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Because People Matter

Progressive News and Views July / August 2007

Depleted Uranium, Death and Destruction


Then why is Leuren Moret smiling?
By Tom King

I
t was puzzling. How could Leuren Moret, uncoverer diabetes, and cancer.
of secrets as dark and breathstopping as the collec- Although the Bush administra-
tive body counts in all the killing fields, make her tion systematically denies the medical
entrance at the 19th convocation of Sacramento’s Peace claims of returning Iraq veterans,
Pyramid beaming so beatifically? She had returned only research tells a literally killing story.
a few hours previously from a four-month tour of Asia, For instance, while medical disability
concluded in Hawaii, where “this wonderful thing had among soldiers after WWII was
happened.” What happened—well, we’ll come to that. 5%, and 10% after the Vietnam War
But meanwhile her introductory sum-up will give you a (with its Agent Orange), it reaches
hint. “I love empowering citizens. I light the match and a paralyzing 55% after Gulf War I.
I walk away and it turns into a Our soldiers are com-
bonfire!” “I love empowering ing home with brain
In 1968, the first woman tumors the size of golf
graduating in geology from UC citizens. I light the balls. Military physi-
Davis, Moret took an MA at match and I walk cians now regularly
Berkeley in Near Eastern studies, counsel, “Don’t have
and commenced a career as geo- away and it turns children!” Those who
scientist. Eventually this took her
to California’s Livermore Nation-
into a bonfire!” do—alas!—often
pay an unthinkable
al Lab, where disgusted by what price. “In a Veterans
she learned about the unconscio- Administration study
nable agendas of the microscope brigade around her, she of 251 Gulf War I veterans, severe
became a whistleblower and eventually “flew the coop.” birth defects and diseases in 67% of
Her resignation kicked off a decade of intense research, the children born after the war were
untiring public edification (16 to 18 hour workdays), found… born without eyes, brains,
and continual harassment by her enemies—non-stop organs, legs, arms, hands or feet…”
trashing her home, wrecking her computers, stealing her (Flanders, “Gulf War Syndrome: Mal
documents, and worst of all, assisted by her ex-husband, de Guerre,” The Nation 03-07-94.) We
the five-year kidnapping of her daughter. (In the covert are used to calculating the cost of war
world this is called “mobbing,” which aims to push the solely in terms of those who come
object to suicide.) home in body bags, but in Leuren
Her message is without a doubt as frighteningly Moret’s grim summary, for anyone
sinister as hell in its deepest, darkest circles. Toward the who enters radioactive zones such as Leuren Moret on the left with Dar King, co-founder of the Peace Pyramid
end of WWII an element of nuclear fallout was deter- Iraq, life is over. Photo by Tom King
mined to be so noxious that it was banned internation- “I discovered something else that
ally in 1945. After a moratorium of 46 years, however, was too horrible to imagine,” testifies her own testimony, she is like those Holocaust survivors,
the poison was put to prodigious use in the first Gulf Leuren. “I found proof of the real and deeper purpose for stripped of everything, no longer afraid because nothing
War because it makes munitions that cut through heavy the US using DU weapons beginning in 1991: to deliber- else can be taken from her. Though she has lost certain
armor and is a cheaper way to dispose of toxic trash. This ately and strategically contaminate entire regions where persons from her life, she has come to find wherever
is DU—falsely called “depleted” uranium. the world’s oil supplies are located…[guaranteeing] the she goes generous, grateful hearts and a multitude of
DU is nuclear trash from nuclear weapons and annihilation of populations in those regions… . I began hugs. Herself a passionate people-lover, she finds love
power projects. It contaminates air, water, food, soil. to cry the day that bombing started in Afghanistan in everywhere. Perhaps most significantly, she has found
Inhaled it behaves like gas in the lungs, dispersing 2001. I cried for the mothers, the fathers, the children, the sacred work for which she was intended, and so
throughout the body and, according to Moret’s research, the babies, the grandparents and the future generations doing, found herself. Her risks are the risks of a warrior;
producing such malaises as mental derangement, autism, who will not be born because of this radioactive poison- but fear has long since been slain, and courage outfacing
ing of their genetic future.” whole battalions of official tormentors has become as
If you think DU is merely a mideast problem, natural as breathing.
however, think again. Uranium has a half-life of bil- Hear and see her: www.youtube.
lions of years. Once released, the lethal particulates com/v/L94IUSw54pQ.
Inside this issue: never leave the soil or the air. The winds carry them
continents away—bringing them, dear reader, a gift to
Check out these websites:
www.news-journalonline.com/special/uranium/index.
Editorial.............................................. 2 us all. “People do not understand or realize the global htm
Change and conflict in Venezuela....... 3 impact of DU and other radioactive weapons… .There is www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042007B.shtml
Collective action at CSUS.................. 4 nowhere on Earth that will escape some form or level of www.globalresearch.ca/index.
contamination.” php?context=va&aid=5864
Local folks go PINK in DC................. 5 Well, then—carrying such a woeful weight of the
Single Payer Health Care.................... 6 world—how to explain Leuren’s entrance at the Peace Tom King is the leader of the Peace Pyramid, a
Police State.......................................... 6 Pyramid, all but whistling like one of the Seven Dwarfs suburban grassroots group promoting a cabinet-level
What you need to know about 9/11.... 7 heading off to work? Department of Peace.
Answer: it’s a warrior’s story of a great battle won.
A Vet’s moral opposition to War......... 8 When she arrived in Hawaii she found hardly anyone
A Vet walks to end the War................. 8 had even heard of DU, and despite numerous interviews
Vet’s speech at the end of the walk...... 9 subsequently, neither DU nor her own name appeared in
Book Review: . newsprint. But she was undeterred, and proceeded with
If Olaya Street Could Talk...... 10
scientific investigation, finding with monitored readings A community paper needs
that 850 Hawaiian sites were contaminated. Around
Disillusion unto death...................... 10 Kona, which was plagued with widespread illnesses and community support!
Media Clipped................................... 11 highest cancer rates, came the worst readings, producing Subscribe today!
Book Review: Broken Promises, 93 as opposed to a normal of 5-20. With her character-
Broken Dreams........................ 11
istic eloquence she planted the seeds in the minds of the Fill out and return the form
Hawaiian citizenry—and filed a complaint against the
Peace Action...................................... 12 Pentagon’s scurrilous cover-up. When she returned to
on page 2.
Internet Radio in danger................... 13 Hawaii at the end of her Asian tour this spring she found
Africa Channel project...................... 13 the seeds she had planted had blossomed in awareness—
and wrath. Hawaii had become a volcano of anger. If Already a subscriber? Why
Book Review: Armed Madhouse....... 14
Calendar............................................ 15
Leuren is right, it’s about to erupt with dire consequences
for the Pentagon.
not buy a subscription for a
Progressive Media............................. 16 I don’t want to close without telling you more that friend or family member?
helps explain buoyant spirits despite unimaginable
enormities and Leuren’s own personal persecution. By
 Because People Matter July / August 2007 www.bpmnews.org

because
People Matter Editorial
Volume 16, Number 4
Published Bi-Monthly by the
Jeanie Keltner, Coordinating Editor for This Issue
Thank you
Sacramento Community for
Peace & Justice
P.O. Box 162998, Sacramento,
CA 95816 national resources to benefit the majority,

thank you
(Use addresses below for
correspondence) the stolen elections of 2000 and 2004, the
Editorial Group: Jacqueline growing numbers of experts challenging
Diaz, JoAnn Fuller, Seth the official 9-11 story. These are not trivial
Sandronsky
Coordinating Editor for
this Issue: Jeanie Keltner
thank you! stories and their non-appearance in the
corporate media suggests the magnitude of
the deception by our famed “free” press.
Editor-at-Large: Jeanie
Keltner
and keep those subs and dona- The job of the corporate commercial
Design and Layout:
Ellen Schwartz
tions coming! media has long been, as Noam Chomsky
It reminded me of the first days of the new and Ed Herman proved numerically to
Calendar Editor:
Chris Bond version of BPM 15 years ago, when we desper- “manufacture consent” among the popu-
Advertising and Business ately needed subscriptions to replace the organi- lace to government policies.
Manager: Edwina White zations that had sponsored the paper. Then, each Our job, as the independent press, is
Distribution Manager: day’s mail brought handfuls of new subs, and the to inform and confirm dissent—and to
Paulette Cuilla
small group of people who had decided to keep inspire action.
Subscription Manager:
Kate Kennedy the paper going felt we had done the right thing.

Sicko brings
It was a kind of if you build it moment.
How to Reach Us: The same thing is happening since our last
issue—and especially after Christine Craft was

the cure
Subscriptions, letters, punditry:
403 21st Street so good as to let us make a plea on her show on
Sacramento, CA 95814 1240am(2-6pm).
444-3203 Wonderfully many of you longtime BPM
Ads or other business: supporters are adding $10 to $200 extra to your One topic from this issue has made
446-2844
sub renewals. With your generous, much appreci- The Bee (finally)—Sheila Kuehl’s SB 840,
All e-mail correspondence:
bpmnews@nicetechnology.
ated support, we‘ve now covered the cost of the Health Care for All Californians Act. Backed up by Canadian if he minded that some of his tax pay-
com next two issues—a not insubstantial sum. the fiery California Nurses Association, Michael ments went to care for poorer people: “Well that’s
And we have 55 new subscriptions. This is Moore spoke at the Capitol June 12, presenting what we do,” the man says, “we take care of each
HAVE A CALENDAR ITEM? great! What a thrill to see the bunch of envelopes his brilliant movie, Sicko. Before Moore’s appear- other.”
Send an e-mail with “calendar in the mailbox. Especially those with different ance, SB 840 only rated a tiny mention at the What can we do to cultivate that desperately
item” in the subject line. Make it handwritten addresses (instead of our labeled end of long columns about the other—unwork- needed sentiment in our own society? So that
short, and in this order, please:
Day, Date. Name of event.
renewal envelopes)—new subscribers! Many able—health care plans circulating in the legis- people don’t die on emergency room floors with
Description (1-2 lines). Time. including notes like “Oh good—a more news lature (unworkable because they don’t eliminate janitors mopping around them?
Location. INFO: phone#; newspaper!” the chief source of the horrendous health care

Goodbye, Ken
e-mail. And of course, it’s not just the money. It’s the emergency: the for-profit health care/insurance
tangible proof that what we’re doing in BPM has industry). Even after Moore’s appearance, The Bee
HAVE A storY?
enough value to you to warrant your financial covered Kuehl’s plan only to debunk it.
We start planning the next issue
of BPM the day the current issue
support—even in what may be hard times for It will take a huge outcry from Finally, what for me is a sad
hits the streets. Let us know by many (we have so few Wall Street readers). the people to balance out the financial announcement, though for the
e-mail as soon as you have It’s tangible proof as well that our readership power of the for-profit health/insur- person himself, it’s a door into
an idea for a story so we can has grown beyond the activist community— ance/care/pharmaceutical corporations, another segment of an already
consider it early in the process. which has always been one of our main goals. the power to control not only out- rich life. One of the best of politi-
HAVE SOME time? If you didn’t subscribe last issue, I hope you comes—but with their influence over cal compañeros and my cohost
(HA HA HA!) Well, you might
will consider adding your $20 (or more) to the the media, the debate itself! and coproducer for several years
have, and BPM always needs bunch in the mailbox. I don’t need to remind Sicko is going to generate that on Soapbox is on his way to the
help with big and small tasks. you, I’m sure, that $20 is now a movie and a outcry and will make a crucial difference cooler climes of Oregon. And Sac-
Call 444-3203. large popcorn, since that erosion is a depress- in the struggle to get the universal single payer ramento’s public life will be much poorer for it.
ing part of our daily consciousness. But I can health care all other industrialized nations have. Ken Adams is a true citizen—and takes civic
Copy Deadlines:
tell you that your subscription will mean a great Sicko has the emotional power to move participation as a way of life. Whether it was a
For the Sept/Oct, 2007 Issue:
Articles: August 1, 2007
deal—financially and psychologically—to the 50 people to change and to make change. In his side- City Council hearing on a local environmental
Calendar Items: Aug. 10, 2007 or so writers, photographers, editors, bookkeep- ways comic way, Moore ignites our moral outrage or human rights issue, a Green Party meeting,
Cultural events welcome! ers, distributors, stand fixers, and mailers who at the callous insertion of the profit motive into on the set of Soapbox, or—what for me would be
For details, see our new work for free so that info we think important will moments of sickness and distress.At the same the highest civic sacrifice of all—a school board
website, www.bpmnews.org get out. We’re still aiming for—and truly on our time this anger ignites our moral imagination, meeting, Ken’s insight and easy humor has so
Because People Matter is an all- way to—300 new subs! And we’re more than 1/6 our compassion for this human being struggling often smoothed out the rough spots of group
volunteer endeavor to present of the way there! Please show your support and painfully against a large uncaring and often evil dynamics and kept all eyes on the prize. Many
alternative, progressive news subscribe today. system. folks in many groups around town will find
and views in Sacramento.
We invite and welcome Look around in the papers and popular No moment was more touching in testimony they have more work to do without Ken on the
your responses. To discuss mags. You won’t find this issue’s stories anywhere which often brought tears as well as laughter than committee.
a proposed article, or help in the commercial media: “depleted” uranium, Moore’s lamentation of the loss of the sense of Ken takes things seriously, but he’s the first to
distribute the paper, inquire
about ad rates, or help out in the burgeoning resistance at all levels of the mili- we in our high pressure cutthroat I’ll get mine see the funny side, and his wisdom and receptiv-
some other way, call or write tary to the Iraq occupation, Venezuela’s shift of economy. Moore asks an obviously well set up ity have been so important to our Soapbox con-
using the phone number and versations. And our Soapbox outros have been
address listed under ”How to
Reach Us” above. immeasurably enriched by Ken’s large collection
Help keep BPM on the streets: Subscribe today! Already of music; whatever the evening’s topic, Ken’s
Please reproduce from any of
the written contents, but do
a subscriber? Buy a subscription to BPM for a friend or eclectic collection was certain to have an apt and
enjoyable tune to round the discussion out with.
credit the author and BPM. family member! If you’re pencil-challenged, email us: It was a true pleasure teaming up with Ken
BPM is printed by Herburger bpmnews@nicetechnology.com . See pages 4, 10 and for our years of Soapbox and other endeavors.
Publications, Inc. 585-5533. I—and his community—will miss him more than
16 for additional volunteer opportunities. he can know!

