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Some thots to revive and clarify the LEFT: Re-defining terms.

"PEACE" is such an amorphous term, used so loosely now, that it could mean almost anything. The Inquisition burned heretics in the name of "The Prince of PEACE". Every Xmas we get all these Peace, Peace, Peace cards. Every Xmas there's another WAR going on!

So I have decided instead to use the term, NO IMPERIALIST WAR! that makes it specific. Besides, while I do admire Pacifists and Quakers immensely, I am not all that non-violent in my views, as they are. I believe that indigenous peoples, for example, have a right to defend their lands, lives and communities either by non-violent means, or by arms. It is not for me to choose for them. I believe in the right of self-defense. I would not take away the right to defend themselves during invasion or occupation, for example, from Afghans or Iraqis. I would not take away the right of people to defend themselves any way they chose, from Hitler's Nazi stormtroopers, from Soviet Communist invaders, from British, French, Japanese, or any other Imperialists, including the United States. {My Dad, a civilian schoolteacher, was once caught in the crossfire of a 'Moro' uprising in the Phillipines, in the 1920's!}

People have the right to defend themselves; but NO-ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO INVADE ANOTHER COUNTRY FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER. That is why I will from now on, whenever possible, use the phrase "NO IMPERIALIST WAR" when others would use the wishy-washy, blah-nothing merely "feel-good" term covering anything and everything including masked aggression, "Peace".

The other loose term, "Social Justice", while fine in intent, actually MEANS, when you come RIGHT DOWN TO IT, it means SOCIALISM. Gasp! Because of propaganda, Americans have gotten all sorts of weird ideas about SOCIALISM. It is NOT A BAD THING! SOCIALISM and Social Justice, are terms that can be used for GOOD things interchangeably; but "SOCIALISM" expresses the REAL meaning, without euphemisms. {Besides, "Justice" is a term that here on Care2 has taken on some ambiguous meanings. Is it "Justice", or "revenge", to seek to punish someone in the same way that they hurt someone else? Some people here act like this is a proper thing; which is quite disturbing.}

SOCIALISM is not Communism; it is not Authoritarian or Totalitarian in its nature.

SOCIALISM is not Marxism; Socialism and Socialists existed before Marx wrote; and have continued to exist, after Marx wrote. {Marxists may be Socialists; but not all Socialists are Marxists.}

SOCIALISM merely means, that ALL HAVE A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT TO THE NECESSITIES OF SURVIVAL AS HUMAN BEINGS: TO FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER, MEDICINE AND MEDICAL CARE, and in today's society, TO AN EDUCATION.

ALL: all children, babies, the sick, the elderly, the handicapped, and the presently poor, homeless and unemployed. ALL. ALL have a RIGHT to the same basic necessities of life. Not ONLY the rich. ALL.

This has nothing to do with weird and obsolete 19th-century theories about "workers owning the means of production", etc. Nothing to do with theories of economics, arguments, ideologies, "predictions", theories of "history", etc. etc. etc. FORGET all that.

"Social Justice" implies that ALL have the ground floor of the BASIC NECESSITIES. Not that all have the "same things". People all have different perceived needs, wants and fancies! But you should NOT have a situation where John McCain can't even count the number of houses he owns; while millions sleep HOMELESS on the mean streets, in dangerous shelters, in Tent Cities -- including entire FAMILIES living this way. THAT is NOT "Social Justice". And REMEDYING that situation by building housing units for the poor, yes, that WOULD be SOCIALISM. Using Society's, and Nature's, resources for the benefit of ALL; NOT just for the few wealthy at the top.

I trust that Human Ingenuity COULD, if given half-a-chance, figure out how to bring this about. They already HAVE SOCIALIST measures, to one degree or another, in several countries of the world. You DON'T need a friggin' theory; that just stands in the way of practicality! Yes, Universal Health Care for All, in America, such as they have had for decades in ALL OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD; Yes, that would be SOCIALIZED MEDICINE. {You'd have to get rid of the Corporations to get there, the HMOs, etc.}

The CHIEF ENEMY of both SOCIALISM, and of the American People, {and of the entire PLANET}, is the huge and totally VILE and EVIL, Military-Industrial-Prison-Advertising Complex.

