whitebeard

Don't curse the darkness, light a candle.

Dear all,

Reminder: Tonight, October 31 at 7pm a Halloween screening of "A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash," by Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack.

A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash (2006)
Wednesday, October 31, 7pm
Linux Club
Via Giuseppe Libetta, 15c
(Ostiense, metro Garbatella, see directions below)

Film synopsis:
"An unforgettable and shocking wake-up call, A Crude Awakening offers the
rock-solid argument that the era of cheap oil is in the past. Relentless and
clear-eyed, this intensively-researched film drills deep into the
uncomfortable realities of a world that is both addicted to fossil fuels and
blissfully unaware of the looming "peak oil" crisis. Drawing on an
international cast of maverick energy experts and thinkers, directors Basil
Gelpke and Ray McCormack debunk the conventional wisdom that oil
production will continue to climb, and instead stare bleakly at a planet
facing economic meltdown and conflict over its most valuable resource.
Featuring a haunting score by Phillip Glass and a fascinating array of rare
archival footage, the film explores oil's rocky relationship with human
progress in locales ranging from ancient Baku, Azerbaijan to dusty oilpatch
town McCamey, Texas. Amidst a dark and disturbing vision of our future, A
Crude Awakening hints at a humbler way of life built around sustainability
and alternative energy, providing a visually stunning, boldly prophetic
testament which provokes not just thought but action."

See a review of the film:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/29/a-crude-awakening/

Join us tonight for an interesting documentary followed by a lively
discussion. And come with us for a pizza afterwards in a local pizzeria.

Linux Club requires an 8 Euro/year membership card (valid for the calendar
year).

Getting to Linux
By metro: B line to Garbatella, exit towards Ostiense, cross the tracks via
the overpass, walk straight to via Ostiense, turn left to via Libetta, then left
to Linux Club.
By bus: Buses 23 and 769 run along via Ostiense. Bus 280 gets you as far
as the Piramide, one metro stop away.

Upcoming films:
Nov 14, War Made Easy: How Presidents & Pundits Keep Spinning Us to
Death (2007)
Nov 28 Thanksgiving Special: The Future of Food

See our web site for more information and the full program, which runs
through December 12, 2007: http://www.peaceandjustice.it/film-series6.php

Some photos

posted by: Whitebeard at 09:59 | link | comments |
iraq, civil rights, democracy, peace, world trade

Dear peace activists,

The eventful month of October continues! This Monday, October 29, Evo
Morales, president of Bolivia, will be in Rome and will participate in a public
talk at the university.

Evo Morales Meets the Peace & Social Justice Movements in Italy
Aula Magna, Università La Sapienza
Monday, 29 October, 8pm

This is man who has often been demonized by the Bush administration and
the U.S. press so we invite you all out to hear him speak for himself (in
Spanish with translation to Italian).

There will most likely be quite a crowd so we recommend you arrive a bit
early.

See this article by Medea Benjamin and Deborah James about a similar
event with President Morales earlier this month in New York:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/10/01/4224/

For more information on the event in Rome, see:
http://www.asud.net/Iniziative/iniziativa.php?in=78

See you on Monday!

Gene, Maria, Maria Chiara, Michael and Stephanie
--
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
info@peaceandjustice.it
http://www.peaceandjustice.it

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:26 | link | comments |
latin america, censored news, resisters

L’ultima lezione di Randy Pausch.

di Antonio Sofi, alle 16:47

http://www.webgol.it/2007/10/09/lultima-lezione-di-randy-pausch-altro-che-tv/

posted by: Whitebeard at 22:39 | link | comments |
us, culture, internet

”Islamo Fascism Awareness Week”.

http://www.worldcantwait.net:80/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4382&Itemid=223

What Country is this?

…My government represents neither my political will nor my moral imperative against perpetual war for perpetual profit. Our Constitution has been decimated. And I have no representative to stand or speak for—to represent— my convictions, and I have no candidate. And I ask my fellow citizens, “Where is the great cry of outrage? Where is the conscience of our country?”

