LOST FREEDOM

1790 (so we are told) are dead fighting for "freedom" in Iraq while our freedom to speak out dies in this country.  "If your aren't with us, your against us" attitude is not freedom. It's not freedom to all think the same, to all be the same.

Freedom means to be who you are without others telling you your wrong. Freedom is expressing your beliefs. Freedom is speaking out when you see bad things happening in our government and not being told you are wrong for doing so. We do not have freedom when we can't attend a town hall meeting that is open to the public just because of a bumper sticker. 1790 dead (heavy sigh) for freedom in Iraq while our freedom dies here.

DIVIDED WE STAND

 

Feds won't pursue man who ejected 3 from Bush event

By Ann Imse / Rocky Mountain News

Federal prosecutors have declined to press charges of impersonating a Secret Service agent against a White House volunteer who ousted three people from a speech by President Bush in Denver on March 21.

The announcement was made Friday in a letter to Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar and Reps. Mark Udall and Diana DeGette, all Democrats, who had asked for a Secret Service investigation into the incident.

The three, Alex Young, 26; Karen Bauer, 38; and Leslie Weise, 39, said they were told by the Secret Service that the man admitted ejecting them because they arrived at the event in a car with a "No more blood for oil" bumper sticker.

U.S. Attorney William Leone said the investigation was "thorough and complete."

"I am certain that the Secret Service would demand, and our office would aggressively prosecute, any person who was found to be impersonating a Secret Service agent if the facts warranted such a prosecution," Leone said in a statement. "This is not such a case."

He added, "Criminal law is not an appropriate tool to resolve this dispute. The normal give and take of the political system is the appropriate venue for a resolution."

Young, Bauer, and Weise were bounced from Bush's appearance at the Wings over the Rockies museum at the former Lowry Air Force Base. The event was part of the president's national tour to promote changes to Social Security.

The trio, who have been nicknamed the Denver Three, said the event staffer who confronted them was dressed like a Secret Service agent, wearing a suit, radio earpiece and lapel pin that identifies people with security clearance. The Secret Service has said the man was not an agent.

Bauer and Weise say they were pulled aside at the gate and were told by another event staffer to wait for the Secret Service. They said the man who showed up threatened them with arrest if they misbehaved.

The three are involved in a pol itical group called the Denver Progressives. They admitted to wearing T-shirts under their clothing that said, "No more lies." They said they considered revealing the T-shirts, but decided before arriving at the event not to do so.

Later, though they had done nothing disruptive, they were forced to leave by the man they thought was a Secret Service agent.

The incident raised questions in Congress about whether the man had committed the crime of impersonating a federal officer. However, the man did not tell the three he was an agent, which apparently factored in to Leone's decision.

"The person in question took no affirmative steps that one would need to prove a claim that he was impersonating a federal officer," said Jeff Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office. He said the man did not identify himself as a federal agent and did not display a credential, a badge or other identification.

The Secret Service refused to name the man because he was not charged.

"It's very disappointing," Weise said. "We were really looking to this investigation for some answers. To date we have received none."

"Clearly, our rights were violated, and no one is being held accountable," she said.

Dan Recht, an attorney for Bauer, Weise and Young, said his clients plan to pursue a civil lawsuit against the man, accusing him of violating their free speech rights and assaulting them.

"We don't know who it was, but we'll find out who it was and we'll sue him," Recht said. "I'm disappointed but not surprised charges won't be filed, but it remains to be seen whether the Secret Service did a thorough investigation."

Secret Service spokesman Jonathan Cherry declined to comment.

Because the president's visit was a public event paid for by taxpayers, considerable debate has erupted over whether it was legal to bar people because of their pol-itical speech. Eight of Colorado's nine members of Congress have objected to the idea of ejecting people over a bumper sticker.

But White House press secretary Scott McClellan backed the trio's ouster, saying in April, "If we think people are coming to the event to disrupt it, obviously, they're going to be asked to leave."

The White House has described the man as a "White House volunteer" and refused to identify him.

Congressman Mark Udall, D-Colo., took issue with the investigation, saying "it's puzzling that the Secret Service would take four months to come up with nothing."

