Stir it Up w/Cindy Sheehan (Peace Fresno)

https://soundcloud.com/speaking-truth-to-empire/180530-peace-fresnos-stir-it-up-cindy-sheehan

Stir It Up from Peace Fresno on KFCF 88.1 FM independently owned and locally operated since 1975 in Fresno, Dan Yaseen interviews Cindy Sheehan, America’s leading antiwar activist. They discuss Women’s March on Pentagon; Trump’s reckless and irresponsible cancellation of Iran nuclear deal and meeting with North Korean leader.

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CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX 

Irene and Matt's Soapbox with guest Paul Ortiz (SOAPBOX PODCAST MAY 28, 2018)

 May 28, 2018

 

Paul Ortiz

 Dr. Paul Ortíz is the director of the award-winning Samuel Proctor Oral History Program and associate professor of history at the University of Florida.

He is president of the Oral History Association for the 2014-2015 term. He has previously served as vice-president as well as chair of the nominating committee for the OHA. His publications include the Emancipation Betrayed (University of California Press) a history of the Black Freedom struggle in Florida, and Remembering Jim Crow: African Americans Tell About Life in the Jim Crow South (New Press) which went into its 4^th printing in 2014.

He is the recipient of several book awards including the Lillian Smith Book Prize conferred by the Southern Regional Council & the Harry T. and Harriett V. Moore Book Prize bestowed by the Florida Historical Society and the Florida Institute of Technology. 

 Matt Sedillo and Irene Monica Sanchez


Matt Sedillo is an L.A. based poet

Irene Sanchez is a Xicana, Mama, Educator and Writer. Born in Southeast Los Angeles and raised mostly in the Inland Empire (IE), she has been committed to social justice for many years living/organzing/working up and down the west coast including in Watsonville, CA and Seattle, WA. She has worked as an ethnic studies educator for over 8 years and returned to Southern CA after completion of her Ph.D. in Education. She now teaches high school Latinx Studies in Los Angeles County, enjoys spending time with her kindergartener son, attending cultural/education/political events, and writing. 

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Just Say "NO" to Forced Military Conscription (WOMEN'S MARCH ON THE PENTAGON)

Just Say “NO” to Forced Military Conscription

The US Congress has commissioned a “bi-partisan” panel of 11 people to study the future of a military draft in the United States.

Since the beginning of forced conscription in the US (Civil War), a military draft for that war and subsequent wars has been highly unfair and class biased. For example, in the Civil War, conscripts could actually purchase the way for someone else to take his place.

For every war during the 20th century, draft avoidance, resistance, or “dodging” has been practiced. During the US war crime in Vietnam, 2.15 million US troops were deployed there and at least three-quarter of them were from working-class or poor families. However, we all know the stories of former “deferred” war hawks like Dick (Five-Deferment) Cheney, Bill Clinton, Ted Nugent, Rush Limbaugh, Trump, and Mitt Romney and sub-par humans like George W. Bush being allowed to join an elite (safe) unit to avoid the carnage. Every time an elitist avoided the military draft, a poor child took his place.

For over a century and a half, it’s been the poor who pay the ultimate price when the children of the wealthy and powerful ultimately reap the benefits.

Since forced conscription is inherently unfair, The Women’s March on the Pentagon opposes it as a tool to be used to lead our children to slaughter, or to become murderers of others. We also oppose the misguided idea that a draft will radicalize people to oppose the US Empire: Although we understand such opposition, we feel it is at best shallow and temporary and based on self-interest, not international solidarity. For example, the radicalization during the Vietnam war was definitely short-lived and not very successful as we find ourselves buried even more deeply into the mire of the Military Industrial Complex.

The Women’s March on the Pentagon also opposes forced registration for the draft by men AND women. True equality is complete freedom from war and other oppression, not the right to die for profit, or be sexually abused by your fellow troops, or superiors.

Registering for the draft is also an attack on the working-class and poor as it is required to apply for federal student loans or grants and in some cases required to receive a driver’s license or state i.d.
 

The Women’s March on the Pentagon believes that war is the highest expression of toxic masculinity and we should do everything to confront the politicians and institutions that foster false patriotism and contribute to endless war for bottomless profit—we organize in part to protect our young people from these predators.

There are opportunities for us all to register our opposition to draft registration and the frightening potential of forced conscription.
 
