Flyby News
"News Fit to Transmit in the Post Cassini Flyby Era"
Truth or Corruption * Peltier-Obama * Oil
11 September 2008
"Let us never tolerate outrageous conspiracy theories
concerning the attacks of September the 11th;
malicious lies that attempt to shift the blame away
from the terrorists, themselves, away from the guilty."
-- George W. Bush
Stated at the United Nations,
November 11, 20011) September 11 truth hits home, Russia, firefighters, valley- - NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative Campaign Announces Milestone!
- - 9-11 On Russian TV Friday
- - No consensus on who was behind Sept 11-global poll
- - The New Pearl Harbor Revisited: 9/11, the Cover-Up, and the Exposé
- - McKinney in NYC: Open the files on 9/11 - iReport.com
- - Reflections on 9-11 by Cindy Sheehan
- - Firefighters for 9-11 Truth
- - New Documentary Takes a Look at the 9/11 Truth Movement
- - Valley 9/11 Truth 2008
2) Leonard Peltier: An Open Letter to Barack Obama- - Bush Gov’t involved in Sex and Drugs and Oil
- - Common Dreams headlines this week
3) Take a Load Off Fannie – The Bailout ‘Fix’ for Mortgage Giants- - Why The Fannie-Freddie Bailout Will Fail
Editor’s Notes:
There is an increasing opportunity for this 7th anniversary of September 11 to complete a cycle of government-media cover-up and an inept-corrupt investigation of one of the worst crimes in history. This issue begins with an important update from the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative, 30,000 petitioners and counting! People all around the world are discussing what happened that day. However, while the untold truth takes on a sad state of affairs with denial and censorship in the mainstream media and from government representatives, dangers lurk around every corner and a keen vigilance is required, especially at least through January 21, 2009. Take a load off Fannie and put the load on we, the people. Meanwhile the Bush corrupt oil administration gets caught with their pants down. And Leonard Peltier suffers, turning 64 Friday in prison from a JUST US broken law system. "America will never be destroyed from the outside.
If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
-- Abraham Lincoln
1) September 11 truth hits home, Russia, firefighters, valley- - NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative Campaign Announces Milestone!
- - 9-11 On Russian TV Friday
- - No consensus on who was behind Sept 11-global poll
- - The New Pearl Harbor Revisited: 9/11, the Cover-Up, and the Exposé
- - McKinney in NYC: Open the files on 9/11 - iReport.com
- - Reflections on 9-11 by Cindy Sheehan
- - Firefighters for 9-11 Truth
- - New Documentary Takes a Look at the 9/11 Truth Movement
- - Valley 9/11 Truth 2008
- - NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative Campaign Announces Milestone!By Les Jamieson
On the 7th anniversary of 9/11,
30,000 signatures (and growing) show a significant number of NYC voters
aren't satisfied with the official explanation or government-sponsored investigation of 9/11!
Sept. 9, 2008 - New York, NY- Some said it couldn't be done. However, others here in NYC knew different. They knew that with the right attitude, the right effort, all that mattered was doing whatever work was required to establish the foundation for the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative. This public referendum is the most substantial, well-structured effort to date that can result in a subpoena-powered, fact-driven, comprehensive investigation of the most momentous event of our time.
Now, 30,000 petition signatures, the minimum requirement to submit a ballot initiative to NY City Council has been reached. From here we will work to double and triple our numbers. We will widen our base and build even greater momentum. We will create a demand for passage of the Initiative that will be undeniable. This is completely available to us because there is now official confirmation from the City Clerk's office that all existing signed petitions will be valid for the mayoral election in 2009. It should also be noted that with substantial numbers and support showing there is a serious mandate from the voters, it is actually possible that NY City Council can be moved to introduce and pass the Initiative on their own. This is the necessary strategy which organizers and petitioners here in NYC have every intention of pursuing.
Another vital piece of information has come to light. Back in the spring doubts were raised about the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative because it was said that the Mayor could block it, making all our efforts null and void. Many people here and around the country were disheartened, saying there would be no way Mayor Bloomberg would allow the Initiative to get on the ballot. They argued we were doomed and it would be futile to try. However, there was a core group of stalwart and stubborn activists who were not deterred. We always knew this wouldn't be an easy task, but led by our vision for an authentic investigation we pushed ahead anyway. There were other challenges as well, yet we always knew that if effort was applied, anything could happen. We could actually succeed.
