Tompkins County Against War & Occupation

Here is an update letter from Margo:

Dear Supporters and Friends,

I am writing to update you on my Ithaca College tenure case.

For the first time in 11 years, I did not start the Fall semester as a professor in the Sociology Department at Ithaca College. I am deeply saddened by this and I have truly missed the campus and my opportunity to engage students and interact with my peers.

Despite this dramatic absence in my life, I have been busy telling my story, interacting with cherished supporters and collaborating with other professors in similar situations. I am also very happy to announce that I have just accepted a position to teach in the Sociology Department at Hunter College in New York City.

Below, I would like to highlight some of the truly inspirational interactions I have had over the past few months: [Read more →]

The anti-war movement responds to President Obama’s speech
Statement from the ANSWER Coalition

The U.S. cannot “win” the war in Afghanistan. It was losing the war when Barack Obama took office. In March 2009, President Obama ordered another 30,000 troops. Rather than reverse the outcome, the U.S. and NATO effort lost even more ground. Now President Obama has ordered another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan.

Attempting to deflect growing opposition to the announcement of his dramatic escalation of the war in Afghanistan, President Obama is simultaneously claiming that U.S. troops will start to be withdrawn in July 2011.

The Generals and Admirals, and now the White House, are unwilling to accept responsibility for a military setback. The President knows they cannot win and yet is unwilling to leave. Since no leader is willing to take responsibility, they are instead sending thousands more to their deaths. [Read more →]

Kenny’s Luminary News on public access tv in Ithaca showed the way. We could build on his legacy by re-forming Indy Media. –Cris

Peter Meiers sent the following:

Hi folks: (apologies for cross-posting)
Am sending this to some of the activist lists that both Kenny Ritter, Linda Holzbaur (his wife) are a part of, thinking that there would be a fair amount of people on these lists that might not otherwise have heard…… I am incredibly sad to say that yesterday morning, (Saturday) Kenny passed away at the hospital. Below are the details that Linda just posted to Facebook of services on Tuesday……

Kenny was a great friend. I met him when he convinced me to run for Sheriff back in 2002. He then became my campaign manager, and he helped to inspire me personally to get as involved as I have in community organizing……When Kenny became sick with Multiple System Atrophy we went to over 75 minor league baseball games ‘tween 2003 and 2006. Truly a great guy and an inspiration to myself and many in the larger community.
In loving solidarity
Pete
(from Linda Holzbaur) Kenny Ritter, 57, died 9/5/09 from complications of Multiple System Atrophy. His children Grace (Josh Dolan), Nat (Kim Wheelock), Anna, Eleanor, granddaughters Vienna, Leona and wife Linda Holzbaur live in Ithaca. Burial will be at Greensprings Natural Cemetery, Newfield at 11:00 Tuesday 9/8/09. A memorial and dish-to-pass will follow at 2:00 at the Ithaca Farmers’ Market, Steamboat Landing.

Never let it be said that our alternative media and new modes of communication like blogs, Facebook and Twitter will ever replace the role of the conventional daily paper. It came as a complete surprise that I read in this morning’s Ithaca Journal that Emiliano Acevedo, a recent Ithaca College graduate, just returned with the Venceremos Brigade.

The article Ithacan joins Cuba protest trip, states:

The 23-year-old now hopes to inspire more Ithacans to join him for next year’s trip, and he is planning to start a Cuba solidarity group here.

Please go to the Ithaca Journal website NOW to comment on the story. This kind of opportunity doesn’t happen everyday.

I do hope he does stay around and help build the new momentum locally for increased understanding and bridges between the peoples of the US and Cuba, an end to the US trade, econmonic, and cultural blockade of Cuba, full freedom to travel, and re-nomalization of relations between our two countries. We have mostly focused on Pastors for Peace Caravans, which are also a travel challenge. Having met the brigadistas two years ago and interviewing some of them for a video (which I really should post on this site) I can see that the Venceremos Brigade has a great appeal for young people, and it really deserves more of our attention and support.

