Chalmers Johnson/Imperialism vs. Democracy
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Retired UCSD professor Chalmers Johnson spoke at the First Unitarian-Universalist Church in Hillcrest March 23 and gave an overall summary of his most recent book, "Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic." Johnson argues that America's continuing status as an imperialist power and in particular its military adventurism and maintenance of a network of at least 737 military bases around the world is incompatible with any commitment to democracy. Either America will remain a republic or remain an empire; it cannot do both, Johnson says.
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9/11 FIREFIGHTERS CONDEMN GHOULIANI
Islamic Community Net,

9/11 FIREFIGHTERS CONDEMN GHOULIANI
Islamic Community Net
Tue Mar 13, 2007
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/islamiccommunitynet/message/11963

Assalamu aleikum.

In addition to the crimes of Ghouliani listed by 9/11 firefighters below, Ghouliani is best remembered by Muslims for his racial scapegoating and as the defender of the 1999 police martyrdom of Amadou Diallo on his doorstep in a hail of 41 bullets.


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Firefighters Union Letter On Rudy Giuliani
IAFF
Fire Fighting News
March 8, 2007
 http://www.firefightingnews.com/article-US.cfm?articleID=27125

On March 14, 2007, the IAFF will host the first bi-partisan Presidential Forum of the 2008 election cycle. No other union and very few organizations has the credibility and respect to attract top-tier candidates from both political parties. The lineup of speakers who have agreed to participate in our Forum is truly a testament to our great union and the reputation we have built as a powerful political force and a coveted endorsement.

John Edwards, John McCain, Barack Obama, Chuck Hagel, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Duncan Hunter and seven other candidates will make their case before the 1,000 delegates who will be attending the Forum and to our entire membership via same-day broadcast on our web site.

Early on, the IAFF made a decision to invite all serious candidates from both political parties — except one: former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

We made this decision after considerable soul-searching and close consultation with our two New York City affiliates, the Uniformed Firefighters Association Local 94 and the Uniformed Fire Officers Association Local 854, as well as our former Local 94 President and current IAFF 1st District Vice President covering New York.

The IAFF recognizes that Mayor Giuliani generally enjoys a favorable reputation as a result of his actions immediately after the tragedy of 9/11. As such, we want our affiliates and every one of our members to clearly understand the reason and rationale behind this very serious and sober decision.

Many people consider Rudy Giuliani "America's Mayor," and many of our members who don't yet know the real story, may also have a positive view of him. This letter is intended to make all of our members aware of the egregious acts Mayor Giuliani committed against our members, our fallen on 9/11, and our New York City union officers following that horrific day.

Rest assured, our exclusion of Mayor Giuliani is not about any particular contractual or policy issue or disagreement, nor is it based on his unfriendly relationship with our New York City affiliates prior to 9/11 — which we will document and explain in additional correspondence later on during the campaign. In fact, we invited several candidates with whom we have had substantial disagreement on policy issues because we feel very strongly that our members have the right to hear from all candidates, not just those who tow the IAFF line.

Regrettably, the situation with former Mayor Giuliani is very different. His actions post 9/11 rise to such an offensive and personal attack on our brother and sisterhood — and directly on our union — that the IAFF does not feel Rudy Giuliani deserves an audience of IAFF leaders and members at our own Presidential Forum.

The disrespect that he exhibited to our 343 fallen FDNY brothers, their families and our New York City IAFF leadership in the wake of that tragic day has not been forgiven or forgotten.

In November 2001, our members were continuing the painful, but necessary, task of searching Ground Zero for the remains of our fallen brothers and the thousands of innocent citizens that were killed, because precious few of those who died in the terrorist attacks had been recovered at that point.

Prior to November 2001, 101 bodies or remains of fire fighters had been recovered. And those on the horrible pile at Ground Zero believed they had just found a spot in the rubble where they would find countless more that could be given proper burial.

Nevertheless, Giuliani, with the full support of his Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen, decided on November 2, 2001, to sharply reduce the number of those who could search for remains at any one time. There had been as many as 300 fire fighters at a time involved in search and recovery, but Giuliani cut that number to no more than 25 who could be there at once.

In conjunction with the cut in fire fighters allowed to search, Giuliani also made a conscious decision to institute a "scoop-and-dump" operation to expedite the clean-up of Ground Zero in lieu of the more time-consuming, but respectful, process of removing debris piece by piece in hope of uncovering more remains.

