ArchiveThis page serves as an archive for past news stories. Stories with ongoing relevance remain here for reference purposes.
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The following news items are listed in order by the date they were added to this page with the most recent story listed first.
The following news items are listed in alphabetical order by name. Some items have multiple listings.
Resources for Life Director Greg Johnson was featured on CBS affiliate KCCI Channel 8 in Des Moines, Iowa in a story about his small house. Click here to watch the video now. Gregory has also been featured on National Public Radio's All Things Considered and written about in publications such as Time Magazine. Click here for more about Greg in the media. (20060521su1531) |
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These activist in Iowa City are concerned about the impact of U.S. military involvement on the campaign to deliver humanitarian aid to Iraq. They are pro-peace and pro-America. You'll notice the U.S. flag in the foreground - and it isn't burning. |
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20030326we Day 1. The Peace Camp was established and began to draw crowds of people for peaceful exchanges and dialog. 20030327th Day 2. The Peace Camp continues to get support from local authorities and others in the community. 20030328fr Day 3. The Peace Camp now has discussion tables and a large flag poll with the American flag. |
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"Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man." - Gandhi
Out of desperation, some activists have begun to launch massive campaigns to immobilize metropolitan areas. These efforts have been met with aggressive police action [news] and have resulted in an erosion of public support. In some cases, anti-war protestors have even turned to violence (see photo below of gasoline bomb thrown at police). While such actions 'purchase' some airtime through 'shock and awe,' the public response is negative and at times hostile. Those who feel that that peace cannot be established through the violence of war, should not try to establish peace through the violence of angry protestors.
Efforts to immobilize metropolitan areas also hinder the infrastructure needed to sustain effective activism world-wide. Continued aggressive action may result in activists being viewed (and treated) as terrorists. Such actions also legitimize and rally support for an increased police state. Such actions result in lost income that could have been spent on productive activist causes. Such actions result in activists having official documented arrest records which can hinder their ability to earn finances to fund activist initiatives. For these reasons, some analysts have suggested that such campaigns are actually initiated and fueled by entities wishing to discredit the peace movement.
Peace Advocates Turn to Violence In the photo to the right, "Flames engulf an Athens policeman after a gasoline bomb was thrown during a March 21 anti-war demonstration outside the U.S. embassy. More than 200,000 people took part in the protest." (20030321fr, source: MSNBC/AP) |
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The terrorists of 911 believed they could draw attention to themselves and gain international support for their cause through violence. Their actions only harmed innocent people and resulted in world-wide grief, anger, and resentment. Similarly, the current trend toward violence and immobilizing metropolitan areas may result in more harm than good. See our online guide to activism for suggestions on creative, constructive, and peaceful activism.
Within 72 hours after promising humanitarian aid and relief to the people of Iraq, the United States launched a massive military assault on Iraq and invaded with a quarter-of-a-million heavily-armed troops. There is now a global movement pressuring the United States to cease military action and delivery on the humanitarian aid and relief that was promised. Aid to Iraq is an organization helping to provide information about urgently needed humanitarian aid and relief to Iraq. |
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"An Iraqi child [above] who reportedly suffered burns during the overnight bombing raid over Baghdad is comforted by his mother Saturday at a Baghdad hospital." (source: MSNBC website) Numerous images, like this one, have sparked world-wide grief and concern about some actions of the U.S. Military which are non-humanitarian (such as the bombing raids on the city of Baghdad). This has resulted in a global movement asking that the U.S. quickly deliver on its promise of humanitarian aid to Iraq. Click here for more information about what was promised. |
Global concern continues to rise without ceasing as activists world-wide express anguish over the U.S. military involvement in Iraq. Over 2000 people have been arrested in San Francisco as activists filled the streets. |
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Over 11 million people around the world have been protesting in recent months expressing concern about global military action and corporate irresponsibility. Peaceful demonstrations have turned aggressive as authorities use excessive force to shut down freedom of expression and establish a police state. |
World media is not reporting on this crisis and as a result, many governments are not responding to the anguish and cries of their citizens. (20030324mo2006, source: Indy Media San Francisco and sfgate.com, link to story) |