"Frankly, if the Secret Service and White House have nothing to hide, and if no law was broken, don't the American people have a right to know the results of the investigation and who was responsible for ejecting the Denver Three," Udall said in a statement.

DeGette chided the White House, saying, "The removal of three Coloradans from a public, taxpayer-funded presidential event on Social Security does nothing to foster civil discussion."

Salazar said he was disturbed because three people were not allowed to participate in a public meeting on Social Security. "As elected officials, we should be encouraging, not discouraging, public participation in open and thoughtful discussions on our nation's most important matters."

CHOOSE LIFE - BRING THE TROOPS HOME!

This is what bothers me about Roberts

We have hard enough time having our votes counted. I don't think he is going to help.

 

Roberts Helped Counsel Jeb Bush

By Brent Kallestad / Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- During the tumultuous presidential recount in 2000, John Roberts flew to Florida and volunteered advice to Gov. Jeb Bush, whose brother was trying to clinch the election.

Some Democrats are now saying the trip should disqualify Roberts from the Supreme Court.

"The Senate should reject him on the basis of this alone," said Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla. "Now he is being rewarded for that partisan service."

Roberts, who was in private practice at the time, accepted Jeb Bush's invitation to come to Florida at his own expense to offer advice to the governor. He spent only about a half hour with Bush and never played a major role at a time when scores of attorneys swarmed into the state.

"He came down and met with the governor briefly and shared with him some of his thoughts on what he believed the governor's responsibilities were after a presidential election, a presidential election in dispute," Bush spokesman Jacob DiPietre said. "There were several experts, including professors, scholars, constitutional experts who came down to Florida at that time and Judge Roberts was one of them."

George W. Bush ultimately was declared the winner in Florida by 537 votes when the Supreme Court ruled in his favor.

President Bush, now in his second term, appointed Roberts to the federal bench in 2002 and nominated him Tuesday for the Supreme Court. The Senate will now decide whether to confirm him.

State Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman said the Senate should ask Roberts about his role in the recount.

"We need to have Judge Roberts explain that," Thurman said Thursday.

Tallahassee attorney Barry Richard, who represented President Bush during the recount, said he does not remember Roberts from that period and said he was not a major participant in the legal battle.

"There were hundreds of other lawyers who volunteered ... to deal with aspects of the case," Richard said.

Gov. Bush applauded Roberts' nomination,describing him as "a man of integrity" with "the qualities of an outstanding jurist."

Protesters are terrorists?

FBI Monitored Web Sites for 2004 Protests

FBI Monitored Web Sites for 2004 Protests
Groups Criticize Agency's Surveillance for Terror Unit

By Michael Dobbs
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, July 18, 2005; A03

FBI agents monitored Web sites calling for protests against the 2004 political conventions in New York and Boston on behalf of the bureau's counterterrorism unit, according to FBI documents released under the Freedom of Information Act.

The American Civil Liberties Union pointed to the documents as evidence that the Bush administration has reacted to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States by blurring the distinction between terrorism and political protest. FBI officials defended the involvement of counterterrorism agents in providing security for the Republican and Democratic conventions as an administrative convenience.

The documents were released by the FBI in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of civil rights, animal rights and environmental groups that say they have been subjected to scrutiny by task forces set up to combat terrorism. The FBI has denied targeting the groups because of their political views.

"It's increasingly clear that the government is involved in political surveillance of organizations that are involved in nothing more than lawful First Amendment activities," said Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU. "It raises very serious questions about whether the FBI is back to its old tricks."

A Sept. 4, 2003, document addressed to the FBI counterterrorism unit described plans by a group calling itself RNC Not Welcome to "disrupt" the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. It also described Internet postings from an umbrella organization known as United for Peace and Justice, which was coordinating worldwide protests against the convention.

"It's one thing to monitor protests and protest organizers, but quite another thing to refer them to your counterterrorism unit," said Leslie Cagan, national coordinator for United for Peace and Justice.

Another document, addressed to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, which coordinates anti-terrorist activities by the FBI and local police forces, described threats to disrupt the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

Responding to the lawsuit filed in May in U.S. District Court in Washington, the FBI said it had identified 1,173 pages of records relating to the ACLU and 2,383 pages relating to Greenpeace. The content of the records, which were generated since 2001, is not known.

