Impeachment Teach-In

[H2O Man]

I attended the Teach-In on Impeachment at The Forum in Binghamton, NY last night. It was sponsored by the Broome County Peace Action group, and Broome County NY Veterans for Peace Chapter 90. It was an inspirational evening for those who are strongly opposed to the policies of the Bush-Cheney administration, and who believe that our Constitutional democracy requires that Congress move to impeach the president and vice president.

Two of the guest speakers are authors of important books on impeachment. John Nichols writes for The Nation, The Progressive, and Capital Times. His book "The Genius of Impeachment" is outstanding. Bill Moyers recently did an hour long interview with John on his show,

Nichols gave an interesting history on the Founding Fathers’ intentions for the process of impeachment. He then listed some of the offenses of the current administration that should result in impeachment.

John also answered those who say they favor impeachment, but question if it’s too late to start the process now. Every 10 minutes, an innocent Iraqi dies as a result of the Bush-Cheney war of aggression; every 10 hours, an American soldier dies in Iraq; and every 10 days, $2 billion is taken from American tax-payers to line the pockets of Dick Cheney’s friends.

Elizabeth de la Vega is a retired federal prosecutor. For over two decades, she was involved in the top unit for prosecuting organized crime in this country. She is the author of "United States v. George W. Bush et. Al."

Elizabeth spoke about the largest case of fraud in our nation’s history – the lies that brought the US to war in Iraq – and the need to prosecute those responsible. Her book lists the president, along with Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice and Powell as being responsible for the fraud.

She compared the failure of congress to make any meaningful response to the 1964 example of urban indifference when Kitty Genovese was murdered: neighbors sat passively by, thinking that either someone else should do something, or that if no one else did anything, that it must not be that bad.



Rep. Maurice Hinchey and Vietnam War combat veteran (and former Broome County Executive) Tim Grippen could not attend. Hinchey had a family medical emergency, and Grippen was hospitalized earlier in the day. Substitutes for both did a good job of representing their positions.

Two people from Ithaca also did a wonderful presentation on how they got the Tompkins County Legislature to become the first in the nation to pass a resolution that requests Bush and Cheney be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Binghamton University Professor Jean Quataert. Her new book "Advocating Dignity: Historical Perspectives on Human Rights Struggles and Global Politics, 1945-2005," will be published soon. I strongly urge DUers to buy a copy when it is available.

The program featured a fascinating Questions & Answers period. A highlight for many people was when an 8th grader named Chloe H2O Girl spoke about the administration’s betrayal of injured veterans, and of her hopes for the nation’s future. Professor Quataert noted that she represents our future, and Elizabeth de la Vega said, "I look forward to seeing you in Congress."

I have a lot more to say about how we can work to bring the message from last night to more people across the country. In the next few days, I’ll be posting more detailed information for those who are interested in keeping the impeachment issue as central to the progressive grass roots.

Peace,
H2O Man

[unhappycamper]

1. Your daughter is beautiful.

Her bumper sticker is GREAT!

Peace,
uhc

[H2O Man]

3. The Democratic Underground

is read and appreciated by far more people than many of us might expect. There are many people who read and approve of the "good stuff" here, who are not active participants.

(I suppose there are plenty of people who read the good stuff and disaprove, too.)

[flashl]

2. Impeachment proceedings will be our version of TRUTH hearings. n/t

[H2O Man]

5. Exactly.

Elizabeth de la Vega spoke about people who say that "the truth is we can't impeach because _____." And you can fill in that blank with any of the reasons that those with the bump-on-a-log mentality put forth. She said that the fact is that in order to not impeach Bush and Cheney, we have to ignore the truth. We have to turn our back on the reality of what is happening today in our country, and in Iraq. And we have to deny the wisdom of the Founding Fathers as put forth in that Constitution.

Impeachment proceedings will be our Truth Hearings.

[KoKo]

52. ...

