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Oakland Direct Action to Protest US Aid to Israel
As George Bush met with Ariel Sharon in Washington DC yesterday, local protestors demonstrated their opposition to US support of Israel. In downtown Oakland, at noon, twelve activists walked into the Federal Building, singing songs of peace. Connecting their arms through PVC pipes—decorated with calls for an end to the Israeli occupation, and to US aid to Israel—they “locked down” around the pillars, and effectively occupied the atrium.
As George Bush met with Ariel Sharon in Washington DC yesterday, local protestors demonstrated their opposition to US support of Israel. In downtown Oakland, at noon, twelve activists walked into the Federal Building, singing songs of peace. Connecting their arms through PVC pipes—decorated with calls for an end to the Israeli occupation, and to US aid to Israel—they “locked down” around the pillars, and effectively occupied the atrium. Simultaneously, two activists scaled lampposts in front of the building, to hang a large banner reading: “No US Guns for Israel’s Occupation.”
Just prior to the Federal Building occupation, protestors gathered for a support rally at Oakland’s 12th Street BART station. Wielding signs and banners, they marched toward the Federal Building, chanting: “Colin Powell has not seen/ send the UN into Jenin/ US dollars funding war/ tell George Bush we’ll take no more!” Around noon, the rally approached the Federal Building, and entered the atrium. Over the course of the day, around a hundred people came to show their support, and listen to speeches, songs, chants, and poetry protesting Israel’s occupation of Palestine, and US support of Israeli actions.
The direct action, and accompanying support rally, were a non-violent response to the US’s unconscionably permissive attitude toward Israeli actions in Palestine. The activists locking down requested to speak with a representative of the state department—specifically one working on policy with Israel—in order to discuss their demands. The focal demand was an end to US aid to Israel, as virtually all of the $3.2 billion per year goes towards bombs, guns, shells, F16s, and military training. Other demands included: applying real pressure to Israel to end the occupation, through closing the US embassy in Tel Aviv and employing economic sanctions; calling for just international solutions, including sending an investigative committee into Jenin, sending an international protection force into Palestine, and insisting Israel abide by international rulings such as the Geneva Convention and UN resolution 242, both of which call for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine.
At around two o’clock, Chris Amyes, a representative from San Francisco’s State Department’s security service, showed up in response to the lockdown. Amyes conceded that he had no real power over policy, and could not provide contact information for those who did. The activists maintained they would remain locked down until they could speak to someone who did. At around five o’clock, police began sawing the PVC pipes open, and making arrests. In total, eighteen of the protestors were arrested—the twelve locking down, plus five providing support, and one in a halter holding up the banner hanging in front of the Federal Building. In order to arrest the banner-holder, a fire truck was brought in; the heavy truck damaged the sidewalk panels in front of the building. Mainstream news estimates of total rally costs lay at $20,000, including “minor damage,” police and fireman wages. A small price in comparison with the damage leveled by the IDF in Palestine.
Just prior to the Federal Building occupation, protestors gathered for a support rally at Oakland’s 12th Street BART station. Wielding signs and banners, they marched toward the Federal Building, chanting: “Colin Powell has not seen/ send the UN into Jenin/ US dollars funding war/ tell George Bush we’ll take no more!” Around noon, the rally approached the Federal Building, and entered the atrium. Over the course of the day, around a hundred people came to show their support, and listen to speeches, songs, chants, and poetry protesting Israel’s occupation of Palestine, and US support of Israeli actions.
The direct action, and accompanying support rally, were a non-violent response to the US’s unconscionably permissive attitude toward Israeli actions in Palestine. The activists locking down requested to speak with a representative of the state department—specifically one working on policy with Israel—in order to discuss their demands. The focal demand was an end to US aid to Israel, as virtually all of the $3.2 billion per year goes towards bombs, guns, shells, F16s, and military training. Other demands included: applying real pressure to Israel to end the occupation, through closing the US embassy in Tel Aviv and employing economic sanctions; calling for just international solutions, including sending an investigative committee into Jenin, sending an international protection force into Palestine, and insisting Israel abide by international rulings such as the Geneva Convention and UN resolution 242, both of which call for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine.
At around two o’clock, Chris Amyes, a representative from San Francisco’s State Department’s security service, showed up in response to the lockdown. Amyes conceded that he had no real power over policy, and could not provide contact information for those who did. The activists maintained they would remain locked down until they could speak to someone who did. At around five o’clock, police began sawing the PVC pipes open, and making arrests. In total, eighteen of the protestors were arrested—the twelve locking down, plus five providing support, and one in a halter holding up the banner hanging in front of the Federal Building. In order to arrest the banner-holder, a fire truck was brought in; the heavy truck damaged the sidewalk panels in front of the building. Mainstream news estimates of total rally costs lay at $20,000, including “minor damage,” police and fireman wages. A small price in comparison with the damage leveled by the IDF in Palestine.
