“We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, 'Stop it, now!' " Molly Ivins, final column
SONORA PROGRESSIVES NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY 20, 2007, I:3
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New SP Discussion YahooGroup – sonoraprogressivediscussion@yahoogroups.com - I have set up a new yahoo discussion group if any are frustrated at one very long newsletter each week and missing action bulletins or breaking news between times, and to discuss with each other things of mutual import. Let’s talk!
SP Newsletter items – please send to me at gerrypaxis@mindspring.com
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Please consider becoming a sustaining member of our parent organization, Progressive Democrats of America. $5 Per month they can budget with is better than a single contribution, although more per month if you can afford it, would be better support. www.pdamerica.org.
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From Tim Carpenter: “Progressive Democrats of America is more confident than ever that the key to changing our country is to transform the Democratic Party. We need real “bring-‘em-home” legislation, not just non-binding resolutions. Hundreds of us took to the halls of Congress three weeks ago, and it truly felt like “Our House” -- as we met with progressive Congress members (now chairing key committees and subcommittees) who are holding hearings and strategizing to end the Iraq war, and redirect funds toward social needs.“
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Lobbying Giffords and Thanking Grijalva
We need to establish Sonora Progressive policy positions ASAP with which to formally lobby Gabby and thank Raul. Before we go, please give your input here and indicate if you want to be part of this effort: sonoraprogressivediscussion@yahoogroups.com Otherwise, just a few of us will decide what to do.
PDA is calling for national lobbying to support HR 508, this week. Others in our local group feel it is premature to ask Gabby to support specific legislation, suggesting we go instead to tell her we expect her to keep her campaign promise to bring the troops home by the end of 2007.
The national group, “Voices for Creative NonViolence” is sponsoring occupations of congressional offices http://vcnv.org/project/the-occupation-project in cooperation with Arizona Code Pink. There is a Tucson occupation action listed there, if you are interested. I don’t think we should involve ourselves in this action organizationally although individuals may do as they wish, but I am not Sonora Progressives. give your input here sonoraprogressivediscussion@yahoogroups.com
I also want to propose finding Raul and publicly giving him roses from our group for his strong support for ending the occupation. He will be holding a Congressional Field Hearing on Saturday, Feb 24. The hearing will begin at 10:00 AM in the Pima County Board of Supervisors hearing room, 130 W. Congress."Our National Forests at Risk: The 1872 Mining Law and its Impact on Arizona's Santa Rita Mountains" I need a yea or nay from the group. sonoraprogressivediscussion@yahoogroups.com
The following is the suggested language from PDA to Speaker Pelosi:
“The carnage in Iraq must stop. Our presence there has helped inflame the situation, and has contributed to civil war. Most Iraqis – including both Sunnis and Shi’a -- say that attacks on U.S. troops are justified. Voters told Congress in the last election that we want our brave men and women in Iraq to come home. The Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Out of Iraq Caucus chairwomen have offered a viable plan to bring our troops home while attempting to calm and rebuild Iraq -- H.R. 508, The Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act, which has sixteen co-sponsors.
We cannot “win” this war. It is time to face facts and withdraw from this debacle before any more Americans die or get maimed. It is time to stop throwing good money after bad, and for Congress to address pressing domestic issues.
Rep. Giffords, we are counting on you to do the right thing by our troops and for our country – get us out of Iraq!”
Leaving Iraq: Apocalypse Not
By Robert Dreyfuss, Washington Monthly. Posted February 19, 2007.
Much of Washington assumes that withdrawing from Iraq will lead to a bigger bloodbath. We need to question that assumption. http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/48186/ Excellent must-read article, full of talking points.
CALENDAR:
Sonora Progressives: Regular Meeting Feb 28, Election of Officers, 7pm Dem HQ
Sonora Progressives: Citizen Participation in Public Policy Team meets Wednesday, march 14, 7pm Dem HQ
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Lecture - Discussion - Book Signing Friday, February 23 6:30-9pm
Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Hall 2475 E. Water Street
“Project Censored” Award Winning Author Steven Freeman
“Was the 2004 presidential election stolen? Exit polls, election fraud and the official count”
And Attorney Paul Lehto Litigant of 3 Landmark Election Count Cases
Co-Hosts : Pima County Democratic Party and Antigone Books
Suggested Contribution $10 Benefits Pima County Democratic Party Election Integrity Committee
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25th Annual - wow! quarter century PEACE FAIR AND MUSIC FESTIVAL Saturday, February 24
11 AM - 5 pm at the Reid Park Bandshell
Live music all day childrens activities, food, dancing! Come help at Season for NonViolence, paint community peace mural.
Southern Arizona's largest gathering of peace, social justice, and environmental groups.
Need volunteers to table for Sonora Progressives. We are sharing a table with Eastside Saguaro.
Respond here: sonoraprogressivediscussion@yahoogroups.com
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NEWS AND VIEWS
Discrimination - VIDEO: The Shame Of The Nation, Apartheid Schooling in America... From Bladblog
Author Jonathan Kozol answers a few questions for C-span about, The Shame of the Nation,
ARTICLE, VIDEO: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4140
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Iraq - The Logic of Disengagement “The vast majority of Iraqis... naturally believe their religious leaders. The alternative would be to believe what for them is entirely incomprehensible: that foreigners have been unselfishly expending their own blood and treasure to help them. As opinion polls and countless incidents demonstrate, Americans and their allies are widely hated as the worst of invaders, out to rob Muslim Iraqis not only of their territory and oil, but also of their religion (crusaders) and family honor (feminism). Hell, I've never seen them do an unselfish thing even for Americans!” EN Luttwak Iraq: The Logic of Disengagement http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20050101faessay84103/edward-n-luttwak/iraq-the-logic-of-disengagement.html
Question (Gerry) – why do we say we have 128,000 troops in Iraq And ignore the 100,000 extra mercenaries we are paying for as well? From now on, let’s always include them in our sentence about American lives on the line.
From UFPJ legislative conversation: "Unfortunately" most peace people are more comfortable walking the streets than in the halls of Congress. Walking in the street is good and necessary, but that in itself doesn't accomplish our goals. We can demonstrate the wide and broad support for ending the Iraq war and occupation, but until something effective passes Congress, the war and occupation goes on. Only careful and strategic planning to get effective legislation passed in one way or another will accomplish what we want.
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Environment -FROM DAVE EWOLDT: Albert Einstein said "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years left to live." The Bee wants to be heard.
Now we hear that "a mysterious ailment called Colony Collapse Disorder is causing agricultural honeybees nationwide to abandon their hives and disappear. It's a kind of mass suicide in the bee world." There is a very strong possibility that what is happening to the bee (and who knows how many other lifeforms) is caused by genetically engineered crops, and that the honey being produced by the bees from these crops and the effects of pesticides is causing the honey produced by the bees to be toxic to them (and perhaps to all who eat honey)?
Write to Dave for more links and information: Dave Ewoldt
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Election Integrity Holt Bill Alert: FULL STORY, THE THREE FALSE DICHOTOMIES:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4163 Dems currently unable or unwilling to show the necessary courage to insist upon the banning of disenfranchising, failed DRE/touch-screen voting system technology from all American elections.
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