tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73564426484833510542024-02-20T04:53:46.647-08:00Joan Wile BlogRead anti-war granny's articles, satiric sketches, and listen to videos of her original songs.Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-42941190396996868182012-02-13T13:20:00.000-08:002012-02-13T13:21:47.504-08:00PILLOW TALK WITH MITT AND ANNE<em>SCENE: Hotel bedroom, on the campaign trail. MITT and his wife, ANNE, are talking.</em> <br /><br />MITT: How in hell am I going to stop this infernal yapping about our dog riding on top of the car?<br /> <br />ANNE: Mitt, you mustn't swear -- you know the Church forbids it.<br /> <br />MITT: What the hell do I care? They're nothing but a pain in my butt -- lots of people don't want a Mormon in the White House. I wish I could dump the Church -- but then people'd start screaming "Flip Flop." Worse than that, the Tea Party would denounce me for turning against my faith. Jesus, you just can't win with those crazies. <br /> <br />ANNE: Well, still you've got to do something to squelch this dog thing.<br /> <br />MITT: Goddamnit, I would have been able to talk my way out of it like I do everything else if he hadn't shit all over the car. <br /> <br />ANNE: Your language!<br /> <br />MITT: Screw it, I need to fully express myself. If King George VI could curse, so can I.<br /> <br />ANNE: But that was only a movie, The King's Speech.<br /> <br />MITT: So what? Americans don't care anything about history. They take movies as gospel truth. I've got bigger problems. That frigging book that's come out -- "The Real Romney." There's stuff in there that makes me look really bad....like when I forbade that woman to have an abortion even though she had a life-threatening blood clot in her pelvis.<br /> <br />ANNE: Well, of course you were right. The Church insists that from the moment of conception it's a human being and its rights must come first even if the mother might die.<br /> <br />MITT: Naturally, Anne. But, you've got to be quiet about that time you sneaked off to do you know what.<br /> <br />ANNE: That was different.<br /> <br />MITT: Oh, yeah?<br /> <br />ANNE: Well, sure. It was before we were married, and we would have been excommunicated. I HAD to!<br /> <br />MITT: Shhhhh! Let's not go there. <br />There's really bad stuff in the book, too, about all the deals I pulled when I was head of Bain Capital. And, would you believe -- Newt is bashing me for the way I did business -- Newt, of all people.<br /> <br />ANNE: I bet it's that trashy wife of his -- they say she leads him around by her nose.<br /> <br />MITT: Thank Heaven you're a proper submissive wife who lives to serve me.<br /> <br />ANNE: Well, now that you mention it, sometimes I get sick of playing the dutiful little wife. Times have changed. Women have opinions, husbands help with the chores, this is 2012.<br /> <br />MITT: No, Anne, don' t dare to think like that. You have to be subservient....the Mormons demand it, and it's part of my image -- the perfect old-fashioned family.<br /> <br />ANNE: Perfect, my ass! Half our sons smoke pot, another's a drunk, and then there's the gay one. How long can we keep these things under wraps?<br /> <br />MITT: We HAVE to, for God's sake! I've already bragged about helping gays get equal rights, then switched to saying I'll kill the same-sex marriage act. I can't flip again on this thing -- it'll finish me with the Party. They already think I'm a hypocrite.<br /> <br />No, my biggest problem right now is to try and convince people that I created jobs when I headed Bain. That's a real hard one, because actually I got rid of far more people than I employed.<br /> <br />ANNE: Can't you fudge the numbers a little?<br /> <br />MITT: Nah, it's all on the record. And they've got interviews in TV ads with people who I fired and lost their pensions and stuff. They say I have no heart, no empathy with real people and their real problems.<br /> <br />ANNE: Well, you just go out there and tell them how worried you were once when you thought you might not get a promotion. That'll show them you relate to the people's concerns.<br /> <br />MITT: Well, I did that and they mocked me when I said I once worried about getting a pink slip. I don't understand why they don't understand that I understand. <br /><br />ANNE: Try harder, dear. Tell them how much you care.<br /><br />MITT: I DID, and everybody jumped all over me when I said I didn't care about the poor, only about the middle class.<br /><br />ANNE: You've got to be careful not to let them know things like that. SOME people care about the poor.<br /><br />MITT: Well, why should they? The poor don't vote, for God's sake. <br /><br />About the dog thing, I'll tell them how much our dog enjoyed riding on top of the car for those12 hours. That ought to stop the talk.<br /> <br />ANNE: Oh, dear, I'm not so sure. I've seen pictures of T shirts with the words "Crate Gate" on them.<br /> <br />MITT: Oh, crap, I'll have to start lying then and saying that Obama's dog, Bo, pisses all over the Oval Office, and that Obama keeps him locked up all night in the Situation Room. That should take care of it.<br /> <br />ANNE: But that's an outright lie!<br /> <br />MITT: So what? Nobody cares any more about the truth. And the media hardly ever calls me up on my lies. Yeah, I'll go ahead and trash Obama for the way he treats Bo. That'll level the playing field. <br /> <br />ANNE: Don't you think people also want to know your position on issues?<br /> <br />MITT: Don't be naive, Anne. I don't have any positions about issues and I don't have to. Voters don't give a crap about them -- they just want scandal and attacks!<br /> <br />ANNE: Well, all right, dear. I suppose you're right.<br /> <br />MITT: Yes, I'm right. I'm right. I'm far right. I'm far, far right. Ignore the health care in Massachusetts. I'm really right, far right, far, far right. (starts to babble)Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-12751007632665422122011-11-22T08:09:00.000-08:002011-11-22T08:10:33.528-08:00DOWN BUT FAR FROM OUT: ZUCOTTI PARK AFTER THE POLICE RAIDZucotti Park is greatly changed from the bustling, overflowing, colorful encampment it was only a week ago when I was there. All the tarps, tents, flags, banners, food tables, various outreach tents with busy computers and phones, are gone. There are fewer people there.<br /> <br />But, it IS still there, and still embodies the spirit that catapulted it overnight into the nation's consciousness just two months ago.<br /> <br />It is still there despite the iron fences that surround every inch of space making it look like an open-air prison compound.<br /> <br />It is still there despite the plethora of police and security guards that now occupy Occupy. One can't help noting the irony of so many of "New York's Finest" deployed on one square block of Manhattan real estate while there are whole neighborhoods, even vast sections of New York City rampant with crime, poor sanitation, and safety threats with no police presence at all. These conditions are the avowed reason why Mayor Bloomberg sent the troops in to demolish Zucotti in the first place. Something is wrong with this picture. <br /> <br />Today, Monday, Nov. 21, I had the great privilege of going to Zucotti Park with a delegation of senior citizens, union retirees, people with disabilities, health and social justice advocates and just plain people concerned about the threat of cuts to the safety net, particularly those affecting seniors. We went there after a meeting held at the United Federation of Teachers premises a couple of blocks from Zucotti. Approximately 7 or 8 young Occupy people had joined our meeting and expressed solidarity with our concerns. We, of course, thanked them for all that they are doing. As one of the elders said, "You have awakened the sleeping giant!"<br /> <br />At the iconic site, we held a rally, Zucotti style, following their "Mic Check" method of human amplification wherein a speaker says a few words and then the audience loudly repeats them. As we spoke, beginning around 1 p.m., the crowds began to thicken in the park. A couple of us authors found that there is still a library, vastly depleted by the cops' vicious confiscation of all the occupiers' property, and we donated copies of our books. We were told by Jonathan, who was manning the meager little collection, that it was probable that the books would be grabbed again at the end of the day.<br /> <br />After we finished our program, a delightful bit of street theatre was presented by a batch of college and university students affiliated with studentloanjustice.org. Wearing caps and gowns, they were presented with Debt Diplomas inscribed with various amounts of money <br />-- one was $57,000, another $35,000, and so on. Each recipient was identified by name -- Penny Less was one. Bill O'debt another. You get the idea. I thought it was cute (are we allowed to apply that adjective to such serious people as Occupiers?).<br /> <br />A professor from New York University told us that the Federal Government would need $70 billion to cover all 2- and 4-year public college and university students today. He told us that 70 billion dollars was equivalent to that lost by the Pentagon for unaccounted-for spending.<br /> <br />I must add to this my own concern as founder of Grandmothers Against the War that the money wasted on our wars/occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan total far more than that amount, and we should all be pressing for an end to those unconscionable conflicts.<br /> <br />So, Zucotti Park goes on. Given the dedication and creativity of the wonderful young people there, physically and symbolically, I have full confidence that the movement they have sparked will continue to grow and flourish until the urgent changes we 99 percent seek are implemented.Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-34174985653267358242011-11-07T10:49:00.000-08:002011-11-07T10:50:39.867-08:00DISCOURAGED ABOUT TODAY'S YOUTH? FUGGEDDABOUDIT!If you, like me, have concluded that today's kids are practically a throwback to the Neanderthals, with their faces buried in video games instead of books or their fingers texting i-phone messages instead of tapping piano keys, conclude again.<br /> <br />I recently had occasion to attend one of Occupy Wall Street's near-daily Direct Action meetings, and I've never been so impressed. There were approximately 30 or 40 people seated in a circle in a building near Zucotti Park. Almost all of them were very young, except for two or three middle-aged persons and this one old broad, me.