Greater Lansing Network Against War and Injustice

Iris Gomez speaks in East Lansing: The Immigrant Experience

2010-06-19T16:11:00.002-04:00

Author and attorney Iris Gomez visited the Lansing area on June 14 and 15, 2010, speaking with over 100 people at Edgewood United Church on Monday and with 20 - 30 people at Everybody Reads Bookstore on Tuesday. Here's a link to the story in the State News.http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2010/06/msu_alumna_discusses_immigration_reform

A State News article on the East Lansing vigil marking the 1000th US military death in Afghanistan - and many thousands of Afghan civilian deaths

2010-02-24T15:24:00.005-05:00

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2010/02/vigil_held_to_mourn_us_casualties

October 2009 Vigil - No Escalation: More Troops Will Not Bring Peace in Afghanistan

2010-02-15T16:37:00.004-05:00

Peace groups protest Afghan war anniversary

2009-10-20T23:44:00.000-04:00

Peace groups protest Afghan war anniversaryPublished October 8, 2009 in the State News, including a photo and video.

Uwe Reinhardt on health care reform

2009-08-18T16:53:00.002-04:00

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/18/reinhardt.health.inflation/index.htmlIn this comment, Uwe Reinhardt makes a powerful case for health care reform. The current system, which spendsfar too much on private insurance company profits, leaves everyone vulnerable, including those of us who have insurance through our jobs.Here is my personal comment. It is way past time for a strong public

Panel opposes torture during discussion at MSU

2009-06-26T17:44:00.000-04:00

Panel opposes torture during discussion at MSU - from the State News, June 23, 2009Panel opposes torture during discussion at MSU

End Torture Forever - Press Conference at Michigan Capitol 11 June 2009

2009-06-15T13:13:00.007-04:00

End Torture Forever - Press Conference at Michigan Capitol, 11 June 2009Press advisory: “End Torture Forever” - 24-Foot Banner at Michigan Capitol Michigan Religious, Legal, and Peace Groups Mark TortureAwareness Month by Calling for Investigation, LegislationWHAT Press Conference in front of “End Torture Forever” banner that will hang on the Michigan State Capitol Building’s East StepsWHEN:

Dozens join protest against ongoing war

2009-03-20T15:44:00.002-04:00

Dozens join protest against ongoing war==============================================Dozens join protest against ongoing warBy Jeff KananThe State NewsPublished: March 19, 2009More than 50 students, faculty members and area residents met Thursday on the median of Grand River Avenue at Abbot Road to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war.Holding colorful signs and flags,

Ask Amnesty - Questions and Answers on Gaza

2009-01-14T17:42:00.002-05:00

http://www.amnestyusa.org/askamnesty/live/display.php?topic=89

Michigan Peace Team Call to Action for Gaza

2009-01-14T17:27:00.003-05:00

If you support the Michigan Peace Team call to action, please copy it and send it to your friends, to your US Senators and Representative, and to our incoming President and Secretary of State.Thank you - from a GLNAWI blogger.Here is the Michigan Peace Team Call to Action for Gaza:I am adding my name as a co-sponsor to Michigan Peace Team's Call to Action. As peacemakers - and eye witnesses in

Event to raise awareness of cluster bombs, landmines

2008-10-09T16:57:00.002-04:00

Event - at 105 South Kedzie, MSU, October 9, 2008 at 7:00 pm - to raise awareness of cluster bombs, landmines

Demonstration honors fallen Iraq war soldiers

2008-03-26T14:55:00.001-04:00

Demonstration honors fallen Iraq war soldiersHere's the State News story on the March 25, 2008 vigil remembering deaths in Iraq: hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and 4000 U.S. military. Thank you to the 100 people who gathered for the vigil Tuesday afternoon on the median of Grand River Avenue.

