Elaine here with you until Labor Day. Rebecca called me today and asked if I was fine with continuing until Labor Day and I told her that if she and her readers could put up with me, I was fine with filling in until then. So I'll be with you through the rest of the month and until Labor Day. C.I. forwarded an e-mail to me (remember, if you want to write e-mail me care of common_ills@yahoo.com because I don't have the password to Rebecca's e-mail account) and Doug asked why I open with "Elaine here" in some manner. Because this is Rebecca's site. I'm not sure when I started filling in but if someone's coming in after an absence, I want to be sure that if something here bothers them, they know it's not Rebecca. Doug points out that Rebecca writes her posts in lower case and I agree that should make it obvious to people who know the site but you never know who's going to find something for the first time. I'm comfortable stating my opinions but I don't want anyone else to have to be responsible for them.
Democracy Now! today was an especially strong show. I only had time to catch half of it while I was grabbing lunch but I'll be listening to it in full later. I hope you will as well.
"Exclusive Interview with Cindy Sheehan After Mother's Stroke: 'I Want to Get Back As Soon As Possible'" (Democracy Now!):
AMY GOODMAN: Your reaction to the more than 1,500 vigils that were held around the country on Wednesday night?
CINDY SHEEHAN: It, to me, is just absolutely amazing and so gratifying that something I did – like, I was just a spark that just lit this fire, and it's blazing, and it's out of control now. Like I said, we don't need the spark anymore, and I am just -- I’m just so grateful that the universe chose me to be the spark, but also that America has responded. But I’m grateful and amazed, but I’m not surprised, because I have seen this coming.
There is so much to note from that one show but I'll just note one more thing.
"Mother Nadia McCaffrey Showed the World a Casualty of the Iraq War" (Democracy Now!)
AMY GOODMAN: You did something very unusual after Patrick died in Iraq. President Bush had invoked the executive order saying that videographers, film makers, photographers are not to photograph or film the flag-draped coffins of soldiers coming home, but you invited the press in?
NADIA McCAFFREY: Yes, I did. My son left for Iraq with a big smile on his face, and he was waving at us to cheer us up. Now, why should I hide him when he comes home? I'm proud of him. I love him. And I want the world to witness this. And it's just what happened. So I'm speaking on his behalf now.
AMY GOODMAN: What are you planning to ask President Bush? I think most of the press is not covering the fact that there are a number of mothers who are asking to speak with President Bush, who have lost their children in Iraq right now. What are the questions that you are thinking about?
NADIA McCAFFREY: Well, we are almost -- well, past 1800 mothers cross-country, and the questions are -- each one of us has a question. We are working, and these questions will be released this morning. Now, Cindy needs to speak to President Bush, and that's fine. We respect this, and we will keep this open, completely, for her. The rest of us will join and have those questions. Now, we were trying to talk this morning about not if it’s possible to have a meeting with all of us instead of one person. If it happens before Cindy gets back, for example, we would like to do it, as we are going to talk about it, but I think it sounds logical, and it might be a way to change the President's mind.
A few people wondered if this ended because Cindy Sheehan had to return home due to her mother's health problems and, no, I don't think it does. First of all, Cindy Sheehan hopes to be able to return. Second, there's a big protest planned for September. Third, this topic it out there. Fourth, other mothers remain at Camp Casey. I'll never forget when I got a call to turn on Jay Leno a few months back because Bright Eyes was performing "When a President Talks to God." (You can purchase that on the Bright Eyes CD single "First Day of My Life. It's available at Amazon.) There was excitement over that and there's been excitement over Cindy Sheehan. Each person stepping forward helps. That doesn't mean every person on TV. You can change things in your circle so own your power and use it.
The gatekeepers want to "fine tune" and bicker over how to wage an unjust war. Who are we at war with? We're occupying a country. Our continued presence in Iraq as an occupying power feeds and fuels the resistance. If Tony Blair decided tomorrow to go to war with us and put Bully Boy in prison, some of us might be happy, some of us might not be. But if two years later, England was still occupying our country, you think we wouldn't be angry and resisting? The people of Iraq are not children. If democracy is going to come to the region, the Iraqis will have to bring it. We can't impose it upon them. While we remain, we continue to trash their programs and push for "free" markets. Which basically means bringing in contractors to do work that the Iraqi people could be doing and could be making money off of to feed themselves.
It's time for us to leave. Or as The Third Estate Sunday Review editorial on July 10th said, "Time to Head On Home." I'll also steer you to "Should This Marriage Be Saved?" which remains one of my favorite things C.I. has written. That was published December 2, 2004.
The people arguing "fine tune" would do well to read "Should This Marriage Be Saved?"
"Peace Quotes" (Peace Center)
In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?
St. Augustine
Thanks to C.I. for catching a mistake in the title of this post. I've reworded it to make it more clear.
