THIS IS IT. THE BIG EVENT. STAND UP & BE HUMAN

DARFUR is a western region in the country of SUDAN.
The President, Omar al-Bashir, of Sudan is killing some people that he doesn't like, the Darfuri families. When you target a group of people because of who there are it is not only sick, we invented a word for it after World War II. The word is GENOCIDE. But Bashir says that he isn't murdering his people. But by accounts but his, he is. And there are Chinese companies in Sudan with oil rigs reaping their oil. And 70% of the money made by selling the Sudanese oil goes to buy the very weapons that are used to murder the people of Darfur and on the border of Sudan and Chad.

Recognizing liars isn't a difficult thing. But it does mean we have to face the truth. And sometimes we choose not to face the truth. Sad, very, very sad. And a disgrace. And it means once again that we never meant it when we said “NEVER AGAIN!”

DO or DIE.

WE DO. . .

or . . .THEY DIE. .................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................

WE = the average, common every day human being, living in our homes.

THEY = the average, common every day human beings, the Darfuri family members and some Chadian family members.

There's a GENOCIDE going on. But is your American free press reporting it?

Who cares? President Bush - after reading the report on the 100 day 1994 Rwandan genocide that President Clinton complicitly allowed to go on, while ignoring its grim story - wrote in the margins of the report

“Not On MY Watch”

Well, we know he didn’t mean it. Don’t we?

Does he mean ANYthing he says?

Rwanda went on for 100 days. Darfuri families having been living, or dying, in a state of “shock and awe” otherwise defined as genocide since 2004 – for over four years. Yes, four years and “not on MY watch” are just

empty

words.

In GW Bush’s second swearing to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States he uttered these words:

“All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors…” I think that is exactly what GW has done…ignored the Darfuri families’ oppression and excused their oppressors.

In the same speech just a couple paragraphs below he also said:

“The leaders of governments with long habits of control need to know: To serve your people you must learn to trust them. Start on this journey of progress and justice, and America will walk at your side.” How does he say his words without choking while he says them.

His words are noble. His actions are not.

He says a lot of things. He just doesn’t do many of them, but the senseless ones.

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PETER, PAUL AND MARY lyrics - Rolling Home

(Eric Andersen)

Truth, with all its far out schemes,

Lets time decide what it should mean;

It's not the time but just the dreams that die.

And sometimes when the room is still,

Time with so much truth to kill,

Leaves you by the window sill so tied

Without a wing, to take you high,

Without a clue to tell you why.

Now, I just want to keep my name, not bother anybody's game

Without ideas of gold or fame or insane heights.

I don't want a lot of money, I don't want a Playboy Bunny,

Just a love to call me honey late at night,

In my arms, by my side, in my arms late at night.

But I don't know, I ain't been told,

Ev'rybody wants a hand to hold.

They're so afraid of being old,

So scared of dying, so unknown

And so alone, rollin' home.

Well, I see the ones who crawl like moles

Who for a front would trade their souls,

A broken mirror's the only hole for them;

And for you who'd exchange yourselves,

Just to be somebody else,

Pretending things you never felt or meant;

Hey, you don't live what you defend,

You can't give so you just bend.

Now if you care what people think,

Like they supplied some missing link;

They'll just stand back and watch you sink so slow.

They'll never help you to decide,

They'll only take you for a ride,

After which they'll try and hide the fact that they don't know

What you should do, where you should go,

What you should do, where you should go.

There's nothing big I want to prove,

No mountains that I need to move,

Or even claim what's right or true for you.

My sights, my songs are slightly charred,

You might think they miss their mark,

But things are only what they are and nothing new

But for me, I think they'll do,

But for me, I think they'll do.

Well, I can see a king and queen, a beggar falling at my feet;

They all must see the same sad dreams at night;

Futility and senseless war, pit the rich against the poor,

While cause is buried long before the fight

For what was wrong, for what was right,

It's just the strong, who ever says what's right.

I thought of this song because of one word that is in it near the end: senseless.

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We Had to Invent a Word for What Was Done

The Word

Genocide

The following excerpt about the definition of GENOCIDE is taken from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum site:

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10007043

On December 9, 1948, in the shadow of the Holocaust and in no small part due to the tireless efforts of a Polish-Jewish lawyer named Raphael Lemkin, the United Nations approved the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. This convention establishes "genocide” as an international crime, which signatory nations “undertake to prevent and punish.” It defines genocide as:

Genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

INTERNATIONAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL: THE DEFENDANTS

The defendants listen as the prosecution begins introducing documents at the International Military Tribunal trial of war criminals at Nuremberg. November 22, 1945.