<br /> <br />The meeting was conducted -- no, that's the wrong word, they don't have leaders -- facilitated by a young, probably college-age, girl. In a most efficient manner, she adhered to a beautifully conceived structure that provided for anyone to speak, in a carefully allotted and monitored amount of time, and then allowed for the group to respond quickly to their requests. It was all incredibly civil and, by golly, MATURE. Actions were speedily arranged and points of contention were briskly resolved, courteously. Not a minute was wasted on irrelevant chatter. One couldn't help wondering what it would be like to have these intelligent and purposeful young men and women dominating the Congress. Hopefuly, someday they will.<br /> <br />But, most of all, one was struck with the completely democratic way the youngsters managed their complicated agenda. A number of events were planned, fundamental decisions were made, and all without an iota of rancor or ego conflict. And, make no mistake. These kids are ideologically committed to building a better, more economically just society, but with political savvy befitting much older, more experienced elders. They mean business!<br /> <br />Heretofore, I had observed through my grandchildren that the new generation has made great strides in terms of prejudice. They have gay friends, and friends with different racial and ethnic origins. I have noted several of my grandkids railing against bias of all kinds. That, of course, is very heartening, but I was not aware of their generation's stance on other social and economic inequalities....until I visited Occupy.<br /> <br />Don't pay any heed to the Murdoch-controlled New York Post and other media entities that try to paint the Occupy movement as presided over by a bunch of hippie hoodlums. No, Occupy is composed of serious, dedicated and truly democratic people. <br /> <br />Don't pay any attention to Mayor Bloomberg's rants about how badly Occupy is affecting the local businesses. I went into the atrium at 60 Wall Street across from the Stock Exchange last week, and its shops were humming with business. Murdoch and Bloomberg are at the top of the one percent and have a vested interest in discrediting this grass roots movement sweeping the nation and the world. They know their days are numbered in terms of manipulating the system to increase their massive wealth to the detriment of the rest of us.<br /> <br />I left the meeting with a singing heart. I absolutely believe these marvelous young justice-seekers will change the world for the better. So, stop bemoaning the deficiencies of the younger generation, my aging peers. The future is in very capable and caring hands.Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-42937383204909310262011-10-20T10:15:00.000-07:002011-10-20T10:17:35.801-07:00POLICE BACK OFF AFTER THE GRANNY PEACE BRIGADE OCCUPIES LINCOLN CENTERCulture seekers streaming through Lincoln Center Tuesday evening, Oct. 18, were undoubtedly surprised to see a tableau not usually seen at the arts complex. Approximately 60 members of the Granny Peace Brigade and their followers formed a semi-circle around the fountain located in the midst of the plaza surrounded by the Koch Theatre (home of the New York City Ballet); the Metropolitan Opera House, and Avery Fisher Hall.<br /><br />The mostly elderly women, interspersed with a few men, stood silently from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. wearing placards with messages such as "AGAINST WARS, INVASIONS, OCCUPATIONS" and "AGAINST U.S. MILITARFY BASES ABROAD." The main purpose of the action was to challenge the rules forbidding private public spaces being used to advance political agendas, in essence preventing freedom of speech. And, as always, the grannies meant to convey their anti-war, anti-militarization message. They chose the date to celebrate the six years since 18 of them were arrested and jailed on Oct. 18, 2005, when they tried to enlist to replace America's grandchildren in harm's way in an illegal and immoral war in Iraq. <br /><br />The grannies believe that because of the national and international crises currently prevailing, which sorely demand resolution, it is essential that there be opportunities to rally, to vigil, to demonstrate on behalf of peace and social justice wherever people congregate.<br /><br />After about 20 minutes, an official from Lincoln Center came over to the group and said that they would have to disperse, and, if not, the police would be called. The peace people stood their ground. No police came, though they were at a nearby location ready to pounce. More time passed, and again the woman from Lincoln Center warned the grannies to leave the premises or the police would be called. The grannies continued standing silently, and again there was a notable absence of the men in blue to carry out the threat.<br /><br />Promptly at 8 p.m., the grannies broke ranks and, as cameras flashed and the watching crowd burst into applause, spoke happily about their feelings of having accomplished their mission. They had, after all, held their vigil without interference. <br /><br />One wondered why the police backed off from removing and presumably arresting the vigilers. Was it because they retain vestiges of their childhood respect and fear of their elders -- they were psychologically unable to clamp handcuffs on old women like their grannies?<br /><br />Or was it because they've been getting a bad rap lately as stories have circulated about young women being pepper sprayed while peacefully marching with the Occupy Wall Street people, and for randomly brutally mistreating OWS persons on Brooklyn Bridge, in Citibank? If so, it was a wise decision. YouTube videos circulating throughout the world showing cops dragging white-haired old ladies into paddy wagons would not exactly enhance the reputation of New York's Finest!<br /><br />So, have the grandmothers created a new precedent paving the way for future vigils and rallies to take place in public private spaces (or is it private public spaces)? Was this a unique event resulting from intimidated police confronted with their elders? Or if it's a younger assemblage next time, will the police revert to their old aggressive tactics?<br /><br />Time will tell. One hopes, however, that a new chapter is beginning, allowing for more freedom to peaceably assemble in order to alert the public to the perilous circumstances confronting us all.Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-25760328646405498122011-08-24T10:40:00.000-07:002011-08-24T10:45:30.448-07:00AFGHAN PEACE YOUTHS FEEL HOPELESS: SAY CONDITIONS WORSENING
<br />On Sunday, Aug. 21, I had the privilege of speaking via conference call with several young people from the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers. It was the occasion of what they have termed the "Global Day of Listening," during which the kids spoke with supporters and sympathizers all over the world for approximately 5 and a half hours.
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<br />I was immensely saddened to hear that they are discouraged about the prospects of peace in their beleaguered country. The kids stated more than once that things are worse than they were the last time they held the conference call a few months ago, and that their hopes for peace have dwindled down to almost zero. This was in marked contrast to earlier conversations in which I participated, when they projected a sense of ebullience and hope. I had the impression in those past talks that they felt confident that they could make a difference through their admirable efforts to end the conflicts within their nation.
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<br />Yesterday, they expressed their belief that the Afghan people desire that our troops leave their country in a responsible manner as soon as possible, that our military presence there essentially contributes to the decreasing potential for peace. Yet, they see little chance of our withdrawal in the foreseeable future.
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<br />The publication recently of a report in numerous Online publications that an agreement is about to be signed which would allow thousands of U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan until at least 2024 certainly reinforces the young peoples' despair. US Troops May Stay in Afghanistan Until 2024 | Common Dreams
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<br />The group (AYPV) of mostly teen-agers is located 100 miles to the north of Kabul in a mountainous province called Bamiyan. Their lives are extremely difficult. By contrast, an average middle-class American youngster's life seems like a rhapsodic fantasy. One of the younger ones, for instance, walks miles daily to obtain fresh water for his family. School is a luxury oftentimes, given that some must work the farms or market potatoes full-time to help support their families. The landscape is desolate, and there is a lack of warm clothing to protect against the extreme cold. Despite their hardships, though, this group of juveniles manages to devote themselves to the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers. Among their many activities, they cleared through substantial debris to create a Peace Park, in which they planted trees and shrubs.
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<br />They have made a number of beautiful short videos very effectively urging peace. (See below.) They've traveled 100 miles through difficult and even perilous terrain to Kabul for their periodic Global Days of Listening.
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<br />Their mentor and interpreter is Hakim, a doctor from Singapore, who has spent several years organizing the AYPV, writing eloquent articles promoting their cause, creating and producing their videos, and interpreting in several languages, including excellent and fluent English, for their global conference calls. Influenced by Gandhi and Noam Chomsky's writings, Hakim gave up his private medical practice to focus on leading the young Afghans to pursue peace.
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<br />I tried to help them feel more positive as best I could, telling them I had lived many, many years and learned that things often change, even when you don't expect them to. I urged them to keep up their wonderful and inspiring actions, and that we peace grannies (the Granny Peace Brigade, Grandmothers Against the War, Grandmothers for Peace International, and the Raging Grannies, among many) would do the same.
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<br />But, they need so much more solace and stimulation than I or any one person could provide. I hope readers of these words will be moved as I was by the plight of these kids we threaten with our instruments of war. Please contact them by writing journeytosmile@gmail.com. They are very heartened by words of encouragement from people from other locales, particularly the United States, a principal cause of the chaos they must endure. Ask to be notified of the various ways you can help them
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<br />Finally, please watch this very brief video made by the youngsters. They will steal your heart.
