LABOR, ARTS, EVENTS, ACTIVISM, LOCAL HISTORY, YOUR LETTERS, FUN STUFF!
[This is the SECOND OF TWO MESSAGES MONTHLY sent to 7,091 Ithaca area residents]
**********
---1,000 "NO WAR ON IRAQ" YARD SIGNS SOLD LOCALLY:
$3.00 each at Autumn Leaves or GreenStar.
---850 ITHACANS MARCH AGAINST IRAQ INVASION 3/15 & 900 VIGIL
3/16.
---500
students at IHS, ACS & middle schools rallied to
demand 'Books not Bombs' & 'No War on Iraq'
---3/22 ITHACA FUNERAL PROCESSION 11am"symbolizing
media misrepresentation of the cost of all aspects of war to human
life" from DeWitt Park. "wear funeral attire."
---3/22 NYC
MARCH AGAINST WAR noon at Broadway 38th/42nd
---For latest info [email protected]
& [email protected]
---Ithaca Indymedia >LOCAL
EVENTS
---GROTON
WOMAN DEFIES WHITE HOUSE RESTRICTED ZONE
**********
ITHACA PEACE ACTION MENU-- HOW ITHACANS CAN END WAR & BUILD PEACE
INTRODUCTION
---WARMAKING: When our flag is used as a blindfold
we cannot see what the world sees-- that Bush is a fascist (see
definition below), that America's unprecedented consumerism requires global
control of oil & cheap labor, which now requires war.
No blood for oil? Dipsticks are covered in blood. We'll soon pay higher
property taxes to replace federal funds that go to the military.
---It is impossible to defend America from guerilla war (also known as
terrorism). When enough people hate us, eventually a nuclear bomb in a
suitcase will sneak through. Enemies don't need armies to hijack
airliners, explode dams & buses, start epidemics, cripple
electric grids, poison food or water. Three bombs in random shopping
malls would destroy our national economy. Duct tape & police
everywhere can't protect against such hate.
---PEACEMAKING: America's only defense is
peacemaking. This means respecting world public opinion. This means,
for example, spending our billions to repair Iraq's food, water,
medical & electric systems rather than bomb them, &
building a Palestinian state. Then Muslim nations might regard us as
liberators; their people strong enough to overthrow dictators (watch to
see how 'democratic' Hussein's
replacement is). Enlightened use of our wealth &
power would make further Nine-Elevens less likely.
---These hundreds of billions could be also spent to liberate Americans
from oil dependence. This means resurrecting rail, trolley and
bikeways; retrofitting for maximum fuel efficiency. We have the wealth
& technology to make America & the world healthier,
more abundant, easier to live in, & genuinely safer.
EFFECTIVE LOCAL CHALLENGES TO WARMAKING
---Being morally right is not sufficient, when money & weapons
rule. Beyond this point marches, vigils,
buttons, ribbons & candles often merely express powerless
sorrow. There's much we can do to assert authority, to restrain
warmaking & effect peacemaking. When government overthrows the
people, the people must underthrow government by building new
institutions.
---BLOCKADE: Ithaca has no significant federal buildings-- the local
IRS office left town soon after it was occupied by demonstrators when
Oil War 1 began. But Cornell is the military's brain center. Here are
two examples: DOD.awards.deb.html
& virt.rel.shtml
During the Vietnam War, Cornell designed antipersonnel weapons (that
maim rather than kill) & more recently has had Star Wars
contracts. Several Cornell trustees profited from that war. ROTC
teaches effective killing. History
of activism at Cornell Therm & other local industries
manufacture military hardware. Military recruitment is being challenged by
Ithaca Catholic Workers. Protests 3/20 shut
down San Francisco. disrupting profit-making.
---MILITARY ALLIANCES: Join with police & armed services to
defend the U.S. Constitution against its enemies-- government officials
controlled by multinationals. Many National Guardsmen are working
people who value liberties & peace. Many resent corporate
elites who steal their jobs & send them to war.
---MILITARY COUNSELING
387-8478 GI Rights Hotline: (800) 394-9544 Peacemakers support troops.
Warmakers kill them.
FOUNDATIONS OF PEACE: Blockading war is not enough. As the global struggle for oil becomes more acute, we will either embrace killing millions of people & sending endless generations to war; or we will rebuild our cities, suburbs & farms to need least oil. This challenges us to new standards of comfort & success.
---FREE YOUR MIND: Corporate news, from the Ithaca
Journal to NPR to TV networks, is dominated by the banks & oil companies
which own or sponsor them. Their primary message is that the
world is full of bad people who hate democracy, so we must yield our
wealth & liberties to armies & police who will protect
us.
---Why pay for war propaganda? The soothing erudite tones of NPR
commentators serve the war agenda.
---Why subscribe to the Ithaca Journal? It has
endorsed every U.S. war since 1815 & disparaged
"activists." & as recently as 3/17 offered an editorial cartoon
ridiculing "peaceniks." On 3/19 its cover photo was of Iraquis fleeing
an expected attack by Saddam (rather than the U.S.) & its page
2 photo of "communist" peace demonstrators. Ann Arbor's antiwar
movement seeks subscription cancellations of Ann Arbor News. The
Journal is online
anyway. To cancel Journal subscription: 272-2329
---Rely on INDEPENDENT MEDIA. The internet opens doors to free debate
& connects people worldwide & citywide.
* Ithaca Community News emphasizes solutions to problems. search
archive
* Ithaca
Indymedia interactive reader-written news
* Common Dreams
is world's biggest news source Also zmag.org
* Democracy Now
broadcasts voices from Baghdad: WEOS 88.1FM 9-11am.
* Democracy Now also at WSQX 91.5 at noon. Radio for Peace International
* Listserves: [email protected]
& [email protected]
---FREE YOUR MONEY: When we shop at chain stores,
our wealth contributes to corporate domination of legislation,
government, media, agriculture, food processing, energy, foreign
policy. Likewise when we invest in the stock market or pay taxes.