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The Small House Society is an organization that serves as a voice for the global small house movement. Small houses are ideal for activists because of the cost and time savings they make possible. Some people believe that living in a small efficient space can result in more effective living. |
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20010219mo. RLI News - The Homeland Defense Agency has been described by some as "Taliban for the Heartland." This new initiative would mobilize and utilize various U.S. military, intelligence, and defense forces to institute domestic law and order whenever necessary. Is this an example of the new Compassionate Conservativism we've been hearing about? |
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Graphic in Arabic from a U.S. Government Site on Terrorism The program is primarily focused on responding to domestic terrorist threats, however the forces could be turned against the public if the need arose. The following information was distributed by the U.S. Department of State Office of International Information Programs: |
*EUR302 02/14/01 White House Report on National Guard/Domestic Terrorism, Feb. 14 (Dealing with domestic terrorism or preventing it) (250)
FLEISCHER SAYS GUARD WILL BE DEALING WITH DOMESTIC TERRORISM OR PREVENTING IT
En route back to Andrews Air Force Base from Charleston, West Virginia February 14, White House Press Secretary was asked by reporters to flesh out President Bush's comments at Yaeger Field on potential changes in the National Guard. Fleischer offered these remarks: "The mission of the guard, under his vision, will increasingly be homeland defense, which means dealing with the consequences of domestic terrorism or preventing domestic terrorism. "As you know," said the White House Press Secretary, "in recent years at Olympic events, major events, it's become an increasingly unfortunate concern of our government about preventing incidents at home and protecting American people from any incidents at home. And the Guard plays an increasing role in homeland defense. "It's a change," Fleischer said. "When he was in the Guard, it had a different mission. Homeland defense was patrolling off the coastline. Homeland defense now unfortunately has taken on a whole new meaning as a result of terrorism that can threaten our government." The Press Secretary declined to comment on a proposal before the Congress to establish a homeland defense agency that would incorporate several agencies now involved in such duty. (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
Homeland Defense Agency - The Movie!
Here are two films that depict how the government might use military force to control citizens.
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Outbreak. (1995) This film provides an accurate depiction and analysis of what might happen if various U.S. military, intelligence, and defense forces were called upon to institute domestic law and order in a state of emergency as a response to a biological threat. This film is available for checkout from our library. |
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The Siege. (1998) This film provides an accurate depiction and analysis of what might happen if various U.S. military, intelligence, and defense forces were called upon to institute domestic law and order in a state of emergency as a response to large scale Islamic terrorist attack upon New York City. This film is available for checkout from our library. |
The following story had very little coverage in the press. It has been identified by Project Censored as one of the top 25 most censored stories of the year:
For three days last may, 121 youths from 42 different communities had gathered to oppose the environmental destruction brought on by Chevron's oil extraction practices. For decades, the people of the Niger Delta have been protesting the destruction of their wet lands. Discharges into the creeks and waterways have left the region a dead land, resulting in the Niger Delta becoming one of the most heavily polluted regions in the world.
The students claim they had voiced their concerns many times and had scheduled a number of meetings with the company, but the meetings had been repeatedly canceled by Chevron. As a next step, the students organized the protest around a Chevron barge in order to draw Chevron's attention to the goal of environmental justice. Student demonstrators had peacefully occupied an anchored barge in a protest since May 25.
According to student leader, Bola Oyinbo, approximately 20 of the 121 students surrounding the barge in small boats went on board to meet with a Nigerian Naval officer who was working for Chevron. Oyinbo stated that the students wanted to speak to a Mr. Kirkland, Chevrons managing director. Although the director never came, other Chevron officials did arrive the next day and promised to set up a meeting with the students at the end of May. The students agreed to leave the barge on May 28 in order to attend the proposed meeting.
On May 28,1998, Nigerian National soldiers were helicoptered by Chevron employees to the Chevron owned oil facility off the coast of Nigeria where after an onslaught of attacks, two students were dead and several others wounded.
Sources: ERA ENVIRONMENTAL TESTIMONIES, "Chevron in Nigeria," July 10, 1998, by Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria; PACIFICA RADIO, "Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship" PacificaRadio www.pacifica.org, September 1998, by Amy Goodman and Jeremy Scahill.
For more censored stories, visit Project Censored.
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