Thinkers have long deliberated on the question of whether hope is a tendency to act or a tendency to deny. With his form letter response to Mr. Cassedy, Representative Hoyer has finally settled this age-old debate conclusively: it is, at least for him, a tendency to deny.

To say that he sincerely hopes for their speedy and safe return is to say that he has no plan of action beyond simply hoping. To hear this from someone so high up the Democratic chain-of-command speaks volumes as to the absence of any intention on the part of the Democratic leadership to truly bring our troops home as rapidly as possible.

So many lives so badly wasted, so many more to follow. Sigh.

Thanks for sharing. Mr. Cassedy.

typical american politico bullshit. the iraq disaster as technocratic or bureaucratic problem.

and we need to put the democrats back in office exactly why again? so they can rape & torture iraq more effectively?

What is making me see red and get really angry is this BS that the Iraqis have to stand up and take over for themselves.How in the hell can a country that has its military,social and infrastructure destroyed be expected to just take over like nothing happened? That's the dumbest damn thing I've ever heard. The Iraqi people only have about two hours of electricity a day most have no drinking water,no jobs ,no homes and very few schools. only fool's like Bush,Cheney,Lindsey Graham,Mitch McConnell and the neo-cons would be stupid enough to say such a thing.How people can be so ignorant is beyond me.IMPEACH these clowns or should I say criminals? now before it's too late to save our country

The best part is Hoyer's assertion that:

"I believe strongly that all civilized nations have a collective obligation to act against an international lawbreaker who threatens peace and stability..."

That's rich. So is he saying that Russia, China, the EU, and others have an obligation to act against the US and the Bush administration? If so, doesn't the US Congress have an obligation to act against the Bush administration, like, for example, Impeaching the bastards?

The US, like any powerful nation, has always had its bad points and its good points. Now it appears to only have bad points. Can't Hoyer see that the ship is sinking fast?

AIPAC doesn't support it. Hoyer is their top cheerleader. They--all of them must walk a careful line so as to not step on any toes. They are boxed in. Google Steny Hoyer and AIPAC-Israel and see for yourself.

Why the wasted words?

Steny Hoyer is a pig. He's always been a running-dog lackey of the korporatists. He is one of the main 5th-columnists in the Democratic Party whose purpose is to defang any attempts to legislate meaningful restraints upon the thieves who are sucking us dry.

You see: The Iraq war is a disaster for everyone on the planet (not to mention the planet itself) except the war and oil korporations, and the ethnic-cleansing faction of the Israeli establishment. But that's who brung 'im, so he'll damn sure dance with them, even if the music is a dirge played at the funeral of liberal American democracy.

Correct me if I'm wrong Mr. Hoyer but Saddam did comply with the UN's demands. He let inspectors in and he declared(truthfully) all of his weapons.

BUSH INVADED ANYWAY.

All of this and Chimpeachment is still off the table. You're a tool Mr. Hoyer and a shameful part of the Democratic party.

Mr. Hoyer's position is ridiculous, to be sure, but form letter or not, at least the man responded to Mr. Cassedy's note, something my so-called representative in Massachusetts has never done for any of mine.

Kivals--Agreed 100%. The USA is THE #1 outlaw state, and it is the DUTY of the United Nations to rein in the outlaw if its citizens cannot--This is essentailly what Justice Jackson said at the end of Nuremburg. Clearly, US citizens are powerless to reign in its bipartisan Death Party, of which Hoyer is a prominant member. Indeed, Congress currently has over 500 members of the Death Party, a fact that until changed means the USA will continue as THE Outlaw State.

"I believe strongly that all civilized nations have a collective obligation to act against an international lawbreaker who, etc."

Which would imply all civilized nations have a collective obligation to act against US war criminals Bush, Cheney and the neocon gang because they are way out front in the ranks of international lawbreakers!

Kivals is spot on! Every nation does indeed need to be on the lookout for rogue nations that make the world a more dangerous place to live. The US IS ONE OF THOSE NATIONS! As an American, I can say that I am a little worried, because I cannot really come up with a viable argument against using force to ensure that the we don't bomb Iran and create a war that will never end. If I was a religious person, I would say, "may God help us." Dig?

As for Hoyer: a pig like the rest of them.