M&T Bank Corp's shareholders are prominently Coca-Cola,
American Express, Gilette, Pfizer, IBM, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, GE
& others. Progressive
CU alumni against military research can withhold donations
---Put your money where your house is: Alternatives Federal
Credit Union, TCTC, CFCU. Farmer's Market starts 4/5,
Commons, GreenStar,
HOUR Town. Money
with a Mission
---Helpful hints: buy less stuff and be satisfied more. Define
ourselves by
creating rather than consuming.
---Taxes: over half of federal goes to military: [email protected]
National War Tax
Resistance
---FREE YOUR VOTE: Liberals &
Conservatives share responsibility for this massacre. Our first wakeup
was the Arab Oil Embargo of 1974. Then the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
Then the Gulf Oil War of 1991. May we wake now to build locally what
government nationally is too dumb to do.
---What would Al Gore have done? Clinton's foreign policy continued
Bush Sr.'s & inspired attacks on U.S. before 9/11. As a
liberal, Gore would have faced special pressure after 9/11 to be
tough& exact revenge.
---It's urgent that Ithacans elect this year a new mayor, city council
& judges ready to reaffirm our rights to free assembly
& expression, declaring Ithaca a Freedom Zone, ready to defy
state/federal limits on civil liberties (New
Jersey now regards anyone who leaves home during "Red Alert" as enemies).
We need officials who will declare Ithaca a Sanctuary city for those
escaping the military & who will fire any police chief not
respecting the public's right to dissent at any time.
---FREE YOUR BODY: Corporate media tell us that
cars are essential for freedom & adulthood, but cars (whether
SUVs or Volvos) bind us to oil wars. Cities rebuiding
trollies & bikeways
will prosper; car-dependent cities will fail. Buses are useful
too.
---Likewise media excite us to eat overpackaged sugar-coated fatty fun
foods, whose sales profit the same companies profiting from war. The
same multinational corporations profiting by war own many organic foods
sold at GreenStar. See
list & choose independent brands.
--FREE YOUR CHILDREN: teach creative skills as an antidote to consumerism. Teach peacemaking. Protect their civil liberties-- encourage their rebellion against dull classes teaching obedience to destructive authority. K-Mart sells an Easter basket w/war toys
---FREE YOUR FUTURE: Demand a peace budget. We
need to retrain
military personnel, most of whom would rather heal than kill.
Put them to work instead:
1) Insulating (windows, walls, floors, roofs, earth berms) to reduce
energy waste.
2) Rebuilding regional food systems, including food processing centers.
3) Starting regional ecological enterprises. Import replacement
increases community/grassroots wealth.
YOU READ IT FIRST IN ITHACA COMMUNITY NEWS:
* Prediction that U.S.
would commence permanent war, as an excuse to curtail civil
liberties (9/24/01)
* Prediction that U.S.
would declare war on the entire world (January 2000)
* Prediction that global resource struggles would degenerate into general
war leading to collapse of U.S. economy (August 1997)
* Prediction that U.S.
would become a Third World country drained by wars to control
remaining resources & depletion of domestic resources (December
1991)
*WHAT'S A FASCIST
REGIME?
1) Plan
for world domination
2) Pre-emptive attack on other nations
3) extermination of 'lesser' peoples, by gassing, bombing, starvation,
medical embargo
4) subordination of civil
liberties to national security
5) centralization of warmaking authority in a supreme leader: Is
Bush a Nazi?
---"All of us have heard this term 'preventive war' since the earliest
days of Hitler. I don't believe there is such a thing; &,
frankly, I wouldn't even listen to anyone seriously that came in
& talked about such a thing." --Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme
Allied Commander
***********
LOCAL ELECTIONS 2003: Green Party seeks
candidates: [email protected]
* NYS offices: Supreme Court Justice-6th JD
* Tompkins County: Family Court & Surrogate Judge
* City of Ithaca, Mayor, 2 Councilmembers each for Wards 1,2,3,4,5
(total 10).
* Town of Caroline: Supervisor, Town Clerk, Highway Supr, 2
Councilmembers.
* Town of Danby: Supervisor, Town Clerk, Highway Supt, 2 Councilmembers
& Town Justice.
* Town of Dryden: Supervisor, Town Clerk, 2 Councilmembers &
Town Justice.
* Town of Enfield: Supervisor, Town Clerk, Highway Supt, 2
Councilmembers & Town Justice..
* Town of Groton: Supervisor, 2 Councilmembers & Town Justice.
* Town of Ithaca: Supervisor, 3 Councilmembers & Town Justice.
* Town of Lansing: Supervisor, Town Clerk, Highway Supt, 2
Councilmembers & Town Justice.
* Town of Ulysses: 2 Councilmembers & Town Justice.
* Village of Cayuga Heights: 3 Trustees.
* Village of Dryden: Mayor, 2 Trustees.
* Village of Groton: Mayor, 2 Trustees.
* Village of Lansing: Mayor, 2 Trustees.
* Village of Trumansburg: 2 Trustees.
GREEN PARTY OF NEW YORK STATE E-NEWS
************
SEE SPOT GALLERY
* 3/22 Rock show: Frankenixon, Michael Santoro, ALMS: 9-midnight. $5
* 3/28 Lost Film Festival: political shorts from across nation:
8-midnight. $5
* 4/2 Dance Afternoon: childrens' open dance: noon-2pm.
3/23 JEWISH A CAPPELLA CONCERT: "Kaskeset" from Binghamton University at Temple Beth El at 2pm. Tickets at the door are $5 for adults, $4 for students. HOURS accepted.
CINEMAPOLIS/FALL CREEK PICTURES T-SHIRTS read "I
Like to Watch" above the image of an eye; underneath the eye: "Great
Movies at Cinemapolis & Fall Creek Pictures, Ithaca, N.Y."
$16.00, proceeds to new chair campaign. HOURS accepted.
---Schedule for Cinemapolis
& Fall Creek (3/21-27)
**********
COMPASSIONATELY STONEGROUND BOOKS "cooperative of writers in Ithaca who create & publish handmade books of prose & poetry. We also plan, produce & participate in both spoken word performances & open mic nights at local venues."
