at] charter.net.


--------13 of 17--------

Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:21:05 -0500
From: "[ISO-8859-1] Marco Dávila" <maidaca85 [at] gmail.com>
Subject: Boycott helps Jimmy Johns condemn AZ Law SB1070

http://mirac1.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/a-victory-under-pressure-from-local-boycott-jimmy-johns-franchise-condemns-az-law-sb1070-calls-for-just-and-humane-immigration-reform/
A Victory! Under Pressure from Local Boycott, Jimmy Johns Franchise Condemns
AZ Law SB1070, Calls for Just and Humane Immigration Reform

Wednesday,  July 14th,  2010
*Under Pressure from Local Boycott, Jimmy Johns Franchise Condemns AZ Law
SB1070, Calls for Just and Humane Immigration Reform*

In a victory for the local immigrant rights movement, Boycott
Arizona-Minnesota! <http://bamcampaign.wordpress.com/> has succeeded in
pressuring a local Jimmy John's franchise to publicly denounce the
controversial Arizona immigration law SB1070, and call for a just and
humane comprehensive immigration reform.

In a statement released today, MikLin Enterprises president, and owner of
nine local Jimmy John's branches, Michael Mulligan writes:

To Whom It May Concern:

MikLin Enterprises, Inc. is a local family owned Jimmy John's franchisee.
"We employ nearly 200 people without regard to race, gender, national
origin or sexual preference.  We reject Arizona's SB1070 and urge the
federal government to repeal this misguided law.  We support the passage
of just and humane comprehensive immigration reform."

Michael L. Mulligan President, MikLin Enterprises, Inc

Since June, Boycott Arizona-Minnesota! has mounted an informational
picketing campaign to raise public awareness about Jimmy John's financial
contributions to anti-immigrant Arizona politicians like Joe Arpaio and
John McCain, who are staunch supporters of SB1070, by focusing on the
chain's Minneapolis franchise, MikLin Enterprises, Inc.

After a month of weekly
pickets<http://www.fightbacknews.org/2010/6/17/minneapolis-immigrant-rights-protest-targets-jimmy-johns>,
MikLin president Michael Mulligan finally caved to their demands and sign
the statement.

Boycott Arizona-Minnesota organizer Ana Vasquez said of their success:

This victory adds pressure to Jimmy John's corporate to stop giving money
to controversial anti-immigrant demagogues, and demonstrates the power and
effectiveness of grassroots boycotts.  It sends a clear message to
businesses and politicians that we will not tolerate racist attacks on the
immigrant community in Minnesota, or anywhere in this country!

Boycott Arizona-MN (BAM!) campaign* http://bamcampaign.wordpress.com
Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAc)*
http://mirac1.wordpress.com


--------14 of 17--------

From: Tim Nolan <timnolan7 [at] gmail.com>
From: Partnership for Civil Justice Fund <no-reply [at] justiceonline.org>
Subject: Victory for protest

U.S. Federal Judge Lauds "Historic" Settlement
Court Approval Given for Protest Arrest Class Action Resolution
Transcript Now Available in Becker, et al. v. District of Columbia, et
al.

Issuing final approval to a class action settlement, U.S. Federal Judge
Paul Friedman described the terms of settlement of a nearly decade-long
protest arrest lawsuit in Washington, D.C., as "historic" and an
achievement for "future generations."

>From the bench, the Judge stated, "The equitable relief has effectively
changed the landscape, both practically on the streets and legally, in the
courts of the District of Columbia and under law as pertains to police
conduct during mass demonstrations."

The class action lawsuit filed by attorneys from the Partnership for Civil
Justice Fund on behalf of nearly 700 demonstrators and passersby who were
illegally mass arrested on April 15, 2000 in downtown Washington, D.C.,
led to major reform legislation adopted by the D.C. City Council in 2004
and additional changes in police practices and policies won by the PCJF.

