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OMNI NEWSLETTER: EVENTS, ACTIONS, COMMENT
OCTOBER 27, 2005, BUILDING A CULTURE OF PEACE
New toll-free number for Congress: 1-888-355-3588.
UPCOMING EVENTS
OMNI UA CHAPTER MEETS WEDNESDAYS IN OLD MAIN ROOM 423.
Oct. 19 subjects included
1) 2000 Soldier Remembrance Ceremony.
2) Miyuki on Anti-Sweatshop event coming up.
Other upcoming subjects: service projects, protecting animals, draft/CO
OCTOBER 28, CAT Halloween Party and Fundraiser, 6 to 9.
Please bring individually wrapped items in small portions for sale. Support our grassroots TV in a nation of consolidated mainstream media.
OCTOBER 29, Saturday, Fayetteville Freethinkers
Where: The Blair Municipal Library. 401 W. Mountain St. (two blocks west of the town square). The library phone number is 571-2222. Time: Precisely 2:30pm. Room: Willard and Pat Walker Meeting Room. The main meeting room. Walk in the front door, through the lobby and go to your right. Grab a snack and coffee from Arsaga's in the lobby if you like. Questions? Call Darrel Henschell at 442-6738.
OCTOBER 30, Sunday, 6:00 p.m., ACLU NWA Fall Annual Potluck
Contact Ann Heffernan (479-582-1154, heffernanann@aol.com)
Panel on: Patriot Act and Your Privacy Rights
3248 N. Autumn Court, Fayetteville. From College (just past Hobby Lobby) turn right on Harold (Saturn Dealership on corner), go straight and take a left onto Autumn Ct.
October 30, Samhain at UUFF
On Sunday, Oct. 30, at 11:am, Samhain (Hallowmas, All Saints Eve) will be celebrated by the entire congregation. They cordially invite everyone, including children, in the community to enjoy an educational, spiritual, and very musical hour. The UUFF “Interweave” GLBT group welcomes pagans and people of all beliefs to join together to make a strong, diverse community. UUFF is located at 901 West Cleveland Street in Fayetteville. For more information, contact Marilyn Yoder at Quiltingswan@aol.com, or by phone 582-0602.
OCTOBER 31, DEPARTMENT OF PEACE ON CAT Ch 18
"On the Air with Richard S. Drake" features discussion of proposed Department of Peace by Marvin Hilton. This past summer Fayetteville resident Marvin Hilton attended a conference in Washington D.C. devoted to the proposed Department of Peace. The program will air Monday, October 31, at 7pm, Nov. 4 at 2am, Nov. 5 at 6pm.
Richard S. Drake 479-521-6314 rsdrake@nwark.com
November 1, Fast for Justice for Guantanamo Prisoners
Since early 2002, the men held at Guantánamo Bay have waged desperate and at times life-threatening hunger strikes to protest their detention without trial and their inhumane treatment. The current hunger strike, which began in August 2005, has involved the participation of over half of the estimated 540 prisoners still there, none of them charged with a crime. Many are now prepared to die if they do not receive a fair hearing or humane treatment. (Click here to read a report on the history of the hunger strikes at Guantánamo.)
Amy Goodman on her “Democracy Now” (FSTV 10-21) interviewed a pro-bono lawyer who represents 3 of the prisoners. Her horrifying account of perhaps the worst violation of prisoners’ rights by the U. S. government and Army in U. S. history, in total disregard of the U. S. Constitution and Geneva conventions, will make you heartsick. The lawyer is a member of a corporate law firm that devotes some time to pro-bono cases.
During the month of Ramadan (early October - early November), Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. Center for Constitutional Rights is asking people of all faiths and backgrounds to join in the fast on November 1, 2005.