—Sam Hamill, editor, in the Autumn 2007 Poets Against the War Newsletter

posted by: Whitebeard at 19:25 | link | comments (1) |
us, democracy, war

All Troops Out of Iraq
No Military Action Against Iran

Remembering the more than 1,000,000 dead in Iraq
Rome, Piazza Navona
Saturday, October 27, 5:30-7:30pm

Reminder: This Saturday, October 27 we will hold a solidarity protest on
Piazza Navona to support the mass demonstrations in 11 cities throughout
the U.S. but more importantly, to call attention to the over 1,000,000 civilian
deaths (http://tinyurl.com/27egyu).

Hundreds of "remembrance ribbons" will be on display as a visual representation of only a very small part of the Iraqi civilians who have lost theirs lives as this illegal occupation continues to sow death and destruction.

We call on U.S. citizens and our international friends to join us this Saturday and add a ribbon to keep the name of an innocent victim alive.

Luisa Morgantini, Vice President of European Parliament has confirmed she will be there with us and will add her ribbon. And the weather forecast is looking better, too.

See our web site for more information:
http://www.peaceandjustice.it/oct27.php

See you Saturday! Look for our U.S. peace flag or the remembrance ribbons.

posted by: Whitebeard at 18:37 | link | comments |
iraq, us, war, iran

SONOMA COUNTY STANDS UP

 TO END THE IRAQ  OCCUPATION AND IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT!
 
Santa Rosa, CA–10/20/07
By Peter Phillips
 
Hundreds of Santa Rosa activists rallied to end the Iraq occupation and demanded impeachment of the war criminals in the Whitehouse. The rally featured congresswomen Lynn Woolsey saying, “we need to bring our troops home now!” The rally was cheered on by radio hosts Evelina Molina, Miguel Molina and Dennis Bernstein from KPFA’s Flashpoints program.

Former Black Panther Elbert “Big Man” Howard called for ending the war and reminded the audience of the struggle of the Black Panther party in the 1960s. Norman Solomon spoke as a guest of the Progressive Democrats of America, documenting the corporate media’s continuing support for war.

Miles Everett with the Alliance for Democracy emphasized the importance of impeachment now to end the war and save lives in Iraq.

Davin Cardenas, outlined how US immigration policies are falsely linked to the war on terror and how torture is nothing new to the people of Latin America.

Elizabeth Stinson, encouraged people with relatives and friends thinking of joining the military or already in the service to visit the Peace and Justice Center for counseling on alternative programs to the military or how active duty personnel opposed to the war can leave with an honorable discharge.
 Impeachment of Cheney and Bush was a common rally cry during the afternoon.  The World Can’t Wait team built a mock jail and imprisoned George W. Bush.  Progressive Democrats of Sonoma County circulated petitions for local city councils to pass impeachment resolutions and the Raging Grannies sang an impeachment song.

Music for the rally was provided by Gale Mead, Midnight Sun, Comanche High Power.

The event was sponsored by twenty-eight Sonoma county activists groups including, Progressive Democrats Sonoma County, Project Censored, Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County, Casa Calpulli, Committee for Immigrants Rights, Department of Peace Campaign, Graton Day Labor, Healdsburg Peace Project, Healdsburg Progressive Club, Instituto Sanchez Mendoza, Peace Club of SSU, Petaluma Copwatch, Raging Grannies, Resolution to Impeach Coalition, Santa Rosa Democratic Club, Sonoma County Democracy for America, Sonoma County Free Press, SSU Black Student Union, Students for Justice in Palestine, Students for Media Democracy, Unitarian Universalists Petaluma, Veterans For Peace, Vietnam Vets Against the War, Wearenotbuyingit.org, World Can’t Wait.

posted by: Whitebeard at 09:36 | link | comments |
us, peace, war, censored news, resisters

 

 

posted by: Whitebeard at 22:27 | link | comments |
peace

posted by: Whitebeard at 17:27 | link | comments |
peace

Thom Hartmann, Jeremy Scahill and a host of independent investigative journalists are coming to Project Censored's second annual Media Accountability Conference and Awards Ceremony on Oct. 26 and 27 in Ives Hall. Journalists Jeremy Scahill, Robert Parry, Frank Morales and Mike Whitney discuss the media's lack of response to recent erosions of civil liberties at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26 in Ives 101.