During the litigation, the PCJF successfully fought to end the D.C.
police's "trap and detain" arrest tactic whereby the police would use
police lines to suddenly surround and arrest entire groups of people in
proximity to free speech activities. The monetary terms of the nearly $14
million settlement include up to $18,000 for each eligible class member.
It is considered to be the largest protest settlement in U.S. history.

During the fairness hearing held in open court in the U.S. District Court
for the District of Columbia, Judge Friedman discussed the case, the
settlement and the resulting changes in police practices in Washington,
D.C., as well as the efforts of class counsel at the PCJF, whom he said
had "done a spectacular job."

"[I]t's an important settlement, it's an historic settlement," stated
Judge Friedman. "[T]he terms of this settlement are historic. They provide
substantial relief for the plaintiffs and for future generations of
protestors." He added, "There are fewer more tenacious lawyers who work as
hard for their clients."

Judge Friedman discussed the First Amendment Rights and Police Standards
Act of 2004, stating: "Along the way [of this litigation] the city
council, again at the urging of plaintiffs' counsel in this case, passed
really quite historic legislation with respect to how demonstrators will
be treated in the future. ... there have to be limits on what the police
can and cannot do. There are constitutional limits; there are now serious
statutory limits in the District of Columbia as well...."

"Substantial benefits have been conferred on the class in terms of
significant policy changes in the areas of restrictions on police tactics
through legislation that we talked about, based upon evidence that was
developed by the plaintiffs and plaintiffs" counsel in this and the other
cases before Judge Sullivan and others in this court. "The First Amendment
Rights and Police Standards Act of 2004 was, as I said, a direct result of
this litigation".

"One of the things that the settlement agreement also includes is even a
more specific regimen of training for police that is calculated to remedy
deficiencies even beyond what's in the legislation that was passed six
years ago. And the settlement agreement" mandates specific and particular
training requirements.

"It also requires the Metropolitan Police Department to brief outside
agencies who are brought in to assist demonstration-related duties in
terms of the requirements of handling First Amendment assemblies and
responding to protest situations. And that's always been a problem
historically in the District of Columbia, because first of all there's
something like 26 separate police agencies who operate within the District
of Columbia, and occasionally people are brought in from departments
elsewhere.

"Class counsel and the District of Columbia attorneys are in agreement
that from the effective date of the First Amendment Rights and Police
Standards Act in April of 2005 up until now, there has been no use of the
specific practices that were challenged in this litigation."

"With all of this in mind, and in consideration of the monetary and
nonmonetary conditions of the settlement, the claims for equitable relief
have been resolved, the terms reached in the resolution of this case, as I
said, are historic and substantial".

As Judge Friedman noted, "The class reaction to the settlement has been
overwhelmingly positive." The hearing was attended by Class
Representatives, members of the class, the general public, a group of
teachers and the media.

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) is a not-for-profit legal
and educational organization which, among other things, seeks to ensure
government transparency in operations and constitutional accountability
within police practices. The PCJF won a unanimous ruling at the D.C.
Circuit Court of Appeals finding the MPD's unprecedented military-style
police checkpoint program unconstitutional. It is counsel on the Barham
and Becker class action cases in which more than 1,000 persons were
falsely arrested during protests in Washington, D.C., resulting in
settlements totaling $22 million. The PCJF previously uncovered and
disclosed that the D.C. police employed an unlawful domestic spying and
agent provocateur program in which officers were sent on long-term
assignments posing as political activists and infiltrated lawful and
peaceful groups. For more information go to: www.JusticeOnline.org.


--------15 of 17--------

The Fall of Obama
By ALEXANDER COCKBURN
CounterPunch
July 16 - 18, 2010

The man who seized the White House by fomenting a mood of irrational
expectation is now facing the bitter price exacted by reality. The reality
is that there can be no "good" American president. It's an impossible hand
to play. Obama is close to being finished.

The nation's first black president promised change at the precise moment
when no single man, even if endowed with the communicative powers of
Franklin Roosevelt, the politic mastery of Lyndon Johnson, the brazen
agility of Bill Clinton, could turn the tide that has been carrying
America to disaster for 30 years.