You can share your thoughts online with the commission here.
Public hearings are currently scheduled for the following cities. We encourage folks to attend these hearings by checking the commission's website for the actual dates and locations of these hearings (usually announced only days before).

• June 26/27, 2018: Iowa City, IA
• June 28/29, 2018: Chicago, IL
• July 19/20, 2018: Waco, TX
• August 16/17, 2018: Memphis, TN
• September 19/21, 2018: Los Angeles, CA

VOLUNTEER FOR WOMEN'S MARCH ON THE PENTAGON

We have spent the time up to now on messaging, "branding," and literally circling our wagons to protect the integrity and non-partisan nature of WMOP, now it's time to get into the actual march.

PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING ONE OF OUR COMMITTEES:

 

COMMITTEES

(IF YOU'D LIKE TO VOLUNTEER, PLEASE EMAIL CINDY AT

CINDYSHEEHAN@WOMENSMARCHONPENTAGON.COM)

STEERING COMMITTEE

(Meets twice a month--for now--responsible for approving expenditures, messaging, outreach, social media, website, overseeing committees)

Cindy, CHAIR

MEMBERS: Bonnie Caracciolo

Riva Enteen

Emma Fiala

Suzanne O'Keefe
Paki Weiland 

Heather Cottin

ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

(self-explanatory)

Walter Teague, Veteran of 1967 March on Pentagon
Margaret Flowers,  Co-director of Popular Resistance
Kevin Zeese, Co-director of Popular Resistance
Bruce A. Dixon, Managing Editor of Black Agenda Report 
Ward Reilly, US Veteran-Activist 
Doctress Neutopia, Utopian Visionary 
Ann Wright, Peace Activist 

Gloria LaRiva: PSL and ANSWER

Mnar Muhawesh: MintPress

PR COMMITTEE

(responsible for press-releases, etc)

Cindy Sheehan

Juliette Schwartz-Frinhani 

SOCIAL MEDIA
Cindy
Bonnie
Emma
Aimee
Jessica

(ALL OF YOU WHO SHARE AND PARTICIPATE ON FB AND TWITTER)

WEBSITE:

Emma Fiala, CHAIR AND DESIGNER

FUNDRAISING 

CHILDREN'S PEACE FESTIVAL (OCT 20)

Heather Cottin

Lisa Blank

Aimee Artigliere 

OUTREACH

(CONNECTING WITH OTHER GROUPS TO ENDORSE/PARTNER)

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

HOUSING COMMITTEE

RIDE SHARE COMMITTEE

BUS COORDINATOR

LEGAL COMMITTEE

Riva Enteen

COMMUNICATIONS

Ann Garrison

RALLY COMMITTEE

CINDY SHEEHAN

DC COMMITTEE
Malachy Kilbride

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE COMMITTEE

OCCUPY THE PENTAGON

SOLIDARITY EVENTS
Bonnie Caracciolo, CHAIR
Cathy Browning

IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN OUR CALL, PLEASE EMAIL

CINDY FOR THE NUMBER AND CODE.

CINDYSHEEHAN@MARCHONPENTAGON.COM

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WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER 

email CINDYSHEEHAN@MARCHONPENTAGON.COM
to volunteer.

COMMUNITY CONFERENCE CALL FOR WMOP (MAY 30, 2018)

COMMUNITY CONFERENCE CALL

SIGN UP TO HEAR FROM OUR MAIN ORGANIZERS

ABOUT THE PROGRESS WE ARE MAKING TOWARDS

ORGANIZING THE

WOMEN'S MARCH ON THE PENTAGON!

WHEN:

MAY 30TH

TIMES:

4PM PACIFIC

5PM MOUNTAIN

6PM CENTRAL

7PM EASTERN

(ADJUST FOR YOUR TIME ZONE IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE)

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We have spent the time up to now on messaging, "branding," and literally circling our wagons to protect the integrity and non-partisan nature of WMOP, now it's time to get into the actual march.

PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING ONE OF OUR COMMITTEES:

 

COMMITTEES

IF YOU'D LIKE TO VOLUNTEER, PLEASE EMAIL CINDY AT

CINDYSHEEHAN@WOMENSMARCHONPENTAGON.COM

STEERING COMMITTEE

(Meets twice a month--for now--responsible for approving expenditures, messaging, outreach, social media, website, overseeing committees)

 

Cindy, CHAIR

MEMBERS: Bonnie Caracciolo

Riva Enteen

Emma Fiala

Helen Epstein

Suzanne O'Keefe
Paki Weiland 

Heather Cottin

ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

(self-explanatory)

Walter Teague, Veteran of 1967 March on Pentagon
Margaret Flowers,  Co-director of Popular Resistance
Kevin Zeese, Co-director of Popular Resistance
Bruce A. Dixon, Managing Editor of Black Agenda Report 
Ward Reilly, US Veteran-Activist 
Doctress Neutopia, Utopian Visionary 
Ann Wright, Peace Activist 

Gloria LaRiva: PSL and ANSWER

Mnar Muhawesh: MintPress

PR COMMITTEE

(responsible for press-releases, etc)

Cindy Sheehan

Juliette Schwartz-Frinhani 

SOCIAL MEDIA
Cindy
Bonnie
Emma
Aimee
Jessica

(ALL OF YOU WHO SHARE AND PARTICIPATE ON FB AND TWITTER)

WEBSITE:

Emma Fiala, CHAIR AND DESIGNER

FUNDRAISING 

CHILDREN'S PEACE FESTIVAL (OCT 20)

Heather Cottin

Lisa Blank

Aimee Artigliere 

 

OUTREACH

(CONNECTING WITH OTHER GROUPS TO ENDORSE/PARTNER)

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

HOUSING COMMITTEE

RIDE SHARE COMMITTEE

BUS COORDINATOR

LEGAL COMMITTEE

Riva Enteen

COMMUNICATIONS

Ann Garrison

RALLY COMMITTEE

CINDY SHEEHAN

DC COMMITTEE
Malachy Kilbride

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE COMMITTEE

OCCUPY THE PENTAGON

SOLIDARITY EVENTS
Bonnie Caracciolo, CHAIR
Cathy Browning

IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN OUR CALL, PLEASE EMAIL

CINDY FOR THE NUMBER AND CODE.

CINDYSHEEHAN@MARCHONPENTAGON.COM

******

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

SPEAKING TRUTH TO EMPIRE W/DAN YASEEN (MAY EDITION)

https://soundcloud.com/speaking-truth-to-empire/180516-speaking-truth-to-empire-david-swanson

 “Speaking Truth to Empire” on KFCF 88.1 independently owned and locally operated since 1975 in Fresno, Dan Yaseen interviews David Swanson, an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is the director of WorldBeyondWar.org. He is the author of several books; they will discuss his latest book Curing Exceptionalism. He blogs at DavidSwanson.org and WarIsACrime.org.

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CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX 

The 2nd Assassination of JFK (Soapbox Podcast May 20, 2018)

May 19, 2018

Guest: John Barbour

Topic: The American Media and the Second Assassination of

JFK

 CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH FILM

 John Barbour 

 Will be LIVE on the Hagmann Report

Weds, May 23rd

8-10 eastern to speak about his film.

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CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX 

BLOOMS NOT BOMBS FROM WOMEN'S MARCH ON THE PENTAGON

Mother's Day Money Bloom   CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO HONOR YOUR BADASS MOTHER OR BADASS MOTHER FIGURE!

Mother's Day is tomorrow and we're celebrating with the WMOP Mother's Day Money Bloom!

A money bomb is a grassroots fundraising effort held for a brief period of time but, as you know, we're anti-bomb. So for obvious reasons we're not hosting a money bomb, we're hosting a money bloom instead. We need help feeding our roots so that we may bloom into the worldwide antiwar movement this planet needs right now. We're blooming and reaching our arms (or leaves) far and wide as we fight the bipartisan war machine.

Bombing is bad. Blooming is good. 

Our goal is to raise $10,000 this weekend. Not only will donors receive neat perks like bumper stickers, tote bags, and books during this campaign, a few members of our Steering Committee will get our logo tattooed on their bodies when we reach our goal!!!

In an effort to draw attention to our Money Bloom we're holding another social media storm and are inviting you to participate. Boosting our campaign is just as important as contributing to it.. so even if you've already given to WMOP or can't at this time, don't toss this email in the trash quite yet.

We hope that you'll join us in achieving this goal by participating in a Twitter storm scheduled for tomorrow - Sunday, May 13th.

