New Jersey Happenings Must Read
Joanne O'Neill
[ Please Forward Widely and Sorry for Any Duplicates ]
Dear Progressives,
I thought it was time to bring everyone up to speed on what has been going on in New Jersey plus the relationship to the National scene.
Over the past few months, Tim and I have been very busy working on Healthcare around the state, and going to DC a couple of times for rallies that I haven’t taken the time to go into depth about some of the other important issues of the day.
Before I say anymore, I know what you are going to say….”there she goes again!” But please take time to read this.
Through out the 8 years of the Bush administration, we witnessed a complete destruction of our Constitution and Bill of Rights and the dismantling of the separate branches of our government, yet Obama has done little to nothing to reverse these. [ http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175127 ]
I realize many of you are discouraged and you have every right to be in Obama’s lack of performance and he is doing everything possible to ensure he will be a one term President.
Many of you have given up and are tired, I know how you feel, there are many a days I get up and ask myself “why should I care, when so few are willing to devote, just a little time to fight the direction we are heading”…..which is down right frightening to me.
What we went through under Bush is nothing compared to what we are going to face shortly. I am sure everyone has seen the Tea Baggers on TV….. I swear the media covers them every time they sneeze, to the point of trying to pass off the photos of the anti-war protest in 2003 as the Tea Baggers protest on Sept.12, 2009. [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/14/912-tea-party-photo-false_n_286082.html ]
Yet for 8 years the media ignored the left’s protests against the wars, against torture, against the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, etc. Right there, that speaks volumes to the trouble we are facing.
A couple of weeks ago I put out a call for the Progressives to counter protest the Glen Beck book signing in Cherry Hill. Well it was an experience!!!! Only 9 brave Progressives showed up to face off over 700 Ding Bat 9-12 ‘ers and Tea Baggers.
It did prove to be a very interesting learning experience for some of us who were willing to debate their totally irrational views. Here are some very scary facts acquired from that evening :
1. They still believe Iraq was responsible for 9/11
2. They believe it is right to kill those innocent people because they are, or might become, Al-Qaeda who are hell bent on coming here to kill us.
3. They believe corporations are wonderful and their life’s blood and we should be thankful for them and all they do for us.
4. That it’s ok for their employers to pay for their healthcare but if you happen to work for someone who doesn’t offer those benefits, too bad and its your fault for not having a better job.
5. Now here is where the alarm bells should go off; a large number of them were college and high school students.
6. They stated they were being taught this in their classes, and we didn’t know what we were talking about
because they were told different at school.
7. And……Amongst the crowd were numerous teachers!!!
8. All view Glen Beck as their savior and take his word as the whole truth. They actual worship that false
prophet and believe he is sincere….. guess because he has all those “Vicks” induced crying sprees.
[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj4I2f0ZO6g ]
9. Some traveled miles, like from Bergen Co., to be there, yet we can’t get people to cross the river between
Philly and NJ???? Heck we can’t get them to travel a couple of miles once a month to a meeting to organize against this epidemic scourge.
We left there knowing we were watching history repeating itself. Bush opened the door and this deranged nut case managed to slip right in, and steal the show. As some of us remembered, our European parents speaking of another time when hatred ruled the day and the sane remained quiet. If you think I am over exaggerating read the Rise & Fall of the 3rd Reich and then witness it first hand for yourself.
Last Monday at the Bernice Young School, Burlington Twp, the Tea Baggers were at it again, protesting 2nd graders, for singing the now infamous song “MMM MMM MMM Barack Hussein Obama!” but the turnout odds of
5 Tea Baggers -1 Progressive of approximately 70, where a little better then what we faced at the book signing.
When you compare, it took less than 5 months for Beck’s movement to grow to over 600,000 compared to PDA recently celebrating its 5th year and hitting the 200,000th member goal, there is something really wrong with this scenario!!!
When you have an organization that is fighting for all the right progressive issues and there is so little support from the so called progressive activists… what do you think is the reason and what can be done to change things before the next mid-term election? Is sitting at home throwing your hands in the air and wallowing in depression over the situation the answer?