On October 18, 1945, the chief prosecutors of the International Military Tribunal (IMT) read the indictments against 24 leading Nazi officials. The four charges brought against these officials were:

1. Conspiracy to commit crimes of peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity

2. Crimes against peace

3. War crimes

4. Crimes against humanity

At this link there are the sentences handed down to the defendants at the

International Military Tribunal:

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10007070

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The Great Mandala by Peter Yarrow & Richie Havens

This weekend, Saturday, but probably more on Sunday, there are events going on around the planet earth networked by average, common every day human beings who are leaving the comforts of their homes for people who have no homes, STANDING UP, walking, lying down at the Boston Commons DIE-INS, carrying posters with messages that Time Is Up - Darfur needs us to be what we claim to be.
Decent human beings who have the moral conscience that we were born with.

I sent my final email out to my list of sign-ups and others that are on an email list regarding Darfur, but most of which I have never met. Here it is:

April 26, 2007 Last Email before the Newport Darfur Walk & Gathering

Dear Person of Conscience,

This email is going out to all people that have either signed up for Newport’s Darfur Walk & Gathering on www.savedarfur.org/globaldays or are on my original Darfur email list. I would like to send what will probably be my last email before the Walk & Gathering, this Saturday, April 28 at 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Rain or Shine. Let’s send positive thoughts out for the “Shine” option. I request that if you haven’t gone online to sign up, that you do so. This gives me a better sense of what to tell NBC, ABC and CBS when I call them again Saturday morning to see if they have chosen us for coverage that day on the news. It is important that Darfur gets in the news. If you go to www.beawitness.org and watch an extremely brief clip, you will see why it is important to me that this Darfur Walk & Gathering get in the news here in Rhode Island along side all the other events around the world.

Bring your digital cameras, take pictures and download them to me at________. I am looking for a few good pictures that capture the essence of our day to send in to have them posted alongside every other event on www.savedarfur.org If you are able Save Darfur asks us to put clips of the day up on www.youtube.com This is our way of saying we’ve had enough silence and complicity on this human rights issue of genocide vs. living out a natural life. Cox Cable is willing to put up video of the day’s event on the public access channel. It needs to be in DVD form. Another great way to help be the media instead of waiting for the media to find this story and put it on the radar screen of what is note worthy. Real news and not the entertainment news that is too common.

This is the first time that the Save Darfur Coalition of Churches, organizations and small groups have networked and planned the Darfur movement in this way where we aren’t having one central city where we transport ourselves out of state and even have to stay overnight to participate in this grassroots quiet, but steadily growing swell of voices that are saying “NO MORE” Standing Idly By and being complicit in yet one more genocide. This is the first genocide that the citizens around the world are empowered by the networking available to us through the wonderful world of the web. Over 400 events in the USA are planned this week of Global Days for Darfur. And over 30 countries besides US are stepping up and taking our swing at being the voice of the people who have no voice in Darfur.

GOOD for US. And we must not let the momentum grind to an abrupt stop after Saturday. I just got off the phone of our weekly conference call with the Save Darfur office in Washington, D.C. And what I like about this activism this time is that we already have in place plans for two or three follow-up actions to take after Saturday and Sunday’s big events are over. I’ll be telling you all about these on Saturday.

Don’t stay home. Come. Bring your friends, children, family members, co-workers…I am so excited that we ARE going to have media coverage. This is one of the goals for this under-reported story that belongs on the front pages of responsible journalism. Not relegated to a Letter to the Editor or infrequent mentions over the four years that it has been allowed to deny our words of NEVER AGAIN. Overall, Rhode Island is apathetic about this issue. But you are not. And because there is so much disinterest and apathy, you are even more important than you think you are.

The Newport Daily News has committed two things: 1) publish my Letter to the Editor, hopefully, April 28, Friday, otherwise, my text will be stale 2) they are sending a reporter and a staff photographer to our event. So, if you have a Darfur t-shirt, wear it. If you have a blue hat we suggest you wear it to signify UN Peacekeepers’ blue. Four women “who rule in my book”
got together last evening for two intensely artful hours and made fabulous posters for you to carry and make our presence effective as we walk. I have various flyers that will need to be passed out not only to you, but to people we pass as we walk to Washington Square. This is an historic town and we are on an historic path to be the first citizens to insist that genocide’s termination is long over due.

