Coastal Post Online
MARIN COUNTY'S NEWS
MONTHLY - FREE PRESS
(415)868-1600 -
(415)868-0502(fax) - P.O. Box 31, Bolinas, CA, 94924
November, 2004
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Letters by readers
Judicial
Abuse Newest Face Of Domestic Violence
We want to express our gratitude to the Coastal Post and Jim Scanlon for his
detailed article Family Court Targets Another Single Mother. It is rare that a
publication gives as much space, time and attention to this growing problem so
you are to be commended for joining the ranks of Dr. Phil who has stepped forth
also this month to enlighten the public about what is happening in America's
courtrooms.
After he taped a segment in which he interviewed the NY mom who lost custody
of her 4 year old twins after they reported abuse by their wealthy casino owner
father, Dr. Phil commented that it seems a "silent epidemic". So
very true.
That's why articles you have published are so important. United for Justice
was organized because it is imperative for people to understand that cases like
the one you described are not anomalies, but have become routine in our courts.
Good parents, great parents are losing their kids and all too often these
children end up in the worst possible circumstances-isolated with their abuser.
One wonder as they read Jim Scanlon's article how a woman can survive as
"V" has done. The answer is that she MUST-for her children. The
lesson to be learned is that as judicial abuse becomes the newest face of
domestic violence everyone needs to understand that this horror could touch
their own family someday so it's time to stop the nonsense now, demand judicial
accountability and find out why California's Attorney General and Governor and
Supreme Court look the other way when children and protective parents are
re-victimized by the very systems responsible for protecting them.
Some residents in your area may recall the Alanna Krause case. Alanna has
quietly settled a federal lawsuit against her father and therapist for what she
was put through. It is time to listen to the children and act responsibly.
We hope your readers will visit our website and help us help the children
and parents caught in the crumbled courts.
Idelle Clarke
Executive Director
Co-Founder
United For Justice
Sierra Madre, CA
www.unitedforjustice.com
Organic Consumers Unite
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is embarking on an exciting new
campaign to organize 500,000 Californians into a potent grassroots action
network. As you know, the OCA has been working extensively on citizen led, California county bans of genetically engineered (GE) crops. First, Mendocino County became the first GE-Free county in the United States in March, 2004. Then Trinity County became the second county to ban GE crops after their Board of Supervisors,
persuaded by local citizens, passed a GE-Free ordinance in August. OCA plans to
build upon these recent successes with statewide laws that require labeling of
genetically engineered foods and provide protection for organic farmers from
genetic pollution--laws that have all but driven GE crops off the market in Europe.
We are currently building up a team of "mobile" field organizers,
with the ability to travel and organize across California, district by
district. OCA's California field organizers will build a grassroots network of
concerned farmers and consumers, people like you. We currently have 25,000
Californians on our email list, and a total statewide network of 100,000
organic-minded voters. We expect to have 50,000 Californians on our email list
by election day.
The Organic Consumers Association wants to help bring together the renewable
energy and organic consumers movements across the state. To do this OCA needs
to "walk our talk" by using sustainable bio-diesel vehicles that burn
vegetable oil and drastically reduce green house gas emissions. OCA's veggie
powered van will also act as an educational tool for renewable energy and its
important role in sustainable, organic agriculture. A full 25% of America's climate destabilizing greenhouse gases are now produced by chemical-intensive
industrial agriculture and long distance food transportation. We need to
promote organic (non-chemical) farming, renewable energy, and bio-diesel
transportation of food if we are to stabilize the climate and achieve energy
independence from the oil sheikdoms and their partners such as
Halliburton. The time is now to unite our issues and our constituencies
and build a massive and powerful grassroots movement in California. We need
your help. With a small donation of $20 or $50 dollars you can help us reach
our goal. To purchase, equip and maintain a flagship bio-diesel vehicle for the
Organic Consumers Association in California, we need to raise $10,000. Please
consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Click Here
<http://www.organicconsumers.org/donations.htm> and indicate
"Bio-Diesel" in the comment line. And please keep voting with your
consumer dollars and your political contributions for an organic and healthy
future for California.
Finally, don't forget to vote on November 2.
Ryan Zinn
OCA California Director
<ryan@organicconsumers.org>
Edward Miller Thanks
I want to express my thanks to Kate Hart, Eleanor Buckley and Don Deane for
making my 85th birthday celebration at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center
such a joyous occasion. Don was a great toastmaster, and my friend Jeff
Blankfort brought us all up to date on the Palestinian's fight for survival.
Kate's auction and other donations delivered over a thousand dollars to Barbara
Lubin's MECA (Middle East Children's Alliance) which helps support Palestinian
children. It strengthens one's faith in the human spirit when friends can join
one-another to support a people most of us will never meet in a far-off country
we may never see.
