HONORING VETERANS

WITH TRUTH
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BODY OF WAR

Tomas Young ~ Text from www.bodyofwarmusic.com

When Tomas Young saw President Bush on television speaking from the ruins of the Twin Towers, his life changed. Just two days after 9-11, he responded to the call to defend his country by enlisting in the Army. He was 22 years old and lived in Kansas City.

As his basic training began at Ft. Hood, he assumed that he would be shipped off to Afghanistan where the terrorist camps were based, routing out Al Qaeda and Taliban warriors. But soon, Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq and everything changed.

Tomas arrived in Iraq in late March of 2004, almost exactly one year after the war officially began and ten months after President Bush had declared, "Mission Accomplished." On April 4, he was sent on his first mission to Sadr City. While riding with fellow soldiers in an unarmored Humvee with no canvas covering, he was shot just above his left collarbone. He later described it as "shooting fish in a barrel." He was instantly paralyzed. In his very brief tour of duty, he had not fired a single shot.

Paralyzed and unconscious, Tomas was first evacuated to Kuwait, then Germany and finally moved to Walter Reed Army Medical Center near Washington, D.C. for more long-term treatment.

As he slowly came back to consciousness and his new life paralyzed from the chest down, Tomas began to question the entire premise of the Iraq war. As he lay in his hospital bed watching the near constant reports of those killed and wounded, the war didn't make any sense to him. What did Iraq have to do with the attacks of 9-11 or Islamic terrorists? If there were no weapons of mass destruction, what was the U.S. still doing in Iraq? He knew that everyday young men just like himself were dying and being severely wounded, Iraqis and Americans. And to what purpose?
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Body of War is an intimate and transformational feature documentary about the true face of war today. Meet Tomas Young, 25 years old, paralyzed from a bullet to his spine - wounded after serving in Iraq for less than a week.

Body of War is Tomas' coming home story as he evolves into a new person, coming to terms with his disability and finding his own unique and passionate voice against the war. The film is produced and directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, and features two original songs by Eddie Vedder. Body of War is a naked and honest portrayal of what it's like inside the body, heart and soul of this extraordinary and heroic young man.

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Body of War - Phil Donahue on Bill Moyers Journal
Uploaded by riphotpotatomash

PBS' Bill Moyers Journal webpage regarding Body of War



Related pages:

Buying the War at www.pbs.org/moyers/journal

Cost of the War at www.pbs.org/moyers/journal
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Senator Byrd's speech opposing Iraq War March 19, 2003 Part 1
Uploaded by DemRapidResponse

Text taken from byrd.senate.gov

"The Arrogance of Power"

I believe in this beautiful country. I have studied its roots and gloried in the wisdom of its magnificent Constitution. I have marveled at the wisdom of its founders and framers. Generation after generation of Americans has understood the lofty ideals that underlie our great Republic. I have been inspired by the story of their sacrifice and their strength.

But, today I weep for my country. I have watched the events of recent months with a heavy, heavy heart. No more is the image of America one of strong, yet benevolent peacekeeper. The image of America has changed. Around the globe, our friends mistrust us, our word is disputed, our intentions are questioned.

Instead of reasoning with those with whom we disagree, we demand obedience or threaten recrimination. Instead of isolating Saddam Hussein, we seem to have isolated ourselves. We proclaim a new doctrine of preemption which is understood by few and feared by many. We say that the United States has the right to turn its firepower on any corner of the globe which might be suspect in the war on terrorism. We assert that right without the sanction of any international body. As a result, the world has become a much more dangerous place.

We flaunt our superpower status with arrogance. We treat UN Security Council members like ingrates who offend our princely dignity by lifting their heads from the carpet. Valuable alliances are split. After war has ended, the United States will have to rebuild much more than the country of Iraq. We will have to rebuild America's image around the globe.

The case this Administration tries to make to justify its fixation with war is tainted by charges of falsified documents and circumstantial evidence. We cannot convince the world of the necessity of this war for one simple reason. This is a war of choice.

There is no credible information to connect Saddam Hussein to 9/11. The twin towers fell because a world-wide terrorist group, Al Qaeda, with cells in over 60 nations, struck at our wealth and our influence by turning our own planes into missiles, one of which would likely have slammed into the dome of this beautiful Capitol except for the brave sacrifice of the passengers on board.

The brutality seen on September 11th and in other terrorist attacks we have witnessed around the globe are the violent and desperate efforts by extremists to stop the daily encroachment of western values upon their cultures. That is what we fight. It is a force not confined to borders. It is a shadowy entity with many faces, many names, and many addresses.

