Free Republic

LEE: There seems to be a collective social consciousness. SPIELBERG: I think we all have been given our marching orders... Maybe I shouldn't get into this. [Pause] I just feel that filmmakers are much more proactive since the second Bush administration. I think that everybody is trying to declare their independence and state their case for the things that we believe in. No one is really representing us, so we're now representing our own feelings, and we're trying to strike back. So Bush has been good for film? SPIELBERG: I wouldn't just say Bush. The whole neo-conservative movement. CLOONEY: Because...

It is alleged that Groucho Marx, upon once being invited to join a country club, declined on the grounds that he refused to belong to any group that would have Groucho Marx as a member. I think of that wisecrack every time I hear a liberal try to make a case for America's surrendering its sovereignty to the United Nations. As long ago as 1964, in his famous "Rendezvous with Destiny" speech, Ronald Reagan pointed out that one could muster a two-thirds vote on the floor of the General Assembly among nations representing less than a tenth of the world's...

Council bans Australian flag January 02, 2006 PLANS to fly Australian flags over the famous Bondi Beach pavilion were vetoed because of fears the symbols could incite more racial violence on Sydney's beaches. In a decision met with outrage from locals, returned servicemen and ethnic groups, Waverley Council voted 6-5 against the proposal, declaring the popular beach should remain clear of flags to "remove provocation"...

For years I've been driving loads of dry cleaning, overdue books and groceries past the Lake Forest Park for Peace vigils on Saturday mornings at Ballinger and Bothell ways. Last weekend, Christmas Eve, I finally stopped. Two weeks earlier, the group had passed the three-year mark. Every Saturday since Dec. 14, 2002, a hardy band of strangers turned friends and family has stood at the intersection of personal conscience and public scrutiny to protest the war in Iraq. This is a busy corner. The peace vigil holds forth from 11 a.m. to noon. A grassy, triangular traffic divider is covered...

A former German hostage who spent 24 days in the hands of captors in Iraq said Monday that her kidnappers were not criminals and had demanded humanitarian aid for Sunni Arab regions. Speaking to Doha, Qatar-based satellite channel Al-Jazeera, Susanne Osthoff said her captors told her not to be afraid as her kidnapping was "politically motivated." "Do not be afraid. We do not harm women or children and you are a Muslim," she quoted them as saying. "I was so happy to know that I had not fallen into the hands of criminals," she said. Osthoff, a Muslim convert who...

An Antiwar Challenge to Hillary Clinton SEE ALL POSTS PERMALINK COMMENTS (47) Former National Writers Union president Jonathan Tasini, one of the most outspoken progressive activists in the U.S. labor movement, is expected this week to launch a Democratic primary challenge to New York Senator Hillary Clinton on a progressive platform that features a call for bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq. Tasini has scheduled an announcement for Tuesday morning in New York City, setting up a campaign that could put unexpected pressure from the left on Clinton, the unannounced frontrunner for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination who until...

WASHINGTON — A new study commissioned and partially funded by the Pentagon urges Israel to take the first step in launching a nuclear disarmament process in the Middle East, arguing that such a move is the only way to block Iran's development of weapons of mass destruction and head off a regional arms race. The report, titled "Getting Ready for a Nuclear-Ready Iran" and published last week by the U.S. Army War College, argues that Tehran's march toward nuclear weapons cannot be stopped by any of the military or diplomatic options currently on the table. Nuclear nonproliferation expert Henry Sokolsky...

Just how big a threat was Saddam Hussein? Let’s reprise what our leaders had to say on the subject. First, here’s the president: “If he refuses or continues to evade his obligations through more tactics of delay and deception, he and he alone will be to blame for the consequences. ... Now, let’s imagine the future. What if he fails to comply, and we fail to act, or we take some ambiguous third route which gives him yet more opportunities to develop this program of weapons of mass destruction...? “Well, he will conclude that the international community has lost its...

In just a few days, I'm to debate at the University Philosophical Society of Trinity College, Dublin. Trinity was founded in 1592. The Philosophical Society – better known as the “Phil” -- is of more recent vintage: It traces its lineage back to the 17th century. Those who have preceded me at this forum include Alexis de Tocqueville and Bertrand Russell. Then again, in recent years the smarmy fanatic George Galloway, the Holocaust denier David Irving and the porn star Ron Jeremy also have been guests. The resolution I'll be debating: “This house believes that George W. Bush is a...

Memorial Sidewalk Vigil for 2,000th Fallen Soldier in IraqWednesday, October 25, 2005: 5pm to 10pm ***See important message about tonight's vigil below the vigil logisitcs.***Join us as we gather in memoriam in the event that it is reported that 2,000 soldiers have died in Iraq.Gather on the sidewalk in front of the Federal Building in Salt Lake, 125 South State Street TODAY, Wednesday, October 26, 2005, 5pm to 10pmInfo: 502-8556 or Memorial Vigil~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Today's Utah papers have...

Washington, DC, Sep 25 - Kicking off three days of actions aimed ultimately at pepressuring the US government to pull troops out of Iraq, scores of protesters converged on Washington, DC yesterday for an all-day protest that included an array of speakers, a march past the White House and a concert that lasted well into the early morning hours. Estimates of the demonstration’s size ranged from 100,000 to 300,000 protesters. Participants from across the country spent long hours riding overnight on buses and in caravans to take part in the largest anti-war event the nation’s capitol has seen since the...

