Stephen Kinzer

When: Saturday February 16 at 4 pm
Where: Gateway Building, 200 NE Water Street, Peoria, IL

An award-winning veteran New York Times correspondent who has reported from more than fifty countries on five continents and author of several books including All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror and Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq Stephen Kinzer is joined by retired US generals, Iranian dissidents and university professors in a national tour to promote diplomacy with and oppose pre-emptive attack on Iran. The tour is designed to appeal to the American people and elected officials through events and news media in support of serious and effective diplomacy to resolve all issues between the U.S. and Iran without military conflict or threats of military conflict.

For more information contact Lisa Offutt, 579-3715 or l.offutt@insightbb.com.

Tour website: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iran/index.php

Illinois Tour Endorsers:
Bradley Chapter Amnesty International Peoria Area Peace Network
Bradley University Muslim Students Association Peoria Chapter of NOW
Network of Spiritual Progressives Peoria Chapter Peoria Code Pink
Peoria Area Green Party Veterans for Peace

National Tour Endorsers:
Americans for Informed Democracy Colombe Foundation
Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Just Foreign Policy
Fellowship of Reconciliation National Iranian American Council
Peace Majority Report Physicians for Social Responsibility
United for Peace and Justice Iran Working Group The Pluralism Fund
Women’s Action for New Directions Cultures of Resistance Network
Cathleen D. Stone & James M. Stone Fndtn. American Friends Service Committee
Peace Action

Young Men and Women

How the Markets Really Work

Yes, it really is this bad
Another example of humor that is deadly accurate.

I worked on Wall Street for a few years, elbow to elbow with "top" investment bankers.

It was one big casino with the saps in pensions funds and savings and loans (and us) being used to finance the game and cover the losses.

Brasscheck TV
2380 California St.
San Francisco, CA 94115

Seasons of Discontent: A Presidential Occupation Project

Earlier this year I spent an incredible week with amazing peace activists/war protesters in Des Moines, Iowa, Chicago and Springfield, Illinois. It all started with Kathy Kelly’s coming to Peoria on Friday December 21, 2007, to see the Iraqi refugee family.
I had heard about Kathy Kelly from Tonya but had never met her before or knew too much about her. Sometimes I feel I am going through life in a fog, I seem to hear things but not really hear, if you know what I mean. Any way during her brief visit Kathy mentioned about going to Iowa to protest the war to various presidential candidate who were gathering in Iowa for the caucuses. I had been feeling restless to do some thing, that I jumped at the opportunity to join Kathy in the SODAPOP – Seasons Of Discontent: A Presidential Occupation Project.
before Kathy came to Peoria my car was partially repaired and was waiting for a part to complete the repair. The part was expected to arrive after Christmas with plenty of time to finish repair before the sodapop operation in Iowa.
But i feel more comfortable with a newer car that also gives better mileage. In the shop, I had to after deliberating and back and forth vacillation I se
Anyway I decided to take a chance and headed to Des Moines on Sunday December 30, 2007. I cruised all the way just about 20 miles from des-Moines when suddenly the car slowed down considerably. According to my calculations I should have easily reached iowa on the gas tank I had filled couple of days before leaving for Iowa. In a panic I took the first exit hoping to find a gas station. I have to drive all over Altoona before finding a gas station that carried diesel by then the guage was showing empty tank. Normally on a full tank I can go 330 – 400 miles. The odometer reading had barely reached 300 miles. It was getting late and was bitterly cold, nervously I got on the highway again and made it to Dingman – catholic worker house safely.
I had no idea that there will be so many people, apparently waiting for dinner. I got some curious glances as, timidly, I made my way to the back of the house. In the kitchen I was told the dinner would be served at 6 pm. Apparently any one can drop in for meals. Kathy and bob had not arrived yet from Chicago, I introduced myself and was promptly taken to the attic where most of the activists from all over would sleep for the next few days.
By the dinnertime Kathy and Bob had arrived from Chicago.
At the meeting next morning I learned the nuts and bolts of sodapop. It was decided in advance who is willing to risk arrest and how to avoid it you do not want to go to jail. Before the 1 hr meeting ended Lee from Louisville, KY had looked up on the internet and found that Mike Huckabee was going to be in his des Moines office at 12:30 pm.
what followed was just amazing, the whole team went into action. Since Huckabee was a priest in his past life it was suggested that the banner/poster should say some thing with Jesus in it. It is all a blur, at least to me, who did or suggest what. some people went shopping for markers and other needs others drew words with pencil on white sheet.
Here are Kathy, Bob and Mona holding the result at mike Huckabee’s office before being hauled to the city jail.
other pictures and videos of the protests can be seen here and here
All three were released shortly afterwards.
The protests and meetings continued for next three days as more people joined in. at every protest people were arrested except on Thursday at Clinton’s office no one got arrested despite the best efforts of some people. If you look closely you’ll see people blocking the Clinton’s office door from inside by the staff and by protesters from the outside.
Kathy Kelly, the young Jesuit priest, whose name regrettably I cannot recall, and I left for Chicago at about 3:30 pm, I hear the stand off ended when the office was closed at 5 pm.