But, this Administration has directed all of the anger, fear, and grief which emerged from the ashes of the twin towers and the twisted metal of the Pentagon towards a tangible villain, one we can see and hate and attack. And villain he is. But, he is the wrong villain. And this is the wrong war. If we attack Saddam Hussein, we will probably drive him from power. But, the zeal of our friends to assist our global war on terrorism may have already taken flight.

The general unease surrounding this war is not just due to "orange alert." There is a pervasive sense of rush and risk and too many questions unanswered. How long will we be in Iraq? What will be the cost? What is the ultimate mission? How great is the danger at home? A pall has fallen over the Senate Chamber. We avoid our solemn duty to debate the one topic on the minds of all Americans, even while scores of thousands of our sons and daughters faithfully do their duty in Iraq.

What is happening to this country? When did we become a nation which ignores and berates our friends? When did we decide to risk undermining international order by adopting a radical and doctrinaire approach to using our awesome military might? How can we abandon diplomatic efforts when the turmoil in the world cries out for diplomacy?

Why can this President not seem to see that America's true power lies not in its will to intimidate, but in its ability to inspire?

War appears inevitable. But, I continue to hope that the cloud will lift. Perhaps Saddam will yet turn tail and run. Perhaps reason will somehow still prevail. I along with millions of Americans will pray for the safety of our troops, for the innocent civilians in Iraq, and for the security of our homeland. May God continue to bless the United States of America in the troubled days ahead, and may we somehow recapture the vision which for the present eludes us.

The Senators Recorded Votes on going to war in Iraq

Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---77
Allard (R-CO) Allen (R-VA) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Bennett (R-UT) Biden (D-DE) Bond (R-MO) Breaux (D-LA) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burns (R-MT) Campbell (R-CO) Cantwell (D-WA) Carnahan (D-MO) Carper (D-DE) Cleland (D-GA) Clinton (D-NY) Cochran (R-MS) Collins (R-ME) Craig (R-ID) Crapo (R-ID) Daschle (D-SD) DeWine (R-OH) Dodd (D-CT) Domenici (R-NM) Dorgan (D-ND)	Edwards (D-NC) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Feinstein (D-CA) Fitzgerald (R-IL) Frist (R-TN) Gramm (R-TX) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hagel (R-NE) Harkin (D-IA) Hatch (R-UT) Helms (R-NC) Hollings (D-SC) Hutchinson (R-AR) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Johnson (D-SD) Kerry (D-MA) Kohl (D-WI) Kyl (R-AZ) Landrieu (D-LA) Lieberman (D-CT) Lincoln (D-AR) Lott (R-MS) Lugar (R-IN)	McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Miller (D-GA) Murkowski (R-AK) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Nickles (R-OK) Reid (D-NV) Roberts (R-KS) Rockefeller (D-WV) Santorum (R-PA) Schumer (D-NY) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Smith (R-NH) Smith (R-OR) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stevens (R-AK) Thomas (R-WY) Thompson (R-TN) Thurmond (R-SC) Torricelli (D-NJ) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA)

NAYs ---23
Akaka (D-HI) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Byrd (D-WV) Chafee (R-RI) Conrad (D-ND) Corzine (D-NJ) Dayton (D-MN)	Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) Graham (D-FL) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Kennedy (D-MA) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI)	Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Reed (D-RI) Sarbanes (D-MD) Stabenow (D-MI) Wellstone (D-MN) Wyden (D-OR)

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The House of Representatives vote on going to war in Iraq 296 for and 133 against (3 didn't vote)

GW BUSH WAS IN MY LITTLE TOWN TODAY

BUSH IN TOWN, BUT OUT OF SIGHT

It's a given:
I love where I live, though its size is small, it has grand opportunities and much beauty. A small seaport called Newport, Rhode Island has history, of course the native north Americans' and of the colonial days. Newport is actually an island called Aquidneck Island by the Indians and the actual Island of Rhode Island on the map. There are only three towns on Aquidneck Island, the south end is Newport, the north end is Portsmouth and the middle is uncreatively called Middletown. I'm a transplant here, living here since I was 24 years old and now I have to admit, I'm way past those years now. Rhode Island is a tiny state...you can get anywhere in this state in an hour basically. Our biggest town is Providence, the capital of Rhode Island. The word "providence" means "God, when conceived omnisciently, directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence". The fact that the city of Providence has such substance and almighty meaning behind the definition of its name is humbling, or at least, should be humbling.