We appreciate your support! Please fill out the form and mail to:
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On the cover
 This is a great paper! I’ll gladly subscribe for a mere $20.
With nurses from Palo
 WOW! You sound desperate! I’m enclosing $ extra to
They took a stand!
Alto’s Stanford Hospital.
in the foreground, mem- help out!
bers of the California  This is my opportunity to break into journalism and help get the
Nurses Association rally truth out! I’ll help: Writing, Editing, Distributing, Actually many stands. They cleaned them
at the state capitol on Proofreading, Anything! up and painted them, and put beautiful
June 12 to promote SB new plastic in the windows. Big thanks
840. See page 2 and Name........................................................................................................................
to Brian Lambert and Dan Harriman
page 6 for more infor- Address....................................................................................................................
mation.
for their hard work. They’ve improved
Photo: Dick Wood
City............................... Zip........................ Phone.................................................. BPM’s image—and circulation at those
Email........................................................................................................................ stands—by at least 100%.
www.bpmnews.org July / August 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

El Pueblo y Los Escuálidos


Change and conflict in Venezuela
By Susan Scott

B
ecause People really do Matter, and complicity with the local coupmeisters.
because Hugo Chavez has been so suc- Lately, she’s been struggling to overcome
cessful at mobilizing the excluded masses the Bush administration’s hyper-secrecy and
of Venezuela, and because oil is at a premium challenging their refusal to turn over docu-
(and Venezuela is among the top five oil regions), ments relating to more recent US financial sup-
Venezuelans are finally able to use their 8 year old port of Venezuela’s anti-democratic oligarchy
Bolivarian Revolu- through the National
tion to make some
big changes in the
“There is not a barrio or Endowment for
Democracy and the
use of their country’s village in the country US Agency for Inter-
resources. After years national Development
of neoliberal policies that isn’t seeing the (USAID).
that subsidized cor- results of the redirection On my last
porations, privatized trip to Venezuela,
national resources, of resources and that two months before
and eliminated social
services, now the oil
isn’t involved in making Chavez’ landslide vic-
tory in the December
industry, the steel decisions on how to do it.” presidential elec-
industry, and the tion, I observed the
main telecommunica- opposition marches
tions company are being de-privatized, and at and watched the relentless TV coverage of the
least SOME of the underused foreign-owned main opposition candidate, Manual Rosales, and
giant land holdings and at least some of the pri- wondered if there was any way Chavez could
vately controlled public airwaves are finally being win, despite his popularity in the polls and what
committed to public use. I expected to be an incredibly clean election pro-
Co-ops, community councils, and commu- cess. Then I attended the pro-Chavez march and Charlie Hardy, The Cowboy in Caracas, holds the cardboard the poorest
nity radio are sprouting up all over the country. rally and got real. There was no way the media people used to use to make their houses. Now most are constructed of
There is not a barrio or village in the country could defeat this guy. cement blocks.
Photo: Roger Lippman
that isn’t seeing the results of the redirection of After the march I had dinner with Eva and
resources and that isn’t involved in making deci- Charlie and 5-6 others at a restaurant that Eva
sions on how to do it. said was a place everyone went—pro or contra
Venezuela’s Socialism of the 21st Century is Chavez. I was talking with an Argentine Law
a far cry from the socialism of the 20th century. Professor at the University in Caracas who joined
Capital is still king in Venezuela, after decades us to talk about his planned visit to the US. A
of corporate globalization have further enriched woman from a table nearby apparently recog-
an entrenched ruling elite. Most of the national nized him from his TV appearance at a Latin
TV stations and all but one of the national news- American Labor Law conference in Cuba. She
papers are controlled by that oligarchy, and their came over, obviously quite drunk, and started
involvement in the 2002 coup causes many to yelling at him, calling him first a Cuban, then
refer to it as the “media coup.” an Argentine, and finally an assassin. Then she
But Chavez’ landslide victory in December saw Eva and started screaming even louder. Her
over the well-funded candidate of a united oppo- table of 10-12 people joined in. Charlie and a guy
sition is speeding up the pace of change. Unfortu- from a neighboring table gently tried to calm
nately, Sacramento missed out on the recent Bay them down and one of the people from her table
Area visits of Charlie Hardy and Eva Golinger kicked the neighbor guy in the shins. The waiters
who didn’t have time to make the trip up I-80. and owner were standing by, seemingly para-
Charlie, an ex-priest from Wyoming whose lyzed. I wondered if we would get out alive.
wonderful new book Cowboy in Caracas was just At one point, Eva turned to me and said,
published by the New Press, has spent the last 22 “We call them escuálidos [squalid: foul, repulsive,
Venezuelan-American lawyer Eva Golinger
years in Caracas. His first 8 years in the country wretched, sordid]. This is what we have to deal
documented communications between CIA
were spent living in a casa de carton (cardboard) with. I’m ashamed for our people.” Ultimately the and State Department officials showing their
serving as priest to a barrio on the fringes of waiters literally dragged the woman out of the knowledge of and complicity in the antiChavez
Caracas. Defrocked when he married a Venezu- restaurant and her friends followed, screaming coup of 2002.
elan woman, he turned his ministry to journal- invective all the way. We learned she was a lawyer Photo: www.vheadline.com
ism, and is well known by North Americans who from the Attorney General’s office, a civil servant
visit Venezuela. If you want to know how life has who had the right to stay in her job even though
changed for the better for the poor in Venezuela, she despised her boss, a Chavista appointed not
read Charlie’s book. by Chavez, but by the National Assembly.
Eva is a Venezuelan-American lawyer who The next day she reported to the police that
grew up in New York City and practiced law she had been assaulted by Eva Golinger’s body-
there until Hugo Chavez’ election inspired her to guards! The waiters had to go to court the day
return to her Andean roots. After the 2002 coup after we left. The charges were dropped, but the
attempt against Chavez, Eva put her legal skills woman apparently kept her job.
to work using the Freedom of information Act to I had to wonder if Alberto Gonzales would
dig up documents regarding the US government’s allow such a virulent opponent to stay on his
role in the coup. Her powerful book, The Chavez staff.
Code: Cracking US Intervention in Venezuela, (Check out http://upsidedownworld.
was recently published in English by The Olive org/main/content/view/742/1/)
Press. It’s chock full of actual documentation of
communications between CIA and State Depart- Susan Scott led a tour to Venezuela for the
ment officials showing their knowledge of and National Lawyers Guild.

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 Because People Matter July / August 2007 www.bpmnews.org

It didn’t come to this in the end, but the threat of a strike helped faculty win their demands.

Collective Action Gets the Goods!


Professors win contract
by Kevin Wehr

T
ence penalty’ for assistant and associate faculty. soft drink makers and athletic apparel compa-
Sacramento he faculty union of the California State Importantly, arbitrary ‘merit’ pay was rejected. nies, by endowed professorships from oil com-
Progressive University system has won a huge battle in The contract also expands the rights of lecturers, panies and pharmaceutical giants. Advertisers
Events the war against corporatization of public preserves the faculty have offered to install
Calendar on education. The California Faculty Association
(CFA) this month ratified a new contract that
early retirement pro-
gram and also agree-
“…we cannot have billboards, wall-sized
murals, and flat-screen
the Web
preserves all protections from past contracts, ments on librarian and quality education under TVs all over campus.
offers major gains in compensation and some counselor workloads. All of this must
www.sacleft.org new benefits, and increases protections for our Speaking about a corporate model stop: Public education
Labor, Peace,
Environment, Human
most vulnerable members. The CSU system is the the very real effects of that narrowly reduces cannot run on a busi-
largest public education system in the world, with the contract, Professor ness model. Students
Rights, Solidarity… 23,000 faculty on 23 campuses, serving nearly of Sociology Manuel teaching/learning into are not clients; they
Send calendar items
half a million students, so this historic precedent
may have far-reaching implications.
Barajas said “it will
certainly make a dif-
canned instruction for have minds to be
opened. Professors
to Gail Ryall,gryall
@cwnet.com.
How the battle was won
ference in helping with mass consumption….” are not assembly-line
the cost of living (I’ve workers monotonously
After two years of bargaining, contract nego- been living on credit churning out young
tiations stalled and the faculty voted to authorize since I started working here), but more important men and women with diplomas; we are research-
a strike—the first ever in California public higher it has affected my family’s sense of empowerment ers, mentors, and teachers. As Prof. Barajas said,
education. Frenzied strike preparation followed seeing that people working together for a fair “Simply put, we cannot have quality education
as negotiations moved to non-binding neutral contract can get justice.” under a corporate model that narrowly reduces
third-party arbitration. The resulting “fact-find- teaching/learning into canned instruction for
ing” report overwhelmingly supported the faculty The future mass consumption with harmful consequenc-
union’s position. Legislative lobbying produced The CFA’s next steps must be directed against es—inferior education, low graduation rates, and
political pressure on Chancellor Reed, who then the corporatization of the public university. The an unhealthy learning/teaching environment.”
acceded to most of the union’s demands. As ever, last decade stands as a monument to the damage Privatization of the “People’s University” will cor-
the lesson is that collective action with a credible that misplaced priorities can do, and in the com- rode the spirit of free inquiry that is at the heart
strike threat gets the goods! ing years of potential shrinking budgets we must of higher education. The CSU system must never
What we won make every effort to protect the core of the CSU: accede to these attacks, and the CFA should
The faculty have had only one raise in 4 instruction and accessibility. stand along with students and staff to maintain
years, and the average faculty member is paid The attacks on public higher education an affordable, accessible, diverse and high quality
19% less than their public education peers come from many sides and have undermined the public higher education in California.
nationwide—this in a state with higher than promise made by and for Californians with the
average cost of living, and some of the highest establishment of the CSU system 50 years ago Kevin Wehr is assistant professor of sociol-
housing prices in the nation. The new contract of an accessible high quality public education. ogy, CSUS
brings CSU faculty closer to (but not past) the This promise is undone by continual student fee
nationwide average. As Chris Witko, Professor of increases, which have nearly doubled in the last
Government said, “It is a well earned but mod- four years. The faculty must unite with students
est raise. It is sad that we had to fight so hard to oppose these new taxes on students. This
for it.” The contract also addresses the ‘experi- promise is threatened by exclusive contracts with

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www.bpmnews.org July / August 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

