Canada's Parliament will vote on an historic motion to support U.S. Iraq War Resisters in Canada.
The motion calls on the Government of Canada to stop removal orders against those who refuse to fight in Bush's illegal war in Iraq, and has the support of all three opposition parties. We have an excellent opportunity to win this motion, but we still need your help.
Calls and e-mails are making a difference--and we need to continue to put pressure on the Government to ensure that this historic motion passes.
On Monday June 2nd:
Call and email your local Member of ParliamentTell them you expect them to support the motion and appear for the vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
Click here to find your M.P.'s contact info.
Continue calling and e-mailing:
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley
phone 613.996.4974fax 613.996.9749
email finley.d@parl.gc.ca and finled1@parl.gc.ca
Prime Minister Stephen Harperphone 613.992.4211fax 613.941.6900
email pm@pm.gc.ca
Tell them you want the Government of Canada to
• rescind the deportation order against US war resister Corey Glass
• support US war resisters, not Bush's war in Iraq
• support the motion to allow Iraq war resisters to remain in Canada
The above is from the War Resisters Suport Campaign. That's today. US war resister and Iraq War veteran Corey Glass has been informed he has to leave Canada by June 12th or he will be deported. There are a large number of war resisters in Canada. The vote on the motion today will be historic regardless of the outcome. Hopefully, Canada will remember its strong legacy of peace and embrace that.
The US government doesn't embrace the veterans, it doesn't even care judging by Ann Scott Tyson's "Nearby Firing Ranges Complicate Soldiers' Recovery From Stress" (Washington Post):
Army Sgt. Jonathan Strickland sits in his room at noon with the blinds drawn, seeking the sleep that has eluded him since he was knocked out by the blast of a Baghdad car bomb.
Like many of the wounded soldiers living in the newly built "warrior transition" barracks here, the soft-spoken 25-year-old suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. But even as Strickland and his comrades struggle with nightmares, anxiety and flashbacks from their wartime experiences, the sounds of gunfire have followed them here, just outside their windows.
Across the street from their assigned housing, about 200 yards away, are some of the Army infantry's main firing ranges, and day and night, several days each week, barrages from rifles and machine guns echo around Strickland's building. The noise makes the wounded cringe, startle in their formations, and stay awake and on edge, according to several soldiers interviewed at the barracks last month. The gunfire recently sent one soldier to the emergency room with an anxiety attack, they said.
It takes a lot of stupid to place wounded service members next to a firing range. It takes stupidity mixed with indifference to refuse to rectify the huge error after you're made aware of it. But the latter happened: "Soldiers interviewed said complaints to medical personnel at Fort Benning's Martin Army Community Hospital and officers in their chain of command have brought no relief, prompting one soldier's father to contact The Washington Post."
ADDED: Barack attacks another woman but he does nothing but attack women so why is that a surprise at this late date? Wally's "THIS JUST IN! NOW HE THROWS SUPPORTERS UNDER THE BUS!" and Cedric's "Barack attacks another woman" notes this AP story by Kelley Shannon:
A Texas Democratic superdelegate who endorsed Sen. Barack Obama disputed claims Monday by state party officials and an Obama aide who say she may no longer be a superdelegate after the state party convention this weekend.
Roy LaVerne Brooks of Fort Worth, vice chair of the state party, said she got a call last week from an Obama campaign worker who tried to persuade her to get out of the race for state Democratic chair against incumbent chairman Boyd Richie to avoid a divided Texas convention.
Montana and South Dakota vote today. For a change, every state and territory got to participate in the primary with meaningful votes (despite the media's repeated attempts to call the race for their crush Barack). Carmen notes Linsay Levin's "The Last Two Races" (HillaryClinton.com):
Hillary just sent out the following message:
Dear Friend,
Tomorrow is the very last day Americans will have the chance to vote in this hard-fought and historic race for the Democratic nomination. Every vote we receive in South Dakota and Montana will help us add to our popular vote total. Every vote helps us make our case that I am our party's strongest candidate in November.
Nearly 18 million people have stood with us -- the most votes cast for a candidate in the history of presidential primaries in either party. We've defied the skeptics and answered an important question: Which candidate best represents the will of the people?
Now, one day before the final two contests, I am calling on you to dig deep and help us win every last vote we can win in South Dakota and Montana. We are in the middle of an all-out push to get out the vote, and every dollar you give right now will help us get voters to the polls and win the nomination.
Contribute today to help us get out the vote in South Dakota and Montana.
