Peace Vigil 8/23/06

I share these photographs of the faces of those opposed to war and the Bush Administration because you will not see or hear of them on the news. They are your neighbors, your co-workers, your teachers, your students, your bus drivers. I want to share that they are you and I.

I hope to capture the energy of these peace vigils and more importantly the passion of the people. I hope to empower others to find their local vigils or create their own. To at least know that they are not alone.


Washington County Peace Vigil - 53rd Week.
Beaverton, Oregon, 6:30 to 7:30

Iraqi Delegation Relief Fund Action Alert

My full diary and plea for help at MyLeftWing


My Pink Sister Cristy with Eman in March 2006

Thank you!

Imagine no religion

Yesterday I saw "g-dly Bush Family Values people" in action again. An old homeless vet with a hook on one arm and a deformed hand on the other asked two men who were illegally parked in a disabled zone so they could unload their several coolers and laundry baskets of sand toys at a beach, he asked them if they had a spare sandwich. They hollered at him, "get a job", "take a shower". This was an old, disabled man who was carrying all he had on this earth on him.

They had a mini-van, I think it was just one of two vehicles they were unloading as it appeared to be two families. And the van had the "Support the Troops" magent, "W" schwag and of course the jesus fish thing. Basically the standard, "Attention Everyone: We're Assholes" bumper gear.

I went up to him and gave him some money and his eyes teared up. He grabbed me and hugged me. I went to my car and returned with some bottled water for him. He said, "this is like gooooooooold!" and then he said "G-d Bless You!"

I replied with words that just flowed out... "I don't believe in G-d, I believe in Peace."

I'm sure the other "gentlemen" were in church today.

CodePink Troops Home Fast

Geoff was later arrested that day along with a Raging Granny who insisted he should be free to march.

This is a bit dated, but the strength and the passion is timeless.

Family. My family is the Peace Movement Family.

Peace Vigil 8/16/06

""There isn't anyone here who doesn't support the troops," says Ben Fain, one of the vigil organizers.

The weekly gatherings began a year ago this week to support the efforts of Cindy Sheehan, who set up camp outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. Sheehan, the mother of a solider killed in Iraq, became the public face of Americans grieving over a loved one taken in war.

Since then, the Beaverton group has never missed a Wednesday, gathering at 6:30 p.m. through blistering heat, numbing cold and Oregon rain. " Oregonian Article: A vigil for the dead . . . and for peace

The Vigilers also showed support for Lt. Watada and raised over $400 for his defense fund.


My son, Wesley.


Ben, one of the wonderful Vigil Organizers




Most wore black to show mourning for a sad anniversary.


My family and our hockey buddy (his first vigil)








Phil Ochs, Woody Guthrie & The Youngbloods!






New friends. My husband, in VFP shirt, today was his birthday. He met another USN ET Vet. Both Veterans for Peace. One from Viet Nam, one from Gulf War... both standing for Peace.



This machine kills fascists!


Peace!

I, Atheist

Me and Ray McGovern

One of my heroes and he's wearing a CodePink t-shirt.



Yes, I'm blushing.

Pssst... Ann Wright took the photo, too. (pinch me)

Arlington NORTHWEST Memorial

Almost a year ago... I saw the Memorial EAST in DC.



UW Hub, Seattle, WA - August 2006 @ Veterans for Peace National Convention.




This is the area where Clousing came to announce his resistance.


Voter Registration... the irony...


Does Oil Addiction Triump Empathy?
are THEY the ENEMY? Stop the VIOLENCE!

Oh the people you meet...





My new family member, Mike from VFP. Camp Casey Crawford Chapter his shirt reads.

We Can't Make It Here Anymore - by James Mcmurtry

Mission Accomplished, Bush

Didn't know I was UnAmerican

http://www.sharedvoice.org/unamerican/

This video pretty much sums it up for me.

If this makes me "UnAmerican" or "Anti-anything"... so be it.

Rough draft but had to write it down.

This is from my hockey post to my friends... Soon I will put this up in actual diary form with some amazing photos... but I wanted to get some of the words out while I recoup. I drove Katie to Seattle yesterday to attend the VFP National Convention. I'm still crying... good and sad tears. This is one of the most amazing things I've been to... been involved with.

Last night I net and rode in Ann Wright's car to go see Cindy Sheehan. I was hugged by Ray McGovern, kissed by Camilo Mejia, had lunch with Katie from CP National and Jeff Patterson, war resister and helping Lt. Watada) and surrounded by VFP's and met a new friend who is one of the many Iraq Veterans Against the War whose body is dying due to Depleted Uranium.