We have the mighty and beautiful tallships gracing our harbor right now. At night, their outlines are beautifully lit up. And PRESIDENT BUSH was here today. But none of us got to see him. The news reported that Airforce One landed on the Navy Base here at 10:30 a.m. He was invited by our Republican Governer Donald Carcieri to come to Rhode Island today. Now there is only one state left that Bush has never visited - Vermont. Rhode Island was taken off that short list today. Our two United States Senators and our two Representatives are all Democrat, and his approval rating here in Rhode Island according to one of the signs at the protest today, is as low as his IQ. Many of the signs were on that order, of say ... "insulting".

President was scheduled to speak at 11:00 a.m. I am a major activist here in RI for stopping genocide, specifically the one in Darfur that is four years and four months old. So I went with my poster

to the sight of other protesters gathered today close to the Navy Base where Mr. Bush spoke about the subject of

TERROR.

Only two of us had signs about Darfur. All of the other signs were of peace, getting out of Iraq,

not getting into Iran, impeaching Bush and or Cheney and so on.

We had around 250 people. Wal-Mart wouldn't let us park in their huge lot. But the Pizza Hut gave us permission. Afterward, I went to thank the manager for allowing us to do so. I think he was surprised that I did this. But it was apparent that he appreciated the "shout out".

Okay, we were pretty confident that President Bush wouldn't want to see us and would not drive by our little protest, but we knew the television cameras would probably come for the show. However, mostly they reported President Bush's speech on TERROR.

The real terror is President Bush and his "non-executive branch", Vice-President Dick Cheney. Did you hear about VP Dick Cheney saying that he isn't fully a member of the executive branch of the government this week? Unbelievable, but he said it.

The support of those who drove by all of our signs was overwhelmingly in support of the protesters. And when my neighbor

and I walked the streets of Newport with our Darfur signs with all of the tourists in town for the tallships, we were very much supported. People asked to take pictures of us and gave us words of thanks.

It's too bad that President Bush chooses to only represents those that he can pidgeon hole as his true supporters. His supporters have given this man license to ruthlessly strip us as a nation of our reputation worldwide with his stupidity. When he "ran" for President he only allowed people into his "town meetings" who supported him. He hand picked his crowds. What kind of democracy is it, that the Presidential candidate will only speak in front of those that he hand picks?

This guy has sold us down a political river and doesn't even care that it's polluted.

I'm not a Bush supporter because I don't agree with anything that he has done as President.

When what’s wrong is pretended to be right, we are not facing the truth. That is a problem. And that is where we are as a nation of wrongs with the current Administration.

Iraq should not have been invaded. And “not leaving” Iraq will never make that fact right, Mr. President.

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Genocide – Never Again

Let’s work on that.

www.savedarfur.org

www.genocideintervention.net

www.sudandivestment.com

www.ajws.org

www.aiusa.org

www.standnow.org

21+ MILLION HUMANS LIVING AS REFUGEES AND WHO CARES

WHAT MOVES US? AND WHY?

The news that gets reported on my local and national news televised shows leaves me with no desire to get my news from them.

Go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/ and get a different sort of world wide coverage than we get in the USA overall. This website covers, in depth, the world.

Get Sudan news here:
http://sudan.net/

Personally I feel that television journalism quality in the USA has sunk so low that it is not worth my time. Is it that we USA citizens don't want to know about what is going on around the planet or that our news media has been feeding us "news candy" for so long that we don't recognize the state of media news coverage?

Yesterday, was Refugee Day. And it made me think that millions of people don't have a bathroom to use, running water, electricity - all the things that we take for granted. Many fear for their lives every minute of every 24 hour day. Children who are abducted to be soldiers and forced to do things that we refuse to think about for more than a fleeting moment.

A refugee is a person who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country..."

The 1951 Convention relating to
the Status of Refugees

"The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees." http://www.unhcr.org/basics.html

Video from a Refugee Camp with David Rubenstein (Past Executive Director of the Save Darfur Coalition) and actress Mia Farrow. They traveled to Darfuri refugee camps in Chad to document first hand testimonials from the victims of the ongoing genocide in Darfur:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=A_jjTJ19WgE

This is our world. And it is not right that we don't speak up and act when we have so many blessings. The things that consume our time, thoughts and money are what speak to what is important to us. If we don't even want to know what is happening in the real world, then the problem is not only the victims but our individual and governments' moral compasses have been lost.

"Today, there are more than 33 million people in need of international protection and assistance. Roughly 12 million are refugees and more than 21 million are internally displaced people (meaning they have been forced from their homes by violence or disaster but have not crossed an international border). People displaced inside their countries face the same hardships as refugees, without the same protection under international law." http://www.arcrelief.org

I was raised to be a Christian. I was taught: On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand, "Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them, "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!"