[babylonsister]

4. Wow, you were in inspired company, H20 Man! And

H20 Girl has a wonderful role model! What did Nichols say when asked if it was too late to impeach? There are many on DU who claim no offenses done by this admin can be proved, :eyes: so I'm curious.
And thank you!

[H2O Man]

8. There is time.

The weak "there isn't time" business doesn't hold up to the light that Mr. Nichols shines on the topic: there are more people in congress -- in both the House and Senate -- who are aware of and in agreement with the reasons that impeachment is necessary, than there were in congress a few short months before Nixon resigned in disgrace.

It can be done. The media says it can't, and there are even some democrats who have people disguised as grass roots activists trying to convince us that it shouldn't be attempted. But even Hinchey's spokesman said those democrats are taking that position for purely political gain -- their personal gain, of course, and not the good of the nation.

[babylonsister]

15. Thank you again; your response is bookmarkable to share with

the naysayers. :thumbsup: :hi:

[Me.]

21. Pigs In Pokes

Been a lot of oinking lately

[blogslut]

6. Nichols convinced me that impeachment is necessary

If we let Bush get away with what he has done, our inaction will become approval.

[H2O Man]

9. Nichols is a

powerful presenter of the facts. I had a wonderful talk with him about the case for impeaching Cheney that was made in a series of discussions known as the DU Plame Threads.

[blogslut]

12. As the saying goes...

"Impeach Cheney First!" :)

[H2O Man]

14. Yes!

That is really the key. It's so important that people understand that .... and as we say on DU, not just the "how," but the "why" is essential.

[mmonk]

11. Yes. I respect Nichols quite a bit

and enjoy what he writes.

[mmonk]

7. Thanks so much for this.

I was waiting for your report on in it. Congratulations to Chloe.

[H2O Man]

13. Thank you.

I have a lot more -- and I think you'll enjoy it.

It has been a tough week. I had been concerned that I was going to have to miss the show, but two of my children made sure I was there, front row. I'll probably need a few more days before I am well enough to really do justice to the topic.

[mmonk]

16. I'm glad they made sure you were front row.

I look forward to your further postings on this.

[havocmom]

10. 'Teach your children well...'

Thank you for doing your part for protecting tomorrow.

And thank you for the pictures. The shining faces of young DUer offspring do much to restore the feisty in some of us old geezers who might otherwise get so fed up with the rampant stupidity that we give up the fight.

Glad to hear people in interesting places keep tabs on DU. The more backing we can get for taking America out of the hands of the criminals, the more voices we can raise, the better chance influential parties have of making the case against the junta.

That we have so many moles, trolls, and paid operatives these days would seem testament to the power of voice here.

Can we bookmark these pictures of your lovely daughter? It would be nice to have a file of evidence to whip out when the nay-sayers whine that young Americans just aren't involved.

[H2O Man]

17. I thought the

photos were really nice. She enjoys reading DU, and shows Eva's videos to her teachers in junior high school. Of course, it is probably not possible to be entirely objective about one's child, but I do think that she is representative of the goodness of our young people, and is good at expressing her generation's concerns about the damage that the older generation(s) are doing to the environment, to other countries, and to ourselves.

[lonestarnot]

18. So... lemme see, it's a peoples' impeachment movement, where

the people steamroll IMPEACHMENT? right on. Let's see how that works out as nothing like the power of the people in numbers is there? Can you post some more NOW?

[H2O Man]

27. Some of what

I think is important is information provided by a few of the grass roots activists from Ithaca. They told about going to a March 17th rally to mark another anniversary of the Bush war in Iraq. And people bagan talking about their frustrations .... because they were getting tired of simply attending yet another march and another rally, knowing that their representatives in Washington DC were putting their most sincere requests on a back burner, while the congress was giving Bush every penny he requested to pay for the surge in the war of occupation in Iraq.