JUST A TASTE RESTAURANT photos: "Cornell - Through the Seasons" by Susan Verberg through 4/28, 116 N Aurora. "Central Avenue By Night" anticipates the release of her Cornell calendar for 2004
MEETUP ITHACA: start/join a special interest group
LOCAL ECONOMY WORKSHOPS Saturdays 9am-1:30pm, 4/5-5/3. Day care, handouts, refreshments. 257-8093 Enrollment limited. Info meeting 3/29, 10am to 11am, Human Services Bldg 320 W. State.
TOMPKINS COUNTY ECONOMY January 2003
---FREE INSTANT ITHACA CLASSIFIED ADS FOR ALL NEEDS
**************
YOUR LETTERS
"Please sign me up... just the resource we have
been looking for!" --David Thon
--------
"Yahoo is now using something called "Web Beacons"
to track Yahoo Group users around the net and see what you're doing -
similar to cookies.Take a look at their updated
privacy statement. About half-way down the page, in the
section "Outside the Yahoo! Network", you'll see a little "click here"
link that will let you opt-out of their new method of snooping. Once
you have clicked that link, you are opted out. Notice the "Success"
message at the top of the next page. Be careful because on that page
there is a "Cancel Opt-out" button that, if clicked, will *undo* the
opt-out. Feel free to forward this to other groups." --Steve Calkins
--------
"The Ithaca Festival relies upon over 200
community volunteers of all ages. Help us transform our small town into
a celebration. We need just two or three hours of your time before or
during Festival Weekend. It's even more fun when you're w/ your family,
friends, co-workers, or classmates." Other jobs: office help, stage
emcees, tech crew, cleanup crew, T-shirt booths, face painters, sign
painters, puppet makers." 273-3646 --Laurel Guy
--------
"We have long since subscribed to your newsletter.
It used to be that I'd print it out, and leave a copy on the coffee
table, back when we had our own space." --David Murphy, Teen Community
Center Project
--------
"I've been meaning to write you for some time. For
one, let me start me start be adding my name to the chorus of praise
for the valuable community resources that you have helped organize for
all us Ithacans. ---"I am also writing to remind you about the Ithaca
Independent Media Center's online
calendar of local events As always, since our last update,
there have been countless new events posted to the calendar. These
range from ongoing anti-war meetings, events & protests, a
series of talks at Cornell on social activism in South Asia, CUSLAR
events, community-police workshops, local cable access programs to a
few concerts here and there." --Lucas Shapiro
--------
[re: Ithaca domains]: www.IthaCom.com (if
that counts). We now accept Ithaca HOURS on all in store purchases. One
HOUR limit per customer, per day. I use 'em for my coffee at Gimme!
& misc. about town more lately. I will be putting up a little
blurb about accepting them on the website soon.
---[REPLY] Close, but no waterfall! Ithac__ will have to go on another
list, or else this
one will overflow.
--------
"This is a tragic moment, but the anti-war
movement has had important victories. Were it not for the opposition,
Bush would have started this war last summer and never gone to the U.N.
We have to believe, as one sign at Saturday's March on the White House
said, 'We are the TIP of the ICEBERG!'" --Martha Robertson
--------
[re: pro-Wal-Mart letter]: "It's clear to me that
'Tex' is a very skilled economist, & that we all ought to start
relying on 'Tex' to help us make sense of & sort out the
economics of the complex issues of our day. 'Mom & Pops,' with
their exorbitant profit margins, overpaid workers (who might also
receive benefits), & commitment to buying direct, local, or
even American are clearly the villains. Long live Mal-wart! Is there a
grassroots organizing effort mounting to put hang those nefarious Mom
& Pops out to dry once & for all. Where can we all get
contact information for 'Tex' so that we might begin this good work?"
--Ben Nauman
--------
"Tax day is approaching. We should call on all
concerned citizens of this country to withhold the payment of any taxes
they may owe to the IRS as a sign of protest. Most of our taxes are
going towards the military. We are paying for this war!
---"Here's how it can work: We should not refuse to pay taxes. We
should only withhold them indefinitely. Instead of a check, we should
send a note to the IRS saying that we have the money to pay our taxes,
but that we will delay such payment until we feel that the current
government is deserving of the fruit of our hard work. We want to see
our taxes going towards health care, education, housing and hunger
relief, not towards waging senseless wars. If all the people against
the war who owe money to the IRS do this, we can have a serious
impact." --Ulises Mejias
--------
"Thanks for sending Ithaca Community News to me.
It is the most valuable source of local happenings, news, &
events. It would be great if you would publish the URL of an advocacy group concerned
with the ecological integrity & economic viability of our
community. At this site, you may find volunteering
opportunities such as the CSLAP (monitoring water quality of Cayuga
Lake), of planting trees along eroding streambanks, etc., or subscribe
to an electronic version of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network
newsletter. Keep up the good work, & thanks again!" --Jose
Lozano
--------
"After years of starving Iraq, disarming it with
UN Weapon inspectors and destroying its infrastructure, PresidentØù
Bush has begun his long sought after escalation of hostilities: upping
the low intensity bombing (started by his father and never really
needed) to bombing of Bagdad. This should come as no surprise, as we
have watched since 9-11 as Bush has begged other countries to join his
world has condemned this latest action; the only support the US is
either coerced through either outright bribery or bullied by an
economic dependency mercenary army. It was never a question that Bush
wanted war with Iraq, the only question is how he would justify it.
---"Then the US that is so strong requires them to follow the US's
lead. It is amazing how quickly Bush has turned the overwhelmingly
positive disposition of the world toward the US that followed 9/11 into
fear & outrage at our arrogance & unrestrained
militarism.
---"Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney is preparing, via his
company, HaliBurton, to rebuild Iraq after the war. Refusing to place
HaliBurton in his blind trust with the rest of his assets when becoming
VP, has allowed Cheney the ability to funnel taxpayers money into his
own pocket. Specifically, he has overseen the US giving it the contract
to rebuild Iraq after the war essentially to himself. It is well known
that the President's family is firmly entrenched in the oil business.
