An exhibit honoring the human cost of the Iraq War and sending a strong anti-war message will be in Ithaca in October if granted final approval by the full Common Council next month. The exhibit was given initial approval by the Community Services committee last week.
Eyes Wide Open, an exhibit sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee, features a wall of remembrance, a field of shoes and a pair of boots representing every soldier who died in the Iraq War. The exhibit was unveiled in January 2004 and has traveled across the country ever since. At each stop, visitors place flowers, photos and American flags that then accompany the exhibit on its travels.
Wilma Brown, a member of Ithaca's Society of Friends, said that the exhibit would serve as a stand against the war.
"(The memorial is) a witness to our belief that no war can justify human loss," she said.
Gerald Coles, co-chair of the Ithaca Reform Temple, spoke about the educational importance of the exhibit.
Not enough information was given to the public during the Vietnam War, and the Bush administration is "blockading" the truth about Iraq. Now that the opinion about the war is changing, and politicians are realizing that the decision to invade the war was a mistake, he said.
The above is from Stephanie Bergeron's "Anti-war display" from the Ithaca Times and Ty e-mailed to note it.
Brad e-mails to note Pamela White's "Selling death to kids" from Boulder Weekly:
It turns out that when George W pushed through his No Child Left Behind act back in 2001, he wasn't just thinking of providing every American child with a quality education. He was also thinking of sending them to war.
A relatively obscure provision of the bill requires high schools that receive federal funding to make students' contact information available to military recruiters--unless parents "opt out" in writing. What this means in many school districts is that students' phone numbers and addresses are dutifully turned over to the government without parents' knowledge.
In the Boulder Valley School District, we are more fortunate. Rather than leaving it up to parents to know every provision of No Child Left Behind, the district modified its registration materials so that parents are required to check a box--yea or nay--as to whether their child's information can be sent to military recruiters. These forms were shipped to thousands of Boulder County families last week.
It's not surprising that in peacenik Boulder there are many families who adamantly do not want their children to be contacted by military recruiters. What might surprise some folks is that school districts across the nation are encountering this response. It seems that George's pet war isn't as popular with parents as he'd like it to be.
From sea to shining sea, parents are organizing to minimize the impact of military recruiters on children in their school districts. Some avenues parents have explored include prohibiting recruiters from bringing high-tech, "cool" toys like Humvees to schools and providing kids with counter-recruitment materials that debunk the "be all you can be" propaganda.
Sally e-mails to note Jim Hightower's "Common Sense" from the Illinois Times:
Isn't it obvious by now that President George W. Bush is totally lost in Iraq, without a clue of how to get out?
Instead of a coherent Iraq policy, Bush relies on political one-liners. His most infamous was "mission accomplished," but, for me, the most disgusting was his response two years ago when he was asked about the Iraqi insurgents who were beginning to attack our occupation forces. "Bring 'em on," Bush said. That's the kind of macho-posturing, false bravado you might expect from someone safely inside a frat house or barroom, but it's completely irresponsible for a commander in chief to incite enemies to attack our soldiers.
Billie e-mails "Starving Inmates at Lew Sterrett" by Renegade Rene (North Texas Indymedia) (Lew Sterret is a facility in north Texas):
Just got word that the inmates at Lew Sterrett are hardly being fed. They are getting BALONEY AND CRACKERS for a meal, or sometimes a little Macaroni and Cheese with Jello. Bread hasn't been served this week. Right now the Jail is so overcrowded and resources are so strained that they had to open up an older facility just to accommodate everyone after the DPD's latest "clean sweep".
Medical care is still at a low - many inmates can't even get a band-aid when they need one and just about everyone has a staph infection. Many of the inmates are mentally ill and need special care or don't even belong there, they belong in a psychiatric facility. What can we do to help provide the basics for those incarcerated in this messed up justice system?! Many of the inmates in County haven't even had their trial yet. They are supposed to be presumed innocent until proven guilty - and in the meantime are being treated like dogs. Guards are there for their paycheck and look the other way, they are used to all this.Some inmates don't even have a pair of shoes on their feet. They have to special order those dumb cloth shoes that wear out in just a few weeks. It's so frustrating because families can't do anything to help provide for their loved ones other than give them commissary money so they can get a little extra to eat. Skinny is the norm there, and if other inmates see that anyone has extra food they will beat each other up for it. When things are like this and inmates are hungry, sick and irritated, then there are usually more violent incidents.