December - january book: Fahrenheit 451

for our next book we decided on 'peoria reads' selection - Fahrenheit 451, so that we can get involved with more people in the community. the thought behind this decision is to open channels of communication with new people with the ultimate goal of bringing about the great turning that david korten talks about in his book and video.

also some of us (especially harry and bob) have been learning and practicing renewable/sustainable living - have started community gardens - would like to share our experience and knowledge with others and learn from others.

if you're interested but haven't had a chance to read the book or watch the video u can borrow either or both from the global vollage. i have already put two copies of the dvd provided by Harry Elger and i'll make sure there is at least one copy of the book provided by Paul Appel. u may also want to visit thegreatturning.net/

also in circulation are copies of 3 most recent issues of the yes magazine published by Korten's wife that Paul broght to our last meeting.

Peoria Reads' schedule of events for Fahrenheit 451 can be found here peoriareads.org. club read another book club is also reading the same book and will meet in Lakeview library on Wednesday, january 23, 2008 at 6:30 pm.

speaking of books, i asked the library if they have Anna Baltzer's Witness in Palestine, none of the area libraries had a copy. so when the librarian asked me if i'd like to request the library to buy this book, i jumped and requested. i don't know if they'll really buy it or not but the chances will greatly improve if some other people asked for the book and put in a request if it is not available. if u r not in the area u could still ask and request for anna's or any other book.
anna's website: annainthemiddleeast.com/

Happy reading

razia

we are the ones we have been waiting for - David Korten

for our next book we decided on 'peoria reads' selection - Fahrenheit 451, so that we can get involved with more people in the community. the thought behind this decision is to open channels of communication with new people with the ultimate goal of bringing about the great turning that david korten talks about in his book and video.

also some of us (especially harry and bob) have been learning and practicing renewable/sustainable living - have started community gardens - would like to share our experience and knowledge with others and learn from others.

if you're interested but haven't had a chance to read the book or watch the video u can borrow either or both from the global vollage. i have already put two copies of the dvd provided by Harry Elger and i'll make sure there is at least one copy of the book provided by Paul Appel. u may also want to visit thegreatturning.net/

also in circulation are copies of 3 most recent issues of the yes magazine published by Korten's wife that Paul broght to our last meeting.

Peoria Reads' schedule of events for Fahrenheit 451 can be found here peoriareads.org. club read another book club is also reading the same book and will meet in Lakeview library on Wednesday, january 23, 2008 at 6:30 pm.

speaking of books, i asked the library if they have Anna Baltzer's Witness in Palestine, none of the area libraries had a copy. so when the librarian asked me if i'd like to request the library to buy this book, i jumped and requested. i don't know if they'll really buy it or not but the chances will greatly improve if some other people asked for the book and put in a request if it is not available. if u r not in the area u could still ask and request for anna's or any other book.
anna's website: annainthemiddleeast.com/

Happy reading

razia

we are the ones we have been waiting for - David Korten

Hajj

continued on youtube