Local Folks Go Pink in DC


Antiwar protest in a different key
by Maggie Coulter of his boss, GW). Sporting a Gonzales mask, my
picture was all over the internet. The cover of the
After marching on the Pentagon in March Washington Post highlighted: “The Senate Judi-
this year, Sacramento activists Candy and Paul ciary Committee goes CODEPINK on Gonzales.
Anderson tried to visit their Congress members. Still in my orange jumpsuit, I made my way
Unable to get an appointment, they connected to Nancy Pelosi’s office, where I joined military
with CODEPINK. “This group of dedicated mom Tina Richards as she and others read poi-
women (and men) are always on the move in gnant letters from military families imploring
DC,” says Candy Anderson. “And they are the Pelosi to stop funding more war and to bring
funnest people to the troops home now. A few
hang out with. I “My first morning weeks earlier, Pelosi had
highly recommend a Richards arrested for reading
lobbying excursion with CODEPINK was the names of the dead in her
with them when you
travel to Washington.”
spent playing Alberto office, but had become more
tolerant since then. Richards
“One of the high- Gonzales, handcuffed is one of many anti-war
lights was lobbying citizen activists who have
the self-labeled Blue by the Pink Police….” relocated to Washington DC
Dog Democrats, who until the war is ended.
purport to be concerned about the federal deficit That same day, John McCain joked (?) about This may look like Attorney General Gonzalez, fittingly attired in a
(though not necessarily about the cost of the Iraq bombing Iran. That evening CODEPINKers came Guantanamo orange jump suit, but it’s really Maggie Coulter acting up with
war). CODEPINK tied pink ribbons around dog up with the now-popular “Don’t Bomb Iran” Code Pink in the Senate Chambers in Washington DC.
biscuits and offered them to delighted Blue Dog- song (check YouTube). The next day we sang it Photo Reuters
gers & staff while singing a special song to tune of at Congressional office buildings until a newbie
“This Old Man”: Capitol police officer threatened to arrest us. This received an emergency call that hearts are miss-
These blue dogs they’re upset,  was rare, as CODEPINK is actually on very good ing from Congress!” We offered a prescription for
They don’t want a bigger debt terms with the Capitol police. Not surprising saving lives: stand up to Bush, fund only the safe,
So CODEPINK is here to give this dog a since the CODEPINKers are quite entertaining orderly and complete withdrawal of US troops by
bone... and even sing “We love you Capitol police” to Dec 31, 2007; no permanent US bases in Iraq
Stop funding war, bring our troops home! them. At least three more local activists will be
Back on the street, my next gig was to play packing everything pink they own and heading
After working on the 11-week sit-in at Doris George Bush in front of a White House-hosted to the CODEPINK house in June. Many skits,
Matsui’s Sacramento office to try to get her to dinner for the media. (Hearing about this casting songs, shenanigans, and serious work to end the
stop funding the war on Iraq and hearing about decision, my partner said that by playing Bush, I war lies ahead for Heather Woodford, with Sac-
Paul and Candy’s Blue-Dog serenade, I decided had hit rock bottom and should consider coming ramento-CODEPINK, Tina Wong with Military
to check out the national scene by spending a come.) Leaving the “suits” at the demonstration, Families Speak Out, and Davis Peace Coalition
week at the CODEPINK House in DC. Conve- I rode the Metro back to my CodePink home and member, Mikos Fabersunne.
niently located walking distance from Union I chatted with other riders, mostly young people. My thanks to Davis CODEPINKer Natalie
Station and the Capitol (and thanks to a friend’s When I explained that I was in DC for the week Wormeli who sent me the original information
frequent flyer ticket), it was easy to get there. to lobby with CODEPINK, they exclaimed: “Far about the CODEPINK house, which you can
My first morning with CODEPINK was out, we love CODEPINK.” find at www.codepinkalert.org, www.dontbuy- CAAC Goes
spent playing Alberto Gonzales, handcuffed by One day, dressed in my CODEPINK shirt, I bushswar.org. And be sure to check out CODE- to the Movies
Almost Every
the Pink Police (who sang to the tune of “I’ve was having lunch with a then-depressed friend PINK on YouTube! Month
been working on the railroad”: at the World Bank (a recent resignation has To find out about getting involved with The Central America
We defend the constitution, cheered her up considerably until she saw the CODEPINK locally: 530-756-1900 or email Action Committee
We’re the pink police, replacement). A woman came rushing across codepinksacramento@yahoo.com. shows interesting
We defend the constitution, the cafeteria floor and said to me: “Are you with and informative
And we defend free speech! CODEPINK?? They are so wonderful.” The Pink- Maggie Coulter is president of Sacramento videos on social
justice, labor
Can’t you hear the people shouting ers had been at the bank recently with luggage Area Peace Action
struggles, and so
It’s become a roar! bearing the sign: “Wolf, pack your bags.” much more! Call to
Can’t you hear the people shouting CODEPINK goes non-stop, writing lyrics, see what’s playing
It’s time to end this war coming up with skits, and planning creative this month…
Time to end the war actions. On the day that the conference com- WE ALSO HAVE A
Time to end the war right n - o - w ) mittee announced their weakened version of the VIDEO LIBRARY YOU
(already weak) supplemental to continue funding Bugged by high gas prices? CAN CHECK OUT.
1640 9th Ave (east
We sat and watched Gonzales evade the Sen- the war on Iraq, we dressed as doctors and rushed off Land Park Dr)
ate committee’s questions (to the apparent delight into the Conferees offices, announcing: “We have INFO: 446-3304
No problem! BPM has a
volunteer job you can
do from home. You don’t
need a car, a computer or
even much time: we need
someone to update the
local group meetings and
radio programs listed in
our paper. Call Ellen at
369-5510 for details.

Place an ad for your business


or nonprofit group: Business
card size ads only $40 (or
$30 if run in multiple issues).
Call 446-2844 for more info.
 Because People Matter July / August 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Single-Payer Health Care


Coverage for everyone, for everything, forever, for less

By Monica Krauth

A
simply replaces insurance
sea of red and blue flooded the State Cap- companies—which have a
itol grounds May 8th, and no—it was not financial interest in denying
to show patriotism. A couple thousand as much medical care as pos-
people spanning many generations and occupa- sible—with a state-wide trust
tions gathered in fund that collects premiums
“Calling Schwarzenegger’s support of The paid by employers and indi-
Health Care for viduals, sharing the responsi-
plan ‘mandatory All Californians bility for funding. It would be
Act (SB840). You under the control of a health
substandard insurance,’ wouldn’t be off insurance commissioner
Kuehl says SB 840, on your rocker if you appointed by the governor.
thought you were But to Schwarzenegger, this
the other hand, fits all having a moment plan would create a “vast new
Californians very well.” of déjà vu. bureaucracy and would be
In 2006, too expensive. Michael Moore (above) and State Senator
the California Clearly he hasn’t read the bill. Sheila Kuehl (below left) joined members of the
legislature passed SB 840, a single payer health Because according to the carefully worked California Nurses Association at the state capitol
care system, but Governor Arnold Schwarze- out financing aspect of the bill itself, the plan on June 12 to promote SB 840.
negger vetoed the bill. State Senator Sheila Kuehl involves “no new spending on health care.” Rath- Photo: Dick Wood
(D-Santa Monica) has recently
reintroduced it.
As many as 7 million people
are uninsured in the state, and
rising costs have put pressure
on business and consumers.
Schwarzenegger has an alterna- Police State! Police State?
tive plan for fixing the state’s
health care problems, requiring
We don’t need no stinking
most Californians to buy medi- Police State
cal insurance with state subsi-
dies for the poorest. By Michael Monasky
Calling Schwarzenegger’s
plan “mandatory substandard I recently received an e-mail solicitation
insurance,” because of its high from Jan Scully, Sacramento County District
co-pays and huge deductibles, Attorney, to participate in a Citizens’ Academy.
Kuehl says SB 840, on the other It had two goals: to inform the community about
hand, fits all Californians very the role of law enforcement, and to elicit input
well. “Universal health care from the community about racial profiling, the
doesn’t mean some, it doesn’t Patriot Act, three-strikes and 10-20-life sentenc-
mean most, it certainly doesn’t ing laws.
mean some of the time, it does After 5 of the 10 Academy sessions, the
not mean you gotta buy it whether you can afford er, the system will be paid for by federal, state supervising District Attorney expelled me for
it or not. That is not universal health care.” and county money already being spent on health asking questions, pointing out contradictions,
According to Kuehl, health care costs are care and by affordable insurance premiums that and challenging law enforcement dogma. I asked
hurting middle class working families the most. replace all premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket how sentencing laws are fair when most prison-
The cost of health insurance, says Kuehl, has payments and co-pays now paid by employers ers are people of color. I pointed out that a recent
increased four times as fast as wages over the last and consumers. Federal Department of Justice study revealed,
six years and is “bankrupting the state, is bank- According to a poll conducted in January
rupting businesses, and sure as hell is bankrupt- by NBC News/Wall Street Journal that surveyed “Checks and balances
ing us.” 1,007 adults nationwide with a margin of error of
Kuehl says that plenty of money is being plus or minus 3%, 53% agreed that single-payer against abuse by law
spent on healthcare—one out of six dollars spent health care is a good idea for the entire country, enforcement are weak.”
in the US—but just not to cover everyone. Mean- 40% disagreed and 7% were unsure.
while costs are getting shifted to patients. To those who say single-payer will never
So how does this legislation work? SB 840 happen, Kuehl says, “they’re just flat out wrong.” once stopped by police, people of color were 2
is the only proposal that establishes universal, It will become a reality because the people have to 3 times more likely to be searched, arrested,
affordable, comprehensive health insurance for to have it, want it, and they will keep bringing it and/or beaten. In response, the police and DA
all Californians and that guarantees the right of up until they get what they want and need. maintained that I disrupted the class with rude
patients to choose their doctors. Hospitals and and irrelevant interruptions.
doctors would remain private entities. SB 840 Monica Krauth is an unemployed welfare Checks and balances against abuse by law
mama who interns at the Yolo County Public enforcement are weak. Police Internal Affairs,
Defender’s investigator’s unit. the Office of Public Accountability, the Sheriff ’s
Inspector-general, and this Citizens’ Academy
Because People’s Healthcare Matters “The health care industry has
all require background security clearance, and
are immersed in police culture. The scope of the
We do what we do... a death grip on our society City of Sacramento Community Racial Profiling
because the insurance compa- Commission is limited to surveying traffic stops,
Primary Care by providers who look at the whole not search, arrest, and use of force by police. DA
person nies put profits before patients, and Public Defender staff are underpaid and
Non-drug treatment for ADD and ADHD which is why we as a country overworked with gargantuan caseloads, prompt-
MDs and FNP, trained and experienced spend considerably more on ing plea bargains, not justice.
Natural options (homeopathy, herbs, vitamins) in health care than other developed According to the Sacramento County
treating acute and chronic illness countries and get back far less. Department of Health and Human Services, in
Iscador (Mistletoe) for Cancer 2005 there were 475 Child Protective Services
In recognizing that for profit
Therapies: spirit and art for healing Social Workers. Sacramento Police Department
insurance is incompatible with a Chief Albert Najera admitted that he cannot
caring, a moral and a high quality arrest and imprison social ills. Yet there are about
health care system that provides 3,000 sworn peace officers in Sacramento County,
coverage for all, Senator Kuehl including Sheriffs, Highway Patrol, State Police,
Raphael House is leading the fight to break the and municipal police departments. Economically,
Multidisciplinary Complementary Medicine industry’s death grip.” the Pentagon dominates our Federal spending.
7953 California Avenue With six times as many cops as social workers,
Michael Moore Sacramento County’s priorities are clear.
Fair Oaks CA 95628
June 6, 2007
(916) 967 8250 raphaelassociation@earthlink.net Michael Monasky works in the city of Sacra-
mento, and lives in Sacramento County.
www.bpmnews.org July / August 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