FBI spokesmen declined to discuss the case on the record on the grounds that it is being adjudicated. Speaking on background, an FBI official said that many of the records were routine correspondence. He said the FBI counterterrorism unit received reports on possible threats to the 2004 political conventions because of its role in ensuring security.

DIVIDED WE STAND

Your story is needed, If you have one....

If you know someone who was promised one thing and got another when they signed up for the armed forces, your story is needed to expose the lies. Please send them to www.Kucinich.us. We must have a military and if this practice is ongoing people will not sign up. We will have a draft.

 

These are not isolated stories from the illegal occupation but they are illustrative of what is happening to our young people who thought they were doing the right and honorable thing by enlisting in the military. This is an immoral war that our troops never should have been sent to in the first place, and once they are there and have done their time, it is very difficult for them to get out of the distant mental desert and come home to their loved ones.

 

Not only are the backend policies of retention shady, but the front-end policies of recruiting our vulnerable youth are often downright unethical. Few citizens in our country (I know I didn’t) realize that an enlistment contract is only binding on the recruit. Once the recruit raises his/her right hand and swears allegiance to the government, that recruit becomes the property of Uncle Sam and is bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Ethics, promises, and moral correctness often fly out the window as servitude, hardship, and heartache fly in.

 

The only recruiting story I know by heart, and can effectively comment on, is my son Casey’s. I have heard too many similar stories, however. When he was recruited in May 2000, he was promised the moon to get him to join, and he ultimately got an early grave.He was promised a $20,000 signing bonus: he received $4500 and was told that he could use the rest for college. Casey wanted to be a deacon in the Catholic Church, so when he enlisted in the Army, he was promised he could be a Chaplain’s Assistant: don’t believe the Army Band stories, either. When he got to boot camp, he was told that his promised specialty wasn’t open, and he had the choice of being a Humvee mechanic or a cook. His recruiter told him he could finish college while in the military, he could never even get approval to take one class. All of these broken promises mean nothing to me. One does, however. After Casey enlisted he knew I was upset. He told me, “Mom, you don’t have to worry, Sgt. (I forget his name) told me that since I scored so high on the ASVAB (military competency) test, I will never see combat, even if there is a war. I will only be in a support role.” I can still hear his voice saying those exact words to me. Those words chilled me to the bone then, and have haunted me since 9/11. First of all, because I thought Casey would be sent to fight terrorists (and "terrorists") wherever they might be, and I could see George and his warmongering band of neocons rushing us into a crazy invasion of Iraq. My premonition came true and Casey was KIA 04/04/04: a mere 5 days after his unit arrived in Sadr City, Baghdad: IN COMBAT. The most troubling thing is, though, that some recruiters are still promising young people that they won’t have to go to Iraq if they sign up. I am being told that all the time by young people who talk to the multi-level marketers working towards their bonuses…oops, I mean military recruiters.

 

As long as our young people are being lied to and used so dishonorably in an unjust invasion and occupation of another country; as long as they are fighting for a corrupt government and still without the proper  equipment, food, training, or leadership; as long as moms are having to hold bake sales to buy their sons body armor; as long as our soldiers are being held against their wills long after they have done their duty; as long as they are being sent to kill innocent people; military service should beopposed. Let’s affirm life in the fullest for everybody: the unfortunate, uncounted people living Iraq who are “acceptable” collateral damage to the war hawks, and our own indispensable loved ones. The only way to support our troops is to bring them home from this mess--now.

 

The American public and Congress need to hear more stories from the front. The tragedy and atrocities of this occupation need to be in the forefront of every American’s mind, so there can be an uprising of peace. If you have a story similar to the ones I have told, please forward them to me. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Oh) would like to put these stories, now engraved only in our hearts, into the Congressional Record.  Thank you.

 

Cindy Sheehan 

SCindy121@aol.com

Cofounder of Gold Star Families for Peace

www.GSFP.org

 

For info on the Homeward Bound Bill go to:  www.Kucinich.us

Promised one thing and getting another-What do you do?