NOVEMBER 1, 6:30, PROTECTING THE EARTH, at Fayetteville Public Library
Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association will be asking for public opinion about identifying characteristics for high priority conservation areas in and around Fayetteville. Following a short presentation by Ethan Inlander, Conservation Geographic Information System (gis) Specialist from the Nature Conservancy Ozark Highlands Office, we will discuss proposed natural qualities which will lead to the identification of areas in and around the city. Benefits of land conservation will include cleaner water, saving natural areas, and increased opportunities for recreational use of trails. Input will be important in developing criteria for a GIS study to be completed in the spring of 2006. FNHA plans to use the information to help landowners identify and preserve valuable natural areas. This project will show other communities across Arkansas how this analytical tool can identify areas for conservation.
Strike Nov. 2
The Mayor of Eureka Springs wrote to me announcing a “strike” Nov. 2 to “Drive Out the Bush Regime.” (the www.worldcantwait.org has more details) Mayor Kathy Harrison LHarri1048@aol.com
NOVEMBER 3, 5:30, Planned Parenthood
Show your support for Women's Rights. Please join us for a wine and munchies party at the Bank of Fayetteville on the square on November 3rd. We will be thanking our donors and supporters. Admission is free. Our speaker will be Don Elkins of Channel 9 News. Linda Farrell / Planned Parenthood of Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma. RSVP through me at puffer@cox.net.
NOVEMBER 5, SATURDAY, 11 to 12, PROTEST AGAINST WAR
The protest moves to the intersection of Joyce and Mall at McDonald’s. Parking in Circuit City lot, SE corner across from McDonald’s. Please forward and copy and distribute Chris’s flyer announcing the new location day and time: http://www.geocities.com/omniprotest/flyers/
NOVEMBER 6, OPEN MIC PEACE COFFEEHOUSE
7PM at OMNI/UNITED CAMPUS MINISTRY
Steve and the Recliners will host.
NOV. 6, ST. PAUL’S LECTURES
Jay McDaniel is Professor of Religion and Director of the Steel Center for the Study of Religion and Philosophy at Hendrix College.
Sunday, November 6 @ 10:00 AM - St. Paul's Parish Hall
"No Peace in the World Without Peace Among Religions" Five challenges faced by the world's religions to achieve spirituality and peace in the future.
Sunday, November 6 @ 7:00 PM - St. Paul's Church Sanctuary
"Making Peace in the Global Village: A Christian Approach" In the beginning is listening: How Christianity can help us to meet the five challenges in an age of religious diversity.
NOVEMBER 8, TUESDAY, EDWARD LOLLIS
Mr. Edward Lollis will discuss “Peace Monuments Around the World” at the OMNI CENTER in the United Campus Ministry building in Fayetteville, Tuesday, November 8, 7p.m. The talk will be illustrated with photos and maps showing monuments on all continents and in most states and provinces of North America. Lollis believes that Fayetteville may have more peace monuments per capita than any other city in the United States. They are part of a growing number of more than 500 peace and friendship monuments throughout the world. If you wish to meet Mr. Lollis at breakfast, lunch, or supper that Tuesday, contact Dick Bennett.
NOVEMBER 9, Wednesday, Forum on the Department of Peace Bills in Congress. Contact Marvin Hilton at the Government Channel.
November 11, Friday, WAC, play on the Scopes Trial.
Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
NOVEMBER 13, SUNDAY, VIDEO UNDERGROUND, WORLD PREMIERE
The Video Underground is both privileged and honored to be one of the World Premiere locations for the new Robert Greenwald film WalMart: The High Cost of Low Price. Greenwald is the filmmaker of Outfoxed, Unconstitutional and Uncovered. Showtime is 7:00 pm and admission is free. (Thanks to Pippin Lowe for bringing us a world premiere.) If you want to bring food or drink, let Melanie Dietzel know (melaniedietzel@cox.net).
For more information about Video Underground's schedule visit the website at http://www.northwest-ark.com/vu
The Video Underground has a new digital projector system up and running. With the bigger screen and enhanced audio the movies and documentaries we show have become lifelike.
