So um, yesterday I did not hang my signs. I *did* send a letter via the Move On MediaCorps, though. Signs today, plus today, (like every Wednesday, for now at least) is counter-recruiting day.

ICKY thing: Rose got a tick in her neck! I dont know where she picked it up, but I saw it when we were at the park with the mamas yesterday. They tried to help me get it to back out but in the end I called Dr dave, who said to go ahead and pull out what I could. I did, but the head is still in, so tomorrow am he will remove it for her. Poor baby.

OK, Peace Act of the Day:

Running around SLV putting up flyers for the:

~ Friday Apr 11, 12noon
(Civilian) Weapons Inspection Team (WIT) at Lockheed Martin. Meet at County Building (Ocean and Water) for Rally and Press Moment, then carpool and bus to LM in Bonny Doon to inspect for weapons of mass distruction. Nonviolent civil disobedience planned by inspectors; others needed to witness and support. Info: Justin 459-6887, or sccwit@riseup.net To sign up for nonviolence training in preparation for this event, call 423-1626 ext. 103.

(that in Santa Cruz, CA, for those of you out of area)

Dear Friends,

I'm trying really hard to battle the despair hounds... and I had an idea. What if any of us who want to, pledged to eachother to do one act per day (um, not a limit, just a minimum) that is working for peace and justice in the world?

Each person who agrees to participate could define what those are for herself, and to me, could run a wide gamut, from resolving a personal dispute peacefully, to writing a political letter, to getting arrested in an act of civil disobedience, meditiating, praying......................

Then we share them here, thus inspiring eachother to keep going. Noone will be down on you if you miss a day, either.

So, who's in?

I'll start.

I, Larissa (Roshismomma to you) pledge that I will wage one act of peace and justice making per day for the foreseeable future.

Today, I will research and find a way to support Blue Triangle (http://www.bluetriange.org), a group that is opposing the "racial profiling, erosion of civil liberties, roundups, indefinite detentions, secret charges, secret evidence, secret military tribunals and demonizing of Muslims, Arabs, and South Asians and others based upon where they were born, the language that they speak, the color of their skin or the religion that they practice."

Feel free to spread this to your own blog, livejournal, what have you. If you want to, put a link in my comments so we can find you.

I hope this can at least help us all stay sane in such troubled times.

Much love,

Larissa

So we got an offer on the house!

A MIRACLE!

it was low, so we countered, but now we have to wait and see.

wait wait wait.

I am not good at wait.

Opening my heart, and other important things...

First off, Booey wanted me to let you all know I was born on Friday/ not Thursday. I'm Loving and Giving and All That.

OK.

On to what I really wanted to write about.

Booey and I went to see Joules Graves last night... *so* inspiring. She rocked, and then she got us to sing like a gospel choir, and then she made me think.

I started thinking about how angry I've been and how that's driven how I treat my family, my self, my friends. I have to learn to be the change I want to see. It's not that easy.

On that note, my own Mama and many others will be Praying for George Bush tomorrow. I'm working toward getting my heart in the right place to do it.

We shall see.

Nuff politickin already, time for a Quiz!

A - Act your age? Not at all.

B - Born on what day of the week? Friday, I'm so loving and giving...

C - Chore you hate? Find a chore I *like*.

D - Dad's name? Geoffrey

E - Essential makeup item? Nothing is essential but all the makeup I like is by Benefit Cosmetics

F - Favorite actor? How do I pick just one? I do love Kevin Kline. I also love.... I can't pick!

G - Gold or silver? Silver, or white gold.

H - Hometown? Well, born in Manhattan but grew up mainly in Menlo PArk, CA

I - Instruments you play? voice.

J - Job title? Mom. Computer Software Program Manager, Herbalist.K - Kids? 1 girl, Rose Shirley Cybele Billie Camilla Pearl Fionna Petra Sylvie Poppy Aurora Grania Yashmina Isadora Victoria Shapiro 20 months

L - Living arrangements? Own a 5 bedroom house with husband and another housemate.

M - Mom's name? Patria
N - Number of people you've slept with? Uhhh... 15?

O - Overnight hospital stays? My birth, my breast surgery, Rose's Birth, My Gall Bladder Surgery.

P - Phobia? not really

Q - Quote you like? "No matter what the fight, don't be ladylike! God almighty made women and the Rockefeller gang of thieves made the ladies." --Mother Jones

R - Religious affiliation? I belong to no religion, but I am a Witch

S - Siblings?
Two younger sisters

T - Time you wake up? 6:30, these days. On a good day.

