LAND OF (USED TO BE) LIBERTY

THE PEOPLE WANT TO STOP MILITARISM

Can you imagine 57 of these monstrosities being plunked down in Gangjeong village to build the Navy base on Jeju Island? This caisson is being built in a nearby village. People there have begun to protest as well.

Professor Yang receives an Indie movie award as "this year's face"

• As you can see in the photo above Professor Yang is looking good as he recovers from his 70-some day long hunger strike. I've recently heard that some Gangjeong villagers, who had sold out to the Navy, have asked if they could return to the village. A discussion was taken and they have been accepted back. This likely means a couple things: first, that maybe life away from the village was not so green after all and secondly, maybe they are seeing a growing movement against the Navy base and their hopes for success are building. It is obvious that something is happening in the village as many new people are coming there and staying to help with the fight. The beauty of the place and the determined non-violent struggle is touching the hearts of many. You can keep up with all this on the Facebook page that is a great resource.
• There is now a petition on-line to support the Jeju Island campaign. These signatures will be presented to South Korean President Lee at the end of July when an international delegation holds a news conference at the Blue House in Seoul before heading to Jeju Island. You can sign the petition here
  
• Yesterday I spent the day working on getting things ready for a national and international mailing to promote our annual Keep Space for Peace Week. I wrote a cover letter, talked several times with an artist who is doing our poster, and then worked with our design person who is doing the flyer and is our contact with the printer. Lots of loose ends to tie up to get it all together. The poster this year is going to be very different from those we've made in the past.
  
• As I write this Congress is close to making final decisions on the Pentagon budget for 2012. It appears that $648.7 billion will be passed for the military budget, including $118 billion to continue the wars. The Washington Post reports, "Obama is proposing significant reductions in Medicare spending and for the first time is offering to tackle the rising cost of Social Security, according to people in both parties with knowledge of the proposal. The move marks a major shift for the White House and could present a direct challenge to Democratic lawmakers who have vowed to protect health and retirement benefits from the assault on government spending." No surprise here, more of the same accommodation and sell-out by Obama. Polls have shown over and over again that the public massively opposes cuts in Medicare and Social Security but do support tax increases on the rich and cutting war spending. Obama is proving to be the best president the Republicans could ever have because he not only gives the corporate oligarchy everything they want but he also keeps the "left" neutralized. The best the Democrats seem able to do is pass a non-binding "resolution" that says the rich should pay their fair share. More showmanship as they join their president in cutting the throats of the poor and working class.

VETERANS SING AGAINST WAR

Great new video just created by Boston-area Veterans for Peace members and their supporters.

When was the last time you heard a peace song on the radio? It is virtually impossible to get these types of songs on the air. People like Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs etc. would never be heard today. The vast majority of radio stations today are owned by corporate media giants like Clear Channel and these wonderful artist would never make it onto today’s play lists.

The song: War is Not the Answer, Never Was, Never Will was literally written on the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. The word “imagine” is in the song. The song is totally financed by Veterans For Peace chapters, individuals, national and local peace groups. We have forty-five people singing on the chorus, we had a fabulous time recording it. We think it is pretty good- you be the judge – please watch and listen.

Lets put some music back into the peace movement. Please pass this music video on to all of your family, friends and contacts. Ask them to pass it on to their friends and contacts, so on and so on. The lyrics and cords are listed at the end of the video, please copy and share the song with friends. It is up to each of us to help make this happen by passing this music video on to everyone you know and ask them to pass it on.

Thank you,
Pat Scanlon and all the folks that made this music video possible.

OBAMA'S DRONES DELIVERING TOXIC CHEMICALS TO PAKISTAN

The Global Network's annual Keep Space for Peace Week (October 1-8) will this year feature the growing use of drones in waging war. The UK and U.S. anti-drone networks will co-sponsor the week of local actions.