AIDS BENEFIT, DECEMBER 1
University of Arkansas' PRIDE is hosting a silent art auction benefiting Washington County HIV Clinic and NWA REACH. The auction will take place December 1st (World AIDS Day), 5-8pm, in the Anne Kittrell Gallery (4th Floor of U of A Union), and will feature live entertainment, a variety of artwork to bid on, hors d'oeurvres, and beverages. REQUEST FOR HELP: We are seeking art donations (any medium), and financial contributions to defray the event costs. If someone donates financially, they can be listed as a sponsor of the event.
Thank you, Elizabeth A. Littlepage, World AIDS Day, Chair
P.R.I.D.E. People Respecting Individual Differences and Equality
A-659 Arkansas Union University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 72701
479-575-3880 http://www.uark.edu/~pride
MARCH 20, ANNIVERSARY OF US INVASION OF IRAQ 2003
See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/737483.stm
FAYETTEVILLE, NWA, ARKANSAS
REMEMBERING THE KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ
On Oct. 24 at Fayetteville’s Town Center, organized by Stephen Coger, OMNI UA president, OMNI’s UA Chapter and Young Democrats commemorated the deaths of over 2000 US soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Visually and audially emphasized by two coffins and signs giving the statistics of the killed (made by Chris Delacruz), by candles, by reading the names of Arkansas soldiers some of Iraqis killed, by cutting the string of redwhiteblue beads, and playing taps, the ceremony was solemn, vivid, and memorable. Here is the Arkansas Traveler report on Sunday's event to mark the US-Iraq war casualties http://www.thetraveleronline.com/media/paper688/news/2005/10/26/News/Iraqi.War.Dead.Remembered-1033918.shtml
TMN REMEMBERS THE CIVILIANS KILLED IN IRAQ
Today TMN 10-27 gave the estimated numberof Iraqi deaths in its editorial “Cost of War Is Counted In Lives Lost.” Thank the newspaper when you have the chance. In admirable contrast to the ADG/NAT, TMN has been naming the US soldiers killed. Now they have counted the civilians. Next? They might name some of the Iraqi and Afghan civilians.
PEACE FOUNTAIN OF UNITED CAMPUS MINISTRY (A PEACE CHURCH), where OMNI has its office, is beautiful. Go by and see it, or look for it the next time you are there.
PEACEWRITING: OMNI’s Awards for Unpublished books on Peace and Justice.
Peacewriting awards, established by OMNI in 1997, encourage the writing of books on peace and justice, and support their publication. A year has passed since the release of Snow in July, and the paperback release is rapidly approaching (November, 2005, Soho Press)! Please spread the word far and wide, especially to friends in bookclubs. (There’s a reader’s guide on the website, www.heatherbarbieri.com.)
COUNTER RECRUITMENT
As you may know, the "No Child Left Behind" ACT (NCLB) includes a little known provision requiring public schools to share with military recruiters the private contact information of their students, even without explicit parental consent. It is also no secret that recruiters are targeting poor and minority communities. Parents can "opt out" by contacting their school superintendents, but unfortunately, very few are aware that this invasion of family privacy is even occurring. We can do something about that. If you would like to participate in delivering opt-out forms to area parents, informing them of this invasion of privacy, and empowering them to protect their children, please contact Steven Nichols: Steven Nichols (479) 571-8188 email: nichols (at) spamcop.net
NEW SYMBOLIC ACTION FOR PEACE
John Ward will be making PEACE BELLS AND WIND CHIMES. Watch for announcements.
MORE BAD NEWS FROM PUNITIVE PATRIOT ACT: CONTACT CONG. BOOZMAN
The New York TimesOctober 26, 2005 Bill Would Allow Second Attempts at Federal Death Sentence By Adam Liptak
If all 12 members of a jury in a capital case in federal court cannot agree on whether to impose the death penalty, a convicted defendant is automatically sentenced to life in prison.