Weenie Hoyer's letter is a glaring example of the sort of double-speak the DLC swine keep promoting. They have no more intention of leaving Iraq than the most rabid, frothing at the mouth fascists who constitute the current administration. Remember, it's all about oil.

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.

This exemplifies the problems Americans face: CORPORATE CONTROL OF GOVERNMENT.

Democrat or Republican matters not. The corporations that pay for our representatives re-election control our country, not the people.

Taxation without representation has never been more apparent nor more appauling.

May the revolution be as swift as it is peaceful.

Peace to you and yours.

FLUSH ALL INCUMBENTS!!!

Those letters are so familiar, I don't think anybody reads them; the computer find the key words and automatically sends you the form letter. The form letter is their way of lobbying you to their position. It's like asking for their opinion and a chance to market to you when you mail any of these Reps. Your opinion does not matter until their ratings go below 30%, and then they run to their PR firm for help.

"this unilateral invasion cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians, rendered millions more Iraqi's destitute, cost billions of dollars from our treasury, and, most egregious of all, cost the lives of thousands of our troops."

What is wrong with priorities here?! Why do we rate the loss of 4000 American soldiers more egregious than the loss of 600,000 innocent Iraqi civilians? We're over there murdering them for God's sake. Don't tell me we're not racists, with this kind of attitude. That includes you, Jim Cassedy.

I'm beginning to think every mind in this country is contaminated with racism. How dare we think anyone's life is more valuable than anyone else's? But I should not be surprised. We've been going around acting like this ever since the first ship landed. We've got a lot of growing up to do, and more to atone for than we will ever be able to manage. I've been ashamed of my country's behavior, blaming my leaders. I'm ashamed of the attitude in this country and I can't blame the leaders for it.

By the way, of the 14 posts above mine, no one commented on Cassedy's racist statement.

This is why the Not One More! is looking for those candidates that can publicly admit the war was wrong (and illegal), and that it is wrong to continue being in the war. The Pledge for Peace asks the members of the public to only support those candidates that can state 'the war was wrong from the beginning.'

If they haven't realized by now, they never will. In fact, most aware people should have realized it by 2004 (the last presidential election), so for me personally, that is the cutoff date.

As far as Hillary is concerned, she made the following statement February 2007 (this year!),"If the most important thing to any of you is choosing someone who did not cast that vote or said his vote was a mistake, then there are others to choose from." ~ Hillary Clinton February 2007

I guess she gave some of us permission not to vote for her.

The peace movement can't support any milktoast comments like above stating that the problem is how the war is being managed. Either they are in denial, or support the war, but they are clearly not for peace.

Take the Pledge for Peace, let you elected officials know how you feel.

www.NotOneMore.US - Take the Pledge for Peace

kathyodat: Well, we're not racist, if that's what you're implying. At least speaking for myself, I'll admit to simply not having read Mr. Cassedy's letter closely enough, as closely as you, having instead focused more on Mr. Hoyer's response. But you are indeed correct in pointing out that Mr. Cassedy's statement could be considered racist, though I suspect it was unintended, a careless error in an otherwise well-written and well-intentioned letter. Let's try not to jump all over each other when we all are on the same side.

One of Hoyer's biggest supporters is AIPAC.

StrangeAnimals, the point is we are unconsciously racist. It's like not noticing there's vanilla in the chocolate. You didn't notice his statement (which I assume was also unintended to be racist), because the racist messages are so unconscious. We condone by our silence, by our inattention. Do you think what he said went unnoticed by the families of the Iraqi dead?

I'm not trying to jump on people, but I wish people would wake up. Being defensive is not waking up.

kathyodat is right, it is racist, and unconscious racism is in some respects the most dangerous of all. The author also has this pervasive mindset that "the troops" are somehow demigods to be worshipped by society above all else. This attitude seems to unquestioned by virtually all politicains and members of the public. In some ways, the troop deaths are actually less egregious. All soldiers know they are signing up for a risky job that could involve death, and in this case they are participating in a war crime. Can that be said of Iraqi civilians?

Karlof1. I disagree Jim Webb and Russ Feingold are not a part of the Death Party. Feingold is the only Senator who voted against going to war Webb wasn't in the senate but I believe he would have voted against the war also.Wish these two would run for President and Vice president.They would make a great team but are probably too honest to ever get nominated

Surely no one is surprised by Steny Hoyer. He's DLC all the way. As is the majority of the House which after all insisted on him for Majority Leader.

