Subject: [permaculture] politics and permies / Permaculturist Activism
Date: Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:44:24 -0500
On the heels of Scott Pittman's brilliant declaration regarding the
political nature of Permaculture here's one of those moments when
speaking up has a chance of making a difference and is urgently needed
to protect the first amendment.
Keith
The Senate will vote this week (as early as Tuesday) on /two critical
measures/: The Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act and the Peru Free
Trade Agreement. Already passed in the House, both bills will be taken
up in the Senate this week and both issues need your attention. Read
more below and use the links to take action!
This *flawed and dangerous legislation
<http://pdamerica.org/articles/news/2007-12-03-13-51-09-news.php>*, The
Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007,
HR 1955, introduced by Rep. Jane Harman, was passed on October 23, 2007,
with only four Democrats and two Republicans voting against it. The
companion bill in the Senate, S. 1959, will be voted on soon, as early
as Tuesday.
* Why do we need this bill?* We already have laws that allow the police
to arrest perpetrators of violent crimes. Could the real purpose of
Harman's bill be to create a commission to hold hearings and administer
oaths for the purpose of taking testimony, and to cite for contempt
anyone failing to testify?
The ACLU <http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/32886prs20071128.html>
said this: "As an organization dedicated to the principles of freedom of
speech, we cannot in good conscience support this or any measure that
might lead to censorship and persecution based solely on one's personal
beliefs."
Americans are at a turning point. Will we return to the days of
McCarthyism and forfeit our rights or will we forge ahead, holding
theses values sacred, as we try to undo the mistakes of this
administration and rebuild our standing in the world?
*Send a message to your Senators
<http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/issues/alert/?alertid=10616211>* demanding
they protect your first amendment right and uphold their oath to protect
the Constitution by voting NO on S. 1959, The Violent Radicalization and
Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007.
***Peru "Free" Trade Act: **Of the corporations, by the corporations,
and for the corporations*
This Tuesday the Senate will likely vote on the Peru Free Trade
Agreement. The experiment that was NAFTA has been proven to be
disastrous on many levels. Tell your Senators that "free" trade isn't
free, and to *vote NO on the Peru Free Trade Agreement
<http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/issues/alert/?alertid=10616371&PROCESS=Take+Action>*.
"Free Trade" agreements
<http://pdamerica.org/articles/news/2007-12-03-14-42-08-news.php>, which
were characterized as a win-win scenario for all parties, have proven to
be quite something else. Unfortunately, many Democrats support this
flawed legislation, which like NAFTA, CAFTA and other FTAs, hurts
workers and the environment in both the U.S. and our partner countries.