[Peace-discuss] Fwd: War is illegal - International Declaration

Mon Apr 28 10:50:57 CDT 2008

: I tend to agree.  But does it really matter either way, in the grand
: scheme
: of things, whether AWARE's name is buried among thousands of other
: signatures on this petition?  It's not like AWARE's signing, or not
: signing, is going to alter the tide of world history.

Well now *that's* a good philosophy: the bigger the movement, the less we
should care. What better way to prevent large scale action than to
advocate for apathy in proportion to the magnitude of participation?

Sorry, but that kinda irks me.
R

: ----- Original Message ----- 
: From: "John W." <jbw292002 at gmail.com>
: To: "Brussel Morton K." <mkbrussel at comcast.net>; "Randall Cotton"
: <recotton at earthlink.net>; "Peace-discuss" <peace-discuss at anti-war.net>
: Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 5:02 AM
: Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Fwd: War is illegal - International
: Declaration
:
:
: At 12:26 PM 4/27/2008, Brussel Morton K. wrote:
:
: >I advise people to read the statement, which I repeat below (with a few
: of
: >the signees), and then decide whether you'd be willing sign on to it,
or
: >whether AWARE should sign on. IMHO, it's excellent.  I think some are
so
: >caught up in Manichean dichotomies of purity in good and evil that they
: >would hardly sign on to anything.  --mkb
:
: I tend to agree.  But does it really matter either way, in the grand
: scheme
: of things, whether AWARE's name is buried among thousands of other
: signatures on this petition?  It's not like AWARE's signing, or not
: signing, is going to alter the tide of world history.
:
: Meanwhile each individual reader of the Peace-discuss list is free to
: sign,
: or not sign, as his/her delicate truthtelling conscience dictates.
:
: John Wason
:
:
:
: >War is illegal
: >
: >Against a background of escalating ecological crises, and the fact that
: >large parts of the world´s population are being exposed to extreme
: >poverty, inhuman working conditions and increasing social tensions, the
: >annual global military expenditure has risen to more than 1000 billion
: dollars.
: >
: >The military-industrial complex of just a few G8 countries is
responsible
: >for the overwhelming part of this spending, causing incalcuable social
: and
: >ecological consequences.
: >
: >Unequal distribution of global resources, increasingly controlled by
: large
: >multinational companies, global debt policy and unfair international
: >trading practices ultimately could not be maintained without military
: >security. In many countries the military is used to repress critical
: >opposition.
: >
: >The terror attacks of September 11, 2001 are increasingly used to
justify
: >systematic surveillance and the dismantling of constitutional rights.
: Even
: >European countries have helped to establish Guantanomo-like secret
: >prisons, where torture in all probability takes place.
: >
: >Iraq was attacked based on falsified evidence causing the death of
: >hundreds of thousands of people, widespread destruction,
destabilization
: >and contamination with cancer-causing depleted uranium munitions.
: >
: >Now plans to attack Iran and the possibility of a new World War have
been
: >made public, meeting resistance even from moderate elements within the
: >military due to the unforeseeable consequences.
: >
: >Faced with the choice between a war, that according to some western
: >leaders, will last for many years or a possible peaceful transformation
: we
: >support the following demands:
: >
: >1) Impeachment proceedings against US President Bush and US Vice
: President
: >Cheney before the 2008 election, a demand raised in solidarity with
large
: >parts of the US public and some members of US Congress. Furthermore
: >prosecution by the International Court of Justice of G. W. Bush, R.
: Cheney
: >and other officials from various countries for waging wars of
aggression
: >contrary to international law and committing crimes against humanity.
: >
: >2) International investigation of the September 11, 2001 terror
attacks.
: >They are used as the central justification for the "War on Terror", but
: >well documented evidence shows that the official explanation of 9/11
: >cannot be correct. International personalities in science, politics,
and
: >culture, including high-ranking military veterans, have called for a
new
: >investigation.
: >
: >3) Immediate military withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq, and no