Now, through communication with the City Clerk and upon reading the detail of the law we have learned that the Mayor cannot kill the Initiative. If he wanted to complicate things, he would have to go through the trouble of setting up a Charter Commission. This Commission would have to hold public hearings. Then if this Commission succeeds in placing it's Initiative on the ballot, our Initiative would be rescheduled to the following year's election. In summary, the Mayor would have to go through a complicated process which can be rebutted by the public and would bring much scrutiny on his actions. You can be sure that many 9/11 families will not be pleased. This action would attract an immense amount of negative baggage. If his Charter Commission succeeded in introducing their own Initiative, our Initiative would still be valid and be placed on the ballot one year later. As Senator Mike Gravel recently told me, sometimes things require a longer term approach but since they're worthwhile, you have to adopt a high-level perspective which will get you to the place that's desired. He should know. He has been working on the National Initiative for 20 years!
At a meeting of our petitioning/management group on Wed. Sept. 3rd, Senator Gravel joined us by speakerphone. He said the following:
"Solidify the numbers in 2009. It's vital to get enough signatures. This will get you credibility and visibility. Get people to anticipate and want it. There are people who share your view. I applaud everyone who worked to bring it about. This is truly the most significant effort going on. I can't encourage you enough to continue your efforts." I asked him to comment on his recent statement saying that the Initiative is the most effective way to hold Bush and Cheney to task. He answered, "More than they are involved. We are committed to pursue justice, knowledge, and truth, wherever that leads us." He offered to continue helping in every way he can.
Then we were joined by Ed Asner on speakerphone. He was absolutely elated by the results that have been achieved here. He said, "I'm proud to be identified with you. Proud to support you. I celebrate all you have achieved. Then he went onto say,"You're not over the top yet because of fear that occupies every soul. If you have no fear at this time, you must be lobotimized! Yours is a sensational achievement. I'm really impressed." We thanked him for his willingness to be involved with the Initiative to which he replied, "You're the one's doing the work. I'm just spreading my name around. My love to you all." We invited him to NYC and promised to have a huge party which will hopefully hasten his arrival.
Furthermore, 25-year veteran NY Times journalist Philip Shenon lectured at the NY Law Bar Association on Thurs. Sept. 4th on his best-seller titled "The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation". I gave him press materials on the Ballot Initiative. As it turns out, he had already heard of it and clearly appeared impressed. This could lead to any number of positive developments. After all, every page of his book is filled with evidence on why a new investigation is warranted.
We know that the federal or even local government is unlikely to call for a true investigation of 9/11, however, through the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative, the voters of NY City can. This may be the only opportunity to obtain truth and justice for the victims of 9/11. People of conscience around the world are awaiting the outcome.
Now more than ever, what's needed is public support. Anyone who knows voters in NY City can direct them to the site where they can download the petition and volunteer. Also, funding is needed for hiring professional petitioners, paying for literature, banners, educational DVDs, and advertising. We ask all to donate a minimum of $25, the cost of an average meal for two, which can be done on the web site at www.nyc911initiative.org. Urge others to help so that we can break through the wall of resistance to the truth of 9/11.
Together, we can correct history, gain the truth of 9/11 and secure justice for the victims including first responders. This will go a long way towards restoring Constitutional freedoms and creating a political system which complies with law and works to fulfill the principles of democracy. We can then re-chart our collective future towards a vision consistent with the kind of society that our children deserve, can live and thrive in.
Les Jamieson
National Coordinator
NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative--------------------------------
The NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative Campaign is a citizen-based effort to call attention to the fact that the U.S. government did not conduct a thorough investigation of 9/11. Through the creation of a public referendum, the most basic of democratic processes, the voters of NYC can now use their power of the petition to place a ballot initiative on the general election of 2009. This Initiative is designed to enable voters to create a new, independent, impartial Commission to conduct a thorough, fact-driven investigation of the most momentous event of our time. Visit
,www.nyc911initiative.org for further details.
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- - 9-11 On Russian TV Friday30 Million Will See 9/11 Truth Documentary "ZERO" On Russian State Television Sept. 12- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ivashov, Chiesa, Meyssan, Russian Experts To Debate 9-11 On Russian TV FridayBy Webster G. Tarpley
9 September 2008
WASHINGTON, DC -- Thierry Meyssan reports from Moscow that he and other leading international 9/11 truth experts have completed taping a television debate which will be telecast on the first national program of Russian state television this coming Friday, September 12. This no-holds barred, free-wheeling debate, featuring strongly divergent opinions about what really happened on and about September 11, 2001, will be shown in conjunction with the documentary film Zero, produced and directed by Chiesa and Franco Fracassi of Telemaco Productions in Rome. Russians are thus about to receive an unprecedented evening of 9/11 truth.