It is hard to believe that policy is being made based on what is good
for the country rather than what diverts more dollars into high-ranking
government officials' pockets.
---"Bombing Iraq is, apparently, not enough. As long as he was ordering
the bombing of countries, Bush found it necessary to attack Afghanistan
again. The only question now is which third world country the world's
only superpower will find so threatening that it will need to be added
to its hit list.
---"The US government has never been so shamelessly corrupt. Reminds me
of 1939." --Joe Wetmore
--------
"Lost Valley published my paper on EcoPsychology
as a shortened article and they have it up on a website from their
Talking Leaves magazine. Please attach this website to your Ithaca News
for people in Ithaca to connect to!" --Myra McKenney
--------
"During our recent trip to Iraq we carried 116
pounds of medicines, vitamins, health care items, small pieces of
jewelry, tiny toys, beads from "the bead lady," plus dozens of cards,
letters, family photos, & notes -- all gifts from Ithaca people
to distribute to the Iraqi people. We don't have time to write thank
you notes to everyone -- indeed, some of you gave your donations
anonymously. But we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
---"The Iraqi men, women, and children we met were all touched
& grateful at your indivdual outpouring of caring for them.
We'd asked Wegmans, Tops, Eckerd, RiteAid, & CVS for donations
& didn't hear one word back from any of them. But we asked
individuals, & you poured out your love & caring
& concern. This heartened us, & it heartened and
touched the people we met. We told everyone, "These are not from us,
they are from other people who live in our city & wanted you to
know they are thinking about you & do not want war."
---"We have thank you notes from some of them (and several people who
are still looking for pen pals). Let's just hope they are not now hit
w/ other outpourings from Americans. Here's a snippet of a letter from
Dhia'a, a delightful 24-year old man who longs to come to Ithaca to get
his graduate degree in English literature. He has a bachelor's degree
from the University of Baghdad & loves Dickens & Byron
& Shelley & Shakespeare: "I thank you good American
people for showing us your caring & that you do not want war.
We do not want war. Remember my people of Iraq."
---"We are hoping to go back to Iraq to see Dhia'a & meet more
people next month, if the country is not undergoing the threatened
siege, & will call again for help. Ithaca is the best,
& we are so glad to live in such a wonderful community. Would
that the U.S. administration were filled with people like those here."
--Sala'am, peace, George Sapio and Maura Stephens
--------
"I respect Dianea Kohl's point of view that war is
sometimes necessary, but I think she's off-target when criticizing the
protesters of the Iraq war.
---"A comparison with the Nazi regime is indeed apt: history is not
kind to the Germans who sat silently while a maniacal killer seized
control of the country and set it on a course of attempted world
domination. Now our unelected "president" is doing the same thing. Just
as the Nazi progaganda machine worked to get German public behind its
insane schemes, our media has a significant portion of our public
believing that there is something just and noble in the bombardment and
sanctions against Iraq.
---"Although the Pentagon initially claimed that they were only bombing
military targets, U.N. oberserver Martti Ahtisaari found
"near-apocolyptic" destruction of essential civilian infrastructure.
The damage, subsequently acknowledged by the Pentagon as deliberate, of
the electric, water purification and sewage treatment systems has
resulted in the deaths of over a million Iraqis. Denis Halliday, United
Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq, resigned in revulsion at this
genocide, as did his successor Hans von Sponeck.
---"Andrea Needham, a nurse from Britain visiting Iraq in 1999
observed:"The hospital was full of tiny stick-like children suffering
from severe malnutrition caused not so much by a lack of food as by a
lack of clean water and the inevitable diarrhoea and vomiting. One
mother sitting by the bedside of her sick child asked me, 'Why does
your government do this to our children?'. All I could do was shake my
head & say 'I'm sorry' in Arabic - a phrase I came to use all
too often during my visit."
---"Our government is shredding our 200 year old constitution as well
as our progress in international law, such as the articles of the
Geneva Convention." --Bill Carini
*********
THE BATH BAR SPRING CLEARANCE SALE 4/8-13t, noon-7pm. Everything 20%-50% off. "Soap, Lotions, Dead Sea Salts, Incense, Body Oils, Bath Bombs, handmade in Ithaca. Bath accessories, robes, slippers, candles, baskets, baby gifts & supplies, Homedics Foot Spas, Bodum Coffee Presses & Cups, Soap & Candle Molds, Crafting supplies." 312 Fourth St. Ithaca HOURS accepted. 256-2284
**********
TEACH-IN ON THE REPRESSION OF ARABS, MUSLIMS & SOUTH ASIANS, & the wider attack on civil liberties 4/12, Kaufmann Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall. [email protected]
COMMISSIONERS NEEDED FOR EARLY JAIL RELEASE PROGRAM "County jail inmates who have received sentences >90 days & who meet other requirements may apply for early release. Commissioners review applications & make determinations. Commissioners must have a degree from a 4-year college + 5 yrs exp in criminology, criminal justice administration, law enforcement, probation, parole, law, social work, social science, psychology, psychiatry, or corrections. Meet monthly. Faith Newkirk 274-5380.
*********
EXPLORING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM 4/8, 7-8:30 All free workshops held at Finger Lakes School of Massage 1251 Trumansburg Rd. RSVP 272-9024
SPRING JUMP AT EARTH ARTS: Spring Break Program 4/14-18, 9am-3pm, ages 7+. The 5-day program weaves indoor creative projects w/ outdoor observations of Spring. Projects include in part: pottery, weaving, nature journaling, jewelry, theater, spring plantings, & outdoor sculptures. Week fee $180 (includes all materials and kiln firing) Ithaca HOURS accepted.Register: 272-6486
*********
URGENT APPEAL FOR IRAQI FAMILIES FOR HYGIENE KITS donate at: Willard Straight Hall Lobby, 107 Day Hall, 117 Anabel Taylor, Noyes Community Center, Robert Purcell Community Center, Appel Community Center, Ten Thousand Villages
Thanks to Homer & Jane at Lightlink for reliable internet services.