Throughout the day on Saturday, Oct. 27, panelists discuss some of the investigative reports featured in the Censored 2008 Top 25 under-covered stories of the year which can be reviewed at http://www.sonoma.edu/pubs/newsrelease/archives/000273.html.

All the authors are honored at the popular Top 25 Awards Ceremony during the noon luncheon on Saturday which features radio host Thom Hartmann discussing "Holding Media Accountable: How We Recognize Censorship in the Modern Era." To register or to view a complete schedule, visit http://www.projectcensored.org/conference/07Confsite.htm or phone 664-3160.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The AETA is Invidiously Detrimental to the Animal Rights Movement" - In 2006, the term 'terrorism' was expanded to include any act that interferes, or promotes interference, with the operation of an 'animal enterprise.' Over 160 groups oppose this Act on grounds that its terminology is dangerously vague and poses a major conflict to the US Constitution.

 

 

Project-Censored-L mailing list
Project-Censored-L@sonoma.edu
https://webmail.sonoma.edu/mailman/listinfo/project-censored-l

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:51 | link | comments |
us, censored news

Dear all,

On Friday, October 26 at Cinema Farnese the film "Taxi to the Dark Side"
(2007) will be screened at 8:30pm as part of the Rome Film Festival. The
film was directed by Alex Gibney of "Enron: the Smartest Guys in the
Room" fame and also recommended to us by Ret. Col. Ann Wright. It will
be screened in English with Italian subtitles.

We plan to see this important film together as a group and meet to discuss
it afterwards at a local bar. See a description of the film below by Executive
Producer Sidney Blumenthal.

Important: you are responsible for getting your own tickets. You can do so
in advance at Cinema Farnese on Campo de´ fiori, daily from 4:30pm to
10:30pm. You can also reserve tickets by email
(comunicazione@cinemafarnese.it) but must purchase them in person by
the day before the film. See their web site: http://www.cinemafarnese.it/ Tel
06 68 64 395

Seats are NOT numbered, so let´s try to meet there by 8:15 at the latest.

Please RSVP if you plan to come, and most importantly, if you plan to join
us afterwards to discuss the film so that we can try to reserve a table on a
Friday night near Campo de´ fiori! taxi@peaceandjustice.it

>From Executive Producer Sidney Blumenthal:
"Through the film runs the story of an Afghan taxi driver, known only as
Dilawar, completely innocent of any ties to terrorism, who was tortured to
death by interrogators in the U.S. prison at Bagram Air Base in
Afghanistan. `Taxi to the Dark Side´ traces the evolution of the Bush policy
from Bagram (..) to Guantánamo (..) to Abu Ghraib; its roots in sensory
deprivation experiments decades ago that guided the CIA in understanding
torture; the opposition within the administration from the military and other
significant figures (the former general counsel of the Navy, Alberto Mora,
and former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, Lawrence
Wilkerson, explain how that internal debate went, while John Yoo, one of its
architects, defends it); the congressional battle to restore the standard of
the Geneva Convention that forbids torture (centered on John McCain's
tragic compromise); and the sudden popularity of the Fox TV show `24´ in
translating torture into entertainment by means of repetitious formulations of
the bogus ticking-time-bomb scenario."

See you next Friday!