The Marin community, and now the Net audience, is indebted to our publisher,
Don Deane for his courage in supporting through the years such a diverse, and
often controversial, group of writers.
Edward W. Miller, MD
A Voter For Nader Is Just That
Just when are readers going to toss out the continuing canard that a vote
for Ralph Nader is a vote for Bush? A vote for Nader is a vote for Nader-period!
If the Democrats, who have fought tooth and nail to keep him off our ballot,
had any sense at all they would go after the 48 percent, or 100 million
eligible American voters, who decided not to go to the polls in 2000.
Don't blame me for the Bush debacle; I voted for Nader in 2000 and plan to
write him in this time. He is by far the more honest, knowledgeable and
qualified of the candidates. After 40 years of fighting for the US consumer, he is now portrayed as a clown and a spoiler, when he has every right to offer
his candidacy. Let's face it, the Republicans and the Democrats are, these
days, no more than two sides of the same corporate coin. When they had
finished with the brie and champagne fund-raisers - it suddenly became popular to
"feel the pain" of the working classes. What a cruel joke!
It is also interesting to note that Nader is of Lebanese descent-and that
might not be acceptable to those who support our disastrous Middle East
"evenhanded" policy. Whether Kerry (not a Massachusetts Irishman at
all - his background is Hungarian Jewish, despite the altar boy rŽsumŽ) or Bush
gets in, expect to pay $4 a gallon for gas soon. I'm voting my conscience and
writing in Ralph Nader.
Michael Venables
San Rafael
Death Camps & Medicare Cuts
Politicians often begin speeches with the phrase: "In this great
country of oursÉ." I'll begin this letter with the same phrase: In
this great country of ours, 30,000 people kill themselves every year.
Instead of spending tax payer money trying to PREVENT these suicides, why
don't we merely do it for them (i.e., kill them)-since 30,000 people succeed
anyway. In other words, rather than spend millions of dollars funding
psychologists, psychiatrists, suicide hot lines and expensive acute care
hospitals, I propose we create death camps.
Imagine the savings.
I propose the construction of three massive death camps : one on each coast
(one in NYC and another in Los Angeles) and then a third in the Midwest (in Chicago). If designed properly, these camps can be managed and run by only a handful of
employees. (We'll pay them minimum wage.) Four times a year, every quarter, we
can arrange large scale mass murders in each of the three death camps.
Here's a quick calculation: in each of the 3 death camps, we could easily
arrange approximately 2,500 murders every quarter - i.e., 10,000 state
sanctioned killings per year in each of the 3 facilities. My proposal would
not only resolve the high suicide rate in a cost-efficient manner-more so than
any prior program - but would simultaneously do away with all related mental
health expenses-expenses that most of our politicians feel are unnecessary.
Gas is probably the cheapest way to go.
As part of this proposal: whenever a suicidal psychiatric patient calls
into a suicide hotline-instead of hiring a live person to respond to the
call-and instead of referring the patient to an expensive crisis unit or
professional-the suicidal patient would merely hear a tape recording,
explaining (A) the location of the closest death camp; (B) directions to the
nearest death camp; (C) the date of the next mass murder and (D) a request to
please hold on to his life-until the next scheduled mass killing.
Just imagine the money Medicare would save. We can do away with expensive
(Medicare reimbursed) mental health services that try to help these poor slobs
that want to kill themselves. With this kind of savings, we could likely save
Medicare. And we baby boomers can then be assured of our precious pensions.
The ultimate American solution.
Dr. Paul Stone
San Rafael
Help The Neediest And Most Vulnerable
I am a psychiatric nurse who works both for the City at San Francisco
General and at Family Service Agency for their Intensive Case Management
Program. Services for the chronically mentally ill are fewer and fewer every
year, already cut to the bone in years past. What used to be a model county in
it's delivery of mental health services is now a shadow of it's former self,
with cuts every year rendering the mental
health system barely functional.
Day Treatment is now almost non existent, residential programs fewer and
more difficult to get into. This leaves many of our mentally ill citizens with
nothing to do all day, and the costs of housing these folks in neighborhoods
where they will not become victims of predatory drug dealers is prohibitive for
most. Most now end up in the Psychiatric Emergency rooms of our county
facilities where treatment is expensive and the beds filled on a daily basis.
Taxing those whose income exceeds one million dollars a year is the sanest
solution we have before us. No one likes to see the mentally ill clog our
streets with their shopping carts, their rants filling our ears on our way
anywhere in the city, their treatable psychosis unabated.
Even millionaires themselves support Proposition 63 as it would make money
available for treatment of these folks, thereby not offending their
sensibilities on their way to the Theatre. It's a shame that those who are so
opposed to taxation don't mind spending billions on bombing a country that
never did us any harm, but are opposed to helping the neediest and most
vulnerable among us. The money will not force any millionairre to go without a
meal. The lack of it forces many with treatble conditions to go without
treatment. Vote Yes on Prop 63.