*********
EDITOR: [email protected]
ITHACA COMMUNITY NEWS HOME PAGE W/BACK ISSUES
LABOR, ARTS, EVENTS, ACTIVISM, LOCAL HISTORY, YOUR LETTERS, FUN STUFF!
[This is the SECOND OF TWO MESSAGES MONTHLY sent to 7,091 Ithaca area residents]
**********
---1,000 "NO WAR ON IRAQ" YARD SIGNS SOLD LOCALLY: $3.00 each
at Autumn Leaves or GreenStar.
---850 ITHACANS MARCH AGAINST IRAQ INVASION 3/15 & 900 VIGIL
3/16.
---500
students at IHS, ACS & middle schools rallied to
demand 'Books not Bombs' & 'No War on Iraq'
---3/22 ITHACA FUNERAL PROCESSION 11am"symbolizing media
misrepresentation of the cost of all aspects of war to human life" from
DeWitt Park. "wear funeral attire."
---3/22 NYC
MARCH AGAINST WAR noon at Broadway 38th/42nd
---For latest info [email protected]
& [email protected]
---Ithaca Indymedia >LOCAL
EVENTS
---GROTON
WOMAN DEFIES WHITE HOUSE RESTRICTED ZONE
**********
ITHACA PEACE ACTION MENU-- HOW ITHACANS CAN END WAR & BUILD PEACE
INTRODUCTION
---WARMAKING: When our flag is used as a blindfold we cannot
see what the world sees-- that Bush is a fascist (see definition
below), that America's unprecedented consumerism requires global
control of oil & cheap labor, which now requires war.
No blood for oil? Dipsticks are covered in blood. We'll soon pay higher
property taxes to replace federal funds that go to the military.
---It is impossible to defend America from guerilla war (also known as
terrorism). When enough people hate us, eventually a nuclear bomb in a
suitcase will sneak through. Enemies don't need armies to hijack
airliners, explode dams & buses, start epidemics, cripple
electric grids, poison food or water. Three bombs in random shopping
malls would destroy our national economy. Duct tape & police
everywhere can't protect against such hate.
---PEACEMAKING: America's only defense is peacemaking. This
means respecting world public opinion. This means, for example,
spending our billions to repair Iraq's food, water, medical &
electric systems rather than bomb them, & building a
Palestinian state. Then Muslim nations might regard us as liberators;
their people strong enough to overthrow dictators (watch to see how
'democratic' Hussein's
replacement is). Enlightened use of our wealth &
power would make further Nine-Elevens less likely.
---These hundreds of billions could be also spent to liberate Americans
from oil dependence. This means resurrecting rail, trolley and
bikeways; retrofitting for maximum fuel efficiency. We have the wealth
& technology to make America & the world healthier,
more abundant, easier to live in, & genuinely safer.
EFFECTIVE LOCAL CHALLENGES TO WARMAKING
---Being morally right is not sufficient, when money & weapons
rule. Beyond this point marches, vigils,
buttons, ribbons & candles often merely express powerless
sorrow. There's much we can do to assert authority, to restrain
warmaking & effect peacemaking. When government overthrows the
people, the people must underthrow government by building new
institutions.
---BLOCKADE: Ithaca has no significant federal buildings-- the local
IRS office left town soon after it was occupied by demonstrators when
Oil War 1 began. But Cornell is the military's brain center. Here are
two examples: DOD.awards.deb.html
& virt.rel.shtml
During the Vietnam War, Cornell designed antipersonnel weapons (that
maim rather than kill) & more recently has had Star Wars
contracts. Several Cornell trustees profited from that war. ROTC
teaches effective killing. History
of activism at Cornell Therm & other local industries
manufacture military hardware. Military recruitment is being challenged by
Ithaca Catholic Workers. Protests 3/20 shut
down San Francisco. disrupting profit-making.
---MILITARY ALLIANCES: Join with police & armed services to
defend the U.S. Constitution against its enemies-- government officials
controlled by multinationals. Many National Guardsmen are working
people who value liberties & peace. Many resent corporate
elites who steal their jobs & send them to war.
---MILITARY COUNSELING
387-8478 GI Rights Hotline: (800) 394-9544 Peacemakers support troops.
Warmakers kill them.
FOUNDATIONS OF PEACE: Blockading war is not enough. As the global struggle for oil becomes more acute, we will either embrace killing millions of people & sending endless generations to war; or we will rebuild our cities, suburbs & farms to need least oil. This challenges us to new standards of comfort & success.
---FREE YOUR MIND: Corporate news, from the Ithaca Journal to
NPR to TV networks, is dominated by the banks & oil companies
which own or sponsor them. Their primary message is that the
world is full of bad people who hate democracy, so we must yield our
wealth & liberties to armies & police who will protect
us.
---Why pay for war propaganda? The soothing erudite tones of NPR
commentators serve the war agenda.
---Why subscribe to the Ithaca Journal? It has
endorsed every U.S. war since 1815 & disparaged
"activists." & as recently as 3/17 offered an editorial cartoon
ridiculing "peaceniks." On 3/19 its cover photo was of Iraquis fleeing
an expected attack by Saddam (rather than the U.S.) & its page
2 photo of "communist" peace demonstrators. Ann Arbor's antiwar
movement seeks subscription cancellations of Ann Arbor News. The
Journal is online
anyway. To cancel Journal subscription: 272-2329
---Rely on INDEPENDENT MEDIA. The internet opens doors to free debate
& connects people worldwide & citywide.
* Ithaca Community News emphasizes solutions to problems. search
archive
* Ithaca
Indymedia interactive reader-written news
* Common Dreams
is world's biggest news source Also zmag.org
* Democracy Now
broadcasts voices from Baghdad: WEOS 88.1FM 9-11am.
* Democracy Now also at WSQX 91.5 at noon. Radio for Peace International
* Listserves: [email protected]
& [email protected]
---FREE YOUR MONEY: When we shop at chain stores, our wealth
contributes to corporate domination of legislation, government, media,
agriculture, food processing, energy, foreign policy. Likewise when we
invest in the stock market or pay taxes. M&T Bank Corp's
shareholders are prominently Coca-Cola, American Express, Gilette,
Pfizer, IBM, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, GE & others. Progressive
CU alumni against military research can withhold donations
---Put your money where your house is: Alternatives Federal
Credit Union, TCTC, CFCU. Farmer's Market starts 4/5,
Commons, GreenStar,
HOUR Town. Money
with a Mission
---Helpful hints: buy less stuff and be satisfied more. Define
ourselves by
creating rather than consuming.
