Dear Friends:
In this newsletter is:
1. NOON VIGIL FOR PEACE: THIS WEEK, THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012
2. NO WAR WITH IRAN!
3. THE MISFIT MATHEMATICIAN (Tom's column, http://tomsager.org)
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1. NOON VIGIL FOR PEACE: THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012
We vigil for peace in front of the Rolla Post Office THIS THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012, (and all subsequent Thursdays until peace is established) from Noon to 1:00 PM. Please try to join us. The temperature is predicted to be in the mid-40s. If you do not feel comfortable standing with us in front of the Post Office, please consider driving by and showing your support for our message by honking your horn and flashing a peace sign.
2. NO WAR WITH IRAN!
Mark Haim, in his Mid-Missouri Peaceworks newsletter, links to a couple of very good articles about the prospects of war with Iran (and why it's a very bad idea). Here's what Mark has to say: "For the U.S. to go to war with Iran, or for our nation to support Israel doing so, would not just be wrong. It would not only lead to massive loss of innocent lives. It would also be incredibly self-destructive, resulting in loss of life and limb, as well as the expenditure of vast sums we can ill afford, all for naught.
So, as the drumbeat for war grows louder, we must again raise our voices and say "NO!" loud and clear.
We favor nuclear non-proliferation and feel this is ultimately best accomplished by moves for mutual, verifiable and universal nuclear disarmament, which is required by the Non-Proliferation Treaty our nation signed in 1968 and which went into effect in 1970. We can no longer say to the non-nuclear states of the world, 'Do as I say, not as I do.'"
Here and
here are two articles on preventing war against Iran.
I'm not sure our democracy would survive another long war. We as a nation already "cannot afford" to feed our own hungry people, house our homeless, treat our sick and uninsured, or educate our children - not to mention maintain the infrastructure. Somehow, though, there is always money available for killing. There is a growing number of people in this country who really have nothing left to lose. If peaceful protests have no effect, it's possible that violent ones will ensue, followed by brutal suppression by the police and/or the military and invoking of the newly-signed National Defense Authorization Act. End of democracy.
It's important for everyone who can, to contact the White House, your senators and representatives, and let them know that you are against war with Iran or any support for an Israeli attack. If you don't have contact information, this site http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml will help you find names, numbers and addresses, whether you want to write, email or call, wherever in the United States you are located.
3. THE MISFIT MATHEMATICIAN (Tom's column, http://tomsager.org)
COURT RULES NUCLEAR POWER TRUMPS PEOPLE OF VERMONT
Federal Court Judge John Murtha rules that the People of Vermont have no right to enforce a contract with nuclear power corporation, Entergy and shut down the unsafe aging Vermont Yankee reactor. Vermont Yankee houses the same model General Electric nuclear reactor that has made 3 percent of Japan uninhabitable and caused uncountable damage to people and property.
A COLOSSAL FOLLY
Ralph Nader, with his usual clarity, describes why the West cannot win its war against Afghanistan. And here is an article about Afghan "government" troops "fragging" their US and NATO "handlers".
WAR IS COMING HOME
A Pentagon report details a growing propensity among returning US troops toward violent and sexual crime. This should surprise no one.
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Rolla Peace News is distributed by email once a week on Tuesday evenings (except on rare occasions) and is posted on the web at http://tomsager.org (links under Grassroots Rolla: middle column, beige box, second from top).
If you don't wish to get notices of peace events in the Rolla area, let me know and I'll take you off this list.
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Wage peace,
Helen
helenm (at) fidnet.com
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