I think it would be great to host an event in September with both Dan Burgevin and Emiliano Acevedo as featured participants. Can we couple this with something cultural?

[Read more →]

I am back from my third trip with pastors for peace to our neighbor Cuba. Every time I have gone, the place and people there get a little deeper into my consciousness. We visit new facilities or see a different service that the revolution has provided for the people and I’m further convinced about how much we have to learn from Cuba about living together peacefully. Too, I’m further convinced about how fearful our government must be about having a different system of living together as a fair and equitable society right under our noses being revealed to ordinary US citizens. Why else would we be trying (since 1959) to be undermining, trying to assassinate, poison and bomb Cuba’s citizens and leadership? Why else would we be trying to undermine its economy and deny its people medicine and food for its children? Why else would 11 different US administrations punish Cuba just for having the right of self determination? I’ll tell you why —fear. [Read more →]

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New York Green Fest 2009, Aug. 7-9, Alfred, NY. Forum on Sustainable Energy, Part 1: Musical welcoming by the Lucky Pluckers and introduction to the solar stage. [Read more →]

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Read more of Josh’s experiences and thoughts in Ithaca, Trumansburg, and beyond on contagiousloveexperiment.wordpress.com.
In mid-July of 2009, Peace Now Ithaca, a local group in the Fingerlakes rgion of upstate New York that had organized a successful campaign to designate Ithaca a Sanctuary City for war resisters, received word that 21-year old Iraq veteran and conscientious objector, Josh Sieber, was on a trek across the nation and wanted to come to Ithaca. With the help and cooperation of the Ithaca and Perry City Friends Meetings, the Social Justice Council of the Ithaca Unitarian Church, the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance and annual Peace Forum, we organized a potluck dinner to meet Josh, a local Peace Walk with him, and arranged for his participation at the festival.

Joining Josh on the walk were Plowshares and Catholic Workeractivist Ellen Grady, her daughter Saoirse, Peace Now Ithaca activistBob Nape, and videographer Cris McConkey. At the festival, Josh met up with former medic and conscientious objector Michael Blake.

The peace forum is an annual eventat the Fingerlakes Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance. It was started by Jolene Uticone, a widely known and loved youth worker. This video starts with the peace walk and ends with Josh’s address in the Dance Tent, where he was invited to speak by the traditional Irish band the Grumblin Rustics.

To sum up Josh’s message in one sentence: We need to live out of trust and out of love… …and not out of fear.

On the night of May 30th of this year, we found ourselves stuck in the middle of a police riot against the crowd of queer & trans folks in Chicago, which has left us now in a very sensitive situation. In short, while in Chicago for a queer & trans activist convergence, we were part of an approximately 100 queer and trans folk-crowd walking in Boystown, or, the ‘gay nightclub district.’ Police showed up, and without rhyme, reason, or warning, hit people in the crowd with patrol cars. More cops ran into the crowd and grabbed queers, seemingly at random, and proceeded to beat them with batons and extendable asps. What followed can only be described as bedlam and a bloody evening.

Dear Cornell students, staff, faculty, and alumni bisexies, transfolks, two spirits, queers, genderqueers, lesbians, gays, anomolies, friends, family, allies, and distant relatives, etc.,

We hope this letter finds you all well, but unfortunately it does not contain the best of news. This is a follow up to the update sent out a month ago about Cornell queers who were bashed by the police in Chicago. [Read more →]

Josh Stieber, the Iraq vet turned conscientious objector who is on a walking across the nation on a pilgrimage he has dubbed “contagious love experiment”, will be interviewed live on WHCU 780 am at about 8:15 am during Saturday morning’s peace walk from Jacksonville to T-burg. The interview should be available as a podcast soon after 10 am.

Immediate Release: Saturday, July 11 at 12 Noon

Specialist Trevor Loope, 24, of Austin,. TX who faced a year in prison and a Bad Conduct discharge at Special Court Martial for AWOL was discharged administratively by order of Ft Drum’s Commander, Gen. Michael Oates on Friday, July 10th.

Because Loope possessed an Honorable Discharge from an earlier Army tour, he will be eligible for GI Bill benefits as well as treatment at VA medical facilities.