Gene, Maria, Maria Chiara, Michael and Stephanie
--
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
info@peaceandjustice.it
http://www.peaceandjustice.it

posted by: Whitebeard at 21:35 | link | comments |
us, civil rights, democracy, censored news, resisters

Dear peace activists,

(On a completely unrelated note, someone left an orange scarf at the film
last night. Contact us if it is yours: info@peaceandjustice.it)

This Saturday, October 20 there will be a national demonstration in Rome
regarding the policies of the current center-left government including
everything from workers´ rights, to immigration, separation of church and
state, the environment as well as war and military spending
(http://www.20ottobre.org).

We will take advantage of this demonstration to hand out the attached flyer
(in Italian, apologies to those who don´t read the language) with our views
on issues involving the current Italian and U.S. governments (new U.S.
base in Vicenza, the Missile Defense System, the F-35 fighter planes, U.S.
nuclear weapons stored at Aviano and Ghedi, extraordinary rendition flights,
etc) as well as information on what the militarization of culture/society has
led to in the U.S.

John from the group U.S. Citizens Against War in Florence will be in town
with his trade union so this will also be a chance to meet up and catch up
with him and possibly others from Florence.

Meeting Point:
If you would like to join the team of volunteers handing out flyers, we will
meet at 2:30pm, Piazza della Repubblica, in front of the church Santa
Maria degli Angeli. Call 333 11 03 510 to find us and get flyers.

For more information or to let us know you are coming, please reply to
oct20@peaceandjustice.it

Gene, Maria, Maria Chiara, Michael and Stephanie
--
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
info@peaceandjustice.it
http://www.peaceandjustice.it

posted by: Whitebeard at 08:21 | link | comments |
us, civil rights, democracy, italy, peace, resisters

 
 PRESS RELEASE

By LUISA MORGANTINI

Vice President of the European Parliament

Solidar's Silver Rose Award to the Parents Circle Families Forum:
A hope for peace, justice and reconciliation for Palestinians and Israelis

Brussels, 16th October 2007

"I am very proud and glad that the Silver Rose jury accepted my proposal to dedicate this year's Solidar Silver Rose Award, in its "International category - Peace and Reconciliation" to the Parents Circle Families Forum (PCFF)."PCFF is made up of over 500 bereaved families from both Israel and Palestine, promoting dialogue and true reconciliation" declared Luisa Morgantini Vice President of the European Parliament on the occasion of the Silver Rose Awards ceremony, today 16th October in the EP, in Brussels.

"The Israeli Aaron Barnea and the Palestinian Aziz Abu Sarah, have been rewarded on behalf of all the families of the Forum of Parents Circle who have directly experienced the suffering and loss caused by the  longstanding tragedy of the conflict.  All of them have tried to build their families despite the loss of their loved ones through violence.  

The Forum strives to change perceptions of the "Enemy" and to struggle against attitudes of violence and of vengeance: they organize dialogue meetings in Israeli and Palestinian secondary schools, involving some 40,000 students in more than 1,000 classroom sessions each year, seminars and training for young people to build dialogue, but also  "Reconciliation Workshops" attended by thousands of adults in Israel and the Palestinian Authority, summer camps for children from bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families and many other examples that represent the real hope for a just a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians. 
Their aim of humanising the conflict and encouraging a genuine dialogue is extremely important in order to genuinely build a peaceful solution, starting by involving the two wounded civil societies and people. As Nurit Peled - rewarded with the Sakharov Price in 2001 by the European Parliament and herself a member of a bereaved family - says, the military occupation is killing both Palestinians and Israelis: the Parents Circle Forum also recognizes the need for justice for all.

 They really need and deserve all our support and help in order to educate and influence the public and policymakers to stop the violence and to achieve a political agreement, based on the mutual respect of two peoples in two independent and secure States".    

SOLIDAR is an independent international alliance of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who are involved in social service provision, international co-operation, humanitarian aid and life-long learning, and are historically linked to the free and democratic labour and trade union movement.

Solidar's Silver Rose Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations that are active in the fight for social justice.