We need to dump these people and replace them with progressives or we will continue to get Republican policies dressed up in Democratic clothes. We need candidates who will work for public financing of election campaigns, who run on clean election platforms.

But, they are so much better of now that we've replaced a "brutal dictator" with a "brutal invasion"!

kathyodat, thanks for bringing up the racism in this letter. Of course it was unconscious and of course the letter was well intended, but I think all of us who are white need to realize that for all our best intentions, the racism in our society cannot help but affect us. I suggest reading Robert Jensen on white privilege for some background on how extensively our society condones racism in subtle and not so subtle forms - through media of all kinds and handed down to us from previous generations. http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/freelance/whiteprivilege.htm
We may not be intentionally racist; most of us are not, but I think it is better to not make the claim that we are not racist and instead be open to the fact that there may still be racist beliefs hidden in dusty corners of our soul, and then expose them and eradicate them.

kathyodat,

I too thought that statement was racist. I noticed it when i read it.

---------------------------------------------

Everytime we talk about our dead and not mention the INNOCENT Iraqui's it is a statement in itself. 90% of American's were waving their flags and crying for revenge on anybody, as long as they were Arabs.

Just reading Common Dreams let's you see how un-progressive the Progressive's are. When there is an articel on Arab or Muslim nations that are not war related there are usually only one or two comments.

If it mentions Democrats, any mention of the Bush Adminstration you get 30-60 comments. Most are more angry at Democrates then Republicans. Compassion or shades of grey are never concidered. Name calling is the order of the day.

We would have been out of this war 3 years ago if there had been a draft and "our" boys were dying. Iraqui's lives and land are a sideline to our dislike of politians.

I think the points about racism ought to be well taken. I should have not implied, accidently or not, that the deaths of thousands US troops is more egregious than the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi's. I think I was trying to get the letter read by Hoyer, and a little thoughtful editing was in order. I apologize.

BTW- Clyde Paige makes an important point about the relative position of the Iraqi people after the invasion. I would suggest that only Kucinich, among actively campaigning Demz shows any concern over the post war welfare of the country.

Cheers.

kathyodat,

I am not sure that "racist" is the right word. The US soldiers are of every race imaginable. But it is quite nationalistic, jingoistic, and chauvinistic to claim that American lives are so much more valuable than those of people from other nations. I am married to a person of a different nationality and different race, and I believe that ultimately national boundaries are mostly arbitrary and were created and are enforced by the predators in society, so I find offense every time I read that US lives are more important, but complaining seems like beating a dead horse.

"We may not be intentionally racist; most of us are not, but I think it is better to not make the claim that we are not racist..."

As North American white people we need be aaware that we are never free from racism any more than an alcoholic gets cured of of alcoholism by staying dry.

I recall anti-racist teacher Tim Wise's story about her grandmother who had been an anti-rasist advocate in the south, but when she got Altzheimers disease, spent the last year of her life frequently responding to the black hospital staff with racial slurs and racist remarks.

I was just called by the DNC for money. I told them what I think of the democratic party vis a vie the letter from Rep Hoyer. There is only one way to change this mess we are in. That is to take matters in our own hands, not at election time, where we are forced to choose for the lesser of two evils but at primary times. Get honest candidates to run for the job and vote out the incumbents. This should go for both the Republicans and the Democrats. Make government afraid of the people instead of the other way around. Start a grass roots movement to throw the political hacks out. In the primaries 500 votes can get a new candidate. Its no longer enough just to register to vote but we now have to take the country back from the corporation controlled hacks

kivals, I'm not complaining but I am pointing out that ignoring or not noticing racism condones it. Your spouse surely knows what covert racism feels like and it invisibly goes on around us every day.

Unfortunately I live in a smug community which likes to proclaim itself to honor diversity, of which there is very little. And our police behavior belies that claim. The community finally passed a Police Civilian Review Board, not because of how citizens of color are treated, but for how environmental protesters were treated.