Meg Brizzolara RN
San Quentin Village CA
Democrats Behind The Draft
I am a little confused about a July, 2000 online story in your publication
entitled, "Military And Civilian Draft Expected In 2005 For 18-26 Year
Olds".
In the article your writer states, "The Bush Administration is quietly
trying to get these bills passed now, while the public's attention is on the
elections, so our action on this is needed immediately." What the writer
neglected to mention is that S. 89-Universal National Service Act of 2003 and
H.R.163 were BOTH introduced by DEMOCRATS on January 7, 2003. Senator Ernest F.
Hollings (S.C.) & State Representative Charles B. Rangel (N.Y.),
respectively.
Sir or madam, just please answer me this; are Senator Hollings and
Representative Rangel now secret operatives within the Bush Administration? I'd
really love to know your writer's answer.
David Mattheisen
Minneapolis, MN
President Very Hard At Work
Apparently it is very hard work for President Bush being president as he
stated the other night during the debate. There is just too much on his plate
to handle and he has made it difficult and almost impossible to solve other
issues because of his one dominate interest, IRAQ.
Bush should have run for President of Iraq instead of the United States because that's where he devotes all of his waking moments talking about the war with Iraq.
The deficit is almost a half trillion dollars this year and next just so he
can have his "splendid little war" with Iraq. Iraq has 25 million people, 2/3rds the population of California, and yet that is where he spends his
energy governing that country instead of focusing on Congress to pass bills
benefiting the American people.
Since when do we hear Bush exclaim before his hand picked audiences the
needs of our countrymen? These issues seem foreign to him. He throws out war
platitudes to his audiences, extolling the patriotic fervor of our soldiers who
are sent to defend his personal interest in Iraq. As Tommy Smothers might say,
"He loves them more than he loves us."
Bush did look tired the other night. No doubt it is HARD WORK performing
the duties of President of the United States as he repeated numerous times
during the debate.
I believe it's time for him and Laura to pack up and head back to Texas. Get some rest. Hand the reins over to Senator Kerry. The country needs a new team to
stay the course.
David A. Whelan
Forest Knolls
Not Smiling
"At the same time that particular economic nuclear bomb is being
quietly laid, the Baby Boomers (of which I am one) will be retiring in vast
numbers, placing an unprecedented strain on already-depleted federal coffers.
The very ugly result is that "the nation simply won't be able to pay the
level of benefits that have been promised," a quote from Brian Riedl, a
budget analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington. He was
referring to Social Security and Medicare. Mr. Riedl probably smiled when he
said that, since conservatives have been trying to kill Social Security from
the day it was enacted."
I see, a personal attack on someone you never met. Why? Because you base
your opinion of me on a prejudiced stereotype.
Your arguments would be more effective if you stuck to the facts. Personal
attacks on people based on nothing more than stereotypes merely make you look
petty, juvenile, and cruel.
Oh, and since you never bothered to contact me and ask, I was NOT smiling
when I made that statement.
Brian Riedl
The Heritage Foundation
Washington DC
The 9-11 Truth Movement
Cheney believes, "You don't have to suppress the truth forever, just
until it doesn't matter anymore."
9-11 is the defining crime of the century, the pretext for wars, the
gutting of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the justification for
"Homeland Security," and, now, sweeping legislation designed to
expand "the National Security State,"( the CIA) into a "Global Security State."
People were shocked, terrified, traumatized, by 9-11, but many, now believe,
the attacks were a "false flag operation" designed to gain public
support for wars, for geopolitical reasons, including control over the flow of
oil and drugs.
The Project for a New American Century stated their desire for imperial
world hegemony and said, "The process of [military] transformation is
likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event-like a
new Pearl Harbor." Dick Cheney and the neo-conservative cabal who seized
power in 2000, authored the doctrine of "Pre-Emptive War."
Activists demanded a Congressional Investigation of 9-11 in January 2002.
Bush and Cheney, then asked Daschle to limit the official Inquiry, which was
overseen by the CIA, and the men who should have been investigated for their
own role in 9-11- Senator Bob Graham and Congressman Porter Goss.
Graham and Goss breakfasted on Sept. 11 with "the money man behind
9-11," (Lt. General Mahmoud Ahmad, head of Pakistani's ISI, who had
$100,000 wired to Mohammed Atta, identified by the FBI as the lead hijacker in
the attacks). The choice of Kissinger to head the Commission was another clue
that a high level Cover-Up was taking place.
The 9-11 Truth Alliance was born in cyberspace. They devised tools to bypass
media censorship. Over four million Deception Dollars, featuring key 9-11
websites and brilliant art were distributed; magazines, books, videos, DVDs,
helped fund research, and public events- premieres of Guerrilla News Networks's
documentary, Aftermath- Unanswered Questions from 9-11, and The San Francisco
International Inquiry into 9-11.