<br />- Afghan Children Smile for Love Forgiveness Peace Humanity -- CLICK ON
<br />http://youtu.be/0XUiFp-kTzk
<br />Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-76504749423741015022011-08-06T08:52:00.000-07:002011-08-06T08:53:43.432-07:00WAKE UP, AMERICA! YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE!WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR<br />THAT DOOMSDAY IS GETTING PERILOUSLY NEAR<br />OUR SAFETY NET IS TORN TO SHREDS<br />TAX BREAKS ARE GIVEN TO CORPORATE HEADS<br />WHILE WE ON THE BOTTOM AND IN THE MIDDLE<br />LOSE MORE EACH DAY WHILE THE LEADERS FIDDLE<br /> <br />WE'RE MAKING WAR ALL OVER THE PLANET<br />THOUGH OUR CITIZENS DAILY URGE, "PLEASE BAN IT"<br />SOLDIERS AND CITIZENS ARE DYING FOR NAUGHT<br />SO BOMBS AND GUNS CAN BE PROFITABLY BOUGHT<br />VETS COMING HOME ARE UNEMPLOYED<br />BODIES AND MINDS TOO OFTEN DESTROYED<br /> <br />WHAT MORE WILL IT TAKE TO AWAKEN US ALL<br />TO SCARE US OUT OF OUR LISTLESS PALL<br />SO WE'LL TAKE TO THE STREETS AND TOSS THEM OUT<br />A THOROUGH, CONCLUSIVE AND ALL-AROUND ROUT<br />AMERICA, THIS IS WHAT IT WILL TAKE<br />OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURES ARE AT STAKE<br /> <br />WAKE UP, AMERICA, ORGANIZE<br />THE TIME HAS COME TO MOBILIZE<br />WE MUST HAVE MORE THAN MOANS AND GROANS<br />WE'VE GOT TO LEAVE OUR COMFORT ZONES<br />AND FINALLY TAKE ACTION, NOW, TODAY<br />LET'S HIT THE STREETS, WITHOUT DELAY!Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-41660773053467598622011-06-24T10:00:00.000-07:002011-06-24T10:08:21.108-07:00JOAN'S DAILY DOGGEREL TWEETSI'm continuing my Daily Doggerel TWeets, commenting on the headlines of each day. Here's my latest batch through June 13.<br /><br />WEINER RESIGN?/NOT BOEHNER/CANTER & RYAN/& EACH TAX CUT CONDONER/& THOSE WHO PROFIT/FROM ARMS & OIL/AT MEDICARE SCOFF,IT/MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL<br />8 Jun <br /> <br />NEWT'S DESERTED/ANTHONY'S PERVERTED/THIS HOCUS POCUS/IS MEDIA'S FOCUS/MEANTIME, NO JOBS/ WALL STREET ROBS/BANKS FORECLOSE/DEPRESSION GROWS<br />9Jun<br /> <br />PALIN'S EMAIL/OUT IN THE OPEN/DEVIOUS FEMALE/WE'RE BUSY HOPIN'/ASK 4 SUPPRESSION/DESPITE WHAT'S REVEALED/END PALIN OBSESSION/KEEP IT SEALED<br />11 Jun<br /> <br />CONGRESS DEBATES/CUTS IN BUDGET/THE REPROBATES/WRECK & MISJUDGE IT/THEY CHOOSE/WE LOSE/INSTEAD, BRING THE TROOPS BACK/FROM AFGHANISTAN& IRAQ<br />12 Jun<br /> <br />SAGA OF WEINER/GROWS EVER OBSCENER/AS MORE SHOTS EXPOSE/THIS JERK WITHOUT CLOTHES/MEDIA DUCKS/THAT ECONOMY SUCKS/JOBS R GONE/& WARS GO ON<br />13 Jun<br /> <br />REPUGS DEBATE/HOT AIR SPEWED/EMPTY PRATE/WE'RE REALLY SCREWED/MITT'S THE PITS,NEWT A BRUTE/MICHELLE DUMBBELL/TIM DIM/END'S NEAR/NEED A BEER<br />14 Jun <br /> <br />WISCONSIN COURT/ CRUELLY SMITES/LEGAL SUPPORT/OF BARGAINING RIGHTS/PLEASE RECALL/THE G.O.P LUGS/WHO CAUSED LABOR'S FALL/OUST THE THUGS<br />15 Jun<br /> <br />WEINER'S GOING/WHO IS NEXT/FOR PACKAGE SHOWING/AND TAWDRY TEXT/ONE THINGS IS SURE/MORE SCANDAL WILL RISE/THERE'S NO CURE/FOR WANDERING EYES<br />16 Jun<br /> <br />Joan's Daily Doggerel: LET'S BOYCOTT THE AARP/CAVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY/THE TRUTH IS OUT/THEY'RE ONLY ABOUT/SELLING STUFF TO THE ELDERLY<br />18 Jun<br /> <br />BARRY AND JOHN/OUT ON THE LINKS/HOSTILITIES GONE/NO PARTISAN STINKS/BUT TOMORROW AGAIN/STALEMATE BACK /EACH CITI-ZEN/DROPPED THRU THE CRACK<br />19 Jun<br /> <br />Daily Doggerel: TIGER, TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT/MCELROY HAS GRABBED YOUR LIGHT/YOU THOUGHT YOUR REIGN UNENDABLE/NOW LEARN NOONE'S EXPENDABLE<br />20 Jun<br /> <br />IT'S TIME TO END/EACH FUTILE WAR/WE'VE GOT TO MEND/THE ROT AT OUR CORE/RETURN EACH SOLDIER/DO NOT WAIT/OBAMA, BE BOLDER/BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE<br />21Jun<br /><br />OBAMA,NOT ENUF/WE NEED MORE/U SHOULDA GOT TOUGH/ STOPPED THE WAR/WE DON'T GAIN/BY KEEPING TROOPS THERE/ONLY MORE PAIN/MORE DEATH & DESPAIR<br />22Jun<br /><br /><br />IF WE CUT/TROOPS BY 10 THOU/TELL US WHAT/CASH WE'LL GET NOW/TO BE REDEPLOYED/TO DOMESTIC NEEDS?/OR STAY IN A VOID/& SUPPORT WAR MISDEEDS?<br />23Jun <br /> <br />NEWT SPENDS BIG BUCKS/4 TIFFANY WARE/THEN FEEBLY CLUCKS/WE'RE A THRIFTY PAIR/WHY SHOULDN'T U TRUST/ME 2 CUT DEBT/THO I LUST/4 ALL I CAN GET<br />24JunJoan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-37240975732992048592011-06-07T09:59:00.001-07:002011-06-07T09:59:59.235-07:00JOAN'S DAILY DOGGEREL RE CURRENT EVENTSJoan Wile, founder of Grandmothers Against the War, and author, "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace" (Citadel Press, '08), as well as an award-winning ASCAP lyricist and composer, recently launched "Daily Doggerel Re Current Events" online. Joan is writing a short poem (observing the mandatory 140-character cap) every day on Facebook and Twitter about current events as they unfold. "It's a good mental exercise to write a poem within those constraints...maybe it will help stave off Alzheimer's," the 79-year-old songwriter said. "At least I'm not posting sleazy photos of myself."<br /> <br />Here are the first six:<br /> <br />JoanWile - Thursday, June 2<br />PALIN, A TWIT/BACHMAN, A DUNCE/AN EMPTY SUIT, MITT/ALL BRAINLESS RUNTS/WHAT A BUNCH OF CRETINS/KEEP EXPOSIN' THEM IN YOUR TWEETIN'S.<br /> <br />JoanWile - Friday, June 3 <br />JOBLESSNESS RISING/BENEFITS DIPPING/COMPANIES DOWNSIZING/ ECONOMY'S SLIPPING/BOEHNER IS CLUELESS/WE'LL ALL WIND UP SHOELESS<br /> <br />JoanWile - Saturday, June 4 <br />WEINER SEEN STALKING/UNDERWEAR SIGHTED/PUBLIC GAWKING/ IMAGE BLIGHTED/EDWARDS INDICTED/PRESS OVERJOYED/RIGHT WING DELIGHTED/IMAGE DESTROYED<br /> <br />JoanWile - Sunday, June 5 <br />ECONOMY'S WITHERING/EVRYTHING'S CRUMBLING/CONGRESS JUST DITHERING/FUMBLING AND BUMBLING/NEOCONS SLITHERING/BUT NOBODY'S GRUMBLING<br /> <br />JoanWile - Monday, June 6 <br />5 GIs DEAD TODAY/TWAS IN IRAQ/WHY'D THEY STAY/THEY SHOULDDA BEEN BACK/AND IN AFGHANISTAN/MORE GIs DYING/TO STOP THE TALIBAN?/ IM NOT BUYING<br /> <br />JoanWile - Tuesday, June 7 <br />WEINER'S DISGRACE/ IS TAWDRY AND BASE/FAR GREATER SLEAZE?/THE WARS OVERSEAS/NO JOBS, HUNGRY KIDS/ AS ECONOMY SKIDS.<br /> <br />You can follow Joan's poetic output every day on Twitter -- joanwile@twitter.com -- and Facebook -- joanwile@facebook.com.Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-23925031814003264022011-06-05T19:41:00.000-07:002011-06-05T19:44:04.128-07:00BROOKLYN HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS STATE IRAQ WAR A CRIMEIt was a well-used music room in a slightly beat-up ancient school--the Brooklyn Collaborative School. Approximately 20 kids piled in. They appeared to be all Latino and African-American. They were seniors about to graduate. We were told by their teacher, Stephen, that every single one was going on to college, some with full scholarships.<br /> <br />We were invited guests for a special occasion on June 2 -- Carol Huston, an active member of the Granny Peace Brigade; Alicia Godsberg, currently Executive Director of Peace Action New York State; Hugh Bruce, a Vietnam veteran member of Veterans for Peace, and me, founder of Grandmothers Against the War.<br /> <br />We were there to witness the reading of several essays the kids had written on the question: Was the Iraq war a just war? Unbelievably, Stephen had made this the primary focus of his Social Economics class. We wondered if there were any other teachers in the United States who were daring and RESPONSIBLE enough to introduce this inflammatory topic to their students. We would like to think so, of course, but given the general aura of apathy about these illegal and misguided wars, we figured it was an unmentionable subject in the temples of education.<br /> <br />What could we expect from this bunch of chattering school kids? The giggling girls, the high-fiving brash boys slumping toward their seats? Looking at them, you'd figure they were most likely thinking about the latest rap record, or maybe the new movie, "Thor," or probably some were ruminating about the coming prom. They couldn't be seriously thinking about our disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan....or could they?<br /> <br />After a brief speech by Ms. Godberg, in which she told them all the things that the huge amounts of money wasted on the war could do for their community. the first student, a slim young man calling himself Fran, got up and read his paper. He argued that the rules of war were broken by the very nature of why the war was waged -- not for defense of a people or nation or safety, just business.<br /><br />Five others followed. They talked of the illegality of invading a sovereign country that had not attacked us. They talked of the fact that Congress had not authorized our invasion. They discussed the catastrophic economic ramifications of our spending a trillion dollars to wage these conflicts. They discussed our defiance of the Geneva Convention with our illegal torture and imprisonment. <br /> <br />In short, all the billions of words we Progressives have read over the years by professors, experts, pundits in the annals of Online publications such as this one were intelligently summarized by these youngsters in one hour.<br /> <br />What did these amazing children conclude? Each made the firm determination that the war in Iraq was definitely an unjust war. They also determined that we had no business in Afghanistan, either, and we should get out....Now!<br /> <br />Hey, there's hope after all for the new generation, especially with hero teachers like Stephen to guide them. Teachers like him should get quadruple their salaries....but, then, that's the subject of another articleJoan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-84835665309409403322011-04-18T09:44:00.000-07:002011-04-18T09:46:34.962-07:00SURPRISE! THERE IS, TOO, A PEACE MOVEMENT. IT'S JUST THAT THE TEA PARTY GETS ALL THE MEDIA COVERAGEYou'd think there is a huge Tea Party group in the U.S. and virtually no opposition. But, that is strictly a myth created and perpetuated by the media. To the contrary, there is an alive and well anti-war movement populated by people from all over the country. One wonders why the media seems so intent on promoting the Tea Party and ignoring the probably larger but less visible peace movement.<br /><br />In New York City and environs alone, there are countless regular peace vigils <br />-- to name a few, my own Grandmothers Against the War vigil at Rockefeller Center, which has been flourishing non-stop every week since January 2004. The Women in Black hold two long-standing weekly vigils -- one at the Public Library on Fifth Ave. and one in Union Square. There has been a vigil at Ground Zero for years and years. There is a regular vigil in Queens, on Staten Island, in Brooklyn, in Rockland County, and on and on and on. These are just ones that I personally know of. If it were possible to compile a complete list of vigils in this area, I'm sure it would approach 100 or more.<br /><br />Nationally, there are enduring California vigils in the Bay Area of San Francisco, Marin County, Sacramento; and Los Angeles; in Philadelphia, West Chester, Pottsville, to name just a few in Pennsylvania; Brainerd and Saginaw, Minnesota, a partial list; Fort Worth, and others, Texas; St. Petersburg and Inverness Fla, two of many. <br /><br />But, peace vigils are just part of the picture. There are continuous actions, events, protests, and demonstrations everywhere. And, I don't mean only the few large-scale marches that periodically pop up in Washington DC and New York City. For instance, here in the Big Apple, the Granny Peace Brigade has bi-weekly street events employing their Mz. Gizmo gadget, in which passers-by pour pennies into tubes labeled with 10 budget categories, revealing their wishes for a much better-prioritized national budget. The grannies also encourage people to use the grandmothers' cell phones to make free calls to their legislators.