Lansing Peace Vigil Community: Reflections on six and a half years of a vigil for peace

2008-03-17T16:43:00.014-04:00

LANSING PEACE VIGIL COMMUNITYThe Lansing Peace Vigil began on the Friday after September 11, 2001 and has continued every Friday for the last six and a half years. The vigil is held from noon - 1:00 pm, at the intersection of Capitol and Michigan Avenues in front of the Michigan State Capitol Building. The vigil is anchored by members of the Lansing Peace Vigil Community, which is made up of

5 Years Too Many - Stand for Peace

2008-03-12T18:14:00.011-04:00

The bottom two photos are of March 19th protests in 2006 and 2007. The top photos were taken March 19, 2008 by Frank Dennis.PROTEST FIVE YEARS OF THE IRAQ WAR and OCCUPATION STAND FOR PEACE on WEDNESDAY MARCH 19, 2008 in LANSING,4:30 - 6:30 pm at the benches along South Cedar St. near I-496 STAND FOR PEACE on THURSDAY MARCH 20, 2008 in EAST LANSING,4:30 - 6:00 pm on the median of Grand River

Speak for Peace Tour discussions with high school students

2008-02-29T16:41:00.009-05:00

Patricia McCann, a U.S. veteran, and Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi political analyst, came to the Lansing area through the American Friends Service Committee Speak for Peace Tour: U.S. Veterans & Iraqis Creating the Way Forward. The Lansing State Journal video-taped their discussions with high school students on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 - and posted it on the web the next day. When I called the

January 11th Vigil: Close Guantanamo and Stop Torture!

2008-01-09T18:51:00.000-05:00

Friday's noon-hour vigil for peace and justice, on the sidewalk outside the Michigan Capitol Building, demands: Close Guantanamo and Stop Torture! See www.witnesstorture.org for a list of world-wide January 11th actions to close Guantanamo. The Witness Against Torture list includes details of the noon-hour Friday vigil in Lansing.The American Civil Liberties Union (www.ACLU.org) asks people to

October 27 - Lansing Bus to Chicago - Mobilization to Stop the War Now

2007-10-11T16:50:00.000-04:00

On October 27, 2007, the Greater Lansing Network Against War & Injustice (GLNAWI) will send round trip buses to Chicago for a National Mobilization to Stop the War Now. Buses will leave from Frandor at 8:00 AM Ocober 27th and return after midnight that same day. Call Judith right away to reserve your seat at 517.351.5222. The cost is $40. Some scholarships are available. Consider donating

Interfaith Fast for Peace in Iraq - Sharing Prayers for Peace, Fast-Breaking Food, and Music as a Peace Circle

2007-10-09T19:34:00.000-04:00

The Peace Circle, an interfaith group in and around Lansing, Michigan, fasted for peace in Iraq during daylight hours Monday and broke the fast together after sunset at Haslett Community Church, sharing powerful prayers for peace and for forgiveness from local Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Baha'i religious leaders and sharing a prayer for peace in the Buddhist religious tradition. See:

Peace rally honors anniversary of Sept. 11 while protesting war

2007-09-13T16:53:00.000-04:00

Peace rally honors anniversary of Sept. 11 while protesting warThe State News, the Michigan State University student newspaper, covered "Speak Up for Peace on September 11th." About 150 people gathered on the median of Grand River Avenue in East Lansing -- to mourn the horror of 3000 deaths in September of 2001 and of hundreds of thousands of deaths and injuries from war in Iraq -- and to call

Speak Up for Peace on September 11th

2007-09-07T17:44:00.000-04:00

Speak Up for Peace on September 11, 2007 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m - in East Lansing, Michigan The Greater Lansing Network Against War & Injustice (GLNAWI) plans a peace rally on the median of Grand River Avenue from Abbott Road to MAC, near Michigan State University.HELP US FILL THAT MEDIAN TO CAPACITY - between Abbott Road & MAC in East LansingThe tragedy of 2001 continues and deepens with each

The War as They Saw It

2007-08-24T14:32:00.000-04:00

An excellent and timely letter was written by seven army veterans recently returning from a 15 month deployment in Iraq. Their position leans on their experiences as well as the historical context of the situation in hopes to clarify the unreasonable and as they describe “surreal,” insistence that things are getting better in Iraq. The letter was published in The New York Times on August

Cost of the Iraq War to Michigan's Priorities

2007-08-15T18:32:00.000-04:00

Lansing Community Members and Michigan Citizen Action Meet to:Reveal Iraq War's Cost to Michigan,Demand End to Upside-down Priorities,End Shortchanging Michigan CommunitiesInvest in the citizens of Michigan instead of an open-ended war!Lansing, MI – Lansing community members joined by Acorn, Michigan Citizen Action, and MoveOn will hold a press conference to release a new report that reveals the

Photographs and Pot Luck Dinner with Alan Pogue, August 13, 2007

2007-08-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

Your Are Cordially Invited ToWitness For Justice:A Photo Report byAlan Pogue from the Texas Center for Documentary PhotographyRenowned Photographer Brings HealingTouch to Iraqi Injured, Palestinian Homeless &Shows Photos of Latin American PrisonersAlan Pogue's photograph of a young woman, Asara of Basra, was widely seen at the beginning of the Iraq war. http://www.documentaryphotographs.com/6 pm

