Friday, September 12, 2003

Force For Peace QUOTE OF THE DAY "Out on the edge of darkness there lies the peace train. Peace train, take this country, come take me home again." - - Cat Stevens KNOW YOUR HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 12th 1977 -- In South Africa, Steven Biko died under police custody. He headed the Black Consciousness Movement and was the country's best known political dissident. He was detained and held in Port Elizabeth and later driven naked in a truck 700 miles to Pretoria where he died in a prison cell. In 1997 the 5 police officers involved in his detention filed for amnesty. They were retired Col. Harold Snyman, retired Lt. Col. Gideon Nieuwoudt, Ruben Marx, Johan Beneke, and then Capt. Daantjie Siebert. In 1999 former Detective Sgt. Gideon Nieuwoudt was denied amnesty because he denied any crime. This killing was the breaking point and led to international protests and a UN imposed arms embargo. 1997 -- In Mexico a crowd of tens of thousands rallied in the central square of Mexico City in support of the Zapatista movement. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EVENT ALERT This coming Sunday, September 14th, Artists For Amnesty presents "i m a g i n e - a night of poetry, song and inspiration" hosted by Greg Germann (Ally McBeal) featuring Camryn Manheim (The Practice) Dr. William Schulz, Executive, Director of Amnesty International USA, and poet, professor and former Amnesty International Prisoner of Conscience Alicia Partnoy. Musical performances by Keb'Mo', Vonda Shepard, and Christine Mourad. Unitarian Universalist Church, 1260 18th Street, Santa Monica $25 -- benefitting Amnesty International (student rate $10) to purchase tickets in advance call:  310.815.0450 ext. 107 RHINO HERE: Next Sunday, September 21st, will be the United Nations sanctioned International Day Of Peace. On September 7th of 2001, The U.N. General Assembly deemed that beginning 2002, an International Day of Peace should be observed on September 21st each year. The Assembly declared the day be observed with non-violence, a global cease fire & an invitation to all nations & people to honor a cessation of hostilities. It invited all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, regional & non-governmental organizations & individuals to commemorate the Day in appropriate manners, including education, public awareness & cooperating with the U.N. in establishing a global cease fire. http://www.un.org/events/peaceday/2003/ There are many organizations holding events & initiating actions to honor the International Day Of Peace. HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE U.N. DAY OF PEACE: http://www.peacedayusa.org/links.htm Can a real honest to goodness peace candidate win the nomination of the Democratic Party for President. More importantly for 2004, if so, could that candidate beat the neo-con puppet?  Is John Kerry that candidate? He voted for the war. When asked recently on Meet The Press about how his membership in the notorious Skull & Bones at Yale could inform the voters, he said since it's a secret organization, he really couldn't talk about it. Rhino Harumphs! Is it Dean? I appreciate that so many peace minded people have focused their support on the same person & put their money where their mouths are.  But will  the Governor stay the course of peace no matter how tough the going gets?  He cites that he's balanced the budget of Vermont, but Dennis Kucinich called him out in last weeks debate. Vermont not having a military, that's different. If he's not gonna cut the Pentagon budget, how's he gonna fix things at home & balance the budget. Dean Muffles, Kucinich Amplifies Anti-War Voice by Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive, 9/10/03 In Tuesday night's debate, Howard Dean muffled his anti-war voice. The former Vermont governor, who has risen a wave of goodwill for his opposition to the Iraq War, did not distinguish himself as the peace candidate in the debate sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus and Fox News. While he did say the war "was a mistake," he added, "We cannot lose the peace in Iraq." He said there would be chaos, and Al Qaeda and Islamic fundamentalists allied with Iran might take hold. That's a different answer than he gave in last Thursday's debate...  ... only Dennis Kucinich was that outspoken. "Get the U.N. in, and the U.S. out," said Kucinich, also the only candidate to state unequivocally that he would vote against Bush's $87 billion request... http://www.progressive.org/webex03/wx0910b03.html Whether or not one believes Congressman Kucinich falls into the common political wisdom category of "electable", and in spite of the jive he may receive for his Gnome like appearance, Rhino thinks the Congressman a force for peace to be reckoned with, an angelic cougar, who deserves to be heard. KUCINICH vs. GEPHARDT, KERRY & DEAN Which Way for the Democratic Party? ...A vote for Dennis Kucinich in the primaries is not just a vote for a unique and courageous member of Congress, who was the first presidential candidate to oppose Bush's war in Iraq and led antiwar opposition in the U.S. House. It is also a vote that says as clearly as possible to Democratic leaders and candidates that you want the Democratic Party to stand for an important set of progressive principles... http://www.kucinich.us/whichway.htm After taking part in the big peace march in New York City in March of this year, Dennis Kucinich received the Gandhi Peace Award for 2003. His acceptance speech is a fresh air bubble in the mist of political smog, & is RHINO'S BOTTOM LINE. The award given was in recognition & support of Dennis' proposed legislation for a cabinet level US Department of Peace . Department Of Peace Campaign http://www.dopcampaign.org The Gandhi Peace Award ..."for contributions made in the promotion of international peace and good will." ... held approximately once a year, at which a distinguished peacemaker is recognized and given the opportunity to present a message of challenge and hope. ..(the) certificate, calligraphed with an inscription summing up the work for peace of a distinguished citizen of the world. It is a medallion featuring the profile of Mohandas K. Gandhi, with his words "Love Ever Suffers/Never Revenges Itself" . .... http://www.pepeace.org/tmpl/gandhi.html Peace Day Parties Dennis Kucinich has issued a call for supporters of his campaign to celebrate the Sept. 21 International Day Of Peace by holding Peace Day Parties at home. More Info At: http://www.kucinich.us/houseparty.htm 8:18:42 AM    comment