A couple of folks said that they should try to build from the grass roots up. They should petition their county government to endorse a resolution calling for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. Now, a lot of people think of Ithaca as a liberal community, but the response was not unlike that which we so often hear here on our liberal discussion forum .... it would be "too controversial," or "too divisive," or "it will never happen." And that is human nature -- some people are more focused on the negative, and find reasons to always take "NO!" as their approach to life.

But others there wouldn't take "No!" for an answer. They replaced it with "Yes!" And they recognized that we are faced with two paths: the one that says "No!" leads to the decomposition of our Constitutional democracy, while the "Yes!" path is a process that develops organically.

So they gave people something positive, to develop in their own creative way. The effort was not run by a bureaucratic office that answered to a lobbyist or congressional aide in Washington. No, it was women with petitions on ironing boards in city/town parks; it was college students collecting signatures in their dorm; it was progressive community activists going door-to-door; it was progressive thinkers bringing the word to their church; and it was citizens who believe in America, bringing the petition to their work place.

When the day came to present it to theTompkins County Legislature, they were told that they didn't have the votes. The proposal was too controversial and too divisive. But they refused to take "No!" for an answer. They understood the Power of Yes. They had a large turn-out for the meeting.

A number of folks spoke. Then a lady talked about how hard they had worked, and how important it was for the people of this generation to step up to the plate, and take a bold stance for our Constitutional democracy. She asked the legislature to "give us hope." And even some of the more conservative officials agreed with her.

The resolution passed. There is hope. The best hope for protecting our Constitutional democracy isn't found in Washington DC. It's in those patriots who exercise the muscles of that Bill of Rights, and who will petition their elected officials. It's those ladies with the ironing boards in the park; the students in the dorms; those activists going door-to-door; the progressive church folks; and the workers, including those in the unions, who are working to build democracy from the grass roots up.

(I have some serious physical problems that do not allow me to fully answer you request today. But I will, hopefully in the next day or two.)

[Me.]

41. Ironing Boards?

Significance?

[H2O Man]

42. House wives and

house husbands across the nation know the significance of ironing boards.

I assume that some of the folks in Ithaca just have creative senses of humor.

[NBachers]

73. Ironing Boards

No, nobody's trying to promote a "woman's place is in the home" agenda here.

I walked to my local San Francisco grocery store during the 2004 campaign. A woman was set up outside with Democratic Party paraphernalia, all arrayed across an ironing board. The juxtaposition of an ironing board being used for political campaign literature struck me as a perfect low-tech "tools-for-the-purpose" application. "I'm goin' out an doin' it, and I'm usin' what I've got at hand." I bought a San Francisco Democratic Party shirt, and still wear it proudly.

[Annces]

19. I am glad you made it there

They must be impressed with how much you know about this.

[H2O Man]

33. I am confident

that the infamous DU Plame Threads were read by a much larger audience that the DU membership. The crimes that were directly connected to the Plame scandal are, in many senses, the strongest reasons for impeaching those in this administration.

Two positions that I have taken on DU are the same that people like John Nichols and Elizabeth de la Vega are taking: first, that the Plame scandal provides congress with all they need to impeach Cheney, who poses a greater threat to our country than Bush; and second, that there is zero chance of the congress exercising any control over Bush & Cheney in terms of Iraq and Iran, unless they move to impeach.

[Me.]

20. H20 Girl Is So Damned Adorable

I hope we do see her in Congress or even elsewhere, if you get my drift

[H2O Man]

35. One of the things

I thought was nice was that after the presentation, Elizabeth wanted to give her a copy of her book. Chloe had already bought two -- one for herself, and one for a school teacher. She had also bought another teacher some nice bumper stickers.

There are some really good teachers who are talking to kids who are in junior and senior high school, about what is going on in the world. And they are listening to these youngsters. I think that one of the thing that community activists need to do is to promote opportunities for young citizens to be recognized and respected.

[lonestarnot]

22. kick

[Me.]