We are a part of probably hundreds of thousands over the weekend around the world. We may not be a huge group, but we walk along side other “people of conscience” around the nation and around this planet that all want to see peace. We are given love to give it.

And please, when asked by a volunteer to sign the petition to ask Fidelity to divest their holdings from Chinese Oil Companies in Sudan which in turn that money buys the Sudanese government’s military equipment (70% of Sudan’s budget goes to the military) to bomb and murder their own unarmed families in their homes - please, sign the petition. It IS ONE thing we can do with or without our government’s direct support and action.

Come, find that there are others in Rhode Island who care about the human disaster, genocide.

Thanks for being willing to “Stand Up & Stand Out” for Darfur.

Sandra

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Great news! Thanks to your work, 96 Senators are now signing the

Biden-Lugar Darfur letter to President Hu of China!

Here’s The Letter your elected politicians have been signing to pressure China to stop being supporters of President Omar al-Bashir and his government-supported genocide on unarmed families, while using rape as a tool of genocide.

April ___, 2006

President Hu Jintao

c/o Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong

Embassy of China

2300 Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20008

Dear President Hu:

We are writing to request your assistance on a matter of grave mutual concern requiring urgent action.

The devastating crisis in western Sudan has escalated despite UNSC Resolution 1706, and the subsequent agreement brokered by the United Nations late last year in Addis Ababa to establish a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur. Simply put, the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) has not had the troop level, financial resources, institutional capacity or mandate to protect civilians or humanitarian organizations in Darfur. The Government of Sudan has yet to formally agree to admit UN peacekeepers. In fact, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir recently sent a disturbing letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in which he backed away from the Addis agreement to implement phases II and III, the heavy support package and a robust UN peacekeeping force. President al-Bashir’s stonewalling while civilians are raped and killed in Darfur is unacceptable.

The conflict waged by Sudanese government forces and government-backed Janjawid militias against armed rebel groups has driven more than 230,000 Darfuri refugees into Chad, and displaced more than 120,000 Chadians. Hundreds of thousands of Darfuri civilians have been killed and an estimated 2 million displaced in Darfur itself. The conflict has had particularly devastating consequences for women and children, who make up the vast majority of victims. Humanitarian operations have also been increasingly attacked and disrupted in recent months—leaving millions without access to the most basic assistance.

We appreciate the steps the international community and China have taken to confront war crimes and other egregious human rights violations in Darfur. Now, we urge China to do even more and to reassess one recent decision. Providing the Government of Sudan an interest-free loan to build a presidential palace clearly sends the wrong message to Khartoum. We hope that you will reconsider the loan and impress upon President al-Bashir the need to halt Sudan's military operations throughout Darfur, to withdraw Sudanese troops from the area, and to accept a robust AU/UN peacekeeping force in Darfur. These steps, at a minimum, are essential to enforce the ceasefire, protect civilians, ensure access to humanitarian assistance, and begin the path to reconstruction and reconciliation in Darfur.

As Members of the U.S. Congress, our primary objectives in this endeavor, and those of our constituents across the United States, are to protect civilians in Darfur, end the violence, find a just resolution to the political conflict, and begin the long path to reconstruction and reconciliation.

We must now work together as an international community; there is no time left to wait. We therefore appeal to you today to use your influence in words and in deeds to protect civilians. China has a lead role to play in insuring that President al-Bashir accept the best and most reasonable path to peace, move forward with the heavy support package, and the full contingent of UN peacekeepers and related personnel in Darfur. We would appreciate any information you can share on actions China intends to take to protect civilians in Darfur.

Sincerely,

Your Senator’s Name

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www.savedarfur.org

www.fidelityoutofsudan.com

www.genocideintervention.net

www.standnow.org

Call 1-800-GENOCIDE

to tell President Bush,

your Governor,

your U.S. Senators and Representatives

to proactively support and/or pass legislation to end the genocide in Darfur.

We The People must be part of our government.

IOAN ONLINE GOES OFFLINE APRIL 30, 2007…IOAN, AS IN IOAN GRUFFUDD...A TRIBUTE TO THE WEBSITE AND IOAN, Of Course

Ioan . . .“If I Didn’t Care”

Ioan

Gruffudd

doesn't

take

any

bad

photos

........................................................................................

