Democracy for New Mexico

(Corrected) June 26: Anti-Torture Vigil & Street Drama at ABQ Federal Building

6.27.07 CORRECTION: Please note that according to an email I received today from Robert Stoppel, a member of the Board of Directors for a Guerilla Street Theatre collaborative called, La Cucaracha Stew Co. in Albuquerque, the "STREET DRAMA" portion of this demonstration was planned, constructed, and performed by La Cucaracha Stew Co. La Cucaracha is the only politically active street theatre company in Albuquerque. Robert Stoppel can be reached at lacucarachastewco@gmail.com.
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From Amnesty International Albuquerque Chapter 101:
A street theater enactment of “Guantanamo: A Life Sentence With No Trial” will be held at the Federal Building, 333 Lomas Blvd. NW in Albuquerque, from Noon to 1 PM on June 26th. Organized by Amnesty International Albuquerque Chapter 101, and cosponsored by the First Unitarian Social Justice Council and the ACLU of New Mexico, the event commemorates the UN's International Day in Support of Torture Victims and Survivors.

Vigils and congressional visits across the nation will be held during the week of June 26th calling for a stop to torture in U.S. operated detention facilities. Also being demanded is the repeal of the Military Commissions Act, which authorizes the suspension of habeas corpus for those accused of being enemy combatants. (This means that the accused may be held indefinitely and their right to know what they are being charged with and their right to a trial that meets international fair trial standards have been suspended.)

In addition, please write Senator Domenici and Representative Wilson and ask them to withdraw their support for the Military Commissions Act.

For further information about the vigil, please contact Ann Peterpaul at 453-2465. For more information about Albuquerque Amnesty International, and other actions in the planning stages, please contact Nell Burrus, Chapter101 coordinator, at 833-3140.

Must See TV Tonight: Endgame (in Iraq)

PBS FRONTLINE's Endgame will be aired on Albuquerque's KNME tonight at 9:00 PM (and rebroadcast on June 20 at 3 AM, June 22 at 10 PM and June 24 at 8 AM). According to the FRONTLINE website:

The show examines the reasons for the current situation in Iraq, including failure to plan for an insurgency; the “light footprint” strategy pushed by then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld; and the 2005 Iraqi election, which the Sunnis boycotted.

...  As the United States begins one final effort to secure victory through a "surge" of troops, FRONTLINE investigates how strategic and tactical mistakes brought Iraq to civil war. The film recounts how the early mandate to create the conditions for a quick exit of the American military led to chaos, failure, and sectarian strife. In Endgame, producer Michael Kirk (Rumsfeld's War, The Torture Question, The Dark Side, and The Lost Year in Iraq) traces why the president decided to risk what military planners once warned could be the worst way to fight in Iraq -- door-to-door -- and assesses the likelihood of its success. Top administration figures, military commanders, and journalists offer inside details about the new strategy.

Following the broadcast, Endgame will be available to view on FRONTLINE's website.

Rant of the Day: Privatize This

Henry Rollins Tees Off. To augment that, read this IndyMedia report on Iraqi unionists speaking out during a U.S. tour against the American occupation and privatization schemes. This kind of corporatist money and power grab is at the very core of many of the festering problems our elected officials refuse to address effectively, whether they're related to health care, energy, education, natural resources like water, voting machines, trade, jobs, media, the prison industrial complex, our highway system or other areas where "privatization" to fill corporate coffers is being pushed to the detriment of the common good and common sense.

Is it any wonder? The powerful lobbying arms of these profit-at-any-cost outfits siphon tons of cash into the "campaign funds" of politicians on both sides of the aisle. They don't do that without getting what they want in return. They aren't donating large sums of money to be nice. Bottom line -- the "contributions" are nothing more than bribes masquerading as "free speech." Isn't it time we strengthen the challenges against politicos in both political parties on this score?