Mayor Giuliani's actions meant that fire fighters and citizens who perished would either remain buried at Ground Zero forever, with no closure for families, or be removed like garbage and deposited at the Fresh Kills Landfill.

Our Local presidents at the time attempted to meet with the Mayor to stop this despicable treatment of those who perished, but he refused to even see them face-to-face.

The scoop-and-dump continued. And when hundreds of family members of the fallen joined with our affiliate leadership and members to protest Giuliani's decision, he ordered senior officers of the New York Police Department to arrest 15 of our FDNY brothers, including a number of local elected IAFF leaders.

Giuliani modified his policy after the protest because public opinion was so strongly with our members. Ultimately, he was forced to put the fire fighters back on the pile. Our protests were later proven justified as more bodies were ultimately recovered and those families given a chance for some closure and a decent burial.

Giuliani argued that the change was for our own safety, but his argument was empty and without substance. Fire fighters had been on that pile since minutes after the twin towers fell — why all of a sudden, after nearly two months working on the pile, was Giuliani concerned about fire fighter safety?

In our view, he wasn't really concerned. The fact is that the Mayor's switch to a scoop-and-dump coincided with the final removal of tens of millions of dollars of gold, silver and other assets of the Bank of Nova Scotia that were buried beneath what was once the towers. Once the money was out, Giuliani sided with the developers that opposed a lengthy recovery effort, and ordered the scoop-and-dump operation so they could proceed with redevelopment.

In the first few days immediately after the disaster, Giuliani had said he was committed to the recovery of those lost "right down to the last brick." We believed him at the time. But, what he proved with his actions is that he really meant the "last gold brick."

Giuliani crucified fire fighters after our protest and publicly stated that our members were essentially acting like babies, that they didn't have the market cornered on grief. His insensitive statements demonstrated his inability to grasp what members of the FDNY were experiencing.

What Giuliani showed is a disgraceful lack of respect for the fallen and those brothers still searching for them. He exposed our members and leaders to arrest. He valued the money and gold and wanted the site cleared before he left office at the end of 2001 more than he valued the lives and memories of those lost.

Our members deserved the right to continue with a full search for their lost brothers and other innocent victims. Proudly, as you know, the fire service has a code similar to the military, where we leave no one behind. Recovering even a piece of a turnout coat or helmet gave our FDNY brothers and sisters and the families of the fallen some small semblance of peace, something to honor. But hundreds remained entombed in Ground Zero when Giuliani gave up on them.

The fundamental lack of respect that Giuliani showed our FDNY members is unforgivable - and that's why he was not invited. Our disdain for him is not about issues or a disputed contract, it is about a visceral, personal affront to the fallen, to our union and, indeed, to every one of us who has ever risked our lives by going into a burning building to save lives and property.

We have heard from some affiliates that Giuliani's campaign is beginning to reach out to our locals, looking to build support. If you are contacted by Giuliani, Von Essen, or a representative of the Giuliani campaign, we hope you will say not just, "No," but, "Hell no." And please let the IAFF Political Affairs Department know about it by calling (202) 824-1582.

Please share this correspondence with your membership. Thank you.

Fraternally and Sincerely,

Harold A. Schaitberger, General President

Vincent J. Bollon, General Secretary-Treasurer and Past President, UFOA of NYC, Local 854

Kevin Gallagher, IAFF 1st District Vice President and Past President, UFA of NYC, Local 94

Stephen Cassidy, President, UFA of NYC, Local 94

Peter Gorman, President, UFOA of NYC, Local 854

Written by IAFF

 http://www.firefightingnews.com/article-US.cfm?articleID=27125
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The Bush -- Police States of America
scott huminski,

Indisputable fact revealing President Bush, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and the U.S. Justice Departments subjugation of an entire state population to civil rights violations reminiscent of 1930s Germany.

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Washington No Match For Big Oil
Stewart A. Alexander,

Most of the Democratic and Republican presidential hopefuls are reluctant to challenge big oil, insurance companies, health care providers and many of the big corporations that are driving up inflation because these candidates for president will be relying on the same big corporations to contribute the hundreds of millions necessary for a successful campaign in 2007 and 2008. The Democrats and Republicans are selling America to the highest bidders.