U - Unique habit? using wadded up paper napkins as a weapon

V - Vegetable you refuse to eat? Okra

W- Worst habit? carelessness

X - X-rays you've had? teeth, chest, both arms, both ankles

Y - Yummy food you make? soup, esp Carrot Ginger
Z - Zodiac Sign? Capricorn

I'll post this once a week or so and put the events I plan to attend in bold... also the Mamas for Peace will be having a weekly counter-recruitment 2-5 on Wednesdays at the Capitola Military Recruitment Center... (that's my very own event!)

STOP WAR - PEACE ACTION RESPONSE TO WAR ON IRAQ
Produced by: The Resource Center for Nonviolence
515 Broadway Santa Cruz, California 95060
831/423-1626, fax 831/423-8716 information@rcnv.org

News bulletin:
"OPT IN" UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY SC SCHOOL BOARD!
MAJOR TRIUMPH FOR SANTA CRUZ YOUTH ALLIANCE!

On April 26th the Santa Cruz School Board unanimously adopted
a PRIVACY & TRUTH resolution proposed by the Santa Cruz High
School Youth Alliance that
requires:

1) Student contact information be released to military
recruiters ONLY when parents OPT-IN by giving written
informed consent to the school for such contacts, and

2) Full disclosure and TRUTH about military recruitment and
military service, by annually providing to all students
information about conscription and alternatives to military service.

Send congratulations and thanks to: The Student Alliance,
Coordinator Josh
Sonnenfeld: josh_lizard@yahoo.com, 831/423-1626 x306, 831/429-3942.

FRIDAY 3/28 -

* 8:30am, San Francisco SPIRITUAL GATHERING FOR PEACE:
Interfaith Prayer of Action supported solely by faith-based
organizations, Christian, Jewish, Moslem, Buddhist and other
religious communities. Gather at the Plaza of the Federal
Office Building, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, and San Francisco.
(East side of the building.) At 9 am a letter to government
leaders will be read followed by prayers. At 9:30 those who
choose civil disobedience will engage in a symbolic shut down
by blocking doors into the building. Those arrested will not
resist. Those who may be involved in civil disobedience are
asked to meet for preparation Thursday night, 7:30 pm at St.
Boniface church.
Info: Alan Solomonow, 565-0201 or the Buddhist Peace
Fellowship web site, http://www.BPF.org

* 4-6pm, Youth Action Coalition (YAC) Rally for Peace: SC
Town Clock, Pacific & Water Sts., Info: 831/423-1626 x306,
yacsantacruz@yahoo.com

SATURDAY 3/29th

* 1-3pm A Family Outing With a Cause -- "Human Need, Not
Corporate Greed" Leave SC Town Clock (Water & Pacific); to
Raymond St. Park (Raymond off 3rd in Beach Flats). 3-4:30pm,
walk from Park along West Cliff to Lighthouse.
Info: SC Peace Coalition, 423-1626 x308. Bring picnic, water
and a blanket to sit on.

* 6pm, Taize Prayer Service for Peace, First United Methodist
Church, Watsonville, 229 Stanford St., Info: 724-4434

SUNDAY 3/30th

* 11:30am, Cesar Chavez Day in Salinas - Demonstrate for
Peace, Better Pay and Working Conditions. Bus and carpool
from SC County Building (Ocean & Water), loading 10:45am,
depart 11am. Only bus reservation is a ticket; buy at RCNV
515 Broadway (@Ocean), 423-1626.

* 5pm, Iraq Action Network (IAN) Planning Meeting, RCNV 515
Broadway (@ Ocean). This is a representative coalition with
people from various groups coming togethr to network & coordinate actions or plan for joint actions.
Info: 831/423-1626 x302

* 7pm, Santa Cruz Peacemakers of RCNV. New people welcome to
get involved in working for peace. Informmation: 831/423-1626
x302 or web page

FUTURE DATES -- Starting Monday 3/31, Use RCNV Calendar Page

* SUNDAY 4/6 -- EVERYBODY DANCE Party & RCNV Benefit with
Extra Large, Road Hogs Smokin' Bananas, and diva Anna Mosity.
Moe's Alley, 6-11pm, tickets sliding scale $10-20 advance,
$12-25 door. Tickets at RCNV, 515 Broadway, 831/423-1626.