Opening Up the Secrets of War

2007-08-06T16:54:00.000-04:00

Opening up the Secrets of WarSpeech given at the Rededication of the Peace Poleat Lansing Community College,Lansing Michigan, August 5, 2007byBecky PayneIn my lifetime, our country has opened many secrets up to the light of day. Homosexuality - AIDS - discrimination. This nation is talking - is healing - from the hurt that silence and shame have brought to these subjects.There is still one topic

No Military Solution, Halliburton and Gonzales

2007-03-12T11:10:00.000-04:00

Top US General Repeats: No Military Solution in IraqGeneral Petraeus repeated observations by previous commanders that there is "no military solution" to the crisis situation in Iraq. The only long-run success, he said, will come after "reconciling differences with some of those who have felt that the new Iraq did not have a place for them."Halliburton Headquarters Moves to DubaiHalliburton is

Building Peace Through Community: Day 1 at the Peace-In

2007-03-07T23:20:00.000-05:00

“Building Peace Through Community” -- This is the theme of the Peace Education Center’s Peace-In at Everybody Reads bookstore in Lansing. The theme – thanks to Ann F. and Chris S. – captures perfectly what I saw and felt today at the event’s opening day.My favorite role today was working the resource table and meeting so many new people. Gwendolyn of Unity of Greater Lansing stopped by to say

Current Events and Peace and Justice Summary (Three Short Videos)

2007-02-25T17:30:00.000-05:00

GLNAWI is working to finalize the details of a teach-in event aiming to be hosted at Michigan State University for March 18th, 2007 from 2-5pm (please see GLNAWI.org as the details of this event materialize). One of the featured speakers at the event is Dr. Dahlia Wasfi M.D. who is a speaker with Global Exchange. The YouTube link below shows her speaking at a congressional hearing in a forum on

Iran: The Next Weapons Hunt

2007-02-17T18:23:00.000-05:00

In recent days, I have been trying to make some sense out of all the headline news regarding the Bush Administration's claims of Iranian weapons responsible for large numbers of US deaths in Iraq. Michael Gordon's article in the New York Ttimes "Deadliest Bomb in Iraq Is Made by Iran, U.S. Says" has become a focus this week throughout the debate. Its unquestioning support and many unnamed

Gates and Pace: Debate on Iraq Doesn't Hurt Morale

2007-02-08T13:29:00.000-05:00

With the Senate Republicans filibustering the anti-escalation resolution, The House Armed Services Committee met to discuss their version of a resolution to officially disagree with President Bush’s escalation plan in Iraq. The overwhelming sentiment coming from the Democrats on the committee expressed that the escalation will be adding fuel to an already raging fire. The ranking Republican on

New Documentary Filmed Entirely By Soldiers

2007-02-01T15:05:00.000-05:00

A friend sent me some information about a new documentary called The War Tapes (view the trailer here). This film is a compilation of footage taken by three National Guardsmen over the course of their one year tour in Iraq. It is a very unique documentary about Iraq due to the inside look into the thoughts, experiences and dangerous situations in which the filming takes place. I am sure there

Tens of Thousands? Try Hundreds of Thousands: The Math of Crowd Estimation

2007-01-30T12:11:00.000-05:00

Frustrated and unconvinced about the number of protesters that is being reported by nearly every media source for Saturday January 27th March in Washington DC, I decided to work out the math involved. I was having trouble grasping some frame of reference as to how many people tens of thousands looks like compared to half a million. Obviously the difference is enormous but I kept asking myself

What's In A Number? - The March in Washington DC Jan. 27, 2007

2007-01-30T07:37:00.000-05:00

What's In A Number?In today’s peace movement, we try -- and we REALLY try -- but according to the corporate media we just don’t get it right. Upon my return home from Saturday’s national peace rally in D.C., I was surprised to learn from the Associated Press (via the Lansing State Journal) that the rally was attended by less than 100,000 people, according to “unofficial police estimates.”What

2007 State of the Union

2007-01-24T16:16:00.000-05:00

I was surprised in some ways with the State of the Union Address. This was the least outraged I've been about any of Bush's State of the Union Addresses. With that being said, there were still plenty of things that were shouted at the TV and several subtle things that have deep and freighting implications.First, it is important to keep a couple things in mind when analyzing the address. Bush is

