No US Military Deaths in Iraq in August

For the first time since the Iraq invasion (March 2003), there were no reported US Military deaths in Iraq. This is good news indeed but the Yin to this Yang is what the Daily Beast noted: August was the deadliest month for US deaths in Afghanistan.

There is much to do to bring peace to our planet. Have had several contacts from people interested in New York Fellowship of Reconciliation. Time to regather. Hope your summer was reviving and that you can join us in doing more peace and justice work. If you are in the NYC area, please be in touch.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

4000 U.S. Dead -- Search FOR Peace

More demos -- Monday evening, I joined with the Grandmothers at Rockefeller Plaza to mourn the 4000 U.S. dead as well as all the Iraqi dead (and 5 million Iraqi children made orphans). I stood by Lillian who ended up holding my sign, the front page of The NY Daily News [with the Spitzer stuff cut off] when I went for my candle. Fine. I didn't need to hold both. And next to her was Arlene to whom I gave my extra large plastic cup to shield her candle from the wind. I didn't get the name of the woman on my right but her positive energy warmed me, too. I only got a demo photo as I was leaving -- but others noted we were there. And that is fine and the photo I got was poignant. This little one didn't get to be an orphan for long, if at all.



Tuesday night then I made it down late (after sending out a report) to Union Square for the UFPJ demo. My friend the Button Buddha a/k/a Ruth Klein reported that there were a couple of hundred people there. I got there just as they were winding down but stayed to speak to a few folks, one a 70 year old woman, another a 43 year old woman and all three of us saying, it isn't the country we knew as we were growing up. God forgive us, but America has lost our balance. America is Number One in war, in prisons, and in per capita energy usage. While we were standing there, Kathy Lawrence arrived even later than I -- she had been teaching. We connected and we reassured her that people had been there and some press had been there. Of course, it should have been more people and more press, but this is corporate America and it is hard to get our message out quickly as this demo demanded. But of course, demos are only one part of peace work. I spoke to one person on Saturday that peace isn't just for demos it is an everyday thing. We must become the peace we seek and go about our personal lives peacefully -- it has to be part of our every day routine, not just something for occasional demonstrations. Be kind and loving every day to those whose lives we touch, contributing therefore to peace.

I wear peace on my sleeve, or perhaps more graphically on my chest, thanks to Ruth's buttons. We decided to leave together and catch up. She had some great stories to tell about reuniting with some old Girl Scout buddies. (They are planning a summer reunion in the Bear Mountain New York area where their old Girl Scout camp had been. Some thirty women hope to attend!!) We ended up at Tasty Thai in Sunnyside and shared more stories and positive energy, contributing to peace, too, no doubt. She drove me home and I gifted her with some Girl Scout cookies. Ruth in turn gave me a belated birthday gift of some great buttons. I didn't tell her this, but just the other day I was wondering if I could find an old Girl Scout badge sash somewhere to make button-wearing easier for demo days. Still, I will have to take turns wearing them and some of her other truly awesome buttons. To get these or arrange to buy other terrific ones, write Ruth as buttonbuddha (at) gmail.com. [Double click it to enlarge the picture.]

Ruth's Gift

In the meantime, please contact the White House comment line (202-456-1111) and your Congressmembers (202-224-3121) to demand "No war on Iran!". I called today (politely) after hearing Thom Hartmann speaking that it had been reported in Germany and in Saudia Arabia that the Saudis were preparing for protecting people from nuclear radiation, this immediately after Dick Cheney left there. Darth Cheney is up to no good. No wonder that my two demo friends this evening voiced what I was feeling about our country. We want our country back! (I am sure they noted that Kathy Lawrence had aptly been wearing a Bush is a War Criminal pin -- she told me that someone had called HER a traitor for wearing it. This, when BUSH is the war criminal AND traitor!)

It was a day of work, a day of activism, a day of fellowship, a day of balance. I seek to be the change I wish to see in the world. I seek balance and love and justice for one and all. With God's help (or whatever YOU want to call God), I will succeed. Join me in doing what you can. Please call, act, be -- let's live peacefully and give peace to each other. We can and must create a better world.

Thank you for whatever you do for peace and justice. (And I will be posting more pix soon at my Flickr.com page.)