What I see is "I've got mine". And that seems to be the end of the philosophy. Whether you claim to be Christian, a believer in some other God-based faith or what I consider myself to be today, a humanist, who believes that we are all sisters and brothers who should look out for one another with empathy and compassion - this world is suffering from the "I've got mine" attitude and blaming the ills of the world on the "evil-doers" is lame at best.

What's in it for you is that you aren't free until every one is free. So, those who die with the most possessions or in the so-called "richest" country in the world have no more guarantee to happiness in her or his heart than one living under a tree or piece of card board in a refugee camp.

I am happy not because someone else must receive less than their due to pave the way for my happiness. But I am happy because I am living my life in the light of truth and integrity. What makes no sense to me is that we claim to be free when in deed we are not.

Words are not enough. I am sick of George Bush getting away with his dishonorable conduct. I am sick of speaking out about the Darfur genocide and the whole world just lets it go by without even a genuine effort to stop it. Who are we, if not hypocrites? Hypocrites: a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc. that he or she does not actually possess, especially whose actions belie stated beliefs. That's what my dictionary says a hypocrite is. To me it defines President Bush.

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May 29, 2007 Lobbying U.S. RI Senator Whitehouse
regarding Darfur genocide

Left to right: Bill York, Frankie DaPonte,Samantha Brilhante, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, me, Sandra Hammel,"Instead of Mourning a Genocide - Stop One", Jackie Cano, Michael Murphy, Juliana Beltran, Patrick Schmitt,Frank T. Caprio, RI General Treasurer, not pictured, Xay Khamsyvoravong, RI Treasurer’s Deputy Chief of Staff, not pictured

On May 29, 2007, I arranged to meet with United States Rhode Island Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse in their Rhode Island offices to lobby them about Darfur. I invited other constituents to go with me. This was the third time that I had lobbied Senator Reed. Senator Whitehouse is in his first 6 year term as Senator. The need for the China Resolution was spelled out to Senator Reed in our lobby meeting. When I called Senator Reed's contact person for Darfur to follow up on our requests of action last week, she admitted to knowing absolutely nothing about there being a China Resolution. So I repeated my request, giving her the number of the Resolution. She said she would look into China Resolution and she didn't think there would be any problem getting Senator Reed to sign on. This proves it is not enough to speak to the Senator and trust him to do what is right. Furthermore, Senator Reed even told us that he thought he might already be a co-sponsor of the resolution. No, this was not so. We are the "Checks and Balance" on our elected politicians.

May 29, 2007 Lobbying U.S. RI Senator Reed regarding Darfur genocide

Left to right: Xay Khamsyvoravong, Deputy Chief of Staff of RI Treasurer, Patrick Schmitt, Senator Jack Reed, me, Sandra Hammel, Frank T. Caprio, RI General Treasurer, Jennifer Ross

We took five requests of action to the senators and the slowness of this kind of response to people who are living on the ground without any thing but their spirits to keep them going day into night is NOT GOOD Enough.

Here are the five requests that we Rhode Island constituents asks of our United States Senators when lobbying about Darfur:

1 Senate Bill 831 Divestment Authorization Act

Move it by working with northeastern Senators

Member of the Sudan Democratic Caucus?

(Note: H R 180 sponsored by Lee & Frank in Financial Service committee)

_________________________

2 Appropriations

a. Administration’s budgeted amount for AU and UN Hybrid Peacekeepers: insufficient

b. Asking for additional $186 Million above President Bush’s requested amount

c. Ask him to move it out of committee with the $186 Million amount

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3 China Resolution Senate Resolution 203

a. Tell him we want him to be a co-sponsor on the Senate Resolution 203

(House of Rep has a sister H Res 423)

1. 70% of Sudan Oil exported to China

2. China provides arms to Sudan

3. China is protector at UN for Sudan, President Omar al-Bashir

(4. Note: China untypically assigned a Darfur Special Envoy)

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4 Oversight of Administration’s efforts to address crisis in Darfur: To ensure that Darfur is being correctly prioritized within U.S. foreign policy and to ensure that no opportunities for peace are missed for lack of resources. This oversight can come in the form Dear Colleague sign-on letters, congressional delegation trips to Darfur and Chad, as well as private conversations with Administration officials. Oversight is also critical to guarantee that any sanctions which may be enacted as part of a package of “Plan B” measures are fully implemented. Special effort to ensure that all areas of the Administration are pulling their weight to make the sanctions effective is needed. Please exercise oversight responsibilities to make sure that the U.S. government is doing all it should be to end the genocide in Darfur.

____________________________

5 We ask the Senator to write an Op-Ed piece regarding S. 831, as well as the importance of the China Resolution, S. Res. 203 to end the four year + genocide in Darfur, Sudan in the Providence Journal with Senator Whitehouse.