---Taxes: over half of federal goes to military: [email protected]
National War Tax Resistance
---FREE YOUR VOTE: Liberals & Conservatives share
responsibility for this massacre. Our first wakeup was the Arab Oil
Embargo of 1974. Then the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Then the Gulf Oil
War of 1991. May we wake now to build locally what government
nationally is too dumb to do.
---What would Al Gore have done? Clinton's foreign policy continued
Bush Sr.'s & inspired attacks on U.S. before 9/11. As a
liberal, Gore would have faced special pressure after 9/11 to be
tough& exact revenge.
---It's urgent that Ithacans elect this year a new mayor, city council
& judges ready to reaffirm our rights to free assembly
& expression, declaring Ithaca a Freedom Zone, ready to defy
state/federal limits on civil liberties (New
Jersey now regards anyone who leaves home during "Red Alert" as enemies).
We need officials who will declare Ithaca a Sanctuary city for those
escaping the military & who will fire any police chief not
respecting the public's right to dissent at any time.
---FREE YOUR BODY: Corporate media tell us that cars are
essential for freedom & adulthood, but cars (whether SUVs or
Volvos) bind us to oil wars. Cities rebuiding
trollies & bikeways
will prosper; car-dependent cities will fail. Buses are useful
too.
---Likewise media excite us to eat overpackaged sugar-coated fatty fun
foods, whose sales profit the same companies profiting from war. The
same multinational corporations profiting by war own many organic foods
sold at GreenStar. See
list & choose independent brands.
--FREE YOUR CHILDREN: teach creative skills as an antidote to consumerism. Teach peacemaking. Protect their civil liberties-- encourage their rebellion against dull classes teaching obedience to destructive authority. K-Mart sells an Easter basket w/war toys
---FREE YOUR FUTURE: Demand a peace budget. We need to retrain
military personnel, most of whom would rather heal than kill.
Put them to work instead:
1) Insulating (windows, walls, floors, roofs, earth berms) to reduce
energy waste.
2) Rebuilding regional food systems, including food processing centers.
3) Starting regional ecological enterprises. Import replacement
increases community/grassroots wealth.
YOU READ IT FIRST IN ITHACA COMMUNITY NEWS:
* Prediction that U.S.
would commence permanent war, as an excuse to curtail civil
liberties (9/24/01)
* Prediction that U.S.
would declare war on the entire world (January 2000)
* Prediction that global resource struggles would degenerate into general
war leading to collapse of U.S. economy (August 1997)
* Prediction that U.S.
would become a Third World country drained by wars to control
remaining resources & depletion of domestic resources (December
1991)
*WHAT'S A FASCIST
REGIME?
1) Plan
for world domination
2) Pre-emptive attack on other nations
3) extermination of 'lesser' peoples, by gassing, bombing, starvation,
medical embargo
4) subordination of civil
liberties to national security
5) centralization of warmaking authority in a supreme leader: Is
Bush a Nazi?
---"All of us have heard this term 'preventive war' since the earliest
days of Hitler. I don't believe there is such a thing; &,
frankly, I wouldn't even listen to anyone seriously that came in
& talked about such a thing." --Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme
Allied Commander
***********
LOCAL ELECTIONS 2003: Green
Party seeks candidates: [email protected]
* NYS offices: Supreme Court Justice-6th JD
* Tompkins County: Family Court & Surrogate Judge
* City of Ithaca, Mayor, 2 Councilmembers each for Wards 1,2,3,4,5
(total 10).
* Town of Caroline: Supervisor, Town Clerk, Highway Supr, 2
Councilmembers.
* Town of Danby: Supervisor, Town Clerk, Highway Supt, 2 Councilmembers
& Town Justice.
* Town of Dryden: Supervisor, Town Clerk, 2 Councilmembers &
Town Justice.
* Town of Enfield: Supervisor, Town Clerk, Highway Supt, 2
Councilmembers & Town Justice..
* Town of Groton: Supervisor, 2 Councilmembers & Town Justice.
* Town of Ithaca: Supervisor, 3 Councilmembers & Town Justice.
* Town of Lansing: Supervisor, Town Clerk, Highway Supt, 2
Councilmembers & Town Justice.
* Town of Ulysses: 2 Councilmembers & Town Justice.
* Village of Cayuga Heights: 3 Trustees.
* Village of Dryden: Mayor, 2 Trustees.
* Village of Groton: Mayor, 2 Trustees.
* Village of Lansing: Mayor, 2 Trustees.
* Village of Trumansburg: 2 Trustees.
GREEN PARTY OF NEW YORK STATE E-NEWS
************
SEE SPOT GALLERY
* 3/22 Rock show: Frankenixon, Michael Santoro, ALMS: 9-midnight. $5
* 3/28 Lost Film Festival: political shorts from across nation:
8-midnight. $5
* 4/2 Dance Afternoon: childrens' open dance: noon-2pm.
3/23 JEWISH A CAPPELLA CONCERT: "Kaskeset" from Binghamton University at Temple Beth El at 2pm. Tickets at the door are $5 for adults, $4 for students. HOURS accepted.
CINEMAPOLIS/FALL CREEK PICTURES T-SHIRTS read "I Like to
Watch" above the image of an eye; underneath the eye: "Great Movies at
Cinemapolis & Fall Creek Pictures, Ithaca, N.Y." $16.00,
proceeds to new chair campaign. HOURS accepted.
---Schedule for Cinemapolis
& Fall Creek (3/21-27)
**********
COMPASSIONATELY STONEGROUND BOOKS "cooperative of writers in Ithaca who create & publish handmade books of prose & poetry. We also plan, produce & participate in both spoken word performances & open mic nights at local venues."