23. Another Question Asked To Distract Is "Are The Crimes Provable"?

The crimes against the Nazis were provable, and if we are following the Nazi playbook, especially in regards to propaganda and torture, perhaps we should look to Nuremberg as a guide on how to proceed.

The ‘Good Germans’ Among Us
By FRANK RICH

“As Andrew Sullivan, once a Bush cheerleader, observed last weekend in The Sunday Times of London, America’s “enhanced interrogation” techniques have a grotesque provenance: “Verschärfte Vernehmung, enhanced or intensified interrogation, was the exact term innovated by the Gestapo to describe what became known as the ‘third degree.’

“Our national character is on the line too. The extralegal contractors are both a slap at the sovereignty of the self-governing Iraq we supposedly support and an insult to those in uniform receiving as little as one-sixth the pay. Yet it took mass death in Nisour Square to fix even our fleeting attention on this long-metastasizing cancer in our battle plan.” Cont…

Our humanity has been compromised by those who use Gestapo tactics in our war. The longer we stand idly by while they do so, the more we resemble those “good Germans” who professed ignorance of their own Gestapo. It’s up to us to wake up our somnambulant Congress to challenge administration policy every day. Let the war’s last supporters filibuster all night if they want to. There is nothing left to lose except whatever remains of our country’s good name.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/opinion/14rich2.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[H2O Man]

36. As Elizabeth de la Vega

proves, in her book, the evidence is already there. Congress has it. They don't need any more investigations in order to move on this. No more subpoenas are needed. There is enough to impeach and convict on the record right now.

[porphyrian]

24. Everyone needs to attend somthing like this. - n/t

[H2O Man]

44. Right.

There should be teach-ins across the country. They provide a great opportunity for people to get together and plan activities that harness the energy of the anti-war people.

[in_cog_ni_to]

25. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, H2O Man. Your daughter's compassion and empathy for our

Veterans only reflects on what a wonderful role model she has in you. You should be proud. She's not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside. Though I'm not surprised because she has you to teach her.:hug:

After seeing John Nichols on Bill Moyers with Bruce Fein, it only solidified, for me, the urgency to Impeach Cheney and Bush.

Thanks for the the post. It's good to know there are others out there speaking on the importance of Impeaching the thugs in this administration.

[H2O Man]

47. Thank you.

Like all parents, I am proud of my children. And over the years, they have given me a lot to be proud of.

One of the measures of the unhealthy nature of our culture is that it does not respect either the young or the old. I thought that one of the most important things about last night's teach-in was the number of older folks there. We know that retired citizens tend to vote at a higher rate than any other group in the country. The more we are able to get the young and old together, the more likely we are to get young people to vote more frequently, as well. There were a few high school and college students in the audience last night, and I hope that we can increase the numbers in the upcoming months,

[SergeyDovlatov]

26. we need to launch an investigation into whether

administration purposely misled congress into passing IWR.
And if found so, Bush and Cheney needs to be impeached and brought before international war crime tribunal.

Unfortunately our congress democrats are chickens and will never do something like that.
Especially because then, Bill Clinton / Gore would need to be tried for war crimes for US aggression against serbia.

[H2O Man]

49. There is enough

information on record to justify impeachment.

Elizabeth de la Vega pointed out that one of the things some people think might protect Bush is that he, unlike Cheney, was not aware of the extent that he was lying about the "threats" Iraq posed. In fact, a person who is president must be held to at least the same standard as the heads of a corporation like Enron -- and we remember the heads of Enron's defense was that they didn't realize they were lying. But the law states they are required to know before they peddle such lies; this is known as a "statement made with reckless disregard for the truth."

Others say it is possible that the administration knew that what they were saying wasn't true, but that they hoped things would turn out well. Elizabeth points out that almost 100% of people convicted for fraud were hopeful that everything would turn out okay. That is not a legal defense.

If you are in charge of a company/operation, you are required to know the facts about it. Bush clearly failed.