In a couple of emails I received some information I feel is important to know. Knowledge is power.

The battle after the battle | TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA

This story is getting to be more and more common.  This just sickens me to see how horribly our returning vets are being treated.  My son in law in Iraq said they are being pressured round the clock to re-enlist or face stop loss.  They are being offering $30,000 signing bonus, tax free and told if they don't re-enlist, they are going to be stop lossed and get zero dollars.  They are pushing the troops round the clock and Mark only got 3 hours sleep in 48 hours and when they get back, they are faced yet again with re-enlisting.  Mark said many guys are scared and signing up and their families at home are very upset.  (with good reason)  We really need to push our media and congressmen to expose the horrible way our troops are being treated. 

Lisa Gill

Dear Friends, Casey was told that he would get $20,000 when he enlisted. When he finished training, he got $4500.00 and was told the rest would go towards his education. His recruiter also told him he would NEVER see combat, even if there was a war. Casey was KIA 5 days after he got to Sadr City IN COMBAT!! Do any of you have similar stories? Have you heard anything like this that Lisa's son-in-law is going through? I really believe that Lisa is right. The American public needs to know how our government "supports" the troops. Then the rest of America will see that the only way we can support our kids is to bring them home from the nightmare. Love and peace soon, Cindy

Dear Cindy, Lisa

     Lisa, I read the Tacoma News Tribune story and while it's not 'new' to me, it is nonetheless horrifying.  I am surprised to see it in the Tacoma newspaper, and thank you for pointing it out and the link. 

   Responding to the emails and Cindy's question below, Yes, I have been trying since January 05 to get the word out regarding my own 2 loved ones and the soldiers in their division.    Both served in Iraq, and their division, 1st Armored, was the first to be 'extended' so they served 15 months in Iraq,  April 03 - July 04.  They came back to their bases in August 04.  A mere 5 months later, Jan 05, their division was told they were under orders to redeploy to Iraq and Stop Lossed and would redeploy in Fall 05.  And I have been trying to call attention to the 'Retention' practices ever since.

     March 05, it was time for both to make decision to re-enlist.  As already under orders to redeploy; as already under Stop Loss; their choices = 1) don't re-enlist but you will wind up in Iraq anyway under Stop Loss or 2) re-enlist and while you'll still wind up in Iraq under Stop Loss, at least you'll have the attractive bonus being offered.  

     The point is that the 'Retention' rate that is being touted as demonstrative of soldier's fervor and good faith in the war is another deception being foisted on the media and public.  Closer to the truth of the situation is that one they are in, they cannot get out and it is entrappment from the front end with deceptive recruitment practices, again at re-enlistment time with the threat of deployment to Iraq under Stop Loss, again when contract ends and they are kept in and deployed via Stop Loss.  What continues to be called an 'all voluntary military' has become an 'involuntary' military through the use strategies of deception and legal maneuvering for which there seems to be no remedy in the Stop Loss.

   The Stop Loss; I learned from the Santiago v Rumsfeld trial is a mechanism that the President can employ at his discretion in times of National Emergency.  He can simply re-new it annually due to ongoing National Emergency and the effects of Stop Loss serve to keep soldiers deployed and in service involuntarily, apparantly indefinitely. 

    There is a mechanism in place with a 3-month window just before re-enlistment time and just at completion of original enlistment time.  At both times, simply applying the Stop Loss to a soldier ensures he will re-enlist or serve beyond his contract, and  serve in deployment to Iraq. 

    In Lisa's situation, her son-in-law was kept beyond his contract due to Stop Loss.  In my situation, both my 2 were kept through the re-enlistment process with Stop Loss applied limiting their choices as I described above.   Magnify this across the spectrum of the troops, and you get a snapshot of how the military is managing to keep 'an all volunteer' military involuntarily. 

    Use as you see fit, Cindy, as it has been the theme of my speaking activities since January 05 and I feel like a tiny voice shouting in a windstorm, it goes relatively unheard amongst so much other noise.  At this time, for example, it seems folks don't know or realize the 1st Armored division is and has been under Stop Loss and orders to redeploy to Iraq since January 05.   When they actually do redeploy, around Aug, Sept or Oct, then is when ....  maybe .... we will hear about it in media.  But it's not a secret, there has been the report from DOD, and a mention in European Stars and Stripes.   And of course, the troops and their families know about it and have since Jan 05. 

      let your light so shine...