Loope had left Ft Drum in 2007 when he was unable to obtain mental health treatment for his Afghan-war-related injuries. With the support of Citizen Soldier, a national GI and veterans rights advocacy group based in New York City, Loope had surrendered to Ithaca’s Common Council on December 3, 2008. He relied on a resolution which the council had adopted in October, 2008 which offered “sanctuary” in Ithaca to war resisters. Although council members offered Trevor support, they didn’t provide sanctuary.

After surrendering at Ft Drum,.Trevor spent the next seven months serving in administrative jobs in his old unit. He had provided Ft Drum therapists with an extensive psychiatric diagnosis which documented that he suffered from both severe Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and a Major Depression.

His civilian psychologist, Dr. David Ogren travelled from Houston TX to testify at an Army “sanity board” which met to determine Trevor’s mental state on June 18th at Ft Drum. Although that board has still not published its recommendations, General Oates approved an administrative discharer in lieu of court-martial.

Tod Ensign, Esq.,and Director of Citizen Soldier commented; “The Army has finally done the right thing by separating Trevor without court martial, but they have done this six months ago. For some reason, they wanted this injured soldier to ‘twist in the wind’ for a while, probably in hopes of deterring other ailing soldiers who might go AWOL in search of treatment.” Ensign added: “Trevor’s release is a victory that resulted from the broad support his case generated in Ithaca and across the country. However, we can’t forget that there are thousands of other soldiers like Trevor who are denied mental health care every day.”

More info: (212) 679-2250 (or) (917) 647-5676 (cell)

Take Action Now - Sign the Online Petition

Demand the Release of Rep. Cynthia McKinney, the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, all aid workers and supplies NOW!

Last night, Israeli Occupation Forces attacked and boarded the Free Gaza Movement boat, the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, abducting 21 human rights workers from 11 countries, including Noble laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. The passengers and crew are being forcibly dragged toward Israel. [Read more →]

I just spoke with Trevor this morning. The court-martial trial has been rescheduled for July 14th (Bastille Day). The sanity board which interviewd him and also heard from Dr. Oberen, has yet to issue their report, so there is still a chance that the charges could be dropped and he could be given an administrative discharge (we would hope with honorable conditions). If not –if the command seeks to make an example of him irrespective of his diagnosis of PTSD and severe depression — we need to be ready to travel to Ft. Drum for the special court-martial trial.

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 Reese Erlich on the real story of the Buena Vista Social Club, Critical Thinking with Andrew Patner, WFMT, Chicago, March 16, 2009 http://www.wfmt.com/main.taf?p=1,1,41,25,2 [57:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

download source video
Citizen Soldier held a press conference June 18, 2009 in Watertown, NY just prior to Specialist Trevor Loope’s appearance before a sanity board at Fort Drum later that morning. Sp/4 Trevor Loope is facing a possible court-martial trial for going AWOL. After returning to base from a combat tour in Afghanistan, he was unable to obtain needed treatment for PTSD with severe depression. He left the base for his home city of Austin, Tx. Eventually he was seen by Dr. David Ogren, a clinical psychologist from Houston who diagnosed Trevor as hsuffering from PTSD and severe depression. At the time of the press conference, it was uncertain whether Dr. Ogren would be allowed to address the sanity board. Tod Ensign, a lawyer and director of Citizen Soldier, spoke and introduced Dr. Ogren and Eric Werthman, a psychiatric social worker in NYC. A reporter from WWNY TV, the atertown CBS affiliate, posed questions. See http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/48608527.html

Trevor Loope might be be facing a court-marshal proceeding on July 1. Or maybe the proceeding will be delayed. Or maybe (we hope) the charges against him will be dropped and he will be a favorable, non-punitive administrative separation –in effect acknowledging his PTSD and severe depression, and the failure of the military to provide the treatment that he requested upon his return from his combat tour in Afghanistan.

