Translation
Stop Singing, Start Doing
By: Rosemarie Jackowski
In the past couple of days I have received e-mails from unrelated sources with the message,"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." In addition, a blogger posted that message on the Mickey Z blog site. Comments on Mickey's blog are generally much different. They are usually in the category of irreverent - edgy. It was shocking to see a prayer there.
This all happened within the first 48 hours after the announcement that Cindy Sheehan was stepping back from the peace movement. The timing of the e-mails and blog posting of the Serenity Prayer made me wonder if we are suffering from a case of "Cindy Syndrome". We are saddened by Cindy's announcement. We are burned out, worn out, feeling hopeless, and helpless. The current war has once again exposed the dark underside of America the Beautiful. We live in a country where more people know their thread count than know the Iraqi civilian body count - where more know the pH number of the water in their pool, than know the number of deaths caused by Blackwater.
On Democracy Now, Cindy clarified her position. She is not abandoning the effort. She is stepping back to regroup. She is setting a good example for the rest of us. Marching, protesting, singing, and voting are all nice feel-good activities but they cannot change the course of this nation.
Ward Churchill said it better than anyone I have ever heard.
“...What I want is for civilization to stop killing my people’s children. If that can be accomplished peacefully, I will be glad. If signing a petition will get those in power to stop killing Indian children, I will put my name at the top of the list. If marching in a protest will do it, I’ll walk as far as you want. If holding a candle will do it, I’ll hold two. If singing protest songs will do it, I’ll sing whatever songs you want me to sing. If living simply will do it, I will live extremely simply. If voting will do it, I’ll vote. But all of those things are allowed by those in power, and none of those things will ever stop those in power from killing Indian children. They never have, and they never will. Given that my people’s children are being killed, you have no grounds to complain at whatever means I use to protect the lives of my people’s children. And I will do whatever it takes...” -Ward Churchill
If we really want to change this nation, we must be willing to do, as Churchill suggests, whatever it takes. Malcolm X expressed a similar thought when he said, "By any means necessary".
We owe a debt of gratitude to Malcolm, Ward, Cindy, and many others. Mostly we owe a debt to the families of the children who have died as a result of U.S. policies. The time for singing protest songs is over.
 Rosemarie Jackowski is an advocacy journalist living in the USA. She was arrested, tried, and convicted for her participation in a peaceful protest of the war. The conviction was appealed and overturned in the State Supreme Court. The government then announced plans to retry the case. Finally, after years of legal proceedings, all charges were dropped. She can be reached at: dissent[at]sover.net Articles by Rosemarie Jackowski at MWC News http://mwcnews.net/rosemarie-jackowski |
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1. 13-06-2007 07:10
VERMONT VOTER RESPONDS TO ROSEMARIE JACK
Hi! Rosemarie!
Good to see you bringing up Blackwater private army. http://blackwaterusa.com
Are you now advocating that we "do whatever it takes"?
This is certainly the Blackwater approach, isn't it?
http://blackwaterusa.com
I never even heard of Blackwater until you and I had lunch last month and you informed me about it!
Some sources on the internet claim that President Truman, in 1947, created a "National Security Act" that allowed a "Black Budget" to be kept secret and to pay for secret prisons and other C.I.A. activity.
You informed me that this is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.
The United States Constitution says that "no money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law, and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of public money SHALL be published from time to time.
In the Law, the word "shall" means that it is mandatory.
I went to http://www.loc.gov
the Library of Congress,
and found 50 U.S.C. (United States Code)
Title 50 Chapter 15, Subchapter I
Section 403j
War and National Defense, National Security,
Coordination for National Security,
Central Intelligence Agency; appropriations; expenditures
Section 403j(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of Law, sums made available to the Agency
by appropriation
or otherwise
may be expended for purposes necessary to carry out its functions,
including
(1) personal services,
including personal services
without regard
to types of persons
to be employed,
and rent
at the seat of government
and elsewhere
(DOES THIS MEAN HIRING BLACKWATER PRIVATE ARMY AND BUYING A SEAT IN GOVERNMENT IN SOME COUNTRY?)
Section 403j(b) The sums made available to the Agency may be expended without regard to the provisions of Law
and regulations
relating to the expenditures of Government funds;
and for objects of a confidential,
extraordinary,
or emergency nature,
such expenditures
to be accounted for
solely on the certificate
of the Director
(DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A. CAN SPEND MONEY ON ANYTHING HE WANTS,
AT ANYTIME HE WANTS,
SOLELY ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY
WITHOUT OVERSIGHT?)
50 U.S.C. Section 4031
Authority to accept gifts, devises and bequests
(IS A DEVICE A WEAPON?)
(a) Use for operational purposes prohibited
(IS THIS "use for operational purposes prohibited" PRE-EMPTED by 50 U.S.C. Section 403j "without regard to the provisions of Law")
50 USC Section 4031 continued..."Subject to the provisions of this section, the Director may accept,
hold,
administer,
and use,
gifts of money,
securities,
or other property
whenever the Director determines
it would
be in the best interest of the United States to do so..."
