this diary is dedicated to all who suffer because of war and other disasters
we honor courage in all its forms
cross-posted at DailyKos, Booman Tribune, European Tribune, and My Left Wing.
image and poem below the fold
This handout photo from Australian broadcaster SBS TV shows a hooded prisoner allegedly being tortured at Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad in 2004. SBS has showed what it said were previously unpublished photographs of the abuse of prisoners by US soldiers in Abu Ghraib
(AFP/SBS)
I, Too, Sing America
by Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.
Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–
I, too, am America.
– – –
put a meaningful magnet on your car or metal filing cabinet
read Ilona’s important new blog – PTSD Combat
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
Peace
Iraqi Violence Claims 18 Lives
I do not support this
I do not justify this
I do not excuse this
If for no other reason… this is why this war is nothing more than a rape of the human soul… like all wars are.
What I want:
I want the rest of the photos to be published. I want the world to demand that the United States of America be held up for the war crimes it is committing.
My country, my neighbors are no better than the Nazis.
This is not liberty and freedom.
I hear that more photos and video aren’t released because they have CHILDREN as victims.
….
abstract space
we all
fill
with
another
Light A Candle For
Peace, Tolerance, Understanding
and For The Children – Innocence Lost!
” The purpose of commercial [media] is to induce mass sales. For mass sales there must be a mass norm … By suppressing the individual, the unique, the industry … assures itself a standard product for mass consumption.”: John Whiting, writer, commenting on the homogenization of corporate media program content
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Persecuted Rights Activists Get Global Recognition
A coalition of human rights groups from around the world has named activists from Zimbabwe, Iran, and the Democratic Republic of Congo finalists for this year's Martin Ennals award. All four activists are in immediate need of protection, the groups say.
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Arms Embargo Violated in Sudan
Arms are flowing into the conflict-ridden Darfur region from neighbouring Chad, Eritrea and Libya, according to a report by U.N. experts.
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"One of the intentions of corporate-controlled media is to instill in people a sense of disempowerment, of immobilization and paralysis. Its outcome is to turn you into good consumers. It is to keep people isolated, to feel that there is no possibility for social change.": David Barsamian, journalist and publisher
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Myanmar: Rights Violations Continue in Name of National Security
Amnesty International deplores the decision by the Myanmar authorities to prolong the detention without charge or trial of three senior opposition political leaders.
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ROVE'S RESPONSE
(AP) "The White House has decided that the best way to deal with Vice President Dick Cheney's shooting accident is to joke about it.
"President Bush's spokesman quipped Tuesday that the burnt orange school colors of the University of Texas championship football team that was visiting the White House shouldn't be confused for hunter's safety wear.
"The orange that they're wearing is not because they're concerned that the vice president may be there," joked White House press secretary Scott McClellan, following the lead of late-night television comedians. "That's why I'm wearing it."
"The president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, took a similar jab after slapping an orange sticker on his chest from the Florida Farm Bureau that read, "No Farmers, No Food."
"I'm a little concerned that Dick Cheney is going to walk in," the governor cracked during an appearance in Tampa Monday.
One joke the White House is not repeating is the one that says that Cheney tortured Henry Whittington before shooting him. Is it in bad taste? Before you respond, check these new pictures out--on Australian TV, not US TV.
The White House decided that he they couldn't fight the comics so they made a feeble effort to join them until Henry Whittington, 78, the lawyer shot by Cheney suffered a heart attack and went back into intensive care. Suddenly, this incident was no longer so funny.
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” When everyone is thinking the same, no one is thinking.”: John Wooden
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Next Steps In Iraq
Here's a final angle on this one. In my experience, U.S. soldiers don't mind a fight when they are being led competently, they know they are allowed to succeed in their mission and that mission is critical to U.S. national security. Right now, this is not the case and as we know, soldiers are voting with their feet. A political-military strategy, supported by the neighbors and backed by the U.N. has the possibility of fixing this mess.
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Bush Budget Puts Our Public Lands on Blue-Light Special
Peddling Americans’ birthright aims to raise $1 billion for U.S. Treasury
As much as 800,000 acres of Americans’ public land would be sold into private hands under one egregious provision of President Bush’s proposed budget. Astonishingly, less than two months ago, bipartisan opposition in the Congress defeated a similar scheme. This absurd proposal deserves the same reaction from all of us. Please send that message to your Members of Congress! You can take action immediately by clicking here.
