John Edwards in NYC

John Edwards filled up Strata at 21st and Broadway with spirit, vision, and a crowd of people. We arrived early, Joan Pagan and I -- joining the queue behind Chazz Aden and his father John Aden from New Jersey. They were gracious enough to endure my chatty exuberance as we anxiously waited for doors to open.

John Aden and Chazz Aden

Then actor and DFNYC activist Dan Jacoby joined us followed soon by ShutterbugBabs a/k/a Barbara Primrosch, camera in hand. Barbara and I both were determined to document the evening. But first there was the long wait for the candidate to arrive. I grabbed a drink, Joan grabbed a sign. Her first floor Sunnyside apartment is on a busy corner. (Imagine being stuck at a light and noticing the sign in the window across the street: John Edwards 08, JohnEdwards.com. Neat, yes!) Joan DeCamp managed to find us even though we lost Dan in the crowd.

JoanD, Babs, JoanP

It was great: End the Iraq fiasco, close Gitmo, no [unsafe!] nuclear power plants, establish alternative energy, end global warming, build up once more the waning middle class, establish healthcare, make college affordable: powerful stuff. John just whipped up the crowd who applauded and roared as he defined his vision, a new reality closer to the heart rather than one feeding corporate greed. I'll be posting more pix and comments later at my Flickr.com site but check out his web site for more on his great programs to restore America -- and donate a few dollars while you're there -- small donations add up. Wow -- I'm exhausted but I am so glad I went. Now to bed to get my beauty sleep. There is a lot of work to do for John Edwards and an America of We the People.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne
JoanD, Kate Anne, JoanP

Moulding New Realities Closer to the Heart

Closer to The Heart
 
And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones to start
To mould a new reality
Closer to the heart

The blacksmith and the artist
Reflect it in their art
Forge their creativity
Closer to the heart

Philosophers and ploughmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
Closer to the heart

You can be the captain
I will draw the chart
Sailing into destiny
Closer to the heart

Words by neil peart and peter talbot,
Music by geddy lee and alex lifeson


Breathing in, breathing out, focusing, being the peace I seek, healing my heart and my face, doing my part to mould new realities personally and in the world -- this is what I seek today, even as I Rush -- a calm rush, a peaceful rush. It is a hectic world and each of us must do our part, philosophers, ploughmen -- and ploughwomen. We must, as Neil Peart says, "sow a new mentality closer to the heart" -- to become more compassionate and peaceful. With that in mind I go forth to do what I can. And I hope, no, I charge the men -- and women -- "in high places to be the ones to start to mould a new reality closer to the heart". I think the Democratic presidential candidates are a little closer to doing this, but they must come a heck of a lot closer to the heart -- to the people, to an America of We the People, to the World House -- and distance themselves from corporate greed. Let's tell 'em. Let's do our part. Let's sail into destiny together, a compassionate destiny, closer to the heart. Amen.

Between political actions, I wish I could find the time and opportunity, like Audient, to catch a Rush concert -- but that is another essay. In the meantime, I thank them for helping me focus today on new and better realities. As for tomorrow, I go to see John Edwards, here in NYC.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Metro's Frame: "Court Rules on side of enemy combatant"

In today's daily Metro give-away street paper, they used the above frame for an AP story on the Appeals court ruling that "the federal Military Commissions Act doesn't strip Ali al-Marri, a legal U.S. resident, of his constitutional rights to challenge his accusers in court." NOT: "Court upholds habeas corpus" NOR "Court upholds Constitutional Rights". How flaming!! I am appalled!! How do we KNOW he is an enemy combatant? Who decides who is an enemy combatant? What if George W. Bush calls YOU or ME one? ARGH!!!

(Yes, I will be talking about the above to others.)

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne
~~
http://peacehugs.com

Keeping up, impeachment and life

My life has been a whirl with a mixture of personal and politics.

Politics-wise -- Dennis Kucinich's H.Res.333 to impeach Cheney first is gathering cosponsors. Click the title link for current info from Thomas, BUT these are current co-sponsors as of today:

Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] - 6/6/2007
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 5/1/2007
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 6/7/2007
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 5/1/2007
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 6/7/2007
Rep Wynn, Albert Russell [MD-4] - 5/10/2007

Call YOUR representatives and demand that they at least take a stand and co-sponsor this issue. It doesn't matter that in the end that Repugs would block it: we have to speak out against blatant corruption. Meanwhile Republicans yesterday blocked the tame no confidence vote on Alberto Gonzales. Outrageous! But it is especially up to those with Republican senators to bitch -- and insist that they and the Democratic senators impeach this person whose actions are so in oppostion to the law. There are currently 76,545 signers on the petition to impeach Gonzalez. Add yours to this petition to "urge the House Judiciary Committee to begin the process of impeachment of US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, in accordance with Article II, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution".

Other things I have learned:

• Hillary Clinton was the Senator who got the most money from the Healthcare/Big Pharma industry last year after Senator "Man on Dog" Rick Santorum who lost his relection bid. And we should believe that she will give us reasonable health care and drug prices? Hello.
  
  
• Obama who claims to be anti-war campaigned for pro-war Senator Joe Liebermann. ARGH!!
  
  
• And so much more from Thom Hartmann whose show yesterday makes me further question our country's descent into fascism or at the very least feudalism. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. And what we are number one in is WAR and PRISONS. Our defense spending is bankrupting our country while making some Bush contributors very wealthy. And this spending is floating our current economy at the expense of our future.

Personal stuff: Yesterday was my lovely Aunt Betty Murphy's birthday. Friday was terrific button maker Ruth Klein's birthday (and her twin Maxine) -- and she provided me with some great buttons including one for John Edwards which I wore to All Saint's Church's Strawberry Fair and the Ridgewood Democratic Club's Dinner Dance this past Saturday. And we also celebrated my peace friend Sam Oast's birthday last week. Meanwhile, I'm making a little headway at de-boxing my new apartment but life in corporate America cuts into my time and energy. Still, until I win lotto, gotta earn money. So much to do, including read Al Gore's book, The Assault on Reason and Caroline Myss's book, Entering the Castle: An Inner Path to God and Your Soul. But first, to work....

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Birthday Sam