I know there are Progressives out there, somewhere ... because I hear what great things they are doing in other areas of the country on the conference calls, ohhhh...there are a faithful few in NJ... just hard to find active progressives! Where New Jersey used to be the leader on progressive issues, we have fallen way behind. I also hear from other state leadership what the Tea Baggers are doing across the country and we are all deeply concerned.
The Tea Baggers had a table at the Collingswood book Fair and as one of our members; later told my hubby, Tim, he went over to see what they were peddling and struck up a conversation with the gal there who happened to be named Joanne too. He happened to mention there was another Joanne in town who was very active in Politics....her response “yes, I know, she is my nemesis.”
I really want to know why none of these hate mongers are arrested, even when they are carrying guns. Within the past couple of months there have been numerous arrests of progressives.
Yeah, some have been from sit-ins at insurance companies, but others were for absolutely no reason. Our own little sweetheart, OpEd journalist Cheryl Biren on Sept.12 was arrested for photographing those being arrested and the arresting officers at a protest organized to shut down The Army Experience Center, located in Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia, PA. Even though she had her Press ID, was charged with Criminal Conspiracy and Failure To Disperse. Her Preliminary Hearing is this morning(Fri) at Filbert Street, Criminal Justice Center, Philly.
Then on Sept. 14 our coordinator for PDA Accountability and Justice Issue Organizing Team, Susan Harman was arrested in Seattle, WA at a protest demanding ”Torture Lawyer” Bybee resign from his seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Susan approached this man taking pictures and asked who he was, assuming he was with the press, but he never answered after she posed the question a few times. Minutes later cops appeared and arrested her.
Now here is the topper, retired 81 year old Rutgers professor & activist, David Antebi, of Highland Park was arrested on August 24 outside a Frank Pallone‘s Townhall meeting .[ http://www.bluejersey.com/diary/12392/arrest-at-pallones-piscataway-town-hall-freedom-of-speech-who-created-public-alarm ]
David documents protests by the use of photography and had his camera there. After a verbal exchange with the Tea Baggers, one of them asked if he had a bomb in his camera bag and David sort of laughed off what he felt was a ridiculous remark. Evidently the Tea Baggers called the Police and he was searched by plainclothes police officers, handcuffed, fingerprinted and booked. He was charged with the disorderly persons offense of creating false public alarm... [http://m.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090828/NEWS/908280330/1001&template=wapart ]
Donations are needed now to help defray the costs of David Antebi's unjust arrest. Discovery is underway for his case. Checks can be written to: David Antebi Defense Fund, c/o Feeney Law LLC, 53 Paterson, New Brunswick, NJ 08901.
Don’t you just LOVE seeing the Patriot Act in motion ? Which reminds me, while we all have been busy working on Healthcare, they are trying very quietly to renew it, because certain provisions are due to expire by the end of the year. Thankfully Russ Feingold has introduced the “Justice Act” – S.1686,
[ http://feingold.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=317927 ] to Fix Long Standing Problems with the PATRIOT Act and Other Surveillance Laws. ACLU has a good summary of what reforms this legislation addresses. [http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/41147leg20090923.html ]
Talking about Healthcare Reform, Pennsylvania will soon be passing a bill for single payer in their state legislature…..regretfully here in NJ we can’t even get our resolution for single payer onto Codey’s desk for a vote. There are so few of us in NJ working on moving the progressive agenda, especially in South Jersey,[ http://groups.google.com/group/sojerseyhr676?hl=en ] but I am so thankful for the groups in Princeton, New Brunswick and Essex County for all the work they have been doing.
Our Healthcare resolution is not the only issue we need help with passing in NJ, we are ramping up to make Marriage Equality in our state a reality. Garden State Equality will be hosting Regional Ramp-Ups on Wednesday, November 4th at 7:00 pm and Thursday, November 5th at 7:00 pm. [ http://groups.google.com/group/pda-nj/web/marriage-equality-ramp-ups ] in numerous areas around the state, so please contact Hannah Johnson by emailing her at Joh...@GardenStateEquality.org with your name, town and phone number. You may also call her at cell at (920) 222-1878. This battle has been going on far too long and it is time everyone enjoyed the same Equal rights.
