Flyby News
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Kucinich-Gandhi Peace * Films * FBI 911 * No Nukes
04 September 2003
"Out on the edge of darkness there lies the peace train.
Peace train, take this country, come take me home again."
– Cat Stevens1) Kucinich's Speech for the 2003 Gandhi Peace Award
2) Kucinich-Democracy Film & Discussion Forums
3) International Terrorism and the FBI
4) No New Nukes: Tell Senate to Join the House
Editor's Notes:
The Kucinich Peace Train is set to take off in the late winter and spring of 2004, but to make it on time, there is a lot of grassroots work needed to expose the message of hope and opportunity for reclaiming a lost democracy in the US. See the first two items for ideas and inspiration for what you can do to get on board. Item 3 is an exposing new book on the FBI's mishandling of information that it could have and should have prevented the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001 and the World Trade Center bombing in 1993. Something is fishy in this apparent ‘willful' act NOT to prevent terrorism in the US! Item four is an action for you to support the House of Representatives and stop Congress from supporting the development of more nuclear attack weapons of mass destruction. Please don't miss this peace train – and awaken – and help awaken your neighbors and friends to support the peace and nonviolent international movement.
1) Kucinich's Speech for the 2003 Gandhi Peace AwardThe Ghandi Peace Award in 2003 was presented to Dennis Kucinich by the world-renown organization, Promoting Enduring Peace (PEP). "Every year this award is given to an individual recognized as a "distinguished peacemaker" and "for contributions made in the promotion of international peace and good will." Past recipients include Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Linus Pauling, Dr. Helen Caldicott, Cesar Chavez, Sen. George McGovern, and former Attorney Gen. Ramsey Clark. According to PEP, "Dennis Kucinich has been given this award because of his dedication to peace and improving social conditions for the workers and poor, which we feel is a prerequisite for peace. For his honesty and the good person he is, and for the good spirit which he is trying to instill."
With our country torn by war, Candidate Kucinich stands as a steady beacon of hope for change. Kucinich is the only candidate who has unwaveringly opposed the war with Iraq from the beginning. . . . The Gandhi Peace Award was conceived in the late 1940's by Dr. Jerome Davis, founder of the organization Promoting Enduring Peace (PEP). The yearly award was established in 1959 to honor persons outstanding in the work for world peace.
Dennis Kucinich accepted the award at Amarantes SeaCliffs in New Haven, CT. on March 22, 2003:
"I'm glad to have this moment to be with you and to express first of all my gratitude for being the recipient of the 2003 Gandhi Peace Award. It's very humbling to have my name associated with the name of a true visionary, of someone whose life was a gift to the world, and whose life many of us in public careers try to emulate. And I want to thank all of you who work to keep this fine organization going. When I first arrived, I had the opportunity to speak to many of you about your own commitments, about your work. And it's especially humbling to have the opportunity to share this evening with you, because this is your life's work too. Your life's work is dedicated to the active work on behalf of peace. There are some who think that peace is somehow a static activity. Far from it. It's a dynamic _expression of the possibilities of human aspiration. For those of you who came in from New York today, who participated in the march, thank you. Please join me in thanking [much applause].
"Out on the edge of darkness there lies the peace train. Peace train, take this country, come take me home again." 30 years ago that song was written by Cat Stevens. And it's interesting how you can almost hear the rhythms come back at this moment: "Out on the edge of darkness." We look at the edge of darkness out across this water-I'm looking at the beautiful illumined gazebo, and I think of what we can do to send light to the Persian Gulf this evening.
The psalms have a phrase in Latin: "Emitte lucem tuam." Send forth your light. And we so need to do that at this moment, so that we can describe the entire Persian Gulf in light this evening, and to send the light of peace in that region. To take the light of peace which is in our hearts, and extend that light, and that love and that compassion. From my studies of the Scriptures and the Gospel of St. John, it begins, in the early verses, it speaks of the light shining in the darkness. "And the darkness grasp it not." Light always shines in the darkness. And [what with] darkness has dropped upon our country, upon our Constitution, upon our highest aspirations for America, upon our historic traditions-the light of truth will shine in that darkness, and the darkness will neither comprehend nor overwhelm it. So we are called upon at this moment, to be witnesses for peace, for truth, for light, for love, for compassion, and for the potential of humanity to evolve from a condition where some believe that war is inevitable, to a condition where our knowledge that peace is inevitable becomes the defining paradigm of a new century and a new world.