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Excellent article that describes local efforts to combat a global problem.
There are issues about which I concede that there is room for legitimate disagreement among the well informed, and then there are issues on which there aren’t.
A parallel between the Israeli raids and the United States attack on Afghanistan, noting that Kofi Annan had supported the latter as self-defense: Israel uses milder measures than the United States used in Afghanistan, facing a similar threat, if not a bigger one.
If the Arab world wants the Arab “Palestinians” to have a country of their own, why didn’t they have one before 1967? If they care for the Arab Palestinians so much, why don’t they provide some land for an Arab Palestinian state themselves, instead of simply insisting that Israel do so?
Yasser Arafat, who had previously vociferously and repeatedly claimed to be doing everything he could to stop terrorism by Arab Palestinians, then refused to attend an Arab League Summit in Beirut, because he was unwilling to declare a cease-fire in his language to his people, and Israel would not let him go unless he did so.
Freedom of religion in the US is based on the inability of magistrates to be able to determine what is legitimate, religiously. We cannot judge it, so we leave it alone, provided that we do not impinge on the rights of others. We cannot say that Fundamentalist Islam is not true Islam. What is Islam becoming?
A parallel between the Israeli raids and the United States attack on Afghanistan, noting that Kofi Annan had supported the latter as self-defense: Israel uses milder measures than the United States used in Afghanistan, facing a similar threat, if not a bigger one.
If the Arab world wants the Arab “Palestinians” to have a country of their own, why didn’t they have one before 1967? If they care for the Arab Palestinians so much, why don’t they provide some land for an Arab Palestinian state themselves, instead of simply insisting that Israel do so?
Yasser Arafat, who had previously vociferously and repeatedly claimed to be doing everything he could to stop terrorism by Arab Palestinians, then refused to attend an Arab League Summit in Beirut, because he was unwilling to declare a cease-fire in his language to his people, and Israel would not let him go unless he did so.
Freedom of religion in the US is based on the inability of magistrates to be able to determine what is legitimate, religiously. We cannot judge it, so we leave it alone, provided that we do not impinge on the rights of others. We cannot say that Fundamentalist Islam is not true Islam. What is Islam becoming?
Fundamental Islam was created by Zionism,Colonialism and Western Democracy.
You are not listening to me when...
You do not care about me;
When you say you understand before you know me well enough;
or when you have an answer for my problem before i've finished telling you what my problem is;
When you cut me off before i've finished speaking:
Or when you finish my sentences for me.
You are not listening to me when...
You feel critical of my vocabulary, grammer, or accent;
When you are dying to tell me something;
When yo tell me about your experience,
making mine seem unimportant;
When you are communicating with someone else in the room;
When you refuse my thanks by saying you haven't really done anything.
You are listening to me when...
You come quietly into my private little world and let me be me;
When you really try to understand me
even when i'm not making much sence;
When you grasp my point of view
even when it's against your own sincere convictions;
When you realize that the hour i took from you has left you a bit tired and drained;
You are listening to me when...
You allow me the dignity of making my own decisions
even though you think they may be wrong;
When you do not take my problem away from me,
but allow me to deal with it in my own way;
When you hold back your desire to give me good advice;
When you do not offer me religious solace when you sense that i am not ready for it;
When you give me enough room to discover for myself what is really going on;
When you accept my gift of gratitude by telling me how good it makes you feel to know that you have been helpful.
The author is unknown.
You are not listening to me when...
You do not care about me;
When you say you understand before you know me well enough;
or when you have an answer for my problem before i've finished telling you what my problem is;
When you cut me off before i've finished speaking:
Or when you finish my sentences for me.
You are not listening to me when...
You feel critical of my vocabulary, grammer, or accent;
When you are dying to tell me something;
When yo tell me about your experience,
making mine seem unimportant;
When you are communicating with someone else in the room;
When you refuse my thanks by saying you haven't really done anything.
You are listening to me when...
You come quietly into my private little world and let me be me;
When you really try to understand me
even when i'm not making much sence;
When you grasp my point of view
even when it's against your own sincere convictions;
When you realize that the hour i took from you has left you a bit tired and drained;
You are listening to me when...