Jesus if he were living today, would be a SOCIALIST.

[I had trouble trying to sign their Petition On-line, and couldn't do it; there is some technical glitch, apparently. They have only 42 signatures; that's probably why, some technicality in signing! They rejected my e-mail address. I hope they get it all straightened out!]

Apparently, the demo is ONGOING, and not just until July 7th, as inferred above! They ask if you will use some of your vacation time to join in front of the White House..... [Warning: Washington D.C. is known to get fearsomely hot in the summer.... I have heard that staff from foreign countries got or used to get, "tropical pay"!]

Bush Executive Order: Criminalizing the Antiwar Movement visit site US Politics & Gov't (tags: bushadministration, bush, constitution, americans, freedoms, government, iraq ) Pamela Ly  - globalresearch.ca "Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq" provides the President with the authority to confiscate the assets of whoever opposes the US led war. Under this executive order, opposing the war becomes an illegal act. ================================= The ONLY answer to this situation, is to MUTINY FOR PEACE. MUTINY FOR PEACE. You may be noticing, that CONGRESS IS TAKING NO ACTION; AND WILL TAKE NO ACTION. So DON'T BE SURPRISED if NOTHING happens there. You are DELUDING yourselves if you think the answer lies with Congress. NOBLE EFFORT, guys, thank you, and I am doing it too. Knowing that IT HAS NO CHANCE OF WORKING. The ANSWER LIES WITH THE ARMY. Bush/Cheney are COUNTING on the Army, to carry out and ENFORCE their Dictatorial Decrees. With GUNS. But, the Army are OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS. The Army is NOT ROBOTS, NOT ALIENS FROM OUTER SPACE.   The Army must BREAK THE HABIT OF BLIND OBEDIENCE, subservience to a Commander-in-Chief who is NOT WORTHY OF ANYONE'S OBEDIENCE OR RESPECT. Bush is COUNTING ON the Army. If the Army will shoot, on Bush's orders, an Iraqi, the same Army will shoot, on Bush's orders, YOU. MUTINY FOR PEACE is the ONLY solution. I probably will be one of those who "has my property confiscated" for saying this. But, WE MUST LET THE ARMY KNOW, THAT WE SUPPORT THEM  WHEN THEY MUTINY FOR PEACE. We have ALREADY lost our Democratic Rights. Congress is AFRAID. The next {s}elections WON'T BE HELD; unless the Repug thugs can STEAL THEM. MUTINY FOR PEACE. MUTINY FOR PEACE. MUTINY FOR PEACE. MUTINY FOR PEACE. Tell the Troops the Truth of what is happening here. Then the Troops will know what to do. If the Troops lose the Will to fight, THERE IS NO POWER ON EARTH THAT CAN MAKE THEM FIGHT. No threat, and no punishment can make Troops fight, if they lose the Will to fight. MUTINY FOR PEACE. Believe me, it's our ONLY HOPE. BMutiny ThemIDefy  Friday August 3, 2007, 9:35 am "In substance, under this executive order, opposing the war becomes an illegal act. The Executive Order criminalizes the antiwar movement. It is intended to "blocking property" of US citizens and organizations actively involved in the peace movement. It allows the Department of Defense to interfere in financial affairs and instruct the Treasury to "block the property" and/or confiscate/ freeze the assets of "Certain Persons" involved in antiwar activities. It targets those "Certain Persons" in America, including civil society organizations, who oppose the Bush Administration's "peace and stability" program in Iraq, characterized, in plain English, by an illegal occupation and the continued killing of innocent civilians. The Executive Order also targets those "Certain Persons" who are "undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction", or who, again in plain English, are opposed to the confiscation and privatization of Iraq's oil resources, on behalf of the Anglo-American oil giants. The order is also intended for anybody who