RHINO'S BOTTOM LINE - Dennis Kucinich's Acceptance Speech Dennis Kucinich's Acceptance Speech for the 2003 Gandhi Peace Award ...The splitting of the atom was a split in consciousness in this society. And we need to heal our nation and the world, through creating a vision of a world as one. And a vision of the world as one has no room for nuclear weapons. There are 12 nations which either possess or are trying to acquire nuclear weapons. 20 nations either possessing or trying to acquire biological weapons. 26 nations either possessing or trying to acquire chemical weapons. 20 nations either possessing or trying to acquire missile technologies to deliver those weapons. Pandora's box has been opened. But there is a power greater than all of those weapons. And it's the power of love through which the human heart expresses itself. [applause] The advancing tide is toward human unity! We saw it reflected at the beginning of the new millennium which so many of us celebrated in the year 2000. Where despite the dire predictions, people gathered peacefully all around the world, without incidents! Celebrating our humanity! Proving that we can get together around the world peacefully! The advancing tide is toward human unity, and the technology of our society has reflected that through the connectivity of the internet, through communications, through transportation, and through trade. Every one of us has had the opportunity to connect, in our lifetimes, with people so we realize that we truly are a global village. This thinking that separates us from other nations and other people is archaic! And so as we offer a competing vision for the world, that competing vision can seek to make war itself archaic. [applause] And that, my friends, is what has animated the idea of a Department of Peace. To take the work of Gandhi, and the work of Dr. King, and the work of other great religious leaders, and to work to make nonviolence an organizing principle in our society... THE ENTIRE SPEECH AT: http://www.pepeace.org/current_reprints/06/Dennis%20Kucinich.htm "RHINO'S BLOG" is the responsibility of Gary Rhine. (rhino@kifaru.com) Feedback, and requests to be added or deleted from the list are encouraged. SEARCH BLOG ARCHIVES / SURF RHINO'S LINKS, AT: http://www.rhinosblog.info RHINO'S OTHER WEB SITES: http://www.dreamcatchers.org (INDIGENOUS ASSISTANCE & INTERCULTURAL DIALOG) http://www.kifaru.com (NATIVE AMERICAN RELATIONS VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES) Articles are reprinted under Fair Use Doctrine of international copyright law. http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html All copyrights belong to original publisher. Tell a friend about Rhino's Blog 7:17:37 AM    comment

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