........................................................................................

"I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire"

He

is

just

dessert

for

the

eyes

and

fun

for

the

soul

"It Hurts Me More Than It Hurts You" by The Mills Brothers

Source for

all

Ioan Gruffudd's

photos

is www.ioanonline.com

which

will be

no

more...

soon...

Gone too soon.

IOAN ONLINE GOES OFFLINE APRIL 30, 2007…IOAN AS IN IOAN GRUFFUDD...

A Tribute To The Website

and Ioan, Of Course

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APRIL’S . . . WWW.IOANONLINE.COM’S . . . IOAN GRUFFUDD

I am a relatively new admirer of the acting abilities and dashing good looks of and the dapper dresser – Wale’s Ioan Gruffudd. I found this wonderfully managed and rich resource website of Ioan, www.ioanonline.com

But two days ago, I learned the very sad news that the website will close April 30, 2007. This website was not only good for fans of Ioan Gruffudd, but it had to be an unquestionable gold mine for Ioan Gruffudd’s career and his rise to being noticed quicker than he might have been had there been no ioanonline managed - by April. Never being a “thread” reader, lurker or threads’ participant, I had no idea of the turmoil that had been brewing just very recently on the threads there.

Here I include entries of mine that I finally did participate and leave on the website thread where a sad farewell is being worked out by those who have been well-healed members of the threads, as well as people like me, who have been coming “out of the woodwork”:

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I only came looking for Ioan Gruffudd on the internet after I was so impressed with Matthew Rhys on my favorite TV show, Brothers and Sisters.

I believed it all started for me with an Elle magazine article that interviewed Ioan and Matthew together, which I must have discovered here. Otherwise, I don’t remember the details of how I “fell” upon this wonderfully managed site, but I have been impressed with it ever since. I even started my own blog and have done several postings about Ioan using pictures and clips that originated here, although I spotted them on Youtube and I put links to this site on my blog’s postings. My lastest posting was about the Imus mess, but I started the posting with 3 gorgeous pictures of Ioan taken from this site, writing “Just…because…Ioan Gruffudd is beautiful” under the pictures, then going on my exploration of Imus exposing not only his prejudices but all of our flaws. The comprehensive coverage of Ioan through the clips, pictures, his projects past and current and links are phenomenal, here. I so very much appreciated it and admired it. I am relatively a newcomer to Ioanonline.com and wondered just WHO the most capable, dedicated and giving person was behind this wonderful website, so I am staying up way past my personal “curfew” to write and tell you, (now that I know who you are…)

April, to say “Thank You.”

And please, know that I have so many hits on my original post for Ioan on my blog. Even though it is a net “oldie” it still gets hits. And when I wrote to the Blog over at Brothers and Sisters at www.abc.go.com to pitch my thought of Ioan being cast to play Kevin’s beau friend on Brothers and Sisters, that post was never posted by the administrators of the blog. Which I took as a good sign. I provided all the links to them for Ioan here on this website, provided youtubes of your original video clips, as well as the Elle magazine article mentioned above.

April, you’ve done a marvelous job. I don’t know what has been going on here, because I seldom read the chat stuff. But I get the drift that feelings have been frayed and burned. That is a sad thing. I am sorry for all that have been burned, hurt and tarnished.

I will miss coming here and getting my "Daily Minimum Requirement" boost from all this site has to offer. I especially loved you keeping us up with his interviews, which I clicked my way to with enthusiasm. And I so adored the pictures. Where else would we get such a wealth of pictures of Ioan and also of Alice! She is beautiful. The wallpaper pictures were fabulous. I have folders and folders filled with just some of the pictures I garnered from this website. One of my latest, I entitled: “Ioan Gruffudd, Pictures to Die For”. I have raved and raved over the film Amazing Grace on my blog and at speeches that I give about Darfur. Just yesterday, I caught AG for my 15th time. As it was the last day for the film, I had to go one more time. As a human rights activist, I even had to be on a nationwide conference call at the same time. So with earpiece in my ear I listened to the conference call for the 1st hour of Amazing Grace while listening to the meeting report of the Darfur activists with President Bush and updates on the GLOBAL DAYS FOR DARFUR, April 23 – 30, 2007. www.savedarfur.org/globaldays

And thanks to Ioan for allowing us this wonderful site. I am

so

very

sad

that it is coming to a close.