opposes Bush's program of "political reform in Iraq", in other words, who questions the legitimacy of an Iraqi "government" installed by the occupation forces. Moreover, those persons or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), who provide bona fide humanitarian aid to Iraqi civilians, and who are not approved by the US Military or its lackeys in the US sponsored Iraqi puppet government are also liable to have their financial assets confiscated. The executive order violates the First, Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the US Constitution. It repeals one of the fundamental tenets of US democracy, which is the right to free expression and dissent. The order has not been the object of discussion in the US Congress. So far, it has not been addressed by the US antiwar movement, in terms of a formal statement. Apart from a bland Associated Press wire report, which presents the executive order as "an authority to use financial sanctions", there has been no media coverage or commentary of a presidential decision which strikes at the heart of the US Constitution.. " =========================================== THIS ORDER, AS YOU MAY NOTICE, DOES MORE THAN MERELY CRIMINALIZE THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT. IT SEEKS TO LEGITIMATIZE THE SEIZURE OF IRAQ'S OIL RESOURCES BY BUSH/CHENEY/HALLIBURTON; AN OUTRIGHT THEFT NO BETTER THAN A BURGLARY. The U.S. Troops who are assisting their Commander-in-THIEF with this BURGLARY and OUTRIGHT THEFT, are actually, if they ONLY KNEW IT, NO BETTER THAN HIT MEN AND HIT WOMEN FOR THE MAFIA, FOR A KLEPTOCRACY OUT-OF-CONTROL. THE TROOPS ABSOLUTELY MUST BE TOLD THE TRUTH OF WHAT THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN. THEY MUST. THEY MUST BE TOLD THE TRUTH, AND ALL THE TRUTH. Then the Troops themselves will know what to do with this information. MUTINY FOR PEACE. That is the ONLY way to END THIS LONG NIGHTMARE, which is getting WORSE. Aside from the deaths and their OWN injuries and psychological disabilities, WHAT SORT OF WORLD WILL THE TROOPS BE COMING HOME TO??? Unless THEY THEMSELVES STOP FIGHTING in Iraq and MUTINY FOR PEACE?????????????           "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 troops must actually be very near to Mutiny now, for this Executive Order, which reflects Bush's FEAR, to come at this time. If your country has any Troops in Iraq or Afghanistan, this applies equally to YOUR country's troops. If you are near any American bases in any country, in Europe, Asia, or wherever, YOU CAN TALK TO THE TROOPS THERE. If you have family or friends in the Military, YOU ARE IN AN ESPECIALLY GOOD POSITION TO TALK TO THE TROOPS; TO TELL THE TROOPS THE TRUTH. BMT [The TRUTH is, that they are being HIT MEN AND HIT WOMEN FOR BUSH/CHENEY. That is the ONLY TRUTH. Many Troops more-than-suspect-it ALREADY. It should NOT BE THAT DIFFICULT, in many cases, to TALK TO THE TROOPS. There are also means like Posters where the troops can see them, Leaflets and Flyers, Signs in demos, and GRAFFITI!] [A really good opportunity for Americans, is when TROOPS COME HOME ON LEAVE BEFORE RE-DEPLOYMENT. TELL THE TROOPS WHY IT IS IN THE INTERESTS OF THEIR COUNTRY, THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEIR FAMILIES, AND EVEN OF THEIR ARMY BUDDIES, TO NOT RE-DEPLOY!!! It is the Troops' PATRIOTIC DUTY TO NOT RE-DEPLOY.]

Imported from external blog

About David Honish //  A Man you should know well.

'Twas on June twenty-first, a late Thursday night

Officer Chris Carroll spotted a gleaming headlight.

A white pickup Ford, was parked on the roadside

And a silent dead body was slumped on the inside.

The engine was running // as if he was waiting

On that dark lonesome highway // his waiting was over.

It was one single gunshot //  Had ended his life

By his side was a letter //  Full of anger and strife.