This video, for the first time that I am aware, introduces the issue of toxic chemicals being distributed during U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan. It is becoming obvious that Obama's relentless attacks on civilian populations is intended to serve as a tool to clear territory by wiping out whole communities.

Some would call it genocide.

If George W. Bush was doing this the liberal activists would be screaming their heads off and calling for impeachment. When Obama does this the liberals are largely silent. Party trumps truth and conscience. Very sad indeed.

There is no way on god's green earth that I could ever consider voting for Obama - or any other sniveling Democrat - under these circumstances. They have become the party of toxic prevarication.

LEARNING TO TALK TO POLITICIANS

JULY 4 PARADE IN BATH

We had 30 of us peace-niks in the Bath, Maine July 4 parade. The enormous peace dove was up near the front of our group and the Earth Mother puppet, carried by me, was near the back. In between we had banners and signs and some dressed as vegetables.

The white peace dove, our first time using it, was a beautiful thing to behold but was an engineering nightmare to put together. It took 1 1/2 hours and thank god for Mark Roman who bailed us out with his patience and skill in helping to make sense of the whole thing.

The response from the crowd was generally polite, some enthusiastic, but many just numb with no reaction. That is to be expected at such a "patriotic" feel good parade. Behind us were the local emergency vehicles - ambulances and fire trucks with their constant sirens blaring. A real drag. I can't see how anyone thinks that noise is fun.

Most of the more than 120 entries in the parade were dull and lacking in imagination. I've written in past years about how local business people use the parade to promote their products and services. What does pest control have to do with liberty?

Of course the idea of liberty (real freedom to think, assemble, speak out, free media) has been trampled and replaced with "support the troops" messaging by the military industrial complex. This blind patriotism has done much to destroy our country. It was heart warming though to occasionally see some in the crowd who really appreciated our group and who applauded us with vigor. We heard of only one person who turned his back on us as we passed by.

INDEPENDENCE FROM AMERICA

The top secret US military base, Menwith Hill, is a little piece of America in the heart of the UK’s Yorkshire Dales. For years it has been a protest hotspot for Britons who are demanding their country’s independence from America.

MORE NUCLEAR VICTIMS - HOMELESS AND UNEMPLOYED

JEJU IS A GLOBAL ISSUE

The governor of Jeju Island is not happy that people are arriving from all over South Korea to protest the Navy base construction
Big rally held yesterday in Jeju City
People are coming from all over the nation to Jeju and many are staying. Father Moon (famous activist Catholic priest with beard) has recently arrived and announced he will die in Jeju and wants his body buried under the cement that will cover the rocks along the coastline

Latest report from Jeju Island: On July 1st, on the second day of the big action day gathering in Jeju City. Members of Minkahyup (a very old democracy action/human rights group in Korea) approached the car of Woo Keun-min the Governor of Jeju and showing a banner saying, "Retract your cancellation of the conservation area" [He cancelled the original status of Gangjeong village as a conservation area, this is the phrase that everyone chants to him all the time].

The governor got out of the car and asked the activist, “Where are you from?” and she said, “I came from Seoul.” Then he suddenly declared, “This is a Jeju issue, Don’t worry about this, Jeju people will handle this problem.” She replied back, “The Jeju Naval Base issue is not only a Jeju issue. This is about Korea’s peace and security. Whoever wants peace in Korea must worry about this issue. If you [the governor] do not solve this problem more actively then you will be criticized by all the people in the nation.”

Woo Keun-min answered, “I will handle it well.”

In fact the governor has handled it poorly. When he ran for office he gave Jeju Islanders the impression that he would bring fairness and peace to the contentious Navy base issue. In fact all he has done is become a tool of the big corporations (like Samsung who is the lead base building contractor) and the South Korean Navy.