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Irish Elections and Abstentionism for Freedom
Saer,

A Video Discussion regarding elections and abstentionism as principle for Irish Freedom activists.
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Irish Republican Information Service (no. 97)
Saer,

Included in this issue (which much more):
RSF Croke Park protest, Media blackout of RSF candidates, Former Hunger Striker condemns Provo treachery, Encouraging response on the campaign, RUC harass election workers, British and UVF met 10 days after bombs killed 33

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Big Brother Is Reading Your E-Mail
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

For almost a year it's been known that, in addition to tapping billions of phone calls made in the U.S., the federal government's so-called "Terrorist Surveillance Program" has also been eavesdropping on people's e-mails. If you use AT&T as your Internet service provider, or if your e-mails ever go through AT&T's network (which is just about everybody in San Diego and southern California), the government has a copy. You shouldn't be so naive as to expect your Internet communications to be private, not when we're ruled by a government that hates the very concept of privacy as much as the Bush administration does. Instead, if you wouldn't shout it out on a street corner for everyone to hear, don't write it in an e-mail or post it on line.
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Sonia Nazario Brings Enrique's Journey to Lif
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Los Angeles Times reporter Sonia Nazario spoke at the San Diego Public Library February 12 to promote her book "Enrique's Journey," about a 17-year-old Honduran boy who successfully journeyed from his native country through Mexico to reach his mother, who had left him behind on her own journey to the U.S. 12 years earlier. Sonia later duplicated Enrique's dangerous journey through Mexico by stowing away on the tops of freight trains, and her book puts a human face on the controversial issue of undocumented immigratio. At the same time, she questions the conventional wisdom on both sides of the immigration debate and says the only long-term solution is to improve the economies and job opportunities in Central American countries so their citizens won't want to immigrate.
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Anticapitalist video: Memory, Dignity And Str
La Plataforma,

The Spanish “Transition to democracy” was simply a way to fortify the capitalist economic model. With such Transition, the Spanish dominant class eliminated all sort of social resistance and opened the way for business; they made a Francoism without Franco and presented the Transition as a triumph of the people. It was a history written by the owners of money and their fascist sentries.
But Memory, Dignity and Struggle continue

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Iraq and Yugoslavia
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Iraq is facing a bloody civil war that will last at least a decade and end with the country's partition into three separate states. We can be sure of this because this is what happened to Yugoslavia, a similarly artificial country created at the Versailles negotiations in 1919-1920 out of ethnic and religious groups that historically hated each other. Once the dictators that held those countries together had been removed — Yugoslavia's Tito by death and Iraq's Saqddam Hussein by the U.S. invasion and conquest — the national, ethnic and religious rivalries tore Yugoslavia apart and led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, and the same will happen in Iraq whether U.S. occupation forces stay or leave.
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“Bring Their Buddies Home” Events 2/19
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Anti-war activist and former Congressional candidate Jeeni Criscenzo has called for "Bring Their Buddies Home" events all over the country on Presidents' Day, February 19. The events are silent vigils — Criscenzo calls them "works of art" — that highlight the human cost of the war by showcasing the death toll. For more information, visit her Web site at www.bringtheirbuddieshome.com
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Daniel Ellsberg Speaks in San Diego
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Pentagon Papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg spoke in San Diego as part of the nationwide anti-war mobilization on January 27 and pleaded with individuals in the government now who are privy to Bush's plans to escalate the war in Iraq and start a new one against Iran to release their secret information now instead of waiting until it's too late to stop these new wars. Ellsberg also said the only chance we have of stopping the war in Iraq is to build a popular groundswell for impeaching Bush and Cheney in the next two years; after the 2008 election, even if a Democrat wins, the political pressures on the new administration will more likely push it in the direction of continuing rather than ending the war.
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Queer Dems Endorse Black for Port Commission
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Breaking ranks with their usual allies in the labor and environmental movements, as well as City Councilmember Donna Frye, the predominantly Queer San Diego Democratic Club endorsed Democrat Laurie Black for the San Diego Port Commission against Republican incumbent Steve Cushman. Cushman is asking the San Diego City Council to set aside the usual two-term limit on Port Commissioners and reappoint him, and he's assembled an unlikely coalition in support.
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Bush and Gonzales – Two Terrorists
Scott Huminski,

Bush, Alberto Gonzales and the Justice Department subject an entire state to civil rights violations reminiscent of 1930s Germany.

