Paul S. Graham

“Why, of course, the people don’t want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship . . . the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.”

Hermann Goering, Nazi Reischsmarshall and Luftwaffe Chief

Goering was sentenced to death at the Nuremberg Tribunals for crimes against humanity, but committed suicide, just hours before his execution, on Oct. 15, 1946. Source: Snopes

“I don’t have to tell you the story, the link between Afghanistan and the attacks of 9/11, the oppression and brutality endured under the Taliban and the risk that terrorism will come home if we don’t confront it here.”

– Prime Minister Stephen Harper, addressing the troops in Kandahar, Afghanistan, May 23, 2007. Source: Government of Canada

“Some have argued that confronting the threat from Iraq could detract from the war against terror. To the contrary; confronting the threat posed by Iraq is crucial to winning the war on terror. When I spoke to Congress more than a year ago, I said that those who harbor terrorists are as guilty as the terrorists themselves. Saddam Hussein is harboring terrorists and the instruments of terror, the instruments of mass death and destruction. And he cannot be trusted. The risk is simply too great that he will use them, or provide them to a terror network.”

President George W. Bush, speaking at the Cincinnati Museum Center, Oct. 7, 2002. Source: White House News Releases

“Iran is today the world’s leading state sponsor of terror. It sends hundreds of millions of dollars to extremists around the world while its own people face repression and economic hardship at home. Iran’s actions threaten the security of nations everywhere. So the United States is strengthening our long-standing security commitments with our friends in the Gulf and rallying friends around the world to confront this danger before it is too late.”

George Bush, once more the warpath, this time in Abu Dhabi, Jan. 15, 2008. Source: The Telegraph

Halfway through a three-day fast, Winnipeg peace activist Michael Welch is spending his second night under the stars in support of Corey Glass and other US war resisters who have come to Canada rather than fight an immoral war. Tuesday night and part of Wednesday was spent outside the office of Tory MP Joy Smith (Kildonan-St. Paul); Wednesday afternoon and evening on the steps of the Manitoba Legislature.

Michael decided to become actively involved in supporting war resisters last month following the June 3rd vote in Parliament to urge the government to allow war resisters to remain in Canada as permanent residents. When it became evident the government would not follow the advice of Parliament, Michael decided to act, beginning with a sit-in at the office of Tory MP Steven Fletcher (Charleswood–St. James–Assiniboia). Last week he sat in at the office of Rod Bruinooge (Winnipeg South).

While his reception at Tory MP offices has been cordial (with the exception of Bruinooge’s staff, who locked him out when he went outside to speak with reporters), all three MPs continue to toe the government’s anti-war resister line.

Thankfully, the Federal Court is more sensible than the Federal Government. Following its July 4th decision to order the Immigration and Refugee Board to reconsider the failed refugee claim of Joshua Key, the court today granted Corey Glass a stay of removal. While the reasons for the decision have not been issued yet, it reinforces the positive decision in Joshua Key’s asylum case.

However War Resister Robin Long is still being held in jail in Nelson, B.C. and is threatened with deportation to the United States on Monday, July 14th. (See press release.)

July 10th actions are planned across the country to stop the deportation proceedings against Robin Long and let all the war resisters stay.

Prayer Vigil at the Canadian Mennonite University

In Winnipeg, a prayer vigil is planned for noon on July 10. Join Christian Peacemaker Teams in a public prayer vigil to call on Citizenship and Immigration Minister Diane Finley to rescind U.S. war resister Corey Glass’s deportation order, and to let all war resisters stay in Canada.

WHEN: Thursday, July 10, 12:10 – 12:30 pm

WHERE: Canadian Mennonite University, south campus.  600 Shaftesbury Ave., near the food tent (site of Mennonite Church Canada annual conference)

Vigil at “the Leg”

From his lawn chair at the Leg, Michael is helping to organize a vigil that will be held at the Manitoba Legislature, Thursday, July 10, beginning at 8:00 PM. Keynote speakers will include Howard Davidson, a Vietnam-era war resister who has spoken eloquently on the importance of supporting those who refuse to fight wars of aggression.

While war resisters and their supporters have been able to convince the Federal Court that there are grounds to consider the refugee claims of war resisters, we are not home free. Please come out to support war resisters on July 10 and in any other way you can.

This could include writing your MP, Immigration Minister Finley, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. You can get their addresses here.

The final words go to Michael Welch, recorded on the steps of the Manitoba Legislature, tonight.

(Cross-posted from the website of Peace Alliance Winnipeg.)

The War Resisters Support Campaign has called for another National Day of Action for Iraq War Resisters.

If you haven’t done so, please call Minister Diane Finley and insist that she:

• stop deportation proceedings against Corey Glass and all US Iraq war resisters
• implement the motion adopted by our Parliament to allow US Iraq war resisters to apply for permanent resident status.