What You Need to Know About the 9/11 Truth Movement


(For the uninitiated, the unsure, and even the disgusted)
By Johnny Orlowskawitz far from successful, as evidenced by the
hundreds of thousands of people ques-
Before you go throwing around the words, wack- tioning that very story.
os, wingbats, nutjobs and conspiracy theorists, 6. The people in this movement
learn a little about the people who call themselves promote the understanding that State-
the 9/11 Truth and Justice Movement: sponsored or condoned acts of ter-
1. The 9/11 truth movement is diverse, rorism, even against a country’s own
democratic, and non-partisan, not a far right- citizens, are not only plausible but have
wing or far left-wing movement. There are Jews, likely happened repeatedly throughout
Christians, Muslims, Hispanics, Whites, African history. The Reichstag Fire in Weimar
Americans, rich, poor, PhD professors, college Germany, the sinking of the Maine
students, truck drivers, teachers, lawyers, doc- and the Lusitania, Pearl Harbor, and
tors, architects, Reverends, atheists, democrats, the Gulf of Tonkin incident were all
republicans, and independents. There is no “type” conspicuous national tragedies which
of truther, because the truth knows neither reli- became platforms for launching major
gious, ethnic, social nor ideological boundaries. military campaigns. Staged, allowed,
2. The 9/11 Truth movement is not a con- or merely taken advantage of—there
spiracy movement. The majority of people is no doubt that 20th century history
criticizing the government’s official story (the was marked by many moments in
‘official conspiracy theory’ one could call it) which national catastrophes turned into
admit they do not know what really happened national battlecries. It is more than fair,
on 9/11. However, they demand that we all in an attempt to prevent the 21st cen-
should and moreover must know the truth about tury from befalling the same fate, to ask
what did happen. Most agree that whatever the if these have been merely coincidences
government’s story, it does not hold up to charges followed by patriotic fervor or some-
of at the very least, omission and distortion if not thing far more sinister.
outright lying. The majority of people in the 9/11 7. The people in this movement
Truth movement have far more questions than acknowledge that much of the evidence
theories, and almost everyone will acknowledge gathered through their 9/11 truth
that no conclusions are possible until a thorough, research is circumstantial and specula-
transparent, citizen-led investigation occurs tive, but that this is reason to continue
without the obstructionist tactics and top-secret searching rather than to stop asking
classifications our government has become all too questions. The War Games on 9/11, put Active duty Marine Johnny Wave dares to stand in uniform for 911 truth at
good at deploying. options placed on United and Ameri- an LA demonstration.
3. The people in this movement are not can Airlines, Larry Silverstein’s asbestos Photographer unknown
beyond critical thinking; they are deeply indebted problem, ISI funding, extremely close
to it. The forums on 9/11 truth have been filled interactions between FBI officials and named to find that truth. And they proclaim that it is the
with discussion and debate, much evidence, and hijackers, the apparent confusion of identities duty of every citizen to support—not the officials
many questions. In the past years and months surrounding hijackers who are still alive, Bin of their government or even their own country’s
many bad ideas and false leads have been weeded Laden’s dual denial and confession, the loss army—but the values that both their institutions
through. We are also clearer about what ques- (destruction) of thousands of files relating to SEC and their military were created to protect. They
tions remain and what evidence best supports the investigations in WTC7’s destruction, the rapid acknowledge that the lives lost on 9/11, the lives
notion that the government’s story is incomplete, destruction of evidence from the WTC crime lost defending freedom and real democracy
self-contradictory, and often simply false. This scene, the baffling inepitude of our national throughout history, and the lives that will no
process of reaching consensus has been dynamic, air defenses, the pools of molten metal found doubt be lost while following the orders of a
and is ongoing. It has been aided rather than beneath the rubble, and the general improbability corrupt administration in the future, all deserve
hindered by the attempts of many scientists of the WTC collapses—all of these and many nothing less than that truth.
and even self-appointed ‘debunkers’ who have more are grounds for serious concern. People 9. Lastly, they believe that truth — in due
often presented compelling information which in this movement wonder if the offense taken time — cannot be suppressed and that justice—in
was acknowledged, digested, and incorporated by others when reacting to suggestions that the due course—cannot be contained.
into an ever-growing and changing body of Government’s story simply cannot account for
knowledge. these anomalies is a sign that they are suffering Johnny Orlowskawitz is a 911 blogger.
4. The people in this movement believe that from willful ignorance, denial, or worse. This article was edited from www.911blogger.
knowing the truth about 9/11 is essential to the 8. The people in this movement acknowledge com/node/8655
health and future of our country not tangential that while the burden of proof is on those asking
to it. Most agree that the bloodshed of the 21st questions, the burden of truth is on every citizen,
century has been inaugurated on the back of 9/11 American, and human not only in this country
and for that reason it is in no way beyond our but on this planet. They acknowledge that neither
sincere, patriotic doubt and dissent. the government nor the media can be relied on
5. The people in this movement hold that Place an ad for your business
it is possible for both a) George W. Bush to be
close-minded, parochial, and incompetent and or nonprofit group: Business
b) for people within the government, besides, or
card size ads only $40 (or
in addition to Bush to have sufficient resources
and technological know-how to conduct a Architects, Engineers $30 if run in multiple issues).
major covert operation. While some believe our
government was either inadvertently or directly
Question 9/11 Call 446-2844 for more info.
involved the 9/11 attacks, most believe that the The newly formed group AE 9/11 Truth
massive cover-up surrounding these events was is a non-partisan association of architects,
engineers, and affiliates dedicated to expos-
ing falsehoods and revealing truths about
the “collapses” of the WTC North and South
towers and WTC Building 7 on 9/11. Blue-
The 9/11 truth movement, having prints of the towers for research purposes
largely transcended the artificial are available at the web site: http://www.
and obsolete left-right divide, will ae911truth.org/
continue to work for the convergence This is the third professional group of
of leftists, progressives, conservatives, 9/11 Truth professionals to form. Pilots for
greens, libertarians, and all persons 9/11 Truth is an organization of aviation
of good will on the basis of a program professionals and pilots. http://pilotsfor-
of rejection war and dictatorship, and 911truth.org/
promoting economic recovery. This Scholars for 9/11 Truth (S9/11T) is an
is a vital contribution to the ongoing association of faculty, students, and scholars.
party realignment and crisis of the http://911scholars.org/
political system.
from Boston Tea Party for 9/11 Truth: www. From the Sacramento for 9-11 Truth
boston911truth.org/teaparty/memo.html newsletter
 Because People Matter July / August 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Walking
 to End the War
Iraq War Veteran’s march around
Capitol draws hundreds of supporters
By Dan Bacher
An Iraq War veteran dressed in desert fatigues drew
hundreds to the State Capitol starting on Memorial Day
to support his march to remember US troops killed in
Iraq and the futility of the war itself.
Agustin Aguayo (rear center) welcomed in Stockton, California 5/11/07.
Photo Jeff Paterson, Courage to Resist The Navy veteran, who prefers to remain anonymous
to concentrate people’s attention upon the over 3,500 US

A Vet’s Moral Opposition to War


soldiers killed in the Iraq War, and his supporters made
3500 laps around the capitol. He did laps for California’s
362 fallen in three 24-hour days without a night in bed.

Agustin Aguayo pays a price


The veteran carried a yellow ribbon and read the
name and brief personal info in memory of each fallen
soldier on every lap around the capitol. Marchers accom-
By Dan Bacher panying him, in addition, carried white strips of paper

A
with the names of Iraqi civilians killed to remember
gustin Aguayo, an Iraq combat veteran who brought him back to the house and said, ‘Grab your gear, the more than 685,000 Iraqis that have perished since
refused to load his weapon in Iraq because of his you’re leaving for Iraq,’” said Helga. “He pretended to G.W. Bush invaded the country in March 2003. Maggie
moral opposition to the war, chose Sacramento cooperate and then was gone for 26 days before turning Coulter of Sacramento Area Peace Action said, “For each
for his first public appearance following his release from himself in again.” of those 3500 names of Iraqi men, women and children,
military prison in Germany. He was taken to Germany to there are another 200 people killed in this war that we
Aguayo addressed fellow vet- the Mannheim Military Prison. don’t have names for.”
erans and other war opponents on “After deployment “When he went AWOL, the mili- “I decided to do this march to mobilize the com-
Thursday, May 10 at the Newman to Iraq, he realized tary thought Agustin and I were in munity to become more active against the war and to
Center. On the following day, he held cahoots, so they wouldn’t let me send a strong signal to the Bush administration that we
a press conference in front of the that war ‘brings leave the country. They stopped his won’t put up any longer with this war,” said the veteran,
federal building in Sacramento where
the historic 52-day Peace-in was
out the worst paycheck. We had no money.” The
military police searched their house
a member of Iraq Veterans for Peace and Veterans for
Peace. “We want to show the public how many soldiers
held in Representative Doris Matsui’s in everyone. I on base without a warrant and inter- have died so far and the need for the war to end now
office earlier this year. rogated Helga in front of her two before more people die.”
Aguayo first applied for CO saw comrades, 12-year-old daughters. “The march has been great in the sense that we have
status in February 2004, but while his otherwise “It’s been hell, and I wish it received a lot of community involvement. I have spoken
application was being processed he could be over,” she explained. “My with strangers who haven’t been active in any other, way
was sent to Iraq as a medic. wonderful people, husband is now a convicted felon, but decided to march with me,” he said.
“When I first entered the
military, I was ready to do anything,”
go through a great he can’t vote in some states, and he’s
been stripped of his veteran status.
The veteran, a full-time college student who works
and has a family, became opposed to the war when he
said Aguayo. “I felt that I had never change.’” We are continuing to pursue the was stationed as a medic in Iraq in March 2003, after
given to the country before and that case with a team of lawyers so he having been in Kuwait and Afghanistan.
military service was a positive thing can be recognized as a Conscien- One incident stands out in his mind. He and two
to do.” After basic training, he went to a 16-week medic tious Objector.” other soldiers were dispatched to retrieve the body of a
training. “However, early in my training I began to ques- The case sets a threatening precedent for other sol- fallen solider. However, when they arrived, the Iraqis had
tion the violence and felt uncomfortable with some of diers experiencing moral crises about killing. The heavy already buried the solider to prevent the dogs from feed-
the marching chants the military used.” Soldiers were punishment shows the desperation of a military faced ing on it. “We didn’t bring any shovels with us and we
forced to chant, “I’m a beast, not a human, I’m going to with resistance that increases daily among the troops in tried to dig up the body with our hands—and we found
stab between the second and third ribs and twist.” this illegal war based on lies. one of his finger bones,” he said. “Our officer ordered
After deployment to Iraq, he realized that war For more information, www.aguayo- us to abandon the body. This was a really significant
“brings out the worst in everyone. I saw comrades, oth- defense.org/ or www.couragetoresist. moment in my military career. We had a chance to get
erwise wonderful people, go through a great change.” org/x/content/blogcategory/24/36/ the body back home and yet we were told to abandon
One of the things that most disturbed him was his cap- our fellow soldier’s body.”
tain telling medics one day, “You need to tell the infantry Dan Bacher is a journalist, activist and satirical The civilian casualties also increased his questions
that when you use your weapons, you have to finish the songwriter living in Sacramento.
job. Otherwise it’s more work for you.” see Walk to End the War, page 9
“That’s the mentality that changes in people during
war,” Aguayo stated. “That captain was a devout reli-
gious man and it shows how war brings the worst out in
people. I believe that we, as human beings, can do much
better than that.” “I saw harassment of civilians,” he
noted, “but no specific war crimes. However, war itself is
a violation and crime.”
Aguayo based his CO claim on a moral personal
belief opposing war based on his life experience. “I was
listening to my inner voice, but the army denied me CO
status based on the fact that I had no religious founda-
tion,” he said. “I feel the military is saying that if you’re
not a Mennonite or a Jehovah’s Witness or other religion
known for being opposed to war that you can’t have
these feelings,” he said.
His 8 months in prison were initially very painful. “I
was reduced from a soldier to a criminal for practicing
my moral beliefs,’ he said. “I missed my family a great
deal, although my wife, Helga, came to see me often.”
Aguayo had a lot of time to read and reflect on his life.
“I learned about myself while in isolation,” he stated.
“Somehow I always found inspiration in books. I also
received hundreds of letters from supporters in the anti-
war movement.”
During the battle for his CO claim, Helga helped
mobilize support. The Army denied his 2004 CO claim,
and when his unit was to be sent back to Iraq in 2006,
Aguayo missed the deployment and turned himself in, A small part of the display of ribbons carried during the Walk to End the War.
“One day after he turned himself in, the military Photo: Barbara Brown
www.bpmnews.org July / August 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 

