The Bottom Line

Thank you

Edward

Top Ignored Stories?

First, it's almost impossible to find any discussion of the dissent in any printed publication in the united states of apathy - whether the New York Times or Mother Jones or whatever. However, the corporate press has had tantalizing clues about deeper aspects to the story - for example, the air force's curious, apparent "stand down" on 9-11 (there's an Air Force Base ten miles from the Pentagon, but they did not scramble, in violation of long standing procedures), or SF Mayor Willie Brown's advise the night before not to fly to NYC on 9-11 (in SF Chronicle), or the NRO/CIA "exercise" simulating a plane going into the NRO headquarters (this was on the AP wire, the SF chronicle, and a few other places). If this latter is a coincidence, then you'll believe that Bill Gates makes good software.

There are theories floating in cyberspace that are probably deliberate falsehoods planted to discredit, or merely wacky ideas crafted by those with their own agendas or psychological issues. But the official story is not true. Perhaps the full story will be known in our lifetime. Perhaps not.

We're not living in 1933 Germany. That was last year. Now, it's 1934 Germany.

See:

--www.unansweredquestions.org - relatives of 911 victims want answers --www.cooperativeresearch.org - best 911 timeline available to the public uses corporate media sources for documentation --www.pi911.org - public investigation of 911

--www.globalresearch.ca - Bush's 911 investigation commission is chaired by oil company director with business ties to osama's brother in law (really) --www.freefromterror.net - the "unresolved" anthrax attacks on congress --www.questionsquestions.net ---www.fromthewilderness.com --www.dieoff.org --www.energycrisis.org - the peak of petroleum --www.efn.org/~wep/911.htm

Mark Robinowitz, via e-mail

Our Voices

It is not easy to oppose our country's policy, especially in time of imminent conflict. But my conscience demands it. I watch the destruction of social programs in America as this war-to-be draws humans, skills and money like some demonic, destructive suction tube. War is the enemy of the poor. It is the disenfranchised, the poor and those of color who send their sons, siblings and spouses to fight and die in extraordinarily high proportions compared to the rest of the population.

The small, powerless people in this country will bear the weight of the loss. The children of the privileged will be safe. The weak and voiceless will be the victims in our nation and in that nation we call the "enemy." Scorching the homes and lives of those in Iraq will not solve our disagreements. It will only create conflict that will live on into our children's futures.

Today, before any formal declaration, we bomb Iraqi infrastructure and participate in live fire exercises on their waterways (Reuters). When they return our aggression, we will declare justification for our war. Have we completely forgotten the gospel of love and non-violence we claim as the heart of our religious beliefs? War will never bring peace. History proves that wars exist for the gain of the wealthy and the secure who profit from overseas investments while creating a hell for the poor.

Terry V Molina Lantana, FL

Istanbul: Anarchists in Action Against War

Anarchists' participation in the demo was crowded and enthusiastic. Especially many slogans chanted by all groups were the ones anarchists use in their own demos.

It must be noted that participation of Islamic youth groups was very important as a Tmuslim democrat' party (Justice and Development Party) is in power and will decide to be with US in war on Iraq or not.

Besides this is the most effective demo organized in this campus for many years. And anarchists' impact on the organization is very important for the development of the anarchist movement in Turkey.

On the 24th of December, Anarchist Youth Federation made a demonstration against war and capitalism in Rumeli Hisarustu -- Istanbul. (Rumeli Hisarustu is a suburb, but at the same time the most important university, Bosphorus University, which educates the executive officers of the system is there.)

Around 60 anarchists rallied in the main road with a banner "NO WAR", chanting slogans "No War!", "Capitalism Kills in War and Peace", "Don't Kill, Don't Let Kill, Don't Corrupt Your Conscience", "No Bread, No Peace! No Justice, No Peace!". With flames and breads in their hands, anarchists blocked the main road and distributed leaflets. Anarchists entered Bosphorus University, disabling the security which tried to attack the demonstrators.

They rallied through the campus, chanting "Earth, Commune, Freedom!" A university professor tried to crash the demonstrators by his car, but anarchists blocked his way. With flames in their hands, they came to the square of the campus chanting "If we fight we can prevent the war". In the main part of the campus, anarchists burned the flags of multi-national corporations (BP and Shell), shouting "capitalism kills in war by guns and bombs, in peace by famine and poverty". They ended the demonstration by burning Uncle Sam puppet and hanging another one on a tree. When anarchists left the campus, the flags were still burning on the ground and there was a hung Uncle Sam on the tree.