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Number Of Iraqi civilians Slaughtered In America's War 100,000 +
Number of U.S. Military Personnel Slaughtered (Officially acknowledged) In Bush's War 2268
The War in Iraq Costs $240,888,746,378 See the cost in your community
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Afghanistan: The End Of NATO’s Honeymoon?
The fact that the attack against a NATO base — in what is one of the safer areas of Afghanistan — was carried out not by a band of insurgents or terrorists but rather the local population should bring the countries contributing troops to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) back to the drawing board regarding their long-term plans for Afghanistan
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A Trust, By Any Other Name
by Barry Lynn, TomPaine.com
Soon America will realize that to save our free market system, we will need to roll back the power of oligopolies.
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“Corporations have been enthroned
An era of corruption in high places will follow and
the money power will endeavor to prolong its reign by working on
the prejudices of the people . . until wealth is aggregated in a few hands
. . . and the Republic is destroyed.”
Abraham Lincoln
The real thing: Jackson Browne’s Powerful Song written to protest the Contra War in Nicaragua, updated for today with tremendous new flash video. you gotta see this one and pass it on.
Lives In The Balance (Exclusive Video)
From Jackson Browne Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1
A Must Watch 3 Minute Powerful Video
02/14/06
An animated editorial by Andrew Thomas
There are links there to Download and watch in ‘Windows Media Player’ and ‘Quicktime’, but the Video Feed at the above link is Good Enough!!!
Jackson Browne Web Site
Jackson Browne’s music has spoken to my heart for more than 30 years, but I’d have missed this if it weren’t for your post. Now everyone can see what he was talking about (unforunately!). Just a sign how how long this has been going on ….
Hope everyone looks at — and listens to — this!
Same here, and to be honest I did miss it at first!
I get the the news letter it came from but apparently had missed seeing it, it was posted on the VFP Board and did it bring back memories!
But as you say ‘Unfortunantly’ things seem to stay the same, only Now it’s more Dangerous and Disruptive Across The Board!1
Whistleblower Alleges Second Wiretap Program
or UPI Link
A former NSA employee said Tuesday there is another ongoing top-secret surveillance program that might have violated millions of Americans’ Constitutional rights. Russell D. Tice told the House Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations he has concerns about a “special access” electronic surveillance program that he characterized as far more wide-ranging than the warrantless wiretapping.
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Feb. 15, 2006 — More photographs of Iraqi prisoners apparently being tortured by U.S. soldiers at the American-run Abu Ghraib prison have been leaked.
The pictures first broadcast on Australian TV show more of the abuse that took place at the notorious prison on the outskirts of Baghdad in 2003. The photos caused public outrage around the world.
The U.S. government has been fighting to keep these unpublished photographs a secret and has been duking it out in a court case with the American Civil Liberties Union.
Although a U.S. judge granted the ACLU access to the photographs last year, following a freedom-of-information request filed by news organizations including ABC News, the Bush administration appealed, saying the release would fuel anti-American sentiment.
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CUTTING EDGE - THE TORTURE QUESTIONDems’ Template for Success: Follow Jack Murtha …
LEAVE Iraq to the Iraqis
“But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
it appears in most of the photos Ive seen of these attrocities is that the floor is always stained with blood or is bloody.
Who the hell can justify this crap. I’m going to call this states Senators and Congressman… till they are sick of me.
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Related Accounts WaPo by GIs
Interrogated general’s sleeping-bag death, CIA’s use of secret Iraqi squad are among details
Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abed Hamed Mowhoush was being stubborn with his American captors, and a series of intense beatings and creative interrogation tactics were not enough to break his will. On the morning of Nov. 26, 2003, a U.S. Army interrogator and a military guard grabbed a green sleeping bag, stuffed Mowhoush inside, wrapped him in an electrical cord, laid him on the floor and began to go to work. Again.
It was inside the sleeping bag that the 56-year-old detainee took his last breath through broken ribs, lying on the floor beneath a U.S. soldier in Interrogation Room 6 in the western Iraqi desert. Two days before, a secret CIA-sponsored group of Iraqi paramilitaries, working with Army interrogators, had beaten Mowhoush nearly senseless, using fists, a club and a rubber hose, according to classified documents.
“But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
“we don’t do torture”.
Yeah, right. And I’m a virgin.
PEACE
Born again virgin!
TeeHee!! Hugs back girlfriend!
The fact that anyone supports this administration amazes me. The horrors we have brought to these poor people. Like they needed this insanity.
:o(…tear, :o(..sob..I cant go thru this much longer. God my heart hurts tonight…