R.I.P. Thank God for allowing us all to witness his love, brilliance, musical magic and grace in #ArethaFranklin. We were always honored when Aretha would just show up at one of our concerts... without warning.
Hail to the Queen Of Soul!!
I treasured every moment that we spent together from working in the recording studio, to performing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, or simply hangin’ in the kitchen, & I will miss her dearly. RIP Ree-Ree...You will reign as the Queen forever.
From the time that Dinah Washington 1st told me that Aretha was the “next one” when she was 12-years old, until the present day, Aretha Franklin set the bar & she did it with the professionalism, class, grace, & humility that only a true Queen could... : Hassan
Rest easy #ARETHAFRANKLIN I imagine u in heaven performing & still making people souls move this was my aunt favorite record #RockSteady you will always be the Queen of Soul you been that before many of us were born! Thank you for giving us LEGENDARY TIMELESS music
There Is One Amazing Thing....,
We Were All Inspired By Her Presence,Touched By Her Passing ....& She Will Never Be
Truly Gone From Us.
Legends Are 4EVER
Please join us TOMORROW at noon for a timely panel on Iraq moderated by @vmsalama of @wsj with @BilalWahab@majidyar and myself
Iraq: Political Parties, Protests, and Security Backslide - August 17th 2018 @HudsonInstitute
Grasp that for a moment.
THE NATION can't focus on Iraq? THE PROGRESSIVE -- don't make me laugh that rag's lost too many readers to focus on anything. MOTHER JONES? Soros money has ensured that every moment of every day is about Donald Trump. Please grasp, they give him their power with their obsession -- it's the same way the media did in the lead up to the election. They never learn.
So while we dither on the left, the right wing is focusing on Iraq.
We noted in yesterday's snapshot the plan being pushed by the War Hawks to impose benchmarks. Benchmarks didn't work last time. They won't work this tim.
Last go round, the benchmarks were supposed to mean if Iraq didn't meet them, aid was cut off. But Iraq never met them. Aid was never cut off. A lot of outlets would say they made 'progress' but they didn't make progress and, more to the point, these benchmarks were supposed to be initiated immediately, not five years down the line.
The benchmarks were never met. The Democrats refused to demand they be met and they refused to cut off funding as they should have in 2007 and 2008 and 2009 and 2010 when Iraq was not meeting the benchmarks.
They did nothing and they were the 'opposition' to the Iraq War.
The benchmarks allowed the war to continue. They were a distraction -- a nothing offered to appease the masses -- and then they were forgotten.
In other words, your 'Auntie Maxie' is a fake ass. Grow the hell up.
The right's already proposing benchmarks. The Hudson Institute event will offer more proposals. And by refusing to participate in any dialogue on Iraq at all, the left surrenders the conversation to the right.
THE ECONOMIST notes today that "some 2 million Americans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan" in the current wars. Well get ready for that number to increase because the wars aren't going to end on their own.
The Women’s March on the Pentagon (WMOP) has been actively seeking a permit to hold a march and rally at the Pentagon on October 21st, 2018—in the exact same space that many pro-war groups have had rallies every year, for many years. As of the date of this letter, we have not even received an application for a permit.
We began the process on Tuesday, July 17th when six of us (undersigned) visited the Pentagon and finally were able to speak with an Officer “Will Smith” who claimed to be from the Pentagon “Office of Special Events.”
Officer “Smith” took our contact info and gave us his email (william.J.Smith149@mail.mil) address and assured us that if we emailed him, he would email us a copy of the permit application. Malachy Kilbride, the DC Co-ordinator for WMOP immediately emailed Officer “Smith” that same day with this email:
“William J. Smith,
thank you for meeting with us today and advising us on the next steps for our First Amendment event on Pentagon grounds in October of this year. We appreciate your assistance in this regard.
As per your instruction, we would like to follow up on the next step by filling out and submitting the appropriate forms and documents for review by your agency.