But that may be about to change. A little-noticed provision in the House bill that reauthorized the antiterrorism law known as the USA Patriot Act would allow federal prosecutors further attempts at a death sentence if a capital jury deadlocks on the punishment. So long as at least one juror voted for death, prosecutors could empanel a new sentencing jury and argue again that execution was warranted. The Senate bill does not contain the provision, and representatives of both chambers will soon meet to discuss the differences between the two measures and potential compromises. (Where this NYT came from baffles me. D)
GRASSROOTS MILITARISM
Our newspapers love wars and warriors:
--TMN: Full page ad (selling a knife, in Parade 10-23) praising Robert E. Lee, “The pride of the South”: “A king among men…revered for his courage under fire, his sense of honor and the daring generalship that kept the Yankees on their heels for much of the war.”
--None of the newspapers ever heard of a Civil War reenactment it didn’t like: ADG (10-23), 2 photos with text for the 2005 Benton County Civil War Re-enactment (2 days). TMN (10-24), which truly loves CW reenactments, 2 photos and text with an unconsciously ironical subtitle: “Participants American History Enthusiasts”: wars are U. S. history. (How might we break this playing at and sugar coating war? Inititially offer an alternative? A Civil Peace Re-enactment? Until we expel the systemic militarism poisoning our country, we will continue to have warmaking presidents and military establishment. Use your humorous imagination here.)
ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF the AFGHAN/IRAQ WAR
Needed: a regular column in the media on the economic consequences of war, the impact of war on the lives of the people of the U. S. If four people teamed up the task would not be onerous. Contact: Edward Hejtmanek: ehejtmanek@aol.com Or write letters. (This approach could be enlarged to the Consequences of the Iraq/Afghan War, in order to include moral consequences. See on Torture below.)
USA, WORLD
NATIONALISM, NAZISM, GENOCIDE by Richard A. Koenigsberg
Hitler and Nazism often are portrayed as if an aberration; outside the norms of civilization. I have found, on the contrary, that Hitler’s ideas were fully within the mainstream of Western political culture. National Socialism was a subset of the ideology of nationalism. One may characterize Hitler as a radical conformist. Hitler embraced and promoted certain ordinary ideas—the fundamental propositions contained within the ideology of nationalism—and carried them to an extreme, bizarre conclusion. Nazism revealed the heart of darkness or monumental destructiveness contained within the idea of “love of country.” To read: "Nationalism, Nazism, Genocide" PLEASE CLICK HERE or visit: http://ideologiesofwar.com/papers/rk_nationalism.htm
IMMIGRANTS TO US
From FSTV, by Sourcecode (I didn’t get the title) contrasts the US Statue of Liberty ideal of “Give me your tired, your poor” with post-9-11 xenophobic restrictions on people of certain countries (as against the Chinese during early 20th c). A 2nd program, “No More Deaths” gives an account of people trying to help ill and dying illegal immigrants in the desert (it “should never be illegal to help another human being”). Refs: www.aclu/immigrantsrights.org; www.nomoredeathsinthedesert.org
WAR ON TERROR
FSTV’s Amy Goodman interviewed a pro-bono lawyer defending several of the prisoners at Guantanamo, some of whom have been there 4 years without being charged with a crime. See Nov. 1 above. Political consequences of terrorism: The London bombings of July 7, 2005, “justified anything any pothead, politician, or policeman dreamed up. Not unlike September 11, 2001, in America. Or the Reichstag fire.”
GETTING OUT of Iraq
Internet Sources:
See www.antiwar.com
See http://icasualties.org/oif/BY_DOD.aspx for info. on the latest US casualties.
See www.iraqbodycount.net apparently one of the most popular and cited source for estimates of the number
of Iraqi civilian casualties (civilians reported killed by military intervention based on its database of reports displayed at http://www.iraqbodycount.net/database), which it currently estimates to be between 26661 and 30018.