INSTANT KARMA CD The Campaign To Save Darfur:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XGbP23uHYE8

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There are paid lobbyists in Washington, D.C. who are not paid to look out for us the citizens, but for their businesses’ bottom line, money. “We the People” must wake up from a sleep and become a part of our government or we have no right to complain that our government is not listening to us. “We the People” does not mean elected politicians and paid-by-corporations-lobbyists – it means “We the People”. That is you and me.

This is a mock cover.

It is shocking what has been happening in the name of the citizens of the United States of America these last several years. I believe if you think President George Bush and his hand-picked administration have been serving this country well – you just haven’t been paying attention. I know some think I am absolutely wrong.

This is not a mock cover. It is/was for real.

But the rest of the world have no USA blinders on. These blinders are an anomaly known to US Americans only.

Find your USA senator and become part of the solution to our poor governing:

http://www.senate.gov/

http://www.house.gov/

President George Bush

president@whitehouse.gov

202-456-1111

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20500, USA

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

The Honorable Ban ki-Moon

Secretary-General United Nations

Room 3800

New York, NY 10017 USA

Website: www.un.org

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Refugee help:
http://www.arcrelief.org
http://www.theirc.org/

Darfur Genocide activists websites:
www.savedarfur.org
www.genocideintervention.net
www.sudandivestment.com

A fact:

Did you know that the United States citizens who live in the nations capital, Washington, D.C. do not have any voting representative in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives? Isn't that taxation without representation? I think so.

SOME PEOPLE DESERVE JUSTICE MORE THAN OTHERS - IS THAT WHAT WE REALLY BELIEVE?

Global Days for Darfur

April 23 – 30, 2007

"Time is Running Out"

http://www.savedarfur.org/

• United Nations Peacekeepers
• Targeted Divestment from Sudan
• Fly-free Zone

DARFUR - FINGERS IN THE SAND
For the Children

Sunday, March 18, I was the guest speaker at the Channing Unitarian Universalist Memorial Church in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. As well as giving the message on “Justice Sunday” about Darfur to the adults I was asked also to give a special message For the Children before they went off to Sunday School. As an activist in my state for Darfur, I am asked to speak on Darfur, frequently. I always include ways people can be informed, stand up and speak up to stop the Darfur genocide while giving hand-outs with all the contact information for elected politicians to ask them to be act in ways that will stop this four year old genocide. I include contact information also for the United Nations Secretary General, which is currently Ban ki-Moon and the President of the United States of America, President George Bush.

……………………………………
The Honorable Ban ki-Moon
Secretary-General
United Nations
Room 3800
New York, NY 10017, USA
Website: www.un.org
………………………..
President George Bush
202-456-1111
email: president@whitehouse.gov
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC. 20500, USA
…………………….…………..
These people who have voluntarily taken on the role as leader need to be held accountable.

Do you think President Bush is acting honorably and living with truth as his guide.

I don’t.
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Freedom of Speech means
nothing
if you don’t exercise it.

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“…So many questions haunting us
So many doubts attacked our love
Dangerous thoughts of what could go wrong
Against the odds, we must carry on
We must be strong and fearless
We must be fearless

…For for so long I was afraid
To step from the shadows of my mistakes
You….have given me the courage I need
Together I know, nothing can stop you and me
If we are fearless
We MUST be fearless

…We must stand in the light,
willing to fight
Whatever may come between us and be fearless
We must be fearless.”
From the song “Fearless”


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My Call to Worship:

I invite you to enter this space just as you are

Opening up your spirit to hear the quiet voice inside

Calling you to be human in the most human of ways

The Beauty, Wonder and Radiance of our personal humanity is when we show we are fully alive.

God is not with us as an invisible person dwelling in us … but with us as the life that we share with others.

Our lives endure and reach out over the universe.

Casting our love out - involving ourselves in the world’s purposes
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The following is a summary of my presentation For the Children on Darfur after which the congregation of 130 in attendance surprised me with applause.
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Fingers in the Sand

I’m going to do something and I would like to ask you to do the EXACT Same thing back to me.

I clapped and made vocal sounds in rhythms and the children echoed me.

“You are being my echo”

Could you now echo my drum with your clapping?

Then feeling the whole congregation might be wanting to join in the rhythm response, all were asked to echo the final rhythm on the drum.

Then my talk For the Children began about Darfur.

This drum is a djembe drum that is from Africa

I have a question for you to think about

Can you imagine that you have been given paper and markers
to make me a picture about your life …

I wonder what your picture would look like…

Have you thought about it?

Can you use words to describe your picture?

