Our Congresswoman has done nothing on Iraq during her tenure in the house.
So on Sunday, the Peace People (MFSO, the Peace Partners and friends) paid a little visit on the Party People (Lake Co Dems, McHenry Co Dems and EDDI) in hopes of having a dialog with the Congresswoman about her record on Iraq.
Well with 8 well behaved (and smiling) Peace People, 4 signs, 1 pair of empty boots and a bunch of flowers, the Peace People appeared to have frightened the Congresswoman off...before she spoke at her own event even. Perhaps it was because she didn't have anything to say about 2,631 empty pair of boots...and the lives that have been shattered by the loss of those who wore them. After all, it is a tough thing to tell voters you are doing your job as US citizens die everyday in a war of choice that you voted to support in June.
One of my Gold Star Mom friends tells me her son was murdered by the Bush Administration and Congress...they sent him to war in a helicopter that was meant for civilian use...not for use in combat. He was in the National Guard.
The Party People tell us it is all about getting Democrats elected. The Peace People believe it is all about ending this war of choice before one more kid dies. And taking care of those Troops who return promptly, appropriately and with the same dedication they have shown to us.
The Congresswoman says nothing. I guess given her voting record on Iraq, she really can't say too much.
Check out the MFSO-Chicago blog here for the story.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Vacation ALMOST Over
My vacation from being an "active activist" is nearly over. I plan to return with a bang...and bring a some of my good friends with me.
Keep an eye out. I will post pictures (maybe from jail - but I hope not)and a story early next week once the action is complete.
The press will be there...let the party begin!
Keep an eye out. I will post pictures (maybe from jail - but I hope not)and a story early next week once the action is complete.
The press will be there...let the party begin!
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Taking a break
I have been taking a break for the last few weeks...and plan on taking at least one more week off from activism. Sometimes, one must step back a bit from what seems to be a head-banging struggle to gain perspective. I am doing just that.
In my spare time...which suddenly, it seems I have found, I have been out photographing - mostly beautiful scenery colored with nature's beautiful summer pallete. An assortment of pictures can be found on http://www.flickr.com/photos/army_mom/
Enjoy the pictures...as I enjoy the rest.
In my spare time...which suddenly, it seems I have found, I have been out photographing - mostly beautiful scenery colored with nature's beautiful summer pallete. An assortment of pictures can be found on http://www.flickr.com/photos/army_mom/
Enjoy the pictures...as I enjoy the rest.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
The Accidental Activist - And Why I Like Dogs Better
Over the last couple of weeks, life has been busy teaching me a lesson. As I go through this rocky journey, small blessings are the ones that are the most important. My picture in the previous post was taken in my own front yard. The baby has now fledged and is hopping around yelling for his mother to feed him. He is much larger than his mother who is skinny and worn out from caring for her young.
After spending what can only be described as a horrible few weeks, I came to understand that my spirit was getting pretty skinny and worn out as well. Neil Young got it pretty close in his song "Living with War"...but not right on. The emotional toll is exhausting robbing joy from nearly every aspect of life.
Well NO MORE. It is time for the people who are responsible for this mess to shoulder some of the burden and accountability for it. And I am talking not only the Administration - I am talking about every American who has staked their personal security on the back of the brave young men and women serving in the Armed Forces. It is time to ante up and act like Americans. Don't believe we should be involved in Iraq? Write your rep...and tell him/her. Think that extending deployments, multiple deployments and the like are plain wrong - again make your thoughts known. Griping about gas prices - well remember that in previous wars, gas was rationed to provide fuel for military purposes.
I am of the belief that it is time for the folks who say that the President and Congress are doing the wrong thing and the country is heading in the wrong direction to actually participate in the decision making process. All too often, I hear that the constituents in this district AGREE with what I am doing from lawmakers we approach with a bring em home now message.
I came upon this activisim thing quite by accident: my kid enlisted. Almost immediately, I began to research the reasons for Iraq...and our effectiveness in occupying that country. Some of the things I learned (and not from main stream media sources) were quite shocking. I have read declassified Army reports, reports on how people's lives in Iraq are affected by this war, the way others in this world view the US and her troops, as well as similar reports and analysis regarding Afghanistan. Most of this stuff is online...and accessible to the public.
Don't know much about Iraq and Afghanistan - well look it up. The lives of thousands of US Servicemembers depend on good public policy...and in our system of government, that starts with public involvement.
After spending what can only be described as a horrible few weeks, I came to understand that my spirit was getting pretty skinny and worn out as well. Neil Young got it pretty close in his song "Living with War"...but not right on. The emotional toll is exhausting robbing joy from nearly every aspect of life.
Well NO MORE. It is time for the people who are responsible for this mess to shoulder some of the burden and accountability for it. And I am talking not only the Administration - I am talking about every American who has staked their personal security on the back of the brave young men and women serving in the Armed Forces. It is time to ante up and act like Americans. Don't believe we should be involved in Iraq? Write your rep...and tell him/her. Think that extending deployments, multiple deployments and the like are plain wrong - again make your thoughts known. Griping about gas prices - well remember that in previous wars, gas was rationed to provide fuel for military purposes.
I am of the belief that it is time for the folks who say that the President and Congress are doing the wrong thing and the country is heading in the wrong direction to actually participate in the decision making process. All too often, I hear that the constituents in this district AGREE with what I am doing from lawmakers we approach with a bring em home now message.
I came upon this activisim thing quite by accident: my kid enlisted. Almost immediately, I began to research the reasons for Iraq...and our effectiveness in occupying that country. Some of the things I learned (and not from main stream media sources) were quite shocking. I have read declassified Army reports, reports on how people's lives in Iraq are affected by this war, the way others in this world view the US and her troops, as well as similar reports and analysis regarding Afghanistan. Most of this stuff is online...and accessible to the public.
Don't know much about Iraq and Afghanistan - well look it up. The lives of thousands of US Servicemembers depend on good public policy...and in our system of government, that starts with public involvement.
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