Secrecy Continues on Earmarks
I happened to turn on the TV this morning and caught a story on CNN about a project they're conducting to gather information on the specific "earmarks" being stuck into bills by members of Congress. Remember how one of the promises made by Dems in the 2006 election was that they'd reduce the rapid proliferation of these hidden subsidies to cronies and make the process transparent? Don't hold your breath. Of the 435 House members contacted by CNN interns, only 31 provided data on the specific earmarks they're pursuing. I guess they don't believe we have a right to know what projects are being supported with our tax dollars. Remember, we're just here to vote, pay our taxes and do the grunt work door to door while the "important people" who "contribute" generously to their campaigns get to call the shots.

NM House Members: Show Us the Money
According to the database compiled by CNN, New Mexico Reps. Heather Wilson (NM-01), Steve Pearce (NM-02) and Tom Udall (NM-03) all failed to provide the requested information on earmarks. What are they hiding? If you'd like to contact them to ask, click here. You know they always like to hear from contituents, as their websites and emails always state.

Private Equity and Hedge Fund Scams
In a related vein, don't even get me started on the "private equity funds" that are buying up public American companies, taking them private, dumping employees and benefits and essentially stealing their pension funds and other capital assets for distribution to their secret members. Have you heard ANY politician in the national spotlight criticize the full extent of this robbery? Even John Edwards, our token "populist" candidate, hems and haws when asked about private equity or hedge funds. After all, he recently worked for Fortress, a private equity firm that was taken public and produced large gains for its officers. And as this article reports, the majority of hedge fund "donations" are going to Dem candidates.

Again, don't hold your breath for any meaningful action by politicos anytime soon. They wouldn't want to subject members of such filthy outfits as the Carlisle Group to public scrutiny or fair taxation. It would cut down on the level of today's record-breaking campaign contributions!

Oh, there's a small dent in the dam as Congress has been so shamed by the revealed shenanigans of the Blackstone Fund that a bill has been introduced to address a narrow instance of the widespread problems with the equity funds. As this article in The Nation explains, Blackstone's greed and opportunism represents only the tip of the iceberg. Meanwhile, the Dem presidential candidates remain silent. Their owners don't like to be outed.

Free Screening of 'War Made Easy' Set for July at CNM

Stop the War Machine will hold a premier showing of Norman Solomon's new film WAR MADE EASY: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death, narrated by Sean Penn and based on Solomon's best selling book by the same name. The new film was featured on Democracy Now (read or stream the DN interview on May 29, 2007).

The film will be shown Monday, July 9, 2007 at 7:00 PM at Smith-Brasher Hall on the campus of Central New Mexico Community College. Parking is in the  large lot to the southwest of the intersection of University and Coal SE in Albuquerque. Admission is free.

Organizations wishing to put up information tables should contact stopthewarmachine@comcast.net.

According to the film's website:

War Made Easy brings to the screen Norman Solomon's insightful analysis of the strategies used by administrations, both Democratic and Republican, to promote their agendas for war from Vietnam to Iraq. By familiarizing viewers with the techniques of war propaganda, War Made Easy encourages us to think critically about the messages put out by today's spin doctors - messages which are designed to promote and prolong a policy of militarism under the guise of the "war on terror."

Congress and the Bush Administration are currently debating the next steps in the war in Iraq, and the country is poised for a war with Iran. Now is the time for citizens to engage with one another around issues of military spending, U.S. occupation of foreign countries, war propaganda, and more. The documentary film War Made Easy educates viewers about how administrations lead us into war and inspires necessary debate and discussion about the role that citizens can play in preventing the next war.

(Updated) Services Tuesday for Albuquerque Soldier Killed in Iraq

UPDATE: Carter Bundy's column on Heath Haussamen provides another fitting tribute to Sgt. Akins and the life he lived.
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Obituary in Albuquerque Journal:

AKIN -- James Christopher Akin, 23, born June 28, 1983 in Albuquerque, NM, passed away on June 2, 2007. James was killed by an IED while driving a humvee in Thania, Iraq. He was preceded in death by his mother, Mae Antonucci. He is survived by his wife, Syreeta Akin and his father, James Akin. He was a Sergeant in the United States Army and worked as a cannon crew member in Field Artillery stationed out of Ft. Lewis, WA. James was a part of the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team). He was serving his tour of duty at Camp Taji in Iraq just north of Baghdad.