Citizen Inquiries in San Francisco, Toronto, and New York, brought together
filmmakers, researchers, and activists who condemned the "Cover-Up
Commission" for its' conflicts of interest, and failure to ask key
questions -
Why was the money man behind 9-11, Lt. General Mahmoud Ahmad, meeting with
top US officials from September 4th through September 13th?
Why did the Bush Administration seek Pakistan's cooperation' in the
"war on terrorism," despite the fact that the ISI was financing and
abetting the 9-11 terrorists?
Why did the military fail to intercept the hijacked planes on September
11th, in violation of the most standard operating procedures?
Why did officials react in such a bizarre manner to news of the attack, with
Bush, Rumsfeld, and Myers carrying on as if nothing unusual was occurring?
Why were the men most responsible for the military failure on 9-11 rewarded
with promotions and increased budgets?
Michel Chossudovsky's research shows that Al Qaeda is a joint creation of
the CIA and Saudi Arabia through Pakistan's ISI; on the surface Al Qaeda is the
outside enemy to justify military actions, beneath the surface Al Qaeda has
been a CIA asset.
The historical evidence, the failure of the military to defend New York and Washington DC on September 11th, the blatant lies, destruction of evidence,
the Cover-Up, indicate official complicity in the attacks.
In August, Michael C. Ruppert, spoke, detailing key points in his new book-
Crossing the Rubicon- The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age
of Oil:
"I will name Vice President Richard Cheney as the prime suspect in the
mass murders of 9/11 and will establish that, not only was he a planner in the
attacks, but also that on the day of the attacks he was running a completely
separate Command, Control and Communications system which was superceding any
orders being issued by the FAA, the Pentagon, or the White House Situation
Room;
"I will establish conclusively that in May of 2001, by presidential
order, Richard Cheney was put in direct command and control of all wargame and
field exercise training and scheduling through several agencies, especially
FEMA. This also extended to all of the conflicting and overlapping NORAD
drills-some involving hijack simulations-taking place on that day."
A recent Zogby poll showed that half (49.3%) of New York City residents and
41% of New York citizens overall said that some of our leaders "knew in
advance that attacks were planned on or around September 11, 2001, and that
they consciously failed to act."
On the third anniversary of the attacks, thousands attended 9-11 educational
events, including the New York- 9/11 Omission Hearings, and premieres of Barrie
Zwicker's excellent new documentary- The Great Conspiracy-The 9-11 News Special
You Never Saw.
"Blow the Whistle on Cheney, the 9-11 Cover-Up! No to the Global
Police State!" was the theme of a rally and march to the 6th Annual 9-11
Power to the Peaceful Concert in Golden Gate Park.
While Cheney tries to terrorize the population with the threat of another
9-11 should Bush lose the election, the truth is beginning to emerge through
the countless efforts of millions of people. We can't wait fifty years to unmask
the real perpetrators of this crime. The truth matters now.
Carol Brouillet
Organizer of the San Francisco International Inquiry into 9-11
http://www.communitycurrency.org
War Crimes
April 18, 1971 -- John Kerry and Al Hubbard appear on NBC's "Meet the
Press" to allege widespread atrocities by US soldiers in Vietnam. Hubbard is introduced as a former Air Force captain who had spent two years in Vietnam and was wounded in action. Kerry seems to admit to committing war crimes, saying,
"There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes,
yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers
have committed in that I took part in shootings in free fire zones. I conducted
harassment and interdiction fire. I used 50 caliber machine guns, which we were
granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took
part in search and destroy missions, in the burning of villages."
An other item that you missed ...
Peter Bauer
San Rafael
Tragic Shortage of Human Organs
Your (online) story about Doug Dion highlighted the tragic shortage of human
organs for transplant operations. That shortage kills over 6,000 Americans
every year. Most of those deaths are needless. Americans donate only half of
the organs that could save lives and reduce suffering. They bury or cremate
the rest.
The solution to the organ shortage is simple -- if you don't agree to donate
your organs when you die, then you go to the back of the waiting list if you
ever need an organ to live.
A grass-roots group of organ donors called LifeSharers is making this idea a
reality one member at a time.
LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors. Members agree to
donate their organs when they die, and they give fellow members "first
dibs" on their organs. This creates a pool of organs available first to
members. The existence of this pool gives other people an incentive to sign
donor cards and join the network, and this incentive grows stronger as the
network expands.
LifeSharers also makes the organ allocation system fairer. About 70% of the
organs transplanted in the United States go to people who haven't agreed to
donate their own organs when they die.
Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate
theirs can join LifeSharers at http://www.lifesharers.com. Membership is free.
LifeSharers has 2,593 members, including 384 members in California.