So far I have found the names of thousands of Iraqis from a database at http://www.iraqbodycount.net/names.htm. From Chris.
Harper’s data:
“Number of journalists killed in Vietnam during twenty years of war there: 63. Number killed in Iraq since March 2003: 71.”
“Years after the start of the Vietnam War that a majority of Americans first said it was a ‘mistake’: 3 1/2. Years after the start of the Iraq War that a majority said this: 1 l/4.”
“Estimated number of pro-terrorism websites worldwide in 1998 and today, respectively: 12, 4,700.”
“Number of consecutive years that the U.S. median income has failed to increase: 5. Number of consecutive years that the percentage of Americans living in poverty has increased: 4.”
TORTURE
William Pfaff, “What We’ve Lost: George W. Bush and the Price of Torture.” Harper’s Magazine (Nov. 2005) 50ff. “American policy on Iraq is condemned abroad by most of the democracies” because it “has succeeded only in escalating the crisis between the Western powers and Islamic society.” “To them…the most dismaying aspect of the Bush Administration’s conduct has been its installation of torture….”
AETN/PBS great anti-war film on the Vietnam War, Oct. 17, “Two Days in October,” about a N. Vietnamese and U.S. battle, with much to tell us about present and future U. S. wars. www.aetn.org
Cultural Destruction
“Erasing Memory: The Cultural Destruction of Iraq.” In violation of Geneva conventions of 1907 and 1947 against pillaging, the U. S. permitted the looting of the Iraqi Academy of Sciences, the National Museum , and other institutions, and of the many archaeological sites all around Iraq.
FSTV interviewed Scott Ritter on his new book Iraq Confidential: The Untold Story of the Intelligence Conspiracy… Another powerful case for leaving Iraq. ( Ritter was the UN arms inspector in Iraq 1991-1998.)
ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
“Subdivide and Conquer: The Making of Israel’s Suburban Occupation,” by Paul Maliszewski and Hadley Ross, Harper’s Magazine (Nov. 2005).
ECOLOGY: CORPORATE INDUSTRIAL AGRI versus ORGANIC FARMING
http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm
From the site: "Background of the Sneak Attack”:
After 35 years of hard work, the U.S. organic community has built up amulti-billion dollar alternative to industrial agriculture, based uponstrict organic standards and organic community control over modification to these standards.
Now, large corporations, such as Kraft, Wal-Mart, & Dean Foods—aided and abetted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and members of the Organic Trade Association, are moving to lower organic standards by
allowing Bush appointees in the USDA National Organic Program to approve a broad list of synthetic ingredients and processing aids that would be allowed in organic production. Even worse these proposed regulatory
changes will reduce future public discussion and input and take away the National Organic Standards Boards (NOSB) traditional lead jurisdiction in setting standards. What this means, in blunt terms. is that USDA
bureaucrats and industry lobbyists, not consumers, will have near total control over what can go into organic foods and products." From Casey and Sara Milford
From FSTV: “Meatrix” on factory farming.
Revealed: The True Devastation of the Rainforest, by Tracy Staedter
The Scientific American, Friday 21 October 2005 http://www.truthout.org/issues_05/102105EA.shtml
A four-year, comprehensive survey of the Amazon Basin in Brazil reveals that selective logging creates an additional 60 to 123 percent more damage than deforestation alone.
Is This Proof of Global Warming? The Independent UK http://www.truthout.org/issues_05/102105EC.shtml
A quarter of a century ago, America's last frontier would have been frozen. Now the glaciers are shrinking - and local people know why. Andrew Buncombe toured Alaska to see the evidence. From Joanie
US CAPITALISM, COMMERCIALIZATION, COMMODIFICATION
From FSTV: program on “culture jamming,” mocking values of commodification and advertising by covering up billboards with anti-ads, Rev. Billy’s campaign against Disney, guerrilla theater.