Who is in your picture? Are you in it? Who else?....
____________________________________________________________
RECENTLY I was watching a British news report about children just your size

They live on Continent of Africa in a place called Darfur
They also were given paper and crayons
And drew pictures about their lives.

The drew scary and sad things because that is what has been happening in their lives

…planes dropping bombs,



…houses set on fire
…men on horses shooting people

They ran because
It wasn’t safe to stay

Now they live in the middle of nowhere

And they want to go back home and to live normal lives

When I saw them on the British TV report, the children were having school
outside
sitting on the ground, which is sand

on the sand they were writing with their fingers in the sand

That is why I called this story “Fingers in the Sand”.

It is important for us to know about other children and to care about their lives

We are all human beings
who need to be loved and know someone cares for us

Maybe you could draw a loving and caring picture while thinking of the Darfur children on the continent of Africa

Now I’m going to do Drumbeats for the children of Darfur
and while I do I would like to ask you to walk to your RE classes with your teachers
Thank you for being such good participants.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1m-j-aOl2o

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The song "The Impossible Dream"
from MAN OF LA MANCHA (1972)
music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion
Richard Kiley's original.
Based on the book Don Quixote De La Mancha

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star
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My Benediction - Blessing

I invite you to leave this space just as you are
Carrying others’ hearts in your heart
And answering the call to be human in the most human of ways
Being the change you want to see
Going out into the world with the experience of love, wonder and participation in goodness.
Lifting up humanity
*For when you make the world better in one way, it makes it better in all ways.

* Spoken by Rev John Ramsey in the “Amazing Grace” movie

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GLOBAL DAYS FOR DARFUR
APRIL 23 – 30, 2007
Find An Event In Your Area
Do Something to Use Your Freedom of Speech To Stand Up and Stand Out Against Genocide
Don’t Be Complicit
Don’t Choose Silence
Don’t Choose Apathy
Don’t Choose Ignorance
Be Proactive
Be Alive
Be Aware
Be Present
Do Something To Tell Your Leaders To Lead In This Human Disaster of Genocide
If Not You, Then Who?
The Genocide is FourYears Old
The Holocaust Went On For Twelve Years
…Before We the People’s Government Did Something Right
…Does That Mean We Are Going to Wait Eight More Years Until We Decide Darfuri Families
Have Suffered Enough On Our Watch?!

http://www.savedarfur.org/page/content/globaldays/

• http://www.Savedarfur.org

• http://www.ajws.org/

• www.sudandivestment.org/

• http://www.genocideintervention.net/

• http://www.standnow.org/


http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/

http://www.theamazingchange.com/

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This is the story of the American Capt. Brian Steidle.

Although some of his editorial comments may be personal opinion, surely the pictures and description of the attacks and acts of genocide are self-evident as genocide.

Part II

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

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Part II
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr4BFSM_52Q

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There is an excellent film, “Darfur Diaries – Message from Home”, that can be purchased on DVD by three film producers. The film can be purchased at http://www.amazon.com
and there is a website to give much information on the film at
http://www.darfurdiaries.com
There is a companion book, “Darfur Diaries – Stories of Survival”

Last Sunday, March 25, 2007, I met one of the three producers and authors, Jen Marlowe, at our screening of the film at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport, Rhode Island, where we had an excellent turn out. I had been emailing Jen for a year, so it was good to finally meet her face to face. I have pictures of the event, but haven’t downloaded them yet. The Newport Daily News interviewed Jen Marlowe, Dr. Peter Liotta of Salve Regina University and who is the executive director of the International Relations and Public Policy at the Pell Center and me, Sandra Hammel. Dr. Liotta spoke at the beginning of the discussion, which was led by Jen Marlowe and prior to the screening of the movie that she filmed in Darfur in 2004 – by thanking people – then at the end of his introduction, he stated that he wanted to thank a very special person, that he met last year when Romeo Dallaire spoke at the Pell Center. I was sitting in the fourth row at the edge of my seat listening and wondering who he was talking about. He talked about this person as being an activist about Darfur and instrumental in the evening’s event. Then he said, “I would like to thank Sandra Hammel.” I was so surprised to hear my name.

After the book signing and taking of pictures of the three of us and video – I thanked Dr. Liotta for mentioning me – and he said “Oh, yes – I saved your name for last because you were so special to this – it wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you.” I asked him if I could call him Peter – and he waved his hand and said – “of course”.

