this diary is dedicated to all who suffer because of war and other disasters
cross-posted at DailyKos, Booman Tribune, European Tribune, and My Left Wing.
image and poem below the fold
An Iraqi man holds a child killed in a shooting while the family was on the way to the town of Baquba, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Baghdad, November 21, 2005. Witnesses and the Iraqi police said U.S. troops opened fire on a crowded minibus north of Baghdad on Monday, killing five members of the same family, including two children, and wounding four others. The U.S. military said it was looking into the incident but did not confirm its involvement or provide any other details. REUTERS/Hilmi
Prayer before Birth
by Louis MacNeice
I am not yet born; O hear me.
Let not the bloodsucking bat or the rat or the stoat or the
club-footed ghoul come near me.
I am not yet born, console me.
I fear that the human race may with tall walls wall me,
with strong drugs dope me, with wise lies lure me,
on black racks rack me, in blood-baths roll me.
I am not yet born; provide me
With water to dandle me, grass to grow for me, trees to talk
to me, sky to sing to me, birds and a white light
in the back of my mind to guide me.
I am not yet born; forgive me
For the sins that in me the world shall commit, my words
when they speak to me, my thoughts when they think me,
my treason engendered by traitors beyond me,
my life when they murder by means of my
hands, my death when they live me.
I am not yet born; rehearse me
In the parts I must play and the cues I must take when
old men lecture me, bureaucrats hector me, mountains
frown at me, lovers laugh at me, the white
waves call me to folly and the desert calls
me to doom and the beggar refuses
my gift and my children curse me.
I am not yet born; O hear me,
Let not the man who is beast or who thinks he is God
come near me.
I am not yet born; O fill me
With strength against those who would freeze my
humanity, would dragoon me into a lethal automaton,
would make me a cog in a machine, a thing with
one face, a thing, and against all those
who would dissipate my entirety, would
blow me like thistledown hither and
thither or hither and thither
like water held in the
hands would spill me.
Let them not make me a stone and let them not spill me.
Otherwise kill me.
– – –
read Ilona’s important diary at MLW – Returning Vet PTSD – One Soldier’s Story
view the pbs newshour silent honor roll (with thanks to jimstaro at booman.)
take a private moment to light one candle among many (with thanks to TXSharon)
support Veterans for Peace
support the Iraqi people
support the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC)
support CARE
support the victims of torture
remember the fallen
support Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors – TAPS
support Gold Star Families for Peace
support the fallen
support the troops
support Iraq Veterans Against the War
support Military families Speak Out
support the troops and the Iraqi people
read This is what John Kerry did today, the diary by lawnorder that prompted this series
read Riverbend’s Bagdhad Burning
read Dahr Jamail’s Iraq Dispatches
read Today in Iraq
witness every day
Click on the candle to copy the image into your own comment (you can leave it on my server), and/or rate this one – not for mojo, but to leave a small mark after taking this moment.
” I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.”
from Dirge Without Music
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Rot in hell Bush, Inc. Rot in HELL!
Light A Candle For
Peace, Tolerance, Understanding
and For Innocence Lost!
Please forward this message far and wide.
We have now established a Crawford Veterans For Peace chapter;
Crawford Veterans For Peace
P.O. Box 252
Crawford Texas, 76638-9998
Thanksgiving in Crawford with the First family?
Donations and activists are welcome because we are establishing a long term mobilization here in Crawford that will be protesting and conducting Civil Disobedience in the ditches as long as our troops remain in Iraq. If we must remain until the next election, so be it.
We are looking for Veterans and peace activists to come to Crawford whenever W. decides to come back to his “Western White House”.
If our troops still remain in Iraq after the next Presidential election, then we will establish a chapter in that new presidents home town as we are equal opportunity activists that speak the truth to power.
VFP Crawford is also encouraging others to protest W. wherever he might travel. For instance, the Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center and the Indiana VFP is coordinating with the Crawford VFP in organizing a protest of W. when he comes to Indianapolis on January 7th. We are setting up a beans and cornbread meal for hungry activists and homeless people in downtown Indianapolis when he is scheduled to speak.
