Archive for September, 2010

Is Protesting War –Terrorism?

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

Labeling Peaceful Protest of War a “Terrorist Act?”

The war on peaceful dissent is gaining speed.  Within the last week FBI SWAT teams (members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force) broke down doors in early morning raids of antiwar leaders and activists in several U.S. cities including Minneapolis and Chicago.  (So far Hilo has been spared.)  An old time labor organizer said anti-terrorism today is becoming worse than the anti-communist McCarthyism witch hunts of the 1950s.

The peace activists had their possessions ransacked, and computers, photos, papers, and cell phones taken.  No arrests were made nor charges filed. The FBI said the raids were part of “an ongoing investigation,” but the raids appear to be a fishing expedition to intimidate dissenters into silence, and ratchet up police state measures by inferring that peaceful protest of war is terrorism.
George Bush once said, if you’re not with us, you must be with the terrorists.

The current FBI raids ignore the just released Dept. of Justice Inspector General’s (IG) scathing report about improper government terrorism investigations between 2002 and 2006. The IG’s report said the FBI targeted various peace, justice and religious groups with no apparent justification and improperly conducted surveillance of anti-war rallies in Pennsylvania, and groups such as The Catholic Worker, Quakers, and Greenpeace. According to the IG’s report, the FBI even placed non-violent activists on terrorist watch lists and placed peace groups “under its ‘Acts of Terrorism’ classification.”  The FBI followed people to parks, libraries, etc. and even secretly searched their personal trash.

Using the guise of anti-terrorism to target and intimidate domestic peace groups and anti-war activists is a serious abuse of government power.  The mindset behind such actions is made clear by a spokesperson for the California Anti-Terrorism Information Center (CATIC) back in 2003 trying to defend unjustified targeting of peace activists without factual evidence.  CATIC Spokesperson Van Winkle said: “You can make an easy kind of a link that, if you have a protest group protesting a war where the cause that’s being fought against is international terrorism, you might have terrorism at that (protest),” said Van Winkle, “You can almost argue that a protest against (the “war on terror”) is a terrorist act.”

By the above account, it looks like we are all terrorists if we want to stop war and have a just and peaceful world for future generations. I suppose things could be worse.  We could be put on the kill list (instead of the watch list) — targeted for assassination by the CIA as a terror suspect as many people, including U.S. citizens abroad, already are. The Obama administration is claiming “State Secrets” in a lawsuit challenging such all inclusive executive authority.  No Miranda Rights.  No right to an attorney. No formal charge, No trial.  Just the fast track to summary execution by a CIA hit squad or a missile firing drone aircraft.  What ever happened to the Constitutional demand  that “no person shall be … deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law?”

Refuse To Be Silent!  Stand Up For Peace!

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, etc. 5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@interpac.net   http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Oct. 1, 2010 – 472nd week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

Feed the People!

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

Malu ‘Aina Peace Farm Volunteers Needed!

Volunteers of all skills, and no particular skills

Malu ‘Aina is an all volunteer organic non-profit peace farm that grows food to share with people in need, and to support it’s work for justice, peace, and protecting the environment.  We can use all kinds of volunteer help, from coordinating volunteers to helping on specific projects that need to be done around the farm including: planting, weeding, harvesting, carpentry, and painting projects.  We are looking for volunteers that can work anywhere between an hour or more a week/month to live-in residents.  This can be a great internship opportunity for those interested in organic farming and/or non-violent activism.

In addition to our present 8-acre farm, we may soon be acquiring an adjacent 11 acres of deep soil ag land that we would like to make available to serve the community in growing organic food.  We would like to involve individuals and groups in a cooperative effort to carry this project forward.

I am particularly interested in finding someone to pass the torch to in coordinating overall responsibility for the farm.  After 30 years of farming, I would like to focus more on the peace, justice, and environmental educational aspects of Malu ‘Aina,  such as demilitarizing Hawaii, and turn the farm responsibility over to the next generation.  If any of the above interests you, please email or call me and let’s talk story!  Malu ‘Aina is located just 10 miles south of Hilo in Ola’a (Kurtistown).  Please pass the word to others who may be interested as well.  Mahalo and solidarity for a just, peaceful, and healthy Hawaii and world.

Jim Albertini, President
Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

PS    If you are ever free on a Friday afternoon (even for 5 minutes), please join the weekly Hilo Peace Vigil at the downtown Post Office from 3:30 – 5PM.  You can also sign up on our website for alerts on new posts.

Feed the People!  Starve the War machine!

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, etc. 5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@interpac.net   http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Sept. 24, 2010 – 471st week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

Volunteer Work Day (Planting Kalo) Oct. 2nd

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

Aloha Peace Ohana,
There will be a Malu ‘Aina Volunteer work day on Saturday, Oct. 2nd from 9-11AM with a pot luck lunch to follow.
The project for the day will be planting a new taro patch and maybe some weeding of an older taro patch.
Please come and bring a friend to connect with our Mother Earth and sibling Haloa.
If you need directions email or call.  Come prepared for rain or shine.  Bring work gloves.  There is light work for senior citizens, cutting huli.
Mahalo.

Jim

ja@interpac.net

phone 966-7622

Peace Pot Luck & Kanikapila Sunday

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

Aloha Peace Ohana,

Remnder: This Sunday, Sept. 26th there will be a peace pot luck at 5PM followed by Kanikapila (Let’s Play Music) at 6PM. Both at the Keaau Community Center located behind the Keaau Police station and Family Clinic.
Please come and bring a friend, a pot luck dish, and your favorite musical instrument if you have one.  It’s  fun evening with no agenda other that good food, music and fun.

Jim

Did You Know?

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

The U.S. Military budget is nearly equal to every other country in the world combined.

See U.S. Government Spending Pie chart

http://notmypriorities.org/

See a begging disheveled Uncle Sam cartoon

http://defeatthedebt.com/images/ad_UncleSam_full.jpg

See cartoon about the U.S.A.(Democrats & Republicans) Jobs, energy, and education plan

http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/pccartoons/permalink.asp?artist=schorr&date=100913

Stop U.S. Wars!

End U.S. Occupations!

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, etc.
5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@interpac.net   http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Sept. 17, 2010 – 470th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office