This summer many Americans are frightened. Over 100,000 of them file for
bankruptcy every month. Three million homeowners face foreclosure this
year. Add them to the 2.8 million who were foreclosed in 2009, Obama's
first year in office. Nearly seven million have been without jobs in the
last year for six months or longer. By the time you tot up the people who
have given up looking for work and the people on part-time, the total is
heading toward 20 million.

Fearful people are irrational. So are racists. Obama is the target of
insane charges. A hefty percentage of Americans believe that he is a
socialist - a charge as ludicrous as accusing the Archbishop of Canterbury
of being a closet Druid. Obama reveres the capitalist system. He admires
the apex predators of Wall Street who showered his campaign treasury with
millions of dollars. The frightful catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico
stemmed directly from the green light he and his Secretary of the
Interior, Ken Salazar, gave to BP.

It is not Obama's fault that for 30 years America's policy - under Reagan,
both Bushes and Bill Clinton - has been to export jobs permanently to the
Third World. The jobs that Americans now desperately seek are no longer
here, in the homeland, and never will be. They're in China, Taiwan,
Vietnam, India, Indonesia.

No stimulus program, giving money to cement contractors to fix potholes
along the federal interstate highway system, is going to bring those jobs
back. Highly trained tool and die workers, the aristocrats of the
manufacturing sector, are flipping hamburgers - at best - for $7.50 an
hour because U.S. corporations sent their jobs to Guangzhou, with the
approval of politicians flush with the money of the "free trade" lobby.

It is not Obama's fault that across 30 years more and more money has
floated up to the apex of the social pyramid till America is heading back
to where it was in the 1880s, a nation of tramps and millionaires. It's
not his fault that every tax break, every regulation, every judicial
decision tilts toward business and the rich. That was the neoliberal
America conjured into malign vitality back in the mid 1970s.

But it is Obama's fault that he did not understand this, that always, from
the getgo, he flattered Americans with paeans to their greatness, without
adequate warning of the political and corporate corruption destroying
America and the resistance he would face if he really fought against the
prevailing arrangements that were destroying America.  He offered them a
free and easy pass to a better future, and now they see that the promise
was empty.

It's Obama.s fault, too, that, as a communicator, he cannot rally and
inspire the nation from its fears. From his earliest years he has schooled
himself not to be excitable, not to be an angry black man who would be
alarming to his white friends at Harvard and his later corporate patrons.
Self-control was his passport to the guardians of the system, who were
desperate to find a symbolic leader to restore America's credibility in
the world after the disasters of the Bush era. He is too cool.

So, now Americans in increasing numbers have lost confidence in him. For
the first time in the polls negative assessments outnumber the positive.
He no longer commands trust. His support is drifting down to 40 per cent.
The straddle that allowed him to flatter corporate chieftains at the same
time as blue-collar workers now seems like the most vapid opportunism. The
casual campaign pledge to wipe out al-Quaida in Afghanistan is now being
cashed out in a disastrous campaign viewed with dismay by a majority of
Americans.

The polls portend disaster. It now looks as though the Republicans may
well recapture not only the House but, conceivably, the Senate as well.
The public mood is so contrarian that, even though polls show that voters
think the Democrats may well have better solutions on the economy than
Republicans, they will vote against incumbent Democrats in the midterm
elections next fall. They just want to throw the bums out.

Obama has sought out Bill Clinton to advise him in this desperate hour. If
Clinton is frank, he will remind Obama that his own hopes for a
progressive first term were destroyed by the failure of his health reform
in the spring of 1993. By August of that year, he was importing a
Republican, David Gergen, to run the White House.

Obama had his window of opportunity last year, when he could have made
jobs and financial reform his prime objectives. That's what Americans
hoped for. Mesmerized by economic advisers who were creatures of the
banks, he instead plunged into the Sargasso Sea of "health reform," wasted
the better part of a year, and ended up with something that pleases no
one.