This letter, an e-mail //  So strange and so dark

Seemed to point to the guilt //  Of his younger brother Mark.

Now some people say one thing //   And some say another

And some say that a Frame //   Was put 'round his brother.

Who was it who wanted //  To see David dead?

Who was it who held //  That black gun to his head?

There were plenty of people //  David's Peace work offended

There were powerful people //   Who wanted his life ended.

Now, David was a Veteran, a Man who knew War

And, knowing, he wanted to see no fighting any more.

Quite frequently seen // at a demonstration

David wanted to cleanse // the soul of this nation.

In streets and shopping malls //  He was brash and outspoken

He felt called on to explain //  How the system was broken.

He'd unfurl his banners //  From a highway overpass

And shout his defiance //  Of the military brass.

But the Rich and the Pow'rful //  They're after Mid-East Oil

They don't care who gets hurt //  That made David's blood boil.

And the list of their War Crimes //  Makes all our  blood boil.

========================================

Let's not speak of his death now //  Let's speak of his Living

His Love and his Kindness //  His generous Giving.

His strong Courage in face of //  An imminent threat

And his salty Humor //  Sure sign of a Vet.

His Friends he made on-line

His Friends in the town;

His Name lives on after him

In annals of renown.

The Example he showed us 

Will live on forever:

David, for you we pledge

Our Highest Endeavor!

Here is some very sad news I read this morning and I thought everyone here should know:

http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_173072051.html

and also

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/062307dnmetactivist.38522c2.html

I tried to copy and paste the articles but something is going on with my computer this morning.

This seems to be Care2's own David Honish.

http://www.care2.com/c2c/people/profile.html?pid=177242242

Peace,

Christy


Arrest made in death of Denton activist

10:16 AM CDT on Friday, June 22, 2007

By MATTHEW HAAG / The Dallas Morning News
mhaag@dallasnews.com

Police on Friday arrested the brother of a Denton peace activist who was found dead overnight in Flower Mound with a gunshot wound to the head, a police spokesman said.

ROBERT FLAGG / WFAA-TV

Mr. Honish had been shot in the head. Investigators do not believe it was a suicide.

Mark Francis Honish, 44, of Trophy Club was taken into custody Friday morning, Officer Paul Boon said.

A police officer on routine patrol found David Honish, 52, dead in his white Ford F-150 pickup truck around 11 p.m. Thursday. The engine was still running.

Mr. Honish was the “main motivator” for the North Texas Veterans for Peace, which often gathered on an overpass near the University of North Texas campus, said Bernie Jezercak, the group’s financial officer.

“He was a very fine individual,” said Mr. Jezercak, who had known Mr. Honish for about six years. “He was usually our front man.”

The group last met Memorial Weekend, and Mr. Honish was there as always, he said.

“He was his usual jovial and insightful self,” said Mr. Jezercak, who added that Mr. Honish was known to be opinionated.

“He wasn’t afraid to shock people into paying attention to what’s going on,” he said. “He wasn’t disrespectful or aggressive. But he was willing to make a statement.”

Dan Burnam, the coordinator for Peace Activist Denton, said Mr. Honish was not a member of the Denton group, but that they met for the first time in 2003 at a demonstration and had reconnected at several "Peace actions” in the past few years.

In October, Mr. Honish was among about 40 people who took part in a demonstration against torture and the war in Iraq outside the office of U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess in Lewisville. They were part of the local version of "The World Can't Wait" campaign, a North American movement protesting the policies of the Bush administration.

Mr. Burnam said he received an e-mail from Mr. Honish on Wednesday with the subject line “Reasons not to re-enlist” and that had talked about opening a gun range with his brother.

“I don’t know that much about David’s personal, private life,” Mr. Burnam said. “It’s kind of bizarre he died in a gun accident.”

Highway 377 at FM 1171 was closed in both directions early Friday during the police investigation.

Staff writer Emily Tsao and WFAA-TV and WBAP News/Talk 820 contributed to this report

     David will be terribly missed...........BMutiny T