Memorial Day 2008

Another Memorial Day. Another yearly reminder of one of the many costs of war, lest we forget. A media occasion for politicians and pundits alike to "catapult the propaganda" over the graves they, themselves, excavated and filled with the dead of yet another generation. Hours of mind-numbing oration, crocodile tears, and movies starring American's favorite pretend warrior, Marion Morrison (John Wayne), mark today's tribute to this nation's militarism. Another Memorial Day. Been there. Done that. It is time to turn the page.

Of course, we mourn those who have been taken from this life by provocateurs who dream of wealth, power, and domination. There are 365 days in a year. We remember our lost loved ones on each and every day. What we must not forget is that the war against Iraq, like its predecessor in Vietnam 40 years ago, began in a fog of falsehoods and is being fought in vain. The American people were deliberately lied to and the Iraqi people were intentionally lied about.

Our society has long been dominated by a culture that differs little from the ancient civilizations that practiced human sacrifice. The young are nurtured, harvested, and indoctrinated to obediently surrender their lives to the ruling class. Ceremonial incantations obfuscate the true purpose of the "ultimate sacrifice" that awaits. Liberty, valor, duty, perseverance, freedom, and honor are the magic words that marched two generations into wars of choice fought to advance the imperial profiteering of a ruthless corporate elite.

It is in the Temple of Greed that the pageant nears its end. There, the cold-blooded priests who claim moral high ground, circle and kill to appease the voracious appetite of their God. We are then called upon to play our parts. We are to memorialize by observing a "moment of remembrance" to honor "the fallen".

"The fallen" have been exploited continuously since the pre "Shock and Awe" soften 'em up bombing sorties over Iraq to post-surge present. A moment of truth begs observation as well.THEY DIDN'T FALL. THEY WERE PUSHED!

During a "moment of remembrance" another page was turned. It turned away from John Wayne's simulated silver screen heroism and away from both the flames of war and the ill winds that fan them. The next page focuses entirely on justice for we must remember that "our fallen" and the war dead in Iraq have been murdered by a sociopathic American leadership and its entourage of obedient groupies.

So spare the mock sentimentality, pompous rituals, and patriotic platitudes. We must strip away the camouflage that has shrouded our nation's capitol in secrecy for eight long years to expose those whose crimes against humanity demand punishment. Let us pledge to memorialize and honor "the fallen" by seeking justice for the crimes that extinguished their lives and the lives of over one million innocent Iraqi citizens. Let us pledge to investigate and bring to trial the members of the most destructive, criminal regime in America's history. The Hague is waiting.

............Wage Peace............
...Kitchen Window Woman...

Mother's Day 2008

When a loved one dies a person-shaped hole remains.

When a child dies for oil, regional control, and empire - a crime-shaped hole screams for justice.

There are well over one million two hundred thousand person-shaped holes in Iraqi hearts on this, the fifth Mother's Day since the beginning of George W. Bush's illegal, military misadventure in a sovereign nation.

Mothers in Iraq have tried to protect and have tried by sheer will to encourage their seriously wounded children to survive. Iraqi mothers have cried until they had no more tears to shed - JUST LIKE AMERICAN MOTHERS WOULD DO IN THE SAME SITUATION! We are all the same.

The sun has set on Mother's Day 2008 but it has not set on the on-going slaughter in Iraq. What is worse is that yet another unnecessary war looms. Hitler's understudies, the neoconservative radicals (pretend Americans) have lobbied hard for two decades to harness American blood and money toward a military strike against Iran. Why? Insanity, obsession, greed, and power.

Over a year ago I blogged about a psychological study in which it was established that the human brain is not fully developed until about the age of twenty-five. That means, my dear pseudo patriots out there, that you have been party to encouraging and enabling CHILDREN to enter and partake in the nightmare murderfest known as WAR. Why have kids if you are going to raise them just long enough to send them off in the military to kill another woman's children? You send them off without question - why is that? You know that PATRIOTISM requires that you be an informed citizen. Why would you SACRIFICE your child and whichever children he or she kills on the word of some rich person you don't even know? What kind of parent are you?

Please, spare your children and potential children the role of child warrior and spare too, the victims of their misguided swords. DON'T LET YOUR WOMB BE USED AS A WEAPON OF WAR.

Look at the above photo. Tiny shoes define a tiny person-shaped hole where a child used to be. American sons and daughters and Iraqi mothers, fathers, and children have all died on the alter of empire

Remember the lies about WMD? Iran is next.