Ahhh the fresh smell of BUSHSHIT.... Let's not get caught up in distracting remarks about racism, the fact is this country was founded upon racism. Slavery, indentured servitude, the genocide of Native Americans by our own so called enlightened founding fathers. The country is extremely racist and Cassedy's remarks are quite mild in comparison to say... the picture of several hundren white people milling and walking around as if at a church picnic in the central park in Marion IN (circa 1920-30's??) while 2 young black boys swang from trees behind everyone, while drinking lemonade and mint julips and just generally having a good time. the boys crime? Supposedly "talking" to a married white woman.

So why would things be any different today when our own so called good generals who supposedly only needed more troops or more equipment to better rape and pillage "camel jockeys", as they call Iraqis? these very same 'good' Generals have also been quoted often in the press (but never on live TV or radio) saying "we don't count enemy dead" when asked what the Iraqi body count is. now didn't we go there to supposedly liberate the Iraqi people from dictatorship? So why are they referred to as the enemy? Seems to me like the US got shafted with a good old case of bait and switch. No more dictator in Iraq, but we now have one here instead. I feel better don't you?

God Bless America... I suppose this infers the rest of the world can go F itself?

Kathy, you are so correct about Americans and their "we're better than everyone else" attitude. Racism runs deeps in this country, some places deeper than others. Not a day goes by that I don't hear the "N" word, "camel jockies" "sand n words" etc. I live in Panama City FL and these people epitomize racism to their very souls. My husband is Black, I'm Caucasian of Italian descent and we have lived here for 2 1/2 years and it's been sheer hell. I've even had patrons at the lounge I work at go so far as to tell me "I'm sinning against God" for being with a Black man...So yes Virginia, racism is alive and well in the good ole' U.S. of A....
To the subject matter, I got the same blanket letter from my senator and representative when I wrote them...Used a whole lot of words and said nothing and did nothing...

As a coworker once said,"He don't know sic em from com ere."

Hoyer's staff had no letter to address Bu$h the inferior and Shotgun Dick's war crimes. How stupid can a politician be that he hasn't got a letter that agrees with a constituent's trashing of the other party?

How stupid is a party that picks such an inept bozo as the majority leader?

My reason for leaving the USA is my conclusion that things won't change for the better in my lifetime. Hoyer's position simply confirms it.

To me it is indeed a revealing and helpful communication.

I was at the congressional office of Joe Knollenberg today as a supporter to those starting to target Republicans on voting to continue the war/occupation privatization slaughter.

Knollenberg recognizes that the majority of his consitituants want a cease fire but holds to the patronizingly delivered line of "Victory" being the only option. This is related to the comment above about providing the troops with all that is necessary to carry out the mission.

But what is the mission and what is victory? A little bit today and certainly more in future confrontaions, hopefully dialogues, I'll be pressing for an answer to: "Is privatization of Iraqi water for Bechtel, agriculture for ADM, highways for Halliburton, security for Blackwater and Dynacorp, is this victory? Is this the mission? These are the facts on the ground. If these facts on the ground do not speak for what the mission and victory mean, please Congressional office holder, what is the mission and what is victory?

. . . the problem with the war is that it is badly managed . . .

Would we say that when a group of corporate thugs and their congressional allies band together to gang rape and murder Mother Teresa that it is badly managed? Iraq is a capital crime that will forever be an albatross around America's neck - with or without the plunder of uncountable oil wealth!

I commend Cassedy for straightening out the unethical (nationalist) bias in his article that Kathyodat and others noted so accurately. (See 10 notes above this one.)

The quality of the the comments above and their progressive flavor inspires me a lot. Thank you!

Plus the letter exchange is a perfect illustration of a progressive--Cassedy--versus a corporate representative--Hoyer. Day and night. As Happystead pointed out, we are dealing with the corporate control of government, or corpocracy--minority rule--versus the progressive electoral ideal of a real, multi-party democracy where the people (not rich people and their money) rule by majority, such as Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and Germany.

It is time we start speaking about life, and death taking into account both sides of the border. It is not victory when more enemy die, and war is not a chess match with to many pieces on the board. The tragic effects of this war will cripple generations both within Iraq and America. Children, parents, neighbors all bearing wounds that may heal but will always scar and hinder lifes full potiential. Sadly, ending this war will not undue the damage, and stopping the forces of evil unleashed is impossible, but contuning this effort may be the worst of all possible alternatives.