Rep. Rogers Questions Escalation Plans

2007-01-18T11:48:00.000-05:00

I found this piece by the Associated Press and thought it could be a sign that Michigan's 8th District Representative Mike Rogers' unquestioning support for Bush Administration policies could be coming to an end. After years of unwavering support for Bush Administration policies in constituent responses, perhaps this is a sign that Representative Rogers will be backing off the unhinged and

MoveOn Criticizes McCain

2007-01-17T14:04:00.000-05:00

As much as I dislike political ads, I found MoveOn.org's latest campaign interesting. It criticizes McCain's support for escalating the Iraq War. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/01/05/dem-leaders-to-bush-dont-surge/">Some make the argument that the reason McCain has made such a PR push for escalating the war is because he was betting that Bush would cave to the Iraq Study Group report.

Iraq War Escalation

2007-01-14T02:56:00.000-05:00

President Bush’s planned escalation of the war as outlined in Wednesday (Jan 10, 2007) night’s presidential address is in contrast to all advice he has received on the subject. President Bush has ignored what the majority of Americans want, bucked the advice of political figures (Iraq Study Group was the one chance Mr. Bush had to save face, in this dreadful war) and reassigned military leaders

3000 U.S. Death Commemoration and Candlelight Vigil for Peace

2007-01-10T22:36:00.000-05:00

Monday, January 1, 2007 5:00 to 6:00pm the corner of Grand River and Abbott in East LansingWe have reached the 3000th U.S. military death in Iraq in addition to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. As this tragedy continues and our President calls for more troops, we urge you to join us and people in cities all over the country in mourning these deaths and calling for and end to this

Challenging the Military Commissions Act – A Theatrical Script

2007-01-10T22:19:00.000-05:00

As performed by the Greater Lansing Network Against War and Injustice on October 17, 2006 The following is a short dramatization of the plight of detainees now legalized with the passage of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. An ominous prison cell sits in the foreground. A sign that reads “Stop Torture” and “End Secret Prisons” is displayed prominently on the cell. American citizens,

102 Michigan Soldiers Killed in Iraq

2006-11-05T07:45:00.000-05:00

With the flags in downtown Lansing, Michigan at half mast and one flown upside down by a Purple Heart veteran as the backdrop on Friday, a rememberance vigil was held to mourn the loss of 102 Michigan solders in the invasion and occupation of Iraq. The vigil was organized by the Greater Lansing Network Against War and Injustice as a demonstration of solidarity with and support for the families of

How Many More Have to Die for a Lie?

2006-10-31T20:58:00.000-05:00

In 1991, when America's armed forces were deployed to liberate Kuwait from occupation by Iraqi forces, Dick Cheney, then Secretary of Defense, stopped the military's advance into Iraq when it reached the city of Basra. He did so because he was advised that continuing the advance and attempting to remove Saddam Hussein from power would result in an unwinnable conflict against an opposing force

The American Usage and History of Habeas Corpus

2006-10-20T16:10:00.000-04:00

In common law countries, habeas corpus, Latin for "you [should] have the body", is the name of a legal instrument or writ by means of which detainees can seek release from unlawful imprisonment. A writ of habeas corpus is a court order addressed to a prison official (or other custodian) ordering that a detainee be brought to the court so it can be determined whether or not that person is

Long Awaited and Highly Disappointing Response

2006-10-19T06:50:00.000-04:00

Two weeks after sending Senator Stabenow my personal letter of protest regarding the Military Commissions Act, I have finally received her response. Without picking her disappointing and inadaquate response apart piece by piece I will simply say that voting in favor of bad legislation which gives away basic human rights is in fact "ignoring the Hamdan decision." Supporting the erosion of our

Surprising Coverage by New York Times

2006-10-16T09:52:00.000-04:00

The New York Times has had surprisingly good coverage of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Below there are some links to two New York Times Editorial pieces about the bill. GLNAWI is actively planning actions in opposition of this piece of legislation. President Bush plans to sign the bill early this week, despite wide spread opposition to the bill, including many religious, civil liberty,

Startling New Mortality Study on Iraq

2006-10-12T08:32:00.000-04:00

A new study done on the mortality rates in Iraq is due to be published in the British medical journal, The Lancent. The study is based on a mortality survey aimed at capturing violence related deaths since the invasion of Iraq over three and a half years ago. 600,000 violent deaths is both startling and cause for outrage. How many more deaths will "stay the course" bring? How can the US not