*Note - Photo credited to my veteran son who remembers a tiny girl in Kosovo...

.......Mother's Day 2008.......
...Kitchen Window Woman...

The Toothfairy Gets My Vote

I have not been around to blog these last two weeks and have not written a piece since I took part in "Blog Against Theocracy Easter Weekend" on March 22nd. The following post is a "my dog ate my homework" explanation. It took me several days to write this as I am still not feeling up to par. I want to touch base with my fellow bloggers to let all know that I am laid up for a bit but will be back at it as soon as I am able. KWW
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I had dental surgery on Tuesday, April 1st. The surgeon took all of my teeth out - no foolin'. My worst case dental nightmare has come to pass and however much I resemble a chipmunk, I am on the mend.

Although I have experienced new emotional lows during the last month leading to my surgery date, many of my feelings were identical to the series of negative emotions that I felt almost fifty years ago on those rare visits to the dentist. Dental equipment at present, has undergone revolutionary improvement, and everything is on computer, but the feelings of dread, fear, worry, guilt, and shame haven't changed a lick since I was a kid.

We didn't mention dental problems like loose teeth, tooth aches, or cavities. No kid wanted to throw their family into a devastating financial crisis - which is what a trip to the doctor, the need for eyeglasses, or a visit to the dentist meant back then. No kid wanted to see the panicked look in their parent's eyes that screamed, "Where (the Hell) are we going to get the money?" It was bad enough that I needed new glasses every few years so I brushed my teeth, took the fluoride tests at school, and hoped for the best.
(I don't know to whom the above photo credit should go - but thanks for the laugh!)

The best was the toothfairy! If one managed to wiggle that baby tooth out or the old string and doorknob thing worked (we all did it at least once!) there was a payoff. Yep, the fairy was sure to leave a dime under one's pillow in exchange for an outgrown tooth. Later on due to inflation she started leaving two bits! The price of a comic book or some penny candy was much easier on most mom and dads than the cost of a cavity or the braces dentists always seemed to push. I didn't know any kids rich enough to have braces!

We know that the toothfairy takes away discarded baby teeth but what happens to an adult mouthful of worn but faithful chompers? You don't have to answer... but George Washington's teeth went to the same place!


During the four days since undergoing life-altering surgical extractions in a dentist's chair I have been well cared for by family and friends. Catfish has been holding my hand, preparing liquid and soft things for me to eat, and making sure I get the pain meds on time. My aunt and my best friend have been taking turns by phone to check and to offer encouragement. Auntie sent me a cheerful "care package" with toys, some of those old-fashioned miniature wax bottles of pop, and two tubes of liquid lollipops?!? Close family friends sent flowers that were delivered today. I am fortunate and deeply appreciative of the love and care I've received. I am sure that all of this "goodness" is helping me to heal as well.

The financial view from the dental chair hasn't changed since I was a little girl except to become exponentially more expensive. Like all medical care here in the Richest Nation in the World, American dental care is a pricey form of legal extortion. The cost of the surgical extractions, temporary dentures, bone grafts, implants, and the final set of dentures that will complete my treatment forced us to take out an in office dental loan for several thousand. That we have, through my husband's place of employment, one of the better dental insurance plans available, belies the fact that before I am done, we will have to take out a second loan. I feel real bad that I am costing us so much.

The worry and guilt began to take hold well before Tuesday's operation especially since I could have saved us $550.00 if I'd been brave enough to undergo the surgery without the OPTIONAL ANESTHESIA! Yes, insurance companies consider ANESTHESIA to be an unnecessary extra. One may choose it only if they have cash in their pockets or are eligilbe for a loan! How many people are forced to endure pain because their wallets are empty? Why must money determine whether or not someone is made to endure pain? Oh, I forgot, Americans do torture.

Many Americans have no medical coverage and no dental coverage. I am lucky to have access to both care and coverage, but we are middle class, and these expenses are heavy duty. Neither of our two sons has dental coverage or access to care and one doesn't even have access to medical care. I worry about them all of the time.

I began this post by mentioning the range of emotions that have accompanied my dental nightmare. Fear, yes, I had a lot of fear and dread while anticipating the surgery, the pain, and the swelling. Now the fear and dread are centered on the temporary set of dentures ever being adjusted enough to fit and of the final set of dentures fitting. I am told all of this takes many months - it is a process. The temporaries, which were put in right away, don't fit at all - they are set at the wrong angle too far in and I can't chew. I don't want my mouth and chin line changed because the replacement teeth are structured wrong... worry and dread.