Truncated, for the complete article, see:
www.rense.com/general83/sde.htm= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - No consensus on who was behind Sept 11-global pollPublished by Reuters on September 10, 2008
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seven years after the Sept. 11 attacks, there is no consensus outside the United States that Islamist militants from al Qaeda were responsible, according to an international poll published Wednesday. The survey of 16,063 people in 17 nations found majorities in only nine countries believe al Qaeda was behind the attacks on New York and Washington that killed about 3,000 people in 2001. U.S. officials squarely blame al Qaeda, whose leader Osama bin Laden has boasted of organizing the suicide attacks by his followers using hijacked commercial airliners.
On average, 46 percent of those surveyed said al Qaeda was responsible, 15 percent said the U.S. government, 7 percent said Israel and 7 percent said some other perpetrator. One in four people said they did not know who was behind the attacks.
Truncated, for the complete article, see:
www.newsmeat.com/news/meat.php?articleId=32140442&channelId=2951&buyerId=newsmeatcom&buid=3281also posted;
www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20080911003251568= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - The New Pearl Harbor Revisited: 9/11, the Cover-Up, and the Exposé
David Ray Griffin“Citizens in many countries are waging a war on the cover-up of the basis for the so-called war on terror---this basis being the official interpretation of the 9/11 attacks. Along with the Internet, which has equipped both public figures and ordinary citizens to wage this war on the cover-up, David Ray Griffin has revealed dozens of omissions, distortions, and contradictions in the official story in a way that provides undeniable evidence of its falsity. The New Pearl Harbor Revisited presents a powerful exposé of the false narrative that has been driving the mainstream political agenda since 9/11. It is now up to politicians and journalists around the world to expose this truth to our peoples.”---Yukihisa Fujita, member of the House of Councilors, the Diet of Japan
“With this work, Dr. Griffin cements his place as the preeminent spokesperson for the growing number of people who demand answers to an expanding list of questions about 9/11. . . . Even those members of the 9/11 Truth Movement who have immersed themselves thoroughly in the subject will find new information here, presented in the precise and very readable style Dr. Griffin has brought to each of his books. . . . Absent a revival of investigative journalism---a dim prospect at best, in view of the media ownership concentration---books like this one, arming the informed citizen with solid information and providing a basis for demanding direct action, appear to be our best hope.”---Shelton F. Lankford, Lt. Col. US Marine Corps (Ret.)
“In The New Pearl Harbor, Dr. Griffin raised serious questions about the destruction of the World Trade Center---the part of the official conspiracy theory about 9/11 with which I have been especially concerned. Now, in The New Pearl Harbor Revisited, he continues to pierce the heart of the official story with his signature penetrating research, this time sharpened with arguments provided by physical scientists, architects, and engineers. He definitely delivers the technical goods. Message to authors of the NIST Report: The charade is over!”---Richard Gage, member of American Institute of Architects, founder of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth
PUBLISHER'S BOOK DESCRIPTION
In 2004, David Ray Griffin published The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions about the Bush Administration and 9/11. Translated into several languages, it helped spark a worldwide movement demanding “9/11 truth.” Even as it became increasingly outdated, it continued to be widely cited as the best introduction to the issues.
Griffin has now written The New Pearl Harbor Revisited, which provides a chapter-by-chapter updating of the information provided in that earlier book. It shows that the case against the official account constructed by independent researchers---who now include architects, engineers, physicists, pilots, politicians, and former military officers---is far stronger than it was in 2004, leaving no doubt that 9/11 was a false-flag operation, designed to give the Bush-Cheney administration a pretext to attack oil-rich Muslim nations.
Taken together, these two books provide everything one needs to make an informed decision about 9/11---whether one is a journalist, a political leader, a religious leader, or an ordinary citizen concerned about truth, democracy, and the rule of law.
“This latest book by David Ray Griffin is scholarly research at its best. Meticulous empirical investigation and painstaking analysis are combined to refute the official 9/11 narrative. Every event surrounding the tragic events of September 11, 2001, is subjected to close scrutiny, ultimately with a view to revealing the lies and upholding the truth. In this fascinating and skillfully researched exposé, Griffin demonstrates unequivocally that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job.”
---Michel Chossudovsky, Professor of Economics and author of America’s War on Terrorism
ORDERING INFORMATION
The New Pearl Harbor Revisited can be purchased for $20 at bookstores or Interlink Books (1-800-238-LINK) or for $13.60 at Amazon.com (
www.amazon.com/New-Pearl-Harbor-Revisited-Cover-Up/dp/1566567297/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220620840&sr=1-6). It should be available at Amazon by September 11.
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- - McKinney in NYC: Open the files on 9/11 - iReport.comMcKinney Calls for New Investigation, Release of Files on 9/11Wednesday, 10 September 2008 04:23
Seven years ago, criminal terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon were carried out on September 11 by hijacked planes, which led to the deaths of thousands of people.