If anyone hears of plans for W. to visit anywhere in the USA, please let the Crawford VFP know about those plans so we can join in the protests wherever he might run. He might run, but he cannot hide.
After the events of Thanksgiving in Crawford, we will be planning for Christmas and New Years actions in Crawford.
There is still time for you to join Cindy and friends in the ditch on Tuesday if you are interested in a little free food and lodging at the McLennan County jail.
Your Brother in Peace and Justice,
Carl Rising-Moore….(317-777-4805)
risingmoorecarl@aol.com
Wage Peace!
AND NOW IN IRAQ – YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN
Our brave young men are dying in the swamps of Southeast Asia. Which of them might have written a poem? Which of them might have cured cancer? Which of them might have played in a World Series or given us the gift of laughter from the stage or helped build a bridge or a university? Which of them would have taught a child to read? It is our responsibility to let these men live…. It is indecent if they die because of the empty vanity of their country.
RFK, Vietnam War speech, 3-24-68
The biggest lesson I learned from Vietnam is not to trust [our own] government statements. I had no idea until then that you could not rely on [them]:
James W. Fulbright – US senator who initiated the international exchange program for scholars, 1905-1995
I’ve Declared Non-Violent ‘War’ On ChickenHawks,Freeper/Sheep,Talking Heads and No Support For Pols Who Refuse To Investigate This Administration and End This Illegal Conflict!
Veterans: Wether Conflict or Peace Time Vets, Signature Everything you sign, post, send, whatever! Let Them Know WHO WE ARE!!!
James Starowicz
USN ’67-’71 GMG3 Vietnam In-Country ’70-’71 COMNAVFORV
.
Mr. van der Stoel has done excellent reporting on Human Rights abuse during Greece dictatorship Colonel’s Regime and Saddam Hussein’s Stalin dictatorship during the nineties. His UN report is exceptional and of influence to consider Dutch participation in the Coalition of the Willing. The Kurd massacre played a role as well. The PvdA was divided after meeting with Max vd Stoel to formulate policy during coalition talks in March 2003.
● OSCE – Max van der Stoel Award 2005
● Max van der Stoel Raad van State -dutch-
● RISQ – Iraq & International Social Questions
Cross-posted from my diary —
I’m A Fan of Jan Peter! also @EuroTrib
###
LEAVE Iraq to the Iraqis
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
Rub, that is one of the most painful images to date to watch.
Five Iraqis shot at US checkpoint
Iraq Bomber Kills 17; U.S. Toll at 2,100
…and begs through sobs that Peace be given a chance.
Oh Gawd, oh Gawd. I am at a loss. This precious child, this poor father. They were killed for driving their car. This whole clusterfuck is insane.
STOP THE MADNESS, STOP THE MURDER, STOP THE WAR!!!
OUT OF IRAQ NOW!
Not after the election or after this or after that or when the Iraqis stand up GD it! NOW!
No more lies. No more Lives.
I hate you George. You ARE NOT my president.
I hate tbe red regime, too. Reason I passed this particular one around.
People should see it. Everywhere.
The Red Regime, may they rot in hell. I hate to say it, but our government is NOT doing our military any good right now. This will end but it will be very ugly.
Prison Abuse – check
Napalming entire civilian neighborhoods – check
Gunning down women and children as they try to escape from white phosperous – check
Fallujah – check
Try to okay Nazi tactics such as torture – check
Truly “Support the troops” – protect their veteran and health benefits AND seek answers by asking the tough questions
My heart and my soul just ache all the time. I wonder sometimes if it will ever feel joy and whole again. Some days the only thing that keeps me going is the family. It is like I am in this haze, this black cloud all the time. I can not even imagine what it is like for MilitaryTracy and all the other military families, journalists families. It is so so wrong.
Fuck them!!! May they rot in HELL, yes, and AMEN!!!
God bless the little children. God bless the peacemakers.
Damn those who do such things to other humans!
Heartbreaking…
Our country is creating a future where one day the picture may contain an American father holding his dead American child. Eventually we will have to pay for the sins, and not just by having our hearts broken.
Let not the man who is beast or who thinks he is God
come near me.
The men who think they are God have lost their humanity and degenerated into ravening beasts.
http://www2.iraqbodycount.org/press/pr12.php