We can’t live our lives to please others.

We can only live our lives with integrity

and keep our faith in the goodness innate in our spirits.

I wish you all the best of life.

And for Ioan and Alice I wish the most beautiful wedding and continued happiness and contentment.

I wanted to say my thanks.

http://ilovemylifebrothersandsisters.blogspot.com/

ilovemylife

Sandra Hammel

Rhode Island, USA

April, blessings...

<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:< After reading so many heartfelt expressions - yours rang fresh, true and even made me laugh at your witty humor. Before tonight, I had posted once only I believe it was...but yes, I think the Pledge is a grand idea. I don't know what caused this - but I gather something was said by some or someone that was unkind about Alice, Ioan's love. I suppose all the celebrities who have sued the tabloids for "certain words" would understand someone who is funding a "place of words" to withdraw his money if it hurt the one person in the world that meant the world to him. I suppose that could be perceived differently by different hearts and minds just as everything in life tends to actualize out - but in the end if one has to make a decision regarding the people we personally love on a day to day basis - or our career and that career's fan base, then I suppose a man of integrity and in love would do what the song "When A Man Loves A Woman" says. *see below

Tough act.

Still all in all this has to be the best fan and actor's website ever. It has certainly helped promote Ioan Gruffudd's career. I will miss it very much.

Thank you, April for all of your heart and soul. This is a work of heart.

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A "Dear Ioan and Alice" letter for all eyes to see

Dear Ioan and Alice,

Whatever has been said or done that has been hurtful, I am in the dark about. I have read this farewell blog at www.ioanonline.com and what I have noticed is that there is angst, emotional pain and a "feeling" that someone has died, but I have also noticed something else. Something to take notice of, acknowledge, draw inspiration from and find reason to celebrate.

There are lovely tributes to April and the others named by the "more qualified" than me to bring names forward. And, also, what I have noticed is the beautiful poetry, song texts and personal expressions that obviously come from the posters’ life experiences, but also it has come because we all came here in search of knowing more about Ioan Gruffudd. A young man from Cardiff, Wales. I didn’t know where exactly Wales or Cardiff was before. But I do now. I know that Ioan isn’t said ee-ehn. I know that Welsh is a beautiful language because I have heard you and Matthew Rhys speak it on a clip of a documentary film I found through this wonderful and resourceful “work of heart” called www.ioanonline.com.

Your God-given spirit and gifts have triggered our God-given spirits and gifts. We inspire one another. Bad stuff aside, there is beauty expressed here on this thread. There is a humanity showing strong, gentleness is in many of these posts, sincerity and love is here for you and for Alice. Yes, I know that we don’t all share the same feelings, thoughts, words and experiences with what has apparently happened as of late. Personally, I haven’t been involved. But I have loved this site for all the wonderful support it has given you and therefore, been a rich resource for me and my use on my blog.

I hope we, each one, can notice the beauty being expressed here for you. And for Alice by many. We are all one humanity, one blood and of the same Great Spirit. Words can cut, sting and cause deeper pain than the slash of a knife. I know that. However, let us not miss the genuine love for you that is being outpoured here. Many of us are coming “out of the woodwork” because we are stunned that this place is going to be gone so very soon. I personally feel like someone died in my family. Forgive me for my sense of humor…Maybe a second cousin that I always loved from a distance, but nonetheless, I feel like I am mourning.

I have an entire folder filled with quotes on napkins and paper towels written down in the dark of the 15 times that I saw Amazing Grace, but I feel a little fragile right now and don’t feel like digging out the lines you say, but there is a place in the movie where you, as William Wilberforce, are speaking to the House of Commons MPs pleading in a way for their humanity to come up out of the recesses of their hearts. You are saying that you believe that they all are good people, with good hearts, with humanity. But while Wilber is saying this, he is being shouted down by his peers.

Your loved one, Alice, is precious to you and you have every right and are right to stand by her to show your valiant respect for her. I don’t speak for all, but certainly for my deeply felt emotions and philosophy. And just like Wilber I believe we are all good people in the end. (Well, maybe not Osama bin Laden…again forgive my sense of humor.) We all find ourselves with soft places in our hearts. We all have compassion. All should stand by with courage and integrity - the ones we love .

