No matter what it takes, we have to make our family, friends, coworkers and neighbors become more active in stopping this death machine.

[If not in the U.S., please forward to your U.S. friends]

Please folks, we have to stop the war machine!

There are several things you can do to work towards getting the war machine to grind to a halt, please scan down through here, do what you can and pass this on.

Please


Here's a few great videos of
Some of the spirit we all need, please watch
and click on the links and spread this stuff
everywhere.

Thanks peoples,
Rats

.
1) YELL FIRE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7WASrQFg8o

.
2) Tankman Puts His Body Upon The Gears
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QZ6Nrt7MTs

.
3) ANTI-WAR ENCAMPMENT AT THE CAPITOL [I liked this 1 the best of the 3 -Sandra]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opUkP0taab8



.
Eight Million Iraqis in Need of Urgent Aid
30 July 2007
The violence in Iraq is overshadowing a humanitarian crisis, with eight million Iraqis—nearly one in three—in need of emergency aid, according to a report released today by international agency Oxfam and NCCI, a network of aid organizations working in Iraq. http://www.oxfamamerica.org/newsandpublications/press_releases/nearly-a-third-of-iraqis-need-immediate-emergency-help




.
Impeach:

http://usalone.com/

http://www.impeachbush.org/site/PageServer

http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=5103&pst=744610




Contact your representatives:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm



Contact media:
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=6


.
Troops Resist:
1)
http://www.sirnosir.com
2)
Ivaw. Org
3)
Couragetoresist. Org





.
March on Washington September 15th:

http://www.sept15.org



.
March on Washington September 29th:
http://troopsoutnow.org/


........................................................................................................



Huge anti-war site list:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/antiwar/subsection/0,12809,884056,00.html




Thanks,

Rats

P.S. This is what I think of Bush:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZx0v_6HEDg





.............................................................................................................





"Silence, they say, is the voice of complicity.

But silence is impossible.
Silence screams.
Silence is a Message,
Just as doing nothing is an act.
Let who you are ring out
&
Resonate
In every word & every deed.
Yes, become who you Are.
There's no sidestepping your own being
Or your own Responsibility.
What you do is who you are.
You are your own Comeuppance.
You become your own message.
You are the Message."In the Spirit of Crazy Horse ---Leonard Peltier


.............................................................................................................



The question was posed in my group on here what we can do above and beyond petitions to change the direction this administration has us going in.

I thought I might as well copy to here and spread around what I responded with.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


The various marches and actions.

Good old fashioned civil disobedience is good.

We need to throw a wrench in the works.

Wake up people through flyers, make business cards with a favorite link or two and put them everywhere.

Go to local schools and churches. Talk to them.

Do sit ins and refuse to leave your reps. office.

Oppose recruiters and their lies.

Use your imagination and do whatever you feel is right.

If we do not get control of this illegal and out of control government soon, we never will.

Go here:
http://www.freewayblogger.com/


You can get 250 business cards here for only $5.25 shipping:
http://www.vistaprint.com


Here's a few sites with some nice ideas and info:
1)
http://www.warresisters.org/
2)
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/
3)
http://www.notinourname.net/index.php
4)
http://www.codepink4peace.org/
5)
http://www.citiesforprogress.org/
6)
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0920-24.htm



.............................................................................................................



And this is a great one, it's broken down into sections, so for sites in the US you have to scroll down.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/antiwar/subsection/0,12809,884056,00.html


.............................................................................................................



Follow your heart and do what you can.

Things will change.

If everyone commits themselves to change, then things will change.

Giving up is not an option.

Repeat.

Giving up

is

NOT

an

option.



These people are people too!! Just like me and you!!

Eight Million Iraqis in Need of Urgent Aid

30 July 2007

The violence in Iraq is overshadowing a humanitarian crisis, with eight million Iraqis--nearly one in three--in need of emergency aid, says a report released today by international agency Oxfam and NCCI, a network of aid organizations working in Iraq.

For more information, contact:
Adrienne Leicester Smith
617-728-2406
asmith@oxfamamerica.org

WASHINGTON DC - The violence in Iraq is overshadowing a humanitarian crisis, with eight million Iraqis – nearly one in three – in need of emergency aid, says a report released today by international agency Oxfam and NCCI, a network of aid organizations working in Iraq.

The report "Rising to the Humanitarian Challenge in Iraq" says that although the horrific security situation is the biggest problem facing most ordinary Iraqis, the government of Iraq and other influential governments can and must do more to meet people's basic needs for water, sanitation, food and shelter.

According to the report:

• Four million Iraqis – 15% - regularly cannot buy enough to eat.
• 70% are without adequate water supplies, compared to 50% in 2003.
• 28% of children are malnourished, compared to 19% before the 2003 invasion.
• 92% of Iraqi children suffer learning problems, mostly due to the climate of fear.
• More than two million people – mostly women and children - have been displaced inside Iraq.
• A further two million Iraqis have become refugees, mainly in Syria and Jordan.

