Tricounty DFA Update: Vigil Thanks, Our Fifth Anniversary Coming Up!
Hello Everyone;

In This Update:


1. Fifth Anniversary Vigil Thanks
2. Glens Falls DFA-- Our Fifth Anniversary Meetup/Linkup Approaches
3. Poison Pill Strategy?
4. The Surge
5. Earth Hour
6. Friday Night Progressive Film Festival
7. On The Lighter Side...


1. Fifth Anniversary Vigil Thanks

Many thanks to the determined and brave souls who came out in a cold rain last week for our vigil to protest the 5th anniversary of the United State's invasion of Iraq. We read the names of American service members lost, and everyone who was there will attest it was a moving experience. The evening was, I think, also imbued with a sense of regret that after five years and so much effort, we have not been able to end this war. Certainly, after the last election, I don't believe any of us expected we would still have forces in Iraq at this time, nor that we would have passed the appalling 4,000 mark in official US fatalities.

Special thanks is due to Frank Grassia, Pfc. Nathan Brown's Social Studies teacher at South High, who began the evening by reading the names of the dead from New York and Vermont, and for his great comments to TV-13. Thanks also to Kate Austin for coordinating and set up with Moveon.org and Kathy Sonnabend for helping organize the lists of names, including Iraqi losses she read.

News coverage was excellent, including the Post-Star, WNYT-13 and TV-8. The event dominated news coverage of the anniversary of the war that evening on channel 13, which was a real plus in making the event the success it was.

Pictures of the event are on our blog at http://townmeetingday.blogspot.com and there is also more on Blog For America at: http://blogforamerica.com/view/24362


2. Glens Falls DFA-- Our Fifth Anniversary Meetup/Linkup Approaches


Another Fifth Anniversary is coming up a week from today on April 2nd: our Fifth Anniversary Greater Glens Falls DFA Meetup or Link-up!

Yes, it is hard to believe, but five years ago next Wednesday, April 2nd, we first came together to support the candidacy of Howard Dean, and we have been meeting continuously ever since then. We have moved on from Dean For America to Democracy For America, welcomed our progressive friends from the Kucinich and Clark campaigns and other new friends, but we are still fighting to resist right wing extremism, support progress policies and candidates, and build a new American community.

I regard it as a miracle this is all still going on-- and we owe it all to you. And we are at the same location-- only now it is the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe. We will be meeting at the same time we always do-- 7pm.

If you haven't been in a long time-- don't be shy. Come on down. This is going to be a special moment to reflect on the last five years and what we have accomplished, first of which is the fact we are all still together. If you have a suggestion for something special you would like to see us do next Wednesday, let me know.

For old times's sake, I'll be unfurling our big Dean For America banner in celebration-- and if you have a Kucinich, Clark or Kerry poster, bring that along, too!


3. Poison Pill Strategy?

The 2008 campaign is getting uglier by the day and a growing number of voices are raising questions as to what, exactly, the strategy of the Clinton campaign actually is. It's possible it's what's known in business circles as a poison pill strategy, a measure companies adopt to prevent a take-over by deliberating destroying the company, for instance, by automatically selling off its assets in the face of a take-over bid.

It has been widely reported in the last week that even Clinton campaign staffers now believe Sen. Clinton has no more than a 5-10% chance of winning the nomination. But the Clinton campaign is rejecting calls to recognize the near inevitable. Maureen Dowd in the NYT expresses what is a growing private discussion in Party circles: Hillary Clinton is already looking forward to 2012-- "Hillary Or Nobody": http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/opinion/26dowd.html?em&ex=1206676800&en=838507d62acc71ba&ei=5087%0A

Jake Tapper at ABCNEWS has more on "Dems Fear Clinton's Tonya Harding Strategy": http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=4526203\

Drew sends this piece along on the pressure being placed on Speaker Pelosi: http://agonist.org/schecter/?p=8164


4. The Surge

If that isn't bad news enough, there is growing proof the so-called Surge is falling apart. As we've noted before, the concept was based on an attempt to bribe our enemies. It's interesting that the neocons and conservatives were obsessed with never repeating the appeasement tactics of the 1930s, but that is precisely what we've been doing in Iraq.

Incredibly, although I suppose the Iraq experience beggars that word, the administration has now stopped the payola, and, unsurprisingly, the monster we have now created is sore about that: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/21/iraq.alqaida

What were they thinking? Did they not realize when you start paying bribes, you can't stop? It would seem to be another towering landmark in a long record of stupidity and incompetence, like disbanding the Iraqi Army and turning the men loose.

The truce with the El-Sadr is also falling apart, so look for a continuation of the recent increase in violence. The War may well become a burning issue in the election once again.


5. Earth Hour

There's an interesting and possibly fun environmental event coming up on Saturday the 29th: Earth Hour, which is being organized by a series of environmental groups. From Earth Hour.org:

"The momentum is building for Earth Hour--8 to 9 pm, March 29, 2008--the global movement to shut off the lights for one hour to make a bold statement about climate change. More and more individuals, businesses, and even cities are planning to participate. Together, we'll deliver a powerful message to the citizens and leaders of the world about the need for action on climate change."

"Earth Hour is an opportunity for each one of us to take action, influence others and start a wave of change that alters the course of climate change. But turning off your lights is just the beginning. What can one person do in the face of a global challenge? Here are some easy tips to help you make a big impact."

"Be sure to be counted. Sign up for Earth Hour and commit to turning off your lights on March 29 from 8 to 9 pm local time."

For more info and to sign up go to: http://www.earthhour.org/

I'll have some more online actions this weekend.


6. Friday Night Progressive Film Festival

The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, world famous as the home of Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, will be holding its usual Friday Night Progressive Film Festival at 7:30 with:

Fri Mar 28 7:30 pm Adirondack Progressive Film Forum
MARIO'S STORY (2007) Jeff Werner & Susan Koch 98 min. No RT Rating
In 1998, Mario Rocha, a young latino, was convicted of murder based on the basis of one questionable identification and not a shred of physical evidence. He was sixteen years old at the time of his arrest, yet tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison. While spending over two years at Juvenile Hall waiting for his trial, Mario joined a writing program and discovered his talent and love for writing. Today, his stories, plays and poems are published and performed in prisons throughout the country. This film interweaves Mario's story as an inmate in one of california's toughest maximum-security prisons with the efforts of an unlikely group of people who have come together to win his freedom.


7. On The Lighter Side...


In other news, after a 15 year hiatus, the World's Greatest Party Band, the B-52s, is finally back with a new album (see, I do think about other things besides politics!). Sometimes the best response to the absurd is laughter, and there seems to be more and more of the absurd out there all the time (see item #3 above). http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/14/arts/lobsters.php and http://www.theb52s.com/

Sadly, The Twos will not be able to make it for our Fifth Anniversary Celebration. But I am sure they would send some good cosmic vibes, if they knew.

See you all next week!

Rock On,

Larry

Labels: Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Earth Hour, Iraq War, Larry Dudley, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, vigil

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:21 AM