Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Torture


Senator McCain: Torture is Wrong


by True Majority, US Action, Catholics United (http://www.catholics-united.org/), & the School Of the Americas Watch (http://www.soaw.org/)


Click





Watch this video from Joshua Casteel, a former military interrogator. Then join Joshua and call on Sen. McCain to lead his party by bringing an end to torture in all circumstances.


http://www.TrueMajority.org/NoTorture






Nov. 21-23, 2008: Converge on Fort Benning, Georgia



The annual November vigil to close the School of the Americas at the gates of Fort Benning will follow the presidential election by two weeks. It will be an opportunity for the progressive movement to push for the closure of the SOA/WHINSEC and to set an agenda against oppressive U.S. foreign policy, whatever the result of that election is.



Click here to download the November Organizing Packet

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

The Folk Process

Pete Seeger often talks about "The Folk Process."

It's almost like plagarism, but it's not really.

It's more like bending the words of someone elses song to fit your voice or capture your mood or convey your point of view, whether it's an old Russian Lullaby like "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," with the addition of Pete's line: "When Will They Ever Learn?" or your friend Bob's song in which you change the title a little bit and switch some words about (and I've got a "take one recording" but it's difficult for me to sing and play at the same time, so I won't torture you with it - yet).


Something like this:


Our Lady of Perpetual War
Shishka Bob (and Slider Tim’s Folk Processing)
C: 2008

Well he looked to the right, and he looked to the left
And he felt something funny as it pierced through his vest
And the bullet gave another of America’s best
To Our Lady of Perpetual War

He was just 23, with a wife and a kid
And he joined at 18, like a good young man did
And he bought all the bullshit from the cowards who hid
Behind Our Lady of Perpetual War


They cock and they crow and they make others pay
For their greedy decisions while they kneel down and pray
And seek absolution from an idol of clay
Our Lady of Perpetual War

Maybe someday we’ll know why the good die so young
Why a mother’s heart’s brok’n by a rocket or gun
Why the rich just get richer and the poor pay the sum
To Our Lady of Perpetual War

When you gas up your car instead of buying kid’s shoes
Think of Oil Man’s profits, know that his kid’s excused
From the high cost of living, from his body being used
By Our Lady of Perpetual War

You may think that I’m crazy, or politically naive
As I watch you deal with a card up your sleeve
It’s just that I refuse to bow at the knee
To Our Lady of Perpetual War

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Our Lady of Perpetual Motion


A new tune by my friend who "can't stay mum. War isn't working."





Lifted from: bobnield


Well he looked to the right, and he looked to the left
He felt something funny as it pierced through his vest
And the bullet gave another of America’s best
To Our Lady of Perpetual Motion

He was just 23, with a wife and a kid
And he joined at 18, like a good young man did
And he bought all the bullshit from the cowards who hid
Behind Our Lady of Perpetual Motion

They cower and cringe and they make other’s pay
For their greedy decisions while they kneel down and pray
And seek absolution from an idol of clay
Our Lady of Perpetual Motion

Maybe someday we’ll know why the good die so young
Why a mother’s heart’s brok’n by a rocket or gun
Why the rich just get richer and the poor pay the sum
To Our Lady of Perpetual Motion

When you gas up your car instead of buying kid’s shoes
Think of Oil Man’s profits, know that his kid’s excused
From the high cost of living, from his body being used
By Our Lady of Perpetual Motion

You may think that I’m rash, or politically naive
That I don’t know how to play with a card up my sleeve
It’s just, I refuse to bow at the knee
To Our Lady of Perpetual Motion