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Israel frightening smile
HRLF,

The Israelis are trying, by a hopeless campaign, to convince the world of their loyalty and cleanliness, but they already revealed, through nearly sixty years of repression, their real intentions.
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G8 Dissent Tour! coming to San Diego
j,

Come learn about QUEER, FEMINIST, BIKE, BLOCKADE, CLOWN AND ANTI-RACIST resistance to the G8!

G8 DISSENT TOUR! FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD 7-10 PM
$5 SUGGESTED DONATION @ THE RUBBER ROSE



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Dissent G8! USA Infotour in San Diego
repost from DeleteTheBorder.org,

@ the Rubber Rose, Friday, February 23rd, 7-9pm. Come hear organizers from Germany talk about Queer, Feminist, Bike, Blockade, Clown and Anti-Racist strategies of resistance against the G8!

We'll get you excited!
See Also: Dissent G8! USA Infotour Schedule

The G8 is an annual gathering of the leaders of the 8 richest countries in the world, who are responsibile for the world's murderous immigration policies. Resistance to the G8 this year in Germany has been planned for years, will be massive and Freedom of Movement will be a main focus of the mobilization.

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San Diego’s Anti-War Protest 1/27/07
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine (abstract added by sdimc volunteer),

An estimated 1500 protesters attended an anti-war demonstration at Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego on Saturday aimed at the ongoing occupation of Iraq, the Bush administration's recent announcement of a 'surge,' and expectations of an impending attack on Iran. Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers, spoke at the rally and then the protesters marched through the Gaslamp along the usual route.

The San Diego demonstration paralleled numerous demonstrations across the country, including a United for Peace and Justice protest in Washington, DC, which drew between tens of thousands and 500,000

Via US-IMC:
From the DC-IMC Newswire: Hundreds of Thousands Put Impeachment Back On the Table | Break Way March Rushes Capitol Building | Protestors lay siege to US Capitol, smash window at military recruiter | Radical Youth Contingent and Students for a Democratic Society March Overview | Photos: 1 | 2 | Audio

Other Reports: Boston | Los Angeles | Oklahoma: 1, 2 | Olympia, WA | Oregon City | Portland, OR | Sacramento, CA | San Francisco | Seattle | Vancouver, WA
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Force Patronage of Private Insurance Biz
Watchdog,

Gov. Schwarzenegger plans to compel everyone to purchase private health insurance services from parasitic for-profit Insurance Industry. But there's a few problems with that.....
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Don McEvoy Remembers Martin Luther King
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

At the First Unitarian-Universalist Church in Hillcrest, Don McEvoy, a former minister and close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his reminiscences as part of a highly theatrical program including a church choir and soloist. McEvoy’s presentation sought to humanize King by mentioning his sense of humor, his status as family man (the King and McEvoy families frequently socialized together and integrated Atlanta's swimming pools on the first day they were reopened), his ability to reach out to people across not only color but class lines, and the reactions to his death.
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Iraq War Kills U.S. Democracy
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

President Bush's willful disregard of the results of the November elections, in which millions of Americans voted for Democrats for the House and Senate largely to demand an end to the war in Iraq, and his insistence on escalating it with a so-called "surge" of 20,000 additional troops, shows that, far from bringing democracy to Iraq, the war is destroying it in the U.S.
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Stuart Timmons Researches, Writes on “Gay LA”
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Stuart Timmons, co-author of the new book “Gay L.A.,” discusses his research, his surprise as to just how far back the history of the L.A. Queer community started, changes in the way Queer folk identified themselves and each other, how AIDS and the rise of the radical religious Right affected Queer organizing, and whether the Queer community has fulfilled the demand of pioneer activist Harry Hay (whose biography Timmons wrote) to create “an ethical homosexual culture.”
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Bush's Domestic Assassination Team Fingered
Tom Heneghan,

International Intelligence Expert Tom Heneghan outs the names of assassination teams and the treasonous conspiracy of FBI Directors Louis Freeh and Robert Mueller in the training of Mohamed Atta at Venice, Florida flight school.
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Compulsory Patronage of Private Insurance
Watchdog,

Mass., and now California, will compel everyone to purchase health insurance services from Private for-profit insurers that have motive and corporate duty to provide as few services as possible at the highest possible cost. And that's just one dark side.
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The Corrupt Bush Justice Dept / FBI
Scott Huminski,

The Bush Justice Dept. and FBI refuse to prosecute crimes against the civil rights of U.S. citizens, yet, Bush claims to be spreading rights and liberties abroad while he supports terrorist civil rights atrocities against the people of the United States.