What a bunch of crap from Hoyer, the last election clarified for me the lack of any substantial difference between the democreeps and republickers. They are all corporatists and globalists. This system is going to have to come down and be rebuilt if we want anything you might legitimately call a democracy, sadly most Americans today have no idea what that word means, see you at the revolution.....

Kathyodat,

Yes, some of us noticed Cassedy's progressive foot hanging out of his mouth the first time we read the article, and scrolled down hoping that someone would point it out. Thank you for doing so. I don't know if you want to classify it as "racist", "jingoistic", "chauvenistic" or "nationalistic". It certainly falls into the classification of one of these diseases, but most importantly it's wrong, and Cassedy did right in apologizing. My recommendation is that we should read ALL news and commentary with a skeptical, discerning eye for such inaccuracies, and those who write commentary should feel the responsibility to dish out truth, no matter how distasteful it is to some.

PDJ, you make an excellent point in comparing North American white racism with alcoholism and the fact that an alcoholic is never free of the disease. We are the same, and we should face up to it and live our lives "one day at a time", trying to live with our disease without allowing it any control over our lives. Neoconned goes on to show total support for your point, although he/she rates it as a distracting argument. The mildness of the comments in no way disposes of the problem.

bidelo, you make perhaps the most logical point, and you show great courage in doing so. The American troops are NOT innocent; pawns perhaps of wicked leaders, but certainly lacking the innocence of the Iraqi civilians. The reason I say it takes courage to say so is that the American politicians are ALL so busy fighting each other to sing the praises of the "brave troops". The real "brave troops" are those who have followed their hearts and refused to deploy to Iraq. You can rest assured that among real progressives in the USA your opinion is not rare.

kathyodat, Jim Cassedy, maggie 50, Kristina40, and others:

All you white people are finally beginning to show the beginnings of an awareness that really is the fundamental human issue in this war. All other issues such as oil, neo-cons, MIC etc. are side issues that you would like sombody to "see" and start "impeachment".

Again, even in many of the proposed articles of impeachment that I have read here, what should be the FIRST and FOREMOST crime that Bush/Chenney have committed is NOT there with the passion it should be expressed:

"For the HOLOCAUST war crimes of the death of 1 million Iraqi innocents, the maiming and wounding of another 2 million, for the destruction of their beautiful country that made 3 million more innocents into penniless refugees, George Bush and R. Chenney are charged . . ."

About two months ago, I started blogging here with many non-soundbite posts which said the same thing. I pleaded and cajoled:

"Please look at the little Iraqi children who are dying and bloodied in their mothers arms."

I did that because all little children and animals look and are angelic because they are guileless, a trait that is a gift from the LIGHT to human intelligence to see, marvel, and develop compassion in the heart so that it is never seduced into unjust wars. Therefore,I had pleaded that a large campaign on you the "YOU TUBE" and by other non- MSM means that shows the anguish of Iraqi mothers and fathers holding their beloved little angels blown up by the chaos unleashed by America should tug at the heart strings of millions of white soccer mums with some conscience to HAVE FIRE IN THEIR BELLIES TO COME OUT WITH CINDY SHEEHAN AND OTHERS IN THEIR MOTHERLY MILLIONS THAT WOULD CHURN THE OCEAN OF WHITE APATHY INTO ACTIONS OF CONSCIENCE.

However, that was not seriously discussed - - NAY, DISMISSED AS SO MUCH TRASH FROM AN OBVIOUSLY NON-WHITE POSTER

Nobody on this site ever even had the courtesy to acknowledge the subject of a non-JEWISH HOLOCAUST being visited on ANOTHER SEMITIC PEOPLE, albeit browner in skin than the first, in front of their eyes.

And a name like Aymon, that has great spiritual significance for those with knowledge of the greatest spiritual civilization the Earth has ever hosted - - ANCIENT EGYPT - - but which obviously is a non-Caucasian name, was also a barrier to elementary human interchange of ideas. The number of mispellings of a five-letter name even among those who had the courtesy (or perhaps condescension?) to reply was also very disturbing. The only blogger who had some fundamental decency, which was clear to me had descended on her from the LIGHT, to often engage me in intellectual discourse and some kind and generous comment is Siouxrose.