David J. Undis
Executive Director
LifeSharers
www.lifesharers.com
Nashville, TN 37205
Lowe Letters...
Highly Placed Bottom Feeders
Lowlifes, bottom-feeders in high places. Bush/Republicans have raised
politics of sleaze another notch in their efforts to paint a false image of
John Kerry. The Vice President proclaims that electing Kerry president would
create a danger "that we'll be hit again." House speaker Dennis
Hastert says that al-Qaeda would do better under a Kerry presidency. The ever
affable Senator Orrin Hatch maintains that terrorists are going to do
everything they can between now and November "to try and elect
Kerry." Who are the real terrorists operating in America?
Fundamentalists Have Taken Control
What has America learned of the Bush administration after four years-it's
conservative agenda is counterproductive to the well being of the nation.
Religious right-wingers, fundamentalists and evangelicals have taken over
control of the U.S. government. For the Republican Party winning is more
important than the common good of society. The Bush administration reflects the
selective agenda of hard-line conservatives, corporate misfits and religious
castoffs and not the will of the majority. Ralph Nader may be right; the only
way Americans will come to realize how evil and corrupt these people are is to
keep them in power. More reasons not to vote for Bush/Cheney: Health care is
spiraling out of control; Iraq is an open sore; honesty and integrity have
flown out the door under the Bush White House; the anglo dominated Republican
Party doesn't reflect the face and diversity of America.
Dumb is as dumb does which is why 50 million Americans will again vote
for Bush. Heaven forbid they vote for someone more informed, intelligent and
articulate than themselves.
Bush Taking Liberties
You're not going to vote for Bush in '04, that's blasphemy. Where else will
we find another liar and sneak as capable and culpable as George W.? Look at
the crew of cohorts W. has arraigned around himself and who can forget some of
their memorable pronouncements? "There is no doubt Hussein has weapons of
mass destruction." Dick Cheney 8/26/02. "We know Saddam is actively
pursuing a nuclear weapon." Condaleezza Rice 4/10/02. "We will be
greeted as liberators." Dick Cheney 3/16/03. "We know where the WMD's
are." Rumsfeld 3/30/03. "Major combat operations have ended."
President Bush 5/1/03. Right thay have George.
It is sacrosant what libeties the Bush White House has taken in the name of
democracy.
Ron Lowe
Nevada City - You start. We finish.
Needs Help With Library
Due to being exposed to a poison [dioxin] in the defoliant Agent Orange,
used by the military in the Vietnam era, I have not one but two terminal,
painful, disabling cancers. I am so disabled that I no longer can drive and I
live alone. Because these two deadly cancers have suppressed my immune system
[like a full blown AIDS patient] I have been warned that I risk death if
exposed to people who carry germs so I am supposed to avoid public places; I
only get out to keep medical appointments. I have to use a power wheelchair [presently
once again broken]! I am homebound.
For a time, a very nice lady at the Mill Valley Public Library, Donna
Johnson, and a nice volunteer, Chuck, brought me books and videotapes.
Apparently this got to be too much for the Mill Valley Public Library: The SAME
tapes kept coming back time after time. And I was told that other branches did
not want to cooperate in supplying tapes, even though the tapes are listed on
the MarinNet inventory of tapes available to library patrons. That may be due
to laziness. The volunteer, Chuck, never made any complaint to me and even
indicated he was willing to go on bringing books and tapes to me and back to
the Mill Valley Public Library. And he is going to continue to come and visit
with me.
Anyway, I was told-not asked-that I was being "picked up" by the
county. I was contacted by, and so I communicated with a lady at another
branch. [Sorry, I do not recall her name.] She set up an appointment to meet
with me and with the new volunteer assigned to me. This was to have happened
last Wednesday, at my home, as I cannot and do not get out except to keep
essential medical appointments. They did not appear, nor so far have I heard
from them, which I find surprising. So I sent an e-mail to the lady at the Mill
Valley Public Library about all this and about the fact I had some materials
which needed return to the Mill Valley Public Library. Several days later my
nice "old" volunteer Chuck showed up and collected those materials.
He told me that I was not the only mill valley public library patron to get
buck-passed or fired or dumped or abandoned or whatever you wish to call it.
I feel harmed. I really need books and videotapes; I am trying to make it
on peanuts from Social Security and cannot afford several hundred dollars a
month to buy books via the internet. It is true that I also feel really
unwell, both from my cancers and because I am now on my sixth course of
treatments with one or another medicine, called chemotherapy. I have never
managed to get into remission.
PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN.
The nice librarian who used to take care of me at the Mill Valley Public
Library is Donna Johnson, e-mail djohnson@cityofmillvalley.org OR PHONE 415 389
4292.
I am one of several people who have either been fired or abandoned or
buck-passed by the Mill Valley Public Library. I was supposed to be picked up
by the county, specifically by a volunteer and a lady at another branch, either
the Sausalito branch or the Marin City branch.