I just wanted to let y'all know on the inside that you're not forgotten and that people do care.
Brad e-mails to note "UPDATE: Fed Raid on Black Panther's Widow, Son Connected to Patterson Trial" by Chris Geovanis (Chicago Indymedia):
Federal agents descended this morning on the home of Akua Njeri – the widow of assassinated Black Panther leader Fred Hampton – to 'question' her about an alleged threat to the U.S. Attorney for northern Illinois.
According to Njeri and her son Fred Jr., who was present during the incident, federal agents connected the inquiry to Njeri's support of jailed police brutality opponent and former death row inmate Aaron Patterson, who is currently on trial in federal court on gun and drug charges that supporters say are trumped up. Njeri, Fred Jr. and eyewitnesses say that at least ten FBI agents came to the front of Njeri's house on Chicago's south side between 7 and 7:30 AM Wednesday morning.
At the same time, four and possibly more unmarked police cars gathered outside. Eyewitnesses report that many additional officers gathered on foot in the vicinity, some as far away as the alley across the street, dressed in plain clothes or unmarked black military-style uniforms, with bulletproof vests and dogs. Several of the officers reportedly drew their guns.
The agents at the door flashed badges, identified themselves as FBI agents to Fred Jr., and asked to speak to 'Deborah', Njeri's slave name. Njeri came to the door, Fred Jr. began contacting members of the press and attorneys, and after Njeri declined to admit the agents to her house without a warrant, the subsequent conversation between Njeri and the agents was conducted through the closed door.
"We just want to talk to you about you threatening a U.S. Attorney's life," the agents reportedly stated to Njeri, who was flabergasted by the question and refused to open the door, saying "I can hear you just fine through the door."
The agents alleged that Njeri had made a veiled threat to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, saying that Njeri stated that that 'the US attorney has a mark on his head' in federal court last week.
"Absolutely not," responded Njeri. "I don't even talk like that."
Njeri also asked the FBI agents why they had brought so many officers, at which point an agent responded, "They're not with us."
After some additional verbal exchange through the door, the federal agents reportedly said to Njeri that if anything 'happened' to the U.S. Attorney, "the first person we'll come to is you." "And I said ' If anything happens to me, the people will know what happened, and they'll look to you-all,'" Njeri responded to the officers.
"The last time I saw the FBI was December 4, 1969, when they came calling," Njeri said later in an interview, referring to the date the FBI and local law enforcement raided the west side apartment in which she was staying with her fiance, Black Panther activist and others.
Police assassinated Hampton in that raid along with Black Panther Mark Clark, in an incident that sparked international outcry and condemnation from human rights groups around the world.
Njeri and Fred Jr. have linked today's early-morning FBI raid on her house to their position as supporters of jailed police accountability activist Aaron Patterson, who is currently on trial in federal court on drug and gun charges in a case that his supporters have characterized as a trumped-up vendetta designed to silence him and his advocates.
Trevor e-mails to note lotu5's "Pirate 96.9 Raided" (San Diego Indymedia):
This morning, July 21st, at approximately 11AM, Pirate 96.9 was raided by the FCC. An audio interview with one of the DJ's is atached to this posting, below.
Please replay on your free, community and pirate radio stations.
The broadcast location of Pirate 96.9 was raided by a number of FCC agents with marshalls.
No one was present at the location, so the FCC broke the locks on their doors, entered by force, took their equipment and left.
They left a warrant behind them.
The antenna was taken as well as a number of other major components of broadcasting equipment.
Pirate 96.9 is currently off the air.
More information at http://pirate969.org
Read a blog entry from just after the raid here:
http://blog.myspace.com/steadydietofnothing
96.9 raid interview 2005-07-21, mp3 -
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