That is why you do not find many non white bloggers on CD and those that do come, leave very soon after being ignored and marginalised, even opposed by white trolls from the Darkness who are here among us. Why should they waste their time? This is what I did, and will continue to do except for SOME issues that I have a duty to the LIGHT to address, as I am doing now

My original purpose to be on this site was to talk spirituality from a "scientific perspective", because Americans are so steeped in a rather limited, materialistic, empiricist mind set, the result of decades of brain washing by the MSM, that I thought I could relay a CRUCIAL message from the LIGHT within this mindset. It is:

AMERICA HAS VERY LITTLE TIME LEFT - - 10 YEARS - - to right its wrongs on humanity and Nature at large.

The spritual powers of the LIGHT that rule the Cosmos, whether you believe this or not it matters not one whit, have already decreed the end of your civilzation. It will implode in the same manner as the twin towers did, NOT by some crazed, penny-ante "terrorist" attack, but when the accumulated, unseen chaos, now hidden from your eyes in your economy, bursts forth along with climate change laying waste the land that you are so prideful of.

How do you save yourselves NOW? Not by writing petitions and letters to the powers that you elected but are all beholden to Mammon and the Darkness. You will need the help of the spiritual forces of the LIGHT.

Prayers will not do!! Each of 10 million people should immediately adopt a child dying of hunger to save the 30,000 a day who starve to death in their mothers arms in Africa,Latin America, and parts of Asia, and especially in Iraq. It will require a sacrifice from each such person of one hamburger for 100 days in the coming 12 months. Also You must get every Iraqi child, girls of ages 12 and under and all toddlers up to 4 years first, that is wounded to proper hospitals and medical facilities in the west or surrounding countries. Your government is doing nothing for them on this scale.

If you do that, Grace from the LIGHT will descend on you, give you courage to face evil, to speak truth to power as an awakened people and not as a mob of yellers. The forces of LIGHT will at your side in your just struggle.

Peace

Aymon

Thank you Aymon. I apologize for my part in your feeling marginalized on these posts. I agree with everything you just said. Before, reading your posts, I did not know your sex, country, or color (and I did not assume you were nonwhite), but I thought you were very angry. This time, you are explaining yourself.

I wish people would take your words to heart, and I agree we're headed for an economic implosion.

I too believe that what we are doing in Iraq will in history become the crime of the century and it's repercussions will be felt for many generations. If Bush/Cheney were to be impeached, it will ironically be for lesser crimes and I fear that we will never make reparations to the Iraqis. And there is no atonement for what we have done to them. We can't bring back their children. It tears my heart that we are doing to them what no one has ever done to us and we don't even know how it feels. Like babies inflicting pain they can't feel, but we're not babies. We should know better.

I have never in my life felt so conflicted about staying or leaving this country. If it is beyond saving I would want to leave, and that feels very close. For me it is watching a loved one self-destruct and nothing I can do will stop it. I consider my young grandchildren who I know need the wisdom that comes with age. I know I'm very important in their lives, being in their lives makes a difference. That is my conflict.

I wish every American would look at the children they love and think how it would feel to watch them getting blown up in front of them. Especially Bush who cavalierly told Cindy Sheehan that no, he can't imagine how it would feel to lose a child.

kathyodat:

Thank you dear, I did not mean to upset you.

In fact the spiritual powers of LIGHT are depending on people with deep conscience and compassion like you to not abandon your country. It needs your light and the light of people like you, mothers and grandmothers of conscience, because only a mother knows the depth of the pain from the loss of a child.

The number 10 million mothers and others of conscience in America that I used is not arbitrary but a reasoned calculation. If the country is, at least, 30% strongly progressive, then it means about 100 million people's hearts are either already open or have that potential for giving of compassion for receipt of LIGHT, courage and hope for the future. Thus 10 million people (10% of the total 30% or 3% of the population) who can afford to part with about $2 a day each over 100 days to save one child and her family from DEATH by hunger for a WHOLE year is surely achievable. That will take care of ALL the world's hungry children for one year - - no child death will occur because of hunger and treatable disease for ONE WHOLE YEAR in the WHOLE WORLD. The enlightenment throughout America and the good will of the peoples of all nations towards the conscientious peoples in America will fill up your skys with light.