A month later, key figures in the print and broadcast media and members of Congress were sent envelopes containing very lethal and highly weaponized anthrax, which led to the deaths of journalists and postal employees. After the initial shock diminished, there were calls for explanations, investigations, accountability and a reasoned response that did not include war. The administration ignored or openly opposed them.
Instead, we went into a call for permanent wars that would last beyond our lifetime, changes in civil liberties both overt and covert, a takeover of state power by the executive branch, and the creation of a national security emergency state that would somehow protect us.
Cynthia McKinney was one of the few voices of reason during that time in the Congress. Long an opponent of militarism and wars abroad, she also called for explanations and accountability when information began to come to light about multiple advanced warnings and apparent foreknowledge of the imminence and methods of the attack inside government intelligence agencies that still failed to prevent it. She supported calls by the families of the 9/11 victims for an official investigation into what was being termed a "failure of intelligence" even though it more closely resembled a failure of response, of standard operating procedures, and of government officials and agencies to respond and prepare for, or even comprehend the source of these attacks.
Continued...
www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-82310McKinney's 2005 Congressional Briefing on YouTube= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - Reflections on 9-11 by Cindy SheehanPublished by OpedNews.com on September 10, 2008
[EXCERPT]
"It's not only time for new leadership in our government, but it's time for a new 9-11 Commission that has subpoena power and is not facilitated by the crooks who either perpetrated the crime and/or collaborated with it. Government abuses cannot be credibly investigated by government commissions: A citizen's investigation that is independent from the federal government and where people like George and Dick will actually have to give their testimony in the light of day, under oath and not holding hands, must be empowered and empanelled."
For the complete article, see:
www.opednews.com/articles/Reflections-on-9-11-by-Cindy-Sheehan-080910-842.html= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - Firefighters for 9-11 TruthFirefighters for 9-11 Truth is a non-partisan association of firefighters and affiliates created to increase awareness, provide public education, demand a real investigation that follows National Standards, and provide support to our Brothers and Sisters in need. We are deeply troubled by the “official” story, and the way the rescue workers from Ground Zero are being forgotten.
We believe there is overwhelming evidence of obstruction of justice, and destruction of evidence voiced even by numerous 9/11 Commissioners themselves. Senator Cleland resigned from the Commission stating, “This investigation is now compromised.”
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 921, which is the National Standard for Fire and Explosion Investigations, very clearly indicates in numerous sections that the possibility of explosives should have been thoroughly investigated. Specifically in NFPA 921 18.3.2 High Order Damage - “High-order damage is characterized by shattering of the structure, producing small, pulverized debris. Walls, roofs, and structural members are splintered or shattered, with the building completely demolished. Debris is thrown great distances, possibly hundreds of feet. High-order damage is the result of rapid rates of pressure rise.” World Trade Center’s 1, 2, and 7 all clearly met this definition; therefore they should have been thoroughly investigated and analyzed for explosives. Specifically, the use of “exotic accelerants” should have been investigated. In NFPA 921 19.2.4 -”Exotic Accelerants,” three indicators were clearly met that should have led to a thorough investigation in to the possible use of “exotic accelerants,” specifically as stated in the guideline, “Thermite mixtures.”
So, why was the possibility of explosives, controlled demolition, or the use of “exotic accelerants” not thoroughly investigated, or even mentioned in the 9-11 Commission Report?
Firefighters for 9-11 Truth demand the following:
1. A truly independent investigation with Subpoena and Contempt Powers to uncover the complete truth of the events related to 9/11/2001 – specifically the collapse of WTC Tower 7 and the possibility of explosive demolition.
2. The investigation to follow the national standards so clearly outlined in the National Fire Protection Association guidelines, specifically, NFPA 921 to include thorough analysis of the steel for the presence of “exotic accelerants.”
3. Congress to honor the promises made to the rescue workers of 9/11 by passing the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2008.
4. Prosecution of all individuals willfully involved in the planning, and execution of the murders committed on September 11, 2001.
5. Prosecution of all individuals willfully involved in the Obstruction of Justice and Destruction of Evidence surrounding the events of September 11, 2001.
We challenge you to look at the evidence with an open mind and make judgments. Remember, you don’t have to be an expert to sit on a jury, and you have the right to be critical of, and demand answers from the “experts.” Take the time to gather facts, and have the courage to ask for more. If you come to the same conclusion as the FBI, and don’t place him on your “most wanted” list, then have the courage to help find those responsible for the death of so many of our Brothers and Sisters. We all need to show some courage by demanding answers, justice, and fair treatment for the Ground Zero Rescue Workers!!