CORPORATE HALL OF SHAME
Corporate Accountability International (formerly InFact--challenging abuse, protecting people) recently inducted Dow Chemical and Philip Morris/Altria into their Hall of Shame. Now it lists 7 corporations and asks us to choose the three that also deserve a place in the Hall of Shame. The 7 are: Chevron Texaco, Monsanto, ExxonMobil, Coca-Cola, WAL-MART, Suez, and Cargill. www.stopcorporateabuse.org
WAL-MART: MORE OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOR
Please read this article and forward to your address books. If you have questions or would like to do something with this information, please call me at 325-660-4222. Kirsten www.walmartwatch.com
http://nytimes.com/2005/10/26/business/26walmart.ready.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5094&en=311481941719e52b&hp&ex=1130385600&partner=homepage
RICH-POOR GAP
“…typical white family has about $80,000 in assets, while the typical Hispanic family has about $8,000, and the typical African Amreican family has about $6000.” (ADG 9-30, David Brooks, a conservative columnist, so I assume the stats are accurate)
ELECTORAL DEMOCRACY
From AETN PBS: How Texas Sen. Phil Gramm beat new candidate Victor Morales by big money (14 times more than Morales raised, who would accept no more than $100 and no PAC money). www.aetn.org
GLBT
“It’s Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in Schools.” Teaching TOLERATION for all people.
FSTV FUNDRAISING
FSTV programs offer a significant alternative to the corporate state entertainment tv designed to sell unneeded commodities to a somnambulistic, narcissistic public. Support FSTV, call 1-877-378-8669.
ANOTHER NEWS MEDIUM: LIBERTY NEWS TV
Pippin: “You can listen to their past shows at: http://www.libertynewstv.com/. Their programs are excellent.” Can be seen on FSTV.
TAKE ACTION
CONTACTING OUR POLITICAL LEADERS
Check out http://www.congress.org . Congress.org is a service of Capitol Advantage, a private, non-partisan company facilitating civic participation. Congress.org allows users to:
-Identify and contact leaders in Congress, the White House, and state legislatures.- Post letters online in Letters to Leaders and read what other Americans are saying to elected officials.- Create and post Soapbox action alerts to enlist others on your issue.- Have letters printed and hand-delivered to Congress.- Find and contact local and national media by ZIP code or by state with Media Guide.- Have your representative's votes sent to you weekly via e-mail with MegaVote.- Search alerts and take action in the Issues and Action area Go to http://www.capitoladvantage.com/capwiz/contact.html to get your organization's alerts on Congress.org, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL and more sites). (thanks to Chris D)
--Senator Blanche Lincoln: Web Site: www.lincoln.senate.gov
Washington Office:355 Dirksen Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510-0404
Phone: (202) 224-4843 Fax: (202) 228-1371. Fayetteville office: 251-1380;.
--Senator Mark Pryor: Web Site: pryor.senate.gov
Washington Office:217 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510-0403
Phone: (202) 224-2353 Fax: (202) 228-0908
Main District Office:700 W. Capitol, Rm. 2527 Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: (501) 324-6336 Fax: (501) 324-5320
--Congressman John Boozman, District 3, 12 counties from Benton to Washington
Fayetteville office: 442-5258; 207 W. Center, 72701.
Ft. Smith office: 479-782-7787; 30 Soutt 6th St. Rm 240, Ft. Smith 72901.
Harrison office: 870-741-6900; 402 N. Walnut, Suite 210, Harrison 72601.
DC address: 1708 Longworth House Office Bldng., Washington, DC 20515; 202-225-4301.
OMNI SEEKS A WORLD FREE OF WAR AND THE THREAT OF WAR, A SOCIETY WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY PERSON’S POTENTIAL MAY BE FULFILLED, AN EARTH RESTORED. WORLD PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS, SOCIAL and ECONOMIC JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PROTECTING SPECIES AND THE EARTH.
If you’d prefer to have you name removed from this mailing list, let me know. No offense will be taken.
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