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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT: CRUELTY AND COST
Stewart A. Alexander,

The recent execution of Angel Nieves Diaz in Jacksonville, Florida has outraged opponents of capital punishment nationwide due to the unusual length of time of the procedure and the apparent pain and suffering Angel Diaz appeared to experience. Stewart Alexander, with the Peace and Freedom Party, says, “The whole process of capital punishment is flawed and the PFP wants federal legislation to band capital punishment in all 50 states; too many mistakes have been made, it’s cruel and inhumane.”




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Progressive San Diego Rallies for Impeachment
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Progressive San Diego and other allied organizations held an indoor rally on "Presidential Accountability" December 9 that was actually intended to mobilize support for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Speakers included former Congressional candidate Jeeni Criscenzo, Michael Kuzart of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Aïda Reyes of World Can't Wait and Gloria Daviston of San Diego Veterans for Peace. The program also heard a videotaped presentation from National Lawyers' Guild president Marjorie Cohn and focused on the war in Iraq and the Bush administration's shredding the Constitution as part of the so-called "War on Terror."

“When we impeach Bush and Cheney,” Judy Hess of Progressive Democrats of San Diego said, “Nancy Pelosi will become president of the United States.” Acknowledging that Pelosi and other Democratic leaders slated to take over Congress in January have said that impeachment is “off the table,” Hess said that the purpose of the meeting — and of similar events taking place nationwide — was to build a groundswell of popular support for impeachment that will prevent the Democrats in Congress from continuing to duck the issue.

Related: McKinney Files Articles of Impeachment | Indymedia Coverage of Impeachment Campaign | Impeachment Resource Center
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Congress Votes 368-31 Against Mumia
Steven Argue,

Five California Democrats in Congress voted nay while 23 voted for the resolution. Those voting against were Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee, Fortney Stark, Michael Honda, and Maxine Waters.

Joining in the racist lynch mob voting for the blood of an innocent black man were California Democrats C. Thompson, Doris Matsui, Nancy Pelosi, Ellen Tauscher, Tom Lantos, Anna Eshoo, Zoe Lofgren, Dennis Cardoza, Lois Capps, Jim Costa, Linda Sanchez, Brad Sherman, Adam Schiff, Henry Waxman, Hilda Solis, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Jane Harman, Juanita Millender-McDonald, Grace Napolitano, Joe Baca, Loretta Sanchez, Bob Filner, and Susan Davis. Not voting were Diane Watson, Howard Berman, and Xavier Becerra.

Also voting for blood were California Republicans Walter Herger, Daniel Lungren, John Doolittle, Richard Pombo, George Radanovich, Devin Nunes, William Thomas, Elton Gallegly, David Dreier, Edward Royce, Jerry Lewis, Gary Miller, Ken Calvert, Mary Bono, Dana Rohrabacher, John Campbell, Darrell Issa, Brian Bilbray, and Duncan Hunter. Howard McKeon didn’t vote.

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Cory Aquino to join Dec. 17 Mass Action
AJLPP-USA,

After the series oftropical storms, a new political storm is brewing in the Philippines. The Icon Of Filipino People Power whose constiution of 1987 is named after ( The Cory Constitution of 1987) --the target of the US-Arroyo regime charter change yesterday said she would take part in the Church-led prayer rally on Dec. 17 to protest the Palace-backed move by administration congressmen, since withdrawn, to amend the 1987 Charter through a constituent assembly (Con-ass). In a brief statement, former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino also called on the people to join the rally at the Rizal Park . She said in a statement: “I will join the prayer rally on Sunday at the Luneta to express my moral outrage at the attempt of administration congressmen to foist their processed idea of Charter change upon the nation by turning Congress into a constituent assembly,”
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Trouble in Pelosi's privatized National Park
Naturelover,

If you want to stop needless, inappropriate luxury development in San Francisco's Presidio National Park, now's the time to send your comments, and here's where to send them.

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