attack
: >against Iran. International prohibition of war as a means of conflict
: >resolution. Military intervention and export of weapons should be
: criminalized.
: >In a civilized society torture must be prohibited in any form.
: >
: >4) Conversion of military industries to civilian purposes and the
: >development of ecological and sustainable energy resources. According
to
: >the UN environmental agency, a fraction of the annual global defence
: >expenditure could ensure that all humans have access to clean water and
a
: >basic supply of food and healthcare.
: >
: >This statement is based on a commitment to non-violence and tolerance
of
: >all ethnic groups and religions. Two devastating World Wars and
: historical
: >catastrophes like the Nazi Holocaust must always remind us of the worst
: >consequences of nationalism, racism and incitement to war.
: >
: >Sign this statement, pass it on, whatever we can do. It is up to us.
: >
: >
: >to sign us the mailform or send email to
: ><mailto:support at war-is-illegal.org>support at war-is-illegal.org
: >or <mailto:warisillegal at fastmail.fm>warisillegal at fastmail.fm
: >
: >1400+ signatures (April, 25):
: >COOP - Heinrich Buecker - Art Cafe - Rochstr.3 - Berlin/Germany -
: ><http://www.theCOOP.tv>www.theCOOP.tv
: >Delabru - Fashion Store - Rochstr.5 - Berlin/Germany -
: ><http://www.delabru.de>www.delabru.de
: >David Swanson - Co-founder Impeachment Coalition- USA -
: ><http://www.afterdowningstreet.org>www.afterdowningstreet.org
: >Cynthia McKinney -US Presidential Candidate, Green Party 2008 USA
: >-runcynthiarun.org
: >CODEPINK Women for Peace - co-founder Gael Murphy- USA -
: ><http://www.codepinkalert.org>www.codepinkalert.org
: >Alexander Herrmann - Green Electricity - Berlin/Germany -
: ><http://www.umweltsicher.de>www.umweltsicher.de
: >Green Party of Washington State - Maryrose Asher, Chair - USA
: >-.<http://www.wagreens.us>www.wagreens.us
: >Sahira Awad - Hip Hop Artist - Berlin/Germany -
: ><http://www.imanimusic.de>www.imanimusic.de
: >Dr. Axel Troost - Member of German parliament - Bremen/Germany -
: ><http://www.axeltroost.de>www.axeltroost.de
: >Arcanoa - Art Bar Cafe, Am Tempelhofer Berg 8 - Berlin/Germany -
: ><http://www.arcanoa.de>www.arcanoa.de
: >The Peace Party - Non-violence, Justice, Environment, UK -
: ><http://www.peaceparty.org.uk>www.peaceparty.org.uk
: >World Depleted Uranium Centre e.V.-Prof. Dr. Schott
: >-Berlin/Germany-www.woduc.de
: >Jonah House - Community/Nonviolence/Resistance - Baltimore/USA -
: >jonahhouse.org
: >Desert Greens Green Party of Utah -The Peace Party- UT/USA
: >-www.desertgreens.org
: >Ko Un - Poet and Writer -Ansong/South Korea -
: ><http://www.koun.co.kr>www.koun.co.kr
: >Ayleen Gil- student - Bolivar, Venezuela
: >Food Not Bombs - co-founder Keith McHenry- NM/USA -www.foodnotbombs.net
: >Americans Against the War - France -
: ><http://www.aawfrance.org>www.aawfrance.org
: >Eckart Spoo - Editor of biweekly magazine "Ossietzky"- Berlin/Germany -
: >webpage
: >Janice Matthews -Mother Activist -Kansas/USA-www.911truth.org
: >Felicia Langer - Alternative Nobel Prize Laureate - Tüb./Germany -
: ><http://www.felicia-langer.de>www.felicia-langer.de
: >Paola Nugnes- architect - Napoli, Italy
: >Heike Haensel - Member of German parliament - Tüb./Germany -
: ><http://www.heike-haensel.de>www.heike-haensel.de
: >Nebraskans for Peace-Statewide peace & justice organization-Lincoln,
: >NE/USA -web
: >David King - Medical Practitioner - Brisbane, Australia
: >Frank Schwitalla - Chair, Network Cuba - Bremen/Germany-
: ><http://www.netzwerk-cuba.de>www.netzwerk-cuba.de
: >Dietrich Kittner- Satirist - Hannover/Germany -www.dietrich-kittner.de
: >Grassrootsamerica4us - Founder Tina Richards - USA -
: grassrootsamerica4us.org
: >Dr. Motte - Founder Loveparade, Musician, DJ - Berlin/Germany -
: ><http://www.drmotte.de>www.drmotte.de
: >Michael Parenti Ph.D. - political author & scholar - Berkeley,
Cal./USA -
: >michaelparenti.org
: >Alan Greenberg - Writer - Film director - Portland, Oregon/USA
: >Judy Cameron - Food grower - Geelong, Australia
: >Nina Hagen - Musician, Actress - Los Angeles, USA-
: ><http://www.ninahagen.com>www.ninahagen.com
: >Joe Guerrero -Engineer- Valencia, California, USA
: >Otto ter Haar - De Groenen (Green Party) - Utrecht/Netherlands -
: ><http://www.degroenen.nl>www.degroenen.nl
: >Frank Williams- visual artist/parent - Moscow, Russia -
: ><http://www.frankwilliams.ru>www.frankwilliams.ru