Walk to End the War, from page 8

about the war. “I saw Iraqi kids and teenagers badly hurt by
US weapons,” he stated.
From the vet’s
When he arrived home, he was angered when he heard
reports of fellow soldiers let go from the military for their speech on the last
day of the Walk to
war injuries who received only partial disability benefits.
He also was dismayed by the many soldiers that were not
getting proper treatment for post traumatic stress syndrome
from the Veterans Administration. “I met one veteran who
kept having seizures after being forced out of the military End the War
without full compensation,” he reflected. “Yet he couldn’t
hold down a normal job because of his disability.” “Sometimes it may feel like there is no end in
The veteran’s march began Memorial Day with a press sight, that this war is an out-of-control fire that con-
conference attended by representatives of Veterans for tinues to rage on and ferociously consume lives no
Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Sacramento Area Peace matter how hard we try to extinguish it. It is so easy
Action, and Sacramento for Democracy, Courage to Resist to be discouraged when our voices are continually
and Gold Star Families for Peace. Since then, hundreds ignored by the leaders we elected to represent us. It
have walked laps—some just passersby who were moved is so easy to be discouraged when an unnecessary
by the vet’s actions—and have staffed a literature table and war carries on into its fifth year and our leaders
provided refreshments for the walkers. talk not about ending it but about invading other
Tina Wong from Military Families Speak out empha- countries. But there is hope when a community can
sized that the veteran’s action helped put a human face on pull together for a common cause and voluntarily
the costs of war. “Each soldier was a son or daughter, a complete a difficult yet memorable task.
father or mother, a wife or husband,” she stated. “Each life
was precious and each fallen soldier was loved by someone. “There is hope when our soldiers refuse to fight
We continue to proclaim that the best way to support the despite the consequences and generals threaten to
troops is by withdrawing funds for this war and funding the revolt if these troop surges persist. There is hope
care needed for them when they come home.” when children willingly join the peace movement
Zohreh Whittaker, whose son is currently deployed Above: This basket held the names of Iraqi civilians and even more hope when they comprehend the
in Iraq, added, “The US has killed hundreds of thousands killed in the war. mistakes our generation’s leaders are making. There
Photo: Dan Bacher.
of Iraqis and destroyed Iraq’s infrastructure. It is time to is hope every time our rights are violated and every
pull our troops out of Iraq and to pay the cost of rebuilding time they attempt to obstruct our demonstrations,
Iraq.” for we know they are getting nervous about our
Three marchers from a Nationwide March for Peace, growing numbers and it is just a matter of time
Ashley Casales, Michael Israel and Susan Liu, also walked before we become so large that change is inevi-
laps around the capitol on Memorial Day in support of the table. There is hope, because we hold the majority
veteran. They had began their march to Washington DC in of Americans on our side: it is only a matter of
San Francisco the week before. mobilizing them into active members of the peace
Members of Sacramento’s Iraq American community movement.
also demonstrated their solidarity with the veteran’s desire
to make the war real to the American people and politi- “I urge you that when you leave here today, you
cians. “I hope that he will get the attention of the public as reflect on those whose lives have been lost in this
well as the media,” said Ayad Al-Qazzaz, sociology profes- war. Think about all the pain and suffering each
sor at Sacramento State. “Hopefully, Democrats who voted individual went through as their life was taken from
to fund George Bush’s war will soon get the point, since a them and the emotional anguish that his or her par-
lot of them aren’t getting the point now. US forces created ents or children went through when they received
the problem and encouraged the sectarian tendencies now the news of their loved one’s passing. And then say
flaring up. By removing US occupying forces, you remove to yourself, “Not one more.” You have the ability to
the most important cause of Iraq’s current problem.” save the lives of many people with the decisions you
Pat Sheehan, the father of Casey Sheehan and former make today. Never give up the fight for peace and
husband of peace mom Cindy Sheehan, spent many hours never stop demanding an end to this war.”
walking with the veteran. “Today is Casey’s birthday,” said
Sheehan, on May 29. “He is 28 years old today—his spirit Websites for military resistance:
lives on. I walked with the veteran for my son and all of the www.couragetoresist.org
other soldiers that have died in this war.” www.vfp87.com
He added, “the veteran made a difference before he www.mfsocap.org
started walking when he made a conscious decision to not www.sacendwar.com
disclose his own identity. By doing this, he is shining the
light on the fallen in Iraq.”
Above: The anonymous Iraq Veteran,
shown here before walking his
first lap, finished his historic
march around the State Capitol
on Thursday, June 7.
Photo: Dan Bacher

Above: Local members of Veterans for Peace, including George Main (on
right) walk with the veteran on his first series of laps around the capitol.
Photo: Dan Bacher

Right: A group gathers around the State Seal to read names of American soldiers
and Iraqis who have been killed.
Photo: Barbara Brown
10 Because People Matter July / August 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Book Review
Some of the
Places You Can If Olaya Street Could Talk: Saudi Arabia: The Heartland of Oil & Islam, by John
Find BPM
Paul Jones. (New Mexico: Taza Press, 2007)
Sacramento Area
Coffee Works by Jenn Walker beautiful, vast country untouched by tourism. “Jones’ book shows that
Crest Theater
Dimple Records, Arden Images of exploding cars, suicide bomb-
ers detonating themselves in marketplaces and
“Saudi Arabia is one of the very few places on
earth where you can really run free and clear—
there is much more to
Wy
Dose Coffee Shop on street corners, and death tolls hover on TVs paradoxically in a country that one does not Saudi Arabia than what
Flowers Restaurant and front pages of newspapers, and the Western immediately associate with the word freedom.”
Galleria (29th & K) world in turn lumps yet another region, the Jones repeatedly analyzes Western stereo-
the NY Times offers.”
Grinders Middle East, with other socially agitated places types of Saudis and the Middle East, often dis-
Hart Senior Center
around the world as just another bloody may- proving them with his own personal experiences. rejoicing in the streets with gunshots and cheers.
Lido Cafe
Light Rail: hem. It’s one more exotic place to cross off of the Over the time he was employed there, Jones Less than a year later, Jones stumbles upon
65/Folsom vacation list. saw the hospital’s administration replaced on NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman at a
2nd Ave/Freeport However, this picture is very foreign to many occasions. Contrary to stereotype, Jones party at the US Embassy-Riyadh. They engage
Los Jarritos American writer John Paul Jones, who wrote articulates that when the Saudi Ministry of in a discussion regarding September 11 and its
Luna’s Cafe & Juice Bar If Olaya Street Could Talk: Saudi Arabia: The Interior took charge of the hospital, they did aftermath, including how numerous Saudis had
Mercy Hospital, 40th/J
Heartland of Oil & Islam, a firsthand account of not impose their religious expectations or life- offered their condolences and how the Saudi
Pancake Circus, 21st/
Broadway his positive experiences living as a Saudi Arabian styles upon the non-Muslim Western majority hospital administration took action to dispel any
Planned Parenthood: resident over a span of 25 years. employed there. Nor did the officials conduct celebration of the attacks within the hospital.
Franklin Blvd, Watt His title originated from James Baldwin’s If searches for alcohol, Bibles, and uncensored Jones later found that Friedman sourced Jones as
Ave., 29th St. Beale Street Could Talk; Jones’ book is instead Time magazines in the housing units, as some a US hospital worker who was “appalled to see
Queen of Tarts named after Olaya Street, the street he lived on of the Western hospital workers inaccurately Saudi doctors and nurses around him celebrating
Quick Market when he first arrived in Saudi Arabia’s capital, predicted. on 9/11.”
Sacramento Bagel,
Riyadh, as a young man in 1978. “It was the Saudis who were respectful Suddenly, Jones found himself involuntarily
47th/H
Sacramento Natural Little did he know that he would spend a of one’s private dwelling, treated the hospital manipulated to contribute to yet another media
Foods Coop quarter of a century as a Western expatriate in employees with a fundamental respect, and made exploitation of the Middle East.
Sacramento Public a country he initially intended to stay in only allowances for one’s lifestyle if one exhibited Jones’ book shows that there is much more to
Library (Main & many for a two-year contract working in health care discretion in public and reciprocated the respect,” Saudi Arabia than what the NY Times offers.
branches) administration. Jones writes. If Olaya Street Could Talk is a recommended
Sargent Coffee House
Yet, early in the book, Jones’ enchantment Shortly after the televised broadcasts of air- read for those interested in gaining a realistic
(Alhambra & M)
Starbucks (B'wy & 35th) with his new surroundings and friends grows planes colliding into the Pentagon and the World perception of the country, its people, and its his-
The Beat obvious, and shortly thereafter he finds himself Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, tory. This is a book that can help to make Ameri-
Time Tested Books married and happily raising a family in Saudi US news sources reported thousands of revelers cans more insightful instead of ignorant, and
Tower Theater (inside) Arabia. Jones’ vivid storytelling unveils it as a in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon publicly more aware instead of afraid.
Tupelo (Elvas & 57th)
Underground Books
(35th St. near B'way)
Weatherstone Coffee

Chico Area
Disillusion unto death
T
Davis wo years ago in June, Col. Ted Westhusing believe in the cause, when your every effort
Bogey’s Books put a bullet in his brain in his trailer at and breath to succeed meets with lies, lack of
Espresso Cafe Roma
an Army camp in Baghdad, the highest- support, and selfishness? No more. Reevaluate
Davis Natural Food
Coop ranking US officer to die in the Iraq war at the yourselves,commanders. You are not what you
Newsbeat time. Asked what killed the West Point ethicist, think you are and I know it.”
University Mall his widow replied “Iraq.” From an item at www.editorandpub-
Westhusing, 44, had been deeply troubled lisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.
Greenhaven area by abuses carried out by US contractors in Iraq, jsp?vnu_content_id=1003594048.
Buckthorn’s Coffee, including allegations that they had witnessed or
7465 Rush River Dr
even participated in the murder of Iraqis.
Nevada City In a suicide note addressed to and harshly

  


US Post Office critical of his commanders, Maj. Gen. Joseph
Fil and Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, Westhusing
wrote: “I cannot support a mission that leads to


Where would you like to corruption, human right abuses and liars. I am
see BPM?
sullied—no more.”
Let Paulette Cuilla know,
422-1787. The letter ends: “I didn’t volunteer to support
corrupt, money grubbing contractors, nor work
for commanders only interested in themselves. I
came to serve honorably and feel dishonored. I  
trust no Iraqi. I cannot live this way. All my love
to my family, my wife and my precious children.   
I love you and trust you only. Death before being  
dishonored any more.
“Trust is essential—I don’t know who

 
trust anymore. Why serve when you cannot
accomplish the mission, when you no longer

    


   
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 
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www.bpmnews.org July / August 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 11

Media Clipped
Seth Sandronsky
Don Imus and Jason Whitlock
Radio talk show host Don Imus’ verbal misogyny Netherlands, 123; Australia, 121; Canada, 116; Without enough income from employment one
and bigotry against the women basketball players Austria, 106; Italy, 97; Germany, 96; France, 91; goes hungry, and lives on the sidewalk or at the
of Rutgers University, calling them “nappy-head- Belgium, 88; Ireland, 85; Greece, 82; Sweden, river. This is the “free market” in action. One is
ed hos” this April 4, distracts some black adults 81; Denmark, 70; Finland, 66, Norway, 65; and free to find employment, or not.
in the US from the gangster culture of African Japan, 60. Recently, I read this data about the US. “The
American youth. So writes Jason Whitlock. He is No other nation in the world imprisons as unemployment rate for African Americans is on
a columnist with the Kansas City Star. many people as the US. The American govern- average approximately twice as high as the overall
Whitlock scolds readers away from Imus’ ment, federal, state and local, unemployment rate, and the NEW!
hate speech. Thus, Whitlock blasts black leaders is simply off the charts when “Whitlock scolds unemployment rate for Afri-
such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson for focus- it comes to incarcerating its can American teens averages Alkali Flat Urban
ing on Imus’ trash talk and avoiding the real populace.
readers away approximately six times the Farm Stand
menace to society. “We have allowed our youths Why? Asking the ques- from Imus’ hate overall unemployment rate
to buy into a culture (hip hop) that has been tion is an important step to for workers with a college A neighborhood in-
perverted, corrupted and overtaken by prison understanding the role that speech.” degree,” writes economist spired and based proj-
culture,” Whitlock writes. the prison system plays in the Dean Baker in The United ect in Alkali Flat. The
residents wanted access
Note the use of the passive voice. There is no US of locking up people who are the last hired States Since 1980 (Cambridge University Press,
to fresh fruits & veggies,
active agent that imprisons black people. Appar- and the first fired. 2007). so we are debuting the
ently, the process of being locked down requires Take blacks, who are 12 percent of the US Are these trends of imprisonment and unem- Urban Farm Stand at
no further explanation than this. population and half of the nation’s prisoners. ployment signs of a personal failure? Or are there J. Neely Johnson Park,
Let us take a step back from the Imus affair What is it in American life since 1980 that other reasons? Whitlock does not ask such ques- 11th & F.
to look at some simple facts. Between 1980 and accounts for this feature of mass incarceration? tions. To do so would shine some light on the
2005, the number of US prisoners quadrupled The political silence on this question reveals its policy priorities of the US government, federal, The farm stand will op-
erate EVERY TUESDAY
from 502,000 to just over 2 million. importance. state and local. Readers might wait a while for EVENING from 4–7pm
Consider incarceration data from the Meanwhile, Whitlock faults the cultural Whitlock to go there. from July 10 through
International Centre for Prison Studies at Kings shortcomings of some black youth who like In the meantime, the federal jobless rate does October. We hope you
College, London for 2003-4. The US rate of hip-hop. Presumably, too many black adults not count those behind bars, only people who will come join the fun.
incarceration per 100,000 people is 726 prisoners. choose flight instead of fight against this harmful have been looking for work and are in the labor There will be produce,
Compare that rate of incarceration per 100,000 culture. force now. So the rate of imprisonment could go arts & crafts, and com-
munity building.
people with other nations: New Zealand, 166; Speaking of choice, working for wages is up and the unemployment rate could go down.
United Kingdom, 145, Spain, 142; Portugal, 124; a central part of daily life in a modern society. Seth Sandronsky is a BPM co-editor. A project of the non-
profit Alchemist Com-
munity Development
Corporation. Want to
volunteer or learn more?

Book Review
email farmstand@alche-
mistcdc.org.

Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories of Jewish and Palestinian


Trauma and Resilience by Alice Rothchild (Pluto Press, 2007)
by Ellen Broms
The conflict is given a human dimension by
Alice Rothchild, a practicing OB-GYN, the stories of health care providers and others
Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Dr. Izzeldin
and Reproductive Biology Abuelaish, a Palestinian doc-
at Harvard Medical School,
and president of the Alliance
“We see ourselves tor is described as “a believer
in health care as a bridge
Board to Defend Health Care, as victims, even in times of conflict and the
has since 1997 written and doctor as a messenger for
lectured on women’s health
though we are peace.” She includes reports
care and the Israel/Palestine for a very long of the lack of medical access
conflict. Broken Promises, due to check points. Limits
Broken Dreams is a riveting time, not victims on movement results in pre-
personal account from the
terrain of that conflict. Espe-
anymore….” cious hours wasted in transit
to medical facilities by both
cially helpful for novices on doctors and patients. A Pal-
Middle East issues is the glossary, timeline, map, estinian colleague tells Rothchild of a “pregnant
and notes. woman in labor in the West Bank denied passage
Rothchild’s interest in understanding the at a checkpoint who delivered premature twins.
Israeli/Palestinian conflict and its relationship to They died shortly thereafter.”
US foreign policy and American Jewry evolved Rothchild also shares the voices of Israelis,
over the past ten years. She co-founded and co- including Dr. Ruchama Marton, a psychiatrist,
chairs Visions for Peace with Justice in Israel/Pal- and Gila Svirsky, an activist who went from a
estine, now called Jewish Voice for Peace, Boston. life as an Orthodox Jew to working for social
This book grew out of a journal Rothchild kept justice and peace in Israel. Marton has written on
during four health and human rights delegations the psychological impact of the second intifada
to Israel and the Occupied Territories in 2004 (Palestinian uprising) on Israeli society: “We of Knowing: Complicity and Dissent,” Rothchild
and 2005. The Jewish Voice for Peace Health and see ourselves as victims, even though we are for feels that “[i]t is important to look at the envi-
Human Rights Project will be leading another a very long time, not victims anymore. It’s very ronment in which we as Jews and US citizens
delegation in the fall. useful, I’m afraid, because being a victim gives attempt to have this troubled conversation.
you a lot of license to do awful Despite all the emotional anguish, it is imperative
things and still you are right, to explore the marketing of ‘pro-Israel’ messages,
at least in your own eyes.” Gila the challenges of having a critical dialogue in this
Time Tested Books Svirsky is active in the Coali- environment, and the social and political conse-
is now buying tion of Women for Peace and quences and possibilities as we look towards the
Political posters, handbills & pamphlets B’Tselem where she “focused future.”
Books on history, labor, & politcs on documenting human rights
Records of blues, jazz, rock, punk, world, R&B, & spoken word. violations in the Occupied The Sacramento Chapter of JVP and Physi-
And, of course, we are selling books & records, too! Territories while working in cians for Social Responsibility will sponsor a talk
We are located at 1114 21st Street, Sacramento. an organization dedicated to by Alice Rothchild in the Sacramento region in
Our hours are 11 – 5:30 M-Sat. (but please call for appt. if selling). changing Israeli governmental early December.
916-447-5696. policy.”
www.timetestedbooks.com The last chapter of the book Ellen Broms is a peace activist and JVP
is aptly titled “The Implications member.
12 Because People Matter July / August 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Sacramento Area Peace Action

Congress: What part of ‘End the War Now’ don’t you Understand?
On May 24, Congress handed President Bush billion for these wars. It also contains munitions Iraq to pass an oil law that would give US cor-
another blank check to continue the war on Iraq, and equipment which would not be delivered to porations control and huge profits (disguised as
in direct contradiction to the expressed desire of Iraq until at least 2009, a harbinger of an unend- one of the benchmarks). Unfortunately, too many
the American people, who want the US war on ing war and occupation. As of this writing, the in Congress have this same agenda. Not one of
Iraq ended. Senate has not taken action on HR 1585. Senator the convoluted supplemental versions, promoted
Although rep- Carl Levin has said that by the Democratic leadership and supported by
resentatives Doris
Matsui (Sacramento)
“Not one of the he will introduce an
amendment to require
Matsui and Thompson, would have ended the
occupation or brought the troops home.
and Mike Thompson convoluted supplemental that withdrawal of troops Why didn’t Congress just use its Consti-
(Davis / Woodland), begin within 120 days of tutional powers to refuse to fund more war?
voted against the versions, promoted the passage of the autho- Perhaps because too many in Congress are the
Sacramento May 24 blank check, by the Democratic rization bill. servants of weapons sellers, oil companies, and
Soapbox they had previously At this juncture, it is the pro-war Israeli lobby.
Progressive Talk Show
voted for two earlier leadership and supported critical that both Matsui But even if Congress members seek to serve
Access Sacramento, war supplemental
funding versions
by Matsui and Thompson, and Thompson commit
to voting against ANY
corporate masters, we the people still have a LOT
of power, and we need to use it. Paraphrasing
Channel 17 with Jeanie
Keltner. that would have con- would have ended the more funding, other Cindy Sheehan when asked about singing to the
Monday, 8pm, Tuesday tinued the war until than to bring ALL the choir, if all the choir were singing, we would not
noon, Wednesday, 4am. at least fall 2008 and occupation or brought troops home. If they be in this war.
Now in Davis, Channel
15, Tuesday, 7pm.
would have left an the troops home.” are in fact serious about Every week, call and confront Congress
unspecified number ending the war, and not (202-224-3121): ask what they are doing to really
of troops in Iraq just engaging in political end this war and occupation by bringing ALL of
indefinitely. game playing, then they must say NOW that they our troops home now and restoring Iraq to its
Matsui and Thompson also joined most of will vote against the FY 2008 war appropriations people. Tell them you want US veterans to get all
their fellow representatives May 17 in failing to bill. The vote on this funding may come up in the benefits they need and you want the US to
challenge the war by passing HR 1585, the Fiscal July, before Congress recesses for the month of pay for the damage it has done to Iraq. Get your
Year 2008 Defense Authorization Act. This Act August, or it may be in September, before 2008 friends and family to call. Go to demonstrations.
provides the legal authorization and recom- Fiscal Year starts on October 1. Talk to everyone you meet about the war on Iraq.
mended funding levels for the continuation of The Bush administration is clear about want- Educate yourself about the history of US foreign
baseline programs of the Defense Department, ing a semi-colonial Iraq, as recently evidenced by policy, about who profits from war. Think of new
including the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan.  HR the open discussion of a South Korea-style occu- ways to put pressure on Congress: we can and we
1585 includes Bush’s request for another $142 pation of Iraq and continued US attempts to force must make them end this war.

Somalia: Africa’s Iraq?


Worse than Darfur
oil-rich country—is a foretaste of what will be
repeated elsewhere in Africa, a continent rich not
ment—this puppet of Ethiopia and the US—to only in oil and natural gas, but all variety of other
By Brigitte Jaensch ever gain the confidence of the people. resources—e.g., gold, diamonds, cobalt, uranium
The stability brought and tantalum (known
The international community stands by silently
as Somalia is under attack. Attacked by cruise
by the Islamic Courts
Union was quickly
“The US government, as coltan) which among
other uses maintains the
missiles launched from US warships patrolling undone and the resultant phobic about anything electrical charge in com-
the east African coast. So far civilians and not chaos and humanitarian puter chips.
“militants” or “terrorists” have been hit. Attacked crisis has been described “Islamic…encouraged With more than 730
by Ethiopian soldiers who invaded Somalia in as “worse than Darfur” Ethiopia to invade military bases world-
December 2006, encouraged and blessed by the by newly-appointed UN wide and a military
US. Attacked by African Union ”peacekeepers” Undersecretary-General Somalia….” presence in more than
who too often menace the Somali people, tear for Humanitarian Affairs 140 countries (out of
down their makeshift businesses and destroy and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes. +/- 200 countries worldwide), the US is adding
their homes. The US has long supplied weapons to oppos- AFRICOM to its existing commands—CENT-
Hundred of thousands fled Mogadishu even ing warlords in Somalia, playing them off against COM, EUCOM, PACOM. Likely to be based
Coffee from though there was no refuge for them outside the one another. More recently, the US has also sent in Djibouti, AFRICOM will not only enable US
Nicaragua city. Thus many of these men, women and chil- in small groups of Special Operations soldiers military control of Africa, but also the Red Sea,
dren have had to return to the capital city even (called A-teams) and mercenaries, politely the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, Saudi Arabia,
Support Sacramento’s
though the situation there gets ever worse. termed private security contractors (e.g, Vir- Egypt.
sister city, San Juan de
Oriente, Nicaragua, For almost two decades, Somalis have been ginia-based Select Armor and Florida-based ATS
by purchasing organic subjected to violence as competing warlord clans Worldwide). Brigitte Jaensch is a human rights and civil
whole bean coffee fought for supremacy. In 2004, a “transitional” What is happening in Somalia—a newly rights advocate.
grown in the rich government consisting of some of these warlords
volcanic soil on the was cobbled together at a meeting in Kenya. After
island of Omotepe, two years of trying to establish itself, Mogadi- Sacramento Area Peace Action is an all-volunteer organization that
Nicaragua.
shu still remained off limits to the government, works to educate and mobilize the public to promote a non-interven-
Thanks to the efforts of
the Bainbridge-Omotepe which was sidelined in a town called Baidoa. In tionist and non-nuclear US foreign policy and to promote peace through
Sister Island Association 2006, business interests urged the Islamic Courts international and domestic economic, social, and political justice. Join us!
in Washington, we are Union, a loose confederation of Islamic entities,
able to bring you this to try to bring some stability to the country. And
wonderful medium roast
coffee.
they succeeded without resorting to force and JOIN SACRAMENTO AREA PEACE ACTION
Somalis hoped normalcy was finally returning to
Your purchase helps the
Somalia. Annual dues are $30/individual; $52/family; $15/low income.
farmers on the island
and helps support The US government, phobic about anything
“Islamic,” pro-“transitional” government, and Name:________________________________________________________
Sacramento’s long
relationship with San dismissive about the on-going territorial dispute Address:_______________________________________________________
Juan de Oriente. between predominately Christian Ethiopia
All profits go directly and Muslim Somalia, encouraged Ethiopia to City________________________________________ Zip________________
back to the Nicaraguan
communities.
invade Somalia to buttress the “transitional” Phone:___________________________
$9.00 a pound. government.
This neighboring-country-intercession is E-mail:___________________________
Available in Sacramento
at: The Book Collector, in direct violation of a UN resolution. Sending ____Here is my additional contribution of $_______.
1008 24th St. weapons to Somalia violates a UN arms embargo. ____Please send me the newsletter only, $10/yr.
Ethiopia’s march into Somalia was not only
patently illegal, it was frightening, and infuri- Send your check to: Sacramento Area Peace Action (SAPA) 909 12th Street, #118, Sacramento,
ated the Somali people. And it has essentially CA 95814. Or call us! 448-7157, e-mail: sypeaceact@jps.net, web: www.sacpeace.org
torpedoed any chance for the “transition” govern-
www.bpmnews.org July / August 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 13

Internet Radio in Danger!


The ongoing threats to independent media
By Judith Poxon lobbying by a royalty-collecting agency known as new rate structure.

O
SoundExchange, which is linked to the Record- This delay, if granted, would allow more time
ne of the latest threats to locally pro- ing Industry Association of America (RIAA). for the passage of legislation that has been intro-
duced independent media is the move According to Washington Post writer Mike Mus- duced in both houses of Congress. The bipartisan
by the Copyright Review Board (CRB) grove, SoundExchange Executive Director John Internet Radio Equality Act, co-sponsored in
to increase royalties paid by operators of Internet Simson sees the increased royalties as necessary the Senate (S. 1353) by Ron Wyden (D-OR) and
radio stations to pro- in today’s steadily Sam Brownback (R-KA), and in the House (H.R.
hibitive levels. Acting in “Internet radio reaches shrinking compact 2060) by Jay Inslee (D-WA), Don Manzullo (R-
March, the CRB decided disc market, and IL), and some 100 others, would overturn the
to scrap the existing fee large audiences who live doubts that the new CRB decision and lock in a profit-based roy-
structure, based on a rea- out of range of traditional new fees will limit alty structure through 2010. But passage of this
sonable annual fee plus the diversity of legislation is unlikely before the July 15th deadline
a percentage of profits, radio broadcasts….” music available on for the royalty fee changes, unless it receives
in favor of a flat fee for Internet radio. widespread public support. Peace Action
each song on a per-user basis, with a minimum This view is challenged by the International Representatives Matsui and Doolittle have on the Web
fee of $500 per station per year. Even more trou- Webcasting Association (IWA), which represents already signed on to co-sponsor the act, but as Keep up to date
bling are the facts that the proposed new rate is a broad spectrum of independent Internet radio of this writing, Representative Lungren has not, on peace activism
scheduled to double over the next five years, and stations, and which opposes the new fee struc- and neither Senator Boxer nor Senator Feinstein in Sacramento.
the new fees would be charged retroactively to ture. According to members of the IWA, Internet has indicated support for the Senate bill. One Check out
the beginning of 2006, resulting in large one-time radio reaches large audiences who live out of organization that is working to coordinate citizen www.sacpeace.org.
assessments. Clearly, while the old, profit-based range of traditional radio broadcasts, and pro- lobbying efforts in support of the legislation is
fee structure made it possible for small indepen- vides a way for consumers of relatively unprofit- SaveNetRadio, a coalition of webcasters, record-
dent webcasters to survive on essentially no rev- able musical genres to stay current. ing artists, Internet radio listeners, and record
enue, the new structure will charge the same rate There is some reason for hope, however. labels. Find them on the Internet at www.saven-
to all webcasters, whether or not they operate at On May 30, the Digital Media Association, in etradio.org, and help save Internet radio!
a profit, meaning that many small webcasters will conjunction with National Public Radio and the
be put out of business. Small Commercial Webcasters, filed an appeal Judith Poxon is a instructor of humanities
In making this change, which is scheduled with the District of Columbia Circuit Court, and religious studies at CSUS and ARC, and a Capitol
to take effect on July 15th, the CRB responded to seeking to delay the implementation of the CRB’s member of Sacramento Media Group. Outreach for a
Moratorium
on the
Death Penalty.
Third Mondays,

Sacramento 11:30am to 1:30pm.


