Corporate and public (NPR) media distort the facts
We stand before history once more and we will be judged not by our thoughts, but by our actions.
President Obama’s insists that the United States does not support the coup against Honduras’ democratically elected president. Yet Democracy Now reports that lobbyists with close ties to the Clinton family are not representing the coup leadership in an effort to gain Washington approval for the military regime: “US Lobbyists with Clinton Ties Hired to Defend Honduran Coup Regime”). And recent reports indicate that the U.S. continues to educate Honduran soldiers (“U.S. continues to train Honduran soldiers”).
Meanwhile, the mainstream media including NPR continue distort the facts by repeating that the ouster was motivated by president Zelaya’s power grab. The facts flat-out contradict this assertion. Journalist Benjamin Dangl writes:
As one media analyst pointed out, while many major news outlets in the US, including the Miami Herald, Wall St. Journal and Washington Post, said an impetus for the coup was specifically Zelaya’s plans for a vote to allow him to extend his term in office, the actual ballot question was to be: "Do you agree that, during the general elections of November 2009 there should be a fourth ballot to decide whether to hold a Constituent National Assembly that will approve a new political constitution? (“Showdown in Honduras: The Rise and Uncertain Future of the Coup”)
While the tainted Iranian election made headlines throughout the mainstream news, the gun-barrel deposing of Honduras’s elected president continues to receive little to no attention. And when a media outlet does pay attention, they some how fail to seriously consider or give voice to the popular struggle taking place by the Honduran people against the coup. The death of one protestor during Iranian protests made headlines for days. But the death of two people in Honduras is ignored (with the exception of independent media outlets such as Democracy Now: “Honduran Coup Regime Blocks Ousted President Zelaya’s Return; Troops Open Fire on Supporters at Airport, Killing Two”).
Perhaps Hondurans are being punished for their lack of prowess in twittering; or perhaps a Honduran military dictatorship is more profitable for U.S. interests than democracy and reformers such as Zelaya.
U.S. industry including apparel companies have been angered by the ousted president Zelaya’s success at increasing minimum wage. Nikolas Kozloff reports that Chiquita banana “was very unhappy about President Zelaya’s minimum wage decrees, because they said that this would cut into their profits and make it more expensive for them to export bananas and pineapple” (http://www.democracynow.org/2009/7/21/from_arbenz_to_zelaya_chiquita_in).
Americans have a responsibility to what’s happening in Honduras because our military trained the general who led the coup against the Honduran president. In an interview with Democracy Now, Father Roy Bourgeois explained the connection between the U.S. run military school formerly known as the School of the Americans, now WHINSEC.:
This school is well known in Latin America as a school of coups, a school of dictators, a school of torture....The two main players in this coup in Honduras that ousted President Zelaya are two generals, well-known graduates of the school: General Romero Vasquez, who’s the commander-in-chief, the head of the military, not only a graduate, a two-time graduate; and, of course, also General Luis Suazo, a graduate of the school in 1996, who’s the head of the air force (“Generals Who Led Honduras Military Coup Trained at the School of the Americas”).
School of the American’s Watch is specifically calling on the Obama administration to do the following:
* Insist upon the immediate and unconditional return of President Zelaya * Recall the U.S. ambassador and embassy staff * Withdraw U.S. troops from Palmerola * Expel Honduran troops from SOA/WHINSEC
After taking notice, Americans need to take action in solidarity with the Honduran people. If there is one thing U.S. citizens can do to lift the bloody shroud of brutal U.S. militarism from the world, it’s to speak out and decry our government’s training of murderers and destroyers of other people’s democracy.
To this end SOA Watch South Florida, Miami for Peace, and CODEPINK: Miami have initiated a solidarity march in support of the Honduran people’s resistance to the coup. The protest will take place Saturday, July 25 in Miami. Participants will meet at the corner of NW 87th Ave and 36th Street and then march to Southern Command. Southern Command is responsible for commanding U.S. military forces in Honduras and throughout Latin America.
For more information Call Ray Del Papa 754-423-0051 or Linda 305-801-0245.