I attended another Pell Center event this evening and Peter told the audience that he still was shaken by the event at the Jane Pickens Theatre Sunday night and that he hadn’t been able to sleep Sunday night. Dr. Liotta lectures in Rome every 6 months. He has been in international relations work a long time and travels around the world in relation to his work. He brought Pulitzer Prize Winning author, Samantha Power to the Pell Center last spring. And Prudence Bushnell (you might remember from 1994, when she was saying what was happening in Rwanda was "acts of genocide." Then one of the reporters followed her comment up with the question: "How many acts of genocide does it take to make it genocide". She was rendered speechless at that.

It takes so little to make a difference for the good in this world. But so little do it. Try to see the movie “Darfur Diaries” and do get involved in the moral cause of the prevention and intervention of genocide.

Here, in Rhode Island the 2nd of two bills is moving through legislation to divest Rhode Island Pension Funds from Sudanese Companies that virtually fund the genocide. I spoke of this in a previous post. Here is a video’s link and embedding about that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UgDHAWMKdg

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Targeted divestment is an act that any citizen or organization can do to make sure that you are not funding the Sudanese’ government’s genocide. We don’t need to wait for our government to do this one critically important thing to help stop the genocide. We can sidestep our leaders’ complicity and be our own champion in this cause for humanity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRISAudf5IQ

One person can make a difference.
Ask your state, organization, or university to divest from Sudan.
Music:”Don't You Cry” by Kamelot

"Examples of divestment for social reasons have included:
the withdrawal of firms from South Africa during the 1980s due to Apartheid
the recent selling/commitment to nonpurchase of assets implicated in funding the government of Sudan, in acknowledgement of acts of genocide perpetrated in the Darfur conflict. This divestment has taken place both at the state level several states and twenty more states have legislation moving through their houses, while many American Universities, notably Harvard University, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, Amherst College, Yale University, Brown University, the University of California, the University of Pennsylvania, Brandeis University, and American University. The Sudan Divestment Task Force has organized a nationwide group which advocates a targeted divestment policy, to minimize any negative effects on Sudanese civilians while still placing financial pressure on the government."

Learn what you can do by visiting the website.
Information just above is taken from
http://www.sudandivestment.org/

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Here is a video’s link and embedding about Darfur’s situation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4pd0yqwU9A

This picture is from Rwanda - One of the other genocides we did nothing about.

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I hope this post actually gives a "comment" option at the end of this post. Three of previous posts haven't. And I hope that the links above are enabled as links and don't need to copied and pasted in the window to get to the sites. Sometimes this works out this way for me and sometimes it doesn't. Here's hoping.

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STAND UP & STAND OUT TO STOP the DARFUR GENOCIDE

Freedom Has No Meaning When We Don’t Stand Up

When One is Born
One Has A Reason
To Become Human

And Serve Others

And

IF


One Has Freedom
One Has THE Responsibility
To Use THAT Freedom
To Speak For Those That Don’t
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Ziggy Marley & Gipsy Kings One love
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There Is A Genocide Going On

And the Whole World Isn’t Even Watching

Isn’t Even Reporting

The Leaders of Our Countries Don’t Care Enough

To Give It Their Attention and Concern

. . . Good Thing It Isn’t Us

“We don’t have to wait for some great politician to be our champion.

We ARE the Champion we’ve been waiting for.

Let us Stop Waiting for Someone Else to Make the Difference

Let us STOP “Waiting for the World to Change”.

Get Inspired

By

BEING the INSPIRED
...........................................................

Global Days for Darfur
April 23 – 30, 2007
http://www.savedarfur.org/page/content/globaldays/
Plan an Event in your City

If Our Leaders Won't Lead...
Then You & I Must Lead

We Must
Take a Stand
That Counts

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“
…It’s freedom of speech – as long as you don’t say too much

You can’t stop running water
You can’t kill the fire that burns inside
Don’t deny our flesh and blood
And don’t forsake our sons and daughters

You cant’ stop running water
You can’t kill the fire that burns inside
Don’t deny our flesh and blood
And don’t forsake our sons and daughters

I THINK WE’RE ALL RUNNIN’ THINKIN’ THAT WE CAN HIDE
I THINK WE’RE RUNNIN’ TO GET AWAY
BUT SOONER OR LATER
WE’RE GONNA REALIZE
WE GONNA MEET UP WITH THE TRUTH
FACE TO FACE.”
From the song “Sons and Daughters”

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Sade sings "Why Can't We Live Together"

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRjnExp5s70

Genocide is the mass killing of a group of people as defined by Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG) as "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life, calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."

Dachau Concentration Camp

By Philip Greenspun

"Arbeit Macht Frei" on gate into Dachau concentration camp

Dachau was Germany's first concentration camp, started in March 22, 1933, 74 years ago because the prisons were overflowing with people the government didn't like. Twelve years passed before the holocaust was stopped by civilized governments.