L Street at 11th.

Africa Channel
We bring petitions,
literature and banners.
You bring yourselves.

Project Cafe nearby for coffee


after the vigil.

Community action INFO: 447-7754

needed
By Dr. Boatamo Mosupyoe The Sacramento project
invited Comcast-Central Valley’s
and Faye Kennedy VP of Communications and
On April 12 the Sacramento Africa Channel also the Sacramento office VP
Project sponsored two well attended, exciting and General Manager to attend
community presentations at Sacramento City the community presentations. But
College and later at Sacramento State by repre- neither did. However, the planning
sentatives of The Africa committee
Channel Network “… even though the is still eager
(www.theafricachannel. to collaborate with
com). Africa Channel has a Comcast on this excit-
The Africa Chan- national agreement with ing new venture.
nel, already available to
viewers in New York, Comcast, communities
Community
members and local Children’s Hope
Atlanta, and Baton
Rouge, is an indepen- must establish their own Comcast subscribers
can assist by request- Is going to Haiti in August!
dent network focused agreements with their ing Sacramento
Cash donations needed to buy
on programs about Comcast to subscribe
Africa’s people, “their local Comcast carrier.” to The Africa Channel Medical and School Supplies
incredible stories, their Network.
daily lives, their successes, celebrations and chal- Make checks payable to:
lenges”—all of which are almost totally missing Send letters and e-mails to: Children’s Hope
from ordinary TV sources. Joni Claerbout, VP and General Manager, c/o Leisa Faulkner, 3025A Cambridge Road
The channel has long-term agreements with Comcast Sacramento Cameron Park, CA 95682
major African networks, and recently established 2710 Gateway Oaks Dr., South Building Ste. 100,
an agreement with Comcast, the largest US cable Sacramento CA, 95833
provider, to carry the channel. However, although Joni_Claerbout@cable.comcast.com
the Africa Channel has a national agreement with and
Comcast, communities must establish agree- Andrew Johnson, Regional VP of Communica-
ments with their local Comcast carrier. tions, Comcast-Central Valley
Locally, in January, Dr. Boatamo Mosupyoe 2500 Bates, Concord, CA 94520
sent-out a call for action and the Sacramento Andrew_C_Johnson@cable.comcast.com
Africa Channel Project was formed to bring the
network to the Sacramento area. The planning For more info and how to become involved:
committee included members from the Sacra- Boatamo Mosupyoe, Director of Pan African
mento Area Black Caucus, the Black United Fund Studies, Professor, Ethnic Studies CSUS
of Sacramento, The Black Group, the Congress 278-4376, mosupyob@csus.edu
of African Peoples, the Vanguard Public Founda- or • Donate old cell phones and laptops •
tion, the Cultural Awareness Center at Sacra- Faye Kennedy, Black United Fund of Sacra- www.sacramentopa.org/ChildrensHope.html
mento City College and Pan African Studies and mento Valley & Sacramento Area Black Caucus 916.801.4184
Ethnic Studies at CSUS. 484-5025, fayek@springmail.com
14 Because People Matter July / August 2007 www.bpmnews.org

Book Review
Armed Madhouse: From Baghdad to New Orleans – Sordid Secrets & Strange
Tales of a White House GONE WILD by Greg Palast. London: Plume, 2007.
by Justin Smith
Enron. This plan consisted of keeping OPEC in
In BBC reporter Greg Palast’s latest, Armed Mad- place and keeping oil prices high. This would
house, he meticulously investigates the nefarious keep Saudi Arabia in charge of the price of oil
underbelly of the Bush administration. He has and in good graces with the Bush family. The
two main topics: an egre- occupation of Iraq was
gious administration and its necessary to shut off oil
plans for war and election “The occupation of spigots and keep prices
theft. Iraq was necessary high. Oil profits of the five
Claims have been made big oil companies in 2002
that Bush had a plan before to shut off oil were $34 billion and blast-
going into Iraq. Palast ed off to a feral $81 billion
asserts there were two. Plan
spigots and keep in 2004. Palast’s view: “It’s
A, the neo-con plan, was to prices high.” not about getting the oil,
privatize and sell off the oil it’s about controlling oil’s
fields. Privatization required price.”
revamping the oil facilities, maximizing efficiency In 2002, the US caught wind that Saddam
and output. The plot was to destroy quotas and Hussein and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi had
output limits, effectively eating away OPEC like a planned an oil embargo. Hussein had been fluc-
cancer and forcing Saudi Arabia to its knees. tuating oil prices up and down on a weekly basis,
Plan B was drawn up by oil companies and cutting off shipments to support the Palestinian
supported by the Bush family, ExxonMobil being intifada (uprising) then opening spigots for the
the second largest contributor to Bush behind Oil-for-Food Program. The oil companies didn’t
like this. During the 1973 Arab oil embargo
Venezuela had come to the aid of the US, but
this wasn’t likely to happen with Hugo Chavez weren’t dark enough or the chad was pregnant.
in power. Thus, in 2002 the US backed a coup Absentee ballots (which skyrocketed in requests)
California Stage Presents against Chavez—though it failed. In a market this were shredded en masse, and voters weren’t

Marx In Soho
sensitive, Hussein and Chavez clearly had too notified that their vote didn’t count. The favored
much leverage. So finally our benevolent admin- method in Ohio was to scratch polling places in
istration decided to “democratize” Iraq in 2003. democratic areas, which forced long lines and
Things only get increasingly dreadful when long drives. I suppose that Secretary of State for
A Play by Howard Zinn Palast lays out the administration’s plots for Ohio, Ken Blackwell, also the Co-Chairman of
stolen elections in 2000 and 2004 and the to-be- the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign, might
With Jerry Levy as Karl Marx stolen election of 2008. Florida Secretary of State have helped.
Katherine Harris targeted 94,000 voters as felons, All is not lost, however. Palast provides a
Directed by Michael Fox Kennedy rendering them unable to vote; 91,000 were com- supplementary chapter on how to steal your vote
pletely innocent. Strangely enough, 325 people back: voting early, registering more people to
If you missed it last year, don’t miss it again! were listed with conviction dates in the future. vote, and NOT voting by mail. In 2008 a provi-
In “Marx in Soho”, Howard Zinn (A People’s History of the United States) Ohio exit polls showed that both male and female sional ballot onslaught has been predicted with
portrays the return of Karl Marx. Embedded in a secular afterlife for voters had voted for John Kerry, defeating Bush. the recent testimony of Alberto Gonzalez and
intellectuals, artists, and radicals, Marx is given permission by the ad- Palast asks, what third sex gave Bush the vic- Monica Goodling proving intent to ”cage” (dis-
ministrative com- tory in Ohio? Exit polls are never wrong and are qualify) voters.
mittee to return to employed to detect and prevent election theft. Palast exudes a perpetual wit throughout the
Soho, London to de- The means Republicans used to disenfran- book derived much from the endless myriad of
fend his philosophy, chise voters are multifarious. Provisional bal- problematic policies, a fun but not funny read.
twisted by individu- lots were thrown out based on feeble evidence. Justin Smith is a freelance writer based in
als and governments Spoiled ballots meant the marks on the ballot Sacramento.
in the years after his
death. But through a
bureaucratic mix–
up, he winds up in
SOHO in New York.
From there the audience is given a rare glimpse of Marx, the man. The Sacramento for Democracy is proud to host a film screening of Norman Solomon’s
Play offers an entertaining and thorough introduction to a person who
knows little about Marx’s life, while also offering valuable insight to stu- “War Made Easy: How Presidents & Pundits
dents of his ideas.
Keep Spinning Us to Death.”
Three nights only: Tuesday, July 17, 7 PM
Thursday, July 26–Saturday, July 28, 8:00pm The Crest Theatre
1013 K Street
California Stage, 1723 25th St. (at R), Sacramento Tickets $10
Tickets: $19, general; $15, students, seniors and
SARTA; $12, groups of six or more. Please RSVP: www.dfalink.com/event.
php?id=21049
Reservations: 916.451.5822
A benefit for the Marxist School of Sacramento and Because People Following the film, we will have a Q&A discus-
Matter. sion with author Norman Solomon and Assem-
blywoman Loni Hancock (original author of AJR
36, the bill to bring our CA National Guard home
from Iraq). The evening’s program will be emceed
by Christine Craft (1240 Talk City)!!

working for “War Made Easy” reaches into the Orwellian


ALLIANCE PEACE & JUSTICE memory hole to expose a 50-year pattern of
AUDIO-VISUAL & VIDEO
and a proud sponsor of government deception and media spin that has
“Because People Matter” dragged the United States into one war after
another from Vietnam to Iraq. Narrated by actor and activist Sean Penn, the film
LCD COMPUTER & VIDEO PROJECTORS offering a
exhumes remarkable archival footage of official distortion and exaggeration from LBJ
SLIDE & OVERHEAD PROJECTORS 30% to 50% to George W. Bush, revealing in stunning detail how the American news media have
PA SYSTEMS – WIRELESS MICS – MIXERS
discount uncritically disseminated the pro-war messages of one administration after another.
SCREENS – TV MONITORS – PODIUMS
AUDIO & DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDING
<> <> <>
for Peace & See a preview of “War Made Easy” here: http://www.youtube.
(916) 451-2658 Justice events
com/watch?v=H5CF5pfVzLI
www.bpmnews.org July / August 2007 BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER 15

July / August Calendar Send calendar items for the Sept. / Oct. 2007 issue to bpmnews@nicetechnology.com by
June 10, with “calendar item” in the subject line. Make it short, and in this order, please: Day,
Date. Name of event. Description (1-2 lines). Time. Location. Price. INFO: phone#; e-mail.

