Kites Against the War? Why Not!

Berkeley Stop the War ^ | 3/29/02 | xochitl

[Drango]

It's slow tonight so for your reading pleasure, a post from Berkeley Stop the War ...

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From:  xochitl x <redxochi@y...>
Date:  Fri Mar 29, 2002  6:00 pm
Subject:  Kites Against the War? Why Not!

IF YOU WANT TO HELP MAKE KITES AGAINST THE WAR AND DO
A PRESENTATION TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS lets hook up!
Also if you know any teachers who might be interested
in this talk to them and hook them up.

Some heads are working on a Kite project. We
learned how to make simple kites last nite. Scored a
bunch of tyvek material from this place called the
depot and made a prototype last night. Andrea is a
teacher and is arranging for us to work with her class
and is offering up her school for other teachers to
bring their classes in to work on the project. Another
teacher who was working on the kite last night is
going to talk to his class as well as several oter
teachers he know. Another sister last nite also knew
several teachers. Good start!

We are going to paint Globe symbols on the flags.
Although we have to be flexible cause who knows what
people will start painting! We should keep it within a
general theme. Creativity is a good thing, though!

We originally wanted to fly all of the flags at the
April 20th demonstration but we are recognizing the
youth will want to fly them as soon as they make them.
Hopefully we can encourage as many as possible to
bring them to the April 20th demonstration. A few
people in our action core are teachers and they know
lots of other teachers, as well Andrea does to. We are
hoping to expand the project as much as possible. One
teacher as offered up her class and her school to do
the project. We are shooting for Saturday after next
to start.

Last nite we talked about how to incorporate the Globe
symbol into our discussion about the war. We talked
about wanted to give youth a sense that we are part of
a whole planet of people and not just "americans." We
wanted to talk about the lives of some of the victims
of this horrible war and bring them to life as human
beings, as living members of this world that we all
share. They we are not part of the Bush US but part of
the world us.

We also want to talk more about the war and
repression. We thought it would be helpful to develop
a sort of outline for people.

Talking to these teachers and others who have
experience with youth was very helpful. We want to
draw youth into discussion based on ideas, experiences
they are familiar with--racist profiling, the genocide
of native people, the struggle of Black people in this
country against white supremacy and so on. Also, maybe
have youth talk about a situation or write about a
situation (short) where they were scared or something
like that. Or perhaps write about a situation where
they saw a wrong being done and they stepped up to say
something.

We want to use the imagery of the round ups of jews
and japanese to make the point: what would you have
done then, what will you do now. We can extend that to
the Civil Rigths struggle or the genocide of our
native brothers and sisters. We can definitely use
Barbara Lubins example of the youth in the occupied
territories.
Also, a idea of involving grass roots media was
discussed. There is a group of youth who do a media
project in the tenderloin. We talked about asking them
to come. Document some of this and putting it up on
the web. People really want to encourage alternative
reporting on things. As well perhaps interview some of
these youth. Get their thinking. Their teachers
thinking.
A strong component of this is rebelling against the
enforced silence. The very right to criticize is under
attack and we want to bust our and say all that we
haven't been able to say. Show other people that you
can say what you want and even fly it up in the air.

I think to help the youth understand the significance
of this we might use the example of grafitti. Because
a whole generation has no access to communication (and
is very talented!) youth go out and put up their
names, ideas, art for all the world to see. We want to
do the same. We want to do something AUDACIOUS and
make a splash and encourage other people to do the
same. As troops fight in Ramallah and Palestinian
brothers and sisters are being massacred we are
confronted with the urgency of stepping out in a bold
way against this war on the people of the world.
Palestine is definitely ground zero number 3.
We are also going to have a work party to make banners
and things for April 20th. One of the heads who goes
to Critical Mass is going to make quarter sheet fliers
to invite people there to the April 2oth stuff and
also to help make art for it I think. There isn't alot
of buzz here about that.

Finally, we'll see how the kite thing works. People
really seem to dig it. It's a way of bringing ideas
together with art and practice and involving alot of
people in it. Perhaps we can think about ways the new
pledge of resistance can be brought out among teachers
and students and so on.

Called it T-team cause we got a case of these tyvek
suits that say "t-team" on them. That's my idea. I'm
sure it will get vetoed. They were at this place
called the depot. Kinda funny, but in the words of a
sister here it was serendipitous.

xochitl

[dighton]

More pity that the eagle should be mew'd,
While kites and buzzards prey at liberty.

-- Shakespeare, King Richard III.

[bluefish]

This insane drivel demonstrates what the "self-esteen" movement has done to people. Nobody bothered to explain to this person that her rambling ideas make no sense. And to think that she is teaching children.

[RippleFire]

Dear xo,

Stupid and stoned is a hell of a way to go through life.

[dighton]

Stupid and stoned is a hell of a way to go through life.

But if they're stupid and stoned (which they are), it doesn't seem to bother them.

[Uncle George]

Why dont these Clinton type cowards just get a faked deferment if they are so afraid to fight for this Country as Clinton was?

[Uncle George]

BUMP

[Ajnin]

xochitl

This is a Chicana/MECHista name. If you ever been to a MECHA web site you would see they are unabashed antisemites and PLO supporters.

[Snow Bunny]

Drango these wimp cowards, communists can put their opinions and desires where the sun , never mind they should be treated as thje traitors to America they are... good thing I am not in charge or they would not see daylight for a very long time if ever.

Thanks for the ping Uncle George.

These idiots make me sick and angry too.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

Bloody thou art, bloody will be thy end;

Shame serves thy life and doth thy death attend.

KING RICHARD THE THIRD, Act IV, sc.iv

[rangersdaughter]

Let 'em take their kites and fly 'em in Afghanistan...see how much they like living in America then.
Oh, wait, they can't get any Doritos in Afghanistan.

[McCloud-Strife]

oh yes, and lets take these kites to Afghanistan, where we can show how peaceful we are compared to the terrorist American military... What do you mean the Taliban doesn't like kites? /sarcasm <begin absolute disgust for the American Left

[Fresh Wind]

Interesting how this person sees fit to capitalize the words "Civil Rigths" (sic), or "Globe", or "Black", but not the word "americans".