Every year, Solidar receives nominations from around the world. The winners, chosen by the Silver Rose jury, are people or organisations, working in civil society, who dedicates their work to bringing about a fairer and more just society.

Further information Luisa Morgantini 0039 348 39 21 465 or Brussels Office 0032 2 28 45 151
 
Luisa.morgantini@europarl.europa.eu www.luisamorgantini.net

More info about Parents Circle– Families Forum (PCFF), Israel/Palestine:  http://www.theparentscircle.com/

posted by: Whitebeard at 09:31 | link | comments |
civil rights, peace, palestine, censored news

http://www.projectcensored.org/HCDI_1007.pdf 

Michael Moore’s top-grossing movie Sicko is one example of the growing concern surrounding health care in the US. The number of Americans without health insurance reached forty-seven million at last count, or sixteen percent of the population. The cost of health insurance is rising two to three times faster than inflation and is the number one cause of personal bankruptcy in the country. We pay more and get less medical care than the rest of the industrialized world. The total per capita health care cost in the US exceeds the health care expense per person in all other full care countries. 

 

 

 

posted by: Whitebeard at 05:57 | link | comments |
us, civil rights, censored news

Dear World Can't Wait Supporter,

There are War Criminals in the White House – Drive them Out NOW! No Attack on Iran!

World Can’t Wait is working to create a political atmosphere to prevent an attack on Iran. Students, the anti-war movement, and all the people horrified by the Bush regime’s crimes, including the recent revelations that the White House has secretly returned to using “extreme” interrogation measures, must come to see this as their responsibility.

Diamo una mano a Debra Sweet.

posted by: Whitebeard at 17:43 | link | comments |
us, war, iran

Channel your outrage into something constructive! 

Dear peace activists, 

We are forming two working groups to prepare for two upcoming initiatives
decided in our last meeting. Get involved! 

October 27: United for Peace & Justice, the network of peace groups in the
U.S., is organizing, for the first time, major regional anti-war demonstrations
in 11 cities: Boston, Chicago, Jonesborough, Tenn., Los Angeles, New
Orleans, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San
Francisco, and Seattle (see http://www.oct27.org). We want to organize a
solidarity event here in Rome, which could be anything from a protest in
front of the U.S. Embassy to something on a more central square. We´ll
need permits, a press release, flyers, signs/banner, creative ideas, help
publicizing, etc., so there is more than enough work to go around! And
most importantly, we´ll need as many people as possible to participate on
Saturday, October 27. If you want join this working group, which will be
meeting as soon as possible based on everyone´s availability, send an
email to: oct27@peaceandjustice.it 

October 20: there will be a national demonstration in Rome regarding the
policies of the current center-left government including workers´ rights,
immigration, separation of church and state, the environment, war and
military spending (http://www.20ottobre.org). We decided to not participate
directly in this demonstration but to take advantage of the opportunity to
hand out flyers with our views on issues that tie the Italian and U.S.
governments (new U.S. base in Vicenza, Missile Defense System, F-35
fighter planes, nuclear weapons stored at Aviano and Ghedi). Could also
include info on what the militarization of culture/society has led to in the
U.S. We need volunteers to form a drafting committee for the flyer as well
as participate in handing them out the afternoon of Saturday, October 20. If
you are interested in participating, send an email to
oct20@peaceandjustice.it 


Channel your outrage into something constructive! 

Gene, Maria, Maria Chiara, Michael and Stephanie
--
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
info@peaceandjustice.it
http://www.peaceandjustice.it

posted by: Whitebeard at 22:47 | link | comments |
iraq, us, israel, war, iran

An Airbase in Vicenza

How Italy Became a Launching Pad for the US Military

posted by: Whitebeard at 11:36 | link | comments |
us, italy, war

Hi Martina,

Thanks for your message. I share your thoughts on the importance of the
military resistance movement. 