How do we get to that point. Today we're being offered a competing vision. One vision holds America as a nation involved in a Manichean struggle at war with the forces of evil. Gandhi of course said the only evil that exists in the world is that which is rattling around in our own hearts. Yet there are those who have described these images of evil, and have projected those images, as though on a large screen; and have tried to vivify them; have created enemies. That philosopher created by Walt Kelly named Pogo: "We have met the enemy and he is us!" And so this vision which is emerging from smoke and fire, digitized visions projected on our television screens today, phantasmagoria, garish phosphorescence projected into our psyches, into our hearts, creating despair, creating a vision of the world disintegrating. Not the first time this has happened in human experience, but the first time we've seen in coming from our nation waging an aggressive war. Almost a hundred years ago, William Butler Yeats described the Second Coming: "Turning and turning, in the widening gyre, the falcon cannot hear the falconer. All things fall apart. The center cannot hold." He wrote about an era that presaged disintegration, that presaged war, not only in Ireland but later on a world war. And today we're looking at a world where the center is not holding. Where this world view of America at war is becoming a doctrine, or reflects and derives from a doctrine, that paradoxically would be what we expect to secure our country. A national security strategy which calls for America to be the first to attack. To work preemptively. To work alone and apart from the world. To proceed unilaterally. Such a doctrine is the product of a world view, which is compartmentalized, the product of dichotomous thinking, of us versus them. And carries with it the ultimate consequence of war. Because then, "this town's not big enough for both of us." And so when might makes right, what of international law?
When might makes right, what of morality? When might makes right, then the sword shall be the only measure of justice. The nuclear [posture] review is a continuation of a national security strategy which calls for first strike use of nuclear weapons. Reversing 60 years of painstaking efforts toward nuclear disarmament-nearly 60 years. The doctrine of "Shock and Awe," which we're hearing so much about these days, was taken off the shelf of the National Defense University's war studies program, and represents a selection of military strategies, all under the title of "Shock and Awe," which celebrate the various glories and desirability of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, the Tokyo firebombing, the B-2 bombing of Vietnam, the idea being that-and I've read the doctrine and I would urge you all to read it-the idea being that if you can create so much damage to a civilian population, as the dropping of the atomic bomb did in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, that people are just shocked-psychologically, physically shocked. And they're in awe. What kind of a world view or vision would want to create a doctrine which would bring fear to people all over the world. Which would raise fear to an almost biblical proportion. Which would make fear on the level of a deity.
Now we know from our studies of the Hindu religion, that the forces of destruction and the forces of creation exist simultaneously. Shiva and Vishnu exist simultaneously. We also know that we have the opportunity to be able to determine which of those forces [work through us]: the forces of destruction or the forces of creation. Granted, at any point in our lives, they may be working their way simultaneously. However, as a nation, America at this very moment has become an agency of destruction in the world. As a member of Congress, I've found it daunting and even heartbreaking to see this process that pulls people in as though it were some kind of a magnetic pulsation, and causes people to support war, either through their active participation or through their silence. We search for historical antecedents, and we sometimes find them in chilling ways. Lately I've been talking to many historians who draw comparisons to the 1930s. A world view is being offered, where will trumps love.
Where what the philosopher Eric Fromm called the anatomy of human destructiveness is working its way through official government policy. Where all of the work to celebrate the human condition is being trashed in favor of a doctrine of control. We know what the darkness looks like. And now lets talk about what the light that we wish to describe looks like.
The light of peace can be brought into this world and exist in this world through compassion, acceptance, tolerance that's shared. And it's shared through affirming international structures of cooperation and governance. The importance of a United Nations is so much more evident at this moment. We realize that we're all connected, that we're all one! My politics arises from an holistic world view: we're interconnected, we're interdependent. What affects me affects you. It goes beyond the I-thou of Martin Buber and goes to the connectivity of "we are all one" that informed Gandhi's essential philosophy. Because when you wage war under those circumstances, it is not an act merely of homicide-it is an act of suicide. Because we're attacking ourselves. Because our brothers and sisters in Iraq are receiving the bombs. The world of peace can be affirmed through going back to the work that so many of us have pursued over a lifetime for nuclear disarmament.
David [Cortwright] and others have made it a life's work to implement the non-proliferation treaty. The United States can once again take a leading role in the world, in working not only for nuclear non-proliferation, but in taking a leading role in getting rid of all nuclear weapons. We have an obligation to do that. We have an obligation to future generations to do that. We have an obligation to reimplement the anti-ballistic missile treaty which Vladimir Putin himself took office ready to support. We have an obligation to recommit to a test ban. To begin to build down and eliminate the production of nuclear weapons. We're going in an opposite direction at this very moment, but we can once again gain that moral authority in the world. The weapons of mass destruction begin in our consciousness. And [they're our/there are] projections and physical form. The splitting of the atom was a split in consciousness in this society. And we need to heal our nation and the world, through creating a vision of a world as one. And a vision of the world as one has no room for nuclear weapons. There are 12 nations which either possess or are trying to acquire nuclear weapons. 20 nations either possessing or trying to acquire biological weapons. 26 nations either possessing or trying to acquire chemical weapons. 20 nations either possessing or trying to acquire missile technologies to deliver those weapons. Pandora's box has been opened.