<br /><br />Theatres Against the War (THAW) in New York City has held street theatre events. An artists group periodically has had banner drops in Grand Central Station. A coalition of peace organizations held a song-fest in that venerable venue, as well. <br /><br />Military Families Speak Out have set up "cemeteries" in public spaces throughout the U.S. containing a hundred or so white crosses to represent the war dead. A group of protesters in Derry CA erected a blockade at the Raytheon plant producing bombs. Anti-war groups are endlessly creative and endlessly dedicated. <br /><br />The problem is that these actions operate independently from each other for the most part, and don't inter-connect enough to be a visible grass roots tide. We have to learn to coalesce into a mass movement as the Tea Partiers are reputed to have done (questionable?) so that we, too, can influence policy and put our candidates into office.<br /><br />Accordingly, I hereby call on everyone reading this article who is part of a regular peace action to contact me at joanwile@grandmothersagainstthewar.org so we can begin to build that connection. I also suggest that those involved in peace activities write your local newspapers and TV stations demanding that they cover your events. Please submit other ideas to me for encouraging greater press and media attention.<br /><br />This basically should be a no-brainer. Poll after poll reveals that the majority of Americans want the wars ended right away and all troops and armaments brought home. There is so much creative force and passionate commitment among us. We can do this if we just pull our resources together.Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-85930286700759840852011-03-26T10:14:00.000-07:002011-03-26T10:19:04.259-07:00THREE MEMBERS OF THE GRANNY PEACE BRIGADE GIVEN THE FIRST CLARA LEMLICH AWARD IN HONOR OF 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FACTORY FIREAs part of the week-long commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirt Factory fire of March 25, 2011, the first Clara Lemlich Award was presented to thirty older women on March 21 in a ceremony at the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. Three of the recipients are members of the legendary anti-war group, the Granny Peace Brigade. The Award was given "in celebration of unsung activists."<br /><br />The members of the Granny Peace Brigade receiving the Award were Marie Runyon, 96; Lillian Pollak, 95, and Joan Wile, 79. Another Granny Peace Brigader, actress-activist Vinie Burrows, presented the Awards.<br /><br />The Granny Peace Brigade came to the forefront of public awareness on Oct. 17, 2005, at which time 18 women were arrested and jailed at the Times Square recruiting center when they tried to enlist in the military as a means of replacing America's grandchildren in harm's way. The grannies felt they had been privileged to live long lives and didn't want young people denied that privilege because of a war based on a lie.<br /><br />The grandmothers were on trial for six days at the end of which they were acquitted of the charge against them -- blocking a public entrance. Each of the 18 women were given the opportunity during the trial to express their reasons for engaging in civil disobedience and were, in essence, therefore able to turn the tables and put the war on trial.<br /><br />Marie Runyon, one of the 2005 arrestees, was honored for her life-long work as a housing activist; Lillian Pollak for her years of activism and recent publication of a novel, "The Sweetest Dream," a historical novel about the radical politics of the 30's; and Joan Wile, also an arrestee, for founding Grandmothers Against the War in 2003 which led to the formation of the Granny Peace Brigade. Vinie Burrows, another one of the "Times Square 18,"<br />in addition to her internationally acclaimed reputation as an actress-playwright, is also known for her role as Permanent Representative for the U.N. Women's International Democratic Federation.<br /><br />Clara Lemlich was a young woman garment worker who, after the fire, successfully organized women workers in the industry to go on strike for better, safer working conditions. Her organizing was the basis of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU).<br /><br />"We are very honored to be chosen for this significant award," said Ms. Runyon, "particularly in view of the fact that so many of us Granny Peace Brigaders are among the recipients. Three out of thirty is pretty awesome.<br />And, I hope we inspire elderly people with our ability even at our ages to continue contributing to peace and social justice."Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-76580058958061682122011-03-20T09:23:00.000-07:002011-03-20T09:23:53.740-07:00Third Estate Sunday Review: Roundtable<a href="http://thirdestatesundayreview.blogspot.com/2011/03/roundtable.html">Third Estate Sunday Review: Roundtable</a>Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-15534331939100893672011-03-11T13:43:00.001-08:002011-03-11T13:44:40.117-08:00JOIN THE END THE WAR PROTEST IN NEW YORK CITY MARCH 19It's encouraging to see the people uprisings abroad and in our own country. The Egypt revolt really sparked something, and, on its revolutionary heels, the workers of Wisconsin came to life and fought Gov. Walker's efforts to strip them of their rights. People in other states being subjected to the same onslaught rose into action, also. It seems as if we might be on the cusp of meaningful fightback in the U.S. against the new robber barons who don't give a damn about you and me but are only interested in swelling their over-bloated portfolios to even greater obscene proportions.<br /> <br />This is a supremely opportune time to apply this welcome surge of People Power to the anti-war movement. We in the peace movement who have been conducting our futile struggle for almost 8 years to prevent, then end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, must grab this moment to pursue our cause with greater force. This does not take anything away from the battle to protect workers rights -- to the contrary, it is a wonderful support. Bring the troops and the war dollars home, and fix our broken economy. Remove all justification that way for cutting benefits and salaries -- then, the greedy scoundrels would have no rationale for busting the unions.<br /> <br />Accordingly, I urge all those within travel distance of New York City who will not be going to the Washington rally on March 19 to attend our adjunct protest on the same day, coordinated by the local Chapter 34 of the Veterans for Peace and by Grandmothers Against the War. As we did on Dec. 16 in support of that day's protest at the White House, we will meet at the Times Square recruiting station at 5:00 pm. In December, 131 people were arrested in D.C. and 11 of us were arrested in New York. We will again carry out non-violent civil disobedience in our continuing efforts to thereby keep the issue alive and, hopefully, to nudge the sleeping citizenry with the urgent need to end these immoral and tragic wars.<br /> <br />Let's turn out in massive numbers in Washington and in the Big Apple. They are doing it in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and other locales. We can, we must, get out on the streets, too, and finally stop the killing!<br /> <br />DATE AND TIME: 5-6 pm, Sat., March 19<br />PLACE: Times Square recruiting station, Broadway at 44th St.<br /> <br />SPEECHES BY PEACE LEADERS, ENTERTAINMENT AND NON-VIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE<br /> <br />endorsed by <br />Big Apple Coffee Party; Brooklyn For Peace; Catholic Workers; Chelsea Neighbors United to End the War; Grandmothers Against the War; Granny Peace Brigade; Gray Panthers; Pax Christie of Metro New York; Peace Action Bay Ridge Interfaith Peace Coalition; Peace Action Manhattan; Raging Grannies; Veterans for Peace Chapter 34 (NYC); War Resisters LeagueJoan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-21823770322281536332011-02-20T14:16:00.000-08:002011-02-20T14:17:11.969-08:00PLEASE SIGN MY PETITION TO END THE WAR/OCCUPATION OF AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQLike me, are you asking yourselves why we can't stop the war in Afghanistan and the occupation of Iraq by doing as they did in Egypt and as they are doing in Wisconsin? If they can do it, we can do it. We see clearly that people power WORKS. If we can mobilize large enough numbers of people, we can end these brutal, immoral and unnecessary wars. I'm POSITIVE there are millions of people in the U.S. who want to do just that!<br /> <br />Consequently, I just created a petition entitled "Grandmothers for Peace Urge Pres. Obama to Immediately End All Hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan." I'm trying to collect 100,000 signatures, and I could really use your help. Although the petition specifies "grandmothers," I want everybody to sign. The term "grandmothers" seems to grab sympathetic attention, so that's why I tagged it that way. <br /><br />To read more about what I'm trying to do and to sign my petition, click here:<br />http://www.change.org/petitions/grandmothers-for-peace-urge-pres-obama-to-immediately-end-all-hostilities-in-iraq-and-afghanistan?share_id=XzNHIHxIui&pe=pce <br /><br />It'll just take a minute! And, it would be wonderful if you could post it on your web site, if you have one, or post it in Facebook. <br /><br />Once you're done, please ask your friends to sign the petition as well. Grassroots movements succeed because people like you are willing to spread the word!Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-2511099769285471012011-02-06T10:20:00.000-08:002011-02-06T10:22:23.971-08:00CAN WE PEACE GRANDMOTHERS FOMENT AN EGYPT-STYLE REVOLT TO END OUR WARS?There we were, last Wednesday as usual, our little straggly group of elderly grandmothers and supporters standing on Fifth Avenue in front of Rockefeller Center chanting, "BRING THEM BACK...FROM AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ! STOP THE KILLING NOW!" We were into our eighth year of our Grandmothers Against the War weekly late-afternoon one-hour vigil begun on Jan. 14, 2004, and held continuously until now without hardly a single break, no matter what the elements threw at us. On this particular Wednesday, we were down to only seven protesters, a disappointing decrease from our usual approximately 15. Of course, the weather had something to do with the meager turnout -- New York City was still recovering from the multiple onslaughts of snow crippling people's ability to get around.<br /> <br />While standing there (our aging bones making it painful after the first half hour), we began discussing the situation in Egypt. We wondered if there were any way at all for there to be a similar eruption of public discontent here in the U.S.<br /> <br />Sadly, we concluded it was extremely unlikely. Oh, yes, we peace grannies and the Veterans for Peace who join us every week are passionate about our cause. We deplore the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are horrified about the loss of American military and civilian life in both countries (still ongoing in Iraq, despite the perception encouraged by the muted reporting in the media that implies otherwise). We lament the obscene amounts of money tossed away on unwinnable and unjustified wars as the funds for our domestic needs dwindle away to the point where our citizens are in desperate straits. Yes, we are concerned enough to take to the streets and try to bring awareness to the indifferent masses of people passing by us that we are in critical trouble, that we must end these wars and occupations for our very survival. But, we are so few.<br /> <br />There are always a handful people walking by who acknowledge us, give us a thumbs up or a "Thank you," as they smilingly continue on their way. Usually, those sympathizers are from other countries -- our sense is that people from abroad absolutely hate our wars. But, mostly, passers-by pretty much ignore us.<br /> <br />We assume that this apathy is wide-spread throughout the United States. We marvel at the fact that the Tea Party has been able to mobilize people to hit the streets, and are displeased that their causes are so antipathetic to our beliefs.<br />Will the Tea Party be able to foment a revolt similar to Egypt's? I hope not.<br /> <br />But, why can't WE even begin to goose our population into demanding we end the wars? It's a strange dichotomy -- the issues that people are really heated about -- jobs, inferior education, inadequate health care, as prime examples -- cannot be solved until we bring the money home along with the troops; yet, the unconscionable conflicts are almost never mentioned in politicians' speeches or media editorials. PEOPLE DO NOT SEE THE CONNECTION!<br /> <br />I've concluded that the anti-war grandmothers' job is to make that connection in people's minds. I'm trying to dream up an action that will gain enough attention to start infiltrating into people's consciousness.<br /> <br />To that end, I am herewith pleading to all grandmothers everywhere reading this article to contact me -- joanwile263@aol.com -- with their ideas and suggestions as to how we can create a grandmothers' movement that will wake up America. And, beyond that, let me know if you will join with me and my peer grannnies to make it happen.<br /> <br />Grandmothers are thought of as wise, nurturing, and balanced. People will listen to us if our message is made available to them. Let us take off our night caps and don our thinking ones. We know what's at stake -- the future of our children and grandchildren. We must do all within our power to end these wars and foster a world of peace for them.<br /> <br />Hurry -- we have so little time!Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-30694384280676341112010-12-17T15:43:00.000-08:002010-12-17T15:46:42.628-08:0011 PEOPLE ARRESTED AT TIMES SQUARE RALLY DEC. 16 IN SYMPATHY WITH D.C. WHITE HOUSE PROTESTERSApproximately 75 people braved the freezing temperatures on the afternoon of Thursday, Dec. 16 to rally against the war in Afghanistan. They gathered on Military Island, the small traffic island housing the Times Square recruiting station (now laughably tagged the Army Career Center) as a sympathy rally for the one held in D.C. earlier that day at the White House, during which 135 people were arrested.<br /> <br />In Times Square, 11 stalwarts blocked a stretch of Broadway for about 10 minutes before they were handcuffed and hauled off by the New York City police to a nearby jail.<br /> <br />The Big Apple event was populated by many Veterans for Peace and lots of peace grannies from the Granny Peace Brigade, the Raging Grannies and<br />Grandmothers Against the War. Two of the grandmothers were in their 90's but stood for more than an hour in the cold throughout the action. There was a contingent of Catholic Workers, War Resister Leaguers, the Green Party, and other anti-war groups, also.<br /><br />After the Raging Grannies sang a few of their peace songs, names of New York State war dead in Afghanistan were read. Then, leaders in the peace movement spoke, including Bill Gilson, Vice President of local chapter 34 of Veterans for Peace; Carmen Trotta of the Catholic Workers; Barbara Harris, chair of the Counter Recruitment Committee of the Granny Peace Brigade; Tom Syracuse of the Green Party, and Alicia Godberg, Executive Director of Peace Action New York State.<br /> <br />And then came the civil resistance, at exactly 6 p.m. As the Times Square crowds swarmed around, the bright lights sparkled and flashed, 11 hardy souls fanned out across Broadway at the intersection with 44th St. and refused to move. The other rally participants shouted "Peace Now," "Stop the War," "Arrest Bush and Cheney, not these Patriots," as they observed their comrades loaded into the paddy wagons. <br /> <br />The event was organized by one of the arrestees, Bill Steyert, a Vietnam war vet with the Vets for Peace, who said: "I think it was a travesty that the war in Afghanistan wasn't even brought up as an issue during the recent mid-term elections. This tragic war jeopardizes not only the lives of American troops but directly affects our economy, which is in such dire shape because money spent on war is urgently needed to create jobs at home. This rally showed that those of us who were there have not forgotten what's going on in Afghanistan in our name." <br /> <br />It is hoped that the New York protest along with the big one in Washington served as a wake-up call to the American people about the tragedy of this hopeless and destructive war. Wake up, America!Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-21592467724802745722010-12-11T12:31:00.000-08:002010-12-11T12:33:13.727-08:00PRESIDENT PALIN'S FIRST CABINET MEETINGPRES. P: Good morning, everyone. Sorry I'm late...it took me a little longer than usual to carve up the moose I slaughtered yesterday. May I hear from each of you as to what programs you've implemented? Let's begin with the Secretary of our new Department of Chastity, Christine O'Donnell.<br /> <br />O'DONNELL: Thank you, Madame President. With the help of my Assistant Secretary of Chastity, Bristol Palin, I'm launching policies in my Department that I think will be of great benefit to our constituents. First, of course, I've closed all abortion clinics and Planned Parenthood offices. Instead, I've created a new program, which I call the No Sex Is Good Sex Project. There, we will counsel all young people and all single people that they may not engage in sex in any form. If we catch them in the act, they'll be fined and, if they commit repeated offenses, they'll be imprisoned. I've also had the Bureau of Printing print 50 million posters to be posted in all public schools, youth clubs, etc., that say "KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR SEX ORGANS -- MASTURBATION IS PUNISHABLE!" We're developing a tracking system so that we're able to keep tabs on people in their bedrooms and bathrooms in order to catch them in the act.<br /> <br />PRES. P: Excellent, Secretary O'Donnell. Those measures should go a long way toward keeping people on the moral path we decide they should follow. Now, let's move on to the Department of Defense. What have you got to report, Secretary McCain?<br /> <br />MCCAIN: We're implementing multiple surges, Madame President. Wherever we are engaged in battle, we will do a surge forthwith. Surge! Surge! Surge! That's the ticket. Let the anti-war yellow bellies scream their heads off, we're going to pour troops into all the hot spots in the world. That's how we'll spread democracy....by cramming it down their throats. <br /> <br />PRES. P: Have you figured out where to get all those extra troops, Secretary McCain?<br /> <br />MCCAIN: Absolutely. We've re-instituted the draft, effective immediately. No deferments for anybody other than the blind, the deaf and amputees. Further, Ma'am, I've proposed an order for the military to invade Iraq again. I never bought that story that there were no weapons of mass destruction. We'll search every home in Iraq until we find them. As for Afghanistan, I've removed all time lines, and we're beefing up the drones and night raids. Our invasions of Iran and Pakistan are going well, and we're mobilizing for an invasion of Mexico. That ought to solve the immigration problem!<br /> <br />And, another thing. I've made sure the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy remains firmly in place. In fact, I've improved it. People can be discharged not only for being openly gay, but for being artists, musicians, and Liberals. We don't want any weepy oddballs in our armed forces. <br /> <br />PRES. P: Excellent work, John. Michele Bachmann, now that you're Secretary of Health and Welfare, please tell us what policies you're pursuing in your new assignment.<br /> <br />BACHMANN: That's easy, sir...I mean, Ma'am. We've ended Medicare and we're phasing out Social Security. Other improvements we've instituted are the reduction of welfare so that the only people who are eligible are unemployed single parents with diagnosed terminal diseases and at least six children.<br /> <br />PRES. P: Very good. You might also want to think about decreasing payments to orphans over the age of 8. And now, let's hear from the Secretary of State. Mr. Beck? <br /> <br />BECK: The most important thing is to get all the oil we can. That means that we've got to take control of all the oil-producing nations, including Russia. Therefore, we are beginning the process of reinstating the Cold War and rev-ing up the arms race so drastically that the Soviets will have to capitulate and give us their most valuable resource. We've eliminated most of our diplomatic corps, also, Madame President, realizing that negotiation gets us nowhere. Force is the tool we will always use to secure what we want. America will now not only dominate the world, we will enslave it to serve our needs. Oh, yes, we're also bailing out of the U.N. and demanding that they leave our shores by the end of the year. Real estate is an extremely precious commodity in New York City, and we can use their buildings and land.<br /> <br />PRES. P: I couldn't agree more. Mr. Boehner, will you give us your progress report for the Treasury Department?<br /> <br />BOEHNER: Certainly, Madame President. I'm happy to report that we've been instrumental in getting the House and Senate to pass a permanent tax cuts bill. Those earning over $250,000 annually will henceforth pay only one percent of their taxable income to the government. With all the jobs that will trickle down as a result of this policy, the middle and lower classes should be able easily to pay their 40% of gross income. But, that's not all. Now that deregulation is permanently installed, we are free to outsource most office and computer jobs to India and other countries, vastly lowering personnel costs and at the same time driving profits way up. We're not sure these new policies will balance out so that we can reduce the national debt, but, oh, well, we'll let future administrations worry about that. <br /> <br />PRES. P: Thank you, everybody. You're all doing a real bang-up job. I think that's enough for today. I have to go practice now at the rifle range. Got to keep my trigger finger in shape. Those of you who didn't get to make reports today, please send them to my Chief of Staff, my husband, Todd. Oh, one more note. I've asked Vice President Sharon Angell to be ready to take over the Presidency when I retire six months from now. I think I can serve America best out of office traveling around signing books, giving speeches, doing reality shows for big fees. I have to support my family in style, don't y'know.Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-17076105444945210522010-12-02T11:01:00.000-08:002010-12-02T16:33:59.595-08:00"PLEASE STOP YOUR NIGHT RAIDS," PLEAD AFGHAN PEACE YOUNGSTERS TO OBAMA, CLINTON, PETRAEUS AND OTHER WORLD LEADERSMy group, New York City's Grandmothers Against the War, recently "adopted" the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers, to provide moral and material support for their efforts to end our war in their homeland. The youngsters, who live in a mountain village 100 miles NW of Kabal, have accomplished miracles of peace-building in their community and around the world. They have just sent a letter to world leaders, which I am reproducing below, begging, "Stop your night raids," and inviting participation in a 24-hour Skype conference Dec. 18-19, to be called a Global Day of Listening, with as many people as can be inspired to participate. Among those who have already signed on are retired army Col. Ann Wright, Kathy Kelly of Voices for Creative NonViolence, Cindy Sheehan, Mark Johnson of Fellowship for Reconciliation, a number of high school peace classes, a group of our grannies, tentatively called Grannies in Support of Afghan Peace Youths, and many others. Details about how to participate are at the end of their letter. Here is their plea:<br /><br /><strong>OPEN LETTER FROM AFGHAN YOUTHS TO OUR WORLD LEADERS</strong> <br /><br />Dear Mr. Obama, Mrs. Clinton, Gen. Petraeus, Mr. Rasmussen, and all our world leaders:<br /><br />We are Afghans and we ask the world to listen. Like yourselves, we couldn’t live without the love of our family and friends. We were hurt by your criticism of Mr Karzai for voicing the people’s anguished pleas, “Stop your night raids.”<br /><br />Please, stop your night raids.<br /><br />If you could listen, you would have heard 29 NGOs in Afghanistan describe how we now have “Nowhere to Turn”.<br /><br />http://www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/policy/conflict_disasters/nowhere-to-turn-afghanistan.html<br /><br />If you could listen, you would also have heard Mr Karzai and the 29 NGOs express concern over your Afghan Local Police plan; the world will henceforth watch our militia killing the people, your people and our people, with your weapons and your money.<br /><br />If you could listen, you would have heard the sound of your drones crystallizing the nights of hatred among the Afghan, Pakistani and global masses. <br /><br />Instead, we hear your determination to ‘awe, shock and firepower’ us with Abrams tanks. We hear distant excitement over your new smart XM25 toy, a weapon you proudly proclaim will leave us with ‘nowhere to hide’.<br /><br />Nowhere to turn and nowhere to hide.<br /><br />Your actions have unfortunately dimmed our hopes that we the people could turn to you. Along with our Afghan war-makers, you are making the people cry. Yet, we understand. You are in the same trap we’re in, in a corrupt, militarized mania.<br /><br />Love is how we’re asking for peace, a love that listens, and reconciles.<br /><br />And so, we invite you to listen to the people of Afghanistan and to world public opinion on the Global Day of Listening to Afghans, to be internet-broadcast from Kabul this December.<br /><br />It is time to listen broadly and deeply to both local and overseas Afghan civil groups and the numerous alternative solutions they have proposed for building a better socio-political, economic and religious/ideological future for Afghanistan.<br /><br />We have shared the pain of our American friends who lost loved ones on September 11, by speaking with and listening to them. Though, if the world could listen like these American friends did, the world would know that few Afghans have even heard about September 11 and that no Afghans were among the 19 hijackers. The world would have heard our yearnings as we were punished over the past 9 years. <br /><br />If the world could listen, they would know how much we detest the violence of the Taliban, our warlords, any warlord, or any bullet-digging finger-trophy troops.<br /><br />And now, for at least another four more years, we will grieve over souls who you are unwilling to ‘count’ and we are unwilling to lose. It is extra painful to us and to your troops because clearly, there are non-violent and just alternatives.<br /><br />We understand the pain of financial hardships but try telling an Afghan mother about to lose her child or a soldier about to take his life that the only way their illiterate and angry voices can ruffle the posh feathers of our world leaders is when it disturbs not their human or truth deficit, but their trillion dollar economic deficits. How do we explain that without denuding ourselves of human love and dignity?<br /><br />What more can we say? How else can we and our loved ones survive? How can we survive with hearts panicking in disappointment while perpetually fleeing and facing a ’total’ global war, a war that wouldn’t be questioned even in the crude face of a thousand leaks? <br /><br />We would survive in poverty, we may survive in hunger, but how can we survive without the hope that Man is capable of something better? <br /><br />We sincerely wish you the best in your lives. <br /><br />We are Afghans and we ask the world to listen.<br /><br />سلامت باشین!<br /><br />Salamat bAsheen!<br /><br />Be at peace!<br /><br />Meekly with respect,<br /><br />The Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers<br /><br />Global Day of Listening to Afghans<br />19th December 2010<br /><br />Why not listen? Why not love?<br /><br />To share the pain of Afghans and people in conflict all over the world, please join us in Afghanistan by taking a few minutes on the 18th & 19th of December 2010 to Skype call us or call us directly, from wherever you are<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVMVRNrepZY<br /><br />Email youthpeacevolunteers@gmailJoan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-55384213644881542982010-11-23T07:49:00.000-08:002010-11-23T07:52:49.387-08:00GRAY PANTHERS TELL DEFICIT COMMISSION: "WE WON'T LET YOU WEAKEN SOCIAL SECURITY"Representatives of the National Gray Panthers went to Capitol Hill in November to present their position regarding Social Security. They spoke with members of the Deficit Commission and presented their counter proposals against anticipated recommendations by the Commission to cut Social Security benefits.<br /><br />Susan Murany, Executive Director of the national Gray Panthers, told the Commission: "For 75 years, Social Security has remained a promise of economic protection and stability for the Americans who have paid into this program. As we now celebrate three-quarters of a century of accomplishments for this program, we must also do our part to ensure that Social Security is not weakened by those who wish to balance bailouts on the backs of Americans."<br /><br />PROBLEM: <br /><br />Social Security is America's most successful anti-poverty program and remains the most fiscally responsible part of our federal budget. In fact, recent polls from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare indicate that 85% of adult Americans are opposed to cuts to Social Security to decrease the deficit. However, while many Americans remain united on this issue, Social Security continues to face threats from increased polarization in Congress and those with anti-entitlement agendas. <br /><br />The 2010 Social Security Trustees report shows that Social Security is not facing an immediate threat. The surplus within the Social Security trust fund is estimated to grow to $4.3 trillion by 2023 and remain able to pay benefits in full through 2037, and 76% of benefits thereafter. Yet, the opposition continues to project "doomsday" crisis reports and myths to the American public in their efforts to garner support for cuts to the Social Security program. <br /><br />Proponents of these cuts, such as House Republican Leader Joe Boehner, would rather cut Social Security in order to pay for the war in Afghanistan. Outrageously, Boehner stated that, "Ensuring there's enough money to pay for the war will require reforming the country's entitlement system." Boehner also calls for increasing the Social Security eligibility age. However, a raise in the Social Security eligibility age would result in about a 20% benefit cut for recipients, hurting lower income beneficiaries working in manual labor and those with shorter life expectancy the most.<br /><br />While it is evident that our government must make tough decisions to revive our down-turned economy, it is important to remember that cuts to Social Security would not only hurt seniors, but will also detrimentally affect people with disabilities, people who are unemployed, and women and children of deceased spouses/parents. Cuts to this program stand to unfairly burden the most vulnerable populations of Americans. While Former Senator Alan Simpson, the Co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, declares that the “Gray Panthers [...] don’t care a whit about their grandchildren…", we adamantly refute his comment and we vow to continue working to ensure that Social Security remains there for them in their future. <br /><br />SOLUTION: <br /><br />Gray Panthers oppose any efforts to cut benefits! Instead of balancing the budget on the backs of Social Security recipients, especially those most dependent on its benefits, here are some of the proposals we support: <br /><br /> - Eliminate the annual cap on taxable income and raise that cap so that wealthier people are paying more to Social Security. Under current law, wages over a certain yearly total ($106,800 in 2010) are exempted from Social Security payroll taxes. This means that a worker earning $106,800 a year pays the same amount of FICA taxes as a CEO who makes millions of dollars a year. <br /><br />- Let the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy expire. The revenues gained from these expirations are far more than enough to fill current state budget deficits for the next ten years while still leaving an additional $2.76 trillion dollars left over to promote further economic recovery. There is no place for tax cuts in a deficit reduction proposal as were suggested by the Chairmen of the Deficit committee last week!<br /><br />- End the wars. Funds saved from Social Security should not be used to pay for wars; rather, we should cut funds for wars to finance Social Security. The Gray Panthers support the Chairmen’s proposed cuts to Defense spending, but more cuts can and should be made! <br /><br />- Extend outreach and enrollment. Gray Panthers believes that not only should Social Security be kept intact, but that outreach should be increased and enrollment expanded to get a greater number of older adults in poverty into the program.<br /><br /><br />The retirement age increase proposed by the Commission is just a particularly cruel way of cutting benefits. The age at which the elderly can retire on full Social Security benefits is already increasing to 67 by 2027. The chairmen’s plan would “index” the retirement age to increase in longevity, meaning it would hit 68 in about 2050 and 69 in about 2075.<br /><br />New York Times opinion columnist Paul Krugman has pointed out, http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/unserious-people-2/, that “the people who really depend on Social Security, those in the bottom half of the distribution, aren’t living much longer. So you’re going to tell janitors to work until they’re 70because lawyers are living longer than ever."<br /><br />Is this how a humane society proposes to care for its less fortunate? Not if the Gray Panthers have anything to say about it!Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-32627738536857777782010-11-11T06:18:00.000-08:002010-11-11T09:35:13.994-08:00AFGHAN PEACE KIDS TELL U.S. PEACE GRANDMOTHERS DURING SKYPE CONFERENCE: "TELL YOUR COUNTRY TO STOP BOMBING AND KILLING US -- WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS"A remarkable Skype conference was held Tuesday, Nov. 9, at which three New York City peace grannies and a California high school peace class spoke at length with seven members of the Afghan Youth Peace Conference (AYPC) in a mutual desire to end the war in Afghanistan. The conference meant so much to the Afghan kids that they came from distant valleys and stayed overnight in a mud-house in order to participate.<br /> <br />For over an hour, the grannies, the U.S. students and Afghan youthful peacemakers all exchanged ideas and expressions of solidarity and affection in what they hope will be a step toward ending the unjustified hostilities in that besieged country. The seven Afghan kids spoke over and over of their desire for Americans to recognize that they are human beings just like us; they spoke of the losses they have suffered because of the war and their fervent wish for it to end. "Tell your government to stop bombing and killing our people," pleaded one of the boys. <br /> <br />The grandmothers were extremely impressed with the intelligence and grasp of issues demonstrated by the youngsters. Two of the grannies, Miriam Poser and Barbara Walker, told the kids they would like to visit them in their small village in the Bamiyam province 100 miles NW of Kabul, and are now making plans to go in April of 2011 "with bags of healthy treats and all kinds of school supplies."<br /> <br />A member of New York City's Grandmothers Against the War conceived the idea of "adopting" the Afghan youths after reading a stirring article on an online blog written by members of Voices for Creative Nonviolence (VFCN) who had spent a week with them.