- A Call to Action
(posted by Jeff B. , 16.08.2006 04:20 on Olympia IMC)

Enough is enough! Sexual assault in the military is intolerable and inexcusable. The military's response of indifference is incomprehensible. The failure of us, as citizens, to hold them accountable for their sex crimes stops now.

Starting Wednesday, August 16th 2006, the Swift Action Network, a Suzanne Swift support group, will pitch up tent outside Fort Lewis in Washington State, where Swift is stationed. The camp will begin at 7pm Wednesday, at Exit 119 on Interstate 5. Our goal is to show solidarity with Suzanne Swift's ongoing plight, and to bring awareness to the epidemic level of sexual assault in the military.

Our demands are as follows:
1) Suzanne Swift be given a full honorable discharge.
2) She be given full medical care for life, as a minor restitution for the trauma she has received at the hands of her superiors and the military.
3) The military start bringing the perpetrators of sexual assault and harassment to justice, beginning with the Sergeants that assaulted Swift.

We will not leave until all our demands are met. This has gone on long enough. The time to take a stand against this injustice is right now

This original comedy skit was written by Yonk Reinemer and features Yonk and His brother DK performing live at the UpFront Theatre (Ryan Stile's) in Bellingham, Washington. The video and DVD were produced by Martin DiazMunoz Productions in Olympia.

[via omjp]

Olympians for Peace in the Middle East are having a potluck. We are welcoming Souliman al-Khatib who is visiting Olympia from Combatants for Peace (www.combatantsforpeace.org), an organization of Palestinian resistance fighters and Israeli soldiers who have sworn off fighting to come together to resist non-violently the occupation of Palestinian land. He recently spoke at the Veterans for Peace National Conference in Seattle with Assaf Oron, Israeli Refuser. We are also welcoming members of the Islamic Center of Olympia to our group.

We are celebrating recent demonstrations, events and lobbying we worked in coalition to plan. We will be developing strategies to stand in solidarity with the people of the Middle East and challenge Islamophobia, media and political bias. Some ideas already in the works are planning a showing of the film "West Beirut" and other educational events, fundraising for the survivors of the tragedies in Lebanon and Palestine, challenging Boeing's continued military support for Israel's actions in the region and lobbying local representatives. We will also be tying up any last minute plans for the event "Muslims of Thurston County Speak Out" on Tuesday, August 22nd

Please join us!

For more information call (360)485-5745
or email ammurano@gmail.com

The Evergreen State College Women's Soccer 2006 Home Opener vs. University of British Columbia, Thursday August 17 2 p.m. at Evergreen's Soccer Field.

I waited this long to watch Running Scared because Paul Walker is the star and on the cover. I hated The Fast and the Furious and haven't really put Paul Walker into much regard. Then I was told Eight Below was a great family movie (haven't seen it, yet).

Anyway, I watched Running Scared and let me tell you: It's intense. There's a 10-minute scene that made my chest hurt (you'll know which ten minutes I'm talking about when you watch the film).

Some excellent morality questions are brought up (basically, when should we decide whether or not to kill another person? This is why Paul Walker's wife says, Tonight I saw evil. Pure evil. She made the decision to kill that evil personified.

Aug 16, 11:04 AM EDT

Teen with cancer can forgo chemotherapy

By SONJA BARISIC
Associated Press Writer

Fighting Cancer and Courts Over Treatment

ACCOMAC, Va. (AP) -- A 16-year-old cancer patient 's legal fight ended in victory Wednesday when his family's attorneys and social services officials reached an agreement that would allow him to forgo chemotherapy.

At the start of what was scheduled to be a two-day hearing, Accomack County Circuit Judge Glen A. Tyler announced that both sides had reached a consent decree, which Tyler approved.

Under the decree, Starchild Abraham Cherrix, who is battling Hodgkin's disease, will be treated by an oncologist of his choice who is board-certified in radiation therapy and interested in alternative treatments. The family must provide the court updates on Abraham's treatment and condition every three months until he's cured or turns 18.

Tyler emphasized that the decree states that the parents weren't medically neglectful.

Abraham saw the doctor last week, and defense attorneys told the judge that the doctor has indicated that he thinks that Abraham can be cured.

After the short hearing, the judge looked at Abraham and said, "God bless you, Mr. Cherrix."

Last summer, the teen was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymphatic system considered very treatable in its early stages. He was so debilitated by three months of chemotherapy that he declined a second, more intensive round that doctors recommended early this year.

He since has been using an alternative herbal treatment called the Hoxsey method, the sale of which was banned in the United States in 1960.

After Abraham chose to go on the sugar-free, organic diet and take liquid herbal supplements under the supervision of a Mexican clinic, a social worker asked a juvenile court judge to intervene to protect the teen's health. Last month, the judge found Abraham's parents neglectful and ordered Abraham to report to a hospital for treatment as doctors deem necessary.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Summer of Goodbyes... Residents of Baghdad are systematically being pushed out of the city. Some families are waking up to find a Klashnikov bullet and a letter in an envelope with the words “Leave your area or else.