But there is a power greater than all of those weapons. And it's the power of love through which the human heart expresses itself. [applause] The advancing tide is toward human unity! We saw it reflected at the beginning of the new millennium which so many of us celebrated in the year 2000. Where despite the dire predictions, people gathered peacefully all around the world, without incidents! Celebrating our humanity! Proving that we can get together around the world peacefully!
The advancing tide is toward human unity, and the technology of our society has reflected that through the connectivity of the internet, through communications, through transportation, and through trade. Every one of us has had the opportunity to connect, in our lifetimes, with people so we realize that we truly are a global village. This thinking that separates us from other nations and other people is archaic! And so as we offer a competing vision for the world, that competing vision can seek to make war itself archaic. [applause] And that, my friends, is what has animated the idea of a Department of Peace. To take the work of Gandhi, and the work of Dr. King, and the work of other great religious leaders, and to work to make nonviolence an organizing principle in our society.
This competing vision, this alternative vision, this light-filled vision which we offer, looks at our own society with love and with the understanding that we can be more than we are and better than we are. We look at the pathologies in our society of domestic violence, of spousal abuse, of child abuse. Of violence in our schools, of gangs, of police-community relations challenges, of violence against gays and violence against all types of minorities. And we begin to develop structures within our society to teach children mutuality, reciprocity, sharing, peace-giving. Some communities are already doing that. To use the very power of government itself to institutionalize that type of an approach in a society. Think for a moment how a 400 billion dollar defense budget informs the consciousness of our nation. Think for a moment, how spending anywhere from 99 billion to 1.9 trillion dollars on a war in Iraq, plus occupation, plus reconstruction, how that would inform the consciousness of our nation.
Think for a moment how the agenda of America has been set. Through spending hundreds of billions in a cold war. Through spending hundreds of billions in hot wars. Through being prepared to spend up to one and a half trillion dollars on a missile defense system, which doesn't work, and even if it did, we wouldn't want it to. Think of, instead, offering the possibility of a structure within our government that would begin to offer another way, another path. That's what the Department of Peace seeks to do. On an international level, it looks at mediation, intervention nonviolently, it looks at issues of human scarcity, of poverty, and those conditions which give rise to the kind of despair which produces war. War is not inevitable! Peace is inevitable, but we have to insist on the power of our humanity to bring forth this new possibility. "Come, my friends! Tis not too late to seek a newer world!" said the poet Tennyson. "Come, my friends! Tis not too late to seek a newer world!"
So while the lights twinkle across this beautiful point, while the bombs drop, and missiles are launched into the city of our brothers and sisters, we realize that we have this moment in time and space where we can change the outcome! Where we are not stuck! Where we can use this power which is inside of us, this light inside of our hearts! And let that light shine, let it shine in this darkness! Let it shine in the chaos! Let it shine-and let that shine so that this alternative vision of peace, which is the vision of which our lives are made, that this alternative vision of peace, which can be the vision of which our country expresses itself, that this alternative vision of peace, that reflects the lives' work of so many who have come before us, that this shall be a vision through which the creativity, and through which the transformational energy that will bring us this new world, can be achieved.
Come my friends, tis not too late to seek a newer world."
This speech is also posted:
http://pepeace.org/current_reprints/06/Dennis%20Kucinich.htm= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Please Note:
The United Nations has asked the world to observe a global ceasefire and day of nonviolence on Peace Day -- the International Day of Peace, September 21. Kucinich supporters have been asked to observe the call to peace in two ways:
1) Ask your Mayor to join other leaders all around the world in declaring a Proclamation of Peace for the International Peace Day, and
2) Host a Peace Day Party. Take pictures of your Peace Day event and share them with the campaign by emailing them to campaignwitness@kucinich.us
To learn more about this campaign visit:
http://us.denniskucinich.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=602
2) Kucinich-Democracy Film & Discussion ForumsFor Immediate Release
Kucinich-Democracy Film & Discussion Forums -
Amherst, MA-Tuesday Sept. 9 and Keene, NH-Sept. 23
Campaigns for the nomination for the next election for US President are underway. Flyby News is sponsoring programs that support the only candidate that voted against the Patriot Act and was a major factor in organizing more than 120 members of Congress who voted against the apparent authorization for selected-US President George W. Bush to preemptively attack Iraq.
