Tompkins County Against War & Occupation

Finger Lakes For Peace
For Immediate Release
August 17, 2008
Activists to Appeal Convictions in Kuhl Protest.
Arguments to begin Tuesday August 19th at 1:00 PM

Danny Burns, Mark Scibilia-Carver, Ellen Grady, Todd Saddler, and Chris Tate are scheduled to appear in Stueben County Court at 1:00 PM this Tuesday August 19th with their attorney Ray Schlather, concerning the appeal of last years conviction for Misdemeanor Trespass. [Read more →]

Human Rights Watch report
High Toll from Attacks on Populated Areas

(Tbilisi, August 14, 2008) – Forces on both sides in the conflict between Georgia and Russia appear to have killed and injured civilians through indiscriminate attacks, respectively, on the towns of Gori and Tskhinvali, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch expressed its deep concern over the apparently indiscriminate nature of the attacks that have taken such a toll on civilians.
“Russian, Georgian and South Ossetian forces all have an obligation under international humanitarian law to protect civilians from attack,” said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The latest information on civilian casualties in Gori, Tskhinvali and surrounding areas calls into question whether the forces are respecting that obligation.”

Go to article on Human Right’s Watch web site.

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by Patrick J. Buchanan

originally published August 15, 2008 by humanevents.com

Mikheil Saakashvili’s decision to use the opening of the Olympic Games to cover Georgia’s invasion of its breakaway province of South Ossetia must rank in stupidity with Gamal Abdel-Nasser’s decision to close the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships.

Nasser’s blunder cost him the Sinai in the Six-Day War. Saakashvili’s blunder probably means permanent loss of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. [Read more →]

The Syracuse Peace Council and other local peace activists aim to have a peace presence at the main gate of the NYS Fair Friday, 8/22 through Sunday, 8/31.

Please sign up to join us for at least one day from 5-6:30 pm. We will gather at the grassy area (on the left as you face the main gate) at the main gate — where most people enter and the buses drop off and pick up. [Read more →]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUGUST 10, 2008
FURTHER INFORMATION Dan Pearson 312-286-8535 Erin Cox 773-391-0040

13 ARRESTED AT FORT MCCOY IN IRAQ WAR CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

Fort McCoy, WI - On August 10, thirteen people were arrested at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin. They attempted to enter the military base to talk with National Guard and Army Reserve members regarding the Iraq war. Base security prevented this entry and the thirteen were arrested by federal law enforcement on trespass charges. [Read more →]

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I received the following response from my congressman, Michael Arcuri, clarifying his co-sponsorship of House Concurrent Resolution 362. I had joined many constituents who were alarmed the he would sign a resolution that “demands that the President initiate an international effort … prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran”. That is a blockade, which is an act of war. I don’t see any other way of reading this resolution. Arcuri, however, maintains that “such efforts to conduct inspections would require the concurrence of the international community and the nation of Iran”. But why on earth would Iran concur with a ban on its importation of refined petroleum products? Clearly, the Congressman was reading context into this resolution that just isn’t there. Especially given the recent history of the Bush Administration, why would Congress take any chance with language that could in any way give Bush any justification what-so-ever? Please read the congressman’s response and make up your own mind and let him hear from you, and please do post your comments on the forum. See Rep. Arcuri supports blockade of Iran —Take Action Now! for text and information on the resolution. As of today, no action has been taken on this resolution since it was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs (the Senate concurrent resolution is sitting in the Committee on Foreign Relations). May this resolution die in committee. If enough constituents respond, perhaps Michael Arcuri will withdraw his co-sponsorship. His letter follows. –Cris [Read more →]

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Please check out the article Unitarian Forgiveness on Crooks & Liars. The article articulates extremely well a widely shared response to the shootings at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville. In Ithaca, summer services are held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. This Sunday, we will follow with a a talking circle starting at 10:50 am on our responses and thoughts regarding the tragedy in Knoxville. –Cris [Read more →]

The IVAW will kick off its national military bases tour this coming weekend, August 1-3d with three public events adjacent to Ft Drum in Watertown, N Y

Friday, August 1st, 7:00 pm, Fundraiser for IVAW’s Bases Tour at the Different Drummer Cafe, 12 Paddock Arcade, Watertown, NY 7:00 pm Readings by Iraq vets and a DVD of excerpts from the “Winter Soldier” hearings in Washington will be shown.

Saturday, August 2d, 7:30 pm, Concert and Party at the Different Drummer, featuring “Head Roc,” “Ryan Harvey,” and other performers.

Sunday, August 3d, 1:00 pm, IVAW picnic, at beautiful Thompson Park in Watertown (designed by Frederick Olmstead of Central Park fame)

Please turn out to show your support for IVAW’s outreach efforts to active duty personnel. We promise that not only will the events be informative but they’ll be a good parties as well!

(More info: go to www.differentdrummercafe.org)
IVAW

Rep. Denis Kucinich, D-Ohio, 10th District and Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-New York, 22nd District, testify at the Judiciary Committee hearing “executive power and its constitutional limitation” July 25, 2008.

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Here is my commentary on the Impeachment Hearings (see action alert on right sidebar –you are most welcome to post your own commentary here after you take action):
As compliant and accommodating to central power as the American public often seems to be, there is something about being deceived and lied to that should raise hackles at least. I can never forget the sadness I felt when I tried to discuss the fact that there was no connection between 911 and Iraq with a co-worker soon after this lie was being promulgated. She listened to Rush. I was naive, she told me, the threat was real. [Read more →]