Services will take place Tuesday, June 12, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque, 4100 Osuna Rd. NE. Interment will follow at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. French Mortuary 9300 Golf Course Rd. NW (505) 897-0300 www.frenchmortuary.com

(AP Photo/Akin Family via Victor Raigoza)

As stated in a previous guest blog by Victor Raigoza, Democrats are being urged to attend the service:

At the request of Mrs. Syreeta Akin, James' widow, I am asking that all Democrats attend his service ... The reason Syreeta wants Democrats there is because James loved the Democratic party and had aspirations of one day serving the people of New Mexico and the United States in the capacity of an elected official.

From Brian Colón, Chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico:

Dear Fellow Democrats,

Please join us on Tuesday, June 12 at 10:00 AM to honor fallen soldier and hero Sgt. James C. Akin of Albuquerque. The tragedy is a great loss for the State of New Mexico and the United States of America.  Sgt, Akin was a young man who accomplished so much in such a short time and by his own words recognized that "the measure of our progress is not whether we can provide more for those who have plenty, but whether we can provide enough to those who have little." His life of service and desire to be a part of New Mexico's political landscape is inspiring to many.

Please join us in the comforting thoughts and prayers we are sending out to Sgt. Akin's family.  Included below is Sgt. Akin's brief obituary, which can not begin to describe the impact he had and the inspiration he was to so many.

Let us also not forget the other New Mexicans and Americans that have given their lives in service to our country.

Respectfully,
Brian Colon

Albuquerque soldier killed in Baghdad
The Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A New Mexico soldier who wanted to someday become president of the U.S. has been killed in Iraq.

Army Sgt. James C. Akin, 23, and three other soldiers were killed June 3 near Baghdad when the Humvee that Akin was driving was destroyed by a bomb, family spokesman Victor Raigoza said. Akin would have been 24 on June 28, according to his wife, Syreeta, of Rio Rancho.

“He was willing to put his actions where his mouth was,” Raigoza said. “If he one day occupied the office where war would be determined, [he felt] that it would be necessary for him to have experienced that.”

Syreeta Akin wrote on his Web page — https://www.myspace.com/akin_for_president — on the social networking site MySpace.com: “You always did what you loved to do, and that is serve your country. I appreciate your sacrifice and well as all others before you. Without people like you where would our country be?”

The Web page has turned into a memorial for Akin, with comments from family, friends and Army buddies.

The U.S. Department of Defense had not confirmed Akin’s death as of June 6.

Funeral services are pending, and Akin will be buried in the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, Raigoza said.

Akin, an Albuquerque native and 2001 Valley High School graduate who joined the Army in 2004, was a self-professed politics and sports junkie. He worked on Raigoza’s 2004 campaign when Raigoza sought the Democratic nomination for a state Senate seat.

“We ended up spending three months together, almost day and night,” Raigoza recalled.

He said he worried when Akin was deployed. Because of Akin’s gregarity and leadership qualities, he felt at the time “there’s a good chance James will never come back,” Raigoza said.

In addition to his wife, Akin is survived by his father, James W. Akin of Albuquerque. His mother, Marianne, died in October, Raigoza said.

Committing Poetry in Times of War: June 16 at Kimo

The Poetic Justice Institute presents Committing Poetry in Times of War, a documentary film of one tumultuous week in March 2003 in New Mexico and its aftermath, on Saturday June 16th at 6:30 PM at the Kimo Theater in Albuquerque. There will also be an after party. Admission is FREE and the event is sponsored by the City of Albuquerque Office of Cultural Affairs.

