Dallas Dreamer's blog

United (once again) 4 Peace in Iraq

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:47:58 -0400

Well, per usual, the media under-reported the attendance at this year's "Five Years TOO Long" Peace Rally.

Surely, at least one hundred people came out, opposed to the measley 50 reported by the media. That's double, after all.

But I've stopped kidding myself that the mainstream media will ever be our ally.

I'm not trying to hate. I'm just recognizing that getting mainstream media's attention should never be our primary purpose.

Instead, as we did for this rally, it should be about getting the community together, face-to-face, to see that we are not alone.

Read the Dallas News story on the rally here.

I was glad that the story prominently featured my good friend Yvette Richardson, a veteran who works with Peaceful Vocations (a counter-recruitment group) and her daughter Alicia. They are long-time supporters of the Dallas Peace Center and our events.

We also held an Interfaith Press Conference earlier in the day that received a review in the paper.

But, as usual, our friends at Pegasus News gave the roundest picture of us, featuring both the fringe and the middle.

But in the words of my dear friend Hadi Jawad, "In the heart of our hearts, please hope and pray we don't have to do this again next year."

Boycott Big Oil

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:27:50 -0500

My comments on this action. Press release follows. Sign the petition here.

I'm glad to see this boycott happening. It's needed to happen at this scale for a long time coming. I've not gone to ExxonMobil, BP, Shell or Chevron for years now. I choose QT and Racetrac for economic reasons, although I'm sure their oil is less than pure, as well.

I would like to put it out there that I do not support the whole dressing up as pirates spectacle. This is based on one activist's observation that the oil companies are like pirates because they grab all the booty they can lay their hands on.

Although I don't entirely disagree with this statement, we must face facts that the oil business is just that - a business. It's not operated differently than any other business out there.

We may disagree with their business practices, or even with the capitalist system in general, but I caution those that are engaging in this demonization of the Other for the sake of headlines.

Be careful of imitating what you criticize. How often have we scorned those who paint all Muslims as terrorists? How often have we condemned the fear that allows racism to ravage our society?

Do we really want to engage in the same tactics as those we want to change? Can we engage in dialogue and reconciliation (part of the Dallas Peace Center's mission), if we ridicule and stereotype them? Have they become less than human to us if we call them heartless pirates?

Just food for thought...If you have an opinion, in support or disagreement, please leave a comment. Thanks!

For Immediate Release:

The Big Three Oil Boycott to End the War, against ExxonMobil, Shell and BP, will be taken to the street on Saturday, February 23 in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas by the Dallas Peace Center and Consumers for Peace.org. This is part of a two-day international action with oil workers in Iraq and demonstrators in England, Indiana and Washington, DC.

“We are thrilled to act in Dallas, Texas, home to ExxonMobil, in solidarity with the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions as they protest in Basra and elsewhere in Iraq against the occupation and the attempt by Big Oil to ram an oil law through the Iraqi parliament that will harm the Iraqi people,” said Hadi Jawad of the Dallas Peace Center. “It is very moving to be part of an action that involves thousands of people who want to see Iraq liberated from the tyranny of military occupation and Big Oil.”

The Dallas/Fort Worth organizers will hold a press conference Saturday at 11 a.m. at Preston Road and Royal Lane in Dallas and then hold a rally at a ExxonMobil station at that location and at stations at Jim Miller Rd and I-30 in East Dallas. The rally will last until about 2 p.m. The protestors, some dressed as pirates, will offer passers-by boycott cards giving guidance on alternatives to the three boycotted gasoline brands. The demonstrations are endorsed by Code Pink of Greater Dallas.

Demonstrations in England, organized by Hands Off Iraqi Oil, will be held in London, and 10 other locations, including Birmingham and Manchester. Demonstrators will also gather on the 23rd at ExxonMobil, Shell and BP stations in Highland, Indiana.

The Texas/Iraq/London/Indiana actions will follow by one day a noon march on the Washington, DC office of ExxonMobil sponsored by Oil Change International, U.S. Labor Against the War, No War No Warming, Code Pink, Voters for Peace, AfterDowningStreet and Grassroots America.

