Photos

Reps. Waters to Co-Host Photo Exhibit Highlighting the Iraqi Refugee Crisis

Exhibit places a human face on this humanitarian crisis.

Washington, D.C.—Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-35) will hold a photo exhibit highlighting the Iraqi refugee crisis on Wednesday, April 30 from 5:00-6:30 p.m. in room 2220 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Rep. Waters is co-hosting the event with Reps. Alcee Hastings, Barbara Lee, and Lynn Woolsey.

Ms. Gabriela Bulisova, a documentary film photographer and adjunct professor at the Corcoran College of Art and Design recently returned from Iraq and Syria, where she captured images of Iraqi refugees. Her photo exhibit places a human face on this humanitarian crisis in an effort to bring greater attention on Capitol Hill to the plight of Iraqi refugees.

For my entire life - years before Hurricane Katrina - I've fantasized about New Orleans. I dreamed of being decadent in the French Quarter in clubs where my music heroes played. I dreamed of tasting the food, studying the architecture, hearing the accents, and being cradled in the arms of the city – in the cream, black, brown and white blended arms of the city. I wanted to earn my beads at Mardi Gras, search the bayous for magic, and be transformed beyond the boundaries of my physical world. But the rigors of my life quashed my momentum and I didn’t visit the one American city I'd always longed to see -- until just last weekend -- nearly three years AFTER Katrina.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but this one made me speechless.

The use of torture presents one of the gravest violations of human rights and American ideals we have ever endured. We need a movement to end this crisis. We need to stand up and say: My America Doesn't Torture!

The picture may make you sick, but we have a duty to face the ugly reality of American torture that President Bush has laid upon us.

I took action to make sure no Administration allows torture to disgrace us ever again, and I hope you will too.

In my article on New Years Eve (http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/29684), the night before the Pasadena Rose Parade and our White Rose Coalition's (WRC) unauthorized PEOPLE'S PARADE FOR DEMOCRACY, I questioned whether media would step up patriotically to broadcast our message to IMPEACH Bush & Cheney and END THE WAR. We were well aware that media would already be present in huge numbers, since it capitalizes handsomely on Rose Parade revenues every year. But we also knew, through previous disappointments, the difficulty in getting corporate press to broadcast negative public sentiment toward Bush, Cheney, and War.

With our Democracy in decline, an immoral war raging on, criminals and cowards controlling our government, and H.R. 1955 and S. 1959 threatening our First Amendment freedoms, our White Rose Coalition believed it had a duty to begin 2008 with the clarion call to Americans that this is the year to RISE UP. After weeks of strategizing under the inspired and frenetic leadership of Los Angeles National Impeachment Center (LANIC) Director, Peter Thottam, we ventured forward with our action. With visuals in tow, our group of 350 to 400 patriots from a dozen pro-peace/pro-impeachment organizations, embarked on our mission to usher in 2008 with THE WHOLE WORLD WATCHING.

Much to the delight of our 2008 White Rose Coalition, a substantial number of media actually did turn out. While the coverage was no where near what we would have liked, it exceeded our expectations.

Here's the follow-up report to my article: "Will Media Broadcast THE PEOPLE'S PARADE At The Rose Parade New Year's Day?":

On December 13th, Debbie and Barb lobbied Congress in festive holiday attire. As Chesapeake Carolers, they had so much fun! They even made new friends on the steps of the Capitol Building! They hope you like the pictures! And wait till you see their music videos!

Barb and Debbie take their Suburban Mom
Merry Christmas Message to Capitol Hill

We had our Veterans Day die-in protest today at 11am (11-11-11). It was a powerful experience with 16 people "dying" 10 minutes at a time... 2 different locations on busy touristy St. George St. In St. Augustine, FL). We had some wonderful support and encouragement but way too much of an angry response. Still, people were yelling.."We got rid of Saddam"," We are fighting for freedom" and a cop overheard calling us "idiots".