There are many good orgnaizations, scrupulously honest, who will ensure your money is not wasted such as CARE INTERNATIONAL.

Just the INTENTION with an honest heart to start doing NOW that will accelerate the dawning of the LIGHT, and the overflowing of love from the powers of LIGHT in the realm of the MOST HIGH, in each person who participates. Enlightenment in the ways and means to achieve victory against the massed evil facing your people now will occur intuitively and with conviction, uncertainty and fear of failure will be removed, and your stregth to do good will surge(sorry to use that word, but this is the surge of LIGHT against the surge of death of BC).

Hopelessness will be replaced with hope and drive to act, just as you have replaced hopelessness with hope in every child and its family with the gift of life for one year.

Similarly, when that spirit spreads in the land, then establish little groups in every hamlet and town in your nation to provide help to the wounded children in Iraq and in refugee camps and to get others who are not wounded out of harm's way. Do not believe that this is a mountainous task that you can't do - - BELIEVE that you can, all 10 million of you, and start with honest intent and leave the rest to the LIGHT as you do your work.

Third, you will not be able to gather all 10 million at once. But if thousands of little hamlets and towns and groups of homes in the cities meet in a spirit of strong compassion, then that will multiply in front of your eyes to 10 million in 100 days from even only 10,000 in the beginning. Code-Pink has 150,000 members, CD has about 50,000 readers, Move.On has 2 million. Surely you can gather 10,000 if you try with the telling of truth about the condition of the "collateral" damage in its true colours. To hide the truth from the people who may very well wake-up and passionately commit to right a most heinous wrong being committed in their name is, at this late stage, cruel both to the victims and to those who may receive LIGHT.

There are people here, like the pundits on TV, who will deter this TRULY GANDHIAN way. But pay no attention to those who preen for attention with "realpolitik" sophistry for their narcistic cravings. The essence of POSITIVE non violence is compassion and standing up to evil with weapons of LIGHT. It is not being "naive". It is not some grand, WISHFUL "legislative" strategy to convert Pelosi, Obama, Hilary, Reid or all these sycophants of the Darkness, nor to corner the "two" main symbols of the Darkness. But do not listen to this punditry. Listen to your conscience and stop wishful thinking about political grand schemes.

Rememeber, you are not facing just "two" demons - - you are facing "LEGION".

Uri Avnery a great humanist in Israel wrote in an article on Counter Punch last week or so where he related a parable from the "esoteric" Bible.

God(or properly, the LIGHT) said to Lot:

"Find me 10 righteous people in the Cities and I will save them from destruction"

Soddom and Gomorrah were not destroyed because of the sexual life-styles of its inhabitants - - that is a homophobic tale that has no sanction in the LIGHT. Sex is not a sin but a great gift by the LIGHT to all Nature. They were destroyed for their mercilessness towards their fellow humans.

Know this and act with purpose and courage.

May the LIGHT be with you and all people of compassion without prejudice to all humans and Nature.

Aymon

"You fail to note that this unilateral invasion cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians, rendered millions more Iraqi's destitute, cost billions of dollars from our treasury, and, most egregious of all, cost the lives of thousands of our troops, with more dying daily in the midst of a civil war complicated by an insurgency against U.S. occupation..."

If this is the racist passage, certainly we aren't seeing the forest for the trees. In fact, the author lists the deaths of Iraqis first-which by itself is commendable since it very rarely warrants a mention elsewhere. And US soldiers are sent to war as cannon fodder for oil interests and to serve a Likud agenda that funds our politicians. "Supporting the troops" is a scam on so many levels -but no one speaks to it, in fact, the troops are victimized by the mindset that sending them to kill and be killed for nothing is support when it is a war crime.

Aymon,

I am not white and why do you assume I am? Personal experience teaches you a lot about the prejudices of the average American.

I also don't recal people ignoring you. I do recall many people responding to your comments. Including me. Once you berated me for a comment I didn't make. Then you apologized.