Also, One battle that has gone on far too long is ending the wars and bringing the troops home, instead of expanding them into Pakistan, especially one with nuclear weapons. We need help to formulate actions at the local levels for November 18, for our brown bag visits in support of Barbara Lee’s bill HR 3699. And don’t forget to attend the Anti-War, Anti-torture rally in Philly tomorrow starting at 11:00 AM in front of City Hall and marching to Independence Mall at Noon.
Concerning the torture and accountability for war crimes, there is even less people calling for investigations of these gross human right abuses. How a parent/grandparent can look at any child and not be reminded of all the children we have tortured or committed Human Rights abuses to ,over the past 8 years, is beyond my comprehension. Yes....!!!!CHILDREN!!!! , some as young as 7 years old. Have we really lost that much of our souls.....our common decency to demand justice for the least amongst us . [ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgibin/query/z?c111:H.R.104: ]
There are other crucial issues, like Global Warming, Clean Elections, Voting Reform, and Media Reform that are in need of attention but there just isn’t the time nor the man power to do anything productive. Everyone is off working in some little group but not doing anything that will change things. Progressives are their own worst enemy, for failing to look beyond their own little clique and not seeing the whole picture of what can happen when we all come together. You see that is what the Tea Baggers have achieved, and will continue to grow for just that reason.
There is one last thing I want to pass along, PDA National will be visiting NJ for the first time in early December and we are very happy Tim Carpenter, National Executive Director and Conor Boylan, National Field Director, will be here to lead a day jam packed with the latest information and happenings both inside and outside the beltway. I will go into more about this on our PDA – New Jersey Monthly call on Monday night.
As State Coordinator, I have been working on building other chapters in other parts of the state, I know you are surprised there are areas where the progressive movement is coming to life while others are dying.
As a result I do not have the time to help Susan O’Connell and my hubby, Tim with the local chapter of PDA/DFA Progressive Democracy South Jersey, so I am asking you to come out next Wednesday night to the Collingswood Library at 7PM and volunteer to put together committees to work on some of the issues I have discussed in this email.
They need your help !!!!!
If they don’t get support soon, there is no way they can continue to keep the local chapter going. There was a time we did accomplish allot in South Jersey, unfortunately some of our best, like Bill Brown past away, some moved away, others have been ill, and others just disappeared into the woodwork.
If this hasn’t made you realize the huge task in front of us, then don’t complain when your kids come home from school and tell you that you have lied to them about all these things, and start wearing tea bags in their hair !!!!
In Peace and Solidarity
Joanne ONeill
PDA-NJ State Coordinator
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Susan OConnell
Joanne and others in NJ:
Yes, I am replying to an email that is more than one month old. That is how bad my email situation is.
I'm glad I opened this just before our meeting. People, please come to the meeting tomorrow night (11/18) at Collingswood Library. Joanne is right. Tim and I do need your help.
I'm writing because I agree with you, Joanne: This is a scarey time!
I voted for Obama twice. I worked for him in Philadelphia. I gave all the money I could spare at that time to his campaign. And I'm slowly realizing that he is not all that I thought he would be. I don't know the reason for this. I tell myself that the nation's first black president has to take it slow and not rock the boat until he's established. But he is way too silent for my taste on so many issues. And I thought Holder would step up to the plate on Justice for the torturers. He hasn't so far.
Of course, I was one of the 9 facing down the Glenn Beck hordes. That was scarey.
I don't know what is happening to our country. I don't know why the bad old "W" days are not ending. I try to do what I can for the selfish reason that I don't want to have to face the day when something evil not unlike the Third Reich grabs hold in this country. Of course, I will still be here, but I will know in my heart that at least I was one of the few who tried to oppose it.
It hurts and angers me that my fellow Americans are so much less than I thought. They are silent and I think that is criminal.
You know I am politically slightly to the right of you, Joanne. I believe in President Obama (even now). I think that we progressives have to speak thoughtfully and make sure that we can back up our claims, BUT I do think you are correct. We have not seen change in this country and Obama has made some kind of "deal with the devil."
There is so much we can accomplish in NJ, not the least of which is talking to one another. Please everyone, do come to the meeting and I will do what I can to help make sure that the dialogue is open and respectful.
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