“Oil companies are getting 20-30% more for their oil because of decreased Iraqi oil production and the volatility in world oil markets because of the war,” said Jawad. "It is unconscionable that they be allowed to laugh all the way to the bank as the blood of thousands colors the desert sands of Iraq.”

“ExxonMobil, Shell and BP have immense power to stop the war,” said Nick Mottern of Consumers for Peace. “Their war profits, that we estimate at $80 billion, must be given to those who have suffered most from the war: the families of Iraqi, American and other coalition war dead and wounded. We call on the Big Three to do the right thing.”

Contact: Hadi Jawad, Dallas Peace Center (214) 392-2939
Nick Mottern, ConsumersforPeace.org (914) 806-6179

Practical Peace

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:17:23 -0500

I could write about how surprising it is that John Edwards dropped out of the presidential race so prematurely, but...I'm rather bored of partisan politics at this point in my life...

So instead, I thought I'd write about one of the ways I try to practice peace in my daily life. There are many ways one can do this - from volunteering for a local non-profit (like the Dallas Peace Center, hint hint) to simply smiling at a stranger. How do you practice peace?

Yoga is a practice of peace for me, both spiritually and physically. I try to do a little bit every day, although I admit I don't always live up to my perfectionist standards. (Self-forgiveness is a part of practicing peace, too.)

One step forward, two steps back

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:41:32 -0500

Can someone explain those white posts on the new HOV lane for Central Expressway?

I was so excited to see the most-driven freeway in Dallas finally go green (so to speack). As the massive construction of the so-called "crown jewel" of mass transit, the High Five, emerged, I was dismayed to see a sea of concrete on the horizon.

But it didn't take me long to notice the strange bridge in the middle of the highway that seemed to lead to nowhere. It wasn't in use; it wasn't part of the lanes in use - it had to be for an HOV lane! I was so excited!

Going Unpunished

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:19:09 -0500

Hutto "Residential Center" (or, as I like to call it, "Prizon for Kidz") is more than an American Nightmare.

Here's why:

In May of last year, a guard sexually assaulted a woman in front of her child.

The guard was ultimately fired, but charges were never brought against him for his crime.

Instead, the woman was deported.

Find out the whole story, reported in fine detail by the Taylor Daily Press's Tessa Molly, here.

Shut Gitmo Down

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:12:33 -0500

Last week marked the 6th anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo Bay Prison - a no-man's land of suspended constitutional rights and indefinite imprisonment.

A group of nearly 40 activists traveled downtown to express their outrage at this un-American institution. Check out the Pegasus News coverage of the event here.

He had a dream...

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:19:44 -0500

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is fast approaching (Monday, Jan. 21), and today is the great man's birthday, so I decided it would be appropriate to post his famous "I have a dream" speech (see below).

Also, the Dallas Peace Center will join with Jobs With Justice in the Martin Luther King Day Parade. The parade starts at City Hall Plaza, 1500 Marilla, and will cover 2.9 miles from Akard south to Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and east to Fair Park.

Mariposa Movement

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 14:58:35 -0500

by Valley Reed

With the wings of a butterfly, a hurricane was started halfway across the earth. Sometimes the effects of one action can set something in motion so powerful it can pull the powers of the wind and the sea together creating an awe inspiring force.

Once in awhile, in the midst of the long struggle for peace and justice, an activist may see the effects of their heartfelt message break through the barriers of greed and ignorance. If we are blessed we will see the fruits of our actions turn from song and vigil for the oppressed and voiceless into freedom and justice.

Defending the Constitution

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:14:40 -0500

Today's Event Details can be found below italicized.

A verdict without a trial. A hearing without a jury or judge. Imprisonment without a charge.

These are the fruits of the so-called “war on terror.”

What are we doing?

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:32:47 -0500

How many of us lay in bed at night and ask ourselves this question?

My next question would be: Are we wondering it about THEM or US? In other words, do we think, what are we (the United States) doing, in an antagonistic, he's not my president sort of way, or is it, what are we (the Peace and Justice community) doing?

Turn the page

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 18:20:28 -0500

I know that my blog may be a bit overly personal for some recently, but after all, the personal is political, and this holiday season seems to be full of self-reflection for many (besides a few we all hope for, of course).

This year has been an astonishingly challenging one for me, full of tests and blessings I never could have suspected. I'm about to get real honest here, for better or for worse, to help me gain some insight on what has happened for me over the last 365 days.

