Honoring Dolores Rizzotto

BP Helen Marshall, Dolores Rizzotto, Joe Conley

Last night at Dazies Restaurant, a crowd of Queens community activists, politicians, city workers and/or Queens Community Board 2 members came out to honor our beloved and renowned Community Board 2 District Manager Dolores Rizzotto who is retiring to Florida. To say that she will be missed is an understatement. She has guided CB2 with her savoire faire and expertise for fifteen years. Her service to the community was lauded by the many who attended the special event for the very special Dolores. See more "Honoring Dolores" pictures by clicking the title link or by going to my FlickR site link and clicking on her special set.

Now, I'm off to get ready for our WQIDC patio party for Citizen Action's Clean Money Clean Elections, Spitzer 2006, Paterson 2006, and very necessary campaign finance reform -- hopefully eventual public funding of campaigns like they do in Maine and Arizona. Ours taking place at the garden patio of Dorothy Morehead's Bliss restaurant is one of about 35 events statewide happening tonight at 6:30 pm. See our invitation for the scoop and I'm praying for good weather like last night.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

An open letter to Joe Crowley on Net Neutrality

To: The Honorable Joseph Crowley a/k/a Congressmember Joe Crowley

Hey, Joe -- You've already voted WRONG on one of the Net Neutrality bills and your vote is a threat to democracy and free speech on the internet, and indeed in our country. DO NOT subject the speech of "we the people" to the greed of corporate profiteers who have used OUR commons and OUR money to lay wires. WE gave them the permission to go on OUR land. It is OUR internet and I trust OUR government (the present regime perhaps excluded but let's get rid of them) more than I do corporate America.

Quit listening to corporate lobbyists and listen to the people. This is SUPPOSED to be a government of the people, by the people, and FOR the people -- NOT FOR THE CORPORATIONS. We want to maintain a fair moving internet so information can be freely shared -- not one where we have to shell out big bucks (which we don't have) to get our messages out in a reasonable time frame. Quit putting profits over people and democracy.

I really would like to be able to vote FOR you and not against the other guy. Give me reason to believe you are listening to more than just corporate lobbyists. (And yes, I still think your vote for the bankruptcy bill was WRONG) Come on, Joe!!!

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

PS I've been listening to Thom Hartmann filling in for Rachel Maddow on Air America Radio mornings through Wednesday. He had an excellent segment on Net Neutrality and inspired me to ACTION. Tag, You're it!

End the Occupation and Celebrate ... Birthdays

Sam, Kate Anne, Betty Lou
As Thom Hartmann stressed the frame "End the Occupation", we were out on Saturday preaching peace at Union Square by using that frame and demanding the US stop the torture and close Guantanamo. Frida Berrigan provided us with our newest handouts -- there are events next Sunday and Monday on the Torture/Gitmo issue. But then we stopped, breathed, and took a moment to celebrate Sam Oast's recent birthday by going to Zen Palatte.

Then I was off to try to find the Tasini people -- still don't have petitions -- but I got to help out the Mighty Mutts folk and met Ralphie the orange tiger cat and Dulce and her sister Lily, two cute 5 month old pitbull-mix mutts.

Sunday saw me out in the heat petitioning for Assemblymember Cathy Nolan but I stopped to call my cousin in Cleveland Pat Coyne to sing him, "Happy Birthday".

Yes, end the occupation, end the torture, love cats and dogs, elect good policians to office, and celebrate birthdays and the good things in life.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

But VID chose Tasini, NOT Hillary!!

Today's title link points to THE VILLAGER's article which describes some of the goings-on at the Democratic State Convention in Buffalo. Jonathan Tasini was the overwhelming choice of the Village Independent Democrats for U.S. Senator when they voted last month. They are furious because their two state committee members, Larry Moss and Rachel Lavine, voted for Hillary Clinton instead. Lincoln Anderson's article makes interesting reading and documents some of Jonathan's actions at the convention. (Thanks, Ann Eagan for this story.)

This afternoon, I'm hoping to connect with the Tasini campaign petitioners at Union Square. If you are a registered New York Democrat, please check out where the Tasini volunteers will be and sign a petition ASAP. We need to get Jonathan Tasini on the ballot so we can get his pro-peace pro-labor pro-middle class message out in contrast to that of corporatist pro-war Hillary Clinton.

Thanks and....

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Time Out then Time In

My "adopted daughter" Krista Zarakis and I went to the Indians-Yankees game last night. They lost 6-1 but we had fun. One has to take time out for fun to keep personal peace. Now I have to work on a June 27th Citizen Action for Spitzer Fundraiser [click title link]. We need Clean Money/Clean Elections and public funding of elections so politicians don't have to sell themselves to corporations and wealthy individuals to get elected. So WQIDC is hosting a $5 + $5 fundraiser for Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson at Bliss. It will be fun AND helpful. That's good too.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne a/k/a Mom Kat

Live simply so others simply may live"

Union Square Peace Vigil 06-10-06

Don't know if the Freegans actually use the above quotation (which links to their website, Freegan.Info), but it is a good one for all of us to meditate on. Joining us this past Saturday at our Union Square (NYC) peace vigil (noon - 2 pm :-) were some charming and friendly Freegans, who share our message of peace. I had a delightful conversation with Madeline Nelson who works on their website and also with Ross Parry, an Aussie musician from their group. The website offers some good insight and links. Check it out and be at peace.

I also had a great conversation with first grade teacher Tom Roepke, who was glad we were persevering in our vigil. Tom noted he has taken part, but not recently. From our conversation it is clear that Tom is bringing peace elsewhere, and that is good, too. We can't all be Padre Pio, bi-locating and performing awesome miracles. But we can touch the people we meet, peacefully and justly, and be the change we wish to see in the world, and working small miracles. Tom affects little first graders and helps them learn school lessons, but also more I am sure, simply by being the person of peace that he is. God bless him and his work.