You allow me the dignity of making my own decisions
even though you think they may be wrong;
When you do not take my problem away from me,
but allow me to deal with it in my own way;
When you hold back your desire to give me good advice;
When you do not offer me religious solace when you sense that i am not ready for it;
When you give me enough room to discover for myself what is really going on;
When you accept my gift of gratitude by telling me how good it makes you feel to know that you have been helpful.
The author is unknown.
Europeans have been locked in a law-of-the-jungle-but-we're-not-savages mentality since the unholy Roman Empire. God teaches in The Quran that "The Almighty gives sovereignty to whom He Wills, and takes it from whom He Wills." You don't have to be a history professor to see The Truth in that statement. The fact that America exists and Israel exist is an indisputable fact. Whether or not either one was right in using the methods they used to achieve their existance is purely academic. What nation is powerful enough to carry out the sentence if either one of them were judged guilty by any one other than God? The issue that should concern all lovers of Justice in this democratic republic is this. Is Zionist methods and ambition leading The United States to ultimate success or ultimate failure?
For the most part we who live in the Secular/Western Matrix are either, Christians, Jews, or Muslims. The majority of us at least lay claim to believe in the moral teachings of either, the bible, torah, or the quran. How is it, then, that we cringe over a person mistreating a dog or a cat, and we have no disturbance in the realm of The Force, called CONSCIENCE when our government and (or) her allies treat human beings worst than we allow people to treat dogs?
We have the might. Who can stand against us? The answer? God. The Law of Karma. What goes around comes around. Those of us who don't believe in the here after, can't see the repercussions of ignoring the humanity of those who have legitimate claims over the stewards of wealth, power, and safety from their dragon like might. Many of us who only see THIS world can't for the life of us see anything other than the comfort and advantage that we enjoy by living in the lap of The Dominant Dragon. And all we care about is maintaining our dominance.
Maintaining the political status quo is a natural ambition for all those on the top of the food chain. But how short sighted it is to think that you can brutally, and murderously, bully a whole nation and some of them... one or two of them... will not find some way to retaliate. Even an abused dog will seize his opportunity to exact retribution for wrongs received if he has only a little bit of heart. And if he is a real wolf, he will leap towards an exposed throat even if he realizes that a miss means pain, and possible death. Men are much more dangerous than dogs, or wolves.
We live in an age of horrible methods of destruction and mayhem. One man, acting all by himself can inflict a holocaust on an unsuspecting public. Only a suicidal fool would not be on guard against such a dangerous threat. Unfortunately arrogant, ethno-supremacists rule. And these fools create the sickening oppressive atmosphere that drives good folks bad, and sane folks mad. And now, our ethno-supremacist rulers think that they can stop it by making the atmosphere more oppressive, and consequently more sickening. The law of Karma can't be stopped by creating more negative karma? All of our technocratic spy toys, and girls and boys can't stop it.
Lord Have Mercy On Us. With all our government's expenditures used in securing our home land, we could not foresee this pipe bomber coming. Superman can do a lot of things, but he can't read minds. We have not been able to stop him, her, or them from putting pipe bombs in people's mail boxes. The odds of our people catching mad men before the act gets more and more remote. The uni bomber would still be bombing if his family had not turned him in.
We don't know what manner of devilment is on the horizon. But we do know this. The odds of preventing it is slim if the perpetrators aren't Arabs. And even if they are Arabs, have we hatched a fool proof plan to thwart a real diabolical innovative genius?
In the light of this slant on reality, it makes no sense to go around antagonizing people who would normally want only to be left alone. Not only is it diabolical, it's just plain stupid. We have enough money to buy their oil, their allegiance, and maybe even their gratitude if not their love.
It is wrong, stupid, insane, and self destructive to misuse the power that God gives you, in a macho orgy of patriotic posturing. We look like a high school football bully beating a pre schooler to a bloody pulp cuz she kicked him. And it damn sure doesn't help the image of the white jock that the little girl was a darker shade of brown. If we are to ever be the good guys in the eyes of good people, we had better heed these basic lessons:
"Thou shall not murder. Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shall no covet they neighbor's wife. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's goods."
The founding fathers built this republic on the bodies of an enslaved and an annihilated people whose persons we kidnapped and whose land we stole at gun point. Surely Allah is forgiving and returning to mercy, but He is also The Judge Who Has Promised the unrepentent Hell. If we are to dodge the consequences of our negative Karma in this life and the next, we had best understand that being "The One" in this Matrix of International Politics does not mean that now it's OK for us to inculcate an artificial anti human mentality, now that we have the power. There aint nobody who's so bad that he can't be had. Let's pray that our nation does not have to learn this the hard way.
