Andy's Update: Issue 21

PRESS BRAINWASH

I was surprised to read a Reuters headline that Italy was on board with the Bush agenda on invading Iraq... surely the Italians wouldn't think that... and of course they don't: it's just a particularly blatant example of a supposedly reputable news authority telling you red is green.

Reuters headline says:
"Italy Stands Fully Behind U.S. over Iraq"

The story under that headline says:
"Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States on Wednesday, declaring that Rome had a duty to support U.S. diplomatic and military efforts to disarm Iraq. [Extensive quotes from Berlusconi and so on] ... Latest opinion polls suggest that the vast majority of Italians are against going to war against Iraq ... Former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema, who is president of the main left-wing opposition party, denounced Berlusconi's speech as 'totally wrong,' ... major anti-war demonstrations in the coming weeks across Italy ... 'War would be a catastrophic outcome...' said Piero Fassino, leader of the Democrats of the Left party."

Link to Reuters story

Read the press with caution!

EMAIL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT -- RIGHT NOW!!!

This is a pivotal moment. Now.

Not everyone in the capitol is fully behind this Total World Domination plot. Even Senator Dianne Feinstein, not the most lefty Democrat you'll find, says this in a letter on her home page:

"I just returned from a trip to Europe ... I was shocked at how dramatically perceptions in Europe have shifted since September 11 toward our country. All of the sympathy and concern we received in the wake of the terrorist attacks has apparently vanished, replaced by the sense that the United States is becoming an arrogant and aggressive power, a nation that simply gives orders, a nation that neither listens nor hears."

Opinions on capitol hill are divided, so at this moment every ounce of effort counts. Here are some email addresses you can contact; please spend a few minutes right away -- before these people dig us in any deeper -- and write to them in Washington.

Those White Guys in the White House

President George W. Bush: mailto://president@whitehouse.gov
Vice President Richard Cheney: mailto://vice.president@whitehouse.gov

Your Senators, if you're in New York or California
(They all have form-based email, presumably to stop robot spam lobbying)

California Senators

Barbara Boxer: http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/webform.html (Senator Boxer is also the Chair, Senate Subcommittee on International Operations and Terrorism)
Dianne Feinstein: http://feinstein.senate.gov/email.html

New York Senators

Charles Schumer http://schumer.senate.gov/webform.html
Hillary Clinton http://clinton.senate.gov/email_form.html

Your Senators, if you live in another US state
Find your Senators' email at http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm
House members' websites listed at: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html Other government players you can email:

Joseph Biden, Chair, Senate Committee on Foreign Relationsmailto://Senator@Biden.Senate.gov
Secretary of State Colin Powell: mailto://secretary@state.gov

Not accepting email from outside their constituencies, but still reachable by phone or post, are:

Henry Hyde, Chairman
House Committee on International Relations
2170 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
202) 225-5021
fax: 202) 226-2831

Bob Stump, Chairman
House Armed Services Committee
211 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
202) 225-4576
fax: 202) 225-6328

I don't think there's any point in contacting Rumsfeld or Wolfowitz. They're too busy snarling and snapping at the end of their leashes to hear you.

Let's all spend a few minutes and tell them what we think. Just a few words (50 maybe) to say:

no war in Iraq (THE MAIN POINT. SAY IT LOUD.)
why not (e.g. it's illegal, stupid, dangerous, bad for the economy, etc.)
who you are (make it real for them)

and anything you wish to add. You can write one and send it to a bunch of these folks with little or no modification.

Pass it on: invite your like-minded friends to write too
Hey, overseas friends, you can too!

** Imagine all the people living life in peace...
** Now REALLY imagine it...

Andy