Frank Hills
Mill Valley
Bush Lacks Remorse
During the first Presidential Debate of 2004, Bush was rigorously engaged-in
a game of psychological projection. Of his own shadow. As projected onto
Senator John Kerry.
"My concerns about the senator is that... he changes positions on the
war in Iraq...on something as fundamental as what you believe in your core, in
your heart of hearts, is right in Iraq..." says Bush Jr. Wielding shock
and awe on a nation which never attacked us, with no capabilities of defending
itself-this is what The President believes in? Steadfastly? In his core? This
is what "is right in Iraq?" As for the "consistency" of
Bush's own Iraq War position, please see www.michaelmoore.com (September 22,
2004) "Mr. Bush and His 10 Ever-Changing Different Positions on Iraq: A flip and a flop and now just a flop." This is very important to read, before
going to the polls!
"It is hard work. It is hard work to go from a tyranny to a
democracy," Bush Jr. debates, referring to Iraq. Right here, in America, it is hard work indeed-to go from a place where no access to legal counsel, no
burden of proof, results in arrests of innocents dubbed terrorists. It is hard
work for Us, the People, to think that the newspapers need only
"print" that someone is a terrorist-and we automatically believe it!
It is very hard work, indeed, to reverse laws cracking down on freedom of
travel, and in which the most frequent targets have been peaceful activists
(such as two San Francisco citizens. Please read the story on the ACLU website.
Singer/peace activist Cat Stevens, composer of "Morning has Broken,"
is another recent example: San Francisco Chronicle, Thursday, September 23,
2004).
As for compassion in the face of death, all that Bush can muster, regarding
the war-widowed Missy Johnson: "You know, it's hard work to try to love
her as best as I can, knowing full well that the decision I made caused her
loved one to be in harm's way." What conscience does it take to call this
"hard work," to laugh when publicly debating war, to giggle the words
(in Fahrenheit 9-11, on camera) "I am a war president."
Dear reader, We the People, as voters, have a solemn responsibility here.
PLEASE REMEMBER, THE DEFINITION OF CRIMINAL PSYCHOSIS, IS ONE IN WHICH THE
PERPETRATOR HAS NO REMORSE, AND NO EMPATHY FOR HIS VICTIMS. I am referring not
only to Missy Johnson, but to Us, the People, losing our freedom under our
noses, closed to the distasteful stench of inquiry. I refer to the defenseless
Iraqi citizens, suffering shock and awe, with no police protection from
decapitating fundamentalists. I repeat the question, what kind of mentality
does it take, to subject people to this scenario? Could you, dear reader,
subject people to this? Could the man or woman in the next phone booth do it?
Drina Brooke
Novato
Kerry Has Wrong Values, Wrong War Record
Senator John Kerry shows that he has the wrong Values, the Wrong War Record,
and is clearly the Wrong Choice to be President of the United States and Commander-In-Chief! If the American Public would take time to check his
record in the Senate, they would clearly see, John Kerry has continually voted
against our National Defense, Our Military, Our Veterans, and Our National
Intelligence, during 20 years as a Senator in the United States Congress. If
you take time to check his Military Career (What's Allowed), you just might
find more reasons to disbelieve his claims than not. The proof points to the
facts, he used his money and influential friends to have his military record
changed. If this weren't the case and he weren't afraid the American Public
would find that he, is truly a traitor, committed treason against the United
States, and he had his military records altered, he would have already signed a
form 180. John Kerry stated that his records are on his web site.
I know this is untrue; because, I visited his web site and could not find
those records, dates, and etc. he stated would be there. Instead, I found
things he urged were more important, attempting to divert attention from his
military record. WHY IS JOHN KERRY SO AFRAID TO SIGN A FORM 180? Is it true, he
went in after the War and altered his military record; so, he would be eligible
for and get the medals he now has? Does he really expect America to believe he is telling the truth, that over 260 men that served with him, are
total liars. His Commander, in Nam, refused to put him in for the medals,
stating that Kerry didn't see the military combat needed to earn them; so, how
did John Kerry get those medals? Has John Kerry only invented a military
record, for his political career? Did he truly think, that America, the Viet Nam Vets, and especially the POW's and their families, would forget the
terrible things that he did trying to end that war? Is he doing the same things
to our Military Men and Women now and giving greater hope to terrorist, as he
did the Viet Cong, with the things he is saying and doing? IT SURE LOOKS AND
SOUNDS LIKE IT TO ME!
Dwight Vandiver, Sr.