On April 20, 2007 the Telluride Talking Gourds Writers Guild awarded Committing Poetry the first ever Tellus Award for “Poetry Film of the Year.” Click for a detailed description of the film, organized around the free speech actions of poet and former Rio Rancho High School teacher, Bill Nevins (photo) and others, and what they ignited. Excerpt:

As bombs fell on Iraq in March 2003 and the President called for natiional unity, an outspoken  high school student slam poetry team was disbanded and silenced in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Rio Rancho High's Principal and its Military Liaison then presided at a flag-raising ceremony on the public school's grounds where a soldier's poem was read out, telling war protestors to "shut your faces." The team's coach, teacher Bill Nevins,was one of seven Albuquerque area educators removed from their classrooms for encouraging free speech.

That same week in March 2003, hundreds of peaceful antiwar protestors were gassed, coralled and assaulted by police in the Albuquerque streets near the University of New Mexico. The fabric of American Constitutional free speech and free assembly protections seemed to be unravelling in New Mexico. In response, an ad hoc coalition of poets, musicians, educators and outraged cititzens organized "Poetic Justice": a series of celebratory "speak-out" concert  gatherings in New Mexico and across the USA  to honor the Rio Rancho student poets, to support Coach Nevins in his ultimately-successful legal battle and to demand respect for the First Amendment.   

Committing Poetry documents many of those dynamic poetry and musical performances. The film includes highlights of the Albuquerque and New York City Poetic Justice concerts. On screen performances by Adan Baca, Socorro Romo, Demetria Martinez, two-time Albuquerque Slam City Champion Tony Santiago, Erin Ambrose, Jazz, The Ruffians, Carlos Contreras, Priscilla Baca y Candelaria, Manuel Gonzales, Danny Solis, Kenn Rodriguez and members of the disbanded Rio Rancho Ram Slam Poetry Team offer an inspiring account of how America's artistic community has responded to war time threats against our cherished civil liberties.

(Updated) NM Democrats Urged to Honor Fallen Soldier at Service

Update: See our later post that contains more information on the service for Sgt. Akin.

From Albuquerque Democrat Victor Raigoza:
It is with great sadness that I report to you the death of a great young Albuquerque Democrat, Sgt. James Akin. Sgt. Akin was one of the four men killed this past weekend in Iraq, when the vehicle he was driving hit an IED. 

At the request of Mrs. Syreeta Akin, James' widow, I am asking that all Democrats attend his service.  Dates and times have not yet been set. You may have to refer to the paper for notice of time and place. I do know that the service will be at Calvary Chapel on Osuna (I do believe we can fill this space with the Democrats James so loved) and the final resting place will be the MIlitary Cemetary in Santa Fe. 

The reason Syreeta wants Democrats there is because James loved the Democratic party and had aspirations of one day serving the people of New Mexico and the United States in the capacity of an elected official.

James was 23 and enlisted to serve our nation so that one day he would be able to show his dedication not only in word but in action. He had intentions of one day running for President of the United States, and he knew that military service would be a vital part of his campaign. He also enlisted because as stated to me in a letter from 2004, "We will either fight for our country or we will lose it.  This is not the time to rest, but one to work for the people."

James was a member of the John Kelly for Congress Campaign and was my Campaign Manager when I ran for State Senate. The last political thing James did in Albuquerque was in October 2006 when he spoke at a rally for Patricia Madrid in the North Valley.

There could be no greater tribute to this fine young man, a fallen hero, than to honor him by the presence of the Democrats of the great state of which he loved at his memorial service.

I appreciate your efforts in rallying the masses to come pay their final respects to this great Democrat.

Thank you,
Victor Raigoza
vpraigoza@msn.com

Editor's Note: I will update this post when more information is received about the date and time of the funeral service. Here's the AP story on Akin's death.

Troops in Iraq Ask Lieberman: When Are We Gonna Get Outta Here?

