US citizens might realize that basic human needs —heath care, education and having a home that is your’s and your family’s— is not a privilege but a basic human right for humanity . Further, if you educate, feed and house and keep healthy a whole society then crime and class struggle, violence and many of the things that plague our society are greatly reduced and a new consciousness toward each other begins to happen. It is not a consciousness of “I’ve got mine, too bad for you” but one of “we are in this together in solidarity and we can work toward making a better world for all”.

Further, we can live in a sustainable and peaceful way and be happy, smart and well fed and enjoy our homes, families and life without having to exploit or kill others for raw materials. Think about what life would be like for US citizens if we actually started to think like that. That’s a very dangerous thing for the likes of Halliburton, Raytheon or McDonald-Douglas, just to name a few. That’s a very scary thing for our “elected representatives” who get to represent us because Insurance corporations and pharmaceutical corporations who contribute to their (re)elections write the bills that become law –bills that protect the “rights” of these companies to profit from basic human needs. US citizens might actually want a revolution (we had one once a long time ago) and want universal health care, free education for all or the right to have a roof over our heads without being in debt for the rest of our lives. Dangerous stuff. Viva la Revolution!

Dan Burgevin

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” »

How I Got Gassed in the West Bank

by Max Blumenthal Max Blumenthal is a senior writer for The Daily Beast and writing fellow at The Nation Institute, whose book, Republican Gomorrah (Basic/Nation Books), is forthcoming in Spring 2009. Contact him at maxblumenthal3000@yahoo.com. Max Blumenthal When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Barack Obama at the White House on Monday, he warned the president that time was running out to stop a nuclear Iran. By impressing upon Obama the immediacy of the threat from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Netanyahu hoped to avoid committing to the two-state solution he and his right-wing governing partners have so far openly and forcefully opposed. While Netanyahu attempts to recalibrate the discussion toward Iran, his government continues a vast expansion of the occupation of the West Bank, creating “facts on the ground” to fulfill the vision of a Greater Israel. http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-05-21/how-i-got-gassed-in-the-west-bank/?cid=hp:beastoriginalsC2

Despite the difficulties with parking for an event downtown just after the Ithaca Festival parade, 50 people attended the screening and discussion. If you missed the Ithaca screening, you still can see it in Oneonata (May 29), Corning (June 1), Cortland (June 4), Binghamton (June 5), or other locations in the Mohawk Valley and Sugerties scroll down for schedule).

The Social Justice Council of the First Unitarian Church of Ithaca is screening “From Mills River to Babylon and back… the Jimmy Massey Story”, a 67-minute documentary by Otsego County filmmaker Joseph C. Stillman. The film chronicles the life of Jimmy Massey, a former twelve-year career Marine who refused to continue killing in Iraq, and examines the political, legal, moral, and human rights implications of the war.

Filmmaker Joseph Stillman and Massey himself will be present for discussion afterwards. A $10 donation is suggested to help cover part of the production cost of the film, but all who want to come are encouraged to attend.

The event, part of an eleven-city tour in Upstate New York, will be held in the sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church, at the corner of Buffalo and Aurora Streets in Ithaca, on Thursday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m.. Screenings are also being held in Syracuse, Cortland and Corning. For more information, go to the filmmaker’s web site: lapalomafilms.net.

This is the premier screening of the film, which was shot in 14 states over the past 4 years and features interviews with Scott Ritter, Cindy Sheehan, Martin Sheen, Maxine Waters and numerous other congresspersons and human rights activists.

The film shows Massey’s early life and the tragic death of his father, his decision to enlist in the marines due to economic hardship, illicit recruiting tactics that target single parent families by recruiters (Massey was a Marine recruiter), weapons of mass deception, depleted uranium use and its effects on soldiers and civilians. Stillman explains, “I believe it’s particularly important for parents and young people especially, to understand the tactics military recruiters will use to fill their quotas at the expense of the youth in our community.”

Stillman says, “This project has opened my eyes to many of the facts that Jimmy has raised and the tragedy of an ongoing war that didn’t have to be fought. I sadly learned, for instance, that the U.S. has dropped massive amounts of depleted uranium, used in ammunition and bombs, in Iraq and Afghanistan since the first Gulf War and that it is presently having disastrous effects on our returning military personnel and especially on the civilian populations in those countries.”

