The World Can’t Wait – 2006-10-29 01:31:32
http://www.worldcantwait.ne
SIMULATED DROWNING, SIMULATED TRUTH
Imagine that you are strapped to a board, blindfolded, and your mouth taped shut. Suddenly you are upended and your head is plunged below water, or water is poured continuously on a pile of rags across your face. Water is forced up your nose, you choke and gag, you cannot cry out or do anything to stop it.
Torture? Heavens no, the US doesn’t torture! This is only “simulated drowning,” as water-boarding is euphemistically called in the press. The sole merit of Vice President Cheney is that he says out loud what the others are actually thinking and doing. Asked about the administration’s use of water-boarding in a recent radio interview, Cheney replied, “It’s a no-brainer for me.”
Is this use of torture a major issue in the current elections? Is any major political figure vowing to put an end to this? Do people even know about it?
This is one more reason why the national emergency teach-ins called by World Can’t Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime with the Bush Crimes Commission are so crucially needed.
“This is broad, this is sweeping, this is endless, this does not does not limit to a particular narrow geographic location or a very small period of time, this we have now to live with for many years and perhaps decades to come and it is a shame and a scandal that the United States Congress passed this statute.” – Bill Goodman on the Military Commissions Act
THEY WON’T EVEN DISCUSS THE REAL ISSUES
The New York Times editorial of October 24 states rather matter-of-factly, “This fall’s election debates have educated very few voters because neither side is prepared to be honest about the terrible consequences of military withdrawal and the very long odds against success if American troops remain.”
To this observation, they might have added that the same refusal to be honest applies to every major issue facing the nation.
What major party candidate is telling the public that the war on Iraq is a war for empire not sanctioned by international law?
What major party candidate is pointing to the war crimes being committed in our name?
What major party candidate is denouncing the torture and the new law to abolish the right of habeas corpus for millions in this country?
As the call for the teach-ins states: “Neither the full magnitude nor the staggering implications of the Bush program are well understood. The administration systematically lies about its actions and agenda, while the major media and Democrats allow it to frame the overall discussion. As a result, the most crucial issues are not discussed truthfully either in the public arena or in election campaigns.”
This is why the national emergency teach-ins called by World Can’t Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime with the Bush Crimes Commission are so crucially needed. People can only act on what they understand, and the current election season is engineered to make sure people know as little as possible!
EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE
Dozens of cities are holding their own teach-ins or hosting video web streaming parties. From school assemblies at Oakland High in California to video web streaming gatherings in Decatur, Alabama, people will be joining around the country to see this material during the coming week. If there is not a teach-in scheduled in your area, all you need is a computer with broadband (DSL or cable) internet access in order to view the New York teach-in.
• Go to the World Can’t Wait web site for details.
• You can project the teach-in in a class room or view it with a group of friends on a computer screen.
TEACH-IN VIEWINGS GROW ACROSS THE WORLD
Here are some comments from people signing up to view the New York teach-in in their area:
Lawrence, Dallas
“I want to learn and spread the word!”
Jason, Baltimore
“To help educate others on the severity of this situation.”
Angelina, Maputo, Mozambique:
“Interested in knowing.”
Theresa, Portland
“Need to know what my options are beyond republicans and democrats – with the elections forthcoming, is there something within the electoral framework that I can do to mitigate the criminal nature of our gov’t?”
If there is not a teach-in scheduled in your area, all you need is a computer with broadband (DSL or cable) internet access in order to view the New York teach-in. You can project the teach-in in a class room or view it with a group of friends on a computer screen. Go to the World Can’t Wait web site for details.
LET’S GET THIS ON C-SPAN
The whole country needs to see this. So C-Span needs to get the message that YOU want to see it. C-Span invites viewers to submit suggestions of events for them to broadcast. Please write to them today, asking them to broadcast the national emergency teach-in in New York. The address to use is events@c-span.org
Featured Speakers in New York:
Dr. Les Roberts, an author of the study in The Lancet that there are a projected 650,000 civilian deaths caused by the war on Iraq.
William Goodman, Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Larry Everest has covered the Middle East for over ten years and is the author of Oil, Power, and Empire.
Chris Hedges, spent nearly two decades as a foreign correspondent for the New York Times, winning a Pulitzer Prize
Cristina Page, author of How The Pro-choice Movement Saved America describes the assault on both abortion and contraception.
• This event will be held at: Synod Hall of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
110th St & Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY
• 7:00 pm, Monday, October 30 (doors open at 6:30). Suggested donation $10-$20
• Delayed national broadcast on the Internet the same evening. See World Can’t Wait for details on viewing.
• Please contribute AND set up a viewing where you are Monday.
• Find other teach-ins through World Can’t Wait or organize your own.
http://www.worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3202&Itemid=223
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