What can save Obama now? It's hard even to identify a straw he can grasp
at. It's awfully early in the game to say it, but, as Marlene Dietrich
said to Orson Welles in Touch of Evil, "your future is all used up".

Alexander Cockburn can be reached at alexandercockburn [at] asis.com.


--------16 of 17--------

Military Madness
Killing for Fun
By TOM TURNIPSEED
July 16 - 18, 2010
CounterPunch

Successful professionals enjoy their work. The Obama administration has
picked a successful and happy warrior in Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis
to head the US Central Command. The command includes all US forces in
Afghanistan, Iraq, the entire Middle East and Central Asia. Mattis has
gloated that it is "fun to shoot some people" and "have a plan to kill
everybody you meet".

Killing is the key to success in military actions. Killing enough
insurgents by invading and occupying US forces enables the winners to
subdue and subjugate the survivors. The real winners in the Middle East
are the US based corporations who seek to exploit the resources of energy
and mineral rich countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran. Also the
corporate war profiteers of the defense industry are making out like
bandits. They furnish the killing tools, the hired mercenaries and other
wasteful and expensive materials, equipment and supplies for our
never-ending wars-on-terror.

Mattis has a strong resume in the military killing business. He was a
lieutenant colonel in the US invasion of Iraq in 1991, directed the
Marines in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, headed the US assault on the Iraqi
city of Fallujah in 2004 and helped design the siege that destroyed the
city and killed thousands of Iraqi civilians. Mattis also commanded the
initial troops that went into Afghanistan in 2001.

Describing his feelings about the people in Afghanistan, General Mattis
said, "It's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them. Actually it's quite
fun to fight them, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some
people. I'll be right up there with you. I like brawling".

Author Thomas Ricks wrote that Mattis told his troops to, "Be polite, be
professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet".

During Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, Mattis reportedly told his troops,
"It's the mission of every Marine in the battalion to send one dead Iraqi
home to Mama".

Perhaps World War II Army General George S. Patton, Jr. is a role model
for Mattis in his glorification of military madness and the joy of
killing. Patton said "Magnificent! Compared to war all other forms of
human endeavor shrink to insignificance. God help me, I do love it so!",
and "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country, He won it by
making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country". Patton also said,
"America loves a winner, and will not tolerate a loser, this is why
America has never, and will never, lose a war". Of course that was before
our ill-fated military ventures in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates called Mattis "one of our military's
outstanding combat leaders and strategic thinkers, bringing an essential
mix of experience, judgment and perspective to this important post". Asked
about Mattis's bloodthirsty rhetoric, Gates brushed off an official rebuke
against Mattis saying it was five years ago.

In Afghanistan, US and NATO forces casualties continue to escalate. The
number of Americans killed so far this month is at least 23 with 14 killed
last week. In June, 102 occupation troops were killed including 60
Americans. 1,149 American soldiers have been killed in the war in
Afghanistan, and countless numbers of Afghan civilians have died. We don't
do body counts of "the enemy" because, as former Defense Secretary
Rumsfeld said, "death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of
war".

Our economic crisis is directly tied to the cost of the war. It costs $1
million per year to maintain a single soldier in Afghanistan. The 2010
Pentagon budget is $693 billion, which surpasses all other discretionary
spending programs combined--while our deficit soars. We desperately need
money to create green jobs, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and
improve education.

President Obama replaced General McChrystal with General Petraeus as
commanding general of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. McChrystal had
made derogatory remarks about Obama and his administration's conduct of
the war. Petraeus was head of the Central Command and will be replaced by
Mattis. Obama said, "War is bigger than any one man or woman, whether a
private, a general or president".

The war in Afghanistan is a big loser. Rearranging deck chairs to include
one more "fun to kill" military madman will not keep it from sinking like
the Titanic. Only ending the war will save Obama.

A recent ABC / Washington Post poll found that people felt the war was not
worth fighting by a 53 to 44 margin. An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll had
62% of the American people saying the country was going in the wrong
direction and Obama's approval rating at 45% with 48% disapproval.