However, I know we made an impact, we made people uncomfortable and reminded them that people actually do die in a war. Here are pictures on Webshot and also here is an article written for our Independent paper, The Collective Press.
Enjoy...
Marilyn/PPJ/St. Augustine (memeber of www.solidarityandpeace.org)

Why, Mommy?
By Mary Lawrence
Why indeed. I died on Veterans Day 11/11/07 at 11 a.m in St Augustine as one of 3860 US soldiers, 141 journalists and 1,100,000 Iraqis. Lying on the hard ground, seeing nothing and hearing footsteps and muffled conversations, throughout it all, one child's plaintive voice broke through: "Why, Mommy?"

"Because they're tired, honey."...

After six years of America's mainstream media bowing to its corporate mandate to ignore all opposition to George W. Bush, a media miracle has happened. Thanks to the great camera work of AP photographer, Charles Dharapak, the American anti-war movement has been revealed to the world. In one flash of a magical millisecond, photographer Dharapak captured CODEPINK peacemaker Desiree Fairooz confronting George Bush warmaker Condoleeza Rice. It was the shot SEEN 'round the world:

A huge thank you to photographer Charles Dharapak and to the Associated Press for letting the truth be told - for passing the message to the world that within the boundaries of imperial America thrives a valiant peace movement that opposes George W. Bush, and works hard to overthrow him.

Every American who opposes the immoral wars on Afghanistan and Iraq, and fears an encore on Iran, owes a heart-felt thanks to Desiree Fairooz for placing herself in the cross hairs for peace. The responses to Fairooz' patriotism, and to the brazen women of CODEPINK, have been astounding. Across the nation, on blogs, on television, and on radio, there has been a steady stream of support. Fairooz has shown that the opposition to Bush from inside America equals the opposition of the outside world.

RESOLUTION OF THE WESTON DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE
Weston, CT, September 19, 2007

We ask Congress to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney for the following reasons:

1) The Offense of Lying and Inducing America to Support a War: President Bush and Vice President Cheney intentionally misled the Congress and the American people regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war against Iraq, and intentionally conspired with others to defraud the United States in connection with the war against Iraq in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 371.

2) The Offense of Reckless Indifference to the Lives and Welfare of American Troops: President Bush and Vice President Cheney failed to provide US soldiers with bulletproof vests or appropriately-armored vehicles and had no serious plan for the aftermath of the war, thus demonstrating a complete disregard for the welfare of the troops and the need for proper governance of a country after occupation. The result has been a never-ending war that will cost U.S. taxpayers over $1 trillion with over 3,000 U.S. soldiers killed and over 21,000 wounded.

3) The Offense of Torture: In Violation of U.S. Laws and Treaties President Bush and Vice President Cheney conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of the "Federal Torture Act," Title 18 United States Code, Section 113C, the UN Torture Convention and the Geneva Convention.

It was Bye Bye Gonzo at the Dept. of Justice today. CodePINK and friends gathered for a spirited send-off for disgraced Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Toasts, party favors and jeers were the order of the day...

At the CodePINK House, the Pink Police prepared for the action...

Photo spread below the fold, a merry time for all!

After nearly a year bloggin' on ADS, I finally got to meet David in person, along with my wife MysticMary... at the Bye-Bye-Gonzo send-off party at the DoJ.

Iraq Veterans Against the War scored a victory for free speech today in Kansas City, MO. A panel of three Marine Corps officers recommended today that Adam Kokesh receive a general discharge under honorable conditions. Adam and his attorney will, however, appeal this finding on the grounds that Adam is entitled to his full honorable discharge. In a seemingly hypocritical contradiction, the Marine Corps panel, as well as the prosecution's key witness, Major Whyte, agreed that the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) does not apply to members of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). Regardless of this, several other honorably discharged IVAW members are facing a similar hearing based on their stance against the war. IVAW members will continue to tell the truth about our experiences in Iraq and in the military and fight to bring our brothers and sisters home from Iraq now.