Democrats Don't Hate Bush
The press has been saying that Democrats hate Bush-but I don't think that's
true. I think it's more accurate to say that a lot of people are ANGRY with
Bush, but they don't hate him. I'm sure that are some people who hate Bush -
like if you lost a child in Iraq who died because Bush lied-then you might hate
Bush. Or - if your retirement got wiped out because it was all in Enron
stock-you might hate Bush,
But for things like taking away civil liberties with the Patriot Act, people
losing their jobs, turning the biggest surplus in the history of the world into
the biggest deficit in the history of the world, or the rape, torture, and
killings at Abu Ghraib prison-I think people are just angry with Bush about
that.
So I don't think it's accurate to portray Democrats as people who hate. You
have to take into account issues and real reason people might be angry about
personal losses and the direction America is heading. I think the media should
look closer to see if people really do hate Bush-or if they are just angry with
him.
I'm Marc Perkel-and I approved this message!
Marc Perkel
San Francisco
Take Your Children, Go To Prison
Mr. Scanlon:
I was informed that you report on cases such as mine. Below is a rough
draft of a letter I am preparing to send to organizations looking for help
(please excuse the typos), it should give you a clue as to what my family has
gone through just across the bay (in Contra Costa County). The judges in cases
such as this need to be brought to the Public's attention via the media. I hope
you can help.
K. Nunez
I was arrested and held on $5 million bail in May 2002, and convicted by
jury trial in June 2003 for "abducting" my four and six year old
daughters and putting them in a "safe house" run by a children's
rights advocacy group. This action came about after my children complained of
dozens of incidents of child abuse at the hands of their father and his
girlfriend during their custodial time/visits-and after the family court
refused to investigate these incidents from 1999-2002.
The few incidents that were investigated by Child Protective Services (CPS).
and/or the police were ruled: "inconclusive" or "cannot rule out
physical abuse." Unfortunately, these incidents were not prosecuted, but
instead were "referred" to the family court (not the Juvenile Court),
where no action was taken by the family court. Also ignored by the family
court, police, and CPS. where my eldest daughter's (from a previous
relationship) complaints of abuse by this same man (her stepfather) during our
marriage when she was 8-10 years old. She has since been diagnosed as suffering
from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
In November 2002, my children were "found" and returned to the
very person I tried to protect them from-even after the District Attorney
conducted a taped interview where my children made spontaneous unsolicited
statements and demonstrations of abuse dating back 3 years
In July 2004 I was sentenced to 5 years and 8 months to state prison
(although the maximum sentence is 4 years) after the trial judge denied a new
trial because of 37 counts of ineffective assistance of counsel and DA
Intrusion (into the Defense camp). The trial judge also refused to give me
credit for the 6 months I spent on civil contempt charges because I refused to
disclose my children's whereabouts UNLESS the court investigated the abuse
allegations. This prison sentence was given to a person who has NO criminal
history, was a 6 year military police veteran, performed a one year internship
with the California State Parole Department, has an AA degree in Criminal Justice,
was PC832 Reserve Police Officer qualified, was on my job for 12 years and had
been a local resident for 38 years!
The fate on my two youngest daughters is unknown since my ex-husband has
refused ALL contact with them by myself, their half-sister, and maternal
grandparents for the last 21 months. I honestly believe my children are still
being abused, but are afraid to tell anyone of the abuse since the last time
they lost their Mommy, Sissy, Na Na, and Pa Pa were taken from their lives.
Can you please send me any information, referrals, etc. that your
organization provides in the areas of: Child Protection/Rights/Custody
visitation/Prisoners/Women's Rights; Battered Women defenses/info ; Court
Reform; innocence projects; Prisoners convicted because of their
conscience/beliefs and/or protection of others; Pro-bono or low cost attorneys
for appeals, family law, and civil rights (in the San Francisco bay Area.)
Thank you,
Kelli Nunez X06705
I am currently training to become a fire fighter at the California Institute
for Women, 16756 Chino Corona Rd. Latham A 220, Corona Ca 92880-9508
The Attorneys Are Quite Chummy
Thank you, Jim Scanlon for your expose of the Marin County Family Court
system. If I hadn't been involved with it myself I don't know if I would
believe it. It's a truly Kafka-esque experience. The Conservatorship system
is one that needs to be brought to light. The Court is completely stacked
against an elderly person, who is presumed to be incompetent before the case is
heard.
All it takes is one family member to lie and accuse the elderly person of
'wandering' for the case to be opened. After that the 'conservatee' must pay
for all the legal expenses of anyone who accuses him of 'incompetence'. The
attorneys are only too glad to be a part of this feeding frenzy. The attorneys
are quite chummy with each other in Marin, and at $250-265/hour will deplete
the estate gleefully, while having no true concern for the elderly person's
wishes. One judge, upon hearing that the proposed conservatee did not want to
be conserved, looked down from the bench and intoned "They never do."
Its a miserable, shocking miscarriage of the law. The attorneys do not
follow the Probate Code, and completely ignore and distort facts that don't
suit their intentions. God protect you if you have memory loss in Marin County.