We need to be prepared to travel to Watertown and pack the observation boxes in the court room if indeed the command does decide to try to make an example of him and proceed with a punitive court marshal. That could be as early as July 1st. Are you ready to drop what you are doing for the day and join us? If so, please use the contact form to let us know that you will be there for Trevor.

The video above was taken outside the PX facility at Ft. Drum on June 18 after Trevor appeared before a sanity board. Trevor Loope is joined by, Dr. Ogren, the psychologist in Houston who diagnosed Trevor while he was AWOL in Texas, and Tod Ensign, a lawyer who directs Citizen soldier. Additional video from the press conference earlier in the day will follow, along with a summary of Trevors case. [Read more →]

The following excerpt is from an article “Telling the Oklahoma Story” posted June 20 on NewsOK.com, a website of “The Oklahoman”. I think this story has a lot of relevance for the Ithaca area as a sanctuary city. We need to consider how best we can honor our pledge to share the burden with returning soldiers, and this news brief suggests one way. Go to excerpt on newswire.

Last December, as reported in the Ithaca Journal, it looked like Pte. Trevor Loope was on track for an administrative discharge. AWOL soldier to receive administrative discharge, lawyer says. Instead, Trevor is now facing a “sanity board” where a panel of forensic psychologists will try to divine the state of his mind while he was in Afghanistan. The problem is that the psychologist who knows most about Trevor may not be allowed top testify. If things go badly, Trevor could face a full discharge hearing on July 1 where he could be punished by a military judge for being AWOL. I will be driving to Watertown leaving Ithaca at 5 am, Syracuse about 6 am. We cannot attend the hearing, but we may be allowed outside to lend our support. I will be videotaping the statement of Dr. David Ogren at the press conference. If you would like a ride, please call me today or tonight at 607-387-9830. –Cris

More info: Tod Ensign, Esq.
(917) 647-5676 (cell) (212) 679-2250 (O)

Psychologist Who Evaluated Mentally-Stressed Ft Drum Soldier Is Wrongfully Excluded as Witness from Army Sanity Board set for June 18th.

PRESS CONFERENCE, June 18, 2009 8:00 am sharp
Conference room, 4th Flr., Days Inn, 110 Commerce Park Dr Watertown, NY

Dr. David Ogren, a clinical psychologist from Houston, TX with fifteen years’ experience treating victims of mental trauma, spent hours examining and testing Specialist Trevor Loope, 23, of Austin TX. Loope, who spent fifteen months in Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division, left Ft Drum in late 2007 because he was unable to obtain therapy for his PTSD and depression at the base.

Dr. Ogren prepared a detailed eleven page psychiatric evaluation which concluded that Loope suffered from “severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a Major Depression” Ft Drum commanders have scheduled a “sanity board” to assess Loope’s mental health status on Thursday, June 19th 10:00 am at Ft Drum’s Mental Health facility. They also preferred criminal charges against Loope for AWOL with trial by a Special Court Martial set for July 1st.

Two weeks ago, Dr. Ogren telephoned Ft Drum’s mental health chief, Dr.Todd Benham offering to serve as an expert witness before the sanity board.. Ogren’s offer involved no expense to the military, since he is willing to pay his own travel expenses from Houston. On Monday, June 15th, Dr. Benham finally returned Ogren’s call, asking him why he had phoned. When Ogren told him of his desire to testify at Loope’s hearing, Benham remarked that that this was “ridiculous” and that since it was a closed hearing, he didn’t think that Ogren would be allowed to testify.

Tod Ensign, Esq., Director, of Citizen Soldier, a GI advocacy group, and civilian attorney assisting Specialist Loope, will challenge the legality of this “sanity board” if Dr. Ogren is not allowed to testify. According to the Rules for Court Martial (706 (c)(2) which establishes the rules for these boards, one of the four key questions that a panel must answer is, “what is the clinical diagnosis” for the soldier being examined? Also, the sanity board is “required to fairly and impartially examine the accused.” Ensign will argue that Dr. Benham’s apparent bias against Dr. Ogren’s participation jeopardizes the panel’s ability to render a fair and dispassionate opinion in this case. Finally, Ensign will urge that Loope’s sanity board be dissolved and be reconstituted at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where objective panelists can be found.