Along the way, somehow we human beings can make mistakes, we mess things up. We get tangled up. I offer you my olive branch. If I could I would…make amends. I just don’t know how.

I don’t say any of this to point fingers at anyone. I’m just sad... for all. Yes, I will miss the wonderful gift called www.ioanonline.com but my feelings or honor haven’t been hurt. I’m an outsider in this sense. But I feel pain through empathy. And I would like to begin some healing.

I love the spirit that I see in you, Ioan Gruffudd. I appreciate your gifts that you publicly share with us. I respect your privacy and your intimate life.

And I thank all of those who have created this site that we are preparing to say good-by to.

I love the arts. They have been a blessing to me my whole life. Long live the humanity that we get to see in the arts, in theatre, in acting, music, poetry, dance, in art. Long live our human hearts.

I wish you Ioan and Alice the best of life...happiness, contentment, full hearts.

If I could I would hug each one. You, Alice. And also those others who need to heal. "There is one sure way to remind a child of their connection to life and other human beings and that they are important and valuable...it's called a hug." Lauren Munger
I believe this remains true for children no matter our age.

Healing be yours,

Sandra Hammel
online known as ilovemylife
Portsmouth, Rhode Island, USA
http://ilovemylifebrothersandsisters. blogspot.com/
www.savedarfur.org
www.genocideintervention.net

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"There's a chance Peace Will Come in your life
Please buy one..." Melanie Safka

"DO NOT KILL ME
before you search my eyes
before you see through me
and I through you
for a place to be…"
Joseph Pintauro

"Without You" by Mariah Carey

“If nearness kills love what hope is there for humanity?” Sudborough

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Pictures to be found until April 30, 2007:

http://www.ioanonline.com/index.php?set_albumName=album20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;id=aioan0702578_a_002&name=gallery&include=view_photo.php

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* WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN

When a man loves a woman
Can't keep his mind on nothin' else
He'd trade the world
For a good thing he's found
If she is bad, he can't see it
She can do no wrong
Turn his back on his best friend
If he puts her down

When a man loves a woman
Spend his very last dime
Trying to hold on to what he needs
He'd give up all his comforts
And sleep out in the rain
If she said that's the way
It ought to be

When a man loves a woman
I give you everything I've got (yeah)
Trying to hold on
To your precious love
Baby please don't treat me bad

When a man loves a woman
Deep down in his soul
She can bring him such misery
If she is playing him for a fool
He's the last one to know
Loving eyes can never see

Yes when a man loves a woman
I now exactly how he feels
'Cause baby, baby, baby
I am a man …
When a man loves a woman…

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BEING THE CHANGE I WANT TO SEE

BEING THE CHANGE I WANT TO SEE

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WHAT WORTH IS OUR LIFE IF OUR HUMANESS IS NOT SHINING

THROUGH ALL THE MIRE?

In 2004, I came across one PBS Frontline episode that will continue to affect me for the rest of my life. It was titled “Ghosts of Rwanda”. I educated myself through books and the internet about the genocide that happened without my total awareness. Although the story at the time was the O.J. Simpson trial, I do remember reporting of the genocide in a far away country – Rwanda. I remember Prudence Bushnell being asked how many “acts of genocide” does it take to make a genocide.

I am now a full-time activist for human rights, specifically about genocide. I am involved in the grassroots effort to end the 21^st Century genocide in Darfur. However the genocide started just before we went to war against weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

During April 23 – 30, 2007, “Global Days for Darfur”, worldwide Darfur events are taking place. There are 307 events in the USA alone. Additionally, there are events worldwide in 30 countries, including South Korea, where U.N. Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon is from. In Newport, we have “Darfur Walk & Gathering”, Saturday, April 28, 3:00 p.m. The Walk starts at Touro Park. Newport is the only event city in Rhode Island. The biggest event, “The Die-In March and Divestment Rally” in New England will be at the Boston Commons, Sunday, April 29, at 1:00 p.m.. Sign-ups for all events can be made at www.savedarfur.org/globaldays

The Massachusetts Save Darfur Coalition is leading the nation in the campaign to divest from Fidelity. www.fidelityoutofsudan.com is a wealth of informative sources to learn the power we have as an average U.S. citizen of a free society to act and make a difference. Unknowingly many of us are helping Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir fund his government-sponsored genocide.