Activism A.B. Resurrecting Activist Passions after Bush
WEST PALM BEACH – Activist and author Jeff Nall has kicked off a talk series titled “Activism A.B: Resurrecting Activist Passions After Bush.”
Nall will discuss the necessity for citizens to be persistently and fearlessly engaged in the peace and justice struggle despite the change in leadership in Washington and the sometimes dismal prospects for peace. He will discuss recent national and statewide protests, and the so-called “Obama” affect.
Nall will take his call for action throughout the state of Florida including the cities of Lakeland, Gainesville, and Jacksonville.
Specifically, Nall will urge citizens to get involved in their local peace/anti-war groups and to take part in a number of upcoming statewide peace actions. Among them is a protest at the U.S. Southern Command in Miami on July 25th where activists will urge the U.S. military to withdraw its armed forces from Honduras in light of the illegal coup against the president there. Nall will also solicit participation and volunteers for a forthcoming statewide demonstration to be held in Orlando in October.
Nall’s latest work is titled “Florida Activist Little Black Book.” The booklet features two of the author’s most important essays, photos from peace protests, and the most comprehensive, up-to-date directory of Florida peace and justice activist organizations. The following is a list of currently scheduled speaking events. Additional events will be added throughout the year. Note that specific event details vary. Check event summary at www.Eventful.com/JeffNall for additional info:
Getting Lost...and Finding Friends in Tarpon Springs
On Sunday, June 21 I kicked off my summer speaking tour at the (Historic) Unitarian Universalist Church of Tarpon Springs (www.uutarpon.org). But that was after I spent three hours making great time driving from Melbourne (where I stayed the night with family) only to be upended by the ever elusive “Center” street. In the process I was, however, able to find an open office supply store to do some last minute printing. (Can you believe the nerve of office stores NOT to be open by 9am?!) Well I ended up finding the place – the oldest UU church in the state! – just before the service was set to begin.
Inside I finally got to meet Daniel Callaghan, the man I had spent a ton of time emailing back and forth. Dan honored me with an amazing intro, reflecting on our incredible Florida March to Stop War on Iran in August 2008. Dan and his wife Anni participated in the protest along with area members of the Florida Peace Action Network like Bettejo, who was also at the service.
Before I spoke Dan read the words of Col. Ann Wright. And Quimby Heotzler got the place jumping with outstanding jazz. Then I did my thing.I discussed “Humanism and the Peace Revolution.” I’m particularly concerned that too many in the “freethought” movement have become narrowly focused on church-state separation and science that they ignore bringing an end to U.S. militarism.
I discussed the often forgotten Enlightenment philosopher, Condorcet. (Who first publicly called for women’s enfranchisement – before Mary Wollstonecraft—had an amazing, egalitarian marriage with partner, Sophie, and tried his best to write democracy, social safety nets, and other good stuff into the French constitution....before he was killed via the Reign of Terror.) Bottom line, Condorcet envisioned a world in which we would look back at war as a “freakish atrocity.” It’s a vision we have to keep alive.
I delved into the latest developments in our nation’s moral shame: American-made torture (including rape), killing civilians in Afghanistan (http://rethinkafghanistan.com), recent details of U.S. military expenditures (7 times that of China, the second top spender), and the Democrats passage of the war supplemental bill. Holding my amazing and joy-filled 7 month old daughter is a poignant reminder of how my own government is depriving so many others of simple joys....like watching their children play and grow.
During the talk/sermon I got a little emotional, a little fiery, a little preacher like. When it was over I wasn’t sure if I had outraged folks or overwhelmed them. I sometimes get accused of preaching to the choir. But I’ve made it my mission, during this series of summer talks, to challenge progressives to confront American imperialism; to ask the question: is it any less horrific to kill innocent people under an Obama administration than it was during Bush’s reign? The uncomfortable, painfully obvious answer of “no” reminds us all that we have a lot of work to do over the next four years.