So many that were there... Mike from Dallas VFP and first to join Cindy at Crawford... he and I got along SUPER! He introduced me to the President of the Natl VFP, David. A Viet Nam Vet. We sat by Arlington Northwest Memorial for hours.

And I had a mother of a young man who died in Iraq tell me .... well that's private... but she didn't call me UnAmerican and she didn't think I was a dirty liberal. In fact, many there thought I was a little on the brave side. Many told me all their sons wanted was for someone to care enough to bring them home.

Diane Wilson and Medea couldn't make it because their hotel in Beirut was bombed and they had to get refugee shelter and missed their flight. Cindy was very very exhausted from the fast, the heat in Crawford and the flight and was unable for the first time to speak at the affair, she was taken to the ER, her body needed a rest... yesterday fliers had had a LONG day due to the "airline threat".

I am drained... I am still in tears, still in smiles ... and so completely rejuvenated. I truly needed the energy and the meet ups. I needed to sit next to men and women who KNOW this war and know it's all BULL.

Hey Bush and all his supporters... If this is such a noble cause worth fighting for...

THEN WHY DON'T YOU GO FIGHT YOUR OWN DAMN WAR.


Note to Truckee, you know what... I was talking with a Veteran yesterday about the "spitting image" in fact it was brought up alot by many speakers including one ex-CIA agent... I'm not so sure about my Dad's car being spat on. I think it's broken memory fragments - heck, I was a 3 yr old . He wasn't in uniform either. I would suggest that if you were spat on to PLEASE write to your local VFP and tell them of your experience because many there and many vets say the spitting on uniformed troops is a myth. Propaganda.

To the rest of you SlapShotter pals, thank you for putting up with me while I find my feet along this journey. I, too, can't wait for hockey... but moreso I can't wait for an end to all wars and killing. I went to the VFP Convention feeling a bit like an empty cup... and so many poured their souls into me. It's wild having people just come up and ask if they can hug you because their son in Iraq lost both legs, a hand and their speech due to a head injury... and they found support with the ladies in pink and VFP and IVAW.

Mrs. Ski... thank you for taking my call yesterday... I didn't tell you... but I had just sat with a young IVAW woman whose brother also was in Iraq... he didn't think he was ever going to get back home due to several stop losses... so he killed himself. I just sat and listened to her while her hands trembled around the chain of cigarettes.

I went, not to go to the workshops, but to meet others. To hear their stories. To give a stranger a hug. So while others were in seminars, I was able to meet the people that needed to "get some air and take a break". I saw mini-documentaries being made on the spot. I saw people asking about others families who loved ones didn't return. Who was sick? Does anyone know if so and so is still around?

I saw a man show up... not part of the convention to say... he had decided to RESIST. I saw him surrounded by young IVAWs and older VFPS. They held a press conf today and he's turning himself in to Ft. Lewis in a few hours.

So I had to call you to hear your voice.

Peace Vigil 8/9/06

Every Wednesday, 6:30 - 7:30
Across from the Beaverton Public Library, Oregon





Poodles for Peace!








The Peace Vigil Organizer!


Petitions for Troops Home Fast!


Me and Wes

Remembering Hiroshima & Nagasaki

The world still has 27,000 nuclear weapons, many still on hair trigger alert and more than enough to destroy the human race.

Although 187 nations, including our own, agreed at the 2000 UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Conference to take Thirteen Practical Steps toward the abolition of nuclear wopans, the US Administration now says that these steps are not in our national intererst.

The World Court in 1996 declared both the use and the threat of use of nuclear weapons illegal.

The US refused to let other nations even set an agenda at the NPT treaty Conference in 2005. This is identified as the major reason for the Conference's collapse and lack of forward progress.

1,403 Mayors around the world have joined the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, including Mayors of Portland, Ashland, Eugene, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, Salt Lake City, Cleveland, Atlanta and more.

Support demonstrations at the Trident Submarine Base in Bangor, WA which reportedly now has 1,998 nuclear weapons, almost certainly the largest concentration in the world.

Stop Bechtel and other corporations involved in nuclear war profiteering, Go to www.august6.org for a fact sheet and a list of ways to protest against Bechtel.

Join efforts to stop funding for new nuclear weapons. Join an organization working for the abolition of nuclear weapons such as www.disarm.org.

Most importantly, talk to your kids. Encourage them to question authority, empower their lives with action, encourage and educate while realizing they have much to teach us as well.

But most of all remember...