The government of Sudan continues the genocide on its people in Darfur, drawing on its oil revenue to provide arms, helicopters and otherwise fund the genocide, rather than fund economic development for the poor people of Sudan. Despite the mass atrocities in Darfur, Fidelity, through its mutual funds, not only has been a major investor in oil companies operating in Sudan, but it has been significantly increasing its holdings. As of February, Fidelity's global holdings of PetroChina topped $1.3 billion. It is the largest holder of PetroChina (PTR) on the NYSE.

Consider joining other citizens who are finding ways to empower themselves through simply asking their 401K plan administrator to address Sudan oil investments, in order to make an impact upon ending genocide. Check your portfolio and ensure you are not investing in companies in Sudan's oil industry. Consider divesting from PetroChina and Sinopec and mutual funds that hold these stocks. Tell Fidelity to stop investing our money in companies that in reality help to fund the genocide in Darfur. Sign the petition “Fidelity Out of Sudan”.

What would you want the world to do IF This Was YOU as the victim of genocide and irresponsible investment companies?

You will be joining thousands of Darfur activists from around the world if you step up to make a difference in an effort to make a better world.

“We ARE the WORLD”

We have Brothers and Sisters all around the planet Earth.

Do we really think what we say and do doesn’t affect others?

Do you think that when you think about the Virginia Tech human disaster?

Bullying, on any level, personal or by nations, including ours, DOES make a difference and does make an impact. We pay for this lesson, yet to learn.

The above is my Letter to the Editor submitted to The Newport Daily News, April 23, 2007.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCveelEJYp8

“Last Night I Had The Strangest the Dream”

When I was teaching music in schools the first few years of my 30 year career, I taught the children this song. I got into trouble because of it. The message was found to be offensive. I taught in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where the Navy base had many children in our public schools at that time. I was told not to ever use it again.

This song has been recorded in 76 languages, this has become one of the most enduring and treasured peace songs.Possibly the very best anti-war song ever...a strong argument presented sweetly and with reason. This song was written in 1950 by Ed McCurdy and has been recorded by many artists over the years including The Weavers, John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Cash and Garth Brooks. This is derkman’s rendition.

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Below is my email sent to those who have sign-up at www.savedarfur.org/globaldays for a GLOBAL DAYS FOR DARFUR event in Newport, Rhode Island to occur on April 28, 2007:

Dear Person of Conscience,

This is a reminder that you have signed up to attend the Walk & Gathering in Newport, next Saturday. Please come, but please also ask your friends, family and co-workers to consider being one of thousands worldwide to join in this call to the world to Stand Up & Stand Out against genocide:

*April 28, Saturday, 3:00 p.m. meeting at Touro Park, 135 Pelham Street, Newport, Walk & Gathering for Darfur, we will begin our walk, with posters (some will be provided) and wear a blue hats, if possible, (Blue to signal we need UN Peacekeepers on the ground in Darfur) and end our walk at Washington Square in downtown Newport. Hopefully we will have Newport-tourist-weather and we will be seen by many. You are asked to bring hour glasses, small clocks, time pieces of any kind - to signify "Time is Running Out" for Darfur and for the world to take action to help stop this madness. I ask you not to litter and leave paper, posters and hour glasses, etc. I don't want to have to stay after and pick it up. : )

Another Newport event during this week of "Global Days for Darfur" is tomorrow night:

*April 23, Monday, 7:00 p.m. at Channing Unitarian Church, 135 Pelham Street, Newport, we are showing two films, a small portion of "Heroes of the Spirit" and all of "Darfur Diaries - Message from Home". Also, the book "Darfur Diaries - Stories of Survival" will be on sale for $17.07. And six of the books are signed by Jen Marlowe, one of the authors. There will be a petition to sign to urge Fidelity to know that we are serious about their divesting from companies in Sudan that help fund the genocide in Darfur. A free-will offering will be taken.

For information about Divestment and the investment company, Fidelity, go to

www.fidelityoutofsudan.com

And click here to go to a video about divesting from Sudan, including Fidelity, and the great work of the Save Darfur Massachusetts committed "people of conscience".
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2214009&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.1.1

It took 12 years for the world to end the holocaust. We are now at the beginning of our 5th year of the Darfur genocide. Are we going to wait 8 more years and turn our attention away from this human disaster, living a life of complicit involvement in genocide? Or are we going to STEP UP AND DO WHAT WE CAN DO TO STOP THIS MADNESS?