Inmates in Dachau line up. This photograph was on the cover of the Munchen Illustierte Press edition on July 16, 1933.

Photo credit: USHMM Photo Arhives

They didn't have enough money to just build more prisons, so the Nazis built work camps like Dachau. Dachau is distinctive because it was here that SS personnel (Eichmann, Hess) trained for work in newer camps such as Auschwitz. Pastor Martin Niemöller, who initially supported the Nazis, ended up here in 1938, whereupon he famously noted that:

Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,

habe ich geschwiegen; ich war ja kein Kommunist.

Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten,

habe ich geschwiegen; ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat.

Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten,

habe ich geschwiegen; ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter.

Als sie die Juden holten,

habe ich geschwiegen; ich war ja kein Jude.

Als sie mich holten, gab es keinen mehr,

der protestieren konnte.

-- Der Weg ins Freie, Martin Niemöller (F.M. Hellbach, Stuttgart, 1946)

A prisoner in Dachau forced to stand without moving for hours as a punishment.

Translation of above:

When the Nazis arrested the Communists,

I said nothing; after all, I was not a Communist.

When they locked up the Social Democrats,

I said nothing; after all, I was not a Social Democrat.

When they arrested the trade unionists,

I said nothing; after all, I was not a trade unionist.

When they arrested the Jews,

I said nothing; after all, I was not a Jew.

When they arrested me, there was no longer anyone who could protest.

Chart of prisoner markings from Dachau concentration camp.

Photo credit: KZ Gedenkstatte Dachau, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives

If you're so inclined, it is possible to live in a brand-new condo built just a few meters from the walls and barbed wire of the Dachau Concentration Camp.

The camp would literally be your back yard. You could tell visitors "Keep an eye on the enormously tall sign for the McDonald's restaurant. Turn left at the Arbeit Macht Frei gate. If you come to the Krematorium or the blood trench where the Soviet POWs were shot, you've gone too far."

A prisoner in a special chamber responds to changing air pressure during high-altitude experiments. For the benefit of the Luftwaffe, conditions simulating those found at 15,000 meters in altitude were created in an effort to determine if German pilots might survive at that height.

Photo credit: German National Archives

The medieval town of Dachau is now a suburb of Munich and the S-Bahn will whisk you there in a few minutes. At 170 kph, a cab driver can simply follow the signs to Stuttgart and then turned off at the Dachau exit. As one approaches the town of Dachau, there are signs directing to the camp (a huge McDonald's sign is also a good landmark).

Dachau inmates gathered outside and on the roof tops of a camp building to hear a speech by Hitler.

Photo credit: KZ Gedenkstatte Dachau

“Dachau, 1933 - 1945, will stand for all time as one of history's most gruesome symbols of inhumanity. There U.S. troops found sights, sounds and stenches beyond belief, cruelties so enormous as to be incomprehensible to the normal mind. Dachau and death were synonymous.” William W. Quinn, 7th US Army.

More pictures at

http://fcit.usf.edu/Holocaust/resource/gallery/Dachau.htm

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We are all Nazis
We are all killers of Tutsis


We are all killers of Darfuri

Because we are all tools used by the genocidaires

We all speak so strongly with our silence

It is time to be human

as we are called to be
by virtue of being born

Save yourself by saving others,

Save the human race from the crime against itself

Genocide is not only a word,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .it is crying of the whole human race.

There is nothing redeeming about being silent.
when another brother or sister is killed
while silence is our choice.

Sandra Hammel, aka ilovemylife

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Dachau's Two Ovens for Humans to Die In
I walked in this room, November 22, 2005

Never Again
Is
Happening

In Darfur
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IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING
SHAME ON YOU.
LEADERS OF THE CIVILIZED WORLD -
SHAME ON YOU
AS WE STAND IDLY BY

WILL WE CLAIM THAT “WE DIDN’T KNOW”
WHEN IT’S OVER?

THAT - WILL BE NOTHING MORE THAN WORDS
TO WAYLAY
OUR GUILT
AND
IGNORE THE BLOOD ON OUR HEADS

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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is

for

good

men

to do



nothing."

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DO SOMETHING TO
STOP the GENOCIDE IN DARFUR
You Won’t Be Sorry You Did

http://www.savedarfur.org/page/content/globaldays/

• http://www.Savedarfur.org
• http://www.ajws.org/
• www.sudandivestment.org/
• http://www.genocideintervention.net/
• http://www.standnow.org/
• http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/
• http://www.theamazingchange.com/
  

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THANK YOU

for YOUR CONSCIENCE
and YOUR ACTION.
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