Cheney can be shown, without question, to have known that he was lying. His attempts to convince the public that there was an al Qaeda-Iraqi link, including his saying analysts believed it was true, can be shown to have been an absolute lie. The 14 studies that Cheney was familiar with do not support his claim.

[malaise]

28. Nice report

and lovely pix.

[H2O Man]

50. Thank you.

I think I'll have more to say that is of interest this week.

[pacalo]

29. A big "hello!" to Chloe H2O Girl! And a K&R.

I'm looking forward to reading more about this, H2O Man!

[H2O Man]

51. She was very happy

to read this thread!

[Jade Fox]

30. If we don't impeach.....

aren't we making the impeachment option a joke? People say it was made a joke by with the Clinton "impeachment", but trivial impeachment seems less damaging to our country than allowing a bunch of crooks to slide.

[H2O Man]

53. If we don't impeach

we allow one of the most powerful tools that the Founding Fathers included for the purpose of protecting our Constitutional democracy to be meaningless.

[H2O Man]

31. One of the stories

that John Nichols told about was something that he learned from a soldier named Matt, who had served in Iraq and is now strongly opposed to the war.

Matt had told him about when they were first in Iraq, and had had a total of 30 minutes of "cultural awareness" training -- which did not include anything as far as language or communication skills. And on their first day, Matt and others were guarding a truck heading north on one of the highways that used to exist in Iraq, before being destroyed. At one intersection, they stopped, and signaled to an on-coming vehicle to stop. The vehicle stopped, the driver returned the soldier's signal, and started to move forward.

The soldiers open fired, killing an entire family. They realized afterwards that the father had simply tried to communicate friendship with the soldiers.

That night the soldiers had difficulty processing what they had done. Soldiers are trained to kill, and inhuman things occure in war. But one soldier noted that he was a Christian, and expressed fear that he would be sent to hell for murdering an innocent family. That was his first day in Iraq.

I keep thinking about that, and of this exchange in the front of Elizabeth de la Vega's book:

Helen Thomas: Ari, is the President willing to prepare to sacrifice American and Iraqi innocent lives to take out Saddam Hussein?

Ari Fleischer: Helen, the President is prepared to protect innocent lives.

Helen Thomas: Pardon?

Ari Fleischer: The President is prepared to protect innocent lives. And that is why the President has said that Iraq is part of the axis of evil.

[H2O Man]

34. A concern

that was discussed last night was that some of the democratic leadership is not only not supporting efforts to bring about impeachment, but are actively attempting to discourage those who are discussing it. Representative Maurice Hinchey's aide (I believe his name is Dan Lamb), said that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has attempted to discourage those who are pushing for impeachment. This isn't simply saying it isn't on the table now, it is trying to keep others from placing it on that table.

[Me.]

39. Will The Real Nancy Pelosi Please Stand Up

I believed her before the 2006 election when she said this Congress wwould change things. I can't see me trusting her again.

'If someone betrays you once, it’s their fault; if they betray you twice, it’s your fault.'
Eleanor Roosevelt

[H2O Man]

43. Hinchey's aide

requested that community activists in every town and city across America step it up now. Get involved in petition drives, and use your local news media to bring attention to your effort. Help the public connect the need to impeach with the ability to end the war.

[KoKo]

32. Thanks for this...and sharing

the photo's of beautiful "Chloe H20" and her speaking out for our wounded veterans. It does my heart good to know that young people like Chloe are concerned and speaking out and will be working for change in the future. She's a tribute to her wonderful Dad who is an inspiration to so many of us here on DU!

:grouphug:

[H2O Man]

54. Thank you!

It was a wonderful experience. I thought the people who presented the information on the grass roots effort in Ithaca/Tompkins County were great. I was also very impressed by Binghamton activist Jack Gilmore. When people like John Nichols and Elizabeth de la Vega coordinate efforts with the grass roots, we can effect change in this country.