I've been told that things have improved since George Washington couldn't chew with these...

.
Shame has been a factor, too. Shame at having a reoccurring dental disease and unhealthy teeth most of my life. Shame for not having gone to the dentist many times in my life when I couldn't afford it and shame to opting NOT to have a procedure done because I could not pay for ANESTHESIA. Shame that I did not floss correctly. I have been ashamed about my teeth most of my life because they were not straight and were troublesome. My mother used to cover her mouth with her hand because of her teeth and avoided having photos taken. My husband remembers his mother melting wax from a candle to fill in painful cavities because she could not afford to go the dentist. She felt shame, too!

Lastly, I am angry but not at my situation. I'll get through this, adapt, and go on with my life. I am angry that some Americans are going without medical care because other Americans have chosen to make money from misery! Americans are stressed out of their minds for lack of care.

People in Europe are healthier, happier, and do not suffer stress anywhere near American levels. The "Quality of Life" available to the majority of Europeans is superior to that of Americans because Europe's wealth is in "caring about and for its people". Dental, eye, and medical care is available to everyone. No shame, worry, dread, and no going without or poverty induced by medical expenses.

This is a country of profit and greed where money is the only measure of value - to hell with it! Let's get the corporate monkeys off of our backs and change our attitude and our systems. We can start by taking care of one another.
- Kitchen Window Woman

Prayer and Punishment in Public School

DON'T LAY YOUR TRIP ON ANYONE ELSE. That saying is from The Sixties but expresses my view of the theocrats who are attempting to replace American Democracy with their personal brand of Christianity.

How one decides to live one's life is a matter of individual choice. Theocrats would prefer to dictate to every citizen how they should think and what they should do with their lives - all under the threat of punishment. Such tyranny forms the base of organized religion and such tyranny was legislated against by America's founding fathers in the Constitution, Article VI: Senators and Representatives... shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

"Thomas Jefferson stated it thus, "History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government" and "In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection of his own."

I wrote the post below in April of '05. In it I described what happened to me at a public grade school in Michigan in 1959. No child should have to suffer such cruel public humiliation. I did the collage pictured below to depict my childhood experience as an assignment for a class on Intercultural Communication.

Link to Blog Against Theocracy here.
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~~~~~~~~~~~Prayer and Punishment in Public School~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stood in the alcove outside the door of my fourth grade classroom with my nose touching the cold, tile wall. My classmates could see the back of my head through the small window at the top of the closed door: I could feel their disapproving eyes. Not only was I humiliated, I was angry as well. Such punishment was usually reserved for loud-mouth boys who disrupted the classroom - not for an obedient student like me.

It was 1959, I was nine years old, and attended a public elementary school in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. I would spend two hours every school day morning, in the hall outside of Mr. D's classroom, for many weeks to come. Each morning, the Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde educator, would greet his students in a soft, friendly voice only to turn into an angry, red-faced, bellowing monster as soon as the attendance was taken. Every morning, following attendance, I left my seat and went out the door to begin my punishment in the hall.


What kind of terrible crime had I, a nine year-old little girl committed, to warrant long-term banishment? I had violated Mr. D's classroom church when I refused to bow my head and pray to his God.

One morning, near the beginning of the school year, Dr. Jekyll began a lesson on phonetics. He was talking about long and short vowels in syllables when quite suddenly, he shut the book, and moved to stand behind his desk. He began to pray, quietly at first. Then, while growing increasingly agitated, Mr. Hyde began to form before our terrified eyes. His face flushed crimson. His eyes glazed over and began to spiral like those of a crazed cartoon character. Pacing wildly between the portraits of of Washington and Lincoln, words thundered out of his mouth and exploded damnation over our heads like battlefield artillery. Mr. D. was fighting some kind of war and had taken we children prisoner!

He continued his biblical vociferations for a fouth grade eternity. He didn't even need a bible as he had memorized most of the tome. When he finally returned to his desk, he hunched over it like a rabid animal about to fall-upon its victim, and fist-pounded a demand that we bow our heads and pray to the Almighty!