Together, you and I have celebrated a string of incredible victories. We've made history by giving every American a chance to have a say in this race.
We've won the key swing states that will decide the race in November -- and yes, that includes Florida and Michigan. Most important, we've won the most votes. There is no more powerful way to prove that I am our best chance to win in November.
That's why I am asking you to stand with me today. And I promise you, as I always have, that if you stand up for me now, I will stand up for you every day in the White House.
Contribute today and help me win the nomination.
I am so proud of the journey you and I have taken together, and of everything we have accomplished along the way. Tomorrow night, we'll count the final votes. Today, let's keep fighting.
Thank you,
Hillary Rodham Clinton
And this is Team Nader's "We Need Gas Money:"
Last week, we asked for gas money to fuel the first leg of Ralph Nader's East Coast Tour.
You came through with flying colors and filled our tank.
Thank you.
Now, we need gas money to fuel the second leg of Ralph's East Coast Tour -- this time through New England.
Nader/Gonzalez has rented a car and Ralph and his entourage will be traveling starting Thursday from Ralph's home in northwest Connecticut to Kennebunkport and Portland, Maine, on to Cambridge, Massachusetts, south to Providence, Rhode Island, over to Middletown, Connecticut and then back home.
Check out the schedule below.
But right now, we need gas money to fuel this leg of Ralph's speaking tour.
Please donate whatever you can now to fill up our tank.
You can give up to $4,600.
But $500, $100, $50 - whatever you can donate is what we need.
Your contribution could be doubled. Public campaign financing may match your contribution total up to $250.
Help us fill 'er up.
So we can get 'er done.
(In case you haven't seen it, here's the Wall Street Journal interview with Ralph that ran over the weekend.)
Onward.
The Nader Team
PS: We invite your comments to the blog.
New England Tour
Thursday June 5, 4pm
Garden Party w/ Ralph Nader Kennebunkport, Maine Contribution $100 min RSVP (202) 471-5833 or events@votenader.org
Thursday June 5th, 7:30pm
Nader for President 2008 Rally Portland, Maine The First Parish of Portland, Unitarian Universalist 425 Congress St. Portland, Maine Contribution $10/ $5 Student (207) 773-5747 or events@votenader.org
Friday June 6th, 7:30pm
Nader for President 2008 Rally Cambridge, Massachusetts The First Parish in Cambridge Meeting House 3 Church St. (Harvard Square) Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 Contribution $10/$5 Student Contact: (202) 441-6660 or events@votenader.org
Saturday June 7th, 1:30pm
Speech/ Book Signing Providence, Rhode Island AS 220 Bookstore www.as220.org 115 Empire St. Providence, Rhode Island 02903 Contact (202) 471-5833 or events@votenader.org
Saturday June 7th, 5pm
Evening with Ralph Nader Middletown, Connecticut RSVP $100 min Contribution (202)471-5833 or events@votenader.org
Saturday June 7th, 7pm
Nader for President 2008 Rally Middletown, Connecticut First Church of Christ Parish Hall 190 Court St. Middletown, Connecticut 06457 Contribution $10/ $5 Student (203) 430-9342 or events@votenader.org
Added: CNN has the first interview with ousted Centcom Commander Adm. William Fallon.
who was interviewed by CNN's Kyra Phillips today on the network's American Morning. Here for video. Transcript excerpt:
FALLON : Well, the story is -- the facts are that the situation was one that was very uncomfortable for me, and I'm sure for the president. One of the most important things in the military is confidence in the chain of command. And the situation that developed was one of uncertainty and a feeling that maybe that I was disloyal to the president, that I might be trying to countermand his orders, the policies of the country, and that perception was unsettling to me.
The most important thing is that our people have confidence in their leaders, just as we have confidence in them and their ability to do their -- carry out their tasks every day. And the fact that people might be concerned that I was not appropriately doing what I was supposed to do and following orders bothered me. And my sense was that the right thing to do was to offer my resignation.
PHILLIPS : Do you feel you were pushed out, admiral?
FALLON : I think the real story here is what's important. What was important was not me. It wasn't some discussion about where I was with issues. It was the fact that we have a war in progress. We had a couple of hundred thousand people whose lives were at stake out in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we needed to be focused on that, not on some discussion about me or what I might have said or thought or somebody perceived that I said, and so that's the motivation.
They also discuss Iran, the elections and more.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
corey glass
the washington post
ann scott tyson
kyra phillips
cnn