On the GI Rights Hotline, we´ve never been approached by them. In
Florence this past June, we had a casual conversation with Phil, who live in
Naples so you probably know him, Nancy from the group in Florence and
Logan, member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Logan brought up the
idea of creating a hotline in Italy. Nancy and I expressed our doubts on
getting enough trained people to make the *very serious* commitment
required of operating a hotline long term, how to pay for it, etc. 

We suggested the better route being to support the hotline by making it
known to soldiers in Italy so they can call or email the folks in the U.S.
who´ve been trained to respond. In fact, Nancy and I entered the Ederle
base in Vicenza while open to the public on the 4th of July specifically to
give out cards. (see our report: http://www.peaceandjustice.it/vicenza-
4thofjuly.php) And Maria and I traveled from Rome to Livorno to give them
out at the "American Beach" of the Camp Darby base in July. I have also
left stacks of the cards with the folks in Vicenza. This is something you
could definitely do in Naples, as well. 

In any event, since you´re in Naples and can´t come to meetings, why don´t
we start a discussion via email on this project and how our group in Rome
could be involved? Those who are interested, please contact Martina
directly and we´ll start a mini-list to discuss what it would take to setup the
hotline and who has time to commit: mbottine@email.smith.edu 

For more info on the GI Rights Hotline: http://www.girights.org/ 

And on a side note, see this video by James Circello, who went AWOL from
the Ederle base in Vicenza in April 2007:
http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/445/1/ 

Thanks again, Martina.

Stephanie

posted by: Whitebeard at 11:24 | link | comments |
iraq, us, democracy, italy, war, iran, resisters

Dear fellow Peaceniks, 

             After reading the petition John Gilbert sent to the mailing
lists entitled "Leading Americans Ask U.S. Military to Refuse Orders to
Attack Iran" (see attachment if you haven't already received it), I was
hit by its importance. With this imminent threat to attack Iran, I
realized the role of the GI Rights HotLine and other such groups that
support military resistance (such as The Central Committee for
Conscientious Objectors, Courage to Resist, Center on Conscience and
War, and the Military Law Task Force of the National Lawyers Guild) is
really the key to the anti-war movement. More so than at the beginning
of the Iraq war (when many people still believed that mass mobilization
could bring an end to the war), today, after a failed attempt, the role
of the military Resisters is really coming to the surface. Iraq Veterans
for Peace are at the center of the Movement, there is no denying it.
           I don't live in Rome and thus can't attend group meetings,
but I've heard that the GI Rights Hotline has asked USC4P&J to support a
HotLine here in Italy. I'm wondering why the group decided (as I'm sure
it was a collective decision) to decline this offer -is it the immense
responsibility of such a task? I would really urge that we don't miss
out on this offer, as it is the most important tool in the anti-war
movement. Not to mention for local battles on the bases here in Italy,
especially Vicenza. Personally, I would be very interested in being
involved in the setting up of a Hotline, no matter how demanding it
might be. Discarding of such an opportunity to set up a long term
structure in the movement towards peace, such as a permanent HotLine,
seems a grave strategic mistake. If I'm mistaken about this issue,
please let me know; the grapevine is never the best structure for
passing and receiving information.

In Peace,
Martina Bottinelli
3391392341
L'Università degli Studi di Napoli L'Orientale

posted by: Whitebeard at 05:57 | link | comments |
us, italy, peace, war, iran, resisters

No justice at Lt. Watada's pre-trial replay

Lt. Ehren Watada Anti-war organizers again subpoenaed by Army   July 26, 2007 Update The second court martial of the Lt. Ehren Watada, the first military officer to public refuse to fight in Iraq, has been rescheduled for October 9. If the military is allow to carry out this trial—despite the clear prohibition against double jeopardy outlined in the Constitution—Lt. Watada’s trial would take place around the same time that his Stryker brigade (3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division) is scheduled to return from Iraq after a 15-month deployment.

Read more...

 

posted by: Whitebeard at 22:15 | link | comments |
iraq, us, war, resisters