(then it says the money, gifts and property are to be enjoyed by the C.I.A. employees for their recreation, etc.)
IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE C.I.A. CAN TAKE MONEY FROM ANY COUNTRY,
OR ANY BUSINESSMAN,
OR ANY WORLD WIDE MEGA-CORPORATION
AND USE IT ANY WAY HE WANTS.
Rosemarie, does this mean that you support
these laws allowing the C.I.A
to do whatever they want?
"by any means necessary"?
Please clarify if you would agree that Vermonters,
(that's you and me)
need to demand that
United States Senator Patrick Leahy,
United States Senator Bernard Sanders, (Bernie Sanders)
and U.S. Congressman (Congressperson) Peter Welch
WORK IMMEDIATELY TO REPEAL THESE FEDERAL LAWS.
Good to see you bringing up Blackwater private army. http://blackwaterusa.com
Are you now advocating that we "do whatever it takes"?
This is certainly the Blackwater approach, isn't it?
http://blackwaterusa.com
I never even heard of Blackwater until you and I had lunch last month and you informed me about it!
Some sources on the internet claim that President Truman, in 1947, created a "National Security Act" that allowed a "Black Budget" to be kept secret and to pay for secret prisons and other C.I.A. activity.
You informed me that this is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.
The United States Constitution says that "no money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law, and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of public money SHALL be published from time to time.
In the Law, the word "shall" means that it is mandatory.
I went to http://www.loc.gov
the Library of Congress,
and found 50 U.S.C. (United States Code)
Title 50 Chapter 15, Subchapter I
Section 403j
War and National Defense, National Security,
Coordination for National Security,
Central Intelligence Agency; appropriations; expenditures
Section 403j(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of Law, sums made available to the Agency
by appropriation
or otherwise
may be expended for purposes necessary to carry out its functions,
including
(1) personal services,
including personal services
without regard
to types of persons
to be employed,
and rent
at the seat of government
and elsewhere
(DOES THIS MEAN HIRING BLACKWATER PRIVATE ARMY AND BUYING A SEAT IN GOVERNMENT IN SOME COUNTRY?)
Section 403j(b) The sums made available to the Agency may be expended without regard to the provisions of Law
and regulations
relating to the expenditures of Government funds;
and for objects of a confidential,
extraordinary,
or emergency nature,
such expenditures
to be accounted for
solely on the certificate
of the Director
(DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A. CAN SPEND MONEY ON ANYTHING HE WANTS,
AT ANYTIME HE WANTS,
SOLELY ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY
WITHOUT OVERSIGHT?)
50 U.S.C. Section 4031
Authority to accept gifts, devises and bequests
(IS A DEVICE A WEAPON?)
(a) Use for operational purposes prohibited
(IS THIS "use for operational purposes prohibited" PRE-EMPTED by 50 U.S.C. Section 403j "without regard to the provisions of Law")
50 USC Section 4031 continued..."Subject to the provisions of this section, the Director may accept,
hold,
administer,
and use,
gifts of money,
securities,
or other property
whenever the Director determines
it would
be in the best interest of the United States to do so..."
(then it says the money, gifts and property are to be enjoyed by the C.I.A. employees for their recreation, etc.)
IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE C.I.A. CAN TAKE MONEY FROM ANY COUNTRY,
OR ANY BUSINESSMAN,
OR ANY WORLD WIDE MEGA-CORPORATION
AND USE IT ANY WAY HE WANTS.
Rosemarie, does this mean that you support
these laws allowing the C.I.A
to do whatever they want?
"by any means necessary"?
Please clarify if you would agree that Vermonters,
(that's you and me)
need to demand that
United States Senator Patrick Leahy,
United States Senator Bernard Sanders, (Bernie Sanders)
and U.S. Congressman (Congressperson) Peter Welch
WORK IMMEDIATELY TO REPEAL THESE FEDERAL LAWS.
Guest
2. 13-06-2007 10:54
VERMONT VOTER RESPONDS TO ROSEMARIE JACK
“The difference between the revolutionary and the terrorist lies in the reason for which he fights. For whoever stands by a just cause and fights for freedom and liberation of his land from the invaders, the settlers and the colonialists, cannot possibly be called terrorists… As to those who fight against just causes, those who wage war to occupy, colonize and oppress other people, those are the terrorists. Those are the people whose actions should be condemned, who should be called war criminals; for the justice of the cause determines the right to struggle.” Yasser Arafat
Cris...I never support the killing of civilians. I always support those who would defend civilians "by any means necessary". There is a big difference. I have no trouble seeing the difference between those who would invade and occupy a country and the civilians who are in the country which is being occupied.
As far as relying on members of Congress to stop the killing, good luck. It is Congress that got us there in the first place.
Cris...I never support the killing of civilians. I always support those who would defend civilians "by any means necessary". There is a big difference. I have no trouble seeing the difference between those who would invade and occupy a country and the civilians who are in the country which is being occupied.
As far as relying on members of Congress to stop the killing, good luck. It is Congress that got us there in the first place.
Guest
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Tags: Rosemarie Jackowski Cindy Sheehan Mickey Z