Winter Solstice Celebrations in DFW

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:04:37 -0500

Many of you may or may not be aware that the Christ Child was not actually born on Dec. 25, when we now celebrate Christmas. Instead, the Christmas date was selected for reasons both celestial and worldly.

Christmas falls around the time of the Winter Solstice. This is the time when the sun hangs lowest in the sky and sets the earliest. After the Solstice passes, the sun (son) begins its ascent again, and the light lasts longer and longer each day. This is, in part, one of the reasons that the birth of the son corresponds with the ascent of the sun.

The Sounds of Spirit

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:55:18 -0500

The wind in the trees
The crackle of a fire
A newborn baby's wail

The chirping of crickets at midnight
The dove's cooing at dusk
The caw-caw of a raven in the distance

The padding of toddler feet
The childish giggle of lovers
Your tears falling on my shirt

AUM chanted by a thousand voices
The silence within our hearts
A sorrowful moan, filled with pain

Hand beaten drums
And soulful voices
The crash of glass
As my heart breaks

For Spirit pervades all
Everything Everywhere Forever

Even the tires that tread the asphalt
As a father drives to the oil rig
And a soldier goes off to war
To feed his children.

And the jet fuel released into ether
As a mother expresses her grief to the world
And an activist screams her rage at injustice
To make the world a better place.

God is in our Anguish, Anger and Anxiety
Goddess is in our Healing, Hope and Happiness

They are One and the Same
They make each other Whole

For how could we know the depths of Love
Without knowing the limits of Hate?

It's all part of the Yin and the Yang
The Death and Rebirth
The painful, exquisite transformation
Oh, to experience existence!

Storming the Bastille

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:11:42 -0500

On Dec. 16, 2007, a group of nearly 200 concerned citizens crowded into the lobby of the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA)-run T. Don Hutto Prizon for Kidz without being forcibly removed or arrested, in spite of contrary indications.

The act of civil disobedience came at the end of a crowded afternoon of a downtown walk (accompanied by many supportive honks), chanting solidarity to the uniform-clad kids on the playground (who were quickly ushered inside by the guards), music, speeches, drums and a candlelit vigil.

No Child Left Behind...Bars!

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:33:58 -0500

On Sunday, Dec. 16, a group of concerned DFW citizens will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Islamic Center of Irving, 2555 Esters Rd. in Irving, to caravan to Taylor, TX, half an hour northeast of Austin. Here, in the bleeding heart of Texas, the innocent children of asylum seekers are imprisoned in violation of international law.

With the unending support of the P&J community, a van has been filled to capacity, and still others will be carpooling down with the van. If you are interested in joining us, please just show up. We will make sure you have a place to raise your voice.

Hutto "Residential Facility" is a now infamous institution, tarnishing the already damaged reputation of our great state. Children are treated like convicted criminals, dressed in uniforms to go frolick in a playground surrounded by security fencing. Due to a lawsuit, the razor wire has finally been taken down, and families are afforded the luxury of a privacy curtain around the toilets in their crowded cells.

The Corrections Corporation of America is a private prison management company that makes a killing off of every filled bed in the prison. This is a growth industry that requires more incarcerated children to continue providing profits to its shareholders. And Texan tax dollars keep the operation running. Who else would rather their taxes go to these kids' education, rather than locking them up?

Needless to say, this facility represents the death of the American Dream. Honest, hardworking parents often risk their lives and pocketbooks to follow the guiding light of the Statue of Liberty. A missed deadline by their lawyer can end them up in this American Nightmare.

Just this month, an eight-year-old girl was separated from her mother for days. One can only imagine the trauma upon trauma this girl will live with as she survived incarceration on her own. How can we say we are proud to be American if this is what America has come to?

On Sunday, Dec. 16, we will walk from Heritage Park (located at 4th and Main St.) in Taylor to the Hutto facility, 1001 Welch Dr., at 2 p.m. By 4 p.m., the vigil will be well underway, complete with speakers and musicians, so the inmates can hear our solidarity with them, and God-willing, experience a sense of hope.

The ACLU lawsuit that granted the families the most minimal of human rights was progress, but it's not enough. We want Hutto shut down.