The Bellingham Sanctuary Movement is facing a big challenge.   In her op-ed Sanctuary city Pro: Support for troops should mean all of them published June 13 in the Bellingham Herald, Marie Marchand, executive director of the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center, writes:

Given Bellingham’s reputation, it is an especially stinging affront that four AWOL soldiers of conscience have been housed in our jail. Most of us in this city consider people like Robin Long and Cliff Cornell heroes for their refusal to bear arms and kill. … As it stands, law enforcement is under no obligation to report AWOL soldiers to the military. We are asking our city to abstain from doing the military’s job. These individuals have broken no law. Our local resources should not be spent on their apprehension and detention.

On October 9, 2006, Bellingham became the first city in the state of Washington to pass a Troops Home! Resolution.  The issue now is a sanctuary resolution.  “The ordinance is not about adjudication” states Marie Marchand in her op-ed. “The Sanctuary City Movement … is not asking police to break the law.” Tim Carpenter, a Whatcom County resident and Vietnam veteran who wrote the opposing view Sanctuary city Con: Sanctuary idea would do more harm than good has a different take on the question of law:

Federal law provides, under the category of Treason, Sedition and Subversive Activities, that it is a crime for any person to advise, counsel or urge insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny or refusal of service; to conspire to commit those acts; or to harbor any person who commits such an act. Does the city council’s involvement facilitate and abet treason?

He attempts to paint proponents of the sanctuary resolution as “emotional rather than rational” and finds that their arguments “rely on unsubstantiated statistics, or attempt to reach a logical conclusion built upon an inherently false premise”.   He really doesn’t cite anything to support this, just innuendo.

On the issue of Free Speech (around which Ithaca’s Sanctuary Resolution turned) he writes that “This is not a ‘free speech’ issue. The right of free speech is not absolute. Speech that advocates the commission of a crime is not protected.”

The attendant legal questions appear to be the most productive ones to pursue, and it would be well worth the effort for sanctuary supporters in the Ithaca area to engage  in the debate in Bellingham not only out of solidarity, but also to hone our own arguments for what may lie ahead.  It is easy to imagine a similar scenario developing in Ithaca were war resisters jailed here, or were the city sanctuary resolution strengthened to explicitly instruct law enforcement not to arrest anyone on the basis of their military status when had not broken the law.   (As an aside, I recall that Trevor Loope was arrested in St. Lawrence County on bogus charges of bounced checks, not for being AWOL).  It would be really good to solicit wider legal opinion on this debate over what the law requires.

Wing-nuts seem to dominate the story chat on the Bellingham Herald (just like in Ithaca).  It only takes a few minutes to register in order to comment.  Pleasew consider doing so.

Russell Brown has been blogging on the situation in Bellingham on adoptresistance.org.  You can also follow posts on the website/blog of Veterans For Peace Corporal Jonathan Santos Memorial Chapter 111 in Bellingham. –Cris McConkey

This video was produced for Mondoweiss (www.philipweiss.org) after being nixed by the editorial authorities at The Daily Beast. A disturbing look at the connections of one American casino tycoon who sends millions to support the illegal settlements in the West Bank, this video report unveils the raw racism of the settler movement who is dragging Israel into further conflict. Frankness, honesty, and the resultant humor abound in this 5 minute short. Please forward widely. Thanks for your continued viewership and support! We are currently working on a centralized website on which all our reports will be hosted. Best, David

By Max Blumenthal

The Israeli government has repeatedly announced plans to forge ahead with plans to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank in direct opposition to President Barack Obama’s demand for an absolute settlement freeze. On May 27, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leveled strong criticism at Israeli policy, telling reporters that President Barack Obama “wants to see a stop to settlements - not some settlements, not outposts, not ‘natural growth’ exceptions.” Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev responded by declaring that “normal life” in the settlements would continue, using a phrase that is code for continued construction.

Continue reading “Mondo Exclusive - Gambling with Conflict: How a neocon casino king from California funds the Israeli settler movement” »