[Kurovski]

37. K&R. Thank you, H2O Man. (nt)

[H2O Man]

55. Thank you. n/t

[bleever]

38. I wonder if

you might, when writing further, touch on the question of whether or not impeachment is really bound by the time frame of the office holder's term, or if in fact the process can (and perhaps should) continue in full force beyond the end of that term.

It's all about the truth; removal from office is actually just one piece of the scenario. And because it's about recovering truth so that we can move forward from a place of justice and clarity, uncovering that truth and making it part of the historical record is much bigger than just evicting the malefactor.

Thanks for sharing the event with us!

[H2O Man]

60. It is true

that people can be impeached after leavinf office. The process is a civil trial, and a person who is convicted can be denied the right to hold office in the future. That could be important in the case of someone like Condi Rice, though not as much so with someone like George Bush.

There are two reasons why it is important now: First, because we are a nation of laws, and the idea that "no individual is above the law" is rooted in the concept of impeachment. The Founding Fathers wanted to be sure that the president obeyed the supreme law of the land -- the Constitution -- and they recognized that the primary route that a president would try to take to grab power would be war.

Second, in the present situation, there is zero chance that the current administration will reduce the occupation in Iraq unless the congress begins impeachment. The two go hand-in-hand. Even here on a progressive site like DU, some of our moderate-to-conservative friends told us that they didn't favor impeachment after the 2006 elections, because the new democratically-controlled congress had to focus on the important job of ending the war. Instead, they have assisted President Bush in every effort to secure more funding to pay for the surge of insanity in Iraq.

[EFerrari]

40. You must be very proud of Chloe.

And I'm jealous you all got to talk to Nichols.

cheers

[H2O Man]

61. Yes.

And besides proud, I'm impressed. My wife and I have always tried to expose her to different ways of thinking, and in rural upstate NY, there are some really great school teachers. But she thinks for herself, and the ideas she expressed there weren't anything that I had taught her. So when she finished, we were not only saying "smart kid," we were thinking she had given us something else to work with.

A video/DVD of the program is going to be available soon. I'll post more information on that soon.

[EFerrari]

72. Wonderful!

[Cha]

45. John Nichols is Awesome!

Imo, he's been right on everything he writes and does it such a way that draws me everytime..What a lively forum ya'll had in Binghamton, NY!!

Your intelligent, lovely daughter is lucky to be brought up in such an environment!

Thanks, H2O Man, for bringing this back to us. :)

[H2O Man]

62. John Nichols

is at his very best when he is speaking at this type of forum. I think that his writings are outstanding, and he does well in a tv studio. But in front of an audience like this was even better.

And Elizabeth de la Vega, being a retired federal prosecutor, is a master at the art of communicating ideas to a group of citizens.

[Cha]

75. Oh, yes, I remember Elizabeth de la Vega's

writings in The Nation when I use to subscribe..How historically, inspiring for all who were there!

[Me.]

46. To Your Point: The Real Why Not

“He is not alone. Everyone who tells the truth about the Iraq War is deemed to be a traitor, just as everyone who lies about the Iraq War is exalted as a patriot. Modern America is reality inverted, a fabulist’s Wonderland that transcends the wildest imagination of Lewis Carroll. Once, the United States destroyed Vietnamese villages in order to save them. Now, we are winning a glorious victory in Iraq by getting our asses kicked. Surrealism is a wonderful artistic device, but it is even more effective as a governing tool. The American people have become so disoriented by ambient fantasy that they are subsidizing the war as they oppose it. Yet when the fairy tales are cast aside, it becomes clear that America is losing in Iraq and will continue to lose in Iraq because there is nothing to win in Iraq.

Except for oil. The price of crude oil reached a new high on Friday, so the estimated Iraqi petroleum reserves are now worth eighteen trillion dollars. It should not be hard to believe that people will lie when so much money is at stake, especially when you consider that most people are willing to lie for free. But when the mammon is vast the lies become correspondingly enormous, with presidents and generals and senators and journalists all brazenly insisting that truth is fiction and vice versa.