As Secretary of War Robert Gates leaves office he gives a justification for the expansion of U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The Navy base on Jeju is obviously connected to this larger strategy of U.S. control and domination. See it here

THE ARTIST LANDS IN JAIL FOR LOVING THE VILLAGE

Sung-Hee Choi lived in New York City for about 10 years and while there became an active member of the Global Network. In 2008 when the GN met in Omaha, Nebraska for our annual space organizing conference, Sung-Hee insisted that we come to South Korea the following year. So we did. She and our other GN board member from South Korea, Wooksik Cheong, organized one of our largest and best annual meetings ever in Seoul in 2009.

Since that time Sung-Hee has been working hard to make the connection between Jeju Island and the U.S. plan to expand "missile defense" systems in the Asian-Pacific region. About a year ago she moved full-time to Jeju Island to help defend the village as construction began to speed up.

For the protests seen in this video Sung-Hee found herself in jail. She stands trial on July 15. The video reflects the deep admiration the villagers have for her as she has been instrumental in shepherding people from throughout South Korea and around the world to come support the village.

SUNDAY SONG

FORMER CIA ASSET ON LIBYA "REBELS"

A PARADE OF PEACEFUL ACTIONS

Professor Yang appears to be recovering well after his 70-day hunger strike against the Navy base

SPARK members from mainland flew to Jeju Island to show support for Gangjeong villagers
Cassion is a watertight chamber open at the bottom and containing air under pressure, used to carry out construction work under water. SPARK members took this photo at Hwasoon harbor on the way to Gangjeong village after the picketing the governor in Jeju city. The cassion is 20 meters high, almost like apartment bldg height, and people say 57 caissons would be necessary to fill the Gangjeong sea to build the docks for visiting U.S. warships.

• A large delegation from SPARK (Solidarity for Peace & Reunification of Korea) flew from Seoul to Jeju Island for a weekend protest against the Jeju governor and the Navy base now being built in Gangjeong village. While in Jeju they will visit Sung-Hee Choi at her jail house and also see Professor Yang who is still recovering from his recent 70-day hunger strike that nearly took his life. There can be no doubt though that the sacrifices made by Yang and Choi have swelled the movement to support the Gangjeong villagers in South Korea and beyond. SPARK is affiliated with the Global Network.


• On Thursday Peter Woodruff (who works at Bath Iron Works) drove to Portland with me for the monthly meeting of Maine Veterans for Peace. Peter was presented with an honorary membership in VFP by our President Dud Hendrick. I had requested that VFP consider giving Peter the membership status in the group for his tireless efforts for peace and conversion of BIW to building wind turbines and it was unanimously agreed. He was presented with a nice plaque, a hat, and a pin.


• On the 4th of July there will be the annual parade here in Bath. In recent years our local group PeaceWorks has been in the parade with banners and signs. This year we will have two huge puppets and our theme will be "For the Children" and people will carry signs that say things like education, health care, solar and wind turbines, child care, public transit, and more. Karen Wainberg has been organizing to get a good group of us to participate and we will have about 30 folks with us.


• My computer problems have persisted every day this past week. My computer doctor has had to come to the house each day to try to get me back on-line as something (and someone) keeps knocking me off the wireless connection. Yesterday he created a brand new wireless network and this morning it had disappeared. He is scratching his head and wondering who keeps unraveling his work.

ISRAEL RESORTS TO TERRORISM TO STOP PEACE FLOTILLA

NEXT PLUTONIUM SPACE LAUNCH SET

The next plutonium enabled space mission, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), is scheduled to be launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida between November 25 and December 18 of this year. The MSL rover, known as "Curiosity," will be fueled with 4.8 kilograms (10.56 pounds) of plutonium dioxide. It will be, NASA says, "the largest, most capable rover ever sent to another planet."

Fifty years ago this week, on June 29, 1961, an electrical generator driven by nuclear energy was launched into space for the first time.

NASA sadly appears committed to maintaining their dangerous alliance with the nuclear industry. Both entities view space as a new market for the deadly plutonium fuel.