Jimmy Massey last visited Ithaca in March 2005, when he spoke at Cornell GIAC. and shared his first hand knowledge of how military recruiters lie and prey on our youth, especially low income kids, with promises that will seldom be fulfilled.

“FROM MILLS RIVER TO BAYLON AND BACK… THE JIMMY MASSEY STORY” DOCUMENTARY SCREENINGS
Contact: Joseph C. Stillman-Filmmaker 607.433.0811/267.6646 lapalomafilms@yahoo.net

Date | City/Organization | Screening Location | Time

May 27 (Wed) Syracuse Syracuse Peace Council, Jessica Maxwell TBA
315-472-5478 www.peacecouncil.net

May 28 (THU) Ithaca 1st Unitarian Church, Buffalo & Aurora 7:30
cris@tompkinsagainstwar.org
607.387.9830

May 29 (FRI) Oneonta Foothills Performing Arts Center 7:30
La Paloma Films, 607.433.0811

May 30 (SAT) Vestal H.S. Broome County Veterans for Peace 7:00
607.321.8537

May 31 (SUN) Hudson Time & Space Limited, 434 Columbia St. 8:00
518.822.8100 fyi@timeandspace.org

June 1 (MON) Corning Palace Theater, 17 East Market Street 7:00
607.329.6173

June 2 (TUE) Hudson Time & Space Limited, 434 Columbia St. 8:00
518.822.8100

June 3 (WED) Andes Roundtable, Andes Hotel 7:00

June 4 (THU) Cortland Lucky’s, 77 Main Street, 607.842.6801 7:00

June 5 (FRI) Binghamton Broome County Veterans for Peace 5:30/7:30
First Presbyterian Church 42 Chenango St. 607.321.8537

June 6 (SAT) Troy Bethleham Neighbors for Peace/NY Media 8:00
Alliance at The Sanctuary 518.321.8537

Last year’s Caravan to Cuba saw a renewed determination to continue the people to people foreign policy and diplomacy of Pastors for Peace. We did not avoid harassment by the US customs. Thirty-one computers were confiscated at the border as we entered Mexico. Rather than allow for the entire caravan and the rest of the donations for Cuba to be halted by protest we elected to allow the US customs to keep them.

Roller blading in Havana. Photo by Dan Burgevin from 2007 Pastors for Peace Caravan

We continued the mission to Tampico, Mexico, where we packed several containers with the remaining computers, medical supplies and various donations from US citizens.
Pinar del Rio is a beautiful and friendly place. We visited cooperativos, health care clinics, community centers and retirement facilities. It was most hospitable and enjoyable.
Upon our return to Mexico the confiscated computers were returned to Pastors at the border. We promptly walked back across the border into Mexico carrying the 31 computers by hand to an awaiting truck which returned them to the awaiting container vessel in Tampico. This further illuminates the flawed policy of our Treasury department to effectively stop the moral mission of Pastors to undo this archaic policy toward Cuba.

In 2009 our plan for the Ithaca area is to purchase a school bus to take to Pinar Del Rio (if possible) and donate it to the Pinar region which has suffered from at least three Hurricanes in 2008.

Transportation, which already was difficult before the Hurricanes, was in worse shape after, and his has caused much undo suffering for the people of Pinar de Rio. To that end we, the concerned citizens of the Finger Lakes region, are working toward alleviating the undo suffering of the people of Pinar by donating one or more buses.

We will also be collecting aid. Specifically, we are looking for donated construction tools and materials, plumbing, electrical and regular construction and painting supplies. Theses we will be transported on the buses or Pastors for Peace caravan trucks. If you have materials or have a lead on where to get donations, or can help sponsor the local effort, please contact me.

If the ban on travel to Cuba actually is lifted in the Congress as it appears it may be, my guess is Americans will flock to Cuba to see for themselves what life in a state that puts people before profit looks like. If enough Americans go perhaps the Congress will think that that flood of “freedom loving Americans” will benignly topple the socialist regime. My guess and fervent hope is that the reverse will happen. Americans will return home and demand socialized medicine, education and the elimination of homelessness that Cubans currently enjoy and have for many decades.

However, a complete lifting of the travel ban is far from a done deal. Click here or more information on the travel issue and to take on-line action.

Viva la Revolution! Happy fiftieth Fidel!

Dan Burgevin can be reached at 607/387-7532 or danart19 AT hotmail DOT com