When we were finished I was met with a great deal of support. The general response was that I offered a much needed jolt to those who have been intoxicated by a change at the governmental helm. Best of all, I had a series of wonderful conversations. One woman – a lifelong socialist she said – told me of how she was directly involved in the process of desegregating Orlando schools. Amazing people we follow....... And I also spoke to west-coast Florida activist extraordinaire(s) Melissa, Jeanie, and Bettejo. We talked about strategy and organizing future marches. Now that’s time well spent.
Coverage, Photos, and Summary of Florida March for Peace
The Florida March for Peace resulted in not only bringing more than a hundred people together and spreading our anti-war message with tens of thousands of people via the media, but peace/anti-war organizers from around the state came together to form the Florida Peace Congress (FPC). As part of its first decision as a body, the FPC's more than two dozen attendees unanimously endorsed the upcoming Miami May Day protest. More details on this event will follow next month. the FPC's aim will be to mobilize peace/anti-war groups to support the May 1st event. There we will also hold our second FPC meeting.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this a successful event. 2009 is stacking up to be a definitive year for peace. And the march goes on...
Review of Florida March for Peace By Jim Sanders, Member, Broward AntiWar Coalition Monday, Mar 30, 2009
On Saturday, March 28th, 120 to 150 activists from across the state marched through downtown Melbourne against US wars and interventions. These include the occupation in Iraq, the escalation in Afghanistan, attacks against Pakistan, our support of Israel’s aggressions against the people of Palestine, and others. A rally was held at the end point at Melbourne City Hall.
A diverse collection of speakers and performers from across the state addressed the crowd. Food Not Bombs did what they do best and shared food with anybody who was hungry. Raging Grannies sang songs against profiteering and the ludicrous escalation planned in Afghanistan. A radical minister spoke of the need for revolution. A couple of long-time activist spoke of the need to support freeing the Cuban 5. A speaker from the Miami Mayday Alliance called on the crowd to join the upcoming May 1st action in Miami.The rally was organized by the Brevard County based Patriots for Peace. Broward AntiWar endorsed this action along with 66 other groups from across the state.
After the march and rally, a group of about 30 to 40 of us gathered on the balcony of a local bar to form the Florida Peace Congress. We hope that in forming this organization we can offer better communication and support for peace and social justice events throughout the state. The first act of the new group was to endorse the Mayday event in Miami.
It was a great day for the peace and justice communities in Florida. Not only did we boisterously and enthusiastically march and rally against wars and injustice, we laid the groundwork for uniting for greater work in the future.
Just 14 hours after sending it out, our mass email about the march has been opened more than a thousand times. Bill and I have both been fielding phone calls about the march. And I've gotten a handful of emails from new people asking for details about the march.
We're still making a hell of a media splash.
Today I heard from Florida Today, the main daily paper in Brevard county. A nice guy with the paper interviewed me about the march and said a preview of the event would likely run in Wednesday or Thursday's paper. The Hometown News will run a story (hopefully) on Thursday. Endorsements continue to roll in.
In just the last few days we received endorsements from the Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition, Pax Christi Palm Beach, and the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq. I think it's great that we're having various Christian activist groups get involved. It's important that religious, secular, and spiritual progressives realize that we have more in common than we often realize.
Speakers schedule about to be finalized.
Tonight's the night! While I stayed up till 4am! finishing the mass email we sent out today, tonight I'll be finalizing the speakers' schedule.
Stay tuned!
PS: Here are some materials you might want to print and bring to the march.
Amazing Palestinian-Israel Posters!
Join students and activists across the world who have already downloaded and printed these posters on their own printers, or at local copy centers. We've seen them blown up to 5 feet square, on protest signs and as stickers, and in store and cafe windows. One person even dressed as Middle East Peace at a Purim festival, wearing one image on each side!
Jeff Nall is a writer, speaker and activist. He has Master of Liberal Studies degree from Rollins College, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Comparative Studies: Public Intellectuals at Florida Atlantic University. Jeff recently released his book, "Perpetual Revolt: Essays on Peace & Justice
and The Shared Values of Secular, Spiritual,
and Religious Progressives" (Howling Dog Press, 250 pages, $15.95)
He currently resides in South Florida.
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