Rosa Koire
Novato
Mexicowww.casarosayelapa.com
Judicial Abuse Newest Face Of Domestic Violence
We want to express our gratitude to the Coastal Post and Jim Scanlon for his
detailed article Family Court Targets Another Single Mother. It is rare that a
publication gives as much space, time and attention to this growing problem so
you are to be commended for joining the ranks of Dr. Phil who has stepped forth
also this month to enlighten the public about what is happening in America's
courtrooms.
After he taped a segment in which he interviewed the NY mom who lost custody
of her 4 year old twins after they reported abuse by their wealthy casino owner
father, Dr. Phil commented that it seems a "silent epidemic". So
very true.
That's why articles you have published are so important. United for Justice
was organized because it is imperative for people to understand that cases like
the one you described are not anomalies, but have become routine in our courts.
Good parents, great parents are losing their kids and all too often these
children end up in the worst possible circumstances-isolated with their abuser.
One wonder as they read Jim Scanlon's article how a woman can survive as
"V" has done. The answer is that she MUST-for her children. The
lesson to be learned is that as judicial abuse becomes the newest face of
domestic violence everyone needs to understand that this horror could touch
their own family someday so it's time to stop the nonsense now, demand judicial
accountability and find out why California's Attorney General and Governor and
Supreme Court look the other way when children and protective parents are
re-victimized by the very systems responsible for protecting them.
Some residents in your area may recall the Alanna Krause case. Alanna has
quietly settled a federal lawsuit against her father and therapist for what she
was put through. It is time to listen to the children and act responsibly.
We hope your readers will visit our website and help us help the children
and parents caught in the crumbled courts.
Idelle Clarke
Executive Director
Co-Founder
United For Justice
Sierra Madre, CA
www.unitedforjustice.com
Preaching To The Converted
Why, I kept asking myself, did the crowds on TV respond to President Bush in
such an enthusiastic manner compared to the ones listening to Senator Kerry?
Now I know the answer. The audiences listening to President Bush are screened
and Kerry supporters are threatened with arrest if they don't leave. Something
is very wrong here.
Sincerely,
Anne Smith
Berkeley
Wake Up And Act
I was nine years old. Standing at the Austro-Hungarian border of the iron
curtain, the guards pointed their machine guns. At me. After only ten minutes.
Of all people in our party, I at nine years of age, was the most likely spy of
our party! With graveyards dotting to the horizon, we refused to become a
border incident, and left.
That was only the beginning of my eye-openers.
Friends of ours, two brothers from Hungary, were visiting us along with
their mother, who was on vacation from Budapest: She was able to tell us, in
the safety of our living room, that she and her husband would have been taken
captive, tortured and perhaps killed, had her sons left the country without the
then-communist Hungarian government's permission. At home, she could not have
had this conversation, for fear of government wiretapping of her own living
room and....you know the rest. Another friend, NY Times journalist Alan Levy,
left Prague with his wife and kids, with only 48 hours legal notice: He had
smuggled out a manuscript, page by page, in which he protested the actions of
the Hungarian government. He was wanted by that government, dead or alive, for
250 years. Of course, we all are eyewitnesses to the gun deaths of protesters,
at Tianenmen Square.
This would never happen here? That is, I fear, exactly the belief which
enables the dynamic to close in on us. "Until it becomes too late, to
protest. I hope I am wrong, but this is my sincere and deep concern. Is it
possible, that it will soon be too late to wake up and act?"
Sometimes, reality can be very painful to acknowledge. Just how Nazi Germany
enabled Hitler.
With our Patriot Act granting legalized wiretapping, search warrants allowed
"after" government invasion of our home, arrests done with no
required burden of proof, no access to legal counsel... "why do we simply
believe every printed claim that someone-or-other is Really a terrorist? Why
was the peace activist, Cat Stevens, not allowed to enter our country, just one
month ago? Why were two female San Francisco residents, put on a government
no-fly list, without being told who put them on it, and given no access to
information which could prove their case in court? Because they, too, were
peaceful activists. For that matter, many of us know, that 1000 of the
so-called "terrorists" at Guantanamo Bay, are proven innocent. WHY
DID THE PATRIOT ACT TAKE ONLY TWO MINUTES OF FLOOR TIME. Our ignorance is
literally scary!!!
I am sure that Theresa Heinz Kerry was not kidding, when she said that she
was pleased that people consider her to be opinionated, since she cherishes the
"right" to speak her mind, to express her opinions. Growing up in Africa, she understood first-hand.
I share these experiences, with the hope, that someone may reconsider what
our Patriot Act is "really all about. And vote accordingly, for the cause
not of any one president, not for any one political party, but for freedom
itself. Freedom in America, not just in Iraq. This election is a more awesome
responsibility than we have ever had. Whew.
Drina Brooke
Novato, California