Well, I did what I usually did when confronted with Christain prayer. I didn't. I was sitting there looking at the board when he noticed that my head was not down, my hands were not folded, and I was not repeating his passionate entreaty with the other kids. Mr. D came outta his tree! He was one wrathful, fire-breathing, brimstoney, furious evangelical! I was scared to death when he stood in front of my desk and berated me for disobeying not only himself, but God!

I had NEVER disobeyed a teacher. I told him politely, that I would not pray because I did not believe in God or Jesus, and went on to explain that I would be lying if I prayed, and it would also be disrespectful to those who did believe. The raging madman pulled me from my seat by my shoulders, marched me out the door and shoved me against the wall in the alcove. Then he leaned in close to my face to make sure that my nose was touching the tile. I was to be punished every day until I decided to pray, he hissed, and then he condemmed my family and I to the burning fires of Hell for eternity.

My mother's calls to the school had no effect on my situation. However; life did improve somewhat, during my punishment, because of intervention by several concerned teachers. One spoke up so that I got to move out of the alcove by the door and was allowed to lean against the wall in the hallway with my nose facing out! Another, moved mountains, so that after several weeks of standing for two hours each day, I was allowed to sit cross-legged on the floor AND read or do school work. Yet another, arranged for a desk that I could sit at, while doing penance. Looking back, I may have been the more fortunate one: I was outside of that room where every morning Mr. D. preyed on my captive classmates.

Eventually, Mr. D., the evangelical terrorist, was made to abandon his religious lesson plans. I strongly suspect that it was because of teacher complaints. He was LOUD and could be heard in the hall and the adjacent classrooms. In my opinion, at the time, he should have been the one standing in the hall for classroom disruption!

The fall of 1960 found most of us in the fifth grade. Our new teacher was astounded to find that all of us who had been in Mr. D's room the previous year were seriously behind in reading and English. What's more, we didn't know our multiplication tables either!

Today, I am a dedicated advocate for The Separation Of Church And State and a passionate foe of Prayer in Public School. No child should suffer what I did at the hands of a religious zealot regardless of which one of the three Only God religions is being pushed .
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No one is preventing those who believe in any one of the three "Only Gods" from worshiping their brand of choice. The Constitution guarantees this freedom as well as it guarantees the non-believer the right to not believe, and guarantees individuals the freedom to journey any one of the thousands of different philosophical pathways available to we humans.

It is respect that dogma lacks for it is a jealous and controlling suitor. Respect for the beliefs and non-beliefs of others is basic but the practice of proselytization replaces respect with arrogant disregard. In turn the arrogant disregard for the beliefs of others frequently escalates into organized exploitation, abuse, and murder of those who think differently. What better excuse for criminal actions than the prevailing creed.

Teach Tolerance - Respect Differences - Practice Peace

..... It's Spring! .......... Kitchen Window Woman................

"Bush's God" Damned Iraq - Five Years of American Shame

God told George W. Bush to go and kill all of those people. Billy Graham's Lord bent down and apologized in W 's ear for putting all of those rich deposits of oil under the Iraqi desert. "Flush 'em out, go get 'em, and when you get 'em - torture right and proper. Destroy their homes, make sure they have no medicine, food or gas, leave no electricity, no clean water, and flood the streets with sewage. George W's personal God preached on, "Shock and Awe 'em, George, and you'll prove ta yer daddy, and the whole damn world that yer a man!

Terrorize 'em every day and hey, use those weapons of mass destruction I gave ya - they're real killers! Ya can't beat white phosphorus and that new napalm, MK77, it sticks to the skin better so it burns longer, yeah! And them kiddies jest love those liddle ole cluster bomblettes. Hell, they look jest like liddle toys! Then there's depleted uranium - my well-rounded wonder weapon. It penetrates, it burns, and it is guaranteed to pollute the land, the water, and the people. They'll be sick fer generations!

Insurgents fought with George Washington and won the Revolutionary War here in America, but we got to change the meaning of the word a bit. Iraqi patriots who are defending their country from yer army, well, they're the bad guys. Every time they fight back - even a little, put it on the news how you have suppressed the insurgency fer freedom - no matter what ya do... say its fer freedom!

Now, we got ta give them troops a hate name for them insurgents. Let's see we already used "gooks" for the slant eyes in the Nam... How's about "hajjis"? It sounds kinda Abi Baba don't it? Oh and b'fore I forget, here's a little hate ditty to wash the brains of yer troops with. Help's 'em concentrate on the killin'...