Hey, he's shopping for sunglasses at a Baghdad market, so don't bring him down with the facts. Lieberman put on another pair of rose-colored lenses and exclaimed about how much progress we're making. May death toll of U.S. troops in Iraq: 127. Ft. Lewis, home to one of every six of our soldiers killed in Iraq this month, has decided it can no longer hold memorial services for individual soldier deaths because it's too time consuming. They're opting instead for one monthly, one-size-fits-all memorial. I guess whatever constitutes "supporting the troops" is increasingly in the eye of the beholder. Meanwhile ....

Oh, and remember Retired Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez from the first year of the occupation? His assessment of our prospects in Iraq is one of the most grim in a long list of recent grim assessments. Excerpt from coverage on Think Progress:

“I think if we do the right things politically and economically with the right Iraqi leadership we could still salvage at least a stalemate, if you will — not a stalemate but at least stave off defeat. It’s also kind of important for us to answer the question, ‘What is victory?’, and at this point I’m not sure America really knows what victory is.” […]

“I am absolutely convinced that America has a crisis in leadership at this time and we’ve got to do whatever we can to help the next generation of leaders do better than we have done over the past five years,” Sanchez said, “better than what this cohort of political and military leaders have done.”

Meanwhile, expansion plans are already taking shape for our new imperial fortress, I mean embassy, in Baghdad:

“It’s as big as Vatican City and makes the foreign embassies dotting the tree-lined streets of Washington, D.C., look like carriage houses, but the barely-finished U.S. embassy in Baghdad is already primed for expansion.”

According to Dave Foley, spokesman at the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, more Americans are still working at the embassy than initially expected, mainly because the overarching security problem in Baghdad has slowed and complicated efforts to rebuild the country and help establish a functioning central government there. […]

As designed now, the 619 blast-proof apartments may not be enough to accommodate some of the estimated 4,000 regular employees, contractors and local Iraqis working for the embassy, plus congressional and other diplomatic visitors who visit the capital on a regular basis.

I wonder if it has a moat. It doesn't say in this description. And no word yet on whether Exxon Mobil or Halliburton will have their own executive suites.

Richard Becker to Speak on Iraq, Iran in Santa Fe & ABQ

From Stop the War Machine: Richard Becker will speak on "What Does It Take to Get Out of Iraq (and Not Go Into Iran)," on Sunday, June 3, from 7 to 10 PM at Smith Brasher Hall, on the campus of Central New Mexico Community College. The hall is in the big building to the SW at the corner of University Blvd and Coal SE in Albuquerque. Click for flyer (pdf).

Becker will also speak on the topic on Saturday, June 2, at 6 PM at the Unitarian Church, 107 West Barcelona Road, just off Galisteo near Cordova, in Santa Fe. This free event is sponsored by Mother Media (www.mothermedia.org or 982-3609).

Richard Becker is the Western Regional Coordinator of the International ANSWER-Act Now to Stop War and End Racism-Coalition. ANSWER. has organized numerous mass protests of hundreds of thousands of people against the war in Iraq, from mid-2002 to the present. Becker has been a central organizer of, and featured speaker at, many of the West Coast mass mobilizations in San Francisco and Los Angeles.  In December 2005, Becker traveled to Damascus, Syria to participate in a conference on Palestinian Refugees and the Right of Return. One of the few US activists to visit Syria in recent years, Becker has spoken out in opposition to the US-led campaign for regime change in that country at numerous public forums and media events. (Email contact: rbecker17@yahoo.com)

Quote of the Day: Bush Pounds His Chest

From 'A Spreading Terror' by Dallas Morning News columnist Georgie Anne Geyer:

. . . by all reports, President Bush is more convinced than ever of his righteousness.

Friends of his from Texas were shocked recently to find him nearly wild-eyed, thumping himself on the chest three times while he repeated "I am the president!" He also made it clear he was setting Iraq up so his successor could not get out of "our country's destiny."

His judgment and demeanor haven't improved
since this video.