Saturday was good. And more happened. But I'm not a full time Freegan. I have to go to work. I will hopefully blog about the Ridgewood Democratic Club dinner later on. (AND I won a couple of little and useful prizes at All Saints' Sunnyside's Strawberry Fair -- neat!)

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

DFNYC Linkup, Net Neutrality, Kennedy update

Busy day yesterday. Lots to do today, personally and for democracy.

Democracy for New York had a Sunnyside linkup at the Grind coffee shop, thanks to activists Heather Woodfield and Dan Jacoby [click title link for DFNYC], who hosted the event. The rainy night aside we had an invigorating time, thanks to their efforts and some good folk who showed and shared: Alice Cardona, Jeremiah Frei-Pearson, Robin Cook, Jimmy Van Bramer and me, with a special visit from Assemblymember Cathy Nolan. I'm already petitioning for Cathy but I may get involved with the Tasini campaign, thanks to their emphasis on petitioning. While DFNYC has not endorsed Jonathan Tasini for US Senate, they encourage petitioning and even have a handy NY state petitioning guide on their web site. (This will be a useful reminder for the WQIDC folk doing petitioning.) I look forward to good things coming out of this group as it grows. Together we will strengthen our democracy. (Pictures will be posted later, here and/or at my Flickr site, linked at right.)

Of course, to do that we need to maintain Net Neutrality. If they can slow down the internet for diseminating the progressive message, we will have to work harder. Best to stand up for a free and open web now, instead of letting AT&T, Verizon and their ilk make more corporate profit at the expense of our democracy. MoveOn is doing a lot in that area and we have to be in touch with our politicians. I called Joe Crowley's office and spoke with Esther Genuth, an intern, who was happy to take my message but said she wasn't sure of Joe's position and that I should visit his website. I will. [UPDATE: Argh! He voted AGAINST net neutrality - bad, Joe, bad! Both our other West Queens Congressmembers supported it.] David Stoopler at Chuck Schumer's office told me that Chuck hasn't come out with his position. Anne at the Front Desk (she wouldn't give her last name :-) at Hillary Clinton's office said that Hillary is co-sponsoring a bill on net neutrality. I haven't checked it yet, but hopefully it won't be watered down. This is important. We must encourage more to act on this.

Finally, fair elections are essential, because all of the work we do can't get people elected if the vote's aren't counted and this leads to my Robert F. Kennedy Jr. update on the Stolen 2004 election which appears in the Rolling Stone this month and on the web. I've made a Google alert and more is appearing in the semi-mainstream, but I know we have to follow Thom Hartmann's lead in demanding it be covered more. I would urge folks to read Bobby's article, call the DNC 202-863-8000 about it, and keep talking up Kennedy's article and the whole subject of election theft and hackable electronic voting machines. Listen to Bobby's interview on Air America Radio's David Bender's June 4th Politically Direct show, which can be downloaded at this link. Lots to do. Please do what you can.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Where is more on RFK's Stolen Election Article?

Why aren't we pushing Robert Kennedy Jr's story on the stolen 2004 election? Yes, he uses other's material which has been said before -- He uses it to create a brilliant summation which could/should be used in court. The not-so-liberal media isn't covering it, but then neither are we in the blogosphere, or not enough. Indeed it is being dissed at Salon (recopied at Think Progress).

Thom Hartmann would have us ACT and contact the mainstream media. See his article and media links posted as the lead story Sunday, June 4, at Common Dreams. Great idea. Let's continue to talk this issue up among ourselves and insist the mainstream take it seriously. But they won't take it seriously if we don't. We have to put our egos aside as to who said it first and just be thrilled that it is being said again and in Rolling Stone.

BradBlog is talking it up. Greg Palast is talking it up. And Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman are talking it up. Good, but not enough. We cannot afford to let this issue be dropped. It is too important. We can't afford to "lose" any more elections. Speak out and act, please. What is left of our very democracy is at stake. THANKS!

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

On Target: Feldman's Steps to Beat the "Marriage Amendment"

Jeffrey Feldman once again helps us frame our responses to those who would use the Constitution to deprive people of rights via the so-called Defense of Marriage Amendment, which George Bush is espousing. In his June 3rd posting (directly linked in my Title link) at Frameshop, Feldman gives us 3 easy steps to help people refocus on the REAL issues, instead of smoke screen issues to get certain elements to the polls to vote against themselves. Read Jeffrey's article. I'm off to defend the rights of our gay brothers and sisters to marry. Queens has our 14th annual Queens Pride Parade today, and this year, with this important issue at stake, in memory of my gay brother I'm finding the time to go to Jackson Heights. I'm grabbing my sign "FOR Liberty and and Justice for All" and heading off.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

RFK, Jr: Was the 2004 Election Stolen?

Robert Kennedy Jr. writes an articulate fact-filled summation of the election fraud of 2004 in the Rolling Stone Magazine, just out, and available online (title link and at http://www.truthout.org and http://www.commondreams.org ). Of course, the facts are already out there but Bobby gives them new voice and attention. Please read the article and encourage others to do so as well. LOTS of footnotes to show the proof of what we know: The dunderhead lost.

Which leads us to another question, where to from here? How do we prevent election stealing, especially when states continue to install hackable electronic voting machines and where a corrupt politician is rewarded his party's gubernatorial nomination -- Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell -- but of course, he may have stolen that as well. Speak out on this important issue. Bush lost. We need fair and transparent elections. See http://wheresthepaper.org/ and http://blackboxvoting.org/ Thanks.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne