One had always thought of the Gray Panthers as an admirable organization advocating for the dignity and rights of older people, as so brilliantly represented by its founder, the magnetic Maggie Kuhn.
But, one would have been not fully informed. On Saturday, April 17, the Panthers celebrated their 40 years of existence, and held two actions in Washington DC which made it clear that they are a multi-issue group on behalf of persons of all ages. Their struggle against ageism is still a very important part of their agenda, but they vest other causes with as much weight.
The first of their actions on Saturday was a mixed-generation rally at the White House with unique features exemplifying the theme of environmental protection. They carried three faux open coffins with fabric effigies of a man, woman and child. Rally attendees wore white protective masks to symbolize the dangers of global warming on the air we breathe. Other colorful touches were the repeated throwing of many facsimiles of Earth globes made of cotton into the air, another symbol of how we are all affected by the dangers of global warming. Two people wore hazmat suits while pushing two participants in wheelchairs. A Hazmat suit is a garment worn as protection from hazardous materials or substances and is generally combined with a breathing apparatus. Further, the demonstrators chanted repeatedly such slogans as "Don't Bury the Earth," and sang parodies of three familiar old songs, "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain When She Comes," "On Top of Old Smokey" and "God Bless America" with revised lyrics reflecting their environmental theme written by the Raging Grannies. For instance:
ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY
ALL COVERED WITH SMOG
I LOST MY TRUE LOVER
IN THE POLLUTED FOG
Hundreds of spectators responded with delight as they watched the Panthers' spectacular presentation. "I think we really connected with the crowds and got our message across, which is that the Gray Panthers are going green to protect the environment for all people, young and old, rich and poor," said Brooke Hollister, 28, Vice-Chair of the Gray Panthers National Board and an Assistant Professor at the Univ. of California San Francisco.
On Saturday evening, the Panthers repaired to the International Trades Center where they held a festive awards dinner honoring three persons of stature for their extraordinary efforts in three major areas of concern to the group -- health care, peace and the environment.
The first to be honored was Sen. Ted Kennedy, who was posthumously awarded for his decades-long championship of health care reform, the details of which need no reiteration here.
The award for environmental protection and justice went to Majora Carter, founder of Sustainable South Bronx. Ms. Carter is credited with many restoration projects in the area, such as, for instance, turning an illegal garbage dump into the Hunt's Point Riverside Park, and creating the Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training program, one of the nation's first national urban green collar training and placement programs.
Colman McCarthy, long-time journalist, columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, and teacher, received the award for peace activism.
Among his many activities, he founded the Center for Teaching Peace, a nonprofit that helps schools begin or expand academic programs in Peace Studies.
And, reverting back to the issue it is most known for, Sally Brown, immediate past Chair of the Gray Panthers National Board, gave a speech about ageism, in which she stated, "We should be really proud of the ages we are and know that at any age we can contribute significantly to the world and lead productive, fulfilling lives."
The current chair of the National Board, Judy Lear, said that the two Washington events launched 40 actions planned to take place throughout the U.S. for the entire 40th birthday year. "We want to raise awareness of the Gray Panthers and highlight our three top priorities of the environment, health care and peace. We hope to raise our voices for everybody, all ages, about these urgent matters." she stated, "and we want to encourage people to be active -- everybody has a right and a responsibility to take some action in some way."
Showing posts with label anti-war grannies; arts; Iraq; Afghanistan; Joan Wile; Jaime Austrial Obama; war;. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anti-war grannies; arts; Iraq; Afghanistan; Joan Wile; Jaime Austrial Obama; war;. Show all posts
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
GRANDMOTHERS OF AMERICA, UNITE!
by Joan Wile, author
Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace (Citadel Press, May 2008)
How could our beloved Barack Obama do this to us? How could this prospective savior who promised peace turn around and promote war? We peace grannies supported him, rang doorbells for him, telephoned strangers for him, contributed small sums from our meager senior citizen fixed incomes to him, in great part because of his vow to end the war in Iraq.
Last night, in his address to Congress, he informed us that he would remove two-thirds of our troops from Iraq within 19 months and leave 50,000 vulnerable G.I.'s there. WHAT? 50,000 is not chopped liver! And, wouldn't a smaller force be in greater danger as those bent on destroying our American kids would be encouraged to attack more boldly a down-sized presence? No, no, no! Bring all our children and grandchildren home, and do it sooner, much sooner.
And, as if that weren't bad enough, President Obama has recently issued orders to send in 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan, a policy he restated in his speech. IS THIS FOR REAL? Our Peace President has bought the argument that we can defeat Al Quaeda and the Taliban if we flood Afghanistan with more troops? Surely, he must know in his heart of hearts that we would create an even greater quagmire there than we produced in Iraq, and that the only possible road to the defeat of terrorism is through diplomacy and peacetime assistance. The Soviets, the British learned all too well that YOU CAN'T WIN A WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. And, think of the resultant loss of life, limb and over-all destruction such an increase in the military would cause! The Obama we know and love would not want that on his conscience, would he? Doesn't he recognize that his legacy, if he goes through with this dangerous and foolhardy plan, will be Obama's Failed War in Afghanistan, as Bush is known for his Failed War in Iraq, and Johnson/Nixon are remembered for their Failed War in Vietnam? My God, Lyndon Johnson's catastrophe in Vietnam even managed to eclipse his truly valuable achievements in the civil rights movement.
We just can't let this happen. We peace grandmothers -- members of the Granny Peace Brigade, the Raging Grannies, Grandmothers for Peace International, and Grandmothers Against the War, to name a few -- will once again have to be in the forefront of the struggle to end our immoral and self-defeating attacks on other countries. We were among the early protesters of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, way before most of the U.S. finally woke up and saw the light. Some went to jail when 18 of us grannies tried to enlist in the military at the Times Square (NY City) recruitment center. Others have protested, marched, been arrested and gone to jail. Women in their 80's and 90's, no less. Women in wheelchairs, on crutches and walkers. Women who have fought for peace and justice all their lives, and now in what should be a time for rest and leisure, gird themselves once more for arduous battle.
So, I call upon all you dedicated and noble women to sign the Peace Grandmothers Petition to President Obama requesting that he withdraw ALL troops from Iraq AND Afghanistan NOW. One doesn't have to be a grandmother to sign -- friends and supporters are also asked to be signatories.
Here it is!
Peace Grandmothers Out of Iraq and Afghanistan
Let's deluge this plea with names and heartfelt comments about the futility of this proposed escalation and, hopefully, remind the President of who he is and what he should do to fulfill his enormous potential.
Barack, baby, listen to your grannies!
Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace (Citadel Press, May 2008)
How could our beloved Barack Obama do this to us? How could this prospective savior who promised peace turn around and promote war? We peace grannies supported him, rang doorbells for him, telephoned strangers for him, contributed small sums from our meager senior citizen fixed incomes to him, in great part because of his vow to end the war in Iraq.
Last night, in his address to Congress, he informed us that he would remove two-thirds of our troops from Iraq within 19 months and leave 50,000 vulnerable G.I.'s there. WHAT? 50,000 is not chopped liver! And, wouldn't a smaller force be in greater danger as those bent on destroying our American kids would be encouraged to attack more boldly a down-sized presence? No, no, no! Bring all our children and grandchildren home, and do it sooner, much sooner.
And, as if that weren't bad enough, President Obama has recently issued orders to send in 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan, a policy he restated in his speech. IS THIS FOR REAL? Our Peace President has bought the argument that we can defeat Al Quaeda and the Taliban if we flood Afghanistan with more troops? Surely, he must know in his heart of hearts that we would create an even greater quagmire there than we produced in Iraq, and that the only possible road to the defeat of terrorism is through diplomacy and peacetime assistance. The Soviets, the British learned all too well that YOU CAN'T WIN A WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. And, think of the resultant loss of life, limb and over-all destruction such an increase in the military would cause! The Obama we know and love would not want that on his conscience, would he? Doesn't he recognize that his legacy, if he goes through with this dangerous and foolhardy plan, will be Obama's Failed War in Afghanistan, as Bush is known for his Failed War in Iraq, and Johnson/Nixon are remembered for their Failed War in Vietnam? My God, Lyndon Johnson's catastrophe in Vietnam even managed to eclipse his truly valuable achievements in the civil rights movement.
We just can't let this happen. We peace grandmothers -- members of the Granny Peace Brigade, the Raging Grannies, Grandmothers for Peace International, and Grandmothers Against the War, to name a few -- will once again have to be in the forefront of the struggle to end our immoral and self-defeating attacks on other countries. We were among the early protesters of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, way before most of the U.S. finally woke up and saw the light. Some went to jail when 18 of us grannies tried to enlist in the military at the Times Square (NY City) recruitment center. Others have protested, marched, been arrested and gone to jail. Women in their 80's and 90's, no less. Women in wheelchairs, on crutches and walkers. Women who have fought for peace and justice all their lives, and now in what should be a time for rest and leisure, gird themselves once more for arduous battle.
So, I call upon all you dedicated and noble women to sign the Peace Grandmothers Petition to President Obama requesting that he withdraw ALL troops from Iraq AND Afghanistan NOW. One doesn't have to be a grandmother to sign -- friends and supporters are also asked to be signatories.
Here it is!
Peace Grandmothers Out of Iraq and Afghanistan
Let's deluge this plea with names and heartfelt comments about the futility of this proposed escalation and, hopefully, remind the President of who he is and what he should do to fulfill his enormous potential.
Barack, baby, listen to your grannies!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
60'S FREEDOM RIDER NOW PROTESTS WAR WITH THE GRANNY PEACE BRIGADE
We have many courageous and dedicated grandmothers in the Granny Peace Brigade. In the last few years, our grannies, some in their late 80s and 90s, have rallied, protested, been arrested and jailed, walked miles, traveled here and abroad, given speeches, sung, even done a chorus line dance in the middle of Broadway in an attempt to end the war in Iraq, and now, Afghanistan. Many of them have spent lifetimes fighting for peace and justice. Indeed, they are all certainly heroines, but one of the most gutsy grannies of all has to be Freedom Rider Joan Pleune, now 70 years old, and a grandmother of four and two-thirds.
Think about that. At the tender age of 22, in June 1961, she left the University of California at Berkeley and embarked on an extremely dangerous venture on behalf of the civil rights movement. Riding on integrated buses and trains throughout the racist South exposed one to the potential for beatings, jail and even death. Yet, Pleune, with her sister, Kathy, risked all that because of the strength of her principles. Honestly, how many of us then would have done the same?
Luckily, she was neither beaten nor killed, but she did spend a number of weeks in jail. After riding the rails from California to New Orleans, she took another train to Jackson, Mississippi, where she was arrested in the station waiting room. Pleune doesn't remember the details of the arrest but recalls that she wasn't frightened. "I don't know why I wasn't scared. I still don't know. I knew about the bus bombings in late May in Anniston, Alabama, and I should have been frightened, but somehow I wasn't."
Joan was sentenced to six months in prison and taken to the Hines County jail where she, very tanned at the time and thought to be African-American by the arresting authorities, was separated from her sister and herded with three black women into a windowless storeroom. Anticipating a long incarceration in this cramped and airless space, Joan finally felt the cold stab of fear. But, she was soon moved into a big cell with 41 other women. There was one toilet. Mattresses on the floor were the sleeping accommodations. They were actually ensconced in an area in Death Row, and could hear the doomed inmates from behind a wall. They attempted to communicate with them and even tried to share their food (an inedible blend of lima beans and lima beans) after they learned that Death Row prisoners were barely fed.
After being released early after six plus weeks, Joan returned to Berkeley and got a degree in psychology. She took California state tests for social worker and probation officer, and, though she scored second highest in the State, was unable to get employment. She assumes the State of Mississippi had a hand in sabotaging her job search. She then went to New York City and became a case worker until she began her family. She bore three children, the last at the relatively advanced age of 43 as a single mother. Beginning in the mid-1980's, Joan began work as a site advisor for adult literacy programs in three New York City public libraries, where she worked until she retired three years ago.
At that time, she learned on television of the Granny Peace Brigade action in which 18 women were arrested and jailed when they tried to enlist in the military at the Times Square recruitment center. Joan thought, "This is for me. This is how I'll spend my wind-up years." Appealing to her persistent youthful rebellious spirit, she was spurred to join the grannies and has been one of their most active and daring members ever since. Her protests have led her to more jailings and innumerable protests. Her most recent incident was in Washington DC where she was part of a group arrested for hanging five banners from the Hart Senate Office Building protesting the U.S. policies in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gaza.
The story of the brave Freedom Riders lay somewhat dormant through the years until a book, Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders, by Eric Etheridge, was published in 2007 and the vital history was resurrected for a new generation. Since the book's release, Joan and other Freedom Riders have participated in public forums about the landmark civil rights episode, and Smithsonian magazine printed a story in their February 2009 issue about the book featuring a dramatic photo of the current Joan. Pleune, a modest person who shies away from the limelight, nevertheless has found it exhilarating to be recognized as a significant player in such a crucial event in U.S. history.
When asked recently what compelled her to risk life and limb for the sake of integrating the South, Joan said, simply, "I couldn't not." This expression exemplifies the courageous and committed spirit of the Granny Peace Brigade. Granny bonnets off to Joan Pleune, Freedom Rider.
Think about that. At the tender age of 22, in June 1961, she left the University of California at Berkeley and embarked on an extremely dangerous venture on behalf of the civil rights movement. Riding on integrated buses and trains throughout the racist South exposed one to the potential for beatings, jail and even death. Yet, Pleune, with her sister, Kathy, risked all that because of the strength of her principles. Honestly, how many of us then would have done the same?
Luckily, she was neither beaten nor killed, but she did spend a number of weeks in jail. After riding the rails from California to New Orleans, she took another train to Jackson, Mississippi, where she was arrested in the station waiting room. Pleune doesn't remember the details of the arrest but recalls that she wasn't frightened. "I don't know why I wasn't scared. I still don't know. I knew about the bus bombings in late May in Anniston, Alabama, and I should have been frightened, but somehow I wasn't."
Joan was sentenced to six months in prison and taken to the Hines County jail where she, very tanned at the time and thought to be African-American by the arresting authorities, was separated from her sister and herded with three black women into a windowless storeroom. Anticipating a long incarceration in this cramped and airless space, Joan finally felt the cold stab of fear. But, she was soon moved into a big cell with 41 other women. There was one toilet. Mattresses on the floor were the sleeping accommodations. They were actually ensconced in an area in Death Row, and could hear the doomed inmates from behind a wall. They attempted to communicate with them and even tried to share their food (an inedible blend of lima beans and lima beans) after they learned that Death Row prisoners were barely fed.
After being released early after six plus weeks, Joan returned to Berkeley and got a degree in psychology. She took California state tests for social worker and probation officer, and, though she scored second highest in the State, was unable to get employment. She assumes the State of Mississippi had a hand in sabotaging her job search. She then went to New York City and became a case worker until she began her family. She bore three children, the last at the relatively advanced age of 43 as a single mother. Beginning in the mid-1980's, Joan began work as a site advisor for adult literacy programs in three New York City public libraries, where she worked until she retired three years ago.
At that time, she learned on television of the Granny Peace Brigade action in which 18 women were arrested and jailed when they tried to enlist in the military at the Times Square recruitment center. Joan thought, "This is for me. This is how I'll spend my wind-up years." Appealing to her persistent youthful rebellious spirit, she was spurred to join the grannies and has been one of their most active and daring members ever since. Her protests have led her to more jailings and innumerable protests. Her most recent incident was in Washington DC where she was part of a group arrested for hanging five banners from the Hart Senate Office Building protesting the U.S. policies in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gaza.
The story of the brave Freedom Riders lay somewhat dormant through the years until a book, Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders, by Eric Etheridge, was published in 2007 and the vital history was resurrected for a new generation. Since the book's release, Joan and other Freedom Riders have participated in public forums about the landmark civil rights episode, and Smithsonian magazine printed a story in their February 2009 issue about the book featuring a dramatic photo of the current Joan. Pleune, a modest person who shies away from the limelight, nevertheless has found it exhilarating to be recognized as a significant player in such a crucial event in U.S. history.
When asked recently what compelled her to risk life and limb for the sake of integrating the South, Joan said, simply, "I couldn't not." This expression exemplifies the courageous and committed spirit of the Granny Peace Brigade. Granny bonnets off to Joan Pleune, Freedom Rider.
Friday, January 16, 2009
GRANNIES' MESSAGE TO OBAMA FROM ROCKEFELLER CENTER
by Joan Wile, author, "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace" (Citadel Press, May 2008 - on amazon.com)
A group of grandmothers and a claque of supporters stood for an hour in the bitter cold at Rockefeller Center in New York City on January 14 to commemorate the end of five years of their anti-war vigil. They were mostly unnoticed by the media, which was rife with the hot news about Bernie Madoff, the inauguration hoopla, Hillary Clinton's testimony before Congress, and, deservedly so, the Gaza crisis.
The women, some as old as 93, and some hanging on to walkers and canes, had a message for President-Elect Obama to dramatize the vigil anniversary. They were telling Mr. Obama that they enthusiastically support his presidency but want him to know they wish he'd bring the troops home from Iraq AND Afghanistan. They hoped to alert him to the fact that they would like him to consider reversing his stance on Afghanistan (which seems to favor an escalation of the war there) and bring ALL the troops home from both areas of conflict as soon as humanly possible. To emphasize their concerns, names of G.I.s and Iraqi and Afghan casualties were read out loud.
The old babes call themselves Grandmothers Against the War. Two women began the vigil on Fifth Avenue in front of Rockefeller Plaza on a freezing Jan. 14, 2004, with a healthy amount of trepidation. To be opposed to Bush's war at that time was definitely a minority position and one was possibly subject to some super patriot's verbal or even physical assault. Luckily, the women remained unscathed. Gradually, the vigil expanded as more and more people took up the anti-war cause, including a group of Veterans for Peace who have joined the grannies every week for almost the entire five years. Now, an average vigil has about 25 or 30 participants.
At first, the activists encountered some hostility from passers-by, but as the war progressed and more and more people became disenchanted with it, the grannies saw many thumbs up, often heard smatterings of applause, and once, in a burst of Latin enthusiasm a man from Italy kissed all 20-odd grandmothers on the cheek. Particularly supportive of the vigil all along have been tourists from all over the world, who since the beginning have made it clear that they despised the war (and, no surprise to learn, W himself).
As the weeks turned into months and the months into years, the vigil grandmothers determined that more dramatic action was required in order to get their message heard. Accordingly, they organized, along with members of Code Pink, Peace Action, the Raging Grannies, and others, the protest that was heard around the world overnight. On Oct. 17, 2005, 18 grannies attempted to enlist in the military at the Times Square recruiting station, were denied entrance and were arrested and jailed. They were put on trial for six days at Criminal Court, and, with the assistance of legendary civil liberties attorney, Norman Siegel, and his very able co-counsel, Earl Ward, were acquitted of blocking the entrance.
Using their 15 minutes of fame to best advantage, the jailbirds called themselves the Granny Peace Brigade and organized treks to Washington, stopping at cities along the way, to colleges, senior groups, etc. locally and even to Europe, giving speeches, performances and other actions designed to rally grass roots support to oppose the war.
Asked if she thought the grandmothers' efforts have been effective,
93-year-old Marie Runyon said: "You're damned right we've made an impact. In fact, we grannies have been at the forefront of the anti-war movement before hardly anybody else was doing anything about it. We're extremely worried about what kind of world we're leaving to our grandchildren, and that has given us tremendous motivation to do all we can to stop these insane wars."
President-Elect Obama, are you listening?
A group of grandmothers and a claque of supporters stood for an hour in the bitter cold at Rockefeller Center in New York City on January 14 to commemorate the end of five years of their anti-war vigil. They were mostly unnoticed by the media, which was rife with the hot news about Bernie Madoff, the inauguration hoopla, Hillary Clinton's testimony before Congress, and, deservedly so, the Gaza crisis.
The women, some as old as 93, and some hanging on to walkers and canes, had a message for President-Elect Obama to dramatize the vigil anniversary. They were telling Mr. Obama that they enthusiastically support his presidency but want him to know they wish he'd bring the troops home from Iraq AND Afghanistan. They hoped to alert him to the fact that they would like him to consider reversing his stance on Afghanistan (which seems to favor an escalation of the war there) and bring ALL the troops home from both areas of conflict as soon as humanly possible. To emphasize their concerns, names of G.I.s and Iraqi and Afghan casualties were read out loud.
The old babes call themselves Grandmothers Against the War. Two women began the vigil on Fifth Avenue in front of Rockefeller Plaza on a freezing Jan. 14, 2004, with a healthy amount of trepidation. To be opposed to Bush's war at that time was definitely a minority position and one was possibly subject to some super patriot's verbal or even physical assault. Luckily, the women remained unscathed. Gradually, the vigil expanded as more and more people took up the anti-war cause, including a group of Veterans for Peace who have joined the grannies every week for almost the entire five years. Now, an average vigil has about 25 or 30 participants.
At first, the activists encountered some hostility from passers-by, but as the war progressed and more and more people became disenchanted with it, the grannies saw many thumbs up, often heard smatterings of applause, and once, in a burst of Latin enthusiasm a man from Italy kissed all 20-odd grandmothers on the cheek. Particularly supportive of the vigil all along have been tourists from all over the world, who since the beginning have made it clear that they despised the war (and, no surprise to learn, W himself).
As the weeks turned into months and the months into years, the vigil grandmothers determined that more dramatic action was required in order to get their message heard. Accordingly, they organized, along with members of Code Pink, Peace Action, the Raging Grannies, and others, the protest that was heard around the world overnight. On Oct. 17, 2005, 18 grannies attempted to enlist in the military at the Times Square recruiting station, were denied entrance and were arrested and jailed. They were put on trial for six days at Criminal Court, and, with the assistance of legendary civil liberties attorney, Norman Siegel, and his very able co-counsel, Earl Ward, were acquitted of blocking the entrance.
Using their 15 minutes of fame to best advantage, the jailbirds called themselves the Granny Peace Brigade and organized treks to Washington, stopping at cities along the way, to colleges, senior groups, etc. locally and even to Europe, giving speeches, performances and other actions designed to rally grass roots support to oppose the war.
Asked if she thought the grandmothers' efforts have been effective,
93-year-old Marie Runyon said: "You're damned right we've made an impact. In fact, we grannies have been at the forefront of the anti-war movement before hardly anybody else was doing anything about it. We're extremely worried about what kind of world we're leaving to our grandchildren, and that has given us tremendous motivation to do all we can to stop these insane wars."
President-Elect Obama, are you listening?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
PREZ OBAMA: PLEASE BRING ALL TROOPS HOME, GRANNIES TO SAY AT VIGIL
PEACE GRANNIES TO COMMEMORATE FIVE YEARS OF
ROCKEFELLER CENTER VIGIL WITH APPEAL TO OBAMA
TO END WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
Grandmothers Against the War, which began a Wednesday vigil at Rockefeller Center on Jan. 14, 2004, on the west side of Fifth Ave. between 49th and 50th Sts., will commemorate its fifth anniversary this coming Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 4:30-5:30 p.m., with a special vigil dedicated to President-Elect Obama and the grannies' request to him to bring the troops home from Iraq AND Afghanistan as soon as possible upon taking office.
"With the Gaza crisis currently taking precedence over all other international issues, we grandmothers are concerned that the Iraqi and Afghan conflicts are being ignored. We are urgently concerned about Gaza, of course, but do not want the public to lose sight of our vigil's focus of five years, Iraq, where people are still being killed and maimed, and the escalating crisis in Afghanistan," said Marie Runyon, one of the oldest grannies at 93.
"We hope to remind the President-Elect that he was supported by us principally because of his promise to bring the troops home quickly," said grandmother Nydia Leaf. As such the grannies will hold a 10-foot banner with a message to the President-Elect; well-known people will read the names of New York State G.I.s and Iraqi and Afghanistani civilian deaths during 2007, and the Raging Grannies will sing their unique songs of protest. All this will be accompanied by a color guard carried by a group of Veterans for Peace who have been standing with the grannies during the five years.
The Rockefeller Center vigil began with two women and gradually through the years expanded to its present-day average attendance of 25-40 people. Special occasions -- the vigil held for the 3,000th G.I. death announcement, and the one immediately following the arrest and jailing of 18 grandmothers (a related group known as the Granny Peace Brigade) who tried to enlist in the military -- have drawn as many as 100 people.
The fifth year vigil will be held despite any bad weather. The vigilers have never missed a single scheduled vigil no matter what the weather and will certainly be there this Wednesday. Please join us, journalists and camera people.
DATE: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009
TIME: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
PLACE: west side of 5th Av. between 49 and 50 Sts.
ROCKEFELLER CENTER VIGIL WITH APPEAL TO OBAMA
TO END WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
Grandmothers Against the War, which began a Wednesday vigil at Rockefeller Center on Jan. 14, 2004, on the west side of Fifth Ave. between 49th and 50th Sts., will commemorate its fifth anniversary this coming Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 4:30-5:30 p.m., with a special vigil dedicated to President-Elect Obama and the grannies' request to him to bring the troops home from Iraq AND Afghanistan as soon as possible upon taking office.
"With the Gaza crisis currently taking precedence over all other international issues, we grandmothers are concerned that the Iraqi and Afghan conflicts are being ignored. We are urgently concerned about Gaza, of course, but do not want the public to lose sight of our vigil's focus of five years, Iraq, where people are still being killed and maimed, and the escalating crisis in Afghanistan," said Marie Runyon, one of the oldest grannies at 93.
"We hope to remind the President-Elect that he was supported by us principally because of his promise to bring the troops home quickly," said grandmother Nydia Leaf. As such the grannies will hold a 10-foot banner with a message to the President-Elect; well-known people will read the names of New York State G.I.s and Iraqi and Afghanistani civilian deaths during 2007, and the Raging Grannies will sing their unique songs of protest. All this will be accompanied by a color guard carried by a group of Veterans for Peace who have been standing with the grannies during the five years.
The Rockefeller Center vigil began with two women and gradually through the years expanded to its present-day average attendance of 25-40 people. Special occasions -- the vigil held for the 3,000th G.I. death announcement, and the one immediately following the arrest and jailing of 18 grandmothers (a related group known as the Granny Peace Brigade) who tried to enlist in the military -- have drawn as many as 100 people.
The fifth year vigil will be held despite any bad weather. The vigilers have never missed a single scheduled vigil no matter what the weather and will certainly be there this Wednesday. Please join us, journalists and camera people.
DATE: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009
TIME: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
PLACE: west side of 5th Av. between 49 and 50 Sts.
Monday, December 8, 2008
VERY IMPORTANT PETITIONS TO OBAMA
In the last few days I've had the honor of forwarding two petitions -- both of supreme importance -- to my friends and supporters. Both petitions will ultimately, it is hoped, wind up with President-Elect Obama's transition team. One, requesting that there be a Secretary of the Arts, was initiated by a friend. The other, initiated by me, is on behalf of peace grandmothers who want to end the war in Iraq ASAP and want Obama to reconsider his plan to elevate the war in Afghanistan.
Your signatures would be much appreciatd on both. Here they are:
We endorse the Secretary of the Arts Petition to President-Elect Barack Obama.
Read the Secretary of the Arts Petition.
We endorse the PEACE GRANDMOTHERS PETITION TO PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA
Your signatures would be much appreciatd on both. Here they are:
We endorse the Secretary of the Arts Petition to President-Elect Barack Obama.
Read the Secretary of the Arts Petition.
We endorse the PEACE GRANDMOTHERS PETITION TO PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA
Thursday, November 27, 2008
ON FASCISM
A guest anti-war granny, Edith Bell of the Pittsburgh Raging Grannies, has sent me a copy of her letter published in the Post Gazette. I think it's most important. Here it is:
"President Bush states, he will not close Guantanamo Bay prison (PG 10-26-08) Guantanamo is an interrogation camp. Interrogation camps are illegal according to the Geneva Conventions, revised in 1949 in response to Nazi practices in World War II. Our government unilaterally decided to disregard the Geneva Conventions. Furthermore the 8th Amendment states, “ Excessive bail shall not be required …nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.” There are reports on what has occurred at Guantanamo Bay prison, incidents resembling Abu Graib. Somebody asked me recently how Hitler’s rise in civilized Germany was possible. Since I was there, I assured him, that it sneaked up on us gradually. First the fear of external and internal threat was invoked. Secret prisons and a paramilitary force were established. Ordinary citizens were spied upon, and citizens’ groups were infiltrated. People were arbitrarily detained and released. The press was restricted. A few other countries were attacked. Criticism was regarded as treason or espionage. Economically Germany was in dire straits, trying to provide for “guns and butter”. Finally the rules of law were subverted and there was a dictatorship. No one dared to speak out, and a neighbor could no longer be trusted. Evil happens when enough good people do nothing Let’s make sure that it can’t happen again."
"President Bush states, he will not close Guantanamo Bay prison (PG 10-26-08) Guantanamo is an interrogation camp. Interrogation camps are illegal according to the Geneva Conventions, revised in 1949 in response to Nazi practices in World War II. Our government unilaterally decided to disregard the Geneva Conventions. Furthermore the 8th Amendment states, “ Excessive bail shall not be required …nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.” There are reports on what has occurred at Guantanamo Bay prison, incidents resembling Abu Graib. Somebody asked me recently how Hitler’s rise in civilized Germany was possible. Since I was there, I assured him, that it sneaked up on us gradually. First the fear of external and internal threat was invoked. Secret prisons and a paramilitary force were established. Ordinary citizens were spied upon, and citizens’ groups were infiltrated. People were arbitrarily detained and released. The press was restricted. A few other countries were attacked. Criticism was regarded as treason or espionage. Economically Germany was in dire straits, trying to provide for “guns and butter”. Finally the rules of law were subverted and there was a dictatorship. No one dared to speak out, and a neighbor could no longer be trusted. Evil happens when enough good people do nothing Let’s make sure that it can’t happen again."
Sunday, November 23, 2008
DON'T HEED-A THE MED-IA
a poem by Joan Wile
author, "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace" (Citadel Press, May 2008)
The media
they feedya
sensation not sense
you, public, so dense,
allow them to leadya
They milk the inane
until we're insane
They fixate on Palin
day out and day in
until we're in pain
They're hung up on Hill
obsessed about Bill
They force feed us Brittney
Expose ev'ry titty
until we feel ill
Why can't they relate
succinctly and straight
the substantive news
devoid of their views
Let US calculate
our eventual fate
author, "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace" (Citadel Press, May 2008)
The media
they feedya
sensation not sense
you, public, so dense,
allow them to leadya
They milk the inane
until we're insane
They fixate on Palin
day out and day in
until we're in pain
They're hung up on Hill
obsessed about Bill
They force feed us Brittney
Expose ev'ry titty
until we feel ill
Why can't they relate
succinctly and straight
the substantive news
devoid of their views
Let US calculate
our eventual fate
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
PEACE GRANNIES CONTINUE THE GOOD FIGHT
Granny Peace Brigade Holds Teach-In To Oppose
Militarization By U.S. Of Latin America And The Caribbean
by Joan Wile,
author, "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace" (Citadel Press, May 2008)
The legendary grannies of the New York Granny Peace Brigade, who were arrested, jailed and put on trial for six days in 2005 when we attempted to enlist in the military at the Times Square recruiting station, are still out there fighting U.S. preemptive war and militarization of foreign nations. Though most, if not all, of us are jubilant about Barack Obama's historic election, nevertheless we feisty grandmothers held a teach-in days after his victory to alert the public and, hopefully, the President-elect to our concerns about the plethora of U.S. military installations and operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The teach-in, held Sunday, Nov। 9, at Manhattan's Church of the Ascension, was the third in a series of teach-ins sponsored by the grandmothers to oppose the more than 1,000 military bases installed in every continent except Antarctica. The first teach-in emphasized Guantanamo, the second stressed AFRICOM, the new U.S. military command for Africa. In this latest forum, moderated by Greg Wilpert, sociologist and author of Changing Venezuela by Taking Power and editor of Venezuelanalysis.com, the 19 countries of South and Central America as well as the 13 countries of the Caribbean were the focus of discussion. To our knowledge, there are a few major bases in Latin America and the Caribbean -- Guantanamo in Cuba, of course, Manta in Ecuador, Soto Cano in Honduras and several in Columbia, as well as a number of smaller installations, termed "lily pads," used for various military purposes, but often disguised as centers for drug interdiction.
Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations and former Minister of Foreign Affairs for Ecuador, a petite young woman (40ish is young to us grannies, at any rate), spoke of Ecuador's refusal to renew its contract with the U.S. for its use of the military base at Manta. According to Ambassador Espinosa, when she was foreign minister she had three meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who applied tremendous pressure upon the government of Ecuador to sign on with the U.S. for another ten years, but Ecuador stuck by its guns -- or rather against the guns and said "No."
The Ambassador said she was hopeful that Barack Obama would make policy changes favorable to Latin America and the Caribbean that would preclude United States militarization and recognize the sovereignty of the countries within. Ecuador has written a new constitution articulating that it is a country of peace, and prohibits military bases for any purpose. It is the only country other than Japan to specify peace in its constitution, and she expressed a wish that the document would become a model for other nations.
Espinosa also revealed that there are now high-level meetings at the U.N. discussing preemptive war and the concept of protection by one nation for others. She urged us to pay attention to what's going on in the U.N. in those respects, and we sensed an optimism in her remarks that perhaps we can anticipate welcome strides forward.
Following the impressive Ambassador, we heard from Greg Grandin, professor of History at New York University and an award-winning author of several books, most recently Empire's Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of the New Imperialism (Metropolitan, 2006). Professor Grandin discussed the United States attempts to curb the growing democratization of Latin America by its imposition of military control. He declared that the Bush policy has been a "disaster" for Latin America, and cited, for example, how its giving resources and support to Columbia to militarize (the Columbia Plan), ostensibly to fight drug trafficking, has in actuality allowed the U.S. to further its manipulation of Columbia into its militaristic web. In his view, it has been a failure in its intended aim to fight drugs but has succeeded all too well in gaining U.S. military domination of the area. He warned that the U.S. is seeking to impose the Columbia Plan across Latin America and in Mexico.
Professor Grandin said that what really matters in stopping United States domination of our neighbors to the south and in the Caribbean is to repudiate preventive war and to recognize their sovereignty. Latin America, he ventured, will be a test case for how substantial the break from past policy will be under an Obama administration.
And, finally, the grannies were pleased to attend the words of our remarkable buddy, Army Colonel (retired) Ann Wright, renowned for resigning her diplomatic post the night before the United States invaded Iraq, and author of an important new book, Dissent: Voices of Conscience (2008). Col. Wright, a dedicated anti-war protester who has spent considerable time in jail for her patriotic efforts, spoke of her shock when she attempted to enter Canada recently and was forbidden entry. The authorities knew of her arrests, such information available only through FBI files, which are to itemize only serious offenders and definitely not Bush protesters. Col. Wright described the incident as "creepy" and warned that undoubtedly access into Mexico will be subject to the same illegal process. She advised us to urge President-Elect Obama to stop this subversion of our rights.
The Colonel referred to the Axis of Evil -- which, according to Bush, is composed of Iraq, North Korea and Iran. However, she reminded us of how the term was implicit earlier under the Reagan administration when the U.S. demonized the Cuban revolution, the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua and, that in Granada. She believes the new administration has the potential for a great presidency, but exhorted us to tell Obama about our opposition to the past and current United States' dangerous policies toward Latin America and the Caribbean.
There followed a most informative question and answer forum ending with the query, "What can we here in New York do about this urgent problem of U.S. militarization of our Latin American and Caribbean neighbors?" Ann Wright stated that our teach-in was a good first step, that educating people was vital. She encouraged participation in the upcoming protest at Ft. Benning against the School of the Americas. It was suggested that we entreat the authorities to bring the national guard home from Iraq, that we march with the Veterans for Peace in the Veterans Day parade. Most of all, we should target Congress. Some of our leading Democrat policymakers, as, for instance, Sen. Christopher Dodd, voted for the Columbia Plan. We must re-educate him and others.
The Granny Peace Brigade, for its part, will keep on keeping on with its teach-ins, its counter-recruitment actions and its various other activities toward its fundamental purpose of ending the Iraq war and preventing other preemptive invasions.
Militarization By U.S. Of Latin America And The Caribbean
by Joan Wile,
author, "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace" (Citadel Press, May 2008)
The legendary grannies of the New York Granny Peace Brigade, who were arrested, jailed and put on trial for six days in 2005 when we attempted to enlist in the military at the Times Square recruiting station, are still out there fighting U.S. preemptive war and militarization of foreign nations. Though most, if not all, of us are jubilant about Barack Obama's historic election, nevertheless we feisty grandmothers held a teach-in days after his victory to alert the public and, hopefully, the President-elect to our concerns about the plethora of U.S. military installations and operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The teach-in, held Sunday, Nov। 9, at Manhattan's Church of the Ascension, was the third in a series of teach-ins sponsored by the grandmothers to oppose the more than 1,000 military bases installed in every continent except Antarctica. The first teach-in emphasized Guantanamo, the second stressed AFRICOM, the new U.S. military command for Africa. In this latest forum, moderated by Greg Wilpert, sociologist and author of Changing Venezuela by Taking Power and editor of Venezuelanalysis.com, the 19 countries of South and Central America as well as the 13 countries of the Caribbean were the focus of discussion. To our knowledge, there are a few major bases in Latin America and the Caribbean -- Guantanamo in Cuba, of course, Manta in Ecuador, Soto Cano in Honduras and several in Columbia, as well as a number of smaller installations, termed "lily pads," used for various military purposes, but often disguised as centers for drug interdiction.
Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations and former Minister of Foreign Affairs for Ecuador, a petite young woman (40ish is young to us grannies, at any rate), spoke of Ecuador's refusal to renew its contract with the U.S. for its use of the military base at Manta. According to Ambassador Espinosa, when she was foreign minister she had three meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who applied tremendous pressure upon the government of Ecuador to sign on with the U.S. for another ten years, but Ecuador stuck by its guns -- or rather against the guns and said "No."
The Ambassador said she was hopeful that Barack Obama would make policy changes favorable to Latin America and the Caribbean that would preclude United States militarization and recognize the sovereignty of the countries within. Ecuador has written a new constitution articulating that it is a country of peace, and prohibits military bases for any purpose. It is the only country other than Japan to specify peace in its constitution, and she expressed a wish that the document would become a model for other nations.
Espinosa also revealed that there are now high-level meetings at the U.N. discussing preemptive war and the concept of protection by one nation for others. She urged us to pay attention to what's going on in the U.N. in those respects, and we sensed an optimism in her remarks that perhaps we can anticipate welcome strides forward.
Following the impressive Ambassador, we heard from Greg Grandin, professor of History at New York University and an award-winning author of several books, most recently Empire's Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of the New Imperialism (Metropolitan, 2006). Professor Grandin discussed the United States attempts to curb the growing democratization of Latin America by its imposition of military control. He declared that the Bush policy has been a "disaster" for Latin America, and cited, for example, how its giving resources and support to Columbia to militarize (the Columbia Plan), ostensibly to fight drug trafficking, has in actuality allowed the U.S. to further its manipulation of Columbia into its militaristic web. In his view, it has been a failure in its intended aim to fight drugs but has succeeded all too well in gaining U.S. military domination of the area. He warned that the U.S. is seeking to impose the Columbia Plan across Latin America and in Mexico.
Professor Grandin said that what really matters in stopping United States domination of our neighbors to the south and in the Caribbean is to repudiate preventive war and to recognize their sovereignty. Latin America, he ventured, will be a test case for how substantial the break from past policy will be under an Obama administration.
And, finally, the grannies were pleased to attend the words of our remarkable buddy, Army Colonel (retired) Ann Wright, renowned for resigning her diplomatic post the night before the United States invaded Iraq, and author of an important new book, Dissent: Voices of Conscience (2008). Col. Wright, a dedicated anti-war protester who has spent considerable time in jail for her patriotic efforts, spoke of her shock when she attempted to enter Canada recently and was forbidden entry. The authorities knew of her arrests, such information available only through FBI files, which are to itemize only serious offenders and definitely not Bush protesters. Col. Wright described the incident as "creepy" and warned that undoubtedly access into Mexico will be subject to the same illegal process. She advised us to urge President-Elect Obama to stop this subversion of our rights.
The Colonel referred to the Axis of Evil -- which, according to Bush, is composed of Iraq, North Korea and Iran. However, she reminded us of how the term was implicit earlier under the Reagan administration when the U.S. demonized the Cuban revolution, the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua and, that in Granada. She believes the new administration has the potential for a great presidency, but exhorted us to tell Obama about our opposition to the past and current United States' dangerous policies toward Latin America and the Caribbean.
There followed a most informative question and answer forum ending with the query, "What can we here in New York do about this urgent problem of U.S. militarization of our Latin American and Caribbean neighbors?" Ann Wright stated that our teach-in was a good first step, that educating people was vital. She encouraged participation in the upcoming protest at Ft. Benning against the School of the Americas. It was suggested that we entreat the authorities to bring the national guard home from Iraq, that we march with the Veterans for Peace in the Veterans Day parade. Most of all, we should target Congress. Some of our leading Democrat policymakers, as, for instance, Sen. Christopher Dodd, voted for the Columbia Plan. We must re-educate him and others.
The Granny Peace Brigade, for its part, will keep on keeping on with its teach-ins, its counter-recruitment actions and its various other activities toward its fundamental purpose of ending the Iraq war and preventing other preemptive invasions.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
MY LATEST YOUTUBE
Here is a video of my daughter impersonating Sarah Palin and singing a song I wrote। Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9KPM8NdzEA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9KPM8NdzEA
Thursday, September 4, 2008
I ADMIT IT, SARAH PALIN MAKES ME NERVOUS
by Joan Wile
"Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace"
Citadel Press -- May 2008
Yes, when I first heard the announcement that John McCain had picked Gov. Sarah Palin for his vice presidential nominee, I sunk into an anxious state of depression. I gleaned immediately that he had scored a political coup by copping the media spotlight Obama had enjoyed from his acceptance speech the night before. Then, I had visions of thousands of
Hillary supporters leaping on to Sarah's bandwagon now that there was somebody to represent Girl Power in the national election. "Take that, Obama supporters!" I heard them say in my alarming scenario.
I got calls from other Obama grannies in my group, Grandmothers Against the War, equally worried about McCain's cataclysmic bombshell announcement. I had a very unhappy couple of days as I imagined the defeat of the Democrats at the hands of this pretty young Hockey Mom. The only negative I could discern was when I heard her speak in her shrill, piping Valley Girl voice. This didn't comfort me much, though, as I am a singer, much more aware and concerned about vocal tones than most people.
But, then, as the revelations about Sarah started to roll out, I began to have a little hope. Would the Hillary legions support a woman who was anti-abortion to the extreme, even, of condemning it for victims of rape and incest? Hard to imagine. Next, we learned of her fidelity to the creationism theory. Would any Democrats go for that? Would Independents? By the very nature of the word "independent," it is hard to imagine that they would subscribe to a belief out of the dark ages.
And so much more. She fired a librarian who wouldn't ban books Sarah deemed bad. She didn't want sex education in the schools. The later news that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter was pregnant was certainly an ironic comment on the questionable wisdom of that stance. She actually supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she felt enough political pressure to turn against it. She was a political pal of the indicted corrupt Sen. Stevens. She's a member of the NRA who loves to hunt -- a synonym, to my mind, for "kill."
Well, I won't go on and on with the long litany of her conservative sins. But, they have relieved me a little bit of my nervousness about her. I tell myself that surely the American women are not cajoled into voting for this person who holds positions and beliefs so contrary to what I assume most women outside the Bible Belt hold, who if elected with John McCain, would be so on the brink of being President.
We couldn't be that dumb, could we?
On the other hand, we elected George W. Bush to a second term!
"Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace"
Citadel Press -- May 2008
Yes, when I first heard the announcement that John McCain had picked Gov. Sarah Palin for his vice presidential nominee, I sunk into an anxious state of depression. I gleaned immediately that he had scored a political coup by copping the media spotlight Obama had enjoyed from his acceptance speech the night before. Then, I had visions of thousands of
Hillary supporters leaping on to Sarah's bandwagon now that there was somebody to represent Girl Power in the national election. "Take that, Obama supporters!" I heard them say in my alarming scenario.
I got calls from other Obama grannies in my group, Grandmothers Against the War, equally worried about McCain's cataclysmic bombshell announcement. I had a very unhappy couple of days as I imagined the defeat of the Democrats at the hands of this pretty young Hockey Mom. The only negative I could discern was when I heard her speak in her shrill, piping Valley Girl voice. This didn't comfort me much, though, as I am a singer, much more aware and concerned about vocal tones than most people.
But, then, as the revelations about Sarah started to roll out, I began to have a little hope. Would the Hillary legions support a woman who was anti-abortion to the extreme, even, of condemning it for victims of rape and incest? Hard to imagine. Next, we learned of her fidelity to the creationism theory. Would any Democrats go for that? Would Independents? By the very nature of the word "independent," it is hard to imagine that they would subscribe to a belief out of the dark ages.
And so much more. She fired a librarian who wouldn't ban books Sarah deemed bad. She didn't want sex education in the schools. The later news that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter was pregnant was certainly an ironic comment on the questionable wisdom of that stance. She actually supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she felt enough political pressure to turn against it. She was a political pal of the indicted corrupt Sen. Stevens. She's a member of the NRA who loves to hunt -- a synonym, to my mind, for "kill."
Well, I won't go on and on with the long litany of her conservative sins. But, they have relieved me a little bit of my nervousness about her. I tell myself that surely the American women are not cajoled into voting for this person who holds positions and beliefs so contrary to what I assume most women outside the Bible Belt hold, who if elected with John McCain, would be so on the brink of being President.
We couldn't be that dumb, could we?
On the other hand, we elected George W. Bush to a second term!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
GENERAL ELECTRIC TAKEOVER OF GRANNIES' PEACE PROTEST SITE
by Joan Wile, Author,
"Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace"
(Citadel Press, May, 2008)
"All the perfumes in Arabia will not sweeten this little hand," spoke Lady Macbeth after manipulating her husband into murdering Duncan.
We can alter these immortal words to characterize General Electric's copping today, Aug. 26, of the Granny Peace Brigade's historic turf, the Times Square recruiting center, for its promotion of washing machines. We might say that "All the washing machines of GE cannot whitewash this corporate takeover of the grannies' protest site," dating back to October 17, 2005, when we were arrested and sent to jail following our attempt to enlist in the military.
We planned a demonstration there today to let the Democratic convention know that we want them to toughen up their platform concerning the war in Iraq and other peace issues. We made six-foot long faux knotty wood planks (made of foam mattresses cut in half) inscribed with our peace demands, which we carried from the recruiting center island to the NYS Democratic Party offices nearly a mile through midtown Manhattan. But, first, as is our custom, we held a press conference on "our" site. We were shocked to find a huge washing machine contraption occupying almost the entire concrete island, with lots of young Madison Avenue types hovering about. The head honcho pleaded with us not to hold our demonstration, but we remained firm. At one point, a couple of these promotion preppies nastily asked us how we could dare interfere with commerce. We asked them how they could dare interfere with our serious business of trying to save America's grandchildren's lives in Iraq.
So, there we were, legendary anti-war grannies standing next to one of America's biggest multinational giants, we trying to sell ending the occupation of Iraq NOW and they trying to sell yet another household appliance, undoubtedly to finance an infinite number of war machines and contracts.
Why did they choose this spot? We suspect it's because we, the grannies, made it so famous beginning when our arrest became a world-wide story overnight. We've held a number of colorful and unique demonstrations there since -- the March 2007 "Endless War Memorial," for instance, when for six days over 400 people, including a number of celebrities, read non-stop from dawn to nightfall the names of Iraqi and coalition dead in Iraq since the inception of our attack in 2003.
Another event outside the recruiting station was held on March 19, 2008, the date of the beginning of the 6th year of our occupation, when we held a Knit-In and knit stump socks there for amputee veterans. We are so well associated with the Times Square site that the American Friends Service Committee recently added it as the 15th in its Places of Conscience map, beginning in 1637. They explain in the map that they chose the island because of the grannies' act of nonviolent civil disobedience in 2007.
Today, our press conference featured famed civil liberties attorney, Norman Siegel, who successfully defended us at our six-day trial in Criminal Court; NYC Councilwoman Rosie Mendez's representative, Susan Kingsland; Vietnam vet member of Veterans for Peace, Chaplain Hugh Bruce; legendary actress-playwright, great-grandmother and one of the Times Square arrestees, Vinie Burrows; and songs performed by the Raging Grannies. We then marched on the "sidewalks of New York" to our destination on Park Ave. and 31st Street, where we held another demonstration with songs and speeches and laid our planks into an arrangement that did, indeed, resemble a platform.
We grannies have been trying to end this terrible occupation of Iraq for almost five years. We hope that today's action was our last in that regard, but we fear that it is not. Even if the Democrats get in, it is questionable if they have the courage and principles to do what we believe so strongly is the only right thing to do -- bring the troops home with no further delay and stay out of Iran. It is with great concern that we view the diminution of concern about our continued presence in Iraq by United States citizens. We, too, share an urgency about our failing economy, but we cannot, we will not, forget that our girls and boys in Iraq are still dying, at least 3 a week, and that untold numbers of Iraqis are, also. It still remains our highest priority.
"Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace"
(Citadel Press, May, 2008)
"All the perfumes in Arabia will not sweeten this little hand," spoke Lady Macbeth after manipulating her husband into murdering Duncan.
We can alter these immortal words to characterize General Electric's copping today, Aug. 26, of the Granny Peace Brigade's historic turf, the Times Square recruiting center, for its promotion of washing machines. We might say that "All the washing machines of GE cannot whitewash this corporate takeover of the grannies' protest site," dating back to October 17, 2005, when we were arrested and sent to jail following our attempt to enlist in the military.
We planned a demonstration there today to let the Democratic convention know that we want them to toughen up their platform concerning the war in Iraq and other peace issues. We made six-foot long faux knotty wood planks (made of foam mattresses cut in half) inscribed with our peace demands, which we carried from the recruiting center island to the NYS Democratic Party offices nearly a mile through midtown Manhattan. But, first, as is our custom, we held a press conference on "our" site. We were shocked to find a huge washing machine contraption occupying almost the entire concrete island, with lots of young Madison Avenue types hovering about. The head honcho pleaded with us not to hold our demonstration, but we remained firm. At one point, a couple of these promotion preppies nastily asked us how we could dare interfere with commerce. We asked them how they could dare interfere with our serious business of trying to save America's grandchildren's lives in Iraq.
So, there we were, legendary anti-war grannies standing next to one of America's biggest multinational giants, we trying to sell ending the occupation of Iraq NOW and they trying to sell yet another household appliance, undoubtedly to finance an infinite number of war machines and contracts.
Why did they choose this spot? We suspect it's because we, the grannies, made it so famous beginning when our arrest became a world-wide story overnight. We've held a number of colorful and unique demonstrations there since -- the March 2007 "Endless War Memorial," for instance, when for six days over 400 people, including a number of celebrities, read non-stop from dawn to nightfall the names of Iraqi and coalition dead in Iraq since the inception of our attack in 2003.
Another event outside the recruiting station was held on March 19, 2008, the date of the beginning of the 6th year of our occupation, when we held a Knit-In and knit stump socks there for amputee veterans. We are so well associated with the Times Square site that the American Friends Service Committee recently added it as the 15th in its Places of Conscience map, beginning in 1637. They explain in the map that they chose the island because of the grannies' act of nonviolent civil disobedience in 2007.
Today, our press conference featured famed civil liberties attorney, Norman Siegel, who successfully defended us at our six-day trial in Criminal Court; NYC Councilwoman Rosie Mendez's representative, Susan Kingsland; Vietnam vet member of Veterans for Peace, Chaplain Hugh Bruce; legendary actress-playwright, great-grandmother and one of the Times Square arrestees, Vinie Burrows; and songs performed by the Raging Grannies. We then marched on the "sidewalks of New York" to our destination on Park Ave. and 31st Street, where we held another demonstration with songs and speeches and laid our planks into an arrangement that did, indeed, resemble a platform.
We grannies have been trying to end this terrible occupation of Iraq for almost five years. We hope that today's action was our last in that regard, but we fear that it is not. Even if the Democrats get in, it is questionable if they have the courage and principles to do what we believe so strongly is the only right thing to do -- bring the troops home with no further delay and stay out of Iran. It is with great concern that we view the diminution of concern about our continued presence in Iraq by United States citizens. We, too, share an urgency about our failing economy, but we cannot, we will not, forget that our girls and boys in Iraq are still dying, at least 3 a week, and that untold numbers of Iraqis are, also. It still remains our highest priority.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
NEW ANTI-WAR BOOK REVEALS THAT WARREN BEATTY'S/SHIRLEY MACLAINE'S FATHER WAS COMPLICIT IN AN ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENT EXPERIENCED BY AUTHOR AS A CHILD
by Joan Wile, author,
Grandmothers Against the War: Getting off Our Fannies and Standing up for Peace"
published by Citadel Press, May 2008
It is interesting how children sometimes oppose their parents' political beliefs and convert to ones opposite them. A good case in point is discussed in my new book, "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting off Our Fannies and Standing up for Peace" (Citadel Press, May 2).
In a brief bio about myself within the book's text, I describe how I was brutalized as a 9th grade student at a junior high school in Arlington, Virginia. I founded, wrote, produced, and raised funds for a new school newspaper by myself, as I could find no teachers to help me. I proudly distributed it one morning to the student body in their classrooms. Shockingly, at lunch I was pelted with wadded up copies of the paper and pieces of food as boys shouted anti-Semitic slurs at me -- "Dirty Kike," and so on.
Mortified, I ran and hid in the girls' bathroom until my mother came and rescued me. I didn't return to school for a couple of weeks.
A year later and now a high school student, I attended a party given by my local theatre company, in which I was a featured actress. The principal of the school where I had been traumatized, Ira Beatty, and his wife were there. I approached Mr. Beatty and asked him why I had never received faculty assistance or support in my enterprise of starting the school newspaper. He informed me that the Arlington County School Board had told him to "keep that Jew off the paper."
Apparently, he complied. Whether he instigated the incident in the lunch room or not, I'll never know. But, I wonder. How did those kids know I was part Jewish, when I hardly knew it myself?
I've often thought of this painful event when reading about or seeing Warren or Shirley on the screen and I marvel at the fact that they are such political Progressives, whom I admire very much. Warren, in particular, is a real hero of mine -- his brilliant film, "Bulworth," made mincemeat of the Bush administration and the Republicans' hypocrisy and assault on our liberties. It seems that the Beatty branches fell very far from the tree, at least ideologically.
By the way, the newspaper won a Virginia state prize the year following my establishing it.
Grandmothers Against the War: Getting off Our Fannies and Standing up for Peace"
published by Citadel Press, May 2008
It is interesting how children sometimes oppose their parents' political beliefs and convert to ones opposite them. A good case in point is discussed in my new book, "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting off Our Fannies and Standing up for Peace" (Citadel Press, May 2).
In a brief bio about myself within the book's text, I describe how I was brutalized as a 9th grade student at a junior high school in Arlington, Virginia. I founded, wrote, produced, and raised funds for a new school newspaper by myself, as I could find no teachers to help me. I proudly distributed it one morning to the student body in their classrooms. Shockingly, at lunch I was pelted with wadded up copies of the paper and pieces of food as boys shouted anti-Semitic slurs at me -- "Dirty Kike," and so on.
Mortified, I ran and hid in the girls' bathroom until my mother came and rescued me. I didn't return to school for a couple of weeks.
A year later and now a high school student, I attended a party given by my local theatre company, in which I was a featured actress. The principal of the school where I had been traumatized, Ira Beatty, and his wife were there. I approached Mr. Beatty and asked him why I had never received faculty assistance or support in my enterprise of starting the school newspaper. He informed me that the Arlington County School Board had told him to "keep that Jew off the paper."
Apparently, he complied. Whether he instigated the incident in the lunch room or not, I'll never know. But, I wonder. How did those kids know I was part Jewish, when I hardly knew it myself?
I've often thought of this painful event when reading about or seeing Warren or Shirley on the screen and I marvel at the fact that they are such political Progressives, whom I admire very much. Warren, in particular, is a real hero of mine -- his brilliant film, "Bulworth," made mincemeat of the Bush administration and the Republicans' hypocrisy and assault on our liberties. It seems that the Beatty branches fell very far from the tree, at least ideologically.
By the way, the newspaper won a Virginia state prize the year following my establishing it.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Listen to my new YouTube song video, "Grandmama for Obama"
Joan Wile, Singer/ASCAP Songwriter and author of new book, "GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST THE WAR: GETTING OFF OUR FANNIES AND STANDING UP FOR PEACE," published by Citadel Press, has just made a video of her song, "GRANDMAMA FOR OBAMA," and posted it on YouTube.
She hopes it will assist in helping Obama to pick up the older white woman vote.
Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwgpHq4cKC8
She hopes it will assist in helping Obama to pick up the older white woman vote.
Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwgpHq4cKC8
Sunday, May 25, 2008
TRANSLATION OF HILLARY'S APOLOGY (IN RHYME)
by Joan Wile, ASCAP songwriter, and author,
"Grandmothers Against the War: Getting off Our Fannies and Standing up for Peace,"
published April 29, 2008, by Citadel Press
IF I OFFENDED YOU, I APOLOGIZE
I DIDN'T MEAN WHAT YOU THINK I MEANT
AND IF BY CHANCE MY OPPONENT DIES
I 'LL DEFTLY HIDE MY MERRIMENT
DON'T TELL ME IT WAS JUST A FREUDIAN SLIP
MY SUBCONSCIUS MIND IS UNDER STRICT CONTROL
MY DEMON THOUGHTS DO NOT ESCAPE MY LIP
I MOSTLY KEEP THEM HIDDEN IN MY SOUL
CAN I HELP IT IF I HAVE AMBITION?
YES, I WANT TO BE THE PRESIDENT
SO WHAT IF THAT'S MY PERSONAL MISSION?
IT'S A MATTER OF ENTITLEMENT
AND FORGET ABOUT MY BEING VICE
THAT'S NOT WHY I'M IN THIS RACE
I DIDN'T IGNORE HIS BIMBOS AND PLAY NICE
JUST TO END IN SECOND PLACE
I WANT IT ALL, WITH BLINDED PASSION
AND IT'S MINE BY EVERY RIGHT
SO, LISTEN, YOU WOULD-BE ASSASSIN
JUST REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE WHITE
"Grandmothers Against the War: Getting off Our Fannies and Standing up for Peace,"
published April 29, 2008, by Citadel Press
IF I OFFENDED YOU, I APOLOGIZE
I DIDN'T MEAN WHAT YOU THINK I MEANT
AND IF BY CHANCE MY OPPONENT DIES
I 'LL DEFTLY HIDE MY MERRIMENT
DON'T TELL ME IT WAS JUST A FREUDIAN SLIP
MY SUBCONSCIUS MIND IS UNDER STRICT CONTROL
MY DEMON THOUGHTS DO NOT ESCAPE MY LIP
I MOSTLY KEEP THEM HIDDEN IN MY SOUL
CAN I HELP IT IF I HAVE AMBITION?
YES, I WANT TO BE THE PRESIDENT
SO WHAT IF THAT'S MY PERSONAL MISSION?
IT'S A MATTER OF ENTITLEMENT
AND FORGET ABOUT MY BEING VICE
THAT'S NOT WHY I'M IN THIS RACE
I DIDN'T IGNORE HIS BIMBOS AND PLAY NICE
JUST TO END IN SECOND PLACE
I WANT IT ALL, WITH BLINDED PASSION
AND IT'S MINE BY EVERY RIGHT
SO, LISTEN, YOU WOULD-BE ASSASSIN
JUST REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE WHITE
Monday, April 28, 2008
HILL AND BILL PILLOW TALK -- SCENE 5
BILL AND HILL PILLOW TALK -- APRIL 27, 2008
by Joan Wile, author,
"Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies And Standing Up For Peace,"
published by Citadel Press
HILL: AHA! I beat that SOB. I've got him reeling since Pennslvania. He and his campaign people don't know what the hell to do. I'm gaining. I'm gaining.
BILL: Now, hold on, Hillary, you haven't gotten to the Oval Office yet. There are warning signs developing. Congressman Clyburn came out yesterday and trashed our, I mean, your campaign. You might lose the whole black vote. You can't win without them.
HILL: What do I care? At least I've destroyed that spoiler's image enough so that if he's nominated he'll lose the election. Then, it's a cinch for me in 2012.
BILL: You're not getting any younger, Hillary. You may not be up to it in four years when you'll be 64. You're already beginning to look a little ragged around the edges.
HILL: Hey, you pulled that age crap on me already with that dumb-ass remark about being sixty and forgetting things. It cost me some votes. I'm hailed for my energy, my ability to keep on fighting even though I'm sleep deprived and on the hustle 24-7. Lay off that, mister.
BILL: Well, I'm trying to give you a reality check. You're still behind in delegate count and popular vote. So, don't go counting your chickens.
HILL: What do you mean, I'm behind in popular vote? I've got Florida and Michigan to pull me ahead.
BILL: Excuse me, but they're not counting Florida and Michigan. You promised not to include them in your vote counts. Obama wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan.
HILL: Who cares? By hook or by crook, I'm going to get those votes counted, and I'm not going to allow a redo, either. I want them just the way they are -- with no opposition.
BILL: I'm telling you, they won't let you get away with that. And, you've got other problems. People don't LIKE you. The more you campaign, the more your likeability rating tanks. The super delegates pay attention to shit like that.
HILL: So what? You can twist all those arms for me, can't you, Bill? You've got plenty of goods on most of them. The bribes they gave you to push their legislation. The enormous questionable contributions to your Library. The crooked investment deals they've negotiated for you lately. They won't dare cross you.
BILL; Yeah? Well, he's got the supers crossing over to him in droves. Even your own fund raiser, what's his name, that spick, Gabriel Guerra-Mondragon, just switched to Obama. I think you'd better lay off some of the low blows you've been delivering.
HILL: Be serious. That's the only way I can beat him. I'll get as low as I have to. If you think I'm going to let this presidency slip away, you're nuts. He stole it from me. It was mine! You promised it to me if I stuck with you when you got caught fooling around with that fat bimbo. I want it! I'll get it, I don't care what I have to do!
BILL: Hillary, get a hold of yourself. You're going ballistic. You'll hurt your image if word of these tantrums gets out. Why don't you take a snort of cocaine? It always calms you down.
HILL: I used it up. Contact our connection, that Columbian friend of yours -- the one with the mining company. Now, listen, I want you to stop criticizing me. Let's talk about YOU. You're certainly not helping any by cursing when the microphone can pick it up like it did after your interview with that reporter the other day. Talk about dwindling reputations. You've been positively TORPEDOING yours lately. And, another thing. I'd like to know why George asked me that question about Bosnia at the last debate. I thought you took care of him. He was just supposed to get on OBAMA's case. He only asked three of the questions you paid him to ask. What happened to the fourth one -- the one asking him about his mother being an atheist? That was supposed to be the killer.
BILL: I decided not to go there. That's shaky ground. You've blathered on so much about your faith, I don't want to risk you're being exposed as a phony.
HILL: I can lie about anything I want to. This is politics.
BILL: I can't argue with that, that's for sure.
HILL: OK, now go back to your bedroom. I've got to think up my next attack. Maybe I'll pull out the race card all the way and tell Indiana he's a member of the Black Panthers.
BILL: Good one. And, why don't you look over those guidelines again that Karl Rove sent you? Well, g'night.
HILL: (ignoring him -- talking to self) Should I say he's a Black Panther or should I say he's a closet gay? Maybe I'll say he's a secret agent for the Castros....I'll get him....I'll get him. I MUST be President. Nobody else but me is entitled to be.
by Joan Wile, author,
"Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies And Standing Up For Peace,"
published by Citadel Press
HILL: AHA! I beat that SOB. I've got him reeling since Pennslvania. He and his campaign people don't know what the hell to do. I'm gaining. I'm gaining.
BILL: Now, hold on, Hillary, you haven't gotten to the Oval Office yet. There are warning signs developing. Congressman Clyburn came out yesterday and trashed our, I mean, your campaign. You might lose the whole black vote. You can't win without them.
HILL: What do I care? At least I've destroyed that spoiler's image enough so that if he's nominated he'll lose the election. Then, it's a cinch for me in 2012.
BILL: You're not getting any younger, Hillary. You may not be up to it in four years when you'll be 64. You're already beginning to look a little ragged around the edges.
HILL: Hey, you pulled that age crap on me already with that dumb-ass remark about being sixty and forgetting things. It cost me some votes. I'm hailed for my energy, my ability to keep on fighting even though I'm sleep deprived and on the hustle 24-7. Lay off that, mister.
BILL: Well, I'm trying to give you a reality check. You're still behind in delegate count and popular vote. So, don't go counting your chickens.
HILL: What do you mean, I'm behind in popular vote? I've got Florida and Michigan to pull me ahead.
BILL: Excuse me, but they're not counting Florida and Michigan. You promised not to include them in your vote counts. Obama wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan.
HILL: Who cares? By hook or by crook, I'm going to get those votes counted, and I'm not going to allow a redo, either. I want them just the way they are -- with no opposition.
BILL: I'm telling you, they won't let you get away with that. And, you've got other problems. People don't LIKE you. The more you campaign, the more your likeability rating tanks. The super delegates pay attention to shit like that.
HILL: So what? You can twist all those arms for me, can't you, Bill? You've got plenty of goods on most of them. The bribes they gave you to push their legislation. The enormous questionable contributions to your Library. The crooked investment deals they've negotiated for you lately. They won't dare cross you.
BILL; Yeah? Well, he's got the supers crossing over to him in droves. Even your own fund raiser, what's his name, that spick, Gabriel Guerra-Mondragon, just switched to Obama. I think you'd better lay off some of the low blows you've been delivering.
HILL: Be serious. That's the only way I can beat him. I'll get as low as I have to. If you think I'm going to let this presidency slip away, you're nuts. He stole it from me. It was mine! You promised it to me if I stuck with you when you got caught fooling around with that fat bimbo. I want it! I'll get it, I don't care what I have to do!
BILL: Hillary, get a hold of yourself. You're going ballistic. You'll hurt your image if word of these tantrums gets out. Why don't you take a snort of cocaine? It always calms you down.
HILL: I used it up. Contact our connection, that Columbian friend of yours -- the one with the mining company. Now, listen, I want you to stop criticizing me. Let's talk about YOU. You're certainly not helping any by cursing when the microphone can pick it up like it did after your interview with that reporter the other day. Talk about dwindling reputations. You've been positively TORPEDOING yours lately. And, another thing. I'd like to know why George asked me that question about Bosnia at the last debate. I thought you took care of him. He was just supposed to get on OBAMA's case. He only asked three of the questions you paid him to ask. What happened to the fourth one -- the one asking him about his mother being an atheist? That was supposed to be the killer.
BILL: I decided not to go there. That's shaky ground. You've blathered on so much about your faith, I don't want to risk you're being exposed as a phony.
HILL: I can lie about anything I want to. This is politics.
BILL: I can't argue with that, that's for sure.
HILL: OK, now go back to your bedroom. I've got to think up my next attack. Maybe I'll pull out the race card all the way and tell Indiana he's a member of the Black Panthers.
BILL: Good one. And, why don't you look over those guidelines again that Karl Rove sent you? Well, g'night.
HILL: (ignoring him -- talking to self) Should I say he's a Black Panther or should I say he's a closet gay? Maybe I'll say he's a secret agent for the Castros....I'll get him....I'll get him. I MUST be President. Nobody else but me is entitled to be.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
CAN GRANDMOTHERS STOP WAR?
Here's the first review of my book, GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST THE WAR; GETTING OFF OUR FANNIES AND STANDING UP FOR PEACE, published by Citadel Press, available April 29 in book stores or online at amazon.com or bn.com.
Can Grandmothers End Wars?
David Swanson -- from democrats.com blog --Here is the perfect Mother's Day gift for your mother, your mother in law, your grandmothers, and in fact for the men in their lives as well - who ought to be shamed into action। Joan Wile has published a book called "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace." As far as I know, this is her first book. It is very much an account of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. If more people did the same, we would put an end to war.Of course, the people in this book are extraordinary, but everyone is, and the actions that Wile recounts this group of grandmothers having taken are actions she describes as fun and exciting. If more people understood that and acted on it, we would put an end to war.These grandmothers in New York City hold a weekly vigil against the occupation of Iraq. And they mean it. They are protesting the current proposal by the Democrats to "oppose" the occupation by throwing another $178 billion at it. Quick! Quick! Can somebody "oppose" me like that?The grannies don't just vigil. They generate significant discussion of peace in the media through actions that have included attempting to get themselves recruited at the Times Square military recruiting office. They sat down in front, were arrested, went to trial, put the war itself on trial, and were acquitted, generating more attention all the while.They've traveled abroad, networking with peace activists, and spreading awareness of the depth of American opposition to our government's crimes.They've bird-dogged John McCain and Hillary Clinton. And Clinton recently gave peace activists the credit for her defeat.They've gone to Washington and lobbied for peace. They've performed hilarious and biting song and dance routines. They've inspired and collaborated with grannies around the country and others working for peace. They've knitted stump-socks in rocking chairs in front of the Veterans Administration. If more people took similar actions, we would put an end to war and have more fun at the same time.In case you did ever doubt that a handful of people can make a difference, that one person can make a difference: READ THIS BOOK. Then go forth and do likewise. And order a copy now for every Mother's Day present you'll need.Learn more at http://www.grandmothersagainstthewar.org(Source Link)
Can Grandmothers End Wars?
David Swanson -- from democrats.com blog --Here is the perfect Mother's Day gift for your mother, your mother in law, your grandmothers, and in fact for the men in their lives as well - who ought to be shamed into action। Joan Wile has published a book called "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace." As far as I know, this is her first book. It is very much an account of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. If more people did the same, we would put an end to war.Of course, the people in this book are extraordinary, but everyone is, and the actions that Wile recounts this group of grandmothers having taken are actions she describes as fun and exciting. If more people understood that and acted on it, we would put an end to war.These grandmothers in New York City hold a weekly vigil against the occupation of Iraq. And they mean it. They are protesting the current proposal by the Democrats to "oppose" the occupation by throwing another $178 billion at it. Quick! Quick! Can somebody "oppose" me like that?The grannies don't just vigil. They generate significant discussion of peace in the media through actions that have included attempting to get themselves recruited at the Times Square military recruiting office. They sat down in front, were arrested, went to trial, put the war itself on trial, and were acquitted, generating more attention all the while.They've traveled abroad, networking with peace activists, and spreading awareness of the depth of American opposition to our government's crimes.They've bird-dogged John McCain and Hillary Clinton. And Clinton recently gave peace activists the credit for her defeat.They've gone to Washington and lobbied for peace. They've performed hilarious and biting song and dance routines. They've inspired and collaborated with grannies around the country and others working for peace. They've knitted stump-socks in rocking chairs in front of the Veterans Administration. If more people took similar actions, we would put an end to war and have more fun at the same time.In case you did ever doubt that a handful of people can make a difference, that one person can make a difference: READ THIS BOOK. Then go forth and do likewise. And order a copy now for every Mother's Day present you'll need.Learn more at http://www.grandmothersagainstthewar.org(Source Link)
Friday, April 4, 2008
READ MY NEW BOOK!
GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST THE WAR: Getting Off Our Fannies And Standing Up For Peace
Author: Joan Wile
Foreword: Malachy McCourt
Pub. Date: April 29, 2008
Publisher: Citadel Press
Pre-order from amazon.com or bn.com
First signing: May 5 at Barnes & Noble 82nd and Broadway, Manhattan
One Person CAN Make A Difference!
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night thinking, "I've got to DO something," but felt like you were just one person who couldn’t bring about change? Well, Joan Wile woke up one night thinking she had to do something about the war in Iraq.
Little did she know how far she would go…
Joan founded Grandmothers Against the War in 2003. In this outspoken memoir, she tells the amazing story of the courageous, spunky women who stood up for their beliefs and refused to back down. From staging a protest in Times Square and getting thrown in jail, to marching to Washington DC, to speaking and protesting abroad, these activists are sure to inspire you with their hope and determination against all odds.
It’s never too late to change your life—and take action!
Joan Wile is the founder of Grandmothers Against the War and has been devoted to it since 2003. She is also an award-winning singer/songwriter with an extensive background in recording studios and cabarets. She has written six musicals, four of which were produced off and off-off Broadway. Her articles have appeared in the New York Times, www.commondreams.com, www.michaelmoore.com, Opednews.com, and many others. She attended the University of Chicago, and is the mother of two children, and grandmother of five. Visit her at www.grandmothersagainstthewar.org. or her blog, www.joanwile.blogspot.com. Or, listen to her granny anti-war song on youtube -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXVAsHtitW0.
Author: Joan Wile
Foreword: Malachy McCourt
Pub. Date: April 29, 2008
Publisher: Citadel Press
Pre-order from amazon.com or bn.com
First signing: May 5 at Barnes & Noble 82nd and Broadway, Manhattan
One Person CAN Make A Difference!
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night thinking, "I've got to DO something," but felt like you were just one person who couldn’t bring about change? Well, Joan Wile woke up one night thinking she had to do something about the war in Iraq.
Little did she know how far she would go…
Joan founded Grandmothers Against the War in 2003. In this outspoken memoir, she tells the amazing story of the courageous, spunky women who stood up for their beliefs and refused to back down. From staging a protest in Times Square and getting thrown in jail, to marching to Washington DC, to speaking and protesting abroad, these activists are sure to inspire you with their hope and determination against all odds.
It’s never too late to change your life—and take action!
Joan Wile is the founder of Grandmothers Against the War and has been devoted to it since 2003. She is also an award-winning singer/songwriter with an extensive background in recording studios and cabarets. She has written six musicals, four of which were produced off and off-off Broadway. Her articles have appeared in the New York Times, www.commondreams.com, www.michaelmoore.com, Opednews.com, and many others. She attended the University of Chicago, and is the mother of two children, and grandmother of five. Visit her at www.grandmothersagainstthewar.org. or her blog, www.joanwile.blogspot.com. Or, listen to her granny anti-war song on youtube -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXVAsHtitW0.
Friday, March 28, 2008
AN OLDER WHITE WOMAN'S ANGER WITH HILLARY
AN OLDER WHITE WOMAN'S ANGER WITH HILLARY
by Joan Wile, Founder, Grandmothers Against the War
and author, GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST THE WAR: Getting Off Our Fannies And Standing Up For Peace," to be published by Citadel Press April 29, 2008
I have many reasons for being angry with Hillary Clinton, but one outweighs the others.
I don't like the fact that she is a hawk who morphed into a dove only because she realized it would hurt her campaign if she were perceived as being a supporter of the war in Iraq. I don't like the nasty way she trashes Obama. I don't like her transparent opportunism and heedless ambition. I don't like the thought of a co-presidency with Bill, who is not the person I thought him to be.
But, what I can't stomach most of all is the fact that after almost 400 years since slavery and the continuing racism that has permeated American life and so eaten away at our democracy, she is obstructing the potential to transcend that racism, finally, by electing a black president.
She can insist that her candidacy is breaking the glass ceiling for women, but electing a female president is not as earthshaking a precedent as having a black chief of state would be. Women are not discriminated against the way black people are. They are not called names. They are not ghettoized. They are not socially shunned in many places. Unless, of course, they are black. There is a world of difference between the discrimination accorded women and that accorded African Americans. Barack Obama's presidency would go a long, long way to changing that ugly fact of our culture.
This is what enrages me so. If she were obviously the better candidate, I would not feel this way. But, she isn't. In fact, I suspect she isn't equal to Obama when it comes to "crossing the commander in chief threshold." Why, oh why, then, does she continue this, yes, selfish quest and thereby deny us the most healing event, perhaps, in our history?
So, Hillary, I'm calling on you to put aside your out-sized ambition, your sense of entitlement, so that the United States will have this wonderful opportunity to at long last cross the racial divide in our country and, hopefully, leave it behind forever. Wouldn't that be magnificent, and wouldn't its realization compensate you for your lost dream?
Come on, girl, give it up! Let freedom ring!
by Joan Wile, Founder, Grandmothers Against the War
and author, GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST THE WAR: Getting Off Our Fannies And Standing Up For Peace," to be published by Citadel Press April 29, 2008
I have many reasons for being angry with Hillary Clinton, but one outweighs the others.
I don't like the fact that she is a hawk who morphed into a dove only because she realized it would hurt her campaign if she were perceived as being a supporter of the war in Iraq. I don't like the nasty way she trashes Obama. I don't like her transparent opportunism and heedless ambition. I don't like the thought of a co-presidency with Bill, who is not the person I thought him to be.
But, what I can't stomach most of all is the fact that after almost 400 years since slavery and the continuing racism that has permeated American life and so eaten away at our democracy, she is obstructing the potential to transcend that racism, finally, by electing a black president.
She can insist that her candidacy is breaking the glass ceiling for women, but electing a female president is not as earthshaking a precedent as having a black chief of state would be. Women are not discriminated against the way black people are. They are not called names. They are not ghettoized. They are not socially shunned in many places. Unless, of course, they are black. There is a world of difference between the discrimination accorded women and that accorded African Americans. Barack Obama's presidency would go a long, long way to changing that ugly fact of our culture.
This is what enrages me so. If she were obviously the better candidate, I would not feel this way. But, she isn't. In fact, I suspect she isn't equal to Obama when it comes to "crossing the commander in chief threshold." Why, oh why, then, does she continue this, yes, selfish quest and thereby deny us the most healing event, perhaps, in our history?
So, Hillary, I'm calling on you to put aside your out-sized ambition, your sense of entitlement, so that the United States will have this wonderful opportunity to at long last cross the racial divide in our country and, hopefully, leave it behind forever. Wouldn't that be magnificent, and wouldn't its realization compensate you for your lost dream?
Come on, girl, give it up! Let freedom ring!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
AMERICAN GRANNIES IN 20 CITIES CREATIVELY PROTEST ON MARCH 19; SOME ARRESTED
AMERICAN GRANNIES EXPRESS OUTRAGE AFTER 5 YEARS OF WAR;
Grandmothers in 20 Cities Protest Occupation; Some Get Arrested
With knitting needles, with dirty linen clotheslines, many with songs, and some with acts of civil disobedience, grandmother groups across the United States in at least 20 cities expressed their frustration, their deep rage at the continued occupation of Iraq. This was the granny was of commemorating the end of five years since the bombing of Iraq on March 19, 2003.
The coordinated granny actions, initiated by the Granny Peace Brigade in New York City, were the latest ones demonstrating once again that the grandmothers of America have been in the forefront of the peace movement since Day One of the U.S. catastrophic invasion of a sovereign nation.
Perhaps the most noteworthy of the protests was that carried out in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 17, where 10 members of the Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace were arrested and jailed for 10 hours when they attempted to enlist in the military at a recruiting center. Said Doris Benit, 80, one of the arrestees: "We believe our young people were sent to Iraq on a web of lies and deceit. We believe they are being used as cannon fodder in an illegal and unjustified war against a nation which posed no threat to us.”
Very whimsical Knit-Ins for Peace were held in New York City, Washington DC, Pittsburgh PA, and other cities. They were outdoor events which involved grandmothers knitting stump socks for amputee veterans. The New York Granny Peace Brigade valiantly knit in the rain for about two hours outside the Times Square recruiting center where they had been arrested and carted off to jail in 2005 for attempting to enlist, while calling out the numbers of dead and wounded from each state. The oldest granny, and perhaps the most vociferously protesting one there, was 93-year-old Marie Runyon. Part of the New York group, along with some members of the Granny Peace Brigade Philadelphia and Maryland women, went to Washington, where they knit in rocking chairs outside the Veterans Administration, and when they had completed knitting a number of the stump covers, had a Veteran for Peace color guard hand them over to a VA official. Fifteen Pittsburgh grannies, the oldest of which is 84, participated in their Knit-In at a recruiting station, as pictured below.
(Pittsburgh grandmothers knitting at a local recruiting center March 19, 2008; photo by Bonnie Fortune)
Another creative demonstration was that in Philadelphia, where the grannies hung a laundry line at City Hall and hung the dirty linen of the Bush administration on it -- each item of clothing inscribed with a plea to correct the many wrongs of the Government The Philly grannies, like most of the other granny groups, sang anti-war songs during their protests.
(some of the dirty linen hung at City Hall in Philadelphia PA March 19, 2008.
photo by Cathy Clemens)
In Orange County, NY, a group of grandmas met with State University students on campus in Middletown, and urged them to participate in the anti-war movement. In spite of pouring rain, there was a good turnout and the students were surprisingly receptive. The older women had a sense that young people are beginning to take more action in the struggle to end the war.
150 people stood on four corners in Sarasota, Florida. Eight stalwart grandmothers in Boston held a vigil on Boston Common in a drenching downpour. Other groups that participated were in Spokane; Minneapolis; Detroit; Albany NY; Monkato MN; San Francisco; Montpelier VT; San Jose CA; Bloomington IND; Portland, Maine; St. Augustine FL, and Denver.
(Raging Grannies in Tucson AZ hold Knit-In for Peace on March 19, 2008)
Amazingly, a lot of the granny protests got wide media coverage in their areas. This represents a kind of breakthrough, as it has been difficult to get publicity for the many grandmother anti-war activities conducted over the last five years since the war was launched..
At least two grandmothers got arrested when a group of protesters prevented entrance to the IRS in Washington DC -- Beverly Rice of the New York Granny Peace Brigade and Sue Gracey of the Boston Raging grannies। Three other Granny Peace Brigade members -- Ann Shirazi, Jenn Heinz and Joan Pleune, were arrested in DC when they marched on the Capital.
When grandmothers are willing to risk arrest and jail, as so many of us old ladies do on a regular basis these days, you know this war is despised and must be ended. We grannies are not getting any younger and our energy is not what it was in our earlier days -- but we keep on keeping on knowing we will not be here forever and earnestly hoping that we are inspiring other and younger people to carry on our urgent quest when we no longer can.
Grandmothers in 20 Cities Protest Occupation; Some Get Arrested
With knitting needles, with dirty linen clotheslines, many with songs, and some with acts of civil disobedience, grandmother groups across the United States in at least 20 cities expressed their frustration, their deep rage at the continued occupation of Iraq. This was the granny was of commemorating the end of five years since the bombing of Iraq on March 19, 2003.
The coordinated granny actions, initiated by the Granny Peace Brigade in New York City, were the latest ones demonstrating once again that the grandmothers of America have been in the forefront of the peace movement since Day One of the U.S. catastrophic invasion of a sovereign nation.
Perhaps the most noteworthy of the protests was that carried out in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 17, where 10 members of the Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace were arrested and jailed for 10 hours when they attempted to enlist in the military at a recruiting center. Said Doris Benit, 80, one of the arrestees: "We believe our young people were sent to Iraq on a web of lies and deceit. We believe they are being used as cannon fodder in an illegal and unjustified war against a nation which posed no threat to us.”
Very whimsical Knit-Ins for Peace were held in New York City, Washington DC, Pittsburgh PA, and other cities. They were outdoor events which involved grandmothers knitting stump socks for amputee veterans. The New York Granny Peace Brigade valiantly knit in the rain for about two hours outside the Times Square recruiting center where they had been arrested and carted off to jail in 2005 for attempting to enlist, while calling out the numbers of dead and wounded from each state. The oldest granny, and perhaps the most vociferously protesting one there, was 93-year-old Marie Runyon. Part of the New York group, along with some members of the Granny Peace Brigade Philadelphia and Maryland women, went to Washington, where they knit in rocking chairs outside the Veterans Administration, and when they had completed knitting a number of the stump covers, had a Veteran for Peace color guard hand them over to a VA official. Fifteen Pittsburgh grannies, the oldest of which is 84, participated in their Knit-In at a recruiting station, as pictured below.
(Pittsburgh grandmothers knitting at a local recruiting center March 19, 2008; photo by Bonnie Fortune)
Another creative demonstration was that in Philadelphia, where the grannies hung a laundry line at City Hall and hung the dirty linen of the Bush administration on it -- each item of clothing inscribed with a plea to correct the many wrongs of the Government The Philly grannies, like most of the other granny groups, sang anti-war songs during their protests.
(some of the dirty linen hung at City Hall in Philadelphia PA March 19, 2008.
photo by Cathy Clemens)
In Orange County, NY, a group of grandmas met with State University students on campus in Middletown, and urged them to participate in the anti-war movement. In spite of pouring rain, there was a good turnout and the students were surprisingly receptive. The older women had a sense that young people are beginning to take more action in the struggle to end the war.
150 people stood on four corners in Sarasota, Florida. Eight stalwart grandmothers in Boston held a vigil on Boston Common in a drenching downpour. Other groups that participated were in Spokane; Minneapolis; Detroit; Albany NY; Monkato MN; San Francisco; Montpelier VT; San Jose CA; Bloomington IND; Portland, Maine; St. Augustine FL, and Denver.
(Raging Grannies in Tucson AZ hold Knit-In for Peace on March 19, 2008)
Amazingly, a lot of the granny protests got wide media coverage in their areas. This represents a kind of breakthrough, as it has been difficult to get publicity for the many grandmother anti-war activities conducted over the last five years since the war was launched..
At least two grandmothers got arrested when a group of protesters prevented entrance to the IRS in Washington DC -- Beverly Rice of the New York Granny Peace Brigade and Sue Gracey of the Boston Raging grannies। Three other Granny Peace Brigade members -- Ann Shirazi, Jenn Heinz and Joan Pleune, were arrested in DC when they marched on the Capital.
When grandmothers are willing to risk arrest and jail, as so many of us old ladies do on a regular basis these days, you know this war is despised and must be ended. We grannies are not getting any younger and our energy is not what it was in our earlier days -- but we keep on keeping on knowing we will not be here forever and earnestly hoping that we are inspiring other and younger people to carry on our urgent quest when we no longer can.
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