: >Zulumbaye - painter - Dakar, Senegal -
: ><http://www.zulumbaye.com>www.zulumbaye.com
: >Garlic & Grass-Tony Brasunas, Publisher-San Francisco/USA-
: ><http://www.garlicandgrass.org>www.garlicandgrass.org
: >German Left Greens -Ralf Henze -Dannstadt/Germany-www.gruene-linke.de
: >Harold Barclay, PhD. - Prof. Anthropology University Alberta -
: Edmonton/Canada
: >The Internationale of Military Draft Resisters- Berlin/Germany. -
: >idk-berlin.de
: >Katja Schneider-Deutzer Health Food Store, "Korrekter Konsum"-Köln,
: Germany
: >Lärmquelle Records - Marcel Wojnarowicz --Oberhausen/Germany. -
: >diebandbreite.de
: >Petra Isabel Schlagenhauf - lawyer - Berlin, Germany
: >Combatants For Peace - Palestinian-Israeli Peace - Palestine -
: >combatantsforpeace.org
: >.
: >
: >
: >
: >On Apr 27, 2008, at 11:23 AM, Randall Cotton wrote:
: >
: >
: >>: ----- Original Message -----
: >>: From: "Brussel Morton K."
: >><<mailto:mkbrussel at comcast.net>mkbrussel at comcast.net>
: >>: To: "Randall Cotton"
: >><<mailto:recotton at earthlink.net>recotton at earthlink.net>
: >>: Cc:
:
>><<mailto:peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>peace-discuss at lists.chambana.n
: et>
: >>: Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 11:00 PM
: >>: Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Fwd: War is illegal - International
: >>: Declaration
: >>:
: >>: There have been books written about 9/11, both(?) ways, so you will
: >>: not have a definitive answer to your question. I happen to believe
: >>: that a more open and better inquiry about 9/11 would be useful, and
: >>: since I think the rest of the statement is to the point, I'll
propose
: >>: that AWARE  sign off on it. Are you not being overly fastidious on
: this?
: >>
: >>Well, perhaps in one respect:
: >>If it were the case that 9/11 was, as they say, an "inside job" to
some
: >>extent (permitted, condoned, facilitated or even perpetrated in its
: >>entirety) by some subset of our government, then that would truly
paint
: >>our government, on the whole, as diabolically evil, which is
: significant.
: >>However, I, for one, already understand it as such. In fact, the
: sacrifice
: >>of around 3000 American lives on 9/11 pales in comparison to the
: sacrifice
: >>of a million plus lives (and still counting) in Iraq and Afghanistan
: since
: >>then (that is, if you assign the same value to a random Iraqi or
Afghan
: >>life as you do a random American life). In my view, these sacrifices
: have
: >>ultimately proven to be in the service of benefitting only war
: profiteers
: >>financially and Al Qaeda.(and their sympathizers) ideologically, both
: the
: >>3000 and the million plus. All in all, the revelation that 9/11 was
: >>somehow an "inside job" would, to me, only paint our government, on
the
: >>whole, an imperceptibly deeper shade of evil. So I concede
: fastidiousness
: >>in that respect.
: >>
: >>However, my goal, in part, as an activist and a goal of AWARE, in my
: >>estimation, is to inform, enlighten and convince others - to change
: their
: >>minds - about a variety of issues in the service of effecting positive
: >>change for the common good by promoting peace through justice. We can
: >>hardly do that most effectively if we go around making or endorsing
what
: >>are or ultimately turn out to be false statements. If one errs in that
: >>regard, people have a legitimate cause to doubt or discount what one
has
: >>to say, where they might otherwise be convinced.
: >>
: >>It would be one thing if the stated claim was something like "doubts
: have
: >>been raised about the official explanation of 9/11" or even "many
: >>prominent figures believe that well-documented evidence shows that the
: >>official explanation of 9/11 cannot be correct". But the statement is
: >>boldly unequivocal: "well documented evidence shows that the official
: >>explanation of 9/11 cannot be correct". In my view, this passage
states
: >>that the "official explanation of 9/11", presumably meaning what is
: called
: >>the "The 9-11 Commission Report", is in fact false in some respect.
But
: >>I'm not convinced either way on that point, nor am I in any immediate
: >>position to become convinced (not sure where to look, not sure it's
: worth
: >>it to try).
: >>
: >>So I can't really support endorsing the whole statement at this point,
: >>after all, pending additional research.
: >>
: >>R
:
:
:
: ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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