<br /> <br />She contacted as many peace associates as she could find and got an overwhelmingly positive response of support from people and groups as diverse as the Atlanta (GA) Grandmothers for Peace and the New York City chapter of the Gray Panthers, plus many individuals such as Gold Star Families activist Dede Miller and her sister, Peace Mom Cindy Sheehan; Lorraine Krofchok, President of Grandmothers for Peace International; Barbara Harris of the Granny Peace Brigade, and so many more.<br /> <br />Dede Miller suggested organizing for a Peace Summit through Skype between the Afghan kids and U.S. high school peace groups and arranged for the peace club of Tracy High School in Cerritos, led by teacher and Military Families Speak Out member, Pat Alviso, to join in the dialogue.<br /><br />One Afghan kid made the startling statement, "Please tell them (the U.S. government) to stop sending money to our country" in answer to a California student's question, "What should our governments do to bring about peace?" The Afghan boy explained that he had heard of widespread corruption and the result that money never reaches its target, the people in need, but instead is gobbled up by the powerful and rich.<br /> <br />He urged instead that we reach out with their message of peace. The children never asked for any material aid, partly because they are skeptical about their postal service, but mostly out of the purity and urgency of their desire to stop the conflict raging around them. The grandmothers promised to reach out in every way possible, and one of the California students said "We'll do our best to open the eyes of America." <br /> <br />Their admirable leader, Hakim, a young doctor from Singapore who has been mentoring the Afghan group for several years and acted as interpreter for the Skype meeting, stated that they don't believe either government is listening to the people's voices and we must change that. We grannies and our Tracy High School compatriots ardently hope that we can in some small measure be an effective part of that change.<br /> <br />As one boy said, quoting an Afghan proverb, "Mountains can't reach mountains, but man can reach man." <br /> <br />(If any of you reading this article are interested in lending your support to this project, even if only to endorse it, please contact me at joanwile@grandmothersagainstthewar.org)Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-477943561029493042010-11-01T11:34:00.000-07:002010-11-01T11:36:23.270-07:00GRAY PANTHERS TO GLENN BECK: "BACK OFF!"Glenn Beck recently attacked the National Gray Panthers in his Fox TV broadcast Sept. 28, implying they, along with other organizations supporting the One Nation Working Together March in Washington DC on Oct. 2, were "dangerous revolutionaries, communists, and socialists." The evidence he offered for this off-the-wall and completely false characterization of the Panthers was the their slogan, "People Over Profits." He sneeringly repeated it twice as if it were an evil phrase akin to someone saying, for instance, "Let's invade Canada."<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Nasty as this was intended to be, the Panthers really are grateful to Mr. Beck for stressing (though contemptuously) a vision they are so proud of. Yes, they put people before profits. They fight for more affordable health care, which would cut into the obscene profits of the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. They fight to end the catastrophic wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which would reduce the profits of the arms manufacturers and potential profits of the oil companies while keeping people alive. They fight to keep Social Security from being privatized, thereby slashing the profits Wall Street would hope to make at people's expense. These are just a few of the many battles the Panthers wage on behalf of citizens young and old.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Watching Beck's broadcast was a truly bizarre experience. To attempt to prove his contention that the slogan, "People Over Profits," was indicative of a Communist stance, he dragged out before the camera a tiny pamphlet dating back to 1981 which also stated the phrase, and which was printed by the U.S. Communist Party. One wonders how many thousands of times that phrase has been written and shouted over the years by thousands of people representing many different organizations -- middle-of-the-road groups, very likely, or even occasionally, dare it be said, conservative ones?<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Beck's broadcast was crazy in other respects, too -- no surprise, of course. He followed his diatribe against the Gray Panthers by disdainfully emphasizing the word ALL in their mission statement, "Working for social and economic justice and peace for ALL people," implying that justice and peace should only be an option for some. Who would Glenn Beck leave out? This is indeed a dangerous man!<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Despite poisonous right-wing fanatics like Glenn Beck, however, the Panthers are resolute in their dedication to the very principles he disparages, "working to create a society that puts the needs of people over profit, responsibility over power and democracy over institutions."Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-73957705875086365622010-10-20T16:08:00.000-07:002010-10-20T16:13:31.538-07:00The Miracle Operation That Enabled Me to Become an Anti-war ActivistWhen I was 72 years old, I felt like 100. Now that I am 79, I feel like 35 (well, most of the time). What caused this turnaround? The scuttling of an arthritic old left hip and its replacement with one made of cobalt chrome and polyethelene.<br /><br />I had been suffering for more than a year with lots of pain which gradually immobilized me to the point where I couldn't walk more than a quarter of a block without having to sit down. A normally active person, this was, to put it conservatively, a decided nuisance. I visited the eminent New York orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Phillip Bauman, who informed me that I would ultimately require the replacement surgery, but that it was up to me to decide when. Being an inveterate coward, I kept postponing it even long after the miserable old bone had become intensely painful to keep in my body. Finally, the discomfort and inconvenience became great enough to overcome my bounteous lack of courage, and I scheduled the surgery.<br /><br />Dr. Bauman is right out of Central Casting. He is slim and handsome with just enough gray hair peppered among its darker neighbors to add a big dose of distinction. He is soft-spoken, sympathetic and reassuring. His stellar reputation helped a great deal to give me the guts to undertake the cure. I knew he had operated successfully on many of our great ballet dancers, and I saw that he had been chosen for many years as one of New York Magazine's 100 Best Doctors in New York. How could I go wrong?<br /><br />Well, I couldn't. The surgery was relatively untraumatic, and I recovered quickly with little pain. In five or six weeks I was walking without a cane and without discomfort. From a crippled old woman, I had materialized into an active young one again. I asked myself, as does practically every hip replacement veteran who postpones surgery beyond a reasonable time, "Why on earth didn't I do this sooner and spare myself all that agony?"<br /><br />Within a year of my operation, on March 20, 2003, the United States conducted its immoral and unjustified Shock and Awe assault on Baghdad. Like so many other right-minded people, I marched in protests prior to the actual attack -- MARCHED, mind you, inconceivable without my new hip -- and then, once the war was an awful reality, became a full-time anti-war advocate. <br /><br />A few months after we invaded Iraq, I saw a photograph in TIME Magazine of a 14-year-old boy, Ali, who had lost his arms, was hideously burned all over his torso, and, as if that weren't enough torment for a child to endure, lost his entire nuclear family -- his parents and many siblings. These tragedies were caused, to our eternal shame, by OUR bombs.<br /><br />I thought, "I have to DO something." And, I did. I started a group, Grandmothers Against the War, and initiated a rally at the Eleanor Roosevelt Statue in Manhattan's Riverside Park. Next, I began a vigil on Fifth Avenue in front of Rockefeller Center on a freezing January day in 2004, which continues every Wednesday to this day. It began with just two of us and now has escalated to an average of 15-20 people. I could never have possibly even considered such an action prior to my surgery. There is just no way I could have stood on my feet for an hour and done the walking necessary to get to and from the vigil site.<br /><br />Our next big event was the arrest of 18 of us grandmothers, our jailing and subsequent six-day trial in criminal court for attempting to enlist in the military at the Times Square recruiting center in order to replace the young people in harm's way so they'd have the opportunity to live long lives as we had. We were arrested because, denied entrance to the recruiting station, we all sat down on the concrete ground and refused to move, knowing we were within our Constitutional rights to peacefully dissent. Even with my artificial hip, getting down on the ground was a laborious effort. Getting up was even more problematic. I looked like an ungainly elephant as I untangled myself from the ground and clumsily pulled myself up. But, because of my faux new hip, I did it! Sitting in jail later for five hours on a hard wooden bench would have been unthinkable, also, with my old diseased hip. I tell you, that surgery really opened up new vistas in my life! After all, who wouldn't want the fascinating experience of being incarcerated in a prison cell? Incidentally, we were acquitted of all charges. The whole episode created quite a media stir.<br /><br />I was able to participate in many activities of the group we now called the Granny Peace Brigade -- song-and-dance performances by us grannies in shows we created; a trip to Berlin to give speeches to peace groups; a ten-day trek from New York to Washington DC with stops along the way at various cities and towns; marches across the Brooklyn Bridge, and many other endeavors requiring LEGS and, therefore, HIPS. By the grace of the good Doctor Bauman, I was able to do all this.<br /><br />I wasn't the only granny in my group to have a hip replacement. Three others had them, and one, Beverly Rice, had a double hip replacement in one surgery. All recovered well and have marched, protested, stood for long hours, and gone to jail without any physical limitation whatsoever.<br /><br />There are now 500,000 hip replacement surgeries performed in a year, a huge increase since 1990, when there were 119,000. In Dr. Bauman's vast experience, for instance, he has performed well over 1,000 of such operations. Though it has been reported recently that certain implants have been found to be faulty and are being recalled, Dr. Bauman fortunately never used any of the deficient ones. The increase in such miracle surgeries is attributable, of course, to the fact that so many people are living longer. And, the Baby Boomers, now entering their 50's and 60's, are requiring this type of surgery in large numbers, perhaps because of the exercise and fitness craze indulged in by that generation which wears out joints more rapidly than previous generations with their less physically active life styles. And, even people of advanced ages can have their hips replaced. Dr. Bauman did so recently on an 85-year-old person. <br /><br />Many complain about the failures of medicine, and its pitfalls. Yes, it is deplorable that there still is no cure for cancer, for Alzheimer's, for ALS, and a slew of other awful diseases. Yes, it is terrible that so many deaths occur in hospitals because of mistakes in medications, and rampant staph infections.<br /><br />But, modern medicine has made stupendous strides forward, too. Were it not for this advance in orthopedic surgery, I would now be living in a wheelchair, loaded up with painkillers and anti-inflammatories, cranky from pain and restless inactivity. The fact is, Dr. Bauman gave me back my life. In fact, he enabled me to start a new life I had never contemplated. I am able to do what I consider my patriotic duty and go out on the streets to oppose the misguided foreign policies of my government. At this stage of my life, that feels damned good.Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-28477947405131990922010-10-14T16:09:00.000-07:002010-10-15T15:20:30.229-07:00MESSAGE FOR OBAMAPresident Obama often expressed during his campaign that if he became President he wanted we, the people, to let him know when we thought he needed a reality check. Accordingly, New York City's Granny Peace Brigade has been out on the City's streets lately conducting a survey of citizens as to how they want their tax dollars spent. I think their results would surprise him and would perhaps motivate Mr. Obama to make some serious adjustments to the federal budget.<br /><br />The grannies have been conducting their survey with the aid of a unique gadget named Ms. Gizmo, consisting of eight tubes representing eight major budget items. They are marked Arts and Culture; Education; Environment and Clean Energy; Health Care; Housing; Jobs; Military; and Transportation. The women give each person participating twenty pennies which they are then invited to put into the tubes of their choice. At the end of each session, the grandmothers total up the numbers of pennies in each category.<br /><br />In addition to getting a sense of where people want their tax money to go, the Ms. Gizmo actions provide an opportunity to educate and motivate the public. Those joining in the fun are very enthusiastic, and there is much dialogue between the grannies and the survey takers. It seems to be an excellent way to get people to think seriously about how the obscenely high military budget drastically reduces funding for domestic needs. <br /><br />It's amazing how the priorities of our citizens differ markedly from the current budget. For instance, whereas today's federal budget spends 48% on current and past military expenses, the survey reveals that altogether the participants want to devote only 5% to the military. Interestingly, the ONLY group that put a good supply of pennies into the military tube were young adolescent boys in East Harlem. We speculate that this is a result of the relentless military recruitment conducted in minority schools and the lack of jobs for these young people forcing them to turn to the military for economic survival.<br /><br />On the other hand, for example, the U.S. budget only earmarks 38% to ALL human resources, which includes health and human services; education; food/nutrition programs; housing and urban development; and other human resources. That seems woefully small, does it not, when compared to the enormous amounts of money allocated for the military? The Ms. Gizmo participants want to devote 19% to just health care alone, 21% for education alone and 19% solely for jobs. <br /><br />Of course, it can't be claimed that this is a scientifically accurate poll. However, it does cover a variety of populations -- Brooklyn workers, the lower east side community heavily populated by university students and artists, the upper West Side professionals and yuppies, East Harlem Latinos, the opinionated denizens of Union Square, and the fun-seeking crowds from everywhere who flock to 42nd Street. <br /><br />It is known that Mr. Obama is a very punctilious person when it comes to getting the facts right, so perhaps he would be interested in learning the full results for the budget which 538 people in six different locations wished for:<br /><br />Arts & Culture -- 8%<br />Education -- 21%<br />Environment & Clean Energy - 9%<br />Health Care - 19%<br />Housing -- 12%<br />Jobs -- 19%<br />Military -- 5%<br />Transportation -- 6%<br /><br />It is urgently hoped that President Obama "gets the message!"Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-75441752563842039082010-10-03T12:19:00.000-07:002010-10-03T12:22:53.598-07:00NEW YORK CITY SUPER ELDERLY TAKE A LEAD IN PROTESTING IRAQ AND AFGHAN WARS: Hold NYC Supplement to One Nation March in DC October 2Just because one is 80, 90 or older, don't think for one moment one doesn't still retain the power to effectively protest the wrongs committed by our Government. <br /> <br />Many old people wished to go to Washington DC Saturday, October 2, to join the One Nation March to advocate an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but were too infirm or disabled to make the long, difficult trek. Did that stop them from participating in the day's protests? Not on your life.<br /> <br />In Manhattan, a group of very old residents of the Hallmark seniors apartment building in Battery Park City, average age 88, solved that dilemma by holding their own alternative demonstration. Approximately 75 people, many in wheelchairs and leaning on walkers and canes, circled a little park on North End Avenue for about an hour and a half carrying such signs as "How Is the War Economy Working for You?" and "Bring them Home from Afghanistan and Iraq," and occasionally breaking into chants of "Peace...NOW," and the like.<br /> <br />One of the main organizers of the event, 94-year-old Harold Hirschlag, a retired CPA, declared, "We at the Hallmark senior residence are shocked that our government has allowed and participated in the killing of thousands of human beings in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention the thousands of U. S. soldiers. There is no end in sight. The troops and funds for that war are desperately needed for the very poor conditions here in the U.S." <br /> <br />The Hallmark is unique, it is believed, in having a very active political action committee, the Hallmark PAC. It was begun when the facility was first completed 10 years ago. The group has supported candidates for public office and arranges regular talks by politicians, administrators of government programs and experts in areas of interest to the residents. <br /> <br />Its current president, former New York City public school early education teacher Frances Berrick, almost 90, explains the motivation for their anti-war event: "In the 50's and 60's, our kids were involved in the anti-Vietnam war movement. It worries us that there isn't the same push against these unnecessary wars among the younger people. So, even though we can only walk around the park twice before we have to sit down, we felt it necessary to show our strong feeling that we have to stop this needless slaughter that is going on in the middle east."<br /> <br />The Battery Park City protesters were joined by members of Grandmothers Against the War, the Granny Peace Brigade, and the Raging Grannies, turning the event into far more than a local event but rather an anti-war rally of determined and dedicated Peacenik oldsters from all over the City. There was also a small contingent of Veterans for Peace. The great civil liberties attorney, Norman Siegel, who had defended the peace grannies when they were on trial for trying to enlist in the military at Times Square in October 2005, also marched in the rally (though he is far from being in the oldster category).<br /> <br />The numbers of marchers were small compared to those in DC, to be sure, but inasmuch as it was the first public protest by the Battery Park old folks, it can be perceived as a hopeful sign that more and more people are waking up to the reality that the U.S. must end these wars right away if we are to solve any of our problems of joblessness, inadequate health care and education, and all the other urgent dilemmas we are facing today.<br /> <br />Perhaps these elderly patriots don't have the energy of their younger days, but nevertheless they continue to struggle to end the wars and build a better society. Ms. Berrick, who is legally blind, sums it up when she says, "You don't give up. You just do what you're able to do."Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356442648483351054.post-57742692797257534942010-09-23T14:47:00.000-07:002010-09-23T14:49:29.828-07:00GRAY PANTHERS URGE AN END TO TAX CUTS FOR THE RICHThe Panthers are dedicated to creating a humane society where the needs of people are put over profit. <br /><br />As the tax-cut debate rages through the Senate, the House, and among the prospective candidates for public office, the Gray Panthers are firmly committed to their stance that tax cuts for the wealthy must end. <br /><br />Bucking the Tea Party and Right Winger presidential wannabes Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, and other advocates for the super rich at the expense of all the rest of us, the Panthers have issued a proclamation outlining their proposals regarding tax cuts. Among their many resolutions is one demanding that the progressive taxation system practiced in many other developed democratic countries be adopted here.<br /><br />Progressive taxation, as I'm sure my well-informed readers know, is a tax system in which those who earn higher incomes pay a higher percentage of their income than those with lower incomes. A graduated tax is one example. Seems very logical, doesn't it? If such were the case, then the current system of granting tax cuts to those earning $250,000 or more annually would be obviated. <br /><br />Susan Murany, Executive Director of the National Gray Panthers, wants to know, “We do have to ask ourselves - as Americans- Is it fair that the rich continue to benefit from our financial policies while the people who are poor, the working poor and the middle class continue to suffer? Because as most of us continue to experience the recession, the number of millionaires continues to increase. “<br /><br />The gap between the wealthiest Americans and middle- and working-class Americans has more than tripled in the past three decades, according to a June 25 report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities." Murany says, “It’s no surprise that over 60 percent of all income growth since 1979 has gone to the top 10 percent.” <br /><br />According to this information, it would certainly seem that eliminating their tax cuts would hurt the pocketbooks of the rich a lot less than eliminating cuts for ordinary folks, doesn't it?<br /><br />In addition to recommending a progressive taxation policy, the Panthers offer a number of other suggestions to reform the tax system. Among them, they advise the elimination of tax loopholes which support consumption and accumulation of wealth by corporations and wealthy individuals at the expense of ordinary wage earners. They also call for laws and policies which hold corporations accountable for delivering social benefits (living wage jobs, pollution controls, environmental protection, workplace safety and more) to states and localities which compete for corporate investments in their jurisdictions. <br /><br />The Panthers further state that they oppose war, and believe it would be less likely if it were not funded with debt but with current taxes, and therefore counsel Congress to enact a separate, dedicated and progressive tax sufficient to cover the costs of war in Afghanistan and each and every future war.<br /><br />The Gray Panthers are tired of such statements as that of, for example, Newt Gingrich, "I think to raise taxes on people who create jobs in the middle of a 9.5 percent unemployment rate is, frankly, crazy." Inasmuch as more and more corporations are transplanting jobs to low-wage workers in other countries, that comment seems a bit disingenuous. Our history has shown more than once that expanded wealth at the top does not trickle down into the pockets of the less fortunate. Such pronouncements are simply not true and it is sort of mind-boggling to imagine that ordinary people would swallow them. <br /><br />The Gray Panthers have committed themselves to working for social and economic justice and as such, see the extension of tax cuts for the rich as a justice issue. The well-to-do have been getting richer for decades. They now have the responsibility like all of us to contribute their fair share for the benefit of all.Joan Wilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391351208346682943noreply@blogger.com0