Here are the numbers to call:

• Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley: (613) 996-4974
• MP Diane Finley’s constituency office (Simcoe): (519) 426-3400

Or email her at: minister@cic.gc.ca or finled1@parl.gc.ca.

Speculation about a US-Israeli invasion of Iran, which has been ongoing for the last couple of years, has reached a fever pitch. While most Americans are opposed to continuing the occupation of Iraq (68% according to CNN), about 25% of Americans believe that Iran is the country that poses the greatest threat to the United States (yet again proving that you can fool some of the people all of the time).

Many observers fear the US and Israel plan to attack Iran before the year is out. In an article posted today at the Edmonton Sun (and its sister publications, I imagine) Eric Margolis reviews some of the more ominous signs of an impending strike, including:

• Despite U.S. intelligence statements that Iran is not working on nuclear weapons, the US, Israel and France  are threatening military action if Iran does not end its nuclear enrichment program.
• Senior Israeli officials are threatening to attack Iran’s nuclear installations before Bush’s term expires. Recently Israel staged a dress rehearsal in the form of an exercise using F-15s and F-16s.
• American journalist Seymour Hersh has confirmed that the U.S. Congress authorized a $400-million plan to overthrow Iran’s government and incite ethnic unrest.
• Pentagon officials have said a U.S. attack on Iran is imminent, perhaps including the use of small tactical nuclear weapons.
• This year, senior American officers Admiral William Fallon and Air Force Chief Michael Mosley were fired for opposing war against Iran.

A war with Iran would be disastrous by any measure one might choose. As Canadians, we need to insist that our government express strong opposition to American war plans, and that work has to begin today.

As a starting point, write your MP and the Prime Minister. You can get their addresses here. If you aren’t already involved in an antiwar organization, find one to join, or start one.

As Eric Margolis puts it: “The dogs of war are being unleashed.”

There is no time to waste.

The Federal Court of Canada today ordered the Immigration and Refugee Board to reconsider the failed refugee claim of Joshua Key, an American soldier who entered Canada with his family in March 2005, rather than continue to participate in the illegal occupation of Iraq.

The summary decision reads “This is an application for judicial review from a decision of the Immigration and Refugee Board. The Applicants are citizens of the United States and their claims to refugee
protection arise from Mr. Key’s history of desertion from the United States Army. Upon review, the Court concluded that military action which systematically degrades, abuses or humiliates either combatants or non-combatants is capable of supporting a refugee claim where that is the proven reason for refusing to serve. It therefore concluded that the Board had erred by imposing a too restrictive legal standard upon Mr. Key. Furthermore, the Court found that clear and convincing evidence about similarly situated individuals who unsuccessfully sought to be excused from combat duty, or who were prosecuted and imprisoned for a refusal to serve, may be sufficient to rebut the presumption of state protection in the United States. On this point, the Court determined that Mr. Key should be given the opportunity to fully address the issue of state protection in a rehearing before the Board.”

Translation

This ruling kicks the shit out of the Tory position that U.S. war resisters are not “real refugees.”

Implications

There is ample reason to believe this ruling could apply to many other US war resisters who fled to Canada. Some estimates place the number at 200. We need to continue to press the federal government to stop planned deportations, such as the one that faces Corey Glass on July 10. The War Resisters Support Campaign can use your help — click here.

More information

You can read the full decision here. News coverage includes this.

Winnipeggers showed support for US war resisters in Canada, July 3, by picketing the constituency office of Winnipeg South Tory MP Ron Bruinooge. Photo: Paul Graham

Following on the June 3 Parliamentary approval of a resolution to allow US war resisters to remain in Canada, the War Resisters Support Campaign called for a July 2nd National Day of Action to urge the federal government to implement the will of Parliament. There is wide support for the Parliamentary vote. According to a national poll conducted by Angus Reid shortly after the vote in Parliament, a “majority of Canadians would agree with the decision to let American military deserters stay in Canada as permanent residents.” Despite this, the Harper Tories are not showing any signs of softening their position.

The young Americans who have sought refuge in Canada have done so because they refuse to participate in war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must continue to insist that the federal government implement the will of Parliament.

Call Minister Diane Finley and insist that she:

• stop deportation proceedings against Corey Glass and all US Iraq war resisters
• implement the motion adopted by our Parliament to allow US Iraq war resisters to apply for permanent resident status.

Here are the numbers to call:

• Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley: (613) 996-4974
• MP Diane Finley’s constituency office (Simcoe): (519) 426-3400

Or email her at: minister@cic.gc.ca or finled1@parl.gc.ca.

The Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco is engaged in an effort to rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the “George W. Bush Sewage Plant.”

The group has been gathering signatures at local festivals, events and city parks and has already collected 8,500 signatures, about 1,300 more than is needed to put the question on the city’s ballot in November. If the measure passes, the new name will become effective starting next January, when the new president is sworn in.