FireFightersfor911truth.org= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - New Documentary Takes a Look at the 9/11 Truth Movement On the anniversary of the attacks of September 11th, British filmmaker Dean Puckett releases "The Elephant in the Room," a new award-winning film documenting his journey into the 9/11 Truth Movement.
Los Angeles September 10, 2008 -- On the anniversary of the attacks of September 11th, British filmmaker Dean Puckett releases "The Elephant in the Room," a new award-winning film documenting his journey into the 9/11 Truth Movement.
The Movement can best be described as a group of citizen activists from around the world who don't believe the U.S. government's explanation of what happened on September 11th. While there are a growing number of law enforcement personnel, pilots, architects, engineers, and scientists joining the ranks, they have been called everything from 'patriots' to 'conspiracy theorists' - with some right wing talk show hosts going so far as to call them 'jihadists.'
But In the documentary, "The Elephant in the Room", the viewer is introduced to folks who aren't as dangerous as some would believe. They just happen to be average citizens asking some very simple questions.
The film features interviews with numerous 9/11 Truth activists including Former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (who is currently running for President) and William Rodriguez, a janitor of 20 years at the World Trade Center, who testified that he heard and felt explosions in his building before it was hit by a plane. Also in the film is Richard Gage, a San Francisco based architect with experience in steel framed, high-rise buildings. He claims that the WTC towers could not have come down without help.
The filmmaker also travels to New York City to meet 9/11 first responders who are suffering from various life-threatening illnesses due to breathing the toxic dust at Ground Zero. Few people realize that when the buildings came down, the cement was turned into dust resembling talcum powder. Rescue dogs died within days and now the responders are meeting the same fate, but with little help from the government.
Winner of the Best Documentary at the 2008 London Independent Film Festival, "The Elephant in the Room" is now available on DVD at
http://www.nosmokewithoutfire.co.uk/buy.htm. What's the best part? The filmmaker is giving the public permission to make as many copies as they like to distribute freely to family and friends. For more information or to watch it online for FREE log on to the film's official website at
www.nosmokewithoutfire.co.uk About the Filmmaker: Dean Puckett has directed over seven short films, produced two independent feature films and worked on several commercial and charity projects. For the award-winning feature length documentary 'The Elephant in the Room', he wore many hats as the film's director, producer, editor and cameraman.
All media inquiries should contact Dead Dean Films at (+44) 7709 443 794 or dean@nosmokewithoutfire.co.uk
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- - Valley 9/11 Truth 2008Two Films and discussions in Northampton, MA - Valley911truth.org
Media Education Foundation, 60 Masonic Street; Northampton, MA -
Sept. 11, 2008; 6:00 PM IMPROBABLE COLLAPSE; 8:00 ZERO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2001 will be remembered through time; this 7th anniversary can be the completion of a cycle of government-media cover-up and/or an inept investigation of one of the greatest crimes in history. Valley 9/11 Truth has about one hundred members discussing what happened that day, and how it has been used to engage an hysterical foreign affairs plunder, and loss of civil liberties. For those known as 'truthers', the greatest fear is in what could be next, if the unanswered questions of what happened are not resolved.
On Thursday September 11, two films are being presented with discussions with Valley 9/11 Truth in Northampton, MA. The first one begins at 6:00 PM, "Improbable Collapse: The Demolition of Our Republic;" the second at 8:00 - "ZERO, an investigation into the events of 9/11." The latter is a recent Italian film, shown in European Parliament in February 2008 and that will be broadcast on Russian TV this September 12.
A key individual featured in these films is Kevin Ryan, who was fired by Underwriters Laboratories in 2004 for publicly questioning the report being drafted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on their World Trade Center investigation. Through interviews, presentations, and as co-editor at the online Journal of 911 Studies, Ryan has been critical in helping expose the truth behind the events of 9/11/01. (1)
One of the campaigns that Valley 9/11 Truth is supporting is the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative. (2) They have gathered enough petitions to call for a 2009-referendum vote in New York City to empower an independent investigation with subpoena power. Uniting with national campaigns to get passed the censorship of mainstream media, failure of government and the justice system is critical for a future that gives peace a chance.
Valley 9/11 Truth(1)
www.ultruth.com/Kevin_Ryan.htm(2)
www.nyc911initiative.org/A formatted version of press release and flyer
http://9-11.meetup.com/270/files/ ZERO, an investigation into the events of 9/11
Italian film shown in European Parliament 26 February 2008,
will be presented with a discussion with Valley 9/11 Truth
Thursday, September 11, 2008; 8:00 PM; Northampton, MA
with a prior screening of the film at 6:00 pm:
“Improbable Collapse:
The Demolition of our Republic”For more information and resources, see:
The Bush Conspiracy and 9/11 Investigative Reports,
looking into the unanswered questions.
