Thursday, April 20, 2006

Other Items

Violence claimed the lives of more than 15 Iraqis on Wednesday, and some reports pegged the nationwide toll at 23. At least three Iraqis were killed by gunmen in Baquba, north of Baghdad. In Baghdad, a car bomb killed two people, the Interior Ministry said. The American military announced that a soldier in Baghdad had died from wounds sustained Tuesday when insurgents attacked his vehicle with a roadside bomb.
Insurgents blew up a police station in Yusifiya, south of Baghdad, though no injuries were reported. In the most grisly report, the Iraqi National Security Ministry said terrorists had barged into two schools in the Shaab neighborhood of Baghdad and "slaughtered" two teachers in front of students. But Iraqi police officials denied the account.

The above is from Richard A. Oppel Jr.'s "Iraq Leaders Try to End Deadlock as Violence Goes On" in this morning's New York Times. I'll give credit to Oppel (no one else has to feel compelled to) for the snapshot of reality in his article. No grasp of reality is revealed by Condi and Bully Boy. Condi tells a Chicago group that we should be prepared for more violence (can I get a "duh!"?) but violence will be "subdued" by a "process." Does the mean the death squads?
Violence isn't gong away. Condi better get used to pointing that out to the American people everytime she speaks or she'll be laughed off the stage (or booed off). But she can't spin it as part of democracy. Also trying to spin it is Bully Boy: "Vacuums in the political process create opportunity for malfeasance and harm." The occupation itself creates opportunites "for malfeasance and harm." It did so by denying self-rule and this "the Iraqis must decide!" talking point is all the more laughable considering that we have never allowed them self-rule and have publicly advocated replacing Ibrahim al-Jaafari as prime minister. Imagine the outrage on the part of people if the shoe was on the other foot?

But the administration counts on no one giving thought to the situation and just swallowing Operation Happy Talk talking points. (That echo Rumsfeld's 'democracy is messy' nonsense.)

Wednesday on WBAI's Wakeup Call, Deepa Fernandes interviewed David Zeiger, director of the documentary Sir! No! Sir!. Micah heard the interview and recommends both the interview and the documentary. He saw the film last night and urges everyone to check out. Here are upcoming dates. In NYC, it is currently playing at the IFC Center. If you're in the NYC area, see it this weekend. Upcoming dates:


April:
27 REEL WORK FILM FESTIVAL (Santa Cruz)
28 THE STARZ FILM CENTER (Denver)
MAY:
01 THE CINEMA PARADISO (Fort Lauderdale)
05 TEKFESTIVAL (Rome, Italy)
05 THE ORPHEUM THEATRE(Madison)
LAEMMLE's MONICA 4 (Santa Monica)
LAEMMELE's PLAYHOUSE 7 (Pasadena)
REGAL TOWN CENTER 6 (Irvine)
12 REGAL FOX TOWER STADIUM (Portland)
THE BELCOURT THEATRE (Nashville)
LANDMARK MIDTOWN ART (Atlanta)
19 LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA (Washington DC)
REGAL ARBOR CINEMA @ GREAT HILLS (Austin)
22 THE ELKS THEATRE (Rapid City)
28 CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS (Santa Fe)


Rember to listen, watch or read Democracy Now! today (scheduled topic):

Blackwater USA in the Crosshairs: We'll look at a groundbreaking lawsuitfiled against the private military company.

And Amy Goodman continues the Un-embed the Media tour. Rod provides the upcoming dates and notes that the first event is today (in Milwaukee) and we'll also note, Portland and other members in Oregon, Goodman is coming to your area this Saturday:

* Amy Goodman in Milwaukee, WI:
Thur, Apr 20 *
TIME: 4 PM
George F. Kennan Forum on International Issues: Balancing Security and
Freedom in a Post-9/11 World
The Pabst Theater 144 E. Wells Street Milwaukee, WI
800-511-1552
For more information: http://www.pabsttheater.org/kennan.html
Host Organization: Institute of World Affairs (IWA), Center for
International Education, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, P.O. Box
413,
Milwaukee, WI 53201. Sponsoring Organizations: Peace Action Wisconsin,
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Public Radio, Milwaukee Public
Television, and Wisconsin Public Radio.


* Amy Goodman in Portland, OR:
Sat, Apr 22 *
TIME: 1:30 PM
NFCB Community Radio Conference
The Hilton Portland and Executive Tower: Grand Ballroom
Tickets Available at the Door on Saturday April, 22. No Advance Tickets
Sold.
Ticket Price: $5-20 Sliding Scale
For more information: http://www.nfcb.org
The Hilton Portland
921 SouthWest 6th Ave
Portland, OR


* Amy Goodman in White Plains, NY:
Tue, Apr 25 *
TIME: 6 PM
Freedom of the Press, the Minority Voice: Annual Spring Dinner Event
for
Lower Hudson Valley Civil Liberties Union
Surf Club 280 Davenport Ave. New Rochelle, NY
Reception: 6 PM
Dinner: 7 PM
Ticket Price
ADULTS: $100
STUDENTS: $60
For more information: 914-997-7479


* Amy Goodman in Rome, Italy: Sat, Apr 29 *
TIME: 5 PM
Lelio Basso Foundation


Cindy notes this scheduled program on KPFA today (time is Pacific):

3:00 pm
Cover to Cover with Richard Wolinsky
Tony Kushner, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright of "Angels in America" and editor of a recent collection of Arthur Miller plays, talks in depth about his art and work. Interviewed by Richard Wolinsky.

Ruth reminds everyone that on WBAI today, Tiokasin Ghosthorse and Mattie Harper host the latest First Voices Indigenous Radio (10:00 to 11:00 am Eastern). Please note on both, that you can listen to these programs online if you are not in the broadcast area. (Listen online at no charge.)

Ruth wants to note something from this week's Law and Disorder. Amnesty is asking for help in stopping an execution (scheduled for tomorrow) of Willie Brown. In addition to the Amnesty link (which allows you to take action as well as providing information), you can also listen to
Sue Gunawardena-Vaughn discuss the case and issues with the hosts on this week's Law and Disorder.

Leslie's been checking out KPFT's Open Journal this week and enjoying it. She wants to note today show (noon Central time) "Waking Up from the American DreamSustainability Issues with Flora Yeh" should be worth checking out.


Zach notes Robert Parry's "Shame on the Post's Editorial Page" (Consortium News):


If a full and truthful history of the disastrous Iraq War is ever written, there should be a chapter devoted to the pivotal role played by the Washington Post's hawkish editorial page and the many like-minded thinkers who are published in the newspaper's Op-Ed section.
As arguably the most influential newspaper in the nation's capital, the Post might have been expected to encourage a healthy pre-war debate that reflected diverse opinions from experts in the fields of government, diplomacy, academia, the military and the broader American public. War, after all, is not a trivial matter.
Instead, the Post's editorial section served as a kind of pro-war bulletin board, posting neoconservative manifestos attesting to the wisdom of invading Iraq and tacking up harsh indictments of Americans who dissented from George W. Bush's war plans.

And if you missed it last night, Kat's latest review is of Ben Haper's Both Sides of the Gun so be sure to read that.

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