Military Commissions Act

2006-10-04T07:16:00.000-04:00

Last week the Senate passed the Military Commissions Act. In the wake of its passage, what outraged me most were the democrats who voted in favor of the bill. In Michigan, Senator Debbie Stabenow voted in favor of the bill which prompted me to write the following letter. In addition to the letter to Stabenow I sent a letter of thanks to Senator Carl Levin for his efforts to amend the bill and

2006-07-04T10:14:00.000-04:00

Petals for Peace is a creative and easy way to protest against the war in Iraq. People simply deliver a flower to their congress person on a selected day. So far we've delivered approximately 850 flowers over the course of seven days.The next Petals for Peace day is Friday, July 7, 2006. Delivering a flower to Congressman Mike Rogers is easy. There are three methods of deliver: 1) Call it in.

Blog Policy Change

2006-04-02T23:03:00.000-04:00

Due to the large amount of spam in the comments, word verification has been enabled for all future blog comments. Word verification puts a random graphic image containing alphanumeric characters on the screen and requires commenters to type the same characters before their comment is accepted. Since automated programs cannot see the characters in the image, it is hoped that word verification

Sanity Prevails

2005-12-15T14:50:00.000-05:00

House vote backs McCain language on torture A clear message to the administration that Congress supports the legislation

Not One More Death! Not One More Dollar!

2005-10-30T17:31:00.000-05:00

October 26, 2005Not One More Death! Not One More Dollar! Lansing, Michigan Recognizes and Protests the Costs of War in Iraq.The day after the American Friends Service Committee (http://www.afsc.org/) confirmed the 2000th US military death in Iraq, the Lansing community gathered for a 4:00 - 6:00 PM public action. Together, we witnessed the tragic marker of 2000 US military deaths and at least

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-30T12:17:00.000-05:00

Here are a few early Halloween pics... Click on photos to enlarge.

LANSING TO RECOGNIZE 2,000 IRAQ WAR DEATHS AS ANOTHER MILESTONE PASSES

2005-10-25T22:15:00.000-04:00

Another tragic milestone of 2,000 US soldiers killed in Iraq is bringing Lansing area residents together at 4:30pm on Wednesday, October 26 in front of Ranney Skate Board Park on the North side of E. Michigan Ave. near Frandor Shopping Center. The public action will coincide with 327 other events organized nationally by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Sponsored by the Gold Star

Question Authority

2005-09-28T11:40:00.000-04:00

The following letter was sent to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sept. 16:Dear Senator McCain:I am a graduate of West Point currently serving as a Captain in the U.S. Army Infantry. I have served two combat tours with the 82nd Airborne Division, one each in Afghanistan and Iraq. While I served in the Global War on Terror, the actions and statements of my leadership led me to believe that United

Vini, Vidi, Viki

2005-09-27T19:39:00.000-04:00

"We came, We saw, We conquered". I can’t help but use Caesar’s famous quote to describe my feelings about the march on Washington DC September 24th. Despite the military victory context in which Caesar used it, I use it now in describing the complete opposite, a victory for peace. I feel like we created a space of hope and shared in an extended moment of unity. Great diversity came together

Now That's F***ed Up

2005-09-24T00:10:00.000-04:00

It appears that the troops in Iraq are able to barter for free access to porn by sending pictures of carnage and death to nowthatsf***edup.com. Yes, it's disgusting, but in my opinion it has some merit, which I've already commented on at my personal blog. Just a word of warning, I've censored this blog entry out of courtesy to our readers who are offended by vulgarity, but if you go to my blog,

Goodbye Organics?

2005-09-20T14:29:00.000-04:00

It would be a tragic thing to loose Organic labelling. What labelling would there be to differentiate between real organic labelling and fake organic labelling. Real Organic Farmers would go out of business since cheap non-organic foods would flood their markets. People would be unable to choose Organic farming, thus subverting the "free market" that capitolism and consumer society claims to

2005-09-16T19:25:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to pass this on: Shattered Skies, Dark FutureIt is kind of a science based look at one environmental problem, and how our government responds. Kind of poetic too. I really liked reading it. Hope some of you out there might enjoy it too.

President Writes For Potty Permission At U.N.

