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A personal interlude

As winter truly begins here in D.C., we are getting ready for this year's Washington Peace Center Peace and Justice Awards and Fundraiser. It will be this coming Saturday (the 16th), 6 p.m. at Foundry United Methodist Church on 16th Street NW.

Among those honored for their dedication and service to peace and justice are two dear friends: Malachy Kilbride and Donte Smith. Malachy I have known for more than three years now, we are both heavily involved with the D.C. Anti-War Network (DAWN). And Donte I only met in person recently, but we wrote when he was in prison for the action at School of the Americas (WHINSEC) the year before. They are both wonderful activists and extraordinary organizers. The peace and justice movement is lucky to have them.

Also, organizing is really ramping up for January 27th's major anti-war mobilization. It is time for the movement to come together and keep up the pressure on Congress to defund the war. Many activists are being distracted by another issues, which I consider to be an extreme pipe dream and somewhat partisan: impeachment. I am not against impeachment, but I am sorry to see and hear so many of my fellow activists continually push it as a cure-all. Dem leadership will never go for it, because they want to hold on to their majority of Congress for more than two years. Because of the disaster of Iraq, and that the mainstream media is beginning to acuratelyr eport it -- defunding has a chance. Not only that, I strongly feel it is the morally correct thing to do -- as well as the most effective way to end the imperialistic, illegal and immoral war and occupation of Iraq.

Oaxaca is still a mess as the Mexican government continues to suppress and in fact kill dissenters. I went to a rather powerful protest at the Mexican Embassy this week. It made me think about how there is a global resistance movement to the empire of the rich and how military expenditures continually keep ordinary men, women and children down. I am not becoming more militant, but I do wish to continue increasing my awareness of what is happening to my brothers and sisters throughout the world. More than 150 protestors have now been held in prison for more than a month in Oaxaca. I will try and keep them in my heart and mind.

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