     Lietta 

     Lietta Ruger, member family MFSO
     military family of 2 Iraq veterans; second deployments
    

FREEDOM

On this day when we celebrate FREEDOM.  I want to share how much some pay for our freedom.  

I was very honored when Carlo's Arredondo wanted to share his son's words with me. With his blessings I share them with you.  We should never forget him...I will never forget him...  

Mom & Dad,     

Today is Sunday, January 19, 2003. I've been out at sea for three days now and I'm starting to feel better. The first two days I was completely sick from seasickness and some virus.   So far everyday I come outside the skin of the ship and write letters, whale watch, (which isn't that great cause I haven't seen any but there are plenty of dolphins that swim along side the ship), watch the horizon and sunset, etc.   This seams so unreal to me.   I've never seen water this BLUE before, I've never looked 360 degrees around me and seen nothing but water, clouds, the sun and a Fleet of Battleships surrounding me. Tomorrow is one of my many , many training days on ship to prepare me for my mission.   I will also be training a short time in Kuwait.   This is hard for me to comprehend.   It seems like my whole life changed in an instant.   Yesterday I was in a classroom learning about trigonometry and history.  I graduated, went to boot camp, went to school, graduated as a GRUNT.   I was sent across the country to train.   Now I'm being sent across the world to fight.    Today I am in a classroom learning about Tactical Urban Combat and Nuclear, Biological and chemical warfare.   In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, on my way to experience 1st hand what I am learning about.  I am not afraid of dying.   I am more afraid of what will happen to all the ones that I love if something happens to me.   Soon enough I will be in the desert, outside in the city of Bagdad, in full combat gear, ready to carry out my mission.  Wondering how this all happened so fast, Wishing I was back home going to school, dating Shelia, taking care of my family. Although I think this way now I am almost certain that if I didn't walk this path I would be wondering to myself "why didn't I make the other decision. Why didn't I walk the path of a proud warrior, a marine."  Just because I wonder "what if" doesn't mean I'm not proud, it doesn't mean I feel like I made the wrong decision. It doesn't mean I have any regrets. I'm still proud to be fighting for my country. I feel like, If I'm not helping one way I should still do all that I can to help (OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM). I'm on a time back now. I need to send this letter in the next hour for it to get to you by Tuesday or Wednesday. I love you both very much and I wish I could keep writing but I got to go. LOVE YOU. PFC ARREDONDO/ UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS  

A note to Brian his brother:  

WHATS UP BRIAN, I feel so lucky to be blessed with the chance to defend my country 6 months after I joined the military. Some Marines have been in for over 20 years and still haven't seen combat. I'm also lucky to have such a wonderful family. I know  how much you love me and support me and that keeps me going along with a few other things. Is Jeanette babysitting for Mom? LOVE YOU BROTHER Your Big Brother - Private First Class Arredondo USMC  

 

August 24, 2004

Lance Corporal  Arredondo served as Fire Team Leader during the Battalion's attack into the old cith of Najaf.  As the Platoon attacked to clear a four-story hotel, it was heavily engaged by enemy machine gun and sniper fire from three different directions.  Lance Corporal Arredondo returned fire exposing himself to great risk to ensure the members of his team were safe.  After fearlessly exchanging fire with the enemy snipers for more than three hours, Lance Corporal Arredondo fell mortally wounded as he moved through the rooms to inspect the Marines' defensive position.  

ALEX, YOU ARE A HERO!  

I only wish you were defending our country and fighting for our freedom. Iraq didn't attack us, our freedom wasn't in any danger from Iraq.   But still, you were willing to fight for us...for our FREEDOM.  

GOD BLESS OUR HERO'S     MAY THEY REST IN PEACE  

Enjoy your moments on this July 4th. Enjoy your moment for Alex, moments he no longer has to share with a family he loved so much.   May we find peace soon..In our country and all over the world. Imagine all the people living as one.....for Alex.