President Obama was the most successful politician in the US who seemed to
enjoy being elected to the highest office in the land. Fulfilling his
promise of peace, hope and change is a winner. However his failure to
conclude killing for fun military madness will make him a loser in 2012
and doom his party in November

Tom Turnipseed is an attorney, writer and peace activist in Columbia, SC.
His blog is http://tomandjudyonablog.blogspot.com


--------17 of 17--------

Liberals Like Wars ... as Long as a Democratic President is Running Them
How Progressives and Liberals are Different
By SAM SMITH
July 14, 2010
ColunterPunch

Progressives, as liberals did before Reagan, emphasize doing the most for
the most - which is how we got socio-economic programs such as Social
Security, Medicare, and a minimum wage. Today's liberals favor expanding
health insurance company profits over expanding Medicare and strongly
support Democratic presidents who undermine the very programs that earlier
liberals created such as social welfare and Social Security.

Progressives don't act like prudes and prigs.

Progressives don't think the commerce clause of the Constitution should be
used just because you feel like doing something, such as avoiding single
payer health insurance. There is a huge difference between using the
commerce clause to guarantee human rights and using it to subsidize health
insurance companies.

Progressives recognize the Green Party and its members as part of a broad
coalition. Most liberals act as though Greens were a new kind of HIV.

Progressives try to convince people with whom they disagree, not just
scold them.

Progressive oppose the wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq; liberals
like them as long as a Democratic president is running them.

Progressives oppose the war on drugs, America's most masochistic and
deadly battle since Vietnam. Liberals treat it with utter indifference.

Progressives believe what people do is more important than how politely
they talk about it.

Progressives don't think you should have to go to grad school to have an
important role in government.

Progressives respect state and local government; liberals often act like
they're a Republican plot. Progressives understand the importance of the
devolution of power to the lowest practical level.

Progressives worry about locked doors, liberals about glass ceilings,
which is why liberals thought Obama's election would create a post-racial
society. Too many liberals are infatuated with symbolism such as electing
a black president, while ignoring the real problems most minorities face
in everything from the job market to dealing with the law.

Even progressives who don't own guns respect the right of others to do.
Besides, why piss them off the way liberals have done, when they could be
allies on a host of other issues, beginning with civil liberties.

But then, progressives still defend civil liberties. Liberals seem to have
forgotten about them and ignore Obama's abuse of them.

Progressives pursue issues; liberals support candidates.

Progressives don't give up an issue just because the candidate they voted
for is now in office and opposes it.

Liberals love Clinton and Obama while despising the Bushes who preceded
them. They don't seem to notice that our government continued to move to
the right under both Democrats and that neither repealed any significant
policies of their GOP predecessors

Progressives don't think bailing out banks is an economic stimulus, but
that helping to create jobs and stop foreclosures is.

Progressives support local public schools and their teachers; liberals go
along with the Bush-Obama attack on public education.

Progressives are not afraid of criticizing Israel for its abusive
treatment of Palestine. Liberals either support Israel's criminal actions
or are afraid of being called anti-Semites so don't say anything.

Progressives have new ideas; liberals come up with new compromises with
the right.

Progressives believe that change is produced by broad coalitions brought
together on specific issues, but not necessarily agreeing on all policy.
Liberals believe change will come when everyone acts like they do.

[That's why this is the Progressive Calendar - not the Liberal Calendar.
Besides, you can't have a calendar for liberals, because their time runs
backwards - like that of their backward buddies, the Republicans. -ed]

Sam Smith is the editor of the Progressive Review, where this column
originally appeared.

[Liberals are mostly progressive on issues, but regressive on actions and
strategy. That's why, tho they agree with Obama on few or no issues, they
will vote for him in the millions in 2012, thus condemning the rest of us
to four more years of inaction. We should be building independent activist
movements and progressive third parties, but if liberals have their way,
they will consciously subvert all of that. They act for the rich way more
than they act for the people or democracy.
The wise progressive never turns his back to a liberal. -ed]


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   rhymes with clove         Progressive Calendar
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