2) Leonard Peltier: An Open Letter to Barack Obama- - Bush Gov’t involved in Sex and Drugs and Oil
- - Common Dreams headlines this week
An Open Letter to Barack Obama
Symbolism Alone Will Not Bring Change
By LEONARD PELTIER
August 28, 2008
I have watched with keen interest and renewed hope as your campaign has mobilized millions of Americans behind your message of changing a political system that serves a small economic elite at the expense of the peoples of the United States and the world. Your election as president of the United States, where slaves and Indians were long considered less than human under the law, will undoubtedly constitute a historic moment in race relations in the United States.
Yet symbolism alone will not bring about change. Our young people, black and Native alike, suffer from police brutality and racial profiling, underfunded schools, and discrimination in employment and housing. I sincerely hope your campaign will inspire some hope among our youth to struggle for a better future. I am, however, concerned that your recent statement on the Sean Bell verdict, in which the New York police officers who fired 50 shots at a young man on the eve of his wedding were acquitted of criminal charges, displays a rather myopic view of the law. Until the law is harnessed to protect the victims of state violence and racism, it will serve as an instrument of repression, just as the slave codes functioned to sustain and legitimize an inhuman institution.
As I can testify from experience, the legal institutions of this nation are far from racial and political neutrality. When judges align with the repressive actions and policies of the executive branch, injustice is rationalized and cloaked in judicial platitudes. As you may know, I have now served more than three decades of my life as a political prisoner of the federal government for a crime I did not commit. I have served more time than the maximum sentence under the guidelines under which I was sentenced, yet my parole is continually denied (on the rare occasions when I am afforded a hearing) because I refuse to falsely confess. Amnesty International, South African Bishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama of Tibet, my Guatemalan sister Rigoberta Menchu, and many of your friends and supporters have recognized me as a political prisoner and called for my immediate release. Millions of people around the world view me as a symbol of injustice against the indigenous peoples of this land, and I have no doubt that I will go down in history as one of a long line of victims of U.S. government repression, along with Sacco and Vanzetti, the Haymarket Square martyrs, Eugene Debs, Bill Haywood, and others targeted by for their political beliefs. But neither I nor my people can afford to wait for history to rectify the crimes of the past.
As a member of the American Indian Movement, I came to the Pine Ridge Oglala reservation to defend the traditional people there from human rights violations carried out by tribal police and goon squads backed by the FBI and the highest offices of the federal government. Our symbolic occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973 inspired Indians across the Americas to struggle for their freedom and treaty rights, but it was also met by a fierce federal siege and a wave of violent repression on Pine Ridge. In 1974, AIM leader Russell Means campaigned for tribal chairman while being tried by the federal government for his role at Wounded Knee. Although Means was barred from the reservation by decree of the U.S.-client regime of Richard Wilson, he won the popular vote, only to be denied office by extensive vote fraud and control of the electoral mechanisms. Wilson’s goons proceeded to shoot up pro-Means villages such as Wanblee and terrorize traditional supporters throughout the reservation, killing at least 60 people between 1973 and 1975.
It is long past time for a congressional investigation to examine the degree of federal complicity in the violent counterinsurgency that followed the occupation of Wounded Knee. The tragic shootout that led to the deaths of two FBI agents and one Native man also led not only to my false conviction, but also the termination of the Church Committee, which was investigating abuses by federal intelligence and law enforcement agents, before it could hold hearings on FBI infiltration of AIM. Despite decades of attempts by my attorneys to obtain government documents related to my case, the FBI continues to withhold thousands of documents that might tend to exonerate me or reveal compromising evidence of judicial collusion with the prosecution.
I truly believe the truth will set me free, but it will also signify a symbolic break from America’s undeclared war on indigenous peoples. I hope and pray that you possess the courage and integrity to seek out the truth and the wisdom to recognize the inherent right of all peoples to self-determination, as acknowledged by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. While your statements on federal Indian policy sound promising, your vision of “one America” has an ominous ring for Native peoples struggling to define their own national visions. If freed from colonial constraints and external intervention, indigenous nations might well serve as functioning models of the freedom and democracy to which the United States aspires.
Yours in the struggle.
