THREE EASY THINGS YOU CAN DO ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2006

My old pal Scott from Punkvoter just sent me something I want to pass along. Scott's point is that the tragedy of 9/11 shouldn't be used to push war and aggression (amd, let me add, partisan political agendas) but for peace and unity. Scott suggests three important new projects looking for support that are launching this week. We might all review a book about making sure the U.S. government stops using propaganda against its own citizens, a movie about what our soldiers are really going through when they come home and a pledge to support only candidates who are working for peace. This is a far more appropriate way to honor the memory of our brothers and sisters who died on September 11, 2001 than the way Bush, Cheney and the desperate Republican politicians and their crass media allies have in mind.

The Best War Ever is the new book coming out this week by the best-selling authors of Weapons of Mass Deception, John Stauber & Sheldon Rampton from the Center of Media and Democracy's P.R. Watch. They write a vital account of why America is losing in Iraq and the Middle East. This book reveals, how the Bush Regime used propaganda to sell us the war in Iraq and how they are now trying to sell us an expansion into Syria and Iran. It's more than a book; it's a call to action.

The Ground Truth is a new film being released this week that introduces you to patriotic young Americans-- ordinary men and women who heeded the call for military service in Iraq-- as they experience recruitment and training, combat, homecoming, and the struggle to reintegrate with families and communities. The terrible conflict in Iraq, depicted with ferocious honesty in the film, is a prelude for the even more challenging battles fought by the soldiers returning home. This film has won a ton of independent film awards and is in theaters nationally on Sept 15th. There's plenty of info, and a trailer, at their My Space page.

The pledge Scott told me about is basically something we already use when we screen candidates for our Blue America page. The simple pledge voters for peace asks us all to take is : "I will not vote for or support any candidate for Congress or President who does not make a speedy end to the war in Iraq, and preventing any future war of aggression, a public position in his or her campaign."

That's heavier than it might seem at first because there are a lot more Joe Liebermans lying in the reeds than you're probably aware of. We've talked about a few, especially lying sack of corporate crap Al Wynn who faces primary voters in MD-04 and Donna Edwards Tuesday. But the deciding to hold a Lieberman of a Jane Harman or a Henry Cuellar or an Al Wynn accountable for their years of faithlessness in a primary is a lot easier than it is to look at a reprehensible Democrat who supports Bush and the Republican agenda and to withhold your vote-- even when the Republican who will win is much, much worse. I tried tackling that one a bit earlier today in talking about Georgia's reactionary congressman John Barrow. Barrow's idiotic TV campaign spot pushes blatant Republican propaganda and talking points ("cut and run"). His voting record is anti-progressive. On the other hand, the reactionary Republican opposing him is a psycho-extremist who makes Barrow look almost decent. Progressives are faced with similar situations all over the country, where right wing, war-supporting/Bush-supporting Democrats like Gene Taylor (MS), Dan Boren (OK), Jim Marshall (GA), Leonard Boswell (IA), Jim Matheson (UT), Collin Peterson (MN), Jim Costa (CA), John Salazar (CO), Solomon Ortiz (TX), Bud Cramer (AL), Charlie Melancon (LA), John Tanner are unworthy of support from Democrats... but running against alternatives too horrible to contemplate. If you live in one of these districts, you've got to make up your own mind but this pledge isn't a bad idea-- and keep our little song in your head on election day; it isn't only-- just mostly-- for Republicans.