ONGOING EVENTS For online calendars of progressive events, go to www.sacleft.org and


MONDAYS: Sacramento Poetry Center hosts www.sacpeace.org.
poetry readings. 7:30pm. 1719 25th Street. www.
sacramentopoetrycenter.org Gray Panthers Sacramento
1st MONDAYS: Organic Sacramento: Counter
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Annual Summer Potluck and Celebration
Thursday, July 12 12:30–3pm
ongoing threats to our food. 6:30pm. INFO: Hart Sr. Center, 28th and J Sts.
www.organicsacramento.org Friday, July 13 Saturday, August 25
Film. “Rock That Uke”.Examines the near mysti- Second Annual Women’s Suffrage Parade, from Join us for a potluck, main dish provided by
1st. MondayS Sacramento Media Group. 6-8pm. cal allure of the ukelele and the recent surge Southside Park to the Capitol. the Steering Committee. You are invited to
Coloma Community Center, 4623 T Street. INFO: of alternative, post-punk musicians who have bring salads and desserts. This is a social
443-1792, smg@commoncause.org. taken it up. 7 pm. Fools Foundation, 1025 19th Saturday, Sept. 8 time, but you will be invited to tell us about
St. Off of K St between 19th & 20th next to the “Making a Killing”, SF Mime Troupe’s new show your favorite “activist” issue of the hour!
3rd MONDAYS Capitol Outreach for a Moratorium back end of Old Spaghetti Factory. $5.00. INFO: on private military contractors (which now out-
We will be honoring long-time activist and
on the Death Penalty. 12 noon–1pm, 11th & L www.shiny-object.com/screenings/. number US troops in Iraq). It’s “packed with more
member LEON LEFSON with our Fourth An-
Street. INFO: 455-1796. song and dance than a Bush Administration press
nual Advocate of the Year Award. Friends of
Sunday, July 15 conference.” Music starts at 3:30 pm. Southside
Leon’s from the Community are invited.
3rd MONDAYS SAPA Peace and Sustainability Com- Meeting. SARG, Secular Alcohol Recovery Group. Park, 6th and U Streets. Free.
mittee. 6-8pm. INFO: Peace Action, 448-7157. Alcohol recovery without religion. 5-6 pm, 15th INFO: Joan B. Lee, Gray Panthers Sacra-
and P park. INFO: 606-4303. mento, 916-332-5980
3rd MONDAYS: Sacto 9/11 Truth:Questioning the
“War on Terror.” 6–8pm. Denny’s 3rd & J St. Info: Sunday, July 15
sac911truth@gmail.com 372-8433. “Israelis and Palestinians—Visions of Coexis-
tence After 40 Years of Occupation.” McGeorge Israelis and Palestinians—Visions of Coexistence
TUESDAYS: Call for Peace Vigil 4-6pm 16th and School of Law, 5th Avenue in Oak Park. INFO:
J St. INFO 448-7157. sacramento@JewishVoiceforPeace.org. See box After 40 Years of Occupation.”
this page.
2nd TUESDAYS: Gray Panthers. 1–3pm. Hart Panel Speakers Sunday July 15
Tuesday, July 17
Senior Ctr., 27th & J St. INFO: Joan, 332- 5980. Omar Dajani, Professor, McGeorge School 1:00-4:30PM
“War Made Easy,” film screening followed by
discussion with Norman Solomon, Loni Hancock, of Law Mc George School of Law
4th TUESDAYS: Peace and Justice Films. 7pm. Ze’ev Maoz, Professor, UC Davis
Christine Craft. 7pm, Crest theater, 1013 K St. 3200 5th Avenue, Oak Park
Peace Action 909 12th Street. INFO:448-7157.
$10. RSVP. See box page 14. Mitchell Plitnick, Jewish Voice for Peace
4th TUESDAYS: (Odd numbered months) Amnesty (Others to be announced) Light refreshments will be
Wednesday, July 18
Int’l. 7pm. Sacramento Friends Meeting House, CAAC Goes to the Movies. “Salud,“about Cuban
provided
890-57th St. INFO: 489-2419. healthcare worldwide. 1 hr. 7:15pm. 1640 9th Moderators Donations requested, but no
Ave (east off Land Park Dr). INFO: 446-3304. Jeanie Keltner one will be turned away
1st WEDNESDAYS: Peace & Freedom Party. 7pm.
INFO: 456-4595. Larry George for lack of funds
Thursday,July 19
Film. “The Great Conspiracy of the 9/11 News
3rd WEDNESDAYS: CAAC Goes to the Movies. Special You Never Saw ”. Film series sponsored Presentation and Sponsored by Jewish Voice for
7:15pm. INFO: 446-3304. by Teach Peace. 7pm. Yolo County Library’s Discussion Topics: Peace and American Middle
Blanchard Room, 315 E. 14th St, Davis. Free. Looking back at history to envision a bet- East Seniors
THURSDAYS: Daddy’s Here (Father Enhancement INFO: (530)758-2362 or (530)758-8431 or visit ter future for Palestinians and Israelis;
Program). Men’s support group; info on custody, www.TeachPeace.com. For more information, email
divorce, raising children. 7-8:30pm. Free! Ctr for How US policy maintains the occupation-- sacramento@jewishvoiceforpeace.org
Families, 2251 Florin Rd, Ste 102. INFO: terry @ Friday, July 20 what drives it and how can we change it?
fathersandfamilies.com. 568-3237x 205. Film. “Electric Purgatory: The Fate of the Black
Rocker”. A documentary examining the struggles
1st FRIDAYS: Community Contra Dance. 8-11pm; of black rock musicians and the industry’s am-
7:30pm beginners lessons. Clunie Auditorium, bivalence towards them. 7pm. Fools Founda-
McKinley Pk, Alhambra & F. INFO: 530-274- tion, 1025 19th St. Off of K St between 19th
9551

2nd FRIDAYS: Dances of Universal Peace.


& 20th next to the back end of Old Spaghetti
Factory. $5.00. INFO: http://www.shiny-object.
com/screenings/
Our country is at a
7:30–9:30pm. Sacramento Friends Meeting House
890 57th St. $5–$10 donation requested. INFO: Sunday, July 22 historic crossroads-
-will the US produce more nuclear bombs, making them
Joyce 832-4630. www.sacramentodancesofuni- Lynne Cook & Janet LaDue present their new
versalpeace.org book, The First Ladies of California. Time Tested
Books. 3:30 pm. 1114 - 21st Street. INFO: Peter
4th FRIDAYS: Dances at Christ Unity Church, Keat or Scott Soriano, 447-5696 more likely to be used, or will we use the opportunity before us
9249 Folsom Blvd. All Welcome $5-$10 dona-
Friday, July 27
to eliminate nuclear weapons. On the one hand our country is
tion requested. INFO: Christine 457-5855, www.
sacramentodancesofuniversalpeace.org Film. “Why Lie, I Need A Drink”. A very special spending more money on nuclear programs than we did during
advance rough-cut screening of local comedian
and filmmaker Keith Lowell Jensen’s new feature
the Cold War. And as more nuclear technology becomes avail-
1st SATURDAYS: Health Care for All. 10am. Hart
Senior Ctr, 27th & J. For universal access to health length doc on panhandling, panhandlers and able, we could see a future with 20 or 30 countries armed with
care. INFO: 424-5316. attitudes towards them. Mr Jensen will attend.
7 pm. Fools Foundation, 1025 19th St. Off of
nuclear weapons.
1st SATURDAYS: Sacramento Area Peace Action K St between 19th & 20th next to the back end On the other hand, there is now a historic opening to work to ac-
Vigil. 11:30am– 1:30pm. Arden and Heritage of Old Spaghetti Factory. $5.00. INFO: www. tually eliminate nuclear weapons. Grassroots power has forced
(entrance to Arden Mall). INFO: 448-7157 shiny-object.com/screenings/.
Congress to start to question the nuclear status quo. Congress
Sunday, August 5
2nd & 4th SATURDAYS: Community Contra Dance. August Peace Event. 3–6pm. CSUS Alumni Cen-
members are asking for a real debate over the future of nuclear
8-11pm; 7:30 lessons. Coloma Center 4623 T ter, 6000 J St. Free, donations accepted. INFO: weapons.
Street. INFO: 395-3483. 393-7690. See box this page.
Will we use this moment of grave danger to fulfill this great
3rd SATURDAYS: Sacramento Area Peace Ac- Thursday August 14 promise? To find out more about US plans to build new nuclear
tion Vigil. 11:30am–1:30pm. Marconi & Fulton. Film. “Oil, Smoke & Mirrors”. Peak oil, 9/11 &
INFO: 448-7157 the war on terror. Film series sponsored by Teach
weapons and to be inspired to act, come to the:

August Peace Event


Peace. 7pm. Yolo County Library’s Blanchard
1st SUNDAYS: Zapatista Solidarity Coalition.
Room, 315 E. 14th St, Davis. Free. INFO:
10am–noon. 909 12th St. Info: 443-3424.
(530)758-2362 or (530)758-8431 or visit www.

Sunday August 5
TeachPeace.com.
1st SUNDAYS: PoemSpirits. 6pm. Refreshments
and open mic. Free. UUSS, 2425 Sierra Blvd. INFO: Wednesday, August 15
481-3312; 451-1372. Will resume in Oct. 2007. CAAC Goes to the Movies. “The Baghdad
DVD’s”—documenting civil life in Baghdad, in- Doors open for networking-3pm
2nd SUNDAYS: Atheists & Other Freethinkers. cluding poets, artists and writers. 1 hr. 7:15pm.
2:30pm. Sierra 2 Center, Room 10, 2791 24th St. 1640 9th Ave (east off Land Park Dr). INFO: Visit sponsoring organizations’ tables
INFO: 447- 3589. 446-3304. Program from 4-6pm
SUNDAYS: Sacto Food Not Bombs. 1:30pm. Come Thursday August 23
help distribute food at 9th and J Streets. Film. “9/11 Press for Truth”. Five of the most
This family event is suitable for all ages
prominent members of the Family Steering Light refreshments will be served
Committee tell their story for the first time on
film, providing the most powerful argument yet
Donations Accepted
why 9/11 still needs investigation. Film series

Your subscription
sponsored by Teach Peace. 7pm. Yolo County
Library’s Blanchard Room, 315 E. 14th St, Davis. CSUS Alumni Center
Free. INFO: (530)758-2362 or (530)758-8431 6000 J Street
keeps us going! or visit www.TeachPeace.com.
Sacramento, CA 95819-6024
Have you sent in your Saturday, August 25
Convocation of the Peace Pyramid. Serious focus
subscription form?? on militarization of space after musical entertain- For more information, contact Janice Nakashima 393-7690
ment, potluck. 5pm. 2041 Campton Circle, Gold The Alumni Center located on the southern edge of campus has free adjacent
River. 916-728-2391. INFO: tjking@rcip.com.
parking. State University Dr. South is a continuation of College Town Dr.
July / August 2007
Because People Matter

Action at CSUS • Code PINK in DC • What you need to know about the 9/11 Truth Movement •
See pages 2 and 6 for information on Michael Moore’s scathing
Single-Payer Health Care
Coverage for everyone, for everything,

new film, SiCKO, and Single Payer Health Care for California.

MORE INSIDE: Depleted Uranium • Conflict and Change in Venezuela • Collective

Veterans Oppose the War • Book Reviews • Internet Radio in Danger


forever, for less
Progressive News and Views

Progressive Media
Places to watch Sacramento Soap- Your community paper
box:
Access Sacramento TV, Cable Chan- needs community support.
nels 17 and 18 Mon 8pm, Tues noon,
Wed 4am.
Things you can do:
In Davis: Channel 15, Tues 7pm. Subscribe to BPM!
Places to watch or hear Democracy Already a subscriber? Buy a
Now! subscription to BPM for a friend or
Access Sacramento TV, Cable Channels family member! Fill out the coupon
17 and 18, Weekdays 6pm, 12mid-
night, 5am. on page 1. Video: Before He Invades
Dish Network Satellite TV, Channel
9415, Free Speech TV, Monday–Fri-
Volunteer!
Check out Before He Invades, a sassy
day: 8am, 12pm, 7pm ET. BPM needs help dropping stacks of
3-minute musical indictment of the
Link TV, Channel 9410, Monday–Friday, BPMs at locations around town. Call Bush administration by Michael
11am. Paulette at 422-1787.
KVMR 89.5 FM Mon-Thu 7pm Stavros of Media Edge. The music is
KDVS 90.3 FM Mon-Fri noon based on “Before He Cheats” by Carrie
KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley, M-F 9am
We always need writers,
Underwood and is performed by Craig
proofreaders, and new people for Lehman and Stavros’ two daughters,
Places to watch Media Edge: the editorial group. Call Jeanie at Angelina & Lacey. Stavros wrote the
Access Sacramento TV, Cable Channels 444-3203. words to support the growing move-
17 and 18 Sundays 8–10pm
Davis, Channel 15, Sundays, 8–10pm.
www.GoLeft.tv Bugged by high gas prices? No ment to impeach and invites people
Nevada County, Channel 11, Mondays, Progressive Online Television to add it to their websites, myspace or
Five corporations control all parts of car? No computer? No problem!
10:30pm –12:30am. West Sacramento, blogs.
Channel 21, Mondays, 9–11pm. mainstream media. In this new media We need someone to update the
monopoly, news has been replaced with meetings and radio programs listed
Other Progressive Radio Stations a new invention called “infotainment.” http://video.google.com/
GoLeft.tv is a progressive political T.V.
in BPM. Do it from home! Call Ellen videoplay?docid=-
▼ KVMR 89.5 FM
▼ KCBL Cable 88.7 FM news source that fills that gap between at 369-5510. 3417718049150673427
▼ KYDS 91.5 FM the media’s dumbed down infotainment
▼ KDVS 90.3 FM and real news reporting.
▼ KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley We are incredibly excited to announce
▼ KSAC 1240 AM (TalkCity Radio Sac- the launch of GoLeft.tv”, said GoLeft.tv Sacramento and Central Valley Indymedia: www.sacindymedia.org.
ramento). Progressive talk radio all founding partner and GoLeft.tv Consum-
day long with Christine Craft, Randi er Advocate Michael Lynch, an attorney
Rhodes and others. with the premier national litigation law
▼ KZFR 90.1 FM Chico firm Levin, Papantonio. “Ann Coulter, NON-PROFIT
People Powered Radio! managed and Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael ORGANIZATION
operated by volunteers, provides mostly Savage, Bill O’Reilly, Michael Medved U.S. POSTAGE PAID
locally produced and community ori- PERMIT NO. 2668
and the rest of right-wing, conservative
ented programs.
media, beware!” SACRAMENTO, CA

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