JUST A TASTE RESTAURANT photos: "Cornell - Through the Seasons" by Susan Verberg through 4/28, 116 N Aurora. "Central Avenue By Night" anticipates the release of her Cornell calendar for 2004
MEETUP ITHACA: start/join a special interest group
LOCAL ECONOMY WORKSHOPS Saturdays 9am-1:30pm, 4/5-5/3. Day care, handouts, refreshments. 257-8093 Enrollment limited. Info meeting 3/29, 10am to 11am, Human Services Bldg 320 W. State.
TOMPKINS COUNTY ECONOMY January 2003
---FREE INSTANT ITHACA CLASSIFIED ADS FOR ALL NEEDS
**************
YOUR LETTERS
"Please sign me up... just the resource we have been looking
for!" --David Thon
--------
"Yahoo is now using something called "Web Beacons" to track
Yahoo Group users around the net and see what you're doing - similar to
cookies.Take a look at their updated
privacy statement. About half-way down the page, in the
section "Outside the Yahoo! Network", you'll see a little "click here"
link that will let you opt-out of their new method of snooping. Once
you have clicked that link, you are opted out. Notice the "Success"
message at the top of the next page. Be careful because on that page
there is a "Cancel Opt-out" button that, if clicked, will *undo* the
opt-out. Feel free to forward this to other groups." --Steve Calkins
--------
"The Ithaca Festival relies upon over 200 community
volunteers of all ages. Help us transform our small town into a
celebration. We need just two or three hours of your time before or
during Festival Weekend. It's even more fun when you're w/ your family,
friends, co-workers, or classmates." Other jobs: office help, stage
emcees, tech crew, cleanup crew, T-shirt booths, face painters, sign
painters, puppet makers." 273-3646 --Laurel Guy
--------
"We have long since subscribed to your newsletter. It used to
be that I'd print it out, and leave a copy on the coffee table, back
when we had our own space." --David Murphy, Teen Community Center
Project
--------
"I've been meaning to write you for some time. For one, let
me start me start be adding my name to the chorus of praise for the
valuable community resources that you have helped organize for all us
Ithacans. ---"I am also writing to remind you about the Ithaca
Independent Media Center's online
calendar of local events As always, since our last update,
there have been countless new events posted to the calendar. These
range from ongoing anti-war meetings, events & protests, a
series of talks at Cornell on social activism in South Asia, CUSLAR
events, community-police workshops, local cable access programs to a
few concerts here and there." --Lucas Shapiro
--------
[re: Ithaca domains]: www.IthaCom.com
(if that counts). We now accept Ithaca HOURS on all in store purchases.
One HOUR limit per customer, per day. I use 'em for my coffee at Gimme!
& misc. about town more lately. I will be putting up a little
blurb about accepting them on the website soon.
---[REPLY] Close, but no waterfall! Ithac__ will have to go on another
list, or else this
one will overflow.
--------
"This is a tragic moment, but the anti-war movement has had
important victories. Were it not for the opposition, Bush would have
started this war last summer and never gone to the U.N. We have to
believe, as one sign at Saturday's March on the White House said, 'We
are the TIP of the ICEBERG!'" --Martha Robertson
--------
[re: pro-Wal-Mart letter]: "It's clear to me that 'Tex' is a
very skilled economist, & that we all ought to start relying on
'Tex' to help us make sense of & sort out the economics of the
complex issues of our day. 'Mom & Pops,' with their exorbitant
profit margins, overpaid workers (who might also receive benefits),
& commitment to buying direct, local, or even American are
clearly the villains. Long live Mal-wart! Is there a grassroots
organizing effort mounting to put hang those nefarious Mom &
Pops out to dry once & for all. Where can we all get contact
information for 'Tex' so that we might begin this good work?" --Ben
Nauman
--------
"Tax day is approaching. We should call on all concerned
citizens of this country to withhold the payment of any taxes they may
owe to the IRS as a sign of protest. Most of our taxes are going
towards the military. We are paying for this war!
---"Here's how it can work: We should not refuse to pay taxes. We
should only withhold them indefinitely. Instead of a check, we should
send a note to the IRS saying that we have the money to pay our taxes,
but that we will delay such payment until we feel that the current
government is deserving of the fruit of our hard work. We want to see
our taxes going towards health care, education, housing and hunger
relief, not towards waging senseless wars. If all the people against
the war who owe money to the IRS do this, we can have a serious
impact." --Ulises Mejias
--------
"Thanks for sending Ithaca Community News to me. It is the
most valuable source of local happenings, news, & events. It
would be great if you would publish the URL of an advocacy group concerned
with the ecological integrity & economic viability of our
community. At this site, you may find volunteering
opportunities such as the CSLAP (monitoring water quality of Cayuga
Lake), of planting trees along eroding streambanks, etc., or subscribe
to an electronic version of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network
newsletter. Keep up the good work, & thanks again!" --Jose
Lozano
--------
"After years of starving Iraq, disarming it with UN Weapon
inspectors and destroying its infrastructure, PresidentØù Bush has
begun his long sought after escalation of hostilities: upping the low
intensity bombing (started by his father and never really needed) to
bombing of Bagdad. This should come as no surprise, as we have watched
since 9-11 as Bush has begged other countries to join his world has
condemned this latest action; the only support the US is either coerced
through either outright bribery or bullied by an economic dependency
mercenary army. It was never a question that Bush wanted war with Iraq,
the only question is how he would justify it.
---"Then the US that is so strong requires them to follow the US's
lead. It is amazing how quickly Bush has turned the overwhelmingly
positive disposition of the world toward the US that followed 9/11 into
fear & outrage at our arrogance & unrestrained
militarism.
---"Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney is preparing, via his
company, HaliBurton, to rebuild Iraq after the war. Refusing to place
HaliBurton in his blind trust with the rest of his assets when becoming
VP, has allowed Cheney the ability to funnel taxpayers money into his
own pocket. Specifically, he has overseen the US giving it the contract
to rebuild Iraq after the war essentially to himself. It is well known
that the President's family is firmly entrenched in the oil business.