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Five Years Too Many

Sarah and Sam
New York City saw a number of events this past week around the five years of Iraq occupation and NON-peace. It is not really a war -- Saddam Hussein is long gone, just U.S. occupation and empire and the resulting insurgency at the cost of about 4000 official (coming up) U.S. lives and at least a hundred thousand Iraqis (more, no doubt). Wednesday found me working at my paid job and then faced with a deluge when I could leave, so I saved my overt activism for Saturday's River to River - Hands Across 14th Street event, sponsored by United for Peace and Justice. The weather cooperated, indeed we were blessed. Amidst the crowd I found a number of my NYFOR friends. Howard Pflanzer joined the theatre contingent but Sam Oast stood with me and a number of great folks by University Place, including Sarah Growell from Peace Action New York's Staten Island group. Especially considering it was Easter Saturday, it was a good turnout. (Of course the pillow fight in Union Square afterwards -- a much better way to fight, rather than with bullets -- also had a good turnout.) The message of the day was bring 'em home from Iraq and keep them out of Iran -- spend money for life-giving projects, NOT life-taking war and occupation.

Rallying: US OUT!

The short concluding rally featured singer Holly Near -- still amazing after all these years. The playing of Taps was especially poignant as we approach 4000 confirmed U.S. deaths. I will be posting some pictures from the day on Flickr as time to upload is found. In the meantime, here are a several.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Grannies' Teach-In: Close Gitmo, others

My weekend was full of peace and political action: a newsletter, our vigil and the Granny Peace Brigade teach-in (along with dog-sitting Munchkin and Barney Bear).

Sam Oast was on duty at our little Union Square peace vigil. He handed out a bunch of the flyers for the Grannies' event. I had my DontAttackIran.org sign [which has a new petition to sign - on my to-do list -- put it on yours] and we got plenty of attention and affirmation (Who says 52% of Americans want to attack Iran??).

Dr. Sam Oast
On Sunday, I tabled with Fellowship of Reconciliation's Fellowship magazine editor, Ethan Vesely-Flad at the Granny Peace Brigade event which stressed closing Guantanamo and all U.S. military bases on foreign soil. Vinnie Burrows moderated and Lynne Kates from the Center for Constitutional Rights gave an eye-opener (for some I am sure) on Guantanimo. She said there are now 786 prisoners there who endure 23 hours of daily isolation -- that in itself is cruel and inhumane! Talk about torture OTHER than water boarding! Elsa Rassbach from American Voices Abroad spoke about how the illegal Iraq war (and possible illegal Iran war) violate(s) the German constitution, "Only peace may come from German soil." She also said though the majority of Germans are pacifists they fear the growth of militarization. There were some other good speakers and the Raging Grannies sang.

Afterwards, Ethan and I spoke with people. There was good energy and the event was not only very informative but also well-attended: a good sign that American people want to know the facts. That said, the event let me to a post a QuickTAKE. And now doggy-duty calls me. Hope your weekend was productive and peaceful.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

General Petraeus or General Betray Us?

MoveOn.org poses a valid and important question and the text of their NY Times ad essentially answers it: General BetrayUS. The title link leads to Move On's solid information behind the ad. Let's get the truth out. Let's get the troops out -- AND the military contractors. Let's surge our troops HOME.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

PS MoveOn.org points to The Center for American Progress' Claim Vs. Fact video:

MoveOn Out of Iraq NOW

Last night I was one of about fifty people standing in a light drizzle on 52nd Street and Roosevelt in Queens, NY, as part of the 1100 MoveOn.org Out of Iraq vigils held to mark the beginning of the (illegal) Iraq invasion four years ago. Our slight discomfort was nothing compared to what is endured by Iraqis and our troops serving in Iraq. Yet Hillary Clinton has now said she is for our continued presence and, hey, should we waste those fourteen permanent US bases we've built there?

Do I sound outraged? Well, I should. To the politicians elected to represent us, I and those standing with me last night would agree: let's MoveOn Out of Iraq NOW. As many of us said last December, "Not one more death, not one more dollar." At yesterday's demo organized by Sandra and John, names were read, stories were told, anger and mourning were expressed, and most important: action was urged. We vigilled. I even led the group in a song and urged nonviolence as my contribution (along with some peace luminaries). And today we speak up louder. Tomorrow, we should shout: Out. Now. We have no credibility left. Others will have to be in charge of cleaning up our mess though how we can possibly make restitution to the Iraq people for the sins we have committed, I cannot fathom.

Read Anthony Arnove's article, Four Years Later... And Counting: Billboarding the Iraqi Disaster. And please join me in speaking out for peace and justice.

(For more pictures from the vigil, check out the MoveOn set at my Flickr.com site.)

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

FOR Peace NOW!