Back in 1997 we organized an international campaign against NASA and the Department of Energy's launch of 72 pounds of plutonium on the Cassini mission. A man by the name of Alan Kohn volunteered to help us with that campaign. Alan had been the Emergency Preparedness Officer at NASA during the Galileo (1989) and Ulysses (1990) plutonium launches at the space center in Florida.

By the time Cassini was to be launched Alan had retired from NASA and felt free to speak out. He told the New York Times, just prior to the launch, that NASA had no plan to contain and clean-up after an accident on or near the launch pad that released plutonium into the environment. He said the operating plan he had worked with during the two previous nuclear launches was a joke and was only intended to serve as a reassurance to the public. Alan told us that a long-time family friend, working in the White House, had informed him that more people contacted Washington opposing Cassini than any other issue in U.S. history.

While NASA maintains that they are "searching for the origins of life" on Mars, in reality they are mapping the red planet and doing soil sampling which is all intended to serve the ultimate goal of establishing a nuclear powered mining colony there in the future. The Haliburton Corporation, known for their connections to the Bush-Cheney administration and fraud in Iraq, has been working on a drilling mechanism for Mars exploration for some time.

The taxpayers are being asked once again to pay for nuclear missions that could endanger the life of all the people on the planet. As we saw in Louisiana, following the Hurricane Katrina debacle, the federal government is not prepared to do disaster relief and clean-up. A plutonium release over Florida could devastate a 60-mile radius - from the space center to Disney World.

It would only take one pound of plutonium-238 released as dust in the atmosphere to give everyone on the Earth a lethal dose of the toxic fuel. Have we not learned anything from Chernobyl and Fukushima? We don't need to be launching nukes into space. It's not a gamble we can afford to take.

You can send NASA a message opposing the plutonium Mars rover mission using this link

FBI FRAMES FOUR BLACK MEN WHO LAND IN JAIL

Newburgh 4 Terror Case: Judge Sentences Three to 25 Years in Prison, U.S. Constitution Shivers

The Villiage Voice
By Graham Rayman

​In what has to be one of the least fair decisions in history, a federal judge has sentenced three of the four men convicted of plotting to blow up synagogues in the Bronx and shoot down a military jet to 25 years in prison.

In a case absolutely choking with troubling questions about the behavior of the FBI and a paid informant, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon still levied the tough sentence on three of the so-called Newburgh 4: James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams. The fourth defendant, Laguerre Payen, is yet to be sentenced.

McMahon herself had repeatedly raised questions from the bench about the conduct and credibility of government informant Shahed Hussain, who aggressively recruited Cromitie and plied the quartet with gifts and promised to pay them a lot of money if they went along with the alleged plot. Defense attorneys charged that Hussain, who posed as a wealthy Pakistani businessman with ties to a terror group, and the FBI basically manipulated the men into participating in the plot.

"The government manufactured the criminal and manufactured the crime," a defense attorney said about the case earlier this year.

David Williams told the Voice in an exclusive interview earlier this year that he and Cromitie were simply trying to scam Hussain, who they thought was rich, out of as much money as possible without actually going through with the plot, and they had no interest in actually hurting anyone.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement today, "James
Cromitie, David Williams, and Onta Williams voluntarily agreed to target synagogues and military planes using what they thought were real bombs and missiles."

The key word is "agreed." In other words, Bharara is basically admitting that the men went along with the plot, rather than hatching it themselves.

This raises a disturbing question: is it proper for the government to fish for potential terrorists by going around floating phony plots to see who bites? Just asking.

Another key word is "thought." See Orwell, George, 1984.

All four defendants were former convicts stricken with poverty. One, Payen, was described as almost mentally retarded. None of them would have had the brains or the means to come up with such a plot, unless Hussain was there, pushing them along, and the government was there providing the ideas, the money, the equipment, the transportation and the weapons--all of which were of course fake.

Alicia McWilliams, David Williams' aunt, offered the following essay on her thoughts on the case. It was written prior to the sentencing.

Standing Vigil for My Nephew, My Values, Our Communities
By Alicia McWilliams

For two months last fall, I attended every day of my nephew David William's trial. On countless days, I stood vigil outside of the Manhattan courthouse, lonely even with friends and supporters standing by my side. This week, I will go to the courthouse one last time, when David is sentenced. In its case against the so-called Newburgh Four, the government is asking that my nephew serve life in prison.

David and I have been through a lot together. Coming from the inner city, we know hardship well. Drugs, poverty, crime, and disease are a constant presence in our lives. The government has generally been indifferent to the problems in our communities. David lived in Newburgh, one of the poorest cities in the state, where education and infrastructure have crumbled in the last decade. There are few initiatives that offer counseling or training to at-risk youths. But ultimately, David and I never blamed anyone for our problems, and we knew that solutions would have to come from ourselves.

I have been active in my community, helping people get off drugs. I'm proud to say I've been clean since 1992 and have always worked to support others in my community, those living with HIV, ex-offenders, and more. David sold drugs to make money, and went to prison for it. He got out in 2007.

David wanted to keep his younger brother Lord from getting into the same kind of trouble he had. Lord has liver cancer and almost died several times in the months before David was arrested, and David wanted to find money to pay for a transplant. David was also trying to overcome his dyslexia, get his GED, and raise his daughter. In those days, even if the government didn't help us very much it wasn't exactly out to get us either.

Until 2008, that is. That's when the government sent a paid, untrained informant to infiltrate the local mosque in Newburgh, to collect information on the community there. As we learned later, he became an informant to work off charges he faced for fraud.

Posing as a rich Pakistani businessman, the informant Shahed Hussain tried to engage attendees in conversations about jihad and American foreign policy. The community didn't like him much, so eventually he began hanging out in the parking lot. Eventually, he met James Cromitie, a big-talking Newburgh resident with a history of small-time crime. At first Hussain worked on Cromitie with free meals and stories about Americans abusing Muslims in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He tried to cajole him into agreeing to carry out some sort of violent crime. When Cromitie was ambivalent, Hussain offered money, cars, a barber shop and more. It wasn't enough though and at one point Cromitie cut ties with Hussain for months. After Cromitie was fired from Wal-Mart, he called Hussain to take "the job." They still needed lookouts, which the government informant insisted be Muslims.

That's when David and the other two defendants, Laguerre Payen and Onta Williams, entered the picture. They were all Muslim. They were all also broke, and promised tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Cromitie assured them that nobody would get hurt.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened if the government had never sent Hussain to Newburgh. Maybe David would have gotten into some kind of trouble again, or maybe he would have completed his GED and straightened out. Either way, he or the other men would have meant nothing to the government and the public. And David surely never would have become a lookout in a plot to bomb a synagogue in the Bronx.

But the government did interfere with us. The costs for our family have been tremendous. Our lives have been torn apart. But even more is at stake. The government spent millions of taxpayer dollars on the informant's salary, perks, luxury cars, surveillance equipment, fake weaponry, helicopters, and the dramatic trial. Lawyers, rights groups, and the media have poured resources into covering the case. And the benefits? I may be biased, but I haven't met many people who can say with a straight face that our nation is safer from terrorism as a result of all this.

I also sometimes wonder, what good might those resources have done if they'd been invested in our communities instead? Perhaps job-training for parolees, or education for young Newburgh residents, or programs for getting guns of the street. Maybe re-entry programs for parolees with mental health problems, like Laguerre, who is schizophrenic. Of course, many might consider spending money on these communities to be a preposterous waste of money, these days especially. I don't agree, but I can at least understand.

What I can't understand is spending millions of dollars to set David and the others up, and then to put them in prison for life, which will also cost millions of dollars. Just so the government can have another notch on its belt in the "war on terror"? Or maybe I can understand. The informant needed to keep getting paid, and the government needed a few victories.

But at what cost?