* SUNDAY 4/6 -- Palm Sunday Walk for Peace - 10 Sites that
Call for Global Peace & Justice. Starts at Government
Building, 701 Ocean, SC; Sponsor Interfaith Coalition for
Peace & Justice. Info: 831/423-1626 x103

* FRIDAY 4/11, 12noon (Civilian) Weapons Inspection Team
(WIT) at Lockeed Martin; Meet at County Building (Ocean and
Water) for Rally and Press Moment, then carpool and bus to LM
in Bonny Doon to inspect for weapons of mass destruction.
Nonviolent civil disobedience planned by inspectors; others
needed to witness and support. Info: Justin 459-6887,
justin@cruzio.com. To sign up for nonviolence training in
preparation for this event, call 423-1626 ext. 103.

THE IRAQ ACTION NETWORK (IAN)The Iraq Action Network is made
up of local peace and justice groups, including the Santa
Cruz Peace Coalition, Santa Cruz Women's International League
for Peace and Freedom, Santa Cruz Peacemakers of the Resource
Center for Nonviolence, the Quakers Peace and Social Order
Commission, Art and Revolution, Bill Motto Post of the VFW,
Labor for Peace, Justice and Civil Liberties, and members of
several other local groups. IAN Meetings: Sundays at 5 p.m.
at the Resource Center for Nonviolence. return to top

NONVIOLENCE GUIDELINES for all participants in RCNV actions:
1) We will not harm anyone, but will be nonviolent in words
and actions.
2) We will treat every person with respect.
3) We will not damage or deface property.
4) We will not carry any weapons.
5) We will not bring or use any alcohol or drugs, other than
for medical purposes.
6) We will not resist arrest.

My sister Mandy's blog got me thinking, and here are the comments I made to her. (read her blog too, to really understand whats going on...)

Mandy,

I love you and I understand, you're far from the only working person who missed necessary hours and did not get paid. I don't think, though, that the cops saying that the $$$ they will charge the city for the demonstrations is really the demonstrators fault, at least not those who refrained from any form of violence or property damage. The $$$$ mainly comes from there having been waaaay more cops than were needed for peaceful protests. That said, I do understand that poor people missing work, and social services being cut, are hardly the right things to come out of a well intentioned peace action in a time when peace actions are so desperately needed.

We need to be thinking a lot about this. Obviously we must continue to counter the war machine, as fiercely as ever, before they move on yet another country, waging their global war of terror. Right?

But! We don't want to keep young people who just moved to a strange city away from their crappy but necessary $8/hr job, nor deprive already struggling city services of necessary funds.

So what do we do! I suggest we redouble our dedication to non violence, and as much as our anger might make us want to do it, we truly avoid property destruction. This will pull the rug FUTHER out from under the cops ridiculous assertations of how much help they need, less police on the scene means less traffic and MUCH less money spent.

OK.

Moreover, I think we need to consider actions that have real consequence without causing difficulties for the communities we live in. JohnF has a point, but really, what do we serve by making life harder for the poorest of our own people.

We have done an action here in SC, where we target the local military recruiting center. It has not blocked traffic, ever, or kept people from work (unless they work in the center itself)and it has been very peaceful, there was one day when people chose to get arrested, every other day it has just been a picket and a friendly offer to young persons considering enlisting to look at another point of view. Very successful action, could be adopted at Recruiting Centers all over with great results avoiding the impacts described above I suspect.

Planned in the next few weeks are also some actions around the Lockheed Martin complex here in Bonny Doon. These will also avoid traffic snafus (there's no traffic there) and only inconveneince the people who work for LM, since its in the middle of nowhere. Of course there will be a police cost, but if, as I suspect, true non violence is used, they will have no excuse for that other than their own insecurity.

I dont mean to go on and on, I am just trying to say that there is a way to protest as a citizen, and be a member of the community as well. Of course I do see that part of the point of the SF demos the first day or two was to STOP regular things from happening, but I think it may have been a bit of a classist plan, to assume people have the luxury to take the day off. Of course people in Baghdad have no luxury at all.

Just some thoughts.

lots of love from your big sis,

Issy

Another broken promise... sorry friends.

I've been called, or one of my friends has been called, in the past week

Pinko Commie
Terrible Mother
Fucking Hippie
Iraqi Hippie
Sand N***er
and many more.

Wow. And all I do is stand on a sidewalk with a sign, ususally one that says "War Is Not Healthy For Children and Other Living Things".

I have not had time or heart to blog.

But I promise a long one later today.