Detailed instructions, including graphics and pre-populated tweets can be found in this Google Doc.

In solidarity,
Women's March on the Pentagon
 

Mother's Day for Peace by Cindy Sheehan

Mother's Day for Peace

by

Cindy Sheehan

Casey and Cindy

I think that since I have been doing my "peace thing" for so long and I am such an outspoken critic of US militarism, and relentless supporter of civilians being harmed by the US Empire, that some people forget that I am also a grieving mother whose own son was a victim of US militarism. Trust me, I never have forgotten for one moment for the past 14 years.

A couple of weeks after my son Casey was killed in Iraq on April 04, 2004, I was watching a cable news network (which shall remain nameless) and I saw a report on a memorial in Santa Barbara called "Arlington West" which was sponsored by Santa Barbara Veterans for Peace.

I had never heard of this memorial, nor had I heard of Veterans for Peace at that point. However, since Mother's Day was approaching, I told Casey's dad and my then husband Patrick that going to Santa Barbara and going to Arlington West was what I wanted to do that Mother's Day.

The people including Stephen Sherrill who had been featured

building the crosses that were to symbolize the then 700 plus US troops killed in Iraq by that point (one for each death) were so welcoming and sympathetic towards our story and they called filmmakers/peace activists/artists Sally Marr and Peter Dudar up from L.A. to interview us for what would become their film: "Arlington West."

Since that Mother's Day--which was pure torture for me, I have resolved to do something positive for peace on every Mother's Day. To me, it's not the "Hallmark/Brunch Day," but a day I have been in the trenches working against war.

I am not a "good Gold Star Mother" who finds meaning in her child's death by worshiping the institution of war, but one who desires to put my grief in the faces of the war mongers and share it with those who are on the same page as I. I try to find meaning in my wonderful Casey's death by trying to bring peace through education and awareness.

I have spoken in such places as the Adirondacks, Des Moines, Washington DC, and Los Angeles on Mother's Day. Since I have dedicated that day to Peace, I rarely get to spend it with my living children and grandchildren, but they understand and a Mother's Day doesn't go by where we don't talk to each other, no matter where I am in the world. 

However, this year, I will get to be home and spend time with my family, but I am organizing and promoting a "Mother's Day Money Bloom" for our Women's March on the Pentagon (October 20-21).

As Julia Ward Howe said in her Mother's Day for Peace Proclamation:

Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.

“Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.” Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each learning after his own time, the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.

 The Women's March on the Pentagon is calling this general congress of women from around the world to combat the toxic masculinity of war.

Please consider donating and honoring your Badass Mother or Badass Mother figure! 

Women's March on the Pentagon: "WOMAN-I-FESTO" Security through Peace

WOMEN’S MARCH ON PENTAGON
BIG AND BOLD 

There is an imperial saying, "Peace through Strength,” which means that the stronger the US military is, the more peace there will be. Obviously, this is completely wrong and the opposite is true.

 Dennis Kucinich with his Department of Peace idea changed the saying "Strength Through Peace,” which is better than promoting the farce that only peace can be achieved through killing and destruction, but we at WMOP believe that security is far more important to women as an idea than is strength.

Women must feel secure in their homes, on the streets, and in their communities. War is the macro-expression of violence and contains all of the aspects of violence against women: murder, rape, other sexual assault and brutality; the murder/rape of her children; the destruction of her home/community; starvation, illness, terror: insecurity.

Domestic violence and sexual assault/rape/harassment at home, at school, or in the workplace are the micro-expressions of violence against women.
 
WMOP proposes:

"Security Through Peace”

What does this look like?

MACRO SECURITY:

The Security of Peace through an end to the US Military Empire

The Security of a World Free From Nuclear Power and Bombs

The Security of Emancipation from Patriarchy and Imperialism
 
The Security of Renewable and Sustainable Energy and a Healthy Earth

The Security of Clean Water and Whole Foods

The Security of a Decent Job/Union Wages and Benefits or
a Basic Guaranteed Income

The Security of Single Payer Health Care

The Security of Free/Decent/Accessible Education from Pre School-University

The Security of Police Forces Accountable to their Communities


MICRO SECURITY

The Security of Homes Free From Domestic Abuse and Violence

The Security of Supportive Communities and Social Safety Nets

The Security of Reproductive Freedom

The Security of decent low-cost Child Care and Adequate Maternity Leave with full pay.