Until freedom is won,
Leonard Peltier
# 89637-132
U.S.P. Lewisburg,
P.O. Box 1000,
Lewisburg, PA USA 17837
Special Note from Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee:
Please Help Support the LPDOC for Leonard's Freedom
As Leonard Peltier marks his 64th birthday on Sept. 12, the LPDOC is redoubling its efforts to win his freedom. We are planning an ambitious organizing drive in our new Fargo office to persuade North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan, chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, to investigate the federal government's role in the violent counterinsurgency on the Pine Ridge Reservation from 1973-1976, the FBI's withholding of thousands of pages of documents related to the AIM activist, and the unfair federal trial in Fargo which led to Leonard's conviction in 1977.
Leonard is suffering from partial blindness, diabetes, a heart condition, high blood pressure, and prostate problems. He needs your help.
We need your help too, if we are to do the work that needs to be done to obtain justice for one of the longest-serving political prisoners in the world. At the moment, we are barely keeping up with our rent and phone bills, our two full-time staff members are working without pay, and we badly need a new photocopier. Due to the damaging actions of a former LPDC employee, who removed valuable office equipment and contributor records, we are rebuilding our committee virtually from scratch. We have found an experienced volunteer editor for our Spirit of Crazy Horse newspaper, but in order to resume publication, we will need your support.
If you are able to contribute $20 or more for this campaign, you will receive a free subscription to the newsletter to keep abreast on developments in Peltier's campaign and in Indian Country generally. Please contribute as generously as you are able, and also take the time to write and/or call Sen. Dorgan With your help, we can win Leonard's freedom from the same city in which it was taken away. Even if you are unable to contribute at this time, please send us your name and address to help us rebuild our list of supporters at the state and national level.
To support Leonard, you can send your donation to:
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
LPDOC; PO Box 7488; Fargo, ND 58106
701-235-2206
Betty Ann Peltier-Solano,
Executive Director
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Post@ FlybyNews.com
Free Leonard Peltier -- "Amnesty International considers Leonard Peltier to be a political prisoner whose avenues of redress have long been exhausted....Amnesty International recognizes that a retrial is no longer a feasible option and believes that Leonard Peltier should be immediately and unconditionally released." Documents show that although the prosecution and government pointed the finger at Peltier for shooting FBI agents at close range during the trial in 1976, for three years the prosecution withheld critical ballistic test results proving that the fatal bullets could not have come from the gun tied to Leonard Peltier. This trial also denied evidence of self defense. The U.S. Prosecutor, during subsequent oral arguments, stated: "we can't prove who shot those agents". The Eighth Circuit found that "There is a possibility that the jury would have acquitted Leonard Peltier had the records and data improperly withheld from the defense been available to him in order to better exploit and reinforce the inconsistencies casting strong doubts upon the government's case." Yet, a new trial was denied. Judge Heaney, who authored the denial now supports Mr. Peltier's release, stating that the FBI used improper tactics to gain Mr. Peltier's conviction. A good way to learn about Leonard Peltier is to read his book: Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance. For excerpts, see the following link, under article by Louise Erdich:
Time for Human Rights on Native Ground. For more resources:
Free Leonard Peltier!= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - Bush Gov’t involved in Sex and Drugs and OilBush Gov’t involved in Sex and Drugs and Oil and Roll: UPDATED
By: John Amato on Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 at 3:45 PM - PDT
Government officials handling billions of dollars in oil royalties partied, had sex with and accepted golf and ski outings from employees of energy companies they were dealing with, federal investigators said Wednesday.
The alleged transgressions involve 13 former and current Interior Department employees in Denver and Washington. Their alleged improprieties include rigging contracts, working part-time as private oil consultants, and having sexual relationships with - and accepting golf and ski trips and dinners from - oil company employees, according to three reports released Wednesday by the Interior Department’s inspector general.
The investigations reveal a “culture of substance abuse and promiscuity” by a small group of individuals “wholly lacking in acceptance of or adherence to government ethical standards,” wrote Inspector General Earl E. Devaney, whose office spent more than two years and $5.3 million on the investigation. “Sexual relationships with prohibited sources cannot, by definition, be arms-length,” Devaney said.
Read more:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/10/govt-involved-in-sex-and-drugs-and-oil-and-roll/also this AP article:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/INTERIOR_OIL_TRYSTS?SITE=VTBRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Interior employees accused in sex, gift scandal
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- - Common Dreams headlines this week Wednesday 09.10.08 - Headlines...
Kucinich: Impeach President Bush Now Environmental, Unions Call For Green-Jobs PlanDisarmament & Peace Groups Call For Rejection of Nuke DealBook Describes Bush's "Policy of Deliberate Cruelty"US Intelligence Council Warned Against Raids in PakistanOlmert Indicted As Deputy Is Accused of War CrimesRussia Threatens To Target US Missile Shield Sites: ReportsFor more on related issues, and what you can do, visit:
Campaigns for reclaiming a lost USA democracy
3) Take a Load Off Fannie – The Bailout ‘Fix’ for Mortgage Giants- - Why The Fannie-Freddie Bailout Will Fail
Take a Load Off Fannie: Bailout or Nationalization for the Mortgage Giants?By Ellen Brown
Published September 4, 2008 – Web of Debt
“Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free;
“Take a load off Fanny, and (and) (and)
“You put the load right on me.”