Bomb the village
Kill the people
Throw some napalm in the square
Do it on a Sunday morning
Kill them on their way to prayer
Ring the bell inside the schoolhouse
Watch the kiddies gather round
Lock and load with your 240
Mow them little motherf***rs down
. . . etc.

God's little genocide is workin' in Gaza for the Israelis, idn't it George? Those Palestinians are jest about done fer - it'll work in Iraq, too! Jest keep on bulleavin' and you'll see. One day most all Iraqi's will be dead or barely hangin' on in refugee camps. The diehards who stay in Iraq won't be able to fight because if we don't take their lives we will take their limbs. Some'll be too sick from radiation poisonin' to work, but I promise you, there will be enough able-bodied hajjis remaining ta labor in the American Occupation's Oil Fields, and fer real cheap, too!

An' never-you-mind all those anti-war protesters. Its not lyin' if I told ya ta say it. The Iraqis had nothin' to do with 9/11 but that don't make a bit a difference. Kill 'em anyway! And hey, if they try to defend themselves act as if yer the victim not them - works great for the Israelis!

Now Lucifer, he's over there in Dick Cheney's head. They're doin' a heckuva job with all them contractors, missin' tax dollars 'n all. Hosanna Halliburton! Hey, we figure b'twix the two of us we got this miserable war oil thing nailed - jest like my son.

I see them lefties have been complainin' 'bout yer natural born killer instincts. Don't you fret 'bout that - you got me and I am the best excuse you'll ever have for killin' all those folks. Don't you worry about a thing, George, I'm a livin' God. I walk with you, I talk with you, an' I'm always with you, right here inside yer head. 'N I wanna tell ya, I haven't enjoyed myself so much since I spent all that time in Hitler's head.

Hey, listen up George W. I'm good ta go so its 'bout time ta do a job on Iran - ya know the drill so... Bring It On! ...'N don't ferget ta prey.
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.................Five years of War - Five years of American Shame.............
935 LIES - OVER ONE MILLION DEAD - A TWO TRILLION DOLLAR WAR

If they have another war don't show up!
............Kitchen Window Woman........

* the "ditty" above is currently being used during the "training" (indoctrination)of our soldiers

St. Patrick's Day - The Shaughnessy Crest, Wilde, and Snakes

Years ago, I embroidered the Shaughnessy crest on a shirt for my father. It was on the right front opposite the pocket. I did an additional design for him on the back of the shirt based on a combined idea of Native American shields and the hex designs of the Pennsylvania Dutch. I didn't get to grow up with my father due to divorce and distance, so I went to look for him after I was an adult.

My dad was a WWII veteran of The Battle of the Bulge and his dad, my grandfather, fought with the Canadian Black Watch in Europe during WWI. Both men were told they were fighting the war to end all wars. Both fought to serve their countries and to keep their children from having to serve as cannon fodder for the ruling class. Promises were made and promises were broken.

We relived history during the unnecessary Vietnam war, are repeating the same historical mistakes in the Iraq war for permanent occupation, and will continue the crime by an incursion into Iran. Promises were broken and are still being broken.

Today, on the American St. Patrick's Day, I honor my father and my grandfather who never supported perpetual, preemptive wars all over the globe, the hijacking of sovereign natural resources, and enslavement of occupied peoples. They fought in and suffered the worse conditions that wars waged by non-participants can pass off upon less wealthy members of their respective communities.

I had the fortune to reconnect with my father and share some years with him before he passed away several years back. I am blessed to have regained relationships with a lost sister and brother. My father's second wife was wonderful and became a valued friend. My gracious uncles welcomed me back into the family. Of the five Shaughnessy boys, two remain. I honor all of them, my cousins, and their families.

Below is the shield that I embroidered on the back of the shirt for my father. He wrote to me of spring, liked bluebirds, and roses.

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Please enjoy the poem printed below. It packs a wallop for today's America!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sonnet To Liberty ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not that I love thy children, whose dull eyes
See nothing save their own unlovely woe,
Whose minds know nothing, nothing care to know, -
But that the roar of thy Democracies,
Thy reigns of Terror, thy great Anarchies,
Mirror my wildest passions like the sea
And give my rage a brother -! Liberty!
For this sake only do thy dissonant cries
Delight my discreet soul, else might all kings
By bloody knout or treacherous cannonades
Rob nations of their rights inviolate
And I remain unmoved - and yet, and yet,
These Christs that die upon the barricades,
God knows it I am with them, in some things.