May the Force be with you. Look, we can all berate ourselves for not caring as much as we could or should about the suffering of others - whether we caused it or not. Racism, holocausts, genocides, poverty, greed, and stupidity are not inventions of the 20th Century nor of white Americans; human beings have been wreaking havoc upon one another, of all colors, races, creeds, since whenever/however the species began. We have just improved upon the means of delivering the destruction and communication methods that allow us to know minute-by-minute what's occurring on the face of this Earth. I doubt we can "change" human nature through our current politics and the "Light" has not really intervened in our obsession for killing one another for millions of years, so maybe we should focus on some real problem solving - at least to get us out of the current pickle we're in. Bush/Cheney et, al need to go - impeach, prosecute convict. They are not the only bastards creating havoc in this world, but right now thye're at the top of the list. Then, we need to make some changes to our US political/government systems. Election financing must be controlled, otherwise there is no way our republic can continue. Public funding must be mandatory - and every candidate must be allowed to only spend the specific amounts granted. Money (either personal wealth or corporate graft) should not be the deciding factor in who can participate in government. Think of how many brilliant, compassionate people of integrity have been denied the chance to lead because they are not willing to compromise their values just to get corporate bribes?! The actual voting system needs fixing, too. It won't help to have good people participating if the elections continue to be "fixed" like in 2000, 2004. Presuming we have the will to do that, the next step would be to legislate, rein in global corporatism - the military-industrial complex. Statecraft should be reintroduced into our national agenda - let's talk with and work with those whom we perceive to be allies and enemies alike. There are no more problems on Earth that apply only to people in one nation or continent. As we all know, the capability to destroy all life is within our grasp - whether through nuclear weapons or total destruction of natural resources. If we don't put aside our petty differences (and, race, color, religion, class, etc. ARE petty) and cooperate, we're all doomed - even the arrogant, corporate/royal billionaires cannot breathe air laced with radiation for too long, or survive without pure food and water. We have the means to either destroy ourselves and the world, or to work toward creating a new way of living together. America(ns) need to wake up and stand up and take back the mantle of real world leadership based upon the humanistic principles of our founding documents, not on greed, persecution and militarism. Only by starting in our country and changing our policital socio-economic systems do we have a chance. I challenge others, commentators and politicians alike to see the big picture, suggest new ideas, and start the changes Today!

How the hell could Cassedy NOT respond to the LIE that UN inspectors were denied admittance to Iraq? In fact, those inspectors were in Iraq and were doing their job. Do you not remember Hans Blix pleading for enough time to finish the job? They had to be ordered out of the country so Bush could launch his attack. And Cassedy has not a word to say about it? JEEZ!

There are three words that weaken the search for world peace, Racism, Sexism,and anti-semitism;in that they turn energy away from the most dangerous threat to all Humanity in worlds history, US Militarism
Until and unless we end it once and for all you cannot begin to end the three aforementioned divisions.
Without the US military , this includes its state department, its Paid for NGOs all of its so called AID money of which 85% return to buy US product or administrative fees and are mere extesions of military outreach, our Global Corportions would have to compete on their own merits without finacing by borrowed federal funds.
Where even our food relief is airlifted by mlitary aircraft,and our poasitions in UN have very little to do with helping worlds poor but to advance our corporate aims and funnel information back to their military intelligence branches.
As an example look at Bush Daughter in UN relief for children under a rightwing female leader who got appointment only because of that.
When today the only UN posistion you can get is by being a born again militiant or an outright wing political supporter: has nothing to do with party, militarism is by all partys.
There is something good one can to say about those finding fox hole religion, or trying to save their butts by finding some greater truth and now see error of ways, and that is everyone in that foxhole with you is more worried about those who are firing the bullets over your head than the color of a mans skin thier sex or if they do not like jews or not.
To nit pick because one can seee a slight blemish or shadow in the light will just take away for m everyones efforts to get to that light,
Will there be racism, sexism and religous divisions after we tame the US military beast?
Yes there will be but they will be by small groups inflamed by individual or corporate groups that as a whole we will be much easier to defeat by collective non violent or ev en mild policing if they cannot rely upon the US killing machine; or for that matter any other killing machine be it Russian chinese or some piss pot countrys local dictator.
Who cares if you are black, white, or whatever and pray while male or female you have sex with anyone or no one; courage is from the heart and brains, and some small slight should not detract from our fight against a common enemy.
I am human with more than fair share of faults, and as one I will allow you your fair share and after we kick this LIONS ASS of militarism we can discuss them like sane people.