The best way to understand what Dennis Kucinich is all about is to see him in person. The second best is to witness a film of one of his speeches. Flyby News is sponsoring a program with three films at the Amherst Bangs Community Center on Tuesday September 9, 2003 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, each film will be followed by discussions. The first film is with Malachi Roths' new film-short, The Peace Candidate" [20 minutes]. This film gives an intimate look, during the drum-beating for war, at one of the most qualified and inspirational American leader to emerge in decades. The second film will be an excerpt [30 minutes] from "What I've Learned About US Foreign Policy: The War Against the Third World." This extraordinary film compilation by Frank Dorrel documents many CIA covert operations and US interventions since World War II, representing an overview of a corporate-controlled and secret shadow-government behind affairs of US foreign policy.
The final film in this forum is a response to the war on terror, which many believe adds incentives for more terrorism, called "A Prayer for America" [18 minutes]. This speech was presented by Dennis Kucinich to the Southern California Americans for Democratic Action on February 17, 2002 just 5 months following the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Congressman Dennis J Kucinich's eloquent words brought patriotism to the forefront in questioning the wisdom of the US administration's cut-back on US civil liberties. He begins his speech by singing a medley of patriotic songs. This speech was passed all around the Internet and initiated tens of thousands of responses, which was a catalyst in launching Kucinich's national grassroots campaign. Kucinich is not accepting any corporate funding, and has vowed to bring significant changes to the US Government in its domestic and international affairs.
The September 23rd film/discussion program in Keene, NH will take place at the Keene Public Library Auditorium from 6:00 to 8:45 PM. This program will open with excerpts from Frank Dorrel's "What I've Learned About US Foreign Policy," and after discussions, "A Prayer for America" and then another Dennis Kucinich powerhouse speech at the "Take Back America Conference" [26 min] delivered on June 5, 2003 in Washington, D.C.
You can learn more about Dennis Kucinich and these films at FlybyNews.com.
http://www.flybynews.com or at the official website of Dennis Kucinich for President
http://www.kucinich.us*Please note updated links section for independent web site resources on Dennis Kucinich for US President, under
"Campaigns, Actions, & Events from
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3) International Terrorism and the FBIOn the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, I learned of a new book, "1000 Years for Revenge: International Terrorism and the FBI--the Untold Story" by Peter Lance " This book contends that the FBI "could have and should have prevented the 9/11 attacks." According to Lance, "he uncovered evidence available to Federal Agents for what they never actually analyzed or acted upon. Lance said that he shows for the first time that the NY office of the FBI, the bin Laden office of origin, basically, was on to these guys, the same cell, as far back as 1989, and dropped the ball not just once, not just a dozen times, but dozens and dozens of times. . . Lance said that it was absolutely possible for the FBI to identify and stop Youssef in the fall of 1992 when he built the bomb used in a car under the World Trade Center on February 26, 1993 that killed six and injured a thousand innocent people. Though the FBI had an informant in place, that even took videos of this group meeting, and whispering plans for the attack, bomber Youssef got away by fleeing to the Phillippines where he began to lay the groundwork for 9/11."
I searched the web site for CBS, but found this report missing. Fortunately the above information was retrieved by my copying the news on my VCR. In a Google search on this program, I found this link:
3. CBS News | The Inside Scoop | September 2, 2003...
... Last Updated at 4:00 PM… September 2, 2003 ... and then I'll have details of a new book that contends ... have prevente...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/10/04/broadcasts/main64925.shtmlAfter going to the link I discovered that the information on this segment was missing, most likely edited from the web on September 3rd.
This makes this book even more appealing. To get this book that was just released this week, check at your bookstore or at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/006054354X/qid=1062685897/sr=2-1/102-9438896-5143337?v=glance&s=books
4) No New Nukes: Tell Senate to Join the HouseHouse Voted Against Bush's Request for New Nukes
Tell Senate They Should Do the Same
President Bush has requested more than 20 million dollars for research on advanced nuclear weapons concepts. The Pentagon says they'd be more "usable" than our current nuclear weapons, the very reason arms control advocates urge that they be stopped. In July, the House of Representatives voted against (all but 5 million of) this request. The Senate is set to vote later this month.
TrueMajority members sent more than 50,000 messages to the House before they voted against the President. It's now time to urge the Senate also to stop America from embarking on a usable nuclear weapons program.
To send a free fax* to your Senators (text below) asking them to oppose funding for a new generation of nuclear weapons just REPLY to this email by clicking "Reply" and then "Send" in your email program. If you are not currently registered with TrueMajority or you would like to customize your message, click here:
http://www.truemajority.com/index.asp?action=10060&ms=nuksen1&ref=351625Yours in opposing weapons of mass destruction,
Ben Cohen
President, TrueMajority.org
Co-Founder, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream+
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