~ Oscar Wilde ~
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I wrote the following story for The Dishpan Chronicles in 2004 and reposted it in '05 on St. Paddy's Day. I am usually cooking a corned beef dinner for my family on the 17th of March so don't have a lot of time to devote to politics. I like the little story that I wrote back then and have reprinted it today. I meant every word! Enjoy

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Last night I dreamed in green. Last night I dreamed about snakes. Last night an ancient Celt whispered in my ear, "they've got it all wrong, St. Patrick didn't drive the snakes from Ireland".

The story told was this........

You see, the snakes being without legs and all, could not partake when the folk did those high-steppin' dances. The snakes suffered so, for they were spirited and admired those dances.

When the Irish gathered in pubs, to toast with mugs of ale, the snakes were left to hang their heads in the brew, for they lacked the arms for hoistin'.

It got worse yet, whenever those snakes heard that song, When Irish Eyes are smilin'. Try as they might with eyes set one on one side, and the other on the other, no snake was ever known to get it's eyes together enough to smile.

'Tis as plain as day where this tragic tale is headin'. With the strength of the Irish people livin in their words, and their hearts and souls reaching to the Heavens in song, what were the snakes to do? Never were words so beautifully and enchantingly spoken as when expressed by the Irish poets. When melodies were sung, never were the voices so pure and harmonious. The snakes, inspired by such lamentations and joyous musings, opened their mouths. They expected poetry, they expected melody, yet nothing but barely audible, raspy hisses were to be heard.

No creature has ever felt such humiliation. Nor has any creature tried so hard to be what it wasn't. Not only were the serpents heartbroken, but they turned green with envy. Such torn and suffering creatures could do naught but leave Ireland forever. One dark and moonless night they slithered away. It was not the sainted Patrick who drove the snakes from Ireland....it was SHAME!

The Irish whisperer in my dream had almost finished the tale of Erin's serpents when he asked, "Do you know where the descendents of those legless, armless, smileless, voiceless creatures are now"? "No", I answered.

He went on to tell me...............

They slithered out of Ireland and crossed the sea to the new world. There, they joined creatures of a similar nature, and developed serpentine ways. There, they learned to sidewind, and they sidewinded themselves all the way to the White House. That's where the sorry serpents are today, rulin' the world from their snakepit in Washington D.C. and St. Patrick had nothing to do with it.

I woke up with new understanding. The Irish are lucky because they are rid of the snakes and we Americans are unlucky because our government has become a sanctuary for vipers. Isn't it strange that the Irish don't celebrate their snakeless holiday but we do? I still don't know why St. Patrick took credit for what the Irish people did just by being themselves but I wish you and yours...........A Happy St. Patrick's Day..........anyway.

What if they gave a war and nobody came?

Erin go bragh............

..........................Kitchen Window Woman

Bush's America From Dirty Water to Winter Soldier

Dirty Water For Our Soldiers! Kellogg, Brown, and Root - one of Dick Cheney's pet corporations with 16 billion dollars in outstanding war contracts and $520 million in pure profit for the year 2007, cut corners from 2004 to 2006 by supplying the soldiers on military bases in Iraq with filthy, contaminated water. The "Patriotic Profiteers" of KBR, charged with supporting American troops in the overseas war zones, abused them by consistently delivering waste water in which, our weary soldiers were to bathe their bodies, and launder their uniforms.

"KBR had exposed the entire camp to water twice as contaminated as raw water from the Euphrates River. KBR was apparently taking the waste water... which should have been dumped back in the river, and using that as the non-potable water supply. such problems had been happening for more than a year... No water treatment specialist could claim that the water was fit for human use." - from the Senate testimony of Ben Carter, water purification specialist and former Halliburton employee. PROFITS FIRST - SOLDIERS LAST!

THE AMERICAN MILITARY IS EXPENDABLE IN BUSH'S CORPORATE-RUN AMERICA

The song below is dedicated to the bastards at KBR


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March 4th, 2008 - my family and I were sickened by a report on 60 Minutes. Hundreds of uninsured and under insured Americans had driven for hours to reach Knoxville, Tennessee where Remote Area Medical or "RAM", an organization of medical volunteers, had set up a clinic and was offering a weekend of free medical care. A cross section of middle class and poor Americans with who have gone years without being able to see a doctor drove for hours, and waited hours longer in the freezing cold. These neglected citizens included patients who had been treated for heart attacks and cancer but were unable to pay for follow up care. Many who were in pain from abscessed teeth and or could not see properly put precious dollars into their gas tanks and made the journey hopes of receiving dental treatment and eye care.