2005-09-14T21:29:00.000-04:00

I get this from the blogosphere. Apparently it is no hoax. A Reuters photographer shot a picture of President George W. Bush, while he was sitting in a session of the U.N. Secutiry Council today (Sept. 14). The President is writing a note on white paper. The message is clearly visible. And I quote -- "I think I may need a bathroom break? Is this possible?"The obvious answer. You are the

Death Penalty Action

2005-09-13T16:01:00.000-04:00

Hello GLNAWI blog.This is my first post. I'll try to make it short and sweet, and probably off topic (but since people here seem to be interested in social justice, what the heck).Below, I will paste language from a blog I read today, regarding a Texas death row inmate who will be executed tomorrow. Basically, it appears that she may have been under-represented, and that there is growing

Katrina and Iraq

2005-09-09T13:50:00.000-04:00

With the Hurricane Katrina relief effort in full swing it has been pointed out by many that many lives would have been saved and many traumatic experiences of the chaotic aftermath would have been avoided had the full resources of the Louisiana National Guard and other US military outfits been available. It is hard to deny the fact that the citizens of Louisiana would have been much better off

New Orleans disaster likened to Hiroshima

2005-09-07T22:15:00.000-04:00

New Orleans disaster likened to Hiroshima.By Judith Bommer Observing the shocking aftermath of Katrina we are given an opportunity to relate to the realities of war. “It looks like Hiroshima after the bomb,” boldly quipped Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. However, the incineration of nearly 100,000 human beings is a comparison I hardly think appropriate. Hiroshima, the city and its

A Sad Anniversary

2005-09-04T15:41:00.000-04:00

Today marks the end of a five day armed standoff that happened four years ago between marijuana legalization activists Tom Crosslin and Rolland Rohm and a small army of local, state and federal agents. Crosslin and Rohm had been driven to the breaking point by a witch hunt pursued by then Cass County Prosecutor Scott Teter.Tom and Rolland ran a licensed campground called Rainbow Farm, about five

War Against Our Rights

2005-08-28T13:52:00.000-04:00

Last Wednesday, Thomas Cadmus, National Commander of the American Legion declared war on anti-war protestors at the Legion's national convention in Honolulu. "The American Legion will stand against anyone and any group that would demoralize our troops, or worse, endanger their lives by encouraging terrorists to continue their cowardly attacks against freedom-loving peoples," said Cadmus. The

Imagine This

2005-08-26T22:51:00.000-04:00

Imagine This! Bush sings "Imagine" by John Lennon!(6.2 mb audio file)

Be Prepared

2005-08-24T18:47:00.000-04:00

Bill Moyer, 73, wears a "Bullshit Protector" flap over his ear while President George W. Bush addresses the Veterans of Foreign Wars. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

The Box

2005-08-17T23:30:00.000-04:00

This evening I recited the following poem, written by British World War I veteran Lascelles Abercrombie, at the downtown Lansing candlelight vigil in solidarity with Cindy Sheehan:The BoxOnce upon a time, in the land of Hush-A-Bye,Around about the wondrous days of yore,They came across a kind of boxBound up with chains and locked with locksAnd labeled "Kindly do not touch; it's war."A decree was

Reduced Expectations

2005-08-17T12:01:00.000-04:00

The Bush Administration continues its public repositioning with their “War on Terror.” The repositioning started a few weeks back when Secretary of Defence Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff General Richard Myers introduced their new marketing campaign for the war. Calling it the “struggle against violent extremism” the new terminology is a strong indication that the

Our Thoughts Become Our Reality

2005-08-17T11:22:00.000-04:00

Our Thoughts Become Our Realityby Judith BommerLansing State Journal CAB Viewpoint submitted 27 July 05Regardless of our politics, our home is planet Earth. We are one human family. Our thoughts become our reality. These three ideas may not be truth, but I’m convinced they are: one family-- thoughts become reality. (Our choice of planet is not up for debate at this point.)From what I gather

Question your assumptions

2005-08-17T11:15:00.000-04:00

Viewpoint from Lansing State Journal CAB:Change,an opportunity to make your own choice.By Judith BommerIf you ever, even slightly, entertained the notion that torturing people for information is simply the way it is, I ask you right now to change your mind. Torture is always unacceptable. Choose to recognize that it is immoral and inhumane, not to mention illegal.Surely there is a correlation