Again, thank you for your work with us in this matter,
Malachy Kilbride,
Washington DC Area Organizer,
Women's March on The Pentagon”
We heard nothing back from Officer “Will Smith,” so a week later, (July 24) Mr. Kilbride followed up with this email:
“Dear William J. Smith,
I'm following up on the email I sent last week in order to get the appropriate paper work regarding the permit.
Thank you,
Malachy Kilbride”
Again, we heard nothing back from Officer “Smith” and in case it’s not obvious, it is very hard to contact anyone at your highly secure facility.
At this point, we correctly realized that Officer “Smith” was stonewalling us, so Mr. Kilbride called the Pentagon asking for Officer “Smith” and/or the Office of Special Events—-neither was listed at the central switchboard.
Mr. Kilbride finally reached a Lt. “Kim,” who would not confirm or deny the existence of Officer “Smith” but told us perhaps we should get in touch with Washington Headquarters Services.
This letter is to inform you that we are insisting on having a permit application sent to us via email at:
CindySheehan@MarchonPentagon.com
or via US mail at:
March on Pentagon
PO Box 6264
Vacaville, Ca 95696
We have been performing our due diligence and being respectful of the process to obtain “permission” to exercise our Constitutional rights to freely speak and freely, and “peaceably,” assemble (First Amendment). If we don’t receive this application by Friday August 24th, we will be forced to obtain the services of an attorney.
This letter is also to inform you that the Women’s March on the Pentagon is determined to march and rally against the US war machine, of which the Pentagon is the obvious and biggest representative of that, whether we obtain a permit, or not.
We are organizing for thousands of women and others to rally for Peace at the Pentagon on the date in question and it will be happening with your assistance or not. As veteran war protesters, we suggest that you notify the other jurisdictions in Washington, DC about our protest, since further stonewalling may force us into the other law enforcement jurisdictions that are in the Washington DC Metro area.
Ironically, we were informed by Officer “Smith” several times that he was in the military “20 years” to give us “the right to protest,” and this is the propaganda that the US war machine is constantly pushing to the world, so we feel it would behoove you all to accommodate this request to avoid the appearance of hypocrisy.
Thank you for your attention and we look forward to your assistance in this matter.
We will march and rally.
Signed: Cindy Sheehan
(Gold Star Mother of Casey Sheehan, KIA in Iraq 04/04/04)
National Director
Women’s March on the Pentagon
Bonnie J. Caracciolo
Co-Director
Women’s March on the Pentagon
Malachy Kilbride
Washington DC Coordinator
Women’s March on the Pentagon
Kevin Zeese
Advisory Committee
Women’s March on the Pentagon
Margaret Flowers, MD
Advisory Committee
Women’s March on the Pentagon
Paki Wieland
Steering Committee
Women’s March on the Pentagon
They have asked for a permit application. Where is it? Everyone should be asking that. This is not the normal permit process. The government is there to serve. What are they doing because they are not doing their job, they are not obeying the Constitution. They're not doing much of anything at all. While they sit on their asses, collecting our tax dollars, they refuse to work. This is outrageous.
Also sitting on their asses? Politicians in Iraq who should be forming a government. Elections took place May 12th. What's the hold up now?
Pompeo urges formation of a moderate Iraqi government #Iraqhttps://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/pompeo-urges-formation-of-a-moderate-iraqi-government-1.760307… via @TheNationalUAE
Many of the comments on the death of Dr Rafif al Yasiri, a female plastic surgeon and owner of Barbie Beauty Centre in #Baghdad, wish a politician had died instead of her. Quite telling!
#رفيف_الياسري
A great memory and room filled with love Photo December 2016 #tbt Aretha Franklin Christmas Party, Detroit, MI. My condolences, love and prayers… https://www.instagram.com/p/BmjY4E1FQXT/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=a3kxdte4johc …
: Hassan
this was my aunt favorite record #RockSteady you will always be the Queen of Soul you been that before many of us were born! Thank you for giving us LEGENDARY TIMELESS music 
.
You were Always Just Beyond Our Reach