RAM, orginally organized to provide medical care in remote locations in third world countries, now "does 60% of its work in urban and rural America". Not all of the thousands of sick and suffering were seen that week - far too many needing care had shown up. Those who did see the medical teams were grateful but many were also ashamed that unable to provide care for themselves and their families, they were reduced seeking charity care intended for the poor in third word countries.

AMERICANS ARE EXPENDABLE IN GEORGE W. BUSH'S CORPORATE WAR ECONOMY
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There is no evidence of a link between Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda according to a Pentagon study titled, "Saddam and Terrorism: Emerging Insights from Captured Iraqi Documents". The study, completed last year, has proven that Bush and Cheney lied America into a preemptive war against Iraq. It was to be released on the internet this week where the American public would have easy access its content - after all, we paid for it so we own it - but the Pentagon suddenly decided that it is "too politically sensitive" to be viewed online. The analysis was based on 600,000 Iraqi documents and thousands of hours of interrogations of Iraqi citizens. Gosh, that many documents make it really sensitive especially since our president kept saying things like, "The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Saddam and al Qaeda: because there was a relationship between Saddam and al Qaeda."

The Pentagon buried the study but not entirely. "We are making the report available to anyone who wishes to have it, and we'll send it out via CD in the mail", claimed the Joint Forces Command. So I guess one has to write a letter to the Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia but that might be a bit difficult as they did not give an address. The Bush Administration and the Pentagon have deliberately created a diversion to dissuade Americans from seeking the truth about this illegal war in Iraq. None-the-less, the address can be tracked down and if one's letter of request is not conveniently "lost", interested patriots will perhaps receive the "Saddam - al-Qaeda no connection report" by snail mail.

THE TRUTH IS EXPENDABLE TO THE PRESIDENT, HIS VICE, THE PENTAGON, AND THE CORPORATE WAR MACHINE
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It is ironic that the eye witness accounts of the occupations, Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan, is taking place just days after the man noted for speaking truthfully, Admiral William J. Fallon, Commander, U.S. Central Command, resigned. Secretary of Defense Gates listed, "Fox" Fallon as "one of the best strategic thinkers in uniform today", but Bush, Cheney, and the Israelis, in pursuit of expanding the U.S. war into Iran, wanted a yes man to carry out the destruction of yet another country. The admiral, unfortunately, is an intelligent, competent leader who sees the bigger picture and cares about the outcome.


Admiral Fallon who has served his country for 44 years, wanted to draw down the troops in Iraq, does not want to strike Iran, is well respected in numerous Middle Eastern countries as a listener, a negotiator, and as a strong diplomat willing to engage with others to problem solve and bring about change, had to go.

Now Bush Americans are back on track for a military strike against Iran. There will be an incident of some sort. The U.S. propaganda machine will go into high gear and a joint effort of some kind that involves the demanding, neoconservative Israelis will be launched. Iran will retaliate by striking the troops in Iraq. Many U.S. personnel will die. Bush and Cheney know this but have already written their lives off along with the lives of the Iranians they plan to kill.

ALL HUMAN LIFE IS EXPENDABLE WHEN IT LIVES IN THE PATH OF EMPIRE

Who's going to pay in blood and money for the next Bush fiasco? Don't worry. War can be fought on love alone - its a romantic experience according to the flakey, murdering presider who wouldn't tolerate Admiral Fallon. "W" delivered the following message to U.S. forces fighting in Afghanistan:

"I must say, I'm a little envious," Bush said. "If I were slightly younger and not employed here, I think it would be a fantastic experience to be on the front lines of helping this young democracy succeed."

"It must be exciting for you ... in some ways romantic, in some ways, you know, confronting danger. You're really making history, and thanks," Bush said.

Note - Bush was younger and not employed in the White House but did not want to have a fantastic experience in Vietnam. He buzzed his friends in an obsolete Texas Air National plane and got drunk every night. What an ASS!

Please watch or listen to the Winter Soldier testimonies this weekend. Perhaps the Iraq Veterans Against the War will have something to say about how fantastic it is to force democracy down the throats of an occupied people.
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935 LIES - OVER ONE MILLION DEAD - A TWO TRILLION DOLLAR WAR

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