War is not Entertainment

2005-08-17T11:03:00.000-04:00

As a newly selected member of the Lansing State Journal Community Advisory Board (CAB), I have had 3 viewpoints printed this summer. I submit them now consideration:War Is Not Entertainment it is Failureby Judith BommerWar is not fun, it is not excitement, it is not a video game, and it most certainly is not entertainment. War is not fiction or fantasy. War is human failure.The American flag,

Cindy Sheehan (A much needed discussion)

2005-08-16T08:28:00.000-04:00

The story of Cindy Sheehan has been widely reported. Cindy, the mother of Casey Sheehan who was killed on duty in Iraq, has been staging a peace vigil outside the President’s Texas ranch. I applaud her efforts and her determination as I am sure many people do. She is requesting to meet with the president. She feels that he was insensitive and unresponsive when they met shortly after her son’s

GLNAWI's Namaste in Jerusalem

2005-08-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

GLNAWI member Sayrah Namaste is currently in Jerusalem representing Michigan Peace Team at the 12th Annual Coalition of Women for Peace International Conference in Jerusalem.As one of our most informed, articulate and active members, Sayrah's presence at this conference is an honor for all of us. It is a wonderful opportunity to have a resource in our own community linked to those on the front

Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge.

2005-08-10T07:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, in a letter sent to the City of Lansing, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and the ACLU Lansing Branch, advised city officials to reconsider their decision to censor a Shakespeare in the park production.Todd Heywood, a Lansing resident, and his theater company, Sunsets with Shakespeare, requested permission to perform a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus"

Stay the Course???

2005-08-06T12:35:00.000-04:00

Recently Ayman al-Zawahri’s, deemed al-Qaida’s second in command, released a tape making reference to the London Bombings and threatening further attacks on the US and Briton. As always the Bush Administration response was to ‘up the ante’ by framing the Iraq situation in terms of withdrawal signaling failure. Using the usual rhetoric “We will stay the course. We will complete the job in Iraq.”

Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism

2005-08-01T23:38:00.000-04:00

The Bush administration has stopped using the slogan "War on Terror" and begun using the phrase "global struggle against violent extremism" (see New York Times Article, 7/25/05 by Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker), in an attempt to reframe its efforts to combat terrorism as an ideological conflict rather than a military conflict.While differing ideologies play a large role in the violent conflicts

Petoleum Boycott

2005-07-27T13:52:00.000-04:00

Since the war in Iraq is about oil, why not reduce the amount of petroleum products we use? I recently purchased a motorcycle that gets more than 50 mpg. I'm also looking into buying a diesel powered car, since there is a gas station in Charlotte, Michigan that sells blended biodiesel fuel (they sell B20, which is 20% biodiesel, and 80% petroleum diesel). There is also a retailer in Manchester,

Letter to the Editor

2005-07-21T07:56:00.000-04:00

Recently the Greater Lansing Network Against War and Injustice (GLNAWI) took a position that Karl Rove be held accountable for his actions in propagating faulty intelligence leading to the invasion of Iraq. I concur.In an attempt to justify the invasion of Iraq, the Bush Administration tried to present evidence that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, posing

Other Costs of Iraq War

2005-07-21T01:02:00.000-04:00

By now I'm sure you're familiar with costofwar.com. If not, it's the site that provides the cost of war counter seen on this blog. Unfortunately, the cost in human life is not as easy to calculate as dollars and cents. One site that does a good job is barrelsofblood.com. The premise of this site is to measure the volume of blood spilled in Iraq by the number of oil barrels it would fill.So

introduction

2005-07-20T18:23:00.000-04:00

my name is ken harrow. i am a member of the faculty at michigan state university where i teach african literature and cinema in the english dept. i am also active in amnesty international, and, of course, in glnawi

it works

2005-07-20T15:56:00.000-04:00

My name is Jonathan Solis, but everyone calls me by my last name. I’m one of the candidates for Lansing City Council for the 2nd Ward. I am also a student in Lansing Community College and I plan to finished next summer since I took this summer off to work on the campaign. I will send you guys a Bio- soon.“I strongly believe when people get together on a specific task more will be accomplished

Blog Administrator: William J. Dwyer

2005-07-19T00:01:00.000-04:00

Born in Detroit, I moved to Charlotte, Michigan in 1975 at the age of seven. At the age of 12, my mother introduced me to grassroots organizing when she became a volunteer on John Anderson's 1980 independent presidential campaign. My father, Canadian GLBT activist William F. Dwyer, was active in the anti-war movement during the Vietnam War, and remained a grassroots leader until he reached