Thank you for being a part of the grassroots ground swell during this week of Planet Earth's People Uniting Against Genocide, Specifically in Darfur, Sudan.

Darfur activists are planning a total of 332 events in 246 cities in the United States, alone! Concerned citizens are uniting in more than 30 countries around the globe to demand peace and protection now for the people of Darfur.

You are joining thousands of Darfur activists from around the world.

To End Genocide We Need More People Of Conscience to Step Up!

It Will Take You and Me to End Genocide.

Think of what you would want the world to do IF this was you as the victim of genocide
and irresponsible investment companies.

In an effort to make a better world for you, me and all the children in the world,

Sandra Hammel

A quote from the Amazing Grace movie:

"When you make the world better in one way, it becomes better in all ways."

Let's Make Genocide History!

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Why citizens and investors should take action against Fidelity

in the effort to Stop the Genocide on the Darfuris

Taken from www.fidelityoutofsudan.com

• Sudan and its government-sponsored Janjaweed militia have committed pervasive violations of human rights in Darfur, Sudan, since early 2003, earning the designation of the first genocide of the 21st century.
• The atrocities taking place in Darfur, Sudan, have been identified as genocide by unanimous declaration of Congress in July 2004, by two Secretaries of State, and by the President of the United States.
• The genocide in Darfur has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and the displacement of millions of Darfurians, and is continuing to claim victims.
• There is a well-established link between the oil industry in Sudan and the revenue of the Government of Sudan which overwhelmingly goes to increased arms and funding of the genocide in Darfur.
• Fidelity, through its mutual funds, not only has been a major investor in two of the largest oil companies operating in Sudan, PetroChina (through its parent CNPC) and Sinopec (aka China Petroleum), but it has been significantly increasing its holdings in these tainted companies.
• Fidelity is the largest holder of PetroChina on the New York Stock Exchange. Counting Fidelity's holdings around the world, Fidelity owns 5% of the outstanding shares of PetroChina, worth $1.3 billion, as of their February 14, 2007 SEC filing.
• PetroChina's closely related parent, CNPC, is Sudan's largest partner in the oil industry there. We hold PetroChina accountable, just as we would CNPC, since the "separation between these two companies is largely cosmetic" and they "should not be rewarded" for creating distinctions on paper to obscure their connections to the genocide.
• US law prohibits American companies from doing business in Sudan, yet Americans are legally able to invest in foreign companies operating in Sudan. Over the last two years, many large investors, including US colleges and states pension funds, have made the responsible decision to divest from PetroChina and Sinopec.
• This is not the first time people have raised concerns about the impact of Fidelity's investments. In the years before the genocide in Darfur, Fidelity stubbornly held on to its investments in Talisman Energy, while genocide and large scale slavery spurred public protests and 2 million people were killed in South Sudan, even though other major investors and financial institutions divested.
• Fidelity has been unresponsive to the concerns detailed in our formal inquiries and requests, made clear in a series of five letters since the end of September 2006, delivered to 51 Fidelity executive management, trustees, board members, and fund managers.
• Fidelity's sole response has been a form letter thanking us for our interest, saying that everything they do is legal, and emphasizing that their only concern is their fiduciary responsibility.
• Millions of Americans are customers of Fidelity and have money entrusted to them. We can and should expect better from a trusted advisor. Who wants to support a company which insists on investing in companies which help fund genocide?
• Looking back, who would support the idea of investing in firms that sought to make a profit by selling Zyklon-B gas to the Nazis or machetes for the genocide in Rwanda? Looking forward, who wants their personal savings and pension funds invested in companies that help fund the genocide in Darfur?

Who is Fidelity

• Fidelity is FMR Corp., Fidelity Management and Research, Fidelity Investments, Fidelity mutual funds, Fidelity brokerage services, Fidelity 401K services, Fidelity payroll services, Fidelity NetBenefits, Fidelity International Limited.

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Please, be aware that I am scheduling Darfur lobbying appointments with Senator Jack Reed, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Patrick Kennedy. I am waiting for dates from their respective Rhode Island schedulers. The appointments will be here in Rhode Island. It would be wonderful to have some of you join in this very important effort. The dates that I am being given are for the most part the last week of May or first week of June. Confirmation is yet to be announced.

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I have removed all of my mutual funds that were with Fidelity.

Please accept this blog posting as me…

Being the Change I Want to See.

I hope you will consider following my example,

if you should see merit in it.

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