The Security of an Early, Healthy, and Financially Secure Retirement



How Will We Get From Today to “Security Through Peace?”

The Women’s March on the Pentagon (WMOP) is a non-partisan march against the bi-partisan war machine, WMOP can categorically state that we ARE a movement that is free from patriarchy, Democrat Party control, and the hypocritical energy of Dem loyalists. We are not afraid of holding a major protest a few weeks before the mid-term elections. We are not only anti-Trump; we are anti-Imperialism. Some activists have actually said to me, "Cindy, you can't have an antiwar march so close to the mid-term elections, you'll 'harm' the chances of the Democrats!" My response always is, "What does that say about YOUR party that you're afraid an antiwar march will 'harm' them--you need a new party!”
WMOP is also a movement that is organizing around the energy of being internationalist and advocates for ALL women and their families around the world which is emancipated from the constant propaganda of war and war terms--we don't have to "fight" the powers that be, we just ARE the powers that be. We don't want a "seat at the table," we are BUILDING AND OWNING THE WHOLE DAMN TABLE.

Our first action is a weekend of activity: workshops, a children’s festival, culminating with a March on the Pentagon, rally, and a chance for sustained civil resistance at the Pentagon.

We take our inspiration from the first Women’s Pentagon Action on November 17, 1980 and the first large March on the Pentagon on October 21, 1967

Robin Morgan


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DONATE TO WOMEN'S MARCH ON PENTAGON

FOLLOW WMOP ON FACEBOOK

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SIGN UP FOR WMOP NEWSLETTER

ROL, USA NEWSLETTER NUMBERS 107 AND 108 MAR/APR-MAY/JUNE

Revolutionary Organization of Labor, USA

March/April #107-May/June #108

___________________________________________________________

CLICK HERE FOR FULL NEWSLETTER

MAIN ARTICLES:

A MAY DAY 2018 Greeting and Salute
to the High School Youth Protesting Violence in Public Schools and Communities Across the USA
   
— from RAY LIGHT and CINDY SHEEHAN —

We are encouraged that tens of thousands of high school youth left their schools and took to the streets to protest the fact that, even in school, our youth, holding the future of our country in their hands, are not safe from an epidemic of violence that is sweeping across the USA. The youth are finally beginning to get the message, the wisdom, that  Martin Luther King, Jr.  had come to realize and courageously shared in the year before his assassination fifty years ago: “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world  today [is] my own government.” (MLK Speech at Riverside Church, April 4, 1967)

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Billy Graham: In Memoriam

by CASEY COLE

Reverend Billy Graham passed away on February 21, 2018 and was immediately deified and lauded as a “hero” by the U.S. corporate media.  Let us be clear on Graham’s legacy: the only gospel Graham followed was that of war, hate, and unfettered capitalism. It is absolutely undeniable that Graham played this role for the irredeemably corrupt and bloodthirsty machine of U.S. imperialism. And he played it for well over half a century. 

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The Current State of U.S. Society
and of the U.S. Empire’s Government

by RAY LIGHT

The first quarter of 2018 has brought much political turbulence and disruption both to the rulers and the ruled in the USA. Because U.S. imperialism is still the main bulwark of world capitalism, what has been going on in the USA these days has real significance for the international proletariat and the oppressed peoples of the world, as well.  

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 The U.S. Labor Movement:
The 2017 AFL-CIO Convention and Beyond

(Part Two of Two Part Series)

by MIKE S.

Attended by approximately 600 delegates representing fifty-six national unions as well as a number of State AFL-CIO Federations and Local Central labor bodies, the 2017 Constitutional Convention of the AFL-CIO convened in St Louis, MO from October 22-26. The AFL-CIO is the largest U.S. federation of trade unions, claiming to represent some 12 million “organized” workers. The convention is held every four years and sets the direction of the Federation for the coming years and elects the top three positions of leadership of the organization.

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BY THE REVOLUTIONARY ORGANIZATION OF LABOR, USA

   Orders Welcome!

(Suggested minimum donation $3/copy, $5 for two pamphlets. Political Origins will be included with any request)

Write to:  Boxholder, 607 Boylston St., Lower Level Box 464, Boston, MA  02116, USA

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