Monday, March 10, 2008

Gandhi Peace Brigade/ Jes' Trial on Torture & Leslie's Rolling Fast

Dear Friends,

President George W. Bush has vetoed legislation passed by Congress that would have banned the CIA from using waterboarding and other controversial interrogation techniques. http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/08/7563/ This country, as represented by our president, now condones torture in the eyes of the world.

My trial for speaking out on torture is tomorrow (Tuesday). In November, 2007, I was charged with "unlawful conduct on capitol grounds" for telling Senator Dianne Feinstein I disapproved of her vote to confirm Mukasey as our next Attorney General. He refused to define waterboarding as torture. When she finished explaining her position, I said,"Shame on you Senator! Shame on you! I'm from California ..." Here's what happened: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBujJVKrzCY Hopefully, the jury will find me not guilty. The maximum, but unlikely, sentence the judge can give me for a guilty verdict is six months in jail. If the next Gandhi Peace Brigade newsletter is a little late, you'll know why.

Ellen Taylor is now on the 21st day of a rolling fast to encourage Congressman John Conyers to begin impeachment hearings against Vice President Cheney. She needs a successor for the Hungry for Justice? Impeach him FAST! If you would like to carry the Impeachment torch for this rolling fast, even if it's just for a few days, please respond to this email. Leslie and Ellen need your help to keep this going. If you don't want to lead the fast, but you would still like to participate, please sign up here: http://codepinkalert.org/article.php?id=3974

These two AMAZING WOMEN have led and maintained this fast, with the support of over 500 other fasters. They have also been talking with Congress members about reviving the "Nixon Flooding Plan"
http://www.impeachbush.tv/nixonplan/. Thank you Marcia Meyers, Michael Greenman, Carl McCargo, and Barbara Ellis of the We the People National Coalition for researching and introducing this comprehensive plan ... and David Swanson for your networking http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/taxonomy/term/17.

This plan explains how the impeachment of Richard Nixon in 1974 provides an excellent model for the impeachment of our administration today. Members of Congress submitted nearly 100 resolutions calling for impeachment or related investigations of Richard Nixon. The House Judiciary Committee voted on Articles of Impeachment but Nixon resigned before the full House could vote on them. There has been some interest from several members of the house, but they claim they need to hear from their constituents before they can act. Please contact your Representative and ask them to "flood Congress with Impeachment resolutions".

Also continue to call Congressman Conyers (202-225-5126) and ask him to begin impeachment hearings against Vice President Cheney!

Leslie and I are deeply concerned the Bush Administration is planning to attack Iran http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/030708R.shtml. This would be devastating to Iran, the United States, and the world. We feel impeachment hearings will stop them. Please do whatever you can to promote these hearings.

Peace and Freedom,

Jes & Leslie

Leslie and Ellen's article in the DC paper Politico:
Code Pink Seeks Fast Exit For Bush
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/05/7474/

Betsy Hartmann | The Election That Might Not Happen
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/06/7525/


A Lion's Hug of Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3D9NEoa9tw

Louis Armstrong Wants Cheney Impeached
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=louisarmstrong


Iran Wants Ban on Nuclear Weapons
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23322497-5005961,00.html


Jes & Leslie ... A Journey for Peace and Freedom: http://www.jfpf.org/

1 comment:

LaFajita said...

JES RICHARDSON BOFFO IN JURYVILLE!

3/13/8 - Professional actors devote their lives to convincing an audience that what they're performing is somehow real, and they have to, because what they're doing is all a fabrication. Jes was no actor. All he could do as a semi-retired teacher, a dad, and a concerned citizen was to hit his marks, tell the truth, and not allow himself to get in the way of that truth. He didn't exactly leave the jury laughing (which would have been bad!) but when they returned, they were definitely smiling - WTH, they were practically singing! - the judge (an Iraq vet, BTW) was smiling, and the floorperson (also smiling) delivered the one review that mattered: NOT GUILTY! by unanimous decision. This (irrelevent) observer would have to call that one somewhere between a gush and rave. This of course was followed by a Big Finish consisting of Jes and Les, two gentle souls who lead with their hearts, centerstage and locked in an embrace while awash in a sea of Pink. It was a good way to spend an afternoon.