Supporters plan to engage in a “synchronized flush” during the inauguration as a way to send a “gift” to the newly-renamed plant, saying they believe this will be a “fitting monument to this president’s work.”

Read more at PRWatch.

By now, everyone has heard that George Carlin died on Sunday of a heart attack. Adoring broadcasters have been playing clips of some of his more controversial routines and editing out the naughty bits, a development that I’m sure Carlin would have mocked mercilessly.

I can hear him now: “Those motherfuckers! How dare they play Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television and bleep out the fuckin’ words?”

Carlin loved language and hated hypocrisy. He could use language to entertain and to enlighten. He was a keen observer of how language is used to confuse, mislead and ultimately enslave people.

Here’s a memorable clip on the subject of language which concludes, ironically, on the topic of his death.

We’re gonna miss ya, George.

Forgive the stereotyping, but Americans are legends in their own minds on the subject of free speech. Or, at least they were until George Bush invaded Afghanistan and declared that any criticism, however muted, was tantamount to terrorism.

Perhaps this kind of declaration was inevitable in a country where the public political discourse is limited to discussing the policy options offered by Republicans and Democrats, which is akin to being permitted to choose between brands of toilet paper.

Still, depending on your point of view, American talk radio is vibrant, irreverent and free-wheeling or hysterical, reactionary and offensive. But even by American standards, a line may have been crossed when Radio America-syndicated talk show host Michael Reagan called for the murder of anti-war activist Mark Dice, on the air, June 10.

Evidently, Dice brought down the wrath of Regan by sending letters and DVDs to American troops stationed in Iraq which support the idea that U.S. officials allowed the 9/11 attacks to happen for political purposes.

Said Reagan: “How about you take Mark Dice out and put him in the middle of a firing range. Tie him to a post, don’t blindfold him, let it rip and have some fun with Mark Dice.”

Now, even in the United States (or at least in California) it is against the law to incite murder. So far, thankfully, it has remained a war of words. Dice wants Reagan fired and prosecuted. Reagan has apologized, but Dice, understandably is not reassured.

Here’s a clip of the offending broadcast.

And you can read more at Info Wars.

——

* Yes, he’s Ronnie’s adopted son. Never had a chance. Sigh . . .

This just came in from Eric Lee at Labour Start. Please support it.

This is one of the most unusual trade union campaigns I’ve ever heard of — and I’m pretty excited by it. Please take a moment and read on.

Many of you will have heard that two leaders of Zimbabwe’s embattled trade union movement were arrested a few weeks ago on charges of ‘spreading falsehoods prejudicial to the state’ — in other words, telling the truth.

Next Monday, Lovemore Matombo and Wellington Chibebe, President and General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, are going back to court to face charges. Unions around the world are organizing protests that day at Zimbabwe embassies, and if you can attend or organize such an event that’s great.

But there’s something you can do right now without getting up out of your chair. The Trades Union Congress here in London is making a giant photo mosaic of Lovemore and Wellington, using pictures of hundreds of their supporters from around the world — and they want to use your photo as one tiny part of it.

They’ll get this printed on a large banner in time for the London demonstration on 23 June, and they’ll make the image available to other international demonstrations and to the media.

Please email a photo of your face to zim@tuc.org.uk.

You can read more about this effort here.

Demonstration for democracy, rights and freedom for Zimbabwe The Zimbabwean, Africa – 13 Jun 2008 On 23 June Lovemore Matombo, President of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and Wellington Chibebe, General Secretary of ZCTU are due in court to …

TopNews

Wrexham AM’s bid to free Zimbabwe union men Evening Leader, UK – 20 May 2008 In her letter, Miss Griffiths expressed her deep concern for the safety and well-being of Lovemore Matombo, Wellington Chibebe and Raymond Majongwe. … Labour union leaders released on bail Zimbabwejournalists.com ZCTU leaders out on bail Politicsweb all 14 news articles »

ZCTU PRESS RELEASE The Zimbabwean, Africa – 4 Jun 2008 … with Freedom of Expression and Association while. The ZCTU is represented at the ILO by President Lovemore Matombo and secretary-General Wellington Chibebe.

Zimbabwe: Unionists granted bail Green Left Weekly, Australia – 24 May 2008 … High Court had granted Z$20 billion bail to Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president Lovemore Matombo and ZCTU general secretary Wellington Chibebe. …

Zimbabwe: ZCTU Sets Out to Tarnish Country’s Image AllAfrica.com, Washington – 23 May 2008 Some of the issues ZCTU is expected to raise include the arrest of its president, Mr Lovemore Matombo, and secretary-general Mr Wellington Chibebe two weeks …

Times Online

Opposing Robert Mugabe is now ‘treason Times Online, UK – 12 Jun 2008 … be charged with making prejudicial statements, a charge used to silence a raft of government critics, including the trade union leader Lovemore Matombo. …