It is hard to believe that policy is being made based on what is good
for the country rather than what diverts more dollars into high-ranking
government officials' pockets.
---"Bombing Iraq is, apparently, not enough. As long as he was ordering
the bombing of countries, Bush found it necessary to attack Afghanistan
again. The only question now is which third world country the world's
only superpower will find so threatening that it will need to be added
to its hit list.
---"The US government has never been so shamelessly corrupt. Reminds me
of 1939." --Joe Wetmore
--------
"Lost Valley published my paper on EcoPsychology
as a shortened article and they have it up on a website from their
Talking Leaves magazine. Please attach this website to your Ithaca News
for people in Ithaca to connect to!" --Myra McKenney
--------
"During our recent trip to Iraq we carried 116 pounds of
medicines, vitamins, health care items, small pieces of jewelry, tiny
toys, beads from "the bead lady," plus dozens of cards, letters, family
photos, & notes -- all gifts from Ithaca people to distribute
to the Iraqi people. We don't have time to write thank you notes to
everyone -- indeed, some of you gave your donations anonymously. But we
thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
---"The Iraqi men, women, and children we met were all touched
& grateful at your indivdual outpouring of caring for them.
We'd asked Wegmans, Tops, Eckerd, RiteAid, & CVS for donations
& didn't hear one word back from any of them. But we asked
individuals, & you poured out your love & caring
& concern. This heartened us, & it heartened and
touched the people we met. We told everyone, "These are not from us,
they are from other people who live in our city & wanted you to
know they are thinking about you & do not want war."
---"We have thank you notes from some of them (and several people who
are still looking for pen pals). Let's just hope they are not now hit
w/ other outpourings from Americans. Here's a snippet of a letter from
Dhia'a, a delightful 24-year old man who longs to come to Ithaca to get
his graduate degree in English literature. He has a bachelor's degree
from the University of Baghdad & loves Dickens & Byron
& Shelley & Shakespeare: "I thank you good American
people for showing us your caring & that you do not want war.
We do not want war. Remember my people of Iraq."
---"We are hoping to go back to Iraq to see Dhia'a & meet more
people next month, if the country is not undergoing the threatened
siege, & will call again for help. Ithaca is the best,
& we are so glad to live in such a wonderful community. Would
that the U.S. administration were filled with people like those here."
--Sala'am, peace, George Sapio and Maura Stephens
--------
"I respect Dianea Kohl's point of view that war is sometimes
necessary, but I think she's off-target when criticizing the protesters
of the Iraq war.
---"A comparison with the Nazi regime is indeed apt: history is not
kind to the Germans who sat silently while a maniacal killer seized
control of the country and set it on a course of attempted world
domination. Now our unelected "president" is doing the same thing. Just
as the Nazi progaganda machine worked to get German public behind its
insane schemes, our media has a significant portion of our public
believing that there is something just and noble in the bombardment and
sanctions against Iraq.
---"Although the Pentagon initially claimed that they were only bombing
military targets, U.N. oberserver Martti Ahtisaari found
"near-apocolyptic" destruction of essential civilian infrastructure.
The damage, subsequently acknowledged by the Pentagon as deliberate, of
the electric, water purification and sewage treatment systems has
resulted in the deaths of over a million Iraqis. Denis Halliday, United
Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq, resigned in revulsion at this
genocide, as did his successor Hans von Sponeck.
---"Andrea Needham, a nurse from Britain visiting Iraq in 1999
observed:"The hospital was full of tiny stick-like children suffering
from severe malnutrition caused not so much by a lack of food as by a
lack of clean water and the inevitable diarrhoea and vomiting. One
mother sitting by the bedside of her sick child asked me, 'Why does
your government do this to our children?'. All I could do was shake my
head & say 'I'm sorry' in Arabic - a phrase I came to use all
too often during my visit."
---"Our government is shredding our 200 year old constitution as well
as our progress in international law, such as the articles of the
Geneva Convention." --Bill Carini
*********
THE BATH BAR SPRING CLEARANCE SALE 4/8-13t, noon-7pm. Everything 20%-50% off. "Soap, Lotions, Dead Sea Salts, Incense, Body Oils, Bath Bombs, handmade in Ithaca. Bath accessories, robes, slippers, candles, baskets, baby gifts & supplies, Homedics Foot Spas, Bodum Coffee Presses & Cups, Soap & Candle Molds, Crafting supplies." 312 Fourth St. Ithaca HOURS accepted. 256-2284
**********
TEACH-IN ON THE REPRESSION OF ARABS, MUSLIMS & SOUTH ASIANS, & the wider attack on civil liberties 4/12, Kaufmann Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall. [email protected]
COMMISSIONERS NEEDED FOR EARLY JAIL RELEASE PROGRAM "County jail inmates who have received sentences >90 days & who meet other requirements may apply for early release. Commissioners review applications & make determinations. Commissioners must have a degree from a 4-year college + 5 yrs exp in criminology, criminal justice administration, law enforcement, probation, parole, law, social work, social science, psychology, psychiatry, or corrections. Meet monthly. Faith Newkirk 274-5380.
*********
EXPLORING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM 4/8, 7-8:30 All free workshops held at Finger Lakes School of Massage 1251 Trumansburg Rd. RSVP 272-9024
SPRING JUMP AT EARTH ARTS: Spring Break Program 4/14-18, 9am-3pm, ages 7+. The 5-day program weaves indoor creative projects w/ outdoor observations of Spring. Projects include in part: pottery, weaving, nature journaling, jewelry, theater, spring plantings, & outdoor sculptures. Week fee $180 (includes all materials and kiln firing) Ithaca HOURS accepted.Register: 272-6486
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URGENT APPEAL FOR IRAQI FAMILIES FOR HYGIENE KITS donate at: Willard Straight Hall Lobby, 107 Day Hall, 117 Anabel Taylor, Noyes Community Center, Robert Purcell Community Center, Appel Community Center, Ten Thousand Villages
Thanks to Homer & Jane at Lightlink for reliable internet services.
*********
EDITOR: [email protected]
ITHACA COMMUNITY NEWS HOME PAGE W/BACK ISSUES