Shaykh Ali Abu-Talib Son Of AbdunNur
For the most part we who live in the Secular/Western Matrix are either, Christians, Jews, or Muslims. The majority of us at least lay claim to believe in the moral teachings of either, the bible, torah, or the quran. How is it, then, that we cringe over a person mistreating a dog or a cat, and we have no disturbance in the realm of The Force, called CONSCIENCE when our government and (or) her allies treat human beings worst than we allow people to treat dogs?
We have the might. Who can stand against us? The answer? God. The Law of Karma. What goes around comes around. Those of us who don't believe in the here after, can't see the repercussions of ignoring the humanity of those who have legitimate claims over the stewards of wealth, power, and safety from their dragon like might. Many of us who only see THIS world can't for the life of us see anything other than the comfort and advantage that we enjoy by living in the lap of The Dominant Dragon. And all we care about is maintaining our dominance.
Maintaining the political status quo is a natural ambition for all those on the top of the food chain. But how short sighted it is to think that you can brutally, and murderously, bully a whole nation and some of them... one or two of them... will not find some way to retaliate. Even an abused dog will seize his opportunity to exact retribution for wrongs received if he has only a little bit of heart. And if he is a real wolf, he will leap towards an exposed throat even if he realizes that a miss means pain, and possible death. Men are much more dangerous than dogs, or wolves.
We live in an age of horrible methods of destruction and mayhem. One man, acting all by himself can inflict a holocaust on an unsuspecting public. Only a suicidal fool would not be on guard against such a dangerous threat. Unfortunately arrogant, ethno-supremacists rule. And these fools create the sickening oppressive atmosphere that drives good folks bad, and sane folks mad. And now, our ethno-supremacist rulers think that they can stop it by making the atmosphere more oppressive, and consequently more sickening. The law of Karma can't be stopped by creating more negative karma? All of our technocratic spy toys, and girls and boys can't stop it.
Lord Have Mercy On Us. With all our government's expenditures used in securing our home land, we could not foresee this pipe bomber coming. Superman can do a lot of things, but he can't read minds. We have not been able to stop him, her, or them from putting pipe bombs in people's mail boxes. The odds of our people catching mad men before the act gets more and more remote. The uni bomber would still be bombing if his family had not turned him in.
We don't know what manner of devilment is on the horizon. But we do know this. The odds of preventing it is slim if the perpetrators aren't Arabs. And even if they are Arabs, have we hatched a fool proof plan to thwart a real diabolical innovative genius?
In the light of this slant on reality, it makes no sense to go around antagonizing people who would normally want only to be left alone. Not only is it diabolical, it's just plain stupid. We have enough money to buy their oil, their allegiance, and maybe even their gratitude if not their love.
It is wrong, stupid, insane, and self destructive to misuse the power that God gives you, in a macho orgy of patriotic posturing. We look like a high school football bully beating a pre schooler to a bloody pulp cuz she kicked him. And it damn sure doesn't help the image of the white jock that the little girl was a darker shade of brown. If we are to ever be the good guys in the eyes of good people, we had better heed these basic lessons:
"Thou shall not murder. Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shall no covet they neighbor's wife. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's goods."
The founding fathers built this republic on the bodies of an enslaved and an annihilated people whose persons we kidnapped and whose land we stole at gun point. Surely Allah is forgiving and returning to mercy, but He is also The Judge Who Has Promised the unrepentent Hell. If we are to dodge the consequences of our negative Karma in this life and the next, we had best understand that being "The One" in this Matrix of International Politics does not mean that now it's OK for us to inculcate an artificial anti human mentality, now that we have the power. There aint nobody who's so bad that he can't be had. Let's pray that our nation does not have to learn this the hard way.
Shaykh Ali Abu-Talib Son Of AbdunNur
Day Late Dollar Short Bill
. . . the problem my animal friend is that you live and die by the riddles and fictions of fairey tales.
. . . your god and the others gods are all made up. born from fear in the mind of big brained animals.
. . . as long as men stay astray in these illusions of religions, there can be no safety from `Faiths lunacy.
. . . Chrisitians, Jews, Muslims, and the others walk the way of fear. Only dieing solves the riddle they seek to know. So the crushing weight of `Faith kills on.
. . . your god and the others gods are all made up. born from fear in the mind of big brained animals.
. . . as long as men stay astray in these illusions of religions, there can be no safety from `Faiths lunacy.
. . . Chrisitians, Jews, Muslims, and the others walk the way of fear. Only dieing solves the riddle they seek to know. So the crushing weight of `Faith kills on.
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