Jeremy Hobbs, Director of Oxfam International, said: "The terrible violence in Iraq has masked the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Malnutrition among children has dramatically increased and basic services, ruined by years of war and sanctions, cannot meet the needs of the Iraqi people. Millions of Iraqis have been forced to flee the violence, either to another part of Iraq or abroad. Many of those are living in dire poverty.

"Despite the terrible violence the Iraqi government, the UN and the international community could do more to meet people's needs right now," Hobbs continued. "The Iraqi government must commit to helping Iraq's poorest citizens, including the internally displaced, by extending food parcel distribution and cash payments to the vulnerable. Western donors must work through Iraqi and international aid organizations and develop more flexible systems to ensure these organizations operate effectively and efficiently.

"The fighting and weak Iraqi institutions mean there are severe limits on what humanitarian work can be carried out. Nevertheless more can and should be done to help the Iraqi people."

While there is an urgent need for greater humanitarian assistance, Oxfam and NCCI believe that ending the conflict must be the top priority for everyone involved in Iraq. The Iraqi government and US-led coalition must also ensure their troops respect their moral and legal obligations not to harm civilians and their property.

The Iraqi government should immediately extend its food parcel distribution program, increase emergency cash payments and support local aid organizations. The government should also take a more decentralized approach and allow local authorities to deliver aid. Foreign governments, especially the US and UK, should support Iraqi ministries in implementing these policies.

Oxfam had staff working inside Iraq but withdrew them due to chronic security problems. It now supports domestic and international aid agencies which are able to operate in Iraq. Although violence and insecurity restrict aid workers from helping Iraqis in need, an Oxfam survey in April 2007 found that over 80% of aid agencies working in Iraq could do more humanitarian work if they had more money.

Many humanitarian organizations will not accept money from governments that have troops in Iraq, as this could jeopardize their own security and independence. Therefore the report urges international donor governments that have not sent troops to Iraq to provide increased emergency funding for humanitarian action.

Ratty

Imported from external blog

Pentagon Restricting Testimony In Congress Blocks Staff Of Lower Rank

 May 10, 2007 By Bryan Bender, Boston Globe Staff [Excerpt]

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has placed unprecedented restrictions on who can testify before Congress, reserving the right to bar lower-ranking officers, enlisted soldiers, and career bureaucrats from appearing before oversight committees or having their remarks transcribed, according to Defense Department documents.

The guidelines, described in an April 19 memo to the staff director of the House Armed Services Committee, adds that all field-level officers and enlisted personnel must be "deemed appropriate" by the Department of Defense before they can participate in personal briefings for members of Congress or their staffs; in addition, according to the memo, the proceedings must not be recorded.

REPLY:

Anyone who has served in combat in the armed forces of the United States has the right to say anything anytime to anybody, no exceptions whatsoever.  Someday, we will make that so again, as it used to be. 

The soldiers who served in 1776 elected their officers and did not hold their tongues.  Of course, that was a revolutionary army fighting an army of occupation. 

Which is, among other reasons, why we won.

The Pentagon idiots who came up with this one really know how to take an indefensible position in order to insure their opponents counterattack with redoubled ferocity.  

Gee, that sounds like Bush and Rumsfeld designing Iraq.

FYI, the publication does not print a comment or letter without taking off the writers IDs, if the writer is serving in the armed services that is, unless the writer wants to be publicly known.

That's to insure there is no harassment whatsoever for writing in. 

Respect for your service,

contact@militaryproject.org

DOWNLOAD ORGANIZING TOOLS HERE:

For the past three months, VotersForPeace has implored Congress to use the "power of the purse" to bring an end to the war in Iraq. Congress has offered mediocre solutions while the majority of presidential candidates continue to equivocate on whether they support a "defunding" of the war. We're unsatisfied with these results and that's why today we are asking you to do something different: we are asking you to use your power of the purse.

Each year as American tax payers, $.31 of every dollar we pay in taxes goes towards current military spending, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As peace voters, this is an unacceptable use of our money! It's time to let the public know our tax dollars are being misused for war. This Tax Day, on April 17, take part in an action organized by the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. Want to divert a portion of your taxes to a peace cause? Make a tax-deductible donation to
VotersForPeace!

We have asked Congress to stop using our tax dollars for a war we do not want to continue, a war Americans and Iraqis no longer support. But
the cycle continues: we give our tax dollars to Congress to allocate, Congress uses those dollars to fund the ongoing occupation of Iraq, and Bush marches ahead with a war that has no end in sight. We must break the cycle of war funding, but to do that we also need to stop supporting candidates who refuse to take
a strong stand against the war.

Join the VotersForPeace Cancelled Check Campaign! The 2008 presidential hopefuls have already raised nearly $100 million for their campaigns. We need to show these candidates that peace voters will not be taken for granted. All you need to do is send a voided check to the presidential candidate you would have supported along with a letter saying that this is the contribution they would have received if they supported a firm and immediate withdrawal from Iraq.
In lieu of that contribution, consider giving a contribution to a person or organization that is working for peace. Sign up today to let us know you are sending a cancelled check!

Sincerely,

Linda
Schade
Executive Director
VotersForPeace.US

Imported from external blog