It is not conspiracy… it is self-interest. In American politics those who lie on behalf of Big Business prosper, which explains why Democrats campaign by opposing the war but govern by supporting the war. Our system functions on the principle that you can fool most of the people most of the time, and that when you fool them to benefit the wealthy you share in the spoils.” Cont…

“Consequently, next year Americans will experience yet another farcical exercise in democracy. No matter who wins the election the Iraq War will continue. American soldiers will continue to die and American taxpayers will continue to pay so that American corporations will continue to thrive. That is reality, and there is no relief in sight.

When Ricardo Sanchez said the nightmare is endless, he wasn’t exaggerating.”

http://makethemaccountable.com/index.php/2007/10/14/david-podvin-eternal-nightmare

[H2O Man]

63. Hijacked

Elizabeth de la Vega said that the administration hijacked the nation's emotions after 9/11, and has engaged in the largest case of fraud in our country's history. And she is absolutely right.

[Me.]

71. Dead Right

Unfortunately for those whose lives have been sacrificed, Americans and Iraqis, in their oil profits. You know, I wonder, even though they would be aghast at this suggestion, if * & the Dick's pockets have been well lined? Why else continue? It feels like their lips are on the straw and they are trying to suck up the last drops of the money shake(down).

[SalmonChantedEvening]

48. A beautiful young woman who does her Father proud.

Chloe gives me hope for the future :)

A huge hug for her from me please, and one for you as well my friend :hug:

[H2O Man]

64. Thank you.

I showed her this thread, and she really liked it. She asked me to say thank you to you.

[Swamp Rat]

56. Impeach then RICO'em

:kick:

[H2O Man]

66. Elizabeth de la Vega's

background as a federal prosecutor who specialed in targeting organized crime allows her to identify the nature of the administration's crimes in a way that exposes them as nothing but mobsters.

[spanone]

57. a kick and a recommend

as always....

[H2O Man]

67. Thank you.

It was an important show. One of the interesting things, in my opinion, is that none of the three local television stations or any of the local newspapers had a reporter there. Not one. It reminds me of John Lennon's old saying, that a conspiracy of silence speaks louder than words.

[bcoylepa]

68. write an article

thanks for the report - I had wanted to go to this but family birthdays kept me home - I would suggest that you write the article and send it in with photos to the Press & Sun Bulletin and the Ithaca Journal and see if they will print it - many more people would be reached by doing that
I am surprised that the Ithaca paper didn't cover it -
am looking forward to hearing more about your ideas on this - couldn't agree more on the righteousness of impeachment -now more than ever - thanks

[DemReadingDU]

58. Thank you for the report!

Looking forward to updates this week.

You must be so proud of your daughter, to speak out about the injured veterans and our nation's future. It is good when our young people become involved and pay attention to what is going on around us.

[H2O Man]

69. Thank you.

A couple of years ago, a friend of my sons was killed in combat in Iraq. He was blown up by a roadside bomb, and the biggest piece of him that the military could send back for his family to bury was one hand. When my daughter heard that, it stuck with her, and she has been pretty focused on the horrors of the war ever since. She has helped with the local church-run collections of things to send the troops, and does a lot of research on the problems that these young people face when they return to the US.

[Kurovski]

59. Kick. (nt)

[blondie58]

65. thanks for sharing H2O, Man

and a big hug for you, Cloe. I think that I can speak for all of us here that we respect and possibly even revere your father.

[H2O Man]

70. Thanks!

Chloe will be showing this thread to some of her teachers in school today. She really appreciates that DUers are supportive of her speaking up about the PTSD issue.

[antigop]

74. Thanks for the update. Give my thanks to Chloe. Oh, and she's beautiful! n/t

[H2O Man]

76. Thank you.

It was an important presentation. I'm glad that we had the opportunity to attend and hear the presenters. And I was glad to get an e-mail yesterday from one of them, saying that they thought my daughter's part was the highlight of the show.