Ozgur Hayat

Peace on Earth: Maybe Next Year

I am not American...I live in Australia. Because of this, as that article said I have indeed had access to media sources and emphasis that Americans perhaps have not...but the main reason why I bring up my difference in nationality is to attempt to impress upon you the urgent responsibility that is borne by everyone in America who opposes George W's government. If their wars are allowed to go ahead, it could well mean nuclear war, which of course has the potential to affect everyone. Also, depleted uranium weaponry was used during the last Gulf War, which I believe may have been a contributing factor to "Gulf War Syndrome," among American soldiers. What is certain is that these weapons caused a massive epidemic of various forms of cancer in the region, with deformed babies being born due to mutations caused by radiation from buried shell casings, etc. The hope of the rest of the world in avoiding a nuclear catastrophe could at the moment rest in those activists attempting to oppose the country's government in it's reckless behavior.

International anti-American feeling is currently at an unprecedented high, however this I believe actually presents the country with an equally unprecedented opportunity. In stopping the Bush administration's endless, chaotic hunger for war, you have the opportunity to convince the rest of the planet of the inaccuracy of it's perceptions. Americans would be able to show the rest of the world that the revolutionary spirit present at the country's beginning was still alive, that they were truly responsible for their own government and it's actions, and that in being patriotic they actually cared about something substantial, rather than it simply being so much hollow chest beating.

I saw the second Lord of the Rings movie recently, the Two Towers. In it, the character Samwise Gamgee speaks about how sometimes there can appear to be utterly no hope...that things appear to be totally black, and it doesn't seem possible that the world could ever go back to normal after so much has changed, and so much misery has been caused. He goes on to say however that darkness is a transitory thing...that eventually it must pass, and that when it does, to the beholder the sun shines that much more brightly because of the contrasting darkness.

This article was the first thing in a very long time that allowed me to think that perhaps that message in the film wasn't merely talking about it's own fiction...that in our current society, with it's destruction, it's amorality, it's soulless commercialism, and above all it's direction by people seeking to first enslave and then destroy humanity as a whole...that despite all this, there is still some small, insane but persistent chance that we will survive...there is hope. I haven't genuinely felt that in more than a decade...and for it, I thank you.

Petrus

Meet Your Meat

The sun is dawning on my consciousness, and as facts become illuminated, it is overwhelmingly impossible to ignore the existence of the incongruence between who I am and the sorts of things my person has done before this sunrise. Among the changes that I am making to ensure that the actions I take are deliberate and informed ones, the most compassionate one is the choice to refrain from the consumption of dead animal flesh.

It is my specific request that your paper publish the following website link, with the hope that other readers who are consuming negative energy in the form of meat will explore the reality of factory farming and become undeniably aware of where their food comes from:

www.goveg.com/r-mym.html

Reasons abound for abstaining from meat consumption; empathy for the animals in factory farms is my leading concern. However, I cannot say that I am completely innocent of feeling a little subversive when I give the meat industry a hearty FUCK YOU!

J. McClure

Molokai Stuns Goliath

And the cruise ship passengers did not come ashore!

Rough seas were a factor -- out beyond the reef. But last week University of Hawaii marine biologists made a videographic baseline study of the channel through the reef which meant that the big ship could not pull close enough to shore to damage the coral heads with its five-ton anchor, because that destruction could easily be verified. And there is no doubt that after a bouncy boat ride to shore the nauseous passengers first sight would have been 200 placards telling them to leave.

Not your tourist dream.

So January 22 the whole cast of characters will be back - stronger than ever - until the mega billion dollar cruise ship industry gets this simple message: No Cruise Ships On Molokai.

Rich Zubaty

Tax Breaks Do Not Penalize

You only penalize by taxing more, just as we tax the 'Rich' who pay most of the tax revenues. The poor are not penalized by tax breaks; they will receive the same percent of tax break as do the so-called 'Rich'. The top ten percent of tax payers pay over 50% of the tax revenues. The 'rich' do not pay their fair share? That is right they pay more than their fair share! It is you and I the so-called 'poor' that do not pay our fair share. We the lower income earners, the bulk of the population pay less than half of the revenues.

You may say the 'rich' should pay more; that would be so. if this were a communist country.

Roger W Hancock Auburn, WA