SCHLUSSEL COLUMNS GET RESULTS!: Unions Boycott "Flight Plan"; GOP Cancels Terror Supporter By Debbie Schlussel Sometimes, even a little website, like mine, can make a difference: * As a result of my column on the outrageous Jodie Foster movie, "Flight Plan," the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA)--the flight attendant's union--is boycotting the movie, APFA spokeswoman and flight attendant Lori Bassani told me. Also as a result of my column, the Federal Air Marshals Association (FAMA) also has sent out mass e-mails calling for the boycott of this irresponsible, PC-mad movie. * As a result of my column about the...

War protesters in Portland are organizing a Saturday night candlelight vigil on Portland's bridges that they say will be "quiet, reflective, (but) not necessarily silent." The event, planned for 7:30 p.m. on the sidewalks of the Burnside, Morrison and Hawthorne bridges, is intended as a call to bring U.S. soldiers home from Iraq. It is timed to coincide with a national protest this weekend. Busloads of war protesters are heading to Washington, D.C., to join what they are calling "a national mobilization" against the war. Among them will be Portland's Lynn Bradach, whose son, Travis Bradach-Nall, was killed in Iraq...

Weekend march aimed at bringing troops home... [snip] Bush did not plan to be in Washington on Saturday, but he will have support on the streets. The groups FreeRepublic.com and Protest Warrior plan their own demonstration on Saturday, with hundreds expected to join in. FreeRepublic spokesman Kristinn Taylor said a larger rally Sunday on the National Mall would honor military families. [snip] The war protests will coincide with planned demonstrations against the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, which hold their annual meetings this weekend. Anti-globalization protesters will eventually join the marchers opposing the Iraq war. ANSWER and United for...

AROUND 150 people gathered at the United Nations (UN) building in Manama yesterday to demand the withdrawal of US and British forces from Iraq. The anti-war demonstration also featured art and photography exhibitions highlighting war atrocities in Iraq. The event, organised by the National Committee in Support of Iraqi People in Bahrain, is part of a global campaign initiated in the US by the New York-based United for Peace and Justice group. The demonstration was held to express the solidarity of Bahraini activists and organisations with the Iraqi people by calling for the withdrawal of US and UK forces from...

Not much will keep Cindy down. Her husband is divorcing her, her mother had a stroke, and most of the rest of her family thinks she is stomping on her son’s grave. But she’s still going strong, replacing her actual family with the much more sociable aliens-abducted-my-grandparents crowd that turned out in Crawford to lend their wallets, fashion crews, and media teams. Oh wait, I mean to lend their “emotional support” for the “grieving” mother. Of course, Cindy doesn’t want all of the media attention. She wants to be able to “walk into the supermarket and not be recognized.” I...

COUNTDOWN TO THE STATEWIDE PROTEST/VIGIL AT BRUNSWICK NAVAL AIR STATION When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2005 Where: March begins at Brunswick Mall, and ends at NASB Main Gate Time: 9 A.M. (at the Mall) The Event We're Protesting: The Navy's "Blue Angels" Air Show Theme of Our Protest: "Stop the Worship of the Gods of War!" On Sat., Sept. 10th, Maine Veterans for Peace will be joined by other major peace and justice groups (see list of co-sponsors below) in a massive protest: . to protest the false god idolatry of the Blue Angels Air Show, whose "ooh-&-aah"performances have one purpose:...

Central Tour Dallas, TX: Wed, Aug. 31st Little Rock, AR: Thu, Sep. 1st Memphis, TN: Fri, Sep. 2nd St. Louis, MO: Sat, Sep. 3rd - Sun, Sep. 4th Indianapolis, IN: Mon, Sep. 5th - Tue, Sep. 6th Columbus, OH: Wed, Sep. 7th - Thu, Sep. 8th Cleveland, OH: Fri, Sep. 9th Pittsburgh, PA: Sun, Sep. 11th - Tue, Sep. 13th Philadelphia, PA: Thu, Sep. 15th - Sat, Sep. 17th Trenton, NJ: Sun, Sep. 18th Baltimore, MD: Tue, Sep. 20th Northern Tour Kansas City, MO: Thu, Sep. 1st Wichita, KS: Thu, Sep. 1st Des Moines, IA: Fri, Sep. 2nd Minneapolis, MN:...

CRAWFORD, Texas - Cindy Sheehan hasn't achieved a meeting with the president during her three-week war protest, but she met a man who plays one on TV. Martin Sheen, who portrays the president on NBC's "The West Wing," visited Sheehan's makeshift campsite Sunday. "At least you've got the acting president of the United States," Sheen said as the crowd of more than 300 people cheered. "I think you know what I do for a living, but this is what I do to stay alive." Sheehan arrived in President Bush's adopted hometown Aug. 6 and promised to stay until she could...

Iran: Europe Proposes Nonaggression Pact By NASSER KARIMI The Associated Press/Sunday, July 31, 2005; 12:55 PM TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator said his European counterparts have proposed a guarantee that Iran will not be invaded if Tehran agrees to permanently halt uranium enrichment, the state-run news agency said Sunday. Hasan Rowhani said the proposal is being discussed by Europeans and includes several important points such as "guarantees about Iran's integrity, independence, national sovereignty" and "nonaggression toward Iran," the Islamic Republic News Agency said Sunday. "If Europe enjoys a serious political will about Iran's nuclear fuel cycle, there will...