some free advice for the bigots behind california's proposition 8:

next time, consider getting your yard signs from a union supplier here in the united states like the no on 8 campaign did.

because then you might actually have some. i mean, in california.

free bonus advice: stop being so intolerant. obsessing over the sex lives of consenting adults of legal age is tacky at best. and trying to strip your fellow citizens of basic rights is downright nasty.

bonus free advice for those of you who don't believe in rewriting california's constituion to take away the right of a homosexual person to marry the person he or she loves: you can volunteer or donate money here.

can we all just agree that obama's on it?

selected awesome quote: "when you hear john mccain talk about taking on the ol' boys' network, know this: on the mccain campaign, that is called a staff meeting." -barack obama

go watch!


obama speaking to women in daytona beach, florida
september 20, 2008

uniting money and mouth.

over the last many months, but with increasing frequency these days, i've had quite a few conversations with people about hopes and fears (but mostly fears) related to the election. and way too many of these talks have been just that: talk. volunteering takes time and energy; donating takes money; we're all busy and anxious and strapped for cash.

but this week i've decided something: if you really want barack obama and joe biden to win, and/or if you really don't want john mccain and sarah palin to win, you need to do something about it.

every week. something. at least a thing. send a campaign contribution (you can even donate online here.) give some money to moveon here. get involved with the obama campaign in some way—you can even phonebank from home. write a letter to the editor of your local paper. have a difficult conversation with someone who disagrees with you. but something. every week.

there are only six weeks left. six things. do them.

heckuva job, guys.

c.w.a.j.a.?. extends its congratulations to the republicans in the california legislature who have, once again, managed to balance a budget on the backs of children, sick people, poor people, students, and california's public education system.

and to arnold schwarzenegger, who is planning to veto it.

and to everyone involved in perpetuating california's now 78-day-old budget stalemate, the longest we've ever had, which is hurting children, sick people, poor people, students, and california's public education system.

thanks for your support.

september 11 thoughts.

there is so much that could be said today.

i could write you a roundup of the deaths and injuries and environmental devastation and economic implications and tremendous waste involved in the war on afghanistan and the war on iraq.

i could talk about the people (including john mccain) who have discussed attacking iran.

i could mention the corporations that are making money hand over fist as a direct result of the wars.

i could reflect on the fact that new york/washington, dc/pennsylvania's 9/11 wasn't the only one that will live in infamy in this hemisphere.

i could explore the connections between the bin laden family and the bushes, note that we still haven't found osama bin laden, mention the people who have been arrested, detained, beaten, tortured, or simply disappeared for being, looking like, or sharing a name with someone the united states was looking for, or for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

i could share with you my september 11 story (we've all got one—some are more dramatic than others, but everyone has theirs.)

i could discuss the stark division i see in my own life between the pre-9/11 and post-9/11 days.

but i'm not going to. because i'm tired. and because i think that any of those things might detract from the very most important thing i can say about today, the thing i woke up thinking: if you didn't like september 11, 2001, then don't let that kind of thing happen to other people.

that is all.

can we all just agree that joe biden nails it here?

biden's talking about the rnc: "it's not so much what i heard...it's what i didn't hear." watch for his elementary school analogy and the reaction of the people sitting behind him. i think he really strikes a chord. and i think he's right.


joe biden on fire

please pay attention to the rnc protests.

amy goodman explains what happened

journalists, photographers, community activists, food not bombs volunteers, and plenty of other folks are being arrested right now. don't watch this happening silently.

can we all just agree that "pervious" sounds like a really bad thing?

i know it's just a typo, and that they meant to write "previous," but man does "pervious" seem like something inappropriate.

there were also three other typos in my hiring packet, but none of them were nearly as interesting.

in that case, i feel okay about it.

i just got a new job. i like the job a lot. but i had to sign a loyalty oath. this isn't the first time, but it always offends me when i have to do this. except when i think it's funny. so today i was feeling offended and/or amused by the oath, when i realized that the paper i signed actually said that i couldn't become "a member of any party or organization, political or otherwise, that advocates the overthrow of tilt government of the united states..."

1. i feel like this leaves some options open for me. the government is one thing. tilt government? another entirely.

2. i guess my job's safe from sarah palin.

more answers to your questions:

q: "cornchips or chocolate?"

a: yes.

action alert from mike:

"So things are getting worse in ST. Paul and we need to support our friends can you please post the following on your blog. Feel free to edit it but make sure to include the media links and the phone numbers as it is extremely important to get as many people as possible to call!

Peace, love, Unity,

Mike Butler

RED ALERT!!!

THERE IS A FASCIST POLICE STATE IN ST. PAUL

http://twincities.indymedia.org/

http://news.infoshop.org/search.php?mode=search&type=stories&topic=dncrnc2008

http://indymedia.us/en/index.shtml

http://www.democracynow.org/

Also Watch Democracy Now! Tomorrow as police have arrested a journalist with that show!!

KEEP THE PRESSURE ON: FREE OUR FRIENDS!!

Hennepin County Jail: 612-348-5112

Ramsey County Jail: 651-266-9350

FLOOD THE MAYORS' OFFICES ASAP

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman

651-266-8510

Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak

(612) 673-2100

(612) 673-3000 outside Minneapolis

Sunday

3:30pm: Plymouth police refusing to let IWW union workers off train taking them back to Bloomington Station. Diabetic who needs insulin also not allowed. (Twin Cities IMC)

2:30pm: Cops have surrounded train to get at reinstated IWW organizer and escorting friends and fellow union workers. (Twin Cities IMC)

1:30pm - Cops moved in on demonstration of around 30 people in intersection at 6th and Washington. Intersection cleared, no arrests.

Nine arrested from vets march detained

RNC protest groups file court order to stop police seizures

Sixth person arrested in anarchist investigation; advocate says one is being denied meds and vegan food

Saturday

10:45pm: Permaculture bus impounded? No reported arrests.

RNC Welcoming Committee Organizers Seek Sanctuary From Illegal Arrests

Complete search warrant from Minneapolis raid today

Coldsnap: NLG lawyers ejected from press conference. 2 NLG lawyers kicked out of law enforcement press conference in St. Paul!

3:30pm: One more WC member grabbed on street by police squad.

9:45am: House raid occurring at 3500 Harriet Ave S. Approximately 20 people

9:45am: One person arrested, taken to jail from Food Not Bombs House. One person from Food Not Bombs House Arrested, Charged with Four Counts of Conspiracy

9:45: People from 17th Ave. House Charged with Conspiracy to Riot

Friday night

St. Paul: 10:30 pm CDT: Convergence center on Smith Ave. has been raided by the cops. They have a warrant. The cops have handcuffed everybody at the center and are processing people to get their names and identification. No arrests at this time. Twin Cities Indymedia reports: The convergence space is currently being raided. Police burst in and are using force against people. Everyone inside has been handcuffed. Estimates of people inside currently vary between 20-70. One block radius around the convergence space has been blocked off. Lawyers, legal observers and media are on the way. More updates as they come.

St. Paul: 10:30 pm CDT: No arrests during Critical Mass ride, though there were several crashes."