– The Band, “The Weight,” 1968Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac own or guarantee nearly half the $12 trillion U.S. mortgage market. Not long ago, they were the darlings of Wall Street, ranking next to U.S. bonds as among the safest and most conservative investments in the world. They are called “government-sponsored enterprises” (GSEs), although they are entirely privately owned and specifically disclaim government backing on their prospectuses. The market has taken these disclaimers with a wink and a nod and has assumed that the GSEs are “too big to fail,” forcing the government to save them from their reckless investment schemes. Fannie and Freddie’s preferred shares have been considered so safe that banking regulators let banks count them in the capital required as a cushion against loan losses. This is now proving to be a serious problem, because both the common and preferred shares of the distressed duo are suddenly plunging. Between May 15 and August 25, Fannie’s common shares lost 77% of their value, while its preferred shares lost 58.8% in that short time. Freddie Mac’s preferred shares plunged even more, down 65.5%. 1 That could be a disaster for many banks, which are loaded to the gills with these preferred shares. Banks already reeling from losses on mortgages and mortgage-backed securities are now being hit at the core, shrinking their capital base. Loss of bank capital works as leverage in reverse: at a capital requirement of 10%, $1 lost in capital wipes out $10 in loans.
Ironically, the recent plunge in Fannie and Freddie shares has been blamed on the bailout plan that was supposed to save them. In July, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson sought and was granted the authority to extend an unlimited credit line to the GSEs, which now have liabilities totaling about $5 trillion; and to capitalize them by buying their stock, effectively nationalizing them. At a July 15 hearing in Washington, Paulson assured a group of Senators that Congress probably would not have to go through with the plan. “If you have a bazooka in your pocket and people know it,” he said, “you probably won’t have to use it.” But bazookas can spook the very people they were supposed to reassure. After the plan was approved, foreign central banks slashed their Fannie and Freddie bond purchases by more than 25%, and shareholders rushed to dump their stock. On August 22, Moody’s downgraded Fannie and Freddie’s outstanding preferred stock by a full five notches, from A1 to Baa3 (or slightly above “junk”), and their Bank Financial Strength Ratings from B- to D+ (a one-half notch above D, something reserved for companies in default). Since the private sector isn’t buying, the Treasury is likely to wind up capitalizing the companies by buying new stock itself, seriously diluting the value of existing shares. A government bailout would be expected to wipe out the common shares, but it is becoming increasingly clear that the preferred stock is in jeopardy as well, jeopardizing the banks that hold it.
There are other aspects of Paulson’s bailout plan that could be giving policymakers Maalox moments. As noted in a July 17 Economist article:
“[N]ationalisation . . . would bring the whole of Fannie’s and Freddie’s debt onto the federal government’s balance sheet. In terms of book-keeping this would almost double the public debt, but that is rather misleading. It would hardly be like issuing $5.2 trillion of new Treasury bonds, because Fannie’s and Freddie’s debt is backed by real assets. Nevertheless, the fear [is] that the taxpayer may have to absorb the GSEs’ debt . . . . That suggests yet another irony; the debt of the GSEs has been trading as if it were guaranteed by the American government, but the debt of the government was not trading as if Uncle Sam had guaranteed that of the GSEs.”2
The U.S. federal debt is already up to nearly $10 trillion, putting its own triple-A credit rating in jeopardy. If the U.S. assumes the GSEs’ weighty liability as well, the country could lose its own triple-A rating, causing foreign lenders to withdraw their massive infusion of funds.3 But if the U.S. does not back the GSEs’ debt, the result could be the same. China’s $376 billion of long-term U.S. agency debt is mostly in Fannie and Freddie assets. Yu Yonding, a former adviser to China’s central bank, warned on August 21:
“If the U.S. government allows Fannie and Freddie to fail and international investors are not compensated adequately, the consequences will be catastrophic. If it is not the end of the world, it is the end of the current international financial system.”4
The Endgame Nears
Truncated, for the complete article, see:
www.webofdebt.com/articles/take_a_load_off_fannie.php= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - Why The Fannie-Freddie Bailout Will Failby Martin D. Weiss, Ph.D.
Published September 8, 2008 by Money and Markets
www.moneyandmarkets.com/Issues.aspx?NewsletterEntryId=2198
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